Acquiring a taste for hiking

The weather was nice enough again last week that I decided to finally give hiking a try. Actually I want to get more into trail running than hiking. I went two days and LOVED it. I can drive to the base of the mountain in the same time it takes me to get to the gym. Maybe 5 minutes. I hiked the lower trail that still climbs quite a bit. The trail is often literally on the edge of the mountain. I have to really pay attention. The second day I hiked I ran quite a bit of it for over an hour. It was AWESOME! My lungs and legs were really getting a workout. I did stop several times to take in the scenery. I was overlooking the entire valley. Amazing. I was running eye level with a helicopter flying by! For awhile I was mesmerized by the F-16's. They were doing their practice runs. Usually they fly over my neighborhood and I don't really know where they go, but from my view I was able to see exactly what they're up to on those practice runs. I could see easily to the air base so I watched them take off and land, circle around, skim the runway and take off again. It was such a treat for me since I'm hopelessly fascinated by air force aircraft. Two aircraft skimmed over the mountain top and I had to sit on the trail so I wouldn't get dizzy and roll down the mountain when I looked up. I could easily read the bottom of their wings but I didn't see the airforce markings so I'm not sure if they belonged to them, but they were flying around the base so they probably were. ahhhhh....this was all so much fun for me. I had an amazing run. The next night I was telling my neighbors about my new love for mountain running and they told me I should not be doing that solo. It just simply isn't safe since there are incidences that women are robbed and probably worse. Definately not common, but it can happen. I felt so deflated. I knew they were right. It really isn't wise for me to be out there by myself. I just don't know enough people yet to have a running friend. I had envisioned how fit I was going to get in the month and a half I have left before the kids are out of school, and I felt like it went up in smoke. There's no way I can replicate that kind of running in town. It's just not the same as a rocky winding trail. grrrrrrrr.....
Last complaint: It isn't fair that Nephi can run trails solo with little concern because he's a guy and I can't. It's just not fair.

Our annual Easter Egg Hunt!

Gina and I threw together a hunt for the kids. They LOVED it as usual. Last year Maggie and family was in on it but she left the day before. So it was just us. We put change into some of the eggs and that was a HIT! Nobody cared about the candy. They were too busy counting change!

Brigham's a mad scientist

Uncle Jared gave Brigham a set to make real crystals at home. This was step one of what seems like 137 steps. Weeks later we still haven't made it past the first few steps.

Back with Grandma!

The Gold's are home from their mission!

Playing at the park with Frank's kids Ty (right) and Cameron (left) and Gracia (middle)

this is actually how they slept! They talked for quite awhile with the lights off but they were so well behaved!

Christal brought dressups for Laci and Gracia to wear. She is such a fun aunt.

Jared and Christal slept at our house the night before we all headed up to Idaho Falls for Nephi's parents return from their Hawaiian mission. We had a good visit. (I had to crop Christal out of the picture because it was one of those where your eyes are halfway open and you look stoned! )

Oh yeah, still hangin tough!

This IS actually the same New Kids shirt from my childhood. I've stored it away in a box and I decided it was time to get it out and start sporting it again! I actually wore it to a church activity tonight. Nobody seemed to appreciate it but I got a kick out of wearing it! By the way, my whole family was embarrased including Brigham. Isn't he too young to be embarrased over a t-shirt?

this is funny

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dkupwzIWKI

Finally I'm feeling better.

I went to the school today went it was letting out. I found the Brigham's friend's dad and had a good visit with him. He really does seem like a good guy. And he seems to have his stuff together. I feel like I can breathe easy now. We agreed it was a good idea for the boys to play regularly and arranged for him to come to our house tommorrow for 4 hours since it's a short day at school. His dad can just pick him up at our house instead of at school.
I finally feel some relief in this situation.

more to the story....

The case worker finally called me back today. He interviewed Brigham's friend and thankfully he (friend) was very open and forthcoming. The caseworker said that he was spilling it all. THANK HEAVENS!!! The C.W. also said that the depth and scope of the problems were much worse than he originally realized and Brigham's friend has been removed from his home. He is now with his birth dad (lives in Salt Lake). The live-in boyfriend is apparently jail bound. That was an unexpected and upsetting new detail. I never knew he was a problem. Dang. Dang. Dang. I feel like I should've known somehow. I'm so angry about the boyfriend thing. Really p___ off. He came to my house that night acting so innocent when he picked him up. My corrections officer friend is keeping an eye out for him or his mom at the jail to see if either of them get brought in. I think she'll let me know.

sidetracked....

Hi. I've been neglecting the blog because I've been obsessed with Facebook. I just started so I'm in that phase of finding friends and seeing who confirms you as their friend. It is addicting. I've currently been visiting with a guy who served a mission in Mesquite years ago and we had a lot to catch up on. (Elder Cavaness)
Anyhow, I've actually had a stressful couple days. As my family knows I had to call the police on my son's friends' mother. When my kids walked their friend home they found his mom incoherently drunk. And it was after 5pm! I kept him for an hour, fed him dinner, panicked inside, while looking calm on the outside. Finally it dawned on me to call the mom of one of their friends. She's a corrections officer and she told me who to call. I called the dispatcher and they sent an officer over there right away. His mom's boyfriend eventually came to pick him up and take him to his aunt's house that night. I cried a lot that night because the friend told me how bad his home life has been. I suspected something wasn't right months ago because the first time he came to play he asked if I'd adopt him if something happened to his mom. I'd been trying to figure it out since then.
So all yesterday I felt sick to my stomach and tried to get through to CPS. By the way, they don't return my calls. Apparently they don't care what I have to say. I'll keep trying.
His mom did call me and we talked for almost half an hour. I cried and she cried. She admitted she had a problem and was going to the VA hospital within a day to see a doctor. We talked about a lot that I won't rehash. I was very blunt with her though. I told her what her son told me about how his life has been. I wanted her to know how she's affecting him (I've seen a lot of that show Intervention). I made it clear to her that he's been very unhappy. I told her all of this in a non-judgemental and loving way. She was receptive and greatful that I cared about her son and intervened. When Brigham came home from school today he said that the friends dad (birth dad) was taking him today. I don't know what that means. I don't know if that means for one day, the rest of the week, more? But it must mean that something is happening and hopefully for the better. Maybe long enough for his mom to get help.
A few months ago I prayed that Heavenly Father would send me a child that needed me. The next day I met this boy. My testimony has grown a lot in the last few days and I feel stronger and more empowered now. Heavenly Father does hear our prayers and if you ask to be of service He will take you up on it!

our "NEW" bbq

When we moved from Idaho Falls we had to leave our gas grill behind. We just simply ran out of room in our moving truck. That was sad because I'd had it for years and it was great. Well, we REALLY need a grill since I cook on one regularly but haven't felt like we have the extra money so I posted an ad on craigslist looking for a grill that someone would sell me cheap. After a couple of weeks I got a reply back from a guy who said he'd give us his old one.....for FREE! And he'd even deliver it to us! WOO HOO! So he brought it today. I wasn't home (primary activity) but Nephi was waiting for him. I'd bought a gift bag from Great Harvest for Nephi to give him as a thank you. Anyhow this grill is OLD SCHOOL... and I love it! I cleaned it out, varnished the wood with some stuff I had laying around, and voila! We're cooking! We had a hot dog barbeque to break it in and it was fun. A little too cold outside for my taste but the kids didn't notice and had a good time.

I loved Adam Lambert on American Idol last night! Oh...he's so cute. In a gay kind of way but that's fine. :)
The kids went to the dentist. No cavities! Unbelievable...
I don't know how we've dodged the bullet every time. Of course it's from teeth brushing but I'm still traumatized from my childhood experience of several cavities per visit.

Brigham's workout

Yesterday Brigham played his "new" Ninja Turtle game for awhile. Afterwards when he came upstairs he had taken his shirt off, was dripping in sweat and his face was bright red. I couldn't believe it. But today I took some video of how he plays and now it makes sense! It's a workout! Who needs a wii?!

ha ha!

On the way to preschool, a doctor had left her stethoscope on the car seat, and her little girl picked it up and began playing with it. Be still, my heart, thought the doctor, my daughter wants to follow in my footsteps! Then the child spoke into the instrument: “Welcome to McDonald’s. May I take your order?”

Going private again

Hi everyone! If you're reading this then you have officially been invited to my blog! (I know, you're honored)
I decided to go private again just to be on the safe side since a friend told me a nightmare story about what can happen when you tell too much information to the world about your family.
At this point I think I have a pretty good idea of who checks the blog so it just makes sense to go private now. Thanks!

good bye snow.

I took this picture in the empty lot across the street. Can't wait for all those weeds to grow. This lot is for sale by the way. I think they're going to have a hard time selling it because, 1) the market, and 2) there's no room for a backyard. It's literally a drop off down into a ravine. Needless to say, there's not many kids on that side of the street! (Two to be exact and they're not little)

Laci felt very sophisticated in this scarf.

another day in the life of Lillian

So today I sold our bike trailer. A girl drove up from Salt Lake to buy it. I sold our trampoline early last week to a girl who drove up from Orem. So I did it. They're sold. Now we have to make good on our promise to use the money to buy the swing set. It's gotten cool again so we have some time. Our snow is melted but the ground is still wet in the swingset area so I don't think there's any rush.

I went to the dentist today. No cavities! It felt like going to the dentist in the big city. We had to take the elevator up to the second floor. Laci loved that. She had to come with me which was SO funny because the hygenist was on one side of my chair cleaning my teeth and Laci was standing on the opposite side with her face literally inches from my mouth watching EVERYTHING. I could literally feel Laci's breath. The hygenist was really cool and went along with it and explained to her what she was doing. Laci can be fun to take along. In just two years she'll be in 1st grade and I'll be on my own all day. I think I'll miss her.
Oh yeah, we figured out the hygenist lives on the same street as me just 4 houses down! Small world.

Tomorrow is Laci's field trip to the Clark Planeterium in Salt Lake. I'm driving Laci and taking Brigham out of school to go. I figured we might as well kill two birds with one stone. Laci learned about space all last month in pre-school. Her teacher is obviously good because Laci has a real zest for space right now. For several nights we've been watching the location of venus in relation to the moon. It's been too cloudy for the last few nights though. I hope the planeterium is fun for them. I remember as a kid REALLY wanting to go and mom finally took us for my benefit and then being disappointed because it was mostly displays. Oh yeah, and we watched a movie that sounded exciting but the whole thing was about how we'd be lucky if we don't get demolished by a comet. Real downer. I hope the experience is better for my kids.

I watched American Idol of course. I LOVE Adam Lambert! Can't help it. I've just got a thing for him. I loved Kai but he never returned for the wildcard episode.
But most importantly I watched the finale of Americas Best Dance Crew! I love Quest but Beat Freaks should've won. Oh well. I'm waiting for the tour dates to come out. If they come to Salt Lake, I WILL BE BUYING A TICKET. I imagine I'll have to go by myself as usual. Honestly, that's better than going with someone who doesn't really care. Because I am there to PARTY!!!