Things about Mark & I

Mark and I met May 16th 1996 at Blueberry Hill restaurant, I had picked him out of a book at a dating agency, he ok'd the pick and we met! Spent 7 hours in the diner and talked about EVERYTHING!! I had no idea he had to travel home 45 mins and then turn around a few hours later to go to work at 6 am! Our next date was shorter but great and our third date was the movies Mission Impossible, with David and applebees after. Things rushed along and we were married on July 27, 1996~727, an airplane so he can remember. We have had our ups and downs but all in all its been so far a great ride!! We have blended the families and have 4 grand children.
Mark's business has slowed down but he has been finding work everywhere and is keeping busy, I am pleased that he is so handy and able to support our little family! I am working at Amber Unicorn books 3 days a week and am crazy busy on the weekends(wish that would stop) Mark is the Elder's Quorum President and I have just been released from the Relief society presidency( YAAAA) He is still looking forward to camping a few more times this winter, don't quite understand camping in the freezing cold, but he loves the solitary time, tho the last time he went he said he wished I was with him all alone in the mountains, aww I loved that thought! I am still hooked on yarn and am always knifty knitting hats!! Did some craft shows and made some $, enough to keep my addiction going!! We are a comfortable married couple that enjoy each others company most of the time!! We keep "things" alive too but that's too personal!! I love my life here in Goodsprings with the best guy around!!

Andrea Bocelli

Once again I won tickets from the KDWN radio station and Heidi Harris show! This time to see Andrea Bocelli!! Decided it was a good idea to take friend Karen because our freindship had waned lately and needed to be renewed!! Found out a few things about her too, but that's another story,,, Karen drove as my Requip makes me unable to drive after 8pm, the time of the concert! We left here at 6:15 pm and got gas, dropped Sarah at her friend's and hit the freeway, Oh my goodness!! Backed up on the exit ramp, backed up on Tropicana and it took 35 mins to go 2 miles,because everyone had to be in our lane to turn into the MGM and they were all in the wrong lane, Karen is as bad as me in no patience with jerks on the road and the so called 'nice' cars that let the fools in our lane!!! Anyway then had to park on the 5th level as the valet was full, the escalaters were broken and it was already 8:30!! Walked about 2 miles thru the casino, shops and hallways,,,finally got to the arena and there is crowds filing in , all late like us!! Funny lady takes our ticket saying, Andrea Bocelli didn't wait for you, Ha Ha! finally found our seats, some guy is in one of our seats goes oopps and moves,settle in for an AMAZING CONCERT!! Cried at various parts but it was GREAT!! We figured out during the intermission that karen and I have gone to more concerts together than with anyone else!! We saw Davey Jones,FREE I won tix,Chigago, Karen got freebies, Engelbert Humperdink, Karen's freebies, but was cancelled after we got in our seats, he was sick, and the this concert!! I have also won Bette Midler tix last summer and took Myrna.
Ok so we are on the way out of the arena like a herd of cattle, slow moving and only 2 sets of doors out!! took 35 mins to even get out of the shuffling madness, needless to say my meds make me weird on regular nights but here it is 11 pm and I am loopy by now!! We got ice cream at Haggen Daz~$16 bucks for 2 sundaes, walking out to the car I got all woozy and nauseas, that passed when we sat in the car, It took 5 mins to get to the freeway!YAA But on the way home I had her pull over and lost my sundae!! Darn,$8 bucks tossed on the side of the road! Karen is a great friend to have put up with me!!We had a great time cept for the traffic, herding and puking!! Hope I can win more concert tickets soon!!

Craft Fairs!

I have done very well at the craft fairs with my addictions!! At the PinkPeas openhouse/craft fair i sold a ton of hats and this past weekend at the Sandy Valley Culturati Craft Fair I sold hats, Fleece blankets and neck rests!! Made more than enough money to pay myself back for supplies and to continue the addiction!! A friend on FB said she added it all up and has 27 MILES of yarn and I do believe I have more than she has!! I just can't help myself!!! If I see the sale I have to have!!and have to have in all the colors!! Thrift stores are wonderful for yarn!! After spraying it all down with Lysol, I wind up balls and get to work, I am almost never without a project on the loom, There is one in the truck, one at work and 2 or 3 at home too!! At least this is a legal addiction!! Pat said our senior group needs more men's hats for the homeless so here is another opportunity for me to give back!! I am even knitting now ehile on the internet!! Cna't stand to wait for my dial-up to go from page to page!! Love to knit!!!

Are You?

Is anyone paying attention? Have we all lost our minds? I am having a tough time believing what is going on lately.It needs to stop!

Fall is finally here

The temp was on the cool side these past few nights, which means Autumn is here. Wish the trees would change but they don't do that here in Nevada, just one day you go outside and all the leaves have dropped off the trees! I miss the New York Autumns but not the rest of the year there!! And I miss my friends so much too.

Being Present

Working at a bookstore, I don't exactly get to read...just skim books so when someone has a semi-vague idea of a book they are looking for,I can have a semi-vague idea of which book it is. Anyway I had a book being processed today and opened it to a section talking about "being Present in the Moment" How many of us show up but aren't really "there"?? Everyone raise your hand!

We go to work, sit at our desk and do things by rote, checking the clock for when lunch time is, then show back up to the desk and watch for the go home time. Do we LOVE our jobs? So many can't say Yes! ( I LOVE my job!!thank goodness)

Do we LOVE our Families?? Can you say you are overjoyed to drive up the driveway and get home? When you hear the door open, do you stop what you are doing to greet your kids or spouse?

Lets try to make our lives lived

'IN THE MOMENT!!

LOVE EVERYTHING YOU DO OR DON'T DO IT!!

*Ice Candles*

Take a clean milk carton, the square waxy paper kind. Let it dry after cleaning it. tie a long wick onto a pencil and place onto the top of the container. Melt wax in a double boiler, use a pan you dont want anymore, melt wax, leftover candle butts etc. while wax is melting fill carton with ice, pack it in there!Center the wick OK Heres the fun part....put this ice filled container on spread out papers to protect your counter , carefully but quickly add the wax to the ice, fill it up to the top. wait about 10 mins. pour out the water and let candle rest for about an hour. Peel off the container from the candle and admire your excellent creation! Clip off the pencil and enjoy the candle, remember to burn it on a plate so no wax melts onto counter!

Waste Not~Want Not

What happened to me? I remember my parents reusing EVERYTHING!! We would use milk cartons for Ice Candles* Reusing Foil by washing it and smoothing it out, Carefully folding up paper bags to save for lots of craft projects from balloon paper mache stuff to covering our school books. I remember saving soda bottles to take to the store where we got a few cents off the next few bottles of soda we bought! AND these sodas were few and far between too! I drink somedays 5 sodas a day now,UGH! When my oldest son was little we would save cans to take to the A&P and stick them in a machine that ground them up and gave him a nickle each! If they brought those machines back we could probably recycle every can in the US.
Gramma had the tinyest little garbage can in her kitchen, the size of my wastebasket in the bathroom... and she only emptied it a couple times a week! All the veggie peelings went to the garden, all the paper from the meat went to the sink or formed into a small bag for the peelings and then dug into the ground to feed the plants, most liquids came in bottles, milk was delivered in the early morning a couple times a week and if it was winter, we got the cream all frozen for breakfast!!What a treat!! Hersheys syrup from a can poured over the frozen cream, OH MY GOODNESS!!
During the summer, the ice cream man came by everyday and we got popsicles and saved the sticks so we could make little snowflakes in the winter, glitter and glue and some time, boy was that fun! Now we go to walmart and buy the sticks in a bag or , worse buy the homemade snowflakes at a craft fair!! again UGH!
What happened to us?? Let us all decide today to save stuff, reuses stuff and try to make just a little less garbage this week!

Blast from the Past

This past week was exciting! I got a message that someone on Classmates had left me a note. Well of course I go to read it and its a puzzle....What did Lincold do for the slaves? Made them Freeman...Which is the name of the street I grew up on. It is signed Michael J (won't finish to protect his privacy till I ask him) Ok so I am curious, I really don't remember this guy so I send a note back,"who are you?" He writes back that we had dated for 2 months and I dumped him before new years back in 1978! Still no recollection! Have all my old brain cells died?? So I ask a bunch of questions relating to guys I dated back in those days,,,,well none of them are him(EMBARRASSING!!) Mark thinks it's funny that i cannot remember him. Ok another email comes from Mike with his CB handle the Professor!! AH HA Now I know who it is!! Whoo Hoo I am not totally brain dead!! Memories flood back and I remember but am still fuzzy. Anyway he's doing ok and is married, for 30 years !! 4 kids and 1 grandchild!! I give him all my catch-up info about my wonderful Mark and the kids and grandkids and there ya go. We shared some good, special time together but I was a young, single mother, selfish with my time and struggling to find my way and broke his heart right before the New Year celebration. I sometimes dislike the person I was but know it has made me the person I am. I hope to keep a dialog going with Mike and get to know his family too!! It sure is fun to go back in time!

Hats

I have a new passion, Hats made on the Knifty Knitter. I believe I have made at least 100 of them in all different sizes, from Newborn size to adult size. I am now a yarn junkie, I see it on sale, I gotta buy it, I want to hook all my friends too, So far I got Kathy hooked, even gave her some yarn to keep her going!! Hehehe, Thanx to Pat for showing me how to do this and getting my hooked. Here are some Pix, The red & White on is made & modeled by Kathy,Red& Purple by me and the Pink & Fucia made by me and modeled on my granddaughter, Plus all the hats our senior groups made for Chemo patients and newborns!!

I am planning on showing my motherin law and sisters in law how to do these too and get the whole family in on it!! Watch yourself or I will get you addicted too!!

Hunter

Hunter is our fourth grandchild and the nearest one to us. We get to have him over alot which is a true blessing!! This weekend we had him so his mom & dad could go to the races. He is all Grandpa's boy!! I am ok to have around as long as we are alone, but once Grandpa walks in all I get is "NO" Too Cute! Gotta love him!!

Life is GOOD

The weather has been GREAT these past few weeks! Not at all like a regular Las Vegas June!!Windows are open and blankets or on the bed!! I LOVE IT! If someone was to visit here this week they would want to move here! By the time they do mobve it would be August and it would be like HELL here!! But what the heyyy, I live here and love it coz I am adaptable!

We have lost a dear friend who lost his Cancer battle this month. But as I know what a good and true member of the Church he is I know where he has ended up, and I do mean up!! We will miss his person but have his spirit with us always! God bless you Tom Kenney!! See ya!

Mother's Day

I have very mixed emotions about mother's day. I wasn't always the nicest mom to my boys, I wasn't "there" for them, I worked so much and wasn't the nicest person to begin with! I like to think I am a better person and a better mom now tho. I do my best to be a great Gramma and hope my grandchildren have wonderful memories down the road of me! Someone asked me what Mothers day means to me and I could first only think about how it was when I was a kid. My sister and I stripped Mommy's lilac bush almost every Mother's dayto give her big bouquets of flowers and made burnt breakfast for her. Lilacs always remind me of my mom. My boys loved me and gave me cards every mother's day, even burnt breakfast in bed! My mom is gone now but I know she watches over me. Happy Mother's day to all the wonderful women in my life who in any way mothered me!!

What a Day!

What a wonderful day this has been! Our stake had a track meet today and my wonderful husband Mark ran the 5K!! Came in under 42 mins and # 141 out of nearly 500 competitors!! Who woulda thought he had it in him??? I am one proud wifey!!
While there setting up our area in the stands, I see someone I think I know from a way long time ago!! I watch for a few minutes and then go over and holler her name!! Leah?? Oh my goodness,,It is her!!! I haven't seen Leah in over 15 years!! I am so excited and so is she!! She doesn't live here but is visiting her sister Tasha, We all worked together years ago when I first moved to Vegas in Morrow's nut house!!. Neither one of us were members of the Church then but the boss was. I wonder is Sallie Adair knows about the seeds she planted all those years ago! Anyway, we exchanged #s and she wants to move back to vegas area and I cannot wait to get together with her and share whats gone on in the last million years!!! I love this Church and the opportunities it gives me to make and keep freinds, old and new!! Thank you Heavenly Father!!

The age we live in...

Well, in this age of "instant" everything, I have been able to get in touch with people I have not seen in many years! Found my old next door neighbor on Facebook, High school buddies on Myspace and Facebook and I meet the nicest people just talking about computers and blogging. Met a nice woman named Linda when she came into the bookstore to find a book on blogging, Told her to use it as a journal,I do. We got to talking and come to know we have so much in common, both LDS, both wanting to keep in touch with family, both wonderful women!! I love making new friends on the "net" and in person! As someone once told me "I have never met a stranger"

Food Storage Blog!

FOR A GREAT LIFE

1. Take a 10-30 minute walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. Talk to God about what is going on in your life. Buy a lock if you have to.
3. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to__________ today. I am thankful for______________'
4. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
5. Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli , almonds & walnuts.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
8. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.
9. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
10. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
11. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
12. You are not so important that you have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
13. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
14. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
15. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
16. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years,will this matter?'
17. Forgive everyone for everything.
18. What other people think of you is none of your business.
19. GOD heals everything - but you have to ask Him.
20. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
21. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch!!!
22. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
23. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for__________. Today I accomplished_________.
24. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.
25. When you are feeling down, start listing your many blessings.You'll be smiling before you know it.

ZION VISITING TEACHING SERVICE

" We Care Because You Don't Have Time To"
* Visiting teaching getting you down? * Can't get that annoying Relief Society President off your back? * Visiting teaching interfering with your valuable television and craft time? WE CAN HELP! At Zion's Visiting Teaching Service, we'll do your visiting teaching for you. For a small monthly fee, we will send one of our representatives to the homes of your sisters.
* For $10.00 per sister, we will provide a visit.
* For $15.00 per sister, we will provide a spiritual message.
* For $20.00 per sister, we will remember birthdays and anniversaries.
$20 isn't too much to pay for Peace of Mind. So give us a call at: 1-800-462-2879 - That's 1-800-IM-2-BUSY
Because of high volume an extra $15.00 will be added to all services required on the last day of the month.

Check Out Our New Services!!!
Meetings: We will send a representative to the appropriate meeting to take notes for you and report back.
Ward Council Meeting $30
Ward Council Meeting with written report $50
Presidency Meetings $20
PEC $25
Sacrament Meeting $20
Sunday School $20
Priesthood $20 3-hour Sunday Block (best value) $50
PLEASE NOTE: Surcharge of 10% for stake meetings
***Talks and Lessons***
Did a bishopric member call and assign you a talk? Tired of wasting Saturday night preparing a lesson?We will have for you professionally prepared talks and lessons. No need to spend countless hours poring through books, writing and praying. We'll do it for you!
Basic Talk (any subject assigned) $20
Scripture Talk (basic + 5 scriptures) $30
Deluxe Talk (scripture + 1 poem + 2 G.A. quotes) $40
All talks are guaranteed to last 15 minutes.
Add $1 for each additional minute
Basic Lesson (40 minutes) $25
Deluxe (Basic + visual aides) $35
Super Deluxe (Deluxe + Handouts) $45
Due to high expectations, centerpieces and floral arrangements, Relief Society lessons are slightly higher. Call for quote.
Due to lower expectations, priesthood lessons receive a 10% discount. Call us at 1-822-752-2537. That's 1-822-Slacker .
Introducing our Bundle Buys and Frequent Shopper Plan
Bundle any 3 services and receive a 20% discount.
Receive one free Basic talk or lesson with any 10 purchases.
There you have it! We take all the work off of your shoulders and put ours to the wheel just for you.

Introducing our new: Casserole Service
If you just can't possibly throw together food for various Ward occasions, WE CAN! Our basic services include:
a. Funeral Potatoes
b. Green Bean/Mushroom Soup with Crunchy Onions
c. Green Jell-O with Carrots
d. Spinach Dip in a Bread Bowl
e. CheezWiz/Tater Tot Surprise
For only $15 (plus deposit) each delivered to your house with Corningware marked with your name! They'll never know you didn't make 'em!
Remember our number: 1-822-S-L-A-C-K-E-R

Dog Poop Brownies

Many parents are hard pressed to explain to their youth why some music,movies, books, and magazines are not acceptable material for them to bring into the home or to listen to or see. One parent came up with an original idea that is hard to refute.
The father listened to all the reasons his children gave for wanting tosee a particular PG-13 movie. It had their favorite actors. Everyone else was seeing it. Even church members said it was great. It was only rated PG-13 because of the suggestion of sex--they never really showed it. The language was pretty good--the Lord's name was only used in vain three times in the whole movie. The teens did admit there was a scene where a building and a bunch ofpeople were blown up, but the violence was just the normal stuff. It wasn't too bad. And, even if there were a few minor things, the special effects were fabulous and the plot was action packed. However, even with all the justifications the teens made for the PG-13rating, the father still wouldn't give in. He didn't even give his children a satisfactory explanation for saying, "No." He just said,"No!"
A little later on that evening the father asked his teens if they would like some brownies he had baked. He explained that he'd taken the family's favorite recipe and added a little something new. The children asked what it was. The father calmly replied that he had added dog poop. However, he quickly assured them, it was only a little bit. All other ingredients were gourmet quality and he had taken great care to bake the brownies at the precise temperature for the exact time. He was sure the brownies would be superb. Even with their father's promise that the brownies were of almost perfect quality, the teens would not take any. The father acted surprised. After all, it was only one small part that was causing themto be so stubborn. He was certain they would hardly notice it. Still the teens held firm and would not try the brownies. The father then told his children how the movie they wanted to see was just like the brownies. Our minds are tricking us into believing that just a little bit of evil won't matter. But, the truth is even a little bit of poop makes the difference between a great treat and something disgusting and totally unacceptable. The father went on to explain that even though the movie industry would have us believe that most of today's movies are acceptable fare for adults and youth, they are not.
Now, when this father's children want to see something that is ofquestionable material, the father merely asks them if they would like some brownies.
That closes the subject.

A Dozen uses for Lemons

Lemon is an amazing fruit that is not only nutritious and delicious but also has a plethra of uses around the home! Here are a dozen or so tricks to try (in no particular order):
1) Freshen your refrigerator: Place half of a lemon on a saucer and set it in the back of your fridge for a day. The lemon will absorb the odors in your fridge while putting off a fresh clean scent.
2) Microwave Cleaner: Take half of a lemon, place it in a microwave safe bowl, and cover it with water (or use 4 tbsp of lemon juice to one cup of water). Place the bowl in the microwave oven and microwave it for 5 minutes. Carefully remove the bowl as it will be HOT! Wipe the inside of the microwave with a damp sponge, cloth, or paper towel. All food splatters should wipe off easily from the inside walls.
3) Soothing Sunburns: Mix one part lemon juice with one part water* in a bowl, jar, or bottle. Apply the solution liberally with a cotton ball using a gentle dabbing motion. The solution acts as an astringent, relieving the pain and heat. Abstain from direct sunlight after applying this solution.*One part means one of whatever form of measurement you want to use - cup, tablespoon, ounce, milliliter.
4) Eliminate Lime Scale and Hard Water Deposits: Rub the lime scale with half of a lemon (peel side up), and the lime scale should come off easily. If a little more scrubbing power is desired, sprinkle the meaty side of the lemon half with salt before rubbing. For glass shower doors, apply lemon juice with a clean sponge, then dry with newspaper.
5) Brighten and Whiten Fingernails: If your fingernails have turned yellow and brittle from repeated manicures and polish, soak your nails in lemon juice for 10 minutes, then dip them in a mixture of one part vinegar to one part water. This should whiten, brighten, and strengthen your fingernails.
6) Blackhead Removal, Pimple Relief, and Blemish Reduction: Before turning in for the night, gently dab lemon juice on your face with a cotton ball or cotton pad. In the morning, wash your face with cool water, and the blackheads should be diminished if not gone completely (it may take several days of using this method for some to disappear). To eliminate pimples, dab with lemon juice several times a day until the pimple is gone, usually in only 24 hours if you can refrain from picking at it. For blemish reduction, make a mixture of 2 parts lemon juice to one part honey and apply to face. Honey has natural astringent properties as well as moisturizing.
7) Relieve Bloating and Sluggishness: Before breakfast, mix one teaspoon of lemon juice, one teaspoon of honey, and one cup of warm water. Drink. This helps kick-start your body's elimination processes.
8) Remove Smells and Stains from Hands: Rub hands with lemon juice or a piece of lemon to remove smells such as garlic, onion, or fish, or stains from berries and fruits. Rinse with water and the smells and stains should be gone.
9) Stop Bleeding and Disinfect Minor Wounds: Apply lemon juice, either directly or with a cotton ball, to the wound and the bleeding should stop (this is not to be used for puncture wounds). For canker sores or other sores in the mouth, either dab with lemon juice or gargle and swish with a solution of one part lemon juice to one part water.
10) Brighten Whites Without Bleach: Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice along with your normal detergent and wash as normal. This is especially great for cloth baby diapers because the lemon juice also acts as a disinfectant. Hang to dry in the sun for ultimate whitening and disinfecting.
11) Clean and Sanitize a Dishwasher: After removing all dishes, add 1/4 cup of lemon juice to the soap dispenser and run the dishwasher through a normal cycle. This will also help remove the mineral deposits that can make spots on your dishes.
12) Furniture Polish for Hardwood Furniture: Mix one part lemon juice to 2 parts olive oil. Apply a small amount at a time to the furniture surface and buff with a soft, lint-free cloth (like an old t-shirt).