My Feet are Swollen, and They Kinda Stink...

Today was VERY interesting! We spent it moving Steve's parents out of their dilapidated old home and into a very trendy apartment. (Okay, so the apartment feels like it's in a retirement community, but it's SO much nicer than their house was!!)

For YEARS we've been concerned with the building his parents called home. (I can officially say "called!" YAY!!) It leaked, it smelled like mildew had a doggie, and they had a very stinky baby....The upstairs was not level...I went up there for the first time EVER, and felt like I was going to fall through the floor!! It was FREAKY! Things were constantly breaking on them, and it was just a BAD place to live. It should have been condemned decades ago...and not just recently!

Anyway, we woke up pretty early and, borrowing my dad's AWESOME diesel truck, drove the hour to their home. We got the list of things that were to go to the new apartment and things that were supposed to go to their storage space, and his parents left us with some young, energetic Elders! (Yay for helpful priesthood holders!) Within an hour we had the main things packed and ready to go! It was AMAZING! We had one truck, that also had a trailer, drive to the apartment and we took my dad's truck to the storage place. WE had EVERYTHING unloaded super fast!!

We did a LOT of running from one place to the other, even a quick trip to my brother-in-law's apartment, and another quick stop for lunch. It was nice! We talked, laughed and constantly commented on how GLAD we were that they were OUT of that place!

After being on my feet all day they are EXTREMELY swollen and very stinky. (Even if I had just worn my shoes for a few minutes they would smell this bad...I just smell bad!) I'm REALLY glad to be home, and now that I've told my quick synopsis of the day, I'm glad to be going to bed...and VERY glad that I've got 1:00 church!! YAY!

Where HAVE You Been?

So I found this fun thing at Millie's place. I thought it was fun! What it is, is a map that shows the states I've visited. (Yes, pathetic, I know!) You can make your OWN map here. Join in the craze...show us where you've been! :)

(And yes, the farthest EAST I've been is Carthage, Illinois...But I wish I could add that I've also been to Canada...then it wouldn't seem so pathetic, right?!)

Weekend Woes

While driving home from our holiday weekend, I was looking out the window at the beautiful mountains we were passing by. Each one was different, but each had its own beauty and majesty. There were the short tree covered mountains. There were the tall, ragged, bald-topped mountains.

The valley spreading out around us was teaming with life...sagebrush, cows, flowers. I was in awe of the beauty that was so close to my home. I am truly blessed to live where I do. As I was getting into this attitude of gratitude and feeling the awe of the beauties around me, my dad slowed the truck and trailer down and pulled off the road onto the narrow shoulder.

The tire on the truck wasn't on tight enough, it was rubbing and we had knocked off one of the pegs that keep the tire ON the truck. (Not a good sign!) Chalk it up to another bad thing that had happened this weekend.

Just to make this post short (because it could get LONG winded) I'm going to hit the highlights.

Friday:
Left with plenty of daylight, perfect for setting up tents.
Eating dinner with my abandoned cousins. (Their mom and step-dad went out for "date night" without telling them.)
Collapse into our cozy beds for a cold nights' sleep.

Saturday:
Wake up to a freezing morning.
Two hunter-men leave when the day is FREEZING.
After breakfast leave for our shopping trip to Salmon.
Buy WAY more stuff than we really needed! (Coat, shoes, chair, wind chimes...)
Cam breaks out in a rash, determine that it's hives.
Buy him some Benedryl.
Go back to camp to find more family has arrived.
Start preparations for dinner, only to find that my mom's trailer has some MAJOR issues (propane tank is leaking and there is a short from the generator to the trailer.)
Dad comes back early from hunting with heat stroke.
Uncle who was with him found him JUST in time.
As dad rehydrates and cools off, find that he has a flat tire on his truck.
Uncle fixes flat and helps cook chicken in dutch ovens.
Charcoal is NOT heating properly, must have bought a bad batch...seriously contemplating writing harshly worded letter to the company.
My jello salad is NOT set up...because there is NO power to the trailer I made it in.
Sit around the campfire and hear true stories about the scary people who live in my apartment complex.
Falling exhausted into bed for another cold night.

Sunday:
Take shower with Cam (who HATES showers and bawls the entire time.)
Get dressed and go to church.
Sit with Cam in Primary, because he doesn't want to be left alone.
Sneak away when he leaves for class.
Get back together for Sacrament meeting at the end of the block and find that Cam is tired and whiny...he bawls because he wants to sit with grandma, but his bratty uncle won't let him.
He takes his anger out on me...which means INSTANT removal from chapel.
Sit in the foyer with Cameron on my lap, making him fold his arms...in the process I'm getting kicked, slapped and eventually, BIT!
Make a bee-line for the abandoned Primary room where we have choice words.
Settle down and enjoy the rest of the meeting.
Go back to camp and nap in 100 degree tent.
Try to make dinner again, but have the SAME problems with the charcoal.
Dad leaves to deposit bucket of bear bait with crazy man.
Worry about dad with the crazy man...will he kill him? (I'm paranoid...can you tell?)
Dad comes back safe.
All gather to play fun new game of Tip of the Tongue...laughter ensues for hours and hours and hours and hours and hours...
Talk around the campfire...look up to the sparkling stars and wonder what husband is doing at that moment (probably working his graveyard shift.)
Watch pop cans disintegrate in EXTREME heat of fire (so cool!)
Crash around midnight.

Monday:
Discover that after bear baiting Dad's truck now has ANOTHER flat tire.
Take tires into town to be repaired.
Put on truck and get ready to leave.
Eat breakfast, clean up camp and say good byes to family.
Hear rumbling noises as we leave town, pull over while dad worries that there are MORE flat tires.
Tires are "fine," continue on.
Get 40 miles out on the road, when grinding gets worse.
Pull over to find that the peg things on the rear wheel are busting off and the whole tire is loose.
End up losing 3 pegs before calling it quits....sit on the side of the road for 15 minutes.
Grandparents pull up (trailer-less) help by going to call AAA.
Sit in truck watching DVD, napping, and eating lunch.
Grandparents return with news that AAA only tows vehicles 10 miles...not gonna work.
Devise a NEW plan...tow trailer home on grandparents' vehicle.
YAY for small miracles.
Arrive in town and unpack!

Yes, it was eventful, but we were SO blessed. Just thinking about what could have happened if things hadn't been exactly as they were. We were being watched over, and I'm so grateful for that!

The funny part was that every morning Cameron would wake up when the sun came up. I would try to ignore the heat and light and sleep some more, but Cam would pop his head out of his bag and say, "Mama? Mama!? Mama, the sun is up...it's time to wake up." The first thought that came to my mind when he said that was, "Who told you that? And WHY!?" My son: early to bed and early to rise. Where did I get such a sensible child?

Blonde Moments

I had a blast on my short trip to Utah yesterday and today. I went, mainly, for my good friend's baby shower. It's her first baby and I am SOOOOOOO excited for her and her husband. I've known the girl since we were in middle school....feuding, most of the time. But after a very rocky year we've been buds since. Her shower was lots of fun. I got to meet a bunch of her new friends and I had a strange sense of deja vu. See, when I hung out with her in middle school I was the weird/funny one, she was the serious/thoughtful one, and another friend was the smart/quirky one. She has found herself the same group of friends in her town. I'm just so happy for her! She's doing well and seems ready to have her baby boy soon! (Her husband is excited too!)
I figured that if I was going to go to Utah that I would try to spend some time with my sister. So that's the whole reason that I left yesterday. I was hoping that Steve and I could both spend time there together, and maybe catch a session at the temple. But his work schedule got messed up, so he had to stay and work while I was stuck going all by myself.

Yesterday I was talking on the phone with my friend who's baby shower I was attending to see if I could spend some time with her before the shower,when Steve rushed into the house and annouced that the car was acting up. I was a bit worried since I was supposed to drive the thing to Utah, so we ran all over town yesterday trying to figure out what was going on. It turns out that our car, like most cars in the world, is wearing down. Our pistons aren't quite working the way they should, so we are in need of a full tune-up. The mechanic was telling me that it would cost us up to $400 for all of the repairs....OUCH! So I asked him if it would be okay to drive until we could get it fixed and he said it was fine. But all that worrying and trying to get it fixed took all of the time I thought I had yesterday, so I didn't get to my sister's house until after 10:00!! Not only was I late getting there, but once I did arrive I got lost trying to find her home! I could have sworn that I heard my sister tell me left instead of right....oh, well. (I also got lost going to my friend's house...I guess I'm just a bad direction follower!)

After the baby shower today I hurried to my sister's apartment and we got cleaned up and went to the temple. When I was driving into the valley last night it was the one landmark that I could tell what it was....it has a green light and it's just gorgeous! Anyway, we hurried over there and went through. That building is just amazing! I can't believe that it's one of the first ones that the pioneers built when they got settled in Utah. It's just beautiful!!

When we were done at the temple I said good-bye and told my sister and brother-in-law that I was off. I had hoped to fill the van with gas (just in case) and I'd talk to them next weekend. I found a fairly inexpensive gas station and pulled in to fill up. I went to my purse to see if I could find my debit card. I COULD NOT SEE IT ANYWHERE!! I figured that maybe I had left it in my pants the day before, so I checked my suitcase...no luck! So I looked through my purse again, making sure I checked all of the pockets and pouches...it wasn't there! So I thought that maybe I had left it at my sister's apartment by mistake. I quickly called them and asked them if they had seen it...they looked, but couldn't find it. My brother-in-law asked me where I had seen it last...I think he was trying to calm me down...I was getting a bit frustrated and upset thinking that maybe someone had stolen it. I said that the last time I had seen it was when I bought dinner for myself last night at home. So I called my husband to have him walk to the restaurant to see if I had left it there, but he didn't answer the phone. So my sister called me back and told me that she had the phone number for the place and gave it to me. I called them, and sure enough, I had left the darn thing there! I was relieved, but frustrated with myself at the same time. My sister and brother-in-law were nice enough to lend me some money to get me home and I was off. But a "quick" trip to get gas ended up lasting over a half hour! I felt so stupid! After the gas was filled I said good-bye to my sister and she went inside to get the receipt. I left as she was getting it. The cashier asked my sister if she knew that the vehicle she was paying for was leaving without her. She said she missed her chance to say, "Oh, no..." then run out of the building chasing after me, but instead she said that we had different vehicles.

The ride home was long and uneventful....thankfully! And now I'm ready to collapse into bed! I love visiting my sister and my friend, but there's just something about coming home!

Utah...Here I Come!

I haven't been able to see my husband for the past few weeks. When he is at home, he's either sleeping or getting ready to go to his other job. Things are a bit hectic around here. Last weekend Steve went to Boise for his cousin's wedding. He had a fun time, but he had to take his brother with him. His brother is a poor stand-in for me, but they had a fun time. He called me four times a day while he was gone....that's more than he calls me when he's in town! This weekend we were supposed to go to my sister's house together and maybe catch a session at the temple, but he has to work and can't get out of it. I'm really upset with his boss over the whole thing, but I guess I'll just have to get over it. So, while I'm gone Cam is going to spend the weekend with Grandma. He's only ever done that once before and it wasn't necessarily a good experience for all involved. Hopefully this time he'll be better. So I'm going to be going to Utah all by my lonesome tomorrow. I'm not really thrilled with that idea, but I'm excited to see my sister and her home and my friend who is going to be having a baby sometime this month! I haven't seen my friend for years and years! It'll be good to get together again!!

Tonight we had an actual Enrichment meeting for church and it was SO fun! They called it Peace Academy and they had all kinds of things that are supposed to help relax you and bring peace into your life. I had a blast! Part of the activities for the night included everyone there wearing a piece of paper taped to their back. Then they asked us if we'd ever had someone talk about us behind our backs. Most people raised their hands...then they said that tonight we were going to find out what people said about us behind our backs. They wanted us to write on people's backs what we thought about them. It was so much fun! I forgot I was wearing the thing until someone would stop me from walking away. I read the things written on my paper and I was touched. I didn't know people thought those kinds of things about me! They had several stations set up where you could get a hand massage, fingernails painted, foot rub (more please!), and a reading corner (where I read The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch...for the first time!) We all started out watching a video where they were teaching us self massage techniques. We all felt a little embarrassed to be doing this in front of others, but it was fun! They had one part of the video called "throw off stagnant chi." I guess I was really getting rid of that stagnant chi...someone wrote on my card that they liked how I did it! It was interesting....and relaxing...I hope I can remember the techniques!! They had chocolates in the middle and some bath things to take home! I had such a good time! I didn't necessarily feel peace....but I am relaxed and ready for bed! What a wonderful night!

A Small Taste of Our Family Trip

We're finally back! We really didn't want to come home, we were having so much fun! We went to Boise and saw some of my husband's family, then the next day we were off to Moscow.

I have a good friend who lived there for a while and she told us the fun places to go while we were there....thank goodness. I'm sure we would have had some nice pictures, but not nearly as many as we ended up with. We took several pictures along the way, then when we got there we took even more.

This first picture is of my son near a pond in the arboretum at the University of Idaho. We were hoping that the trees would have been more in bloom or even more green, but it wasn't, but we still had fun. Cam even got to get close to a REAL live bunny rabbit. He was standing by the pond looking at a goose. He wanted to pet it!

This next picture is of Cameron and me. We were at a rest stop along the way and my husband found this really cute rock, so we all had our pictures taken on it. I think this was one of the best pictures of me for the entire trip, so that's why it's here.

This was a picture of the homestead. This is where most of my husband's best childhood memories come from. They live way outside of town and it feels like you're away from the rest of the world...it was an amazing place!

Our first night on the farm we were getting ready to eat dinner and suddenly out of the back window we saw two deer eating some feed that Grandpa had put out earlier. They said that they usually put out the feed for the pheasants, but the deer have been coming down and eating it too. We had to be fairly quiet, because the deer could hear us through the windows. Cam kept asking us if he could pet the deer. He was so excited to see wild animals! He was so cute! (I keep trying to upload this pic, of the deer, but blogger is pitching a fit! I'll try to post it in another update!)

This is the whole group of us. We hurried and got these pictures while my husband's cousin was visiting. Grandma and Grandpa are in the middle. (Aren't they cute?) We were lucky enough to stay in their home and spend LOTS of time with them. There was one night where the "boys" went out exploring and Grandma and I stayed home and she told me all kinds of fun and interesting family stories. Most of the art in their home has a story behind it and I was asking all kinds of questions about who was in them, and what was going on. She talked and talked and I was in heaven. She even started to tell me another story, and she stopped and said, "You probably want me to shut up, don't you." I told her to keep going, I was happy listening to the stories!

All in all our trip was a marvelous success. We all learned a lot and got to spend quality time with our family. The only bad thing about the whole experience was that it had to end so quickly! We really didn't want to leave, we were even toying with the idea of living there, but we'll see exactly how far that theory goes.

We ended up getting in fairly late last night, I didn't like the LONG car ride home, but it was okay. There weren't any major accidents or problems, just the incessant whining of a 5 year old, needing a potty break! We loved it and decided to make this an annual affair!

I'm still on Vacation, but I couldn't stay away!!

Steve just got back from Priesthood session of conference (I made him go) and told me that he had called his aunt and she wanted us to email her, since we get zip-o cell phone service where we are staying! So here I am...hacking in on my husband's grandparent's computer...BLOGGING!! I can't help myself...is there a self-help group for people like me??

We are having so much fun here...we really DON'T want to leave. It feels like we're camping because his grandparents live so far out of town and there is a little bit of wooded area nearby. It's just gorgeous here! It did snow and rain today, but luckily we got out yesterday when it was nice weather and took the pics that we wanted! When I get home we will post them, but I don't know how to do it on their computer, so I won't mess with it. They're pretty terrified of technology. They use it, but they don't like messing with their routines on the things they have or they'd get lost!

Steve just came in the room and told me that his grandparents are waiting for us. I guess I should go. I'm really looking forward to using the hot tub again tonight! They've been so good to us, I'm so glad that we got to come and see them. Look for the more exciting and updated blog from this adventure!

I'm Off!!

I'm feeling much better after my venting last night. Thanks for letting me get it out. The tile picture turned out just fine...just a few small dimples in the epoxy, so NO WORRIES!

I have been running around today to get the final things done before we leave. I'm so excited! I plan on taking a ton of pics so that my blog won't be so "blah" anymore. I will try to remember the stuff we do, but most likely I'll just come back and say, "What a fun trip...we did a bunch of stuff, and now it's good to be home!" Just watch!

Story of the day:

Yesterday while I was working on my tile picture, my mom took my youngest brother and Cameron to Walmart to buy some seeds for my brother's garden. While my mom and brother were wandering around the garden center looking for things, Cam wandered to the door marked: "Don't touch...alarm will sound..." Pretty soon my mom and brother heard the alarm sounding and Cam walking back to them rather quickly with his hands over his ears saying, "It's too loud!" They had to call the store manager to stop the alarm and when he got there the alarm wouldn't turn off. My mom was in stitches! I would have been embarrassed to no end. I just hope that he doesn't do that again...hopefully it's a lesson learned!

Spring Break is Finally Here

It's finally here. We've been planning and communicating with family for months now and the appointed day is just a few short days away! We're leaving on our first official family vacation! Cameron has been asking us daily if it's time to go on our trip and we have to patiently remind him that it will be very soon. We've got the family notified and we will be leaving this Wednesday, bright and squirly, going to Boise for a day, and then we'll be off to Moscow to see Steve's grandparents. We are hoping to catch up with most of his aunts and uncles in the Boise vicinity before heading off on our STINKIN' long drive to his grandparents' home. Last summer we went the same way for a family reunion and it's a gorgeous drive, but it's very windy and hilly. I'm not looking forward to the curves and turns (I get very motion sick!) but I am VERY excited for the trip. Yesterday we went to the store for a while to gather some last-minute items that we will be needing to keep our sanity cramped in our vehicle with a whiny child.

We were hoping that we would be able to catch a session at a temple along the way, but I don't think that we will be able to. Finding a babysitter shouldn't be hard, but finding the time might cause a problem. My only disappointment for this trip is that we will be missing most of General Conference. I always look forward to hearing the words of our church leaders and filling my reservoir with their words of encouragement and the lessons that they want to instill in us. We will be watching it after we get home, but it's not quite the same as hearing it the same time that thousands or even millions of members are hearing the same message!

This weekend for us was a relaxing and fun one. Along with the last-minute shopping we spent some time with my family and serving in church. Steve had to sing a solo today in sacrament meeting and it was gorgeous (like I knew it would be.) Then I went to Primary to do my weekly duty as the Primary chorister. I love going to Primary! I don't think that in the years since I have turned 18 that I have been in Relief Society more than a year. I've spent most of my adult life in Primary and I wouldn't have it any other way! How can you pass up the chance to teach those eager children the gospel? I find joy in their eagerness (or in the case of the older boys, their indifference) and love to sing the songs that bring my life peace and contentment! There are times when I feel overwhelmed, but knowing that these children were recently (more recent than I anyway) come from our Heavenly Father's presence just makes me in awe of their spirits. I love Primary!

From winter to spring and back to winter all in the same day

This weekend we went on a "quick" trip to Utah for a wedding reception for one of my cousins who lives in Arizona. We figured that since she and her family were so close that we had to make the trip just to see them and wish the new couple well. So Cam and I rode down with my parents and two of my brothers to see them. When we left town it was snowing and blowing so bad that we could barely see the interstate or the cars in front of us (I was very glad that my dad was driving, I was too nervous to even look out the windows!) We got there fairly early, the reception didn't start until 6:30 and we were there at 2:00, so we decided to go to Salt Lake for a little goofing off and entertainment. We ended up at one of the malls looking around a book store when I looked out into the hall. I thought I saw one of my aunts and uncles, so I zoomed out. It was them...along with my aunt and uncle from Arizona. It was a quick and fun family "reunion" in the middle of the ZCMI mall. We all laughed and hugged and got reacquainted. Then while we were out in the hall I saw a store just across the way. It was a tie store I had wanted to visit and while we were there so I could find a tie for Cam. The check-out lady was a girl who used to live down the street from my parents so I had to rush in there to visit with her too. It was a lot of fun. We had wanted to see a new movie that was playing in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building, but my aunt and uncle told us that when they had gone they only had stand-by seating and they ended up on the floor watching it. So we bagged the idea. We did some sight-seeing on Temple Square and had a fun afternoon.

My sister had joined up with us when we were in the mall and she had to hurry over to the Hilton to get her husband while he was on his break from a musical conference that he was attending. So we all decided to get together and find a place to eat dinner. My sister is directionally challenged, which means that she gets lost VERY easily, and she ended up going the wrong way to get her hubby. So we were going to get her and pick up her husband then go to dinner, but she figured out where she was. We went to dinner and had a good time. Then we went to the reception in Ogden (about 30 miles North of SLC). For most of the day we were walking around Salt Lake without coats or jackets, the weather was gorgeous!! They even had little baby flowers popping out of the ground, we were a bit jealous! Anyway, we went to the reception and had a lot of fun. I had taken my camera to snatch a few pics of my family while we were there, but when I had grabbed it that morning I didn't realize that the darn thing was still on. So when I pulled it out for the reception the battery was dead. I was upset, but got over it quickly. We had a fun visit and then we left.

On the way home my mom and brother and I talked to help keep my brother awake. My dad had taken the back seat and was sleeping for most of the ride. Cam, my other brother and I were in the middle seat watching movies. When we got just outside of Pocatello my brother immediately slammed on the brakes. Standing in a straight row on the interstate was 5 deer. They were all looking the other way too, so we came to a complete halt on the road and had to wait. When my brother stopped, my dad, who was in the back seat rolled into me and my brother. Luckily though, no one got hurt, deer or otherwise. We got home safely, to cold and snow, but we had fun.