Wisdom Teeth Extraction

If you have ever had your wisdom teeth removed, you know all too well the agonizing pain and the recovery process of it all. I have always wondered why those seemingly, pointless teeth so deeply impacted are called “wisdom” teeth. About 90% of the time, they must be removed anyway, so what purpose have they ever served? I found the answer to this question after my husband just had two of his wisdom teeth pulled, just two days ago. I learned that wisdom teeth are the third and final set of molars a person will get in their late teens and early twenties. Hence, the reason they are called wisdom teeth. A person in this age group is supposedly old enough to have gained some “wisdom”. I think it is rather silly, but it is what it is. Sometimes, they can actually be useful to the mouth if properly aligned. However, in most cases they are not, and when misaligned, they require removal as they can damage or crowd adjacent teeth, the jawbone or the nerves. Needless to say, my husband is now home recovering, and although he is feeling better, he still has quite a bit of swelling, which has resulted in the look of chipmunk cheeks, which I have found to be adorable. He would beg to differ. I thought about posting a picture of him with his chubby cheeks, but I knew he wouldn’t appreciate that much. I can feel for him though, as I have had all four of my wisdom teeth removed, and I know it is not much fun. At least it is over and done with, and he will not have to worry about them anymore. Aside from the everyday routine, that is the latest update. I will keep you all posted.

Snowy Days Ahead

I really never thought I’d see the sight of snow again, after the last storm we received over Christmas. It had all melted, and the days seemed a bit warmer with no sign of snow to appear. I was excited at the thought of that, as I don’t much care for the snow anymore as I get older. I get very apprehensive at the thought of icy roads while I drive, and I don’t have the time to enjoy it anyway. I was feeling unsatisfied when I looked out the window this morning, only to find a blanket of snow to disrupt my day. I don’t know too many people who are fond of Mondays, but it can really be a rather depressing day of the week, and when the snow gets stirred up in the mix of it all, it’s no good. Since it is the busiest day of my work week, I found the snow to be a bit daunting, since I had to shovel it for three hours this morning, which in turn shaved off a good amount of time to be doing the other tasks I find to be more important. Although, I can’t say that it was so bad, as I did have a kind, old gentleman help me with my shoveling in order to get the parking lot clear for traffic and customers. Though, there are many advantages to the amount of snow we just received, as it means there will be good water runoff this year, and those who are avid skiers and snowboarders will be quite pleased. I also see it as a good form of exercise, since that has been absent in my daily routine since winter has settled in. Aside from the snowy weather, I have to say I have been feeling very inspired on many levels. It’s hard to describe in words, but I feel that this New Year will bring about many positive changes in our lives, that will get us heading in the right direction. My office is coming along, slowly but surely. I just got the curtains put up last night, and I’m in the process of finding the accessories and the other necessities to pull off the finishing touches. I’ve been looking forward to every moment I can spend in that room; conjuring up the many ideas I have to create a fun, successful business. We will soon get ourselves in a routine that includes exercise, daily meditation and study, as well as quality time to spend together, as all of those things are important. In the meantime, I will endure the snowy days ahead. Have a great day!

Thought of the Day

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a happy New Year. I received an email this morning that I felt I should share with all of you. With all of our new year's resolutions and goals, I do hope that we include prayer at the top of our list. I felt inspired by the photo below. We can learn a lot from this little boy, and if his dog can do it, so can you!

Surprise Christmas

Christmas went by quickly this year, as it does every year. I know I’ve been slacking in the blogging department, but my excuses are many with the holidays and the time spent with family. I’m not sorry though, as I’ve been blessed to have been able to share this time with our loved ones. I’ve been feeling very grateful. I don’t feel like I was able to give a whole lot this year, and yet, I was given many things that I both wanted and was in need of. It was just a few days before Christmas, when I had a rather random phone conversation with my mom. I was talking about a few of the candies I was going to attempt to make, and my confusion about a double-boiler. I didn’t know what that was, or how it worked, so my mom explained it to me. I wanted to make peanut-butter cups and toffee bark, but I didn’t have a double-boiler to melt the chocolate. She then gave me the suggestion to just melt the chocolate in a glass bowl with a pan of boiling water on the stove. I told her I didn’t have any glass bowls either, just plastic ones. I guess she made a mental note of that, because I was pleasantly surprised to get a double-boiler, as well as a few glass bowls in various sizes. Lee and I have been talking about ways we could save more money on bread, flour, and other grains for food. My in-laws have a wheat grinder that we just love, and we’re always going over to their house to get more wheat flour. We were surprised to receive one of our own this year for Christmas, along with a big bag of popcorn to make corn flour. I’m excited to begin baking our own bread and making our own flour, which will be much healthier. Also, we received some cash and a couple gift cards from my parents and our grandparents to go and buy whatever we might need or want. I was able to find a pair of curtain rods and some lovely curtains at a good price. I’m in the process of getting my office in order, and it will soon be complete with everything I need to make it a nice quiet place to spend my time designing pieces of artwork for my business. I do hope everybody has been enjoying the holidays, and I wish you all a very happy New Year in 2009!

Boise State Christmas Tree

Many of you know that we decorate our tree every other year with the theme of Boise State Football in mind. I know a few of you may be wondering just how a "Boise State" tree actually looks like in our home. Well, this year, I decided to take a picture of it for all to see. Unfortunately, the lighting in the living room wasn't so great when I took this picture, so the colors don't appear as bright. The unique part about our "Boise State" tree is that we use the brightly colored neon orange lights that you would use at Halloween, along with standard blue and white Christmas lights. People seem to think that is weird, but my husband doesn't like the amber-colored lights that resemble the color orange. Oh well, at least the Halloween lights bring out the true orange color of Boise State.

All I want for Christmas

This year, during the holiday season, I’ve been curious about a couple things. During this time of year, everyone seems a bit friendlier, with a demeanor less self-involved. I always wonder why this is the time of year that people are more empathetic and generous. Do we try to justify and make amends for our seemingly arrogant, selfish behavior throughout the rest of the year? This is not to say that we are not kind, with a giving essence about us at other times, but why is Christmas so significant? Is it the reminder of a belief that we hold so dear to our hearts of the birth of our Savior and the true meaning it holds for the Christmas season? Or, could it be the fact that many people have more time off work to focus on everything else much more important, which is family and friends? If you were to ask me, I would say it is a combination of both. We often times feel so frustrated, stressed out, and irritable other times of the year, and although it may not be our intention to act the way we do, I think we are just finding ways to cope. It is nice to see all the smiling faces, and the gentle nature of which we hold this time of year. It really does make the season brighter for everyone. All I want for Christmas this year is not my two front teeth, but many of the same things that everyone wants. I would love more time to spend with my family, and more time at home to enjoy the Christmas decorations that I spent an entire day putting out. If I could have any material possessions for Christmas, it would be the fabric I’ve wanted to make curtains and all the accessories for my office. The other would be a commercial stamp maker to make rubber stamps for my business. I seem to be busier than I’ve been in long time. I’m working more than ever, since I now clean homes as a side job in addition to my part-time job at the mini storage…not to mention our meetings and trainings for Primerica. This is really opposite of what I want for the time being…more time at home with family. It will have to do though, since we’ve had to struggle in a backwards economy. I will keep my head up, and always remain positive, as those days in a brighter future will come full circle. I will remain in the moment of the most wonderful time of the year. I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Grateful Thoughts

I have found it difficult to keep up with the network charade of blogging, with all the events and activities that have taken much of my time. I could hold the holiday season accountable for my lack thereof, but that just wouldn’t be a respectable thing to do. After all, I do favor this time of year, as it brings me great joy. My in-laws just turned 50 this year, and we had a great time surprising them with a party involving several close friends and family. Thanksgiving was pleasant this year, with lots of food to be enjoyed several times over. I am grateful we could spend it with both sides of the family. This year was the first time we ever got up before the crack of dawn to dash to all the “early bird specials” throughout many of the department stores this year, to shop for all the special people on our list. Although there were masses of people scrambling with urgency to find all the best deals, it was a breeze for us. With the anticipation of Christmas, I was excited to begin decorating the house and putting up the Christmas tree. I had to hassle with the Christmas lights, as many of the sets we have had burned out, or only half of the sets were working. I’m happy to say that my frustration is over, the decorations are out, and the tree is proudly displaying the colors of Boise State Football. In addition to my part-time job at the mini storage, and my service to Primerica, I’m also cleaning homes as a side job to make some additional income. So, there seems to be no end to my crazy, busy life. But, I’m grateful to have a job, a roof over my head, clothes to wear, food to eat, and all the little things in life that bring me the greatest happiness.

Thanksgiving Photos