I love my new background, thanks Allison!  Hey, I replaced the picture without destroying anything!!!  I am so technical!

FYI

FYI: At the same time as the white elephant we are also celebrating Lidia and Cathy's birthdays!! We will celebrate Steve, Erin, Allison and Bryan in January after Steve and Lidia get down here!

White Elephant

When did we decide to have the white elephant gift exchange? I thought Thanksgiving day, but the Mckeehans won't be there...did we decide on a different day?

A HA!

I have been struggling to figure out how to pick the rest of the apples off the top of my tree.  With Ed's back issues he can't get on the ladder and climb the tree this year (go figure!).  Yesterday I was way on the other side of town and all of a sudden a picture and thought popped into my mind of a fruit picking tool.  Hmm, I wondered, is there such a thing?  I came all the way home and got online and found lots of different ones that had to be ordered and shipped, then had the thought to check Plant World's website.  I've never been to Plant World before, but logged onto their website, and there is bright techno color was the exact picture that had come to my mind earlier!!  I hopped into the car, and there it was on the shelf in all it's glory!!  I came home last night with it, and this morning, all the apples are now off the tree!!!!  Hurray!!!

Results

Please check out this link, I think that no matter how any of us feel about the results of this election, there are definite reasons why it turned out like it did.  This country has been divided for quite some time over many issues, but no matter our political opinions or any other opinions, that does not mean our FAMILY has to follow suit.  We all have the right to our opinions, and the opportunity to express them, we just have to agree to disagree.  Like I said in an earlier post, even though I have felt passionately about my vote and this election for quite sometime, Tommy's emergency seemed to put it all back into the proper perspective for me.  We will adapt and survive, Americans are quite good at it, and work through the bad times to look towards the good.  But our FAMILY  is the priority, just as Tommy became over the last few days.  With a strong and united family we will get through whatever the future holds, no matter who the leaders of this country may be.  Yes, some of us may be disappointed in the results of this election, but let's now show who we are and what we are made of.  I call on all of us to continue to stand for the right, live the gospel, make sure our own homes are in order, and remain a strong and united family, (remember, that is what will keep this country strong as well).  

Here is the site:   lonsberry.com/writings.cfm?go=4

I VOTED!

I voted, what a great blessing it is to live in a country where our voice matters, and to have an opportunity to express that voice in safety and without fear.  It is exciting to see lines at the polls and so many taking the opportunity to make their voices heard!  This election has been uppermost in my mind for many months, but yesterday as I raced to get to the hospital to see Tommy before he was taken in for emergency surgery, all of a sudden, the election just didn't really seem so important after all.  I am so grateful for Priesthood blessings, and excellent medical professionals who literally saved Tommy's life last night!!!

Total Blog Moment!

I had to go to work today (Sat) to do payroll for our employees for Monday.  I have a contractor working at the house on Monday, so won't be going to work.  Ed is at a scouting activity for the day, so I had to go by myself to the office.  It totally freaks me out to be there by myself, so I parked right in front of the door, unlocked the door, went in, locked the door behind me, and looked up the code to deactivate the alarm which I had 30 sec. to do before it went off.  I looked up the code, entered it, and went in and went about my work.  All of a sudden the alarm is blaring, sirens, bells, lights, you name it!  I ran back up, had to look the code back up again and punched it in.  Everything stopped.  I expected the alarm co. would call Ed's cell, usual procedure, so I called him to tell him I set it off, so he could tell them.  I left him the message as he didn't answer.  I figured it they tried to call him and he didn't answer, they would call my cell, but nope, no call to me.  I got online, looked up the alarm co.'s number and called them to tell them I set it off, but only got a recording.  Hmm, I thought how strange that they didn't call anyone, but maybe they got through to Ed.  I'm working away, and all of a sudden, BAM, BAM, BAM, someone is pounding on the front door!  I am scared to death when I am there alone that someone will try to get in, so my first thought was to dive under a table.  I peeked around the corner, looked at the front door, no one there.  YIKES!  I decided if I didn't go to the door, maybe they'd go away.  BAM, BAM, BAM again!  I peeked around the corner, no one there.  YIKES!  This time I walked towards the door and looked out.  To the left standing against the building are two Metro officers, guns drawn!!!!   They saw me, BAM, BAM, BAM, pounding on the door again!!  Remember, I had locked myself in?  Well, the door can only be opened on the inside with a key, so I turned and ran back to the office to grab my key.  I got the key, ran back and couldn't get the door unlocked, shaking like an aspen!  I finally got the door open and the officer asked me what was going on.  I was so dang scared!  I told him I accidentally set the alarm off when I came in, that I had tried to call the alarm co. but couldn't reach them.  He asked me if anyone else was there with me, I told him no, he asked me several times if I was sure I was ok, if I was alone, if I needed help, etc.  I couldn't figure it out, and asked him if the alarm co had called them.  He told me yes.  That's so odd because they call us, not Metro.  So, after he finally believed I was ok, all was well, and that I had just accidentally set off the alarm, they left.  Then it came it to me.  The code I had punched in was not the code to deactivate the alarm, it was the panic code, used to indicate I was shutting off the alarm under duress (force)!!  That is why the alarm co called Metro instead of us!!!  So, I finished my payroll, went to leave, put in the code to turn the alarm back on, and instead of telling me ok to exit, it started flashing front door alarm, front office motion detector alarm.  I FROZE and didn't move, not knowing what to do and afraid to try to deactivate it again and send another panic message.  I took a deep breath, prayed for the right #'s to use, and punched in the code.  ALARM DEACTIVATED flashed on the display. WHEW!  I reset it again, it said ok to leave, and I booked it out the door, locked it behind me, and said I am never going there by myself again!!!!!!!  Ed said he was sure "DOG" would have bailed me out of jail since I'm such a fan!  ( On my way home I thought, oh if only I would have had the guts to have Metro pose for a blog pix with me!!!!  Probably better not to push my luck!)