Sunday, June 29, 2008

The Four Seasons of Utah

There isn't much construction UDOT can do in the winter time because it's just too dang cold. When they do try to patch up holes in the road, they bounce right back out and it's just the same a week later. I came to conclusion, the four seasons of Utah are no longer Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall--it is Winter, Road Construction, Road Construction, and Road Construction. No matter where you go, what city you go to, what interstate you take, there is going to be some kind of road construction. I know it's not just Utah, I believe it to be other states as well, but I have just lived in Utah my entire life, so it's the seasons I've grown up with :P Do you ever wonder what was going through their heads once they have finished the construction??? Sometimes the roads are completely retarded and you just wonder who the PM was on that job??? In Springville, as you exit onto the interstate off exit 261, they are always painting and repainting arrows, the roads are so confusing to one who has never been on that exit--I can see where road rage comes in to play. 
Yesterday (Saturday) was our yearly McKinnon reunion...YAY!!!! (if you could only hear the sarcasm in my typing.) We get to see cousins that we don't know, drive to a place that we don't know how to get to, and spend all day saturday there!! Surprisingly it turned out to be OK. My grandma is the only one left of all her sisters, so she was the bell of the ball :) I sat with my mom and her sister Geri and her husband Galyn and brother George and his wife Elaine and her cousins Mary Anne and Mary Lou--they have a great time when they're all together which made it fun. It was a challenge getting there, that's for sure. It was up in Providence, Utah at my mom's cousin, Mary Anne's . It was there about 4 years ago, but how are we suppose to remember how to get there from 4 years ago??? The address wasn't numbers, it was a number and Hillsboro Dr. with no map. My aunt Geri said Mapquest was no help at all, so I'm glad we didn't use that. But we did end up in Hyrum instead up Providence and were driving around for about 20 minutes then decided to call then drove around trying to find it after we got directions and ended up in Logan for another 20 minutes. Whew. It's quite an exiting drive up there also... I'll bring up the topic of road construction back up. (North Salt Lake) I don't think I've ever seen so many orange cones in my life...where do they store all of those???? 

Thursday, June 26, 2008

i carry your heart with me

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in 
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere 
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done 
by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart ( i carry it in my heart)

-e.e. cummings

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

My Little Peanut

From the day I found out that I was pregnant I knew the baby growing inside me deserved so much more than what I could offer it. It needed a future and mom and a dad. That is where Jared and Amanda came in. They stuck by me for almost 8 months of patiently waiting for their little guy to come. June 10, 2008, Max Milton was born via c-section weighing in at 8 lbs. 11 oz and 20 in. long. 

I am so very grateful to have been able to spend those four days in the hospital with Max and Jared and Amanda. That way, Amanda's family and friends were also able to come and meet the new addition to their family and I was able to meet the wonderful family and friends. 
My sister, Kris from Boise, Idaho also was able to drive down for a day, which meant so much to me. My grandma was staying with us at the time and was also able to meet Max! 
I am so grateful for everyone's love and support!!! I cannot say "Thank You" enough! I am so blessed with an amazing family of my own, with such caring brothers and sisters who I love so much and my family is blessed with our mother. My mom is the most selfless person I know. She would do anything for anyone. She has been by my side and has taken care of me when I needed her. I don't know what I would do without her in my life, I love my mom and I am grateful for her love and her support through everything this past year. 

Me and My Little Peanut just hours after he was born
  
He has the cutest and longest little toesies! He always has them curled :)
   
I absolutely love him

All ready to go home
  
The loving mommy and daddy :)

Adoption is not a breaking of trust but a keeping of faith...not the abandonment of a baby, but an abandonment of self for a baby's sake. 
-Curtis Young


Tuesday, June 10, 2008

June 10, 2008

As I anxiously went to my dr.'s appointment yesterday to find out what he was going to do with me and this baby that just seemed to not want to come, he made a decision. Well, it wasn't the babe that wasn't wanting to come after all, it's my body. I have the great luck of not dilating...AT ALL. A week overdue and my cervix still hadn't come forward and the babe still hadn't dropped. I still wasn't thinning and and completely closed. The dr. said he could induce me--putting the gel on my cervix every 6 hrs, then after so long, start the Pitocin (Is that how you spell it???). He said 40% chance I would be able to have him naturally, 60% I would end up having to have gone through all that and end up having a Cesarean. Two of  my sisters never dilate. He said, given that history, he recommended a Cesarean. I looked at my mom, she recommended a Cesarean. This morning at 6:00 am I am having a Cesarean!! 
Yesterday was a weird day. Not seeming real almost. I went to lunch with Aly and walked the mall haha ---my ankles are a little swollen now, that part I won't miss ;) Last night Kenyon and Holly, Weston and Carolyn, my mom and grandma and I went to JCW's for dinner then went to Aly and Nick's where Weston gave me a wonderful blessing of comfort---I'm so grateful to have the priesthood in my family! And I'm so glad Max is going to a family where the priesthood is very important. 
We came home and I got all I could ready for Max's big arrival today. ---If I haven't told you that's what they are naming him, Max Milton...my little M&M--my little Peanut. We just don't know how little he is going to be HAHA! A week overdue! Getting to sleep last night was hard. Waking up to use the restroom, then trying to get back to sleep---I finally just woke up at 3:30 a.m. and have been laying there ever since with restless legs and thought I should let everyone know what's happening and that things are a movin' now :) 
I can't wait to meet this little guy, I have a great love for him. It IS possible to love someone so much that you've never even met. I want to thank everyone for all your love and support throughout everything! I could have never done this alone, especially without my mom. She has been such a great support and has helped me
through thick and thin!
*I stole this picture off Mrs. R's blog cause I LOVE it and I love her blog!

Friday, June 6, 2008

Family Pic Finally Here!!

The family pic is finally perfected--many thanks to my sister Emily :) We have not had the whole entire family together since 2005, and even then we were missing two of my brothers in law and photoshopped them into the picture--which actually turned out really well, thanks again to Emily! (She works at a professional photolab) It was so good to have everyone here Easter weekend, having all my brothers and sisters together and all my nieces and nephews together--which probably won't happen again for a couple more years. 

Nada...

Nope. He is still in ma belly. The countdown clocks have come to a close and this little guy just is too comfy in his little hot tub. At 38 weeks, going into the doctor, I thought maybe I would have dropped or maybe be dilated just a little--nada. 39 weeks came crawling up and--zilch. Soooo, I go in 40 weeks pregnant, thinking--OK, he HAS to have dropped, I FEEL him a LITTLE lower and I HAVE to have dilated to SOMETHING!!--nothing. That previous weekend I hadn't really felt him moving a whole lot and being that I was 40 weeks, my doctor wanted me to get a non-stress test. So, this last Tuesday, I went in and my precious passed with flying colors :) They made me another appointment for this morning--which I was hoping that I wouldn't make it and would hopefully have him by today, but I made it haha I have an appointment on Monday with my doctor, so let us hope he can get things going :) 
I am so grateful for Jared and Amanda, for their patience, love and support throughout this whole process! On Sunday they were able to come down and meet my family--all but two of my sisters. The sisters they were able to meet, afterwards were telling me how they felt like they were family! I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father that He answered my prayers and led Jared and Amanda to me.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

High School Memories Tag

1. If you could go back and tell your teenage self one thing, what would it be? 
Be happy and enjoy it while I can

2. Did you do any extra curricular activities in high school? 
None, I just hung out with friends a lot, plus I just wanted to get done and outta there.

3. What did you do with your free time? 
Worked at Zubs Pizza and Subs and hung out with friends

4. Coolest thing you did as a teenager?
Me and my friend Lindsay were 'N Sync freaks in Jr. High and went to a few concerts and went up to SLC whenever they had appearances, we thought that was pretty cool then. 

5. Did you have a boyfriend in high school? 
No, I kept to myself and just stayed with friends. I had guy friends but never went beyond friends.

6. Songs that come to mind?
I was in to Puddle of Mud and Nickleback. I'll just stop right there. :P

7. If you could change one thing, what would it be? 
I wish I would have saved my money a little better for college.

8. What did you think you would be when you grew up? 
I wanted to be a teacher or go into business. I have no idea what I want to do now though...

9. Picture of self.
 
Me (on the very left) and my friends our Senior year at my friend Chalysse's house for our Last Chance Dance (Girls choice dance)...I asked Dan DeWitt. 
 
10. Craziest thing you did in high school. 
I wasn't the crazy type really.. My friends and I would go see what all the hype was about draggin main in Spanish Fork until it got scary and we got followed and never did that again, but we always got crazy on our own in our backyards just hangin out :)

I tag ANYONE who wants to reminisce of the good ol days of high school :)

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Diet Coke... Does a Baby Good!

So, kids are never satisfied with water, milk, you know the stuff that's good for em'....
They know the good stuff when they see it...and taste it ;) hahaha This is my one year old nephew Talan last Sunday... He wanted every last drop of that Diet Coke left, and oh did he try!!! He had us all laughing hysterically! 

*Note: No children were harmed with the digestion of Diet Coke during the taking of this picture. hee hee

Monday, May 12, 2008

In Loving Memory

When I first moved to Springville my ward was full of families that consisted little families of all boys. When they would try for another...a boy...another...boy. Soon there was so much building our neighborhood that was just four streets had to be split into two wards. But not forgetting those that were in our ward and always keeping in touch. As I sat in Sacrament yesterday waiting for my mom to arrive from work, i'm listening to the 2nd counselor as he is saying that we keep the Dalley's in our prayers and funeral services for Brother Dalley will be on Tuesday. My heart started racing.. I knew two Dalley families, one in our current ward and one in our ward that was split a couple years back. I immediately thought it was the father of the Dalley's in our current ward, as he is a fireman for the Provo Fire Department. I looked around and didn't see their family, my thoughts were racing. Just then my mom walked in. I asked her if she heard about them. She told me it was the Dalley's 18 year old son, Britton Dalley. They were in our old ward. Their family was one of many with 5 of boys. My mom tried to tell me as much as she knew, she had heard from her friend at work. I then talked to his friends mom that is in our ward. On Tuesday he was driving home and had a seizure and wrecked his car. Come to find out, he had a tumor on his brain the size of an egg. They did surgery to remove the tumor, but then died Wednesday of a stroke. He had no signs of this tumor until the seizure. His family was such a wonderful family! I remember him in our ward, he was such a neat kid, he always smiled at you and opened the door, very polite. Here is his obituary if you would like to see what a great kid he was.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Just use a little Dubya Dee...

I found this very interesting as I thought WD-40 was only used on hinges to get the squeak out. I received this in a forward from my sister and HAD to share it because, like me.. I know you'll be amazed at the things a little WD-40 can do ;) The email read:

I had a neighbor who had bought a new pickup. I got up very early one Sunday morning and saw that someone had spray painted red all around the sides of this beige truck (for some unknown reason). I went over, woke him up, and told him the bad news. He was very upset and was trying to figure out what to do probably nothing until Monday morning, since nothing was open. Another neighbor came out and told him to get his WD-40 and clean it off. It removed the unwanted paint beautifully and did not harm his paint job that was on the truck. I'm impressed! WD-40, who knew?

Water Displacement #40. (WD-40)... The product began from a search for a rust preventative solvent and degreaser to protect missile parts. WD-40 was created in 1953 by three technicians at the San Diego Rocket Chemical Company. Its name comes from the project that was to find a "water displacement" compound. They were successful with the fortieth formulation. Hence... they named it.... WD-40. The Corvair Company bought it in bulk to protect their atlas missile parts.

Ken East (one of the original founders) says there is nothing in WD-40 that would hurt you.When you read the "shower door" part, try it. It's the first thing that has ever cleaned that spotty shower door. If yours is plastic, it works just as well as glass. It's a miracle! Then try it on your stovetop... Voila! It's now shinier than it's ever been. You'll be amazed.

Here are some of the uses:
1) Protects silver from tarnishing.

2) Removes road tar and grime from cars.

3) Cleans and lubricates guitar strings.

4) Gives floors that 'just-waxed' sheen without making it slippery.

5) Keeps flies off cows.

6) Restores and cleans chalkboards.

7) Removes lipstick stains.

8) Loosens stubborn zippers.

9) Untangles jewelry chains.

10) Removes stains from stainless steel sinks.

11) Removes dirt and grime from the barbecue grill.

12) Keeps ceramic/terra cotta garden pots from oxidizing.

13) Removes tomato stains from clothing.

14) Keeps glass shower doors free of water spots.

15) Camouflages scratches in ceramic and marble floors.

16) Keeps scissors working smoothly.

17) Lubricates noisy door hinges on vehicles and doors in homes.

18) It removes black scuff marks from the kitchen floor. Use WD-40 for those nasty tar and scuff marks on flooring. It doesn't seem to harm the finish and you won't have to scrub nearly as hard to get them off. Just remember to open some windows if you have a lot of marks.

19) Bug guts will eat away the finish on your car if not removed quickly.

20) Gives a children's play gym slide a shine for a super fast slide.

21) Lubricates gear shift and mower deck lever for ease of handling on riding mowers.

22) Rids kids rocking chairs and swings of squeaky noises.

23) Lubricates tracks in sticking home windows and makes them easier to open.

24) Spraying an umbrella stem makes it easier to open and close.

25) Restores and cleans padded leather dashboards in vehicles, as well as vinyl bumpers.

26) Restores and cleans roof racks on vehicles.

27) Lubricates and stops squeaks in electric fans.

28) Lubricates wheel sprockets on tricycles, wagons, and bicycles for easy handling.

29) Lubricates fan belts on washers and dryers and keeps them running smoothly.

30) Keeps rust from forming on saws and saw blades, and other tools.

31) Removes splattered grease on stove.

32) Keeps bathroom mirror from fogging.

33) Lubricates prosthetic limbs.

34) Keeps pigeons off the balcony (they hate the smell).

35) Removes all traces of duct tape.

36) Folks even spray it on their arms, hands, and knees to relieve arthritis pain.

37) Florida's favorite use is: "cleans and removes love bugs from grills and bumpers."

38) The favorite use in the state of New York WD-40 protects the Sta tue of Liberty from the elements.

39) WD-40 attracts fish. Spray a LITTLE on live bait or lures and youwill be catching the big one in no time. Also, it's a lot cheaper than the chemical attractants that are made for just that purpose. Keep in mind though, using some chemical laced baits or lures for fishing are not allowed in some states.

40) Use it for fire ant bites. It takes the sting away immediately and stops the itch.

41) WD-40 is great for removing crayon from walls. Spray on the mark and wipe with a clean rag.

42) Also, if you've discovered that your teenage daughter has washed and dried a tube of lipstick with a load of laundry, saturate the lipstick spots with WD-40 and re-wash. Presto! Lipstick is gone!

43) If you sprayed WD-40 on the distributor cap, it would displace the moisture and allow the car to start.

P.S. The basic ingredient is FISH OIL.

P.P.S. I keep a "miniature" size can of WD-40 in my kitchen cabinet over the stove. It is good for oven burns or any other type of burn. It takes the burned feeling away and heals with NO scarring.



OK, UH-MAZING huh?? Who knew it was used for so much...you're gonna go out and buy a can now if you don't already have one aren't you?? I know if made me want to :P hee hee