Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Scorpios and Smiley Crane

Who would have thought that a top-of-the-line, brand new (as in 2 months old) air conditioning unit would break down? Well, it did. Sunday morning, I had a premonition something was going wrong, because I was worried there was something that might cause a fire at our house. I double checked to make sure everything was unplugged. When we got back, the a/c motor was making weird noises, and after Mitch turned it off, it wouldn't turn back on again. Monday, the Goettl guys came--found a faulty motor. Tuesday--no part in stock. Wednesday--they replaced the motor this morning, BUT, still no cold air. So the repair men checked the outside compressor component, and it wasn't working correctly--it kept popping the breaker. The supervisor came and checked the unit himself. They found MELTED WIRES inside, and replaced the ENTIRE a/c unit by lifting it over the house with a CRANE! Smily Crane, to be exact. I loved it. Tyson loved it. Emmett didn't necessarily not love it, but it was hot outside, so he kept laying his head on my shoulder & sucking his thumb instead. 7 hours after the repairmen showed up today, they achieved their purpose, and we now have cool and blessed air in our house again! Our air temp has dropped 20 degrees! (P.S. I'd like to give a shout out to my parents for letting us sleep over for 2 nights in a row!)
This is actually the 2nd crane that's been to our house this year. The first one was red. I happened to like this yellow one.
WE ARE SO LUCKY to get a personal visit from a crane--that's every little boy's dream!...Maybe it's the dream of their momma's FOR the little boys...but either way, it's great!
This devil creature was in my bathtub. This picture makes my tub look way dirtier than it really is. At any rate--aren't you glad that I'm still alive? I think he got into the tub when he started chasing that cricket that was also in my tub--all of this is WEIRD, by the way--we NEVER have crickets inside the house. I was shocked by the cricket in there, and then when I moved the baby bath seat and saw the scorpion next to my foot, I SCREAMED my HEAD OFF!

Good thing I moved my foot, because he was after it and attacked this bottle of shampoo instead.

Unfortunately this is just one of the scorpios we've found recently--mostly we find them outside. Don't you love scorpio season? It makes me feel all creeped out, and skittish! Good thing I know Keven Conolly, owner of Connolly Pest Management--we've got to EXTERMINATE these little boogers!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Atta Boy, Hebes!

Did you know that only 3 % of Boy Scouts make it to the rank of Eagle Scout?
Incredible! Well, today, my brother, Heber, completed his project that will catapult him into the top 3% who rightfully earned that status. Atta Boy, Hebes!

We all had a great time helping out. Mitch was in charge of the sprayer & painting. I helped pull weeds and chase after the babies. Emmett ate dirt--I'm not joking, and it happened every single time I wasn't looking--I'm talking clods of deep, dark, mulchy soil. As for Tyson, well--he ran through the sprinklers, pulled a few weeds--asked a lot of questions trying to understand the difference between plants and weeds, he ate a couple of donuts, and he tried to help Daddy loosen the bolts on the bench to paint behind it.


He's so cute! Can you see the chocolate on the side of his face from his donut?


At Coronado Elementary School in the Higley School District, the front portion of the school needed to be painted due to erosion from the elements, and 21 bogenvillas needed to be planted into the ground. I'm not going to lie--it was a TON of work. However, this amazing group of studly kids showed up and we knocked out the project in a "few" hours. Heber has been working hard on earning his badges and awards. This project gave him a run for his money, yesterday. I don't think he'll mind if I say that he came to a point where he was staring at defeat with his Eagle Project, yesterday, and what's fantastic is that Heber stared in the face of defeat and CONQUERED! He definitely deserved to see the fruits of his labors this morning after laboring for hours and hours in the last several weeks to make this goal a reality. I am happy for him, and I love him! What a fantastic younger brother!


I'm glad that I took my baby boys with me to the project. I am so grateful that I have the chance to teach my children when they are young about service. I hope that they will grow up with a desire to serve others.


I also hope that these adorable little boys will follow in the footsteps of their amazing Daddy and Uncles so that one day they can sit in an Eagle's Nest, too, and remember the days of service where they learned how to do a good turn daily, finish what they started, and gain a life-long desire to stay physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Monday, June 7, 2010

*Have you Ever Felt Inferior?

Have you ever felt inferior? Can I just tell you now that it's a LOAD OF CRAP kind of feeling.

Do you know where that feeling comes from? SATAN!

He can just go reside in Hades and leave me out of it.

I have no reason to feel inferior, and neither do you.

Look yourself in the mirror and shout it out:
I AM LOVED! I AM BEAUTIFUL! I AM WANTED! I HAVE TALENTS! I AM UNIQUE--THERE IS NO ONE ELSE WHO COULD TAKE MY PLACE! MY FUTURE IS BRIGHT!

or if necessary:

I AM A GREAT WIFE! I'M A FANTASTIC MOTHER! I AM A FABULOUS DAUGHTER! I AM A GOOD FRIEND!

You have a place in this world. There are people who need you more than you know. Don't listen to Satan & his crafty angels who whisper discouraging words in your ear. They're just a bunch of jerk-faces, and they'll never have what you have--a physical body, a family, or a mortal life to prepare us to live in the presence of God. Satan is a jerk because he kicks people when theyr'e down. Sometimes life's challenges have a way of making you question your self-confidence, and it's in those moments of questioning that you get bombarded with reason after reason to think less of yourself. KNOCK IT OFF!

Be confident in yourself. Be confident in others.

Find the good in others and make it grow.
Most importantly,
FIND THE GOOD IN YOURSELF AND MAKE IT GROW.


*Thanks for visiting Shrink D-Jo--That'll be $50, please. Haha! J/K

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

My American Honey

Getting caught in the race
Of this crazy life
Tryin' to be everything can make you lose your mind
I just wanna go back in time
To American Honey
There's a wild, wild whisper
Blowing in the wind


Calling out my name like a long lost friend


I miss those days as the years go by



Nothing's sweeter than summertime!!!
And American Honey


Gone for so long now
I gotta get back to her somehow
To American Honey