Love, Laughs, Tickles, Teases, Frogs & Jelly Beans

Feeling Festive

2011-12-20T22:43:00.001-07:00

For the very first time in years I had someone to go Christmas shopping with. Big Little Brother came up and we went to Lunch, then home to play with my Merry Christmas to me….to Vicky from Vicky Nook Tablet. Yeah for me from QVC! LOL

While he was checking out all the free apps it came with we looked on Fandango and saw the new Muppet Movie was starting in 1/2 hour. We looked at each other and stated to sing the theme song. Off we went.

Apparently the school kids are actually still in school and the parents with itty bitty little kids are too young to appreciate an 80’s Classic like “what we call the Muppet Show.” We were the only ones in the theatre!! We sang all the old familiar songs, laughed at the grumpy old men in the box seats, winced at Miss Piggy’s all about “Moi” and whiney “Kermiy.” It was great fun! Then we went Christmas shopping to Toys R Us and over to the VF mall, bought more gifts and checked out all the changes there.

Of course once we got home and sorted out the packages Blane took off and left all his stuff here for Auntie Vic to wrap! LOL So I’m taking a little break from wrapping and watching the Glee Christmas Episodes.

Making Ends Meet

2011-12-14T17:33:00.001-07:00

It’s Christmastime so of course I’ve been worried about the $$$$$. I’ve also been stressed because it’s never ever taken me this long to get the decorations up. We finished last night. The living room has the all the Santa figures in place and the white tree in the sleigh. The family room has the Angels and a couple of the smaller Nativity scenes. The Beardall’s are so much help to me Justin has run boxes up and down the stairs. Maury cleans and vacuums and Ben entertains Lucy. I supervise. Everything looks really nice.

Last night I went downtown and earned $75 just by walking in the door. I was supposed to be part of a focus group on Diabetics with Cardiac issues but they scheduled too many people so they paid me, fed me and sent me home. I’ve also been part of another Dry Eye study testing out a new medicine that has paid me to be a part of it. So that money has been my Christmas budget. I just have a few more gifts to get then I’ll be done.

I am Thankful for

2011-11-26T17:08:00.001-07:00

So many things. Some of my friends made it a point to find something everyday this month to be grateful for and posted it on their FB page. I could of done that too but you know me the non-conformist. So since lots that I’m grateful for happened just this week here’s my list.

In no particular order.

My family…. for checking up on me and making sure I have a place to go for Thanksgiving dinner. I ended up at Craig and Liz’s and visited with Margie and Rob, Jana, Steven and Julie and Aunt LaFaun, their kids and Grandkids and finally got to meet Trina’s new honey Wade Hickman. They’ve been married a little more than a year now and are really cute together. They stayed here with me so we had some good conversations and a lot of fun.

We also got a lot of things done.

Last month when Dawn and Vonn were here I was still working on the main bathroom and I had had Andy come take the toilet out so I could get to the wallpaper behind it and fix the floor. It still wasn’t done yet because life got in my way. I cut my hand doing flowers for Brian Franchina’s wedding to Marci MacDonald and had to have stitches at the ER…..Sarah and her mom helped finish that wedding before I even went to the ER/

So there it was still not done when I found out about more company coming. Uncle Gaylen and Aunt Carla took pity on me and came over Monday and Tuesday. She stripped wallpaper in the kitchen and he fixed the sheetrock holes including patching the ugly hole where the medicine chest used to be.

Then he fixed the floor, laid the new flooring and painted the whole bathroom and reconnected the plumbing. All it took was a bribe of Triple Berry Apple Rhubarb Pie! Wade and Trina got here just as he was finishing up.

They got busy on Wednesday morning and painted the bathroom a second coat, raked the leaves in the back yard, painted the pantry wall and the French Doors, hung new blinds and a curtain rod that I’ve had for a long time but have been to ill to climb the ladder to get them done. If that wasn’t enough they packed the bookcases into the closet and I’ll be ready to decorate for Christmas as soon as I recover from staying up all night working on Sam Caldwell’s wedding flowers for today. I need a rest. Wade is close to 90 and he was running rings around me! They left a few hours ago taking some Christmas with them. Klista and Selina will be here tonight on their way to Mexico. She’s promised not to need 10 days in the hospital this time.

I love my friends and family!

I have a lot to be grateful for

What’s Up? Chicken Butt!

2011-10-31T12:11:00.001-06:00

That’s what TD always says. He’d be only half right. I don’t care if I never see another Chicken Breast right now.

I bought 40lbs of boneless skinless chicken breast for $1.49 per lb from Zaycon Foods on Saturday. I just finished getting them all re-packaged and in the freezer. There wasn’t a lot of fat but I did need to cut it all off. Lucy loved that part. The problem was that these were full breasts and they were so plump that 1/2 a breast would feed 3 people.

So I borrowed a food saver and got to work. I worked, the food saver didn’t. So late Saturday night I bought a new one. It worked wonderfully! It didn’t cost too much but once you add that in with the bags for it my great deal ended up costing me way too much.

But the good news is I have 52 packages of chicken in my deep freeze. A whole years supply if I only eat chicken once a week.

Go Ahead Make My Day!!

2011-09-27T12:59:00.000-06:00

Is there anything better than someone giving you a compliment?
Yes there is!
When the person giving it is a total stranger to you.
When the person is the opposite sex.
When the person doesn't give off a perverted "Chester the Molester" vibe.
When you can tell they are sincere.
Best Feeling in the World!!

I was just running round doing some errands and popped in to get 2 things at the store. While I was in line this guy with 2 full carts lets me go ahead with my 2 things and says "I'm a sucker for gorgeous redheads. You have beautiful hair!"
I actually looked around to see if there were other carrot tops in the store. Nope I was the only one.
Totally made my day!!
Now I didn't really do anything to my hair today. I barely had enough makeup on to avoid scaring small dogs and little children. I was in a grey and coral striped tee and ratty jeans with flip flops and need a pedicure really badly. Nothing special at all. Just me being me

Today I'm glad I'm me!

Women Of God

2011-08-30T15:25:00.000-06:00

My friend Darlene posted this on her Facebook page. It's so lovely. It describes the woman I want to be.

"Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."

Date a Girl Who Reads

2011-08-05T07:58:00.000-06:00

I found this just stumbling around on other people's web sites. It's a quote from an article promoting literacy. I just couldn't resist posting it here. I am that girl! I don't remember a time when I didn't pack around whatever book I'm currently into all over the place. One of the many reasons that I looked really hard into getting a Kindle or a Nook. Books have taken me to all kinds of wonderful places. I've lived hundreds of lives through the magic of reading.

Date A Girl Who Reads

"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag.She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes."

The BIG 50!!!

2011-07-11T10:49:00.000-06:00

Yes you read that right, the big 50. Since noon last Thrusday I'm officially 1/2 a century old. As birthdays go it was pretty quiet. Teresa took me out for dinner the night before to El Rancho Grande. For once I got something different and ordered the Enchiladas Sonora. Very yummy.
Soon I'll be gumming my food and wearing my hair really short and poking every which away. I'll wait in line for the Early Bird Special at Golden Corral and spending obscene amounts of money on orthopedic shoes, support hose and mummu style dresses. I'll get things in the mail from the AARP, pre-need funeral plans and retirement homes offering compassionate caring staff to meet my every need in my Twlight years.
I'm not dead. I'm just getting older. Which is why I will no longer have Birthdays. When asked how old I am, I will answer 39 with 11 years of experience.
Sounds so much better than 50.....don't you think.

Changes

2011-06-29T01:57:00.000-06:00

I hate change!!
I think it's because too many things feel out of control when the change is unexpected. I really think that part of it is just frustration with having to spend so much time on hold to get minor little things taken care of. Whoever came up with the whole phone tree for businesses with the press 1 for payments or 2 to hear this in Spanish is at the top of my $#iT list this week.
Sometimes you just really want to pop someone upside the head and smack them around for awhile for being so very, very dense. So I just want to say it here.......If you and the board were going to completely disregard anything we did, then why did you ask us to vote? Why let us feel like we mattered when we didn't? Well just so you know, you have lost all my business. In the words of Monty Python " I fart in your general direction!" Remember I have Crohn's and Celiac so those suckers are pretty powerful. If I were you I'd be trampling over everyone with no thought to the life or limb of anyone else while I run upwind very fast!
Then to top off my day Blane calls to tell me Parky is gone. I spent the next hour or so bawling my eyes out. I'm so glad I went down there Sunday I'd should have petted him a little more. He was always the first to come over for a rub or ear scratch when the Frog was alive. He'd be on one knee and Berg on the other and Steve would pet them til his hands got too tired. Poor old dog, he and I started diabetes shots at the same time. He had a knee surgery a few years ago and I snapped these photos.

Poor Puppy. He was old for a big dog. He will be missed. Rest In Peace Parky Dog.

I hate my Hands!!!

2011-06-21T18:13:00.001-06:00

I took my nails off a few weeks ago after literally having them on for the better part of the last 6 years. I just can’t justify the expense anymore. I did learn enough to do my own for special occasions even though the right hand never really looks right.

Now I’m willing to bite the bullet somewhere else in the budget to work my long nails back in. I can’t spell worth crap while I’m typing. They get even a tiny bit of white showing and it rips and tears, usually in layers. It’s painful and absolutely butt ugly!

I’ve tried to keep them painted but even that is looking pretty hacked after a day or two. Nothing seems to stick very long and even a clear coat peels off.

I Got Hit by A Car

2011-06-11T22:18:00.000-06:00

A few days ago I was hit by a car. Right in the head. It left a pretty funky goose egg and had a lovely little coresponding bruise to go with it. Next time an angry toddler decides to have a tantrum I need to make sure no Hot Wheels are within throwing range. I had a matched set of bumps on my head foe awhile.
My Budha Baby is growing up. he's walking all over and now tries to bolt and run when ever a door is opened. Maree said he almost made it 1/2 way here before she caught up with him the other day.
So are my nephews.
Both Gray and Emil had Birthdays in the last couple of weeks. Emil turned four and Gray turned 3. Jakob turned 1 the end of January and Seth did at the end of April.
I got to talk to Gray on his Bday he wanted a digger truck and was pretty excited to get it. He's really cute when he talks on the phone. He gets excited and talks so fast about every other word is all that I can understand. Those are mostly guesses too. But he is so funny!

This Song

2011-05-21T15:48:00.001-06:00

Been listening to this song so much lately.
I read a long time ago that "Singing is like Praying twice" This is the answer to the prayer.

Hold On by Michael McLean

The message of this moment is so clear

And as certain as the rising of the sun
When your world is filled with darkness, doubt or fear
Just hold on, hold on
The light will come

Everyone who’s ever tried and failed
Stands much taller when the victory’s won
And those who’ve been in darkness for awhile
Kneel much longer when
The light has come

It’s a message everyone of us must learn
That the answers never come without a fight
And when it seems you’ve struggled far too long
Just hold on, hold on
There will be light

Hold on, hold on, the light will come
Hold on, hold on, the light will come

If you feel trapped inside a never ending night
If you’ve forgotten how it feels to feel the light
If you’re half crazy thinking you’re the only one
Who’s afraid the light will never really come
Just hold on, hold on the light will come

The message of this moment is so clear
And as certain as the rising of the sun
When your world is filled with darkness, doubt or fear
Just hold on, hold on the light will come

Another Tough Day

2011-05-08T11:14:00.002-06:00

I keep telling myself it's okay to feel like you are feeling. Sometimes you just need to allow yourself to feel sad without feeling guilty about it. So I'll call my mom and my MIL to wish them a Happy Mother's Day then I plan on wallowing in self pity for pretty much the rest of the day.
Just like I've done every Mother's Day since 1980.
I do really well the other 364 days of the year but this is the day that I deal with the disappointment, pain, sadness and trials of infertility. The helplessness, and grieving of a do it or die hysterectomy. We tried adoption with no success. We tried everything legal. The rest of the year I'll have myself convinced once again that I have no regrets.
Liar! Liar! your pants are on fire!
I will never be a mother. Nobody will ever call me Mom. I will never be anyone’s Nana or Gigi. No one will ever feel obligated visit me today in the care center. So I don't do Mother's Day. I wallow. That's how I choose to deal with it.
Poor poor pittiful me.

Wigging Out

2011-04-17T19:21:00.001-06:00

Stole this from my friend Callie.

"Family are like underpants!!!! Some crawl up your butt, some get a little sideways, some are your favorite, some are holy, some are cheap and just plain nasty, and some actually cover your butt when you need 'em too!"

I am so grateful to my friends and family this week. I’ve only got about 15 more hours to sweat thru and then I’ll find out what the results are from my squish test and the follow up digital scan I had to have last week.

I call and they get me laughing and take my mind of of things. Patty even offered to put me to work helping her pack up her house. I’ve been Miss Debbie Downer all weekend they keep me sane.

Attitude

2011-04-09T12:02:00.001-06:00

I was talking to my friend Marrey the other day about attitude. So many people see the glass as half empty, that negative attitude is so counter productive. I try hard not to worry and obsess over things I don’t have the skills or knowledge to change. I try not to worry or stress about things but sometimes life sneaks up on me.

A long time ago the Frog and I read a book on Adversity. The main theme was we NEED Adversity in our lives to help us stretch and grow. Last week at General Conference there were a lot of references to how important attitude is in facing our trials. Then I read this.

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, gift, or skill. It will make or break a company...a church...a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes. "
~ Charles Swindoll

Here’s to Attitude. Keep those thumbs and spirits up!!

True 100 Years Ago

2011-03-12T08:02:00.001-07:00

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in
good faith becomes an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be
treated on an exact equality with everyone else, for it is an outrage to
discriminate against any such man because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the man's becoming in very fact an American, and
nothing but an American...There can be no divided allegiance here. Any man
who says he is an American, but something else also, isn't an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red
flag, which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization, just as much
as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile...We have
room for but one language here, and that is the English language...and we
have room for but one sole loyalty and that is a loyalty to the American people."
Theodore Roosevelt 1907

I’ve been reading a lot the last few days and I find it really curious this was so long ago and yet addresses some very real issues going on now.

I found a number of other quotes along the same theme. One of those is from a speech he gave in 1915

”There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism. The one absolutely certain way of bringing this nation to ruin, of preventing all
possibility of its continuing to be a nation at all, would be to permit it to become a tangle of squabbling nationalities .”

— Theodore Roosevelt, speech before the Knights of Columbus, 1915, New York

He also said that any immigrant to America who doesn’t learn the language in five years ought to be sent home. Which is hysterically funny to me, because while I was reading that I was waiting on a prescription at the hospital pharmacy. About every 3rd page there was repeated in Spanish.

I am an Idiot!

2011-03-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

I am the stupidest person in my life. Lucy was acting like a crazy after the Budha baby left so I asked her if she wanted to go for a ride in the car. Went out to the garage, got in, buckled up, turned the key, put it in gear and stepped on the gas. Then we heard a horrible sound.....it was like fingernails on a blackboard, only really loud with someone squealing. Let's just say Melissa Leo was not the only one who dropped an "F bomb" this week.
I forgot to hit the button to open the garage door!!! It's all broken and bulging out. Right. Like the neighbours aren't going to see it and know exactly what happened. The whole world now has proof positive of what an idiot I am. Plus it will not close all the way. Who knows what types of critters will take it as an open invitation to set up housekeeping. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

Almost 10,000 Days

2011-02-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well I didn't get a Valentine but I did get to play with flowers and see others getting their Valentine's so that was something to feel grateful about. I was my own Valentine. I wore my Pink jacket, Hot Pink cami and Pink tunic and my fav Hot Pink Crocs. Then I took myself out to a "Red" dinner and before you ask I was at El Rancho Grande where else? Yummy!
Lucy went with me to get the flowers and on part of my deliveries. She wore her Pink sweater too. We had fun. we even went to the Dog Park .....which she adores.

I read an essay about someone being married 10,000 days. The Frog and I almost made it. We were only 41 days short. It's crazy how much I miss him some days. It has gotten easier but not this week. Too much Love in your face all around. Especially on TV.

I'll just have to learn to settle for doggy kisses instead of Frog Kissin'.

Books~Enlighten & Entertain

2011-02-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have a ton of books. Lots and lots of books. Mostly fiction. Mostly CMR's (Cheesey Mormon Romance) from Seagull or Deseret Book. For the last 8 years I've been trying to only buy books that aren't full of sex, or creepy crawly scarey mind games. For instance I don't read Stephen King or Dean Kuntz they don't give me a good feeling when I'm done....I've literally not come even close to finishing the last ones I tried to read.

That being said.

I've been on a kick to re-read some of my favourite authors from long ago. I've been discovering most of their books still have the words to really move me and cause me to think. Isn't that what books should do? With all the books available for free on the internet and in the library am I choosing the right ones?

So right now I'm reading Louis L'Amour's Bendigo Shafter and I came across this little pearl of wisdom.

"You are luckier than you know. I mean in the books you have to read. People who came west cannot bring much, so they try to bring the best........A mind, like a home, is furnished by it's owner, so if one's life is cold and bare he can blame none but himself. You have a chance to select from some pretty elegant furnishings."

Can I just say I Love this man? If you haven't read anything from him.....start.....my favourites are Down the Long Hills, Last of the Breed, and the Lonesome Gods.

My Week From Hell

2011-01-21T09:09:00.001-07:00

Actually, it's been longer than that but last week was the straw that broke this camel's back. So after 3 weeks Christmas is finally put away. All the books need to go back on the shelves, they are still residing in the closet. Deal with that later.
So what's been going on?
You name it.
It happened.
Felt miserable so went in to the Dr. Strep. Great. No voice either. Not great.
After breaking out in hives because I'm allergic to the medicine I got. Spent forever in a long line at the pharmacy getting new meds. Lot's of us sickies out there.
Then TD called, did I find their bag? Nope so I go look again in the boys room. Walk across the floor
Wet sucky squishy smelly.
Water leaked all over the floor, everything is soaked!
Roo came over after work the next day. After pulling out 1/2 the wall of drywall out along with soggy insulation he found where it was coming from. It wasn't something he felt he could begin to tackle since we thought the leaky part was behind the Lazy Susan cupboard in the corner of the kitchen. Need to remove counter tops, sink and cabinets to get to it.
In the meantime can't use the water in the kitchen. Poor pitiful me. Cried a little but listened to the friend who said call the homeowners insurance. Woo Hoo! Happy happy Joy! Joy! It's covered!!!
Except the actual plumbing bill and the deductible.
Neither of which I had.
Insurance adjuster comes. Disaster cleanup guy comes. They look they talk they leave. Then plumber comes. He works, needs something then leaves but came back later. Leak is fixed! Then the dryer guys come leaving 4 jet engine turbines blasting away nonstop for a week. Did I mention the never ending 5 days and counting migraine?
Still feeling crappy go to the Dr again. Bronchial Pneumonia.
More meds and another long line.
Insulation guy comes. Sheetrock guy comes. Tape and mud guys come. Everything all buttoned up and beautiful.........well not really...... but it was back to where we started from. Dryers and de-humidifer still running.
Then the bill came. My portion is $1850!!!! For a 2 foot length of pipe a new fitting and labour. Plus 4 fans for a week, a $12.00 sheet of drywall and a small bucket of mud.
What a racket!!

Where is Slave Labor When You Need It?

2011-01-07T08:38:00.000-07:00

Goodbye Christmas...............Don't I wish!!!
Christmas looks like it exploded again! Half the decorations are off the trees and in little piles scattered about. I usually leave everything up til Twelveth Night. But now I want it all out of here. NOW! Where is a cute energetic 10yr old when you need them? Hyrum helped me put it all up and ran up and down the stairs bringing trees, boxes and totes up. He worked very hard.
Maybe I can buy more totes and just send things sliding down stairs and forget about them. But that won't work since 1) I'm broke and 2) Christmas stuff is very breakable.

Happy New Year!!

2011-01-01T20:27:00.001-07:00

Yesterday it was 4 years since the Frog passed away. I got thru it a lot better than last year. I’m sure it was because I had Tara, TeeDee and the boys here. I was so busy laughing at Jakob and Emil and Lucy that it wasn’t til later that I got a bit teary. Even then Lucy seemed to sense my mood and wanted to snuggle.

Today I was supposed to go play with Patty in Provo but there was so much snow here even once the driveway got cleared for the 4th time I didn’t go. Between Wenesday night and Friday morning we got about 17-20 inches. Terry and Emil cleared it off a couple of times while they were here.

So now for my resolutions:

Floss every day.

Eat more fruit and veggies. Do the outer perimeter of the store and shop clean like the GF Girl & the Chef. I may even join Bountiful Baskets like Baby and Middle Sis.

Start walking Lucy twice a day again. I’ve gotten terribly lazy.

Finish the Bathroom redo.

Read more, TV less. At least as many hours reading as watching TV per week.

Three, Two, One………Go!

2010-12-08T08:45:00.001-07:00

I’m pscyhing myself up to go dumpster diving. You read that right… Me the Princess of Pink is going to dive into the bowels of my garbage can. I may never be seen again.

We all know what goes in there. Once it’s gone into the Black Bin of Doom I consider it “Lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry, Clementine.” So why am I even be thinking of it? you may ask.

I got a speeding ticket last week. The first one in 20 years. I’ve managed to avoid a speeding ticket since Mother’s Day 1990. That debacle involved the Columbia River Gorge, the Beach Boys and a sweet little red ride with Out of State plates that had the needle buried. I did slow down quite a bit when car after car were still passing me. But never the less I still got clocked at 85mph in a 65 zone.

Last week I just wasn’t paying attention.

So I got a ticket.

Yesterday I cleaned out my car. I tossed everything. Including the ticket. Yucky. Lucky me…… here I go.

Lots of Snow

2010-11-22T11:35:00.001-07:00

This is what I woke up to yesterday. Between the wind and so much wet weight once things started melting, I’ll need a tree trimmer with a chainsaw. Soon after I got home from church there was a big noise, it sounded like a rifle shot. One of the big limbs right in the middle of the tree snapped! There are at least 3 good-sized limbs that need to be cut down but that one is the worst it’s at least 6” wide and about 15’ long.

Back yard left

Front porch

Back yard

Looking north from the front porch

All together I think we got off pretty lucky with about 8-9 inches here, except of course where it drifted. Quite a bit has melted already but it froze again last night and there’s a crust on it. Lucy can’t decide if she likes it or not. If she moves fast she can skim along the top. Once she stops she sinks like a stone and practically buries her entire self trying to dig out.

Best of all…..some kind person shoveled it all off the driveway and walk while I was at church.

I’m Becoming a Gleek

2010-11-20T09:32:00.001-07:00

I totally love this show!! I hate that it’s on the same time as NCIS and Dancing With the Stars. Thank Goodness I have a DVR! I loved being in Swing Choir and Concert Choir in HS.

Due in a large part to Mr. David Wright the choir director. The poor guy was straight out of college about 23 and seriously cute. Like Matthew McConoughey cute! I was 15 and had a monster crush on him.

Our town wasn't much bigger than a pimple so there was the Pizza Bowl, Golden Harvest Lounge, Odom's Tavern or the truck stop to eat out at so he came to dinner at my house quite a few times. My dad taught at the Jr High with him so anytime we had a concert, dress rehearsal or play performance after school Mr. Wright came to dinner. Those dinners were a combination of the some of the coolest and most embarrassing moments of my life ever.

Ask your kids before having their teachers as friends. LOL

Who needs Pumpkin Pie??

2010-11-16T14:09:00.001-07:00

Well I do for one. It’s definitely NOT Thanksgiving for me without Pumpkin pie. Nothing makes me feel so deprived of good things to eat like missing out on the pies during the Holidays. I can live without rolls, I can make great Gluten Free Cornbread Dressing but I miss pie.

Sooo what to do to get that much needed Holiday taste in my mouth? I invented

Super Cinchy Devilishly Delectable Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake

1 can of Libby’s Pumpkin (29 oz.)

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

4 large eggs, beaten

Mix together thoroughly then slowly add

2 cans evaporated milk (12 oz.)

Pour it into 2 9” Deep Dish pie pans and bake according to the directions on the can. Let cool completely or even overnight in the fridge before gently blotting the “sweat” off the cooled custard.

Let

1 big tub Philadelphia Cheesecake filling, divided(it’s either by the cream cheese or by the Cool Whip)

soften a bit to room temp (it will spread easier). Layer should be about 1 inch thick. Drizzle on

1 jar Caramel Ice Cream topping then

Decorate the top with

15-20 Candied Pecan halves

Chill til just before serving

This is so yummy and it looks great!

Warning Warning Warning

2010-11-15T23:31:00.002-07:00

Continued refusal to behave in a manner that pleases me will result in my unhappiness. This warning applies to people I love, friends, neighbours, relatives, strangers who wander through my personal narrative and folks in faraway lands whose thoughtless actions cause me to become upset when I read the newspaper in the morning. As of this notice, all behavior will be required to pass a NWTAV test (“How will this affect Vicky?”). Failure to do so will result in me having a bad day. And nobody wants that right? Thank you for your consideration. You may now return to your regularly scheduled activities.
Brought to you by Chuck Lorre Productions,#313 (edited for content)
I LOVE Chuck Lorre!! He has the funniest, freakiest notes which they call Vanity Cards at the end of his television shows. They only appear for the briefest of moments so to read them you must be super quick with the pause button. He spouts off about some of the most hilarious things. His writing style is a lot like my BIL’s. I was so sad when he quit writing his blog but since his and Baby Sis’s kid wasn’t the demon spawn E had predicted he would be, I totally understand. Still I miss The Insensitive Father Blog…….
but I digress sooo back to Chuck…….
The quote from above was one of the Vanity Cards on the Mike & Molly show tonight which I didn’t watch but the DVR caught it when it tuned in to record Hawaii Five O. I’ve also caught them on The Big Bang Theory, those tend to be a little longer and sometimes are a little Blue language wise but they are always entertaining.

Sounds of the Seasons or the Short End of the Stick

2010-11-09T07:50:00.001-07:00

One of my favourite radio stations is now playing Christmas music practically non-stop. Hello out there? We barely got done with Halloween and all of those Pumpkin Carols that you play for the Trickey Treaters. I of course am a traditionalist and only play the older stuff.....Shiverey Yells, There is a Graveyard Far Away, Sprits That We Heard On High, The Grim Reaper is Coming to Town and my personal favourite Trick or Treat. which sounds a little like Jingle Bells til you really listen to the words.
Last Friday stores were having Early Black Friday Sales.....WTH? As if one black Friday isn't enough for the Annual Crookston Great Christmas Shop.....which I've only done three times in all the years I've been a Crookston. All that shopping kicks some serious butt.
What happened to Thanksgiving? What happened to the only Holiday where the only decisions are how to time the meal, your nap and the football game you just have to watch? The menu is already planned for you Turkey, Stuffing, Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Green Bean Casserole, Candied Yams and Pie and no gifts are exchanged other than the recipe for your world famous Kitchen Sink Casserole. Next thing you know there won't be a Macy's Thanksgiving Parade! Even worse, we'll have to start washing our own cars because the High School Marching Band isn't trying to raise the money to go and be in the parade.

So in no particular order here are my favourite hymns of Thanksgiving.

Do You Smell What I Smell?
All Come, Get a Plate Full
Dark the Drumstick, Neck and Wings
Angels Eat a Bird on High
Good King Applesauce
Carol of the Belch
and just for fun All I Want for Christmas is Mylanta, Please.

My Door is Open

2010-11-05T12:39:00.000-06:00

About a month ago I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to freshen up the front door. Down came the grapevine, the Ivy garland and the Forsythia blossoms. I hosed down the entire front of the house and got rid of a multitude of spider webs dead leaves and DIRT. There was alot of Dirt. It hides in the weird texture of the siding in unexpected corners and sticks to the house. Then I noticed that the door itself was looking pretty sad too. Off I went and bought some paint.
Red paint. Not a Burgundy or Old Barn colour but Fire Engine Red. Huge departure for me. We'll have to see how that's going to work. I didn't want to spend all day choosing then mixing paint. All that was fine when I worked there but not now.
One coat down.
2 to go.
I bought a cute Welcome Basket to hang on the door when I'm done. you'll probably get a look at it next spring at the rate my household projects are going.

Dancing but not with the Stars

2010-10-12T21:03:00.001-06:00

Yes, you read that right. It says dancing. Something I haven’t done in public in 30 years

In all fairness Teresa did call and remind me earlier that this was the weekend I’d sort of promised to go to a Singles Dance with her. She’s been bugging me about it off and on for about a year or so now.

So after spending Saturday afternoon Taste Testing with Cami and the kiddos at the first ever Gluten Free Expo. A lot of new stuff some of which was really good and some really bad and all more expensive than regular food. When I got home I worked on my lesson for Sunday I tried to make that last a long time but it didn’t fly as a valid excuse since she knows I teach every other week. Last weekend was General Conference so I had almost 3 weeks to get it done.

I tried a bunch of other good excuses like I had to wear a dress…..no I didn’t. Wear makeup….I already had it on. Wash my hair, do my homework, walk the dog, watch TV, re-grout the shower, paint the front door, change the batteries in the smoke detectors…..you know the usual stuff. Teresa called to say she was picking me up at 8:15 no more stalling.

So we go. It was reasonably decent music with video screens and I did get asked to dance. One guy looked at me weird when I asked his name and asked me why I wanted to know. WTH! are you kidding me? I’m supposed to just walk out there and have anonymous gyrations with you?

Then Teresa and her cousin Wendi went to the restroom and this other guy asked me to dance. The music turned to a slow dance and he wanted to double clutch and about 1/2 way thru that song he said something like Wanna come home with me?? NOT!! I just walked off the floor, waited for Teresa to come back and watched the clock til we could go home.

There were some fun moments watching the other dancers but never again!!

Did I mention that it cost $9.00 to get in?

Your Hands

2010-09-29T22:26:00.001-06:00

one of my new favourite artists is JJ Heller. She’s a Christian singer/songwriter and I really like her messages. I literally found her through the website Stumble upon. Love love love this song and video.

Hope you like it too!

Wedding Dress Woes

2010-09-29T15:16:00.001-06:00

So I was doing a consult with the bride and her mom and MOG this was the first time we’d met. I did my standard intro… this is Your Day and what do you envision? MOB butts in, again and again and again! No Mom not your day but Darling Daughter’s then I asked the way wrong question……………. about the dress…………..should have known better.

Bride starts bawling!!

Lots of Drama!! For the ceremony she is wearing Mom’s dress and for the reception/dancing she is wearing MOG’s dress. WTH? Poor thing doesn’t get any choice. She really wants to wear MOG’s but not her mom’s. MOB is not having any of that! Mom’s dress has been through 3 weddings already and is FUGLY! Way weird! go get your own dress!

No can’t do that can’t afford $2500.00 gown!! Except for 2 weddings and the weird ones on TV I honestly can’t remember any bride spending near that much. Hell mine was only just over $75.00!

Granny B and Aunt Carla made my dress. It was the perfect dress for me. Empire waist with lace bodice, sleeves and lace train with more lace around the hem. I still remember how horrified Mom was when I cut up the detachable train and used the lace as a table cloth and dresser scarf. I see that every time I walk in my bedroom. I also used the lace as snowflakes on our Christmas tree. I “busted out” after a few years and couldn’t wear the dress to the temple any more so it’s in the cedar chest with the veil.

I totally plan to mention to the Bride to have a Rock the Dress or Trash the Dress type photo shoot. If she does it as part of her Bridal’s she won’t have to worry about which dress to wear the Big Day!

I’m sooo brilliant!!

South Pacific

2010-09-16T18:22:00.001-06:00

The musical just got over. I missed the beginning, too busy watching Nate Berkus’s show I guess. Anyway I just love it! Mitzi Gaynor, Rossano Brazzi, John Kerr just the best cast ever! Totally better by far than the remake with Glenn Close, though I liked Harry Connick, Jr alot more as Lt. Cable.

Every time I see it I’m back in High School again. Back in the day when we used record players I had an LP with the Original Broadway cast that I found in Granny B’s basement. I played it over and over. For some reason the record was a clear yellow colour. Funny what you remember.

During our Swing Choir trip to Stevenson my Junior year it was on TV the night we got totally busted. We were a bit too loud singing along. LOL (Whole ‘nother story)

When I was a Senior at Kearns this was the musical that we did. It was the only thing I really got involved in that year. I tried out mostly because I knew every song. My audition piece was Bali Hai and when I was called back I did I’m in Love With Wonderful Guy. It was pretty obvious I didn’t look Tonganeese so I didn’t get to play Bloody Mary but I was the understudy for the Nellie Forbush role, Lisa Bell was the lead and she didn’t get sick so I was a nurse in the chorus. I did get to get her wet onstage in the shower scene “Wash that Man”. It was a lot of fun and I still know every song. Too bad I’m nobody’s 101lb Honey Bun now.

Little Pig Chinny Chin Chin or Hag Hairs

2010-09-07T01:54:00.001-06:00

So lately I’ve been finding more and more freaky hairs growing wild practically overnight. Found one today on my neck that had to have been growing awhile…. that sucker was almost 5 inches long!

I don’t know how I missed it.

Mainly they are on my chin but every once in awhile the suckers show up on my neck, chest or arms. They are probably on my back too but if they are Lucy is too polite to say anything about it.

It’s becoming a real problem especially since I started taking Thyroid meds last spring. No longer is it a once a week thing-now it’s more like daily maintenance to avoid getting the dreaded Fur Face. I’m sure within a week of slacking off I could join the circus as the Bearded Lady.

Waxing hurts like crazy because there are so many. Facial Nair burns my skin and leaves it red. Plucking is terribly painful too. So I’ve been shaving them. Now I’m getting 5 o’clock shadow!!

I’ve always had a problem with the two moles on my face but this is getting really bad. I called to find out how much laser would cost….Ouch!!! I could buy 6 electric razors for one laser treatment.

Now I’m starting to notice longer arm hairs and I can’t help but wonder if I will need to start tracking when the next Full Moon is. Maybe I belong on Team Jacob??

Inquiring minds want to know.

Ever Wonder Why?

2010-08-07T21:06:00.001-06:00

the weirdest TV schedules are on Saturday afternoons and the best shows to watch overlap on Sunday nights?

I mean come on who watches something called Yeti? or even better spends time making/acting in a show called Yeti?

In the Good Old Summertime

2010-07-12T15:11:00.001-06:00

I’ve sure been all kinds of busy this last few months. Love is in Bloom….. in fact I just had another wedding on the 10th. Unfortunately I also had a few orders for funeral flowers too…….I don’t do them often but these were for friends of family. A single mom in Karen’s ward buried her son and Dave and Julie’s sweet next door neighbour Eloise died very unexpectedly. Another friend lost her sister and the viewing was last night so I made a trip to the flower market Saturday rather than go to Idaho for a Family Reunion. But it looks like they had fun based on Facebook Photos that have been posted.

I’m getting ready for my vacation and good news! I’m picking up Heidi in Boise so I won’t have to drive the whole way by myself. I also got a hotel room as my birthday present so I’ll be able to party and then go right to bed without a drive late at night. Woo Hoo!

I’ve been tending alot for Andy and Sarah because they are so terribly accident prone. Eight times in 8 weeks I’ve watched kids. Longest stretch between hospital visits was 10 days between Chase’s concussion and Sarah’s sprained ankle caused by the screwdriver stabbing incident. I‘ve gotten paid in jam and produce and get free Pampered Chef stuff so it’s all good.

In the News

2010-05-29T14:35:00.000-06:00

Hello My Friends

2010-05-17T11:00:00.000-06:00

In a few months I'll be traveling on up to Washington to see my folks. While I'm there I plan on attending the Connell High School Reunion for Classes '79 and '80. It should be alot of fun! Thanks to Facebook I've been getting alot friend requests and doing some reconnecting and catching up. It's amazing to me how much we've all changed, yet remained the same after 30 years. I marvel at the things we've accomplished. I mourn for those we've lost along the way. I wish I had been a better friend, there are so many I lost contact with all those years ago when we moved to Salt Lake City, Utah my Senior year.
Oh how I hated it! I hated going from being the girl who knew everyone in our small pond to practically drowning in the great lake waters of Kearns High. There the Class of 1979 had a little over 1000 students and over 3500 in the school. I will never forget my first week of school there.... I practically starved to death because I just could not seem to find the cafeteria. I had such a full class schedule because of the way none of my Freshman year's credits were counted. I had to re-take/make up a ton of work. I'd been in Algebra but had to take Basic Math, I was a TA in Home Ec in Connelll but had to go to Sewing 101 and Cooking Basics. Hello? I pretty much made all my own clothes from Jr High on. I always wanted to ask them just how they thought a meal got on the table at home if Jac and I didn't make it. It still took a waiver from the School Board to graduate because I was still 1 1/2 credits short. It took awhile to make new friends, we were just begining to know each other and then we graduated and went our separate ways.
I will never forget my small town roots. Maybe that's why I love living here on the edge in Magna. It still feels small town to me. I go to the grocery and I see people I know and a quick trip turns into an hour long catch up. But if I 've got the price of a ticket I'm minutes away from the Opera, Ballet or Symphony. I can visit the Zoo, shop in just about any national chain and if I want to see stars I just drive to Park City the last week of January. Life is what you make it and I think mine is turning out okay.

Hell Has Frozen Over

2010-05-10T21:27:00.001-06:00

I went to church on Mother's Day!!!

That has only happened one other time in 30 years and granted I spent all of Sacrament Meeting fine tuning my GD lesson rather than sitting thru the obligatory handing out to anyone female and over 18 but I'm really proud of me. I even held my little Ben B-boy in RS and didn't bawl when I gave him back.

Bad Things Come in Three’s or waiting for the other shoe to drop

2010-05-07T22:27:00.001-06:00

Pulled into the garage Late Saturday night and smelled a funky smell that didn't smell so well. Checked, it wasn't the trash. Then I noticed it, the Dreaded Sound of Silence. No need to go after it, the freezer wasn't running. Total Loss. No ice crystals anywhere, not even a hint of coolness! Damn thing had to have been off for days.

So Sunday after Church I changed into old clothes. Gloved up and went to work. Rough guess I probably lost close to $300 worth of food. Then I mopped it all out with PINE SOL then waited a bit and wiped it all down with Clorox Bleach. Still a funky smell out there but I’m thinking that will go away when I hose out the garage floor and it’s still a bit too cold for that.

Monday I went to Costco to try and get a start on building up the freezers inventory and the stupid membership expired. I asked could I get a courtesy slide on renewing and they said no so to get what I needed I had to pay up. It dawned on me walking out that I didn;t have anywhere close to $200 worth of stuff so I looked and the renewal was $100!!!! Blane and I have some sort of business account……

Then the washing machine died. It’s death was slow and ugly. For months now the trigger that sends the washer into a spin cycle has been broke. I had to set the timer for the agitate cycle when it went off I had to go and open the lid then close it and it would spin out and refill then another open and shut to spin the rinse water out. That all changed the other day. Darn thing freaked out and it sounded like there was a helicopter in there. It ground to a halt but not before something cracked up inside and you could smell burnt wiring.

Of course it didn’t end there……. the water barrel part cracked up and there was a flood of water. I was bailing as fast as I could be the rug in the bathroom still got soaked thru. The floor didn’t buckle but some Christmas down in the storeroom got wet. No fabric and no Santas were harmed.

So I had a new washer to buy

It came today and didn’t fit the space!!! I couldn’t even close the door to the garage and that’s not going to work. So they had to change everything back out and get one that would fit. It’s pretty close but I can close the door now. There is all of 1/2” of clearance.

So my question is when does the bleeding money stop? OR WHAT’S NEXT?

Is it the new glasses I need or will I be getting collection calls now I’ve maxed out every credit card I own….

Only time will tell.

Just Catching Up!

2010-05-01T09:13:00.000-06:00

At long last here I am posting something new.
Seems fitting it being May Day and all I should start with something about flowers. I was busy with flowers for my niece Camille's wedding in April. she had all white Calla Lillies and Jasmine. Her colours were black White and Dr Pepper Red and it turned out beautiful and on a perfect day.

My snowball bush by the back porch is blooming and smells wonderful when it stops raining.

Seth Daryk was born yesterday morning and baby and momma Tracy are both doing fine. His entrance to the world wasn't quite as dramatic as big brother Gray's. No minute by minute updates for 3 days straight on Eric's blog or anything. Seth was presenting placenta previa so Baby Sis had a planned C-section this time round. As far as I know he has all his fingers, toes, eyes and nose. No word yet on hair colour or ears. Only time will tell if he gets to wear a Yoda costume for Halloween. Gray will be turning 2 next month so Tracy will really have her hands full.

Lucy got her summer puppy cut and looks completely nekkid......of course then we got all this weird winter weather so she's freezing and won't go outside very long.

Once in a New Moon

2010-03-21T11:40:00.001-06:00

Friday night after scrapping with my peeps til midnight I stopped at Wally World on the way home to pick up New Moon and the Princess and the Frog movies. I also got some milk but that’s not relevant to my story other than it’s good with Brownies at 1 am.

Anyway since I was still wide awake…partly due to to the Dr Pepper I had and even more to do with my screwy sleep cycles…… currently in the stay up all night circadian rhythm…I popped the movie in once I got home.

Now more than ever I’m on Team Charlie. Putting up with Whiny Bella and her “he won’t kill me, I just want to die” attitude really bugs me. Sitting moping in her room for months on end is pretty freaky to. Reminds me of my mom but that’s a whole other story and doesn’t belong here on the web. Let’s just say I still have issues and leave it at that. and now back to my story.

Edward is good but he certainly doesn’t really “Dazzle “ me and I don’t like the bedhead look. Dude comb your hair!! Jacob is sooo cute (especially with his long hair) but he’s still jailbait. The fact that both of them are young enough to be my kids sort of ads to the whole ICK factor.

So the more mature me is firmly planted on Team Charlie. I briefly considered Team Billy (he reminds me of Fred my 7th grade boyfriend) he has the whole Native American thing going on. Cool!

Billy “I’m down with the kids”

But Charlie “Dude you’re the Bomb” is simple, uncomplicated, protective (Mace)what you see is what you get and well lets face it he’s more mobile than Billy. Another wheelchair? NOT!

My heart is safer with Charlie. The mustache will tickle and I’m up for a few laughs.

My Brush with Death…….or How Lucy Saved My Life

2010-02-09T15:18:00.001-07:00

there I was just minding my own business stirring my soup at the stove, when Lucy started whine-ing wanting to go out. Since I pretend to be the master of my domain and she ain’t the Boss of Me I told her to wait. Then she grabbed my pant leg and starting tugging. I’m thinking allright already and went to open the door for her.

Just as I got by the table Crash Boom Clatter the Potrack over the island came crashing down!!! Pots, pans and mugs were flying everywhere and the entire potrack was swinging wildly from the one hook that held back and forth right where my head was just seconds before!!

Thanks to LucyBelle I’m not lying dead on the floor from a skull fracture or bleeding out from cuts inflicted by broken crockery. Scary Stuff…….

I gave her extra treats. Good Puppy.

My New Favourite Song and Video

2010-02-03T13:23:00.002-07:00

I just love reading the messages that make Ordinary people Heroes to someone else, even total strangers. Besides lets face it Jon unlike Mick, Steven and Gene is a rocker from my youth who has aged very, very well!

Jury Duty

2010-02-01T19:09:00.001-07:00

Went and did my civic duty. Even got thru the pool. Did lunch. Came back in and it was goodbye all they worked out a plea. Now I actually have to figure out what to do the rest of the week.

Oh well At least I got paid $18.50 for the day

Am I a Responsible Citizen?

2010-01-12T19:32:00.001-07:00

I must be or I wouldn’t have be called for the dreaded………………………………..wait for it…………………………………………………………

Jury Duty.

Since I can’t come up with any reasonable excuse to get out of it I will be serving later this month and the first part of next. I’m actually rather looking forward to it. Does Utah still enforce the Death Penalty?

New Resolutions

2010-01-06T21:34:00.001-07:00

Most people talk about their resolutions on January 1st. I usually let my mind think about it a bit before picking goals that are achievable.

So here they are…….

I will floss everyday

I will actually read Isaiah and Leviticus (don’t really have a choice since I’m teaching the OT in Gospel Doctrine but hopefully I will actually learn something)

I will prepare most of my lesson on Thursdays

I will go to the Temple more often but at least 12 times.

New Do

2009-12-29T18:17:00.001-07:00

I have a new hairdo! I got the notion to cut my hair when I realized I’ve been wearing my hair practically the same way off and on since High School. So I called up Heather and set up an appointment. Today I went over and she cut about 4” off then layered it a bit. No more super curly just a nice smooth Now style. I may have to actually have to invest in and use a flatiron.

30 Years Ago

2009-12-27T17:53:00.002-07:00

The Frog and I knelt across the altar and promised to love each other for eternity. It was a bit overcast and very cold but otherwise the weather was okay. Today it’s bright clear and sunny but still cold. I did a bit of welling up but have managed to keep it together today. I even taught Sunday School without completely falling apart. I know it will get harder as the week goes on but so far so good.
Three years seems like yesterday and forever. Happy Anniversary Sweetheart I love you to infinity and beyond…..

Happy Hoho!!!

2009-12-27T08:53:00.001-07:00

I’ve decided that I’m almost officially an old fart. Yes you read that right….

Why?

Because Big Little Brother and I didn’t even start opening our gifts til 4:30pm on Christmas day. I think that qualifies us for old farts in training. If either of us would have had to put in our teeth before eating Christmas dinner it would of allowed us to skip a few steps toward our ultimate goal. I don’t think Blane’s braces count.

We enjoyed a great day Andy and Sarah’s visiting with all our cousins and their kids. I’m getting so old Miriah is almost old enough to Date!!

Happy Birthday Honey

2009-12-24T07:19:00.001-07:00

Last Saturday night the ValleyVeiw Cemetary had their annual Christmas Luminary Lights. It was really beautiful to see the lighted bags all over. It's so much work to do I should really write and tell the staff there how much I appreciate their efforts. There were alot of cars driving thru when I was there so I didn't stop this year. Teresa said that there weren't as many when she came by a little bit later
I can't believe it's been 3 years since the Frog passed away. He would have been 52 today.

Ghosts of Christmases Past

2009-12-23T19:21:00.003-07:00

So it's really quiet tonite I have nothing pressing to do other than wrap a few packages and I'm thinking about Christmas Past.
1980 Our official first Christmas Steve gave me the lovebirds but one broke. There was a flat tire in the van. Jacque was a Senior in HS the Frog and I had been married 1 year. Her Santa present was stored at our apartment so she couldn't snoop it out. There we were at 4am bumping down 6 flights of stairs with a Lane Cedar Chest waking up quite a few of our neighbours so she could have it first thing Christmas morning. Then there was no way to sneak it in thru the front door so we took it in the back and left it in the family room with a big bow. She was feeling a bit short changed til she went in there just before breakfast and found all her gifts inside the chest!!

2006 The Frog's family came over on Christmas Eve to sing Steve a Happy Birthday. The entire family crowded into our bedroom, bath and closet. Justin was at the MTC so Flat Justin was in all the photos. Humberto's fabulous Chocolate Cherry Birthday Cake with 49 Marachino cherries fed everyone well. Terry and Tara were there too and spent the night. Cami had a bit too much family and brought baby Benjamin over on Christmas Day and I got a great photo with the Frog and Ben. We also posed him in the sleigh.

197? Daddy in the hospital, Grandma and Grandpa Byington staying with us and the Great Christmas Eve Sneak foiled by Uncle Denny sleeping on the living room couch. Scared the crap out of us.

1987 The family came to Utah. Blane was on leave from Basic and Tracy Dawn (8) was sure Santa wasn't coming if he slept on the couch so he sacked out in the hallway and she stepped on his head during her Christmas Sneak. Steve and I woke up to Daddy yelling at everyone to get back in bed! Bruce got a skateboard and was in heaven til he tried it out and biffed it and ruined his brand new jeans. Brian had my name that year and gave me my Christmas on Temple Square picture with the Christus Statue reflected in the glass. So very special because the Christus room was where Steve proposed and we were married at Christmastime. Brian won the blue ribbon at the State Fair for the photo and the Church even offered to buy it, but he gave it to me. It hangs by the front door.

1978 Seventeen years old the Worst Best Christmas ever. I got a door. That's it ....... a door. Knobs, hinges and screws were wrapped and under the tree providing me with hours of shaking opportunities to guess but of course I never did. Who in their right mind would guess lumpy heavy packages contained hardware? A door to my bedroom. Needs disguised as gifts........huge disappointment to a teenager......Priceless priceless memory to the adult she became.
I realize now that my folks spent a huge amount of the Gift budget that year to get me that door so I had more privacy than a curtain provided from sharing the basement with 3 little boys. And I thought they didn't understand me!! Still it was sort of fun going back to school and telling people "I got a door" I even perfected my delivery to sound like Charlie Brown in the Great Pumpkin when he keeps getting a rock while out Tricks or Treating.

1977 Kevin Hartelius and I came home from Christmas Eve with his family and caught Santa in the act. After helping fill stockings and making a trip with Daddy to the school for the stash. He helped bring in a Basketball Backboard, Net and Hoop and then uttered the fateful question...."Where is the Ball?" They'd forgotten to buy one!!!!! LOLOL
Jacque got and IOU from Santa in her stocking and the promise of a ball by her birthday on January 19th.

Christ in Christmas

2009-12-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

Little Guys

2009-12-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

One minute he is a big boy and the next he is too little for Primary. One minute he is spelling his name E M L I L and the next he's singing BINGO!!
He doesn't have an airplane yet but is sure he will for Christmas. He met Smokey the Bear. He went hiking in the forest with Travis and Amy and Daddy chopped down a Great BIG Christmas Tree that broke and went crash. Then it had to be re-cut once it got home. It doesn't have shiny balls or decorations on it. It has Oar-No-Mints and a pretty angel. It is tall tall tall. This big during which he dropped the phone trying to show me just how big.
Neighbourhood Grandma brought scraps of gingerbread over after cutting out her walls and roofs so his mouth was full of yummy stuff

Momma went to visit Obama. Daddy is home taking care of him and working from home at night when he sleeps while Mom visits Aunt Jenny who works at the White House. Yes that White House. If you can't tell by now I had a nice long phone chat today with Emil. Who will be a Big Bruthr in about 6-8 weeks.

Twilight Moves

2009-12-10T16:10:00.000-07:00

Twilight Years from Tom on Vimeo.

My cousin found this and posted it on Facebook. Which is apparently where I spend a ton of free time lately. So no posts. Been really busy this last couple of weeks.

November 1983

2009-11-19T08:58:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I was showing Erin a picture in one of the photo albums and when I was putting it back she noticed a journal on the shelf. I told her it was the Frog's and picked it up. There on the last entry is Steve explaining the process of getting his MS diagnosis. I honestly didn't even know it was there. So many things I'd forgotten or blanked out as too painful to remember. I think it's the longest entry in the whole book. What did come shining thru and brought both of us to tears was his testimony that with God's help he'd get thru it all. A Frog Kiss from the other side.

Wasting the Day Away

2009-11-17T14:38:00.000-07:00

Things I have accomplished today.

Absolutely Nuthin!!

Been so sick most of the weekend I can't even think straight. Just about passed out teaching my lesson on Sunday but made it thru. Of course didn't stay for RS afterwards, spent most of today and alot of yesterday on the couch or in the bathroom with horrid stomach cramps. Darn pain pills aren't working at all.
i keep thinking of doing something but everything seems like so........ too much effort.
Did get a visit from my new Visiting Teachers!! Woo Hoo!
Got Lucy out for a walk then about halfway the little pill stopped and kept trying to climb into my arms! She wanted me to carry her cuz it was too cold out for her!! No Way Baby you wanted to walk you walk. Since then it's been Crusty Looks amd the old Stink Eye.

How do I Love U Tube?

2009-11-03T07:47:00.001-07:00

With very little effort on my part I can totally waste 1/2 a day or most of the night. Even with tons more important things to do.
Plus it's easy to share.

Love love love this commercial!! I get such a kick out of the villians saying they are sorry. Isn't this way more fun than most of us have?

This is another one that I love to see.

Happy Anniversary Surprise!!

2009-10-06T09:18:00.001-06:00

This was the invitation Caralee and her friend Gwenie Photoshopped and worked so hard on.

What a great weekend it was!! We kids had heard the cat was out of the bag but it really wasn't until the Columbia Basin Herald ran an article about them in Wenesday's newspaper. Funny thing is Mom & Daddy don't even take the paper! They had gone to the Dr's Thursday morning and someone there told them Happy Anniversary, then it happened again getting Lab work done so they asked how the person knew. Then they stopped by Dr Vernon's and asked Jac if she knew what was in the paper. She was like I don't know I don't take the paper. they found a copy and read all about themselves and that there was an Open House for them on Saturday! It was a terrific surprise!

All of us who were in town went over on Friday night surprised them and gave them their gifts. Shirts and a picture frame along with an list of the next days activitites. Beginning with Family Photos in the Park. We used the same photographer from Tracy and Eric's wedding an she did a great job despite the wind blowing that morning. She even suggested we all say a prayer for a bit of calm, so we did and the wind did die down enough for some good shots. Then she rememembered a fun tree down by the water and there was hardly any wind there at all. So most of the family groups were done there. Blane, Bruce Jay and I were our own "Family group".

Emil didn't want his picture taken and Gray was a little fussy too but since I managed to get these good shots I'm sure Julie's will be fabulous! Emil loved tossing stuff into the lake but Daddy Terry was close by to make sure he didn't fall in the water.

I love this shot of Tracy's family. I went over to Pullman and visited them on my way home. Gray is walking really well between Mommy and Daddy but he doesn't go off by himself yet. It is funny since Eric will be in the family room and Tracy in the kitchen and the kid is walking the whole length of the house.

After pictures we all went to Inca's for some great Mexican food. They were great! It helped alot that we had Cherise call them on Friday and warn them there were 22 of us, we'd be there about 1 o'clock and we needed 2 high chairs. After lunch it was time for Tracy, Gray, Emil, Tara, Daddy and Mom to head home for naps while the rest of us went and decorated the church and got the food prepared for the Open House. We had Chicken Salad on roll, a big tossed salad, fruit and veggie trays, cake and all the Auntie's and Klista brought different salads so there was alot of food. Bruce was responsible for the music along with Mom and Daddy's fresh flowers. The boutinerre and corsage matched the silk centerpieces I did perfectly.

Blane did a great video slideshow on his laptop and got Bruce's TV and it played all night. We had a little over a hundred people come to celebrate with us. It was a wonderful party and I'm so glad we did it.

Why Is It?

2009-09-22T02:16:00.002-06:00

....that some people say in print or on the phone things they'd never say to someone's face? Or maybe they would and I just don't associate with people who talk like this.
This was the message I opened up while playing FarmTown on FaceBook tonight. I don't know exactly why it really irritates me that this was sent by Ms Monica on Sunday but it does

___I think you're full of shit. I am on facebook everyday. Stop sending me crap!___

This was my response________________

If you are on FaceBook EVERY day you obviously have plenty of time to waste. So I can't believe that you don't know of a very simple little keystroke you may use that will allow you to put people on Ignore. Which if you if you had understood the rules lets you un-friend them and cut them out of your Facebook life completely.
Since I don't know a Monica at all IRL (unless Ms Monica is only a screen name for gaming) I must have either hired you or worked for you on the FarmTown game. Either you must have asked to be on my Buddy/Friend list and I must have agreed, or vice versus. However I will have absolutely no problem at all deleting you off my list forever. If you will delete me from yours I would, of course, appreciate it.
If you need help finding the directions on how to do this, please message me again and I will tell you exactly where to go to get them.

I thought I was extremely polite. Don't You?

Romeo, Romeo,

2009-09-16T16:52:00.005-06:00

.....where for art thou Romeo?

BTW That sounded a whole lot better than the one I was considering
(after all "Lucy Got Laid" sounded like a title for a porno movie.)
Thanks Shakespeare.
This is Romeo isn't he a cutie? He is 2 years old and is a silver and gray standard Yorkie. It took a little while to find him but we did and he's not that far away. Best of all there was no stud fee since his family would just like Pick of the Litter. He and Lucy Belle hooked up together for a Blind Date yesterday and again today so around Halloween we will have Puppies!!! Then they should be able to leave Lucy about Christmas time.
I don't think Lucy liked it all that much she sure made a fuss yesterday. In fact it scared her so much she did a little doodie on him. Today went alot better but then she kept making like a long drawn out Ouch noise that was really pitiful. I gave her lots of cuddles when it was over but since I still felt a little guilty about pimping out my dog, we stopped at Arctic Circle and I bought her some Corn Puppies as a treat.
Now she loves me again.

Cute Doggy Pics

2009-09-10T17:55:00.003-06:00

Aren't these CUTE!!!!!!! My little girl is all growed up and weighs just under 10lbs. She loves a good cuddle and adores having her belly rubbed.
Soon we will need to be finding her a boyfriend so she can have a couple of babies.

MMMMmmmm Chocolate! not against the Word of Wisdom, Yet!

2009-09-01T17:13:00.009-06:00

I am not sure how or why this works but it does!
Something fun to play with for a minute or two.

This is what my friend Lisa sent me today. I tried it and it was right on. Totally got my age right and everything!

Don't tell me your age; you'd probably lie anyway-but the Hershey Man will know!

YOUR AGE BY CHOCOLATE MATH

This is pretty neat.

DON'T CHEAT BY SCROLLING DOWN FIRST!
It takes less than a minute .
Work this out as you read .
Be sure you don't read the bottom until you've worked it out!
This is not one of those waste of time things, it's fun.
1. First of all, pick the number of times a week that you would like to have chocolate (more than once but less than 10)

2. Multiply this number by 2 (just to be bold)

3. Add 5

4. Multiply it by 50 -- I'll wait while you get the calculator

5. If you have already had your birthday this year add 1759 ..
If you haven't, add 1758.

6.. Now subtract the four digit year that you were born.

You should have a three digit number

The first digit of this was your original number
(i.e., how many times you want to have chocolate each week).

The next two numbers are

YOUR AGE! (Oh YES, it is!!!!!)

THIS IS THE ONLY YEAR (2009) IT WILL EVER WORK, SO SPREAD IT AROUND WHILE IT LASTS.

Ponderings

2009-08-25T21:17:00.002-06:00

A few weeks ago I got a new calling at church to teach the Gospel Doctrine class. I've read thru the lesson a few times now and I still am feeling woefully inadequate. I have no real focus as yet and I teach this Sunday for the first time.
Do you think the adults would like a rousing game of "Don't Eat Pete!" ???
There is so much material and so many good points to make. I guess it will come but I'd really like a bit more divine inspiration about now.

A whole year

2009-08-06T19:09:00.002-06:00

I've had my little Lucy Belle for a whole year now. When I got her she was just a little ball of fluff. She weighs in at just around 8 lbs and is the size of a cat. Now she has learned to go to her room when told......she doesn't always STAY there unless latched in but she's learning. Mostly she has to go there because she was barking in the house. Big NO NO!
The no sitting on the furniture rule was broken long ago and now even if she starts out in her bed I'm awakened almost every morning with Wet Willies in my ears or her nose at my mouth to see if I'm still breathing.
.......I've been such a slacker at posting. I realized this as I was trying to catchup on friends blogs. Haven't been doing that as often since I became addicted to FarmTown on Facebook. Even pretend gardens take time. So now I'm updated to all their news I'll try harder to post a bit of mine more often.

Farmer Girl

2009-07-27T15:13:00.002-06:00

You can blame Facebook and specifically FarmTown for the lack of entertaining and enlightening posts. For months I avoided Facebook while all my friends were online and connected. Finally I joined. People started writing on my walls only I wasn't sure why or what I was suppossed to do about it. While still trying to figure out what I did and didn't want the world to see, people began flinging food at me, kidnapping me, talking about MafiaWars and challenging me to Pillow Fights. Then someone sent me a tree for my farm in late June and I've been hooked ever since.
Now I log on and tend to my farm before I even read an email then when I can't sleep and there is nothing to plant or harvest I move stuff around. I barely plant anything in the yard anymore because of various allergies but I have a great little spread growing by leaps and bounds on the internet.

A Bit of Laughter

2009-07-02T08:28:00.002-06:00

I haven't posted in a while but that's because I've just been too darn busy! So rather than doing a catch up post I thought I'd brighten your day with a post of the funniest newscast. I'm thinking it was an extremely slow news day.

Some things I want to know
Was the bear really Life sized?
Don't bears climb up higher than that into the trees?
Was that a poo paw print?

My Stalker

2009-06-24T21:56:00.002-06:00

I know most of you have heard about my stalker. He's the little round kid that lives in the Circle down the way. He comes by at weird times of the day to see me and play with Lucy. Sometimes they are extremely WEIRD times. Like last night. It was almost 9:30!!
I know there are parents who are lax in their childrearing but his really take the cake. The poor kid looks and smells like he sleeps in his clothes for days on end. He also wanders the neighbourhood at all hours. I've put him to work when he comes around. I've taken Lucy for a walk with him so he doesn't come in. I've went to his house and met his dad once so they'd know he was hanging with and he (the Dad) didn't even care!!??!!
More and more lately I've blown him off at the door and don't let him in because things come up missing when he's around. I don't know what to do. I swear it's like I'm his only friend. He hasn't been around for a long time but now it's been 3 visits in 2 days. I'm gettting scared to open the dang door again.

Missing in Action

2009-06-22T01:26:00.003-06:00

For most of the past month I've been battling pneumonia. It has totally kicked my butt. Not only have I had to reschedule every Dr appointment I had. I made a few unscheduled ones as well....like a trip to the ER for IV therapy from being too dehydrated. I missed out on all kinds of things that I was really looking forward too.
Just like always I lost my voice and it's still a bit scratchy.
Justin & Katrina's wedding. I was able to get their flowers done with alot of help. Thanks so much Cami and Kristen!! Melissa was chauffer extraordinaire since I was too sick to even drive to get them.
Chayla, Ashley and Brittany's Graduation all happened when I wasn't all here. Three neice's and 3 different schools all in the same couple of days. Chayla got a scholarship to play Basketball at Big Bend so proud of her!!
I also missed out on the Garrick Wedding and the Cabin Crop up at Scrappin' Smiles. Though I did eat a marshmellow and some chocolate and wore my brand new Froggy PJ's when I crawled back in bed. Tamara kept me in the game and sent Patty home with all kinds of fun things for me and a pink T-Shirt.
I finally started feeling a bit better and went scrapping last week. I didn't get an awful lot done but it was nice to get out of the house.

Dogs Rule Cats Drool

2009-05-12T18:24:00.002-06:00

Found these Dog Rules online and decided that just for LucyBelle I would post them.

Dog Rules

1.The dog is not allowed in the house.

2.Okay, the dog is allowed in the house, but only in certain rooms.

3.The dog is allowed in all rooms, but has to stay off the furniture.

4.The dog can get on the old furniture only.

5.Fine, the dog is allowed on all the furniture, but is not allowed to sleep with the humans on the bed.

6.Okay, the dog is allowed on the bed, but only by invitation.

7.The dog can sleep on the bed whenever he wants, but not under the covers.

8.The dog can sleep under the covers by invitation only

9.The dog can sleep under the covers every night.

10.Humans must ask permission to sleep under the covers with the dog.

Now in all fairness to LucyBelle she doesn't like being under the covers and she doesn't like it when I am under the covers either!! So sleeping in in the morning is pretty much a bust unless you want an ear full of "wet willies". She pulls at the covers til she has a bare ear or neck and then she just can't seem to hold her Licker! Still she is the best reason to get up and out of bed in the mornings so tit's all good.

2009-05-10T15:14:00.003-06:00

So here it is Mother's Day and I totally skipped out on the whole flower at church thing...again. Last year on Mother's Day I was busy sitting and waiting for cabin colours and flight numbers to be called. Brother Blane and I were getting off the ship and flying home from our Alaska Cruise. I spent alot of time reading the final chapters of book 3 of the Twilight series, in fact I started Twilight at the airport going to Seattle and finished Eclipse just a few minutes before we touched down in Salt Lake.
Today I made Gluten Free Spaghetti, last year we dined on Anthony's superb Halibut au Gratin inside SeaTac. Totally worth the $$$ though I do remember freaking out that it was almost $70 for the 2 of us for lunch! Nothing like the taste of a jet set lifestyle.
Instead today i made the time to watch all 3 1/2 hours of Schindler's List. I've only ever seen it all the way through once before. It was right after it came out but it made a huge impact on me. The last week or so it's been all about older movies. Not Classics but stuff that came out in the 80's and 90's. I think movie scripts were better. More acting and a lot less blowing shit up. That being said I am going to make time for Star Trek and Wolverine this week. LOL
But today Schindler's List and Spaghetti suited my mood.

Baking and Banana Bread

2009-05-03T13:59:00.002-06:00

I love bananas I really do but I hate that they go mushy before I get them eaten. I've tried to just buy a couple but I get such weird sympathetic looks from the cashiers I go for the whole bunch. so there I was stuck with 3 moushy bananas. What to do? Make Banana Bread of course. Not just any recipe would do though. Any I want to eat myself has to be Gluten Free. Using 1/2 ground bean flour and 1/2 of the Blue Chip Groups GF blend of potato starch, brown rice flour and tapioca starch. I made Banana Bread. A bit more crumbly than I remember but just as tasty. Maybe, just maybe getting back into baking is a good thing.

I'm in LOVE!!

2009-04-28T17:38:00.003-06:00

I have fallen truly, madly and deeply in love this weekend.
The object of my affection is this amazing little guy here.
For some joy may come in the morning but mine showed up Saturday afternoon sucking his thumb and holding on to Bear for dear life since Lucy was determined to take it away.

We still have some issues to work out. Since his Mommy and Daddy kept telling him they were going to Grandma's but they stopped here first I've been called Grandma alot the last couple of days. Now Emil knows who Auntie Vic is we've been the best of buds. After all she let him watch his favourite show on TV. He gets a 1/2 hr a week and he chooses to watch Cops!! Sings and dances along to Bad Boys Bad Boys and says "Don't do drugs!" "Don't run from Police!" when they catch the bad boys.
He still gets upset with Lucy but has mastered the phrases "Buzz Off Lucy!", "No Barking in the House" and "You go time Out Bad Puppy!" Auntie Vic scored high on the list for rescuing a huge giant Polar Bear from the dumpster, washing him and then letting Emil waller it to death in the middle of the family room. That thing is bigger than me!!
Another good call was his early birthday gifts...sets of finger Puppets from Ikea. He played with them for a long time and can do most of the animal sounds for all of them. But the fish were a little hard to come up with sounds for. Church was alot of fun. For the most part he played pretty quietly with them. If you ask him what does the starfish do he sings Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. The Shark goes da dunt da dunt da dunt da dunt like Jaws. Those in the pew in front of us got quite a chuckle.
He gets to dress up cute for his Uncle Brian's wedding tommorrow. I'm sure he'll be the belle of the ball.

Cousins

2009-04-25T23:47:00.003-06:00

Can I just say how very much I love the women I come from?
This week has been all about my extended family and both giving and getting a little compassionate service.
Tuesday Cami helped me chip away at the mountains of stuff in the sCraproom once again. Meanwhile I worked on the storeroom. Even nauseous and pregnant she can out clean, sort and quickly deal with all the cluttery stuff that makes my butt look big. Can you tell I've seen a bit too much of Oprah??
Sarah called a few times to have a reasonably intelligent conversation with someone over 3 feet tall.
Thursday I took Julie up to the U for her liver biopsy at 7am, left at 10:15 to pick up Trina from the Airport (she was flying in from Hawaii) and was able to catch up with a mission buddy of the Frog's waiting to get the car from the valet and took her home for a nap.
Went back up to the U and got Julie and got her settled in. Then yesterday Trina got me motivated to do some spring cleaning, rearranging the familyroom while I cleaned out the fridge and freezer. Cami will be happy to know there is no longer 3 month old expired yogurt in there. Then we went scrapbooking at Roberts 50's Crop with Natalie, Trudie and Patty we both won prizes. I got a Cricut cartridge in the cakewalk and she got a prize for coming the farthest.
Did a bit more cleaning and grocery shopping today. Tonite we've had a nice dinner with TD and Tara while Emil has entertained us all. They are in town for her brother's wedding. All in all a very good week.

Rest in Peace Bea

2009-04-25T23:38:00.003-06:00

One of my favourite older actresses. The gravelly voice. The lush Vera, the in your face feminism of Maude, Dorothy's classic common sense voice of reason. Thanks for the laughter you brought to me dear lady, rest in peace.

Dancing in the Rain

2009-04-03T13:12:00.003-06:00

Apparently I do dance in the rain. I don't think what I was doing was actually dancing though, I was just chasing Lucy round with the camera trying to get photo's of her protecting her turf.
The neighbourhood TomCat has it in for her. I swear he comes and sits on the fence just to torment her. She then goes nutso!! Til I let her out and then she really goes beserk. It's like watching a Tasmanian Devil cartoon. She runs jumps twists and twirls all while barking furiously!!
It's actually very very funny to watch. The other day there were 2 cats on the fence and Lucy picked up a stick about 3 feet long and started HITTING the fence with it. What a smart little puppy I have!! Of course the cats are wise to her now and just let her wear herself out til they get bored, then they leave.

What People Do to Entertain Themselves

2009-03-25T11:36:00.003-06:00

Obviously what I do to entertain myself is to surf the web for fascinating subject matter to share on my blog or to find the wild, wacky, weird and funny side of life others have so imprudently at times shared with the world.

Enjoy!!

My Rainbow

2009-03-15T14:29:00.003-06:00

My friend had this on her blog and I think it really fits her personality. Being the rather adventurous soul that I am I took the quiz too. No big surprise! my rainbow sees PINK proving once again that Pink is not a colour it is an ATTITUDE!!

Your rainbow is intensely shaded red, violet, and pink.

What is says about you: You are a grateful person. You appreciate beauty and craftsmanship. You are patient and will keep trying to understand something until you've mastered it. You get bored easily and want friends who will keep up with you.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

Harbouring a Hormonal Hound

2009-03-04T14:05:00.007-07:00

I could have also titled this post any one of the following:
Puppy PMS
Yorkie Yo! Mama
the Case of the Cursed Cutie
Pamprin for Puppies
Looney Loopy Lucy
A Visit from Aunt Flo
Pets with Periods
Yes Gentle Readers that's right, my little girl is a woman now. We are so proud.(That's a collective "we" by the way...she's keeping the neighbourhood awake with her yappy barking.) LucyBelle is in heat.

I am finding out a few things that I never knew or just plain didn't notice with the pets growing up. But the biggest surprise was her little girl parts do actually bleed. Right in fact on my cute Duvet cover from Ikea.

Fortunately they make little period pads for just such an event. Actually they are Doggie Diapers they are even cut out for her itty bitty tail. Sadly she hasn't been wagging it too much the past week. Do cuddly cuties get cramps???

Lucy is a completely different dog right now. If she isn't sleeping she is furiously barking at everything. The wind, car lights, TV, her reflection, the littlest sound will set her off....like the fridge kicking on, a blade of grass moving, the pop pop pow of the gun club. The fellows working on the highway behind the house. EVERYTHING has become a reason to run amok for a few minutes then drop exhausted to sleep until the next small disturbance.
I'd rather deal with teenagers.

I'm just barely literate in Ruff Ruff Woof. I don't do Psycho Puppy Poochie at all. She's even stealing all the air from the fan in the bedroom when I have Hot Flashes! Whatever happened to "My House, My Rules"?

I want my little baby back!!!!!

The Rainbow Only Comes After the Storm

2009-02-20T10:28:00.003-07:00

I found these photo's the other day when I was making up the gifts for YW's. The caption has really made me do some deep thinking and praying. Don't look so shocked it has been known to have happened in the past.
I 've never cried over being released from any calling before....though I have cried alot about being chosen for callings that I've felt terribly inadequate and overwhelmed in. Number One was as Ward Chorister and Choir Director in 34th Ward. The Bishop had gotten tired of seeing us coming in late so he diliberately gave me a job to make me on time. LOL
Be that as it may I know I've fallen far short on innumerable occaisions (Sundays,camp,PP,Activity Nights) in this calling but I have loved every minute of it. I often joked that it gave me a Social Life wether I needed one or not. I felt rather sorry for myself the other night that I wasn't going with the kids to the Food Bank. Oh how I love those girls!! They will always be my Beehives.
They have literally brought me out of the darkness dealing with being alone and into the light where I have friends of all ages to help me along. Now I just have to keep going.....

Limited

2009-02-08T14:45:00.003-07:00

In the musical "Wicked" which BTW, I stood in line 3 hours for tickets only to be told they were sold out about 30 people before me, there is a song called "Defying Gravity" Love Love Love that song!! Some people call it the I hope you're happy song. Anyway some of the lines go like this
Something has changed within me.
Something is not the same.
I'm through with playing by the rules of someone elses game.
Too late for second-guessing.
Too late to go back to sleep!
It's time to trust my instincs.
Close my eyes, and leap!
It's time to try defying gravity
Then later:
I'm through accepting limits,
'Cuz someone says they're so!
Some things I cannot change,
but 'till I try, I'll never know!

Good advice Right? So for the last few months I've been trying to find a Quote to go over the north window in the sCrapbook room downstairs. I've mulled over and discarded a whole bunch of really good ones. Actually spelling out LLTTF&JB, Well behaved women rarely make history, .......there are all sorts of very good ones out there. I'd practically decided for sure on a quote from Maya Angelou that says "You cannot use up Creativity. The more you use, the more you have"That was then
This is now...I stumbled upon this thought
"Never be limited by other people's limited imaginations"
Perhaps I shall use them both.

Safely Gathered In

2009-02-06T08:20:00.004-07:00

I've been experimenting with a bunch of different flours this month. I've even baked cookies twice!! Shopped til I dropped at the case lot sale. Bought a few small self rotating can racks for the store room. Tossed a few out of date items.....like the yeast TK used at Christmas. To be fair I didn't even know I had yeast in the fridge, but since it was more than 10 YEARS out of date I guess I'd better start wiping down the doors more often. LOL The shelves need to get the once over much more frequently too.
Anyway this is all leading up to a bit of a very funny article I saw in my LDS newsletter. Go ahead laugh a bit...I spit milk out through my nose as I was reading it.

Top Ten Signs you don't have enough food storage!

10 - The beanbag chair in your living room holds every legume in your house.

9 - Your plan for survival is to move in with your parents.

8 - The only items you have purchased that would last your family a full year are garlic powder and toothpaste.

7 - You are hopeful that your children will learn to savor the taste of boiled wheat three times a day.

6 - Your entire reserve of drinking water is sloshing around in your waterbed.

5 - You asked for a case of soup for your birthday.

4 - After being discovered, your year's supply of granola bars was eaten in just two weeks.

3 - You are extremely proud of your year's supply of salt.

2 - Every time you need flour your borrow it from your neighbor.

and the number one sign you don't have enough food storage---You feel carefree after stashing away a year's supply of pizza coupons. (Latter-Day Saint Wit and Wisdom, p. 21).

BTW if you want some fabulous ideas to use every inch of space for storage you owe it to yourself to go to Flicker.com and type in food storage and look at any photo tagged with Linda & Clark. This gal is awesome!! I've decided that she must teach this stuff somewhere because wow she's got some neat ideas. And I stole the photos from her.

Shades of Gray

2009-02-04T17:35:00.002-07:00

Baby Sis sent these photos a few weeks ago. Her friend took them while she was watching him. She's a professional and took the ones of PG Tracy too. He is getting so very big!! I keep thinking I need to visit soon or I'll have missed all his babyness. Don't you love the little gray wolf outfit? They change so quick.
Emil is already talking pretty plain for only 20 months old. TD said they will be here sometime in April for Tara's brother's wedding. I don't know which brother but hopefully Auntie Vic will get to play with the kiddo while everyone else is busy. What wonderful ulterior motives I have....

Seventy Five Cents

2009-01-29T18:17:00.002-07:00

That's the balance currently in my checking account after a $100 transfer from savings.
So no going to pick up meds tonite...no going anywhere that uses gas....seeing as how the savings only has the required $25 balance now.
Did I mention the extra $206.00 the mortgage company wants for the shortfall on the escrow account? Damn property taxes went up again. The good news is if I just pay that ahead before the 7th my actual house payment will go down about $15.00 for the rest of this year.
Good thing I've been doing a bit of stockpiling lately. We won't starve but I also don't feel much like eating from my newly re-stocked storage room. I did finally get over to Blue Chip Group and get a few GF items for right now. I'm impressed with their outlet store so if the mixes are any good at all I'll go back. They had elbow macaroni and linguine that I haven't seen before. So I got some, now if I'd only gotten some Kraft Yellow Death when it was on sale I could have mac and cheese by keeping the cheese sauce and tossing out the noodles, which is exactly the opposite of how I made it for the Frog. LOL
Did I mention pay day is Monday?

Thanks for the Memories

2009-01-25T00:14:00.002-07:00

Got asked a question today about the worst meal the Frog ever made and if I was polite enough to at least try to eat it.
Thanks for the Memory......
The Frog got laid off from his job 2 weeks after we got married back in the 1900's (1979). One of my shower gifts was a big box of canned goods from Liz Taylor.......with All labels removed!! For a few weeks we were so broke that we literally each picked a can of something and made dinner out of whatever was in the can.
One night Stephen made dinner while I was still at work....tuna sandwiches and slimey spinach. I HATE Spinach cooked unless it's well hidden in a Artichoke dip and I've only recently decided I like it that way. There is nothing in the world that will get me to eat something that looks like it came from the back end of a cow....except maybe love.
It was so yucky!! He had apparently fixed it with a little vinegar only it was alot more than it needed. So I hurriedly took a bite of my sandwich only it wasn't any kind of tuna I'd ever tasted! Even he agreed that it was awful so we looked at the can again. There on the bottom was stamped Purina......it was cat food!!!
Thirty years later I can still laugh about it.

Busy Week

2009-01-24T18:36:00.003-07:00

Ever take a minute to stop and just be? Not me. At least not this week.
I don't think I really accomplished much of anything around the house except to get some food storage items at Harmons Annual Case Lot sale. That's been my preferred way of canning for the past few years, bye the way. I think I really did well even though I forgot a couple of basics, baking soda and peppercorns....found that out when I went to make cookies on Wenesday. Yes! I have been known upon occaission to bake cookies! I don't like to do it but this was for YW Stake meeting that night.
No worries about the soda I just used baking powder...they came out a bit too crumbly for oatmeal cookies but that could be cuz I packed them full of chocolate chips, raisins and coconut. Did I mention they were Gluten Free? They went very well with our Hot Chocolate Tea Party. Found some darling Pink mugs. Also got everyone feather Boa's and little Tiara's. Even Bishop DeVries wore one. A Boa not a Tiara the man has some pride after all. Bro Heywood from our ward was helping to serve so he even gussied up with a Red feather clip in his hair for the rest of the evening. Don't worry I've got photos to prove it all.
So that was Wenesday.
Monday night I met Teresa and Gavin for dinner at the OLd Spaghetti Factory. It was a really fun visit and really good food and super busy!! Shortly after I got home Trina came in for a visit. I invited her to come to the Draper Temple Open House with me on Tuesday.
So that's what we did on Tuesday. Teresa and Gavin came with us and it was so neat to see his face light up as he recognized pictures he'd seen in Primary. We were quite hungry after dropping them off so we met Craig, Liz and Melanie at Q4U and had a good BBQ dinner. We didn't wait for them to come because we were so hungry but we ordered dessert and had a great cheesecake....Trina ate the crust.
The last couple of days have been hard. Alot of pain so I bailed on Scrapping with Patty last night. Today I've been laying about watching Seasons 1 & 2 of the Tudors and I've taken Lucy out for 2 walks in all the fog. I'm not sure if she is finally getting potty trained or I'm just not catching her peeing on the rugs but the puppy pad isn't getting used except late at night. She just jumps on me and then runs for the door and I let her out. Or I'll catch her staring out the window and wimpering a bit and she goes out and almost immediately does her stuff. Oh The joys of being her human.

More Resolutions

2009-01-10T08:45:00.002-07:00

I thought of even more areas of improvement last night. Not that I really NEED to improve anything. After all it's just Moi and Mary P. that everyone wants to be. You know......Practically Perfect in Every Way.
However this is always a question we seem to ask alot this time of year so I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon to self-improvement.
Since this years YW/YM theme is 1 Timothy 4:12 "Be thou an example...." I've decided to really work on my words and conversations and tackle my profanity problem this year. I'm pretty sure I'm intelligent enough to tell someone they are a total idiot without actually coming right out and calling them a Freaking Dumbass. I can borrow the many great ways of doing this from one of my favourite sites
I can for instance politely ask "Can you shift gears? or are you stuck in Stupid." Or use another great phrase "But if I agreed with you we'd both be wrong"
So dear readers if you think of any minor improvements that I need, please feel free to make a sugestion or two. Just keep in mind that "I used to Care but my give a Damn is Busted"

My Resolutions

2009-01-08T14:46:00.002-07:00

I'm not one to make alot of New Year's Resolutions. I usually start "NEW" in July...my birthday or September....something to do with a new school year. In fact I don't remember the last year I made a New Years Resoultion, though I do recall that I have managed to keep them.
They were
1. give a smile to someone everyday and
2. to always wear my seatbelt.

So this year I've been doing a bit of thinking and this is what I have come up with for my new list of Improvements
1. I will not eat Brussel Sprouts no matter how tasty others think they are.
2. I will walk Lucy at least 6 times every week
3. I will keep my gas tank above the 1/3 mark at all times so as to hasten my fast getaway should the need arise
4. I won't mean mug slow checkers at the Grocery store. Instead I will loudly sing along with the PA system and get others to join in.
5. I will put on a bra whenever I leave the house.....no need to scare children and small animals with my bodacious boobies. Exceptions only for trips to the mailbox

My Nobel Prize Awaits

2008-12-31T22:47:00.003-07:00

Another hour and the year 2008 will be over.
Strange isn't it? How slowly the time drags by when we are children but races by faster and faster every year that we are adults. I've been pondering this for a while now and I think I may have the answer figured out. Imagine that........One of Life's Greatest Mysteries solved by little old me!!
I'm sure to get the Nobel Prize for this brilliant school of thought. All of you will need to spread the word for me of course after all I don't think you can nominate yourself, but it's not beyond the realm of possibility....I could win it could happen.
So here it is...wit and wisdom for the ages straight from the mind of me and my little brain to you dear reader.
It's simple really
The older we are, the more people we come into contact with. So the longer we live the more friends we make and when they are gone the more people we miss. God makes the time fly on purpose so the waiting to see them again isn't completely unbearable.
Did I mention it was 2 years today that the Frog left?

On the 7th Day of Christmas......

2008-12-30T19:38:00.007-07:00

No swans were a swimming since they'd freeze their butts right off.

Just got back from the Taylors where we had dinner and listened to a lovely guitar concert by Aaron and his friend Char a Sister Missionary that served in Uraguay with him. She's only been playing for about 5 months she said but she sang us 4 songs that she wrote and they were so beautiful!!! Aaron sang a song too then they moved to the piano in the living room.

I have to say that the Drama that is my life continued right on thru the Holiday. But it was a really really wonderful holiday all the same.

I told Blane that it was the most fun since 1987 when the whole family came to Utah and Baby Sis stepped on Blane's head during the annual Santa Sneak. ( a time honoured tradition in the Nelson household)

The power went out on Christmas Day just as we sat down to open gifts. Thankfully, when it happened the turkey was cooked thru and waiting to be carved. We just went ahead and had fun anyway. The youngest was S, so she wore the shirt and played Santa, passing out all the gifts. She was so busy that she didn't even notice the unwrapped gift Santa left for her....a BAB named Holly Noel Bunnyrarebit! She took it everywhere with her from then on. LOL She may be 12 but she's still a little girl.

The snow from Christmas Eve just kept on coming down. Real blizzard conditions. Not hard at all to convince K & S to stick around a bit longer. We spent most of the morning Friday shoveling out T's van. Thank goodness for neighbours with snowblowers!

They left Saturday the 27th and made it to Surprise, AZ with no major problems except a short detour due to a closed road at Hoover Dam. She was meeting Rigo at the border and then the whole family was heading home to Santiago.

Part of the reason it was so much fun was that I had a bit of unexpected money. So not only did I have enough to buy food for the crowd, there was enough to pay all my current bills and a get a few gifts for everyone. But the best part was on Christmas Eve day. I gave Salina $40 to buy her own gifts for everyone and turned her loose in the store while I read in the car. She spent most of the evening wrapping presents and giggling to herself downstairs. She made cards for all of us, including Lucy to go with our presents. Everyone had little secrets and surprises. So Fun!

Blane was just laughing with glee when he opened his gift from Salina.......she gave him a huge package of SOCKS!!!! His idea of being rich is putting on a brand new pair every day. Julie gave him some too so he will be living like the rich folk do for at least a month.

I 've been thinking tonight about the Frog (Meredith gave me a beautiful FROG Pin) tommorrow it will be two years....... I was able to keep my date in the Celestial Room with him on Saturday. TK and I went and did a session in the Jordan River Temple. It was so special and so lovely.......I literally felt him there beside me as I was in the Prayer Circle with a young man who had just gotten his mission call. How I miss Steve!

All in all everyone had a lovely Christmas surrounded by LOVE, hugs, good food, a blanket or two and a ton of snow.

An Up Date

2008-12-23T10:47:00.003-07:00

Well some of the Drama has died down K is home from the hospital without having to have major surgery. Yea! She came home with a drain and a lot of antibiotics. I'll take her in tommorrow to have that removed.
M flew home and made it there alive and just before the Spokane airport closed again because of the storm. They've got 14+ NEW inches on the ground and more coming everyday.
Lucy is having a lot of fun with all these people to play with and pay attention to her. She gives out kisses to one and all and will play fetch for hours. She is also sleeping around with everyone upstairs and trying hard to be fair and give everyone a chance at warm feet. J couldn't take her being so cuddly and jumping on him in the middle of the night cuz he moved off the couch and has slept downstairs the last few nights.
All in all I think we are ready for Christmas.

Drama, More Drama

2008-12-18T06:19:00.003-07:00

Is it just me or does life tend to interupt your plans too?
Let me begin by explaining that I knew going in that this was going to be one of my more interesting weeks this year. Little did I know how interesting!!
Trees aren't decorated, presents are NOT even wrapped, let alone mailed....... though I do think thay are all purchased. At least they better be since I'm out of $$$$.
Sunday night my cousin K and her daughter S were coming thru on their way home to Mexico. They didn't get here til 2am because of the storm we got hit with but they made it. She had literally been driving almost 24 hrs straight in snow wind and sleet so I convinced her to hang around another day and rest a bit before trying to drive on to Arizona. We got hold of Blane and her nephew C and met up for dinner.
She collapsed and passed out at the restraunt before our food even got there and we had to rush her to the hospital!! K was screaming in pain in the front seat, S was crying and scared in the back seat, I'm white knuckle driving in the dark with a ton of traffic on I-15. I hate all those headlights! It should also be noted that I was most definitely breaking the speed limit.
Why is every ER hurry up and wait?
They finally checked her in with a temp of 105, vomiting, chills and an incredible amount of pain. An abcessed and infected ovarian cyst is what they are pretty sure caused all of this and after 3 days of full bore IV antibiotic's with no relief they are going to operate today.
In the meantime TK and her kids arrive tonite for the Holidays. My trees are not done being decorated, beds aren't made up again, laundry is not done, packages NEED to be mailed and groceries bought. Is it acceptable to just hit Wal-mart and BUY new sheets rather than take the time do the laundry?
I also had 2 dr appoinments with labs and a trip to the dentist yesterday. Miss Lucy Belle had shredded paper all over the place and even got into the YW gifts which I'd left in a bag on the bed. This was apparently much to much temptation because there was a lovely trail to her water bowl and back. I haven't returned Baby Sis's calls all week. I'm on day 2.6 of a killer migraine and my eyes are messed up so no cards mailed yet. It's snowing.
And the Cherry on Top (literally) Aunt C needs a cute verse to go with her neighbour gifts of ChokeCherry Syrup.
Stop the World I want to get off!!

My How He's Grown!

2008-12-14T17:22:00.002-07:00

I had the wonderful opportunity of attending church in K & H's ward today to listen to their son J's report on his mission. What an amazing young man he has turned into! How blessed am I to have him as a member of my family. It was a bit of a coincidence that as I was driving over to the church this morning I was listening to the Sounds of the Sabbath on 106.5 and the song was "His Image". J truly has recieved His image in his countenance. The love that he has for the people of Guadalajara really just shines on his face as he speaks of them. I noticed afterward that a few of his former companions came to the church to hear his report. One introduced his new bride and asked about one of their families they had taught and another who had only been home a month was there too.
J is truly his father's son. Like H he is outgoing, charming, very personable and enjoys being in a crowd having fun. Now after this mission experience he just radiates light! How proud his Uncle Steve must be of him.
Over to the house a bit later, his uncle K was asking him to talk in Spanish. He finally said a few words about L. It was pretty funny. I miss the days when the whole family spoke and the missionary bore his testimony in the language of their mission. J thanked me for the pages I did for his album. I'm so glad he is home and I get to witness the wonderful man he is becoming.

Deal or No Deal, A New Name or How my mouth ran away with my commonsense.....

2008-12-12T14:45:00.006-07:00

You all are going to have to help me come up with a new name. The Smurfmobile doesn't fit the FIT anymore. This FIT is Blackberry Pearl rather than Ocean Pearl Blue. Smurf-Mobile is being detailed at Stockton to Malone Honda and getting ready for a new relationship.

Why????

Funny you should ask.....

Ever done something just for the Hell of it? Maybe you are doing it for one of the following reasons while waiting for your current car to get it's oil change, tires rotated and a new tire mounted and balanced cuz you noticed a weird bulge that didn't look good on that one there......

a) you have an hour+ to kill so you took a look at the new model to see if they fixed all your peeves with the one you were driving

b) as fast as you read, the book you brought will be done in 20 minutes unless you actually read the book group discussions at the end

c) your Little Imp of Mischief was just daring you to yank someone's chain. So you made a bunch of crazy @$$ demands and conditions that no Credit Manager in their right mind would ever go for so you figured you were safe

d) you were thirsty, wanted a soda, had no change and knew agreeing to a test drive would get you one for free

e) all of the above

The correct answer dear readers is E) ALL of the above

For the record this was my list of requirements to the question of "Well what will it take for you to drive this baby home?"

1- Absolutely not one thin dime out of my pocket. (My current savings balance is about $25 and checking has just a bit more than $100)..... this was where I thought I'd be laughed out of the showroom and back to the Service Lounge

2- Payments on the new vehicle were the same amount as I was paying for the Smurfmobile.

3- Interest rate was below 6% and loan could not exceed 5 years

4- Dealer's Bumper to Bumper Extended Warranty on top of Honda's New Car 3yrs/36000 was included at NO ADDITONAL cost so I could drive the new one for 70,000 miles with no worries. After all I'd paid good money for something it turns out I didn't need since there was still 16800 miles left on the Manufacturer's warranty on Smurfy........ I thought sure this was going to be a deal breaker

5- Finally because I'd already paid for the new tire and the cabin filter at the Service Desk so I wanted a check cut back to me for that $234 if I was trading Smurfy in.....after all they would have done it anyway if they had just took him back "As Is" when I'd brought him in

Things went back and forth a bit, I just kept reading my storybook and sipping my Free Pepper Pop and kept saying "I told you what it would take" til the pagey thing announced Smurfy was all bathed and ready to go. Then I got up, gathered my stuff and headed for the door and said to my Salesman " Thanks for trying anyway" and then the Credit Manager guy came tearing out of the office and said "Wait!! Wait!! we can do this entire deal with this as a payment.....$10 more per month" with EVERY other freaky stupid dumbass demand of mine was met.

Or do you think it had something to do with the fact that there was NOBODY else even in the showroom and 5 salesmen were just standing about doing nothing the entire time?

So now I'm driving Miss Blackberry Pearl 2009 which sounds a bit more "growed up" but is still just as freaking fun to drive, has an armrest, better storage and is safer since the back headrests aren't blocking your view. OOooohh and it locks my doors automatically when you go over 10mph so Patty won't have to keep reminding me.

For other details of the differences between the 2 model years go to http://honda.com/

The Reason for the Season

2008-12-07T07:38:00.002-07:00

http://www.onesolitarylifemovie.com/

This is so beautiful. My friend Vickie sent it to me. What a wonderful way to start out a Sunday morning. Makes me feel very tender hearted. In part because memories of the Frog have been very close to me all week. I've heard from a ton of people who have seen his Christmas tree this past week.
Old friends and past ward family members have called off and on all week. You just don't realize how many lives you touch while schleping and slogging thru your own.

An Un-FROG-getable Christmas

2008-12-04T07:48:00.005-07:00

I spent all of Monday with the Firth family and friends at the Southtown Expo Center setting up a Christmas Tree dedicated to MY Frog, aka Stephen. It turned out wonderfully!! I'm so grateful for all the efforts of the ward that went into making it so beautiful.

For awhile my house looked like I was going thru one of the plagues of Egypt. There were frogs.....literally everywhere!
The Relief Society sisters made clay frogs that were hung on the tree. The YW coloured and crowned the wooden frogs, tried to make a garland and tied up an entire bolt of ribbon into bows. The Primary Activity Day girls made rock frogs on lily pads that we 'floated' on the pond. I did the letters you see under the tree, bought everything that Ikea had that was Frog Prince stuff and turned shower curtain hooks into ornaments. I found some lovely Frog Prince cookie molds online and I highlighted them with help from Jenny. They were going to be out of clay then painted but the clay wouldn't dry so the actual molds were used and we did them right there at the Festival. All in all it was fabulous fun!! I have felt very close to my Frog as I've been working on all this.

Then yesterday I got an email from Steve's old companion, Elder Patrick Cavener who served in the Tampa Florida Mission with him. He had come across a few old photos of Stephen and sent them along. It was a wonderful Frog Kiss straight from Heaven.
Steve and Elder Cavener

He looks terribly young doesn't he? These were taken in 1978.

This one is my favourite! This is just how he looked when I met him just a few months later.

Oh how I miss him.

Graditude

2008-11-26T07:18:00.002-07:00

After being up and down and in pain most of the night. I gave up and got up for the day. I skipped about reading some of my favourite blogs and checking out what is currently on sale on Craig's List. Then I decided to update my blog.
So here I am the day before Thanksgiving thinking about the things that I'm grateful for and some of the things that I'm not.
I guess alot of people would put their health at #1. That is so NOT me!! But I AM grateful for good Doctor's who listen to me as I listen to understand my body and how it reacts more.
I'm very grateful for ALL my families.
That's plural on purpose....thanks Eric.....
I'm grateful to be close to the Family I was born into, the Family I married into, the ward/neighbourhood Family I live with and most especially the Family of Friends that I've surrounded myself with.
The relationships I have built with my friends is extremely precious to me. How I love them all! They keep me sane, get me out of the house, encourage me to grow, let me lean on them, make sure I'm safe and make me laugh almost daily. They are my Heroes! We all make time to get together and have fun! Time flies when you are having Fun!
I'm grateful for my home. For the shelter it provides from wind, rain, heat and snow. For the precious memories of the Frog that took place here. For how warm,
cosy, and safe I feel within it's walls.
I'm so thankful for my girlgules...the YW...they challenge me to be better than I am. They never cease to amaze me! They accomplish so much when they are working together. They jump at opportunities to grow in ways that never even crossed my mind when I was their age. They jump, achieve then look round for the next opportunity. The ideas they come up with to entertain themselves, to provide service for others and live the Gospel principles boggle my mind at times.
I'm grateful for Lucy Belle. There are days I wouldn't get out of bed if it weren't for her. She loves to make new friends and go for walks. She knows when I'm talking about her to someone else. She has some really funny tricks. She's helping me be healthier, 22lbs have been lost since she became my roommate. I have learned I really need to be needed and she is 7 lbs of pure unconditional love.
Gotta stop for a bit and get something done.....

Not So Hot Shots

2008-11-19T17:13:00.003-07:00

My new medicines didn't work too well after 2 months of taking it. I think all it really did was make me very nauseated. Good news for my waist bad for my body. So after yet another Dr visit now I'm on insulin shots every day. So NOT fun! and after almost aweek my sugars are still not coming down. Can you say discouraged?
I'm full of holes and have little bruises from the needles so stepping out of the shower is always quite colourful lately. The only good news is that I'm no longer pretty colours round my ribs......those bruises are almost gone.....still painful though. But Hey at least I can comb my hair.
Last weekend I went to a Scrapaway retreat with my friends we had alot of fun and it was so nice. Our Hostess Marcie does such a wonderful job and we ate and ate till we were quite stuffed. We had a few food snafu's but for the most part there was a sub for everything I couldn't eat. I got an awful lot done and feel really good about what I accomplished. J was able to come too and one day we went together and took some flowers to Baby M's grave. she worked on a few family photos that had him in them but handled it so much better than I did at my 1st retreat after the Frog passed away. I remember just bawling my eyes out a couple of times.
This Farmhouse was even better than the cabin was so I hope we can continue to go. She even had arranged for a massues (sp?) to come. My massage felt so good!!! i swear if ever I get rich I'm going to have one every day. Lucy licking my toes just doesn't compare to a full on backrub. I even got my temples rubbed and got rid of the headache that was nudging to get out. Lucy stayed at Blane's and tormented Berg if the stories are to be believed......$80.00 to kennel the little furball.....I don't think so! Parky just ignored her. They are huge compared to her but Berg was afraid of her Blane said.
These are some photos of Lucy with her friends, Jezzie and her pal Sarah from next door. She is getting bigger and bigger and if my scales are right she is now about 8lbs. I swear if I didn't have her I wouldn't get out of bed some days.

Singing is Like Praying........Twice!

2008-11-16T20:54:00.002-07:00

I just got back from a Stake Fireside where the group Jericho Road were the featured speakers. It was really wonderful. We've been having some really choice speakers and they have all been exceptional but tonite was the best so far. Lynette came and brought Travis and his friend in from Grantsville, Karen and Kathy each brought their kids too so it was quite a group. Plus bonus both Travis and Eugenia were in the same building at the same time!
The second song they preformed was Every Single Tear. This is by far my favourite song I played it over and over those first few months after the Frog died. Still makes me cry.

Ouch!!!

2008-10-23T12:54:00.003-06:00

This is the story of why you should not ever walk your dog after dark.

Which by the way I really like to do. After dark and dinner is over all the big mean dogs go inside for the night. That makes it way lots quieter on the walk. Little kids are inside too, brushing their teeth and whining that their friends get to stay up til 10pm why can't I? This makes Lucy calmer and a bit more focused on the purpose of the walk.

So there we were walking along minding our business when someone came out from a house and got into their car. Lucy took this as a signal to go nuts trying to get to the person to say Hi!. I got tangled in the leash and tripped.

I tripped HARD!! In my fall I managed to land with my chest right on top of the big Maglite flashlight I'd been carrying. It was excruciating! I literally had the breath knocked out of me.

There I lay dying and in pain and there was Miss Lucy Belle behind the car as they were backing out because I'd dropped the leash. I staggered to my feet and was able to stop her from getting hit. It took a few tries to get hold of the leash. then it was back over to the place I fell to get the flashlight. It of course survived whole and in one piece. The cell phone looked okay but hasn't worked since.

Some major bruises and at least 2 cracked ribs. Days of pain.....thank goodness for Lortab, ice packs and heating pads. I go walking in the morning now. If you go early enough no other dogs are out and you don't need a flashlight.