A Chance to do Service

Well the boys are out of school for the rest of the week. The school had power and water so they were in session yesterday. But apparently the board and the principle looked around at what was going on in nearby areas and the gas shortages and other resource problems and decided to close the school for the rest of the week. So anyone who has preteen or teenage boys, know that idleness or playing computer games will lead to major issues in the home. So I decided to give a couple in my ward a call. They have been going neighborhood to neighborhood and helping out in cleaning up yards and removing fallen trees. The family that has been helping them the past couple of days is not available to help anymore, so they were in need of tools to keep going anyways since they don't have any as they live in an apartment. So they boys are off helping them today. And I'm hoping they will have many good stories to share when they get home. Later this evening, we will go over and pick up a boy that they have made friends with through the school. Kozer, as he is called, was in their school last year as an 8th grader but since their school doesn't have a high school. His parents have opted to continue with Home schooling. They have maintained their contact through fencing. So Music Man has a bud now. I'm also hoping to find out how they maintain his curriculum and ya da ya da. So I can make a pitch to the boys father at the end of the year. Anyways, I plan to let them all camp out in the yard. Apparently my youngest brother is planning on coming and taking advantage of our hospitality this evening as well. LOL. He found out that the power won't be on at their house for another 12 days atleast, and since he is working down here....it is rather convenient. We think we are rid of the varmit. Which I believe now was a oppossum that had a run in with a skunk. I'm thinking this because skunks are terrible climbers and that is the only way to get in. So yay for seeing the end of those oppossums! Or hearing them, lol

New Critter

So in the wee hours of the morning today, I roll over to Big Red and say, "oh no! Do you hear that?". About that time his says,"I smell a skunk". My reply,"it's in the ceiling". His,"I so don't need this". Please pray for us that we will be able to get rid of the varmit. Big Red, does not need this. We ended up sleeping in the living room on the couch. Because the critter must have gotten nervous hearing are voices and sprayed above our room. I have the doors open this morning airing things out. The big blessing is that the air is cool and dry this morning which I know is a blessing to those without a/c as well. I've been busy de-fleaing the cat who got out when the doors were blown open in the storm. The boys did there part in helping clean up the debris on the lawns yesterday and are back in school today. I'm just glad I gassed up all the cars so I won't need gas for atleast two or three more days. Hopefully that will be enough time for the gas shortage to be a non issue and the lines at the pump to go down. Because I really don't want to stand in those lines. We have a ton of water. So the non drinkable factor is not an issue for us. I also had Rice milk in storage so now that we have power Ihave opened that. Good thing since the stores hadn't been able to replenish yesterday. I am so grateful for my food and water storage. K gotta take care of Lil Red

Ike

Well we weathered the storm with Grandma and Grandpa W. I'm worried about my parents and family that are still in the area, as they are having Tornado warnings. We had a peaceful sleep last night, as our area had a sleepless one. We've watched reports as those that were under mandatory evacuation orders have been calling for help. Some of these people with children. It just butters my biscuit that they would have put their children in danger and the lives of rescuers when they were warned continually! I know our property ended up in not being in the heaviest hit areas, but I am glad we left, since we know there is no power in our area and we expect to go home and have had some windows blown out, and we have Lil Red to think about. So now it's left for us to be able to make it back home. We are praying for those still at home and those that are in the path of the storm. We know Aunt Carol and Uncle Michael weathered the storm fairly well although they reported that it was real bad. Will post more and pictures as we find out more.

Twirling Back in My Life

Back in Junior High I decided to become a twirler. My older sister was a cheerleader and I didn't want to be a copy cat. Besides, I felt that cheerleading was a popularity thing and I was far from being popular. I also noticed that in cheerleading alot of your movements are precise and choppy. I wanted to learn something that flowed. So I became a twirler. I worked hard and I became very good. I would spend hours working on routines in the front yard. My Mom complained because the grass wouldn't grow because of it getting worn out where I was practicing. I was annoyed when my older sister decided to try that too. I'd felt it was my thing. But it turned out to not be such a bad thing. When she was a senior and I was a freshman we we're on the same team and it was pretty fun. I don't have any bad memories of being on the same team with her that year, so I'm pretty sure it went well :)
Then during my sophmore year, I had many people tell me that certain things should be the most important thing in my life; band, twirling, church, school, family. I felt like I was being pulled in too many directions. So at the end of that school year I decided to quit twirling and band. I was only in band because you had to be in it to be a twirler. I joined the school choir which I enjoyed very much and started rebelling, lol. Although in my mind I felt that I did have the gospel as a priority. However, looking back I can see that that was not completely true. I have always regretted the decision to quit twirling. Infact I have had many dreams where I go back to high school only to participate in twirling. The last year that I was a twirler I went to the State competition in U.I.L. with a solo. I was so nervous that I dropped the baton several times. The guy judging me told me to turn off the music and twirl. Nobody else had been given a second chance and everyone stopped to look and try and figure out what was going on. With no music going in a gym, every noise I made was amplified. This served to make me even more nervous and I dropped the baton even more times than the last. The judge asked me to come stand in front of him. He proceeded to tell me that he had to give me a low grading based on my drops but that if I had just stood still and twirled the baton and done no tosses that he would have given me a "1" which is the highest ranking. He said I had the grace of Ophelia and that he hoped I would keep twirling. Well I didn't change my mind, but his comments boosted my self esteem immeasurably. I will always be thankful for that experience. Which leads me to my excitement and latest blessing. I have wanted to teach and influence other young women in a positive manner the way I was. However, I have not found the time in my life to do that. Welllllll...do to some recent events I have found that time and the courage to talk to the principal at the boy's school and I will be given a table at the open house night to promote my classes. The principal is really excited about offering it to the students. It will also bless me with the opportunity to get to know more of the families that are attending their school. Which I have desired to do but find it hard to get to know people unless I'm working with them. So I will report back how many students I have in October ;)

Lil Red in August

Lil Red's progression

I realized the other day that I haven't said much about all the cute and fun things that have been happening with Lil Red. So today's blog entry will be focused on this.
So LR started rolling over on his 6 month birthday and has been trying to find ways to get into things ever since, lol. His favorite thing to do is to roll over and over until he is on the wood part of the floor and then scoot backwards on the slippery surface. Cracks me up! He also took to his bouncer at 5 months with ease and one of my favorite things to do is watch him jump up and down and swivel so he can see everything going on. He has developed a love for peaches and apricots thanks to Aunty Em, who shared one with him last Tuesday. He and his cousin Lil T, love grabbing Miss Ruth's, our cat's, tail. And giving her wet slobbery kisses. Which you'd think she'd run from. But amazingly enough she suffers through it, lol. He loves the water. From pools to bath time. and even trying to wiggle down to touch the water as it poured into foot soaker when I went to get a pedicure the other day. The kid just loves the feel of the cool liquid and he loves to drink it. I remember having a hard time getting his brothers to drink water when they were young. But not LR, he likes it so much he guzzled down a whole bottle full for grandpa W in church a couple of weeks ago. He then proceeded to puke up all the milk he nursed from me b/c his belly was too full,lol. His only minus is that his red headed temper has begun to come into play when he doesn't get his way. Big Red says he gets his temper from me but I on the other hand seem to think he got it from his Dad. My grandma said I was an angel as a baby. I may have grown into a little hellion as I got older but as a baby, I was an angel O:) he he
So what do you think Grandma's, who gave Lil Red his temper? I'm just happy that he was blessed with such a sweet disposition that his temper hardly ever shows :D

DK's birthday bash! Story below