Twilight Zone...

Yesterday was the TWILIGHT ZONE day....

These stories are real, the people in them are real, the faces are real. 

You are now ENTERING THE TWILIGHT ZONE....

If it could happen...it happen...and I don't mean in a good way!!! 

So it started out as a typical ordinary day.  I woke up, got the boys up, got dress to go train for the vertical marathon that I'm training for in November...yes, I am really crazy and have lost my mind!!...and headed out the door!!

At the gym, Teresa and I start our stair climb.  You see that's what a vertical marathon is.  53 flights of stairs, 1,272 steps...and we are doing this for the American Lung Association...yes we are CRAZY!  BUT we have made it to 74 flights of stairs...1,5000 steps...oh yeah baby!!!  WE ROCK...and we both have BAD knees...she has had hers re-done and I've broken mine...so if we can do it anyone can...so enough on that...well maybe not...but for now! 

So we are at the gym and while we are working out we are talking about all the problems we are having with PTSA...it always seems like we have things happen on Tuesdays and it drives us crazy.  Teresa informs me that we got a bunch of bounced checks back from our fundraiser...ugh...teachers are wanting things about our up coming carnival...ugh...our t-shirt guy completely changed the design we wanted for our carnival t's...ugh...just everything was going wrong...but we were taking time for ourselves and working out!

So we finished early on Tuesday so we could go and order our bountiful basket...cuz the run out fast in Goodyear...then I go and shower.  After I shower I was heading over to a friends to discuss wedding stuff, was running a few minutes late and when I got there she wasn't home...ugh...my bad...but while I was there, I get a call from Naomi at the school...Josh got hurt, again, in PE (it's always PE), and they wanted to let me know, cuz it looked kind of bad.  He jammed his finger.  So I told them I wasn't in the area, so could the tape it, ice it, give him drugs and see if he would be ok.  And there you have it.  Off he went to class.  Well I headed over to the school and the called him up front and while I was looking at his finger it doubled in size...it was kind of cool...I called my resident DR...aka...Teresa (flight medic) and she said if it swelling still I should take him in, better safe then sorry.  So off we went to Urgent Care. 

After x-rays...he broke it...not jammed it like I thought, right above the growth plate, in the joint at what they call at 30% brake, which means...we need to see a specialist...so  much fun! 

Then, Cayla shows up that night to pick Seth up from Cub scouts and drop Josh off at scouts cuz I have meetings and she has a heating pad on her neck and informs me that she hurt herself at work while playing...ready for it..."Duck, Duck, Goose"...she got "Goosed"...she works at a place called the "Little Gym" and when you get "Goosed" you do a roll out and when she did her neck locked up and she couldn't move it and she said it was the worst pain she ever felt...she wanted to scream and cry at the same time, but she was being evaluated and could stop or do anything.  It was pretty bad.

But to add to the whole twilight zone night.  My friend Teresa...She was at football practice for her soon Austin with all her kids when her daughter Syd'a fell riding her scooter...no biggy until later when she tried lifting her scooter up and she couldn't...Teresa and Ryan (dad) looked at her wrist, cuz she was crying at this point and realized that she might have broken it!  At that exact same time another parent came up to then and said hey your son Austin just got hurt, he jammed his finger.  They ignored the finger, thinking it was no big deal.  So they took Syd'a to the Drs and yep...its broken and they have to see a specialist...then they got looking at Austin and decided to take him in and guess what!!  Thats right...its the exact same break as Josh...so yep...they have to go see as specialist. 

Well, that leaves two of our kids...Seth and Brenna that didn't get hurt yesterday!  We really feel the need to rap them in bubble packing tape and lock them in a padded room so they wont get hurt.  

Poor Josh, today at school, hit his finger and head and felt it pop...went to the nurse and got more drugs and ice...then tonight...oh boy did he done do it good...I'm thinking they might have to take more x-rays...his whole hand is big now...and he can't even move the tip of his finger now...Seth hit his hand and it took him down!  Oh boy was it bad!!  Josh screamed and Seth felt bad, everyone was crying...Josh is hand is now purple!  Tomorrow at the specialist should be interesting.....

Then I went to church yesterday and...thats a whole nother story that I really can't share...BUT I will say...it's a good thing...THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!   

And you have now LEFT...THE TWILIGHT ZONE!!!

Funny thing...

DJ comes in this morning and tells me that while he was working the ASU game last night, as a cop mind you, something funny happened...And let me tell you while he was telling me...I did laugh!! 

So he's standing in the street, directing traffic, watching people leave the game...and he notices that some girls are going the opposite way of traffic, back towards the stadium...NO BIGGY he thinks, their not doing anything wrong.

A few minutes later...he has a college student kind of leaning against him...and she looks up at him and asks..."Are you married?"  Of course he answers right away "AH YES!!!"  She says, "thats too bad cuz your really cute!"

Insert me laughing so hard..."laugh*laugh*laugh*laugh"...wait one more laugh..."laugh!!" 

DJ says he looked a little shocked that a college student was hitting on him...and then she walked away! 

After my initial laugh...I said at least my hubby still has it!  Really after all these years, college girls are still looking at him...or was she dared...lets just believe that my hubby still has it!!! 

Have you ever noticed...

...Or maybe you haven't and it's just me (more then likely thats it)...

but have you ever noticed that when your unhappy with yourself...your unhappy with the world! 

 Well, I have cuz thats the state I've been in for a while!!!  Somehow I need to work on my own happiness so that I can find joy around me! 

 Easier said then done!!! 

I really hate being in this funk and I'm sure I'll get out of it...just need to find a better way to deal with my stress then the way I've been dealing!  Cuz the way I'm dealing with it, is why I'm unhappy right now with myself! 

I'm sure everyone gets this way at some point...But then again maybe not...but this is my time (again)...just gotta work my way out of it somehow and work on my self esteem...cuz right now, it's petty much gone!

Thanks for letting me have myself pity party...needed to get it out and now I'm good!! 

Remember when...

...the Prophet said to plant a garden...and remember that is what we did...

Well, here are picks of a garden...I was so excited to get all the food...and we still are...Summer is over and its still going...I LOVE IT!!!  Can't wait til its time to plant again! 

We had cucumbers growing out of our ears....

The pumpkins were growing in the yard...it was pretty cool!

Isn't that the cutest little pumpkin you ever did see! 

We had every color of pepper you could think of growing...this is only two types...it was a rainbow of colors!



We're all together...

Its been a few years since the whole family was together....

Theres been times that everyone was up at Kims...except us...

or Kim was down here in Phoenix...but no Dan!  Or visa versa...

So even though it was a sad thing that brought us all together...

It brought us all together! 

Dad, Mom, Kim, Me, and Dan! 

Wish I could see them more...all of them! 

The new addition to the family...

...NO, I'm not pregnant!!!  Are you crazy!!!  How could you even think that. 

Well for those of you that know we have a dog, a black lab...his name is Mickey and well, he's getting pretty old...almost 18 years old.  He's still alive and kicking but we do worry about him....

Soooo we decided to get a second dog...We've always had a lot of dogs until a few years ago, so Mickeys been kind of lonely...now he has a play mate...

Her name is Mia...you see we name all our animals from Disney characters and Mia is from Princess Diaries....

She is a little cutie...but I don't think she will ever learn ANYTHING...She drives me batty...oh wait, I'm already batty!

Don't let her cuteness fool you...shes CRAZY and WILD!!

Big Papa!!

Another major event that took place this summer was in June...My grandpa, the kids great-grandpa past away!  James Carroll, know by everyone as Jim past away on Wed., June 2.  The kids have always called him big papa and he was always my boodia.  He was an amazing grandpa who loved his grandkids and great-grandkids to death.  When little kids saw him they always thought he was Santa Claus cuz he had the big beard and even bigger belly. 

His funeral was very special...we got to see something that not many people get to experience...a 21 gun salute...Grandpa use to be in the Navy, so my mom was able to arrange for this to happen. 

Here is my Uncle Denny, Uncle James, my brother Dan,

my cousin Anthony, DJ, and my dad.

It was very hot and bright out...but I think the

glasses help hide the tears.

Ok, I know hes sideways, but I didn't rotate the pics before I added them...sorry!

The playing to Taps!!! 

Here they are explaining the purpose of the 21 gun salute

Again I didn't rotate...sorry

The 21 gun salute

The folding of the flag

Presenting it to my Grandma

Now I don't recommend having funerals to anyone...

But it was a very nice family reunion...

just about everyone in the family was able to come and

say one last good-by to boodia.

Grandma and Uncle Denny. Denny came down from VA

Aunt Carrie (down from WA), grandma, Aunt Stacy, Mom and Uncle Denny...

Uncle Mark and Aunt Robbin couldn't make it...they were missed

Josh and Tristin...

Josh has taken grandpas passing very hard...

He still gets upset every now and then.

Kim was able to make it down from ID

Seth and Caleb

Grandma with best friend Dawn

Two sisters...stricking a pose

Kim with her favorite neice...wait isn't Cayla her only neice on this side of the fam...hummm

Mom and dad...

Mom was so stronge during these last few months with grandpa. 

It was a very hard time for her.

Trish, Caleb and Dan were able to make it down from WA

Ahhh, I really do love my baby brother....

Caylas Graduation...

As I look back over the last few months that I didn't up date this BLOG THING...I realize that a few key events have taken place and I should put some pic up for everyone to see...that way ya'll will stop askin me to send you copies since all you have to do is log onto my wonderful blog that I work so hard at and see them...I'm just kidding...don't take me so serious...you never have before so why start now....But it is a wonderful blog if I do say so...again...just kidding! 

So the first major event...well that I can remember, I'm sure there were others...was Caylas graduation and the party after...

Enjoy the pictures! 

Cayla was one of two speakers that got to talk at Graduation...

We always knew that Cayla had the gift for gab....

Up on the BIG TV at the University of Phoenix Statum! 

Receiving her diploma...Wooohooo!!

She DID it!!  At the top 1% of her class...Way to go baby girl!!

Cayla best friend since 8th grade...Geoffrey Smith! 

He did it too!!!

Cayla and her uncle James...

A very proud daddy!

Mommy and daughter!!

Caylas other dad...her non-daddy-daddy, Russell

Aunt Sandy and Uncle Ron along with the graduate

Grandma and Grandpas first graduation grandchild!

Cayla and Samantha...sisters forever!! 

Cayla with her big sis Jerrae and mom

This was an AMAZING cake we had made for her!! 

The dance pictures on it are really pictures of Cayla!

Cayla opening gifts at the party...

Everyone came out to show their love and support to her...

Thanks everyone!!

She made it!!! 

Gremlins...it must be...

So I am convinced that my house must have little GREEN and BLUE GREMLINS...

WHY-you ask...well I'll tell you....

This has happen more then once..it happens all the time...If it was a one time occurrence then I would think its the family...

BUT...

Sometime during the night...little GREMLINS must have broken in (or they just live here) and trash the house!

It's the only way I can explain why my house is always one BIG TIME mess! I'll work hard and get the house, well, semi-clean...go to bed...AND the next morning its a mess! 

I'll ask the family what happen and AMAZINGLY enough...none of them know how the house got trashed.  So I have come to the conclusion...

it's the little Green and Blue Gremlins! 

What a terrible mom I am...

Have you ever have something happen and then you feel like a TERRIBLE MOTHER? Well, I have those moments ALL the time. It's at those moments I wonder where I was when they handed out the manuals on how to take care of kids...cuz I sure didn't get mine!

So yesterday, Seth started saying his throat hurt...well it is that time of year when allergies start acting up and you get drainage down your throat. But you have to understand something...Seth is my DRAMA QUEEN...ok at some point all of my kids have been DRAMA QUEENS, but yesterday was Seths day!!

I really didn't think too much about it, cuz Seth always says he doesn't feel good and then 5 minutes later...hes running around driving us crazy...then when he has to do something...like chores or homework...he doesn't feel good again...STRANGE how that works!

But he was acting a little quieter then normal...not much mind you. Sooooo we get home from the Primary Activity (Sooooo sorry to all ya moms that had kids there, but he did stay to himself for the most part...well til the end of the activity), he went and layed on the couch and just watched movies all day. He ate lunch and dinner just fine and then back to laying down. He would say every now and then that his throat would hurt when he swallowed.

So we got a flash light and looked...it was barely pink...really nothing...

UNTIL....dunt dunt dooooon...

Around 2 Josh comes in and says that Seth has been crying and wont stop. Go in and check on him and he says his throat really really hurts...Poor little guys! We get the flash light and in just a couple of hours...flaming red!

After some medicine and a blessing...everyone goes to bed and gets some much needed sleep.

Then in the morning all the craziness starts. I have a Primary Program going on and DJ has a talk he has to give in another ward...Cayla has to work today at 1...and we need to take Seth to Urgent Care....

What do we do?

Again, I really am a terrible parent...Cuz Cayla was having to work today (she normally doesn't work on Sundays), she had planned on going to our ward. But she offered to stay home with Seth...however I needed her help at church since DJ wasn't going to be there. I had to be up on the stand during the program and couldn't go set up the primary room, so I thought Cay could do it. So we decided to see if Josh would mind staying home with him till DJ finished his talk and could take him in...SO THATS WHAT HAPPENED! What kind of mom would have another child stay home and take care of her sick baby...ME I guess!

After a trip to the Urgent Care...its confirmed...STREP THROAT! Poor little guy!

I survived...

Well today was our FIRST Primary Activity as a new ward and believe it or not...

I survived!

For those that don't know, when our stake changed the wards a few months back and made my ward, I was called as the Primary President. I had a few feelings go through me at that time...

One, I have done this before...BUT it was 17 years ago!

Two, I have also done the stake President thing...BUT again, it was 14 years ago!

Third, is the Bishopric NUTS!!...ok I'll admit that was running alot through my head!

Forth, PANIC...it's a BRAND NEW WARD and we have nothing...heck we don't even have that many adults in our ward!

I could keep going on and on and on about everything that went through my head those first few days...

But putting all that aside...I got a great presidency called and we went forth...getting our teachers and two weeks ago...we became fully staffed...yeah! Well at least for another two weeks when one of our teachers is moving...boooooo...but its ok!

So as we were setting things up as a presidency, we tryed to find a date for our primary program. The programs are normally done in Oct or Nov. No biggy right...WRONG....

My councilor who is mainly over Activities and the program is due to have her baby in October and our chorister is due in November but sometimes goes early. UGH...when do we set the date...September!

So here we are in September...we had our first activity and we lived. We did a pancake breakfast...food will always get people to come. Then we went and practiced the program. And after that we went and played games. I don't think I've ever seen so many kids competitive about Simon said or Duck Duck Goose!

But you know its a good sign when kids don't want to go home from their Primary Activity cuz they were having so much fun!

Oh and did I mention that 90% of my primary is under the age of 8. WHOOOOHOOOO!

Ummmm Blessings...

Sometimes when it rains...it truly does pour!!!

Have you ever noticed that when something goes wrong in your life~everything does....Ok maybe not in your life but most times in mine it does!

Now for those who know me, know that I'm not very good at hiding my feelings...I know what a shock...happy, sad, annoyed, angry, frustrated...etc...you can see it all on my face...DARN FACE!!! Stop giving my feelings away.

You also know I'm the type that see the glass half empty...NOT half full...never have...never will!

I truly need to follow the example of one of my friends...when she was having a bad day...she complained (she had every right...it was a bad day)...but later she felt bad about complaining so then she counted h er blessing and had a change of heart!!

Don't know if it would help but lets see...

One...ummmmmm

Two....ummmmmm

Three...

Ok so it's harder then I thought...

...plus we all know that I do find joy at times in complaining and just being plan miserable!

All smashed up...

(This is our GHETTO car...what do you think)

Wednesday morning, I'm up getting the boys ready for school, when DJ calls...

He knows we are going crazy and rushing from here to there in the mornings...we're running around like chickens with our heads cut off!...SO why on earth would be be calling to slow us down...Well to tell me that Cayla was just in an accident!! Yep, that's right an accident! Are you kidding me!!

She was getting off the freeway when a lady hit her from behind!!! The lady just wanted to exchange info and leave...but Cayla being the good daughter called daddy! DJ says "OH NO!!" she needs to stay and I'll send someone out to do an accident report. Well the lady wanted to leave cuz she knew she would get a ticket...which she did...hello she hit our car from behind!

Cayla had Tom and another friend, Blake, with her and so far...knock on wood...They are fine! Cay was saying he back was sore and that her head hurts...so we will see...sure signs of whip lash!

But I'll tell you, nothing gets the heart pumping faster then your hubby saying..."The kids are fine...BUT they were in an accident."

Howdy Cowboy...

I know everyone would agree who lives in Az...Summer was LONG and HOT!!!

But, the end is insight...We are in the 90's and low hundreds...Where else would someone be excited about the low 100's then here in good old AZ!!!

With it being so hot during the summer, I can understand why DJ, Cayla and Josh looked for as many opportunities to leave our wonderful HOT valley.

This summer they traveled all over the state and out of the state! There was 2 girls camps, 2 scout camps, military duty in Flagstaff, a trip to Utah and New Mexico with friends and the military!

BUT that left poor little boogier Seth home, board all summer long with mom....

SO thats why we put Seth in for horse riding lessons...Very Cool (well not really-it was HOT out side) but cool for him to be a cowboy!

It was very cute...he had to have cowboy boats and a riding helmet! And he took to it like a fish to water...HE LOVED IT!! Even though he was suppose to be focused on riding, he still managed to talk his instructors ear off...True Seth all the way...BOY did he talk a lot!