Family

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour

We loved going to Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour in Fig Garden Village, in Fresno, Calif when ever we found a chance like FHE, birthdays, after Stake Dances, after we had gone down Christmas Tree Lane. We loved browsing and shopping the Farrell’s Candy Store full of candy & toys. (A child’s dream) The jaw breakers came in all sizes from the size of a softball to smaller, rock candy and candy buttons in all colors. We would order hamburgers, but most of all the ice cream. What great memories I have.

It was always fun to go on your birthday you would great free sundae and all of the waiters and waitresses banging the drums and singing "Happy Birthday". I remember the player piano, the candy store, the straw hats, the menus printed on newspaper, and the drums and sirens that sounded during a birthday fest.

The Farrell's Zoo – two servers would run around with the Zoo bowl on a little stretcher and make a big commotion before dropping it off at the table. They had an old hand-cranked fire siren that sounded all the time the servers were delivering The Zoo. It was loads of ice cream and you got to take home the little plastic animals.

The Pig's Trough – was actually 2 banana splits together – If you ate all of it own your own you would be given a ribbon or a pin

The "Tin Roof" was another great sundae - with really thick hot, hot, hot dark fudge served on the side, in a tin cup, to pour over at will, and lots of roasted peanuts to toss on top. Utter Heaven.

Have You Ever?

This tag came from my Mom Lois' blog.

**

Copy the list to your blog and highlight the ones that are true about you!
Mine are in green

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a Praying Mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child (I have been blessed with plenty of my own)
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb (pet one)
27. Run a Marathon (I am not into running)
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise (a small evening one)
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (No, remember the big family part)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing (I would rather sit on the beach)
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (with my brother in Florida)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater (lots of them)
55. Been in a movie (I was in a commercial)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving (when I was 15) **
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check (more than I would like to remember)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (no way)
72. Pieced a quilt (I would love to)
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican.
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (yucky!!)
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one (grandparents)
94. Had a baby (9 of them)
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee (many times)
100. Talked your way out of a ticket (I just get them, only two of them)

Sunday Morning Madness

With the beginning of a New Year comes a new church start time. We went from stating at 11:00am to starting at 1:00pm. I am already concerned about having two VERY rambunctious 9 years old boys who seem to be tearing the house apart and beating each other up (rough housing). So much for a reverent Sabbath morning.


We will see how this works over time. We will have to make a plan that will keep them in check, or maybe... they will wear themselves out before we get to church so we will have a reverent sacrament meeting.


(Hummm, I think that might be too good to be true.)

My Make-up Walks

This is a picture of my make-up basket; you'll notice the pink nail polish on most of it. This is because my make-up walks. What do I mean by that, some mornings I would go to put my make-up on and most of it would not be there. With as many females I have in my house everyone thinks what is mine is theirs. I would find my stuff in the other bathroom, bedrooms and even in purses off to school for the day.

So this is the measure I had to take. To "mark my territory" It's working, no one can miss the markings. They still come and use what they want, but at least it stays there. (One battle won I guess)

The thing is I remembering doing this to my Mom. I am so sorry Mom for not respecting your space, your things and thinking I was privileged enough to take and use what I wanted when ever I wanted. What is wrong with the teenage brain??

Thank you

Thank you for all the kind words of support and prayers in our behalf. This has meant a lot to me and our family. Some are a little more aware of the situation then others. We have had to put one of our children in a residential behavioral treatment center today and they will be there for 8 weeks or so. This was a very hard decision for us, but we know it is what we needed to do. We have felt the peace and reassurance that the Lord's hand has been involved.

Because Sometimes it's Hard....

As I sit here and write this post, I woke up early and could not go back to sleep. I usually can't fall asleep, so to get up early for me never really happens.

My heart is heavy and my mind is full. I have been thinking about what it means to be a mother and what really that title involves, one of the biggest joys and one of the hardest things you will ever do. See, we are Mothers forever, our role never ends. As our children are born and grow the dynamics of the family changes, with the first child you experience all the firsts. Then you soon realize you have to set guidelines that you will need to put in place as each child reaches a certain age.

You also soon find out how different each little person is, and what works for one doesn’t always work for all. Each child is on a journey, just like you and me. In reality that could be further along spiritually than we are. I know we as parents think we are older and know more than they do and for the most part we do. We have more experience and knowledge. But there is a lot that we can learn from them.
Then when things aren’t right or there seems to be a problem. Who is to help that child, but us their parent. We are their advocate; we are to fight and protect them and then sometimes let them fall flat on their face. It’s not easy to watch your child suffer.

It’s hard to have to make decisions that can and will affect their life forever. Am I doing what is right? Am I doing the best I can? Only you can work through that with the Lord. So can or should we judge others, no? We do not know the situation. Our challenges differ but we all have them. Lets us love more, judge less. Lets us smile and hug each other along this journey of life. Let us lift when others are down.
The point of this post is that I am having to make a very hard decision for my child that I love and yet suffers everyday, in turn causes me and the rest of the family to suffer. I need to give this child the tools they will need to cope and deal with the rest of their life. But I can not do this by myself anymore, I know that now. When the issue is too big and beyond my abilities to help. Because it is hard to let go and to do what is needed. I pray the Lord will guide and direct me in all I do, and I pray for love and support even when I do not feel that I deserve it. May my heart and mind be given peace that I need.

Pretty in Pink - Flair

There is just somthing about pink

This must be a dream....

This year for Christmas we had a secret Santa that did the 12 days of Christmas for our Family. Each night around 9:00pm someone or some elves would knock on the door or ring the door bell and would leave a gift on the door step. With wonderful anticipation we waited each evening to see what they had brought for us. Some gifts we smaller like cans of hot cocoa with candy canes (which we loved) to a night when a gift card was given to each family member. ToyRUs for the youngest three with clothing store cards for older girls, like 5-7-9, Aeropostale and Wetseal. It was fun to go to the Mall, something we really don’t do.

First stop ToyRUs; we let the kids pick something out. Lindsay fell in love with these baby princess dolls, there was Cinderella, Bell & Tinkerbell. She looked at them for a little while and then picked Cinderella.

The next morning she was carrying her doll as she was walking around the house. She had a look of concern on her face, she sighed a really big sigh, so I asked her what was wrong.

Lindsay: “This must be a Dream”

Mom: “Why is that?”

Lindsay:" Because I have this doll."

Lindsay: "Dreams really do come true”

How sweet is that? She is 3.