Influential Teachers

Every man and every person who lives in this world wields an influence whether for good or evil. It is not alone what he says, it is not alone what he does it is what he is. Every man, every person radiates what he or she is. It is what we are and what we radiate that affects the people around us.--David O. McKay, Improvement Era, 1966

Bishop and Sister Harman are amazing teachers. I've never known any quite like them. Their influence has touched me as I'm sure they've touched others simply by magnifying their calling. This year Erik had the privilege of having them as his CTR 8 teachers. For Christmas they gave each child in their class a homemade pillow, carefully hand-stitched and sewn.

Bishop Harman was our bishop when we moved into the ward 3 1/2 years ago. Shortly after, he was released and put in the Primary as a teacher with his wife to help. Homework is part of their curriculum and every child earns Cold Stone certificates depending on how many "homeworks" they've handed in. When it is their class's turn for Sharing Time, the class is invited to their home the week before for dinner and to practice. They never miss a baptism. I have been very impressed with their level of commitment and their love of the gospel and for the children in Primary. Having them as teachers has been a blessing for Erik and for me. Thank you Bishop and Sister Harman for your dedication.

A Disney Christmas

So the big morning arrived and I was very excited to share our trip with the kids. As they came down the stairs they giggled with excitement, Ash especially, as they scrutinized the BIG, HUGE present in the middle of the floor.

They unwrapped.

And unwrapped.

And unwrapped some more.

Only to find they had a puzzle to put together.

I finally had to give them some hints to look at all the wrapping paper (mickey mouse and princesses) and the puzzle they've been putting together all month. Oh, then the light came on . . . but only to try and figure out how to make the letters spell MICKEY MOUSE. Can I just say clueless. Kiersten eventually figured out DISNEY but couldn't quite figure the NDAL. Nate finally said, "Disneyland." And then they all looked rather confused. We explained we were going to Disneyland in three weeks only to have Erik say, "Are we going to miss school?"

The big box contained three items: the letters spelling out Disneyland, a countdown calendar to hang on the fridge, and Disney t-shirts (which were wrapped in yet another box).

I had such an enjoyable time shopping this Christmas, wanting to find Disney-related presents. I was very excited when I even found wrapping paper. My Disney finds were t-shirts, water bottles, treat sacks for their Christmas stockings, bouncy balls, drinking cups for the kitchen, Mickey dolls, Disney dollars to spend, Mickey jammies for Kiersten who desperately needed new ones, and princess jammies for Ash who desperately did not need new ones (but they were princess ones and went so well with my themed Christmas buying and she LOVES everything princess right now and they were such a good deal . . . I'm sure if Ty were with me when I bought them he would have talked me out of them, but since he wasn't I got to make the final decision and they came home with me.).

The excitement is mounting with each passing day. I think the realization is finally setting in especially after I took some time to sit down with them at the computer and look at pictures of Disneyland and Sea World (I guess I should mention we are also going to San Diego).

DISNEYLAND, HERE WE COME

Singing with a Choir of Angels

A new tradition I started last year consists of hanging 24 stockings with something to do every day until Christmas stuck inside. Yesterday's stocking was a trip to Salt Lake to listen to the Salt Lake Children's Choir.

Ten years ago we lived in downtown Salt Lake and the director of the children's choir, Ralph Woodward, was in our ward. So that's how we became familiar with the choir. Each year they perform a Christmas concert in the Cathedral of the Madeleine. The acoustics in that building are amazing. This year I wanted to take our kids to see them, and they happened to be doing an abbreviated concert at our old church house. I was excited to expose my kids to some arts and also show them where we used to go to church and where Kiersten was blessed.

The concert was outstanding. But my favorite part was the sing-along by the audience at the end. As the audience sang various Christmas hymns, the choir would supplement. You literally felt like you were singing in a choir of angels. I was glad we went; I have been feeling a little humbug the past couple of weeks, and yesterday was the jolt to my spirit that I needed.

On a side note: as we were driving down South Temple we passed the Cathedral and I mentioned that's where the children's choir normally does their Christmas performance. Kiersten asked if we could go see them there next year. And I said sure. Then I heard Erik whisper to Kiersten rather emphatically, "KIERSTEN! That is a Catholic church!" I smiled to myself and decided I need to educate my kids about other religions.

Samson

That he told her all his heart, and said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. --Judges 16:17

Erik is competing in the Elks National "Hoop Shoot" free throw contest this weekend at the district level. He came in first at his elementary school for his age division and now gets to compete against boys his age from other schools around the area. This is a free throw competition to see who can make the most free throws. This morning I told him I was going to cut his hair because I had cut Nate's the night before and his was next. He says, "Can you wait until after Saturday? My hair needs to be long." O BROTHER! Good job on trying to stall the haircut, Erik.

Excitement Mounting

Tomorrow is our annual Leary extended family Christmas party. The tradition is for Uncle Dick to dress up as Santa and for the parents to provide a small gift for him to give the children. This year I came up with a clever idea to give my kids one gift between them which will also help alleviate a small dilemma as to who the gift should go to. This gift is Ligretto, a German card game my younger sister Katie brought home with her from her mission. My kids fell in love the first time they played it and will sit for hours at Grandma's playing over and over. I've never yet played but it's a lot like the game of Speed you play with face cards.

Anyway, the game comes in four suits of different colors, each shrinked wrapped individually. Originally, I was going to give the game to Nate for Christmas mainly because Tyler really dislikes giving gifts to the whole family. I wasn't too keen on the idea just because I could imagine Nate not allowing anyone to play if he really felt like it. So when I remembered I needed gifts for tomorrow's party, an idea was hatched . . . 4 kids, 4 suits, wrap 1 suit for each kid. I am kind of excited for tomorrow to see their reaction. I love surprises and I think this is a great way to share the game they all enjoy.

My Grandpa

Glenn Ellis Seamons

I'm THANKFUL to have know him a little and GRATEFUL to know that I can continue to build that relationship in the hereafter. This past Thanksgiving while I was spending time at home with my siblings, we got out an old videotape. The tape contained footage of us when we were younger, recorded with my dad's "state of the art" equipment. We had some good laughs, but I was most touched when my grandpa came on the screen for a second or two. I don't have many memories of him because he died when I was 8 and he was only 55. I felt badly that some of my younger siblings didn't know him at all.

One memory I do have is of the times I would head up the hill from grandma's house to grandpa's mechanic shop. I would often find him there working on cars (a talent and skill my dad inherited from him). He ALWAYS stopped whatever he was doing to talk to me and give me a lemon drop or two before I headed back down the hill.

I miss him and wished I had a lifetime to get to know him. For that reason I am very grateful to Jesus Christ and his sacrifice to overcome death so that I will someday be able to see and talk with my grandpa again.

 

Thanksgiving Newsletter 2008

A for Ashlyn: Some words we find hard to correct are finishin’ (As in “I need to finishin’”, coldin’, blanklet); she is a Josh Groban fan. One day Ashlyn walked with me over to a neighbor’s house and when we got back she was breathing kind of heavy. I asked if she was out of breath and she said “Ya, then I got back in breath.” Antelope Island: the only place Erik wanted to go this summer. He wasn’t disappointed. Aerated Lawn: This spring we had our lawn aerated and Erik noticed the neighbors “marinated their lawn too.”

B for Backpacking: Ty and Erik were invited to go backpacking in the Uintas and even bought new gear. He also bought me a backpack and informed me we were going to have a new hobby. How do you declare a new hobby before you’ve even tried it? I’m thankful he enjoyed himself and the money wasn’t wasted. Baptism: Erik was baptized and confirmed in June. Blogging: Yes, I caught the bug last November after lurking on several for over a year. Tyler's been after me to tell my family and friends about it, but how do you do that? "Hey, everyone. I have this blog like 10,000 other people and would really like you to take time out of your very busy lives to read about me, Me, ME." No, this blog isn't really for anyone but myself. BUT, I don't mind if other people want to read it. If you are interested, email me (melissa@learyfam.com) and I’ll send you an invite.

C for Countertops: out with the purple and in with neutral quartz. Love them, love them. Cute Conversation: Nate: "I know 11 times 54. It's 594." Cashier: "Oh, really." (Mentally you really see her wondering if what he told her was true and knowing she was going to go home at the end of the day and get our her calculator.) Nate: "I also know what 10 divided by 4 is. It's 2 remainder 2." At this point I was trying not to smile. As we walked away the cashier said to the next customer: "I bet you didn't know what 11 times 54 was." Tyler has taught the kids the shortcut to figuring out 11 times tables with big numbers. They usually try it out on family and friends, not complete strangers.

D for Diapers: there are no more to be found in our home.

E for Erik: eats, drinks, dreams basketball; is not a reader of fictional novels, but loves biographies and science books. Ear Drum: Nate had a perforated ear drum that needed minor surgery to correct.

F for Friendships and Fishing: No, we aren’t fishing for friendships, but I did get reacquainted with an old friend I’ve known since I was two. And the fishing has been good to Tyler and the kids this year.

G GO FISH!

H for Hard to Separate: Last December we moved Erik and Nate from their shared queen bed to separate twin bunk beds. There was trauma for a day as they adjusted to sleeping apart and wondering how they would talk to each other.

I for Ireland and England: Ty and I got to go for 8 days. Loved the Irish/British accent, the U2 cover band, meeting the people Tyler works with, visiting Belfast where my ancestors are from and where the Titanic was built. Don’t miss all the potatoes they served with every meal. Visited several old cemeteries in Tyler’s ancestral home in England for a couple of days. Hated driving on the wrong side of the road. Scenery was beautifully green and lush. Discovered how easy it was to leave America and what a nightmare customs was trying to get back in. It was a little unnerving not having cell phone coverage or Internet/email access.

J for Jordan River Parkway: We rediscovered our roller blades and love to blade on the parkway, usually a couple of miles to Iceberg to eat and then back. Jr. Jazz: I officially became a “soccer mom” when Erik signed up to play Jr. Jazz basketball and Kiersten signed up for Stansbury Soccer in the spring.

K for Kiersten: she’s learning to like spicy food (i.e. Mexican, Chinese), took 3^rd place in the Stansbury Elementary Book Battle and won a gift certificate and field trip to Barnes and Noble, has many friends, becoming a good pianist and taught herself several songs on her violin.

L for Las Vegas: We took the kids on a business trip and thankfully stayed on the west side of Vegas away from downtown. They loved the Mars chocolate factory, the M&M store, the museum, which leads us to . . .

M for Mistaken Identity: Kiersten and I sound so much alike on the phone she often gets confused for me and I for her. She’s had her dad start a conversation before she can interrupt, and I’ve had her friends ask if I can play. MRI: Ash doesn’t need anymore. She just meets with her oncologist once a year.

N for Nate: he started piano lessons, loves to play baseball and is not afraid to catch the ball, reads very well for a first grader, is our tactile child (loves to touch and be touched), can fall asleep most anywhere and often puts himself to bed early when he’s tired.

O for Oreo Truffles: Yum, yum, and oh, so easy!

P for President Hinckley’s challenge: our family completed the Book of Mormon . . . 3 years later, but we did it; Pees-maker: One week we were discussing being peacemakers in our home. Ashlyn had started potty training and said, “When I do pees in the potty, that’s being a peacemaker.” It took me a second.

Q for Quote: “Having a testimony alone is not enough. In fact, when we are truly converted, we cannot be restrained from testifying.”—M. Russell Ballard, Ensign, November 2004. I testify that Jesus the Christ lives. He is the only reason for Christmas. I know the Book of Mormon testifies of Jesus more than any other book. I cannot deny that. I am grateful for the hope that the gospel of Jesus Christ gives me, and I know God does not forget his promises and answers prayers in a very personal way. I testify we have a living prophet on the earth today who is God’s mouthpiece, and I know I am a spirit child of my Heavenly Father.

R for Races: I competed in my first 5K race and am working toward a 10K; Nate competed in his first 1 mile along with Kiersten and Erik. Roundabouts: Hated them in England and prayed through every one that we would survive.

S for Super Money Credit Union (SMCU): Tyler and I wanted to experiment with a family credit union (bank is an indecent word in our home). Our mission is “to teach our members [our kids] how money works, where it gets spent, how to save, how to be charitable, how to budget, how to track their money via a check register.” So far success.

T for Turkish Delight: DETESTABLE! Before embarking on our journey to Ireland, Tyler and I visited the London Market in Salt Lake City to get a flavor for the culture. We discovered Turkish Delight, the food that causes “whomever eats it to feel an insatiable greed for more” (The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe). It takes exactly like a rose petal smells—something to be smelled, not eaten. Ash is the only one who felt that “insatiable greed for more.” In fact she liked it so much, I came home to find she had helped herself to the leftovers.

U for Utah Jazz: GO JAZZ. Their games are the only television programming we regularly watch.

V for Violin and Vah-cue-bollary^*: Both belong to Kiersten. She started violin and I’m learning along with her. And one day she kept telling me she had vah-cue-bollary for homework. I didn’t have a clue what she was talking about. Can you tell what the word is?

W for Wexbur: “Sister Wexbur” to be exact. That’s a name Ash came up with and likes to call everyone.

X for Xbox: We are probably the only family in our neighborhood that doesn’t have a gaming system. Let’s hope that lasts.

Y for Youthful Observations: Erik gave the bishop his tithing and then watched as a friend his age handed his tithing over to the high councilor sitting two seats down from the bishop. Erik turned to me and asked, “Does everyone have a different bishop?”

Z for Zip Line: Who can resist this fun activity at Grandma’s? (Answer: Ty and Missy! But the kids all gave it a try at the Seamons family reunion this year.)

  We wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving and a very Merry Christmas.

“But you know, whatever.”

ooxxooXoXXx^**

TY, MISSY, KIERSTEN, ERIK, NATHAN, ASHLYN 

*Vah-cue-bollary = Vocabulary

**hug, hug, kiss, kiss, hug, hug, big kiss, little hug, kiss, kiss, little kiss
It’s a Nacho Libre thing, a favorite movie of Tyler and our kids.

OREO TRUFFLES
1 bag Oreo Cookies, ground in blender or food processor (filling and all)
8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 package Almond Bark (white chocolate candy coating)
1 square of the Chocolate Bark for drizzling

Mix ground oreos and cream cheese until well combined. Roll into 1 inch balls and place onto baking sheet or tray. Refrigerate overnight or until very firm. Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Dip balls into chocolate and place onto parchment paper to harden. Once dry, melt chocolate bark and spoon into the corner of a ziplock baggie. Snip a small corner and drizzle back and forth over the truffles. Let dry. About 30 truffles each recipe.

Celine pitty party

Instead of listening to this

My sisters and sister-in-law did this

Celine's concert was rescheduled due to voice issues. However, the date she rescheduled for was on a Sunday. So we decided to spend our ticket money and head for Maddox, a great steak and prime rib place. The men were invited and boy did we feel all grown up. Usually these kind of get togethers only happen when the parents pull it off. It was a fabulous evening of good food and good company.

I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Creation Continued

I reread President's Uchtdorf's talk he gave at the General Relief Society Meeting in September. It reminded me of a poem by Carol Lynn Pearson that I absolutely love.

CREATION CONTINUED

I will continue
To create the universe today
Right where God left off.

Little pockets of chaos
Somehow survived the ordering
And I feel moved
To move upon them
As in the beginning
The Spirit of God moved
Upon the face of the waters.

I will move upon my backyard today
And the weeds will be subdued
And the flowers can grow
And it will be good.

I will move long distance
Upon a broken heart
And leave a little balm
And it will be good.

I will move upon the hunger of my children
With salad and spaghetti
Which is Emily's favorite
And it will good
And even they will say so.
And I will move too upon their minds,
Leaving a little poem
Or an important thought
And that will be even better
Though they won't say so.

I will move upon
Birth defects and AIDS
With five and ten dollar checks
To help the scientists
Who are battling the big chaos
And I will move upon world hunger
With a twenty-four dollar check
For little Marilza in Brazil
And it will be good.

I will move upon
The kitchen floor
And the dirty laundry
And a blank piece of paper
And at the end of the day
Have a little creation to show.

And the evening and the morning
Are my eighteen thousand
and ninety-sixth day
And tomorrow will start another one.
And here is chaos and there is chaos
And who knows if creation
Will finally be done?

The Office

The bandwagon hasn't left us entirely behind.

 Season one watched, three more to go.

Unless the raunch factor increases like most sitcoms do.

However loved season one.

Best Friends

In the past couple of years, an old friend and I have become reacquainted. I've known Jennifer Ralphs since I was two. She was the one who made the first contact after many years (in the red).

My other friend and I became reacquainted through email. Unfortunately she has moved MANY times in her life and now lives in Hawaii. Lynn Bennett and I have known each other for about as long (middle).

Jennifer and I met up at the zoo one day this past summer and had a wonderful time. We decided to come back for Boo at the Zoo, Hogle Zoo's annual Halloween costume trick-or-treating parade. BIG MISTAKE! The lines to get a piece of candy were enormous. The people factor was too large for either of us. We didn't stay long and headed out for lunch, families in tow. It was a fun day despite the crowds, and I'm SO glad she made that first phone call.

Happy 1st Birthday . . .

to my little blog.

Part of my 1st blog entry dated November 14, 2007: "Yes, it is the 14th of November and I've finished wrapping 2/3 of Christmas. Now don't ooh and ahh just yet."

I AM oohing and ahhing. I haven't even thought of wrapping yet, although I have got most of my shopping done. This year's Christmas is going to be a little different with a twist of Disney (hint, hint). I AM very excited and can't wait for Christmas morning.

Pat on the back

Yesterday was parent-teacher conference. We met first with Nate's teacher, Mrs. Heaton, who had nothing but good things to say about Nate. She's going to try challenging him a little more with harder spelling words. Erik's teacher, Mrs. Workman, hopes to keep Erik motivated. She's afraid he's getting bored. Again she had nothing but praise for Erik. She and I both separately discovered that Erik enjoys reading biographies and nonfiction. We both are going to try to have enough of those types of books around for him. Last we met with Kiersten's teacher, Mrs. Jorgensen. Kiersten is at the top of her class and neither of us could think of really anything to discuss.

I left with all four kids in tow and was walking down the hall when Mrs. Young the principal yelled after me, "Mrs. Leary!" I turned back and she proceeded to give me a very nice compliment. She said that if she had 600 kids just like mine, she would be out of a job and that whatever we were doing at home to keep it up. I was very impressed that she not only new my name, but that she took the time to pay a compliment.

Erik must have also impressed her because last Friday when she ended up substituting his class the entire day, she nominated him for Club 100 (This is where a teacher, aid, etc. nominates kids who were caught doing good that day and they get their names read over the loud speaker and get to go to the office to receive a prize and put their name in a drawing for a bigger prize.)

Later in the day I had a Primary meeting and was talking to a friend who also commented on what good kids I have. I DO have great kids. I don't know exactly what we've done in raising them so far. I do believe kids are born with traits and I also believe they can be molded. Discipline . . . Ty and I have tried to be very consistent and positive. We are also strong believers in natural consequences. I AM BLESSED!

"Paint the fence." -- Karate Kid

Finish staining the fence.

Four months later I FINALLY completed that to-do item. I have to admit I think it looks much better. I was very tempted to leave one slat of fencing unstained just for comparison, but the need for completion took over and I finished it today.

I'm a reading junkie of blogs

I've developed a serious addiction and am in need of some serious intervention. It all began with Angie's blog. Shame, shame on her. I discovered she has posted links to her friends blogs. So by following one of her friend's blogs and discovering who their blogging friends were, soon I was finding high school friends I haven't seen, well, since high school. And it didn't just stop there. I had to read all about them and what they've been up to and browse their family photos, all unbeknownst to them. Shame, shame on me.

"Establish a house of order . . ."

Last Tuesday our stake had a combined enrichment night featuring Marie Ricks, an organizing guru. When I told Tyler I was going to an organizing seminar, he asked, "Why?" I think I'm a pretty organized person but I do enjoy getting more tips and so I went.

• Hurricanes. We all have our own personal hurricanes, complete with names. The key is to keep in the eye of the storm where it is the most calm. Work from the inside out (take care of yourself FIRST).
• Plan on paper. None of us have that great of memory to be able to remember everything down to the minute details. Write it down.
• Have your children return and report on task/assignments they've been given.
• You'll get more done if you go slow, i.e. spend more time planning.
• Get rid of HALF of everything. If you have 20 pairs of shoes, give 10 away. If you have 6 frying pans, give 3 away.
• You cannot teach and train a child when you're in a hurry.
• A child's room is his home. Teach them to keep their room tidy

Marie Ricks's Seven Days to Better Organization
www.houseoforder.com
SUNDAY

Organize for the week

Hold family council and plan next week: who is doing what, who is going where, who needs a ride, help

MONDAY

Prepare

Plan out today: commitments, chores, projects

Deal with paperwork

Fix up your personal desk. Everyone needs a place to think, plan, and work

TUESDAY

Bathrooms and Laundry: get your children to help

WEDNESDAY

Kitchen: clear off counters (it's easier to wipe off a counter that is not filled with clutter), clean out cupboards, condense tools to an area where they are first used

Closets: put like things together

THURSDAY

Budget: cut up cards, buy by the year

Groceries: buy more . . . less often, shop early, shop alone, shop with a list

FRIDAY

Watch children until they obey: keep a low voice, steady eye, and thank them. Tell kids what need to be done. Don't tell them what to do.

Be early: start planning right away when you know about a commitment and it's fresh on your mind. Make phone calls early, prepare dinner early, run errands early. Being early means things get done better.

SATURDAY

Garage: what can we discard, give away, hang up? Get stuff off the floor. Use shelves.

Kids bedrooms should be SIMPLE: do they have too much stuff, teach housekeeping skills

SUNDAY

Review week and plan again

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My Attempt at Organization

I made this binder several years ago and couldn't live without it. Neither could my kids. They refer to it more often than I do to see what's on the lunch menu, to look up a phone number, to find a coupon, to see what chores they've been assigned. It has helped immensely in helping our family run a little more smoothly.

5 miles and counting

The family and I went home to Ferron this weekend. While I was there I went running which is what I normally do when I'm down there simply because mom and dad's house is perfectly situated for great country running. I typically trek past the 1 mile mark, turn around and head back home. This time I got to the stop sign and was feeling so great I kept going. And once you get around that bend and down by the 3 mile mark you might as well keep running because it is the only way home. I even told myself I would walk as I headed up 800 West which is a steady climb all the way. But I didn't. I often talk to myself anyway, but on that hill I kept telling myself I could do it. And I did. I ran the entire 5 miles. It felt great to know that I could complete the Peach Days 10K run my sisters and I are going to compete in next year. Running is definitely more mental than physical.

Side Note: My brother-in-law showed me a great site for tracking your runs. I used to get in my van and map it out that way. I want to know how far I run. Anyway, he showed me http://www.gmap-pedometer.com where you zoom in, find your route, double click along the way, and it will tell you how far you've run. I loved it and can't wait to try it here at home.

I'm grateful for . . .

1. POWER. This morning we woke up to no power and dined on cereal by candlelight. I decided I would make rolls and let the dough rise while the power thought about coming back on. Then I realized I needed to melt the margarine, so I had to improvise a little. Regardless of the inconveniences it makes me realize how fortunate I am to have power and how I take for granted that my lights will always come on and my fridge will always be cold and my microwave will always work.

2. The excitement that exudes from my kids every time we help clean the church, which we did last Saturday. Every three months when the announcement comes that it's our ward's turn to help clean the building, they make me promise to sign up and I always do. Maybe it's not so much the pleasure of helping clean our ward house as the Pop-Tarts they get to eat for breakfast. :)

3. General Conference. I LOVE hearing what prophets and apostles have to say. I LOVE making my own personal commitments to try a little harder over the next 6 months. The talks that spoke to me were from Elder Neil Andersen on faith (Faith is not merely a feeling; It is a CHOICE), Elder David Bednar on meaningful prayer, Elder Jeffrey Holland on angels sustaining us through hard times, and President Thomas Monson on living and loving life now (especially as I think that Kiersten is halfway to leaving home).

4. Internet shopping. Isn't is wonderful to have packages come to your door? And I didn't even have to leave my house.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

I read this book for book club and loved it. It's not a fast moving book and actually took me about three weeks to finish, but you'll appreciate your life a little more with all the luxuries we take for granted. It's a story of a young girl, Francie Nolan, who grows up during the early 1900s in Brooklyn, New York, who often goes hungry, who has a drunkard for a father but who loves her very much. It's a story of survival, of valuing education, of working hard. It was such a real life book and reminded me a lot of The Glass Castle, another story of working your way out of the slums. Definitely a classic to be read.

This post is dedicated to Gwen

Last night we had a ladies night out with Sara Lynes, Kami Porter, and my sister-in-law Gwen Ruebush. We attended a Healthy Woman seminar at the clubhouse devoted to promoting healthy eating in your family. On the way home Sara asked why she could not get into my blog. I was a caught off guard a little not knowing how she could possibly know I kept an online blog. Here's the gist of the conversation (definitely not word for word since my brain doesn't function that quickly):

Gwen: You have a blog?

Me: Ya, it's private.

Sara: Oooh. I wonder what she says about Gwen.

Me: No, I haven't said anything. I mean private in that that whole world can't read it. I'd have to invite you.

Gwen: Uh, uh.

Me: I'll send you an invite so you can see I haven't written anything bad about you

So here's what I like about Gwen:

• she's a lot like me and who wouldn't like me (just kidding, I'm not that egotistical, BUT she really is a lot like me)
• she's organized
• she gets things accomplished (has organized a triathlon for the past 2 years)
  
• she's a self-starter
• she makes very good bread
• she's friendly
• she enjoys learning and will devote time to learn all she can about a subject
• she's willing to watch my kids
• she has a genuine smile
• she likes to get your opinion on something instead of pretending to know it all
• she likes to keep fit and active and eat healthy

For clarification: Sara was referring to my website and the photos we have password protected. I really haven't told anyone about my blog other than my sisters, mom, and Tyler. And now Sara, Kami, and Gwen know. Tyler's been after me to tell the family about it, but how do you do that? "Hey, everyone. I have this blog like 10,000 other people and would really like you to take time out of your very busy lives to read about me, Me, ME." No, this blog isn't really for anyone but myself. BUT, I don't mind if other people want to read it. It's just easier if someone else promotes it (I really dislike self-promoters).

I Am a Child of God

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED . . . Our Primary program was a success today!

This time of the year is always so chaotic and maybe I bring more on myself by the way I do it.
...I like to hand out speaking assignments and have the children write their own parts. But it never fails; I am always waiting for 1 or 2 parents to get the parts back to me. That causes me some stress.
...I also do the actual program and this year it took me over an hour and using Ty's computer and printer to get it to print right (not to mention hours putting it together with every child's picture on the front).
...I gave up trying to find parts for everyone and we ended right on time this year. I hope no one was too sad.
...I like to put together program binders for the teachers with a copy of the program, speaking parts for children in their class, and a seating chart to help situate everyone in the right spots.

Despite the countless hours putting it all together so it flows smoothly and the many bike trips around the ward handing out parts and reminders, and a lot of grumbling and complaining and wishing I didn't have to do it, I love the feeling I get at the end. And the compliments I receive for a job well done. It never ceases to amaze me how well it goes when we actually perform in Sacrament. Those kids sing with all their hearts and today was no exception. At several points in the program when they began singing, I got goosebumps, my heart swelled within me, and I got a little teary-eyed as I listened to their angelic voices. IT MAKES IT ALL WORTH IT and I vow to not complain and grumble next year.

Remember President's Hinckley's Book of Mormon challenge?

Well,
WE FINISHED!
Three years later.
But we did it. We were obedient to a commandment. And my kids were so excited as we read that last page.

I offer a challenge to members of the Church throughout the world and to our friends everywhere to read or reread the Book of Mormon. If you will read a bit more than one and one-half chapters a day, you will be able to finish the book before the end of this year. Very near the end of its 239 chapters, you will find a challenge issued by the prophet Moroni as he completed his record nearly 16 centuries ago. Said he:
"And I exhort you to remember these things; for the time speedily cometh that ye shall know that I lie not, for ye shall see me at the bar of God; and the Lord God will say unto you: Did I not declare my words unto you, which were written by this man, like as one crying from the dead, yea, even as one speaking out of the dust? . . .
"And God shall show unto you, that that which I have written is true" (Moroni 10:27, 29).
Without reservation I promise you that if each of you will observe this simple program, regardless of how many times you previously may have read the Book of Mormon, there will come into your lives and into your homes an added measure of the Spirit of the Lord, a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to His commandments, and a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God.

Insurance/Billing Office Frustrations

I need to vent. Actually I really needed to vent this morning. Sorry to Tyler for getting the brunt of it all.

STORY: I took Ashlyn to the eye doctor (Dr. Dries) at Primary Children's for her neuroblastoma checkup A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. I received the statement from them that said pay this amount by such and such a date and the amount was $0.00, insurance pending. So I didn't think much. Just figured we were waiting for the insurance. A couple of months later I received another statement with the exact same thing. I still didn't think much about it. A year later I finally called the insurance AND THEY HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING. So I made a phone call to the billing department and they had the wrong insurance on file. Now I still don't understand that since we had been in several times before and our insurance had never changed. The lady I talked to was very nice and said she would submit it again but the insurance might reject it since it wasn't filed in a timely manner. I asked her if I would be responsible for whatever the insurance didn't pay. She said they would probably just end up writing it off. Sure enough, the insurance denied it and I get another bill showing $0.00 that I owe.

TODAY: I was sure I would have received bills for the rest of my life, so I decided to call the billing department about it. I explained the situation on the phone to the girl and she immediately made it clear that it was my responsibility to pay the bill, even though it was clearly their fault for not submitting the correct insurance information. She was a little snippy with me, asked me why I didn't call our insurance earlier, and told me submitting information to the insurance was a service they did for me. I became very upset and told her I refused to pay it. If they wanted me to pay for it, WHY DIDN'T THEY BILL ME CORRECTLY INSTEAD OF SENDING BILLS WITH ZERO AMOUNT and telling me INSURANCE PENDING? There is so much about insurance I don't understand, but was she basically telling me that I should call my insurance after every doctor's visit to make sure everything's been paid? The funny thing is she asked me how I liked my service. Well, we've been very happy with Dr. Dries and I told her so. But if she expected me to CONTRIBUTE the amount owed because I liked the service, she was mistaken.

I don't think I've ever been that upset, nor have I ever been treated that way. I finally yelled at her that I wanted to talk to her manager. She eventually came back to the phone to tell me he was in a meeting, that they would write it off, and then she hung up on me. I felt badly about how I handled the situation. She caught me off guard, and I'm sure I could've done better.

I HATE DEALING WITH INSURANCE ISSUES!

Summer Reads

Ah, you've got to love summer reading. Our days have been a little less busy and a little more relaxed.

Okay, I wrote that last sentence at the beginning of the summer and now that we've come to the end, it was anything but relaxing. I'm beginning to suspect that all my summers will be more than a little crazy the older my kids get. I certainly didn't read like I wanted to even though I had good intentions. But here's a synopsis of what I did read.

The Book Thief. This will go down as one of my favorites. Truly a book about love and friendship and survival, it is set in Germany during WWII as a young girl Liesel Meminger and her foster family hide a Jew in their basement.

"When the elderly Jew climbed to his feet for the last time and continued on, he looked briefly back. he took a last sad glance at the man who was kneeling now himself, whose back was burning with four lines of fire, whose knees were aching on the road. If nothing else, the old man would die like a human. Or at least with the thought that he was a human."

Ella Minnow Pea. A delightfully entertaining book. The setting for this book was based on the fictitious island off the Carolina coast called Nollop, home to Nevin Nollop, the supposed creator of the sentence, "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog." The residents reverence this man by posting the sentence on his statue. Eventually the tiled letters begin to fall, and as they fall the town council believes it is Nollop speaking from his grave that those particular letters are not to be used again, thereby banning their use in written or oral form. For the first offense a warning is given, the second is a lashing or stocks, and the third is banishment from the island. By the end of the book nearly everyone has been banished or left of their own accord. The book is made up of correspondence sent between various characters and as the book progresses to the end, the author chooses to leave the banned letters out making the book harder phonetically to read and and more challenging to decipher the creative spelling. The council eventually decides to allow the remaining residents to create their own pangram that is shorter than Nollop's and still uses all 26 letters in the alphabet, which they do thus restoring all 26 letters.

1776. A historical book that left me in awe that America won the Revolutionary War.

"Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning -- how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference -- the outcome seemed little short of a miracle."

And, after reading this book, IT DID seem little short of miracle. General George Washington's volunteer army was nothing more than your untrained, everyday farmer -- many who were too sick to fight or those who simply went home when their enlistment was up. The British landed in New York with a "well-armed, well-equipped, trained force" of 32,000 men, "more numerous than the entire population of New York or even Philadelphia." In one particular battle, the Americans needed to make a quick retreat across the East River and the decision was made to do this in the middle of the night and catch the British by surprise. Due to heavy mud, the exodus was not moving quickly enough and time was running out.

"Incredibly, yet again, circumstances -- fate, luck, Providence, the hand of God, as would be said so often -- intervened. Just at daybreak a heavy fog settled in over the whole of Brooklyn, concealing everything no less than had the nigh. It was a fog so thick, remembered one soldier, that one 'could scarcely discern a man at six yard distance.' Even with the sun up, the fog remained as dense as ever, while over on the New York side of the river there was no fog at all. . . In a single night, 9,000 troops had escaped across the river. Not a life was lost."

This country should in all respects be under British rule. They were bigger, stronger, had more resources, more money, more power. BUT this is one nation UNDER GOD and He clearly had a hand in every American's independence.

Well, that was my summer reading. I wish it were more, but I sure enjoyed the books I did read.

[sigh] KSL 5 Eyewitness News is back!!

As much as I enjoyed watching the Olympics, I am so grateful to be watching a quality news team again. I didn't realize how much I missed KSL's 10 o'clock news until I navigated between channel 2 and channel 4 and endured their amateur newscasters.

A documentation of our summer--2008

First day of school

August 21, 2008

Erik 3rd-Mrs. Workman, Ashlyn, Nate 1st-Mrs. Heaton, Kiersten 4th-Mrs. Douglas

 The kids are back in school! Need I say more. It is a wonderful day and I think Ty is actually getting some work done with all the quiet.

OUR SUMMER IN PHOTOS

 June

Las Vegas trip to start off our summer vacation

Erik's baptism

Erik at scout camp

Camping at Manor Lands

July

Hiked to Ensign Peak

Visited Wheeler Historic Farm

Missy, Kiersten, Erik, and Nate ran 4th of July race

Attended the 24 of July Seamons Family Reunion, complete with fishing and rides off the zipline

Nate turned 6 years old

Invested in a Hogle Zoo membership and went with my childhood friend Jennifer and her 3 girls

August

Visited the Natural History Museum where Kiersten got to help with a science demonstration

Amber's wedding enabled us to all get together on the Leary side for a family photo

Antelope Island: picnic and buffalo

Rollerblading the Jordan River Parkway, Fishing, Swimming at the pool,Sleeping on the trampoline, Staying at Grandma's

Stansbury Days bike parade

Whew! I think we were all a little ready for school to start, for life to take a different pace.

At least I know I was.