Retail Christmas...Not so Fun!

I have been working for about two months now at Walgreen's. Not a bad job, but not exactly a fun time to be working retail. There are some really nice understanding people and some really ornery, rude, self-centered people. We see them all. Our store is constantly busy, usually never having a break in the action! My legs and back ache from standing in one place for 8 hours, but I guess that is what I signed up for! One thing I have noticed though, is that for the most part, people make some really weird purchases even when they are spending their last dime! Those that don't have enough money to pay for their purchases are usually buying cheap little decorations or candy or something that is really not needed and doesn't make good use of what little they have. Maybe that is why they are out of money in the first place because they never learned to budget their money very well. I am just grateful for the friends and family that I have and especially for the gospel of Jesus Christ that teaches me what is really important. I am so excited to have James and Susannah come home so that we can all be together once again. I really want Marlene and her family to be here to, but I know how it is to live so far away from family. I love the music and feelings that I have during Christmastime and wish everyone a wonderful and happy Christmas!

No Camera! No Pictures!

I think if I have one legacy to leave my family, it will be the lack of pictures! We went to Carolyn's today and took the kids to the park and had a picnic! The weather was gorgeous and our grandkids were so cute and fun to be with. I wanted to take some pictues of them and realized that I had forgotten my camera. Yet again! My kids just laugh at me now when I say I want to take some pictures because even when I have the camera with me, I get so involved with what I am doing I forget to snap the picture! When James or Travis would be playing sports I would be yelling so loud that the camera would be forgotten and the picture never taken. Little red-headed Grant will be one in January and he was toddling all over the park grass...falling down and getting back up to run some more. I think he was really enjoying the freedom. Juliana and Malia were making us ice cream sundaes out of sand and Juliana was leading us in singing a song that she made up about rainbows and ice cream! I love them so much! They are growing up so fast!

Can I just say that this is the time of year that I really "give thanks" for living in Arizona! The temperature is perfect. The nights are like heaven and we have gorgeous sunsets. The Harvest Moon tonight was a sight to behold!

I got my first full paycheck last night from my new job! It would be nice if we could even make a dent in expenses, but nooooo! I had to have two crowns on my teeth that needed to replace old fillings, so guess what I am paying for! I guess I should be grateful that we can pay for them at all! The job is going OK, but standing in one place for 7-8 hours is a little hard on my legs. At least now I am working more in cosmetics and I can move around a bit more. There are so many people looking for jobs right now that I feel happy to even have a job, let alone one that is so close to home!

Nothing Stays the Same!

Just since I wrote on my blog last night, the price of the book has gone up! They have changed the shipping fees, so now the recipe book is $20.60 each. I guess it is just like everything else...groceries, clothing, whatever... it is all going up!

If you go to the publisher and click on the book, it will take you to a preview page that shows the first 5 or 6 pages and the back cover. That gives you an idea of how the book looks. The pictures I scanned of Mom turned out pretty well considering they were tiny to begin with and not really great quality. I tried to pick the best ones to put in the book. I hope you like it! Let me know!

New Job and New Book!

I have worked at Walgreens for 3 days now and I think I have handled, touched and learned more about cigarettes than I knew in my whole entire lifetime! Did you know that Marlboro has 39 different kinds of cigarettes? When someone asks for a pack I just look at them blankly and ask them to point them out because I don't have a clue what they are talking about! Ha! I have also sold more condoms and dog bones than I even thought possible! What fun I am having! It really isn't a bad job, but standing in one place for about 8 hours at a time is a little hard. Hopefully after the holidays things will slow down a little bit!

I was so excited to come home today and find the new copy of Mom's recipe book in the mailbox. I had one printed to make sure that it looks the way I wanted. It turned out really nice and I think it will be a fun collection to have. It is a little more expensive than I wanted, but so what else is new! I guess $18 for a book is not really unreasonable nowadays and that includes the shipping and handling. I am setting it up so that those that want one can just use the button on my blog and go to the publisher and order one, or however many you want! The color is really nice and the paper and print is beautiful! Enjoy!

Finally, A Real Job!

Woo Hoo! I finally landed a job! It was a long search and I can't say how many applications I filled out, not to mention how many times I drove to town to fill out more! I guess because I said I can't work on Sundays most of them wouldn't even consider my application, but Walgreens here in town decided to take a chance on me. It will be scattered hours and probably working most Saturdays, but at least I have something for now. From what I understand, they are a pretty good company to work for, so hopefully it will work into being something good. So far everyone seems to be very nice and helpful. At least I won't have to drive very far to work which will save on gas, and hopefully make up for the pitiful wages I will be making. I guess we can't all have everything!

Everyone is gearing up for Halloween, including my grandkids. Marlene sent me a few pictures of them in their costumes. Anabelle is a little lamb and is growing so fast and getting so big that she can barely fit into her costume. Keaton, in his frog outfit, is so cute! I wish I could just pop up there to see them more often. Elie makes the cutest little witch I have seen!

I'm So Grateful

Just watching conference this weekend has brought tears to my eyes so many times when I ponder my blessings and just how fully we are blessed everyday. I loved all of the talks but when President Monson spoke this morning about "enjoying the journey" I had to smile because that is what I have been trying to live and to teach my family for the past few years. I realize that sometimes we have trials and challenges that seem overwhelming, but there is something good to be found each and every day. It was a reminder to me that Heavenly Father is aware of each of us and that He will answer our prayers. I have been stressing a little about finding a job and have filled out so many applications. I realize that when the job and time is right I will find what I need. I just need to have more faith and be diligent in my prayers and actions. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and my knowledge that Jesus died for me and atoned for all of my sins so that I might be able to live with Him and my family eternally. This has been a good week. I spent a day with Carolyn and her girls. I love all of my grandchildren and find joy in the fact that they still want to play with me and include me in all that they do. I talked to Marlene and her kids. We have some great "Grandma, guess what" conversations. I spent a day with our new daughter-in-law Christie. We went to the mall and walked and talked and got to know each other a little better. She is a cute girl, and I am glad Travis found her. Life is good. I love my husband and children and grandchildren. I am so grateful for all we have!

Job Hunting

Can I just say that looking for a job is one of the most denigrating, humiliating, fruitless experiences that a stay-at-home Mom can ever have! Trust me, I am not apologizing for any choices I have made in the past to stay home with my children, but the working world seems to think I should have been making a career for myself somewhere along the way! I could probably do most of these jobs I am applying for with my eyes closed and half my brain, but since I don't have much experience they seem to think I am useless! Plus the "jobs available" selection is seriously limited! As Marlene would say "Seriously!" Oh well, I am sure that something will come up when I least expect it!

Juliana and Malia

We went to Avondale yesterday to celebrate Juliana's fifth birthday (our oldest granddaughter). She was so cute and so happy to be at Peter Pipers Pizza. She is changing before our very eyes and growing up quickly. Happy Birthday Juliana!

Carolyn was talking to the girls about being more mellow and not so hyper. She asked Malia (3) what she thought "mellow" meant. Malia, without hesitation, said "It means to sit on your butt and be quiet!" Not only do I have cute grandkids but smart ones too! I love them all so much!

Empty-Nesters

We are alone in our cute little house and sometimes it is just toooo quiet! Susannah left on Wednesday and flew up to Salt Lake City to start a new semester at school. She stayed with Marlene for a day and then met her cousin Erin and rode the shuttle to Rexburg. They got there fine and are glad to be settling in. I miss her already and it was hard to let her go...but I keep telling myself that this is a good thing and she is busy doing what she should be doing at this time of her life! Now I just need to decide what it is I need to be doing at this point in my life! I need to find a job so that I have something worthwhile to fill my time. After all, you can only clean the house so many times a week! It is definitely a plus that I have my car to myself again! Travis and I are liking the fact that we only have to worry about ourselves when it comes to meals and going places...I might even get to really liking this! I talked to James and Travis both this week and they are happy with their classes and like their professors. I hope all three of our kids do well in school this year. Needless to say, we have enough money going out the door, that we are hoping for those degrees so we have something to show for it!

Dieting...What does that REALLY mean?

Ok...so I have been dieting for over a month. I even dieted when we went to Idaho for a family reunion...which wasn't easy beacuse they just didn't serve celery and cottage cheese when I needed them to! And of course the one meal that I was looking forward to was the egg and bacon breakfast and they ran out of bacon so I just had a few scrambled eggs...not so good! Anyway, back to my gripe. I lost 6 1/2 lbs the first week which was all new added weight from the previous vacation and I have not lost an ounce since. 4 going on 5 WEEKS! It doesn't seem to matter if I exercise, eat chocolate or starve...I just can't lose weight! My body seems to think this is an ideal weight and we're sticking to it! I have been typing up some of Mom's recipes so that everyone can have a copy of them. That doesn't make dieting easy either because everything sounds so good and the memories of the comfort food are strong! I guess I am destined to be a candidate for greenpeace! I should be happy with what I have. I know my problems are small in comparison with others! Nonetheless, I would be happy with a drop in poundage!

My grandkids are so cute!

New To Blogging

Susannah will surely be ready to leave here and go back to college when I get through asking her a million questions about how to set up my blog! It has been an interesting and totally addictive pasttime for the last few days. I think I have changed my page and layout about 50 times and can't seem to be happy with the result! The perfectionist in me I guess! I am learning about digital scrapbooking and tried a few pages...even more addiction! I guess I had better find a job soon, or my eyes will be permanently glued to the computer screen...and no one will hire me!

We have had an awesome time as a family this summer! Marlene had her baby in May and so I went to help her for a week and a half. I loved cuddling our new little girl grandchild. Number 6!

Then Travis got married and we had a reception in Utah and an Open House in Washington. His bride was beautiful and they are very happy. They will be living in Arizona while he finishes school at ASU.

After the Open House we met all of my brothers and sisters at Ocean Shores for a fun family reunion. When we got home, my husband went to Hawaii on a business trip. We bought a new used car...which I love! A 2004 Buick LeSabre in like-new condition. Then we left for Utah again, this time to take a car to James at BYU and drove to Island Park, Idaho for another family reunion...this time on my husband's side. I was very ready to come home and stay for awhile.

I love our home and am happy to be in it...yet another reason why it is hard for me to go out and find a job!