My journey

Profile of Courage: Team Hoyt

2010-08-28T17:14:00.000-05:00

my little brother singing "i know that my savior loves me"

2010-07-06T09:25:00.000-05:00

Bee in my Bonnet

2010-07-02T07:38:00.001-05:00

I just saw the easiest tutorial for the sweetest pincushion that took me right back to the 50's. Follow this link to Bee in my Bonnet to see the tutorial. It's for a pincushion lawn chair. It's to die for.

Free Bosch Mixer

2010-06-25T16:48:00.001-05:00

Check out this link to win a free Bosch Mixer---I used mine for 35 years until the bowl finally gave up the ghost----I kept the base because it still works just fine---maybe I can find a new bowl somewhere. Deals to Meals

Saturdays and summer vacation

2010-06-05T14:17:00.003-05:00

I've been up since 7:15 and just playing on the computer. I really shouldn't be spending so much time here, but I'm having a ball. First I checked my e-mail accounts. Next I went to sugardoodle.net and downloaded the next two lessons for primary. I had to go through the lessons and make adjustments---her fonts apparently don't match what I have on my computer so I have to change font sizes and move things around so that all the text fits on the slides. That took about an hour---I'm guessing. I started a batch of clothes and just realized that the dryer is full of dried clothes---wrinkled white shirts by now. Shucks. Oh well, I'll fold the undies and spritz the shirts and put them back in for a few minutes.

I even went online to my coursework and participated in the discussion board. Now I just have my lesson to turn in and I'll have another week completed. Yeah!!

At around 10:30 I was really sleepy and ready for a nap. I was freezing, believe it or not, and couldn't really go to sleep and rest. The thermostat is set at 76, but for some reason I'm cold today.

I went back to sugardoodle to look up printable calendars. My summer is turning out to be much shorter than I had planned. If I take the Region XI coursework that I need for my principal certificate, that will take 8 of my precious days. Oh well, it's got to be done some time. I can take just the 5 ILD class days and save the three PDAS days for during school----but that means I need to take personal days, and I'm not sure I want to do that.

I needed to print calendars so that I can actually look at my summer and do some planning. My hope is to be able to go to Idaho and Utah in July and then Houston the first two weeks in August. I don't know if Carrie needs or wants me there that long, but I think I'll put it on my calendar so that I'm totally available for them. I'm hoping for three weeks in Idaho and Utah----4 days driving, 4 days in Idaho, and 13 days with Beau and Carrie's family. Carrie needs to have some surgery this summer, and she's planning on July 19th so that'll put us there just right to help with the kids, housework, and cooking. We'll get back to Watauga August 1st and have a day or so to clean-up and get ready for Houston. That all depends on when the new little DiVall princess makes her appearance.

Summer just isn't long enough. Now I'm going to go start my to-do list-----things I want to do before I go back to work. I also want to spend some time with Hayley, so there you have it---a very busy summer.

Ten is finished and I'm on to Eleven

2010-05-31T08:29:00.001-05:00

I finished course 10 in my master's program on May 17th---Yeah. What a relief. I've really got "senioritis". I don't want to do any more writing! The problem is that I still have two more classes. I just turned in assignment number one last night. Four more to go and then a little break. I'll finish my coursework in September. If I keep counting my days according to class assignments, my summer will be gone way too soon.

Number Nine is Done!!

2010-03-27T20:55:00.003-05:00

I finished my ninth course of my master's program today. I finished the homework and discussion board at 2:00AM this morning. I took the final exam at about 10:00. There were 20 questions---13 were scenarios. I made a 90 on the test. I was hoping to do better, but 90 is great. Now I have a two week break before the next course begins.

I have three courses left. I need to contact Lamar and find out if I can double up on the last two courses. If I can finish before the end of June, I can graduate in August. That would mean a considerable pay raise when school starts in August. I need to check into that this week.

I'm working with Dodge now to finish up some projects. We're "remodeling" a back pack, mending a few things, and whatever else he needs to have completed before he leaves for the last leg of his bicycle journey across the United States. I don't always do things the way he wants them done and we "butt heads" once in a while, but we are getting the job done.

I'm so glad that I have the next two weeks free from my coursework. I feel drained---really exhausted. I still have a lot that I need to do to be ready to double up my coursework, but I think if I plug away---and don't watch television, I'll be okay.

School work

2010-03-15T16:02:00.003-05:00

I got up early this morning and started working on my coursework for my master's program. Ugh! This is the earliest in the week I've ever done an assignment. I finished my readings and took a progress monitor, listened to the lectures and took a progress monitor, and I posted on the chat board. All I have left to do is the assignment---but it's huge. I'm going to take a break for a while and then probably work on it later this evening. I hope to finish it by 3:00 tomorrow afternoon.

I took the midterm Friday. I missed two questions---90%---I feel good about that.

Dodge called yesterday. They were in Nacogdoches,Texas. He called to see if we could pick him and Krissy up on Tuesday. He called today to finalize the plans. He asked Mike to leave here around 10, and he'll pick them up in Fairfield. They'll have lunch at a Mexican restaurant that Mike likes---in Fairfield, and then head home. I'm hoping to finish my coursework for this week before they get home. That way I'll be free to do sewing for Dodge or the sewing that I'd like to do.

I'm on spring break so I'll have 4 days with no school work and no job 8-5----just taking care of other people's needs. I'm hoping to make a baby quilt for the school carnival's auction a week from Friday, I want to record the books for Beau's kids (their Christmas present a few months late), and make some skirts for Beau's girls. I hope that I can accomplish all of that and help Dodge, too.

Surprise!

2010-03-14T06:20:00.003-05:00

On Thursday Mike told me that Kieth Atkinson called and invited us to go out to dinner with them on Saturday. That sounded like fun. As we were leaving, Mike said that Thayne Worsley had called and asked that Kieth and Mike meet with him for a few minutes at the clerk's office at church. He needed to go over a couple of reports with them for the High Priest's group.

We headed to the church. There were a couple of phone calls in the afternoon but Mike took them because I was working on my coursework. As we neared the chapel, Mike received another call. He said it was Kieth, but it sounded like a girl. I wondered for a brief moment if Mike "had something up his sleeve."

When we drove into the parking lot there were about a dozen cars. I thought that they must be having some kind of social in one of the other wards. But I still had that little thought, "is Mike up to something?" We parked, and I asked if I should come in. He said, "yes." As we were getting out of the car, another car pulled up next to us, and the driver said, "are you here for Linda DiVall." I thought, hmmm---he IS up to something, but I didn't know who the driver was---the sun was shining in my eyes and I couldn't see. I said, "Are you tricking me?"

We went into the building and the hallway was filled with dear and precious friends---friends from over the years. Joey and Ruth Ann Harrison from Decatur; Kari and Kevin Burton from Graham; my niece, DeeAnn, from Plano; Gloria Eaton; Arta and Chandra McLaughlin; Carol and Kim Shaw and Kim's son Logan; Cheryl and Ralph Pollett; Lynn Young; Hayley, David, and the boys; Pat and Judson Williams; MaryBeth and Steve Bohn; Gail and Larry Manion; and the lady from the car----my dear teaching buddy, Rhonda Johnson, who I haven't seen in about 12 years. I suspected a surprise party, but just assumed it was friends from church----not all of these wonderful friends from all over.

Hayley had orchestrated the whole thing. She had the wedding invitation list ("the" list we used for all the kid's weddings) and contacted all of our dear friends, inviting them to a party to celebrate my 60th birthday. What a special, special evening.

She asked everyone to write down some of their fondest memories of our times together. Many who couldn't be there sent their memories to Hayley. She compiled all of them into a book for me. Letters came from Kathy and Ray Blair in Arcata, California; Diana McDanel in Norman, Oklahoma; my cousin, Shirley, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, plus most of the people who came to the party.

Hayley served baked Idaho potatoes with topping choices, chips (cool ranch Doritoes and Cheetos), chocolate cake, Neopolitan ice cream, snickerdoodles, oreos, and little candies----all things that I love. She decorated the room with pink and black balloons (glad she didn't overdo the black theme) and a pink fabric swag that she made.

She was worried that I new what was going on. I babysat for her about 10 days ago and she had left the invitations out---but I hadn't noticed them. She called and asked about Idaho potatoes and chili. She called with a question about the sewing machine, because she was making a banner and having trouble with the tension on the machine. All of those things had to do with the party, and I was oblivious.

What was really funny was that I had moped around all day on Thursday because no one at school acknowledged my birthday. Friday on the morning announcements they wished me a late happy birthday and apologized for forgetting---but nobody wished me a happy birthday throughout the day. A little thing, to be sure, but when you turn 60 years old, it kind of a momentous occasion, don't you know? I was truly surprised and so very pleased to see so many of my dear friends.

Mike helped Hayley pull it off, but she really did all the work. Carrie wanted to come up, but Wyatt had to be in Houston for Stake conference and it was just too much to bring the kids at this time. They sent a beautiful bouquet of yellow tulips via her parents (and current snapshots of the kids).

Oh, another incident of getting ready for the party that I didn't notice----Mike was scanning pictures into the computer. He made a slideshow of pictures of me from infancy through the years. That was really fun. There was almost a snafu. I needed to use his laptop to help me with my midterm earlier in the day yesterday. I take the midterm on my laptop, but you can't toggle back to the readings and notes while taking the midterm so I download everything to a flashdrive and use his computer. I took his computer to my sewing room/office and set everything up, but his computer wouldn't turn on. The screen was black and said "data missing". I was frustrated but was luckily able to use the desktop to do my test. Fortunately I said something to Mike about it. He was really upset and immediately went in to try and fix it. Now I understand why he was so concerned. When Hayley got married, he had spent a week putting pictures of Hayley and David together for a slideshow. We hauled the desktop down to the church. The slideshow ran for about 5 minutes before the computer crashed. All that hard work, down the tubes. He didn't want a repeat performance.

What a special day and what great friends and family. I've never had a surprise party and this was really, really fun. Mike took pictures, I'll try to add some to the blog later.

Birthdays

2010-03-12T22:46:00.004-06:00

Thursday was my birthday---my 60th birthday. Man, I can't believe that I'm 60 years old. That seems so far away to me. Mike got up with me this morning and presented me with a package and a beautiful card. The package was three bottles of fragrance from Bath and Body Works and a bag of fancy jelly beans.

At school no one knew it was my birthday, and I was kind of "bummed." Two of my fellow g/t specialists sent me e-mails and that cheered me up a bit. Carrie Christina called me on the cell to wish me a happy birthday and that was a great treat in the middle of my work day. I spoke with Hayley, too. Dodge apparently called while I was in the the shower that morning and I missed his call. Marc, Beau, and Carrie Christina and the kids called later in the evening. I had to stay at work until 7:30 for a PTA meeting and volunteer appreciation dinner, so it was around 8 before I got home. Beau's kids all chatted with me (especially Matthew, he just kept talking and talking---precious). They all sang "Happy Birthday" to me. I love it when my grand kids call and chat with me.

Wyatt called later in the evening---he almost forgot, he said. So I heard from all my kids, and that's the best gift a mom could receive. Beau and Carrie sent me a beautiful bouquet of white daisies, pink mini carnations, and red mini roses. I love it.

My facebook wall was loaded with happy birthday wishes.

At school today, on the morning announcements, they wished me a happy birthday---apparently they didn't realize it was my birthday yesterday. Interesting note---two of my g/t students share my birthday: first grader Braden and second grader Damon----that's pretty unusual.

It's Friday and school is out for the next week---Spring Break---Hurray, Hurray. I have my coursework to finish up for the 3rd week's assignment and a midterm to take. I hope to get all of that finished by noon tomorrow. I'm hoping to do a little sewing, and I need to work on my portfolio for my internship. Dodge should be arriving on Tuesday, and I think he has some sewing projects for me, so I need to finish next week's coursework as soon as I can.

SMART board

2010-03-10T18:34:00.003-06:00

Today I used the SMART board for a third grade "think tank" lesson on numbers. It's so fun, and the kids were thrilled to be able to touch the board and make it work. I projected an interactive hundreds board on the SMART board. I gave the students 4 clues---they tapped the numbers on the hundreds chart that would not fit the pattern---this caused a colored splotch to appear over the number and a small explosion sound---they loved it. I will do this with two other third grade classes on Friday only this time we'll tap the numbers that fit the clues, I think that will be more logical for them.

Our principal purchased two SMART boards for our school last fall. They are amazing. You project your computer screen onto the SMART board and it becomes interactive. It looks like a whiteboard, but it plugs in to the computer. You don't have to use a mouse, your finger becomes the mouse. Anything that you can use from the Internet, can be utilized on the SMART board----kids can play games as a class, they can write or type on the SMART board, they can label pictures (and these can be saved as a document). It's just amazing. They now have SMART tables and SMART walls. Several teachers won district grants to purchase SMART boards for their classrooms.

The second grade is in my hallway. The second grade teachers and I used the SMART board for the first time this week. We are keeping it in my room and they just bring their kids over to work. If I have a class to teach when they need to use the SMART board, I'll just take my kids to their room to work. The second grade teachers are going to suggest that after the other boards arrive this one should be stored in my room for easy access for them and for third grade. I would LOVE that.

Someone sent me a video today that was created by middle school students. It was a rap about reading. My fifth graders have decided to take on the challenge of creating a rap song and then choreographing a music video to be performed by the whole fifth grade. If we can accomplish the rap song, I will be thrilled. Stay tuned.....

A Tolerable Tuesday Morning

2010-03-09T10:35:00.006-06:00

Today was open house for Birdville Elementary. We tried something new today. We had open house from 7:45 to 9:00----during school hours. It was great. I really loved seeing the parents going to class with their children. The teachers went ahead with morning school work and the parents also participated. I taught Ms. Dorman's third grade and Ms. White's first grade classes while parents were there. I did a lesson with riddles...it was a terrific experience, especially for the children.

Here are some of the riddles...
I just love the mud,
And I satrt with P;
I am fat and smart,
And I end with G.
What am I?

My color means please stop,
And I end in D;
And some fire engines,
Have been painted me.
What am I?

I will be your friend,
And I start with D;
I will guard your house,
And I end with G.
What am I?......

I found some new giveaway sites---I thought I would share them with buttons on the left.
The Take It from Me has a great giveaway from High Sierra They have some great day packs!!
The Easy Lunch Boxes giveaway is great, too!

A great Wednesday morning

2010-03-03T08:18:00.005-06:00

Today I started my day at 5:15. I had to be at school (Birdville Elementary) by 6:00. The fifth graders were gathering to leave for camp and I was an "assistant" to the fifth grade teachers. I was just the "gopher" but it was fun watching the children and their parents interact on this momentous day. For some of the children this was their first excursion away from home. They are headed to Lake Texoma to Camp Jolt. It's a science discovery camp. The weather will be in the low 60's, but I'm sure they'll all have a wonderful time.

Today is 4th grade TAKS writing. I will not be teaching any of my classes. I've been asked to help with the testing. I won't be testing full-time, I'll act as relief so that the teachers can have a break, go to lunch, etc.

Check out this link----She's having a giveaway today for free organic honey. Anne Bradshaw's Place (blogspot).

Wow, time passed

2009-11-16T20:25:00.001-06:00

I can't believe that it's been almost four months since I wrote in my blog. Much has happened over these weeks.

The last week in July I had a regular physical. They said that I needed a tetanus shot because it's been over ten years since I had one. Well, that will be the last one I ever have. I believe that I had a severe reaction to the inoculation. I had the shot on Monday. Wednesday I couldn't get up from my bed without spasms in my back, I couldn't stand straight, and I couldn't walk across the room. It was horrific. Ever since then, I've had trouble with my legs. I contacted both my family physician and my oncologist, neither of them think this episode was related to the inoculation.

The first week of October I attended a cancer support group. I shared about my experience with the inoculation. One of the other members said that the same thing happened to her. After a tetanus shot she had a horrible time with her immune system. She said that it took about a year to get back to normal---whatever normal is.

We drove to Utah with Wyatt, Caleb, and Tate the first weekend in August. We had a great visit with Beau and his family. Wyatt drove on up to Idaho for a Manion family reunion. We drove up with Beau's family to tour Yellowstone. We stayed at Shawna's two nights---Beau and his family camped out in a great double tent. We had a wonderful trip.

On the way home we visited a little known spot outside Moab. It was every bit as beautiful as the Grand Canyon---just not as big.

School started in August. We've just completed the second six weeks grading period. It's hard to believe that our school year is 1/3 over. My classroom has been moved out to a portable at Birdville Elementary. That's pretty rough on a windy day----plays havoc with my allergies.

Last week I completed my 6th course for my master's program. A new course starts today. It's a technology course. I have to create another blog----at their suggested address. This may prove to be an interesting course.

new giveaway site

2009-07-23T12:07:00.001-05:00

I found a great giveaway today on thrifty and chic mom----it's for a computer backpack. We need a case for Mike's computer and this would be perfect! Here's the link... http://www.thriftyandchicmom.com/2009/07/ogio-backpack-giveaway/comment-page-3/#comment-25620

Check it out, you'll like it....

Viruses

2009-07-20T22:24:00.002-05:00

Boy, have I had a tough day. Yesterday I worked on my next slide show for primary---I worked from 9AM to 12:30PM and then from 7PM to 9PM. That last two hours I just needed to find 11 pictures for the slides. I found all the pictures I needed on the lds.org website under support materials---in the Church History Stories books. I still needed two, though. I looked at the regular places where I search but found nothing appropriate. I decided to check out the clip-art links section on sugardoodle. That was a mistake (at least I think that's where I met with my nemesis). Somehow I got a virus that I couldn't get rid of. It was a program trying to get me to sign up for anti-virus software, and it wouldn't leave me alone. It would send up a warning balloon every 5 minutes or less that my files were being attacked by a virus, then a window would open that said I needed to download software to get rid of the virus--immediately. This went on from about 7:30 until this evening at 9:00. I sent Wyatt an e-mail explaining my problem and asked him to call when he had time. He sent an e-mail suggesting a free software program. I tried it, but this virus wouldn't let me install it correctly. Dad had me try a new freeware version that he uses on his machine, but the virus stopped it as well. I struggled with it all day and finally I asked Kevin Winn if he could help me. He has a freeware anti-virus that he uses. He came over and stayed with it until it was fixed.

I'm so thankful for the time he spent. I was really worried that I would have trouble using my computer----and I need to use it for my coursework now and especially while I'm gone to Utah. I also have to take a test next week and I would be sunk without it---or at the least, things would be difficult. Things seem to be working much better now. There is still something wrong with the googlebar, but there aren't any unsolicited windows popping up all over the place!

I went to Mansfield this morning and picked up Grayson and Luke. They are staying with us while Hayley gets things packed. They'll be here today and tomorrow. They are a couple of fun little boys. I love to listen to and watch them play with each other. It reminds me of when my children were little and playing games and make believe together. Grayson is so animated. He really gets excited and his excitement ignites little sparks in Luke. It's so much fun. There were just a couple of times that Grayson got his feelings hurt, or Luke played a little bit too rough. In all, it was a great day.

Aches and pains

2009-07-18T22:05:00.002-05:00

This is my third attempt at this post. The first time, when I clicked "publish post" there was a snafu, and it didn't post and the typing space was blank. I typed it again, only this time I did it in word so that I could copy and paste. Well, word doesn't copy and paste into this blog. So, here I go again....

A week ago I had a physical. Because I haven't had a tetanus shot in over 10 years, I got to have one that day. Tuesday the injection site was a little warm and red. Wednesday it was about 3 inches in diameter, hot, swollen, hard, and itchy. That day I also noticed an increase in pain. I laid down on our bed to read my assignments for my master's class. When I went to stand up, I couldn't do so without excruciating pain. I could barely walk to the bedroom door because of the pain and spasms. Usually once I start walking, the pain works out. This pain was around my thoracic surgery site---it was like getting cut in half. I have not had that kind of pain in months---maybe even years. It was definitely a 10+ on the pain scale. I took some ibuprofen and sat down for awhile. Since then, I've continued having trouble. Wednesday was the worst and each day has been progressively better, but I'm still hurting more than normal.

I called the doctor's office. They just said to keep ice on the site and take ibuprofen. Hmmm. I forgot about not having anything done to that arm (since the cancer surgery and removal of three lymph nodes from under that arm). That could be the reason that it's taking so long to clear up. I'll just keep on keeping on, but it sure has made me thankful for pain free days.

I finished Blaine's baby quilt Saturday. The twins are 7 months old, but I just didn't get them finished. I completed the tops in April. Houston is so hot, they didn't need the quilts so I wasn't in a big rush. It's a grandma thing. I want to make a baby quilt for each grandchild. I've still got to quilt Neil's and make one for Miles. I wanted to make lap quilts for the kids on their 4th birthday. I didn't accomplish that. Thomas, Elizabeth, and Rebekah have one---but that's it. I need to get busy----maybe after I finish my master's.

I thought that maybe I should finish the twins's quilts because we're going to Utah and Idaho with them, and it may be cool enough at night that they just might need them. It's a surprise for Carrie---or a burden---they'll have to drag them around with them, even if they don't need them. Hopefully, they are big enough for them to use next winter or just haul around with them to watch TV or whatever. They're probably too cumbersome---Caleb had a little crocheted blanket that he still hauls around....that's what's neat, when they love it so much, they take it everywhere.

Busy Thursday

2009-07-16T23:14:00.002-05:00

Today was a busy Thursday. I completed my homework for my master's course---School Law---and turned it in at about 11:00 pm---it's due at 11:59. I do that way too often---turn things in at the last minute. I'm just never sure it's quite good enough.

Hayley called today. She and David put a bid in on a house in Mansfield. It looked like the deal was going to fall through because the house needed a new roof and the owners were reluctant to pay for it themselves. Hayley and David's realtor found a roofing company that charged a more reasonable amount than the roofer the owners called. The owners decided to go ahead and do it. They'll close on the house next Tuesday! They may change out the carpets and spend time removing the popcorn ceilings before they move in. By the time we get back from Utah, they'll be all moved in and settled. I feel bad that we can't be here to help----the least I could do is watch the kids. The timing just wasn't right.

Wyatt called about 6:45PM. Tate was on the bed with Blaine and they both took a tumble. They both have identical scrape marks on their foreheads, but Tate apparently hit the nightstand a little harder with his head. Both boys were crying, but then Carrie noticed all that awful red stuff. She called a couple of friends to help with the kids and get her to the doctor. After just one hour he was stitched up and smiling. Well, he was stitched up. They called us on a video chat so that Papa and Grandma could see the wound. He said that he'll be well on Monday. He's a bit excited about getting to go to church on Sunday and showing his "war wound" to his friends. Wyatt met them at the doctor's office. As they were leaving he said, "We'll be seeing you again, I'm sure. We have four boys!" Hmmm....that was spoken from experience. This is the first time they've had the stitches and head wound experience, but most likely not the last.

Marc called from Alaska. He's working six days a week. Today was his day off. On Sundays, they have a special evening Sacrament Meeting for those people who have to work. He's getting a bit run-down, it sounds like. His throat is scratchy. I gave him the old "mother" pep-talk----take vitamin C, zinc, and drink lots of liquids. Only now I always add, "get a neti pot." He's having a great time and doing well. He plans on staying up there until mid-October. There is an EMT test he would like to take, and it's in October.

Time is really getting away with me. We only have one more week before we leave for Utah. I'm hoping to have the twins baby quilts quilted by the time we leave. I also want to make blouses and skirts for the girls, so I need to hustle. I am going to try to get my slideshow Primary lesson finished for the two weeks we are gone. I know I'll get one finished by Sunday evening---I'm not sure I'll get the second one finished. I also still have my coursework to do so....I'd better "make hay" Friday and Saturday! Oh, and visiting teaching and.....

Quiet thoughts

2009-07-15T12:37:00.002-05:00

Today I glanced at a few blog spots---I know, Wyatt says that's wasting time, but I enjoy it. I just need to limit my time on the blogs. There is a special blog called Pleasant Sundays. She has a running loop of church music. It's beautiful. I stayed on her blog so that I could listen to the music as I work. I decided to add the music loop to my blog. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

I am finishing up a slideshow for this Sunday. I need to get ahead a couple of weeks, if I can. we'll be here this Sunday, but we'll be in Utah the next two Sundays. I'd like to have my slideshows finished before we leave. I've asked Amory Bigler to substitute for us. She'll be great. Last week we had 9 kids----still only one girl, Maddie. The slideshows seem to really keep them focused. Last week's was a little bit too long....I'll need to watch that.

Friends

2009-07-14T08:54:00.002-05:00

Yesterday Kari and Amy Burton came over from Graham for lunch. It was wonderful to get to see them and have a long chat. We went to lunch at Cheddars and then came back to our house to visit. Hayley drove up from Mansfield with the boys. We haven't seen the Burton's since last year when Kari and Kevin celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary.

Amy is at BYU Idaho. She'll go one more semester and then she's planning on moving to Las Vegas to go to the Cordon Bleu----a culinary school. She wants to specialize in pastries and cakes---especially cake decorating. Shane has invited her to live with them.

Shane and his family are in Las Vegas. Shane is a Nevada marshall. His wife is having their second baby tomorrow.....another boy. Their oldest is Gage---this one will be named Raygan Beau (he's still undecided about the spelling). I hope all goes well for them.

I must work hard the next three days on my coursework. Assignments are now due on Thursdays. That's good----hopefully I can work hard enough in three days to get the job done.

I still need to finish my slideshow for my Primary lesson. I'm working on it on Sunday mornings before church. We moved back to the Keller building and our meeting time is now 2:00 so that gives me a bunch of time to work. I just need to add some clip art and tweek it a bit and I'll be finished. I sure hope I can keep up with all of this while we are on vacation. I really need to try to get two lessons ahead before we leave.

Tonight is pack meeting. I don't attend pack meeting. Mike goes. We have one active webelos scout and just got a new boy who was baptized last Saturday. He has never been in scouting so it will be interesting to see how it works out. He's been to our Primary class the last two Sundays and he seems to be a nice young man.

Saturday

2009-07-11T21:05:00.002-05:00

It's been a hectic week, yet I don't feel like I accomplished much. The best part of my week was that Carrie Mae and the boys came to visit on Thursday afternoon. Hayley and the boys came, too. I truly love being with my grandchildren. Their moms are really terrific mothers---wish I had been as good a mom as they are.

Friday I left around 4:45 to drive down to Mansfield. I watched the boys while Hayley and David had an evening out. We watched a movie and read library books. Miles didn't wake up at all----that was disappointing---but just because I wanted to hold him----I'm sure he needed his rest.

Today I spent most of my time making a PowerPoint slideshow presentation for Primary tomorrow. It takes me about 6 hours to do a slideshow---depending on how much hunting I have to do for clipart and how much adjusting of fonts and spacing. I love doing it, though. I feel like it's something that's really important for me to do. I just hope that I'm obeying copyright laws. I'd really hate to get into trouble because of a Primary lesson.

I got another e-mail about my slideshows. He said that the week Melanie didn't put one on the website he created his own. He said he didn't add clipart---so he knew what a lot of work it takes to do. He expressed his gratitude.

Sister Kemple said that she would take turns with me---but she doesn't know how to make a slideshow, so I'm just going to keep doing it. I plan to do slideshows for every lesson from now until the end of the year. If I have the time, I'll go back and do the lessons that I didn't create slideshows for and add clipart to the first ones. I didn't do much clip art with the first ones.

A sister sent me a thank you a few weeks ago---she has an autistic grandson who she's been trying to teach the gospel to. She said that she had prayed earnestly for help. When she found my slideshows, she had success. She just wanted to let me know how thankful she was.

We never know how much effect we have on others lives when we just serve in our callings with our best efforts. I had no idea that these little slideshows would be so beneficial. I was just sharing them so that others wouldn't have to work so hard----seems they've found a real niche and I'm really glad.

We have changed our meeting schedule. We moved back to the Keller Building (we've been going to the Beach street building for two years), and now we go at 2:00. That's like a blessing in itself. Now I can work on the slideshow in the mornings and be finished by Sunday evening for the next week. Plus, that gets me studying the gospel on Sundays. With my coursework schedule and school starting soon, I really need to find a way to make this work.

I was getting a bit distressed today. I have Primary, Webelos, visiting teaching, my master's coursework, going with Mike to do his home teaching when he does it, and soon I'll have school. The hours run into each other. I'm really worried about getting too stressed.

My legs haven't been swollen for three days----and that's a good thing. I have a physical scheduled for Monday. I had bloodwork and other labs last week. They sent a note telling me that my colestral levels are too high. I guess we'll discuss that on Monday.

I really am uncomfortable about my weight. I need to really work at this and bring those levels down. I'm uncomfortable because I am so heavy. I don't want to go outside, to the store, or anyplace. My clothes are too tight. I just really need to accomplish something.

Next week here I come.....

2009-07-10T22:18:00.001-05:00

Book Giveaway....

2009-07-07T11:08:00.001-05:00

Anne Bradshaw is giving away a Lynn Gardner book on her website--- http://annebradshaw.blogspot.com/ Check it out!!

Give Away Today

2009-07-03T11:29:00.003-05:00

I found the best blog site today---Give Away Today: http://giveawaytoday.blogspot.com/
She posts daily and some of those giveaways are really great. So, if you are into giveaways, this is the place to be!! What I like best is that there are numerous giveaways, and she seems to find the things that I like best---or need most!

Another week finished.....

2009-06-30T19:23:00.002-05:00

I hope I don't spend the next year counting away the days. Yesterday I finished week 4's assignment for my diverse learners class. One more week and I will be finished with the course and 1/4 of the way through my master's program. The next course is school law, and I heard that it's time consuming. Glad school's not in session.

We have a Lamar Facebook group. I was reading on there about some of the people who started before me. Apparently I won't be graduating in August. I will finish my coursework in August of next year, right after school starts. I will have to pass a competency test (over the coursework----I'm not sure I could pass a mental competency test at this stage of the game), finish my portfolio assignments for my internship, and pass all of my courses before I can graduate. August graduation will occur before I finish that last course. I'll have to wait until
December to graduate----I want to "walk", but that'll probably be before school gets out for Christmas, and it's a trip to Beaumont. Shucks. I guess we'll just have to see. I always wanted to wear that cute little collar that master's recipient's get to wear.

I will get a $1500 pay raise when I get my master's (ooohhh---biggy, eh?). Since I won't graduate until December, that means I'll lose about $700. That's sad. My master's will also effect my pay when I make it to 19 years of teaching experience in Texas. There is a big pay increase at 20 years ($10,000 unless they have to change it between then and now) and it occurs at 19 years if you have a master's degree. After that pay raise, I need to work three years before I can retire. That's about 6 years away---I'm really looking forward to retirement. I hope that we can visit kids and grand kids and just have a good time.......we'll see.

I need to go clean the guest bedroom. A couple of weeks ago Hayley, David, and the boys spent a few days with us. David had been up with one of the boys during the night. When David climbed back into bed, there was a thud, and the bed broke. How embarrassing. We bought that bed at Haverty's, expected it to last longer than that. I didn't know where the receipt was (when will I learn to save receipts?), so we needed to repair it ourselves.

Brother Williams dropped by and I asked him to look at it and see if it could be repaired. He took the rails home with him. The metal extension on one rail had split through the railing. It hadn't been reinforced enough. He drove flat head bolts through the rails at the four ends. It's really strong now, even if it isn't especially pretty. I guess I'm probably the only one who notices those silver bolt heads, but I can live with it----no complaints. It wouldn't looked nearly so nice if we had done it---and, since we know nothing about woodwork, it probably would have been as secure.

I need to put Dodge's "portfolio" back under the bed. I spread my paraphernalia out on the top of the bed, so I need to put all of that away. I want to make sure they have enough room in the closet for their clothes. It's a small bedroom, but the bed is queen-sized and it's comfortable. We'll put one twin in the toy room in a port-a-crib and the other one in my sewing room in a port-a-crib, and the big boys will sleep on a bed on the floor with Wyatt and Carrie. Not as much space as at the Manion's, but it's the best we can do. It would be nice to have a bigger house for when the kids comes to visit, but when it's just Mike and I, our house is plenty big enough. It's about as much as I can keep up with.

Following a new blog

2009-06-29T19:13:00.003-05:00

I visited a new blog today----http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5600813 Soduel on etsy. She makes custom orders---toys, necklaces. You tell her what you want, and she'll make it. Where's my creativity button? I'd so love to be able to do that....guess I'll stick to following patterns.

I got this link from another blog that I follow---the crafty crow---http://belladia.typepad.com/crafty_crow/ Isn't that a fun name? She's on Etsyand she features some really great crafts. Some are must haves---plus, she's having a giveaway of a treat from Soduel, so I just had to participate.....back to my homework.

2009-06-27T16:02:00.002-05:00

I visited a great quilting blog today---bitty bits & pieces. She made a beautiful patriotic pillow using magic texture from Superior Quilts. Links to these websites are here:
http://bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com/
http://www.superiorthreads.com/shop/category/texture-magic/products/

Sewing Class

2009-06-26T22:25:00.005-05:00

We started our sewing class yesterday. Right now I just have Amanda Neuman and Patricia Worsley. I taught them how to thread their machines, oil them, clean them, and wind a bobbin. Then we attempted a pincushion----wrong. I chose a really difficult pincushion and I didn't try it first. It has a top and bottom that are 2.5x2.5 squares with a 1/2 inch side (a little box). First of all, you don't give a first time sewer a tiny project to work with-----NO-NO-NOT!!!---It was like making Barbie clothes. Dumb, Dumb, Dumb. From now on, I'm going to make sure the projects are do-able.

Amanda wants to make valances for her house, so next week we are going to sew valances. That will be easy enough. Patricia just wants plain valances, so that's just a rectangle of fabric that is hemmed on all sides, basically. I'm not sure what Amanda wants to do, we need to talk about it a bit. She had to leave early, so we didn't finalize our plans. We'll try to do that tomorrow at our Primary activity.

Jenn-e is moving in 2 weeks, so she won't be coming. Sister Hord just had a baby, so I really don't think she'll be coming. I sent an e-mail to Carrie Growald and Samantha Lefebvre inviting them to join us. If they aren't interested, we'll just keep it to Amanda and Patricia.

The best thing about the sewing class is that I cleaned the house!---Even swept the bathroom floors. So nice to walk around in a house that doesn't have clutter everywhere. I don't know why I let that clutter happen. I need to work on that. I told Mike that now I'll have the house clean at least one day a week........

Quiet Friday

2009-06-26T21:46:00.004-05:00

That makes me so mad. I did it again. I just spent about 10 minutes writing my blog. I wanted to spell-check it so I clicked "edit posts." That took me out of the window where I was composing, and I lost everything that I had written. Duh. Guess I'll start over.

I can't really remember what I have accomplished today. I know that I've been sewing and reading and working on a Powerpoint presentation for my Primary lesson. That PowerPoint took about four hours, but it's all finished and I think it's pretty good. It's about the word of wisdom if you would like to use it as a family home evening lesson. It's on sugardoodle.net---I had to stop a minute and go e-mail it to the moderator of the website. She'll send me the url and I'll add it to the post. I think all the older kids would understand what's going on (Thomas down to Nathanael---and probably Grayson)----it's a little long if you go through the whole thing and use the questions, but the stories are directly from the children's Church History story book.

Hayley bought a blouse that has a shirred top. It was in need of repair. I have never done anything with shirring before so I really didn't know what to do. Some of the shirring had come undone. All I knew to do was take out all the shirring and start all over. I added a panel of fabric and sewed rows down the front of the blouse----about 8. I was going to thread skinny elastic through the channels---rows. It took eons to sew the channels and would take 2 more eons to thread the elastic through the channels.

On Wednesday I ran across a sewing tutorial that talked about shirring. Apparently you use elastic thread in the bobbin and just sew----it gathers as you sew. I didn't even know there was such as thing as elastic thread. I guess I could have just tied the ends of the threads together and her blouse would have been repaired---oh, me. So, I picked out all those rows---I knew that she wouldn't like the blouse after i finished with it---she has to wear it with a shirt, and it would just be too heavy and too hot with that extra layer of fabric, so I took out the stitches.

Today I reread the tutorial, practised a bit, and I have sewn eight rows of shirring on her blouse. I just have 3 or 4 more rows to go. Yeah for me!!! I'm so glad that I know how to do this now. I want to make dresses for Elizabeth and Rebekah. I bought fabric for them last summer----summer greens, yellows, and oranges with polka dots, seersucker, and more. I made them a couple of dresses while I was there last summer, but they certainly weren't anything to write home about.

I'm also going to make peasant skirts for the girls. They'll have three rows of mixed fabrics. Each row is gathered and attached to the previous row. Really cute. I hope the dresses and the skirts turn out as cute as I think they will. I'm really looking forward to this!! Here are some samples until I have real pictures to replace them with:

I'll take pictures of everything when I'm finished. I'll wait until Hayley comes by to model her blouse----I would model it but that would just be too ridiculous, it probably wouldn't even go around my ankles!!

Oh, no, I just saw a little note at the bottom of this page. It says "draft autosaved at 10:19", you don't suppose my other composition is hanging out in cyberspace somewhere just waiting for me? Brother.....

Better day

2009-06-24T10:48:00.002-05:00

When the boys woke up this morning, I fixed German pancakes and served them with strawberries. Luke ate his breakfast and then asked for a blueberry muffin. I got both boys dressed and ready to go by 9:00---they didn't get up until around 8:30. "Good Grandma". I've also set the timer for Luke. He can play on the Internet for 30 minutes but then he has to play with Grayson for 30 minutes. I won't set the timer for the "play with Grayson" session----I figure they'll play a lot longer than thirty minutes, and so I'll just give them as long as they need. "Good Grandma".

Mike is going out to mow the lawn this morning. It's getting a little warm, but it needs to be done. He was planning on doing it Tuesday afternoon when he woke up from his nap, but it was 4:00 and way too hot outside. I suggested he get up early in the morning and do it before it gets too hot. He asked me if I know CPR. I told him that I know 911. Well, he didn't get up until after 10, so it's going to be hot.

When he finishes taking care of the back yard, I think I'll let the boys play outside in the sprinklers------oh, I guess we can't do that---watering ban. Hmmm. Maybe I'll go get a little wading pool.....or send Mike for one.

I have a baby shower today for Marissa Bohn Welsh. She's having a girl. I need to get something made for her. I also have some projects I need to finish for Hayley---some mending. I guess I'll whip out the sewing machine and "play" for awhile....I also want to make a shirred dress for Elizabeth and Rebekah. I'm re-shirring a top that Hayley purchased, so that will give me a little practice. Here goes.... (going to wait until tomorrow to start studying on my master's course).

About Tuesday

2009-06-24T10:39:00.003-05:00

I guess I played "bad grandma" Tuesday. When Grayson got up, I made sure that he took a bathroom break, but decided to wait awhile before getting him dressed. At 6:00 in the evening I realized that I hadn't dressed the boys! I didn't even get dressed and showered until 2:30. We were just busy doing things and their jammies look like shorts and a t-shirt, so it didn't dawn on me. "Bad Grandma". I dressed Grayson at 6:00, but decided to just leave Luke in his jammies. So, momma, when you look in their backpacks, you'll understand why all of their clothes are not dirty. Grayson wore his clothes for such a short time that I had him put them on again this morning.

Luke played computer games with Grayson, and they had a great time together. We sorted through all the Legos and made sure the pieces were all in the drawers in which they belonged. I'm a little OCD about that---yellow with yellow, white with white, odd shapes together, etc. We made a pirate island but many of the pieces are missing. I made that same island last fall so I know we have all the pieces somewhere. At that time I put the pieces in a separate bag so that we wouldn't have to hunt them all down the next time we built it. The grandkids got to the bag, I guess. We're missing little rowboats and several blocks and pieces that we needed, but we managed just fine. It took so long to gather everything together and create the island that by the time we finished they were too tired to play with it.

Sewing projects

2009-06-22T15:24:00.001-05:00

The pictures in the post below are just some ideas for Christmas that look really great. This year, though, my family probably won't be getting homemade Christmas gifts---maybe that thrills them, who knows.

Diverse Learners

2009-06-22T15:02:00.008-05:00

This blogging is taking me some time to learn. I just spent 20 minutes creating a blog for today and then somehow I lost it. Brother! Here goes again.

I just finished my mid-term for my Diverse Learners master's course. Yeah! I only scored 90 but, hey, that "ain't" bad. I turned in my week three assignments as well---yeah for grum! Usually it's 11:45----15 minutes before the due date when I punch that "submit" button.

I'm doing pretty good with this course. I have 100's on all of my assignments for the first two weeks. Two more weeks and this course will be completed! At that time I will have finished 3 of 12 courses. That means in two weeks I will be 1/4 of the way to my master's degree----well, sort of. I still have 150 hours of internship hours to do and log, and then I have to take a state competency exam and a 1 week long training course for administrators (ooh---$350). I guess I'm not quite there, am I?

I've been thinking about my next sewing project----and thinking and thinking. I'm on my way to Hancock's to pick-up the quilting book that I won. Yeah for me! Now if I could just win that Bernina 820----sigh.

I think when I get back I'll work on some UFO's (unfinished objects). I've got a couple of blouses to do for Hayley, Wyatt's t-shirt quilt, fabric books for the new babies (that will take eons), last year's Christmas Quilts for Carrie Mae, Hayley, and me......and on and on and on.

I also need to plan for my sewing class on Thursday. I've only heard from one of the girls, so this class may be a breeze. I'll fill it up, if I can, though.

Hayley is bringing Grayson and Luke for a short visit. She has some projects that she needs to work on, so asked if they could spend the night. That will be fun----especially since my schoolwork is all turned in. Tomorrow is stake pack meeting so we won't have Webelos on Wednesday, which means I don't need to prepare for it, either.

Easy week ahead!!

Father's Day

2009-06-21T16:44:00.002-05:00

Well, I forgot Father's Day. We have church at 10:00. When they announced the special number by the Primary I realized that I had forgotten to tell Mike "happy Father's day"---what a numb-numb. Dodge and Marc have called to talk with their Dad---that's always nice. The other "boys" and Hayley have their own little families, so we don't expect a call----life just gets too hectic at times.

We chatted with Victor Poulsen today at church. He was just leaving our classroom as we were headed in. He said that this week they became "official empty nesters." You know, after many, many years of having kids around, life is really different when they are all gone!! For us, we just don't spend enough time together. Right now Mike is in the living room listening to a PBS broadcast of "The Moody Blues" and I'm in my computer/sewing room typing in my blog.

I think what I need to do is move in to the kitchen with my laptop when I'm working on it. That way we can at least chat once in a while. When we were at Wyatt's last week, we sat at the kitchen table. I thought it was hilarious----two old duffers working away at their laptops, totally engrossed in the cyber-world. Shades of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory----I hate that show----the grandparents stay in bed all the time----our wasting away at the laptops reminds me of the grandparents who never get out of bed.

Our lesson in Primary today was great. It was about Joseph Smith's vision of the three degrees of glory. I have made PowerPoint presentations for each lesson. It is amazing to me how focused they are when they are watching the computer. We have a couple of boys who are really fidgety---sometimes we wonder if they are listening at all----but they really stay focused on the lesson and participate when we ask questions. I'm always impressed at their knowledge and at the questions that they ask. One of them asked: What if someone had kids and joins the church and then that person goes to the temple and gets sealed to the kids, but the person isn't married? Whew----I suggested he ask his dad because his dad is a former bishop----duh.

I won a contest!! I went to a workshop last week at the Bernina kiosk at Hancock's. The workshop was about machine embroidery. We turned in a contest entry to win a $10,000 Bernina 820 sewing machine. Each store had a drawing before they sent their entries in to Bernina. This drawing was for three people to win an autographed copy of a machine quilting book written by Alex Anderson. Guess what!!! I won----the book, not the machine. The drawing for the machine is this week, I think. Boy, would I ever be in hog heaven if I could win that machine!! I'm excited about the book, though. I hope to go to the store tomorrow to pick it up. I didn't make it there yesterday.

Shelf Reliance----contest

2009-06-20T20:54:00.001-05:00

There is a contest on shelfreliance.com for a free shelving unit. I have to mention you on my blog for an entry----considered them mentioned!! I would LOVE to win a shelf.

Houston

2009-06-16T21:04:00.002-05:00

I picked up Caleb at Grandma Manion's on Friday morning. He stayed with us until Saturday afternoon around 5 when we headed to Houston. Hayley and the boys came to visit Friday afternoon so that the three "big" boys could play together. I love having my grandchildren visit----I just love to watch (and learn from) them.

Driving to Houston with a two year old was quite an experience. We have become accustomed to a long and boring trip----it was neither long nor boring. I was trying to get some of my reading done for my coursework. I had to re-read every sentence at least three times. The little chatter box in the backseat needed attention.

We sang songs----I would have to listen to Caleb's request many times before I would finally be able to decipher what he was saying. We sang "Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...." over and over again. Mike started joining in----only he would mix up the days. Caleb just kept singing----and giggling now and then. I made up songs with that tune: "Momma, Daddy, Tate, and Caleb, and the twins are Neil and Blaine....." and "First came Tate and then came Caleb then the twins: Neil and Blaine...." He just laughed and laughed. He also liked "I am a child of God" and his rendition of "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" was a riot. He was just as serious as he could be.

We stopped at Gilberto's in Fairfield for dinner. They have a large stone fountain near the table where we sat. He couldn't keep his eyes off that fountain. He collected the salt and pepper. He shook salt and pepper on his chips and then ate them----just like they were the tastiest things in the world. Fun little man.

We put him in pajamas after we left the restaurant knowing that he would likely fall asleep, and we didn't want to have to wake him up to get him ready for bed after we got home. He was asleep before we got to the Sam Houston monument. We got to Wyatt's at about 10:30. He stirred enough to get kisses and then went right back to sleep on his own little bed.

The twins are so cute. It's very easy to tell them apart---if you are not looking at them from behind. I was holding Blaine (and I knew that to begin with) but thought I was holding Neil. He was sitting on my lap facing the living room. As he turned his head sideways, I thought, "the boys really do look alike----he looks a lot like Blaine." Then Carrie said something about Neil, and I realized that I was holding Blaine. No wonder he looked a lot like Blaine.

I'm just enjoying feeding and holding babies and reading to the boys. Watching their antics is so much fun. Yesterday we had to drive to "the race track" (school track) so that Tate and Caleb could show us their prowess at running. Caleb took off first. He ran half way around the track before he got too tired to go further, and Wyatt scooped him up into his arms to finish the lap. Tate didn't join in with the first lap, he started at the second and Grandpa timed him. He made it around the lap in less than 3 minutes. He was pretty proud of himself. It's so hot outside----I'm pretty proud of him, too.

Yesterday I turned in my second assignment for this course 20 minutes before midnight. I'm still not sure that it was adequate, but it was all I could think of to do. This course, Diverse Learners, has me evaluating my own biases and prejudices. I will always have certain ideas about some areas of diversity, but it has made me aware of "the other guy", and how much work needs to be done to create equality for ethnicity, cultures, languages, disabilities, etc.

All these years (I just completed 18 years of teaching) I've just taken care of my job. I haven't really been aware of how things are working. This coursework has really opened my eyes to what really goes on in the classroom and the school community. Education has a powerful impact on families for generations---what an awesome responsibility----a HUGE, but awesome responsibility.

Carrie went to the temple tonight while Mike, Wyatt, and I watched the kids. Really, Wyatt was the one taking on all the responsibilities. Neil went to bed and Wyatt held and entertained Blaine while the boys played in the little wading pool. Then Wyatt gave the big boys a shower. By then Caleb and Tate happily went to bed---they had a full day today---and Wyatt gave Blaine his bottle and tucked him into bed. Wyatt's gone to the gym to workout, Mike's taking a bath, and I'm still working on my coursework----tons of reading still to do...........

Today's chapter had an interesting anecdote. It was taken from this website link:
http://ldonline.org/firstperson/Paul_Orfalea . Paul Orfalea has dyslexia. He discusses what life was like for him in school. He talks about overcoming his "disability" and founding Kinko's. It's very inspiring. He tells students to concentrate on their strengths and not their weaknesses.

I need to close. I still need to finish this chapter in my reading.

Tuesday

2009-06-10T09:58:00.001-05:00

This is a picture of the family in July of 2006, I think. That's the last time we were all together.
Notice the great hairdo. That's my first post-chemo picture. My hair came back super curly and hugged close to my scalp. It was great to have hair again!! Seven grandchildren----now we have thirteen!!

I'll attempt to label the photo: Dodge is kneeling in front. First row: Beau, Carrie C., Nathanael, Thomas, Elizabeth, Luke, Grandma, and PaPa. Carrie M., Tate, Marc and Grayson on the next row. Standing behind is Wyatt, Hayley, and David.

I really wish that we could all be together once again. We need to plan for that.---Christmas would be fun. Right now the kids are really spread around the country. Beau and his family are in West Valley, Utah; Wyatt and his family are in Houston, Texas; Dodge is in Idaho (he'll graduate from BYU Idaho in December!!); Hayley and her family are in Mansfield, Texas; and Marc is in Skagway, Alaska.

I took a break from studying today. I drove down to Birdville Elementary to meet with Mick Sandoval, the principal. I needed him to go over the TEA AEIS report with me so that I would understand how to do my homework. Now I need to buckle down and get the assignment finished while his remarks are still fresh in my mind. He was in the middle of interviews. Usually they are completed by the end of April, but this year the district asked them to wait until the legislsture met so that budgets could be revised. I think he has at least 7 positions to fill. Pam White , Sandy Madewell, and Charlotta Jones retired. Amber Woods and Ashley Phifer are going to be stay-at-home moms. Renda Williams took a job at TCU. We are also adding a pre-school program (pre-school is now all day) so that's another teacher. That's a lot of people to interview. I wish him well.

Today I took it easy and read a novel. I don't get to do that very often during the school year. It was nice to just sit back and "enter another world."---not that my world is not great, just fun to explore. Mike went on splits with the missionary, so I just read all evening.....and into the early morning hours....I wanted to finish the book. It will be a groggy Wednesday morning, for sure.

Now it's Monday

2009-06-08T17:16:00.001-05:00

You'll notice I wrote Sunday's post on Monday----oh well.

Today I've been struggling with my coursework. This is truly amazing, how worked up I can get over a little assignment. I need to just take it easy and enjoy the learning experience.

Hayley and the boys are staying another couple of days. Melissa is here from Utah and Hayley wanted a chance to spend some time with her. They'll meet Melissa at the Park in Keller and have a little picnic with their boys (Melissa has a brand new baby, too---now she has 2 boys and Hayley has 3----what fun).

I need to go to Hancock's fabric today and sign up for a class on Wednesday. We don't have scouts this week because they are at day camp. Carson is the only one who has been coming to scouts, so we didn't go to camp----I chickened out because I just have no desire to spend 9 hours outside in Texas in June. It's not really bad weather, though. It has rained enough this spring that the ground is still cool so the outside temperatures are fairly moderate. It still gets plenty hot, but the humidity is low. I took a walk outside about half an hour ago, and it was really nice (about 5:00).

My master's assignment is due at 11:59 tonight. I guess I'd better get busy on this second assignment. I just have the "I don't want to's".

Sensational Sunday

2009-06-08T16:57:00.000-05:00

We had a slow going morning. Church starts at 11 and we wouldn't need to leave home until about 10:30 in order to make sure we reserved enough seats for the Potts family. When we got to church, they were already there, saving seats for us. We filled three pews----well, two full pews and to half pews but that makes three, right?

Most of David's brothers and sisters were there. Jimmie and his family from Houston, Tonya and her family from Richardson, Krista and her family from Denton, Janna and her husband from Hurst, and little brothers Zack and Aaron. The brothers and brothers-in-law stood in the circle with David, Mike, and Rob---and the bishop. It was really great to see them all there. Miles was perfect and didn't make a sound.

They had the baby blessed in our ward because it would be easier for everyone to be at his parents' home and just drive to the Beach building----and this is where they blessed the other two boys, so that made it special, too.

Yesterday I made a lemon layer cake---whew, it was definitely lemony. I was supposed to make potato casserole, but there wasn't room in the fridge to make it ahead yesterday. I forgot to make it, so I left church after our Primary lesson to make the casserole. That made us a little bit late for lunch so, consequently the potatoes didn't get eaten----should have just saved my time and energy like Mike told me.

We went over to the Potts's for dinner and chatting. Jimmie, Tonya, Krista, and Janna and families headed back home by 6:00. Dad went home at 4----needed a nap. I stayed with Hayley and David and we came home around 7:30. I decided to check out my yahoo facebook account and see what was happening with our crazy master's class. First I checked my Lamar e-mail.

Sure enough, I got an e-mail from my academic coach informing me (us) that we had another two page assignment that would be due tomorrow. I was so upset----it meant 5 more chapters to read on top of the 10 articles and 4 chapters we were already expected to study. GRRR.
I went onto the facebook account---there were two full pages of grunts and groans from the other students. Honestly, this is getting to be ridiculous. I've had some thoughts about dropping the whole thing-----again. I must tough it out, I've spent way too much already.

Well, it really was a sensational Sunday, even if it ended roughly. Our Primary class was great. The lesson was about when Joseph Smith was tarred and feathered. The main message of the lesson was that we should forgive and then forget----count our blessings and then go on. Maddie asked---"What exactly does it mean to forgive?" She had some forgiving to do, and it was oppressing her to have to face that obstacle. She wasn't the only one. They all had stories about being hurt and needing to forgive. What precious children. I assured them that, although it is extremely difficult at times to forgive, we must do so. We need to pray for inspiration and stay close to Heavenly Father and the ability to forgive will come to us----maybe not right away, but it will come.

As I was preparing this lesson, I was concerned about the stories of apostasy, anger, and revolt that accompanies apostasy. I didn't know how the kids were going to deal with it. Turns out, they were just fine----astounded that people could be so mean, but understood the consequences. Their big picture was forgiveness, and I'm sure that's the picture they were supposed to be getting.

Busy Saturday

2009-06-06T10:28:00.001-05:00

Thought I should update my "journal". That's what I consider this log to be, a journal.

I started my master's course the end of February. I have completed two courses and have just begun a third. It's been difficult. The first course was demanding----a bunch of philosophy tests and experiences to introduce me to to the ideology of administration. It was quite a learning experience. I have completely changed my mind about administrators. They have an enormous task before them. I thought it was pretty much just disciplining kids, helping teachers work together as a core, and dealing with parents. Not so, there is so much more to the equation. I have a great deal of respect for them---I respected them before, but my respect has definitely grown.

The second class, research, was a bear! There were to be exams each week (2 hour, open book). The reading and the research took me 5- 6 hours every night, all day on Saturday, and most of Sunday. I scored 63 on the first exam and 77 on the second. I really thought I had fared fairly well on the second exam when I submitted it. The questions were multiple choice with multiple answers (a. 1, 2, and 3 or b. none of the above, etc.). We discovered that many of the questions on the first exam were actually taken from the assignments in the second week of the course.

Many participants (probably all participants) were frustrated and upset. Some are taking the coursework on a grant and would lose their grant because of their test scores. One of the members started a facebook account for us. That opened up the fury. Many people wrote to the dean, the professors, anybody they could get to listen. The assignments were ambiguous---and on and on.

After that second test, I cried and cried....so frustrated. I was certain I had made a mistake taking on this master's program. Maybe I'm just too old to do this kind of thinking. I really didn't catch on to what I was supposed to be doing until towards the end of the second week, maybe the beginning of the third week. I went to my principal, Mr. Sandoval (who I have also selected as my site sponsor), and expressed my frustration. I told him that I had decided to withdraw from the program. He encouraged me to stick it out, that it will be worth it in the long run. He's working on his doctorate and was having research problems himself. In fact, he had just told his wife that he felt like he should quit. She encouraged him to tough it out. I guess I'll keep plugging along. If I can manage a C in this class, I'll be a happy camper.

I prayed constantly for help with this course. I was really experiencing a feeling of oppression and probably some depression was setting in. I was so discouraged----I didn't remember college being this hard. I now have the firm belief that young people should get their masters' degree as quickly after their bachelors' degree as possible. It's just too hard to get into the swing of studying and writing papers after a 37 year gap----I graduated from BYU 37 years ago! Now I'm thinking that was quite an accomplishment!!

Well, the powers that be listened to our complaints. They changed the test from 2 hours to 3 hours (the second test was 3 hours----one extra hour to plow through material). I spent 2 1/2 hours on the test and really didn't know how to answer the rest of the questions so I stopped, hence the 77, I guess. Again, troubles were everywhere and the parameters were changed once again. They threw out the tests----no tests for the course, but the final paper would be worth 40% of our grade. That was a bit scary.

I finally caught on to how to research and turned in all of my assignments. I scored 100 on each assignment and on the final---except for a 5 point deduction the first assignment because I forgot to address an issue on the discussion board. My final grade was 100!! Amazing. I think one of the problems was that there were 3 professors and it was as if they weren't communicating with each other, just making arbitrary assignments. I think that after they reviewed the tests and the course material, they realized where the errors were and made appropriate changes.

Boy, was I a bear to live with. I was getting really depressed, I was nervous all the time, and I had become a screaming meamie! I don't know how Mike put up with me during that time (actually, it's a miracle he's put up with me through the years, I know I'm not the easiest person to live with). After I caught on, it wasn't so bad----still worked 5-6 hours (they said to plan on 8 hours per week----right) each night. I was never so glad as the day I pressed that submit button on the very last assignment. Luckily we also had a three week break until the new class was to begin!! That was a wonderful three weeks. The course was difficult, on many levels, but I really learned a great deal from the course.

The saddest part of the whole experience was that Hayley's baby, Miles, was born right in the middle of the course----when I was still having a lot of trouble. She went into labor the morning of Friday, April 10th. I was teaching and unable to take the day off. Dad drove down to Mansfield to take care of the boys while Hayley and David left for the hospital. She was afraid she would have the baby before he got there. Even as they were on their way, there was an accident on the freeway that slowed them down. She made it to the hospital in time to have the baby, but she was far enough along in her labor that they were unable to do an epidural. She had the baby naturally. She said it was really rough, but a lot easier to recover from---she liked that part the best.

We took the boys to the hospital that evening to see their new brother. That was such a sweet experience. Janna and her husband were there. I was really glad that we got to do that. We kept the boys until they came home from the hospital on Sunday evening. That was the last I saw of them for a while. I didn't even call her----I was so entrenched in my coursework and so nervous about my situation, I didn't come "out of my shell" to even pay attention to my precious daughter and her new baby.

Linda Potts, her mother-in-law, and Krista, her sister-in-law, took the boys for most of the next two weeks. David was off work that first week. She was fine, but I should have been there for her. I still feel really bad about that----but it's history, and now I just need to do better.

I have begun my second course, Diversity in schools. We're starting out confused once again. The text is great (oh, yes, we have another text for this course. This is the third text and we were told we would only have 2 texts the entire program---I even heard someone mention a text for the next course as well----money, money). We have 4 chapters from the text, 10 articles to read, and a fairly easy assignment. The problem is the discussion board. None of us know what our assignment is for the discussion board. I think we're just blindly submitting some thoughts, not really knowing what was expected----the directions are obscure and we can't get clarification from any of our academic coaches. Here we go again----the discussion board is only worth a few points, so I'm just not going to let it bother me.

Hayley and the boys came to visit for a few days. We wanted to get some sewing projects and maybe a couple of house projects taken care of. We've been able to make a birthday chair back cover and that's about it. It turned out really cute, and she did most of the work on it. I just finished up the hem and the side seams. She chose some great colors. I'll try to get a picture of it to add to the blog.

I need to create a powerpoint presentation for Primary tomorrow. It takes 5- 6 hours to do that----it only takes about an hour or so to actually create the slides from the Primary lesson, but hunting for pictures to enhance the slides takes forever. A couple of weeks ago I had decided that I was spending way too much time on it. I had determined not to make any more slide shows. I really like the slide show format because it keeps the kids focused, and we have some busy little minds that definitely require focusing.

During the week after I decided not to make anymore slide shows, I received an e-mail from sugardoodle. net's Melanie Day. She was forwarding an e-mail to me from a sister who was using the slide show for her grandson. He has severe autism. She had prayed fervently for help in teaching him the gospel. He is unable to sit through opening exercises or be in a formal classroom setting. Music time is the worst for him (part of the problem for children with autism is that they are bombarded with sounds all around----we isolate specific sounds but they hear everything from the car horn to the hum of a fan to the whine of an air conditioner----all at the same volume. Music time becomes extremely difficult for them).

She expressed gratitude for the slide show lessons. Her grandson responded to the computer format and was able to focus on the lesson. She said that they were an answer to prayer. I'm guessing that's why I just couldn't stop. Each lesson was progressively better as I added pictures, music, etc. Now I feel that I can't stop. I also worry that it's not quite good enough. I'll continue, for him.

A couple of weeks ago Melissa Kemple, the 11-year-old's Primary teacher came over to me after church and said, "Can I shake the hand of a famous person?" She had found my powerpoints on snickerdoodle.net and had used it that day. She said she loved it. Two weeks ago she talked with me about it. I told her about the e-mail from Melanie. I also told her how long it takes me to create one. She said that after she comes back from vacation, she'd like me to teach her how to create a slide show and she'll take turns with me. That would be nice. We are both "students" and that would really help both of us. I'm just thankful that I can do something to help others and hope that I do a good enough job.

I need to close now, I still need to create a powerpoint for tomorrow's lesson. I just need to add to this blog everyday, instead of occasionally, then the post won't be so long and boring.

Time passes

2009-06-04T11:41:00.000-05:00

Well, this is just like my paper journal-----days and weeks between entries.

It's now June, schools out, I've finished two of my master's courses, and Hayley had her baby!!

Most important detail: Miles Logan Potts was born April 10 at 1:15PM. He weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 20 inches long. She was far enough along in her labor that she didn't have an opportunity to have an epidural----she did it naturally!! She liked the recovery period much better, but didn't appreciate the labor and delivery.

Miles is a beautiful little boy---did I say little? He weighed 15 pounds at 5 weeks. He's a big guy!! The family is thrilled to have him here. Luke and Grayson are really precious with him. He's 8 weeks old now and, according to our bathroom scales, he weighs 16.5 pounds----he has a check-up next week. Let's wait for the official report, shall we?

The story begins.....

2009-03-30T12:41:00.000-05:00

Today I will turn in my last assignment of my first course in my master's program. Whew! There were several days and assignments that I wondered if I had lost my mind signing up for graduate school at my age! In August of 2010 I will complete my degree and graduate! I will be 60 years old. Just that accomplishment is a mile-stone for me. Someone said, "you'll be 60 on that date whether you go to graduate school or not, so you might as well go to graduate school." So-----I took the challenge, and here I am.

This weekend Wyatt's little family took their first roadtrip with the twins. They drove up from Houston on Friday so that they could attend her nephew's baptism on Saturday. They spent Sunday afternoon with us. Hayley and her family came for the afternoon, too. What joy!! The only thing that would have made it better would be if Beau's family and Dodge and Marc could have been here.

Without going into detail, the mom's and dad's experienced the joys of parenthood---especially what can happen when cousins get together. Silly boys---silly, silly boys.

Hayley's baby is due in two weeks. Luke and Grayson were both born before their due dates, so she's really hoping this one makes his appearance early, too. She was ready last week, but I guess he isn't quite ready yet.