Playing Catch Up!

This morning started off with me slicing my finger with a bread knife....always feels good!  Ouch!  Once that was out of the way I took Sadie for a walk, mowed and edged the front and back yard, sorted through 2 weeks of mail (and ads), did laundry, cleaned the kitchen, watered plants, watched Celebrity Apprentice from last night, took a shower, made dinner and I am looking forward to tomorrow.  Bob is working from home so I will have the car and I can run errands.

Missed A Day

I know I did not post yesterday....it isn't because I forgot, it is just because things were busy.  I also wanted to spend the day with Bob and not playing on the computer.  We went to church, had dinner and watched a few shows he had recorded so I could see them.  By 9:00 I was tired because I hadn't slept much the night before.  Funny how you have to get used to your own bed again after being gone a while.  I know I fell asleep around 11:30 Sat. night but I woke up at 2:30 and stayed awake for a long time.  Last night I took an Ambien and slept wonderfully!

Kimberly is feeling better.  She went to church yesterday and went to work today.  Hopefully though it will be a light load for her today so she doesn't overdo it. 
Kelli was at church yesterday and started cramping so she went home.  I hope she will heal quickly especially since she does daycare in her home.  Hopefully she will listen to the doctor's orders and NOT lift anything over 20 pounds.  I certainly offered to bring Londyn home with me!!!

Kevin and Corina returned home after their NYC trip.  They had a great time but realized when they got home they had been a victim of fraud.  Hopefully it will all be cleared up quickly. Bad people are just jerks!

Home!

I am home from AZ and it's good to be back.  Bob was at the airport to meet me and we headed to Anthonys for dinner.  Even though I totally dislike seafood, Bob loves it and the restaurant is on the water.  I missed seeing the ocean, so we were in our element.....and Anthonys has great grilled chicken!

The house looks great and I only have a kitchen floor to mop, some laundry, and general cleaning.  Good job keeping up the house, Bob!

Homeward Bound!

Going home tomorrow. :o)  Kelli had a doctor's appt today and was reprimanded.  She cannot lift over 20 pounds for the next 4 weeks....which is sad because Londyn weighs closer to 30 and her mommy can't lift her.  Good thing Londyn can climb up and snuggle with her though!!

Kimberly is feeling a little better but still taking some pain meds.  Seriously....please get well soon.  It makes me sad you and Kelli aren't feeling that great!

It was hard to say goodbye to Kelli and the kids.  I did pretty good until Londyn cried and wanted me to get back in the car and leave with them.  We'll be back for a short visit in 2 weeks!!  But, for now I am ready to go home and see Bob and Sadie.  It's so fun getting back in the routine of things.....well, most things anyway. :o)

Almost Time to Go Home

Kimberly was discharged from the ER around 3:00 this morning (CO time).  She knows it is some kind of viral infection going crazy in her body, but not sure what it is.  Hopefully she will hear from the Dr. soon.  In the meantime, she is home, taking pain pills so she is feeling a little better....still the stiffness in her neck and shoulders.  Hopefully she will be able to get plenty of rest.

Tomorrow I will go with Kelli to her Dr. appt. for her follow up from surgery.  After that, she will take me to my parents and I will spend the night there, then fly out on Saturday for San Diego.  It has been great being here in AZ but I am missing Bob and it is time to go home.

Kevin and Corina will be back on Saturday from their trip to NYC so I don't get to see them on this trip.  They were gone when I got here but Bob and I will be back the weekend of May 8th for Colton's blessing so we can see everyone then.

Get Well Kimberly

Kimberly has been sick since last week.  She has a headache that won't quit, along with a very sore neck, blisters on the roof of her mouth, throwing up, fever and chills, etc.  She has been to Urgent Care twice and as I type this, she is at the ER.  The doctor has done a cat scan which came back good, and blood cultures that have come back good.  About an hour ago they did a spinal tap and she is waiting on the results of that.  We are hoping they can rule out the idea of menengitis!  I will keep you posted on my blog.

UPDATE:  1:53am:  I talked with Kimberly until she got home from the ER.  The doctor said the spinal tap results were inconclusive.  He said he didn't want to tell her she has menengitis but he couldn't tell her she didn't. They are going to run more tests on it and also check the blood cultures to see if anything is growing.  She is feeling pretty good right now but she is pumped full of pain medicine!!

Painting Is So Much Fun!

I painted the entry way into Kelli and Cory's bedroom today.  Now everything matches and it looks so good.  Very clean looking!  What a difference a coat of paint can make!!

Read-a-thon

Not really read-a-thons but Matilyn is trying to get in enough reading by April 30th so she can (in her own words)..."get to go to a bunch of parties!" 

It has been so fun reading the Junie B. Jones books with her.  As an adult, I am loving those books!!!

Thank you Bob!!

First I will say Happy Birthday to my son, Kevin!!!  Happy 31st!!

For this blog I wanted to post and say how great Bob has been.  In June of last year I came to Arizona for 2 weeks to help my mom with my dad after his surgery.  In January of this year I went to CO for 3 1/2 weeks to help Kimberly when she had Colton.  I came back to AZ a week ago to help Kelli after she had surgery.  It seems I have been gone a lot to help out with family and Bob has been a huge support.  He has never questioned why I needed to go and has always believed family is most important.  He has been so patient each time.  I know he misses me when I am gone and I miss him so much, but we get through and know I'll be home again soon.  For now there are not any forseen reasons for me to leave in the near future.  Bob and I both are planning on being in AZ  the weekend of May 9th because Kimberly is flying in to see family and bless Colton.  She wants to bless him here so family members can be a part of it.  Bob and I will also be planning on coming back in July/August when Matilyn gets baptized.  I know!!!  It will be so hot at that time of year but Matilyn is totally worth it!!!

Early To Bed!!

This morning we went to Ethan's Little League game and he did very well.  He certainly knows how to stop a ball from getting past him!  In the first inning, when his team was in the outfield I was pretty much thinking it was going to be a LONG game because of how many balls were getting past the infield and outfield.  Then when Ethan's team was batting I realized it worked both ways.  I was relieved to find out they only go through the lineup once then switch sides.  In the second and third inning, Ethan's team did amazing and got the other team's players out quite frequently.  All in all, it was a good game and fun to watch. After the game I went to visit my parents and we had lunch at El Charro before a trip to WalMart.  I have had a headache all evening and I am thinking it is due to the heat today.  So....I am heading to bed at 9:07pm!!!!

Ouch!

I'm just sayin'!  I don't know if my muscles are sore today from using the treadmill or from the massage.  Funny how a massage that feels so good at the time can put you in pain the next day!!!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KELLI!!!

Manually Manipulated Today!! (And I liked it!)

The art of being yourself at your best is the art of unfolding your personality into the person you want to be. . . . Be gentle with yourself, learn to love yourself, to forgive yourself, for only as we have the right attitude toward ourselves can we have the right attitude toward others.

Wilfred Peterson

I pulled up the definition of massage....my title states that find!  Kelli gave me an early Mother's Day gift!  A gift card to Massage Envy with enough credit for a 1 hour massage including gratuity!  Once the therapist was finished I asked, "Can I facebook you?"   She told me she wasn't on facebook and I laughed (slightly.)  With a grin on my face I replied, "I meant can I facebook the experience and not you as a friend."  She told me I could and to take one of her cards.  Her name is Courtney and she works at the Massage Envy in Queen Creek at the Ellsworth Loop and Rittenhouse Rd.  She was really good and I felt great afterwards.  Now at this point I don't want to upset anyone who works at Massage Envy or is affiliated with them  in any way, so I will apologize now. Courtney didn not say too much to me before she left the room except for answers to questions I specifically asked her.  Funny thing though...by time I got to the front desk, Sue, the "queen of the counter" seemed to know all about what I needed and what would be best for me.  Although the  experience before the massage and having the actual massage was wonderful, it was once I walked back into the reception area that I was verbally attacked.  Honestly!  How many times would you think they could say the same thing using different words?  I was very polite in my refusal to sign up for a monthly plan, no matter how much cheaper it would be for me to do it today and in AZ compared to if I was signing up in CA.  Apparently when dealing with Massage salons and car dealers, the word "no" and any words that pertain to or sounds like "loss of income for over 10 months, finances, it would be selfish of me, mortgage payments, not a good time," these words mean nothing to them and only seem to fuel the fire. I think what they heard was "blah, blah, blah, blah, blah." Seriously, 5 times of saying no and I finally made it out the door.  Massages are for relaxing.....you shouldn't be bombarded with a sales pitch as you are leaving.  It could make you want to turn around and get another massage.  Maybe that is their ploy!  For a good massage it is totally recommended especially if you are in the mood for some confrontational sales pitching. 

Today Is Big With Blessings

Not only did Kelli's surgery go well and everything looked good, the doctor also saw a mass on my niece, Jenne's ovary.  She had a 3D MRI and biopsy done on Monday and today learned it is scar tissue from her c-sections.  Hopefully it can be taken care of quickly and easily and Jenne won't have the pain anymore.  Of course the good news is that it is nothing more than scar tissue.  Life has certainly thrown some curves our way these past few months but I know I can grow stronger from adversity.  Over the last few years I have looked at adversity as stepping stones...each leading to something better.  I haven't always liked the journey, but it always seems to work out.

"Painful as it may be, a significant emotional event can be the catalyst for choosing a direction that serves us--and those around us -- more effectively. Look for the learning."

Eric Allenbaugh

American Author of ''Wake-Up Calls''

Happiness Is.......

A few days ago I posted about  things I feel I am so blessed with.  Today I am posting about things that make me so happy....and not necessarily in order:

Bob!  He makes me smile and laugh....alot!  He would do anything for me or for our family members.   He is completely supportive in whatever I do.  I am here with Kelli for 2 weeks after just recently returning home from Colorado for more than 3 weeks to help Kimberly.  Yes, Bob is the greatest husband and best friend for me!  And Sadie!  She is a great little dog and we love her!

My family!  My parents who would do anything for me, my children who would do the same, siblings who would do the same, and a huge amount of extended family members who are willing and supportive!  Our grandchildren!!  We absolutely love each and every one of them!  We have truly been blessed with wonderful grandchildren!

Employment!  I am so happy Bob has a job he loves so much.  I am thrilled that Kevin has been successful with his Landscape company and that recently he not only got the bid for the Gila Valley Temple landscaping, but has completed it and has done an amazing job.  I am also happy that Corina is able to be at home with their children.  I am so happy that Kelli has found work from home so she can be home with Londyn and also be at home when Matilyn & Ethan leave for school and return home.  I am happy Cory has a good job but I feel bad he has to drive so far each day.  I am happy that Kimberly is able to be a dental hygienist/assistant in a pediatric dental office.  It is nice she isn't working every day and that some days she gets to take Colton to work with her.  I am glad Josh has a good job with Fed Ex and enjoys it.  Also, that Josh is almost through with his online schooling.

I am so happy to be a member of the LDS church.  I am so happy with the gospel in my life, to have a priesthood holder in our home and so amazed at how powerful prayer can be!  I am in awe many times at how prayer can make things so much better.

I am so happy with our home.  We love our home!  We have plenty of room for visitors so call if you are coming to the San Diego area!  We love living in Southern California.  Earthquakes and all!  The beach makes me SO happy!  It is so peaceful watching and listening to the waves and can relieve any kind of stress almost instantly.

I am truly happy for the friends I have!!  They are amazing!  I love meeting new people and making new friends.  Even friends I had in highschool or friends from when my children were young.  I classify them as such good friends because I know they will be there for me if I needed them and I would do the same for each one of them.

I know there are so many other things that make me happy....good shows, a good movie, rain, shopping, the day after Thanksgiving outing with "the girls"!, Christmas, birthdays, and the list can go on and on.  I have so much to be thankful for and so many things that make me happy,  I just needed to write it down!

A Better Day!

Kelli seems to be doing better today.  She has been feeling a little nauseous at times but hopefully that will end soon.  She is walking better (and quicker) which hopefully is a sign of recovery.   However it does seem like I am saying, "don't lift that Kelli" two or three times a day.

 

This morning I took Londyn to Water 'n Ice to fill the 5 gallon water jug and went in Frys for a couple of things.  I took her to McDonalds and she got her happy meal with chicken nuggets!  While she was taking a nap I went next door to use Brenda's treadmill...(thank you so much Brenda for letting me walk "indoors").  I picked the kids up from school when it was time and now Ethan has gone to play Little League.  I will go on Saturday when Kelli is feeling up to going to the next game.  I did take a couple of pictures of him in his uniform.  He looks so cute!!

I just talked to Bob and he said the Padres were beating the Braves in the Season Opener....bottom of the 5th inning....Padres 14....Braves 0!  I hope this is a great season for the Padres!!!

Oh!  DWTS tonight!!!

Hopefully Better Days Are Coming

Kelli is feeling the pain today.  Hopefully each day will be better though!  The kids want to go on another walk, which is fine, but I told them we needed to go a little later.  Mid 80's here and I know to those who live here, that feels pretty good to you.  But....it is in the mid 60's in San Diego and this is a little warm to be out walking. :o)  Glad I am here though!

So Thankful!

One of my goals of the 10 in 10 challenge was to be honest with myself.  And, in that honesty I post things that help me put it out there because I feel like I need to write it down.  With that said, I'll post this.  Last night after saying my prayers, I was lying in bed and out of nowhere, tears were filling my eyes.  Not knowing why I was crying, my mind pretty much instantly had the thought of how much I have been blessed lately.  I thought of Colton being born and how perfect and healthy he was and is.  I thought of Kimberly being so wonderful and positive during the pregnancy and while going through labor and accepting everything the nurses and doctor were telling her regarding the urgency for the c-section.  I thought of Kelli and her surgery and so thankful it went well.  Although we are still waiting for the pathology report, she is doing well and there were no complications.  I thought of Bob finding work after 10 1/2 months and how blessed we are to have income again and that he enjoys his job so much.  I also thought about how much love and support our family gives to us, especially over the last few months.  I am truly blessed and so very thankful for everything I have!

Now for today.....I took Matilyn, Ethan and Londyn for a walk.  They ran and played at the retention area that was so green with grass and plenty of shade all around the outskirts from the trees.  It was very fun.  On our walk home, we played "I Spy".  The kids and I decided it would be fun to go to Sonic to get slushes and give their mom more quiet time.  We got to Sonic and decided to sit at the tables and get some food to go with their slushes.  Twenty or thirty minutes went by and it was time to leave.  We loaded ourselves into the Escape and got Londyn buckled in her carseat.  Everyone was buckled up and ready to go and the Escape had other plans.  Yep!  It didn't want to do anything but click it's battery!  Dead battery!  Totally Dead!  I called Cory and he came to help us out.  In the meantime, I took Kelli's slush I had just bought for her and the bag of ice and asked the carhop to please keep it in the freezer until I could leave.  I'll just say it didn't matter how long Cory would have left those jumper cables on the battery, it wasn't going to budge.  He and Ethan are now out getting a battery (we're hoping it is only the battery).  Once it is operable, Cory and I will go back to Sonic and I'll drive the Escape home.  I am so very thankful this happened today while Cory is home to help and not when I would be leaving to take the kids to school or pick them up.  See.....just so much to be thankful for!!!

Whew! Surgery Is Over.

Kelli had surgery today to remove a tumor that was found on her ovary.  Thankfully, everything went well and looked good.  Although she also had the ovary removed, it turned out to be a routine surgery.  The tumor was smaller than what the surgeon had originally thought.  Kelli is at home now and doing good (with a little help from pain medication.)  Matilyn, Ethan and Londyn are thrilled their mom is at home and not still at the hospital.  Ethan's first question was if she was going back to the hospital.  A family friend brought over delicious pizza tonight for dinner and friends will bring dinner tomorrow night as well as Sunday.  It is nice not to worry about keeping things up around the house and thinking about what to make for dinner.  I figure by Monday I will totally be into a groove and have a routine down!  Glad you are home Kelli!!

Fly Away!

I'm heading to the San Diego airport in about 30 minutes to leave for AZ.  I will be posting over the next 2 weeks from Kelli's.  Her surgery is tomorrow and hopefully she will recover quickly and we'll be able to have some fun together while I am there helping her.  (You know....like shopping!)

Busy, Busy Day!

Today I have made enough meals in advance for at least 8 dinners for Bob.  We have orange chicken, pizzas and pot pies in the freezer for other nights I am gone.  I have also mowed the lawn, dusted, did the floors, did the last load of laundry, ironed Bob's shirts, paid bills, made "birthday" phone calls, showered, and I just need to pack!  I have been busy and it feels like I have done so much more!!

I am anxious to see family while I am there and to spend 2 weeks with Kelli's kids.

Seriously! Why??

The following poll was online:
Quick Poll



Kate's 'Paparazzi' performance was...Impressive
6.7%
Puzzling
24.35%
Grounds for getting voted off the show
68.95%

This poll is telling me people want Kate off DWTS!  Why then is she still dancing walking around the stage while her partner, Tony dances!?!  If 69% truly think she should be gone, people who do not vote, need to start voting for other dancers to keep their scores higher.  I am sorry but more than one person has told me that the look on Kate's face on last night's show was the look of being constipated, not mad (as it should have been in that dance)!  Honestly, I tend to agree with that!  The look alone should have gotten her voted off!

AZ Here I Come

Well...in 2 days I'll be in AZ to help Kelli for a couple weeks!  Get to spend time with grandkids! As Kimberly would say:  Makes my ♥ (smile) ☺!!

All I want to say on today's blog is I HOPE KATE IS VOTED OFF DWTS TONIGHT!

Rocking, Rolling & Dancing With The Stars!

The following article found on MSN.com (in purple text below), justifies the previous post I made regarding Kate Gosselin.  Even though she will be dancing again tonight on DWTS, I will continue to watch.  I am honestly hoping she will be voted out soon!  She needs to go before Buzz!

"The worst of the reality TV mom's antics? Her out-of-control tardiness.
Kate shows up late for hair and makeup every time, a show insider says.

The staff has warned her and lectured her about being late, but Kate just gets angry and blows them off, says the source. No one wants to deal with her.

Her icy behavior also persuaded Olympic figure skater Johnny Weir to pull out of talks about being on the show because he didn't want to work alongside Gosselin. A DWTS source said, Kate doesn't want anything to do with other contestants . . . While there's a lot of camaraderie among the crew and other stars including Pamela Anderson, Kate has set herself apart . . . She wants to be queen bee."

How about that?!?!  I posted the article even before mentioning the rock and rolling we had going on yesterday.  7.2!  Happy Easter to us!  I know many of you in neighboring states felt the shaking and rolling also.  We are so lucky the earthquake was deep in the ground and spread to barren areas...it helped keep the power away from us!  What a wakeup call though as to what Mother Nature can do when she decides to do it!  I was at the computer, holding the monitor so it would not fall and Bob was watching television in the family room when he needed to jump up and hold on to the flatscreen so it wouldn't fall over.  (We really do need to get a bracket to secure it to the wall.)  Eventually it will be mounted on the wall but until we are able to do the built-in shelving around it, the television will stay on the stand...(hopefully!)

It was interesting that I read the following article:  Since March 24th the faults across the Southern portion of California have been very "hot" according to the data here at quakeprediction.com. Please have extra food, gas, water, and emergency kit ready over the next 2 weeks.

According to "professionals", another earthquake with a magnitude of at least 6.0 is inevitable and will happen within the next few days.  According to the article from quakeprediction.com, there should be earthquakes happening through April 9th.

Happy Easter!!

Happy Easter to everyone!!  I am so thankful for everything I have been given and what Easter represents.  Although Bob and I are not with family today for the "Easter dinner and egg hunt", we are together.  I did not make the traditional ham (like I wanted to) only because pork chops sounded so good.  My mom said pork chops are a sister to ham so I'm good!  We had thin cut, boneless pork chops, corn on the cob, sliced tomatoes, cottage cheese, au gratin potatoes and deviled eggs.  (I figured I should at least boil some eggs even though we wouldn't be coloring them.)  ☺ Brownies are in the oven now for us to enjoy later!

On a completely different topic (for those who have or haven't seen my facebook post), is anyone disappointed to see Kate Gosselin still on Dancing With The Stars??  She is horrible.  I mean Buzz Aldrin isn't that good either but he is 80!  She moves just like he does!  Not to mention how degrading she talks to her "professional" dance partner!  I seriously think she feels she always needs to be in control whether she is the best one to be in control of the situation or not.  But, on a much happier note, I was so thrilled that Anthony got to come back to Project Runway because of a voluntary exit by another designer!  You go Anthony!!  I hope he makes it to the finals!

A Day To Relax

Even though Bob and I pulled weeds from the rock on either side of our house, it was enjoyable and relaxing for me.  The weather was wonderful and it just felt good to be outside.  Later this afternoon, we put down fertilizer in hopes of greening up our lawn.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter!!!

Long Day

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."
— C.S. Lewis
This day just seems to be dragging!  It has felt so long.  I looked at the clock thinking it must be close to 4 or 5:00, and it wasn't even 2:00 yet!  Just weird feeling!  But...we have the weekend to look forward to!!

MahJong

I played MahJong today.  Love, love, love that game!!  It is fun and it makes you think!

I also found a place just down the road from us that will start water aerobics on May 10th.  I am thinking pretty seriously about signing up for it.  There are two different sessions, so if I don't do the first, I will get in on the second one.  It is on M, W, & F from 12:00 to 12:45.  Perfect time of the day!!  Anyone around here interested in going?

It is CHILLY today with wind and clouds.  It rained this morning and it looks like more of the same on the way.  Rain in the forecast again for Sunday or Monday!!  Just when I think I have a handle on the weeds, they seem to triple in size overnight!!!