HAPPY GRADUATION TO PARKER 2015

Friday, June 5, 2015 marked graduation for my youngest. 

I am finished with the public school system as a parent.

The graduation was quite nice - a very well behaved group of students.

Parker was on the podium as a Senior Class Officer.

We had a crazy party at our house that night.

He started working today - no rest for the new graduate!

 

 

Everything's Bigger and Better in Texas!

The long awaited, highly anticipated Mission Call came on Friday, May 1st....yes a Friday!

Family and friends gathered, Parker stood in front of everyone, the anticipation was mounting.

Texas Houston East Mission - reporting September 2nd to the Provo MTC!

At last he knew where and when....

He thought all along he would be going to the South. 
Many thought he would follow his Dad, brother and sister and go South America.
Some figured Japan.
He feared Boise or Southern California.

Every mission is unique - and more importantly I know that the calls are inspired.
The more I think about it, this mission is meant for Parker and I am so excited for him!

Sending packages will be easier - and more importantly he should get them in a timely manner! 

He can shop at normal stores.

He can eat at normal fast food places. 
He gets to live in a new State(s). 

He will experience humidity at it's best!

Hurricanes are a possibility.
The drawl is already beginning.

I have no doubt that the people in Texas and Louisiana will welcome my big tall handsome ginger with open arms!

He will grow in the gospel! He can talk to anyone about anything and I know he will have an impact on everyone he meets - member and non-member alike!

Healty Living Challenge

I just finished a Health Living Challenge sponsored/monitored/organized by my two nieces - Annie and Haley. 

I would call it a success for me.  I liked the approach - not focusing on the weight loss - but rather becoming more healthy. For me, I wanted to lose weight! I wanted to finally achieve my annual New Year's resolution of losing 10 pounds.

I was ready to quit after the first week - literally starving with stomach growling - and at the end of one week I had actually gained weight.  My personal cheerleaders (aka Meranda and Parker) encouraged me to give it at least another week. 

Well I stuck out the whole 12 weeks and voila - I lost the ten pounds (and a little more).
I became more conscious of what I eat, drink and do throughout each and every day.
My 10:00 a.m. Diet Coke restriction is now down to almost one a day - and not until around 2:00!
My energy level is up.
I'm ignoring the stomach growls (the best I can).
The first week off the Challenge I actually had my largest weight loss!
The most surprising thing is that I WON the Challenge and earned a healthy return on my investment in more ways than one!

Thanks Annie and Haley!

Three years goes by pretty fast

Three years ago on March 27, 2012 I went under the knife and had my first major surgery...

 

It turned out to be the best decision for my health.  

 

Apparently I chose a really good orthopedic surgeon.  (Preston is now an orthopedic sales rep and has confirmed that.)

 

The surgery went well.  The recovery was remarkable.

 

I guess it was meant to be.  I'm grateful and blessed!

What's happening.....

What's been happening in the lives of the Woods?

.  Parker started his last quarter of High School...hard to believe.  He is ready to be done - our slogan for the last few months "FINISH STRONG".

.  We have been painting the house - everyone helped.  I'm glad I have a 6'3" son with long arms.  I'm glad I have both a son and daughter who aren't afraid of heights and were willing to climb tall ladders and scaffolding!  I still have the trim to finish.  The last time I painted was probably over 10 years ago - the next time I paint - I will hire it done!

.  Beau is the cutest little guy!  He lights up when he sees us.  Of course, the world revolves around him when he is at our house.

.  Tennis season is in full force.  The first week included 8 matches.  This will be my last high school sport as a spectator for my children!  I drove the last group of tennis players to St. George for a tourney and I needed to fumigate my car when I got home.

.  Parker will become an Elder on Sunday and has his mission papers into the Stake President.

.  I joined the latest 12 week "Healthy Living Challenge" sponsored by my awesome nieces.  It's been good!  I feel better and have dropped some lbs!

.  I have been without a cell phone this week - and haven't really missed it - except when I need to text or talk to my family!  Upgrade day is Sunday!

.  We are busy planning Parker's graduation trip - to the Northeast in July - hopefully visiting 6 states. It should be a blast!

.  Meranda is training for a half marathon on May.  Her crazy work schedule continues to be crazy.

There you go!

It might be a conspiracy!

I am having issues with my car and my phone. 

First off the phone - I still use an LG "Chocolate" phone from the early days.  I call it my "Badge of Honor" - not giving into the new stuff.  It has quit working many times.  I thought for sure it had died in the Elk Accident and had even gone to the Verizon store to pick out a new IPhone.  They didn't have the one I wanted in stock and before I could go to the next store, the phone started working again.  Now it won't keep a charge.  I could not get it to charge over the weekend and was going to start using another dinosaur phone until my upgrade kicks in (another story).  Well guess what - yesterday it charged!  So I'll keep limping along until March 29th.

Next the car - there is a sensor in the driver door that if you don't shut it just so - you get the continual "beeping" that the driver door is ajar.  It's even more annoying when you get out of the car, shut the door, lock it and get the double beep - which means the door is ajar.  Sometimes it has taken me 10 times to get the door to shut without double beeping at me.  We had this fixed while it was still under warranty - and then took it back last week - I had had enough!  Even though it was a problem they supposedly fixed - now no warranty to cover it - I was not going to pay to have it fixed. I would just deal with it.  Well after some stern talking to the Edge and deciding to look for a new car - guess what....the double beeping has been at a minmum this week to where it is bearable. 

It is a conspiracy - my phone and my car do not want me to get rid of them. 

They irritate me for awhile and then start behaving! I'm a sucker for sticking with them!

The Jury is in Session

Believe it or not, Parker was summoned for Jury Duty.  He received the notification in late November or early December.  We completed the paper work, including the reason why he shouldn't have to serve....HE IS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT!!!!!

So a week or so ago, he received his YELLOW TICKET in the mail with the instructions to call after 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 16th to see if he had to report.  He called, listened to the message, and he listened again and he listened again.  His number was selected and he was to report to the court house on Tuesday morning at 8:30 a.m.  He was immediately stressed out!

All weekend he was a total worry wart...he was going to miss the first day of the new semester...what was he going to wear...how long would he be there...and on and on.  The night before he sent out help in twitter form - What should he wear?  One of his friends told him "Whenever Tina Fey on 30 Rock was summoned she would dress as Princess Leia, take a stack of 1970's playgirl magazines and tell everyone she could read minds".  That made us laugh all night and the fun began with scenarios of how he could act, what he could wear, etc.

At 10:30 a.m. I hadn't heard from him.  Finally at around 11:00 a.m. I texted him.  He hadn't been chosen, but he had to wait until the jury was selected.  It wasn't until about 3:00 p.m. that he was let out of jail.  No lunch (they brought in snacks) and no available bathroom (unless you wanted to go ask the baliff).  Lunch and bathroom....a big deal for Parker!

I couldn't wait to hear about the events of the day...here are a few:

***There were about 60+ people in the jury pool - which was apparently quite a few - because it was a big case - scheduled to last two weeks.

***There were all ages of people - he was the youngest.

***The questionnaire he completed asked questions like - What are your hobbies?  Are you marred? Do you have children?  What is your job?  What is your source of news?  What kind of magazines do you read? 
                  His source of news "Twitter/Instagram/Facebook"
                  His Hobbies - playing tennis and going to school
                  His Job - "I'm a high school student"
                  Is he marred/does he have children - NO.
                  Does he read magazines - "Sometimes the New Era"

***After completing the questionnaire they were called in to be interviewed. They had to introduce themselves and the Judge asked questions.  I guess Parker got a few chuckles with his answers and the judge told him that they were quite interested in him as a juror...but that they didn't think it would be good for him to miss two weeks of school.

We had a good laugh.  It was a good experience for him.  As he was leaving they asked if he needed an excuse for work/school which he proudly took with him this morning!