so random

I am sitting at lunch with PGG cause she got out early today. You know when there is that crazy insane kid running amuck? Not the kid that is done with lunch and is running around while their mom finishes her lunch. NO the kind that is running all around and throw crap everywhere while there are 3 adults ignoring the kid. Everyone else in the place is getting frustrated and wants to whack the kid. I am sitting beside that table.

Then they leave and leave the table covered in crap.

All I could do was shake my head.

Some happiness

It seems that life is full of twists and turns at the moment. In all of this, their is joy.

Menji and I celebrated 17 years of marriage this past weekend. We also helped Aleksei celebrate his 4th birthday. That in itself is cause for great joy. He is four years old. Full of life and love. His parents are loving every moment and that is a joy to watch.

The girls are so busy and I laugh because it is both of them now. PS in waterpolo, youth group and general teenage stuff. PGG in cheer, roadshow, activity day things and anything else that gets thrown her way.

It is a joy to be watching the girls grow and kinda get comfortable in their own skin.

Reading scriptures

The last few nights we have been reading scriptures. I can say there is something nice about gathering the girls around and reading a chapter of scriptures. Right now we are reading in the Book Of Mormon. It was prompted by the family whose father is still in ICU.

There are some small things that I enjoy most about this. Princess Girly Girl can read from then out-loud and it is smooth. THat warms my heart and makes me sad all at the same time. I remember when we used to read every word for her and she would repeat. Princess Seriously understand more the meaning behind the scriptures and asks profound questions.

There other fun thing is I love our front room. It has the comfy overstuffed couches, the dimmed lighting and just the homely feeling that I love. If you are unsure about the couches, ask the dogs they are always taking a nap on them and I am forever vacuuming them free of dog hair.

I think part of the draw is fall seems to really be here and I want to put fuzzy socks on all the time.

But I love hearing the girls read from the scriptures the best.

Being Faithful

This week has hit our Ward family hard. For my non Mormon readers, a Ward is our church congregation. We had a grandmother pass away. The sweet grandmother was 100 years old. Two summers ago when we were youth conference parents we went to visit this sweet sister. Taking a bunch of 14-18 year old girls to see her was not exciting as first. They girls were not all into it until she just started talking and sharing what it was like when she was a young girl. Each one of those girls we took were touch to their very soul. The light of Christ was in this grandmothers eyes and these girls soaked in every word she had to say.

Another sister passed away, While I did not know her as well, I was one of her visiting teacher at one point a few years ago, I was not able to spend a lot of time with her. She did call me once and tell me to stop putting caramels in her care packages because they stuck to her teeth. It cracked my up.

A very dear person to PS is very sick and in the hospital. He is a father, a brother, a past bishop, a husband and a grandfather. He is many thing to many people. To PS he was her Seminary teacher last year. He was the person that PS went every morning to study scriptures with. All of the freshman youth went. He made her think, filled her head with spiritual things before school and had her think for herself on spiritual things. He is very sick and she has been very worried. When he was put into the hospital the whole group of seminary kids decided to fast. Fast for lunch and breakfast to pray for him and show their faith. The strength of the youth is very strong.

The situation arose that we along with some other were able to take lunch into his family. PS went with us and along with that she was able to actually go in and see him. She went in with his daughter that was also at one point her young women president. It was a moment for them. depending on each other to get through. When I think about it PS went with two of her past leaders. As I watcher her walk away to do this, I knew it would be hard but it was not my place to go. It was not my lesson to teach. I was just to be there afterward and support her. Ps said it was harder then she thought, but she talked to him. He is not awake at this point but she talked to him, expressed her love and just prayer for his strength.

The strength of the youth is strong and although PS is exhausted tonight, she is strong and seeing other peoples faith is a wonderful thing for her to see and to feel.

Irony in the wall quote

The wall quote I was putting up while Donnann was trying to reach me...

Just one lifetime will not be enough for this family.

Remembering

It was a year ago yesterday that I got the phone call that Danny was in the hospital. I remember I was putting up a wall quote and my cell, then home, then cell phone rang, I figured someone must be trying to get a hold of me.

It was Donnann.

Danny is going in for brain surgery, I need to you pray and ask for prayers on our scrapbooking board. I almost dropped the phone then went and threw up. Then I called Menji. She just sat on the phone, stunned. The adorable little guy that spent a couple of nights with us at the rental house. He was all boy and Menji loved it.

The next few days were a blur. I remember updating the scrapbooking board, texting her at all hours of the night and day. I remember wanting to be there but also knowing it was not time, there were others surrounding Donnann. I will always be grateful to her friends that took time to call when Donnann could not.

Today is one year since sweet Danny left this earth. I can not imagine this.

Please pray for their family today.

Where did fall go?

I think the shortened summer and early fall happened and we are headed right into winter. Brrrrrr.... It is too cold this morning. It is also gray, cloudy and yucky outside. We are suppose to get rain for the next few days and the recently burned areas are getting ready for the rain.

It usually happens that the fires come and when it is really bad then that is when the weather decides that is going to be raining the whole winter.

Here comes the rain. Wish us luck.

Finally got a completely awesome deal

So I needed milk tonight. Melanie DO NOT PANIC, I had less then a cup left. I have a thing about milk that I can not go below a half of gallon. It must be some traumatic childhood thing because I start FREAKING out if there is even a thought of running out of milk.

So I went to albertsons (Put your imagining head on cause I was too tired to take a picture)

2 gallons of milk
4 boxes of ritz crackerfuls (WE LOVE THESE) Had 3 $1 off coupons they were 4/$10, promotion for spending $10 gave you an automatic $3 savings

Spend $20, Get $5.00 off your next transaction Promo
Jif peanut butter (we go through it like water heree)
smuckers jam
smuckers uncrustables
Pillsbury Quick Bread (Got 2)
Pillsbury Easy Frost Frosting (Got 2)
Pillsbury Cake Mix (Got 2)

Pizza rolls (Got 3)
2 lbs of Gala Apples

So it came up to $41 and some change
Coupons took it to $28
Got a rebate check from Kraft today $20 (THANK YOU KRAFT)
Got a coupon for $5 next purchase

So I spent $3 in coupon language. I really spent $8 and some change HOWEVER that $5 off next purchase is free, so I really spent that $3.

WOW, I counted the item and it was like 19 things for $3. I like that kind of shopping.

Food Storage is slwoly going back up and I REALLY like that!

Catching up on the weekend

I will start with Thursday.

Thursday, Work and then off to JoAnn's with PGG, Cat and LeAnn. It was time to buy her fabric for her halloween costume. Anyone ever told you it is cheaper to make on then to buy one LIED to you. Laura Ingalls Wilder. Thank goodness for LeAnn cause she sews and I DO NOT!

Friday, work. Then we ran off to Ambers to catch cute adorable Tyler at baseball practice. Awwwww, she has the cutest kids! I dragged all this card stuff down with me. Did I do any of it? Nope, we chatted and did coupon stuff. Only Amber understand me and my obsession with coupons. It is only because she is hooked now too.

Saturday, General Conference (Mormon Stuff). We got to watch it on TV. A very important puppy name Bingley came over to meet our dogs. He is going to spend next weekend with us. He loved it and loved PS! Then we headed over to LeAnn's for a yummy dinner and some down time.

Sunday, more General Conference. IT was a wonderful conference! I was spiritually fed :) Then just down time with the girls.

It was a great weekend to relax!

Whoosh

That is the sound of my day and how fast it went.

WHHHHOOOOOOOSHHHHHHHH!!!!

I have been in training for a new system that is coming. So today, *I* went live on the system and was at a different place that already has it. I think I looked down and looked back up and SIX hours had flown by.

I told someone good morning and it is was 1 pm. ONE freaking PM!