Talmage at Boot Camp

When Talmage was in boot camp, summer 2007, I had little contact from him the first couple of weeks or so. The first contact I had was a phone call which was about 2 minutes long when he got my address. I could hear the TIs telling him to hurry and Then came this picture sent to me by the branch presidents wife there. It was good to know that he was doing great and still had a smile on his face.

He also wrote me and told me about a serious pain he was having caused by a shot in his buttocks. He was dubbed "sweet cheeks" by my brothers ever since.

Going for a stroll

"Look at me holding up my head!" They are so alert and awake, a big change since they were born.

Twilight Zone

No this post is not about the popular book/movie Twilight. I haven't read it and am not sure if I want to. This post is more about being in the Twilight Zone (Dodo Doodo Doodo Dodo Doodo Dodo).
My father is a big "doom's day" fan (for lack of better wording). I have been told, since I was knee high to a grass hopper, that hard times would come. He likes to dissect Isaiah to speculate about what he is saying. He has talked and still talks about the economic collapse that would come and now we are seeing it unfold, how foreign armies would attack on American soil, etc. Yeah, I am horrible at explaining all that stuff (ask Talmage). I understand him and believe him but that might be because I am very gullible or because I respect and look up to him so much, but then again maybe I just believe him because I believe him.
I was talking to some of my visiting teaching ladies and they started wondering if the Savior would come in their life time. I think that they are getting too ahead of themselves because a lot has to happen before then such as the literal gathering of Israel and the temple being build in the new Jerusalem but it is interesting that they are thinking about that.
Even with that being said, I don't really feel affected by all of it. I feel VERY blessed. Talmage and I are always marveling and thanking the Lord for all that he has given us. An amazing husband, two beautiful, healthy babies, family, friends a huge house (very huge in my humble opinion), food, clothes, vehicles, running water, electricity, dish washer, washer, dryer, water heater and for reals we even have grass growing spontaneously in our backyard. My kids wake up at 3 o'clock every morning because they just love seeing me and they miss me, now that there is love. Blessed. Very blessed.
Anyways, So why am I in the twilight zone? Because everyone on the radio, at church and at school are beginning to sound like him. What is your take on all that doom's day stuff do you believe it? Part of it? None of it? Do you think that I fell off my rocker? Was I even on my rocker? Do you think that eventually everything will turn around for this country? I guess my real question is what do you think?

So last night I came in our room after feeding Hannah and I saw Talmage and Heber cuddling and thought it was adorable.

Project

Over the winter break Jacob, Seth, Amanda and I painted the family room & kitchen: Paint courtesy of Brandi. I also did a few more things here and there. Here are pictures of the aftermath of it all.

Before:

After:

Future Project: Paint this table

Past, Present & Future

20 Years ago:

1. I was a little tike, almost one year old.
2. I was kinda young so I don't remember very much.
3. Think that I was living in Prescott, AZ. Unless we moved to Buckeye by then.

10 Years ago:

1. I was ten years old. I lived in Hyder. Very small town between Pheonix and Yuma.
2. Common things I did at this time: Build forts with my little brothers and sister, jump on the trampoline, building little towns out of mud and stuff, hiking the mountain near my house, helping around the house, training for track, achievement days (on Thursdays) and go to school.
3. I was probably planning my tenth birthday party. All my friends came over and we had a sleep over on my trampoline.

5 Years ago:

1. I was 15. I lived in Prescott rooming with Amanda, Nikki and Collean.
2. I was going to Yavapai College. My classes were Cultural Geography, College Algebra, Microbiology, Art History, 3-D Design, & Oil Painting . At the time I was considering being an Art major, before that I was thinking about majoring in Education.
3. Working as a nanny and doing house cleaning.
4. Mode of transportation: My bike.
5. I loved hanging with my friends, sister, brother, roommates (who was practically a roommate because he was Nikki's fiance), playing indoor soccer, going to Young Women's and going to dances!

2 Years ago:

1. I was 18. I was trying to convince myself that I didn't like this guy named Talmage.
2. I was going to school as an Engineer. Thinking that college seems like it will never end. (This was my fifth year of college).
3. I enjoyed being Relief Society second counselor and loved serving with the girls in my ward and helping people.
4. I worked as a math and science tutor at ASU polytechnic campus (East Campus)
5. This was a stressful semester because I also was president of the Engineering Club and felt like I had too much on my plate.
6. Loved hanging and living with Rick and Alyssa. Liked spending time with family and friends. Going to FHE. Going on dates and especially loved going to dances.

1 Year ago:

1. Happily married to an amazing man, Talmage. We did a lot together and felt like we were driving everywhere, to family houses, friends and going on dates.
2. Still going to school and working as a tutor.
3. Enjoyed playing in the soccer club at ASU.
4. When Talmage would leave for the Air Force one weekend a month, I would hang with all my friends who were still single.

Yesterday I:

1. Took care of my sweet babes; Heber and Hannah.
2. Cleaning the house, doing laundry, painted my nails, went to a party at Jeremy's house.
3. Spent time talking and being with Talmage.

Today I

1. Took cared of Hannah (Heber went with Talmage to do homework). Hannah is so easy to take care of by herself. She is so sweet. Right now she is sleeping sweetly on my lap.
2. Did Talmage's FASFA, school finacial application.
3. Called Wells Fargo and go info on refinancing our mortgage.
4. Worked on my portfolios so that I can graduate with a bachelor's in engineering... someday.
5. Swept the sidewalk and worked on yard.

Tomorrow I Will:

1. Go to church
2. Do visiting teaching
3. Spend time with my husband and kids.

In the Next Year I Will:

1. Get more classes done and be almost done with my degree (yea, I am taking the rest slow, one or two classes at a time). Yea!
2. Keep painting and working on projects.
3. Want to do dancing and exercising of some sort on a regular bases.
4. Enjoy and love my kids, husband, and fam.

Crazy Insane Dream

So I dreamed that I was helping my little sister push her car because it had broken down. She doesn't drive and is not old enough to drive. weird. Then I slipped and tripped and my dad ran my legs over. Weirder. The rest of the dream I was angry at my dad and telling him he should feel bad. He didn't and blaming me for tripping in front of him. All weird.
The weirdest part, I woke up with two marks on the palm of my hand and my palm was hurting. I had clinched my hand so tightly that I dug my nails into myself. Yea, pretty strange.