25 Random things about me

I was tagged on Facebook and asked to share 25 random things about me. I chose to write mostly about embarrassing/funny moments. So, here it is, have fun reading!

1. Easter morning, I was 4 years old, I carefully salted the pink easter egg I colored the night before, then ate it, shell and all.
2. When I was about 6 years old at Thanksgiving my cousin Lisa and I performed a play for the family called "The Burping Ball" Lisa introduced me as the "Amazing Burping Ball" and I jumped up from a squatting position and belched as loud as I could when I reached the top of my jump. Then I repeated, many many times, until my aunts uncles brothers sisters parents etc. were in tears.
3. When I was 3 years old, I went strait from watching the bionic woman on TV, to the top of the stairs. I repeated the theme music in my head from when she jumps over and over again....sha na na na na na na na, and then I took a bounding LEAP off the top and broke my collar bone.
4. In high school the car I drove had a broken drivers seat. The back didn't stand up, it just flopped down weakly onto the seat behind it. As you might guess, when ever I accelerated I had to hang on to the steering wheel and keep myself pulled up into in a seated position so that I could continue to drive. One day while driving down the road the light changed from green to yellow, I was in the awkward position of deciding to gun it or slam on the breaks. I decided to gun it and then changed my mind at the last second. I slammed on the breaks and skidded stupidly into the intersection. Immediately after my car came to an abrupt stop, my broken seat back flung forward and hit me in the back of the head. To which, in response, I looked around sheepishly to the other drivers around me as they shook their heads, smirking in disbelief, and I accelerated slowly out of the intersection while thinking, "......Hi......hi there......"
5. Once in this same magical car, I went to Big Bun to buy myself dinner. I was very tired, having recently woken up from a nap. It was very busy that day and there were a lot of people eating out on the picnic tables. I pulled up to the order screen and put my car in park and waited for them to take my order. They took my order, and I accelerated to drive forward. My car just revved up and would not move. I tried again, roaring my pitiful engine with the public looking on. Just before panic could set in, I realized I was still in park, I put it in drive and then pulled forward. At this point I felt really stupid, and wanted to recover my image. So I pulled out a pocket knife I had in the glove box (I thought a knife would help me look cool) and I started scraping my steering wheel clean with it. Forgetting, of course, that the steering wheel contained my horn. Needless to say I scrapped a little hard, and my horn blared loudly and caused every face to turn and look at me. NOW I was really feeling stupid and completely disoriented. It was my turn at the window to pay and collect my food. I pulled ahead, glad this was almost over. The girl handed me my food first, and then told me my total... I paid. Then, I waited..... and waited. Oblivious to the food already on my passenger seat. (I was used to paying first and then waiting for my food to be done). Soon the girl came to the window and asked, "Is there something else I can get for you?" Confused I responded, "What, did you run out of chicken?" It was the dumbfounded look on the girls face that jerked me into reality and made me glance over at the food in the passenger seat. ....I smiled, said thank you, and drove away. I was lucky to make it home.
6. Much like the above story, in drivers ed, I was facing my final drivers test out on the fairgrounds parking lot with the sarcastic guy on the loud speaker giving directions. I was car # 3. The test began. "Car number 1, pull to the yellow line." I looked over, and car #1 did as they were told. "Car number 2 pull to the yellow line." It was getting closer to me now, "You can do this" I thought, "Here we go, don't blow it." "Car #3 pull to the yellow line." I revved my engine and nothing happened. "Crap, there is something wrong with my car! Figures!! I get the broken one!" Panicked I revved my engine again, nothing." In full panic mode now, I undid my seat belt, threw open the drivers door, stood on the pavement waving my arms like I was directing air traffic and yelled in the general direction of the man in the building, "My car won't go!!" He then cranked up the loud speaker which was wired into every car around me and to a loud speaker on the outside of the building and stated loudly, pausing at every word, "PUT, THE, CAR, IN, DRIVE!" .........."ha ha, yeah, that should fix it........hi.........hi there." I thought.
7. At 16 while at the fair, I ate a corn dog and then went on "THE GRAVITRON" I'm sure we all know how that ended.
8. Probably around 12 years old, I was trying out my parents new rowing machine singing a happy song absentmindedly until my brother Brad burst into the room laughing and said, "The words are PUT on a happy face, not SIT on a happy face."
9. Around 7 years old, my entire family went to go and see "Back to the Future" in the movie theater. The theater was quiet during the first really tense scene. You know the one when the van with the Libyans in it came racing into the parking lot. Forgetting where I was and completely sucked into the moment I yelled at the top of my lungs, "The Lesbians are coming! The Lesbians are coming!"
10. My first day at my new school, Centennial, Junior year. I was in my first classroom, waiting for class to start. It was art on the second floor. I, of course, got the stool at the art table that was too tall for the table and a little wobbly. I was so nervous, yet trying to look cool and at ease. I didn't know anyone yet. There is no way to sit "cool" on a too tall stool that is wobbly... no leaning on the elbow casually etc. not an option, very uncomfortable. Time ticked by slowly until I was SHOCKED to life by the FIRE DRILL!! (Of course, this was the tardy bell, it just sounded exactly like Borah's fire drill bell) I leaped down from my stool, heard it clang loudly against the cement floor and looked around in horror for a clue as to what to do. Everyone sat and stared at me. The announcements started, it was then I realized that it was the TARDY bell, NOT the fire drill. I grabbed my stool off the floor, stood it up, got on my tip toes and tried to "ease" back onto it. The first announcement was this, "Attention students and faculty, there is a special ed student lost on the second floor, could someone please escort her back to the special needs room" ......I heard nothing else on the announcements. I only heard the repeating thoughts in my head, "They're coming for me now, they're coming, I know they think it's me. Just go with them easily, and take the "easy" ride the rest of the way through high school."
11. In 7th grade there was a new boy at West. I told Jodi Sally that we should introduce ourselves to him to help him feel more comfortable. My intentions were good, I cared about this new kids feelings. Jodi and I walked over to him and I said, "Hi, your new here, what's your name" He responded, "Tray." I responded, "Oh, it's nice to meet you Tray," I then pointed to myself and then to Jodi saying "I'm Bucket and this is Pan"
12. While driving in my car if I approach a "Deaf Child Area" sign, I turn my car sterieo all the way down and continue mouthing the words until I am out of the area.
13. While passenger in my cousins car (blue arrow, no brakes) I looked horrified at the car's license plate in front of me as my cousin approached it much too fast. All I could yell was the numbers I saw on the license plate, "THREE THREE THREE!!" My cousin just looked at me with a face like "What the he@#!!" Which didn't help as here eyes were now off the road and not on the car in front of us. I repeatedly jabbed my finger towards the car in front of us speechless until she finally pumped the brakes, stopped just in time, and laughed until she cried.
14. Once in Choir at Centennial, a fellow student, (she was a senior while I was a junior I think. I can't remember her name now) who I thought was too smart for her own britches was going off about something using her VERY large vocabulary which included some very LARGE words.....I finally snapped, sick of her rant and stood up and yelled, "Stop trying to matilidate us with your big words!!" (.....Matilidate: A word shouted in frustration accidentally combining the words, Manipulate and Intimidate.)...........yeah.
15. In my first apartment after high school, I was just starting to adjust to living in close quarters with others. Everyone had left for the day. I put some toast in the toaster, took off my pajama top to change into a T-shirt. I couldn't find the shirt I wanted easily, so I wandered around in no shirt trying to find it. Suddenly the toast popped up, which sounded a lot like a door shutting, and I screamed a loud profanity as I dove for cover. Soon I realized it was the toaster and had nothing to fear. (Hence the pink flare button on my wall)
16. In all my long career of dancing I have only once forgot a dance while on stage. It was a dance performed in the musical "Cats." I was wearing a cat mask for the first time on a VERY small stage at the fair grounds. I was disoriented from not being able to see where the stage ended while wearing my mask. Out of fright and frustration, I forgot the steps. I was on the end of the dance line all the way on the right. I slowly looked to my left to see what the other dancers were doing so that I could catch up. To my horror they were all looking back at me dumbfounded as well. I spent the rest of the dance glancing toward the exit.
17. My children share my, and their fathers, sense of humor. Which is good because they laugh instead of being offended when I am instinctively sarcastic. Once in Virginia were were leaving an outdoor store and walking toward another when Evie walked head first into a light post. What was my first "Motherly Instinct"?? I looked at her little face looking up at me and said, ".....Nice." ;-) She cracked up about it for a long time. ;-)
18. While giving birth to my last child, I had a foreign anesthesiologist. She gave me an epidural that did not work. She tested it on low doses when she discovered that it was not working. My baby was coming fast and I had NO pain relief. Soon my anesthesiologist was shaking my shoulder, her face very near mine. I opened my eyes and watched her mouth as she said through her heavy accent, "You are having a baby now, I give no medicine." ......GREAT! THANKS!! Just as I was at the end of my rope with the baby almost here, she interrupted again and asked, "Where is the pain now?" ....."WHAT!!" I thought "WHAT??!!!" I responded by pointing down to where the baby was and said, "THE BABY!! THE BABY IS WHERE THE PAIN IS!!!!!"
19. After giving birth to my first child, I held her in my arms while the rush of hormones took over, and I began hysterically crying and saying, "I love her so much!" ......reminiscent of Holly Hunters character in the movie "Raising Arizona."
20. During my last unplanned stay at the hospital, every time a nurse or doctor would walk in and ask, "How are you?" I would look down at my body in the hospital bed and say, "This place is full of comedians."
21. In pilot school, the first time I flew an airplane: I ate a full breakfast and was excited to fly! It was a cessna 150. I took off successfully, did dips and turns my instructor was very impressed with me this day and said I did more that day than any of her other students had done when they were at my stage. She said I was a natural. .....Then came the landing. ;-) Landing is the hardest part. My nerves were flaring up as the ground approached and I started to feel the ground effect. With her help, we made it in safely, and a little bumpy. (The tower would usually laugh at landings and count several landings in one as we bounced). After we were on the ground, I was overwhelmed with the nerves and adrenaline and sealed my mouth shut so that I would not get sick. My instructor told me to taxi around and I didn't respond. She took one look at me and I popped! All over the dash and her new headset that I borrowed. YAY ME!!! ;-)
22. I learned to play the drums by assembling my brother Jeff's drum set while he was gone, and then quickly disassembling it before he came back. I got pretty good, and still love to play.
23. I love it when my husband gets delirious at night and we stay up late laughing at stupid things until we are breathless and in tears.
24. I love anything and anyone that is funny. I love my friends and family.
25. Believe it or not, I did not live under power lines or eat paint chips as a kid.

Note to last post

As a side note to my last post, the person who did this to me was later caught, arrested, and put on trial for doing the same thing to many other girls. He was put in prison

A very personal story and the courage to share it

This email was written to my good friends Ben Barrus and Bridget Barrus. They were my "Porch Fairies" and brought me very sweet gifts to feed the combination of my body and spirit, my soul. Yesterday upon arriving home from work on my front porch I found a 2 liter bottle of diet coke (my favorite) a dove chocolate bar (chocolate also being my favorite) and a book I have heard about but had not yet read. It is called "The Christmas Sweater." I picked the book up yesterday afternoon and finished it this morning. It was healing to hear this story, and know that all of us face difficulties in this life. The following email was born of a grateful heart for my loved ones, and of the courage to face our most difficult challenges.

Ben and Bridget
I read the Christmas Sweater and enjoyed it. Thank you for sharing it and bringing me chocolate and diet coke too! What a loving gift to drop on my porch, a gift to feed my soul.

Some thoughts that have come to me after reading this book are many, some are scattered and some are cemented.

The storm in this story represented some of the most difficult trials this young boy had to face and go through. In the story, he stated that he had created it, and had created the cornfield.

The sweater represented a gift made of pure love and sacrifice, the atonement.

I would add to what Glen Beck is teaching in this story, that in some cases, the storm can also be trials the we have to go through that are created by others.

Russell told the boy Eddie, and his Grandfather told him that we can’t change things, but in order to be happy again, we can forgive.

In the book, Eddie’s angelic characters told him in his most desperate hour of need, when he was most empty, “I know who you are, and you are worthy.”

I too have been in the most desperate hour of need, and have had to face that great and awful storm. The great and awful storm I faced however, was for the most part not created by me.

My storm grew larger and more menacing the more I suffered from the effects of rape. My feelings of unworthiness came from evil around me that tried to permanently etch on my slate that I am not worth my body being respected and revered as sacred. I felt I was nothing and had nothing left.

As I faced my storm, it too seemed too large and scary to even know where to begin to get through it. I had many angels surrounding me as well, my grandma Ellen who had passed away years before was one of them. She told me almost word for word what Russell told Eddie with only a few words difference. She said to me, “I know who you are, and I am proud of you.” My Grandfather Clyde who also passed away years before, sent a message with those that were with me that night and his message was also word for word, “I know who you are, and I am proud of you.” My angles also told me that I was in the presence of another angel who, unlike them, was currently on this earthly journey with me. This angel is my friend Wendy, and literally asked me to tell her that she was an angel to me, and I thanked her for all that she is to me. I also had my Savior there with me, who instantly took away all of my pain, and replaced it with a pure knowledge that I was someone of great worth before I even came to this earth, and had the hands of evil try to scar me with lies.

I faced my storm by letting go of the lies, and coming to understand the limitless power of forgiveness.

When my beautiful Savior was faced with his menacing storm, (more menacing than we will ever face) it was such a torrent that he, the strongest, most courageous, loving and perfect being, bled from every pore. His storm was not a result of wrong choices that he had made, for he was free of sin, his storm was created by the sins of others. And yet, even after his immense suffering, and after he was made to carry his own cross to his execution, after he was humiliated, spat upon, beaten, had nails driven through his hands feet and wrists, he still uttered allowed these words, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”

The atonement of Christ was indeed a gift made of pure love and sacrifice. We do in fact have to choose whether or not we are going to open the gift and use it, or let it get dusty on the shelf. In some cases, we need to use it to repent and forgive ourselves, and in some cases, we need to use it to forgive those things in life that are not within our control.

I can not change what happened to me, it is not within my control. But I can forgive, and let all else be in Gods control. This is what has freed me from my storm and brought me to the other side, where it is more vividly colored, and more warm and sunny than I ever thought the other side of that menacing storm could be.

As I said in my Status update on Facebook just before Christmas, “If I could give everyone one gift this Christmas, it would be the sudden and clear knowledge of their worth, and how much they are sincerely loved.”

Whatever storms we face in this life, for whatever reason, created by whomever or whatever,.. may we face those storms with the knowledge that we ARE WORTHY to face them and be comfortable with belonging on the other side. We are WORTH MUCH MORE than what the storms of this life may want us to believe.

My Rare and Precious friend Susan

Sometimes on this earth of ours something very rare and special happens. You can miss these special and rare events if you are not careful. I am lucky to know of one such wonderful event.

Around 30 or so years ago, a beautiful new baby was born, but this baby was very special. I am sure she arrived smiling as she knew a secret that the rest of us didn't.

This beautiful baby girl knew that she had been called upon to brighten the world around her, and her secret was that she knew just the unique way to do it. I am sure she had a full heart as her loved ones welcomed her as their new arrival. I know she enjoyed their cuddles and kisses and let their love make her strong.

Soon this baby girl entered the stage in life where she got to spend much of her time around her peers. This is when I met her, how lucky I am to have been put in her path. What do I remember about this changing baby girl with a secret?? I remember her shining eyes, I remember her contagious smile, and I remember her laughing. She could always be counted upon to brighten my day no matter how dreary.

Several years went by, and my path veered from hers for awhile, and many changes through this earthly journey happened to the both of us.........

And then the magic happened again. Our paths were again united, and I got yet another chance to be around this beautiful spirit.

Now, as we are much older, I am thankful that my eyes have changed with age and wisdom, as I can clearly see this very rare and special being for exactly who she is!! She is that special spirit that shines bright with her unique secret, she literally glows! This once baby girl, is so rare and so precious that even those who do not have eyes that can clearly see her for who she is, will at some point, feel her electricity. I feel that powerful electricity when I am around her, even as she lies in a hospital bed.

As you know, electricity is power, and Susan has a lot of power. Even when under the grasp of this demon of an intruder that has made her feel weakened at times, I can still feel her power. How have I felt her power?? I have felt it in what she has given me.

I too have a secret. A secret given to me through Susan's unique gift. It is such a wonderful secret that Susan has let me in on, that makes me feel a little giddy, much like that new arrival with her own secret born years ago. What is this secret??

The secret I know, is that Susan is not like the rest of us. Susan has been called to walk amongst us to brighten our lives, disquised as one of us, but she really is different than us.

The secret that giddy baby knew at the time of her birth, is that she could and would fulfill her calling AND she knew the unique way in which she would do it.

Susan as that new baby, knew that no matter what this life would bring, her calling was to brighten the lives of those around her and she knew many fun and humorous ways in which to do it. No one can fulfill her special calling the way Susan can. Susan spreads laughter under any circumstance. Susan spreads love through her smile. Susan spreads hope through her attitude, and susan spreads the example of grace in the way in which she handles her trials.

If you were to ask Susan if this was her secret, she would say "no way!" and excuse the idea away in her grace and humility. Susan may not remember her secret now as an adult touched by this imperfect world. You see, there is a vail that falls over our eyes after being on this earth for some time that makes you forget who you truly are and who you were before you were born onto this earth.

That vail is what makes Susan's secret so powerful. Even if she does not remember what she knew as that beautiful baby girl, SHE STILL IS FULFILLING HER CALLING!

She DOES brighten those around her in her own unique way. She does it while at home with her family, she does it over the phone, she does it through the computer, and she does it while fighting for her life in a hospital cancer unit. She does it even while having poison pumped into her body to fight away the demon illness that would try and bring her down.

And she doesn't do it while whining, though she has that right and no one would fault her for it. She does it while proclaiming, "Hey Cancer, You picked the wrong bitch!!"

Now ask yourself, did you not smile when you heard her above proclamation?

I sit here thinking of Susan and I am smiling and laughing, while simultaneously tears fill my eyes with love for her and gratitude that I know her. It is a rare, precious, and unique thing when someone can make you feel all of these emotions at once. And Susan does that! She does it in her own unique way! She does it in a way that no one else could!

So Susan, even if you do not remember all that you did as a new arrival on this earth. I know your secret, and I am thankful that you have given me the gift of my own secret.

I know who you truly are, and it makes me feel good about me, that I can see it.

I love you Susan. No matter what difficult trials this life brings you, have peace in knowing that you are fulfilling your calling and that you are indeed a rare and precious spirit.

Today is the day to vote!

People are too important to let politics injure a friendship. Politics will always disappoint, a good friend will not. Differences of opinion are par for the coarse in any relationship. So go out and vote, whatever will be will be, and cherish your friends and loved ones no matter who they voted for or what their personal opinions are. The beauty of mankind is that we are all individuals. This world will never be perfect, as everyone's idea of perfect is different. Look for the good in what you've got, and in those around you, and keep your arms outstretched to your friends and loved ones.

To quote Dr. Suess:
“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” ~Dr. Seuss

Mankind

Uuugghh. I am having a hard time keeping up with my blog! ;-) Josie woke me up around 3:00am and I couldn't sleep so I thought I would try and update everyone.

J.C. and I and the kids are all doing very well. Our house is coming along and we have been having a lot of fun together. I started the kids in gymnastics and they love it! I have been very busy with home improvement, teaching school, work, cleaning, playing, and with old and new friends.

J.C. started an account on Facebook, and I followed soon after. I have been surprised at how fun it is. I have reconnected with friends from Jr. High, High School, College, Dance, and our past neighbors.

I have had my feelings re-affirmed that people are the most important "things" in our lives. As Jacob Marley said to Scrooge, "Mankind should have been your business." Not an exact quote of coarse but you get my drift. ;-)

Everyone basically has the same experiences on this earthly journey. There is happiness, sadness, grieving, hoping, laughing, crying, healthy bodies, broken bodies, life and death. My heart has swelled and opened up wide to those people that have been on this earthly experience with me. I have found friends that have undergone heart wrenching trials, and friends that are ill and fighting for their lives. I have found both heartache and happiness, and I have found my brothers and sisters, and my Father in Heaven and Savior in all of them.

I am thankful for the trials I have had as they have given me some much-needed tools to be of service to my friends. By blessing me with my trials and tribulations, the Lord has enabled me to be an instrument in his hands in uplifting those around me. I am thankful that I have been able to provide some comfort and laughter to those who are, and have been suffering with their own afflictions.

The strengthening process that we go through when we are faced with heavy trials is so uncomfortable, and I have felt like I have a tiny heart and a closed mind at times when all I want to do is murmur. But after the trial, the blessings are so abundant that my heart feels too large and full to stay contained within me. I am so thankful that the Lord is patient with me when I am in that phase of weakened faith and a hardened heart during my trials. He forgives me my imperfections, and then he blesses me greatly when the process has finished.

This time He has blessed me with an even closer bond with my fellow man. I have so much love and genuine concern for these children of God that I feel closer than ever to my Father in Heaven. I feel a greater understanding of my Savior and his genuine love and concern for each of us. I feel the vail thinning, and my understanding of eternity growing. My prayers, and our family prayers have been filled with plea's of blessings of help and comfort, peace and joy, laughter and light heartedness for our friends, and our brothers and sisters in this eternal family of our Father in Heavens.

I am feeling the strength continue to build in me as I strive to uplift those around me, to lighten their burdens, and help pull them up the mountain when they are struggling and just about ready to collapse.

I WOULD NOT HAVE THE STRENGTH IN ME TO DO THIS IF IT WERE NOT FOR THE STRENGTHENING PROCESS OF MY TRIALS.

I am yet again amazed at the mysterious ways in which the Lord works. Never would I have imagined that such happiness could come from being tried and strengthened, and as a result of this new found strength be able to help lift some of the weight of others burdens. This process continues as those who are struggling under the pressure of their own strengthening process reach the end of their trials, and then have the tools and the spiritual "muscle" built to go forward and help carry the load of the next person who is struggling under the weight of their burdens.

I am very thankful for the opportunity I have had to struggle. I am very thankful for the opportunity I now have to help others that are struggling.

It is "mankind" that should be our business, as we truly are all connected.

See you here again soon,
Stephanie

Wow! It's been a long road

Hello all!

I have not blogged in months! We left Oregon mid August, and are now maybe 1/3 of the way settled into our old home in Meridian Idaho. We have had so much work to do! The people that we had in here renting the place TRASHED it, so we were not able to put it on the market and try and get into a bigger home. However, it is so nice to be home! After both J.C.'s family and my family worked for days on end, with new paint and floors and a great deal of scrubbing and sealing the sub floor, we are now able to live in it and feel at home. There is still a lot of scrubbing and painting to do, and some floors to be replaced, but we are slowly getting there.

 

We have built an English library with a rolling ladder on one wall in our living room to give us more storage space and a beautiful entertainment wall to enjoy. I'll have to post some pictures of it later. 

We are enjoying our new year homeschooling. We are learning all kinds of new things in Science and History and are having a lot of fun with art. Our biggest art project of late is "Pig Manor" We adopted some new Guinea Pigs and made a large castle facade (sp?) so that the front of the cage looks like an old English Manor! It is a huge cage with two stories and a black and white checkerboard floor. The Pigs love it! They are both boys and their names are Sir Edward of Piggy Manor, and Sir Philip of Piggy Manor. Again, I'll post pictures of Piggy Manor and the Pigs another time. (We took our Camera to the beach before we left our home in Oregon, and the camera got sand in it, and so you know the rest). 

J.C. and I are both now working for Ada-Boi and enjoing our time with his family. I work in their first aid store helping customers and making first aid kits. J.C. is on the ambulance. He needed a good long break from the ICU's in the hospitals. He has worked in Critical and Intensive care unit's for years and though he is excellent at it, and his patients and co-workers loved him, (and beg him to come back) it takes a toll to work 12 hours a day with really ill people and very sad family situations. He was so good at giving physical aid, and spiritual aid, and gave many priesthood blessings and spiritual advice as well as nursing care, to his patients and their families. Now, he deserves a break and though being on the ambulance is hard work, and there are sleepless nights, it is not as taxing as 12 hours a day in the Critical Care unit's. 

On the ambulance he is with different patients for varying reasons for a short time, and can then drive to a gas station and get a mug filled and run some errands until his next call. 

I enjoy making the first aid kits and working in the store, though I have been extremely busy. I wake up around 7 am, provide breakfast, and then home school until between 12 and 1. I then get ready and help the kids get ready and we all go to work together. We are there from 2 to 6. The kids play in a back room with cable and a couch and toys and coloring books. The older kids like to help with the first aid kits by making bandaid packs and Grandma pays them 10 cents a pack. I am so glad I can take my kids with me to work. If I couldn't I would never have considered going back to work. But the kids and I are pretty happy, and I can bring home a pay check during these very rough economic times and help provide for our family. Around 6 we all go back home, make and eat dinner and then relax and play together for a couple of hours until bedtime. I fit in the cleaning after the kids go to bed, on the weekends, and while they are doing their math. (They do math pretty quietly and intensely and do not need my help very often) 

I guess this is why I have not blogged in quite a while. We are pretty busy around here. I hope that things will settle down a bit after we have become completely settled in and all of the necessary  home improvement projects are done. 

I have the flu today, which started yesterday, so I had some time to blog while I had the energy to sit up. I hope this is a short flu, and I will be back to normal very soon, though I am feeling pretty ill and need to go and lay down again. 

So I hope you are all well, and I will blog again later.

Stephanie