Karin's Blog

Most of you already know what FHE stands for but for those who don’t it’s Family Home Evening.  Our church as set aside a night to be family night (Monday nights).  We usually spend this night teaching the children a gospel principle lesson.  Mainly it is just a night that families can spend time together and opens up an opportunity for communication with one another.  One thing my family really enjoys is music.  On this particular night.  I had left the room to put away the rest of the laundry before we started FHE.  The pictures below are what I saw.  Corey had taken his guitar out and started tuning it.  The children immediately sat in front and gave him their full attention.  It’s been a while since he has played the guitar.  Usually he just plays the piano or organ for the music.  I think that most probably like the snacks at the end of FHE but I think I enjoy the music the most.

A week ago my little girl turned 2.  We didn’t do anything special for her birthday just hung out with the family.  She is still oblivious to what a birthday is.  She wasn’t sure what to do with the presents but when we finally got her to rip into them she enjoyed it.  She did know what to do with the candles.  I decided to do cupcakes this year because it was just us.  As soon as I brought over her cupcake with the candles all lit she blew them out.  She didn’t even wait for the end of the song.  I can’t believe my baby is two.  Time flies so fast.  Soon she’ll be off to college.  So I guess I need to enjoy her before she grows up.

On May 14th 1999, eleven years ago, Corey and I were sealed together
for time and eternity in the Portland Oregon Temple.  Through the years
we have had good years and not so good years and I can’t think of
anyone I would rather spend it with than him.

Our first
date was March of 1995.  I was barely 16 and he was my first official
date.  We met in 1994 and slowly  became close friends.  He was the
goof ball of our group ( those of you who know him will remember).  You
could dare him to do anything and he would do it.  We would talk for
hours on the phone sometimes about nothing at all.  I would turn all
the ringers off on the phones in the house and wait for him to call at
midnight and then we would talk until 3:00 am.  He was and has
continued to be my truest friend.  He continues to make me laugh and, a
bonus for me, he gets more handsome every year.  I love you
sweetheart.  Happy Anniversary!

My little man that’s what we called him.  He loved getting dressed up in his church clothes and he looked just like a little man.  This is how I see him.  Where has time gone.  Today is his 8th birthday.  He continues to make me proud everyday.  He is a wonderful example to his little brother and sister and to me.  A few weeks ago in church he asked “mom can I bare my testimony” I hesitantly said yes and wasn’t sure what I was in for.  You see he is also our little joker and I half expected him to get up there and crack a few jokes.  Instead he gave the most beautiful testimony I’ve heard from a young boy (yes I might be a little biased but it was impressive).  He spoke of his love for the Savior and his belief in the book of mormon.  It was a wonderful example to me.   He is always willing to give me a helping hand.  Although we don’t always see eye to eye I love that little man and I hope he has a wonderful birthday.

We want to go camping and hiking more this year.  This past weekend was our trial run to see how the kids would do on a hike.  We hiked the short loop around Hell’s Half Acre.  This is an area not too far from our home.  This lava field has some tricky and rough terrain.  We thought if the kids can do this than we shouldn’t have much trouble on a trail in the woods.  It was a really nice day and we only had to trek across a little snow.  The boys did really well.  We had to help them jump a few crevices but all in all it went pretty smooth.  We didn’t see much wildlife except a ground squirrel or mouse here and there.  It was really great to get out and enjoy a day with the family.  We hope that this is a good start to a great season.

My mom came for a visit last week and taught my seven year old how to cross-stitch.  She had him stitch his name onto a piece of fabric and then we made a pillow out of it.  He thought it was the best thing.  He even took it to school the next day to show it off to his teacher.  The next day he wanted to make a gift for his teacher.  We went down to the craft store and bought a simple cross-stitch pattern that he could make.  He finished it in a few days.  He is really enjoying the new projects he comes up with.  Right now he is making a gift for a friend in the shape of a super hero emblem.

Yesterday while I was making dinner I heard the boys playing their usual super hero make believe game.  There was something new this time.  Instead of Preston being Super preston he was Super Cross-stitch man.  Later he told me Super Cross-stitch man’s special power.  Apparently Super Cross-Stitch man has an invisible needle that when he cross-stitches in the air with it what ever he cross-stitches comes to life.  Then to get rid of it all you have to do is put the needle back into it.  I thought this was very creative, but I am  concerned for his safety if this gets around school.

Well the highly anticipated day is here.

The house has been for a couple of weeks slowly coming down.

First Sophia pulled some of the fence down.

Then some of the light strings came off.

Pieces of the Chimney have been slowly coming off.

Now that Christmas is over I told the kids to have at it and just destroy the house.

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I let them have at it.  They have been begging me since the day we put it together.  First they ate the candy off it then they tore the chimney and fence down.  Next we took it outside (for easy clean up) and they stommped it to death.  It was great!  They even said it was the best part about making the ginger bread house (and they liked making it in the first place).  Next was nap time and Levi was in such a great mood about getting to destroy the house that he didn’t put up a fight at all about taking a nap.  I think this is definately going to be a tradition for years to come.

Last year my sister-in- law sent us a ginger bread house kit.  The kids loved putting it together.  So this year they have been bugging me to do it again.  So I decided to make it from scratch this year.  Not sure I’ll do that again but maybe I’ll buy another kit.  I did it so the kids could have fun putting it together.  It turns out we all had fun putting it together and it was a great family activity.  Yes even Corey got involved.  Of course Sophia just wanted to eat it.  When we were done the boys had fun squirting frosting in there mouth.  It doesn’t look that fantastic but it was fun.

A few months ago I started to run with my friend Andrea about once a week just so she would have a running buddy.  She started to run in a bunch of races and every time one would come up she would ask if I wanted to join.  My reaction was always a hearty laugh and a resounding no.  I would always say “Why should I pay to run my butt off when I can do it for free.”  You see I’ve never been a great runner.  I think the most I’ve ever run was 1 1/2 miles and that was over 10 years ago with my roommates in college.  Andrea was persistent and she finally convinced me to run.  So I started to train with her and Melanie 2 1/2 weeks ago.

This morning, after a very restless night, I got up at 6:30 am started to get ready.  Dropped the kids off at a friends and picked up the girls for the run.  We arrive to a very hot and muggy 26 degrees (yes that is sarcasim).  As we wait for the race to start our fingers and toes slowly go numb.  At this point I don’t even know if I can feel my legs let alone run on them.  Finally the call to line up “ready, set, go”  We set off at a pace that I know will kill me after the first 1/2 mile.  I think to myself, did I leave my legs behind?  We ran a 3 loop course.  That’s where you run 1 loop 3 times.  I start to feel my fingers and toes after the 2 time around.  Last lap I hardly feel like I’m moving I think I’ll be lucky to make it in 35 min.  Oh and don’t forget to smile for the camera (thanks Makenzie).  Finally the last stretch.  Can that be right?  The clock it must be broken.  It’s coming up on 27 min.  Wow I thought I was doing horrible.  Finish time 27:11.  I feel so proud of myself I can’t believe I finished.  Here comes the balloon popper.  Someone tells us that the course was only 2.8 miles.  Bummer but still well within my goal of 30 min or less.  We also had a raffle afterward and I won a $5 gift certificate to Jamba Juice.  My friend Andrea got a months worth of free tanning.  She gave it to Melanie.  Over all out of 90 people I placed 38.  Andrea placed 33.  Melanie did the best out of all of us and placed 20.  It was a cold but fun race.  I can’t say I’ll do it again though.  I still think I can run my butt off for free and get the same results.

Second lap

Melanie 20th place

Andrea 33rd place

Karin 38th place

finish

After the race Andrea, Karin, and Melanie.

Andrea, Karin, & Melanie

I have just recieved a statement in the mail that has really made me angry.  Before I tell you what has made me angry let me give you an understanding where I’m coming from.  71/2 years ago we had great insurance through Corey’s work.  It payed for pretty much everything 100%.  We had eye coverage and dental coverage.  It was a really great plan.  He worked for a really big company and I guess because of that they got good deals on insurance.  Well after a little while Corey lost his job and we were with nothing.  We had to move back in with my parents and had no insurance whatsoever.  Our oldest was 5 months old at the time and unfortunately was sick a lot.  The doctors were great to give me discounts and free samples to help us out.  After about a year Corey found another job but with a small company that had no benefits.  We had to get insurance on our own and paid about $300 a month for the bare minimum.  Finally he found a job with benefits.  It looked promising.  It had eye coverage, dental, and health.  We had a pretty high deductible but it was do able.  Every year since things have gone down hill.  First we lost the eye coverage.  Then the dental insurance went up.  Then they switched dental on us all together and it covers practically nothing. Every year they would take more and more out of Corey’s pay check for insurance.   Just recently they switched our health plan to another insurance company.  I thought maybe things are looking up.  Boy was I wrong.  Our deductible is now $2500.  No way can we reach that in one year.  This is where the statement I recieved comes in.  I took Sophia in for her 15 month well baby check (previously covered 100% on our other plan).  I recieved the statement today and none of it is covered.  All of it goes to the deductible $300 dollars worth.  Can you say puke.  I haven’t felt this way since Corey was out of work.  It seems I can’t take my baby in for shots anymore.  I guess I’ll have to start to take her into the health department like I did with Preston when we had nothing.  It’s almost not even worth putting all that money in every month for insurance when maybe we could be putting it into saviings and do much more with it.  I know, I know,  but what if something huge happens like a broken bone, cancer or some dormant disease laying hidden somewhere.  I’m tired of this what if stuff.  I want the things I need covered now.  This is why I’m with the president in health care reform.  Something needs to change with the health care system.  Especially when those of us who have insurance can’t afford health care despite the insurance.  I’ve been there with 100% coverage, nothing, and a little something.  I say nothing was probably better than a little something.  That is totally and utterly wrong.