I should be glad....

Well, now that all to company has gone and my house is semi back to normal, some sort of sickness has come upon me. :( Dang it!
A couple of months ago when the swine flu/H1N1 was floating around our house, I managed to remain in pretty good health. So I am wondering why did it hit me now?
I should be glad, that it is now and not when I had a house full of company. I still keep thinking though, it would have been better to be sick while I was off work rather than now, when I am suppose to be going back to work. What a bummer!
Makes me think though how grateful I am for my health! I really don't get sick too often, but when I do I am always reminded how blessed I am to be healthy! I guess I can deal with a cold and the quiezzies if that is what it takes to remind me to be grateful. For grateful I am!
Night I am going to bed early!

Worn out...

I guess this last week must have worn me right out. I didn't feel like I over exerted myself that much, but I have been feeling like I just might be getting sick. I have had a bit of a sore throat, and hot and cold and headache. Blah! I even stayed home from church today.
Megan and Ford got up and went to a farewell for Joseph Jensen this morning. He use to be in our ward when we first moved into this house. I can't believe he is old enough to be going out on a mission! Makes Ford almost being old enough all that more real to me. I hope for me that time will so slowly and that for the Jensen's time will move quickly!
I need to go to bed, because I can not afford to miss any work due to being sick! Wait..... I can't afford to miss any work for ANYTHING but especially not for being sick!

Why is it....

Why is it that now that Thanksgiving is over it seems harder than ever to find something to blog about?

My company (some of them) left for Idaho this morning, and when they left I have to say that it seemed oddly silent! Even Chet said that is was weird how quiet it was after they had gone home.

Some of the rest of the day was spent putting the house back to it's original state. It wasn't very hard because all we did basically is push all of the furniture to the outer edges of the room. So when we were done we just pushed it back into place. You might never have known that they were here.

The pictures are of the morning after Thanksgiving after a bunch of them got back from their early morning shopping trip. Crazies!!!!

Mmmmm....."Goodwood BBQ"

Tonight was almost as good as Thanksgiving. In some ways it may have been better, because I didn't have to cook! :) Yay!
We set up an adult date night while Bret and Melinda were here from Idaho. We got together and went out to Goodwood BBQ for dinner. There was 10 of us all together. Trent & Melissa, Chet & I, Bret & Melinda, John & Linda and Brent & Martha. The only problem with going as a large group is that not everyone can visit with everyone else.
We did have a great time visiting everyone. I really wish we live closer, so that we could spend more time visiting so that we didn't feel like we had to cram as much as we could into such a short amount of time. We really do have a good time when we all get together. Not to be rude, but especially without the little ones! Thank you Parker family for coming to Utah! It's a good time.

Whew! Happy Turkey Day!

I bet the whole world heard my huge sigh of relief when the feasting was over at my house today!

First of all I really have to say that over all I really had a good time. I didn't take on the wholemeal like I have in the past so it was much easier to prepare for. (note to self, delegate!)

Also I had a lot of people here that were very willing to help and the kids are all getting old enough now that even when the feasting was over, there really wasn't much of a mess! I vacuumed and you might never have known that 25 people had all just been stuffing their faces in my family room.

There was a ton of food! Melinda (my sister in law) made orange rolls, yummy! My Mother in law baked a turkey and did the mashed potatoes and gravy (oh ya, and stove top stuffing). Cris (my brother in law) made baked Mac& cheese again, Yummy! I baked a turkey, made candies yams cheated and bought pies and rolls. Chet also deep fried a turkey! Next year I think we will only Deep fry! It comes out so much more moist! (and Chet can do that part! )

Anyway, after dinner my sister in law Wendy and I cleaned up the food and the kitchen while the others played a game. There were far too many bodies down there for my comfort, which is why I chose to do the dishes. Makes sense right?

It was also my nephews birthday today so after a while everyone headed over to play a game of ultimate ball at the church and then go celebrate Derek's birthday. I have to admit it was very quiet after they left, and very nice! I did get over before they got done and took some pictures. It looked like they had a really good time!

Round about the time we were settling into our normal routine here at the home front they all came home to just into bed so they can get up at an entirely unnatural hour (2 AM) and go shopping for the deals! All I can say, is better them than me! Let me SLEEP! 8AM will get here early enough as it is!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I am so grateful it is over for this year! :)

This is it....

Well..... this it it! The final few hours before Thanksgiving Day and the dinner for all of Chet's family that come make it. Looks like it will be about 25 people instead of 32 to 36 that we had originally counted. Whew! I can relax a little bit....(NOT). Then I found out tonight that they are all pretty much staying here at my house as well.
Got my house all clean today, with much help from Megan and Ford. I would really be lost without them!
I really am grateful for family and the chance we will get to spend time with the Idaho crew over the next few days. This should be interesting for all of us. I have such different house rules from them. SO now not only do I have to play host, but I have to try to figure out how to be tactful at the same time, and all at once! Tact is NOT my best outfit. Wish me luck.
I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving and spend a few extra minutes counting the blessing that you might other times miss and know that the Lord is great and amazing! He loves us and the proof is everywhere you look! How blessed we all are! Thank you to all of those who care enough about me to look in and see how things at the Parker house are going. I love you all!

Skipped...

So I skipped yesterday's post on purpose. I had house guests arrive for the night, and since they were only there for the might I felt inclined to spend as much time visiting with them as I could before it was time for us all to go to bed.
My sister in law from Colorado Springs come to Utah for the funeral of her Grandma. Not a happy occasion for her but for me it was nice that I got to see her and her kids (there are 6 kids). I am glad that they chose to stay at my house even if it was just for overnight. Thanks Jen. Sorry Dave that we didn't get to see and visit with you too! I miss you more than you could know!
I will try to post again tonight to make up for the post I skipped, but we will see if there is anything to post about by then.

Looking for ways to serve....

Today's lesson in R.S. was on giving service to others. It really stuck in my head because service is always something I would like to improve on but almost always seem to forget when life gets moving at what seems to me to be mach ten!
As this truly is an area I would like to improve in, just know that I will be looking for was to give service. I am not sure just how to go about this, but I am sure that if I am looking the Lord will let me know. If any of you have any ideas please feel free to share with me. Or if any of you need any kind of help or service please let me help you. I feel so strongly that I need to be doing more of this.

Dancing........

This is the post I was trying to make yesterday, but I finally made it work. So here we go again.
I would like to make a special post just for my Dad.
First and foremost, I am sure I need to say thank you for not killing me on the many occasions that I am sure I deserved it! ;)
Second, I need to tell you thank you for teaching me to "dance". Not dancing as the word might suggest, but swaying to the music life puts on for us, at any given moment, and finding the steps in time with the tune.Learning to be flexible, and turn this way when we really want to turn the other.Bending when it doesn't feel natural. Always being willing to learn new steps to a new tune as life is always changing and so is the music that accompanies our life at any given moment.
What an adventure life's dance has become. Can't wait to hear the next tune. Thanks for "dancing". I love you!
So the video post is the tune that brought these thoughts to my mind. I hope the song touches your heart as it does mine.

Steven Curtis Chapman - Cinderella (w/ lyrics)

Frustrated....

I had a really good blog all typed out with a video and song I was going to post, but I couldn't get it all worked out together and that is how it needs to be posted. So, when I can figure out how to make it work I will post it. Till then just know that right now after about and hour and a half, working on this I am very frustrated!

Another meet...

Today Ford had another swim meet. Before the meet began two students held up the flag and everyone sang the national anthem. Standing in the pool area listening to mostly teens and the few adults that were able to be there sing that song and hearing it echo off the walls, just gave me a thrill! I had goose bumps and my eyes teared up. I am so grateful to live in a country like we do. No it's not perfect, but it is SO good! Also to see the youth, those who are coming up behind us to pick up the pieces or to carry on what has been started, with their hands on their hearts singing along, was just touching to me! What a great way to start off a meet! They haven't done this at all of the meets I have gone to, but I was glad I got there in time to see it done at this one! (It was a home meet)
I also have to say that I was again so proud of Ford! They put him in an event that he didn't think he would even be able to finish, but not only did he finish, he did so very well, in my opinion.
I am glad that for being in a sport this is the one he ended up choosing. It has been so good for him, and it has been a lot of fun for me to watch!

Cleaning up....

Today after work I spent the day just cleaning up and organizing some things. I finally got to take the bottles I didn't fill canning out to the shed. There were very few of them left, which made me feel pretty darn good! I rearranged the freezers so that I could take advantage of the price of Turkeys this week.
I should be getting ready for Chet family to be getting here next week but somehow I just can't seem to get motivated about the whole thing. Maybe because time seems to be moving SO fast. I swear November just started and here Thanksgiving is a week away...... wow where had the time gone and who was suppose to be keeping track of the clock?
Anyway this week looks as though it is going to continue moving forward with brute force, Ford has another swim meet tomorrow and Megan has to work. Chet has some out of town work that he needs to be getting done and I am just plugging away as usual. Grateful that I am able to plug away.
My body has been reminding me of late that no matter how much I say I am not getting old, it is out to prove me wrong. So, I have to say I am grateful that I still work the way I was designed. Maybe not as efficiently as I use to but I do still work!.

Swim meet

Ford Had a swim meet today at Layton Surf n Swim. Not my most favorite place to attend a meet at. All the same it was a pretty good meet and Ford beat one of his personal times. Yay Ford! Megan came and watched the meet with me as long as she could. She has a prior event she needed to attend. Her Friend was the lead in her school play which opened tonight. Ford get a little frustrated that he is not faster or better, but it will come with time. He is glad that he got on the team (with some encouragement from Megan) and is planning on continuing to swim through his senior year. I am having a great time watching him swim and improve on self!

Laaaazzyy!

Today has been nothing but a lazy day! I ran some errand, got gas in the car (so dang expensive!) Bought goggles for Ford for swim... That sort of thing. Really not worth blogging about.
I am however, so grateful for today. Being able to get out of bed and have a very full if uneventful day. Being able to walk, drive and attend to things that need to be done around the house. I have been thinking about all of the people who would give so much just to have an average day. I am truly blessed!

A very nice day!

We here at the Parker's house had a very nice day. If I sound surprised that is because for me Sunday's can be a struggle. Trying to do what I am suppose to do and not everything else that always seems to be in my face. You get the drift.
Anyway, yesterday I made a loaf of bread for a friend of Chet's but we ended up not being able to take it to her because she ended up leaving. So we got ready for church early this morning and went to take it to her today. It was very nice to meet her and get the chance to visit face to face. I had a headache that was building into a migraine and Chet's parent were coming over for dinner after we got out of church. So after meeting Chet's friend we went home so I could take more medicine and get some stuff in the oven so dinner could start. I had promised Kati I would be at church and though I really didn't feel up to going I went for Relief Society, and I am glad. Sister Sage gave a really good lesson. By the time I got home, The headache had eased a little bit so I was able to get dinner finished almost the same time that Chet's folks got here. The only thing missing from dinner was Megan, because she had to go to work. After dinner we turned on the movie Up! and enjoyed spending the evening with Chet's parents. Now my headache is trying to ebb back in, so I will take some more meds and be off to bed. What a very nice day indeed.

Whoops!

Well, there you have it! I finally missed one whole day! I didn't even think about blogging yesterday. That is horrible of me I know, but for sometimes going weeks without making any new posts I think that making it for about half of the month before completely skipping a post is pretty good. Don't you? Anyway, it was Friday the 13Th so maybe I can just blame it on that and be done.

Today we got the first real snow of the season. BOOOO! I keep thinking that I really should live someplace besides northern Utah. It is a guarantee to have snow every year, and if it is not snowing it is still cold. I keep wondering why the Lord said no when I was wanting to move someplace else.
(Deep sigh) Oh well, there is the fact that I really would miss the mountains if I ever did move, so that is one good thing I suppose.
Today was mostly uneventful, so there really isn't much to blog. I did take dinner into a gal, that lives just down the road She just had her fourth baby and finally got her a boy. :)
Oh and I baked bread all day too. I really wish the bread maker could make more than one batch of dough at a time. I did try to make some of my own dough yesterday, and I have to say that the bricks I produced were NOT what I was trying to achieve. I will try again with another recipe. Oh well live and learn right?

My Honey :)

Today is a day I celebrate more than most any other day of the year! 43 years ago Chet was born!!! I am so grateful to have him in my life to be my friend, the Father of, and example to, my kids. My lover and one constant! He lifts me up when I feel like I can't get up, and keeps me grounded when my head is floating in the clouds.

He has inspired and directed me, stayed by my side through times when, I am sure, it would have been MUCH easier to have just walked away.

Looking back over the years, I am amazed at the people we have grown into and I need to thank you, for helping me grow into a woman and mother, that I am sure I would not be, if not for your encouragement and direction!

I look forward to the continual celebration of our life together and of your life in the coming years! It has been an awesome ride and I am looking forward to the rest of it! I love you, Happy Birthday!

Mellow day......

Not to much to blog about tonight. Today was just one of those mellow, kind of winding down sort of days! I spent the afternoon putting away hoses and things that need to be out of the weather, and trimming the trees (so I don't need to worry about doing it in the spring, before it gets to warm).
I had planned on coming home and taking a nap, but I never end up taking a nap when I plan to and today was no different. But I did relax after the yard work and just hang out in the house.
Also I did make Chet some cookies for his birthday tomorrow. Now I am just doing the daily blog thing and I will be off to bed! My eyes are burning and I am so tired!

Stepping up.

This post is mainly for me to say how amazing good friends can be! Even if they are not able to fix things for us the out pouring of love that we have felt form everyone since yesterday has been incredible!
Things still are up in the air but knowing how many people have sent their love and prayers in our direction makes it easier to deal with!
Chet told me today while he was working, that he is completely overwhelmed with all the response he has received from his post yesterday. He said he can't believe how many people have come out to lend their support, and he doesn't feel worthy.
So, I am so grateful for all of the friends that have stepped up and made Chet feel for the first time in a long time that he has friends. Not just people that say 'hi' in passing without really caring how you are, but ones who will, stop whatever is going on in their world to, call and find out what they can do. The love that has been shared with us has been amazing! Thank you all SO much, we love you more than words could express.

Toady......

Today I am reminded that not everything goes as planned and that sometimes there is a curve in the road you might not have seen or planned for.
Today Chet made a mistake at work that could cost him his job. Hoping not, and more than hoping, praying!
Chet services about 400-420 air machines between Utah, Idaho, Wyoming and Nevada. For the most part there is one key for all of these machines. Today he left the key in one of the machines, and someone stole it. This is where things get kinda sticky. If the thief breaks into a machine and get away with money, Chet will likely lose his job, because he was responsible for that key. Can you see how the road has started to get a little curvy?
It is a Monday night and I am sitting here at 10:10 pm waiting and wondering when Chet will stop working for the night. He is out trying to collect all of the machines that he can, so that if the said thief does actually try to get into a machine, they won't get away with any money. This is however, only the beginning of many long work days for him. He will have to go out and change ALL of the lock on all of his machines now. ALL 400 and however many of them that there are. He told me on the phone that he guesses he won't be seeing us for quite a while. :(
We do have some very amazing friends though, and there has been so many offering to pray for us and whatever else may be needed. I am truly grateful for good friends who help ease some of our burdens! Thank you all so much!

Sunday.....

Well, we are closing in on the end of another Sunday. Today was a beautiful day, and this close to winter I enjoy every last sunny day that we are blessed with. There really isn't too much for me to blog about today. It was a mellow day (as it should be). I finished the batch of apple butter I had in the crock pot and made a loaf of bread for a friends family. No matter how many times I take people bread it always makes me smile at how happy it makes them! There really is nothing like fresh homemade bread, to make someone smile. Chet and I have decided that it is also a good way to get into peoples homes and get to know them a little bit better. All while giving them something to smile about. Maybe that is what I will do for my close friend/neighbors for Christmas gifts this year instead of a goodies tray. What do you think about that?
Anyway, I am grateful for the continuing beautiful weather we are enjoying, and will be glad for it for as long as it lasts!

Some days!

Some days you just know when they start out that they are going to be good. Have you ever had one of those days? Well, let me just tell you that today was NOT one of those days!
First it was a first time in quite a while that I was able to sleep in. I usually enjoy this immensely, however; toady after sleeping longer than usual I woke up with a raging headache. No fun :( Oh well, this too shall pass right?
Next the real fun began when I tried to get Megan out of bed. I must be gentle as I write this because she reads my blog and I don't want her to feel like I don't love her. (I do love you Megan, no matter how difficult you and morning can be for me!)
First off she asked me to leave her alone while she tried to wake up. I told her she can't try to wake up, she just has to get up because she will just go back to sleep! See, we have been over this before....and over and over. She just got mad, but finally got out of bed. Anyway, to make a very long story, after much disagreement she finally got up and got going on her house work.
Then the real fun began. Megan and Ford can be so kind to each other, but these times are few and far between. Mostly is seems like they look for ways to torment and annoy each other. Mean and De-meaning works are often slug around at one another and toady it was the same in that respect, the difference toady being that it turned mean a physical. Megan saying something the earned her a slap in the face from Ford. Now bring me into the picture and you have to complete crazy picture. I lost it! (shame on me) I swore at them both and told then they were some not so choice names (bad Mom award). Thanked them both for such a wonderful day and stormed up to my room. Wow! Some days I just wish I could go back to bed and start the day OVER! I am really looking forward to the day that Megan and Ford stop looking for ways to make the others life a living hell and decide that the other person really isn't so bad. I have faith that this day will come. I am just not sure it will be in my life time.
Oh and by the way, the fight out of the way the rest of the day was not so bad. Of course, we weren't in the same place for more than the time it took to eat dinner, so that could have something to do with it.
On days like this I am reminded about the time in my younger age that I said I was never going to have kids. I know the Lord knows what we need, I just hope I am learning the right lesson from all of this do that I can stop having this lesson repeated.

Finally Friday!

Yay! It's finally Friday! I made it through this (what seemed like) very long week! Funny how some weeks seem to just fly right by and then there are others that just drag on forever. This was one if those drag on forever weeks. Nothing bad happened, and there were even some highlights, (ie drink & dinner with Kim). Just in general I guess this week seemed long than usual. I do have to say though, when one of the girls at work said that there were only 12 more working days till Thanksgiving break, I almost had a heart attack right there on the spot! I haven't even started thinking about that, and I really should since Thanksgiving is being held at my house this year with ALL of Chet's family (about 32 to 36 people). Which reminds me, does anyone that reads my blog have some folding chairs that I might borrow for Thanksgiving?
I did talk to a lady in the store yesterday who told me she had just finished wrapping her Christmas! I almost threw up right then and there! I wanted to say "come on, Do you even remember Thanksgiving?", but I restrained myself. I am sure it would have come across very rude.
We actually did have a little bit of stress today. More Megan I think than anyone. Unless you count Mom & Dad (Chet and I) having to cover the expense....
Megan's car broke down today on her way to school. A timing belt later and we can go pick her car up tomorrow. Oh boy! The joys of owning and operating vehicles. Then again, this was a fairly minor expense and I am so grateful that it was not anything worse than it was.
Again I am grateful for our cars and the ability to come and go with the ease and convenience with which we do.
We REALLY do have more blessing than we could ever really acknowledge! I am trying though.

Such fun!

There are days that are good day and there are days that just go by. Then you have days that are just such fun you would like to do them over again. Today was one of those days for me.

Of course it started out with work, which I can't honestly say was fun...but it wasn't bad either. I got done on time, and was on my way to have a drink with my very good friend Kim. We had so much fun talking that we sat at the cafe for two and a half hours! We laughed and giggled and just had an all around good time!
Afterwards, I came home to Megan because she said she was missing me. It is nice to be missed by someone that I sometimes wonder if she even likes me at all. We watched a movie together and just sat. Ford came home from swim practice about halfway through the movie and felt the need to be chatty, so we paused the movie for a little while. I love that my kids want to come home and talk to me about there day or whatever it is that is on their mind at the moment. If I have done one thing right with them it is making sure they feel like they can talk to me whenever about whatever!
Chet has been gone to Idaho for work since Tuesday and was on his way home today, I was just waiting for him to get here when he called me and told me that Kim and her hubby Greg had invited us to come over and have dinner and play games with them, if we were interested.
Megan and Ford didn't want to go so Chet and I went by ourselves and enjoyed an especially fun evening of French onion soup with Chicken kabobs and mushrooms. A fantastic salad! And turnovers for dessert. Followed by games, which made us laugh! I think that laughing was more fun than the game playing, but a good time was had either way!
When such fun is had it makes rolling out of bed worth it! Night all, work comes early in the AM.

Not so good at this

Like I said before, I am not so good at this game. I spent yesterday afternoon at Megan's new school making sure we had the classes that were going to be able to make sure she can work out enough credits to get graduated, and by the time I got home I was focused on laundry and I can't even remember what else. (tells you how exciting my life can be)
I didn't even remember that I hadn't posted anything until today. Right now in fact. I want to keep up with the challenge so I am making a really quick post just so I have made some kind of entry to count for everyday. SO there you have it. Now I have made a post for yesterday, and Chet comes home tonight so lets see if I can remember to make one tonight. I know there will be things to blog about today :)

An adventure in hair

Ok, so I decided today, that I was wanting a change. I made an appointment to get my hair done, as this is the most simple and easy way to achieve a quick change.
Now that I have achieved this level of change however I am not sure that I am happy with it. First of all you must keep in mind that Chet likes blond hair. When I went in I asked for a dark all over color with highlights added. So they did a light color weaved into my hair before they added the dark all over color. As they were doing the light I thought it looked like it would be a good amount of light. Not to much... not to little....
Well, as you may or may not be able to tell from the photo, there is WAY too little light! Not to mention, I asked to go just a titch darker than my natural color. Ummmm....this is also way more than a titch darker!
It really doesn't matter, I am sure I will get use to it and it will always be able to grow out or be redone. My biggest issue with it is that I really want Chet to like it! I did send him a little picture I took with my phone and he says that he likes it from what he can see, but he knows that it worries me.
Funny after all this time that I am still so worried about making sure I try to look good for him. I guess when you stop caring about how you look for the one you love that is when you maybe need to examine where things are at for you both. I am glad that I still care and worry about looking nice for him.

Anyway, that is the total extent of what went on today. Getting ones hair done, as fun as it may be (from time to time) is a long and drawn out process and one I am glad I don't have to go through very often. Which is why my hair will be the color that it is (unless Chet hates it) for quite some time!
Till tomorrow :)

Ok so I missed

Ok So I am not good at this game already! I missed posting last night so I am posting now and I will try to again tonight.
Ford had swim practice and Megan worked late last night, so it was really quiet kicking around my house by myself. I am getting better at it all the time. I use to just in the car first thing if I knew I was going to be home by myself for very long. Instead last night I put some of the last apples I have to do on to juice. I am so close to being finished with canning and I think the world will hear me cheer when I am done this year. We do have a lot of yummy things on the shelf for us to enjoy over the winter now though. Anyway, that is how I spend my afternoon and evening. We will see what today brings.

The Challenge

Ok, so I am going to see if I am up to the challenge Mary Ann sent out. I am going to try to see if I can find something to blog about everyday this month as it is Bolgger month. Ha, not sure there is that much going on in our life that needs to be blogged about, but here goes!

Today was the first day of my favorite month. For two reasons, first and foremost it is the month Chet was born. If you don't know how I feel about birthdays, I LOVE them if they are for people I cherish especially, because it gives an opportunity for me to celebrate the life of someone that has touched my life in some special way that only they would be able to do! So I get to celebrate his birthday. Yay!
Secondly it is the month of Thanksgiving, my favorite holiday in the whole year! This month is a time for me to reflect on all the many things that I have to be grateful for in my life. I think of this often anyway, but for some reason this month everything seems brought to the forefront of my mind. I think over times and things in my life that have changed me and helped me become a better person and the people and circumstances that also have helped shape my life. It helps me remember, even in times that are not so good, that though things might not be going well right now, sometime in the future I will look back at the things I have gone through and be thankful at least to some degree for the life lessons that were learned. Anyway these are the things that were on my mind today. Hooray for November!