Here We Go

It's time I guess. I'm just going to get it out there. There comes a time in every large person's life when you have to look at really tough things. Well, I've been looking, and I've come to the decision that I am going to have gastric bypass surgery. I know, I know, everyone has an opinion about the idea, and that's ok. I'm even open to you sharing if you'd like. And I hope that there is a time I can share all my thought processes and reasonings right back.

It took a lot of time, education, hurt, and health for me to come to the decision. But I have gotten there, and I'm excited!! I am not nervous or afraid. I only have high hopes for the process. I do not expect this to be an "easy way out", neither do I expect the out come to be particularly pretty. But I hope for a long healthy life! I hope for energy and enthusiasm. I hope for an all around positive, difficult, awesome, scary, hard, great outcome!

Now, bummer that haven't blogged in a while and this is all you are getting, but, this is all you are getting. Tomorrow maybe I'll go back to telling you how great my kids are and shareing all the cool things they are doing again. But for today it's about me and life changing, drastic, necessary decisions.

Smiles everyone! (Remember that guy from Fantasy Island?) :)

Beautiful Day

A picture is worth a thousand words. Since I'm blogging from the iPad I dont have one, but I wish I did. It would be of my friend Lyndi, with a huge smile on her face. Today she was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Her faith and her willingness astound me! Her humility and her testimony inspire me. She is a beautiful soul! I am a better person becaus of my association with her! Her spirit lifts me!

Lyndi's life has been anything except smooth sailing. I can not think of a person I have met who has trials like hers. She grew up in conditions that a child should never experience. She was disowned by her family many, many years ago. She has no family other than her own biological chidren and step children. Yet, Lyndi is soft, is aware of beauty around her and is totally in tune with the spirit.

Today she said, "I am resolute! I have no doubt that what I am doing is the right thing." I am so blessed to be her friend!

Dear Marina

Dear Marina,CA,

It's flattering that friends and family enjoy my blog, or at least look at it every once in a while so I don't feel like I am writing to no one... But,I can't figure out who you are. So, if I know you please reveal yourself.

I understand it if I don't know you. I mean, I blogstock every once in a while too. But, it may be getting a bit serious. For a couple of days now you've been hanging around. You have been to my friends sites too, and frankly it's starting to freak me out a bit.

Please feel free to tell me I'm crazy and that you're my long lost cousin. I'd love to visit or something. I need a good trip to the northern coast! We can really connect out in the open.

Sincerely, your loving novice blogger,
Billie

ramblings and stuff

Oh... *heavy sigh*... I don't have a computer to write on lately. Its a pain because when I want to write I can't. At least not very easily. Right now I'm writing on an iPad, with the three finger hunt and peck method. Don't like it much... But I have thoughts to get out.

Nearly every week or day or month or minute it seems like I am watching my kids grow before my eyes. It's humbling as a mother to watch them. Tonight Baillie grew up a little. She went to her first volley ball practice. Papa took her and the situation was scary for her, for various reasons. When she got home she let out her fear and cried. But, because I wasn't there she had to deal with it on her own. I told her, "you grew up some tonight." She agreed. Since the new year this sweet girl has continued to be our catalyst for scripture reading. It has been so nice. I love this girl with all my heart.

Carter had a couple of presentations at the school tonight. His Teachers Quarm came to support him. His teacher said to me, "I just love Carter, he is so smart". And you can tell he really does. Carter is the kind of boy you want your kids to hang around with. Last week he was in honor band, (he was amazing and wonderful in it... Cuz I said so), we carpooled with his friend Katherine. He was so kind and gentleman like. He didn't open the door for her, but when we went to her house he got out of the front seat, then sat in the back by her. They are just friends but it seemed like he wanted to make her comfortable. He is a sweet boy. Always.

Kendahl brightened my evening tonight with her smile. She has a beautiful smile and a cute little giggle. I worry a lot about her, with this being her senior year and all the college stuff. I fear how adulthood and life will treat her. But... If she takes her smile and her giggle with her she'll get through anything.

And finally... My nearly adult 7 year old is just as amazing as all three of the others! I write often about him.

I'm blessed. Very blessed!!

Just wanted to say all of that. I wish I could type in a regular manner and then I would be able to write a lot more.

brussel sprouts, sand and good news!

Yes, I love brussel sprouts.  Just needed to get that out. 

But the good news is...  Kendahl got into BYU (Provo)!!!!  after waiting for what seemed like forever we finally found out last night.  She was excited like I've never seen her before. Little eeks and screams through a HUGE smile!  So sweet and exciting from her. I'm happy for her and I'm worried about all that will have to get done to get her there!  I'm not so good at the stress that comes from working out all the details of life.  But I'll do my best to help this girl out and then she'll have to do the rest!  We are so proud of her!!

Well, the sand is just about a camping thing. We had a great time camping last week.  Here's a little bit of what I wrote from my phone while we were camping. 

I want to blog, but were camping and for some reason my droid won't let me type on blogger. Its a bummer.


We're in the most south eastern corner of California at some dunes called Buttercup. It's our first experience camping at the dunes. Its like camping at the beach but with no ocean!

We had our old quads all fixed up for the occasion and we were so excited... they worked for half a day and then one by one they died. Our at least got pretty sick. We were so bummed. We have really old quads. One year 2000 quad runner 250, one 1987 Honda Odyssey, and a 1981 Honda 70. I told you they were old. But the were all fixed up. Is it too much to ask that they work for just a while?

We are here with some friends from Arizona. They have 3 other families that they are here with. So 5 families all together. We have the most humble quads here. Scott and I talked about it and its ok. We don't need anything fancy. It's addicting here. When you see all the quads and sand rails all the fun, you think you have to have it. You really want it. It's tempting. But them you say, "golly, we really can't afford this, we really don't need it, and we have so many other fun things in or life."
 
And after I wrote that I wrote more, but it didn't save...  What I said was how great our kids are.  How fun it is to sit around in the trailer and just talk about nothing, laugh our heads off, watch Baillie laugh until she cry's.  We had a lot of fun with each other.  When we were heading out and we had our prayer Scott said in the prayer, "let us be friends", and we were.  We are!!  I love my family so much!

I know the scriptures are true.

In Primary we are learning about the scriptures. The kids have been challenged to read their scriptures as many times in the week as possible.  In the past it's been a struggle for us as a family to find a time to read.  The older kids are off to seminary at such an early hour in the morning, that didn't work, and then in the evenings everyone is going their own way, that hasn't worked either.  But for the past couple of months, the young ones have pushed us to do it.  The desires of our children to do what is right is amazing to me!  They are such a good examle to me.  They truely want to do what is right.

We aren't perfect, but we are doing much better!  Several times a week we have opened the scriptures and read them in our home.  Sometimes it is just the two younger children who read with mom and dad, sometimes we get the older ones to participate too.  But whom ever is there, they are getting spiritually fed.  That makes me happy!

Believeable Smile

When you saw the smile on this boy, did you believe it? It's sweet, but it lacks energy! Just like him. Home sick, fun... but not really. Who wouldn't rather be out running around? Lucky mom gets to stay home too. But I'd rather him feel better and have to be working. I love this boy!

How we Super Bowl

Sunday, a special day. Superbowl on Sunday? Not us...

Sunday morning Baillie says, "can we watch the Superbowl today?"

I say, "really? You want to watch the Superbowl? Why?" I think it's because it's so she can be in the conversation at school tomorrow. Or maybe she has a crush on a boy who loves football. I don't know. But tonight we have the missionaries over for dinner. And lucky enough, both being from Canada, they don't care about football!

After Church we make yummy dinner, we cook cream of broccoli soup, salad and homemade rolls. We talk and enjoy the afternoon. We eat chocolate Oreo pie. The missionaries give us a thought and we talk about missionary work.

Carter has a really funny story about how he snuck a Book of Mormon into his friends back pack after the friend told him he might read it. Baillie has been working on missionary work too. The missionaries think we are great.

Then we pray and the missionaries are gone...

Like a bolt of lightning Baillie rushes up to turn on the TV where the game has been recording! All are feeling the anticipation. Everyone has a story about what team their teacher likes or how their friend is totally for this or that team. A quick lesson about the game of football and we are into it full force!

We love the commercials, we laugh. The kids don't get jokes that are set in the 80's. We think CarMax and Doritos win. Darth Vader was pretty good too. But the House/Mean Joe Green was my favorite.

Half time is both impressive and lame at the same time. Everyone has a comment whether they like it or not. I could of done with out it. Carter wishes it featured the marching band that was briefly shown before the game started.

But the good times come when we start to fast forward and all of a sudden the game isn't really important at all. The kids are so relaxed and happy. Baillie is fixing her nail polish, Carter is on facebook on his ipod, Kendahl is asleep on the couch and Brodric is tackling puff pillows. Then he starts to fly! Flying makes for good times!








And in the end Sunday Superbowl turned out to be really enjoyable family time!

I have the best family ever!