Mother's Day Goods

Yeah, so it's taking me a lot longer to get around to blogging all this stuff than I thought. Not really my fault, just having some more health issues that I'm sick of talking about. Let's get on to the good stuff...

This is what I got for Mother's Day this year. My hubby is just too good to me.



A new shiny, white MacBook!!! The FedEx guy brought it to my doorstep early the Monday after Mother's Day. I quickly ripped it out of it's boring brown box to reveal this...


and this...


and that's as far as my picture taking went. I was too excited to see the rest and quickly forgot about all my blog readers and how excited they might be to see Mac's lovely packaging. Because that is one of the things I love about Mac, they have the best, clean, pretty packaging. For years I've held onto my iMac box just cause it's pretty. Nate kept teasing me that we didn't need to keep it around for all this time, but I wouldn't let him throw it away. Now who's glad I kept it? It's neatly storing my BigMac for a time when he can sit and fix it for his own use. :-)

So, it was a tough decision for me to go from an iMac (a desktop computer) to a MacBook (a laptop). I love to have my little computer space to sit and type and work on websites or write emails or surf the web or what-have-you. I'm not real fond of the tiny keyboards and awkward trackpads that come with using a laptop. Nate's had his iBook for about five years now...is that right, Nate? I would use it now and then to surf the internet while lounging in bed or at the couch, but mostly I'd come back to my iMac to do any real "work" on the computer. Well, I've been finding myself using his little iBook more and more the past year as he has gotten a new MacBook Pro from work that somehow makes it's way home more often than not. I like having the flexibility to take my computer with me wherever I go, but I'm not at all ready to give up my little desk haven and trusty keyboard. So, when the BigMac died and we had to make a decision what to get next, I was torn when Nate suggested I get the laptop instead of another iMac. You mean, replace my beautiful, shiny white monitor with a little laptop?! I don't know about that... But Nate, being the genius he is (I know, he totally deserves the kudos after this Mother's Day present), suggested I could have the best of both worlds! He would buy me a new monitor and the cords needed to hook up my new laptop to a monitor, keyboard and mouse so I could use it at the desk when I wanted and take it wherever I need to go when I wanted. Best of both worlds, right? Genius, I know. So, I agreed and this is my new setup:





Pretty cool, huh?! Not only do I have a bigger monitor (22"), but I can use both monitors at once! Can I tell you how much I'm loving watching my Photoshop class videos on the laptop while following along full-screen in Photoshop on my big, new monitor? Lovin. It. And here's a few more reasons I love this new computer-o-mine:

:: The shiny, glossy LCD screen on my laptop, so pretty.
:: The cool little iSight camera built right into the top of the screen.
:: The trackpad has so many cool features, including:
:: Using just two fingers on the trackpad, you can scroll up and down and side to side on any page
:: Tap once on the trackpad with two fingers instead of one, it right-clicks for you! Love that!
:: The new Apple Keyboards, seriously the most fun typing I've EVER had.
:: Dual core processors. I know, blah, blah, blah, right? No, people, this means FAST. I am the most impatient person alive, but now I barely blink and my programs are open.
:: Intel-architecture. I know, again, blah, blah. If I wanted, I could dual-boot to Windows. Yup, I could install Windows and Mac OSX and choose which one I wanted to use whenever I started my computer. Pretty neat-o, huh? Too bad it won't be happening on this computer. Like I tell my Mom who uses this feature, blasphemy! Just plain blasphemy to run Windows on a Mac. But I could if I wanted to. :-)

So, if you haven't guessed it yet, I'm one happy girl this Mother's Day. And just for kicks, one more picture to send you all away with...

His and Her Macs. It's Mac-Love! :-)

R.I.P.

It's a sad day, people. A sad, sad day.

This friend of mine was brought into my life about two years ago. He was my Dad's friend first, but my Dad wanted to share the love. I swore I would never convert to this type of friendship. It would require too many sacrifices and change. Oh, how I hate change. But I was wrong. This friendship has brought me many hours of joy. I've learned new things, laughed and cried and made new friends...all thanks to this guy. He lit up my room each and every day. He taught me what it means to have a friendship that doesn't break, that doesn't die, that doesn't make you want to throw yourself from the nearest high building or staple your head to the floor when things aren't going the way they should. I just never had that happen again with him. Never. He had the energy of a horse and could run and run non-stop for days, weeks, months even... He lived a long, wonderful life...

...well, for a computer, that is...

Rest In Peace, Big Mac. Rest In Peace.

Nate tried to fix him. He really did, but he's going to need some deeper surgery to figure out what's wrong. We put him in his box and there he will wait until Nate has more time to diagnose his real issues. Until then, we'll remember him as he was in his glory days...

Bet you can't guess what I got for Mother's Day this year?! To be continued...

Twice Blessed

There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about my two sweet mothers. I was extraordinarily blessed to not only be given life from one of the most amazing women I've ever met, but to be able to gain another true mother through marriage. Both of these women are incredible examples to me. Here are a few reasons why I love BOTH of these women so much:


:: My mom raised 8 children! Five boys, then me (#6) and then two more girls.
:: My mom was always there growing up, always.
:: My mom gives the most wonderful hugs that can heal whatever might ail you.
:: I never, ever doubted my mother's love. Ever. She has the ability to love freely and unconditionally.
:: My mom can cook amazing meals. With 8 mouths to feed and a hungry hubby, she should be given a medal for doing it so well.
:: My mom is beautiful, inside and out. She always has a smile on her face, a kind thing to say, a gentle hand to lend, open arms to heal.
:: I'm sure it's a given after having 8 kids, but my mom has the patience of a saint. I honestly don't know where it all comes from, but it's an amazing sight to behold...especially with the Grandkids.
:: My mom is so incredibly talented. She sings, she plays piano, she cooks, she sews, she makes beautiful things...the list is endless. I got to hear her play and sing the most beautiful song a couple years ago that she wrote and composed herself. I was so proud. That's my mom!
:: I can hear my mom's voice in my head all throughout my day: "If you start cleaning in one corner of the room and then work your way out, eventually it all gets done." or "Say a prayer when you feel like you can't handle another minute" or "Bless your heart" or "You can do this, Shayla, I know you can!". What an amazing solace this gives me.
:: My children adore my mother. Adore her. She and Kenzie, especially, have an unusually tight bond. They always have. We hear about Grandma at least a few times a week from her, even though we have only seen Grandma a couple times this past year. I overheard Kenzie tell her cousins that, "Grandma is my favorite, because she loves me even when I can't stop crying and she never yells." Of course, this is bittersweet for me to hear as I'd like her to feel that way about me too, but isn't it the truth? Grandmas get to be that to their grandchildren, the one who is always full of love, acceptance and never has to say no. :-)
:: My mom is smart! She is really, really smart. I love when Nate tells her some random fact (he's got a lot of those floating around in that head of his) and she has to run and look it up right then and there. She's a learner and a doer. All the kids are grown up and she's still out there, more than ever, learning something new all the time.
:: My mom is a reader. She gave me my love of books. When I'm up late at night trying to put a book down, I can hear her in my mind saying, "Just one more chapter!" I can always be assured she's reading something new and now she and my Dad read together. They always have good books to recommend to me.
:: My mom gives me a reason to live. I know this is random, but it really is true. Being someone who has, at times, suffered in the depths of depression, I have been in that low where there seems to be no reason to continue on. I can always, always think of my mom and know that no matter how bad it seems, how unbearable it feels, she loves me and will love me no matter what.

I have been doubly blessed in this life. I was given not just one amazing mom, but two! From the minute I met Nate's mama, I fell in love with her. Her home was like my home. There is always such comfort to be found there. Because they lived so many years in the South, "mom" at the Trimble home is usually just "mama".

:: The first time I "officially" met mama, was after a date with Nate hiking all day long. We were tired, but wired on that new-crush-high. I had to drive Nate's parents car home the last half hour, because he was having problems with his knee. When we drove up to his house, quite a few of his family members were outside. I was dying of embarrassment to be found driving their car and they hadn't even met me yet! No need. Mama took me into their house as one of her own and has never treated me anything less than that since then.
:: Mama raised 7 children! Nate was number six, just like me. If it weren't for the incredible parents that they are, I would not have this amazing man in my life. I credit them for giving me the joy that I have today, the father to my beautiful children, the eternal companion to me. What greater gift is there?
:: Nate's family moved a lot. His parents are still doing it, even though they'd rather not. I have witnessed strength in his Mama like no other. She moves forward through trials with an amazing strength and grace that I truly admire.
:: Mama always has joy in her countenance. Always. Even when life is hard and her body hurts and she has every reason to fall down and cry, she exudes joy. She's this bundle of energy that comes into a room and immediately lights it up. Oh, to be more like that...what would I give?!
:: My children adore their Meme. Adore her. It's amazing really, no matter how long it has been since they've seen her, they never forget how much they love her. How can we be so blessed to have two Grandma's in our children's lives who they just can't get enough of?
:: My mama can throw a party like no one else. I'd never been to so many parties after I started dating Nate. If there's something to celebrate, than the Trimbles will. Lots of food, fun, kids, games and happiness to be had by all. There is nothing like a Trimble get-together. Mama is the reason behind all of that. Even when she isn't there, she's still the life force of every Trimble party.
:: There is a peace and beauty about Nate's mom that overflows to everyone she touches. She quietly serves and humbly helps with no one being the wiser. She literally lives every day of her life in service to her children. I have never seen a mother love her children more than this woman. Nate and I often say, all she ever needs to be happy in this life is her children and grandchildren around her. She has taught me that family is truly everything, all that matters in this life.
:: I'm a lucky gal, cause not only do I have my mom's incredible cooking skills influencing me, but Nate's moms, too. The recipes I have gotten from her are some of our staples around here.
:: I've never seen anyone clean like Nate's mom can. Man, that woman can move! She's a bit smaller than me, but I swear I can't keep up if I tried. She's helped us clean an apartment or two when moving out and I always know if she was there, we're definitely getting our deposit back! :-)
:: I love Mama's laugh. It's infectious and full of joy. You won't go long without hearing it, either.

How can I possibly stop? The lists for these women could go on endlessly. I am so truly blessed to be a daughter to both of them. I hope they know that their legacy will live on and on, just as the Lord has promised us. They have given me the chance to be the mother that I am today. How could I adequately express what this means to me? I wish you both the happiest of days today. I love you so, so much!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Birthday To You!

About five years ago we were living in a small, two bedroom apartment in Richland. Nate was working as an intern for Battelle and going to school at WSU part-time. Kenzie had just barely turned two. Natalie was a distant future that I didn't like to think about. You know, getting pregnant again. I was serving as the Relief Society secretary in Richland's Riverview ward with the most wonderful presidency. The managers in our apartment complex were LDS and the complex itself was one of those low-income kind. Seeing this combination of management and low rent you can see how this complex quickly became an LDS newlywed community. It was such a fun place to live at the time. It seems like every building had at least two or three young LDS families living in them. We made lots of fun friends.

At one of the ward activities we were able to meet another young couple who had just moved here from Utah. Gregg was doing an internship at Battelle, also. He was taking a semester off from BYU for the experience. Amber was pregnant with their first. When I found out that they, too, were here without family living close by, I decided to invite them over for Easter dinner the next weekend. We ended up really hitting it off. Gregg is hilarious and lighthearted and easy to be around. Amber is equally fun and lighthearted, as well as, having a heart of gold. We spent the next summer doing just about everything together. We went on camping trips and road trips and on lots of park trips. They taught us how to play frisbee golf and we played games at night after Kenzie would go to bed. We had movie nights and dinner at each other's houses often. Kenzie fell in love with Gregg and Amber. She lived in a world completely surrounded with thoughts of Dora the Explorer. Every trip to the park turned into an adventure to the spooky jungle or the noisy river. I'm sure we scared Gregg and Amber into the reality of what they were entering into. A toddler has that effect on newly expecting parents. At least she was cute and loved them to death.

At the end of the summer, I ended up getting pregnant with Natalie and we were able to move a building over to a three bedroom. I started getting sick before my pregnancy test ever showed a positive. Amber and Gregg were there to help us move and get settled. To this day, I blame Amber for helping me get just crazy enough to get pregnant again. Pregnancy looks good on her. She could go anywhere and do anything pregnant. I had a hard time keeping up with her! She fooled me into believing that I could do it again, it might not be so hard after all. :-) So I guess Natalie can thank Amber for helping her get here. Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end...or at least change, anyway. Gregg had to get back to BYU for the fall and so his internship came to an end. We had to say our goodbyes.

We still look back on that summer so fondly. Amber and I still keep in touch and when we get the chance to see each other again, it always easily falls back into that fun, close relationship that we had five years ago. I love friends like that. She finally started a blog a couple months ago and I've been so enjoying getting to see a little more into her world so far away. We tried to get them to come back here to the Tri-cities, but their hearts and family are in Utah. Maybe someday we'll end up there? Probably not, but I'll never say never. :-)

Today is Amber's birthday. So, here's to one of the best friends I've ever had! I hope you have a wonderful day today, Amber. Love you tons!

Letting Go

I've had to do some letting go recently, so it's been on my mind. Some people are better at seeing when something isn't good for them anymore and letting go, walking away, moving on. Me? Not so much. I'm a holder, a keeper, a sit-around-and-worry-worry-worrier. I'm a fixer, a loyal, stay-by-your-side-and-be-your-best-friend-to-the-end, type of person. I'm that person who sees a guy push over an old lady, then rob a bank, then drive away and can turn around and say, "gee, he must have been abused when he was young and then he had a really, really bad day". Yeah, I'm that person. The one who tries to see the good in everyone. You think this is a good kind of person to be, and it is. It's just you have to have some good instincts thrown in there for good measure, too. If you walk around subscribing to the method that all is good everywhere, you're bound and determined to become the very next victim a whole lotta times. Yeah, that's me too. It's ridiculous really. There should be a big black line out there for those of us too dense to know the difference.

Lucky for me, I met Nate. When he came into my life, I had an overabundance of "friends" that just plain broke my heart on a daily basis. When I would complain to Nate how awful they made me feel, he'd just look at me dumbfounded. "Why on earth," he would say, "do you allow people like this in your life? These people aren't your friends. Friends don't treat you like this. Friends don't talk about you behind your back." It seems like the simplest statement and yet, I'd never really heard it before he said it. I know my parents thought it. Man, the boyfriends I brought home. Why, oh why?! It's all I can say about them. It was like one destructive relationship after the other. But who listens to their parents when they're 17? Not me. I listened to Nate, though. I walked away and started letting go of these "friends". It hurt. It wasn't easy, but I did it. Unfortunately, I'm a slow learner. Nate has had to "remind" me of this little lesson in life over and over again. I guess that's why Heavenly Father gives us these exceptional spouses who compliment our good sides and bad.

So, what do you do when you're ready to let go of something and it just isn't time yet? We've been looking for work for over a year now. I've let go of staying here in the Tri-cities on multiple occasions and yet, here we are. Still here. Don't get me wrong. I love this place in so many ways. We're just ready to go. Ready to move on. At least we think we are.

It's hard sitting back and letting things "be". You know what I mean. Letting the Lord have it. Letting our lives happen on His time table, on His scale. I'm so not a patient person. It seems so hard only seeing the smaller picture, not knowing where our lives will be in two months or two years. And there we are again. Back at that letting go stuff. There is only so much we can do on our own. The rest is up to Him. I firmly believe that and that is how I want it to stay. And yet, I think letting go of our own lives and allowing Him to be in charge is probably the hardest lesson of all for me to learn. I know that's the case, or else I wouldn't struggle as much as I do with my depression. I know that is probably the single most important lesson that He is trying to teach me. To let go.

Sick of being Sick

This year I've reached a new record high at the amount of sicknesses I've procured. I quit blogging about each new bug months ago, thinking no one could possibly want to hear about another round of the flu at the Trimble home. This is it, people! I cannot take another sore throat, stuffy nose and achey-feverish body. I've been to the doctor and put on antibiotics so many times this winter, I swear I'm building up an immunity to the stuff. I've had a perpetual sinus headache since the Fall. I've always had problems with sinus infections, but this year has me crying mercy. As each month goes by, getting us closer to Spring and then Summer, I keep expecting the bugs to let up. No such luck.

The week before my trip to Albuquerque, I caught the fated stomach flu. I had felt so lucky that it was the one bug I hadn't caught yet this year. I guess I didn't knock on wood enough. That bug kept at it for almost an entire two weeks. Mid-week in Albuquerque my sinuses started to feel about to explode. The thought of having another sinus infection, just about brought me to tears. As I was complaining about my latest sinus headache and back-of-the-throat mucous drainage, my sisters told me about this little contraption:


Pleasant little picture, huh? Looks like something you want to go out and try right now, huh? It's called a Neti Pot and they had heard about it from Dr. Oz on Oprah. Well, if Dr. Oz said it, it must be the miracle cure. He said everyone should use one of these things, twice a day, just like brushing their teeth. But especially us allergy sufferers. So, we looked up Walgreens to see if they sold them in their stores and went and bought one. Now if you really know me, you know that my hypersensitivity would make doing something like this a complete "no-option" whatsoever. Pouring water up my nose, so it can drain through my sinuses and then pour out the other nostril? Yeah, that sounds pleasant. So, you know how bad I was feeling to actually try it out. It really wasn't that bad, though. On the box of the one we bought, they recommended this product if you're inclined to have lots of sinus issues instead of the Neti Pot:


The idea being that the Neti Pot only gives you gravity inducing water pressure, whereas, with the Sinus Rinse you get a higher amount of water pressure from actually squeezing it up your nose. So, after using the Neti Pot and having trouble getting the water to actually go through my terribly blocked sinuses, I decided to go buy this one. It took me until I got home from Albuquerque and Nate prodding and finally doing it himself, to get me convinced to squeeze water up my nose on purpose. The amazing thing is, after using this for a few days, it really starts to work! My sinus pressure became less and less painful, until it finally stopped and I could breathe through both nostrils!! Too much information? Sorry. Anyway, because it isn't the most pleasant experience, I stopped doing it last week thinking I was better. Cue this week. I woke up Monday morning feeling like I got hit by a semi-truck. My headache was splitting and my nose was completely stuffed. So, I'm back on the Zyrtec-D round the clock and squeezing water up my nose twice a day. The drainage this time around is causing me to have the worst sore throat pain. The problem is, I don't have time to keep being sick!! And my patience is wearing thin. I swear people are starting to give me that look when I say I'm sick again. You know the one..."you're sick again? Really?!" Like they think I must be making it up. Who would make up this stuff, though? I'm ready for hot weather and no more sickness, how about you?

On another note, I am attempting to make this cake today for Kenzie's pool party tomorrow:


It is the simplest "pool" cake I could find a picture of. I'll be lucky if my cake turns out looking anything at all like this one, but oh well. Kenzie made it very clear that she wanted a homemade cake this year. I guess that's a compliment to the cook, right? My cakes just taste so much better than the store bought, but really?! I don't have any decorating skills on cakes AT ALL. I guess I should be signing up for the Wilton cake decorating course instead of Photoshop classes, huh? Wish me luck.

Last night we went to Kenzie's 1st grade rendition of the play "A-Z Does It". Oh my goodness, it was so terribly cute. Hopefully someone else got a pic or two of my kiddo, cause she told me before we left that picture taking wasn't allowed. I don't know why this is the one time I actually paid attention to something she said about school, but I left the camera home. I felt like the "failure Mommy of the night" when I didn't pull out my huge camera with even bigger lens and start zooming and snapping away. It cracked me up to see all those parents and grandparents clawing at each other for seats and better picture views of their kids. What we do to see our kids shine. Not to mention, that place could have been a stake event for all the church members we saw there. Oh, and a big shout out to the kiddos who performed as "Alphabet Letters". They all did so well.

Last night while Kenzie was watching some of American Idol with me, we had this little conversation:

Kenzie: "Mom, is this real?"

Me: "Yup"

Kenzie: "So those people are up there singing on stage for real? Just like we did AZ Does it tonight?"

Me: "Yeah, just like that."

Kenzie: "Wow, I could never do that and then have that mean guy tell me all that mean stuff."

Me: "Yeah, they're pretty brave. But you were pretty brave tonight, too. You sang and smiled and had fun, didn't you?"

Kenzie: "Yeah, but it wasn't on t.v. and that mean guy wasn't there."

Glad to know that Simon Cowell is having an influence on my kids self-esteem already.