There IS sunshine in my soul

Yesterday was the funeral for my friends daughter. It was very hard. Marsha told me at Grandma's funeral that Grandma said southern women do not cry at funerals. Well I must have a whole lotta northern blood cuz I cried the whole funeral. I have decided that I want the same opening song they had, which is There Is Sunshine In My Soul. It's always been one of my favorites, but it took on a world of new meaning in that setting,
There is sunshine in my soul today, more glorious and bright
Than glows in any earthly sky, for Jesus is my light.
There is music in my soul today, A carol to my King,
And Jesus listening can hear, the songs I cannot sing.
Needless to say I couldn't actually sing it, but it was lovely. They had all the youth in the stake come up and sing a EFY melody and Matt went up and almost got stuck right behind the podium and the look on his face was so priceless I laughed totally inappropriately that the friend sitting next to put her arm around me as if I needed comfort. The speakers were wonderful but I was still left throughout the day with a heaviness that seemed to go all the way to my bones. This morning I was given the opportunity to make dinner for their 30 member family which I really appreciated being able to help. Then when I got home and I am unable to focus when Matt came over and said something in his lovely deep voice and I was filled with happiness for my son, and then I could hear AJ and Elle laughing and bickering on the wii and I am filled with gratitude for my life and family. For my faith that buoys me up, without I could too easily sink into the mire. I am so grateful that we are sealed together as a family as my friends were. With this new found happiness that has been largely missing since her tragic passing I am going to conquer the mess in my kitchen and try my darndest to post Christmas pictures by the end of today!!

6 miles!!!

I ran my first ever 6 miles today!! It wasn't very fast I took 85 minutes to complete it, but I DID IT!! I did the run/walk method. I ran for 10 minutes and speed walked for 10, it' helped break up the monotony for me. I was on the treadmill in the basement since I haven't mapped any runs around my house. I had charged my ipod all night but the silly thing is so old it lasted 47 minutes which is not quite good enough!! But Connor was down there playing his fishing game on the xbox so I watched him fish for awhile, not exciting but could have been nothing which is worse, and he felt like I was watching him play so maybe I get bonus mom points!! Anyway my knees and ankles were sore at the end, so I clearly need new shoes, but I have some glimmer of hope that I can actually do this! Then again maybe not, I only have 10 weeks to add 7 miles and get faster!!! But at the moment I still have the successful glow, so I think I'll bask in it a little while longer!!

Struggles

So I'm struggling a bit today. I have a friend whose 15 yr old daughter died yesterday after major complications from a outpatient knee surgery. I don't struggle with the faith side, I know she is in a good place, I know that these things happen. It's just so awful that it was so avoidable, Dr's mistakes, insurance idiocy, those things, the fact that it's 2 days to Christmas even exacerbates it. I dreamt about the funeral all night and none of it was right, she requested sometime in the days before surgery if she were to die that she wanted everyone to wear yellow. So in my dream everyone was wearing orange tide shirts, logo included. And the mayor was there and her grand daughters were doing some African tribe dance in leotards, it was very odd. I think all of us who knew the family are taking extra time to hug our family and make sure we tell everyone that we love them. I hope none of us take this for granted. Last night I didn't want to turn the Christmas lights on, as if they should be dark for a light that is no longer with us, but then I thought I should turn every light I have on, in celebration that Christ was born and then died to live again, so that we can all be together together again. Thank heavens for that, thank heavens for the gospel and that I have it in my life. I want you all to know I have testimony and I cling to it everyday, and that I love all of you, family and friends and consider yourself hugged by me today!! www.HaileyMiller.org.

Music in movies

It's interesting how music stays with us especially well done music. You know when the music perfectly fits the moment in a movie or even commercial it's like magic. Last night I was relaxing after a whirlwind eagle project and on tv I found the last hour of Scaramouch, I wish I had all of it. But when it comes to the scene almost at the end when our two actors come out of the boxes on stage and the women then recognize each other the music that plays then is so perfect that even though I barely remembered anything else that was memorable. I re watched it twice before I botched something up and it wouldn't let me rewind anymore. Fun to see the old movies. My friend has a copy of Condorman and made me a copy, talk about old school!! My kids weren't as impressed with it as I remember being!

Eagle project

So most of the Eagle project is done! The long, hard, exhausting part is done. Yesterday it rained the entire day and was 37 degrees. I really thought we needed to cancel it, but with lots of faith and prayers and all our fingers crossed it stopped raining sometime last night and hasn't begun again. We rented a auger to did the post holes and that was so awesome, each hole took 30 seconds or less, totally rocked. We put in the posts shoveled the dirt back in, painted the post and we were done. I wish I had one of the watched that count your every step because I think I walked the 3 mile trail system two or more times. It was wet and boggy but a surprisingly warm 44 degrees. However once we were done and packed up and freezing wind came in further convincing me that we were absolutely blessed today. We had 15 people show up, 2 from our old ward and all the rest from our new! And most of them barely know us, it was so great! Kirk, Matt and myself stayed up until 1am putting them together. Then I got up at 6am to make cinnamon rolls for the volunteers and a pancake breakfast for our family. All that is left to do is walk the trail with a GPS or something so we know how far a distance everything is and we can mark you are here on the map, the current maps are impossible to understand where you are. Big sigh of relief! Now who is going to clean my kitchen and the basement cuz I'm getting in the shower!!

First goal of 2010

As President Monson has told us a goal unless it is written down is not really a goal. So here is my goal out there for the whole world, or really my small group of readers to see. I am going to run a half marathon in March. I know how long that is, and I know it's not very far away but I am going to try! It's called the snickers race in Albany Ga and two or more of my girlfriends are running it and I like them so it's an excuse to hang out! I plan on having Bard help me plan my training and my girlfriend is going to help push me along. SO here goes and wish me luck!! Plus I think its the weekend after mom leaves from visiting me, so she can help run with me that last little week, I guess I don't run much that week. WAHOO! At least it's not a 100 like Bard is training for! That is one crazy dude!

Trouble and Sweetness

Elle really wanted to try on some new Christmas earrings and we haven't successfully changed both her earrings since they were pierced in August. She is very sensitive to her ears being touched, I think piercing them has given her ear issues for the rest of her life. SO I finally helped her take out her earrings which scared her to death and if I could go back in time I would have left the darn things in. After several hours of crying and hysterics Kirk and I announced she is too young for earrings we will simply leave them out and sent her to bed. I tried putting them in while she slept but her ear neurosis continued even in deep sleep. The next morning I asked one last time because they will close. She said she would let me try but she really wanted to hold my hand but I needed them to do the earring. AJ was standing there and he says "here you can use mine" and held out his hand! It was the sweetest thing and it totally worked! We have earrings in and they are gold so I can and will leave them in until she turns 18!

Christmas Caroling

The youth went Christmas caroling tonight to some families from both sides of the new ward and it was so wonderful. We started with a couple in our half of the ward that I haven't seen in 3 years because she has been so incredibly sick. It was so moving to see how thrilled she was to see us and hear the Christmas songs I couldn't even sing through the first song. I still can't even think about it without tearing up, it was so touching. I got to hug her and say how much we love her and I had bought them a tub of costco chicken soup and it said we are souper glad you're in our ward, merry Christmas. We also took a bag of oranges to some families and it said it was so apeeling to have them in our ward. It was a great night. I got to drive with some of the beehives who were very interested in hearing about my two youth age sons! When I told Matt and Connor about it Connor says, "I'm available" with his cute shy smile, I loved it! I informed him he will be available until he's 22, and he says "10 years?" And I thought good grief that is coming awfully fast!

I got the golden ticket

SOOO I won't mention what it is I was successful at finding today but I simply had to mention that I was successful. A girlfriend called me at 9:15 while I was about to leave for yoga and she heard this store got a shipment of these things in that my youngest really wants for Christmas and the doors open at 9:30. I decide what the heck and skip yoga. The line at the store is around the whole store and they got in a very limited supply, but I stayed just in case. The lady behind me was a real jerk and was kind of trying to sound like she was joking when she said there was no way we'd get one and I should just leave. I laughed like I know isn't it so silly us standing here, hah ahah ahah, faker. So anyway I got up to the counter and got the last two!! there was a limit of two per customer and I GOT THEM!! I was very happy. I really could care less about this item, but she wanted them for her bday and I couldn't find them and therefore didn't try any harder. But now I've got them and she will be thrilled, she won't be getting the laptop she asked for, but really I think this should do it! Hint it starts with a Z and has 6 letters with one space... I can't say in case a child reads this.

Christmas treats

We are getting the best holiday treats from people this year! And I am totally eating all of them, which isn't so smart of me but boy are they yummy! Do you think it's because so many people like us this year or is it because Kirk is in the Bishopric? Either way, bring 'em on!! (luckily we had the firm party already so I won't have to fit into that dress again for a long while!!)

What a card

So with Kirk and my callings we are having a hard time being everywhere. Tonight for instance AJ has to be at one house 20 minutes south of us, Matt has to be someplace 21 minutes southeastish of us and Kirk and I have to be at the church 25 minutes north of us all at the same magical time. So I found a ride for AJ and I was working on a ride for Matt and he being such a nice kid says " that's Ok Mom I can miss tonight and just sit in your class with you." which is so sweet until you remember I work with the 14 year old girls!! He watched me out of the corner of his eye and he said this to see if I caught what was happening which totally made me laugh! Thanks Matt but maybe next time!

More opportunites to serve

Well the blessings and adventures just keep rolling our way. I've been called into the Young Womens Presidency as the 1st counselor. I am so thrilled to be back with the yw! Not to mention how thrilled I am to not be the chorister anymore!!! Our president is the stake presidents wife and she is awesome and the 2nd counselors is one of my good friends from the old ward. I am so excited to work with them and the girls! Whats not to love about YW? There is always treats and talking, maybe some crafty stuff! Connor has passed the sacrament every week that we've been here which is so cool considering how shy he is. I keep telling him if he shows up and does his part faithfully he will become friends with the other boys, it's just the way it works, sprinkle in a little faith and long prayers from his mom and I think he'll be fine. Aj and Elle have been invited to a white elephant exchange with some ward kids, which sounds fun and Matt has already been to a Atlanta college basketball game since his leader is the College golf coach. After getting to see where the kids on golf scholarship stay I think he wants to pick up golf! So Kirks gone all the time, so my life is about to be crazy busy we have been blessed and I'm grateful!

New Callings

Well as most of you know Kirk was put in as 2nd counselor to the Bishop yesterday. It was very exciting and wonderful. We are both so excited for all the opportunities for growth that it will bring. Everyone kept saying how busy Kirk will be and how he's going to be gone all the time and I thought, so whats new? I am very grateful this chance is coming when our kids are old enough to not cry for their Dad on the stand, and when we both have to be at RS this week our kids can babysit themselves. The Bishop and his 1st counselor are such wonderful men I am thrilled for Kirk to work with them. Our Bishop works for Covey and you can tell his presence fills the room, his spirit and attitude are so contagious how can any of us feel bad to be put in a new ward when he is the one leading us. I've been so proud of my boys, Connor started passing the sacrament from our first week there even though he didn't know anyone and they do it a little different but he did it. Matt got to church early to help the teachers set up chairs and he stayed after to help clean up the sacrament. I know they will be blessed with friends and comfort for their faithful service. I do not have my calling yet so we'll see. I was smiling at the chorister and enjoying sitting with my family when they released her to be the RS president! I just laughed and couldn't believe that calling is open again. She assures me I won't have that calling so I can finally sit with my family, esp now that Kirk isn't sitting with us! Well I'm off to run, clean, and grocery shop only 3 weeks until the kids next vacation and there is work to be done!!

Retail, no chocolate therapy

So I was feeling a little of the holiday blues today. I'm missing my family even though Kirks family is great, it's still nice to see ones own family occasionally. Maybe it was worse because I came soo close to seeing family, no guilt people. So I was moping around the house being generally annoying. I thought some retail therapy would help. So my friend Celeste and I joined the holiday masses shopping. I have to say it was fun and nice to get out. We don't have See's candy stores out here but we get the kiosks every December and I resist every year, even though I crave it. But not this year, not in my weakened state! So I bought myself the small box of nuts and chews which is their best holiday box. This lead to my biggest laugh of the day because does anyone think I came home and gave everyone a piece? No I just hid in the laundry room, ripped off the holiday wrapping paper and ate 2 pieces hiding in the laundry behind piles of laundry as tall as myself! And you know what? It was worth the laugh, I have no problem being the cliche because it was delicious!

Hard lessons

The next time someone says, "Bonnie should we drive 10 hours in a possibly unreliable car with a young baby who may or may not like road trips in cold weather to see you for the holidays?" am I going to say "only if you are up to it and think it will be okay..."? no, HECK NO. I am going to say "Heck yes you should jump in the car right now because whats a few hours of pain and lots of money in gas in comparison to the incomprehensible joy of seeing your big sister and allowing her to cuddle your baby for a meager few days, I mean really what matters most? Your comfort or my happiness??? Duh?!!" Lesson learned.

Changing of the wards

So it was a interesting day. They split our ward, well they took a 1/3 of us and put us in another ward. We sang as a ward choir and it was so wonderful, one of my favorite songs that we sing. And then in the closing song it was How Gentle God's Commands and the words were ironic and wonderful to me, "Why should this anxious load press down your weary mind? Haste to your Heavenly Father's throne and sweet refreshment find". I was looking at everyone I love and will miss and couldn't quite finish singing the last line. And I sat down for what I thought would be the last time after 4 years of chorister when they opened the meeting to discuss the split announced the song and the Bishop motioned to me from the stand that he wanted me to lead it as well. So we sang We thank Thee oh God for a Prophet, which rather than the sad tears from the other song I found myself smiling with all the poignant meaning, "we feel it a pleasure to serve thee... when dark clouds of trouble hang o'er us and threaten our peace to destroy, There is hope smiling brightly before us and we know that deliverance is nigh". It was a fun end. Afterward anyone in the new ward was invited into another room to meet our new Bishop and I wanted to clarify that we are all released because they only talked about what happens to those staying in the ward. And he said, "well, would you lead the music next week?" and I paused and said, "really? (with my mouth agape)" Not my best moment and he said yes so I said of course. And he said someone would call and give me the songs unless I wanted to choose them, and I said "honestly I've been choosing them for so long I've feeling kinda dried up so I've love someone else to choose." Once again not the best foot to start off with the Bishop but it was so funny that the one thing I was looking forward to changing wards was getting out of this calling and now it looks like I might not!! And of course I accept whatever calling is asked of me.

Tooth Fairy bloopers

So AJ lost a molar maybe 2 weeks ago, and for some really odd reason the tooth fairy hadn't come yet by this weekend when he pulled out another molar. I think the tooth fairy was trying to figure out what the going rate for molars these days. Really she needs to keep a journal where she records what previous children got. Well we were at costco and AJ saw a bag of really cool gold chocolate coins in a bad he clearly loved and so I went back a day later and got it. By this time AJ was thinking the darn fairy needed some serious help. SOOO last night he put the teeth in a bag and taped it to the wall by his bed! I am not joking, 5 pieces of crinkly loud tape right by his head. So I stay up late, reading duh, and about 1 I go in there and start trying to peel off the tape. You have never heard such annoying loud tape, and of course it's late which makes everything funny, so I'm snickering, because there is no other word for the laughing I was doing, peeling tape hovering over Connors bed to reach the area by AJ's head. Finally the 5th piece I figured I was going to do it like a band aid and I ripped it off and up AJ sits, so I put my hand with the bag behind my back and I say " hey I just wanted to be the first person to wish you a happy birthday since it's past midnight" and he smiles and lays back down, whew. So I come back with the bag of chocolates and as soon as I step in the room he sits up so I say" hey just wanted to make sure you weren't too hot", he says no. So about 2 I try again and up he sits and I say "hey just wanted to see if you wanted your fan off". At that point the heck with it and I went to bed. So at 6:15 as I was waking him up I slid my hand under the pillow with the candy which of course scratched loudly up the bed rather than gliding as simple money would have done. But needless to say he is very happy and EXTREMELY happy with the generous tooth fairy.

Elles letter to AJ

Dear AJ I no (know) we are not giting (getting) good well. I wus theckin (thinking) thae we kod (could) be nes (nice) to eoh chuder (each other). But if you dot have to do it if you dot have to do it. (i think its trying to say you dont have to if you dont want to.) but if you dot well den you have to have to be yif (with) the enoen (annoying) Elle. From Elle
Pretty clear cut terms huh, be nice or I'm going to be annoying. reminds me of some letters I wrote Mom and Dad about my brothers.

Bedtime Energy

Ok it's 8:30 at night and all I want to do is curl up in bed and read and then sleep, but AJ and Elle have no such compulsion. Here is what they look like at bedtime!!

MMMmmm chocolate... ummm chocolate?

Was anyone worried that I would go a week without something embarrassing, bizarre, or annoying happening? Well have no fear it's happened again. I was standing outside my sister in laws house holding what was left of our cheesecake and a bottle of Hersey's syrup in a bag talking to my in laws for about 5 minutes when I felt something on my foot. I look down and my belt, thigh and leg are covered in Hersey's syrup. My belt is positively dripping with chocolate. It kinda looked like when you are at the beach and you let wet sand drip through your fingers to make a drip castle, but chocolate and it's of course everywhere. Everyone had a great laugh and I once AGAIN am forced to wash my jeans just when they were fitting perfectly!!!

School picture follies

Ok so I didn't buy AJ and Elle's school pictures and they turned out darling so I ordered Matt and Connors, and THIS is what Matt did. He finds it very humorous, it's going in the yearbook on his student id!!! I am making him earn and pay me the money for it! But I couldn't reprimand him at all because I kept laughing so hard. it is funny.

Post holiday mess

Ok so I love my jeans, really, I love them, why wear anything else? They are kinda expensive, not 7's or republic but still more then I want to have to go spend again for awhile. I heard that to keep jeans longer you wash them less frequently which I do, I go several wearings before washing them to ensure they last a nice long time. Now I wash my boys jeans almost every time they wear them simply because boys don't keep their jeans clean when they wear them, and I do. But I find myself washing my jeans for the THIRD time in as many days! I am not amused or happy about this. Halloween, just like every other holiday, the aftermath is the downside. Today I had to remove the pumpkins since it's trash day, it's been raining so they were filled with water and pumpkin goo and various bugs. So one at a time I rolled them into their garbage bags to carry to the curb for trash day, when one had the AUDACITY to fall through it's trash bag soaking my jeans AND my ugg slippers in pumpkin vomit like goo. SOO gross!! And so here I am washing my jeans, again, which means I'll have to walk around in too tight jeans again until they stretch out to their proper fitting. What a way to start the day!!

Music moments

So I'm sitting here a little mellow this morning, Kirk left for 10 days, I have tons to do and I'm a little you know overwhilemed and I have Pandora radio station playing on the computer, it's on the Bens Brother station (thanks Bex and Jameson) and I realize the song playing was TOTAlly playing into my mood, it was called By Myself by Roch Voisine, once I realized what it was saying of course I was laughing and finding it very funny. There have been some very funny music moments in my life one of my favorites was when Kirk was studying for the bar and he would be in the room for 10 hours or more just studying and once I opened the door and he had the radio playing and the song that happened to be on was "All by myself, I'm doing it, all by myself..." I laughed so hard, I mean really whats the odds!!! And then another time when Kirk was trying to get a paper turned in on time and Bard was visiting I think and we started singing "You aren't going to make it, no you're not going to make it". Good times. Matts recent discovery was the Beastie boys, You got to fight for your right, and I'm thinking, grrrrreeeaaat!

Halloween Pictures

Youth Night

So the boys had a combined youth activity night and the Deacons were supposed to dress up as characters from toy story, so obviously Matt is Woody, and Connor is a toy soldier, we thought about gluing his shoes to cardboard so he had to walk like the plastic guys walked, but decided that might get annoying after awhile! But aren't they cute!!

Simple minds, simple amusements

Today Connor was telling me about science class, he 's sitting in class doodling, of course he is always doodling, and he hears the teacher say his name, and he immediately asks, " would you please repeat that?" (totally polite right?) and the teacher says, Connor, and he says What and she says I'm just calling the roll. I found that amusing. Tonight Kirk is going to meet a friend/client and AJ and Elle are sad to see him go so they both grab a ankle so he is forced to try to walk to the door with them dragging on his feet, he gets to the door and opens it and AJ says, Oh no, stairs. Kirk walks down the stairs thinking they will let go, but not AJ, he is one tough nut! And and gets dragged down the stairs holding onto Kirks ankle. He finally gets him to let go on the freezing garage floor. One of these days I'm going to post a video of AJ going up to bed, his nightly ritual is to somersault, backwards, up the stairs to bed, it does exactly what it's supposed to... make it take FOREVER!

Pumpkin Carving Time

SO it's carving time, luckily we choose manageable size pumpkins this year so we didn't need to break out the electric saws or drills. Plus Kirk didn't get home from work until 8 so luckily I've been lifting weights and could get the pumpkins into the kitchen! The kids mostly carved them on their own, I had to help Elle some and help pop a few lids off, but we were done in an hour. I discovered if you rip open yard waste bag and carve them on that, clean-up is soo easy! YEAH! Although I think I need to sit in the tub to remove the pumpkin smell and soak my aching back!

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1st step complete

Well we are on our way with Matt's Eagle project. We've been helping him write it for months and got so much great feedback from his leaders, he had a really long, very detailed proposal. We were warned by his leaders that only 10 or 15% of the boys get approval their first time through and one leader gave Matt a 50/50 chance. So we were very nervous going in tonight, but they passed him! He was the youngest in tonight's group which was fun. They had him remove one line in order to pass it, and I will here admit, I put that line in. What?? Kirk has been in New Orleans for almost 2 weeks and I was put in charge of final read through and helping him with leader suggested edits and I put a line in, so sue me. So now onto the hard and heavy labor, and the serious business of raising some serious money! He is building 10 trail post signs complete with designing his own map of the trail systems included how long the walks are. It gets expensive because there is Plexiglass involved and lots of wood posts. So thanks everyone for your input and crossed fingers! His goal was to have his eagle by 14, but he did get approval at 13, so it won't be much past the birthday mark!

Another day and mix up

It was one of those days, Kirk has been out of town for the week and I think the strain is catching up with me. I got all the way to the mall before realizing I had ignored the prompting to check if my ATM card was in my purse. Had to drive all the way back home, get it go to Costco and in the process left my phone at home, which as any body who knows me practically gave me a nervous breakdown! I hate being unreachable for any amount of time. Didn't think too hard about the weather and wore flip flops and long jeans and so had soaking wet jeans flapping about my ankles all through Costco. I totally forgot it was trash day and didn't remember until I was entering my neighborhood and saw them leaving and then remembered the thought crossing my mind yesterday to take it out and I IGNORED it. And now we have a bug problem and I have to throw any food that not in a jar, can or snap top Tupperware and so I have loads of trash and a full bin. Am I allowed to go to bed now and let the kids put themselves down? Oh and to top it off? I have poison ivy on both cheek bones and chin, where I clearly brushed the hair off my face with polluted hands! Of course!! (however dermatologist gave me a great steroid moose that's helped a ton)

3 Generation Pictures

When Mom came out to visit we took our 3 generation picture. We took one when Elle was about 3 months old, but I was still very pregnant looking and very pale where Mom had just been Hawaii and was sooo tan! We really wanted to take this one while Elle still had most of her baby teeth, after that they have several years of teeth that look like chicklit gum. So here are a few, we had a great time of course!

Excuses

Okay here are Kirk and my favorite top two excuses from Matt today while mowing the lawn.
1. When told he should wear shoes while cutting the lawn he said... I don't have shoes.
2. When told he still has to cut the bottom half of the lawn he said... I didn't know that was our yard. (This is the part of the yard with my garden, my apple tree, he helped lay the sod a few years ago, who is he kidding?)

Ordination day

It's 3pm and we got out of church at 12 and I am just now realizing that we didn't take a picture with Connor on the day he was ordained a Deacon. What kind of air headed mother am I?? Bard is really truly too much to ask that you just live by me and be our official even photographer? Because I doubt you would have forgotten. It was a bit stressful, I set my alarm really early so I would get up and have everything prepared for a smooth morning and then I just kept pushing the snooze button so it was stressful getting to church, because the choir was singing. and when they sing they get to church EARLY and take all the benches and I knew Connor was not going to want to walk from the back of the building to the stand. So i was a bit of a nutcase getting everyone out. Kirk wanted to know why I was in a bad mood but asked it in such a way that i let him KNOW what was bothering me, which I regret. I know he likes to take his time and really think about the upcoming blessing and I was rushing him along at Bonnie speed. But really he should know after 17 years I get a little stressy on special days and to not take it personally right?? Right?? Anyway in our ward when a youth turns 12 they are called to the podium and given a certificate from the Bishop and asked to recite a article of faith. Connor has been working on it, but memorization is one of his weaknesses. So he memorized #1 but he was so nervous so Kirk wrote it out on a card, and the Bishop kept his scriptures open, and Connor wrote it in pen on his hand. But he said it from memory and made one mistake, he said " We believe in God the Eternal Father in His Son Jesus Christ and His son the Holy Ghost." But he caught his mistake right away and then looked down at his hand and very obviously read it from his hand. But he got it right. He says he got some teasing about it in Deacons quorum and I asked him if it matters? He got it right didn't he? And he said no it didn't matter. I say good job for thinking of a back up plan! He looked so handsome, with some typical Bonnie quirks. Celeste and I found this gorgeous suit on clearance at Nordstroms so I bought it in a rush and I saw some white tailors chalk on the cuff and asked if it would come off and the sales lady said sure just wipe it off. Well I didn't look at the suit again until 7:45 Sunday morning ( I know you raised me better than that Mom) and low and behold there are white tailor marks all over the back of the suit, both arms and the legs and do you think I could get it off??? No. I tried warm water, cold water, vibrating tooth brushes, I got online and asked Jeeves who said it should be easy, I called my friend who is a tailor and she said it should brush off. NO. I did manage to dim it a little and just hoped not everyone would pay attention. He had a gorgeous blue and yellow tie I picked out and he loved it, he hates wearing ties, but he loved this one and you could tell. SO I will take the suit to the dry cleaner this week and if the chalk does not come off, it is going back to nordstrom. Do we think I learned my lesson? lets hope so, but don't hold your breath!

New Oven

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, my oven had the audacity to die on me! Which is unfortunate considering it was a very short time ago my fridge died, and now my printer is gasping for breath, not really it's dead too. Anyway back to my happy note, so my new oven came in today! Its a beautiful double of oven so whenever I cook dinner for 20 Johnston's every third Sunday I can know breathe a little easier! And what did I cook first with my new oven??? A California pizza kitchen Sicilian thin crust frozen pizza!! Yummy!!

White water rafting picture!

Flooding

We are having record flooding here in Georgia. The Chattahoochee is up between 5and 9feet depending oh the location last I heard which shut down a 6 lane freeway that Kirk needed to get to a mediation this morning. School is cancelled, but so far our water supply is good, and no loss of power. I feel very grateful that Kirk chose a house on a hill, I drove my a house just down the street from me and it was completely engulfed in water to the front porch, if it had a basement, it was flooded. We had some water come through our basement, soaked right through some of the walls, some beams are soaked and some insulation. I haven't checked the airport yet, or the roads to get to the airport to see if Mom is leaving today! I hear the worst was yesterday but still heavy rains today. Hope everyone else is well!

Campout (edited)

Matt went to a boyscout campout this weekend, he was in charge of cooking 2.5 meals and we sent along a couple kayaks and a canoe so he could earn his canoeing merit badge and his cooking merit badge. When he got home of course he was freezing wet so he went right up to the shower. When he comes down stairs he's got a towel wrapped around his waist and he says "Mom I think I have a tick". I told him to show Grandma (Parnell), who is standing beside me. He says, "umm I think it's on my pepsicle". I said wait and show it your Dad!! Grandma and I were not looking there for a tick!!
Sorry Jameson and April, I should have put the results on here! It wasn't a tick and no one had to look!

Stake conference notes

Really great stake conference today. We had a member of the 70 out, can't remember his last name except it started with a C. And when he was sitting down and someone made a joke and he didn't smile, i was like oh boy it's going to be one of those dry speakers. But he was one of the best speakers I've ever heard. He talked about the difficulty of translating the name of our church into other languages, in one they were trying to come up with latter day, and it became church of the last 24 hours. And then in the Philippines they don't have a word for saints and so for years it was translated into church of the privileged people and recently they altered it to be church of the holy people. He also told of when he was visiting a temple inItaly I think and was teaching them that the temple isn't just to be sealed, but also to be healed. One of his ending stories was he was on assignment in Fiji to call a man to be a area authority, and he looked down and saw the man had a tattoo on his hand, which is so common out there, and he got it before he was a member of the church. And this man said maybe you should buy a box of big bandaids so when you speak and tell people that we don't do tattoos or body piercing it won't look like you have one. Later he saw the man again and he had a large bandaid wrapping around his whole hand. And he said wow that's a big bandaid. And the Fiji man said I had the tattoo removed. And he asked him oh by laser? And he was told no, they don't have that on the islands, so they cut out a strip of skin that was 3 inches wide and four inches long and then pulled the remaining edges of the skin and sewed it together with a big string! And the 70 member said oh I am so sorry! And the Fiji man said don't worry about it. The next time they met he saw this long jagged scar on his hand and he again said I am so sorry for doing this to you. And the man said do not worry this is my ctr ring! And now the Lord knows where I stand, he tells me to do something and I will do it! I thought that was an amazing story, I was grateful all I had to do was pull out one extra gold hoop out of my ear!

Rainey day trampoline

Connor and Peanuts building legos

watch to the end, funny moment

Connors 12 Birthday

Sound bites from my day

Okay this morning Elle asked to watch Ratatouille, but thought it was pronounced Ratatootie. AJ comes up to dinner after jumping on the trampoline, lifts up his shirt and says, "I'm hot in both ways"!! Needless to say I'm still laughing. Then to cap it off a gentleman stopped me in the store and told me I looked like the Russian tennis player. Personally from his accent I think his school assignment was to talk to complete strangers today to work on his English, but it was nice anyway.

Elles Birthday

Well it was an interesting birthday for Elle. I got the flu shot for 3 of my kids, actually the flu mist on Friday and Elle had all the sign of flu by Sunday morning! Her favorite first place to throw up before we realize she is sick is me and my side of the bed. As she starts to feel really terrible she cuddles into me and then barfs all over me and my pillow. So that was fun, I had plans of waking her up with pumpkins pancakes and he first present of new earrings for church, but throwing up in my bed sounds almost as cool. So she threw up all morning and ran a fever but by 3 hadn't thrown up in a hour so I can some Tylenol in her and so by the time the Johnston's came for dinner she wasn't too bad. No you didn't read that wrong. I had texted everyone about 9 and cancelled dinner, had subs for my callings in church. But Kirk felt really bad leaving his family high and dry on dinner, and Elle was actually quite bummed people weren't coming over to sing happy birthday, so I relented and made dinner. Luckily it was just spaghetti, easy. Considering I spent the last week sick and still have no energy, my oven has been broken for a week, and then Elle as the cake topper it was pretty fun! She got a jewelry box, Ipod dog player thing, CD, gold earrings of animals from us, scriptures and a marking pen from mom and dad Parnell, money from mom and dad Johnston, and earrings from the Hansens and Kyle and Olivia. We had a tough time trying to convince her to take off her earrings, I think she was afraid it would hurt like having them done. We finally got one off and she was putting in a new one and couldn't quite find the back hole and it totally freaked her out. So she's got one original earring, and one lady bug. I said that is totally in style, no pressure to do the next one. Hopefully today when she is feeling better she will be willing to try again. I let her take mine out and put them in, so she's getting it.

Spoiler alert

I realize I am about to blog something most of you don't care about, but hey it's my blog. Did anyone but me make it all the way through the Terry Goodkinds series?? I did, it just started to well and then got so long and lecture-ry :) I was really pulling for a good ending, and then all of a sudden Richard solved the worlds problems in one event, series over. SO anyway he wrote a new book and it sounded modern and cool so i checked it out from the library and about 3 pages in you find out the main characters last name is Rahl, my first thought is good grief he can't even think up a new name, give it up already! About 15 pages in I got a sinking suspicion that this is not a new book it's a spin off! Remember the event that saved Richard Rahls world? The OTHER world?? That's right. About 70 pages in, you know what his two main characters are doing? They are doing what Goodkinds characters do best, lecturing! About religion and modernization, and freedom of beliefs, yadda yadda yadda. I like the idea of whats going on, but I don't know if I can take 512 pages of lectures. Sigh maybe I'll drop it in the return bin and quickly walk away. Very good thing I didn't buy it!

Reunion thoughts

So we went to a cabin in the "mountains" here in Georgia for labor day weekend with Kirks entire family. It was a gorgeous home right on a lake, with some very odd rules, we couldn't swim in the lake except for one spot, couldn't be on the lake after sunset, couldn't make noise outside after like 7:30, but it was fun nonetheless. A few highlights, the adults and 13yr olds went white water rafting, it had a few class 4 spots, the area right before where we dropped in was where the Olympics was held. At one time I guess the guide yelled "all in", but only one of us heard it so the left side riders of the boat fell on the right side, I am sporting a major bruise on my thigh and it hurts to walk a bit from Sammy falling on me, Kirk however fell on Matt which tossed him right out of the boat. Which was funny/scary. Kirk leaned out with his paddle and after a few seconds that felt like minutes we were able to catch him and get him in the boat. It took much longer to convince him that Kirk didn't push him out :) We brought in soo much food the last day was spent dividing up the extra food, it was about an hour of Susan asking people to take things, and for another hour of me trying to politely to decline, my car was stuffed to the top plus on the floor under the kids feet. I said no, over and over and tried to hide but ended back in the kitchen, after all of this of course being me I was bound to say something, umm perhaps not appropriate, you know me. So the last straw was Susan trying to get me to take a box of almost full tampons. I said no, but she she of course started talking about the value of taking this particular box of tampons, and so I said, I don't even have a uterus. At which point all conversation stopped in the kitchen, followed by Kirk, Kyle and Tiff all laughing, and Olivia and Susan looking at me like I was crazy. Needless to say someone else took the tampons.

Johnston Family Reunion 2009

Picture Day

Okay here is what Aj and Elle wore to school today for what have been their school pictures. I swear I almost had a panic attack leaving the neighborhood without their forms and money to buy the pictures! I never like them, we have the worst photographer known to man! I even thought totally morbid thoughts, like what if someone dies and this would have been the last school picture ever, isn't that awful? Why would something like that pop into my head? But the starting cost was 15 and that was for 2 3x5!! In order to get a 8x10 I would have had to spend 28!! That's ridiculous! Maybe I'll buy the spring pictures which are always better, and I'll still get a class picture which is only offered in the spring. Who ever heard of 2 picture days a year? I swear they want to bleed us dry! But they did look awfully cute! But with the brown and orange this could be us in the 70's!!

Dreams, plans and reality

Today we were driving in the car and Connor was talking about how he really wants to plant bamboo somewhere in the yard and he was planning it out and AJ says, "well we all have dreams". We totally laughed, it was very funny and needed, I was driving in horrible traffic trying to get Matt to a ortho appt. This weekend I had dreams of sleeping in, having fun, maybe working out, getting some stuff done. It was not to be, I got up even earlier then normal Sat to get boys to merit badge clinic, spent the whole day and then evening doing scouts. My camera didn't work so I didn't get a single picture of Connor getting his first class scout badge and Matt getting his 7 merit badges. Sunday was just plain chaos, and now another Monday has passed! I will get Connor in his uniform and we will reenact the event so I can get a picture!! This week is picture day for the kids and part of me really doesn't want to buy any pictures. I haven't liked the photographer they use for the last 4 years, I never do anything with the picture, so really do I have to get them??

Words from a Toddler

I'm babysitting my nieces and nephews from the Hansen family this weekend. It's been fun having toddlers in the house again in a exhausting sort of way. I had to write down two funny things Cooper said, yesterday in the car he asks, "do you know who is cuter then Porter, Lily and ME?" and i said no who, and he says "Baby Madeline is the cutest in the world" and I said you are all cute Coop, he says very matter of factly, "No Madeline is the cutest in the whole world". Kinda sad, but cute. This morning he comes out of the bathroom and says "if you pee on your hands you have to wash your hands, and if you don't pee on your hands you still have to wash them". Huh good to know!!

Aggravation

OK I spent an hour, maybe an hour and 45 minutes today with travel getting a new license today since I lost mine traveling to Seattle. Guess what came in the mail today???? My license. Delta lost and found sent it to me, today! Good grief! My last picture was way, way better then the one I took today dang it!! So annoying.

First day of 2009-10

My kids are such hams, I had to post all the pictures! Obviously even though school starts very early out here they were excited to go back today. I expect that enthusiasm to last through the week max! It's my last time having the kids in only 2 schools for a long, long time so I'm enjoying it! Connor enjoyed his first day of middle school, not thrilled with all the teachers, but who is? He did well with his locker and informs me in order to change for PE he needs boxers not briefs, too revealing!

Advice

Today I spent 5 hours in the middle school with Connor, he got to play games and meet teachers while I attended various classes to learn how middle school works. Never mind that I've already been through this once, I went to show Connor that I care right? Plus he got his locker and we decorated it with shelves, magnetic pen holders and all his binders neatly labeled. The counselors told us to remember what our kids were like at 2 because at times they were going to throw tantrums just like they used to and then remember what we were like as pregnant woman because at times they are going to act like that. In essence a hormonal two year old... boy am I excited!

I dream of apples

Ok when I left for the wedding there was about 22 apples on my tree, which is a new record for my cute tree, I only planted it about 3 or 4 years ago. Last year it got fire blight really bad and I had to cut quite a few limbs off, so this year I was more diligent spraying it for bugs. Anyway it's a red apple tree and they ripen the end of July into august. SO I left thinking when I got back these apples would be about ripe, NOT ONE APPLE REMAINS!! I'm not joking, not one apple, in fact the top branch that had 2 apples is snapped in half! There is a rind, a seed and stem left from any of the 21 apples! I am soo bummed! My neighbors have a huge apple tree and it's covered with apples, where did mine go? My only guess would be squirrels, ants would leave at least part of a rotting core right? I'm telling you the animals here are well stocked for winter! And I will wait yet ANOTHER year to eat my own homegrown apple, this year was going to be the first, so now I guess NEXT year will be my first homegrown apple. The good news is I have tons of raspberries, OK not tons, but a good amount. My beans are dying and the squash only makes flowers, and the sunflowers are totally bent in half with seeds, so that's cool. Not as cool as a apple though!

Elle cute little pierced ears!

We finally pierced Elle's ears today. Not finally as in gosh she is so old, because I always thought to make my daughter wait until she was eight like I had to be. But last year she was having some serious trouble sleeping in her own bed and so I made her a chart that if she slept in her bed for a month she could pierce her ears because she was already begging for it. Well she earned it and I explained what it would feel like and apparently scared her off, until the last few months, Even the last few weeks she has been adamant that she wanted it before first grade. SO today we found a place that does both ears at the same time, which was a must, and she was scared but steady! She had some tears after while kinda laughing/crying as you can see in the pictures. The first is right after, the 2nd is maybe an hour after and the last is 3 hours later when she won't stop looking at her self and is begging me to go help her choose another pair! So now I'm making her a chart for 6 weeks when she can take these out! They are very cute!!

Happy 15th Anniversary!

Well it's our anniversary! 15 tremendous, stupendous, marvelous, unforgettable, eventful years!! Happy day love! I spent it taking Matt to a very early morning dermatologist appt ( I haven't gotten to sleep in once since coming home) taking kids to get backpacks, new shoes, tumbling class, scouts, ahh the good life! Good thing I spent last week having fun and staying in a hotel!!

Fishing

So here is a bummer, Kirk and Matt caught several fish on a lake here in Georgia. Kirk wasn't able to catch anything while in Washington last week, I'm sure we would have moved there if the fishing would have been amazing! But really it's unfair because they were on Kayaks here, but there he was on the beach, surely GA had the advantage!! Ps Any ideas how to get fish blook out of a white shirt?? gag

Travel troubles

Leaving town with out kids when one has kids is so difficult. Sometimes one must really weigh if it's worth all the trouble. I think Becky's wedding is of course worth all that trouble and more, and because of that I have gotten more and more trouble. Really this is even harder then getting away for a 10 day wedding Cruise for Marshall!! My father in law had a major bike accident so I'm replacing 2 days and one night of babysitters, my over broke today, not to mention getting the house in order. I think there is a difference for how the house should look when family is babysitting then when a friend is babysitting, don't you? I'm now having a church friend come in Friday night so I'm trying to get my room in guest condition, nothing umm strange where anyone could fine it, you know. Can't really do anything with all the romance books on my shelf, maybe she'll find a good one! So anyway whatever happens I am still on a flight at 8am Tuesday morning so we are on the countdown!! Hopefully I'll be able to relax on the trip and not wonder who has me kids and what else has gone wrong!! And who cares if I'm not thrilled with my hotel, it's a hotel without my kids, how bad can it be?? Lets have a party in the hot tub one night!!
Shouldn't have taken that Excedrin, it makes me jumpy. But my head really hurt.

Simple Minds

Ok so as many of you I will get a song stuck in my head when I sleep. It plays over and over in my dreams all night long! I can't even begin to describe how annoying this is, and I haven't meet anyone else with the problem. Maybe my brain is so simple it will grasp onto anything and then play it over and over again. My two most annoying nights were, first when we were rehearsing for the Easter program in church and I got the most awful 2 lines of the song that were very insistent and dark stuck in my head every night for weeks, it doesn't make for good sleep let me tell you. The 2nd most annoying song to be stuck in my head was that's not my name by the ting tings that Jameson so thoughtfully introduced me to, and I got the part where there are three different lines going on at the same time, I would wake up and feel like I didn't sleep all night!! Last night was really fun, the first half of the night was pour some sugar on me, which I must say is extremely random, when is that time ANYONE heard that song, the next half of the night was Come come ye saints. Granted today is pioneer day but I'm not sure why that would cause a song to bounce into my head and take up residence there!!
On another note, I've worked out twice everyday this week but yesterday. I did my weight class in the morning and by nightfall I had nothing left to give! I'm so exhausted, I'm not seeing any difference, my weight is the same, my pants fit the same, this was so much easier before I turned 35!!

Last minute cram

I am pulling a total Bonnie this week, I am cramming all the workouts I should have been doing for the last month into this week. I'm doing some type of class at the gym in the morning and then running for 30 on my treadmill at home in the evening. I'm exhasuted but it feels good, AND I've lost 3 pounds even though I had a coke for two stays straight and today will most likely be the third. I like doing the barbell class and I tried a strike class for the first time at this gym and really liked it. I was nice and sweaty by the end, which for me is a good indicator. I realize this one week won't get the celulite off my butt, but I will be fitting in my good jeans for the trip and that is what matters!! I even did a latin dance class, which was no means hard in that I never lost my breath, but boy did my hips feel it the next day!!

Book issues

Ever read a book that actually makes you feel dumber just because you read it? Kinda like when my kids were into Thomas the train and Alec Baldwin made that Thomas movie, something Thomas and the magic rail, I'm not sure, anyway the dumbest movie in existence. They must think our kids our sooo dumb they could get away with it. Anyway that's how this book was, and to make it worse... it was a reprint!!! A freakin reprint, who chose to waste money and trees on this?? OK it wasn't totally my fault this girl from church gave it to me after she got it at goodwill because we normally like this author, sooo dumb. There were times I had to stop and think did this character actually just say "are you blooming like a red geranium?" And the answer is yer, yes that person just said that and expected it be received well. Anyway it was Janette Evanovich's book Grand Finale, grand finale I think not, grand waste of a night and some poor tree that probably housed cute little flying squirrels and ants that cure cancer!

Fourth of July

Lemonade Stand

The kids are once again trying to earn money for something, I can never keep track, so they set up a lemonade stand in the from yard. It was so cute! They came running in to tell me about this "rich" person who let them keep the whole dollar and didn't want any change! I think they made 7$ in an hour and half, I didn't make them pay for the ingredients, because I'm nice like that!