Quiet Week

Okay, so three weeks into the new year and I'm already slacking at my goal. With the holiday on Monday, the week just got away from me. So a brief recap: We spent the weekend (Jan. 18-21) in Ibapah with friends and it was soooooo relaxing and much needed. Don and I have both been a little stressed with work & getting away from phones, internet and life was terrific. We enjoyed reading, movies, scrapbooking, riding and a wonderful Turkey dinner. The temperatures were very cold, 11 below one morning, but the sun was shining and no inversion. As always, Ibapah never dissappoints when it comes to beauty. The rest of week consisted of attending school district board meeting where they are trying to outsource all classified employees. The district office was packed. People standing and filling in the halls and foyer. I hope that our presence was heard, even though we were not allowed to speak. Don and I are definately going to be working for a new employer. UID is going to sell probably in the next week or so. They thought it would happen on the 24th, but was postponed a bit. I try to be optomistic, but keep hearing some things that make me worry. I'm going to look for some other work, just to keep my options open. I think I will probably be o.k., but do worry about Don. I need a full-time job with benefits, just in case. So back to updating the resume and filling out job applications. I spent Friday shopping in Salt Lake and having lunch with Don. It was fabulous and a good break. Friday evening I scrapbooked with Crystal and it was wonderful. Haven't had a scrapbook night in over a year and a half. It felt so good to have my hands on paper and covered in ink. Definately going to do it again real soon. And the highlight of my week: The Christmas tree is down!!!!! Ya!!!

Exciting News!

You know how I said I needed a slight improvement this week over last. Well I got it. Parker & Darek's Ag. Science fair project took first place and is moving on to state!!!!! I'm so excited and proud, but not near as much as the boys are. Their project was deciding if filters really help keep John Deere Tractor engines clean giving them a longer life. Their teachers were so proud and thought it was a fabulous idea. So now on to state in Richfield March 7-9. If they win there the project will be headed to Nationals in Louisville, Kentucky. Parker is so hoping for the win & a trip to Nationals. He so wants a scholorship out of this. Darek is not so sure because they have to present their project to the judges and we know how much Darek loves to talk in front of people. I told him he was going, let Parker do the talking & you be "Vanna White."

Parenting: Hardest job ever

O.K. so this past week did not see the much hoped for improvements. It was the week from you-know-where. It started off with the excitement of the new hot tub being the hang out place to "Oh my gosh, everyone has a terrible rash including the teenage friends that came over." The only person not with the rash was Becca & she didn't get in the hot tub, so I was pretty sure it was the culprit. After a trip to the Dr. and $50 later, it was confirmed that we had Hot Tub Rash which is caused by a bacteria in water. Apparently we didn't have enough chlorine in the tub. So in the freezing and below zero temperatures, our awesome dad drained the hot tub (which made a nice ice skating rink at the bottom of the street) and refilled it with water & bleach. Won't be using the tub for a while. Next trauma of the week was that Darek has decided he no longer needs to go to some classes & was leaving school, arguing with teachers and being a stinker. So Don made a trip to the school, talked with teacher's & set some ground rules, which Darek apparently didn't think applied to him because within 2 hours of the visit with dad he was MIA once again. At the same time all this is going down, I stop at the Jr. High to pick Becca up for a dentist appt. & am stopped by one of the counselors who says she needs to speak with me. Let's just say I received my first wake up call to how powerful and detrimental social media can be. The talk with the couselor did not result in any action taken against Becca, but it did result in a nice long talk with her daddy(& that's only because she won't give this mommy the time of day). Remember how I said it was the last week of the term & we would probably be scrambling to do assignments, well leave it to my kids to not let me down. Wednesday and Thursday nights were spent doing make up work to get passing grades. Ugh! How much worse can the week get? I shouldn't have spoke too soon. Friday, Darek wrecks the UID company truck by rear ending another UID company truck! Can I just shoot myself now! Happy Birtday Don. What a great way to start your day. Darek was so upset, but he still received the wrath of his father, because his father was receiving the wrath from UID. Now remember I have this romantic evening planned for Don & all I can see is it going down the drain. No one at my house is in a great mood. Darek has more than likley lost his job with UID and Don's job is now borderline. I convinced Don that he needed the night away and the hotel was already booked. He agreed to go however, his frame of mind was not on the date. It took me about 3 hours to get him to relax and just forget about the day and we would come back on Saturday and deal with it. Despite the freezing temps and the snow we enjoyed a very much needed date night and we came home revived and ready to tackle life. So here it is Monday, the start of a new week & the start of a new term. All three kids rode the bus this morning with much whining because Darek has lost the privilege of driving his truck for one week. Darek & Parker haven't been on a bus for almost a year & they were not happy. Becca refused to wear a coat (it was 5 degrees this morning) to the bus stop & once again I became the much hated mother. All three kids start Gym today which I'm sure will result in unhappiness when they return home this evening. Haven't heard from Don yet and so I'm hoping that means he still has a job. Oh and on top off all this I STILL didn't get the stupid tree down. I did get it undecorated, so hopefully this week. Now despite having such a crappy week, I received news on Sunday that made my troubles look like a walk in the park. My dear sweet neighbor who just gave birth to their third child has been told her husband has been called to duty to Afghanastan for one year! My heart breaks for her & those three small children. War is hell! I do have one bit of good new is all this - Rachel presented her Famous American speech at school on Thursday on Amelia Earhart and she did an awesome job. May this week be a slight improvement.

2013 Resolution

One of my goals this year is to make a post to this blog every week. I haven't been very good about it in the past, so hopefully I can stick to this. So the first post of the year 2013 is this: It has been a crazy week trying to get back into the groove. Two weeks off for winter break has been fabulous and I hate having to get everyone up and going each morning. Don has been sick with a Sinus infection and everyone is extremely tired. The weather is miserably cold with a crappy inversion hanging over the valley. Needless to say the weather is not suppose to improve so I can see a bit of cabin fever coming over this family. On the bright side, Don finally got the hot tub working! Ya!!!! The repair man was able to fix it on Wednesday and since then it has been a hot spot for teenage hangout (which I love because my kids are actually home). Don & I were able to squeeze some time in it on Friday night, but it was 11:15 and we were both so tired we didn't stay long. Yesterday I was able to go to lunch with my best friend for her birthday. It was a wonderful visit and I enjoy having a couple of hours for myself. I'm looking forward to a new week, hoping the mornings get easier, the Christmas tree FINALLY get's taken down & everyone gets more sleep. It is the last week of the 2nd term and so I'm sure we will be scrambling to complete last minute assignments. Oh well, such is life in the Yei house. My motivation to get through the week will be the romantic weekend I have planned for Don's birthday.