Monday, Bloody Monday

WARNING, SOME GRAPHIC IMAGES!! Kind of, I mean, not really THAT graphic, but a little graphic, ok?









Guess who had a bloody nose last night in his sleep?


Got all over his arms, too. And pillow. And mattress.



Made his pillow look like a crime scene. Luckily, all of us (including Dr. D) thought it was super funny and even though he likes to pose with his "pitiful look", he was really laughing about the whole thing.

It was funny, because he crawled into our bed at 6:00 this morning, and I heard DH say, "Son, what's that crap all over your face? Did he have a bloody nose or something?" But then Dr. D went back to sleep, so I wasn't about to disturb him to look. It's happened before, no biggy. It bled a bit more this time than last time...

Easter ideas

A couple of weeks ago, DH and I spoke in church about Easter. Lucky for me, I was only supposed to take a few minutes and leave him the rest of the time. :) hehe That's my kind of talk! Anyway, I found some great ideas on the LDS.org website for how to make Easter more meaningful for our kids and families. Here are the ideas I found:

• Make an “arrangement” with the Easter Bunny to come and hide eggs the day before Easter, so that Sunday is a day to concentrate on the spiritual aspects of the holiday.

• Make a commitment to read scriptures about the Savior every day the month before Easter, particularly the Gospels and 3 Nephi. [3 Ne.]

• With the approval of your bishop and ward music director prepare an appropriate musical number to be presented on Easter Sunday in sacrament meeting.

• Hold a special family testimony meeting on Easter Sunday.

• Watch the sunrise on Easter morning. Think about the beauty of the Earth and the sacrifices of its Creator.

• During the sacrament, make a concerted effort to worship the Savior and Heavenly Father.

• Make a list of the ways the Atonement affects your life. Put the list in your journal and review it often.

• Prepare a family home evening lesson on the atonement of the Savior and give it the week before Easter. **i like this one

• Give each member of your family a small picture of the Savior on Easter morning. Write a small note or your favorite scripture on the back. **i REALLY like this one

• Read conference addresses given by General Authorities on the life of the Savior.

• Make sure your clothes are clean and ironed for church the day before Easter, so that Sunday morning will be calm and peaceful at your house.

• Check out a video from your meetinghouse library that contains the gospel of Luke. The New Media Bible Series gives a particularly good account.

• During each day of the week preceding Easter, read about what Christ did that day. **also REALLY like this one

• Instead of buying new clothes for Easter, give some of your money to someone who can really use it—a needy family or a local charity.

• Memorize a new scripture about the life of the Savior.

Here are some suggestions:

· Luke 22:44

· John 6:51

· 1 Peter 2:21 [1 Pet. 2:21]

· 1 Nephi 11:33 [1 Ne. 11:33]

· 2 Nephi 2:7 [2 Ne. 2:7]

· Mosiah 26:23

· John 10:17

· Romans 6:9 [Rom. 6:9]

· Alma 11:42

· Mormon 7:5 [Morm. 7:5]

I also liked this idea from How Does She? She has 4 different lists of questions to ask your family at the dinner table, you know, to stimulate conversation if you need to. There are some fun questions on these lists, so here is the link in case anyone is interested http://www.howdoesshe.com/family-dinner-questions-4?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+HowDoesShe+(How+Does+She...)

Dr. D

I have to write some of the funny things Dr. Destructo has been saying lately before I forget.

He was supposed to give the scripture in Primary on Sunday. It had been a crazy week so we didn't practice it at all. When he got up to the microphone, the teacher asked him if he knew it and he said "yes". I was standing in the back thinking, "Oh, no he doesn't!" So he went up to the mic. by himself and said, "You have to...watch out for stuff...or somethin'..." It was so funny! I was in the back signaling to the teacher to let her know he did NOT know the scripture so she went over and helped him. I guess he got one of the themes in the scriptures right on... we do have to watch out for stuff...or somethin'. :)

DH likes to ask him, "What do boys do?" His usual answers are pee in the woods, shoot guns, kick balls, and today he added a new one--fly with butterfly wings. Hey, the kid has four older sisters, I guess we need to cut him some slack. hehehe

He likes to pretend to read books, and today he was "reading"--"The Princess and the Chicken Noggets". heehee He means nuggets but it comes out noggets. Such a funny kid!!!

Our weekend in pictures

Well, pictures and a few words. I just can't keep quiet! :)


Getting prepped for what's about to happen here at Luke Air Force Base.


Boarding the bus to ride out to the airstrip.

Two perfect rows of soldiers on either side of the walkway, waiting for the plane to arrive.


Here comes the plane. We are all holding our breath.


Unloading the precious cargo, our soldier coming home for the last time.

Taking the casket to the hearse. All the troops saluting in the background.

Only a few of the sad expressions. It was a hard day.

The Patriot Guard is a group of motorcycle riders who come to protect the family from any protesters. They were so, so kind and besides doing the traffic duty would form a circle around the family at the mortuary and at the cemetery. They held flags so it was a big circle of flags and biker dudes. (and dude-ettes)

Pall bearers to carry Jake for the last time.

Such precision in every movement; every stance.



Watching them fold the casket flag is amazing. They must practice a lot!

Presenting the flag to the man who will present it to Jake's daughter. She got the flag that was on his casket the whole time. They also presented a flag to Jake's mom, and his fiance. These were already folded flags that they touched to the head of the casket, and then presented.

I believe these are the two escorts who stayed with Jake's daughter and mother every step of the way.

His flag and uniform decorations are in this case.

'Nuf said.
Oh yes, we must have Mariachis! We are Mexicans, afterall. I told DH that I want some at my funeral, too. Am I Mexican enough for that?





Well done, soldier.

News clip

Jake

I haven't posted about my husband's cousin Jake, because I haven't known what to say, or how to say it. He was our hero over in Afghanistan, and was killed this past week. It is completely unreal. We keep expecting him to come on Facebook and say it's all a joke, that he was just on a secret mission and we all had to think he was gone. But it's not a joke, and he is gone.

I am stealing the rest of this post from my husband's blog, because he said everything I want to say (as usual).

"Since September 11, 2001, I have lowered the flag in my front yard on numerous occasions to honor the sacrifice of a soldier, sailor, marine, or airman who had recently paid the utmost price for my freedom. In each instance I have said a prayer for the family of the departed hero as my flag lowered to honor their sacrifice. During the official period of mourning, the sight of my half-masted flag was a quiet and eloquent reminder of the fact that "Freedom Isn't Free".

On Friday night I went out to my flagpole and, once again, lowered my flag to half mast. But the prayer I offered that night was for my own family this time. Earlier that day my cousin, SFC Glen Jacob Whetten, joined the ranks of those who have given the last full measure of devotion for their country.

The flag in my front yard flies at half mast, and I see Jake now every time I pass it. When the official word gets out and flags across the state lower to half mast, I will see Jake. And I will cry. I am more intimately acquainted with the price of my freedom now. The Hall of Heroes is no longer a nameless, faceless group of men and women from ages past. It now has the name and face of someone I know and love, someone I looked up to and prayed for."

SFC Glen Jacob Whetten, United States Army
March 19, 1978 - March 12, 2010
Operation Enduring Freedom
Jake and his sweetheart, Megan

Snacks.

This is how Grandpas provide snacks for their grandkids. The kids I babysit have a grandpa that wants to contribute to our snack stash, and he happens to have a Sams card and he's not afraid to use it. :) I have to laugh, because I think it's so cute and sweet. Then I have to try to find a place to put all this stuff... (you can't even see all the boxes in this picture!)

My Spring Thing

If you happen to be going past my house, take a good long sniff and you will smell the best smell in the world. My purple tree! I'm not sure what it's called but it only blooms for a few weeks in March. The blooms are gorgeous, the scent intoxicating. I try to cut them as much as I can and they make my house smell wonderful. This is spring to me!

Paint giveaway

It always seems kind of counter-productive to spread the news about give-aways, doesn't it? You have to do it to enter, but are lessening your chances of winning at the same time...
Anyhoo, there is a paint give-away at High-Heeled Foot in the Door blog. Anyone who knows me knows I can never have enough paint around here. :) Here's hopin' I get some for free. Yippee!

9 months old!!

This post is about a week late, but better late than never!