tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-228718432024-03-07T13:45:55.126-05:00My Retrac FamilyYou've wandered in, expecting some great story-telling.
Instead you'll find it's only mediocre...beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.comBlogger228125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-72060217296362297992018-04-24T12:44:00.000-05:002018-04-24T12:44:56.713-05:00A 2018 update postlife passes fast, doesn't it? And in other ways it drags on and situations seem neverending. <br />
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The Farm:<br />
The latest update about our land/house situation is that we purchased my sister's share and the sale went through on the first of February. So we now own all the land and the house and if there comes a time when she has the means and the desire, the option is there that she can buy back some land. But as for now, it's ours. Her car stopped working at the end of February (because she claims she didn't know it was as bad as it was...down to 0 brake pads in the front and hardly any in the back and she had worn grooves in the rotors....not sure how in the heck you wouldn't know!!) so the months of March and April were made deciding on a new car. She finally purchased one and our next step is making her get her things out of the house. I'm frustrated and annoyed with everything that is in here that isn't ours. Our lives have been turned upside down long enough and my kids deserve better than this. I have so much anxiety and stress when I think about dealing with her. Bon has stepped up and helped out a lot with talking with her because he can actually have a conversation with her. She usually just steamrolls me and I get too upset about that fact that I end up either blowing up or shutting down. Neither of them healthy options. <br />
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Reagan:<br />
She turned 15 in March and applied and interviewed for a job at an ice cream place in Findlay. Her schedule is busy this spring, so she might be given a call later this summer or fall, but she's hopeful that she'll work there because a couple of her friends work there as well. She joined track and tried out and made the squad for next year's cheerleaders. She is also going to try out on piano for jazz band. She just got contacts and is excited about those. She's taken good care of them so far. She still continues to get good grades. This summer she'll go to Europe for a week with a group from school. They're going to London, Paris, and Rome. In the fall, the marching band is going to Disney, so that's another thing she's excited about. She's really a good kid and I'm glad that she's comfortable enough with me that she still thinks I'm cool and talks to me. Her sense of humor is top notch and she's growing into a wonderful young lady. <br />
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Ryan:<br />
He'll turn 14 in June. Last year he grew about 8 inches and his voice dropped so much that he sounds like Bon. I think I still have an inch on him, but I bet by the end of the summer he'll outgrow me. He went with the 8th grade to Washington DC the second week in April and was able to help lay the wreath for the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Out of his class, only 4 were chosen and they were chosen by the essays they had written. Reagan was able to help last year, so we told Ty he has big shoes to fill. ;) His wrestling season ended really well. He ended up first in his weight class in the BVC. He really enjoys wrestling and it's a lot of fun to watch him too! He's doing track this spring and is on a spring league for baseball. He'll also do summer league baseball and then after that it'll start right back into football. Man, I'll be excited when he can take himself to and from practices! He's a smart guy too and it gets him into trouble a little bit here at home sometimes with our wifi rules. But all in all, he's a good kid. Has a heart of gold and hides his sensitive side. I see that he jumps in to help younger kids (his brothers included) and he's nice to others. One of his best friend's mom is the youth pastor at a church in McComb and Ryan has been going to their youth group on Sunday nights. He's planning on going to a youth retreat in June or July with their group also, so I'm glad he's choosing good friends. <br />
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Ty:<br />
He's 11 now and sometimes we forget how young he is. We've noticed just in these last few months that he's matured some and is less likely to argue and complain about things. He still dawdles when I ask him to do things, but I think that's common. ;) He is so outgoing that I don't think he knows a stranger. Isn't it a saying something about "There are no strangers, just friends you haven't met yet"? That should be his motto. His teachers say he brings life to the classroom, although sometimes he has to tone it down a little, but he's funny and smart and quick witted! He tried out for jr high cheerleading and made the squad! I was so proud of him for stepping outside his comfort zone! He tried baseball last year and realized that he doesn't like it, so we kept trying to find something he likes to do. This year in 6th grade, they started band, so he's been learning trombone on my old one. He sounds pretty good and according to him, he's the best one in the 6th grade. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but Ty can be a good story-teller. He recently broke his finger by colliding with another kid, but he's healing okay. He's waiting for a growth spurt and sometimes he'll clear his throat after talking and claim his voice squeaked. (it doesn't matter if it actually did or not...again...great story-telling) He is our bare minimum guy though. His grades aren't high like R & R's, but it's only because he does what he has to and that's good enough for him. He's smart though, just doesn't see the need to do extra. :)<br />
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Evan:<br />
He turned 8 in January and has a couple of countdowns already set. He wants to dye his hair when he's 12 and in 10 years he'll be an adult. I'm not sure if he throws that second one in there to make me feel old or what, but it works! He is in 2nd grade and it's getting to the time of year when I think they must start reviewing things and he gets bored because he's not learning. His reading level is actually into the 3rd grade level, but his teacher can only put him down for the highest 2nd grade level. And here they still do S and U for their grades, so he get's good S's. He's also got a quick sense of humor and his teacher has commented that she'll try to pull one over on him and he's on to her too fast. :) He is doing baseball again this spring, but really wishes they would do spring soccer here instead. <br />
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Bon:<br />
He started in March working out a couple days a week. I can tell a difference in his appearance and I'm glad that he's taking the time for himself. His travel for work wanes and ebbs. Sometimes he'll be home all week, gone just one night/day, or sometimes a few days/nights at a time. The spring has been a wet/snowy/cold one, so he hasn't gotten out to the woods as much as he would've liked, but it's starting to act like spring finally, so I'm sure he'll be out there in no time. <br />
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Me:<br />
I'll be honest and say that moving here has been hard. I feel like I'm just stuck. These long winters suck and they're hard. I'm pretty lonely. I have been trying to become more involved with school things with the kids, so that gives me things to do and interactions with people. I do work one day a week at a shop in Grand Rapids and that has been fun to get out of the house and feel like I contribute in some way other than running kids around. I know I have this false sense of "I'll be happier when...", so I try not to rely on the when and just try to be happy now. It will get better, it always does. But for now, I smile and push through. <br />
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Overall:<br />
We are all doing well. We enjoy spending time together and we push each other to be better people. We are doing the best we can as parents and I think we're doing a darn good job. We're trying to teach our kids to be honest, respectful, to treat others kindly and without judgment, and we love our children so much. Bon and I have been closer than we ever have before and I value him tremendously. <br />
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And here are my final thoughts. Our path has changed a lot in this last year. We get reminded every so often that it's not the right path according to others, but we have decided it's the one we want to take. We are happy. We are closer as a family and more in tune with each other than we were before. We didn't take our path because of laziness. We didn't take it to rebel. We know many don't understand and think we're on a fast path to nowhere. But nevertheless, we are on it. And just because our path is different, it doesn't mean we're lost. And that's the hardest part; knowing other people don't believe that either. In the end, we just want to be loved as much as we love. Without strings. Without guidelines. Without condition. <br />
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-47443149475706819172016-03-02T22:40:00.001-05:002016-03-02T22:40:07.045-05:00Coming out of the darkThis winter has been hard. I've really been struggling with depression/SAD and I can't find my UV light. I remember packing it, but not with what and of course I didn't label the boxes with EVERYTHING that is in them. But, I am determined to get out of this funk. I'm looking forward to spring and looking forward to change, whenever or whatever that will be. <br />
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Our house has finally sold and we closed on the 26th of February. That's exciting for us. Now we save and get some things fixed around here. The washer died last week with a load of clothes in it, so that will be our next big purchase. <br />
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Ryan is at Camp Michindoh (Mish-in-dough) this week for 6th grade camp. He was packed by Saturday night for a Monday departure. I dropped him off at school that morning and had to chase him to get a hug. How embarrassing to hug your mom! He didn't appreciate me telling him I loved him either. haha! Bon is in Georgia this week for sales training meetings, so it's been quiet around here. <br />
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I signed up to do a Ragnar race with some friends from Georgia. It's a road race with 12 member teams that run 3 legs each. We are running from Chattanooga to Nashville. I'm trying to get to the gym to condition each week, but so far this week I haven't made it. I really, really want to be ready for this race, as I've heard it's taxing. But I think it sounds so "fun". lol I want to be able to say I've done one. Been there, got the sticker kinda thing. Plus I'm hoping I'll become healthier by exercising more. <br />
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Slowly working on me this year. Lots of things in this crazy head of mine that need sorted out. I wish that I could just make a list or draw a picture of what I see in my head and then once it's down on paper, it just happens or I solve the problem. But that would just make life too easy I suppose!<br />
<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-11005399227947727202015-11-02T21:51:00.002-05:002015-11-02T21:51:43.656-05:00unsettledThat's just how I feel lately. Unsettled. We're living here, but not really. It still feels weird to be here, since I feel like it's still Grandma's house. 99% of our belongings are here, but probably 2% are actually inside the house. I believe myself to be such a hand's on, do it myself kind of person that it's really wearing on me to not feel like I can do anything without prior consent. <br />
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We had a breakthrough the other week where she blah blah'd at me for moving "her" stuff again. Well...everything in here except for what we have brought in, is hers. I'm not calling her to ask every time I need to move something around. She's going to have to get over that. <br />
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And today while we were on the phone, instead of clamming up, I decided to speak my mind. And the more I did, the more angrier and frustrated I became because she has an answer to everything! We didn't leave the conversation mad at each other, which is a step forward, but I was so angry and frustrated at her and myself (for caring so much I guess) that after we hung up I was shaking and cried a good bit. It's those kind of conversations that can ruin a day. <br />
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In other news, the older kids got their grade cards. All A's for Reagan, all A's and one B for Ryan and A's and B's for Ty. He has really done well here. I think it's the slower pace and the lack of feeling like you're only learning for the state testing that is making him enjoy school. <br />
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Bon is in Minnesota for the week. He'll be home Friday and then Saturday and Sunday we'll be in Chicago. He's going to set up a trade show and we're tagging along. He'll then be in Chicago all week. <br />
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Our house is going on the market Thursday, I believe. We've had some friends helping us wrap up the final touches and a contractor doing some of the remaining handyman stuff. I really hope it sells fast. It's a great neighborhood. I miss it. <br />
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We still don't have any callings at church. But we were asked to speak on the 22nd about thanksgiving with scriptural references and what it means to Latter-day Saints. It's not just about delicious food, a parade, and a dog show????? huh. ;)beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-62901190062847667692015-10-04T20:17:00.000-05:002015-10-04T20:17:07.194-05:00RecoveryLast Thursday I started coming down with a low fever and a cough. I thought it was the flu. But the dang fever kept hanging around and I was having trouble catching my breath when I would cough. So I finally went to the doctor on Wednesday and was diagnosed with bronchitis. 5 days on antibiotics and I feel like a new woman. I still have a yucky cough, but I'm not hanging out in bed with no energy. Luckily no one else has showed any symptoms, so it must have just been a freak thing. <br />
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Friday I was so tired and just starting to feel better, but I was having a horribly emotional day. I missed GA and my friends so much. Then I would cry. Then I would think if I missed my friends that much, how much must the kids miss their friends?! And I would cry some more. Then I thought of Evan and how his best friend moved to UT, so even if we visited GA, he wouldn't get to see Finn and guess what? I'd cry some more. I just felt like a total goober. And poor Bon. He does what he can to help me, but I just think the emotional mess of it all throws him for a loop. Kinda like "be nice to Mom, but stay away from her" kind of things. Ha!<br />
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Bon got some shelves set up in the garage and on the front porch. So we have 99% of the boxes out of the living room now. I was starting to feel caged in. I am waiting for some negativity about some of the boxes being moved to the garage, but she hasn't been here yet. Plus she doesn't live here, so I can't let her control this. I need to make that my mantra. <br />
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This week I will be trying to catch up on things I didn't do while sick. Like...cleaning the bathroom. My visiting teachers are coming on Tuesday, so that will be nice. beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-17248968700789325112015-09-14T21:37:00.003-05:002015-09-14T21:37:52.645-05:00Fight #3I'm not sure I am emotionally strong enough for this. <br />
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Doesn't she realize that I uprooted my family for her?<br />
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Can't she use some of her "Christian-ness" and see how what she does effects other people and not just see only the wrongs that have happened to her?<br />
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I don't understand how one person can be so unhappy all the time. When I'm unhappy, I darn well try and change it because I don't like being unhappy. I don't expect others to make me happy or Heavenly Father to give me something to make me happy. <br />
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Love this!! I wish everyone knew this is how to live life.<br />
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIF2orFrFpSdDGAPdxIt8ZahYhkQTUmoGhyphenhyphenZHNWvqujMB3Fwp_PJqYUAKn5HEgFfGJTazXWGJP0Feq5WTs8f1TFuy-GyEeuRfj0rBvpp5UmuuS6JLGtlHwzodsQC42EeJS95bWUw/s1600/BLOG+WORK+QUOTE.jpg" /> <br />
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Tomorrow is a new day. Again. ha!beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-15503416784021050902015-09-13T21:58:00.003-05:002015-09-13T21:58:44.027-05:00controlWe've been moved for a month now and I had my first breakdown and ugly cry this week. I'm surprised that it hasn't happened before, quite honestly, since I'm usually an emotional basket-case when we move. But this week I just felt heavy. An unshakable weight of burden and frustration and anxiety were bearing down on me and I broke down. I called Bon and expressed my feelings and he is just so good to me. He knows exactly what to say and how to say it so I can understand that my thoughts are way crazy, without telling me my thoughts are way crazy. :) I miss him while he's gone. <br />
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I love this little house. Sure, it's old and the layout is weird and we're really tightly packed in right now, but I do love it. But the one thought/fear/frustrating thing I keep thinking about is any time my sister comes over, I wait for her to let me know what I've done, what I'm doing, what I'm thinking, what I'm feeling....it's not the way they did things. Any change I want to make to the house will be met with criticism and I've expressed this to her before. I can't live that way, because even though I look tough (ha!), I'm really not. I think that is why I feel dread every single day, wondering if she'll come over and "catch" me doing something the way they would never do it. Bon reminded me that we're helping her see how normal people live. And he reminded me that I can't control anyone but myself. <br />
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I came across this quote on Pinterest the next day. <br />
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"I learned the hard way that I cannot always count on others to respect my feelings, even if I respect theirs. Being a good person doesn't guarantee that others will be good people. You only have control over yourself and how you choose to be as a person. As for others, you can only choose to accept them or walk away." -unknown<br />
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I know I can't walk away, but sometimes I wish I could. <br />
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The thought of building a new home is tempting. New! Shiny! Level floors! But I think deep down, I'd really just like to remodel this house and make it ours. Only time will tell. beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-1924312364869865762015-09-09T22:07:00.001-05:002015-09-09T22:07:55.076-05:00Our new old home<br />
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I say the word "home" loosely, as it's just a house to me right now. As easy as it would be to just have a major purge of belongings that are not mine and 50% mine, I know the wrath that would accompany the purging. So my family just is in a really long transition phase.<br />
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I'm trying to do little things that makes this less "grandma's house" and more "our home" but truth be told, it is going to take a lot. And first we have to decide what the better long-term choice will be: build a new home or completely remodel this one. So I wait. Trying not to let my DIY fingers get too itchy. <br />
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I think the kids are doing well at settling into the small school atmosphere. Reagan is working hard at trying to find the right kind of friends to be friends with. And so far, they have all proclaimed that they are learning everything they learned last year. So we're expecting outstanding grades. ;)<br />
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So we just do what we can. Wake up and start a new day. Try not to let anxiety and frustration overwhelm us.<br />
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p.s. picture(s) to follow soon. I apparently haven't synced my phone to dropbox lately and it's going super slow. As in...it's still downloading May 2015. <br />
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beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-40339893703174313742014-11-04T12:09:00.001-05:002014-11-04T12:09:33.673-05:00So apparently it's been a year.A year since I posted here. Really? Hm. <br />
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So a quick update on us. <br />
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Bon just celebrated his 35th birthday. He has been traveling more and more lately and in the midst of his traveling, he has lost two pairs of dress pants. So we went shopping and got him some new pants and shirts. He has been going to Canada, Chicago, Oklahoma as of recent and I'm not sure when his next trip will be. We always like having him home though. <br />
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This season, he coached Ty's soccer team and their last game is this Saturday. He said it's good timing because the boys are starting to get grumpy. :)<br />
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He is still Elders Quorum President and although his counselors are good, he still goes to meetings and has things to do within his calling. Plus the High Councilman over our ward likes to think he's in charge and that makes Bon's eye twitch. It's still weird to me every time someone calls him President Carter though. <br />
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I am doing well. And as normal I have too much that I want to get done, so I start on one thing and then don't finish it. I'm slowly trying to declutter our house, but I think it reproduces at night. I need to stop being so lenient with what I keep. <br />
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Right now I've been working on getting the wallpaper down in the kitchen. I was going to repaint, but the corners were peeling up and I peeled it up and lo and behold, there are two layers of wallpaper on. Plus a border. Plus they papered on unprimed walls, which has led to a few choice words and will lead to me basically refinishing the wall before I can paint. So the project has taken longer than I ever wanted. But I am going to paint the walls a color called Mayapple Yellow (by glidden), so it will be bright and look good with the white cabinets we have. <br />
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My calling right now is Primary Chorister and I LOVE it! I was so terrified/nervous my first Sunday but since then, I have just completely fallen in love with it! A few weeks ago, we played a game and they picked something out of the bag with a song attached and dressed me up with crazy glasses and headbands. We played a game a couple of weeks ago where they rolled dice and came up with the song and how we sang it. So we ended up singing Families Can Be Together Forever like robots. It's just so much fun!<br />
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Reagan is in middle school now and has gotten over the jitters she had when she first started. She's made some new friends and kept some other friendships alive from elementary school. She is taking P.E. this 9 weeks and Bon and I chuckle on those days because she looks like such a tomboy wearing black shorts/pants with a white/gray shirt. She doesn't feel comfortable changing in the locker room yet, so she wears the clothes all day. "You aren't even allowed to change in the bathroom, Mom, you *have* to change in the locker room!" <br />
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Ryan is doing great in 5th grade. He has a great, fun teacher this year and even though his bff isn't in his class, he has still made new friends and is getting good grades. His goal was for all A's, but he missed that this last nine weeks. Still A's and B's though. He loved doing baseball and asked to do lacrosse next, but I am tired! lol It will be nice to not have somewhere to be every night. He does need something to do, so I'm not sure what will be next. Sports are so expensive here, compared to Belmont. <br />
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Ty is his usual exuberant self. Full of life and laughter. His teacher said it took her a couple of weeks to figure out that he would daydream and be chatty, but yet he could still get his work done in time. He has enjoyed soccer and like Bon, I think he's glad he's done. He wants to do gymnastics next. I told Bon that I was thinking Ty would do great in a hip hop dance class. He said "I'm not sure we want to encourage that..." lol But we do need to keep him active, since he's a little more plump. (but dang cute) <br />
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Evan is in preschool and has blossomed so much! Within the first 2 weeks he turned into a chatterbox! His first day of school, I asked what he did/who he met, etc. All he could tell me was there was a pretty girl in his class that wore a pink dress and pink pants that went all the way around. HAHA! I finally figured out who the pretty girl is and I told her mom. It was so cute! He's at a Methodist church for preschool, so they incorporate prayer and scripture into the day. He sang the prayer they sing before lunch and it ends with "amen, amen", but Evan sings it "Aw-man, aw-man". He had a top tooth pulled the beginning of September. He had bumped it as a toddler and it was dead. There was an abscess on his gum that was holding puss, so the tooth needed to come out. Shortly after they pulled that, his bottom front tooth was loose and fell out and then I just pulled the other front bottom one out the other day because it was barely hanging on. I've never had a kid lose teeth so early! So he's quite toothless and cute! (the other bottom ones are growing in though) <br />
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In other news, we are looking around here for a house with more land and in a quiet place. We have two dogs now and our backyard backs up to a busy highway/street. There's constant traffic noise and it has been two plus years and I'm still not used to it. The process is going slow, though, because we'd really like to stay in our ward and in the school district. So while we wait, we work on this house to get it pretty. :)beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-80627351710968384222013-11-07T21:48:00.001-05:002013-11-07T21:48:28.898-05:00Little tidbitsA few weeks ago, Evan was pretending to be a robot. We had just finished dinner and asked Evan to clear his plate from the table. He walked up to the table, moved his head side to side and said "scan, scan, scan" with a robot voice. Bon and I looked at each other and cracked up! I still get a good chuckle out of that one. <br />
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The kids seem to always ask when they can just have time alone with Bon or me. We would usually put them off and not plan anything. So I finally sat down a couple of weeks ago and came up with a date schedule. One weekend will be a parent/child date on Friday and Saturday (different child/parent each night) and the following weekend will be a date night for Bon and I. <br />
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Well last weekend Bon was going with Ryan on Friday and I went with Ty on Saturday. Saturday morning, Bon was telling me about the time they had. He said that as they were driving, he hadn't really asked Ryan anything and it had been quiet. Ryan piped up from the backseat and said, "Dad, you're probably wondering how my day was." and proceeded to tell him. He said that Ryan shared what he did that day in the order it was done and his thoughts about stuff. Then he paused and said, "Your idea for date nights was great. Thanks." I just thought that was wonderful. Bon works a lot and often says he wishes he had more time with the kids. I knew that having it on the calendar was one way to help get it done. <br />
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My date with Ty was hilarious. That kid is a hoot. I asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. "just a reg-lee-ur dad". :) <br />
Well, what are you going to do to earn money? <br />
Oh, I'm not going to work. <br />
Are you going to make your wife work? <br />
No. <br />
Well, how are you going to pay for things like food and a house? <br />
Welllll...I guess I could play music. <br />
Oh, that's nice! <br />
Yeah! I could just put my hat down or something and people can just walk by and give me money when I play!<br />
Soooo, you're going to play on the street??<br />
Yeah --and continues to tell me a story about an obviously homeless person he saw on his way to the zoo for his field trip. Apparently, you can make $100 a day! ;) <br />
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Then I asked how many kids he wanted. <br />
20. <br />
20??? (thinking oh his poor wife!)<br />
Yeah! Then I can build them a jungle gym! Because kids LOOOVE jungle gyms! <br />
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In other news...<br />
I told Bon last Tuesday during dinner that I kept getting the feeling I should be picking the kids up from school instead of them riding the bus home. I said that I would start on Monday. He turned and pointed to a saying I have up on the wall. "Never postpone a prompting. Thomas S. Monson" I said, "Dang it! I'll go in tomorrow." :) I didn't have a number tag for our car this year and the kids needed their tags on their backpacks changed from bus to car. So I got that taken care of and I've gotten them since Wed. the 30th. <br />
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Reagan had her follow up eye appt on the 1st. She was tested for glaucoma. At her first appt, it was noticed that her left optic nerve is a bit larger than her right. That can be indicative of glaucoma. So the test they did was a perimetry test, where they test her range of peripheral vision. The doctor said that this test is hard for even grown ups the first time, because you just don't know what to expect or how to to it properly. So there were spots on the test where she dipped into the troubled area. And her eye pressure was 16. So we have another appt on the 3rd of December with an ophthalmologist in the same practice. She will perform the perimetry test again and the doctor will also see how thick her eye is to see if 16 is a good/bad number. She explained that the eye is like a balloon, if you have a thicker balloon, you have more stretch and give, but a thinner one can only be stretched so much. So... Bon is coming with us for this one, since I never think of any questions to ask. I did ask if it was stoppable. And she said that it can't be cured, but there are treatments that slow it down significantly, such as eye drops. <br />
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I think that's all our big news. beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-52207754916045815002013-08-24T21:54:00.001-05:002013-08-24T21:54:47.093-05:00Little bitsEvery day around me there are little bits of loved ones. Some of the ones I use most frequently belonged to my Grandma Smith. <br />
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I can still see this stack of bowls in the corner of her counter, stacked and ready to be filled with potato salad or fresh cucumbers and onions from her garden. <br />
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And these are the pots she cooked with most. I'm sure the original handles had long since been broken and were replaced by these wooden ones from my grandpa. <br />
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She could be a mean old woman. Never shy to say if you were getting fat. But I loved her. I'd spend a week at a time with her during the summer. Once I was woken up by her making this strange bird call at 7 in the morning! In the summer! Trying to attract a cardinal and I'm sure failing miserably. But still she tried. (birdie, birdie, birdie) I can still remember the way her house smelled. And still wanting to go and stay, even though I know ghosts roamed at night. (truly...stairs don't creak by themselves one at a time....) I miss her.<br />
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I hope everyone has little bits of their loved ones. Sometimes physical reminders are so nice, especially when a lot of time has passed. It makes them feel more real, instead of just a memory. <br />
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-14341690999279867452013-08-14T22:36:00.001-05:002013-08-14T22:36:14.696-05:00A little testimony strengthened.<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Upon returning from Ohio, Ryan has been having issues with going to sleep/staying asleep. Bon and I are getting frustrated and we're trying really hard to keep to a routine, but sometimes things just don't go smoothly at bedtime. Last Saturday at one in the morning, Ryan kept popping up out of bed and Bon became so frustrated he went to the basement to sleep. Ryan came into bed with me and slept, finally. Ryan wants someone with him; Bon and I just want to be alone at night. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So as I laid there, I was saying a silent prayer, once again, praying for Ryan, for ways we can help him, for inspiration on how to help him, what to say, etc. I was tired and frustrated and I think about halfway through my prayer, I just questioned if He was even there. Was He even listening? Did He even care? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fast forward to the next morning, we walked into the chapel and I was approached by the Executive Secretary. Would I give the closing prayer? I wanted to turn to him and say "Are you kidding me??" because I just had this internal struggle and I really don't like praying in public to begin with. But I agreed. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fast forward to the closing prayer. As I was walking toward the podium, I felt this overwhelming love. I felt this peace and comfort and assurance that He is there and He does care. He hears our prayers and He loves each and every one of us. I croaked through a closing prayer, grabbing a tissue on the way down. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">On Tuesday, we had a RS presidency meeting and I had the spiritual thought. I shared this experience from Sunday and this scripture. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moroni 10:7 And ye may know that he is, by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore I would exhort you that ye deny not the power of God; for he worketh by power, according to the faith of the children of men, the same today and tomorrow, and forever. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">In my patriarchal blessing, I am promised many things as long as I have faith. That brings me comfort when I remember those blessings. I often feel imperfect and I know I have many shortcomings, but I know that with my faith, I can only grow and become stronger in the gospel. <a href="http://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/faith?lang=eng">http://www.lds.org/scriptures/gs/faith?lang=eng</a> </span>beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-45741825338004003032013-08-08T07:55:00.000-05:002013-08-08T07:55:01.500-05:00Whirlwind Summer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Last day of school</div>
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This summer seemed to rush by. Before school was even out, we were at swim team practices. Once school was out, the mornings were booked with swimming and Thursday evenings were spent at meets. It was a fun experience and all of the kids did so well and progressed so much. The kids gained confidence in the water and it has been such a blessing for me to not have to watch them like a hawk when we go swimming. <br />
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In July we went to Ohio. We spent some time with Bon's parents, my parents and some time at the farm. With the Carters, we shot guns and knitted on looms. With the Smiths we went to Limestone Lake and went to the park and out for ice cream. At the farm we spent time with Jenny, did the annual shopping with her and her friend Alice. While we were there, a big storm passed through and a couple big branches came down from some trees and almost hit the house. That's when we called in some help and had some guys cut the two trees down that were closest to the house. They did a good job and they did it for free. We payed them in popsicles, since it was really hot. I'm grateful they were able to help us. <br />
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Limestone Lake</div>
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Limestone Lake</div>
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Storm damage right after the storm.</div>
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Storm damage in the sun. :)</div>
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Without the trees. :(</div>
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We ended the summer with being at home and getting ready for school. It was a few weeks of playing with friends, going to the pool and the last couple of days were spent with Mary and her girls. <br />
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Chess at the library.</div>
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Sacked out on our bed.</div>
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Lunch with Mary and her girls before they left.</div>
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The kids are excited about their new teachers. Reagan has Mrs. Sebastian, Ryan has Mrs. Williams (Reagan had her last year!) and Ty has Mrs. Smith. We've met them and they all seem like wonderful teachers. Their first day was yesterday, the 7th, and they came home chatting up a storm. I don't think Reagan stopped talking the rest of the night. <br />
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First day of school. Ryan was excited too, just mad that Ty had tried putting his arm around him too.</div>
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-73395919898026690972013-05-26T18:08:00.001-05:002013-05-26T18:08:26.705-05:00RIP Beautiful GirlI got two phone calls today. A short one from my Aunt Sally and a longer one with my Dad. They were calling to let me know that my Aunt Brenda passed away this morning. She was 60 years old, 33 years past the 27 year life expectancy the doctors had given her. She had Down's Syndrome and lived with my grandparents for as long as they lived. When my Grandma passed away, Brenda moved into a nursing home and was under great care. Her diabetes stabilized and she was doing really well. In the past year, however, she started to decline. She was put on Hospice care in September of 2012 and even though she was doing pretty normally physically, we knew she wouldn't be with us much longer. <br />
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Her passing comes as a shock for me, mostly because I try keeping my head in the sand about how bad people really are. <br />
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I loved her and will miss her greatly. She had a beautiful spirit. <br />
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Brenda Kay Smith </div>
beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-73690703209392397342013-05-03T15:28:00.001-05:002013-05-03T15:28:19.566-05:00Busy timesSummer is going to start full-force here in a couple of weeks and I am not ready! <br />
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Swim team starts with after school practices on the 13th. <br />
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The last day of school is the 22nd.<br />
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Morning practices begin on the 23rd. I'm grateful that my kids aren't in the early group. The earliest one is 9. I can handle that. Evan won't start his practices until the 28th. I'm super excited that he will get to learn to swim this year. He was doing really well last year, just being at the pool for 4-5 days out of the week. And I'm hopeful for the others that they will learn to swim better and not plug their noses and be afraid of getting their face wet and going under (Ty was last year). <br />
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Our Thursdays will be consumed with swimming all of June. Practice in the morning until 11 and then meets at night starting at 6:30, but having to be there around 5. There are a lot of members of our ward on this team, so I'm excited for a chance to get to know some of them better. <br />
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After swim is over, we will be headed to Ohio. Probably the 5th or 6th of July and coming back here the 22nd or so. I'm sure I'll be twitchy once I get back here. <br />
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But then my lovely friend, Mary, and her kids will be visiting before they move back to NC!!!! I guess it's not set in stone yet, but it's leaning pretty heavy that way. They will be close to Raleigh though, which is more like 5.5 hours from here. Or if your Dad, it's about 4. ;) <br />
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Then school starts the 7th of August or something crazy like that. <br />
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Ah, I guess I don't mind the summer. Especially when we can hang out at the pool and come back to our nice, cool home. :) beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-84869513452454394252013-03-13T23:08:00.001-05:002013-03-13T23:08:26.851-05:00And repeat.Tonight as the kids were trying to settle down for bed (man, this daylight savings time is KILLER!), I came downstairs to survey the mess. I looked around and saw dirty dishes all over the counters, piling out of the sink, the empty dishwasher just opened up and ready for business. I saw bookbags scattered on the floor, partnered with the shoes that carried them to and from school that day. I saw jackets laying lifeless, stretched from one room into the next. And I stood in the middle of it all and made a guttural noise and rubbed my eyes and face to prevent myself from breaking into tears. Bon asked what was wrong and I quickly said that life sucks sometimes. It's the same thing every day. Over and over. I dove into the dishes and scrubbed some of my frustrations out. <br />
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Then I felt so dumb. Of course it's the same thing every day! Would I rather live a life where I don't know where I'll be one day to the next? Would I rather live a life clean and tidy without my children or husband? A big fat NO! <br />
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So while I strive to have the picture perfect life, I understand that I will always have a pile or three of something, anything laying around waiting to find it's proper home. I will always find scissors anywhere else but where they belong. I will always know that I won't ever have the complete set of screwdrivers in one spot at one time. My floors will have crumbs, the walls will have fingerprints and it might even be a little gross around the toilet until I get a chance to clean. But that's okay. No one is eating off of any of those. <br />
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As long as I remember to always tell my kids that I love them. That I always give them my attention and praise. That they feel love and safety when they are with me. Those are the things that matter.beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-10348762806355447222013-02-21T21:24:00.000-05:002013-02-21T21:24:25.640-05:00Emotional MonthThe end of January brought a new kidney for my step-mom of 23 years. I was emotional for a couple of weeks following that news, knowing how much her life was going to improve. I was filled with gratitude for a loving Heavenly Father that allows healing and forgiveness to work in our lives. <br />
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A few weeks ago I started following journal updates for a mom of a family in our neighborhood. I had met her once briefly this past summer. She entered the hospital on December 20th and had struggle after struggle while fighting non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She passed away this morning and my heart is heavy for her family. It's amazing how one person can impact so many and how much love and support is poured out. <br />
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It made me think of how much I love my kids. How much I love Bon. My family. How I would miss them if they were gone. I'm grateful for the Plan of Salvation, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't grieve. I need to make each day count. Make it something better. <br />
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I thought of this song by Bruno Mars. He's lamenting about losing his girl, but I twisted it into motherhood/being a wife. Cause I can. ;) <br />
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-68711334195255089282013-01-14T22:33:00.000-05:002013-01-14T22:33:09.690-05:00I'm Baaaack!My computer died. It was quick and painful (for me). But thanks to Bon and Dell, I am now fighting my kids for computer time at our new desktop computer that's based out of our kitchen. It's wonderful! (except for the fighting part) ;)<br />
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And the first thing I want to share is my pantry re-do! <br />
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I was annoyed with the lack of storage our pantry had. My (genius) friend Mary said that maybe it was a closet before. Oh, huh. Yeah, that makes sense since it had carpet on the floor and isn't in an ideal place to be a pantry. But oh well. <br />
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So, our before. 4 wire shelves where everything tipped and nothing could be seen.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZWBHLdC84cWHkH-VAR9nmdgnW2IGHfB9X5XJitohXjhLbFgmh9UH8kVPe7i_1wdkkb37-lNEwJSuvPpdjr-GFznHLxqvkd6g7p42R01pbhFV_4ob1owJGzSbnvltenlva-3Cgw/s1600/IMG_8329.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicZWBHLdC84cWHkH-VAR9nmdgnW2IGHfB9X5XJitohXjhLbFgmh9UH8kVPe7i_1wdkkb37-lNEwJSuvPpdjr-GFznHLxqvkd6g7p42R01pbhFV_4ob1owJGzSbnvltenlva-3Cgw/s400/IMG_8329.JPG" /></a><br />
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So I went to Lowe's and bought some supplies. I purchased: <br />
1- 1x6x10<br />
4- 1x12x8 (maybe it was only 3?)<br />
1- 1x12x4 (as a precaution in case I mis-measured or decided to add more shelving)<br />
8- 1x2x8 (also known as furring strips)<br />
1 - 2.5 inch wood screws <br />
1 - 2 inch wood screws (you could just get one size, but make sure you have enough for everything.) <br />
5 planks of vinyl laminate flooring that matched my laundry room floor re-do. It's vinyl flooring tiles that look like wood floor. Very easy to install. I had a few left over, so measured how much more I'd need. <br />
Then later at Home Depot (it's closer), I bought some mending straps. I got 12 straps and some small screws to use with them. <br />
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I bought some extra stuff at Lowes the first time, so my total was $117. Taking the extra things off the bill, and adding the things at Home Depot, I would say this project cost right around $100. <br />
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The first thing I did was to obviously empty out the pantry. <br />
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Then I ripped out the shelves. I loathe wire shelving. LOATHE. <br />
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I spackled the holes and sanded and waited for them to dry. <br />
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Then is where the fun began! I measured up from the floor 24" to put in the first row of furring strips. I put the back ones on first and then added the side ones. I used a level to make sure they would be straight. Found the studs and then I would drill pilot holes through the furring strips into the wall, switch the drill bit and then drive in the wood screws. I would use the level a lot to make sure it would stay straight. Once I got all the furring strips in place, I painted the walls and the furring strips. Make sure you measure your pantry items so that you can determine the spacing of your shelves. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bIHJiIpQ2-5bygMeSo1_vMeeYJP0rVpbL_4LPa85KOcXdzlnSHv67WVtp6SoKY9MwTmfCYlTqQ02LwJbQOAJCOOHxUtQClQOztOH2Y2NM4bQfB6VkI6BKIgOQAEqL1-MpCBBfQ/s1600/IMG_8331.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; height: 399px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; width: 265px;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6bIHJiIpQ2-5bygMeSo1_vMeeYJP0rVpbL_4LPa85KOcXdzlnSHv67WVtp6SoKY9MwTmfCYlTqQ02LwJbQOAJCOOHxUtQClQOztOH2Y2NM4bQfB6VkI6BKIgOQAEqL1-MpCBBfQ/s400/IMG_8331.JPG" /><br />
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My bottom three shelves are "18 inches" deep. I say that in quotes because we know that wood doesn't actually come in the size it says it is. So they are less than 18", but "18"". ;) So I measured across the back from side wall to side wall. I used that measurement to cut my 1x6x10 three times. Then I used that measurement to cut my 1x12x8 to make three pieces. (so, I started into the second of my 1x12's). </div>
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For the rest of the shelves along the back, I just measured the width from wall to wall and cut my 1x12x8's. </div>
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For the side shelves I took a 1x12x8 and drew a line down the center lengthwise and used a circular saw, some awkward body contortions and a plastic bucket to make that cut. I then would measure from the inside of the door frame to the shelf where it would meet and used that measurement to make a cut. Then I rotated the miter saw to make a 45* cut and sliced off a little angle so the sharp corner wouldn't poke an eye out in a pantry rush.</div>
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Once I had all the wood cut out and roughness sanded off, I whitewashed the pieces. (love the look!) </div>
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Then I attached the shelves to the furring strips. I put the shelf down, drilled a pilot hole, then screwed it into the strip. I used the mending strips to hold the little shelves together and even with the big shelves. They were kind of caddywompus and probably wouldn't hold what they do if they weren't connected. </div>
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After the shelves were in, I put in the flooring. I waited overnight and loaded all our <strike>crap</strike> food back into the pantry.</div>
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I LOVE how it turned out! Now, I will admit that I should've put a teeeeeensy bit more space between shelves, but it really doesn't bother me that my syrup bottles are laying down. I have to reach to get stuff on the top shelf, so really, it's just fine! Now I just need to figure out lighting. Bon was thinking maybe we could wire something to the hall light switch so when that was on, so was the light in the pantry?? I like that idea!!! </div>
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On the bottom, I have the two plastic bins that are in the original picture stacked and another set of plastic drawers that hold hot chocolate mixes and extra baking things. </div>
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-49459180994598746592012-09-05T21:52:00.000-05:002012-09-05T21:52:20.042-05:00oh tywriting from my kindle so excuse the lack of capitolization and commas. <br />
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yesterday ty just barely touched the edge of a hot pan. as i ran cold water over it he said that it felt a little like touching the electric fence at gramdpas house. <br />
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wait. <br />
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i guess he and ava had asked if they could look at the other garden and ava dared him to touch the fence. ty being the boy genius that he is did. and i guess ava did too. hm. maybe they learned their lesson? one...never touch an electric fence and two...dont accept dares. <br />
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oh my.beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-50028849689066028812012-08-22T19:38:00.001-05:002012-08-22T19:38:51.124-05:00Little updatesReagan is doing great in school. I guess the kids stopped making fun of her on the bus. So that is good. Unfortunately the gifted program's credentials don't carry over state lines, so she'll have to be retested. She isn't happy about that, but I think it will be good for her. There is a girl in her class that goes to our ward, so she had an instant friend.<br />
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Ryan is doing good too. Comes home and stalls with homework because it's "so hard". But once he sits and focuses, he does just fine. Same with him about getting tested. I don't know if he'll get in this time though... Maybe. He has a friend in the neighborhood that is in his class. Wants to call him every day. Uh no. He's 8. What does he possibly have to talk about?! lol<br />
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Ty is doing good too. He also has a friend from his class in our neighborhood. I hope his teacher is okay with his exuberance. :) <br />
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Evan is having fun with me at home. We snuggle on the couch in the mornings. He's such a momma's boy. And darn cute.<br />
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Bon gave a talk in church two weeks ago about Sustaining Family Members. It was a good talk. I am giving a talk this Sunday about Testimony. I haven't started it, but have been tossing stuff around in my head. <br />
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Ryan is enjoying Scouts, especially since Bon is the leader of the den. I signed Reagan up for Girl Scouts. I think she'll enjoy it because she'll get to earn badges like Ryan does. She'll still do Activity Days at church too. <br />
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Bon is going to Canada next week. So I am hoping for sanity that week. I'm glad the kids are in school. :) <br />
beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-52171448803534381792012-08-15T15:17:00.000-05:002012-08-15T15:17:01.823-05:00Getting over guiltSometimes I feel guilt for things that I should not feel guilty for. Things that I can't control or using my own agency to make a choice that might make another's life harder or different. I keep reminding myself that I was not put here on this earth to be a people pleaser. I do the best I can to live an honest life and try to be happy and I wish that sort of happiness to others. (nothing happened that prompted this post, just a random tidbit from my mind) <br />
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One simple thing that I have learned to not feel guilty for is letting my kids ride home on the bus. I don't feel guilty that they are on the bus for 50 minutes after school because it just makes my life so much easier to not have to pick them up! It's so stress-free!<br />
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On a sad note, Bon's co-worker's husband died. Bon texted me yesterday and said to pray for Kim's husband, that she found him not breathing. Then after work he called and said that he had died from a heart attack. Bon said he was 42. So sad and so young. Bon always worries about his own mortality and health and so I hope this will help kick start him into some healthy habits. I want to keep Bon around as long as I can. :)beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-35219815876815888522012-08-12T15:57:00.002-05:002012-08-12T16:05:47.679-05:00Some humor for your SundayBlogger is not being nice today, so sorry for the wonkiness...Today on the way home from church, we heard Ty in the backseat say to Reagan "Stop trying to talk sexy!" Bon and I started laughing because where does that kind of comment come from??!! Bon was able to compose himself before I was<br />
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to ask how someone talks sexy. Ty said that Reagan says "hey giiirl" and stuff like that. Which made me laugh even harder.<br />
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<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-12933345727262273462012-08-09T07:26:00.003-05:002012-08-09T07:26:44.951-05:00One part I hate about movinghas finally snuck up on me. It's the overwhelming feeling of loneliness that happens. We haven't been here long enough to make friends. Book club is tonight, but I didn't get a chance to read the book. I will make it to the next one though. I don't think they've had any RS meetings (enrichment meetings) but I will try to make it to those also. Oh well. I just need to remember to give it some time and in a short while I will have friends that will want to have dinner and shop and do all the stuff I like doing.<br />
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When we sat down for church on Sunday, the bishop came up to me and told me they weren't going to sustain me that day. He wanted to talk to me first. I guess word got back that I cried?! lol Before church I asked Bon "Is there something about me that says 'I like your kids! Put me in primary!'??" He bust up laughing at that one and even chuckled on the way to church. I will go and do if I am truly needed there or supposed to be there. I must have something to learn still. <br />
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The kids started school on Monday and loved it! They are riding the bus to and from school and I love that! Ty claimed he didn't feel good this morning, but I made him go anyway. I think he is just fine and didn't want to go to school. Reagan is having some issues with some girls making fun of her on the bus, so if that continues, I will need to take action and bring out my mama bear. <br />
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Lots of projects I need/want to get done. <br />
<br />
Something like this for our hallway.<br />
http://delightfulorder.blogspot.com/2011/09/childrens-homeworkmessage-center.html<br />
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I need to unpack more and maybe put something up on our walls. A clock in our living room would be a great start.... :)<br />
<br />beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-30929258593527587942012-08-02T19:49:00.001-05:002012-08-02T19:49:13.153-05:00Our new callingswill be extended to us on Sunday. Bon is pleased with his and I cried. Can you guess where we're going to serve???beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-72126148515834674622012-07-31T21:28:00.001-05:002012-07-31T21:28:07.864-05:00an embarrassing moment<br />
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Monday while we were at the pediatrician's office, she was quizzing the kids (but mostly Ty) about safety things. She asked them about fire safety, bike/helmet safety, etc. and Ty decides to answer her with a loud "QUACK!!" Oh my. I was so embarrassed. Luckily, the pediatrician just said "I'm not quite sure how quack fits into that question, but okay!" <br />
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Oy. beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22871843.post-89462085174720860692012-07-30T19:55:00.001-05:002012-07-30T19:55:54.591-05:00A few memories I don't want to forgetWhen everyone was leaving from Benham's Grove and mom told one of my kids to "Take special care of your light" in reference to the flashlights dad had handed out to everyone. I commented that it had a double meaning. The flashlight and the light within each of us. :) <br />
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Riding the Diamondback with Shanel and hearing her scream from the top of the first hill and almost all the way back up. I never knew someone could scream that much!! I don't know where she got the breath for all of that scream! It was hilarious! <br />
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Having Ryan baptized with most everyone there. I sat down as the prelude music was being played and the emotion of having everyone there for Ryan and for us overwhelmed me. There were no grumbles about doing this during the reunion (that I heard of), about taking an hour or two out of the afternoon to put on church clothes, only to take them off again. It was fabulous. Jay's talk, especially, was touching. To see him tear up and become emotional about how great this family is and what great examples we have to follow is exactly how I feel about the Carter family too. <br />
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I'm sure there will be more. But those are just a few I thought of right now. beckylouhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12790012705535465719noreply@blogger.com2