Happy Birthday ~ Cliff!

Happy Birthday Cliff!

Today is my Dad's birthday "79"!

Wow! That sounds like an old man, but he really doesn't have an old man's spirit. He still seems the same way he was when I was 18.

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Things I really love about my Dad.

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He likes to tease and have fun with everyone, even our pets (okay this was an acquired taste, I didn't always love it).

He used to pay me a quarter to be quiet on car rides.

He taught me how to be independent and especially how to drive in new places and not be afraid.

He knows what he likes and doesn't waver or give in, even when I beg.

He has 5 sisters and 1 brother.

He always claimed he hated cats, but brought a stray home from work that I had been nurturing and really really wanted. She had her kittens in his closet.

He taught me the importance of being a "smooth" driver, so everyone in the car was comfortable and it was easier on the car.

We gave our son his name.

He can admit when he is wrong.

He is honest and has integrity.

He let me bring all my dogs to stay with him... even though he isn't a fan of dogs. I think he even learned to like the "obedient" one.

He loves my son, bigger and more than life... it's the sweetest thing and makes my heart grow 4 sizes bigger to watch them together.

He gives everyone a nickname.

Mine was Bethaleen (I have heard worse, so I won't complain)

He hasn't called me that for a long time.

He is a great driver.

He used to use me as an example (of what not to do) in front of co-workers to get them to work harder (it made me so mad); but then I would find candy bars hidden in my desk.

He has his own way of saying "I'm sorry" and "thank you".

He gets hooked on something he likes to eat or drink and stocks up on it. A few "kicks" I can remember were...

applesauce

chocolate pudding

Pepsi Light (with lemon)

and most recently Tuscan Tomato soup from Safeway. (so funny)

He claims from all the years he drove truck, he has backed up more miles than I have driven forward. He knows about how many miles he has driven in his lifetime. He has a few million miler belt buckles given to him from Kenworth.

He used to sing in the kitchen, it would start out as a real song, but then he would make up his own words. I haven't heard him do that for a long time.

I have never seen him cry, but I have heard tears in his heart a couple of times.

He is a Mason and has a very strong testimony of God, but doesn't share it with many.

He is deaf in one ear, but has an incredible knack for hearing and recognizing certain sounds out of the other... like the kind of engine under the hood of a truck while driving down the road.

He has taught me how to be a better mother and wife, and I love him and cherish all the fun times we have had together! Sorry I was a rotten disrespectful, unappreciative teenager.

Happy Birthday Papa!

TGI Friday... Conference weekend...

I am so happy for Friday! Not that I get all the breaks on the weekend, the laundry and dishes and everything still pile up and the dogs still need to be cared for and chores still have to be done. My work is NEVER done!

But my boys are home more (usually), so that is exciting for me.

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This weekend is the 179th Annual General Conference of our church. So that means we will be together as a family and watch at home two sessions on Saturday, then the boys will go to the church for a priesthood session Sat night, and then we will watch two more sessions on Sunday broadcast from the conference center in SLC.

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We will hear speakers from the leadership of the church who give messages of testimony, and doctrine to teach principles we need to be living. And everyone all over the world will hear the same messages and speakers. So all of our missionaries out there will be uplifted and inspired just as if they would be if they were home. I think that is my favorite part.

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I have tried to be prepared and have yummy food to fix and I will make a couple of candy/snack bags for the boys to each have so they can munch on them and get through all the sessions, and not have to get up to go to the kitchen during the broadcast (there is always some interesting trading that naturally occurs, but I do my best to get their favorite stuff).

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We don't have tons of traditions yet, but something the boys really look forward to is going for ice cream, just the two of them after the priesthood session.

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I am looking forward to a nice quiet time at home this weekend and to have my spiritual cup filled!

April Fools Day...

I am happy to report I made it through April Fools Day unscaved!

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My brother is famous for pulling pranks and tricks on April Fools Day. I haven't gotten an update from him yet on this years antics. But I one of my favorites was when my Mom was really working on losing weight and had this really cool doctors scale in the bathroom at work. My brother, knowing she would be weighing the next morning, went in and taped a penny in the perfect place on the back of the scale to make it read 5 lbs heavier. We all huddled outside the bathroom while she went in to weigh.... waiting for her scream!

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I only remember her reaction after the trick had been revealed.... my brother survived the ordeal, but I have to say he was very very couragous (or stupid).

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My SIL reavealed she had sent an email to her group of friends that meets every week together to tell them she would be moving! I can imagine they were devistated until the fool was revealed! Too funny!

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One year the teenager was on his way out the door to school, running late and his Dad and I pulled the "your pants have a big rip in the back" sending him into a complete panic before we revealed the joke.

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I laugh at these, so I think I have it in me... but it is a battle for me to be decieptful and keep a straight face!

What to blog...

Wow, in my entire blogging history I have never had NOTHING to blog about!

This is so weird!

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My days are just not feeling very blog worthy.

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Laundry

Exercise

Wiping muddy dog paws

Work

Phone stuck to my ear

Feed the dogs

Dispatch the teenager

(when he has the car, he is always calling trying to talk me into letting him do something outside of what was layed out by his Dad that morning)

Be the Bad Guy!

Make dinner

Church meetings

Field more phone calls

Sweep up dog hair

Dishes

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Oh something exciting today... a friend called and had a dead battery and I actually knew how to go get her car started. She couldn't even get the hood opened, so I felt very empowered by all the years of teaching from my Dad, brothers and my husband on how to do this. So exciting!

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I think I used to take pictures and blog about all of this stuff, but it just doesn't seem that interesting anymore... I think I am losing my touch.

Tulips, white and pure on Sunday morning...

All week these special tulips have been trying to bloom. I don't remember them taking so long once the buds were in view to open. But this morning, they opened!

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It was kind of symbolic that they waited until Sunday morning! They always make me think, ponder and remember to be charitable and mindful of those around me. Grateful for all that I have been given, all that I have. The white is a symbol of purity, and after hearing such beautiful messages of virtue last night, it was so fitting that they waited until today to open and show their white pedals. I love how simple and precise and pure tulips look.

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I love Sunday!

Saturday night spiritual feeding...

Last night I was able to attend the General Young Women's broadcast and heard some wonderful talks; it was so uplifting!

Afterwards we had such a sweet privilege to hear from Kenneth Cope. I didn't know much about him before the program; but I loved it!

"Few musicians have touched a culture or genre as deeply and intensely as has composer, producer, performer, songwriter, and singer Kenneth Cope. His achievements include Best of State Male Vocalist of the Year as well as Pearl Awards Sacred Song of the Year, Inspirational Album of the Year, and Male Recording Artist of the Year."

His message was wonderful and I was so happy I stayed to hear it and feel so uplifted. He was such an entertaining performer. I was laughing and crying, thinking deep thoughts and able to ponder and reflect my relationship with Jesus. I loved it!
What a great night of spiritual feeding!!!

Family Fun... Archery Addiction...

Saturday we went to another archery shoot.

It was a little cooler and a tiny overcast, but I was hopeful it would all be clear for the days outing.

We decided to go at the last minute, so I threw on a hat to cover my unruly hair and keep my head warm from the cold. I can't shoot in a baseball hat the brim gets in the way of my sting and sight, so I looked like a "gangsta" all day, according to my teenager. I didn't care, we were going to be together as a family and I wanted to be able to endure a long day without being cold and miserable. It worked, so who cares what I look like... I was cherishing the moments!
These two were like children all day, so I am glad I didn't bring a dog to take care of too.

I love to watch the teenager shoot. He has his own style, but he usually gets the job done!

Once my strong silent mysterious man got warmed up, he was much happier with his shots too. He has a tendency to be really good at everything he does, so if he has a few bad shots that are a little off... it is pretty hard on him. He ALWAYS gets honed back in and on his game! Never stays out of tune very long.

Unlike me... If my arm gets tired I could be out of sinc the whole rest of the day. I had a great day except for about 4 targets while the string attached to my arrow rest came lose and my arrow was flinging WAAAAY left. I kept complaining it wasn't me, I was lined up, but the boys thought I was having a really bad day... until I finally made them watch my arrow and we discovered what the problem was. I was doing good to recover from that, so I was a happy camper. It could have taken me out for the day, which would have meant walking up and down all the hills through the rest of the course carrying my bow and not getting to shoot. Whew! We met "Annie" who was a mixed lab/border collie with definate hunting genes.

There were tons of whistle pigs out there, you could see them everywhere and hear them all around you. Some guy behind us even shot one with his bow and arrow and hit the little guy!

Annie isn't allowed to dig at home, but outside like this... they let her dig to her hearts content! And she dug and dug and dug... "all the way to China" kept coming to my mind.

I guess the fresh smell of those little critters was making her insane!

She would come out of the hole with big ol' dirt clods in her mouth, like she was right on their tail nipping and they just got away!

So funny! We laughed at her half the day!

On this little racoon, the boys shot first and I shot last... I knew my competitive husband was right in the bullseye shot, so from where I was standing I would have to "robin hood" his arrow to get in the middle.

I shot, we heard the arrows CLINK!

I ran up to the target with antisipation!

I hadn't split his arrow like it sounded from afar... but even better... I had pinwheeled the bullseye, while he was on the outside!

That never happens... he almost always beats me!

If I can get one really good shot in on him like this, its a "happy dance" for me!

You can tell he was perturbed by my LUCK... so funny! But we all had a really good time! We were so glad the teenager decided to go with us this time. There just probably won't be too many more times like this with him at home. It was a great family day outside in God's country!