Good, Better, and Best

In sacrament meeting (church) we had high council speakers. I will be honest most of the time I dread hearing from them because they are a little dry, however I cried through most of the meeting this time. It was about Good, Better, and Best, and how we always are good and do good things however we should always strive to be and do the best we can. I started thinking about reviewing my life and what I could have done best at and what I just settled for Good. I decided that I would choose one thing I would do good at. Just a slow start and once I do more and more it will be better. One of the speakers talked about how if we put water in a jar and then start to put sand, pebbles and then big rocks, the water will overflow because there isn't room. If we put the sand (prayers), pebbles (read scriptures), and then big rocks (pay tithing, attend the temple) in the same jar, with the same amount of water it will all fit and more. He asked that we do the best we can be first and then accomplish what is better next and there will always be room for the good stuff too. He stated that we would always find room to do more in our week. I have decided that I want to go buy the book of Mormon on CD and listen to them while I am driving to work and I want to do better about blogging. So here is the first day of me doing better and best. Sometimes starting slow works better then going full force. I am all about baby steps. LOL's.

Family

I have been thinking quite a bit how I am just grateful for my family. Life is so precious as our family has experienced. I have realized that you don't take anything for granted and how important it is to preserve every memory. I have decided that I will share a few pictures of my family that I have taken this last 3 months. Just for fun! I think I am being a little selfish, however, this blog in a way is my journal and what better than preserving with photos, that sometimes says a thousand words.

This is Taren, Cris, and I in Wyoming. Cowgirls at heart!

Deb, Darce, Cris and Maren after a huge cake fight. I love this picture. Sisters will be sisters I guess!

Dale and I before a 4D Shrek Movie. I love this picture, it makes me laugh!

Ping Pong Fun

So we have a ping pong table at work. It is a nice break and has became a regular morning and afternoon play time. There are four of us that usually play and we have a great time together. I must say that I have not laughed at work as much as I have while playing ping pong. I have really grown to appreciate the game and competitiveness. I just wanted to share my love of Ping pong with you. The pictures below is probably what I look like playing ping pong. Even though I am not that old, the wrinkles do show and the intensity of my face is probably the same. LOL!

Saluting our Troops

Every year in September the National Guard celebrates Govenors day. It's a fun day with the Helicopters, tanks, climbing walls, and most of the times Zip lines. This years I took my sister Cris, Mark(my nephew ping) Josh (my nephey Joshy), and my sister Maren. We met up with Dale and had a great time. Here are some pictures of the fun day.

This is Dale (my hero) with Ping and Joshy.

It's so fun to see the in and outs of the blackhawk helicopters. I could spend all day looking and sitting in their seats. I took lots of fun pictures so bear with me. This may be a very long blog.

This is Josh, Dale, and Marky in the back of the holitzer tank, then us girls and the kids in the little tank that hauls all the bullets for the tank. It's quite a cute little thing, however in war would not be too fun to be in because they have no way of protecting themselves.

Dale and Marky pulling a funny picture. Markey, me, and Joshy in front of the Apache Helicopter. It amazes me that these huge helicopters can actually take off. While we were walking around, the recuiters were driving around a golf cart that looked like a hummer. I had to get a ride, so the kids and I got in and took a cruise around. Amazingly enough, it even had a great stereo. I have decided I want one. They are so cute!!

Strange Dreams

The other morning, I had this strange dream. It seemed to me like it had lasted for 4 hours and yet today I can remember it as if I had just woke up. I wanted to share it with you.

It was a dark world we were in, there was never light just darkness. I was in a group of people, some were family other were people I didn't know. Dale led the pack with Shadow on a chain leash. There were several dogs and I can still hear the clang of the chains and the dogs constantly growling as we walked around. We all had guns and were dressed like the 1950 green soldier uniforms. We had a mission to accomplish, yet it was not killing people it was something like to get from point a to point b, however it was still very scary. We would hide in the floor boards in people's homes. While hiding we would strategize our next day's journey. Sometimes we would hide in peoples apartment that had been vacated, I presume we broke into it or the doors were just broken down. It's strange because some times at night, the evil men we were hiding from would be so close I could and my whole soul could feel the evil and they would look at me however there was some field protecting us from getting caught. The dream was our journey, I wonder what really it means. I very rarely dream like this and when I do, it seems like it is concerning the end of the world. If I was a dream reader and from my feelings I had as I woke up was that there is going to be evil in the world, there is going to be trials, however, if I but keep my beliefs in Christ strong and do as I should, I will live with him again and be free of the evil that lurks now. So, tell me what you think the dream means... I just am thinking about the last dream I had in May when the hospital gave me too much meds. It was monkeys dancing on sponge cake floating in 7-up. This dream is a long way from the one I had then.

Girls Night Out

Nothing like going out just with the girls. My sisters decided that we should go to the fair and rodeo while the guys were at the UTES game. We had a great time and the rodeo was amazing. I think my favorite was the saddle broncs, the bulls usually is my favorite however they only did about 3 of them. Big dissappointment! All in all it was great. So my niece who is in high school brought her new boyfriend (yes I did say girls, however we did have our token males) with us. I just had a hard time with seeing them together. She in my eyes is still my little niece. It's so funny because with all of my sisters there is one that walks so fast, she is the mother of my niece and so my neice walks fast also. The rest of us just enjoys our stroll and laughes, talkes to people and just have fun. We kind of got lost and so my sister who is speed walker left us a pop corn trail to find the way. It was hilarious and we stopped and picked up every piece of pop corn (which of course took us longer) so we could give it back to them, well that lasted till we were almost there and then we felt ants crawling on us. LOL! We all had a great time. We petted all the animals we could, even some we were not suppose to and laughed a lot. I think since the accident that was the first time we all had a good time. We also had my nephew Tylers (who is now deceased) former girlfriend. She is having a hard time with school starting and not having TY around, so it was really fun having her around and getting to know her. Whew! I do have some pictures on my phone as soon as I figure out how to get them downloaded.

Holy Cow!

I came home from work today. Dale had ripped out a recipee out of some cooking book at work and is going to cook it for me. It's like chicken in cornmeal with lettuce and something else. It looks pretty good. This is the first time he has ever did this and I am so proud of him. Hopefully, it will taste good and I will take a picture of it and post on this blog. Again another reason to be grateful for my husband.

WoW! It' been a while!

I just noticed that it has been quite a while since I have blogged. I really am setting a goal to blog at least every other day, as this will serve as my journal, so look forward to more info on the life of Deb. Lately I have been adjusting to the 4-10 work week. It's been an adjustment for me because I am so tired every night and then I want to sleep through the weekend, however it is getting easier and Dale and I have been having a great time spending the time together. We have spent a lot of time riding our bikes and swimming at Camp Williams. Work has been interesting and hard at the same time. I have become grateful for the life I lead. There are so many people out there that have issues with drugs and alcohol and grateful for not dealing with those type of things in my life. I am glad that I am in a situation to try and make a difference in their lifes. It makes this life rewarding.

The Big 10!

So it has been a while since I have really been able to blog, so I decided to do the top 10 most exciting things that has happened this month. Ready.... set... go...

1. Yea, I get 3 day weekends now that the 4 day workweek has begun!
2. Julia (coworker) and I won a ping pong game by the skin of my teeth... reason we were losing however is because of me...oops.
3. My husband and I went on a nice ride to the canyon for fun.
4. I got a raise! (actually that happened in July, I am just still so excited)
5. I signed up for bill pay finally.... I think I am the last one on this earth do to so.
6. I got to spend the day swimming at Camp Williams with my family.
7. My car was sick and it was an easy and cheap fix, thanks to my brother-in-law.
8. Dale and I got free vacation to Las Vegas and Orlando, however, we have to sit through an hour presentation.
9. I have been doing really well exercising every day!
10. The big ten... hum... I received a letter and pictures from my sister on a mission.

Wow.. that was harder than I thought! The month isn't over yet and I am sure there will be more fun stuff coming.

Whew!!!

I was just taking a break from life and thought that I would take a moment to update my blog. Life has dealt my family some pretty hard knocks lately. We are trying to put things together, my sister is still trying to figure out how to go on without her husband, my niece and nephew. I am finally appreciating the blessings that heavenly father has given me. I am so grateful for the knowledge of heaven and life after we leave this existence. Its so amazing to really be excited to leave this earth when you time is up. Not that I am wanting to go now, I am thinking when I am 67 it will be good...he...he..he... I have learned through all this, how important it is to really enjoy life and not take anything or anyone for granite. I have really made a point to not miss a moment to tell Dale I love him, i panic now if he leaves for work with out me being able to tell him how much he means to me. I have really gotten a new look at life and taking these lessons for life.

Crazy Moments at Work

These are pictures of me at work. Thought that I would share them with you....hehehehe..

This one is after a game of ping pong!


This one after I went through a preformance review with my supervisor.

Thankful for Family

At times of sorrow, comes an incredible gratefulness for family. I decided that I would put some pictures on of family this last week in our times we tried to get over our grief. Just a little bit of playing around during a week of sadness.

Sorrow and Blessings

This is the first time I have had a chance to just breathe in 3 days. Sunday night there was an accident near Hanksville, Utah. My brother in law, my sister and her 3 kids plus friends were in a horrible accident. We have lost my brother in law, my 7 year old niece which was our princess and my 15 year old nephew. I can't figure out words that describe our lost. I just have sat and cried for days and the tears seem to keep flowing and the engery keeps going. There have been times that my family has not slept for 2 days. During all this sorrow, there have been many blessings and seeds planted of the gospel. I have just sat and cried with many of my sisters because we have been so overwhelmed with the gratitude we feel for people and strangers we don't even know. I talked to a lady that donated a hand built casket for my beloved niece. It was just an amazing thing that this stranger is doing for us. We have had so many strangers tell us they are coming to the funeral to support the family because of the sorrow they have felt. There was a man that stopped right after the accident, at the time my sister was trying to lift the car which was on my niece. That kind stranger did cpr on my dear Alissa for 45 minutes until the highway patrol pulled him off and he went to my precious Tyler and then to my great Brother in Law. He has called my family because he has felt the same loss as we. He will be at the funeral and we are grateful that he will be there to help us through this trying time. We have people looking for my Alissa's scotty dog which was alive with the other dogs. We are still amazed and grateful the the grace of our heavenly father to allow my dear sister and amazing 10 year old nephew Marky (ping) to come out with only a few bumps. My nephew Ping is just a little man. He has been telling us about the accident and what he saw. Sometimes in more detail than we can even handle and he has just stayed strong. He will occasionally say random comments as he allows himself to really feel things. Tonight he said that he wishes God would just take people when they were too old to do anything. Such insight and such a great little boy who is so strong and sometimes will come and cheer us up when we are having our moments. I happen to be having one of those moments and he just said its ok, and gave me a hug... then of course he knows that playing WII takes my mind of things.. and tells me he is going to kick my butt in tennis. Its amazing how much strength he gives kids who have seen more than any adult should see. My sister is another story, she was praying last week and asked for a sign to see if there really was a god. She however, has been willing to listen to all of us about the plan of salvation and what we are hear on earth for. The hardest thing for me to see is her sitting there with stitches and bruises holding my Alissa and Tylers favorite stuff animals. She refused to wash her right hand because it has Alissa's blood on it and believes that is the only thing she has of her daughter. So many heart wrenching times, yet I am trying to keep that peace I felt on Sunday when we found out. I am just still working through my emotions, trying to keep them under control and yet in many times we all just fall apart. People coming to the house that we don't even know, and seeing the tears of Tyler's best friends that are just torn apart. Their old teachers and people who were always there for them. Their ward has been awesome. We have recieved so much food at my sisters house. Although I am really tired on cold cuts and rolls.. we have had that for 3 days.. today someone brought great pasta salad and soup it was a nice change. However, we are so blessed to have people care so much about my sister and her family that they would care to bring so much in. Well I have to go to bed, the viewing is tomorrow. Its going to be a hard day and Friday is the funeral. I just keep the thought of eternity and that heavenly father has a plan for us and he is there with us carrying us through the hard times. I will write more and post pictures as I can.

Flaming Gorge Trip Day One

We decided to go to Flaming Gorge with my sister Lori and her family. We were so excited to be up in the mountains and to have a fun relaxing trip. We rented a boat so that we would have 2 boats up there for those who wanted to put put around or those who just wanted to fish. This turned out to be one of those trying vacations that never seem to end. We were told that we could not bring Shadow. Dale was not happy about that however I figured he would come up with a reason he had to take Shadow and he was right. He called the hotel we were staying and told him that he was a veteran and suffered from Post Tramatic Syndrom. The hotel manager stated that we could take shadow. I knew from the first day this trip was going to turn out to one of those adventures in life that you never want to re-live. We were loaded and ready to go to Lori and Paul's house to get them. We were driving down Bangeter and realized the guy in front of us tire was blowing out. So of course the great citizen my husband is when we got to the stop light he ran about 4 cars down to tell the guy his tire had blown out (this is because he kept driving and didn't seem to notice it was blown out). The guy just stared at him, Dale just ran back to the truck and said he thinks the guy is on something and/or the car is stolen. Well the guy kept driving down the road around 55 miles per hour on a tire that was not there. People were honking and yelling at him however he just went on down the road. Strange thing to have happen and should have told us something about the rest of the trip. Well we were on our way. Thinking that Flaming Gorge was only 2 hours away, we were not ready fro 4 hours and steep switchbacks. Shadow was right there with his dad though, helping him through the stress.

While we were driving through Wyoming I realized that I didn't put a lot of the snacks for us in the front of the cab (thinking that it was only 2 hours drive). Well we could not stop because we didn't know our way and Paul a regular speed driver was hard to keep track of. So as we were starvng to death, I was looking at the clouds and was imaging them looking like mashed potatoes and how yummy it would be at that point. Dale was not happy and I was trying to keep him from dying of hunger. When we got to the top of the mountain we had to pay 5 dollars a day. Another thing I didn't know about. Well not having correct change I had to leave a 20.00 about 10 dollars too much... I was so frustrated. Then we go to leave and our tire rim on the boat flew off, I ended up jogging 1/2 a mile to grab it. Luckily a stranger had picked it up and was walking toward me. I through it in the back of the truck and we were on our way.

So after 4 hours we arrived at our destination with a lot of me calming Dale down because of the drive. We were excited because it was so beatiful. We pulled in after Lori and Paul and were anxious to see what kind of place we were staying in. After Paul and Dale went to check it out they came back and said there was no place for us to cook in there. Well, that would not have been bad normally, however we brought all our food to be cooked and we would just starve... so Paul went to talk to reservations and came back saying that we were staying in a trailer. Well, my first thought was a little trailer with no bathroom... it was a little better than that. It was a single wide, with a big porch and no air condition. Oh my bad, it had a little window air condition that kept the kitchen barable around 89 degrees. Being that it happened to be around 98 degrees in there. We were still too excited to even care. There were enough bathrooms to share and bedrooms for everyone.. we were happy.

The best thing about the trailer is the mule deer would come almost right up to us and just sit and look at us. These are the pictures of the trailer and the deer.