Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Fun with Halloween


Kylee and Mia came over to trunk or treat at the church. Mia dressed up as a polar bear. Kylee made the polar bear hat, (with no pattern, just thought it up). Candy (Mia's guardian) painted her face with make-up. Mia loved the hat. She didn't even try to take it off once! When we took it off of her, she grabbed it up to make sure she got to keep it. She had a blast! She was just in wonder over all the dressed up kids and adults!


When we got home she had fun playing. She knows where her toy box is. She has the cutest expressions and it's fun to see her figuring things out.


Her favorite thing about Grandma's house, though, is that I let her get into the pots and pan cupboard. She is so amazed at this because she can't do this at home. She acts like the cupboard is a treasure chest. These pictures didn't turn out so well, but it shows how much she loves getting into it.

She is such a musical baby and dances to anything that makes noise. So as the clanked together rhythm with the pots, strainer, and lids. She danced and had a blast!



Is she cute, or what?

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Kylee's Back & Mia's visit

Kylee moved back in and I am enjoying her company. She is so helpful and fun!
I got to have Mia here for a while. She just loved that she could go almost everywhere in my place, and she could slide on the linoleum, and play with my pots and pans. There is just more room for her to play here, and lots of empty boxes! Which, of course, was her favorite toy. She just walked around the house making happy noises. It is so fun to watch her!
Recent pictures of her are in the above slide show. I had to add the one of her holding a big stick. It is so much like her mom when she was younger, finding a big stick to play with!

Sunday, June 7, 2009

My Wonderful Becca and Beautiful Memories



As most of you know, My wonderful daughter, Becca, is being adopted by my brother Paul and his family. This was not an easy decision to make. She has been living with them while I was homeless (There was no way I would let my daughters be homeless) and while I have struggled with my debilitating chronic fatigue. This fatigue had gotten so bad that my body shuts down and I end up sleeping all the time, though I prayed and prayed to be able to be awake for my daughters. If I kept her, she would be neglected, and there is no way I would let my wonderful Becca be neglected.

So I asked Paul and Denise if they would keep her longer. She had become a part of their family and they loved her and wanted to keep her. I talk to her all the time on the phone. I miss her and love her so much!!! But I have had to think of what is best for Becca. She is getting wonderful care there, and is very attached to her little cousins.

When I was asked if they may adopt her and have her sealed to them, it was emotionally difficult, because I love her so. But I prayed and prayed and the answer was to let this happen. I trust my Heavenly Father and know that he knows and can see all things. So I agreed based on my prayers. I talked to Becca and wanted her to know that I was doing this out of a great love for her and deep pondering and prayer with my Heavenly Father. And many tears.



The adoption will most likely be finalized on Monday June 8th.



So now, though I cry that she is leaving our family, I smile because of the wonderful memories we shared together.

Becca, I remember when we would wait at the bus stop for your kindergarten bus to pick you up. It was so fun because we got to spend time together just you and me. There was a foot stump there that looked like a foot without the toes. so every day we would find rocks the right size to make toes. By the next day the toes would be missing because of foot traffic, so we got to do it all over again. We both loved it.

It was also fun to spend the half of the day that Kylee was in school and you weren't, we would swing on the swing set, take walks to parks, look at the clouds, enjoy all the beauty of outside, and of course - make things together.

We would often go to Newport Beach. We would walk on the pier together. We would build sand castles. And there was a fun playground with a train in it that you could go in and look out the windows at me and wave.


You have always been so smart and serious about school. It was fun when I got to walk you to your school and eat blackberries, and point out things we liked, talked about dreams we had, and
even just be silly. But when you got to school, you were a serious student, and you always have been. Even when you got home you delved right into your homework, and even added more to it.

There are so many other memories too. But this post is getting long. I just want to tell everyone, especially Becca, How I love her, how I miss her, and that I will still always be her mom.


So smile with me about the happy memories we share. These are to keep as Becca goes on to a new family, she can always look back at good times with her old one.




Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Mom, Kylee, and Mia came to visit


Yes, it was a bright and squinty day. These pictures above were actually taken on Sunday. Mom arived Thursday afternoon. We went through pictures to trade or copy from eachother's scrapboks and collections. We talked and had so much fun.



Kylee, Mia, and Candy (Mia's other Grandma) came on Friday. Mom and I had gone to a thrift store and found some fun toys. One is a large music toy with piano keys and a monky that dances when she touches any thing. We scrubbed it down, and had it ready for Mia. She just loved it!



It was so fun to watch Mia. Although, Mom is a better picture taker than I am, so maybe she'll post her pictures on her blog. Mia loved to crawl around and find something that she's not supposed to get to (usually something that an adult has).

Mia would do a kind - dance while she was waiting for another bite of food. (I am having such a hard time posting pictures to the right places here, that I'll post that one later.)
Mom and I also went to view all the mountains that suround us from a bute that shows what the different mountains are by a diagram pointing to them in the middle. I didn't realize we had that many. I thought thought there were only 7, but there are so many more. It was a spur of the whim idea to go there, so we didn't have our cameras with us. Bummer.


















Sunday, May 17, 2009

Corvallis ABHA committee meetings

This whole trip to Corvallis and back was more incredibly amazing than I could have ever dreamed! Stuff happened that just opened up my world! And I’m feel like I'm really living again!

The trip over was so beautiful and scenic. I loved it. I got to stay in the Hilton 2 nights, use their hot tub, and have dinner Thursday reimbursed. Breakfast Friday morning was a “continental breakfast” at The Hilton. I have “continental breakfast” in parenthesis because it included the chef cooking up anything you wanted, waffles, omelets, French toast, anything, and bacon, sausage, hash browns, then anything like muffins, toast, and all sorts in the serve yourself area. We brought these back to the Board Room, where they had it all set up for our meeting.

There were about 45-50 people, including several from ABHA itself at the committee meeting. Because Rebekah (from ABHA) had requested that I bring my workbook, “Making a space that feeds your soul”, to the meeting so they could see it, I set it next to where she was going to be sitting for her to get to when she got a chance; she was busy setting up and getting ready to open the meeting. Somehow she was able to flip through it before starting.

When she opened up the meeting, she held it up announcing that this was my book that it was really good and encouraged everyone to look at it during the breaks. So literally everyone did, including the ABHA staff. They not only liked it, Several wanted to buy copies at the high cost I have to sell it at to cover printing costs. They said it was well worth it and I should charge more.


When those who were there from ABHA got to really look through it during the art show, all of them loved it. One who was a psychologist, graduate of Stanford, said, “It's not just good, it’s incredible! A few people from ABHA began talking about how it would be great to use in the Mental Health system, and that maybe there could be some sort of block grant written to facilitate that! Later, Rebekah talked to me about maybe getting a grant to go to a wellness conference in New York and present my book there.
___________

So back to the committee meetings:

There were agendas and objectives for the meetings. The Chair of the meeting, along all other members (excluding ABHA staff) deal with some sort of mental illness. I found there was a bit of talking about the problems that needed to be fixed, and allot of talking about why they needed to be fixed, whining, venting, etc, even after everyone had agreed that it needed to be fixed. So I would quite often raise my hand and bring us back to the objectives, “Alright so I am hearing that this is the problem; could we look into doing X”, which seemed so logical to me. But everyone acted like that was genius. OK, so objective one- check, Etc. We made headway.

One problem that was voiced was getting legislature and congress to listen. Well, I heard what was being said, more negative emotion accusations and few backed up facts, So I suggested a professional presentation with fliers or other eye catching publication, that compared where we are heading by cutting MH funding by comparing the outcome by using an actual existing model like: the East Coast - having cut MH funds drastically, former MH clients are now unmedicated, on the streets, homeless, with a highly incresed drug use population, and a drastic rise in crime. Compare that cost to the county, state, and federal government with the cost of providing adequate MH services. – Then leave them with the professional literature to consider it for a while.

Hmmm, that might work.

When we split into separate committees, I went with the Children and Family Advocacy Committee. We just had to come up with an end product of 2 objectives. There was a lot of talk. A lot of “oh, I didn’t know that resource was available, or that grant, or that service was no longer available.”

We decided that everyone knew a piece of the puzzle, but no one knew very much. So I suggested, "ABHA has a website, make a link to a blog or forum so everyone can add up to date information." It seemed that that should have already been in place to me, but again, it was thought of as an incredible idea. I wrote it down as objective one in my notes, but no one else did.
Then the discussion went on to what needs to be done to create the “umbrella” of programs for transitional age youth. A lot of discussion about schools offering this and that, but no MH programs available. So they thought to look at what other systems provided. I asked, “Could we look at what we need, and what isn’t being covered also?"

Ok, so 15 minutes till we have to go out & present 2 objectives, and we still aren’t touching base on what the objectives are. Few have taken notes, and the ones who have, are still confused about this. So I raise my hand because it’s about time, and say, “so what I have down as , objective 1 is to check on the legalities and options available to gather and share info real time on a board, forum, or blog linked to ABHA’s website. "

So no one else knows what objective 2 is. So they ask me what I have down. So I list off what I heard it to be, plus I asked if perhaps gathering info on what transitional youth need and what programs there are available for them, could also use a forum to make that information and ability to post available to everyone as things change.

So the chair said, “Ok, what I will do is read about what we talked about then turn the time over to you to state our objectives. This went well and the Adult committee wanted to combine for the real time info forum because they had the same problems.

I asked 1 ABHA staff if I talked too much. He said, “You don’t talk enough!” The other ABHA people felt my involvement really helped facilitate the meetings.

To top it off, I was reimbursed $.55 per mile. That's 3 times as much as I spent on gas. And I was paid $15 per hour for 6.5 hours of meetings. That will definitely help when I have to move to a one bedroom.

Then on the way back, I stopped to enjoy the scenic pull outs. It was gorgeous! Just being out in the pines, hearing and watching the rapids of the McKenzie River, and picking up a rock here or there to remember the trip with, made me feel like I was home again and remember family trips when I was young.

What an empowering trip! Good things are begining to happen and I'm going UP!

Monday, April 27, 2009

Eugene Days in the Yard




I Found these pictures I had taken as a teenager. I’m guessing that it’s around 1985. It shows some of our yard (front and back). You guys might not remember it then because you were little, but we had allot of fun there. It looks like a really hot day by the clothing.
This picture only shows the far left corner of the back yard. To the right is a grassy area with a play fort including a swing that Jeff made in Jr. high wood shop.

That’s Robert playing in the sandbox that was made with an old tire. Paul and he would make roads in it for their hot wheel cars in it. I think that’s a bucket of water by him so he could pour it on the sand and make the sculpted roads hard enough for his cars to run on.

Back by the fence, is Paul with his friend, Patrick Cantrell. His older sister, Christina, and I were best friends. I’m guessing they are playing cars too. They would run them along the fence railing. I took the picture from the deck.


Here is a picture of Robert giving Christina a horsey-back ride in the front yard. I think they are about to go through the sprinkler which is running back behind them.

I remember spending some Saturday mornings weeding that yard with all the rest of you guys doing Super– Saturday chore around me. Then we got to do something fun, like go to a movie, Go to the roller-skating rink. Also Saturday morning, Mom would cook waffles with wheat fresh from the wheat grinder.

(I’m calling Robert “Robert” in this because he absolutely did not like to be called any nick names like “Rob” at the time.)






Friday, April 24, 2009

A childhood memory with Dad


Mom gave me some pictures to scrapbook of an outing we took as children. I only remembered some things and thought it would be nice to scrapbook what our car rides were like since I don't think they are journaled anywhere else, so I took a little creative license.


OREGON WILDLIFE
SAFARI 1980
Jeff was 10, I (Jana) was 9, Paul was 4, and Rob was 2.


THE TRIP THERE

It was a long 2 hour trip, for us kids in the Brown family Station-wagon. Long enough for the usual “Dog Party’s” that went along with most family trips:

Jeff and I argued about Jeff’s “spring legs” that were squishing me. Dad saying, “Jeff, control your legs”, and Mom asking, “Do we need to put your “spring legs” in the trunk?”. Dad asked, “Shall we tie you to the top of the car?”.

Paul would sneeze so hard that it made Dad jump. Then Dad would ask if he had sneezed himself inside out. (Or maybe that was a different trip.)

Robert, who was 2, pointed out 57 Chevys all the way there. He was smart from the get go.

And we joked and laughed and played car games (like the alphabet sign and license plate game, and I see something that…” all the way there.



THE SAFARI

When we got there, Dad got strict and told us, “Let’s be quiet, now!” I think we must have still been having a dog party.



Dad was a professional photographer at the time and had a very nice, expensive camera that he took pictures of the animals with. Funny but he did'nt get any of us. That was probably just because this was a drive through safari. There was a dirt road that we drove on right through their territory. There were no fences or barriers, so we could get right up close to the animals. Dad had rolled down his window to take pictures of them. We saw buffalo, camels, and Zebras, which Dad got some great pictures of. But the one I remember is the emu.

The Emu

Then we got to an emu. He looked so funny to us because we had never seen one before.

Well, that Emu thought we were just as interesting as he was to us, so he came closer to check us out. This was great! It was fun for us kids and Dad got great pictures of him!

The Emu got closer and closer, until he was right at our car window. Dad was still shooting pictures, and getting great shots of him. We thought this was a blast.

Then Mr. Emu stuck his head right in the car window and grabbed Dad’s camera strap!



It became a tug-of -war between Dad and the Emu. And that Emu had a pretty strong grip! Dad finally pulled the camera free, and started pushing the Emu out of the window. He was rolling up the window, which was done with a hand crank at the time. As he was rolling up, the Emu kept sticking his head back through the window.

When He finally had the window up, with the Emu out, I remember us driving off in quite a hurry.

I think we had a little car celebration with yeas and laughter.

(I don’t think Dad liked the laughter very much.)


This is written from the memories of Jana, with creative license due to the time gap between the event and this journaling. If anyone remembers differently, please contact me so I can update the story.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Some Illustrations you probably haven't seen



This tree village was drawn for school. It is actually closer to 20 inches wide.

The two below are just some fun little ones that I did up really quick.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Happy Birthday, Dad -Memories

Denise sent an email so that we all could remember and share stories about Dad on his birthday. I thought it might be easier if we had in on a blog so we can all see the ongoing stories.



"All~
I should have come to you before our family night tonight, but I figure better late than never. For our family night we talked to the kids about Lamar and told stories about him since our kids were too young to remember him. Paul, Becca and I told stories, including the time his bank got robbed by a clutzy bank robber (who tried to jump over the half-door and tripped over it; moved all of the employees away and never got any money out of the drawers; and then left before getting anything from his efforts only to be caught by the police as he was leaving -- he had looked so suspicious a customer who was going to follow him in instead went back out and called police); the time he was carrying something heavy down the stairs and smashed his hand and said, "Oh, oh, oh, swear words!"; how he said, "The older and older I get, the more and more I learn about less and less"; and how he LOVED to read and was a great story teller.
Anyway, I'd love any stories you all would like to contribute so we can tell our kids about him and every year remind them that their Dad's Dad was special.
Denise "





I remember how Dad used to get right down on the floor and play with us kids. When Christina was a baby, Dad had his pop-belly. And he used to lay down on the carpet and ballance Christina on his belly then laugh, and Christina would be bounced up and down on his belly as he laughed. All of us kids laughed too. It reminded us of the sceen in "Hop on Pop" by Dr Seuss. And the harder we laughed, the harder Dad laughed, and up and down on his belly Christina was bounced with her baby laughter stirring us on to laugh some more. Dad made time for us. And those were wonderful times. I wish you could remember it Christina. I can't write it justice now, but it was fun.
-Jana

Sunday, March 15, 2009

How Wonderful is the Spirit!


We had Stake conference today. I was troubled about something and needed answers from my Heavenly Father. So I prayed that during this conference I might receive some answers and reassurance that was so desperately needed. During the conference I was amazed as each speaker addressed one of the issues that I was dealing with. And as I listened, I also received personal revelation (specific answers to my questions). And reassurance filled my heart that these answers are true, and that the Lord, and my dear Heavenly Father, are all I need to lean on to receive this direction in my life.


"I Stand All Amazed", perhaps for more reasons than the hymn talks about. But what song could include all the incredible reasons to stand all amazed for the love that He offers me, or the grace that so fully He proffers me.


I am so grateful that I have the Gospel, and that my Lord, Jesus Christ, my Heavenly Father, and the Holy Ghost are there for me every time I ask for their help or comfort. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Our leaders are lead by God and inspired in what to teach us. Our prophet, Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet seer and revelator, and that Jesus Christ is the head of our church. This I bear witness to you in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.


Saturday, March 7, 2009

Visit to Kylee and Mia's

I just got back from visiting Kylee and Mia. Mia is so active and intregued by everything. She babbles and giggles and is so much fun to interact with. I took lots of pictures and even a video of her, then my camera stopped working. So I thought, at least I can take the memory card and get everything put to CD. But wouldn't you know, the camera messed up all the pictures so they were unreadable! And I had some good ones to. And the camera is just over it's warrenty time. If anyone is looking to buy a camera, don't get Kodak. I've talked to 3 other people who's cameras died just after the warrenty expired.

I did get to love on Mia and had fun interacting with her. She loves books and to be read stories. She even stays interested through the whole book! Kylee has been reading to her regularly. So now I want to get her more books.

I'm going back there in two weeks. I don't have a working camera now; I may not have any pictures to show next time either. But I will update you on my visits.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Bath Ripples

My friend had also taken these beautiful baby pictures of Mia in the bath. Her camera captured the ripples all around her as she waved her arms in the water. I love how those ripples suround her baby tenderness.


Kylee and I

I found these pictures of Kylee and I that a friend had taken:


Her hair was not supposed to turn out that color. She was not happy with it. It was supposed to be quite a bit more subtle. Unfortunately, she had her driver's permit picture taken with it that way. Oh, well. It is a good picture, other than her non-desired hair color.




Friday, February 13, 2009

Kylee's Birthday Party

On Feb 7th I went to Kylee's birthday at Sun Mountain Fun Center. It was great to see both Kylee and Mia. Mia is gettting so big. She loves to stick her favorite toys in her mouth. The brought her favorite bumble bee. Kylee's friend and I got some fun video of her with it. It's on her camera though. I forgot my own. So I'm trying to track it down to put on here. There are some cute pictures on that camera too, but everytime we tried to catch her smiling, her attention was drawn somewhere else or to sticking something in her mouth. There were bumper cars going on behind us that she couldn't keep her eyes off. Kylee and Mike were really good with her, every time that toy hit the floor out came the diaper wipes, to clean it off.

We bowled a session. Once Mike's stepdad's professional bowling ball came out of it's bag, though we decided that whoever scored highest after him was the winner. We put the bumpers up half way through to make it more fun.

Oh, and a crazy thing. We were watching the dance game over in the game section. this little boy about 5 or 6, gets up there picks out his sellections. He stands by the dance pads al ready to show his moves to his grandmother. The song comes on and this chearleader girl comes on puting her hands on her backside and swiveling her hips. The kid' eyes get big and he b-lines it off the game pad! I told him I would too! What sort of stuff are they teaching kids with these things?

Saturday, January 31, 2009

Kidation Station

I am working on getting a new blog/website up and going, "Kidation Station". It will have creative activities for kids to copy print and then do: coloring pages, Finish the picture pages, Create a scene (cut outs on a background), Follow the dots ( for about 3 - 5 year olds), Book making Station, Puzzle Pieces (Mostly just squares that you match up the picture parts to), and lots more. Right now I just have a few coloring pictures to do on there, but I have several Finish the Picture activities on paper right now, I just have to get them onto the computer. The others should follow soon. It's a work in progress, but I thought maybe some of you parents would like to use these for your kids.

kidation.wordpress.com

New Calling

I was given a new calling and it is just perfect for me right now. It is RS Bulletin Board Specialist (and poster- maker) . I get to use my creative ideas and really do some fun things, yet it isn't too demanding for my Chronic Fatigue. I think it will be really fun. The bishop also wants me to do the ward bulletin board. Nobody has done anything with any of them.

The only problem right now is that both my scanner and printer are down for a bit. I have ordered a part for my printer, but until then the Relief Society President is going to let me use hers.

I'm having fun designing them on paper and Publisher right now, don't think I'll have things ready for tomorrow, but hopefully next week.

They are having me do something really cool on the RS board. We'll have a "Needs" and "Want to get rid of" lists, so now that everyone is in a squeeze, we can share instead of spend. I think it is a great idea. We are also putting up skills or talents that people are willing to share.