Livin' at the Millavilla

Turtle Trama

2012-01-19T21:17:00.000-08:00

Meghan called me this morning with a report that the turtles were dead. They had acquired two turtles from Grandpa Jack and have had them now for quite some time. Apparently Kate had to be driven to school today after the kids left on the bus and noticed before leaving that the turtles weren't in their tank in the corner of the kitchen. The kids had taken them outside (after Meghan encouraged to 'take them outside so they can have some fresh air.' Well, they were forgotten and spent the night outside.

One of the turtles had a leg extended, like it had been walking, couldn't take one more step and had died. Meghan put them in warm water to see if they would revive. Kate ended up going to school upset that the turtles were gone, being told to not tell Lauryn about it while at school. She had been very upset over her centipede dying last year and this would have been so much more.

While we were talking on the phone, Meghan announced that one of the turtles had moved! She said this would indeed be a Christmas Miracle, even though it was January! I called later to find out about the 2nd turtle and sure enough...2 revived turtles at the Bunker house. The kids weren't home from school yet, but Meghan had called the school to let them know the turtles were alive! She had warned them earlier in the day of the possible trauma.

A happy ending for all.

2011-12-31T12:23:00.000-08:00

Welcome Lydia!

2011-06-06T21:42:00.000-07:00

Nothing better than a day at the hospital seeing the birth of beautiful grandbaby! Lydia Bunker was born at 3:21pm today, June 6th and weighed 7 lbs 13 ounces and was 20.5 inches long.

Meghan was originally scheduled at 3pm this afternoon to be induced, but the doctors office called this morning and had an opening at 10am. No argument there! Meghan was a real trouper and makes giving birth look somewhat effortless, although we that have been there know the real pains of childbirth and the joys of epiderals!The second favorite event of the day was seeing the kids unite with their brand new baby sister. They were all very happy campers!

The Grand Finale!

2011-05-07T22:01:00.001-07:00

Blake's Senior Prom is tonight and he's still out, but Tom and I took the chance to drop by and see he and Brook at the Johnson's house in Hidden Groves. This is the last hurrah for high school dances and it's been fun to be a part of it. Next stop: Baccaloreate, Seminary Graduation, High School Graduation and mission!

7th Heaven BD

2011-05-04T22:18:00.001-07:00

Miss Tyler had a birthday...and quite a birthday it was! She skipped school, got her toenails painted and her ears pierced, (along with her mom) and had a free lunch at Liberty Market. Grandpa and I stopped by before she left to go to the mall with Grandma Tarzan, so she could add a little more spending money to her pot. She is also pretty snappy in her new birthday outfit. Tatum was a great sport in Tyler having the spotlight on her special day.

Packing for Florida

2011-05-03T23:32:00.001-07:00

I believe in packing early for trips so as to not stress out...so...why am I still stressed out?!

Sunbeams

2011-05-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

It's 73 degrees outside right now and I'm cold! I just got a jacket and some socks on. Yep, I'm a wimp.

I'm wrapping up the last minute details for the Sunbeams today. Tom and I were asked to substitute and I've got our bags of tricks ready!

Back from church: The tricks worked, thanks to SugarDoodle.net. I brought a white sheet and spread it on the floor. We talked about manna from heaven for the wandering Israelites in the desert and I used popcorn as manna. They took their little cups and gathered manna for each day and then I gave them 2 cups for Saturday to gather an extra serving for Sunday. It was time to put the sheet and popcorn away when the started throwing and grabbing. Don't know if anything quite sunk in, but you do what you can to at least try. I know Tom was happy to go teach his High Priest lesson 2nd hour!

Gary's BD

2011-04-27T15:09:00.001-07:00

We drove Mom and Dad downtown to eat at Mango's for Gary's birthday. I spoke with Gary the day before and figured that Dad had finalized plans.

Nope. Got there and called Gary to hurry and run down so we could celebrate his birthday! Meanwhile, I had Tom take a few pictures for my GGLG update. Didn't work out quite so well as the sun was either too much or too little.

Royal Wedding

2011-04-26T12:38:00.001-07:00

I posted on Facebook: With no shame or excuses, I will be following closely William and Kate wedding week activities, even waking up at 2 am to see the wedding live. i did it for Charles and Diana years ago and I'll do it again!

Hope this one turns out like a true fairytale...

Easter

2011-04-25T16:34:00.001-07:00

Friday, (pre-Easter) we had a 'Fun Day' with Tyler, Tatum and Sam. We started out about 10am and did some crafts, went to lunch at Sweet Cakes, dropped by a boutique, came home and watched Tangled, had some front yard fun with a yogurt and strawberried for snack and wrapped up the day! This picture shows some of the results of our fun time with the girls packing their crafts to head for home!
The closest thing to proof of Easter Sunday, was Lauryn in her bunny ears, joined by Kate with a green egg-like balloon on her head! Tom and I delivered Easter dresses later last night, but I have no proof that anyone looked cute in them, or even wore them for that matter! Thanks Lauryn and Kate for your Easter spirit...

Easter pageant

2011-04-22T08:38:00.000-07:00

Tom and I went to the Easter pageant on Thursday night and took Lauryn, Bret and Kate with us. We snagged a picture of Bret with a Roman soldier when it was over. This was the first time the kids had seen the pageant so they were all pretty excited and observant of all the activity, plus the pageant.

The next night, I took Beth Aronson to the pageant and I figured because there was the 2 of us, we could most likely get a good seat. I grabbed an usher and he spent a considerable amount of time searching for us. Beth and I really enjoyed the evening walking around the visitor's center and temple, then seeing the beautiful pageant. Beth is Jewish and we were able to talk about her beliefs and upbringing.

My black/white market

2011-04-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

Try as I may to diversify, looks like my wardrobe is still leaning heavily in the same direction. Granted, I haven't started shopping again, but I seriously doubt that I'm going to go off the deep end in any other direction. I hemmed up various skirts and there is one lonely blue denim skirt amongst the others. Oh well, if it ain't broke...

Wild and Crazy Me

2011-04-18T21:35:00.001-07:00

I had been toying with the idea of making Easter dresses for some time, going back and forth between yea and nay. So, I made the final decision. Make one dress on Tuesday, one dress on Wednesday and one dress on Thursday. Thank goodness I have a sewing room out of sight!

Shelves R Us

2011-04-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

Jordan and Sam spent some time together making this shelf and brought it over for the final touch . . . paint! Sam found the idea on a blog and they went to work to make it happen. Sam wants to use it in a kitchen and put spices on the shelf, fresh flowers in the vase and hotpads on the hooks.

Aren't they fun and creative?!

Flag Football

2011-04-16T22:21:00.001-07:00

We attended Bret's flag football game and I played around with my big camera lens to try and get some action shots. I need much more camera practice, but it was a beautiful day to be outside, especially since some had a tent we could sit under! I guess Bret has a fedish for playing with his mouthguard, as do others on the team.

Length re-vision

2011-04-15T11:22:00.001-07:00

One of those moments where you know your life can never be the same. I was reading the Beehive newspaper and saw a picture of church dignitaries at the ground breaking ceremony of the Pima temple. There were at least 5 women in the picture with their husbands and they all had on different versions of the long black skirt. I vowed right there that I would give up black skirts. But after a little more evaluation, realized it was the skirt length that was the faux paus. There has to be a rule that after a certain age, the skirt length distracts or adds to the equation and one must reconsider. Right now floor length floral dresses are in style, but not on older women! It ages and adds to the dowdy factor.

After much consideration and as per those I love and trust for fashion direction, I am currently hemming up every skirt I have that doesn't meet my new rule: right below the knee length. If it doesn't look good hemmed up, then off to DI it goes. I've spent months checking out church ladies and even most mid-calf styles are aging, especially when mixed with the wrong shoe.

There it is...the newly revised me.

Why?

2011-04-14T08:08:00.000-07:00

Why do I continue to torture myself? This is my latest pile of recipes cut from magazines and such just ready to be filed (and used very soon). But when? When will I learn that I probably won't be starting an intense cooking hobby any time soon? I have visions of turning out delish healthy meals on a daily basis, but what am I going to give up in my life in order to do so? Seems that around 4 o'clock I'm not thinking that I should go to the kitchen and spend the next hour whipping up dinner, when a piece of toast with a little olive oil and goats cheese suits me just fine. Add some avacado if I have it. I'm trying to do better, but it's slowwww learning!

Night time shavasana

2011-04-13T22:40:00.001-07:00

It's impossible to take a picture of myself in bed sleeping, but I've had a rather odd happening. For 56 years I've slept on my side. Left side being the favorite, then rolling over to the right for a different position, but sleeping on my back only happened briefly during the night, if even at all.

Until now. The last couple of weeks I've been on my back, sleeping through the entire night that way. I might wake up and question myself and say to myself...nope, I'm comfortable right here. I may slightly shift to the left or the right, but still on my back.

I use to try and sleep on my back to minimize the years of face wrinkles forming as my nose was buried in my pillow, but I could never make it stick. Now the wrinkles aren't an issue, as there is no turning back time!

The only possible reasoning I have is related to my yoga. At the end of each yoga session (or practice, as it's called) you lie on your back keeping your head, neck and body in line. It's called shavasana or 'corpse pose'. It promotes calmness of the mind and diffuses energy evenly throughout the physical, psychological, mental, intellectual and spiritual sheathes of the soul. I guess something has to rub off from my 'practice'.

So, that's my story and I'm sticking with it!

Reading pleasure

2011-04-12T13:09:00.001-07:00

Years ago, I picked up a habit that I observed with my mom. She would get a new magazine in the mail and first thing, she would rip out all the heavier-papered ads or any of those annoying inserts that you usually just read around or they end up falling out of the magazine.

Well, I've developed a whole other way of reading magazines these days and wondering why I didn't think of this earlier. It rather drives me crazy to read through a magazine and each time I pick it up to continue or finish it, I keep re-reading the same stuff that I didn't particularly enjoy in the first place. So...I get a magazine, start reading through it and immediately start tearing out everything that I don't want to keep. Articles, ads...you name it. Ultimately I get down to the good stuff, or I can at least re-read it a couple more times before I decided to file it or throw that away.

It does the magazine no good for any future use, but I don't waste precious time and energy.

Our Indian Laurel

2011-04-11T18:27:00.000-07:00

This winter's cold weather was a hard one on Indian Laurel fig trees all over the Valley and we're just (un)fortunate enough to have one on the right side of our house. People are starting to top their trees, but I'm really not a fan of the short, squatty look. I've waited long enough to see green buds coming on to a lot of the branches and today I ventured up the ladder, standing on the shed or balancing on the wall to reach whatever I could to get rid of the frozen leaves and branches, exposing the new growth.

Trouble is, my legs start going weak if I go too high! Even standing on the shed made me jittery. But, I'm making progress and you can see on the right side that the dead is gone. Weird that the guy I paid 5 years ago to trim the tree showed up today while I was trimming, but I'm counting on Ben putting on his climbing gear for the tippy top!

Note to self: plant a Shamel Ash next time...

A priority

2011-04-10T11:22:00.001-07:00

I read this week an article about keys to making disease-fighting changes in one month. Right away I'm skipping ahead to Week 3: Making sleep a priority!

"Setting a bedtime and sticking to it is important: Sleep deprivation can make you more prone to high blood pressure, diabetes and other risk factors becuase it can increase inflammation, a major risk factor in the development of heart disease. Not getting enough sleep alters the body's hormonal balance and biorhythms, which can put you at risk for metobolic syndrome, a group of heart-disease risk factors including elevated fasting blood sugar, abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholestrol and high blood pressure.

Aim for 7 to 9 hours of sleep on most nights. If you're not there yet, try going to bed 10 minutes earlier each night until you've reached your goal."

It's 10:16pm and I'm going to bed!

Bathroom window fun

2011-04-09T21:57:00.001-07:00

We woke up to a rainy day and the dogs haven't been out, but through this bathroom window, Tom has had a different kind of fun. Apparently our fairly new neighbors renting the Robbins house - - turns out they have 5 dogs! Now, I've heard that it was against the law in Mesa to have more than 3 dogs, but Tom's making the most of by growling and making doggie noises through the window. They can't see us, but definitely it gets them pretty excited. Totally entertaining as I have now found myself stopping in to do the same!

Obsession with power

2011-04-07T21:26:00.001-07:00

I know, it's not usually not the power that comes in a little box that people get obsessed with, but this little tracker can really get your brain calculating throughout the day. I decided to get an SRP Mpower box that gives you real time electrical use information. The thought behind it all is that you have a much clearer view of the electricity you are using and can ultimately save 12 to 15 percent each month. I was leary at first and really not too happy that I had made the switch, but it's growing on me. At first I was cranky when I found out that the closest SRP purchase center was at Brown and Mesa Drive. Then I had to actually provide cash in order to get any power, but found out that I could set my account up where I could use a check. Much better.

Now the changes I have made that will ultimately save me more:
1. I unplug unused appliances whenever I can. ie: toaster, hair dryer etc.
2. I am very aware now of each time you turn on a light, it's times 4 because ceiling fans have 4 lights. You generally don't need 4 lights on at once, so in the evening my goal is to have one light per room on if needed instead of every light blaring. I use lamps more now instead.
3. I don't care to keep the outside lights going late into the evenings and certainly not all night.
4. Right now I'm trying to keep my usage to around 3 dollars per day. I check the meter and if costs are too high per hour, I walk through the house and evaluate, turning things off if needed.
5. I discovered that the ceiling fan in the family room draws alot of power shooting the usage up to 5.3 kilowatts of power opposed to the goal of under .7
6. I try more often to turn my computer off at night instead of keeping it on.
7. I turn the heat off at night or haven't turned the cooling on yet either. It's been a crazy month of weather!

Room with a view

2011-04-06T21:27:00.001-07:00

We've been so fortunate to have such beautiful fully-grown trees in our front yard, blocking the wicked west sun! I've really noticed this year what a difference it's made in the coolness of our house, plus I get to enjoy the beauties of them everyday from my office window. I remember early on, after I planted them, worrying about them being vandalized or blowing down. Those were the days when some disgruntled person was running down the trees in Wilford and Phyllis Cardon's 'Park' across the street from Mom and Dad. Fortunately I haven't made that kind of enemy.

Borrowed camera

2011-04-05T14:22:00.001-07:00

Sam borrowed my camera this week and I got a whole slew of pictures back of the girls that hadn't been erased. Fun little treat!

2 reasons not to have a pool!

2011-04-04T23:14:00.001-07:00

Reason 1 & Reason 2. We'd like to be done with our pool as it becomes a very large pain in the neck after 18 years of managing chlorine, acid, water level, leaf patrol, pressure, backwashing, emptying skimmer baskets and such. Time to move!

Conference Sunday

2011-04-03T06:33:00.001-07:00

Conference weekend is for sure a favorite. We met at Meghan's for our mid-session conference brunch with the Meghan and Clint's family, mom and dad, Jordan and Sam bringing with them their babysitting charges: David P and Logan Knight, the Taylor's, Sampson's, Dane, Tom and I. (Sam D and girls were at a BD celebration for Sarah) We had great food and then watched the second session of conference. Sam J had brought some clothes from her sisters and Lauryn and Tyler will benefit greatly from their hand-me-downs. Kate snagged this shiny purse and wore it a good share of the day. She also did a little modeling for me for photos!

Tour de Mesa

2011-04-02T11:28:00.000-07:00

Beautiful day for a road race. Although it was unseasonable warm, the morning hours were great. I seriously don't know how these bikers even do it! Surveying the scene, it obviously good for keeping the body in top-notch condition! Blake rode with his Web-Op team and they really did well. Kyle Reedy came in 2nd along with a teammate placing 1st. Blake did real well and I'm so proud of him. Look around and there just aren't many his age at all involved in this grueling sport! His tatted teammate, fyi...has a tattoo across his stomach that says 'sober'. (as per Blake) Good on him.

Seasonal smells

2011-04-01T08:48:00.001-07:00

We are so lucky to live in Arizona during this time of the year, with the orange blossoms and beautiful weather. The smell in the air is so heavenly and I really think it should be the seasonal smell in the hereafter! This is my seasonal vote for Kolob:
Spring: orange blossoms and tangerine or mandarin orange juice (my favorite)
Summer: stocks and the smell of Utah laying in the grass
Fall: pumpkin pie spices and newly overturned dirt while planting
Winter: Pine trees and rain

Hair Trim

2011-03-31T22:31:00.001-07:00

I got my hair trimmed again and Heidi's assessment was that I would be completely transitioned in back in 2 more haircuts and another 8 months in front. Oh my, I'm sure this is the longest transition on record for my length of hair. I thought my hair grew faster than this, but she did report that hair grows faster in back than front, for no apparent reason. No complaints though.

Wednesday babysitting

2011-03-30T23:37:00.001-07:00

I babysat Tyler and Tatum while Sam went to Young Women's tonight. We read books, made cards, ate some chocolate and played games. But, we did have a tearful brushing teeth event and used all kinds of pig psychology to get Tatum headed in the right direction. Then we scratched backs, rubbed feet and all was well! After Tatum settled in to her bed, Tyler and I played our question game, trying to indentify something in the room that we were thinking about, or an animal. She stumped me on a duck and I retaliated with a kleenex. Turned out she calls it a tissue.

Moving Day

2011-03-29T22:26:00.001-07:00

I wished that I had my camera today, but ended up leaving it at mom and dad's on Monday night. I got to Art and Nedra's to help them move about 4 o'clock and later about 6 o'clock, drove back to the old house for another load and Dane had a bunch of guys there helping him load the big swing set onto a trailer. They actually did it in 2 pieces and it was quite the sight to behold! The yard to their new home is much bigger than expected and both the trampoline and swing set fit quite nicely.

Art and Nedra purchased a wonderful 3 bedroom duplex and it's going to serve their needs quite well!

Creative FHE

2011-03-28T22:50:00.001-07:00

Got a call about watching family slides at Mom and Dad's house. Upon arrival I could see that the lawn chairs and movie screen were all set up in the garage so we could sit out and enjoy the nice weather. I thought I had already seen all the slides, but there were actually some new ones!

Pierce was our sideline entertainment!

Sunday at Gary's

2011-03-27T09:37:00.001-07:00

We had Sunday dinner/breakfast at Gary's house, eating the leftovers from Camp Orange Blossom. Bret declared it the best Sunday dinner with blueberry waffles, strawberries, whip cream, eggs and bacon. Dane shared his 1st place arm pulling victory with pictures and his gold medal.
The kids played with Shakira and Lauryn was the only one brave enough to put her on body.

Jordan and Sam rode the Hatfield's cruiser's over for an after dinner visit.

Saturday Fun

2011-03-26T21:45:00.001-07:00

We had 2 big events today, first Blake's crit today out by Falcon Field. It was basically 40 minutes of sprinting with about 60 riders. His team Web Op did a great job although it's an individual sport (with a team plan). Jennie and Pierce met us there and Pierce was teary-eyed through the whole event...worrying about Blake! It was so cute.

Then we met Dane at Tempe Marketplace for the State Arm Pulling Championships. Dane ended up taking 1st place in the Heavy Weight Division! This was my first arm pulling event and it really was intense. By the end rounds, Dane had one loss, so he had to beat his undefeated opponent twice in order to take the gold medal. Seriously had a good time and was proud of Dane's big accomplishment.

Camp Orange Blossom

2011-03-25T22:20:00.001-07:00

Gary had a brilliant idea to host a mid-singles party on his property and called it Camp Orange Blossom. Instead of camping a hour or so away, why not set up camp in town, cut out the driving time and enjoy the nice weather and orange blossoms right here. There were tents set up, firepits/campfires, hot tub, midnight movies and a pancake breakfast planned. We dropped by to check things out and everyone was in a great weekend mood.

Longing for less

2011-03-24T21:41:00.000-07:00

We're definitely in the mode of moving towards less. Less yard and no pool which translates into less upkeep, less water, less electricity and freer weekends!

Now for the hard part...making it happen!

A Boy and his truck

2011-03-23T22:45:00.001-07:00

Brigg drove down from Utah in his red F-150 for a jump on the weekend to get his truck into better shape and give it a spring cleaning. His tires were bald, his right rear-view mirror broke and held together with red duct tape (after colliding with a tree), his right rear-view light taped up with clear red tape (after backing into an inanimate object)and in need of a good cleaning. I volunteered for Tom and I to help him wash it first, so he dropped by to have us give him a hands-on course: Truck Washing 101. He wasn't sure where to start, but I guess you've got to start somewhere, sometime, some age. So, we started with a bucket, water and dishsoap!

Glad to be of service.

Sidenote: This picture is only a depiction of what Brigg's truck endures as evidenced by the mud in the inside cab and door frames.

Dentist Visit

2011-03-22T21:03:00.000-07:00

I'm not in the least bit nervous to go to the dentist, but today I was thrown for a loop because they wanted to take my picture at the front desk! What!? I felt like I was at the DMV. They claimed it was because they want to go paperless. What does my picture have to do with going paperless? Nonetheless, my tooth was prepared for a crown. This was on an upper molar that was nearly all filling and it was estimated by Dr. Cook to have been filled when I was in high school. I'm sure Dr. Farnsworth filled it as he was the only dentist I remember going to back then. The same dentist that pulled my wisdom teeth before leaving on my mission and the right side of my tongue and gums are still fairly numb to this day. The feeling is the same as when you get numbed up for a filling and afterwards you start coming out of the total numbness. Well, this particular time, it didn't. I saw Dr. Farnsworth years later and he asked me if I was still numb and said he felt bad about it. Said it was the shot that hit a nerve. Must have been a memorable occasion for him too!

Evening at Dane & Sam's

2011-03-21T10:37:00.001-07:00

I drove over to Sam and Dane's, taking a bucket of tools and gadgets to get some things done. Turns out we hung the new IKEA mirror in the kitchen (looks killer) and I anchored the bookcase we donated at the left of the flag to the wall. We want no bookcase accidents. Plus, I worked on Sam's computer to speed it up a bit. After deleting some old programs, running Anti-Super Spyware, deleting internet history, cookies and files, running disk clean-up and disk defragment, the computer is running like a champ!

It was fun to be with the kids as they were winding down for the day. Tatum wasn't feeling up to snuff and even snugged with me for a while. They created a Wii character for me and I suggested the gray hair instead of the dark brown. I guess she doesn't see me as gray yet! Then she put glasses on me and I commented that I don't really wear glasses, but I gues she sees me with my glasses enough as I try to wear them when driving!

Dane was at work and I actually took this picture a couple of days ago. Their new home has such a great feel to it and I know they are loving it as well. The flag is on loan from Eric as Karen had it hanging in her family room. The 60 inch plasma screen took it's place, with no room for the flag, so Dane and Sam are looking very patriotic!

Jen and Forrest visit

2011-03-20T23:04:00.000-07:00

We officially met Forrest - Jen's soon-to-be husband, but not-officially-engaged-yet boyfriend! After the last Sunday dinner family left the house, in walks Jen and Forrest. We proceeded to visit for the next couple of hours and hopefully they enjoyed it as much as we did! It's more than fun to see Jen so in love, with such exciting things ahead. She's heavy into nursing school and juggling that along with a new romance. Forrest has 4 kids and I suggested her previous life as a school counselor will come in handy. They are shooting for a June wedding.

Kate Sleepover

2011-03-19T20:57:00.001-07:00

It was Kate's turn for a sleepover and she was so excited, reminding me several times that this was her first Kate-only-grandma sleepover. She knows how to keep us entertained with puzzles, games, books and movies. We watched The Little Mermaid and she was non-stop chatty through the whole movie! Right when the movie started she said her and her mom always snuggle and she looked at me and said...'I could snuggle with you!' And we did through the whole movie.

Another night for me on the couch downstairs and in the morning we went grocery shopping for a few things. She immediately spotted the kid car shopping carts and proceeded to drive through the store, checking out and running her hand along the products on the bottom shelves!

59 Lucky Years

2011-03-18T00:08:00.001-07:00

Mom and Dad had their 59th wedding anniversary and we met at the park around the corner from Meghan's house. We certainly know how to party! Everyone met and brought their own grub, then feasted on Paradise Bakery's carrot cake and a yummy St. Patrick's Chocolate Pie topped with a shade of minty green whipped cream. The kids all made sure that everyone had green on and Gary seemed to be the only green-less opportunity to pinch.

Attending: Tom and I, Mom and Dad, Gary, Meghan, Clint, Lauryn, Bret, Kate, Sam (D), Tyler, Tatum and their dog Bella, Jennie, Ben, Pierce. Plus the Rohner kids came since Meghan was watching them. A fun time was had by all and the weather was remarkable!

Bret Sleepover

2011-03-16T23:22:00.001-07:00

It was Bret's turn to spend the night, so he and Grandpa decided that 3-D Tangled at Superstition Theatres was a plan! I was game to see it again, so we bought the tickets, got a bite to eat at the Panda's and took in a ride on the Merry-go-round. I must say we got a kick out of Bret when he went to the new 2nd story of he go-round and chose to sit on a bench! He did mention to his mom later that the 2nd story was high, so...maybe there's a fear of heights that's emerging. Regardless, he was all smiles and we were having a great time with him.

I had my 2nd night on the couch downstairs so as to put any boogie man fears to rest with the grandkids.

Tyler Sleepover

2011-03-15T08:52:00.001-07:00

With Spring Break week, Tyler spent the night and set off a flurry of grandkid sleepovers. She had come over on Sunday with a surprise, so Sam sent her to the living room to set it up. This was the outcome, plus she had handcrafted me a fan!

Midst our at home activities, we also met Sam and Tatum at the Superstition Theatres to see Tangled and ended up in the 3-D timeslot. I remember seeing Michael Jackson in 3-D at the Epcot Center in Florida years ago, but this 3-D experience has me hooked! Tatum wouldn't wear her 3-D glasses, but she seemed to enjoy the movie enough in the fuzzy form!

Spring has sprung!

2011-03-13T21:26:00.000-07:00

After Sunday dinner, we dragged the lawn chairs out to the front yard to watch the girls roll down the driveway on Blake's skateboard, through the street and to the neighbors driveway. Probably not the best tactic for teaching safety, but with the culdesac and only an occasional car, we opted for the fun aspect. This was officially a favorite time in Arizona, just at the cusp of orange blossoms and wonderful weather the whole day and evening through. These are the months when you don't want to invite anyone to come and see you, unless you want them to move here! I'm sure more people were motivated to move to Arizona during these times, when really they should come during July and re-evaluate!

Empty Inbox

2011-03-11T23:17:00.001-08:00

Can't remember the last time I saw my inbox empty! Miracles do happen and after taking the time to address issues and points in 100+ emails, I was able to widdle it down to nothing. Happy day! Now I'm going for a record to see how long it can last...

Blanket Switch

2011-03-10T17:42:00.001-08:00

It's warming up and time to make a blanket switch from my down comforter to something lighter. So, this is the duplicate blanket that Tom has been using all winter. When it got too cold, he doubled up with 2 of these blankets. He says it's probably close to the time for him to completely lose a blanket altogether, but I find him covered getting closer to morning. When it gets too warm, I'll switch to a lightweight cotton blanket and he won't need a cover at all. I'm not sure how we could go back to the traditional sheet and blanket for both sides since our needs are so different!

General Bret

2011-03-09T21:44:00.001-08:00

Bret was the star of the show, playing the general in his 2nd grade Greenfield Gator class play! His class were all German Shepherds' in a dog themed night. Bret had the biggest part and did an awesome job in remembering and acting out his role! Even when his class wasn't front and center but all the 2nd graders were suppose to be singing, Bret was the rocking-est dog out there, hand motions and all!

Mat & Kaelin

2011-03-08T21:36:00.001-08:00

We attended Shaker's reception on Friday night and ended up in a photo booth with Jordan and Sam. That was a first-time, first-see creative wedding party addition. The photos weren't top quality but nonetheless a fun take home item from the reception. Jordan was one of 8 best men for Mat. The camera wasn't sure what to make of my gray hairs and I'm glad Tom decided to peak down into the last picture!

True Love

2011-03-07T16:31:00.001-08:00

Cousin Jennifer, aka Jen Williams has publicly admitted to not being officially engaged, but she and Forrest both know that they are getting married. Ok, so she doesn't have 'the ring' yet, but time will take care of that! There's a few technical issues (ex-wife/temple divorce) to work out but shooting for a summer wedding in Arizona is survivable. After all, I remember my hotter than heck July 28th wedding day and it didn't seem to deter our happiness!

We couldn't be happier that Jen has found her soul mate.

Eagle Scout

2011-03-06T20:30:00.001-08:00

I was so proud of Blake and his efforts in getting his Eagle Scout award. It was a touching program with well deserved tributes to Blake and the caliber of person that he is. He surprised me by presenting me with the Eagle mom pin and I felt so honored to receive it. Blake gave Brother Zobell his mentor pin and later he gave a real tribute to Blake and the strength of his character. Eric did an outstanding job expressing his feelings to Blake and it's always such a great ending when the newly dubbed Eagle gets to sit in the Eagle's Nest!

EVMCO

2011-03-06T09:10:00.001-08:00

After helping Dane and Sam move yesterday, we topped off the day with the East Valley Mormon Choral Organization (EVMCO) concert at the Mesa Art Center. Of course, featuring Tyler as a soloist! She's standing at the front of the stage, 4th from the left, (or the right, for that matter) and sang the 4th verse of Book of Mormon Stories. (Did you know there was a 4th verse, let alone 8?!) Not bad photos from my little pocket camera from the $20 seats in the balcony. We enjoyed the company of Meghan and Clint too. One of two Director/brothers are in their ward, Brandon Stewart. Talent abounds!

Go Grandkids, go Poston!

2011-03-04T21:18:00.001-08:00

We tossed aside the ward party tonight in favor of the grandkids! Meghan and Clint were meeting the Sampson's and Stabler's, so our agenda consisted of Barros Pizza, Golden Spoon yogurt, a double-feature: Princess Bride and Spy Kids, plus some sewing time with Lauryn. She worked on some burp cloths for Lydia. Had to get a picture of her wearing her mom's Poston Cheer shirt. That was back when the colors were orange and brown.

Black - a must

2011-03-03T17:58:00.001-08:00

I came home from painting a kitchen pantry at Dane and Sam's new rental home, knowing what I was going to have to do to make their re-conditioned chairs look top knotch in the new space. Paint them black. It will definitely be more work, but doing it right always wins in the end. With the different woods in the kitchen - table, floor and cabinets, painting them black will be more unifying. The granite has some black in it too, as well as the legs of the table.
So, Tom helped me scuff them and I got the first coat of flat paint on them all. No small task considering there are 7 chairs! Next week will be the final reveal.

Essential night-time element

2011-03-02T13:33:00.001-08:00

I discovered several years back that Flents Quiet-Down Super Soft Earplugs for Noise, were a crucial part of my remedy for sleep. But, here's the clincher. While Tom's heavy breathing, verging on snoring to full blown snoring some nights can keep me wide awake, heaven forbid if I should move to slowly crack open the drawer beside my bed that holds the earplugs. No matter how slow, no matter what I do to not make an ounce of noise and not awake the slumbering snorer, it always results in Tom waking, sniffing his nose as if to check to verify if his nose is plugged up and then back to sleep. Wouldn't you think his snoring would wake him up instead?

Missing the DVR

2011-03-01T19:09:00.000-08:00

Why does watching American Idol make me so happy? The contestants this year are so crazy good...I don't even know how they will actually pick one winner. But, how I miss our recorder. For $82.00 a month or so, I can have the luxury of re-watching the most fabulous performances. That comes out to about 984.00 annually.

I guess I'll have to resort to YouTube.

Glide flossers r me

2011-02-28T21:13:00.000-08:00

I don't quite remember how Glide flossers (this particular brand and design) became of such paramount importance. Literally, this would have to be my personal item if I was ever on Survivor. That and a tweezer. Ok, so I could never make it through the system having to take 2 items, but everywhere I go I have to make sure I have a flosser on person. In my purse, on my desk, in my pocket or just hooked to my finger. They say your teeth shift as you age, so it must have started when certain areas of my teeth shifted and started catching food.
But, the obsession pays off. The dental hygenist assured me that you can't floss too much. I was highly complimented for my dental hygiene and because of it, my teeth have come through the last few years pretty good. I do have a tooth that it 3/4 filling, cracking and has decay after decades of wear and needs a crown. I guess floss can only do so much!

Stake fright

2011-02-27T20:30:00.001-08:00

I would have liked to have snapped some pictures today at our Stake Conference and the Adult meeting last night...pictures of the complete fright on people's faces as they were called out of the audience to bear their testimonies! Oh my. Is this just our stake, or is it becoming a church-wide phenomenon?

It just may be time to move...

More chair duty

2011-02-26T21:45:00.001-08:00

My chair duty days continue with the seat cushions all done now and waiting to be sat on. I covered the 5 chairs that will be at the kitchen table with plastic so they won't be messed up by little kid hands and messes. Karen's kitchen chairs were our inspiration since she did that with blue striped ticking fabric and covered with #12 gauge plastic and they've held up so nicely over the years.

So...I've given much thought as to how I'm going to completely finish the chairs and the reveal will be coming next week. (After I figure it out!)

Meal please

2011-02-25T22:54:00.001-08:00

Our Friday night fun consisted of a trip to Chick-fil-a for a Spicy Chicken Sandwich meal first, then a stop by Target to pick up more of our favorite Grandma Hoerner's applesauce. We really know how to party eh?

I did say Spicy Chicken Sandwich meal, not meals. An astute Chick-fil-a employee pointed out one visit that we could do it this way instead of ordering separately...we could get the sandwich and drink for Tom and the side salad for me. Saving a few cents by bundling. It's all about bundling these days at Cox and Qwest...why not Chick-fil-a?!

Webinars

2011-02-24T21:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday's are always a big day for us. It's the sacred-day-of-the-webinars. Nothing happens until 'the webinar' is over. 1pm est or edt, which translates into 11am in the winter, or 10am in the summer here in Arizona. My week consists of Monday morning putting everything together to put into motion the Thursday webinar. 2 Minute Drills are finalized, invitation created and sent and presenters are given instructions for Thursday. During the week I can get PowerPoints in, make sure all information is correct and uploaded to our management system, second reminders can be sent during the week and by Thursday morning, hopefully everything is wrapped up and it's time to roll.

After the webinar, it's time to work on the next one. Yep, sorta like groundhog day around here.

Quickest explanation of a webinar: it's a seminar except online. Thus webinar.

Trouble

2011-02-23T22:22:00.000-08:00

I wish I felt like writing anything tonight about my day, but nothing is noteworthy enough. I've spent a few hours through the evening trying to figure out why my scanner isn't working for the pdf option and finally sent an email to Epson help. I'd should be getting my camera out to take a picture of it, just to gussy up this post, but I would really rather take a sludge hammer to it instead!

G'night.

The Blake-ster

2011-02-22T19:25:00.001-08:00

I'm so proud of Blake and the choices he's making with life. He doesn't let his obstacles get in the way of making good choices and he's such a solid great guy! We get the privilege of seeing him throughout the week as he drops by for a bite to eat or a haircut...or both.

I told him that most parents only dream of having their son's complain that the hair's too long with not more than an inch of length. He's decided that he likes the Lance (Armstrong) look opposed to the Reedy mullet. (Thank goodness that thought only lasted one haircut)

We talked to day and often about plans for the summer, since it'll be the last before his mission. He had a great suggestion that we go through some of Karen's things and take pictures and write about them. Love the idea!

Sidenote: I didn't get a picture today so this is Blake and I on Halloween night 2010.

Chair Duty

2011-02-21T17:55:00.000-08:00

Sam and I spent the day working on refinishing and recovering chairs and she got far enough to sand the top of their kitchen table as well. This body was not meant to sit all day on the floor, especially the hard tile! But, things are turning out so nicely and it's all worth the effort. There are 7 chairs total and 5 of them are covered in luxurious small gold/black print and 2 are going to be used as office chairs and the cushions are a zebra print.

Tyler and Tatum pretty much entertained themselves, with Tyler taking pictures throughout the day with my camera. These two pictures are actually her doing. She even caught one of Tatum on the toilet, which I'll pass on posting! Let the fun continue...

Happy BD to Dane!

2011-02-20T20:51:00.000-08:00

Being Dane's 31st birthday this week, we all got together for Sunday dinner to celebrate. I told Dane to bring his arm wrestling table and we could all have a few rounds...if you dare! There's a number of great 'guns' in this family and they were put to the test.

Sidenote: Apparently shaving for the men is optional on Sunday these days!

What's up?

2011-02-19T21:27:00.001-08:00

There seems to be a bit of movement on our old property these days on Glencove Circle. Looks like a sizeable addition to the basement is in the works. It'll be so interesting to chart the progress and see the outcome. Knowing the poor building quality of the garage that was built by the Wallins (after we moved), can't imagine how they will tie it in to a nice new home.

Hat's off to the laundry boy

2011-02-18T12:43:00.001-08:00

Not sure who started the term laundry boy around here, but I definitely think it bears mention! When I started working full time in 2003, Tom started doing our laundry. To this date, he is still in charge of the laundry, even accusing me at times of doing it wrong and if I can't do it right, don't do it at all! I have myself accused him of ruining a few things, so I guess we're even. All in all, it's been a great arrangement, since Sunday was the first time out of 8 years that I didn't have fresh underwear waiting for me in my drawer. Pretty remarkable record!

Bless me

2011-02-17T12:29:00.001-08:00

It's hard to have a picture for this post, but it bears mention. A pet peeve.

I don't like it when I'm at church, or in my yoga class or somewhere in a quiet crowd and I sneeze and someone says 'bless you'. Why? Because most times I sneeze in two's and I know they are going to have to say it again! We're suppose to be quiet in church, or in yoga and just let me sneeze in solitude. Some people can honestly not help themselves, they just have to say it as if it's the polite thing to do in any situation.

I enjoy a good, hearty sneeze and I'm ok with saying most anything in an everyday place: bless you, oh my goodness, wow...that's quite the sneeze, but quiet no, just be quiet yourself.

Bye Bye

2011-02-16T20:23:00.000-08:00

Jordan came by this morning to leave his car and catch a ride to work since he was selling his car today. But, as it turns out, there is a day's reprieve as Tom and I met the buyer at Desert Schools and they don't fund same day.

So, this is the first day of lots of juggling days ahead for Jordan and Sam. But, not to worry, it's been done many times before. In fact...right in this very house! Tom and I have shared a car since about midway through Jordan's mission. The van got stolen out of our driveway and Dane and Sam were driving the white beamer, so we were down to one car. No problem then and no problem now. Very seldom do we have an issue that we have to work out.

The other side of the coin with our cars is that we hate parting with them. It this counts, after the stolen van was found, the insurance reimbursed us for the damage and we sold it for $700 to our mechanic's mechanic. Usually we wait until they are driven to the ground and we have to donate it to the kidney foundation or make useful Obama's cash for clunkers! So, when I found out that Jordan and Sam felt the need to sell the car, I've had sad feelings of parting, but Jordan, while a little regretful, said he was not going to lose sleep over it.

Poor excuse for sugar

2011-02-15T18:56:00.000-08:00

First if all, are they really Plums? Why not just say the word Prunes?

Regardless, I'm looking these days in the house for anything sweet, but so far, nothing really replaces good ol' sugar. So far, these are my feeble attempts.
Plums/Prunes
My homemade granola
Craisins
My homemade granola
Banana
My homemade granola
Walnuts or Almonds, believe it or not...nuts can kind of satisfy a sweet tooth.
Tsp of almond butter
My homemade granola
Apple

My current favorite 'hunger curber' lately has been toasted Ezekiel bread spread with olive oil mixed with 21 Seasoning Salute from Trader Joes, spread with goat's cheese and avacado. If you're in to meat, top that with Pastrami. Yummy! 4 o'clock baby...that's my routine.

On ezmeals.com with Post: Sugar...ah Honey Honey Part I, II, and III, I read that:

1. Brain imaging (PET scans) shows that high-sugar and high-fat foods work just like heroin, opium, or morphine in the brain.

2. Animals and humans experience “withdrawal” when suddenly cut off from sugar, just like addicts detoxifying from drugs.

I'm here to tell you it's true!

Sidenote: You may ask, where do you find your joy now? Not sure yet :(...

Ready for church

2011-02-14T23:50:00.001-08:00

Oh no! Now my 365 day blog is going to be a 364 day blog since I completely forgot to post last night. But, I did capture a picture from Sunday. I got completely dressed for church and figured this warranted a picture since my sweater fur looked like my hair!

I should have had Tom in the picture because he was looking pretty matchy with his black/white horizontal-striped tie. Blake went to Sacrament meeting with us since last night was his Sadie's dance and he missed his early meeting. It was so fun to have him with us, our orphan son. (Jokingly, but half-serious, Blake has a friend that calls him orphan boy, so we've lovingly started referring to him as our orphan son!)

Oh my

2011-02-12T22:16:00.001-08:00

From the SRP website:
Diane,
Welcome to SRP My Account™
Your savings!
You saved $3.77 this month by being on the EZ-3 price plan.

This is proof that efforts to save don't always pan out! All the cold, shivering, bundling up in the house and turning off the heat for the last month between 3 and 6pm has resulted in a saving of $3.77!!

Whoa, I'm really stoked.

I can hardly wait to see what our sweating and heat stroke from 3 to 6pm this summer brings. I mean, I'm really competitive and all, but it remains to be seen if I draw the line on this one!

Sidenote: I think that SRP needs to put a sad face after Your savings instead of an exclamation point!

I WANT SUGAR!

2011-02-11T12:18:00.001-08:00

Need I say more?

Here in my office sit numerous Utah truffle bars, waiting for Valentines Day. To be consumed by a lucky recipient and I'm wishing it were me!

Today's sugar snacks consumed: None. But I'm wobbling!

Better Pictures

2011-02-10T18:04:00.001-08:00

I went Visiting Teaching today and came home from Kim's with this video to watch.

I started practicing, as suggested, no flash:

Then I took a second shot, no flash, different setting.

I see I have alot to learn about taking pictures without the flash!

Highly recommend this guy, Nick Kelsh, www.howtophotographyourbaby.com He's a hoot!

Life-changing Tips by Diane

2011-02-09T08:44:00.001-08:00

For years and I mean years, I have disliked handwashing items of clothing. For the past months I've had a ever-growing pile of 'needs to be handwashed' items sitting on my closet floor.

The part I don't like it rinsing. Letting the soapy water out of the sink, filling it back up and repeat, repeat. I avoid it like...well, like, the ironing.

But, I'm now a changed woman. The lightbulb went on and I filled up two sinks! One for washing and the other for rinsing. Made it a piece of cake. I had this epithany at 10:30 at night and stayed up handwashing anything that was even borderline.

Miracles do happen.

Why not?

2011-02-08T21:26:00.001-08:00

This is what I ate for breakfast this morning, peas and carrots. With the cold, it was actually pretty tasty and satisfying and I thought it would be a good kick off for the 2nd official 'no sugar' day. I did eat a slice of mozzerella cheese about 20 minutes later for substance.

My usual morning routine starts with a glass of water with a packet of Emergen-C. Few minutes later I have 3/4 c. of papaya juice mixed with a tablespoon each of flax seed oil and lethicin. It's suppose to be good for my blood type and is referred to as a Membrane Fluidizer Cocktail. (Who knew?) I go for my walk and aftering coming home, I often go for the oatmeal and rice milk combo with a 1/4 c. of my homemade granola on top.

Who knows what tomorrow will bring...

Today's sweet treat tally: A big fat 0!

New limits

2011-02-07T19:18:00.001-08:00

I may be regretting this already, but here goes.

Since August 1st, I have been on The Great American Apparel Diet, which means that you don't purchase clothes for one year. Today I read a story about a woman who is wearing the same dress every day for a year. (One Dress Project) My fast pales in comparison!

But really, TGAAD may be a challenge for some, but for me, it's been a walk in the park. So what if I have to make do with the closet full of clothes I already have. So what if they aren't this years model. There has been no sacrifice here for me. It's actually been refreshing to not have to think about shopping and I've learned a ton about what I will and won't do going forward. I have to be more creative and I love creativity. Wow, and to think I've found it easy to subsist on my 40+ pair of shoes and boots in my closet for a year! On TGGAD I can actually buy shoes legally, so I added some black flats and silver flats. Come August 1st, my year date, I'm sure I'll proceed to shop, but with much more caution.

So, I've been thinking...what would really be hard for me to give up? What would really test my limits? Chocolate? yes. Treats? yes.

So I've settled on Sugar! I'm giving up sugar in increments of 3's. Three months, then another three months and so on. Yes, I'm leary of saying I'm giving up sugar for one year, so I'm testing the waters so to speak.
This is the remains, sitting in the recyle bin, of my last sugar treat...Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies. Never mind that I've purchased a small inventory of Utah Premium Mint Truffle Bars for Valentines Day, with the thought in mind that certainly I deserved one too. At first mention, it looks like I should wait until after Valentines Day, but I think it will be easier before, because afterwards I'll be that much more into grazing for chocolate. We've all been there. It's the Halloween, Christmas, Valentine or Easter candy hangover!

Today's sugar treat count: Zero!

Super Sunday

2011-02-06T21:29:00.001-08:00

Our Sunday plans were a bit tenative as we weren't sure who was coming and going. With the late session of church, I've discovered that texting during Sacrament Meeting can take care of lose ends! We ran home to get Sunday dinner together for the Breinholt's as Cookie had surgery on her shoulder. It turned out quite well with Roasted Onion and Garlic Fingerling Potatoes, steamed broccoli, tender Salsa marinated Chicken, yummy salad and chocolate shortbread cookies. Dane was at the house before we got home and he and Tom stayed and watched the Super Bowl while I caught another dinner and visiting at Mom and Dad's house.

After the game, we visited with Dane until 11:30! He was hoping more strong-armed men would be at the house because he brought his arm wrestling table, but Blake went a few rounds with him. It would certainly be a fun group activity, but turned out the Super Bowl crowd was sparse. What a treat to have Dane here for a late night visit. He works hard and with his afternoon thru evening schedule, we don't get many chances to sit and chew the fat. We all really enjoyed the evening.

Fine tuning and the dew point

2011-02-05T18:55:00.001-08:00

In the interest of comfort and warmth, I'm breaking my own rules tonight and turned the heat up one tiny little degree, from 68 to 69. Last night I turned the heat up one degree after 11pm to 64 instead of 63 for sleeping comfort and ended up sticking my leg out of the comforter.
I'm just so thankful I don't live in Alaska and for that matter, anywhere else that it's colder than here! I've never been one to note the dew point, but Tom tells me that it's so low and is the reason it's so dry now. My feet and hands itch because they're so dry but I've been using large quantities of all these fine products.

For me, the saga just began

2011-02-04T18:03:00.001-08:00

To this date I had never read the books nor viewed the movies of the Twilight series. One would have to keep their head in the sand if they weren't aware of the Edward and Bella frenzy, so I was curious to see what it was all about! So...another movie night at Eric's (60 inch screen/surround sound and all) and we watched a double header, Twilight and New Moon. It's hard to find a movie that Tom hasn't seen amongst Eric's collection, but both movies were a first for him.

First, in keeping with my movie habits, I admit to a couple of cat naps. I gave it away when I asked Tom what vampires ate if they didn't eat food. Missed the explanation of it all and really, I should know better than giving my naps away by asking any questions at all.

Second, if the story and acting had gone any slower, I would have slept through the entire 4 hours!

Third, Kristen Stewart needs acting lessons..could she please show any kind of emotion?

Fourth, Stephanie Myers is not your typical rich little Mormon girl and lastly...I'm intrigued enough to want to see Eclipse, but not serious enough to visit Fork in person!

Again

2011-02-03T21:23:00.000-08:00

I'm sitting here (again) in my silk undershirt, cashmere sweater and today it's a pink hoodie. People don't normally use the hoodie part, but I am because I'm cold. My feet are cold, my hands are cold but the warmth of my laptop sitting on my lap is making it all bareable.

Why don't I turn up the heat? I don't know. Just because. I'm so proud of myself as just this morning I completed my self-taught course on setting my thermostat. The one that's been in my house for the past 8 years waiting for me to calculate the Morning, Day, Evening and Night temperature. That seriously makes me happy. One less thing to worry about.

And I made Tom happy tonight too. I bought groceries! Blake came over to the house last night, opened the fridge and asked: 'Does anyone live here?'

This morning Jordan dropped by to use our printer and I asked if he wanted some oatmeal for breakfast. He said no, but he had only an apple for lunch and could use more. So, I fixed him a chicken sandwich with spring lettuce (only kind we had), put some homemade granola in a little glad container and sent along a spoon with a container of banana yogurt to mix with the granola. There...a great lunch!

Who says we have nothing in the house?

Sidenote: I realize tonight it's a bit weird to take a picture of what I'm wearing, let alone my neck. But, I'm a bit intrigued to see my 56 year-old neck in pictures. Weird. New idea for a blog . . . aging body parts!

Brrrrrrrr

2011-02-02T08:11:00.001-08:00

I don't even know how to take a picture of cold. If I could, I couldn't take it anyways, because I'd be too cold!

I could take a picture of yards with sheets and blankets laid out over the plants. I could take a picture of the ice patch on Meghan and Clint's driveway that Bret showed me tonight. The sprinkler's turned on earlier today at their house and left a patch of ice on the cement for the rest of the day.

But I did download the little cold looking moon the was on weather.com, saying it was clear tonight and low would be 24 degrees! Crazy cold I say.

I've worn a silk undershirt, cashmere sweater with a jacket all day, while my hands and feet have been freezing. I've declared that I won't go another winter without UGG slippers.

Do they make UGG gloves?!

Bishop's Storehouse

2011-02-01T06:47:00.001-08:00

I signed up to work at the Bishop's Storehouse a couple of weeks ago in Relief Society. Today was that day. Last night I was toying with thoughts of reason's why I shouldn't or couldn't go, but after reading this month's visiting teaching message about women from the New Testament who showed faith by participating in the Lord's work and considering the fact that I should make good my word, I made it happen.

I thought I was going to do wet pack, (which means you have to wear those ugly white hair coverings) and ended up being assigned as a "host" in the actual storehouse. Which means that, after a brief training, I got an apron, nametag and a grocery cart. When someone came in with a food order, (filled out by the Relief Society president of a ward) I would push the cart and read the order while the recipient bagged the items. If the order was large, the recipient would take the food to their car and come back to get the rest of the order. My first person was a woman with 5 kids, but she only needed a few items, so it was a good first introduction to the process and I was ready for more! The second order was with a 35ish man who had a large order and he was pretty uncomfortable about being there. I could tell it was his first time, but we soon got into the groove of it and he felt more at ease. He had 4 kids total, 2 of them step-children and he told me that he had a 60,000 dollar a year job and it disappeared and he's now working at Jack in the Box.

I marveled at the whole scene of the welfare system and how wonderful it is to provide for those needing help. It was a blessing to be a part of it today and I'd like to do it again.

*Picture was found on the internet but looks exactly like the Mesa storehouse. Maybe it is. It's hard to pull out your camera inside a Bishop's Storehouse to take a picture.

FHE Dinner

2011-01-31T13:06:00.001-08:00

Blake stopped by for a little Aunt Diane and Uncle Tom time and shortly thereafter, Jordan walked through the door. Perfect timing. Dinner! We had plenty of leftovers from our Sunday dinner. Tom's ever-so-yummy barbequed chicken, Gary's always-a-secret-ingredient whipped potatoes, topped with chili, sour cream and chives. I'll never understand people who don't eat leftovers!
Sidenote: Sam was at her Monday evening night class.

Earlier to bed . . .

2011-01-30T21:14:00.001-08:00

Is it possible? I really would like to figure out how to get to bed earlier! It seems simple enough. Just go to bed on time.

Usually my computer is the biggest culprit. There is no such thing as just briefly checking your emails before going to bed. In fact, I've read that the brightness from the computer screen itself can stimulate your brain and does nothing to help you wind down.

Last week, Jennie told me that if you go to bed and get up at set, consistent hours that one would feel more rested. The body reacts better to a schedule. So, I decided to consistently go to bed at 11pm and keep that up as best possible. In one weeks time, I've succeeded only once. Doesn't make me proud, but I will keep trying.

Heavenly Demise

2011-01-29T15:59:00.001-08:00

Saturday turned out to be a good yard day. The weather was beautiful out and Tom was doing his usual yard routine. But . . . we've had many a recent discussion on simplifying the process and I'm frankly ready to do whatever it takes to do that. Many of my suggestions are met with a sort of resistance of 'that doesn't take me long to do that' or 'all I have to do is blow the leaves there'.

But, my plans of a 'secret' type garden have been laid to rest. I had visions of a type of play house area for the grandkids, surrounded by Heavenly Bamboo. I love how they have red berries in the winter, white blossoms in the spring and then they remind me of a chameleon during the year with the leaves turning various shades in different seasons. But, it did make for a upkeep nightmare.

I nursed the plants along since early spring and never mind that they have rooted well into the soil at this point. But, my goal is to make our lives simplier, so...after counting the $95 dollars spent on the plants, I transplanted a few on the other side of the sidewalk and proceeded to pull the others out and throw them in the recycle bin.

C'est la Vie!

3 to 6

2011-01-28T12:23:00.001-08:00

This is a prime example of good intention gone awry. Technology is a good thing if you learn how to use it. I had 2 programmable thermostats installed in our house about 8 years ago, could be 10. I have yet learned how to set them.

But, times are a changin' and I called Salt River Project to enroll in the 3 to 6 savings program. It means that between 3 and 6pm, 5 days a week, we are to use as little electricity as possible between those hours. It seems like a no-brainer right now, but I hope I don't wimp out when the heat starts to rise! I don't like being cold, but I don't like being overly hot much anymore either.

So far, it's certainly been worth a laugh or two. Tom and I have bantered between us the absurd things we can and can't do between 3 and 6pm to save energy. We've decided that it's best just to not move!

Jennie and Joe

2011-01-27T21:11:00.000-08:00

I've got to get better at this picture thing! A photo of Pierce pushing around his little kid cart at Trader Joe's would have been much better than this logo! The good news is, we got some food. Emphasize the some. I walked in the house announcing the news, but the expectations were still low because Tom didn't jump up to see what I had bought. I think it was when I announced that I had bought him some jam, he said he hoped that it came with bread too. He's such a comedian.

But, the point of our shopping excursion was to give Jennie her first Trader Joe's shopping experience. It was all about her. We went up and down the isles and I pointed out my personal favorites, but I don't think you could really go too wrong with anything in that store. I saw another shopper loading up on something in her cart. I had to ask what it was that she liked so much. That's a total buying signal that I have to try it too. So I came home with marinated salmon and ahi tuna to grill.

The evening continued with a round of American Idol and Ben saved the day with Papa John's. Trader Joe's, Papa John's. I see a pattern coming on here. We've got the boys covered, next time it'll be something girlie.

Refrigerator tales

2011-01-26T12:51:00.001-08:00

Strangely enough I've been thinking this last couple of days about my nearing to empty refrigerator and then I read an article today about a couple that were building a very small house and voted for no refrigerator at all! Crazy eh? Would not be possible for me. But . . . back to my analzying.

Tom left for Clearwater on the Sunday, the 16th and I decided that, although the fridge seemed a little bare, I was not going to grocery shop all week. It was just me and there was plenty of food for one in the house. Tom came back on the night of the 20th and noted how bare the fridge was. To this day, the 27th, we have still not shopped for food! That includes hosting 2 family Sunday dinners too. Mind you, we have free rein of Dad's citrus trees and he brought over some tangerines this afternoon from Wajid's tree and Gary brought 2 avacado and 3 bananas yesterday because he didn't want them to go bad on him.

I've thought about how we complain about our refrigerator. "It doesn't hold enough, a side by side is not configured effectively, we need to buy a 2nd refrigerator." The list goes on. I've concluded today that we just need to use it differently. Quit buying so much stuff! Mind you, our stainless steel, up-to-date refrigerator costs us a few thousand dollars. We shouldn't have to supplement it with another 800 dollar one! (Full disclosure: I have a small half freezer in the storeroom and a little refrigerator in the laundry room)

I should have never read Tom the article of the couple and no fridge. I'm sure he's thinking I'm about to go loopy on him, but seriously . . . how many cottage cheese, sour cream or bad food do you have to throw away before you think you must be doing something wrong? It's estimated that the average American home throws away 25% of food purchased. That includes the stuff we put down the disposal.

So, tomorrow, I'll be looking to finish up the cottage cheese and next trip to the grocery store, I'll be purchasing something that goes well with sour cream . . . since I have 3 of them. We definitely have to eat up the salsa, but I think I'll just ditch the rest of the cheese whiz!

Next we could talk about Gary, party of one, owning a commercial refrigerator!

My calendar and our new normal

2011-01-25T17:03:00.001-08:00

Since I spend a lot of time in my office, I decided to take a picture of my 2nd most glanced at view during the day, the first being my computer screen. Catching the time, reaching for a pencil or my water bottle, I get to see the darling calendar that Sam gave me for Christmas. It brings me moments of joy throughout the day. I think about her carefully stamping the date for each day, wondering how she stamped the large January and with each new month I get to view a whole different photo of their cute family. And, I love the colors and the pretties. Thanks Sam (D) for giving me a whole year of joy!

T.V. update: The fog has lifted and there's the sound of laughter in our house again. I guess that's stretching it a bit, but Cox flipped their little switch this morning and we now have 22 channels + I noticed QVC snuck in under the wire. I asked Tom tonight if he had enough channels to keep him happy. He said something about missing Glenn Beck and I told him he wasn't worth $85.00 at the moment. We can close that chapter. (for the moment)

True desperation

2011-01-24T14:21:00.001-08:00

What could be more pathetic than watching fuzzy CSpan? I had to call Cox and order the basic cable package today. It was discovered that without a cable hook-up we got 1 station and I guess that works to keep you entertained for a few minutes. We don't have enough movies to take us through the week at the rate they are being watched. Besides, I knew before Tom that Jack LaLanne had passed and I don't usually scoop him on that kind of world event. We've got to get the boy some news!

Sunday boots

2011-01-23T09:04:00.001-08:00

I discovered this winter that I love wearing boots to church when it's so cold outside. I was in a nylon quandry one Sunday and decided the boots sitting in my closet, that I always skip over, just might work for the day. I was actually more comfy and warmer, considering there's no rhyme nor reason to the building's temperature gauge. Seems to be cold year round. My new rule of thumb: Nov thru February is Sunday boot season. I love no brainers...

Girl Scout time

2011-01-22T21:33:00.000-08:00

Today I bought a box of each of these, then I had total buyer's remorse. Why do I have to pretend each year that I like Girl Scout cookies?
I use to like the Samoa's, but as my taste buds refined through the years, they became more waxy and tasteless with each bite. I asked Tom what his favorite ones were and he said the shortbread. But at $4.00 a box, they pale in comparison to Lorna Doones, or better yet, Walker's Scottish Pure Butter Shortbread Cookies. They are actually a poor excuse for shortbread.

So, as the Brownie and father made their way around the culdesac, I decided that I would cancel my order, which I did. If it turns out that I'm this Brownie's one example of rejection growing up, then so be it! I felt empowered.

Word of the day - testy

2011-01-21T21:44:00.001-08:00

Tom isn't humored at all by not having a T.V. to watch. Honestly, I would adjust and be fine without it, but not so with the hubs. A weekend without T.V. is going to be interesting. Fox News is on at our house, well . . . let me just say often. I don't watch the news, but I do tell Tom that if anything happens that I should know about in the world, it's his job to tell me.

I do fear that if we don't have a working T.V. in the kitchen, that I'll be the only one doing the dishes. . . and that is worth bare minimum basic cable!

Please let Fox News be a part of the basic package.

What now?

2011-01-20T08:48:00.001-08:00

Since Tom is in Clearwater this week, the television doesn't go on during the day. But after a day of work and solitude, I figured I'd settle in to a little T.V. Not so easy as all 4 televisions in our house look like this on every channel. We, or I had decided a couple of weeks ago that it would be helpful to save some money and cancel cable. The biggest T.V. had the DVR box and didn't work at all. Not to worry because as it turned out it wasn't so painful because 3 of our 4 T.V.'s still got stations up to 63! But we knew time would catch up with that and it did today. Nothing but static.

It actually felt kind of strange being cut off from the world, but the trusty computer filled in just fine. Since Jamie D. has no television since Larry passed, I thought about her throughout the evening. I picked Tom up at the airport and he met the news with trepidation. Oh, the T.V. saga will continues . . .

and, I never thought in my lifetime that I would say we had 4 T.V.'s. One losing battle.

Gettin' hitched

2011-01-19T15:51:00.000-08:00

Hands down . . . the big news today is the marriage of Chris and Michele Villalobos! They schimmied on down to the courthouse with Bruce, Laurel, Michele's parents and sister and sealed the deal.

While visiting, Jennie broke the news at mom and dad's with a text from Chris. We'll definitely be looking for more details!

Putzing

2011-01-17T15:48:00.001-08:00

Today was one of those days that I immerged myself in home projects, starting this morning rearranging the living room furniture, (pictured here) updating photo in picture frames and ending with the organization of my stickers after 1:00 am.

There was a flurry of so many other things in between that I can't even name them all.

What was I thinking? Who knows, but it's addicting!

Family Additions

2011-01-16T21:31:00.001-08:00

We feel so fortunate with a new addition to the Arizona Finlinson clan, with Ben, Jennie and Pierce moving to Arizona...and we've got them for at least the new 5 years! Ben has a new assignment here with the DEA and he's moved his little family to the Valley of the Sun.

We had a rather large family dinner with the usual Miller/Finlinson/Savage gang,(minus Tom in Clearwater and Jordan & Sam entertaining elsewhere), but Gary hosted Cousin Richard Arnold's daughter Natalie and her friend who were here from Utah to run a marathon. He invited Jeff, Hollie and family, plus Jennie, Ben and Pierce. We had a great time visiting and of course, eating.

Miracles do happen

2011-01-15T18:22:00.001-08:00

Jordan stopped by to go through some things in his room and this was his DI pile. He made it through his clothes but I think the paper/trinket/memory pile will take a bit more thought. Jordan starts school this week so I think they may have to be banished to the attic. They would have company with Dane's boxes, sitting there for the past 10+ years!
I found this shirt midst the DI pile and I had to take a picture of it. Tom got this shirt when he was recruited to play football at Stanford. That was 1972. I think it's made it's rounds long enough, thus a picture for the memories!