Happy Birthday, Indiana Carling

Cameron wanted an Indiana Jones theme party this year. He invited a couple friends to join him on his adventure.



The day began with Cameron opening a mysterious package.



Inside were "Grail diaries" for each of the guests; Cameron's contained a map and a clue to get them started on their quest:

If gold idols are
what you adore,
Set a course
for Ecuador.




In the spider-infested jungles of Ecuador, they discovered a gold idol and another clue:

China is where
you must begin,
If the Lost Ark
you seek to win.




In China, they found a medallion and this clue:

Off to India
you must go,
To learn the thing
you want to know.





India brought danger in the form of a giant python and other deadly snakes guarding the next clue:

Buried in Egyptian sand
You'll find a treasure close at hand.





When they dug up the Ark, they found the next clue:


Beneath the city of Rome
you'll find a clue,
In a dark catacomb
that's meant for you.



Inside the Knight's tomb was the following clue:

Searching for
the Grail Cup?
Be careful when
you pick it up.



The Grail Temple was where they found their last clue:

One final treasure
waits for you
Riches beyond measure
A dream come true.

With an extra hint from their guide, they found the secret location of the last treasure, the fort. There they found Indiana Jones coloring books and some candy.





Hungry after a day of treasure hunting, they stopped for a lunch of pizza, bread sticks and Sprite. Then Cameron opened presents.


He loved all of them. Following some python wrestling, the boys went home to rest up for their next great adventure.




********************************************************

On a bittersweet note, Paul's Grandma Sharp passed away on Wednesday. She was 92 years old. Her funeral will be held on Saturday in Rigby.

"Did I work today?"

Attention All Perpetual Worriers: HE'S OKAY, REALLY!

After working on Tuesday from 6:00 a.m. until noon, Parker and his friend Mason decided to go for a motorcycle ride near Kelly Canyon. Parker loaded the 225 in the back of Paul's truck, picked Mason and his bike up and headed for the hills around 5 o'clock. Paul and Tyler were working in Jackson, Jacob and I were at his soccer game and Cameron and Hayden were home. Just after 6:00 p.m., I got a phone call from Paul. He said that Mason had called Tyler (he didn't have Paul's or my number) to let us know Parker had crashed on his bike, was acting weird and wondered what he should do. Paul told him to get him home. Mason made sure Parker would be okay, rode down to the truck, then drove it back up to the crash site to get Parker, since he was unable to ride. He loaded Parker's motorcycle into the truck by himself, leaving his own bike behind. He called me to say they were on their way (thank you!). They pulled in the driveway just as Paul and Tyler got home. Tyler and Brandi stayed with the boys while Paul and I took a pretty beat-up Parker to the doctor.


We went to Community Care, but they sent us to the emergency room so Parker could have a CT of his head.


Everything looked normal, all brain matter intact - good thing, since school starts in less than 30 days (YIPPEE!!!) Did I say that out loud?

Here's the damage report:

Mild Concussion - very apparent from his repeated asking of the same questions over and over:

"Did I work today?"
"What day is it?"
"Did Mason work with me today?"
"Did I crash?"
I was supposed to wake Parker up every four hours during the night to make sure he was okay, but I didn't set an alarm. Fortunately, Cameron was clever enough to wake me up at 2 o'clock in the morning to ask for a bucket to throw up in, so I woke Parker up then. Mission accomplished.

Impacted Buckle Fracture of Right Wrist - this sounds worse than it is. He's got a splint on it until tomorrow, when we go to the Orthopedic surgeon to have a cast put on. The ER doc had me help her put the splint on, so I now have even more practical experience as a Medical Assistant! Click on the picture for a larger view. There is a yellow arrow that points to the fracture, but it's still quite hard to see.


Miscellaneous lacerations and contusions - no stitches required. I'm sure more bruises will show up as time passes.

Mystery burn on Right Calf - we've no idea how he got it, since the bike was resting on his left leg.

Very swollen Left Knee



Puffy, swollen bulges on both feet - weird, but painless

Stiff Neck - no broken bones, though


As you can see, he's fine; so no need to worry (this means you, Grandma).

We're grateful that the extent of his injuries wasn't more serious. He was wearing a helmet - that is non-negotiable. And we're thankful that the Mason Jensen Rescue Service was able to get him back home quickly and safely.



Paul update
Here is the x-ray of Paul's femur. It's difficult to tell, but the lesion is somewhere in the middle.


The radiation treatment went well. He isn't having quite as much constant pain, but there's still room for improvement. He started another round of oral chemo on Monday, which is never fun, but this round seems to be particularly unpleasant. As usual, he toughs it out without much complaining.


Parker update
We just got home from seeing the Orthopedic surgeon. They were having a two-for-one sale on casts, so Parker got one on both arms. Really.



It turns out that his left wrist is broken, too. The break is up near the growth plate, so it was hard to see. He will go back in about 2 weeks and have both arms x-rayed again to make sure nothing has shifted and to confirm the diagnosis on the left wrist. Parker is taking it all in stride. The only thing that might be a problem is figuring out how to shower for the next 5 weeks.

There is no charge for awesomeness or attractiveness...

Cameron, Jacob and I went to see Kung Fu Panda this afternoon. I have to admit it was pretty entertaining. And it taught a good message: the secret ingredient to your success is you. After the movie, we had a sudden craving for Chinese food - go figure - so we got take out from Fong's. We ordered our usual: Sweet and Sour Pork, Ham Fried Rice, Cashew Chicken, Broccoli Beef and my new favorite, Crab Rangoon (thanks Kareena and Heidi for introducing me to heaven in a won ton wrapper!). And of course, fortune cookies.

Match the fortune with the person:

1) Paul
2) DeLynn
3) Parker
4) Hayden
5) Cameron
6) Jacob

a) Today, your mouth might be moving but no one is listening.
b) Your high-minded principles spell success.
c) People are drawn to you and look to you for advice.
d) This could be an almost perfect day. Enjoy it.
e) To learn without thinking is effort in vain.
f) Enhance your karma by being kind to everyone you encounter.

Hint: One of them totally pegged the recipient...it's funny how that works.

Leave your answers in the comments box. The person with the most correct answers will receive an all-expense paid trip to inner peace. Or at the management's discretion, a box of almond cookies.



Treatment update:

Paul and I met with Dr. McAllister, the radiation oncologist, on Thursday. He showed us the X-ray of Paul's femur, pointing out the lesion on the bone. It's about 7cm in length. He recommended that Paul receive radiation treatment. We have three options: 10 treatments over two weeks, 5 treatments over a week, or 1 treatment. We chose to have one treatment and be done. There is a 95% success rate for relieving bone pain, so we're optimistic that this will help rid Paul of the pain he's been suffering for the last month. He went yesterday for a simulation. They did a CT scan of his leg. Then they fed the data into a computer to work out the physics for the treatment. Paul has four Sharpie marker X's on his leg that they used to help aim the lasers, which in turn, will aim the X-ray. He is scheduled for the actual treatment on Monday morning at 9:15. He may get relief within the week or it might take a month to see results. We're praying for a quick response.

Happy Bastille Day!

Let me be the first to wish all of you Francophiles out there happy Bastille Day! Viva La France! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, now is a good time to brush up on your French history. It's roughly equivalent to our Independence Day.

And now, on to a completely unrelated subject...

Paul got a call from the doctor today. He will go in tomorrow afternoon for his first IV dose of Zometa. I don't know what type of treatment schedule he will be on, or if it's a one-time thing. We'll keep you posted when we have more information. Thanks for all your love and concern.

Scan Results

Yesterday we met with Dr. Hancock to learn the results of Paul's latest PET/CT scan. We've been concerned because Paul has had a great deal of pain in his right leg for the last several weeks. The scan looked good, with no new growth. The area near his esophagus that had lit up on the last scan looked much better. There were still a few spots here and there, which the doctor attributes to some lingering infection, due to Paul's compromised immune system. But overall, things look good. The next step is to figure out what's causing the pain. After meeting with Dr. Hancock, we went to the hospital, where Paul had an x-ray of his femur. This will help the doctor to see if the bone is compromised (moth-eaten were his words). If this is the case, there are several options: an I.V. drug called Zometa, which helps rebuild the bone; injecting the bone with medical-grade cement, or irradiating the bone to kill the cancer. We have a consultation on July 16th with a radiation oncologist in Idaho Falls. We'll let you know which treatment(s) we choose. We'll start with the Zometa, as soon as we get approval from the insurance company.

Now, on to lighter topics --

Cameron and Jacob went to Cub Scout Day Camp. This time they stayed all day - no snow! The theme of the camp was Wild West. They shot BB guns, tied knots, panned for gold, baked biscuits, rode a bucking bronco, learned to write using Indian picture symbols in a tepee, did exercises, ran an obstacle course; and hiked a nature trail, searching for footprints. Somewhere in the middle of all that, they ate lunch and found time to shop at the trading post. Jacob says he bought Sprite, two boxes of candy, and a snowcone...you know, to remind him of the Wild West.

Jacob had his first soccer game last night. He loved it. His team played really well together. They won 5 to 0. He got to play every position, including goalie, where he did an excellent job defending for his team.



He said he likes soccer because, "you get to run a lot, and I like running." (He takes after his mom). His next game is Thursday.

I'd like to thank Sherry, sister-in-law, fellow blogger and kindred spirit, for planting the seed (it began to germinate at 2:30 this morning -- thanks a lot!) which has become today's post.




You Might Be The Mother of Sons If:

You've looked out the window just in time to see the "Full Moon Irrigation Company" watering the tree in your front yard.

Your car insurance doubled overnight without the thrill of being ticketed for driving Highway 20 like it was the German Autobahn.

You can repeat from memory the Cub Scout Promise, the Scout Oath, and all the best lines from Napoleon Dynamite.

The contents of the sandbox have gradually migrated indoors, one shoe full at a time.

Your washing machine can be mined for deposits of gravel, candy wrappers, Legos, chewing gum, missing homework assignments, pocket knives, and the occasional MP3 player.

You've considered buying stock in the following companies: Lego, Hotwheels, Band-Aid, Malt O'Meal, Tide, Skippy, Ovaltine...

You wonder if Fruit of the Loom conducted a feasibility study before deciding to manufacture white underwear in Boys sizes.

You're very familiar with "Puppy Scent," and you don't own a dog.

At least one of the six Star Wars films is viewed in your home every month.

George Lucas could be considered part of the family.

Your food budget is equal to the Gross National Product of a small country.

Someone is always hungry.

You've thought of having your children checked for tapeworms.

There's a mysterious hole of unknown origin in the upstairs window which corresponds perfectly to the size of a BB...hmmm.

You think the Father and Sons outing should be held monthly.

You've achieved the rank of Eagle Scout.

Your riding lawnmower has reached speeds that rival those of Nascar.

Clean is a relative term.

You have reminded a child that washing should include the use of soap.

You wholeheartedly supported your husband's idea to install a urinal in the boys bathroom.

Your housekeeping philosophy: Only clean bathroom fixtures you have personally used (see above).

After they clean their bedrooms, your laundry room resembles a scale model of the Himalayas.

Your children do not share your enthusiasm for the works of Jane Austen or William Shakespeare.

They are, however, quite familiar with Dav Pilkey, author of the Captain Underpants series.

No one argues about who gets to be the Princess!

Introducing the latest in Zero Carbon Emissions lawnmowers...

In an effort to implement an eco-friendly policy of lawn and garden maintenance, we have contracted with a new company that provides zero carbon emissions lawn mowing services. The employees are extremely efficient, if a little wary of strangers. While their work hours are somewhat sporadic, I believe they will eventually get to the entire lawn. I just hope they leave the vegetable garden alone.


Yellow-bellied marmots a.k.a. Rockchucks




There is a family of these creatures living in the wood pile by Paul's shop. And a lot more live next door in the rock piles near the potato shed. Sadly, one of them had recently expired, a fact which I had the near-misfortune of literally stumbling upon while heading up the hill on Tuesday to go for a run...eww! Life in the fast lane can be messy. But nature has a way of taking care of its own. Today when I went past the "accident" site, I noticed the body was gone. I'm sure the marmot family retrieved their loved one and had a proper burial...either that or some scavenger came along and enjoyed a roadside banquet. I like to think it was the first option.

A Lesson in Thermodynamics

The fact that school is out for the summer does not automatically preclude further learning. Case in point -- one of my children (who shall remain anonymous to protect his dignity) decided his bike tire was low. This presented him with several options:

1. Go out to the shed and use Dad's air compressor.
2. Find the hand pump.
3. Borrow the pump from Mom's bicycle.

And finally, the less obvious (at least to the female mind):

4. Ride two and a half miles round trip in the blazing heat to the local gas station and use their air compressor.

You can guess which choice he opted for.

Now, fast forward several hot, sunny hours. We were all inside the house, busy with various activities. Suddenly we heard a loud BANG! I thought it was Parker shooting off bottle rockets or firecrackers again, so I sent Jacob to investigate. He came back and told me that Parker was upstairs asleep. He had gone to work at 4:30 a.m. to rake hay and was pretty tired. The source of the noise remained a mystery.

It wasn't until later that evening that we discovered what had happened. My unnamed child came into the house, carrying a bike tire that had a large hole blown out of the sidewall. You see where this is headed...over-filled tire, hot sun, expansion, extreme air pressure...BANG!

The lesson learned: While living creatures need air to survive, too much of it can be deadly, especially if you happen to be a bicycle tire.

The Wild Blue Yonder

Yesterday was one of those perfect blue sky days that we've been missing for what seems like ages. We spent the morning enjoying the Rexburg Air Show, along with approximately ninety-five percent of the population of the Upper Snake River Valley. Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating, but there were a lot of people there! It was okay, though; most of them were well-behaved. Armed with plenty of sunblock and camp chairs, we settled in to enjoy the show. In spite of the sunshine, it never felt too hot, thanks to the ever-present Rexburg wind. There's nothing like a high-octane display of raw horsepower to keep a bunch of boys interested. And the variety of characters in the crowd was enough to keep me entertained. Free admission events seem to draw such a diverse cross-section of the population (politically correct way of saying all the crazies come out of the woodwork). Parker played the role of official family photographer for the event. He took some great pictures and video. See below for more examples.

Tyler and Brandi came for a Father's Day dinner of BBQ ribs, baked salmon, mashed potatoes, salad, and pie for dessert. Now Paul is watching (quite possibly through closed eyelids) a documentary on PBS about bees and the problem of Colony Collapse disorder...zzzzz. And the boys are outside protecting our garden from foreign invasion by deploying sonic disruptive devises (can you say "firecrackers?") It's a good thing we don't have any next door neighbors...

If it's snowing, it must be June...

Ah, the joys of summer vacation in Idaho! The boys have been out of school for nearly a week and have yet to experience a halfway decent day spent in pursuit of every stay-at-home mom's dream come true...PLAYING OUTSIDE! Cameron and Jacob left this morning at 8 o'clock for Cub Scout day camp. They were so excited last night, they slept on the floor, with their clothes next to them so they could jump right up and be ready to go. Well, they walked back through the door just after 10 AM, approximately four and a half hours ahead of schedule. It seems the people in charge of the camp decided it was too cold, so they cancelled the rest of the activities for the day. In all fairness to the camp directors, fresh snow does tend to put a damper on things.

We planted a lovely garden this year, with the usual variety of vegetables; but I'm beginning to wonder if maybe we should have planted a different crop...perhaps snow peas and iceburg lettuce.



Disclaimer: This is not an actual picture of our yard.

Go with the flow...

I've decided we're a little like rafters on the stream of life. We float along peacefully, going wherever the flow takes us. Then the stream turns into a raging torrent and we have two choices: grab a life preserver and hang on, or go under. I choose the former. I'm looking out the window at the beautiful blue sky, wondering why we didn't have this weather yesterday. Let me backtrack. On Monday, Tyler told us that he and Brandi had changed the date of their wedding. Instead of June 21, it was now moved to June 4, two days away. They had planned to hold the wedding in our yard; but on Wednesday, a gigantic rainstorm came and parked over Rexburg. So we held it in our living room, with Tyler's bishop performing the marriage. It was a nice ceremony with a few friends and family in attendance. We would have liked for more of you to be here, but considering the short notice, we were happy anyone came! They plan on having an informal open house/party for family and friends later in the summer. We'll pass along more information as it becomes available. They will be living just west of Rexburg.



Marking a Milestone

Solve for x:

1500 divided by 4 + (5x2) + (2x2) - 30 = x

Give up?

Try this:

1500 miles in 4 years + 5 pair of running shoes + 2 pair of Yaktraks - 30 pounds
= a healthier me!



Paul just completed his 5th month of oral chemo and came through it reasonably unscathed. He's as busy as ever with work and church responsibilities. The boys finished school May 29th, and my last day on campus was June 3rd. So Parker got to play Mr. Mom for two days, lucky him! I have an online class to finish by the middle of July, then I'm a free woman...until the next semester. Parker will spend the summer working for a local farmer, Hayden has plans for scout camp. Cameron and Jacob will be attending Cub Scout day camp next week. Jacob will also be going to summer school for 3 weeks. Then soccer starts in July. All this should keep us out of trouble for awhile...

P.S. I just got an e-mail from the University telling me that my appeal to change to Fall/Winter track has been accepted! Now I can go to school when the boys are in school and be home when they're home.

ABC Tag

I got this fun tag from Sherry and thought I would post it here....

A- ATTACHED OR SINGLE: Very attached to one husband and 5 sons.
B- BEST FRIEND: Paul.
C- CAKE OR PIE: Sour Cream Lemon Pie.
D- DAY OF CHOICE: I like them all, especially school days -- I know, I'm such a nerd!
E- ESSENTIAL ITEM: Running shoes and contact lenses -- so I don't run into any sign posts.
F- FAVORITE COLOR: It varies daily.
G- GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: I'm not finished yet, so I'll get back to you on this one.
H- HOMETOWN: Rexburg, Idaho
I- INDULGENCES: Good shoes; Books, books and more books!
J- JANUARY OR JULY: January -- my birthday and snow skiing.
K- KIDS: 5
L- LIFE IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT: My family. And the occasional bit of chocolate.
M- MARRIAGE DATE: May 17, 1985
N- NUMBER OF SIBLINGS: 5 older sisters, 2 younger sisters, 2 younger brothers. 7 sis-in laws and 10 bro. in-laws.
O- ORANGES OR APPLES: oranges and orange juice.
P- PHOBIAS OR FEARS: Heights.
Q- QUOTES: "I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it."
- William Shakespeare
"Are you telling me no?" -this one's mine.
R- REASON TO SMILE: Life is good!
S- SEASON: Summer and Winter.
T- TAG THREE FRIENDS: Deaun, Debra, Alysha.
U- UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME: Hey, Dad...I've become a morning person!
V- VERY FAVORITE STORE: I don't really have one. Clothing stores are good. Sierra Trading Post online gets alot of my business.
W- WORST HABIT: I kind of like to have my own way...is that a bad thing?
X- X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND: Neither would be very welcome at this point in my life.
Y- YOUR FAVORITE FOOD: This is very seasonal -- fresh fruit in summer, hot cocoa with a scoop of ice cream in the winter, salmon all year.
Z-YOUR ZODIAC SIGN: Capricorn.

2008 Summer Olympics - Rexburg

Paul went to Lincoln Elementary School's Olympic Field Day with Cameron and Jacob on May 16. Opening Ceremonies began with the Parade of Nations. Each class marched onto the field, representing a different country, complete with flags. Cameron's class was France and Jacob's was Iceland. After a picnic lunch, the athletic events began.







Jacob ran the 100 yard dash and Cameron ran the 50 yard dash. They brought home "Gold" medals (like all of the other kids).

Cameron took his turn in the dunk tank.





This was his favorite part of the day.



Shaved ice was a popular treat...



...and so was cotton candy.



Getting sprayed by the firetruck was Jacob's favorite event.

Gentlemen, start your engines!

Saturday afternoon, Paul and I went to Idaho Falls to test drive cars that don't consume the same amount of fuel in one week as the entire nation of Kiribati.



Parker was in charge of keeping Hayden, Cameron and Jacob out of trouble at home. Surprisingly, we only got one call in the 4 hours (we drove a lot of cars!) that we were gone . It was for a non-emergency type issue, so we were feeling pretty good about the whole thing. We finished shopping and headed for home. When we arrived, we were told by an anonymous source (brothers make excellent informants) that Parker had decided since Jacob was now eight, he was old enough to be introduced into the exciting world of truck driving. So they headed up the hill to the dirt road and Parker let Jacob steer the S-10 while sitting on Parker's lap. Apparently this seemed like a good idea in the mind of a sixteen year old male.



I can't say I would agree. Fortunately, no one was hurt and no vehicles were damaged.

This is what 23 years of marriage will do to a couple...

In celebration of our anniversary on May 17, here's a little quiz:



1. What is your husband's name? Paul Jay Carling

2. Who eats more? That would be Paul, but he needs more fuel.

3. Who said I love you first? Paul did. But I was a close second…kind of a Mutual Admiration Society.

4. Who is taller? Paul, he’s 5’10” and I’m 5’6”.

5. Who is smarter? Okay, it all depends upon the subject. I like to think we have a symbiotic brain trust going on…what I don’t know, he does, and vice versa. Paul’s better with mechanical/mathematical issues and I specialize in arts, literature, and of course, useless trivia.

6. Who is more sensitive? That’s a tough one. Neither one of us is really mushy. I guess it’s a good thing we have boys!

7. Who does more laundry? I win (or lose, depending upon your viewpoint); although, he does have the ability.

8. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Me. I have no idea why, that’s just how it’s always been. It doesn't make much sense, hardly any, really. It places me the farthest from the bedroom door and the kids throwing up in the night…hey, maybe there is some sort of subconscious reasoning behind it after all.

9. Who pays the bills? Me. Paul’s too busy.

10. Who cooks more? I do. Paul used to cook Sunday dinners, but then he was called to serve on the High Council, then in the Bishopric…wait a minute…he doesn’t do either of those anymore…I believe it’s time for a policy change!

11. What meals do you cook together? When we have a barbecue we cook together and when we have company.

12. Who is more stubborn? We are both fairly flexible, so I’d have to say neither. Paul is the easiest person to get along with.

13. Who is the first to admit it when they are wrong? Both of us are willing to admit our mistakes.

14. Who is more clean? I think we are on an equal footing here, although he does track mud and dirt into the house more than I do (except for this morning).

15. Who has more siblings? With 7 sisters and 2 brothers, that would be me. Paul has 2 brothers and 3 sisters.

16. Who wears the pants in the relationship? Both at times (except on Sundays, when I wear a dress). We are coequals in our relationship.

17. What do you like to do together? Anything: Skiing, riding dirt bikes, kayaking, grocery shopping (hey, you gotta take together time wherever you can), camping, hiking, watching good movies like, oh, I don’t know…Pride and Prejudice…(Paul is a good sport about watching chick flicks with me).

18. Who eats more sweets? I’m not sure, because I don’t know what kind of treats he gets during the day. I like my sweets, but I try to run them off the next day.

19. Guilty Pleasures? For me: Jane Austen novels and movies; for Paul: buying crazy motorcycle boots off E-bay ;o)

20. How did you meet? At an LDS Institute dance at Weber State (quite possibly the one and only dance that Paul went to. Do you see the hand of Providence at work here?) He was there with a guy I knew from my home ward.

21. Who asked who out first? Paul invited me to go snowmobiling on New Year‘s Day. He was impressed when I dared to go 80 miles an hour my first time out. Pretty stupid of me, but producing excellent results!

22. Who kissed who first? Paul asked me if he could kiss me on my birthday (Jan. 11). Of course, I said yes, and kissed him back!


23. Who proposed? Paul did. We were going to go skiing, but we decided to go to McDonald’s for Happy Meals, instead. Mine came with a diamond ring.

24. Best features? His eyes, smile, personality, sense of humor, shall I go on?


25. What is his best quality? Paul is a friend to everyone, especially me; respectful, hard working, honest, a good father, and he makes me laugh!

Good news, bad news...

Paul was scheduled to have his PET/CT on April 29, but the clinic called him on the morning of 24th and asked if he could come at 11:00 that day. Everything went well; he even slept through most of the process, he was that relaxed (Ativan will do that). I called and moved his follow-up appointment with the oncologist to this past Thursday (May 1)so we wouldn't have to wait the extra week for the results. When we met with Dr. Hancock, he said, "There's good news, and bad new." The good news was that the spot of cancer in Paul's right femur was shrinking. But the bad news was that a bunch of lymph and other tissues in his esophagus area were lit up. He said it didn't make any sense to him why the leg would have improved, but the other area had gotten worse...until Paul told him that he thought he had pneumonia. He asked him when the symptoms had started, which had been just before he started his course of oral chemotherapy. He had gotten progressively worse as the week went along. By the time he went in for the scan, he was feeling pretty rotten. Things made more sense now. Apparently, the infection lights up on the scan like cancer would have. The doctor is confident that that is what he was seeing. He said it was kind of a "perfect storm" scenario, with Paul's compromised immune system and picking up whatever bug it was that eventually turned into pneumonia. So, now it's "good new, good new". Well, maybe "good news, not as bad news". Paul still has to get over the pneumonia, but he was well enough to baptize Jacob today. Thanks to all who were able to be here with us for Jacob's special day. We appreciate your love and support and continued prayers for Paul and our entire family.

It must be springtime...

The snow has finally melted and it's departure marks the arrival of that harbinger of spring...the muddy armed boy. Today after school, Cameron and Jacob came in through the front door, hung up their jackets and backpacks, and went out the back door. I was working on homework, so I didn't pay much attention. I checked on them after awhile and saw them playing in the backyard. An hour later, I decided I should see what they were up to. I was greeted by the sight of two boys with mud up to their elbows and multiple splatterings covering their once-pristine, fairly new school shoes, in addition to their shirts and pants. The sound of the back door opening sent them scurrying around the side of Paul's workshop...they knew they were busted! Before letting them in the house to get cleaned up I took pictures, as I always do (for evidence, I mean, posterity). Their children will thank me later...

What I've learned so far...

Winter semester is over and I have a little more than a week before Summer semester begins. I thought it might be a good time for some self-assessment. Here's some of what I've learned:

Number One - The heroes of the Book of Mormon were ordinary people. The thing that set them apart from everyone else was their reliance on the Savior to accomplish the great things that they did.

Number Two - William Shakespeare was a literary genius with an incredible sense of humor. But, then you already knew that, right?









Number Three - There's no such thing as an original line...they're all stolen from Shakespeare. For example, when John Wayne says, "We're burning daylight" in the Cowboys,he's quoting Romeo and Juliet and the Merry Wives of Windsor.




Mr. Spock from Star Trek is not the originator of "Live Long and Prosper", he swiped it from Romeo and Juliet. Okay, so he changed it a little from the original "Live, and be prosperous", but not by much. Any parent who has told a child they couldn't go with their friends is giving a nod to Shakespeare's original "Be patient, for you shall remain with us.--"
When you say "I hope we don't get caught", you're just rephrasing the Bard's "I hope they will not come upon us now." And the ever popular "Go, girl"? Shakespeare.

Number Four - The Law of the Harvest: You reap what you sow. If you work hard, attend class and do what's required, you get good grades. It took me several decades to embrace this philosophy, but I am reaping the dividends.

Number Five - As a man (or woman) thinketh, so is he (or she). If you think you're too old to try something new, you probably are. If you think you can't learn anything new, you probably won't. If you think you can't be successful, you won't be.

A Grand day at Targhee...

Lynn, Brent and Cory came up Friday night so they could go skiing with us on Saturday. The day started off kind of snowy, windy and cold. Lynn told me he'd been skiing at Grand Targhee two times(including this time), and both times were horrible. Someone must have heard his complaint because the sun came out, the skies cleared and the wind calmed. It turned out to be a great day. Everyone had a good time and there weren't any serious injuries (how's your thumb, Lynn?).



Today I presented my final project in English. I think it went well. Everyone laughed a the right moments and clapped at the end, so I guess that means they enjoyed it. I'll have to wait awhile to find out what grade I earned. Thursday is the last day of classes for me. I have a six page paper to hand in for my Book of Mormon final. Then I'm off until April 21, when summer semester begins. I'll be taking the second half of Book of Mormon on campus and a Sociology class online.

Everyone is doing well and staying busy. Paul is feeling pretty good and working hard. He, Parker and Hayden are going to do baptisms for the dead on Friday night with the youth from our ward. I guess Cameron, Jacob and I will have a party. Speaking of parties...Paul will be turning 45 tomorrow, so feel free to call him and wish him a Happy Birthday!

It's A Girl!

...a slightly distracted, sometimes absent-minded one. Okay, I admit it...I don't know my own phone number! (In all fairness and in the interest of full disclosure, it is a new phone with a different number). Twice in the last week-- come to think of it-- twice in one day, I was called upon to share my digits with another person. On the first occasion, I confidently wrote my phone number on a work order for some copies I was having made at the University. I then proceeded on my merry way, oblivious to the fact that the number I had written down was not even remotely close to my actual number. Well, the last four numbers were correct. When I returned later in the day to pick up the copies, the girl told me they had tried to call me, but the number was wrong...oops! Then I was making a phone call for work. The girl I was talking to asked if she could get back with me. I said,"Sure", then suddenly realized I couldn't remember what my number was. I quickly asked if I could call her right back. I then looked my number up on my phone and called her again. I eventually printed it on an adhesive label and stuck it firmly to the back of my phone...problem solved!

2008 Lincoln Elementary Fairy Tale Ball



Today marked the last time I will be in charge of decorations for the 2nd grade Fairy Tale Ball! I have done them for Hayden, Cameron and now Jacob's class. It was fun, but now it's time to pass the torch to some other unsuspecting, I mean, deserving mother. Jacob went dressed as a King and did an awesome job dancing! He even waltzed with an older woman with two left feet (a.k.a. his Mom). Lots of parents came to support their children and everyone had a great time.