Warmer weather....

Due to unseasonable warmer weather than Utah usually has, I regret to inform you all that The ice thing, has mostly melted!
I can't say that I am sad that the weather has been really quite nice for this time of year, but I can say, that I really do miss the ice thing when it melts away into nothingness. It may yet get cold enough to rebuild it yet again this winter, but only time tell. Hope you all have a very Happy New Year!

Here it is! :)

Ice thing 2011 in the early stages...(if this works)

Just a quickie...

Hey everybody. Just a quick update. Life is moving along for us at lightening speed! We are really trying to make this a Christmas we will all remember especially, because as Chet and I just realized the other day, if things go the way it looks like they will be going, by next Christmas, Megan will be married and having her first Christmas on her own, and Ford will be serving a mission! Chet and I might just be having our first Christmas alone in 20 years next year!
Chet has his ice thing up and going, it is off to a wonderful start! I just keep hoping that no one ever gets in a wreck by stopping in the road to look and take pictures! ;) Some of the joys of the season, and the only thing for me that makes it ok that it is this blinking cold! Chet took a picture the other night I will try to get it from him and post for your viewing pleasure. I love you all and hope you are as ready for Christmas as you can be.
Oh ya! One more thing, I went and had a massage from our Mindy sister the other day, and I WILL be going back for more! Love, Love LOVED it! Thanks Mindy! :)

Merry Christmas

Hello all

Well, this has taken a while. Maybe we can revive this blog a bit. I hope so. I will make a concerted effort to get on here more often.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to you all. We wish we could come out for a little celebration. But, we've got some great things coming up this year that I need to start banking my time off for. Things like weddings and family get-togethers and Scout Camps and Girls camps. Well, you get the idea.

This year will also be Jennah and my 15th Anniversary. That seemed like such a huge mile marker when we started this trip. And, it is a big marker. The time just passed on the journey much faster than I could have imagined. I suppose it always does that. Time is funny stuff. Oh well, if the Mayan calendar is right, time will end in 2012 anyway and we won't have to worry about it anymore. Let's live it up!

I am actually looking forward to this new year, even as I glance back at the one just passed and wonder how that happened.

I hope to see you all soon and wish you a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love Dave & Jennah & the Wild Things (yes, they're here)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO EVERYONE

Dear Family,
I am sorry I have't posted a blog for such a long time. But until a week ago I could'nt get not get on the family blog.. Jan went up to Mom's condo and showed her how to get on the blog again and she in turn told me how so here I am... There is much change in our lives since Sept.. Those changes are all good! I now attend all my church meetings,visit the temple each thr.and study the scriptures daily... Mom and I read from the Book Of Mormon each nigt and have closing night prayers...
I have finished with my counseling and Mom is working on her's.. We are grateful to have had a trip togather at Thanksgiving, to Colo Springs to visit with Dave and his family... We received blessing of great weather for our trip over and back To Southogden where we got to visit Christi and their family on sunday when Chris and Christi talked, and provided a special musical that Chris wrote and performed..
I went home to St George on Monday with the plan to return to SouthOgden to take Mom to see the Forgetton Christmas Carol being put on up at the Weber State Dee Events Center.. When We got in to find our seats we learened the Kent and Char Weaver and their family Had seats that connected to our seats.. It was really fun to visit with all of them .. The production was very well done and Mom and I had a wonderful time on our date...I plan to go up to Mom's condo and spend the Holidays with her and to go and visit each of you durning that time.. I can only tell each of you that Mom and I are learning to play again.. If you don't understand what that means ask me the next time we see each other...
We are going to try and have eachof your families over for dinner at Mom's condo.. We had Jan and Chet.Megan and Justin over the last sunday I was up there and Mindy come and joined us a little later.. On the 24th we will have Christi and their family up for a dinner.. We have invited Stephen and his family but haven't heard back yet from them.. I love you all very much DAD

Testing, testing....

I just want to know......

IS ANYONE IN THE FAMILY EVEN READING THIS FREAKING BLOG??????

Because if not, I am going to turn my efforts to my personal blog and stop wasting my time here and hoping that at SOME point I might here from any of you!

I'm sorry, but since I am on a rant, I might as well continue with what I am thinking and how I feel!

Life is busy, I GET that! It doesn't ever seem to slow down, and I know that for you with younger kids, (especially Dave with his minions), you are a bit busier than say....Oh me...with my kids moving on with different parts of their own lives, however; I do not think any of us is SO busy that we can't take five minutes at least once a week and just say Hi, I thought of my family this month! HELL! Even once a month would be an improvement! I miss you all more than you can imagine! I don't have the money or the time to come and see you all to see how you all are doing, and I have the personal flaw of not liking to be on the phone any more than I have to, so I have gotten really bad at making a phone call to see how everyone is doing. Trust me I have thought about doing that though. I just don't ever sit still long enough to have the time to carry on a conversation that would lead to. (I am usually in a public place when the urge comes to me, and I refuse to make calls like that in public)

Anyway, like I said I know life is busy for all of us, but if NO ONE but me is going to be participating in this "FAMILY BLOG" I am done with it as well. This wasn't my idea in the first place , but I did think it an economical way for us all to keep somewhat in touch, but I suppose the newness wore off and the rest of you got bored? What ever it is, if no one else is going to post here please let me know so I can do my own thing! Thanks a ton! Very frustrated Jana

Update...

Ok, so as I am doing this up date I am slightly annoyed! I tried to post the pictures in order and they posted backwards and then I tried to rearrange them and the dang thing won't let me. So without starting over completely, this is what I got! Grrr...

Oh well. Anyway, I am just giving you an update on the 5K I said I was doing. I finished! :) I actually did it in pretty good time. For me anyway, and we had a lot of fun doing it. In the group picture it is me, Brad Weathers, JoAnn Contos and Richard West. This was before we got to the sea of Santa's we ran in.

Brad and I actually crossed the finish line together! It was a huge rush! Now I can say I have run a race. I might actually say I might just do it again! :) Not bad for someone who never really liked to run!. Oh, I will have to go easy, because my legs are really bugging me. They were before the race, but now I can totally feel that they are NOT happy with me. SO I will take a few days off, before I get back at it. :) Happy Thanksgiving! Love you all!

Well, since....

Well since no one else is posting STILL....I guess it is my turn again!

Since there have been some changes in my families world I suppose I should update you all. Not that I am even sure anyone is even still reading this blog. Oh well I suppose, at least it is sort of a record right?

Anyway...

Not too much has changed with Chet and I. I did get to travel with him to Washington to pick up his new work van a couple of weeks ago. Aside from flying the trip was a blast although a bit rushed. Washington and Oregon were beautiful and rainy.

Chet is still working like crazy, but the tractor work is winding down now. Yay!!! I think after tomorrow he will be done for the season! We are hoping the snow will stay at bay at least till he can get the last two jobs he has done and out of the way. He was suppose to do them last Saturday, but it snowed an was cold enough it did not melt, so it was a no go!

I have once again put in for a manager position, but haven't heard anything. The district is once again making a bunch of changes so I am once again not sure what will be happening, but could use maybe an extra prayer in my behalf.

I have also signed up to run my very first race ever! I am a bit nervous but as I am running just to say that I did it! and not to win, it really shouldn't be too bad! I am running a 5K in Ogden the Saturday after Thanksgiving. It is called the Santa Run. I get a Santa suit to run in and they sort of have a party and turn all the Christmas village lights on and stuff after the race that night. I am running it with a friend of mine and some other people she knows. It should be a fun experience at to do this once anyway.

Ford finally found a job after looking ALL summer long. He didn't find it till after school was in full secession and he found it with the help of his sweet girlfriend Jessica. She is also encouraging him in school and getting ready to go on a mission. They spend as much time as their busy schedules will allow and I don't see much of them. They are cute together, but I hope they will take it really slow! This being his senior year, he is trying to play catch up for all the goofing and laziness in the past and it is proving to be more of a challenge than I think he expected. Keep him in your prayer if you would that if nothing else he will find it easier to stay on task and finish this.

Now for the biggest new of all! Most of which most of you probably already know.

Megan is officially engaged! They have set the date for May 4Th. The wedding will be in our back yard and we would love it if you all could be here for it! Her Fiancee is Justin Nelson, and he is a sweet boy! The more I get to know him the more I find about him that I like, and he is SO good to Megan. I think they are going to struggle a bit at first as they learn how to manage their money and time, but it will be a good time for them to do it together! Besides, isn't that what being newlyweds is all about?

They both work for Wal-mart currently (once again) and hope to be able to figure out what they want to be when they grow up.

Megan reminded me again today that she just doesn't want to grow up, because it is hard! I told her I know, but that it is worth it! :) Not sure she was convinced, but she will figure it out. Slowly, but surely, it will come.

Anyway, there you have the condensed version of how the world just keeps turning for me and mine!

Hope things are going well for each of you and I hope to hear from you all soon! Love Jana & fam!

Up and coming (rapidly)

Just a little reminder (in case you needed one) Christmas is rapidly approaching! AAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!! Tension breaker....had to be done! Anyway, with that out of the way, Truly there are only 10 weeks left till the celebration of the birth of our Savior. This year, I would really like to focus more on the reason we celebrate. Sounds easy right? Oh how I wish it were as easy as typing the words on the screen!

For me and my family that will mean a whole lot of down sizing as to what will be coming in, and going out as far as gifts are concerned! It will also mean a whole lot more of homemade type gifts for those whom are accept-ant of these type of gifts. ( we have some super freaks that we call friends, and if they don't know where it has been, they will just throw it away. Food wise) Anyway, since this has been in the front of my thought process these last few days, I was wondering if you wouldn't all share with me, ways that you might be able to thing of in which to either cut back with out becoming Scrooge, or things you would like to receive that would be less costly than one might think of.

Also could you share with me ways that you have found to celebrate the real reason for the season in your homes and with your families. I know that my family is in a totally different place than the rest of you, with Megan and Ford rarely being at home, and if they are home it is even more rarely at the same time. Still I would dearly love to make perhaps the last of the Christmases spent at home with Mom & Dad (ie. me and Chet) ones that they will remember with fondness and want to reflect on whenever they think of Christmas. If that is still possible. Any ideas would be much appreciated. I love you all. Miss you and hope we will all be in the same space again sooner than not! Sorry if my bringing up this fast approaching time of year triggers any unwanted stress for anyone, that was NOT my intentions!

Seth Godin

Seth Godin is a business guru. In a recent blog post he wrote,

"Would they miss you if you didn't show up? Would they miss your brand or your writing or your leadership?

If you work at the local fast food joint or the local library and you don't show up for work, do they consider shutting the place down? If you're on the team at the ER and you have a bad day, would someone die?

Everyone is capable of being missed. Most of us would be missed by our family if we secretly moved to Perth in the middle of the night. The question, then, is not whether or not you're capable of being missed. The question is whether you will choose to be missed by a wider circle of people.

It's a risk, of course. You have to extend yourself. You must make promises (and then keep them.) More pressure than it might be worth.

Except when it is."

Thanks for being people who would be missed. Hope your worlds are rotating well.
Love to all
:)

Oh My....

Oh My!!! SO I must admit honestly that I never thought at any point in my life, that our family would be at the cross roads that we are at right now!

My heart seems to be an open gaping wound with no healing in sight. What happened to the family eternal that I had imagined in my mind??? Where has that family gone??? I know that we have all headed off in different directions over the last several years but for the family that in my mind had it more together than most, we have sure been derailed!

Is this what comes from getting comfortable? Lax in our day to day efforts of trying to become better at being a family? I don't know, but for some reason it strikes me strongly that we have gotten very comfy in our positions in life. SOme with their responsibilities with kids getting to school and such, me with my kids trying to grow up as adults and make it in the real world...and Dad & Mom trying ti figure out how to hold it together as a married couple who has fallen out of love too many times to really be able to bandage this one...

Which ever scenario you are looking in at or our from, it seems to be the only one that matters! I wish so much that the only view that mattered was the one that we could se each morning as we take a gaze in the mirror. However, everyone in some way or another is affected by the gaze, that we seem to think is so casual. My heart hurts in way I never thought was possible! My belief in things that can and can not be accomplished is wavering... can there be a happy ever after? I am not sure if there can be...but I am for sure hoping that there might be and that those if us that remain will and are willing to fight for it, instead of giving in to the over powering desire to have everything go our way! I love you all! I miss my family! Hugs! and loves!

the art of avoidance

so. we are anxiously waiting for the keys to our very own new home. i have a million and one things i should be doing, but i am skillfully avoiding them all by posting to the family blog.
this has certainly been a summer of adventure for our little family. as i type our one year old boston terrier, Zoe, is snoring at my feet. she snores like a grizzly bear. we love her. she was abandoned and we got to adopt her. her history is a mystery, but she is funny and noisy and gentle; a good fit for our family. we think her future is bright.
i am so sad that i won't get to join some of you tomorrow at the park. i hope you all have a blast. hugs to everyone.
mom and dad -- you are amazing in every way. can't wait to see you next weekend.
we are almost home!!! come and visit soon!
love you family!

I know I am a day late, but Happy 4Th everyone! I love and miss you all, and hope you all are doing well! Things here are hoping as mostly usual, and time s for sure not standing still. Hope things for all of you are going well. Wish I had time and money to make it out to see all of you. Despite being poor like everyone else, things are going good, hope the same can said for all of you!

Hello Everone

I would like to thank everyone for cards,and other well wishes on fathers day, Christi and the girls surprised me and come down on Thr.night instead of Sunday, because they knew mom would be up in SALT LAKE TO THE GEM fAIR, AND THEY DIDN,T want me to be alone.. Christi made a special chickem enchilada, dinner for our diner; I want you all to know that it was really good..We have had fun with them here I took them up to Gunlock to see the water coming over the spillway, then we went down to the Santa Clara river to look for rocks and play in the water..they have been hiking and other activities.. They are still trying to get use to the hot weather we are having..
I had a Dr,s appointment and everything went well.. Then Monday I had a blood draw and again everything is still pretty good.. I really thank all of you for your prayers in my behalf, and I know the Lord is hearing them and I am thankfull..
Jan and her friend Rita, came down for about 3 days to stay with us so they could attend traing for their school lunch program it was fun to get to visit with both of them, even if it was until the early morning 1 am, but they still made it to all their traing.. Jan and Rita, left for home Fri. afternoon so they could spent the week end with their families..
I have beenwaiting up fot the dariy to come, it is here and in the fridge, so I will sign off for now.. I love all of you very much... Love DAD

Hello Family

Yes, it's me. Don't faint in your chair. I'm actually posting.

We had a busy weekend. The Utah Valley Children's Choir came to our area for a performance. We had the good fortune of hosting four of the young women that are part of the group. It was very enjoyable. The kids took to our four visitors almost immediately. Jesse stayed up later with us and visited and its fun to see him learning how to interact and open up a little bit more, especially with girls. He enjoyed it too, though I think he would actually try to deny it, but soon the smile would break through and he wouldn't be able to hide it.

Jennah's sister, Sarelle, and her family are moving to Kansas. Dan has a new job there. They stopped here for the night last night. It was fun to visit, though my visiting time with them was cut short. Caleb has a Inguinal Hernia (sp?). At first, we noticed there would be a bulge near his groin, but he didn't complain about it and it would pass. However, withing the last several weeks it has been causing him pain. Last night the pain was really bad. A couple of weeks ago we took him to the ER for this because we were advised by multiple sources to do so to ensure that there wasn't any constriction of the intestines. All was well, but we needed to get it treated. We had an appointment for June 23 with a pediatric surgeon. But last night was pretty bad. I was in the hospital with Caleb all night. He was up until about 2:00 in the morning when the morphine finally kicked in and they were able to push his intestines back in. I finally got a couple of hours sleep when they took us up to the pediatric ward so they could monitor Caleb until morning. Needless to say, we got an earlier appointment with a pediatric surgeon and we will probably have a day surgery for Caleb very soon. Keep us in your prayers on this.

Aside from our eventful few days, life moves forward fairly routinely on most days. We hope you are all well. We will be coming out to Utah in July. I will be flying into Salt Lake on the evening of the 21st of the morning of the 22nd and I'd love to see as many of you as possible on that Friday. Then we'll head down to St. George for a couple of days. I'll be in touch with you all directly to see what arrangements we can make.

Love you

Dave

Winding up...

Well, the school year is finally winding up! This last few weeks have seemed to take forever! Perhaps it is because of the weather that it has been so hard. I am really looking forward to spending as much time as I can with Chet this summer. Both here at home and out on the road with him.

I will be heading to St George with a coworker and friend of mine from Brazil the second week of June for some training. It will be good but strange to be away from my family for the long. At least I will be staying with Mom & Dad so it won't be like I am completely isolated from them. :)

I have an interview for a managers job tomorrow afternoon, for an unknown elementary school. I really do have such mixed emotions about leaving the school that I am currently at. I have worked there now for 8 years! I am comfortable there and a bit nervous to be the one in charge. It would be nice, however; to have the added income of the managers! :) Which was the whole point of all the training I have done and the extra work I have been doing for a large part of the end of this year. Whatever happens will be good. I will just be glad to know one way or the other what it is I will have to look forward to.

Megan and Ford have been having some personal struggles but continue to work and live their lives. They are busy and I don't see much of them these days. can't really complain because I have been pretty busy myself. Of which Megan often reminds me..."You are never home!" We just seem to be on totally different schedules.

Tractor season started, and Chet has been out rounding up work to make sure that we can pay the debit that comes along with the business. We will be keeping pretty busy I think. I finally got my garden planted this last weekend, but I am uncertain if it will grow this year, as it has rained so much, and looking at the forecast it looks much the same, so it will be interesting to see what comes of it this year. I will give it my best effort.

I have continued with my exercise program and after pulling a muscle in my leg have finally worked back up to running three miles again. I have also added some water aerobics to the mix and have encouraged some of the ladies I work with to come and enjoy it with me. It has been fun to see them come out and to get to know them a little better. It is nice to feel healthy!

I love you all and hope that things are going well for all of you and your families!

Take care and until next time.... hugs from a far! Jana & Family!

BEEN A LONG TIME

It has been a long time since anyone posted a blog on our family site..I really miss reading someone else post, please take a moment and make an entry... I am doing well.. My blood is staying up.. I go see the Dr. on May 25th.. it has been a little over ninety days since my last apointment... Maybe this time we can reduce one more pill, I hope! Then it becomes a matter of waiting to see how my body responds with one less pill.. The more I can cut back the better it will be for my kidneys..
Today Mom, had to drive to Knab UT. and Page AZ. see had appointments to meet with prospective patients.. In Page she had a presentation for all the LDS Bishops in the area and felt their effort has been well worth it for them.. They have to be up and on the road wed. by 6:30 to meet with some one in Knab, then they drive over to Alta and Orderville for more meetings.. If she is lucky she should get home about 9pm.. This new job has added a lot of stress to our lives.. Mom feels it may be her fault that more people have not signed up for their service, so she is working harder and longer.. She will be successful, but it isn,t coming fast enough for her..
I miss seeing all of you. I do get to talk with most everyone on the telephone and that does help some.. I hope to get to see everyone this summer..
I just over ccoked a pot of egges I forgot about while i was doing this blog..
I love each of you very much, and pray the Lords blessing will be upon each and everyone one of you.. LOVE DAD

Happy Days

Mom and I had great birthdays... We received visits from Jan, Chet, and Megan, the week end of Mom's birthday, they stayed with us for about two and a half days.. Then the following Fri. Mindy came down for her birthday... She stayed until Mon. morning when she left for her home in SLC.. Mom and Mindy did some shopping and went to a couple of rock shops and hiking out by Hilldale /Colo City.. Then Sat. Christi and her family all came down and stayed until Wed morning..We had a great visit went out for Mindys birthday dinner at the pasta factory.. We had a chance to watch some fun movies, the girls got to go to two different splash pads to play in then Tues they went to Festia Fun center for the morning while mom and I went to her office.. a couple of men took me out for my birth day lunch...That afternoon mom went with me to Play it again Sports to look at and buy us a recumbunt bike to put down stairs so I can hopefully get to ride it for some exercise and hopefully help get my legs stronger..
we had a very good time and wishe all of you could have been here with us we miss all of you, and pray for you protection and well being always..
Love Dad

Happy Birthday Dad. Love you!

Stinking Snow....

Well, we ended up being able to go to St George for the weekend. A short and snowy visit!

The snow chased us down and then hung around like it thought we wanted it there! Stinking snow! We ended up not really being able to do much of anything because it was so cold. We had made some tentative plans to go out target shooting on Saturday, but with the weather, it would not have been fun at all, so we scratched that plan.

In stead we took Mom & Dad to breakfast and then drove out to see Gunlock res. It was coming over the spillway, but not as much as I had been a week earlier. Still, neat to see it coming over the top. The wind was blowing and making it very cold so we didn't stay to long, and then we drove out to Beaver res, and Chet was able to take some pictures out there. Hopefully some of them will turn out good and I will post one so ya'll can see how much it was really snowing. It was crazy for St George, but especially for St George this time of year.

We did get to go out to dinner for Moms birthday. We went to Samurai 21 for dinner. It is a Japanese grill, where they cook the food as you watch. It was fun, but a bit pricey. Still, there were enough leftovers between Dad, Mom & me that I think there was enough for them to both eat again later. When we all got back to the house, we had picked up Narnia 3 "Voyage Of the Dawn Treader" so we sat down and watched that. All in all a good time.

Then this morning as we were packing the car to leave, the sun finally made an appearance, just to show us what we will be missing this next week, had we had any time to be able to stay and play.

Thanks Mom & Dad for having us down. Love you all and hope you are all doing well!

Wonderful....

Hey everyone! Hope this post finds you all well and good!

I thought that the secessions of Conference were wonderful! as usual! This year we did something a bit different. At least for us. We usually just sit home or take a drive, but the weather has been crazy weird and not really fun to be out in. So we had some friends of ours call and invite is over for lunch with them and to watch the last secession of conference. It was really nice! Ford got to be there for lunch and the secession of conference, and Megan got there after she got off work. Just before the secession got over. Then we had dessert and Ford left for work.

Then we popped in the movie Tangled and enjoyed the movie with them and Megan. What a great way to spend the day!

I wish I lived closer to family so that we could do that as family, but as it is I don't see much of anyone, any more than they do either. Distance and fuel hinder things even more at the moment, but we are trying to get down to see Mom and Dad. Hoping it is going to work out that we can go down for Mom's birthday!

I Hope Everything Is well For All Of You

Dear family,
I hope that all is well for everyone.. Mom and I are doing great, Mom is working very hard at her new job and spending long hours.. She seem to like the interaction with all the people she is meeting and helping to learn about Hospice and Home Health.. She drive to kanab, Cedar city, and some times Page AZ.all for the purpose of educating folks about Zions Way Co.
we are both feeling well and greatful for that blessing.. My last Lab draw was good.. I am scheduled for another one this Monday right after my early morning dentist appointment to start fitting me for four front teeth caps..It should be a fun day..
I miss all of you and wish I could spend more time with each of you and the grand kids.. I guess Mindy will becoming the weekend of her birthday and staying until Monday morning.. Christi and her family are planning to come about the same time and stay with us until tues morning.. I think that sounds fun, and hope to see the rest of you all very soon.. I love each of you very much! I pray for the the Lords greatest blessing upon each of you... LOVEDAD

Since I really have nothing else....

So here I am again entering another bolg post. Since there really hasn't been much going on these last couple of week (other than the usual) I figured I would tease you all with yumminess of the food I made for dinner today!

First off I made a ham cooked in the fryer. It's like a turkey fryer, except that is doesn't use oil or grease! BONUS! but I have found it make some of the most tasty and moist cuts of meat! I have made a turkey, a pot roast, a pork roast and spiral cut ham twice now! It is amazing! I love it!

Next on the menu is the ever tasty, green bean casserole! Yummm!! I add a few extra onions on top simply because they are one of my favorite things!

Next I boiled some red potatoes and heated up some cream corn to put on top. (If you have never tried it, don't turn you nose up till you do! It's very tasty, if a bit more starch than one should ingest in one sitting!)

beautiful dinner rolls with butter and for dessert Red Velvet cake with cream cheese frosting! OH MY!!

Ok, First of all I have already eaten WAY more than I should have! I didn't even have room for cake! YET :) But typing that all out I think I gained a few pounds all over again!

Wish you all could have been here with us for our mini feast! Love you all! Have a great week!

Jana

UP DATE

Dear Family,
I hope everyone is doing very well to great.. Mom and I are doing very well.. Mom is working extra hard trying to get the right start in her new position as nurse educator.. but she realy seem to enjoy it a lot.. She went to the Celebrity Concert Series, last night with some friends here in the ward, and saw Romeo and Juliet and Chopiana Ballet, she had a a very good time and really enjoyed her self..
I had my Dr's appointment last Wed. My blood is staying in the low high range, which means that I am almost normal but not quite.. The doctor reduced my one med by one pill, that may not sound like very much but to me it felt like a gaint step.. we are trying to reduce the med very slowly to allow my body to make a slow adjustment.. The last time they reduced my med they did it one lump sum, this made my body start to react funny and I got really sick and my blood went down very fast which caused me to have to be transfused several times before everything started to turn around...
Our weather has spoiled us the last month in the middle 60's, well tonight we are having winds in the 30-45 mile an hour range and bring us some rain and a cold snap.. Reports are that more rain and cold weather is due on sat./sun.. oh well!!we must learn to take a little bad with the good..
My family It would be so nice to have some one beside Jan, and I, do an entry on our family blog.. If you could find the time it would really mean alot to me..
Jan, I really did enjoy the thoughts you shared on you personal blog and on the family blog.. You are very right when you reflect, it is not easy to be a Mom.. there are times when you ask for the wisdom of the ages to help protect your children from the pains of growing up.. Parents would do almost anything to keep them from going through the hurtful things we went through as we grow up.. The one thing I have learned over the many years is, our children often want to expeirence the chance to see if they can do it better than we did.. And sometimes they do because they may have watch us closer than we knew.. As for when our children want to move out on their own I know there was never a good time.. I know I was wrong to feel that way because everyone must learn to make it in this life on the own.. just like you did when you turned eighteen.. I don't think you will ever know how many sleepless nights I had worrying about how you safe you were etc.. but you did great, and learned life was not all fun and games,but also filled with alot of hard work..
Well my special Family, I want to tell each of you how very much you each mean to me, I am so very proud of each of you for the great example you are to me by the way you live your lives... LOVE DAD

Shall we have another?

Ok so here is another update from the Parker's.

Chet is doing really good with his shoulder but his back has been out for over a week. It is finally starting to feel a bit better. I think the cold weather has taken its toll on both of us this last couple of weeks as my knees have been giving me fits when I run for very long.

I have decided that I am going to attempt a 5k sometime this year, just to say that I did it! That is if my knees will cooperate and let me keep training for it. I am up to 3 mile in just under a half an hour, if I can finish the half hour. Sometime my knees hurt to bad and I have to drop to a walk. I will continue to work towards this goal however.

I started another type of manager training this last week, where they actually put me in a school all by myself and told me to manage it. The regular manager is working at a Jr High for the manager there who had knee surgery! I am SO glad they didn't put my in a Jr or Sr high school!!!! There is so much to remember to do just at an elementary school and even more so at the secondary schools! I think I might just have dropped dead of a heart attack at one of those schools. Truly though, that is why they did things the way they did.

The kids at the elementary are so stinking cute!!! I really have enjoyed being there with them. The work isn't hard, just stressful trying to remember everything that has to be done. I spent 4 extra hours of my time there that I will not get paid for as they do NOT give any type of over time. Bummer :(

Megan made it through her interview for the other job and now has to jump through some hoops before she can start working for them. The place is called "Chrysalis" and it is a place the special needs adults who can live on their own for the most part, but still need help with things like shopping and that sort of thing. She is planning on staying with Subway for the time being as well and trying to get some things paid off. (smart on her part)

Ford is still working for Arctic Circle but not many hours at all. He currently has a girl friend that I have yet to meet :/ I am not sure how I feel about this at the moment because all I have heard of her so far is drama!!! I asked him if that was the type of person he really wanted to end up with. He isn't talking to me much about it right now. His grades are still not good, but he is doing some make up stuff in a class he is taking at school. Hopefully he will pull off some sort of miracle and get himself graduated. I decided after all the fighting and stress I had with Megan, and trying to get her through school, that I wasn't going to go through that again with Ford! I ask him if he has homework and encourage him to get it done, but that is the extent of things really. If he doesn't want it there is nothing more I can do to make it happen, and I am too tired to fight with him about it. So I am hoping at some point that he will care enough to make it happen.

As for now, that is the update on things here at my house. I hope to hear SOMETHING from some of you soon! Miss and love you all! Jana & fam

Just a little update for The Parker Compound... Not much new is happening here. Chet is back to work pulling "light" duty...(as if). Megan is still working for Subway but has applied for another job that looks promising. I am not exactly sure what it is so I can't even tell you about it.

Ford is still working at Arctic Circle and school. If I make it through the rest of this year and next without having a nervous breakdown I am going to have such a party! Even if I do have a breakdown, I think I will have a party anyway, just for the heck of it!

I am wrapping up the last of my manager training. I will be done with it as of the 28th. I have applied for a managers position but haven't had an interview yet. I don't know where it would be as they never tell you before where you might be going. (in case they change their mind at the last minute, I think) I will keep you all posted one way or the other.

Well, that really is all I have! Love you all Jana

Wonderful Weather

We have had some interesting times so far this winter.. flooding that took out bridges and some roads in Wahington Co. .. Athough no one lost their homes here in Washinton Co. the folks in Beaver Dam Az. lost eight homes.. This years flooding had 2 x's the amount of water we received in the flood of the 2005 flood that hit washinton co.. Our area was much better prepared this time around,by having the river channels open and people in place to bring their equipment to differant points in the county to help keep the brides open from all the garabge that was washed away.. there was 30-40 foot trees taken down and broken up like tooth picks.. a bridge was wash into the river and had to be lifted out of the water by track hoes so it would'nt block the river and cause more damage..
That said I want to report the weather here is the kind we would like to bottle and use at a later time it has been beautiful! in the high 50's to 60-64.. Come on down and visit us..
Mom and I are doing very well.. Mom is very busy trying to train her replacement at work plus trying to do part of her new job.. She spent most of friday up in Cedar city helping do a health fair.. she reports great succese..
I want to express my best wishes to Dave and Jan, and hope they had wonderful birthdays.. I would also like to thank Mindy for making me a birthday list with everyone birthdays on it...
This past week end Henry and Judy Post come down to St george, and while they were here we showed them several places that was new since their last trip here.. They left for home this morning because Henry, has a Dr.s appointmment at the UU med center on monday, they said to tell everyone hello!
I love each of you all very much and hope to seeyou very soon.. My you all receive his greatest blessings I pray.. Love Dad

Happy New Year

I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday season... Mom, and I had a very quite New Year, she was down stairs putting her holiday puzzle togather and I was watching TV until about 11:56 then we watched the ball in time square fall to help bring in the year 2011... Our weather has been most intresting this year they say we have received over 300% of the water we normally get in the water year.. that is alot of wet...
I went monday, for my monthly blood draw I still haven't received the ressults yet so hear's hoping that I will be normal in both numbers range; that has not happened in almost 4 years.. Mom is doing very well and is anxious to get started in her new assigment at her work place that would be as a nurse markter...They did have interviews for her position today so that person should be ready for mom to start traing some time next week ??..
I was wondering what we had decided about starting the family letter? It was suggested that we send a notebook around so that everything can be togather and after it is filled up that it be sent to mom and for keeping.. There are so many special thing that are shared that it would be a shame to lose it again.. Anyway please let me know what you all think about this suggestion... I will buy the notebook and start the first letter if this is what everyone wants to do..Please think about it and let me know... Love Dad