Macie goes to Prom ~ Jaxten and Rachel go to the Zoo, not in it!

It has been forever since I posted anything. We haven't fallen off of the face of the Earth, I promise. This past week has been a fun and exciting week. Jaxten and I went to Albuquerque and stayed at my cousin, Donna's house. We had such a good time with her, Louis and Tanner. I was able to spend two weeks in a row seeing her. She came up here and I went to dinner with her and then we stayed with her and visited. We just don't see enough of family in the winter time. I'm glad summer's almost here. People start to get out more. Jaxten and I went to the Natural History and Science Museum with his 2ND grade class. I'm glad we drove in our own car. It was a little crazy with 40 2ND graders running around. The Museum was great. Jaxten had been there before but was to little to remember. I took lots of pictures but on one of those little disposable cameras because I forgot mine. I payed big bucks for it at the Gift shop, I guess I'll learn to bring mine the next time.

Jaxten was impressed with the HUGE DINOSAUR, I was too. I can't believe those things roamed the Earth. WOW, I'm sure glad their gone....or we would be goners!! :o)

We then grabbed some lunch and headed to the Zoo. It was a cold and drizzly day but we were still able to have a good time. Albuquerque really has a nice little Zoo. Jaxten's favorite was the Polar Bears, and I loved the Sea Lions. We enjoyed all of the animals, although we didn't get to see the Gorillas or Orangutans. It was cold and they were all hiding out. It was a nice trip just being able to have some one on one time with each other.

Macie was asked to her Senior Prom. She has this friend, Collin Burnham that asked her a year or so ago. He told her after he turned 16 he wanted to ask her to Prom and he did. He is so sweet. She prepared weeks ago, you know how girls are. She went with her friend Jennifer to the Valley and they found the perfected dresses. It took them all weekend I was just glad Jennifer's mom was the one that did all the shopping. She said it wore her out! The girl's (Macie's friends) all went to Show low and had their nails done. Then it was eyebrows waxed and all the other stuff; hair, make-up. Boy it's a lot of work and money for one night but it sure was worth it. They looked like Princesses. So beautiful. All the Mom's helped the Girl's get ready at Jen's house. It was fun to help get our Girl's all dolled up . Then the time had come, the arrival of the boys. They looked sharp!! What a bunch of good looking kids. I just wanted to stare at them. Plus all that money....WOW! I told them I could have gone on a Cruise with as much as they spent. I guess Prom is once in a lifetime so it's worth it. They all had a wonderful time.



Landon is doing so good. He has 8 more months and the time is quickly winding down. I can't believe it. He said he might get to go back to one of his area's he was first in. I hope so.



Bunny our dog got into the Porcupines again. She will never learn!! I took her to the Vet this time and he sedated her. He also gave her a couple of shots and by the time I got out it was $175.00. I couldn't believe it. I think I'm gona put some fruit out and started baiting and killin' me some porcupines...(Say it like a REDNECK Rancher) I's bout had it with them SKUNKS and PINES. Somethin's gona die round her pruty quick like! Dog or Varmints...it's between the twos of them!!



Jaxten is starting little league baseball. UGH! He has practice 3 times a week and I have to just sit and wait. That's the hard part about living away from town. Brayden was into Track, well for about 2 weeks and then he was done with it. I was just fine with that! School will soon be out. I just can't WAIT for Summer break...if ya know what I mean. (I'm being Sarcastic)

So that's the grand up date. I feel a lot better, I'm a believer in Vitamins and Iron...it does a body good. I don't want to be old before I'm old. So take you VITAMINS ya all.....

It's Alarming

Don't you just hate mornings? I was laying in bed and couldn't sleep. I try but I just can't. I'm thinking of all the things that need to get done and all the things that aren't done. Soon, all too soon, the Alarms will start going off. First Bart's at 5:00, then Macie's at 5:10. She has to be to School at 6:30 and has to leave the house by 6:00. Then my Alarm at 5:45 to wake me up enough to wake the boys up. Then Brayden's goes off at 6:00 and it takes him and Jaxten about 10 minutes to roll out of bed with my pleading or errr, yelling. Then the phone rings, it's the bus driver to check and see if the boys will be on the bus at 6:38. I tell you it's enough to keep someone awake in the middle of the night, oh yeah, that's me. Now what time do I need to get started again..??? 5, 6, oh heck I think I'll just stay in bed.

I need some get-up and GO!

I think I had people thinking I'm the most laziest person in the world, well at least my kids. Then I started thinking it myself. I just couldn't get anything done...you know the dreaded house cleaning and all the mom stuff my life entails. I couldn't ever vacuum my floors with out stopping and resting. That's when the light bulb or more like a flood light hit me between the eyes. I thought "Something is not right in my body." I feel like a 40 year old in a 70 year old body and my brain is more like an 80 year old. I just couldn't shake this worn out feeling. I finally get my lazy bones to the Dr. and they run all the fun test and come back that I am extremely anemic. The Dr. asked me how I'm even getting out of bed. I admitted that I usually don't until afternoon. She said that she was surprised I'm even getting out at all. The Dr. says that I'm losing blood some where in my body and they have to find out where. I really am not to worried and I'm a huge worrier. Maybe I'm too tired to worry. No really, I feel like they will find what's going on and it will be corrected. It's just a matter of the right test.
I guess I don't have enough blood pumpin' in this body of mine. I have to do a few more test before I can start taking the Iron my body needs. I can't wait to take it so I can start to feel alive again. I was talking to a friend and she said "If your kids were sick and feeling run down wouldn't you get them to the Dr.?" and I know I would first thing, then she said "Then why won't you get yourself there?" and she's right. Why do mom's wait until an anvil drops on us? I could have started feeling better a while ago. So what I'm saying is...Us Mom's are important too. I can see what my job is in this family and when I'm down...everyone is OUT! I have also learned empathy for people who have chronic illness and don't feel good all the time. Health is a blessing not just something we pray about in our prayers. It truly is something to be thankful for...I know I will be when I start to feel better again.

Lost in Love 2~13~1987

Where are these Kids? 22 years of Marriage this month and I still look in the mirror and try to find this girl with curly blond hair. I don't seem to recognize this 21 year old boy with hair. Time has seemed to steal them away into the past. I still get glimpse of them though. They don't look quite as young but the love is still there. It isn't the giddy, starting life anew kind of love. It has been seasoned with peak's and valley's. We have spent more time with each other than we have apart. I think of what Kate on "John and Kate plus 8" says at the beginning of her show..."It hasn't always been an easy life but it's our life." I can't imagine my life with out Bart or our children. Here's to many, many more.

Ancient Chinese Secret

My friend Michelle and I were talking about making Sugar Cookies once. She said "I've got the best recipe, they turn out so soft and crisp." I told her that I had also found a good recipe in an old Relief Society Cook Book . I said "They don't turn out tasting like biscuits." We compared recipes and it turns out it's the same one. She got hers from a town she once lived in and I looked at the Sister that added the recipe, she lived in that same small town. Funny how the R.S. sisters pass things around. Once we find something good, it's no longer a secret! I thought I'd share this recipe since it's Valentines time and that means good ol' yummy SUGAR COOKIES!

Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 Cup Sifted Powder Sugar

1 Cup Soft Butter

1 Egg

1 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp. Almond Flavoring

2 1/2 Cups Sifted Flour

1 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

Cream sugar and butter; add egg and flavoring. Mix thoroughly. Sift dry ingredients together and stir in. Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Heat oven to 350. Divide dough in half and roll out on lightly floured surface. Roll thin, but thick enough to pick up. Bake 10-12 minutes. Frost with butter cream frosting.

This makes the best Cookies! Jaxten's face is all the evidence you need.

Renewed Faith

I witnessed something so special today I had to share.
One of my long time and close friends fulfilled a goal of going through the repentance process and being re-baptized. It was not an easy process to go through. I saw many tears and sorrow as she suffer shame, embarrassment, judgment from MANY people and family struggles and forgiveness. This has been an enormous trial. But I saw her faithfully believe in the love of the Savior and his atonement in her life. It was beautiful. The spirit was the strongest I have ever felt. I felt the love our Savior has for each of us. How much he loves her and the gladness he has when we follow the way back to him. I saw how each family member is loved and welcomed back into the eternal circle. Not only welcomed but rejoicing. Her Husband baptized her and I know that the font was full of as many tears as gallons of water. He wrapped his loving and forgiving arms around her and I'm sure felt peace, relief and happiness. How her father laid his hands on her head to pronounce her a member of The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints and the blessing of receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. His voice cracked with emotion. She said that one of the biggest things she missed was having the Holy Ghost with her, to guide and direct her, that there is a huge loss when he is not with us. I am so proud of her. She is amazing and gives me and Bart hope. Trials are not easy, we all go through them but when you lose the most precious of all gifts, the blessings of being a member of Christ Church, all others pale in comparison. Being LDS is the greatest blessing and sometimes I know I take it for granted. I have always been a member, my family was always active. I didn't have to seek the missionaries out to attain it. It was my gift from the time of birth. I don't think I will ever take it for granted again. I see the pain and sorrow Bart suffers every day of his life if not every moment. He wants so badly to be re-baptized but because of his circumstances it will still be many years. Today was a happy sad day for him. He was so happy and hopeful but wishes that those blessings for him were around the corner. I told him to envision that for him someday and not to give up hope.
I wish every member of the church could witness a re-baptism of someone. It is the most beautiful thing. I learned so much today. To be less judging of someone, that what a person needs when they are down is love and encouragement not back biting and gossip. It could be anyone of us and what we would want most is to be forgiven and understood not talked about and discussed as the latest juicy story. I realized the love our Savior really has for us. I have been taught that all my life but to see and feel it so strongly is amazing. The Holy Ghost is truly a gift and what happens to a person when they go without him. Our Father in Heaven knows our needs and he knew hers. She had a wonderful friend move into our community just at the right time to help guide, strengthen and lift her at the right moment. Forgiveness is a blessing for the person who has made mistakes but also for the person who gives it.
I saw how many people love a person and who matters most. The song "Each life that touches ours for good" kept going through my mind. She has touched mine. We have share so much together. She has truly been like a sister and I am so proud of her and love her tremendously! She is a Daughter of God. I know, because of this, she will help many of our Fathers children. She can say "I have been down this road and I can show you the way, you will make it."
My heart is full, I am so grateful! What a Blessing!