Vegas baby!!

My family hosted a foreign exchange student from Germany named Lukus. Next year Andrea will be going to Germany to spend a month with Lukus's family. One part of the program is they ask you to take a trip with the student so they can experience something American.

What is more American than Las Vegas?

I went with my mom, Andrea, Lukus the German staying with my family, and Angie a German staying with another family to the bright lights of LAS VEGAS. It was so much fun. It was so interesting to see what they took pictures of, things that I wouldn't give another thought, they thought were very interesting. They were wide eyed the whole time trying to suck it all in. Here are some pictures...

Here are captions for the pictures but I did not want to fight with the program to put them under the picture, so here you go...
Sleeping in the car, Angie Andrea Lukus on Fremont Street, Angie and Lukus at Ceasers Palace, Angie and Lukus looking at the Strip from a far, Angie Lukus Andrea walking (we did a lot of that), It would not be Vegas with seeing a Show Girl, Oh hi that's me, Lukus very full after a buffet, Angie Andrea and Lukus in Arizona looking at the scenery... Wow I hope you can figure it out.

It made me sad that Richard could not go with us because he had to work but we decided that we just need to go together again... Soon!!!

Easter

Richard had to work the night before and the night of Easter but we did have Grandma Batemans Easter lunch with a egg hunt. Richards paternal side of the family is so big and so involved it is so nice. Grandma Bateman goes all out every time and makes it so much fun. We had lunch and I talked Twilight with some cousins, them helped set up for the hunt.

Richard's sister came with all the kids but Kie, they are all so much fun. Vanessa the oldest was having a bad headache and she was complaining of her neck hurting, so of course Richard and I immediately thought of meningitis and told Cristie to take her to the hospital. Richard and I watched the kids and had a blast with them.

All of us after the egg hunt with our tongues out, it was the only way to get them to participate in the picture.

Me and Stink-a-stink with her cheese face.

This is an old picture of Vanessa, but she is so beautiful. After 7 long hours in the hospital and many test, in which she was very brave, it was concluded that she did not have meningitis.

Richard and Work

So Richard loves his new job, and he is so good at it! He has already caught an error the other guy made, fixed paper work and organized the clinic. He is working nights and he said it gets a little boring. There is also a gym that he can work out on so he has been working with the fire guys.

He is working this temp job at Chevron Refinery and when that is over he will work at a off site clinic day shift, but Chevron has already offered him a job on their fire team, and while he is working in the clinic the fire captain told him he can participate in the fires and got him all suited up and all his own gear. It is a lot to take in with all of these job opportunities happening at once, a lot to ponder and think about. The clinic has also offered to put him through Paramedic school but he has to work two years for the company, which isn't bad.

Me and Richards mom Debi are trying to convince Richard that he has a gift with medicine and he should expound on that any way he wants. But he is a boy and loves the the "rush" of fire and being a medic. In fact he told me he got "blue balls" form work the other night because they had a fire and Richard rushed over got all suited, got there and it was put out. He was so sad he did not get to play with fire. Oh boy if our kids get his excitement with fire we are going to need a nice insurance plan!

Another Sleepless night

I am at home tonight and surprise surprise I can't sleep. But it is okay I am to reading "Midnight Sun" Edwards side of Twilight. My sister and my aunt were telling me about and I just had to read it! Its awful I know, to read about vampires than sleep, but I love it. Sleep well all!

Some Exciting Updates.

I am very pleased to announce that Richard has a job!!! Yes a real job!!! I am not even sure of what the company name is but I am still so excited. He is/will be the on site medic for a oil refinery and he does traveling medic stuff with the company. After they offered him the job they asked if he would like to go on his first business trip. He was so excited and nervous, but he did great from what he has told me. He has to learn some new skills but that won't take long, and he is getting paid an equal of my time and a half. So that means no more extra shifts for me!!!!

I am so relieved by this. It was a true blessing, it feels like a weight has been lifted from me and I can start relaxing. I am nervous though, I am not sure why exactly, I am scared that with the economy the way it is the company will find a reason to get rid of him. I guess it is just nervous worry.

I finished the whole Twilight series and now I feel like I can go back to my normal life now that it is done. I am sad though, it was really good and I will encourage any one to read them, but be prepared because once you start you can't stop!!!

That's all I have right now but we will see what the next month brings.....

Love you all

Baby Names

Before any one has a heart attack (aka parents) I am not pregnant a co-worker is. She is having a baby girl, it is late at night, I am at work, and I am bored; so you get to read my ramblings about baby names. I realized my favorites begin with A.

Annyston or Annaston -- nik name "Anna or Annie". This name Richard came up with. He had a dream a long time ago his first child was a girl named Annaston. I am totally down with it, I just don't know how to spell it and I worry about her getting teased or saying she was named after Jennifer Anniston. Nope not at all!!!

Alexis-- nik name "Lex or Lexy." I love this name, I don't know why but I do. Last year I was into the show "Jon and Kate Plus Eight" and they have a little Alexis and she has an attitude, made me love it even more. (And no I liked the name way before the show)

Alice -- nik name "Al or Ally." This name I like a lot too, I had a school mate named Alice and she was so bubbly and had a great personality. One of my favorite shows has a girl named Alice and she is bubbly, and my new found love of Twilight there is a Alice and she is bubbly. I love it, maybe if I have a girl named Alice she will be bubbly and have a fun personality.

Here are the names that dont start with A.

Paiton -- I don't know what her nik name would be. This name at first I didn't like but the more and more I heard it the more and more I liked it. And now I love it.

Cambria -- nik name "Cammie." One of my friends is SLC named her little girl this and I think it is adorable.

Skyler -- nik name "Sky." I know it is more commonly a boys name but I think it will make a beautiful girls name. But my sister in law loves it too, so we will have to see who gets it first.

Ryan -- nik name "Ray." I loved this for a girl since I was a teenage when me and my mother were talking about it. But because we had a roommate it totally ruined it for us. It makes me sad because I still love the name but every time I hear it I think of that awful man.

What do you guys think? (I need something to read tomorrow night so please write me a story about the names, I don't mind.)

Open mouth... insert foot. I did it again!!!!

I have done this before, thought I was the rebel, not following the crowd, but then I had to swallow my pride and admit I was wrong.

Back when Transformers the movie came out I had no desire to see it. I did not want to be one of those people that talked about it all the time, especialy the guys. I protested against the movie for almost two months. Then Richard asked if we could go see it with his friends and I agreed. During the movie I was on the edge of my seat, in total awe of the movie. When it was over I said I loved it and I got the "I told you so" from Richard. I felt stupid because I loved it so much but I had protested against it when it came out.

When Twilight came out years ago, I protested it. I did not have time to read a story about Vampires. It became such a fuss that I wanted nothing to do with it, but I was told by everyone that it was amazing and I had to read the books and once I started reading one I had to read them all. For that reason I didn't want too. People would tell me left and right about how amazing they all were. I did not care!

Well last week when I was visiting my family in Logan, I was talking to Andrea (my youngest sister) and she was rereading the whole seris again. I asked her why? And she said as did everyone else, that she loved them. She told me to read it and I would understand why. So I took Twilight and I started reading it. The first night fell asleep reading it, the next day I thought "it isn't that good." But the next night I read 100 pages, I couldn't put it down!!! I wanted to read it more but we had things to do. When Richard and I got back home I had to go to work and I took the book hoping to get at least a chapter. But it was busy and the book sat on the counter in front of me taunting me the entire night. The next night I did not have to work so I read, I read all night, I couldn't sleep and I wasn't tired. I finished Twilight at 3am. I sat there stunned, I needed the next book. So I went to wal mart, I was wide awake why not? By 4am I was back in my bed and started the New Moon. I had to force myself to put it down at 7am so I could sleep. I took it with me all day, we went to Richards doctor appointments and I sat and read in the waiting room. I was stuck in it. That night I told Richard I wanted to see the movie because the book was still so fresh in my mind. **I HATED the movie, I absolute hated it. I was so disapointed I left in discuss. I hope the rest of the books dont turn into horrible movies too.**

By Thursday night I was reading New Moon, I planned to stay up all night reading agian because I dont sleep at night. But I got asked if I wanted to go to work and do a 1:1 (sitter) I thought since I am going to be up all night reading anyway I might as well get paid for it. After my 10 hour shift I was done with New Moon.

And here is where I swallow my pride and let all those people who told me to read it. . . You were right!! I LOVE IT!!!! You would think that I would learn the first time with the Transformers movie, but I didn't. And I LOVE IT!!!! Thank you Andrea!!!

And then there was March

People tell me that my blog is sad and I post a lot of bad news, but unfortunately that is my life right now and all the news I have. Which brings me to March.

After the fun and exciting seizure Richard had in Feb we have been going from doctor to doctor, test to test. And nothing has been confirmed or denied about seizures. And the more exciting doctors visit he had this month was the pain clinic to help get his chronic shoulder pain. He was really excited about it wasn't concerned about the seizure. He had a visit and they deiced on an non-invasive procedure. Richard was so excited.. and when he came out he said he was "achy" but the "pain" was gone.

Well a couple of hours after the procedure he was laying on the couch all grumpy, I was sick in the bed with the flu. I had to call in sick to work, which I absolutely hate because people are counting on me, but I could not move. Richard came in all mad and said the pain was unbearable but it was a different pain it was all the way down his arm. He was so upset and in pain he was rolling around on the ground. I jumped up and called all his doctors but all of the clinics were closed. So I took him to an Urgent care, which is a complete waist of time, and they gave him a shot and a prescription for meds to last until he gets into the doctors the next day.

He goes to the doctors by himself, because I was to sick to move, and tells the doctor what is going on and the doctor said... Here is the kicker... he might have nicked a nerve when he did the pain block. Richard came home devastated and said he would rather live with the shoulder pain rather than the whole arm pain. I talked to the doctor the next day because I was so upset I wanted to scream and the doctor told me that he looked over everything and he couldn't have nicked a nerve but a muscle spasm could be the problem and Richard needed to rest and help his body calm down from the procedure two days ago.

Well anybody who knows Richard knows if there is something he wants he will do it. And he went snowboarding with my sister and it hurt him bad so he spent the next three days in bed in Logan.

He is doing a lot better now, the pain is still there but he said it is going away. And the should pain is still there but had decreased a lot. He said he would be willing to go through the arm pain again if it will get rid of the shoulder pain. Ironic how pain can influence a person isn't it? So we are back to our same routine now back to doctors and test. Hopefully we will have answers soon!!

And here comes April.....

A new year and a new way of thinking

I saw this and I liked it so much I had to repost it. I think this is truely words of wisdom that we all can take in and remember. Just remember it is never to late to start new habits. Enjoy and good luck!!!

Health:
1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar (and don't forget to ask blessings on your food).
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.
5. Make and TAKE time to pray.
6. Play more games.
7. Read your scriptures and more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:
11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

Society:
25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything. 28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Life:
32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful...
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Update

I wanted to update everyone on Richard. He is doing fine and even through we know the cause of the seizure he still has to go through all the testing and hopefully it will all be done this week. Before the seizure he had a doctor appointment to see if there is anything else they can do for his shoulder pain. He is scheduled for a nerve block next week and he is so excited for it. So there are some good things happening it is just taking a while.