Notice for you all! Stuff and stuff.
August 31, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [8]
~Hey. I just wanted to post to tell you I might not post today, and hopefully I will tomorrow. Make sure you comment if you liked my story and ask questions. Umm… Oh! And I dicided to have a contest. If you can solve my riddle, I’m going to put you in as a character in my story! The bestest! I’m even going to let you say what you want to be and how your personality is. But you have to answer by Friday. The question is hard, so if no one gets it right, then I’ll have another contest. Ok, here it is!
Your in a white room. Absolutely nothing is there. No windows, doors, vents, nothing. All there is is you and a piece of chalk. How do you get out of the room?
Hint: The answer has a basicly impossable answer that involves math. If you think about it, it makes sense.
Ok, good luck!
From Jordan the awesome. 
*wink*~
Finaly… weeeeee… ^^
August 30, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [7]
~I know its been FOREVER since I said I would post it, but here’s chap 2 for Coal Wars.
I stared at the small puddle. I’m sure my expression was some mixture of anger, and amazement. I couldn’t believe it. That was the largest pond in the entire forest. Susan slowly backed toward me and ran up to my head. “Oh Rosy, what are we going to do?” I inhaled a sharp breath. I was fed up. I quickly turned and headed north to the heart of our forest. I was running on all fours to get there faster. “We’re going to talk to the elders about this; this is getting out of hand and something has to be done about it.” I scampered across a pasture surrounded by trees. I turned a sharp left and headed back into the forest. “But first we need to tell the others about this.” I could feel her nod her small round head. We soon burst out of the brush once more, but instead of a pasture, a large field of dirt lay ahead of us. A rockhopper had stopped digging and was standing, staring in our direction with his gray eyes. I smiled inwardly. He always knew I was comming.
I skidded to a holt a few inches from him. “Whats wrong, Rose. You seem uneasy; your breathing is irregular and your heartbeat has increased to.” I sighed and befor I could explain, Susan started. “Rosy had saved me this morning and we went to get something to drink at Spearow pond, but its all dryed up! Its just a small puddle now!” her cute voice annouced. She grabbed the attention of the rest of the Rockhoppers around us. I nodded. “Artek, we need to go get the others and do something about this.”
“You mean the elders?” he asked. “Yes,” I said in a grave tone. He sighed himself and turned around and sniffed the air a few times. “Let me go tell Ma I’m leaving,” he said, running down into the maze of holes.
Artek was one of my best friends. He was a Burrow Rockhopper, also known as Digger and Meerkat Rockhoppers. He had a family of 34 and they were the largest clan of Burrow Rockhoppers in the area. Another family lived a few miles from here, but came every once and awhile to talk to Artek’s family. Artek had short pointed ears that went down and long feet. His paws were brown at the tips and he had strips on his back and ears. He had short hair on his head and chest and a long slinder tail. His eyes were also rounded by dark brown to protect them from the sun. I sighed. I’ve always loved Artek’s eyes, even after they turned clowdy and gray. Susan was humming a tune on my head. Her squeeky little voice echoed through her throught as she hummed a familiar tune. I could put down the words.
“If only, If only,” the woodpecker sighs,
The bark on the trees was as soft as the sky’s.
The wolf waits below, hungry and lonely,
Howling to the moon “If only, If only.”
My thoughts of the song were interrupted as I was rammed into the ground. “Ouch!” I looked up to see Artek on top of me. We both blushed and got up. “Sorry… I couldn’t smell you fast enough. I was running. My ma said yes, so I was excited…” “Mm hm,” I moaned, understanding. He wouldn’t have known I was standing right there. “My fault,” I said reassuringly to Artek, who still looked apologetic. Susan, who had flown off my head ran over to us and climbed on my head again. “How come I always have to carry you along, Susan?” I said accusingly at the small squirrel-like creature on my head. “Because, you run faster then me, and your head is comfy.” I sighed at her logic. “C’mon, we better get the others. Lead the way,” I nodded and started off north again, this time with Artek behind me. I looked back every once and awhile to make sure he was Ok. I still don’t know why I did though, because he knew every inch of this forest better then I did. His feet were longer then his paws, so he bounced when he ran on all fours. I found this funny, but right now I had to get the others.
We later saw them about a quarter of a mile later, all leaning over to look down a ditch. I skidded to a halt a few feet behind them. Artek heard me stop and bounced beside me. Katie was the first to notice our entrance. “Rosy? Artek? Oh guy’s, I’m sooo glad to see you both!” She pulled us into a tight hug and Susan quickly hopped onto her head. Or-Tal and Crow looked back as well. Crow sighed at Katie’s giddiness. His black wings covered his back as he turned his back to look down at the ditch. I walked over to him, Artek and Katie at my side. Susan now rested on Katie’s head, always preferring her over me when possible. I looked down the ditch as well and sighed. “I don’t smell any water,” stated Artek. “That’s because there is none,” exclaimed Or-Tal, who was at Crow’s left side. Her voice was dull and flat like she didn’t care. You could tell she did though. She just always sounded like that. Katie sighed. “She’s right. It used to be a lake. There’s nothing left. What are we going to do? Its only going to get worse…” Her voice drifted off. She was right. First the water would go, then the plants would die. Food would be hard to find, and eventually, we would all be fighting each other for scraps. I sighed. I had been doing a lot of that lately. “Were going to see the elders,” I said. They all nodded, even Crow, without hesitation. We turned, and I led them into the heart of the forest.
Hope you all like it. Comment so I cant talk to ya all!
Katie-Greek: Pure Or-Tal-Hebrew: Morning dew Artek-Gaelic: Possibly bear or stone
I’m going to try and get mom to scan pictures of the characters, so don’t freak if you cant figure out how they look. I’m going to post the next one by Monday, I promise!
P.S Can any of you see something speacil about Artek? Five points if you can!
Love ya,
kisses! =3~
Oh, Crud, Here Comes GUSTAV
August 29, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [2]
Weather Underground has the latest info.
Looking at the latest models as of right now, there’s a VERY good chance he’s coming to pay us a visit here in the Southeast Texas area!
The thing that worries me a bit is the so-called “Loop Current” that has a very nasty effect on hurricane strengthening if the eye rides over it for any length of time. Back in 2005, this was the main reason that Hurricanes Katrina (late August) and Rita (late September) blossomed into large storms - Rita was actually a Category 5 at one point, about a day and a half before it came ashore right on the Louisiana-Texas state line.
Oh, well. Maybe we’ll come up and stay with Beth and Paul early next week! I’ll bet they’ll be thrilled, especially if Beth has to have any more surgery!
The only thing that we really have to worry about is power outages. That makes life VERY difficult.
McCain Picks Rohrbach!
August 29, 2008 | Funny, Politics | Comments [1]
Hey, guys, does John McCain’s new running mate remind you of anyone we all know (and love)?
Great Site!!
August 29, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments
I found this site on the internet thats free. Its call “Fitday”. You plug in all kinds of numbers related to your health and it automatically makes graphs. It lets you know your progress each day on weight, vitamins, mood, . I love statistics and its the best I have ever found, you have to check it out. I really like the fact that it lets you know what vitamins you might be deficient in each day.
Better News on Beth
August 28, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [4]
Beth got the news on her MRI. It is not another collapsed disc, thank goodness. It is swelling caused by the surgery, but still may need to be corrected by more surgery, which will be done on Tuesday, if the swelling doesn’t go down by then. She’s being treated with (Cortisone packs???)
Anyway, her phone went dead, so I didn’t get much information.
New Grandbaby
August 28, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [1]
Ben and Julie know the gender (sex?) of their baby. I thought Ben posted it, but guess not. I’ll leave that for one of them to announce, and let all of you stew until they do. Meanwhile, i’m trying to find out about Beth.
Phone is busy.
Beth - New Problems
August 26, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [8]
Just spoke to our sister on the phone.
She’s been doing just fine until yesterday when she noticed weakness in her LEFT arm. She says she can barely lift it, and the pain is very great, extending into her shoulder. This is unusual because until now it has been her RIGHT side that has been affected by the spinal cord problems.
While I talked to her it was apparent that she is very upset, and very frightened. This has been heightened by their inability to get in touch with her surgeon, who has been almost continually occupied with surgery during this time. She began to cry, and said that she feels that she has reached the end of her rope, she’s so distressed.
I asked her to make sure to say a prayer, to ask the Lord to help her understand the reason for her difficulty, for there is always a reason for everything, even the most intense pain and suffering. I told her that I would pray just as soon as we hung up. I closed my office door and did so.
I would ask that we all do that when we have a spare moment. I feel impressed that there are lessons that Beth and all of her family and friends are expected to learn from her ordeal. I also feel that she’ll be okay, ultimately, but right now I know that things seem very dark for her. A lot of that is her mental state. It is weighing her down greatly.
Let us all express our love and concern for her in the best way we can.
Google Maps
August 25, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [4]
Every few weeks I check “Google Maps” to see what “street views ” have been added. I checked the other day and now you can see moms house at street view now and walk up and down her street. They still haven’t added Birmingham yet, but I am sure they will eventually. Oh when you look at Mom’s house the truck and Carmen’s car are parked out front.
Beth
August 23, 2008 | Uncategorized | No Comments
I called her yesterday (Friday), and she was better, but not getting the rest she needed, because Dylan had been sick for three days, and out of school. Of course, being sick, he was clinging to her, and had little to do with Paul. Poor Beth. But she is beginning to notice some very good signs that the surgery was a real success. Her hopes are high, and that’s keeping her spirits up enough to deal with homelife….the cards that are dealt a woman with children. It is what it is!!
Fay Fay Go Away
August 23, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [1]
Will it never end? It has poured off and on all day again. We just got through a thunderstorm, which hasn’t really happened. There hasn’t been that much thunder and lightening. However, Fay has supposedly moved off toward Alabama and Georgia, and we’re getting her “signature” now. She has really left one on Debary. I cannot believe how many homes are underwater no more than a mile or two away from us. Glen Abbey, the swank elite gated village where Holli’s parents lived is underwater (that is to say that water has moved into those homes up to one foot. They are just sitting in a lake all around them. And now come the mosquitoes, and other awful bugs, and snakes slithering in the water, along with frogs and gosh knows what else. Very unsanitary conditions. We are so grateful that we’ve been spared, and I can’t tell you why. Teyla and I stood on our back porch, and watched the rain pelting down hard, and it looked like we were truly going to be flooded. I kept looking for it to come in the front door!!
A Dream About Buddy
August 22, 2008 | Nostalgia | No Comments
I took a nap today, and dreamed about Buddy. You were so young, and slim. You didn’t have a shirt on, and at first I didn’t notice how slender you were. Suddenly, it dawned on me. I said, “Buddy, you have lost a lot of weight!” Oh No!! I just looked up, excuse me….this is not in the dream. There goes a little squirrel hustling up a tree, and darned if it isn’t pouring down rain!!!
That was all of the dream anyway, Buddy.
I can’t believe this. Where did the sun go?? And here comes the wind again. Well, i’ll give an update later.
The Sun Peeked Through
August 22, 2008 | Items of Interest | No Comments
For a little while. I think it’s over,though. I believe the storm has moved out of our area at last. it rained hard all night and all day until a little while ago (about 4:00 PM). Luis did work in the yard for a little while, but had to scoot back inside, when it started raining again, but now it’s stopped, and i think maybe for good. It has really been an experience. Five days and nights of constant hard rain and winds from 20 to 45 MPH. Debary has been in the middle of the mix. We were hit from three directions, as Fay made a circular sweep on her slow trek inland. Don’t know where she is now, but maybe some folks that really need the rain are getting it.
Bonnie Beutler Story
August 21, 2008 | Nostalgia | Comments [6]
Thought everyone might get a kick out of seeing current photos of our little Bonnie Beutler at the Hollywood debut of her latest choreography on MTV “American Mall” filmed in Provo.
Beth’s Home!
August 20, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [5]
She was released from the hospital today; Paul has driven her home and although she said she felt pretty good (according to Paul), she conked out again as soon as they got home.
The boys are supposed to come home this afternoon (he said “on the bus” so I assume school’s back in session in Hoover). They haven’t been read the riot act yet about leaving Mom alone but Paul assured me it would be done.
That’s about it. She’s able to converse on the phone, I think, so of course everyone call her and bug the heck out of her so that she’s completely worn out from all the yakking. She likes nothing better.*
* I’M KIDDING!!!!
P.S. B. Hussein Obama trails John McCain in most of the latest Presidential preference polling as of this morning, as I understand. Completely off-topic, I just thought I’d get all the good news in at once.
Love, Bill
What About Beth??
August 19, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [4]
Brenda told Maria that the surgery went well. I haven’t been able to get in touch with Brenda either at work or at home. I don’t even know what hospital Beth is in! What kind of mother am I, anyway!? I want to call Beth if she’s up to it.
Bill, do you know anything yet?
Your name is in the temple, Beth. We are praying for you. Somehow, in my heart of hearts, I know that you’re going to make a full recovery. Everything is going to be just fine.
Love, MOM
Fay may knock out power
August 19, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [1]
The storm may knock out our power, and we wont be able to get news on the website about Beth right away, but maybe our phone lines won’t be down. It’s still just a tropical storm, and the last news report is that it’s losing power as it travels inland. Obviously, it’s slow, and still hasn’t made up it’s mind in which direction to go. I’m sitting here at nearly 2:00 AM, and guess I’d better go to bed, but I’ll be anxious to hear first thing from somebody in Birmingham when Beth is through her surgery, or from you, Bill, if you get first word.
beth 2
August 18, 2008 | Uncategorized | Comments [1]
Just want beth to know i’m thinking about her, am praying for her and love her. I tried to call and text but my cell phone isn’t working. so, maybe if she checks this site before tomorrow she’ll see this. Lots of love Beth!!
Beth
August 15, 2008 | Items of Interest | Comments [1]
As most of you know by now, Beth is going under the knife on Tuesday. I have found what I believe to be a good description of the procedure HERE. Basically, if she doesn’t have the surgery, she is risking almost certain paralysis. Already she is experiencing a feeling of deadening in her extremities.
Beth has promised me to contact her home teachers to receive a priesthood blessing prior to the surgery. Of course, she is in need of all our prayers. She is very frightened, as I’m sure any of us would be under the circumstances.
Dad/Bill Sr. will be at the hospital during the procedure along with Paul (and I’m sure, others). He will be in charge of letting Lainie, Buddy and me know what’s going on, and we’ll contact Mom as soon as we hear from him. One of us will post any updates here on the blog as soon as possible.
Again, please remember Beth, Paul, Ryder and Dylan in your prayers. In fact, I’m sure EACH of us could use a prayer as well. I know speaking for myself, I’m very preoccupied with worrying about it.
Love to all.