this is my son...Elder Buchan

Meet...

My son.

Youngest son.

He's 19 years old.

He'll be 20 in Apr 2011.

He's a missionary now.

For our church.

We call him

Elder Buchan

This is him.

Taken 21 Dec 2010,

In Santa Rosa, CA,

Where he will be serving his mission.

For 2 years.

We miss him.

A lot.

But we know he is doing the right thing.

For the right reasons.

And he will be blessed.

And protected.

Here's a little of what he does everyday.

A father indeed

This is a wonderful tribute to a father. It made me cry. I hope you can and will take the time to watch this.

What makes a dad

a brief history lesson

Last Sunday was a family reunion on my dad's side. We had a great time seeing cousins and uncles we hadn't seen in a while.
After we eat, there's usually a group that want to head down to the Old Murray Mill. My oldest daughter went and took these pictures.

This one is my favorite. It's my husband watching the wheel.

There that's it. See I told you it was brief! I'm not sure what the significance is of this mill and my family but maybe I should find that out!

Belated birthday wishes

What a great MIL I am!
I didn't even wish another one of son-in-law's a Happy Birthday! His birthday was on the 21st of this month. This is the husband to my oldest daughter and the father to two of my grandsons.
He is a great guy and I love him dearly.

Happy Birthday

I couldn't let the day go without letting you know that today was the day my second daughter was born, 27 years ago. I called her this morning to wish her a happy birthday and sent her a card with some money in it. I hope she had a good day. I tried to find a picture of her, but I don't have one on this computer.
The next person I want to wish a happy birthday to, is my son-in-law, her husband, who turned 31 today. Yes, they have the same birthday! He also got a card from me with money in it!
I love them both very much.

Fireproof your marriage

I've just finished watching this movie for the second time in less that 2 weeks. It's clean, no cuss words, no violence, and the movie is about having God in your marriage. I think every couple married or those considering getting married need to see this movie. It's chessy in parts, but the message is wonderful.
Here's the trailer for the movie.

My holla back ya'll.

I thought that I would give it a shot at trying to give some answers to some of the comments that ya'll left me on my blog page.

My recent post about To Tell or Not Tell, I feel I need to clarify some things. First of all, IF I did do these things, my only defense is that PMS causes women to do crazy things sometimes. Not that I am saying that PMS is MY excuse, or that it affects me, I just think that some women do things when they are PMSing. So, if I did DO those things then PMS could explain it all...the words that could have been spoken, the insomnia that could have affected me, the chocolate or sugar cravings that I may or may not have had, and my now desire to explain myself. I'm just saying.

My son and his finance have not set a date yet; could be the end of the summer. She has found the dress she wants and has picked out her colors-hot pink, black, and white. They both graduate from school in May.

My grandson that had RSV and hit his head twice in one day is doing much better. He's back to his little monkey self!

Thanks to all of you who are worried about my diabetes and me taking care of myself. If I really did eat all of that there was very little sugar in the cookie and the snickers bite, but the Jordan Almonds for 4 of them, now that could have been an issue. If I did eat them that is.

My retired boss is doing so much better. If you've missed the post about him, just go to the Label box on my sidebar under 'Boss' and you can read the many posts about him. I think there may even be news about my new boss under that label as well.

Speaking of new boss, yes, he did give me a Dozen Peach roses for my birthday. He is SO good to me. I mean it. Really he was. I was so thoroughly shocked and pleased. Just made my day. I've been so blessed to work with two very special and wonderful men. I am not sure how I got to be so lucky and so blessed but I am very grateful for that blessing in my life.

Speaking of men and blessings, my DH is a wonderful man as well. I give him such a hard time sometimes, mostly it could be when I'm PMSing, and usually he just takes in in stride. He is such a big help to me around the house and takes such good care of us and the boys. Well, all of my children and grandchildren. He works hard and LOVES his work and has been so very blessed with such a wonderful talent of cutting hair and also a wonderful talent of making people feel loved and valued. His clients are so loyal and take such good care of him; if he has a need, they are on it. I've never seen anything like it. I wish I had that talent. Some people are born with it and I wasn't lucky enough to be one of them. I have to work very hard at people being my friend.

Wow, this is sounding more like a Thankful Thursday post now!

Okay, back to the issues at hand.
WARNING: APPROACHING SOAP BOX.
A couple of you have made comments about my clock post today. Let me say this. NO, I am not thrilled for this day. NO, I did not watch any of the news reports about today NOR do I intend to do so. I know he was elected President and I don't need to see the news to be reminded of that. Those of you who have been with me since last November know where I stand and how I feel. For those of you who do not feel the same as I do, I am glad you are happy and wish your choice for President well. I do not hate him, for I do not hate anyone. I may hate things he does and stands for, but I do not hate the person. Please do not hate me because I happen to not be celebrating with you today. I know it was a historical day and it will be in history books to come. I just chose not to celebrate this day. I could be wrong about my feelings about him and boy do I hope and pray that I am wrong about my feelings. Let's just agree to disagree on this one. When you see a post about my feelings on this, feel free to skip to the next post and leave that one alone. I thank you for your consideration. As one commenter said, "to each his own". Yes indeed. My feeling exactly. Stepping down off of soapbox platform now.

Kritta22 has been asking me for a while about how my commenter counter works. Well, Kritta22, I don't really know how it works, cause I don't understand HTML code. All I know is this, if you leave a comment it counts it! I don't do anything to it, I don't change it, I don't try to "rig" it-cause I wouldn't even know how to begin to do something like that!

Now, see this little button. It's for all of those who are on that list. Some of you on that list may have already gotten it, but I believe there may be a few that don't have it yet. I'm going to be emailing those of you on that list to find out if you have it already or not. So, check your emails!

And speaking of buttons, I've got so many buttons that I had made that I need to be giving them out to you. I am soon. Just watch and see!

Thanks for all the love, prayers, wishes, laughs, tears, and sweet comments you leave me. You guys are the best in the world!

And now, it's time for me to write more posts!

See ya!

Something you just got to see

Twin's newest granddaughter is pictured above. Isn't she a doll?

Twin has been working hard on making a dress for her blessing coming up in a few more weeks.

This is the link to see the finished product. You won't believe your eyes! Trust me, click here to see pictures of it. I can't wait to see that little doll above in that dress!

Ringing in the New Year-Engaged!

Meet my future daughter in law! She's such a DOLL! I love her to pieces!
This is her ring my son gave her today. It's all princess cut stones set in platinum.
Here's the happy couple!
They just are so happy together! A great year is ahead!

i got something to tell you...

I've got a...


SO...




AND

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?



I got things I need to tell ya that I haven't told you.

For example:

• My retired boss is still very sick. He had to have another surgery. I am so very worried about him. More details in another post about him.
• My new boss gave me a beautiful dozen of peach roses and Dove Chocolate for my birthday. He also treated twin and I to a very nice Italian lunch at the office. My roses were the prettiest I've ever had and EVERY one of them opened. (shh..don't tell my DH!)
• My oldest grandson turned 5 a week before Christmas. I know can you believe it? I have pictures, just need to post them.
• One of my very favorite nieces celebrated a birthday on Christmas Day. I need to post about that.
• Some of my very dear blogging friends sent me Christmas gifts. I've been such a slacker and not posted about it yet. I will. I promise. I love them all and I love each of you for your kindness.
• I got some awesome Christmas cards too from some of you. I love them ALL! It made me feel so special to be remembered and counted on your Christmas card list.
• I haven't blogged about my secret Santa gift exchange or the ornament exchange either. I got those gifts and I love them very much.
• My oldest son has the highest GPA in his class at barber school. He is doing SO incredibly good. Papa, my DH, even let him cut the back of his hair the other day...and Papa got many compliments on it! Papa, DH, is so happy his son is a chip off the old block!
• My youngest daughter completed her first semester in nursing school. We were so happy she passed cause she said it was so hard.
• I MAY be going to the Hilton for a few days to ring in the New Year.
• Twin and second daughter and two grandchildren are both coming into town this weekend for the reception of one of my nieces.
• I hope to be able to get together with some of my childhood friends this weekend. It's been a while since we've all been together.

I think that's all for now that I wanted to tell you. You can carry on with whatever it was you were doing before I made you come and read this unless bit of information.

I've got buttons I want to give you. And it's been a while since I've done a giveaway! So, make sure you stay up to date! Could be quiz time soon! You never know.

And I like you not knowing what I'm gonna do next!

I get a thrill out of surprising you!

And maybe you'll keep coming back!

For more surprises.

I hope.

taking the job on by myself

If I'm sore and stiff tomorrow and unable to move, I want you to know why.

If my head continues to throb from the bleach fumes I inhaled yesterday,

I want you to know why.

If my skin is cracked and bleeding from my dry hands from the amount of bleach I used,

I want you to know why.

Yesterday, that being Monday, I decided to clean the bathroom my 21 year old son

and my 17 year old son use most often. That was a BIG mistake.
You would think that two almost grown men boys that want to be like grown men, would be able to see when a bathroom is dirty so digusting it would make you almost vomit.
But, after yesterday, I am not so sure any more.

For two days, I've been dreading going in there, knowing that once I entered, I would need to take a shower and scrub myself from head to toe making sure I got all the germs off of me, it would take me a while to clean it.

And I was correct on both counts.

So, I gathered my gear and went to work.

this is really not me. I promise.

Even doing a little whistling, "hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go." Can't you just see my smile from ear to ear?

It required some elbow grease and every muscle to get this place clean.

So after one hour, a whole canister of Clorox wipes, a half of bottle of Clorox Clean Up, 4 rags, 10 paper towels, I emerged fussing and fuming at the mouth triumphingly with a clean bathroom!

It's a good thing these said men were not home at the time.
There might have been some wailing and nashing of teeth.
I've decided that maybe they aren' too old for a reminder.
So I've decided to post this little baby on the wall right by the toilet.
Hoping it would work.
Hey, I can dream can't I?

Protecting Marriage and our family

I'm helping my friend at The Art of Life spread this word.

PLEASE READ THIS no matter what state you live in.
Failure to pass CA Proposition 8 and AZ Proposition 102 will hurt children. If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will put it on equal footing with traditional marriage. Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages.
Failure to pass CA Proposition 8 and AZ Proposition 102 will hurt churches. The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about marriage and family. Over time, greater acceptance of nontraditional marriage will be demanded of all people. This could impact the ability of any religion to teach and practice its beliefs. Including adoption agencies.
A YES vote will not hurt gays. In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits.
For your information:
On Friday, October 10th, 2008 a first-grade class took a field trip to witness a lesbian wedding in California. Click Here for the article from the San Francisco Chronicle.
A father in Massachusetts was frustrated when his twin kindergartners were taught about homosexuality at school by the teachers. He insisted he be notified in the future before such things were discussed so he could pull his boys out of school.He was taken to jail. Click Here for the story.
A Catholic adoption agency In the UK closed their doors because of the Government's new homosexual equality laws. The Equality Act forbids discrimination in the provision of goods and services on the basis of sexual orientation. The law was forced through Parliament last year despite past Prime Minister Tony Blair's recommendation that Catholic adoption agencies be exempted from the rules. Click Here for more info.
Earlier this month judges in Conneticut overturned the state law (just as the judges in California did) to legalized gay marriage. This is not just an issue in California. We voted years ago to keep traditional marriage as the only marriage recognized in the state of California, 4 judges overturned our vote…and we need to fight back. That is what this Proposition is about. This is happening everywhere and the leaders of the church and others have warned that the outcome of California’s vote will affect the way the other states vote. So PLEASE…even if you don’t live in California, put this on your blog or email this on. The internet knows no state line. You know contacts in California that I don’t…and so do your friends. Please pass this on as it could eventually have an effect on everyone!
"Occasionally discouragement may darken our pathway; frustration may be a constant companion. In our ears there may sound the sophistry of Satan as he whispers, "You cannot save the world; your small efforts are meaningless. You haven't time to be concerned for others." Trusting in the Lord, let us turn our heads from such falsehoods and make certain our feet are firmly planted in the path of service and 
our hearts and souls dedicated to follow the example of the Lord." --Thomas S. Monson
Click Here for excerpts from the Broadcast given by Elders M. Russell Ballard, Quentin L. Cook and L. Whitney Clayton.
A good resource mentioned in the broadcast: www.preservingmarriage.org
October 20th: Last day to apply for an absentee ballot if voting out of state. Click Here to get one.
October 27th: Last day to apply for “Vote by Mail” Click Here for info.
November 4th: Election day. Polls close at 8:00pm. Vote by mail must be received by this time and can be hand delivered if necessary.
YOU'VE BEEN TAGGED...Here's what you do:
In the broadcast we were asked to "go viral on our blogs, etc" by Elder Ballard. This is my way of going viral. If you feel this is an important issue I ask that you copy and paste this post...and post it on your blog. PLEASE keep it at the top of your blog through November 4th. which you can adjust each time you post under the "edit post" option. The internet knows NO STATE LINE. You know contacts in California and Arizona that I do not...as do your friends and their friends...and so on. Please do this. If not for your own children and the effect it could have on them some day...for mine! After you have posted this...email this to your contacts and TAG all your blogging buddies to do the same. THANK YOU!

My thoughts on AZ Prop 102:
This November 4th Arizonans will be voting on Proposition 102 which, if passed, will add an amendment to the Arizona state constitution stating, "Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."
This is actually already a law in Arizona. So why do we need a special amendment to protect marriage? Because in states where they have nor already added this to their constitution, a handful of judges have removed the law on their own altogether. And there have been serious consequences as a result. In California it only took 4 judges to overrule the People. I don't want to use this blog to talk about what the definition of marriage is. I happen to agree with the proposition. I also don't want to discuss the issue of homosexuality or same sex attraction (SSA). My personal belief is congruent with that of my faith - that whether it be genetic or by choice, to act on such feelings is not appropriate in the eyes of the Lord. What has my blood in a boil is the potential repercussions if this amendment is not passed. Here are some examples of what has already happened in other states that have not protected marriage (and therefore religious beliefs) by amending their state constitutions: In California -
"A Christian gynecologist at North Coast Women's Care Medical Group in Vista, Calif., refused to give his patient in vitro fertilization treatment because she is in a lesbian relationship, and he claimed that doing so would violate his religious beliefs. (The doctor referred the patient to his partner, who agreed to do the treatment.) The woman sued under the state's civil rights act. The California Supreme Court heard oral arguments in May 2008, and legal experts believe that the woman's right to medical treatment will trump the doctor's religious beliefs. One justice suggested that the doctors take up a different line of business." - npr.org
Seriously?!! How bitter do you have to be that you sue someone who won't perform a service for you that is against their religion, yet happily refers you to their partner who WILL do it. Why sue?! And then for the judge to tell the Dr. he ought to find a new career if he's not willing to abandon his religion . . . I'm speechless . . . In Massachusetts -
"Catholic Charities in Massachusetts refused to place children with same-sex couples as required by Massachusetts law. After a legislative struggle — during which the Senate president said he could not support a bill "condoning discrimination" — Catholic Charities pulled out of the adoption business in 2006." - npr..org
How sad that a group trying to do something good for these children can no longer render this service at all unless they are willing to throw aside their faith for fear of hurting someone's feelings. I suggest that those who live alternative lifestyles (oops, I can't say that in California; it's now considered hate speech) try to adopt children from agencies that are not faith-based. Those that share any agency's core beliefs go to that one. Is that so hard? I am not against homosexuals.. I think all people should be treated as PEOPLE, regardless of anything else. I only had hoped that those who choose to do something different from me would grant me the same respect in regards to my religious convictions.

want to see a picture of my twin and I?...then DO THIS!

You have to go here and see this post today..YOU have to...GO...NOW!
Leave her a comment and then come back to me and tell me!

Today is HER birthday!

To my fun, sweet, energetic, loud, smart, pretty, and loving, NIECE!

It's her birthday!

Today is her birthday! Who is her?
Her name is Lauren.
She is the girlfriend of my oldest son.
She so sweet and just perfect for him.
Not to mention she is so cute!
Look for yourself!

This is my daughter Krissy on the left and Lauren on the right. This was at Cathyn's baby shower this year.

These two pictures are of the happy couple.

The first picture was taken just yesterday of the two of them. My son threw a surprise party for her. Don't they both look happy! I am not sure when the other picture was taken. I know it was this year!

Happy Happy Birthday to a dear sweet girl!