Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

So far we are having a great Thanksgiving morning. Myles is off to the ward Turkey Bowl. I am finishing up laundry to pack for our family getaway. Shakierra is finishing up her chores (I swear that child only works in slow-motion). And Brad is laying on the couch moaning something like "I need TURKEY!".

We are heading up to have dinner at Inn on The Creek in Midway. Then we are staying in a condo there for the rest of the holiday weekend. We are taking lots of games and movies. It will be a weekend packed with "quality time". I figure we will probably run to the Park City outlets while we are up there too.

Brad's friend Eric will be staying at our house dog-sitting for us. He has done that before, so he totally knows what he is getting himself into. We bought the dogs yummy chew toys and have given them a stern talking-too about being polite to the house guest. Now will will just have to keep our fingers crossed that they don't lock him outside like they did to Mom and Dad. :)

We are Thankful to live in the Land of the Free, the good old U.S. of A.. We are Thankful to be blessed with so many wonderful friends and family. We live highly spoiled lives and try our darnedest not to take it for granted.

"Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart." ~Seneca

One Month Left

The count-down is officially on! One month left until Christmas and counting!!! So....who has even started their Christmas prep? We started early on our family gifts, but I have much shopping left to do for the immediate family. I placed an order today for a few things and went ahead and ordered a gift for myself (for the kids to give me - I so blame Dad for teaching me this tradition!!).

Brad was appalled at my Tree post. How could I even consider a fake tree?!?!? So tonight at Costco, he finally looks at the tree I wanted and was actually impressed. Long story short...we bought the tree. So I feel officially OLD now!

Myles is having a sleep over here tonight. Right now they are wrestling Evie & Lucy. Evie couldn't be happier about this turn of events. While Lucy seems to keep giving me a look as if asking "Are you sure I cant bite them?"

"Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves." ~Virginia Satir

Some like it HOT

I would surely fall into that category. I had asked Brad for a heating blanket for my upcoming birthday. But this week he surprised me with it early. He said he wanted to get as much use out of it as possible, so it was Happy B-Day me a little early :) I have been loving it! Even Evie is hooked on it. The blanket has dual controls, so of course with Brad working nights I only have one side turned on. Evie will NOT sleep on the cold side of the bed now no matter how much coaxing I try (smart girl). Even Brad is enjoying the extra heat (even though he swore he would never even turn his side on).

Myles is running around like crazy trying to get his chores done before heading off to the big rivalry game (BYU vs. Utah for those of you who live in a cave). I was lucky enough to get two tickets to the sold-out game. I was going to go with Myles, but gave-in to his charming boy power. So he and his friend Caleb will be having a "Man's Day". They will ride up on tracks with Caleb's Dad, so no worries there are adults going with them. The boys will be sitting alone though so please pray that we don't see them on national television later today being escorted off the field by security!!! Go UTES!!

Well I am doing laundry and such while Brad tries to grab a few hours of sleep. Then we are off to steal Gracie for a bit. She texted me this morning telling me she really needed a break from her old-fogy parents!!

"I have seen women walk right past a TV set with a football game on and - this always amazes me - not stop to watch, even if the TV is showing replays of what we call a "good hit," which is a tackle that causes at least one major internal organ to actually fly out of a player's body." ~Dave Barry

Twilight

My friend Leslie scored us some free premiere tickets to see Twilight this afternoon (before it was officially released). It was great!! It is a bit corny in a few spots, but hell it is about vampires and teenagers, corny is inevitable!! So a definite "Thumbs Up". I fell in love with Edward all over again. I might just have to read all the books again. I do have to admit that it is a total chic-flick. So ladies, be nice to your hubby, and don't make him go see it with you. It will only make even the best guy feel completely inadequate compared to (swoon) Edward. :)

It was great to hit the theater after work, my stress level is at it's breaking point. I think I manage my stress fairly well, but today I could have devoured 5 gallons of PB&C ice cream!! Times are definitely tough all around these days. I keep telling myself to "Count your Blessings!!". So if you are feeling strained these days, this quotes for you...

"When upon life's billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.
Count your blessing; Name them one by one.
Count your blessings; See what God hath done."
Johnson Oatman (pg 241 hymn book)

Christmas Trees

This morning while driving to work I had a great idea for a subject I wanted to blog about. It was meaningful and I had lots to share on the subject. But alas, I seem to have forgotten that wonderful topic. Sorry folks!! I am sure it will come back to me before to long....so brace yourself for a great posting in the near future :)

I want to hear every ones arguments "for" or "against" Fake Christmas Trees.

I have always had to have a REAL tree. It is part of the holiday tradition for the family to go out on a cold night. The kids pick their favorite tree and then are over ruled by the tree Mom wants. You fight with the poky thing to load it in the car while inflicting as little damage as possible (both to the car and to the tree). You get home and drag the unruly thing in while letting all of the heat escape from the house. Get the stand attached, prop it up only to find it is crooked. Prop books under the stand until it is straight (but hope no one looks at it too hard because even that may make it tip over). Crawl under to water the tree while it's branches get snarled in your hair and at the same time fight off the dog that is trying to drink the water as you are poring it.... Don't even get me started on the placement of the lights!!!! And this is all to set it up, let alone the take down that causes half of the needles to fall off and find their way into every nook and cranny of your home to be vacuumed up over the next 6-9 months.

SO I am finally starting to consider a FAKE tree. I am so disappointed in myself, this must mean I am getting old. So please leave you thoughts on Christmas Tree fun.

"Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died." - Erma Bombeck

Winter is in the Air

We had a great weekend. Friday night my little fam grabbed a quick dinner at El Pollo Loco (yummy!!) then I dropped the kids off at home and Brad took off for work and I headed off to see Mom at the hospital. Both Rob & Sri and Dennis & Tawny were there. It was fun to sit around and shoot the breeze with my brothers that I don't get to see often.

Saturday Shakierra and I cleaned house all morning while Myles was at a Scout Pow-Wow. Saturday evening we had "dinner/game night". I always love game nights!! It was Dennis Tawny, Joe & Heather, Derick & Becky, and us. We played several intense rounds of Chicken-Foot until things started getting hostile :) so we thought we better break for dessert. Then it was on to Scattergories. We had some great laughs, but still kept it fairly clean. Then it was on to the Wii. Can't wait to do it again soon!!!

Today the boys braved the roof and put up the Christmas Lights!!!!! I love it when the lights start showing up around the neighborhood, it makes me feel so festive!! Myles was in "hog heaven" getting to monkey around on the roof!! He even offered to clean the gutters if he could stay up there longer :)

Evie has started having a potty problem lately. Our Home Teacher mentioned that their Greyhound wont pee outside once it gets cold. So maybe it is that with her being so freaking skinny she is too cold when she goes out to be able to finish her business. So we have bought Evie her first sweatshirt!! Brad says this officially puts us on a whole new level of "weird". He says that costumes were one thing, but actual dog clothes...well that is just plain c-r-a-z-y!!!

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

On the Mend

It appears that both Mom and Dad are on the mend!!! (Do a little happy dance)

Dad came home from the hospital this afternoon and is resting peacefully at home. He is stiff, but already able to get himself up and walk using his walker. Great Job Dad!!

We had a bit of a scare with Mom on Wednesday. Heather was trying to help Mom get up from her bed and into the bathroom, but Mom couldn't move at all. She had absolutely no strength or muscle control. So the ambulance was called and Mom was admitted to AF Hospital. After a long evening and night with no answers they finally discovered that she has pneumonia. By the amount of fluid in her lungs and her oxygen levels as they were, they say she has had it for several weeks!!!!! Well no wonder she was always short of breath, light headed, and her muscles fatigued to no-end....she had no oxygen! So now they are treating her with an arsenal of IV antibiotics. She should be in the hospital for 3-4 days and then if all goes well she should be coming home after that.

"Some of the secret joys of living are not found by rushing from point A to point B, but by inventing some imaginary letters along the way." ~Douglas Pagels

Productive Day

Well if the last few days have been ho-hum and sort of boring, today surely got us back on track. Today I:
did some laundry (good thing I actually like doing laundry),
got the garage door opener replaced (thanks Derick for referring us to a great repair-man),
did a bit of sewing,
read a little of my new book "The Longer Trip Home" (way funny so far),
prepared Sundays Primary lesson,
met my sweet hubby for lunch (yummy Greek food),poor Brad worked till 1pm today,
worked half a day (I could get used to that),
picked up Myles and went to Provo to see Dad at the hospital (he is doing awesome!!),
got Myles' hair cut (finally I have my sweet clean-cut boy back)
and now I am in my PJ's in front of the computer trying to convince myself that it is still too early to go to bed :)

So there you have it folks, a much more productive day!!

"The greatest gift I ever had
Came from God;
I call him Dad!"~Author Unknown

Whole lot of Nothing!

That is exactly what is going on here at the Jolley household. We are pretty boring folks as of late. This weekend I did some sewing, took Myles to a Merit Badge activity, went to church, did laundry... guess that about sums it up. So sorry for the lack of postings, but seriously you haven't missed much.

Today Dad went in and had Knee Surgery. He has a brand spanking new left knee now. He is doing well. He will be in the hospital for at least 3 days. I took Mom in for her blood test today and they decided she needed more of the good-stuff. So we hung out at the hospital (different hospital I might add) while Mom got 2 units of blood.

"It is wonderful to know that our Heavenly Father loves us--even with all our flaws! His love is such that even should we give up on ourselves, He never will."We see ourselves in terms of yesterday and today. Our Heavenly Father sees us in terms of forever. Although we might settle for less, Heavenly Father won't, for He sees us as the glorious beings we are capable of becoming."--Joseph B Wirthlin

Snow, Snow, Go Away!!

It was starting to snow when we left the gym last night, and I thought nothing of it. But then when I woke to a blizzard this morning I was nothin short of shocked!! So I knew it was going to take longer to get to get to work. But then as I was about to leave the gosh-dang garage door broke! So I had to drag Brad out of bed (poor guy had just fallen asleep). Now when I say it was "broke" I mean it, not even the emergency release would give!! So after quite a while of working on it Brad used a hammer to get the door dislodged from the chain so we could at least manually open the door. I know, this sounds drastic, but hell we had to get the cars out of there somehow!! So if anyone has a hidden talent of garage door maintenance knowledge... feel free to share the love!!
So I finally get out of there and on the road to work, but man the snow made traffic a freakin mess! It took me a full hour to get from my house to Bangeter HWY. So in all it took me nearly 2 hours to get to work. So I stayed late tonight to make up for the missed time.
So now you find me rambling about my pathetic day while I wait for my dinner to digest enough to safely mount the elliptical without tossing my cookies! I know...I really need to get out more :)

"When in doubt, make a fool of yourself. There is a microscopically thin line between being brilliantly creative and acting like the most gigantic idiot on earth. So what the hell, leap." ~Cynthia Heimel

Weekend Happenings

We tried to get good shots of the dogs in their Halloween costumes, but to no avail! The little hoodlums wouldn't hold still for nothin!! So here are the best shots we were able to capture. Lovely little Evie was a Cheer Leader and Lucy was the Football star!!!

By the end of the night Lucy was looking at me as if to say "Why oh why must you humiliate us like this year ofter year?!?!?" And my simple reply is "because my kids are too old for it, so now it passes on to the four-legged family members." :)

Saturday we went to Grandma and Grandpa Jolley's studio to have our family pictures taken. I really wanted the dogs in this years picture (oh foolish me). Lucy was great, as usual, but Evie...well if you have met her then no explanation is needed. But we made it thru pictures and I cant wait to see the finished product!!

Saturday night we went out on the town with Becky and Derick. By "the town" I mean American Fork. I know, we are some "wild and crazy guys"!! We chowed on Mexican food, bowled until our arms ached, and ate yummy ice cream! It was great fun. Cant wait to do it again :)

"A good friend is cheaper than therapy." ~Author Unknown