January 16th through the 22nd

January 16, 2012

I am thankful that I found the right patterns that I could put together for my last scarf.  I had some baby green and white yarn left over and wanted to use them in a scarf.  So I found a sample pattern that worked for the body and then a cute edging to do with it.   I have been working on the idea for days and it finally came together.   Also, I am so thankful that the Lord helps me find things.  I was panicking because I couldn’t find the installation disc of the Dragon program.  I looked and looked and prayed and prayed but to no avail but I had faith that I would eventually it.  Then I looked down on the floor by Jacob’s dresser and there it was.  I don’t know why I hadn’t seen it before but I knew who made it possible.  I am so thankful for the Lord,

January 17, 2012

I am so thankful for the peace good music gives me.  I had a very upsetting day.   I called early in the morning to the doctor’s office to check on my appointment that I had made the month before.  What concerned me was that I didn’t get a reminder call.  Well when I called I was told that I didn’t have an appointment.  They told me because I didn’t have an appointment that they couldn’t see me.  I explained to them that I did have an appointment but the receptionist that made my appointment was having problems.  (Unfortunately, I had lost the appointment card she gave me) Then they said they would have the nurse call me.  I explained the importance of the appointment because of my INR had been 3.9, which is way too high, and I was going out of town.  Well, the nurse never called me and when I called back at 1:30 they told me that my doctor said that he couldn’t see me and that he was then out of the office.  They could care less about my situation.  I was so upset.  Then I started to practice the piano and playing the hymns.  As I practice and playing the hymns, I became less agitated and put it in the hands of the Lord. 

Jane really feeling sick

January 18, 2012

I am so thankful for Brother Hunter.  He got up at 5:30 to take us to the airport.  I am thankful for a good doctor that helped Jane.  When Sarah picked us up Jane looked a little pecked and was complaining of an ear ache. In fact, she had been up all night with it hurting.  We stopped at one store to get fruits and vegetables and Sarah mentioned that some liquid was coming out her ear and she thought it was water from a previous shower and I didn’t think much about it.  Then we went to Walmart and Jane was looking worse and I looked at her ear and saw the liquid and it was sticky.  I knew her ear drum has burst.  Poor Jane, we knew we had pushed her too hard when she declared “I am not getting out of this car until we are home.”   When we got home Sarah called her Doctors office and got an appointment for 2:00 the same time that her spray tanning appointment was.  So I took her while she went to the tanning salon.  She only had a limited time to get everything done.  The doctor looked at her ears and said that she had a double ear infection and one of the ear drum had bust just like I thought.  I was so grateful that we were able to get it taken care of before Sarah left.   Jane was such a good sport because I know how bad her ear felt.  I can still remember how bad my ear felt when I had a bad ear infection when I was a child.  Thank goodness for modern medicine!

January 19, 2012

Grandpa bowling with Reynolds

Thank goodness Jane is feeling better today.  Reynolds  and Alice are still fighting a cough and snotty noses but we had fun anyway.  I prayed that I could find some interesting things to do while they recuperated.   For breakfast, I introduced them to an egg mcmuffin done my way with my microwave round egg pan.  We played some games.  Taught them how to pay “Mother My I”.   I introduced Jane to Solfeggio while Willard played with Reynolds building his is connects.  I was so thankful for the little program Baby Keys on the Itouch.   She loved playing and recording.  Jane is such a wise little girl.  We went to the store and when Willard tried to start the car it would turn over.  He didn’t know why.  Reynolds’s voiced some concern why grandpa couldn’t get the car started.  Jane wisely told her brother something to the effect that “Grandpa hasn’t driven

Picture Jane colored on the computer

that car much and he doesn’t know all about it” She was so patient.  Of course I was praying hard for some direction.  Then the thought came to me that I should look in the cars manual. As I read about how to start the car and the security system, I knew it has something to do with the key system.  I didn’t understand it all but I got the key and started pushing the buttons on the key and then there was a sound: gave the key back to Willard and he started the car right up.  I am so thankful for the power of prayer.  We found out later from Sarah that we hadn’t open the car doors right and it shut down the system.  The kids were so good today.  Alice is so sweet and a quiet storm.

January 20, 2012

I am so thankful for technology for it helps me keep the children entertained.  I suggested that the children make a movie to send to their parents.  It was hard to set on a story or theme but we just went with the flow.  Jane wanted to do a Toy Story theme so we all went up to Reynolds room and tried to figure out a story but Reynolds didn’t like any of the ideas so he began to play with his pirate ship and the girls played with the kitchen.  Since we had just watched most of Peter Pan, we improvised and went with Reynolds.  We put the movie on facebook  and Sarah saw it and emailed Jane and said she was busted for having water in the toy sink.  After lunch,  I found a recipe for Peanut Butter play dough and made a little.  They enjoyed playing with it.  Jane is feeling much better today.   I was grateful that Joe and his family came up and took us out to a Mexican Restaurant. Catrina had been wanting to go because it had a 7 lb burrito. No one got it but we had fun. 

January 21, 2012

Peacock strutting himself

The twins all bundled up

Catrina petting the giraffe

Kissing Orangutan

The uncooperative Kubota Dragon

I am thankful that we had the opportunity to spend the day with Joe and family.  We got to Colorado Springs about 11 o’clock and had some lunch and then set off to the Zoo.   This zoo is the only zoo that is built on a mountain.  You really got a work out walking up the hill to get to the exhibits.  It was a great zoo.  I have never been to a zoo where the animals were so fun to watch.  It was the only place where you were able to get so close to the giraffes.  We feed them and they lick the kid’s hands.  They were amazing. They were the favorite of the kids.  Then we saw an orangutan that came barreling toward the window with a basket on his head.  Then he got

Our next home

into it and just looked out of the glass.  The kids would go to the glass and pucker their lips and the orangutan kissed them back.    Then we went to the reptile house where they had a Kubota Dragon in it and the caretakers were trying to get it to go on its crate so that they could

Kids coming out the the cave

clean the cage.  He wasn’t to cooperative, he keep going to the cleaners looking for a treat.  They finally got him up on the crate and scratched him while the other cleaned the cage. Oh he loved his back scratched.   He was quite a character.  Jane loved the hippo’s because they went into the water and we saw one eating the snow. 

Catrina loves the danger

Garden of the Gods

After the zoo on the way home we drove through the Garden of the Gods.  They are rock formation of red rock that just pop up in the hills.  It was quite amazing.  It would be a great place to hike.  They have all kinds of trails.  We would love to come back to explore.   Then we went to Famous Dave’s to eat.  Catrina wanted some ribs.  We all had a great time but the kids were tired. 

January 22, 2012

I am so thankful for Sunday’s even if we have to keep 3 kids quite at church.   Reynolds was worn out because  he was the last one awake and wasn’t in a good mood but we got through it.  The kids weren’t bad at church as long as Alice, Reynolds had something to snack on.  I was grateful that I remembered how to make some paper play things to entertain the children.

Then I had a little rest with only Alice.  She was tired but kept going and kept quite with some snack.  She certainly smart.  She knows exactly what she wants.  Her first choice is chocolate animal crackers,  Then vanilla ones then cheese crackers.   What was amazing was when anyone said the work prayer she would fold her arms.  And then what really was amazing to me, was for the closing song in Relief Society we sang “Families Can Be Together Forever”   Alice, broke out with the biggest smile and laughed and chatter away.  I could tell that Sarah must sing that song a lot because I have never seen such a reaction to a song from a child before.  She is really smart and has a great ear for music.  I am grateful that I have this opportunity to get to know these grandkids better.  I evenly am figuring out Reynolds and how to get his cooperation.