Fam news 11-13-11

Well since the world famous gmail hacker who stole my inbox and trash box for the last 5 years, I decided to put my fam news on blogger. And I am behind since last week I had no email addresses.
First birthdays. Today is Mark's. Sorry do not know how old except he is 1.5 years younger than Erin. And Erin was born in 1980 so maybe 29???
I think I missed Heather's too. She was the big 18 on Oct. 28. On her way to being a nurse with her CNA and soon to be half of her LPN. Has held a part time job for several months and no major traffic stuff al least that I know about.
Mine and Jody's life has been consumed with getting Johnny off on his mission, homeschooling the five youngest, helping Bryan be sole custody parent of his boys and keeping up with our fast growing programs in Guatemala and our slowly growing business here in the states. We each take half a day off to get massages and eat out.
Johnny is gone and along with him my chauffeur. Now I am the chauffeur, yuk I hate that job.
He and Hannah flew to Utah on Fri. and are spending a couple of days with Eric and Bethany in
Rexsburg, ID then dropping Johnny off at the missionary training center in SLC on Weds.
Friday we leave for the beach for a week. promises to be crazy trying to make sure we take enough food for a week as the ferry is $28 per person so we do not want to have to go over in between.
Safe Homes is selling the most adorable Christmas cards that Joel made up from ones he took of Mayan children we work with. You can find the link for them here and if you order cards, please order these. Actually the link will be on the gmail .
We need to organize the beach week. Like which night do you and yours cook???? Who cleans up???? Some ideas. No one cooks on Sat. Everyone is on their own. If Hannah does not want to cook, then Hannah, Heather, Scotia, Caleb, Emmie and Alisa do the clean up. You all will have to get them to as it will just be a fight for me. Thursday everyone does two dishes. Jody and I will cook the two 15 pound turkeys we bought and make the gravy and make the mashed potatoes. What is everyone esle doing???? Also on mine and Jody's night to cook we will cook sweet and sour meatballs. Does not matter which night we cook. Also need to know which nights people are coming.
Jenn and Ryan and fam are coming to Charlotte for Christmas. We want to have a big family brunch somewhere in Charlotte and we will probably spend one night.
Also Flossie said I could announce she and Chris are pregnant. She is about 12 weeks.
And Crystal said I could announce that she and Joey are pregnant. She is about 10 weeks. More babies.

Love
Mom and Vicki

I am trying to add a few pictures of our week. We started with an ice storm on Tues. Flo and Chris lost their electric for 4 days. The kids schools lost theirs too and they missed a couple of days. We, however, did not loose ours. So I had kids here. Oh yeah Emmie was sick at the beginning of the week as well as Jody and I. So no music on Tues. and sick kids and ice making everyone grouchy. Jody and I did take a break and left the kids with Patsy, my reality tv maid, and went to the acupuncturist. He is our equivalent of a doctor. He actually made us feel alot better. We went to see my dad also who is getting worse and not exactly fully present when you visit.
Tripp, Rhonda and Jake came Fri. in time for supper. Flossie and kids were already here so she could work so we had a nice crowd. Cohen was here too, but Colbey was sick and stayed with Amber. It was quite loud here with 3 toddler boys and my wild crowd. Sat. night was worse as we added Joey and Crystal and their 3 girls. Jody and I had a nice business meeting with Tripp Sat. morning and got lots of new ideas. That night we had a big family dinner. That is what the pics are of. Flossie and Cooper T. with Cohen beside her. Tripp and Rhonda and Jake. And the oldest and youngest children I gave birth to: Tripp and Scotia. We decorated two Christmas tree cakes and lots of cookies. The kids loved doing that. Tripp headed up the cookie team and Rhonda the cake one. Everyone made fun of Jody's Charley Brown Christmas tree. He wanted one like he had as a child that he could put tinsle on so we found one just down the road. I like it.
Jody and I are going to Raleigh on Mon. to clelbrate the fact that we have made it for 33 years. Flossie and Chris are babysitting and earning some money. Then Sunday everyone heads down to Sarah and Adam's for Wills baby blessing in Charlotte.

I am going to bed.
Mom and Vicki

April 26, 2009

Well the biggy news is Crystal and Joey are having a girl. Kars is disappointed; she wanted a boy. But the rest of us are excited. I loved having my 3 little girls under 3. They were such fun to watch and enjoyed each other so much. And it was great dressing them as dressing little girls has always been something I enjoyed. Jenn and Ryan had an ultrasound, but would not find out what they are having so quess we have to wait.
Bethany left Tues for Italy. We got to talk to her from the SLC airport and the NY airport. It was great. I do envy her.
I watched Cohen two days this week for Bryan while he worked. He is such a sweet easy to deal with little boy. And Carson finally gave me kisses. Bailey runs with her arms out every time she sees me calling grandma, grandma. That is definitely a winner with me.I gave a talk at church on Weds. on " How Self-reliant Are You?". People seemed to like it and said they learned alot. Hey what do you think about this pandemic flu thing?
Friday Jody took me to Merlefest. It was my birthday present from him. We heard some great performances and I got a hippy skirt and a couple of CDs. The weather was fantastic.
It was great yesterday also and will be for the next 3 or 4. we started the potato bed and watered all the strawberries and raspberries. The kids are a big help.
Tripp and Rhonda are heading to Rome, etc for a cruise in Oct. Is Jake going with you?
Jenn and Ryan lucked into a fabulous rental house in MN.
Sarah and fam and Flossie and fam are on a week long working vacation in Panama city. FL. I envy them too.
Erin and fam are moving in 3 weeks YEAH.
Hannah is set on BYU-I and transferring to Bastyr later.
Well gotta go
Vicki and Mom

April 19, 2009

Not too much to report this week. Mostly gardening or running to town to pick up pick up loads of needed gardening supplies. You can read my farm blog to see that in more detail.
Weather looks crappy for this next week and truck needs a universal joint and I need time to catch up on in house stuff including planting more seeds in flats. Chris was pretty sick with strep throat and staph infection on his leg, but with two antibiotic shots in the butt and a prescription he is back to working with us on all this outside work. Jody is suffering some lingering affects from the Rocky Mountain Spotted fever. Lots of trouble with his knees, but he sure has been a big help around here this last week.
Joey and Crystal find out BOY or GIRL on Monday and they are excited.
Bryan's life is hard right now with Amber gone and doing who knows what so he could use some support. Bryan is doing a super job of working. Twelve hour shifts right now.
Jenn spent 3 days in MN while Ryan watched the kids, looking for housing for the fam. They think they have found it, but I will let them tell you about it. Would love some pics Jenn. Erin and Mark have found a great rental house in Charlotte. Near Sarah's and with a community pool.
Seth competed yesterday in the Special Olympics and got first place ribbons for both the 50 yard dash and 100 meter races. He was first and ectatic. I was trying to figure out what is so inspiring about this as Jody and I and family sat and watched all the races and ball throws and jumps all morning.The kids and adults who competed after all are just human with good points and bad points. I think what it is, tho, as they look so different from everyone esle, because of their disabilities, that they gave up long ago trying to just look cool. They know they look differnt so they can just be themselves and show their true emotions instead of their rigid stuck up selves[ like alot of the "normal" people who are out there ]. Jody and I were brought to tears many times watching the adult people who ran. They tried so hard and were so thrilled to just be able to walk or run down the track. they did not try and look nonchalant but were thrilled to be able to compete and finish whether first or last.
I guess I understand where they are coming from. Between having spent 6 months in a wheelchair and my PTSD, I understand the thrill of just trying and making it even 50% of "normal". I wish they had a Special Olympics for PTSD people who understood crying and raging at inappropriate times just because you have been triggered and can't do crap about it.
Mom and Vicki

April 12, 2009

This week seems to be nothing but bad weather and chicken pox. We had a blizzard up here Monday. I went to take the kids to a community easter egg hunt Monday night and had to turn around as the roads got way too bad. Several cars went off and Flossie who had made it to the hunt had a hard time getting home. Of course Jody made it later that night to Bryan's to watch the final Carolina game.
Tuesday everyone missed school because of snow. We got about 6 inches. Weds. little kids missed, but bigs went. Emmie broke out with C Pox on Tues., Gab on Wed. and Tony on Fri. Tony's back is totally covered. I did take them yesterday to Massey Gap up at the park where the wild ponies are. They did an Easter egg hunt there in 35 degree weather. There were only 10 kids there besides mine and about 1000 eggs so they did pretty good. At least the bad weather gave me time for music and sewing.
The weather has been awful for gardening. Jody and Joey and Chris and Johnny did manage to get some of my fruit trees planted yesterday for a couple of hours before Joey, Caleb, Chris, Scotia and Johnny went off on a 3 hour 4 wheeler ride.
Jody and I took advantage of Johnny being home on Fri for the vacation to go off Fri afternoon and do chiropractic and acupuncture treatments, buy animal feed and look at fencing for my strawberry/raspberry mini field, buy Easter outfits for older kids[ I already had them for younger ] and then eat at a great restaurant. If you are in Blowing Rock try it. It is fine dining so somewhat costly, but we had the best chicken marsala ever and they make their own pasta and have great gourmet salads and homemade breads. It is called SSSSpaghetti. It is near the outlets mall in BR.
Well time to go check on my chicken pox kids. Johnny is staying home with them while the rest of us go to church.

Fam News 4-6-09

I have decided because of encouragement from my kids to do the news on this blog.
I think I will start the week backwards
Big news : jenn and Ryan are expecting in Sept. That makes 5 new ones in 5 months and 17 under 6. Get togethers should be interesting
Yesterday was Max's first birthday and I can't wait to see him again birthday. He is such a sweetheart. Everybody please pray he comes thru his ear tube thingy alright on Thurs. Jenn and Ryan and fam did not come this week because we were all worried about Max and chicken pox, but are planning to come in a few weeks. Erin and Mark and kids are coming also soon.
Yesterday and Sat. the weather was so beautiful. we tried to watch conf., but the internet screwed up and Joey came up to roto till our 4 garden spots so we spent it outside. The girls and I gatored while the guys rototilled. Flossie is a speed demon on my gator considering she is 6 months pregnant and Crystal[ 4 months pregnant] was in the back with Scotia and Heather. I was riding shotgun and had to tell her to slow down. I took all the grandkids [ Kars, Cars and Bays ] for rides as well as my kids. The gkids love my 3 baby goats.Jody and I went for a 2 hour ride/picnic supper way up the mountain after all the work.
Sat. we did watch some conf and the boys went into the men's meetings. The girls and little boys and I watched Australia. I really liked that movie.
Friday we got our new/second hand greenhouse.
My birthday was Mon.
And we need to leave for Sam's and food before the big snow storm tonight [ we are supposed to get 8 inches.

As you can see from the 3 bottom pictures, Caleb is highlighted this week. He was 12 on friday. He had a good party with Juana's fried chicken, mashed potatoes , cheese cake and ice cream. He got a skateboard and enough money to go horseback riding for 4 hours. He also got a lego type building kit from Flossie and Chris that he loved. That night we went to the play that Johnny played Action in and was the lead singer as he backed Asa playing Tony in "West Side Story". Everyone thought he was wonderful and the play was done very well. Hannah was in a couple of the dance numbers and she has gotten to be a great dancer, probably was the best.
Jody and I went to Volcano Lodge in Jabailito for two nights and enjoyed the peace and quiet, the food, the reading, the hammock and the chance to have some heart to heart conversation which was long overdue.
Today is Mother's Day and has been very enjoyable so far. I got lots of handmade cards with many kind words, two tea cups, a bracelot and earrings. Jody gave me a great present. A goat herd of 6 milking goats and two Great Pyrenees dogs. Sarah helped me find the goats on Craig's list and they were exactly the breeds I was wanting so instead of waiting a year, we decided to go ahead and get them. Chris has promised to take care of them when I am in Guate. Two of them are milking now and one is due to kid in two months so I will have goat's milk the whole time I am home. Caleb has learned how to milk them and is excited to be able to do it. We have a man with four goats come by the house everyday here and I buy milk from him. He milks them in front of me and lets Caleb help. I bought two goats here for the orphanage. I knew I could not get them without guardian dogs since we have coyotes and bears up where we live so I went online and found two working pyrenees for a great price. Both are One year old and all shots and spade. They are 20 minutes from the goats. And then I got Jody to agree.
I was musing this morning about good Mother's days and bad Mother's days. Today was good. Twelve years ago I saw Caleb at the hospital in Jacksonville , FL for the first time on MD. He was 2 days old. That was a good one. Erin will be 28 on the 13th. The Mother's day before she was born was bittersweet. I was so nervous about my upcoming c-section the next day and so excited about my new baby girl. Jenn will be 31 on the 17th so that Mother's Day was one of waiting for my second child in 10 years and Jody's first birth child.
It was full of excitement. Some of the bad ones were the Mother's Day I miscarried and laid on the couch all day until Jody took me into the doctor for the whatever it is called. That was a worrisome painful day. Then the Mother's day before we went to court to try and keep Christie and Katie and I knew we had a good chance of loosing them after 5 months of raising them. That was a bad one. The rest were probably just normal. But one thing for sure, I felt like a Mother in all of them.
Bethany wrote me this morning and thanked me for staying home with her and raising her and not putting her in day care when she was small. I want to say to my girls [ daughters and daughter -in-laws] how proud I am of them for finding a way to raise their children and be at home with them. It is tempting to go out to work, but I sure am glad I managed to be at home with my kids even if I had to both work and mom at the same time.
Well gotta go.
Love
Mom and Vicki