Halloween 2010

This is my first Halloween with both of my children all grown up.  I found myself thinking back on all those years when I was scrambling to put together costumes and the changes from when I was a little girl to how Halloween is done now. Back then, we waited until it got dark and then collected candy door to door until we just couldn't walk anymore.  Homemade treats were very common until I was a teenager and the razor blade in the apples stories scared everyone.

With my own children, there were more limits with Halloween.  Most schools restricted dressing up to a costume parade held during or after lunch, so I had to make sure my boys could put their own costumes on since I was at work and couldn't help them.  Masks weren't allowed at school or at the party for our church, so we rarely used those.  We never went more than a few blocks when taking our kids trick or treating.  It was more fun going to the houses of people we knew and they still got plenty of candy.

The most complicated costumes I made were the year my boys wanted Lord of the Rings costumes.  One wanted to be Gandalf the White and I studied tons of photos so I could create the right kinds of layers of runics, robes, and capes for him to wear.  The other son wanted to be an elf (not Legolas since no blonde hair) and I made a shirt, tunic, pants, belt, cape, and a bow.  I also braided his long hair (both my sons had waist length hair like their dad) the same way the elves had theirs in the movie.  A local costume shop had the pin to wear with an elven cape and we were set.  It was awesome!  Alas, never again!
Because my youngest has a flair for the dramatic, he put together a wonderful Phantom of the Opera costume a few years later.  He wore his choir tuxedo and a great cape he had someone make for him.  He purchased the phantom mask and had his drama teacher apply appropriately gruesome facial scars.  It looked amazing. One of his friends commissioned a Christine costume and the two of them went door to door serenading people.

Where we live (Utah), a lot of people bring their children by before it gets dark. That was hard for me to get used to when I first moved here.  When Halloween falls on a Sunday, trick or treating happens on Saturday.  I'm pretty sure that happens in places outside of Utah as well, but we didn't do it that way when I was a kid.  My Halloween costume for this year is one I made last year, but didn't get to wear (long story - involves a car accident and a broken foot).  I'm an IKEA bag lady.  The corset and skirt are made from Ikea shopping bags. At 50 cents per bag, it was a cheap costume (even though it took a "few" bags to fit me).  I put in some hair extensions to look different, too.  The noise of walking in the plastic bag skirt eventually drove me crazy, but I was excited that I finally got to wear it.

The highlight for me this Halloween was my dear friend (who is the Chaplain at the treatment center we both work for) dressing up as a "Gangsta."  The baggy clothes, sideways hat, fake gauges in her ears, long socks....so great!  The hubcap hanging from the chain around her neck was everyone's favorite.  Our Halloween tradition at work is to dress up in costume and have chili for lunch.  Employees bring two cans of chili earlier in the week.  One can is for the lunch and the other can is donated to the local food bank.

Welcome Home, Titan!

Billy waiting to see his dad

Waiting for Bill to come in

Having Bill return from Afghanistan was truly the bright spot of my week.  I was so happy when my boss let me have the time off to greet Bill at the airport.  The timing of Bill's return couldn't have been better.  Tina's parents, Ralph and Abby, happened to be in town to help with Eliza's birthday party and to be there for the birth of their latest grandchild (due Wednesday).  Eliza's party was Saturday and her actual birthday was Sunday, so Bill didn't miss a thing.
We had a pretty good little group waiting for Bill at the airport.  Emerson and I were there (the boys had to work).  Tina, Billy, and Eliza were there (of course).  Tina's parents, her brother and his wife and kids showed up soon after we did.  Then some of the other Air Force wives showed up with homemade signs to help welcome him home.  Their husbands just left for Afghanistan a few weeks ago and it will be about five more months before they get their happy reunions.

Our first glimpse of him

Bill and Tina reunited

We were all so anxious waiting for Bill to arrive.  Tina got a text from him when the plane landed, but it seemed to take forever before he made his way to where we were.  Billy and Eliza ran to greet him.  It was so cute to seem him scoop up Eliza (in her best Halloween colors).  Tears definitely flowed as the whole family was reunited.

The happy family!

Tina has lost weight and looks amazing!  Bill has slimmed down, too, but it's not nearly as obvious with all his gear on.  Billy and Eliza would hardly let go of their daddy for the rest of the time we were with them.  At lunch, both kids were pretty much leaning against him.  I know it will wear off, but it's so cute to see how devoted they are to him.
Bill was fortunate to have been in an assignment that didn't put him in as much danger as other areas of Afghanistan.  My boss is having a tough time right now because his son is a Marine and recently began his tour of duty in Afghanistan.  His unit from Camp Pendleton had six or seven deaths just this last week.  I'm so impressed with those who can put their lives on the line for us and I hope I never take it for granted.

A Few More Pitfalls

We knew Emerson's job at Birdseye was going to end eventually as they decided to handle their academic program using the help of the local school district, but things ended in a more unexpected way.  The school district thing didn't ever really happen and they decided to have a tutor/residential employee instead of a teacher. That allowed them to offer much less pay and save some money. That was an unhappy development for us, but at least Emerson won't be making that long and dangerous drive during the winter months again.

So.....the job search takes on new urgency.  Emerson has been hired on as the tutor for the Indian Education program in the Provo School District.  It's extremely part time and he has to hope for Native American students to fail classes and need help so he can get some hours in.  The Utah Valley University Class he taught last year probably won't be offered this school year due to low demand.  We do have one lead on an upcoming teacher's assistant job that might give him some work for the remainder of the school year.  We're just waiting for the listing to show up on the school district's website.

My own job seems a little less certain right now.  I guess the state of California eliminated mental health funding and probably 90% of our clients are from California.  It doesn't affect the kids who are already at Heritage, but we won't be getting any more clients until they figure out a way to fund their care.  It's hard to say how long we have before the company has to start making more cutbacks and I don't want to be caught by surprise, so I'm keeping my eyes open for other jobs.

We've been hoping the truck will hold out until we can afford to repair it.  My precious puppy, Gambit, managed to really hurt himself again and I had to cash out vacation/sick time to pay his vet bill. There are times we feel like the universe is ganging up on us.  We are trying to keep our spirits up and hope for the best.  Your prayers are more than welcome as we brace for more.

Our Idea of Adventure

 I think Emerson and I are becoming an "old married couple" in some ways.  Since finances prevent us from going anywhere truly adventurous, we tend to go to pretty much every home show, outdoor show, and any other type of show that happens around here.  Emerson even tags along with me at the women's expos.  We've hit some good ones recently.  There was a Gem Faire that we got two for one tickets to and they had the best deals on stones, gems, and jewelry making supplies that we had ever found. It led to some great new creations for our Etsy shop.

As part of my membership in the Women's Business Network (part of our local Chamber of Commerce), I got free tickets to a women's expo and won a certificate for a free laser hair removal for my upper lip. Haven't used it yet, but I do like getting stuff for free.

The latest home show we attended had opportunities to try different massage devices (nice!) and we watched a really fun Halloween cupcake competition with local chefs.  Two of the judges were a couple who own Hatch Family Chocolates and were part of a reality show called "The Little Chocolatiers."  They did their own cooking segment after the cupcake competition and we got to experience their fun personalities.  The wife is the chocolate expert and is very focused on what she does while the husband helps and provides comic relief.

With the boys all grown up, we're getting more "us time" than ever before.  Going to events like these keeps us from driving each other crazy and helps us generate new ideas of things to create.  

More Doggy Injuries

Gambit is quite the spirited little puppy and managed to hurt himself again.  This time, it was his neck.  He managed to puncture it on something (still don't know what) and got his collar dug into his neck, slicing under the fur and skin.  He likes to roll around a lot and he has growth spurts that make his collar tighter.  Because he gets himself dirty and the collar covers some of the damage, we didn't catch it until a few days after he must have done the initial damage. Once I discovered it, I kept trying to clean him up.  It was obvious that he hurt a lot and that made it difficult to clean him properly.  Two baths later, he neck was still a mess and he kept scratching at the injuries, making them bleed.  So frustrating!  My anxiety level from this shot through the roof.

When I took him to the veterinarian, the sticker shock of having them sedate him, shave his neck, clean the wound, administer antibiotics, and send him home with appropriate medications was enough to make me throw up (my response to anxiety).  Gambit still kept scratching and Emerson came up with an interesting solution.  He cut the sleeve off a shirt and Gambit is now wearing it like a turtle neck (I call it a "beagle neck").  Twice daily medication and applying ointment to his neck is quite the workout (from trying to hold him still).  Fortunately, he looks like he is healing.  I never imagined we'd be going through this with our dogs, but I love them so much and it's worth all they give back to us.  I just wish they would wait until the economy recovers more...

So Dang Busy

Just to catch everyone up to what's been going on....
Emerson is still hunting for jobs, but his current employer has been working with him to give him hours as long as they can.  He's been busy creating things for our Etsy shop and playing the new Halo game with the boys.
Dwayne is working full time and searching for a new cheap car to buy since his car completely fell apart.
Dexter is in training to work at the same tech support place where Dwayne is working.  He visits us, usually to play games with Dwayne.
I'm in the middle of several looming deadlines at work and beyond overwhelmed.  I won a free month at a fitness boot camp and I'm learning how painful early morning workouts can be.  On nights and weekends, I work on stuff for our Etsy shop.  If anyone has Blue Bird flour sacks sitting around, I'd love to have them to make things out of. 
That's about it for now.

22 Years!

Yesterday was our 22 year wedding anniversary.  I had to work, but not for long.  With all the stuff I did this week, I only needed to put in a few hours.  That left me free to run off with Emerson and have some fun.  We went to a place in Salt Lake City called Advance Display.  We saw a cool display form that a vendor was using at Craft Lake City last weekend and this is the place she got it from.  Photographing items for our shop has been difficult without having some sort of model to use.  Consistency in the photos is also good.  This store has all kinds of display stuff and was really awesome to check out.  After that, we headed over to the Cheesecake Factory for our celebratory meal.  We had fish and chips and then had our cheesecake.  No matter how hard I try, I always end up choosing the Godiva chocolate cheesecake.  Emerson had the banana cream (that's his favorite pie as well).  Thoroughly stuffed, we headed to the mall to walk around some and then stopped by Ikea on our way home. 

How did we make it through 22 years of marriage?  I honestly don't know.  Part of me still expects him to run screaming from the house some day once my craziness gets to be too much for him.  We have definitely had our down moments and struggles.  The fact that we're willing to continue to keep trying is probably why we haven't called it quits.  Things are so much easier now than when we started.  We know how to help and comfort each other so much better now.  I don't have to tell Emerson when I'm upset, frustrated, or troubled...he just knows.  He knows how to calm me and reassure me.  It's pretty amazing! 

News About Dad

In case you didn't know, my Aunt Twyla had a personal experience last year that prompted her to do something about the temple work for my dad (her brother).  This was a remarkable thing since he had been the source of a lot of pain for her.  Dad had been excommunicated from the LDS church when I was in middle school.  For those who aren't LDS/Mormon, see this article about temple work for an explanation.  Being excommunicated removed his baptism and temple endowment ordinances.  When he passed away last year, I wondered if it would ever be possible to restore those ordinances so he could be sealed to his parents and possible have our family sealed together as well.  I turned to my Aunt Twyla for guidance and she checked into it.  It took a lot of work for her to gather the necessary information about Dad and I had to write a letter about his intentions and state of mind at the time of his death as well as his remorse for the things he had done in his life.  Everything was sent to the church offices and we've been waiting for an answer.  Today that answer came.  Here is the letter I received (mine was a copy addressed to President Buxton, Twyla's stake president):

The First Presidency has asked that the Temple Department respond to your letter on behalf of Sister Twyla Heath, requesting readmission and restoration of temple blessings for her deceased brother, William Lea George.  Approval has been given for vicarious temple ordinances to be completed for Brother George.  We are pleased that this will allow the ordinances to be made available to him.  The First Presidency has directed that the readmission by baptism and restoration of temple blessings be performed in the Salt Lake Temple by members of the temple presidency.  When these ordinances have been completed and recorded, within a few months, we will notify you by mail.  Please give this letter to Sister Heath for her records.  Thank you for assisting Sister Heath's family in this matter.

Very Interesting Weekend (already!)

Yesterday, we had Gambit neutered...poor baby!  To keep him from bothering the stitches, we had to put a cone on him.  Yes, the "cone of shame."  For such a little dog, this is very difficult.  He doesn't lift his head enough and the cone catches on the carpet and keeps him from going anywhere.  When he finally gets moving, the cone catches on everything he walks past.  Then he just sits there and mopes and whines to let us know his frustration.  Only 5 more days, baby...

We went a a great (and free!) event in Salt Lake called Craft Lake City.  I'll write more about it on my Etsy blog, but I will post this picture of the earrings Dexter should buy for his girlfriend.  Emerson and I had some great conversations while looking at all the booths.  There were some bizarre items as well as many of the same hair accessories.  The most interesting part was seeing how many of the artisans were tattooed, pierced, and had colorful/interesting hair.  This was quite the contrast from the street fair they have in Provo for the Freedom Festival.

Upon coming home, Emerson noticed we were having some electrical problems in the back of the house.  After some trial and error, we traced the problem to the dryer.  Emerson mentioned that his clothes hadn't dried and there was a smoky smell .  The smell wasn't like the last time we had problems (burnt rubber smell from a belt problem).  The only skill we have in this area is knowing the phone number of the most wonderful handyman in our ward.  We called him and he knew all the right places to look.  It turned out that excess lint had made its way under the drum (where the clothes are) and had caused several wires to connect that shouldn't have.  The result was some singed piles of lint and burnt and melted wiring.  Fortunately, Brother Sanford had some extra wires and connectors that he was able to splice in and now we are up and running again.  It was scary to realize how close we came to burning our house down.  Are we just disaster magnets?  At least we know the right people to help us out!  Brother and Sister Sanford were even pleased to get some of the squash fresh from our garden as a thank you.

Victory is Ours!!!

If you're a parent, especially if you've had teenagers, you will understand why I'm celebrating.

When Dexter came over tonight to play video games with Dwayne, I asked him about something that happened with his girlfriend the other night.  Dexter and Dwayne had been playing video games at our house and Dexter's girlfriend (Emily) was off somewhere else with some other friends.  About 2:30 or 3:00 a.m., Dexter got a call from Emily's mom.  She was wondering if Emily was with him.  Since she wasn't, Dwayne and Dexter left to go search for her.  She wasn't answering her phone and they found her car at a grocery store's parking lot.  While they were looking for her in the store, she had noticed Dwayne's car in the parking lot and went into the store to search for Dex.  They found each other and Dexter let Emily know how worried everyone was. (Ironically, this was in the wee hours of the morning of her 18th birthday.)  Dex found himself telling her she should have let someone know where she was.  When she told him that her phone had died, he uttered the very words we have asked him several dozen times...
"Couldn't you have used someone else's phone to call?"

Dexter knew I would laugh when I found out he had used our words.  I did! Honestly, I thought I would have to wait until he had children of his own before this would happen.  Dwayne has had a few times where he has been upset at Dexter leaving him waiting because he didn't let anyone know what was going on.  These experiences are just awesome!  See, your parents knew what they were doing.

Being Productive

Here you can see our back yard and garden.  The zucchini is growing very fast behind the dog pen (the cage with the roof in the middle of the picture).  Emerson's Anaheim chiles look great and are in a pot on the top of the white shelf.  A few tomatoes have turned red (yippee!) and we've had some yellow squash and small bell peppers, too.  You may have already noticed the row of corn growing in front of the grapevine along the fence.  They're not very tall, so this has probably identified one more place that the corn doesn't grow well.  Keeping up with keeping the grass green has been a challenge with the scorching hot weather.

Back to the zucchini - no matter how hard I try, one zucchini will manage to slip by me and grow to gargantuan proportions.  Squash that large isn't the greatest to eat since you have to work around huge seeds.  I found one today and let the dogs have fun with it.  Scout was mildly amused (she's had some in past years), but Gambit really went to town on that zucchini.

I learned how to do a tatted rose and went a little crazy making them.  I made one in a variegated blue that I made into a hair clip for Dexter's girlfriend's birthday (she's 18 now).
Then I made a bunch of roses in red and white.  I turned some of them into earrings so I could sell them on Etsy.  I took a red rose, a white rose, and a red & white rose and put them on a hair clip.  After much thought, I've decided I want to keep the hair clip rather than sell it.  Then I made a few more roses that I will probably give as gifts.  Enough with that obsession, time to do a new project...

Fun Family Saturday Trip

Mirror Lake

Emerson and Dwayne have been doing some fishing lately and they made plans to visit Mirror Lake on Saturday.  Some of Dwayne's friends were planning on coming with us, but one had to change his plans and the other didn't get out of bed in time (in fact, he may still be there). 

Provo River Falls

The drive out there was pretty fun and it felt more like Wyoming or Montana than Utah with all the trees.  Definitely not Oregon trees, though.  It was only about a 1.5 hour drive from our house and absolutely worth it.  There are a series of lakes up there and campgrounds tucked in everywhere.  The biggest surprise for me was seeing signs for the Provo River Falls.  They are quite beautiful and I want to come back and explore them more some time.

cool stuff on the rocks because of the moisture from the falls

picnic in the trunk

Much fishing was done, but not much catching.  Emerson got a few "wiggles."  When our kids were really little, we used to go fishing with our friend (and their babysitter), Linda, and they would say they got a "wiggle" when a fish nibbled at their hook. (I miss those days!)  There were a lot of people around the lake who were fishing and a few out on the lake in boats and canoes. 
The people next to us were definitely lacking in fishing etiquette and managed to cast over and snag onto our fishing lines several times.  In what world does that seem okay?  I didn't actually fish.  I let the guys entertain me with their fishing while I did some tatting. 

My tatting projects

Just 10 minutes before we planned to leave, Emerson hooked a fish and reeled it in.  Watching Dwayne struggle to pick it up and get the hook out was very funny.  Since the fish managed to swallow the hook, we had no choice but to take it home with us.  We ended our time at the lake with a picnic out of the trunk of our car.
Dexter has taught me to notice interesting signs and take pictures of them, so I'm including one I found on this trip.  I don't know what was more amusing about the pit toilets - this sign or the woman who I heard come in and start yelling "Oh my gosh, oh no, oh my gosh" over and over and over because the smell had overwhelmed her.  Remember, everyone...help us keep this toilet clean....

A Small Dose of Heaven

I know this will sound utterly ridiculous, but there is something so amazing about gardening.  It feels like you are doing God's work.  I find myself talking to my plants, coaxing them to grow and demanding to know what is eating all my lettuce.  Our garden is doing well despite the late start.  We moved the corn to a different location so it would get more sun.  Unfortunately, that also made it more vulnerable to our dogs.  They have busted a lot of plants while chasing each other around the yard.  We've never had much luck with our corn, so it probably won't be worse than in previous years.  The tomato plants are growing well and I see tomatoes popping up in there and I hope it won't be too long til we have some ripe ones.  If you made a visit to our garden, you would probably laugh at seeing some of the tattered plants growing there.  We had cilantro grow spontaneously from last year's leftovers. They've gone to seed because of the heat, but I can't bear to get rid of them.  I've broken off pieces because they're getting too big, so they look really bad now.  The squash never disappoint, of course, and I was excited to have some ready to eat.  It's a little taste of heaven!

Relaxing Weekend

For those of us in Utah, it was a holiday weekend (Pioneer Day).  I welcomed the extra day off even though it was scorching hot.  Emerson and I have very different ideas of how to spend our weekends and time off.  He likes to have actual plans of things to do, even if it's just wandering around stores and malls.  I don't mind doing some of that, especially when I need to feel a little air conditioning, but my preference is to hang out at home and relax.  I may clean a little, organize a little, work on random projects, play with the dogs, do some gardening, read a little, write a little, and so on.  I can tell this drives Emerson crazy because he'll start pacing the house and looking for things to do.  Even though I am totally fine with him running off by himself, I guess it's just not very fun for him to run around alone.  Me, I could wander almost any store for hours all by myself.  Fortunately, Emerson and Dwayne went fishing a couple of times over the weekend and they had a really good time.  I got to hang out and do all the odds and ends.  I even created a new tatted necklace (for details, see my Etsy Madness blog).

The family update for this week:  Dwayne started his new job at Teleperformance and seems to be doing well.  Dexter reports to also be doing well despite misplacing his Cutco shears (scissors).  Emerson is still losing weight and may be the skinniest he's been since I've known him.  I'm trying to do more exercising and push through the weird popping, cracking, and pain going on in my foot (I've been told this is normal).  The dogs are getting used to sleeping in their pen outside again.  The brakes on the car (and the rotors) had to suddenly be replaced - bummer!  The truck is holding up despite all the miles Emerson has put on it for work.  Our mechanic is still looking for a used engine for it that's affordable and in decent shape.

All is....

Well?  Still working on my Etsy shop, but at a more reasonable pace.  Dwayne hopefully starts his new job tomorrow.  He had problems when Job Corps wouldn't answer their dang phone to verify that he had been there.  Things are worked out and he should be starting his tech support training tomorrow.  Dexter stopped by the house.  He is still busy doing his Cutco thing and even recruited some others to do sales.  It sounded like he was running out of referrals, though.  The garden is doing okay and some tiny bell peppers, squash and tomatoes are forming.  The 100 degree temperatures are frying the lawn right now.  Gambit's wound has healed up very nicely and he's happy to get outside more.  I thought it would be quieter with one less kid here, but Dwayne has had some friends over somewhat regularly, so there's no shortage of activity in our house.  Dwayne is also becoming a bit of a legend over at Dragon's Keep where he plays Magic the Gathering.  He wins the tournaments a lot, even when he drafts lousy cards.  He also manages to trade cards and basically never pay an entry fee for these tournaments.  You know he's serious when he's got a locker at the store!

Pulling Back

Emerson says that Etsy has become my new "crack" after giving up all my Facebook games.  That was more or less true.  I sent a lot of hours monitoring Etsy's Alchemy area and bidding on any job I thought I could do.  I bargained with people to do design things for them and would accept whatever they would offer in payment from cash to items in their shop.  The items I received in trade are sitting in my office and I will contribute them to our fundraising auction in October to raise scholarship money.  Some of these people were pretty demanding for paying only $5 for a logo design.  The family was getting pretty frustrated with all the hours I was putting into it and I really was only making a few dollars here and there.  Now I've decided to pull back some and stop bidding for awhile.  I'm finishing up some more tatted items and Emerson has more beaded items listed.  We'll just let the shop do it's thing for awhile.  Besides, Gambit is going stir crazy while his stitches heal and somebody has to entertain him...

This Year's Garden

All the wild and wacky weather we had this year caused us to plant later than we wanted.  Snails already ate through the cucumber starts (all of them) and we have cilantro popping up randomly everywhere.  Still, things are growing and I'm looking forward to eating some fresh produce.  I have a raspberry start and a strawberry plant out front and each has delivered a couple of pieces of fruit.  Slow, yes, but still rewarding.

Contacting Dexter

I just found out that Dexter has given up the phone we had for him.  If you need to contact him, I'm guessing that Facebook or email (his gmail address) is the best way.

Gambit

Gambit, our four month old beagle puppy, had an accident this morning.  We have our two dog kennels stacked one on top of each other inside the back room.  Gambit jumped out of the top kennel this morning, catching his leg on the door of the bottom kennel.  The resulting wound was technically "superficial," but quite long and gaping.

A trip to the vet's office first thing this morning introduced us to the reality of how expensive pet repair can be.  It wasn't like we could just glue his skin back together (although I was contemplating every possible solution)...

We left him in the doctor's capable hands and picked him up a few hours later after he'd been stitched up properly.  The big challenge now is trying to keep this very active puppy from being active and ripping his stitches during the next 14 days.  We have been advised that we may need to purchase a "cone of shame" to keep him from licking the wound or biting at the stitches.  I'm still feeling bad that this happened to him while he was in my care.  Puppies and kids......

AdultTeens

Emerson and I have often looked forward to the day when our kids would be all grown up.  After years of being focused on our children, their needs, and their activities, it's nice to be a couple again.  We've had glimpses of this over the years when the boys were at Scout camp or other places.  The last little bit has been tough as we have encouraged the boys to look for work and get frustrated when they sleep all day and then wake up just to watch TV and play on the computer.  They did make some job search efforts, but it wasn't quite what we expected.  Dexter turned 18 and graduated and that led to some interesting discussions of which rules still applied to him now that he was all grown up.

The challenge of dealing with your children once they turn into adults is well known by those who have raised their children.  Additional challenges we have faced have been about culture.  We did the best we could to raise the boys to appreciate their Navajo culture and respect their elders appropriately, but it doesn't sink in when they grow up away from the culture and surrounded by kids raised differently. 

Our latest adventure has begun. Dexter has now moved out of our house.  It's hard not to take it personally even though I have watched my friends go through this before.  When Dwayne went to Chicago last summer we had some of the same feelings, but we knew in advance that he was leaving.  Dexter didn't even give us 24 hour notice.  We're still trying to get used to him not being here and we hope he'll discover some appreciation for family during this adventure.

Happy Independence Day (even though the celebration is tomorrow)

Having July 4th land on a Sunday is always a weird thing in Utah.  Pretty much nothing was going on today and even the places that would normally be open on a Sunday were closed for the holiday.  Some of the Independence Day festivities were held yesterday and the rest will be tomorrow.  I'm not saying that I mind, it's just that it can take some getting used to. 

Emery, Brenda, and kids came up for the holiday.  Dwayne decided to do a backyard cookout tonight and we invited Emery and his family as well as Gene and his family to join us. Dwayne enlisted Dexter's help in cooking and they made gigantic hamburger patty, topped with cheese slices, and then wrapped in bacon strips woven together into a sheet.  Guaranteed to stop your heart, these real life Baconators were the hit of the dinner.  Dwayne made sure I took a picture of him with his creation before cooking it. 

Dexter was pretty pleased with the results, too.  In fact, I felt it was necessary to take a picture of him taking a picture of the resulting bacon burger.  He had a pretty busy weekend already and this was his only day off.  Dexter has started selling Cutco knives and he has been doing product demonstrations with friends and family in order to practice.  It doesn't hurt to make some sales to sympathetic people along the way either.  He's actually a really natural salesman (which I credit to his acting abilities) and has made some sales in his first two days.  None of this would be possible without the lovely Emily who has been his main mode of transportation as well as his beautiful assistant.

Internet Go Bye Bye

We're having serious Internet difficulties.  I wrote about it in my other blog, so I won't go into it here.  
The Internet problems are still hampering us, but I did have some great news Yesterday.  One of my necklace and earring sets sold.  This is the first item to sell from my shop that wasn't a graphic design order.  Yippee!!  My favorite customer, elladean, ordered another graphic needing revision and I won an Alchemy bid to create an alphabet with a double outline.  It sure is nice having things move along like this.  Things even went well on a personal level.  We had some great visitors from our neighborhood and enjoyed discussing what all our kids are up to and how we can help each other out.  I happen to live in probably the best neighborhood anywhere for being social. This is one of those little areas where everyone watches out for each other and cares how people are doing.   They also welcome everyone in.  Having a great home life sure makes things easier!

Today's Internet update was that we're not the only ones in the area having problems and that they will get back to us when they have an update.....basically, we're screwed!

Ups and Downs, It All Comes Around

Emerson received his level 2 teaching license, but he's still waiting for his special education endorsement.  Dexter got a job....selling Cutco knives.  He promises he's still going to look for other jobs.  Dwayne worked for one day at a temp job and may have a few more days coming up. The number of job listings out there have decreased significantly in the last two weeks, but the boys are chasing down leads.  Heritage's participation in the Rotary Club's golf tournament went well despite the troubled economy.  I was surprised to receive a lot of praise from those I worked with on the tournament committee.  We're gearing up now for the Scholarship Gala that Heritage is having in October.  My cucumber starts got eaten by something, but other things are growing and I even have a raspberry that is turning redder by the day.  Emerson claims that Etsy is my new addiction, my "crack," because of the time I am spending on there.  I've been fortunate in getting a few design jobs here and there and I'm determined to get this business going.  I've tried to help other people on Etsy and it seems to come back one way or another.  See my Etsy Madness blog for more on that.  Some of the positive things have been small, but I'm just glad they're happening. I have some amazing friends who are there for me when I need them.

Just the Right Medicine

It's no secret that I love powwows.  There is no place I would rather be.  The drumming, the singing, the dancing - it brings me peace and makes me happy.  There is an amazing sense of community at powwows and people really take care of each other.  With everything we've been dealing with lately, I just knew I needed to go to the Heber Valley Powwow this weekend.  Emerson's paycheck hadn't come in yet, so we had to carefully consider our options.  Emerson and I decided to go today since we could get the most for our admission fee.  We sat with our friends, the Cranks, and caught up with other friends-Johnny and Carol, Tilda, Charlotte, Winston, and so many others.  Emerson spent most of his time hanging out with Johnny at his Navajo taco stand.  I hung out with Angela and her kids and then with Tilda and her kids.  We talked about how much we miss "the good old days" when the kids were little and we all camped out together at the powwows. The music, the dancing, and the friends had me in good spirits in no time. If only life could be one long powwow...

Have Faith?

I'm struggling a bit right now to keep believing things will work out. The job search is frustrating the heck out of us and I don't know how long it will take before things get better.  Dwayne tried to get rehired at Heritage, but there were so many applicants and he didn't get the job.  We keep checking job listings everywhere we can, but times are pretty bleak.  I don't remember having things this tough except during the very early years of our little family.  The check engine light came on tonight in the car. I've done some design projects on Etsy, but they don't pay well yet. At least I've made a little money.  I don't like to post "downer" messages, but right now it's all I can think of.

Mi Rungito

The absolutely wonderful Rick and Holly stopped by tonight.  We talked gardening, of course, and history, E3, Dexter's college plans, road construction, job prospects, interesting people on mass transit, and the life of delivery drivers.  We went out to eat at one of our favorite spots, Mi Ranchito.  It is a family owned Mexican restaurant with the most delicious food. Emily (Dexter's girlfriend) came along and seemed to have fun talking cuisine with Rick and Holly.  About five minutes after Rick and Holly left for Bountiful, I realized I should have taken pictures. Dang it!!  Instead of photos, you are being treated to a slightly altered drawing to represent our honorable guests.
(For those wondering about the title of this post, Rick often adopts the nickname "Rungo")

Bloginess

You may have noticed that I changed this blog a bit. I've been the only contributor, so I figured it should reflect that.  Dwayne and Dexter each have their own blogs.  I have also started a new blog focused on my experiences having a shop on Etsy.  I'm hoping it will get more people to view my shop and perhaps the experiences I share will help others starting out with this online craft fair. In addition, my job now includes managing a blog for Heritage and a Facebook fan page as well.  With the economy being so tight, it's nice to have these tools to promote our program in such a global way at no cost.  I've enjoyed all of this since I love to write and it gives me opportunities to connect to more people.

To Be A Teacher

If you're not familiar with the adventurous process of becoming a licensed teacher, you are truly missing out on what feels like a giant scavenger hunt.  When Emerson first became a teacher, he at least had the assistance of Utah Valley University in getting everything together to be submitted to Utah's State Office of Education.  For the special education endorsement, Weber State University submitted the information on the classes he completed.  Emerson had to get evaluations done on his student teaching and submit them and then pass the Praxis exam (which he did).  We finally got the last of his teacher's work sample/portfolio together and sent it in on Monday.  Since Emerson's level 1 teaching license expires this month, he's been working on upgrading to his level 2 license.  That involved another Praxis exam (passed!) and getting recommendations and other paperwork signed.  The paperwork was actually the toughest part since his former boss at Heritage was not very accommodating. We also had to get paperwork signed by his current employer. Everything's now on its way to the state and he should be all upgraded and ready to go soon.  Our hope is that having the special education endorsement completed will open a few more doors.  Job openings for teachers in Utah are pretty limited and they're much pickier.  The really great news is that UVU plans to have Emerson teach the same special populations PE class next year.

Etsy

Selling stuff on Etsy has been an interesting adventure.  I managed my first sale by offering to make somebody a shop banner and avatar based on their business card at a super low price ($1).  Since I am new, I figured it was a good way to start getting some sales and feedback attributed to my name.  I've taken new pictures of my items so they don't look so boring and I've been creating treasuries (collections) to start some interaction with other Etsians.  Today I was pleased to find one of my items included in someone's treasury:  http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c0df206bd348eef82129867/dances-with-friends.  It has been a good way to try to sell some of our leftover craft projects and things Emerson's aunt has sent us to sell to help us out.  I'm working on my "graphic design" offerings since they are only a time investment and cost me nothing to create.  At least it makes me feel like I'm doing something and it's not as short lived as Ebay.

Blessings

Every so often it's a good idea to count the blessings in your life.  Not literally...just take note of them.  Life can get so crazy, hectic, and busy that we fail to see the good things happening all around us.  When it all piles up and the situation looks bleak, taking a look at the blessings in your life can give you a better perspective on life. 

Believe it or not, I am a person of great faith and I believe we have a Heavenly Father who gives us gifts, talents, life, and even challenges.  This is not meant to be preachy, just an attempt to share my feelings.

When Emerson lost his job at Heritage, it seemed like the end of the world.  We had never imagined this happening.  When I had my accident at the end of October, I realized the blessing it was to have him there to take care of me.  It just wouldn't have been possible if he had a full time job.  The situation also helped me to not be complacent or comfortable at work since you never know what tomorrow brings.  I'm also grateful to be able to walk again and won't ever take it for granted.

Another blessing in my life has been my willingness to learn and the strange creativity God has given me.  I say "strange" because I can't draw or paint like Dad, Sharon, or Kathy and I can't sing like Dexter or dance like Rick, and I certainly can't cook.  Despite that, I'm always wanting to learn how to do new things.  I can't always come up with ideas on my own, but I'm pretty good at taking one or more ideas from other people and adapting them to what I'm looking for. This is how my "design" career was born.  Everyone at work seems to need a poster for this, a flyer for that, a card, an invitation....I got pretty good at pulling things together and eventually learned to use PhotoShop well enough to do some pretty fun things.  The picture with this post is a Photoshop doodle I did.  All of this has made me very valuable at work and even my family finds it handy.

This will sound weird, but I feel it is a great blessing to not have wealth.  I appreciate the struggle to prioritize and how our family has to unite to make our way in the world.  Earning your way and having to work hard for it makes it all the better.  Despite the challenge, we are still able to be generous at times and it means a lot to sacrifice for a good cause. Many people have been there for us to help with church clothes, travel expenses, school costs, proms, etc. and we want to help where we can.

The turmoil of my childhood and my bipolar disorder are definite blessings.  I have been able to help so many people with their own problems or their child's problems because of my experience.  As I work with the youth at Heritage during the play each year, I see several who are just like I was in high school.  I can't erase their problems, but I can ease the pain a bit and point them in the right direction.  My bipolar has helped me to have my creativity and to accomplish a lot of things at a frenzied pace. I am also blessed to have received treatment for it so I can manage it fairly well. My friends and family help me to stay on top of it so it doesn't become a curse.

The biggest blessings in my life are my friends and family.  One of the best things about marrying into a Navajo family is the extended definition of family.  There is no other world where I feel more comfortable or feel like I belong than when with my Native American family.  Nothing against Emerson, but I feel like I was meant to marry into his family rather than just marry him.  "In law" is not derogatory in our world.  They've been there for me in every crisis to pick up the pieces.  I have friends who are definitely my sisters on this earth.  Tami is my chaplain and my sister in klutziness.  Angela is my powwow sister and we get together to eat chocolate and laugh about our Navajo hubbies.  Leslie is my practical spiritual sister and fellow Oregonian.

Faith is the one blessing I couldn't live without.  There has to be a purpose to life.  I am so grateful to have a Savior who atoned for my sins and knows how I feel.  When the rest of the world shuts me out, I know that He will listen.  With many of my struggles over the years, it is that faith that helped me to feel His guidance on what to do. No big visions or miracles, just that impression in the back of your mind that won't be quieted.  I think I would have abandoned ship years ago if not for His urging me to stay.

Other blessings include getting to talk to each of my parents before they passed away, getting to know my sister-in-law Tina's parents, having dogs who love me, gardening, learning to tat, finding long lost friends online, dancing at powwows, and having a home, and transportation, and a job.  Being a mom and getting to pass on to them my knowledge, my love for the arts, and, apparently, my general geekiness is pretty great too.  I've wandered off track here and there, but all is not lost.  I will just keep on doing my best and taking note of the blessings along the way, even when they are dressed as hardships.

Dexter's Plans

The photo on the left shows Dexter all made up for his Kabuki style performance of a scene from Shakespeare's "Richard III" which garnered superior ratings at the state drama festival.

People keep asking what Dexter's plans are now that he has graduated high school.  He has been accepted at the College of Eastern Utah in Price, Utah, and has registered for Fall 2010 classes.  The plan (so far) is to take one year of classes and then he would like to serve an LDS mission.  He is majoring in theater and hopes to eventually minor in sports medicine.  It will probably come as no surprise that his girlfriend is attending the same college... 

For the moment, both of our boys are desperately seeking employment.  Dexter will not be able to attend college unless he finds the funding to do so.  His decision to pursue college, financial aid, etc. didn't get communicated to me until some very important deadlines had already passed, so loans are the only aid being offered at this time.  Dwayne has been selling his Magic the Gathering cards on Ebay to pay for his car insurance and preserve his transportation capabilities.  The job situation around here actually seems to be getting worse with job openings limited and competition quite fierce.  I wish the best to my boys and say grateful prayers that I still have my job.