For Adam's and Austin's 9th birthday this year we went for a picnic up near Red Fleet Resevior. We had lunch, hiked around a bit and then our friend Erica brought her guns up and let the boys shoot them. It was the best present they could have recieved. After we ate and shot guns, we then went down to Red Fleet and put our feet into the water. It was brisk and refreshing. All in all it was a great day.

Austin shooting a 22

Erica had a small 22 that was perfect size for kids and only holds one bullet at a time. But we thought we would also let them shoot the regular size one as well. It was a little big for them.

Austin shooting the kid size 22

Shaylee, Lily, Annamarie, Bobby, and Blaine watching the shooting and getting a course in gun safety from Erica.

Adam, Austin, their friend Jayden, Shaylee and Lily

Erica getting out the guns. She has quite an arsenal. It was fun.

Blaine and Anna hiking

Blaine and Anna hiking, but now you can see they were quite a ways a way.

Shaylee

Blaine and the kids on top of the rock

The Rock

Blaine and the kids hiked to the top of the rock

Blaine and the boys on top of the rock

Erica and Bobby

Our friend Erica

Blaine

Lily

Annamarie

Erica's daughter Shaylee

Adam eating pudding

Spring is here!

Spring is quickly passing and time is flying with it. It is almost summer and once again I am faced with the excitement of sleeping in every morning and at the same time the worry of how to occupy my kids during the summer months. Alot has happened, but most note-worthy is the fact that I am expecting our fifth child. I have an ultra sound next Wednesday to give me a more precise due date, which I am very excited for. I am impartial to which sex this baby is, and it will be the tie breaker baby. Of course, the girls want a girl and the boys want a boy. It will be interesting. I am excited but can't wait for this morning/all day sickness to go away... it is getting old being nauseous most of the time. On the upside, I am done doing daycare, which I am thoroughly enjoying. I have lost the patience I had with other people's children and am just getting by. I am also die-ing of heat already, and it is only May. Thank goodness for central air!

This coming weekend we will be going down to my grandma's cabin for the weekend to relax and get away. It will be nice to escape and enjoy some family time. It will be nice and relaxing, with hopefully very few accidents from the kids.

Sherry Brokaw Needs...

So you go to your favorite search engine and type your name followed by needs (for example please see the heading to this post. Then you hit go and list the top ten responses on your blog. It is funny. Try it....

1. former quality control office director Sherri Brokaw nothing more than a scapegoat ... DISD needs some young blood that are not Teachers, Hall Monitors, ...
so I am a scape goat in some sort of district conspiracy... interesting....

2. I represent Sherri Brokaw in this matter, to which you refer. ... Support the bond issue because it does support the needs of our kids
hmmm so I have support in my conspiracy?....

3. Sheri needs more data, or needs to hope for a larger effect size.
What is effect size??? and why do I need more data???

4.Sheri needs to find out why she's being contacted by a collection agency.
What?!?!

5. All four of her children have special needs, which means Sherry needs a lot of time to care for them. Two of her children, as well as Sherry herself...
And I thought they were all normal, just wild andcrazy like their parents....

6. Brokaw needs to leave it to us to decide and ask questions! .... Sherry, October 7th, 2008 9:59 pm ET. Brokaw, this is our island and we VOTE YOU OFF! ...
And I didn't even know I was on an island....

7.If you need data, let me know.
Hmmm.....

8.Sherri Brokaw @ 11:51 AM Mon, Mar 03, 2008 ... Now we just need a larger school building to really enhance the learning environment. ...


And from here on out they get weird however there was one from my blog:

Musings of Sherbet
I also need to start Lily's gift of a bathrobe and Anna's gift of a .... Sherry Brokaw, parent and spokesperson for the Sunburst Terrace community, ...sherbearsmusings.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default - 80k - Cached - Similar pages

How cool and weird at the same time.....

So Much Happening......

So Much has happened since my last post. I am sure most of you thought I forgot about my blog, but I didn't. I just got caught up doing facebook, rearranging my house, doing daycare, etc., etc., etc!!!! Life fills up fast, but here in the next couple of days, I will post pics and some sort of explanation of what has been going on with us. Until then, hold on, it is coming...

This is my handsome baby brother. He is on his mission right now in California, enjoying warmer weather than we are here... but that is okay. I just wanted to say I am proud of him and that he is a pretty cool kid, who has a pretty cool gal waiting for him.

So I thought I better start with a picture, it is more fun that way. I am a little bummed today. I was going to get liscensed to do daycare in my home, but I can not. I live in a Mobile Home zoned area. I payed alot for our house, only to find out I live in a mobile home... I thought Modular homes were supposed to be better than manufactured. Hold their value, resell better, be better quality... but I might as well be living in a single wide for all the good it is doing me. I could have a residential home for disabled or elderly (like a rise home or a beehive house) but not an in home daycare. Like I am a daycare center! I just want to watch kids instead of working outside the home. And I could attempt to change the zoning, but apparently that won't help and I still wouldn't be able to do it. How dumb is that. Here is the other factor, the largest daycare center in Vernal has just closed it's doors. It was registered over 100 kids. Now tell me where they are all going to go for care? That is right! No where. I am just frustrated with the whole governmental system. I am sorry for people that are thinking more government is the answer.

So, now enough of my rant. I am sorry for neglecting my blog. I have been slightly crazy with the holidays coming and going and all that is involved with it. I have been making two quilts, and although they are not perfect, actually far from it, I am almost done. I just need to sew the binding on to the edges. Then I will be done and can wrap them. I am also making 3 baby quilts for my two girls and the girl I babysit. I also need to start Lily's gift of a bathrobe and Anna's gift of a robe/dress that she can wear when she goes swimming. It is all good, and yes I will finish in time.

I hope the holidays go well for all of you, and I will post pics of the stuff I have made when I finish them.

Sherbet

It's over... and at the same time it begins....

So today everyone with the political fire is back to normal. I felt compelled to stay up and see how it all shook out. It wasn't who I voted for, but as I watched everything unfold, I saw some interesting things.

First, anyone who can get voters to turn out in the masses they turned out in, and wait 3-4 hours in some cases just to vote, deserves a little respect. Second, I really believe that some of the people were not very informed in their decision (and that goes for both candidates). Third, John McCain showed a lot of class in his speech following the announcement that he had lost. Fourth, Barack Obama made a lot of good points in his speech (i.e. government can't fix everything, our nation needs to come together, the root ideals that the republican party is based on are ideals we should all have and strive to share, this election showed that people and their vote do count, etc.)

I lay awake most of the night thinking of what I would post here. There was alot that went through my head. I think Barack won't be so bad if he can lead this nation the way he led his campaign, and get the masses involved. I also think he has an uphill battle as he tries to help people understand things are not going to be great over night and that people still have to take responsibilities for their own problems and actions. I think this is a momentous occasion that we will look back on and say I was alive when we as a nation elected the first African American to the office of president.

Barack brought people out and united so many minority groups that if this continues, and our country unites, as it states in our name the United States of America, then our nation has a great and bright future in front of it.

Everyone has something to offer as far as ideas and different points of view go. I am grateful to have stayed up and had the opportunity to see many different peoples.

So let's see what the future holds, with an open mind, understanding, and no judgements or "I told you so"s.

Pics from Halloween

Oh, the joy of Halloween. I am not gonna lie, I do love it. I love to dress up every year, and while I contemplated not dressing up this year, at the last minute I knew I had to, out of principle. I will not go out being a boring Mommy. I was a pirate, and my kids helped me scrounge my costume together last minute. Which was nice of them, cuz I was not a happy camper most of the day....

And no, there is not a picture of me in my costume, as I have to be the one taking the picture. Blaine was at work. But he did get home in the nick of time to go with us, and we did just hit the family's houses and then once around our neighborhood. We went with some friends up the street, the Crane's, and that made it more fun to take a long walk around the big block, in the dark, with kids already hyped up on sugar and racing one another to the next house.

All in all it was a good Halloween, and we still have candy, and the good kind too. Surprise surprise. Anywho, they had fun, I had fun, and on the sunday following, we had great milk shakes with lots of chocolate bar candy in them with our dinner. (I know really nutritious, but they did get their calcium and vitamin D from the milk and Ice cream, right? And it was with dinner...)

I did go and vote today, and feel better after finally deciding to go and getting it done. Just so you all know, I did vote McCain. I respect each person's opinion to vote as their conscience directs them, so if you disagree it is fine with me.

I need to add here that I am most bothered by people who are so closed minded and refuse to see something from another persons point of view. I try, and while I may not agree with them, I still respect that they can have convictions different than mine. I just don't think it is productive in any way, shape, or form to resort to degrading and biased name calling, or slurs, or even to condem someone who is differnt than yourself, just because they are not like you or they have a different view than you do. Tolerance for EVERYONE no matter our differences is something that I think we should all work on. I am not saying I am perfect, but diversity is what makes this world so great and we can appreciate each person the way they are.

Okay now that I have that off my chest, I feel better. And the person who sparked this rant will never read this blog, even though this person is a relative. (i.g. my family never reads my blog, any of them) so I feel better getting it out, although I wouldn't mind them seeing this, but I know it wouldn't change their opinion.

So enough of my soap box. The season for Thankfulness is upon us, and a time to count our blessings. Maybe take some time to be thankful for the country we live in, even though it has some flaws, and be grateful we can spout our opinions out.

Pictures! Pictures! Pictures!

Here is my wonderful Husband!

Here is my bro and I at the concert the other night. He is the lead singer of Awaiting Daybreak.

Here he is in action!

Jam On!

Here I am with the band! (Me, Sheldon, Bob, and Brad)

Here I am with the keyboardist from the Hanks

Here I am with the drummer from the Hanks and Sheldon and his wife Teisha

Here is the singer from the Hanks and the bass guitarist, Me and Sheldon

And Here is the Bass guitarist from the Hanks and I.

It was an awesome concert, and I have to say, my bro and his band ROCK!!! They brought down the house and ripped it up! I am so proud of him and the rest of Awaiting Daybreak. There was another band after them and before the Hanks, but they weren't as good.

As for the Hanks..... they were so worth the concert. They are great! I loved it! The singer had everyone do interpretive dance of an elk just born, growing up, and then on the first hunt. It was hilarious! I was so impressed with them. They know how to work the crowd and will definately be huge one day!

Awaiting Daybreak

So, I hope this works. Here is my brother Sheldon's band Awaiting Daybreak. They rock!

Enjoy!!!!

Apparently I did it right, because it is trying to upload it, so I hope it works when it gets to the page.

I just have to figure out how to do all this to keep up with Ramanda, and all her cool tech savy-ness!

Also they are playing at the Elks Lodge in Vernal this Friday! Come watch them rock out!

No dice on the USB cable

So I was so excited to hook up my digital camera and put more pics on, but sadly I can't find the USB cable to make it work. I hate boxes of crap.

So now my next goal is to find the CD's that have the recent pics I got developed on them. Then I can put up some from at least sometime in the last year. And as I unpack more boxes, maybe I will find the USB cable I need. Maybe.

I also need to take more pictures. I have slacked off for the last couple of months, like I have been stressed with other things or something.

We are slowly unpacking and getting settled, and I am half anxious/excitged half dreading/loathing the ominous call from the bishopric that will signify a calling or a speaking assignment in sacrament meeting. It will be the beginning of the end of not having any responsibility, and at the same time will kind of be the "official" induction into the ward.

We did get the kids school pics yesterday, maybe I will try scanning them and posting them here later today.

Sherbet

So here is a copy of a recent article from the Vernal Express:

School board, parents, work closely together to get kids to school safely
by Tabatha Deans
5 days ago 32 views 0 0
Sherry Brokaw, parent and spokesperson for the Sunburst Terrace community, presented Uintah School District board members with a petition signed by parents in her community, requesting a school bus stop for the 43 children who live in Sunburst. Brokaw said she was concerned for the children’s safety as they walk the 1.5 miles to school, citing as safety hazards large truck traffic and lack of sidewalks. Areas within 1.5 miles of schools are considered “parental responsibility zones,” but during the Aug. 26 school board meeting, board members voted to reinstate bus services to two areas around Discovery Elementary and Ashley Elementary. Brokaw and members of the Sunburst community were hoping for the same consideration.“There’s already a bus that goes past there on its way to Quailbrook,” said Brokaw. “And it’s only half full.”Board members were sympathetic to Brokaw’s plight but were unable to satisfy her request for bus service. They referred Brokaw to her school community council, saying that every school zone is being surveyed for safety issues through community council meetings.School Board President Rodney Anderson said, “There’s no question that 500 West is hazardous,” and board member Perry Taylor added, “Sunburst is definitely on the list, but it’s an issue all through the district.”After the meeting Taylor talked with Brokaw about some misconceptions regarding the busing situation. Brokaw questioned why Quailbrook and Ashley received bus service so quickly.According to Taylor, the two routes were reinstated after a misunderstanding caused the board to discontinue them. Originally board members thought the routes would require new buses to continue and opted not to buy buses for the routes. When they realized their error, during the Aug. 26 board meeting, they reinstated the routes. The board is gathering information from each school and from parents surrounding the school about how many students walk, conditions of the streets, and parental ability to drive or walk their students to school. This information will be analyzed to determine which areas are the most dangerous.Taylor said the school board realizes walking is hazardous for the children, but even after identifying dangerous zones, the district is faced with the challenge of coming up with money to pay more bus drivers.“It’s a money issue,” said Taylor. “We have to be able to pay bus drivers enough to compete with the oilfield industry. Nobody wants to drive a school bus when they could be making more money driving a water truck.”Taylor said utilizing parent or community volunteers as unofficial crossing guards isn’t feasible because of liability issues, but the board is working with city and county officials to discuss the possibility of more school zones, signs around school zones and/or designated crossing areas.Parents of students who attend Davis Elementary expressed their concerns at school community council meetings within the past few weeks. Some felt their area/school was neglected by the school board and claimed their children were in extreme danger when walking to school, due to ongoing road construction that limits the walking area for students.Jayme Leyba, principal at Davis Elementary, said the school board has addressed their concerns.“We’re as dangerous as anybody else,” said Leyba. “Unfortunately our parents aren’t as vocal as some others, but the school board has been helpful. I think they’re working hard to come to a resolution.”Leyba said the board agreed to add one stop to an existing route near the school, and if parents can get their children to that neighborhood stop, the bus will pick them up. School board members will address each community’s concerns through community councils, and said they’re dedicated to ensuring that all students get to and from school safely.Concerned parents should contact their school’s principal for more information about commmunity council meetings.



So, I am slightly embarrassed and also laughing really hard about all of this. I feel worse for Perry Taylor. He gets this all the time. And here is a funny side note about his comment about the money end of it and how people would rather drive a water truck than a school bus. He is CEO of Western Petroleum, a trucking company! Ha Ha! Now they don't deliver water, but they do deliver fuel and have a relatively large fleet of CDL holding truck drivers.....

So here is the Community Spokesperson sigh-ning off

Sherbet

Here goes my first try

So here is me trying to put a pic on here. If anyone knows how to make this work, just in case this doesn't let me know.

So obviously it worked. This is a pic of my cousin Steph and I singing kareoke at a family reunion in 2004. I am glad I know how to do this now and will soon be posting recent pictures of me and my family to this blog.

Sherbet

New House

We are moved in and loving our new house. It is in a nice neighborhood and I am getting used to our new ward. I am still working on how to add pics to this whole thing and maybe one day I will figure it out.
Kids are loving school and doing well at it. Blaine is surviving his new job and still plugging away at school. He should graduate this fall with his bachelors in english, and huge milestone out of the way.
Not much else for now, so I hope you are all well out there.

Sherbet

For Sandman

So, no I am not dead. And so obviously I am still alive. I am, however, living with my mother, which is weird and wrong on so many levels. I can't say that it has all been bad though. Also, just so the question can be answered that is going through your head, yes my DH and kids are with me too. And no we are not getting divorced. Mother's-in-law are best liked from a distance, and there is no house big enough for two women. And that is that.

On the up side we are supposed to close on a house next week, and yeah I know I have written that so many times before, this time I really mean it. I hope. It is nice, brand new, four bedroom, two bath, with a killer master bathroom, and a modular home. I love it.

The kids are back in school again, and I am loving it. Well except the whole take them to school and pick them up thing. But that will pass when we get into our house. I guess then they will ride the bus and that will be awesome. Also, having a kindergartener sucks because the whole day is shot, because you have to be there to get your kindergartener at a specific time in the middle of the day. Pain in my butt.

On the upside, my bro, Sheldon, is in a band called Awaiting Daybreak. They played a kickin' concert tonight and then chilled with a record exec for a couple of hours. They could have big things in their future..... If you want to check them out, go to youtube and search for Awaiting Daybreak. I don't know how good the videos are, but they are there. Watchfor their newest song, Believe It to be onthere soon. It is awesome and totally rocks. I have had it stuck in my head for the past couple of days, but in the best way. Always wanting more.

Later,

Sherbet

Huge July BlowUp!

I guess it really isn't a fitting title, it actually sounds more like a sales ad slogan. There has just already been so much that has happened in July that it blows my mind! First the bad. Our good friend Ben got in a motorcycle accident. He cut an antelope in half. Rather impressive if he wouldn't have suffered so much damage from the stunt. He was in the twist west of Vernal, a place where you never see antelope. All in all he is lucky. Two-weeks later he is still in the hospital with broken ribs and a head injury that puts him on an emotional roller coaster. Now it isn't a secret that Ben and I have never been close, he is more Blaine's friend, and we have our difference's of opinion. But if you want to have a heated conversation about gun control, politics, or the state of our nation, he is the one to have it with. He is an amazing writer and a truly loyal friend. We are all praying he will get better fast so that he can come home soon!

Second, the good news. My sister Karen can't have a baby. She is unable to have children of her own accord. So unlike me that can get pregnant at the drop of a hat, she has gone through a constant struggle of knowing there is something out there she can't do, no matter how hard she tries. So she filled her life with travel with her husband and a really successful career in real estate. She owns two ReMax offices and was always right near the top of the list of selling agents. She outwardly appeared to have it all, but deep inside she knew something was missing. She knew she wanted to be a mother. So, they started looking at adoption. She has had so many ups and downs in the process, and it seemed heart ache after heart ache. But still she continued on. And finally this month, she recieved a call from her social worker saying a birth mother had chosen her to adopt her baby. This is such a spiritual experience I won't go into all the details here. But know that this little tiny girl was sent to this earth to be Karen and Darren's baby. She just took a different route to get to them. She is so tiny and precious and has a head full of dark hair. She has forever changed the life of my sister. And I sit in awe of the wonderful plan of our Heavenly Father and how he can take the mistake of one young woman and use it to bless some one else. I am humbled and grateful for selfless people who know when to give their child more than they themselves could.

And on that note I will end this blog for today. I hope you all had a great 4th of July and remembered how lucky we are to live in this wonderful nation.

Sherbet

Executive. . . . It does have a nice ring. . . . .

In June, I helped promote my first team mate to District Manager! Way to go Shanae! This makes me Executive District Manager! I am not sure what cool incentives this holds for me other than a cooler title, but I am excited none the less. I have to add in here, the momentum is slowing a little, but still going great! I love that this business will be the key to getting out of debt faster. It is just amazing!

On a sad note, Blaine will no longer be teaching. It just doesn't pay enough, and working 3 jobs just isn't working out. He will start with Western Petroleum in a couple weeks and will have a significant pay raise. It will be nice and maybe we can get ahead and get our own house.

Happy July 4th in a few days! May it be full of candy from parades, BBQ's of good food and much time spent with friends and family!

It has Finally Happened!!

On this day, June 27, 2008, an historic event happened some time between 6:00-6:30 AM. I came down stairs to find my dear sweet husband on the couch, cell phone in hand. At first look I thought maybe he was just checking his messages. But no, could it be? Has he finally done it? No? Yes! Yes! Yes he has figured it out! He has done it! He has changed his voicemail message! He has changed his voicemail message from his apologetic wife telling people he hates his phone to a typical-no-nonsense-I-can-be-taken-seriously-type phone message! I can hardly believe it! Is he finally growing up? Is he stepping out of the dark ages and accepting the fact that cell phones will inevitably be a part of his life, forever, F-O-R-E-V-E-R! It almost brings a tear to my eye.....

Here's to you Sandman!

So, I don't want to be a slacker and neglect my blogging duties, so here is a post.

Now, I am at a loss for books to read. I know I could peruse the shelf of bittercreek and find something, and I am waiting to borrow the Host by Stephenie Meyer, but until then I must rely on books I already own. Now I am not saying I don't have some great books, and that I don't like to read them, they just go by so much faster the second or more times you read them. I curse Blaine for not knowing where he put Books one of the Bartimaeous trilogy, as that is my favorite by far, and so reading that series is out of the question, or even passing it on to others who would enjoy. And so I find myself, with the near release of the movie, rereading the Spiderwick Chronicles with my boys. They have enjoyed them and are attempting to read them themselves, but I have also read aloud some of the parts of it, and found myself once again wishing that this series of books would have been fleshed out a bit more and made into the amazing books they could have been. I am not saying I don't like them, I do love this series and it is an amazingly easy read (come on, my 8 year old boys are reading them) but to see the potential these stories hold to become an amazing saga taunts me. I feel the stories could have been sooo much more but will just have to deal with the reader's digest version that is here.
Anyway, I am on the 3rd book and am realizing the movie hacked this book in dumb ways. It would not have been that hard to follow the story, especially with what they did with the story in the movie, but instead they changed and complicated some uncomplicated parts. And once again, I am finding that I like the books, for the story, much better. And I like the movie, for the entertainment value, just as well, but in a different way.

I think the next book I will reread will be the Artemis Fowl series because I like the authors take on dwarves. It intrigues me and I would like to see that made into a movie, or even a series of movies, but who knows. I have to say that even though it would intrigue me to see Bartimaeous made into a movie, I think it would be half-hearted attempt and that they wouldn't be able to capture the true essence of the character or the whole over all story. It would in my opinion be worse than the Harry Potter hack-job-of-a-movie (and I like them, again for the entertainment value, but of course the books are WAY better).

And now I feel as though I have taken on the persona of Lisle, and have made my very own version of his form letter, and laid it all out for everyone. I hope you enjoyed it just a smidgen as much as I enjoy Lisle's, as I can only dream of being as great of a writer as him.

Toast to Lisle and all the mystery contained there in!

Sherbet

Swirling around in time

Time is speeding up and swirling around me. I missed half of what I was supposed to do last week. Okay mostly it is swirling around me cuz I am still trying to get organized. But I am getting better. I just need to be better now!
We still haven't gotten our stimulus check, and I am still trying to wait patiently. I hope all is well with all of you and that life is just exciting enough.
Sherbet

I did it!!!!!

On May 31st at 9:30 PM MT I promoted to District Manager!!! I am so excited I am on cloud nine and can hardly believe i made it here. Blaine says it is because I went forward with intention and made it happen, but it came down to the wire. I think it is because I got a new shirt that says Arbonne on the front, and it brought me good luck! Either way I am soooo excited and am now shooting for Area Manager! My goal is to go into qualification for it this month. I also have 6 New Awesome Biz Builders under me! This is insane and going sooooooooo fast I feel like my head is spinning! But in a good way!

Hold on tight! I am on my way!!!!!!

Sherbet