Swine Flu

Ok. It's on my mind. Honestly with the health of my diabetic husband, 3 asthmatic children and my heart etc... it is on my mind. Confirmed? Probable? regardless: it's likely already in Utah. I am not surprised. Really I am not. These are the last days. We all know it is suppose to happen. Ok. I get that. I am just feeling a bit leery of what may lie ahead for those I know and love... and for my little family.

I am feeling a bit guilty at the giddiness I feel knowing my kids ARE home schooled as this is unfolding. The chances are diminished somewhat from that. What a blessing it feels like to me!

And yet... deep down in my mommy heart I can't help but be a little bit un-nerved by this. For those that are newer in my life - let me let you in on a brief glimpse of days past. Between my 3 asthmatics they have been hospitalized over 15 times, with the shortest stay being 3-4 days, for colds/flus that aggravated their asthma and left them fighting for breath. My little Cam's lungs have collapsed on more than one occasion. And it is just so heart renching to watch your child suffer the panic of not being able to breathe and be helpless to do much of anything to help!

*sigh* Does that make me a little less of a panic stricken citizen and more of a concerned mother? I really do not know. I am trying really hard to keep my mind on other things, and stay full of faith and not fear, that is how it should be... but the constant nag of memories past pull at the edge of my consciousness and at moments like right now...with it now in our own state...possibly our own county... if I don't give it voice... I feel like I will come out of my skin.

How's that for a happy post about enjoying the journey!? ACK! See how I am??

Wordless Wednesday

Caleb-ism

The kids have been discussing Presidents of the United States. If you ask Caleb (age 4) who the 1st President of the United States is he will tell you, "George Washingtont." We have giggled about the pronunciacion for a few days now. Then came the kicker...

Cam's asked him what George Washinton did (you know...like chopped down the cherry tree etc) Caleb's reply was a thoughtful one...

"uhhhh.... he cleans da tents??"

You know.... George Washing-tents.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Ah... he is such a nut! I love kids minds!

Sunday May 3rd - Fast Sunday...

Hi my loved ones and friends. I have had many of you, and others I know, on my mind a lot lately. There are many of each of our family and friends that are struggling right now meeting the needs that their families have due to job loss, pay cuts and hourly cuts. We have struggled as well...and though things are turning around some for my family, I still worry about all those that I know and love!

Jestin was in a Stake Welfare meeting where the Stake Pres. asked all there to stand up. Then he asked any who have been directly effected by pay cuts to sit down. Then those with hour cuts. Then those with complete job loss. Then those who had someone in their family who has experienced this. Then close friends. By the time he got to "those who have someone in their quorum or ward" to sit there were only 2 left standing to sit down.

This analogy really has gotten me thinking. A lot! We ALL know someone who is effected by the state of our economy right now (though most of us are effected regardless). There are many in need of extra blessings. And so this is the reason for my post (and email if you got one)

Would you join us in dedicating your fast in May (this Sunday, May 3rd) to those who are struggling in this economy to care for their families? And then could you give just a few dollars more than usual for your fast offering to help meet their needs?

It's such a small thing we all can do - and yet I KNOW Heavenly Father honors prayers with a fast with so much more than we can imagine. Let's bless these loved ones of ours as one flock... with one Shepherd.

"And the Lord called his people ZION , because they were of one heart and one mind, and dwelt in rigteousness; and there was no poor among them." - Moses 7:18
Feel free to send this on as well... the more of us that stand together... well you know. ;)

Cheep Cheep... Cheap Eggs?

What a fun Family Home Evening! LOL

And a Happy Birthday to my love! (the kids were THRILLED!!)

How stinkin' sweet are they??

We have 10 new baby chicks!! 4 Reds, 2 White Leghorns & 4 little Silkies.

The silkies are tiny...

The kids (Jestin included) cannot get enough of them!

Fresh eggs come fall will be HEAVENLY!!

I feel slightly Modern Day Pioneerish... which is tending to be my path of life these days. Self Reliance is heavy on my mind, and I am thrilled at one more way to meet my family's needs without the aid of a grocery store.

In the mean time... we have to keep the kids from squashing them, the dog from eating them, and Jess to get the coop built so they can graduate from the box in my garage. Fun times! Fun times! *GRIN*

Happy Birthday Sweetheart! I hope you have as much fun this year as we have in past years with chickens.... minus all the roosters of course! ;)

April 27th, Monday, Daddy's Birthday

Here we are a new week...

Cam and I slept in as he had a rough asthma day & was really bad last night. We did a shower, and meds and treatments and he finally slept well after about 4 am on. *sigh* So fun.

While he and I slept, Caleb got out his toy lap top computer and played alphabet games for over an hour. Cody read in his book, and played some with Caleb. Once we all got up and going about 10 am (*blush*) we did Math... Emma did 2 pages, Cody did 2 pages, Cameron did 4 pages (he loves math!) and Caleb played with his legos. They worked on the United States puzzle together. They helped Cameron do a power point on lungs. We discussed the Swine Flu and what a Pandemic is and how to stay healthy. We also discussed death a bit and the plan of salvation... they all think in some ways dying would be easier. :0 I was shocked at their wisdom. Emma did a power point (which includes research) on Flamingos today. We also changed bedding on beds, and started sorting out summer/winter clothes. Then they spent over an hour and half making this:

Which as you can see is on our garage awaiting the return of their Daddy. *GRIN*

They took Sophie on a long walk, Emma played Wii Fit for 30 minutes, Cam played on Webkinz (learning about earning points to buy his "pet" things it needs etc) and he also composed his 1st email and sent it to me. (go Cam!) Caleb went to Preschool today. Cody has a sore throat so he is resting on the couch with free time on the TV this afternoon and the rest are playing outside with friends. Then we shall have birthday activities shortly... and possibly a trip to a farm to pick up some chickens! :)

Jestin, my love...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Where did the time go? Have I really loved you over half our lives now.... ?

Dating make-up scene...

Our Wedding Day...

Oh the mullett!! LOL

One of the best dad's I know!

A complete tease!

But the love of my life for eternity and beyond...

Are you kidding me?

I knew this day would come. I knew it. But I am still feeling slightly un-nerved by it!

Emmalee officially wears my shoes now...

AM I REALLY THAT OLD ???? :P

Homemade Shout??

I am so excited!! I just found something new to try! I was looking through a 1988 ward cookbook that my Grandma gave me when we got married that her ward had put together. My aunt and greataunt and some cousins contributed too. I was highlighting the ones that are "family" submitted recipes and at the very end I found a recipe for homemade laundry pre-treat that my Aunt Christine submitted! I am so tickled!! I am TOTALLY going to try it out!

I have LOVED my homemade laundry soap, aside from the few hard to get stains (tomato based, chocolate etc)...and for those I have been using Shout on! How FUN is that if I can make pre-treat that works great too!??! It looks SO easy and will likely only cost a few pennies to make! YEA!!! I am SO enjoying teaching/learning old school homemaking tricks! SWEET!!! I know what MOM is learning for homeschool this week!! *WINK WINK*

Finding the Joy...

Every day is a gift. Everyone! Those we love are with us such a short time. Each person in my life is a gift - I can learn from them, and them from me. We are not alone and yet the only person we can count on being here the entire time we are here on this earth is ourselves. That leaves me to wonder... should I be nicer to me?

I am thankful for each trial. They are gifts too. Trials bring testimony. They give me a chance to break the norm. The make my heart more full of gratitude. Trials teach me about myself as well... and they seem to have different effects in different parts of my life and soul.

Heaven blesses me each day. I have water to drink. I have a roof over my head and clothes to keep my body protected. I have a body. I have food to eat. I have sunshine to warm and soothe my body, mind and soul. I have rain to wash away the grime of this dirty modern world. There are flowers to enjoy all around me, and green grass, and snow covered mountains...etc etc etc. Each thing, person, feeling, event & place are gifts from Heavenly Father for me to enjoy... if I choose to recognize and appreciate them as such.

There is much joy around me this day... and I am choosing to see it.

The rest of the week...

We hit the library this week...
Emmalee:
Poppy (a story about a mouse - fun reading)
How to Draw Animals (and has done a TON of drawings)
Creating with Mosiac
Kids Money Making Ideas (to plan better their "refreshment stand" idea for summer)

Cody:
Pokemon Story book (fun reading)
he is on the waiting list for "Pillage"
Build your Own Website (uh? really? says mom feeling nervous...)

Cameron:
Some Avatar Books (getting him to read)
Unplugged Play (a huge book of activity ideas that require no mordern day electronics to entertain)

We have also taken care of our yard, gone shopping at Walmart (figuring out costs and needs), covered various math on all levels with each one and finished the last 6 chapters of "Summer of the Monkeys" together. It's been a good week. A little lazy...but fun anyway!

Happy Earth Day!!

Yesterday was a perfect earth day!

We mowed the grass for the first time & played on it forever...

Rolling, sommersaulting, running & jumping...

And "went green" for earth day!! *grin*

Wordless Wednesday

Monday April 20th

Today was a little unstructured, but profitable nonetheless. ;)

I had a funeral for a childhood friends husband so the kids spent the morning at Gram's. Cam took his math book and did multiple pages. Emma took hers and did two in her algerbra book. Cody played with McKenly. LOL.

We came home and they helped me empty out the trailer and then they played together. They caught a fly, took off ones of it's wings (ewww!) and worked together to try and teach it tricks. (ok...something I just dont want to know! LOL) We also learned how to play a new game together as a family (Arne). It was a little hard, but taught good thought problem and strategy skills.

Camping... wahoo!!

We could not have gone anywhere more perfect!

Palisades State Park - near Manti












They had a playground













A dock to sit on, paddles boats to play on, fish to catch, water to swim in...

(bwahaha! Love the crack!)

We went with some our favorite people... and we played hard! Caleb and his BBF Jesse rode their Man Cars down the hill for H-O-U-R-S. They crashed hard that night! The girls swam until they were frozen. The boys hiked and found a herd of 8 deer! Cody brought home an antler! We ate smores, laughed until all hours and learned that a camp fire in a portable fire pit is HEAVENLY! You have a place to warm your feet! LOL!

This camp ground was awesome! We could have golfed, riden ATV's on the trails nearby and gone fishing with poles (instead of our hands)! There were full trailer hook ups, so we microwaved popcorn, blow dried hair and just had an all around PERFECT time!

This is a must visit again place! It was so lovely!!

Happy Birthday to me! (Thanks Mom and Dad! Your $gift$ was well spent! *grin*)

Can't wait to go again....

For heaven's sake...

It's time to be realistic.
I have to face it, give it voice, and accept it I think. I have been rebelling, ignoring, fighting and complaining about it... but it has become my reality for some reason, and I need to come to grips with it. I am back on my heart rollercoaster. It is not as severe as before. Really. It's not. I have not been to the hospital in full A-fib. I have more good days than bad. I do. But those bad days are creeping up on me again... and oh man they are not good.

I fainted in Jess' lap on Easter Morning. I fainted after saying bedtime prayers a few days before that. I get numb and tingly in my extremeties from time to time. I feel the old favorite feeling of "treading water" for hours on end and just wish it would stop! And then the fatigue....oh the fatigue!!! It comes and goes. One day I am fabulous! The next I am not. I was g-r-e-a-t a couple of days ago, full of energy and out running errands with the kids... we stopped at the grocery store. On our way out I ran to the car, as it was raining, and by the time I got home I was D.O.N.E. Sadly done.

The emotions I feel about this are so consuming. I went to the Cardiologist about this change a month ago. I posted about it , but in a nutshell he wondered if it wasn't just a virus in my heart, or that then it could be I am headed for an A-fib episode again. I felt better a few days later and figured it was just a virus I was getting over, and I had had none of the terrifying complications(YEA!), and all was well again. I was thrilled.

And yet here we go again. This time I don't have as much pain. THANK HEAVENS. But I am tired. I am so tired. One minute I feel great. The next I dont. No rhyme or reason.

I am so dissapointed inside. I just want to be able to make plans and keep them. I just want to be able to do the things I want/need to do. I dont want to take a nap after my showers, or lay down after climbing the stairs.

And it feels so confusing to feel great one minute and not the next. It is a hard way to live. I try not to murmur. I try to be happy. Jess is worried. I am worried. The cardiologist says we must wait it out. I could have an A-fib episode again. I could. And that really stirs fear in my heart... :(

I have to wrap my mind around this... :

And so to find the joy...
* I have the kids home during the day and we can homeschool anywhere.
* I do have more good days than bad
* I have not gotten hurt when I faint
* My kids are really quite self sufficient
* My bed is soft (lol)
* The sun came out today!
* I have a great partner for Real Estate to help me on my off days (Love you Maria!!)
* My husband is my rock, I would be lost without him
* It's not as bad as it could be
* I dont have to worry about the Primary anymore if it's a bad day (The Lord loves me)
* I can eat sugar again if I wanted to (Lent was hard... but I have found sugar doesn't taste as good anymore! sweet!)
* It's my blog and I can cry if I want to... cry if I want to...
* Tommorow could be a strong day ;) It could be.

And I need to accept this for now...

It came to pass... not to stay!

Wordless Wednesday