Happy Birthday Gunnar

He is in LA right now visiting a friend he will not see for 2 years.

Happy 19th Birthday Gunnar and see you Monday for CAKE!

We love you.....ps.....be good.

One Crazy Summer We have had---whine whine

Started working 4 days after school was out, JT and Cenny to math camp.  Zeke and Qatar helped out at camp the first week.  Zeke to band camp the next week and the van died.  Dad and Mom went with me to pick him up the next week and then off to the races for another week of camp.  JT was jealous of some of the other campers who wanted to hug me and hold my hand.  He got a new/used car for my million trips to Rochester coming up.  David was called to the Bishopric.

The weather was hot and humid and in the 100 degree area and we were outside most of the time.  I'm more tan then I've been in years, most days outside and multiple trips each week to the pool.  The 4th of July made us feel like we were melting and it didn't let up.  Cenny went to Girls camp in Duluth and had a great time.  Relay for Life was a success thanks to Bonnie and Renee.  I finished 6 full weeks and two half weeks of day camp and was glad to say goodbye.  Mom got sick and sick and sicker.  We went to a book signing with Amanda Hocking.  I studied for math and took the exam and passed.  I signed up for classes that start this week.  The kids got their teachers and class assignments.  Zeke won the county fair and now we are going to the State Fair.  We got Moose in Fairbault, lucky for us he is house broken and trained to do lots of cute tricks.  His begging is so so so so so so cute.

Qatar and Zeke went camping with the YM.  Father and son was last weekend. We went to a book signing for Julie Kramer and have decided to put in a penny floor in the front entry.  We have started to collect those pennies and will take all donations that come our way.  Gunnar got his wisdom teeth out and now has dry sockets and is leave for LA.  Wednesday....hopefully it won't be so painful.  He comes home the 3rd and we have to drive up to the cities AGAIN to get him.  Zeke is in cross country, Cenny wants to do gymnastics and Qatar is almost done with accutane.  He had foot surgery earlier this month for his huge toenails and he seems to be heeling well.  For staying close to home this summer I feel that we have not been home at all.

I was released from the RS presidency and put in as a teacher.  Zeke is the chorister and I have gone gluten free so I bring crackers for sacrament.  Gunnar needs a few things for his mission still and time is ticking away.  Cenny and Qatar had asthma check-ups and Cenny has been using Qatars inhaler with half the medicine of hers, no wonder she has been getting worse and not better.  She is now on hers and duck taped the case to not mix them up again. Parker loves the dog park and we try to get him there a few times a week.  I love Dave Ramsey, but anymore car troubles and I swear I'm going down and buying a new car on credit.  David had to come home yesterday and drive us to church...the truck decided not to start(we would have been on-time also...bummer)

We have done lots of stuff this summer but I look forward to school starting and getting a routine going.

Happy Birthday Krisit!!

Happy Birthday sis....hope to see you soon.....have a great birthday.....you don't have many photos I can steal off of FB, so this is what I have.

Math Study Pay-off

I passed the math test...I missed one out of the 20 questions....I didn't get to know which I missed...but one question I thought didn't have an answer that was correct.  Multiple choice...I worked every question twice then looked at the answers to mark the correct one.

I now am signed up for the Mathematics for Elementary Teachers and Special Education Teachers.  This is a new requirement for the license that is updating next year...the license will be an umbrella of all the special education licenses currently available.  So that is why the math class, but I tested out of the pre-reqs.  Alos after buying by books I've joined Amazon student so I can get 2 day shipping free and the service is free for 6 months then 39 dollars a year for up to 4 years.

Book Reviewing is getting tough.

We get several requests a day now and I get tired just checking my email...I even avoid it at times now.  I keep reading, but I can't read fast enough to keep up with the requests.  Also I've read so many BAD, Horrible, never edited books that I'm very leery of accepting several publishers and self-published books.  Reading a book that just was finished and yet is on Amazon is work and I don't have time for that....books need to be edited and edited well.  First time authors should keep there work under 350 pages...any longer and well you didn't get a good editor.

I have read many good and even great books from publishers and self-publishers, but they are rare and when I read one I am almost shocked....WOW that was a good book.  Doesn't happen that often publisher or not....lots of badly written, edited books out in the world.

So if you have read a good or bad book for that matter lately...please send me your thoughts.  Thanks

Happy Birthday David

David shares a birthday with these famous people. 

 Happy Birthday!!!!!!

 Best of all is Thomas S. Monson Born August 21st 1927, Now he is just waiting for his yearly birthday call.

1989	Hayden Panettiere, actress, One Life to Live
1979	Aiesha Lee Hendrick, Miss New York Teen USA 1996
1979	Ashley Whitney, born in Nashville, Tennessee, 800m freestyle relay 1996 Olympics
1976	Alicia Witt, born in Worcester, Massachusetts, born Alicia Roanne Witt, film, stage and television actress, singer, played role of Cybill Shepherd's character in sitcom Cybill, 1995 - 1998
1974	Amy Fisher, born in Long Island, New York, shot Mary Jo Buttafucco
1974	Pietra Gay, WNBA guard and forward for the Houston Comets
1973	Ben Mann, Australian baseball pitcher 1996 Olympics
1973	Ismael Valdes, born in Ciudad Victoria, Mexico, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
1973	Sergey Brin, born in Moscow, Soviet Union, computer scientist, Google co-founder, speaker, National Academy of Engineering inductee
1972	Johnnie Harris, CFL linebacker for the Toronto Argonauts
1971	Shayne Edge, NFL/WLAF punter, Steelers, Barcelona Dragons
1970	Bill Roth, born in Yonkers, New York, gymnast, Gold Medal 1995 Pan American, 1996 Olympics
1970	Mark Hatfield, CFL guard for the BC Lions
1970	Paulo Barrancos Guerra, Portugal, 10k runner
1970	Steve Everitt, NFL center, Cleveland Browns, Philadelphia Eagles
1969	Andujar Cedeno, La Romana, Dominican Republic, infielder for the Detroit Tigers
1969	Josee Chouinard, Rosemont Quebec, figure skater, Olympic-9th-1994

Gunnar wanting to bring Ryan back to the church.

Davids' Motto

Oh yes there is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A household tip I think is priceless

David keeps a bottle of spot remover like the one above near our laundry hamper in our bedroom.  I have to say that is the number one thing that has saved me many many clothes.  Little grease spots you remember when you take off the item, but forget about or can't find in the light of the laundry room.

I check myself over for stains and spots and boom I always find one or two.

I spray it then, toss in the hamper so when I go to wash I don't have to look every item over I can just wash.

This is a great idea that David told me about and it is PRICELESS.

Make sure you buy the kind that can dry on clothes without a problem.

Time for New Bras

So at Victoria Secrets they give me a few bras to try and in the dressing room I take mine off and put it on the bench with the others.  I try a few and think ok...maybe...ok and then one of them fits like a glove and I take it off to see the tag....no tag...Its my old bra.  They don't sell the Biofit(my old bra type) any longer and that makes me sad.  Well we left the store with two new bras, two free panties, and a free bottle of body lotion with 10 dollars off the lot.  I love coupons in the mail.

Ezekiel at the Mower County Fair Talent Competition.

Buzz Agent

I just entered this campaign and JT is excited that he's not sure he can wait

the up to 21 days to get the item to try.  Pretty cool.

They will send it soon and we will give it a try.  I will post a review about what we thought after playing with it.  Having a Nerf fanatic in the house will make sure it's given a fair amount of play time

before the review is made.

Relay for Life

 The Dunk Tank that brought in close to 400 dollars for our team.

 Sarah, my neighbor, sung for the crowd early on and did a fantastic job.

 The giant slip and slide that the 4-H team made for the kids to enjoy.

 Our team on our walk - lots of kids and adults they had a hard time getting us all in the photo.

Our plaque for all of Bonnie and Renee's hard work keeping us motivated.

Whine again Cenneidigh is taller than me now!

I will have to take a photo, but someone at the fair told me Cenneidigh had beaten me in height- well I just laughed.  Yesterday back to back the truth was made known and I lose in the height game.  Side note I keep borrowing her clothes....hahahahaha...not her boat size shoes waywayway too big for my feet.

Zeke won again and now.....

Now we just have to figure out how to pay to get him there.  It is an all pay fair so even with competing he has to pay the entrance fee and so do the rest of us.  Parking is more expensive then the tickets.....Whine....  I want to go to Valley Fair not the State Fair.

The State Fair is just a sea of people and being my height I can't see what is beyond the backs.

Whine whine whine I hate the State Fair...I hate crowds and it is one overly crowded place.

Whine.....Also Zeke was not well prepared and I was cheering for 2nd.  He better prepare for the State Fair or we are not going.  Being rewarded for a few hours of practice is a bad thing in my book,

they begin to think they can wing it every time and that is not the case(or rarely the case.)  Zeke better prepare or we are staying far away from the crazy place.

Happy Anniversary- 44 years and counting!

Another 2 babies have joined this crowd now.

Math is killing me who cares what x and y equal

 

Relay for Life

Relay for Life Weekend

Our team is ready...we have raised over $1200 and we are running the Walking Taco Booth and the Dunk Tank.  We hoped to raise more money, but this is our first year and being new at this we have a few 

wrinkles to iron out.

Our Team Captain is a Pediatric Nurse who is on the front lines of cancer.

She holds hands, gives chemo, comforts families, listens to their hopes and dreams and cries every single time they lose a precious little one.

We are fighting for them...everyone who has been told the battle is over...time to get things in order....we want that conversation to end.  We want to hear....'You have cancer, no big deal, take this pill and you should feel great in a day or so.'

Funding research is the way to end this nightmare.

Find a team you can support and get in the battle.  We can end cancer if we work together.

Bonnie did a great job and only got a little crazy.  I will post photos soon.

The dunk tank was busy with people tossing balls and others falling.  The Bishop had a long line.

My lesson for Sunday-what is freedom to you?

This is my favorite sport

The Transmission is toast

I want to cry.  My van died a horrible death.....now what.

It needs a new transmission 2800 for a new one.

1800 for a used one or get a new car.

It has almost new tires anyone looking for tires?  Good deal.

We will try to sell it for about 1000.00 any takers?
It runs just not above 45 mph or it thumps really bad.

I am really depressed about this...this van has been a great car and gotten us from one
side of the country to the other and now what am I going to do?
We have 7 people until October and then 6.  No one is going anywhere all together that is for sure.
The Kia only fits 5 and the truck fits six only if the bad 3 down have legs...trust me very tight.
Sad sad sad sad sad sad ......very very sad.

Votes needed.

Book Him Danno needs helpful review votes on Amazon...We are in the 2000 top reviewers and have been there for weeks.  If you have a second- please look at our reviews and give one a helpful vote.  Thanks

Here is the link.                             

The book, Love is a Wounded Soldier, a review written by mom for that one has 35 helpful out of 37 votes.  That review has the most helpful votes we have ever gotten for one book review.  Way to go MOM ;)