*Monday Memos*

*MONDAY MEMOS*

            

 (If pictures are too small, just click to enlarge - if print is too small, you need glasses! ☺)

dear cold/bronchitis...I am not happy you are getting worse and still lingering.  I felt like doo-doo most of the week.  Dave wanted me to go in and get an xray and get some labs done to rule out pneumonia.  I thought I had it at first, but then I decided I didn't.  Yes, I doctor myself.  I felt pretty much like total crap on Sunday and Monday, but by Tuesday I was at least able to function and do some things.  So I am pretty sure pneumonia is out.  I think I would be feeling worse each day instead of stronger if I had that.  Sometimes Dave just shakes his head at me.

Yeah, this is how I felt on Monday.  Always too much to do and take care of. 

dear running this week...or I should say NOT running this week.  I managed to get out on Tuesday, but every time I started to run, I nearly coughed up a lung and so then I would walk again until I felt like I could run.  Then I would run again and nearly lose a lung...AGAIN and then end up walking ...again. By the time I got home after 5 miles of that, my throat was on fire and I just wanted to rest!

This drinking fountain saved my life today!  It's a good thing the city has turned these back on! I was hacking and coughing so bad that my throat was raw.  I needed a drink!  It's the only reason I got home.  I would have had to call someone to come get me if I hadn't been near one of those!
This guy ↓ cheered me up and made me glad I went out after all!

I'm also doing planks every day after I run (I am up to 3:00 minutes!), but seriously, I could barely lift myself up on my arms today.  I also started a new CORE CHALLENGE and after a couple days of it, I realized this was a bad week to start that!  But I am not going to quit, I will just do what I can.

dear spring, what a view we have in our backyard!  I can't even tell you how much I love spring!  So beautiful!

 

dear penny from heaven, that is from Hawaii heaven!  My cute nieces and nephew are in Maui on vacation and cute Mickey sent me this photo of her.  She is holding a penny that she found on the beach!  I said, "Come on, you really didn't think Tyson was going to let you go to Hawaii without him did you!?"

  Tyson LOVED Hawaii and the beach (and he LOVED this girl - she was only three when he passed away but they had a bond!) and I know he was there hanging out with her and her fam!  Especially since his big brother Skyler went and spent a couple days with them while they were there too.

Sky moved to Oahu over a month ago to be a pharmaceutical salesman and so Dave's sister and her fam flew him over to Maui for a couple days to hang with them. I thought that was SO nice and it makes me so happy that these cousins are all so close.  Sky hadn't seen Weston yet since he got home from his mission and so that was a reunion for them.  Sky has since moved back to the Big Island because his solar company wanted him back desperately and offered him pretty much what he asked for (and more) if he would reconsider coming back and working for them.  That kid is one amazingly hard worker and he is a great sales rep and so they knew what they had lost.  He negotiated with them and ended up with an offer too good to turn down.  He got a company car, a gas card, a salary that was better than his current one.  He is happy.  He really missed Big Island a lot, no wonder since he hadn't been out fishing once since he arrived in Oahu.  And his best bud Jeremy and his wife are  still on the Big Island.  So things worked out perfectly.  And he is still doing the pharmaceutical job, but just commission only.  I am proud of that boy!

dear hot bread out of the oven, nothing makes a house smell better or make you feel better than that intoxicating aroma that you only get with fresh bread!  This one raised a bit too much before baking, but was it ever good!

dear mckay's wisdom teeth consult appt., we love Dr. Broadbent and so we took McKay in to see him about getting his wisdom tooth pulled.  Yes I did say tooth.  He only has one.  Lucky guy!  I had four!  Dave had ZERO!  Serious?  Now is that really fair?  Most of our boys have had two.  McKay lucked out with just one. 

His consult went well, though not having dental insurance is a killer.  Thank you McKay for just having one wisdom tooth.  Dr. B said it's because he's already smart enough. Agreed. 

While we were waiting to be seen, I thumbed through O Magazine.  I came across this ↓...

I thought that is a great title to do a regular blog post on.  What I know for SURE.  There might not be a lot of things I know for SURE, but I do know some things and it sounds like a fun thing to write about.  So I started it last week.  You can find it HERE.  Thanks Oprah for the inspiration!  I am not sure how many posts I will write, I guess that will be determined on how much I figure out I really do know for sure.  But it sure does make me think!  And thinking is good!

On our way home, we saw THIS ↓ in Willard....

This is a man that decided to walk 80 miles to SLC to General Conference while dragging a cross. 

We drove past him so fast, that I wasn't sure what the cross said, but I found these photos online.
You can find the story here.  The comments really angered me on this article.  Why can't people let people do what they want without all the criticism?  I think it's admirable that someone would do this at his age to stand up for his religious convictions!

dear violet crumble!  My sister in law Karen sent me this photo from Maui.  She found these while there and she knew they are my favorite!  I told her to get me at least 10 and I would pay her!  They are the best but so dang hard to find!  It's the melt in your mouth honeycomb candy covered in chocolate that is to DIE for!  And the name makes me LOVE it even more!

dear mr. cat, you have been much more loveable the past week. I think it's because either you know I've been sick and feel sorry for me OR the fact that I have kitty treats in my room and so you like to pretend you like me so I'll be generous with you.  Either way, it makes me happy you have shown your loveable side this week.

You even came and hung out by me once when I was blogging this week. 

dear april fools day!  My favorite day of the year by far!  I really do love to prank and tease!  I didn't feel too prepared this year because I just haven't felt well, but I think I ended up getting a few peeps pretty good.  I told McKay I had pneumonia and was going to the hospital for a few days.  He believed me.  I couldn't hold a straight face though, so that was short lived.  I tried with Taylor through a text message and that didn't go so well either.  Taylor LOVES Carrie Underwood.  So this is what I sent him.

This dang cold has affected even my pranking bones. Oh well... 
A friend did post on Facebook something that I had totally forgot:

Kimberly Spicker VanSweden‎-Jodi - April 1 at 1:51pm ·Beware of Jodi. She pranked me good on April fools! Not this year. Lol.

I really had to think what I did last year!  Then I remembered that me and my buds went to Taggarts and I took the powdered donuts that I got Dave and the boys with.  I had recoated them in Baking Soda.  I offered her one and she accepted!  haha  It was so funny!  Seriously, I can't believe I forgot, but she didn't!

That made me feel better because I wasn't having much success this year due to lack of prep.  I ended up getting Dave AND Bryce pretty good though.  I found a letter on the internet that basically said they were being audited by the IRS.  Bryce totally fell for it!  He was in a panic. He took the letter downstairs to read it more carefully and then as I was walking past the stairs he threw it up in a crumbled ball and said, "Good one Mom!".  I also got Dave when he came home for lunch with the same letter only with his name on it.  He also fell for it but kept saying, there is no way this is for real.  He realized pretty quick it was from me. He expects something now.

I love to prank!  I was born a prankster - I can't help it!

dear hills...it's a good thing I did you on April Fool's Day because what a joke!  I decided I was going to go out and at least "try" to do some.  I had to really take it easy because I just kept coughing and coughing but I ended up getting in seven repeats.  Less than half of what I usually do, but more than I thought I would be able to.

One day I am going to be able to say I love hills!  That day was not today!

 After coming up the killer hill, I had to stop for a bit in order to cough up a lung. I keep thinking it's past time for this crap to head out!

 Check out those amazing sun rays shooting down!

Dave's sister had surgery on Monday and so we took dinner into them tonight.  I feel very disappointed in myself that I didn't do any April Foolery to their dinner.  At the very least I was going to cut out a bunch of e's with brown construction paper and put them in a pan covered with foil.  I didn't even get to that.  Did I mention this cold/bronchitis has taken it out of me?  Gah!

dear taylor living the college life dream, as I have said before, thank heavens for Snapchat otherwise I would have no idea what this kid is up to half the time.  He stays busy ALL day and night long doing something fun. I am happy he is having a good time at college and making some great memories!

dear thursday, I woke up feeling a little down this morning.  That is not normal for me but some days are just like that!  I bagged running because I decided I better just work on getting better and let my body have some down time to recoup.  That was nice to have some free time in the morning.  At noon I headed to Utah Homemakers for the annual home tour.  I always look forward to them and this one was amazing.  We met at Loraine's house first.  Her home is up for sale and so she let us go see it.  Her house is one of my favorite all time houses ever.  The yard is incredible but inside is just stunning.  She is an awesome decorator.   I have seen it many times, but it's always fun to go again.  Loraine is my good friend and I am really sad they are moving to St. George.  REALLY sad.  

We also went to Wendy's house. I had been there before too because it was in the city home show this year.  Marla's house was also on the tour.  I loved her purple bedroom.  My favorite one was Tina's house.  I had NO idea she lived in such an amazing house!  I was coveting her backyard - it was full of beautiful trees and was like living near a river or a beautiful grove.  Her house was also incredible. It was huge!  It was just so cute and I just loved their lot.  That has always been the one reason I never want to move because I love our lot too.  But having those trees on her lot and just the atmosphere of it felt so...me.  I have to stop coveting when I go see other peeps homes but sometimes it's so hard!  I love my house and everyone tells me how much they love my house as well, but it's now over 20 years old and it's time to upgrade nearly everything and Dave just isn't on board to do that.  He loves the orange oak and I hate it.  It's so 20 years ago.  I have so many plans to update it, but it's like pulling teeth to get him to any of it.  My bathrooms ALL need a makeover!  Sigh....  Okay.... focus on gratitude!  I do have a wonderful and beautiful home even if I want it to be updated.  I have so much to be grateful for that I am ashamed I even admitted any of that!  When we were first married, after going to the Parade of Home shows, Dave would drive me around in the trailer park to keep everything in perspective.  That's what I needed to do today too! ☺

Tina's and Loraine's ↓

Marla's and Tina's ↓

Marla's home ↓

After the home show a bunch of us went to lunch at Taco Time.  We do that every year and it is always fun.  Karen, Marilyn, Lynda, Becky, and one other woman that I don't know all went.  We got talking about mission calls and it's been freaking me out that McKay could have his in one week!

I rushed home and got McKay and we headed up to Logan to find him some shoes and things for his senior trip to California over spring break.  We picked Taylor up on campus and he went with us too. He had a job interview earlier in the day and so he was dressed up.  We hit the mall, Ross, a shoe store and Kohls and then back to the mall.  I took them to Panda Express for dinner too.  They both claim it as their favorite place to eat.

Taylor had about three places he needed to be that night and so we rushed him home and said Tchau!

dear friday, I was going to do my long run today with Robin, but when I woke up it was 29°.  The forecast said it wasn't going to get very warm all day and then an hour later it was down to 25°!  Whaaaaatt!?   Yes, that is just too cold when you have been spoiled with 50's and 60's.  Even 70's!  So we decided to bag it until Saturday even though it's going to be hard to maneuver our run between conference.  But I am also hoping the extra day will help me to get rid of this crap!

dear saturday run, I really look forward to conference and I felt bad I was going to have to be out running during part of the morning session, but I always can watch it on TV because they rebroadcast it right after and it's online as well.  If I run alone, I just find it on my phone and listen to it while I run.  McKay was the one that got up and turned it on this morning .  He gave Robin and me a ride up to Sherwood Hills to start our run.  We got out and got blasted with an arctic wind and pounded on the window and told him to not leave yet until we decided if we wanted to start there or not.  It only took us about five seconds to decide there was NO way we were doing that again!  It was so much colder right there and the wind was just brutal!  So we had him take us to the sheds.  It was much better there.  At least 10° warmer and really no wind.  Good decision!

I forgot to take even one photo!  We ran down towards Mantua and Grant met us as we were heading down.  I was so happy that I wasn't coughing like a bangee again.  I coughed a lot but nothing like I have been earlier this week.  I felt much better than I had been too.  We went into Mantua and then I previously routed us an extra two miles around the east side before we met their daughter at the boat dock.  It was starting to warm up and we took off our jackets.  We met their daughter Sam at the dock and then she ran around the dam with us and we added another two to make it an even 12 miles.  It was a pretty good run, but since we started it around 11 a.m. and ended it about 1:30 or so, I was STARVING!  I was craving a cheeseburger!  I am never hungry when I run unless I run later than normal.  Luckily Sam had some leftover Easter candy in her car and me and Robin snarfed down some Tootsie Rolls! Glad that's over and I'm REALLY glad it wasn't my week to do a 20!

dear general conference, what happened in the Saturday afternoon session was unexpected.  When they asked for the sustaining vote of the Prophet and if anyone opposed, five people yelled out that they did.  They also did it for the 12 Apostles sustaining vote.  That hasn't happened for MANY years!  In fact, the last time it happened I was there!  It was 1980 or so and I was sitting in the tabernacle with my date Jay Ritchie.  We were totally surprised when it happened.  There was one or two that yelled out NO at that one too.  They actually escorted them out that time.  They were sitting very close to us.  I will never forget it.  Someone posted a clip of it online.  I was so excited to watch it! 

Here is a clip of the Oct 1980 General Conference  HERE

President Uchtdorf handled this one like a boss!  He didn't miss a beat and just said, "The vote has been noted."  Then after the sustaining was done, he told those who opposed to please meet with their Stake President.

It really kind of upset me.  I mean seriously!  IF you don't agree with the church OR it's LIVING Prophet, then you obviously don't believe we have a living Prophet and so WHY would you want to even be a member of the church?  This I just do. not. get.  It's all about attention and CONtention if you ask me.  It frustrates me, but on the other hand, I KNOW the truth and for that I am grateful.  I understand that questioning things is okay, and really probably actually necessary in order to gain a firm and strong testimony, but to do it like that, in a public setting at general conference, just rubs me the wrong way.  But all that aside, it was a wonderful day of inspiring messages!  It really was incredible!  Can't wait for tomorrow's session!

dear easter...well, I must have been preoccupied with something....maybe the fact that my baby is driving clear to California with his teenage buds this afternoon and I am a worried mess of nerves...or the fact that Easter is the same day as general conference....or....that my little family is growing up and no longer as into it...well, whatever it is, I can't believe I really forgot to make sure that dang Easter Bunny did his job this morning! 

TOTALLY SPACED IT!

As in... there were no Easter baskets laid out, and no candy scattered on the floor as has been done EVERY SINGLE YEAR for the past 30 plus!  Not a thing.  And no colored eggs.  I think that must have been the real problem because for the first time in 30 years we didn't color eggs because no one was home to do it but ME!  And I was NOT going to do it all by myself!  

I was truly freaking out that I would, that I COULD actually forget!  Still freaking out!  How did I forget!  Oh well, luckily even though all the boys had been downstairs and noticed, they all were gone long enough in different parts of the house so I could hurry and STILL do it.  I DID remember to BUY all the treats, just forgot to put them out!   I asked Dave why he hadn't said anything to me and all he said was he just figured I decided to not do it this year.  What?  ME?  WHY would I NOT do it!  Coloring eggs is one thing, but having the Easter Bunny go AWOL?  Sigh...

Some of the treats were hid like the eggs would have been.

This is where Taylor was all morning...probably so I would have a chance to track down that absent minded Easter Bunny and put him to work!

They had fun picking it all up.  As usual it turned into a game of basketball trying to see who could make the most points by making a "basket".  Easter basket that is.

They play with me when I am trying to just get ONE good shot!

This is the best I could get...↑

What else is sad is that we ALWAYS have German Pancakes on conference Sunday, but today we were out of eggs!  WHAT!  YES!  OUT. OF. EGGS. on Easter Sunday!  How does that happen?  Well, I don't know.  I went to the store at least three times in the past two days and so did Dave and we both thought the other had got eggs.  That's what I get for not coloring any.  Had I done that I would have known we didn't have any.  I guess I need my own chickens!  SO........ my Easter table went unused.  I tried to borrow eggs from two different neighbors but one had none and the other never responded to my text until it was too late.  I was trying to get them made before McKay took off for his trip.  Well, we actually had four eggs, but Dave cooked them up for breakfast for the boys.  And sadly, that's all we needed for the pancakes.

Didn't happen.  We just ate the ham we had for breakfast and leftovers for our Easter dinner.

These guys stopped by to say Happy Easter this morning too.

Then the hour had come... time to tell my baby goodbye as he took off for his senior trip with some of his buds. 

I was not looking forward to this!  I am really having a hard time letting him go.  I made him a lot of treats to take and wrote notes all over the bags with things like: BUCKLE UP BOYS!  DRIVE SAFE!  Call your Mamas!  etc...   There were two more boys going as well but they hadn't picked them up yet.  Two of them already have their mission calls.  McKay's is still pending assignment.  DEEP SIGH...  I am going to be praying really hard this week until he gets back home safely!

And to think I let this ↓ one go to Brazil for TWO years!  At least when they are on a mission, I can put their safety in the Lord's hands!  Actually, I guess I can do that for McKay too while on this trip.  Holy heck!  I will be sending him far far away for two years in about four months!  Aaaaa!

This guy ↑ went to SLC with a bunch of guys and girls to try and get into a session of conference but they ended up in the tabernacle.  Too bad Dave gave away all the tickets he got.  The cool thing is Taylor ran into several companions from Brazil while there.  He met up with several of them too!

dear sunday general conference, wow!  I can't even believe how good this entire conference was. It was just amazing. I had so many favorite talks that I can't even choose one!  Elder Holland's was incredible (as usual), Elder Renland's was awesome, Elder Brent H. Nielson's was amazing, but seriously they were all just oustanding and I learned so much.  I loved how so many focused on the atonement since it was Easter Sunday.  I felt so loved and so close to the Savior after conference.

During conference....

My post on Facebook:
 "Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, suffered, died, and rose from death in order that He could, like lightning in a summer storm, grasp us as we fall, hold us with His might, and through our obedience to His commandments, lift us to eternal life." ‪#‎ElderHolland‬ ‪#‎LDSconf‬ ‪#‎BecauseHeLives‬
I'm grateful to know I will once again see those I love who are no longer living #BecauseHeLives. HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!

I loved these!  I had to post!

So inspiring...
Here are some from the General Women's Meeting last week:

dear message from God this week: I needed this!  It was very timely because being sick has made me feel very unproductive!

Today, Jodi, we believe God wants you to know that ...you can give yourself more credit.  Are you juggling too much? Sometimes you don't give yourself enough credit for what you do get done in a day. Today, celebrate your accomplishments.

dear last week cabin trip, Dave just sent me these pix!  I had to add them.  I need to go add them to last week's post, but putting them here for now.

Looks like they had a lot of fun even though most of the time was spent doing car repairs!

 Snowblowing in shorts!