Finding Ways To Help

Each year my work has a nice dinner with their spouses. But before that begins we have the opportunity to serve with our family. We have done this for 3 years now and my children look forward to it each year. This year we had to move the operation indoors because of the snow. We worked for 3 hours at the food pantry. It was the day of the Food Drive. People from all over the Valley donated goods to the pantry and we separate it and put it in boxes. This year there was an especially great need of food and the call was answered. It was as I call it "controlled chaos." It sure makes you realize how much food can help out a family. Some people donated an open bag of cereal and I did open a dirty diaper. I just hoped some Boy Scout picked it up by mistake. All in all a great day with the family. And a great way to serve and teach the boys about helping others. Wayne filling up the Can Box.

Tanner just happy to be there.

Everyone calls Tyler the peanut butter boy. He collects peanut butter from everyone and puts it in this box. The food pantry is always asking for Peanut butter. We were able to collect cases of it.

Here are all the volunteers. These tables got chuck full and the floor was covered also. It sure makes you happy to know how much everyone helps out.

Of course they give us hot chocolate and donuts to thank us for our help but they don't know it's them helping us this season.

Sledding- Nielsen Style

The first real snow storm of the year fell today blanketing the ground with some slick powder. After the boys shoveled the driveway and stairs Wayne felt like going for a 4-wheeling ride. He had the boys get their snow gear on and they were off. Pulling everyone behind the 4-wheeler on sleds they stayed out side for an hour. Neighborhood kids jumped in on the fun and a good time was had by all. They came back in frozen like pop cycles and covered the floor with all their gear. Sometimes I wonder "Would I rather have them dirty or throw their wet clothes all over the floor". It's a toss up.

Some Teeth Pulled

And so we begin our journey of the Braces era. Both Tanner and Tyler need them. Tyler's teeth seem to be all over the place taking after his mother. Tanner had to have 2 cuspids pulled and Tyler had all 4 cuspids pulled. Needless to say it was a long afternoon for Tyler. They both healed nicely and are back to normal. Check out the pictures for the swelling.

Happy 15th

Today is the day Wayne and I celebrate 15 years together.

Happy Anniversary Wayne!

Halloween 2009

Well, I don't know how it happened but it did. The boys dressed up in a theme together. They were Mario and Luigi. We had to make Tyler plump which is hard because he is so thin. The costumes were XL men sizes so we had to alter them. With Halloween being on Saturday they were ready to go at 5:30pm. About 9 boys and 2 girls all met at our home and they all left for the evening trick-or-treating. Tanner came home around 8 and I called Tyler who ended up at a girls house. They scored tons of candy and had lots of fun. I am so glad the weather turned out nice and warm for them. It will probably be their last year which makes me so sad. The grow up so fast.

Tyler, Matthew, Dakotah and Tanner. The neighbor boys and best friends.

Carving Pumpkins

Last night we had the opportunity to have the Missionaries over for dinner. Since I am not the best cook, we had pulled pork sandwiches, salad, chips and pumpkin bread for desert.
So we thought it would be fun for Elder Scott and Elder Lunt to crave pumpkins with us since we have not gotten around to doing it yet. Elder Scott dug right in but Elder Lunt was a little nervous because this was his first time. I wish I would have taken a picture of his face when he had to put is hand in the pumpkin and scoop out the insides. He was grossed out totally! So funny. They couldn't stay to long so they didn't get around to carving but told me they would take them home and finish them. It was a good time for our family. We really enjoyed having them over.

So, I tried to get a good picture at night but it didn't take well. This is Tyler's, he made a helmet. It turned out so cool!

Mine was of course a Turtle, Wayne asked me what a turtle has to do with Halloween but I didn't care I thought it was cute.

Tanner made a Falcon Pumpkin, of course. He is so into football it's great. He made his own pattern and I thought he did a terrific job.

Every year I say "next year we do easy patterns" and every year they get harder. It is a lot of fun once we get around to doing it. But I am still glad we only do it once a year. My hands still are cramped up. HAPPY HALLOWEEN TO ALL!

He Must Have 9 Lives

http://www.hjnews.com/photography/2009/10/22/houseexplosion/

Thursday October 22, 2009 was a day we won't forget anytime soon. It started out like any other day. Everybody got off to work and school without any problems. I was at work when I called Wayne about 11am. He had asked me if I had heard about the explosion in College Ward. I told him the fire trucks and ambulances from the hospital nearby were very active a little bit ago but I hadn't heard about an explosion. He seemed a little shock and I asked him what had happened.

At 10:23am a home had blown up due to some leak in propane. My husband had just delivered their mail. He was shaken and said if he would have been just running a few minutes behind or had a extra package he could have been right there. In the pictures at the link you can see the roof landed in the street and all over the fields and in the trees.

Now this makes me realize that someone was watching out for him. It was a miracle that the people inside did not die. It makes me see that life is so precious and things can change in a blink of an eye. And now I know that you should not put off things you can do today and wait for tomorrow. Because you never know what can happen.

I am so grateful that Wayne was not there at that time. He was just around the block and the sonic boom scared him. I never considered his job to be a hazard. This is the second close call at work. The other was when the women fell asleep in her car and almost ran him over on Highway 89/91. It really does make you grateful for the time you have on this earth with loved one.