MamaFjord

2011-06-05T20:22:00.001-05:00

Fierce summer storm knocked out power and dropped temps from 102 to 75, plus some roofs and trees. Sitting on the front porch wishing for a good novel.

Why do pastel M&Ms taste better than regular M&Ms?

2011-03-11T20:24:00.003-06:00

And could someone edit this picture to flip them all the same direction? I suppose that's the price I pay for jacking someone else's M&Ms, but I already ate mine.

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-20T20:48:00.000-06:00

My favorite person singing my favorite Christmas song:

Eleven degrees of (napster) separation

2010-11-16T09:26:00.000-06:00

I was looking for new music last night, following recommendations on Napster, and realized that by the time I got 5-6 clicks from my original search, I could be in a totally different genre. For example, a search starting with Harry Connick Jr made it to Metallica in about 9 or 10 clicks. So, I decided to challenge myself to see how fast I could get there from something more difficult.

Max and Ruby (Nickelodeon cartoon) - slightly tricky since most of the recommendations were Canadian

The Belmonts - I picked the least Canadian sounding group

Barry Mann - I thought that would get me closer than it did

Luciano Pavarotti - I was hoping he'd link directly to Sting or, even better, Suzanne Vega, because of the "and Friends" albums, but it didn't

Josh Groban -

Sting -

Suzanne Vega - key to everything - this game could be called Six Degrees of Suzanne Vega, but it would be too easy.

Gin Blossoms

Blind Melon

Alice in Chains

Metallica

My MP3 player has a lot more variety now (yes, I did add something from every artist along the way). Anyone have another challenge for me?

Right 'round

2010-11-09T18:58:00.003-06:00

No reason, except that I had to Napster the new version so that I can play it for HEY later. "I don't know if I've ever even heard the original version." Whatever. And guess what, I didn't know there was a new version until tonight. Ha. I'm so cool.

I'm sitting in the driveway in the van because I dropped off 2 of the kids at a rehearsal and the rest of the kids, who have been home sick all day, fell asleep on the way home. Unwilling to drag 3 sleeping kids in and back out again in an hour, I just ran in to grab my laptop and pretend to study/write a paper. And download Right Round.

School was going well. I finished all but one class I had picked for this term in the first month. But now, a research paper... I started it the beginning of October and I have a thesis statement and...some research saved in my folder in the virtual library and...a couple of articles picked out to add to the annotated bibliography I had planned to finish the first week and...that's it. I don't know why exactly I'm dragging my feet on this. It's fairly ridiculous. As soon as I finish it, I can move on to classes I like again. I really want to move on to classes I like again. Classes that I can finish and feel accomplished again. I have a new, firm goal now though - must be done by Thanksgiving Break. If it's not, I might as well shoot for my original deadline (set by my mentor because we didn't know I was going to bust out 4 classes in the first month) of January 7. I can do this.

Hmm, my left ear just went silent except for some ringing. That's a weird and unpleasant feeling. It's a good thing my job doesn't depend on being able to hear things. Oh, wait...

I am actually kind of excited for Christmas this year. Generally, Christmas is usually bittersweet for me. The last time I spent Christmas with my family (sibling, parents) was 1998. Christmas growing up was always awesome, mostly because of family and family traditions and grandparents and cousins and games and etc. etc. etc. and quirky presents from my dad (matching hairdryers x3 for me and my sisters). And so Christmas has been kind of this giant reminder that Hey!! You live so very far away from all these people that you love and what if you never get to spend another Christmas with your grandparents? I don't know if it's because we did get to see so many this summer on the Epic Road Trip or just more resolve to just do the best I can to make Christmas awesome for my kids (note, I do usually do that, the bittersweetness stays inside) or maybe that there is a glimmer of hope that we will someday, SOMEDAY move closer or that in general, maybe, there's a glimmer of hope as I maybe, maybe get out of this funk that I've been in for way tooooo long, anyway...I'm actually kind of excited for Christmas this year. Making plans and all that jazz.

And now, it's time to go fetch the girls from rehearsal.

A Little Visitor

2010-08-29T00:29:00.002-05:00

2010-06-29T14:13:00.001-05:00

waiting at the dr's office with 3 crazy, wound up girls. They have the sillies, nervous energy waiting for shots all around.

Speaking of TV shows

2010-06-22T17:37:00.003-05:00

I'm sorta in love with John Besh's new show on TLC, Inedible to Incredible. At first, I thought, hey, my husband could nominate me for that and then I could get John Besh to help me with some cooking, but then I watched it and now I just like it because it makes me feel like I suck at cooking just a little less. My food is seriously ehh, but I've never served pureed vegetables with frozen meatballs and sliced cheese on top.

In other news, it's my birthday. THAT birthday.

One of our family traditions is getting to pick dinner on our birthdays, but since DPY is at rehearsal, I voted for Kid Cuisine for the kids. And I'm having brownies and ice cream.

I just dropped the middle 3 kids off at VBS. I thought they were going to go just tonight because they were invited by a friend (who has already gone with them to one of our church activities), but they looked like they were having/going to have so much fun, I'll probably let them go all week. They wanted SPY to stay too, which would mean 4 nights of no kids....but....I didn't want to lead them on/take advantage. SPY cried when we left, of course. Sigh. (I tried to make up a phonetic for a sigh there, but I couldn't come up with anything besides phhhhh and that felt more like a raspberry than a sigh.)

My birthday has been quite lovely for the most part and uneventful, which is lovely. Breakfast in bed - scrambled eggs and toast with a diet Coke, lounging about, playing on FB, ignoring pretty much everything on my to-do list (except the trash dude and some mail that had to go out today and the bank and the grocery store briefly). Really awesome card from the kids and one of my favorites ever from DPY - one I'll even save, which is a BIG DEAL for me.

I think it's time for a little more lounging before work (and picking up the VBS kids). As HB would say, because she's retro like that, Peace Out.

Summer+ime

2010-06-17T14:55:00.003-05:00

and +he living is easi. Unless u're +rieing +o +ipe on mi poor lap+op. +ee, whi, +ab, lef+ shif+, page down, and backspace; all missing or nonfunc+ional.

o+her +han +ha+, +he girls have been going +o +hea+re camps, we've been hi++ing up +he librari, and jus+ chillin' ou+ awai from +he ho+ sun. And ge++ing readi for our grea+ +rek nor+hwes+ward in a li++le less +han a mon+h. 18 dais of driving, hanging ou+ wi+h famili, more driving, hanging ou+ wi+h friends and famili, Pioneer Dai in SLC or Logan, more famili in Logan, +hen home again, home again, jiggi+i jig via Carlsbad Caverns (from hubbi's bucke+ lis+, if he had one).

+he smalle+ one is asking me how do I spell "boi +oi" which he apparen+li learned from +oi S+ori?

+iping +his is wai more annoi-ing +han fun.

In the interim

2010-04-08T19:10:00.003-05:00

Things that have gone on since December:
*not much.
*school is going fine and it's almost done for this semester. Two more tests, two more assignments and maybe 2 more at home tests that are really more like quizzes but the teacher in that class is so far behind that I doubt she'll get both ready and posted before the end of the semester.
*we've been making plans to visit family far and wide this summer, but I said it out loud and jinxed it, so that's probably not really going to happen. Really.
*my sister found out that she's having another boy and my sister-in-law found out that she's having another girl. How convenient for both of them, though I doubt that my sister has much left from the last one since he's almost 8-1/2.
*my youngest/last baby is potty-trained. It happened in a day and not because I wanted it to. I wasn't ready, but he wouldn't leave his diaper on anymore so I said, fine then. I think this is probably the last of my gifts-from-God-because-you-had-this-kid-even-though-you-were-so-totally-done-at-4-kids because mostly being potty-trained just means that he runs around naked anytime he can get away with it and at least I don't have to worry too much about him making messes while he's doing it, but I do have to worry that he's going to just whip out his junk wherever we might be. Today he was jumping on the trampoline and had to go, so he dropped them and peed through one of the holes in the mat. His sister says he made it straight through the hole without getting any on the mat, which is great for his aim - not that it matters since he's too short to reach standing up yet - but isn't exactly what I was concerned about. I guess the bright spot is that he night trained the same time, which is a great big miracle. Seriously.
*my oldest is starring in her first play. It opens tonight. I'm not there because I have to work AND we couldn't afford a babysitter this week so I might as well work. I'm going tomorrow night and Daddy is getting her the appropriate opening night flowers tonight.
*My inlaws are moving to Logan, Utah. Kind of ironic (at least in the Alanis way and I don't care enough to figure out if it's true irony) since we moved here from Logan to be near them. Ha.
*That middle one over there is turning 8 in May so we will have parties and baptism and a visit from my parents.
*I'm spring cleaning in preparation for the above which includes Kilzing and painting my cabinets. I'm debating between using the color I bought back in December and heading out to the Lowe's to find the color I really want.
*I am, in general, feeling much better lately - less tired, less stressed out, less blah. This probably means that something is about to hit the fan. See, I'm still pessimistic at least.
*I am also, in general, having a lot of dejavu. Someone once told me that this means that something big is going to happen in your life and though I know that I've had other periods heavy on dejavu, I can't remember if they preceded big events so that's no help at all. I've also been randomly remembering things, events, etc. from the fairly distant past (not childhood or anything crazy like that - those are still mostly gone except the ones from pictures), which is extremely weird since my mind has been a deep, dark hole on all that kind of stuff for a long time. Curiouser and curiouser.
*I just realized that I'm like 3 episodes behind on Project Runway and so that's what I'm going to do tonight - fold clothes, veg and watch a bunch of Project Runway. Awesome.
*We took family pictures on Easter and there are several pictures of the children that I don't hate, two that I love, and even one of ALL OF US that I kind of love too, which is pretty cool, 'specially since we were using a tripod.
*And that's all the news from here.

Merry Christmas!!!

2009-12-23T21:59:00.000-06:00

Posted

2009-11-05T18:33:00.003-06:00

Curse you Blogger

2009-10-29T08:24:00.001-05:00

I know, I should have saved it before messing with it, but now my sidebar stuff is stuck at the bottom. Not that you need it, but if you do, that's where it is.

How I made another mom's day

2009-10-29T07:28:00.005-05:00

I realized last night that I would have some free time after I dropped off several kids at rehearsal, so I made plans to head to WM to pick up the last of the supplies for Halloween. Em ended up not going to rehearsal because her throat was hurting a little, which should have canceled the trip, but since we were running low on Motrin and we were out of lemonade, I decided I'd better head on anyway. The remaining 3 kids were excited, as always, about going to the store, though J was particularly hyper and tired, which should have canceled the trip, but I figured he'd chill out once we got out of the confinement of the car. I pulled into a perfect parking spot - in the middle, right next to a cart return - and started getting the kids out of the car. The older 2 were waiting next to the car (hands touching the door per the rules) while I started unfastening SPY from his seat. I was working on the second buckle when Em grabbed J's hat and put it on. He started to chase her into the parking lot and I grabbed both of them by the shoulders. J melted into the kind of tantrum that FINALLY canceled the trip. I announced that there was nothing I needed tonight badly enough to deal with this crap (I didn't use the word crap, probably) and we were going home. All 3 kids started begging and making promises they didn't intend to keep. Well, they probably intended to keep them, but it was obvious to the trained eye that there was no way in blue Hades that they could have actually lasted more than 2 minutes (about the point when we walk past the crane games in the front of the store) before they lost it again and worse. Tantrums in the parking lot are great fun, but nothing is better than a full-blown overtired tantrum during rush hour in the middle of the entrance to one of 2 grocery stores in a town where everybody knows your name. So, I chucked them in the car, fastened their seatbelts myself, got in the driver's seat and locked the doors. I sat there ignoring the wailing and pleading for a good 5 minutes until they settled down and I was sure they weren't going to jettison themselves from the van. By the time we pulled out of the parking lot, they were relatively calm again.
Except that there was something that I needed - the lemonade for Em's sore throat. So, as I drove through town debating the problem, McD's came into view. Woohoo, I was saved!! I could drive through and get lemonade without leaving the van!!
Now, obviously by this point I was delusional and not in my right mind. Just driving by a McD's without stopping would have generated more gnashing of teeth, but to actually get into the drivethrough line and wait to order something that was NOT a Happy Meal... Yep, it set J off into one of the most energetic, voluminous, imaginative tantrums he's ever thrown. Thrown is an appropriate description too. He wailed, he flung his body around in his booster seat, tears flowed. Out of habit, I rolled down the window as I came around the curve to the order speaker, but there was another minivan already there. I quickly rolled up the window, but we still heard her ordering her Happy Meals (2 boys and a girl). I could tell that she heard the commotion, because she paused and looked back for a second mid-order. She finished and pulled forward and I was forced to roll down the window to place my order for a single large lemonade. J hit the peak of his fit as I pulled forward when he realized I really wasn't ordering any Happy Meals. I met her glance in her side mirror and just smiled and she smiled knowingly back. Now, I've been the other mom before, so I know what she was thinking. Her kids probably got extra hugs last night thanks to J. J did too.

SPY is in his own kind of trouble today. SE decided to take his guitar to school with him today. It's been sitting in the living room on its stand for months. As he picked it up, it made a strange rattling noise. Not a little rattling noise. He emptied it out onto the floor.
The pile contained:
a pick
about 5 Q-tips
2 rocks - one small, one I'm not sure how SPY got it in past the strings
1 seashell
about 25 Cheerios
8 crayons (a whole pack)
a comb - the kind with the long tail
a sock
3 pencils
a 5x7 piece of notebook paper
2 animal crackers
and a proof of insurance card.
ETA after I finished picking junk up off the floor:
An Article of Faith pass along card
a scrap of orange construction paper
a used band-aid
and the tie end of a popped balloon.
I'm kind of surprised that it rattled at all when he shook it.

The Boy WILL grow to be a warrior

2009-10-22T10:14:00.000-05:00

In phase 2 of SPY's manhood training, he has moved on from merely identifying the bodily function. Today, SPY took his first stab at the

Hmm. I have no idea where I was going with this. It was dated 8 months ago. I guess it's a fill-in-the-blank now.

This week

2009-09-30T07:11:00.003-05:00

We will celebrate this day 13 years ago:By shopping for a new car to replace this:

I didn't even cry until today when he went to leave for work. I thought that I was going to be driving him to work, because of the painkillers and all, but he decided he could make it to work, take one there, and it would wear off by the time he was ready to go home.

ETA: I should probably have led with he's fine, but sore, and everyone else involved is fine.

Realized just now, while I was mopping the kitchen floor

2009-09-01T10:40:00.002-05:00

I've often felt, I don't know, guilty or silly or lazy or lame that I didn't go to college right out of high school. I could have been DONE by the time I got married, but I let various things get in the way - moving in the middle of Junior year and no longer caring about school once we moved, boys, not caring enough to figure out the money, etc. But here's the thing about waiting until now to go to school - I know what I want to be when I grow up. I guess it's fairly likely that I would have figured it out and changed my major, but do you know what I probably would have majored in if we hadn't moved and I'd gone to college right away?

Technical Theatre.

And what would I have done with this degree? Probably the same thing I did with no degree - had kids and worked mostly part-time in various retail and clerical and childcare and healthcare type jobs.

The moral of the story is NOT don't go to college right out of high school. It's that sometimes things happen for a reason. I wouldn't say EVERYTHING happens for a reason and I'm pretty sure that hearing crap like that wouldn't have mattered a bit to my 16-year-old self who was pretty ticked that we moved in the middle of Junior year, but I think I'll let go of that not-going-to-college-sooner regret. It's not doing me any good anyway.

Hopefully if/when we decide to move (it's planned, but not decided, if that makes sense), my daughter, who is already pretty ticked about the idea and it's still 3 years off, will someday forgive us when she meets her soulmate/figures out it was the right thing to do/lives happily ever after. Of course, I really hope that she will be pleasantly surprised and delighted by our new home, but if not, then someday forgiving will have to do.

A dream from which I did not want to wake

2009-08-29T07:52:00.007-05:00

I dreamed that we were living on a street like 1600 East in Spanish Fork (in Utah) with houses all in a row and sidewalks, which is the street I lived on during junior high and most of high school. My BFF from lived at the opposite end and across the street. In my dream, we lived about 2 houses in from the middle road (Utah grid system, would be about 550 South I guess - stalk it if you want, none of us live there anymore) and in the dream my BFF from high school lived in what would be the house next to her mom's and then her mom still lived in her house and her cousin lived across the street.

Some of the houses were the same or similar to the real street:

The house where her cousin lived looked literally just like this. I don't know the address of this house and it's been 20 years almost, but given the placement of the mountain behind, this could be the very house, or the next street over. I think. My house and my friend's house also looked just like this (except hers was floor-plan flipped) - for reals and in the dream. This one is for sale; I should buy it. I love these houses. Does that look like a 6 bedroom house? But it is.
Basements, I love them.

but some were a totally different style, kind of like my grandma's house:

This isn't my grandma's house, but it is probably 2 houses down the street from her house (also for sale and surprisingly in the same price range as the above house - um, surprising because this house is in Washington state, home of sky high real estate). I'm not buying this house. Love my grandparents, but they don't even want to live in this neighborhood anymore. Plus, this house does NOT have 6 bedrooms (it does have 4 - attic!!, but if it is really like my grandparents', then the bedrooms are tiny).

Anyway, I walked down to my friend's house that night to watch her kids for a bit while she went across the street to her cousin's house to see her new baby (a boy - it was her first). My friend's husband got home before she left and took over the kid duty and so I went over with her. Her mom was over there already. We helped clean up her kitchen while mom held the baby, then we all kind of crashed in the living room and I got to hold the baby while her cousin slept and I think my friend went home to take care of the kids and her mom stayed on the couch and we talked/dozed. I remember telling her cousin that she could call me any time, even in the middle of the night, to come help with the baby, etc. The baby was so cute and sweet.

So, this dream apparently manifests both my desires to live on a street with sidewalks (desperate desire) and to hold babies. My life is completely devoid of babies right now. I don't want my own (REALLY), but I would like to be near some. This is probably brought on by the birth of my niece almost a week ago and several friends posting new baby pictures this week.

Hey, if we did buy the house by grandma's, I could hold my niece at least. On the other hand, I hear there are babies here and there in Utah too.

(ETA: While I was editing this, the price of the first house dropped $19,000. I couldn't find it when I went back to look at it again.)

The saga of Banana's backpack:

2009-08-28T16:31:00.002-05:00

Lovely Banana (aka The Queen) started middle school this week and offered to use the messenger bag I made (well, embellished?) for her last year because she's all money conscious and stuff. She packed it full of her junk and got to school and found out that 6th graders don't get lockers - the middle school was originally just for 7th and 8th grade and they haven't been able to put more lockers in. She has three 1 to 2 inch binders plus other stuff plus gym shoes plus her agenda. It's crammed and her shoulders are killing her every day.

No money for a new backpack - except financial aid money, but it's not yet released to me, just in my account. So I head over to the college bookstore and pick her up a really nice backpack - padded shoulder straps, adjustable compartments, etc. (ok, it was the only one left without wheels) for $50 - way more than I would really like to spend, but I don't want her to keep hurting her shoulders and spending money on financial aid is like spending money on a credit card. it's not quite real/in your hand yet, so it's easy to spend.

Oh, and the backpack is black with mustard yellow and grey accents.

She hated it and it was too long for her. But she let the office lady take off and throw away the tags before she read my note inside saying DON'T TAKE OFF THE TAGS UNLESS YOU'RE GOING TO KEEP IT - oh and there was a note on the outside telling her to read the note inside as soon as she got it.

TEARS.

On Wednesday, I took it back anyway. And got really lucky that they made an exception (mostly because it was the only one left and he still had people coming in to register who could also be suckered in to buying a $50 backpack on financial aid).

HAPPY - except her shoulders still hurt.

Went to Goodwill today. Our Goodwill SUCKS. Seriously sucks. Except when it doesn't, like today.

A PINK and black SWISS ARMY Airflow backpack (looked it up, one with the same features but this year's model, retails for $80), mostly clean (all clean now thanks to Shout, baking powder, bleach, and laundry detergent), a little smaller, did I mention it was PINK!!

And, oh yeah, for $4.99.

95% off retail.

If she doesn't like it...

Well, then I'll sell it on ebay I guess, there's one exactly like it but red listed right now for $60. Or use it myself. It's so awesome, laptop ready and everything. Not that I haul books or laptops anywhere, but if I needed to, I definitely could, in style.

They also had a clean and perfect love seat for $25 that I wanted so badly for our living room, but it was sold. It must have been an employee because it was marked sold today and I was there 5 minutes after they opened.

Resume lameness of Goodwill.

Happy 4th!!

2009-07-04T10:54:00.001-05:00

2009-06-02T13:46:00.001-05:00

Em just told me that next year She's going to use her birthday money to buy 3 blocks of mozzarella cheese. ''Man, I love mozzarella cheese!''

2009-05-29T15:29:00.001-05:00

Bus is HOT!! My butt is asleep. I can see John Wayne in front of me but can't hear him over Rent in my ears.

2009-05-29T11:09:00.001-05:00

I was going to send a status update to FB but I didn't save the info in my phone :( On a bus to San Marcos to StATE Band competition. Paulblart.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SPY!!

2009-05-21T08:31:00.004-05:00

June 2007May 2008May 2009 My last 2-year-old...

How I know I'm doing something right:

2009-05-16T07:53:00.003-05:00

My 4 year old knows the words to The Schmuel Song from The Last 5 Years. They all do 'cept the baby.

P!!

2009-05-11T16:31:00.001-05:00

Now that I can be reasonably sure that I'm the last to complete my assigned letter from bythelbs, here it is - Ten things I ~~love~~ like that Start with the Letter P.

1. Photos.

For instance, this one:
Ohm. Can you see it? Four are trying to meditate and one just along for the ride.

2. Parallel parking. Yep, I missed it on my first driving test. But since then I have come to love it and love that I can do it - in pretty much any vehicle.

3. Pandora.

4. Penelope Marie. My favorite aunt. Not only is she awesome, she once saved me from doing something really, really dumb. At least once. Soooo very dumb.

5. Pantry. Look, I have one now.

6. Parties.
One of ~~several~~ many pictures we took to get a picture for Grandpa's 60th birthday party. Cooperative, they are not.

7.
8. Popsicles. Mmmmm, banana popsicles.

9. Pajama pants. I wear them pretty much every day that I don't have to go out of the house. I used to steal my husband's all the time, but he got pretty sick of that and recently bought me about a half dozen of my own in pretty girly prints. I've switched to wearing his t-shirts, hoping he'll start bringing me home girly t-shirts too. It used to work with soda too - when I was drinking the DC (I'm clean now, on the wagon, zzzzz, can't you tell?). If I ran out and start drinking his Mr. Pibb - not only did we know I was desperate, but DC would magically appear without me even having to drag the boys to the store. Alas, we are both now caffeine-free, so we'll have to use clothing to show our love. Or at least his love to me :-) I have other ways. No, not that. sheesh.

10. Penney's. I wouldn't call it cool or hip, but I definitely wouldn't call me cool or hip, so ya know. They had some sweet sales this weekend for Mother's Day and we did some shopping. I like that they tell me how much I save. We spent $110 and saved over $200. Rock on.

For good measure, some P's I do not like: Potty training, pee, philandering, paranoia, pagodas, pandemonium (although the word pandemonium is kind of yummy), Plankton, politics, partitions, pregnancy, Pitocin, and puppies. Phew!!

2009-05-11T14:44:00.001-05:00

Last one, i swear.

2009-05-11T14:42:00.001-05:00

One more test.

2009-05-11T14:39:00.001-05:00

Testing. Sent from my phone.

Unexpected

2009-04-20T09:13:00.001-05:00

I had a surprise email tonight - a friend add on Facebook. Actually I had 3 today, which made me feel almost popular, except that one was my sister and I already knew she loved me; another was a guy I knew in HS that I always kind of thought was a little creepy but thought hey, maybe he's not creepy anymore - but it kind of looks like he still is; and the unexpected one was my best friend from junior high.

I don't even remember how we met or got to be best friends, not even a little bit. I don't think we were friends in middle school (yes, we had both a middle school and a junior high - they were connected but separated). I moved to that school halfway through 6th grade - from an elementary school - and I don't remember much of anything except surviving the rest of that year - and that there was this girl who dyed her hair green for St. Patrick's Day with either Kool-Aid or Jello, which was right before we moved in, and so her hair was fading shades of green for the whole rest of the year.

Anyway, we were bestest-estest friends. Which probably freaked my mom right out because, although she was really not "bad" on the inside, she really liked to look scary. She was a big fan of vampires and was 5'10" (in 8th and 9th grade!! - actually, both of my bestest friends were 5'10" to my 5'3" - we would walk down the halls with me in the middle and they would tease that they couldn't see me -hahaha hmm). We wore a lot of black and black nail polish and stuff like that. Oooh, we were scary.

Then during the summer after 9th grade, my parents were working with the community theatre's summer musical and I decided I wanted to be in it. (probably I thought there would be cute boys there who could sing - it may even have been that I knew a specific boy was going to be there, but I don't really remember) So I was in the chorus and rehearsing that at night and still hanging out with my friend during the day, including riding my bike 5 miles each way to her house (by myself down backroads - I don't know if I'd do that today, even if I was in shape). And then my mom's best friend needed help with a children's show during the day and I think she volunteered me. Which turned out fine with me, there was a super cute guy there and a bunch of other kids from the summer musical were there and we all got to be good friends (including the guy - who wound up later being my first husband and my first kiss - in that order, neither official, which is a story way too long for this post). But I had a lot less time to hang out with my bestest friend. And I was kind of making new bestest friends.

I think that I even missed her birthday that summer. Which is bad, I know, but her birthday was the same weekend as the performances for the musical.

When school started back in the fall and we were in high school and everything was crazy, we kind of tried to keep hanging out - but then there was the fall musical and that was the end. I was firmly in the drama crowd and she was so not and I think we might have had a fight about it, but most likely not because that's kind of my way apparently. You know, nonconfrontational. We never even had a class together after that, but I heard through the grapevine that she hated me - which brings me finally to the point that I was super surprised that she wanted to be my friend on Facebook.

But then, our interaction so far has been for her to say hey, how's it going? - Fine, how about you? - Eh, fine. Did you hear about that guy you had a crush on all through junior high? (he's now a gay porn model, I kid you not. Still smokin' hot though. I'd link ya, but ya know, I'm not going to facilitate your porn habit.) - Yep, I saw that. - Okay, well, have a good night.

And that was it. Anticlimatic, but eh, what else is new?

And I was totally going to do my assigned letter from btb's, but I saw that I had a draft in edit and decided to finish it instead. So, when I say "tonight" above, I really mean 3-4 weeks ago probably?? I'll get to the P post later today or tomorrow. Right now, I have to P (and clean the house for home teachers tonight, bake cookies, do homework, and work).

ETA - I mean tonight means February 21st. Which is my sister's birthday and much more than 3-4 weeks ago. Oops.

LoOooOoooOooooOoooooOooooove.

2009-03-06T12:11:00.001-06:00

Her Morning Elegance / Oren Lavie

Oops, again.

2009-03-04T21:33:00.002-06:00

See that post down there. Yep, that was post #100. Oh well.

Happy, happy, joy, joy. My mom is coming to visit on Saturday. Coming to rescue me and hang out and cheer me up. I've been just a little overwhelmed (yes, that means a lot overwhelmed) lately with kids and house and school and work and Primary. Hub offered to hire someone to help with the house and I freaked out a bit. I'm not a big fan of someone I don't know coming in to my house to clean. Though that'd be better than someone I do know like VT's or someone I'd have to see all the time knowing my deep dark messy house secret. It freaks me right out and I'd have to do that pre-clean thing and then what's the point?? So the thought of this made me say, "I want my mommy." Out loud even. Generally, I'm okay with living a bazillion miles from Mom. It sucks, but it is what is - except when I'm overwhelmed (or really, really sick) and then I want my mommy. Usually, I just have to suck it up and deal with it cuz she does live about a bazillion miles away, but this time the stars aligned and hub called her and between the two of them, they made it happen. She even got a great deal on the flight down here on a last-minute SW airlines getaway type deal. She only booked the one-way and we'll book the trip home after she gets here and we decide when she's going home. I think we might wait to make that decision until after Sam's appointment on Thursday (next, not tomorrow).

Day Four

2009-02-26T16:05:00.002-06:00

Not every day has something to put in your journal, but Day Four did. I wrote it in my head but then forgot to type it up and then added something this afternoon so I would have had to edit it anyway. Procrastination works in my favor again. Rock on.

Day 4:
The story about the airman, Jay Hess is taken from the "Finding Joy in the Journey" talk by Pres. Monson (refer to Day One). Read the story below. In 25 words or less, write what you would say to your family if you weren't sure you would see them again.

[Pres. Monson shares, "In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”"]

(Implied Dear Family:)

I love you mostest times infinity. Please make choices that will enable us to be together forever some day. Or I will haunt your dreams.

(Implied Love, EF)

1. They'd know right away it was really from me.
2. It makes the point I want to make.
3. I want them to smile (or even laugh) when they think of me and stop being so darn sad. After all, we're going to be together forever some day.

My bad

2009-02-25T20:18:00.003-06:00

Oh m'gosh y'all. Obviously I was so, so wrong about the crazy Bumpits. They must be totally cool; Paula Abdul is so rockin' the big HAPPIE hair tonight. Got mine ordered just in the nick o' time.

Will I go to he@k if my kids are watching Men in Tights? Not that they are, but if they were?

Really? Really?

2009-02-24T23:10:00.006-06:00

I'm trying to work here and so I have the TV on, of course, (remember, it's cold and lonely working at night boohoo), and from over there I hear this. Wait for it.

Flat hair is so last year? Oh no, what am I going to do? I just barely got a straightener.

Please, please, please tell me that this is one case where they are the ones out of touch and not me. Or at least tell me that this ad only runs in Texas, where big hair really, really didn't go out of style. Please tell me that women don't really want a big bump on the back of their heads. Why would anyone want that? Cone head is sexy.

Oooh, they have a mini Bumpit. I remember the tragic old days when you had to get that look the old fashioned way with layers of ozone-killing aerosol spray.

I wonder if I can get just the big Bumpit. Cuz I need a REALLY BIG thing on top of my head. Gag a maggot. Cone head is sexy.

Hey look, they also own the domain names http://www.bighappyhair.com/ AND http://www.bighappiehair.com/. BIG HAPPIE HAIR.

BIG HAPPIE BALD.

BIG HAPPIE HAIR!
Cone head is sexy.

100 Things

2009-02-23T21:01:00.002-06:00

I'm Finding Joy in the Journey and today's assignment was to make a list of 100 things I'm grateful for. Might as well post it here. In no particular order except as I think of them which does not indicate any kind of particular order.

1. SE in general
2. The Queen
3. The Vatican
4. The Getty
5. The Rothchild
6. The Colonel (each in general)
7. the blanket I sleep with every night. no, really - it's cozy.
8. my minivan.
9. the backup minivan.
10. easy plumbing fixes (what I get to do tomorrow, but could have been worse and required a plumber)
11. the yard where the kids were able to play outside all afternoon
12. the sunshiney day today
13. SE's job
14. my job
15. my kids' teachers
16. the PE teacher at the younger kids' school (she looks out for them)
17. cheesecake
18. bug spray
19. Primary
20. my parents in general
21. growing up somewhere besides here ;-)
22. my sister
23. the other one too
24. brother #1
25. and #2
26. and #3
27. and their respective spouses as applicable
28. my sister-in-law
29. and another one
30. and brother-in-law
31. and a spouse or 2
32. and their parents
33. Target
34. crayons
35. online college courses
36. and the schools who offer them
37. grammar
38. spelling
39. ibuprofen
40. emergency rooms
41. pictures
42. bologna sandwiches
43. Sesame Street
44. the mail ladies
45. and the FedEx and UPS guys too - I LOVE getting packages.
46. diet Coke (is it wrong to list diet Coke on a list based on a talk by the prophet??)
47. water
48. dishwashers, particularly mine
49. music
50. men who sing music
51. by which, of course, I mean that man who sings music to me
52. sweatpants
53. my favorite sweatshirt, which will be 16 years old later this year
54. being able to come back to the list tomorrow to finish
55. going to bed now, even though I'm not done with today's task
56. sleep

more later - 44 more to be precise.

Finally think I might be able to finish this within a year.

2009-02-21T18:24:00.000-06:00

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what will be a surprise. There's a small catch...You knew there would be didn't you? Post this on your blog then come back and leave a comment, telling me you're in. Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift.

Weirdo Wednesday.

2009-02-18T22:52:00.002-06:00

Phew.

Wahoooo!

2009-02-16T21:27:00.003-06:00

The Queen won her first acting award tonight. She was nominated for Best Actress in a Musical, along with the other 2 girls that played her sisters in the Christmas show, which they all lost to the lead from the adult musical. But the director likes to give awards to the kids (keep them coming back!) and the 3 sisters had a surprise nomination for Best Ensemble. They were up against the Winter Wind (OTG was a WW), the Jitterbugs, the Toy Soldiers, the Toys (Vatican was a toy), and the cast of In Sam's Head. The 3 sisters won, which is a good thing - they really were spectacular (ahem, better than the grownup who won. I'm biased, of course, but I'm also right.) So, anyway, it was a lovely evening - SE's ex-boss made the usual "traitor" dig, all of the volunteers were awarded, OTR fell asleep in SE's arms, and the Colonel was a pain in the butt until I decided to sing The Wheels on the Bus with him, which was MAGIC. I'll be whippin' that one out again, you can bet on that.

Fetch in a handbasket, I just realized that I have an essay due by midnight. Fortunately, it's about 2/3 done, but um, I'm supposed to be working right now. Ack.

Dear American Idol:

2009-02-13T10:04:00.004-06:00

I reluctantly admit to watching this show sporadically. I really kind of want to try to watch this year, but here are the problems. a) the show is boring as fetch. I like it in the beginning, but I'm not really that big a fan of cover songs, so week after week after week, well ya know. I just have a hard time getting personally invested in the people. b) if you're going to put through the annoying person (you know who I mean, actually annoying PEOPLE this year), I get it, it's supposed to be more interesting. But you're going to have to tell them to tone it down. It's too much, I can't watch an hour (or even a minute) of that crap at that level.

Thanks,

EF

Yesterday I had to write a letter to my congressperson for Government 2302 (I picked KBH and wrote her about supporting #s-374). I guess I'm still in the mood.

Speaking of the mood, I'm not in the mood for tomorrow. I usually go all out with the monkeys, so they are all looking forward to it. I gotta snap out of it. I have a date tonight, so maybe that will help.

Speaking of my date tonight, he had his (insert technical term for end of the year) evaluation this week and rocked it. Conditional contract signed for next year (he still has to finish the stuff for certification, but can't do all of it until the school year/his internship is done). Woot said that he would have made it a multi-year if he could and will next year. Phew. I wasn't worried that he wouldn't do well on his eval - he really is a frickin' awesome teacher - but ya know, budgets and all. I'll say it again, phew.

Wish I rocked that hard at my job. Oh, right, that's why I'm in school so I can do a different job. Patience......

Did I mention that SPY's appointment with his kickA cardiologist is March 12? I don't really know if his cardiologist is kickA, but positive reinforcement, right?

I think I've procrastinated enough for this morning. Finished most of my homework/tests last night but still have 2 discussion posts and a reading assignment to finish today - and work - and get the house babysitter-ready.

DATE TONIGHT. Yeehaw.

2009-02-10T08:06:00.003-06:00

Sam just wandered in from the family room to tell me that he farted.

Not that it was the first time that he's told me that he farted. He's been identifying burps and farts for months now.

But it was the first time that he decided that farting was so important that he had to come across the house to tell me about it.

"I fart."

Yes, baby (big boy!), you do.

Conversation with SPY

2009-02-06T15:55:00.002-06:00

SPY: Eeh boo?
Me: No boo.
SPY: Eeh boo? Eeh boo?
Me: No boo.
SPY: Hay you, mommy. Hay you.

Interpreted:
SPY: Please may I nurse?
Me: You know we're trying to quit.
SPY: Please? PLEASE??
Me: No, really this time.
SPY: I hate you, mommy. Hate you.

Nice, eh? Someone's older sister has taken to that phrase when she's not getting her way. Yay for mimicking toddlers!!

The news we've all been waiting for...

2009-02-06T12:35:00.003-06:00

SPY's echo was "abnormal." Even though I suspected as much, it still took my breath away. I was reading over the tech's shoulder and saw him label something, but since he used an abbreviation that has 2 meanings in the cardiology world, I was hoping it was the one and not the other. He will see a pediatric cardiologist at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. It's still not emergent, but I don't know if they will want to fix it or watch it.

Frickity, frick, frick, frick.

Tagged

2009-02-05T12:14:00.002-06:00

I was tagged by E, but I'm supposed to be writing my autobiography in 500-800 words and so unless I can figure out how to make 8 things into 500-800 grammatically correct words, I'll do the tag tomorrow.

In the meantime, I have news. I called on SPY's echo yesterday and the PA's nurse called me back today.

To tell me that the results are back.

BUT the PA is out of the office on Thursdays. Guess I shouldn't have called on Thursday. Oh, wait...I DIDN'T.

Weird but Wonderful Wednesday

2009-02-04T22:45:00.004-06:00

This actually made the news down here in Texas tonight. Wow.

Check out this link too for more pictures.

ARGH. I don't know where the video went, it was there a minute ago. Well, follow the link and find the how it was made link.

I bet you thought I forgot about Weirdo Wednesday

2009-01-28T21:38:00.007-06:00

Well, I did. But that isn't weird so let me ponder a minute.

Yesterday, I let my boys wear their bat costumes to Walmart. They asked, I thought about it, realized they'd be snug, warm, toasty, and CUTE, and said, "Of course you can wear your bat costumes to Walmart."

I was going to post a picture of the boys in the costumes, but they are on the other computer and I never uploaded them to the family site (accessible from this computer) AND I thought this picture went with both the bat theme and most definitely with the Weirdo Wednesday theme:

Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Bat Banana.

(Yes, I counted the na-na's. Triple Weirdo Score.)

Not my kid. But that is what the bat costumes look like and they do like to do that pose whilst wearing the bat costumes. See how snug and warm and toasty and CUTE it is - TIMES 2.

I know.

QOD - Question of the Day

2009-01-27T13:38:00.002-06:00

Driving back from the grocery store, this question occured to me:
Is a wussbag: a) a bag for carrying a wuss, b) a bag made of a wuss, or c) a bag attached to a wuss?

Weirdo Wednesday: The Contents

2009-01-21T09:43:00.001-06:00

Yes, I stole this from one or more other people, but after reading theirs and in light of the fact that a new purse is en route to me and it had to be done anyway, I present the contents of my purse, freshly dumped:

and sorted:

and listed:

1. 3 yearbook forms that need to be filled out this week

2. 4 toys - a taxicab (from NYC!!), a tractor, a motorcycle, and the giraffe from Madagascar 2

3. 3 loose "extra" keys, one of which fits a car we have not owned for nearly a year

4. my actual keys with pink and brown keychain

5. cellphone

6. 2 prescription bottles containing hubby's emergency meds (one is laying on its side by the junk mail)

7. baby nail clippers

8. 4 Benadryl allergy/sinus/headache

9. splinter removal kit

10. needles, in case the splinter removal kit doesn't work

11. hairbrush

12. this semester's report cards for the girls

13. my VT list

14. 2 paint samples

15. 4 $1 off gas or groceries for Brookshire's coupons and one GM cereals coupon (huh, not even expired yet)

16. health insurance information for the kids

17. about 10 pieces of trash, mostly wrappers, but including a tiny piece of a french fry

18. 6 paper stars labeled "I am Thankful to be Me because I can:"

19. a semi-crunched liquid medicine cup

20. a hospital wristband (from SPY's echo)

21. 3 appointment cards, 2 of which have already happened

22. 14 receipts, none important

23. 1 piece of junk mail

24. 2 pens

25. an empty bottle of lotion

26. mascara

27. a mint

28. a single die

29. 2 checkbooks for our account, 1 empty checkbook cover (with old checkbook inside), 1 checkbook for an account that is not mine, and a book of deposit slips

30. 2009 Dallas temple schedule

31. my wallet

32. the headphones to my MP3 player

33. an empty snack-size baggie (I think it used to hold my blush, but I don't know where the blush went?????????!?)

34. 2 gift cards, each empty or with less than $2 left (should have been above, but I missed them and I'm not renumbering)

Phew.

Problem solved.

2009-01-18T20:51:00.010-06:00

Forget image of Movie Edward and Movie Bella. Picture Patrick Dempsey as Edward and me as Bella.

Patrick Dempsey as a vampire? Hello!!
Like I said, problem solved.

ETA: What I meant to say was picture SE as Edward and me as Bella. That is totally what I meant to say.

ETA again: Someone took it as his personal quest to convince me that PD was not THE choice and so here is his nomination. I have to say that I agree that he probably is a much better pick for the actual story, but a) it's too late, I already finished the book; and b) it only works for me if I go back to casting Alexis Bledel as Bella (yeah, sure, she's probably a better choice too). Anyway, SE's pick:

(Matt Dallas, aka Kyle XY)

Weirdo Wednesday

2009-01-14T21:37:00.003-06:00

Today's confession:

I'm watching the Bachelor. I don't watch it every season, but okay, most of them. Unless the guy is ug. or Ugh. or bleh. So, I didn't watch seasons 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, or 9. Hmm, I've actually watched less than half of the seasons. Maybe I'm not as lame as I thought I was. This season's Bachelor is my favorite since Bob. Though I was also quite fond of Travis. Those doctory, nice, sweet, preppy kind of guys, those are the kind of guys that make my heart flutter. Nice guy like that vs. Edward. Easy pick. (I made it to page 130 now. Edward is about to rescue her again (again!?!?) in Port Orchard this time, which we all know is a totally dangerous town.)

I also have been watching Momma's Boys and True Beauty and several other lame shows. Not watching, watching - but DVRing and letting it play while I work. I pretty much always have to have something playing on the TV while I work because it's cold, dark, and lonely working from 9pm to midnight. So I DVR and watch/listen to mindless reality TV while I work.

But the Bachelor I watch.

And that's why living in the middle of nowhere sucks.

2009-01-13T18:07:00.003-06:00

Took SPY to his echo today. It took almost an hour to get him to sleep even though he was properly un-napped and Benadryl'd and still nursing. The tech had the lights dimmed and gave him a warmed blanket, but I finally had to turn the lights up because that was too unusual and highlighted the shiny light in the ceiling and the interesting TV screen over there. After I finally clued in to that, he was out in about 10 minutes.

The tech said he didn't find anything emergent, heard and saw and took pictures and measurements of the murmur, AND we won't hear anything official for probably at least a week (unless the tech missed something emergent) and possibly more like a couple of weeks because it has to be read by the specialist in Dallas, who is apparently a fairly busy pediatric cardiologist.

And he's pitching stuff off the table again, so that's all.

Fetch in a handbasket.

2009-01-12T21:27:00.003-06:00

So I got all smart and decided to take the Blogger bar off the top up there. And now I have no idea how to get to my dashboard to make a new post without going through someone else's blog who didn't take the bar off. I'm a dork.

Sam's echo is tomorrow afternoon, just to update.

He's teething his last front tooth this week, so not letting him nap so that he can nap during the test should be delightful.

Tonight SE tortured Banana by saying a$$. She got very indignant and was literally crying as she said, "Jesus doesn't like it when you say bad words, Daddy." And I'm going straight to hell because I had to bury my head in my arms not to laugh. Okay, I mean I WAS laughing my head off, I had to bury it so that it wasn't so obvious that I was laughing my head off. It was just the combination of what she said and the way she said it. Then Em started in about how Daddy was friends with Satan (we just had Sharing Time in Primary on Sunday about the war in heaven, etc.) and he said, yep, we send text messages and play cards. Em ran with that and decided that Daddy and Satan play Tetris together on the Wii.

And that was our Family Home Evening tonight. Yay!

Oh, that boy.

2009-01-07T13:13:00.004-06:00

It is becoming apparent that Sammy Sugarface gets a kick out of making us worry. Recall a few months ago when the delightful boy decided to spike super-fevers and throw in an abnormal lab result. All ended up well, but he had us worried for a couple of days. Today, he had his 18month checkup (only 6 weeks late, I'm impressed) and the NP heard a murmur. Crap. It's never been documented before so he gets to go have an echo this coming week. I'm less worried about this than the other test, but this kid is going to give me grey hairs, I'm telling you.

Anyway, I've elected to share something about him for Weirdo Wednesday.

SPY is addicted to lotion. He asks for "Lo" every time I get some, any time he sees the bottle on the counter, and sometimes at random times in between. Usually he just rubs it in to his hands like he should, but this week he's also been putting it on his hair like his sisters did with Daddy's mousse on Sunday (speaking of Wolverine hair - maybe SPY as Edward?? Baby Twilight, how adorable would that be?). At least he smells delightful.

Bleh.

2009-01-06T11:11:00.004-06:00

Mild stomach bug, writing the Primary program, assorted other Primary-related tasks, wanting to sleep instead of do anything.

I made it to about page 30 of Twilight over the weekend. I've re-cast the movie. So far, Bella will be played by Ellen Page or Alexis Bledel and Edward will be played by Marcel Vigneron from Season 2 of Top Chef, aka Wolverine Chef, who it turns out is from Bainbridge, so he won't mind the dreary rain. Of course, at page 30 Edward has only made 3 appearances: lunch, bio, and the office - so that casting is subject to change. I picked Marcel because he is easier for me to picture than whatever that other guy's name is that really got the job. Also, he has that weird look AND he's funny. Because I see the movie posters/trailers and it makes me want to read the book less, because dark and dangerous guys are kind of a big turn-off for me. Seriously, no hotness factor there. Now, if Edward were preppy....... re-cast: Mark Paul Gosselaar as Edward. C'mon, let's set it at Bayside!! I've lived in the gray, it's super depressing, and moving during high school sucks but you might meet your soulmate, I get that part, but if Bella is going to fall for the dark and dangerous guy (and I'm thinking she might), she loses me there.

Oh well. I'm still hoping to be pleasantly surprised (not really, I know how the last book ends).

New Year's Goal

2009-01-01T23:28:00.005-06:00

My New Year's goal is to not suck in 2009.

There were some kick-awesome things that happened in 2008 (trips to NY, WA, and UT and SE's new job), but as a whole, I personally spent most of the year just sucking up a storm at a bunch of stuff.

This year promises great things - weaning Mr. Crankypants. Actually, I can't really think of anything else this minute. Spring Break is something I'm looking forward to - we're trying to decide where to go, something cheap and family oriented, an experience rather than a destination, if that makes any sense. More progress on school. SE's first summer off (which, if it goes like Winter Break, promises to be AWESOME in all capitals - seriously, he was a cleaning machine. I helped some, but still had the usual distractions and then some (3!! big holiday meals with guests!!) and he just cranked it out.)

Oh yeah, another goal is to read Twilight, not because I want to, but because I promised SE that I would at least give it a chance and read the first book. Which was easy to promise before he cleaned up the office and found the book. Crap. Now it's sitting literally inches from me and has been for days and I just can't make myself open it yet. I DON'T WANNA!!!

And finally, get working on the weight. I have a new goal - once my favorite T-shirt fits
(for the first time, it was too small when I bought it), then I'm done. Really, it will probably be the same size I was post-Jbot (when I GASP! fit back into my wedding dress) and right at what my goal weight should be. But I just really want to be able to wear my shirt!

41.4

2008-12-24T14:50:00.003-06:00

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

2008-12-22T23:25:00.004-06:00

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!

2008-12-21T01:27:00.002-06:00

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

Weirdo Wednesday

2008-12-17T18:11:00.002-06:00

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!

2008-12-13T10:04:00.002-06:00

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...

2008-12-12T12:26:00.002-06:00

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

2008-12-11T15:38:00.003-06:00

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

2008-12-11T09:13:00.002-06:00

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

2008-12-10T10:18:00.005-06:00

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

2008-12-08T22:36:00.003-06:00

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.

2008-12-08T21:53:00.002-06:00

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:

2008-12-03T10:14:00.002-06:00

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

2008-12-02T22:26:00.002-06:00

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....

2008-12-01T08:55:00.002-06:00

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

2008-11-29T22:34:00.016-06:00

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

2008-11-26T09:49:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-25T15:06:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-17T22:50:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-17T22:40:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-13T22:05:00.004-06:00

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?

2008-11-13T09:10:00.004-06:00

"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

2008-11-12T22:23:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-12T01:45:00.003-06:00

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...

2008-11-11T21:48:00.005-06:00

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

2008-11-11T21:00:00.003-06:00

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

2008-11-07T21:31:00.003-06:00

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.

2008-11-07T00:41:00.002-06:00

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!!!!!!!

2008-11-04T08:38:00.002-06:00

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.

2008-11-03T17:16:00.001-06:00

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.

2008-11-03T11:51:00.000-06:00

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

2008-10-31T09:40:00.000-05:00

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!

2008-10-30T11:25:00.001-05:00

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

2008-10-27T09:10:00.001-05:00

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

2008-10-17T08:41:00.001-05:00

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

2008-10-14T07:52:00.001-05:00

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

Count Your Many Blessings

2008-10-13T08:39:00.000-05:00

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

2008-10-13T08:07:00.002-05:00

Good marketing.

2008-09-26T00:19:00.000-05:00

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

2008-09-24T17:53:00.001-05:00

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!!

2008-09-22T17:32:00.002-05:00

His Daddy's boy

2008-09-22T08:16:00.000-05:00

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

2008-08-26T08:31:00.000-05:00

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.

2008-07-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

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

2008-05-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

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

2008-04-30T17:58:00.002-05:00

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!