Thank You!

I just want to give a shout out to my Grandpas. They fought in WWII and risked their lives to keep this country free. My Grandpa Rogers was a pilot in the Air Force, my Grandpa Keime was in the Army, and Mark's Grandpa Spalding was also in the Air Force. I am so thankful to all of them, and to everyone who has fought or is fighting for freedom. What we have is precious and God given. We should be grateful everyday, and we should want the same for others. Thank you Grandpas! I love you!

I know I'm a parent because....

"When I was a kid..."

My ear drum exploded because I didn't blow my nose and kept sniffing the snot up. (true story)

We didn't say "No" to our parents for fear of having our faces slapped!

We didn't have cell phones, DVD players, iPods, video cameras, flat screen TVs, digital cameras, computers, etc. We had to carry around a quarter in case we needed to call our parents. (And you will, too because over my dead body are you EVER having a cell phone!)

We had chores we did every day.

We NEVER back-talked! (okay, maybe not NEVER)

We knew what real fashion was! (Leg warmers, pegged jeans, neon colors, big hair) ;)

Boys NEVER wore girls' jeans!! And they never let their undies show!!

We snapped peas, husked corn, pitted cherries, and made newspaper logs!!

We believed in Santa until we were 12. (Okay, slight exaggeration)

We played cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, jacks, marbles, hopscotch, double dutch.

We played outside ALL DAY in the summer. No sitting in front of the TV-unless of course it was for The Love Boat, Fantasy Island, Solid Gold, or Charlie's Angles. Oh, and Dukes of Hazard, Knight Rider, and the A-Team.

We didn't need our parents to entertain us.

We always told our parents where we were going and when we'd be home.

We typed our homework on good old-fashioned type writers.

We knew how to write letters by hand.

We could carry on a conversation face-to-face.


Ah, the good old days. Sheesh. I'm getting old!!

A V.I.M. ( A Very Important Mom)

At the risk of causing her public humiliation, I have decided to post about my sister Mandy this Mother's Day. I thank her from the bottom of my heart for being the most wonderful, giving, caring, selfless, patient & faithful mother and wife. Over the past two-and-a-half years she has taken on the burden, stress, pain, and annoyance of cancer. (I have a few four letter words for that disease-but, I digress.) Travis is the last person on the face of this earth who should have to go through this horrible trial. But, I am so thankful he has Mandy by his side. She is a blessing to him, and to all of us. I know I am a better mother and wife because of the example she has set these past few years.
I am struggling because I'm the big sister. I'm supposed to be the one helping her, being an example for her, protecting her. Not the other way around! But, she truly has always been the big sister in spirit. I know part of Heavenly Father's plan was to allow me to learn from her. I see her dealing with things that no 35 year old mother of four should have to deal with. And yet, she does it with an amazing strength and faith.
I love you, Mandy, and I will be forever grateful to you for the things you are teaching me.

Addicted

Okay people. I am officially addicted. No, not to cigs, or caffeine, or chocolate (debatable), but to P90X. I have my wonderful brother to thank for letting me borrow it from him...which he will have to pry out of my cold, dead hands if he ever wants it back! At first Tony, the instructor guy, drove me nutso, but he's grown on me, and I seriously can't-and don't want-to go a day without doing it. (Except for Sundays, of course) I am 7.5 weeks through the 12 week program, and so far I haven't lost a ton of weight, about 7 pounds, but I can see and feel muscles where I've never seen or felt muscles before! It is an amazing feeling. I feel stronger and better overall. Now people are telling me to try Insanity. A lady in our ward does it....don't know if I'm quite ready for that, yet. I think I'll finish up my 12 weeks before I move on to something else. Now if I could just cut out the bad food completely. I'm getting better, but still have to have me some sugar once in awhile...