My Trip, My Family, My Oh My!

Our Christmas trip to Utah was a complete blast!

Tuesday - We got into Salt Lake just as it started to snow, went out to lunch and went Christmas shopping. I'm not sure I've ever been shopping on the day before Christmas Eve in any city other than Salt Lake City, but let me assure you it is not really indicative of the "joyous season". There were NO parking spots anywhere and at least 2 cars in front of you waiting for a car to pull out. For weeks we have been hearing about how depressed the economy is and how merchants are so concerned that people are not shopping. What, exactly, were all these crazed people doing there, then? Anyway, once we got a parking place and trekked a mile through slushy snow the battle was half over. People didn't look like they were having fun! In the end, however, it wasn't a big surprise that people were rushed and cranky so we persevered and got the shopping finished. (Sort of) We even laughed a little about the slush and grumpy people. You may be asking why we waited so long. That's a reasonable question and I'll tell you. Did you know that it costs money to check even one suitcase on an airplane? Our 3 small bags cost a total of $55 each way.

Wednesday, Christmas Eve - Monte and Bill went skiing in the morning. I slept in! After a little more wrangling over Christmas shopping the real fun started. We went to Bill's house for a traditional Danish Christmas celebration. Bill and Stephanie cooked all the traditional food (Yum - they do a nice job) and then we danced around the house holding hands and singing. (Picture Monte and I skipping and holding hands - okay stop laughing now.) Ben thought it was great fun. He laughed like crazy until the end when we all cheered and it scared him. We sang carols, read the story of the Savour's birth from the book of Luke, and then opened presents. All of my children and grandchildren were there. Thank you, Bill and Stephanie, for such a sweet memory.

Thursday, Christmas Day - LOTS of snow on the ground, coming down from the sky, and flying around. Our drive back to the hotel in Draper the previous night had been scary so we got up wondering if we were going to be able to make it to Bountiful to visit my dad. I pouted a little and Monte agreed to try it. It was the weirdest thing. By the time we got to Midvale the roads were clear and there was no snow falling! I can only conclude that God has a sense of humor and all that praying Monte had been doing for snow so he could ski had resulted in the snow falling down on our heads. The Christmas/Dad's Birthday celebration at my dad's house was as fun as always. We had an unexpected blessing. Monte and I showed up on time and were there nearly an hour before anyone else! We got first crack at the food (Yum again!) and sat and visited with Dad and Diane and Rian (my brother) until everyone else arrived. After lots of visiting and eating we opened presents. Diane, bless her, has encouraged my interest in family history. Last Christmas she and Dad gave me 2 bound copies of family history from Dad's side of the family. This year they had a packet of pictures to go with those books. I monopolized my dad for awhile to get him to give me names and details. After a brief rest back at the hotel, we went to see Bedtime Story with Brenda and Derek and the kids. It was cute and funny in fairly typical Adam Sandler fashion - without the crude humor that REALLY bugs me. Not stellar, but entertaining.

Friday - No skiing today. The snow had now covered the valley and the roads to the canyon were restricted. We slept in, putzed around, went to Provo for lunch with Bill, Steph & Ben. Then we putzed some more, took a nap, and went to PF Changs with a BUNCH of people. I invited Mike and Sue (long time family friends), Brenda, Derek, Xavey, Daevius, Anna, and Anna's friend Stan. PF Changs is my favorite, so of course I had a blast.

Saturday - Monte and Anna skied all day. I went to Provo again (to drop off forgotten presents) and then up to Bountiful (same reason). We went to dinner at Outback with Anna.

Fun trip. My only regret. I didn't see enough of Brenda and her family.

Snow! Snow! Snow!

Okay, I love snow. I love how quiet the house gets in the middle of the night when it is snowing and the power goes out and the TV shuts off and my husband can't just turn it back on again. I love the way it hides all of the brown left over from the color-burst of autumn. I love the way it sticks to feet and mittens and hands and gives you an excuse to really enjoy being warm inside your clothes or your house. I love the way it smells - like all the odor in the world has taken a holiday. I really love snow days, too, but we didn't get one today. School was in session. Kids are great on snowy days at school. They get louder and rosier and walk faster. You almost NEVER hear a kid groan and say "Oh no! It's snowing." Here are a few of my favorite snow memories.

The first winter after my sister and I left Bountiful where we lived with my father and moved to Lake Tahoe to live with my mother we had one snow storm that dumped so much snow on us that the 1st floor windows were covered with snow. I still remember how eerie it was to open the curtains and see nothing but snow. That same winter the snow got so deep that we could step off of the second floor balcony onto the snow in our back yard. There were actually people who could not find their cars.

I remember taking Anna and Brenda sledding in Winnemucca, the time Brenda and her friend Amber launched themselves off a jump. Amber didn't want to play anymore after that. Go figure. Brenda was game though! I wonder if she remembers it?

I remember skiing at Alta with my kids and my new husband and his brother who came to visit from Taiwan! The kids were so impressed to see Monte flying down the hills with icicles dangling from the ends of his mustache.

Once, I walked to the bus stop in Sandy, UT to catch a bus to the UofU. The bus was late, got as far as Sugar House and then slid off the road and could not be moved. We all got a transfer and an offer to catch the next bus that came along. Some of us decided we'd rather go to lunch - and did. No classes that day. I found out later that the teacher had not shown up either. She was stuck in the snow.

Now, I have to go drive home in it. That's okay, too.

The Notebook

Don't get excited, this is not a post relating a heart wrenching love story. This is my own personal ramblings. I have a little notebook that I keep in my purse. Whenever I have a few minutes I pull it out and write down random thoughts, experiences, memories and then I decide later if I want to take the time to expand those ramblings. Here are some things from my notebook in the past few days.

Thanksgiving - We went to Paul's house and I decided that Monte's family is much easier to get along with than some families who shall remain nameless. (Don't assume I mean you!) Paul and his wife, Peggy, and their children and numerous cats have rented an old farmhouse complete with a barn for the cats. It's a wonderful place.

The Gingerbread Party - the day after Thanksgiving I had my nieces and nephews and grand nieces and nephews at my house for a gingerbread house decorating party. I have many pictures and will be adding a more comprehensive blog about that some time when I am not just sitting in my office waiting for all of the buses to pull out of the school parking lot so I can go home.

The Sabbath following Thanksgiving - I wrote 5 pages during sacrament meeting (yes, I was listening to the speakers) about the terrific people in my life. This is another topic I really want to explore in more depth maybe in this blog, but certainly in a format for my children to read sometime. I'd like them to know that I realize how blessed I am.

Then Work, Work, Work - Progress reports were due Friday at one school and today at the other. Special ed progress reports are different than report cards so, despite the fact that I (maybe) have fewer to write each one can range from 1 to 3 full typed pages. Also, Seminary, Seminary, Seminary.

Friday we went and saw "Twilight", Hmm. I liked the book and the movie was fairly true to the book. Not exactly on a level with "The Notebook". There was a gaggle of adolescent girls with a couple of mom-types in the bathroom afterward going on and on about what a great movie it was. I guess I missed that. Monte was a good sport about it but his only comment was "weird". Nevertheless, when the other books are made into movies I'll go see them. I'm a sucker for the big screen and the big popcorn bucket!

Saturday - I had Katie and Stacy come for a sewing lesson. Oh my goodness, I had fun. They are so excited to learn and didn't groan or anything when I made them take notes and review fiber content of thread. They must either be really polite or kindred spirits in the sewing room.

Saturday Eve - We had our YM's Leadership Christmas party - My husband is a good cook. LOTS of work even though we tried hard to make it simpler this year. The work was more than worth it because it is all about actually spending quality time with people who work hard all year on behalf of the young men in our ward. They deserve any and all perks we can show them. Besides it is just fun to have adults sitting around my table visiting. (Monte and I don't really count as adults - ask our kids)

Monday Blahs - one high point. I was teaching a lesson in a 3rd grade classroom on respect that went like this.

Me: Okay, how do we show respect for what our teachers are teaching us?
Student: We shut up?
Me: Well, being quiet is a beginning what else could we do?
Another student: Keep our mouths closed? (I'm sensing a trend)
Me: Okay, but what do we do with our ears?
Yet another student: Wear earrings? (Do you think I'm losing them?)

Well, the buses are gone and I'm scheduled for another sewing lesson - Woo Hoo! Have a great one!

Auntie Flo

Okay, this is fair warning. I need to rant and this will not be a subject my husband is going to "get". I'm not shy about it but consider yourself warned. This post is about my Auntie Flo. If you do not know who Auntie Flo is or if conversation about that unwelcome relative falls under the heading of TMI (too much info) STOP READING NOW. I'm going to begin with a baby boomer check. Does anyone remember the episode of "All In the Family" where Edith Bunker forgot to stuff the turkey at Thanksgiving because she was so upset that Auntie Flo would no longer be visiting? She was convinced she was "no longer a woman". Not so this woman. For the past 2 years Auntie Flo's visits have been either vicious and unending or non existent, unpredictable ... yada yada. Last year she was so unpredictable that I carried an emergency change of clothing "just in case" in my car. The doctor assured me this was normal and a precurser to that "dear lady's" final demise. I was ecstatic! Auntie Flo has not visited since the beginning of last August and I was really thinking our relationship was at an end. Mother nature is a witch with a sense of humor - she's laughing at me. Today I as I was getting ready for work I thought, "Well I know it's past September but I'd really like to wear those cream colored pants today so I can wear this sweater with it - it's cold outside after all" Then I went on my merry way. Guess who came to visit all in a rush as I was standing in front of a room full of 1st graders! I made a dash for the bathroom, fending off people along the way who wanted to "talk" about this or that. Usually the teacher's bathroom has an emergency box of pads for teachers to dip into in a pinch. It was there - empty. Okay, ask the nurse. She provides emergency supplies for the occasional 5th grade girl but, of course, what she had to address my plight was for when Auntie Flo is a gentle little thing - it didn't hold out too long. As soon as I was finished with my groups I headed for Target. (Remember it takes the better part of an hour for me to drive home) I bought the first pair of black jeans I could find and a bag of "emergency" pads to keep in my car. By the time I got to my afternoon school my britches looked like the opening scenes of a CSI episode. I ran into the building and straight to the bathroom with my coat on and clutching my Target bag in front of me. Nothing is quite such a relief as getting cleaned up after an episode like this. Today, I'm especially grateful for Super Target and credit cards. Auntie Flo is NOT a welcome visitor in my house and I think I know who is to blame. As I was leaving my afternoon school to come home today I counted no less than FOUR pregnant teachers. Cute little moms with their round tummies-phahh!! The estrogen is probably floating around in the air messing up my ban on Auntie Flo.

Early Christmas Here, too

Well, Monte and Jan must have been very good this year. Santa has delivered two round trip tickets to Salt Lake City to visit our children and grandchildren. I know I said that this trip "just didn't cover it" but I didn't mean that the way it sounded. Besides, I was afraid we weren't going to be able to make it this year - grounds for depression. The point is that I seem to be able to have my cake and eat it too this year (a cake decorator's favorite euphemism). I get to have a gingerbread party with the Oelkers' clan and then go to Utah and make every possible effort to completely spoil my grandchildren. What could be better? Also, we have been coveting a flat screen TV for years. Santa delivered a 40" TV last night. Woo hoo.

A holiday memory

One of my sweetest Christmas memories is Grandma Anna's Christmas tree. My grandmother loved Christmas more than anyone I know. The day after thanksgiving she decorated her house to within an inch of it's identity. She had a huge Christmas tree upstairs in the front window. The room had vaulted ceilings and that room had full length/height windows across one entire wall. This tree she trimmed with decorations she had used for many, many years. We had so much fun looking for our favorites. She had some glass balls that were the size of casaba melons. We thought the tree was elegant but it didn't have a "theme" it was just covered with sweet memories. Grandma also decorated a second christmas tree for the family room. This tree had all the child made, macaroni strung, knitted, and knotted decorations on it- every gift from every child and grandchild, niece, or nephew over 60 years of love. It was also beautiful - in a different way.

Holidays

For the first time in years I'm getting excited about the holidays. I don't know exactly what has caused this uplift but I'm especially grateful for it. Maybe it has taken me just shy of 10 years to resign myself to not being close to my children during the holidays. For the past few years, Monte and I have gone to Utah for Christmas. Sometimes flying in on Christmas eve and home 2 days later, and I love those trips, but they don't quite cover it. Okay, I know that my happiness during the holidays can't be dependent on someone else's actions, but this is probably why I've been doing the scrooge thing. Anyway, this year I'm excited. I'm planning a Christmas party. One of the things I miss about the Christmas season with my kids is the gingerbread houses we used to build. So-o I've invited all my nieces and nephews to my house to decorate gingerbread houses. Wyatt and Willa (who live next door) have been at my house for the past 2 nights helping me make and bake gingerbread. We have doused the kitchen in flour repeatedly and I'm having a blast.

Men!

Okay, I know today's title might be loaded. Every woman knows how it goes, right? You screw up your face and think about that male characteristic that makes you want to run screaming for a nunnery. Which is an interesting response from a card carrying member of the Relief society. From the picture at the right one might conclude that my big sport joined in the rush into the wild last weekend as deer season opened. Not so! This get-up was organized for the annual Young Men's paintball get together. Every year he goes out and buys more gear so that everyone will have what they need and the Young Men and leaders all get together and shoot paintballs at one another. Unfortunately, this year there were not enough youth prepared to go so it was cancelled. All dressed up and nowhere to go. Still he's always game. He loves sports! There are certain times of the year that I don't see him at all in the evenings. He has softball on Monday, basketball Tuesday and Thursday, Young Men's on Wednesday, and just maybe we can go out on Friday night, but then it's basketball again on Saturday morning. Then whenever possible, and the weather cooperates, he goes golfing. If he isn't playing he is watching - or talking about it. Then there's the wheels (or if said man is a fan of Garage Logic - cylinders) More wheels, or more cylinders, equals greater happiness. We are happy with a new car. We are happier with a new car with a bigger engine, even better if said car is a truck - a truck with 4 wheel drive (Oh Glory!) Add a trailer, a riding lawnmower, and still he may covet another riding lawnmower that cuts a bigger swath and yet another (because the first didn't turn quickly enough, or have a big enough bag, or mulcher or ...) Then there's the fire. He likes to build a fire or as he puts it a F-A-R. When the flames climb past his height and can be seen from the end of the street he is happy. He patrols the yard dragging wood from every corner and throwing anything else that has been laying around the yard too long (good thing I don't hang out in the yard) He comes back inside the house with his face flushed, mustache and eyebrows crinkled up at the ends and smelling of smoke - the epitomy of the happy camper! That's my man - he can't sit still, can't watch one television program at a time, and thinks filing is making piles on the tables and counter tops. Am I complaining? - Nope. For all that he is also always where he needs to be. He's the one I look for first in the morning and when arriving home from work. He's the person I want to talk to when I'm hurting or happy or scared or excited. He's the priesthood holder and leader in my home and I didn't really understand what that meant until I experienced it. It means that he will be the one who looks out for our spiritual health. I can count on it. He will encourage our progress, pray for our weaknesses to become strengths, and ALWAYS be someone I'm grateful to be married to.

Mothers

In the picture from left to right - My mom, Brenda, Anna, Me at Brenda's wedding in August '07

Today's lesson at church was about motherhood, the importance of, and the blessings thereof. As I read the thoughts of this little community of bloggers I recognize a recurring theme. Being a mother is a tough, often thankless, task with amazing rewards that sneak up on you. Case in point. My daughter, Anna, turned 30 on the 16th of this month. I was unable to reach her on that day and (airhead that I am) it was several days before we actually spoke. Now a daughter's 30th birthday seems like grounds for a something splashy but as I'm in Minnesota and she is in Utah that didn't happen so I had succumbed to the ultimate maternal right and had convinced myself that I'm a terrible mother. (Bring on the guilt.) My children have turned out miraculously well in the face of the many mistakes I made, and I wouldn't blame Anna if she didn't want to talk to me. HMM. I have GOT to stop talking to myself. That little internal voice just isn't kind. Well, when I did connect with Anna we had such a lovely conversation. She is so busy with her life and so many positive things happening. Anna works hard. She is a program director at a treatment center for adolescents. She is assisting on a research project at the University of Utah. She volunteers at a free clinic for homeless women, and she is the family touchstone (meaning she's the one looking out for my mother and her siblings). Anyway, during our conversation she thanked me (yea that's right) for teaching her so many things. Ladies, this is my expression of hope to you - especially those with teenagers. Your teenagers WILL grow up to realize how often your parenting was right and a real expression of love. Okay, more about my terrific kids later.

As I pondered the motherhood question I had some reflections I'd like to share. Things my mother taught me. My mother always said "It's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease!" Contrary to the unstated taboo against "complaining" this is a truly essential life skill. My experience has been that it is truly rare for anything to be just handed out. If one wants something to happen one has to go out and seek it. I have always been a shy person. It is hard for me to ask for help, but some of the things I have managed to accomplish in life are due to my mother's lesson. Sometimes I have just refused to take no for an answer. She has always treated me as if she believes I am capable of doing anything I set out to. This is a really empowering attitude and I'm grateful she taught me this. This lesson was reinforced by my sweet grandmother's oft repeated "Can't is a coward and hasn't tried!" This "momism" rattles around my teacher brain on a regular basis. Despite my husband's conviction that I'm simply stubborn I get my determination from the women who raised me. There's no cowardice them.. I hope there is none in me.

Bears

First, thanks for the encouragement in the face of last week's post. I slept a lot this weekend and am feeling better. I've taken up a new hobby - well sort of. Actually I've found an excuse to make time in my schedule to do one of my favorite things - sew. Last spring one of my students lost her uncle to cancer. Her family was looking for someone to make some grief bears for the family and asked if I would be interested (for a fee of course). A grief bear is a bear made from the clothing of someone who has passed away. I let the offer go all summer and didn't hear from them so I figured they had found someone else to make the bears. When school started they contacted me at school. It turned out that my student didn't know my whole last name (a lot of the kids call me Mrs. O) and they had lost my number and, by the way, how soon could I make 6 bears? I had so much fun making these bears and knowing as I did that it would be a healthy remembrance of their loved one. They loved the bears and ordered 2 more. Then as the bears were sitting in my office one of the teachers at the school whose brother passed away over the summer saw them and ordered some bears for her family. My tender heart wants to offer to do the bears for free, but I know I have to place a value on my time as well. Maybe the whole thing is a little morbid, but I know how much it can mean to have a piece of clothing from someone you lost. A bear isn't going to wear out. The school social worker wants me to advertise but I'm afraid. It's like the cake decorating I do. It is worth it to me to do for friends but if I have more business than I can do comfortably then it isn't fun anymore.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

You may notice that it has been some time since my last post. This is no big surprise - I am a teacher in the throes of parent-teacher conferences. Any parent will tell you that conferences are stressful. Any parent who has attended them that is. I can remember what it was like when my own children were in elementary school. You gather your courage and wander into that familiar, yet all too foreign domain that is your child's elementary school. This is an important environment. Your child spends the bulk of his or her waking hours in this place and these people have a great deal of influence on your child's world. Do I bring the student? Do I dress up? Does this teacher think I'm a dingbat of a parent because my child went to school yesterday with her coat on inside out? Is my child sharing every intimate detail of my home life with the class during sharing time? All of this before you get to the real questions - how is my child doing? Is he learning, progressing, making friends, making mistakes, coping, failing, smiling, clowning... Just what is going on here anyway? I have to trust you people and that is hard for a parent to do sometimes.
I'm now on the other side of the desk. I teach special education. My students ALL have emotional or behavior disorders. Some are autistic, some have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety disorder, obsessive- compulsive disorders, traumatic brain damage, and a grab bag of other obstacles to progress in school. The parents who attend conferences with me have frequently had bad experiences in school themselves. Most have had battles and fears and tears with one teacher or another because the problems my kids have are often misunderstood. As a special education teacher my job is as much to be an advocate for the child with classroom teachers as it is to teach them. Having said that, I have to say this has been a REALLY exhausting week. I try hard to be at as many of these conferences as I can but they are scheduled around the classroom teachers schedules not mine. This means that I have conferences in different buildings taking place at the same time. I had just such a situation this week and was late for one conference. The mother attending that conference was torqued (my new word this week). I could just about follow the trail of smoke as she made her way to the principal's office to complain about me, my lack of responsiveness to her requests, her child's lack of progress, and the school system in general. All of this lack of responsiveness has manifested itself in less than 4 weeks of working with the child. Oh joy! This principal is (mind you) a brand new principal here -my new boss :o The next day's conferences included the parent who is concerned about her 2nd grader's level of anxiety in the classroom so she is visiting the classroom and holding him on her lap so he will be calm. My dilemma is that I can completely understand both parents' point of view and intentions. I can completely relate. My children will tell you that I'm the queen of expecting kids to be independent but that is NOT my knee jerk reaction to any situation. I've had to work hard to teach myself not to gather them all in and try to make it all better. It is, however not going to be helpful for me to nod and agree. As I write this I am finishing up my last night of conferences and have had the opportunity to meet with the first parent (the mama bear). I wasn't able to tell her that her son's learning "difference" is going to be overcome in a single year of services. That he will be functioning at grade level by next year. I can't tell you how much I would like to be able to say that. I'd love it if I could find some magic formula to put myself completely out of work. But so far I haven't found it and I really do care!

Go Gophers!

Awhile ago, I'm not sure how long since I wasn't actually listening to him, Monte told me he was purchasing season tickets to the Gopher's football games. The tickets came and we duly attended a game and lo and behold, they won! Last weekend he took our nephew, Wyatt, to the game. Wyatt had a blast. Today I got to go again and I have to say I had a blast too. Those of you who know me very well will probably be surprised by this. The truth is that I know very little about sports. I only understand the bare outlines of the rules and if someone I love wants to watch a sports event on the television I can't help sitting there thinking of how many other things I'd like to be doing. But an event live, a football or baseball game at the dome, or a baseball game featuring the Anoka LDS team, is a different matter entirely. I love the PEOPLE aspect. I get a charge out of the fans. I root for the local team as gleefully as any of them. Today at the Gopher game I saw it all. Lunatic fans with their faces painted posing and posturing for the cameras. Small children in Gopher regalia with no clue what was going on, but generally enjoying the mayhem. The couple sitting next to us were dressed up (for a football game) with jewelry, shoes shined, and creases in their slacks. They sat quietly just smiling and occasionally clapping, leaning toward each other sharing the experience while people around jumped out of their seats yelling, singing, clapping, waving their arms. The couple in front of them spent more time out of their seats than in them. Did anyone complain? Nope. We just watched on the monitors until the couple in front sat down again. They were so cute! They'd jump up and slap each other's hands in the air (what is that called a "high 10"?) anytime the Gophers gained yards, or scored, and then stand there cheering through the next play. Also, the dome is LOUD. There was the band and the cheering, the announcer "It's your M-i-n-n-e-s-o-t-a G-o-p-h-e-r-s . . . ophers . . . ophers!!" people eating and laughing. The place smells great! almost as good as the fair (at least most of the time) I'm a sucker for the smell of junk food . . and the lady next to me had nice perfume on, too. Note to self - go to more sporting events.

Too Busy?

I have a very bad habit that I'm going to share here in hopes that it will help me purge myself of it. I'm too busy. I work full time and teach an early morning scripture study class in addition to that. My work is such that my 8 hour "duty day" seldom is enough to complete what needs to be finished. In fact, I still have some paperwork to finish tonight, but all of this is beside the point. With all of the things I have to do, I still find time to do the other things that seem most important to me, or that capture my interest at the moment. I decorate cakes, take on sewing projects, watch television, listen to audio books, go out to dinner or lunch with friends, and manage to make an occasional handmade greeting card. I'd like to be scrapbooking, beading, and making gingerbread houses. I'd like to write a book ( I keep making notes - I have 2 notebooks full) Yet, the other day when I received a phone call from my church asking for a minor service I groaned and complained. That service just was not on my agenda. The sweet lady who called me was very understanding and said that if I didn't have time she could certainly find someone else to do it. Then the Lord gave me the prod I needed and I began to feel ashamed of my attitude. (I agreed to do it of course) The truth is that, while my days are certainly full, I have plenty of time to be selfish and I have almost complete control over my own time. When I still had children at home, their needs and schedules ruled the better part of my days. Now I have just myself and Monte (my husband) in the house. Monte does not require nor demand much of my time. He's not the kind of husband that needs to be looked after. In fact, he's a pretty darn good room mate. He cooks, cleans up after himself (mostly), does yardwork, and pays his share of the bills and then some. I have a lot to be thankful for - including the opportunities I have to be of service to others. So-o in future I think I'll try an attitude adjustment the next time someone asks me for something.

Enrichment Meeting

Wow! This is my very first blog thanks to the Relief Society of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Here's what happened. I belong to this society. It is the oldest and largest women's organization on the earth. We meet regularly and every woman over the age of 18 is welcome! Our meeting tonight was a lesson in choosing lifelong learning and part of the agenda was to help us learn to journal through blogging. The beauty of this answer to personal journalling and writing a family history is that I can share it with others immediately and I can't lose the notebook!
You may, at this point be wondering what you are looking at in the picture. This is the 50 foot tall cowboy that stood outside my family's business for more than 60 years! When the business changed hands, the cowboy was purchased by the city of Wendover, Nevada and placed in this setting as a historical landmark. This is a piece of my childhood.