HAPPY EASTER

Just a few pictures from this special time of the year. I had Alexandra, Isabel, Hayden, Connor, and Serena over a week ago to paint eggs. We had a fun time... and as you can see the eggs turned out lovely. This year my tree grew Easter Eggs. I've never had that happen before! And of course everywhere you look beautiful flowers are coming up. Isn't this time of year wonderful? Everything is beginning anew. There is a feeling of hope in the air. The love of our Savior is all around us.Life truly is good.

Hershey Park Happy...Sort Of

This past Saturday we were able to go to Hershey Park for the day. Some of our friends from Harley had extra tickets (it was Harley Day - free admission and company picnic) which they gave to us. The only thing we had to pay for was the parking. Even the food was provided by Harley. It was a dreary morning. The rain had started in the middle of the night and continued through until about noon. Everything was wet when we arrived. As the day went on the sun broke through and the breeze kicked up but over all it turned out ok until the sun started to set. Before I knew it I was freezing cold and ready to go home. The girls got to meet up with some of their friends and enjoyed it much more than I did, but that's how kids are, right? Believe it or not, they even waited in line for 1 hour and 40 minutes to be in the front row of the Great Bear. INSANE. The waited that long for a ride that's no more than a minute long. That's just crazy in my book. Oh well.

So we'll have to see what the summer brings when it comes to going back up again. Prices are pretty high for general admission, however, you can get discount tickets at several locations. Time will tell. At least they went this time. Woo Hoo!

NO FREAKIN' WAY!!!

No pictures.... no cute graphics, nothing like that today! You'll have to form your own images (and throw in some smells along the way).

When I got home from work Thursday evening (at 7:30 - my 12 hour work day), I was told that Samantha had pooped 3 times in Brie's room... and Emile was "letting it dry" before trying to clean it up because it was runny. NICE. Just what you want to hear. Obviously something wasn't right.

Move to Friday...6am.. Samantha is going crazy in her kennel... prancing around, anxious; you could tell she really wanted out. Emile discovered vomit in the kennel as she was opening the door to take Samantha out back. Oh crap. What's next? Stupid me, I HAD TO ASK.

When I get home Friday afternoon (2:30) I can smell poop as soon as I start up the stairs. Because of the rain, we had to put Samantha back in her kennel rather than let her outside... she has a dog house, but I still like her indoors if the weather is bad. Anyway, as I approach her kennel, she looks completely forlorn, her head is dropped, ears laid back, just pathetic. And the smell is TERRIBLE. Here she had numerous accidents throughout the day and everything was a mess. I immediately took her out back where she immediately pooped in 3 more places. She really seemed miserable. When she finished she came over to me and just put her head against my arm. I felt so bad for her. Don't you hate when you can't talk to someone (child or animal) so they can tell you what's wrong?

When Emile got home from school, we took the bedding out of the kennel (as well as her dog house bedding) and walked down to the corner laundry mat to wash everything. I didn't want to wash it in my washer.... yuck. It's been at least 20 years since I used a commercial laundry. I couldn't believe how much it cost to wash a load. I used the smallest machine and it was $2.00. The other machines were $3.00 and $4.00. I'm sure thankful I have my own washer and dryer!!

After the wash, we brought everything home and put them in the dryer. Next Emile helped me give Samantha a bath. I actually gagged. She smelled so bad. NOT a pleasant experience. By the time we finished that... and blew her somewhat dry, the bedding was dry and we were ready to put everything back together.

As of this morning, I haven't found any new messes, however, I did find another old one, more than likely from Thursday evening. When I went to open blinds in my craft room, I found several messes. I'll attack that in a few minutes. Samantha does seem to be feeling a bit better. Hopefully the worse is over.

THANK YOU EMILE.... YOU WERE GREAT!! Just when I want to wring your neck, you come through and remind me of what a TERRIFIC KID you really are. You were a ton of help, and I truly appreciate everything you did to make a crappy situation a little easier to get through.
I ♥ U

There's No Place Like Home

TADA! It's finally posted. Pics from West York's Musical. As you can plainly see, they performed "The Wizard of Oz." What a FANTASTIC job they did. Believe me when I say this. I L♥VE The Wizard of Oz. It's one of my all time favorites. If the performance had been a "stinker," I would have gotten up and left. Not only did I not leave, I ended up seeing it twice! The sets and costumes were terrific. In Kansas everything was in black, gray, and white... vivid colors when you got to Munchkin Land... very cool! were terrific. The acting was super! My only regret? I should have taken my great nieces, Alexandra and Isabel, to see it. Morgan would have been a little to young to sit through it, but I think the other two would have really enjoyed it. My bad.... I'm truly sorry, girls.

Emile and her friend, Roxie, ran sound. There's more to it than I thought, and they did a good job. Of course they were very aware of every mistake they made, but it sounded great to me. Even the band did a good job. I have NO complaints at all. It was just terrific. Very VERY good job everyone!!

And not to be forgotten, Brie was also involved in her school's play. They performed "Sunrise Boulevard." It was a murder mystery. It was nicely done as well. Brie was on the tech crew and took charge of the spot light. She did a good job and seemed to enjoy being "behind" the scenes rather than on stage. Both of the girls have performed at DreamWrights Youth and Family Theatre, so it's easy for them to fit in where ever they are needed.... or when they want a change of pace, they have broad experience and abilities. It's neat to see them being able to apply skills they've learned along the way!

Spaghetti Dinner & Auction

Ok, so I haven't been on for a little while. Life has been so busy lately, but isn't that always the case, right? Last Friday was the annual youth spaghetti dinner and auction. It's always a fun evening and a good chance to raise money for scout and girls camp. First we have dinner, then there's the best part of the evening. The dessert portion of the auction. Each youth donates an item (and lots of other people too). We took in a red velvet bundt cake. It smelled so yummy and was still in the pan when we got to the church. We put the glaze on there.If I remember correctly, we got $12.00 for our cake. Not bad! We also donated a pedestal sink (still in the box) and a new wall light fixture. We left before they were auctioned off.

Because of the auction, the girls only have to pay $15.00 for camp. Actually Emile doesn't have to pay anything because this year is her 4th year hike. She's pretty excited about that. I can't believe she's already a 4th year. It seems like just yesterday that I was going to camp. Anyway, it was a fun evening.... and the beginning of a very busy weekend (musical at West York High too). More info and pictures will be posted soon.

Thank Heavens for P

oop. What a month this has been!!!!! Between the girls both getting sick, and me having this "fun" experience recently, I'll be glad for March to be gone. So the quick version of the situation is like this. Very little poop for a week means big trouble in the end (no pun intended). To get rid of this problem, you must do the following:You warm up 1 cup of prune juice and add 2 tablespoons of Milk of Magnesia. Drink it. YUM!Take 2 stool softeners as needed (and recommended by doctor or package).You also take 2 tablets of Gas X (again following instructions) and wait for the action to begin. In addition to you finally being able to poop, you'll probably experience intestinal cramps so intense they make you want to pass out, but at least you're finally going. The cramping is caused by everything you've taken to get going... and lasts for a good 24 hours. Nice.

Now that I'm going again (not entirely normally yet), I intend to stay that way. It's been very uncomfortable for the past 9 days and I don't ever want to go through this again.

The END.

Great Aunt Arizona

 

Last Thursday evening, I had the opportunity of going to Lincolnway Elementary School for a "Campfire Read Aloud." It was held in the cafeteria and broke into several parts. First the children and their families spread blankets out on the floor and shared snacks. After that they read by flashlight. Next, it was my turn. I was the storyteller.... Great Aunt Arizona.. and I had about 25 minutes to tell a story and read a book. I had a blast. It was so much fun... and of course with my love of reading, I will do anything in my power to encourage children to read. I actually ran into someone yesterday who was looking at me rather funny. Finally he said, "Great Aunt Arizona?" I had to laugh. He told me he had been there that evening with his son. It was cool to be recognized that fast. Hopefully this will only be the beginning of many more invitations to be a storyteller at different places.

Pay It Forward

To use an idea from Jamie's blog. (Thanks... this should really be fun)
This is a FANTASTIC movie. I absolutely loved it. If you haven't had the chance to see it, do. You won't be disappointed. In the spirit of the movie, I've decided to Pay It Forward. Here's how it works.
The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice - for you! This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make! (I can only hope).
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It will be done within 6 months.
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a flower arrangement, picture collage, bookmark... or a complete surprise to you (and me). Who knows?
5. MOST IMPORTANTLY... You must offer the same deal on your blog. The first five people to comment on your blog get something made by YOU!

You've Got To Be Kidding!

For the love of Pete. I can't catch a break, can I?! Poor me....

Last Thursday, Emile said she wasn't feeling well. On Friday I kept her home from school. You could tell she was coming down with something. Isn't this a fascinating picture? Looks pretty neat, doesn't it? Know what it is? It's the cause of many days of suffering, dread, fear, and in some cases, death. Figure it out yet? Yes, it's the FLU bacteria.


From what I was seeing in Emile, it looked like she had the flu. By Friday afternoon she was running a high fever, had chills, body aches.... she felt like death warmed over. She's been sick all weekend. Fortunately yesterday was a snow day. I couldn't get her into the doctor though. He was closed due to the storm.

So yesterday about 4, Brie was trying to get bundled up to go out back and shovel snow when she started crying. She said her stomach was feeling sick. Oh crap, you've got to be kidding! TWO DIFFERENT VIRUS'S AT ONE TIME. By 5:30 she was sleeping on the living room floor. By 7 she headed up to bed. By midnight she was throwing up all over my bedroom floor. NICE. I just love it when a plan comes together.

Actually, vomiting is quite an interesting ability the body has. It takes several timed events for it to occur.So it's safe to say everything came together just right for Brie. About 2 hours later she asked me if we could say a prayer so she wouldn't throw up again. We did and it helped. She slept until 7:30. Mike B. came over to give her a blessing around 8:30. Now we're just waiting to go to the doctor. Both of the girls are going so I can get a note for school. So much fun.

The moral of this story.... stay in a bubble the rest of you life... OR...For the record, I think you're supposed to lather for more than 20 sec. I think it's more like 2 minutes. They say to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself twice while you lather. Even with all the hand washing we do, sometimes it still isn't enough.

Oh yeah, POOR EMILE AND BRIE, TOO!!!

The City of Joy

Last night was our book club meeting. Our book this month was The City of Joy and after last month's choice, I found this book much easier to "digest." The story was about life in Calcutta, India. It was terribly distressing in areas, and completely uplifting in others. It reminded me of how many blessings I have... of how easy life is for me. With that in mind, I decided to list some of the things I am thankful for. Here goes.

I am thankful for:
1. My life
2. My home
3. My family... sisters, brother, (mother and father even though they have passed on), uncles, aunts, etc.
4. My children..(Emile is telling me to look at this the next time I say "I hate my life")
5. My employment
6. My pets... Samantha, Kitty, Angel, and Oreo
7. Trusted friends... Kristi, Cheri, Lesa, and Pat
8. My heater
9. Running water
10. Flushing toilets
11. My washer and dryer
12. My van
13. My health
14. My warm bed at the end of a long day
15. Music
16. My books
17. Sunrise and sunset
18. Fresh, clean air
19. Mountains and forests
20. Food to eat
21. My computer (and access to the internet... it's so easy to keep up with loved ones)
22. Electricity
23. My citizenship and the freedoms I enjoy
24. My talents
25. Access to medical care
26. Coca Cola
27. My rocking chairs (I have 3)
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST......
28. My church
29. The scriptures
AND
30. My Savior

Obviously these are not listed in order of importance. There are so many more things I enjoy on a daily basis. I can't even begin to imagine how difficult it would be to live in India... in the slums. I have been blessed by being born here in the United States. Yes I had challenges as a child, however, those experiences gave me the drive to succeed and make life better for my own children. Without a doubt I make mistakes all the time. There are things I can do better... and with time I have grown and evolved into a better person. When I stop improving... when I stop seeing the beauty around me... when I fail to see how many blessings I have, I cease to be alive.

Can You Say Service?

Wasn't this just WAY too funny?!

It's Alive!

Last night Emile started a load of laundry for me. I was cooking supper and could hear an unusual sound coming from the washing machine in the basement. Hmmm, that's not good. I immediately called Brad, my repair man. He's fantastic and I knew he'd be able to help me out.Since I was canceled on a case today, I was home earlier than expected. That was good because Brad called around 11:45 to see about coming over. It took him a total of 5 minutes to figure out the problem. Can you say.... UNDERWIRE BRA!That's it. A wire in the pump. Nice. Since I use a mesh bag for our "private items" I'm not sure how it got there. I'll have to inspect bras and find out which one is missing a wire.So 10 minutes and $70.00 later the washer is working like new again. Life is good.

Freakin' Cold

Man oh days. I have no idea where all the global warming has gone, but I sure wish I could have just a little bit of it for a few days. I'm freezing. This winter has been so cold even though we've had very little snow. I'm really beginning look forward to spring and warmer temperatures. That's pretty unusual for me since I normally love winter. Maybe I'm just getting old (and cold).Brrrr!I think I'd be warmer living in this igloo. Em was walking around with a blanket over her shoulders tonight. On top of the cold temps, I'm still refusing to raise the thermostat any higher than 65 degrees because of oil prices for home heating. Come on spring!

Favorite Super Bowl Commercial

I laughed so hard I almost wet my pants when I saw this. This is exactly how my life would go if it were me.

Monday Memories

When I was a child, I loved pretend play. What I'd give to be able to pretend play some days now. I thought I'd go back in time to remember my favorite dolls.I had a Shirley Temple type doll. She had the same style dress, socks and shoes. The difference was that she had her hair pulled into a ponytail. I didn't play with her often, instead I kept her on a shelf above my bed. She was beautiful.I also had a Mary Poppins doll. I thought she was totally cool, especially her tapestry bag and umbrella. She had several changes of clothes, and unlike my other doll, I played with Mary for hours on end. She was great.My favorite doll was "Knickerbocker" from Holly Hobbie. She was the last doll I ever got for Christmas (I was in Middle School). I loved that doll. Holly Hobbie dolls were very popular in the 70's, probably due to Little House on the Prairie. I had her on my bed well into my married life. She stayed there until one of my dogs chewed her braids off. I was going to fix her, but of course I never got to it. I have no idea where she ended up. I wish I had taken better care of her.

Now my "dolls" are Emile and Brie. Not quite the same as pretend. It was great watching Brie playing with her baby doll and remembering how much fun I had doing the same with mine. The circle of life never ends.