Depression Sucks!

Today was a rough day. The end!

Happy New Year

Our cute Taylor got baptized

Some of my fave peeps

She's even cute when she's eating

LDS church haters

I am of the opinion to live and let live.  Even though I don’t agree with what you do, I am not going to judge you for that, however I would expect the same from others.  That being said the LDS Church has had the same beliefs since it was founded if you don’t like those beliefs, find a church that will either change for you (good luck with that) or one that is already founded in your beliefs.  Don’t think a church is going to change it fundamental beliefs just because the world has sadly gone completely astray with many things that possibly our own God could never imagine.

Throw in a few more Youngs

Christmas with some Kerswells

Christmas Morning

Old friends

So today for some reason I was thinking about an old friend and why we aren’t friends anymore.  Then I got thinking a little more about our actual friendship and what was happening.  Then I started thinking about the fact that I was a bridesmaid at one of her weddings.  Then it occurred to me that I was a bridesmaid at another friend’s wedding and that we didn’t end up being the greatest friends in the end either.  Then I realized that I am just like my Jerika, I am a very forgiving person because of the situations in my life that involved these two friends (one of them married my ex-boyfriend, thank goodness I dodged that bullet, and the other one made out with one of my boyfriends while I was at work one day and I totally forgave both of them.  Maybe they are still feeling guilty and ashamed all these years later and that is why they pretend I don’t exist.).  Ray might disagree with the fact that I am very forgiving, because he doesn’t think I am very forgiving and that I hold a grudge forever, but I used to be.  I just last night had a discussion with Jerika about how sometimes she gets used by people and she gets angry for a minute then dives right back into that friendship.  She often gets hurt again and again but she just keeps being the friend she needs to be. 

Christmas eve jammies

Favorite things

Once a bully

Once a bully always a bully?
After some recent incidents lately I am finding myself wondering if certain people were bullies when they were younger or what made them the bullies they are as adults.  Ray’s new job is loaded with people that bully other people.  One guy the other day even harassed him about being fat.  FYI dude, Ray has a growth in his stomach bigger than your head, it’s not fat.  Anyway, I guess if you put a bunch of lions in a cage and only throw them one piece of meat they are going to fight, which of course I am comparing to car sales, but can’t they at least be nice to each other?  They are split up into 3 teams right now and Ray’s team will order lunch all together or go to breakfast together and never invite Ray to go with them.  It makes me really sad for him that they really aren’t “team” players.  I would rather he not have a lot to do with most of them anyway, because of their life style, but they really are just not very nice at all.  I wish is could go into total detail about the next 2 bullies I am going to blog about, but it is a little too risky for a few reasons.  The other 2 are people I have known for over 20 years.  One has discovered that she can no longer bully me, but bullies others relentlessly which is heartbreaking considering those she bullies are not going to stand up for themselves with her.  I would even say she is a monster sometimes and I am beginning to wonder if she has some sort or mental disorder.  The other bully I have known for just over 22 years.  I was able to stop speaking to her directly several years ago and have chosen to speak to her under circumstances in which I am in control of the conversation.  She has been able to bully my husband and get away with it, because there was nothing he could do and now I find her bullying some of my other loved ones and there is nothing I can do about it.  Just so you know, neither Ray nor I are related to this person.  But she is used to being a bully and getting her way for so long now that she is making it hard for people I love to function.  But, in all of these instances it would only do harm if I speak up and try to help those being bullied.  I just hope that we can take a minute and evaluate our lives and make sure we are not being the bully.

Christmas Eve with many Sharps

2015 RIGHT-LEFT GAME

Now let’s see where do we start. 

I guess one of the most exciting things to happen to members of our family this year was the Garth Brooks concert. Nakia’s dream came true along with Janel, Shelby & Catie, Kelsie, Merrill & Linda, Shawn & Tracy and Grandpa and myself. Kaden came along for the ride

I imagine some of you thought that the new Star Wars Movie was pretty close to the highlight of your year, like Merrill & Linda and their family, Shelby and Catie, Ashlin and the king of Star Wars, Jesse. I think some of you went just because you are such good people, right? 

Sports seems to play a big part of this family. We have spent the whole year watching Carter, Kaden, Tragen, Peyton, Luke, Rylen, and Brayli playing some kind sport. And yes, we love every minute of it. Brayli and Taylor are also involved in gymnastics. I guess all of you are doing the things you love and what is right for you. Thanks for the entertainment. 

A lot of you have been called to new callings this year, Shelby and Catie are busy serving in their Branch. Catie has served as Relief Society President and Shelby was called to be the Executive secretary. One of the highlights of that day was having his two brothers there to help ordain him. They do not get to spend that kind of quality time together very often. It was a special time for all three of them. Others that have exciting things happen are Dax who received the Aaronic Priesthood the first of the month, Tragen was baptized in January, Ray is the new Mission Leader of their ward, Ben was called to the Elder Quorum Presidency and KaReena was called to be the Primary Chorister, her favorite calling. Gee, I hope I got them all right. I am sure there are some callings I didn’t hear about, but we know all of you are doing your part. 

Ben, Kaden, Brycen, Cody and Carter spent the fall doing their best to harass deer, elk, birds and anything else that is legal to shoot. Some of them were right good shots and the proud carried home their prizes. Now Blake did a little killing himself. How many of us have the claim to fame for killing a bird with the car’s right antenna. He not only killed it. It stuck on the antenna for miles. Cindy tried hard to get him to do the right thing and pull over and take it off, but he thought it was right funny to leave it there. 

Sorry Cindy he didn’t listen to you. 

Taci, Ashlin and Derek are busy continuing your education. Taci is attending Nursing School, Derek is studying to be a Pharmacy tech, and Ashlin is studying to be an English Teacher. Kelsie attending a Pharmacy Seminar in Texas. We knew she was smart putting the right chemicals together but now those people in Texas know. We are so proud of all of you for the hard work. 

This summer we went to Yellowstone Park with Brian & KaReena and the kids. Now, I am not saying the two men in the front seat weren’t paying attention but we did end up at the South Gate of the Park and we were planning to go Mammoth Hot Springs which is at the North Gate. Oh well, we had fun, right KaReena, Dax & Lydia? And speaking of Lydia, you ought to see the things that she has learned to do with a crochet hook. Her and Kelsie are both pretty creative.

Tracy continues with her running. She sure makes our family look good. Congratulations to you for your efforts. It makes me tired to think about it. Gaven’s family is still amazed at the fact that when they went to pick Huckleberries this summer they found his boot that he lost two years ago. Who would have thought? 

After all of these years, Ray is off the road and able to be home every night. No more of that “thousand-plus miles a month” business. Ray and Janel are finding out the joys of being a grandparent. Puts a new look on life, right? Austin has also changed jobs and is loving doing what he does. He does well and has been recognized for his Salesman ability. Way to go!!! Injuries have not skipped us this year. Linda was badly hurt riding a four-wheeler and we are so happy that she is steadily recovering from that injury. Linkin has had his share of stitches and oowies. Jerika and Kinlee had some interesting injuries also. Jerika got her left hand shut in the door by a co-worker. (Crazy co-worker) Then Kinlee, thinking she was practicing for the Ballet, took a leap and fell, spraining her left ankle. We really are blessed to have such good health in our family.

Gun control is being taken seriously by Merrill, Linda, and Kayla. They are the ones controlling. Each of them have made that one of their big purchases for the year and hitting the bulls eye right in the middle has become their goal. Good going.

As for as Grandpa and myself, our big moment this summer was celebrating our 50th Wedding Anniversary. Thanks to all of you for your efforts in putting that celebration together, we really appreciate it. Going to Disney World and Canada was also a big occurrence in our “kind of quite life.” I am thankful for him and for him putting up with me all of these years. He is superman in my eyes and the eyes of our family. Thanks for all you do. All in all we have had a wonderful year. 

We are grateful for the opportunity to have Bill with us and are so thankful for his friendship. Rather he wants to or not he has inherited “Sharp Family Status”. We love having you here.

As this Christmas Day is upon us may we all remember “The reason for the Season” and invite the Savior into our lives. It is there that we find true happiness. May all of you be blessed this coming year. We love you more than you will ever know. Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve Lunch

Jana banana

State Drama Winners

 

 

Work birthday cake

Missing trucking?

I think I have decided in the last few month of CHANGE that trucking wasn’t as bad as we thought it was.  First of all I miss Gould Trucking and the Goulds.  They were so good to Ray and our family and I am pretty sure they were the best employers Ray has ever had!!  Ray being home has not been a struggle either, we thought maybe it would be hard getting used to being around each other all the time, but that is not the case.  The only days off we even have together is 3 Sunday’s a month.  One thing I loved about trucking is I knew Ray would be home on the weekend and we would have all of that time together to do whatever family thing we needed.  We were excited to have him home every night so he could do family things that he usually missed during the week.  Well, he is home every night and he does get to sleep in his bed every night, but that is about the extent of him being home.  He works such long hours every day and some nights he doesn’t get home until after 9.  Those are nights that we at least know he is making some money.  Last week was a struggle and yes I realize it is the beginning of the year, but he made VERY LITTLE money last week and was still gone way too much. 

Gorgeous girl

Speaking of buses

Speaking of buses, this is a concept I can’t quite wrap my head around.  People actually chose to live in the country or a long distance away from the schools their children attend.  Why is it that I, as a parent of a child who isn’t allowed to ride a bus because we live “to close” have to pay the same taxes as those people whose children ride the bus.  I think our school districts could save a lot of money by making those people pay extra so their children can ride the bus.  I know that seems very silly to some, but why not, think of all the extra money that is spent on bussing people’s children that chose to live far away.  Whereas, I have had to change my work schedule for years to accommodate my children getting to school on my own.  Because, let’s be honest even though I live in town I am not going to make my child walk to school when it is below zero or snowing.  Kinlee does walk home from school no matter what the weather is doing, but I do take her school in the morning.  But, the school she goes to now is closer than most of the other schools in town and she is older now and could fight off any would be attackers.

The many faces of "Bill"

Gma Nel's birthday dinner

Crazy bus

There was an article in one of our church magazines recently about a lady that wrote a blog and how it helped in her life and also let people know about her religion. I mostly blog because I don’t scrapbook anymore and I want piictures saved somewhere. But after reading that article I think it might help with my stress levels to share some things or at the very least allow me to not keep everything  bottled up. I know you are thinking Janel don’t keep things bottled up but believe it or not just because I don’t technically have a filter doesn’t mean I don’t have some self control.
The other day I was almost killed by a school bus. This, by the way was not the first time this school year that I have had a run in with a bus. My warning to Ray this year when taking Kinlee to school was this, “the buses do not yield to anyone else in the parking lot so watch out”. Now I realize and yes I am fully aware of the laws associated with driving as I have driven since I was 14 so I understand the whole yield to cars coming into the parking lot but this is not the case with some bus drivers at Sugar.  You must yield to them at all times which I found out yesterday when a bus pulled right out in front of me on the street. I honked a lot and the roads we’re A solid sheet of ice but I was able to stop before impact.  It was so scary. My post on Facebook that day said this, “To the bus driver that almost killed me today…You came close to making my husband a very rich man. Better luck next time or wait maybe learn to pay attention and yield when pulling onto the streets of town you are carrying precious cargo!!! Rant over.

Dinner for dads Birthday

Decorating the tree

Cutest grandbabies in the world

First pics with my new phone

Ray thought that since my phone kept shutting itself off all the time I should maybe get a new one.  These humans were in Idaho Falls too so we took Breelyn to dinner for her bday. I don't know for sure why these are the only pictures I took but aren't they precious?

Eye exams

Girls day minus Jerika

Random selfie and decoration purge

My Green Bay fans

This grandpa really loves this cute girl. It is so much fun watching them together. Photo credit on the bottom pic goes to Mollys sister but it was too cute not to share.