Ru World

Am I crazy?

2011-11-06T18:17:00.003-05:00

Just a little update on me and what I am doing. During my second year of teaching I started my Masters in Educational Leadership. I enjoyed the classes and was set to move into a leadership role. Then came the big move from New Mexico and I did not finish my degree. When I came to my current county I decided that I needed more time. In that time I have taught for 13 years and received my Masters in Education. I have always remembered my desire to go into leadership and have enjoyed opportunities to lead and to teach. This summer while at camp (you might remember those crazy times) I was prompted to put this dream back towards the front of my priorities. I also spent time this summer with one of the greatest principals (she will remain nameless to protect the innocent :) I was able to help with interviews, scheduling, and to see some ins and outs of what goes on. She encouraged me to move along with my education.
So, here is the update! I went to an information meeting on Sept. 27th for a Specialists program with a local university. I was very impressed and knew that this was the program I had been waiting on. On October 18th all of my paperwork was due to the county to be accepted into their leadership cohort. On November 3rd I got my acceptance letter and will need to turn in all my paperwork to apply to the university before Dec. 1st. Yesterday morning I bought my practice book for the GRE and last night I reserved my seat to take the test on Nov. 17th. (The last day to take it and reach all the deadlines.) Some think I should be scared, but I don't have time to think about that. I welcome any words of encouragement or tricks of the trade for doing well.
I know that this is the path I should be taking right now, so I know it will work out. I am excited for this new adventure, but just thinking about it makes me a little tired. I think I will go take a nap! :)

Why Don't You Blog About It!

2011-06-29T21:55:00.035-04:00

I have gotten this response or the question, “When are you going to update your blog?” a lot lately. I really don’t have an excuse except I know I don’t have time to do the kind of job I would like to, so I don’t do it at all. I am sure I have a problem that Dr. Phil could help me with.
Amanda asked me when I would blog about Korea and I said, “Oh, I haven’t done that yet?” I was then asked about Alaska and Argentina and then I think they were just teasing me, but it helped me remember something that was said to me the last time I was in Africa. As I got to know the team members better and we shared parts of our lives with each other a friend of mine told me I lived a charmed life. I believe that is so true and I am grateful for everything I have experienced. Sometimes I get bogged down with the busyness and everyday schedules to realize what a charmed life I do have and to remember to share my joys with others.
Thanks for those of you who have cared that my blog was not updated and I will try to do a better job.
I will share a few pictures from my recent days and then do a better job in the future while I try to catch up on the past.

I don’t know why but when I saw this shirt I had to have it and every time I think about it I think of Joseph for some reason. Anyone know what I am saying?

This is the window in my new classroom. It is all fogged over because the air works well in the room. Oh yeah! BONUS! Here are some before pics of my room. Yes, I am already at school working on my room for next year and spending plenty of time planning.

I had quite an adventure at girls’ camp this year including a horrible storm that wreaked havoc on our camp. I was very lucky to come out of it unharmed physically. I was in my tent surrounded by trees for the worst of it. Limbs took out tents, cars, and the quick shade that was right next to my tent. It was the “Paper Mill Party Place” complete with a disco ball and everything before the wind and rain came. I got a few pictures after the storm and one during, but the limb had been removed and cleanup had happened before I thought to get out my camera.

Katherine brought joy to camp even during the storm. Evidence of our stormed on Party Place after quite a bit of cleanup. Me with the disco ball, it survived. :) My tent with the wreckage in the background. The storm came up so quickly, we really are lucky to have come out of all of it fine.

How can you not laugh when someone this cute makes such a mess?
I cherish any time I can spend with the little ones in our family. Come on over!
A few random pictures of the fam.

The end of the school year was a whirlwind of excitement with the temple rededication celebration, testing, and relay. At times I was not sure I would make it through, but I have great memories from it all.

OK, that is enough charmed life for now! Good night :)

Math Made Me Cry!

2010-09-12T16:35:00.008-04:00

It was a dark and silent time in the cafeteria...just thought I could make it a scary story, but then I changed my mind. Friday before last the lights were out in the cafeteria. At our school this means no talking. We have last lunch this year and my class has been struggling with their behavior. Every time I turn around someone is saying to them, "I don't understand, Miss Martin always has the best class." I want to say to them, "I do understand, they are no worse than any other class, they just have no one else to take up any of the attention." Anyhow, when the lights were turned back on someone in my class decided to express their joy by yelling YEAH! I was innocently enjoying my lunch in the staff lounge when the head custodian came in to give my the bad news. Apparently not only did the yelling occur, but no one would rat out the offender. He told me that I needed to take care of the problem and that until the guilty was pinpointed my class had silent lunch. Silent lunch! What, it is one of two times during the day when they get to talk about whatever they want. We have such a hard time making it to that time of day anyway. I decided that this would come to an end quickly. I just knew that I could handle this situation. Friday after lunch usually involves those who have behaved participating in "Fun Friday" (30 minutes of recess). Hey, I didn't make it up, but have to go along with it because it has always been this way. Those students who have not behaved must stay inside in the "Reflection Room" (a horrible place where they have to miss the time outside and fill out a paper detailing all their wrongs and how they will behave in the future) Again, a tradition and a place I hate to be every fifth week. Anyhow, I was scheduled to be outside as was my entire class. I decided we would take as much of Fun Friday as was needed to take care of this problem and move on. I let the class share I statements about lunch, this means they could say, "I heard someone yell YEAH" not "So and so yelled YEAH". We went about this until I had heard enough. No one was volunteering to say, " I yelled YEAH!", so I decided to take it one step further. Everyone was asked to come speak to me in private in the hallway (just in case they did not want to confess in public). I just knew this would find the culprit. One by one they all came out and one by one they said they had no clue who did it or they blamed someone, but with nothing to back up their blame. This tactic didn't work so I decided that now we were all in the reflection room. I pulled out the reflection sheets and made a big deal about passing them all out. I even had to make more copies and told them that I didn't ever expect to have to use this may in a whole year much less in one week (true). They all wrote down the despicable behavior that got them there and then one brave girl raised her hand and asked "what am I supposed to put for how I will act next week when I didn't do anything wrong?" She was right! I had no idea. I quickly covered up my stumpedness and told her she needed to be creative. They all signed their guilty papers, I signed them and I made a pile to send home to their parents. I couldn't believe this was happening. I told them the story of when I was in third grade and I spilled red kool-aid on my parents white bedspread while no one else was around. When mom discovered it and asked who did it I was not about to confess since no one could prove it was me. Mom gave us one hour to find out who did it before we all got punished. After an hour of "did you do its?" I still hadn't cracked. The time was up and just before the spankings began, I confessed. Oh the horror! I never wanted to feel that way again and tell that story every year to teach the importance of telling the truth. Even Miss Martin has to learn that lesson once! No one cracked! Sincerely what is wrong with this class or was it me. I took it to the next level, technology. I pulled up my e-mail on the SMART board to show them all how I was letting the custodian know that his punishment of silent lunch for the REST of the year would stand because no one had confessed. Before I hit send I asked if anyone wanted to stop me. NOTHING! I thought, OK, one day of silent lunch should do it. I personally felt the punishment was too much, but I can't take back what was already decided while I was innocently eating my salad. Sincerely people, don't say something you are not ready to follow through on. I give the custodian credit because on Monday when it was time for our first silent lunch, he stayed with them. Thanks for not making me do it. One day, two days, FIVE days! I couldn't believe it. Everyday we had a short little lecture and I told the class that I was always available to anyone who needed to talk. By day five I just knew I could no longer take it. The looks of disappointment on the faces of the innocent ones. All along I thought I knew who the guilty one was and I would make sure to look him in the eye whenever I lectured the group about the injustice of it all. Well, you ask, what does this have to do with math and crying. OK, I will tell you. About Wednesday, I started saying that I couldn't believe that someone was making the whole class have silent lunch for 30 minutes each day when their punishment would have been to sit out at recess for 5 minutes. By Friday I was determined to make this all come to an end and so I pulled out my old friend, MATH. Five minutes times one person is five minutes. Thirty minutes times five days is 150 minutes. Well that is the time that one person had spent in silence over all this. Well, 17 people times 150 minutes is 2,550 minutes! I did the math for them and let that sink in. I then told them that we have silent lunch for the rest of the year and 2,550 minutes times 30 more weeks (that's right people, only 30 more weeks of school) and that would be 76,550 minutes of silence versus 5 minutes of recess. I let that sink in while I called them up one at a time to get ready for this week's Fun Friday. One by one they came up. We got to the boy who I had silently blamed all week in my head and nothing. My brain thought, "ARE YOU KIDDING ME! WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE CHILDREN OF TODAY?" I had almost made it to the end of the list when I heard the silence broken, "Miss Martin, I did it, it was me!" I looked across the room to see the tortured eyes of an eight year old. Can you imagine the guilt of knowing all week that it was you causing all this trouble. The class looked around in shock. None of us has suspected this little boy, not even me. I began to cry! I did not realize how much stress I had been carrying around over all this. I could not imagine letting the guilt build for a whole week. I had barely made it one hour when I was his age. I got myself composed and moved on from this whole ugly ordeal and he spent five minutes sitting out at recess after he apologized to the whole class. Luckily for me the lights were out and maybe they didn't realize that math made me cry :)

Just a Peek!

2010-03-02T23:40:00.003-05:00

I DID IT!

MY Snowman

2010-02-17T22:25:00.004-05:00

Last time it snowed I told Andrew I would make him a snowman, but the ice (snow) would not cooperate. So, this time I made the best snowman in the neighborhood for Andrew and Angel. I knew you would like him!

He even made friends quickly! He did get to stay in town longer than most, but left today :)

A Lesson I Learned

2010-01-30T23:52:00.002-05:00

This summer one of the things I learned or relearned while I was in Kenya is that everyone has something they can teach you no matter who they are. I am trying very hard to remember that on a daily basis. Some people really try me where this is concerned. I need to just get something off my mind and it is not directed toward any of you, but if you need the lesson feel free to learn. If you don't have your act together please stay out of my business! All up in my kool-aid and don't even know the flavor! OK, I am done and will move on now! :)

Who Knew?

2010-01-21T07:43:00.009-05:00

Who knew that 10+ years ago when I bought an emergency gas can for my car I would actually need it!

So, yesterday was one crazy, busy day. It started at 4:00am and went strong ALL day with school and getting ready for our joint activity, Are You Smarter Than a Deacon or Beehive? (lots of fun BTW) During my nonstop day and while turning around for the second time because of bridge repair my gas light came on. I had not a spare moment and was not headed in the right direction to stop at my favorite Chevron. (Seriously, it is crazy to get to if you are not going in the right direction especially during rush hour(s), but they have the best prices.) It crossed my mind to go over after the activity, but I opted for the morning.

I am taking a sick day today in order to get over my cold before parent teacher conferences start next week. Because I borrowed desks from my classroom for the activity I had to bring them back in this morning. My morning started at 4am because I wanted to make sure I got my plans done without having to rush. I headed out to school in time to get gas and make it to school just as the doors opened at 6:00. I went the route needed to pass by the gas station only to find out that it is not open in the 5 o'clock hour. I decided I would just have to stop by on the way home. I went to school and had all the desks waiting outside the door when it opened at 6:00. I got everything ready for the sub and headed home.

I decided to take the non-interstate route even though it would mean I was headed in the wrong direction for the gas station, but I figured it was early enough that I would be OK. About half way there I knew I was in trouble. My car felt like it was coughing as bad as I was last night and slowed ready to stop several times. I sent up a plea to heaven because I was not sure I would make it around the corner to the next major road. I did not want to be the cause of a major traffic problem especially in the rain. Of course the traffic light was red and my plea got stronger as I could not find a turn off to get out of traffic. With help I made it into a parking lot wondering where the nearest gas station was. I usually take the interstate and don't pay attention to gas stations on the back roads because I have always filled up in time. My GPS told me there was a Shell 0.1 miles away :) Who knows if I could have made it, but I had no problems walking there. I got the gas can that had been silently waiting all those years and headed out.

I was glad for the sidewalk and thankful that the rain seemed to have slowed to a sprinkle. Luckily I had opted to put on my jeans instead of heading out in my pjs. I had opted for my flip flops, but we are having some spring like weather.

I got my gas and the rain didn't even pick back up until I was back at my car. I filled up and made a stop at Chick-fil-A to calm my nerves. There is nothing like a chicken mini or four to make me feel better :)

My stomach is full and so is my gas tank. I was back snug in my bed all before school started or the sun even came up!

Only problem: now my emergency gas can stinks and has ruined the clean linen smell of my car. Do I throw it out and get a new one or can I clean it somehow?

Technical Difficulty

2010-01-06T16:17:00.002-05:00

I just wanted all my loyal fans to know that I am not neglecting my blog. My power cord to my work issued laptop finally bit the dust and I have to wait on the system to work in my favor for the replacement. I refuse to take the time to stay after school to blog, but will reconsider if the delay is longer than another week. I rely on my laptop as it is the only computer I have. One day I MIGHT be a real computer owner :) Thanks for your patience during this difficult time!
hugs-ME

Funnel Cakes

2010-01-01T14:12:00.002-05:00

For New Year's Eve I tried my hand at funnel cake making! This is the best looking one of them all and it is not all that good looking. They sure did taste good! Long story short, I have not found a new career, but maybe a new holiday tradition :) Who wants to come over next year?

Sophie's Blog

2009-12-28T12:22:00.002-05:00

Over Christmas Sophie informed me that she is going to start a blog. I graciously let her know that I could get some ideas for what to call her blog. So, come on people, help her out. Elizabeth suggested "Seriously Sophie" which I think is not too bad. I was thinking maybe "Sassy Sophie" or "Sensitive Sophie". What do you think? Maybe "Secretly Sophie" since she said she might not tell us when she does start a blog.

Today's Randomness

2009-12-27T00:05:00.005-05:00

We started the morning with a trip to the temple. Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, Maryann, and I all went for a session.

When we got home Frank, Tyler, and Landon had joined us and Landon challenged Dad to a pirate ship battle. He came prepared with quite a crew and cannons to spare. This was towards the end when Landon was moving in for the kill and Dad finally surrendered. They made a plan for their next conflict. I think Dad needs to get some backup cannons ;)

We had several games going at once for quite the game adventure. Max, I can see your cards :)

These are our "serious" card game faces. I need a rematch!

The Blind Side

2009-12-26T00:40:00.002-05:00

So, I had to recover from my late night last night and I was taking a nap after breakfast :) when Amanda called and wanted to know if I wanted to go to the movies. When I told her I could not afford a movie she said it would be free because she had some passes left over from last Christmas. We went to see The Blind Side and I have to say that it was one of the best movies I have seen in quite a long time. I am not sure why I felt like I was the only one bawling in the movie. I tried to keep it under control and not go all "I am Sam" * during this moving, but there were several parts that just really got to me. On the way home Amanda said that Mrs. Tuohy reminded her of me. Thanks, I can't think of a better compliment! The movie definitely made me want to be able to do more. If you haven't seen it yet, it is worth the money. Better yet just wait and buy it because you are going to want it in your collection. Hey, while you are at it you can buy me a copy too :) The world would be a much better place if we could all be like this!
When we got home from the movie Mom had a delicious meal all ready for us. Thanks, Mom!
I told Megan to wake me up when they were finished with the dishes so we could all play games. Remember my nap that I was taking, well I had to finish it up :) I woke up about 4 hours later to find the dishes done and everyone in bed, hence the late post. I hope I didn't miss game night! I am definitely going to have to do something to get my regular sleep hours back, and I had been doing so well :(

* I am Sam is one of my all time favorite movies. You are just not a normal individual if you can make it through this movie without crying, so bring some tissue. If you are really nice I might loan you my copy, but only if you promise to take very good care of it and to not keep it too long!

Christmas Miracle

2009-12-25T00:40:00.002-05:00

I wanted to post a picture of the Christmas presents I finished making yesterday, but I did not want to ruin any one's surprise. They look great! I spent the morning wrapping them all up and after Maryann got off work we headed to Alabama.
The miracle comes in the fact that Dad actually stayed up until 11:30 playing games with us! I know hard to believe. We played Uno Spin and Phase 10 Twist, just a couple of the games I have gotten lately. Sorry if you bought me one of these games for Christmas ;0 I lost count with how many games I have gotten since Thanksgiving, but I just can't help myself. I might have to do away with the dining room and turn it into the game room. (Now that was a great thought!) Merry Christmas Eve! (Does it count? I am in Alabama, but it is Christmas at my house.)

Guilty Pleasure

2009-12-23T22:59:00.004-05:00

I actually like my feet! Most people would find them ugly and I am not saying they are beautiful, but I enjoy them. Several years ago I got my first pedicure and now I believe I am hooked. I don't go as often as most, but when I NEED it and can afford it, I go. Usually during the winter I do not bother since most people would not see my feet. With my recent birthday accident I had decided to just wait until spring, but today I could take it no longer and since Maryann gave me money for a pedicure for my birthday I could not resist. I have been waiting for my leg to heal and the scab came off over Thanksgiving. The scar is not very attractive, but hopefully it will fade over time. It is nice to be back to normal :)

2+ months later

Love in my life!

2009-12-22T21:18:00.003-05:00

All who know me know that I love water...ICE water to be exact. One of the first things I do when I get to work in the morning is go to the ice machine and fill up. After I fill my cup with ice, I add water, water, and more water all day long. Thanks to my great cup the ice lasts over 24 hours. It is rare that you find me and not my cup. If you do not see my cup, rest assured it is not far away. The children in my class understand the importance of my cup and treasure it almost as much as I do. They even volunteer to bring it to me when they can tell I am a little irritable and need a little water. The only time I seem to manage without the ice is when I go to Africa. It is a blessing to just have drinkable water.
School is usually my best source of ice. The cafeteria workers expect me each morning. One morning not too long ago I went for ice and there wasn't any. I stood in shock wondering what to do, when the cafeteria manager saw me and told me not to panic, he would take care of it. Not more than an hour later he came to my room with a fresh bag of ice just for me. Wow! He is cool. On the weekends I always have a dilemma because it is up to me to make sure the ice trays are full and ready. I am not always the best at this. This long break causes even more of a problem as I have to be on top of my game for so long. (I should just get my water hooked up to my wonderful refrigerator.)
This morning I went to school to take care of some business and was excited to visit the clean ice machine. (They cleaned it on Friday for the break.) To my horror the ice machine was nice and clean and also empty! It was never turned back on! I worried how I would make it through the day since my cup was empty. Luckily I had some water bottles in my car and with the freezing weather they were nice and cold. Just another luxury I have found that I take for granted.
Now, for the point of my post, did you know you can buy a bag of ice from Sonic? You know that great pebble ice. With the disappointment of having no ice at school I treated myself to a bag of ice from Sonic. My day was saved and I have had GREAT ice water all evening :)

Things I am thankful for right now:
1. Working ice machines (back-up ice from Sonic)
2. My 100oz. clown cup from Holiday
3. Lots of good, clean water

PS- Sorry to those of you who saw the title and were hoping for something other than ice ;)

Let's Go Outback Tonight!

2009-12-21T22:34:00.003-05:00

So, it all started many years ago with three friends and one infant. Outback was our original meeting place. We have now grown to five adults and five children. We have tried other places, but Outback and their cheese fries are our favorite. Our group was smaller than normal tonight, but our next dinner member was announced! Congratulations Michelle and Erick! I can't wait to meet your little one. I am grateful for wonderful friends and dinner traditions.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture. I guess our waitress is not a photographer for a reason ;)

Nativities

2009-12-20T22:19:00.006-05:00

Here are a few of my nativities from my travels. The pictures don't do them justice. Stop by anytime to see them in person.

Argentina

Kenya

Masaai Nativity from Kenya

Love it next to Musimbi and Muli.

Keeping Warm

2009-12-19T23:42:00.005-05:00

In an effort to get ready for the new year and to be a better blogger, I am going to TRY to add a new post every day of break. I will probably be catching up on adventures from the past.
So, here we go. Last night I got to spend time with the Engstrom crew. It was my second day in a row seeing them and a real treat. When they started to wind down a little Cami went to the door and started to cry. I picked her up and she actually let me hold her! I brought her to my chair and the other two decided to join us so we could all stay warm togther. I will admit that is was a little chilly. We stayed like this for a while when Mia decided to jump ship saying she was too hot. It left me with a draft :(

Maryann's Blog?

2009-12-06T22:10:00.003-05:00

So, Maryann has always said that when she got her own computer she would start a blog. We all know Maryann now has a brand spanking new, top of the line computer. When I asked her where her blog was she said she is trying to decide what to name it. She needs help! Make a comment with your idea so she can get on with it. You know she checks our blogs more than we do :) Make is clever, witty, and oh so Maryann. BTW, she did not like my suggestion of Maryann's Mumblings :)

I promise Thanksgiving and the Grand Canyon are coming soon!

The Ghosts of Halloween Past

2009-10-31T22:21:00.013-04:00

When I announced my retirement last year HERE I promised pictures, so here they are :) Happy Halloween '08
Maybe next year I can pull a Garth Brooks and come out of retirement :) Stay tuned!

Just click to enjoy an oldie, but goodie!

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/10/aunt-angels-halloween-dance-party.html

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/10/all-dressed-up-and-ready-to-party.html

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/10/just-goofing-around.html

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/10/thanks-for-cookies-aunt-diane.html

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/11/check-out-my-slide-show_4312.html

http://ru-world-wandering.blogspot.com/2007/11/party-time.html

Pumpkin Carving

2009-10-26T21:35:00.003-04:00

We carved pumpkins at FHE tonight. This picture is for Joseph! I carved one and David carved the other. Can you guess where David works? :)

Happy 34th to Me!

2009-10-25T20:29:00.010-04:00

My room mom organized a surprise for my birthday. She knew that my favorite chocolate was dove and so she sent in a basket and it quickly got filled with bag after bag of dove chocolate. Believe it or not I still have plenty of it left. I have even discovered that dove dark chocolate is good. I guess your tastes do change as you get older. The last student to arrive brought me the "big" bag. When he walked in I said "please tell me that bag is not full of chocolate?" He told me it was, but luckily it was not. Believe it or not, two weeks later that balloon is still flying high!

Maryann treated me to Longhorn for dinner. I got the three cheese and bacon-wrapped fillet. It was yummy! Here is a close-up.

My present to myself was extra special this year. I have a bad habit of doing more than one thing at once. I was shaving my legs when the phone rang. The call caused me to need to hurry and this was the result. Needless to say, I am not very happy and need to rethink this whole multi-tasking thing. Above is a few hours after it happened and below is two weeks later. I am hoping to not have a horrible scar. Maryann gave me money for my next pedicure. Heavens know I need it, but it will have to wait!

My Rain Day from School

2009-09-27T21:25:00.039-04:00

When I came home from Africa this year Maryann informed me that we had a tree growing in our backyard and I needed to take care of it. She has periodically reminded me of the tree and told me that it is just getting bigger!
I have always just wanted a yard with grass that I can lay in and look at the stars. I have cleaned the yard and others have cleaned the yard, but I have never planted grass. I have a friend who always said she was going to plant grass for me when I was away in Africa. Alas, that has never happened.
I had the day off of school because of rain and it ended up being quite a nice day at my house. A thought came to me in the morning "hey, with all the rain it might be pretty easy to pull all that up." The morning was pretty cool weather wise, so I decided "why not?"

Here is the famous "tree".

The yard before I started working.

Here is the evil enemy that has even tried to take over the bike. Do you know what it is? :)

Here I am all decked out and ready to work complete with long sleeves, long pants, socks and shoes, and my bathroom gloves. At this point I am unsure if I will have a reaction to the enemy.

I pulled the "tree" up first. Like the roots?

Then I started in on the bigger growth.

Not sure what was growing. Don't tell Maryann, but I think they are actually "baby trees" from the evil tree in our yard because I recognize the evil berries.

After six hours of work with a break for lunch and a nap, I have finally finished!

With the afternoon sun and all that work I was hot, tired, and ready for a shower

Did these pants really use to fit me? I mean I know I have never had much of anything in the rear area, but seriously. I had to keep pulling my pants up because I did not think to put on a belt. I was hoping I did not end up with a rash from the enemy where I had to keep pulling up my pants :)

Since it was only two days before Maryann's birthday, I decided this would be the perfect gift :)

I even saved her tree! Happy 36th!

Maybe for my birthday I will get grass or at least a new pair of bathroom gloves :) Who wants to help?
BTW, I guess either I did a great job of staying covered and washing off or I am not allergic to the enemy. I think it was the latter, because at one point I pulled a huge vine out of the real tree and it landed on my face on the way down.

Sneak-a-Peek

2009-07-26T17:11:00.005-04:00

Memory on Monday

2009-07-06T13:22:00.002-04:00

I was going through some old vidoes and pictures and I ran across this gem. I thought you might enjoy it. I don't know when it was taken and I think you can figure out where.

"Eye" did it!

2009-06-13T15:38:00.009-04:00

Several years ago on The Amazing Race, Phil introduced me to The London Eye and ever since then I have wanted to take it for a spin. Well, thanks to some great friends and just the right timing I finaly accomplished the goal. It was so worth it! I will spare you ALL the details and photos, but here are just a few.

Tad, Alicia, Me, Amber, and Big Ben :)

I LOVE MY LIFE!

2009-06-12T09:28:00.004-04:00

I know I don't post as often as I should and let you know all the great things I love about my life, but I just wanted to make sure you all know that I LOVE MY LIFE! Thanks for being such a great part of my wonderful life! I know it is a bit cheesy and a little out of character, but please just indulge me. This is how I really feel. A friend from Africa sent me this picture. I do not like pictures of myself, but this one says it all to me.

Help! I need OREOS, lots of them!

2009-04-10T09:42:00.006-04:00

It all started with Valentine's Day and a great idea I had to raise money for Africa. With Diane's help and an all-nighter we managed to fill all the orders.

Easter came along and I had another great idea. Diane saved the day again, but we planned ahead and no one had to stay up all night.

Now Mother's Day is right around the corner and I am opening orders to the whole school. I NEED oreos and lots of them. If you see Oreos on sale, run don't walk to the phone and let me know. Every penny saved is a penny raised for Africa and Relay for Life.

By-the-way, if you have wondered why I haven't updated in a while, now you know what I have been up to :) If you need to order some for your mother (or yourself) just let me know. Only $10 for a dozen.

Hey, what a deal!

2009-02-28T23:11:00.000-05:00

So I signed up to get something homemade and totally free. The only catch is that I had to post something on my blog.

Here's how it works..... The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. BUT, in order for you to leave a comment on my blog, you have to post this on your blog first. (That means that sometime during this year you will send a gift to 3 people as well.) Get it? So, the first 3 people to comment on this post will be the lucky ones! It's a race!

Christmas I

2009-01-10T21:48:00.001-05:00

I am posting several slide shows of Christmas. If there are pictures you would like sent to you, you need to send me the number.

Christmas II

2009-01-10T21:47:00.000-05:00

Christmas III

2009-01-10T21:46:00.000-05:00

Surprise!

2008-12-13T11:11:00.004-05:00

I know this is not a post that any of you would have expected from me, but this morning I got up earlier than I wanted to and participated in my first 5K race. Yes you heard me correctly. The race was called Sleighbells on the Square and a friend from work was getting a group together. I decided it would be fun to go with the group and since my treadmill and I have been on many 5K's together, I knew I could do it. I will post the pictures at the event when they get e-mailed to me, but for now here is my shirt and number. :) It was a lot of fun. Maybe I have found a new hobby!

Here We Come!

2008-12-06T20:46:00.003-05:00

I bought a printer, copier, scanner and this is one of the reasons I wanted to buy one. Recognize anyone? I can't wait for us to recreate this picture and add more to it.

Keeping Warm

2008-11-30T21:51:00.003-05:00

Maryann asked if we could move the tredmill out of my bedroom and into the living room. I thought that was a great idea and decided that was fine, but the TV could only be turned on if one of us was on the tredmill. So far, OK. This was Maryann's turn on the tredmill. Flannel gown, no shoes and all. We decided that as long as you had walked for an hour you could watch all the TV you want. We will keep you updated. Let's just consider this the before picture. :)

I LOVE THE COLD!

2008-11-30T21:41:00.005-05:00

Mom, Dad, and Megan came to spend the night on Thanksgiving. Meagan pulled the short straw and got stuck on the short couch. She thought it was just a little cold. Yes, she has on a fleece, two blankets, and a HAT! I think the temperature in our house is just fine. Sometimes I even get a little warm and have to turn on the ceiling fan. I took a picture of the thermostat to prove it was not too cold. :) You can see the heat is on. It is set at 56, I will admit that I thought I had it set on 58. I now remember the day I got too hot and turned it down some more. Anyone want to come for a visit?

Biltmore Trip

2008-11-30T21:27:00.005-05:00

We took a Saturday and drove up to North Carolina. We had a great time touring the house. I thought Mia was too cute with her headphones, but we were not allowed to take pictures in the house. When we got to the end I asked the workers if we could step outside to take the picture of Mia. They saw how cute Mia is and so they said yes. This is the third picture I took. I told her to make sure she looked at me. You can see the silliness on her face.

My Official Retirement

2008-10-17T21:50:00.005-04:00

I know I have been threatening for years to retire from the Halloween Party Scene, but tonight has brought me to the end. I am too old and faint of heart to continue. Some of you may sigh and say, it is about time. Others might wonder what could have possibly caused this tragic separation of Aunt Ruth and her favorite holiday. For those of you who say, it is about time, I say, don't read on. For those of you who are curious as to what happened, I will tell you.

I knew there was a problem when during a rather amusing pillow fight I had the worry that someone was about to get hurt. I quickly halted the excitement and brought the gang down a few notches. Now mind you, I have always worried about such things and I feel I have kept the children safe over the years, but this was just the start.

Henry requested a traditional game of hide-and-seek. I was hoping to avoid such traditions this year, so I put him off by saying we had to wait until it got dark. It no sooner got dark than there Henry was reminding me of the promised entertainment. I set the rules and helped Henry count. Chase was very inventive and crawled to the end of his sleeping bag. When he got eerily still I started to worry that he had suffocated. (Maybe I watch too many shows like CSI and SVU) It turns out he was probably just falling asleep.

During the same round the big event happened.

The lights were out, like they are during all good games of hide-and-seek. Josh had tried to shove his sixteen year old body between the chair and the table head first and had stopped half way. It didn't bother me until he was "found" and he didn't move. All number of kids were shaking him and telling him to get up just feet from where I had been sitting the whole time. Still no response from Josh. I began to panic, but didn't want to alarm the children, so I told him to get up. Still no movement. I told him he was scaring me while hoping he was just joking, (he is a lot like his Uncle Joseph). I told the kids to pull his pants down. I thought for sure that would get him up. Well, four and five year-olds don't know that you wouldn't just pull someone's pants down and so I panicked when I started to see skin and there still wasn't any movement from Josh. By now there was no hiding my fear when I called a halt to the derobing. I could just imagine my horror of explaining that I didn't know he was dead until we pulled his pants down. At this point I will tell you that Josh is lucky I did not kill him. Makayla said she was about to cry because she thought he was dead also. He never let her get close to pulling his pants down. Josh had decided he wanted to trick us and when he heard my order to pull his pants down he failed to take into account that the four year-olds would proceed. Long story short, my heart cannot take such close calls to failure and so it is with great regret and much sorrow that I must announce my retirement.

Lucky for all the grandchildren, Landon has offered his home as the site of the next family Halloween Party. I say this is a grand idea and honestly I think it is a winner. Maybe the party could rotate among the families so everyone could experience the excitement first hand. I always wondered who would throw the cool parties for my children and now I know it is all of you. What do you think?

Pictures to follow at a later time. NO!, not of this incident.

Happy Birthday Maryann

2008-09-24T20:35:00.003-04:00

Maryann got her hair cut for her birthday. Here is a picture of it along with her gift from me (as if a car full of balloons wasn't enough). HeeHee!

Early Morning

2008-09-24T07:16:00.002-04:00

I got up at 4:30 this morning. Tune in later to see what I was doing!

O.K. It is later and I am sure I will not be ruining the secret. So, we all know it is Maryann's birthday. I got up early to make her breakfast...

AND to fill her car with balloons! Happy Birthday Maryann :)

If you are wondering about the breakfast, it has crescent rolls on the top and bottom. The filling is a roll of sausage and one package of cream cheese. After tasting it, I would double the sausage and cream cheese or make it in a smaller pan. I will be trying it out again. I think I might also add some mustard :)

If you are wondering about the balloons, I started with 35 and one to grow on, but that was not full enough, so I put in 53. I just switched the digits (same number right?) I wanted to do more, but decided I would have to be happy with this full.

Episode III

2008-09-21T20:39:00.003-04:00

Sorry this is so long in coming, enjoy!

Another One Bites the Dust

2008-08-03T21:46:00.003-04:00

Another summer has come and gone and it is time to head back to school. Does anyone ever really want to go to work? Maybe it is just me. I am excited for this school year and the changes ahead of me. A new school, new co-workers, new students, and a new commute. At this point I really don't know what to expect. Hopefully by next Monday I will at least have a complete plan for making it through. Anyone have any good memories for what their teachers did on the first day/week of school?

Hawaii Highlights

2008-07-25T15:22:00.024-04:00

Here are some of my pictures from Hawaii in no particular order. I had the trip of a lifetime. Thanks to Aunt Neva and Katie for being wonderful hosts.

My view from the air on my way to Hawaii

Lots of picture worthy clouds and flowers everywhere.

Black sand beach on the big island.

Controlling the Bowfin submarine

Our turtle hunt was a success

The Mighty Mo

Catamaran lunch cruise

Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial

Swimming with the wild dolphins

Hiking Diamond Head, including 273 steps by my count

Luau at the PCC, like the tattoo

Dole Plantation

The volcano is alive!

The southern most city in the US

Laie Temple

Me and the PCC

My first rainbow

Kayak quitter

Hanauma Bay from the air. What a fun place to snorkel!

My sunset few from the plane

Update for All the Helpers

2008-07-07T16:52:00.004-04:00

I am working on a project in "The Room of Doom". Around the top of my room I am hanging pictures that I have taken during my travels. I got the first three hung on Saturday and I thought I would let all of you see what it is looking like. Thanks to all of you who are stalking your local Wal-mart to help me find enough frames. (If you want to be one of my stalkers, just let me know). I just love how it looks and can't stop looking at it. Even when I go to the bathroom before I go to bed, I take a detour to look at this wall before getting in bed. I hope you enjoy it as much as me. Please excuse the imperfections still on the ceiling. Here is the closeup of my Eiffel Tower picture that I have been told is an award winning picture. Of course it is in black and white on my wall and I just love it. All of you are invited to see the finished product when it is done.

Ode to Mustard

2008-07-01T23:41:00.007-04:00

I love it with a hot dog
It's always great with cheese
Whatever I am eating
It is sure to please

It MUST be cheap and yellow
With no fancy label
Breakfast, lunch, or dinner
Just bring it to the table

On a sausage biscuit
Or with a chick-fil-a
I know I could eat it
Either night or day

I have even tried it
Just squirting on my finger
I try to use precaution
'cause the stain will really linger

And now some words of wisdom
For one little boy
Please don't treat the mustard
Like it is a toy

If you truly love it
Don't leave it on your face
Make sure that you put it
In its proper place

Guess What!

2008-06-28T13:13:00.003-04:00

To be delivered July 3rd. I'm so excited!

When was the last time you enjoyed a popsicle this much?

2008-06-11T21:36:00.003-04:00

Sunglasses and Bananas

2008-06-11T21:24:00.007-04:00

Mia got some new Hello Kitty sunglasses. I think they are very styling. Dallin decided he wanted some more banana even though he still had some in his mouth. He never ate his dinner of course.

Dallin is into karate chops lately. When you hear "hiya" you better watch out. He also likes to say "not fair" and "ah nuts". When you take his picture, even though he asked you to, he grabs his eyes and says "my eyes" like he is now blind.

Naptime?

2008-06-11T21:09:00.004-04:00

I tried to get Mia and Dallin to take a nap on Sunday afternoon, because I wanted a nap of course. They would not take the bait and fought it every minute. I told them they would be asleep in five minutes when we got in the car. Mia informed me that she does not nap, just Dallin. Dallin was asleep within 5 minutes and Mia was asleep in 10. I did not get a nap of course. I will never understand why children do not want to nap, but most adults would love a nap.

When we got to their house I woke them up to go in. They both decided to cry at the top of their lungs, just how Diane and Ben wanted to be greeted :) Dallin then promptly laid on the floor and went back to sleep.

Attack!!!

2008-06-11T20:57:00.005-04:00

Before I took Dallin and Mia home on Sunday Dallin decided he needed to attack both his aunts.
Yes that is ALL of my school stuff in our dining room. Anyone want to have a dinner party?

Cami and the Gang

2008-06-08T16:45:00.005-04:00

My first look at Cami Cami and Mommy
Cami and Aunt Ruth
Cami after enjoying lunch, she is a sleep eater :)

Dallin and Mia came for a spend the night party so I planned biscuits for breakfast since I knew that is what Diane normally feeds them. I asked Maryann to pick up a bag of biscuits when she went to Wal-mart. Mia told me she was hungry last night as a stall tactic before going to bed. I told her that was great because I knew she would be hungry for her biscuit in the morning. She asked me to wake her up when the biscuits were ready. When she woke up she asked if the biscuits were ready. Maybe she was hungry last night! I looked in the freezer, there were no biscuits and I started to panic. I calmly went to Maryann's room and asked her if she forgot the biscuits. She said she bought them, so I looked in the freezer again, no biscuits. Being the problem solver that I am I looked in the refrigerator to find a small can of biscuits. I cooked them up and went with it. When I served Mia her biscuit she looked less than thrilled. After a short time Mia looked at me and said, "My mom makes good biscuits." I told her I knew she did and these were good biscuits too, Aunt Maryann had just bought a different kind. Mia came to me a little latter and asked, "Did she go to the wrong Wal-mart?" :)

GRADUATION!!!

2008-06-05T23:03:00.020-04:00

I am finally ready to share graduation with all of you who wanted to be there, but couldn't make it :) This is the view from Dad's seat of me being hooded.This is the view that I "borrowed" from the professional photographer of me being hooded.

This is me shaking hands with the president, don't ask me his name, after receiving my diploma case, minus the diploma of course, still waiting on that.

This is me with the crowd in the background.

Yup! That's me again. I like this picture, too bad about the shadow. Thanks again to the photographers. (I will be ordering, so I didn't steal without paying a price.)

Mom, Dad, and me pre graduation.

Jody, Allyson, and Me post graduation.

We had a most delicious dinner at Texas Roadhouse after we were finished, sorry, no picture. I am willing to recreate the experience for anyone who would like to buy me dinner. Now that I am finished, who will be next? (Angel...Ben...Bueller) I am so glad to be finished. It was a crazy 15 months. If anyone is interested in reading my research just let me know:) For those of you who were wondering, YES, I donated my hair (11 in.)just hours before graduation. I couldn't figure out what to do with it so I decided it needed to go. (Thanks Amber for the last minute cut)

Just Practicing

2008-04-12T17:43:00.003-04:00

I was just trying to find some motivation to finish publishing my research. This is your official invitation to my graduation. May 14th at 7:00pm in Kennesaw. Let me know if you need more details. I know that is not the most convenient time on a Wednesday. I just wish I could wear my capris and my bare feet.

SPRING BREAK!!!!

2008-04-04T20:36:00.002-04:00

I was soooo ready and don't think I could have made it one more minute. Today seemed to creep by, even before school started. I worked furiously to the end of the day sending my kids home with all the work we could shove in their book bags. Only seven more teaching days until the CRCT! The bus driver (of the bus I ride) said my kids got on the bus complaining about all the work and READING I expect them to do, but they got off thanking me for helping them get ready. I can't imaging all that will be lost as most of them go home this week and won't even speak a word of English, much less pick up a book. Cross your fingers for all of them because if they don't pass they have to go to summer school and try it again. Even I don't want to go to summer school! I plan to work on getting my out-of-school life organized this week. Wish me luck. ;)

More Laughable Moments

2008-03-30T13:33:00.004-04:00

Last night Maryann slept out in the living room with the kids and this morning Sophie said to me: "I don't know how you live with Aunt Maryann!" I wondered where this came from and asked, "What are you talking about?" To which Sophie replied, "She snores SOOO LOUD!"

Henry has been eyeing the chips Maryann bought for them to have for lunch today and asked several times last night if he could have some. When Maryann announced that it was time for lunch today they all ran to the table. Henry promptly asked for some chips. Maryann told him he could have some chips after he ate all his grapes. Henry said "What??" in a high voice like he couldn't believe this.

Yesterday Alex got my cell phone which I mistakenly left on the end table. He started pushing buttons saying call mommy and ignored me when I asked him to bring it to me. All of a sudden my phone started ringing and he looked at it like "What did I do?" In his moment of confusion I grabbed my phone to find it was a tired sounding Uncle David. Alex had called him and hung up on him. Alex continued to say call mommy so later Maryann called mommy. When Alex requested another call to his mommy later on, Maryann told him he already talked with his mommy to which he smiled big and said, "Call Daddy!"

As I was helping to put the boys' shoes on this morning Henry kept searching around in the shoe bag saying something about a shoehorn. He finally produced the shoehorn and said, "See, put this in the shoe and it helps little boys put their shoes on." Is it just me or do all children know about shoehorns?

Kids say the darndest things!

2008-03-29T20:11:00.002-04:00

Last year as a birthday gift for Sophie, Maryann and I had Max and Henry spend the night. The boys requested another spend the night party and so for a belated anniversary present all the Roggermeier children came to spend the night. I wanted to share just a few of the funny things said while they were visiting.
Me: "Alex don't touch Herbie!" (Herbie is a plant I have has since 1993. Thanks Diane, for keeping him alive while I was on my mission.)
Henry: "Herbie? Where's dad?"
Me: "I named that plant Herbie long before your father was ever in the picture."
Henry: "What picture?"

Henry: "Aunt Ruth, who's your dad?"
Me: "My dad is your Grandpa."
Henry: "Who's Aunt Maryann's dad?"
Me: "Her dad is your grandpa?"
Henry: "What about my mom's dad?"
Me: "He is your grandpa too."
Henry: "Do you have grandchildren?"
Me: "No Henry, I am not married."
Henry: "Aunt Ruth, why aren't you married?"
At this point Sophie told him all about this same conversation we had years ago and then she said I never really gave her an answer to all her questions. I think Henry originally just wanted to know where my husband was, but said dad. If any of you see my husband, let me know so Henry and Sophie can stop wondering about him. ;)

Maryann: "Max, how old do you think Aunt Ruth is?"
Max: "Uh, eighteen?"
Me: "How old is Aunt Maryann?"
Max: "Uh, fourteen and a half."
Me: "You think I am older than her?"
Max: "Are you ten?"
By the way I loved eighteen. I was sad on my nineteenth birthday because I didn't want to leave eighteen. Oh how silly I was back then. I wouldn't mind being nineteen again :)

We were having a discussion with Max about how he needed to dress himself and pull up his own pants when he went to preschool. Max said he knew how and Maryann said he had just pulled up his own pants after she wiped him. Max said he just needs help when his shirt gets stuck over his head. Then Henry said "or when we doesn't want to do it!" We laughed and Henry said, "I know all Max's secrets!" :)

Ruth's Wanderings: Episode I

2008-03-22T20:32:00.005-04:00

This is the first installment of what I hope to become the pilot of my upcoming T.V. series. :) It won't always be a cooking show, but will be insights into random things in my life. I got my first egg cuber from Sister Tanner on my mission in Florence, Oregon. She took great pride in inviting all the new sisters to her house for lunch. On your plate would be this random white cube. She would delight in watching you decide what to do with this random item for you to eat. Depending on how you handled it and if she decided she liked you she would gift you with an egg cuber of your very own. Since I got home from my mission I have enjoyed sharing square eggs with others and Maryann found more for me on the Internet. Now I can make six eggs at one time rather than one!

Valentine's Day

2008-02-14T22:00:00.009-05:00

I thought I would share a few pictures with those of you who worry about me and my life on Valentine's Day. Flower, plush, chocolate, and poetry: what more could you wish for?

Maryann Has Given Birth!

2008-01-27T19:45:00.001-05:00

The old

and the new

Please feel free to be grossed out. I am trying to rival Ben and Diane's hairy bathtub. As many of you know, Maryann dropped a shelf from her bookshelf on her big toe before the holidays. After pushing the ooze out and repeated soakings she has finally uncovered her new nail. I thought all of you would want to be there for the great occasion.

Here you go Lady

2008-01-22T20:50:00.000-05:00

MyHeritage: Celebrity Collage -

Just Call Me Mum

2008-01-14T21:43:00.000-05:00

So it's not a perfect match, but I will be Queen some day!

Argentina

2008-01-06T22:06:00.001-05:00

This is just a start for now. Keep ckecking back as I will be working on captions and some text.

A Picture for Brandon

2007-12-22T23:50:00.001-05:00

Now you can remember what my hair looks like!

Alex's Birthday Celebration

2007-12-16T22:18:00.001-05:00

Alex turned two on Friday and we got together to celebrate today. Alex enjoyed his birthday treats and he really enjoyed opening his presents. He made me wish I could be around on Christmas morning because he was so excited about opening the presents. We had a wonderful dinner with lots of fun talking and being together.

Christmas Decorations

2007-12-16T21:58:00.000-05:00

We had fun napkin rings that greeted us on the table. The fun napkin rings became fun ear rings.

I am still getting to know my camera and the best settings for each situation. I can't wait to try it out in Argentina!

I'm Still Alive

2007-12-15T10:48:00.000-05:00

For those of you who have been wondering why my blog has been so neglected lately, I thought I would take a few moments to give you a glimpse into the reality of my life.

I am a teacher. Although some might say, great you get your summers off and your work day is over by 3:00, this is not the whole situation. I frequently find myself getting up long before the sun to get to school when the doors open at 6:00 am because there wasn't enough time to complete everything I needed the day before. Some days I also find myself working until I have to leave or I am forced to leave by the custodian who is locking the doors and setting the alarm.
Not only am I a teacher, but I am a teacher of a class full of ESOL students. That means I have the task of teaching the regular curriculum to a group of students who are still struggling to learn the English language. This is a hard enough task in and of itself, but not only do my students need to be learning, they have to learn enough to be able to pass the state mandated testing. Some might say no big deal. The big deal comes in the fact that if the students in my class do not pass, the sub group has not passed, and my school is placed on the failing schools list. When I think about the pressure placed on these students and me my heart begins to hurt.
Not only am I a teacher of ESOL students I also ride the bus home with them everyday to make sure they make it home in safety. I frequently refer to this endeavor as my second job. While some might scoff at this, I would love for each of you to have the opportunity. I regularly hear of the horrible situations these children go home to. Drugs, drinking, murder and the like. The least I can do is provide a few moments of safety and security for them.
After teaching and bus riding I also spend two evenings a week tutoring children who have been removed from their homes because they are neglected or delinquent. I have to be let in through two sets of locked doors and I am restricted to even tell anyone where the facility is. Residents are searched with metal detectors and all belonging are checked as they enter the facility. Frequently the whole group is put on lock down except those who are working with the tutors because of an altercation. Some nights I just want to run for cover.
Oh wait, I am also a full time student working to complete my masters. This coming May I will graduate. Until then I am working to finish my research project and will complete my research paper and present my findings at a conference in early May. Plan on attending my graduation. I will keep you posted on the exact date.
And probably the number one reason why my blog had been neglected...my camera gave up the ghost. I didn't think you wanted to just read my babbling. I figured people usually enjoy the pictures more. My Cannon has been with me through so much; Africa three times, Europe, New York, DC and not to mention countless family events. Oh wait there's the doorbell.....what do you know! As I am writing this message my new camera has arrived. I got a Panasonic Lumix just in time for Christmas and my trip to Argentina. I would love to send you a picture of my joy, but the battery has to charge for @ two hours. More to come!

Please don't get me wrong, I love my life, just sometimes the blog doesn't come first. I visit your blogs on a daily basis and wish there was more, so I will do better about keeping up in the future. Please don't take this a pitty party for me, it was just FYI.

The Ever Busy,

Ruth

Time Out for Women

2007-11-04T20:55:00.000-05:00

Mom, Elizabeth, Lisa, Maryann, Diane and I spent the weekend at Time Out for Women. We were inspired, entertained, rejuvenated, and we (some of us) spent too much money. We wish all the other women in the family could have been with us.

Diane and I waited to get a picture with Micheal McLean. I have had one before when he came to my mission with his family.

Here we are with Jenny Oaks Baker. She is a very talented violinist.

One of my favorite people to hear speak, Mary Ellen Edmonds. She is always so funny and inspiring.

A new favorite singer/song writer of mine, Cherie Call. You should check out her music.

Party Time

2007-10-13T20:39:00.000-04:00

Breakfast

Thanks for the pumpkin fun Aunt Elizabeth!

Nap time

Beware Pinata!

2007-10-13T20:32:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the cookies Aunt Diane!

2007-10-12T23:18:00.001-04:00

I could have done without the Almond Extract suprise, but they were stilly very tasty!

Just Goofing Around

2007-10-12T23:11:00.001-04:00

All Dressed Up and Ready to Party

2007-10-12T22:53:00.000-04:00

Aunt Angel's Halloween Dance Party

2007-10-12T22:39:00.000-04:00

Here is a video from our party at Aunt Angel's request. I hope this helps for all the parents who are wondering how their little ones are doing.

Mount Rushmore

2007-09-30T21:20:00.000-04:00

We made it to Mount Rushmore! Maryann and I flew on "free" tickets and Korilyn used some frequent flyer miles. We went to the lighting ceremony on Saturday and then we experienced it in the daylight the next morning only to turn around and fly back home. It was a quick trip, but a fun one. Next time I go I want to spend a little longer. It was nice to be out in the cool weather.

The Dakotas

2007-09-29T22:04:00.000-04:00

Once we got in to Rapid City, South Dakota we took a drive to North Dakota. It was a six hour round trip and not as painful as you would think. As you can see from the pictures it was just a little windy. We saw all kinds of hunters and tons of dead dear, four of which were up close and personal. I think that makes 33 states for me. Anyone up for an Alaskan cruise?

Geographic Center of the Nation

2007-09-29T21:53:00.000-04:00

Who would have thought that the geographic center of the nation is in South Dakota. Maryann saw it in the atlas and we found it along the way. There we were right in the middle, just goofing around. Maybe some day you can all be cool like us and go there too.

Joe's Boys

2007-09-26T21:29:00.000-04:00

Lacey and Joseph needed some technical support so here are two cute boys. Who can tell me which is which?

Pizza Party

2007-08-12T14:06:00.000-04:00

Pool Time

Pizza Time

Alex, covering his eyes for hide and seek. Ask Aunt Maryann why he has no clothes on. How did the smallest one become "it"?

Cookie Pizza

Pizza Games

Henry wanted a picture of his "milk beard"

Master of the Wii!

Happy 45th Anniversary!

2007-08-04T13:26:00.000-04:00

Oh good everyone got the memo! How silly is that. I guess it was a red and white day.

Time to eat

Pool time

Our gift to Mom and Dad. Oh the memories!

Our Dam Trip

2007-07-28T21:40:00.000-04:00

We had a great time at the Hoover Dam, or more commonly known as Brandon's favorite dam. I think maybe I had the most fun because when I told the group I wanted to walk across, they told me I would have to find a new way home. I guess that just leaves something for me to do next time.

Vegas Highlights

2007-07-27T21:00:00.000-04:00

Who knew this sign was in the middle of a busy road. Joseph maneuvered the driving while Lacey jumped out with me for this Kodak moment.

Pancakes by Joseph. What else but Mickey Mouse.

Chocolate with Ethel, oh what fun! We enjoyed the chocolate sayings and the chocolate of course. Brandon especially enjoyed the chocolate.

With the heat that is about all I saw of the cactus garden.

Water park fun. I call this one: What water?

What a treat! Monsters Inc. with Sulley and everything.

Time with the Boys of Vegas

2007-07-25T20:42:00.000-04:00

Nevada?

2007-07-22T20:37:00.000-04:00

I know, I know. I always wanted to go to Nevada when I was in college. Then, I went to every state in the west except for Nevada so I decided I would never go. I guess it was inevitable. How could I stay away now that family lives there?

St. George

2007-07-22T20:32:00.000-04:00

I stopped by the St. George temple. Who could miss a photo opp.

Cove Fort

2007-07-22T20:20:00.000-04:00

On my way back to Vegas I stopped by Cove Fort. It was a nice break in the drive. The door was really cool with an original hinge. I really enjoyed to dominoes in the boys room.

Utah Trip

2007-07-21T19:45:00.000-04:00

I drove up to Salt Lake for the weekend. Korilyn, Melissa (Korilyn's sister), and I went up to Temple Square. We saw Sister Joseph (Isaac from Kenya's niece). Korilyn and I also stopped by BYU on our way to our Africa reunion. We went to see the new Gordon B. Hinckley alumni building. We had a great time at the reunion, but for some reason I didn't take any pictures of all of us looking normal.

Vegas, Baby, Vegas

2007-07-18T19:38:00.000-04:00

My first time to Vegas and my first time to In-N-Out. Thanks to Tad I knew just what to order. It sure was good. Lacey volunteered to take the group picture . This is Brandon's thinking face. We had a great time.

2007-07-16T19:09:00.000-04:00

In an effort to get my room ready before I leave for Vegas I have completed the background on my bulletin boards. I am very proud of my polka-dots.

Check out the best pictures I was able to take. Glare and all see if you can pick out the three sets of polka-dots that are different. If you get it right there just might be a prize. Keep in mind that is is designed for third grade.

Our New Furniture

2007-07-10T20:51:00.001-04:00

Thanks to Frank and David, our new furniture has arrived.

Come on over and have a sit in it. It is great!

Maryann said I was never allowed to publish a picture of

her in her gown, hence the blanket.

Surprise

2007-07-09T22:02:00.000-04:00

Got to love a Dairy Queen cake

Yes, potatoes

4th of July Favorites

2007-07-09T21:42:00.000-04:00

Grandpa protects Jack from the evil mosquitoes

Not as close as Angel's but here is my favorite firework

Jack and his first 4th

Cousins enjoying the fireworks together

Alex and his Aunt Maryann

Just seeing if Stephanie should donate her hair to the less fortunate

Jackson's Blessing

2007-07-09T21:26:00.000-04:00

There's nothing like a good nap

Father and Son

A night at Stone Mountain

2007-07-09T21:14:00.000-04:00

Dallin was tired

Auntie Ruth and Jackson

Yeah, that's Stone Mountain.

A day with some of the grandkids

2007-07-09T20:33:00.000-04:00

Henry loves a good leg hug!

All the kids love a good book.

Through My Eyes

2007-06-30T12:16:00.000-04:00

Some of you might wonder why I would put such pictures on my blog. Well, this is Ru World! That means that I will be sharing my world with you and the way to get into my world is through my eyes, so here we go.

So, it is about time that I started a blog just like everyone else.