I love my "job"!

I have the best teaching position ever! I am contracted with Central District Health Dept. to teach smoking cessation classes in the schools and also for the juvenile court system. My youngest student was about 12 and I have taught adults as well so I would say my oldest student was about 75. In the last few years, I have mostly taught kids but sometimes parents attend as well and they decide to quit smoking. It is so rewarding when I have a student quit smoking! It is funny because when I tell people what I do and it never fails... I get this little smile and they will make a comment about how that is an impossible task...convince someone to quit smoking! I know the odds are not great...statistics show that if someone starts smoking at age 16 or younger... There is a 9 out of 10 chance that they will smoke the rest of their lives... But our statistics blow that out of the water... Not bragging... Just stating the facts! I am passionate about what I do! Some of these kids just need someone to listen to them and to show them the facts! This generation of kids are smart but just confused about what it means to be strong and brave! I fall in love with each student and I am not just saying that! I pray for my students and for help to know what they need from me! I always sit in a semicircle with the kids and we talk and set goals, we watch videos that are so gross but real, we do relaxation exercises, they love my "pig lungs" as I inflate them, we breath through coffee straws to simulate emphysema. Here are some pictures of my Borah high class. I hope to add more pictures as time goes on. The one with the kids laying down shows our relaxation time. I make little eye pillows for them and they listen to a progressive relaxation cd . They love it and I am just trying to show them a more positive way to handle stress than the cigarette!

Not so Happy Feet!

So, the reason I have had so much more time to blog is explained in the pictures below. In a few weeks, I will be 57 years young! I am so grateful for good health! After a routine physical which included heart stress test and who know what else... the only problem I seem to have is arthritis is my spine !
I also have had problems with my right foot and have known for a few years that I needed to have surgery for a bunion and hammer toe. I decide d to get it over with so here I am! This is a before and after picture! I am excited to heal up because I think I will feel like a new women! It will be nice to have a firm foundation again! My left foot is ok and may not ever need the surgery! See the white thing at the end of my second toe? It is a pin that will be removed in 5 weeks! I know...yuck!

Last summer in Seattle

Last summer, Frankie, Billy, Zack, Amy and Barry and I met in Seattle, Washington and stayed with Anne, Josh, and the kids. It was so much fun! Every day was packed with all kinds of activities. Washington is so beautiful and there is so much to do there. We are going to miss going there when they move to Colorado... but if anyone knows me, they know I love Colorado so it's all good! Here are some memories of Washington.

Grandma has been "sew" busy!

I used to love to sew when our boys were young. I made little pants and shirts for them and I even made a suit coat for Barry when we were to broke to buy one. I would sew for Barry's mom and my mom for Christmas or birthday gifts. Then one day, I realized that sewing was becoming expensive and I quit. When mom passed away, I was so excited to inherit her sewing machine! It was so fun to sit down at her machine and being there made me feel so close to her! So I began to look for any excuse to sew! I made so many gifts the first Christmas after she died! Memorial pillows of dad's army metals for moms grandsons. Pillows made from moms moo moos for her granddaughters. Purses for daughter in laws and sisters. I was obsessed! Mom would have been proud! Anyway, since then I have been making things for my grandkids. Here are some of them. I have made some things that I don't have pics of... Please send me pics of anything you don't see here!

Welcome Hinckley James

On April 5th,we got a call from Nick and Dana. Dana had been to the doctor and it was discover that she had Choleostasis. Which indicates that the liver and kidney are not functioning correctly. Also, the amniotic fluid was low and the cord was wrapped around the baby's neck. At that point, we got nervous and thought that the baby would have to come early but all would be ok. We had a family prayer and fasted. Then, we got a call that Dana was in the hospital. Labor had started and they were trying to stop it. To make a long story short, a few day later and after lots of nervous moments of about Dana's health and the health of the baby, Dana had a c-section. We were so excited to meet little Hinkley on Skype! He was screaming and I was so happy to hear that strong set of lung. He weighed 4'3 lbs but healthy. The next fear was Dana. She had some health issues. It felt so hopeless to see the fear in Nick's eyes and not be able to be there with them! I cried so many tears for them! A mom never stops feelings of love,care and concern for her son no matter how old he is! And that love, care and concern immediately extends to his wife and children when they come along! Love is an amazing thing! Thanks to lots of prayers, Dana and Hinckley at both doing well! Dana has been released from the hospital but I think Hinckley is still in a room at the hospital. Dana's mom is with them and I know they are loving having her there. I feel so much gratitude for their friends in china who took such good care of them!

Welcome Charlotte

I got a call early the morning of dec 5th from zack telling me that Amy might be in labor. Barry was on a business trip. I tried to go back to sleep but that was hopeless so I jumped in the car and started driving. I think it was about 4 am maybe. I wanted to be there for the delivery so bad but I got a call that she was born after I had been in the road a couple of hours. Amy did hipno birthing and Zack and Amy's mom said she did great! It was so amazing to meet little Charlotte! It was so fun to see Zack and Amy get aquatinted with being parents! Zack and I went to a little Tabet restaurant one night and it was so good. I loved the yogurt. Zack and Amy live in a cute little apt in downtown SLC. I wish I had taken some pictures of that to put on here. It is decorated so cute!

Welcome Cade

I am so far behind! I decided to start with the birth of our sweet grandson Cade. He is so adorable. We went shortly after he was born for his blessing. Hailey and Cale had a houseful of people! Zack and Amy came as well as Hailey's family! It was so much fun. It is so fun to see their little family grow so big! Cale and Hailey are such good parents! It is a balancing act I am sure but they are good at it! We went to pearl street and rock climbing at eldorado canyon and I did it! It was fun and I hope to do it again someday! We also went to Waneka lake and rented a paddle boat and Cale, Hailey,Natalie and the kids went out. They loved it!