Life Changes Fast!

 Sunday Morning My Husband's Father fell off his front porch under the big window facing the house. He sneaked out when he wasn't suppose to, and went to pick some grapes on the south side of the house, He probably lost his balance, and fell back. When Doug came up stairs to fix his breakfast, the front door was open with the cane holding the door open, and Doug found his father lying on his side towards the house under the big window, picked him up, and called the ambulance.

Found out he had a fractured neck, a broken neck. He had surgery Monday and everything went well, Tuesday evening he had a hard time breathing, and they had to put a ventilator on him. Today they took the ventilator off, and he is breathing on his own now. (Doug and his brother's wife in picture with dad.)

Doug just talked to him on the phone, and he wanted to go the Karaoke at the eagles. A Friend of his from the eagles came and seen him at the hospital. He wanted to get up and go with them. But he is improving, glad for that.



Life will change for all of us now. Doug sure does miss his dad, he was staying with him in his home for over a year now, and He feels weird without his dad. He feels he lost his right arm or something. Doug's dad will probably go to a nursing home for therapy for a while until he is strong enough to go back home, where Doug can take care of him again, but things may change again, but we have to have hope for the better now, it is starting to look up now.



Lots of prayers are helping out! Thanks!

Bungalow Boutique Cashier

Here I am at Bungalow Boutique in Heber, Utah. Friday August 27th. It was slow in the morning and early afternoon, it picked up later in the afternoon. I am a cashier there now. Sure was nervous, but I think I have it picked up now, I only had about 4 sales all day. Mostly swiping depit cards. so I know how to do that. I did one cash sale, I had to get help for that, it was my first sale. There was a lot of browsers, though and loved to watch people and greet them.

Here is a link to the Bungalow Boutique. It has all the Vendors names listed there and their links to their websites and pictures of what they do. http://thebungalowboutique.com/ You can check out the outside of the store here at the link.

There are alot of amazing crafters. Knitting, sowing, jewelery, clothes, purses, It is a cute little shop.

August 20-26

Sunday went to church with my Husband visited alittle at church with friends, Monday and Tuesday stayed at my Father in laws home where my husband is taking care of his father, and stayed home and painted for crafts. Wedneday  the 25th of August went to the Draper Temple with my 2 nieces Becky and Minday on the 12 session, That was a beautiful Temple! The chandliers where beautiful! It was nice going to the Temple with my nieces. Then we went to Arby's to eat. Enjoyed the company.

Today is Thursday and packing up and getting things ready to go back tomorrow. I have to leave tomorrow morning by 9 am to get to Heber by ten in the morning to work at Bungalow Boutique as a cashier, it will be my first time, I am a little nervous, but I think it will be learning the process in doing the cash, check and depit cards. I hope I can remember to take pictures of me cashiering.

I Will be back Later!

Mindy and Freinds August 16-21

Sunday I went to Church with Doug at 9 in the morning. Then I packed up to go to stay with My niece Mindy. I stayed in an extra bedroom, took my air mattress and blanket, had a fan on me for to be cool. Got up early and went walking around her neighborhood. I would go walking for an hour. In the evenings we all would go walking when it was cool. The kids would have their little bikes to ride. I was there until Wednesda y evening. Went to my sisters working party wednesday night. Enjoyed walking in the park. I kept with in my points and I made it the 3 days.

Friday the 20th I got together with my High School Buddies at the park and had alittle potluck, it was really nice to see freinds you haven't seen for some time. There were five of us. Enjoyed every minute!
Marvel, Laurie, Nola, Carol, Janie

Saturday night the 21st I went to see another friend named Colleen, and a good visit with her. She was a coworker at Abbott when I worked there.

Family Party August 14th

Wayne held a family party at his home and had a wonderful time! I took my weight watchers point book to keep tracked of my points as I ate during the dinner. I did pretty good! My family had me in mind. My sister-in-law, Waynes wife, she bought some low fat turkey burgers. They had hamburgers and hot dogs for dinner. but I don't eat the bun so I can eat other salads and chips. Then my sister Colleen bought low calorie icecream and cookies, so I was taken care of, and I played badmitton with the kids, had fun, after Waynes fixed a small fire and roasted marshmellows and chocolate, and Tyler played Mom's old accordian. It was a great family party. I totally enjoyed it.

What I did on the Week of the 4th of July

As you know I am living alone here is Roosevelt, while my dear Husband is in Salt Lake Taking care of his elderly father to help us stay here with a salary he is making. He is a great supporter, I love him.


On the 3rd I went to Neola which is 7 miles north of cedarview where I live, and go to church, went up to the church and sat under a shade tree and watched other families enjoy the parade as I did, I love to watch the children. The parade was short and sweet.

After I returned home I decided to stain my piano which I have been waiting for, for 2 years to do. finally I did it. Now all I need to do is shine it up now. My piano sounds alot better now, I have learned alittle to tune, and have the equipment to do it with. When I had my piano tuned last year, I watch the Lady tune it, and it help me alot, I still a little shy from doing it, cause I might brake a string, I tuned up one key one day. I thought if I can play I should learn to tune it. So now I don't need to hire a tuner, unless something drastic happens.


I have been losing weight and lost 24 pounds so far, I have challenged myself to loose 100 pounds by Christmas, I have 76 more to go. I have joined a really cool website called Spark people, which was requested by my cousin Marilyn, I have a lot of support from that website. I love it! I have been doing some of there core exersises with the exercise ball. I earn points and get rewards and read other spark peoples journey to lose weight and some have lost 100 already, and that keeps me going. It amazing to me how different people look after a 100 pounds lost.

My face on the left is where I started, my face on the right is after I lost 24 pounds, can you tell? What is the difference in my face?

I have joined on of the teams to walk 1200 minutes for July. I may go over but I want to see how many minutes I can walk in July. They have so many teams you can join. You can check out my spark people website on the right side of this page.

I have been clearing weeds around, and mowing the lawn, there sure alot of weeds around. This last Friday I went walking 6 miles, which one block consists of from my house and around and back, I get to see my freinds on the way and visit, It takes 2 days to feel normal again, and get blisters on the bottom of my feet, I have been doing weight watchers, and I have been pretty good at it. I will be weighing in tomorrow which is Monday. So keep watching my chart as I lose the weight.

Today I played the organ in Sacrament Meeting and for the ward choir today has we sang some patriotic music, 3 songs in a row and I made up some notes inbetween to go from one song to another. And played for primary which is alot of fun, watching children makes my day!

Oh ya! one more thing, I got a new haircut! And I feel alot better, and can move more and doing more. This is my back and the front is on the right up above.  My freind Barbara does it. Barbara is the chorister in the ward choir, primary, and she is the supervisor at the Temple. So we do alot together.

I make an oath to be my own Biggest Loser!

Hi Everyone! Yes I make an oath to be my own biggest loser!

Here I am at my biggest weight. I have been watching The biggest Loser show for sometime, and Lately one of the trainers from that show has her own show called Losing it with Jillian. She goes into family homes and help them with their weight, and also their way of thinking. You have to think the right way and be positive, before you start something like losing weight.

I started when I saw the first episode, The first one really got to me, and I started from there. I have been on this weight watchers plan for 2 weeks and have lost some weight! I have to keep going.

I have struggled with my weight all my life, and I have to do something about it. I need my life back when I was younger, and this is the only way to feel good again. I remember when I was out of High School, I weighed over 200 and my mother put me on a carbohydrate diet, and I remember weighing 160 pounds. I can remember feeling great, and looking great. I want to be back there again.

I was hooked on food, cause it tastes so good and I wanted to be filled up. But it never helped me to feel good. When I was filled I would ache all over. I would get upset with my self for overeating. And so I got depressed and gave up, and just keep eating til my death. But watching these show, especially now that I have watched Jillian show, when she goes to live with them for a week, gets them to think correctly and show them how to exercise, and think well of themselves at the moment. That helped me allot.

I have been doing well on the plan on my own, and haven't skipped a beat on the plan, of course I have been at home alone, so there is no other temptation around and I have done it on my own, with the help of Losing it with Jillian,

I have some peddles that I sit in front of my chair while I watch TV. and just peddle away, I can sit there for at least 2 hours peddling. I peddle the fastest I can during commercials. I usually read in the mornings and sit and peddle while I read and get 2 things done at the same time.

I need a support group to help me being more firm and steadfast and immovable in keeping one of the commandments in the word of wisdom. Even when it is hard to do so. I need to be patience and wait for the outcome of the end of this journey.

I read the talk in the Ensign about Patience by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, He is cool! He said Patience is waiting for something to happen working toward worth while goals and not getting discouraged when results don't appear instantly or without effort. Patient is not simply enduring, it is enduring well!

If you have a challenge or a weakness in your life whatever it is, lets do it together and support each other, lift each other, with no judgements, but encourage each other with patience.

To see my weight chart go to the link to my blog and check how much weight I have lost each week. I weigh in on Thursday morning.

I love you all!

My Kindnes shall not depart from thee

Monday the Bishop's wife called me and asked if I could play the piano for their 2 daughter who will sing in Sacrament meeting, then she brought the music over Tuesday. I went through the music, and had to white out some notes, It had allot of octaves in it, and It hurts me to play octaves all the way through. so I do that if the song is hard and make it easy for myself. So I played for them today, and they have them most beautiful voices. They gave me a thank you card, and it touched my heart, and that was my blessing. I love the saying they wrote on it. Anything that touches my heart is a blessing.

For a little while have I forsaken thee,
but with great mercies will I gather thee,
IN a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment.
but with everlasting kindness will I gather thee.

And with mercy will I take thee beneath my wings
For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed
And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea.

But now my child, My kindness shall not depart form thee.
though thine afflictions seem at times to great to bear
I know thine every thought and every care,
And though the very jaws of hell gape after thee.
I am with thee

And with everlasting mercy will I succor thee
For the mountains shall depart and the hills shall be removed

And the valleys shall be lost beneath the sea.
So hold on they way, for I shall be with thee,
for I shall be with thee.

And my angels shall encircle thee doubt not what thou knowest
Fear not man, for he cannot hurt thee,
and with everlasting kindness will I succor thee,
And with mercy will I take thee beneath my wings

but know my child my kindness shall not depart from thee.

Jon Schmidt Concert

I had the privilege in going to see John Schmidt in concert here at the Roosevelt Junior High sponsered by the Uinta Basin Medical Center, It was last friday night, the 7th of May. This is my second time I went since I have been here.

I went alone, but really enjoyed it, I just enjoyed the children around me, they were up and dancing in their seats, He was funny. He has some background music when he was playing. Just him and his grand piano, some times they had like different colors of background when he played the piano. He was making faces and made everyone laugh. doug stayed home with his dad here. He rather go to a nascar race.

I seen alot of my friends there after and enjoyed talking to them.
I had a great evening, while I was at the concert, Doug cleaned up his mess, and had the porch all cleaned up and I was impressed.

But I Love Piano music, and I listen to my nephew Cody's music while I sit and paint. I am in another world, until Doug calls me on the phone and I am back to reality.

Play Yahtzee

One Evening while Doug and his Dad was here, we all played yahtzee, We just has had him  be partners with Doug, and he just shook the dice. He rolled quite a few yahtees, but only could have one yahtzee. But he had fun playing. five of a kind is yahtzee.

Doug stays in Salt Lake at his home and is a caretaker for his father and makes a living by doing that. His brother in California helps him out alot. Doug was adopted so he gets to take care of him.

So he got a chance to come out and do some work that needed to get done, and now he is back with his father. His Father will be 88 soon, He is hard of earing, no teeth and walks with a walker or cane. He like to read and sleep alot. He will sleep after dinner, and wake up and thinks it is breakfast time.

But His dad has a great sense of humor, he likes to play my piano has he passed it by, and I clap for him. I get up and dance and he will dance alittle too.

Our Front Porch

To all my family who can't make it out to see this in person, I bring it to you! Here is Our Front Porch! Cool HUH? It just needs to be painted now. Any Ideas what color to paint it? I had to decorated it alittle before I took a picture.

The porch was in the back when they brought the mobile home out here. So my freind Barbara's Husband who pulled the mobile home over on our property, helped moved it to the front, with one of those little tracters. So you see where to stucco had to be. He still has the rest of the Mobile home to stucco.

It's nice to have a porch and sit and watch the sunsets in the evenings. We have great sunsets here, and alot of wind!

Putting on stucco

While Doug was here he and his freind Don in the ward help him put stucco on the bottom of the Mobile Home so we could have the front porch on, We need it inspected this year. It was their first time, but I think they done a great job, even if it was their first time. Doug had a cement mixer and just put it on, had to have plastic and chicken wire on first. When doug has another man to help him, he has alot more man power and  last alot longer sticking with the job

Good job guys!.

Working at the Vernal Temple

It has been one year since I started working as a temple ordinance worker at the Vernal Temple. It was on April 15th, 2009. Wow! It has been a blessing to me in my life. Most of the people in this area and in my ward work at the Temple here, some even come from Wyoming. I love going to the Temple, and working there. My eyes really have been opened, I understand and have a better knowledge of the gospel in my life, and the ordinances mean so much more to me than when I was just getting married in the Temple years ago. Living here in the country has blessed me more than in the City. It is peaceful and pleasant in there and can feel the spirit. And feel loved by patrons, and fellow temple workers there. I feel loved there all the time.

Do you remember any of your Grandparents?

I remeber my Mother's Father and Mother. Lester & Frances Blackham, They lived in Spring Glen out by Price, Utah. My Grandfather was a Coolminer, my grandmother was a school teacher. My grandma cooked all the time. She use to make gingerbread cookies, boy they were yummy. She use to do quilting. I remember all my aunts and mom use to quilt with the yarn. My Grandfather use to watch TV alot, and wouldn't let us watch TV, only what he was watching. Nobody watched Grandpa's TV! My Grandparents had seperate bedrooms, didn't understand then, but I so now! I have my own bedroom, and my husband has his, mine in Roosevelt, and his in Salt Lake.

I remember my Great Grandmother, Grandma Smyth. I remember going to New Mexico when we were kids, and saw her there and she use to knit or crochey, I picked it up when I was young but never picked it up in my later years. She use to stay with us, and helped take care of her with my mother, She lived in Manti, a block away from the Temple there, we use to roll down the grassy hills, that was fun. My Grandma smyth had an upstairs in her house and I would look at the temple. Later she was put in a nursing home, and wanted to go back to manti.

I remember my Father's Mother, Alpha Madsen Balle, She lived in Payson, Utah. She lived in a big house, I thought when I was young, now I see it as a little house. She had an upstairs too. It use to be scary sometimes. I remember an old wind up tractor, I use to remember that sound for years, but I can't make that sound now, She use to have candy or cookies on the big round table in the second room, with a pump up piano, there was 2 peddles you us to pump while playing the piano. I had a freind named Sharon Ashworth who lives a couple of house from her house. I remember going to the park and listening to bands. Use to visit my Dad's Sister down the street.

I sure miss the good old days!
What a memory! Came from a great family!

Dad's watch dog snow spanky

Snow spanky was created by Keith Morse the brother of Doug. They have a small dog named spanky, but he is smaller than the snow spanky. Very creative! I loved it!

Happy Treyden!

He is so happy! What a smile! Aunt Kelsey is holding him.

Great Aunt Carol holding Treyden

Here I am holding my great nephew Treyden. Becky"s twin son. He is so cute and lovable! It felt great holding a baby!

Great Grandma & Treyden

Here is Great Grandma Balle holding Treyden her great grandson. Colleen's daughter Becky's one twin boys. He is the chunky one and the happy one. He is alot of fun!

Deer Creek & Timp

Heading to salt Lake for Christmas I was overwhelmed with the beauty of this Deer Creek lake, it wasn't frozen but it seemed like steam was on top and I love timpanogus. What a beautiful site!

Doug's Dad Watching TV

Here is Doug's Dad watching the Tabernacle Choir on TV and it was the First Presidency Christmas Devotional. He had surgery for cleaning out one artery so he could get blood to the brain. It went well, and he will be out on Monday. Doug's Brother came from California to help out. And it has been a blessing for Dad to have both his sons to help out and find out new techniques to help dad at his age 8 7.