Sleep Glorious Sleep

My body has always been the type to require a lot of sleep and if I don't get enough sleep I either get sick or get a migraine. I need at least 8 hours of sleep a night to function during the day, unlike my sweet husband who pre-diabetics could get by on 5 hours of sleep a night. Well the past month sleep has totally escaped me. I can be dead tired and go to bed at 10:00 PM and will be wide awake by 1:30 AM. I have gotten where I dread bedtime because I know that I will not be able to sleep. I have tried taking a warm bath before bed, lavender on my pillow, last night I even took two Tylenol PM before I went to bed and I was awake ALL night long. I would love to go to bed and be able to sleep for eight hours straight! Any suggestions?

In Memory

In loving memory of my friend that always made me feel like I was the most special person in the world.

Dorothy Ann Carlin 1932 ~ 2009 Our Earthly Angel, Dorothy Ann Carlin, age 76, left us Friday morning, January 23, 2009. Born May 25, 1932 in Orem, Utah, a daughter of Eva Leath Batty and Glen Dewey Lockhart. Married Warren I. King; later divorced. Married the love of her life, Richard P. Carlin on April 21, 1965, and together raised their nine children. Dad passed away March 4, 2002. Mom was a faithful member of the First Congregational Church where, for many years, she and Dad served the youth and young-at-heart as Chefs of Camp Fellowship. Mom loved cooking, camping, entertaining family and friends, crafts, shopping, playing Bridge, coaching her daughters in girls' softball, and watching the Utah Jazz. But most of all, Mom loved her family. She was full of fun and mischief, passion for her children and grandchildren, love for friends, and a genuine joy of life. She is survived by children: Dennis (Cyndi) King, Kevin (Julie) King, Melanie Christiansen (Michael) Miller, Ken Carlin, Nora Oki, Tara (Brent) Bunkall, Cheryl McCormick and Sean King; 23 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Also, a sister, Bonnie Jean Sundeaus; sister-in-law, Betty Rae Lockhart; and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents; her husband; brother, Glen B. Lockhart; sister, Lenore Zindel; son, Ricky Carlin; and son-in-law, Craig Christiansen. The family gratefully thanks the dedicated staff at CareSource, with heartfelt appreciation, to Laura and Vanessa for their tender and compassionate care of Mom, and to Nancy for her concern. "A whisper of an angel your words will be, the glory of an angel your light shall be, our new guardian angel you will be" Funeral services will be held Monday, 11 a.m., at First Congregational Church, 2150 South Foothill Drive. A viewing will be held Sunday, 6 - 8 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 S Redwood Road, and Monday at the church, 10 - 10:45 a.m. Interment, Valley View Memorial Park.

Just My Luck

Today I had to go into work for a few hours. Barb, our nurse practitioner, looked at the boil on my face and mentioned that she didn't think it had gotten any better and that she wanted me to have Dr. Roberts look at. He took one look and said - you have MRSA (a staph infection that doesn't respond well to antibiotics). So after work off I went again to the pharmacy to pick up another prescription. I hope this works because I am getting tired of this!!

Oh happy day!!

So Thursday morning I woke up with this big red swollen spot on my cheek. It was not a pimple (I definitely know what that feels like). By Saturday morning it had turned into a sore and Rob was ready to take me to the Emergency Room (no way was I going to the ER for a red spot on my cheek). So today when I went to work I had one of our doctors look at it and was informed that I had a boil which is a localized infection deep in the skin. She proceeded to tell me that left untreated it could turn into a staph infection or even worse MRSA - I must admit that did scare me just a little. So as soon as I got off work I headed to the pharmacy to fill the prescriptions that ended up costing me around $100.00 all for a red spot on my cheek. Oh happy days!!!!

My own personal Borg!

I have the most amazing husband in the world. Five years ago my hunk a hunk of burning love got severe pancreatitis. As a result of the pancreatitis Rob became a diabetic. For the past several months Rob has not felt well - he was like the Energizer Bunny with his batteries run down. When he went to the doctor in December Dr. Roberts told him that his pancreas had totally shut down and strongly suggested that he go on a diabetic pump, which Rob was totally opposed to. Well after the past month when all Rob could physically do was get up, go to work, come home, go to bed (when your blood sugar is constantly going up and down it makes you really sick and drains you of all energy) he decided it was time to take the plunge. He is now the proud owner of a diabetic pump, the most sophisticated pump on the market. So now not only do I have an amazing husband, I have a husband that is a Borg - half man, half machine - and he is sexier than ever to me!!

It is hard to say goodbye

Today I had a gut wrenching experience -- I had to say goodbye and give one last hug to one of my special little Peeps. She is lying in the hospital dying from bone cancer with only a few days left on this earth.



Dorothy has made me a better person with her wonderful outlook on life, her big smile, fun personality, her contagious laugh, her fun clothes and especially her commitment to friendship. Even on her death bed Dorothy made me feel special by telling me in her weak little voice "I knew you would come." I am a better person because of my friend Dorothy.


This picture of Dorothy and I was taken December 10, 2008. Dorothy was not feeling well that day. She found out a few days later that she had bone cancer.

100 Things......

This is a little ditty from Brandy's blog. The items in bold are things that I have done in my life.



1. Started your own blog (with the help of my daughter)

2. Slept under the stars (back in the good ole days of girls camp)

3. Played in a band

4. Visited Hawaii (many times)

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

16. Had food poisoning

17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (I stayed at the bottom while the fam walked to the top)

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France

20. Slept on an overnight train (not a lot of fun - just ask Cassidy)

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked

23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

24. Built a snow fort

25. Hugged a goat (after I fed him his bottle!)




26. Gone skinny dipping

27. Run a Marathon

28. Ridden in a gondola

29. Seen a total eclipse

30. Watched a sunrise or sunset

31. Hit a home run

32. Been on a cruise

33. Seen Niagara Falls in person

34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language (does learning to speak Yankee qualify)

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (it doesn't take much)

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke (if Rock Band 2 counts - and I won't do it again because Rob laughed at me)

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 (drove behind one and that was bad enough)

47. Had your portrait painted (does a caricature count)

48. Gone deep sea fishing (spent most of my time in the cabin because I was soooo sea sick)

49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person

50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris

51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

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 (I get them once a week from my sweet husband)

64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma

65. Gone sky diving (why would anyone jump out of a perfectly good plane)

66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp

67. Bounced a check (it wasn't my fault and I have a letter from the bank to prove it)

68. Flown in a helicopter

69. Saved a favorite childhood toy

70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial

71. Eaten Caviar

72. Pieced a quilt

73. Stood in Times Square

74. Toured the Everglades

75. Been fired from a job (they called it down sizing)

76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London

77. Broken a bone

78. Been on a speeding motorcycle (I have scars as a result of my little ride)

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 Book of Mormon or Bible

86. Visited the White House

87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (I watched my grandparents and parents do this many time - does that count)

88. Had chickenpox

89. Saved someone’s life

90. Had your heart stop (when I met my sweetheart)

91. Met someone famous

92. Joined a book club

93. Lost a loved one

94. Had a baby (two wonderful babies)

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

100. Read an entire book in one day (I am an avid book reader, so I do this often)

Happy Birthday Daddy

Today is my Daddy's birthday. As I shed a few tears tonight Rob assured me that his birthday was a way for him to let me know that he was thinking about me. Happy Birthday Daddy - I love and miss you so much!!

Daddy with his girls! Daddy was always up to having his pictures taken - I think that is where Brandy gets her love of being in front of the camera from!!!!

Sugar Bowl

I have never really been in to football but there is a game today that I am so excited to watch! Tonight the University of Utah will play the University of Alabama in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. I think one of the reasons I am so excited for the game is that my best friend in Alabama, Gayle, is a huge Alabama fan and as much as I love her, I would love for my kids alma mater to cream the University of Alabama.

Go UTES!!

Christmas Vacation

Well our 2008 Christmas Vacation is officially over and we have had a wonderful time. Rob was off work for the past week and half so that was my favorite part of the holidays but we did have some wonderful parties to attend and so great activities we did we our kids.

Christmas Eve we spent with Rob's family. We exchanged gifts, played the candy bar game and reenacted the nativity from the Bible.

Christmas Day the kids came to out house around noon. We had a fun day playing Rock Band 2, eating and playing Seinfeld Scene It (Dave rules at that game).

The days between Christmas and New Year's we spent going to movies (Marley and Me is a must see movie - but if you have read the book be prepared to be a little disappointed), Jared and Cassidy took Brandy, Dave, Rob, and myself to Tepinaki (they fix the meal right at your table) for dinner,and Rob doing alot of little projects around the house.

We also got alot of snow between Christmas and New Year's so when we weren't playing Rob was outside shoveling.

For New Year's Eve we went to Jared and Cassidy's for a party. They had yummy food, great people to socialize with and fun games to play, in addition to a brand new home to party in!!

It has been a great Christmas Vacation (we also watched Chevy Chase's movie Christmas Vacation twice during the holidays because it is so darn funny) and I am sad to see it come to an end. But I am looking forward to 2009 and all the great things it will bring.