Taylor's 15 seconds of fame and glory!

So Taylor made the Tribune "varsity xtra" this past Friday in the article about the "Big" game against Chandler Hamilton! A great shot of my boy, don't ya think?? Unfortunately, the game didn't play out even remotely how the Tigers had practiced for and hoped for. IT was ugly! That's all I can say! It was downright painful for us parents and fans in the stands! So just imagine what the players felt! I guess the coach (Coach Parker) commented that "anything that could've gone wrong did!! And the score 12-49 pretty much says it all!! I was still proud of my studly son, who didn't let it get him totally down. His biggest concern was the next day's practice and how bad he figured that would be. Turns out, coach wasn't as hard on them as he imagined.
Actually, the coach couldn't possibly have been as hard on them as Taylor imagined!!!
Other than this very disappointing game, the Gilbert Tigers have played very well. And Taylor has done well on the offensive line!!
So I say, Go, Go Tigers!!!

Keeping myself company!

I was having a conversation with myself today. I said to myself, "Self, what should I do today? I have many things to choose from. Starting with finishing my laundry. Do the dishes, vacuum and all the usual straightening and cleaning one could do each day. YOu know, the tedious things that really are not all that fun, but necessary for a nice feeling in one's house."
I responded to myself by saying, "yes, self, these are all worthwhile actions. But come on, give me a stink'en break!! I am sick and tired of the same ole, same ole, day in and day out routine! Let's go shopping!!"
Well, that is my usual antidote to a boring list of duties to accomplish. But Nay, ray, I say!! Today, I told myself back, "listen hear, self, you also have several rooms of painting to do that needs to get done by Saturday!!! YOu need, no, you MUST stay home and work on, at the very least, prepping the rooms for Sam, so that when he gets home he,and you also, just have to roll and brush. Roll and brush!! YOU can do this! YOU CAN DO HARD THINGS!!"
Well, I am proud to say, that myself talked myself into it, and I have been working most of the day trying to do this!! I have had a few interruptions, like--- Ashley coming over for lunch. Had to visit with her, and help her find Halloweeny crafts to do with her young women!! Later she called and needed me to look for some costume items for HER YW's tonight. So took a break there. Then I HAD to look at Aaron and Allie's wedding pictures we finally got a few days ago, on CD. So loaded them on my computer (all 4 Cds-full of them) and looksy looksy-ed at them!! So very cute I might add!!!
Which brings me to here and now!!! Well, I had to check my blog while I was on the computer, you know how it is. Well, before that, it was my email. I might get one from Tanner you know!!! So back to my blog! Here I am!!
I thought, Hey I'll just update a bit! And tada!!! The time is now 5:12 pm. Where oh where has my time gone??? OH, and Jeff A. you did interrupt my post here by the way! But was so very nice to chat with one of my fave cousins!!!
So why can't I seem to get much done during the day?? I just don't understand it???!!!
At least I got my blogging done!! I feel so very accomplished!
AND. . . it's only Wednesday. I have 2 more days before the painting of 3 bedrooms, and one bathroom needs to be done!! P-shaw. Oodles of time!!! Maybe I will go shopping tomorrow!!

Tag I'm It!

2 Tags for the Price of 1
8 Things I am passionate about:
1. My family
2. my friends
3. my calling as Laurel advisor
4. Reading!!!!
5. Blogging
6. Exercise (well, not passionate, but I do it!)
7. Going out to lunch w/ friends and fam
8. Ice cream and cookies (and chocolate and sweets!)

8 Words or phrases that I say often:
1. I love you.
2. That's ridiculous!
3. dang, stinken ________!
4. Bless your (his/her) heart!
5. I'm a dork!And dang proud of it!
6. get the heck out of my way!(while driving! I'm not patient)
7. No one enjoys us like we enjoy ourselves! (that's for you Tricia!)
8. You're such a stud (sometimes add muffin at the end of that!!)

8 Things I want to do before I die:
1. Find happiness with my own body. (I like the way you put this,Audrey!)
2. Be debt free!
3. Run some kind of race(I would say marathon, but not sure I want to commit that
much!)
4. Visit Australia.
5. Become more naturally charitable.(Again I'm with ya, A!)
6. Read War and Peace
7. Learn a new talent or skill. (haven't figured out yet what!)
8. Write a children's book and publish it.

8 Things I have learned
1. I don't have to act "mature" or pious just because I'm an adult.It's OK to be
silly!
2. That we are on this earth to learn to love and to have faith.
3. That if I had it to do over again, I would try and enjoy my little ones more and not be so uptight about everything!! (Sorry kids!)
4. I can disagree with someone and still love them to pieces!
5. Not to judge others (I can still do much better) because you just really don't have the right or the perfect view to do so!
6. I need to work on not comparing myself and be happy with who I am.
7. That family is everything, but good friends are a close second!
8. That on the whole, most people are inherently good and are trying to be that way.

8 Places I would love to go or see:
1. Australia/New Zealand
2. England, Ireland, Scotland
3. New York
4. Alaska
5. Mexico and South America
6. Italy, Greece, Spain, Russia, Sweden, Norway, France (OK,all of Europe)
7. Hawaii and Polynesia - other islands besides Oauhu-been there already)
8. Well, heck, did I say Africa? Does that cover all the continents?
WHERE WOULDN'T I LIKE TO GO OR SEE?

8 Things I currently need or want:
1. A massage
2. my inside of house completely done
3. My backyards landscaped
4. to fit into my smaller sized clothes in my closet
5. Chocolate...
6. a good new book
7. a whole new wardrobe (see #4)
8. wisdom

8 People I tag:
1. Patty
2. Susan
3. Ashley
4. Tricia (that's a challenge to start up your blog!)
5. Heather
6. April
7. Allie
8. Lorraine

alphabet tag...
A. Attached or single? Attached
B. Best friend? My hubby first, then my sis
C. Cake or pie? cake
D. Day of choice? Friday nights (date night), and Sunday day- very calm
E. Essential item? make up
F. Favorite color? purple/lavendar
G. Gummy bears or worms? worms - they last longer
H. Hometown? Tucson, AZ
I. Indulgence? sweets!!
J. January or July? January any day!! Here in AZ at least.
K. Kids? 6 - 4 that I carried in my womb!! 1 great son in law, and 1 great daughter in law
L. Life isn’t complete without? Sam
M. Marriage date? June 4, 1982
N. Number of brothers & sisters? 3 brothers, 2 sisters (and a boat load of in laws!)
O. Oranges or apples? a toss up. I love OJ, but not apple juice. Like both actual fruits but apples I guess will more likely eat. NOt a big fruit eater.
P. Phobias? stacked freeways or stacked parking lots (something about being inside one if there was an earthquake!), and being caught in upside down ship! (Remember Poisidon Adventure"- the original?? Still haunts me!
Q. Quotes? Be thou humble, and the Lord thy God shall lead thee by the hand and give thee answer to thy prayers" (D & C 112:10)
R. Reasons to smile? Little children, my missionary letters/pictures, the whole family together on vacation, Matthew McConauhey(heehee) I meant my love Sam!
S. Season of choice? Winter here, Spring too. OH, does Christmas season count?
T. Tag some peeps! Whoever wants to...
U. Unknown fact about me? I went to 3 elementary, 3 high schools and 3 colleges!
V. Vegetable? fresh corn on the cob.
W. Worst habits? biting my nails, swearing when suddenly and greatly startled!(habit from my youth that is pretty well licked except under great pressure and/or anger)
X. X-ray or ultrasound? huh?? whatever will detect what needs to be detected!!?
Y. Your favorite food? desserts first then mexican food!
Z. Zodiac sign? Libra

From Russia to Sweden with love!

So Tanner is now is Sweden and has been for a week now. With his visa expiring he had to leave the country to renew it. They sent him and about 20 missionaries from his mission and I think about 11 or more from other missions to Sweden for a nice change of scenery. At first he said it would be about 8 days (different than the usual 1-3 days or so). But once he got there he found out it is for like 2 weeks, until Oct. 6th.
He says it is beautiful and very clean and he thinks it would be a nice place to live! He has been able to email almost everyday so far. They have been housed in the housing the church set up for temple patrons coming from long distances. So he says they are doing missionary work for the dead now. They have spent a lot of time in the temple there.
Come tomorrow, they will be "kicked out" of the housing and sent to a hostel, because a group is coming in. So it will be interesting how that goes.
They can't really prosalyte since they don't speak the language. They did go to a zone conference for the Swedish missionaries there.
Anyway, very interesting! I must say that he has sent several pictures via email. Which has been wonderful!!! I will attempt to post them here! But I just can't get over all his many different adventures he's had just in the short (almost) 6 months he's been out!!!
Just his trip from Sochi to Sweden is quite a story. And we got the very very abridged version I'm sure. But to make it shorter I will just say. . . They rode a train from Sochi to another more northern town (can't quite remember the name) for six hours. Got there about midnight. Picked up a couple other missionaries there and caught a flight to Moscow. He didn't say how long this was, but looking on a map it sure looks pretty far. Then once in Moscow, rode a bus for 40 min. to the subway to ride another 1 1/2 to the other side of Moscow and out in the boonies where the international airport is. Got separated from his group, but says he is smart and so was able to figure out where he was going. They all got on the flight ok to Stockholm, Sweden which was a 2 1/2 hr. flight. That was some crazy day and night I would think!!
Well, anyway, he is doing great!

PS. Just in case you read a couple posts ago, "Which would you choose?" - Kelsey got the CD of pics from Tan and is supposed to be coming over tonight to show them to me!! His plan worked!!! What a clever kid! We will finally be able to see him IN Russia. I was starting to think he was yanking our chain and was really in Pensacola FL, or Tahachapee Ca. You just never know, now do ya???!!

My Bucket List/ or Things I want to do before I die!

1. Read "War and Peace" (I started once and only got halfway!!)
2. Go to my dream place, Australia (and while I'm so close- New Zealand!)
3. Run a marathon (or at least a half marathon! Ok, maybe even a 5K to start!!)
4. Go on a mission (or 2 or ??) with Sam
5. Learn to speak spanish (through # 4 maybe!!) fluentlly
6. Travel to Russia with Tanner or to pick him up!
7. Travel to England, (my ancestral beginnings) Scotland, and Ireland
8. Oh, heck let's just include all of Europe!
9. Well, might as well say to visit every continent!
10. Visit all 50 states
11. Go to New York and go to a Broadway show
12. Get a tatoo. . . . . . . (j/k! got your attention though!!)
13. See all my children get married in the temple
14. Be a fun, spoiling grandma to all my grandkids (not just to the first ones!!! HOpefully be healthy enough to do this!)
15. See all my children be successful in all aspects of life-- but especially spiritually!
*16. skydive (This was on my list years ago - been there done it!! Twice! can cross it off now!)
17. Go on at least one more cruise (farther than Baja Cali!) but would never limit it to just one more!!!
18. Wear a size 4 again!!
19. Write a children's book

Another episode in the life and times!

(*not Taylor's knee! [Aaron's when he got staph in his "burst bursa"])
Ok, So I seem to talk a lot about Tanner and missions. But I do have other children!!
So to get updated: Taylor is a walking (not even great walking right now!!) football injury!!!
He just healed pretty much from breaking his foot two weeks ago. And has been starting as an offensive guard (that's one of the guys just to the left or right of the center -hiker guy to those who aren't sure!)
Well, yesterday, when I went to pick him up, he came limping up with his left knee wrapped with an ice bag on it! He had burst his "bursa" and it was killing him!!!
Well, having two other boys who both "burst their bursa" (that's fun to say!)doing an assortment of sportsy things, we are pretty familiar with it. Aaron even ended up with a staph infection in it one of the times he got it, and it was quite a crazy time for him to get over it.
So anyway, back to Taylor. He has a Dr's appointment with the orthopedic dr. this afternoon to see what they can do for it. We are almost on a first name basis with Dr. Sharp, since he treated his broken foot by surgerically inserting a srew in his foot.
Now if we can just get him up and running again. He is an awesome player when he's well!!! Sheeeeezzz!!

PS. Burst Bursa - little sac around the knee cap for lubricating it and keeping it kind of protected, breaks (from extreme stress to the knee area) and then fills with fluid after it breaks. (my most technical explanation I can come up with!!!)

To all you Missionary Moms and future ones!

I just opened my email and this is what I found. This is a very tender mercy for this missionary mom.
What a sweet, wonderful, thoughtful, and in-tune with the spirit mission president's wife Sister Harrison is! I have to say that this little note touched me so much and I, of course, have to admit brought (I should say, is still bringing!!) tears to my eyes!! If you haven't ever had a child on a mission, I don't know how to explain the bag full of so many emotions and feelings that go with it. But in an attempt to try, these are some of the feelings and emotions, I, at least had and do have when Aaron and Ashley were serving, and now Tanner. It is an interesting ride:
Feelings and Emotions:
1) Excitement!!! (When they send papers in, when they get their calls!!!!, when you get to shop and plan and spend a lot of time with them before getting ready for it!! (They really do need you for this, honestly!!) Then when you take them to the MTC.
And hereafter, every Tuesday night (MOndays-8:30am or so with Aaron, and various times with Ashley)at about 10-10:30 pm when Tanner will be getting on and sending his email!!! And at the end -- indescribable excitement when you see them walking down the airport gate, and you're not supposed to go past a certain point and you can't help yourself and meet him/her halfway!!
2) Sadness. When you drop them off at the MTC and give them your last hug. All the way home (driving from AZ it is about 11 hrs.!) At times when you least expect it. And sometimes when you do!! (Sometimes you just need a good cry!)
3) Pride! I mean the good kind!!! So so proud of your child who made such a man size decision at such a young age and even though you know they are scared to death and nervous and anxious, they still go through with it because they know it is the right thing at the right time and they have a testimony of Jesus Christ and HIS mission here on earth!!
4) Concern (more to the point-worry). Concern that they are not eating right, are healthy, are happy, aren't too overwhelmed, too stressed, too shy, not prepared enough (this is a reflection on myself of course!!), too homesick, etc etc. The list never ends on this one!!
5) Guilt. This goes hand in hand with the last one. Guilt that you only sent one package in the past 6 weeks, guilt that you may have not put exactly what he needs and wants to help him be happy and not so homesick. Guilty that you may have not taught him to cook, iron, sew on a button, manage his money, wash his clothes, etc etc. Again this list is never ending!!
6) Homesickness. Or maybe better described as a "melancholy feeling" or just downright missing your boy 0r girl!! The intensity of this feeling lessens the longer they are out. But still comes and goes throughout the mission, and a letter in the mail (especially) and those wonderful emails help this!!
7) Humbleness. That feeling that you are the mother of one awesome young man or woman and maybe just maybe you had a part in creating and influencing him/her.
8) Faith. Believe me, as a missionary mom, your faith is greatly increased!!! First of all, if I didn't have a testimony of this gospel, why would I allow my child to be sent to Peru, or Nebraska, or Russia!!! of all places without any control or say of anything they do?? Secondly, because I have absolutely no control over what, when, where,or how they are doing, I HAVE to put my whole trust into, of course and foremost, Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, but also trust the mission president, the church authorities etc. My faith has definitely increased many times over!!!

Now that doesn't seem so hard does it???
Well, let me tell you-- it is one, if not THE hardest things I've had to do ever. They don't really tell the moms this. They tell the missionaries, that it'll be one of the hardest things they'll ever do in their lives, but not the moms.
I am here to tell you-- it is!!
But, it is also, the coolest, exciting-est, joyous, craziest, and most blessed time too!!
And so-- here is the message that started this whole ramble!!


From: Michael A. Harrison (Tanner's Mission President)

Date: Monday, September 15, 2008 11:52 PM

To:

Subject: zc

Size: 3 KB

I just wanted to write a quick note to all the moms of my missionaries. Last
zone conference, when I was giving my talk, I asked the missionaries to write
down what they expected to get out of their missions. After a few minutes, I
then asked them to write down what their moms expected for themto get out of
their missions. And it was so cute - because, without fail, every missionary
smiled when I asked about their moms. I told them the things that I expected
from my children when they served their missions and that's exactly what I
expect of my Russian missionary sons and daughters too.

I thought it was so tender when I saw your missionary smile at the thought of
his mom and wanted to share that with you.
I love your missionary too.
Sister Harrison