DARA HELP!

Will you please fix my backgrounds on my many blogs :)

RECOVERING

Well I have had my second doctor's visit...  I am still a little sore.  Dr. Lundquist has submitted requests for MRI's on my next and back sense I am having numbness on my left side and in my face... :)

It is very odd to feel spider webs on your face and there is nothing there.

I decided to not take any of the meds that were prescribed last week last night before I went to bed.  I am not happy with that decision today. 

I will let you know what they find... :)

BOWLING - NOT A GOOD IDEA

Yesterday we had a team building activity for work at the local Bowling Ally.

It was the Finance Department Bowling & Pizza Social.  It was scheduled from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Now, bowling is not an activity that I should ever participate in.  I had explained to my boss and my co-workers the hazards of me participating and that it would end badly.  I, of course, was pursuaded to participate in the team buidling activity (I was assigned to a team)....

After we were given our shoes we were directed to our assigned lanes.  I couldn't find a ball that had the right size wholes and that wasn't so heavy that my arm would be yanked out of socket...

First frame, second bowl I tripped over my shoes; tried to catch myself and self correct; my left foot hit the greased up lane and I went down...

4 frames later I could not lift the bowling ball and I had a bad headache.

I sat out the rest of the game.  At 4:45 p.m. I walked out of the bowling ally; got in my car; drove across the street to the Urgent Care and requested my normal doctor. 

"I'm sorry, Dr Lundquist is on vacation this week.  He will be back in on Monday."

I signed in and waited for the doctor on call. 

6:30 p.m. I was seen by the doctor...

7:30 p.m. I was dropping off prescriptions at the pharmacy...

8:30 p.m. reclined on the couch with an ice pack on my back.

9:30 p.m. drowsy from taking:

• Soma
• Vicodine
• Naproxine

I am currently at lunch and I wish I had stayed home.

I am supposed to spend the weekend doing nothing.

I have an appointment with my regular doctor on Monday.

Bowling - not a good idea

UTAH HOME - PININGS OF A LONELY HEART

In the comments found in my blogs from my siblings there seems to be some desires that I join the clan in Utah!!! :)

I would love to move to Utah.  I have made both direct and indirect requests of my husband.  There is a huge part of me that feels left out or left behind with everyone in Utah.  I miss the ability to just run down the stairs to ask mom and dad a question.  I miss the family game nights with my crazy brother and sisters.  I miss sharing experiences with my family.

Every time I have expressed my desire to be near family, Victor reminds me of the weather and then I am happy to stay in California.  However, it doesn't change the fact that I am so far away from family.

When David and Debbie were living in California and they were living in the same ward boundries we spent a lot of time together.  I got to know Debbie a little better and I grew very fond of my niece and nephews.  I have always felt close to David and felt privledged that he enjoyed spending time with me and my family.

When Jennifer and Andy were living in California we would drive to Beaumont and visit them or they would come to Oxnard and spend time with us.  It was nice because our kids are close in age and the cousins became very close and enjoy spending time with one another.

So, my suggestion is that the UTAH peeps move to California.  There are houses in our neighborhood for sale.  We could all live in the same neighborhood; even on the same street.  We could have street parties and quarterly family dinners.  :)

CHANGE A NECESSITY - STEPS TO PERFECTION

After church we were taking one of the members home.  She mentioned her concern about the ward boundry changes which will be announced next Sunday and then asked:  "Do you think this will be a good change."

My reply:  "When there are changes that are approved by the First Presidency of the Church it is always a good change."  I am actually looking forward to the changes.  We may or may not be in the same ward we are in now.  I am quite certain that many of the members that we attend church with now will not be in the same ward as us.  There is a degree of sadness; yet I know that the friendships I have made will continue.

I was speaking with another friend during Primary and asked her why she and her family had decided to move.  She then explained to me a set of circumstances and I understood the necessity to move.  Again, I was saddened by this change; yet I know that their choice to move is a good one and I am happy for her and her family.

The past year has been riddled with events that have changed how I do things and how I see the world.  My priorities have shifted (again) and I have come to some truths that I had not yet understood.  I have never been fearful of change.  I have often embraced it.  Sometimes I even become excited for change and anticipate the wonderful things that are about to happen. 

I see change as an opportunity for improvement.  And in looking at it that way I understand that change is a necessity.  We are here to improve and become better than we were.  These steps along the path of perfection are mile stones in our lives and will ultimately lead us to a state of perfection.  And that is, after all, the purpose of this life.

A FEW ITEMS READY

I finished an afghan last night :)  I washed it and dried it... :)

It is clean; neatly done and smells great!

I will also be entering the costume I made forAislyn and a skirt that I finished last week.  I have a few more afghans that I will be able to finish and some quilting projects and a few other sewing projects.  I think I might be able to finish the two swedish weaving projects that I started last year... :)

Evan has two wood crafts he just stained last week.  He will probably devote his entries for the fair to baking :)

Allisa has pumped out a few more projects and then decided to play video games... :)

I'm getting excited!!!!

THE FAIR IS COMING! THE FAIR IS COMING!

"The Fair is Coming! The Fair is Coming!"  I scream as I am running frantically through the house trying to find all of the spiffy things that the children and I have created over the past year!

Oh...  I guess we weren't as busy with projects...  It seams that I have a box full of crafts that I saved for lazy days and forgot to give them to my children...  "Here Allisa!  This is all the stuff I bought for you so that you could make spiff things for the fair.  Start with the small stuff and work your way up to the big projects.  Don't rush through them.  Go slowly so that they look really nice..."

Allisa just smiles at me and says okay.  Later,  "Mom, I still have that quilt kit you bought for me three Christmas's ago.  Can I work on that?"

"I haven't shown you how to sew yet... work on the small stuff and work your way up to the big projects..."

As I was sitting on the couch last night working on the last rounds of an afghan Evan comes in and sits down to watch TV:  "Why aren't you working on stuff for the fair?"  Evan shruggs his shoulders.  "There are a few craft kits in the corner over by the piano, why don't you check those out?"

Evan turns to take a look.  He picks up each box and examines.  I can see the wheels churning.  He sets them back down and says that he would rather do some swedish weaving...  He starts going through my box of tricks and pulls out several swedish weaving projects:  "Mom can I do these?"  "Those are mine... I was going to work on those for the fair.  I don't think you can do them in two weeks any way."

He turns back to watch TV.  15 minutes later he picks up one of the kits again and smiles.  Inside I'm thinking:  "I don't want him to do my project.  I bought it for me!!!!" 

New day:  "I should probably let him do the swedish weaving.  He has all day and will probably get it done before the week is out."

It's Wednesday and I officially have 11 days to wrap up unfinished projects and to whip out some others.  I was going to attempt to print some photos that I have taken over the past year.  Some are really good.  The only problem is that it costs money to have the photos developed and mounted on the correct materials so that the officiators will take them for judging...  We'll see.

I also was planning on finishing a couple writing pieces...  Every time I turn on the lap top I end up playing games - blasted FACEBOOK!!!!!

TIRED AND SORE

As some of you know, Victor hasn't worked since the middle of June.  As a result he has become a little soft... :)

He and his friend, John, have been looking for work.  They found out about a huge patio (concrete) job and offered an estimate last week.  The homeowner accepted their bid and the work began yesterday.

I have been working overtime and will be for the next couple weeks while one of my co-workers is visiting family in Japan.  I arrived home around 5:30 p.m. and noticed that Victor was not home.

I asked Evan if dad had been home and he stated that he had come home around 3:00 or 3:30 to pick up some stakes and left again.  I figured Victor would be gone for a little while longer since it is light outside for a long time.

At about 6:30 Victor comes through the front door; not as quickly as usual.  I could barely lift his foot to pass over the threshold and then he walked very slowly across the living room.  I thought:  "This can't be good.  How is he going to work tomorrow?"

Victor took care of a few things; came to the kitchen and told me that he was going to take a shower and take a vicodine.  I told him that he should have a piece of bread before he takes the medicine so that he doesn't get sick.

I left to run an errand; when I returned he was in the shower.  He came out 10 minutes later and said he didn't feel good.  I asked him what he ate.  He said that he had some breakfast potatoes in a tortilla.  I was not happy:  "I told you to eat a piece of bread!  Are you trying to make yourself sick?"

He frowned and then returned to the bedroom.  I checked on him about 15 minutes later and he was already asleep.

12 hours later at as I was walking out the door Victor was finally waking up to get ready to go back to work.  We will have to see how he does today :)

SPENDING TIME WITH ALLISA

With Aislyn in Utah and the boys at the Los Angeles Temple; Allisa was the only child at home on Saturday.

Victor and I had some errands to run in the morning.  While we were gone Allisa was given the assignment to straighten the kitchen and to clean her room.  Both fairly simple tasks since they have been mostly clean during the week.

When Victor and I returned home from the errands Allisa was busy folding laundry and helping Elliott with his car... :)  Allisa likes to be helpful and tries to find things to do.

Since I knew Allisa would have her chores done I had already planned to take her to the movies to see the Karate Kid with Jaden Smith and Jackie Chan.  We went to the Regal Theatre in Santa Paula.  I know, a little bit of a drive.  The local theatres weren't showing it any more due to Twilight - Eclipse being such a big hit.

After the movie we walked over to the Dollar Tree (we were waiting for Victor to come and pick us up).  I bought 6 frames; a poster; and a pair of flip flops for Allisa.  We raced home and quickly changed our clothes and raced out the door again.

I took Allisa to Euphoria Nail and Spa to treat her to a manicure and pedicure while I had my nails filled and had a pedicure.  We were there for an hour and a half.  I don't spend a lot of one on one time with Allisa (or any of the kids). I had no idea that she could talk non-stop for 90 minutes :)

At the end of our day; Allisa had beautiful nails and a beautiful smile.  I'm glad I was able to spend some time with her.

INDEPENDENT

"Celebrate all that you have done to become independent and strong."

During the month of July we think about and observe the independence of the United States.  There are celebrations of every kind from church pancake breakfasts to evening fireworks.

As a mother, I think about a different kind of independence.  The independence of youth growing up...

It's not just the independence of my children; I think about the independence from my children.  It's kind of painful. :)

Evan was gone at Youth Conference and then Scout Camp for 10 days.

Aislyn left yesterday to spend three weeks in Utah with her Aunts and Uncles and Cousins.  I was so anxious about her leaving that I asked her at least a dozen times about various items that should have packed.  I needed to make sure that she had enough clothes; hygiene and money before she left.  I made sure that her purse was stocked and that her phone had family phone numbers.

Allisa is spending Thursdays each week helping out one of the sisters in a ward tend to a small baby.

This leaves me alone in the house with Victor (a foreshadowing of being empty nesters)... I don't know what I think about that yet... :)