Busy, Busy, Rush Rush

Sometimes I wish I could just hit the slo-mo button and make time slow down so I can get things done and still have time to enjoy the holidays. But alas, I don't know how to slow down. It's like I'm ADD, but I'm really not. I just like to do too many things, and I like to be busy and involved. I guess that's the long and short of it. Then, when things don't go my way, I freak out for a few minutes, throw my tantrum, then pick myself up and go on. Why do I do that? What am I? Two? Oh well, needless to say, just like everyone else: I'm BUSY!



Last weekend we had a Gala fundraiser dinner Thursday night, Friday night was dinner with some new good friends, then Saturday the rat race began. Tennis for Kayla, breakfast with Santa for the little ones, help with the Eagle project at the church, hit the instructor meeting for the gym, catch a preview of an estate sale, rush Savannah to her last soccer game, zoom home, hang more lights (which entailed me climbing on a VERY high, steep roof! AAA!) then go to the ward party where we are a skit in the program. Pant, pant, pant! Can you say crazy? I'm so glad that day is over, but next Saturday looks just as bad! Wow I'm glad I didn't sign up to do the mini-triathlon last weekend. That certainly wouldn't have worked out!



I still found time on Friday to get the kids and do a cute little project out of the Family Fun magazine. We made little Nutter Butter Reindeer! My friend Jilynn came over with her kids, and we had fun doing this little project. So, can I check off "Do something creative with kids" from the list for the month? ha!

I did it!

Hey everyone! I changed my background all by myself! Yea!

We had a great Thanksgiving this year. I ran the turkey trot here in Mesa. It is a 10K. I first ran it a couple of years ago, but this is the first year I wasn't pregnant, or hadn't just had a baby! So, I was hoping to be lightning fast (ha) and win my age division. Again, ha! Actually, I just wanted to be under an hour, and I ran it in 53 mins and 54 seconds (I think). Next year I am going to try to get down to 50 mins. Hmm... hope I can do it! I love running the trot because then I feel like I can eat all the pie I want. What more could you want?

We had the dinner at my house, which I was very excited about until a week before Thanksgiving my top oven of the double ovens decided to go out. Umm.... you only use your double ovens on Thanksgiving! What the heck???? Of course they are Viking and super "special" and only a Viking guy will touch them, and they can't get out until after Thanksgiving, so we had to have it with one oven, and it actually worked out just fine. So, crisis averted. We had so much pie left over that this morning - 5 days after I made it - I pulled out one of the pumpkin pies we didn't even break in to. I decided that would be a GREAT breakfast before teaching a couple of classes at the gym. Much to my surprise and dismay, the pie was slimy and smelled a little bad. So, I had to dump the WHOLE pie! ugh! Do you know how painful that was? I'm sure my waist thanks me though.

We also had the pleasure of seeing how a totally , um, different type of people live this weekend. We've had a young couple renting our Glendale house for over 2 years. They moved out last month and we needed to make some repairs, upgrades, etc. Well, we had the cleaning ladies go out at 6:30 Sat. morning to clean it up for the new renters to move in that afternoon. She called and said, "Have you seen this place? It is bad!" I knew we were in trouble. We drove over there to meet them when they were done, and it looked great, after 4 hours of scrubbing. They said the fridge and oven had dog hair everywhere. What were they doing? Cooking dog? Eeww!! They also asked if the couple had kids. I said they had a little girl. They said they thought so. Why? I ask. Well, there were boogers wiped all over the walls. Double EEWWW!! Then, I took Conner and Savannah out back and proceeded to scoop up about 2 years worth of poop from the back yard! What is wrong with people? Who lives like that? I mean seriously!!!! I don't care how poor you are, you don't have to have money to be clean! Scooping poop doesn't cost a thing!

Then, we looked over the fence to the next door neighbor (which isn't hard to do because the fence is only 5 ft. high). She probably has 10 dogs back there and dog poop everywhere! The pool is 100% green - looked like a pond in Mexico. One of the poor dogs was drinking out of it. She apparently breeds dogs there. ugh! There was poop all over by the doggie door in and out of the house, so I can only imagine what the house looks like.

Needless to say, we had to do a serious de-contamination when we got home. Seriously, how do people live like that??????

Oh well, that night we got to hang out with our good friends from St. George - Hi John and Dru! - and see my brother who surprised us with a visit this weekend! That was a great weekend for me! :)

Deal or No Deal? NO DEAL!

OK, so maybe there was 1 deal - I got a bunch of poinsettias for $.99 each! But, I was a little disappointed that there were no great "black friday" deals for me today! Of course Kayla and I hit the stores starting at 6 anyway, just to get earlybird specials. Here's what I don't get: Mervyn's is going out of business, so the whole store is advertising everything 50% off! You'd think "Wow! There are going to be some great deals!" Well, depends what you call a great deal. They had some darling Christmas dresses for Addison, and they were only $25 after the 50% discount! Excuse me? Has Mervyns ever even had a dress for $50 in the kids section? I'm pretty sure not. So, I found it funny that everything has been conveniently jacked up in price, so they can "slash" the price back to regular price for going out of business.

I was just thankful to Children's Place for having great deals this morning, so it was all good. I love that place! They should really call it Mom's place for Children's clothes. That was the only store that was packed. It kind of depressed me that the mall wasn't that busy, and there weren't lines anywhere. Come on people - go shop and spend money to get us out of this recession! ugh!

Oh well, I got a start on the shopping - now for the decorating. New house calls for new stuff right? Ugh! I have to figure out IF I can use the old stuff, and where, then go decide what kind of new stuff I want! There is way too much cute stuff out there to choose from. Anyway, I have the progressive dinner ending here on the 11th of December, so I have until then to have the "halls decked"!!!

Gratitude

So tomorrow is Thanksgiving - we all are grateful for lots of things I'm sure. Just want to add a few things to my list for my posterity. My ABC's of thanks:

A - Addison. Though the early toddler stage is not my favorite, you can't help but melt when she tilts her head, looks at you and smiles. Gotta love the caboose!

B- Bicycles. I am starting to discover a love for cycling. Wish the awesome bike I had in the garage was mine, and not just borrowed!

C-Conner. My only boy - need I say more?

D-Dancing with the Stars. I will probably go into withdrawl now that it ended last night, but DANG I wish they would have "Dancing with the normal moms" cause then I'd be on it!

E - Evergreens, because they are Christmas trees!

F- Forsgrens! I love my family and am so thankful for the good relationship I have with my wonderful parents and brothers and sisters. I LOVE being from a big family!

G- Gas prices dropping. Hey, I can fill my Yukon XL for like $50 now! yeehaw!

H- Home. My home. I look forward to making many memories here and being buried in the back yard when we're done. ha!

I - Ice cream. Particularly Cold Stone or Nielsen's Custard.

J-Jewelry. I LOVE jewelry. A quick and easy way to feel dressed up!

K- Kaylita. Our beautiful amazingly talented teenager with a heart of gold.

L - Lane. Best husband for me - bar none! (It's a good thing, because he's the only one I have!:)

M - Money. Hey, lets face it - everyone needs it and it's nice to have!

N - Novels. I am so thankful for so many good books to get lost in.

O- Oreos. Yup, I love em and am thankful to have them for a quick dip in the milk!

P- Piano. Therapy in my front room - and it doesn't cost a thing! (It also pays for some things!)

Q- QT - my favorite convenience store where you can get any drink under the sun with good ice!

R- Remission. Something I hope Lane stays in for, well, forever!

S - Savannah. You know the movie Savannah Smiles? Well, when Savannah smiles you can't help but smile too. I love my little singing bookworm!

T- Tennis. You all knew I'd put that one down, right? Hey - it's the game of "love"!

U- Umbrellas. They came in handy today.

V- Violets - or any flowers for that matter. They are colorful and beautiful

W- Wicked. My favorite musical - thankful that I can sing with the CD at the top of my lungs in the car and no one knows how bad I sound!

X- X-rays - because it is a word that starts with X!

Y- Yes Mom! I am so thankful when I hear that - which unfortunately isn't enough!

Z- Zzzzzzzs - something I don't get enough of! Oh well, there's too much to do!

I am

My friend did this on her blog and I loved how it made me start to think, so I am doing it on mine, and tag all of you to do the same on your blog so I can see what you say!

I am

I am... a mother, wife and friend
I think...about too many things all the time, especially in the middle of the night
I want...to be able to eat what I want, but have my 18 year old body!
I have... 5 houses - which is not all that great in an economy like this!
I miss...my family and Utah
I fear...accidents or incidents that are out of our control
I feel...I can do better as a mom, but am doing OK now
I hear...Hannah Montana (ugh) and kids downstairs getting ready for bed
I smell...nothing, actually!
I crave...chocolate or sweet after dinner - or all day long!
I cry...when I read blogs of people who have lost their children
I search...for misplaced items all too often
I wonder...if I will ever be organized enough for my husband
I regret...not majoring in broadcasting - I did Public Relations instead
I wish...my husband didn't have cancer
I love...to be busy
I care...about tons of people and what they think of me
I always...say my prayers at night
I worry...that I don't worry enough
I am not...superior at anything, just pretty good at a lot of things
I remember...how hard junior high was
I believe...families ARE forever
I sing...the Wicked CD at the top of my lungs in the car
I don't always...treat my kids the way I should
I argue...when I've finally reached my limit
I write...not as much as I should
I lose...myself in really good books, and my patience too easily
I listen...to the TV while I clean and get ready for the day
I can usually be found...on the tennis court, at the gym, or shuttling kids around
I need...more time to scrapbook!
I forget...half the stuff I'm supposed to do each day
I am happy...with my husband and 4 kids. Life is good!

Lymphomathon report

The Lymphoma Walkathon was a great success. There were a lot of people there and we were happy to see that. People walked in memory of someone, for someone who is fighting right now, or for people who are in remission and good. It gave me a strange mixed sense of emotions. All the lymphoma survivors wear a yellow T-shirt, and the rest wear white. I saw many yellow T-shirts, and it gives you a lot of hope. You also realize how young, old, male, female doesn't matter. Cancer doesn't discriminate. Wow, sometimes I wish we didn't have this little trial. Is it terrible to say I long for the days when our life was perfect and the worst thing I worried about was one of my kids driving me crazy? Oh well, we tackle this head on, full of faith and we are blessed every day, so I'll take it.

Now for the fun story. I had to stop for kleenex at a bathroom and took Savannah in with me. I was in the stall getting some TP to blow my nose and Savannah says, "Hey mom! Did you know they sell napkins here?!" I said, "They do?" "Yea," she says, "They cost 25 cents." I say, "Do you need a napkin?" She says, "no". whew! I was laughing inside, that's for sure!

Here are some fun pictures of the Cooks on the walk. Enjoy!

There are 3 of my monkeys, and a few more behind!

Lymphomathon - CURE CANCER!!

This weekend is the Lymphoma Walkathon at the Phoenix Zoo. At first we weren't going to do it because it is on Sunday. But about 3 weeks ago, Lane decided he needed to support this and form a "team" to walk. (Basically a team of 6 - our family) We were able to raise over $1,000 with donations from family and friends. They were very generous. What I was most surprised to find was most donations came from customers/clients of his, or people you just wouldn't think would donate because we aren't "best best friends". But we were very humbled with the donations and help that will go to the research and finding a cure of this darn cancer.

The weird thing is I can honestly say cancer doesn't consume my every thought and waking hour anymore. We have been so incredibly blessed to have Lane in remission for almost a year now. Sometimes, I can go half the day without thinking "my husband has cancer". I really didn't know if I would be able to do that. Of course it is always there - the reality that there is no cure for this terrible disease. But there is the hope that one will be found, or that YOU will be the first one to have a 30 year remission. There are miracles, why can't it be us?

Anyway, today I am sooooo thankful that although my husband has this disease, he feels perfectly normal and healthy. He has never been sick or unable to work 1 day since being diagnosed and treated. Sometimes it is funny to see people's faces when they have heard he has cancer and haven't seen him for a long time. It always goes like this, "Kathryn, Lane looks so good! He looks totally normal!" I smile and say, "I know!"