Web check-in - the coolest thing ever!

Web check-in has to be the coolest thing invented. CareNow has web check-in. Use to be if you needed to go to a CareNow instead of an emergency room at night or on weekends you could spend hours in the waiting room waiting for your turn! But with Web Check-in you wait until they call you and then you go over and within 15 minutes you are in a room with someone talking to you! I had a UTI (I know too much info) this afternoon and my family doctor closes early on Friday, so I went to CareNow's website and did the web check-in and waited for their call. And when you have UTI it is much more comfortable to wait in the comfort of your own home rather than in a waiting room, because there is nothing comfortable about a UTI.

On a lighter note. I substituted for Seminary 3 days this last week. Forgot I wasn't in the practice of getting up at 4:00 am anymore so that was a little bit harder than I remembered. But I really did enjoy it and it was fun to be with the teenagers of our Ward again!

Bad day....

I guess I'm due to have a bad day because I haven't had one in a long time! I think it was November with the Cranberry bread and the broken foot.....I seem to remember that. So like I said, I guess I'm just due. But I hope I don't have another day like today in a very long time!

Allison in Seattle!

Allison had a great time in Seattle! Here's some pictures. Can't wait for March to go out to Utah!

Oh, no, a tag I can't refuse......

O.K. warning....yes, Sister Brown will feel obligated to do a tag if any of my semianry students tag me (that's right Lindsey) but do you really want to do that? The answer is no, just for future reference (j/k).

7 things I can do:

1. I can sing
2. I can make awesome photo albums with scrapbooking
3. I can plan parties, showers, Theatre Banquets, 50th Wedding Anniversaries and they generally turn out amazing!
4. I can play the violin
5. I can sew (use to sew all my girls holiday dresses when they were little) and I’m pretty crafty.
6. I can start and keep family traditions going
7. I can love my husband and girls like no one else can!

7 things I cannot do:

1. Fix a computer
2. Go a day without letting my husband know how much I love him
3. Be late to a meeting or appointment (drives me crazy)
4. Ignore when someone is sad
5. Navigate the internet very well ( I know just enough to be dangerous)
6. Loose weight
7. Mind my own business sometimes (I know, I’m working on it)

7 things I say often:

1. Cool beans
2. Love you baby girl
3. Absolutely I would love to do that
4. I love you Alan
5. I don’t think so
6. Have we (anything that has to do with Aileen…drives my family crazy that I say
Have we changed Aileen lately, Have we given Aileen her medicine, have we put her bedding in the wash..…because they say that I really mean….Have you changed Aileen etc.)
7. When talking to any of my girls….You are the light of my life!

7 things I love about Alan:

1. That he loves me unconditionally
2. That he honor’s and holds the Priesthood
3. That he has always been an amazing father to his girls
4. That he thinks he is funny
5. I love his white/gray hair
6. That he has always worked hard for his family and made my dreams come true
7. That he brings/sends me flowers and tries to get me anything that I really want.

7 favorite foods:

1. Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
2. Plain cheese cake
3. Braums Strawberry Cheesecake Ice cream
4. Sonics’ Sticky bun Blast
5. Diet Coke
6. Rueben Sandwich
7. Key Lime pie

7 people I tag:

1. Allison
2. Anne Marie
3. Hillary
4. Kirsten
5. Laura
6. Shelley
7. Ashley

I tried to pick people that I think I haven’t already seen do this tag!

After the Oscars!

After the show I think tonight was one of the best Oscar shows I've seen in a long time. I was very excited for Kate Winslett...even though I can't go see either of her movies from 2008 before her win or now, but I think she is a great actress and I'm happy she was recognized.

I was extremely disappointed and worried when the first award, supporting actress role went to Penelope Cruz, whose movie is about a horrible horrible subject I thought we were doomed!

But I loved seeing the past winners come back and salute the nominees. I thought Hugh Jackman did a great job entertaining us. loved the musical numbers and thought the set was beautiful. I loved the short film mixes.

If Milk had to win they should have just said thank you instead of get on their soapbox (pun intended since I guess that's what he did in the movie)i had hoped we had learned in past years not to bring politics into the award but alas. I was surprised when the writer of Milk said he had been a Mormon from Texas before moving to California....

The biggest disappointment for me was that Brad Pitt didn't win..he is such a great actor and was amazing in the "Curios case of Benjamin Button" I thought he deserved to finally be nominated and win.

And thanks to my "a-may-zing wonder woman" for commenting on my previous post and making me feel like someone agreed with me!!!!!

The Oscars!

I am such a movie buff that I have always loved the Oscars! Almost couldn't wait to see which movies I had seen and loved were the ones to get picked. Now a days I still get excited over the hype and excitement of seeing my favorite movie stars all dressed up....but I hardly know any of the movies anymore! I think it is really sad when I will not be able to watch most of tonight's winners. Use to be that if I hadn't seen a movie that won, I would be sure to go and see it. Once again, these days there are usually very few that I can go and see afterwards! I long for a Hollywood that didn't want to show us "how it really is" and just wanted to give us good entertainment! But I still watch the Oscars and dream that some day I will be able to say again, that I saw that movie and I agree with that pick! As much as I love to go to the movies....I hardly can find one to go see anymore!

Ward Temple Day!

Saturday was the Ward Temple day! Today is our Ward Conference so Saturday, the Temple session was at 5:00 pm instead of in the morning and the meeting with the Stake President and all our Ward members attending the temple was at 4:00 pm. Many exciting things were happening today at the Temple and I really wanted to be there, but with all the youth doing Baptisms for the Dead and it being Katie's B-day this weekend, I could not find a babysitter so I was not able to attend. Alan went of course and said it was an amazing experience! I'm sad that I couldn't be there, but we have to take turns going with Aileen. And with Alan being in the Bishopric he needed to be there for sure! I'm sure next time will be my turn. I feel sad anytime that I miss getting to attend the temple! Good thing it's so close by!

Confessions.....

So everyone wanted to know what movie I saw at the matinee! It was "Confessions of a Shopaholic" one of the best movies I've seen in long time! I thoroughly loved it! It was entertaining (which is why I go to a movie) it had moments of "Ahhhhhhh", "Oh, NO!" and "I love that that happened!" and it had a happy ending! What more could you ask for! I saw it with my favorite Babysitter, Katie, whose birthday it happens to be! Happy 20th B-day Katie, I loved that we saw that movie together!

Now for the confession of a crazy mother......I wonder how everything is going in Seattle?

Bummer, excitement, and a secret!

Bummer: Today I had to be at the office at 7:30 am - 12:30 pm and we only had one patient scheduled! That was a bummer! And I'm afraid that is a sign of our economy!

Excitement: Allison is flying to Seattle today to meet her boyfriends family! I don't think I'm suppose to be blogging about this, but I can't stand not blogging about it! And it's better to ask forgiveness later, than ask for permission 1st right? I can't wait to hear how it went and if she enjoyed being with his family!

Secret: I am going to Utah in March, yes, to see my girls because I DO miss them horribly. But the real reason is to go and meet this young man. Then Alan will be out in April to pick Allison up from school and help her drive her car home from school and Alan will meet him then!

So there you have it.....the bummer, excitement and secret of my Friday!!!!!

Maybe I'll go see a matinee today (Shhhhhhhh!)

Heel Spurs.....owie!

Well, Alan had to come and see my Doctor (meaning where I work) yesterday, because he was in so much pain he couldn't walk and if you even looked at his heels he was in agony! So after all the x-ray's and exams, yes...he has heel spurs (right heel much worse than left) and tendonitis! So he is now in a cast brace for his right foot. We have some anti-inflammatory gel that is Alan's new best friend! We had to go buy (so sorry Alan, but) old man shoes, well actually with the new European Ecco brand the shoes look pretty good considering....they just cost a great deal!!!!

Then last but not least we have to do ice pack therapy! All I know is I'm glad he is feeling better! Thank you Doctor Malofsky you are the best! Oh, and I guess Alan is lucky he has his own private nurse that knows what she's doing! ha! I'm glad I work for a Podiatrist!

Girls Night out!

I had a girls night out with my visiting teaching partner and one of our ladies and went to see "He's Just Not That Into You" (our VT sister's choice) it was cute and most of the endings were happy so I enjoyed it very much! Lots of laughs! But I have to say it, even if it is not sensitive of me to say....I'm so glad I'm happily married! Now if my prayers can just be answered and if my girls can maneuver their way through the mine field called dating and find someone to be happy with that would make my joy complete! But after this movie (of course I couldn't watch it without thinking about them) I worry for them....it's so hard and the world just doesn't have standards or manners or men willing to make commitments any more so it's scary! All a mother can do is pray and pray hard! But I also hope, and I think they are confident enough to know.... it would have to be a pretty amazing man to be better than no man!

Presdient's Day is a special holiday!

31 yrs ago on President's day holiday, Alan and I met at BYU at the Library. I always sat at the same table on the 4th floor so that everyone knew where to find me i.e. room mates, boys I was dating, friends etc. When I got to my table there were 2 young men already sitting down and I almost went and found another table because I did not want for the boys to think that I was trying to meet them (stereo type for BYU girls), but I thought "hey, this is my table and I'm not going to let them run me off". So I sat down and started studying. Soon one of the young men said to me, "Do I know you?, you look familiar" which I thought was totally a line....and I told him that no, i didn't think so. The 2nd boy, said "Boy, Alan that was a great pick-up line" and we all started laughing. Then we started talking and getting to know each other a little better and before I knew it they had talked me into making a Lasagna dinner for Alan (found out his name) and Alan's room mate Lane, and Lane's girlfriend. And then we would go to the BYU Dance Friday night! After that every day I kept seeing him everywhere I walked in between my classes. I found out later he had looked up my schedule and started making sure he was where I was going so we would run into each other! by the time I was leaving school that semester for the summer break I was engaged and by the end of summer before classes started up again in the Fall I was married! It's a great BYU story, don't ya think?

My Valentine, My Love....

So my sweetie surprised me for Valentine's Day! He originally told me that I could get airplane tickets to go see my girls because I was so homesick for them a couple of weeks ago...
so I did! yay! Therefore, I was not expecting any thing today! But my love, brought in to me this beautiful box and said...
"When I saw this, I knew it was for you and I had to get it" then he went on to explain how he knew I loved boxes, and antique's and how this just looked like me and it spoke to him. Well, can I tell you I was in tears....but the best part to me is the cute YOUNG couple walking on the beach holding hands and that that is how HE SEE's US! We are not that young cute couple anymore...but he still thinks of us that way! I LOVE IT and I LOVE HIM!

For his Valentine's day gift I bought him a DVD he had been wanting, girl scout cookies and took him out to breakfast this morning with Aileen....which we all loved and then tonight we are going to watch "Fire Proof" together! Which we have both heard raves about but have not seen...so we will watch it together! He also got a airplane ticket to go out and pick up Allison from College in April. He will of course get to see Anne Marie and his family while he is there so that will be awesome for him too!

And this weekend is extra special because on Monday it will be 31 yrs since the day that Alan & I met! We met on President's Day Holiday at BYU in the Library...the reason we remember this so well, is it was a holiday and both of us just about didn't go to study because we wanted to play, but we went to the library anyway...and then we met.......and as they say "The rest is history!"

A very neat moment!

So I got the neatest surprise...

one of my seminary students from the 1st year that I taught back in Wichita, Kansas found me on Facebook...

I was very excited to find out how she was and she posted this comment on my wall....

"I am doing well. I have been thinking about you often. I have been thinking of what a great seminary teacher you were and how that helped me develop spiritually. I served a mission in the Provo Utah mission. I am married with a little girl, Emma. I am also a seminary teacher. It is a struggle. How did you do it? I want to know your secret. I know, follow the spirit, but these are teenagers. It is such a challenge. How is the family?"

Well, I can't even express how that made me feel to know that she served a mission is active in church, raising a family and is now teaching seminary herself! It's such a great Valentine's present I can't even express it!

I'll tell you what I told her was my secret....

1. I love(d) each student. And it wasn't even hard. It's like how you feel when you see your baby for the 1st time...its so huge you can't stand it. And I know that my students new it was true as well (some it took longer for them to know, but they knew) They new I was their biggest fan and I still am. I know some have moved on and probably never think of me...but I still celebrate their successes and accomplishments as if I was still seeing them every morning before they went to face their day at school!

2. I prayed for each one of them individually, by name, every day in my prayers. I had pictures of each student on my mirror and as I would pray I would look at their picture and ask "Heavenly Father, How can I help David today", "Heavenly Father, please help me to know how to help Kelli today", etc....until I had prayed for every student. There were some years I had 27 students in my class. But I know it made all the difference.

I have put a picture of my student, who is now the teacher! I know she is doing an amazing job and will be able to give me pointers the next time I have this calling (I can only pray I will get the chance to do seminary again).

A Valentine's Day Surprise!

This afternoon the Doctor I work for and his wife brought me these beautiful tulips and a box of candy with a card! They are just too good to me and I really appreciate it! So Happy Valentine's Day to me! The girls both called me to say they got their care packages today and they were very excited....so it was very cool that the Doctor gave me my surprise on the same day....it was like we all got fun Valentine gift boxes today! YAY!

DearElder.com

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4WUsr689Y4

I was told about a new website called DearElder.com so that I could write a couple of the missionaries that I am writing that are at the MTC. It's a very cool way to write the missionaries even after they leave the MTC. It gives ways to send cookies and care packages and all sorts of fun things.....but the thing that moved me after I wrote my letters was a youtube they had on the website about Forgiveness! It is the talk by Elder Faust that I remember hearing in General Conference vividly! It is a very powerful memory for me and I was grateful to once again hear this great leader give us this counsel on forgiveness so I thought I would share it.

Shipped off my Valentines.....

Today I shipped off my Valentines gifts to my girls who are away at college! Aileen always likes to go shopping with me and help pick out the things we send! And sending gift baskets or boxes for each holiday is a tradition that brings me a lot of joy to keep doing! This year I fell in love with the children's book "The Kissing Hand" talked about it in an earlier post. Each daughter received one of those along with other fun silly things and candy!

I also, used "The Kissing Hand" in primary to celebrate Valentines day with my class and the lesson was on prayer...so after reading the book I told them that when we pray to Heavenly Father that it is the same as him kissing our hand. That when we pray we can feel safe and secure and know that he is protecting us! The book had little stickers to stick in their hands and even the boys wanted the sticker...fun fun! Then of course I gave them a cute valentine bag of candy as well...so it all tied in.

My only regret is that I didn't have this book before my girls left at Christmas time to go back to school so that I could have literally kissed their hands instead of figuratively....but I'll be sure to take care of that the next time I see them! I love this book! I need to learn how to link to my other post so you could click to it easily to see what the book looks like....oh well...I'm learning a little at a time!

I can't wait to hear how the girls like everything! I Love my baby girls for always!

I'm tagged - I hate tags - I never do tags!!!!

Never say never.... on facebook I had been tagged a couple of times for this 25 random things about yourself and I gleefully ignored it...but then my daughter Allison tagged me and that did me in...so here I go...

Between this and the 1o embarrassing things I had to do earlier in a post...you should really know me by now...ha!

1. I was born in Provo, Utah while my parents were attending BYU

2. There is no dessert that is "too rich" for me

3. I swore I would never be one of those women who didn't wear make-up or got fat --- Now that I'm older I almost never wear make-up! And I am heavier than I wish I was.

4. All of my babies where born at 6 1/2 months. weighing 2 lbs 9 oz.; 2 lbs 6 ozs; 3 lbs 14 ozs.

5. My first pregnancy was a miscarriage

6. I have taught early morning seminary for 7 years (Kansas, Georgia and Texas), Primary Chorister for 15 yrs (not 15 straight and not all in the same ward), RS teacher, Primary teacher, Home Making Counselor in RS Prescy when they still had homemaking meetings, In the Stake Relief Society Presidency when I was 22, lots of other fun callings...but NEVER in young women's...interesting.

7. I love going to movies, have found that harder to do these days and that makes me sad because of the Ratings and how they think they have to make movies now.

8. I am a slave to traditions -- but I think my family appreciates that.

9. Change is hard for me

10. My family is my life and first priority...

11. Married an amazing man and have been happily married for 30 1/2 yrs.

12. Met my husband 31 yrs ago on President's Day at BYU in the Library on the 4th floor!

13. I have as a mother been very involved in theatre in the high schools and was even Theatre Parents Booster Club President for 2 yrs. because both of my girls Anne Marie and Allison were big into theatre, won awards and everything!

14. I have a disabled daughter who is 23 -- 24 in March...she is the greatest blessing to our family! And I know that everyone of us feels that way....to me that is a blessing as well.

15. You might have heard but I'm a little opinionated and kind of controlling! I try hard not to control everything...but what can I say?

16. I had the most amazing room mates my 2nd semester in College at BYU and they were all my bridesmaids at my wedding! And most of us have managed to still stay in touch...amazing!

17. It use to be that if you came unannounced to my home and my home was not what I considered presentable I would talk to you on my doorstep...outside somehow...but you were not coming in. I then changed my priorities about this and decided that people and friends where more important....so now even if you catch me on a bad day house wise...I will let you in...because you are more important than what my house looks like!

18. My personal history is all written and current! But my family won't read it...funny! When I die they will appreciate it.

19. I have been known to wear the same dress for 3 days because I never went to bed I was so involved in a project.....this is only when I was stay at home mom at home....not out in public!

20. When I get dressed in the morning..that's it....I do not go home and change into something more comfy....who has time to do all that changing....and wash!

21. Wash is my downfall...it will trip me up every time. When I was first married I loved doing the wash, having it done, all folded and put away....when I went through a bit of depression after having Aileen and realizing she was disabled....I could not make myself go downstairs to do the wash. Not so much of a problem anymore...but still a struggle to get it done!

22. I have helped my mother recover in the last 5 years through 7 surgeries! The last was life threatening.

23. I have been blessed that when I have had to work...my jobs have all been through someone I know and have been the perfect job for that stage and time of my life! I have seen the Lord's hand work through others many times!

24. I played with the Murray Utah Symphony, I was a soloist for the Murray Messiah Sing-In, and I performed in 2 musicals at Utah Pioneer Playhouse(isn't that what its called?) when we lived in Murray and in one musical my oldest was in it with me!

25. My major in college was Music Education for the handicapped! Also interesting i think!

Yay! A Haircut!

You know how it is when your a mother.....2 girls in college, one special needs child, a husband who has to wear suits to work etc...everyone else always comes first when it comes to needing haircuts, highlights, coloring, clothes what have you! Well, it finally was my turn (it's only been 6 months, way too long) my hair was driving me crazy so I decided no matter what, no matter how much my brakes cost to get fixed....I was getting my hair cut! If Don was still in our Ward and not in 8th Ward now, I know he would have been walking by me at Church saying "have you lost my number?" or "you need to come see me" But that's alright because I really love my hair dresser (I don't know if that's politically correct anymore, but oh well)

Don Marin, Sr. is the man I go to for all my hair beauty needs. And I have to tell you no matter how he cuts it -- it is always a good cut! You never have to "just give it 2 weeks and it will be all better". When he fixes it I look great because he takes time to style it...but you all know I don't take that kind of time. And when it hasn't been 6 months so that my hair is totally past the point of being able to do anything....I can totally just blow it dry, hit it with a little bit of a straight iron and I'm off and it looks great! Sometimes, especially when it is first cut, I can just blow it dry and go and not even curl it and it always looks great, because it is a great cut!

Don was the person who invented highlights! He was the first to ever do it and went around teaching everyone to do it when he was younger. He also invented magnetic rollers, and a certain way to cut hair (which he also went around teaching at all the shows and schools) that I have seen all the stylist to the stars do. These were all his trademarks and patents and he just showed me something today he invented that I would not be surprised if we don't see everyone using soon! He also does hair extensions if you have some extra money laying around you don't need! (Which some of his clientele do) So even though in a few days my hair will be back to the way I fix it, meaning just blowing it dry and running out the door! Today I felt beautiful! Thanks Don!

I'm excited!

So, 3 things I'm excited about today!

1. I went to get my brakes fixed fearing that it would be a whole lot of money, but when they called they said I only needed the front 2! yay! I love that Midas (on McCart just past Kroger on Alta Mesa) they have helped us with all 3 of our cars get so many things done. It has always been fixed right and it has always been cheaper than at other places! Go figure, they have even sent us to other places to get things done cheaper if there was a cheaper place to get it done! Amazing!

2. Because I was so homesick for my girls yesterday, my husband said that I can plan a trip and buy an airplane ticket for March to go see them! I am way excited about that! I love that man of mine!

3. Tonight is Burn Notice! Need I say more!

Those are definitely 3 things to be excited about!

New In Town?

Today I have really been missing my daughters that are away at college! Not sure why today was any different then any other time, but I really felt it today. Since the favorite thing that my girls and I do is go to the movie I went to the movie in honor of them.....wasn't quite the same as I was by myself....but the movie was really cute. I laughed a lot so that was good! I went to see "New In Town" always good when you get to see Harry, even if in a beard, not my favorite look, but the boy is cute no matter what! So....here's thinking about you Anne Marie and Allison!

I just might have to plan a trip out to Utah really soon!

True Beauty!

So have I told you that I hate Reality TV. I mean I despise it! I try my hardest to not know what is going on with Reality TV.....but, one night the TV stayed on this show because unfortunately I do keep the TV on for background and it didn't get changed soon enough and Alan & I saw "True Beauty" and it sucked us in....!!!! First we just sat there with our mouths opened in shock because we couldn't believe how self centered, egotistical and mean all these "Beautiful" people were. Last night Alan and I died laughing over so many stupid things that were said by these "Beautiful" people. But I think because I am going to be substituting in Seminary for a week in the next couple of weeks this morning I saw this show in a whole other light! For those of you who have never seen it they have judges that give these contestants tasks they have to do like video shoots, photo shoots, modeling etc... and that is what the contestants think they are being judged on but what they are really being judged on is how they treat each other (which quite frankly is horrible) or they have actors who are waiters that spill things on them "accidentally" to see how they react and how they treat people....because what the show is really saying is true beauty is what a person is on the inside...but the contestants don't know that. Any way then at the end of each show they bring the bottom 2 to the "House of Beauty" and the person who gets sent home then has to watch a video where they show how badly they have behaved to the other contestants, or strangers on the sidewalk, or the actors they paid to try and trip them up! And they don't just play that one shows rudeness, they show every thing from the beginning until the moment that they are being sent home. Then the part that Alan loves is they have these enormous beautiful portraits of all the contestants that do show that they are beautiful for sure, but when the person goes home they have two janitors come and take their portrait off the wall and throw it in the trash! So my point, and I am getting to it is....

This morning because lasts night show was still fresh in my mind...I started thinking....how many times have I been rude to someone because I was having a bad day. Or how many times have I handled a situation badly that could have been handled in a kinder way. Did I always help others that needed my help or did I walk on by, how do I treat waiters and the sales clerks etc, etc.. I then thought how hard will that be when I get to my final judgment to see the video of my life and all the mean or unkind things that I have done and have that be shown for me and for all to see....... hmmmm! Great "real life" example! Like I said, I am definitely in object lesson mode!

Super Bowl!!!!

Awe....in our house we really wanted the Cardinals to win and they almost did!!!! It was a very exciting game. On Saturday I made sure we had all the traditional Super Bowl party fixin's and then woke up sick Sunday morning! I haven't felt that bad in a long time. The good news is that even if you are sick and in bed...you can still enjoy the Super Bowl...the bad news is that you don't fix all the party stuff...but your family can still eat most of it....its just not all out and served up cute like a party....its more of "oh, I will eat these chips and dip and then move on to some cookies and then maybe some fruit and then crackers and cheese"...you know my husband and Aileen just kind of fended for themselves. They didn't seem to mind! And I know they still enjoyed the party food and the games was an exciting one to watch! It was won by inches!