Here are a few pictures of Brinlie's Birthday party.

We have had a relatively quiet Sunday today. We went to church and Larry has been doing homework and Erick and I have been reading. Larry bought me a book I have been wanting to read and I read it last night and this afternoon.

We bought a new computer from my brother Keith and finally took our old ones down to him yesterday to get the information transferred to the hard drive and then Larry realized that he needed his test for school off the hard drive so Keith did a rush job and we went down last night at 10:00 p.m. to pick up our computer. It is so nice to have a computer that actually works with the high speed internet.

Yesterday I went down to clean house for Mom (Grandma Jenkins) and I had a good visit with them. I found out that Kyle not only had the same Birthday as Jordan's new baby but, he also had the same birth weight and length as their new baby. Grandma and Grandpa gave their old love seat in the family room to Amy for her new townhouse and bought a new couch so that it would be long enough for Mom to lay on. My brother Larry has also had a lot of head aches and Cameron, Craig's son has been in the hospital again this week. He is still not completely well. I was not sure what the problem is. Mom said that they thought at first that he might have crones disease.

Larry and I went out for dinner last night for Valentine's because on Valentines what time we had for dinner was spent taking a cheesecake and flowers to the Happy Sumo for BJ to present to his date. We went to Tepanyaki. It was wonderful. We had a good time. The steak must have been prime it was so tender. We also had a lovely romantic evening going to the church dry pack cannery for Valentines.

Erick had some friends over for Lasagna again last night and then they went to the Conference Center for a concert by the Orchestra at Temple Square. He said that they had a good time. He stayed home for Valentines however, and he gets home about 12:00 a.m. on Tuesdays and 9:45 p. m. on Thursdays from school.

Maren and Landon and Brinlie are all sick with a sore throat and cough. Landon has had it most of the week but Maren came down with it on Friday and Brinlie is starting to get it today.

BJ had a great time for Valentines planning things for Holly. He took her to "Build a Bear" and they each built bears of each other. Then he took her to the Happy Sumo for dinner and had them present her with a couple of roses at the table before dinner. They went to Happy Sumo because she likes sushi (so she would get along with Nathan) and then he ordered a cheesecake from the Cheese cake factory and had them present that to her at the table after dinner. It all went well except that the cheesecake was shipped on dry ice and I didn't take it out of the box when it came and the restaurant didn't take it out of the box when I delivered it so it was frozen solid when it was served!

Kirsten and Jon spent alot of time going to doctors last week because they thought he had type I Diabetes but now they have decided that it is type II. They spent about three days going to doctors. Kyle went to his dad's for the weekend and they did not have Jon's girls this weekend so they have had the weekend to themselves. Kirsten has a new cell phone that is supposed to forward the calls but I have not had good luck with the forward so call me if you want her temporary number.

Misty has a new job working for the post office as a data processer part time. It works good with Jeff's job right now. Jeff is still working nights. The kids are really growing up. They are having a party for Owen's birthday at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday at their house.

Michelle and Daniel went to Bear Lake for the weekend while it is the President's day holiday. Daniel's brother has a cabin up there. We tended their kids last Saturday while they had a Valentine's date. The went to dinner and their Stake had a sweetheart dance.

Isaac had a good birthday with Sara and Granny Gail and David. Nathan had to call because he could not get time off now and when the baby is born, also. I called and talked to them for a few minutes. Sara is getting a cold so pray for her that she will get better before the baby is born. She is also having water leakage problems so Nathan is looking at options for different housing for his family.

We had a family party for Kyle's and Isaac and Owen's birthday last week at the house and had everyone here. We had a good time and enjoyed all the grandkids being here. I have some pictures that Erick uploaded that I will try to post.

Saturday night we had Michelle's kids and Kirsten's kids here to tend. They all had a good time playing together. Kallise is really getting around with her crawling and we had a hard time keeping her out of the toilet. Later that night we had to go shopping for the birthday party and I had to shop for the restaurant simulation that we do at school. Erick went to Krispy Kreem for me to get hats for the simulation and came home with two dozen donuts that everyone enjoyed at the party.

Tuesday and Wednesday I had to go to a work shop on Advanced Strategies for ESL Students at the district so Monday night after ESL class I was planning for a sub for two hours. Tuesday I got feeling a lot of pain in my back shoulder blade and did not feel well most of the night but I had Maren come and wax my legs went visiting teaching and then went to Kirstens to see if she could massage it out as Larry was at class. I kept feeling like I would just like to lay down and die.

Wednesday I started feeling better after a shower. I had NAL game after the class at the district which we lost in the last two minutes and then we went to Happy sumo and to the cannery.

Thursday and Friday I stayed at school and worked on grades and helped students with sewing while Larry was at home working on his homework. He spent all of one day trying to get the computer to work and that is when he made the decision that I had done the right thing to call Keith about a new computer.

The restored gospel is the only true church. Please do the things to keep your testimony alive, pray and read the scriptures. Christ is there to help you in the things you think you cannot do.

Maren called on Monday and said that she had passed her state test with a 93. She was pretty excited about passing. Now she can get her license and begin working some. She and Landon have gone to St. George this week with his business. I suppose with the way things have warmed up lately it is really nice in St. George this week.

Monday I had ESL class until 6:30 p.m. after school. The Larry and I went shopping for a few things at the grocery store and to get prescriptions we both needed. We got home about 8:30 p.m. and Erick was just getting home from his ward family home evening.

Tuesday I stayed after school to help some students sew and finished a few projects for TLC and threaded a serger that needed threaded. Larry brought me the infiniti so he could take the malibu to class then I stayed longer at school and worked on getting set up for the lab the next day and put some scores in the computer. I got to bed about 9:30 p.m. I woke up at what I thought was the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and the power was out. Larry was in bed with me and I thought he was asleep. I went back to sleep worried about how the alarm would go off. The next morning the alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. I was amazed. When I told Larry about my amazement he said that he had reset the alarm after the power came back on. When I ask him when he did this he said about 12:30 a.m. about the time that Erick got home. I had been so sound asleep I did not realize that Larry had got up to sleep in the recliner because he could not sleep without power to his C-Pap machine. Erick had stayed at school until late working on a project for his class and got home just as the power came on and I didnt even wake up for that. It was weird. We ended up going back to sleep for an hour and I was almost late for school so I was glad I had everything set up for the class that morning.

Yesterday I had another NAL match after school. We played Centerville Jr. High. We lost by a few points which was disappointing. Then Larry picked me up and he had bought some Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner for me because I invited some of my Hispanic Mexican neighbors over to talk about Mexican culture for a paper I have to do for my ESL class. We both enjoyed talking to Rigo and Alma Guitierrez and Margarita Tovar. There were a lot of things that were interesting but they said that in Mexico there are very few jobs available for women over 30 because there is a prejudice towards having someone who looks good working for you especially as secretaries and receptionists. They said that women my age are not hired and if they want to work they have to start their own companies.

Today Larry picked me up about 3:30 p.m. I had a meeting after school and then we went home. I had planned a primary party to celebrate the birthday of one of our children and so Margarita Tovar (who I teach with) came and most of the students and they had ice cream and cupcakes and looked at the fish. The cupcakes really made a big mess because they had lots of frosting. I am teaching 6 year olds this year and Margarita brought two of her grandsons and they really smeared the icing. Larry went and paid several bills while I was doing this. I took the kids home and when I got back he had the mess cleaned up but thought that was the messiest party I had given in a long time. Now we are at the Family History Center working our shift.

We had a great spirit at testimony meeting today. I felt my testimony so strong. I want to do a better job of living the gospel and doing my callings. I have the cutest primary class that I am teaching with Sister Tovar. They are six going on seven and really enthusiastic about the church. Larry bore his tesimony and I was surprized at the depth of his feelings for our Bishop and his calling, but not surprized by the strength of his testimony. He is truly a blessing from God in my life.

I wrote about Frescas this week but last week Larry needed the computer on Sunday so I didn't get a chance to update what was happening to us and everyone.

Maren took her State practical test a week ago Saturday on the 27th. Erick went as her model. She picked him up at about 5:45 a.m. that morning because they had to be there at 6:30 p.m. About 7:00 a.m. Erick called Larry and woke him up. Maren had forgotten her license and they would not let her take the test without it. She could not get Landon to answer the phone so they needed us to go wake him up. I was already dressed in sweats so I put on my shoes and volunteered to go. I decided that because he had the baby at home with him that I would just get the license from him and take it up to Maren. Everything was going good until I got to Ogden and it was foggy with the inversion from last week. I could hardly see where to get off the freeway. Erick had told me to turn at Wall avenue and I could hardly see the street signs. All of a sudden I noticed that the street sign I was at was Wall avenue. Then I realized that I had come to a stop on a green light. I looked over and could not see any cars in the turn lane and it was a red arrow so I moved over. Almost immediatedly there was a car behind me with flashing red lights. To make a long story short I got a ticket for driving irradically and not having my license. She asked me for my license and I said that that I didn't have it because I had forgotten to get it when I left in a hurry. She looked and my hand with Maren's license in it and said, "What is that in your hand?" she also was not sympathetic to the fact that it was foggy and I could not see any thing. She said that I pulled in front of another car in the turn lane but I honestly did not see another car. Larry said it was probably the policeman that I pulled in front of because I have been trying to figure out how she got behind me if I pulled in front of another car.

Larry has had a headache all week. He did not go to class on Tuesday because it was so bad. He still had it yesterday but it has gone today. He has been helping me sort out paperwork so we can get our bills paid now that we are not having Terry and Sandy do it for us. We went to the temple on Friday night and had a good time together. We got home about the time Erick got home from work.

I got a cold on Monday and felt bad most of the week. I couldn't stay home at all because my classes had so many labs and demo's in the schedule so I just took medicine to make me feel better. I tried to use all the sanitation techniques that I know but I will probably have some students sick because of it. When we had to take Frescas to the vet on Thursday I was aching so bad I was wondering if I would be able to get my homework done for ESL which was due on Friday. I couldn't stay home because I had to be observed for part of my homework and because of the labs one observer was coming in on Friday. I finally decided to get a half day sub and work on my homework in the morning and then go in for the afternoon classes. I didn't feel good when I went to bed, but I said a prayer that Heavenly Father asking for help to get the work done. The next morning it was like a miracle. I did not take medicine for the cold and I felt fine. I was able to get the work done and turned in on time.

Nikki has a new job. She is teaching pharmacy tech classes at a college in Salt Lake area from 6-10 p.m. in the evening. Jake has been tending the kids for her and so far Ashton has been good for him. But he is really clinging to her during the day. She and Lexie have been working on scrapbooking on Sundays after church. Lexie has lost about 7 teeth now she was really excited to tell me.

BJ was down last weekend. We had a good time talking to him. And we all got together with Maren and Landon and played Apples to Apples. He seemed to be getting pretty serious with Holly but he called yesterday and said that things were not going well so maybe she needs her space or maybe it just isn't going to work. He is very busy trying to work and go to school full time. He has added classes to his schedule so he will be prepared to go to UCLA , therefore he has a extra full schedule. He went to church with Aunt Marva and Uncle Charles today because he had to work.

Erick has been busy with school also but he always has time to play a game on Sunday with us. He is really getting into his student ward. He goes there for Family Home Evening and Scripture study on Sundays besides the regular church meetings and he said today that he has a date for the CES fireside to listen to Elder Bednar. He was the only one that could get Frescas inside on Thursday when he was so sick. I was glad he was here.

Maren got sick this week too, but hers was more like the flu or strep. She had aches and a sore throat but no runny nose. She was really feeling terrible for a few days. We went and bought the stuff so she can to waxing and hopefully I can get her to wax my legs now. Anyway if you need waxings she can do them at home now. Brinlie is as cute as ever. She will have to learn to say fish or cat now that we no longer have a dog.

Kirsten and Jon are coming over today to play games and have dinner. Kirsten had a lot of computer and printer problems a week ago so she spent two days trying to resolve those so they didn't have time to come last week. Kyle's birthday is this Tuesday. He will be ten. He is leaving to be with Aaron on the third weekend so we were thinking that we could have the Feburary birthday party next weekend. Michelle and Daniel are going out on Saturday so we probably will need to meet on Sunday. It is also Isaac's birthday on the 16th but I don't think they will make it up and Owen's birthday is on the 23rd and Larry and I are going to St. George that weekend for the UCTE conference.

Sara went down to McAllen to see Nathan this weekend and stay with him. She was able to leave the boys with her mother for the weekend so they are having a weekend alone. Nathan said it would probably be the last time she could travel before the baby. She is going to the doctor on Thursday. I talked to Jeff at the last birthday party and he said that Larry remembered wrong that he wasn't in McAllen on his mission.

Michelle and Daniel are going out for Valentines this weekend on Saturday and we are tending the kids for them. They had a marriage enrichment fireside that they went to last Sunday. We are looking forward to spending some time with the grandkids.

Mom and Dad sent us a sympathy card with $20.00 in it for Frescas. I think knowing my dad that there was a hint of sarcasm in the gesture be we appreciated it.

I just got home from the vet. We made the decision to have our dog Frescas put to sleep tonight. He has been having a hard time walking and lately he has not wanted to climb the back stairs when he has been outside to go to the bathroom. Last night he woke me up about 1:30 a.m. to go out and I let him out but he would not come back in. He acted like he wanted to be in but he did not want to climb the stairs. I tried three times between one and four-thirty to get him to let me help him and he would just run away. Larry tried a couple of times. Erick was able to get him in about 6:00 a.m. but he started gagging like he was going to throw up and wanted out again. Erick got him back in but when we got home tonight he was walking like a drunken sailor. He almost didn't make it in the car. He refused to sit in the car as we went to the vet and he sat and was shaking the whole time we were waiting for the vet. The vet felt like it was the most humane thing we could do to put him to sleep. He was almost 14 so that is about 98 in human years. I have a picture of him somewhere but I can't find it