Update

We were off-line FOREVER...(it felt like)!
At Pat's request we were updating to WildBlue Satellite internet...for about $5 more than we were paying, it should be better, more consistent service.
However, there were a few glitches in getting it set up, but it is now up and running!
(And I have to give kudos to my husband for taking the time to run the cable under the house instead of tacking up against the wall as the satellite guy suggested.
Oh, and I have to admit that it was a bit of a shock to see how young the installer was...ends up that he's graduating from HS in May...a senior, doing a darn good job hooking up our computer!)

Today was my Intro to Card-Making class.
I had 7 people signed up for it, but only 5 showed up.
That was plenty for a first class.
The age range was from about 10-70, so we had quite a diverse group.
Aside from a few measurement issues, I felt really good about the class.
It actually left me wanting to do it again, even if I was on my feet for about 3 hours straight.
It's unfortunate that as a pregnant woman, I really feel that time on my feet in my lower back.
(It was remedied by a 2 hour nap when I got home!)
I know that the choice I made to become a Stampin' Up demonstrator was not a mistake...I am more excited about it after today than before (and I was excited before).
I'll be teaching again for certain on April 14th, and I may try and squeeze another class in on a Thursday night before March is over.
I asked some questions of the "students" before they left, and all of their feedback was very positive...they all left feeling not only had they accomplished something, but also that they had enough starting knowledge to try again on their own.

I haven't blogged much about our new car search, but it's quite a story.
I'll save it for another day.

I have sharing time in Primary tomorrow, and I haven't even checked to see what I'm going to do...so I'd better jet and get focused on making tomorrow work.

Oh, and sorry I missed your birthday, Hyrum.
I really did think about you all day!

Happy Belated Birthday, Hyrum!

My brother, Hyrum, is 18 months older than me.
Yesterday, he turned 37 years old...(that seems quite old to me, my brother!)

When we were very young, I believe we added a few gray hairs to my mother's head.
Although I was younger, I seemingly tagged along in numerous hair-raising antics that I am sure my mastermind brother came up with.
There was the climb up the homemade ladder on my dad's family farm in Duncan (with rungs about 18 inches apart) when we were 3 years and 18 months respectively.
Reportedly, we were sitting on the very steeply pitched roof of the farmhouse looking at the cows a couple of fields over.
I've also heard about the tea party with baby aspirin.
I remember the tree climbing, the spins in the dryer as we re-enacted the carnival, tossing a full soda bottle back and forth until I ended up with a huge knot on my forehead, and many days exploring things at Grandma's house.

In high school, I depended on him for advice, especially when it came to boys.
I could talk long into the night about who did what and always respected his opinion.

It was odd for me to be the oldest at home when he left for college in Indiana...(holy mackrel, that was a long way from home!), and even odder when he was gone for 2 years on his mission to Tampa, Florida.

I'm sure it was quite the change for him to attend the junior college I had just finished at when he returned from his mission.
I had lived for years being "Hyrum's sister", but I think for him, it was the first time people had known me first.
It was there that he met his wife and married her in 1992.

He and his family have always made great efforts to visit us on a regular basis...which is so nice for us.
They live in Plano, Texas, and so far, we just haven't been able to swing a trip out there.
It has become a summertime tradition for them to come and stay with our family and make some memories together.

I'll always be grateful for the path he forged through high school, and how he helped me find myself.
I miss the long talks we used to have...
Funny how growing up and having a family changes the focus from your siblings to your own immediate family.

Thanks for being my big brother and always seeing the good in me!!
Happy birthday, my brother!

Reliance

It's funny how much we pride ourselves on being "self-reliant".
It's a wonderful thing to be in a place where you don't really have to depend on anyone else...

Sometimes though, I think we become too independent and tend to push others away.
Many of the sisters I talk with are actually quite lonely...but not quite sure how to reach out to the others around them.

This week, my van has been at the body shop (getting the lock fixed from the break-in in OCTOBER...and no, I did not purposely procrastinate getting it in).
I have had to rely on my friends and ward sisters to help me with getting the kids to school, and home from school.
Typically, it stresses me out immensely to have to ask for help...but this time, I've just been hugely grateful that people are willing to help me and my family out.

I'll be calling the body shop here in a few minutes...hopefully, the van is done...but truly, this has been a blessing for me to humble myself enough to rely on others.
The Lord has given me lots of opportunities lately to be humbled, and instead of feeling frustrated, I feel blessed.
I'm grateful for the perspective of gratitude...it makes my heart happy.
I truly am reliant on God...for everything.

Product / Book Endorsements

Just for the record, I believe this is a first for me...a blog about things that I endorse for myself, my family, and all others involved.

Above, you'll see a DVD case for Sam's favorite show(s): Little Einsteins
I love it because each episode highlights a classical music piece and an art masterpiece.
Truly palatable to an adult as well as a child...and I tend not to love "Playhouse Disney" stuff.
This book was recommended to me by my friend Dawn...and I really enjoyed reading it.
It is in many ways a coming of age story and a story of self discovery.
I tend to like juvenile and young adult novels because they tend to be clean...and this one is worth a read.
This was a book I found on our library shelf of "new books" and I just picked up a copy for Emily at the school book fair.
It was a compelling read.
Pat even picked it up and read it in a day or two.
It's another story where the main character, Miri, finds the strength she possesses as the story unfolds.
I loved this book.
We picked these up last year when Albertsons had the 10 for $10 sale.
I originally just wanted to try them out, but found that we really liked them.
They aren't quite the same as coffee cake, but they have a similar topping.
They make a nice side for a larger breakfast, or are good all alone.
I saw this yesterday in the great and spacious building on a hill (our local Wal-Mart).
My first opinion of the filling (straight from the tub) was that it was a bit tart.
(I grew up on Jell-o cheesecake from a box...so this may be truer to some other cheesecakes.)
I've put it into a graham cracker crust for tonight, and have cherry and blueberry topping...so I'll update with the end result.

That's it for today...
What have you found lately that you love?

Sunday Reading

I spent my 2nd day with the stomach flu here at home today.
After a long nap, I got up and started some reading...trying to eke some spirituality out of the day.

I had never finished the majority of the articles in the February 2007 Ensign.
I have a tendendcy to skim over the Ensign when it arrives and read anything that jumps out of me at that point, and then I put it aside for "another time" (which seldom presents itself).

Three articles in particular stood out to me:

The Good Samaritan:
Forgotten Symbols

John W. Welch

Lessons from the New Testament:
Turning the Other Cheek

H. Bryan Richards

“My Ways Are Not Your Ways”

Clayton M. Christensen

These are definitely thought provoking articles.
I enjoyed the points that were focused on...and plan on reading my Ensign a little more completely in the future.

Blog Ignored

1 pregnant mom + 1 ward sister (Suzanne Dye) willing to help with housework (which means I work hard too) + 1 cardmaking class + 1 nasty stomach flu virus = 1 Blog ignored

I'm hoping next week isn't quite as crazy.

Introduction to Card Making

On March 10th, I'll be teaching an "Introduction to Cardmaking" class at the newly opened "Aunt Judy's Attic".
Here are the cards I've created with 2 pieces of patterned papers and 3 pieces of cardstock.



Judy decided to move forward with her dream of opening a quilting/scrapbooking/gift shop, and quit her job as a veterinary assistant.
I first heard about the "new store" when she approached us at one of the craft fairs we did, and asked if any of us would be willing to teach classes when her store opened.
Being NEWLY pregnant, and feeling slightly overwhelmed, I hemmed and hawed, and was quite non-committal.
It wasn't until last month when I went in to visit the "attic" for the first time that I finally committed to teach this class.
I've been pretty nervous about it...but am getting more excited as the time draws nearer.

Oh yes, and for the record, I am now a Stampin' Up demonstrator too.
Holy cow...what has come over me??