I really enjoyed conference this weekend. It was neat to hear the stories about the tabernacle. We were fishing at the time. We thought it would be okay to go fishing Saturday afternoon if we brought conference with us. I also liked the multiple references to the Nicean creed, especially saying that it's WRONG!! The philosophies of men . . . My devotional talk on Tuesday went well. I still am getting students telling me how they enjoyed it. I gotta run, dinner's on the stove, but wanted to post today. We found out about Merrill and Alicia -- Terry and Kay left it up to them to let us know. I guess we know where we stand! Well, we won't let that happen. I hope their baby is not the only one born this year, if you know what I mean! Hey Becky, what's it like to be 53 with an almost 12 year old?

A big THANK YOU to my blogging buddies who helped me to know that I'm not crazy and that posting pictures really is a pain. Too bad they're still not in beta form or blogger could maybe fix that. Oh well, I still have lots of pictures left to post, so more in the future.

Cameron went on his first Boy Scout overnight Camporee this weekend. For the past two weeks it has been hot (I've been worried that winter gave spring a miss and went straight on to summer) until Thursday of last week it started raining. It cleared up Friday, so they left for the campout (with Cameron packed with every warm/dry thing his mom could think of) and it snowed on them in the night. I guess a really wet snow that made their tents collapse. Their group didn't leave until morning, but some groups left in the night! Nevertheless, they all got home early. But he still had a good time. We finally got 11-yr-old scout leaders called yesterday, so I don't have to pawn Cameron off on other ward where he has friends! Speaking of friends, will you pray for Sam Savage, one of Cameron's buddies who has diabetes. Bad things are happening with his limbs and his blood glucose levels are out of control. Thanks! Hard to deal with when you're only 11.

I'm speaking on prayer at the institute's devotional tomorrow. Any ideas?

Bye for now!

Here's some pictures from our trip. Read down through this and see how I don't know how to post things yet!

Missy and Landon. Landon has loved Missy since she was two and of course, Missy adores him. His mom and I want them to get married, but I'm not sure he can wait for her (he's 14, she's 8.5)

Cameron and Amy at LA zoo

Amy and Gracie (our friends' dog)

Missy and Gracie

I'm still trying to figure out how to post pictures, they all post at the beginning of my blog instead of where I want them, so things are kind of screwy till I figure this out.

Missy

Wow! I didn't know how long it's been since I've posted! I'm so busy all of the time. We had a GREAT time in California. Here are some photos with my NEW WONDERFUL DIGITAL CAMERA!

Missy and Cameron at Westminster Mall

Amy at Corona Del Mar beach



Becky, teach me how to post the pictures after I write something!

I am so incredibly busy for the next three days before we leave for California for spring break, but I just had to post really quickly about my birthday yesterday. It started off kind of crappy (excuse the term but it really fits) because the only ones to wish me a happy birthday were my husband and mother. Not even my kids. So I went to work knowing that no one would know and that was sad. I was waiting to open my email to make sure that my email card from my very best friend (Jan Gregory) for 36 years would get here. Sure enough, it was there!!! I really love her for that. She NEVER forgets!!!!

So I went through the day with nothing, till I got to grandma's from school and opened my presents Thanks to mom and dad for everything (especially the new computer) and an extremely heartfelt thanks to Tony and Becky for the AWESOME digital camera!!!! What a very generous, but much appreciated gift. I can't wait to figure it out and post pictures! Spring break will give me that chance.

Then I talked to Terry and my visiting teacher called and her family sang Happy Birthday to me over the phone, and the relief society counselor dropped by (I wasn't home) and then I went to kickboxing and called Tony and the bishop and his wife came by with a chocolate cream pie and they sang and I blew out the candles, and it turned out to be a very good day.

Now I have to run!

I guess Tony got here okay this morning. I'm still at work (I have a lab at 1 pm) but called Mom to find out he was at WalMart with dad. That's about the highlight of a trip to Thatcher! I finally got a new computer and cable internet hooked up yesterday! How wonderful! Now I'll be able to blog from home. Now it's wait for the tax refund to get the digital camera. Cameron has had a rough time bouncing back from his bout with the flu. I certainly hope that Lori feels better really quickly! We're lucky that no one else got it here (hear that? that's the sound of me knocking on wood!). Well, that's all for now. We'll enjoy Tony while he's here and see him and Kevin again in April.

We went to the doctor yesterday to find out that Cameron has influenza B and it is apparently going around the school. So he's home again today with Amy and PaNana, which really isn't too bad by his standards because school (actually the work part of it) is not one of his favorite things right now and he likes how Grandma takes care of him when he's sick. He says she's good at that!

We're looking forward to Tony's extremely brief visit on Friday. It may be short, but we're happy with what we get! Cameron is looking forward to Kevin's visit in April. We're still planning on unloading Cameron in Humble sometime this summer. Maybe the whole summer! Just kidding. I'd miss him too much.

Everything else continues to moving along at its merry pace here. Oh, I was going to comment on the jiggity-jig thing. I remember Jeffy used to say "home again, home again, jiggery-jig". I thought it was cute and now I like to say it! I see by everyone else's blogs that things are pretty good with the rest of the family, too. I'm very grateful for that. Heavenly Father has truly blessed the Hemming/Bryan/Gillespie (at least my part) families. Well, I have a faculty meeting now, so I better post this. Love to you all.

Today is sunny and typical of a SE Arizona winter. A very nice day. Cameron is finally back in school today after being sick with a bad cough and fever on Thursday and Friday. No church on Sunday, either, and he was getting really sick of being inside. We're still planning on going to the doctor after school today, though. He had a bad coughing spell in the night, and without any cough syrup to be seen, I had to make him some hot honey with lemon (just like I remembered Mom making for me in the night when I had a bad cough). Initially, it didn't seem to help any, so I asked him if I could go to WalMart and get some medicine. He relented, after complaining about how bad it tastes (that shows how he didn't want to be sick!), and I was off to Wally World at 2:30 in the morning. There aren't many shoppers in the store at that hour, you know? Anyway, I get home with Robitussin gel caps (what a great invention -- just like vitamin E capsules with cough syrup inside -- no more yucky taste if you can swallow pills!!!!) and Ricola (RICOOOOLLLLAAAA) to find that he's gone back to sleep with no more coughing. Too bad I couldn't! Morning came far to early, needless to say. So we'll see how he is.

I've been trying really hard to avoid my morning Cherry Coke ritual (especially when my weight goes up a couple of pounds), but I surely needed one this morning. Kickboxing really kicked me on Thursday. I'm just today feeling like my hamstrings are okay, ready to return tomorrow night for more torture! The things we have to do to get rid of baby fat. I'm tired of Amy's fat, she's three and a half, for crying out loud. But the upside is that everytime I got back down to my prepregnancy weight, I'd get pregnant again. So maybe this time I'll just keep it! No more babies for me! Except Cameron weekly begs for a little brother. He now wants to adopt since so many times I've told him I'm not having any more kids of my own. He's good with Amy (and still obnoxious with Missy, but getting better) but still feels outnumbered! Poor thing!

Okay, time for class. Make it a good day!