Early resolution

At the end of November the question was asked in Relief Society - "What are you most thankful for?" My immediate answer - family & friends. As I have reflected on that question over the last few weeks and also prepared for my lesson next week on Elder Worthlins talk "Come What May and Love It" I have been reminded of all the experiences that have come our way this year. It has been a year packed with family trips, moves and additions. Each of these experiences has added greatly to our lives and to our joy. While not all of them have been easy they have all been beneficial. As I study Elder Worthlins talk I realize that I am okay with the come what may part of it, over the years that has become natural to me, it's the "and love it" part that is often missing! In hindsight I can see and love the lessons learned from the challenge but in the middle of it I often lose that ability. So I think for next year that will be one of my resolutions - to develop the ability to love what ever challenge Heavenly Father sends my way while I am in the midst of it. Knowing the magnitude of that perhaps it should be my only resolution!

Shopping or the Zoo, Hmmm. . .

I realize that I am the odd man (or should I say woman?)out when it comes to shopping, I really, really, HATE shopping! So of course when everyone else is going nuts over Black Friday I have absolutley no desire to participate. I have very strong opinions about the greed and materialism involved and how it is destroying our ability to take a day off and just enjoy our families and express gratitude for all that we have. How many people have to give up their family time on Thanksgiving now just to prepare for Friday's insanity? Then on the news we saw reports of stores that chose to stay open on Thanksgiving just to "get a jump" on the competition. Argh!!!!!!!!!!! Needless to say we were looking for some other form of entertainment to occupy us on Friday and discovered that the Sacramento Zoo would have free admission all day Friday. They requested you donate a canned food item for the food bank as the price of admission but it was not required. So we packed up a grocery bag with cans (there were 9 of us going), and headed off. We had a great time and my faith in humanity was restored as the zoo was packed with families who had chosen to spend time together having fun rather than fighting for bargains.


Kelly & Kaitlin having fun

Riley & Kevin getting in on the act

I think if we look hard enough we might find these guys in our genealogy!

The whole crew

So much for dinner

Since we now have 11 people eating dinner every night things were getting a little crowded around our table for 6. So we headed off to Home Depot to get oak planks in order to make a new table top that will seat all of us, or so I thought. Little did I know that it wasn't really a table top that was being fashioned but a track base for the race cars. Needless to say the boys are happy and the girls are eating in the kitchen!

Birthdays, birthdays, & more birthdays!

October & November bring lots of birthday celebrations around here.

Katie turned 29 on October 6thAmanda turned 28 on November 13thBrian turned 29 on November 22nd (yes he & Amanda were both 28 for 9 days) Tyler thought dad was opening his gifts too slowly so he decided to help.Carinna turned 20 on November 23rd Brian & Carinna decided to share a cake since their birthdays are back to back so here is the Princess cake Brian baked for them topped by Carinna's Disney princesses she's had since she was a little girl.

Finding Peace

Lately I have been feeling down that I am not getting well as quickly as I think I should. Some days have been difficult and discouraging. I have been singing with the ward choir and a few weeks ago we started working on a piece called My Kindness Shall Not Depart From Thee. I don't remember the composer but the lyrics are based on the scripture in Doctrine & Covenants 122 when Joseph Smith cries to the Lord for relief from the many struggles and challenges he is facing in Liberty Jail. While rehearsing I thought the music was beautiful and loved the lyrics but it wasn't until we sang it in Sacrament meeting yesterday that the words really hit me. "I know thine every thought and every care, though the very jaws of hell gape after thee, my kindness shall not depart from thee." How small my problems seem in comparison to Joseph's.
That afternoon I was reading the conference Ensign and came across Elder Hollands talk about ministering angels. He talked about how concerned Heavenly Father is with all of His children and how He keeps a careful watch over us. He sends angels, both seen & unseen to minister and comfort. In another talk President Monson advised us all to find joy in the journey despite our challenges. To make memories each day and have fun along the way. It was a much needed reminder for me that in spite of the health challenges I have a life full of things to celebrate and be joyful about. I should be focusing on those things instead of allowing myself to be weighed down by temporary challenges that will pass away.

Is it always like this???

I was asked to sub in seminary this week & silly me, I said yes. On Monday the kids were pretty noisy & I finally had to yell to get their attention as none of them would stop talking. We got the lesson started and most of them paid attention and participated but there were still those who insisted on talking during the entire class, playing games on their phones, walking in and out of the class, etc. On Tuesday they were better and I thought things were going to be okay. Greg & Carinna asked if they could go teach on Wednesday. I told them the ups and downs and that the kids had been really good Tuesday so they should be fine. So they prepared and off they went. Several of the kids just would not stop talking, one of them stood up and decided to write on the board. When Greg asked him to put the chalk down & sit down he refused. Greg ended up taking the chalk from him and asking him again to sit down. Greg asked the kids if they wanted to be there and told them if they did not want to be there to please leave so the rest of them could move on. At first they just looked at him like he was crazy and he told them he was serious, if they did not want to be in class to leave. Several of them got up and walked out. The room settled down and those who stayed ended up having a great lesson. Today when I went back the core group who left came into class and then left to stand in the hall. I went out and asked them if they were coming to class today the two girls said they needed to use the bathroom and the two boys left as well. None of them ended up attending class. As we discussed what had happened the day before they excused it as just being teenagers. They hadn't done anything "that wrong". They blamed Greg & Carinna for not accepting that as teenagers they can't just sit there quietly and listen. The regular teacher has a seating chart as some of the kids are problems if they sit together. Not knowing the kids they of course did not sit where they were supposed to be and then got upset when we called them by the wrong name. One of things I asked today was how many of them had sat in the wrong chair using someone elses box. Almost all of them raised their hands. So all my friends out there who teach or have taught seminary, at what age can kids sit and listen to a 30-40 minute lesson? This class is made up of sophmores & juniors who are 15 & 16 years old, can they really not behave for half an hour?? When did being disrespectful to adults become acceptable and at what point do we as adults step in and say enough? Are we expecting too much by asking them not to talk during class? I'm not talking about answering questions and participating, I'm talking about those who are not paying the slightest bit of attention to the lesson and who are making it difficult for anyone else in the room to pay attention. At what point do you call their parents and ask for help? I have been in primary or relief society for the last few years so I haven't worked with the youth in awhile am I just totally out of touch and it's now "just the way it is" to try and teach over the crowd. Are there no expectations that they can be respectful and at what point do the ones who just refuse to be quiet need to be asked to leave so others can learn? Let me know your thoughts so I know whether or not to ever accept the opportunity to sub again!

The whole point

I know it's been a few weeks since I posted but life has been busy here in the shoe. On Wednesday October 15th we were able to accompany Carinna and her family as she received her endowments in the Sacramento Temple in preparation for her sealing to Greg on Thursday. What a wonderful experience, to be in the temple with four of our kids and Carinna's family. On Thursday the sealing was beautiful. As I walked into the sealing room and sat down Alana came over and asked if I had seen "that row". She was facing the window so I was looking at the window trying to figure out which row of glass she meant. I asked her which row I was supposed to be looking at and she said "that one" pointing to the first row of chairs. Sitting there were Brian, Katie, Amanda, Andrea and Todd. I had made a promise to myself that there would be no tears, only smiles that day. Looking at "that row" I came close to breaking my promise. Each time we take one of our children to the temple to receive ordinances there is a sense of relief and accomplishment. Relief that they have made the choice to be there and accomplishment that they have over come many challenges and struggles to be there. As I looked at each one of them and reflected on their journey to the temple I was filled with joy and gratitude for this gospel. For the atonement that allows each of us to repent and return to Heavenly Father. For the strength that comes daily by living the gospel. For the opportunity to have eternal families. Even though we have 6 more to get there and my parents and siblings were not able to be with us in the room that day I know that we can be together for eternity and that is the whole point, being together as families for eternity.

Expanding the shoe

It has been a very busy week. We are not only preparing for the wedding on Thursday but also preparing for more toes in our shoe! Greg and Carinna will be joining us while they go to school in the Sacramento area so we are having to do some remodeling and adjusting around here. After spending the first 23 years of our married life living in fixer uppers and doing all the work ourselves I begged Joe to buy a house that did not need any work when we moved to Las Vegas. I was tired of living in construction zones and just wanted to have a home we could live in as it was. Two years ago when we moved back to CA we bought a brand new home that only needed to have the walls painted. Now after a 6 year reprive the construction signs are back. Joe, Brian and Tyler (yes Tyler!)are in heaven.

We have a tandem garage that has now been converted into an office/den/schoolroom. This required the building of a wall in the garage to divide the space from the cars and the removing of a wall in the house to access the new room. When it is finished we will move all the computers and the "schoolroom" into it. We are then building a new wall to turn the "old" loft/schoolroom into a bedroom. Kevin will move into the new bedroom, while Riley, Kelly, and Kaitlin will move back upstairs into the room Kelly & Kaitlin used to share. That will give Greg & Carinna a private bedroom & bath, but it will also mean that the other four kids will be sharing one bath again. So wall number three will be built to subdivide the bathroom. That way someone can shower (or potty) while others use the sink and mirror - hopefully preventing the rioting and banging in the hallway when someone else needs the room.

Part of the fun has been watching them teach the next generation. Tyler loves nothing more than being with his daddy. He already knows the difference between real tools and plastic ones and he'll take the real ones thank you very much! He has been a constant fixture in the garage and the den as they have been working. At any given moment he can be found hammering (this takes some supervision so he doesn't hammer holes in the walls where we don't want them), or "drilling" (he hasn't caught on yet that the drill & saw are not plugged in when he has them). It takes great effort but he tries to pick up the saw, and even climbs the ladder to give Papa Joe the tools he needs. Needless to say Mommy & Gran watch with laughter and some trepidation as he learns new skills. Despite once again having everything in my house coated with drywall dust, I am so grateful to have men in my life that can do all the work themselves. I am even more grateful that they enjoy doing it.

Life in the shoe is good!

The Happy Couple

Here are some pictures of Greg & Carinna since they did not include one in their announcement. It is hard to believe the wedding is next week! We feel very lucky as each new member comes into the family. I told Joe that with 10 kids eventually one of them is going to bring someone home that we don't click with but so far all is well!

Thank You Andrea & Brian!!

I can finally send out my blog info to friends & family now that my kids have helped me make it more atractive! Brian helped me learn how to post pictures, hopefully I won't forget! Andrea helped get the background up and the title posted as well as font changes & color. THANKS. Aren't adult kids great!

Long Journey

So this is one of those times when you feel like you should do something that you aren't really crazy about but know you have to do. I have been putting off this particular post as it strikes right at the heart of why I struggle to journal or blog. I have a hard time writing down personal things and don't always want anyone else to have access to my thoughts but I keep having the impression that I need to share this so here goes.
Back in July shortly after Brian & Katie arrived we found out that I was severly anemic and would have to be resting as much as possible. No lifting (try that when you have a 14 month old grandson lift his arms up to you!), no cleaning (okay so that one isn't as hard as the last one), no doing anything that was not absolutely necessary and laying down as much as possible(which ended up being MUCH more than I thought possible). It started out as a 30 day thing but quickly expanded into a 60-90 day thing and is now looking like a 4-5 month thing. I really struggled for the first couple of weeks. Katie and I had a conversation one day about obessive compulsive disorder and addictive personalities and how each of us at different times and in specific circumstances may qualify as obsessive. Thinking about that conversatin I realized that I have a very deep seeded sense of responsibility, if I think something is my responsibility I cannot let someone else handle it. My own version of being obsessive. I tried my best to hang on but found myself rapidly getting worse so I finally gave in and let Brian & Katie take over. This may seem minor but considering all that they ended up having to deal with it is a major undertaking. Riley, Kelly & Kaitlin do online school from home, and Kevin does traditional home school which meant daily supervision of lessons and internet use not to mention overseeing and correcting homework for all of them. It also meant that Katie became the new "PE teacher" as I could no longer go on walks with them in the mornings. Brian became the designated chef - since he is a gourmet cook there were few complaints and we are thinking of holding him hostage even after they are on their feet and can leave the shoe. They have both been chauffer and subsitute parent as Joe has had to work very long hours overseeing major construction at the plant the last few months. Along with all of this they have been trying to set up a photography business, find employment for Brian, oh yeah and did I mention they have a 17 month old son to care for? None of that even includes the class Brian is trying to finish, Katie going back to Utah one week a month to do her photography assignments for the magazine, 4 dogs, 1 cat, and a tank full of fish that need looked after, as well as overseeing all the housework, yardwork and the never ending "to do" list around the house. Last but not least helping plan a wedding dinner for Greg & Carinna. Thank heavens Katie is so talented!
So now it is October and I am slowly getting back into life. I have learned several lessons during this time. 1.Don't take your health for granted. I have been anemic in the past but nothing like this. There have been days when I literally could not sit up. It made me recognize how fortunate I have been to be healthy all my life. 2. The world will not fall apart if I let someone else handle something that I consider my responsibility. Brian & Katie have been amazing as they stepped right in and ran the house for me. 3.No matter what they say teenagers need their parents. I have to make sure to spend time with each child and stay connected to their life no matter how I am feeling. Kelly was starting to feel like she had lost both of her parents with me down & Joe so busy with work. Thankfully she was able to tell us how she felt and we made adjustments so she could spend time with each of us. 4. Grandchildren are a choice experience. Many days Tyler made me smile and laugh when it seemed there was nothing to smile about. 5. Daughter-in-laws and mother-in-laws really can get along! 6.Most important of all my Heavenly Father is aware of me daily and knows exactly what I need and when I need it. I have felt His hand often during this time. While I had hoped and prayed for a quick resolution to this He has had other plans. I have had to learn patience with myself and allow myself the "time off" to heal. I have had to be humble enough to accept help and allow others to offer service when I am used to being the one serving. I have more compassion for those with chronic health problems. While the journey isn't over and I'm sure there are many more lessons to learn, it is getting easier. I am thankful for each day that I feel good and grateful that I am aware that I have a loving Father in Heaven to look after me.

Perfect Picture

Several weeks back (yes I know this shocks all of you that something happened that long ago and I still have not added it to this up to date blog!) we headed down to Dinky Creek to camp with Brian, Katie, Tyler, Kelly, Riley, Kaitlin, Kevin and all four dogs. On the way there we drove past a real estate office that had a giant shoehouse for it's sign. Katie thought it would make the perfect title picture for my blog but we had already passed it and being so excited to actually be out of the house and headed for nature we didn't stop. So two weeks ago (yes again we did something and it is just now being added) when we headed down to the central coast for Carinna's bridal shower we stopped and took some pictures of it and it is now the proud banner of our blog. Since Brian, Katie, Tyler, Tank (the boxer), Harley (the Boston Terrier who thinks he's a bulldog), and Chopper (the cat) have moved in with us and Greg and Carinna are soon to be here as well, not to mention the possibility on the horizon that Andrea, Todd, Avery & Kaedon may soon head this way, I think the sign on top of the shoe totally sums up our life! Does anyone have a shoehorn we could borrow??

Look Pictures!!!

I did it!! Not without much frustration on both my part and Brian's as he tried ot help me get it all figured out but I actually got some pictures up! Now I just have to figure out how to edit the layout and picture size better. I tried to go back and put the pictures in a different location but that is still eluding me!

Weekend Away

Okay so now that I actually got a post to submit lets see if I can do two in a row! At the end of July Kevin was gone to scout camp and Riley, Kelly & Kaitlin were on a pioneer trek, so Joe and I took a much needed mini vacation to a guest ranch.
We went up to Quincy Ca to the Greenhorn Guest Ranch and relaxed for a couple of days. We went horseback riding on Thursday and then just kicked back and enjoyed the area on Friday. It is truly a beautiful place. The ranch usually does full week stays but due to financial need they had decided to try letting guests come for a partial week. We arrived late Wednesday evening and checked in. On Thursday we went on a group ride in the morning. Since we were new to the ranch we were required to go on the walk ride with the beginners which was fine with me since it has been a few years since I rode. That afternoon the other guests who had been there longer all chose to stay at the ranch for the guest rodeo so Joe and I got a private tour of the area as we went out on another ride. Thursday evening there was a cookout dinner and then an awards ceremony for the rodeo. There were two other families there - one with 16 members and the other with 23 members. Joe and I were the only other guests. I can't remember the last time we were the smallest group anywhere! Anyway at the awards ceremony they had ribbons and certificates for all the activities that had been held during the week. Frog racing competitions, kids horse riding lessons, you name it. As we watched the other families for those two days we noticed that there were several cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. Everytime someone in the family left the area everyone gave them a hug. The older kids were taking care of the younger ones. It was so nice to see the love and devotion they had for each other. One of our favorite things about the ranch was the family atmosphere. They had activities for all age groups and obviously the families had had a great time. If it weren't for the $22,000 price tag we'd love to take the whole family up for a week of riding and ranch fun! Thanks heavens there were only two of us staying for 2 days or we'd have gone broke!

Does this really work???

As you can tell it is going to take some time for me to get in the habit of posting. In my defense I have logged in three different times now and not gotten anywhere! My computer is having "personality" issues so I am now using the kids laptop to see if I can actually get a post submitted. I think I finally understand how to add pictures but since I am on the kids computer and the pictures are in my computer once again there will be no pictures. Hopefully one of these days I will be able to go back and add pictures. In the meantime please just be patient!

The Beginning

So here goes. I love reading other blogs (especially those about my grandkids!) but have not given much thought to creating one of my own until today in gospel doctrine class. The teacher asked how many of us had taken Elder Ballard's challenge to join the online conversation and I realized that it is something I could do that would make it easier for our family to keep in touch and for those who don't live close by to know what's happening here in the shoe. I am very illiterate when it comes to these things so it may take awhile to figure it all out such as adding pictures but in the meantime I'll try to keep up to date with life in the shoe.