Things I'm Thankful for

This time of year makes us reflect on things that we are thankful for.

I'm thankful that my kids can overlook all my faults and still think that I'm the prettiest, best, funniest mom in the world.

I'm thankful that I have a husband who loves his job and takes it very seriously. He provides nice things for us and keeps our house warm and our cupboards stocked with food.

I'm thankful for parents who understood how important the gospel was at a young age and taught me, even though sometimes I wasn't teachable.

I'm thankful for the covenants that I have made in the temple with my Heavenly Father and with Eric. Many times, it has been those covenants that have pulled me through very difficult times including the death of my brother.

I'm thankful for medicine and pain meds. I grateful that doctors and nurses have taken an incredible part of their lives studying and learning about the body so that I can have the conviences of a root canal or an epideral or antiboitics to help my throat feel better.

I'm thankful for animals. That my children have a chance to learn how to raise and take care of animals and that we also can eat them, like turkey!!

I'm thankful for my van, that when I turn the key, it starts (much credit to a husband who keeps things running). that I have enough $ for gas and that I can drive anywhere I want without having to show my visa or passport (which I don't have anyway).

And I'm most thankful for my Savior, who despite all my faults and selfishness still loved me enough to care my pain and sins and to take them on himself. I'm thankful that through His Atonement, I don't have to have hatred toward those who have wronged me because He has also paid for their sins and pains also. I don't have to hold terrible feelings toward the man who ran over my brother because the Savior has so graciously provided a place for me to go, a guilt free zone, where I can put my heart's arms around this man and say, "It's OK, I forgive you. I love you. I have no bad feelings towards you." Because my Savior has provided a way for me to feel that way.

I hope that all of you have a great holiday and remember those things that you are most thankful for.

My email is terrible...

Ok, I have been having a lot of problems with my email. I can't respond or send any emails from it so that's why I have replied or sent any emails. I had Dr. yesterday after waiting like 3 hours. A little girl in the office threw up twice. I felt bad for her mom but the gma was there to take care of her. Of course, she threw up right when it was her mom's turn to see the dr. I know I sure wouldn't give up my spot if I was getting to see the dr. My kid would have to be dying. The nurse that saw me wasn't too happy that the mom stayed for her appointment. I knew exactly how the mom felt. I always think when I have to sit there for 3 hours that I'm not going to do that again and then I talk to the dr. and he's so nice and kind and makes up for all the rudeness of his staff, that I don't want to leave. But I think that I will after this baby. Again the baby is having an indentity crisis. Dr. looked really hard and just wouldn't quite commit to a boy 100%. So I don't know. the other thing is that baby is measuring between 2-3 weeks bigger than it should be, possible gestation diabetes. But my regualr problems with preg are great. He will probably take the stitch out and baby won't come until 4 weeks later and be 11 pounds. Actually, he told me he wouldn't let me go that long. Thank goodness for that. I'm getting to experience all the other things that I've never experience with preg. Other than that, everyone is fine. The trial was really sad and hard. Kyle William sobbed pretty much the whole time and when he asked if he could address the court, he couldn't speak. There is some info from the Seattle media if you want to see it.
http://www.komotv.com/news/local/11165166.html?video=YHI&t=a
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/eastsidenews/2004006046_williams10e.html?syndication=rsshttp://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/339067_hit10.htmle
Talk to you later. I'm working on changing my email. It should take about 50 years since I have so many emails to transfer over. So check our junk box for an email from me with a new address.

I've been tagged

Apparently, I've been tagged by my sister so I have to say something about myself. Rules are
A: Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves.
B: At the end of the post, the player then tags people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog for these rules. I think I can handle that. Here are 6 fun facts!

1. When I was a kid (and teenager) I would walk the 1/4 of a mile from our home to the barn or back in the complete dark (without a light or anything). I would tell myself there was nothing to be afraid of and I would just do it. Now I have a daughter (or two) who can't walk into her room at night without a light on.

2. I love to carve pumpkins. If someone would just gut them for me.

3. I have tried to order a huge order of medals and trophies for our school's spelling bee and because of our awesome??? internet have lost the shopping cart 2 TIMES that already had $150-$200 worth of items in it that have been individually entered with name of school, grade, place and year. I'm going to be taking my phone off the hook to try again when I do try which has to happen early this week because the stuff needs to be ordered for them to be here on time. If you need to get ahold of me, call my cell phone.

4. I love to scrapbook. I like the whole idea of creating something from paper and I really like to paper piece. Cut something complete apart and then stick it all back together in a layered look. I think I get a real high from this.

5. I hate bringing in my groceries after I have shopped. I try to plan it or I call Eric to come home to bring them in. Right now, that I'm preg, I don't have to. But this morning I could smell something coming from our van. I opened the trunk to see that the kids had missed one bag of groceries, the bag that had french fries, frozen vegs and butter in it. Ucky smell. Dang kids, don't just start a job, FINISH IT!!!

6. Whenever I go anywhere with Eric in our Van (Not in his PU), I drive. I can't hardly stand for him to drive because he doesn't pay attention. He is one of the reasons why we are having a new law enforced in Jan for no talking on phones while drving. He seriously cannot think where he's going and talk on the phone. If his phone rings and he's driving, we were going the speed limit or 5-10 over and soon we are going 40-45 mph. He can't mutli task when it comes to driving and talking. I started learning this when we were driving to Seattle to go to the temple. By the time I got to the temple, my knuckles were so white that I could hardly calm down to enjoy the session. So now, I just drive everywhere when we go anywhere together.

Ok, I'm supposed to tag some other people but I know no one will leave so facts about themselves, so whoever wants to, can leave some info about themselves.

Bode is a hero!!

One bad thing about living in the country is when it starts to get cold and the food supplies start to die, the mice move in. We have smelt 3 so far. Eric has poison around really well, just they eat it and die under the stove, dishwasher, dryer, water heater, washing machine. I am at the mercy of Eric and my nose being as sensitive as it is. Well, you can just imagine. We found one mouse about 3 weeks ago, after much proding from me for Eric to move the applicances, it was under the washing machine. Then I could smell another one. I didn't use my bathroom for a week and a half. I located the smell coming from behind the wataer heater but it would have taken much work to move it so we just dealt after dumping bleach behind the heater. Then at the begin of this week, I started smelling it again. It was located in the stove/dishwasher region. Eric finally pulled out the stove, where I discovered a gaping hole in the floor, I put foil in it. But there was nothing there. Well, that left the dishwasher, I pleaded and begged to no avail, so on Mon I took the screws out of the dishwasher, it was screwed to the counter, unhooked the water (after turning the water off of course) and pulled out the dishwasher to find, yes there it was the source of my nausea. Bode was outside and I gagged through my yells for him to come help me. I swept in from behind the DW and he swepted it on to a dustpan. I told him to take it to the field. He opened the door and dumped it on the backstep. I didn't want him to play with it so I opened the door to sweep it again into the dushpan and make him carry it farther away and Mama cat was sitting there licking her chops. She ate it. GAG!! More. Thank goodness he was there to save me from a certain death by gagging.

Happy birthday Mom

Today is my mom's birthday. She's somewhere older than 60. I've noticed something about my mom. She can ride a tractor for like 8-9 hours and then come home and ride her lawn mower or weed in her yard or garden for another 2 hours then she cans 50 quarts of peaches in the evening. She's a worker. I can ride the tractor for 4 hours and then go home and go to bed. She can definitely work me under the table. She also likes to sew and craft and can and garden. She has an opinion and won't be pushed around too much. She's a great mom. I have learned much from her especially now that I'm older and realize the wealth of information that she has. I have enjoyed living close to her. My kids know her well and love her and know they are expected to work when they are at her house. Have a great day today mom!!

Cat problems again

Our baby baby baby kitty is gone. I think the mom knew something was wrong with it and she took it away. But the problem is mama is not well. She had a huge lump on her neck. Either she's been fighting with Nicky or some other boy cat that wants to get friendly. She's all full of infection. I asked Eric to ask the cowboy for a little bit of penicyllin and I will give her a shot. He didn't, YET!! He's says. Mama isn't well. She had washed her babies in a day and 1/2 so I had to give them baths this morning. I don't want to be mama to every Tom, Dick and Harry who comes along. It's too hard. Hopefully, Mama and babies will survive while we are going this weekend.

A case of mistaken identity???

OK, we have a case of mistaken indentity. Our baby girl miraclously turned into a baby boy. When I called Eric to tell him these change of plans, he couldn't stop laughing. He was thrilled. Then when I came home and we talked, he said something to the effect that hadn't I been making deals with the Lord to get this baby to change. NO, I hadn't been making deals. I kind of have embraced the idea of a girl and had thought how cute girl clothes were and all those dresses that I have made could be used again and my sis-in-law was going to give me tons of girl clothes. Not now!! I still don't know if I believe it. I think that I will be taking 2 outfits to the hospital. Mijken even said maybe it's twins. If it is then I don't know where the other baby is hiding. So for now baby is boy, Kollin for a middle name is going to work alot better but we really have no first name. I like Shad but Eric didn't think that Shad would like that too much Ithought Becky probably wouldn't like it that much either. So we're back on the name hunt.

FOOD FIGHT!!

I've been thinking about "the Letter" that we are all supposed to write and wanted to share this scripture reference with you D&C 123. Joseph Smith is telling the saints to write about the things that have happened to them so that there will be a record and so that others won't be led astray as to what really happened to the saints. It's very enlightening. Hope it will help you with your writing. I especially like verse 17 Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed. But on a more fun note. We were still down for Sun lunch last week. All together as a fam, having nice dinner conversation when the milk and food started flying. Sum filled her plate completely full of ranch dressing. ALOT of dressing. Eric wasn't too happy about that but just as he was cleaning up that mess, his phone rang. While he was on the phone, Lexi split her choc milk into the gravy which she had just finished making (she made it herself). She burst into tears. I told her it would be ok and just stirred in the milk into the gravy. While Lex was getting a towel to clean up, Bode knocked over his choc milk. It went everywhere. We try to use our "special" dishes on Sunday including our "wine glasses". By this time Eric had gotten off the phone and sat down in the milk that had dripped onto his chair. Needless to say, we don't get to use the wine glasses any more. We are lucky that they weren't all broken and thrown into the garbage. Summer can't pour her own dressing anymore-more work for me. And I don't know that we will have another lunch TOGETHER again. Isn't it funny how we are supposed to do these things together like dinner and FHE and scripture study and yet sometimes it seems like it is thw worst time because of things like this. We end up yelling at each other instead of loving the time together. It's hard to be a parent. But I am so glad that I get the chance to be a parent and that my kids are so forgiving.

The cat problem is solved!

We were able to get the kittens out of the floor of our house. Horray!! We can now close the hole up and quit being such hicks. I'm thrilled. We have four babies but one is VERY runty! I've never seen one so small. So I'm looking for pet bottles. Remember when we used to feed babies with those little bottles. Better go the pizza is done.

Happy Birthday!! Grandpa!!

It's my dad's b-day today. He's over 60?!! Some of the things my dad likes to do is build things. He made a bed with my brothers for one of my mom's rooms upstair. It's her log cabin room. He also has created some kind of lincoln logs. I love it when he works in the wood shop with me because he can cut wood so much quicker than I can. He probably dislikes it very much because he has to do all the work. He also likes to read to the grandkids. I think that every story in my parent's library is memorized because he has to read them all so much. Recently he ordered a generator from Costco. It came and he had to put it together. Then after all his hard work, he couldn't get it started. Eric came along and started it right up. He held the button longer or something like that. He can give really good talks and have deep discussions about the Atonement or Joseph Smith or the Celestial Kingdom. Hope that you have a great day dad. We love you.

Claire Shannon Telford

This is what I know. She was born sometime on Sept 24th, in the early afternoon. She weighed in at 7 lbs 8 oz and she has red, curly hair. That's it.

Welcome Baby number 21

My parents are grandparents again with Mijken's baby GIRL!!! (What??? Ryan and Eric can't seem to figure out the boy stuff) She is #10 of the girl grandbabies. I know the blanket that my mom made her could have gone either way but it was pretty country and boy looking. My mom did take fabric, quilt makings to her house so maybe she will end up with a cute girl quilt and Mikey had also bought some cute girl fabric when we were reunioning in July. Hopefully baby Claire will have something to come home in. Her hair is red and curly??? Curly is exceptable but red??? Actually her mom-in-law is on the verge of red and they do have a Telford cousin that has flaming red hair. Doing good here other than the cats are stuck between the insultation and the floor boards of the house and I think I have a touch of the flu this morning. I was supposed to teach preschool and have VTers but had to cancel both. Bode woke up this morning and yelled "Yeh!! It's preschool day today." Then I had to break the bad news to him. Poor kid. He really likes preschool. He wrote his name on the back of the van in the dirty window. Mom and the kids added this fun border to my flower bed on Sat. It was a lot of work for mom as I laid on my couch. What a rough life I live. This is the "cat hole" in our front deck and the lovely board we use to cover the cat hole when we are expecting company.

The wheels on the bus

Ok, Yesterday my kids weren't home from school, like 1/2 hour late. Come to find out that the bus has to turn around at several stops (including our house) and it can't drive straight in and then back out. It has to back in to the turn around and drive out frontwards. So the bus driver, which is a really good driver, backed into the barrowpit and there was stuck until the jr high bus came along and all the kids got off of the elem bus and got onto the jr high bus and got home. I've been thinking about this and I've decided that the bus needs to get those cat tracks on the back tires so that it won't get stuck so easily. Wonder if Kim Haws could invent something like that??

Girls just wanna have fun...

I bet that's how Eric is feeling right now. We got the news that baby will be a girl. I'm not shocked at all and would have put $ on it. Eric said, "Just my luck." But then I think when Bode is running around like a crazy man, maybe we could only handle one boy. Baby is looking great and I'm actually soing very well for me. I have to start taking 2 antibiotics for 10 days each to help with any infections. Eric will have to pick them up from Walmart for me. I'm 19 weeks so basically half way through with my preg. At this time in Bode's preg I started laying down. We had gone to Blue MT Cabin and I laid around all that week and then we moved in with mom. Mom is trying hard to keep me from having to move in. I hope that I don't have to lay down forever. Things are looking good for me.

We're the proud parents again...

of 4 bouncing baby kittens. Mama Cat, as we call her, had her kittens. I noticed that she was skinny but didn't have time to watch her to see where she was going and see if I could find her babies. Eric found them yesterday in the back of the blue PU that has flat tires and has basically become the catch-all for outside. We will have to name the cats like Les Schwab, Goodyear, Michelin, and BF Goodrich. They all look like her except one that looks like it might be gray and white. Bode said that it looks like Merriweather. Our traveling cat that has traveled where no cat can return from.

My family is full of genuises

Ok Lexi drove Eric's PU for the first time tonight. He was burning weeds. Eric said she did a really good job except when it came to turn corners and stuff. She got stuck a sandy spot but Eric put it in 4 wheel and she was able to go. She didn't drive all over the road like she used to. When Eric was driving home though, he let the kids ride on the burn tank, I know real smart and SOOO safe, He told me he was watching the kids, yeh he'll watch them fall right off of the tank and he'll watch them get run over. That's when the howling started for Lexi. Here she can drive this huge PU but the second Eric goes a little bit faster than a snail, like turtle speed, she starts freaking!! So as you can see, our family is full of genuises as she can drive at 11 but not hang on!!

Bode Can Write?????

We started mama school, I was the first mama to teach and I was supposed to show the kids how to write their names. I had a worksheet where they traced the dots around their names and then I sent home the same sheet for homework. Bode did his last night and after he got done tracing his name he wrote his name on the side of the paper. I was shocked to see that he could do it. I think that he's going to be a genius!!

We're the proud parents of...

a bouncing, baby calf!! Dad and mom gave her to us because they were getting rid of the mama and mom didn't want to have to bottle feed a calf. Her name is Licorice because, you guessed it, she's all black except the white tip of her tail. At present, she is chained to our cloth line pole because Eric hasn't brought the calf pen home for her. The kids are loving it. Bode woke up this morning and said, "I've got to go feed the calf." I can't wait until they can do it without my help. The incredibly talented Bode took these pictures of Licorice. As you can see, he has a future in photography and will be earning tons of money doing it.