Find Joy In The Journey

January 2012

2012-01-12T13:47:00.001-08:00

Strong enough and big enough to sit in his stroller without his car seat.

LSU plays Alabama- 1st loss of the season and unfortunately it was a bowl game...soo sad. ;-)

Changed his room around, it seems to "flow" better. I like it a lot.

Seems to really like having a friend w him in his car seat and stroller, Gus, the moose. They're both so stink'n cute!

Happy New Year

2012-01-03T22:02:00.001-08:00

Spent the weekend in sunny, warm Mesquite, NV at my parents house. Parents weren't there but us 3 sisters and our families were all there! It was so much fun! 4 full days of food, laughing and new memories. I LoVE my sisters, they are the BEST!! (will post more pictures later when I get them...). ;-)

Smiles at 4:30 am

2011-12-29T05:59:00.001-08:00

Kaleb isn't much of a crier...he grunts. The following situation isn't an exception to the "norm", but for some reason I felt I wanted to "document" it.

At 4:30 am I heard his little grunts starting up, he had been sleeping for 7 hours, but I still patted his chest to see if he'd find his way back to peaceful sleep. His eyes opened wide and once he recognized me a big smile spread across his face and his legs kicked with excitement to see me. I LOVE this precious child!!!

I fed him and after 20 min. just as quickly as he woke he was fast asleep...dreaming of the far off land of Motta-Fa-Potta-Fa-Pell where he rides on a Fizza-ma-Wizza-ma-Dill!!! (oh baby the places you'll go! - A book to read in utero, adapted from the works of Dr. Seuss)

I continue to hold him and just stare adoringly at this most perfect beautiful face. He doesn't need me to hold him...I NEED to hold him, I need to feel his peace, I need the calming of his love.

1sts

2011-11-08T13:56:00.001-08:00

We are in Rifle, CO for the week. Scott has a deer tag to fill. So Kaleb, Maddie and I decided to jump in for the adventure!

At 7 weeks old, this is Kalebs: 1st road trip to Colorado, 1st hunting trip, 1st time to stay in a hotel and... I may add more as the week goes on. I'm hoping to get in the pool... We shall see, haven't found swim diapers small enough for his little bum!

He's just so much fun, and already so adventurous!

Announcing...

2011-11-05T08:20:00.001-07:00

Kaleb was two weeks old in these pictures. He looks older than that to me, but he never seemed to "look" like a newborn to me... ???

Sweet Pea Photography did an amaZing job on our pictures!!!

He's now almost two months! Can't believe how time flys! I love this kid. We've been spoiled beyond belief.

1st Haloween Adventures

2011-10-31T09:45:00.001-07:00

We attended an Adobe Company Halloween party w amazing decorations. Each department came up w a theme. It was pretty amazing.... Obviously i didn't l get good pictures!

Then got dresses up for a birthday party. Happy 1st for Meila Magleby!

Can sweetness get any sweeter????

2011-10-24T20:43:00.001-07:00

Our little guy is a sleep-eater! This is him taking a break from eating while hanging out w dad!!!

Sooo sweet!!!!

Babies-R-Us

2011-10-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

So we're out shopping and I have Kaleb in the hug-a-bug. (see the hiking post). His head is usually stuffed inside and fast asleep. We get into babies-r-us and he pops his head out, folds his little arms under his head and just watches me and checks out all the baby-goods!! I just laughed...out loud!!

LOVE this kid! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

Sushi & chopsticks

2011-10-20T13:11:00.001-07:00

October 19!!! 1 month old!!! To celebrate we went to Mikados for some delicious sushi. ;-)

A little help with lunch time...

2011-10-16T20:38:00.001-07:00

Daddy & Kaleb

2011-10-14T13:32:00.001-07:00

My heart just melts!!!

12 days old & time to hike!

2011-10-04T15:06:00.001-07:00

1st hike, Alta Tunnel Trail, Big Cottonwood Canyon

1st Two Weeks

2011-10-04T11:17:00.001-07:00

Kaleb & Mom

2011-10-01T20:03:00.001-07:00

Mom and Kaleb nap after a long day of eating and sleeping!!! Its tough being a newborn!

Welcome Home Kaleb

2011-10-01T18:09:00.001-07:00

Sooooo, September 18, 11:15 PM, My water breaks. September 19, 2011, 8:30 AM we go to hospital and start a long day of labor fun!!!

September 19, 2011 Kaleb Scott Woolsey is born at 10:28 PM. 7lbs. 8 oz. 21 in. (we thought they said 18...he's not.)
Almost 24 hours of laboring. Good thing we had amazing midwifes and nurses and a birthing pool!!

09-20-11

I didn't want to sleep in the hospital bed, alone. So I actually slept with Scott on the couch. :-) We were so tired the small space didn't seem to matter... to me anyway, I just wanted to be close to my AMAZING husband!!!

Watching the sunrise from our hospital room, it was a beautiful view, inside and out.

Joni and Kids come down to visit, what FUN!!!

Grandpa Val and Aunt Nancy come to visit as well.

09-21-11

While I showered and got cleaned up, Kaleb wanted to hang out with his daddy... oh... Melt my heart!!

Oh, how I love my little boy!!!

Ready to go home with mom and dad!!! Yea!!!

Our home will NEVER be the same...thank goodness!!!

66 orphans come home!

2010-02-01T16:02:00.000-08:00

January 30th, 2010
An amazing pilot named Jake Yockers and his crew refused to leave the tarmac in Port au Prince this morning until the orphans he had come to bring home to their families in the US were on it. He told them they could arrest him but he wasn't leaving. Around 5:45pm 66 children, Chareyl, Brent, Scott, and other volunteers landed in Miami. What a miracle. It is still a headache processing paperwork, but they are on US soil and the children's parents are on their way to Miami, will have them in their arms tomorrow, and will be able to take them home within a few days. It truly is a miracle. I have been following the situation very closely for the past 10 days and it has been INTENSE.
READ THIS.

CRUTCHES FOR HAITI

2010-01-24T22:37:00.001-08:00

I know this is short notice, but wanted to post it anyway....

If someone has crutches, I am willing to come pick them up if you aren't able to get them to a local drop off location. Please note as well, that just because they are gathering many on January 29th, there are some who are collecting them until March for Eagle Scout Projects. If you read this after Jan. 29th and have crutches to donate, I am willing to come pick them up and take care of getting them to those who are still gathering...

(A note from Shannon Cox, Co-Founder of Haitian Roots)

So many people ask me what they can do and here is something:
When my friend Kristin, asked her husband, Dan, what was the worst thing he'd had to do since arriving in Haiti on Tuesday he responded, "amputations." With this in mind, some of Dan's family decided to start collecting crutches to send to Haiti and the docs there thought it was a great idea. If you have access to crutches, old ones you aren't using, etc, please help out:

So here is the plan...

BRONZE EFFORT: Check your garage, closets, attics for the forgotten set of crutches and get them to a drop off location. (Goto www.crutchesforhaiti.blogspot.com for locations.)

SILVER EFFORT: Send this email to your list of friends and family...the more the better!

GOLD EFFORT: Coordinate a similar collection at your workplace, school, or church. Just send us an e-mail (maryannfuhriman@msn.com) and we'll let you know how to get started. Remember we want to be done by Friday, January 29th. We'd like to launch all locations on Monday, January 25th.

We have coordinated getting the crutches to Haiti with "Healing Hands for Haiti" who already have a container ready to ship. Check out the blog www.crutchesforhaiti.blogspot.com to see why we decided to do this as well as other logistical information.

FYI
Crutches need to be in working order with tips and pads (they are very hard to replace)
Healing Hands for Haiti has also indicated the GREAT need for wheelchairs and pediatric walkers. We'll take those too if you happen to have them.

Foyer de Sion - New Orphanage In Port-au-prince

2010-01-22T15:39:00.000-08:00

A little change in direction. My sister and I were in Guesno Marty's orphanages, here is a little clip, pre-earthquake about the new orphanages that is in the middle of being built. From what we've heard, this building is still standing. I'm anxious to see the haven that they are creating for the orphans.

Check this out:

A Cry for Help for Haiti - 4

2010-01-20T11:17:00.000-08:00

January 20, 2010

Dear Friends,

Tonight we received this short email from Harry, “I got the money from Dr Booth this afternoon I'm so glad I can buy the food for our kids and the needs.I feel very tired I need to laydonw. Thank you Shannon .” Poor, dear Harry. If anybody needs to lie down it is that heroic, stalwart man. I don’t know if he’s slept in a week.

We have a couple of stories to share with you. They are at the same time miraculous and heartbreaking. The first is that we received some wonderful news that the Dubreus family is safe. Let us preface this by telling you that most of the people in Haiti have never experienced an earthquake and had no clue what was happening when the shaking began. When the quake first started, the Dubreus family was all inside their home. They had no idea what the shaking was but the two youngest boys, Harryson and Denis, immediately had a feeling come over them and shouted to their parents, “We need to go! We need to get out of the house!” They all rushed out of the home. Less than two minutes later, they watched as their home completely crumbled to the ground. How wonderful to know that they are alive. But how sad to watch their home and everything they possess go up into a heap of dust. Regrettably this is the same thing for many of our children—they are safe but the same cannot be said for their homes.

The Dubreus Brothers & their dad:

A tragic but miraculous story is that of our sweet Stevenson Isidor. Stevenson and his mother were in their home when the shaking began. The house crumbled to the ground. Yesterday they FOUND STEVENSON AND HIS BABY BROTHER, KENDY, ALIVE!!! These two boys survived in the rubble for six days. However their dear mother, Amelita Succes, did not make it. She was a single mother. She adored her boys and took care of them the very best she could with the scant resources she had. The way the scene was described, it appears that Amelita tried to shelter her sons as the roof came crumbling down. We were told that she saved them. Both boys have hardly a scratch on them, although we can’t imagine the hunger, thirst, and emotional trauma they have experienced. We are grateful they are alive but we mourn for them. They are currently living with a neighbor. We know that they have several aunts and are guessing they will live with one of them once things calm down a little and we move into the “rebuilding” phase of this whole experience.

Stevenson Isidor in Oct 2008:

Little Kendy (Stevenson's brother) in Oct of 2008:

Here is an updated list of children we know have survived:

Alex Succes
Amanda Pierre Louis
Christella Saintyl
Fabrice Felix
Georges Pierre Louis
Hachely Arly
Harryson Dubreus
Hugues Pierre Louis
Jacky Jean
Jonathan Samuel Cenat
Loudiana Cenat
Samuel Cenat
Maxime Jean
Nadia Rochenel
Ophney Desir
Peterly Lamour
Rodolph Succes
Roudolph Pierre Louis
Samantha Succes
Sarafinah Joseph
Sarah Pierre
Sariah Pierre
Shesley Felix
Spencer Cenat
Stevenson Isidor
Vanessa Veus
Wood Trezard
Woodline Rochenel

We are now adding a new list of children. The children on this list are of very particular concern of ours. We hope and pray that they are okay but the reports we are receiving are that they may have left this earthly sojourn. We are extremely worried for the Olivier family. Their father, Felord, sustained a broken back and was somehow taken to the Dominican Republic for medical assistance. The mother, Juliette, has died. The children, Daryl and Elize are unaccounted for and are presumed to be gone. We are putting them on this list because we have not confirmed the status of these children but we have reason to be EXTREMELY CONCERNED and ask for prayers on their behalf:

Daryl Olivier
Elize Olivier
Faedra Dorcelus
Medsaisha Dorcelus
Mildred Charles

The rest of the children are simply unknown at this time. We have no reason to believe they are not okay (except for the obvious earthquake), we simply have not had any communication or news about them yet.

Thanks again to all of you for your support. We continue to be grateful for your donations sent to us to help ease the suffering of these children and families we love so much in Haiti .

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team

(Photos Available at www.haitianroots.com)

A Cry for Help for Haiti - 3

2010-01-16T22:10:00.000-08:00

Another Update from Haitian Roots, as of January 16, 2010:

Dear Friends,

We have been in contact with one of our coordinators, Harry Mardy, via e-mail. He and his family are taking shelter at the LDS ward building in Petion-ville. The church and grounds are packed with people, including the orphans from his orphanage, and, most likely, several of our Haitian Roots children. We have several children who live right in that area and are likely seeking refuge at the church. Petion-ville was hit VERY hard and, because it is in the more mountainous area and the roads are all blocked, has not been able to receive any aid. Harry says they are running out of food and that they are going to start losing people within the next 24 hours. Many of them are starting to get sick, as well. This is especially heartbreaking to me because there was nothing we could do about the earthquake happening but these people have survived and are fine but will die from things that could be easily prevented. If you are the praying sort, we ask that you please pray specifically that aid will be able to get to Petion-ville.

One specific way that we have planned for aid to get to them is through one of our donors, Dr. Jeremy Booth. He is an ER doctor, speaks fluent Creole, loves the Haitian people, and is set to travel to Haiti with a special medical team put together by the LDS church. The team was supposed to fly to Haiti today but have been delayed because of flight restrictions. They hope to fly tomorrow but have been told it may be as late as Monday or Tuesday. Not only is this disturbing because of the immediate needs in Haiti , but the team is losing doctors with each day that passes (due to scheduling difficulties). Harry said that food is available to purchase (although the prices are astronomical) but they don’t have any money and the banks are all shutdown. Dr. Booth is willing to take funds down (and they are available with help from our friends www.hopeforlittleangelsofhaiti.org ) to get to Harry.

So, at this time we would aks you to specifically pray for our loved ones in Petion-ville, that roads can be cleared and that they can receive aid. Also, please pray that Dr. Booth will be able to travel tomorrow so that he and his team can help with this aid.

Thank you all for your continued support. Thank you to those of you who have donated to Haitian Roots and to any other aid organization working in Haiti . We are so grateful that Haiti is receiving worldwide attention and response. If you feel inclined to donate through Haitian Roots, we will use every penny of your donation to help ease the suffering in Haiti . You can donate through our website: www.haitianroots.com.

To view photos that go along with this message, visit our website home page.

Thank you.

The Haitian Roots Team
609 W. 3850 S.
Riverdale, UT 84405
801.529.8877
www.haitianroots.com

A Cry for Help for Haiti - 2

2010-01-16T22:07:00.000-08:00

Second Update from Shannon Cox, Co-Founder of Haitian Roots as of January 15, 2010:

Dear Friends,

We have finally received some news about specific individuals in Haiti . Isson and Marie France have been in touch with family members and we now know that all of their family in Haiti is safe. All three of our coordinators (Huguette Joseph, Yves Carm Cenat, and Harry Mardy) are safe, as are their immediate family members. We have only been able to account for about 10 of the children in our Haitian Roots program so far. Because our children are spread through out the greater Port au Prince area, it will probably be some time before we know about all of them.

Although Harry Mardy is safe, his home (which also serves as a small orphanage) was destroyed. Luckily all of the orphans were evacuated and are safe. To our deep sorrow, Harry told us that he has lost his mother and his sister, Kenia. Kenia was a beautiful person and very kind. She was very excited about Haitian Roots and had come to help with gatherings of the children several times. She will be greatly missed. Please keep Harry in your prayers.

Kenia -

In addition to these deep personal losses, he must worry about and care for the orphans under his charge, the children in Haitian Roots, as well as a large church congregation of people who all rely on him to help them meet their needs (he is an LDS bishop).

Regarding help for Haiti : Isson is planning to get to Haiti as soon as possible. Marie France is currently in Florida . They will purchase food and medical supplies from an organization there and will have them shipped to Haiti . Luckily Isson has the connections necessary to be able to do these things. He will pick them up in Haiti and get them distributed. If you would like to contribute to this effort, please send us a donation of any amount (mail it to us or send one via paypal: www.haitianroots.com/donate.php ) and make a note that it is to be used for emergency relief. EVERY PENNY will be used to ease the suffering in Haiti . Looking for other easy and effective way to donate? You can text YELE to 501501. This will make an automatic $5 donation to Yele Haiti . You can text HAITI to 90999 for an automatic $10 donation to The Red Cross.

A note about travel: many of you have expressed an interest in going to Haiti to help. We understand your desire and echo it! However, at this point, medical experts with experience and training in disasters and international health are most needed. Because of logisitical and safety issues, we will not be able to plan to take anybody on any volunteer trips until Isson has been to the country, assessed the situation himself, and is confident that others of us can come to Haiti and truly be of help, rather than a safety concern and liability to our coordinators in the country who are already extremely overwhelmed.

Thanks again to all of you for your love, prayers, and continued support. We will continued to keep you updated as we receive news about the children and others involved with Haitian Roots.

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team

A Cry for Help for Haiti

2010-01-13T21:04:00.000-08:00

As many of you know my sister Joni and I have been to Haiti to do some service in some orphanages, then I have been blessed with the opportunity to be part of the Haitian Root Team. If you scroll down a bit, you will see more of my story with Haiti: Here is a letter from the co-founder of Haitian Roots concerning the earthquake:

Dear Friends and Supporters of Haitian Roots,

By now most of you have heard that yesterday Haiti experienced the worst earthquake ever recorded in their history—7.0 magnitude. The earthquake devastated Port au Prince and its surrounding areas. At this time communication is extremely limited. We have had some contact via e-mail from people on the ground but have not been able to make contact with any of our family members, Haitian Roots coordinators, or children in Haiti . This is very likely the darkest time in Haiti ’s history. Many of the more sturdy buildings in the Port au Prince area have either collapsed or sustained serious damage, including the Presidential Palace, the UN office, hospitals, and hotels. If these sturdy buildings have been hit hard, we can only imagine what has happened to the structures that our H.R. families are living in. Although news reports here in the US are not mentioning any number of the kind, our contacts in Haiti believe that there are as many as 100,000 deaths.

Thank you all for your love, concern, and prayers for our loved ones in Haiti . We will be accepting emergency fund donations that we will use once we are able to travel to Haiti . Our President, Isson Joseph, is planning to fly down just the moment he is able, but it may be several weeks before the airport in Port au Prince begins running normal flights again. There are many larger organizations involved in the immediate rescue and relief efforts. You can find a list of some of them here: CNN

We will update you as soon as we have any information about our coordinators or children in Haiti .

Sincerely,

The Haitian Roots Team
609 W. 3850 S.
Riverdale, UT 84405
801.529.8877
www.haitianroots.com

Will Work for FUN!

2009-11-19T14:33:00.000-08:00

This would be such an awesome job to have. I can't sing worth beans, but it would be a bust to be a part of something like this. If anyone knows of job position that you get the opportunity to just have fun doing quarky stuff as this, please let me know... You don't even have to pay me, I'll work for fun! But, I guess it's true, if you love what you do, you'll never work another day in your life!

FUN THEORY

Arches National Park

2009-10-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Haiti & Me - We need your help!

2009-08-08T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hey friends! There is a group of children that REALLY need your help! Yes I've got a lot of pictures here, but they tell the brief story of Haiti and Me. Visit www.haitianroots.com for more information, please take a few minutes to check us out!

We are still close to $10,000 short of being able to put all the children in our organization to school this first semester. Please help give them the opportunity of a life time... EDUCATION Visiting us at www.haitianroots.com you can see the pictures of all the children and see which ones haven't been sponsored yet, they are beautiful children and need an education to make their futures just as beautiful!
OTHER BLOG links from Haitian Board or team members: Heather & Perla

PROTECT YOUR DREAMS!!!

2009-06-19T15:46:00.000-07:00

I seem to talk a lot about dreams and hope. The last few months I have found that there are many people who are struggling with both. I have found that there are many that find hope in God and in their Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the best hope to true joy. Yet, I have found a VERY small amount of people with dreams let-a-lone the the hope for dreams to come true.

I have heard many people talk about the need for money, just to put food on the table, roof over head and creditors from calling. What is it? What is stopping us from actually dreaming beyond? And better, living beyond those dreams?

What was it that put flight into the minds of the wright brothers?

What was it that created the idea of electricity, automobiles, garbage disposals, elevators, fax machines, computers, the wii?

What was it that put Mother Teresa, Gandhi and others on the map of "changing the world"?

What was it that created the pyramids, the colosseum of rome, the taj mahal, DISNEY LAND?

What is it? This questions has been surfacing in MANY aspects of my life lately? And so now, I come to y'all, to ask, what is it, that keeps us from dreaming?

(I'm not promoting this business, just a good video)

Love & Peace

2009-05-16T20:16:00.000-07:00

S-U-C-C-E-S-S & Winning!?

2009-04-22T19:24:00.000-07:00

I'd love to hear your comments:

How do YOU measure success or winning? What does success or winning FEEL like?

An Apostle's Easter Thoughts on Christ

2009-04-11T19:56:00.000-07:00

LDS.ORG
mormon.org

Cake Wrecks!

2009-04-10T16:09:00.000-07:00

Ok y'all, this sight is FABULOUS!! The cakes they highlight go from, absolute wrecks, to some AMAZINGLY stunning cakes as well. Don't just take a look at the pictures either; the humor in her comments on the cakes make the pictures come to life even more. She's quite funny... very funny to me...

Click Here For More CAKE WRECKS!

Joni-this one is for you, Eliza's birthday is coming up and I know she & Oliver love their little girraffies....

Family, Isn't it about time...

2009-03-15T17:27:00.000-07:00

I've actually had some non-member friends out here in Louisiana that have commented on the TV ads the church runs. They love them and would love to see more of them. LOVE IT!

Have Ya Ever Thought About It Like This?

2009-02-28T06:22:00.001-08:00

To those of you in here in Lafayette, I'm sure the majority of you have seen this video on the Waihi's blog, but I needed to share it with the "other" side....

Thanks Vicki - This is awesome!

Face Clinging Aliens!!! They're EVERYWHERE!!!

2009-02-12T08:46:00.000-08:00

I found myself in a situation not too long ago that made me do some sincere thinking about the oh-so-real feeling of fear/pain…and what “fear/pain” really is.

I’m going to use the example of health & exercise due to the fact that this is a bit more common than the situation I was in…

Side Note, and nothing to do with this post but need to share it: I don’t care what someone’s “weight” is. There are gals who are 120 lbs and couldn't’t run to the end of the block…starting from the ½ way point. There are gals at 160+ lbs. who can run 26.2 miles, for fun, on any given weekend. So, this is more about feeling like an athlete vs. looking like a model.

Real vs. Perceived

The natural man can perceive fear and pain, this is healthy. It’s what keeps us alive day to day. If we didn’t understand that stepping out in traffic would be painful and could kill us, we’d walk into traffic on a daily basis, if we survived.

So now I’d like to look at the, real or not, perceived fear & pain of choosing a healthy life style vs. sedentary. Why should I choose being healthy? Because I KNOW exercising will:

-Reduces the risk of dying prematurely
-Reduces the risk of dying from heart disease
-Reduces feelings of depression and anxiety
-Helps to build and maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints
-Helps older adults become stronger
-Helps to control weight, build lean muscle mass and reduce body fat
-Prevents or delays the development of high blood pressure
-Helps release stress

Ok, so why is it that I DO NOT choose a healthier lifestyle?

- I’ve got a health issue, and I’m sure I’ll make it worse by exercising incorrectly, and I don’t have the $$$ to get a trainer/dr. to help me.
- I’m afraid of looking stupid at the gym
- I don’t have time
- I don’t have the right cloths
- Eating healthy and taking vitamins and supplements is too expensive.
- (maybe you can think of more reasons why I shouldn't’t work out?)

Now, as I lay in bed and think about working out, my highest perceived pain, comes from the reasons NOT to work out. It’s the most tangible and immediate consequence. So, I avoid, just like I would stepping out into traffic, and I lie in bed for another 30 minutes, to stay “SAFE”.

SAFE?

WHOA! WAIT A MINUTE! WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE!
Let me re-evaluate my options…my perceived fear and pain?

- premature death
- heart disease
- depression and anxiety
- weak and brittle bones
- high blood pressure
- more stress
OR
- the lame excuses I just noted on why I shouldn't’t workout… L-A-Z-Y!

Fascinating how our minds work, isn’t it?!

I remember a story I heard about "perceived" pain. Scientists were studying rats. They didn't feed it for a few days, and then put it in a container with food, now automatically it went straight to the food to eat, releasing itself from the pain of hunger. Ok, so they take the same rat, make it go hungry for a few days, then put it back in the container with food, BUT this time they put a little grid in the floor that as the rat runs to the food and crosses the grid it sends a little shock to the rat and the rat runs back to the side in which he started, not getting the food. (The shock would not have killed it.) The scientists then remove the metal grid that causes the shock, puts the rat back in. What does the rat do? It sits in the opposite end of the food and actually dies from starvation. The rat perceives his highest pain is the shock, that doesn't really exist, and chooses starvation without trying again.

Now, I think this is mean to the rat, but, it proves a good point. Many times in our, much more significant, human brain, we perceive greater pain than is really there. And then we seem to forget to look into the future of what real pain we will cause ourselves for avoiding the smaller, or perceived pain at the moment.

So, here is my new challenge, please feel free to take it with me, the next time you need to do something you KNOW you should do; -working out -calling someone you haven't spoken to in awhile due to hurt feelings, -roll out the slip and slide, put your swimsuit on and play in the water with your children, or -THAT one dream, THE one that burns within... But suddenly this "Alien" jumps on your face and clings to you screaming all the reasons why you shouldn't, just ask yourself, OUT LOUD, "oh, com-on, is this REAL, really?"

and then ask, "What are the consequences of NOT doing it?" If you need, pull out some paper... write out all the fear and pain why you shouldn't, and then, all you REALLY need is just 1 reason why you SHOULD!

Once you have conquered that, once thought to be real, face sucking alien...
This is how you will feel, and this will be how you will protect yourself from future face sucking aliens... !!

Rock on!

“Go Confidently In The Direction Of Your Dreams” — Henry David Thoreau

2009-01-08T04:59:00.001-08:00

There is a lot out there about "DREAMS" and "DREAMING BIG"! Walk into any school, elementary, jr. high, and even high school. It's plastered on every classroom wall, school hallway and banners in the gymnasiums, they tell us NOTHING short of winners and how dreams became reality. As we grow older and move through life, we continue to read, write and do math...but what about dream? I've come across people who laugh and say, it's a "cliche', And even worse, I've met way too many who state they haven't any dreams. If we're not dreaming, we're not living. Some have said, "I'm too old for dreams and all I really care about is my family," Well, to me, being close to family is a BIG dream! So, what about dreaming of the ability to spend more time with them, is it money or time keeping you from spending your quality years at their side?

And what about us/you, as parents, do we tell our 3 year old that dreams of being a fireman, that's he'll never be strong enough and he's too dumb to be a fireman? Of course not, but why do we seem to come up with reasons why we can't obtain our own dreams...a little hypocritical, don't ya think?

What is your dream?

- Maybe you'd love to travel a little more. An adventure filled vacation for you and your spouse, or a learning experience for your children on a family trip.

- A small cottage on a big piece of land. a ginormous home in Beverley Hills, a, a pent house in NY, or a farm in Ohio...what about a grass hut in Africa?

- TIME? Just enough $$$ to get you out of the office full time so you can spend the afternoon in the garden? or serving in your local community...or even in a 3rd world country?

- Do you wanna dance? Learn how to play the accordion, take up a hobby that you've always wanted to do, but just didn't dare, you were just too scared?

WHAT is it that YOU want? CHASE IT! WORK HARD FOR IT! LIVE IT! YOU DESERVE IT! YOUR CHILDREN AND FAMILY DESERVE IT!

Love ya!

"If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.: ~Thomas Edison

HAPPY NEW YEAR-Across The World!!!

2009-01-05T06:22:00.001-08:00

Tolling of the bell in MOSCOW:

New Year's Eve, or Noivy God as it is in Russian, is celebrated by gathering in the Red Square to await the tolling of the Saviour clocktower, As New Year arrives, people take to the streets and go calling on friends and neighbours, celebrating until dawn arrives.
_________________________

I wanted to write a quick post, because it's been WAY TOO LONG. But I must be short for now, I'll be back to update on what I've been up to. Life is Fabulous! (No, I didn't go to Russia, not yet anyway...)

So.... if you DARE, please leave a post of 1 or all your new year resolution/s.

Halloween at Cabin Bluff, GA

2008-11-25T13:57:00.000-08:00

Scott's company had an "executive get-away" last month. They held it at a place called Cabin Bluff on Sea Island in Georgia. It was soo much fun, I've never been somewhere like this before.

There was about 40 of us at the resort, we had it all to ourself. Each couple was given a golf cart to get around in. There was a fishing dock that we could go out and fish off of at anytime. They had a large container full of live bait-shrimp and another container that was the largest tackle box I've ever seen. They also had coolers along the dock full of water and beer, all of this was for us to use at our will. Never did we need to pay for a thing.

The larger cabins had a beautiful "living room" and on the tables there were baskets, some had a wide supply of chips, some were filled with fruit and other goodies. It was seriously like being at home, we could eat out of the refrigerator as we wanted, it was awesome.

They had guided activities for us: We were also able to go hunt deer and boar, we took dogs out and went quail hunting. We could go sport shooting, clay pigon shooting, golfing, fishing, whatever we wanted and there was someone at our beckon call anytime for anything, yet there wasn't anyone around breathing down your neck telling you what you could or couldn't do.

Which way'd he go...which way'd he go? (Quail Hunt)

My Shooting Coach

Women Only Quail Hunt

It was fabulous. There was a cooler of beer and water at ever hole on the golf course, as well as on the bocce ball grounds. The service was unreal, I would LOVE to work somewhere like that! Well, I'd actually love to own something like that and be able to give the specialized service and attention to the groups coming in. They cooked beautiful yummy meals for us, and afterwards we go night fishing, play pool, sit around a large fire and tell stories, Halloween night it was a big costume party and we did karaoke all night.

I don't think I explained this well, but I've been meaning to get pictures up for awhile now and I just need to get them up...so here ya have it!!!

Our cute little cabin

The View to the dock

Pool Deck

One of Scott's many catches

Does something look a bit odd about this picture...nope, the gator has actually been placed on the ceiling...I love the south!!

One of the cabin lodges

Cabin lodge

It's Halloween Baby!!!

Some of the men and their stupendous karaoke skills

Our pimp'n ride, but we usually walked, it was beautiful!

So, uummm...how'd I get clear up here in this stand? Where'd I get this gun? You want me to sit here for how long????

Funny little story: as the guide was showing me how to load the gun, he handed me a bullet to put in the chamber, I paused and looked at him as serious and confused as I possibly could and asked him which way the pointy end of bullet went in...the look on his face was priceless!!! One of the gals standing close by said it was even more funny because I don't "talk" like them (the southern accent) and I sound like some yankee from the North East. Oh, it was a good laugh!

Keep Moving Forward...

2008-11-11T08:42:00.000-08:00

If you have not seen the Disney movie, 'Meet The Robinson's', You really should. I don't believe it was one of Disney's big box office films, but there is A LOT to be learned from this movie and I personally feel it has one of the best lessons to be learned:

In the movie, each failure is a time to celebrate, every failure is an "Awesome Failure" because by failing we learn! If you give up, you've learned nothing! KEEP MOVING FORWARD! "Brilliant failures, lead to successful futures!"

"Around Here, However, we don't
look backwards for very long.

We keep moving forward, opening up new doors
and doing new things, because we're curious...
and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths."

~ Walt Disney

The TRUE POWER of Narnia...

2008-10-22T10:53:00.000-07:00

I RARELY, RARELY, sit long enough to watch a movie...we don't have many in our "library". Other than Scott's hunting videos, 95% of our videos are based on true stories or movies with deep purpose/meaning and great lessons to be learned...to me.

I decided to turn on a movie as I puttered around the apartment this morning...again, I can't even tell you the last time I watched a video, or the last movie theater/movie Scott and I went and saw, so this was out of the ordinary for me...

I chose "Narnia". WHAT AN AMAZING MOVIE!!! The special effects are absolutely mind boggling,.. If you do not like my ramblings and "stories", "analogies", you may close this blog down now... :-) I won't take the time to depict each part of the movie, but if you believe in Christ, His great atonement and the role/s it plays in our lives and our part in our Heavenly Fathers great plan...this is a MUST see! Or, if you did not see/feel the symbolism in it the first time you watched it, PLEASE, watch it again. Also, it's VERY, VERY possible that you are all saying to yourselves, "duh, Jen"!, but I'm sharing it anyway...For those of you who have a deeper understanding of this movie, I would love to hear your thoughts on it as well...I really need to read the book!

Aslan, the Great Lion King, suffers greatly & even dies for the mistakes of a traitor, or a "prodigal child" - each of us

Each child represents characteristics that we have, good or...not so good.

* Lucy- The child like attributes that we should all carry with us, throughout our lives, VALIANT
* Edmond- The prodigal child, which we all are, none of us are perfect, yet he finds forgiveness, and Asland even states that his wrongs have been taken care of and should be spoken of no more. We should not only forgive those who have hurt us, but we must forgive ourselves and MOVE ON, learning from the past, yet remembering no more. JUST
*Susan-Motherly, or a care giver, GENTLE
*Peter- Protector, leader, courage, MAGNIFICENT

There is so much more in this movie that humbles me, yet also gives me HOPE to move forward, to always remember the great sacrifice and love our/my Savior and Heavenly Father has for me. The part of the movie that moved me to writing this post was the scene that Peter, the eldest brother, and Edmond, have learned that Asland was sacrificed and that Peter must lead the troops to battle the great evil. A little preface, Peter and Edmond have not said much of a kind word to each other during the movie...This battle will determine the future of an entire world, including themselves-not a light burden to be carrying on your shoulders. Anyway.. As Peter contemplates the battle that lies in front of them, Edmond tells Peter that he must lead them, and that their is a great army ready to follow him. Peter, states, "I CAN'T!" Then Edmond says," Asland believed you could," ... which at this, it means a lot, for Asland is the greatest king and is held in the highest honor of his people. ( This next part is the part that moved me into writing this post.) Peter than states, "So do I", Edmond stating his belief in his brother, Peter's hope brightens, his faith in himself and those he loves and is going into battle with, is what strengthens him enough to MOVE FORWARD, to not only face the great evil that stands in front of him, but to face the evil with courage, hope, determination and faith that they will win.

I've become such a softy in my old-young age...I had already cried at so many different parts of this movie, but I really let the ol' eyeballs squirt when this happened - let me tell you why...

I believe that the majority of the people who are reading this post know they are a Child of God, a son or daughter of the Greatest King, He did not send us into this "battle" called life to fail. He is not here in person, He will not deny us the OPPORTUNITIES and RIGHTS to grow and to learn how to become great sons and daughters. (Prince's and Princesses, Kings and Queens) Yet for me it is difficult to "move forward" at times, some times I just want to yell...well, I have yelled, "I CAN'T DO IT". As I turn to my Heavenly Father and BEG for Him to just let my life be perfect.. wink, wink... He sends an email, phone call, voice mail, or a note from one of my most beautiful sisters, telling me, "I believe in you." Those words may not be said, or written, but the very thought of the love I have for my sisters, and knowing how difficult life can be, I want to be strong and faithful for them. The true belief from a sibling has the overwhelming power to keep hope alive, and stretch my faith to higher grounds. The amazing examples that they have ALWAYS been for me deserves nothing less than my very best. We may not see the face of the Savior or our Heavenly Father each day, but we can feel His love and His faith in us as we turn to those we love the most, for that is one of the many miracles He puts before us.

To those of you who may be reading, who may not have the same type of relationship with your siblings or parents, I would like to challenge you to become that sibling, wife, daughter, son, husband, friend, etc. that inspires those around you to be the best they can be. And to you as a sibling, father, mother, etc. I plead with you to strive and even take some responsibility in understanding the true power of love, and belief and what it can do for your siblings/family and for yourself.

Toward the end of the battle scene, the great evil pierces the body of young Edmond, Peter sees this in action and the rage of love and determination moves him to a greater faith as he battles his way through to the great evil that seeks him. Though his love and courage are outstanding, he is a young man, with little experience, his skills fall weak to the greatness of evil shadowing him; after he has fought long and hard and given it his all and he is almost taken over by the great wickedness, a roar of courage and hope enters the scene as Asland "finishes" the battle.

The power we have as sisters, family should NEVER be taken lightly!! At times we may carry heavy burdens as we assume the positions/responsibilities of: wife, mother, daughter, grandmother, father, son, brother, grandfather, friend; please know that your Heavenly Father is aware of your sorrows, as well as your joys. The Savior loves and suffered greatly for each of us, don't let it all be in vain. Let us all fight this battle, called life, with love and faith and helping those around us do the same...Hey, it's all about finding "Joy In The Journey" right? RIGHT!

SLY

Spiritual Pep-Rally?

2008-10-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

OK! So I want y’all to think back to the good’ol days of high school pep rallies! Especially HOME COMING! I’m sure there are some who did not feel the same I did, so I’m going to tell you what I see/feel when I think back on HOME COMING week at Kanab High School…There is MUCH more than what I will share here, I’m trying to keep it simple…wish me luck. ☺

The red and white signs that plastered our town and businesses, our yards and our school proclaimed, “WE’RE THE BEST! BETTER THAN THE REST!” "GO! FIGHT! WIN!"The week was full of activities to get all of us excited for “The Big Game”. A giant bomb fire the night before the game seemed to represent the burning spirit of not only the school, but also us as individuals. Our beautiful community was bursting with KANAB COWBOY SPIRIT! We weren’t going to let anyone bring us down!

Now, there are A LOT of analogies that I could share here, but as I said I hope to keep to my main point of interest this morning…

Our lives are full of small and not so small “football games”. I feel that most of the time the signs we see around us say, “YOU CAN’T DO IT, DON’T TRY!” Then there is a flashing neon sign pointing to “the easy way out.” (The easy way out is different for all of us, maybe it’s drugs, alcohol, laziness, selfishness, confusion etc. etc.)

I want to challenge each of us to find ways to keep your personal pep-rally fire burning, not an easy task, believe me, I know.

For me, my recent, pep-rally; General Relief Society Meeting, General Conference, General Priesthood Session and an added bonus, Sheri Dew came out to Baton Rouge to speak to us, and shared her amazing spirit with us. New and encouraging signs like those that plastered the community just before Home Coming are now lining my thoughts; leaving very little room for the nasty neon lights, directing to the easy way out.

The re-occurring theme that stood out to me the last few weeks as these different events took place was, “FINDING JOY IN THE JOURNEY” Now, I don’t want to get too personal on this, so I’ll leave it at that, but I do ask that, if you have read this post, that you do 2 things:
(1) For the next couple of days, keep your eyes and hearts open to the simple miracles and blessing that you may usually walk right past, going unnoticed, or even cursing, under your breath. Make physical note of them.

(2) For the next couple of days, while doing your “boring, mundane”, chores, do them differently. For example, while cleaning your house; put your favorite music in and most importantly, TURN IT UP then “groove” as you scrape the boogers off the walls. Then going back to #1, write down you are so grateful to have boogers on the wall…for if you didn’t have boogers to clean, you would not have your beautiful children. I mean really, I don’t know the last time I had to clean boogers off my walls because my “grown-up” friends left them there.

This is getting long, but when I get my spiritual pep-rally, the “spirit fingers” come out and I get all excited about sharing what has helped be find greater “joy in the journey”… This past Sunday, Fast and Testimony meeting, I actually did spirit fingers from the pulpit…not realizing I had done it until I sat down…but, it was subtle, and it wasn’t like I did a toe touch to go with it or anything! ☺

Last of all, it’s easy to be excited when things are going well; The community has signs plastered around proclaiming “YOU ARE THE BEST!” and the ‘Rocky’ Theme song, “Eye of The Tiger” is blasting in the background, and the crowd is cheering your name! YOU CAN’T FAIL! Right?

Yet, much of the crowd you noticed started walking out of the game after half time, and they would have left earlier, but they wanted to see who won the raffle for the blanket. The last few minutes tick away on the scoreboard, and all you hear are a few crickets in the background. You say to yourself, “BUT I’m so close to winning, where is everyone, I don’t know if I can do this on my own?” The lights on the field power-off. It was a long rough game. As you lie on the dark cold field, not wanting to even try to get up, you’re alone, you’re tired, you hurt, you’re confused “Did I win? Did I loose?” you ask yourself. Then the sprinklers come on…the real important answer to the really important question is, do you stay where you are,give up soaking in self pity, because everyone left you? Or do you pull yourself from the ground and play in the sprinklers like you did as a child?

Find Joy in the Journey my friends! Find ways to keep yourself hearing "Eye of The Tiger" and seeing the "GO! FIGHT! WIN!" signs, long after the crowds have abandoned you. Learn, grown and better yourself from all of your little and not so little “football games”.

I love you all!!!

What About Now? Before It's Too Late.

2008-09-23T19:55:00.001-07:00

Now that It's over...

2008-09-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

We were blessed to not get hit with the 'east' side of the hurricane, here in Lafayette. The eye of the storm came right over us, and from what I've learned, it's one of the best places to be.

The eye of the storm never really formed, but my friends told me of times when the eye was so clearly defined that the sun was out and only a slight breeze. They'd even go out and play for a while until the back end of it came through...crazy! We did go out when the eye got to us, but it was still raining a little. My one friend is almost 40 yrs. old and has been through every hurricane here, and this was the first one they didn't loose power. There were many in Lafayette who did, but we were fortunate enough not to loose it. My friends did loose one of the biggest limbs of their pecan tree, it just SNAPED! Again, very blessed because it didn't fall on the house or the fancy swing set they have or the fence. It didn't destroy anything.

Scott was scheduled to fly into Lafayette Tuesday evening, but we thought he'd end up staying the night in Houston due to the storm damage, nope. He was able to come in at the scheduled time.

We lucked out, but there were many in Lafayette and especially Baton Rouge who did not fair as well. Baton Rouge was on the 'east' side of the storm and was slammed with major damage.

Tuesday, the day after the storm we got a call from a local church leader; (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) he was asking many of us in the Lafayette Ward to get maps and turn-by-turn directions to EVERY member in the Baton Rouge area. The majority of Tuesday afternoon and evening my friends that I was staying with (Chuck and Tanya Duhon) worked on getting the information put together for the branch we were given. They needed the list that night. What a task! On top of that, Lafayette had an 8 pm curfew. If you were caught off your property after 8 pm, you would be arrested. So we needed to get it all put together and get it to one of the leaders before 8 pm. (Thanks to MapQuest to got it done, just in the nick of time.)

The men were asked to go to Baton Rouge Saturday to help clean up yards and do what they could to help the members and their neighbors in that area. Not thinking much of it, Scott left about 5 am Saturday morning. As he and chuck and another friend Paul, pulled into the Stake Center in Baton Rouge, the sight overwhelmed them!

There were vehicles from most of the surrounding states that filled the parking lots of the church house and the temple. (Temple is next to the church) People had been camping out for a few days and were planning on staying until the job was done. There were a couple 18 wheelers full of supplies: chain saws, cleaning kits, tarps, rope, tolietry kits, etc, etc. When they walked into the church house it had turned into a large, well organized command center. I'm not sure on the details of how they got work-orders, but they organized teams to go out to certain areas with work orders in hand and a list of things they'd need to take with them!!!! They had t-shirts for all the volunteers. T-shirts said, "Mormon Helping Hands - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints"

They went and cut up trees and pulled trees out of peoples roofs/houses and then covered the holes with tarps. Or they'd just cut up all the trees that were down in their yards and even in their neighbors hards. I'd love to get Scott and Chuck to write up a little more about what they did, their experiences and how it made them feel. (I won't make any promises.)

I was with Tanya that day and when the guys got home later that night, it was an awesome experience to sit around the dinner table and have them share these experiences. Chuck said something like this, "I didn't feel like I was serving, I felt that the church was serving me, us. I know that if what happened in Baton Rouge ever happened to us in the Lafayette area, the same service would be given. I'm so grateful to be a member of this church."

There was only 1 hour of church the following day, Sacrement and it was fast and testimony meeting. WOW, it was awesome!! The men were planning on returning to Baton Rouge to continue with clean up. They got the word that there were so many form surrounding states and so much was done on Saturday that we no longer needed to go to Baton Rouge. SOOO...they put work orders together of the members here in our area, divided up into teams and went out to help those who had trees down and whatever other problems cleaned up...after they went out to do fast offerings. :-) A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!

Again, I was at Tanya's and Chuck and Scott went out to help and a crew came over to there place to cut down the remaining tree limb. The day after the storm chuck cut off all the side branches and we had picked up all the leaves and limbs, but it was too big and dangerous to remove the main limb. The crew that came over had a big bobcat...I think that's what it was, and the team of 5, (chuck nor Scott was there) removed it, cut it up and put all the remaining wood, neatly into the wood pile. Then off they went.... It was awesome!!!

I would like to get some pictures from the Baton Rouge clean up, but I don't know if I'll find someone who took pictures.

Here are a few shots of the tree that our friends, Chuck and Tanya Duhon lost.

Once the clean up had started...

Us cleaning...

All that was left once we finished. This is the limb the crew came and removed and cut so nicely for fire wood.

Gustav, Gustav, Gustav...

2008-08-30T07:38:00.000-07:00

At this point I really don't know what y"all have seen or heard on Gustav. This could be boring for many of you...? :-)

Local News Stations: KADN, KATC, KPLC, KLFY

New Orleans Local News: WDSU
Baton Rouge Local News: WAFB

I'm absolutely fasinated with weather, so I've been glued to "The Weather Channel" the last few days. As well as web sites about hurricanes, (National Geographic has some good information and video clips) It becomes even more fasinating now that I'm even closer to it all.

Gustav has now turned into a Category 3 Hurricane (125 mph) as it passed up the Caymen Islands last night. Projections that it will hit a cat. 4 somewhere in the Gulf, and then fade back to a cat. 3 or even 2 by land fall. BUT, generally, what I've learned from hurricane speacialists and learning more about hurricanes is that as it slows it could just sit and drop A LOT of water and more sustained winds for a longer amount of time. I'm SOOO grateful for "projections", but that's what they are, projections... Here are more PROJECTIONS from the latest updates: A few days ago, the projected land fall was anywhere from Corpus Christi Texas to the panhandle of Florida; it has now shortened up and now:

Hurricane Categories
Cat. 1 winds at 74-95 mph
Cat. 2 winds at 96-110 mph
Cat. 3 winds at 111-130 mph
Cat. 4 winds at 131-155 mph
Cat. 5 winds at 155+ mph

This just came up on the TV screen...while I was on the phone with my dad-
There are now a few MANDITORY evacuations by Parish: Lafourche, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. Mary, and Terrebonne, Louisiana Parishes (click on photos to enlarge) We live in the Lafayette Parish.

Me and where I'm at: (click on photo to enlarge)

In the last 5 minutes I've learned:
- The missionaries called from our area and have now been evacuated to Baton Rouge to the mission home...
- I just received an email from our Relief Society Pres. that church has been canceled, in order to prepare homes for the storm and evacuate if needed...

I've been very calm about all of this, I mean I've been getting things ready and all, it's maybe just so, not real. It just seems like it's no big deal and it always happens to "SOMEONE ELSE". BUT, even since the start of when I started this post, so much has happened that makes me feel I need to be a little more concerned about what's going on.

Hmmmm...maybe I should turn off my TV and my computer and actually get packed up...??? I'm a addicted to!!! It's hard to pull myself away from it!!

Gustav...Coming our way???

2008-08-27T10:19:00.000-07:00

Watching Gusav - click here for more info

So this could POSSIBLY be the first experience with a hurricane...??? I'm not really worried about it...YET. But Scott is leaving for Utah tomorrow and not supposed to return until Tuesday or Wednesday next week. IF the storm hits it will be Monday, as of now. I've already had many friends call and tell me to pack my bags and that IF it comes in that I'm welcome to stay with them. So, needless to say I'll be packing my backpack with my 72 hour gear and adding any of the final touches today and tomorrow. One friend just called and said that her husband went out to Home Depot, Lowes, etc. to get a small generator... GONE! The masses have already begun to do there shopping for the storm. ACTUALLY, interestingly, Louisiana has a FREE TAX day at the beginning of hurricane season, state tax is removed from purchases to get people more interested in getting supplies EARLY. (they also do this tax free day a few days before school starts to help with the purchase of school uniforms. ALL school private/public wear uniforms.)

Unfortunately Gustav has already caused a lot of damage & deaths in Haiti. I haven't heard any reports about our children in Haitian Roots, but will keep you posted when we get word from our coordinators over there.

More on Gustav
Haiti-Cuba-Louisiana
Tropical Storm Satellite

LOVE Y'ALL!!!

Enjoying Lake Powell

2008-08-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

Scott & I went to Kanab for a week to meet up with my sister Bean (Jeana), who lives there with her husband and 2 girls and our sister Joni, who is living in California with her husband and 2 children.

We had a lot of fun. The first two days of our trip were spent at Lake Powell. Bean and girls weren't able to join us... SAD... we missed them and we'll plan on them joining us next time!

It was a lot of fun to see the kids AND adults enjoy the sun, water and great beaches of Lake Powell. We were also delighted to accept the offer of spending the night on a "boat house" as Oliver calls it.

Oliver is the boy in the video and Eliza is his sister in the video...

Not the best video or anything, but fun to do... Joni had the GOOD camera and we're all awaiting her footage!

This is dedicated to Grandpa Jon and Grandma J...ACTION!

Avery Island - May 2008

2008-07-28T11:28:00.000-07:00

So, I apologize up front, I didn't have a lot of time to edit the videos and to really look at this, so i don't know what'cha might find. BUT, it does have some shots of gators and swamplands...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

DREAM! FIGHT! LIVE!

2008-07-22T17:04:00.000-07:00

Life has taken on MANY new perspectives for me over the last few months...again, it's not one moment, but a conglomeration of moments over my lifetime. Technology is an amazing thing and has opened a facet of the world that is absolutely remarkable. (see videos below) There are so many stories to be heard, to be learned from and to share and all we need to do is search for them. Search for what motivates us. I've learned that the word motivation is another word for "why?".

Have you ever felt like what you want is just out of reach and that it's "impossible". OR maybe someone, even a someone you love and look up to, has told you it's impossible or just not supported you in your DREAMS because it wasn't "realistic". Maybe you've got a dream deep down inside but you don't feel it's possible so you keep it buried deep, covered with fear, covered with excuses; "no money", "no time", "it just wouldn't work", "I'm not smart enough", "I don't have the support"...etc. etc. etc. MAYBE you don't even dare to dream? What is your dream? What is your spouses dream? What is your child's dream?
What is your "WHY?" Believe in YOUR dreams, believe in miracles!

DREAM IT, FIGHT FOR IT, LIVE IT!!

"Yes you can, you can do anything you want to do, as long as you make up your mind, you can do it." - Dick Hoyt (father)

When we learn to live for others, that is truly when we have learned to live.

How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours

2008-07-10T09:32:00.000-07:00

First of all, if you found my blog because you are truly searching how you can obtain a child slave for yourself-one thing I say to you.......... You are going to hell!!!

Putting that aside... :-) Many of you may know that I'm a member of a non profit organization called Haitian Roots. Our focus and goal is to support Haitian children through education. (Please visit the website for more information.)

This is a recent letter sent to the board of Haitian Roots, including myself, from one of our co-founders.

As you watch the video segments from ABC News, I would like you to know that I have been to Haiti, and I have seen the streets and even the hotel where some of the footage was taken. I URGE all of you to take the time to read/watch the horrific story, "How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours" Not to depress you, but to open your eyes and hearts to what is going on, and to know that there IS something you can do about it!!! Again, visit the website www.haitianroots.com
Call me (801.372.0219) and I can tell you more about what we are doing and how YOU CAN HELP!
___________________________________________
Dear Haitian Roots Friends,

It is with a heavy heart that I send the link to the news segments I just watched about child slavery in Haiti. I know that all of these things exist but it is hard to see them up close again. I am reminded of the time we spent visiting the home for rescued slave children. This whole segment made me feel so desperately sad. But it also helped the flame in my heart to grow-to remember why we are doing what we are doing. As you hear in the second segment, many people agree that one of the biggest reasons for child slavery is the lack of educational opportunity. I hope and pray that we will be able to reach more children and that the children we are educating will grow up to me moral and ethical leaders that will change this type of thing.
ABC NEWS - "How to Buy a Child in 10 Hours"

Regrettably, slavery even exists in the US. Having read the most Trafficking in Person's report, I realize that this is a world problem. I feel lost when I first think of these things. But then I take a deep breath, say a prayer, and try to think of the next thing that I will do to try to raise money for our cause. I truly believe that there is hope for Haiti and the key is education. As H.G. Wells once said, "Human history becomes more and more like a race between education and catastrophe."
We are in a race and, again using another to say what I'm feeling more eloquently, I will use Abraham Lincoln in regards to this race that we are running, "I am not bound to win, but I'm bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I'm bound to live up to what light I have."

We may not be able to change all of Haiti or end slavery, but we can be true to what we have felt strongly to do. We can and are making a difference.

Thank you all for your friendship and dedicated support of Haitian Roots

Sincerely,
Shannon A. Cox
Co-Founder
www.haitianroots.com

botox?

2008-07-03T06:51:00.001-07:00

Now that it's clean...

2008-06-18T06:46:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official!!! The renters have moved into our home, as of June 14th. I'm very excited for them.

A couple of weeks ago Scott and I were in Utah to FINALIZE the cleaning and moving out, what a process! But I really enjoyed seeing our accomplishment...if you'll take a second to look down a post or two you'll see the MESS we had... compared to now...

We built the home and moved in a little after our first year of marriage. I think at about day 3 in the house we were talking about getting "touch-up" paint - which we never did. But The last day we were there, we touched up the paint. What a HUGE difference it made!!! If y'all haven't touched up your paint recently, We HIGHLY recommend it!

The amazing elk has been temporarily displayed at the Sportsman's Warehouse in Provo, Utah. Because he stands 6ft. + from chest to tip-top antler, fitting him into our small apartment OR fitting him in the Subaru for the drive out, just wasn't going to work. :-) If you're ever in the area, you should stop by and say hello to him. He's in the archery department.

Another clean room, what a feeling it is! Now, as you can see in the picture, there is a very large "post-it-note" hanging on the wall. This is actually a post-it-note, just like the little ones we have sitting on our desks. It's awesome!! I pulled out a large marker and made a list of all the things that needed to be done. As we finished with each room or project we checked it off. LOVE IT!!! They'd be great for all sorts of things! Kid's rooms would be fun, use for coloring...???

Yea, it was weird locking up the house for the last time. I'm sure it would have been much more difficult if we had sold it. It's amazing the memories that are made. It really is difficult to wrap my brain around the fact we had lived there for 6 years. We've had comments from others with concerns about a family with 3 small children living in our home. With all the damage that could...will be done. To this I say: We built this home with a family in mind. We had been married a year and had started working on building a family as well as a home. As God has willed thus far, children have not lived in our home. BUT, we expected boogies on the wall, fruit punch on the carpets, peanut butter on the sofa and "art work" of creative imaginations to been seen and heard as you entered the home. That's what the house was built for, now it will fulfill it's purpose!!

We love our neighborhood in Pleasant Grove and our neighbors there are like family. There will be some that I know we will be in touch with from here on out, no matter which directions we may go!

Weather from Lafayette...

2008-05-26T07:52:00.001-07:00

January 18, 2008 - 1st Big Storm
This storm woke me up, I thought there was an ambulance outside our apt. complex because the lightning kept flashing like the lights on an ambulance, police car etc. It was AWESOME!!!

May 14, 2008 - Tornado Warning
We've had a couple Tornado "watches", but this was our fist warning. The tornado touched down in some areas near by, but it didn't visit our neighborhood, directly. As you can see the rain and a good gust of wind was what we got. The rain comes up fast, it's like ponds just drop out of the sky. The way this place floods blows my mind, I've never seen anything like the weather around here!!!

A few Things I've Missed Along the Way...

2008-05-26T07:36:00.000-07:00

Well, because I went so long without a familiar computer, I've gotten out of the habbit of even getting on now that I have a new one...so I have a lot to catch up on and stuff that happened long ago but I'm going to do my best to post a few...a lot of pictures and comments on the last few months I've been here.

Mardi Gras 2008
It was February 1-5th I believe...it reminds me a little of any parade we'd have out west, but instead of throwing candy, they throw beads, cups, back-scratchers, and other fun toys and items...contrary to what many may believe about Mardi Gras and getting beads...you DON'T have to "flash" anyone in order to get them. There is a lot more to Mardi Gras than I had ever imagined!! It's a lot of fun and we will be comming out here long after we leave for the great celebrations. I too would like to hold Mardi Gras parties at my home, wherever we may be - so friends and family, start looking for some great masks and Mardi Gras festivity gear, so when the invitation arives for our parties, you'll be prepared!!! :-)

Mardi Gras Links:
Mardi Gras Outlett
Why Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras 2009

My battery on my camera died at the beginning of the parade I went to...so I don't have any of the floats really, but a few shots before and after the parade. (I charged my battery during the parade...SAD) The Duhon (Due-yawn) family are wonderful friends of ours.

Chuck Duhon & Scott at the Parade, Tanya Duhon & Jennifer after the parade - once we took most of our beads off, they get hot. Kennedy Duhon & Maddie & Brendan Duhon & Maddie

Here's a kid who really knows how to sweep the beads & cute Maddie "enjoying" the bead...can't you tell she just LOVES'M..??

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CrawFish! CrawFish! CrawFish!

My first crawfish boil was over at the Duhons. They boil the crawfish, potatoes, garlic & corn on the cob with amazing cajun spices, once done to perfection, the water is drained and the delectable creation is poured onto the table - no forks, knives, spoons needed - break in! FYI - don't wear anything you don't want to get messy... A tantalizing dip is prepared by the individuals who are eating, made to fit your taste buds. The base of the sauce is ketchup and mayo, from there the individual will add tobasco, cajun seasoning etc. to taste. YUMMMMM!!!

We haven't learned the art of true crawfish boils, but fortunately when we're craving crawfish, Scott was blessed to find a fabulous little ma/pa cafe that you can get crawfish...DRIVE THRU style. This way we can bring it home and enjoy as desired by our taste buds.

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Magnolia Ridge Plantation/Gardens

Scott and I spent the afternoon doing a little sight-seeing and cruzing a couple of the near by towns. The pictures are of Magnolia Ridge Plantation in Washington, Louisiana. We actually missed when the garden is in full bloom. It's usually the end of March, but due to a longer, "colder" winter than usuall, it bloomed later, but it was still beautiful!!!

_________________

MOVING OUT...

Our home in Utah was being rented by Scott's brother and his wife, but recently decided to move to Southern Utah. We then decided it would be best to CLEAN...GUT out the house, COMPLETELY, and rent it out. I have NO idea how we ended up with so much STUFF!? It was a long hard process of cleaning it out...mostley emotionally difficult, but I'm SO, SO, SO glad we did it. I don't have any pictures of it yet now that it's cleaned out, I'll get some when I go back in June, but here are a few of the messes... YIKES!!! (The "stuff" is a combination of ours, Scott's brothers, some things from my grandfather I was keeping, plus a few things from neighbors...yea, CRAZY)

The new renters will be moving in in mid-June. A cute family of 5. Scott and I built the house in 2002. Unfortunately it never enjoyed the writing on the walls, sprinkler hoses being drug through the hallways or the pitter-pat of our own children living there, so nows the time to really break it in!! I'm excited to see them move in. They are wonderful people!

We kept very little, and what we kept is a few "heirloom peices and hunting/fishing/camping items (in a small, storage unit) that we'll be using when we come back to Utah to visit & play. We didn't take any furniture with us to Louisiana. We took the T.V. my sewing machine, cloths (not all), and a few "projects" for me to work on and that was pretty much it. Oh,and of course MADDIE! :-) If it didn't fit in my car, it didn't come. Talk about down-sizing! It was difficult at first, but the thought of moving into a larger place makes me a little nausious. I'm LOVING the luxury of a simple life!!! I need to get pictures of our apt. on the blog....

____________________

Main Street River Ranch Apartment - Lafayette, Louisiana

The furniture was rented by the company, it isn't the best and I've felt as though I've been in a hotel-but the rental contract will be up at the end of May and I have been able to go pick out my own choice of furniture...I'm soooo excited!!! It will feel MUCH more like home once we get our new furniture here! YEA!!! For now - here is what I have - the furniture has been moved around NUMEROUS times, it's a small room and two walls are french doors-makes it a bit challenging, but fun!

I've been playing around with the video editing stuff on my computer so once I get the new furniture I'll do a video tour...that should be fun!!! Until then here's what I got for now - it's no longer arranged as you see in the picture...

Check out this site and the links to the right, under "Lafayette" to see where we live.
Main Street @ River Ranch

An Afternoon with Tami

2008-05-23T16:25:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll!! Enjoy!!
(The video isn't so good, but I'm not going to take the time to edit it or it'll never get done. You'll hear the thunder after I ask Tami if she saw the lightning... no justice is done on my little digital camera...

Make a Smilebox photobook

Yesterday afternoon my friend Tami and I did a little photo shoot...now when she asked me if I wanted to go take pictures, in my mind I imagined, landscape, building, wildlife, NOPE! She had an entirely different idea! She's awesome!! Unfortunately she's only here for a couple more weeks and then her and her husband, Billy are going home to Houston, TX. They've been traveling the world with his job for the past few months and this is their last stop before heading home. We met a couple of months ago, but we were instant friends... Friends Forever... :-)

30 & Loving It!

2008-04-16T13:54:00.000-07:00

~ ~ ~ My computer DIED on me, therefore I only have access to a computer when Scott gets home at night, but then I'm getting dinner ready, we go out to play, and/or he needs to use the computer for work...so I haven't had much of a chance to check in on many of my friends blogs or update my own. They have a business center here at the apt, but I can't login to my own blog, nor can I get to many of my friends blogs...??? not cool...anyway, we're looking into getting me another, but it will be awhile, I'll check in when I can. Love ya! ~ ~ ~

OK folks, WARNING, there will be much meandering in this post. I won't promise that it will make a lot of sense, you'll most likely shake your head in confusion and browse to the "Jelly of the Month Club"(see video) page, to find more thought provoking entertainment...You've been warned... :-)

Ok, so I've been 30 years old for almost a year...that would make me closer to 31 than 30 but, it's the last 1-2 years that has lead to me sharing what I'm going to share...

I personally didn't have a hard time with it. I was asked why I didn't mind being 30? The first thing that came out was, "I was young and dumb, now I'm young and wiser." But, I've been thinking a lot about my life lately, and pondering about that statement...

WARNING WARNING WARNING Jelly of the Month Club is sounding better every moment...

I'm not saying that I should go into "The Guinness Book of World Records" for being in the top 10 of most wise people or anything, I'm just comparing myself to myself.

I've thought a lot about when I really started to feel a change. I've been blessed with many amazing "ah-ha" moments, I can't share them all with you..well I could but it would take me months, if not years to write...for I'm long winded...ANYWAY... Comparing myself:

-1st day in the MTC vs. the 1st morning I woke up in 18 months and didn't put my name tag on
-1st time Scott Woolsey asked me to dance vs. 1st dance as Mr. & Mrs Scott Woolsey
-1st day on the job with Alpine School District vs. the 1st day in Louisiana as a homemaker
-1st day at an orphanage in Haiti vs. 1st reluctant step onto the plain to return to the U.S.A

This isn't even the beginning, but I hope it gives you, as the reader, a better idea of what I classify as to being "wiser".

As Scott and I have moved out to Louisiana and have been packing up our "stuff", it's amazing all the memories you find. Yesterday, I was going through all my mission stuff, letters, tapes, pictures, journals and a wonderful scrapbook/s my mother made for me. Many times I lost focus on my project, but it was worth it. I read through letters from my parents/family, and my friends...I even popped in a few cassette tapes to hear voices from the past. It was awesome. It's amazing how much I have forgotten. There were so many small little things that brought back big memories. Seeing the faces of the friends I made in the MTC, in Portugal and in Cabo Verde, (Africa) brought so much love into my heart.

I'm amazed at how much more love I have felt at 30 compared to 20. I've learned that the more I experience life, the more I love, the more I love, the more I feel love from those around me. When I say I feel the love from those around me, it's not necessarily they love they have for me, but the love they feel for what surrounds them; their family, friends, etc. It's awesome!

Anyway, I have much on my mind but I will have mercy upon all of you and sign off now, but I will close with...

- Be more concerned about what God thinks about you than what peple think about you.
- Faith makes things possible not easy.
- Love is a journey, not a destination.
- A positive attitude brings strength, energy and initiative.
- Two things are hard on the heart - running up stairs and running down people.
- You can make more friends with your ears than with your mouth.
- You never saw a fish on the wall with its mouth shut.
- Your success reflects the sacrifice you're willing to make.
- Look for the small miricles and you'll see them everywhere.
- Individual commitment to a group effort, that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.
- Forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the wind longs to play with your hair.
- Smile, smile, smile...it increases face value.

"You can't define me by my look, but by my spirit, listen, hear it."

Visit to Kanab...

2008-04-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

So, I've got a bunch of pictures to share...

The dolls:

Tiny:
So Bean & Kris are Disney fans; so to prepare their little ones Kris will mimic the favorite rides at Disney Land as he lifts the little ones up into the air in his arms. The favorite ones seem to be "Splash Mt." and "Tower of Terror". As creative as Kris is he went a step further the last couple days I was there. He hooked up this dolphin swing-thing to a zip line and ran it across the yard-needless to say she LOVES it!

One of her FAVORITE things to say is "HI" and adds a cute little wave, especially to her new little sister.

Tiny 2 - Oh, the amazing wonder and ahh the inocence of a new born can bring into a persons soul.

While in Kanab, I took advantage of the beautiful weather and some of the local hiking trails.

HOG CANYON:

BUNTING TRAIL: (and my hiking/running partner, I miss him too)

Scott came out to visit for a few days & while he was here we went to Zion to get into the mountains before heading back to the beautiful, flat, wetlands of Louisiana.

I can't get enough of Southern Utah, It's my most favorite place. So when the opportunity came up to go Rhino-Ride'n with Stephanie and her family; I was all up for it. Travel'n the back-hills of Kanab brought back a flood of memories for Steph and I. Needless to say we had a lot of fun. There's noth'n like growing up in a small town surrounded by so much beauty and adventure!

So for Easter we planned to go to the Grand Canyon, well it was closed...the Grand Canyon Closed? What do they put a tarp over it? :-) Anyway, it was a beautiful drive and we picniced anyway.

Signs, Signs, everywhere signs... I get a kick out of the little figures; I'm in no way rebeling against the importance of warning signs, they are indeed important. Non-the-less I find them amusing...even entertaining.

Since I was flying out of S.L.C, I headed north for a couple of days to take care of a few things, the most important: spend an afternoon with my Grandpa Beazer. He's one of the greatest men I've ever known. Now, when I was younger I would have thought this afternoon was the most boring, but in my "mature" years I found it to be very interesting and rewarding. He took me for a drive to see the homes and the areas in which my mother and her siblings grew up. I took some snap-shots of the areas and took some notes on his stories. I sure love that man!!

So, this was my trip to Utah...I've been blessed with many opportunities to travel and see some beautiful places; man made and natural. Yet, no matter where I go, Utah, Southern Utah is the most beautiful & unique of all areas. I know it may sound weird, but it has such an amazing divers beauty to it that it reminds me of Gods great power and His love for His children, you & I. I know God has created all the beauty in this world to remind us each and every day of His love for us, no matter where you may be. It's just that Southern Utah, the sands of Lake Powell the highest peaks of Zion and the deepest canyons of the Grand Canyon is where I feel it the most.

Beautiful Examples

2008-03-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

It's been so long I don't even know where to start, nor do I have a lot of time this morning.

I do want to say that the past 3 weeks I've been in scenic Kanab, Utah. I was there spending time with my beautiful sister and her active 15 month old daughter and her precious new born. It was amazing to see the interaction of my sister and her family and what a wonderful mother she is!

I will have to say that both of my sisters, Jeana and Joni are like Marry Poppins, "Practically perfect in every way". I'm so grateful to have wonderful examples to look up to. Being the oldest it's been a blessing to be able to watch them grow from cute little snots into beautiful mothers! :-) Thanks to both of you for making a positive difference in the world.

SLY

A Sunset in the Swamp

2008-03-02T19:51:00.000-08:00

Scott and I went out yesterday afternoon to learn a bit more about where we live.. Scott and I visited the museum that my parents and I visited when they were here and the lake.

One of our stops was a small pond close to town. There are a few little gators in this pond so they put a cement plank in the middle of the pond for them to climb onto, well, these cute little turtles have also found it a place of refuge...SO CUTE! (Sorry Joni, but every time I see turtles...I think of you! SLY)

I'm not sure what kind of bird this is. The wildlife out here is SOO much different than what we see out west...duh..I know, but I didn't realize how different it would be... :-)

We watched the sunset fall beneath the waters of Martin Lake. It was so beautiful! Again, I'm used to watching the sun set sink behind a large rocky mt. For the first time we saw the beauty of the sunset behind shallow waters full of amazing trees full of spanish moss draping from branch to branch.

Maddie

2008-02-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

I found this picture of Maddie sport'n one of mom's wonderful beenies and just wanted to share it...it made me smile.

Have a beautiful day, I love ya'll!!

Love from Louisiana

2008-02-22T07:16:00.000-08:00

I went out and co-taught for the first time for the
Red Cross yesterday, it was a lot of fun. The class
was "CPR/First Aid for the workplace" The chapter here
is hurting soo badly for volunteers and $$$. After
Katrina and Rida, the majority of volunteers and even
staffed (paid) workers left; emotionally it was just too
much. Plus, so many people donated a lot of $$$ and
material right after the storms, that they aren't
donating any more. There is still a huge relief
program in place for so many of the victims. I'd
really like to get down to some of the areas to
witness with my own heart what is going on.

I've also started my training to be certified as part
of the disaster relief program. This includes
anything from meeting the needs of those involved in
single home house fires to natural disaster
victims. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm
actually going to get one-on-one training because
there is nobody else showing interest at this time,
and they really need help. Our Chapter oversees 9 parishes (a
parish is what we call a county in the west) and there are only 2
of them on the disaster team. I've started
working/training side-by-side with the director of the
disaster dept. Again, I'm VERY excited!

I know I talked about the weather a post or two ago, but man...we just don't see this stuff out in Utah, I suppose just like they don't see the snow...but the rain storms are amazing. Joni-it's a bit like the rain we would see in Haiti, but it will last for hours, with thunder and lightning. ;-) There was one night I thought there was an ambulance just outside our window in the parking lot with the lights flashing; NOPE...LIGHTNING! I have video of it, (I've got to take the time to learn how to get it on my blog) but the lightning was continually flashing. It was awesome!!

Scott and I will be getting or first real taste for Cajun Dancing tonight. There is a ward activity, Pot Luck and Cajun Dancing! We're excited! From what we've seen, it's a lot like the swing, so we should have a good start.

We're also going to start taking tennis lessons, yup, us, taking actual tennis lessons. W-E-I-R-D! Here at River Ranch they have quite the tennis program. We've talked about playing before, but now we've decided to learn the right way of playing instead of just guessing... :-) This is a good place to learn, I think our trainer/coach is from Brazil-if so, it will be fun to talk to him with the very little Portuguese that I know. Maybe learn a few new words. Tennis @ River Ranch

Bollywood

2008-02-19T07:00:00.001-08:00

I've had a "thing" for India and those regions for years. For the past couple of years I've been listening and watching Bollywood entertainment. I find it just awesome! I love how evne though they join the Hollywood world, they keep so much of their own traditional ways of singing and dancing!

Here are just a few of my favorite clips. I get a good laugh as I watch them, I think you will too... There are A LOT more. If you have a minute, you shuld just cruz around on youtube and check some out. :-)

Even if you don't enjoy this stuff the way I do, I hope you find some entertainment itn it.

I actually LOVE world entertainment. I'm always finding/looking for new ways to be culturally enlightened. If anyone has anything they'd like to share with me, please do so!

Links to videos:

Bollywood welcomes the 80's

Bollywood goes Western Cowboy

Bollywood Today

TUNKA TUNKA

Heavy Thunder Storm

2008-02-12T11:53:00.000-08:00

Well, since we've been here I don't think there have been two days in a row that we haven't got rain. When we first got here we weren't seeing any lighting or hearing thunder. About a week and a half ago we started to get the thunder and lightning. It's awesome!!! But, it doesn't SMELL like I'm used to. (I remember England not smelling either when it rained...)

This morning was sunny and beautiful! The temperature was 75+. I was anxious to get out and get somethings done, out of the house. I cleaned up the apartment a bit, did a little work on the computer and was getting ready to head out into the bright, shinny, WARM, weather and I kid you not, it was in a blink of the eye and it was dark! It was 1 in the afternoon and it looked closer to 6-7pm! The wind picked up and small drops of rain dropped onto the balcony. Within seconds those small drops of rain where FAT and HEAVY! The thunder rolled in and the lightning was flashing.

I recorded a bit on my little camera, but it could never do it justice. It was beautiful! Scott called not long after the storm had stared and told me he had heard rumor of a tornado watch along with the sever thunderstorm that had come in. He asked me not to leave the house for a couple of hours until things were calmer. Even if there weren't a tornado watch, the last time a heavy storm came in, there were parts of Lafayette that the flood waters were up to the windows of the cars. Now, from what I gather, this is nothing new to the folks who have lived here for quite some time and it's no big deal. So I'm not worried, but I did want to see if there really was a tornado watch. Yup, there is click here-Lafayettef weather We are on a tornado watch until 4pm. There is also flood watches for some areas as well.

Again, I'm HONESTLY not worried. But, I've been "feeling" VERY strongly about making sure we have our 72 hour kits ready and be as prepared as we can for any circumstances that may arise. When we went to Utah this past week, I made sure that we brought our larger, more comfortable backpack with us, along with many of our backpacking items that we carry with us when we've gone packing out in the great, and amazing mountains of Utah. I brought a few things with us when we moved out here, but now we've got better packs and more "provisions". SOOO instead of getting "out and about" (thanks mom) I'm going to work on putting our packs together and come up with a list of items that we're still going to need. :-)

Well, no fun pictures this time, but just wanted to update ya'all on our fun weather. Now, Utah...talk about about "fun" weather in Northern Utah...there is SOOO much snow! Scott and I actually saw some snow plow crews pushing snow back and trying to clear the snow off the sides of the road or level it out or something, because it was so high, and they were expecting another storm and the snow plows wouldn't be able to clear the snow because there was no were for the snow to go, except back on the road. ALSO there is a shortage of rock salt, there aren't many stores that have it. UDOT is having problems getting it as well. A statement came out saying that they had already had to buy more than the budget had allowed and they still need more. Crazy hu? Click here-Northern Utah Weather

Anywhooo...enough about weather, I don't know why I find weather to be so fascinating!

SUPRISE!!!

2008-01-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the week, Scott told me we were going to go to dinner w/one of his bosses who was flying in from Georgia on the upcoming Wednesday night. So Wednesday came and Scott came home from work a little early so we could beat the crowds at the restuarant.

I was getting ready to go and I get a call from mom, she's asking me how my day was; yada, yada, yada... A nock on the door, I go to the door and look out the peep-hole and low-and-behold, it's my mom & dad's cute little faces staring back at me. HOLY MOLY!!!!

What a splendid surprise! I really appreciate the fact that they were soo, soo, soo busy getting ready for Russia, but they took the time to come out and visit us in our new home & area. I'm so grateful for their love and support.

Though their visit was short it was filled with some great history lessons and back road bajou adventures.

The evening they arrived we went to a local restaurant - Prejean's (pray-jawns). It's a highly respected Cajun place. We had shrimp, pasta, crawfish and aligator!! Every night there is a Cajun band that plays, the back drop takes you to a local swamp, aligators included... This WAS a real aligator, I think it was 12 feet long...???

The second day we went out and about to get to know more about Louisiana, Cajuns, Acadians, Mardi Gras and whatever else we could absorb. We visited the Acadian Cultural Center Acadiana Cultural Center We met a lovely lady named Ruth, she is now our Cajun mom. It was a good thing we were in no hurry, the people here LOVE to talk. So we talked to her, a ranger and others who were working there for quite a while before we watched a couple of movies on the history of people who settled Louisiana-the Acadians. VERY informative! Ruth suggested we visit Martin Lake - She didn't know our last name was Martin. So with a handful of brochures & maps form Ruth, we were off.

We took her advice and went out to visit Martin Lake (Martin is a prominant name of some of the wealthiest people here in Louisiana...I need to see if we're a long lost family they've been looking for-I would think they're looking for their heirs to share their wealth with.)

With dad navigating the crazy, mis-matched maps, we were off to Martin Lake. Before we saw the lake there was a swampy-bayou area...I don't know the difference for sure but anyway here are some pictures...

At the swamp/bayou...

At the lake...

After the lake we got a little "off" course, but we were up for the adventure of just seeing what the road brings. It was fun & interesting to see the outskirts of town and see more of the country. It's Beautiful, and I'm excited to see it this spring when everything is in bloom. In all my travels I've never seen or experienced swamp and bayou land...

Once back to the apt. we made dinner, Chicken Cordon Bleu. I'd never made it before, but with moms great advice we made a delectable meal! Thanks ma!!

The next day we decided to do some shopping. Mom & I wanted to find a few little things for Mardi Gras...We found the perfect place...there weren't a few little things for Mardi Gras, there were THOUSANDS!!!! I think we were there for a good hour...maybe more. We tried on mask after mask, hat after hat and browed the bead isles. PLUS this place had decor for every holliday. It was a lot of fun!

We tried to visit an old, historic cathedrial, but a bad parrelell parking attempt and small roads made us miss the opening hours...Well, that, PLUS I just didn't read the "hours of opperation either...sorry! BUT, it was funny, we just finished listening to the cathedral bells marking the noon hour, commenting on how neat they sounded and we stood there at the door looking at the hour it closed...NOON. :-) BUMMER. We just had to laugh. We then headed down town to the "old" Lafayette and went to a meuseum. WOW, the things we learned. We learned about Mr. Lafayette and his influence and help in keeping America free from the British rule. (He's French)

Back to the apt we went for a late lunch. Scott came home and we went out to see a bit of the shops in the neighborhood. 1st stop, The Backpacker, a store for..well...backpackers... :-)

Then we went to the "Fresh Market". It was an amazing grocery store...gourmet grocery store...we went to get a loaf of bread and an hour later, a handful of samplers in our belly and a new outlook on grocery shopping we headed home. (mom's got a picture...please share.)

We spent the evening eating chips and salsa, mom's favorite pudd'n and anything else we could get in our little fingers while we played Hearts. FUN! It was soo, soo, soo much fun. I just didn't want the night to end, knowing that in the morning..AFTER orange toast...they would step onto a plane and I wouldn't see them for a year or more. WHAAAA!!! Yet, I'm so excited for them and for the journey they'll embark upon as they leave for Russia.

Mom & Dad, words will NEVER express the appriciation I have for your love, and your EXAMPLE of what love is. Thanks again for coming out to visit! We will miss you greatly!!

Journey to the South...

2008-01-20T15:10:00.000-08:00

The Journey...

January 10, 2008
Maddie in her new, Grandma Woolsey-made jacket...working hard on guarding the trash while I pack in Utah...

January 11, 2008
As we leave Utah, the first state we get to:

January 12, 2008
One more state closer to Louisiana:

We had a little car problems in the middle of the Navajo Indian Reservation, in New Mexico - atleast it wasn't in the middle of the night, in the freezing cold, no cell service and a pack of starving wolves stalking the car... We only lost about 5 hours, not bad at all...Thanks AllState & PepBoys

January 13, 2008
And now the last state we'll see before we arive in Louisiana:

January 13, 2008
Dunn-ta-da-dunnnn....50 hours later - we'd like to welcome ya'all to

Check out the alltitude... :-)

January 14, 2008 HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!!!
Maddie keeping post in her new neighborhood, from her new home...

Maddie's New Bed

January 19, 2008
Henderson Swamp

January 19, 2008

Catching Up...

2008-01-20T12:23:00.000-08:00

Wow, it's been a while... a lot has happened. I'll try not to make this one too long and just do some short ones each day until I'm caught up...???

CHRISTMAS 2007

The month leading up to Christmas is always chaotic...but this year it was chaotic in a different way. I was packing up the house while Scott was in Louisiana, I was finishing up with my job and then trying to do some Christmas stuff. I really didn't think it would be that bad, but as it got closer and closer for leaving to Kanab for the holiday I started to realize that once I got back from Christmas, I would be a guest in the home we've been living in for the past 5 years, and I was LEAVING my wonderful neighborhood and friends in Utah as we moved out to Louisiana. It got more difficult to pack up, but it made it easier to think about all of my blessings, and reflect on what I've learned in the past 6 1/2 years while in Pleasant Grove. Thanks to all of my friends and family in Utah that have taught me so much and showed me so much love and support.

I've been wanting to become more...ummm...domesticated for the past year or so and to say the least, I didn't do such a good job. So, when we decided to move to Louisiana and we felt it would be best if I didn't work, for awhile, I thought that this would be a great opportunity to test out the waters of "domestic womanhood". One of my goals was to start doing patch work quilts. So, I figured it would be better to learn a little before I left. A very talented, charitable, patient friend of mine took on the challenge of teaching me how to sew a quilt. I didn't even know how to do the little bobbin-majig. Well, with some time and a lot of love I was able to finish a quilt for my mother, for Christmas. I was going to do a little baby quilt, but decided I wanted to make a momma's quilt. She'd made so many for us girls and the grandkids, 2-legged or 4-legged. I wanted her to have one.

I loved making it, I've started another one, but havent' got too far yet.

If any of you have read Joni's blog about how Christmas changes as you get older, I will definatley agree.
Christmas has become less about what we may find under the tree on Christmas morning. It has become more of a time to sit down with the ones you love the most and reflect on the trials and blessing of the past. A time to overcome any hurt feelings or the chance to say sorry.
Christmas is about FAMILY: This past year I have felt more of a need to learn more about my ancestors. And in doing so I have found a greater love for them. I started to realize how important it is to share who you are with your family and seek out who your family REALLY is; and get it in writing. A couple of months before Christmas, Bean sent us a bunch of questions about our lives and then we all wrote down and sent her the answeres to the questions and other thoughts and feelings we may want to share. On Christmas Eve she delighted us with a beautiful book with with our priceless memories compiled together.
Christmas has also become a time to share our testimonies of Christ and share/bless those we love with the talents He has blessed each of us with. Joni shared her gift of voice by sining us a beautiful song.
Christmas is about charity & sacrifice, mom and dad worked so hard on getting the house ready and prepared for all of us to come together. They made sure we were comfortable, warm and never an empty stomach. They put off their own need to pack up the house in preperation of moving to Russia for a couple of years for us. They made it possible for the true spirit of Christmas to dwell with us, to touch us, and to teach us.
Christmas IS about Christ, and about His life and example He left for us. Christmas is the time to reflect on Him and what He has done for us.
Christmas is about remembering and to do what we can to follow His example, showing Him our gratitude.
Christmas may actually happen only once a year, but the spirit of Christmas is meant to stay with us through out the year. Durring Christmas we seem to be a bit kinder, a little more forgiving, even more charitable. May I extend a challenge to anyone who might be reading this: In the following week, pretend that it is December; when you may see a person in need, think about what you may do close to Christmas vs. mid-January? Act upon what you feel.

As my family is becoming more spread throughout the country/world, I truely have become more aware of how blessed I am with such an amazing family-Martins and Woolseys!!

Giving Thanks

2007-11-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

First of all, I hope everyone enjoyed the Thanksgiving Weekend!
Second - I want to thank our family and friends for the hospitality we were given over the holiday.

The day before Thanksgiving, Austin, one of the family neighbor boys came to the door stating that their mother wasn't home and there was something stuck in the turkey that his older sister (Britney) was going to cook. So I went over to the Griffith home to find a large turkey in the sink. They had done a wonderful job on thawing it out. But before mom left to jury duty that morning, she told them to pull out the "giblets". The kids had no idea what a giblet was. :-) So I proceeded to pull the neck and the giblets from the turkey...while they all laughed about "giblets". They had made rolls, jell-o and other dishes for a feast they were having that evening. GOOD JOB KIDS!!

Anyway, later on that evening, they invited us over for this pre-Thanksgiving feast. We were very excited to spend some time with this lovely family of ours. We laughed about "giblets" most of the evening along with other stories, never a dull moment. And the food was fabulous!

Thanksgiving morning we went down to Central to spend the day with the Woolsey family. It had been a LONG time since we were all together in the same place. I'm very grateful for our families and for all the love and support they give us.

ReNae and I went to Salt Lake to see a play the day after Thanksgiving. "Once Upon This Island". It is a play that takes place in Haiti and tells an old folk story. It was a lot of fun and it really meant a lot to me. Thanks ReNae! We had a fun-filled day of travel and talk, making the Thanksgiving weekend even better and reminding me of all my blessings.

Then the icing on the cake...Joni and her beautiful family came to visit us on Saturday and even stayed the night before heading back to California. The BYU game, against Utah was also on Saturday. ReNae, Dale, Devin, Scott & Aaron were very excited as the game unfolded. It was a lot of fun to have so many of us there. (Joni and the kids were there as well, but we didn't watch it much.) I had picked up a couple of pizzas for all of us and some other goodies...including making Muddie-Buddies...YUM. One of the pizzas was double layer and it was huge.

Saturday evening after the big crowd left and Family Katz and the Woolsey's went on a field trip to cabellas, there was a BYU basketball game on that Scott and Aaron wanted to watch. The kids were put to bed, Joni and I hung out in my MESSY room and just talked and talked. After a bit, Joni and I went into the living room to see what the guys were up to, and there were two beautiful poinsettias on the counter, 1 for each of us and a love not from our husband. CUTE!! They are awesome and once again, we were reminded of how blessed we are with wonderful husbands.

Lafayette - Day 3

2007-11-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

November 18
The first day we were here, Keith the gentelman that also works for AEG, showed us that an article had come out in a local, free paper about "our" religion. We read it the first day we got here; it's a journalist who followed the missionaries around for a few days. It also talked about some of the members and this made us more excited to meet our new ward family.
The link to the article is below, or to the left under my Lafayette links:
http://timesofacadiana.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071114/NEWS01/711140310/1002/NEWS01

Sunday, this was the day I've been most anxious for. I was so excited to meet the ward. We were greeted by many people. 3 sets of elders and all sorts of lovely members. We actually ran into a friend from Snow College, that Scott and I both new, she was just visiting, so it was pretty random!!! SMALL WORLD!

We're looking forward to getting to know the members better. There are a couple of couples that we seemed to click with pretty fast and we've made plans to get together in January when I get back. One couple is anxious to teach us Cajun cooking, Cajun talk and even Cajun DANCING!! How exciting!!!!!

After church we took a drive to the north to the "country" and through some wildreness areas, once again, we wanted to see more of the culture of Louisiana in a different way. We stopped near a creek and took a small nap and then headed back to the hotel.

We're just packing up and getting ready for another VERY early flight in the morning. We'll spend the next couple of days before Thanksgiving cleaning up the house and packing up as much as we can.

Again, I'm very grateful for the opportunity we have to be here. I can tell that I will learn a lot here and that my testimony will be strengthened by the members here-it was amazing what I learned/felt today, I can't imagine what it will be like when we get to know them.

Signing off...
SLY

Lafayette - Day 2

2007-11-18T15:30:00.000-08:00

November 17
We went and looked into other apts. and didn't find anything as nice with the amenities and the price as close to River Ranch. So we put money down on a cute little apt at the River Ranch. We went back to the mall to look for a few Christmas gifts-we came out empty, I was bummed. We tried a new resturant, Logans Roadhous, it was fabulous. Scott had some amazing ribs and I had some wonderful tipilia. We drove around in some residentual neighborhoods to see more of the culture of Louisiana. SOOOO different, yet soo beautiful! And then back to the hotel to watch a little LSU football-GO TIGERS!

Nothing too exciting, but we've really liked being here. People have been so nice and very welcoming, even to those of us with a "wierd" way of talking...

SLY

Lafayette - Day 1

2007-11-17T06:18:00.000-08:00

Night of Nov. 16th & November 16th (HAPPY B-DAY BEAN!)

Scott and I both got home a little late from work, and hadn't even started to pack, or even do laundry. Our little green duffel bags weren't going to meet the demands of our new traveling needs. (but they've served us well, thanks little cute duffel bags)

So we went in search of luggage at about 8pm, (we want to thank "Ross" for not closing until 9:30pm) We found some GREAT Sampsonite pieces for a great deal, we rolled through Mc'D's for some thunder thighs and a pot gut and we were on our way home to get ready for the EARLY adventure the following morning.

By 10:30, we started some laundry and packing what we could, while cleaning the house up as well...Well 12:30 rolled around and Scott did get into bed. (we needed to be up by 2am) I struggle with packing plus I really wanted my house a little on the clean side when I got home and my toe nails were a MESS! So I opted to clean and paint my toenails. (A girls got'a do what a girls got'a do)

NOV. 16 (HAPPY B-DAY QUEEN B)
About 2 am I jumped in the shower, once my toes were cute...well, as cute as my pudgy-no nailed toes can be... Scott got up about 2:30 and we were on our way by 3am. We stopped by Davids apt at 3:30am (bless is heart, he took us up to the airport).
By 4am we were there and our flight left at 5:15am.

(wow-sorry, a lot of details, I couldn't stay sleeping this morning, but I don't want to bother scott...yet)

On our last leg to Lafayette, from Houston, we were in a SMALL plane, two propellers-are those called "twin prop planes" Anyway, I hadn't ever been on that size of a plane in the states, and it brought back some good memories of Cabo Vered...Cabos was much more exciting with chickens...but hey, we can't have all the luxuries in life here in the states. There were some VERY annoyed people on the plane about the size...but, then there was a group of people, all basically from Louisiana or near by states, that just talked and laughed about all sorts of stuff and they didn't even know each other. I'd never seen a plane full of strangers carry on the way they did-very fun. I'm supposing it has something to do with the nature of the people of the south.

Another employee (Keith) of AEG came to pick us up. His wife, Julia, is actually visiting this weekend, so she was there as well. He lives in the apt. complex that we're looking into, so he took us to his place and he had set up an appointment for us to get a tour of the "town" and talk about getting set up with an apt.
I had actually talked to this gal on the phone a few times and so it was fun to meet her in person.

After talking finances and stuff, we jump in a golf cart - 6 seater - and we rolled around the town. Now when I say town, it is a town within the town of Lafayette. There are all sorts of shops and dining options and really, anything you'd need or have in a basic city...even a post office. So we even drove around the different homes that are built there, CUTE, CUTE, CUTE!

Then we met back up with Keith and Julia and we stopped by their apartment for some tasty goat cheese and other assorted cheese and crackers and grapes for a little snack. We then went by Scott's office to meet the crew and to pick up his truck. Keith and Julia left us with a map and keys to the truck and we were off. We checked into the hotel, and TRIED to take a nap, didn't work...
so we got changed and went to the mall - I thought that would be a good place to do some "people watching" and went by the church ward house...it's not even 2 miles from the apt. we may get into and then we had a dinner engagement with Keith and Julia at one of River Ranches restaurants, called 11 Hundred. We spent a few hours just chatting and visiting about personal stuff, job stuff, and anything that we wanted to. They invited us to go to the local "Bluemoon Bar" but we opted out. :-) They know we don't drink, it was more out of being polite that they asked us.

So...that was all. A long story for not much happening.

Scott reminded me that I hadn't talked to the Bean that day, so at 10pm her time, I gave her a b-day call. Sounds like she and Kris had a lot of fun! Good Job Kris for doing something so fun for her.

Scott was OUT before I got off the phone. Good times~

So far we've liked what we've seen...other than we can't see mountains...anywhere! But we're excited, even more so now that we've met some of the people he'll be working with and the cute apt. complex.

Well, that's far more than enough for now...oh and ummm we forgot our camera...oops!

SLY
beijinhos

Scott Says Goodbye

2007-11-17T05:51:00.000-08:00

November 15th was Scott's last day at work...it was a little more emotional than he had anticipated, not only from himself, but those who he's been working with for the past few years as well.

They all chipped in to buy him a nice little gift, a lovely card, signed from the folks in the office and had a "donation jar" that was passed around and then they got him a gift card at Sportsmans Warehouse. VERY NICE! THANK YOU!

Scott and I have learned a lot from him working at Provo City and we are so grateful for all the people we've been able to meet and learn from. I'm also very grateful for those who have seen "something different" about him. That something different has made it possible for him to spread his wings. With that wing expansion, he has been able to fly a little higher and see the world from a new perspective.

I'm grateful for Scott and his desire to learn all he can and for his ability to make substantial progress towards his dreams and goals.

I'm grateful for Scott for letting me be the "free spirit" that I have a tendency to be. He has let me follow my dreams and desires, while keeping me "well grounded", and helps me be the best that I can be.

I could go on and on-but I don't want to bore ya'll, but I did want to let all of you know how much I love my cute husband and how pleased I am with his choices that has led AEG (the new company) to see he's a good, hard, honest, reliable worker, someone that they want/need on their team here in Lafayette.

Love ya'll
beijinhos

R-A-N-D-O-M

2007-11-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

So...for the past few years it's always bothered me that the toilet paper in public bathrooms never had a straight edge where it had been ripped off-it bothered me that people were rude enough not to "clean" up the edge...to my dismay I've recently realized that the reason there is no straight edge on public bathroom toilet paper is because....they haven't been quilted into cute squares with perforated edges!

Then to my horror as I thought back on all the mean thoughts I had about people who didn't leave the TP tidy for the next person-I was one of them! I couldn't have ever left a straight edge either!!! I had, like all the others...walked away without thinking twice about being tidy with the TP...I was too worried about why others weren't being tidy with the TP....

Wow! Amazing what it takes for me to learn very simple rules of life...I'm just as bad as the next person!

love ya!!!

New Blog Page

2007-11-08T20:48:00.000-08:00

Well, I've been putting more slide shows together, more or less scrapbooks for myself I suppose...and I didn't want to post them all on my regular blog. I felt that they'd just take up too much space and become boring... So, I've put another blog site together, JUST for the slide shows. This way you can browse through just the slide shows and IF one looks interesting to you, you can watch it...The link to the blog is at the top of the blog, or if you want the address: sjfootprints.blogspot.com

Footprints, because I feel that memories are footprints in our hearts, minds and souls, they mold us and create us into who we are. I too believe we are here to leave footprints of our souls and Gods love wherever we can.

SLY
beijinhos

Halloween 2007

2007-11-01T17:24:00.000-07:00

Well, we celebrated Halloween for 3 nights;
Monday: we had a little family home evening with David, Alicia, Devin & Elle. Alicia had a long running tradition of making "face" cookies. They tasted quite a bit like ginger snaps and they were GOOD. The reason they called them face cookies is because they'd use candy and make faces on the cookies. YUMMM!! We also decorated pumpkins, I only got a picture of one that Elle did. CUTE!!

Make your own slide shows and scrapbooks

Tuesday: Our ward held a Trunk'nTreat party in the parking lot of the church. There were A LOT who showed up, we were thinking 15 or so cars would come and decorate and hand out candy. (I'm on the activities committee) Well, there were 40+ cars who came and all the decorations and costumes to go with it. It was a lot of fun. Maddies little Yoda costume didn't work out too well, so she cruzed around the parking lot as a Lady 'Pug'. She was cute and just loved the attention, she thought she'd get a good bowl of candy...but we made sure we swiped it before she got too far with it.

Wednesday: We contributed to a good share of cavities that will soon need to be taken care of for an hour or so, then I left the bowl of candy on the door step with a sign that said, "Please take one, sorry we missed you." Then Scott and I headed out for some dinner.

So that's that. Scott got up early this morning to go out on the elk hunt down south. I was in a meeting and got a call from the secretary in my office telling me that Scott had locked himself out of the truck and the spare key was gone...and needed me to take a key to him...I was oh, so bummed to leave work, but hey, a gals got to do what a gals gotta do....

He'll be back latter tonight but be gone again early in the morning and he'll be staying a night or two...??? Can't seem to keep up sometimes.

Well, Scott and I will be heading to Louisiana on the 16th and stay until the 20th. We'll go check out the apt. opportunities and travel the town. We'll come back for Thanksgiving and then Scott will start work on the 26th. He'll do 9 days on and 5 days home until the Christmas break, then all 3 of us will head to Louisiana in January. Crazy!! There is a guy I work with from the South and he's been giving me all sorts of helpful hints...places to see, food to eat...or not eat...We're getting more and more excited each day.

Well, this is my longest post yet, sorry.

I'm looking forward to seeing my family & friends over the holidays! I'm VERY anxious to see some of you I haven't seen in a LONG time...or never even seen.

BE GRATEFUL!!

World Series Elk

2007-10-25T20:59:00.000-07:00

Well, 1 year later and the famous elk has come to live with us...just in time for us to be moving out...what luck hu?

He'll be up on the wall tomorrow evening, but for now he joins Maddie and Scott to watch the world series.

Nightmare Before Christmas!

2007-10-21T06:28:00.000-07:00

I hear it's getting cold in California, and Joni has been just hoping for Christmas to come a bit early this year, well I think Santa got Joni and I mixed up because he has sent me the snow.

SO, in behalf of Joni... MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Louisiana???

2007-10-16T15:16:00.000-07:00

Laggon or BUST

2007-10-13T21:31:00.000-07:00

So, Elle and Devin came over tonight and I got all these fun pictures from when we went to Lagoon this summer and I just couldn't contain myself...while Elle cut my hair...a little more and stuff I had to put it together...I hope you enjoy it!

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

RED CROSS & DAISY

2007-10-12T15:56:00.000-07:00

Well, for the last couple of years I've wanted to get back into the Red Cross department...I LOVE my lifeguarding years...anyway...there is a guy in my office who volunteers and trains for the Red Cross. He even had the opportunity to go to New Orleans right after Katrina hit. He was there for two weeks...not pretty, but good experience. Anyway, I'm going to take an Instructor Training class next week. I'd love to have taken the Life Guard Training class, but it's all day for a week and I just can't get out of work for a week right now. I'll do that next time. So anyway the class will consist of 5-6 hours a night for a week and I'll get the opportunity to start training those in my class. Then once I certify I'll be able to train for the Red Cross in many different locations...just the basics obviously. But I'll start working my way through the multiple courses and levels. I'm way excited!! AGAIN, let me just say that I want to get back into the lifeguarding department. Plus with the certification I can teach the boy scouts and the other youth groups and stuff. No, it won't be the exciting level Joni will see, but it will be fun for me.

Anyway, not a lot going on around up here...I am watching Bryan's bird for him...while he's in Disney Land. I think about right now, he's at "Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party"... Her name is Daisy, an Indian Ring Neck. She can get a little bratty, but she's fun. A LOT of personality. I was amazed when I met her a few years ago and see it, wouldn't believe a bird could have personality unless I met her.
We had a little Halloween photo shoot...I know, I'm a dork...

WIG?

2007-10-11T06:13:00.000-07:00

Wig or real?

What'da think?

Garden Of Memories

2007-10-06T17:05:00.000-07:00

With the passing of summer and the fall season upon us, I just wanted to reflect a SMALL bit on the beauty of the summer garden in which all of us Martin Girls grew up in...

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Fall Tomatos

2007-09-23T10:08:00.000-07:00

Well, we had a SMALL garden this summer. It consisted of mostly small yellow tomatoes that we never even ate. I've pulled all those out, but left the 3 red tomato plants that haven't produced anything all summer...until now. They got big FAST, but took quite awhile to redden up. Today we picked the 3 of the 4 that have been ready in the last couple of days. We weren't too sure if they'd be any good, but after our delightful tomato cheese sandwich last night. Oh, yumm, juicy and full of taste. We are looking forward to the next couple of days and our tomato meals.

Stephanie Comes to Visit

2007-09-22T19:59:00.000-07:00

Stephanie came down Friday evening, Sept. 21, to go to the BYU vs. Air Force game...oh, and it was Homecomng! Because this is her birthday weekend...and not just any birthday but the big 30, we celebrated by going shopping, for BYU gear, getting a facial, manicure and our hair done...

just to go out and play in the BYU Stadium of rain. We had a lot of fun not only wandering down memory lane, but in creating new memories to look back on...
Thanks Steph, I luv ya!!

Palmer 2007

2007-09-21T16:15:00.001-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Water

2007-09-21T15:47:00.001-07:00

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Maddie Mae

2007-09-20T21:12:00.000-07:00

Testing Again...any better???