Monday, May 18, 2009
The Boultinghouse Reunion
The Boultinghouse Reunion (family on the mother's side) takes place every year near Marble Falls Texas. This year was extra special because Valerie and the kids went with us and I was able to introduce them to the rest of the family. The best part was that they actually really enjoyed it and are looking forward to next year's big event on May 15th. Dallin made a great friend in his cousin James. Good News! James just lives in Hutto Texas only about 10 minutes from here.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Michael Makes it in the Woodwind Ensemble
The woodwind ensemble is the highest band that you can be in here in Texas. Michael landed himself the fifth place in the trumpet section in this band. Here, you have to try out for band each and every year. It is never guaranteed that you will be in a higher band the next year. In fact, many times...based on your tryout...you could actually be in a lower band than you performed in the year before. Hats off to you Michael for this AWESOME accomplishment. Way to Go!
Concert 1 Band
Concert 2 Band
Symphonic Band
Woodwind Ensemble
Michael had the first chair in Symphonic Band this past year. He's movin' on up! What a great new adventure for his senior year.
Concert 1 Band
Concert 2 Band
Symphonic Band
Woodwind Ensemble
Michael had the first chair in Symphonic Band this past year. He's movin' on up! What a great new adventure for his senior year.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Welcome Old Settlers Ward Elders!
A couple of months ago the bishop of our ward asked the ward members for help in supporting our local missionaries by providing them a place to stay. Long story short...we felt inspired...Will and Tammy got a job and a home...we got the missionairies. They moved in yesterday. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, we are on to a new adventure...a new chapter to our lives.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
General Conference, Sharp Style!
The whole family met at our house for the beginning sessions of Conference. All the new parents had great ideas to make Conference fun and to help the kids be engaged in listening and participating in Conference. It was fun to watch the kids become more involved as the day went on. In true Sharp Style, we enjoyed lunch and dinner together as well. The boys all went to General Priesthood Meeting together and went out for Ice Cream afterward. I think everyone went to bed exhausted but excited for Sunday Conference tomorrow.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Texas Gardens in Bloom!
This past weekend, Craig and Michael helped the kids start their Texas gardens. Craig rented a tiller and put in a small garden for Valerie's family and one for us. He also purchased a few patio plants so that William's family will also have a few veggies out on one of their cement slab patios.
We are very excited to see how these new plants will grow at their new homes. We'll keep you posted!
We are very excited to see how these new plants will grow at their new homes. We'll keep you posted!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
We are a Village!
Today we went to Six Flags as a treat for Michael and his friend Zack as it was week of Spring Break and we at least wanted to do something with him before his break was over.
As we have attended amusements parks and other places over the years, it has not been totally uncommon to see kids and sometimes adults not using the best of judgement in expressing their affection with their significant other. I have to admit that sometimes this has made me uncomfortable but I have never voiced my opinion. I have always felt that others may not share my convictions although I have sometimes secretly wished that others display of affection could be elsewhere.
Today, an older man with gray hair...about my age was standing in the long line to get into Six Flags with about a 12-14 year old girl which I assumed was his daughter. At first, they were just standing, then it was hard for anyone to miss the man's inappropriate fondling of this young girl. She was standing there, arms folded, not reacting or talking for that matter but I could tell that she was uncomfortable. I noticed that the gray headed man had no wedding ring on and I wondered it he was perhaps divorced and had his daughter over for Spring Break. The inappropriate fonding kept going on and on. No one said a thing. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't sit still one more minute. I said "Excuse Me, Is this young girl your daughter. I cannot believe what you are doing to her. It is your job as the adult to PROTECT her, not to HARM her". I did not say this loudly but he certainly did know that I was talking to him.
The response to all this was even more shocking. The man just said nothing and after a few minutes, moved to another line where he continued the fondling. When I was discussing my shock about the situation with the people in front of me. The lady...about 35 years of age said "maybe, she liked it". I responded, "Are you kidding me. This has nothing to do with what the young girl's thoughts and everything to do with the older gentleman's behavior. It is our job as adults to PROTECT children no matter what the circumstance". I was extremely surprised and disturbed at the same time. Have we all lost our minds? Do we not understand that it is all our job to care for the young kids and that we need to stand up for them and help them when they have no voice? It takes a village! It takes all of us to protect those that do not have a voice.
I have to say that I have NEVER spoken up like that to a total stranger. I wish that I would have had that wherewith all to call the police and report him. I was so shocked about the whole situation and really didn't know what to do until it was too late. Never had I witnessed anything like this in a public place before. I was also so shocked that a paedophile was right there and no one did a thing.
Zack was surprised at my response as he had never in the five plus years that he had known us seen me respond like that. He later asked Michael if I generally spoke up like that in public. Michael told him that I never had and that I had to be really passionate about the situation to voice my opinion like that. Perhaps it generated some thought in both of them.
We did end up having a very nice day at Six Flags but I have to admit that I am haunted about what happened to the girl. When I got home, I realized that I had brought a camera and probably should have taken a photo. I hope that maybe something I said empowered the young girl to take some kind of action in her own behalf. I hope that she will be alright.
I am certainly surprised that with as much information that is out there now that not more is being done by us all.
As we have attended amusements parks and other places over the years, it has not been totally uncommon to see kids and sometimes adults not using the best of judgement in expressing their affection with their significant other. I have to admit that sometimes this has made me uncomfortable but I have never voiced my opinion. I have always felt that others may not share my convictions although I have sometimes secretly wished that others display of affection could be elsewhere.
Today, an older man with gray hair...about my age was standing in the long line to get into Six Flags with about a 12-14 year old girl which I assumed was his daughter. At first, they were just standing, then it was hard for anyone to miss the man's inappropriate fondling of this young girl. She was standing there, arms folded, not reacting or talking for that matter but I could tell that she was uncomfortable. I noticed that the gray headed man had no wedding ring on and I wondered it he was perhaps divorced and had his daughter over for Spring Break. The inappropriate fonding kept going on and on. No one said a thing. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't sit still one more minute. I said "Excuse Me, Is this young girl your daughter. I cannot believe what you are doing to her. It is your job as the adult to PROTECT her, not to HARM her". I did not say this loudly but he certainly did know that I was talking to him.
The response to all this was even more shocking. The man just said nothing and after a few minutes, moved to another line where he continued the fondling. When I was discussing my shock about the situation with the people in front of me. The lady...about 35 years of age said "maybe, she liked it". I responded, "Are you kidding me. This has nothing to do with what the young girl's thoughts and everything to do with the older gentleman's behavior. It is our job as adults to PROTECT children no matter what the circumstance". I was extremely surprised and disturbed at the same time. Have we all lost our minds? Do we not understand that it is all our job to care for the young kids and that we need to stand up for them and help them when they have no voice? It takes a village! It takes all of us to protect those that do not have a voice.
I have to say that I have NEVER spoken up like that to a total stranger. I wish that I would have had that wherewith all to call the police and report him. I was so shocked about the whole situation and really didn't know what to do until it was too late. Never had I witnessed anything like this in a public place before. I was also so shocked that a paedophile was right there and no one did a thing.
Zack was surprised at my response as he had never in the five plus years that he had known us seen me respond like that. He later asked Michael if I generally spoke up like that in public. Michael told him that I never had and that I had to be really passionate about the situation to voice my opinion like that. Perhaps it generated some thought in both of them.
We did end up having a very nice day at Six Flags but I have to admit that I am haunted about what happened to the girl. When I got home, I realized that I had brought a camera and probably should have taken a photo. I hope that maybe something I said empowered the young girl to take some kind of action in her own behalf. I hope that she will be alright.
I am certainly surprised that with as much information that is out there now that not more is being done by us all.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
It's Official...The Old Testament is History
Finally, we completed the Old Testament... reading every word. Now, we can begin our Stake Challenge of completing the Book of Mormon by June 30th. I never thought this day would come. We have been reading the Old Testament for two years. It is hard to believe that we are finally finished.
Monday, February 9, 2009
A Night Like No Other in Forest Creek!
Tonight, the skies were lit up with helicopters going back and forth over our neighborhood. There were those annoucements being made (like on one of those COP TV Programs) saying "Stay in your houses and Keep your doors locked". There was also a vehicle going up and down the street with the same announcment. Whow!!! I've lived here for 10 years and there has never been so much excitement. I never knew that happened anywhere except on TV. I can't begin to tell you that our house is the one with 30 plus windows and every single blind was up and of coarse since we never put them down in most rooms, we were scampering around the house trying to figure out how to put them down as I had child-safed each and every one. What can I say? We love the good ol' Outdoors! Will was walking around the house with a Base Ball Bat. Craig was Out of Town on Business. Tammy was at Val's house Babysitting. We are all safe and just have memories of the story to be told... which incidently never showed up on our local new station...so we are not exactly sure what the story was to begin with! Hum! I guess it is "much to do about nothing". Be Safe Out There!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
25 Random Things about Me
1. I lived with my mother, sister, and grandparents in a two bedroom home with NO bathroom. Yep, I had to walk down the hill to use the two-holer outhouse with the Montgomery Wards Catalog as TP.
2. I took baths (during that same time period) in the kitchen in a washtub. After everyone had bathed, the washtub full of dirty water was taken out the front door to be thrown out.
3. My mom, Nancy, and I married "daddy" when I was 4 years old...almost 5.
4. I went to church at St. Christopher's Mission...a mile down the road from our house.
5. My house burned down when I was about 8 years old. The same person who burned down many houses in Bluff, to included the church at the mission, burned down our home as well.
6. Three of my grandparents and one uncle died within one year when I was nine.
7. I lived in a town of 200 until I went to college. It was a quarter mile off the Navajo Reservation. The white kids were the minority at our school.
9. I worked in my parents station and restaurant from the time they opened. I was waiting tables, cooking, changing money by the time I was ten. I could change a tire, tube and all, by the time I was eight or nine.
10. From sixth grade on, I rode a bus to Blanding to school each day. It was 26 miles one way.
11. I played in the All State Band in Utah when I was a senior.
12. I was baptized into the LDS Church on April 1st of my senior year in high school.
13. I attended Utah State University.
14. I played the clarinet in the Utah State University Band.
15. I earned a BS degree in Elementary Education at Utah State.
16. I was adopted by my dad when I was 12 years old.
17. I loved to sing and dance.
19. I play the guitar. It is apparently genetic.
20. I really enjoy genealogy.
21. I like to travel.
22. The most proud moments of my life have to do with the temple marriages of Craig and me and our children.
23. My most happy moments deal with the births of our children and grandchildren.
24. I have too many favorites foods to count. It usually has to do with me not cooking them.
25. In contrast, I do like to cook. My favorites are the simple and healthy things. I do love Texas Style Barbeque.
2. I took baths (during that same time period) in the kitchen in a washtub. After everyone had bathed, the washtub full of dirty water was taken out the front door to be thrown out.
3. My mom, Nancy, and I married "daddy" when I was 4 years old...almost 5.
4. I went to church at St. Christopher's Mission...a mile down the road from our house.
5. My house burned down when I was about 8 years old. The same person who burned down many houses in Bluff, to included the church at the mission, burned down our home as well.
6. Three of my grandparents and one uncle died within one year when I was nine.
7. I lived in a town of 200 until I went to college. It was a quarter mile off the Navajo Reservation. The white kids were the minority at our school.
9. I worked in my parents station and restaurant from the time they opened. I was waiting tables, cooking, changing money by the time I was ten. I could change a tire, tube and all, by the time I was eight or nine.
10. From sixth grade on, I rode a bus to Blanding to school each day. It was 26 miles one way.
11. I played in the All State Band in Utah when I was a senior.
12. I was baptized into the LDS Church on April 1st of my senior year in high school.
13. I attended Utah State University.
14. I played the clarinet in the Utah State University Band.
15. I earned a BS degree in Elementary Education at Utah State.
16. I was adopted by my dad when I was 12 years old.
17. I loved to sing and dance.
19. I play the guitar. It is apparently genetic.
20. I really enjoy genealogy.
21. I like to travel.
22. The most proud moments of my life have to do with the temple marriages of Craig and me and our children.
23. My most happy moments deal with the births of our children and grandchildren.
24. I have too many favorites foods to count. It usually has to do with me not cooking them.
25. In contrast, I do like to cook. My favorites are the simple and healthy things. I do love Texas Style Barbeque.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Miracle on the Hudson
Just last week a true miracle happened on the Hudson River in New York when birds took out both engines to an US Airways plane transporting over 150 people. The pilot made an emergency landing on the water and the plane FLOATED until ALL passengers were off the plane and boarded on the several well organized ferries and boats that had surrounded the aircraft. The pilot is a Hero...I'm sure, but what of the true miracle. They DO happen everyday! I cannot count the times that I have heard the safety rules for each plane from the flight attendant. I also cannot tell you the amount of times I wondered if a plane ever landed on the water if the passengers could get out those tiny windows or down the exit isles to safety in time. At least for one time...they did! What a miracle from God! Yes, they happen every day and I, for one, am grateful!
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