Personal History...

Tell about your earliest memories, Where did they take place, how old were you etc.
The earliest thing I can remember is getting my favorite doll. I got her for Christmas. I think I was 3 but I could have been 2. Her name was Natalie. I still have her. I just loved that doll.
I also remember my little brother Josh's birthday. I would have been 4 1/2, I remember trying to help him open his presents, and telling him how to play with the toys he got - because I was more experienced than he was, I was after all older. He was really good natured back then, I remember his little face and his sweet smile. He was such a good little brother.
One last thing. I was 4 and my mom was gone to a meeting. I was home with my dad and my brothers. Earlier that day a glass jar had fallen from my closet shelf and broken. That night I was playing in my room and dad was bathing the boys. I got into my closet and saw something shiny, I didn't remember that it was broken glass and I reached for it... I cut my left wrist. It bled and bled. My dad took good care of me and when mom got home we got to go to the doctor's office and get stitches. My dad had to leave the room, it turns out needles make him woozy. I got 3 suckers from the doctor, one for me and one for each of my brothers. I still have a lovely scar to remind me how my dad took such good care of me.

Wheelin'

Today it snowed, and snowed, and snowed. So we got out the 4 wheeler and had some fun. We tied up the kids and dragged them down the road. Wait, I mean we tied up the sled and dragged it down the road with the kids in it. That was fun. Kaipo took the maiden voyage, I took the second ride laughing all the way. What a rush. I haven't done anything that fun in a while. Sorry we didn't get any pictures you'll have to imagine this one.

You learn something new every day !!!

This morning I went to a regular appt. to do an exam on a guy for life insurance. Well I got all the medical questions asked and then he abruptly decided that he no longer wanted to get life insurance through that company because "we" were being too invasive. So I left, I went out to my car and cried. I felt so hurt and upset and angry. So I called my mom and talked to her about it, that helped some. Then the thought occurred to me that he didn't get it, he didn't understand that it's the process, even if he chose to go with another company they would still be invasive ie. ask for medical history, draw blood and take a urine test. So hoping I could help him understand how the process works and that he would change his mind - this I did out of the kindness of my heart because personally I don't care if he gets life insurance or not. And I am only out the money I would have made if I had been able to complete the exam - So I called him to try and explain that no matter what insurance company you go with they will want all that stuff and they will probably charge more per month than the one he was working with today. I wanted to save him some time and effort. Well he didn't listen to me and ended up hanging up on me. So I cried some more and went to mom for comfort. We talked and I felt better.

What I learned is this.
Not everyone knows how the insurance process works and the insurance companies don't explain the process well, if they explain it at all. So I can now do my job better by explaining what my part of the process is and why they need all the information that I gather. I will be changing the way I do my exams and be more open about how it all works from now on. I hope I never have that happen again, it was humiliating and awful. The funny part will be if he does go with another insurance company and ends up with me as an examiner again. After all I work for over 600 different insurance companies, another point he wouldn't listen to.
I won't be going back to his house ever again, but I am glad I learned something from this awful experience.

Valentines Day Flowers !?

I can't believe it. My husband actually commissioned flowers for me this year. I have to say I was very surprised and they are so beautiful. We won't talk about the fact that he won't be home this year. I am so grateful for the flowers they are amazing. A special thanks to Marci our personal florist. She delivered them tonight coming all the way from South Jordan with all 4 of her kids. What a good woman. So thank you Kaipo for the thought, and thank you Marci for the effort.

Groundhog, shmoundhog

I don't know what that silly Punxsutawney Phil predicted this year but I am ready for spring. I am a winter wimp. The only reason I tolerate winter is because it makes spring and summer that much sweeter. I don't mind the snow at Christmas time and even through January, but after that it gets hard for me. I am so ready for spring this year. I love the sunshine and the green grass, watching my red maple get new leaves, tulips and daffodils, I just love watching everything wake up in spring. Even the rain is a good sign that it's warming up.
I have Russian olive trees on the south side of my house. Now I used to think these were the worst trees ever - well not anymore. They have the best smell in spring, their blossoms are tiny but they put off such a sweet smell. I love to open up all the windows in spring and let the scent flow through the house. It is such an invigorating fragrance. Also just yesterday I was looking out the window and saw several robins out on the tree eating the tiny Russian olives from last fall. I had no idea that those trees provided food for birds in winter - one more reason to like them. They really are not an attractive tree, the leaves are very small and kind of a sage color, they are a twisted mess of branches, with bald patches- I have always thought they were ugly. Now I love them and look forward every year to the smells, the new leaves, and the birds they attract.

Sick days

I woke up this morning with a nasty head ache, it was cold related as I have been fighting a cold for several days. My symptoms include; sore throat, cough, some stuffiness(less than expected), and some sinus issues - thus the head ache. Sometimes I have to allow myself to be sick because I don't get to take alot of breaks. Usually when I am sick I have to say right out loud to my family " I am sick, I will not be making dinner tonight, I won't be doing anything but laying around and resting" and even then I am asked to do things. They have a hard time when mom is sick. On one hand it's nice to be needed, on the other it's a heavy load to carry being the mom. So usually if I am sick I don't really get to rest, mom's don't get breaks very often. As it turns out, Kelani is also sick.

Do you ever have those days when your kids aren't very sick but you feel like they are sick enough to stay home. I have a hard time with this because I know what it feels like to have a day when the world is just too big and scary to go out into and you just need your mom to take care of you. I guess I am a push over because I allow my kids to have those days. I can't stand the thought of them being at school and hurting or not being able to focus because they just don't feel well. Usually the rule is that if you have a fever or you're throwing up you can stay home. Well I am not as strict on that as my wonderful husband would like me to be. If he had it his way they would go regardless. He gets frustrated with me for letting the kids stay home too much, so I understand when he questions how sick they are when I do let them stay home. Compassion is a hard thing to bridle, as a mom it's easy to get your heart strings tugged on.

When it finally "Clicks"

I have been going on Wednesdays to Kelani's class to help. It is math time- I know I am not a math whiz - I admit it is sometimes a challenge for me. I usually take a small group of kids (usually the same kids, one of which is Kelani) to the library and work on whatever concept the class is doing. So this month we have been working on long division. It has been going OK but you can tell when the kids get it and when they just don't. Well Kelani has been struggling with it and it doesn't help that she hasn't memorized her times tables. Well last night she had a math paper to work on to help her study for today's math test. I sat with her and we worked on the problems - well we struggled, she asked a lot of irrelevant questions and argued about the math facts, basically waisting time. I was proud of my self for keeping my cool. I just waited for her to get past being angry and uncooperative and finally she starts to get it. So she finished her paper and we have a nice evening. Well today I was at the school and I took a group to the library to work on the math test. Kelani did the same thing she did last night, she wasn't really focused at first, then she got frustrated and finally she settled down and just did it. Long division finally clicked. I hope it doesn't take that much work for all the rest of the math concepts. Times tables are a huge deal. So the sooner you can get your kids to memorize them, the better.

"Dig it"

This week Londen was in a 6Th grade production. It was called "Dig it" and it was about ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Asia, Greece, and Rome. It was so cute. They did such a great job. They had several early morning practices and spent lots of time learning songs and parts. I was so proud of Londen, he's not really the type to do that kind of stuff. He wouldn't try out for a part, that's for sure but he did good at the parts he had and it turned out really good. I am glad he had the experience it was good for him.
As we approach the end of elementary school for him I wonder what the future holds for us. I have a great kid and lately he has gotten a lot more vocal when he doesn't like what is going on. I really want him to learn to stand up for himself and express his opinions and figure out his individuality. I also want him to have respect for others and learn that sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do for the good of the group. I guess that is where I come in, I have to teach him how to balance those things so he can be an individual but has respect for others.

Super Bowl ????

If you know me, you know that I don't like football. I don't watch it, I don't even get it. So it would surprise you that I am hosting a Super Bowl party while Kaipo is gone. I know it sounds crazy. I did it for the commercials! Any excuse for a party right. So I have a house full of friends and kids we are having a riot. And yes I am watching.... the commercials. I enjoy the musical numbers as well.