busy, Busy, BUSY!!!!

I never thought my life could be so busy and so crazy at the same time. Working and being a homemaker is one of the hardest things to do. I'm terribly unbalanced and I'm ashamed to say that the homemaker job is the one I'm failing at. Maybe if I were younger and stronger I could do a better job. As you can see, the blog has been neglected too. It falls in the homemaking job so .....

Christmas was a blast with Heather's family here. We rarely had time to rest. The kids didn't like the site seeing as much as the adults and probably won't remember that part much at all and if they do, it will be with frustration. But hopefully the rest will bring back pleasant memories. We hope to have Andy's crew here this next year.

Can't tell who it is? Heather and Brian

One of those great site seeing trips!

Adin enjoying a fresh Dunkin' Donut!!

The medical practice I work for has gone back to a regular practice instead of a retainer practice They were very successful at collecting $2000 from patients for a years worth of healthcare.

Of course they still needed insurance to pay for drugs, hospital and specialists. They were surprised at the response. But Maryland has an insurance commission that didn't understand and wants to investigate and regulate so they pulled out. I'm glad because I need the job for at least another year and they were going to let people go. I was thrilled to receive my yearly pay increase of 50 cents an hour. ;) They told me I deserved it with all my hard work. If you didn't know. I work for 3 jewish, miserly doctors and 2 regular ones. The miserly ones are in charge. But with how much I make, I'm at a little under 5% for my raise. Not bad for an uneducated OLD lady.

My birthday was rather uneventful. Dad was at a conference in DC and had to stay for 3 days and 2 nights. It was the company's board meeting so he didn't have a way to get out of it. Sarah was great and baked me an angel food cake (my favorite). When dad came home he took me out to my favorite mexican food restaraunt and planned to celebrate the next night. He said he would get off work early so I could go get a new cell phone. (My one request for my birthday). When we got home I came upstairs to talk to Sarah and things didn't look right. I was SUPER SURPRISED to see a brand new flat screen tv for me. Wow! What a shock. It was so fun to have a surprise. Dad had actually stayed home the whole day and gone out to get it and set it up before I got home. I love it and my pretty PURPLE phone.

Now all of you better go out and by Crest and they should pay me a

huge chunk for advertising!!

I better quit before you have a heart attack from reading my long awaited for Blog.

Not So Good....

A favorite of mine! Sarah took this at the BYU Game Day!! Andy is showing his TRUE smile. A very rare picture.

I guess I'm not doing so well. But not much happens here. It seems like my whole life is about work and I hate it. By the evening we are so exhausted that we do......... just about nothing. Dad has been helping a boy in the ward with his Eagle. He decided to do cement work and word got around that dad knew how so he was nabbed. Maybe I should send Sarah with a camera so we can highlight the event. Sarah has been going with him from the beginning. Rain, sleet, ice or sun. (No snow here) The past 3 Saturdays they have been going and a couple week nights. It will be going forever. The kid decided to do sooooooo much. He didn't have a clue how hard it would be and his parents didn't either. Because of the project my cupboards have been put on hold. Dad is hoping to have them finished by Christmas.

You can see the shine and the change. This cupboard was actually hanging on the other side of the kitchen but I want dad to open the wall up so we have more openness from the kitchen to the dining/family room

Some of the finished cupboards. Dad Started here at the top.

Here you can see the old and the NEW!!! I love the cherry color and the shine

I can't believe I'm doing this!!!

5 Things I was doing 10 years ago.

1. I was living in Brigham City and thinking life was pretty easy.

2. I was in the primary presidency and going to LONG presidency meetings once a week.

3. I would be babysitting Andy as his special missionary companion and taking him to all the doctors appointments to get him fixed.

4. I was excitedly getting ready for Halloween. Which for some odd reason I loved back when all you kids were young. Now I know better.

5. I had a major crush on the cutest guy. I was lucky to be married to him. And I still have a crush on him.

Now for the 5 things I wanted to do today. This is WANTED TO DO!!

1. Work on Charisse's quilt.

2. Make a pretty pegnoir set for Christmas Jammies.

3. Knit a Christmas Stocking for Adin.

4. I want to watch Dancing with the Stars with Sarah.

5. I want to eat something fabulous.

5 Things I needed to do today.

1. Make my bed.

2. Go to work.

3. Fix dinner-4 courses.

4. Clean my desk off.

5. Clean spider webs off the front porch.

Now for the Grand Finale

5 Things I would do with a million dollars

1. Pay tithing.

2. Pay off all debts- not including my house which would take 1/2 the money.

3. Pay off all the kids schooling debts.

4. Redo all the floors in my house.

5. Sale my house and buy something all on 1 level.

Ooooops! I Forgot the 5 jobs I've had

1. Looking at negatives and photos at a photo company. Matching them up so they all went back to the customer correctly.

2. Hotel Maid- Ugh!

3. BYU Janitor at 4 am.

4. BYU Housing Office-secretary.

5- Gilbert and Sullivan CPA's, punch card operator.

Man I missed another one.

5 places that I've lived. I'll start at the earliest to later.

1. Scottsdale, Arizona-hot, Hot, HOT!!!

2. Mobile, Alabama

3. Centralia, Washington

4. Provo, Utah

5. San Jose, California-Brigham City, Ut-Lyman, WY-Columbia, MD

I think I finally did it! I have no one to tag :o( If anyone reads this that wants to tag, DO IT!!

Just let me know so I can read yours.

The pictures above were our house in Centralia, Washington.

The REASON we are here!

I thought I'd update you on life in Maryland. One of the worst things to happen at Dad's work is to be asked to talk to the "Boss". That usually means that you are going to be belittled and told off. Dad came home a week ago and went into a long detailed story about his day and said "Then Fred told me he needed to talk to me!!" I thought, "This is going to be awful or better than I expect". As most of you know, Dad hasn't been happy at USRA since this boss started. He was also told that he would get a promotion this fall. Of course, Dad has not believed that for a second. So Fred follows Dad into his office and shuts the door. Then he tells Dad that he is doing a great job!!!!!!! I was so shocked! He also informed him that he had put in for a hefty raise and promotion for him!!! Dad hasn't found out the final details but should sometime this week. The sad part is that the one guy dad likes there is in the "belittling phase" right now and has been put on probation for 3 months. He has been job hunting for quite a few months and will leave as soon as he finds something else. Dad is still looking for another job. He doesn't trust his boss at all. He is glad for the praise but is worried he will be next. It seems like he really puts someone up on a pedistal and 6 months later he tears them off and stomps on them. The good news is that we can get some layoff bills paid and hopefully I won't have to work much longer. That is the best part of all. I will be so happy when I am free to do all the things at home that I love to do. Keep praying for Dad to do a good job and know that your prayers are answered now.

Okay, Okay, Okay!!!!

I will try to do this. Hope it works. My first BLOG page. Hope you like it.



One Handsome GUY!!
He won't be happy if he
sees this. I hope you all
like it and the grandkids
can see their grandpa.















Just a few snapshots from my Utah visit.


My cool phone picture above.
Batman and his girl Kallie!
Meg in Jail!