They Are Stunned!

August 28, 2011

Today I stunned my sunday school class....remember that I teach the 16-18 year olds.  They aren't easily stunned!

We were talking about the Holy Ghost, and that you have to develop the ability to listen to him...kind of like you develop a talent.  So I asked them if they had a talent, or something that they used to do well that they no longer really do.  So of course, they all sit there with blank looks on their faces, so I have to come up with something....so I brought out the fact that I play the accordian and the organ.  Total and shocked AMAZEMENT ensued....shock and disbelief...they even thought I was lying.  Now why would I make up a lie about playing the accordian?  So after I promised them that they could see my accordian when Cooper and Cymbre have another party....we managed to get on with the lesson.  The point being, that just like you have to develop a talent with practice, you also have to develop the ability to listen and follow the Holy Ghost and his promptings with practice.  And once you develop that ability, there are numerous blessings that will come your way as you just heed the promptings as soon as you receive them.  We also talked about lost opportunities when you put off that impression for even just a few minutes....case in point.....there is a homeless man that lives under the bridge on one corner that I frequently drive past.  Most days when I see him, he knows that I will drive around the corner and bring him something to eat....but the last time I saw him this week....I neglected to follow my impression to feed him, and then when I went back after I was finished shopping, he was no longer standing on the corner.   I could just kick myself.  It only takes just a few minutes to drive thru some place and get a meal and drive back around the corner and hand it to him.  Now I wonder just how many blessings I don't get because of my own laziness....and if he went to bed hungry....and if he saw me drive past.....and more important, what the Savior thinks of my actions.  So in my guilt-ridden state of mind, I have decided that I will go look for him everyday this week, and feed him every time I find him.  We'll see what happens.....

At any rate, we managed to bring the lesson around to the point that with practice you can readily listen and heed the promptings of the Holy Ghost, thereby, influencing peoples lives for good.  You also have to keep the commandments, read your scriptures, stay close to the Savior, and prepare yourself to be able to receive those promptings.  Then we put it back in biblical times when Paul was teaching the saints of the early church about the Savior, His crucifixion, resurrection, and the need for baptism and the Holy Ghost.  And how he taught that just being baptized was not everything that a person needs to inherit the kingdom of heaven...that's just half the plan.  The more important part is actually the spiritual part...the gift of the Holy Ghost.

And now, those teenagers probably went home and told their parents that Sister Flanagan plays the accordian and the organ.....and can you imagine that?  Hidden talents.....and no, not the chocolate coin kind!   And just for the record, I am NOT playing the accordian for the ward talent show...they cannot bribe me enough.  I just don't think "Beer Barrel Polka" is appropriate for a church setting.

Although, recently I had the opportunity to play every song that I know on the organ, and after an hour and a half.....I must admit, I felt pretty good about myself and that ability....and NO, I don't want to be the ward organist again.

Cymbre is having a lot of problems retaining her vision again....it seems that it just likes to fade away.....sort of go on vacation for several hours at a time, and then decide to function again when it feels like it.  She is just sitting in her desk at school....not being bumped around or anything.  SO, we are back at the eye specialists yet again this next week.  Who knows what they will come up with this time.  At least she isn't like the boy she knows at school this week who is getting a glass eye because he has cancer.  He offered to trade her eye problems.  She chose to keep the one she has....which seems like a real trial at times to us.  At least she can see sometimes though.  The boy getting the glass eye will only have one eye to see with permanently.


Just came home from putting Guy on an airplane to Halifax, Canada.   Hold your breath.....who knows what will happen this week while he is gone.  Something ALWAYS does!  He will be back the end of the week, hopefully, we will survive that long without him.  It's always so difficult...especially with the general lack of sleep that ensues because he is gone.


The girls have dance tonight, and I have to take them dinner at some point.  Now if I just had a good idea what to make to take, it would be good.  Last week I made pasta salad, but since Guy is gone, we don't want that again.  Maybe Subway sandwiches tonight.


Cymbre just called, her eye has faded out again....let's hope the specialist has some ideas on Wednesday....say your prayers that it will stop.  At least we know that the priesthood says that she will be ok in several blessings that she has had, so at least we have that to hang on too.  However, this mom could sure use this situation to stop....it's very nerve-racking, to say the least!


The girls are both busy beginning to organize things for YW.  They are both in presidencies, so we are busy at times.  Cymbre has a pajama party with Mrs. Texas coming to share hair and make-up tips for the beehives, and Cooper is working on some Armour of God activity for all the kids.  Sounds fun to me, and it keeps them out of trouble.  Our new YW president seems to be getting her ducks in a row, so the girls are excited.


Costume designing and sewing time has arrived yet again....I know what I'm doing for some of them, but the others we are still looking for ideas.  They also are in the tap group and Cooper is in the contemporary group, so there are more costumes this year.  Cooper is also doing a tap solo to get ready for college auditions taught to her by a master tap teacher we are flying in, and she wants to compete it also.  So everything counted, it is 7 costumes.  I dread gluing down all those rhinestones!


Well, I am going to finish the row of crocheting on the baby blanket, change the laundry, and go get the errands done before I have to pick up Cymbre from school, and the homework, dinner, dance routine starts. 


And I have to go look for the homeless man to see if he is hungry today too.


Get out and do something for someone you don't know....it's fun.


Love you bunches and bunches.   Say your prayers for Cymbre and her doctors.


Mom

Here We Go Again....

August 24, 2011

It's just the third day of school, and Cymbre has spent the most of the school day without vision in her right eye.  She was just sitting in class and it faded....GREAT!!  U'sually, it come back within a few minutes, but today her eye is hurting and it didn't come back for several hours.  This is a concern.  We almost called the retina doctor to see her.  However, shortly after I picked her up she was tapping her head and it came back....now we just have the very sore eye.  At this point, no migraine though, so that's a blessing.

SO,

Because of this I took her medicine to school today....tylenol, Aleve.....she uses those for both her knee pain, and her headaches.  She has a perscription headache medicine, but it makes her too sleepy to stay at school....so it stays home.

Dad says he is sending Grandma to visit the grandbabies the end of September into October for a week.....HURRAH!!!! YIPPY!!!  YEAH!!!!   Haven't gotten to snuggle that Baby Lucy yet, and Grandpa thinks I need to go do that....so I am going.  And Russell....I think you should catch up the ironing before I get there.....I'm just saying....

Cooper is loving her new laptop, and it's making the homework situation a bit easier because they don't have to fight over who gets the computer....they both have one now.

Dad is getting ready to do some traveling....Halifax, San Antonio, China....who know's where else.

There was a break in in the neighborhood night before last.....the sheriff thinks it was someone who knew the family was out of town....guess they really made a mess in the house, but didn't take anything.....interesting.  Why go to the trouble to just make a mess if you're going to break into someone's home?  And why would you break into the home of someone who lives across the street from a police investigator....are you dumb?

Fall dance classes have started, and so has the student teaching.  Thank goodness for that teenage driver....no living at the dance studio for Dad and I this year.....can you imagine, after 13 years we don't have to go there everyday for hours?  What will we ever do with ourselves?

They came and put new venting all in the attic....guess we'll see if the kitchen stays cooler now.   We can hope!

Cooper's little beep beep car has started living in the driveway at night because the sprinklers are causing hard water stains on the passenger windows.  OK.....whatever!

I'm collecting dance costumes parts, so I guess the costume season has started once again.  I have to make a halter style tuxedo shirt....OK....shorten a prom dress for Cymbre, and do a jazz costume for Cooper and another tap costume..some sort of dress for Cooper.  She has two tap solos this year....Mark Goodman is going to come and do one for her to use for her college auditions.  She will need that especially next summer....expensive though.

Cymbre is busy with beehives...they are making a scripture journal this week.  They are covering a composition book with bee material, and then writing some scriptures in it.  Cooper isn't planning any acitivites currently, but the YW president as her for an idea for standards night.

Guess that's about all.....

Have a good day.

Mom

The Time Has Come Yet Again!

August 22, 2011

Why is it that the first day of school ALWAYS comes before I want it to?  I'm not done attempting to be lazy for summer yet....we haven't even had a full jammie day yet!  Nevertheless...those little chickadees are out the door to supposedly learn something new and exciting, and I am home doing the everyday stuff.

So, today began at 5am....Cooper gets up and is out the door for seminary at 5:50am....her little beep beep car is wondering what happened to summer sleep in time I am sure!  Cymbre is up at 6:10am and she leaves for school by 6:50am.

SO...that leaves Mom having cleaned up the kitchen, done 3 loads of laundry, restocked the sugar bucket in the home storage, cooked noodles for brain salad,  folded two loads of laundry, cleaned out the dish drainer, straightened up the family room, gathered all the mislaid stuff from yesterday, taken the paper recycling, swept the kitchen floor, made the bed, restocked the frig with water bottles for dance tonight,  and basically worked myself into exhaustion and it's only 9am!  Sounds to me like a good time for a snickerdoodle muffin break!

Dad will be home in a little while....he is still trying to get the air conditioning so that the kitchen isn't the hottest part of the house, since we have a written guarantee from the company that it won't be....I guess they are talking redoing some of the venting now.  We'll see.  Sooner or later they will get tired of getting called back....this is time number 6, and will finally figure it out.

I am going to get a haircut...have to find a new place because I do not like the way the lady that I have gone to for years treated Cooper the last time we were in the shop.  We had been there for at least a half hour when she was almost finished with my hair, and went to answer the phone.  The next thing I know, the man that had called came into the shop and she passed Cooper off to another lady and did the man.  I was not a happy camper, and we are not going back.  He did not have an appointment set up before we got there...I heard her tell him that she had two haircuts in front of him, so why did she pass Cooper off?  Her loss though, because I am not taking the girls back there either.

I also have to make a Goodwill run today, and get some gas in the car.  Then home to pick up Cymbre from school....and before that I have to get this brain salad in the frig for dinner tonight.  Cooper has early dance, so she needs to take her dinner with her, and Dad is helping someone move which means he will eat on the run tonight too.......ok, what's happened to family dinner?  It's only the first day of school and we are already messing it up!  I guess I will just have to be happy they are all eating the same thing at least, even if it is at different times.  I cooked!

We dyed Cymbre's hair that reddish color again last night....she wanted it again for school.  So we brightened her up.

My lesson went great again yesterday, however, this next week the Apostle Paul isn't rescued from jail by an angel, so I don't know what we will talk about for excitement purposes!  And the kids loved the cookies I took them as a treat before school started.  Next time they want milk too, and I asked them if I looked like a grandma to them.....guess so!

I am definitely not ready for the school year to begin again.  We spent entirely too much time out of town, and not enough time just hanging out this summer.  And now, there will be no rest for these dancers and two weary parents.

I have finished my third crocheted baby blanket, and am going to go get another skein of white yarn and do one more white one.  Then I will be two ahead of any grandbabies that may decide to show up.  It is SO NICE to not have numb hands again!

The girls both had a great time on their Utah trips, and Cooper finally got some time with her brother.  She's needed it badly this year after some things that happened.  She just needed to be there and have him be the protector in a sense.  I think she feels better about things again now, although they still linger in the back of her mind and ours. 

Cooper's camera didn't survive her trip...the screen is broken so Dad used some credit card bonus points and has ordered her a new one.  It should arrive in a few days.  She likes to carry it with her wherever she goes.

Well, I am off for a haircut, then back to make brain salad after the noodles cool, change laundry, and problably end up at the store because I always forget something.  I may even find that homeless man and get him an Arby's for lunch today.  He was at the street corner on Saturday.....hope he is still there today.

Get out there and do something for someone....even just an ice cold water bottle is a welcome thing on a hot summer day.

Grandma needs to skype all my babies again.....the house is awful quiet today.

Love you bunches.

Mom

Enough Hot Already!

August 11, 2011

I am so sick of it being 102+ degress outside, and not a raindrop in sight.  Everyone's lawn is dying....soon they won't even be letting us water at all.  The power company wants people to not use power during the hottest parts of the day like dishwashers, washer and dryers, etc.  So, I am trying to remember to run the dishwasher after 7...but I'm not doing a very good job of remembering to turn the blasted thing on that late.  I should get the book out and figure out the timed start button!

Cooper is in Utah with Caleb and Shyla and the grandbabies....and where is Grandma?  Not in Utah....I really must speak to Grandpa about this problem I seem to be having....

So last night, I went into the bathroom to take my bath....and there sitting big as life in the middle of the floor was this lizard.  Now I have a lizard buddy that lives outside in the window trim of the garage....but this little guy was so bold as to come into my house and INVADE my bathroom.  My bathroom is not near a door on my house, so I must assume the little creature was in the house for longer than just a few minutes.  Normally, Dad isn't home when these situations arise, but last night I was in luck!  Amazing if you ask me....so I just yelled for him to come get the lizard.  Then I warned the lizard he better be saying his prayers because he made a bad decision in coming into my house....then Dad promptly did him in!  One less lizard to reinvade the premises...and we won't miss him either!

Dad had the air conditioner people out again because the kitchen area of the house is always much hotter than the rest of the house, and we have a guarantee that it won't be, so he is making them live up to their own guarantee.  It's taken 5 tries, but this morning it was cooler than it's been in years.  Mostly our kitchen is like...don't turn anything on that will heat it up in here stage....and it's miserable in the summer.  During the winter, you can actually live back there and enjoy not wearing a sweater.  However, in Houston, the very hot days really outnumber the cold days.

I have finished two crocheted baby blankets, and have started a third.  It is so wonderful that I can do that again while I watch TV and not have my hands numb and making me miserable!  That hand surgeon is worth every penny that our insurance paid him!  And my grandma box is getting restocked again.  And Dad is glad that some of the yarn in the sewing room is getting used up.  So, I am ready for two more grandbabies, but we can't bless them yet!  I am working on that situation though too.  I started a white blanket last night.

Cymbre made herself a blanket this week, and I am going to start working on some skirts for Cooper...although she was supposed to cut them out BEFORE she went to Utah....and I see no cut out material anywhere.  I HATE cutting out...so I guess I will just have a endure to the end and cut out until I have no more pins day, and then I can sew to my heart's content and collect all the pins again.  Where is Barbara Cragun when I need her...she used to come over and help me cut out things?

We celebrated my 52nd birthday this week....Guy got me a kindle thing for reading books....an interesting prospect since I do 98% of my reading in the bathtub....is he trying to kill me off...is my life insurance paid?  I will use it at competition while we wait though, and he put the scriptures on it for me, and I have one book....the new Danielle Steel one:  Happy  Birthday.  Appropriate for my birthday don't you think?

We have finished all the back to school shopping stuff....what a job!  What a drain on the checkbook!  What a pain!  And today Cymbre and I went to Costco and stocked up on all the granola bars, water bottles, small cookie packs, fruit roll-ups, etc. for school lunches.  And somehow a big box of popcorn snuck into my cart...I think it has legs!  We'll see if it moves around in the pantry after dark tonight!  (No I am not crazy yet!)

So, I have to buy a new bedspread or make a new one since the one Britni made me a million years ago is shredding.  There aren't very many blue bedspreads out there, so I may end up making a new one, or the bed may be naked until I find one!  Is there some law against naked beds? When I think of all those hours Britni and I spent making those praire points to go around that thing, I am wondering just who gave it permission to wear out in just 17 years?  I think I need an extended warranty...I'm just saying!

AND, I was wishing that I had brought some cold water bottles with us today...there were some homeless people on the street corner that were looking so terribly hot!  I could have given them one.  I have done that in the past, and they are always so grateful.

Guess that's about all the news for today....must go get busy doing something useful before Dad comes home.  At least I know what we are having for dinner tonight.  That means I don't have to ask him and then he says he wants  I DON'T KNOW.  Well, I know of no store that sells something that is called I DON'T KNOW, and I wouldn't know how to cook it even if they sold it....so tonight we are having ham, mashed potatoes, corn, fruit and rolls.

On that note, get out there and make someone smile...do a little something for someone....help out an old lady.

Love you all bunches.

Mom

Excuse Me, We Need A Jammie Day!

August 1, 2011

Here it is the first day of August and the girls and I haven't even had time to have a jammie day yet this summer.  So since school starts on the 22, I guess we better be scheduling a jammie day real soon!

I also need to do the summer ritual of making freezer strawberry jam....usually that is done by now too.

Tap kids was a MAJOR success for Cooper....she made so many new friends, learned so many things, and had a great time.  The show was wonderful, and we can hardly wait to get our DVD to show people what she did.  It was a tremendous experience for her...gave her new contacts in the tap dance world, and challenged her for a week.  And, the camera lost all my pictures....I AM NOT IMPRESSED!...I'm just saying.  I had video of the tap jam on the ship, photos outside the theater, and lobby fun....and it's all gone....what the heck.  Thank goodness, Cooper has some of the same things on her camera, but the tap jam video is lost forever.  She claims that we will go again next year.  I'm going to take an extra memory card, and take it out of the camera.

Cymbre has had her birthday interview with the bishop, got her new temple recommend, and is going to receive her YW medallion.  She earned that thing in a year.  She has worked so hard!  A good example for the Beehive President to set for the girls in her class.  We are SO PROUD of her.  Now she is working on her honor bee.   So is Cooper.

School registration starts taking place in the next few days...what a drag.  Go stand in line, pay lots of money, fight with lockers, and stand in more lines.  Aren't we just excited!!

Because of all this traveling the girls are doing, we are still finishing up the doctors visits that we usually take care of the beginning of the summer.....the allergist will wait until October, but we have everything else taken care of.  No cavities, new glasses for Cymbre, now just to order contacts for Cooper, and finish up with Dad's stuff from his physical.  And Mom needs to find a new Endocrinologist, to deal with the diabetes stuff.  I am changing since at the last office, I never got to see the actual doctor....just the PA, and she messed up my medicine on a regular basis.

We have most of the house cleaned up and organized....Shyla's bedrooom left....it's a major mess because we put all kinds of stuff in there when we were getting the new carpet.  But, I can do it slowly when the girls are back in school, and there aren't so many fun things to occupy our time.

The girls are starting their tap group for dance company tonight....that should be fun for them.  They haven't done groups for a couple of years.  Ms. Traci said she would make sure that all the parents knew that we would not practice or compete it on a Sunday.  I told her I don't expect any problems in that regard.  Cooper is also going to do a contemporary group this year.  They both have solos in tap, and Cooper is also doing Jazz, and a tap one with Mark Goodman.  They will be busy also with their student teaching classes.  It's good for them.

My hands are in working order most of the time....although this past week, I have had some tingling on the backside of my hand.  Interesting...we'll see.  Could be nerve damage caused by the diabetes from all these years too.  Isn't slowing me down much, but sometimes it's distracting.

I have managed to almost finish a crocheted baby blanket in the past two weeks.  I started it in Vermont, and have worked a bit each day, and now it is ready for the edges.  I guess I will soon have one for the Grandma box again.  Too bad, I didn't make the thing white.

So I asked my class on Sunday if there would be a need for the Holy Ghost when the Savior comes again.  He wasn't on the earth before the Savior was crucified....He told the apostles at the last supper that he would send a Comforter to them.  So, because people could have ministrations of the Holy Ghost before the Gift of the Holy Ghost was given....does that mean that he won't be employed any more when the Savior returns.  And, will we need the Holy Ghost in the Celestial Kingdom considering that the Savior will be there with us?  And if he is no longer employed, what will he be doing?  All interesting questions to which I can find no scriptural answer.  It is known that people enjoyed the ministrations of the Spirit before the Gift of the Holy Ghost was given, but nowhere does it explain whether we will need that gift when the Savior returns.  If they didn't need that gift when he was here the first time, why would we need it when he comes the second time?  Something to think about anyway....guess I will ask them in heaven when I finally get there...if I get there!

Cymbre had a good visit with her brother and sister and the grandbabies....now it is almost time for Cooper to get her turn....still not fair that Grandma isn't the one going, I'm just saying!  Maybe Grandpa will send Grandma later in the year.  If not, there is always Skype!

Almost time to break out the sewing machine....well, such as it is...we'll see if I can resurrect the thing!  I have to make the girls their dance costumes again.  This year, I need to figure out how to make a halter style tuxedo shirt for Cooper, and revise a short prom dress for Cymbre.  The group costumes, they will buy, so I just have 3 solos to do.

The girls have returned from a visit to Charming Charlies...they say there are all kinds of fun necklaces...guess we might have to make a trip there.  We also need a trip to Harwin street for dance costume jewelry.

Cooper is trying to decide if she is going to pierce her ears....we could have allergy problems.  So we are investigating first.

Well, that's about all the news for today....must get busy ordering contacts, and doing laundry, and gluing things back together.  All these little piles of stuff that just need doing.

Get out there and make someone else's day!  It won't hurt...honest.

Love you bunches,

Mom