the best christmas present of '09!

After what was turning out to be a very unhappy Christmas for me, (miscommunications, BOYS who don't want to do fun Christmas things, pkgs. that didn't arrive to their destination before Christmas, pkgs. that did arrive, but the contents were broken!, a house filled with smoke, all smoke dectors chiming and we can't reach them without a ladder! and then the thermostat batteries went out so we woke up to a frozen house christmas morning!) but this one little present on Christmas morning changed EVERYTHING!!!! It came in a small package from Dale and Amanda. We opened it while they watched us on the webcam. Very fun!!! We are very excited...baby #2 is due on Aunt Ashley's birthday! Guess who's going to Georgia in August!?

Merry Christmas to my blogging friends...

our wonderful kids and grandbaby!

Here is my christmas gift to you - please enjoy this beautiful song about our Savior. I especially like the part about his tiny hands and how they are the same ones that created the world..beautiful voice and pictures...enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPBwdB-SMvE

Merry Christmas!!! Thank you for blogging with me!!!

fun, random things...

Here are just a couple of fun pictures from some random things we've been doing (Randa, there is a kiddie christmas spoiler on here so don't look!!!)

Watching Hermana Scott opening her mission call! That was very fun...

Relief Society Christmas dinner...yummy nativity cupcakes by our one and only cupcake Stef! Fun evening, great company!

Aprons for little Nephew and Niece! With matching playdough! Makayela's will drown her (it was the only pink towel I could find!) but she will be able to wear it for years to come!! Kai's little froggy apron will probably not fit him too long...I'm bad at sewing...what can I say??? But they were fun projects. And the little rolling pins and cookie cutters were a fun addition!

And last but not least, I went home-

teaching with Dave and Joel to the Budges. we gave them a "Don't Eat Pete" board and had fun playing a couple of rounds with them. What a sweet and fun little family!!

The reason for the season...

Even though I am not feeling the usual excitement and wonders of Christmas this year...I did enjoy the Christmas program and the senior choir program. The music always moves me...I am grateful for the birth of our Savior and have a testimony of His life and mission here for us. We got our tree tonight and when it is glowing with pretty lights I'm sure I will feel much more "in the mood" for Christmas! I am looking forward to spending time with my family and celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. He IS the reason for the season...

Pay it forward...

So yesterday I got a pay it forward gift! I had forgotten that another one was coming...so it was a fun surprise!!! Thank you Melissa for this beautiful piece of art! I can't imagine the hours it took to make it. I LOVE it. It is beautiful...thank you!!! And that reminds me, I have one more pay it forward gift to finish and deliver. It hasn't been 365 days yet has it? :) I love the message of Melissa's gift and I am going to implement it starting NOW.

Christmas again already???

Where does the time go? I cannot believe we are 20 days away from Christmas! I have had a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit this year. It just doesn't feel like Christmas for some reason. But regardless, I did go through the motions and get out all my bins and decorate today. I played Michael Buble' music while I decorated and I felt pretty good for a little while. But my favorite part of the day was unpacking my dad's Santa pitcher and mugs. He made them (from scratch!) a long time ago...we used them every year for hot chocolate. I have very fond memories of using these mugs all those years as a child. Now they are old and fragile and can only been used as decorations. As I look at their cracks and chipped paint, knowing my dad painted them, I am filled with fond memories of using them as a child. Not sure why I am not feeling it this year...maybe because I miss my mom and dad, maybe because my kids and grandbaby that live in GA are so far away and its way too expensive for either of us to buy plane tickets for a visit, or maybe because my outside lights aren't up yet to lighten my heart...or maybe I am just getting old! I do love Christmas though, and especially the "Reason for the Season" so I'm sure it will kick in soon. I just need to look at the twinkling lights and focus on the Savior...thank you to all my blogging friends for the beautiful pictures and quotes you put up, they are always the perfect pick-me-up. Merry Christmas!!!

today I am thankful for...

...my wonderful family! We have had an enjoyable day...food and fun...we missed Amanda, Dale, and David, but know they are being looked after and fed good in Columbus this weekend. Love my kids...thanks for helping with dinner...love my husband, thanks for helping with dinner AND clean up! And thanks to all of them and our good friends for playing volleyball and playing board games with us. It has been a memorable thanksgiving!!! I am truly blessed!!!

today I am thankful for...

...kleenex! (this is Wednesday's post...I was too busy wiping my runny nose to make an entry!!)

today I am thankful for...

...a warm and comfy bed! (I wish my bed was as pretty as this one!). I love that I can lay down and read a book, lay down and take a cat nap, or just go to bed and be warm and comfortable. Someday I will have a PRETTY bed...but in the meantime, I have a comfy one and I am thankful!

today I am thankful for...

...temples. I am grateful to have one right here in Fresno! I am grateful for the blessings we receive there, for the comfort and peace I feel when I attend, and for the keys of Elijah that turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the children to their fathers. I am grateful for my forever family...I continually pray for no empty chairs in heaven. I love to see the temple, and even more, I love to GO to the temple! I can't wait for all of my children to have the opportunity to partake of the spirit and the blessings there. It is heaven on earth!

(this is a tile board I made, it looks better in person!)

today I am thankful for...

...our bishopric. they are wonderful men who spend so much time serving in our behalf. I only hope I can do my part, to help make their load a little lighter. I am grateful for their families too, who sacrifice by having their dad/husband home a lot less than normal...bless you all and THANK YOU!!!!

today I am thankful for...

Elder McKinney in Spain....

The next Elder McKinney...




in cold Montana!

And our fun sister missionaries!

...missionaries! I am thankful for their willingness to dedicate their FULL time to the Lord...I am thankful for their wonderful spirits, and for their desire to bring people unto Christ. I am thankful that my husband served a mission (those are some pictures from Spain!) and I am thankful for a son who served a mission (Montana will never be the same since he was there!) :) and I am thankful for the sister missionaries serving in our ward who I have had the priviliege of working with these last couple of months. They are awesome and I am thankful for ALL the missionaries!

today I am thankful for...

...good friends! I have truly wonderful friends...they spoil me, they make life fun, they help me, and I am blessed to have them in my life. I am still receiving birthday blessings from good friends more than a week after my birthday...it is great! Thank you all my friends for being there for me and for being YOU. Happy weekend everyone!

today I am thankul for...

...quality entertainment! (this is my thursday post!). Last night we saw Anything Goes, put on by Clovis High. a MUST SEE!!! There's two more nights, don't miss out! I haven't laughed that much in a long time. Those kids have great talent..and Leah...was the BEST!!! She was born for that role! (although Ling and Ching were pretty funny too!) Anyway, I am grateful that there are things we can see and do that fall into my standards...I don't watch TV anymore, there just isn't anything worth my time...the history or biography channel now and then...and movies are few and far between...but once in awhile, something wonderful comes along and a good musical is one of them! I am grateful for all the people who put all the work into a production like that, the hours they spend...it is all worth it. And though the ticket cost seems a bit high to some, it's one I don't mind paying because I KNOW I am going to get my money's worth and have a great time and the money is going to the school. Yes, I am grateful for quality entertainment!

today I am thankful for...

(this is my Wed post!)...Hot chocolate! Now that the weather has turned cold...I am thankful for my hot mug of cocoa (with peppermint ice cream in it!) that warms me inside and out. I am also thankful for warm snuggly blankets (like Stef!) and being able to be warm and comfortable while it is so cold outside. (I was too busy enjoying my cocoa last night to post anything...)

today I am thankful for...

....smiles. People with happy attitudes. People who smile and make you feel comfortable no matter how bad their problems are. Smiles are contagious and I'd much rather be around smiling people than those with grouchy faces, letting everyone know they are mad or unhappy! We ALL have our problems and things to be upset about, times when things don't go our way, but we can still smile and be kind to those around us, even those who might be the cause of our unhappiness. I LOVE being around happy people! Believe me, I work with all types of people, many grouches included, but the ones that smile and make me feel glad to be there, are the ones I want to be around! I only hope that I can remember this and remember to SMILE myself when I am having down times...Thank you to all my friends who smile and make me happy!

today I am thankful for...

...FHE. I love the time (however short and sweet it is) that we spend listening to words of the apostles and prophets, reading scriptures, eating delicious treats (thanks R for the cake!) and playing a game or other activity. We played a new game tonight and learned 3 new words! :) Anyway, I love that we have Monday nights set aside to spend a little bit of time together as a family.

today I am thankful for....

...beautiful music. Oh how it lifts my soul and makes the world a beautiful place! The song today by the women's choir "Come Unto Him" was so beautiful and when we sang "I Believe in Christ" I was just reminded again how music is another way we praise and worship our Heavenly Father and Jesus. I love beautiful music!! Some of my favorite uplifting music (besides hymns) comes from Josh Groban, Michale Buble', Jim Brickman, and classical music to name a few. I listen to the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack every day on my drive to work. The music is just so beautiful and makes me happy! I don't listen to the radio anymore ~ so much of that isn't really music at all...I am picky about what I listen to, as I know music will either invite the spirit or drive it away. I like beautiful, fun, and happy music and I am thankful that there is so much of it available! And hooray for the Christmas season which is upon us that we can have more fun and beautiful music than usual! My soul delighteth in the song of the heart...

today I am thankful for...

...wonderful stake leaders. It is a privilege to work with them, but even more of a privilege to sit at their feet and learn from them. The spirit was wonderful tonight and my cup has been filled. It was also a treat to hear from our temple president and his wife, and Bro. Ryder...their remarks really hit home for me. And of course, any chance we get to hear Nicole sing is a blessing in itself. Yes, my cup is full. I can't wait for more tomorrow!!

today I am grateful for...

this is a cute craft idea I found on the internet...missionary Christmas stockings!

...computers. When I think how much time I spend with my computer...it should be counted among one of my best friends! I get paid every day to work on one, I can scan and edit photos of my family past and present ~ (thanks to wonderful instruction from Shelly), I can do family history work, (I'm just getting the tip of the iceberg on that one!) I can communicate with family across the planet within seconds, I can visit with friends, read fun blogs, look up endless information and ideas on the internet (I only look up good stuff!) see my grandbaby on a webcam, and the list goes on...my life is so blessed to have the technology to do all these many wonderful things. I have now been introduced to Heritagemakers.com and will soon be doing some memory books as part of my family history. Yes, I love computers and am thankful for all that I am able to do on one!! It is also a learning tool and I am learning every day. I thank Santa for bringing me my pretty purple laptop last year. I am thoroughly enjoying it!!

today I am thankful for...

..thoughtful children. Thank you for making my birthday special and for spending time with me. that's what I love even more than the gifts...your time. :) I'm thankful for Dave too, who brought us all together and paid for dinner! It was a wonderful day...and many thanks to all my marvelous friends and family who called, emailed, sent cards (and chocolate) and gifts and just made my day even more special. I feel loved!!!

today I am thankful for...

...veterans. I am grateful for all those who have served, who are serving, and for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. I am thankful to be an "army brat" and love that my dad served our country for so long...I am truly grateful to our valiant men and women of the armed forces. to quote the famous song..."I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free, and I won't forget the men (and women) who died, who gave that right to me...." Happy Veteran's day!

today I am thankful for...

...the colors of fall. I love the beauty I see every day as I am driving to work...the changing leaves in a variety of colors bring such joy to me. I love to see the handiwork of Heavenly Father all around me. He paints a beautiful canvas!

today I am thankful for...

...card and board games. I know that might sound funny...but we have more fun playing these games with our good friends and families. Even now as I am typing this, my sons are playing Apples to Apples with the elders and laughing and having a great time! Game nights are FREE and FUN. We love playing games and here are a few of our favorites...Rook, In a Pickle, Sequence, Mexican Train Dominoes, Apples to Apples, Uno Attack, Phase 10, and Settlers of Zarahemla. And of course, whenever we play games we have munchies! Food, family, friends and fun! I am thankful for these things! And thankful for the people who will play with us!

today I am thankful for...

...talents. I am thankful that my mom started me in piano lessons when I was 7. We lived on a military base in Alaska and she had a young soldier come to the house to teach me and my brother to play. He said my hands were way too small and that I couldn't possibly learn to play. HA! I actually should be much more accomplised being as that was 40 years ago!! But I am grateful for what I have learned and that I get to share my talents such as they are. I never dreamed as a 7 year old that I would EVER be accompanying people who sing, or playing the ORGAN for the congregation. I always thought (later as a teenager anyway) that I would maybe ONE DAY play for primary or Relief Society. Wow...I get to play all the time for some amazing singers and I am grateful that they put up with my inadequacies as an unprofessional pianist! I am also thankful for my callings in music that help me stretch outside my comfort zone (WAAAAYYY outside!) and I pray that as I accompany soloists or as I attempt to play the organ (which is NOT a piano and I am not trained on it!) that the congregation will feel the spirit and learn to love the hymns as much as I do. There is testimony borne in song every week and even though I can't sing while I play, (that would take coordination!) I still feel the spirit of the words and my heart is touched. Thanks mom for making me practice, and thank you Heavenly Father for giving me a talent and for guiding my hands through the hymns each week. (now if I could just play without shaking!) Also, I thank Heavenly Father for letting the congregation hear much more than what I am actually playing...I know they do! I have help from above, that is for sure!

today I am thankful for....

Mickey Mouse! I am so thankful for this sweet little grandson. He makes me smile everyday! Various pictures of him are on my screensavers at work and at home...all I have to do is see his little face and I am happy! When I am depressed or sad, I can just look at his pictures (or talk with him on the webcam!) and it is the perfect pick-me-up! I am sad that he lives so far away, but I am thankful for computers, cameras and videos that bring him as close as possible every day! Love you little David!!! XOXO

today I am thankful for...

...employment. I know I complain about going to work...but really...I have a job! It's not a hard job, I enjoy all the people I work with, the hours are perfect so I can still be a mom, and I get a steady paycheck. Others I know are not so fortunate. In these economic times, I am grateful to have a job. And my husband is still employed as are two of our chilren...all three work at a company that have been letting people go...so we are truly thankful for Pelco even though they are not giving us a thanksgiving turkey this year! After 10 years of getting one, I don't know how to buy a turkey! Maybe we will have rotisserie chicken ha ha....

today I am thankful for...

...books. I love to escape into a book. There are so many wonderful books that let me travel the world and meet many people. They keep my imagination young and fresh. The comfort of a book is like an old friend. I also love talking about good books with my good friends! Thank you to the 2 people who come to book club simply for the fun of it! I love hearing others' recommendations of books they have enjoyed. I especially enjoy historical fiction...I learn so much when I read them. I have a list (and a stack) of books a mile long that I want to read! So many books....so little time.

today I am thankful for...

...don't laugh....flushing toilets!! I won't post a picture...just let me say that I know why I wasn't born a pioneer...Our toilet has been mostly out of commission the whole time Dave had his surgery and stitches...we had to leave the lid off the tank and manually pull the stopper (or whatever it's called!) to flush the toilet. It was sticking and very hard to do. It was a royal pain to say the least...my one armed husband finally had the strength and patience to take it all apart and get it fixed. YAY!! It flushes with one easy push of the handle. Double YAY!! I am really grateful for modern conveniences...when they work right. :)

today I am thankful for...

...the power of prayer! Every day I pray for my children and grandchild's safety. Sometimes I get pretty casual about asking for it everday and don't think much about it at the end of the day when we are all home safe. I don't always remember to say "thank you" at the end of the day. But Halloween night our Father answered that prayer in a BIG way! Our beautiful daughter and her two friends were held up at gunpoint in a video store...they are all okay though shaken up. I could not believe it when I heard the story...but I immediately sent up my thank you prayers! So scary to think how it COULD have ended. I love that I can pray to my Heavenly Father anytime and anywhere. And I do it a LOT. I probably make Him weary with my constant begging and pleading, but I know He listens and I am forever grateful that I was taught as a child to pray.

today I am thankful for...

Insurance! The dr. bills are beginning to pour in now from Dave's surgeries...thankfully the insurance pays a huge part of it and it's a good thing. I cannot believe the prices of things in the medical world...outrageous...but again, I am thankful that we have insurance and that Dave is now recovering and only a little scarred. :) All his other tests came back good so he has a clean bill of health! YAY!

Count down courage...

Wow...it is November first! The month of thankfulness and counting blessings! I am going to count down the days of this month with things I am thankful for...as I am counting down the days to Christmas! Due to the economy at the McKinney household (as in many others I'm sure)...our Christmas is going to be SMALL this year. And most gifts will be homemade with a few exceptions. You have all been warned... :) So McKinney kids one and all, hear this...you will still get 3 gifts (just like the baby Jesus did) but they will be SMALL. Santa will only be filling your stocking and lightly at that. After all, what is Christmas about anyway? Not what we can spend or how many gifts we can get...all the hoopla in the stores is not what Christmas is about. Making ourselves crazy trying to please everyone we know is not what it is about either. We need to put Christ back in Christmas!! So gird up your "Lions" fresh courage take...I have lots of things I will start to make!!! Happy Fall everyone!! PS - here is a McKinney kid quiz...what 3 things does Santa bring us every Christmas? This is a tradition, but don't know if you've noticed! Anyone else care to take a guess?? :) The lion cupcakes were made by Terry for our Wizard of Oz night for Stake YW leadership. We are all going to be courageous this year!!! Starting NOW....

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween to all my blogging friends! I finished my milk jug skeleton just in time!
And here's my favorite little trick or treater! Just wait 'til he gets on his mickey gloves and shoes! Grandpa says, "Can they be here tomorrow?" :) Happy Halloween!!!

Photoshop Beginner...

Last night the amazing and wonderful Shelly taught this old dog some new tricks...THANKS SHELLY!!!!! This afternoon I did my first "photo restoration" so to speak. Here are the before and after picture that I touched up. This is my mom with her firstborn son in 1955. I scanned this picture from a slide. (I have scanned over 2000 slides! not going to touch them ALL up though). Tell me how you think I did. Shelly, what grade do I get from your class? :) You have to click on the pictures and make them BIG to actually see what I did...and believe me, when you zoom in on the original. there is a LOT of touching up to do. Lots of dirt and dust specks, and there was a scratch line across my mom's back, arm and almost into the baby blanket. I won't tell you how long it took me to clean this up!! anyway, it was very fun and I am going to love spending hours doing this!!! Thank you again Shelly!! Can anyone tell I am excited about this???!!!!!! :)

The one-armed man...

Before surgery...
and after...Dave's new Harry Potter scar...18 stitches!

Here is a tale of the one-armed man...and a warning to all of you to watch for signs of skin cancer! When you have a sore that heals and then bleeds, and then heals again, it is skin cancer. My hubby had a spot like this on his arm. Being as he suffers from psoriasis, and gets red itchy spots all the time, we thought it was just one of "those" kinds of sores/spots. He had another one on his hand and one on his neck. When he finally went to have them checked...because the one on his arm had gotten so big, and just wouldn't heal...sure enough...basal cell carcinoma. Or in other words, skin cancer. He had surgery to have them removed and has been in stitches for two weeks. When he went to the surgeon on Friday to have them removed, he said nope...two MORE weeks!! But these two weeks he can get them wet. Whew! It was getting to be a chore wrapping his arm in saran wrap for his shower every day! And of course, he is left handed and it was his left arm and hand. The one on his hand is between his thumb and first finger so he can't grip anything. It has been an interesting almost 3 weeks now...he has learned to put his socks on by himself now so he is getting better at doing things right handed/one handed. It's a good thing computer mouses are done right handed, and believe me, he has no trouble working the TV remote! :)

Here are a few "facts" about skin cancer everyone should know...

The Most Common Skin Cancer:
Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common form of skin cancer, affecting approximately one million Americans each year. In fact, it is the most common of all cancers. More than one out of every three new cancers are skin cancers, and the vast majority are basal cell carcinomas. These cancers arise in the basal cells, which line the deepest layer of the epidermis (top skin layer).

The Cause:
Almost all basal cell carcinomas occur on parts of the body excessively exposed to the sun — especially the face, ears, neck, scalp, shoulders, and back. On rare occasions, however, tumors develop on unexposed areas. In a few cases, contact with arsenic, exposure to radiation, open sores that resist healing, chronic inflammatory skin conditions, and complications of burns, scars, infections, vaccinations, or even tattoos are contributing factors. (I bet Dave had a tattoo he just never told me about! ha ha).


Not to be ignored:
Basal cell carcinomas are easily treated in their early stages. The larger the tumor has grown, however, the more extensive the treatment needed. Although this skin cancer seldom spreads, or metastasizes, to vital organs, it can damage surrounding tissue, sometimes causing considerable destruction and disfigurement — and some basal cell carcinomas are more aggressive than others. When small skin cancers are removed, the scars are usually cosmetically acceptable. If the tumors are very large, a skin graft or flap may be used to repair the wound in order to achieve the best cosmetic result and facilitate healing.


Unfortunately we waited too long to get Dave's sore checked...therefore the dr. had to cut deep and wide to get it all. So y'all be careful out there in the sun...wear sunblock! And if you have suspicious sores or spots, get them checked!!!

More Hearst pictures...

I wanted to post a few more pictures from our tour of Hearst Castle. I took over a hundred! I still am enjoying the memories of being there, taking one of the tours and hearing the fun stories surrounding it all. This first picture is the billiard room...with the 400+ year tapestry, still bright and colorful! Many famous people have played in this room. Behind the guide in the doorway is the piano...it now plays the chimes for the bell towers (I have no idea how that works...).
The huge fireplace in the great hall that the great hall was designed around...he bought the fireplace first! The straight backed "choir" chairs line all the walls.

The patio in front of the large front door - the lily pond that Hearst's dachsunds would swim in and the servants would have to go in and pull them out...so the servants built the little wooden ramps for the doggies to climb out! There are statues EVERYWHERE! And marble benches too.

A fireplace in one of the guest rooms. Beautiful art work and carved furniture accent every room.

One of the beautiful guest rooms in one of the guest houses.

Another guest room. I could be a guest here! All rooms with beautiful views!

We only saw one guest house but it had 4 bedrooms and 2 baths (with indoor plumbing!) There are 3 guest houses total. That's all for now...maybe when I go back and take the second tour I will have more fun pictures to post! (Don't know when I can get back there...but I definitely want to go again!!)