I meant to post this a couple weeks ago when it happened. But better late than never, huh?
A couple weeks ago V. and I were heading into town and V. exclaimed excitedly," Look Mom! They are putting Christmas lights on the Christmas trees!"
As you head into town there are huge pine trees along both sides of the road. And yes, they were putting Christmas lights up on them! They just haven't lit them yet. I can't wait for when they do. It's always so pretty!
And I LOVED V.'s excitement over seeing that!

Losing my mind

V. takes piano from a lady in our Ward{Congregation}. The other day in church Sis. Johnson comes up to me and says, " I have to tell you what V. said at lessons the other day. It must be something she hears you say a lot."
I'm thinking, "Oh no! What has V. repeated? I need to be careful what I say around her. What did she say?!"
Sis. Johnson then said that she was looking around for a pencil to write down the assignments for V. in her notebook, and when she couldn't find one she said," Oh, I must be losing my mind!"
She said V. then looked at her with a sympathetic look and said,"That's alright. So is my Mom."
Bwahahahaha!!

*So...after I had worked at the school the other day {um..week} I was trying to decide if I should apply to be a full time cook. I was weighing all the pros and cons. Talked with Steve about it. Prayed. Then, the following week, V. got sick. She had a bronchial infection. She was home from school for 2 days. That was my answer. If I go back to work, I'd have to worry about finding a sub for me on days that V. was sick. I don't want anything to get in the way of my first job and priority; being a mother.

So there you go. For right now, I'm just going to continue with my little crafting business and cook subbing. And as Steve reminded me, I have plenty of years ahead of me. This isn't permanent. I can always go back to work full~time some other time. Right now, I need to be available 100% for my girl.

And yes, I realize how incredibly blessed I am that I have the freedom and the ability to make this choice. I know a lot of moms who would love to stay at home with their children, but financially can't. I am very grateful that I can stay at home!
*On the last day of school I picked V. up and she was in tears. She was sobbing in the car the whole way home! I asked her what was wrong and she said she was so sad because she is really going to miss her teacher. That's the sign of a great school and a great teacher who really loves her class! V. has loved this school! And her teacher was fantastic! I'm sad she won't be V.'s teacher anymore as well! I hope next year her school is just as good and that she has another great teacher!
~To clarify things, yes V. will be in a new school next year. No, we are not moving. In our school district they have only 1 or 2 grades at each school. Until Junior High and High School. At first I thought this was all confusing and was like "what?" But when V. started Kindergarten it was actually very comforting knowing she was at a school with only Kindergartners and 1st graders. No older kids bullying younger ones. No influence from older kids. No being exposed to things that a child this age is to young to be exposed to. So anyway, we are done now with this school and she will be at a new school for 2nd and 3rd grade and then move on to another school after that!
 

You remember here I told you that I'd been hired by the school district as a substitute cook. Well, last week was my first day on the job! I got to work at the 2nd and 3rd grade school and loved it!I couldn't get there until an hour late because I had to take V. to school but it worked out! It's small enough that there was only me and the other cook, Amy. Turns out Amy used to be in Steve's family's ward! So anyway, we got along and I really enjoyed working with her.
When it came time to serve I loved seeing the kids from our ward come through and be all surprised to see me there! There were also a few kids that came through that said," I know you! You're V.'s, Mom!"  I LOVE being known as V.'s Mom!
In talking to Amy I found out that the other cook there is retiring after this school year. So that means there will be an opening for a full-time cook next year. And this is the school V. will be at for the next 2 years. So maybe I could work out bringing her with me at 7:00 and let her hang out in the kitchen until it's time to go to class. I'd get to see her every day at lunch. I got along great with Amy and I know I'd enjoy working with her. It all just kinda seems like more than coincidence.
I came home and was talking to Steve about it. I'd love to be able to make  a little bit of money and contribute a little to our finances and all.
Steve said to do whatever will make me happy.
He then went on to say that it is not my responsibility to provide for the family. That's his responsibility. That if I decide to go back to work to do it because I want to, not because I feel like I need to. We talked some more and talked about that yes, we would love to have more money to play with, to reach our life goals quicker, etc. But at the same time we are both happy and content with how life is right now. I worry if I did go back to work that I'd have less time to help in V.'s classroom and help with PTA stuff and less time to volunteer for things. Which are all things I really enjoying doing.  We also talked about how I really can't handle stress too well. And I stress out real easy. I worry if I did go back to work I'd become stressed out with everything going on on my plate. With wanting to still be active at V's school, my church calling, helping family out, etc. And Steve reminded me that I don't have to make a decision about going back to work right now. There's a lot of years ahead of me where I can work if I want to.
So I don't know. On the one hand I almost want to apply for the cook position and give it a try. But on the other hand, I know that I would miss the free time I have now to exercise, get my church callings done, help with family, help at the school,and do my crafting, and do all the other mommy and housewife things I do.
I'm so grateful that Steve is not pushing me one way or the other. He'll support whatever my decision is. I loved when he told me to do what will make me happy.
Anyway, I have alot to think about and pray about. I keep going back and forth with how I feel  about this.
 

witches, springtime, lawn mowing, ramblings!

*V. lately has been very complimentary towards my cooking. We'll be eating something store bought and she'll say something like,"Your food is way better than this, Mom." Or," I just want your cooking, Mom."
Anyway, it's very sweet of her. And makes me feel good! She also has been eating food she used to not to eat. Well, food she would eat as a baby/toddler then quit eating as a pre-schooler but is now eating again! Yay!
{But she still won't eat potatoes or red meat. She hasn't liked those since she could start eating solid foods.}
*Steve and his brother went to the Super Cross in Salt Lake this last Saturday. They had a lot of fun and had perfect weather! While they were gone V. and I had a fun day! V.'s teacher has been reading her class 'the Twits' by Roald Dahle and she really wanted to buy it. So we went to the bookstore and she used some of her allowance to buy it. Then we went to Winger's for lunch. When the waitress asked if we wanted dessert I was about to say no when V. piped up "yes!" So we had an Asphalt Pie. V. LOVED it! She was like," This is so good  Mom! Why haven't we had this before?" I was like," ummm....Dad and I eat this fairly often. But I guess we've always had it just us." Oops!
Anyway, then V. ran through the sprinkler a little bit. But she got cold within 15 minutes {because come on, it IS Idaho and only April }, so then she got in the tub and had a nice warm bath!
So all in all, a fun day!
*My back has been feeling better so I asked the chiropractor about when he thought I could start running again. He said that honestly he wouldn't recommend running until NEXT summer. What?! I'm pretty upset and disappointed. He said even though my back may feel better and I might feel okay running now, my disks won't be fully healed. And with my vertebrae pounding on each other there would be a good chance of hurting myself again. Possibly even worse than now. So to be safe I need to wait a year to make sure everything is healed fully. Then I can run all I want. Makes sense. But still.... I was contemplating doing a half-marathon this Fall. And I had other goals I wanted to reach this year. And now all those goals are out the window. When I DO start running next year I'll have to start all over with my training. *sigh* And plus, running was such a stress reliever for me. I always felt so much better and happier after a run. Oh well. I guess I need to find other ways to relieve stress and just focus on other goals and staying healthy and getting stronger.
I also asked about mowing the lawn. I usually do that while Steve is at work. I feel bad that Steve and V. have been having to do so much because I can't. Well, Dr. Ellis said sure I can mow the lawn! But I can't start the mower. The whole pull-start thing would not be good for my back. Great! So yes, I can mow the lawn but I still have to wait for Steve to get home to start it for me! Too bad V. isn't big enough to start it for me....
* Today marks my 13th anniversary of being brain tumor free! YAY! You can read more about that here. One of these years maybe I'll talk more about that week and how I felt and all. But not today.
I have MRI's and a doctor check up every 2 years. That is not this year, but next year. Last year though, the doc said everything looked good. So I guess we'll wait and see what he says next year!
* I went to the Temple this morning. I always love going to the Temple. I really love going with Steve, but no where does it say I can't just go by myself once in awhile. I feel uplifted, re-energized, re-focused and peaceful. That's the key word here, peaceful!
* Today is the first of May. And we had snow. It's funny that just a few days ago V. was running through the sprinkler and now we have snow! But what can I say, that's springtime in southeast Idaho for ya!
I also realized today, that being May means school ends this month! When I told V., she got all sad and said she didn't want to school to end because she loves her teacher so much. So cute! You know, I think I would be totally fine with year-round school. And I think V. would be fine as well! Just have 2ish weeks off in the Fall, Christmas, Easter and Summer time. I think it'd be fun!
I also think it'd be cool to go to boarding school! Now, I don't think I could part with V. and send HER to boarding school. But I would LOVE to go to boarding school in England, Switzerland, oh alright I'll say it, " HOGWARTS!" {V. would love to go there as well!}
* Speaking of magic, V. has really been into Harry Potter. However, she watched the 3rd one for the first time the other day and had nightmares and ended up crawling into our bed that night. I warned her it was one of the scarier ones, but she wanted to watch it so I let her.
She has been waving "wands" around and shouting magic spells at everything. Even while we are playing chess{which she is pretty darn good at, I might add} she points her wand at the chess pieces and shouts spells. Interestingly, she likes Ginny more than Hermione. She pretends she is Ginny, wants to be Ginny for Halloween and wants to buy a Ginny Weasly wand. I asked her why she likes her over H. and she said it was because Ginny has brothers. And she wants brothers. Awww!
And I think Ginny is a good role model. {So is Hermione.} So I love that she wants to be like Ginny!
Anyhoo, this has turned into a bunch of rambling. So I'll quit. For today. {this thought jumping around I do has me questioning if they put my brain back in correctly after that surgery 13 years ago...}

Follow up on Relief Society night

Now that I have a few moments to myself I wanted to follow up on last Thursday's post. About Relief Society night.
We have had some crazy, crazy wind lately. But when you live in Idaho, it happens! Anyway, Thursday started out calm but a wind was starting to come up by evening. And we got a weather alert that we were in a strong wind warning until Saturday night. Steve made the comment, " What if it blows so hard that the power goes out tonight? We'll have this fireside by candlelight!" I think he was trying to lighten my stress but all I could think was, " Crap! What if the power goes out?! I'm in charge! Which means everyone will look to ME to solve things!" So I packed some candles and matches. Just to be safe. ;)
We all went to the church house where Steve set up 2 tables for the refreshments. Since I can't set up the tables because of my back. Then he and V. left to take her to my folks for the evening. I put out table clothes, cups and plates and napkins. Lemon water. And flowers. I LOVE fresh flowers! Then I waited.
I went into the Primary room and practiced my song by myself.
Then waited.
Then Sue, who was playing for me came and we ran through the song. I thought I'll be fine if I can just get the nerves out of my voice!.
Then waited.
Steve called to say he might be a little late. I was like," NO!!!" I need you here to calm my nerves!
Then Glen Rawson showed up. We chatted for a bit. I told him how when I first got this calling not quite a year ago I had a ton of ideas for R.S. Night flow out of my mind. I wrote them all down. His name was among the ideas. But I knew he was a busy man and I hated to take him away from his family so I put it off. But then towards the end of last year, his name just kept coming to my mind. Over and over. So I finally gave in to the prompting and talked to the Bishop about having him come. And now here we were doing a fireside with him! So I told him this was definitely the Lord's plan and I was so glad that he took the time to come do this for us. He said that doing firesides was actually therapeutic for him. So he was grateful, for the opportunity.
Anyway, then Steve showed up. Just in time! And he and his mom sat near the front where I could see them!
I got up and welcomed everyone. I think I said something kinda stupid. I hate conducting. We had our opening hymn and prayer and then I got up to introduce Bro. Rawson. I had asked him before hand if he wanted to be introduced a certain way or anything. He said it didn't matter, just short and sweet. Well, short it was! I just basically said what I had said in my post last Thursday. That he was my old Seminary teacher and that I felt like his teachings and enthusiasm for the Gospel really had an impact on me. Or I said something like that! Anyway, then I turned  the time to him and went to sit by Steve.
Glen Rawson's talk was amazing! He talked about Faith. He told some stories from the early saints. He stressed that we need to have more faith to do what the Lord wants us to do. Faith to fulfill our callings. Faith in all we do. He also said something to the effect that our faith is no less then the saints faith. Sometimes we hear their stories and think, " I could never have done that! They had such faith!" He said our Faith is just as strong today. Our trials are every bit as hard as the saints. We need to not put ourselves down. But just have the faith to do what's right. With faith all things are possible.
Then he had me sing, "When Faith Endures". This song has such a great message! Unfortunately there isn't a public recording of this song for me to share with you. And I'm not smart enough to figure out how to share the recording Courtney sent me in an email with you. Sorry! But I sang it well. I messed up one small part, but felt the Spirit with me and this song. And that's all that matters.
Anyway, I'm paraphrasing what all was said. And this is probably more of what I HEARD then what was SAID. But it was good. SO good. The Spirit was strong. I came away feeling uplifted and encouraged to do more. Steve really isn't a fan of listening to stories on the radio. And that's the only way he knew Glen Rawson. So he said hearing him in person was awesome. He loved his sense of humor, he loved his stories, and he loved the way Bro. Rawson told the stories.{Some people are just great story tellers.} Steve loved the stories about Ephraim and the Indians.  Steve said he felt the Spirit more than once during the evening.
Afterwards we all mingled and ate cupcakes and brownies. More than one person came up to me to thank me for this evening and to tell me this was exactly what they needed to hear.  Following the promptings of the Spirit to put this night together was good. People needed it. And to have someone tell me this was what they were needing in their lives right now is what made this evening a success.
I wish you all could have been there!
As Bro. Rawson would always say at the end of class, " The Church is True!"
P.S.
And the power never went out! It didn't get windy enough for that!

*Last night when Steve got home from work he came into the kitchen where I was preparing dinner and put his arms around me and kissed me and told me I was beautiful. Awww! I love how even though I've gotten fat and older he still compliments me and finds me beautiful! He also said he thought my hair looked real pretty {I hadn't washed it since the day before and had been to the gym so it was sweaty. But I DID curl it!}
The other night he said he loved how my skin smells. I was like, " hmm.....What does my skin smell like?" He said it smelled like I'd just washed with good smelling soap. .....So I guess my skin smells clean. That's good to know.
Anyhoo, I just love how he makes me feel good about myself and lets me know he loves me!

*Last night Steve also told me that if I end up having back surgery he'll be p.o.ed big time. At ME! He said I'll have brought it on myself.
He said all this after finding out I had vacuumed the house that day. As well as carried in groceries the other day. Etc, etc...
I told him how frustrating it is to sit around all day doing nothing and waiting for him and V. to get home and do my job for me. I mean, I'm a stay at home housewife and mother. It's my role, my job to take care of the house and everything. Then to be told that I can't do those things for a few months because of my stupid back is just..... I feel useless. Lazy. Frustrated. Anxious. Everything! I know I need to follow these restrictions so my back can heal. Steve said I need to let him and V. do those things for me. He says not to feel guilty asking for help. They WANT to help me out. I guess I'm just being too prideful...
I've also gained some weight. And all I can do is walk. A little of the elliptical. And I've been trying to eat better. But the weight just keeps going up. I can't wait till I can start jogging again. More frustrations....

*Tonight is Relief Society night . I'm so stressed. I always stress the day of R.S. night. I hate being in charge of things.{Yet I really am loving this calling! } And tonight we've invited the husbands AND the 3rd Ward to come as well. AND I'm singing. Stress, stress, stress. I just hope it all goes well, that people come away feeling uplifted and encouraged, and that I don't mess up this song. I don't have the melody written out. All I have are lyrics and a recording. So I've been listening to the recording over and over trying to get the melody stuck in my head! It's a very simple but lovely song.With a great message. Written by a girl I went to school with. Very talented gal. So anyway, I hope I do it justice!
 Glen Rawson is speaking to us tonight. And everyone's excited! He's like a local celebrity. When people are like," You know him?!"  I'm like, "yeah, he was my seminary teacher. He cool."  ;) No, but really, they say everyone has 1 or 2 leaders/teachers/adults in their young life that helps shape who they become and has an impact on them {aside from family members, of course!}. Bro. Rawson was definitely one of those to me. Through his teachings and stories and example I gained a stronger testimony of the Gospel. When life got hard, I was prepared spiritually to handle it. And my faith and testimony keep growing as I continue living life. {Some other teachers I had that I think had an impact on me was my Achievement day leader~Sis. Starzcky {s/p}, Young Woman leaders Sis. Rammell, Sis. Bitton, and Sis. Sorenson and my choir teacher~ Mrs. Mann.Plus many more! }
Anyway, Steve thought it was pretty cool when I approached our Bishop about having Bro. Rawson come speak to us and he was like,"Can you really get Glen Rawson?!" And I was said," He's an old friend. All I can do is call and see if he can come or not. No promises, as I know he's a busy man. But I'll ask."  But what Steve heard, " oh sure! Glen and I go way back! He's an old friend! I'll call him up!" Anyway, he thought that was cool....
{Bro. Rawson asked me to sing tonight. I didn't put myself in the program. I hope people won't think I'm trying to toot my own horn or something....}
*Sunday is Steve's Birthday. Just thought I'd put that out there...

V. at cheer

Watching V. during her cheer class makes me envision a little scarecrow doing cheer. Or Woody from Toy Story doing cheer. She's got long, thin, straggly looking arms and legs. I can't help but smile while watching her run, jump, kick, and roll around. Her limbs are flapping every which way!

Today

*  I'll admit it. I cried a little while watching this video. What an amazing experience these 2 young men are going to have. God works in mysterious ways. But always in miraculous ways!

*  In other news, it's Pi Day. So to celebrate I am thinking of making a chocolate pudding pie. That's the only type of pie all three of us like. But I have a Relief Society thing tonight that is a dinner and program. So I'm hoping when I get home there will still be some pie left for me in the fridge!

*  I moved some furniture around on Monday. I know I shouldn't have. But it's just so hard to sit around all day doing nothing waiting for Steve to get home and help me. I feel bad. He works all day and then comes home and has to help me with stuff that needs done here. I also took out the garbage and vacuumed. Other things I'm not supposed to do. And I am paying for it now. My back has increased in pain the last few days. Alright! I learned my lesson! I won't do ANYTHING until my back is healed. It's just so hard though. And Steve doesn't make me feel guilty for having to help me more. He makes me feel guilty for doing it and not waiting for him. {Okay, he really doesn't make me feel guilty. He just says my name in that small reprimanding way," Mary. You need to not be doing that. Wait for me and I'll do it for you."} He doesn't want me to hurt my back anymore than it already is hurt. He's so good. It's just me and my stubbornness and being too proud to admit that I need to depend on him and V. more. I need to humble myself and let them help me.

*  It's going to be another beautiful Spring day today! The heat is off and soon I'll open the doors to let in the fresh sunshine and fresh air!

* Tonight is our Stake Relief Society birthday dinner and program. They want each ward to have a table set up that shows our R.S. history. So the R.S. president and I have been trying to get things ready and I think it will turn out. You never know until you go over there and actually get setting up. We have framed pictures of each of the R.S. presidents our ward has had as well as their testimonies written down. Sis. Ellis has also put together a very pretty Spring bouquet to have on the table. Then I've put together a little collage of photos we've found. This has made me realize I need to take photos of our R.S. nights we do. Most of the photos we do have are older ones! {Did I tell you I'm the Relief Society night coordinator for our ward? I've had the calling for about 10 months and so far am really enjoying it!} Anyway, we also are both bringing anything we have that we've made or done in Relief Society in this ward to display. So I hope it all comes to together and looks good.....I think it will.... I hope it will!

* If you were to come over to my home right now you'd find me in my sweatpants, one of Steve's sweatshirts, hair pulled back in a bun and paint all over my pants and hands. I have been creating today! Creating items to take into the shop to sell and creating items for our R.S. table tonight. I am frantically trying to get it all done! As well as trying to catch up on dishes and laundry and housework!
 

Pleasant day...

*The weather has been so lovely the last few days!!! The sun is shining, birds are singing...it's just so lovely!! {Maybe a little on the windy side, but when you live in Idaho you get used to that!}
Today I turned off all the heat and have the front door open. It's so nice to let the fresh air come into the house! Tonight I will probably need to turn the heat on a little bit, but that's okay. I'll just turn it off again in the morning when it warms up! Spring is right around the corner!!
I have been wearing flips flops only the last couple of days!

*I also got to help in V.'s class room today. That's always fun!

*After that I stopped in to her school's gym to vote on the new school levy. I always feel good, and proud after voting. I'm grateful we live in a country where we have the freedom to vote!

*In a little bit I'll be picking the little one up from school and heading down to ballet class. Then home to make brinner and enjoy the evening as a family.

A very pleasant day today.
{I also washed our bedding today. Which means a nice, clean, good smelling, comfy bed awaits me for bedtime tonight!}

Ramblings

* I'm sitting here outside V.'s classroom at her dance studio. I love listening to the beautiful classical music that is pouring out of the open door!
And I love peeking through the window to see 8 cute little girls stretching and pointing their toes.
I love V.'s instructor, Ms. Kristy. I think she is a wonderful teacher and a wonderful role model for these girls. She always has the class under control, without ever using anything but her quiet, gentle voice. Somehow the girls just know to show her the proper respect in class.
V. has fun in class, but is also learning the basic fundamentals she needs to know.
Her teacher always complements and uplifts the girls.
Her teacher is so very feminine and ladylike. I love the way she carries herself with confidence and grace. But never in a  snooty or sexual manner like so many girls/women do now-a-days.
The students just adore Ms. Kristy!
* The snow is slowly melting! It's still cold, but slowly getting warmer. I've even turned the heat down a little in the house! Yay!
*I've gone a week with very little back pain. I'm now only going to the chiropractor twice a week. Obviously following the restrictions he's given me is working. I'm so hopeful I'll be able to start running again in May!
* Steve wants me to pick up Cafe Rio on the way home for dinner. Sounds great to me!
* I help in V.'s classroom at school on Tuesdays. I'm so grateful that I don't have other obligations to prevent me from doing that. I love helping at her school!
* We have a viewing to go to tonight of a family friend. She was in her 80's. Her husband passed away a few years ago. It's sad, but also wonderful to know she is with him again!
* My phone that I'm typing this on is just about dead. So I guess that's enough rambling for today!

Only in the Country

Only in the country will you see a sign like this posted on the Middle School.

I love living in the country!!!

Charlotte Fire

This is from last Summer. There was a HUGE fire in the MinkCreek area. So many homes were destroyed. It was really sad to see all the devastation. They had a clean up day where people from all different denominations came together to clean up. Trees had to be chopped down and cleared away, rubble cleared away, just lots of hard work. This is the group from our Ward that went down to help. Steve is in the back, 4th from the left. The men had soot all over from head to toe. We ended up just throwing Steve's clothes away afterwards. There was no way we'd get them clean! It was hard work, Steve was sore and tired when he got home. But he said is was an awesome experience. The lady whose property they were cleaning up bought them all pizza for lunch. She helped in any way she could. Her house was gone, she had lost everything, but Steve said her spirits were high and she was planning on rebuilding.
I'm grateful that we live in a community where strangers come together in times of need and help each other out! {I was also happy to see a few young men in the group! How awesome that they took a Saturday to do service! And I'm happy their fathers brought them along to show them the goodness of helping another!}

Super Star student

Our little one was recognized at an assembly at school today! I think they try to recognize each student sometime throughout the school year. I think that's awesome! What a way to boost a child's self-esteem and make them feel like they matter and are important! Each kid up there today was smiling the biggest smile! V. is growing into such a smart, kind and lovely girl. We certainly are blessed!

Today's thoughts....

* Last night my dream was in black and white. I vaguely remember Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra and Will Smith. That's it. That's all I remember!
* The wind has been howling non-stop since sometime last night. Even now, I can hear it blowing the snow against the windows. But it almost sounds more like a rain sound then snow...I just checked. It's snow. Just harder sounding I guess.
* My back has been feeling better the last few days! I'm hoping this means that as I continue taking it easy my back will continue to heal!
Steve and V. have been so good! V. has been vacuuming for me, helping me carry in groceries, and helping to remind me to not lift this or that. Steve has been taking out the garbage, carrying laundry around for me, and all sorts of other stuff!
I hate being more dependant on them, but am so grateful for them!
* Steve and his dad gave me a priesthood blessing the other night. I am so grateful that Steve honors his priesthood and actively exercises his priesthood power. I know that my back will heal if I follow my chiropractors advice, and have faith that the Lord will help with the healing process if I follow His promptings, and guidance.
* Here in a little bit we are going to go for a drive in the truck. We enjoy sometimes just driving around as a family. There should be some awesome snow drifts to drive through!

I'm a working woman! I guess?

I recently found out I am currently employed to work outside of the home. And I have been employed since last September but didn't know it.
How did I not know this you ask?
Last year right before the school year started I thought it might be nice to try to find some type of part time work to help keep myself busy now that V. was going to be in school full time. I  went in to the school district office and picked up an application to be a substitute cook. Perfect job I thought. It wouldn't be all the time. And when I DID work, it would be only while V. was at school. With the application they gave me the forms I would need to get fingerprinted. They said to go ahead and get it done so that way if I was hired they already would have everything they needed.
So I filled out the application and got fingerprinted. When I turned those in I asked to speak to the person in charge of the cooks. And I explained to her what I was looking for, that this was my first job since having V., that she is my first priority. I explained I wanted to try working again but if I felt like it interfered with taking care of V. or anything like that I would quit. She nodded and said, "Sure, sure. I understand. No problem."
Then I never heard anything back.
Well, last week a lady called wondering if I could sub. for her at one of the schools. Unfortunately, it was a day I help in V.'s classroom so I told her sorry, I couldn't. I then turned to Steve and told him I guess I had been hired but didn't know? He said I better find out if I was supposed to receive training or anything like that.
So I went in the other day and explained all this. The lady I talked to said that if I got a call to sub. for someone then yes, that means I've been hired and my name is on the list. When I asked about training, she said it's on~the~job training. That the next time I got called to sub. to go ahead and go in and just tell the other cooks it was my first time and that they would help me out.
So yeah, I guess I'm a working woman now who gets called to work 1 day every 6 months? I guess we'll see if the work picks up any! ;)

Santa in the Summer

Our neighbor across the street is out mowing his lawn. He's a bigger guy. Since he retired, he's grown his beard out. His hair is white with a little gray.
He totally looks like Santa out there riding around on his lawn mower!

Halloween!

We had a fun Halloween holiday! It lasted the whole weekend!

We started the week before Halloween carving pumpkins.

 This picture is blurry, but you can see our three pumpkins.Steve's is the one with the spider, mine is the small one on the top step and V.'s is the 'scary' one on the second step.

All dressed up to go to the Halloween Carnival that the Snake River Education Foundation put on Halloween weekend. I made some treats for the bake shoppe but didn't get a picture of that. So anyway, on to V.'s fun evening!

 V. got her face painted and tinsel tied in her hair.

 She had a fun night playing games, seeing a magician and just having fun! There was also a raffle where I won a massage for me and a round of golf for Steve. There was also a 'guess-how-many-pieces-of-candy-in-the -jar-game where V. won a jar full of candy!

 Then on Halloween day at school. They had a Halloween Carnival, I had volunteered and so I was able to get a few pictures of V.
Here she was playing with some goop of some sort.

 Eating a donut off a string.

 Wrapping up her friend in toilet paper to look like a mummy.

 Then Halloween night we met V.'s cousin J. at the square for trunk-or-treating. In most areas that do trunk-or-treating it is a Church thing. Maybe a couple of wards together. Here though it is a community thing. So tons of people, tons of kids and tons of candy!!

 Steve snapped a picture of me handing out candy. {It was so cold and windy that night!}

 The two cute girls having fun! { V. has vampire teeth in her mouth}

 And here's our little princess. She was excited to be Snow White this year. She had a couple of other ideas for a few months. But then for about 6-7 weeks she said she wanted to be Snow White and didn't want anything else! Man, she is just growing up fast!

Pumpkin picking

Every year we go to a Pumpkin Patch the first week in October to get pumpkins.

This year we went a little bit later, but still had fun!

We took V.'s cousin with us and went to a U-Pick Farm just a couple miles up the road from us.

This girls had fun running through the pumpkin patch and looking at all the pumpkins!

More soccer~

After V.'s first game, she was a little....well, not too enthused about playing.

But at her second game she made a goal and she seemed to really like the game after that!

She's had her grandpa's make it to a few games and loves that!

The following pics are from her last few games.

{She's the one in red socks}

At the 3rd game she made 2 goals! And was shoved down but didn't cry or anything!

The 4th game, she didn't make any goals. But she was playing against 2 of her friends and had alot of fun!

The 5th game she made a goal, had her foot stepped on, fell down and talked her coaches ear off for 1/3 of the game!

 She is definetly getting more comfortable with the game and shows alot of natural talent. Thank goodness she takes after Steve and not me when it comes to sports!