A very blustery day........

Last Friday was Cambria's first solo dance competition of the season. It was held in Logan at USU (Utah State) in the Spectrum.

I took half a day off from work because the competition started at 2:30 and we had to be there at least an hour before it started. I got out to Leslie's and she was getting Gunner ready. I thought the boys were not going to come to this one but at the last minute Cambria wanted them to come because she wanted more people to be there for her (even if they were her little brothers).

So we had to go get Braxton out of school. When Leslie came out with him he did not look happy. Most kids would be thrilled to get out of school early but Braxton was upset because they were going to take a test and then paint later. I can understand the painting part but upset because he was missing a test? When we stopped to get some drinks Braxton asked, "So why do I have to go and watch Cambria?" He really wanted to take that test (I'm not even kidding on this)

Here is Cambria in this years costume. Isn't she the cutest?!

This is her at the end. She has such good stage presence, and the judges agreed.

Here she is with her second attendant trophy for the 6-8yr intermediate group.

The boys were pretty good. Gunner loved to go up and down the empty aisles and put all the seats down. He ended up falling asleep for the last hour of the competition. Braxton just sat there and rocked out to the music. He also got so excited watching this HUGE spider or some kind of bug (and it was huge cause we could see it from where we were sitting) crawl across the floor while the girls danced. He made sure to point it out to Cambria before she went over to get ready for her turn.

Afterwards Cambria wanted to go eat at A&W. She always likes to go there after competitions. I think for the root beer floats, which is a pretty good reason.

There are more pictures of the day on my facebook if you want to see them.

Saturday morning I got up and drove to Layton to spend some time with Jamie and the boys. When I walked in Trevon was waiting for me at the door and gave me a big hug and kiss and then Jax came running down the stairs and did the same. It's the best, getting loves from your grandchildren!

We went to lunch at Cafe Rio. My first time there and all I can say is I wish we had one in Brigham. Jamie insisted on ordering for me and we got these huge salads. I couldn't even finish mine, we probably should have split one. It was so good.

Then we went to Old Navy to do some shopping. Jamie picked up several things for the boys. I actually got to see the WALL O FLIP FLOPS. It goes from floor to ceiling and is at least 12 feet wide stuffed with every size, pattern, and color of flip flops that you could imagine for 2 for $5. I bought a red and a bronze pair. Then we found some wedgie flip flops so I bought a black pair.

I also bought a long sundress (we used to call them maxi dresses back when I was in high school). When I got home and tried it on it fit better than I expected and I wish I would have bought another one. It will be nice for our vacation this summer.

That afternoon we just hung out. Jax played on his laptop and Trevon played the Wii. We watched a couple of movies, had pizza for dinner. At one point while we were watching TV Jax came over and just gave me a big hug. I asked him is he was ok and he said he just wanted to give me a hug cause he loved me. I'm just soaking those up because he is almost 11 and I have a feeling hugs and kisses for grandma might not happen so much. Jamie went out with her girlfriends and I spent the night. It was a fun time.

Sunday it was my turn at the organ and Laura called a half hour before the meeting and changed two of the hymns on me. It was also my week to teach class. My kids are so much fun.

I have missed the last 2 Sundays because I've been sick and didn't want to spread it around my class. It started out as a cold and turned into a sinus infection. When I walked into the class they were all so happy to see me and Amelia handed me a picture she had colored for me. I love my class!

It has been windy all day today and there is a fire in Davis county (or some county south of us) and because of the wind it is all smokey and yucky here. It even smells like smoke in my house and my Scentsy just doesn't seem to be helping.

Right now I am reading "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown.

Happy Birthday Dad!

Today is my Daddy's birthday. I could never remember how old my dad is so I asked him...he is 79! I told him no way could he be that old because most of the time he acts much younger.

Here are some memories I have of my dad......

I remember before Angel was born that he used to sit on the front porch of the mobile home we lived in and smoke with his friends.

I remember kneeling in the Idaho Falls Temple with him, mom and Angel being sealed as a family. The memory of this is so vivid that I can even remember what the room looked like.

I remember how handsome my dad was in his Air Force uniforms. I have always been so proud of the way that he served his country.

I remember waiting for him to call home when he was gone on TDY when we lived in our apartment in Spokane Washington.

I remember being baptized and confirmed my him. We did it in July, on Mom's birthday, little over one month before I turned eight. He was leaving for Vietnam and got special permission to do it early.

I remember listening to the tape recordings he made for us while he was in Vietnam. I still have one of the tapes and the old reel to reel recorder/player that we used. I also remember all the things he sent us. Dolls, clothes, foreign money, a letter from his interpreter especially for each one of us. All of which I still have.

He taught dance for Arthur Murray dance studios and I remember him dancing with mom and us girls around the living room.

My dad always had high expectations of his children. He didn't allow us to be disrespectful to our mom. When he gave an "order" he expected it done and in a timely and efficient manner. I think that's were I got some of my quirks from.

When we lived in Colorado Springs he used to take us to a trout farm and let us fish. They had horses we could ride and he used to take us riding. I wanted a horse of my own so bad. He always told me that when he retired from the Air Force he would get me one. I'm still waiting.....

Dad took us on vacations. We saw the Grand Canyon, Zions National Park, Bryce National Park, Yellowstone, the Tetons, Mt Shasta. It seems we were always camping on vacations. When we would be driving and he saw a Historical Monument we always stopped to see what it was about.

I remember when he was transferred to Alaska for the second time. We drove from Klamath Falls Oregon to Eielson AFB, Fairbanks Alaska in our big green van, camping all the way.

When I was out with boys and they brought me home if I sat in the car too long my dad would flip the porch light off and on. Dad is never subtle.......

I remember when I tried out for Dance Club at the end of my Junior year in high school. I was sitting at home waiting to see if they were going to pick me up (meaning that I made it). I was so nervous and worried that I didn't dance well enough to make it. He got some ice cream and gave me a bowl and told me not to worry. HE KNEW I was going to make it and when they came to pick me up he was beaming and said "I told you so".

My dad has always had more faith and confidence in me than I have in myself.

I remember my dad giving me away when I married Kelly. Before we went out he quietly told me that it wasn't too late and if I changed my mind he would be okay with it :).

He always supported me in my decisions, even if he didn't always agree with what I chose.

I remember him blessing both my girls and confirming Jamie and baptizing and confirming Leslie. I am grateful for the priesthood that he holds and honors. I remember the many blessings that he has given me and all I had to do was ask.

Dad used to walk for exercise and after Leslie was born I started walking with him and his friend Lee. We walked a 5 mile loop. I loved those walks. We would talk about all kinds of things. Dad went everyday but Sunday rain or shine.....literally. One day it was snowing off and on and I thought that dad would probably not want to go. Well he did and it started snowing about half way. We must have been a site, walking in that snowstorm.

I remember all the love and support he gave me when Kelly's health started to go. He was right there for me and the girls.

After Kelly was gone dad was always there for the girls. He took Jamie to school and everyday he always had a chocolate donut waiting for her. He went to daddy/daughter things with Leslie. He walked both girls down the aisle at their weddings.

One day Leslie was looking outside and asked me " Mom, why does grandpa drive by the house and doesn't stop?" I didn't know that he did. So we started watching, and sure enough about the same time everyday my dad would drive by. When I asked him why he did that, he told me that he just wanted to make sure we were all okay. My dad is always watching out for his family.

I love the way my dad loves my mom. He is always there for her. I've watched how he takes care of her. How wonderful he was to her when she found out about her breast cancer and had to have a mastectomy. My dad is a great example to us all. I'm so glad that he is my dad.

I could go on and on.....

Thanks Dad for all you have done for me. You are the best and I hope your birthday was a good one. I love you more than words will ever express. Your #1 daughter :)

Nope...can't think of anything clever to write........

So not too awfully much going on right now.

Things have calmed down at work now that inventory is over. I am keeping plenty busy though, with Jade on maternity leave. Our grocery receiving clerk was let go last Tuesday so everyone has been bouncing around to cover until we get a new clerk hired and trained. It was quite a shock, she was so good at her job but made a bad decision.

Mom and Dad came up to Salt Lake last week so Mom could see the doctors again. Dad came up to Brigham on Tuesday and surprised me and took me to lunch. We went to the new Chinese buffet cause I know how much Dad loves his buffets. We had a nice chat and I was glad to see him.

Saturday Michelle (gm receiving clerk) called and she was taking her boys to the matinee to see "The Lightning Thief". So I jumped at the chance to get out of the house and have some yummy buttered popcorn. The movie was good, her boys loved it. She is reading the book but hadn't gotten far enough to be able to tell if it was better than the movie or not.

Took my taxes to Jodi as usual and YAY! I'll be getting refunds from both Federal and State! That is always a good thing.

The weather has been nice. All the snow is melted in my yard showing me how much yard work will need to be done. I think I am going to make some major changes to the front yard this spring. I inherited the landscaping from the previous owners and they didn't take in to consideration how big the plants and bushes would get when they put them in. So I'm going to be pulling out a lot of them. Especially the ones by the driveway. They have gotten so big that I have to pull in my carport at an angle so they won't scratch my car.

Started a new book. I am now reading "Angels and Demons" by Dan Brown.

Only 19 more days till spring........

So I made it through my first inventory as Invoice Clerk.

Jade had her baby last Monday morning. Cute little girl that she named Sage.

Inventory was Wednesday. It went quickly and smoothly. I was happy that our shrink number dropped. I'm glad I only have to do this once a year.

We have changed Markets finally. They told us we were going to come back into the Utah Market last year and then at the last minute they changed their minds. But this year they did it, so as of February we are in the Utah market. YAY!!!!!

On inventory day of course we had our new market's MAPM (market asset protection manager) in the store all day. His name is Craig and he is gorgeous.

My job that day is to talk to our inventory specialist at H.O. and send in the schedules and then I just sit in my office all day waiting by the phone in case he calls needing anything else (which he never did). Can you say "BORING"? The only other thing I have to do is to run down to personnel every so often and see if the inventory company has any 70 types for me to check.

So I'm sitting there trying to keep myself amused when I get a text from my cutie patutie friend Megan and here is how the conversation went....

Meg-So probably very inappropriate to say...but have you seen MAPM Craig? OH MY....This moment brought to you by Walmart and Megan....:)

me-Yes he is definitely eye candy and he's SINGLE!

Meg- But he can't date the associates!!! so when I leave Walmart...we need to set that up! I would be one happy woman!

me-Audra thinks you should leave now :)

Meg-LOL! just walk up to him-so today is my last day, I just decided, you should take me to dinner, and marry me.....and grow old with me......
Not sure I could land someone like that though...

Later I was talking to Jeremy our APC (asset protection coordinator) and I told him how we thought Craig was so hot. Jeremy said that he told Craig that if he heard from one of us one more time about how good looking he was that Jeremy was going to have to ask him to leave. Because this was Jeremy's territory and he was the only good looking one allowed to be here. I love Jeremy he is so funny (and he is cute, but married)

The rest of the week went along just like normal. I went to my class with Carol on Thursday night.

Didn't do any thing Saturday but lay around and read and watch tv. O yea, I did get my laundry caught up and my tax stuff ready to take in to Jodi. But that was about it. I didn't ever get dressed, just stayed in my jammies. After 12 days in a row and then putting in 57 hours the last 7 days it felt good to be lazy.

Sunday I went to church. Didn't have to play the organ but it was my week to teach our Primary class. Then we had choir practice after. My friend Jackie's son Matt came home from his mission this last week and he spoke in Sacrament meeting. It is amazing how much they grow up in the 2 years they are gone. The chapel and overflow was packed. I had to sit in the middle because someone took my usual spot.

It's been in the 50's all weekend and today. The sun is shining and the snow is melting and leaving the ugly dead grass. I drove home with my window down breathing in the fresh air! It was great. I don't think I could live where the seasons don't change. It gives you something to look forward to and there is something I love about each season.

What I am reading- "Hunting Ground" by Patricia Briggs.