Blessings...despite turmoil~

Its been a long week to say the least.....BUT our heater is up and running now, thanks to some hard working"plumbing and heating experts" and some long hours. Its a relief to have "real heat" again....and ONE LESS thing to worry about! I have a wonderful family, both extended and immediate. They are all so very thoughtful and caring. It means so much to know that no matter what it is that I am going through, they are always there for me. Dayna popped in for a VERY surprise visit this week. I was shocked, but so thrilled to see her as she walked in the door. She has no idea what her visit meant to me, especially this week. I am grateful to have such a very thoughtful daughter, I don't know what I would do without her. I am blessed as a mother to have such amazing kids! I not only consider them my children, but my friends.

LESSON #1....NeVeR take things for Granted!

The statement that..."you don't appreciate something until its gone"...holds true for me, right now more than ever.

We have a heater that circulates water through copper pipes and then into baseboard heaters in each room. Last week the circulation pump on our heater quit working....so it wouldn't circulate the HOT water through the pipes, resulting in a COLD house. We called someone to come and fix it. He came and was able to pound on the pump a bit and get it going again. He said that the pump gets full of hard water deposits and then it quits working (but the pump being 20 years old and just wearing out, plays a big part into that too). There is no quick fix for it other than to replace it. So he was going to order us one and then said that he would come and replace the pump when it came in....but for the time being the heater was working, the pump was pumping and we had a warm house once again. THAT is until yesterday (1 week later) when once again the pump quit and we had a cold house.

My dad came to the rescue with an electric heater that he let us borrow (did I mention that I have the best dad ever!!!). It's called an EdenPURE...which heats like a charm!!! I honestly think that it would heat my entire upper level all by itself (and that's alot of space). It so efficient...and extremely quiet. I can't believe what a wonderful little machine it is. I think we might have to invest in one (or two)

of these awesome machines

in the near future. We also had a couple of other electric heaters that we have spread throughout the house to keep things from freezing and to keep us warm. So until we are able to get our heater running again...we will be relying solely on electricity to keep our house warm.

...and when our heater starts running again, I VOW... NOT to take it for granted. I am so VERY grateful that my sweet dad that let us borrow his AMAZING heater and that we also had a few to spread around...but there is nothing like our big burly heater to keep the house warm and snugly...day in and day out.

The "Frosting on the Cake"?...its in the eye of the beholder!

"WINTER"

...depending on where you live and who you are....could be most enjoyable or most depressing. If you are an avid follower of my blog, you know how I feel about the subject of

"Winter!"

BUT

after the fog lifted this morning and the blue sky

came out for a very small "peek"....

there was "FROSTING"

all over my little world

and I have to admit...EVEN I thought

IT WAS BEAUTIFUL!

(AND that says a lot)

Some say that the "Frosting" is the best part of the cake...and today- I would have to agree!

Pay offs and ReFLecTioN~

I love living in a small little town, where everyone knows everyone (pretty much) and the little things that happen in our town...are the BIG things to us. I had the privilege of attended the Region 16 Drill Team competition this week, (which was held at our high school) where our little home town high school team took 1st place for the seventh year in a row. It was thrilling to watch as the girls got out on the floor and gave it their all. I was impressed by the talent and

abilities that they have. You have to be a dedicated team to get the pay off in the end.

Congratulations 2010 Talons!!!

My love for the drill team started several years back when my oldest daughter, Daynalee, was just starting her freshman year in high school. She had worked her tail off and made the drill team just to find out that they might cancel the program at our school because of the lack of a coach. She begged and pleaded that I go in and apply for the position. I laughed...and then laughed some more. I didn't know ONE THING about drill team, let alone coaching. I grew up playing basketball...not dancing. ALTHOUGH...I always wished I could have done dance...(but that's another blog post). SO, because I loved my daughter so much and wanted to see her have the opportunity to do something she had wanted to do for so many years, I went in to the principle and applied for the job! (which still surprises me that I had the guts to do that!) After talking for awhile, and having the principle ask me about what kind of experience I had with dance and coaching and what I expected (money wise) to make...I told him that "first of all, I was shocked to hear that I would/could make any money at all...I thought it was completely volunteer, second..I didn't have any experience coaching or dancing- but I would be willing to learn and I would work hard and do what it took to have a good team.....and THEN, he said that I had THE JOB! After having "bravery remorse" and coming to grips with what I had just taken on, I jumped in feet first with my eyes WIDE OPEN. The girls were very sweet and patient as I learned the ropes of this new job. Over time it got a little easier and alot more fun. We started out having practices after school for 2 hours, but I later moved the practice time to 5:15am. We started out having 8 girls on our team and later ended up with 12-14... and other years even up to 18 girls. We started out with girls who only came to practice when they wanted to and later ended up having every girl to every practice....It was definatly alot of trial and error. The first year was tough and I wondered how in the world I was going to be able to coach when I didn't know anything about what I was doing but I studied alot, read alot and watch alot of DANCE! I had some awesome girls on the team that also wanted to have a coach that knew what she was doing...so they helped me out immensely. After 3 years of coaching and seeing improvements every single year...alot more winnings at our competitions (than losses), much more commitment and dedication from the girls and alot more excitement from new and upcoming girls about wanting to be on our team...we finally hit the jackpot in January of 2004. We won our (my teams) first Region Championship. We had worked tremendously hard and I think we deserved to finally win it. We went into the State Competition with high hopes and alot of enthusiam which carried onto the floor as they performed each and every routine. I was THRILLED BEYOND MEASURE as they announced the STATE 1A Drill Team Champions for 2004 as...DHS, our little home grown, home town team, where most of the girls hadn't even

had a stitch of dance experience before coming

onto our drill team. This was the first time that DHS drill team had EVER won a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. It was so exciting for the girls as well as myself!!!! One win led to yet another years win, and then another...the so the story goes- the drill team has gone on to win every single year since then.

I retired after 6 years of coaching because of some health problems that I was having at the time. The only thing that made leaving my team even a "little bit" okay with me, was that the girls were getting a awesome coach that would work hard with them and continue to strive for a winning team. Our wonderful choreographer has also continued on with the team and has continued to choreograph championship dances for the team as well. I miss coaching, when it comes to the close of the year where the team is competing and all of the hard work is finally paying off. I miss the close relationship that I had with each one of the girls as team members, but also as individuals. I miss their laughs, their smiles and most of all their friendship. I miss them coming over to my house to sit and visit. Coaching, for me, was more than just "morning practices, performances and competitions"...it was a lasting friendship and relationship with the girls that I coached. I loved them like my own children.

As I watched the 2010 DHS drill team win their 7th Region Championship in a row..

I reflected on the feeling that I felt as a coach those many years ago when we won.... the wonderful "HIGH" that comes from the WIN....It's the pay off for early morning practices, hard-VERY HARD- work, stress that seems like its going to last forever and best of all... a whole lot of fun.

That experience in my life is one that I look back on with a smile. I don't know how I ever did it..I don't know how I managed to stay sain...but it is an experience that I enjoyed and wouldn't trade for anything.

Good Luck at STATE this weekend

2010 DHS TALONS!

All in a week.....

Its been a long week. The sky has been gloomy and grey...its been cold and glum...and I am so very ready for spring to come. (probably along with the rest of the world). Although...my week had a nice break in it....Deron and I took a quick trip to the city. Deron knew that I needed a day away from my normal routine and out from this miserable cold. So on Tuesday I got a call from him at work, he asked if I wanted to run away with him. What a great idea!!!! It was so nice to get out. We went to Orem and did a little shopping, mostly wandered, then went to dinner with Jack and Dayna and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. I think I love the time just sitting and visiting with my hubby during our ride to and from our destination as much as anything. I always love it when he calls and just "whisks" me away for the day...it was alot of fun. I could NOT believe how much warmer it was out there compared to here, at home. We were bundled up in our coats, me in my gloves my 3 layer of shirts and a scarf, when we left home. When we got to Orem...we got out of the truck to discover that it was WARM!!!! Wonderfully warm!!! We've not been out of the high teens- lower twenty's (17-25 degrees for the high) here at home, for weeks now and it was 40+ out there. I felt like I was in a heat wave. We didn't

wear our coats ANYWHERE!...it felt like a little taste of spring....at least to me. It was "almost" hard to leave and head back home. BUT...we had to bet back to "real life" and the next day....

On the way home from Orem, Cameron texted me a picture of his new look....A great big SHINER...awarded by someones elbow in wrestling practice. He said that he was bringing his head up as someone else was bringing their elbow down!...He is always covered in bruises and bumps during wrestling season, but I think this is his first real black eye. It looked worse as the days have gone on...but I didn't get another picture. This one just shows it the day it happened...its really black now. AND that just started the ball rolling for the week.. Friday brought pain and agony as I ran into a wall and broke my toe. My poor little toe has been broken 3 times now...so you would think that I would be use to it. But every time I break it, I remember how bad the "little thing" can really hurt. I guess I should learn my lesson and wear shoes in the house, but...I don't, I still run around like its summer...with NO shoes. Needless to say, we've had a "painful end" to our week, but we're looking forward to a better week to come, one that hopefully includes a little more sun and a little less pain.

PS...Please don't judge my feet...I am very well aware of their ugliness....

Old AgE and the JoY of seeing again!

Once upon a time there was a little girl.....with a cheesy grin and curls in her hair. This little girl grew into a teenager, a galky, goofy teenager....with a "perm" in her hair like all the other girls.
Then this teenager grew up to be a mom~ a mom with 6 kids...keeping her busy day and night.
...and then this mom...well, she grew up and got older, and older and older~
....and OLDeR... to the point that she now has to wear reading glasses!!!!! OH SO NOT COOL for the girl who never wanted to grow OLD!!!!! In my book, there are certain things that are constant reminders that I am getting up there and that my youth is slowly disappearing~ 1. I forget things..I walk into a room with the intent of doing something, getting something etc...by the time I get into that room I have forgotten the reason that I went in there! (yes, I've been doing that for a LONG, LONG time), 2. The constant popping up of wrinkles. Try as I might, they won't stay away. I used to like to pull my bangs back...not anymore, the wrinkles on my forehead look like furrows in a corn field. 3. When people refer to the 80's as being "retro"...and I remember it like it was yesterday! 4. I can remember when we didn't have computers, cell phones or microwaves! 5. Things sag that aren't supposed to sag...need I say more?!...oh the good old days when I was young. I didn't appreciate my youth like I should have and NOW~ just one more thing to remind me that I need to start hunting for the fountain of youth.... having to wear reading glasses!! I remember when my mom had to start wearing reading glasses and I thought then that I hope that day never came for me. Well, I put it off for as long as I could...but when I got to the point that reading was more of a chore (trying to squint and pull the book forward and back) than anything else, I decided that glasses were a must.

BUT...on the brighter side, I love being able to read again...

seeing is an important part of living...

.......and old or young, I want to keep LiViNG!

A StAr Is BORN!....at least in our eyes!

This week Cameron was the "STAR" in our house! He had a wrestling match on Wednesday night where he pinned both of his opponents! It was quite an exciting night!!!! This is only his second year on the high school varsity wrestling team and he is still learning...But this year he has already seen more wins than he did the entire past year of wrestling. Its fun to watch the big beaming smile come across his face as he gets up from pinning someone, especially if he put up a good fight and was evenly matched with his opponent. We are proud of Cameron whether he wins or loses because he always does his best. He works hard and never gives up. Cameron has very good coaches that not only teach the boys to work hard, work fast and do their best, but to be good sports as well. As a mom, it makes me feel good when I see my son pat the back of one of his team mates, wishing them luck or giving his opponent a "manly" hug after they finish up their match. Cameron keeps the "fight" on the mat and once its over, its over...he gets up and lets them know they are still friends. He is very thoughtful and kind and it makes me feel good knowing that he isn't a bully or one of the "mean guys". He's a good kid with a big heart and I am really happy to call him my son!!!!! I love you Bud!

Way to Go Cam!!! You did an AWESOME job!!!!