Chipmunk Update

It is now safe to drive the Nitro again. After a night of leaving the window open we found the crazy chipmunk scampering around the neighborhood. We occasionally leave nuts out to feed the little critter since it is our fault he must now call Eagle Mountain home. If you see the little guy let us know! We have fondly named him Nelson.

Never Chase a Chipmunk

Our family has been really anxious to go fishing this year so we finally had the opportunity this week. Monday we went to Vernon Reservoir and got skunked and Wednesday we went to Payson Lake and got CHIPMUNKED!

Payson Lake hasn't been stocked for a while and seemed fished out. When we saw the fish truck drive by headed to the upper lake we gathered our poles and put them back in the car top carrier. As we were about to leave the lake Eric started chasing a chipmunk. Boys will be boys and Kelly was soon chasing the chipmunk too. Unfortunately, all of our car's doors were wide open and must of looked like a great place to hide to a frightened chipmunk! In our excitement we all tried to poke and prod the critter hoping to force him out of the car. No such luck! He burrowed himself somewhere under the steering column. We waited for about 10 minutes hoping he would calm down enough to scurry out. No such luck! Kelly really didn't like the idea of a wild critter crawling around by his feet but what would you do? Stay there all day waiting for it to come out?

We drove the 1/2 mile to the upper lake and decided to leave the doors open. We stayed there for few hours with our poles in the water. Kelly was the only one to catch a fish. We must of been doing something wrong that day! One fish! Payback for chasing a chipmunk, right? Hoping the chipmunk had crawled out we journeyed home. Kelly was twitching at every little itch on his bare legs in fear of a crazy chipmunk attacking him while driving.

Did he really crawl out? No such luck. The next morning the little guy was looking out the window at us! We opened all the doors and windows hoping again he would crawl out. After another hour of this we decided just to leave the windows open and not drive the car for a few days. Let us know if you see a chipmunk running around Eagle Mountain. Then we will know it is safe to drive the car again!

2 Jars of Beans

For Family Home Evening this week I decided to talk about complaining. I think we all have the tendency to complain and not realize that we are doing it. I asked my family what kinds of things we complain about. Why do we complain? How do we feel after we have complained. How often do you think you complain in a day? There was quite a bit of thinking after that question. Then I asked what the opposite of complaining was. The answer: being grateful for your blessing.

We are working this week on trying to complain less and show more gratitude. After much discussion on ways to physically or visually track this we decided to have two mason jars on the counter. For every complaint that we make we drop a bean in the complaint jar. For every time we realize our gratefulness for a blessing we drop a bean in the grateful jar. So far it is not looking good. I think the complaint jar is a little fuller. I will have to update next Monday to let you know what we discovered at the end of the week. Be sure to visit again. Take the survey too!

Surgery

Kelly recently had surgery.... a minor surgery that was only supposed to take him a day to recover but ended being a week full of pain pills, pajamas and Powerade. Nevertheless, I am happy to report that Kelly is feeling better now.

The last time I had surgery, Kelly was sure to take pictures of me right before they wheeled me off to the OR. I was not so happy about the lovely pictures with no make up, an IV in my arm and my lovely hospital gown that we all know covers not enough of what we all want covered. I of course thought that he needed the same special treatment that he gave me. I whipped out my phone and took pictures of him. I also asked him goofy questions just to see what kind of drug-induced answers I would get. He said something about his lips being clean. He was obviously coherent enough to make fun of me. I had asked him if his lips were clean when he bent over to kiss me the last time I went in for surgery.

Since I ended up taking Kelly to the emergency the following night I was sure to take pictures there too. He had WAY more drugs in his veins then! The pictures are even more...... well.... you decide and tell me! The first two are Kelly at the surgery center. The second two are at the ER. Don't worry! I already showed Kelly the pictures and he agreed to let me post them. He was taking medication when I asked him though!

Family Pics

These were pictures take last fall in American Fork Canyon.

No Complaining

Alright, you've got me. I had previously decided not to blog because of some of the previous blogs that I had viewed. I would like to consider myself a good listening ear (not that I remember everything that I hear - just ask Kelly.) I just don't care for all of the complaining, negativity, and harsh words that some people have about others. Yes, I realize that I am a hypocrite because that just sounded like complaining. Complaining hinders.



Lately, I have seen some well done and inspiring blogs too though. Since then I have decided to join all of you bloggers and share my life's findings with you. I want to commit not to complain or speak poorly of people or their ways though.



I have caught myself many times lately complaining about something only to realize that I probably offended someone. The last Enrichment night I went to I ate a very delicious dessert that reminded me of S'mores. It was very messy and gooey and got all over my face. I was in the middle of a conversation with another woman and stopped to complain that I hate messy desserts that get all over my face. When I got up to leave later I realized that the woman that made the dessert for the evening was the same woman that I was sitting next to in conversation. Was she offended? Probably. My apologies.



In my blogs I want to make sure that you know the things that I am thankful for and the things that make me happy. If I forget what I have committed to in future blogs be sure and catch me on it. Remind me.



Excerpt from "How to Be Totally Miserable" by John Bytheway



Lots of people complain. Most people complain about their problems, but miserable people are different-they complain about their blessings. If their car breaks down, they complain that it isn't new. If their waitress is slow, they complain and withhold a tip. If their cell phone drops a call, they complain about their service. They're like the people in the Old Testament who got free food from heaven and said, "What? Manna again?" By contrast, happy people are grateful to have a car, thankful they can afford to eat at a restaurant, and stoked that they have a cell phone. Most people in the world don't have cars, can't afford restaurants, and have never sent a text message. Happy people count their blessings, while the miserable complain about theirs.



"Everyone can be discontented if he ignores his blessings and looks only at his burdens."

---President Thomas S. Monson



"I complained because I had no shoes until I saw a man who had no feet."

---Sign in a shoe repair shop