My sister Shannon's Bread

My sister came to visit me in May and she made the best, fastest bread.  

I tried it one hot day and to borrow a saying 

from my other sister, boy howdy was it good. 

UVU Summer Basketball Camp

This camp is my favorite of all the camps Logan participates in  
I get out of school and have about 10 days and it starts.
My goal is to have my whole house deep cleaned by this camp so after it I can enjoy the long summer days.
I achieved my goal and enjoyed the camp immensely. 

For the previous camp in Payson I filled up my car and I drove back and forth for just 2 days, one time each.  This time I filled up and I drive back and forth for a week just to Orem.  I wonder which one is more mileage?

Logan is number 5 but you may not see the jersey number.  He played 3 games everyday with a playoff on Friday.  So many games and so much fun.  They play kids from everywhere.  

This team they played was from Alaska, a town named Yakutat.  They must have been so hot, it was over 80 and for them yikes!  They were very cute.  I knew they were from Alaska as soon as I sat down and saw who we were playing....

Jake was the "rabbit"

A Rabbit 

A pacemaker or a pacesetter is sometimes called a rabbit. He is a runner who leads a middle or long distance running event for the first section to ensure a fast time. 

 On Friday, Tim, a friend of Jake's on Facebook, posted that he needed to find someone to pace some runners at BYU. He needed someone to run 6 400's. Could anyone do this? He was looking for a distance guy. Jake saw the post and went through his entire phone contact list and no one could do it. He decided he would do it. So off he went to BYU track to help with an event called the Oregon Track Project.

 Jake got to pace two runners whose names are Galen Rupp and Mo Farah. Galen is an American long distance runner and an Olympic Silver Medalist. Mo is Somali born but ran as a British Athlete but in 2011 relocated to Oregon to train with Galen. 

 When they all got ready to start running Galen handed Jake his shoes and said wear these until I need them. Jake thought that was great. How fun it was to wear a winner of that magnitude's shoes! 

He had to be so careful and really watch his time so he could train them at the right time and speed.  What a responsibility.  Since he is a perfectionist he did a wonderful job.

So I asked Jake why BYU? Why, way out here away from Oregon? He said, "They live and train in Park City for the altitude and they come down to BYU's track to speed train.

A great find

In the past few months I would go on KSL and look for used refrigerators in my town to put in my garage. I need one always in the summer to help hold watermelons, pasta salads and cold beverages. Especially it is needed now that I "feed the masses" every night. I would always be too late or not be able to line up a truck in time, or it was out of my price range. One night about a week ago, Kim and I were on a walk in my neighborhood with Roofus. Low and behold at the end of my street, the end of my street people, there was a neighbor cleaning out this sweet thing with a free sign on it. I jumped for joy especially when she offered to have her husband put it in his truck and deliver it to us. We put it in our garage and have loved using it already and the summer is still young. One of the best things I did was buy several boxes of Popsicles and ice cream bars and have them on had for a quick treat after doing yard work, mowing the lawn or just for a treat on a breezy summer night on the porch.

It was used at the fire station in town before she got it. (Her husband is a fireman.)  

It was very clean and it works great.  I am so happy to have found it. 

If I was reading the book of my life ............

On the late afternoon of Tuesday, May 28, 2013 Michelle gets an email from Richard, her dad who lives in Spokane WA with her mom Patty. In the email he asks whoever of the siblings that can to fast for Patty. She is having an unexpected eye surgery that next day. 17 years ago one of Patty's retinas detached and she had several surgery on it plus a cornea transplant. With vision only in one eye we cannot afford to lose this eye too. The next day finds Michelle fasting on the job at the school. She is passing out deposit refunds for the alphabet of A-C and is very busy so time passes fast. They thank her with a salad that looks delicious from Kneaders but she kindly passes that on to one of her best teacher friends who has sat by her to help her and to pass the time. When Richard and Patty take car trips to visit their children and grandchildren they like to listen to "books on tape". Michelle wants to get Patty one but has no idea what book would be good. She asks her favorite English teacher who teaches at her school. The English teacher gives her 3 options and with a little research Michelle chooses a book called "When Crickets Cry".

The "book on tape" is purchased from Amazon to be sent directly to their house in Spokane. Oh, how wonderful it will be when Richard checks the mail and sees a box from Amazon.  They can set it up to help Patty pass the time. Patty has had the surgery and it was successful and now she has to lay on her left side at a 45 degree angle down, all day and night only getting up every hour for 10 minutes. Life for them has been put on hold for a while as Richard wants to attend to her every need. He loves her so, everyone wife should be so lucky to have someone to love and care for them this much. She is very lucky to have him in her life. Michelle has always thought that Patty should have been a model. If only you could see her high school graduation and wedding pictures you would agree. She has flawless skin and a beautiful face. Look at this picture of her resting, recovering and you will agree.

Patty is crawling to the bathroom because her world is dark and she can feel her way. When she eats he tells her where her food is on the plate like a clock face to give her direction. Richard is picking out clothes and helping her get dressed.  Patty will be recovering for about 10 days.  Michelle is so happy with herself that the "book on tape" will help pass the time and give her something to do. Michelle has also purchased the book, "When Crickets Cry" for her Kindle and as she is reading the book she is imagining what it will sound like to her mom as she hears the story.When Michelle is at 7% of the book on the Kindle she is telling everyone how good the book is.  Maybe she should have read a little farther before she gave this book to her mom.  As they are still introducing the characters in the book and Michelle is reading a little farther she discovers one of the main characters is blind.  "OH SHOOT"  Michelle yells out as she is reading the book on the porch.  "This cannot be happening, I gave my mom a book about a blind person!" "How important is this character!"  'Should I try and stop the book from going to my mom's house!"   It is a Sunday at Michelle's house and her children are home.  They offer to research the book online so it doesn't ruin the story for her.  At this point who cares, Michelle doesn't care if she ruins the story for herself, she is sick with worry, but she stands by and lets them research it.  It is decided that he is not a main character, nor is that a huge story line so maybe it will be OK.
There is a cute game Michelle loved to play with her children on Friday night game nights.  It was called Don't Wake Daddy.  The white button was pushed several times and if it was the right timing daddy sat straight up in bed and you had to move your token back to the start.  This is how Michelle's night was that night.  She sat straight up in bed out of a dead sleep and said "I can't believe I gave my mom a book with a blind person in it."
. 

If you have had a child around the age of 3 to 4 months and have let them sleep in a car seat and then pull them out when they awake you will remember the "nest of hair" they get on the back of their head.  Michelle's hair looked that way the next morning.  Oh, what a restless night.  Finally on Tuesday, Michelle called Richard and told him about the book delivery which she wanted to be a surprise and told him to intercept it.  He with so much love in his voice told her that it would be OK.  Without a doubt, everything has been OK.  Patty has had 2 follow up doctor visits, is healing nicely and has finished the audio book.  She enjoyed it so much she is listening to it again.  This is proving how a little bit of faith can go a long way within a marriage and a family when an unexpected event happens. 

Logan, A Basketball Tourney, and A Town Named Payson

It was 2 days of firsts:
The first time I have attended a basketball tournament by myself.
The first time I have driven so far, both in Utah and also by myself in my new car.
The first time I have been to a town named Payson.
The first time Logan and the team he was playing on WON ALL 5 GAMES.


The tournament started Friday with 3 games spread out over 9 hours.  It was held in both the Jr high and the high school in Payson.  They share the same parking lot.  The school is 100 years old!  And the bathrooms were too!  I took a cooler, my I-Pad, my Kindle, a picnic blanket and chair.  I prepared myself to relax between the games.  Logan watched his other teams play in the tournament so there was less down time for him.  I loved the town of Payson.  They grow cherries there and I want to go back when they are in season.  They have older buildings to look at and older homes which I love.  We discovered a Texaco gas station with a huge snack selection anchored on each side by a Subway and an Arbys.  Now, Logan thought this was funny because right now on TV there is an ad running where Arbys makes fun of the the meat at Subway.

I have a counselor at school who built his home in Payson during this last school year with a program that lets them all work on each others homes.  He and his neighbors built 11 homes.  I had gotten updates all year long so when I heard I was going to Payson I got directions to his new home.  I wanted to see what I had been hearing about.  It is built right by the new temple being built down there.   Beautiful area with fields behind him in a lovely neighborhood.

Saturday we left quite early to get to his first game.  After his game we went to I HOP in Springville and then went back to Payson to wait for his last game.  I sat in a grassy field and read while waiting.  I have to admit, I never take time to relax so it felt so good.  As we starting the last game I knew we had to win because up until that point we had not lost.  The boys did not disappoint.  They played the greatest ball I have seen during this tournament.  They stayed on their toes while on defense and had a full court press the whole game, always moving.  When they were on offense they passed the ball to each other continuously and worked it in for the shot.  I was glad to be able to watch them play this well.

I put over 200 miles on my car in 2 days, I got to watch him play with his friends  and I got to spend time one on one with my favorite Logan.  It was a fun 2 days to kick off my summer.

The Last Days of School

As we wind down the last days of school things were different.
I am finishing my second year at Westlake High in the copy center.
I have worked 3 years at Saratoga Shores, an elementary school.
5 years for Alpine School District.

Kelsi is finished her 11 grade year and Logan just finished his 10 grade. 
Many of their teachers are my friends here at Westlake.  The staff here is amazing.
We are saying goodbye to 40 employees.  Many are leaving to teach at the new Junior High in Eagle Mountain named Frontier.  With the new jr. high opening Westlake is becoming 10-12 grade only.

In the last week of school I helped with graduation.  I sat at a table on the top of the inside track and as they came to me I looked up their names and if they were cleared to graduate and had no outstanding fines I stamped their hand with a stamp and let them pass by to go downstairs into the gym floor and get their cap and gown.  Most students passed without any problems but some needed to go back and get cleared or pay money.  I have this favorite special ed girl who has the cutest smile.  She would come and visit me in the copy center with her peer tutor and I would watch her come for lunch so I could see her smile.  As she approached the table, the lady by me said, 'Oh the teacher already got her cap and gown, she got all of theirs." I just waited for her to come to me.  She was smiling the whole way.  When she got to me I said her name and look you get to graduate and I stamped her hand like everyone else.  She squealed with joy. 

Another day I got to pass out deposit refunds.  I got the letters A-C.  Such cute kids.  They had to sign, date it and then they got back usually 15.00.  I spent from 8-1;30 out there!

Drivers Ed will have two sessions this summer.  I made them 700 copies of everything!  That was a lot of copies on the last week.  And my experienced teachers made their copies for the first few weeks of next year.

At the closing breakfast on the last day, our principal read a letter that was so touching.  It was about a boy whose parents were told he would never be anything, never graduate from high school. The parent in the letter, complimented our special ed team and called them each my name telling what great things they had done for this boy.  Now, I had met this boy.  His nickname was Skinner and Jane Pate loved him.  She would bring him down the copy center and I liked him too.  One time Jane sent Skinner down to get a ream of paper and he lugged a whole box up to her class room she brought him back with the box of paper, and showed him just a ream.  They were both laughing.  Skinner got a mission call and is called to the Spokane WA area and I was so pleased to hear this.  My parents live in Spokane.  Our principal read this letter from his mom to our special ed team at the closing banquet and called them up front.  It was sooooo nice to hear a thank you.

I finished my year making 3,411,813 copies.  So many copies.  I got a new machine which was faster and better.  My copy guys (the company that services the machines) were amazing to work with and always came when I needed them.  Most days everything went smoothly.  When they didn't I always had a back up plan.  One day I will never forget I totally lost it because the machines were down.  A teacher stood in there and helped me and then delivered them to the teachers who most needed them.  I tell you teachers are the best to work with.

Oh next year, what will it bring?
Less teachers, less students, less hours.
Yes, you heard me correctly.
I was happily working 40 hours a week but because of Obama care and the changes that makes to employees and rules of health insurance I can only work 27.5 hours next year.
This is unreal.  I changed nothing but I get changed. I will have to share my job and my space with someone.
I am worried about this.  It is change and I hate change.