Sunday, February 17, 2008

Random busyness...

I don't know how this happened, but I have yet another child turn 18. I'm not old enough to have all these BIG kids. Time passes much too quickly. I still think of him as a little boy with the lightest blond curly hair. So sweet! Kyle is such a great boy. He works so hard with Mark, he goes to school, he is active in church, he is preparing to serve a mission, he has lots of friends, he is handsome with amazing blue eyes, he has such a funny sense of humor, he is responsible, he is respectful of others, he is caring, he is generous, and he still hugs his mom...willingly. I love that sweet boy! His birthday was on the 15th, but he wants to take a bunch of his friends bowling on Monday to celebrate.

Cole had his last basketball game on Saturday, but he was injured in the first quarter, so we took him home, wrapped his ankle, elevated it and iced it. He's still hobbling around here today. He wasn't happy missing the last game, but he hurt to bad to stay. Poor kid!
Yesterday Mark and I went to home depot to buy wood. We made a cub scout crossing over bridge for pack meeting this month. One of the boys is crossing over from cub scouts to boy scouts. The bridge didn't have to be big, because it's more of a symbolism. We've never built a bridge before. Mark had a plan in mind, I had my own plan in mind. Guess whose plan won? MINE! :o) I'm the one who loves wood and I love my power tools too, so he was wise to listen. Once we figured out how we were going to do it he took over my power tools and he made me his assistant. I'm going to have him sand it down then I've got to paint it. Half of it in cub scout colors and the other half in boy scout colors. It's a good joint effort. I still need to make the arrow of light award for one of the boys. I'll get that done this week too.
Random stuff...
  • Went on a motorcycle ride. It was a little cold, but fun! Also had dinner with the star riders 393 group. Such great people!
  • Valentines night I made dinner for a family in our neighborhood. The mom had a beautiful baby girl. They discovered a heart problem when she was born and had to have surgery. She is 3 weeks old and home now. I got to hold her. So sweet!
  • Mark is loving his new calling in the High Council and he has been pretty busy with it. He was released as cub master, but we are still helping with the blue and gold banquet this month and pinewood derby next month to give them time to find a replacement. The den mothers were not happy about him being released, because he does such a great job (with a little help from me) They love him and he has really enjoyed doing it.
  • All the boys got haircuts this weekend. Boy did they need it. Cody is the only one I don't have a picture of because he was at his girlfriends house all day. She is a good girl and has really helped him want to be a better person.
  • I ripped off all of my acrylic nails. It wasnt easy. Took about an hour and a half and it was very painful....still hurts. I have to do it every so often when they've been on too long, so they can get some air to my real nail bed. For now I'm stuck with really ugly stumps, of dry, cracked, torn up nail beds. It hurts to use my hands and fabric gets hooked up on them all the time. I've filed, sanded, buffed and oiled them. It's just going to take some time to heal. So gross!
  • I have to teach in young women's next Sunday on "Our purpose in life". I've been reading my lesson and studying. My stomach always hurts the whole week before. I hope it gets easier.
  • In our prayers we have asked for patience. So far Heavenly Father has given us many things to be patient about. I really wanted us to gain more patience with he things we already have on our plate, not add more. He really does have a sense of humor. Always testing us.
  • I drove a car full of kids to the youth dance on Wednesday night. I haven't been to one of those since I was a teenager. It was fun to watch my boys dance and intermingle with the youth in our ward as well as several other wards. It was a weird feeling. I felt old at the same time as thinking it sure wasn't that long ago that I was dancing at them. I have great memories of that.
  • My pillow is missing. Explain to me how it could be there one night and gone the next. I sleep with 2...one for my head and one for my legs. I've searched the house, and it's nowhere. Last night was miserable. Of course nobody around here has seen it. My guess is someone spilled something on it and they hid the evidence. All I know is I MUST find it.
  • Brittany is doing so good at keeping up her new blog. She has pointed out that I haven't updated mine all week. Sometimes life gets in the way of things. I will do better. Also, thank you all for being her blog buddy. She is really enjoying it.
  • Chad is still stuck in Bagram. He has no idea when or if they are going to send him back to his base. I don't hear from him much there. I don't like that. He is in good spirits though. He misses his base and his own belongings, but this one has pizza hut and subway, so he's been able to eat something different from the chow line. He will be home in a month and a half. He has already requested his first few meals at home. I will gladly cook him whatever he wants.
  • I am feeling so UN creative. I haven't scrapbooked in a long time and I really miss it. I need to schedule time for myself and get my creative juices flowing again.
  • Guess what? Cole just now brought me my missing pillow. It was in the laundry room. My guess is that is was being washed and dried of evidence. Either way, I am happy to have it back. YAY!
  • Gotta go get ready for church now, then we are having dinner at my inlaws house. My father in law has his 3 sisters in town, so it will be good to catch up with them.
  • Happy Sunday Everyone! :o)

21 comments:

Andi said...

Okay Jolene...I have to tell you I stopped praying for patience because with the great sense of humor God has He was forever and a day sending something my way to be patient about. When I stopped asking for it...it seemed I required less of it...go figure!

Won't be long before your Chad is home. You have such handsome boys.

Happy Birthday Kyle! And yes, you're much to young to have these "older" children!!!

Cindi said...

Jolene, Happy Birthday Kyle! It's so hard to believe you have boys 18 and older! You seem so young!

bethy said...

hokie fans with hardware - i love it!! so is mark from virginia?
happy birthday to your sweet boy. and, yes, you are creative!! look at that bridge!

bs honey said...

Hey, Jolene. wonderful, informative post. So good to hear about the goings on at your house.
Happy late birthday to kyle. Sorry about Cory's ankle. And, yes, I'm sure that you do get concerned when you do not hear from Chad as often. You and Mark make a good team, and I'm glad that HE realizes that. Wonderful crossover bridge and what a super idea. Also, BIG OUCH to the nail rip off. Makes me hurt to think about it. Happy that your pillow popped up. And, do get those creative juices flowing again, as we just love you sharing you goodies with us.
Have a blessed week.

Marilyn said...

awesome post! I hope you are blessed richly for all your wonderful service!

Carol Dunton said...

miss you and love the update...
hope all is well within your walls this week...
you have more strength than you give yourself credit for, dear Jolene...
xox
Carol

Anonymous said...

Cool Bridge, girl!!! Ahhh, never ever pray for patience... oh dear, lol, does He ever find that prayer a call for challenges. Hope Cody's ankle gets better soon!

Tember

Anonymous said...

Well, it seems you have been busy. How come I don't really hear from you personally except for our once a month outings???? I don't like to check on my sisters doing through a blog ya know? A phone call would be nice. Happy birthday Kyle. Have fun at the bowling alley. Love ya girlie!

Ferrill said...

You go girl, with those power tools! The bridge looks great! Your idea to paint it half with cub colors and half with scout colors is such a cool idea. I haven't seen that done, so you will need to post a pic when it's finished.

You did a great job with Brek and Brittany's wall, too. You say you don't feel very creative, but I beg to differ.

I'm always afraid to pray for patience for exactly that reason. Those patience muscles are just so hard to strengthen! It sounds like you've had a very full week. I hope that things settle down a little bit for you, at least enough for you to have some scrapbook therapy!

Jacquie said...

I have to have my pillows too! They have never disappeared, thankfully.

Wow you can really rock the power tools, good on ya girl.

Anonymous said...

Wow, you blogged alot while I was gone!!

The babies are so adorable...amazing how "opposite" they are...their hair colors!! Love it!

I like what you and Mark built, you guys are so crafty!

Anonymous said...

Jolene -

The bridge is great! Happy Birthday Kyle! They do grow up so quickly. Sorry about your ankle Cody. I know you're counting down the days til Chad comes home. I'm keeping him in my prayers.
Thanks for the update, it was a great one!
Jeanette

Chickenbells said...

Oh...Happy Birthday's are in order...and a get well to the ankle...and a rousing hurrah about the missing pillow being found!! Sounds like all has been busy and fun at the same time around your home...

Monogram Queen said...

Glad your pillow turned up, I have MAJOR pillow issues LOL

I love Brittany's blog, she's doing a great job with it!

Scott, Emilie, and Sterling said...

Looks like you guys are having a lot of fun and keeping busy ... fun times! :)

Wendster said...

I just got all caught up on your blog. It had been since FEb 2! I am so embarassed. But I missed it so much I stayed up til 1:24 to catch up on it.
I sure loved your sunshine theme yw party. So cute! And how wondeful of you to make that bridge! And those baby boys! Yes I do love those dimples!
Congratulations to Mark on his calling as High Councilman. My brother in law writes down every talk he gives and keeps it in a notebook. Then when he visits another ward he can just give one of those talks cuz they haven't heard it yet!
I say that the solution for your nerves the week before your lesson is marshmallows. I mean to tell ya', anytime I eat a marshmallow my rumbly stomach settles right down. It's not so great for my waist line ... but I'm willing to make sacrifices here and there. Lol!
Only one and a half months til Chad comes home altogether? I'll bet the dinners you fix him are going to be awesome! Are you going to do little themes for those too?
Well ... enjoy your week! Thanks for continuing to stop in even though I have been such a bad blogger buddy lately.

Missy Glave said...

Happy Birthday Kyle ... he's such a handsome young man.

Love the bridge ... it looks awesome.

Praying that Chad gets back "home" soon!!!

Pam said...

Happy Birthday Kyle!

So glad you found your pillow!

I took my nails off too and I hate it! Can't wait to get them back on! :)

I have to go see Brittany's blog!

A month and a half till Chad comes home, that is such awesome news!

Can you come do a family wall for me pretty please? ;)

Briana said...

You always have so much going on and I can't figure out how you do it all! I'm still trying to keep my head above water with 3 kids and you have 5! My hero!

robin c. said...

Jolene,

How do you do it all??? Are you on special vitamins??? Happy Birthday to your Kyle, 18 is such a special birthday.

Your nails will be better in no time. I miss having them, but I could never find the time to get them filled in.

Know the feeling about being in a creative slump...I'm just pulling out of one myself...it's amazing how a rubber stamp convention can work wonders!

Susie Q said...

Oh my gosh what handsome boys you have! Happy 18th! You ARE too young to have these grown ups around you!
: )
Chad is almost home!!! HOORAY!!

I ask for patience but God told me that he had to help others SOME of the time! It seems I am always praying for patience!! But I am getting better the older I get. By the time I reach 100 I should be calm as can be!

Love ya,
Sue