9 Lives?

Well, Genie Industries, my husbands employer just finished implementing another round of lay-offs this week. We feel very fortunate to have made it through another round, Whew! Troy counted up how many times he has been through this and it is 6, Six times! I can't tell you how blessed and lucky we feel. We really thought that this would be IT! I was mentally preparing myself for a lifestyle change, etc. We are hoping for at least three more lives. Troy has been with Genie for 14 years and has been curious at times to try other things but Genie has been so good to us. We have known others who have quit and moved on and it has worked out wonderfully for them, Yay! However, when you're a creature of habit and things are going well, it sounds difficult, maybe more to me than him. I do have to say though, I felt somewhat prepared for what seemed like the inevitable and yet here we are. That's not to say that we are out of the woods, if there is one thing we have learned during our married life is that NOTHING is set in stone and the most important thing is: Things can ALWAYS be WORSE! I want to thank all of you who were so kind to us and worried about us. We had several friends and family pray and fast for us and we are so grateful. So, regardless of how many lives we end up getting, we know that things will work out.

Hang In There!!

Chaperoned a Stake Dance tonight and worried about all the girls that didn't get asked to dance. You just want to give them a big hug and tell them to "Hang in there."

Mi Escuela

Ellie and I started Preschool yesterday. Ellie as a student and myself as an aide. After teaching out of my home for several years and then going through a hiatus, I have to say, it was a lot of fun! It's good to be back in a classroom setting watching young children learn. There are always the ones that push the envelope and test you everyday but once they get used to the routine it gets a whole lot better. Everything is a process. I am having to learn to go to bed earlier and get up earlier! Ugh!! In fact, I should go to bed now. I am exhausted! I forgot how tiring it can be to chase a bunch of little ones around.

OH, I almost forgot, we are also learning some spanish along with our day! All that I can think of now is escuela and bano!

Bottle It Up

The older I get, the more precious my TIME means to me. Wouldn't it be nice if we could bottle it up and use it whenever we needed some extra? Whenever my husband and I plan a home project he always mentions our TIME and figures that into the cost. I always tell him that we're just free labor. When we lived in Carnation, WA we lived in our first home and changed a lot of things in it over TIME. When it came TIME to move, I found myself a little reluctant to leave because of all the elbow grease we put into it over the years. There was a lot of TIME and good memories immersed in the walls, molding, cupboards, yard, etc.

I find myself trying to allocate my TIME in my mind during the day. I am trying to get to know a couple ladies a little better and by the TIME I can reach the phone, it is too late to call them. Yet there are others that are clearly busier than I am making the rounds and visiting and serving us. Sometimes, I am very amazed that with how much TIME can cost, what others are willing to give to me and my family. I feel I am surrounded by great givers of TIME who know how to bottle it up and let it out when needed!

"We Are Family"

I Can't Drive FIFTY FIVE! Remember that song by Sammy Hagar? That's all I could think about when I saw this sign, ha ha! I love it!


We went down to Hurricane, Utah to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. We had a great time.


My siblings and parents.


The Grandkids!


Troy and Ellie (spitting image of her father)!


We had a short program for our parents. The younger ones did a non-rehearsed dance and were so cute!!


The older grandkids lip-synced to the Jackson 5's, "I Want You Back!" We ran out of afro's so Luke decided to be an Ozzie Osbourne, Michael Jackson. Where did he come up with that one? It was VERY entertaining!

Each of us also compiled a few memories of our parents that we shared and put in a binder to give to them at the end of the program. It was so much fun to hear everyone's different memories and experiences with our parents. What a great couple they are. We felt very blessed to have such wonderful parents.

Thrillin Rides and Dirty Reunions

At the end of July we took the kids to Silverwood theme park. Our middle and elementary schools give you free tickets when you read for so many minutes during a specific time frame and three of our kids got one. We had a lot of fun.


Since we are a roller coaster riding family we had to try just about every one UNTIL... Troy, Austin and Alexis got stuck on the biggest one there. I was waiting for them with the younger kids and could actually see Troy's white shirt when they came down the free fall section. Then, when they were ready to take another corner the coaster just started to rock and roll. They were suspended for about 25 minutes while the crew members got it worked out. When they finished working on it, the ride resumed and the rest of us decided that we didn't need to ride it.



We also tried out the water park for about...45 minutes! As soon as we got changed, paid for a locker, sent the older kids away to the slides and were comfortably floating in the lazy river we heard over the loud speaker that the water park would be closing in about 15 minutes.... it was just enough time to get soaking wet, lose Troy's sunglasses, realize there is a very cool wave pool further down that we couldn't touch and find the older kids. Next year, it will be a two-day trip!



...waiting for the coaster hostages.



We also got to go camping in Cle Elum last weekend with some close friends from our old ward, the Candlands. We got dirty, carved walking sticks, thought about chocolate covered roasted crickets, told a few bear stories, sang songs, played games, cooked, captured bees, hiked and got serenaded by a great new acoustic group, "Boys Don't Cry," ha ha. Go Adam and Jordan! We had a great time!


Luke's Big fashion statement.

...like a granny

Alex and I were able to hang out with our good friends Marcy and Shaini last week and see the David Archuleta/Demi Lovato Concert! We had so much fun with those girls! Marcy was afraid that her daughter, Shaini would act like a granny but, as soon as David came on stage that girl shot right out of her seat, (along with Alex) and didn't stop screaming and dancing until he left. However, when Demi came out they didn't budge from their seats. We tried to keep them going but it was no use, they insisted on acting like granny's, ha ha!


Marcy and I, on the other hand, didn't stop moving! Good Times!! Next year, Kris Allen!!