OUCH!!!

Many of you know I had hand surgery on Thursday. I apparently have a finger wired back together and a pin (sticking out the end) that will hold my finger in place while healing takes place. Since typing with one hand is tedious, will take a break from posting anything for a bit.

Thank you for all the well wishes. I'll be back as soon as I can manage it.

Till then... please keep happy thoughts for a good outcome from this latest treatment.

Whew...glad that's over!

First, I would like to thank Kayla for helping me to update my blog. You will notice that there's a new background, new music and the section including my "followers". I'm so glad that technical help is not too far away. Kayla...I appreciate it!

Second, today Stan and I gave a talk in church. Ugh...is probably your first response to hearing that, especially if you know anything about what it's like to get up there and expound on a subject you did not get to choose and try to sound like you know what the heck your talking about. The Bishop, fortunately, gave us about 10 days notice on our subject. That subject was...(ugh again), Chastity!
I have to admit that my first, and almost lasting, thought was that I only need to write a talk that had three words in it. Those words are JUST DO IT, enough said, now sit down Karen. Sad as it may be, at first that's really all that I could come up with. Again, I have to say that I'm so grateful for the internet. I was sitting at my computer when the call came from the Bishop and I was able to head right for LDS.org and get some material to make a feeble, yet dedicated, start to this talk. Thoughts developed slowly (I was a little scared at how slow), but eventually I was able to pull together some ideas. The part that I struggled with the most was not wanting to say the words "sex" or "sexual" over and over in front of a congregation that had tender little ears listening. I feared there would be little people leaning over to their parents asking, "What's sexual mean, mommy?" So I labored the most over this problem. After talking to many who know much more about talking in church, someone gave me the idea to head down the "virtue" road instead of talking strictly about avoiding sexual relations before marriage...or as it's called, chastity. I was excited to learn the the Young Women's program has added "Virtue" as an additional value. What an inspired idea. If you get a chance, read Sister Elaine S. Dalton's talk entitled, Look toward Eternity.
Anyway, I lived through today, I wasn't shaking like I thought I would be, I could hear myself speak cause my heart was pretty darn calm, and there were actually people looking back at me making eye contact as I spoke. Believe it or not...no one was nodding off or leaving the room. Yipee!!! But, mind you, this doesn't mean that I'm looking forward to that next call from the Bishop. Here's hoping that won't happen for another year or so.
One other thing I'm grateful for this day...I've grown from this experience, and that feels GOOD!!!

HELP...I've fallen behind and I can't catch up!!!

ARG!!! I've yet again fallen behind on scrapbooking. I'm so grateful to Kayla for working so hard to help me catch up on 5 of the grandkids books. I, however, never got to Jakob. So...with Kayla being so busy these days, I decided to enlist the aid of another scrapbooker. She lives way out in the boonies northeast of Redding and apparently has some time on her hands. She and her family are living on a "back woods teacher's salary" so they can use a little extra money to help with expenses. Anyway...that's beside the point. My main complaint is that time just goes by way too fast!!! Just when I think I have a handle on things being organized, I realize that I've fallen short. When I started getting Jakob's pictures together for Brooke, I discovered that I had a chunk of time missing. Eleven stinking months to be exact! So, feeling desparate and distressed I started searching through file after file of pictures that Stan had stored on a disc for me. Thank heavens for a husband who knows how to do this, remembers that he's done it and where the discs are located after I've let some grand amount of time pass by. I wish that I could say that I'll never let this happen again. But let's face it...I'm just not that strong. Bad habits are hard to break and then there's that "time thing" again that gets in my way. Well, I did find the pictures that I needed. I've ordered 7 packages from Costco (I told you that I was missing a chunk) and they are getting organized to go to Brooke.
So, I say to Jakob, Sorry sweetheart for being so lame and soon your albums will be all caught up. I'd love to share them with you next time you come to California.

My advise to those of you who need a little kick in the pants regarding scrapbooking...JUST DO IT!!!

I'm off now for a little bit of chocolate to make me feel better before I head back to Costco for the second time today.

Love to all >^..^<

Time Out

Wow, I don't have too many Saturdays like this one very often. After taking Stan to DVC for a Scouting seminar I returned home to face a day by myself. First I decided to catch up on the checkbook and then look at my emails. No too strenuous, right? Next I put in a load of laundry. Granted...this was a little more strenuous. Then I put every effort I had into standing in the dining room window watching the squirrels frolic in the back yard. This required so much effort that I decided I needed some nourishment to sustain my "rodent watch".
So quickly I returned to the kitchen (just a few steps behind me) and grabbed a half eaten bag of popcorn from yesterday's trip to the movies.

So...I ask you, how much better can a 15 minute time out be? I think I need to enjoy the beauty of nature and eat popcorn for breakfast lots more often!

What do you think?

Grandkid ornaments 2008

Jakob with his Wii controller and numchuk
Paige with her "I love Joe Jonas" teddybear

Cami and her sewing machine

Ellie with her "I love Nick Jonas" gingerbread girl


Alec the "baseball player"

Maddy - "Yes, I'm a fish!"

I wish the detail on these pictures was better so that all of you could see what each one of the 2008 ornaments looks like. I so enjoyed making them!!! It's a little troublesome to try and figure out what was the important event, hobby, pastime, etc. for each child during the year. But with help of the "mommies" I usually come up with something in time. Each year I say that I'm going to start really early. Now early may be March or April, but in the real world September or October is really early for me. In 2009 I know what two of the ornaments will already be, so I have not excuse for not starting really, really, really early.

I have to say... the best part of making these every year is the look on their adorable, sweet little faces when they open them up. I look forward to that part the most!!! Most of the time I'm right on the mark for the right ornament, but sometimes I miss just a little. This year Alec was so taken with Jakob's Wii controller that he was a little disappointed when he didn't get one too. Grandmas are supposed to know these things after all. In my defense...I did have Alec's done long before I even thought up the Wii items. Now mind you...I was in no way upset with his disappointed look. Soon his mommy explained that his ornament represented him starting baseball this year and that his ornament had all the details of his uniform on it. Soon there were smiles all around.

I Just want all the little people in my life to know how much I love being a part of their lives. I treasure all the moments we get to share with them and how much they seem to want us to be around. I know it won't always seem like we're welcomed into their personal space (teenage years), but for now I will relish in the love that is so easily and readily expressed.

I love the tradition of making and giving these ornaments every year. I plan to continue making these little tokens of my love for each of them till they have families of their own. Please don't let that time come too quickly...I want to enjoy and will cherish every moment of their childhood.

I love you...Jakob, Paige, Cami, Ellie, Alec and Maddy. You're all the best grandkids in the world!!!

The Broken Bone Club

As most of you know on December 14th I broke my finger. Everyone is amazed when I answer the usual question about how I broke it. No one can believe that I actually sat on my own finger and broke it. Little Alec told me that I should have placed my hand flat on the seat to move over instead of folding my fingers up. Where was his "21 year old" wisdom when I needed it? At any rate, I've learned some things about myself since this has happened. First...I need a bone density scan. I've done some research and found that this test can be very revealing. I'm actually looking forward to finding out what the actual age of my sorry 'ole bones really is. Second, I have nine other fingers that sorely miss the functionality of the 10th one. I'm shocked that it takes so much effort to do the most mundane things with only nine working fingers. Third, I've decided that three broken bones in one lifetime is enough! I've had it...I'm just not doing it again. Fourth, I've found where there's a will, there's a way. I've had to use my imagination and my determination to just get past 12 weeks of being in this silly splint. Fifth, I'm putting myself in a bubble during the month of December. Perhaps that bubble should also be padded. However, this padding probably won't prevent broken bones, cause after all, my bottom is pretty well padded and that didn't do me a darn bit of good, did it? Anyway, my 3 infamous breaks have occurred during the month of December all between the 10th and about the 17th. That's just freaky to me. So, I will tell you now, if you don't see me or hear from me next December from the 10th the 17th it's because I'm happily spending time in my bubble. I promise when I emerge I'll be whole and well and looking forward to Christmas with my family.
I love you all. Happy New Year !!!

Last night Stan and I went to see this movie. I was pretty sure that I would like it and was very curious about the use of amazing makeup techniques to age these actors. I have to say that I was not disappointed. I loved this movie. It was fascinating, a little long (but that was necessary), so well acted, poignant, sweet, and the aging (or reverse aging) process was more that realistic. If you have the opportunity (and the time) to go see this movie, I would highly recommend it.