Trunk-or-Treating :)

Most people who know me are well aware that I'm a certified Halloween hater. But this year, after a family mutiny, I caved and put on my Pumpkin get-up (Grant used duct tape to put a face on my orange sweater). Tonight was our Ward's Trunk or Treat Activity and because Grant & I learned the hard way last year that even the adults dress up around here...we knew we had to at least attempt costumes....And yes I'm thrilled....

This is what happens when Grant's allowed to dress himself.

Holly true to character was a cowgirl, pirate, or accident victim...depending on the moment

Bailey went as "accident prone" (very fitting) H & B participated in an accident training scenario for Saint John's Ambulance today so their make up was pretty realistic

Madison the Builder

Alex & Lauren as Robbers (Thanks Michelle:)

Dallyn the Cowboy

Tonight was a lot of fun and true to west coast style...the kids got soaked...just as they head out to the trunks it started to pour. Good thing none of mine are made of sugar ;)


Total side Note: This morning we saw a full rainbow at sunrise out our living room window. Absolutely beautiful! One of the coolest things I've ever seen.....

At Least We Had Each Other

Today my Sister posted a memory on her blog that brought back a ton of different emotions....Kelli & I were not, for a time, raised in ideal circumstances. But instead of our circumstances getting the better of us, I think we turned out stronger, better people in spite of them. Kelli & I are surprisingly, ordinarily normal people. (well at least Kelli is normal, the jury is still out on me :). Kelli & I could have learned to be critical and bitter, but instead of learning to be critical, we learned kindness. Instead of learning to be judgemental we learned compassion. There is a line in a hymn we sing at Church often, that sums up my feelings well...

Who am I to judge another, When I walk imperfectly? In the quiet heart is hidden Sorrow that the eye can't see. Who am I to judge another?Lord, I would follow thee

Here is the link to Kelli's memory of "Popcorn for Dinner".....

http://jasonandkellifamily.blogspot.com/2010/10/sad-memory.html

Our experiences have proven to me that eventually everything works out for the better and even though we cannot always choose our circumstances, we can choose our attitude.

Speaking at Stake Conference

A couple of weeks ago Grant was asked to speak at Saturday evening session of our Nanaimo Stake Conference. I told him that's what he gets for answering an email from the Stake Presidency (secretly I was just grateful it was him and not me :). The two weeks that followed accepting the invitation to speak were down right chaotic in this house. Kidney Stones, Bronchitis, insane work hours...so just a few days before Saturday I started asking Grant if he was preparing his talk.

He kept saying he had it all in his head and it would be fine "Don't Worry!" Then he said " I could always just sing a hymn"...Grant knows this is a huge pet peeve of mine...People singing when they have been asked to speak, If they wanted someone to sing, they would have asked for it...Don't sing unless that is your specific assignment. Sorry I almost got off on a tangent there. Grant loves to bug me but I did tell him " If you break into song, I'm outta there" My Superman thought that it was hilarious,over the next few days, to say things like "I think I Stand All Amazed would be nice" or "What about I Need Thee Every Hour?"

I didn't even know what topic Grant had decided to speak on. Friday evening Grant did sit down for about an hour and put a few pages of notes together. When I asked to see them he said I would hear it all tomorrow...and for some reason I respected that and didn't bug him any more or worry.

Saturday evening when they announced the order of the program...Grant was the first speaker. He was to speak right after Michelle sang Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing. Grant is a tender-hearted guy and that Hymn is one of his favourites. My thought was I hope this isn't a repeat of the Christmas Fireside last year...lets just say our whole Ward knows to have Kleenex ready for Grant. Saturday Michelle sang beautifully and Grant held it together.

As Grant began his talk I instantly knew why he had kept it close to him. Grant gracefully shared his very personal journey through physical injury, deep depression, addiction, inactivity and his eventual addiction recovery and return to full activity in the gospel. None of this has ever been a secret or any thing we have been ashamed of. We have shared our family's personal journey with many over the years. But this was the first time Grant has shared his journey in a public setting. I was instantly at ease and knew that in the sharing of our journey, others would not feel alone in their own trials. Just as Grant and I had found help and hope in the Gospel, others could as well. Here is one of my favourite quotes Grant used:


“Now, this is the truth. We humble people, we who feel ourselves sometimes so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God’s love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are children of God and that He has actually given His angels … charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping.” (Gospel Truths, comp. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, 1:2.)

Speaking at Stake Conference was a very healing experience for Grant. It was a true full circle moment. There were times when I wondered if Grant and I would ever make it through, there were times when the heartache was overwhelming, times when I wondered if change was even possible...The one thing I can say now is that I'm just glad I listened to my heart and hung on. We made it thought because of inspired Priesthood leaders who walked us through the principles of repentance, friends and family who judged not and just loved us and down right stubborn determination. Grant & I still argue over who is the most stubborn :) Ya done good sweet heart and thanks for not singing ;).

Sick is sexy!!!

Ok...I. NEVER. GET. SICK. Well almost never. Since the middle of September my children, who share nothing else have been passing around this nasty, hang-on-forever, upper respiratory thing. After countless clinic visits and prescriptions the kids are actually all back at school today...yeah. Only problem is I'm now sick. I actually felt lousy enough to drag my butt to the DR (I avoid all DR's like the plague, a story for another day) First time I have needed antibiotics in ten years. DR L was super nice and even offered to take our family on as new patients (I didn't mention how accident prone us Kramer's are or that my Superman is a bit of a hypochondriac momma's boy ;) I had been told for more than a year that nobody was accepting new patients here, so I was happy a DR finally took pity on us.

I am starting to feel better today. But I have discovered how sexy sick is. Coughing attacks have far greater consequences after having five children. Who knew I would contemplate buying Depends at 36. The sent of Vick's, wafting through the house, is so inviting and I wonder why no one has patented it as a perfume yet. (can't stand the stuff, but it really works). Pyjama bottoms and baggy t shirts what more is there to love. Yup I"m too sexy for my....

I have also discovered the true identity of the laundry fairy , the dish fairy, the maid and our personal chef...

The kids don't have school on Friday and we they will be spending the day cleaning the sess pool of sickness out of the house. But shhhh don't tell them :)

When to Call the Repairman....

You know you need to call a repairman when......

OLD BETSY

This is what greeted me today, when I went to switch the laundry...All of the pieces on top of the washer where mixed in a finished load. The washer has been making funny noises for weeks, and my kids overload it all the time...But it never stopped working. I tried to call a repairman today but nobody is even open until Monday...Figures, I have more than ten loads piled up...

TODAY'S CLEAN LAUNDRY-waiting for the laundry fairy to fold it & put it away

I was shocked when the washer would still run, If I set it on Delicate with a low spin the drum stayed balanced enough not to cause any more damage?! So I have been able to make a considerable dent in the mountain today...I am just praying "old Betsy" keeps going until the Maytag man can show up or Mr Kramer gets around to it....

So Not the Good Wife

I am so not a good mommy wife, especially when my Superman is sick or has an owie. But I do try to fake it and keep my eye rolling to a minimum. The last two days I have spent a total of 9, yes nine hours in the ER with my sweet heart while he has given birth to his second round of kidney stones in the last month. Yes I know its one of the most painful things a man can experience and I feel terrible for him. Really I do. I know my lack of sympathy comes from my upbringing. My sister and I both had to cough up a lung before even having a chance at missing school. Grant on the other hand could stay home after a sneeze.

Wednesday when I went back to sit with Grant, he was on a gurney in a hallway. There was a chair at the end of the gurney and a curtain wrapped around the chair and gurney. We sat there for 4 hours in a glorified shower stall. I have been less claustrophobic in an elevator. Once Grants pain was under control we were sent home.

Thursday at 4 am Grant's pain was out of control again, so back to my favourite place, we went. This time they put us in an actual exam room which would have been great except I think the morgue would have been warmer. Grant laid there under heated blankets with happy time meds running through his veins. While I sat in the corner, shivering, realizing how much more apparent my lack of shaving was with goosebumps all over my legs. After more than an hour I finally resorted to wrapping Grant's sweaty t-shirt around my legs. At least now I was warming up and my fanny had gone numb so I couldn't tell how uncomfortable the chair still was. 4 hours later...

After a CT scan a new doctor walked in and said "you have a kidney stone" (he must have been from the Department of Redundancy Department). It's small and should pass without trouble, you can go home know.

At home Grant crawled into bed and slept for eight hours, while I had a RS meeting and then went Visiting Teaching for four hours (a much better end to my crazy day). After supper when I announced I was going to bed Grant actually asked why I was so tired?? 4 am ring a bell, sweetheart??
Grant is feeling much better today and so am I. Someday I learn to be the good wife....

Gratitude

Madison handed this to me after Church yesterday....
(translation "you[r] wonde[r]ful cleaning skills" , I'll be having a chat with her English teacher ;)

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”- JFK


My GRATITUDE List


My Superman


Crazy Funny Kids


Vancouver British Columbia Temple


Public School = 6 hours of peace & quiet a day :)


Family that have become Friends


Friends that have become Family


Stormy Days on the beach


TYC (Temple Youth Celebration) " Mom it was the AWESOMEST ever!" Yes, yes it was


Turtle Cheesecake (mouth is watering)


That Madison is thankful for my " Wonderful Cleaning" skills


Happy Thanksgiving!!! - Gobble 'til you Hobble :)

Do, Learn, Change, Help

I believe in prayer and that prayers are answered, if we take the time to ask and listen...After a day of feeling hurt & dissapointed.... praying that my heart would change,


This is what I came across while listening to LDS Radio ...

Instead of asking "Why me?" when we are faced with trails or disappointments ask these questions....

What can I DO?
What can I LEARN?
What can I CHANGE?
Whom can I HELP?


link to the program I was listening to:

http://radio.lds.org/eng/programs/music-with-a-message-episode-2

FLUSH!!!

Sorry, but I must confess something...I flush the toilet to get my obnoxious teenagers out of the shower most mornings. At our house we have instituted a 5 minute shower rule. (Partly because of time constraints, mostly because of the sticker-shock of the last several power bills) I have tried everything to enforce this rule. Egg timer, digital timer -they "broke"one & "lost" the other. Standing like a drill Sargent at the bathroom door, banging on it at the five minute mark- classic response "But mom I just put shampoo in my hair." Standing in my bathroom (directly above their bathroom) and jumping on the floor. "Mom, I swear, I didn't hear you!" How could they not at least feel the earthquake?

So I have been left with no other choice...FLUSH!!! My next step is to install coin-operated shower like my in-laws use to have at the campground. I wonder if I could transfer the Hydro bill in H, B & M's name??

I Wub You...2 :)

This little boy makes my heart melt.... My nephew Zach. Kelli & Jason's "CARS" loving, "tricky" tractor toting, cat terrorizing toddler. I can't look at this boy with out smiling :). On my Birthday Kelli put Zach on the phone to wish me happy birthday........

"HAAPPYY BIRD-DAY AUNT WOBIN, I WUB YOU!!!!"

My heart melted. Today, when I called Kelli. Zach had to say "hi & I wub you!" again.
I love you too, Zach. You made my day.

Stepping on a Jelly Fish

Grant actually got off work early Friday and 'cause it was my birthday we got to do what ever I wanted. A walk on the beach sounded perfect to me. We have been to Goose Spit tons of times, but I had never gone past the Military Base part on the end. So I thought lets walk all the way around the end to the other side. It can't be too far. About 45 minutes into our walk Grant says "How far are we going?" Me: "Around to the other side." Grant:"Robin you can't go all the way around on foot??"Robin:"Then why the heck are we still walking? Grant: " I was just following you." Robin: "Why didn't you stop me?" Grant: "It's your birthday" I have two new goals while I am 36.....1. Always look at a map first. 2. Learn how to communicate with my sweetheart.

The end of Goose Spit is HUGE. Our walk took more than two hours. But it was a beautiful evening.

The only treacherous part was dodging all the Jelly Fish in the dark. There were hundreds of them all along the high tide line. Stepping on one is exactly what you might think...J-E-L-L-O

Birthday Bacon!!!

This was the card Maddie left on the counter this morning....This is what was in the microwave....

I thought I smelled BACON!!! Nothing says Happy Birthday like bacon. So nice to know I am loved. I love you too Maddie :)