In Case You Were Wondering....

Just in case you were wondering what $5,ooo can buy these days....it's straight teeth! Abby's finally free of a metal mouth after only 18 months! Now, if we can only get her to keep track of the retainer she has to wear....Metal Mouth
No More Metal Mouth!

FB Season #2

Jake has been playing football since late August and I have yet to post anything about it. This is his 2nd season and I think he's in love...he eats, drinks, and sleeps football right now. He's loved all those 90 degree afternoons at practice with sweaty head and stinky feet. He's loved getting munched under a pile of 4-5 other boys. He's loved getting pushed, shoved and tackled. I have loved that despite all the necessary roughness, he's been uninjured, thus far (knock on wood). He's had a great season and has even scored a few touchdowns. He finished up his regular season last night with a win and now we're entering the playoffs...just a few more weeks of rough and tumble and then it will be on to basketball....

Moving Right Along...

I've given up trying tp play "catch up" with the blogging...I've decided to just start posting again and NOT try to post about all the stuff we've done in the last couple of months that I've missed! Simplify, Simplfy, Simplify is my new motto for myself....this new way of thinking came about after hearing this talk given at General Conference a couple of weeks ago. I love President Uchtdorf! Not only is he easy on the eyes, but he always directs his talks directly at ME!

So, in light of my new way of thinking, here are our pictures from this last weekend. The kids were out of school for UEA weekend (fall break) and so we packed up the car on Wednesday night and drove to sunny St. George. We spent Thursday swimming and relaxing and drove out to Washington Fields to a crystal pit. The walls of the ravine were lined with bright, sparkly crystals. It was quite a sight to see and the kids had a fun time picking out a few to bring home. Hopefully, it's legal, because we didn't ask anyone! In our defense though, there was a guy who hauled off an entire BOX of them!

Friday, we joined up with Brenna, Chris and Halle and went to Zions National Park in Springdale, UT. We hiked to Emerald Pools, only about a 3 mile hike, but alot of uphill walking! The kids did great and the scenery was AMAZING. I loved every minute of it, despite the warm-ish weather and lots of sweating! We ate with family that night at Mike and April's...Mike is the KING of the BBQ and makes a MEAN brat!

Saturday, the girls and I hung out at the hotel, swam and shopped a little bit. Kim and Jake played golf and then we met up with family for a BBQ dinner of steak and shrimp...lots of yummy food. Sunday, we slept in and then finally packed up the car for the drive home. We found our apple tree shedding it's apples all over the ground and a little cooler weather than when we left.

We had a fabulous time and can't wait to hike in Zions again next year...I think it will be a tradition from now on!

**Our Group: Chris (and Halle on his back), Brenna, Erin, Kim, Paige,

Abby, Natalie, Emily, Jake and McKenna (kneeling)**

**Pausing for a break going up one of the steep caverns**

**Beautiful Mountains**

**Gorgeous Waterfalls**

**Breathtaking View of the Mountains**

To Do List

I know I'm a blog slacker. I will be the first to admit it. I have at least 50 pics on my camera that I could tell a story about, yet I've not done it. I have a "to do" list with quite a few items on it. I am posting it with the hopes that you will see that updating my blog IS on it....it's just not at the top.

To Do:
1. Re-define the color of my bedroom floor. This may require picking up and folding several loads of laundry that have been looming there for awhile. I think the carpet is brown, but I've not seen it in awhile, so I will let you know.

2. Finish canning: salsa and applesauce to be exact. I am proud to say that I HAVE finished the beautiful pink grape juice and some amazing looking peaches. Patting myself on the back for that accomplishment. They are still sitting on my counter so that I may look at their beauty for awhile longer.

3. Clean. Everywhere. It's bad around here. I crawled into bed a little depressed last night after noticing that there was NOT ONE clean room in my house. Literally looked like we had a tornado inside our house. Today, I've spent much of the day just making it look slightly better.

4. RS Meeting and Visits. Our bi-monthly presidency meeting that requires me to think of others and be self-less. It's hard for me these days. I'm still (after 1 1/2 years) trying to figure it all out.

5. Classroom Volunteering: Thursday. 1 hour spent in the magnificent Kindergarten room watching kids pick their noses and wipe it in places you don't even want to know about.

6. Quilting with my peeps. The ladies are coming to my house, which is why #3 is towards the top of my list. I'm just about through with a quilt top for a Christmas gift...can't wait to see it done.

7. Re-arranging Visiting Teaching (relating to #4). It seriously gives me a headache just thinking about it....

8. Take a shower. Yes, it's 5:00 and I've yet to get in the shower today. It will happen at some point before bed tonight....just not sure when yet.

9. Wade through all the papers in the office. An entire table piled with (mostly Kim's) papers. Things will be tossed, I assure you.

10. Update my blog. I haven't even posted pictures from the 1st day of school. Bad mother.

As you can see, my list is lengthy. I've left off quite a few things that have been pushed to the bottom of my list. I'll get around to them, eventually. And, I know what you're thinking...because I'm thinking it too. "If she'd get off the computer, she could have had a load of laundry folded by now..."

Emily's Day

Last weekend we had a big day at our house...

Emily's baptism! She's officially a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints! We had a busy weekend with LOTS of family here - It was a bit chaotic at times, but well worth it. Grandma Lueck flew in from ND and we had lots of family from Southern UT, Las Vegas and even Arizona! Grandma Lueck made her beautiful dress and we had a special day for Emily. Her program was beautiful and I was a proud momma as I watched her make such a big committment. I was proud of Abby, who played her violin for the program beautifully and proud of my husband who was worthy to perform the ordinance. Lovely, lovely day....

Change

**Warning**: This blog is my way of journaling our happenings as a family. So, as a part of this journaling, I have to add in things that aren't always fun, silly and exciting. If I've lost you, please feel free to exit now.

Change....isn't that something we've heard alot about in the recent months?? Well, today, we've experienced a little change ourselves.

On September 11, 2001 (Yes, that's THE September 11), Kim began working at Phone Directories Company. He was brand new to the world of advertising and sales. I am proud to admit that he was great at it from the very start. He's got the ease and confidence needed to make people feel comfortable and he knows his advertising stuff. He was made 'salesman of the week', 'salesman of the month', and brought home several national awards those first few years. Our income flourished, we felt comfortable. We've bought 2 homes, a couple new cars, and put our first kid through braces. A few years ago, the company was bought out by some bigwigs from Canada. Policies changed, management changed, and Kim's work experience was made to be a little more difficult. The company changed names several times, but through all of this 'change', Kim had great clients who trusted him. All of this brings us up to this last year.

More 'change'. Let's face it...the economy sucks. Being 100% sales commission has been rough on us. We've taken a huge pay cut this last year. Still, we've felt blessed in many ways. At least we've HAD a job, right?? At the beginning of this year, due to change in management (again), and due to all the hoops and shenanigans that Kim had to go through to collect on commissions, he decided to hire himself out as an independent contractor (meaning SELF-EMPLOYED) and went to work as an ad rep with Valpak. Since January, he's been working 2 jobs. He's felt strained and pulled as he's tried and tried to collect commissions from the old job - money that he's already earned, but that has been tied up in paperwork and collections for MONTHS. But, most of all, he's held onto that old job because they paid our benefits. Full medical, dental, eye.

Today, more 'change'. We're down to one job. They've known that Kim was trying to work both sales jobs, but seemed uncaring about how hard he's had to work in order to collect any money from their clients. They told him this morning to quit the other job, or take a hike.

We're hiking....

Today, I've spent the better part of the day worrying, crying, and worrying some more. Don't get me wrong...we knew this was coming. It was inevitable. But now, our family is faced with 'change'...the kind I don't like. The hard kind.

How in the world are we going to afford to add health insurance into our already tight budget?? Why am I going to have to worry about paying for doctors visits, prescriptions, dentist appointments? Am I going to have to quit my job as a stay-at-home mom and go out into the workforce AND manage my family AND try and serve in my church calling? How is all of this going to work??

And then, I came upon this. (If you're not too computer savvy, click on the word 'this' and you will be able to see my link)

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland reminds me: "Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. Some blessings come soon. Some blessings come late. And, some don't come until heaven. But for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come. It will be alright in the end. Trust in God and believe in good things to come."

We have to trust in this message. We have to trust in our beliefs, our faith, and our knowledge of the truth. We have to trust that as we do our best to live a good and righteous life that there are many, many good things to come.

Hint, Hint

My Dearest Husband, (originally sent via email...)

I'm dropping you a 'not-so-subtle' hint for my birthday this year. It's 12 days away....start thinking about it RIGHT NOW! I realize you're busy, and that after 14+ years of knowing me, you still have a hard time shopping for me. So, I've decided to give you a list...that way, you're happy that you don't have to think of things on your own, and also, I'm happy...you thoughtfully are giving me exactly what I will love.

Requests for my B-day:
#1 - Dinner and a movie - no kids. Friends can be included, but NOT invited to OUR house for cake. I don't want to worry about cleaning my house for company. This should be a standard rule for my b-days. If going to a dinner and movie is NOT possible all in the same night, then I will take a raincheck for the movie and we can attend another night without friends. (I'm stating this because we have friends who might possibly NOT splurge on a 'real' movie)
#2 - A cheesecake from Costco. If they have it, I would LOVE a key lime cheesecake. If not, I will gladly devour a cherry or strawberry.
#3 - Two matching chairs for the dining room table. We've already discussed this one and I think we're in agreeance. I would like to pick them out, however, and will gladly use my b-day $ from parents/grandparents to contribute towards the purchase. We can start looking as early as tonight, if you wish. I'm hoping to find something at RC Willey Clearance, but if that fails, I did see some really cute ones at TJ Maxx that I'd check out again.
#4 - The DVD version of 'Little Women' - the one with Winona Ryder and Claire Danes in it. You may have to ask Brenna about where to purchase it....I know I've seen it at Target and possibly Walmart, but it may require looking at the FYE store or Best Buy.
#5 - A card from YOU. Hopefully, professing your un-dying love for me. Maybe even including what a great mom I am and how you just couldn't get through life without me and my beautiful smile. I know that you may not possibly REALLY think these things, but it IS my birthday after all and you could just FAKE it, if you have to. I am in need of some ego-boosting, so carry on as much as you wish to.

I love you. Hopefully, my requests will not be too much to handle and hopefully, you will see the wisdom in me sending you this list. Or, you could just think I'm a brat...not sure which way it will go.

Toodles.
Me

Response: sent via email:

Dearest Wife,

I loved seeing you smile this morning when I asked you to to kiss my bruised lip. When I'm silly like that its just to see you smile. I love you. Thanks for the b-day hints. And thank you for realizing that I really do need them to be able to make my gifts more meaningful and practical. Love your bum and your cute smile.

Love, Husband