Me: 6.2 (total)
DH: 13.4 (total)
I love that I'm continuing to lose, despite the crazy weekend of delicious food! (Where DH and I decided to just stop counting points because it was becoming, well....pointless. Get it! HAHAHA! Yeah, anyway...)
DH rocks at this; I'm trying to stay positive and supportive, even though sometimes I want to punch him for being so good at it. Grrr....
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Lake Lopez 2007
Every year, DH's family (mother's side) has a reunion at Lake Lopez. Every year, everyone tries to make it. Every year, we eat the same things, we do the same things, and we talk about the same things. Every year Grandma makes something for the young children. Every year someone gets hurt or sick. Every year there are yellow jackets, flies, mosquitoes, gnats, raccoons, skunks, wild turkeys, deer, and WIND. Every year there is boating on the lake and driving to a beach on the coast. Every year we have Church on Sunday, all be it a small version. Every year we end the weekend with a few hours at the waterslides. Every year we talk about how much we love doing this every year. Oh, and did I mention that this includes a family of 2 great-grandparents, 8 sets of parents/grandparents, 38 grandchildren (with several spouses), and 15 great-grandchildren? Oh, and that they've been doing this for 38 years?
I have only been in DH's family for 8 1/2 years. Out of those years I have attended the Lopez camp out 4 times. So, technically, the tradition is supposed to be new and misunderstood by me. However, it only took one time of attending to realize how great the Lake Lopez tradition truly is...and how important it is to our family.
Perhaps this is because my own family is full of traditions. My own extended families are together once a year --usually in Canada. Waterton Park is my Lopez. Although the Waterton trip is usually for a day, I can understand how doing the exact same things every single year can be not only addictive, but therapeutic as well. There's nothing like tradition to unite a family.
As for this year, Lake Lopez did not disappoint. Aside from our tent blowing down the entire weekend (note to self: put tent somewhere else next year), the only downer was that Grandpa was unable to come for the first time. His health would not allow him to be there, and it was really sad not to see him. We truly missed him.
On a good note, I opted to join the traditional Lopez Run this year. I was up at 5:20AM with the other runners/walkers, and we were off! We drove 10 miles from the campsite to a park near town, and then ran/walked back. No joke! My MIL and I were the only ones that walked the entire distance (7 others ran/jogged). We did it in 2 hours and 18 minutes (I think). It felt great! Of course, it helped that brenbot and I walked 6 miles the day before. Wha-hoo! All in all, I walked 22.1 miles last week.
I'll post some pictures later of the trip. Here's to awesome family traditions! (go check out Rochelle's family tradition here...).
I have only been in DH's family for 8 1/2 years. Out of those years I have attended the Lopez camp out 4 times. So, technically, the tradition is supposed to be new and misunderstood by me. However, it only took one time of attending to realize how great the Lake Lopez tradition truly is...and how important it is to our family.
Perhaps this is because my own family is full of traditions. My own extended families are together once a year --usually in Canada. Waterton Park is my Lopez. Although the Waterton trip is usually for a day, I can understand how doing the exact same things every single year can be not only addictive, but therapeutic as well. There's nothing like tradition to unite a family.
As for this year, Lake Lopez did not disappoint. Aside from our tent blowing down the entire weekend (note to self: put tent somewhere else next year), the only downer was that Grandpa was unable to come for the first time. His health would not allow him to be there, and it was really sad not to see him. We truly missed him.
On a good note, I opted to join the traditional Lopez Run this year. I was up at 5:20AM with the other runners/walkers, and we were off! We drove 10 miles from the campsite to a park near town, and then ran/walked back. No joke! My MIL and I were the only ones that walked the entire distance (7 others ran/jogged). We did it in 2 hours and 18 minutes (I think). It felt great! Of course, it helped that brenbot and I walked 6 miles the day before. Wha-hoo! All in all, I walked 22.1 miles last week.
I'll post some pictures later of the trip. Here's to awesome family traditions! (go check out Rochelle's family tradition here...).
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
American Idols LIVE!
Yesiree, folks, the hubby and I just got back from the American Idols Live Tour Concert in San Jose.
We took his cute cousins (ages 14 and 15), and they were quite excited about the ordeal.
Our seats were in "nosebleed", but it was all good.
Best songs: Jordin's "I (who have nothing)"; Blake's "You give Love a Bad Name"; Melinda and Jordin singing "This will be..."; Phil and Gina singing "It's Your Love" and Lakisha's "I Will Always Love You".
Best time: All 5 guys playing their "band": Chris N. on guitar, Blake on guitar, Phil on keyboards, Chris on drums, and Sanjaya on the tambourine. They rocked the place --seriously, they were great!
Worst songs: Sanjaya singing a Michael Jackson piece; Hayley singing, well, anything.
Worst time: Crazy 9 and 10 year olds behind us screaming all night long. Talk about a headache ("We didn't come to hear you scream, you delinquent children!")
All in all, it was pretty fun and great to be there.
We topped the night off with ice cream at Cold Stone. DH and I shared some sorbet. We rock!
P.S. WEEK TWO RESULTS:
Total lost for me: 4.6 pounds
Total lost for DH: 10 pounds
We took his cute cousins (ages 14 and 15), and they were quite excited about the ordeal.
Our seats were in "nosebleed", but it was all good.
Best songs: Jordin's "I (who have nothing)"; Blake's "You give Love a Bad Name"; Melinda and Jordin singing "This will be..."; Phil and Gina singing "It's Your Love" and Lakisha's "I Will Always Love You".
Best time: All 5 guys playing their "band": Chris N. on guitar, Blake on guitar, Phil on keyboards, Chris on drums, and Sanjaya on the tambourine. They rocked the place --seriously, they were great!
Worst songs: Sanjaya singing a Michael Jackson piece; Hayley singing, well, anything.
Worst time: Crazy 9 and 10 year olds behind us screaming all night long. Talk about a headache ("We didn't come to hear you scream, you delinquent children!")
All in all, it was pretty fun and great to be there.
We topped the night off with ice cream at Cold Stone. DH and I shared some sorbet. We rock!
P.S. WEEK TWO RESULTS:
Total lost for me: 4.6 pounds
Total lost for DH: 10 pounds
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Break Down Day
After blogging about whining yesterday, I settled in for a "do nothing day" because I was, frankly, exhausted beyond reason. We've had several late nights this last week, but I've still been getting up to exercise at 6AM each morning (minus the weekend). Then I've got myself a nursing baby who still nurses once a night. So, there you go. Exhaustion. Beyond Reason.
I was feeling rather guilty for sitting on the couch, holding Baby, knitting baby hats for the County Hospital. Well, not for the knitting or the holding --just the sitting. I did the bare minimum interference with the kiddies (i.e. feeding them when they crawled in with hunger pains, ignoring their whining, laughing when they asked if we could go camping right then, etc.). Then I heard the words:
"Mom, #3 has permanent marker and it's on the wall."
WHAT!?!?!?
Chaos ensues. There was crying (me), yelling (me), crying (them), the throwing away of markers (me), the crying over markers (them), the total loss of comprehension and complete freaking out that has long been waiting to erupt. [Luckily and surprisingly, there was no physical contact whatsoever. Since I'm trying to spank less, this was a huge, HUGE moral victory for me.] There was IMing with DH and the vomit of emotional baggage was spewed forth into the Internet airwaves. (Does the Internet have "air"waves?) Worried for my safety, the safety of our marriage, and the safety of the children, DH came home early from work.
He found #3 cleaning off the wall (very badly), discovered it was #1 and #2 who got the markers down in the first place and discovered #2's drawing. There was constant surprise at how many places they had drawn on the inside and outside walls. There was further punishments of "cleaning" and "stay in your room". There was relief when DH found paint in the garage that matched the inside of the house and the outside of the house.
Did I mention this is a rental?
There was long talks with hubby about my breaking point and my exhaustion. There were solutions presented. There was a punishment of "staying in their rooms for the rest of the night" and having only "bread and milk" for dinner --Cinnamon toast, really (cue children cheering loudly). #2 said to DH "Well, I can have water, because when you're in jail, that's what they serve you. Bread and water." Then the stifled laughter coming from her parents.
Fast forward to end of the night. Children sleeping in clean rooms. DH and I enjoying dinner in quiet bliss, a movie, and completing the night with all things romantical and the like. :) My favorite part of the frequent Break Down Days is the end of the Break Down Days.
Break Down Day happens at least 4 times a year for me. Sometimes they are referred to as my Emotional Break Downs. Same thing. Ironically it's around PMS time. Oh, and lack of sleep. Not sure if there's a reason for that...hmmm.... :)
I was feeling rather guilty for sitting on the couch, holding Baby, knitting baby hats for the County Hospital. Well, not for the knitting or the holding --just the sitting. I did the bare minimum interference with the kiddies (i.e. feeding them when they crawled in with hunger pains, ignoring their whining, laughing when they asked if we could go camping right then, etc.). Then I heard the words:
"Mom, #3 has permanent marker and it's on the wall."
WHAT!?!?!?
Chaos ensues. There was crying (me), yelling (me), crying (them), the throwing away of markers (me), the crying over markers (them), the total loss of comprehension and complete freaking out that has long been waiting to erupt. [Luckily and surprisingly, there was no physical contact whatsoever. Since I'm trying to spank less, this was a huge, HUGE moral victory for me.] There was IMing with DH and the vomit of emotional baggage was spewed forth into the Internet airwaves. (Does the Internet have "air"waves?) Worried for my safety, the safety of our marriage, and the safety of the children, DH came home early from work.
He found #3 cleaning off the wall (very badly), discovered it was #1 and #2 who got the markers down in the first place and discovered #2's drawing. There was constant surprise at how many places they had drawn on the inside and outside walls. There was further punishments of "cleaning" and "stay in your room". There was relief when DH found paint in the garage that matched the inside of the house and the outside of the house.
Did I mention this is a rental?
There was long talks with hubby about my breaking point and my exhaustion. There were solutions presented. There was a punishment of "staying in their rooms for the rest of the night" and having only "bread and milk" for dinner --Cinnamon toast, really (cue children cheering loudly). #2 said to DH "Well, I can have water, because when you're in jail, that's what they serve you. Bread and water." Then the stifled laughter coming from her parents.
Fast forward to end of the night. Children sleeping in clean rooms. DH and I enjoying dinner in quiet bliss, a movie, and completing the night with all things romantical and the like. :) My favorite part of the frequent Break Down Days is the end of the Break Down Days.
Break Down Day happens at least 4 times a year for me. Sometimes they are referred to as my Emotional Break Downs. Same thing. Ironically it's around PMS time. Oh, and lack of sleep. Not sure if there's a reason for that...hmmm.... :)
Monday, July 23, 2007
Whine, whine, whine! Enough already!
Summertime gives us all kinds adventures. We have family vacations, camping, barbeques, park days, swimming, visitors, heat, sweat, sand, and sun. We also have whiny, whiny children.
Oh, my, yes. My children have turned into the whiniest complainers I have ever seen. For a month now, no matter the situation, I am guaranteed to be bombarded with "MOOOOOOM!" and "She started it!" and "I don't WANT to! WHINE!"
I'm reaching my breaking point.
For years I never understood why parents were so excited to send their kids to school. I enjoyed having them home where we could take off on vacation whenever we wanted; we could drive a few hours to see my sister; we could stay in our pajamas all day.
Now I get it. I totally get it. My children need structure! They need peers! They need adults around them that won't give a hooey that they are "bored" and "too tired to clean." They need academic instruction to help their brains. They need places where they can practice their manners. They need to be away from mom long enough to appreciate her.
I need those things, too, by golly!
And to think I even considered being a Home School parent. Yikes!
P.S. We're going to our annual family camp out at Lake Lopez (near San Luis Obispo) on Thursday morning and this week is going to be filled with packing/getting ready. I may not be around much, but I'll be sure to post pictures when we get back.
Oh, my, yes. My children have turned into the whiniest complainers I have ever seen. For a month now, no matter the situation, I am guaranteed to be bombarded with "MOOOOOOM!" and "She started it!" and "I don't WANT to! WHINE!"
I'm reaching my breaking point.
For years I never understood why parents were so excited to send their kids to school. I enjoyed having them home where we could take off on vacation whenever we wanted; we could drive a few hours to see my sister; we could stay in our pajamas all day.
Now I get it. I totally get it. My children need structure! They need peers! They need adults around them that won't give a hooey that they are "bored" and "too tired to clean." They need academic instruction to help their brains. They need places where they can practice their manners. They need to be away from mom long enough to appreciate her.
I need those things, too, by golly!
And to think I even considered being a Home School parent. Yikes!
P.S. We're going to our annual family camp out at Lake Lopez (near San Luis Obispo) on Thursday morning and this week is going to be filled with packing/getting ready. I may not be around much, but I'll be sure to post pictures when we get back.
Friday, July 20, 2007
My First Earthquake!
Rochelle asked me (see previous post) if I was okay after the Earthquake. I had to stop for a second and think "What earthquake?" Then I remembered.
Here's my reply to her [which you could just read in the previous post, but it's interesting enough to post about. Well, to me it's sure darn interestin'... :) ] :
Here's my reply to her [which you could just read in the previous post, but it's interesting enough to post about. Well, to me it's sure darn interestin'... :) ] :
Early this morning, while I was asleep, I thought I heard some rain
starting to fall on our patio roof outside and I thought "dang! We're going
running this morning!" then Brandon wakes me up and says "Honey, did you feel
that? I think it was an earthquake." I'm like "What? I'm trying to sleep!" and
he says "Didn't you hear the closet doors rattling?" and I say "Oh, I thought it
was rain." Turns out it was a 4. something earthquake in Oakland I guess. The
kids didn't even wake up. :)
Thursday, July 19, 2007
You know you're a mom in the Bay Area when...
...your minivan is filled with:
- Sand toys
- Water wings/inner tube things
- strollers
- camping chairs
- Frisbees
- blankets for the grass
- coolers with snacks
- water jugs
- jackets
- sun hats
- rock collections
- acorn collections
- stick collections
- sunscreen
- mosquito repellent (wait. I can't find mine. It's in the house somewhere...)
- Always filled and prepared diaper bag. Well, at least it has diapers and wipes...
I'm not kidding! While living in Utah, my car was usually empty of everything. Perhaps the stroller stayed in the trunk, but if we went anywhere that actually needed it, I would put it in myself. Here, the above items are needed almost every single day (well, the rock, acorn, and stick collections are collected rather than needed. Luckily they don't notice when I toss them a few days later...heehee!) And I love it! I don't know if it's just a Bay Area thing, or a California thing, or just a I-never-did-it-before-so-it's-all-new-to-me kind of thing, but I'm addicted. Being prepared is awesome. I just need to throw some swimming suits in there and we're all set! We could drive anywhere! :)
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Week One Results...
ME: Lost 2.8 pounds! YAY!
DH: Lost 9.2 pounds! What the heck? Yep, he totally lost almost 10 pounds. But he claims that he gained 5 pounds just before we joined, and so those 5 pounds came off easily. Plus he was wearing a suit. Last night he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
I just tell myself that he's a man and he cheats by changing what he wore. Then I feel good. :)
DH: Lost 9.2 pounds! What the heck? Yep, he totally lost almost 10 pounds. But he claims that he gained 5 pounds just before we joined, and so those 5 pounds came off easily. Plus he was wearing a suit. Last night he was wearing shorts and a T-shirt.
I just tell myself that he's a man and he cheats by changing what he wore. Then I feel good. :)
Monday, July 16, 2007
Pies!
Conversation with #3 (who turns 3 years old next month) at the park this morning:
Me: So, what do you want for your birthday?
#3: Cake
Me: Cake, huh? Well, do you want anything else?
#3: Kannels.
Me: Candles. Okay, for the cake?
#3: Blow out!
Me: Cool, okay, but what do you want? Do you want any presents?
#3: Open them!
Me: Yes, we open presents, but what do you want the present to be?
#3: Toys!
Me: Okay, but what kind of toys?
#3: Airplanes!
Me: Anything else?
#3: Trains
Me: Trains?
#3: And cars!
Me: So, you want airplanes, trains and cars.
#3: Yes.
Me: What would you like to eat for your birthday dinner?
#3: Cake!
Me: What else?
#3: Ice cream!
Me: Yes, we can have cake and ice cream, but what do you want for dinner?
#3: Pies!
Me: Pies?
#3: Yes!
Me: Okay, well, what about macaroni and cheese?
#3: Yes! And pies!
Me: And pies.
#3: Go and play now. Bye!
Me: Pies? ~sigh~
Me: So, what do you want for your birthday?
#3: Cake
Me: Cake, huh? Well, do you want anything else?
#3: Kannels.
Me: Candles. Okay, for the cake?
#3: Blow out!
Me: Cool, okay, but what do you want? Do you want any presents?
#3: Open them!
Me: Yes, we open presents, but what do you want the present to be?
#3: Toys!
Me: Okay, but what kind of toys?
#3: Airplanes!
Me: Anything else?
#3: Trains
Me: Trains?
#3: And cars!
Me: So, you want airplanes, trains and cars.
#3: Yes.
Me: What would you like to eat for your birthday dinner?
#3: Cake!
Me: What else?
#3: Ice cream!
Me: Yes, we can have cake and ice cream, but what do you want for dinner?
#3: Pies!
Me: Pies?
#3: Yes!
Me: Okay, well, what about macaroni and cheese?
#3: Yes! And pies!
Me: And pies.
#3: Go and play now. Bye!
Me: Pies? ~sigh~
The Goal: 37 pounds
If you look at me (the second from the left) and DH (1st on the Left) taken about 6 months after we married, you will notice a few things. First, we are smiling. Oh, how sweet! Then second, you will notice that my brother was leaving on his mission for New Zealand. Oh, how sweet! Then you see how incredibly THIN we are --Oh, HOW SWEET! Now look at this picture:
This one was taken at my 10 year reunion last month...
Someday, I will be first-picture-thin again. Okay, I'm not stupid --I know that having children have changed my shape for eternity (well, until the glorious resurrection! Can't wait for that, baby!) and that it is insane to think that I'll be perky and non-saggy in the middle area unless I get some expensive work done, but, at the same time, I can still weigh the same, you know?
So, Weight Watchers started a week ago. DH and I are doing pretty good. The first week is always hard; and we had two barbeque/picnics to attend this weekend. Talk about pressure and temptation! But we had some little victories, so we're doin' all right.
This morning, a friend and I walked 4 miles!! We're doing it again tomorrow. I'm glad I finally found a friend that not only can consistently walk with me each morning, but can do it early (6AM, people!), for an hour, kicks my butt (but I'm not too slow for her), and is motivating (we're going to run a 10K!). Hooray!
Since I've never met a weight goal before, this is hard for me. Anybody out there have some success stories? (besides my awesome mother who lost close to 40 pounds in 5 months!!)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Yes. They are ALL mine.
Okay, my friend Ann left me a comment here about Californians and their incessant need to be shocked by anyone with more than two children. She's dead on, people. DEAD ON! (her advice about being enthusiastic? Well, I'm taking it, but doing it differently...)
I am so tired of answering the same questions wherever I go:
"Are they ALL yours?!"
"You must be so brave!"
"How exhausting!"
"I could never have more than my one. I'd be too tired!"
(And I only have four! My friend has six...I wonder if she gets it, too...)
Now, I can understand the need to speak to a complete stranger while standing in line and it's taking forever, or hanging out on the BART heading into the city, or even if the conversation was started differently and then steered to children because one of my kiddies decided to pull out his sister's hair, and sometimes it truly is a sight to see me and four kids at Costco/Target/The Dollar Store --BUT I truly am getting tired of the staring, the questions, the assumptions. And so, to retaliate, I am no longer answering with just "Yes, they are mine. Yes, I am busy/brave/tired." Here are the latest encounters:
In my post a few days ago I mentioned the "brave" comment. I responded by looking at her like "what are you talking about?" (mostly because I wasn't sure). And then she gestured towards my children and I said "Oh." And then kind of shrugged my shoulders. Instead of saying "Oh, yes, I'm a superhero!" or "No, not really, they were all accidents." I just kind of ignored it. Wasn't rude; wasn't nice, either. I should work harder on that one.
Another person, on BART, asked if they were all mine and I said "They sure are! And we're thinking about having some more."
"Really!?!?"
"We sure hope so!"
That one leaves 'em baffled. Funny thing is, I was being honest.
Yesterday, in Costco, I got "Are they all yours?" and "I only have two..." and before she could say "That's all I can handle" and "they are crazy/hellians/busy/too hard" I said to her, with a straight face:
"And they are wonderful, aren't they?"
She just looked at me like I was nuts and I left.
One shining moment:
Pharmacy lady: "Are they all yours?"
me (sighing inside): "Yep! We're hoping to have more, too."
PL: "That's wonderful! I have six myself and my daughter has two, but she wants six as well."
The conversation then turned to how big families (with kids close in age) are so fabulous. She made my day. Absolutely made my day!
So in conclusion:
THAT'S IT, PEOPLE! I will no longer agree with you that I'm tired/crazy/busy/brave. I don't care if it's true. I am also amazingly blessed/fulfilled/happy/content.
But, if I am going to take Ann's advice, I should still respond nicely and positively. So, for her, I will try. Can't guarantee anything, but I will try. :)
I am so tired of answering the same questions wherever I go:
"Are they ALL yours?!"
"You must be so brave!"
"How exhausting!"
"I could never have more than my one. I'd be too tired!"
(And I only have four! My friend has six...I wonder if she gets it, too...)
Now, I can understand the need to speak to a complete stranger while standing in line and it's taking forever, or hanging out on the BART heading into the city, or even if the conversation was started differently and then steered to children because one of my kiddies decided to pull out his sister's hair, and sometimes it truly is a sight to see me and four kids at Costco/Target/The Dollar Store --BUT I truly am getting tired of the staring, the questions, the assumptions. And so, to retaliate, I am no longer answering with just "Yes, they are mine. Yes, I am busy/brave/tired." Here are the latest encounters:
In my post a few days ago I mentioned the "brave" comment. I responded by looking at her like "what are you talking about?" (mostly because I wasn't sure). And then she gestured towards my children and I said "Oh." And then kind of shrugged my shoulders. Instead of saying "Oh, yes, I'm a superhero!" or "No, not really, they were all accidents." I just kind of ignored it. Wasn't rude; wasn't nice, either. I should work harder on that one.
Another person, on BART, asked if they were all mine and I said "They sure are! And we're thinking about having some more."
"Really!?!?"
"We sure hope so!"
That one leaves 'em baffled. Funny thing is, I was being honest.
Yesterday, in Costco, I got "Are they all yours?" and "I only have two..." and before she could say "That's all I can handle" and "they are crazy/hellians/busy/too hard" I said to her, with a straight face:
"And they are wonderful, aren't they?"
She just looked at me like I was nuts and I left.
One shining moment:
Pharmacy lady: "Are they all yours?"
me (sighing inside): "Yep! We're hoping to have more, too."
PL: "That's wonderful! I have six myself and my daughter has two, but she wants six as well."
The conversation then turned to how big families (with kids close in age) are so fabulous. She made my day. Absolutely made my day!
So in conclusion:
THAT'S IT, PEOPLE! I will no longer agree with you that I'm tired/crazy/busy/brave. I don't care if it's true. I am also amazingly blessed/fulfilled/happy/content.
But, if I am going to take Ann's advice, I should still respond nicely and positively. So, for her, I will try. Can't guarantee anything, but I will try. :)
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
We did it!
DH and I finally joined Weight Watchers. Together! We are determined to become lifetime members; and it was all DH's idea. :) I did well on the program last year (until I got pregnant with #4), so wish us luck!!
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
You know you're a mom when:
- Your grocery list is written in crayon
- The stranger at the store says "You must be really brave!" and you have no idea what she is talking about.
- The smell of poop makes you happy because it was on schedule!
Monday, July 09, 2007
It's always worth it.
It's a funny thing. Every Sunday morning, even though church is at 1PM, I feel the stress of getting ready. Breakfast, lunch, showers, getting dressed, preparing lessons/musical numbers/talks/etc., finding shoes, getting diaper bag ready, feeding the baby, and so on. By the time we're in the van heading towards the chapel, I'm usually grumbling about what a pain it is to get ready. And then, of course, I get to church, and I thank Heavenly Father that I went. For example, here's what happened yesterday:
Sacrament Meeting: #3 falls asleep, #1 and #2 are drawing quietly. Okay, well, #2 did after we reminded her that yelling was not whispering. #4 was sleeping, too. Everything's going same ol', same ol' and then the speakers start. The two main speakers were a married couple and they spoke on personal testimony. Amazing. The way the Holy Ghost entered the room and touched our hearts was almost spectacular. She spoke of meeting a flight attendant years ago whose son died of cancer at age 6 and had another son (age 8) that had just been diagnosed with cancer, too. The speaker shared the gospel with this woman and years later found out that this woman, her husband and her two sons were now sealed together for eternity. I was crying --and yet I still had to play the musical number! I played and arrangement of "Because I Have Been Given Much" (yes, mom, I know it's the piece I've played since I was 14, but whatever! It's a good one! It works!). At first I couldn't even see the page because I was crying so much, but luckily I know it really well. I played it probably with more feeling than I ever had before. I know it was because of the Spirit and because of the talk this woman gave. Then the last speaker spoke, and his talk was amazing, too.
Primary: I am the Primary Pianist --and I LOVE it! I've never had this calling before, and I'm so glad I do now. #1 gave a talk about how our family can follow Christ in faith and she did a great job. Then I went to do my second calling: Nursery Music Leader. I had spent a long time yesterday morning getting ready for it (visual aides, finding the music on CD's, etc.) and it paid off. The kids were receptive this week! I was so excited! It was way fun. Then it was back to the primary room for more piano. #4 was good throughout everything, too.
On my way home, I was reminded, once again, how wonderful it felt to go to Church; how uplifting and strengthening it was. It didn't matter how awful it was getting ready or how every week I wonder if it is worth it, because in the end, it always is worth it, you know? It always is...
Sacrament Meeting: #3 falls asleep, #1 and #2 are drawing quietly. Okay, well, #2 did after we reminded her that yelling was not whispering. #4 was sleeping, too. Everything's going same ol', same ol' and then the speakers start. The two main speakers were a married couple and they spoke on personal testimony. Amazing. The way the Holy Ghost entered the room and touched our hearts was almost spectacular. She spoke of meeting a flight attendant years ago whose son died of cancer at age 6 and had another son (age 8) that had just been diagnosed with cancer, too. The speaker shared the gospel with this woman and years later found out that this woman, her husband and her two sons were now sealed together for eternity. I was crying --and yet I still had to play the musical number! I played and arrangement of "Because I Have Been Given Much" (yes, mom, I know it's the piece I've played since I was 14, but whatever! It's a good one! It works!). At first I couldn't even see the page because I was crying so much, but luckily I know it really well. I played it probably with more feeling than I ever had before. I know it was because of the Spirit and because of the talk this woman gave. Then the last speaker spoke, and his talk was amazing, too.
Primary: I am the Primary Pianist --and I LOVE it! I've never had this calling before, and I'm so glad I do now. #1 gave a talk about how our family can follow Christ in faith and she did a great job. Then I went to do my second calling: Nursery Music Leader. I had spent a long time yesterday morning getting ready for it (visual aides, finding the music on CD's, etc.) and it paid off. The kids were receptive this week! I was so excited! It was way fun. Then it was back to the primary room for more piano. #4 was good throughout everything, too.
On my way home, I was reminded, once again, how wonderful it felt to go to Church; how uplifting and strengthening it was. It didn't matter how awful it was getting ready or how every week I wonder if it is worth it, because in the end, it always is worth it, you know? It always is...
4th of July, 2007...I know, this is late!
Fourth of July:
- Adorable and fun parade in Clayton with our friends. Best part: Applauding the veterans as they walked by. Worst part: eating too many donuts.
- Great day swimming, eating, (in Dublin) and fireworks in San Ramon with DH's aunt and uncle and cousins. Best part: wonderful conversation while eating amazing food. Worst part: staying up so late that even I fell asleep before we left.
Wish I had pictures to show you, but we didn't take that many.
Friday, July 06, 2007
Adventures in the Bay Area: June 25-July 2nd
Okay, I know this is late. Lateness seems to be my life right now; so much going on! Chalk it up to summer vacation....
Anywhosers, here is a synopsis of the fun time we had with our buddies, E and I. To understand why they came to visit, read here.
Oh, and Happy Fourth of July! I'll post about that...um...later. Go figure.
After picking them up at the airport, the kids and I took them to the Oakland Temple. It is an amazing place; not just because it's a temple, but because there's a visitor's center, a spectacular view of SF, and you can walk up onto the mezzanine level (below the towers) for a better view of the Bay.
The next day was boring --I made the boys watch my kids while I taught 7 piano lessons. I made it up to them by taking them swimming (in my friend's condo's swimming pool. Wah-hoo! Free swimming!). However, on Thursday, we went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo! It was so fun. The boys helped me out with the kids for most of the day, and then I left them there around 3PM. I dropped the kids off at home, got a sitter, and then DH and I went back up to Six Flags for the evening for some awesome roller coaster ridin'! DH got sick, though --which was odd because he usually only gets car sick or sea sick --never "roller coaster" sick. "I" also got a little queasy, but "E" and I went on as many as we could fit in! Except for the headache I got later, it was fabulous!
Friday was spent at Half-Moon Bay. The boys really wanted to go to the beach, and even though I tried to explain how the beaches in northern California are not nearly as swimmable as the ones in southern California, they were determined. So, off we went! It was one of the best sand beaches I've ever seen! It was gorgeous. The wind was crazy that day, which made the kite flying awesome, but it was only 62 degrees. The water was freezing; they boys jumped in only once or twice and for only a few minutes. Even then, they complained about numbness! We spent most of our time building sandcastles (well, I spent most of it taking pictures of the sand castle building), kite flying, and laughing at the two boys jumping in the water.
Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf were the beginning of Saturday. We took BART into the city and walked around; got lunch, played the old arcade games at...oh, golly, what was it called?Anyway, we had tickets that night for the Giant's game, and so we were getting ready to hop on the bus that would take us to the train that would take us to the stadium --but the crowds of people were unreal! We would never make it in time. Instead, DH found some guy with a limo, who treated it like a taxi. We got a great deal, and hopped in. He also found another couple (and when he dropped them off, he got more people) and a man who sat in the front seat. We overheard this crazy Limo driver (who kept swearing and DH would yell "There's kids in the back!" and he'd say "Oh, sorry. I am retarded! I love you!" with his Hispanic accent.) talking with the guy in the front and he looked familiar. After the driver got to his stop and helped him out of the car, I realized it was Ed Asner! Nobody else knew who he was, but being the daughter of my mother, I sure did! Too bad we didn't get a picture with him. Darn. Anyways, we went to the baseball game (after that Limo ride which felt more like the bus rides in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico --I swear he was going to kill us!) and it was a short-lived game. We had fun, but "I" had a migraine, it was cold, the kids were tired/hungry, and the lines for food were too long and too expensive (I know because I stood in those lines and by the time I got up there to pay for the $4 hot dogs they were sold out. Grrrrr....). So, we left early. It was a loooooong day, so it was good to get home. Oh, and Barry Bonds did NOT hit a home run after we left, so we felt even better. :)
Sunday was lazy (hooray!) and Monday was spent at the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we took the boys to the airport. It was a fun week! I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.
I'll post some more pictures later today...
Anywhosers, here is a synopsis of the fun time we had with our buddies, E and I. To understand why they came to visit, read here.
Oh, and Happy Fourth of July! I'll post about that...um...later. Go figure.
After picking them up at the airport, the kids and I took them to the Oakland Temple. It is an amazing place; not just because it's a temple, but because there's a visitor's center, a spectacular view of SF, and you can walk up onto the mezzanine level (below the towers) for a better view of the Bay.
The next day was boring --I made the boys watch my kids while I taught 7 piano lessons. I made it up to them by taking them swimming (in my friend's condo's swimming pool. Wah-hoo! Free swimming!). However, on Thursday, we went to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo! It was so fun. The boys helped me out with the kids for most of the day, and then I left them there around 3PM. I dropped the kids off at home, got a sitter, and then DH and I went back up to Six Flags for the evening for some awesome roller coaster ridin'! DH got sick, though --which was odd because he usually only gets car sick or sea sick --never "roller coaster" sick. "I" also got a little queasy, but "E" and I went on as many as we could fit in! Except for the headache I got later, it was fabulous!
Friday was spent at Half-Moon Bay. The boys really wanted to go to the beach, and even though I tried to explain how the beaches in northern California are not nearly as swimmable as the ones in southern California, they were determined. So, off we went! It was one of the best sand beaches I've ever seen! It was gorgeous. The wind was crazy that day, which made the kite flying awesome, but it was only 62 degrees. The water was freezing; they boys jumped in only once or twice and for only a few minutes. Even then, they complained about numbness! We spent most of our time building sandcastles (well, I spent most of it taking pictures of the sand castle building), kite flying, and laughing at the two boys jumping in the water.
Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf were the beginning of Saturday. We took BART into the city and walked around; got lunch, played the old arcade games at...oh, golly, what was it called?Anyway, we had tickets that night for the Giant's game, and so we were getting ready to hop on the bus that would take us to the train that would take us to the stadium --but the crowds of people were unreal! We would never make it in time. Instead, DH found some guy with a limo, who treated it like a taxi. We got a great deal, and hopped in. He also found another couple (and when he dropped them off, he got more people) and a man who sat in the front seat. We overheard this crazy Limo driver (who kept swearing and DH would yell "There's kids in the back!" and he'd say "Oh, sorry. I am retarded! I love you!" with his Hispanic accent.) talking with the guy in the front and he looked familiar. After the driver got to his stop and helped him out of the car, I realized it was Ed Asner! Nobody else knew who he was, but being the daughter of my mother, I sure did! Too bad we didn't get a picture with him. Darn. Anyways, we went to the baseball game (after that Limo ride which felt more like the bus rides in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico --I swear he was going to kill us!) and it was a short-lived game. We had fun, but "I" had a migraine, it was cold, the kids were tired/hungry, and the lines for food were too long and too expensive (I know because I stood in those lines and by the time I got up there to pay for the $4 hot dogs they were sold out. Grrrrr....). So, we left early. It was a loooooong day, so it was good to get home. Oh, and Barry Bonds did NOT hit a home run after we left, so we felt even better. :)
Sunday was lazy (hooray!) and Monday was spent at the Golden Gate Bridge. Then we took the boys to the airport. It was a fun week! I hope they enjoyed it as much as we did.
I'll post some more pictures later today...
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
Oh, Canada! And the ten year Reunion...
First some order of business:
Happy Late Birthday, little Brother! and Happy Late Canada Day, everyone! My brother was born in Canada on Canada Day (July 1st), so it's a great day. Every year (almost every year), we spent his birthday up in Alberta with family. The trek to the Great White North was always met with elation...and still is. Unfortunately for me, this year will pass without my annual trek. ~sigh~ I can't wait to make it next year. :)
Okay, now that the catch-up is over, let me continue with the synopsis of the 10 year reunion. It was a happy reunion, and we had loads of fun...but MAN! am I glad it's over...
FRIDAY JUNE 22nd: My friend "D" and I shop all day getting ready for the reunion. Centerpieces, balloons, crayons, face paint, snacks, drinks, more decorations, thank you flowers, bank stops, etc. All of that to get ready for the...
OPEN HOUSE: From 6-8PM, the alumni were able to come with their families, sign in, pay (if they hadn't already), get their packet (included survey, raffle ticket, CD of music from 93-97, and itinerary), wander the high school, and see the new auditorium and gym that were built after we graduated. The turn out was not quite what we wanted, but oh, well. We knew that there was not going to be the amount of people we really wanted/needed going into it, so whatever...
SATURDAY JUNE 23rd: We woke up nice and early, got to JENSEN'S GROVE, set things up, and were greeted by: WIND. At least it was sunny, eh? Families arrived and it was a great day of sand, sun, boating, volleyball (even though whoever thought that creating a volleyball net on a sloping beach next to the water was a smart idea must not have been thinking...), face painting, balloon animals, coloring, swimming, eating, playing, etc.
It was a long day, though.
So, am I glad I did the reunion? I guess the answer is yes. It was fun to plan and I've learned so much on how to make the 20 year even better. But it was so hard. The worst part? Some would think it was the hours spent, the money spent, the details, the coordinating with three separate venues, but that wasn't it. The absolute worst part was only being able to find 131 people out of 326 (249 actually graduated), and then out of that 131, only 42 alumni (plus spouses) coming. It was almost humiliating to me, especially since a lot of my own friends refused to come because they claim they've "moved on" since high school. I have to remind myself that it wasn't a personal attack on me; people were just busy and the reunion wasn't high up on the radar. Oh, well. Hopefully in ten years people will care more...
Okay, now that the catch-up is over, let me continue with the synopsis of the 10 year reunion. It was a happy reunion, and we had loads of fun...but MAN! am I glad it's over...
FRIDAY JUNE 22nd: My friend "D" and I shop all day getting ready for the reunion. Centerpieces, balloons, crayons, face paint, snacks, drinks, more decorations, thank you flowers, bank stops, etc. All of that to get ready for the...
OPEN HOUSE: From 6-8PM, the alumni were able to come with their families, sign in, pay (if they hadn't already), get their packet (included survey, raffle ticket, CD of music from 93-97, and itinerary), wander the high school, and see the new auditorium and gym that were built after we graduated. The turn out was not quite what we wanted, but oh, well. We knew that there was not going to be the amount of people we really wanted/needed going into it, so whatever...
SATURDAY JUNE 23rd: We woke up nice and early, got to JENSEN'S GROVE, set things up, and were greeted by: WIND. At least it was sunny, eh? Families arrived and it was a great day of sand, sun, boating, volleyball (even though whoever thought that creating a volleyball net on a sloping beach next to the water was a smart idea must not have been thinking...), face painting, balloon animals, coloring, swimming, eating, playing, etc.
It was a long day, though.
ADULT DINNER: After a few more shopping trips for last minute details and mass panic as how to do my hair, it was off to the dinner! We had it at the new Shilling House Reception Center. The food was incredible! We had a raffle, and thanks to another friend, every single person (alumni) won a prize. Another friend put together an amazing slide show of high school days, and we also did "awards" for a few people. We also had a digital photo printer, so for anyone who wanted pictures together could have their photos printed off right there. The only downer was how short the night seemed to be --and a lot of people left earlier than we anticipated. But it was all good.
So, am I glad I did the reunion? I guess the answer is yes. It was fun to plan and I've learned so much on how to make the 20 year even better. But it was so hard. The worst part? Some would think it was the hours spent, the money spent, the details, the coordinating with three separate venues, but that wasn't it. The absolute worst part was only being able to find 131 people out of 326 (249 actually graduated), and then out of that 131, only 42 alumni (plus spouses) coming. It was almost humiliating to me, especially since a lot of my own friends refused to come because they claim they've "moved on" since high school. I have to remind myself that it wasn't a personal attack on me; people were just busy and the reunion wasn't high up on the radar. Oh, well. Hopefully in ten years people will care more...
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