BULLY OR NOT A BULLY

There has been an abundance of talk about bullying as of late.

Especially after this and other horrific incidents  this horrific incident.

It's nothing but tragic and I think it's tougher these days because kids never really disconnect from their peers - whether it be Facebook or texting or a million other ways I probably don't even know about. Bullying is different than just being mean to someone. I think we have all been mean to somebody in our life time, but being a bully is different. It's the constant threats for no reason and endless harassement.

The first time one of my kids was bullied was in Junior High School. My daughter told me that a girl at her school kept threatening to beat the crap out of her after school.  She was an attitude with lots of hair.  Before I went to have a talk with the Vice principal one morning, I found out what class she was in, went to the teacher and asked if I could talk with her in the hall. He agreed and sent the girl out to talk to me. She did not know me, but I knew of her. I introduced myself and said if she ever laid a hand on my daughter or ever threaten her again they would have to put me in jail for planting her face in the ground. Sounds harsh but I'm like a mother bear, nobody messes with my kids. She never talked to my daughter again.

FOR MY DAUGHTER LACEY

My daughter Lacey has always loved big trees. She would take pictures of them when ever she could. I love the photo of this tree and wanted to share.

fRAME YOUR HEIRLOOM BUTTONS

Unwrapped: Twix Candybars | Come on, ilene!

Unwrapped: Twix Candybars | Come on, ilene!: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

lEARN TO FOLD FLOWER NAPKIN

FOR BETTER CAKES AND COOKIES

WHERE DOES TIME GO?

It's been 16 months since I have blogged anything. Since Facebook took hold everyone left the blogging world to the day to day contact with family and friends. Changes are happening every day and it is challenging to enjoy something for very long before it is replaced by something newer.

I think of how far scrap booking has come since I began. It went from stamping, to cropping, to digital in a matter of a few years. How we take our photos has gone from slides, to film, to video, to digital in the time I have raised my kids.

Things are changing way too fast for me and there are too many options today. I love that we have so many choices but what we choose becomes obsolete before we even enjoy what we buy, and it causes much stress and frustration and wastes my time. 

TIME has become very valuable to me the past few years. Think about it, we are already half way through the year and I still feel like I just took down my Christmas tree, and I have done nothing, nothing but work. I WANT MORE TIME! I am willing to do just about anything to give me more time.

I want more time with my grand kids

I want more time to enjoy my yard

I want more time to be with my friends

I want more time to sew, to scrapbook, to organize

I want more time to just enjoy the moment, without all the demands

I want more time with my aging mother

My dad use to say, "If you want to do something you TAKE the time." I would tell my kids that a lot when they would grumble to me, "I don't have time." But now days, I don't think there is the time to TAKE.

Not enough Time and too many options. What a challenge we all have before us.  I guess we'll  just keep on keepin on. I will any way, and pray that life will slow down just a  smigin.

HONORING THE BIRTHDAY BOY

Today is a good day, a day that I want to honor my husband. It is his 57th year that he has lived on the earth. A long time under his belt of happy times, sad times, difficult times and times with an incredible family that love him.  HAPPY BIRTHDAY  

Over the 33 years we have been married his birthday usually is put on the back burner til we have some money. He has never complained or felt jilted and just enjoys hangin out with his family. 

He grew up pretty simple and has always had a strong family relationship with his siblings, nieces, nephews, cousins, Aunt's, Uncles and Grandparents that is genuine, and has a heart felt love for all. Whether it's a reunion, funeral, wedding, or celebration of some kind, he is involved and drawn to that closeness of family. I love that about him!

I love the way he pampers me when I am sick or having a melt down.

I get frustrated and angry when someone does him wrong. Lance on the other hand has never held a grudge for anyone. It's amazing really. He is polite and cordial to everyone he is around. He doesn't waste time on being bitter and angry. I love that!

I love the way he is always willing to look out for the under dog. He always has other peoples needs in mind. When he sees a good deal, hears of something that could benefit another person he is on the phone with them to let them know. I remember him collecting scout shirts for years and hanging them in our fruit room, just in case a scout in the ward or in the family could not afford to buy one, he would send them over to the house and give them a shirt. I am appreciative that he has a big heart and loves his fellowmen.

I love that Lance is excited every Sunday to go to church. He actually looks forward to it. I look forward to sleeping in. I don't understand that kind of enthusiasm for sitting 3 hours, but he loves to mingle with the brothren and be with the Saints on Sunday. He looks forward to every Priesthood session prior to General Conference, takes great notes and shares the meeting with the family. He also loves to teach. I personally cannot imagine how that would feel. I have taught and I can say that I did not love it. He enjoys reading so much that he reads through his lesson material every evening taking notes until it is his week.  He is always so prepared. I love that!

I love the way that he still can sit with his boys and have conversation even when they are not interested, but he still hangs in there. Good or bad I know that he longs to be close to them. When they were little there wasn't anything they wouldn't do for him. He was their HERO. He could out hunt anyone. He is the best camper around; can see deer on the mountain side miles away. They loved that he  could sho0t the bulls eye on any target with his eyes closed. He could fix anything that they broke. He would carve them knives out of wood on Sunday afternoons while sitting on the porch just visiting. They loved to go to the mountains scouting for anything with four legs. But now that they are grown and think they have it all figured out, he seems to struggle getting his boys to do much of anything anymore, but he loves his boys so much that he never gives up...... I love that!

 Lance has always had an incredible amount of strength. BONUS...He can still lift me up and hold me....WOW!  I do love that!

I don't love it when he snores, but I chuckle when I nudge him and wake him up with, "Lance, your snoring!" he replies, "Gee I must have been asleep." I love that!

It has been a blessing in disguise that he has been able to fix anything, literally! Washing machines, dryers, lawn mowers, plumbing and CARS. We get good deals on used items and then he maintains them til they die. I remember a lawn mower we had that I was so sick of. It was hard to use, it kept stopping and starting while I mowed the lawn. Lance would work on it at least once a week. I celebrated when that machine finally died! I did love that!

I love the fact that he is so willing to cook me anything, anytime. He just can't cook! Sorry honey....I still love that!

I love the fact that he does laundry. Usually all his work clothes. Now and then he will do all the laundry. He crams sooooo many clothes in the washer that the clothes can hardly agitate; however he will do laundry  and I love that!

It causes me some anxiety when he wants to be with me 24/7. The fact that he wants to be with me is comforting......I love that!

Lance loves to work. He looks forward to getting up everyday and going to work. He learned how to work hard at a young age on the farm and through his young adult life which has stayed with him. He not only knows how to work but he works hard. He has loved every job he has had, and the jobs have been many.  His jobs may not have given us the life style that we wanted and sometimes just plain needed, but he has always worked and worked hard. I love that!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HONEY
I LOVE YOU