Home By the Creekside

Back in April/May, I applied to be an online teacher to BYU. I went through the whole application process. I did a two week online application process on the computer that took over my evenings. Then I was told that they did not have enough positions for me. I was heartbroken and upset over wasting my time. I guess that is what they do. It was not a waste of time because...out of nowhere, I received a phone call about two weeks ago saying that they could offer me a position to teach a class online next semester in January. Of course, I said that I was interested because we need the extra money and I want to get my foot in the door to college teaching. So..I start my three week certification course this Monday and then I will be having my own online class starting in January. It will be ESL math.  I am excited even if it is math but I get to teach students that are speakers of other languages. I am especially excited for that! If I do great in this certification course and the class,

 This year, we had Thanksgiving over at my house. We had a good meal. I cooked the turkey. It was yummy but I should have cooked it at 325 instead of 350. That up there is an apple crisp that I made instead of my normal apple pie. I however did make a rhubarb blackberry pie that was the bomb. I get so bah humbug these days but there is so much that I am grateful for so here is my top ten list. This year I listed my thankful things on facebook but it didn't have too much of  meaning to me,. I am thankful for... 1. my parents who gave me life 2. my husband who puts up with my good and bad moments 3. my children and that have me as their mom. They don't know how good they have it and doubt they ever will but they are my life and light. 4. my brother and his family and that they live close to me 5. my home where all good and bad memories are being created and how each day I try to make it feel like heaven on Earth and haven from the bad 6. my dogs. I am thankful that

We went to my parents' house in Meridian to go to the open house of the Boise temple. It was beautiful but nothing compares to the beauty of the Mesa temple nor the Bountiful temple where Clay, the kids, and I were sealed. Just saying....but the bridal room was gorgeous.  Brayden and Grandpa (my dad) stop to get a little picture taken.  My mom, Lyndee, and I left to go to a Christmas open house at a store called Grapples. Too busy. While we were away, the boys raked the leaves off the huge sycamore. Roscoe our dog having never seen leaves like this before went absolutely crazy. He was biting, eating, running, and rolling around in them. . He was such a hoot.  Of course, the kids had to lay in them and make leaf angels.  After that, we got dressed and took my mom to the open house. It was a nice experience to show my mom what heaven feels like on Earth. Moving through the temple and looking through the rooms made me realize how important tem

Clayton had the opportunity to take these scary kids trick or treating while I stayed home and passed out candy. I won't do that again. We had like 12 trick or treaters. I would have enjoyed going out with them. It was not cold either.  I am happy to say that it is all gone. I threw some out, Clay ate some, took some to school, and they ate some. I love this time of year working up to Halloween. I love the blacks, purples, oranges, and the leaves falling. It's all downhill after that with spending gobs of money so as not to disappoint your loved ones, brown, leafless trees, mud and muck, and cold, bitter wind. I am glad that Halloween brought much joy to our family.

 Brayden turned 9. We already had his party before that. He loved his cake. We had my brother, sis in law, and cousin come over for his birthday cake. He received money from them, some skylanders stuff, and my mom and I went in and got him a mountain bike that will get many miles on this summer. I love this boy more than he will ever know. We are so blessed to have him apart of our family!