Di$neyland

Airfare: $486.00
Hotel room, including cook to order breakfast: $851.00
Rental car, Disneyland tickets, food bill: I don't want to know

Spending the week with one handsome prince, Indiana Jones and two mouseketeers..............

priceless.

Rachel, the Worm Rescuer

Today was a rainy spring day.

The weather finally cleared enough for the boys to go to baseball practice so Rachel and I loaded up the stroller and went for a walk. I was eager to try out my new camera on the beautiful spring flowers in bloom.

We were in the middle of an important conversation about her new boyfriend (American Idol's David Archuleta) when we almost rolled over a giant worm.

When I say giant, I mean it, this guy was practically the size of a garden snake.

"Mom, we can't leave him on the path, he'll get squished" she pleaded. I rolled my eyes and parked the stroller.

It took me a minute to find a twig to pick him up with. Soon he was safely on his way underground.

We continued walking when she screamed "STOP!" "You nearly ran over a baby worm!"



"Oh boy" I muttered to myself, "this is going to be a long walk".

"Rachel" I said in my most compassionate tone, "Rain always equals worms on the sidewalk. You can't save every worm."

She disagreed. "We need worms, Mom." "They are good for the soil."




We spent the next 45 minutes saving every worm that was still wriggling. If a bird came by to try and snag dinner, we shooed it away. Who knows how many worm families have been safely reunited because of our efforts.

I'm glad that Rachel is caring. I appreciate her sensitivity and the fact that she loves creatures of every kind.

But, I think next time she wants to go for a walk on a rainy day, I will take her to the indoor track at the gym.

Country Girl

Have you ever had a conversion of the soul? The kind of experience that stops you cold and turns you in a new direction? The type of feeling that is so undeniable that you never look back?

I had one of those moments exactly six years ago. It was May 5, 2002.

I had borrowed my sister's mini van to pick up a load of flowers from the garden center. Mini vans are handy in so many ways. For example, did you know that you can pop out the back seats? Presto, you suddenly have a big, yet enclosed space, perfect for transporting delicate flowers.

I decided to turn the radio on during the drive. Of course a country station was playing, my sister loves country music.

I didn't like country music so I quickly pressed another button.

More twang.

I tried a third time, country again.

Hmmm I said to myself, I guess I'll endure it.

This is when that life changing moment occurred.
Somewhere between South Jordan and Lehi, I fell in love.

"Bring on the Rain' was the first country song I had ever listened to in its entirety. It spoke to me. "Good Morning Beautiful" was next, quite possibly the sweetest song ever written.

When I got back to my sister's I asked her to write down all the good artists to that I could download some music. She did. I spent the next day acquainting myself with Shaniah Twain, Toby Keith and Tim & Faith among others.

Other than Radio Disney (not by choice) I have never listened to any other type of music since that day.

I slowly converted Mark - although he still refuses to wear a cowboy hat or boots.

We are big fans around here. When we took the twins to a Kenny Chesney concert, we sang every word of every song.


We all have our personal favorites:
Mark likes Montgomery Gentry.
Martina is my favorite.
Lincoln is a big fan of Rascal Flats and
Rach can sing like Taylor Swift.

If you are not yet a country fan, I invite you to to give it a chance! You can find a song for any occasion. You can find a story about any subject. You will laugh at the silliness of it and you might even cry at the tender songs.

Maybe you will become a convert too!

Water

Water.

Such a simple but profound staple in life.

Have you ever noticed how often we use water in daily living?

Yesterday I decided that each time I used water, I would appreciate it.

This was not an easy task. It was hard to remember to be grateful for something that I have always had in abundance.

I have to admit that it made me think a little differently.

I found myself whispering a little prayer of thanks for clean hair, brushed teeth, a cold bottle of water after a dusty day at the baseball field.

Can you imagine life without clean water at your fingertips?

Grandma and Grandpa can. They have spent the past year trying to bring clean water to the people of the DR Congo.

They are working against great odds at times, to make life better for a people they have come to love.

You can read about them in an article published in the Church News this week. (click on the link below)

It's humbling.

Just something to think about the next time you turn on the tap.....

Clean water: An answer to villager's prayers

Effort is the largest Church-sponsored water project to date

http://deseretnews.com/cn/view/1,1721,495007174,00.html

It's not easy being a Jazz fan

Ten years ago a true Jazz fan was born. His name is Lincoln.

I remember watching from my hospital bed as Mark held Lincoln while watching their first Jazz game as father and son.

Over the years Lincoln has learned players, positions, stats and strategies.

If he has to go to bed before a game is over, he falls asleep listening to the play by play on the radio. The next morning he races out to get the paper so that he can catch up on what he missed.

There have been cheers.
There have been tears.

It's not easy being a Jazz fan.

When John Stockton retired without ever winning an NBA championship, Lincoln cried, he was five.

Last year when the Jazz lost to "the worst team in the league", Lincoln sobbed, he was nine. (See video clip below)

Playoff season has begun. I dread it. It's emotional, worse than triplet teenage girls.

Here's to hoping this is the year the Jazz go all the way!
Here's to hoping that faithful Jazz fans everywhere will finally be rewarded.

Here's to hoping that my son will live through the month of May.

Six Things

I've been tagged.
Six things about me:

#1 Call me crazy but I like house and yard work. There is something about an organized pantry that gets me all excited.

#2 I try not to compare myself to other people. I know I can never win when I do. I have learned to admire and respect positive qualities in others and celebrate those instead of feeling bad that I don't have them.

#3 I only use public restrooms in case of emergency. I never use a restroom in the restaurant that I am eating at. I would rather go home.

#4 I love summer. I love everything about it. The twins out of school, lazy days at the pool, slurpees, baseball games, sandals, blue skies for days.

#5 I don't enjoy cooking. I do it every day and I can make some tasty dishes but my heart is not in it. I would much rather take clean up duty.

#6 I am truly happily married. I'm in love. I adore Mark, I wouldn't change one single thing about him. Marrying Mark was the best thing that has ever happened to me.

I tag anyone who would like to share.

My name is Kimberly

My name is Kimberly. K-I-M-B-E-R-L-Y.

I have an addiction to sugar.

I have never met a donut, brownie, cookie, pie, candy bar or ice cream that I didn't become fast friends with.

You know those store bought cakes with the big colorful frosting flowers made from shortening and sugar?

You know how some people scrape those off their cake?

Not me.

I will strategically stock a corner piece with as many flowers as possible.
I am ashamed to admit that I have even stolen flowers from other peoples' pieces.

One day I ate an entire tub of frosting spoonful by spoonful.

Are you starting to understand the depth of my problem?

A couple of months ago I stepped on the scales and realized that I was out of control.
Seven extra pounds were in unwelcome places.

I had a personal intervention with myself. I looked in the mirror and said,
THIS WILL STOP!


I cut out all treats.

It was not easy. In fact, it was one of the most difficult things I have ever done.

I went through withdrawls. I developed headaches. I was grumpy and impatient.
Progress was painfully slow at first.

After a couple of weeks I added a few things back, but in a different way.

I learned how to make low calorie desserts and I discovered Skinny Cow ice cream sandwiches. Sometimes I would even eat a regular dessert but limit it to three or four bites.

I am here today, 12 pounds lighter. Yep, an even dozen.

Oh I'm still white and jiggly, but I'm ok with that. The bigger accomplishment is that I can eat desserts responsibly.

Last week I declined the offer of a sugar cookie. Saturday night we went out to dinner with friends and although we ordered the sinful seven layer cake, I only had a few bites!

I took myself out shopping and to get my hair done to celebrate, because seven weeks of responsible sugar intake should be rewarded.

My name is Kimberly. I am addicted to sweets. I am conquering this evil habit. If you are struggling with this issue, I urge you to get help. Call me, I'm here for you.