Goodbye 2010

It's almost gone!  It is almost a whole new year!  Less then 24 hours and it will be 2011!  Lots of things happen for me in 2011.  

My 20 year High School Reunion(am I old now?)
Rebecca will be starting her senior year in August of 2011
I am going on my 4th year in primary
I am working towards 19 years with the same company
I will get my book published(cross your fingers)

I am sure this time next year, I will have accomplished alot more and been dissappointed by some non achievable goals.  I know this year I had some, but what is life without some dissappointments?  What does not kill us, makes us stronger. 

I hope that this next year will be good for myself, my family and my friends and family.  I hope those that want to buy a house get one, those that are looking for a job find one, those that want a baby get or have one, etc.  I wish that this next year for all my friends and family is a triumphant one and one that they will look back on and see it as the best year every. 

HAPPY 2011!  Stay safe and stay sane!!

Fisher Christmas

The Traditional Fisher Family Christmas:

We spent almost all day on the 23rd picking up the last of the presents and then on Christmas Eve I spent most of the day waiting for two of the presents to come in the mail.  I know I know, I should of ordered earlier in the month, but we did our normal shopping around trying to decide what to get.. 

Richard and I went down to the gift wrap booth to wrap some presents and got stuck there for like 3.5 hours trying to help them catch up with the wrapping!  We had two lines out the door of people, mostly men, wanting their gifts wrapped!! Good for us!!  On Christmas Eve we went in to help with a rush and I went back to close.  Men were climbing under the half closed gate to get presents wrapped.  We were there until 6:45!!  The mall closed at 6, so we almost got stuck inside the mall!  Boy do they lock those doors fast!!!

We did our traditional Chrsitmas Eve present.  All the kids got new pajamas!  They were excited about those.  I was never excited about clothes when i was a kid, but mine are. 

We all got to bed around midnight and we had to talk Richard out of bed at 9!  I sent all the kids in to give him a kiss and to tell him Merry Christmas. 

The kids had fun opening presents and watching everything burn in the fireplace.  All that fancy wrapping I did and it all goes up in flames in only a few minutes!!

All in all, I think everyone had a good Christmas and we have watched ALOT of movies over the past few days!!

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!

Christmas time

Well here it is almost Christmas again. This year I am wishing all my friends a happy and safe holiday season. May you have all the love, laughter and happines you deserve and wish for. May the spirit be strong and bright in your home this season. Remember why we celebrate Christmas. It is not about Santa, but about Jesus and his humble birth!

Kids with Santa!

As they do every year, our ward brought in Santa Claus.  Even though my kids no longer believe in Santa and we emphasize our Christmas more on the birth of the Savior now, they still like to sit in his lap.  Rebecca and ReAnna did not though!  Kinda ewwy to sit on Santa's lap when you are a teenager or an adult!

Aren't they cute?

Disneyland and Pismo!

Dashing down I 5,
in Armada and a trailer,
Over the Grapevine we go,
Whining all the way.
Wind is blowing hard,
Cell signal dying,
looking for a place to pee,
while driving to Disneyland!

Boy did we have fun!  We used the free tickets we got for Disneyland from the Give A Day, Get A Day promotion.  Then on our way back we headed to Pismo to show the kids where we got married.  The three little ones, Rebecca and ReAnna were my flowergirls! 

Thursday is my Friday!

I am so excited!  I am off tomorrow!  YEAH!  But that is not even the best of it!  We are going to DISNEYLAND!!!!  I got seven free tickets from the give a day get a day promotion Disney did in the beginning of 2010.  I crocheted 7 blankets for 7 tickets!  So we are going tomorrow for the ENTIRE day!  We will be there from open to close!  I am riding every ride and I am hunting down Tigger and Tarzan!  And Cinderella better stop for pictures this time!  We have missed her every year, because she is always going on a break!!  
Plus because is is the Christmas season everything is decorated and in Christmas theme!  Can you guess what our family picture will be this year?  Mmmm.  Maybe a picture with Mickey Mouse with our own Mouse Ears?!?!?!?  Can you totally tell I am beyond excited?  I think I am more excited then the kids!   Doing a happy dance right now at work in my chair and in my cubicle!  YEAH YEAH YEAH!!!!

Weekend is Over! YEAH!!

This weekend was crazy!  I need a vacation to recoop from this weekend!!

Friday was FSU vs. Illinois and I was driving carts! It was fun, but it was busy!  I ran into the Mead's and gave them a tour of the stadium.  They got to see the football team walk into the stadium.  Ryan of course video tapped everything!  It was pretty fun.  I saw alot of kids with BHS jackets on.  By 10 we were down 4 carts!  Richard needed to be up at 4:30 the next morning so we left early and gave our carts to the two people who's carts broke down. 

Richard, Rebecca and ReAnna went on the YW trip to the temple Saturday morning.  They left at 5:30 in the morning.  I finally printed my grandmother's ordinances card and Rebecca was baptized for her and ReAnna was confirmed for her.  Richard did the confirmation and our home teacher did the baptism.  Rebecca said she started crying when they said grandma's name.  I knew that she was happy, both of them.  Grandma especially.  Now I get to do the rest and I can be sealed for her too.  Yeah!

I worked the gift wrap booth at 9am that same morning.  Deb came in with me and I had the opportunity to leave early to go help with Kaitlyn's birthday.  We got busy just as I was leaving!  I love when it is busy.  Time flies faster! 

I got home and helped with Kaitlyn's Ice Cream Social.  She had fun.  They played and laughed and ate ice cream sundaes that they built.  It was alot of fun.

Richard went with all the kids except ReAnna and headed to the gift wrap booth! Vickie came in an hour early for me and he was covering her last hour.  I was home crocheting and making turkey chili.  It was not bad, just the turkey sucked up alot of the flavoring.  It was good, I just need to perfect it.  The kids always eat my chili, they love it. 

I got an early Christmas gift, It's A Wonderful Life!  I absolutely love that movie.  Favorite all time movie!  It ALWAYS makes me cry.  I cried when I opened the present.  I have been asking for that movie since I was 13, and have been looking for it for 5 years now.  I got it early because Richard wants to start a tradition that we watch it the first Saturday in December to start our Christmas season!   While we were trying to play the DVD, the player decided to keep popping up a gray screen.  It would go away for a few moments and then it woudl come back up.  We switched it to the other player, but the entire movie wiggled annoyingly.  So we broke down and had to buy a new DVD player.  We got a Magnavox for $40.  It works off both RCA and a HDMI cable.  Plus it is 1080p!  Our tv is 1080p!  The picture was clear!!

Last night after church, we watched Eclipse.  Never watch that movie with a Edward hater.  Richard kept making comments.   Rebecca and I kept telling him to stop, but it was sort of funny!  I love the Twilight series.   Now I just can not wait for Breaking Dawn 1 & 2!!  Plus I need to see the new Harry Potter!! 

How was your weekend?

Shocker!

Just found out that our beloved manager that died on Wednesday morning, never made it home.  She checked into a hotel and was shot.  No one knows whether it was suicide or murder at this point.  Not sure what to hope for.  Sad and strange situation.  Who? What? Why?   
 I guess if it was suicide, you never really know people or what they are going through.  Most people can put on a front and fool the world, but they know.  If it hurts that bad inside, talk to someone!  That is what your family or friends are there for.  If one won't listen, go to another, until you find someone to listen!! 
If it was murder, I hope they catch him and they throw the book at him!! Literally.  The book, the gavel, the witness stand, pretty much anything they can lift!  Ok so not Christian like, but I am mad and upset, so I take my frustration out on what I hope will happen, but not what I would do. 

I guess when it rains it pours.  In this case down comes the flood. 

Life is Fragile

I saw her Tuesday leaving for home at her normal time, 3:30.  I come in Wednesday and it looks like she is on vacation, her board says see Debra.  Never thought anything of it, neither did anyone else.  About 3:00 we find out she passed away early Wednesday morning.  What!?!? No!  Bad joke, Sue.  No joke.  No matter how much I want it to be, it can't.  Our beloved manager, Judith Steelman died early Wednesday morning.  She was just here!  She was healthy and full of life!  She was caring, funny and nice.  She took care of her Mother-In-Law, who will do that now?  I don't understand, but I guess maybe Heavenly Father needed her up there.  I never understood why he took my grandfather all those years ago, before Rebecca was born.  I think I do now, thanks to the missionaries and all the others that bore their testimonies to me while I was investigating the church.  

Though I do know, that life is fragile.  You never know what can happen.  We do not know the future, only God knows when our time is.  So love everyone everyday and make sure they know it.

"Dance like no one is looking, sing like no one can hear, love like you've never hurt before, live like there's no one to fear!"
Newsboys-artist
Dance-song
In The Hands of God-album

Vacation, not really

Last week I had a well deserved week off from work.  Unfortunately the no work only extended to AT&T!  I worked my behind off last week!  We rearranged rooms, cleaned house, cleaned the garage, set up the gift wrap booth and cooked and baked!  Some was fun, some was extremely tiresome. especially when the children just do not want to help!  It took them over 4 hours to got through three buckets of toys and seperate the broken ones and put the toys in their correct boxes!  Mostly because they played like the entire time!  It drives me nuts!!!  The part that made me the maddest was when I asked Rebecca to supervise them getting that down while we went to get stuff out of the seatrain for the gift wrap booth!  We came back an hour later and she is in her room playing on her ipod and they are throwing toys at each other and playing!  Some supervisor she made!

Eventually everything got cleaned and organized and baked and cooked!  Man did the house smell and look good!  It still looks good, smells like a house now.  No more turkey cooking smell or pies baking smell!  Sad face!

The gift wrap booth is doing well this year!  All shifts are full and we have already made about $100!  Yeah!  Last time we did not make $100 in the first 5 days it was open!  We are inside the Sierra Vista Mall, right outside the Sears mall entrance.  We are the only gift wrap booth in the mall!  Totally Awesome!  If you need that secret gift for the hubby or "Santa" presents wrapped, stop by and see us!  The booth benefits the Buchanan High Marching Band & Color Guard! 

Christmas is only 26 days away!  I only have a few gifts left to buy for the kids and one for Richard and a couple for his birthday!!

How was your Thanksgving?!

Thugs in Clovis?!?!?

Last week was a crazy end of the week for BHS band and color guard!  Because of our lack of available semi truck drivers we have been forced to rent box trucks from Ryder and the school!  We have this huge semi with a trailer and no driver!  How cruddy is that?
Well, Wednesday our week of performances started.  By Friday morning some kids had decided to take a golf club to all the windows on the rented trucks and spray paint to some cars!  Here we are Friday night at the football game trying to figure out how we are going to get all the equipment to Madera for our last WBA competition on Saturday.  Luckily the Clovis East driver took pity on us and volunteered to drive our Semi for us!  Problem solved! 
I think that it just plain SUCKS that some kids had nothing better to do but be destructive one night!  Did their parents not know or care where they were.  Who sold them the spray paint?  Are their parents goping to miss it from their garage? 
Now parents have to worry about leaving their cars in the band parking lot while they ride the buses to competitions!  I never would have guessed that this sort of thing could happen in Clovis!  On Halloween our scaffolding disappeared and was recently found taken completely apart in the BHS baseball field!  Thugs!  I hate Thugs!  They ruin everything for everyone else!!

This weekend

This weekend was just plain crazy, but it is what we are used to, so we thrive on it! 

As like most people our weekend started on Friday after work.  I was working the concession stand for the Buchanan High vs. Clovis High game.  Man was it slow!  There was barely any customers and people in the stands!  Crazy!  Completly!  While I was working the concessions and Rebecca and ReAnna were with the band performing, Richard and the three little ones were at the Ward Halloween Party!   I entered my chili into the Chili Cookoff and I won!  YEAH!!  Wasn't even there and I won!!  Richard won a cake in the cake walk!  How funny!  And then he did not even pick one of his own cakes for a prize!  LOL!!  We ended up staying late putting together the breakfast bags for the bands kids the next day.

Saturday morning I ran Rebecaa and ReAnna up to school so they could go to the Selma Parade Review.  With ReAnna's help we put the boxes with the breakfast bags on the buses and I explained about not letting the kids throw the extras away to the chaperones on each bus.  When I got home, while everyone slept in,  I cleaned the entire kitchen and went to the store to get some stuff for breakfast and for church on Sunday.  That evening was Fresno State's Sierra Cup Classic.  We served dinner we purchased from Luna's to the kids!  It is a tradition and the kids look forward to it every year!  I love LUNA'S!!    After they ate and warmed up, it was time to head to the stadium to perform.  I again helped with the mats.  We had to carry a 300 pound mat up that hill at the stadium!  I almost died!  Then it was put on the cart and they carried it away.  My friend Holly and I ended up pushing a huge speaker all the way back to where our spot was.  That speaker had a mind of its owen!  If we wanted it to go left, it went right!  Crazy and it was HEAVY!!!  We came in 2nd in our division and color guard came in 3rd.  GO GUARD!!

Sunday was church and then trick or treating!  We went to three plus blocks with the three little ones while Rebecca and ReAnna were practicing for the church musical this Saturday and Sunday!  Go see it!  Light of the Son!  Saturday at 5 and Sunday at 5:30 and 7:30!  Rebecca is speaker 1!!!    We went across the street by our house to see the haunted house and I had to force them up the walk way!  Why do kids think that monsters are real?!? Totally frustrates me.  When I was a kid they never scared me.  Kaitlyn started crying, but some of it I think was for show.  They each tried to be the first to the door to ring the doorbell.  Amberlin kept complaining that she never got to do it.  We kept telling her to hurry, but she spent alot of time checking out what was in her bag!!  Christopher had the Bond. James Bond down good while we were waling but was so so when people asked what he was.   Richard and I decided Katilyn is doing cross country next year so she can learn to run!!    We got the call that the girls were done practicing while we were still trick or treating!  Lots of houses were already out of candy and there were still tons of kids out!  They were driving to our neighborhood and parking and trick or treating!  None of them were from Clovis!  And some had no costumes on at all!!   The kids and the parents were eating the candy as fast as they were getting it!  Bunch of heroine addicts I'll bet!  (kidding, but they were chowing down on the candy pretty harsh).  The kids were very generous with their candy and gave a bunch of it to Rebecca and ReAnna because when they went out, most lights were out.  Richard had to drag them up to the haunted house because Rebecca was being chicken.  I will post pictures later on my Facebook of the little kids costumes but Rebecca and ReAnna's were made up on the spot.  ReAnna was a Mormon Fairy and Rebecca was a Mormon.  They had church close on and it was that or dead hookers.  I like the first choices!  

Have a great week!!  Hope to see you at their performance!!

A week down, almost

Here it is Thursday and the week is almost done!  Though work this week has been hectic, but not as hectic as this weekend will be!  Friday night is a home football game, so Rebecca and ReAnna will be there with the band and I will be slopping sodas to kids who can never make up their minds as to what they want. 

Saturday starts early!  6:30am to be exact!!  The band will be heading to Selma for a parade competition at that time!  Then we will come home for a few hours and off the Fresno State for Sierra Cup Classic!   Two competitions in two different towns!  Going to be crazy!!!  I hope to be able to post some pictures of this weekend.  SO cross your fingers I remember the camera and that the battery is fully charged!!

Another week bites the dust!

Here it is Friday! The week is over!  My first official week of overtime is done, well almost!  This week has been an interesting one. 

Started with Monday, which I still do not understand the point of that day, and a meeting with the band director, color guard instructor and learning director.  Nothing really came out of the meeting except that Rebecca knows we did all we could to stand up for her.  We decided to start fresh from that day and hope and pray that her instructor treats her better and all the other girls too.

Tuesday was the first overtime day for me.  It is amazing what you can get done when you have an extra two hours to work on stuff!  Spent most of it by the printer and computer.  My office is finally understanding what "paperless" really means and I am converting paper jobs into PDF files and loading them into a computer program that can hold millions of jobs and all their information.

Wednesday Christopher had minor surgery.  We had to wait to get it done until he was adopted.  Medi-cal would not pay for the procedure, so they had to use mine.  He and Richard came for my lunch and the ladies here at work were so impressed at his manners and politeness.  They gave him candy and he was very happy.  He like chocolate almost as much as his dad! 

Thursday I chaperoned the Church YM/YW musical practice.  Sat there with Sister Herbold and talked and she gave me some good advice on medications for ReAnna to try.  Rebecca has a speaking part for the musical and acting also!  Can't wait!  Come out and see her!  Found out the kids have to wear black socks instead of shoes to avoid the clomping of 200 pairs of feet.  So ReAnna has to stay on the bottom row because if she is having one of her clutsy days, she can get hurt and so can anyone around her. 

Here it is Friday and my day has barely started and I am already thinking about the tailgate tonight at the Buchanan vs. Clovis West game tonight!  Mmmmm BBQ!  That totally sounded like Homer Simpson in my head!  There is no band practice tomorrow that I know of, so hopefully we can catch up on our sleep. 

I am so tired working all the overtime, but I know that in the end it will be beneficial.  Especially with the holidays just around the corner.   It will help us out of some tough money problems!  The Lord works in mysterious ways and the overtime is an answer to our prayers.  Especially while Richard is trying to find a job. 

Enjoy your weekend!  I know I will! 

Christopher

Yesterday after two years of infections, we finally were able to get him circumsized!  Surprisingly enough he was tired of the infections(did not help not get them at all) and he wanted the surgery!  His surgery was yesterday morning and today he is going back to school today.  He knows what to do and what not to do. 

Last night he was telling the girls they were lucky not to have a penis and have to go through a circumscision.  I had to laugh! Told him to tell that to his future wife while she is in labor with their first child! 

If you wish to see what he looks like right before surgery after they gave him the sleepy medicine, check out my Facebook.  He sounds drunk! 

GSTOB

This Saturday was GSTOB or Golden State Tournament of Bands.  It is run by Clovis Unified and it is a band competition for any school that wishes to participate.  It was in Lamonica Stadium which is Clovis High School.  The Clovis East Band Director has been in charge of it for the past several years I am told.

This year Buchanan Band Parents volunteered in our normal areas.  I ended up in concessions for the entire event.  It was crazy.  They were all Clovis East Parents and none of them knew what they were doing.  Their band director did not give them any information so that they would be prepared.  They kept blowing circuits with their 150 foot extension cords.  Luckily having picked up some tricks from Richard and my many stints at the Buchanan Home Game Concession Stands, I was able to lend my expertise and help them out.  It seemed like I was there to help, but I ended up being the Concession Stand Guru that night. 

I told them that everything is a learning experience and to not feel bad.  After all it took me three years to figure it all out!  And I only have like 12 more to go!    I just hope that someone says something to their band director and he apologizes to them for not giving them enough information! 

18 years

As I sit here at work, I think back to when I first started with this company. 

On 10/12/1992, I walked through the doors of the Operator Assistance building on Foxworthy Avenue in San Jose, CA.  Was I scared?  Yes!  I had left my job of 3 years at Sears, I was terrified.  What if I could not hack it?  What would I do?

Well I made it and have been there for 18 years yesterday!  Hard to believe that it has lasted that long!  I have been through two name changes.  We went from Pacific Bell, the SBC California and now AT&T.  I worked in Operator Assistance on Foxworthy, then Directory Assistance on Burdett and when that office closed, I headed to Fresno and to Directory Assistance on Van Ness and now at Construction and Engineering on Olive!   

I celebrate this anniversary by thinking back of all I have accomplished and all I would not have if I had chose to not take the job when they called.  I guess I am grateful and happy to have this job and all the stuff that comes with it!

Weekend Done!

I never thought that I would be happy that a weekend is over.  Normally I cherish my weekends and just can not wait for them.  This past weekend was the first WBA competition of the season.  There are more to come! 

Our weekend started on Friday with 20 teenagers in my backyard, a dj and lots of food.  It was Rebecca's 16th birthday party!  There was dancing and yelling and of course screaming.  You can't have even 2 teenage girls in the house without screaming.  I think that is how they communicate!  Sort of a teenager tribal ritual!  Not sure if their dancing was what us adults would call dancing.  To me it looked like a bunch of jumping and shaking.  More like a convulsion than dancing.  Odd, but they enjoyed themselves, that was the important part!

Saturday was our first WBA competition in Modesto!  Long drive and tons to do when we got to our destination!  We got there about 2 hours before the kids and started cooking!  We had everything ready including the coffee for the parents when everyone finally arrived. 

During our performance I waited on the sidelines to fold up the mat and run it off the field.  I think we did fine at that, but I did not appreciate the color guard girls yelling at the parents while we were helping them.  I don't go for that.  You may yell at your parents in your home, but do not yell at me.  So I may have to bring that to the Learning Directors attention. 

Though I do still cherish my weekends, I will cherish them more when marching season is over in November!!  Then all I have to do is help with the Gift Wrap Booth!  YEAH TEAM!!!

GO BEARS!!!

Funny things my husband texted me yesterday!

Yesterday my husband began to proclaim his love for me in some very unusual style analogies!

1.  You are the pick of the poop.
2.  You are the gravy on my scnitllze
3.  You are the salsa on my taco
4.  You are the cranberry sauce on my turkey
5.  You are the mustard on my weiner(hot dog)
6.  You are the valance on my window
7.  You are the wreath on my door
8.  You are the gas in my car
9.  You're the chrome on my bumper
10.  You're the bubbles in my bath
11.  You're the emblem on my hood
12. You're the spoon in me sugar bowl
13.  You're the peel on my banana

16!!

It is just hard for me to come to the realization that Rebecca is no longer my baby! She is 16 now! She turned 16 yesterday! WHY?!?! Why must they grow older, why can't they stay babies forever?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Rebecca's Happy Birthday from Great Day!

Rebecca and her cousin, Trenton

Sending her off to daycare was hard, kindergarten was harder and now she is a junior! Where did all the years go? I want a redo! I did not take enough pictures, I did not get enough one on one with her or get to laugh at her silliness enough! REDO!! I demand it!
Rebecca Great Day Faces


Soon she will be 18, going to Heritage Ward and then I will be planning her wedding! Then she will be having babies and doing the mom thing! Not fair!!



I know it is a fact of life, but why does it have to seem so dang fast?!?
Rebecca's on Great 10 day forecast


LOVE YOU, REBECCA!!

Weekend is done!!

This weekend started out with me not feeling good and working the concession stand for Buchanan's Homecoming game. Apparently I have gone completely crazy, because it was BUSY!! I was serving drinks and hot dogs and candy to what seemed like everyone in the stadium! I think the thing that makes me the craziest is when kids get to the counter and have no idea what they want and there is like 20 people behind them!!! AAAHHH!!

Saturday was the 180th General Conference! Because we have decided to stop making excuses and just do it, we had the kids watch General Conference with us! Of course they can not sit still and constantly move all over the couch. I watched and crocheted a blanket for my friend Cynthia in Cedar City! She is having her first baby! A Boy! I love to make blankets, booties, thumbless mittens and hats. I am working on making headbands with flowers on them!

Richard went to the Priesthood session and the kids and I went to the store! I picked up some more yarn for some booties and to try headbands! My friend wants me to sell them at her store, Palace Courtyard! Plus we went everywhere to get the supplies for our bi annual General Conference Sunday Brunch! I went to more store in an hour and half then I have ever gone to!!

Sunday we of course watched the conference and right after the 1 sessionwas over we started on our brunch meal! We had Richard's Sausage gravy and biscuits, sausage, eggs and belgian waffles! The Burrell's, the Boam's, the Tanner's and the missionaries were there for brunch! It turned out great and everyone enjoyed themselves!

After General Conference was over for this year, we watched The Work and The Glory! I love that movie and book series!

How was your weekend?

Another Weekend

Here it is another weekend! I have a BHS Home Football Game that I need to work the concession stands! Then tomorrow is the Saturday session of General Conference and then Priesthood Meeting. Sunday is another session of General Conference and our bi annual Session Brunch!

Normally we invite families and missionaries, but this year we asked the missionaries to bring some investigator families to brunch and any missionaries that have no place to go between sessions! It always turns out to be pretty fun and we get to know people! We are going to have biscuits and gravy, eggs, sausage, pancakes and OJ! Yummy yummy yum! I am so looking forward to this! We are going shopping tomorrow for all the yummy food for Sunday!

I look forward to conference and this year we are having the kids watch it with us, instead of letting them play! They have some papers that they need to fill out for primary! I will be finishing up my blanket during the conference! YEAH!!

Weekend is done! YEAH!!

I never thought I would be happy that a weekend is over! Never! But man am I glad this weekend is over and I can get back to work. Not that work is better then spending time with my family, it was just an extremely busy and crazy weekend!

Friday was our first home game and tailgate party of the season! The tailgate had Kopi coming out to film the band and color guard! It was awesome! They finally got some air time! Something that never happens! I worked the concession stand, my norm for the football season! I missed Kopi but Richard recorded it! Watch Great Day on Thursday, he said that is when they will be on he thinks! Rebecca and ReAnna are right in the front!

The football concession stand started out slow and then got crazy busy and we ran out of EVERYTHING!! Cups, candy, hot dogs, ice! CRAZY!
Saturday was CPR and First Aid recertification! What fun. We watched a video, did a little one on one with some dummies and then we were done. Only three and a half hours of my life wasted! Not really, but it sure felt like it! Then we headed home to clean! Man the house can get so dirty in 5 days! Pretty much the kids leave their stuff everywhere and never pick it up!

Sunday was the Primary Program! After all our practices it was finally here! It went smoothly and great! The kids were terrific! Mine especially! Biased, I know! Or Proud Mom!

Then we had the Hill's over for dinner. Unfortunately it had to end before dessert. The kids were all in the front yard playing hide and seek. We heard a crash and Richard went outside to see what it was and their daughter fell out of the tree!

She scratched up her leg pretty bad and after she went to the ER, her wrist was broken! Can I feel any worse? I wish I could go back in time and tell them to stay out of the tree! I feel so responsible for her broken arm. I know I did not force her up the tree, but I still feel really bad because she broke her arm!

I think I am going to try to get some rest here at work. I learned in high school how to sleep with my eyes open. Prop myself up at the computer and take a little nap! Tonight though, I think I may have to shoot the tree!

Relief Society Enrichment Night

Last night was our monthly Enrichment Night for Relief Society. It was on self defense. Unfortunately I did not get to hit anything or anyone, but I did learn that the sheriff teaching the class was a bit paranoid. He told us all how to put dowl sticks in the window to keep them from being opened all the way for someone to get in. How to keep your front door locked while you are home. How to get to your front door fast. Apparently there is alot of break ins going on while people are asleep or at home in the back of the house.
It was a very interesting night, just a little paranoia envoking. Not sure if he helped or hurt. Myself, I can handle myself because I have three much older brothers then me and they taught me how to defend myself.
I did learn that the heal for you hand in someone's nose can really hurt them or even kill them and your elbow in their jaw or top of their head can put them down on the ground long enough for you to get away or get something bigger to hit them with. And he said to be able to do that put your hands up like you are giving up and when they let down their guard go in for the kill, so to say. He said he would come back out and let us practice hitting him and another deputy. That one I will be going to for darn sure!

Dorky Fisher Kids

My kids are the biggest dorks in the world! I mean it, there are none more dorkier then my kids! They do the stupidest stuff and then can not understand why they have an Epic Fail!
Christopher always wants to "drawl". Amberlin is always going to the "bafroom". Kaitlyn is always saying "What?" and you know she heard you because you are looking right at her! They jump off the swings and hurt their feet when they land because they wore no shoes. They ride their bikes in their flip flops and fall off the bike because the flip flop gets caught under the pedal. They play with ants and are just bewildered as to why they get bit. They come home with grass stains on their knees and can not figure out how I know they were sliding on the grass at school. They eat chocolate and barely any of it makes it into their mouth. They leave all their clothes all over the floors in their bedrooms and can not understand why they have no more clean underwear. Their shoes are soaking wet in the morning because they left them on the grass in the backyard and apparently do not get the concept that we have sprinklers. They know they are not allowed in the garden, yet they come running in saying they found a huge eggplant and then say they saw it from the swings. Yeah right! They take 30 minutes to take out the garbage and then come in and tell you they got bit by an ant! How? Cause they were playing with them instead of putting the garbage in the can!

When do they stop? When will they finally get it? Parents are not stupid and no we do not have ESP. You would think after the third time of the same thing happening, they would figure out the cause and fix it. But not my kids, they are completely oblivious! I sware when God was passing out common sense they were playing with the dang ants and missed it! I just can not wait until they have children of their own and they call and complain to me about the stupid stuff their kids are doing! I am going to laugh like a loony bin resident and hang up the phone! You are on your own for this one buddy! Welcome to parenthood!

Courage and Sadness

Most of you that know me know that I am shy. If you talk to me, I talk back. But to initiate a conversation is beyond my ability with someone I do not know. If we are friends, of course I can, but if you are a stranger, not gonna happen.
Well last Thursday was a baby shower for a Sister at my church and I was completely shocked and excited to get an invitation. I decided to make her a blanket and some booties for the baby.
I learned how to crochet in March and I just can not stop! I love doing it and it was my first time giving the booties that I recently learned how to make as a gift. I was excited to see her reaction or to see her dissappointment in them.
I worked daily for several hours a day to get the blanket and booties done in time for the party. The fastest I ever worked on a blanket and booties! I was so happy that I did it and did not give up!
Well Thursday came and I had the booties left to do and only 2 hours to do them in! Yes I was late to the party, but I wanted them to be perfect! Someone's baby was going to wear these so they had to look good.
Well I get there and I can hear them playing a game inside the house. I know I am late, so I muster up the courage to knock on the door. No answer, so I ring the doorbell. Still nothing. I waited a little longer and knocked again. No one came to the door. I left the present and went home. Crying the entire way. The hardest part for me was walking up to the door and knock and then to not get opened, it was devistating!
Richard came home and gave me a big hug. He told me that I should have called him and he would have helped me. I almost did call him, but he was in the middle of a roundtable and I did not want to interrupt that.
I still have no idea who this Sister is and why no one answered the door. I guess next time, I just make a gift and send it.
I really felt like I was not really wanted there. Like they only gave me the invite because they were giving them to all the women around me and did not want to hurt my feelings. Well not answering the door hurt them worse.

Changes

It is amazing how in one weekend things can change. It all started on Friday! Christopher turned 9! We had his birthday party on Saturday and it was as normal crazy!!! Kids running everywhere, playing soccer, baseball, swings, you name it they played it! The dog got her share of attention! One of the boys played with her almost the entire time.
Christopher got alot of toys, legos, a nerf gun, etc. Plus he got some gift cards. I think the best gift yet was the nerf gun! I can use it to wake his lazy butt up when he refuses to get up on Saturdays and Sundays! He let me use it and I shot him a few times before he asked for it back!
ReAnna turned 14 on Sunday, but we had her birthday on Friday night. She invited alot of kids from school and church. They showed up at typical teenage standard time, about an hour late! They screamed and laughed and danced until about 8:30. She got alot of stuff and did her typical ReAnna! Just could not be quiet for more then ten minutes at a time.
We had BBQ'd hopt dogs and hamburgers at both parties. ALong with macaroni salad, potato salad, chips and dip. ReAnna wanted cheesecake and Christopher wanted a chocolate cake. And that is what they got!
All in all it was a great time with a HUGE mess! Cups and plates and napkins everywhere! Luckily they all helped clean after the parties! My kids not the guests!

Mark Will "Don't Laugh At Me" lyrics

Don't Laugh At Me lyrics

I'm a little boy with glasses
the one they call a geek
a little girl who never smiles
cause i have braces on my teeth
and i know how it feels to cry myself to sleep

i'm that kid on every playground
who's always chosen last
a single teenage mother
tryin' to overcome her past
you don't have to be my friend
is that to much to ask

Chorus: Don't laugh at me, don't call me names
don't get your pleasure from my pain
in god's eyes, we're all the same
someday we'll all have perfect wings
don't laugh at me

i'm the cripple on the corner
you pass by on the street
i wouldn't be out here beggin'
if i had enough to eat
and don't think i don't notice
that our eyes never meet

i lost my wife and little boy
someone crossed that yellow line
the day we laid 'em in the ground
is the day i lost my mind
right now i'm down to holding
this little cardboard sign

Chorus: So....

i'm fat, i'm thin
i'm short, i'm tall
i'm deaf, i'm blind
hey aren't we all

Chorus:

these lyrics are submitted by Stacy Machado

Cruel

It is hard to be a parent, I know it is even harder to be a kid. You remember your own parents telling you that kids can be so cruel? I do and they were. They teased you about your hair, or your make up, or the fact that you did not wear name brand shoes. One little difference and they jumped all over it. No understanding, just pick pick pick until you break that person's spirit.

You would think that after Columbine, kids would have learned that you can't do that anymore. Of course they don't. Most kids learn their behavior from their parents, because they were like that as a child or they still are and pick on their own children. Word and actions leave a lasting impression on people. The most memorable thing my parents ever said about me to other adults was "Rachel is taking Biology and Geometry and Rhonda is taking PreSchool and Sandbox." Man did that hurt my feelings. My mother to this day denies ever saying that, which I heard her repeat it and laugh about it.

You can send your kids to school with all the ways to succeed, but you never know how to "arm" them for cruel children. Saying stuff like "Bullies pick on other kids because they are insecure about themselves" really does not help much. You can give them witty comebacks, but no one remembers those until ten minutes after the incident. They can go to a teacher and get labeled a snitch. What do you do? Teach them to turn the other cheek and know who you are and ignore the ones who do not. But how do you protect them from kids at church that pick on other kids at church?

ReAnna is different, and I know she comes off as weird, but get to know her and she is easy to get. She is kind, loving, caring, funny, eccentric, stubborn, protective. Though I think I am sort of biased, I still think she is a great young woman. Yet girls in her Beehive group pick on her and talk down to her and are just plain rude to her. These are some of the girls that have influential families in our ward. I doubt these parents know what their children are like when they are not around. Around adults everyone thinks they are perfect, but get them alone with ReAnna and it is pick pick pick! She likes to go to church and mutual, but always complains that they are mean to her there. Of course when there are no adults around, they are not stupid! Then she forgives them and moves on, only for them to do it all over again. She has forgiven you more times than I personally think they deserve. Don't they see their handy work?

Last night they did. ReAnna and the other Beehives were babysitting for a relief society enrichment. She came in about 20 minutes after it started crying asking to go home. I asked her why and she said those two girls were picking on her again. I had had enough. So I went it and in a nice way chewed them out and made them look at what they had caused. One almost cried because she did not realize what pain she had caused ReAnna. The other did not seem to phase her in the least. I guess we wait and see if they actually learned their lesson on their own or because I had to tell them to stop.

How do you protect them from that? I am not going to be there everytime, I can't follow her around for the rest of her life and block all the mean people that she crosses paths with. You know there are kids out there that are cruel and don't know right from wrong because their parents or society failed to teach them, but what about the kids you go to church with? They are taught right from wrong at home, at church, in Sunday School. Yet they jump at the chance to pick on someone for being a little different.

There is a song by Mark Wills called "Don't Laugh At Me," I feel like making all those kids at church listen to the song and them write an essay as to what it means to them. Heavenly Father loves us no matter what our differences. I like to think that He loves those children and adults with disabilities just a little bit more. I wish those girls could just be ReAnna for one day, so they can see what she goes through and the struggles she has. Maybe then they will realize what you say and do to others in a mean way, hurt.

When we die, the only thing that we leave behind other then memories and loved ones, is the lasting impression we mark everyone's lives with that we met in our time on Earth. It doesn't matter if we threw the winning touchdown in overtime, or if we made head cheerleader. What people remember most of all is who was nice to them and who was mean. I don't know about other people, but I want the lasting impression I leave on others as kindness and love.

Vacation

We had joy we had fun we had seasons in the sun!

Vacation started out great. We left Clovis on the 19th at 6 am, and headed to Vegas! We were pulling our travel trailer, the kids were watching a movie and Richard and I were listening to music. Suddenly the Armada lost power, first there was a little so Richard pulled it over to the side of the road. We coasted for about half a mile with what little power was still left in the car until we came to a complete stop. There we were dead in the middle of the Mojave Desert! Hot hot hot! Luckily we had cell service so we called for a jump, because we thought it was just the battery. It took one and a half hours until we got a guy in a malibu with jumper cables. That did not work, so 45 minutes later arguing with our emergency road service and another hour and a half waiting for the tow truck.
We were towed to Barstow and the Sauter Nissan dealership. There they told us that they did not have our part in stock. It was the alternator and the dealership and no car parts shop had one. It had to be ordered! AAAHHH!!! We had to rent two cars and leave our trailer in Barstow!
Enterprise rented us two cars for $42 a day with unlimited mileage! We headed to Vegas after cancelling our reservation at Sam's Town RV Park. We ended up staying in the Orleans Casino for two nights. Tuesday we went to Adventuredome and hung out there! We rode the Pirate Ship, The Inverter, the roller coaster and the water ride. I loved it! The only slow ride for us was the kids and the bumper cars! The kiddie rides are so slow they made me sick!!! We left there for lunch and head to the Imperial Palace and had lunch at Hash House A Go Go! Yummy! I love that restaurant! After there we went back to the hotel and swam for a little bit. Mind you it was 116 degrees the entire time we were in Vegas! After the refreshing swim, we headed back to the Adventuredome and stayed until 11:30! Then on to the Bellagio to see the water show!
The next day we headed back to Barstow to pick up the Armada and the travel trailer. Straight to Cedar City Utah after that! We went to see a former missionary that was giving me the lessons when I decided to be baptized. Sister Coleby, now Sister Marquardt, is pregnant with her first child, a boy! I could not wait to see her! We stayed with her until Thursday afternoon and then headed to my sister in Salt Lake.
We had dinner at her house and stayed in our trailer finally in front of her house! Friday we went to Strawberry Creek and rode her ATV's all day. We had lunch up there and then headed back home about 10 pm. The next day we hung out and went shopping and celebrated Pioneer Day! She bought fireworks and we set those off Saturday night before we left. Then we headed home.
We drove through the backside of Yosemite and had dinner by the stable area. Then we were off home. The first 28 miles on 41 outside of Yosemite was under construction! Crazy! We got home about 10 pm on Sunday! We had a lot of fun and have another great memory of our annual summer vacations!
I think the highlight of the trip for me was riding the rides a Adventurdome with my kids and riding the ATV's with my two youngest. I can not wait to print up a collage for this vacation!

Vacation Time!

Well here it is that time again. The time of packing and shoving everything we can into the car! Time of telling the kids to stop yelling at each other in the car, stop touching your sister, telling them they should have gone potty at the last rest stop because the next one is 20 miles away, just watch the movie and stop talking to the characters. Yes it is the infamous family vacation. The one where we bond closer, learn that we really need a bigger car and that mom and dad need some alone time please go take a hike into the woods and yell when you get lost(kidding).

Every year right about this time we go on our annual family vacation! Sometimes we stay in hotels and other times we camp. This be a camping year! We will be camping at the Grand Canyon for three days! Going to be very interesting. Luckily there is showers and I will be paying to take one of those! Then we will be heading to Salt Lake to stay with my sister for three days. We plan on doing a session while we are there! I am so excited about that. Anyone know if they rent clothes and when is the best time to go to a session? Then we are heading home!

I have two weeks off, but I am giving back two days of my second week, so we can go camping with some friends from church! I am so excited! I love camping, just really wish we could get a trailer because the getting up off the floor thing kills me when I really have to pee!

So I am praying for cooler weather and no rain! I hate camping in the rain. Totally SUCKS!!!

This weekend

This weekend started off pretty interesting! My sister showed up to drop off my niece for the weekend and ended up not being able to leave for over an hour. Not because she did not want to leave, but because the police would not allow it.
Apparently an armed felon had dumped his car down the street from my house! There were about 25-30 police cars in my neighborhood for over an hour! Fresno police, Clovis police and the Fresno County Sheriff were all involved. There was a helicopter shining their light in backyards and on roofs and multiple K9 units! It was crazy!
It was crazy! Kaitlyn and Amberlin thought there was a bear loose in the neighborhood. Odd, but they all hung out by the upstairs bedroom windows and watched everything the police were doing! The local news had nothing on it and neither did the Fresno Bee, until I called them and then they posted a story! Check it out on FresnoBee.com!

Party!

Last night was our adoption party for Kaitlyn, Christopher and Amberlin. It went great! At one time I think there was 25 people in my house! Everyone talking, eating and having fun! All the kids thought my backyard was great! Big grass area and a play structure! Food went over very well and I am glad to have no leftovers! Lots of people showed up! My manager from work, a fellow coworker, a family from the band and mostly families from church! It was a full house and lots of fun! \

Thanks to all those that came! We really appreciated your company in helping us celebrate our additions!!

YEAH!!

Today at 8:45, in Madera County Courthouse in front of Judge Beldon, Kaitlyn, Christopher and Amberlin became ours! They are officially adopted! YEAH! YEAH!! we have been waiting so long for this! We are all so happy and excited!

Changes

Everyday things change, some small, some big. Some even have a huge impact on your life and they are only small changes. For instance, last Wednesday was a pack meeting and Christopher became a Wolf. It took awhile, but he is finally a full fledge Wolf. He also got 5 belt loops, one gold arrow, 2 silver arrows, and the Leave No Trace Award. We are now working on getting as many arrows at the next pack meeting. Then we will start working on everything for his Bear Badge! We are Eagle Bound!!!
This Friday is a huge change for all of us. Kaitlyn, Christopher and Amberlin will officially be adopted! Their names will be changed and they will become our children in the eyes of the court! No more orphans! YEAH!!!

A week with no teenagers!

Rebecca and ReAnna are in Jack A** Rock for Girl's Camp. Isn't that just a wonderful name for a church camp? They just call it The Rock. I guess that is better then saying the real name.
So until Saturday, we have only the three little ones. It is amazing how much they want to play play play! You ask them for a little help and they either throw a fit or refuse to help. Whenever they help they get paid with nickels, and once a month they count up their nickels and trade them in for Daddy Dollars. Then on or about the 15th we go shopping. Mostly of the time they only have about $4 each, that is Katie and Christopher do, Amber has about $1. We made a new rule that they have to have at least $5 to be able to shop, so far they have not been able to shop, but they are doing more. Though you have to drag them in to help when they are playing video games!
Last night I kept yelling for ReAnna to start the laundry and then I remembered she was at Girl's Camp. Crazy! SO here I am doing the laundry and Richard is doing the kitchen. Not sure what will happen when they get home, but I am hoping they will have missed us and be better teenagers!

Weekend Warriors

I do believe now that we are Weekend Warriors, otherwise we are just plain crazy!! Saturday was my nephew's graduation party. Richard was asked to cater the party and I was helping. We brought our Karoake machine and everyone had fun with that!
Richard served stuffed mushrooms, nachos, chicken fingers and cheesecake. There was also a meat and cheese plate, vegetables plate and strawberries, provided by his mother.
That morning Richard helped Brad and Joyce Comstock to change the brakes on the van. They were still good,how odd is that. I need to make an appointment to get my nails done with Joyce and Elizabeth! We are going to Milan Institute, Pink and white full sets are $18 and fills are $12. Plus I can get my whole head in foils for $45! Awesome.
We ended up staying in Los Banos to around 6 on Saturday. Missed the Binford's open house to celebrate Isaiah's adoption! Dang it! Congratulations Craig and Erin! AND especially Isaiah, you got a great set of parents!
Sunday was Sunday normal. Church and then more craziness at home!
I think the most disturbing moment of the whole party was when I sang Truly Madly Deeply, I'll Be and Natural Woman. Thank the green leprechauns that no one was in the room while I was singing! No lawsuits pending over that fiasco!
I toasted my nephew and became the crying aunt! Why must I do that? Are my tear ducts broken? Probably not, probably just a girl thing. Well I want nothing to do with it! I refuse to cry anymore! Well I can say that now, but I will be crying again before I know it! LOL!
Trying to work on my accounting certificate, but I am struggling with alot of it. I just do not understand Adjusted Trial Balance or Retained Earnings. This ADHD thing is going to be my downfall for this course! PC Maintaince and Repair is next, so that should be easy!!

Laugh now cry later

Well today should be a happy day, but I have mixed emotions today. No it has nothing to do with the adoption. Today ny nephew is graduating from Los Banos High School. I should be happy that he is graduating, but I am sad about it.
Unfortunately, Richard, myself and the kids will not be able to go to his graduation. Los Banos High school gives out 6 tickets to each student for their family to attend the ceremonies. He has 4 siblings and his parents, and none of his friends have extra tickets.
When my sisters and I were not talking, I had this plan to sneak into his graduation to watch him get his diploma. I know know that it would not have been possible. So it makes me even sadder that now that we have been talking again for over a year, I still can not go to his graduation.
How are you suppose to be proud and happy for someone when you can not share the experience with them. I guess we will have to wait for Rebecca to graduate.

A New Adventure

A few monthes ago a friend of ours who owns Palace Courtyard on Blackstone, approached Richard and asked him if he would like to have a little cafe in her store. After thinking about it, he decided he wanted to do it, but we could never find the means or way to do it. Last week Richard started talking about the opportunity again, but with his friend Jeff. Well they went yesterday and checked out the place and decided that they can do it! They will have a little lunch counter with sandwiches, cookies, bread, etc. Maybe some soup.
They have to raise $800 for their business license, so they are going to different businesses every day to sell sandwiches to raise the money for the license. Their main goal is to sell 20 sandwiches meals a day. At $5 each that would be $100 a day. The rent is $250 and our friend is going to help sell the sandwiches and stuff for us! Rebecca will work their and so will Jeff's kids. Hopefully this turns out great and they both can make some money and enjoy what they are doing.
They plan to open June 14th, so come on out that day and have lunch!

it told me to post this, so I must do what I am told. hee hee!

Temple Trip

I went to the temple all by myself! Well I went with two ladies from church and one of their mothers. It was Peachwood Ward's Relief Society Temple Night. Most of the women went to the 6:15 session, but we went to the 7:30 session. It was really nice and though I still forget everything once I leave, I really enjoy doing endowments for the dead. Lucy told me she was going to slap me when I told her that it was only my 3rd time at the temple. Amy said I need to go once a month.
We went to Denny's after and had dessert! Yummy Apple Caramel Crisp! Mmmmmmmmm...... We talked about alot of stuff, including going out together more often. Girls' Night Out, Girls Temple Trips, etc! I did not get home until 11:30! But I had so much fun!!!
I do need to go to the temple more. I am going to try to go at least once a month. Maybe get a group of ladies together and go. But I need to get my dress fixed or just buy a new one. I can't lift my arms. Way too tight! Plus my slip is WAY too big for me! I need a new one of those too! Time to go to LDS.ORG!!

Changes & Mother's Day

This Sunday the Stake Presidency was sitting on the stands! A few weeks ago they released the 1st and 2nd counselors of the Bishopric, but kept the same Bishop! Well this Sunday they changed our Bishop! They released Bishop Reynders and called Bishop Pauline!
Bishop Reynders was a terrific Bishop and I loved how he related to all the members of our ward. He was always friendly and open. He was always there when there were activities. He went to EFY, Girls Camp, Boy Scout Camp, Relief Society Events, etc. The kids loved him and really liked seeing him.
Bishop Pauline is a great guy and very friendly. Him and Richard are friends and he seems to legitamitely like us and our family. I know he will be a great Bishop and I look forward to his time as Bishop!

Mother's Day was pretty good this year! I got a 2 plaques, a large cocoa cup, a planter, a frame and a plaque with a frame. Christopher made me a plant and a card. Amberlin made me a basket made from an old soup can. Kaitlyn, ReAnna and Rebecca made me cards. And if all goes well I will be getting the picture I have been wanting forever!! It is the mural from the Washington DC temple! I love that picture! Richard made me a cheese and mushroom omelete for breakfast. For dinner I had steak, zucchini, scalloped potatoes, garden salad, texas toast and creme brule. Yummy! I think I made out pretty good!!!!

Weekend

This weekend started rather early at our house. Richard went to help a member of our ward move. Drama there but they figured it all out! Richard came home around 10. The kids and I started getting the garage cleaned up and ready for the new shelving system that we bought to be assembled and put into place. We got all the camping gear put away before Richard got home. Richard assembled the shelves and then we put together the carport we bought at Costco. We are using it as a back porch, because our house does not have one. It is going to be pretty cool when we are done!
We also went to Lowes for some plants and then went to Home Depot for sprinkler stuff to move a sprinkler, wire, eye hooks and landscape timbers. We made a planter around the cement and lined it with landscape timbers. Then we lined the play area with timbers too and took the grass that we cut out for the planter area and put it in the spots where the grass was missing around the play area. It looks very nice.
We bought a tree and Richard planted it on Thursday and we cut out the lawn around it and planted Snapdragons. Then we planted a jasmine where the ugly ancient lavender plant was. We tore out the overgrown rosebush and an ugly bush that died sometime in the 80s. Now we have one large bush and one stump to remove from each side of the garage and then we are planting more jasmine there. Then putting flowers and stepping stones in the planter in the back yard.
The garden is growing wonderfully! We have 28 tomato plants and 100 plus corn, pumpkins, watermelon, bell peppers,zucchini, yellow squash, eggplant, jalapenos, and peas. Plus Richard has a herb garden that is flourishing with some spinach! Yummy! I can't wait until we can eat more then just spinach from the garden.
Next weekend we will plant the flowers and work on the bushes after a special project pruning trees and cleaning up a park. The warmer it gets the busier we get at home!

Go Carts AKA Death traps

My nephews were having some fun this past Saturday on their go carts. Somehow a rope got pulled up in front of them and they crashed. My 16 yr old nephew was ejected and luckily is fine. His back is sore, but there is no big worry there. My 12 year old nephew was not as lucky. He was also ejected and as he hit the asphalt his helmet broke and flew off his head. HE was knocked unconscious and his brother, the 16 yr old, screamed for someone to call 911. He woke up and had no idea what happened to him, he still doesn't. He broke his nose and his cheek bone. Los Banos Regional Medical Center airlifted him to Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Not sure why they did not send him to Valley Children's, who I am sure far better equipped to deal with a child emergenct. He went home that night and told no sports whatsoever for a month.
Most people will say go carts are safe or my child has been drving them for a long time. So had my nephews. You never know what can happen in one of those things. I told my nephews if they get in one of those ever again, Deeta is going to come down to Los Banos and kill them! Not literally, but they may wish that I would just kill them! I have never been so terrified in my life! When they thought he had a concusion, they were not sure what was going to happen. We all prayed for him and his brother to be ok and Heavenly Father took care of the little buggers and made sure they are ok. I am very grateful that only his nose and cheekbone are broken and not his neck! Here is the picture of my 12 year old nephew the morning after!

Squash Casserole

Here is the recipe that I have been asked for by alot of friends! It is so good!!

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups zucchini/summer squash, diced
4 1/2 cups yellow squash, diced
1 1/2 cup yellow onions, chopped
1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix( prepare as directed on box)
1 1/2 sticks butter
8 ounces cheddar cheese
3 cube chicken bouillon
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Directions:

Prepare Jiffy Mix as directed, set aside to cool.

place Zucchini and yellow squash in a large saucepan and add just enough water to cover. Cook on meduim low heat just until tender, remove from heat. Drain squash, reserve one cup of water for casserole. on medium low temp place all the butter in large saucepan and saute onions until the onions turn clear, add salt, pepper, thyme and parley. Add chicken bouillon cubes and garlic to onions and stir. add drained squash and diced cheese. Crumble cornbread in squash and pour the reserved cup of water and mix well. Place squash mixture in a 13x11 baking pan that has been sprayed with a non stick spray. Cover casserole and pplace in preheated oven at 350. Bake for 50-60 minutes. Remove cover the last 20 minutes of baking time.

We sprinkle more cheese on top about 10 minutes before done completely! Yummy yummy yum!!! Enjoy!!

Finally!!

Well after about two years of procrastinating and a kick in the butt, we finally got in to get our temple recommends. Our friends Brad and Joyce Comstock are going to be sealed April 24th and they both want us to be there! At the last pack meeting, she came up to me and asked if we had temple recommends, I told her that they expired and she said "Get one!". Then proceeded to tell me why, seems like a great reason to get off my behind and get in there for the temple recommend interviews!
When we got there, there was cars EVERYWHERE!! I walk up to the building thinking, this is going to take all night! To our surprise there was no one in line waiting! All the cars were from the Mountain View Ward Mutual! I guess this is God's way of telling me to get my butt back to the temple!!!! Needless to say, we have our temple recommends and are all set for Joyce's sealing and their first endowments! Awesome!

Camping Horrors

Well this weekend's camping trip turned out to be a bust! Not only did we leave late, we ended up leaving an entire day early! It was FREEZING!!! 37 degrees with a wind chill factor of 20! Our hands were so frozen! And we could not get a fire started to save our lives! We went to bed early and the three youngest ended up bunking with Rebecca and ReAnna and us! It was so cold. I could not sleep very well because I was so cold! I had a 27 degrees sleeping bag and three fleece blankets and I was still freezing! My toes did not defrost until Sunday night with my heating blanket! It was absolutely crazy! We camped there this time last year and aside from the rain it was not even close to this cold! The kids packed their own bags and they ended up packing light jackets and they froze also! It was just insane how cold it was!! Richard said that if the weather even hints of a similar weather forecast we are not even going to consider camping!!!

Camping here we come!

Today is the last day I will be at work until Tuesday April 6th! Tomorrow morning we head for the coast to go camping for four days! I am hoping that nothing up there is blooming so I can have an allergy free trip! I hate having to carry around kleenex or benadryl.

We are going back to the place that ReAnna and Christopher and Kaitlyn got into Poison Ivy while playing in the bushes. This time they are not allowed to play in the bushes and if they get caught, then they will have to hang out with mom and dad. Sucks, but how else are they going to learn? Can't have their faces swell up like they did last time! Lucky for me I have never had a reaction to poison oak. I even rolled in it once when I was at 6th grade camp all because the male nurse at the camp was HOT!!! All the girls were doing it! I know I know, if they jumped off a bridge, blah blah blah. He was HOT!!

We are taking lady with us and we will celebrate Easter in the beautiful mountains by the coast. Just wish we could get the Conference up there, but we will DVR it and watch it when we get home. So if there is any major announcements, someone call me! Especially if they are going to allow the Sisters to have more then one husband, because I am so converting Shia Labeouf! He would make an excellent second husband. Then I can work on Victor Webster, Vin Diesel, Will Smith, and the others on my list!

Everyone have a wonderful Easter and enjoy Conference!

Teaching an old dog new tricks!

I guess the saying You can't teach an old dog new tricks is wrong! Besides the fact that I am not old or a dog, I learned how to crochet! And from the internet nonetheless! It is amazing what it on YouTube these days! I made on blanket that was just single crochets in a chain that went back and forth! Then my friend Lisa at work taught me how to make this one style that I have discovered that I prefer much better! I have made 8 blankets total, two beanies(learned on YouTube again) and three scarves! I have one more blanket almost halfway done and I am starting on a blanket for Rebecca. It will be her school colors so she can take it to band competitions next year and be warm in the stands!
Plus I have taught a lady and her daughters how to make the blanket! I can do it and teach it! Yea haw! And I am making a grocery bag from a pattern. Lots of issues with that one, but Charlean at work is helping me to decode the pattern. I mess up, she fixes it and shows me the right way to do it!
I did the blankets to donate to Fresno County Binky Patrol, an orginization that gives blankets to kids that are removed from their families by CPS. I got involved after I found their name on the Give A Day Get A Day Disney program. SO I turned in 7 blankets and got 7 vouchers for tickets to Disneyland! We are going this summer!
The program is over, but I think I will still make more for them one day in the future! Whenever I see yarn now, I start putting blankets together in my head!
SO far I am making one for Rebecca in her school colors, red white and blue!
Then:
ReAnna: Pink and Yellow
Kaitlyn: Purple and gray
Christopher: Brown and red
Amberlin: Pink and blue

Plus I will master the beanie and make them each one of those and a matching scarf, but those will be with the fluffy baby yarn!!

Crazy Week

This past week was an interesting one. First I was sick the first three days of it, but got better. Still having issues with my asthma and allergies but it is getting better!!
Not sure if many of you know, but I have been having alot of problems with Sebring. Probably about $1000 worth of work needed on it, plus I was upside down $4000 on it for a trade in. And I still have over a year left on the loan. We checked out some used Dodge Chargers at Fun Cars, but unfortunately they would not be able to work my upside down into a used car loan. Surprisingly the car salesman suggested that we go to the Dodge Dealership and try to get a new car. HE said that with all their rebates they would be able to put my upside down into the loan.
We headed over to the Lithia Dodge and I walked out with a 2010 Dodge Charger SE! I was so stoked, Richard had to keep telling me to calm down! We had left my car at home, so we went and picked up the kids from school. We left them home and after a really quick clean of my car, we headed back to sign paperwork and pick up my car. The kids were clueless! Though very surprised and excited!!
Saturday was the Womens Conference at my stake. We heard from the former General Relief Society President. Very uplifting talk! Then we headed to our classes. The first one I took was Destiny & Doctorine of America. Sorry to say, but I fell asleep, twice! Both time I woke myself up before I started snoring. It was really deep doctorine and unfortunately I am not even at any level of doctorine yet. I am still in the learning stages, pretty much primary level! Good thing I teach Primary, huh?
My next class was about organization and the teacher sort of scared me! Way too excited about cleaning bathrooms and organizing clutter. Katie Pauline, Jenny DiQuattro and Amy Boam made me come sit by them. They would not let me hide in the corner like I normally do! It was at that moment that I really felt liked! Lunch was next and we all sat at the same table, I saved a spot for Anne Arnold. I love Anne, she is a really awesome person! Everyone at my table talked to me and made me feel like people liked me!
Next class was Gaining Christlike Confidence! Really enjoyed that one. HE was a great talker and kept it interesting. Got alot out of that one. Last class was about the blessing and challenges of raising kids in the last days. Took alot of notes and have new ways to handle situations at home.
Forgot to mention Thursday! We had the Boams over for dinner and Emily was so happy! She is in my CTR 5 class and always is my helper for something. I get hugs whenever I see her. She played with Amber and Katie in the backyard and in their room! Quietly and I am totally amazed at that! :)
Sunday our cat Spotz killed a gopher and left it in the dining room as a present! Lovely! Rebecca gave a talk on Sunday and alot of people really enjoyed her talk! She cracked a few jokes and people laughed. Plus people were amazed at her level of maturity when she messed up. She just kept going! Both Rebecca and ReAnna are not shy at all, very happy about that!
So how was everyone else's week?

Home Stretch

Well this time next week Kaitlyn, Christopher and Amberlin will be officially in adoption placement in our home. The final step is Finalization through the court! That should take about three weeks! Yeah! We are almost done!
Richard went down to the court house yesterday and got the paperwork to finalize the adoption of Rebecca and ReAnna. I have to fill out some more forms, but I am having a hard time finding one particular form. He may have to go back to the court and pick those up.
Soon everyone will officially have the last name Fisher and we will be the Fisher Seven until we get our 3-4 year old boy. Then we will be the Fisher Eight!

Amazing how time flies!

It just continues to amaze me that Richard and I have been married 5 years tomorrow! It seems to much longer. When we thinks back on things that we did when we were first together or newlyweds, it is hard to believe that it is been 5 years of marriage and 7 years together! Crazy!
Richard said today is the anniversary when I was the meanest to him! I racked my brain trying to think of what in the world I could have done that was so mean the day before we were married. He finally told me that it was when I told him that I was tired and I was going back to the condo and I did not take him with me. He had to sleep on the couch at the beach house by himself! Nerd! (Remember I was not always a member and Richard was inactive for many years).
Silly man!
The kids are all planning something and being very secretive about it, but blantenly obvious something is up. Richard has to help with some of it, but the rest of the kids are doing the rest. We have been informed the we are going out to dinner by Rebecca. Crazier then a 15 year old telling we are going out to dinner (we still have to pay for it ourselves, you figure the demander would pay, but NOOO!) she tried to pick out our clothes for our anniversary dinner date! No one has picked out clothes for me since I was about 2(ask my mother about that). Silly kids!
I will wear what I always wear on date night, jeans and a shirt!
I still need to figure out what to get Richard for an anniversary gift. Needs to be something unique but not expensive. Also something that he likes or needs. Any ideas people?!!?

Crazy Birthday Night

After I received another potted plant, Tulips this time, I got an even bigger surprise! About ten minutes before I left for the day, I got a surprise visit from my family! They came in with a huge bouquet of spring flowers and a HUGE card! Rebecca and ReAnna had stayed home that day to help Richard assemble the card and make my birthday cake! What a great surprise!

Later when I got home, Rebecca, ReAnna and Katie read me a Mom poem each. Then Rebecca sang me Perfect Fan by Backstreet Boys(my FAVORITE group), then we were off to go get tortillas for chicken wraps(awesome by the way). We ended up at Red Robin for dinner and cake. Richard had the waiters sing Happy Birthday to me! EMBARRASSING!!!! Oh well, it was fun. Then we went home and Rebecca and ReAnna went to mutual and Chris and Richard were off to scouts! It was a great day.

Sunday the Junior Primary sang to me and Savannah! She is a little girl in my CTR 5 class and we have the same birthday! Another awesome! Sister Pauline said if my husband had still been in the primary room, they were going to have him come spotlight me! I would have killed him!! Glad he left for priesthood! Fun fun fun!!!

Birthday time again!

Today is my 37th birthday, but according to my husband I am turning 36. So we are going to go with that one! I would prefer to age backwards anyways! A lady at my office gave me a birthday card and said What are you now 29? When I told her 37, she that I look too young to be 37. This from the same lady that said I was too young to have grey hair. Do I take the compliment or just ignore it? Oh well.

I was scanning some jobs and turning them into PDF files so I can input them into a computer program that we have her at work and when I came back to my desk there was flowers at my desk. No idea who they were from because Richard was across town at a dr's appointment for Katie, so he could not have dropped them off. I was asking everyone if they saw who dropped them on my desk. No one saw nothing. Strange. SO then I started to get paranoid and think that maybe they are a bomb or some strange hybrid of a Dafodil and a King Cobra. Ya never know, it could happen.

People kept looking at me strange until I explained that last Easter someone left a beautifully decorated cookie on my desk without a note. At first I thought maybe it was poisoned or maybe someone put it on the wrong desk. Eventually one of the ladies here at my office copped to it being them that gave it to me. So I ate it. Apparently not poisoned.

One of the managers came over and examined the plant for bombs, just to pasify me. She thinks I am extremely funny anyways.

Right after my lunch, another potted plant this time Tulips show up on my desk. Put there by none other then my manager. Finally got Richard to admit that he was the secret potted plant giver, with Kathryn, my manager in cahoots with him. Strange, but an exciting beginning of a birthday. I got mystery, drama and possible scifi all wrapped up in an 8 hour day! YEAH!!!

Not sure what the rest of the day holds for me, but I am sure it will be a dramatic event with a bit more mystery and some scifi possiblities! Best birthday so far! Gotta try not to sabotage it! I keep praying for help, so I am sure it will be fine! YEAH!!!

And if I get in good with the Birthday Fairy, I will still get my bright blue with black racing stripes Dodge Charger Daytona series with the 6.1 Hemi and Shia Labeouf! Anad then Ireland will look the other way on it's stalking laws and allow my sister to stalk Celtic Thunder for her birthday! Cross your fingers!! Not sure what I would do with Shia, but hey there is the mystery!!!

Shopping for pants!

Last night Richard and I went to Kohl's to see if there were some pants there that I would like. I am a very picky shopper. Normally I buy at Walmart and Target, but so far they had nothing that I really liked enough to want to wear.

We checked out the Women's department and ran into some pants that I actually liked that were on clearance for 60% off. I was apprehensive because of my past experience trying on pants that look cute on the hanger and once they get on me they look HORRIBLE!!!! Well I tried on a size smaller then what I was wearing at the time and those were way too big. So I went down the line in size all the way to size 16 and they fit!!!!! I was so excited! I have not been in a 16 since after ReAnna was born. I could have danced through the store in those pants! Regualarly $52 on clearance for $20! The Richard found me a pair of white Gloria Vanderbilt Skinny Jeans for big women. Sort of an oxymoron, but I got a pair of those!

I personally think that Gloria needs to rename those to Women's Slimming Jeans and not Skinny Jeans. Besides some lady name Amanda had put her name on every pair of those pants! So now my pants have a name, sort of like my bologna has a first name. Weird!

This past weekend......

This past weekend was pretty good. We cleaned out the garage and got rid of alot of stuff. Junk to us, but you know the saying. One's mans garbage another man's treasure. A lady came and got just about everything that we were giving away! Yeah! Now I can park in the garage! Still is a bunch of studd to go through, but at least most of it is all gone! I am sure we will fill up the garbage can or someone's trunk! I am just glad that someone can use what we can't. There are like 20 boxes left to go through and then we will be completely done. I need to organize my desk, but we need to move it and put the curio cabinet where it is now. Plus I need to get the curtains up and a few more pieces of furniture. We need a couch for the living room and new bunk beds for Rebecca and ReAnna and for Christopher's room. I think Richard is goin to fix the dressers in the kids' rooms and go from there. There really is no point getting them new ones that they can destroy also. Amber keeps using them as stairs and breaks the front of them off. Still waiting for the adoption placement to go into place. Richard needs to get the school records and the medical records! Once we have that we are good to go!

2010 so far...

Well so far 2010 is looking pretty good. Katie, Christopher, and Amber should be in adoption placement by the end of this month and then the adoption should be finalized in less then three weeks! Yeah team!! Finally! We have been waiting and waiting! The original state adoption worker had promised us November, but never did the proper home studies before he was transfered to Chico in October so that his supervisor could take over smoothly! Rrrrrrr!!

The kids are very excited about that and that is good. Katie has come around the past few monthes and is happy that she lives with us and vocalizes that now. Before she use to say that she was not sure if she wanted us to adopt her. Glad to say that has changed. It think it has a lot to do with the fact that we do not spoil Amber and let her get away with everything like their last family did.

All three of them will start taking the lessons from the missionaries next month and then they will be baptized! All three because the lessons are good for them to know.

SO far we have done family home evening every time this year! Go New Years Resolutions! We are starting out basic. We are on the second commandment. We sing a song each time that they are practicing in primary sharing time. Now Chris cant say that he does not know the words! Richard has been getting on him to participate and do what is told of him in Sunday school and regular school. He really likes to misbehave and not participate. He will learn.