Kamikazern's Realm

I Am a Billiken!

2009-11-17T14:16:00.001-08:00

Here's a copy of my official student ID card. Meredith gave me the DSM-IV desktop version for my birthday. She said that it will fit into my scriptures and I can do secret psych evals on people at Church. LOL! Savannah got me St. Louis University Billikens T-Shirts and license plate holders. I think that a Billiken (whatever it really is)is a strange mascot. Apparently it was one of those fads in the early 1900s, kind of like a pet rock, or mood rings. They were supposed to be sort of a lucky mascot elf thing. Who knows. I think he looks kind of creepy, like the Grinch. Oh well, who cares.

I ♥ Gilad/Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T14:51:00.000-07:00

When we lived in SLC in the late 80s-early 90s, I used to do these workouts that were shown on ESPN. It was called "Bodies In Motion" and the host was a man by the name of Gilad Janklowicz. He was a trainer for the Israeli National Army. His sister, Ada, had a program called "Basic Training." I loved doing these workouts. I was able to do them in a half hour prior to work.

Years passed, having several surgeries along the way. Imagine my joy when I found my old friend, Gilad, on the Fitness channel. So, I have taped a few episodes and did my first one today. I was amazed that I was still able to do it with a few modifications for my paralysis. I got a good workout. I have been using the eliptical along with doing some yoga. I have been eating a low fat veggie diet. I have been feeling much better and have dropped about 6 pounds. Now if I can just get my sleeping schedule straighted out....

Tonight we are going to the Ward Trunk or Treat. We were to bring chili beans. Forget that noise, I am bringing Cajun Beans. LOL! Happy Halloween everyone

Catching Up - Daisy RIP-School Acceptance

2009-10-18T23:00:00.001-07:00

I had to take an external fetal monitoring class earlier this month. I have such good and fun friends at work. Above is a picture of my "classmates." We have a good time at work together.

On a sad note, Daisy had to be put down. As many of you know, she has been running away and going around in a pack. No matter how many times we captured her, she would break out again within the hour. These dogs were getting into a lot of trouble, and many complaints were made to the police department. Animal control caught up with them and Daisy was caught. I called to find out about it, since we saw the animal control guy driving behind our house that morning. He had told me that Daisy and her gang were going after kids. They chased a boy on his bicycle. The kid kept going faster, and the dogs just went faster. He eventually fell off his bike and got scraped up. I called an animal rescue place to discuss this. Even they felt that she should be put down. I felt better after talking with them. I am so sad, and I really miss her. I have had her for about 8 years. I can't believe that this happened. I hope that when we get to the Spirit World, that I will get her back. So this was a major bummer this week.

On a brighter note, I found out that I was accepted by one of the two colleges I have applied at. (Still waiting to hear from the 2nd one.) However, at least I know I got in somewhere. I was accepted for the Psych Nurse Practitioner Masters Program at St. Louis University. It should be easy to continue with my Doctorate after I finish this.

Well, as Alex would say: "Ranger Rob Out"

Pennsylvania Visit

2009-10-03T16:19:00.001-07:00

Last Friday, I left for Pennsylvania to visit with Jess, Savannah and their family. It was a really laid back, relaxing week. I got to see their new house. I can't wait to see what Savannah does with it, she is so talented. I had a really good time playing with Pantera. She has quite the imagination and is so funny. Zeke had his first birthday while I was there. He wasn't feeling too well, I think he is teething.

We took both kids to the pediatrician. They both had to get shots. It took both Savannah and I to hold Tera down. When I left, she was still wearing her bandaid. Funny how those things help with pain. LOL!

I had a really good time. Thank you Jess & Savannah, Tera and Zeke!

Yes, Daisy Joined a Gang

2009-09-07T12:25:00.000-07:00

You all know how Daisy has been digging her way out of the yard. Well, she's been AWOL for quite a while now. Well over a week. We see her running around with 2 German Shepherds. They come up on the hill behind our house and taunt the other dogs. Daisy will come home when it rains. She is afraid of thunder, but I am sure that she is telling her homedogs that she has to go and protect the humans because they get so scared.

When we see her, we call her. She looks at us with disdain and runs off with her posse. Déja vu! A friend of mine that lives nearby sees them running around together too. We are hoping that this is just a midlife crisis. She obviously thinks that she is too cool to hang with Dirtball and Mena.

More Pix From Weekend w/Jake

2009-09-07T11:57:00.000-07:00

The one with three guys in it are Jake (middle) with 2 of his buddies. These other guys were in charge of security on that day. We had to sign in and sign out there.

Jake put on the top part of his uniform so Meredith could have a picture. You can't see that he is wearing jeans on the bottom half. LOL!

I don't know if you can see this. The screen is in the way. This sign is in Jake's window specifying whose room it is.

I had a really good time. I miss Jake. Both Jake and Alex are coming home for Christmas.

Trip to Camp Pendleton

2009-09-01T11:26:00.001-07:00

We went to see Jake at Camp Pendleton. We had a good time. It was SO good to see him again. It was fun to see where he lives and meet some of his friends. I loved playing in the ocean. I had such a good time that I didn't want to leave.

I really miss my kids who don't live at home. I hope that Meredith, Savannah, Alex, Jake, and Samarah know how much I love them. I miss them when they are gone.

I haven't heard from St. Louis University yet. However, I am in the process of applying for the program at University of Cincinnati. It appears to have more support for the students. They seem to be on top of things and very caring. Wish me luck.

Samarah Turns 16!

2009-08-22T17:46:00.000-07:00

Can you believe it? Baby girl is 16 years old! I just had her yesterday. Plus, she is now a junior in high school. So, we had a party. Samarah wanted a mud fight. Dad went along with it, which stunned everyone. Coco, Kyle, and Talmadge came to help chaparone. It took us a week to get rid of the mud.

I haven't posted in about a month. Dad and Samarah went back to Pennsylvania to visit Jess, Savannah, and the kids. I couldn't go because I have been held hostage on the mountain by the hospital. We have been 3 nurses short, moving to another floor, and all sorts of craziness at work. I told my boss that I am tired of having my schedule messed up and of this hostage situation! Things are STARTING to improve. I have a few new nurses to help train, one of them being my friend, Cheryl, who just got her LPN license. She is still in nursing school for another year, and I will also be her preceptor for her capstone.

Haven't heard anything definitive from SLU yet. When I called to check up on it, I was told that they were behind and finishing up processing the fall enrollments. I should hear something in a couple of weeks.

Mark, Samarah, Meredith, and I are meeting up in California to visit Jake for a couple of days. I can't wait to see him.

I have not been feeling well the past month or so due to a change in medication. I am starting to get over it, but have a doctor appointment this coming week to check this out.

Mark and I have been talking about places where we would like to live after Samarah graduates. We are thinking either Pennsylvania or Colorado. There would be more for us to do in PA with genealogy, Steelers, etc.

I have been continuing to write my letters to my congresspeople, emailing them and calling them as well. I keep up on the politics and am busy trying to save our country from those who would want to take our freedom away.

That's all for now!

Scary Step

2009-06-27T18:37:00.000-07:00

I don't know if this logo is going through. Anyway, it is for St. Louis University. I have chosen this school to apply to. I started the application process last night, and have to gather stuff for approval. I am working on getting the information together.

If this all works out, I will do this on line, with a few visits to St. Louis, MO. I am applying for the Psych Nurse Practitioner tract. This is a master's program. I can stay there and complete a doctorate if I so wish. I would like to do this. That way I can say that I am Dr. Houser, Doogie's mom. LOL!

Anyway, I have some different options to look at. I would like to work with the Veterans Administration to help military personnel with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), perhaps some forensics, and especially managing meds for Meredith's patients.

The beauty of this university is that I can live anywhere I want, it doesn't matter. We will see how this goes. I am really excited. I don't know how long my body will hold out for bedside nursing, as much as I love it.

Colorado Trip

2009-06-27T16:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, we were able to take a few days and go to Colorado to see JT, Meredith, and their boys. It was a nice escape from the stupid move. We really needed to get away. We listened to a book on tape during the trip, and that really helped the time go by nicely. Samarah & I were able to do some shopping, as in the White Mountains, we are store deprived.

The kids were so cute. They made me laugh. We played quite a few games together. Ryan and Jordan beat me at "Sorry." Mark helped them tile their bathroom floor. All in all, it was very difficult to leave.

Thank you Meredith, JT, and boys for your hospitality.

Savannah's Painting

2009-06-17T15:36:00.000-07:00

Savannah did this painting of Jesus and Mary using her sister, Meredith, and little Ezekiel as the models. I love this.

No More India

2009-06-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

We got rid of our internet provider for the past 3 weeks, Hughes Net. Everytime you call in, they route you to India. Then these people with heavy accents that you can't understand give you an American name. Like that is going to fool us into thinking that we are talking to an American. Nice try, Bhanu, we weren't fooled. Anyway, we went back to our old provider, and it is so much better. A friend of mine sent me the above pictures from India to explain why we were having so much trouble.

Renée At War With India

2009-06-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

We moved into a rental house in Snowflake. Trying to squeeze 2500 sq ft of stuff into a 1400 sq ft house has been daunting, but we are not done yet. You all know that I was not blessed with spatial relation skills.

On top of the aforementioned, we switched internet providers. They were supposed to be faster than our old one through the phone company. Plus, we didn't have to get a land line. Well, it was slower than dial up in the 90s! After 3 days of this, and not being able to get on the net, I call the company. I get transferred to their "customer service" department in INDIA! I explain the problem to them. I go round and round with them. It turns out that they gave us a bad modem. They will only ship a new one via slow boat from China. I go after them about 10 times. They keep getting off the phone to talk to their supervisor. I ask to talk to the supervisor, who doesn't want to talk to me. I tell the guy to inform the supervisor that he is a "pantywaisted wuss." The reply was, "Pantywaisted wuss? We do not know what the meaning of that is." LOL!

So, we got the modem yesterday. I have removed the nuclear warheads that I had aimed at them. They were so frustrating. I hate outsourcing.

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Alex's Fishing Derby

2009-05-28T15:58:00.001-07:00

Over Memorial Day Weekend, they put on a fishing derby for the military. Alex caught 3 halibut, the largest being 29 pounds. He was really excited about meeting Sarah Palin. She was there and he got to shake her hand. He said that "she was hotter than Miss Alaska." He also said that she was very nice.

One Sick Puppy

2009-05-28T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was visiting with Jake last night. He was telling me about this Marine that he knows who had some powder out. This guy stuck his finger in it and put it in his mouth. He invited Jake to do the same, which he did. Jake asked what it was, and the guy said that it was the ashes of his deceased mother. Ewwwww! I asked Jake if he got sick. He said no, but that he should have figured things out when he saw bone shards. Apparently, this guy has some of his mom's hair in a baggie as well. I asked Jake what was up with this guy. He replied that he is just one weird dude. He has that right. Meredith, what about a psych consult here? Brings back memories of the stories of "Finger-toe Joe." I want you to all know that I did warn my sons against taking things from strangers.

The Move

2009-05-28T07:34:00.000-07:00

No, this isn't the vehicle we used to move. We rented a big truck. Sami had several friends there to help us out. We got alot of the stuff out, but we have a long way to go. Old house was about 2500 sq ft. New one is about 1400 sq ft. I can't wait to put my pictures on the wall. We did get the dish tv, and I am reunited with all my old friends, Vern Yip, Emeril LaGasse, etc.

Happy Memorial Day!

2009-05-25T12:31:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday, we went to a Memorial Day program for the Veterans in Taylor. They have a memorial wall that they etch the names on to commemorate Vets from the area. Alex and Jake were added to this wall and were inducted this past Saturday. I am so proud of them and the service that they provide.

I am thankful to be a mother, daughter, granddaughter, gggrandaughter of Veterans. I am thankful to these people who put their lives on hold to protect us and our way of life. I pray for these brave men and women and invite those who read this to do the same. God Bless the USA and our Troops!

Speedometer

2009-05-25T12:27:00.000-07:00

Last week, I was on my way to work. I was keeping up with the traffic, or so I thought. I looked at my speedometer and it read 110 mph. People were passing me by as I slowed down to the speedlimit. It didn't feel that I was going that fast. Yes, I know that I have a lead foot, but this was ridiculous. Then I noticed that it was being measured in miles per kilometer! I had just had my oil changed, and the Jiffy Lube people must have accidently monkeyed with it. I had to call Dad (Mark) to fix this. Then I was back to normal. That was funny.

Samarah's Dented Head

2009-05-24T20:24:00.000-07:00

We were moving stuff yesterday. Samarah kept having weird things happen to her head. First she had the boys' spear from Scout Camp fall on her head. Then she hit her head on the moving dolly. I think that there was a dent in her head. She says that it was there all along. Now there is a small bump on her head. This is probably what her head would look like if she were bald.

Happy Birthday, Mr. T!

2009-05-22T13:45:00.001-07:00

There have been a lot of changes at work, some that upset us, making us cranky. So, yesterday being Mr. T's birthday, I decided to have a "Mr. T night." I got a birthday cake from Walmart that said, "Happy Birthday, Mr. T - I pity the foo' who doesn't want cake." We all laughed and told Mr T stories, which lightened the atmosphere considerably. The house supervisor used to work in Chicago, and had his own tales to tell, having met our birthday boy. Yes, this was totally random, but we had fun. Thanks to Savannah for alerting us to the date.

Mafia Wars

2009-05-18T12:32:00.000-07:00

I have been playing "Mafia Wars" on Facebook with some of my friends. It kind of brings back memories from when I was a girl in Wisconsin. We lived between Chicago and Milwaukee. We had a good customer that "adopted" my brother and myself. He didn't have any kids and did not think that my parents were fit parents. (Like teaching kids the best way to off someone qualifies for parent of the year.) I always heard that he was from the mob, but I just laughed it off. Apparently, he was a "Self-Made Man." He served time for one of the big guys in Chicago, and they had a limo waiting for him when he got out of prison. No one could touch him, and he could say anything he wanted. He offered to "talk" to my first husband when things went south. I blew him off, but when I told him (ex), he got really scared and paranoid. He kept looking for bombs under his car. Anyway, I got divorced and decided to move to Milwaukee. "Big Al" had "friends" there, and set me up with a job there. I had a job and an apartment waiting for me. I was scheduled to work for the "family." I blew this guy off thinking that he was drunk and ignored him. I found my own job, place to live, etc. I found out many years later that "Big Al" wasn't kidding, that all of this was for real. Wow! The last time I saw "Big Al" was after I joined the Church, and right before I moved to Arizona. He said to me, "So now you're a Mormon, huh Kid?" When I acknowledged this he said, "Good for you!" Whenever I go to Wisconsin, people ask me, "Do you remember Big Al?" Like I am an expert on him or something.

A few years ago, we were joking with one of the members of our Bishopric. We were teasing him about tell the Teachers Quorum not to spoil their dates. He asked if Mark harrassed me. I told him no, that I was a protected species. Then the above story came out. He started calling me the "Mafia Princess" after that. He is a podiatrist, and I am a patient of his. He was doing an exam and asked if my legs were bigger when I was a Mafia Princess. LOL! (They shrunk due to paralysis.)

When my Dad died, we got a floral arrangement from the local "family." I was certain to send the first "thank you" card to them. My family has a long history of these "affiliations." They were on the sidelines. However, my family did help out with hiding John Dillinger. My grandma even danced with him and was friends with his girlfriend, Evelyn "Billie" Freshette. My greataunts and grandma said that he was very well dressed, had wonderful manners, and was a smoooooth dancer.
My Grandpa Brunner was buried next to Bonnie Parker of "Bonnie and Clyde" fame. Funny how those things work out.

This is John Dillinger:

This is Billie Freshette:

Thank you for letting me share some memories with all of you.

This is Frank Balistrieri:

This is from Wikipedia:
Frank P. Balistrieri also known as "Mr. Big", "Frankie Bal", "Mr. Slick", and "Mad Bomber" (May 27, 1918-February 7, 1993) was a Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mafia boss who was a central figure in casino skimming during the 1980s.Balistrieri was college educated and attended law school for six months. Short in stature, Balistrieri took great pride in his appearance. As a young man, he started working for the Milwaukee crime family, which owed allegiance to the powerful Chicago Outfit criminal organization in Chicago. Balistrieri soon built a reputation for arrogance, cruelty and ruthlessness. Balistrieri allegedly received the "Mad Bomber" nickname because he frequently used Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) attached to cars as weapons against his enemies. His father-in-law and Milwaukee boss, John Alioto, was soon grooming Balistrieri as his successor.

In 1961, Alioto retired and Balistrieri took control of the Milwaukee family. Balistrieri eventually referred to himself as, “....the most powerful man in Milwaukee.” After the "hit" on acutance, August "Augie" Palmisano, Balistrieri was quoted as saying, "He called me a name - to my face - and now they can't find his skin!" Balistrieri conducted his business at a table at Snug's restaurant in Milwaukee's Shorecrest Hotel, giving orders over a red telephone. In March 1967, Balistrieri was convicted of income tax evasion and was sent to prison for two years. In June 1971, he was released.

Samarah's State Track Meet

2009-05-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Samarah went to the State Track Meet in Mesa at Mesa High. She did very well. I am especially impressed with the good sportsmanship between the schools.

I was laughing so hard. My brother-in-law, David Smith, likes to have his picture taken with people he doesn't know. He sneaks into the picture when strangers are having their photo shoot. It got to the point that when my niece got married, my sister gave him strict instructions not to get into any pictures he is not supposed be in. So, my daughter follows her beloved Uncle David's example and gets her picture in with all the other team pictures. What a funny experience. She sure love her Aunt Debbie & Uncle Dave.

Alex's Bike Gang

2009-05-17T19:47:00.000-07:00

Alex got a bike this week. He wants his buddies to all get bicycles. I guess he is trying to start a "bicycle gang." They want something to do to keep in shape. The only requirement, other than a bike, is to wear a fake mustache. This should be good. Maybe I should start a subblog and call it "The Adventures of Alex." This son of mine never ceases to entertain me. A couple of the doctors at the hospital know Alex, and always ask about how he is doing. They love the "Alex Stories" as well. Dr. Plowman wants Alex to stay away from the bears to which he replies, "Not listening, not listening." Alex has also discovered that he loves sushi. Like mother, like son.

Nurses Week 2009

2009-05-17T19:37:00.000-07:00

This is me and our CEO, Kevin Hawk. I tied with another nurse for the hospital wide nurse leadership person for 2009. I was very shocked to say the least. The other nurse is a very good leader and leads people correctly. I lead people into open rebellion, mischief, and mayhem. As Savannah said, "I didn't know they gave awards for that kind of leadership." All in all, it was nice to be recognized. I even ditched the award ceremony, and they had to call me to come down ASAP. At least I didn't get fired this week for my big mouth. LOL!

Army and the Bears

2009-05-13T16:53:00.000-07:00

I guess that there are a lot of bears out and about in Anchorage, AK. Alex and his buddies (battles)see them. They saw a baby bear and thought it would be fun to pick it up. Mama was there, and they decided against it. Good choice. I told him that I get really angry when people mess with my kids. That mama bear feels it even more so. There are no PC laws to protect them, nor are there bear police that they can call. LOL! I hope that they don't keep messing with the bears.

My Samarah

2009-05-11T23:07:00.000-07:00

I love this picture. She looks so beautiful! She looks like she belongs on the cover of a magazine. However, looks are deceiving... She'll scare them ALL at State. She has qualified for 4 out of 4 of her events. She is a force to be reckoned with. Dad and I are very proud of her, our Warrior Princess.

Pitching Fits

2009-05-11T12:12:00.001-07:00

Pantera has been pitching quite a few fits lately. I tell Savannah that it is hereditary. One time, Tera was throwing one at my house. It was not up to Ste-Michel standards. I told her to stop, then got on the floor and demonstrated what a fit should look like. Savannah was not pleased.

I have looked for pictures of Savannah having temper tantrums, but to no avail as of this writing. However, I do have some good pics of what appears to be Savannah picking on Meredith.

Meredith hated sailor dresses. It looks like she is ready to throw a fit at the school presentation.

Meredith in scratchy baptismal dress. Savannah looks like she is laughing at her. I believe a fit ensued.

Savannah with juicy cup on carpet. Dad would have thrown the fit if he had seen this.

Savannah did her own hair this day. She would have had a fit had I redone it.

Me getting ready to pitch a fit because I didn't want to get out of the car. Drove poor Mom crazy up to the very end.

I didn't want my picture taken with Mom. Building up to throw a major fit.

When Savannah would have a tantrum, Meredith would dutifully report to us, "Mom, Dad, Savannah is taking one of her fits." So now you all see that Tera comes by it honestly.

Meredith and Zeke

2009-05-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

Savannah is doing some photo ops for a new painting she is going to do. This particular one is of her older sister, Meredith, holding Savannah and Jess' baby, Zeke. It looks like Mary and Jesus to me. When Meredith was expecting one of her boys, she happened to be in the Celestial Room in the Temple. Someone told her that she looked like what they envisioned Mary to look like. I really thought that this picture was sweet, and I thought I'd share this.

Samarah's Track Meet

2009-05-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

So, there we are at Chili's after Samarah's track meet. She wants chicken wings and orders them. She tells the waitress that she wants the kind with the bone in it so that she can feel like Prince Phillip from Sleeping Beauty when she eats it. The waitress didn't make a comment, just looked at Samarah in a weird way. Maybe she secretly has "chicken legs" herself and was insulted.

Today Samarah qualified for state in all four of her events. We are very proud of her.

Jake

2009-05-06T15:25:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Jake, and I had to share it. His phone is broken, so he says he is going to use Facebook more often. He got updated weaponry that is really sweet.

This is a picture of what grown men do with their G.I. Joe action figures. I loved this! LOL!

I somehow wrangled a call off for tonight. I hope that I don't have to go in. If they call me in it is time-and-a-half. Last night was really slow. I don't like nights when I am hammered, yet I like to keep busy. Otherwise, I get bored. I did bring my book, "Stiff: The Secret Life of Human Cadavers." I bought Jake the same book, and he is reading it. I tell people that we are reading it together as a mother-son sharing experience. They get this look of repulsion on their faces and turn away. It is great. I love it!

Happy Cinco de Maio

2009-05-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

I celebrated the holiday by going in to the dentist and having a temporary crown put in. I broke a weak tooth before we went back east while eating caramel corn. Never hurt though. Now the side of my mouth is numb.

I go back to work tonight and also work tomorrow night.

Hasta la vista!

Pantera & Zeke

2009-05-04T19:43:00.000-07:00

Pantera helping "Pizza Grandma" put on makeup.

Zeke with "Papa w/ba dogs."

I really liked these pictures. Tera is such a character. She always comes up with something new. We call them "Tera Tales." Zeke is such a happy little guy. I am so happy that they are sealed into the family.

Kyle, Coco, and Talmage's Visit

2009-05-03T20:33:00.000-07:00

For any of you that don't know them, the first picture is of my FN (Fave Niece)Coco and her son, the ever adorable Talmage.

This is my other FN (Fave Nephew) Kyle (Coco's hubby):

These are pix of Talmage with my cat, Suzu.

Kyle, Coco, and Talmage came over for dinner today. I am always so happy to see them. Talmage loves my cat, Suzu. I am shocked that she doesn't try to scratch him. She doesn't even try to run away. He tries to be gentle with her. If Mark or Alex come into the room she runs and hides. However, I think that Suzu likes Talmage in her own wierd Siamese way.

I always laugh so hard when they come over. I truly love them and enjoy their visits.

Primary

2009-05-03T19:30:00.000-07:00

Today, I was asked to substitute in Primary at the last minute. One teacher didn't show, and they had too many rowdy kids in one class. I had 4-5 year olds. I made them do "criss-cross applesauce" on the floor. We then had a lesson on obedience. I am happy to report that they were all living when they left.

When they asked me, Samarah was in shock and said, "You're asking MY mom?" Like I'd frighten the children. My only regret is that I didn't have any Chinese finger prisons with me.

Why Marijuana?????

2009-05-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

I enjoy using the website "Stumble." It has random sites that they think one would be interested in. As a nurse, I am always interested in various medications. However, I keep having these websites for marijuana show up. What do I care about cannibis? NOTHING! If Alex were here, I'd blame him. LOL!

Jess and Savannah's Most Excellent Adventure

2009-05-02T20:22:00.000-07:00

Forget Bill and Ted. Jess and Savannah had even a better adventure. On 4/24/09, we all met at the Washington, DC Temple (which is really in Maryland), and were with them when they took out their Endowments. The next day, we went in to see them get sealed as a family. The look on Pantera's face was amazing. She was beaming from ear to ear, and was such a little angel in the sealing room. The sealer told us that we were in the "Prophet's Room." Apparently, whenever the Prophet seals someone in that Temple, he uses that room. I am so proud of Jess and Savannah and their little family. I am especially happy that Jess and the kids are now part of the eternal link.

2009-03-29T19:54:00.000-07:00

2009-03-29T19:48:00.000-07:00

Colorado and Catching Up

2009-03-29T19:19:00.001-07:00

These are a couple of pictures from when I went to Colorado last week. Meredith, Samarah, and I went to Pearl St. in Boulder. That is a place that has all these cool stores, and a "busy, and creepy place" as Samarah describes it. It was like kind of going back into time. Hippies, musicians, shops, jugglers. I loved it!

The picture of me sitting on the settée is in a store called "DecorAsian." I am pretending to be visiting with guests in my pretend living room. We had to make it a quick shot before I got caught by store personnel. I absolutely fell in love with the store. The prices were very steep. However, Meredith and I each got a pair of earrings that were very reasonably priced.

As for the bellydancing costume, I never wore this kind when I was dancing, even when my name was Jihan.

It was good to get away. I came home sooner than Mark and Samarah as I had to go to work. I ended up working 3 nights in a row, instead of the usual 2. I am just now starting to get over it.

I have been busy sleeping, working, writing my letters to Obama, and doing signs. I am also now a volunteer on a website called Marineparents.com. I will be doing research and working on a webpage for veterans about their benefits.

The volcano in Mt. Redoubt in AK erupted yesterday at 1515. I am told that it is far enough away from Ft. Richardson where Alex is at that they didn't suffer any ill effects from the volcanic eruption. However, they are covered in volcanic ash, which is a health hazard all of its own. I haven't been able to get a hold of Alex at the time of this posting.

I spoke with Jake last night. He has a cold and is trying to fight it. It was good to talk with him. Mark and I are planning a tentative trip to see him in June.

Miss you all.

Love,
Renée

Cat Herding

2009-02-07T13:41:00.000-08:00

This video cracks me up. It makes me laugh whenever I see it. Enjoy!

Go Steelers

2009-01-31T18:08:00.000-08:00

It takes loyal fans to live in Arizona and root for the Steelers. Mark is from Pennsylvania and has been a Steelers fan since at least 1970. It is the only team that our family cheers for (except for our beloved son-in-law, but he doesn't like salsa either, go figure). Mark and Samarah have been wearing their Steelers gear and have been getting non-stop harrassment. Most of these people have never cheered for the Cardinals before now.

I liked the pictures and wanted to share them.

Glenn Beck's Advice

2009-01-20T11:05:00.000-08:00

All of you know that I have been dreading today. I listened to Glenn Beck this morning for some solice. I was not disappointed. To paraphrase him, he said that after much soul searching he will accept BHO as his president. He will support BHO when he feels he is right, and stand up against him when he is wrong. This is how I feel as well, and the only way I can feel peace about this.

Meredith told me that in BHO's acceptance speech he said that he will be president to the approximately 58 million people who didn't vote for him. I am going to hold him to his words and insist that he keep our country safe, support our troops, and quit killing babies. I am sure that I'll come up with other things. I will be a frequent visitor/commentor to the White House comment line and will continue to leave my messages for the president on their website. BHO needs to know how the real people in "fly over" country feel about things if he is going to be "our president."

Love,
Renée

P.S. Click on The Picture

2009-01-18T21:02:00.000-08:00

If you want to see the Costco picture, you'll have to click on it because I am too dang lazy to fix it.

Love,
Renée

Weekend In Phoenix

2009-01-18T20:41:00.000-08:00

Mark & I went to The Valley to celebrate our 27th wedding anniversary. We did a lot of shopping and went to dinner at The Texas Roadhouse with Alan, Bobbi, Coco, and Kyle. We had a really good time.

We had to renew our Costco Cards. I told the lady that was taking my picture that since I am 51, I can do anything that I want. Thus, I made a face when she took my picture. Mark shook his head in disbelief. I like the picture. Maybe I'll see if I can get a new one for my drivers license.

Alex is freezing his butt off in Alaska. He calls pretty regularly. He called to tell his dad about the football game, saying that most of the guys up there are Cardinals fans. Alex sounds good.

I have to go to a required class at the hospital tomorrow. THen, I have to work Tues and Wed nights.

Oh, by the way, I AM Kyle's favorite aunt. I must say that he is edging Dallas out for the title of favorite nephew, because I am MUCH too young to be an aunt to Brigham Young. LOL! J/K

Getting On In The New Year

2009-01-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

The above pictures were taken at Christmas time in Colorado. I am still waiting to figure out how to get the main set of pictures off a slide show that I was sent. All of Savannah and Jess' pictures are on that. I personally think that Mr. T had something to do with this.

Anyway, I just heard from Alex. He arrived in Alaska safely. Jake called the other night. It was really noisy in the background. He said he was in the "chow line." I thought he said "shower." I asked him why he was calling me from the shower. Wasn't that sort of dangerous?

I have to go to a dumb class on cardiac monitoring tomorrow. Ugh! It is all day long. You know I can't stand sitting for that long. I work Friday, Sunday, and Monday nights. This Friday is Mark's and my 27th wedding anniversary. I can't believe he's put up with me for this long.

Bobbi gave me a really cool health site. It is a support site for healthier living and it is totally free. It is called sparkspeople.com.

Happy New Year. I am still working on my goals!

Au Revoir.

Renée

Hello From Colorado

2008-12-28T17:30:00.000-08:00

We are still here in Colorado. It has been fun with the grandkids, Meredith, J.T., Alex, Jake, and Samarah. Savannah left on Christmas day. Jake is leaving at 0345 in the morning. We are probably going to leave tomorrow as well. I hate the drive.

I work New Year's Eve. I wonder how many babies we will deliver. I asked the older kids what they wanted to accomplish in the new year. Jake wants to take some college classes. Alex doesn't know what he wants to do. Sami probably wants to take State again in track. Meredith is starting her Masters program. I haven't asked Savannah yet. I am sure that she wants to keep in better contact with Mr. T.

As for me, at this time most of my goals are professional. I have to take a refresher courses in ACLS, NPR, STABLE, and heart monitoring. I have to learn external fetal monitoring, how to circulate in the OR for c-sections/hysterectomies, PACU, NICU, and that is just off the top of my head. (PACU - post anesthesia care unit, NICU- neonatal intensive care unit)

On a personal note, I want to better balance my life, lose some extra pounds, and learn to do fun things.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T16:13:00.000-08:00

Here I am in Colorado visiting with my children. For the space of a few hours, I had all 5 of them with Mark and I. We haven't had this happen in about 5 years. I am so blessed. I can't tell you how much this means to me. Savannah redid my hair. Thank you so much! Jake came in from California. It is awesome to see him. It has been almost a year. Alex is having fun visiting with his brother and comparing branches of the military. Meredith and Jake's house is fixed up so cute.
She has a real talent for turning a house into a home. J.T. has been so hospitable and welcoming to all of us Housers. It is fun to see the older kids interact with Samarah, as she has grown up so much in such a short time. I will post pictures later.

I want you all to know how much I love and appreciate you. In addition to my children, I have a wonderful husband who looks out for me. I have a great sister, Bobbi, that I look up to. I have my fabulous "F.N." who takes after MY side of the family. Well, actually, that is biologically impossible. I try to take credit for her whereever I can. LOL!

Thank you for all that you are in my life. I love you all.

Renée

Pvt. Alexander P. Houser, USA

2008-12-07T18:28:00.000-08:00

We attended Alex's graduation from Ft. Leonard Wood. He looked so good. It was great to be with him again. The ceremony was very touching. Alex steered me away from his Drill Sargeants. I can't imagine why. (Although I did introduce myself the next day when he was elsewhere!) I am thinking that he thought I was going to say something like, "Do you know how long it took me to wean him?" Or, "Where can I get dog tags to match Alex's? I want to do a Mommy/Son match thing."

It was freezing cold back there, but very humid so we felt the cold. When we got back home, the temp was pretty much the same, but with the dryness we didn't feel the cold. Alex has been assigned to Ft. Richardson. This is in Anchorage, instead of Fairbanks. It is warmer in Anchorage because of the ocean.

Alex is at a friend's house in the Valley for a few days. This friend is going into the Army next month, so there is a lot to talk about apparently. We will meet up with him later in the week, and he will be doing Recruiter Assistance in Show Low.

Lance Corporal Jacob E. Houser

2008-12-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

From Kamikazern's Realm

Jake called. He is on his way to 29 Palms for more training. He will be gone the next 12 days. He might call me again this am at 0200. I was taking report when he called the first time. He was just promoted to Lance Corporal. OOOOORAHHH!

Tomorrow we leave for Phoenix, then the morning after, we leave for Missouri. We see Alex on Thursday and will be home on Saturday. Hooooahhh!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-27T13:31:00.000-08:00

I originally post something here, but I lost it. I would like to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! I count all of you as blessings in my life.

To Mark: Thank you for marrying me. Many were not brave enough to take on the task. Some were deterred because I had been married before. You were kind enough to look into my heart and over look the past. After all these years, you still put up with my quirks. Thank you. I love you.

To My Children: What a wonderful blessing you are to me in my life. After my car accident I had been told that I would never be able to have children. So all of you are my miracle babies. I love each and every one of you. It has been a challenge to me to back off and let my adult children live their lives. I feel I am getting better with this, but know I am always here for you if you need me. I know that we man not agree with everything, but it is your life, not mine. Samarah, I enjoy watching you grow up. It is more relaxing to me because I have learned many things from your siblings and try not to make the same mistakes I made with them. I love and cherish you all. I am very proud of all of you. I am SO excited to see all of you.

To Bobbi: Thank you for taking a chance on me all those years ago. You went against "public opinion" and was my friend from the get-go. I look up to you and your talents. You influence me in a most positive way.

To FN (Coco): You know that I love you. You have such a wonderful sense of humor and I always have fun with you. You have inherited your mom's creativity. I am very proud of you for how you have handled life. You are a really good mom and wife. You do the family proud.

I love you all,

Renée

From My Pictures

From Savannah, Jess, Pantera

From My Pictures

Home From Work

2008-11-26T06:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, it was a crazy night. We flew a baby down to the valley, and another one will probably be joining him. The tech and secretary went to Walgreens around 0230, and wouldn't you know it, a laboring mom is 10 cm dilated and wants to push. I make the 2nd call to the doctor, he is in Pinetop going past the Safeway there. Will he make it in time? 3 of us go into deliver the baby. Doc gets there in time, two pushes and baby is out. Gotta love it. I love the drama.

Interesting hospital politics. I guess my boss isn't happy that they are trying to send me to ER tonight to work. She is fighting it. It is nice to be wanted...I guess. She had better watch it. The Empress still has not yet pardoned her for her actions of my last post. LOL. I wonder how the "Schrute Shun" would work?

Well, I have probably revealed too much here. All in all, it was a fun night. What will I do for an encore now that I am home? Well, I forgot that Sami has off of school, and called her at 0630 to ask if she needs a ride to school. Ooops! I could let the cat in our room so she can stare at Mark while he is sleeping. Naaah, that would be mean.

We leave a week from today for Alex's graduation. I am really excited. Well, off to bed.

From misc

The Empress' Ravings

2008-11-25T14:57:00.000-08:00

I found this picture and I thought I'd post it. Poor thing always gets the maiden name of her gggrandma confused.

From headstones

I had a long talk with Bobbi the other evening. I really look up to her. She has a gift for bringing civility into a hostile world. I admire her for this. Her talents are many, and the best part is that she is really willing to share. I have been looking at a few of her recommended blogsites, and have learned a lot. Thank you, Bobbi. I love you.

Yesterday was not a fun day. Our unit is moving to the new tower. Well, it was postponed, again. I found out that I need to leave for the airport at 0400 on 12/3.
This would entail taking off 2 hours early from work. My boss would not let me. Although there is a nurse that works once a week from 1800 - 0200. I was told to find a replacement or trade. By the way, I also had to find a replacement for training as I am orienting a new nurse to the unit. Thus I had to find 2 nurses to cover me. Are they telling me that it takes 2 nurses to do my job? Heck, I better ask them for compensation in pay then. LOL. Anyway, it took me most of the day to get a hold of my boss, and work this out. I was so upset that I would miss Alex's graduation over a stupid change that admin made. I found nurses to cover me and extra ones called willing to help out too. I am so thankful for these wonderful women. I love each and every one of them. They all knew how much this meant to me. I am very blessed.

I found a song that I can't get out of my head. It is Coldplay's "Viva La Vida." I love it. It is about the French Revolution, and what happens to one when they think that they are all that, and they are really not. One could equate it to our country if people don't get their lives back on track with the Lord, and we don't get rid of our unrighteous law makers. Here it is:

Well, got to get ready for work. Love you all.

From misc

I Am So Grateful!

2008-11-23T16:01:00.000-08:00

"You guys can come and visit me in Afghanistan. The only bad thing is that you'll have to watch out for snipers." Alex Houser in conversation with Dad.

Alex called us 3 times today. I spoke with Jake on Friday night, and Dad is on the phone with him now. Mark and I leave on 12/3/08 to see Alex and bring him home. I am so excited, I can't stand it. Jake is meeting us in Colorado for Christmas. He even had a long talk with Samarah, and couldn't believe how much she had grown up. He sounds really excited about the get together as well. I am so blessed, I could just cry. All of you know how very long I have prayed for something like this. If only Savannah and her family could make it to Colorado, we would have our own mini version of the gathering of Isreal!

Church was really great. Mark and I teach Sunday School. It was my turn this week. We went to Church with one of the kids in our class (16 y/o) when we lived in Alma 3rd Ward. He is Tom and Sheila Bennett's grandson. His uncles and great-grandma lived next door to the Smiths, one street down from us. We knew his family well, and loved them. Anyway, this kid is kind of shy. He asked his mom,"How come my Sunday School teachers know so much about our family." I guess we kind of "freaked him out" (as Ryan would put it). His mom explained while laughing.

I work on Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Mark will be making the Thanksgiving dinner while I sleep. Hooahh and Ooorah!

Love,
Renée

Happy Birthday, Alex!

2008-11-16T17:35:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that he is 21 today! I just had him yesterday!

Troubles With Background Changes

2008-11-13T20:16:00.000-08:00

Thank you to Meredith for help with this. I wanted to change my background and thoroughly messed things up. My advise to anyone reading this: NEVER download "Webfetti" or any of their products. They sneakily infiltrate your computer and you can't get their junk off your website. It was time for me to clean house with my outdate political stuff anyway.

Love you all,
Renée