When I grow up

That Time of Year, Again

2011-07-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

So...I was lucky enough to take a trip with my daughter, Meredith, and 4 of her 5 kids. We traveled to Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Jewel Caves. Even though I just had knee replacement 3 months ago, I was able to walk the mile and 1/2 and go up and down 743 steps throughout the cave. What an experience! WOW! At Mt. Rushmore, I walked a mile and up and down 253 steps. Not sure all the numbers of the steps are correct, but it is close. Really enjoyed my time with them and they tell me they aren't really tired of me just yet. I sure love my family and not just the Stoddards (whom I get to spend more time around than any of the others because I get paid to help them). I wish I could spend more time with my other grandchildren. I miss them all.

Spent a week in WV with family and really enjoyed it. Got to visit like I ususally don't get to and still spent time with Mom helping Donna with her.

I will be going back in 3 weeks to spend all of my time helping Mom and Donna with their projects and that will not be a vacation. This year is the reunion for the Lackey's and I am almost finished with the projects for it.

I will post pictures when my camera battery finishes charging.

A Time For Everything

2011-04-03T15:27:00.001-07:00

So...I am now entering my time for pain. I have never experienced pain in my life (physical pain that is). On Feburary 21, 2011, I had a total knee replacement (right knee) and although the pain has not been unmangeable, it has been there as a constant. It has been 6 weeks and it is still there. The therapy is slow and painful, I can't clean my house (although I am able to go downstairs and do the laundry), I am unable to cook much food (no real meals), and I haven't been able to work on the genealogy much. I cannot drive! That is the hardest thing. I am racking up the medical bills ($8,000.00) to date and am just now being able to do some computer work for the company I work for. Roger has to drive me to the post office and then to work everyday. Meredith takes me to therapy and then Roger picks me up about 5:30 p.m. That is the sum total of my day. What am I learning from this experience? Not patience, that is for sure. I am learning pain can get you down, if you let it and I am catching up on making the afagans for my boys. I am now making Joseph's afagan (7 years late). The girls received there's for their 18th birthdays. It will have some mistakes (because of the drugs early on with the surgery), but it is getting started. I have started 20 Christmas Stockings for my children and have until December 1, 2011 to finish them. I am learning to accept help from others and overlook their abilities to clean. When my girls clean, it is done right. After all, I taught them to clean the right way. The dishes get done, but the countertops don't get cleaned. The floors get vaccumed and mopped, but not every week. The bathrooms get cleaned about once a month, but they are still there! Yes, it is hard to go through this time in my life and would I do it again. NO! I will lose the 50 pounds that caused it and get on with my life. The car accident that broke the knee started the problem, but the 50 pounds compounded it. As for now...I just take one day at a time and let it go. That's about all I can do for now. Although ,....., I am thinking about trying to drive again. Six weeks is long enough, don't you think?

Genealogy Rush

2011-02-09T00:57:00.001-08:00

I have finally figured out the genealogy program on-line. I have spent hours entering names for my family members. It is awsome! We are putting together a Lackey Reunion for July 30, 2011 and I want to tackle a genealogy book for everyone to have. How exciting to finally find my family on my mom's side. Grandpa didn't give us much to start with, but he has left us a lot to work with. Meaning, we don't know the past, but the present is full of surprises as we locate our family members. I love history, espcially when it belongs to me.

How Time Flies

2011-02-03T07:07:00.001-08:00

I really haven't kept up with this blog much in the last year. I have been way to busy since last August. Went to WV and spent time with my mom, had my sister come to visit for the winter, had a wedding for our youngest daughter on January 1, 2011, and am doing another wedding in March for the 2nd youngest daughter. Had our youngest son move in and move out again. I am planning to have knee replacement in 2 weeks. Like I said, how times flies. It isn't all fun, but time still flies. My sister says that when you have kids, it is for life. She is so right! You laugh, you cry, you worry, you rejoice...life keeps you busy, especiall since I chose to have 10! We now have 32 grandchildren. Love all of the little beasts; really love them, everyone.

I have always wanted to go back to school. When I was raising the kids I could have gotten grants to pay for it, but didn't have the time. Now that the kids are gone and I have the time, I don't have the money for it, can't get grants. I keep learning through my children and helping them with their higher education. I have 4 in school right now and have helped all of them, some more than others. I have learned one thing. School is a lot of just plain "busy" work. The news media is reporting it right. Our kids don't learn as much as other countires, the work given to them is just to keep them busy and somewhat show they have earned the college degree.

I really don't know what I would do with a degree right now. I am older and most companies want to hire younger people for the positions I would want to do if I went back to work. So comes the circle of life. I know a lot about a lot of things, but no schooling to back up the learning I have done, just practrical knowledge with leached learning.

Why I Am Doing This Other Blog

2010-10-28T13:42:00.000-07:00

Several years ago, three of my children and I went to West Virginia in search of our roots. They led us into Virginia. There we learned my Grandpa, John Lackey, had lived with his first family before moving to West Virginia sometime after 1900. We didn't find out much. But we did learn there is an actual town called Horse Pasture, Virginia! In his family Bible, it says, Born in Horsepasture. I always thought one of my relatives was born in a horsepasture.

So...I have decided to undertake the writing of my mom and her siblings and her step-siblings' history as near as anyone can remember. (Remember I have stated that I tend to undertake HUGH tasks in my life.)

Why am I doing this? I don't want my children to wonder where they came from as my mom and her siblings have wondered. I want my children to know who they are and learn to let go of the past. Whether our lives are good or bad does not matter. It is who and what we become that matters. The past only tend to get in the way of some of us.

There is some of the stories that will not be told. My goal is to allow everyone: past, present, or future; to see who they are.and where they came from. To learn from the past and not repeat the mistakes made there. To learn to love those that came before us and understand, somewhat, of why they did what they did and why that has shaped our lives for so long.

I love my family of the past. I want to know them. Even if I cannot find them, I want to know them and their hardships. History brings us together as a family. I am not ashamed of any of my family. Each generation has changed; made better by the fordge of time.

So...read about our past family. Just the Lackey's for now.

Church...Very Much a Part of my Life

2010-10-24T21:35:00.001-07:00

Sometimes we have really interesting speakers. Today was one of those days. The talk was about how fear keeps us from growing ourselves and from growing closer to our Heavenly Father. Satan makes our fears seem real. But with the help of Jesus Christ we can come to see them for what they are.
False
Evidence
Appearing

Real
The oppisite of fear is Love. When we love someone, we are not afraid of them hurting us. If we do feel they are hurting us or not being there for us, we need to make our own light shine brighter with the help of Jesus Christ. Thus, Satan cannot enter into the light and the fear is shown for what it really is.

Time to Time

2010-10-24T21:11:00.000-07:00

From time to time I get to visit this site. Wish I could find a way to really write about my life. I want to print my bolg, but not savy enough to figure it out. Maybe someday...

Home Sweet Home

2010-08-23T20:37:00.000-07:00

Once again I am back amonst the hills of West Virginia. Once a year I get to come home and see my family here. This is mostly thanks to my mom. Thanks, MOM. I help Donna make fried apple pies for the West Virginia State Fair. They didn't sell as well this year. We had hoped they would do better than last year, but we were down 300 from last year.

Roger came in and he painted Libby's roof and laid carpet in her living room. What a difference a little work will make. I just wish we could find some nice used kitchen cabinets for her. She is such a great person and really needs the help. She does what she can on her own with little help from others. That could be a whole other blog story.

I go home in one week and still have quilts to tie and cut out for Mom. Always lots to get done when I come home.

April Fool's

2010-04-14T21:41:00.000-07:00

So, my mom's birthday is on April 1st. Mickey, Janet, Meredith, Tracy and I headed to West Virginia for her 80th birthday party. A surprise....maybe. Donna decided mom would die of a heart attack if we all showed up and surprised her. She (Donna) told her I was coming in.

Tracy flew out of North Dakota. Mickey, Janet, Meredith and I flew out of Salt Lake City. The plan was we would all meet in Ohio and fly to Louisville, KY and drive on in to West Virginia. Only a 6 hour drive; an expected fun road trip for the 4 older girls and myself.

The day started at 5:oo a.m. for us as I picked the girls up at Meredith's house and we drove to the airport. We arrived in plenty of time only to find out Meredith had forgotten her wallet at home (about an hour's drive from the airport). So everyone is calling her house hoping someone would answer the darn phone.

Pacome (her boarder and family friend) finally answers and is bringing her wallet to her in his pj's at 6:30 a.m. When it seems apparent he is not going to make it in time; we all agree to leave her and board without her. She books a later flight which puts us getting to Louisville at 6:00 p.m. instead of the anticipated 2:00.

The plane pulls out and taxies to de-ice (oh, did I mention it was snowing!) and starts to taxie for take off when the pilot lets us know there is a mechinical problem and we have to go back to the gate.

Janet calls Meredith and she runs to the gate and asks to be put back on the plane. We had 3 people get off the plane because they couldn't make connections and had to be put on other planes. So....Meredith gets on...yea!! we are all together again; except Tracy.

So we call Tracy and tell her to stay in Ohio and we will just drive in to WV from Ohio and not Kentucky. Good plan as it is only 5 1/2 hours instead of the 6 hour drive from Kentucky. Then Janet reminds us we have 2 checked bags going to Kentucky. So we call Tracy back and tell her to go on to Kentucky without us and we will somehow connect with her there.

We get to Ohio and everyone from the hour late plane ride is trying to get connections and it is...of course...spring break, so all seats are taken on every plane until the next day. That is...except Meredith's seat. Because of the mixup in Salt Lake the Delta airlines had e-mailed her and let her know she was on the 4:30 flight to Louisville. The rest of us: Mickey, Janet and I were stuck.

We talked to a very nice man at the customer service and when he heard our ENTIRE story he pulled every "word" out of his years of experience in booking people and got us on the 4:30 flight with Meredith. I say words because he explained that is how the request is worded that determines who get on full flights. He also gave us all vochers for lunch on Delta Airlines for our trouble.

We get to the gate and they tell us we are reserve and may not get on. We then decide it is only 80 miles to Louisville and we will rent a car and drive to get Tracy. But we tell them to check it out that the ticket agent had told us we were comfirmed. At the last minute (really, the LAST minute before the plane takes off) it is decided we are confirmed and we get on. It is only a 15 minute flight. We are on our way.

So instead of getting in at 9:00 p.m. and waking Mom up to surprise her, we get there at 12:00 midnight and go to bed. Donna was waiting up for us and had beds set up for us. Bless her. We had kept in touch with her all day long.

The girls were going to surprise Mom for her birthday, but when it became apparent we were not going to surprise her, they all called her from the airport in Ohio to wish her a happy birthday. Since our plane was leaving it was decided one would call and another beep in so she would get off the phone. I would call her last and let her know that I had made it to Ohio but would be late getting there. She wouldn't answer my beep!! She always answers beeps, but not mine on her birthday. Janet almost couldn't get her off the phone. Everyone had been calling her and talking for a few minutes then hanging up when she got a beep, so she wouldn't let Janet go.

I woke her up on Friday, before Donna left for work as she wanted to be part of the surprise. I took Mom into the kitchen and there stood the girls. What a SURPRISE!!! She was at a loss for words. As Donna's husband, Rick, said, It was the first time in 30 years he had seen her at a loss for words.

Mom bounced up and down and twisted back and forth hugging everyone all the time. If she could have jumped up and down, she would have. Donna said she bounced up and down and wagged her tail. It sure looked just like that.

On Firday, the girls and I cooked and cooked and cooked. Donna had bought everything for 100 to 200 people and we cooked for 150 people. Saturday we assembled everything and the party was great (I'll post pictures when I get them from Mom and Meredith).

Mom had over 100 people come to wish her a happy birthday! And she though no one would show up. We still had tons of food left over. Everyone kept asking the girls if they would come and cater parties for them. They though Donna had hired someone to cater. It was a first class party.

The surprise didn't end with our arrival and the party. The girls sang Grandma (Grandpa by the Judds) to Mom. Mickey played the piano. Everyone was impressed by that and Mickey's piano playing.

Sunday we left for Kentucky, another 6 hour drive. We put Tracy on the plane and we spent the night in a motel. Tired, but happy it had gone so well after the April Fool's Day adventure.

Zoey's Birthday partry

2009-12-06T15:04:00.000-08:00

We gave Zoey a piece of her cake. She picked at it. I thought she would dig in, but, oh no. She was so careful eating it. So very cute.

James and Zoey's Birthday

2009-12-06T15:02:00.000-08:00

James and Zoey share the same Birthday on the 21st of November. James wanted a banana cake and we gave Zoey a beater. She is so careful with it. She really loved the cream cheese frosting.

2009-12-06T14:56:00.000-08:00

Remember that I do impossible projects...well, here is another of those. The Family Calendar! I made 20 of these for my family in West Virginia. I didn't notice the word "calendar" was spelled wrong until I had printed 8 of them. Of course, I changed it to the correct spelling! This was at about 12 o'clock midnight. I did finish them though. They will be mailed on Monday, December 6th and I hope they get there for the party on the 19th.

James at Bar-J concert

2009-11-21T14:57:00.000-08:00

Mariam and Dan took James to the Bar-J Wranglers concert for his birthday. We all went out to dinner with them after the concert. Boy was James excited to do this. They told him happy birthday from the stage and Danny sang a special song for him. They even signed their latest CD and Mariam and Dan bought him a CD player for his birthday.

Easy Halloween Costume

2009-10-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

I know this is out of order, but I wanted to post a picture of Ashlie in her homemade costume. She just tied tule around a piece of elastic and made her skirt.

Picking Apples With the Grandkids

2009-10-27T06:11:00.000-07:00

Aaron loves to pick apples with me. He also likes to make the applesauce by turning the crank on the sauce machine. Yes, some things are still done by hand. And they are still lots and lots of work, but worth the end results.

This is Mason climbing the ladder. They all love the ladder!

Alyssa loves to climb the trees. Mason is taking his turn at the ladder, but Aaron just couldn't wait.

These are really good apples. They were all eating them so April asked them to stand together and took this picture.
Mason, Aaron, Mailee, and Alyssa.

What I Know I like to do

2009-10-25T14:16:00.001-07:00

I love to take pictures. I may not be very good at it, but I am getting better. As this journey continues, I am trying to discover myself. So far I know FOR SURE that I am not a professional baker, But maybe I could be a photographer?...only time will tell.

A Father's love

2009-10-25T14:03:00.000-07:00

This is Zoey with her dad, Ricco. He sure loves her even though they had a rocky start.

Talent, talent, talent...

2009-10-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Roger made this bakgammon table for a person at his work. He only charged $150.00 for it but he spent 6 months making all the pieces and glueing the pieces of wood together. It turned out beautiful.

The twins and the ?twins?

2009-10-25T13:57:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this one. The twins Meredith and Janet are holding the newest family members that are just a month apart. I just love having the babies together and taking pictures of them as they grow together and get to know one another. At first they didn't like each other, now they enjoy playing together.

Halloween Town Grantsville 2009

2009-10-25T13:53:00.000-07:00

The McInelly's get together each year and host a Halloween Party for the entire family. Following is some of the pictures of my family. Everyone had a blast, the food was good and the kids enjoyed the trick-or-treating.

Dancing with the big kids

2009-10-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Zoey was dancing with the kids. She was laughing and having a blast.

Just hanging out

2009-10-25T13:50:00.000-07:00

Quirt is a dead hunter. Dallin is a hick from my home state West Virginia. Shawn is a hobo.

Cutest bumble bee

2009-10-25T13:48:00.000-07:00

Elleia had the longest stinger I had ever seen. When she was crawling on the floor it looked even longer.

Suprise picture!!!

2009-10-25T13:47:00.000-07:00

Dallin wouldn't let me take a picture of him. When he and Quirt were sitting on the stage, I snapped this one.

Dancing to the music

2009-10-25T13:45:00.000-07:00

Aaron, Mailee and Elleia were just jamming to the music. They had the best time.

the cutest dancer and geysha

2009-10-25T13:43:00.000-07:00

AmieJo and Ashlie were both very beautiful. Just wish I had gotten the entire custumes.

Roger's niece and her boyfriend

2009-10-25T13:40:00.000-07:00

Larry and April were the black and the white Michael Jackson. No, they couldn't moon walk.

2009-10-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

Alyssa is the cutest broadway dancer in the show!!

The vampires got James while he was skateboarding. He and Janet sure look good together.

Halloween Town 2009

2009-10-25T13:34:00.000-07:00

Mason Slider

Aaron Stoddard is the ninja skeleton.

Mailee Slider. She lost her hat for the moment. But she is the cutest bunny.

The Babies of the family

2009-10-25T13:30:00.000-07:00

Zoey and Mikell. Zoey is the baby devil and Mikell is the 70's rocker.

Halloween con...

2009-10-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

Matthew with his girl-friend, Mikela are the vampire's She bit him and turned him.

The 80's kids

2009-10-25T13:24:00.000-07:00

Roger and Debbie are a little old for this look, but is works for Halloween.

The 3 sexy m&m's

2009-10-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

Janet is yellow

April is blue

Meredith is red

Halloween 2009

2009-10-25T13:19:00.000-07:00

Roger with a mullet

Mariam is a cave woman

Dustin is a solider

Leslie is a sexy devil and Zoey is the baby devil

2009-10-25T09:15:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of Meredith with her friend, April when April's daughter, Mailee was a baby. April is mine as are her children, Mailee and Mason. I just love her family. Maybe someday I will get more updated pictures and get them posted. Working on it!!!

2009-10-25T09:09:00.000-07:00

I love this picture of Aaron. This is how he lives his life. Full out and looking it in the face. He was younger here, but hasn't changed other than in growth.

2009-10-25T09:04:00.000-07:00

Joseph and Nicole have been married for a year now. He couldn't have picked a more wonder daughter for me. I just love her. She is very special. Can't wait until the grand-babies come from this line. They aren't ready, so I guess I'll have to be patient for a while longer.

2009-10-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Linda and her husband, Robby. They have 6 children between them. Johnathon, Katie, Kyra,
Ariana and Shayla. Linda is holding Dylan. Kyra and Shayla are Robbie's from his first marriage, but they are mine. I love them as if they were born into our family. I will say it again, they are mine. No matter what, they will always be mine. I love this family.

2009-10-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

This is Tracy and her family. Bill is her husband and he is a special man. They have 2 children, Cynthia and Chris. I just love these two children. I taught Christopher to skip so he could pass his Kindergarden test and I call Cynthia, Cymba. She is a great kid, too.
I just had to post this picture. I don't even remember why I took it, but I still love it. It so captures the life of a mom and her daughter through the growing-up years of life. Most of the time the kids are wondering "why" and the moms are thinking "just do it anyway".

2009-10-25T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is my oldest daughter, Mickey, and her family. Brian is her husband and you couldn't ask for a better husband for her. He is geat and a big help to her in raising her 4 children: Thomas, Emilie, Brittany and David. They have their challenges as does any family. They have adopted all of their children and I love them all because they are mine. They were meant to be mine and Heavenly Father made it happen. Love you guys.

2009-10-25T08:37:00.000-07:00

I love to see the Temple.
I'm going there someday.
To feel the Holy Spirit.
To listen and to pray.

This simple Primary song from the Chrurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it all.
I really love to see the Temples and I love to go there. I do feel the Holy Spirit and it is the best place to listen and pray about things that are happening in our lives.

I remember feeling so lost and alone when my girls were teenagers. Everyone was against the way I raised them and told me constantly what a bad mom I was. I felt I was doing just what Heavenly Father wanted me to do. I read my scriptures and prayed about how to raise them and I knew it was right.

I went to the Temple and sat and prayed. Then I listened... The Spirit let me know that what I was doing was right and that Heavenly Father was well pleased with me. Then a random thought entered my mind: "Now you know why I send them to Earth when they become teenage Spirits".

I have never forgotten that experience. And I learned something, Heavenly Father has a great since of humor!

2009-10-25T08:29:00.000-07:00

Three of my girls: Meredith (a twin), Mariam (the youngest girl) and Janet (a twin). I just love this picture of them. They were on a cruise and someone with them took this picture of them together. I guess I have to say the Mariam is pregnant with Elleia at this time.

2009-10-25T08:21:00.000-07:00

The Ashworth Family: AmileJo, Dustin, Bob, Janet, Shawn and Quirt

Janet and AmieJo

Janet and Bob in back with Dustin, Quirt, AmieJo, and Shawn

Quirt

Something I AM NOT!

2009-10-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Janet, runs a bakery. She contracted shingles and her doctor told her she COULD NOT run her bakery until she had been on the medication for 3 days. So.......

MOM TO THE RESCUE!!!!!!!

I helped run her bakery on Friday and Saturday and she is closed Sunday so that gave her the 3 days required.

Up at 2:00a.m. and bake lots of goodies: donuts, doughnut fried pies, eclairs, a variety of cookies, pastries, brownies, and OH YES, the special order of 100 sugar cookies and 100 eclairs by 10:00a.m. for a party on Saturday. Not to mention the fun of actually selling the stuff. The breakfast orders that have to be done RIGHT NOW. And the late partner that spends the morning "talking" to her husband.

Janet's children, AmieJo and Quirt help her on Saturday, but AmieJo had the chance to earn some "real" money by babysitting and Quirt didn't get home from his football games on Thursday night and Friday night until the wee hours of the morning, so it was just Janet and I on Saturday morning, her busiest day, (Janet could tell me what to do but could not touch ANYTHING) until helped arrived. AmieJo was there on Friday morning at 4:00a.m. so that was a great help to me.

AmieJo is wonderful and a great baker like her mom. She can do just anything in the bakery and makes it look easy.

Now, I am a great cook. But I am just old and slow. Running a bakery is fast paced and for the young. But since I do have a food handlers license from the great state of Utah, I helped her.

I forgot to tell you that I didn't get to bed until 11:00p.m. and was up at 2:00a.m. helping her. You know me, if I'm going to help....I'm going to help. I cleaned most of her house too.

So... today is Sunday and I have lost my voice and feel achy all over. Just from being on my feet for two days on a concrete floor and running without sitting down. How do you do it, Janet? Oh yes, I forgot; by getting shingles from being run down and stressed. Janet also works a part time job earning her "real money".

The bakery is new and while it pays for itself, it doesn't pay Janet, yet. No pictures on this, I was to busy to take any.

2009-10-18T20:55:00.000-07:00

Another grandaughter that is a joy in my life, Elleia. We don't get to see her very often since her mom moved her to Wyoming. But we enjoy her when they bring her to see us or we get to go to their house.

2009-10-18T20:51:00.000-07:00

My grandaughter, Zoey Alexandra Payadao. She is a joy in my life and I love having her around.

My West Virginia Family

2009-10-18T20:46:00.000-07:00

My sister, Patty and her husband, Bobby.

My sister, Donna and her husband, Rick.

My nehpew, Kevin and his family; wife, Missy; Sons, Kevin and Gage; daugher Kendall.

My cousin, Wanda.

More of WV Family

2009-10-18T20:40:00.000-07:00

My niece, Christy, and her son, Conner.
My niece, Tamera, and her husband, Adam
My sister, Libby.
My niece, Shawna, and her husband Mark with Tristin, Dylan and Kacie. I hope I spelled them all correctly.

2009-10-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

This is my mom and her sister, Aunt Margaret. Mom looks like the Irish side and Aunt Margaret looks like the Indian side of our family. They were goofing off and having a great time visiting with one another. Love you, Aunt Margaret.

Trying again!!!

2009-09-22T17:09:00.000-07:00

These beautiful animals didn't get posted the first time around. So.....I'm trying again. My favorite.

Animals in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming

2009-09-22T17:06:00.000-07:00

These are the animals we saw in Yellowstone National Park. I was so excited to see a black bear this time(my first black bear in Yellowstone. The baby bison are beautiful. It was the first time we saw a big-horned sheep, too.

Echanted Highway

2009-09-22T16:57:00.000-07:00

This is the Enchanted Highway in North Dokata. It was 30 miles long and well worth the trip down it. Everything is made of metal. It was beautiful.

Salam Sue

2009-09-22T16:51:00.000-07:00

This is the world's largest cow located in Salam, ND. We stopped by just to see her.

My family

2009-09-22T16:47:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my sisters and my mom taken in August while I was home. Sitting are: Mom, and my older sister, Libby. Standing from left to right are: Patty (the baby); me, Debbie; and Donna, the middle child.

Fried pies anyone?

2009-09-22T16:43:00.000-07:00

While I was helping my mom with her quilts and taking care of her; I also helped my sister, Donna, make 1000 fired apple pies for the West Virginia State Fair. This is a picture of her stand at the fair. I took Mom in her wheelchair and pushed her all around the fair grounds. We had a blast. I really enjoyed helping Donna. Hope I get to help her next year.

2009-09-22T16:38:00.000-07:00

At the age of 79, my mother has decided to make quilts for all of her children, grandchildren and friends. I stayed with her for the month of August, 2009, and helped her. I tied all 11 quilts she had made and helped her by showing her some easy shortcuts to use to help make them. Sadly, I didn't think to get pictures of the quilts.

2009-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:00

I do a little cake decorating now and then. I just didn't plan on decorating a cheesecake for my daughter's, Mariam's, best friend. I was just along for the ride (and to watch her little girl, Ellia). I had no tools to use and had to wing it. I though it turned out pretty good for the anchient conditions I had to decorate in. We were in the mountains, really in the mountains, and had to travel over dirt roads that should have used a 4-wheel drive.

Travels

2009-05-26T09:02:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Tracy, and I went to North Dakota and back in three (3) days. I am not a great traveler; although I do like to see new parts of the United States and have never been to North Dakota. It is a beautiful state.

I did get to see Glendive; the place Joseph was in his car wreck before he came home from his mission. I am pretty sure we were at the same place his car rolled. I am just greateful he was blessed with safety.

Tracy will be moving to Mandon (next to Bristel). It is an older town and very nice. She will have to overcome her fear of bridges to go to Bristel. She has to cross the Missori River. I love seeing old bridges and would like to have some framed and on a wall in my house someday.

I have helped Linda clean and pack as she is moving and Tracy wants me to help her for the next week.

I'll try to post some pictures of our trip when I get home. It rained for 2 days, so we couldn't get all the pictures we wanted. I found it interesting that the rest areas in Montana say there are rattle snakes all over. We didn't get to see any, but maybe next week when we actually move her up there. I'll let you know.

Teaching

2009-05-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

I was watching my children yesterday and the thought accrued to me that I am also a teacher, and a pretty good one at that.

Meredith has been doing a lot of canning. The other day she canned some hamburger. Her friend, Arpil, was surprised and a little "afraid" of the pressure cooker. To Meredith it was a normal thing to do. Her pantry is filled with "homemade" food storage. She is a great cook and enjoys cooking for her family and friends. She is always making a meal for someone in her neighborhood who needs help.

Janet is a "more than wonderful" cook. The communities she has and does live in have and do pay her to cook for them. She makes fried pies, homemade cakes and cookies, homemade breads and rolls, tasty and pallet pleasing soups, casseroles that melt in your mouth and many more foods that her family and friends enjoy.

Mickey is creative. She makes lovely quilts, decorates her home through painting pictures on her kids walls and painting the rest of the house with a decorators touch and look. She has learned to decorate cakes and has sold some of them for weddings. She teaches others to play the piano and is an accomplished pianist herself.

Linda and Tracy have gone to college and work with the elderly in the medical field. They have a great love for learning and especially the medical field.

Mariam has worked in the medical field through insurance companies and is now interested in helping others become healthy through exercise. She is studying to become a personal trainer.

Before becoming a mom, Leslie worked in the medical field with persons with disabilities.

They all learned it from watching, helping or listening to me. So, I am a pretty good teacher. I have great children who achieve much in their lives. They are great people, friends and Moms. I love them very much and they teach me a lot.

For the first time in my life, I have a daughter-in-law. She is a sweet, loving and gentle person with many talents of her own, (she adds to Joseph's life in many ways). I am so proud of her and I love her very much. She is just one of the girls in our lives. I didn't teach her, but her parents did a great job of helping her become a wonderful person. I look forward to discovering her and her hidden talents. I say hidden, because she is just discovering her potential and is still quite young. I love to watch her dance; she is a dancer.

Joseph is a lot like his dad in that he can do anything and is always learning. He is just starting to discover his talents.

James and Matthew are still learning and growing.

Doing the Impossible

2009-05-16T07:35:00.000-07:00

I am always setting LARGE and seemingly impossible goals for myself. Like the time I decided to make afghans for all my 10 children and managed to make 5 at the same time. I still have 3 to make for the boys. The girls all have their's.

Anyway, I am trying to type a recipe book for my children and extended family members (parents and sisters). April wants me to post some of the recipes I have typed (I don't think she really realizes how many I have. I want to include all the favorites from all the kids and mine and Roger's families. That is the hardest part, getting everyone to send me their favorite recipes. I am no where near finished with this project. The typing is easy, it will be the assembling that will be hard.

I was making scrapbooks for everyone of all the Verl McInelly Family Reunions and finally decided to just do a yearly calendar. It is still lots and lots of work.

So, as you can see, I make impossible goals for myself and put lots of stress on myself to finish them on time. Somehow, I always manage to get them done, except the afghans, I still have 3 to start and finish.