Thursday, March 19, 2009

A Special Family



This is a picture of a family that I have known for a long time.  The mother, Crystal, is a friend of Mariah's who played at our house most days with her little sisters . . . or my kids were at their house.  Her mother and I have had the fun of doing so much together as young mothers with growing families and our friendship is priceless.  

This morning when Liz called, I could tell right away that something terrible was wrong. She had called me to tell me that Crystal and her husband, Spencer, had lost their tiny son to SIDS.  I can't imagine what they are all going through right now.  I do know that they will make it through this difficult time in their lives.  This is a strong, righteous family who has a rough time ahead of them, their testamonies will carry them through. 

I am so grateful for the gospel, the plan of salvation, I am so grateful for the knowlege that this sweet little boy has returned to his loving Savior and Heavenly Father.  That he is with the family members who have already passed on.  For the knowlege that this mortal existence is such a short glimmer of time, in the eternal scheme of all that happens to us.

I hope that anyone who reads this will include them in their prayers, I know they will appreciate it.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

MAKING FRIENDS---You're TAGGED

blogger name? huishherd

Who tagged you? My daughter-in-law, Brianna

When is your birthday? April 10, many years ago, but not too many!

How long have you been blogging? Since last fall, maybe October?

Tell me your five most favorite body parts.
1. My eyes--that let me see the world and my family and friends
2. Ears--to hear music, manmade and nature made, the sweet sounds of my loved ones, the peace and quiet of life, on those very rare occasions.
3. Hands--the day that Jon & I were married, kneeling across the alter, the sealer told us to look at each our hands.
  I had to smile because I loved Jon’s hands, he smiled because I had told him so many times. Brother Garn told us how important it was that they serve each other and others.  I’m OK with how scarred and wrinkled they have become.  My efforts made them that way.
4. Heart--to feel, the good in life and the not so good, to help appreciate the good.
  To love with and to hear the Spirit when I need it the most, when my ears are being deafened by the world around me.

5. My mind—that lets me learn new ideas, think about things, analyze them, try to understand .  It lets me think out of the box.  It makes me, me, someone different every day as I try to grow and become stronger and better.

What do you wish most for your birthday? My life and home in order.

What color are you nails right now? Natural, dry and kind of cracked =-O

Have you had any depressing thoughts lately? I have them fairly often, mainly when I am feeling like I have failed at something important.  I have learned to think it through for a bit, sing a primary song, attack some project,  make some bad “jokes” and get on with life.

What’s your plan for the next month? Try to get tons of outside work done before our usual relentless, horrid, eternal, *&^$#@%@!+&^@ summer gets here!

 At what age did you have your first crush? I was in 4th grade.  It was on Peter George Vescovo III.  Can you believe I still remember that name?   He was very proud of it.  Wonder what happened to him?

Have you attended any school reunions?  Not my own, just with Jon.

Are you a clean freak? I’ve never been a clean freak, but I used to go in each room every morning with a timer to straighten, dust, put things away for ten minutes.  I loved it.  I could go through the whole house in less than two hours when I needed to and have it all in order if someone was coming to visit.  That was many years and way too much JUNQUE ago.  It is my long term goal right now.

What era do you wish you were born in? I would have said Victorian at one time, but now that seems too fussy.  I think I would now have enjoy an easier going life style, as long as I had my flush toilet and at least a wringer washer.

Are you a vegetarian? I wish, except that I don’t believe that would be as healthy, all things in moderation!

How many pillows do you sleep with at night? three
Are you a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Combination, depends on how tired I am, if I ache anywhere and if I have been pretty active that day.  I sleep like a log when I am walking every day.

What is your ultimate dream job? Let me see, this is where I say that all I ever wanted to be was a mother, and it was, but as my kids grew up and needed me less on an hourly basis, I found there are many things I would like to be.  Fortunately, I have a husband who recognized that I have many talents that had not been addressed and that I needed to do that.  I felt selfish because the kids were young, but I didn’t have the foresight that Jon had. The skills I developed have served our family well as Jon was gone so much, I think he knew . . .  or was he just getting out of “honey-do’s”?  Now, I get to be a mother and grandmother, what could be better than that?  Oh, and I am still using all the skills that I have had to learn over the years.  Maybe I will have a finished house that’s in order in the next few years!

 What is your dream car? My two favorite cars have been cute little old boxy Datsun, with four-on-the-floor and then the little KIA Rio that we let Sarah buy from us . . . with four-on-the-floor.   I actually preferred the boxy shape of the Datsun but it had no AC which was torture in AZ.  The Rio had great AC so that might win out just on that!  But now, I guess I can love my minivan with the bright yellow flower on the antenna and good dual AC . . . though I do still miss the four-on-the-floor..

 Do you wake up easily in the morning? Only if I am walking most days.  I used to be a morning person and want to get back to that.  I miss it.

Do you like hairy men? My brothers are gorilla boys I was kind of happy when I found out that wasn’t the average?!?!

Which would you prefer: a two-hour spa massage, a two-hour Thai massage, or a two-hour foot massage?  YES, from Jon . . . my space

Have you ever wished you had a different name? I was given the middle name Marie, after my Grandma Annie Mariah.   I often wished mom had given me the real name, but she felt like it was just too old fashioned. I just wanted any other last name before I met Jon, then after the first date, I wanted Huish!

Have you ever passed gas in public and pretended like you didn’t smell anything? Duh!  I was glad when I had babies in diapers.   I could smell their bottoms and pretend it was them!  When they got older I could look at them weird and make it look like it was still them . . .  life was good!

What is the most extreme sport you have ever done?  Motherhood

Would you prefer traveling in Europe or Asia? If I had to leave our shores, it would be Europe to learn of my own background, but I would rather just see our whole wonderful country!

What is your favorite food? Spicy, crunchy, or yummy with lots of gravy or sauce!

What is your most embarrassing moment while out on a date? On a date it would be the night of my Senior prom.  My date spilled red punch on my pink dress before pictures were taken.   I had to hold my hands just right so it wouldn’t show.  It came out with cold water in the restroom but he wouldn’t just chill about the whole thing.  Then when we got to the restaurant, they pulled the table out from the booth so that we could sit down.  We had never seen that so we were feeling underneath to see how it worked.  I leaned on my hand when I pulled it back up and didn’t realize that there was black grease on my fingers.  That embarrassed him and he made too big of a deal out of it.   It washed off in the restroom and it wasn’t even his face.  When they brought our salads, he looked down and there was the tiniest little black bug crawling out of his.  We could not believe it.  The poor waiter about died and brought him another one right away.  My date made some remark about the way things had been going, he wouldn’t be surprised if he found bread crumbs in his water glass.  He and the other guy went to the restroom while we waited for our entrĂ©es.  Well, sorry I just could not resist.  He about died when he saw the crumbs.  What was funny is that he had already been drinking out of the glass and eating, so what made him think they weren’t his crumbs?!?!?  For some reason, I didn’t hear from him after that. It was OK, a year and half was long enough at that young age.

Remember, YOU'RE IT!
Don't forget to leave a comment so that I can visit your blog.

Papa's Cute Truck

This morning when Mariah dropped Garrett off for a visit,  we had to get the truck out of the back yard immediately, to go pick Gabriel up at preschool.  

As Garret climbed into the back seat of the truck, looked
 around and said, "Papa's truck is so cute!" just like he says, "Lincoln is so cute!"   



What can I say  about that truck?  When ya got the stuff, you just got it!  And this truck's got the stuff . . . a-a-anything you might need!

My Goal . . . A Worthy One!


When Mariah got to, maybe Junior High, she called dibs on our little golden book, "The Saggy, 
Baggy Elephant".  When I asked why she should get it, a favorite of all my kids, she announced, " It reminds me of all the times you had me check your butt and someone else's to see which one was bigger!"

She, of course, got the book.  Well, I don't ask any more, I don't think, I may have to check with her on that.  

I have decided that 59, spending WAY too many years, weighing WAY too much, a saggy, baggy body would be a pretty good thing.  Yes, I have jumped back on the wagon and hope, no plan, to lose the rest of the weight that Dr. Rubin-Toles wants me to.  

I have an appt. in June and don't want that cute little doc to make stink eye at me again.  The last time I was in there, she raised her eyebrows and informed me that I had gained some of my weight back.  I was showing some of the signs and what did I expect? (in so many words)  I am so fortunate to have a dr. who will be honest with me and encourage me when I overcome the food addiction that has controlled my life too much of the time.  She has never given me sense that "here is another fat lady who won't do anything about helping herself".  She has found ways to show me just how much I am damaging my body, life and the lives of my family by my choices (she knows Sarah, Mariah and her boys).  She listened to me when I was having chest pains, and again, helped me figure out what changes I needed to make in my life style to eliminate them.  

After all this, I was able to lose 45-48 lbs. then plateaued.  Between 10 and 15 came back on, but I still knew that I was better off and chose to focus on my success of not gaining it all back.  After over a year, more was creeping back on and I knew I had to make a decision RIGHT NOW!  My blood sugar has become pretty erratic and my clothes are getting too tight (got rid of most that were too big), and  this belly just plain gets in the way!

So, here's to ME and reaching for the goal that I started to work towards 2 years ago . . .  and creating the need for new clothes . . .  Oops . . . I mean to better health!  

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

It's Official . . . .


I finally have my five recipients have commented.

1--Jessie Caldwell
2-- Liz Reidhead
3--Katrina Bingham
4-- Mariah Maskey
5-- Ava Nielson

I already know what I am making for two of you ...the question is, who?!?!?! and of course what ...
Hope you like my warped little ideas!

Friday, March 13, 2009

So, Where's the Problem?

OK, I got rid of the rubber belly picture.  You do have to admit, it made a real statement!  That is just what I feel like these days!  Hence the new gadget on my side bar, anyone that wants to can cheer me on or chew me out, kindly and honestly, of course.

Gabriel started out our morning asking if he could say his “very own blessing”.  I came over to the table and sat down.  He smiled so sweetly and started the blessing.  The next thing I knew he was asking Heavenly Father to , “Bless Nanny that she won’t dwink too much soda”.  That got my attention!  Then I understood that very knowing little smile of his.  Gabriel is such a wild little boy, often deliberately being obnoxious, just to get a reaction. Then he shows this very interesting, little wise old man side of himself.  He seems to think things through so deeply. 

Recently, he has noticed I am not drinking so much soda (which makes yous pillow big, you know, even the diet).   I started trying to wean myself off the caffeine very gradually that I wouldn’t get the headaches that stop my life in its tracks.  Then as I made progress, I decided that in this economy it was dumb to be wasting $$ on something s worthless as soft drinks at all.  Gabriel noticed, and asked why I wasn’t drinking the sodas.  I explained what I was doing, asked if that was a good thing to do and he said, “Yes Nanny, maybe your piwow will get wittower”.  It's so nice to be loved, in what ever strange way a kid can! 

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Gettin' Those Vitamins!


This is just to make all those parents out there whose kids won't eat their veggies jealous!.  

Tati was really going to town on a broccoli stem, if you can believe it!   She had already eaten a couple of inches off the top before I got the picture.

Don't you wish you could bottle this for  distribution?