Tips and fun, and no pictures?

So we have been quite busy lately. We have been to Myrtle Beach, Tennessee, and other fun things and I can't post not one single picture of our adventures. I'm quite ticked off to be honest. My computer has a "DLL error" so everytime I try to post a picture, only on my blog, it sends me to a blue screen with white lettering telling me that I have an error. Luckily I have a computer whiz of a brother-in-law and he is going to try to walk me through the steps of fixing it. So when I have some time and he has some time I'll give him a call. Until then, just imagine cute pictures of the girls playing in the water and building sandcastles with relatives. =)

I have found an amazing way to clean oven racks! I decided that my oven was long over due for a cleaning so I turned on the self cleaning cycle on the oven and took the racks out to clean them by hand. The racks weren't really getting clean so I decided to do some research to see if there was an easier way. I found one that sounded simple and I had all of the stuff I needed to do it. So naturally that's the one I picked. You place an old towel on the bottom of the tub so it doesn't get scratched and then you place the racks in bath tub. Use the hottest setting of water and run it until the racks are just covered. Then you add a 1/2 cup of granulated dish detergent, (i.e. powder cascade) and then you add about 1/4 cup of white vinegar. The directions say to let it soak for two hours but I did mine overnight. When I woke up in the morning I could see all of the yucky stuff just floating in the tub. I took the racks to the kitchen and just gently scrubbed off any residue. It came right off and my oven and racks especially, look brand new! I was so excited about this find I wanted to share it with everyone.

Well it's been quite awhile since I've posted anything. It's time to catch everyone up. We've been out of town a few times and we've been doing a good bit of swimming. Last week my AC line in my car decided to get a slit in it so I have no AC! We've been waiting on the guy that's supposed to fix it find the part we need. Today we decided we would find the part because he clearly does NOT have the same urgency that I do. I guess when you're not the one driving in your car that's reading 101 degrees in your car you don't really think about those that are suffering. Kenneth is looking for the part now and I'm praying they have one! I had to take Jade to the Dr and a big thank you to Jessica for driving us so we could have AC in the middle of the afternoon. Jade does not yet have an ear infection, but the Dr. doesn't trust her ears for a second seeing how it is that she gets infections so easily. She is however getting her two year old molars. She was also bitten by something on her inner ankle on her left foot. It was swollen yesterday and a little pink. This morning her foot is really red and more swollen today and I can see little dots that look like they have clear liquid in them. I called the Dr. again and they said give her more Benadryl and if she's not better by lunch or if it's worse to call them back. I gave her the Benadryl and she passed out in her high chair during lunch around 11:15. It was quite pitiful. When she wakes up I'll be able to check her little foot again. It's so swollen I can't get a shoe on it. She has a hard time walking on it too because her foot just leans WAY inward! Poor little baby just can't get a break. Her foot doesn't seem to be bothering her but I'm worried anyway. I guess that's just my job. Ashlyn had to be seen yesterday also because she smacked the heck out of her ear at my mom's house Sunday night. Her ear is completely dark purple and blue on the top and behind her ear. Luckily she's okay and no worries. Whew! What an awesome two wks it's been. I couldn't be any more sarcastic. Good news on my brother Jesse! He was able to urinate a little bit on his own last week. He still had to use the catheder to finish things up, but progress nonetheless. He has gotten a job since I last posted and he'll be able to do it sitting. A big difference from his old profession. He was an installer of car alarms, stereo eqiupment, tvs, etc. He can do anything with his hands! He's a big asset to the family. lol. My uncle runs the company that my Grandaddy started and he's been able to give Jesse a job. What a blessing. It will be a big adjustment to what he's used to but I think it's def. worth it. Well I don't have anything else as of now. I'll try to do better with keeping things current. Hope everyone's summer is going well! =D

Do I believe?

Two weeks ago I informed everyone of the trial my brother is facing with his Transverse Myelitis. Well before leaving the hospital two Sundays ago he was told that he has permanantly lost the ability to urinate on his own. He was also informed that he cannot work for a month at the minimum. They taught he and his wife how to insert the "in-and-out" catheder and sent them on their way. Jesse went to a Neurologist last wk and the Dr. was amazed that Jesse could walk. He said, "You don't understand. You should not be walking! This isn't something that people just bounce back from." He took Jesse off of his other pain meds and put him on one that has a high dose, and he's still on the steroids. Another Dr. believes that Jesse will regain control of his muscles again soon and be back to normal 100%, urinating on his own and everything. This Dr. told him to quit taking all pain meds and only take the steroids. He's weaning off of the pain pills and well on his way to recovery. On Monday Jesse felt the bottom of his seat for the first time. When he touches his arm he still can't feel his hand on top of his arm, but is soon approaching recovery.

So I ask myself...do I believe in the power of prayer and fasting? Absolutely without a doubt I believe that my father in heaven hears and answers prayers. I believe in the power of the preisthood and I know that we are heard. Our father is aware of us all and everything we are currently going through. I am so grateful to those that prayed and fasted with my family. Thank you to all of you, we have felt your prayers, and I know my brother and his wife have felt them even more so than the rest of us. Thank you. I will update everyone with things as they come. I'm sure he'll be making more progress each wk.