3 strikes and yerrrrrr OUT!

Kristen showed me a very bad thing! What is that thing you might ask. Hot Chocolate from the mini marts. Yes!!! I had no idea you could get hot chocolate from a gas station. I learned a sad fact that not gas stations have the hot chocolate button on the coffee machine. She also shared with me that if you pour creamer into the cup it will make it even better. It is yummy on a cold day. I also learned not all mini marts are created equal and that some sell weak and pathetic hot chocolate. I mean come on people am I the only person on this earth who buys your hot chocolate?

We have had some cold days this past month and half. Last week we woke up to 14 + 16 deg mornings. That is just plain BURRRRRR Seriously we live in FLORIDA and I have thin blood and so I get cold easily. Just ask Mike and he will tell you. I carry blankets in my car along with extra clothing just for those chilly times.

On one of these early morning this past week I needed to be to a school very early in the morning and it was about an hour away from my house. I left a few minutes early so I could stop and get me a cup of hot chocolate. It was a great plan and a great way to start the morning or so I thought. While I was in getting my cocoa I thought to myself okay what can I grab for breakfast as well. Donuts yummmm but too fattening. A big muffin? No they said on the radio muffins are like eating cake. Too fattening.

I scanned the room and my eyes fell upon something that was a make shift McDee's breakfast sandwich. I know FATTENING! But is had a certain appeal to it and it was warm. Warmth is a major plus factor when it is so cold outside. So I grab the last one. Hey there is only one left so they must be good right?

I get into my car and the first thing I do is taste my hot chocolate... it's hot ... but very weak. Darn I think. I unwrap the breakfast sandwich and look at it. It's an English Muffin with an egg and a small sausage dog cut down the center and spread open and finally it has some yellowish cheese type substance on it. Okay, how bad can it be?

I take a bite when the hotness from that wiener rushes to all corners of my mouth. I pull the sandwich back to take a better look. This is one spicy dog. My brain says take it off and just eat the rest. But like a fool I continue to consume this spicy breakfast crap all the while saying to myself... this is bad!

About 3 weeks or so ago I was driving down to this same school with the same thoughts. I stopped at a different mini mart hoping to get a cup of cocoa. I find they have the machine and I am happy. I look around for something else to grab. Donuts yummmm but too fattening. A big muffin? No they said on the radio muffins are like eating cake. Too fattening. The same thought running in my head.

I spot a small fried chicken place within the mart. You know like Church's Fried Chicken but this one was called Chesters. I walk over to see what they have. You can order just about anything and it hot. This is a good sign! So I said, can I have a biscuit, bacon and cheese sandwich please? I watch as the old guy pulls out about 8 -10 slices of very crunchy bacon. He is doing something behind the window that I can't see. Hands me the wrapped sandwich. I pay for my meal and head out. I take a sip of my cocoa and it is sooo good. Just right! I unwrap my sandwich and there it is... a biscuit with a mound of crunchy bacon in the center of the biscuit and a slice of cheese. Just like I ordered and that's it. Nothing else. I guess I expect more but I just looked at it. My choice was to either eat it or throw it away. So I take the plunge and say why not? This is the south and it just might be good. I take my first bite into a towering biscuit filled with Bacon and a slice of cheese. It was crunchy to say the least and bacon fell all over me. I felt the fat rushing to my heart. I think to myself, well I wont be doing this again.

So the lessons I am slowing learning is... Don't buy breakfast at the mini mart unless you plan on buying packaged donuts or giant muffins. I might give one more chance to the mini marts of the world and hopefully it will redeem all the heart clogging breakfast I have had these past 2 months. But I think next time. I might just say.... do you have a banana?

Senior Discounts

Mike and I went down to Orlando Friday night and came home late last night. The temple is always the main reason why we go down to Orlando but there are also other things we enjoy doing like outlet shopping.

I must go back a bit for a moment and tell you that I went to the Eye Dr. in Dec and have been wearing bifocal contacts. When we he gave me the contacts to try on the distance was outstanding. Better than 20/20. The reading part was less then okay. It was blurry and I found that if I held things out far enough I could possibly read it. It proved to be a bit frustrating since I work at a computer almost all day and I read and write as well all day and none of this was fitting into the perfect and clear window like my new distant was. I found that my arms just weren't long enough to see and do everything. I went back and asked him if I needed trifocals. He said get some reading classes and that ought to help. So I did. And that proved to solve my problem for most things except one... I couldn't see the time nor the date on my watch face. So I searched for a face that was big enough for me to read both things. I found something at an outlet Timex store in Naples but it was actually a male watch. I figured if I changed the black band for a purple one it would solve that problem. I looked around town and no such luck. No feminine colored bands. I googled purple watch bands and did everything but push the pay button.

Since we were going to Orlando I thought I would wait to see if I found anything down there. We have our favorite places we hit up when we are in Orlando like VF Factory Outlet and other outlet stores. We had some pretty good luck yesterday. I found a watch band for my new BIG watch face. I asked the guy if he had a purple band. He laughed I took that as NO. But he pulled out about 20 different ones. Finally out came a cream soft looking band. That proved to be the one. Problem solved!

So I can now wear my bifocal contact with my big faced watch and feel confident in keeping track of my time and day. Life is looking up! As Mike and I wondered around in Orlando going from place to place our list was getting shorter and we realized it was about time to head back for home. It was also getting towards dinner time and we decided to stop at Golden Corral. I usually don't like these types of places as much as other places but this seemed like a good fit this time. We walked in, paid and found a seat. I claimed the table and stayed put until Mike came back. As I looked at our receipt with my new eyes I noticed something on there I have never seen before. Senior Discount!

Strange things happened inside my head. I was excited to see if we actually saved anything and then in a split instant within my new found joy crept unhappiness. We aren't old enough to have a senior discount I thought!!!! What is wrong with that lady. Did she see my bifocal contacts and my extra big watch? Did she notice all the gray in my hair? Do we even look like we are old enough to have a discount???? Na we don't look that old! I kept thinking....we certainly don't look like we are old enough to be eligible for a discount?? Maybe she needs my bifocal contacts and big watch faces. As the drama played in my head back and forth I finally decided it wasn't so bad. I asked Mike if he had seen anything on the slip that was odd. He said ya the senior discount. The discussion ensued the same way it had gone on in my head. We determined that hey if they are willing to give us a discount then we darn well deserve it.

So I say... hit me up babe! Give me those discounts! I'm a senior and darn proud of it!

Jan 25, 1984

I would like to CELEBRATE ALYSE today because it's her Birthday and I am so happy Heavenly Father put her into our family. I remember very well the day when I had Alyse. She came into the world very quick. I guess she couldn't wait to get here. She came 2 weeks early and my labor was only 2 hours long. Yes from first contraction until I was back in a recovery room, 2 hours. I was so excited to hold in my arms a little girl and she was going to be in our family.

My dad use to call Alyse, "White Lightening." She was quick! Alyse learned to walk when she was 7-8 months old. And as soon as she could walk she was climbing on everything. We were at a park one day and I happen to look at the top of a very BIG jungle gym and there stood Alyse teetering back and forth in front of a steep slide. Terror went through my soul as I tried to get her to sit down. There was no way I could race to the top and rescue her. After much coaxing and prayer she finally sat down on her bum and then came down the big steep slide no year old should be on. As soon as she came down she headed right back up. I grabbed her hand and we went off to try other smaller things. But she was quick and loved heights! Alyse also has the ability to make friends where ever she is. She could tell you all the names of the children on the play ground. Did I mention that she talked early as well!

Alyse is a very smart cookie. She will tell you otherwise but she is very quick at picking things up and learning. When I think of Alyse as a child I see lots of blond hair bouncing as she would run and climb. She was given the nickname Lisse Belle by my mother.

I have been very proud of Alyse as she has grow in her life. She has always had the right things within her sight. A testimony has always burn strong and bright within her soul. The most amazing day came last year when Alyse set a goal and we all went to the temple with her. There is nothing better in this life nor quite as wonderful in this world as to see your daughter standing in all white in the House of the Lord. These are the moments when you understand just a fraction of the joy Heavenly Father feels when we return home to him. This must be heaven I thought that day. She still has blond hair and it still bounces but now in a different way. She returns often to the temple and she loves being there.

I love to hear Alyse laugh and to talk to her about the gospel. She sends me funny stuff during the day via email and sometimes it is just what I needed to make my day better. She truly is everything a mother would want in a daughter. Happy Birthday Alyse!! I love you without measure!

Jan 14, 1986

So today I decided I wanted to celebrate a few individuals who have come into my life. I wish I had thought to do this sooner in the month but alas some great ideas just don't come right away. The first person I would like to celebrate is Robby.

Robby came into the world on his due date. He's always been an obedient child and always done what the Dr. tell him to do even sleeping through the night at 2 weeks old! Robby also came into this world as a fighter. Ya he has had struggles in parts of his life but he has proven nothing could defeat him. This has helped make him who he is today. An AMAZING Person!

I am thankful Heavenly Father sent you into our family for so many reason. Most of all because he is just wonderful to be with. Rob has always been pretty easy going and pretty level headed. I can count the number of times on one hand we have had some issues.

Rob is by far one of the hardest workers I have ever known. For example when he was 14 he got a job as a bagger. Florida Law say that anyone under 15 or 16 can't work very often. I think maybe 2 evening shifts and they must be off my 8:00 I think. When it got closer to summertime Rob started to pick up extra hours. If he heard someone couldn't work he would ask them if he could have their hours. Even the older baggers. He was working a ton of hours and raking in the money.

School had started up again he was in a culinary arts program in high school. Another well known fact about Rob is he is a fantastic cook. He has a knack of walking into a pantry pulling out a few things and making them all work to taste wonderful. Before Rob was 15 he had decided no more bagging. He wanted to cook. He hit the road and I think applied everywhere he could and yet he heard the same thing over and over again. Sorry your too young. He finally met Dick. Dick hired Rob to pretty much do the grunt work in his restaurant. That was all Rob needed was a break and a chance to shine. He worked his way up from brass polisher to Souse Chief. This attribute has been played over and over again in his life.

Robby I know this is a bit late but I just wanted you to know I think you are wonderful and I am so thankful Heavenly Father sent you to our family. Through you we have seen glimpses of Heaven. You are truly a special child of our Heavenly Father's. Happy 23rd Birthday son. Wish you could have been here with us to celebrate it. We love you without measure!

Jan 16, 2009

So it has been 2 weeks since I went back to work. I dreaded my Jan work schedule. Something about getting up in the wee hours of the morning and most days getting home after dark not to mention way to much stress. But I can honestly say that this has not been the dreaded month I thought it might be. This is a great thing! I owe it to a couple of things I have learned.

1. There is a Heavenly Father who listens to prayers. I pray every morning for miracles to happen in my life that day. I give Him some ideas of what kind of miracles would be amazing and so far most of those ideas/miracles have come to past. I have prayed that time would slow down so that everything I needed to accomplish would get accomplished. It did. I asked that everyone I work with would be able to be quick and the students we worked with would be quick as well so we could get everything done. They were! And then at night when I talk to Heavenly Father again all's I can say is THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Thank you! I know you walked with me today!

2. God's Grace is active in our lives TODAY! I pray for His grace to attend me all day so that I can accomplish more then I possibly can by myself and I do get it all done! Grace is wonderful and is truly active in our lives everyday if we ask. I have seen him extend my abilities many times. In fact sometimes I want to stand with my mouth open as I see it happening. I try to not do that in case it might cause some people to wonder if something bad it about to happen to me.

3. Priesthood Blessings bring peace to ones mind as we walk into the world each day. It is wonderful to have the Priesthood in our home and to be able to seek help with that power. Mike gave me a blessing and blessed me with health... so far so good! Not even a sniffle. 2 weeks down 3 more to go! And I smile as I go into the schools and sit with students who have all sorts of ills!



4. Faith is needed in what we do all day long. I read a short summery of Elder Hollands talk that he gave at BYU on Tues I think. He said something about faith that I had never thought of. He was talking about Lot's wife... (and I would encourage you to seek his whole talk out but it isn't up yet but you can read what I did.) http://deseretnews.com/article/1%2C5143%2C705277304%2C00.html

"We remember that faith is always pointed toward the future — faith always has to do with blessing and truths and events that will yet be efficacious in our lives," he said. "So a more theological way to talk about Lot's wife is to say she did not have faith. She doubted the Lord's ability to give her something better than she had. Apparently she thought — fatally as it turned out — that nothing that lay ahead could possibly be as good as those moments she was leaving behind."

I love that faith is always pointed towards the future. This still causes me to say... hummmmmmmm I need to ponder more on this wonderful idea.

5. The Lord blesses us with people to help us along the way. I needed to hire more testers. 8 more to be specific. I hate hiring. I think to myself when they are talking... so are you lying to me? As each one would walk in I would say ... Heavenly Father let me know if I should hire this person. I always got the answer and even thought I might have said... wow.. I think I might have missed on that person. I have come to discover they are wonderful! I have 18 people who work under me and so far they are amazing people who support me in what I ask them to do. When we need to get things done it gets done. I have made some good friends who I am glad to know and have in my life. I know they were all brought to me from Heaven!

So there you have it. I have learned some wonderful things these past 2 weeks! Life is amazing!

Airboat ride

Our Anniversary Trip