Flowers for Mom

Carla has a good heart and volunteered to help my mom buy and plant flowers in her back yard.  My mom called Carla a few weeks ago and told her that she was ready to go.  Carla called me and I told her that she volunteered and so my mom hadn't called me.☺ Carla didn't want to go without me and so today we went.  I might or might not have been thrilled about it.  This is not my thing and I have no idea what I am doing and so I just went along with everything Carla suggested.  My mom and Carla were excited about the project and we bought a bunch of perennials that liked the shade and took them back to my moms and planted them.  My mom brought a chair out for me and her so we could watch Carla do her thing.  I didn't feel right about sitting and watching and so when Carla had the plants situated to where she liked them I did my best at planting them.  My first two plants had to be replanted since I didn't have them deep enough.  I had the dirt pulled up around them and it wasn't smooth with the ground and so Carla had me do them again.  I couldn't help but laugh out loud because I really thought I had planted them properly.  I did better on the next ones but I can't say I didn't have to plant a few others over. ☺  There's a reason why we don't have flowers in our yard....I pulled out the perennials that we paid to have planted.  I had no idea that they were suppose to be cut and not pulled. Like I said...this is not my thing.  It only took us a few hours and my moms yard looked much better.  I'm excited to watch the flowers grow now.  It should be pretty.  My mom talked about having my sister and my families over now to enjoy it.  I think my dad is happy with the changes. He loved a nice yard.

Grands

I realize I don't blog every time I watch my grands and I often forget to even take their pictures when I have them.  But these twins are growing and it's fun to capture their growth behind the lens.  They are starting to hold their heads up and are awake more often now.  They smile when they are talked to and are so cute.  Kamryn is such a big help.  She can help with the twins or Jordyn. Today she got Jordyn lunch and would have got her breakfast if Jordy would have let her.  Kam made her own oatmeal for breakfast and is just very independent.  She likes having me come over to watch them and today she even woke up early so that we could watch Angry Birds together.  What a cutie!  Kam likes to craft and made a few cute things for her parents today.  Kimi likes to come over and help and today we needed her and appreciated her coming.  I sure have enjoyed being able to help Kevin and Julie out these last few weeks.  I cherish my time with my grands!

Happy Birthday to Rich and I

Kevin and Julie took Larry, Me, Rich and Lynette to dinner for Rich and I's birthdays.  I like that they do this.  I enjoy visiting with the Dunkley's and our kids.  Our waitress brought Rich and I a cute and yummy dessert to share and the manager came out and gave us each a gift certificate. Julie and Kevin are so thoughtful and kind to do this for us all.  Our birthday's kind of fall together.  Rich and I are about 4 days apart and Lynette and Larry's are very close too.  I forgot to get a picture of us all.  We always go to Sizzler.  I like this Birthday Tradition!  

Special Needs Girls Camp

Well Girl's Camp was awesome and a huge Success!  Everyone was fine with having a few day camps at Barbie's and some even think this is how we should have camp every year for now on.  Everyone still came and had a great time.

Our camp director Stephanie Wray planned so many fun and wonderful activities.  There was no way the girls were going to get bored.  She had things for them to do all the time.  We only had one small squabble and I noticed a few cool things.  Krystal had made a comment that she didn't want to hear Christmas music that Nicki was playing.  Nicki got all offended and threw her phone in her purse and let out feelings from long ago.  I was trying to play it all down and have the girls drop it.  Nicki wouldn't and neither would Krystal.  Ann Marie who is Krystal's friend actually stood up for Nicki and told Krystal to leave if she didn't like the music. Usually girls will gang up and stick together and gossip about someone if something like this happens, but these girls do what is right.  The commotion caused a chain reaction and some of the girls started crying.  Seriously some of these girls souls can't handle quarreling.  One gal in a wheel chair reached across the table to a gal that was crying and said hold my hands.  She was comforting her.  That's what this group of girls do...they encourage, love, support, and comfort each other.  It didn't take long for everything to settle down.  I noticed a little later that Krystal was apologizing to Nicki.  I thought that was a wonderful act of kindness.  Everything was settled and all bad feelings were erased.  What a great example my friends are.  There was one other incident where one of the gals couldn't find the restroom and wet herself and was crying.  The girls around her didn't make fun of her but comforted her and told her not to worry things like that happens sometimes.  What examples!

I have the best counselors and I appreciate them so much.  Barbie (my first counselor) volunteered her home so we wouldn't have to cancel camp. She helped me with the food too and is so great with the girls. Virginia knows who needs help and when and is always serving someone.  I can count on her for anything.  Carla just wanted to help if we could use her and of course we could. Carla helped a lot with the food since Barbie and I took that on with our hubs. She covered for me since I felt like I needed to be with the girls as well.  Dyan, my second counselor was at a family reunion and wasn't able to come but is a great counselor.  Mona Ruth (called momma Ruth by Jess) is always helping the gals too.  I seriously am so blessed.

Our camp was based around Dr. Seuss.  We talked about the Moral's to many of his stories.  There are so many good lessons that can be learned from Dr. Seuss.

The guys, Larry, Scott and Roger helped with the  dinners both nights. Larry thought it would be funny to put fake frogs in the spaghetti since we saw a live one the night before when we were leaving and some of the girls got a little freaked out.  He's crazy like that!

The weather was nice and the trees in Barbie's yard were a blessing.  We went to the Steogers on Friday night to have a campfire.  The Steogers are so gracious and kind.  We used eight of their nice tables and even a cooler of theirs as well.

Besides being bumped from the cabin, the band that Stephanie had coming decided to cancel just two days before our camp.  We thought a movie outside would be fun and it would have if it would have worked.  For some reason it didn't and so Stephanie ended up reading the story instead. (one about Horton the Elephant)  NO one complained and Virginia said it best in her testimony.  For having so many things so wrong, everything sure turned out just right.  It was a perfect camp in my opinion.  I love this group of gals and leaders.  They have strong testimonies and the love overflows from each of them.  They make my soul happy.

***On Sunday the Special needs group came and did our Sacrament Meeting.  My heart was so full of love for each of them.  I was excited to share my friends with my ward.  Everyone did such an awesome job.  Holy Cow...this group of Young Men and Women are my favorite!  I'm so glad that I believe in God and allow Him to guide me through this life!

Food 4 Thought Friday

Food 4 Thought Friday! 

A little feast without the calories!! 

Feel free to play along for some yummy fun! Go HERE to JOIN IN!!! 

 ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Breakfast ~ What is something people ask you that you really don't like to answer? really I don't get asked it a lot but I have always hated telling anyone my weight. (even when I was 114 lbs...)

Lunch ~ If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? my ability to push myself a little harder physically.  When I'm done, I'm done...I wish I had the ability to just do a little more.

Dinner ~ What are three things that give you life? My relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus, My family, and my friends!

Midnight Snack ~ If you were given a free round trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world, where would you go and what would you do?   I'd like to see Holland and France and probably Italy again when the Temple is finished.  I would just like to tour and see the beautiful sights. How about in the USA? I'd go to Alaska again....I think it's beautiful.  Of course I'd say Hawaii but we manage to get there

Recipe for the Week ~ (instead of your recipe for life, what is it just for the week?)  Just Go With The Flow.  Stressing over things doesn't change them.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Another Fun Lunch

This morning I was blessed with a few of my grands.  Behr got to come and play while Ivy and Zaden went to the dentist.  Justin brought his cuties over so he could take Natalie to the doctor.  Natalie had a tubal pregnancy and won't be getting another little one quite yet.  I'm glad that Natalie followed her heart and the promptings she was getting to come home from helping her sister and to go to the doctor.  I'm glad it didn't go any further to the point of bursting.  She will be given a really strong dose of Chemo and hopefully that will clean everything up.  I love Natalie's attitude...her strength is a strength to me.  It was fun having the little's over...I sure do like them!

I met Mal and Kathy again for lunch.  Going out twice for our birthdays is pretty fun.  We went to AppleBee's.  I don't get tired of these two and could sit and talk to them for hours...which is exactly what we do.  We have a lot to talk about. ☺  I love my dear friends and enjoy our visits.  I love their insight and advice.  Today they each shared a time that they lost it and told someone off.  I can't even picture any of these two blowing up and I'm pretty sure it was done nicely.  I kind of laughed trying to even imagine it.  Kathy is so soft spoken and Mallory is so thoughtful and kind and  doesn't just react.  I couldn't help but think of me blowing up a few times over the years....I blow!  (not so much any more)  ahhhhh...I love these two friends of mine!

Jodi and I celebrating Us

Today started out with me trying to run with some friends.  I haven't done anything for years and knew I'd better start doing something before I can't.  I knew it was going to be ugly and it was.  I ran a little and had to stop to catch my breath.  I wanted to quit but my friends were encouraging and kind and so I kept at it.  I ended up running/walking for over two miles.  Larry was impressed that I went that far on my first day.  I was impressed I didn't pass out.  I am doing this to be healthy...I don't care to compete or run long distances.  I just want to be able to breathe and move better.  I'm expecting to be a young "old" lady...it will take some effort.  I told my mom about my running and having a hard time breathing and she immediately told me I was heavy and that is probably why.  I stood up for myself and said "no I'm not" and she looked at me and raised her eyebrows and said "oh yes you are".  Hmmmm....no wonder I have always felt like I was fat.  It has been told to me by my dear mom my whole life.  Well...she is wrong and I'm not going to let her pull me down anymore.  Because of this kind of love and attention I have learned to be kinder and more thoughtful.  I try really hard to be kind to my kids and encourage them and to treat them equal.  I'm pretty sure mom would never say something like that to my sister...I'm the lucky one!  YeeHaw!   I do love my mom and she has a ton of wonderful qualities but today....she gagged me!

**two days later my mom left a sweet message and since I just exposed a bad thing I thought it only right that I expose her kind side. "Hi Dawn, I just wanted to hear her sweet voice this morning because you are so upbeat and just going, going, going.........ended with.......remember I love you and I think you are an amazing women."  So that is how she is more often than not.  Sometimes it's just easier believing the bad things said...I wonder why that is?  You might wonder why I would even mention any of this and it's because we all have things happen to us that are unpleasant or unkind but there is more good things happening and being said.  My life is real and I am real and I don't always respond or react with a happy heart.  Sometimes my heart gets hurt but it always heals!

Before visiting with my mom I was treated like a queen.  Jodi even gave me a card that said: "all I ask is that you treat me no differently than the QUEEN"  I should have shown it to my mom. ☺ Jodi and I like to celebrate our birthdays together since we refer to ourselves as "twinsee".  I was born one year and 5 days before Jodi, and we finally found each other.  It's fun having a friend so similar to yourself.  We totally "get"each other.

We went to Hug Hes.  For our birthdays they gave us cookies the size of our face.  It's a yummy place to go.  Jodi truly spoiled me.  She gave me a few cute necklaces, a crystal Hershey candy dish filled with mint chocolates and another candy jar filled with more chocolate.  I gave Jodi a Rtic Tumbler with her name on it.  I had it filled with different kinds of chocolate.  I think everyone should have one of those cool tumblers.  Ice will last in it all day even in the hot sun.

After lunch we went to the store and bought some chocolate and ice cream sandwiches.  It's the best we can do at this point in our lives.  We went to Beus Pond to share our treats with others.  The reason we choose these treats is because I am born on National Milk Chocolate Day and Jodi is born on National Ice Cream Sandwich day.  It is so fun sharing.  People aren't sure how to respond but today most of them were happy to receive a treat and even wished us a happy birthday.  One guy even gave us movie passes.  Instantly I thought of "Karma"....our good deed came right back to us.  The time flies when we are together.  Jodi's such a fun friend and I like referring to her as my "twinsee".  Thank You Jodi for treating me like a Queen!

When I left Jodi I went to my mom's to clean her bathroom.  I regretted that decision soon after her bathroom was clean.

When Larry got home we had a few good laughs about being thick and heavy and having a hard time getting around.  I couldn't help but be sarcastic about almost anything said.  We laughed but called it quits...enough is enough after all.  Kimi bought pie tonight....did I eat it?  YES....YES I did!