Abi's New Smile

Today is the day!  Abi's braces come off!  She has had braces for about a year and a half. Faithfully she has brushed and flossed and stayed away from chewy candy.   Today is the day.  Grandma is taking her.  She is going to miss the orthodontist appointments and Dr. Brian.  But mostly because they go for Lunch or Breakfast or a treat depending on what time of day.  And they usually bring me back a treat from Kneaders and a Drink from Maverik.  She also got the whitening trays from Dr Brian today.  She will be looking good!

Before (she's a bit shiny I think that's my quality camera...)

After

 

 

BEAUTIFUL job dr Brian!

 

 

 

Abigail even made the sign in the office!

 

 

 

the mama

So, I'm the mama.  I am usually the one who takes the pics.  But here are a few of me.  I don't like my pic taken because all I see is how fat I am and that I should be losing weight instead of golfing or sleeping.  But it is what it is.  That's my size.  Here are a few of me.  Not proud of it however. 

I read on another blog the author told a bunch of stuff about him.  So I thought it would be a good idea.  Since I'm pretty sure no one will ever read this.  I'm okay With that.  

1.  I have one sister and one brother.   Michelle works for the Federal Court as a Courtroom Deputy.  Mark is a Dentist in Las Vegas.  Melanie, the other sister died about 7 years ago of drugs/drinking/mental illness.

2.  I am a school teacher.  I teach 7th and 9th grade science.  This is year 22.  I have liked it for the most part.  If I had to do it over again,I would have been a Pharmacist.  I need more money.  But who knew I would have to support 5 children.  But I do have summers off and am off when they are out of school. 

3.  My world right now is dictated by my 5 children.  between work and them, I don't have time for anything else..

4.  I LOVE Disneyland.  I haven't been there for about 12 years.  I feel very bad that my children haven't been able to go.  

5.  I love Red Lobster.  CRAB!  I love going to Red Lobster  with my Buds.  I do make time for that usually quarterly.  My buds ar

6.  I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  I go every week.  We are ALWAYS on time.  I have been the Music Director in Sacrament meeting, 2nd Counselor in Relief Society, and currenty in the Cub Scouts as the Wolf Leader,  They are 8 years old.

7.  I like funny things.  I don't like stupid, obvious jokes that you can seem coming.  In fact,I can't stand that.  I love witty people and things.  Most people are not funny,

8.  I like to know stuff about people.  I like to know their life stories and details of their lives.  Like what they do for a job, where they grew up...

9.  For the last 20 years, I have felt like a failure.  I know I have worked and raised 5 children and provided for them.  However, we have lived a meager life.  Our houses are always run down, needing updating and new carpet and new furniture .  I think of all the good times we have missed due to lack of money.  It's one of my biggest regrets that haven't provided better for them.  And contrary to what Oprah Winfrey says, I WILL go to my deathbed wishing my house was bigger or I was able to provide a better life for the,.

10.  The cause of  #9 is  their Dad.  Who is a chronic liar and a thief,  So he didn't provide.  If I wanted a house or a car or food or  health insurance I needed to provide it.  more on him on a later blog.

11.  I think people interpret me the wrong way.  I think they think I am onrey and crusty because I am not openly friendly.  I really don't mean to be that way.

12.  I always wanted to be a runner and a tennis player.  I was never good at either one. I took tennis lessons, and a class at BYU, and played at the Country Club in Vegas.  I am soo uncoordinated.  Really.

13.  I like Jigsaw puzzles, diet coke, rice krispie treats, red vines, sugar cookies, nice clothes, and Target,  I don't have any nice clothes anymore.

14.  It bugs me when 20 year olds at church (since that is all we have at our church) testify about raising teenagers when they don't have any.  One thinks they are experts because they were a teenager. 

15.  I like to try new things.  (sometimes). Like concerts in the  park, grizzly hockey, Baseball, water 

slides, Crime Shows, reading, and People Maazine.

16.  My house is NOT clean.  EVER

17.  I am insecure about most things.  I don't like to call people on the phone.  I am self conscious and nervous in large groups or if I am new.  And even if I am not new.  Faculty meetings, ward parties, family parties or gatherings where I don't know people make me SOO nervous or anxious.  Really hate them.

I am proud of this one at least I'm trying to do something

football against WX - Jack

Here is a game video of Jack.  I am not sure how long this is an active link, but I"ll post it anyway.  Maybe it will just be out in cyberspace for years and years. Who knows.  It was a game against Woods Cross.  The rival for Bountiful people.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8oaMLgiWiVJWUxzTnFjc2tBcFU/edit?usp=sharing

He is #77.  He is on the line.  He does get through a few times. 

I will post some other pics if I have them.

Jack is #77

 

 

 

He sat out because they were giving other kids a chance to play.

 

 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B8oaMLgiWiVJektWTW1DRFk0MVU/edit?usp=sharing

 

Above is another link to the Taylorsville game.  Not sure how long it will be up either.  And no one reads this blog but me so I might care later.  

 

 

 

Uncle Dale turns 80

Uncle Dale Carling, my mother's brother turned 80 and had a surprise party for him.  He works at the movie theater taking tickets.  YES he is 80 and stands and takes tickets for the movies!  He worked the 8 hour shift from 10 - 6.  The party started at 6:00 and we were in the party room upstairs at the theater.  The theater people told him he was to go upstairs and have a drug test.  He couldn't figure out why he needed ANOTHER drug test but he came on up and there we were.  It was super fun.  I brought Marlena and Mark and Michelle to the party.  We saw all of his kids that we never see.  Craig, Karen, Kevin, Scott, Kathy and Steve were there and most of their kids.  So fun to see them.  It was interesting to see that Dale who is 80 just got off his shift, my dad who is 81 can hardly get in the place due to heart failure, and Bob has a hard time also due to being almost blind and uses a cane. 

We were the first one there and the last to leave.  Interesting to look at families that have changed since we were kids.  My favorites are Karen, Steve and Scott.  We did grow up with Steve and Scott though because they lived close to us and they would come over from time to time.  I have lots of memories of them.   I helped Scott graduate from High School by typing a paper for him and now he has a good job at the South Valley Water Treatment plant.  Steve, has one illegitimate child who has THREE illegimate children.  He is finally married to two of the baby's mother.  But Steve has custody of the oldest one.  I should have taken pictures. 

Craig has two kids and they are great.  Karen has 3 boys that were super cute.  One is just out of jail on drug charges.  One is an electrician and the other works for a cell phone company.  Kathy has two girls (both that were illigimate)  and Kathy looks like she does meth.  she is also an alcoholic.  She looks like she has some tough living.  Brittany is a druggie and has 3 children and doesn't have custody of any of them.  Craig's daughter is raising one of them.  The oldest of brittanys was raised by Dale.  She is 18 and had 3 toned hair for their family pic.  The other daughter, Courtney is out of jail for now and has 2 or three kids and are being raised by the dads.  Kevin has two daughters, one of them is in texas barrel racing and the other one I don't remember.  He has a cute girlfriend that he use to date long ago.

super fun to see all these people that we never see.  Probably the next time we see them will be at a funeral.  Not sure who will be the first. . . .

Bob, Marlena, Dale who is the birthday boy

Steve, Michelle, Scott, Maureen

 

Nick turns 11

Nick is the birthday boy today!  He is 11 years old.  He is one of the oldest in his grade because his birthday is Sept 3, and the cut off was Aug 31.  So, he is one of the first to have a birthday.  Nick also had football.  Football trumps all at our house.  He went to his scrimmage, and did great.  Then we came home and had pizza, opened presents and had cake and presents.  He also took some treats to school and popsicles to football for his Birthday.  Popsicles at Football are really a hit.  They were the good kind from Paces.  The only one that didn't want one was Joey Cook and he isn't from Bountiful so he didn't realize the Paces popsicle...

Nick is a good boy.  He does well in school, and is responsible for doing his homework.  He loves legos, pringles, and football.  He is one that is content doing most anything. 

Nick at football on his birthday he is the one with the X on his helmet hugging the guy

eleven fingers for 11 years old

 

 

 

Snow College for Brooke

Brooke decided to go to Snow College.  It is in Ephram.  Which is a rather small town.  The directions say, when you get to the stop light, turn left.  That's how you get to Snow.  Turn left at the light.  She is living with 6 girls, two she knows from Bountiful.  Hailey Call, and Tabitha Turner.  The other 3 are new.  She is super excited that she is moving out and spending time away from home.  She is taking about 18 hours which is a lot.  She also has a scholarship which is super cool.  It was fun to take her down and see her apartment and shop for stuff that she needed.  Its not like we did not already shop for stuff she needed, but we needed more and had to go to the Walmart.  The football stadium is smaller than our high school in Bountiful.  But hey, that's part of the fun being small town when you think you are city slicker.  It will be great!

Andrew and Brooke.  Andrew drove with me to Ephram

Kenzie Wood who came with Hailey

Brooke and Hailey Call

Jimbob

Brooke and Hailey

Abi

Abi and Maureen the mother

Brooke and Abi

2014 football against Olympus

Jack's first football game against Olympus was Fabulous.  they won like 14-0.  I don't care about the score much but grandpa always asks what it is...Jack played terrific.  He is a lineman, or noseguard I think.  Such a great game and great coaches.  Jack gave it his all.  He ALMOST got the quarterback. He had a hold of him and the quarterback got the ball handed off as he was going down!  I'll try to get that on film next time.  I did get one of Andrew's sac's on camera.  He even got hurt.  I did get some pics of him hurt and and on the ground! His mother didn't even have to go out on the field and help her chilly Jack.

Love me some FB.  Its all we do at our house during football.  He can't get baptized for a while because of football.  He was 8 in June but he is waiting for Andrew to Baptize him.  And now, we have to wait for the football Schedule to fit in with baptism.  Maybe we don't have our priorities straight.  Now that's hard to believe!

Jack is hurt

Jack down

he is 77, playing with mouthpiece

Jack is 77 again...

Melanie's children

My sister, Melanie, died 8 years ago.  It was a sad death. She was like 43 and left 2 young boys.  They were like 8 and 5.  Christopher and Denver Jenkins. Melanie was in the process of getting divorced from Hunter Jenkins, her husband.  He got the kids of course, and moved to Arkansas.  He was from there.  I need to wrote a post about Melanie.  But as I was looking at pics that Brooke has, I found these pics of their trip to Utah in 2012 I think two years ago.  They are such cute boys.  We miss them soo much.  And wish they lived closer to us

from left, Denver, Nick and Christopher

Denver, Christopher, Nick (seated)

from left, Abi, Nick, Jack, Denver, Hunter, Christopher

Jack and Nick

Denver

Christopher

Denver and Christopher

Denver and  Christopher Jenkins



Denver's birthday party.  He was 8 I think



Nick

Hunter Jenkins

Abi

Christopher

Brooke, Micaela, Hunter, Andrew, Nick and Denver in front

Brooke and McKenna

Denver birthday, Christopher over his left shoulder

Jack

Jack

Swimming with the Fam