The life and times of a domestic Goddess

Lonesome Gods- louis lamour

2011-05-18T19:22:00.001-05:00

hey devoted book readers/ silent followers:
i have been a horrid book club host, but i am carrying on!
This month we are reading Lonesome Gods by louis lamour. It is a western but promises to be a awesome read! See you in June to review it and announce the last book before summer break!

Lonesome Gods- louis lamour

2011-05-18T19:21:00.000-05:00

march: The Chosen by Chaim Potok

2011-03-03T20:06:00.000-06:00

Try to get this read, but at least start it and tell me what you think! I will be reading it to be done by the 17th, but i can wait to chat about it till the end of the month!

Laddie- february

2011-02-17T17:59:00.000-06:00

i am listening to Laddie on audio and will let you know when im done! happy reading!

I totally bombed on getting through the whole book, but i did love the family values and the emphasis on the family bonds and the community. what did you like about this book?

Book club: Swiss Family Robinson

2011-01-04T21:28:00.000-06:00

We will be reading Swiss Family Robinson for January!
Happy reading!

Please reply and let me know that you are going to read it. thanks, chanel.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

2010-11-05T22:15:00.000-05:00

Jane Eyre is a book that i have never really read, but heard so much about. I have watched the movie and loved it so the book should be even better.

Here are some questions each person can answer to get our brains moving and start conversation:

What do you think of Jane Eyre?
Who is your favorite character and why?
Who do you relate to in the book and how?
What life lessons do you think this book teaches?
How do you like the language/style of the book?
What is your favorite part of the story?
What is your opinion of this book?

Reply to this post with your answers/comments about this book. Happy reading!

chanel

The Book Club Introduction

2010-11-05T21:16:00.001-05:00

This is the start of the book club for my sisters and friends who want to take part!

We will be reading the classics that im reading for my Abigail Adams Academy class. I think it will help me to get more out of each book and to allow me to share it with more of my sistas!

We will plan to finish the 1st book, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Bronte, by the 18th of November. We can blog about the book till the deadline and the weekend following the 18th of November we can finish any reviews of the book and move to the next. I will start a new post for each book we do so that we can all see where to post our comments and answers to the questions for that book. I would like to try to have each of us who are participating to introduce ourselves and tell why we are participating in the book club in this Introduction post.

I will go first!
I am doing the Abigail Adams class that these classic books are for because i want to improve my education of the classic and great works of our world. I home school my boys and feel that broadening my knowledge of classic works will only increase my ability to share their treasures with my kids and encourage them to read more. We can never know too much and should never stop trying to increase our knowledge and skills. I hope we can all have fun while we read these books together!

halloween 2010 contd.

2010-11-03T13:20:00.000-05:00

candy corn witch!

the trick or treatin gang

Bill and Obama!

halloween 2010

2010-11-03T13:11:00.001-05:00

Glenn Beck Program

2010-11-03T12:57:00.001-05:00

Glenn Beck Program

Back in the middle of the country!

2010-09-21T07:34:00.000-05:00

So we had a 3 year stint in WA state and are now back in the middle of the country!
Long story short...God confirmed to us through prayer and fasting that we were done in WA (for now) and needed to come back to this area...so we are here.
We are as busy as I ever imagined we could be and I see that life is not done testing our abilities and sanity. We are busy with newly starting Homeschool with our 3 school age boys, church responsibilities, scouting duties, work changes and life in general.
We love being back in our big house that we rehabed and has so much of our blood, sweat and tears in it. We are doing our best to help our family grow and improve in our current location, but it has been a challenge to balance everything we are taking on.
We are working together to improve our family's spiritual and social talents through church and community opportunities. Darin is constantly looking to improve our financial stability which brings an added stress to our schedule, but must be done. I am working to teach our kids the way we know they need to be in the world we live in today, according to our family's religious beliefs and practices and to continue to learn and improve myself as well. Our older boys are working to make friends and learn new things in our lessons. My 2 youngest children are learning to be big boys and to express themselves through the English language skills they are learning at a rapid pace and through exploring their boundaries in the family and in social settings.
I know that this is short and generic, but at least you get an idea of where we are in life right now. I will post more later about us, but hope this catches you up to speed.

www.beachbodycoach.com/coachchanel

2010-08-24T14:04:00.000-05:00

My journey to health

2010-08-24T13:29:00.000-05:00

i am the last person who would usually be doing anything that makes me sweat or exert myself if it aint fun and worth it. I love food and I love to be lazy, but I do want to feel good and fit my clothes so what to do?
Well, i have found that it is fun and is worth it!

The background story for this is that after 4 csections and 10 years of not doing much for my health i decided i didnt want to let life happen to me and needed to help myself (since no one else can). I saw a beachbody.com commercial and the workout looked good and i thought that i just needed to do something and i could afford a workout. So i bought Slim in 6 and did it in my living room at least 3 days a week. I really didnt worry about my food as much, but I did start to notice that i had more energy and was happier. Then I moved on to Turbo Jam and LOVED IT! It was the upbeat type trainer and music i wanted for my workout. I then moved on to Chalean Extreme eventually and was hardcore for 6months and had weight and inches loss...amazing...it was working! So what happened?
Well LIFE happened. We got stressed about moving, moved and then moved again across the country...ack! I got so depressed that I had "failed" and had ate bad and not exercised the whole time. So after a few months of moving in and feeling like i wanted to get back to feeling good and moving forward in my goals i decided to start! So I set a monday to start working out again and started logging onto beachbody.com to record my workouts for some accountability. Now I also record it on my Facebook and have done videos to see my progress and visually see the changes.
Also, after starting my workouts again i really wanted a more nutritional shake for my breakfast and something that did more than just replace a meal. I wanted something to improve my health too. So i referred back to the workout buddies and store on beachbody.com. I also was looking for help from my coach to get on track with my health.
Of course my coach was nice, but we didnt really click or relate and I started to see this other coach that was way motivated and posting helpful info just to help out. I thought that was what I was looking for so I asked her to be my coach and send me a sample of this cool shake she was talking about.
Once I was ready, I started buying the shakes. I love them because i chose to use them and the experts made them so I dont gotta figure it out myself. Now im a coach so that I can really help those who are asking me about what im doin and i get a discount on my shakes too!
Well thats the story and im stickin to it...haha.

2010-08-24T13:28:00.000-05:00

""

Im now a coach with beachbody.com and am so excited to bring others along on my journey to health!
www.beachbodycoach.com/coachchanel

Born Again American

2009-09-18T11:09:00.001-05:00

This is what we need to remember when we are arguing over the specifics of laws...freedom and the constitution come first!

Updates

2009-02-03T16:39:00.000-06:00

Hi all,
Here are a few updates!
We moved to the Spokane are from Colville, WA. We love the house we are renting and the school is great too. We will be buying eventually, but wanted to try out the area for now. Of course we can always be found on the internet no matter where we are.
Darin and I still run his Wireless Networking business and take care of our 4 boys, dogs and chickens.
Darin is in cub scouts with Tristram and teaches once a month in elders quorum at church. He love to blog online and keep updated on current events to help us make decisions both for his business and our family. He also enjoys some recreation time that he usually has something new and exciting to do with the time. He really wants to visit more family and friends, but we gotten work with his unpredictable work schedule and school for the kids also. He is a great Mr. Mom when I get busy with work or errands (or if I am too tired to do it). He is the best dad and husband I could hope for.
I, Chanel, have a Visiting Teaching assignment at church and I am enjoying church in a new place. I have gotten into using facebook and youtube to keep in touch with family and friends.(in between updates here). I have an addiction to Glenn Beck, and enjoying listening when I am not busy with other things. Our new place is just right for our family and keeps me busy with the usual cleaning, cooking, laundry and never-ending clean up of toys…haha. I am looking forward to being able to pull out more of my craft room type stuff now that I have a safe place to set up a sewing machine and keyboard. I am doing my best to improve my health with regular exercise, which helps to make me feel better on those foggy WA days. I am truly blessed to have the family I have. I am also glad to hear from my relatives when they can.
Tristram is 8 and is in 2nd grade. He loves school, but not the long bus ride. He is our best Wii Nintendo player in the house and is loves to play with whoever can. He loves Family Home Evening night and always tries to put in his choice of activity. He is the best helper when it is really needed. He loves to help collect eggs from the chickens, too. He is very smart and his favorite subjects in school are gym and math.
Jadin is 6 and in kindergarten. He goes 2-3 times a week and likes his teacher. He enjoys Mario Galaxy and Mario Party 8. He loves to sing a-long (if we are not watching) to songs he likes. He love Family Home Evening night also and loves the treats and games best. He is learning to be a big boy like Tris. He loves to be goofy and joke with all of us. He loves to have us read to him.
Simeon is 3 and stays at home with us. He loves Public Television programs for kids and enjoys playing with Ephraim. He is a rough and tough kind of boy, but has a sweet and sensitive heart. He get a lot of bumps and scraps due to his hard playin ways, but doesn’t seem to notice much. He is such a good boy and loves too keep busy. He will definitely play some sport when he is older.
Ephraim is 19mo and stays at home too. He love to play with Simeon and watch PBS. He lovesssssssssssss his toys and the dog’s food. He keeps us aware of what he needs and wants during the day and keeps us moving till bedtime. He is a good and active toddler and loves to give hugs and kisses. He is our youngest little angel and we love him to pieces.
Willie, our poodle, is doing great and is 10 years old. He loves to lay around and clean up after Ephraim. He is the old person in the house and enjoys his seniority.
George, our border collie, is very energetic and needy. He is 2 years or so and we adopted him from a family that was moving and had to get rid of him. He loves us all. He enjoys running after any of our motorized vehicles and kids and likes to watch the chickens too. He is a good dog.
There you have it. A few updates to keep ya’ll up to speed.
see ya,
chanel

Musing of a MOM

2008-11-14T00:39:00.000-06:00

I sometimes have moments where I am able to reflect on all the things in my life that have helped to shape and mold who I am today. Most times I can say that they were good and other times I should have made better choices about who or what I let influence me and change me. I am, however, happy to say that I am better than I could be and I truly feel I am on the right path in my life. No matter how long it might be or how difficult it has been or will be again I am glad I chose it.
Ok, the point I am getting to is that I have seen a lot changing in the world and in our country. I feel a sense of urgency that has always preceded important decisions in my life. I hope that I am getting better at recognizing the promptings of my creator and his ability to teach me as he trys to guide me. He is so good at knowing exactly what I need to understand the path I need to take. I just have to be willing to feel pain and discomfort because of the path I have to take to reach what purpose God has for me at that time.
The reason I know this is because of all the things in my past that have been hard to go through, but have brought me to where I am today. The only thing that can make these experiences worth it is commiting to continue on the journey and keep God's plan for me as the top motivator in my actions.
I am just as falable as the next person out there. I always have to keep evaluating my life to see if what I am doing at the time is a reflection of my beliefs and convictions or a product of my imperfect temporal desires and faults. Sometimes I review myself and come up short. It is at those times that I have had to be willing to admit my flaws and decided to adjust my course or my priorities. It is this self analysis that has been both a blessing and a stressor in my life. I am glad that I do it, but I am also glad that I have support in recognizing the better parts of me.
My life has been filled with people, sometimes fleeting and sometimes long-term, that show me the great person they see. I am so greatful for all those people who have been that for me at times in my life. If you are one of those people... know that I recognized and appreciated the love and caring you shared with me.
My desire in life is to be that person for someone else who needs to know that even though they mess up they are still important and worth the effort they put into themselves. I know that it is our knowledge of who we are and where we came from that gives us the hope of something better than today. It is this that drives me to seek the best in myself and the best example to follow. It is this that brings me closer to my God and Heavenly Father. No matter what is happening at the time I know that he sees, hears and focuses on me. He is my constant companion in my journey through life. My choice is to make it a good or bad experience for us both. I hope I can make it better rather than worse.
I know it sound funny, but I am glad that I can talk about these things in a forum that might open me up to criticism and still be able to do it anyway. I hope that if you read this you can relate or understand me just a little bit more. chanel.

Another awesome Daily Gem!

2008-06-04T11:59:00.000-05:00

Daily Gems
Understanding Sacred Things
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"The importance of having a sense of the sacred is simply this--if one does not appreciate holy things, he will lose them.
Absent a feeling of reverence, he will grow increasingly casual in attitude and lax in conduct. He will drift from the moorings that his covenants with God could provide. His feeling of accountability to God will diminish and then be forgotten. Thereafter, he will care only about his own comfort and satisfying his uncontrolled appetites. Finally, he will come to despise sacred things, even God, and then he will despise himself.

"On the
other hand, with a sense of the sacred, one grows in understanding and truth. The Holy Spirit becomes his frequent and then constant companion.
More and more he will stand in holy places and be entrusted with holy things. Just the opposite of cynicism and despair, his end is eternal life."

Topic: sacred things, accountability, reverence

(D. Todd Christofferson, "A Sense of the Sacred," CES fireside for young adults, Nov. 7, 2004)

Having a reverence and a standard for how to approach things of a sacred nature is vital to becoming closer and more like our Saviour and Heavenly Father. chanel.

I love America!

2008-05-08T10:43:00.000-05:00

Hi friends!
I have decided to put some new stuff on my blog.
I don't do well with basic journaling, even though I keep saying i will get better.
So...........I am posting about stuff that I want to make sure I put out there for all to know about myself and my beliefs.

I have been watching the campaigns of the various candidates for president this year. I have heard things come out of some of their mouths and the mouths of those they trust and are supported by, that have made me cringe!
Some of the sources of the things heard are Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Michelle Obama, Barach Obama, Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, Chelsie Clinton. I am sure there are things said by others that I am not thinking of, but for the purposes of this rant these will do.
When I hear these things that "make me cringe" it is because of the negative and fear mongering spirit that is prevalent in all of them. The speeches given that seem to say " Hey dummy you can't take care of yourself, so give me all your money and I will show you how to do it" are both insulting and scary. The idea that as an American people we don't and can't survive or prosper without one of these presidential hopefuls remaking America is ridiculous.
Yes, America isn't perfect and it has it's problems. However, this does not mean that someone needs to come in an remake or redo our constitution or what we believe as a nation!
The constitution is still the most liberating, just and detailed document that supports and outlines the rights of all people.
America is still the nation that scans the globe for injustice and works to make it better. The nation that other countries' people look to for aid and inspiration for their own rights and freedoms. That has an unending flow of immigration, legal and illegal, to obtain the rights and freedoms we have!
No matter what differences we have politically, religiously, racially, financially, etc. We all are Americans that benefit from the nation that we live in. No one should allow a politician or anyone else to tell them that American is broken and needs to be thrown away!
When you watch this electoral race and make decisions on who to vote for, remember that no matter what they promise, they should commit to uphold the constitution, pledge allegiance to our country and it's people, support and protect our current rights and freedoms, protect our country physically and economically and have a positive outlook on the future of America and its people... WHOM YOU ARE TRYING TO GET ELECTED TO LEAD AND SERVE!

I am a daughter of God, a wife and mother, a Christian, a woman and an AMERICAN! I want our country's way of life upheld, supported and CONTINUED! I also want lower taxes for all and the same percentage rate tax for all. I want a armed forces that protects us. I want decent educational system, where kids can learn. Higher education that gets better as you pay more. I want healthcare that gets better when I choose to pay more for it. I want to have an idea or skill that I can use (by the freedoms we have) to create wealth if I work hard and do it. I want a "democracy, free market, american dream-access" type of America. So.....
If you are running for president and don't want these things or want to "change" these things, then you do not understand what you have had access to in this country and do not need to be in charge of it.
GOD BLESS AMERICA AND KEEP IT SAFE FROM THOSE WHO DO NOT UNDERSTAND OR APPRECIATE IT!

If you agree with this or have a question, feel free to post and i will respond. God bless,
chanel stevens.

I am honored to be call WOMAN

2007-10-27T12:53:00.000-05:00

Hi all,
I am blogging on this quote i read because it explains perfectly why I am honored to be called Woman and what I am working to live up to. If you ever thought that your role as a wife, mother, daughter, sister or woman was not significant.... please read the following quote and remember that God has created you for a specific and wonderful purpose! Love ya, chanel.
Gems on the Family
The Divinity of Womanhood
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"I wonder if you sisters fully understand the greatness of your gifts and talents and how all of you can achieve the 'highest place of honor' in the Church and in the world. One of your unique, precious, and sublime gifts is your femininity, with its natural grace, goodness, and divinity. Femininity is not just lipstick, stylish hairdos, and trendy clothes. It is the divine adornment of humanity. It finds expression in your qualities of your capacity to love, your spirituality, delicacy, radiance, sensitivity, creativity, charm, graciousness, gentleness, dignity, and quiet strength. It is manifest differently in each girl or woman, but each of you possesses it. Femininity is part of your inner beauty.

"One of your particular gifts is your feminine intuition.
Do not limit yourselves. As you seek to know the will of our Heavenly Father in your life and become more spiritual, you will be far more attractive, even irresistible. You can use your smiling loveliness to bless those you love and all you meet, and spread great joy. Femininity is part of the God-given divinity within each of you. It is your incomparable power and influence to do good. You can, through your supernal gifts, bless the lives of children, women, and men. Be proud of your womanhood. Enhance it. Use it to serve others."

(James E. Faust "Womanhood: The Highest Place of Honor," Ensign, May 2000, 96)

I love LDS Gems

2007-09-29T01:48:00.000-05:00

I have really enjoyed getting the LDS Gems each day. Sometimes I dont read them for like a week, but I really enjoy having these little quotes and uplifting tidbits to read when I feel bad or get annoyed at the world. They also help to jog my memory of scriptures I have read in the past or things I learned in Sunday School. Its like a quick little lesson to give me a boost when I need it. Well, I am doing fine and will be going to the Womens broadcast tomorrow, so see ya later. Here is the newest quote that really made me stop and think about my life and if I am recognizing the signs and preparing to see Jesus again! Love ya, chanel.

Daily Gems
Our Time and His Coming
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"Before that sacred night in Bethlehem, the events of history and the words of the prophets of all dispensations prepared the way for the first coming of the Lord and His Atonement. Similarly, history and prophecy laid the groundwork for the Restoration of the gospel through the Prophet Joseph Smith. Do we have eyes to see that the events and prophecies of our time are preparing us for the Savior's Second Coming?"

Topics:
restoration, Second Coming of Jesus Christ, Atonement

(Robert D. Hales, "Preparations for the Restoration and the Second Coming," Ensign, Nov. 2005, 92)

family update link

2007-09-26T18:51:00.000-05:00

Welcome to jcshanks.com › Edit — WordPress

A working mother's life with baby #4

2007-09-25T12:11:00.000-05:00

I know, I know! It sounds bad calling Ephraim "baby #4". So what... I know I love him!

Well, I know I seemed a little down in the last blog but that was cuz... I was! Having a baby, packing, moving across the country, working, preschool(now) and all the motherly duties(which darin does help with) have taken their toll on me and that stupid Postpartum depression crap has snuck up on me. So............ I am trying to deal and function in a positive way till it blows over. I am not always unhappy or depressed, but sometimes it just hits me and i feel like running from the house screaming. So.................. I don't, which then causes me to be a grumpy person to everyone(which has not been fun for others). So.................I am working on being more productive and happy. I went to the temple(even though darin had to be with the youth) and I have started trying to read the gospel doctrine scriptures better. I am doing preschool with Jadin and simeon on Tuesdays and Thursdays(thanks to stuff Jenny showed me). I have started walking/jogging on the treadmill(also like Jenny inspired me to do) at least 3 times a week. Last week I did it 3 (maybe 4) times and this week will be the same. It has helped me feel better with all the endorphines I get and just doing something for me. Well, this is all for now, but I will keep ya posted. Love ya, chanel.

Disgruntled... I guess.

2007-09-21T01:15:00.000-05:00

Well today has been one that I would have liked to skip.
It was a rainy and foggy day.
I worked, took ephraim and jadin to get shots, grocery shopped, came home, took care of a screaming baby(due to shots), moped about the house(not sure why), did laundry, dishes, more baby duty, had dinner(which darin cooked) and dessert, had family prayer, put baby to bed and now I am blogging and review a few work details.
To say that today was neccessary and productive is the best i can say.
I know that tomorrow is another day, which will hopefully be better then today.
see ya.

LDS GEMS

2007-09-21T01:03:00.000-05:00

I loved this quote I got from lds gems. It is so accurate to how life is these days. I see so much corruption in this world and it seems impossible to avoid it all the time, but I know it can be done with God's help. Keep the faith and have courage! chanel.

"[The Lord's] sweet assurance . . . can guide you and me--in our time, in our day, in our lives. Of course, we will face fear, experience ridicule, and meet opposition. Let us have the courage to defy the consensus, the courage to stand for principle. Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval. Courage becomes a living and an attractive virtue when it is regarded not only as a willingness to die manfully, but also as a determination to live decently.
A moral coward is one who is afraid to do what he thinks is right because others will disapprove or laugh. Remember that all men have their fears, but those who face their fears with dignity have courage as well."

Enjoying the bounties of WA.

2007-09-17T00:28:00.000-05:00

This is the view from my back sliding glass door. Nice and mountainy!

Hi all,
We have of course been busy since we got here with unpacking, working, kids and having fun. Now we have added school for Tristram and seasonal canning of peaches, pears and jam. We also got to freeze some corn. Yummy!
Tris is loving school and we are glad he has more to do. Canning has been tiring and rewarding. We will have yummy fruit for the winter.
My parents have been able to come and help can and to spend time together on the weekend.
Yesterday darin went to the temple in spokane for Youth baptisms and my parents watched the boys so I could go too.
It has been forever ago that I was able to go to the temple at all, so even though Darin and I were not together I decided to go. I was able to relax, meditate and absorb the spirit that can only be found there. It felt like being given water after a long journey through the desert... a welcome relief to my parched soul. I had a hard time focusing at first, but it was wonderful and I know that the more I go, the more I will be able to learn and absorb. I miss the temple and I am glad that it is only 2hrs away now.
Well, I will post more later with more pics, but i wanted to give a few updates for now.
PS- we see deer in herds out here and I commented that the "they are like cockroaches, the fields are infested with deer". hahaha. well see ya later, chanel

Life with a 6 (going on 16) year old boy!

2007-08-25T00:47:00.000-05:00

I read my friend Jenny's blog about her "independent" son and it has reminded me of my "independent" son who has been "maturing" overnight from 6 years old to 16!
It must be the transition to age 7 and going to 1st grade, but Tristram has been very "grownup" lately. He doesn't feel the need to associate with his family most of the day, he doesn't ask permission to run around the farm or go with grandpa unless we hound him and he likes to debate the validity of every punishment and our parenting rights / skills. AAAACCCCKKKK!
Needless to say we have equiped him with a firefly cell phone which allows us to reach him on the farm when he is with grandpa or on his 4wheeler. We also do a lot of "laying down the law" with him and restricting his activities if he chooses to have a "bad day" or whine about the rules. He is very grownup and helpful most of the time, but has gotten the idea that he is too old to follow the "baby" rules. Well, I guess growing up has ups and downs. It will get better soon (i hope).
chanel.

Life in Colville, WA so far.

2007-08-24T02:41:00.000-05:00

Hi all,

It has been fun running around the area doing things that we haven't done before.

We still work during the week, but have had relatives visit and that creates time to go play.

When my sis, michelle was still in Medeline I went w/ the kids to the Ione parade and had a picnic at the campsite of the Huberts and swam in Sullivan lake too. It was great!The next weekend we went back w/ darin this time and swam in the lake some more before michelle and family had to leave for Indiana.

Kids at the parade in Ione.

View of lake and mountains from beach we went to.

Kids and michelle looking at the Huberts Yaks.

We have done a little site seeing of the countryside on our own and possible land we could buy. It is so pretty here. Then there was a colville rendezvous here that had food, music and vendors. Got a few more charms for my bracelet at it.

Darin's sis, Jenny and her girls came to visit grandparents and us. We played on the 4wheelers.

One day we got to go to the river in Kettle, which is about 15min west of here. We swam and layed in the sand on the bank. I even floated on a tube in the river with my niece, who is 14 and so fun. Got peaches and apricots. Then we went to eat icecream on the way home. We also got to spend time chatting w/ Jenny and the girls to catch up on their lives. Good times.

Next David and Rachel and their 3 girls (who are close to our kids age) came and the kids played together lots. They all tried to fish. Dave helped grandpa with stuff and us ladies visited a little. Rachel got to rest more so that is was a real vacation. We did all help build a mini dam (using stones) to divert the river flow, so that it wouldn't erroad the ground around the bridge. It was kinda fun. We all helped pick more peaches. We also pick a little corn for dinner the last night. Yummy! More good times.

Then of course the kids have played outside on the 4wheelers and on the swingset, whenever they can. Great fun and they will hate it when school takes up most of the day. Oh well, summer is great.

Me and Ephraim. He is 10.6lbs and 22.5in now. Such a little cutie.

Stevens Moving On...

2007-07-23T01:14:00.000-05:00

Hi all,
We finally did what we have talked about since we got married almost 9 years ago. We have relocated to Darin's childhood hometown.... colville, Wa. We are unpacked with what fits in this rental and have announced our presence in the ward. We blessed Ephraim the sunday after we got here and I am trying to get the office work done that i have been putting on hold. I miss my friends and family that are not here. I know it will be a while before I feel at home here. Send me emails or post a blog comment so I know you are out there. I will miss all of you that have made our time in Kaw River Ward a good time. Our kids will miss everyone too. We especially will miss the contact with the Elders and all the meals we had with them. Lots of love to all,
Chanel.

I AM ALIVE

2006-08-29T15:26:00.000-05:00

I thought about what to say and decided to talk about what is happening in the Stevens house.
First, we are all alive and well. Tristram is in kindergarten (since 8/3) and Jadin(3.5) & Simeon (10m0) hang out here at home. Jadin is content to watch cartoons and run errands with me. Simeon likes to be with Darin when he can and is attached to me the rest of the time.
Darin is the President of our company, Wifiable, and I am the office manager.
At church, Darin is in YM presidency and I am in the primary presidency. The boys are in primary and Simeon goes to class w/ darin. Things are busy for us!
News: Recently we were burglarized and lost a few expense and more sentimental items. I was so frustrated that we couldn't prevent this and won't get much compensation for some of the things stolen. It is sad that someone decided to take what we have worked for. Tristram's bday is the 6th of Sept. We are gonna be planning that. Life will go on and I am working on enjoying it. Well, I have to go. Have a great day, chanel.

Life is good...no wait, it sucks...no its good?

2006-07-18T22:13:00.000-05:00

If you are wondering about my title read on. It is my usual internal dialogue that seems to show through a tad too often for my liking. I will enlighten you by giving a specific example of it.
We have had really good things happen at the same time as really bad things. On the one hand, we have our own schedule, have gotten to spend more time with our kids, can work on our house more often, have several great friends, and got to go on a long vacation (things that wouldn't be possible with a regular job). On the other hand, we don't have business capital, we have had a few customers wait forever to pay (or still haven't), haven't had work from those that do pay (for way too long), have had to figure out most business stuff ourselves, have had people gossip about us or "misrepresent" what we say to other (creating bad feelings towards us) and have to multi-task to the point of insanity sometimes-kids, phone, customers, employees, house repairs, dishes, wash, etc.
Whew! So needless to say I feel as blessed as I do dumped on. Well, now for the funny part:
(Simultaneous to the above stuff) I had been searching for PT jobs and revamping my resume so that I could get a part-time job while we were waiting for the work to pickup or for customers to pay or both. This seemed like the logical solution to our cash flow problem. Darin, needed to stay available to run the company and I was going insane hoping for things to get better. This of course was a topic that Darin and I seemed to disagree on. He thought I shouldn't stress and I thought he wasn't stressed enough!
So I sent my resume to a few job listings that I liked and then I waited.
Well, what do ya think happened?
Nothing. AAACCCKKKK! I was really frustrated at that point, but I knew that this was God's way of keeping my faith and patience in check. So, I just took a deep breath.... and got depressed (thought I was gonna say endured well, huh).
Ok, so that wasn't gonna help but I did my best to get over it and to keep on being a good- wife, mom, church member and person. Well, about a day after I felt like nothing was gonna fix our mess, two things happened. First, something happened that distracted and frustrated me so much that it took my focus off no money and on to that. Second, we got a email from a big customer saying that they had lots of work for us to do, starting ASAP.
Here is where the life lesson happens:
I sat there crying after Darin told me the good news about the new work and thought to myself-
"Oh yee of little faith" and much littler patience! I guess I keep having to learn the same lesson over and over.
Life is not easy, but it is worth it! When everything is going good and life is "easy" we become lazy and don't grow much. When we struggle it makes us appreciate what we have and learn how to be better. I know that if I ever want to be like my heavenly father, I am going to have to endure and learn from many, many, many trials.
So...............
The gospel is true, God lives, the prophet is called of God and I cannot deny my testimony or my covenants with God. I am so grateful for the things that keep me in check and remind me of what I cherish most- My relationship with God, my family and my eternal goals.
To all those that read this- thanks for being my friend even though I'm not a quick learner sometimes.
Chanel.

Here's "The Word"!

2006-07-08T23:29:00.000-05:00

The word is:
Chores - the stuff you do to keep the house running ( and use as excuse when spouse complains that you didn't do something else)
Lovin'- the time that you spend with your spouse to renew your affection for them (and soak up the fact they are all yours!)
Punishment- what your kids get when they disobey the rules ( and what we do when we can't figure out how to prevent it with Love and Logic, aakk.)
Pay check- what someone gets paid for the hours they work (what we get if the customer pays on time)
Date night- the night each week/month that you and spouse go out alone to have time together (the night we go out with the kids so we can go somewhere!)
Relatives- the people you are related to (the people you dont know well and dont see much, but think that they know so much about you and what you should be doing)
Words- letters strung together that are used to communicate our thoughts and feelings ( and idiotic opionions).
With that I say, this is a great way to rant! Just one human's opinion in a world full of them. Adios amigos,
chanel.

Sister, Oh Sister where art thou!

2006-07-08T23:11:00.000-05:00

I was chatting with my sister, michelle tonight. It was great to catch up a little and to hear from her (finally-love her anyway). She is the one that gave me the idea for my blog title too.
We like to talk about what we have done that is amazing to us and what we want to do/ should do but aren't really going to do any time soon. It is refreshing to chat with my sister and know that we are never gonna be shocked or dissapointed in each other, cuz we know how we are and we accept that (and the fact that we can't change each other). It is cool to hear about her life and how things are going with her. It takes my mind off my life and what I don't like about it. She is my own personal soap opera (but a good one).
I think I can be really boring or generic on the phone sometimes, so I appreciate her talking with me anyway. I think that I was a little distracted tonight. I have worried about money, house repairs, scheduling issues and family fueds so much that my brain is on overload. I am trying hard to take a step back and just breathe! Then I remind myself that my life is good and my family is great. That helps. Then, I go clean or do laundry to stay distracted. I like that saying " God give me the courage to change the things I can, the patiences to overcome those I can't and the wisdom to know the difference". Now if I can just apply that all the time. I know that the more things I can master in life, the more responsibilities the lord will see fit to give me. This is the first step to eternal progression- whew!
See ya later,
chanel.

2006-06-25T23:48:00.000-05:00

Hi,
Well we are back from Washington and boy are we tired. We were just commenting on how great it is to be back so we can relax a little. HaHa. I guess we needed a vacation, so we could see just how good we got it at home.
Well I am so mad- I gained 5 lbs on our trip. I had plans to keep walking on the trip, but there was usually something else to do ( feed kids, clean, weed, sleep) oh well. I did get lots of time to think and chat with Darin's mom about life and personality types. She is studying the Enneagram-its a book we used in business and shared with her. It has helped to understand myself and others. How well I use it is another story.
We got to go to Canada one day and brought back my sis's coveted Kinder Bueno chocolate. It is good. We got some shirts and some hats for the boys. We also, went to the local rodeo for fathers day. A few times we got out by ourselves to look around at land and go to different park areas to enjoy nature. It truly is gorgeous up there. Its easy to forget about the rest of the world when you are there. We do plan to live there someday, but life has to go in the proper order. Who knows where we will be needed, only the lord. Well, I do hope it is near friends.
Now that we are back, I feel the need to get stuff done and get organized again. So, I will be enjoying the Rush to get back to normal. We are gonna be working on various house repair projects, yeah. Oh, I did get some lilac and rhubarb starts from his mom. I planted them tonight and I hope they do well. The garden was over grown with weeds, but we are weeding it. It will do good now that we are here to weed and fertilize it.
I made egg rolls today and they were good. I have tried to try new recipes, but I want to do better at what i eat. Wish me luck. Well, night for now. See ya on the treadmill!

Enjoying the RUSH!

2006-05-31T22:05:00.000-05:00

This week I have been rushing around to get all the various things we do wrapped up, so we can go to Washington for a few weeks. I forgot how much there is to think about when you have to leave it all for awhile. Well, tomorrow is a my day to pack and clean, yeah. Tonight Tristram was throwing a fit and trying to argue with me about getting a treat. It was hard not to debate with him as to why he didn't get one, but I didn't let him keep arguing with me. So he had to go to bed without making his point. Oh well, tomorrow is another day.
On a more interesting note, I have been able to ponder on various situations happening in different areas of my life and have learned a few things about myself. I had always wondered why my Patriarchal blessing said I would be a peacemaker in my family? I never thought I would be good at this. Well, I have definitely been able to practice being one. I seem to get stuck in the middle of "issues" between others alot. This has allowed me to be more understanding of others and their faults. It is easy to think that I am right, but it is not easy to get along with others if I always think that. I am trying to stop myself and think "how are they seeing this" before I pass judgement or assume something.
I have also learned that I can only take so many "issues" before I want to stick my head in the sand. Going to Washington will help me to clear my mind of any nagging problems and regroup my priorities and goals. I hope to write more again, but till then, keep on smiling!
chanel stevens