Len's Trophy

Today I threw away my "egg creation" that I made for a contest at work at least five years ago. Parting with this little item reminds me of trophies or metals (anything that shows some recognition that you where a winner at some point of your life) that we receive. Sure it's great to be reminded of the occasion, but what do you do with these awards? I guess if you have a den or a trophy room you have someplace to display such items. The softball trophies we have are somewhere in our storage. My creation was on a shelf in our living room.

My "eggsterresterals" did help me win the "People's Choice" category and so I held on to it- like a trophy. There was no certificate to state I was a winner so I guess keeping my creation was the next best thing. I blew out two eggs, cut up an egg carton, threw on a extra large Slurpee cup lid and Wa-La! We have a winner! Oh ya, I did win a Sony radio to boot.

Thanksgiving 2008

Another Thanksgiving over! This year has been a busy one with not my own family but with my mom and dad's illnesses and surgeries so I'm thankful we made it through. On that note, we are jotting down a few things that our family is thankful for- most appropriate don't you think?!?!

1. Very thankful for my family- Scott, Ellie and Ben- Really the reason for getting up in the morning.
2. My mom and dad- who help us out all the time and the reason I am alive today- LOL!
3. Passing the RN board exam- hope I never have to that again.


Scott is thankful also for many things this Thanksgiving and Holiday season.
1. My wonderful and beautiful wife Len, she is a amazing woman. Ever since she finished her RN, she has been working extra days to help us pay of her school loans. I am thankful for all her hard work not only at the hospital but at home. She is truly the center of our family and it is her that keeps this family going strong.
2. The times we spend together as a family. We have had many opportunities this last year to do thing as a family. We have taken some great trips and spent time together doing our many sports that we are involved with.
3. We are blessed to have what we have. I told Len that we may never become millionaires, but I know that we have what we need, and with the love and support we can have a great life with this wonderful family of ours.
4. I am grateful for our jobs. Len and I have good steady jobs that we may not love at times but we a lucky for the stability of the fields we work in.

Ellie is thankful for:
1. My family
2. Friends
3. Food
4. We have a Wii.

Ben is thankful for:
1. Mommy and Daddy and Ellie and grandparents.
2. Mommy and Daddy work.
3. School and recess
4. Food

Yellowstone Park 2008

We went to Yellowstone National Park this summer. A quick three day trip. The first night we stayed at the Worldmark resort-Yellowstone and the next night we actually camped at Madison campground in the park. We originally planned to camp both nights but after it go so cold here in Ogden, I got worried that we would be human popsicles by morning sleeping in our tent. Unfortunately, Worldmark only had one night available so we thought what the heck, let's camp the second night. It was perfect. We got to West Yellowstone early and went into the park before checking in at the condo. Ellie and Ben had a great time smelling the hot pots and craters-LOL! After walking around a few of the sites, we went back to condo and swam until dinner. Then we walked around West Yellowstone and checked out some of the gift shops.

The next morning we packed up and headed into the park. After setting up our campsite, we made some sandwiches and set out again to see more of Yellowstone. At Old Faithful, we had alittle picnic and a nap on the benches in front of the geyser- we were alittle tried from all the fun we were having LOL- and sure enough the geyser went off about a hour after we got there.

There were alot of yellowjackets for some reason trying to get to our food. I went alittle postal and stepped out of my "appreciating the natural surroundings" attitude and killed about a dozen or so of them.

Later that night when we returned to the campground, we went on a serious firewood scavenge and made the traditional camp dinner- the Hobo dinner- ground beef and vegetables. S'mores top off the evening- I think making them is more fun than eating them and luckily Ellie and Ben love eating them more than making them! Finally it was time to go to sleep. We had brought about twenty hand warming packs, broke them all open and threw them in the sleeping bags. They worked great and we were fine in the morning.

I thought we would be the only ones camping in the "tents only" section at that time of the season. But there was alot of people there enduring the elements too-LOL! We are so lucky to be close to a great national park like Yellowstone!

Ellie's Award

Ellie got an award at school (Nov. 19)- a trifecta if you will. Ellie was the only forth grader in her class to score 100% on a core language arts exam- comprehension, vocabulary and skills.

Her school has monthly awards ceremonies to honor students that have shown outstanding performances in school.
We are so proud of her because in her younger days of school-LOL- she struggled a bit. She has worked really hard to get where she is now and it shows!

My friend Melodie

If Scott is my best boy friend- then Melodie Toll is my best girl friend. Alot of our vacation and party pictures have her and her family in them, so she definately needs her own write up. She and I have been freinds for the past 8 years, at least that is what she says, I think maybe longer. We met at the McKay Dee Surgical Center where she is a nurse educator and I use to be a LPN/OR Tech. After discussing how we were each going on a weekend camping trip to the Uinta mountains with our families, we decide to go together and we have been best friends since then. Melodie is one of the smartest people I know. She is very organized, works great with people and gets things done. She will be the manager of some facet of Intermountain Health someday I am sure. She is always ready to lend a hand to others. We have been on many vacations with her and her family (Her husband Brandon, Paige-her daughter and Conner-her son) like Disneyland and the Oregon Coast.

Melodie also helped me with one of the biggest decision in my life and that was to get sealed in the LDS Ogden temple to Scott, Ellie and Ben last year (April 2007). Since none of my family are members, Melodie helped me get all my clothes and went with me as my helper (?- I'm not sure what the offical title is) when our family got sealed.

Change can be good

This past two years have been life changing for me. First, I went back to school to get my RN degree. (Something I have wanted to do before turning forty- did it!) I actually went to a pilot program at Stevens Henager College. It was a tough program-very fast paced. Because it was a new program, we had crazy clinical times.(e.g. 4pm to 4am starting Saturday evening) I actually had to sleep in Scott's truck several times in the parking lot in front of McKay because I was scheduled to work in the main OR on Sunday morning starting at 7am. Thank heavens for sleeping bags that rate -can be used to 32 degrees F- because several mornings it snowed. I made some great friends and together we help each other through.
The second thing was to leave the Surgical Center and work in the Main OR. I had worked at the surgical center since I got married. (14 years) In fact, I started there one week after getting married to Scott. After years of assisting with very simple surgeries- tonsillectomies, podiatry cases, cataract removals, etc.- I was thrown in to a world of fractured hips, fractured femurs, huge bowel cases, gunshot wounds, etc. BIG difference to what I was use too.
But these changes were what I had needed and did not realize it. I've gained alot of confidence in myself, realized it was okay to step away from my comfort zone, with hard work I can do many things and there is work outside the Surgical Center that is just as fun. I love my role as a RN in the operating room- I still assist with surgeries at times, and I have made many, many new friends at the Main OR.

Scott's Wing Eating Contest

This summer Scott finally got a chance to be in a wing eating contest. He has wanted to be in one forever. We went to the Salt Lake REAL game with Ellie's Steam soccer team. Before every game, there is a Carnival REAL outside the stadium where there are contests and bands playing before the game. You should have seen the sparkle in Scott's eye once the wing eating contest was announced! Along with Scott, there where two other men, (Scott sized them up and felt good about his chances)and finally a ten year old girl. Scott ate 23 wings in three minutes! Unfortunately, the little girl ate 10 wings and was given a 15 wing credit. Scott-23 Little Girl-25. She won. Although disappointed, Scott walk away with his head held high, full and ready for the game. Ellie, Ben and Len had to settle for popcorn and drinks.

We love Futball!

Futball- or better known here in the US as soccer- is a BIG part of the Putnam household. Scott and I often reflect how just three years ago the only soccer we knew was watching Ellie play AYSO every saturday. Now all of us play! Ellie is on a comp team (Utah Steam), Scott and I play on two coed teams ( Unified and Harrisons FC) and Ben is in on the act with AYSO. We have met so many great people playing this sport and made many friends. Having someone to compare bruises, aches and pains with sure creates bonds!

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