It's about time!

I went to Walmart yesterday and bought myself a prepaid Tracphone cell phone. They are less that $15 for the phone. I bought a card of 120 minutes plus 20 extra minutes and 150 days for $30. I probably won't use it that much, but it is nice to have one in an emergency or a grocery shopping emergency! LOL :-)

Cowboy Toast

One day Matt put together this breakfast for him. We have all decided that it is now our new favorite way to eat eggs. Angelique named it Cowboy Cheese on toast and I shortened it to Cowboy toast.

1. Melt a little butter in a small cast iron skillet with a little squirt of olive oil. (Olive oil helps keep the eggs from sticking and keeps the butter from burning.)

2. Scramble 1 egg in a small mixing bowl and add a dash of salt and pepper.

3. Butter a slice of homemade wheat bread.

4. With the fire on medium low pour the eggs in the skillet and put the bread on top butter side up. cover with a lid. Let it cook for about a minute.

5. With a spatula, flip the whole thing over. Cover the eggs with shredded colby/jack cheese. Turn the heat up to medium and cover with a lid. Let it cook and toast the bread for about 2 minutes.

6 Slide it out onto a plate and slice it into 8 portions with a pizza roller cutter. Voila!

☺☻♥♦♣♠•◘○♀♂♪►♫♣‼↕◄♂▬!,7)3=§♥☺( Jileigh added the symbols for fun.)

Elody at 8 months

With all the events happening in Feb. I never took the time to take Elody's 8 months old picture with her bear and duck.

So I found some pictures of her the day before her 8 month mark that one of the other kids took of her.

This last picture was taken of her at the viewing a week after she turned 8 months old. I just like the close up of her.

The one and only word she says is, "Dat." Not sure what she thinks she is saying. She can also make the gesture of opening and closing her fist. I taught her to sign "milk" but she just makes the sign randomly.

Hard times for Elody and Beau

This week has been hard on Elody and Beau.

Elody is teething her 4 front top teeth. Monday night she woke up a little before midnight crying. She wouldn't nurse so I had to get up with her. I gave her some catnip and fennel, but that didn't help her. So then I gave her some Tylenol. It took 40 minutes of her screaming before it finally kicked in and she quickly went back to sleep. Matt was ready to take her to the emergency room because it was so unlike her to be that upset. She hasn't been able to sleep well through the night at all this week.


Beau went in for a circumcision on Wednesday the 24th. Matt drove him to the hospital in the morning and I came a couple of hours later with Elody. We waited for an hour for the Dr to come out. He said that the procedure went well and they would let us know when he was awake. A half an hour later he woke up. I was nursing Elody, so just Matt went back at first. About 15 minutes later, I asked if I could go see him even with the baby and they let me. When I got to the room, Beau had just thrown up and they were cleaning him up. Then he threw up again, but in a bucket this time. He was so miserable looking. We stayed for about another half hour and then they released him. He rode home with Matt and as soon as Matt put him down in his bed, he threw up again on his bedding. About an hour later he felt better. We gave him some Tylenol in the evening, but by 2 am, he was in pain again. I gave him some more Tylenol, but it took him 2 hours to finally settle down and go back to sleep. We have just kept him in a diaper during this time like a big band aid. Hopefully, he won't regress too much. He was at the point of wearing underwear all day and a diaper at night, but only wetting in it maybe once every two weeks. He is such a sweet boy that it is so sad to see him in pain and uncomfortable.

The reason he had to be circumcised was because the foreskin closed up some for some unknown reason. It made the foreskin balloon out when he urinated and it was uncomfortable and sometimes painful for him.

Emotions

I have felt a range of emotions this week. My s-i-l and best friend called me this week and helped talk me through some of my feelings. I think that I mostly feel a longing for the family closeness that I experienced last weekend. We spent 6 days at my mom's house. I spent quite a bit of time helping my mom and just visiting with brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and with my mom. I loved that. I felt loved. Now I am home and they all went their separate ways. I feel a longing for family again. I have been calling my mom quite frequently, about every other day. I want to make sure she's doing OK, and I want to let her know that she is loved and thought about. I am glad she has Nathan to be with her.

This week was especially hard with trying to get caught up. The four older kids had tons of homework to catch up on. I had to sit down with Talon and with Jaren and get them to work on their homework. We also had a ton of laundry to wash, separate, fold, and put away. By Saturday afternoon we were pretty much caught up. Matt was sick on Thursday with a bad head cold. He had some allergies going on at my mom's house and it really took a toll on him by the time we got home. Friday he was feeling better. Saturday night we took time for a date. We went shopping for a shower door and found one on clearance at Lowe's and got something to eat. Sometimes, I just really need to get out of the house to separate myself from my responsibilities there for a few hours. We did take Elody with us.

Today at church, I walk in the chapel about a minute before sacrament meeting was to start. I opened my program and saw that the opening song was, "I am a child of God." I thought to myself, 'How on earth am I suppose to make it through this song?' The last time I heard this song was at my dad's funeral, sung by his grandchildren. That was very emotional for me. Sure enough, about half way through the first verse, the emotions kicked in. All I could do is stand there and lead the song and not sing. I tried to at least mouth the words, but I couldn't without being emotional. (I don't tear, so I don't use the word cry.) I was fine for the rest of the sacrament meeting. Then the hugs from my friends, the sisters in the ward, started coming. Then the emotions started up again. I loved the hugs. I needed the hugs. The first came from a sister who lost her husband about 7 years ago. When she says, I know how you feel, she means it and I know it. I am grateful for the caring women in my ward who cared enough to let me know that they cared. In this case I needed to hear it and feel it rather than just assume it.

I feel like we all get busy and self absorbed in our own lives. I found that I would go 2-3 weeks without talking to my parents and many months without talking to any other family. Now that we spent so much time together, I want to find ways to keep in contact with them. I like to read my nephew's wives blogs and read family members posts on facebook and even chat with them when I can. I like feeling connected to them. I love my family. :)

I have reflected back thinking about my childhood memories of my dad. I remember him only spanking me once. I hated unloading the clean dishes out of the dishwasher. I remember sassing my mom about it and running to hide in my parents' bathroom. My dad found me and spanked me once and told me to never sass my mom. I also remember how much he supported me throughout Archery. He could see that I was doing well, and bought for me my own bow and set of arrows. He came to my practices and my home meets. He also came to my state tournaments. One time he brought the camcorder and started filming me. It made me nervous and I couldn't do my best. I turned around and glared at him, s0 he turned it off and smiled at me.

Another time I was grateful for him was when I was about to be a senior in high school. I was in a bad relationship with a boy who was controlling and manipulative. One night when he was being this and having a moody night, he wouldn't take me home. We were on the temple grounds, me listening to him whine, at 2 am. Then my dad showed up. I was so glad. He brought me home. The boy had the gall to follow us and my dad walked up to his car and told him he was never to see me again. That was fine with me.

Then there was the time my parents took me to the MTC. I was totally excited and surprised to see my parents tearing. I think that was the first time I had seen my dad get emotional like that. It was sweet and endearing. The other time I saw him get emotional was when I was pregnant with my first child and my parents were getting ready to leave on their first mission. My dad gave me a very special blessing.

I also remember my parents taking Nathan and me back east to the church history sites the summer before my senior year in high school. I was very impressed with the Hill Cumora pageant. I felt like I finally understood the complete story of the Book of Mormon. We had read it over and over as a family, but I just didn't get it most of the time. I then studied it in Seminary my senior year. Having seen the pageant really helped my to understand it and gain a testimony of it.

When I was in my second year of college and in a young adult ward, I was given the calling of being a gospel doctrine teacher. I would call my dad Saturday or even Sunday morning and go over the lesson I was suppose to teach. That calling terrified me and the only way I survived it was with the help of my dad.

I didn't grow up having a grandpa. I am glad that at least some of my kids will remember my dad. His legend will live on. He was a great example to his children and grandchildren. He read the scriptures diligently. The pages were covered in red and yellow markings and post it notes. He taught us to remember our Savior Jesus Christ in our prayers, in bearing testimony, and in our Family Home Evenings.

I loved my dad and will remember him always.

My dad's passing May 30, 1933-Feb 10, 2010

I will start from the beginning. Saturday, Feb.6th, I came down with the flu and was down Sunday as well. I kept thinking that I wanted to call my parents, but didn't end up making time to do it. Tuesday Feb 9th, sometime after 9pm, my sister Jennifer called me to tell me that my dad was in the hospital with what they thought was an aneurysm in his brain. He was sitting down at dinner and told my mom that he didn't feel so good. Then later he said that he couldn't see his water bottle out of his left eye. My mom had to leave on a short errand and by the time she returned, my dad was completely blind. Two neighbors came over to give him a blessing and then my mom took him to the hospital. He was still coherent and could answer his name. The nurse asked him what happened and he said that he was picking oranges and fell. My mom didn't know that because he didn't tell her. He was then transported to a different hospital and by then he was totally incoherent. The cat scan showed that he had a ruptured blood vessel in the back of his head and his brain was hemorrhaging. He was also paralyzed on the left side of his body. The neurosurgeon said that he could operate, but it was more likely that he would die on the table. If he didn't, then he would have to be in a rest home and have to receive constant care. There was no future for him or any quality of life. The next morning Wed, Feb 10th my mom and sister went to the hospital and had my dad taken off the life support. His heart stayed beating and he was breathing well. My mom and sister stayed with him throughout the day.

We, here, had taken Beau to a urologist that morning. (I wish now that I had rescheduled.) Beau is having an issue with his you-know-what and is now scheduled for a circumcision next Wednesday. After we came home from that appointment, we packed up. Amanda, Matt's sister, came over and did my dishes. Candy came and did some overall making sense of the disorder in my house. My RS president Connie came over and worked on my laundry. We finally left at 4:30pm to head home. At 11pm, 45 minutes away from getting to the hospital, I received a text from my sister saying that my dad had passed. I missed it. I missed getting to hold my father's hand while his spirit was still inside of him. We arrived at my mom's house at 11:45pm. We pulled up just after she did. She didn't have to come home to an empty house. My brother Aaron showed up a couple of minutes after that. After we put the kids to bed, we stayed up and talked until 1:30am. She told us the story over again from her point of view. She was amazingly stable. Once we went to bed I had a hard time sleeping. I finally got up and took some homeopathic sleeping/relaxing pills. That did the trick. The next morning the doorbell rang at 6:30am. I got up and answered it. It was a lady from the church bringing in dinner before she went to work. Then at 7am, the lady from the mortuary came over to talk to us. She was with us for 2 hours explaining everything that needed to happen. We were trying to have the funeral on Saturday and there was no way we could even have his body ready by then. So we planned it for Tuesday. Then Matt and I made breakfast. Matt tended to the kids mostly and I made many phone calls and answered the phone for my mom. It was nice to feel like I could do something to help. I pretty much did stuff to help throughout the next couple of days. On Thursday afternoon, we siblings and my mom went to the mortuary to make all the arrangements. It took two hours. My mom's jaw dropped at the total bill, but I was actually expecting it to be more, so she was quite reasonably priced. We did leave for about 3 hours on Friday to Jeanette's house. The kids went to the park and then went swimming and jacuzzi-ing. By Monday, all the family arrived: my dad's siblings, Vayanna, and Frankie and her husband, Ted and Carolyn, David and Karen, Aunt Vay's daughters Maryann, Chris,and Susan, Then all my siblings except for Kairlee, but her husband came and all her kids. My sister is bedridden and can't leave the house but for a couple of hours to church. There were also some cousins there: Kathy and Ruth, and Ron and Lisa, and Jeneal and Danny.

In the afternoon, before the viewing, my mom, siblings, and I went to the mortuary and dressed my dad. I went in after he had his garments on and dress shirt. It was the first time that I saw him since his passing. All I could say was that he looked like he was sleeping. His body was cold but I still just wanted to touch his arm and rest my hand on it and not let go. I got to help put on his temple robes and tie the bow. It was a very special time with him and my family.

At the viewing, I wasn't sure where I should be, but I easily figured it out there. I visited with the people in line as they waited to get to see my dad and visit with my mom. There was a constant line for about an hour and a half. We actually stayed an extra hour than planned. I saw so many people that I knew growing up. We were raised in this ward. My parents have lived in their house for 40 years.

The next day Tuesday was another 1 hour viewing and the funeral. I was late to the viewing because my niece Cassie came over and colored and cut my hair. I was still there in time for the family prayer. Just before the prayer I went up to my dad and said goodbye.

By this time Elody was ready to eat and nap. I was nursing her in the back during the words from the bishop and the prayer from Uncle Ted. Then my mom asked us kids to come up for the closing of the casket. I just had to pry her off and hand her to the closest cousin who was Chris. She took her outside and got her to go to sleep. I watched closely as my brothers closed the casket. Then we headed to the funeral.

My aunt Vay spoke first on his early years. Then all of my parents grandchildren stood up and sang, I am a Child of God. I lost it. Nothing moves me more emotionally than music. It was so sweet to see my parents posterity get up and testify of our eternal family. Then my sister spoke on our family life. Then I and some other in the family got up and sang a beautiful arrangement of Each life that touches ours for good. My Aunt Karen played her violin. Then My brother DeLane gave the eulogy. He talked about the spiritual life lessons that my dad taught. After that my sister Jen's son Parker sang, Going Home. Then of course the bishop spoke for a few minutes. It was a lovely service. I am sure my dad enjoyed it. We then headed to the grave side service. It was very simple. Jen's son Sam played Danny Boy on his baritone saxophone and then my brother Aaron dedicated the grave. We took a couple of pictures and that was it. We said goodbye to my dad.

The luncheon was nice and then we headed back to my mom's house. We packed up as quickly as we could and left at 4:10pm. I stared out the window a lot, thinking. I wondered why he needed to be transfer to the spirit world so soon. Then the thought came to me that they needed him to be a teacher. My dad was a master teacher. He taught the gospel for 50 years, at least. In his recent years, his memory started to fail him and he could no longer teach. So now he is teaching all those people who died in Haiti and anywhere else in the world. On a lighter note, my children enjoyed their cousins so much. My three girl were almost inseparable with Marni's three girls that are close to their ages. I enjoy and loved spending 6 days with my mom, brother, sisters, aunts, uncles, and cousins. I was sad to leave such a wonderful spirit of family togetherness.

The tragedy doesn't end there. Wednesday morning, my cousins, Ron and Lisa (in their 50s) and Jeneal and Danny, headed home. About an hour and a half after they left, they got a flat tire. They pulled off the side of the road and Ron proceeded to change the tire. He was standing on the right side of the trunk when another car, driven by a 30 year old Hispanic,fell asleep at the wheel, swerved off the road, and hit him. Ron was thrown up into the air and landed on the ground like a rag doll. He was killed instantly. The other car went right between Danny's car and Danny. Lisa and Jeneal were by the front of the car. Neither Danny's car nor him nor the ladies were hurt, just Ron. What a shocking tragedy. They have 4 children who are all grown, but still....so sad.

Safia wants to learn to read

Safia decided that she wants to read. So I pulled out the Hooked on Phonics box 1 and ordered book 1 of the Explode the Code series. We covered the "at" words and the "an" word families so far. She is actually doing a very good job at it. Angelique pulled out a "Bob" book and helped her read it. She read it two more times to me. She is so excited about reading. This is one of the pleasures of being a mom: teaching my kids to read!

Beau and his "Cars"

Who loves his "Cars?"

Beau has 4 pairs of "Cars" pajamas. I looked for these cars at Walmart and couldn't find them. Then I found them on Amazon. He LOVES them. They are shake and go cars.

Sickness in our home AGAIN

Thursday night to Friday morning, Angelique threw up 3 times. She spent Friday lying down, not eating anything, but not complaining. Saturday afternoon, I started with a back neck and back ache. Then I felt the flu hit me hard with a head ache and fever to go along with it. On Sunday, loss of fluids compounded on top of that. BLAH! Then Sunday after lunch Matt came to bed and slept for 3 hours and woke up feeling aweful and went back to bed. Today, Monday, we both feel like we are on the mend but are still taking it easy. Talon was complaining of not feeling good last night too and stayed home from school, but I think he will be going back tomorrow.

Sprouting grains

This is my results at experimenting with making sprouted wheat bread. To the wheat grains, I soaked them over night, drained them, rinsed them several times that day, the next day I rinsed them and dried them in the oven at 170 degrees by turning the oven off and on every couple of hours. then the next day I put the dried grains through my grain mill and then made the bread. It turned out ok, better than the last time I tried two years ago, but I don't think I will do it again. It just isn't near as enjoyable as my regular bread that isn't sprouted.

Now for my 10 grain mix. I did the same procedure with my ten grain mix and made pumpkin muffins with the sprouted grain flour. They turned out sensational.


I had some of the sprouted grain flour left so I made shortbread cookies with it and some raw butter and a reduced amount of raw sugar. We really liked these too. My little kids got into it before I could get the picture taken.

All in the same day, I made pizza too with a wheat crust, not sprouted. These are our favorites: 1 ham, 2 Chicken and bacon, 3 chicken and vegetables with a mix of pesto sauce and homemade ranch salad dressing. We had a lot of dishes to do the next day!

Safia's 5th birthday

Yesterday was Safia's birthday. Because I knew I would have Jileigh here to help me, I gave Safia a birthday party. She did a great job with playing games with the kids. First she had them play with shaving cream and make shapes in it. Then they played Musical chairs, and Red light green light. We had to stop playing games because some of the kids kept throwing fits if they didn't win. So Jileigh brought out the guinea pigs and they enjoyed petting them. Then we had custard filled crepes and Safia opened her presents. Then I sent them outside to play until their parents came to get them.

The day before yesterday, Matt's mom came to bring Safia her present. This is quite the interesting story. I had to take Jileigh to the orthodontist here in town at 3:45 and Elody fell asleep just before that and she REALLY needed a nap. So I left Talon home with her here, took Beau and Safia over to Candy's house and made arrangements for Jaren and Angelique to go to my neighbor's house since she has kids their age. So to her appointment we went. After we went she was done there, we went back to Candy's to get the kids, visited for a few minutes and went home. There we found Matt's mom holding Elody. I didn't know she was coming over to bring Safia's present to her, but I was certainly glad she did. She told me that when she drove up and got out of her car, she could hear Elody screaming. She came in, look around for somebody to be here and also followed the cry. I had nursed her to sleep on Beau's bed because it is closest to the ground and it is a queen size bed. Just as she walked in the bedroom, she saw Elody falling between Beau's bed and Talon's bed frame while screaming bloody murder. NOT A GOOD SITUATION. She quickly picked her up, calmed her down and put her back to sleep and again, searched for anybody in the house. She finally found Talon glued to the computer, playing a game, completely oblivious to Elody's screaming or that Grandma was even there. So she called Matt at work and told him the situation and he told her where I was and that I should be home soon. So she just sat and rocked Elody until I got home. I posted on Facebook, "God sent me an angel today." He was truly watching out for my baby that day. Talon is permanently grounded from playing computer games or even video games at other people's houses. We now know that we can't trust him to babysit, even for a few minutes.