Summer is Almost Over

School starts on Monday!! I was very excited about that day that will be coming to pass however this Tuesday I ran up to Eagar for a quick trip to do a few things. I usually go up there for most of the summer and due to my world adventures I did not get the chance to this year. I was sad that I could not spend more time up there. It is hard to go when school gets underway. We love to see all the family and hang out at my sister's ranch. Being on the mountain. It is so green this year too. I took Derrik and Kamryn with me. Sadie has had enough of the car and stayed with her Granny Slade. My kids sure do love it there too. I wish I could have the best of both worlds but unfortunately we can't.

We took a route we don't usually take through Heber then Snowflake. We stopped at the Snowflake Temple and took pictures. Derrik loves to look at the Angel Moroni.

Great Grandad has a plow that his dad use to have that used horses. He was giving Kamryn a lesson on how it use to work.


Great Grandma and Grandad Slade with Kamryn

Derrik stayed out at The Ranch with his Cousin Colten while we ran into town. That grey house in the background is where we stay when we come. We have it all to ourselves. Thanks Ginger and Brian.

Grannie Nelson fit Kamryn's baptism dress. She will be getting baptized on September 20th. Grannie sews all of the girls dresses for blessing and baptisms. My mom neglected to pass along her many talented genes to me.

Derrik's favorite place on earth. He has mountain in his blood.

More pictures of The Ranch

My new calling

So here is a lesson for you to learn from me. Almost 3 years ago I was called as the Relief Society Teacher in my ward. Scared me to death. I did not go to Seminary very often so I was dumber than everyone in that room. I use to make comments a lot and they figured that in order to shut me up I would just become the teacher. Since we have been in the Joseph Smith book I have really had a hard time with it. Your calling is suppose to get easier. Mine did not. He is so deep. Well I got a new calling today. 2 actually. Ward Chorister and Ward Choir director! I have never ever lead any music. I am not coordinated enough to do it. I tried practicing today in church and I can not sing and lead at the same time. No one looks at the director anyway. And for Choir Director I just laugh to much. I won't be able to make it through one song. I don't know anything about it. That is what I get for making comments and talking during choir practice. So the lesson is don't make comments or talk ever in church or you will inspire someone to call you to be it. Wish me luck. Any advice would be appreciated.

Teeth Clinching

Ok you thought this was going to be an exciting post because of the title hu? Well it is literally about teeth clinching. I have had this problem for many years and I hate it. I have bought a very expensive teeth thing from the dentist and it helps a little but I still clinch the plastic so what is the point. Luckily I don't grind just clinch. I do it all the time but really bad at night. I get headaches and my jaw hurts all the time. Anyways I have finally found something that helps and I want to share for those of you with this problem. I saw it on Oprah with DR. Oz. He was talking about stress but it has worked for this. " ...you're going to have to put a cork in it literally. Open your mouth wide and put a cork between your teeth. Dr. Oz says this will reduce stress because it relaxes the large masseter muscles and the temporomandibular joint on the side of your face. If the cork is too big to go in your mouth vertically, Dr. Oz says it's okay to use it horizontally, too." I don't have a cork so I use a floss container. I just do it while I watch TV before I go to bed and I don't even have to use the night guard. Cool stuff!

Cousins

My kids have had quite the summer this year. We have discovered that Sadie for instance has only been home 5 days since May 16th. Derrik maybe a week and Kamryn about the same. What an adventure. At church someone asked Kamryn how her vacation was and disregarding Israel, London, Egypt, she responded "Eagar was great!" She sure enjoys her cousins. This last week Bailey, Doug's brothers daughter, came for a week.

Derrik has been with his cousins in Eagar this last week. I remember those days of cousins all summer. What fun I had. I loved being with my cousins.

On Wednesday we will all be back together. Sadie has been in Utah visiting her beloved Torie, whom she hasn't seen since May 16th. She is having a good time. She has always wanted to go to Utah. I asked if it was what she thought it would be and she said no, it is a lot like Eagar.

School starts in 13 days. Happy and sad for it to come. I am ready for a schedule again but not homework. At least Doug is here now. I only do homework until the 4th grade then it is over my head. Doug's turn.

MacGyver

Tuesday Kamryn and I set out to go to the Summer Movies. When I went to switch the tank from gas to propane ($2.40/gallon by the way) on my truck we hear a very loud pop and the truck dies. I was able to coast into a side street. After Brenda Wiz drove by, waved and then thought, "Cherai is just out for a stroll in high sandles in 100 degree heat" she picked us up and took us to the movies. Thanks Bren!

My husband is such a handy guy. He can fix stuff so good. My neighbor thinks he is really in the CIA and he is a secret agent that had a mission in Israel because he is so good at makin stuff work. Well after Doug Duct Taped my truck up to get it to work (my father's prefered method of fixing anything) just enought to get it home he JB Welded it (Doug's prefered method of fixing stuff) and he says it works better than it did before.

Since this is a propane part we can't just go down to Checker and pick it up so we will just see how it goes. So if you see me on the side of the road walking in high heel sandles in 100 degree heat I am probably not just out for a stroll. I think my MacGyver is much more ingenious than the TV MacGyver.

Reflections of Christ

Amazing video. I have not seen it yet but this Artist, Mark Mabry, has his artwork displayed at the Mesa LDS Visitors Center. Hope to go soon. Have any of you seen it yet?

Plums

Kamryn has had her chance this week of being an only child. Sadie and Derrik are in Eagar. Kamryn is not the cleanest child. She is not use to being alone and therefore loves to talk to me all day. We have been school clothes shopping and went to the movies and she has been to work with me at the school. Well I told her to clean her room up before her sister comes home on Tuesday. She put all her and Sadie's clothes in the dirty clothes. Clean and dirty. I told her to go through them and clean it up. She was not happy with me and went in her room and cried and cried about how it was so terrible. About 30 minutes later she comes out and sits on my bed with big tears in her eyes and she says "Mom you know I love you." and I said yes. She then says, "If I were a plum and you were a human and you ate me because you didn't know, I would still love you." I said, "A Plum?" and she said with tears, "Yes a plum." I said, "Gee thanks." and gave her a hug. Ok that is so like my little Kamryn. You never ever know what is going to come out of her mouth. We don't even eat plums at our house.

Feelings

Yesterday Kamryn came home from camping with Grannie and Grandad. Sadie stayed. Derrik was enjoying his only child life. Anyway Derrik went to the dentist last week and he had 9 CAVITIES!!! They worked on half of his mouth that day. We have to go back next week to finish. Well his mouth hurt and he says to me "Mom, my fillings hurt." Kamryn bounces over and stops with a concerned face and says, "Derrik why are you sad?" He says, "I'm not sad." She says, "Why are your feelings hurt?" So funny.

Proud to be an American

America is such a great place to live. I am so proud to be an American. Being away from it has made me appreciate it so much more than I already did. I am grateful for all the people who risk their lives so I can have the life that I do.

We as always had a wonderful 4th up in Eagar. We camped with Doug's Family up by Big Lake. Friday we went into town and had ourselves a hometown parade. The kids caught tons of candy. There were so many people.




The kids had a lot of fun with their cousin. Afterwards we ate at Doug's brother's house for a barbecue and birthday party for my nephew Conner who was born on the 4th of July. He is now a big 5 year old. Darwin bought a giant water slide so the kids could cool down from the hot temps of 80 degrees.


Then we went over to my parent's house for more food. The Fourth is all about food and family isn't it? We had a great visit and took pictures for Mom's wall. Kamryn helped Grandad Nelson feed the animals including our cow.

This are my sisters and momma.

Mom and Papa

We are ALL finaly home.

CAN YOU SAY JETLAG....?

We are home safe and sound. I slept only 1 hour in 2 days. We had our overnight in London. I wish we could have stayed for a couple days. That is a really cool city. Everything is very expensive because our dollar is not worth much. We had a hotel mishap but I am still too mad to type about it. Anyways once we figured out the subway train system we got around very well. There is so many cool things to see. The weather was perfect this time.Ben is Big. Westminister is bigger than life.

The name is Bond, James Bond.

The long plane ride on our second leg of the trip was over 11 hours. British Airways is a great airline because they have so many movies, kids kits with games, and lots of food and snacks. We did so well until we hit the runway in Phoenix. Sadie starts to cry saying she is going to throw up. We were taxing on the runway so we couldn't get up. I was trying to find a throw up bag when I look over at Kamryn and she just starts hurling all over. I get the bag under her and there is a hole in it so it goes everywhere. We run back to the bathroom just as people are getting out of their seats. That is one way to clear the isles I am telling you what. Then we get to the US Customs and there is a HUGE line. We go through it for 45 minutes and there is 1 guy in front of us till the window and Sadie just barfs everywhere. All over the place. The guy let us go in front of him. It reeked! People really jumped out of the way. Doug's mom was so good to come and pick us up in her new truck (Thanks Judy). We changed at the airport so as to not get puke in her truck.

The Tube

When we got home we were greeted with a great welcome home sign and great neighbors turned on the air for us so we would have a nice cool house. I really missed it all. We got up at 4 this morning and went to get groceries. Doug starts back at work tuesday in Chandler.