What do you get when?

What do you get when you start working 40+ hours a week, plus try to raise 4 kids, plus try to keep your household "together", plus try to teach online seminary, and on and on and on? One very tired and hardly kept together momma that's what.

Obviously I haven't focused on blogging for the past S E V E R A L months. I still haven't posted the promised pictures from the Restoring Honor event in August. Maybe I'll get them up before the 1 year anniversary of the event. We have however done a lot of other things. Here's a quick run down.

Kyrie was named Distinguished Young Woman of the Year for East Polk County, formerly known as the Jr. Miss program. My in laws came to town to watch her program. She did great! We were very proud of her. She graduated with high honors from high school last month. How did that happen so quickly? She will leave for BYU in just a month. She was set on going to the U but didn't get a substantial enough scholarship for us to justify spending $9,000 a semester for out of state tuition. I think she is secretly excited to go to the Y though.

Kade played varsity lacrosse this year. He seems to lack the determination and dedication that his parents showed for their sports, but none the less he had a good time. We hope he will play again next year. He is surviving the summer by working for us at the office learning how to process tissue for slides and hating us at home for removing the wireless router when we are not at home. How he will ever survive without X Box live is beyond me. He actually picked up a book or two this past week. Imagine that.

Jacob and Daniel swim every day. More than once. Changing each time. Using a different towel each time. Did I mention I do at least 3 loads of laundry a day to keep up with them? They are both excited to play lacrosse next year and are going to day camp for it. Jacob worked very hard this year to finally earn his Presidential Physical Fitness Award. (We'll just pretend it isn't signed by the usurper in chief that play acts as POTUS) We were so proud of him. He had to run a mile in under 10 minutes and really struggled with that for the past 2 years. Dan graduated from preschool and will attend kindergarten next year. The office will definitely be quieter without him roaming the hallways in the afternoons. With Kyrie off to college that means I will be relegated to taxi cab driver again. But watch out because Kade gets his permit at the end of the month.

Wade and I enjoyed a quick work trip to Vegas. We were happy to see Dan and Amanda and of course Amelia. We figured out workable solutions to some of the issues we were having with staffing and work issues at the office. I've started to slow process of change and hope things will be running much more smoothly in a few more months.

We're looking forward to a vacation out west for family reunions in a few weeks time. In the meantime, Kyrie will turn 18, Kade 15, and we will have been married for 19 years, all this month, all within one week. Wow. Time doesn't stand still for anything or anyone.

Havering

My blogging has really been lacking of late. My apologies. I really needed to hear this song today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeuNxMY_5Uo.

I'm off to haver with some girlfriends. Redneck party at a trailer park. Yes. I am not kidding. Welcome to Polk County folks.

Happy New Year

A little late I know, but better late than never right? My life has been consumed by the office. I frequently find myself rolling home, kicking off my shoes and heading straight to my bed. Me. The Night Owl. Asleep at 7:30pm. Frequently. Sad.

We enjoyed a visit from my parents before Thanksgiving. The boys all had fun fishing out of Sarasota. So much fun in fact that Wade has done it about 5 times since. I can't express how happy I am that he has found something he enjoys doing with the boys, even if it does mean $100/lb fish. (He charters a boat and guide and if you take 6 people it is very afforadable, about $50 each for 4 hours of fishing all supplies included, but when you average out the amount of fish brought home with the price it seems crazy expensive!!)

Kyrie was named East Polk County Jr. Miss (now known as the Distinguished Young Woman of the Year Program) She did great at the state competition, but sadly didn't win any of the scholarships. We were so proud of her though!! However, we can't help but wonder if her not placing in any category had anything to do with the questions she had in her judges interview...which was the first impression the judges had of the contestants.

*What do you think of Glenn Beck? Which lead to
*What do you think about polygamy?
*What about gay marriage?
*What about gay couples adopting?

You get the idea. I don't think she stood a chance but we are proud of her and her ability to stick up for her beliefs.

Christmas was fun if not exhausting for me. I didn't even get to decorate like I like to. That pesky office drama seems to never go away.

We hired a new surgical tech to work part time at the suggestion of a fellow physician who also happens to be in our stake presidency. Long story short: they sent her our direction because they were going to have to let her go in the near future due to their hiring of a new P.A. They told her as much on top of cutting her hours and vacation pay. We liked her and told her she could have a full time position with us after the other Dr. had hired his new P.A. and we would hold the job for her through March. She gave notice and we got accused of stealing an employee out from under them and who knows what else. So, I'm still working. She will get to start full time in March though. I have however lost much respect for the other physician and his wife...and that incident isn't the only reason why. How would you like to hear from neighbors that your daughter's young women president gossips about her? Or have said YW pres's son come to school daily and tell you how much his mom doesn't like you. Yeah. The other physician's wife is our new YW prez too. Oh the joys of trying to love one another when what you'd really like to do is punch someone in the face or at least chew them out verbally in an effort to stay out of jail.

DH's parents came to visit for Kyrie's competition. More fishing ensued and more craziness at the office resulting in another employee being fired for showing up under the influence of something. Never a dull moment. I would really like a dull moment about now.

Instead...I'll sing my theme song: ala Dory from Finding Nemo...just keep smiling/just keep smiling smiling smiling smiling What do we do? We smile, smile. (I know she sing swimming, but that really doesn't help me now does it?)

Where, Oh Where Has the Blogging Chris Gone?

I'm still alive. Just busy. Fired an employee at the office that we referred to as "Glenn Close" in reference to her character in Fatal Attraction. Yes. A. Nut. Job. who had a "thing" for my DH and tried to make everyone think they had a relationship going. I'm proud to say that is not why I fired her, but it didn't help make her popular in my book. Things have been running so much more smoothly with her gone, but I am filling in until the new person we hired is available for full time (around Jan. we hope). This means I am assisting with surgeries which I love doing. Have been able to help with some very cool cases.

Today we (well, really Wade, but I say we since I helped) took of the top 1/2" of a patient's entire ear and reconstructed it with cartilage from the back of what was left of her ear. Wade then sutured it to a flap of skin from behind her ear and will let it heal, then release the ear and further repair it. The other day he did a skin graft with the donor site being the gentleman's eyelid so it was like an eye lift. Needless to say, this once pre-med student is really enjoying the change of scenery at work and would love to do it full time if my kids didn't need me. They have to come first though, so I'll do it until our surgical tech starts, then return to the business end of things and Fridays only on the surgery side.

Enjoyed a nice visit from my parents and Caleb before Thanksgiving. I cannot believe it is already December. I have no idea what I am going to do for Christmas for everyone around here. Online shopping is probably the only way I'm getting it done though. Good thing I can now ship things to the office.

Wade wants to take the kids skiing to Park City over Christmas. For some reason that doesn't sound too appealing to me. Mostly because of the molestation render to passengers from the T&A...I mean TSA gang bangers. I cannot believe some of the horror stories I am reading about. If I have to go through a full body scanner I will proudly do so with both middle fingers flying high and a sign written in ink on my chest that says "TSA SUCKS" or something. I'm likely to get myself arrested which doesn't sound like too much fun, hence my hesitation to take to the "friendly skies."

On a much nicer, Christian note, one of my cute nieces, and her cute brother, one of my nephews were featured in the Mormon Messages ad about Kids and Christmas. Enjoy and if I'm not back on here before the 25th I wish you and yours all of the joy and happiness of the Christmas season Christ can bring.


If the video doesn't work you try it here

I'll Get There Eventually

I know you are dying for an accounting of my Restoring Honor Rally. I will get it posted with pics eventually. As of the last month I've been working 8+ hours a day in the hubby's practice and I'm quite frankly wiped out. Today I got to assist him in surgery. I loved it. Closest thing I'll do to actually being an orthopedic surgeon like I imagined I would be when I was 18. Since I've been up since 2am and the day before 5am you'd think I'd be dead now. No. Can't. Sleep. I'm wired. Don't know why. In the meantime, here is a great video. Enjoy. And I'll get there eventually. I promise.

All Is Well

Hmmmm....lots of emotion around here this week. Lots of prayers. Lots of tears. But all is well. Grateful for my testimony of the plan of salvation, my marriage in the temple, my wonderful children, and all of my extended family and great friends. Just felt like I needed to say that publicly to few who do visit here. Hope all is well with you and yours too. I know some of you have been through rough times as well. My thoughts and prayers are with you all!

And I'm Off

To see Glenn Beck that is. Restoring Honor Rally. Can't wait. Leave in the morning. Kids are already complaining about me being gone. Sheesh.