More traveling. More good times.

The week started at Adam and Savannah's.  We had a nice Sunday walk and the kids played at a small park.  Portland is full of little neighborhood walking trails.  We took several walks during the week down narrow paths in and around the surrounding neighborhoods.

The housing areas are very picturesque with nicely manicured lawns.  We admired all the Halloween and fall decorations on the houses and lawns.  Also nature put on quite a display.  Gorgeous fall leaves!  The trees were on fire.  And I loved the little creeks and drainage areas everywhere with arched footbridges over them.

There were many little parks tucked in corners. Some just had swings, or a climbing toy.  Or a single rocking animal.  Others were more complete parks. We found a new one with a climbable snail and worm.  Lots of fun for the kids.

Savannah is very organized and her days had routine.  In the mornings, I often played pirate with the children.  Since Denali is very creative, I didn't have to think a lot.  Just smile and say, "What a great idea."  The children would go down for a nap after lunch and I'd get some work done.  Then after they woke up from naps we'd read books and magazines, then go on a walk, then get dinner ready.

Adam worked pretty long hours.  Some evenings he'd get home in time to put the kids to bed.  Sometimes not. He loves to play with them before bedtime.

Piper seemed to fit well with this schedule.  She is a good baby.  Eats well. Sleeps well. Isn't very fussy.  And is very cute. What more can you ask of a baby?

Well, one day when I was holding her she did give more than I asked.  Upchucked and wet me to the skin.  I think she didn't get burped enough.  But mostly she does not spit up at all. George just lucky!

On Tuesday and Thursday Savannah had doctor's appointments, so I watched Denali and Carter. One day we did art projects.  It was fun to see their creativity. Watercolors, rubber stamps, crayons, glitter glue, and plain glue for googly eyes and puff paper hearts.  Oh, did I mention they also decorated with stickers?

It was a fun time!

Friday, Adam drove me to the train station.  We boarded the train to the airport.  Part way there, Adam got off to continue to his classes. The train dumped me right at the airport. Easy-peasy.  Worked out well getting through security and the flights were uneventful.

Tom met me at Branson. We went to dinner. How good can a restaurant with a giant chicken in front be?  Actually pretty good.  Tom had a Harry and David coupon burning a hole in his pocket so we went shopping. I also wanted to find a blouse or two that looked more professional for the Job Fair on Friday at my Copywriting Bootcamp.

While it had not rained at all in Portland, it was drizzling in Branson.  It felt like winter.  But here, the leaves were only starting to turn.

Saturday we went out for a big breakfast.  Tom loves breakfasts, so we went back to the Giant Chicken and had their buffet. Tom attended the Auxiliary training at the Branson building from 10-12.  I sat in a classroom and worked on book revisions. They had lunch for the attendees. I don't think Tom ate. And I wasn't tempted. I was still full from breakfast. I had a chance to visit with Jane a bit.  I had helped her with her book-- actually did revisions on chapter 1 on the plane ride home.

We got back to Mountain Home about 2:45.  It was good to be home.  Unpacked.  Did laundry. Visited the chickens and said hi to the garden.  Moved data between computers and sent out work that I had completed on the plane.  Ahh. It was nice to sleep in my own bed!

Picked up Ernie for church.  He does love going. Sang in the choir as they performed today.  I think it went well.  Good speakers.  We had Bishops Youth Discussion here today.  Tom made a cake for it Saturday and I  frosted it and decorated it. It was to represent the Celestial Kingdom.  A cupcake for the Terresterial kingdom. and a single Oreo cookie for the Telestial kingdom.  Tom thought the lesson went well.

While I was gone, Tom started re-staining the deck and railings.  But the weather was not cooperative.

More Babies!

I had a really nice week at Miranda’s.  It was fun to play with Camden and Ethan and to hold baby Alex.

Camden went to preschool Tuesday and Wednesday.  Wednesday when we picked him up, we went on to Sprouts, a fun country kind of store.  Lovely fruits and vegetables. Alex gets cuter and cuter.

And Ethan loved wearing this hat. 

Thursday, it looked like maybe Camden had pink eye, so he stayed home.   Ethan and I went shopping for wash cloths and to pick up the prescription.  It was so cute.  He just walked into the pharmacy with me and waited patiently at the window.  When we shopped, he was happy to push the cart.

Dan took me to the airport on the early afternoon.  I could have given up my seat for $$$ and taken a flight the next day, but I was programed to travel.  Afterward, I thought I could have checked with both sides to see if I could have delayed… But I’m glad I’m at Adam and Savannah’s.

My flight to Atlanta was delayed a little, so I ran through the airport to make my connecting flight…. It was delayed too. I told the gate person, “I ran all the way here, and you’re just deplaning?” She said, “Think of all the good exercise you got!”  True.

I arrived in Portland about 9:45.  Not bad, except it was 11:45 my time.  So I got to bed close to 1am my time.  But I slept really well.

It’s been fun here with Denali and Carter and Piper.  Here's cute baby Piper.

 I’ve enjoyed talking with Savannah and Adam.  I took the kids to the park Friday afternoon.   Saturday afternoon, they went to a party and I got some work done.

I have been able to get some work done most days. Mostly I’m trying to keep up with the book revisions.

 Carter was looking for??? with binoculars and a pith helmet.

Today was the primary children’s program.  Denali had a story to tell that was precious.  She did a great job.  Had a powerful lesson in Relief Society on missionary work.

New BABIES!

This was a fun week.  It was a delight to hear that Adam and Savannah decided on a name for their new baby, Piper.

Monday dad and I finished up all kinds of odds and ends at home and packed and headed off to Miranda’s. It was a shock to pull into ½ of ½ in Springdale and find the store totally gone!  I was SO disappointed.  We went on to Miranda’s and it was great to see her and her family.

Since it was the last day of ½ of ½’s 99 cent sale, Tom was kind enough to go with me to the Tulsa store after dinner.  I found 4 things at 99cents.  And a pair of bootie slippers that were not.  Tom found three shirts that were not 99cents, but were lots cheaper than Joseph Banks.

Tuesday we hung out at Miranda’s.  I don’t recall exactly what we did.  But we got reacquainted with the young ones so that when Dan and Miranda were gone, they’d know us at least a little.  Tom did some chores around the house.  I did some writing.

Wednesday Alex Thomas McClellan was born at 7:20 am weighing 8 pounds 11 ounces and 20 inches long.  He has light brown hair.  It took a day or two for his eyes to open, but they are cute and gray.  I think they will turn brown.  We’ll see.  We took the kids over to see new baby, one child at a time.

Camdon was in preschool, so we took Ethan first, then traded him out for Camden.  Dan came home in the evening for dinner and playing with the kids and putting them to bed.

Ethan gets up early in the morning—about 5:30.  He calls. “Ah dada” over and over (I want Daddy.)  He did NOT want grandma, but grandpa was okay.  Tom  would get up with him and they’d go out to the living room.  He wouldn’t let Tom hold him, but he’d lie on the floor next to him.  He’d be Tom’s shadow during the day.  It was so cute!

Thursday I had a conference call about the book I’m writing—co writing, actually. The person paying me asked, can this be done by next month?  Ummm, probably not!  January, Feb? Much more likely.  The co author has been writing like mad, then sending it to me to edit, revise, and polish.  Fortunately both people like my revisions. Very fortunate.

Friday Camden was not in preschool, so we took them for a picnic in the park.  Tom took his car as well.  After we visited Miranda and Alex in the hospital, Tom left for home. I stayed with the kids a little longer and Dan came from work to visit as well.  They had hoped to be able to go home on Friday, but the doctor really wanted them to stay another night.

Camden and Ethan played happily for a while with Camden pushing Ethen around in the dump truck. Then he'd dump Ethan out, and they'd start all over again.

Saturday I was alone with the little ones. We had muffins, took a walk, and watched General Conference.  The kids colored, played… and sometimes watched.  I learned a new game to play with a puzzle.  It was a wooden alphabet puzzle.  It’s called “Flying Letters.”  You stand on the fireplace hearth, heave the puzzle into the air and watch all the letters fly out.  Then you leap off the hearth, collect the pieces and put them on the back of the puzzle so they can then be “distributed” again.  This entertained both of them for a good half hour.  Ethen would gather pieces and put them on the puzzle board, and Camden would say, “Thank you!”  Too cute.

 After lunch Miranda and Dan and little Alex came home.  He seems to be a good baby.  The boys like him, but their enthusiastic playing means one has to keep a watchful eye.  Perhaps someone should invent a baby protection—like a soccer net to put over the baby.

We have had amazing conference talks—both Saturday and Sunday!  Really appropriate for today’s environment.  Saturday night a friend brought some wonderful lasagna over for dinner.  Tonight I made Rebecca’s sweet and sour chicken.

Life seems to be going pretty good for Miranda, Dan, and Alex. He doesn’t cry much. He does eat a lot. And maybe the reason he doesn’t cry is that Dan is up at night holding him.  Camden and Ethan seem to be adjusting well, too.

Of Writing and Peppers

This has been a week of book work.  I’ve spent a lot of time on the chapters of both the book I’m writing and one I’m co-writing.  It has been productive, but that means other things have not gotten done.   It’s hard for me to balance priorities.

Monday I went to the dentist and got my new and improved crown.  The dentist thinks my back upper tooth is shifting.  It made a gap between the teeth he didn’t like.  So he had the crown adjusted to close that gap.  I’m glad it’s back on. The temporary crown was a bit sensitive.

Tuesday we had a new family moving into town, so we went over to the park and met them.  Several other ward families also came out to meet them.  We had just a little time between that and our 7:15 home teaching so we stopped by Dairy Queen for dinner.  Haven’t been there in years. Tom ordered an ice cream sundae for his dinner.

Wednesday Jane and Norm Jenkins came over from Harrison and we discussed working together on an info-marketing website.  I think we are good for one another with a synergistic effect.  Got lots of ideas and are working on a way forward. Prepped for Institute class.  It’s been a fun class to teach.  I’m trying to implement what I’ve been teaching in my teacher development class—getting the students to learn vs. teaching traditionally.

After class on Wednesday, I went into the family history library for a bit. The new Family Tree program has lots of inaccuracies.  I just am not sure exactly where the truth is. Are my old records totally accurate?  One good thing is that I can put photos and documents like birth certificates and such on it so prove dates and things.

Thursday and Friday were heavy book writing days.  Friday I also picked lots of peppers from the garden.  And we did more options learning.

Saturday we got to ring in the birth of Baby Girl Fox—Adam and Savannah’s new arrival.  She was born at 12:18 am.  She weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 inches long.  Mom and baby are doing well.

I made a huge bowl of potato salad for the Fish Fry that night.  Tom was a wonder and seeded and chopped all the peppers.  We made a final batch of sweet pepper relish.  We used more peppers this time—because that’s how many ended up in the measuring cup.  And I cooked it at a little higher burner so more juice cooked off.  So this relish is darker and spicier!  But still very tasty.

Saturday night was a very successful fish fry.  Lots of people came.  Standing room only almost.  And there was plenty of food.  Lots to choose from.  Great deserts. One member has an apple tree and made 250 fried apple pies.  Oh my!  All this delicious sliced apple mix inside a thin crust of pastry.  Apparently deep fried a golden brown and dusted with sugar and cinnamon.  Tom headed straight for the desserts!  Well.  He visited with lots of people, too.

Today is Happy Birthday Miranda Day.  I’m so glad you are my daughter!

We had the primary children’s program in Sacrament meeting.  It’s so cute to see the children learning about the Savior and the gospel.  Shy ones.  Bold ones.  And all in between.  I had my last teacher development class.  It’s been a fun class to teach.  I have to be sure that I teach both by words and example, so it’s a bit challenging.  Today, I did it by accident.

We had a whole list of material on preparing the learner.  I wrote them all up on the board, and then asked the student which topics they most wanted to discuss, as we would not have time to cover all of them.  As we discussed capturing students’ attention, and relevant, meaningful lessons, it occurred to me that when you talk about what’s important to students, they engage better.  By letting them choose the topics to talk about, I’d done just that.

I have mostly the Young Women’s teachers and the Aaronic Priesthood teachers and leaders in the class.  The YW leaders are so concerned about sensitive, easily offended girls and texting and inattention because of electronic devises.  The YM didn’t have those problems at all. It was the poke him, distract him with physical things.  We talked about letting them move around.  And one teacher spoke of the effectiveness of object lessons.

The counselor to the temple president and his wife drove down from Kansas City to attend our meetings. Since Sacrament was taken up with children, we had a combined 3^rd hour and they spoke.  Very sincere people and totally dedicated to the temple.  As we sometimes complain of the long drive there, they gently reminded us that they understood long drives.  When they moved to Kansas City area 40 years ago, the closest temple was Manti, UT.  Then Dallas, then Chicago, then St. Louis, then Winter Quarters, and finally Kansas City.   We should be grateful we have a temple as close as we do.

Forging Forward

This has been a busy, but fun week for me.  I feel like my copywriting career is moving forward.   I’m working on two books right now.  Both are about Infinite Banking or dividend paying whole life insurance and how to use the “living benefits.”

One I am ghost writing for Rebecca Rice.  The other I’m co-authoring… well, ghost co-authoring with Mark, who also approached Rebecca with the idea of co-authoring. I am very grateful he is a pretty good writer and willing to take direction.  Mostly he’s writing the first draft then revising it based on comments from me.  Then I come along and edit and revise a bit more.

In some ways it’s easier than just writing my own book.  In some ways, it’s harder. I finished my HVAC newsletter for this quarter and have a breather on that.  However, at the fair, I spoke with the manager of VisionAmp, a web design company.  I then sent him portfolio samples. He was impressed. He liked the diversity of writing, its clarity and focus. He was leaving town, however.  And I will be leaving town.  I had to tell him the ONLY day I could meet him and his team was October 21.

Then I visited with a friend about her prospective parenting website.  I got all excited with the possibilities.  As I’d been writing for my executive coach, I’d thought about how many management skills translate into parenting skills.  So I got an idea for another book and some ways to promote her and her website.

So I have lots of things to keep me busy.

Tuesday I went with a friend to the temple.  We left at 3:30 am to drive the 5 hours and do two sessions.  I also got a few other ordinances done.  It’s always a great feeling to be in the temple.  I found things to ponder. We had rain almost all the way to the temple and again on the way back.  Too bad none of it reached to Mountain Home. We need it.

Wednesday I worked, had a massage, and taught institute.  It really was a great class. Last time one of the students said he didn’t know how to ponder on the scriptures.  So as I pondered on that, I decided to write down the questions I might ask myself as I read the scriptures.  I used 1 Nephi 16. There were three significant things in this chapter- “The wicked take the truth to be hard,” Nephi responds to murmuring with obedience, and “By small and simple things are great things brought to pass.”

For each of these 4-7 verses, I wrote down questions that started out as searching and understanding, and moved to personal application.  Questions like: Are there truths I take to be hard?  What does that say about me?  How can I use those feelings like an “alarm system” in my life?  Or Why do people murmur? What good does it do? How did Nephi know what to do?  If I am open to the spirit, what things will I hear and do that I don’t see now?

I had other lessons prepared from other sections of the lesson text, but we never got beyond having the students read, ponder, answer the questions they were comfortable answering, and discussing them. It was great to have one student admit his difficulty with pride and not loving people add that perhaps a “great thing” in the eyes of the Lord would be to act kind and loving and non-judgmental to everyone he meets.

Thursday we met up with the bishop and his wife from Harrison and went to Silver Dollar City.  It was a great day.  I just love Jane and Tom and Norm seemed to hit it off.  We didn’t go on any rides, but it was harvest festival with tons of craft people there.  So we had a good time taking in the crafts. We watched a trick riding show, admired a western artist doing essentially “finger painting” but with exquisite results.  We talked with a potter and a man who molded clay for brass castings of Indians and buffalo.

We watched a horse trainer who tamed wild mustangs, listened to a cowboy poet, and learned about Dutch oven cooking. And we had dinner at Andy’s Frozen Yoghurt on the way home.

The weather has been cooling off.  Friday we had rain all day and it was delightful!  Tom and I got up early and visited Norfolk’s early morning seminary class.  Tom bought some cinnamon rolls from Silver Dollar City as a treat for them. It’s a good class.

Tom is not fully back to health.  He struggled with a cold and cough this week and conjunctivitis as well as still healing from the hernia surgery.  We used oils and diffused RC and Oregano at night and he’s feeling better.  I think his body will tell him when he is healed and can launch back into a full schedule. If he doesn’t feel like it, I say, don’t push it.

We continue to do the options training.  Passed the second level tests his week.  I think we’re on to spreads, strangles, collars, and arm-wrestling next week.

We enjoy the chickens.  Sometimes we just stand on the porch and watch them.  If you promise food, they flock to you eagerly.

Here is our handsome rooster.

Today we had the mission president come and speak in our ward.  What a great man! It’s exciting to hear about the work moving forward.  Now we need to take part in it.  I took Ernie to church both last week and this week.  He stayed for the whole three hours and really loved talking with other people.  Tonight is a fireside about Bro. and Sis. Rice’s mission to the Navajo people.

Slow Week

Tom continues to try to take it easy from his surgery.  Of course that doesn’t mean he isn’t working.  He’s mowed our lawn and a rental’s. He’s helped me make Harry and David Wannabe Sweet and Hot Pepper Relish…. And has had to try it numerous times JUST to make sure it’s still tasty.  He is my hot pepper chopper.  And he does a very good job.

His challenge is how do you know when you have done too much?  The doctor said it was okay to ease back into normal life and that he would know when he over extended himself.  Well, he is finding out that he doesn’t know until the next day if he did too much, and by then it is too late!  Do you hear the gnashing of teeth in the back ground?

Our garden has slowed down. We are getting a few cucumbers and some cherry tomatoes.  I’ve dried some green onions and some basil.  It just occurred to me that I could dry some oregano, as I use dried oregano a fair amount.  I keep debating about leaving the beans on the plant to get seed for next year… then I see a few good beans and pick them.

I completed my heating and cooling newsletters for the quarter.  I keep thinking I should be ambitious and approach local HVAC companies about using the newsletter to create customer loyalty and advertise.  I have two books outlined for Infinite Banking—or dividend paying whole life insurance.  One I will write jointly with another person.  So I have WORK to do.

Thursday Tom and I celebrated our 43^rd anniversary. We went to Bull Shoals for lunch and then went to the fair.  I had thought about entering things into the fair, and decided I just didn’t have time to do it correctly.   But we enjoyed walking around the fair.  We ran into friends and business owners we’ve done business with in the past… but may not see that often.  I saw a company that did web design and we got to talking.  I may get some copywriting work from them.  So that was encouraging.

Friday I did some visiting teaching.  I actually have three companions.  So in a way, it makes it easy. If one can’t go with me, I take another.  And this time, one of my companions needed to visit someone else, so I went with her.  I am continually surprised at how welcoming the less actives have been to us.  One sister had been a “do not contact”  and we visited a month or so ago. 

She doesn’t like vegetables, but her husband does.  So when I had an abundance of cucumbers, I’d call and drop some off.  We visited briefly most of those times.  This time, Tom and I brought over some cherry tomatoes.  Her husband (who may be the reason she isn’t coming to church) invited us into the house and we had a lovely visit.  He was a pilot and had lived in Africa, so we found a good deal in common.  We are becoming friends.

Tom and I are taking a series of options classes.  Puts, calls, delta, theta, vega, “buy to open, sell to close.”  Wow. It’s a whole new world.  I hope it will become a profitable one.

We had stinking hot weather and no rain for the past several weeks.  Finally we got some rain and cooler weather in the low 80’s.  Suddenly the night temperatures are dropping into the low 50’s.  Are we going from summer to winter?  Probably not.  But it certainly feels cooler.

The chickens are doing a good job of laying eggs.  Our friends have been selling them at the farmer’s market.  I figure at this rate, we’ll pay for the taj-ma-cluck in about 3 years!  But we do enjoy watching the “ladies.”

A Healing Time

Somehow, in all the fun of last weekend, you didn’t get an update.

The week of Tom’s surgery and recover was pretty low key.  He slept a lot, rested a lot, and generally moved pretty slowly.  He didn’t have a lot of pain and was off pain meds by Thursday.

He was diligent because he really wanted to go and visit the kids and grandkids over the Memorial Day weekend.  We thought he might need to go to church in his stylish blue scrubs, but he managed to get into suit pants…although not buttoned on top.

He thought he might just go in for his early morning meetings and Sacrament meeting, but he stayed the whole time. By the end of the block of meetings, he looked a little gray.

He came home, ate, napped, and we headed to Russellville to see Kera and Andy and kids and Miranda and Dan and kids.  He napped on the way.  We’d both looked at Google maps and kind of knew the way.  But neither of us printed it out. And the GPS didn’t agree with us.

So maybe we went a bit out of our way.  We found some really narrow winding roads and stopped once to ask directions.  Umm. And we went home a different way. But we arrived about 6:30 and enjoyed a tasty dinner.

David McClellan had gotten an RV and Andy had borrowed the neighbor’s RV.  So there were two.  The kids might have slept outside, but it was raining when we got there.  Chandra’s Mom and brothers had also come down to see the grandchildren.  So after dinner the oldest 4 went off to their hotel to sleep.  The next day they went to a fun park and boating, so we didn’t see a lot of them.

Tom was pretty tired.  He found a hammock and sacked out for the morning.  Rested and played some card games, then zonked for an afternoon nap.  Miranda said, “Dad, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you do nothing for so long!”

Miranda and Dan left late Monday afternoon.  We’d thought about staying over until Tuesday, but then learned everyone would head out about 8 or 9 am.  We figured we’d be more of a hindrance than a help for them to leave on time.  And the lure of our comfortable bed called.  So we left about 7pm and drove the 3 hours home.

It was fun to play with grandchildren, walk them to the bathroom, read them stories, and visit and play card games with the adults. We were on Lake Dardanelle and it was lovely! Again, it rained on and off on Monday as well.

Kera and Andy brought up the fabric covering of their metal chair.  It matched our metal rocker with old worn out covering.  We changed them out and now our chair looks almost brand new.  Thank you Andy and Kera!

Tom went to his follow up appointment on Thursday and they pronounced him healthy and released him. The nurse was impressed with how well he walked into the office.  I guess some guys really gimp in.  He’s feeling better.  He mowed the yard on Friday, and while he was tired, he wasn’t sore.

Saturday we went to see Percy Jackson and the Sea Monsters… or whatever the name of the second Percy Jackson movie is.  It was pretty good.  We wanted to see the first one first, but Netflix didn’t have it. Hastings didn’t have it.  We called Rebecca to whine.  She gave us her Amazon Prime number and we were able to access it there.  HOWEVER… it was for a tablet sized screen.  If we tried to enlarge it, the system crashed. (Don’t ask us how many times we tried before we figured it out.)  It was kind of nice to see the second movie on the BIG screen.

Not a lot else going on.  Tom and I continue to take this options trading course.  I’m continuing my copywriting jobs.  I’m teaching institute (Wed) and the teacher development course (Sun.) and I was asked to substitute teach for Relief Society as well today. So it was a bit busy.  And tonight we have the CES broadcast.  I told the young single adults I’d bring the ice cream sundae fixings.

Oh, in an effort to find a good use for all the peppers that were coming ripe, I searched for and found a Harry and David sweet and hot pepper relish clone recipe.  We tried it last night, and both Tom and I pronounce it delicious.  I had to trade the promise of a jar to Wendy to get the jalapeño peppers for it.  Well worth it!  We will have to make more!

Tom did a great job of chopping all the hot peppers.  He says next time he will not touch his face for 24 hours after chopping the peppers.  Ouchy eyes and hot lips!

My chickens are laying about 10-11 eggs per day.  It’s fun.  Wendy sold them at the farmers market this week.  I think it might pay for the chicken feed.  We get the joy of watching them for free.