West on Diablo

Waiting...

2011-03-31T14:12:00.002-04:00

Scott is working on his mission papers. He has to have his wisdom teeth pulled. He is meeting with the bishop and stake president tonight of his BYU ward and stake...aaahhhh!! The waiting is killing me!

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-22T21:40:00.002-05:00

2010 Weston Family Highlights

January - Trip to Memphis for cousin Ethan George's baptism! Liv makes straight A's!

February - Trip to Tennessee for Jennifer & Jeff Glancy's temple sealing! Scott passed his Eagle Board of Review! Chloe was accepted to BYU & received the Isom Pride Scholarship!

March - A lot of TRACK meets! Sophi qualified for Regionals in the 4X8.

April - Camping at Clifty Falls! Prom dress shopping! Scott was accepted to BYU & received a 3-D art Scholarship from BYU!

May - Visit from Mom & Dad Weston! Scott received art award Greenwood High School! Scott & Chloe GRADUATED!!

June - Liv danced in her ballet recital! Sophi & LaDawn went to Young Women camp for a week! Scott & Chloe graduated from Seminary!

July - George Family Reunion/Indiana! Youth Conference Pioneer Trek! Jake's 1st Scout High Adventure!

August - Weston Family Reunion/Utah! Scott & Chloe stay in UTAH to start college at BYU!

September - Camping & Rock Climbing at Red River Gorge/Kentucky! Jake lettered in Soccer! Sophi lettered in Cross Country!

October - Sophi got her license! Trip to Tennessee to see William James born to Jenn & LaMonte!

November - Rance finished his first FULL MARATHON! Thanksgiving at Granny Opal's and Pa Jerry's!

December - Scott & Chloe are home for Christmas!

We are thankful for a full and wonderful year!

Our Baby is Eleven!

2010-10-30T10:09:00.009-04:00

Her 1st Birthday!

Olivia Katherine celebrated her 11th Birthday on October 28th! I can't help but remember the day she was born...it was so peaceful!! My epidural actually worked so I was able to deliver her without making strange animal sounds! She was a healthy 9 lbs. 13 oz. - 21 and 3/4 inches long. What made the experience so wonderful was the fact that my doctor left almost immediately after she was born due to an emergency c-section she had to perform. It seemed like all of the hospital staff went with her because we were left alone in our room, just me, Rance and our new little girl, for several hours. Liv hadn't even been cleaned up or weighed but she was beautiful and we just enjoyed this quiet opportunity to be with her, fresh from Heavenly Father.

Liv had her best friends over last night for a sleep-over after we went to our ward Trunk-or-Treat. They talked Rance and me into playing Murder in the Dark with them. We had a great time. Granny Jordan made her cake!

Kaley, Liv, Megan & Leah!

A glimpse into Kaley & Olivia's future?

I had a photo shoot on her actual birthday...she tagged along so I got this shot.

It's a tradition for her to have sushi on her birthday so Rance & I made a special delivery to school and had lunch with her!

All dressed up in her birthday presents from Mom & Dad!

Four Days

2010-07-26T23:16:00.001-04:00

I have four days left of life as I've known it for the past 18 and a half years. Bittersweet.

The Best In-Laws on the Planet

2010-05-16T07:42:00.006-04:00

Mom and Dad Weston visited us in Indiana for a few days this month.

It was so nice to have them here and to share all the madness that is our life!

Mom and Dad attended the Greenwood High School Track meet against Whiteland.
Chloe has run past in the background. We were on our way out of the stadium to book it to Olivia's Spring Sing performance!

Dad and Rance grill salmon for our Mother's Day dinner.

It was so nice to visit with both sets of parents! What a blessing!Grandma and Grandpa cheered on Jake at the Greenwood Middle School Track meet.

For Family Home Evening, we played a rousing game of kick ball out on the golf course.

Picking teams with Grandma & Grandpa as the captains.

Grandpa goes after Grandma!

Rance and I took Tuesday off and headed to Nasville, Indiana with Mom & Dad. We lunched in a small sandwich shop dedicated to the IU basketball team.

Rance and Dad were good sports! Nashville is an artist's colony of sorts.

Lots of little shops with fun, girlie things! They made me laugh when they would discuss how cute particular items were.

Grandpa helped Jake get his hot & mild banana peppers, jalapeno peppers & carrot seeds planted.

Watching Scott, Chloe & Sophi run.

The night before all the fun ended!

April Showers Blessings

2010-04-18T18:02:00.004-04:00

This month has brought the blossoms with it!

What a blessing to feel the sunshine!

We have accomplished much in the yard...preparing for Scott & Chloe's graduation Open House.

We were able to go camping & hiking at Clifty Falls State Park over Spring Break. The kids (well, most of them) requested that we not invite friends so we could spend time with each other. I'm so glad we did. It was a fabulous trip.

Olivia made the A/B Honor Roll...we tried not to be dissappointed that she didn't remain on the A Honor Roll. This photo was taken during the awards assembly held after each report card. She is wearing her Isom Ambassador vest. Part of her responsibilities include being a greeter at events such as this.

Sophi is having a good track season so far. She took first place in the 800 meter at her last meet. Her PR for the 800 is 2:41.

Mom, LaRae and I were able to attend Time Out for Women this weekend. Although it's always hard to be away from home, it was worth it to hear the inspirational experiences of the presenters. One of my favorites was from Miriama Kellon. I remember reading about her experience of witnessing her parents and siblings murdered in Africa back in one of the 2006 issues of the New Era. I got to meet her and hug her.

Jake is doing well this track season as well. He is a solid second to our fastest distance runner, who just happens to be one of the fastest runners in the state.

Jake attended his first stake dance. Too cute.

Scott received a talent award from the art school at BYU and was officially accepted into BYU. We are thrilled that they will both be at BYU this fall. Chloe received the Isom Pride Scholarship which is awarded to one student from the elementary school they attended.

How blessed we are!

Happy 14th Birthday Jake!

2010-04-04T22:53:00.006-04:00

I love Jake. He is all boy. These three photos were taken on our camping trip to Clifty Falls this week. He has an honest love for all things in nature...especially if they creep or crawl!

Singing Happy Birthday today!!

Vintage Jake:

Liv's on her Tippy Toes again!

2010-03-26T08:16:00.002-04:00

Liv took a "little" break from ballet/tap but has started up again. She took lessons for a couple of years when she was in preschool but then we moved and let it drop. There is a great dance studio just across Main Street from us called "Tippy Toes". It is run by some great teachers...we made sure that the outfits for recitals weren't going to be trashy (they're not...they are modest and cute!) and Olivia loves her teacher, Miss Kim. I have been greatly impressed by everyone at the studio...no attitudes and very professional. We were lucky to find a class that is specifically for older girls who haven't had much training. Olivia is picking it up quickly and loving every minute of it. It's nice to have a dancer again!

Jake Plays Basketball

2010-03-08T10:18:00.005-05:00

Jake played his last game at the YMCA on Saturday. Although his team lost by 4 points, it was a good game and Jake did well. He is fun to watch.

It's tough to be guarded by a girl!

Jake shoots a foul shot and makes a point for the team!

The One-Hundred Year Snooze

2010-02-27T12:44:00.003-05:00

Olivia joined Isom Elementary's drama club a couple of months ago. They've been working on "The One-Hundred Year Snooze" ever since. Last night was their performance. Olivia was one of the seven "Graces", the nice fairies that bestowed gifts on the baby princess of the land. Liv got to sing a solo as well. It was a fun evening and Liv was great!

February Highlights...So Far!

2010-02-21T17:14:00.002-05:00

1. Scott got his Eagle Scout.
2. Chloe was accepted to BYU!
3. Scott submitted his ceramics work to BYU for scholarship consideration.
4. Got to be Jennifer Glancy's escort for her first time through the Nashville Temple.
5. Temple with Rance and a bunch of others from our stake on Friday.
6. Scott came in to my room today and said he hoped I start feeling better soon.
7. Started reading Fablehaven with Olivia.
8. Have received numerous donations for Isom Elementary's Spring Fling raffle baskets...I am the fundraising chair. It's been fun to meet area business owners and experience their generosity.
9. Sophi got a very cute short haircut.
10. Jake played his best basketball game ever yesterday.

Emily Pond Ricks

2010-02-09T12:50:00.002-05:00

Emily Pond Ricks

Emily is a talented woman! She used to be in my stake and I knew her through the YW program. I just listened to her new album and it is fantastic! I especially love "The BestKind of Love" - "Sweet Dreams" - "In A Lot of Love" and "If I Could". Have a listen and tell me if you agree!!

Lesson Learned

2010-01-31T13:34:00.007-05:00

Today was our Ward Conference. Bishop Metheny shared a message with us about how important it is to be a friend and reiterated President Monson's message in the May 2001 Ensign "To the Rescue". I liked the story Bishop used to illustrate how we have to work at being a good friend. It reminded me of the natural man that we struggle to conquer each day.

An old grandfather said to his grandson, who came to him with anger at a friend who had done him an injustice, "Let me tell you a story.

I too, at times, have felt a great hate for those that have taken so much, with no sorrow for what they do.

But hate wears you down, and does not hurt your enemy. It is like taking poison and wishing your enemy would die. I have struggled with these feelings many times." He continued, "It is as if there are two wolves inside me. One is good and does no harm. He lives in harmony with all around him, and does not take offense when no offense was intended. He will only fight when it is right to do so, and in the right way.

But the other wolf, ah! he is full of anger. The littlest thing will set him into a fit of temper. He fights everyone, all the time, for no reason. He cannot think because his anger and hate are so great. It is helpless anger, for his anger will change nothing.

Sometimes it is hard to live with these two wolves inside me, for both of them try to dominate my spirit."

The boy looked intently into his Grandfather's eyes and asked, "Which one wins Grandfather?"

The grandfather smiled and quietly said, "The one I feed."

Our Relief Society president, Brittany Carroll shared some words from Elder Holland regarding enduring adversity and coming unto Christ. I thought this message went right along with the above story: "Certainly not everything we struggle with is a result of our actions. Often, we suffer because of the actions of others or just the mortal events of life." Elder Holland said that we should change anything that we can and we must forgive the rest. In this way, our access to the Savior's atonement becomes as unimpeded as we can make it. Then our Savior will take it from there.

Addicted

2010-01-26T19:32:00.003-05:00

I am decidedly addicted to my bedroom. I first realized this when we drove away from our home last Friday as we headed to Memphis for my nephew Ethan's baptism. I didn't want to leave, although I also wanted to go and be with my brother's family for this momentous occasion. I was surprised to find that I was thinking about my bedroom and its' cozy fireplace, comfy bed and clean floor. Rance cleaned it several weeks ago and it has been part of my Game On! goals to keep it clean. I've been successful. And so almost every night for the last couple of weeks, I've lugged a load of firewood up the stairs and used the trusty lighter that Santa left in Rance's stocking and built a blazing fire. Then, I'll get into my Jammie's, grab either my latest novel or "Jesus the Christ" and cuddle up in my bed or tug the couch around in front of the fire. I am, in fact, sitting in front of the fire as I write this. I love the campfire smell. I love to watch the fire flicker on the ceiling when it's time to turn out the lights. I love the crackling sound. It almost makes me like winter.

The Game On! Diet

2010-01-26T13:05:00.001-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-ZFAQoohYU

Life Change!

2010-01-14T10:46:00.004-05:00

Rance and I have started The Game On! Diet with 13 other friends!

I participated in the game back in December with a group of friends and absolutely loved it!

The reason: the principles taught rang true because of my upbringing. Most of you know that my father was diagnosed with Glomerulonephritis when I was in kindergarten (don't ask how long ago that was!) He almost died at that time but was approached by two "angels" who taught him about nutrition and healthy living. Back then they would have been referred to as "health nuts"! Dad went on to fully embrace many of the things this book talks about...giving up refined sugar and enriched flour, eating raw veggies when possible (in fact, Dad went on a raw veggie diet in the beginning...I remember him chomping on potatoes!), eating whole grains and much, much more. He dragged his family along with him, kicking & screaming, I might add! Giving up cold cereal was not very fun. And his wheat pancakes were enough to fill you up for days.

After following this plan during my first game, I realized how much better I feel when I make these healthy choices. And when I give in to cravings, I literally feel like CRAP! Bonus...I've lost those extra pounds that I've put on over the past few years!! I am a believer!

In a nutshell, every day is worth 100 points. You eat 5 meals a day that are worth 6 points each. If you flub up a meal, it's not the end of the world...you just don't get those 6 points. You earn 20 points by exercising at least 20 minutes. 15 points are available if you sleep 7+ hours. Drink 3 liters of water each day and earn 10 points. At the beginning of the game, each player chooses an unhealthy habit to break during the 4 weeks of play and if you eliminate that habit each day, you get 10 points. Also, each player chooses a healthy habit to incorporate into their lives. Do that healthy habit and earn 10 points. Lastly, we communitcate with our team mates and the opposing team each day for 5 points. It might sound complicated, but it really isn't or I wouldn't do it!! It's just fun to play! And the best part for me, it doesn't cost anything! Especially if the team I'm on wins! Because at the beginning of each game, the teams agree on a prize to play for!! It's just good, clean fun!

Thank You Weston Family!

2009-12-25T14:17:00.005-05:00

We may be far apart on this Christmas but we felt close to our Weston Family as we opened our gifts from some of them this morning!! We hope you guys felt the same way.

Merry Christmas!

To Rance From Ryan

To Jake From Dale

To Olivia From Braydi

To LaDawn From Alexis

To Chloe From Andria

To Scott From Eliese

To Sophi From Jay

We Have Adult Children

2009-12-14T21:53:00.005-05:00

Scott & Chloe turned 18 yesterday.

And yes, I made them hug each other for this photo.

Success!

2009-11-14T10:21:00.003-05:00

Jake has been into hunting for the last six months or so...with his first trip last April to hunt for Coyote...without success. He still enjoyed being with Rance.

He has been preparing for the deer hunting season ever since. He reads hunting magazines and gun magazines. He looks up information on the web. He talks about what he has learned...A LOT! This summer, Uncle Joe let him borrow his shotgun for this hunting season.

Rance and Jake went out early this morning...left the house at 4:30...and went to our friends' property down in Columbus. They have about 35 acres I think and were so kind to let the guys hunt on their land. About 15 minutes after sunrise, Rance says a doe came into view with a buck coming up behind. They watched them move through the trees for a few minutes when the buck stepped out right in view and just stood there. So Rance shot. It dropped right where it stood. They brought it home and dropped it off at the meat processing place and found out they were the first to check in with a deer on opening day!!

Jake is ready for his antlers to be mounted on a plaque...guess Rance and I will explore how to do that next!! I love how our children's interests enrich our lives as well!

Now the only thing left is to figure out how to get the girls to eat the venison...they all turned up their noses at the mention of us eating the deer this winter!

Another Beautiful Smile!

2009-11-11T18:03:00.003-05:00

After 2 1/2 long years, Sophi finally got her braces off!

She is smiling a lot these days and I LOVE IT!!

Rance Triumphs After All!

2009-11-07T18:06:00.003-05:00

Don't be alarmed!

Rance is fine. He just had an extended rest during his first attempt at a full 26.2 mile marathon!

Rance had a goal of running a marathon by the time he was 40. He turns 41 in a couple of weeks so a few months ago, he started training for the Indianapolis Monumental Marathon.

He trained well and felt ready for the run today. But his body didn't cooperate! He started feeling weak around mile 13 and was wondering what was going on. He had run further than that while training and had been fine. His stomach started to hurt and he attributed that to the PowerAde. He made it to mile 17 and was feeling very weak. He decided he needed to test his blood...as you all know, he is diabetic but he thought he had prepared well. He found a medic and asked if they had a blood tester but he didn't. The guy found someone who did and then found Rance again and took him to them. They were ambulance workers. They tested his blood and it was 23, which is REALLY low...like passing out low. But he didn't pass out, just felt weak. They gave him some glucose tabs and some glucose gel and tested his blood again. It had gone up to 40 something but they wanted to keep him until it went higher. By this time, LaRae & I were on our way to see him at the finish line but instead we tried to meet up with him along the race. But his blood sugar level wasn't going up fast enough for the EMT ladies so they hauled him to the ER, against Rance's wishes. He knew that if he just gave it some time, the glucose tabs & gel would kick in and he would be able to finish the race. But they wouldn't wait. So we had to meet him at Methodist Hospital...where he posed for the above photo...

He was so disappointed. He just kept shaking his head while we were in the ER. He stayed there for a couple of hours which was ridiculous because his blood level went to over 300 because the EMT's gave him so much glucose gel. The doctor finally released him so we took him back to the finish line so he could turn in his timing chip.

So...I knew that he wasn't going to give up that easily...but we didn't want to be stupid either so I went with him for the remaining 9 miles once we got home.

Chloe met us about five times along the way with Gatorade and water...and of course, a few photos for memories!

Rance is my hero today!

Chloe

2009-11-02T08:06:00.004-05:00

I am so proud of Chloe. She received her Young Womanhood Recognition yesterday in Sacrament Meeting. This award is equivalent to the Eagle Scout award that Scott is working towards. She performed at least 100 service hours to earn this.

Chloe had to write a poem about herself for an English assignment last week.

I love it...it is so her!

Chloe was a typical girl,
With a typical life in a typical world.
Sweatpants and T-shirts were her style,
But she liked to dress up once in a while.
She loved to buy cute clothes like skirts,
Skinny jeans, scarves, and lots of shirts.
She wore her converse all the time.
They were the comfiest shoes she could find.
Her hair was straight and long.
The color of it was golden blonde.
Her style could be considered chic,
But she also had a runner’s physique.
She was skinny but strong,
And could run all day long.
She did the best she could to be
Healthy and strong, you see.
In order to be quick and fast,
She thought about all the girls she wanted to pass.
But winning wasn’t always the test.
She just tried to do her absolute best.
She was 17, but remember,
She would turn 18 in December.
She lived with her parents, Rance and LaDawn,
But after she graduated, she would be long gone.
Her dream was to attend BYU,
And to get accepted was all that was left to do.
She loved her family, don’t get me wrong.
She just wanted to get out- to sing a new song.
She was tired of everything being the same.
It seemed like BYU was calling her name.
She would miss her family and friends a lot.
Especially her twin brother named Scott.
She hoped Scott made it into BYU too.
If he didn’t, she didn’t know what she would do.
She would miss her sister, Sophi, so much.
Laughing, talking, telling jokes, and such.
There were so many people she would miss.
If she wrote them all down, it would be a long list.
She had a lot of very close friends.
With whom their friendship would never end.
Taylor and Sara were her best friends from school.
They were fun to be around, and really cool.
The three would always laugh til they barely could stand,
But half of their jokes, only they could understand.
They had been best friends since freshman year,
And they would be friends forever, it was clear.
Chloe had a lot of church friends too.
With Katie, Megan, and Sarah, there was always fun stuff to do.
All of her friends were really great,
But she also had lots of friends in different states.
Her best friend, Ryan, lived in California, you see.
She also had a bunch of friends in Utah, where she wanted to be.
She was a very friendly girl, as you can tell.
Making friends was something she did well.
Most of her friends she didn’t get to see much.
So she texted them in order to keep in touch.
Of course, she never texted during school.
She would never dream of breaking the rules.
She didn’t speak with proper English all the time,
But compared to some, her English was fine.
Chloe hardly ever got in trouble.
With her parents, punishment was usually double.
From an early age, they taught her right from wrong.
She would remember these lessons her whole life long.
It shaped the girl she is today,
How she acts in different ways.
She is strong in her belief in God and church,
In Jesus, and how much she was worth.
She believed that helping others was the key.
Service truly does make you happy.
In the future, she would like to be
A teacher for autistic kids and the needy.
She can’t wait to grow up and be on her own,
To look back and see how much she has grown.
But right now, she’s going to enjoy being young.
Hang out and have fun until high school is done.
She doesn’t do drugs and she doesn’t drink.
She honestly doesn’t care what others think.
She’s always laughing and having a good time with friends.
This is Chloe. The end!

Family Home Evening Fun

2009-08-05T10:53:00.005-04:00

Sophi & Chloe came up with a fun game for Family Home Evening this week...we each drew numbers and then Chloe would consult their list of silly things to do and tell us what silliness we had drawn...then we had to do it! It was a hoot!

Fill your mouth with crackers and say "Mississippi"...

Hop on one foot and whistle a song...

Walk around the circle without smiling...
(Scott couldn't do it...took him three tries!)

Draw a cat while blindfolded...

Do the worm...

Balance a cup on your head while jumping up and down...

Do the "tree pose" for 30 seconds...

Hula-hoop for thirty seconds while making a fish face...

Do somersaults around the circle...

(ouch!)

Balance on a ball while singing "Yankee Doodle Dandee"...

Walk like a duck around the circle...

Put on a swimming suit and goggles and act like you're swimming...

Make the evil chipmunk face...

Feed the person to your right ice cream while you're both blindfolded...

Everyone jump in the pool with your clothes on...

My Friend Jess

2009-07-30T18:55:00.003-04:00

What better way to spend an evening than to celebrate a dear friends' birthday and visit with great ladies? I've known Jess for many years now...she was just graduating from high school when we moved to Greenwood! And she is such a good person, she doesn't even care that I'm so much older than her, she's still my friend! She is a fabulous person, fun to be around...always makes me laugh. She makes the best chocolate chip cookies! She is a dedicated mom and wife and I love her dearly!

2009 Youth Conference

2009-07-20T12:15:00.009-04:00

Our 2009 Youth Conference to Palmyra, New York & Kirtland, Ohio was wonderful!

We had a dance at the local ward building the night we arrived.

The Sacred Grove...

Being in the Sacred Grove was a very peaceful experience. It was different than I imagined. I imagined that it was one clearing but there were many paths with benches throughout. Many youth found quiet places to meditate, pray & read scriptures. I found a quiet path and spent some time alone in prayer. I'm so thankful for that experience.

The Grandin Press

The Hill Cumorah Pageant

We hung out for a couple of hours before the dress rehearsal of the pageant. We got to meet the cast beforehand. I found some of my old friends from Ricks College who were performing in the pageant...the Brasiers. I hadn't seen them for 13 years.

The pageant was SPECTACULAR! I highly recommend it.

The Kirtland Temple

Me & my girls.

Newell K. Whitney Home

The trip was a quick one but full of great exeriences. The photo below of me "pulling my hair out" was not indicative of the trip...I had a wonderful time and I would do it all over again!

The Dad's in My Life...

2009-06-21T20:52:00.003-04:00

I never knew my Grandpa George...he died right after I was born. I wish I had...I have heard many stories about him. He was always portrayed as a mean old cuss. He was actually a little bit of a scary figure in my life because I knew he used to take my dad and his brothers out to the barn when they'd been up to mischief and in their words, "take a 2X4 to our rear ends". But I'll bet he would have been a softy with his little granddaughters.

My Grandpa Durham wasn't really a part of my life. He and my Granny Opal divorced before I was born. He didn't come around much...I think I only remember being with him one time. I was pretty bitter about it and told him so in a letter when I graduated from high school. But after my dad died, my mom went to his house and brought him back into our lives. I saw him a few times after that before he died a couple of years ago. We had some good times together...although there never really was a connection. My mom, sister and I went to see him as he lay on his death bed. He was not responding to any of us and we had pretty much resigned ourselves to just being there...when he opened his eyes and looked directly at me and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry." I burst into tears and felt his love for me. I'm so thankful for that experience.

As I mentioned above, my Granny Opal divorced my grandpa before I was born. She married another guy in between that I didn't know. But after that marriage failed, she met my Pa Jerry. Pa Jerry has been there my whole life. He really adored me when I was little. You can tell by looking at the photos. And of course, I remember. He's the reason I wanted to be a truck driver when I grew up! On one of our moves out to Utah from Tennessee, he drove the U-Haul and I was the passenger. He brought along his CB radio and gave me a "handle". I was "Blondie" and he was "Guitar Picker". Granny Opal's handle was "Little Pixie". So, he would talk to all the truckers about what was going on out there on the highway. And when we stopped at truck stops, I got to see the big rigs and the cool little apartments they had in their trucks. I had a blast on that trip...all the pop and treats I could eat. Pa Jerry has been a wonderful grandfather to me. He was a witness at my wedding in the temple, standing in for my own father. I couldn't have picked a better man for my Granny to spend her life with.

My dad. I cried a bit today...it is always bittersweet to think of him. I love him dearly, although he wasn't a perfect father...but who is? Although I have forgiven him of his mistakes, they sometimes creep up in my thoughts and make me cry. But really, his life was one of service and of love. My memories are full of times when he was helping others. He loved to share the gospel...with everyone! I remember a time when he brought a hitchhiker home. Mom was not happy and I can understand why! He gave him a good meal and a bed for the night and then drove him back to the interstate the next morning. That was after he gave him a Book of Mormon. He may have even had him come to church with us before going back to the interstate...I'm a little fuzzy on the details! Dad was always so proud of us kids and our accomplishments. He was always right there with his camera...much to our dismay sometimes! Dad was a dreamer and I have inherited this quality. Dad was always hard at work on a project...either on our house or a church event or something personal. Anything he touched was going to be done right and he expected that out of the people around him. I love him and I miss him. I wish he could see his grandchildren. When I am at one of their events, I often think of him and how he would have absolutely LOVED to be there too. I hope that Heavely Father lets him look down on us every once in a while. Somehow, I believe He does...

Don Jordan...my step-dad. It's weird for me to write that! I don't really think of him like that...maybe it hasn't been long enough but I do think of him as one of the most caring and wonderful men I know! He has a reputation around these parts for being a hard worker and someone that would do anything for anyone. His thoughtfulness always makes me smile. Our kids love him and always want to be around him. He is a great Grandpa! And what's better yet, he is the best thing that has ever happened to my mom since my dad died! She waited a long time for him and I'm sure she would agree that it was worth the wait! I can hardly express the peace that I feel when I think of her with him. I know that she is happy and loved. What more could I ask for?

Jim Weston...my father-in-law. It was so easy to call him Dad right from the beginning. He brought me right into the Weston family with his southern accent and charm. Oh how wonderful he can make me feel when he starts bragging about my cooking or whatever it is he is talking about! I was the first daughter-in-law but it wasn't hard on me. Dad gives the best hugs...nice and tight. He is always there for us when we go to him for advice. But won't give it unsolicited. He is a man who isn't afraid to show his emotions. He loves his family fiercly. He raised the best man I know...and I will be eternally grateful to him for that.

Rance...my husband and the father of our five beautiful children...is the love of my life. I thought I knew what love was before I met him but I didn't. And I'm still learning what love is every day with him! What a blessing it is to be in a marriage that continues to deepen and expand as the days go by. I met him while he was serving his mission to Tennessee. He had been on his mission for about a year when he came to our ward in Clarksville. He knew my brother LaMonte from a "Mini-Mission" that LaMonte had served earlier that year down in Knoxville. I remember LaMonte coming home from that experience and saying that I would really like Elder Weston because we had the same taste in music...and so Elder Weston came to Clarksville. LaMonte was right...I did really like Elder Weston! He was one of the cutest guys I had ever seen! But as our family went through the trajedy of losing my father and my youngest brother, LaMar, in a housefire, I learned of an even better trait of Elder Weston's than his looks. I learned that he loves people and shows that love by his actions. He loved our family through that time...he and his companion would come to the dark, "old lady" smelling rental that we had to move to after the fire and pick my brothers up for P-day activities or tracting. They helped out at the big yard sale that our church held for us...mostly as comic relief by trying on crazy outfits and modeling for us and just being there for all of us. Rance hasn't changed over the years...let me take that back. He has changed...for the better if it is even possible!! He used to drive me crazy by asking what he could do to change for the better and I would always draw a blank! But he is always truly trying to improve himself. He shows all of us just how much he loves us by his actions every day. I think Scott's Father's Day card to Rance says it best:

Dad,

Happy Father's Day! You are such an awesome dad. I couldn't ask for a better one. You are a great example to me. I never see you being rude or mean to anyone (besides the Blockbuster dude!) and if you are, you always say sorry. I want to be just like you when I am older. You are a perfect example to me on how to be a great father. You are active in the church, you read your scriptures every day, you work hard at your job to provide for us and most importantly, you love your family and show it all the time. Thank you for being such a great father to me.

Love,

Scott

Recent Happenings

2009-05-12T16:23:00.005-04:00

Third Grade Field Trip to Conner Prairie

We discover an old curling iron...

This was Liv's favorite part of the day!

Scott practicing for his driving test...which he passed with flying colors!

LDS Prom!

Sam Fuller with Chloe!

Scott with Christina Hamner!

The best chaperones EVER! :)

Mother's Day!

Scott surprised me with breakfast in bed...even after his late night at the LDS Prom!

Now that's love!

Quick photo after church with my brood!

Mother's Day dinner at Mom & Don's.

Liv has fun at home!

Jake gives his all at the Shelbyville track meet.

Jake Runs

2009-04-30T07:29:00.002-04:00

Jake warms up!

Ready, set...
GO!!

Jake has impressed his coach this year. He started out running the 800 and has now been moved "up" to the mile.

I love Jake's love of life...you can just see it in his face!

Trampoline Fun

2009-04-29T17:56:00.002-04:00

I'm so thankful the weather is nice! Liv & I played outside after school!

Love that static!

Memories of Grandma & Grandpa - Supplement

2009-04-21T22:13:00.001-04:00

Since I was traveling yesterday I didn't get to participate with the others in FHE. I did write my thoughts down in my notebook while on the plane though. So here is my contribution to our memories of our grandparents.

Grandmommy
My favorite memory of Grandmommy is so prominent in my mind that I have a hard time picturing her in any other way. Whenever I think of her my thoughts instinctively go to her greeting us as we arrived from our long drives to her house. I cannot remember a time that she was not waiting at the door to greet us when we arrived. We would drive into the driveway and go in through the side door. She would be in the kitchen there next to the stove as you stepped up into the kitchen from the doorway. She always required a hug. Regardless of my age or how far down I had to stoop to hug her with her crooked back, she would wrap me up in her arms and tell me to give her some sugar, followed by kisses on the neck and cheek. Once the embraces were done, our attention would turn immediately to what she had on the stove to eat. Hot or cold, fresh or from the day before, there was always some kind of food on the stove - always tasting better than it should simply because it was on her stove. The love I feel with memories of the heartfelt welcome in Grandmommy's kitchen can only be surpassed as I think of a similar welcome she will give me the next time I see her.

Granddaddy
I don't remember why our whole family didn't go on this trip but as I remember, it was only Ryan and I that went with Grandmommy, Granddaddy, Uncle Curt, Lunts, and Paramores to a reservoir fishing and camping. Uncle Curt hauled both the tent trailer and the boat behind his truck. My favorite part was out on the boat trolling with Granddaddy. I was always amazed at the incredible assortment of silver, gold, and red tackle on the end of those lines. I don't think the fish were actually any bigger or fought harder than others I had caught but it always seemed that way when we were trolling. On the shore we fished with wads of very stinky cheese that was specially prepared for the trip, or with some of the Georgia Jumpers from Granddaddy's worm farm. We caught more fish that trip than I had ever before or probably ever will.

Other memories of Grandmommy & Granddaddy
Granddaddy sitting in his chair over by the window with the air conditioner watching TV.
Chinese checkers.
That shiny leather couch in the basement that folded down like a futon couch.
Climbing the big tree in the back yard.
Playing the car game sitting on the curb in front of their house.
The make-shift shower on the wooden pallet in the basement.
Grandmommy's hands as she mixed and kneaded biscuit dough in the wooden bowl with the flour.
How fun it was for us kids and how angry it made Dad when Granddaddy was drinking.

Grandma
When I think of Grandma in the Sacramento house I think of her sitting at the table in the dining room just off the kitchen playing scrabble with Mom and with us. When I think of her in Spokane I think of her standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes as we came home from school or wherever. No matter how much noise I tried to make as I approached, she would always get startled and jump when I finally made it to her to say hi. After she died, I loved going to visit Aunt Midge just because I could see and hear and remember Grandma again.

Grandpa
I have two favorite memories of Grandpa. The first is putting walnuts out on the fence beside their house in Sacramento, then waiting and watching for the squirrels to come and get them. The other is going with him as he collected newspapers and took them to the recycle center for the church. He impressed me with his willingness to serve and the work he did.

Other memories of Grandma and Grandpa
Sleeping out in the screened porch off the garage in Sacramento, playing with the old guns on the wall.
Going to the park down the street to feed the ducks.
Grandma with one foot in the canoe at a lake near Spokane and the other on the rock, the canoe sliding further and further out, Grandma going straight down into the water, then seeing nothing but her hat floating on the water.
Building a fire in the formal living room in the Sacramento house.
Looking at Grandpa's coin collection in the trunk in their basement.
Picking fresh grapefruit from the tree by the driveway.

Memories of Grandma & Grandpa

2009-04-20T20:49:00.000-04:00

We each wrote in our journals tonight our favorite memories of Grandma & Grandpa Weston for Family Home Evening. Rance's mom is compiling all of her grandchildren's memories for us all to read and share. She is also compiling her children's memories of their grandparents. I love this idea so I wanted each of our children to write their memory in their journal first, so their children can read about their great-grandparents. We love them so much.

Grandma Joanie

Scott: One of my favorite memories of Grandma is a couple of years ago we went out to Utah for Christmas. We went skiing for the first time. Grandma came with us and helped teach us how to ski. I really liked watching her ski because she was so good and I was proud that my grandma could ski. She is so cool!

Chloe: My favorite memory of Grandma was when we lived in Utah while my dad was in Japan. I was five years old. I remember coming home from a soccer game and her giving me a big hug and she told me she was proud of me.

Sophi: My favorite thing about Grandma is her big hugs when we come to visit. I get so excited as we are driving up the hill before their house because I know she will be waiting at the door.

Jake: One thing I remember about Grandma is when we went to Utah for Christmas and Grandma and Grandpa didn't know we were coming. When they pulled up in their driveway, my family ran downstairs except me. I sat on the couch with all of my cousins. When they got in the house, Grandma came in the room and said hi to everybody. When she got to me, she realized who I was and got very excited. We all laughed and my family came upstairs and we all hugged. So far, that is one of the best Christmas's I've ever had.

Olivia: One thing I love about Grandma is that she never gets mad. I've never seen her with a mad expression on her face. She writes us letters every year that tells us how great we are and how much she misses us. I love her cooking too. She makes the best meals.

Grandpa Jim

Scott: One of my favorite memories of Grandpa is how he took me driving a lot the last couple of years and taught me how to drive a stick shift. It is something I will always remember and how much fun I had just driving with my grandpa. Another of my favorite memories is going on the boat with him. I still have a blast going on rides with Grandpa, even though the boat isn't very fast. Seeing him take every one of his grandchildren shows me how much he loves his family and me. I am very grateful for both of my grandparents and how much they love and care about their family. I love them very much and wouldn't trade them for any other grandparents in the world! They are the best.

Chloe: My favorite memory of Grandpa was when we went crawdad fishing at a lake. I remember coming back to their house and cooking them. I asked why they turned red and he told me it was because they were nervous in front of me because I was so pretty.

Sophi: I remember grasshopper hunting with Grandpa. He would help us and then give us a penny for each grasshopper we caught in their yard or the empty lot beside their house. One time, we microwaved some of the grasshoppers...but Grandpa didn't know about that!

Jake: A favorite memory is when Grandpa took us out to a lake to go fishing. We didn't catch any fish but we caught lots of crawdads. Grandpa taught me a trick to catch crawdads and it worked! The crawdads liked our bait so we used our fishing poles just like you would for fishing. The crawdad would grab on and we'd reel them in. I love Grandpa so much and wish I could see him more often. He is so fun to be around.

Olivia: I remember something about Grandpa that I will never forget. I was seven and we went to Grandma & Grandpa's house for Christmas. It was the worst Christmas ever...because I got very sick. Not just cough, sneeze sick. I mean bellyache, puking up anything I ate or drank...16 times...that kind of sick. The day I got sick was Christmas and every present I opened wasn't even exciting because I was so sick. But that night, Grandpa and Dad gave me a blessing and the next day I was better.

LaDawn: I am so thankful for Mom & Dad. Dad made me feel so special when I first joined the family. He was always talking about me being a southern girl and would rave over my cooking. Mom is alway interested in my activities...whether they are creative projects or my callings. She is a wonderful example to me...mostly of patience...which I have struggled with my entire life! I can't relate to people who have trouble with their in-laws because I don't really feel like they are my in-laws, but my second parents. I love them very much. Below are some shots of a visit from them back in 2005.

Trying To Keep Up

2009-04-14T22:39:00.000-04:00

It's always fun when Carla is in town...too much fun for this old lady!

Carla had a great idea of hanging upside down on Joanna's couch for fun photos...and as you can see above, I don't possess this skill. Now a day later, I am so sore that I think I'm going to need to see Doc Griesemer!

Thanks for a fun Girls Night!

Our Jakey is THIRTEEN!

2009-04-04T22:57:00.000-04:00

Jake turned 13 today. He was so sweet...last night he came and sat on my bed and asked me for the exact time of his birth. I ended up telling him all about the night he was born...the highlights were: 1. My water broke for the first time and I thought I had peed the bed. 2. I had Rance turn around at the end of our street to go back for the video camera. 3. I delivered Jake within an hour of arriving at the hospital. 4. I had to have an oxygen mask and lay on my side for most of the time because Jake was in distress. 5. Jake's cheeks got stuck on the way out. (They only got bigger...see below!) 6. LaRae almost passed out during the delivery! 7. Jake was a sweetheart from the start!

Jake used to take naps with me. While he laid beside me, he wouldn't poke at my eyes or nose...instead, he would stroke my cheek.
Krispy Kreme instead of cake...he's my kind of guy!
(Thanks Mom & Don for bringing them!)

The happy couple!

Special birthday breakfast request from the birthday boy.

You can tell he's thrilled to be a teenager.

Granny knows what Jake likes!

Not ready for kisses from the ladies yet!

Our FOURTH teenager!

Relief Society Fun!

2009-04-02T16:06:00.001-04:00

W H O Can Find a Virtuous Woman?

We performed this skit for our Relief Society's Birthday celebration.

Monte Sebastian as the Conductor.

Wylie, Opal & Hilda...
the angels assigned to find a virtuous woman!

So this is Indiana!

No virtuous women in this magazine!

Not in THAT DVD either!

We've put on our thinking caps!

Could these be virtuous women?

Observing the ladies' actions...

The End!

The cast & the writer, Nancy Metheny!

The virtuous women in my life!

Home Track Meet

2009-03-20T07:42:00.000-04:00

Scott is struggling here. His leg muscles were VERY sore...he had been icing them right before the meet. He said this was his worst meet ever. But it was still fun to watch him run. He has the longest stride!

Sophi is getting taller every day it seems! I love her flying ponytail!

Cutest tongue ever! I just love that these kids are into running!

Best pals! Chloe, Sarah & Taylor. I'm so glad Chloe has awesome friends from school.

Isom Spelling Bee

2009-03-19T19:30:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Kelley Jo Robinson

2009-03-18T08:22:00.000-04:00

Kelley Jo Robinson passed away last Saturday after a year-long battle with cancer. I had the privilege of photographing her with her children & husband last fall, between chemo treatments. I attended her funeral yesterday. It was hard to watch her little girl, Emma, cling to Kelley's sister during the funeral. It was hard to listen to Kelley's family mourn her passing. But it was beautiful to hear their testimonies. They know where Kelley is and are coping with this loss with the comfort of the Holy Ghost. A question Rance and I came away pondering was brought up at the funeral: What would you do if you had a year left to live? Rance and I both agreed that we would spend as much time with our immediate family and our extended family as we could. So, we are just going to do that anyway. Thank you, Kelley.

March Madness

2009-03-17T09:35:00.001-04:00

Family Home Evening consisted of ice cream from Mrs. Curl's and filling out our brackets! The winner will get TWO scoops of ice cream instead of ONE! (We like ice cream at the Weston House!)

Liv Has Glasses!

2009-03-17T09:29:00.000-04:00

Olivia failed her eye screening at school several months ago. We are slacker parents and just took her in for an exam last week!! She was freaking out when the doctor dilated her eyes!

So the glasses came in yesterday and she was so excited! She was walking around Sam's Club saying things like, "Do some people see like this WITHOUT glasses?"

It's Official!

2009-03-11T23:20:00.001-04:00

My CASA training class was sworn in today as "Officers of the Court" by Judge Lloyd. We were the last item of business so we were able to get updates on some of the cases we've been following. Our director, Tammi Hickman, passed out a few files for us to read through so we could pick a case. She handed me a file that I didn't really want but knew I'd end up with! I knew it the first time she talked about the case. Because of confidentiality, I will not be able to share a lot about the cases that I work on but I can talk generally about them. The reason I didn't want this case is because it deals with a mother who has schizophrenia and won't take her meds. I am thankful that I will be working with another CASA on this case...Tanis!

Rance was able to come to the swearing in and snapped this shot with his camera phone. He has been very supportive of this new chapter in my life...in our life! I'm hoping that someday he'll be able to volunteer as a CASA as well so we can work together!

This was a posed shot! But it was Judge Lloyd's idea! He is so nice. I really enjoy listening to him work with people. He made us feel so good about what we are doing. I am looking forward to this experience! If you are reading this and are wondering how you can get involved or even if it would be right for you, give me a shout...I'd be happy to talk!!

Fun in LA!

2009-03-09T09:14:00.000-04:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Jake, Blake & Luke

2009-03-07T21:36:00.000-05:00

Today was the last day of the Y basketball season for Jake, Blake & Luke Griesemer. They played together on the Ohio State team this year and had a blast! The above photo was taken at an earlier game but all the ones below are from today's game.

Listen up...Jake knows what he's talking about!

Action shot...how I miss my SLR during fast action!!

Blake (in red) hurrying down the court!

Madelyn loves to be entertained by Rance. I think Rance likes it too!

Jake made it!

Clay thinks he's just as big as the other boys!

"Lemonade"

2009-03-03T22:21:00.000-05:00

Olivia was Rapunzel in her school's drama production last week. It was called "Lemonade". (Her long hairpiece isn't visible in the photo...) She memorized her lines well and had a blast dressing up! Thanks to Chloe for dolling her up for the production while I was out of town! Liv got a bouquet of tulips from Aunt LaRae & Uncle Brandon and another bouquet of tulips from Dad! Oh, and a big lollipop too!

Sixth Folder, Sixth Photo

2009-02-24T06:30:00.000-05:00

Janet tagged me a while back...I'm always a little slow!! So I went to my picture files, opened the sixth folder and chose the sixth photo. This is my brother LaMonte at our 2004 George Family Reunion...it was actually our first one! He's obviously wrestling with Scott...and Scott is loving it! I first thought it was Jake that he was wrestling but no...time flies!! So now, I'd like to see photos from Christine, Jenny, Rosita, Jill & Heidi. And whoever else wants to do it!!

To Kill A Mockingbird

2009-02-23T22:55:00.000-05:00

Rance took me out on our Valentine's Day date...just a week late! There was a bi-stake youth dance on Valentine's Day evening that I needed to attend so we saved our date for the next Saturday night! Rance got tickets for us to see "To Kill a Mockingbird" at the IRT (Indiana Repertory Theatre) and it was FABULOUS!! I had never read the book until last year when Scott & Chloe had to read it for English. Once they had finished, I picked it up and loved it! We rented the old black & white movie with Jimmy Stewart and loved that too! After the show, we went out for sushi so it was a PERFECT evening...except that it was cold out and we had to run in the cold wind to get to the parking garage...I love my Valentine!!

Too Close For Comfort!

2009-02-12T21:13:00.000-05:00

Tonight in CASA training, we talked about Understanding Families. There were many facets to this subject but we started out with an activity where we thought for a moment about our own families and named a strength and a weakness. After we shared our thoughts, we examined the illustration above. We were asked to note 12 to 15 POSITIVE aspects of the household pictured. I'm certainly thankful for this experience because this is very similar to what I observed in my own home upon my return from training...I didn't make the comparison right away but as I was finally scraping the moldy bean soup out of the crock pot (it had been on the counter since SATURDAY) and cleaning up the cracker crumbs from Scott's night of cooking on MONDAY, it dawned on me that my house could be substituted for the one above!!

Granted, I don't smoke but my boobs are about as saggy...

I think I'll go to bed now and hope someone doesn't turn me in for neglect!

My Lil' Sis

2009-02-11T21:44:00.000-05:00

I know I've already posted today but I just had to shout out how cool my little sister is!! I've got a yucky cold and these are the items I found on my doorstep this evening! She is the best sister ever (and I'm not just saying that because she's my ONLY sister!!) :)

Happy Birthday Mom!

2009-02-11T16:52:00.000-05:00

You can't beat Cracker Barrell for a Birthday Breakfast! It was fun to visit with Mom and celebrate her birthday a couple of days early. We are so blessed to have Mom in our lives.

She is the glue of our family.

Becoming a CASA

2009-02-02T21:59:00.000-05:00

I took my third step towards becoming a CASA today. CASA stands for Court Appointed Special Advocate. I took the first step last November when I called the Johnson County CASA office and requested an application to become a volunteer. The second step happened a couple of weeks ago when I interviewed with the director of CASA. And tonight I went to my first training class. I loved it and felt an overwhelming confirmation that I am doing the right thing even though life is busy and how could I possibly fit another thing into the schedule?

I first heard about the CASA program from a sister in my ward. She was the Relief Society president before I was called. She told me a little about what a CASA does and I knew then that I wanted to volunteer. That was about three or four years ago. There is a time and a season for everything.

If you are curious...go to www.nationalcasa.org to learn more. I copied this quote from the website:

Thoughts from Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author Anna Quindlen "You go into a courtroom and you will see lawyers who know the law and have dozens of kids' files, or you have social workers who know the regulations and have dozens of kids' files. But if a CASA volunteer is in the room, you will see they have just one file, and what they know is that one child. And that can make all the difference to a judge's decision regarding how the rest of that child's life is going to go."

I'm excited for this new journey to begin. I'm looking forward to meeting families and helping children. I am tired of crying when I hear and read stories of children who have been abused, neglected, killed...I want to do something.

Stay tuned...

Guess Who?

2009-01-12T21:32:00.000-05:00

"Bill"

"Betty Jo"

"Shaner"

Yes, we have crazy fun kids and I wouldn't trade them for the world. The one not participating in this fun activity was probably off texting a certain someone. These guys decided to do this after our unique family home evening...photos below of "The Rocket"...I'm surprised no one came away with a broken bone!

Happy Birthday Sophi!

2009-01-10T13:04:00.000-05:00

Sophi turned 15 on December 31st!

Her best friends helped her celebrate!

Katie Baker, Macey Mann, Aaran Bober, Sydney Sebastian & Morgan Grey!

Sophi requested that her room be painted for her birthday. She and I went to Lowe's on her b-day and chose the colors. Chloe helped with the design.

Rance and the girls took care of the base coat and my steady hand was called in for the dots.

It was fun!

The finished product...complete with our favorite vampire!

This is one of my favorite pics of Sophi...first grade "Apple Day".

My little doll!
I just want to rub my cheek against her cheek when I look at this! I've thoroughly loved having Sophi in our family. She is definitely her own person. Sophi knows what she wants and likes and there will be no persuading her otherwise! She is so helpful to us around the house. She is an organizer extraordinaire. And she is completely hilarious when she gets in "that mood". We love her and couldn't live without her!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T11:50:00.000-05:00

What a great Christmas 2008! Friends, family, good food...here are few of the highlights...

Stockings!

We were lucky to have LaMonte with us for Christmas!

The BIG SURPRISE...a Wii & Guitar Hero!

Sophi ROCKS!

Don't be fooled...Rey Mysterio wasn't with us on Christmas morning...(thanks Brandon & LaRae...you remain the "favorite Aunt & Uncle")

The best Christmas present ever...nothing to do but take a nap on the couch!

We are babysitting "Fred" for one of Rance & Jake's home teaching families
over the Christmas break.
Liv has taken full advantage of having a playmate!

We were blessed to be able to spend the afternoon at Mom & Don's.

Pa Jerry is always good for a laugh or two!

It's always fun when Wayne is around!

Granny Opal & Pa Jerry are popular! They got the kids Dance Dance Revolution! We spent the evening in competition! I've decided that is how I am going to get in shape for 2009!! That is how I like to exercise!

To LaDawn From Mom!
Mom was so pleased with this gift...she exclaimed, "It's digital!" It is huge! I can feed a crowd with this guy!

Chloe watches Granny open her gift.

I love Granny Opal! How blessed we are to have her! My Great-Granny Wilbur (Granny Opal's mom) passed away before I was in kindergarten...I barely remember her. My children will have fond memories of their great-granny!

Christmas Eve Eve...

2008-12-24T11:23:00.000-05:00

Christmas Eve Eve was very eventful...

My Granny Opal is here from Tennessee so I got to go shopping with her. She pooped out on me after Wal-Mart though!! I got lots of last-minute shopping done and rushed home to make dinner for our Elders. It was Scott's night to cook, so he helped with the chopping of the steak & peppers for Fajitas. It was a priviledge to have the elders in our home. They taught the kids how to teach about the Restoration and then they practiced on me and Rance. They did a great job. I'm thankful for the Gospel in our family's life. And I'm thankful for the good example Elders Davenport & Savage are for our sons.

Rance loaded up the Elders and the twins for a ride in the ice. We had to convince the elders that they needed a ride home because they were having so much fun slipping around on the ice on their walk over to our house. Sophi and I worked on making more Christmas treats...chocolate covered peanut butter Ritz Bitz while Rance drove the twins to Franklin for a movie at the Baldridges. Since it was icy, Rance didn't want Chloe driving. He said the roads were excellent until they got into the Baldridges neighborhood...where they promptly slid off the road and down a 30 foot drainage ditch. Chloe bonked her head on the window and banged up her shoulder. Scott learned why it is important to have a seatbelt on...he didn't and slammed his head into the roof of the car. Luckily, no other injuries. I happened to call Rance's cell phone right as they landed. I realized I didn't have baking soda to make peanut brittle so I wanted him to pick some up on his way home. He answered by asking for a ride home, which I obliged. Now we're dealing with getting a car towed out of a ditch on Christmas Eve!! This is one that we'll not soon forget!

Scott & Chloe are Seventeen!

2008-12-15T16:31:00.000-05:00

So, our first-born children continue to get older...which means we are getting older!! Scott and Chloe turned 17 on Saturday. I love them so much. It's hard to believe our time with them is so short here at home. They talk about college & missions a lot. They are such good people. They make good choices and I am excited for their future. But for now...I'll visit the past...

Time flies...weren't we just celebrating their first birthday at Joe & Melinda's in Provo, Utah?

They have a little more hair by their 2nd birthday in American Fork, UT.

They even smile the same! We've moved to Greenwood by this time!

I can't help but smile when I look at this one.

And just last year...the Sweet 16 Party! I thought they looked old in this photo but now compared to this year's they look so young!

This year, we had a party that included Chloe's best friend Taylor. Her birthday was last week. We had 10 teens over Saturday night. It was really fun...at least for them!

The rest of us had to spend the evening in our bedroom watching movies!

Lots of chocolate was served...chocolate cake, M&M's, a chocolate fountain with

all sorts of yummy things to dip and then hot chocolate for trips inside

between "Sardines" out on the golf course.

We had a fire going...toasty!!

Chloe with Ali.

Scott with pals from church.

Sophi & Jake were my spies!! I sent them out to check on everyone while they were playing Sardines. Sophi made Jake look taller so the teenagers wouldn't get suspicious!

Life's a Beach!

2008-12-11T17:02:00.000-05:00

I had a chance to go to Jacksonville, Florida for the last fews days to visit my sister LaRae and her family! LaRae has been going through some health issues so I went down to help with my two cute nephews, Wilson & Tucker!

We did some shopping and also had time to go to the beach one evening.

It was 80 degrees that day!

I love my little sister!

Tucker will be two on Saturday and Wilson is four!

A Lovely Afternoon at the Airport!

2008-11-03T21:03:00.000-05:00

I have to say...it was pretty cool to have John McCain's plane come flying

right over us while we sat in the bleachers waiting!

My Man Mitch!

I could have stepped down three bleachers and knocked a veteran

out of my way to shake John's hand but I thought I'd better not! I love those thumbs up!
He kept turning to look over our way...not because I'm so cute but because the veterans were sitting right in front of us...he talked to them directly several times.

I'm so glad Rance and I were able to attend this event!

We ran in to the Ketchum's afterwards...Patrick came up and tapped me on the shoulder. They were directly in front of the stand. We rode the same shuttle bus back to our cars afterwards and Patrick said that Mitch Daniels was fighting back tears while John McCain spoke.

Olivia's Bright Idea

2008-10-28T22:15:00.000-04:00

Olivia and I cooked Sunday dinner...a yummy soup recipe that I got from our good friend Julie Brewer. It's called Savory Vegetable Ribolitta. I'll type it out at the end of this post. Anyway, Olivia was bored after church so I told her that she was welcome to help me slice & dice the veggies. She did a great job until she got to the onion. I warned her that she would cry but she didn't believe me. When her eyes started to water, she ran out of the room. I thought she wouldn't be back but she came back with a solution! And it worked! It was so fun to work together. She turned nine today. LaMonte and I had lunch with her today...we brought her some sushi, her favorite food, and cupcakes for her class. She'll have a big birthday bash this Friday night.

Savory Vegetable Ribolitta

Ribolitta is a Tuscan-style bean and cabbage soup. It is traditionally thickened with bread such as toasted croutons or crostini, the Italian word for toast.

1 cup chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped celery
2/3 cup sliced carrot
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cans (19 oz. each) white kidney beans, rinsed & drained
32 oz. chicken broth
2 cans (14 1/2 oz. each) diced Italian-style tomatoes, undrained (I used the tomatoes Mom & I canned from my garden last year and added Italian seasoning)
4 cups chopped Savoy or Napa cabbage
1/2 cup each diced sweet red pepper and zucchini
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Crostini (recipe below) or toasted croutons
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large saucepan over low heat, cook onion, celery, carrot and garlic in olive oil until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the beans, chicken broth, tomatoes, cabbage, red pepper, zucchini and thyme. Cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender and flovors are blended, about 20 minutes. To serve, place crostini in each soup bowl and ladle soup into the bowl. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 8 servings.

Crostini: To prepare crostini, combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 cloves minced garlic, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning if desired. Cut one laof of Italian bread into 1-inch slices. Brush olive oil mixture on one side of bread. Arrange bread on baking sheet, coated side up. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes or until lightly toasted.

You will love this soup on a cold fall/winter day!!

Jill Tagged Me...

2008-10-26T20:09:00.000-04:00

1) Post rules on your blog
2) Answer the six "8" items
3) Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving them a comment

8 Favorite TV shows (I have to really think about this because the TV is rarely on here...)

1. Cold Case
2. American Idol
3. The Amazing Race
4. Law & Order
5. first season of House
6. Hannity & Colmes
7. Everybody Loves Raymond
8. What Not to Wear (when I'm in a hotel room! We don't get that many channels here!)

8 Things I did Yesterday...

1. Cuddled with my hubby in a tent.
2. Realized that I had forgotten all my clothes back at the house so I wore Rance's clothes.
3. Got toasty warm in the campsite bathroom with the hand dryer...a couple of cycles with that thing and the inside of my coat was positively heavenly!
4. Held hands with a new friend (Maryjo's little Erika took a liking to me on our hike...)
5. Took a very hot shower at my house.
6. Took my teenagers' cell phones away.
7. Went to dinner with good friends.
8. Shopped for Sunday dinner ingredients at Wal-Mart at 10:00 PM.

8 Things I look forward to...

1. Holding my grandbabies
2. Watching my children go out into this world
3. Going on a mission with Rance
4. Hanging out with family over the holidays
5. Youth Conference 2009 (Palmyra)
6. YW Camp 2009
7. Olivia's birthday party this Friday night
8. Going to sleep tonight

8 Favorite Restaurants...

1. Ichiban or anywhere with fresh sushi & Udon
2. Paradise Cafe
3. Yats
4. Cheesecake Factory (only for the White Chocolate Raspberry cheesecake)
5. Bravo
6. Cracker Barrel
7. Steak N Shake (Chocolate Shakes...nothing else compares)
8. Little Mexico

8 Things on my wish list...

1. A McCain/Palin victory (sorry all my liberal friends!)
2. a new driveway
3. clean carpet
4. a tropical get-away with my honey
5. visits to my far-away friends & family
6. respectful children (today was a rough day...)
7. a husband that can read my mind (Rance is helping me with these...)
8. my camera fixed...(I'm obviously being materialistic tonight...)

8 People to tag...

1. Joanna
2. Leanne
3. Heidi
4. Jenny
5. Christine
6. Chloe
7. Heather W.
8. I don't think I have any more blogging friends!!

Fall Break Fun!

2008-10-26T19:04:00.000-04:00

We tried camping at a new place this year...Raccoon Lake near Rockville, Indiana...about an hour west of Indianapolis. We weren't sure about going but our good friend Maryjo Lykins had already set up camp and her children were waiting for friends to play with. The reason why we were thinking about skipping the trip was because it was raining pretty hard and it was kind of cold! But we're not whimps so we took off...surely we could make it through one night of cold & wet weather!! Well, the sky was blue when we arrived on Friday afternoon and it didn't start raining again until 8:30 or so that night. That cut short the visiting by the fire but we had already had our burnt chocolate treat (the fire was a little too hot) and Maryjo's yummy chili. Our tent leaked a little bit but we stayed mostly dry and warm.

The boys went fishing Saturday morning. Skyler & Jake were trying to catch a fish and then cook it and eat it to pass off a Boy Scout requirement but the fish they caught were too tiny! We had a yummy breakfast of pancakes, eggs & sausage...and of course, plenty of hot chocolate!! We went on a fun hike later on to get our bodies thawed out!!

Scott led us up the ravine to show us a dead raccoon they had discovered the day before. He enticed us by letting us know that its' guts were hanging out. I didn't take a photo of it. Sorry, I know you really wanted to see it.

We had a good laugh at this tree. Aaahh, the beauty of God's creations.

Scott continues to taunt Rance into wrestling matches...

even though he always ends up like a pretzel. One of these days...

We plan on going back to Raccoon Lake next year. This state park has a full weekend of Halloween activities like face painting, a pumpkin carving contest, a Halloween egg hunt and of course, trick-or treating. You should come with us!!

You Know It is Fall When...

2008-10-20T22:12:00.000-04:00

...you feel the urge to buy pumpkins & apple cider! I bought apple cider the last time I went shopping and I'm glad I did because it was perfect for our Family Home Evening activity tonight. We shopped for pumpkins with the Brewer family...I think we wore the poor farmer out! He closed up shop when we finished with our selections! And three of our kids couldn't wait to carve 'em up...the other two were busy with homework. I am really missing my SLR...I always take timed photos of our glowing pumpkins...not this year!! Oh well...you can still see all the pumpkin guts that adorn the creations!

Palin Rally

2008-10-19T21:53:00.000-04:00

Busy weekend...we left Greenwood around 1:30 on Friday afternoon to hear Sarah Palin speak at the Verizon Wireless Center. Scott & Olivia opted to stay at school...how did we raise such responsible children? They wanted to go with us but Scott had a test and one last cross country practice after school and Olivia didn't want to mess up her perfect attendance. Plus, she got to go with Don to a hayride that evening. Traffic was terrible once we got to Noblesville so that put us late getting into the venue. We had VIP tickets because Rance & I volunteered last week at Governor Daniels headquarters making phone calls asking for support of John McCain, Sarah Palin & My Man Mitch. I really enjoyed the experience. I had only one woman say she was voting for Obama and she actually apologized to me for it!! I just laughed with her! Anyway, we didn't get to sit in the VIP section--too full by the time we made it in but it turned out for the best since we had the kids with us. They had fun running around in the lawn section. We had fun posing for photos with many strangers because of our t-shirts. All in all, it was a good experience to attend a political rally...a first for all of us. It would be nice to hear politicians from both sides talk a little straighter though instead of all the political lines & jargon. I liked Governor Palin's speech but it would have been better if she could just TALK to us. Enough for now...GET OUT AND VOTE!!

Granny Opal & Pa Jerry

2008-10-18T11:34:00.000-04:00

We had a lovely visit with my Granny on Wednesday night. Mom & Don invited us over for a cookout...I think it was one of the last nights of this season that was warm enough to sit out on the patio. I am so thankful they are both still well enough to travel to see us. One of Granny's favorite things to do is to shop. Mom & I took her to Kohl's earlier in the day. She had to be in a wheelchair so I pushed her around the store. She's a hard one to keep up with! She wants to look at EVERYTHING! I'm not that kind of shopper! I scan the store and make quick judgements so I definitely did not inherit her shopping genes. We always have a great time together! She just turned 84 but she's still young at heart!

Proposition 8 in California

2008-10-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

I read this post on Jill & Robert Baker's blog and agree wholeheartedly. Let's stand up for what we know is right. Do something now!

YES ON PROPOSITION 8 in CaliforniaEven if you do not live in California, it is just a matter of time until this issue comes to your state. We have been directed by the brethren to pass this on. You've been tagged. PLEASE READ THIS no matter what state you live in.Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt children. If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will put it on equal footing with traditional marriage. Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages.Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt churches. The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about marriage and family. Over time, greater acceptance of nontraditional marriage will be demanded of all people. This could impact the ability of any religion to teach and practice its beliefs. Including adoption agencies.A YES vote will not hurt gays. In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits.

For your information:On Friday, October 10th, 2008 a first-grade class took a field trip to witness a lesbian wedding in California. Click Here for the article from the San Francisco Chronicle.

A father in Massachusetts was frustrated when his kindergartner was taught about homosexuality at school by the teachers. He insisted he be notified in the future before such things were discussed so he could pull his boy out of school.He was taken to jail. Click Here for the story.

A Catholic adoption agency In the UK closed their doors because of the Government's new homosexual equality laws. The Equality Act forbids discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation. The law was forced through Parliament last year despite past Prime Minister Tony Blair's recommendation that Catholic adoption agencies be exempted from the rules. Click Here for more info.

Earlier this month judges in Conneticut overturned the state law (just as the judges in California did) to legalized gay marriage. This is not just an issue in California. We voted years ago to keep traditional marriage as the only marriage recognized in the state of California, 4 judges overturned our vote…and we need to fight back. That is what this Proposition is about. This is happening everywhere and the leaders of the church and others have warned that the outcome of California’s vote will affect the way the other states vote. So PLEASE…even if you don’t live in California, put this on your blog or email this on. The internet knows no state line. You know contacts in California that I don’t…and so do your friends. Please pass this on as it could eventually have an effect on everyone!

"Occasionally discouragement may darken our pathway; frustration may be a constant companion. In our ears there may sound the sophistry of Satan as he whispers, "You cannot save the world; your small efforts are meaningless. You haven't time to be concerned for others." Trusting in the Lord, let us turn our heads from such falsehoods and make certain our feet are firmly planted in the path of service andour hearts and souls dedicated to follow the example of the Lord." --Thomas S. Monson

Click Here for excerpts from the Broadcast given by Elders M. Russell Ballard, Quentin L. Cook and L. Whitney Clayton.

A good resource mentioned in the broadcast: http://www.preservingmarriage.org/

October 20th: Last day to apply for an absentee ballot if voting out of state. Click Here to get one.

October 27th: Last day to apply for “Vote by Mail” Click Here for info.

November 4th: Election day. Polls close at 8:00pm. Vote by mail must be received by this time and can be hand delivered if necessary.

YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED...Here's what you do:In the broadcast we were asked to "go viral on our blogs, etc" by Elder Ballard. This is my way of going viral. If you feel this is an important issue I ask that you copy and paste this post...and post it on your blog. PLEASE keep it at the top of your blog through November 4th. which you can adjust each time you post under the "edit post" option. The internet knows NO STATE LINE. You know contacts in California that I do not...as do your friends and their friends...and so on. Please do this. If not for your own children and the effect it could have on them some day...for mine! After you have posted this...email this to your contacts and TAG all your blogging buddies to do the same. THANK YOU!

Bella...not Willow...

2008-09-24T20:56:00.000-04:00

Well, after living with the name Willow for a week, our children finally decided to agree on something...that they didn't want the name Willow. They have agreed that our puppy's name will be Bella (which is the name that the majority of us wanted to begin with...) I hope this is the last time I write about choosing the dog's name. Now we just want to enjoy having her in our family! She is a crazy dog...very playful. Olivia and I are reading the book "Marley", an adaption for younger children of the book "Marley & Me" and I'm learning that Bella is not alone in her crazy dog actions!

Dilemma on Diablo!

2008-09-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

I know everyone has been anxiously waiting to hear the result of our latest dilemma here on Diablo. And I did say dilemma because that is what it turned into. Who knew Family Home Evening would last for over two hours on Monday night and that our puppy would remain nameless afterwards? Looking back, it was comical. Living through it though... There were comical moments but mixed in were crying moments, stomping out of the room moments, angry moments, sarcastic moments, hysterical laughing moments...but the important thing is that our puppy finally has a name as of last night. Her name is Willow. Rance came up with it when he recalled one of our family's favorite movies. It has Val Kilmer in it and it's pretty old. It used to be one of Scott's favorite movies when he was a little guy. We have some video of him holding the video tape and asking if we could watch "Wee-Low". He was soooo cute!

Surprise!

2008-09-13T23:16:00.000-04:00

Rance and the youngest three went out Friday night, without a dog. They returned, with a dog. Rance is a very wise man. He didn't breathe a word of his intentions to me. In fact, he said something like, "Enjoy a quiet evening at home, honey..." I did enjoy a quiet evening. After a couple hours of being a couch potato, I heard a commotion in the garage and went to investigate. That's when I saw her...our new 12-week old Black Lab/Retriever. She is so cute and fun. Did I mention that Rance is a very wise man? We are trying out different names this weekend and will decide on her permanent name during FHE.