My IT girl

It started out as an innocent Sunday.  We went to church, came home and I started dinner.  During some down time in the afternoon I decided it would be a good time to update my phone.  All those that know me know that I am not the most phone savvy person, nor am I the most sharp computer person.  After checking in with those of higher intelligence I deleted enough stuff on my phone to start the update.  No problem.  Then upon completion, I was a asked a number of questions which were way over my head so I once had a consultation with my IT girl.  That would be Brooke.  She was awesome at guiding me along.  Then the bomb dropped.  My phone was asking me for a password  with a keyboard and no password I have ever conjured up would work.  I was locked out.  First it was for a short time and then I was locked out for an hour.  Being locked out of my phone for an hour is like being separated from my family for a year.  There is unbelievable discomfort in that thought.  My IT girl worked fiercely at googling my problem and the IT girl’s husband even called on my behalf.  A solution was offered and we crossed our fingers and tried it.  My advice for any of you that are thinking about updating your phone – get your own IT girl, she is taking care of me and my issues.

It’s beginning to look a lot like . . .

I love this time of year.  There is a chill in the air.  The leaves are falling.  We clean up the trash in the yard.  The furnace kicks on.  Hatcher’s nose is red from a walk to the cottage.  There is termination dust on the mountains.  I layer my clothing more.  Permanent funds are coming.  Mike orders his plow for the six-wheeler.  The patio furniture is preparing to be retired.  I am ready to mow the lawn to clear the leaves.  I have frosty car windows in the morning.  I close all the double paned windows tightly.  Our room is freezing at night because Mike leaves the window open and the fan on.  I’m thinking of pumpkins more and I’m ready to ‘harvest out’ our house.

Rambutan

Our school received a grant where we receive fresh fruit periodically throughout the school year.  It has been wonderful to taste strawberries, blueberries, plums, kiwi, star fruit, grapes and so on. The kids have been stellar at trying each piece of fruit we give them and often ask for more.  Today, we received rambutan.  I now question what God’s motives were in creating this monstrosity of a thing that I am told is a fruit.  A picture is worth a thousand words so without further need for an explanation, here is a photo.

I could not get past the hair.  I couldn’t do it.  Some of this kids ate it and said it tasted like a grape and that it was real sweet.  Rambutan is a tropical fruit that comes from Malaysia.  One article said rambutan would be the next popular super fruit.  And yes, it is known as the hairy fruit.   You can dare me on anything  and I will probably do it.  You can ask me to be a good example and I will try.  Nothing, nothing inside me will ever get that hairy fruit past my brain block and my internal visual senses and into my body.  No, no, never never, uh uh uh.

Babies Cry

“You call it chaos, we call it family.”  I experienced a tender mercy today in Walmart of all places.  I was shopping for the food for our activity tomorrow night and was at the checkout counter watching my food items coming across the belt.  The cashier was not too talkative, she just dutifully scanned and bagged my things.  As I waited and watched I noticed a family off to my right with two carts filled with food.  One of the carts had a baby seat, with the baby in it, and food stuff all around her.    There were a number of children standing around the carts along with mom who was shuffling food around to make room. The baby started to cry.  At first it was a little and then she was quite upset.  As I glanced back I saw the cashier staring at the mother and the family.  Her face said it all.  She was frustrated and ‘put out’ at the crying that was coming our way.  She stopped and glared as my food items sat.    I didn’t quite know what to say.  I wasn’t bothered by the crying.  I was actually admiring all her children and how neat they were and how beautiful their braided red hair was.  I was dumbfounded not knowing what to do – when the lady behind me said, “Isn’t it wonderful to see such a big family these days.”  I said I agreed.  I said that I had seven children myself and noticed this mother had seven too.”  I was so grateful to her for being brave and honest.  She was fully aware of the situation and tenderly took it to a new level.  Our cashier was disgusted and angry.  She saw chaos and we saw family.  All seven of my children are incredible and great and we are one big family.

Projects

I think I use the word projects a lot in my home because I always have projects.  This week we are doing a three pumpkin wood set for Enrichment on Thursday evening.  Shari and I were asked to head up the project so tonight she came over and we worked on it.  Mike and I cut all the wood on Saturday and scored most of the blocks.  Tonight, I finished scoring while Shari sanded.  She is painting a promo as we speak.  That project sits under the carport waiting for loading on Thursday.  I have another project in my craft room waiting for Saturday when we head to Galene’s for our day of fun.  I am cutting another project for the Young Women for General Conference.   I suppose because I am a woman with projects I am getting easier to buy for.  Tonight we used my brand new belt sander.  Gosh I am a spoiled gal.

The Cottage Update

A cottage is looking more like a cottage now that the shingles have been put on.  A bit of a harrowing experience for us, let alone Devin, watching him shingle with a very steep pitch and all by himself.  Now that the drips are securely out of the cottage he can start doing the drywall next.  It has been fun following along with the cottage progress.  Brooke does a great job updating the family with pictures so visually we kind of have an idea.  I do the “drive around” which means I drive around our loop the other way so I can take a quick glance at how things look.  When asked how things were going with the roof the other day I just walked to my bedroom, looked out window, through the trees and saw Devin high above the world flinging and nailing shingles.  “Oh, things are well,  He has about half of the back side all done.”  Occasionally I have to ask the order of things.  I want to know about MEA and Enstar and who is doing what and when it is happening. The cottage in the woods is transforming and being polished into the best thing of all, a home in the woods.

Rock Bottom

Our dishwasher had its farewell wash last week.  Actually if I didn’t flip the breaker it would still be washing.  I begged, pleaded, banged and babied my machine to see if I could just get a few more cleanings out of it.  Kaput!!  This morning I got up early and decided I would get it unhooked and unscrewed and haul it out so I could go get a new one.  As my process began I was soon aware that since we had put a new floor in there would not be sufficient room for the dishwasher to be pulled out.  Ughh.  I surveyed our options.  They weren’t pleasant.  We could take out the floor, which would mean removing the stove too and then take out the dishwasher and install the new one, then replace the floor.  Secondly we could replace the wooden molding that is around the countertop but once that was started it would probably mean replacing it all.  I was so downtrodden and upset.  I headed to the bedroom, got my coat on, fixed my hair and then as Mike must have heard my huffing and puffing I unloaded my horrific news.  Five minutes later, he was on the kitchen floor checking out our problem.  Now we get to the point where I realize he is the engineer and I am not.  You see, if you just screw down the little legs there is enough room for the unit to be pulled out.  Lesson learned.  Don’t overreact.  Remember his brain works differently than mine.  Lastly, the rock bottoms in our lives aren’t always that bad.  After all, my new dishwasher has been purchased and will be installed shortly.

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Ballard vs Allan

Two good men.  Two men with great hair.  Two men that look alike.  Two men that are admired and loved by many.  Two men who serve the Lord and are great examples of service.  Two men who have made a difference in the lives of people and are revered by each of their children.  Two men who are seen in the temple often.  Two men, one of which is an Apostle and the other one is my dad.  What a lucky girl I am.  

Rhea County

A phenomenal night for the Young Women.  We gathered at the Mahoy’s home and did family history with Tiffany Steiner as our leader and coach.  Ryan Ponder came to see what we were doing  and how we were running our program.  I was proud and pleased that eleven girls were gathered around two tables digging through their ancestors searching for information.  They accepted the temple challenge and are now numbered among 17,000 other youth that have done so.  We gathered the girls together to take a picture.  I am so proud of their work.  Rhea found a John Styers going through our family and he was born in Rhea County, Tennessee.  I can now claim “divine intervention” in giving her that name.  Woo hoo girls.

A Peach

My husband loves peaches.  We all know it and we all try to provide Mike with as much peach pleasure as possible.  During the summer I checked in with the fruit guy on the side of the road in Rexburg, Idaho to ask when the best peaches would be coming in.  Mike still talks about the peaches he got last year on his trip down there.  On this trip, Kyla and Mike picked up his peaches and Kyla, Micah and Lane were provided with their own little peach supply before his return home.  Micah made him fresh peach crisp for dessert for Sunday’s dessert. We all joked that Mike’s list of reasons for the latest trip were as follows: 1. peaches 2. Lane’s Utah State game 3. Blaze and Hinckley.   Not only does Mike love peaches, he is a peach.  Look what was on our counter the morning after he returned home.