Published author

I am so excited! The first four of eight articles I have written for my Mentor Training have been accepted on Ezinearticles.com. You can read them by clicking on this link.
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_Webster The other four are still in the review stages and should be online soon.

I am now a published author. I guess it goes to show that there is so much to accomplish in life after being in the mommy business for so long. I know I will never quit being a mother, nor would I ever want to. I am just so glad that I chose to put my kids first for all those years, and now can reach out to others.

All you young mom's out there. Cherish each day with your family. Give them your time, because there will come another season for you to rise and shine to the rest of the world!

Denise

What else is going on....

Paul and Kallan are at scout camp this week. Paul gets to speak in church Sunday, so I am excited about that! I'll bet the ward is getting sick of the Webster's, however.

I have been making Salsa for the fruitstand, it's become a real part time job for me. It's taking almost 4 hours a day. WHEW! It's been really fun and rewarding for me, though.

I am also attending a Mentor Training in Mesa next week. After watching, "The Secret" a couple of years ago, I was led to a book called, "The Jackrabbit Factor" by Leslie Householder. I read that book in a few hours, then had to go get her other book called "Hidden Treasures." Realizing that I was finally getting the tools that would change my life, I enrolled in her home study course. I became and Honors Graduate from that course in June and decided that I wanted to be able to teach and share what I have learned, so I signed up for this Mentor's Training. I am so excited to go. I have learned so much and am ready to learn more and to be able to give, share, and help others. I'll let you all know how it went when I get back.

Mykelle plays in the "Bruin Bash" outdoor volleyball tournament this weekend. She will be moving back up to school next weekend. She reports on Aug. 1. Kind of sad to see her go, but am excited to see her become successful and to gain her education.

Jadon will be heading to SLC on Sunday with Wesley. He is auditioning for American Idol on Tuesday and has to get registered on Sunday. I am so excited for him. I know that no matter what happens, it will be a good experience.

Misi graduates on August 8th. We are so proud and excited for him! They have to move out of their house next weekend and will be moving into an apartment with Sini until graduation or until they hear some more from their Agent.

Kameron is playing in a baseball tournament next weekend. When I find times, I will let you know.

The Chinese teacher for SCHS will be staying with us for the next school year. She will be here on Aug. 8. Now I am trying to deep clean my house to get ready.

Expanding your Vocabulary 101

For those of you who read the Webster Weekly in the past, you will remember that we had to set up a whole section on Malapropisms for Paul and sometimes Whitnee who were very skilled in the subject. We lovingly referred to it as Malaprop Moments.

Thanks to Britton and his collegiate vocabulary at age 9, we have felt the need to add another great segment to our family posts.

I suppose that a former post about rhetorical questions should be added to that. For now, let me share a new vocabulary word with all of you.

A few days ago, Paul was hollering something about not fighting (I'm sure that is HARD to imagine around here). Britton calmly turned to his dad and said, "Maybe it would be better if I was a pacifist." For some reason, all that popped into my head was something about the revolutionary war. Don't ask me why. What we understood was that there was something there about being a peacemaker, but just to be sure, I had to look up the definition. For your information (this is a 101 course) here is the definition: "1. a person who believes in pacifism or is opposed to war or to violence of any kind. "

My problem is how to parent kids who have a bigger vocabulary than you do?!

It's Here!!!

After months of working so hard, my cookbook has finally arrived! I started this cookbook back in January. I wanted to get recorded all of Grandma's recipes and all the favorites from the family. I also wanted to be able to have a lot of veggie recipes since people don't know how to cook vegetables anymore. It has been a labor of love and I am so happy with the way it turned out. Bradi did all the cover work and divider pages. She is amazing! They are being sold at the Fruitstand, Mom's store (Uncle & Aunties) and the Shaw's are putting it in their bookstore (Little Professor Books). As a matter of fact, the Shaw's asked me to do a book signing this Saturday and bring a few things from the cookbook for a taster's table. Isn't that kind of them?!

Here's a cute story mom told me yesterday. She said a gentleman had been talking to Grandpa at the Fruitstand. He saw the cookbook and picked it up and opened up the first page or two. He turned to Grandpa and said, "Hey! This book is dedicated to you!" Grandpa looked surprised and mom quickly retorted, "He doesn't know that. He hasn't even read it yet." The gentleman then said, "well, I'm going to buy me one and I want you to autograph it. Will you sign it for me?" Mom said that Grandpa got the biggest grin on his face and signed the man's book. The gentleman asked if he could get Grandma to sign it, too. Mom told him that maybe they could get her to come out tomorrow to sign it. A while later, Grandma did come outside. Mom told her that someone wanted her to sign their book. She got teary-eyed and said that someone else had asked her to sign their book, too. She said her hand writing wasn't very good. Mom told her that it didn't matter. Mom said that they were so proud and touched by people's kindness. That whole event truly made my day! It made all the work of the cookbook worthwhile!

Visit from Whit

We were so excited to have Whitnee come and visit with us for a few days this month. She was so happy to be home that she just wanted to be home and not running around town. I'm sure that heat and pregnancy had a little bit to do with her being tired as well. It was so fun to have her back and hear her funny voices and stories. She brings so much entertainment to the house. She can get everyone laughing. That is why we love her so much. She has really grown in this last year-- not her belly--;o), just as a beautiful young woman. Her kindness to me did not go unnoticed. What a treasure to have your kids grow up and begin to appreciate all you have done for them. It was a really special week for me to have her here. I just wanted to spoil her. Now if we can just convince Misi to move her closer. ;o)

4th of July

I'm a little late getting this post up because I was waiting to get some pictures of the 4th from my sister. I decided that I'd better just get this up here so I can quit worrying about it!

We spent the 4th of July up at the cabin with Mom, Sue, Randy and their kids. We had a fun fireworks show! It all started with Randy opening his pack of fireworks. He and Kallan were the pyrotechinicians this year. They took the first large item and tried to light it. It just wouldn't light. Finally, Randy picked it up and noticed the wick was a string, so he pulled it. We heard this bang and Kallan scream and grab his chest. For your information, large poppers hurt when aimed at your chest two feet away. This was the beginning of what turned out to be an entertaining firework show. I must say, that we were trained by the best-- the Whipple's. There is truly not another group out there who can create all kinds of excitement with fireworks and several hoses.

After realizing that the fireworks from Arizona were ALL poppers, we broke into the Webster set. We had a few fun fountains going off. Sue's little Kelton, hid under the blanket on Grandma's lap and wouldn't allow his head to be uncovered. Part way into our show, Paul decided to go for the "father-the-year" award for "Best example in a firework display" by jumping over one of the fountains while it was going off. He was sitting off to the side of the cabin feeling a little attention deprived, when out of the blue, he took off running right past everyone and over the fountain. This was not the smartest thing I have ever seen him do, especially since Britton and Callum tried to do it after him on a smaller fountain. (Maybe these are the three most attention deprived in our family?!)

Our next display was when Kallan took what I think was a Roman Candle. Now if I remember right, Roman Candles are long sticks that you can hold in your hand. Sometimes they shoot off little blasts into the sky. Well, Kallan didn't know you were supposed to hold it, so he set it on the ground to light it. It tipped over, so we were all yelling for him to hold it. He picked it up and waved it around for a second or two, but was nervous so he dropped it on the ground, facing the cabin and all of us sitting on the porch. Fortunately, this was NOT one of the shooters. It provided just enough excitement for us to scream at Kallan to turn it, but it died out.

But the grand daddy of them all was toward the end of the show when Kallan lit a cone fountain. He lit it and moved back when the fountain tipped over and was aimed toward the cabin again. He ran in and kicked it to face off the side of the cabin and just as he moved back to watch, the thing shot off and stuff went whizzing past the cabin to the front and right toward Kallan in the back. He had to jump since the fireballs went right past him. Mykelle said that Kallan was the firework target all night. It was true. It sure did make for an entertaining show, however.

Missionary Prep at the Webster's

A couple of weeks ago, Kameron was talking to Paul about getting a Ninetendo DS or a PSP so he would have it to take on his mission. Paul told him that they couldn't have those on their mission. He said that he would only play it when he was sitting around and on P-days. We laughed and laughed and worried whether he would still think it was okay to go on a mission even if you can't take a Ninetendo DS.

Well, a couple of nights ago, Kameron was wondering if he could buy a laptop on his mission. Paul told him, "It probably depends on the mission at the time you go." And told him that right now they can't have them. Kameron said, "I mean like when I'm ready to come home. Like when I'm at the airport waiting for a couple of hours for my flight to leave."

Isn't this the truest test of Missionary Prep? Really, it does my heart good to know that he is really planning on a mission AND coming home since he already has the airport figured out. Certainly we will be able to come up with SOMETHING he can take on his mission! ;o)