41.4

Things I have done I've done 41 (and 4 kindas)!

What Have You Done?

To participate, just copy and paste in your own blog and bold all of the things you have done.
It's kind of fun!! (No, really, I swear it is. Do it!!! peer pressure, peer pressure)

1. Started your own blog (x I don't even remember how many, 5 or 6?)
2. Slept under the stars (no thanks, I don't even like sleeping out in a tent)
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (to the top? no. I've climbed ON a mountain before)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (Easy Home Embalming - what? it totally counts)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason (ahem, technically, everything has a reason, but I know what you mean)
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy (the one I am pictured with in one of my very first pictures)
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial (from a distance, it was night and raining)
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square (yay!!!!!!! I LOVE Times Square!!!)
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person (from an airplane)
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (outside the gates??)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby (times 5)
95. Seen the Alamo in person (more than once!!)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit (kind of, class action suits)
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument

Weirdo Wednesday, Holiday Style

When I was in junior high, I was obsessed with the blender and would have eggnog (or orange julius) every morning for breakfast. I think this was before smoothies existed.

That's all I have time for today. Working, finish cleaning the hall (the downstairs is almost company-ready, as long as no one opens the closets or the office), goodie-making, Christmas tree putting up, laundry putting-awaying, dessert-making.

Love, peace, and joy to everyone!

I have nothing to say about this picture, except I made those skirts this week and E wanted to see them.

Weirdo Wednesday

My brain is a bit fried tonight and I know that last week I had other Weirdo Wednesdays in my head, ready to go this week, but they have been replaced by weariness. I'm beginning to see why playpens used to be so popular as kid watchers. Every waking moment (his, not mine thankfully) SPY is into something, climbing something, wanting up, wanting down, wanting to nurse, aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. We've gotten to the point where when I say his name in a certain tone he says "No?" because that's what usually follows. (He is now chuckIing things off3
thede3s2k and hitting random keys.) It sounds like he's my first but either I don't remember or he's more AAAAAAAAAH or I was younger.... or I was working outside the house and let me tell you working outside the house is so much easier than chasing an 18-month-old. Ironically, when I worked in childcare I worked mostly in the 18-month-old room. But the thing about childcare is that they have each other and other things to entertain themselves and you have backup.

BTW, my cell phone works - THANK YOU Brilliant Rice Recommender (Recommendor?)

The story of how my cell phone got washed is a story for Weirdo Wednesday. Usually my cell lives in my purse, because it is safest there, I don't lose it as often, though I do miss about half my calls because I can't hear it - but that is fewer than missing all of my calls because it is somewhere missing with the battery dead. Anyway, for whatever reason, my cell was in my pocket.

Hub was off to take the girls to rehearsal and I walked them to the door where he gave me a hug.

I said "Don't squeeze, I have to pee." I'm an idiot. He can't resist that kind of thing. So, he squoze (that looks wrong, squoze??). And I peed.

He was like, "I didn't think you really would."

"I've had 5 babies."

"I thought you were doing those exercises or something."

"Yeah, but I'm still dead inside. Besides, you'd know if I was." (if you know what I mean, wink, wink)

"Oh, sorry."

Ha on him, I was wearing his sweatpants. But I did go directly to the washing machine with them. So, it's his fault that my cell phone got washed (see that logic, eh?)

So, fun fact for Weirdo Wednesday: I pee at the drop of a hat.

Anyone want to guess how many cups of water Sam dumped out while I was typing this? Three.

Yay, hub is home and I'm going to a meeting WITHOUT the kids.

Quick!

Someone tell me a nice story about how they washed their cell phone and it came out of it fine.

I might feel better if...

I won something from here.

You might too, whether you're having iron-related sadness or just the winter blahs. Actually, even if you're in a good mood, winning stuff is always cool.

All I want for Christmas

Or why I shouldn't do crafts, especially when the kids are home.

All I want for Christmas is a brand new iron
To replace the one
That is covered in carpet.

Oh, and also an iron-shaped piece of carpet would be nice.

Guess the Grandma and Me baking and apron set will be the Grandma apron with fun baking supplies (for the goodie auction at intermission tonight).

A bit ew

So, sometimes I do surveys online for fun and a little tiny bit of profit. Every once in a while, I get surveys that ask if I want to test a product. Last week, I had one that asked if my 8-year-old would like to test a new cereal. We said sure. It arrived on Tuesday and Bailey tried and really, really liked it. I'm contractually forbidden from telling you the name/details, but it wasn't really a new cereal, but a new and improved version of a cereal already loved at our house. Wonderful! It really was improved in texture and some other things. We all tried it. Today, I was completing the related survey and it kept asking me if I would like to buy this type of cereal if it contained more fiber, if I would pay more for it. Hmm, I guess that explains it. And by IT, I mean the not-so-nice side effect of cereals with lots of fiber. The kind of thing that other fiber-rich cereals warn you about right on the labeling - but of course, survey cereal has no labels (seriously, a pure-white cereal box, it's pretty cool unless you need some kind of warning). So, if you see a kid-friendly cereal touting it's extra fiber on the shelves at your supermarket, it WORKS. Which could be a good thing if you need to trick a child into eating more fiber. Or not if you don't.

Weirdo Wednesday

Ladies and gentlemen, it is that time again for the first time. Everyone's favorite: Weirdo Wednesday. I started out to call it Confession Wednesday, but we all know that kind of thing is NOT allowed. Anyway, every Wednesday, I will confess something that you don't know about me that makes me weird, strange, lame, crazy, or just plain silly. Or, if I can't think of something about me, I'll either make something up or share something about someone else.

Today:

I DVR The Martha Stewart Show every day. It started out innocently enough - the TV was left on whatever channel it is she's on and when I turned it back on later, what I thought was her promo for shows that week was on and there was PATRICK DEMPSEY, right there on TMSS.

Gratuitous PATRICK DEMPSEYage:


You're welcome.

Anyway, I thought they were sayIng that PATRICK DEMPSEY was going to be on some time that week, so I set the DVR to record. And then she sucked me in with her cute little crafts and all those recipes and stuff I'll never make, but apparently that doesn't stop me from watching.

Sometimes I fast-forward through most of the show, but sometimes I watch the whole darn thing. She's such a Bi$ch. Seriously stuck up and snobby and patronizing to her guests (like Kristen Chenoweth this week, dude!! oh and Seal's wife, what's her name again?) And every segment includes pimping of her new crafty products, several of which I MUST HAVE NOW. And so often it looks like she's just been handed the craft and doesn't have a clue what or why she's doing it and SHE even thinks it's lame.

AND PATRICK DEMPSEY has not been on the show one time. I don't think she's even mentioned him, not even when Kate Walsh was there.

Anyway, that's the lameness for today.

ETA: I googled it. PATRICK DEMPSEY was on TMSS a YEAR ago, not quite a year ago from when I started taping. The good news is that MS has the clips available online at her website. I haven't watched it yet, but it appears that he makes a very manly craft on the show.

Celebrating the end of the semester with a whatchamacallit

I smelled Chuck Norris because I'm cool like that.

You play too:

Pick the month you were born:
January-------I kicked
February------I loved
March--------I karate chopped
April----------I licked
May----------I jumped on
June----------I smelled
July-----------I did the Macarena with
August--------I had lunch with
September----I danced with
October-------I sang to
November-----I yelled at
December-----I ran over

Pick the day (number) you were born on:
1-------a birdbath
2----- --a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a snowman
6-------a gangster
7-------my mobile phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbor
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16-------a pickle
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19------ - a smurf
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
22-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an iPod
29-------a surfer
30-------a homeless guy
31-------a llama

Pick the color of shirt you are wearing:
White----because I'm cool like that.
Black-----because that's how I roll.
Pink-----because I'm NOT crazy.
Red------because the voices told me to.
Blue-----because I'm sexy and I do what I want.
Green----because I think I need some serious help.
Purple----because I'm AWESOME!
Gray-----because Big Bird said to and he's my leader.
Yellow---because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars.
Orange---because my family thinks I'm stupid anyway.
Brown----because I can.
Other-----because I'm a Ninja!
None------because I can't control myself!

I bet whoever made this one up was born on the 22nd too. If I owned a gray shirt a) I'd spell it grey, and b) i'd change in to it. I'm lying - I do have a grey shirt, but it's in the laundry, so I'm not changing in to it. Everything is in the laundry, mostly the laundry on my floor.

Note: An even better way to celebrate the end of the semester would be with a real Whatchamacallit, but I don't have one of those either. Really this time, I mean it.

Phew.

The semester is over. Everything is turned in. All the tests are taken. All of the classes are at least passed and should be A's and probably one B (argh History). AND the books are sold back to the bookstore (extra Christmas money!!!).

Phew again.

Dear Windows Media Player:

I hate your stinking guts. You make me vomit. You are the scum between my toes.

Love,
EF.

PS: I'm leaving you for iTunes. iTunes doesn't think that every CD in my Music Apprec. set is the same da%#$mn CD and overwrite the data I corrected every time I put a new one in. iTunes knew what CD I was putting in without having to tell it. Skew you, Cowboy.

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMicrowave Fudge

2 1/2 C Sugar
3/4 C butter
5 oz. evaporated milk
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
10 1/2 oz. mini marshmallows
1 tsp. vanilla
optional chopped nuts (NOT)

Put the butter and sugar in a large glass bowl. Cook 60 seconds. Add evap. Stir. Cook 5 minutes. Stir. 3 minutes. Stir. 2 minutes. Add chocolate chips. Stir until melted. Add marshmallows 1/2 at a time, stirring until melted. Add vanilla and nuts (NOT). Stir. Pour into a wax paper lined 9x13 pan and spread evenly. Cool, then serve. Be sure to lick the bowl. DO NOT scrape the sides when you are stirring or it will turn out really grainy. The bowl gets really hot. Don't drop it (like someone did last weekend with my perfect-for-this-recipe-and-pretty-much-all-other-recipes-had-it-for-15-years bowl - not that I'm upset about it). Enjoy and consider sharing or you may also have to wax poetic.

English, Govt. and....

Principles of Macroeconomics. I can't wait to find out why I need this class as a 4-8 teacher - also I thought this would be a fun time to be in an economics class, world-situation-wise.

This one

Except.

Swap out 5 of the stones with birthstones.
Diamond
Alexandrite (or pearl)
Sapphire
Emerald

Topaz
Emerald
Diamond
Diamond

Girls on one side, boys on the other.


I also picked a major today - 4-8 Generalist. Spring semester starts registration on Monday. English, Govt, and 1 or 2 something elses. I finished everything for one class (that I no longer need since I changed from EC-4) with an A, have one comprehensive listening final for Music Apprec., and 3 tests and 2 short assignments for History. Oy, history.

A Looking on the Bright Side post

One of the kids left the bread open this morning - I'm halfway to homemade bread cubes for stuffing!


I got all excited last night because the grocery store in the next town over (which is technically the same town we live in - mailing-address-wise - though I rarely go there, but I used the excuse of needing Motrin for Mr. Crankypants Teething Boy when I was really looking for stuffing) had 2 big shelves and a cardboard display of Pepperidge Farms stuffing mix. Excited until I got close enough to see that they only had crumbs or cornbread. Vomit. I almost cried. Got my hopes all up and then kicked me in the face.

I HATE TEXAS.

Best part - they were out of Motrin.

The Feast

Preparations are under way for the big giant feast. We're staying home this year, quiet. Some of our kids are quite picky, so we've adjusted the feast to our family and it is gradually becoming "traditional" - our tradition.

On the menu this year:

Turkey - brined, of course - veggie stock is on the stove right now
Ham
Mashed potatoes - instant - we have some that are fantastic and I will add stuff to them to make them special - a cheat that is so worth it to me
Stuffing - hoping to still find some Pepperidge Farms cubes, but we might be stuck with Stove Top this year
Turkey gravy - from packets, but I will add stuff to it.
Velveeta Shells and Cheese - the food of choice among the picky for any celebration
Veggie tray - celery, maybe carrots, olives, and pickles
Fruit salad - this is the first year I am skipping my family's traditional fruit salad with whipped topping. Instead, we will have Banana's request of grapes and apples.
Rolls - I bought some, but might make some too.
Mashed sweet potatoes (maybe)
Sparkling apple juice

(I think there is something else, but I can't remember what)

Desserts:
Pumpkin pie(s)
Chocolate pie (another Banana request)
Ice cream sundaes

I'm working really hard to give up on insisting on making stuff the real way in favor of making stuff a little more foolproof/simple/easy because in the past when I've dinner on my own, I screw something up (usually the timing of getting everything done), I get a little snippy, dinner is LATE, everyone is cranky, and I get upset because 80% of the family doesn't like 90% of the meal that I just slaved all day over. Which, added on top of the fact that Thanksgiving is the day I miss my extended family the most, makes for miserableness for everyone. If this year doesn't go better, I'm going to ditch everything but the Shells and Cheese and the ice cream sundaes and live happily ever after anyway.

**weird and random happening yesterday**

I was at the girls' rehearsal last night, helping with some costumes. One of the moms was talking about how she had lived in WA state for 5 years and could not find decent Mexican food anywhere. Another mom said that she was raised in WA and I said Me too! Later, she asked me where I was from and I said Tacoma area (default answer to a city people might actually know) and she said I lived in *Name of tiny town EF's parents live in.* Jaw drop to the floor. *Name of tiny town EF's parents live in* really is a tiny town - about 2300 people. Amazing that we'd both end up in *Name of not quite as tiny, but still small, town* TX with kids in the same show. She graduated 10 years before I did and I only lived there my senior year, so we didn't know any of the same people off the top's of our heads, just places mostly. She graduated the last year in the old high school, which was long gone and made new by the time I got there. Huh.

I know y'all were waiting with great anticipation

for the answers to the quiz below.

1. How old am I? 33
2. Where did we meet? YAMV.
3. Take a stab at my middle name. (Bonus if you know all 3) Alia Eliza Ellen
4. Color of my eyes? hazel
5. Do I have any siblings? yes
6. If so, how many? What are their names? Ages? 5, Jenifer, Amy, Carl, James, and David (32-23)
7. What's one of my favorite things to do? read
8. What's my favorite type of music? Broadway musicals
9. Am I shy or outgoing? shyish
10. Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules? depends
11. Any special talents? not really, I'm one of those quiet talents kind of people.
12. Do I have children? a few
13. If so, how many? What are their names? Ages? 5, Banana, Bailey, Bemily, Mr. Handsome Pants, and Sammycakes. 10, 8, 6, 4, and 18 months.
14. Do I have pets? just the monkeys
15. If you and I were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing that I would bring? IDK, my BFF Rose?

Bonus: I have one wish for Christmas (birthday, Mother's Day, whenever we can afford it). It's the same wish I've had for the last approximately 6-1/2 years, though even more in the last year. If you know or can guess what it is, bonus points!

A new, accurate Mother's ring. The one I have has 3 spaces, but only 2 stones and was given to me back when we had just 2 kids. One of the pearls fell out while I was doing dishes and I didn't get it replaced because shortly after that I was pregnant with Emily. But then I never had her stone put in either and now it's just ridiculous, but I still wear it because my fingers feel weird without it.

Thanks to Esther

I'm searching for things to put pumpkin butter on. I'm not sure I need to make pie this year, which is good since I suck at pie crust.

I made homemade rolls, just to put some pumpkin butter on. They were pretty good last night, certainly better than last time, fresh, but today they are getting crumby and not doing justice to the pumpkin butter. I think I might have toast with breakfast tomorrow (which I never do unless there are fried eggs involved).

You know what I really want to try it on - warm on vanilla ice cream. I bet I really wouldn't need pie then.

A Series of Fortunate Events

Due to some unforeseen occurrences, money is sooo tight this week. Like hold your breath and hope that the reimbursements from the school or something comes in tomorrow so we don't bounce stuff tight. Wing and a prayer, baby.

Fortunate event #1:
Today, I found 2 checks from Josh's birthday that have been missing in the depths of my purse/van and deposited them.

Fortunate event #2:
Tonight when we were supposed to be leaving for rehearsal for the girls, the battery on the van was dead, which has happened a couple of times now when the lights are on for even a fairly short period of time - so no leaving the doors open while you get everyone situated, run back inside for this and that and that and that forgotten thing.

Sounds bad, but really, it set in motion a chain that ended up very good.

I knocked on a neighbor's door to see if he could jump start the van for me. No problem, he brought over his handy-dandy little jumpstarter thingy. In the process, he was talking about how it was a good coincidence because the reason he had the handy-dandy little jumpstarter thingy was because his truck was acting up battery-wise and he'd borrowed it just that day from his dad. BUT, it had turned out that his battery wasn't actually bad, it just had post problems.

Well, that got me thinking (hoping) that maybe my posts are just dirty. So after we got it started and I had dropped the girls off at rehearsal, the boys and I headed to Walmart to buy some knock-off Diet Coke (for the van - and me), because even though it was farther away, the knock-off cola at the other store tastes like Diet Pepsi, which is DIS-GUS-TING. BUT, about halfway there, I remembered that I had some coupons for the other store (there are only two), which would allow me to pretty much get REAL DC for free, so I got off an exit early and headed to that store instead.

When we got there, we found that there were people singing in the middle of the bakery section - a choir! Seriously, I'm not making it up. Everyone was dressed up all fancy - turns out it was Taste of the Season - samples all over the store and a party so that one would be inspired to serve these yummy goodies at their holiday parties AND buy them there. The goodies were indeed quite fantastic, but that's not the really good part.

Another part of the party was a giveaway - every 30 minutes, they were going to draw names for $25 gift cards. I seriously knew on the spot that this was an answer to a prayer and that I was going to win one and be able to buy food between now and payday.

The boys and I finished our sampling and shopping and went back to the theatre to wait for the girls. We went inside to the lobby, but half the cast was out there and Josh kept getting them in trouble and generally being a pain in the tookus, so we left again. As soon as I got outside, my cell started working again and there was a missed call and a message. Guess what?

I won a giftcard.

Really?

"Evita, this is the best report I have had! Thank you so much for putting your "all" into it. I'm glad the baby is doing better and I hope he gets completely well without any complications. You are so intelligent! Don't give up on getting your degree; just take it a bit at a time, as much as you can, and still take care of your family and yourself."


On to the self-deprecating part:

I would feel better about this if I thought it was really that good. It was only good because a) it was a research project and the source material was fantastic, b) it's a frickin' community college in the middle of nowhere so the comparison papers were probably REALLY not that good (that sounds snobby, but it's true), c) the teacher is a member of our ward, a mother of a ton of (now all grown) kids, and she has a ton of sympathy for me (or is that empathy?), and d) it definitely wasn't my best effort or my "all" so I feel a little guilty about that. Basically, it might have been good compared to others she received, but it wasn't that good compared to others I've done.

But... all that being said, I was giddy about the response (I posted about it, didn't I? - bumping a perfectly lovely piece about utensils) and it made me so happy that I'm cleaning out, reorganizing, and repainting the inside of my kitchen cabinets. It's funky work and I don't even care. NOTE: Never put the laundry facilities in the kitchen. If you must put the laundry facilities in the kitchen, don't vent the dryer 50 feet under half the house so that it clogs, backing up lint into the kitchen. Funkity, funk, funk, funk.

Best Outfit Ever

I hope that you can picture it. I wanted to whip out my camera phone, but a) I'd have to be so close that discretion wouldn't be possible, and b) I was a little afraid of him.

Starting from the top:
Baseball cap
Long black trenchcoat
Black t-shirt (I think)
Pajama pants with orange and red flames
Flip-flops

He was standing by himself in Walmart with his arms in front of him, hands clasped, like a body guard, just looking around - apparently guarding the bakery cookies. He stood there for probably 10 minutes, moved to the donut racks for a bit, and then disappeared.

Just for fun, I'm going to flip this one

Esther tagged me on this one too - I swear. But I'm going to flip it and do the opposites of the categories she had.

8 TV Shows I Hate(d) to Watch or at least Think that I would Hate (have Hated) to Watch and Do Not Intend to Change My Mind About
1. The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet
2. Pokemon
3. Walker, Texas Ranger - sorry Chuck, but WTH???
4. Oprah
5. Do Not Disturb (brief appearance this fall)
6. Ghost Whisperer
7. Charmed
8. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (love the movie though)

8 Things that DIDN'T Happen Yesterday
1. Received results from Sam's labs
2. Cleaned the whole house top to bottom
3. I made a delicious dinner
4. Sam weaned himself (aka, Sam decided that he hates boobs)
5. Josh decided that he hates cartoons
6. Emily decided that she hates boys
7. Haley decided that she hates cheese
8. Hannah decided that she hates being bossy

8 Least Favorite Places to Eat
1. Long John Silvers
2. Church's Chicken
3. Chili's
4. Elementary school cafeterias
5. Jalapeno Tree
6. McDonald's at breakfast
7. Outback Steakhouse (it wasn't horrible, it just wasn't the hype either)
8. My house unless someone else is cooking.

8 Things I Am NOT Looking Forward To
1. Doing the dishes
2. History test
3. Thanksgiving
4. Another day of waiting (hopefully not)
5. My next GYN visit
6. The Twilight movie
7. Getting up in the morning after staying up until 2 doing homework (I did do the homework first before doing the third survey, aren't you all proud of me?)
8. Shaving my legs

8 Things NOT on My Wish List
1. Brussel sprouts
2. More mud in the yard
3. Depends
4. Coconut
5. I was going to say the same thing as Esther here, but decided against it. But it is true.
6. Thong underwear
7. Wheat grass juice
8. Sam to wake up as soon as I'm headed to bed, which is right now, I swear.

8 People I Tag
Geraldine, Esmerelda, John Bob, Agememnon - no, not you, the other one, Sam, Buford, Jillian, and Jennifer.

It's been a while since I stole something from Esther...

It's a twist on the typical survey.

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME!!! But it's filled out by YOU.

If you want to play, leave a comment that answers these questions about me, copy the below to your blog and put in your comment that you want me to go there and fill in the answers about you. Be honest. If you don't want me to answer these questions about you, you can still answer them for me if you want.

1. How old am I?
2. Where did we meet?
3. Take a stab at my middle name. (Bonus if you know all 3)
4. Color of my eyes?
5. Do I have any siblings?
6. If so, how many? What are their names? Ages?
7. What's one of my favorite things to do?
8. What's my favorite type of music?
9. Am I shy or outgoing?
10. Am I a rebel or do I follow the rules?
11. Any special talents?
12. Do I have children?
13. If so, how many? What are their names? Ages?
14. Do I have pets?
15. If you and I were stranded on a deserted island, what is one thing that I would bring?

Bonus:
I have one wish for Christmas (birthday, Mother's Day, whenever we can afford it). It's the same wish I've had for the last approximately 6-1/2 years, though even more in the last year. If you know or can guess what it is, bonus points!

I'll post the answers later this week.

PS: No news on the Sammy. He feels great, even back to regular eating today - but no test results yet.

Look I got Tagged

Five things... I've also probably done it before too.

5 things I was doing 10 years ago ...
1- Fairly new mom of only 1 kid - how whackadoodle is that?
2- Assistant directing at the daycare
3- Living in the little house on oh no! I've forgotten the name of that street.
4- Sleeping on 2 twin beds smooshed up together
5- Partying

5 things on today's "to do" list...
1- Assignment for TECA
2- Finish watching Top Chef
3- Laundry
4- Dishes
5- Run the kids here, there, and everywhere

5 snacks I enjoy...
1- OMGOODNESS!!! Tostito's Flour Tortilla chips. I ate half a bag for dinner with salsa.
2- Grapes
3- Tootsie Rolls - tempted me at 3 different stores today, but I resisted
4- Apples
5- Cookie dough

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire... (single million or ongoing millions?)
1- Buy 3 reasonably-priced houses in 3 states
2- Pay off all our debt
3- Buy a new Chrysler T&C with the swivel seats and the table in the middle
4- Save/Invest
5- Hire a team of maids

5 places I have lived...
1- Mt. Vernon, WA
2- Puyallup, WA
3- Spanish Fork, UT
4- Logan, UT
5- several places in Texas

5 jobs that I have had...
1- nurse's aide at a retirement center
2- various daycare positions
3- Cashier at a couple of lumber yards
4- Claims entry for BCBS
5- Medical transcriptionist

Rules: Each player answers the question themselves. At the end of the post the player then tags 5 people and posts their names. Let the person that tagged you know when you've answered the questions on your blog.

Um, I tag ... anyone who hasn't already done it and happens to stumble here somehow.

To the ER after all

Sammy spiked to 104 this morning, so we headed to the ER - for the whole fricking day. Actually, he spiked to 104 axillary and that wasn't when it beeped, just when he decided enough was enough and yanked the thermometer out.

He's got an infection, probably in his throat, which was red. His ears were lovely on both sides. He didn't have enough pee to test and his chest x-ray looked okay. Blood tests were done and were abnormal in more than the expected ways, which I will discuss later when the followup ones come back okay. Which they are going to. Because I said so.

The doctor wants him back on Sunday morning to recheck to see if the antibiotics are working.

Tomorrow is David's big test for certification.

Prayers for all would be appreciated.

Sam is sick.

And it sucks.

He's getting raging fevers, but isn't pulling on his ears. He had diarrhea last week, but it was finally starting to get better when he started spiking the fevers. He's a complete boobaholic, so I'm thinking his throat hurts - or it could just be that he's miserable. He seems achy and 'tis the season, so I wouldn't take flu out of the differential. His nose is a little runny, but clear and not gross or even copious. He still has tears and saliva and wet diapers and he's certainly drinking tons, so not dehydrated yet.

Those are my Dr. Mommy observations. They don't seem to be doing me much good. Usually I can pinpoint it and fix it, but it's not working and his doctor's office is booked until Monday morning. No urgent care available. It's ER or wait. My intuition still says wait.

I need to go to bed, because I finally got him off the boob - seriously, I missed work tonight because he would fall asleep but I couldn't get him to stay asleep if I removed the boob.

Okay, one slightly humorous story. Somehow boob became Sam's word for nursing. Fortunately, he's usually pretty discreet about it, but last night I was at a presidency meeting at the church with the help of the youngest 3 kids (a whole 'nutha delightful story - if you like stories about 100 thrown crayons and little girls who like to test their reading skills on mommy's notes and are pretty sure that what they have to say must be said RIGHT NOW, especially if someone else is talking). I had nursed Sam earlier in the meeting when it had been just me and the prez because our secretary couldn't find us and we're in the process of getting another counselor, but then our bishopric counselor over Primary had joined the meeting. Sam was tired and was just at the start of getting feverish and he WANTED THE BOOB. So he started asking Boo, Boo, Boo and doing the insistent head fling into position and started lifting my shirt. He wanted boob and he wanted it NOW. Poor Bro. C. was trying to avert his eyes and asked if he should leave. I ended up taking Sam out because they were discussing finding a new counselor and well, it'd be nice to have one of those sooner than later. Oy, oy, oy.

I'm really going to bed now. It really is 1:09 in the morning. Everybody pray that Sammy feels better tomorrow. My house is a disaster, I'm supposed to have a babysitter tomorrow night, and I still haven't finished my lab paper that was due on Tuesday. Craptastic.

JOSH!!!!!!!

I always want to do that scene from City Slickers where Billy Crystal's mom calls him at the exact time he was born, but I don't really know how it goes, so instead I'll put up his birth story, which is one of my 2 favorite (shh, don't tell the girls, but their births SUCKED except for the end and Emily's even sucked then since she was whisked away to get air - oh and Hannah's sucked after too since I was unconscious and didn't see her for 2 hours and someone else held her first, besides even David, for which he has endured years of torment). Anyway...

It was a dark and stormy night.

Not true.

It was in the middle of a blizzard.

(thought I might get you with that one since it IS November - HA, it's Texas, people.)

It was a day pretty much exactly like today, sunny and lovely, with a little bit of a brisk breeze...
**********swirly time-traveling music**********

I'm actually going to start with the day before. I had an appointment scheduled for 10 am, just a regular appointment and to maybe schedule an induction for Thursday or Friday, but that appointment got rescheduled because the NP had sick kids.

I got a call at 8:30 Thursday morning from the receptionist saying that the doctor was wondering where I was since I was scheduled for induction - oops, someone forgot to tell ME. She said if I wanted I could just come up and do it or I could go to the rescheduled appointment, get checked, and then decide. We decided to go to the appointment.

We got to the appointment and after chit-chatting with the NP about her son and how he's doing and school and stuff, she checks me and I'm 5-6 cm dilated! She says that this would be the point where they would like to send me over to L&D. We're pretty much in shock because Thursday was "booked" for David and I was not having any kind of pains. We ask if we can still just wait until morning and she says, "well, it could be any minute, so we'd really like you to go over there."

We decide that I'll just go over and sit and wait and David will go and do his stuff and if I last until after he's done, which we figured I would since NOTHING was happening, then we'll look at popping the bag then. So, we head home to get the bag and make the calls, etc.

At some point, David decides that it would be a bad idea to try and go do the school presentation and make it back in time, so he calls them and they are TOTALLY fine with moving it; in fact, the principal tells him that if anyone asks, SHE cancelled it. This was at the little bitty school that Hannah went to for Kindergarten, so they all know me too.

We eventually get to the hospital, where I already have a room since they were expecting me EARLY in the morning. It's eerily quiet - only one other mom in labor, no babies and no postpartum moms - the whole floor is empty. Which is crazy, considering that when I toured L&D, it was hopping and only the "closet" and the "dungeon" were available. I met my nurse, Darla, who was an angel and told me that if I don't want to do this, then I don't have to because she had heard that I didn't really want to be induced, but we update her on the sitch and I get in the gown and she checks my BP (fine) and contracting (none) and baby (fine and +1) and dilation and says I'm 5-6, but stretchy to 7, maybe 8. The doctor is at lunch, so we decide that we'll do some walking.

I get dressed again and we walk for an hour, running into about a dozen people we know, so I'm not certain how much actual walking we did - only 1 lap in the hour. We head back up to see if the doc is back and get a BP check - she's not and it's fine, so we set out again. About 15 minutes into the walk, we find a door that has a balcony off of it, so we decide to sneak outside for some sun - as I said, it's a beautiful day, but we were told to stay inside the hospital just in case. We get outside the door and it's actually the back entrance for the doctors and coming up the steps is mine. Oops, caught!! We walk back in with her and chat some more about HER kid. I go to get undressed and get hooked back up. She comes in and we decide to go ahead and pop the bag and hold on the pit. She checks me and I'm 7 (woohoo!!) and pops the bag (1:45 pm), all the time chatting with David about the school that he teaches at and her daughter who goes there and on and on and on. At some point, I start actually having contractions and give him a glare. Anyway, she goes away and we hang out watching TV and having ordinary contractions. At some point, Darla comes in and says that if I want to avoid pit, I should try some tricks, so we do and get some good contractions. At some point, I got out of bed and when I got back into bed, the change in position apparently helped things start going on their own, about every 2 minutes or so and hurt enough to breathe through. After about 15 minutes or so, they start to get where I am not just breathing through them, but obsenitying through them (which makes David laugh), so I call Darla and ask for a smidgen of Stadol, which she brings right back (ANGEL!!). She told me to tell her when I started feeling drunk and David said, well, that'll be tough, she's never been drunk. After about a minute, I felt drunk. It was perfect. She said, let me know when you want to push and I said okay, I will. It was 3:45 and I jokingly told David I would be pushing at 4:30. At about 4:20, the contractions started to get their edge back and David said "are you ready to push?" and I said no. On the NEXT contraction, I was ready to push, so everyone came running. The doctor had gone over to her office just after I got the Stadol, so she came running back from there. I had a REALLY bad contraction and David started rubbing my head, which really annoyed me and so I yelled "HEAD!!" which they interpreted as the baby's head coming out and he kept rubbing and so I yelled "NO HEAD!!" which really confused them, so I finally had to say, "Get your hand off my head!!" Then the nurse tried to put my legs up in the stirrups on that same contraction, so I yelled at her too. The doctor made it in and took her coat off and put her keys on the rocker. Got in position, got gloves etc, and I pushed on the next contraction (about 4:30), 3 sets. She said, the next one is it. I had about a 3-4 minute break and then pushed 3 times and he was out (4:39). The doctor started laughing and yelling - "he's peeing on me!!"

I was in TOTAL SHOCK that he was out that quickly; literally, I couldn't believe it. I kept saying, he's here? It's really over? I'm done? Everyone was like, yeah he's here and laughing at me. Then I got to hold him for just a second and David and the nurse took him to be weighed. They came right back with him - 8 lbs, 13-3/4 ounces - but SOOO tiny-looking to me after Haley and Emily's nearly 10 pounds!! He nursed and then the pedi nurse took him to the warmer (in the room) and did all his stuff right there. I showered and came back in and watched Survivor in peace and quiet. David made his rehearsal at 5:30 - he asked me first if he should go and I was still high and relaxed, so I sent him on. I totally botched changing the first diaper (well, second, David did a great job with the first), he peed and pooped all over his stuff and my bed.

Um, not quite.

Or politics as learned on the school bus:

Emily: Mom, who did you vote for?
EF: Why?
Emily: Haley voted for Brock Obama.
EF: Why?
Emily: Because she knows more about him. Who did you vote for?
EF: I voted for McCain.
Emily: Good, because Brock Obama...
Haley: Ba-rock Obama.
Emily: Brock Obama.
Haley: Ba-rock.
Emily. Ba-rock. Because Brock Obama wants to send all the white people to another state to live.
EF: No. He does not. Where did you hear that from?
Emily: Hannah told me.
EF: That's not true.
Hannah: That's just what I heard.
Emily: And George McCain wants to send all the brown people to another state.
EF: Also not true.

Guess what we'll be talking about on the way to rehearsal tonight, eh?

Oops.

I swear I didn't steal the hat - but I did apparently lie about putting up more pictures. I took the camera to the party, but I think I might have taken one picture and then I got busy running my game and then getting everyone to submit their guesses (candy jar guessing game) and then chasing kids and treating Sammy's fever/runny nose (he's fine today). I didn't even eat anything until I got to the football game at half-time (nearly kid-free thanks to a couple of sleepovers), which they lost.

And you don't see me here, I'm not blogging instead of writing my Lab Paper.

Miss Switch to the Rescue

Does anyone else remember that show/book? I'll put more pictures up later - I was taking pictures for my teacher ID badge. I did take the tag off the hat.

Ooooh, pretty!

>

A few pictures to summarize the last week or so...

In reverse order because that's how Blogger uploaded the pictures, even though I swear I added them in chronological order. We also saw HSM3 on Saturday (right before we found the super-fantastic deal on Halloween stuff at O.N.)
It was fab-u-lous, of course.

Halloween Costumes

Emily as a good witch, Josh and Sam as her twin pet bats

The Love

Sam helped make pizza dough, cinnamon rolls, and pie crust for quiche.

I'm not actually sure which time this picture was taken, but one of those.

Sam at the Park

My sister and her son visited on their way to Florida.

We went to the park and they climbed to the top of the rocket ship.

Sammy stinks and so does life sometimes

So I'll be back to really type up what I was going to say. P-U stinky butt.

That's better. He's taking a nap now.

I just kind of feel like I need to talk about this week. Monday morning I got a call from David at work with this news LINK. I didn't know these boys and neither did David, but as discussed in the article a little, it's been really rough on the kids at this school that are quickly becoming like family to us. There are a lot of details that David has shared with me that are not in the article that are just heartbreaking. The girl alluded to in the article is one of my kids' new favorite people, one of those really awesome teenagers who just loves and plays with them from the start - she and her grandmother were next coming down the road and she tried to help them, but couldn't, so she ended up having to stand back watching, along with rescue workers who could not get close enough to help. My heart just hurts for her. The boys and their mom already lost their dad/husband in an accident a couple of years ago. I can't even imagine losing everything like that.

Through this week, I am so very proud of David and his love and compassion for these kids. Every day has been hard, but this job is what he's meant to do. He will make and is making a difference in these kids' lives. They weren't quite sure that they wanted to like him because of the situation with the previous teacher, but they didn't know what they were in for. He's one of those teachers you don't forget.

The funeral is this afternoon and tonight is football. Life goes on and we'll be there. I'm hoping I can keep it together as I watch these brave kids.

My new favorite picture of most of the kids

I should have taken Sam out of the stroller :-(

Count Your Many Blessings

So, the weekend started out kinda crappy. I was a bit bummed because I was missing all my old friends for various reasons - one of which was that I had to dye my own hair Friday night. I miss having someone to call and say, "Hey, let's dye my hair tonight." Anyway, I was kind of sad off and on all weekend, but yesterday when we finally got to church, it was time for the intermediate hymn and guess what it was - duh, Count Your Many Blessings. I was kind of glad we were late because I was just bawling my eyes out, but we were in the Young Family Chapel, aka, listening over the speaker system in the Primary room. So, I counted them and I'm counting them here today:

* My sister is coming to visit next weekend. She's moving to Florida, which is sad for a lot of people, but she's passing by here on the way and might actually be closer if she's in Florida.
* We had a great time on Saturday at the Chandler Pow Wow. They asked David to judge the talent contest and the drama boosters had a food booth, but best of all, the Lions asked David to be in the dunking booth. I bought 20 balls and let the kids take their shots. The machine was a little stubborn, so the guys running the booth helped. I have video :-D
* There was a Scentsy booth at the Pow Wow. I now have a bar of White Tea and Cactus, which I will put in my burner as soon as my old Sweet Pea and Vanilla melts enough to dump. They also had the new plug-in variety, but I save my cash for other stuff (food at the fair) and will get one later. I was so excited to see those, because I NEED some smell good in my bathrooms.
* Burger King has Mac and Cheese now. One stop shopping - at least in Tyler. We can do Sonic with their grilled cheese, but it gets old. Now we just need a BK back in Athens. Applebee's also works, but eh, Applebee's.
* Only 5 more Sundays until Sam gets to go to Nursery. Oh how much easier my Sundays will be in 5 weeks.
* New Couch!! David's parents gave us their couch because they are moving. But they are moving onto our lot, so they can come visit it ;-) I actually kind of hate the couch - but it's got 2 recliners built in and that makes David very happy, giddy even, so I compromised. Oooh, I should bargain that against his wanting to get a dog - "hey, I gave in on the couch..."
* Getting rid of 3/5ths of the old couch. I loved that couch (sectional) in theory, but in reality this particular one SUCKED. It's going to go live at the theatre at BHS.
* Under the old couch, I found the extension hose for my vacuum!! Cobwebs beware.
* The girls made the bus again! They all had perfect attendance for last 6 weeks, which I don't think has ever happened. They always get E conduct, but last year Hannah got Saturday school for tardies, which was embarassing and sad.
* INSIDEOUT A CAPPELLA put their stuff on Napster!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! They were on iTunes before, but I have a subscription to Napster. My internet is currently running slow because I'm downloading 5 albums of delicious a cappella music.
* Thanksgiving is around the corner. We're going to Rick and Kristina's, which I think will be a lot of fun.
* Speaking of Thanksgiving, I still have the stuff to make Pumpkin Cheesecake. I should do that today.
* The video posted below, which just makes me giggle every darn time I watch it.
* Coming full circle - I really dig my new hair color. It's dark, somewhere between Hannah's color and David's color. David calls it emo, especially when I straightened it yesterday, but he's a dork like that.

I think that's it - well, you know, besides the obvious delightful kids and awesome husband. They are the ones I actually counted on Sunday, these are all the ones I was thinking of this morning.

The front fell off

Good marketing.

This morning I watched a small part of an informercial for the Cricut. I've never seen a Cricut before - I don't (GASP) scrapbook. At all. EVER. And I don't put vinyl words on things. I don't even want to - well, maybe a sign or two with vinyl letters would be fine, but no scrapbooking. I used to want to scrapbook, just a little, enough to buy a few things, but I got over it before I made any pages. I probably still have that stuff in the box with my wedding pictures. Anyway, in just 3 minutes of infomercial, I wanted a Cricut. I wanted one really bad(ly?). Just in case I ever decide to scrapbook or put vinyl words on things. Or maybe just to watch it work. In reality, I would probably just cut things out and never use them. Just to watch it work. At least I wouldn't be wasting materials, because it can figure out where to cut on your scraps. All by itself. Seriously?!? Duuuude. Sign me up.

I'm going to bed. I've got the plague and I'd like to get over it soon. I hadn't even left the house since Monday afternoon until today when I went to the grocery store with the boys. Brainiac move, but I didn't want to cook dinner and I already exhausted all of the easy dinners in the house except cereal and I needed Diet Coke (shh, I know). It's not the worst plague I've ever had, but it's obviously affecting my cognitive functioning.

Go to bed already, you big whiner. Sheesh.

Shirts I designed for Homecoming

I like these as much or more than the ones I made for the girls last year. I didn't get any really good pictures of the girls' logos - the main logo is the same as the boys' but they have "Hannah Bear" etc. under the logo in different fonts. Josh's is the only one through the wash so far and it's pretty faded, but still visible. Everyone's has to be bleached, but my photo transfer paper is only good on white, so white it is.

Oh, and look at this picture. David singing the National Anthem at Homecoming - his first time ever at a game. He was AWESOME.

Well, flip, the laptop decided it doesn't want to cooperate. I'll try again later. For now, just imagine a picture of David with a microphone on the 50-yard line.

Now it won't let me move the picture where I want it, so since y'all are doing such a good job imagining, I'm just going to leave it.

In honor of our Primary program being DONE for this year!!

His Daddy's boy

Sam is his daddy's boy.

He fell (rolled sideways) down the stairs this morning. He's good with the stairs - until he isn't and then he tumbles. He hasn't fallen down them for MONTHS, but now lately he's decided that he's a big boy and tries to go down standing up instead of feet first on his belly. He IS getting big, but not that big yet. Anyway, I was right here in the living room and I heard him start to tumble and caught him just as he hit the bottom. He was scared, but fine and hadn't hit his head on the bottom. Crying hard - we snuggled and cried together for a minute and then I sat down with him in the office chair to nurse, but as soon as we sat, he reached for the piano and wanted to play, so he played. And immediately the tears were gone. And he's still playing now. Sam LOVES the piano and will suddenly think of it while playing in other parts of the house. He gets mesmerized when he pushes the play button and the preprogrammed songs play - he plays along and seems to think he's making that music - but he loves almost as much to just plink around on it.

Today I'm going to clean up the living room while listening to this. Then homework and work-work and tonight hopefully some family home evening. We had a fun, busy weekend with Homecoming (David sang the National Anthem at the game, his first time ever at a game), playing outside in the water (it's still 90 degrees here people), sunburns, the Primary Program (they were AWESOME), and a retirement party for the previous theatre teacher. Fun, but we were all tired by last night and EVERY ONE was in bed by 8:45.

And Sam is opening toilet paper on the floor next to me. Talented and helpful. I'm outta here.

quick little urbandictionary folderol

Go to www. urbandictionary. com and type in your answer to each question in the search box, then write the FIRST definition it gives you. Unless the second or third definition is funnier or more shareable, IYKWIM (search my name and you will KWIM)

1) Your name? Dawn

(v) - To be dawned.

Setting a person on fire (or just burning them), then whacking them in the head with a pot, then throwing ice cubes at them, then injecting them with air to cause an embolism. Usually fatal.

My lecturer gave me a bad mark for my experimental sound assignment, so I dawned her.

OH DEAR.

2) Your Gender? Female (I picked a different one just because I didn't want to copy Esther.)

1)n.- The opposite of male in any species on earth, usually the reproductive member of the species, except in seahorses, coming in a variety of classes from cherished partner to ankle.

2)n.- The only match to the male human that constitutes a heterosexual relationship.

Women, can't live with them, can't have a heterosexual relationship without them.

3) One of your friends?

A formidable foe to normal people. intelligent, strong forceful. a weird hybrid of a bully and a nerd. As well as the first dictator of the America and king of the new peaceful world. Also known as Timebomb and various other variations including at least TB.

I am David. All other David's fall in march as we conquer the world. For a new Earth of peace void of general stupidity.

4) What should you be doing? my mouth is still agape from my first choice and I'm not going to tell you what it was, it was that bad. Okay, this one is better: cleaning house.

To be in the process of either -To be effortlessly winning at any form of gambling where one plays against The "house" or "bank". Now extended to also mean effortlessly winning at friendly card games or any form of gambling. -To be pulverising the opposition when heavily outnumbered. Can refer to massacres, brawls or anything similar.

"He was cleaning house at the craps table last night"
"He's cleaning house at the drugs den because he has a wicked AK."
"The undertaker is in the ring and is cleaning house."

5) Favorite color? purple

slang for Promethazine Cough Syrup (codeine). Made popular in dirty south rap, primarily Houston. Induces trance-like state. Synonyms: Syrup, Oil, Sizzurp, Lean, Drank
I got a purple sprite and ya'll ain't. Paul Wall Go get a pint of purple.

6) Where were you born? Mt. Vernon

Often thought of as the ghettoest place in Westchester, Mount Vernon actually contains one million dollar houses in overlapping areas. Neighboring country clubs in the "elite" Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe towns made up of very Irish and Italian immigrants. The other half is a scarya$$ place that half the city has never been to, you know, or else they'd get shot.

Person One: "I live in Mt. Vernon."
Person Two: "Oh..."
Person One: "No, no, but I REALLY live in Bronxville."
Person Two: "Ohhhh!"

7) Month you were born? June

A versatile word that is numerous in meanings. Originating in Sydney, Australia, and developed by Robbo (the big June), it is used in the phrase to "june out". Since its origination in Sydney, it has spread via BBC to international status. To june out means to alter ones state of mind. It can occur from excessive consumption of alcohol, or when one is perhaps day dreaming in a class at school. It may also be used as a title, where "the big june" means to be one of the greats.

"Oh man, i was juning out massively in maths this morning!!"
"Jonathan Batty is the Big June"

8) Last person you talked to/texted on the phone? secretary was boring, so I went with where I called - Bel Air (Elementary)

where Will Smith grew up with his aunt and uncle so that he could get a better education

In west Philadelphia born and raised
on the playground is where I spent most of my days
chilling out, maxing and relaxing
all cool and all shooting some b-ball outside of school
when a couple of guys they were up to no good
started making trouble in our neighborhood
i got in one little fight and my mom got scared
she said your moving in with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air

9) Your pets name? None

The lack of anything
Nada, zip, devoid

10) Your last name?
used to describe the appearance of clothing that it too tight for someone.

Often goes over peoples head when used in a sentence.

an item of clothing that is too small

My man that shirts is looking a little young on you...

I probably wasn't supposed to fix grammar, capitalization, spelling, or punctuation, but I just couldn't help it.

Do you remember the first time you kissed the last person you kissed?
Yep, in the doorway of that apartment that Mel and I stayed in that belonged to Carollynn's mom.
What’s the greatest thing that happened to you today?
I raced the kids and they beat me (cleaning the family room - there are no losers in that kind of race)
Would you rather get up early or sleep in?
sleep in
What are you excited about right now?
Friday night
Would you rather smile over a lie or cry over the truth?
I'd rather cry over a lie and then smile over the truth. Then punch the person who lied in the first place - stinking practical joker.
What's the longest amount of time you've spent 'talking' to someone?
when you put talking in quotes like that, it makes me think you mean something else entirely, but I'm not sure what exactly.
Ever stayed up all night on the phone?
not ALL night, but definitely a long time. long enough to get someone in trouble about the phone bill.
What’s on your bedroom floor right now?
I don't want to talk about it. At least it isn't granola.
Do you trust people?
mostly
If you could move away, no questions asked, where would you move to?
just about anywhere north and/or west of the Mason-Dixon line and a small handful of places south of it.
Your favorite number?
13
When was the last time you had your hair cut?
March 24th
Does it take a lot to make you cry?
depends.
how tired am i?
Do you tell your parents everything?
nope
Does the thought of marriage scare you?
of course ;-)
How many kids do you want?
3.

anyone want the other 2?

I'm just kidding, I swear it.
What’s your favorite season?
spring or fall
What’s your favorite color to wear?
pink
Who was the last person in your bedroom?
I think that Haley just came down from there - Yep, she was getting some of Emma's beads she says.
What’s something that someone can do that really bothers you?
whining
Did you ever want to change your name when you were younger?
I don't think so
Do you wish you were famous?
nope.
Do you make a wish at 11:11?
make a wish at 11:11 - is that even a thing? you can't just make that stuff up. dude.
When you go to the beach do you swim or lay out more?
swim. laying out is dumb. especially with skin as white as snow.
What's something you do a lot?
laundry
Are you in a good mood?
pretty much
Does the number 23 have any significance to you?
is that the number from that movie? what's that movie called? oh yeah, The Number 23.
Be honest, do you like people in general?
yep.
Do you think Starbucks is expensive?
i wouldn't know, but rumor has it.
Have you cried today?
nope.
Honestly, are you dating 2 people?
you caught me.

duh.
Who is your favorite person to have a serious conversation with?
David
Where did you sleep last other than your house?
in the car (while David was driving, I swear)
What was the best thing that happened yesterday?
yesterday? I have no idea what happened yesterday.
Do you like where you are right now?
in general, though change is in the works.
Who was your last kiss?
SPY (which is someone different than the first question above, but time has passed since then, so ya know, I kissed someone else good night in the interim)
When was the last time you showered?
morning.
Do you have any pets?
5 monkeys
Do you still talk to your most recent ex?
nope, no idea where he is. (actually, I can't remember which one was last - which sounds bad, but it was a busy summer, which sounds worse, but it was a long time ago and none of them were very serious. it's all kind of hazy. this isn't sounding any better. I'll shut up now. I don't know where most of them are anyway.
melanie probably does, ask her ;-) )
What is the highlight of your week?
so far or what do I anticipate to be the highlight of the week? um, so far, probably cleaning out the van today. to come, Friday night.
Who do you trust the most with everything?
David
Do you miss anyone?
yep, tons of people

10 Things That Make Me Happy

tagged by Esther

In no particular order except numerical:

10. Sam napping on the couch.
9. Josh sharing everything.
8. Emily and her toothless grin.
7. Haley and her quiet brilliance.
6. Hannah and her not as quiet brilliance ;-).
5. David for all that he is.
4. My new Gazelle - someday I'll be skinny again, maybe sooner than later now.
3. Grey's Anatomy. Mmm. Aah. And one of my favorite scenes just for kicks.
2. Somewhat randomly, but I was just listening to it yesterday, the Mormon Potluck Podcast. These guys remind me of my FHE brothers from the BYU ward oh so many moons ago. Good times.
1. Various music, lately in particular Falling Slowly, Chasing Cars, and Popular.

Chocolate Buttercream Recipe

And now for something completely different:

I had a quite good chocolate buttercream recipe from here, but I tweaked it a bit today and really like the results, so I want to document them before I forget them.

2 sticks margarine (or butter I suppose)
5 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cocoa powder
about 6 tablespoons of milk, maybe a little more (I was just pouring from the carton and guessing)
2 teaspoons (or capfuls) vanilla

I softened the margarine and added 3 cups of powdered sugar and then beat it a bunch. Added the cocoa powder and then the milk to see what consistency it was before finishing the rest of the powdered sugar. The original recipe was too stiff and too chocolatey and too sweet and this one is just right for my tastes and came out the closest to the kind I buy I've ever gotten. Fluffy. I beat it on a fairly high speed for quite a while.

Okay, that's all. Back to the regularly scheduled fluff. Oh hey, fluff - now the frosting fits perfectly with the rest of my blog. Yay!

22 words

one-handed

Shockingly, the one in which I steal a survey.

Actually, the shocking part is I stole it from someone besides Esther. Mwah.

PART ONE
1. Who was your FIRST prom date?
Kevin Thompson

2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love?
yep.

3. What was your FIRST job?
babysitting... but then, the Beehive

4. Who was the FIRST person to text you today?
um, no one

5. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning?
Josh, he woke me up.

6. Who was your FIRST grade teacher?
Mrs. Smith. Both of my sisters and maybe my brother also had her for 1st grade.

7. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane?
I think to Utah from Washington. Or vice versa. Definitely one of those 2.

8. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them?
Hmm, probably Elizabeth Chang and I have not seen or heard from or of her since we moved the first week of 6th grade (1986, 22 years ago this fall).

9. What will be your FIRST thoughts when you wake up tomorrow?
"C'mon, the alarm hasn't even gone off yet."

10. Where was your FIRST sleep over?
Probably grandma's house.

11. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today?
Josh

12. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time?
Mine.

13. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning?
watched the news

14. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to?
Duran Duran. That's not actually true. I went to some EFY-type and orchestra/symphony concerts before that.

15. FIRST tattoo or piercing?
ears, right before I graduated from HS

16. Who was your FIRST kiss from?
Mark Madsen

17. Who was your FIRST boss?
Bishop I'm totally blanking on his name. Peterson

18. When was your FIRST detention?
never. obviously they didn't give detention for tardies ;-)

19. What was the FIRST state you lived in?
Washington

20. Who was the FIRST person to really break your heart?
stone is really hard to break ;-)

21. Who was your FIRST roommate?
Well, Jenifer I'm sure. First out of the house was um, that one girl. Dang it.

22. Who will be the FIRST to repost this?
Esther

23. Who was your FIRST date?
Officially? Chris Kaletta

PART TWO
24. Are you an Aunt/Uncle?
yes.

25. Can you do a cartwheel?
last time I tried

26. What was the last movie you saw in theaters?
that chick flick I saw with Julie I think - 27 Dresses

27. Do you eat vegetables regularly?

28. If you were going to get a body piercing, where would you get it?

29. Do you ever hang out with someone of the opposite sex?
seriously?

30. What is the weather like right at this very moment?
sunny and warm

31. What is something that you can't wait for?
next weekend

32. How many times have you been to Canada?
5-10

33. Have you ever had a reptile as a pet?
yes, a skink

34. What is your favorite fruit?
grapes

35. What song is on your myspace profile right now?
Falling Slowly

36. Who was your last missed call on your cell phone?
1David

37. Where are you most ticklish?
I'm not.

38. Who's your number 1 on myspace?
David

39. When was the last time you were sick?
don't remember

40. How many siblings do you have?
5

41. Have you ever gotten caught sneaking out?
Nope. ;)

42. Did you ever try running away from home when you were younger?
nope, not that I remember

43. What makes you the happiest?
Being with friends and family.

44. How do you feel when you see a child at the store?
Phew, glad that one isn't mine too. hahahahahahahaha. jk.

45. Where do you want to be right now?
I'm good right now..

46. Have you ever finished a Rubik's Cube?
probably

47. When was the last time you rode a bike?
TOO LONG AGO

48. Do you have any vacation plans for this summer?
maybe

49. Where were you 1 hour ago?
At home.

50. Do you kiss a lot of people?
yes

51. Are you wearing socks right now?
no

52. When was the last time you went out of state?
Valentine's weekend

53. Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days?
no.

54. What was the last thing you had to drink?
Vanilla Coke Zero

55. What are you wearing right now?
jeans, David's superman shirt, shoes, etc.

56. What was your last purchase?
milk and etc. from Wmart

57. Last thing you ate?
pretzels

58. Have you bought any clothing items in the last week?
yes

59. Are you a sexual predator?
Seriously, who asks these things?

60. What is in the backseat of your car?
which one? carseats

61. What was the last movie you watched?
Mr. Magorium

62. What kind of car does your father drive?
I can't remember the name of it. Actually, I think it has a number for a name.

63. Do you like scrabble?
I LOVE Scrabble.

64. Where did you attend high school?
SF, Oly, and Elma

65. Do you like mornings?
eh, not so much

66. Last television program you watched?
the news?

67. Spell your name with no vowels.
Dwn l Lln Lstd Yng

68. Does your neighbor have an animal that annoys you?
yes. many.

69. Does your family own any boats?
no.

70. Do you wear flip flops constantly?
or never.

71. Do you have air conditioning in your room?
yes.

72. Have you ever kissed your dog?
NO.

73. Where were you when 9/11 happened?
taking Hannah and Haley to school

74. How often do you read books?
depends. never as often as I would like.

75. Describe the computer you are currently using?
a desktop with a black monitor.

76. How long does it take you to get ready to go out?
years

77. Will you donate your organs after you pass?
maybe.

78. Have you been outside of the USA?
yes.

79. Would you ever get your nipple pierced?
NO.

80. If you could pick one person to be with forever who would it be?
Too late, I already picked.

This is SOOOO stolen...

Googled "best survey ever" and the result is below, stolen from this website. I'm taking out the ones I don't want to answer though. Because I can, that's why. You can answer them if you want to, freak.

1. Let us assume you met a rudimentary magician. Let us assume he can do five simple tricks--he can pull a rabbit out of his hat, he can make a coin disappear, he can turn the ace of spades into the Joker card, and two others in a similar vein. These are his only tricks and he can't learn any more; he can only do these five. HOWEVER, it turns out he's doing these five tricks with real magic. It's not an illusion; he can actually conjure the bunny out of the ether and he can move the coin through space. He's legitimately magical, but extremely limited in scope and influence.
Would this person be more impressive than Albert Einstein?
No, he'd be scary because of his obvious pact with the devil.

2. Deleted due to creepiness.

3. Let us assume there are two boxes on a table. In one box, there is a relatively normal turtle; in the other, Adolf Hitler's skull. You have to select one of these items for your home. If you select the turtle, you can't give it away and you have to keep it alive for two years; if either of these parameters are not met, you will be fined $999 by the state. If you select Hitler's skull, you are required to display it in a semi-prominent location in your living room for the same amount of time, although you will be paid a stipend of $120 per month for doing so. Display of the skull must be apolitical.
Which option do you select?
I pick the turtle, even though there is some risk to it. I like turtles and they aren't as creepy as Hitler or his skull. For what it's worth, I would probably pick the turtle over anyone's skull.

4. Genetic engineers at Johns Hopkins University announce that they have developed a so-called "super gorilla." Though the animal cannot speak, it has a sign language lexicon of over twelve thousand words, an I.Q. of almost 85, and--most notably--a vague sense of self-awareness. Oddly, the creature (who weighs seven hundred pounds) becomes fascinated by football. The gorilla aspires to play the game at its highest level and quickly develops the rudimentary skills of a defensive end. ESPN analyst Tom Jackson speculates that this gorilla would be "borderline unblockable" and would likely average six sacks a game (although Jackson concedes the beast might be susceptible to counters and misdirection plays). Meanwhile, the gorilla has made it clear he would never intentionally injure any opponent.
You are commissioner of the NFL: Would you allow this gorilla to sign with the Oakland Raiders?
I would not.

5. You meet your soul mate. However, there is a catch: Every three years, someone will break both of your soul mate's collarbones with a Crescent wrench, and there is only one way you can stop this from happening: You must swallow a pill that will make every song you hear--for the rest of your life--sound as if it's being performed by the band Alice in Chains. When you hear Creedence Clearwater Revival on the radio, it will sound (to your ears) like it's being played by Alice in Chains. If you see Radiohead live, every one of their tunes will sound like it's being covered by Alice in Chains. When you hear a commercial jingle on TV, it will sound like Alice in Chains; if you sing to yourself in the shower, your voice will sound like deceased Alice vocalist Layne Staley performing a capella (but it will only sound this way to you).
Would you swallow the pill?
Forever? Let's say that I believe in soul mates, which I do for some, though I don't believe that finding your soul mate is the magical key to happiness and I also think it possible that someone's soul mate might be better as a friend than a lover and might be a friend of the same sex, with or without sexual attraction. What was the question again? Oh yeah, let's say that we're talking instead about the love of my life and that I already have fallen and not that I just know that this person is my "soul mate" and so I MUST be with them or be miserable and die. In that case, bring on the Alice in Chains.

6. At long last, someone invents "the dream VCR." This machine allows you to tape an entire evening's worth of your own dreams, which you can then watch at your leisure. However, the inventor of the dream VCR will only allow you to use this device of you agree to a strange caveat: When you watch your dreams, you must do so with your family and your closest friends in the same room. They get to watch your dreams along with you. And if you don't agree to this, you can't use the dream VCR.
Would you still do this?
With friends, sure. It could be weird and awkward with family. Wait, it's a VCR, so that means I COULD fast forward past the not G-rated parts, right? Okay, then it's a go.

7. Defying all expectation, a group of Scottish marine biologists capture a live Loch Ness Monster. In an almost unbelievable coincidence, a bear hunter in the Pacific Northwest shoots a Sasquatch in the thigh, thereby allowing zoologists to take the furry monster into captivity. These events happen on the same afternoon. That evening, the president announces he may have thyroid cancer and will undergo a biopsy later that week.
You are the front page editor of The New York Times: What do you play as the biggest story?
I pick the story about the president propositioning the Loch Ness Monster and Sasquatch.

8. You meet the perfect person. Romantically, this person is ideal: You find them physically attractive, intellectually stimulating, consistently funny, and deeply compassionate. However, they have one quirk: This individual is obsessed with Jim Henson's gothic puppet fantasy The Dark Crystal. Beyond watching it on DVD at least once a month, he/she peppers casual conversation with Dark Crystal references, uses Dark Crystal analogies to explain everyday events, and occasionally likes to talk intensely about the film's "deeper philosophy."
Would this be enough to stop you from marrying this individual?
It could be worse. He could be into WoW. hahahahaha.

9. A novel titled Interior Mirror is released to mammoth commerical success (despite middling reviews). However, a curious social trend emerges: Though no one can prove a direct scientific link, it appears that almost 30 percent of the people who read this book immediately become homosexual. Many of these newfound homosexuals credit the book for helping them reach this conclusion about their orientation, despite the fact that Interior Mirror is ostensibly a crime novel with no homoerotic content (and was written by a straight man).
Would this phenomenon increase (or decrease) the likelihood of you reading this book?
It would increase the likelihood that I would read it. Curiosity killed the cat and all.

10. Nah.

11. You are watching a movie in a crowded theater. Though the plot is mediocre, you find yourself dazzled by the special effects. But with twenty minutes left in the film, you are struck with an undeniable feeling of doom: You are suddenly certain your mother has just died. There is no logical reason for this to be true, but you are certain of it. You are overtaken with the irrational metaphysical sense that--somewhere--your mom has just perished. But this is only an intuitive, amorphous feeling; there is no evidence for this, and your mother has not been ill.
Would you immediately exit the theater, or would you finish watching the movie?
I would IMMEDIATELY exit the theater. I don't mess around with intuition.

12. You meet a wizard in downtown Chicago. The wizard tells you he can make you more attractive if you pay him money. When you ask how this process works, the wizard points to a random person on the street. You look at this random stranger. The wizard says, "I will now make them a dollar more attractive." He waves his magic wand. Ostensibly, this person does not change at all; as far as you can tell, nothing is different. But--somehow--this person is suddenly a little more appealing. The tangible difference is invisible to the naked eye, but you can't deny that this person is vaguely sexier. This wizard has a weird rule, though--you can only pay him once. You can't keep giving him money until you're satisfied. You can only pay him one lump sum up front.
How much cash do you give the wizard?
$20.

13. Every person you have ever slept with is invited to a banquet where you are the guest of honor. No one will be in attendance except you, the collection of your former lovers, and the catering service. After the meal, you are asked to give a fifteen-minute speech to the assembly.
What do you talk about?
What don't I talk about? It's a very compact audience. I think it would tend to be more conversational that speech-like.

14. For reasons that cannot be explained, cats can suddenly read at a twelfth-grade level. They can't talk and they can't write, but they can read silently and understand the text. Many cats love this new skill, because they now have something to do all day while they lay around the house; however, a few cats become depressed, because reading forces them to realize the limitations of their existence (not to mention the utter frustration of being unable to express themselves).
This being the case, do you think the average cat would enjoy Garfield, or would cats find this cartoon to be an insulting caricature?
I think quite possibly that cats would be insulted by everything and anything they read. They're like that you know.

15. You have a brain tumor. Though there is no discomfort at the moment, this tumor would unquestionably kill you in six months. However, your life can (and will) be saved by an operation; the only downside is that there will be a brutal incision to your frontal lobe. After the surgery, you will be significantly less intelligent. You will still be a fully functioning adult, but you will be less logical, you will have a terrible memory, and you will have little ability to understand complex concepts or difficult ideas. The surgery is in two weeks.
How do you spend the next fourteen days?
I would spend the time documenting my life and compiling photos (to combat the memory issues). I would make sure that my finances and other important things are taken care of by someone I trust. I would make a will and a power of attorney. I would CRY.

16. Someone builds an optical portal that allows you to see a vision of your own life in the future (it's essentially a crystal ball that shows a randomly selected image of what your life will be like in twenty years). You can only see into this portal for thirty seconds. When you finally peer into the crystal, you see yourself in a living room, two decades older than you are today. You are watching a Canadian football game, and you are extremely happy. You are wearing a CFL jersey. Your chair is surrounded by books and magazines that promote the Canadian Football League, and there are CFL pennants covering your walls. You are alone in the room, but you are gleefully muttering about historical moments in Canadian football history. It becomes clear that—for some unknown reason—you have become obsessed with Canadian football. And this future is static and absolute; no matter what you do, this future will happen. The optical portal is never wrong. This destiny cannot be changed.
The next day, you are flipping through television channels and randomly come across a pre-season CFL game between the Toronto Argonauts and the Saskatchewan Roughriders. Knowing your inevitable future, do you now watch it?
No, regardless of how I will feel later, I still find it lame now. Why torture myself sooner than later?

17. You are sitting in an empty bar (in a town you've never before visited), drinking Bacardi with a soft-spoken acquaintance you barely know. After an hour, a third individual walks into the tavern and sits by himself, and you ask your acquaintance who the new man is. "Be careful of that guy," you are told. "He is a man with a past." A few minutes later, a fourth person enters the bar; he also sits alone. You ask your acquaintance who this new individual is. "Be careful of that guy, too," he says. "He is a man with no past."
Which of these two people do you trust less?
The one on the left. He has shifty eyes.

18. You have won a prize. The prize has two options, and you can choose either (but not both). The first option is a year in Europe with a monthly stipend of $2,000. The second option is ten minutes on the moon.
Which option do you select?
I choose Europe, but I sneak back home and enjoy the stipend here, where it would make more impact.

19. Your best friend is taking a nap on the floor of your living room. Suddenly, you are faced with a bizarre existential problem: This friend is going to die unless you kick them (as hard as you can) in the rib cage. If you don't kick them while they slumber, they will never wake up. However, you can never explain this to your friend; if you later inform them that you did this to save their life, they will also die from that. So you have to kick a sleeping friend in the ribs, and you can't tell them why.
Since you cannot tell your friend the truth, what excuse will you fabricate to explain this (seemingly inexplicable) attack?
I don't make an excuse. I just say I kicked him for the fun of it.

20. For whatever the reason, two unauthorized movies are made about your life. The first is an independently released documentary, primarily comprised of interviews with people who know you and bootleg footage from your actual life. Critics are describing the documentary as "brutally honest and relentlessly fair." Meanwhile, Columbia Tri-Star has produced a big-budget biopic of your life, casting major Hollywood stars as you and all your acquaintances; though the movie is based on actual events, screenwriters have taken some liberties with the facts. Critics are split on the artistic merits of this fictionalized account, but audiences love it.
Which film would you be most interested in seeing?
I've seen the first film, I'd be most interested in seeing the second.

21. Imagine you could go back to the age of five and relive the rest of your life, knowing everything that you know now. You will reexperience your entire adolescence with both the cognitive ability of an adult and the memories of everything you've learned form having lived your life previously.
Would you lose your virginity earlier or later than you did the first time around (and by how many years)?
I don't think I would change anything. I probably should, but I don't think that I would.

22. You work in an office. Generally, you are popular with your coworkers. However, you discover that there are currently two rumors circulating the office gossip mill, and both involve you. The first rumor is that you got drunk at the office holiday party and had sex with one of your married coworkers. This rumor is completely true, but most people don't believe it. The second rumor is that you have been stealing hundreds of dollars of office supplies (and then selling them to cover a gambling debt). This rumor is completely false, but virtually everyone assumes it is factual.
Which of these two rumors is most troubling to you?
Ooooh, I'm a bad girl.

23. Consider this possibility:
a. Think about deceased TV star John Ritter.
b. Now, pretend Ritter had never become famous. Pretend he was never affected by the trappings of fame, and try to imagine what his personality would have been like.
c. Now, imagine that this person—the unfamous John Ritter—is a character in a situation comedy.
d. Now, you are also a character in this sitcom, and the unfamous John Ritter character is your sitcom father.
e. However, this sitcom is actually your real life. In other words, you are living inside a sitcom: Everything about our life is a construction, featuring the unfamous John Ritter playing himself (in the role of your TV father). But this is not a sitcom. This is your real life.
How would you feel about this?
Does he still die at a tragically young age? Because that is what sucks about this story.