Merry Christmas!

It is so amazing how we prepare, and prepare for this wonderful day, and the kids are so anxious to see what they get and it is over within 30 minutes.  I love this time of year, when we can all be together.  Last night we didn't make it to Doug and Sally's because of the weather.  It is just awful here, but we did go to some members home in our ward.  It was a lot closer and it still took as an hour to get home, however we had so much fun at their home.  This lady is German and she fixed us German food for Christmas Eve.  She made really yummy noodles and a individual little meat rolls.  The meat wrapped a pickle and bacon wrapped the meat.  It was pretty interesting, but really good!  Then we sat in their living room with the Elders and played games.  

Our kids get money every year and next week will be our big shopping day.  We make a day of it, and always go when everything is on sale, that way our kids get what they want.  We just put a few things under the tree so they can unwrap something.  We always get new movies.  

We all need to reflect on the true meaning of the season.  Our Savior did a lot for us.  We need to be thoughtful to others that need our help.  We have been blessed with thoughtful members of the church.  Living out where we do has it's challenges.  We have had members come out and dig us out and call to make sure that we are fine.  There is always an opportunity to serve others.  In this coming year, I'm going find opportunities to serve others.  We get so busy with our lives and families that I think we forget about others around us that may need our help. 

We all need to strive harder to help others.  For some reason I feel especially strong about this, maybe it's because we have been recipients so many times because of all the snow.  Anyway, hope this finds you all well and happy!

   

May the Lord continue to bless us all!  Merry Christmas!  

Winter Wonderland

Well we have blue skies peaking through the clouds today, and it has stopped snowing.  Today we went out to see if we could shovel a bit, and Garrett took this picture of our beautiful mountain.  As I was reading Cari's blog yesterday she was so positive about this weather.  It taught me a lesson to take comfort in the beauty of this earth.  Thank you so much Cari!  It was so quiet outside and so peaceful!  My family is safe, (Ron is still at work, but expected to come home today) my children are well, we are warm,  and so what more could I want right!  

Have a Merry Christmas everyone!  Love to all!

SNOW!

I haven't seen this much snow since I was a little girl!  It all began yesterday morning, and by 24 hours later Spokane was covered in 17" of snow.  I guess they have exceeded their records.  I went to finals with someone in my class because my snow tires are a little less desirable, and which incidentally I did great on finals!  I passed all my classes with flying colors!  Anyway, it took us an hour to get home from Coeur D Alene!  It is only 15 minutes away!  Ron called from work, and was not able to get home last night.  He is not expected to come home tonight either because we are basically stuck here without plows.  We used to have a neighbor that plowed us out last year, but I haven't seen him yet today.  

Spokane is shut down, the schools are shut down and the hospitals are under their disaster plans.  Ron said just kick back and enjoy staying home.  I do enjoy doing nothing, but on the flip side I don't like to be separated from him.  I have always thought what would we do if we did get separated during a disaster.  I guess this is giving me a little taste.  I'm thankful that we have food storage!  If we listen to the prophets and do as we are told, we will be blessed.  I'm also grateful that Ron is safe.  We miss him, but all will be well soon.

Hope you all are warm and safe this holiday season!

love to all!

Our Dog Rosie

It is amazing how an animal warms your heart, and they become part of the family.  Rosie came into our family when she was about 6 months old.  She was full of energy, and would chase anything that was running.  Anything from remote control cars to  laser lights.  She jumped out of a moving car when Ron took her for a ride in the car, and because she saw a cat she jumped out took a tumble was a bit scraped up, but recovered.  She also was poisoned twice and recovered.  We always said that she was like a cat with 9 lives.  

This last week she got very ill, and today I took her to the vet.  There wasn't any hope so we had to have her put down.  Garrett and I sobbed because she had become so much a part of the family.  I don't think my heart will heal enough to get another one for a long time.  

I think she is in heaven playing with our other dog Poky.  She was a great dog!  She was a great companion, and we will miss her terribly!

Scriptures and Thanksgiving

It is amazing what a person can learn from a child.  My kids went to EFY a couple of weekends ago in Coeur "D" Alene.  It was only for a day, but they learned some valuable lessons.  One lesson in particular that I think would help me.  One of the instructors taught the kids that if they read their scriptures before they study, the Lord would open their minds and help them achieve good grades.  So when they get home from school they read their scriptures 10 min before they do their homework.  Paige has been struggling, and has found that her grades are coming up after this habit that she has formed. 

For quite some time I have been complaining to the kids that I just don't seem to be getting this math.  Gavin said Mom read your scriptures.  In the last couple of days, I have put this challenge to the test.  Last night I was working, and my client had gone to bed.  I sat on her couch, and read the scriptures for 15 min. before picking up the dreaded math.  I prayed that the Lord would bless me and help me understand those things necessary for this math class.  Low and behold things started to click, FINALLY!  I work and work for great grades, and then when I do a simple thing as read the scriptures the Lord blesses my life!  What a testimony!   His promises are sure, that if we do as he says he has no other choice than to bless us.

At this Thanksgiving time, I'm so thankful for the gospel.  I'm thankful that I have such good kids that are relying on the Lord in these hard times.  I'm thankful for Joseph Smith for translating the Book of Mormon so that we can learn more of the Savior.  I'm also very grateful to the Savior for the sacrifices that he made in my behalf.  How blessed we are to live in this day and age.  It is scary, but if we are prepared we shall not fear, and if we do all that he has asked us to do he will bless us our lives!

Kidney Stones! YIKES!

Have you ever had the deer in the head like looks when someone has told you that your kidneys are covered in stones!  (No wonder I have been in so much pain for months!)

I had a CT scan last Wednesday, and the Doctor told me that the stones were caught in my ureters, and too big to pass.  PAIN!  I have been in incredibly amounts of pain for months!  I have just been taking lots of narcotics and Ibuprofen to get me through going to school, and homework.  No I'm not a druggie! 

Friday I had surgery, and things went really well.  I can never figure out though how one minute you are in the operating room breathing through their mask, and the next minute you are in the recovery room wondering if you are going to throw up or not. It is such a weird feeling!

In the time that I have gone through this procedure it has allowed me to be able to talk to all kinds of medical people.  I have worried about nursing school because as I was trained as a CNA I discovered that nurses generally sit and chart, turn off alarms fix IVs, but they in general don't interact with the patient.  Sure they get the big bucks, but I love patient care, and I love people and spending time with them.  I have considered Radiology Tech but when I talked to the Rad Tech that took my x-ray he told me that they have to have Radiology Physics !  I think I will stick with College Algebra even though math is not my fort-ay! Physics scares the hell out of me!  Nursing sounds better and better!  I also took note of the recovery room nurses.  There weren't any CNAs or LPNs just RNs.  They did all the patient care and the charting.  That sounds better to me. 

At any rate I'm on the mend, filling a cup up with sand and thinking I'll be able to get up and go for a walk soon without pain.  Now the Dr. just needs to find out why I'm making the stones that I am.  I'm sure I will have to change my diet, but after this ordeal I'm very willing! 

Five things about me

You can all thank Cari for this.  I got poked, and now I have poked some other lucky people.  :)  It is fun for once!

5 things I was doing 10 years ago...
1. Living in Salt Lake City Utah

2. Raising 3 kids

3. Homeschooling

4. Wondering if I will survive homeschooling

5 things on my to-do list today...
1. Study for a Biology Test

2. Do my Math

3. Eat dinner

4. Get the kids off to Mutual

5. Study for a Big Biology Test

5 snacks I enjoy...
1. Anything sweet

2. Trail Mix

3. Crackers and Cheese

4. Vegetables from a veg. tray. (I hate cutting all those vegies!)

5 things I'd do if I were a Millionaire...
1. Buy a house

2. Pay for my kids' education

3. Do things that will make memories with my kids

4. Buy a couple of new cars

5. Travel

5 places I've lived...
1. Salt Lake City Utah

2. Meridian Idaho

3. Boise Idaho

4. Middleton Idaho

5. Post Falls Idaho

5 jobs I've had...

1. Computer Corp. (Where I met Ron)

2. Salon 

3. Primary Children's Hospital

4. Alzheimer's Facility

5. In home Care

I will now tag - 1. Deb, Laura, Emily, Katie, Mike

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blog and leaves them a comment letting them know that they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you’ve answered the questions on your blog.