Sitting in Sunshine

Jumped on and was delighted to see updates from so many people...even though someone else had to update for Julie (you can tell her I said she's a loser...er, well, an even bigger loser than I am, that is). Happy belated 40th, Greg...I had a delayed freak-out when I turned 40 so don't let it surprise you.

Well, finally warmed up. They say over 400 manatees died in the cold waters and countless turtles, fish and iguanas and gators (can't even begin to speculate on the flora). Now all we have to worry about is the oil possibly making it's way to the eastern Central Fl coast! What a disaster! I understand it's in the Keys already and am grateful we got a few dives in a couple months ago. There is a huge marine preserve there that will be in so much trouble. (I refuse to fill my tank at the BPs here...jerks).

Cody is still our academic warrior. Took his AP test and I'm anxious to see how he did...he's far too nonchalant for my taste. Oh, and did I tell you he has his learner's permit? Absolutely TERRIFYING! (Well, he's actually pretty good...except when he acts a little too relaxed about it all, you know what I mean? "But Dad uses his palm to turn the wheel." "That's right, and after you've driven for 32 years, you can use your palm too!") It's the impatient weenies on the road that drive me insane...getting passed in the residential area by the old lady in the minivan on our NEIGHBORHOOD street prompted a car-finger gesture from me, I can tell you...I don't even feel bad about it. Heaven help me be patient with my boy and the world! (Tampa, FL, has the deadliest streets in the nation for teens...)

Josie is an academic whiz, as well, and an amazing athlete to boot. Her travel team, the Invadettes (yes, it's a lame name...they had it when we got there...I think it's a British thing), won their division and became the 2010 champs (and that's with only 2 girls, Jo being one, playing the right age; everyone else is playing up). It was very exciting and we had a great time at Ormond Beach afterward. She's preparing for a Memorial Day tournament and participating in a 3v3 team locally (will do a few tournaments over the summer). And then, since she isn't quite busy enough, she'll be doing to soccer camps...heh...oh, and wants to start doing long runs with us to train for a half marathon (though I need to research the wisdom of that particular goal at her age).

Nothing's changed with me...just a little older. Things are going great for Stan. He will coach the girls soccer team next year and track again (his girls took 4th in County against 37 other schools!) AND he has two speech and debate classes...and so it begins. The old athletic director put his name in for the job but I'm thinking he should pass (the raise would have to be SUBSTANTIAL to make it worth it and, let's face it, it's education...it totally won't be...)

Love you all and miss you like crazy! Was hoping to make it for Christmas but don't see it happening! *sad*

Becky, you have me worried as can be about you and your health! Please tell me all is well!

Hey Family

Hi everyone,

It's been a month and I decided that I would take a minute and update everyone.

Life is not great for me right now, but I am surviving. My job has been extremely stressful and I am really trying to decide if this is the right time to make a career switch, maybe, maybe not?????

My health has been a big concern for me lately and this is causing a lot of stress on me and what decisions that I make. I am please with the Dr's that I have been seeing, so I think that is good. I will keep you up to date as soon as they figure out what is going on.

My garden is up and going, my lettuce, pea's, carrots, radishes, onions are all up and growing. I have tomatoes and peppers in wall's of water, which was needed this last week, in fact yesterday I we woke up to 3-4 inches of snow on the ground. I checked the tomatoes and they were just fine! I am excited to see what happens this year with my garden. I hope to expand a little bit. I got a food dehydrator and I have been drying banana's, strawberries and some fruit leather from the applesauce that I made last fall. I have planted strawberries and raspberry plants and I am hoping to plant a bunch of potatoes as soon as the weather will cooperate.

Well I hope to hear from everyone else see what is up and who is doing what. I know that Corby is getting married in a month or so! That should be exciting!

Love you all, Keep your heads up!

Coming by with an April HI

There was a surprise 40th Birthday Party at Greg's work this morning. I wish everyone could have been there, it was lots of fun. They made a huge sign and Julie had Kneaders cater french toast (which was so so so good) and fruit and it was lovely. Greg was not expecting anything to happen until Saturday so way to go Julie.

Everyone waiting for him to come in

Greg, trying to get out of the spotlight! I don't think he feels comfortable as the center of attention.

It was so much fun, thanks Julie for inviting us to come.

So my life has been crazy lately and I have not been able to fully wrap my head around anything. Life has a crazy way of keeping me on my toes at all times.

I got my cold weather garden planted last Saturday. I planted pea's, carrot's, radish's, onion's, lettuce and spinach. That was last Saturday when it was 70 degrees and beautiful. It has been snowing here since Wednesday and it suppose to snow until this coming Wednesday off and on. Now don't get me wrong, I like the snow, we need the water, and it makes me laugh more about the global warming thing, but a week of snow is not what I really wanted. But here I am updating my blog and getting other stuff done that I would not have had the chance if it was nice outside because of the weather. so let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I am still in young women's and loving every minute of it. The girls are constantly challenging me on things and making me prove to them that I love them and care about them. I really do so proving it is not so hard. I have often said that I have prayed more since receiving this calling then I have in my whole life. I also have been attending the temple often which has brought a lot of peace and tranquility into my life. I am grateful for the challenge from Bishop Cooper the attend weekly, it has been a bright spot in my life and something that I look forward to each week. I also just completed a March Madness Book of Mormon challenge in which I read the whole Book of Mormon in the month of march. It never ceases to amaze me the inspiration that I receive from reading it and how much direction it provides for my life.

Well I hope that everyone is doing well! We are so glad to have grandpa home, we missed him the last several months he was gone, I know he was well taken care of though by our family in Arizona! Love you all and miss you all!

Keep in touch

Time is flying by too quickly

Hello my family!

I figured I'd drop an update. It's been awhile since I've actually written anything on here. Hee hee.

Florida is beautiful. Today is nothing but blue skies and sunshine. I hear that there was a bit of snow out your way yesterday. I was wishing a friend happy birthday and she said, "It sucks. I'm sick and it's snowing. Good thing I don't really care about my birthday." Then she sent me a picture of the snow. "BRRRRR" and "ewwww..." were all I could say about that.

Things are going well. I really like it here, but there are times where I get lonely and wish I had a friend to call up and spend some time with. That is one drawback of working from home. It's hard to find friends. I've been pretty fortunate with work as of late. We had to let my reporter go because she had not paid her bill in quite some time. My mom was still paying me for the work, but wasn't getting paid at all. We cut that reporter loose, but then Jamie called with some great news. She knew a reporter that was looking for a scopist. Turns out, she had the program that I'm working with. She keeps me nice and busy, plus she is a very good writer so I can finish jobs more quickly. She has some strange quirks when it comes to the proofing, which drives mom crazy, but work is work, am I right?

I've decided to go back to school and get a degree. I don't know what to get it in yet, but going back is a start. Speaking of school. Jake is working so hard at it. Last semester he took one class. This semester he is taking two. One he doesn't care for, but it's an easy A. It's art history, but they rarely talk about art. Usually the prof talks about sandwiches or other things. His other class is Anthropology and he LOVES it. I actually sat in one day and really enjoyed myself. You can tell the the prof loves the subject she teaches. I'm actually planning on taking her class in the fall. Oh, I'm going off course. Jake was planning on taking summer off, but realized that if he keeps busy, he'll be done with his associates in 2012. So he signed up for three classes. He'll be taking Earth Science, Biology and Algebra. When I heard that my first response was, "Geez, way to take a fun class." His reply, "What? Earth Science and Biology are fun. Math is the not fun one." I'm so proud of him. He's been working so hard.

Things are going well on his work end of things as well. He works hard and does his job well. He's constantly fixing the mistakes of the night crew. His work is moving buildings soon, but his boss refuses to tell them where. It's like it's some major secret. For all you know, the place might be bugged by an opposing company waiting to grab up the new super secret print shop! No, he didn't say that exactly, but he certainly acts that way.

I miss you, my family. I hope that you all are well and life is wonderful for you all. I love you all.

Bethany

Does it ever Stop

Hello Everyone

I know it has been a very long time. Just a quick, long update.

Lynn is still working for SimplexGrinnell and work has been very, very SLOW. He gets excited when he comes home and actually has work to work on. We are very grateful that he is still employed. Lynn is still helping to coach Hanalee's team and stays really busy doing that. Lynn and I have been running together on Saturday's and when we can we get the kids to go with us. It has been fun and it's great to exercise with someone.

I have a new job as of January. I clean on office building everyday for 2 hours, doing a mid day tidy. It's not what I want to do and I actually really don't like the job, but it is helping out. I am also still catering with the Red Flame (I love that job). I don't seem to have as much time to craft with my new job, but I am trying to squeeze some in. I take Daphne to the High School everyday and I am thinking of getting my chauffeur license.

Daphne made the High School Softball team and LOVES IT! She has played a little in the varsity games but mainly plays JV. She will be playing in St. George next weekend and has games twice a week. She loves being on the team and is having a great time. In February Daphne, Hanalee and I went to St George for a softball tournament and she played great. The weather was rainy and cold, but we had a great time. Daphne was also recently called as the Mia-Maid class president. Softball keeps her very busy with very little time for friends. But anytime with friends is better than no time. She is doing well in Junior High and is looking forward to High School this fall.

Hanalee is still playing softball. Her team went to St. George in February also (a weekend after Daphne) and her team took 2nd. She pitched awesome and even hit well. She loves her new team and has made tons of new friends. Hanalee is also doing well in school and seems to enjoy it. Somedays we have a hard time getting her to do her homework, but she is doing well. Hanalee just turned 13, so we have 2 teen-agers in the house now. Boy are they fun!

Miles turned 8 and was baptized in February. He has been going to Cub Scouts and seem to be enjoying Scouts. We just experienced our first Scout-O-Rama ticket sales and he is looking forward to going to day camp in June. We also had Miles playing Jr. Jazz basketball this winter and he starts Baseball in April (Lynn signed up to be his coach). He is busy and loves to play with friends.

We are all doing great, just very busy.

We love and miss you all!

Janell

If I can figure out the picture thing again I will post some pictures of the kids. I should probably take some pictures too.

Game night

So over the holiday's we had so much fun getting together and playing games, so I decided we would start a monthly game night. Needless to say it has been so much fun, we have picked up a few new favorites game wise and stuck with some old favorites too! Here are the pictures from last night!
Mom checking out what she got, in Farkle

Evets throwing down the dice

Getting ready to start

Grandma came and hung out with us, we couldn't convince her to play, but she is with us, we love her!

The kids playing the Wii

February already?

So nice to pop on and see pics from the holidays. I see all those coats and think "brrr"....but then it's been unseasonably COLD here in Central Florida. Have worn all of our sweaters but have resisted buying winter coats...it's the first winter in three here we've actually needed them but I refuse. Besides, they're all sold out to the poor tourists who showed up expecting shorts weather and going home with new winter wardrobes. Fish and game have been busy rescuing distressed turtles and manatees (had to scoop up more than 200 turtles from a local lagoon)...the iguanas are entering an instant cryo state and falling out of the trees! They said to just move them to a safe spot; they'll wander off when it warms up.

The kids are doing great. Cody just found out he's ranked 40th out of his class of 895, and when he found out he would be tied for 1st and be a valedictorian candidate but for the B he got in one quarter of algebra in 7th grade, he came home and tried to read Stan and me the riot act for not riding him harder about grades! Can you believe it? Yeah, we'll definitely be holding on to THAT one for the next 3 1/2 years.

Josie just certified diving as you can see from the pictures (How lucky to dive with the manatees! They are SO freaking cool and Josie was just knocked out. That was the reward she got for diving in a spring outside of Ocala in 72-degree water and 65-degree air temp on the first day). Talk about a little natural! The girl kills me! (But the looking all grown up is freaking me out) She got straight "A"s last quarter and is playing soccer and doing girls running club. She has a tournament in Gainsville over President's Day weekend. Anyway, the weekend after that, we're going on a mini liveaboard out of Ft. Lauderdale with Cody and Josie for their first ocean dives...we're very excited.

Stan has judged a debate tournament here and is scheduled to judge a couple more...and is being recruited as a coach. So he's totally torn. He would love to move to a high school but wants to be with the kids, doesn't know if West Orange would start a debate program, and the kids (especially Cody) won't want to go to another high school. We'll see what happens.

Things are about the same with Bethany and I...busy with work off and on. Have a problem child we're not sure exactly what to do with and not sure we want to do anything anymore at this point. So I'm left with my regular routine that consists of work, things I should be doing around the house but can, and do, avoid (and those things I CAN'T, like laundry...bane of my existence) and making inane observations about my life and behavior (like why do I buy almost everything in twos? My shopping cart is like the Noah's ark of the Publix grocery store here...and, well, everywhere I shop). See what I mean by inane? I should probably dole those out one at a time so as not to put everyone to sleep (See, I don't have to do EVERYTHING in twos...).

Love you all and will write again soon...