Good Friends

We are really blessed to be surrounded by great friends. I've just had some experiences lately that really make me grateful for the people who are in my life who I am lucky enough to call friends.

We have an AWESOME ward for church, who has been looking out for us.  They recently brought us dinner for 3 nights while I had a bad case of strep.  It was so nice to not have to worry about dinner and I could just rest and know my kids were gonna gobble up a good dinner with NO effort from me! HEAVEN!  (can I get strep again?  kidding, just kidding!)

While my car has been in the shop for about 5 weeks, I've had 2 families who have loaned us their cars so that we could get around, take kids to school, go to doctors appointments, go grocery shopping, etc.  It has been wonderful and made things FAR less stressful. THANK YOU!

I have great friends who I can call anytime, vent, cry, giggle or celebrate with.

We have friends that are willing to help us with anything we need. Who will listen to the spirit and respond and help however they can.

We are lucky to have my sister close too, and we help each other too.  Sometimes, friends can be just as great as family.

 

Slow and Painful Death of a Car

Some of you have seen me complain on Facebook about my car problems... It has called it quits and is no longer fixable. It is dead.

Over the past year, we have put SO much work into the dang thing.  It is a money pit! Transmission, radiator, radiator hoses, fan assembly, brake master cylinder, oil pressure gauge,  power steering pump,, head gaskets, tension pulley, etc etc. Within those things, we had little bits and pieces fail, but under warrentee, were replaced (planetary gears in the transmission, radiator caps, etc).  The guys at the shop know my voice on the phone and cringe when I call... its beyond funny anymore.  Its quite sad.  But, they have been really good to us (Sun Devil Auto on Chandler Blvd and McQueen, if you are wondering)

But in April, after the planetary gears failed, (something in the transmission - that's all that means to me) my car just never recovered.  They rebuilt my transmission again... for free.  Checked over everything.  Replaced fuses, circuit boards, wires, etc.  NOTHING changes.  They decided that it was PROBABLY the main computer that needed to be replaced... to the tune of $1000.  We just couldn't see forking out that kind of money for something that wasn't a sure shot... so we found the part at Auto Zone for 1/3 of the price, did it ourselves and it didn't fix the problem.

So we took the car to a Chrysler mechanic, he worked on it for a little over a week... he thought for sure it was one thing... and it wasn't. Tried another... didn't work.  He couldn't figure it out either - and isn't even charging us the diagnostic fees.  

So, its time to say goodbye to my pitiful car.  We've put a lot of miles on it... had it for 5 years (paid off for 4) and had some great memories in it.  But, it is done.  

Now, to figure out a replacement that will fit our family of 5.

New Watch

My sister Lisa, surprised me with a new watch.  She had asked me a while ago about favorite colors and such, but didn't tell me why.  She had learned how to make these beaded watches and made one for me. The face is removable so I could find another face, or change the band, etc.  Anyway, I love it!  It's very unique, and I just don't have a lot of jewlery, so its perfect!!

Thanks Lisa!

Knock Knock

This month for Cub Scout Pack Meeting, the theme was "In the Spotlight". So the boys all had to prepare a talent and present it to the pack.  Trying to get Zach to prepare before hand for anything has been increasinlgy difficult over the  last few weeks (especially in school).  And this was no exception.

 I had been trying to give him ideas of things we could do as a family (thinking he might want some back up someone in the spotlight with him).  So I thought of stuff... silly, goofy stuff, that I thought he'd be interested in.  AND he wasn't... AT ALL. I'm pretty UNcool, I guess.

So he decided he was going to get up and do a few jokes, on his own.  He did really well, and we are very proud of him!!

Kindergarten Graduation

This week was the last week of school for my 2 oldest boys.  Holy Smokes!  Zach is now a 4th grader and Cannon is now a 1st grader! When did I get old enough for that to happen?  (ahem... don't answer that) Dobson Academy does a fun Kindergarten Graduation (well, I guess they call it a Promotion).  It was Jungle themed so there were monkeys, parrots, snakes and toucans everywhere.  It was cute.  They even dressed the kids up in the traditional Cap and Gown.  It was adorable!  Here are some fun pictures!

The kids were singing a cute song to the tune of "New York, New York" called "First Grade, First Grade"  ("if I can make it there I'll make it anywhere, First Grade, First Grade") They made cute ties to where under their gowns to look all spiffy!

Afterward the ceremony, there was some refreshments.  So I asked Cannon to smile while he was sitting there... This is the smile I got.  This is the typical smile I get when I ask Cannon to smile.  In fact, in a lot of class pictures, that is the smile his teacher got from him too... So it was only fitting to show this silly picture off too.

Both boys did really well this year and earned good grades!  We are very proud of both of them and are looking forward to a fun summer break!!

Safety Tats

A friend of mine took her cute little family to DisneyWorld on vacation. They are still there actually.  Today, (thanks to facebook for updates) they had the experience every parent fears... one second their 4 year old daughter was sitting next to them, and the next she was gone.  They immediately contacted Disney Security, (who shuts down the entire park).  Their friends were going in to bathrooms making sure nobody was cutting and dying her hair.  (YIKES!)  15 minutes later (an eternity to them) A "Disney Cast Member" found her at the Finding Nemo ride and called my friends number that was Tattooed to her daughters wrist with these cool temporary Tattoos, that you can write your cell phone number on and stick to your child.  Her husband, actually sort of mocked her before the trip for paying $20 for such a "silly" thing... of course, no one is laughing now and they are thankful for such a "silly" sense of security for their kids!

One

So, it is official! David has ONE more semester left of school! (breathe a sigh of relief).  This semester went well... it had a few bumps along the way (a big one that was out of his control, but not "life threatening") He is done with all of his core classes and just has a couple co-requisites that he has to take in the fall. WAHOO! Way to Go David!! So he is taking the summer off (because they don't offer his classes in the summer - or I would probably be making him take classes!! *whip cracking*)

Right now, with the emotions and stress involved, I can't tell you what I'm more excited about, being DONE with school (for a while - he wants his Bachelors - which I understand) or having him home on a regular basis and less stressed out (and therefore me being less stressed out), but I am anxious for a new, higher paying job, that is for sure.

Just in case you haven't heard  - we are keeping all options open as far as jobs. He will be Nationally Registered, so he will be applying for jobs, not just in Arizona.  So we may, or may not move.  It all just depends I guess and let me be the first to say, that after making next to nothing for the first 10 years of our marriage - Money Talks, as do other factors of course. But there are places that Respiratory Therapists make A LOT more than here in AZ - so those places look kinda interesting to us!!

Unkindness

So I had in interesting experience with someone in my ward the other night.  I've been doing a lot of thinking.  It was a dumb "run in" with someone who has the reputation of being the ward grump (to put it mildly).  I won't bore you with details.  But basically, I was doing my job, and she didn't like the way I did it.  I was stressed, over tired and turned out to be A LOT more emotional than I normally would have been.  Normally, I would have some quick retort to put her back in "her place".  I don't let people treat me that way. But I was caught off guard, and ended up crying - which only made me more upset - to get so worked up over something I would normally solve rather quickly.  I've, of course thought of a million things I wish I had said, had I had my wits about me that night.

But it wouldn't have solved anything.

She was confronted by people who saw and overheard the whole thing and she apologized in her own way.  Which actually turned out to be a sob fest on her part about how she is the victim. Sad really. I've come to see that the reasons she is struggling is she is lonely - much of her own doing, I'm afraid.  She seems to stir up trouble in her wake and wonder why people don't flock around her to be her friend and then feels alienated.  We sat by each other the rest of the night - sort of, on my part, to let those who saw and heard, know that it was all ok. 

The stubborn snarky side of me says - "well, she met her match, didn't she!" I know I can't, and won't let her treat people, including myself, they way she did the other night. I do try, to think before I speak. 

So now I sit here, trying to figure out, what I'm supposed to learn from this and how I feel bad for her.  Sure, I was offended, but I've got pretty thick skin. It takes A LOT to get my "feathers ruffled" and normally the situation wouldn't have bothered me as much as it did.  The part that bothers me now is where she is in her life... playing the victim card, dishing out unpleasantness, and expecting happiness in return. --- and how am I supposed to HELP her... I feel like I'm supposed to (with some armor on though)

(disclaimer : for those of you who know of the situation, or the person I am referring to, please keep this personal post private.  I do not wish to make this bigger. More for people to see that sometimes, everyone just needs to be seen in a different light.  I'm not condoning her actions - nor do I wish to embarrass her or make it bigger than it got.  Just something in my thoughts since it happened)

Bonnie's Wedding

Some of you know my friend Bonnie.  She moved here several years ago from New England to start a new life out west.  She and my mom were good friends.  I taught her mom, Ginny (before ever knowing Bonnie) the Temple Prep lessons.

She recently met a nice man, Arlin Richardson, and got married, April 23rd. Arlin is from Mesa.  They sort of met online, but officially met at a church dance. I was her Matron of Honor and had lots of fun helping make the bouquets and boutonnieres, taking their engagement photos, designing their wedding announcemtents on Stampin' Ups! My Digital Studio (FUN!!)  Deb and also did her wedding cake.  Cannon was one of her Ring Bearers.  (Zach came down with Strep Throat and couldn't even come - and since David was saying a prayer, and Deb had to stay home to be with Zach)

So here are a few photos!

Congrats to you, Bonnie and Arlin!

Love you!