Girls just wanna have fun!

A few months ago I was face booked by one of the girls I grew up with. She was getting the old gang together, and, as proof in the picture, we got most of us together for lunch the other day.

front row l-r - Sheila, Sydney, Becky

middle row l-r - Jamie, Cindy, Kathy

back row l-r - Janet, me!

One of our friends (Lisa) unfortunately passed away a few months before this outing, but we all agreed she was there enjoying the day with us. Angela couldn't come because she's fighting cancer (didn't want to be out in public with low platelets!!), Shelli had a family wedding, and Diane couldn't get a flight. But that's us. The 18th ward young women.

Oh, the memories. Sherry Knight; a teacher that we were merciless to. We found every and any way to make fun of her. From the way she wrote 'For Natalie" on the top of EVERY handout she gave me, to how the song 'Stroke Me, Stroke Me' reminded her of her college days.... you know! Because she was on the rowing team, of course. And especially because she told us, with a very heavy heart and tears a-flowin' that she would probably need to be released because she committed a sin. She had gotten her dog fixed, and unbeknownst to her the dog was pregnant so she gave her dog an abortion. Yup. The woman was quite the sinner! And then there were the sleepovers. We had many, many, many sleepovers. Mostly at Lisa's house because she was the only child left at home, where we all had younger brothers and sisters. We were young and dumb, that's all I have to say!

We are now planning another get together, but this time inviting some of the young men we grew up with in the ward. Good people. Good memories. Good times!

Check it out!!

It's been a while. OK. Far too long! I found when I got behind I wanted to catch up; put pics up, tell about our summer... But then I would be overwhelmed and know I didn't have the time to do all that. So, I'm just starting fresh and if I have a few extra minutes, I will share some past events.

The newest happening in our home - Mike is no longer Bishop of our ward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes! I am happy. And the pictures on Alex's weekly calendar below will help explain why;

Here is a typical week for a Bishop's family. Sunday, church. Monday - Friday I babysit (picture of kids), Mike goes to work (motorcycle), and Alex has school (bus). Then you'll notice the picture of a suit on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evening as well as Saturday morning. Those represent times Mike had something churchy to do. Yes, all 4 days. Now some weeks weren't this busy, but it was more often than not most nights and some time on Saturday.

Now, this is our week this week! Same start; church on Sunday. I still babysit kids Monday - Friday, Mike has work Monday - Friday, Alex only has school Monday - Wednesday this week, and we are going out to a restaurant on Tuesday night, but notice....no suits!!! We get Mike all to ourselves in the evening. Oh, the plans that have been made and put off... no more!

Now, I'm not complaining. Please don't get me wrong. It WAS NOT a horrible thing for Mike to be Bishop. Even when he was gone a lot, we knew why he was gone and knew that was where he should be. We always were comforted as well as taken care of while he was gone. There is a season for everything, and that was our season to share Mike with the ward members and support him while he tended to their needs. But we do like having him home more! No hiding that fact!!

Now, I promise to keep up on blogging. OK, Lou and Tij.... your turn!!

Our new vehicle!

Check out my new vehicle!! The suburban - also referred to as the beast or the monster, at least by me - literally blew up coming down the canyon on State Road 6 at 2:30 in the morning!

I was driving home a sick young woman from girl's camp - which is unusual for me. I would normally just make them wait it out until morning, especially with all the rain we had on the day before. The dirt road up to camp was a mess!! But, I put her in the burb and off we went. Two hours later, right in the middle of the canyon, KABLOOEY!! Smoke everywhere. No movement in the steering wheel. No engine.

We made it to the side of the road and waited. And waited. And waited. Even with smoke hurling out of our engine, no one dared to stop to offer assistance. What does that say about the state of our world when everyone is too scared of the monster that might be lurking in the disabled vehicle on the side of the road? We didn't even have phone service. We said a prayer, and I knew I would know when to flag someone down. So we waited again. When the prompting hit me, I got out of the burb with my flashlight and waved someone down. They passed us at first, but turned around to help. It was a young man with two young women. I gave them our home phone number and asked them to please call Mike as soon as they got phone service. They did and my knight in shining armor arrived later. Actually, when they called they said, "We just ran into your wife...." which of course he took as meaning, "We just plowed into your vehicle with your wife in it." Once they cleared up the real meaning, Mike got my mom to come sit with Alex at our house and he borrowed her car and came to get us. In the meantime, me and the young woman slept. Quite comfortably, actually! Which is weird in and of itself, because I am scared of the dark. I am SCARED to DEATH of the dark!! But felt very comfortable and calm, so took a little snooze. We went home, Mike let me sleep in then returned to camp with me the next day.

All in all a nice little adventure, and another testament of the power of prayer.

Al's rite of passage. Braces!

First, not only be allowed to make funny faces, but given utensils to help in the process while you get xrays taken as well as 'before' pictures...

Next, have pretty lady put goop in your mouth to make an impression...

...now open wide!!!



The end results are bea-u-ti-ful!!...

...and exhausting!! We will keep you posted.

Hollywood, Baby!!

My sister has a really cool job. She is the media director (I think that's the official name) for advertisement with Sorensen Communication. (They make communication possible for the Deaf community, such as video phones in the community) Anyway, she used my parent's home for one of their most recent ads. I ventured out with all the kids, and we scoped things out.

Nothing REALLY exciting, but it was weird to see this big light in the backyard.

The catering! Yeah. They really cater to the crew.

This is my parent's living room. Well, most of it is. The guy, the sheet on the window and the big movie light aren't usually in there.

I got to have my picture taken with THE star!! Anthony! The kids weren't impressed, they just wanted out of the stroller at this point.

And here's my parent's poor, dejected dogs - Goliath and Tinker. They got ostracized to my house for the few days of filming, and they actually enjoyed it, but I got this picture where they look so mournful, I had to use it! That was my donation to the filming... dog sitting!!

http://www.sorensonvrs.com/ntouch go to this link to see their house in 'action'. The living room is theirs, and the kitchen is theirs. My dad wishes the office was his!

http://www.sorensonvrs.com/ntouchvp_product ... that's my dad's workshop!! My dad is much better looking, though. And a little secret of the trade; that man didn't really make that doll house. Actually one of the producers did (a girl did it!)

Anyway, cool stuff. My parent's house is famous!!!

I grew up around people who are Deaf - yes, my sister is profoundly Deaf - and it is different, but I don't know it's different until it's pointed out to me. We grew up signing, and sometimes it feels like it's my first language; I think in sign. But my mom is the only one in the whole family that is a skilled signer. My sister lived out of state for 10 years, and we weren't vigilant at using sign language while she was gone, and you know what they say, "Use it or lose it!" But I love my sister very much and am very proud of her talents and compassion for others.

Summer fun

Here are some fun things we did this summer!

Attended a fundraiser for Alex's special needs hockey team. Go Grizzlies!!!

We had a ward summer activity and my dad (AKA Papa GG) got attacked by young women with face paint!

Nothing better than a summer rainstorm and playing in the warm gutter water! We had a BLAST!!

And what the hail?!? Another summer storm.

We also played in the water any chance we got! Squirt bottles were a necessity and made for a lot of fun, warm days.

Now Alex and B are back in school (9th grade and kindergarten respectively), Mo and Oak are in preschool, Hey-hey hangs out with us still and we have a new friend that comes once in a while. We shall call her Nev on the blog. I will add pics of her later.

Good times, good times!

(sigh.)

Feelings are exploding out of me until I just want to lay down holding my children, husband and grandchildren and have a good cry. A young man from your ward died last night after being in a car accident with his family. He was only 12 years old, but in the short time I knew him he showed me that teenagers today can still be kind, caring and patient.

Him and Alex would take turns doing the different routes for the sacrament, and he ALWAYS let Alex choose, then he took the leftovers. He was the very first young man to ask if Alex could go on a fast pack route, and came to find Alex right after church to make sure he was coming.

He was in my primary class for a few months. A very quiet young man who was respectful to adults and all the boys looked up to him. I looked up to him. His parents aren't active, and aren't interested in being active, but he came to church faithfully with his grandparents every Sunday. I have always been impressed with how he showed his parents that he could respect them, but live as he knew was the right way to live. His mission here on earth was a short one, but he should be proud of his life.

I'm so sad for his grandparents who live in our ward. What a horrible experience to go through. It brings a lot of 'Mac' feelings to the surface. Their neighbor who called last night to tell us what happened also has an angel baby that died in a car accident. Having her tell me, and knowing what a sweet young man this kid is... well, let's just say the tears are a-flowin!

A lot of feelings have been gurgling inside the past few months anyway. Mother's Day, Father's Day, Josh's birthday, Mac's birthday and in the middle of all of that Memorial Day. I have wanted to blog, but not wanted to blog. Too many emotions. Too much pain. Too hard to describe. Hurt. Ache. Dull. Numb.

And even through the sorrow and pain, when I think of Mac, just like I've been thinking about K today, I am proud to know them, and even happy - elated!! - to have the memories that I do.

I will post more about our Mac celebrations later. Let a little more numb set in, so I'm not crying as hard. Then maybe I can see the screen clearly instead of through these stupid tears.