The Happiest Place on Earth

I just returned from Disneyland. It was so much fun. Going to Disneyland is kind of an emotional/spiritual experience for me. I got to relive my own childhood experiences there, experiences with my five children there and now create some new ones with grandchildren. No matter what your age, walking down Main Street just makes me want to skip, dance and sing! My usual visits have all taken place in the summer when it has been soooo hot and the lines soooo long and still I loved it. We went there Thursday and Friday and the lines were amazingly short both days. Loved it! Love California Adventure Park too! On Saturday we headed to Newport Beach and parked ourselves right outside a beach house we have spent a week at with our kids and my extended family. It was so fun to be back. I want to go again and again.

Highlights:

1. Getting to the hotel and Cohen running up to me and hugging me super tight and laying on my shoulder. His out of the blue declarations several times of "I love you so much Grandma" or "I'm going to miss you when you go home, Grandma"

2. Watching Ammon and Cohen's big eyes and uncontrollable excitement about our impending Disneyland Adventure.

3. Having my sister drive over from Mesa with Emily and spending a couple of days with us-so fun-not enough time.

4. Spending time with Kelly, Jody, Ammon, Cohen and Rylee.

5. Eating at Cheesecake Factory-love chicken madeira!

6. Getting cupcakes at Sprinkles.

7. Parade at Disneyland (it is amazing, floats are so cool and it is such a mini production!) and fireworks later that night.

8. Riding the Tower of Terror with Jody (my scary ride companion)-I was sooooo scared because I didn't know what it was about but loved it!!

9. Watching Ammon and his "crush" (Emily). After Julie and Emily left, he turned to me at dinner and, almost crying, said, "I miss Emily!"

10. Lots of deja vu experiences.

Thanks Walt Disney for being so creative and creating such a magical experience for so many people!

Primary Children's Program

Today at church was the Primary Children's Program and I had the worst time not bawling. It was so dang adorable and the children's sweet spirits shone through. I didn't even have children or grandchildren to watch and I was so wishing I could wear sunglasses to cover the tears trying to break through. So, so adorable. I woule love to go to every one of my grandchildren's primary programs. Probably won't be able to but girls, please let me know when your ward has them and if possible I can arrange trips around them.

My favorite today was when the boys sang Called to Serve and then they had anyone who had gone on a mission come up and sing with them. Made me want to serve a mission. Someday. Then maybe I can go up and sing with those choice little Spirits too.

Sacrament was just a great meeting. Then I watched Julian, an autistic boy who is about 11 for an hour and then gave my Relief Society lesson. I wish I could have gone home after the second hour.

Sleep

One of my greatest talents has always been the ability to sleep. Any time, any place, I could sleep. From high school on, I have taken naps, almost every day. And Sunday naps are a major ritual-just ask my kids!

I am sad to announce that this great talent is declining as my age is rising. I can't sleep. And it is driving me bonkers. I woke up this morning at 3:00 wide awake and never went back to sleep before I had to go to work at 6:30. I came home at 1:00 completely exhausted and have not been able to really fall asleep for a nap. Lately when I go to sleep, it is not uncommon for me to toss and turn and have major trouble falling asleep for a couple of hours. The week I work this problem plays havoc on how I feel and my mental alertness. I feel like I've got jet lag half the time. My work week is the worst because I start playing games with myself like, "you've got to get to sleep, you only have 5 more hours of sleep, etc" And then I start thinking of kids, grandkids, work, and trips and it goes round and round. I'm going insane! Ambien helps but I will only let myself use that once or twice a week. My new plan is to have an I don't care attitude about sleep. If I can't sleep, I'll get up and read or watch a movie until I can. I'm going to quit obssessing about it. (Well right after I finish this blog). But if you have great ideas about sleeping better , pass them on. I miss my talent.

P.S. My back is almost back to normal and I'm not sure what did the trick.

BACK ATTACK

Once or twice a year my back attacks me and leaves me feeling miserable, with no motivation. I have been fighting a hurting back for over a week now. Hence, no blog about our great time at Trinity Lake over Labor Day. No blog about last weekend spending a fun night with Kyle and Madison. I have cancelled out of a temple trip, going down to see Kelly, and a visit to a friend all because my back is so much worse when I sit down. I can't travel in a car for a distance or sit at a computer. I don't have the usual low back pain. It runs across my shoulders and knots up in the bra area. So I don't wear my bra much either. Not that anyone could tell. I have been laying down a lot, watching tv or reading. I have been using muscle relaxers and lots of tylenol and warm packs. Tomorrow I am getting a massage. Luckily, Lee has been off elk hunting so he hasn't had to listen to my complaining. It feels a tiny bit better today-I haven't used a muscle relaxer all day so I think the spasms are letting up. I think pushing guerneys and lifting patients up in beds eventually plays havoc with every nurses back. Can I please retire??