Atlanta Vacation

 

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We took our family vaction last week to Atlanta. When we arrived in Atlanta, we stopped by the Temple for pictures and to the LDS Bookstore. Afterwards, we went to the Goergia Aquarium. We had terrible directions from MapQuest and downtown Atlanta is not somewhere you want to be lost! We finally found an "Ambassador" on a bicycle and he showed us the way. The Aquarium was fun, but for the record, too overpriced ($101 for our family)! We were able to pet stingrays,shrimp and some mushy-gooey red thing. The biggest fish there was the whale shark and happened to be George's favorite. It was huge! When the tour was over, we were ready to go to the hotel and relax. The kids were able to swim and I hit the internet to find a local scrapbook store. Friday morning, we went back downtown to the COKE Factory. We had no problem finding it. We were all in a fantastic mood. This tourist site is something our whole famliy gets into. We love COKE memorabililia. We were able to see all of the historic memorabilia from all over the years, and see a 4D movie where the seats shook, and wind and water is blown on you, etc. It was so amazing! After the movie, Forrest and Sadie were interested in tasting 63 different flavors of COKE products from all over the world. It was so funny seeing the expressions of their faces. One drink had Goerge and Forrest sneezing because it had too much bubbles in it! At the end of the sampling, were were able to cleanse our palatte with the real COKE and that put a Smile on our face! We were able to pick out our own COKE bottle that was bottled as we toured and then we moved on to the best part: The COKE memorabilia Store! I could have bought one of everything and would have been happy, and broke! The COKE Factory was by far the best tourist attraction we have done in a while. I recommend it to everyone!. On our way home, George drove me back towards the Temple for the scrapbooking store. I was excited to go, but when I got there, I was disappointed. Too big of a store with too few supplies. I did get a new acrylic stamp set I'be been wanting. We headed back to my sister's house in Lagrange GA. The next couple of days would be filled with movies, WII, playing at the beach at Calloway Gardens and jusst relaxing with family. The bad thing about vacations, is that they all must come to an end.

Kids are Growing up!

 
 
Look at my children- They are growing like weeds and a lawnmower will not stop them! We experienced a couple of "firsts" in the life of growing teenagers today. Forrest received his first paycheck from his first job outside of the home. He is working with a good friend who owns a construction business and he worked two days last week and earned $104.00. I had to document the hundred dollar bill, because you know it will not last long! He's not afraid to get down and dirty and sweaty. He told his boss yesterday while they were building a back deck/overhang, "This is fun!" We are so proud of our son! Sadie's is a little bit more girly-girl than a paycheck. Today marked the first day she shaved her legs! I told her I was in the 6th grade when I did and I guess she wanted to continue the tradition! Last night, George and I were sitting on the couch with our legs on top of each others and Sadie came and sat down beside me and put her hand on what she thought was my leg and quickly pulled back and said, "You need to shave your legs!". I busted out laughing because it was George's leg she had her hand on! You know I'm a true scrapbooker if I'm documenting my daughter's first shave! In three weeks, Forrest will begin his high school years (and early morning seminary) and Sadie will begin her middle school years. My babies are not little babies anymore. Where did the time go? I bet my parents are saying the same thing. They're quickly on their journey to become grown-ups, but they'll always be my babies!

Happy Fourth!

 

 

 

 

For the past two years, my friend Amy has told me every aspect of her family's Fourth of July Celebration and how fantasitic is was, etc and how the firework show was the main attraction. After hearing about it for the past two years, this year she invited our family to go! We normally do not do much so we welcomed the change. My sister came into town from Georgia so she was able to tag along with us. We drove about an hour to Huntland, TN to this beautiful home on the lake. There were many of Amy's family and ward friends there and it was nice to see her family again. When we arrived, there were six men in the field setting up for the fireworks show. Forrest was quick to offer his services to help! He'd never been around os many explosives before! They set up for the show for more than an hour. The food was straight out of a Southern Living magazine. Aewsome! After we ate the kids play badminton and then it was time for the main even to start. The men, including Forrest, took their positions at on of the three stations and began to set off the $800 worth of fireworks at the same time. The show lasted about 30 minutes and was absolutely fantastic! Our family had a blast and the best part was that Chris and Amy invited us back next year!

Girl's Camp Update

 

 

Last week was our stake YW Girl's Camp at Camp Hulaco, in Arab. We have been looking forward to this year's camp the day we came home from the preivous year's camp! That is how awesome these camps are! I am so fortunate to be the camp director which entitles me to go each year! Last week was my fourth year to go and now that I'm officially in the YW Presidency, it looks like there will be many more camps in my future! Yeah! At last minute, two of our girls decided not to go. (Their loss, not ours!)We took five girls and two leaders. Did I count myself as a girl or a leader? Anyway, were bonded so much in the four days we were at camp. Even though we have three 12-13 yr. old girls, the two older ones (about to turn sweet 16 in a couple of weeks) really made them feel accepted, therefore making a strong bond between them. I love these girls so much! They have such sweet spirits and strong testimonies that really grew throughout the time at camp.
All of our girls completed their certification and they were so proud of themselves. WE were very thankful no one found a tick! I guess we found plenty of them at precamp that they decided not to bother us at the real camp! I really enjoyed seeing my friends who I went to camp in my youth with who are now leaders too. There is nothingabout camp I do not like! I can't wait till next year. There will be a new kid on the block coming to camp: my daughter Sadie! YEAH! She has been waiting so patiently to go to camp with me. So, as I said in the beginning of this blog, we are already looking forward to next year's camp!

Blue Angels Airshow

 

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Since we have been going every direction this month, Goerge and I decided it was time for a family outting. Since we only had to pay for parking, we decided we would check out the airshow at the airport Saturday. When we were in line to park, we were able to see the acrobatic airplanes. We arrived just in time to not have to pay for parking. The Blue Angels was the last performance of the day and we arrived just as they were about to begin their routine. The Blue Angels had our attention from the time they took off to the time they landed. It was so awesome! We were amazed at their stunts. One time during the performance the planes were out of sight and then all of a sudden you hear this massive noise and there flies a Blue Angel jet over our heads! AWESOME! I took over 200 pictures of this event. Why? Because it was fun! We had a great time. ( I am so thankful we were not there when the massive wind gust took out the tents that resulted with one fatality and 12 with injuries. Our prayers go out to these families.)

Life is a Highway!

Life has been crazy here at the Walker Pad. This picture is a shirt that describes me these past couple of weeks. I have filled my car 5 times in the past two weeks. That tells you I have been busy and driving everywhere! Good thing we bought a Honda Civic for gas mileage two weeks ago. It's classified as a "compact car" and compact it is! Coming from a Chevy Blazer, this car is a matchbox! We are still adjusting to the much smaller car. The civic is going 100 miles more and is $25 less per tank of gas. Technically, I saved $125 in two weeks!

The last two weeks were so busy, I have stayed home all this week just to catch up. I had precamp at the Broadhurst's house in Tennessee the weekend before last. It was a lot of fun, minus the ticks! Last year, Pat and I stayed up till 4:30am talking. This year, we were too pooped! When I came home from camp, we had to pack Forrest so he could spend the week with the Stamps. Cay put on the distrcit Cub Scout Twilight Camp in Fayetteville, TN and Forrest was part of the staff. I was in charge of the physical activities on Monday, Wednesday and a Family Day on Friday. It was so hot last week I was very thankful that the camp was a "twilight" camp. We were there from 4-9pm. I provided parachute acitivities, speed staking (stacking cups) and Field Day events on Friday. I drove to Huntsville and Fayetteville everyday but one day last week. Crazy, I know! On one trip to Huntsville, I met my mom at her cancer doctor's office. Her xrays found a lung nodule he immediately ordered a ct scan. I wanted to be her support for the results. We waited forever for the to see the doctor, but the wait was worth a "NEGATIVE" result. YEAH! We were so relieved. The nodule was some scar tissue from her radiation from her breast cancer 5 years ago.

Once the Cub Scout Camp was over Friday evening, I brought Forrest home and we immediately began to pack for his week long Boy Scout campout. One of the drivers had to cancel, so Saturday morning, Cay and I made the trip with the boys. I thought it was in Knoxville, but it turned out to be almost to Virginia! We left at 10am and I returned to my house at 2am Sunday morning. Yes, I was exhausted! It was a fun trip with the boys. Forrest and Kagan cracked us up!

During this craziness, I was late to every appointment and obligation. I even mixed up the time of Forrest's orhtodonttist appointment with Sadie's dentist appointment from the previous week! I was even hunted down by a couple of friends because they couldn't get in touch with me. One came to the scout camp and the other called my parents in Athens and my sister in Georgia looking for me! (Since I have a "track" phone, I no longer can call while I'm driving!) This week I have ordered a mandatory lockdown for myself. I have stayed home except for a doctor's appointment on Tuesday and I am loving every mintue! I have really enjoyed my time with Sadie and not hearing the fighting of siblings is soothing! I have caught up on some much needed sleep and house cleaning. I have dechunked all week long. The feeling of a clean house is priceless!

Cay and I will leave tomorrow night to pick the By Scouts up and hopefully catch a tourist attraction on the way there. When I get back, I'll pack for YW Girls camp, drive to Athens to drop Sadie off at Granny's and then back to Huntsville to drop Forrest off at the Roper's for the week and I'm off to Camp Hulaco. I'm so looking forward to June being over! I want my family back and under the same roof!

Financial Crisis

I just read an article titled "How rising home value, easy credit, put your finances at risk" (usatoday.com/June 17, 2008) This article focuses on how the banks advertized for homeowners to take a line of equity to pay off credit cards during the peak of home sales and now they have over-extended themselves and have run the credit cards back up, as the banks raise the credit limits to allow for more spending and raising the fees associated with not having the money to pay this debt back. (I do not know how to link this article, so if you want to read it, leave your email in the comment section and I'll send it to you.)

As I read this article, this statement pierced my heart:

Banks are "hoping that in an atmosphere of tight credit, these people will have nowhere to go and be forced to pay high interest on their card balances," says Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard law professor. "It's a straight forward profit calculation."


This articles blames the banks for making credit easily available to consumers while the bamks defend themselves saying the consumers had the choice to spend or decline the money.

After I read this statement, I instantly gave thanks to Heavenly Father for giving us council through latter-day prohets to not go into debt. Here are a couple of qoutes from The Church of Latter-Day Saints prophets and leaders given to us:

* President Heber J. Grant once said"If there is anyone thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart and into the family, it is to live within our means; and if there is anyone thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet."

* President Gorden B. HInkley:"We are beguiled by seductive advertising. Television carries the enticing invitation to borrow up to 125 percent of the value of one’s home. But no mention is made of interest.

* President J. Reuben Clark Jr., in the April 1938 general conference, said from this pulpit: Once in debt, interest is your companion every minute of the day and night; you cannot shun it or slip away from it; you cannot dismiss it; it yields neither to entreaties, demands, or orders; and whenever you get in its way or cross its course or fail to meet its demands, it crushes you.” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1938, 103)

* President Gordon B. Hinckley, CR October 1998 "I recognize that it may be necessary to borrow to get a home, of course. But let us buy a home that we can afford and thus ease the payments which will constantly hang over our heads without mercy or respite for as long as 30 years"

* Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles reiterated this counsel:
Avoid excessive debt. Necessary debt should be incurred only after careful, thoughtful prayer and after obtaining the best possible advice. We need the discipline to stay well within our ability to pay. Wisely we have been counseled to avoid debt as we would avoid the plague. …

“ ‘Live within your means. Get out of debt. Keep out of debt. Lay by for a rainy day which has always come and will come again. Practice and increase your habits of thrift, industry, economy, and frugality’ ” (“If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 36).

* Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin, Quorum of the Twelve "Remember this: debt is a form of bondage. It is a financial termite. When we make purchases on credit, they give us only an illusion of prosperity. We think we own things, but the reality is, our
things own us." (Ensign, May 2004)

Go to lds.org to learn more about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.