Reflections of a Retired Elementary School Librarian

I'm sure that I'm not the only person pausing to reflect on things this month. The thoughts in my head are swirling so chaotically that I decided to write them down. I feel like Albus Dumbledore, wanting to pull those filmy thoughts and memories from my head to store in my own Pensieve, where I can return to them later and try to distinguish any patterns. For now, this blog will have to serve that purpose.

It has been 10 years since I discovered my true passion in life. Well, related to work, anyway. In January of 2011, I began a new position for the Montrose County School District in Colorado. I became an elementary school librarian. I was terrified. The job came to me in a very unexpected way. Just one month earlier, my principal had called me in to tell me that the district would be eliminating my current position (classroom para) at the end of the school year. We both got teary, and she explained that I had a couple of options. I could stay with them until the end of the school year, and wait to see what options would be available to me at that point. OR I could apply for the librarian position at another school, because their librarian was retiring at the semester break. The job posting was closing that very day. 

The choice was pretty clear. I applied for the position with my principal's blessing, turned in my paperwork, and then I interviewed for it a week later. Next thing I knew, Christmas break was near, and I was making emergency plans to fly to Ft. Worth, TX, where my oldest daughter had just delivered a 3 lb., 4 oz. baby girl, 7 weeks early. I spent the entire break in TX, spending every day with her and the baby in the NICU. While I was there, I got a call offering me the librarian job. I accepted.

January arrived. I flew home, took a deep breath, and went to the new school and new job on the teacher workday that began the new semester. I had no idea how to use the library system for checking in/out books, and I only knew one person in the whole building. I had that one day to receive a crash course in library management from the district rep, and I was thrown out of the frying pan into the fire.

I loved it. I loved getting to know every kid in the building. I loved creating lesson plans that were fun and engaging. I loved helping the children discover books. I learned how to run the spring and fall bookfairs, which were hugely successful. I loved hosting the pumpkin decorating contests in October, and the canned food drives in December. We watched videos that were inspired by books. Every spring, during standardized testing season, the upper grades and I spent 3 weeks watching "Holes"....and discussing foreshadowing, character development, and comparing the events portrayed in the movie to the way they evolved in the book. Every January, we began to read the nominees for the Colorado Children's Book Award, and voted as a student body, sending our results to Denver for the final tally in March. We played trivia tic-tac-toe, matching games, and did literary crossword puzzles and word searches. Over time, the kids developed several favorite read-a-loud stories, so we would have a week toward the end of the year when we pulled out all the old favorites to reread before the summer. We laughed together, and they saw me cry, too, during our read-aloud time. I did funny voices. And many times, we ended up having some very insightful discussions. I will tell you this now. ALL kids love being read to. From kindergarten to 5th grade, they love it. The older kids won't admit it as readily as the little ones, but they do. 

I held my dream job for 6 1/2 years, until my husband's new employment necessitated a move. I still work for schools, but I am now a special ed para, helping students with reading, writing and math interventions. But, from 2011 until the end of time, in my heart and soul, I am a librarian. It defined me in a way that I had not expected, and it will remain the definition of who I am, following only my roles as wife, mom, and daughter of God. 

The Struggle with optimism

At school, I am a member of the Character Ed committee. Every year we choose a different character trait for each month and encourage all the classrooms to teach and implement that trait. At our quarterly POW WOWs (awards assemblies), each teacher chooses a student who exemplifies good character and they are given an award and allowed to put a painted handprint on the wall in our main hallway. It's a big deal.

A couple of years ago, I approached the committee and suggested that I take the first week of every month to build and teach a lesson about the current trait. I knew that time was so precious for classroom teachers, and so my less-structured library was a good place to have a lesson/activity/discussion about the "trait-of-the-month". The committee agreed, and I've done it ever since.

It has been fun for me. I have enjoyed researching and creating short lessons to illustrate each character trait...responsibility, honesty, citizenship, and so on. It's fun to select a book to read to them that helps to explain these character builders. (Some of my favorites....The Empty Pot by Demi for honesty, Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevenson for fairness, Arthur's Pet Business for responsibility, Stone Soup by Jon Muth for cooperation....) I have discovered that elementary students can be remarkably intuitive and perceptive when given the chance for such discussions.

So, here we are, the last month of the '16-'17 school year, and our topic is Optimism. This was a tough one to make into a lesson that 6 to 11 year olds could grasp. But after spending a few hours on the internet, I came up with an activity that has actually gone very well! Even my littlest ones seemed able to grasp the concept of looking on the brighter side and focusing on how to improve things when they don't go the way we wish they would! (P.S. The book I chose is Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day...we read it and then talk about how poor Alexander could have made the best of his situations instead of just threatening to move to Australia!) Anyway, I had felt like this would be an easier topic for me to teach and model, since I've always thought of myself as a fairly optimistic person.

So much for thinking. I have had such a struggle with my positive attitude lately. I have been frustrated with work all year. I have lost sleep over Michael's job situation. Yes, even though he is now gainfully employed again, and in a job that we are very happy about, I still carry residual worry about it ......... and about money. We will move to Utah the end of this month, where once more I will need to find a new job. Once more, I had hoped that his new employment might mean that I didn't have to work. But it doesn't. And I'm grumpy about it. At 57, I'm nervous that I won't be as employable in my chosen career path...will a school want to hire a librarian that's only a few years away from retirement? And my other worry....will I have the patience and perseverance (another recent character trait, BTW) to effectively DO the job? The kids at my school the past 3 or so years have gotten progressively less manageable...and it wears me out. Getting up before dawn has NEVER been biologically easy for me. I don't like it. I don't want to do it anymore. It stinks. And I'm very frustrated with my limited mobility...I've been using a cane now for almost 2 years, thanks to severe arthritis in both knees. Bone on bone means I'm awful slow, and I can't walk very far without having to sit and rest. I detest the fact that every outing I go on is measured by how many steps I'll need to take. Yes, I need new knees, but even with insurance, it ain't gonna happen for a while. (Remember that money thing I mentioned earlier?)

Oh, don't get me wrong, I can still easily make a list of the good things. I AM grateful to have a job. I LOVE being a librarian. The health coverage offered by my district has been a huge blessing. It is a job that I can still do, even with my knees. My UT girls are so excited for us to come live by them, and I'm thrilled to live by them and their families. And Michael's job, and health, are both great.

My problem is that I can list the positives, but it doesn't seem to improve my mood. And that makes me angry with myself. I don't want to turn into Pollyanna, but I'd sure like these good things to push the frustrations farther back on the burners. Incinerating them would be even better.

Is this just a pity party, or a more serious issue? Yep, I worry about that one, too.

Oh, well. For now, just unloading it all on this poor blog will have to be enough. That, and the fact that we are only 2 and a half weeks away from summer vacation. I've never needed the break this much, and I pray that it will give me the attitude adjustment I so desperately need. There is much to do between now and Memorial Day weekend, and thankfully, I have terrific kids to help me do it.

Cue Annie....The sun'll come out, tomorrow...........

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - Entry for July 27 - I Regret Never Having Learned to.....

....speak Spanish more fluently. It has limited me in my work, and that has been frustrating. I did very well in high school Spanish, and so was able to pick up more of it when I began to work in this school district and had students who came with no English. But where I live, there are many people who don't speak English, and it is difficult to communicate.

That being said, I also don't really have a desire to become more fluent. It's just one of those things that I feel was a window I didn't open at the right time, and now I've gotten used to it being shut. Oh, well....I certainly do have a respect for those who are bilingual, and I depend on them. Thanks!

Fine, how are you?

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - Entry for July 24 - Why My Relationship Works

Everyone sees the key word in the title of this entry, right?  WORKS. My relationship with Michael Roger works because we work. 

I think that, after 37 years of marriage, there are some ways that we have become more alike than we were. That's not a bad thing, I'm sure much of it is because of the fact that our history together makes this true. But we are also still different in how we handle things (like stress) or how we form and maintain friendships. 

I know it doesn't always hold true for everyone, but I think part of our success is the fact that we have grown up together. Teen marriages have a higher percentage of failures, according to statistics, but we have just built each other up over the years. And I can't downplay the part that humor plays in our lives...because laughing about things and finding the fun in life is a key survival strategy!  Fortunately, it comes naturally to both of us!

And I feel like a major part of the success of our relationship is our commitment to God and our faith. Having this in common, and working on it together, is crucial to maintaining (and improving!) our bond.

He's a good guy.  He's a loyal, fierce friend. He's a determined, funny person. The family we have created together is amazing, and as it expands, we both revel in the joys it brings.

How cute (and oh, so 70's!!) were we!?

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - Entry for July 23 - What Music Am I Listening to Currently?

Beach Boys Pandora Station.
Broadway Showstopper's Pandora.

That is all.

Tune in again.

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - Entry for July 21 - How Do I Express My Creativity?

My creativity is limited.  I feel like I do have a creative side, but it is brought about by the ideas of others.

I enjoy crocheting, reading, writing reviews of books I've read, some pottery/ceramic items, and some types of crafting.  I have done tole painting projects and the odd Pinterest project or two. All of these outlets are fun and rewarding.  But I usually need guidance and inspiration from other sources.  I would love to be one of those people who can envision a project and then know exactly what to do to make it come to life. However, I tend to be the person who looks at someone else's idea and says "YES! That's what I want!" There are even times when I can look at a project and come up with a way to improve it.

There is another area, I suppose, where I feel a certain creative flow, and it's related to my work.  I've been in public education for 19 years now, and my varied experiences have allowed me to think of unique and fun ways to bring life to my classroom (the library) and to decorate and make it into a warm, welcoming environment. I think, out of all of my creative outlets, this is the one I am most proud of, because it's the one that I think benefits me and others the most.

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - What's on my reading list? Entry for 7/15

Most of the books on my "to-read" list will be children's and YA literature--the nature of my job, but a very pleasant one!


"Britt-Marie Was Here" and "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" by Fredrik Backman.  I just LOVED "A Man Called Ove" (Mahan Girls Book Club selection), and have seen great reviews on these other two from trusted fellow read-a-philes!

"Allie, First at Last" by Angela Cervantes. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed "Gabby, Lost and Found", and want to read this follow-up novel.  I have many Hispanic girls in my school, and these stories will be ones they can relate to. FYI - I also love Pam Munoz Ryan, who wrote "Esperanza Rising" and "Becoming Naomi Leon", as well as this year's Newbery Honor book "Echo". I've read all those.

"Booked" by Kwame Alexander - This young author bumped out Jacqueline Woodson for the Newbery in 2015 with his prose novel "Crossover", and I LOVED it! So, time to read the next one! (Side note: "Brown Girl Dreaming" by Jacqueline Woodson won a Newbery Honor that year, and it is brilliant, incredible, impressive...........)

"Ball Don't Lie" by Matt de la Pena -- this author just did what I believe has never been done before...he won the Newbery Medal for a picture book! "Last Stop on Market Street" is brilliant, and Christopher Robinson rightfully won a Caldecott Honor for his illustrations. So I read up on Mr. de la Pena and discovered that he's been writing YA fiction for years!  So I'm going to research some of his earlier works, starting with this one, published back in 2005. Here is a link to his Newbery acceptance speech.........my daughter Lisa sent it to me, and it made us both cry.

http://www.hbook.com/2016/06/news/awards/2016-newbery-acceptance-by-matt-de-la-pena/#_

"Middle School #1: The Worst Years of My Life" by James Patterson. Trust me, I wouldn't pick this up for my own personal reading enjoyment, but I just saw a trailer (why are they not called "previews" anymore?) for the movie adaptation of this book. James Patterson also co-writes the "I, Funny" series, of which I have the first one in my library.  He seems to be finding new writing life by co-authoring YA fiction, so good for him, I guess....anyway, I will read this to determine if it's appropriate for my elementary library. According to Lexile.com, the reading level is definitely within my older kids' range. They love DOWK (Diary of a Wimpy Kid), so reading about middle school rebels and early teen angst is obviously appealing. If it seems appropriate, then I'll commit to buying the series (there appears to be 6 of them already!).

Yeah, yeah, I suppose I need help. Honestly, if it wasn't for my daughters and our monthly book club, I would never be exposed to any grown-up literature! So if any of you out there have adult recommendations for reading, let me know!  I don't do scary, violent or racy, and profanity just distracts from the story for me, but other than that, I'd be happy to entertain your suggestions!

Summer Blog Challenge 2016 - Entries for July 6, 9, 12 and 13

I am so far behind on this challenge that I'm going to cheat and combine my answers to one post. Here are the topics:

* What skill would I want to INSTANTLY have?

Easy. Playing the piano.  I feel like I've answered this one somewhere before, and it hasn't changed. I wouldn't want to be a Piano Guy, but I'd like to play well enough to do justice to the hymns and some simpler arrangements of certain show tunes.

* What thing do I say I think (but I really don't)?

This one is tricky. I'm so overly cautious that I often don't say what I really think, because I avoid confrontation at (almost) all costs. I have lived my life turning away from subjects that I disagree with, rather than facing them. It has become very easy for me to just file them away in my brain and move on--changing the subject. So when I DO say what I think, I really mean it. And if I don't say anything, or change the subject, then you can bet that I'm thinking something very different than what is being stated by whomever I am in a conversation with. I understand that this is probably not very healthy, but it makes for a more peaceful existence.  Honestly, I'm not usually around anyone who is so radically different than I, so I don't have a reason to state something that I don't really feel. Convoluted answer?  Yes.  But that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

*If I had a time machine, where would I visit?

First of all, I'm stressing the word "visit". Anywhere I went, I'd want to come back. But if I could go anywhere in time, I'd want to go back and spend time with my grandparents. I never knew my maternal grandpa, he died when my mom was 13, and my grandma basically became a recluse. I'd like to know them when he was here and she was a more vibrant, alive person. And I'd like to see my paternal grandparents again. That grandpa died when I was 16.  We were close, and I'd like to see him and my other grandma again.

*Advice I would like to share

I am FULL of advice....I just don't get to share it as often as I want! Ha! Part of that is because I learned a long time ago that advice is not always well received when it isn't asked for. If someone asks my opinion on something, or for the benefit of my "expertise", I'm happy to share it!  But I've learned that if a person gives out unsolicited advice, it isn't always well received, and less likely to be acted upon. That being said, here's one of my favorites:

TO PARENTS:  Train yourself not to use the word "OK" after every direction or statement you give to your child!  By using OK at the end of your sentence, you are basically asking your child's permission to do whatever you're requesting.  You're their PARENT, for Pete's sake!  For example--
"You need to go clean your room, OK?" --which translates in the kid's mind as, "Is is all right with you if I ask you to clean your room now?"  In their minds, they're thinking "NO, it's not OK.....I'm busy with my video game!"  Directions need to be given as a declarative sentence, not a question! If you HAVE to say something in the form of a question, use the words "Do You Understand?"  See the difference?  "You need to go clean your room--do you understand?" Then you get an answer that you can work with, instead of "But I'm doing ___________ right now....(whiny tone)" -- AAND then you've started a battle of wills. It can be a hard habit to break, but it makes a huge difference it establishing a more solid parent/child dynamic.

Movie I Would Like to Live In - Summer Blog Challenge 2016 Entry #7

 I would enjoy living in the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. I wouldn't want to be any character in particular -- although I would be more of a Lizzie or a Jane than a Kitty or Lydia. The clever dialogue, the sharp repartee and the vibrant characters would be a joy in which to belong. Jane Austen rocks. Her astute assessment of many different personality types and social situations is unmatched. I would like to be a part of a group that challenges the societal norms--that doesn't accept the standards of their life just because it's always been done that way. I admire that, and I would love to be a quick thinker, like Elizabeth Bennet. The way she responds to Lady Catherine as she is accused and attacked is genius. I would love to be able to immediately come up with a sharp response and put an antagonist in their place.  Awesome.

Favorite Smells - Summer Blog Challenge 2016 Entry #6

Newly washed baby
Freshly baked bread
Cedar chips
Lilacs
Just-mowed grass
New-house smells - clean wood, fresh paint, etc.
Puppy fur
Pumpkin (pie, bread, cookies....)
Pine trees
The ocean/beach
Leather
Movie theater popcorn
Campfire

If I Could Change the World Blog Challenge 2016 - Entry #5

I don't know if I really like the way this title is worded....the concept of me changing the world almost suggests that I would have all power over something, and I don't like that idea. I believe in agency, meaning that each individual needs to be able to choose for themselves.

What I WISH, therefore, is that every person would choose to accept others as they are. What would it be like if race, color, or economic status really didn't affect our opinions of each other? What if every person actually took the time to get to know others--to honestly seek to learn what is the best part of that human being, and then encourage and celebrate those qualities?

THAT'S how I would like the world to change.

My Dream Home - 2016 Blog Challenge Entry #4

I've actually put quite a bit of thought into this. My dream home's physical features are not as important to me as other things. BUT, those physical features would include:

*Wrap-around porch
*One level (no basement or upstairs)
*Lots of windows/light
*Big stone fireplace and hearth
*Walk-in pantry

HERE are the features that mean the most to me in my dream home:

*Weekly maid service
*Landscaping and lawn maintenance services
*Located in Colorado
*Close to all my children and grandchildren

Hey, we did say "Dream", didn't we?! That's what I want.

This could work.

Places I've Lived (And my favorite so far) - Blog Challenge 2016 Entry #3

In order, I have lived in the following places:

Ann Arbor, MI - 1960 to 1971

Grand Junction, CO - 1971 - 1981

Vernal, UT - 1981 - 1983

Clifton, CO - 1983 - 1984

Broomfield, CO - 1984 - 2006

Montrose, CO - 2006 - present

And my favorite place (so far) (drum roll please..............) BROOMFIELD!

The reasons are obvious - I lived there longer than anywhere else in my life, and it's where the 2nd half of my children were born, and where all of them were raised. It is the hub of the axis of my kids' lives, and even though there were many, many difficult years, the blessings and memories we built there overrule the trials!

Favorite Time Wasters - Blog Challenge 2016 Entry #2

I wish that my response to this topic was unique and creative.  It isn't. My favorite time wasters are Facebook and Words With Friends.

Quite awhile ago, someone posted that Facebook was like going to the refrigerator and staring into it...you know there's nothing good there, but you can't help opening the door over and over again. That pretty much sums it up for me. These days I seem to spend more time "hiding" things than I do reading them.  But yet I go back, and go back, and go back.  It's worse in the summer, because I have so much more down time.

But it's thanks to Facebook that I have a stronger relationship with my extended family than I ever have. I can participate in the major and minor events of my Michigan relatives' lives. I can also keep tabs on the "kids" I went to high school with. Many of them weren't close friends when we attended good ol' FMHS (class of '78), so I have loved getting to know the funny, amazing, inspirational people they are! And I am also grateful to be able to maintain my friendships with my beloved former co-workers and church friends.

Then there's "Words With Friends". Kelli recently said "You're still playing that game?" Yep...I'm kinda addicted. It doesn't even matter to me how many points I score, I just like to challenge myself to play the best word I can. My average word score is around 17-19 points, and I rarely have more than 8-10 games going at once, but that's OK. I often choose a word to play because it opens up the board, not because it'll give me the most points. After failing to reach the Weekly Challenge goal for the 3rd week in a row, I turned off that notification (It annoyed me when they created that, anyway!). It's just for fun...plus I learn all these interesting words like "ki", "qi", "qat", and so on.  No, I don't know what they mean, I only know that the game accepts them!

True confessions 101.

Someone I Admire - 2016 Blog Post Challenge - Entry #1

Well, for starters, I hadn't figured on this topic until later in the summer, so I haven't had time to ponder it.

But do you know who comes to my mind right away? My friend Janela Karlson.

Janela and I have known each other for more years than I can remember. I met her and her husband Jesse when they only had one child (and that child just got married!).  Jesse, Michael and another dear friend, Hans Christiansen, all co-owned a silk tree plant business.  For awhile, our three families lived the closest thing to the United Order since Joseph Smith's day....we were all desperately poor, and shared vehicles, food, and even housing (not us, but Karlsons and Christiansens lived together for awhile).

Janela has to be experienced.  I cannot do her justice, but here's the general scoop--she is the most sincere, the most genuine, the most guileless person I've ever met in my life. She is amazingly intelligent, incredibly gentle, and has the sweetest temperament and spirit of anyone I've ever known. I would be shocked to discover that she had ANYONE who didn't like her, because her love for others just radiates out to the world. In spite of all that, she in not a push-over. She sticks to her principles, and cannot be swayed when it comes to questionable choices.

Janela can bring a smile to the grumpiest of faces. Nobody can resist her earnest heart. She is very humble, and exemplifies the true definition of meekness in that she is quiet and gentle, but strong and stalwart as well.

I'm a better person for having her in my life. I hope she know that. I can never be as good as she is, but I'm sure that I'm a bit more kind, a bit more faithful, and a bit more Christ-like because of her example.

https://youtu.be/uzrGFQysfYU

Of Trail Mix, Detours and Family

I have been creating this post in my head for a month, so it's time to put it on "paper", so to speak

.

The Setting: In February, I went on a little adventure with my parents and my youngest daughter as we headed over to the Front Range for my nephew's wedding. Darian and his bride-to-be decided to get married on February 23 (a Tuesday), so that meant taking a couple of personal days at work and coordinating travel plans with Kelli and my mom and dad. Yes, we were nervous about the weather. And our fears were well founded--there was a large, brutal storm that hit the state days before our planned departure. It triggered a rock slide that damaged the highway between Grand Junction and Denver, which led to highway closures during the day and a one-lane pilot car-led route that only operated after 9 p.m. So we had to decide which detour to take...the southern route, over Monarch Pass and then up, or the northern route--a long U-shaped trip north to Craig and Steamboat, then back down to I-70 at Wolcott and east. Our cast of characters included:

My mom: Bound and determined to get there for this grandson's wedding, since she missed my son's wedding 12 years ago because of winter storms.
My dad: Absolutely dead-set against going, not because of family, but because he hates the Front Range and hates long driving trips. Not to mention the weather.
Kelli: Our chauffeur. She and Darian are the cousins who are closest in age, so it was important for her to be there. She offered to drive and take their truck.
Me: I, too, was bound and determined to go. Darian is my oldest nephew, this was the first big family wedding for my sister's kids, and I wanted to be a part of it!

Things weren't looking good. By the night before departure, after much discussion and repeated visits to cotrip.org, we decided to brave the southern route--meaning that Kelli would pick up Grandma and Grandpa, come down to Montrose to get me, and off we would go. But more weather was expected overnight, so even then, plans were not set in stone.

Tuesday morning, I was up even earlier than I normally am for work, to once again check the road reports for both detour options. Monarch Pass was horrid--I'm grateful for those cameras on the web site!  I called my mom and Kelli and said that we needed to take the northern route, which meant that I was going to have to get up, get ready and head up to Jct. so we could leave from there. When I arrived at my parents', the mood was, shall we say, less than festive. The Grand valley itself was socked in with gray, threatening clouds, and my dad was no better. He was still trying to convince my mom to change her mind, but it wasn't happening.  I told him that we were going no matter what, so, while mumbling that, if Mom wasn't going to change her mind, he might as well go too, he climbed aboard.  I offered a prayer--something the Mahans always do before road trips, even the sunny and clear ones. And off we went.

Trail Mix: We were definitely on a tight schedule, since the detour would mean that the normally 4 hour trip would take over 7. The wedding was at 6 p.m., and we left Junction before 9:30 a.m. Dad had made some trail mix for the ride, so we could snack and not have to make extra pit stops for food.  Good thing, cuz we still had to make a few potty stops. It's what happens when you get old--our driver was probably the only one who could have made it the whole way without a bathroom break!  Anyway, the trail mix provided the first of many fun stories shared during our journey--Dad recalled a time when he and my brother, Dan, who was about 13, were headed out on a hunting trip. Dad had made trail mix, and offered it to him as they drove. When he went to have some a bit later, the mix was missing every single M & M--and nothing else!  Kelli said, "Isn't that what trail mix is? M & M's with obstacles?" -- and we were on our way!

Detours: Prayer WORKS, people!! By the time we were out of DeBeque Canyon and headed toward Rifle, where we would need to turn north, the sun was out and the roads were clear. And folks, they STAYED dry and clear the ENTIRE way.  Yes, the snow in the fields on either side of the road was piled so high that you could barely see the tops of fence posts, but the sun shone and all clouds were light and thin. My dad was VERY happy to be oh, so wrong...but then, we all were!

Poor Kelli, though...she had no recollection of EVER driving this route before--and in truth, she only had been this way one time, many years ago, when we had to take this detour at Thanksgiving because a boulder put a hole through the highway. Deja vu--but she was young and not paying attention.  This time, as the driver, she had to. But she didn't know where she was going, and had no familiar landmarks to help her mark the journey, so it felt like we were going into the middle of nowhere, sssllllloooooooooooowwwllllyyyy. When we got up to Craig, ready to turn east toward Steamboat, there was a sign that said that Baggs was only 55 miles away, and I joked that we could just keep going for an hour and visit Wyoming. Kelli was shocked---"WYOMING?! How far north ARE we???" Poor kid! Add that on top of the responsibility she felt for getting her grandparents safely to that wedding, and it was a little stressful for her! She was a trouper, though, and received the ultimate compliment from her Grandpa--he was so impressed with her driving that he told her he was going to hire her to drive him on any future long trips! At least the drive back home the next day was a little better--she had a better idea of just how long (and how far) the trip would be, and we weren't on QUITE as tight of a time schedule.  I say 'quite', because she had to be back to her school by 3:30 for an event...which meant that we were loaded up into the truck and headed out of the motel parking lot at 6:30 a.m. the morning after the wedding!

Family: ...makes it all worth it. It took 7.5 hours to get to our destination, but we talked, Dad told stories, we listened to music, snacked on trail mix and did a fair amount of laughing! We got to the motel in plenty of time to check in, catch our breath, and change clothes for the wedding. Then we hit our biggest snag....that annoying Siri, or Google maps, or whatever it was on Kelli's phone, took us way too far north from the wedding site!  After all that traveling, we ended up being almost a half hour late, and they held up the wedding just for us. My sweet daughter lost it, blurting out "What the hell!!" as she hung another u-turn to get us into the event center's parking lot. (That was a highlight for my father--his sweet Mormon granddaughter succumbing to such foul language!) Yes, my own son got married in that same spot 12 years ago, but things have built up in that area a LOT since then, and we got lost!  All's well that ends well, thankfully--it was a sweet ceremony, and made even sweeter because we were all together!  5 of my 6 kids were able to attend, and watching my parents soaking it all up was SO worth it! They got up and "won" the couples dance, as they were the last on the floor because they had been married longer than anyone else in the room! Dad had a sweet daddy/daughter dance with the MOG, my sister Cathy (who looked like Cinderella in her gorgeous mother-of-the-groom dress!). I didn't join them because of my cane and because it was her moment. We soaked in a couple of hours of quality, chaotic, fun family time, and then headed back to the hotel for well-earned sleep!! It is going to mean so much that Mom and Dad are in those wedding photos. For all of us. 

Detours, Take 2: As I said before, the return trip was a little less stressful now that we were a bit more familiar with the route. We saw deer, elk, turkeys and sheep along the way. We marveled at the acres and acres of pure, untouched snow that stretched over wide fields and up beautiful mountainsides. We shared memories, talked about other trips my parents had taken up that way (hunting trips and vacations), and laughed at the F. M. Light and Sons signs that appeared in both directions for miles on either side of Steamboat. Dad said that they've been up for 30 years or more...apparently quite the western wear/outdoor supply standard for that area! Kelli said that it sounded like the kind of place she could take Tyler to...and that he'd never leave! More music - Kelli's Pandora station was on a roll, playing lots of great old classics that all the generations in the car could enjoy - and then Dad and I singing a rousing chorus of "The Tattooed Lady", which had us all in fits of laughter! (If I can find it on youtube, I'll attach it--it's an old folk song sung by the original Kingston Trio that I grew up listening to in Michigan.) I gotta tell you, though, we all breathed a sigh of relief when we were finally back on I-70, headed west from Rifle to the Grand Valley. I noted that this was the first trip I've taken with BOTH my parents since our last family vacation, which happened in the summer of 1978.  We drove to FL that year to go to Disney World and Busch Gardens.  I got married the next summer, and that was that. 

Conclusion: I wouldn't take away one minute of this tumultuous trip. It is now a memory that I will treasure always. I hope Kelli feels that way, too....what an opportunity to spend some close, intimate time with her grandparents. They are terrific people, and to have the chance to share this adventure with them was worth every mile. Two crazy, long, wonderful days. I'll always be thankful for them.  And I'll always smile when I pick out the M & M's from the trail mix.   

"The Tattooed Lady" by the Kingston Trio

Here's to 2016 (or, How My Life Usually Goes Better in Even Years)

It's therapy time--otherwise known as "The Yearly Birthday Reflection". I don't really care one way or the other about turning 56--it's just a number.  But I'm feeling frustration with the many things that I had hoped would NOT be difficult by the time I reached this age, so I need to turn it around and list the things I enjoy or am grateful for as I head downhill toward 60. Call it superstitious if you want, but I've always felt like my even-numbered years have been better than the odd-numbered ones (with the exception of 1985, 1987 and 1991--wink, wink). So I'm looking ahead with a hopeful eye.

1. Spending time with my parents: With each passing day, I am more grateful that they are still here with us. Healthy, independent, and living the dream. A loving example to me and my posterity.
2. Paying off one car: I can't remember the last time we were driving a vehicle that we weren't making payments on.  I'm gonna guess around the mid-80s. Hope I didn't just jinx it.  Keep running, Mazda!
3. Finishing up my 10th year of employ at the Montrose County School District: --and my 19th year as an employee of the Colorado Public School systems. Retirement is now a pin dot of light on the horizon. 
4. Warm weather: once the holidays (and my birthday) are over, it's time for winter to be done.  Yeah, I know, there are officially two more months until the calendar says spring. A girl can dream......
5. 2/3 of my kids being in their 30's: This was effective Dec. 9 of last year, but I'm getting a kick out of being the mom of 4 thirty-plus-year-old children!  My 30's were a fabulous time, and I look forward to that for them, as well!
6. Michaela turns 6, starts 1st grade: my oldest grandchild finishes kindergarten and moves on to 1st grade this year. She is brilliant, creative and only slightly obnoxious--it comes with the age.
7. Quincy starts kindergarten: Miss Q has thrived in preschool the past couple of years, and will continue to do so as a kindergartner.  Her teachers will have to be on their toes with her...but her mom is well aware of her quirks and gives her creative freedom and firm boundaries to grow in.
8. Monroe starts kindergarten: So hard to believe! She is a summer baby, so will be barely 5, but I have no doubts about her academic abilities!  She is a sensitive soul, so this new step could take some adjustment on her part, but she is already a friendly, outgoing girl, so she'll love school!
9. Tessa turns 4: Another summer baby, she'll finish her first year of preschool and barrel on into the next. It will be interesting for her to be the "oldest" kid at home for 1/2 a day, as Q will be in all-day kindergarten. She is sweet, sensitive and persnickety.  She'll give you all her love--if she's in the mood. 
10. Paisley turns 4: 2 weeks after Tessa. She has the good fortune of attending preschool at home--Mom is a certified Montessori teacher, and has been raising our Miss P with those standards from the beginning! She's strong-willed, energetic and creative.  Dancer, gymnast and puddle-jumper.
11. Lucy turns 4: She just started a twice a week preschool, and I'm sure she'll eat it up!  She's a charmer, and it will be interesting to watch her find her own niche. She'll be an expert big sister by the end of this year, as her new baby sister grows!
12. Mara turns 3: Not until September, but this will be such a fun year with her! I love 2 year-olds (Terrible Twos were never as bad as Terrible Threes, in my experience!) She makes everyone around her smile, because she's so funny! One of a kind, that kid! We'll see if she decides to be a T3 or not!
13. Beau turns 1: Our Earth Day baby, and first grandSON, will be so fun this year! I just so enjoy the growth that babies do during their second year of life! He is a happy, secure little guy, and it'll be fun to learn more about his personality as he becomes mobile and learns to talk!
14. Hunter turns 1: a whole 6 weeks after Beau.  Right now, the age difference is still very noticeable, but by the end of my 56th year, it'll be fun to watch that gap shorten as they grow. Hunter is sensitive--a happy, content little Puffalump! I hope I can spend some more time with him this year so he becomes more familiar with me.
15. Adaline turns 1: Weeelllll, yes, technically that will happen in this year, but not until 3 days before the New Year! I'm excited to watch her grow, and see what her little personality will be like!
16. Future grandchildren: ?? The year is young, so who knows--our ranks could still grow before I bid 56 a fond farewell.........
17. Green: It's my favorite color. It's my favorite color because it means spring, summer and warmth--things I look forward to EVERY year.
18. More reading: I think there's something wrong with a librarian who is so busy she can't find time to read like she wants. Thank goodness for #19...
19. Mahan Girls Book Club: I have absolutely loved our monthly book club chats. Thanks to Google Hangout, we see each other every month, all together, to rate our book and laugh. 
20. Time spent with Michael: Other than the summer months, he and I do not have a day off together. Sundays don't count--it's not much of a day of rest for him as a bishop, and we travel separately to church and home. So lately I've been taking the occasional personal day at work on his day off, and I've loved it. We don't necessarily do anything special--it's just nice to be at home together.
21. Travel: My itineraries consist of travels to UT, TN and the Front Range--in other words, grandchildren territories! I have taken the train 3 times now in my life, and will probably take advantage of that mode of transportation again! 
22. Showing appreciation for my husband: He really has been a good sport about sending me off to do the Gramma thing on multiple occasions, and I just need to be more vocal about how much I love him for it. I'd rather we could go together more often, but that isn't economically feasible, so we try to make the best of it.
23. The end of the Presidential campaign: Right now, the process is arduous, frightening and so, SO far away from being decided! But I'm praying that by the time I'm finished with 56, we will have sworn in a decent, intelligent leader who actually wants what is best for America. Is that so much to ask!??!?!??!??
24. Calves and corn rows: Not the bottom of your legs and the hairstyle. One of the things I enjoy about living on the Western Slope is the cycle that unfolds around me every year. When I start seeing baby calves in the fields, and then the farmers start plowing under the old stalks in preparation for planting, it just makes me so HAPPY! I also do the dance of joy when the irrigation water comes back.
25. Cleansing and purging: No, not a new diet regimen. I'm talking spring cleaning on steroids.  We will be in this house 10 years in June, and it's time for a big yard sale and a few trips to Salvation Army (not to mention the recycling center and the dump!). I'm determined to downsize the clutter and get ruthless with memorabilia. A part of that will be making my kids take their stuff out of my house and into their own...you are forewarned, children!
26. Goodreads: I really enjoy adding the books I've read to my list, and reviewing them.  I hope to be able to do more of that this year.
27. Puppies: NOOOOO, I am NOT planning on getting another dog.  But I can look forward to possibly finding a way to play with a puppy or two that belong to someone else....they're just such good therapy!
28. Jennifer, Adam, Stefanie, Holly, Lisa and Kelli: I know, it seems harsh to lump all my kids together when I listed all THEIR children separately. I just love spending time with my kids--I love the weekly (or more often) phone visits. I love to Facetime with them. I love it when they ask for advice, or just want to vent to me. I love sharing books, recipes and funny stories. I love that they have made this world a much better place because of the people they are. 5 college graduates, one Marine, 4 amazing parents. All of them are devoted to their spouses, each other and their children, nieces and nephews. And speaking of spouses---
29. Nick, Kara, Matthew, Eric, Hondo and Tyler: I need to continually express my love to these wonderful people who are my kids' partners in life. Our family has only been strengthened by them. I'm grateful to the parents who raised them to be hard-working, dedicated, loving and fun! (Not that my kids would have chosen anyone who wasn't!!)
30. My faith: Is it a natural part of aging, to ponder on our eternal purpose more often?  I just feel the influence of a loving Father in Heaven more and more all the time. I see the large and small blessings I am given each day, no matter how challenging. I need to spend more time expressing that gratitude in prayer, and taking the love I know my Savior has for me and spreading it around to all those I can love and serve. It helps me at home and at work. I feel it when I'm alone and surrounded by others. God has a plan for me, and I can only hope that I've done some things well. Onward and upward.

TEST: Congratulations!  You've suffered all the way to the end of this post, so now I have a question for you.  What one thing will YOU be looking forward to the most in 2016? Share it in the comments, here or on Facebook--maybe you'll give me more ideas!

Pumpkin Cookies

I thought that I had posted the famous Pumpkin Cookie recipe on this blog before, but apparently not...so here it is!  This recipe was clipped from an issue of our church's children's magazine, The Friend, and it quickly became a family favorite, and then a friends-of-family favorite!  And now I've discovered another frosting recipe to give us a choice!  So here you go....

Adrianne's Pumpkin Cookies
by Vicki H. Budge

1 cup shortening
3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 cups (1 16 oz) canned pumpkin
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups of flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg

1. Cream the shortening and the sugar together.
2. Beat in the eggs, pumpkin, and vanilla.
3. Sift the dry ingredients together, add to the mixture, then mix well.
4. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Frost when cool. (Makes about 5-6 dozen)

FROSTING
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1- box (1 pound) powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all the ingredients together until creamy.
2. Frost pumpkin cookies.  If desired, decorate with candy corns, chocolate chips, decorative gel.

CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
(I found this on a Pinterest recipe, and although it was fantastic on the pumpkin cupcakes, it was even better on the pumpkin cookies!!)
6 TBSP butter, softened
4 oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar (more, as needed)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 plus 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1. Beat together butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy. 2. Add the powdered sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy. 3. Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon. 4. If necessary, add more powdered sugar until the frosting is firm enough to hold its shape but still light and fluffy.

Pink Eye, Cellulitis and other Exciting Developments

The pharmacy at our local grocery store is getting to know us very well these days.

To begin with, the extended Mahan Clan hasn't had the greatest week of their lives. In the last 9 days, my son had a very terrifying incident at work, one of my granddaughters fell while running through the sprinklers and got an occult fracture(new term to me....)of her elbow, Michael is battling cellulitis and I spent yesterday afternoon in Urgent Care to get a prescription for pink eye. Oh, and the new iOS update for my iPhone won't load...but that's another story. (The phone is a 4s, and I am just afraid that iOS 9 is just too much for the poor little thing.  Only 3 months until I'm allowed an upgrade...may that be the absolute LEAST of my worries!)

The kids are in charge of their own tales, although I can say that the boy is fine, the granddaughter now sports a bright orange "Bronco color" cast (she's 3 and requesting Denver Bronco things - her parents are SO proud!), and so far, the other children/grandkids are doing well. (Well, there is one highly emotional pregnant daughter, and a son-in-law who is recovering from surgery to repair his blown-out knee, but at this point, they're almost yesterday's news--although no less noteworthy!)

But the PARENTS!!! Good heavens, have we somehow angered the residents of Mount Olympus??! 

Mikey's adventure started on Wednesday.  He came home from work an hour early with his right earlobe swollen and sticking out at a right angle to his face. So we went to the ER. No bug bite, no allergic reaction (my guesses)....just a small scratch behind his ear that somehow got infected. Pharmacy trip #1. By the next morning, it had doubled in size and was oozing all over his pillow; so, while I headed to work, he headed back to the ER! He proceeded to spend his day off going back every 6 hours for IV antibiotic treatments.  By the time I met him in the ER after work, he and the ER staff were on a first-name basis.  Hey, I'm all for making new friends, but YIKES!

So, I made 2 separate trips to the pharmacy that day, and I think he went again Friday or Saturday (he's alternating two types of oral antibiotics now). Then it was my turn. I've been coughing/congested for a week -- my usual "Welcome Back to School and this Year's Germ Pool" event -- but on Sunday morning, when I woke up and opened my eyes, one of them wouldn't open. I had a Sunday School lesson to teach, so I got up and showered. After I got out of the shower, I actually looked in the mirror and Whoa! my left eye looked like it belonged to Marshmallow, my son's white rabbit! So I went to church, dropped off my lesson materials with my husband, and then went to Urgent Care. Aaand then - you guessed it - back to the pharmacy for drops and my very own antibiotic!  I mean, it's like I was feeling left out or something.  

And so I'm home sick today. Pink eye is not something you mess with.  It's very contagious and I see 7 classes each day. I'm all for spreading the LOVE, but not the disease. I'll be back in business once I've been taking both for 24 hours.

Is there a quota to be filled here? Because if there is, I'm submitting that ours is complete. To whom do I turn in that form? I want it on the record and notarized! Enough already! 

Have a nice day.  And if you need to drop by the City Market North Pharmacy any time soon, mention our names at the bell and they'll attend you. 

Mid-Summer Musings

It's July 8. I have been on summer vacation for 6 1/2 glorious weeks, with 5 or 6 left to go. It has been wonderful.  Since my last post, Beau Sadler and Hunter Mahan have arrived.  Beau came on April 22, and Hunter came on June 3. They are perfect and precious.  I've been to Broomfield 3 times since then; first, to help when Beau came; second, to attend my last nephew's graduation, and third, in mid-June to stay with Hunter and his family for a lovely long weekend. (That was Frederick, technically, not Broomfield!). And I just got back from 4 days in Utah, spending the 4th of July with Holly, Eric, Lisa, Hondo and the girls. Michael had the holiday off, so I took the train from Grand Junction on Wednesday night (quite the adventure--it was delayed over 5 hours, so I didn't arrive in Provo until 2:30 a.m.!) and he drove to Orem on Saturday morning.  We all watched fireworks together, BBQ'd several times, and just enjoyed being together!

I think I'm on post-trip letdown.  I've spent today a little restless and perturbed. Oh, I got several things done around the house....that merry-go-round never stops....but I wanted something more.  Don't you just hate it when there are projects you know you want to get done, but you have zero motivation to do them?  That list is extensive.  I should write it down somewhere and post it on the frig...maybe that will motivate me.  Phhhhhttthttht.

Part of my problem is that my brain is starting to think ahead to the new school year.  STOP IT! I'm sure it stems from the fact that I'm doing summer library every Tuesday, so my body never fully checks out of the facility. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love doing it, and surprisingly, it doesn't make me feel like I never left--I still feel like I'm getting in plenty of summer. However, I'm thinking ahead and pondering things like what kind of a display I'd like to set up for Back-to-School night, and how I can find a way to fund my book purchases for the coming year. Not much I can do to prepare for them now, so I wish my brain would put them on hold.

I should give a little update on the dogs.  Josie is still with us. She and Viva had one more huge fight a few weeks ago, when Michael and I were both out working in the yard.  The circumstances were similar to the Easter weekend brawl....two or more people out in the yard with them, and she just suddenly turns and attacks Viva.  I had the hose (I was washing windows), but spraying them did nothing.  Finally Michael picked up Josie by the skin at her neck and haunches and threw her over the fence into our neighbor's yard. So I went online to post a request for a new home for her.  Squat. But here's the thing.....my niece Lily suggested a Facebook page for animals in CO that need new homes. Well, I posted a listing for her, but it was downright depressing.  It is frightening how many animals are out there that need new homes.  And maddening how many people use that page to further their own causes--some advertising their pet-related businesses, and some just climbing on their soapbox to judge those who are trying to do right by their animals.  It was too much.  I removed Josie's ad, and here she still is.  I decided that we will just make adjustments, starting with not ever allowing the two of them to be together whenever two or more people are outside. We'll either put both of them in the house--Josie in our room with the door closed, and Viva in the living room--or we'll let one stay outside and the other inside.  I'm sick of it. I don't want either of them anymore, but I can't find them new homes, and I won't have them put down.  If there's another attack, however, I may change my mind, no matter how much the people at the vet's office try to convince me otherwise.

One last happier thought--I am thoroughly enjoying our Mahan Girls' Book Club.  It is so fun to all read something together and then do a group face time to discuss it.  I look forward to it each month.  It's harder for a couple of them to get the books read on time, but it's so much fun to be sharing.  I have bright, intuitive daughters, and it's a pleasure to listen to them analyze and express their feelings about the books. Another area where modern technology can improve relationships and help expand our horizons!

There.  Are we good for a while?  I think I am...now to go start that rackin', sackin', frackin' list of projects to get done before summer disappears........ wish me luck.