Lost knowledge

Today I had my dad help me look at Randy’ brakes on his car. While working the thought crossed my mind that once my dad goes, I will lose a lot of knowledge that he has about cars. Also, in our neighborhood we have a lot of older couples that have had experience. Several served in WWII, many things they will not talk about. Some went through the depression as well as a lot of hard time, yet they got through it. Once this great generation leaves us we will lose a lot of experience and knowledge. For that I am sad.

New Phone

Yesterday, my phone that I have had for 3 years finally died. Well, the track wheel on it broke stopped working. I was going to just switch over to an older Blackberry I have but my wonderful wife told me to go get a new phone. (as long as it was cheaper with a extension of our service etc)
I lucked out and they were able to get me a new phone.
Again I don’t know what I did to deserve such a great wife.

Guardian Angels and Luck

I was going to write about something else today but had my mind changed on the way into work.
I came into work a little later than normal to avoid the snow storm that came in last night. The roads were pretty clear. Not many cars on the road either. I was traveling in the middle lane with a car two lanes to my left in the carpool lane. They must of hit a patch of ice and started to spin a 360. The car started to come across the two lanes toward me. I was able to slow a bit and get around the spinning car. I was lucky in that no one was in the lane to my right. The car behind me was not so lucky; they hit the rear end of the first car and sent it back to the left while they went spinning off to the right side of the road. (3 lanes worth). It was good that they missed the semi that was behind all of us.
My kids wonder why I worry about them when they drive and don’t really need to.

Strong Memories from Childhood

I have several strong memories from childhood hooked in with TV. I remember watching the “Wizard of Oz” every year. Charlie Brown and the most memorable was Walt Disney World of color.
There were several movies from Disney that even though I saw them only once stayed with me. Greyfriar's Bobby, Swamp Fox, Zorro and the most memorable was “The Scarecrow of Romney Marsh”
This came out on Disney when I was about 6-7 as I do the math , yet I still could remember the feeling I got from the movie. I never could recall scenes, except for the Scarecrow mask and his laugh. What I remember most from these shows was that one normal person stood up for something, being a hero and changed people’s lives. I still love that type of story. (Robin Hood, Scarlett Pimpernel)
Recently Disney released the Scarecrow shows on a special DVD. My brother got it and was nice enough to loan it to me. I still love this show and the laugh and mask still gives me the creeps….

Picture of the day

Natalie and Laurie Jo both have started to do this “Photo of the Day” scrapbooking thing.
I have to admit that I really enjoy looking at the pictures they come up with and know that years from now as Maggie looks at the book Nat is making (as well as Jo’s) that she will get a kick out of seeing her 2nd year in pictures.
With the adoption, we have been emailing the birth mother and her family every week for the past year and while it is a chore at times to remember to take the time to do it, we also get the benefit of having Maggie’s first year basically written out already with tons of pictures.
Isn’t modern tech wonderful!!!

(Check out Nat's blogs to see some of the great photos)

A great day

Not only is today historic with our first African American president being sworn in but also that it happens so smoothly. For the average person nothing is different today.
Even though we had two very different and passionate parties trying to win, only one did. Today we will have a transfer of power without any real worry.
We do not have to worry about riots
We do not have to worry about other disgruntled people (not really)

For that I am grateful that I can live in a country where this happens.

Floating Holiday Pay

I get to stay home today since my client is giving their office the days off and I in turn told my team in Sandy that the office would be closed and they could use vacation, no pay or the floating holiday pay the company offers. Basically we get the major holidays off PLUS 4 more days paid as floating holidays. As a manager I would much rather have the team use the extra days at my choosing instead of on off the wall days when I have to figure out phone and work coverage.
Also, I am happy to have a three day weekend. I have not done the projects I wanted to do on Friday but I will finish the most important ones.

It is also worthy to note that this holiday is important. Human rights and the miracles that Dr. King started during his life are what has paved the way for tomorrow. (Literally)

No Excitement

It has been a very slow couple of days. Nothing excitement has happened and for that I have to be grateful! Sometimes it is nice to just go day by day and do the routine.

She thinks she is the dog!

Over the last couple of days, Maggie has given me a lot to laugh about.
I think she thinks she is a dog at times. She will put a sock or toy or whatever she can find in her mouth and crawl around. We didn’t understand why she was doing so much but then saw the dog walking into the room with a sock in her mouth and Maggie right behind doing the same.
She has also discovered that if she makes faces people will laugh…I am so grateful for her laugh and the smile she brings to me, especially when I have had a hard day.

Oh how sweet when asleep

For the past couple of nights we have been trying to let Maggie cry it out if she wakes up. Only problem is that my youngest daughter is very determined and a bit on the stubborn side. Each night is a bit better. The first night she was going for an hour. We would check on her every 10-15 minutes and lay her back but she wasn't happy and let us know. This also happened to be the one night Randy needed to get to sleep since he had a big job interview early the next morning. His room is right under Maggie's. She would cry, he would turn up his music (maybe this is why she was up so long?????

Any way once she goes back to sleep it is peace and quiet.

Finger Nail Clippers

I was clipping my fingernails when the thought struck me how nice it is to have the clippers.
I wonder what people did before the nice little things were invented? I remember as a child my mother using small scissors but I wonder back in the middle ages, did King Arthur use Excalibur to trim his nails? Robin Hood used an arrow tip to get the dirt out from under his fingers? Makes you appreciate the small things in life doesn’t it?

Driving Safety

This morning I got a call from one of my guys at work. He lives in Layton and drives to 90th South everyday for work. He got in a wreck, he is ok but his car is banged up.I thought about how lucky we have been this winter and all the others of not having bad wrecks. Several years ago Natalie spun across the freeway in the jeep and smacked into the side (broke the axle and dinged the doors) But I am grateful for the protection the family has had.
I hate drivers in the snow, people are so dumb. This morning I heard a weird sound outside and looked to see a school bus trying to get up our street, it was slick. Well he couldn't make it so was trying to back up the 3/4 of the block he had come up. Kids on their way to the high school kept zooming down the street and honking at the bus and not even slowing down. Again people are stupid and dumb in winter driving.

They Learn so Quickly

The other day I was trying to get a few things done on the computer while also watching Maggie. She was keeping herself busy with my backpack then she got real quiet. I looked down only to see her emptying my wallet. Being the true female that she is she grabbed the green stuff first!

She is now 11 months and I must say I am grateful for her being part of my life. The last couple of nights she is teething so they have not been that great but we get through them. I love the time I get with her each night as I put her to bed. We say goodnight to mommy and go in her bed room and sit in the rocker or on the exercise ball, depending on Maggie. (She lets me know what she doesn’t want)
We sing our songs and then she is out. Life is so peaceful and blissful during those moments and I am happy than any other time of the day.
(wow, I better stop typing or people will wonder why the boss man is crying at work)

What a great year!

I have spent the last few days thinking over the last 12 months...so much has happened in my life and I am so grateful for everything that has happened to us. Below is a quick review:

• Cody moved to Denver for work and some excitement (Jan)
• After 3 years and 2 Bishoprics I was released and called to the High Council(Jan)
• Maggie came into our lives and changed us forever(Feb)
• Cody moved back from Denver to be by family (Mar)
• My job was secure enough that Natlaie could quit work and be a stay at home mom with Maggie.
• We had the adoption finalized. (Aug)
• We went to the temple and became a forever family(Sept)
• Maggie had her first visit to Disneyland (Sept)
• The holidays had a whole new sparkle to them since we had Maggie as part of them

As you can see most of the changes are around Maggie. That is what happens when a baby comes into your life.

I am excited about 2009, we have a lot of changes coming then too.

• I will become a grandpa (I might add a very young grandpa)
• We will be putting our papers back into the adoption world again. (Hope it doesn't take 3 years again)
• I have a few trips to New Jersey again as well as 2 trips to India that I have mixed feelings about (But still thankful for a good secure job)
• The whole in law clan is going to Disney World. Last time was 1999!
• A whole lot of first for Maggie await.

Of course there are a lot of things I will not miss from 2008 but that is another post.