First Day of College (in 26 years for me)

Today was our first day of college! Whew--- we made it through. I do have to confess it was the easiest school day I have had for a very long 40+ years! We only have one class on Monday and Wednesday and the course is called Strategies for Success, a 2 hour class right in the middle of the day. Dumb, dumb and da'more.

Tuesday and Thursday, we have two classes. Computer Fundamentals and Medical Terminology. I am requesting a drop for the computer class and my past college 8 credits of Computer Tech might just get me the justification for dropping the 3 credit hour class. Then I will have one class on Tues and Thurs too. This is dumb too.

I am so hopeful for the change, because I don't want to be wasting my time in a computer class learning the fundamentals: keyboarding, what a computer is, what computers can do.... ect., when I feel I have gone beyond that with my all my experience in computers from data entry to computer operator to programing and now blogging, commenting, filming and editing videos and uploading them to the Internet, surfing and researching and learning as I need to know.

I can't imagine being stuck in a two hour class where I would feel like I was wasting my time, I would rather be spending the time on the internet- or studying something more helpful like Medical Terminology!

Anyway, today we went for our Success class and our class was very overcrowded. The teacher asked if any of us would like to change to the later class, so we volunteered. We stayed about an hour and then she excused us and said we did not have to return until Wednesday. Because the exercise we were doing wouldn't carry forward to the new class time/group.

The class was fun in the fact that we got to learn about a bunch of new college students being introduced by each other. We each spent time interviewing a student and then we were to introduce him/her to the class. Kori, the teacher, told us to never mind the exercise, which we had already done and were ready to do the introductions. She excused us from class and had the two students we interviewed, interview each other.

The class was boring and non-productive because we didn't learn anything towards our own Success Strategy. But this class does have quite a few exercises to it. I am most happy learning and not doing as I learn, but a lot of people learn better doing while learning.

I don't feel bad about not doing the exercise, because we have actually taken a class called 'Successful Life Management' which looks like it will be very comparable to this class. The only difference is that the one we are taking now is required for our Diploma and the one we took earlier was not done as a college credit course.

I really feel that one can not learn enough about success, self management and life strategies. So apart from the (silly to me) exercises the class will be a great refresher and testimony that life is good and we are in charge of whether our life experience is good or bad. We make our lives what they are by our attitudes. 'nuf said.

So of course Hubby was telling everyone we got booted from class. You should have seen the wide eyes of some of the folks at the school. They believed him!

But that time was well used as we turned in old college transcripts and asked about me dropping a class. I had to fill out an add/drop form and get approval, so I am waiting for the approval. I will check on that tomorrow.

Shari & Hubby head off to College

What a busy weeks continued.......................


I have been debating on returning to school myself. I have done some investigation into different fields and schools. So has my dear Hubby. I decided to put it aside until I get the kiddos off to school and then look into things again by September.

I got a call last Wednesday, the 19th, from Provo College telling me that had room in their Physical Therapy program if I wanted to start on Monday, otherwise I would have to wait a whole year. I also was looking at their Pharmacy Tech which would start on the 31st- a week later. I had to think long and hard to make the right choice. And it was the longest day of my life.

However, after conferring with my husband, my parents, a Physical Therapy neighbor and my Heavenly Father, I decided that I would do the Pharmacy Tech program.

So I have registered for the Diploma program which is about a 10 month program. Then I will be able to go to work and can continue with getting my Associates in Pharmacy Tech. I feel really good about this decision and am ready for the challenge it brings.

I have been doing a lot of thinking and researching concerning returning to college for the last few months, but this all fell into place very quickly and feels very right.

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Michael was all set to take the RN program through Stevens Heneger College, but our biggest hangup was that the classes were in Ogden and that would mean a long commute, wear and tear on our one car and the gas for the gas hog, and when would he have time to study and work? It was a huge problem.

So then he changed programs and was accepted into the Healthcare Administration program that is out of the Provo Campus and he went for a week. He started in Psychology and was really liking that class. He got a laptop with this school and he was all psyched.


But then I got involved. I was never keen on his new choice of program. It was bothering me something awful.

So I convinced him to check out Provo College with me to see if we could get him into a better and less expensive program as well as better use our car. We are sharing one car still.


So he came with me and tried to get into classes to get into their RN program, but that wasn't going to work. So as I was filling out my paperwork and talking to my admissions rep, he finally said- why don't I do this too?

Why not? He was looking into Pharmacist School about 5 years ago, so it is something he is interested in. So we both signed up.

We can use our car to get us both to school, we will be able to spend 4 days a week with each other without the kids in the car. We just won't have one date night, we can have four dates a week! I doubt we will get sick of each other, so this is really a wonderful blessing for us.

We will just have to tighten our financial belts even more for a few months. The only thing I am nervous about is his getting work with the bus company during the week. They don't have much work for the evenings, that would allow him to get home at a decent time so he could sleep before school again.

He is still looking for other work, but nothing has come his way yet. Hopefully a job will come now that we are scheduled for classes and really know where his time is already committed.

We were blessed to receive Pell Grants and other financial aid that will help with the cost of school. Hopefully all is going to be well with that aid.

We are applying for scholarships now, and it would be great if we could be awarded some additional help.

And if you are wondering, there were lots of other things that were intertwined throughout the past week that helped make it a very busy week!!!

Gotta love it.................

Life should never be boring.

Invasion of the Sunset Haven Neighborhood!

What a Busy Week continues............

Then also on Wednesday the 19th of August, we ended up in the mess of a huge neighborhood problem. Our neighborhood is next door to a Charter School that services grades K-9. They are a 'no bus' school and so there are hundreds of cars that come to drop off and pick up their kids every school day.

This year, without any communication or notification to the residents of our quiet neighborhood, the school asked the parents to drive through our neighborhood to enter the back of their property for pickups and dropoffs.

It has been a disaster for the last 5 days!

I want to believe that if the school had asked for our input that maybe some of the neighbors would not be so angry and we would all not be so frustrated.

I don't have to endure a lot of the problems. One street is having the cars stack up in a line in front of their homes. Blocking their road and driveways. This is also making some of our resident nervous. We don't know who the drivers are, but they have the opportunity to study our kids, our homes, our comings and goings for this 30-45mins they are parked in line waiting for their kids to get out of school.

Yes, the lines start about 30 mins before school gets out and cars have been sitting on our streets for up to 45 mins! Most of the drivers turn off their cars, but come cooler days, our neighborhood will be filled with exhaust from these cars. No way............. No good..............

The drivers are blocking driveways, they are blocking the other roads and intersections. They are blowing through our stop signs. They are speeding. They are focused on getting to the school and not on being courteous in our neighborhood. We have been offended!

We have one way into our neighborhood, so when the cars get lined up, does that mean that our residents have to wait in the that line to get to their homes? If they go around traffic, they are then in the oncoming lane and isn't that dangerous and maybe even illegal?

The pickup and dropoff method the school has used in the past did it's job. There was congestion on the main road, and at our entrance, but it was not an invasion of our peaceful, quiet, secluded neighborhood that has only infrequent local traffic. and one way in and one way out.

So in addition to getting the kids ready for school and getting them settled into school, I have been on traffic duty. I have been filming, tallying and taking photos of the invasion as well as talking with neighbors, the school principle, the City manager and the police department. It has been a busy last 7 days. I am now ready for a rest!!! A reprieve...... is long over due- a stress buster.

I have learned a lot though. I have learned the basics for digital video recording, editing, uploading, file conversion, and lots of other things. So I am now going to share some of my video production results with you.


Here is a just over 3 minute video showing 5 cars that came into our neighborhood in the morning for drop off. They however had apparently missed the memo that told them not to use our neighborhood for morning drop off. The school's gate was closed and the drivers had to backtrack out of the neighborhood and take the kids to the school's entrance.

This took more time and I am sure these poor parents were very frustrated. They blew the stop sign on the way in and then I saw them blow the stop sign behind the gray car at that intersection. I would bet that they blew the other stop signs on our other streets too. Ugh..............


Also, Please turn off the volume. I have/had not learned how to edit the sound and the radio was on and I heard a bad word in a song and quickly turned it off, but it was too late............

Do you love to watch vehicles run stop signs?

Well then head over to my YouTube channel (Sharinskishe) and
watch these runners.
There are 5 videos and they are as boring as boring can be.

But some of these drivers are flagrantly running our precious safety measure STOP sign. And I have proof, the school and police department have proof. Now, if we can just get the drivers to do their part and slow down, stop and proceed with caution.

Pilot Started School - High School!

Wow!  What a week- continued..........
         

Last week on Thursday I sent my son, Pilot,  off to High School!  
    

I think I have mentioned before that he gets to go to the high school as a 9th grader to help lesson the number of students at the Jr. High.  So my other baby is in High School this year!  Good thing I only have two babies or maybe I would have one in college too...........................  
                   

He loves the new high school.  (So do I.)  He is so exited about most of his classes.  He came home on Friday and told me he loved his Seminary class.  He was beaming such a huge smile about how fun Seminary had been.  He loves his teacher there too.  

(Seminary in our church is a class that kids can take every year during 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th grades.  It is done before school or during a release time period during the school day.  Our church has provided a building next to the high school for these kids to meet in and learn more about Christ and our church believes.  It is not required, but I loved it myself when I was young.)

                 

He also loves his TV and Video Production class.  He is so excited for this class- I am excited for him too.  He is going to be learning and doing so much fun stuff.  Right now they are learning about commercials and his first assignment is producing a commercial, from start to finish.  Awesome!
           

He is so excited for his Engineering Drafting class too.  Already he is learning so many new and fun things that will help him in the future.  
            

He seems to be happy with all his teachers and classes.  I think he will have a great year.  
                   

He was sick on Monday and would have gone, but I made him stay home.  He was not happy about it either.  But I felt he wasn't well enough to go and it wouldn't have been fair to the others if he brought germs and spread them around.  I am encouraged that he is determined to go to school even if he doesn't feel well.
                  

One of the classes he missed on Monday was English.  One of his great aunts teased him that he was "sick" 'cuz he didn't get his homework done.  Well he did get it done and was all ready for all his classes that day.  
                

So the next day was an "A" day and even though he didn't have English, he went to see his teacher.  He gave her his homework and she was impressed that he came and handed it in when he returned to school even though he didn't have her class that day.  
               

I hope that he will keep this interest up and take school as a serious responsibility so that he can do well and progress on to the next step in his life's plan.  
(Airline Pilot)

              

He is a good boy/man.  I am happy that he is learning to be responsible and trustworthy.


             

Angel Started School - Jr High!

Wow! What a week!  
 

Last Wednesday I sent Angel off to Jr. High!
 

My baby is almost 12 and she is a new sevvy.  She is loving 7th grade at her school.  It is so fun to watch her get ready in the mornings.  
   

She has such beautiful naturally curl-wavy hair, but she hates it!  So she has to straighten it every morning.  She still looks beautiful with straight hair, but I hope someday she will embrace her natural hair and enjoy it. 

       

I told her this morning that I tried really hard to get into the right lines in Heaven so that I could get her curly hair.  I also got her straight teeth.  I got both these things for her, and her brown eyes. 

            

She likes her brown eyes, hates her curly hair and wishes she could have braces or a retainer! 

        

The dentist told her that maybe she could use a retainer but that her teeth are nearly perfect!  She was heartbroken when he said that.  I was so happy that her teeth are so nice, sure saves on orthodontist bills.   Aren't kids funny?

         

Angel was really tired this morning.  She went to bed at almost a decent time but it was her alarm that made her tired.  Her alarm went off and she got up to straighten her hair.  She got done and was feeling really tired, so she decided to just sit on bed against her pillows for a little bit.  She fell back asleep.  When she woke up again, she looked at her clock and it was 7:27am, and her bus comes at 7:29am! 

           

She jumped up, was frantic and said she noticed that outside was dark and didn't look right.  So she looked at her phone and read the time was 5:27!  Her alarm clock was wrong!  She had gotten up at 3:30am to do her hair! She wanted to get up at 5:30 to straighten her hair- now it was 5:30 and she was already done with her hair. 

            

So she got comfy back on her pillows and waited for 6:30am to come along- then she would get up!  Hubby got up this morning to make sure the kids were up.  It was then that we found out what an interesting morning Angel had had.  I did not hear a thing when she was up earlier.  She must have been really quiet, she was being really considerate of us sleepers.  She is a very good girl.

           

She is liking most of her classes and most of her teachers.  She has one teacher that seems to have an attitude problem.  Hopefully this teacher is stressed out and will become more positive in the next few days.  Otherwise Angel says that she will have to endure the yelling- but if this is a real problem and not 7th grade exaggeration, then I might have to see if the school can do something.
            
I am happy that she is really liking school.  She is such a social butterfly and is right in her element among her peers.  She really tries to be a friend to everyone.  I am proud of her.
                

      

         

Sunday Summary - Oquirrh Mountain Dedication

The Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication   

August 23, 2009

Photo taken 5-15-09 (our 16th Anniversary)

        
It was a great day to attend the Oquirrh Mountain Temple Dedication.  My Hubby and two awesome kids went to our Stake Center ( One of the church buildings that serves our area) to watch the dedication via satellite.  I was so grateful to be able to be there with my small family.  We went at the same time my parents were going, so we were able to sit with them.  Two of my nephews were able to come too, they were on their weekend with their dad.

We were shown photos of the interior as we listened to beautiful music as we waited for the 3pm session to begin.  There was such a beautiful spirit in the building.  The members who were there were very reverent and it was very peaceful.   It was as close to being in the temple as I have ever been, without being in the temple.

I loved having my dear family around me.  I know that families are forever and that we will be able to meet up again after death takes us from this life.  I also know that this blessing of being together is a gift from my Heavenly Father and that I must lead a Christlike life and earn my gift.  I must do what he asks and follow his commandments.  It is not easy, but it is totally worth it.

I am grateful for the gift and blessing of the atonement and my right to forgiveness if I heartfully repent.   I know that Christ lives and loves each of us.  He is our Savior and Redeemer.  I am thankful for my testimony of Christ and grateful for the blessings I receive daily from my Heavenly Father.

Make Do Tips in the Kitchen

    

There are a couple of make do tip's in this photo.
    

First, I have a box, it is quite sturdy and it holds my spice bottles that I use regularly.  I (me and only me) try to keep the salt and pepper in the front left portion of the box.  I can grab them very quickly.  For a while I could reach up, anywhere in the box and pull out what I wanted without looking and usually get the right bottle.  

          

But.................     Enter little cookers......................... 

           

People who have decided to make their own eggs and other foods

AND

have decided to use spices in their own dishes.  
   

They (the other members of my household) tend to mix everything up in my box.  This is really one of those things I am not going to battle over.  Because I know that in a few short years, my two will be out of my home on their own and I will be missing them tremendously.  So I will be happy that they are home in the kitchen, learning, experimenting and having fun.
    

The second make-do here is putting the can opener in the cupboard instead of keeping it on the counter.  I do keep it plugged in for quick use.  This way it is off the counter and out of the way.
    

But I have learned something, out of sight is out of mind.  As you can see, the can opener needs a good cleaning.  And when it is hidden from view in the cupboard, I lazily forget to clean it when I am getting the toaster!
    

And that mark on the cupboard that looks like marker......... well it isn't marker.
It is a natural staining in the wood grain.
Could have fooled me..........Wait!...... 
It has done several times and I know what it is!  lol.....
Even after more than two years, I still have to do double takes when I open that cupboard. 

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Thanks for visiting with me today and leave me a comment if you have the time.
   

Now jump back to Ann's site for more Make-Do Monday ideas.
    

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Life Can Be Busy At Times

I have been on hiatus for the last week. I apologize for no posts and few visits and comments on my fellow Bloggers sites.
   

     

Here are some fresh picked tomatoes and peppers from the garden.  The green tomato had fallen from the bush in the Great Wind Storm we had this past week.  It was extremely windy.  But we were fortunate NOT to have the hail that northern Utah was hit with and our gardens survived the storms.  We are truly grateful.

Life is getting busier as we head into the new school year. Both kids received their schedules and both want/needed to make changes.

Pilot was able to make his changes and now he is all set for the first day which will be the 20th for him. His fees just about killed us, he is in ninth! but is going to the High School because the Jr. High is overcrowded.

Angel also paid her fees and they too were high, but not quite as high as Pilot's. We are going to try to get Angel's classes changed tomorrow, but I am not sure that we can yet. We might have to wait for some official date. She is really excited and looking forward to getting back and into the learning thing.  Her first day is next Wednesday, the 19th.

One thing I noticed is that their yearbooks are $10 different in price. I guess Pilot is getting a 'High School' Yearbook and not a 'Junior High' book. I guess we pay for his being unique this year. His gym clothes are also higher, again must be the high school prices. Bummer!

Angel has her locker assignment, but doesn't know who her partner is. Pilot has chosen a partner and paid for his portion of the locker, but can't have one assigned until the open house(s) next week.

The High School is just about done. It looks awesome and Pilot is so excited about going to a brand new school. 

Like he has never done that before! Snow Springs Elem- brand new. Pony Express Elem- brand new. Willowcreek Jr. High- a year or two old. Now Westlake High- Brand Spanking New.

   

Angel also has had/will have a couple of brand new schools- Pony Express and next year The new Jr High here in Saratoga Springs. These kids are truly spoiled!

    


There is a sidewalk being constructed that will be easy for the kids in our neighborhood to get to and make the journey to their Jr or High school easier than going down the main busy road!  I am happy about that.  We discovered that Friday night when we thought we should look for a way to walk across the field to the schools.  We are blessed!!     
    
     
Really, I wonder if I have done them some injustice?? They have only really known our last two homes and both of them were brand newly built. The churches are all brand newly built. Nearly our whole community is brand new builts- homes, churches, stores, businesses, streets, parks, schools. We have an occasional farm home that was built 40 or 50 years ago, but for the most part everything here is new. I must ponder on this later and make sure that I teach them to appreciate what they have and definitely not look down on those who don't have the opportunity or have chosen not to live where we do.

Make-Do Planter from a Thrifty Find

Make Do Flower / Veggie Planter

   

 

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 This is a Thrift Store find.  I made a planter out of this discarded Ice Cream bucket.  Nothing came with the bucket except the handle.  So I decided to make it into a planter.  Last year I put in this tomato plant.  It was fun having it on the front porch.  It did quite well too.  I had to water it often, but it did well.

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This year I have planted flowers in it and they are struggling right now, it has been extremely hot and the planters are not getting enough water.  My bad.  I just have been too 'heat related lazy' to go out and drag a hose around during the heat of the day.  

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And then in the early morning when it is cool, I have not gone out because I am still trying to avoid mosquitos.  I am pretty allergic to mosquitos and don't want to get any bites, but hate putting on bug repellant, so I try to avoid the bugs.

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Thanks for visiting with me today and leave me a comment if you have the time.
   

Now jump back to Ann's site for more Make-Do Monday ideas.
    

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Check out my other posts for these meme's: