Tuesday, July 16, 2013

You know, just your ordinary day

My day started out normal, pretty much like any other. I had been up late the night before working on cleaning out  and packing the garage so that we could store boxes in there as we packed to move in a week and a half. So I woke up late, grateful that my work is so flexible. I got ready, cut up some strawberries and grabbed a few other things for lunch. Kissed the hubby and kids goodbye and left for work. Moments later my day would go from normal to completely surreal.

As I got into Eldon's little commuter car I remember thinking how much I didn't like the car. It was a pain to get into, the seatbelt was uncomfortable, and it was an ugly two door with a dorky spoiler. As I plugged my phone in after starting the car to play music through the audio jack, I remember thinking that the only thing I did like was the fact that I could play music from my phone.

With Roberta Flack's smoky voice filling the car I pulled out of the driveway and drove through the neighborhood.  I saw my friend Jill and her kids out for a walk but she was turned away and didn't see me wave. As I neared the stop sign I suddenly had the feeling that I should put on my seatbelt. As I mentioned above, I hated the seat belt in this car. It would always dig into my neck, so even though I would wear it I would always put the shoulder belt behind me.  I remember just the day before wondering if I would still be okay in a crash without the shoulder part, and deciding I probably would be.

At this point I noticed that my seat belt was hooked over the seat behind me and thought that it probably looked buckled to any cops, that I didn't want to wear it because it was uncomfortable, and that it really wasn't that big a deal. But after another feeling that I was being silly and to put. it. on.,  I finally put it on. And strangely enough I even left the shoulder belt part on.

As I'm cruising along I notice the 65 speed limit sign coming up and look down and notice I'm going almost 50 and I start to speed up. An instant later I look up and realize I'm not turning enough with the road and feel dirt under my tires but as I try to turn the wheel to the left to get back on the road I lose control of the car and the rest is a scary blur with my only thought being: "This can't really be happening."

The best we've pieced it together is that when I hit the shoulder and tried to brake and compensate the wheel locked and I went flying into the field to the right of the road. My husband thinks I would have just slowed down and stopped except for the fact that I hit a barbed wire fence that then flipped the car over.

Once the car stopped I hung from my seat belt for a few seconds in disbelief. I couldn't figure out how I just went from the road to being upside down. I remember feeling hyper aware of everything around me, and soon noticed that the engine was still on and struggling to keep running. I reached down to find the keys and turned the car off.  My next thought was Eldon. I needed Eldon. I looked around in the dark interior of the car but couldn't find my phone. However, I noticed the audio cord and pulled on it, and thankfully attached was my phone.

While I was frantically explaining my situation to a very confused Eldon, I heard a car stop and looked over and there was a man standing at the busted out window. I asked this good samaritan's name later but of course it has completely left my brain.  He talked me through getting out, having me brace myself on the steering wheel with my feet and the roof with my elbow before undoing my seatbelt. I was able to fall fairly gently to the roof and after a few moments of talking it through we put a floor mat on the glass outside the window and I crawled out. This nice man led me to his car where I sat while talking to the cop and paramedics that had very quickly come to the scene.  Oddly enough, I had lost both my flip flops in the crash so I was barefoot and dirty and probably looking and sounding like a crazy lady at this point. 

I remember there was another man with him and another really nice lady that talked with me and helped me breathe and calm down. All I remember saying at that point was that I didn't know what had happened or how I had done such a crazy thing. Soon Eldon arrived which helped, they asked questions, checked me out, had me sign a waiver that I said I was fine enough to not go to the hospital, and then the tow truck came to tow the apparently totaled car away.

We never did find my other flip flop, either in the car or in the dirt. The cops had a scare seeing "blood" in the car, but it ended up just my spilled and smashed strawberries, which is actually pretty funny if you think about it. Yeah, we're down a car now, and will most likely have to pay more than what we'll get back for it. But I have SO much to be grateful for. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father that had the spirit whisper to me to put on my seat belt. If it hadn't been on this would have been a much different story. I am thankful to the kind people who stopped and helped me. I am thankful to the police and paramedics that came so quickly. I am thankful that my children and husband weren't in the car. I am so thankful that nobody else was hit in the accident. I am thankful that my phone and laptop sitting in the passenger seat seem to be completely unharmed and working great.

And most of all, I am so grateful to be alive. I take so much for granted, but I am so, so blessed. In the last 6 months Eldon lost his job, I had bad news at my job,
we found out we had to move, I had a miscarriage, and then the accident happened. Sometimes I find myself wanting to ask why this is all happening. But the truth I know is that in each one of these trials my Heavenly Father has blessed me a hundred fold. He is watching over me and my family, and I know I am loved.

This car though? Not so much. ;)

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Evertaster review by the Everforgetter

 Hello friends, Sharla here!  :)  As you know, I am absolutely OBSESSED with reading.  Well, it turns out my 11 year old son is following in my footsteps.  He loves to read as well.  So when I heard about Evertaster I had to try it out for me and for him!  He happens to be the same age as the hero in Evertaster, and he is just as picky an eater!  We both loved the book, and can't wait to see what he brings forth in the future.  

 But before I tell you more, does anyone have a cure for me?  I swear I cannot remember things to save me life.  It has been particularly bad lately.  So bad that the alarm will go off on my phone and a second later I still forget what I was just reminded of.  I wanted to post this Friday, set my alarm, and then when it went off I was going to go post it and still forgot what I was doing when I got to the computer.  lol  Anybody have a cure?? 

Anyway, here is more about the wonderful book:




"Wonderfully talented writing; funny."
--Orson Scott Card, NYT Bestselling author of Ender's Game

"Sidwell is a talented comedian, and that is certainly reflected in his writing. The characters are quirky and likable." --Deseret News


When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother's casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

www.Evertaster.com 

 "One of the most original, well-crafted and imaginative MG stories I've come across in a long time." - WordSpelunking Book Review
About the Author: 
In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to
make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the
Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a
keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is
delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed
adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once
showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles,
where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.
You can learn more about Adam and his writing adventures here:


FB https://www.facebook.com/Evertaster

Twitter https://twitter.com/@Evertaster

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5828904.Adam_Glendon_Sidwell

Pinterest http://pinterest.com/evertaster/

Go check it out, and ENJOY!!

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Celtic Woman Winner!

Thanks to all who entered my contest!  As you can see, the winner of the Celtic Woman DVD and CD set is #6:

My husband loves their music! It would be fun to surprise him with a CD and DVD of theirs.






Congratulations Ashley!!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Celtic Woman Giveaway

You all know how much I love music, so I was very excited to have the opportunity to review the music of Celtic Woman!  After listening to the CD and watching the DVD I am definitely a fan.  These four women are amazingly talented and beautiful.  The blend of their voices is amazing.  I am excited to get to see them live in Salt Lake in April.

If you're not familiar with them, Celtic Woman is an all-female singing sensation featuring vocalists Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Lisa Lambe and Celtic violinist Máiréad Nesbitt.  They perform classic Irish songs (“The Water Is Wide,” “Green Grow the Rushes"), timeless pop anthems (“Bridge Over Troubled Water"), and inspirational songs (“You’ll Never Walk Alone,” “Ave Maria”) with their signature Celtic Woman twist.


You can check out the music here:

"Teir Abdhaile Riu":http://soundcloud.com/celticwoman-1/teir-abhaile-riu
DVD Trailer: http://goo.gl/53gX4

You can buy the recently released CD and DVD's here:
Believe DVD: http://amzn.to/yVl7Ob 
Believe CD: http://amzn.to/vZcIIN

And check out when they're coming to your town here:
Or, you can WIN your own copy of the DVD and CD here!!  
* Just leave a comment here of why you would like to win your own copy of the Celtic Woman CD and DVD by Feb. 13 at midnight MST.  
Good luck!

* I received one copy of the CD and DVD to review and will receive two tickets to the Celtic Woman concert. No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

Friday, January 13, 2012

The Baby Ache

Yes, yes, the Mom Nerd is still alive. I haven't written since blogger changed their look and set up.  I guess I've just been out of the blogging mood.  But today, I actually felt like writing.  So here I am.

Up for discussion today.....more babies, or no more babies?  I'd love to hear what you think.

So lately, since shortly before Christmas, off and on, I've had the baby ache.  Very, very badly I might add.  I think of a baby in my arms, and I ache inside so much I almost can't stand it.  The other day I had my youngest, 4 1/2 year old Winnie, in my lap.  He always wants me to rub his tummy so he laid down with his feet up by my face.  His feet are still pretty little, and still pretty cute, so I did one of my favorite mommy things and played with his feet.  But then when I kissed them.....

These are kissable feet!
Peee-ew!  Yucky stinky little boy feet.  So yeah, right then again the ache came.  For soft, sweet baby feet.

I used to ache for a baby girl, but at this point I don't even care if it's a boy or a girl.  And I think that's what scares me the most.

You see, analytically, these are the reasons why I am done having babies:


1. My twins are almost FIVE!  They will be starting Kindergarten next year.  ALL of my kids will be in school.

2. I have a part time teaching job that I LOVE!  And knowing myself if I had another baby the job would definitely be the first thing to go.  And that makes me sad.

3. It has been almost a year since I've had any kids in diapers. Need I say more?

4. We're still trying to buy a house, and really are not in good financial place to have another baby.

5. I really need to lose weight. And yeah, even though I lose when I'm pregnant, I always gain back when nursing.

6. I don't want my last baby to be lonesome with more than 5 years between them and the twins.


7. I don't want to have twins again. Really not sure I could handle that.

8. Do I really want more than 4 kids?  I mean really?

9. My twins are starting to get themselves dressed, their own shoes on, helping clean up, etc.


10. I'm getting old.  I'm about to enter an entirely new era in my life.  Do I want to start all that again?

   But then, what if there is a little spirit up there waiting for me?  Waiting for my family?





And is that why the ache won't go away?

For now, I'll look at some pictures of my babies, maybe try to talk some friends into letting me play with their babies, and hope the ache goes away.

But what do you think?  Baby or no baby?  That is the question.




Friday, October 28, 2011

Love love love Gardner Village!

So I had heard about Gardner Village, and I actually even tried to find it once, but we finally went tonight and I am in LOVE with that place! I can't wait to go see what they have for every season. Right now, they have it all decked out for Halloween, and it is so fun!


We were lucky enough to be sent four tickets to Ride to a Witch at Gardner Village as part of their Witch Fest. We got our tickets (which just happened to be BUGS!) And then went on a hay ride to their special little witch village with real live witches!

We were greeted by this lovely witch, much to the embarrassment of my growing 10 year old. lol
We were able to explore her adorable little house.
We busted some moves in the groovy witch cabin.

Helped one witch stir up some witchy (and smelly) brew.


Heard some spooky nursery rhymes, and had a very serious graveside service for Fred, the dead cockroach.
Overall, we had a blast! Make sure you get there and check out everything they have before Halloween is over! You will not be disappointed.

Now I just can't wait to go back without the kids so I can really relax and enjoy it.
(Shh, don't tell)
But aren't they adorable? Happy Halloween!

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Sigh.

This was going to be a nice relaxing summer. No new jobs. No moving. Just chillin' and relaxin' to get ready for the new school year.

And it basically was. For most of the summer that flew by. Now Eldon and I both start back to work next week, and this weekend, we get to move again. Yay!!!

Now, I really don't have time to write right now. And I need to get to bed. But just to fill ya'll in, I'm going to share some facebook posts from the last few weeks. And yes, I admit, I am kind of a whiner.......

So, it's official. We are about to make our 13th move in the last 12 years of marriage. We were renting our home to own but our Landlord decided he needed to sell it right away. We looked into buying it but we just can't yet. We are hoping to still be in City Center but I haven't found anything to rent in our ward yet. I am so bummed but I'm sure it will all turn out fine.
July 21 at 4:33pm

I am so excited about the house we're moving into. It's amazing how things work out so well when you think it's the end of the world. We are so blessed! Will definitely miss our ward, but I'm excited to be in the same ward as Mandy Christensen, who I've been friends with since forever. And the house is AWESOME!July 22 at 8:40pm

The great thing about moving? You find things that have been missing! We found the ring my honey got me for Valentine's day. So happy! And I am so proud of myself, I finally cleaned out a "junk drawer" box that has been packed up and following us around for many, many moves. Found a few useful things, but most of it went in the trash can. So ridiculous!
July 26 at 2:40am

So, so much to do today but I am so tired. Staying up until almost 6 in the morning was not smart.
July 28 at 12:22pm

Went to the temple with my cousin and her soon to be husband tonight. So happy for them!
July 29 at 1:04am

I spent all day packing and organizing and I swear it doesn't look like I did a thing. Thankfully my Mom was working on our laundry and made a major dent in that. Plus she cleaned my laundry room and closet. She rocks!
July 31 at 12:03am

Twelve years ago I knelt across from Eldon Carbine and was married and sealed to him for time and for all eternity. After the last 12 years, I'm not sure eternity will be long enough.
July 31 at 9:44pm

Should be cleaning and packing instead of sitting in this chair.....it'll happen eventually.
August 2 at 10:08am

Having very mixed emotions today....and not a little bit of stress. But grateful anyway.
August 7 at 9:02pm

I am somewhere in between exhausted and dead....and it can only get worse. lol
Monday at 7:19pm

Pray for a miracle....because it's going to be a miracle if I get everything done in time. And still get ready for my school year. Ugh, I hate moving!!
Tuesday at 1:57pm

I keep sitting down for a "second" on FB because I really don't want to pack. Realized while my mind was wandering today that stressed backwards is desserts. That would explain my chocolate craving. Another weird thought I had was that devil spelled backwards is lived, which is the one thing the devil can never do. Okay, okay, back to packing. sigh.
5 hours ago

And that brings us current. So the consensus is that I really don't want to move, and I'm a pretty big whiner. But it will be over soon. :)

So what have you been doing this summer?

(PS Still checking out the books and music for my winners. It will take a little time!)














Thursday, July 28, 2011

Letter to Me

The envelope says

To: Sharla Merryweather
read on November 16, 1997.

January 2, 1997
Dear Sharla,

Hello. Well, happy 18th Birthday! Now, as you read this I want you to look at your life as it is and if you aren't where you're supposed to be, get there quick!

Okay, this is what I expect of you. First of all, you better have a good attitude and be smiling a lot. It's your senior year but don't get stressed and overwhelmed. You should be going to church and seminary regularly and I expect your testimony to be stronger than ever. You better not have a boyfriend, or have had a boyfriend, and I hope you've been dating (group or double) good young men who are members with the same standards as you. You better not have made any big mistakes, either.

You better have gotten good grades your junior year if you want to go to BYU. I expect your GPA to be a 3.5 or higher. Preferrably higher.

I hope you're still striving for a temple marriage because that is the ONLY way you can fully be happy. Okay? And pray about it, a lot, before you make the big decision.

Now, when that time comes I expect you to raise a family and be sure to ask for council from your Father in Heaven and the leaders around you. Heed to the prophets teachings. Don't forget to go back and read your patriarchal blessing.

Sharla, look around you at who your friends are and their influence on you. Make sure they are good friends that will uplift you. And remember to be a good friend. Okay?

Sharla, you are a daughter of God and you know it. Yet be humble and every grateful to your Father in Heaven. He has given you so much!! Stay strong.

Love, You

Yep, that was me. Word for word, typos and all. Do I sound self righteous? There is a lot of advice I gave myself that is still really good advice. And I'm happy to say for the most part I did listen to myself. I just thought this was so funny I had to share. It's good to remember who I was, especially when I evaluate who I am today.
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