I was

 talking with Misty on the phone about what she bought with the birthday money we sent her.  She had gone shopping with a friend a few days after her birthday, and her friend knows all the good high-end thrift stores.  She got some amazing deals.

Misty said she was telling her friend that I would love it, because I love clothes, and love good deals.  She told her friend that when she was growing up, I would say, "We don't have a lot of money, and we don't buy boats and things like that, but we can always buy cute clothes."   

Now, I don't remember saying that, but according to Misty, I said it often enough to make an impression on her.

Don't let it ever be said that I didn't teach my children what's important in life.

Last night we had a very

nice dinner with Gary and Lynn at the Communal Restaurant.  It was also Gary's 76th birthday yesterday, as well as Lucienne's.  The nice thing about this meal was that it was paid for by Charlene and Greg.   They had given Gary and Lynn a gift certificate for Christmas and one to me for my birthday.

We held onto them so long because we wanted to find a time when we could go to dinner there with the gift givers.  But, we hadn't been able to find a time.  We thought it was time to use them.

Thanks, Charlene and Greg.

This adorable little

girl is 5 years old today!    

Tiffany took all the Splish Splash decorations to re-use for Lucienne's birthday party.  Luci told everyone that she was having a Splish Splash Party like Grandmas, but not with the suckers.  (The homemade suckers definitely did not go over big with her!)  

 Lucienne is full of life and love, and she is adored by everyone.  Tiffany said all of the other kid's friends want to spend time with Luci because she is so cute.  I think she spontaneously told me she loved me at least 100 times when she was here this summer, and she is that way with everyone.   I Love Luci is very appropriate for her.  

Tiffany sent these pictures of the cake and cupcakes that she made for her party today.    
 

 The cupcake decorations are Mike and Ike's put on toothpicks for popsicles.  I've never seen that before, and it is so cute.

Happy Birthday Lucienne!

I wish I were there to give you a hug, but this will have to do.

I could get used to this . . .

I don't like Natalie being unemployed (and she won't be after Monday), but I could get used to having her drop by in the day.  I sent her on a lunch run to Zupas and then she came back and we ate together while I worked.   She had also picked up some super-strong sticky mouse traps that we strategically placed for maximum benefit.   

I am so blessed to have wonderful daughters! 

Fudge

Natalie dropped by this

morning after a job interview, and it was fun to spend the day with her.    We visited and, while I worked, we watched a few shows.   She has a couple of offers on jobs, and it looks like she is taking one doing customer support.  Then this evening we went to Chili's for dinner (because Gary gets free Queso and Chip emails every week).  

Then Natalie and I (along with Gary) were on a mission   A very serious mission.  We went to 5 different stores until we found the fly paper mouse traps.  Yes, I hate to admit it, but we have had mouse sitings again.  A couple of years ago we had mice and caught 8.  Then I thought we were free of them because I've kept traps out with no captures.  It seems that now we have some bold ones.  We've all had at least one siting.   (I was just reading in the paper that mice can go through holes as small as a pencil eraser.)

Natalie and I agree that we are somewhat hypocritical, as we are are creeped out about the mice and want them gone, yet we don't want to be the ones to deal with the trapped ones.  Gary has to do that.   We don't want to do the dirty work, we just want them gone.  Fortunately, Gary is not so fickle.  So his assignment is to check all the traps in the mornings when he gets up.  That way he can dispose of them if any are caught, and I don't have to feel sorry for the poor little things.  

Yes, I know:  Hypocritical.  Fickle.  Little Red Hen (want the mice gone but don't want to work for it).

Thanks, dear.        
 
   

 

It is actually starting to feel

a little bit like fall is in the air.   I love autumn.  It is by far my favorite season.  There are several things I always make when I start to feel like fall is on its way.  I made apple crisp for after the ball game on Friday. And today I made Roasted Zucchini and Tomato Pasta and fresh peach pie.

Yup, it's starting to feel like fall, and I love it.   Now I need to make some zucchini bread and pumpkin chocolate chip muffins and for sure fall will be here.

This is

me after working down in the deep for 9 hours today.

Timpview home game

Gary is doing stats.  I'm sitting with Lynn and Deb Lewis.

Because today is Misty's

38th birthday, I pulled out the binder with her 8x10 pictures in it.

.   Here is a trip down memory lane

with our beautiful daughter.

From birth to 19 years old.

We love you, Misty 

and feel so blessed to have you as our daughter.

 

I was thinking about

Mom today.  Mom was always very content.  If something needed doing, she would do it, and then she would feel fine about reading or crocheting or spending her time on what she wanted.

I wish I could be more like that.  Even when I'm relatively caught up, I'm thinking about what I could, should, or need to be doing.   That does not breed contentment, but rather breeds discontent and anxiety.  I want contentment.  

So I'm trying to consciously enjoy and be in the moment.  Not to dwell on what is undone, unfinished, or imperfect.   Rather to enjoy what IS.
      

We learned something very important

tonight.   I was craving chocolate cake and so Gary went to Magleby's Fresh to buy a piece.  He placed his order at the bakery and said that he was ordering for his wife and that she would want a piece with lots of frosting.  Guess what she said?  That she could give a container with extra frosting (for free) if he wanted.

Wow!  I just wanted to pass on that very valuable information.
 

I've got to

Get some routines in place.  I have been reviewing the flylady system and downloading the apps to my phone znd tablet.   I've been contemplating it very seriously. So seriously tbat I've read through it several times. So seriously that I'm even blogging about it.  So seriously that I'm lying in the dark in the sunroom willing myself to get up, shine the sink, clean off a hot spot (place where you let things pile up), etc.

Tomorrow I will start for sure . . .

We had a dinner tonight at Gary and Lynn's

It was a sort of good bye/baby shower for Lauren and Jake. They are moving to Texas for a job. Gary and Lynn will really miss them. They are such a cute couple. 

We went to

the movie, "Jobs" this afternoon.  It is about Steve Jobs the founder of Apple computers.   He was about our age, so the timeline with the progression of computers was something we could relate to.  

Sometimes it is hard to remember what life was like before we had personal computers.   It has basically changed everything from how we communicate, to how we learn, to how we read, to how we spend our time, to what jobs are available, and to how we shop.

When I was at BYU in 1973, I had one computer class and it was one of those punch card programs.  It truly is unbelievable how different life is now.  There is no doubt that, in my lifetime, the most life changing invention has been that of computers and the development of the Internet.    Without it, well, I wouldn't be typing the blog entry.   (Now if that isn't stating the obvious, I don't know what would be)

 

Yesterday I finished up my part of

Gary's room.   We bought cork board and put it up for a bulletin board and I cut letters on my Cricut machine that say "Wall of Fame."   Gary will use the bulletin board to post pictures and articles about the achievements by his students.  I'll take pictures of the room when the desks and everything are put together.

I'm so happy he will have a nice space for the final years of his teaching.  The last few years have been discouraging for him as his technology responsibilities have been taken away.   And last year he had to teach a couple of math classes, so he had 5 very different preps.   This year he submitted to start a couple of new computer classes, and a lot of students signed up.   While it will be a lot of preparation for him, he is excited by the challenge and excited to have a new environment.    That makes me happy.          

We have had our

share of funerals the last little while.  At the end of July, Gary's Aunt Zelma passed away and we went to her graveside service.  He now has only one aunt still living (Aunt Betty)  

Then last week we went to our bishop's mothers viewing.  She had suffered from Alzheimer's for 14 years, so though any death is hard no matter what,  in cases like that you can feel happy for them.   Our friend and neighbor, John Avery, passed away last Saturday of a brain tumor.  He first realized something was wrong in December when he kept falling on one side while skiing.  He went through surgery and treatments, but it was very aggressive.   His funeral is tomorrow.

Funerals are definitely a time of retrospection.  We are reminded our own mortality.  We suffer for those who are feeling the void in their lives.  And I am always motivated to live a little better, as we never know when our turn will come.   It always makes me very grateful to know that death in this life is not the end, and that those relationships we cherish here can continue on.



  

We went to

We picked up Gary and Lynn and went to Salt Lake to meet Richard and Charlene and Greg for dinner.  Before going to dinner we went to see Richard's new apartment.   He has fixed up his new place so it is very comfortable and nice.  

It has been hard to see him going through this separation and divorce with Laraine. They have been married for 17 years and we have many good memories.  Richard seems to be doing well, but I know it is hard for him.   I'm grateful for Charlene and her family who helped him transition and move him into his new apartment.  

As always, we enjoyed our time with the family.

Yesterday afternoon

I was just plain tired.  I told Gary that I would go up to the school to help with his room in the morning (which I did today).  Then I went out on the hammock and read for several hours.  It was a little windy and cooler, and it felt wonderful.   When Gary came home, and found me lazing out there, he joined me.  We went in when it started to sprinkle a little and went down to our usual spots in the family room with our computers  We need to do that more often.  The hammock, not the computers.

 

 Views from the hammock.

 

When something seems too

good to be true, it usually is.   That is a common quote and one that has hit home to Natalie.

Remember the job doing customer service for a vacuum company.  It was really a ploy to lure unsuspecting "customer service reps" into selling vacuums.  It started with them training to just be presenters of the vacuums.  Then it morphed into the "customer service rep" going around in a van where they are dropped off at a home, to an appointment that a salesman would supposedly have made, to give a presentation on the virtues of the vacuum.  They supposedly don't have to sell, as after the presentation a salesman comes back to see if the customer wants to buy.  

After a couple of days of training, they wanted the "customer service reps" to set up at least 6 appointments to practice on their friends and  family.  Which then morphed Natalie into practicing with us (she did a great job).  But, she was supposed to call her supervisor three different times during the presentation, and each time he was strong arming her, to strong arm us, into buying.  It was ridiculous.  The price started at $2995.00, but for us he would do $1595.00.  

They totally misrepresented the job and themselves.  As she talked to other members of the "team" who were also hired as "customer service reps" they shared the same stories.  The vacuum, a Kirby, is a good one.  But the misleading methods they are using to lure people in, is not good.   As far as I'm concerned, it borders on unethical.    

I think the salary would not have been as represented either.  Each day there was one more little caveat added.   It probably would have morphed into that they could "possibly make that much, but they would need to make so many sales and set up their own appointments."    That's me just surmising.    Fortunately, Natalie only wasted 3 days on them.

I'm an upset Mama bear.




    

It has been a full

And good day.  For several years one of my church callings has been to take care of a handicapped boy who is now 11.  From the time I first started, he has progressed quite a bit.  When I was doing it alone, I pretty much did whatever he wanted to do just to keep him happy, which mostly consisted of dancing for him. 

This last year another woman in the ward, Jill, just volunteered to help me.  It has made such a difference.   She is a special education teacher,  and she knows how to work with children with disabilities. We have set rules, like he doesnt get a snack unless we are in our room sitting down.  He is much happier having routines and he is much smarter than you would know.  He doesnt talk, but he is able to synchronize an ipad and an ipod so they are in the exact same place in a movie.  He is able to match letters and numbers,  The real reward comes when he makes eye contact and smiles.  I think about what an amazing spirit he must have inside his disabled body,  I used to dread doing it when I was doing it alone because I was never sure about what to do or how to handle situations. I felt so badly when he would get on the floor and kind of wail.  But with Jill helping and with knowing that we can set rules and that he can follow them, it has become very rewarding.   I think of his Mom who faces the challenges with both of her children who have fragile x syndrome, and I feel such admiration

Gary has moved into a new room

at school.  It has been an amazing undertaking because he has not only had to move everything from his office and classroom, but also set up what used to be the drafting room into a computer room.  He has literally spent weeks working on it, but it is going to be really nice for him to have the bigger space.

One morning, when the family was here, Gary took all the kids and Misty and Tiffany over with him and they helped him do some moving.

Then when Jackson came, Gary had him earn some of his birthday present by helping him with some of the heavy stuff for a few hours.     Duke spent several hours over there helping him set up computers, which was really nice.

Until now, I've been the only person who hasn't helped.  However, for our anniversary I got him some picture frames and a promised to spend 8 hours at the school helping him set it up and make it more ascetically beautiful.    I didn't get in 8 hours today (and Gary is keeping strict tabs on it at 3 3/4 hours), because I had my quilting class and met with Loralee for 3 hours in the afternoon.   But Gary said it was the best anniversary present ever and that I need to give him that every year.

Here is the room so far.  (Just so you know, the desks will be arranged so the cords aren't showing, which is very important aesthetically)   These pictures are really for Misty, as she was totally in her element over there organizing and setting up.  She wants to see the progress.  

I've done my

usual cramming for class.   I still need to finish my 11 quilt squares by tomorrow, but I'm almost done.

Today I pulled this off the

Wall in our bedroom.  

 Here is what is taped on the back:

It was falling apart (unlike our marriage 39 years ago today)

So I undid it and tidied it up a bit.  

I can't believe I held on to all this memorabilia

(and labeled it) 

from when we were in Jr. High.

Memory Box
Made in Honor of our 6th Wedding Anniversary
Love, Annette   8/80

It was all I could do to not let Gary try some of the 33 year old candy that was sitting out uncovered when he came home.  (I know the grandchildren can relate)

Seriously, though.  There is no one I would rather share my life with than Gary.  

I've loved the song, "Can I have this Dance," since the first time I heard it.  I almost cry every time I hear it because it fits so perfectly what I feel:

I'll always remember the song they were playin'

The first time we danced and I knew

As we swayed to the music and held to each other

I fell in love with you

Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?

Would you be my partner then every night?

When we're together it feels so right

Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?

I'll always remember that magic moment

When I held you close to me

As we moved together, I knew forever

You're all I'll ever need

Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?

Would you be my partner every night?

When we're together it feels so right

Could I have this dance for the rest of my life?

. . . and through eternity.