I was tagged by Jan awhile ago. It took me a while to think of 7 weird things about me (ha. I wish!) but here they are!

1. I was pulled over 16 times before I got my first speeding ticket. My first 2 tickets were both while I was serving my mission. In the same town. Where they publish your name in the paper.

2. I was bit by a dog AND a goose on the same day while I was on my mission. I like dogs. I hate geese. Unless they are flying. Then they are OK.

3. I fell over a waterfall the day before I was supposed to get baptized. I don't know how to swim, so I almost drowned. (there is a really neat story that goes with this... I better blog it!)

4. I fell down my stairs holding my baby (thing3) and sprained my knee. They thought it was broken, but it was just one of the worst sprains the ER had ever seen. I had to go to months of physical therapy to get my knee to bend again. Damn black sandals (that I love).

5. I used to be a travel agent, so I was always able to get wicked awesome deals on airfare. I went to Hong Kong and only spent $37.00 each way. The job was all about the perks, baby!

6. I had someone road rage me and chase me in my car for over 30 minutes once. I was new to the area, and so I didn't know where the police station was. I flew into a gas station and was waiting in line to use the phone when I saw the van pull into the gas station... I burst out screaming! I scared the crap out of everyone inside the gas station... they came to my rescue and saved me, however, they neglected to get the license plate of the road rager!

7. I have an unhealthy fear of utility vans (see above). I was convinced as a child that only kidnappers drove those kinds of vans. If I have to walk past a "kidnapper van" I will wait until a bunch of people are walking... so that I don't get stolen and drug into the kidnapper van. The road rage incident only solidified the notion that crazy people or kidnappers drive those kind of vans.

Wasn't that fun?? I could go on and on about all the weird stuff that is the Motherboard... but I will save it for when I need something to blog about!

I tag Here in my Happy place, Tracey, Thing1, Mo, Sher, Andrea, Circe, Girl-Alex and Alyssa.

“Sometimes life seems like a dream, especially when I look down and see that I forgot to put on my pants”
- Jack Handy, SNL


I hate laundry. I have mentioned this here on this blog more times than I would care to even read. I really do. I actually offered, at church, to clean all their bathrooms -- if someone would come and save my sorry self from my mounds of laundry.

No takers.

I think they know just how out of control my laundry is too. However, I had some people over for dessert on Monday night (her and her) and spent the weekend cleaning like a crazy person would. I actually had all the laundry done, and folded in neat little piles on the laundry room counter. I felt pretty slick.

We had our little soiree -- complete with the fire pit and lots and lots of laughing! The next morning, I could NOT figure out why my house smelled like we had been camping. I went in the CLEAN laundry room, only to bowled over with forest fire smells.

GASP!

I had left the laundry room windows open-- and all my clean laundry now smelled like we had been living in a smokey cave for the last 3 years.

Holy Smoke. Seriously stinky people. So. I am back at square-freaking-one with my laundry. Only, I have been trying some new radical laundry trick I just thought up. When the clothes come out of the dryer-- I have been folding them and immediately putting them away.
Genius. For reals.
Why did I not ever think of this before?

Life changing, this little thing is. (that was very Yoda-ish!)


1. Street Corner Preacher - Amos Lee
2. Big Girls Don't Cry - Jersey Boys, Original Broadway Cast
3. Dead is Done - Dave Matthews Band
4. Chasing Pavements - Adele
5. Hush If You Must - Brooke Waggoner *this song is my new favorite!*
6. Disappear - The Gabe Dixon Band
7. The Breeze - Dr. Dog
8. Just Like Heaven - The Watson Twins
9. A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
10. The Way I Am - Ingrid Michaelson

Bonus: I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie

Do you have a favorite thought? Write it down, post it where you can see it often. Then, share it with someone.

I hate being a follower. I like to do my own thing and march to the beat of my own drum. I do things my way...
However, blogger is has made just one more thing to feed this addiction of mine.
The follower button.
Oh boy. Just what I needed. Another thing to feed this blogging addiction!

So, I am a follower now.

Won't you feed my addiction and follow me too? Please?

Enable me.
Follow me.

Please.

(is that enough groveling to get you to click the follow me thing --------> over there? ------> on the side there-------> please??)

Once up a time...Up until this time...For the time being...Time and time again...all in good time...
Times up!


We have, since the beginning of time, been trying to understand how time works. We never will. Time will always be moving forward. Take Time today to visit someone.

Moxie does this hilarious little trick... she rocks herself.
All the time.
It is really funny to watch, and even more fun to watch complete strangers get a kick out her rocking herself.

Thing1 insisted that I put this video on here "For when she's all grown and obnoxious, Mom."

I am still trying to get a video of her yelling and singing, and rocking-- all at the same time... it just makes me happy to hear her talking away... and then see her doing her "Rockin' Robin" trick...

So, without further adieu... We present: Miss Moxie Moo and the Rockin' Robin!

Take notice of who you have seen lately? Is anyone missing?? Give them a call and see how they are doing.

Have you ever tried to argue with someone over the instant messenger?
I have. It's really hard.

What is the equivalent of slamming the door? Really? I want to know.
Is it smacking that return key really hard? Only, they don't hear how hard I am smacking that key, so they don't get that I am mad at them.

So then I YELL AT THEM IN ALL CAPS. Only they think I just forgot to take the caps lock off. (oh! look! she's so cute... she forgot to take the CAP lock off...) And they are still clueless.

So then I resort to ALL CAPS WITH A DIFFERENT COLOR... POSSIBLY RED... BECAUSE RED MEANS POWER... AND ANGER... AND MORE POWER...

Only they think I am just being colorful and all trendy fun because I am talking in ALL CAPS that are in RED.

So, now I am really mad. I am not just hitting the return key hard, I am pounding it, slapping that sucker and its still not being communicated that I am seething mad.

I resort to taking those ALL CAPS that are RED and making them insanely LARGE. Because for sure, now they will know that I am angry...

Nope.
Oblivious.
Clueless.
They have to go. They can't "chat" anymore... and I am left seething. All over a simple "Oh. I forgot."

If I had taken the time to actually communicate with my actual human voice... Well then I wouldn't have needed to type in RED ALL CAPS that were insanely LARGE...

You see, sometimes things are REALLY misinterpreted when you instant message (or text). I meant one thing, but they heard another... and it was all dependent on the mood that we each were in when we read the messages.

(This is why I wish for the love of all things holy that teenagers would quit texting and start speaking-- either face to face or the dumb phone!)

I still wish there was a way for them to hear how loudly I am slamming that return key though, don't you??

1. You think your dog it potty trained, and think it should stay inside the whole time you are gone on your week long trip. You ask us to go over and let it out 3 times a day. We do, but your dog is NOT potty trained. At all. It poops everywhere. (especially under your bed) we cleaned up the poop and cleaned the carpets before you got home. It was really gross.

2. Asking me to check on your dog every 2 hours (because it doesn't like to be alone) is ridiculous. We told you that we did. But, we didn't. We did however put in the Shania Twain CD every night for it to listen to while it slept. (wuh?)

3. Your dog that is an outside dog? Well. It wasn't while you were gone. It was hot, and ran inside when I left the back door open while I changed the water. I couldn't get it to go back outside. So, it stayed inside. Pretty much the whole time you were gone.

4. Your dog is a total escape artist. I put it outside, and left it like you told me to. But it wouldn't come when I called it back (only like 1 hour later). I looked and looked and looked... and then found a hole in your fence. Your dog ran away. I looked all over town for it for 2 days. Then, remember that I called you on vacation to tell you your dog ran away? Yeah. That was sad. You cried. A lot.

Then a farmer left a note on your door-- but I saw it-- and I ran and saved your dumb, escape artist dog before you got home.

5. This same escape artist dog ate your blinds. I don't know how it did, since its just a little, tiny brown thing... but it did. It ate your blinds.

6. Oh. And it growls at me every time I try to lock it in its cage. I tried hard the first night to get it in its cage-- even going so far as to lay on top of the table pushed next to the cage so it wouldn't bite me. Then I gave up and let it sleep on your bed.

7. Remember how you were complaining about not being able to find mates to your kids socks? Well. It's cause when you were gone, your dog was playing with them. He buried some in the backyard I tried to get them away from him, but he thought we were playing a game. And, your neighbors were laughing at me chasing your dumb dog all over the back yard...

8. Your dog has major issues. I gave it the dog valium like you said to when it rained... only I didn't know it was raining, so I guess I gave it too him to late. The thunder was too far away for my human ears to hear. But, not for your crazy dog. Nope. He jumped up into my bed, and burrowed his way to the bottom of the bed and then licked my toes. It was gross, and I kicked him. Sorry about that!

9. Then, because it got in our bed, and was freaking out. I took it back to your house... but it was acting really weird. I was worried maybe I had over dosed your dog. So I slept on your couch watching your dumb dog try and climb the walls. I really didn't sleep. And, your dog is weird.

10. I forget I am watching your dog, but remember in the middle of the night. So I get dressed and run over there to feed your dog and water the dog (thank heavens you left him outside this time)... Just in time for you to come home in the afternoon. He was only forgotten for 2 days... and there was still food and water. So no big deal, right??

11. Your dog pukes. A lot. And, I had to clean it up. It was gross.

12. Umm. Your dog? Yeah. It knows how to get out of its kennel. I don't know how it does it, but he does. Every! Freaking! Time! I come in the house... he is there to greet me. How? Do you have a Houdini dog??

My kids had fun watching all the comments come rolling in! Thing 1 helped me with the random number generator, however we couldn't figure out how to slap a screen shot up here... And frankly, I was just too tired to try and figure it out!


Thank you everyone for entering! That was so fun meeting so many new people! Make sure you keep visiting & commenting! I have another giveaway up my sleeves that I should be doing next week-- hopefully!! So, keep an eye out for that!

Everyone has God given talents. Some are to sew, others to dance. Some are to paint and some are to cook. Not all talents are visible to the eye. Some are good listeners, some make us laugh.. but we each have a talent. In order to live a richer, deeper, more passionate life-- we have to stop comparing ourselves to others and nurture our own God give talents. What is yours? Have you been hiding your talent? Do you recognize your talent? Write your talent down and start nurturing it. Playing it “safe” is the riskiest choice we can make. Today, share a talent.

Today is my Father's birthday. My father makes all other fathers look drippy. He was the greatest dad-- the perfect Dad for a family of all girls. We were ( and still are) a hormonal bunch of women... and he has the patience of Job.

When my first boyfriend broke my heart (by breaking up with me at work-- on my break), it was Dad that was there to pick up the pieces. He had a dozen roses delivered, with a card that said he would always be my number 1 fan... and he has been ever since. I still have that card by the way. It means the world to me.

My Father has always been my biggest fan. He is a wonderful example of how to build a daughters self esteem. He writes me notes-- emails now-- telling me of the various things I do that he is proud of. I have them all saved. When I do something new with a photo, or the computer-- he is the first to compliment me.

I told him recently that it must be deeply satisfying for him to have his daughters returning to the things he loves-- music, travel, computers, and photography. He smiled his coy smile and just nodded his head. I have a deep appreciate for all of those things-- because of my Dad.

This song has always reminded me of my father. It came out shortly after my grandfather died. I remember riding home from the grocery store in our white T-bird, listening to this song. My dad was singing along to the song, and started to cry. I had never, that I could remember, seen my dad cry.

We sat, the two of us, in the garage listening to this song. I watched the tears drip down my fathers face as he listened to the lyrics of this song and I felt curious feelings. I was concerned, and my heart hurt to see how sad my father really was. I remember him turning to me and saying: "Motherboard, it really is to late when they are gone. Never, ever let the opportunity pass without telling the people you love that you really do love them."
Then he told me how much he loved me.

That moment is seared in my brain. I remember it as if it happened yesterday.

So today, I am taking the time.

"I am saying it loud, and I am saying it clear, and I am saying it in the living years":

I love you Dad.

You are a good man, with an even better heart. You live what you preach and you preach what you live. I want you to know that I appreciate all the sacrifices you have made in my behalf. I recognize them now.

Thank you.

I appreciate the kind manner in which you deal with my children... and the fact that you take time out of your busy life to make them feel important. I appreciate, and respect the Man of God that you are. Thank you for being that solid influence in my life.

Thank you for always treating me like a lady... even when I didn't act like one.

Thank you for being there to pick up the various pieces of my life when they were falling apart. Thank you for always listening and helping me to see things in the right perspective.

Thank you for being such a wonderful father.

I love you, and Happy Birthday!

"If you were a pirate, you know what would be the one thing that would really make you mad? Treasure chests with no handles. How the hell are you supposed to carry it?!" - Jack Handy, SNL

If you read me in Google or blog lines, pop in and take a look at the changes I have made here on the Ole blog! Then enter my giveaway! Its pretty awesome! I mean, there are chocolate covered cinnamon bears and hot chocolate! What more could you want?? (oh! there's more! So much more!) You have until Sunday night to enter!

Here it is. The promised blogiversary giveaway.

Yea! Clap clap clap! Woot-woo!

{{tap tap tap. Is this thing on??}}

Before we see what it is y'all are going to be cat-fighting for, I suppose I need to give my obligatory little rambling speech. When I have gone on too long, will someone please cue the music person?

Thanks.

I started this little blogging gig 3 years ago. Yes. Three years ago. Back when it wasn't the cool thing to do, and basically no one did it. I knew only 1 other person who had a blog, and it was my sister who was trying to keep us all updated on her husband's kidney transplant.

I started back in the day when if you wanted to change up your template, you had to do it old school style... by programing it. The"add a widget" thing was not there. The easily installed templates from other bloggers were not available. Whatever you had on your blog... you did by programming it in. It was hard... It was time consuming... and I loved it.

This here little blog saved my sanity. It occupied my time and helped me deal with the sorrow I felt that only a person who has moved across country, leaving behind their established world, would understand.

I have always written original material. Except for that one time that I pulled something from my archives to read. It was written when I was "private" and frankly, I thought it was dang funny. I know its quite popular to pull posts from your archives and re-post them (some bloggers do this multiple times with the same post...over and over) but I am not doing this little blogging gig for anyone but me. If I don't feel like writing, I don't. I write lots of stuff, and save it up for those writers block days. (Can I just add that I LOVE blogger's post ahead feature?? Wow. I can't toot that horn enough!)

Blogging really didn't come alive for me until my Prophet, President Hinckley died. I was blog hopping after his death, and ran across several posts that just touched me. Up until that point in time, I had never commented on a single blog. Never. I read a lot of blogs... I just never commented on them. I was unsure of how I felt letting people into my little world.

What a wonderful, marvelous (insert 10 more adjectives here) experience I had been missing out on. It's the commenting on each others blogs that makes this blogging gig so rewarding. It brings you together... sort of like... a community!?! I actually feel like I have friends-- out there in the big, bad world, and its blogging and commenting that have made that happen.

Blogging has enriched my life. I wish there had been something like this when Thing 1 & Thing 2 had been little. I will remember things from my 2 younger children's lives that I will never be able to recall from the older children's lives. I feel both happy and sad about that. Happy because I can record the minutia of my current daily life: the funny things my kids say, and the daily grind. I am sad because I can not, for the life of my, recall all of the funny things the older children did and said. The memories I have are just that...memories. Blogging makes it possible to re-live the events... over and over... and elicit the same emotions.

Some day my friends, this here little blog of mine will be my children's prize. I hope they cherish it. I hope it brings them comfort, makes them laugh and helps them realize they were loved. If nothing else I at least hope it makes them roll their eyes.

{{music playing in the background...}}

So, there it was. My blogiversary speech.

Now, without further adieu... lets get to the real reason you're here: FREE STUFF!!

You are entering (1 time please in the comments for this post) for a bunch of awesome stuff. Remember my last giveaway? Yeah. It was pretty sweet!

A new mug and some of my favorite Stevens Hot chocolate to go in the mug.
A pen & a new wanderlust travel journal-- but you can use it for all your stellar blog ideas (so you wont forget) --I must say that I am coveting this little journal- big time. Its actually pretty slick!

A set of note cards tied up all fancy with straw crap.

A fall smelling candle

A laugh metal thing-- just cause I think laughing is the best way to stay young. And it feels good to have a good belly laugh!

Chocolate covered Cinnamon bears! *for all my friends who can't get these where they live*

A relaxing piano CD from my friend Sher (it is so good!)

And, no giveaway is complete from the Motherboard without a book. I am not sure what book I will be sending along, but trust me. It will be good!

So. There you have it. My blogiversary giveaway.

Now Go.
Enter.
And, tell all your friends!

I love fresh fruit. It is one of my favorite things about summer. What is better than fresh fruit? Why fresh fruit drizzled in white chocolate, of course!
You should try this.
Soon.
Like now.


Vegetable oil spray for misting the pan
Flour for dusting the pan
1 package (18.5 oz) plain devils food or Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix
1 package (3.9 oz) chocolate instant pudding mix
1 C sour cream
1/2 C water
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs

Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly mist a 12 Cup bunt pan with Pam, then dust with flour. Shake and set aside. Place the cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, water, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Blend with mixer on low for 1 minute. Stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase mixer speed to medium and beat for 2-3 minutes more, scraping the sides down again if needed.

The batter should look thing and well combined.

Pour the batter into the pan, and smooth out. Bake in approximately 58-62minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched and is just slightly pulling away from sides. Let cake cool for 20 minutes. Run a long, sharp knife around the edge of the cake, and invert onto a cooling rack to cool for 20 more minutes. Sprinkle powder sugar all over and lay the berries around the sides of cake and in the center. It is very pretty and oh so tasty! Once cut with berries drizzle the white chocolate sauce on top.

Seriously. Oh. So. Good.

I spent yesterday making my favorite salsa and decided I would share it with you, my imaginary friends. Beware. If you like salsa, this stuff is addicting, and it makes a TON! I usually share it with the neighbors... It is awesome on Burgers... for reals.

I am the Queen of procrastination! But, procrastination is the Devils tool. Today, do one thing you have been putting off doing. You will feel a huge relief!

Do you use sitemeter? I do. I like to see who is coming over to my place to visit. I was really irritated on Sunday when they did their little "migration" (which, apparently went horribly wrong). They got all jiggy with it, and made it near impossible for me to see who was visiting me.

After cursing it quite a bit, I went off to church. Every time Jefe would ask me a question at church, I always answered it with some version of "I can't believe they messed with my mojo. How am I going to know which one of my friends is checking in?"

I think he was puzzled. How, if you have never met these people, can you call them friends? But, you see, that's the beauty of this whole blogging deal. I do feel like I know you... even though we may have never met. I have read your stories. I have felt your sorrows with you, and rejoiced with you in your triumphs.

When I look at my sitemeter, I find myself saying to myself: "She came to visit me today? I wonder how her Dad is doing... "And, " She came to visit too. I wonder if her husbands trip was successful..." or "Oh. I love it when she comes to play! She says the best things..." or "I hope her song went OK today. That would be so hard to deal with..." or "Oh. She came to see me... did she survive the hurricane?". (yes. thank heavens!)

I think about you all. You really are my imaginary friends.

Like when I see that She has come to visit, I wonder how her trip to D.C. went. Or when She comes to visit I find myself wondering how the pregnancy is going... and hoping she's done being sick soon. I see that She came over, in between her classes... how are those classes, btw? Then I shudder, because cadavers? Really? eww. Then I think about her. How is that boy of yours? Have you smacked him silly yet?

Then I see that She came to visit, and wonder how her scrapbook for her friend is coming... and how her cousin, Frumpy is. Oh. She came over to play today. How are those cute boys? I wonder if she's made a decision yet... Yea. She came to visit... I wonder how the wedding plans are going... Has anyone be killed yet? ;P

And, many many more. I see you, my imaginary friends. I think about you. And, I'm thankful to sneak little peeks into your lives. Thank you for sharing your stories with me.

The thoughts of sitemeter messing up my little mojo regimen was maddening. Jefe thought it was great... because they were no longer enabling me. However, they did come to their senses. Everything is back to normal, and I can see you coming over to my place to play. I am so glad you are here!

My friend Janell, over on Frumping it up, is in surgery right now... As I sit here and type this. She has a brain tumor that is being removed. And, although its not cancerous, its still a dangerous surgery.

I have been thinking about her all morning... wondering, each time my thoughts turn to her, how far along they are in the surgery. I have found myself on numerous occasions today offering up prayers in behalf of her and her Doctors.

The first summer of us living in our home in Illinois are some of the happiest memories I have.  It isn't because our house was super fancy, because it wasn't.  It was just OURS. We had been living in the ghetto where we were the only white people in our building.  I was called "Mista Lady" and Thing 1 was referred to as "the white girl".

Oh the stories I have to blog with regards to our adventures living in that complex. From the attempted home robbery on the 23rd of December, to our neighbors getting arrested for drug dealing...multiple times.  Then there was the constant din of drunken students bellowing past our windows and the parade of gangsters in and out of the apartments.

That is why, I suppose the move into our new home was so wonderful. The photos hanging our walls no longer shook from the beat of the music being played outside.  We were no longer being awoken at night from sirens bellowing past our town home or hearing the screaming, fighting drunken people.

That first night in our home was the best nights sleep we had had in 3 years.

We spent that first summer in our new home being lazy and swimming in our pool.  We grilled every night and ate every single meal on our porch out back.  We would just sit after dinner and BE.  I have to say that I miss that.  The kids would either be swimming, or chasing the fireflies all over the backyard trying to catch them for their collections.

Our tiki torches were always going in the evenings and the music was playing from the inside of the house, which came serenading us through the windows.  It was a wonderful time. It was the same, every night. We would sit out back until the kids fell asleep.  Then we would carry them upstairs to bed, and we would go back outside and listen to the night noises.  Often times we would look at each other, and say to each other: "You feel it? The feeling?" and then we would smile that knowing smile as if to say: "If this is what heaven is like, then sign me up, baby".

Saturdays varied only slightly.  Instead of our regular radio station that would serenade us, we would tune in to A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor.  He is an amazing story teller, and the music he spotlights is superb.  We never missed a show.  Our children have grown up listening to the stories of Lake Wobegon, and dancing to the Powder Milk Biscuit commercial. 

We can't help but, every time someone asks for ketchup, finish the phrase by saying: "It's a natural mellowing agent,you know!"  I love the little "commercials" that they do about the Ketchup... and the song is quite catchy! We sing it to each other often... especially when someone is being grumpy... the rest of us will start in on "You need more ketchup, its a natural mellowing agent, you know!"

Prairie Home Companion has become a very integral part of our lives... an anthem of sorts. The stories that Garrison (look at me talking like we are tight like that) tells are wonderful.  He is the only person that can make the Midwest sound romantic.  Which he does... brilliantly. 

I love the way he tells stories. I could sit and listen to him for hours... and I have.  I saw him once, live, and he has no notes when he is up telling his stories of Lake Wobegon. They are all just rolling out of his brain. I am sure he wrote them down, and practiced them, but the mere fact that he is up there sans paper makes the stories that much better!

Thing 1 told me that she used to hate this show... but now she loves it-- and Thing 2 does as well. They moan when they hear the opening music play, but everyone gradually gathers in the kitchen so we can eat and listen.  I think now they just do it for effect, but secretly they love the show as much as their Dad & I do.  I am thrilled that we are passing on a love for this show... the good stories, the music, the old time radio show...  It is a wonderful way to use your imagination and to spend a lazy Saturday evening.

Remember there are others out there that are less fortunate than you... go through your closet today and find 4 things you can donate to charity. If you find more... then even better!

Opera is where a guy gets stabbed in the back, and instead of dying, he sings. ~ Robert Benchle

Moxie did not get the memo from God that said: "All babies will love their car seats and sleep. Thus saith the Lord."

She must have been out sightseeing when that memo went out. She hates her car seat. Whenever she gets in it, she will be fine for a short time, but if we start driving anywhere... she screams. Bloody. Freaking. Murder.

It's really the only time she cries. When she's in her seat. However, I have found the magical cure all for her screaming.

I sing Opera. Not very well, mind you. But, I sing it none-the-less. It is actually quite hilarious. She will start screaming and I will let her go for a few minutes while I work myself up for what is about to come...

An Operatic rendition of this: "Moxie, why are you crying. OHhhohhoh. Moxie. Why must thou cry? Your crying is so loud; your crying is so sad. M-AHHHH-xxxx-iieee! Why are you crying..."

I sing this over and over. She immediately stops screaming and listens. (probably from sheer terror!) I'll sing for a while, and then stop. After a few minutes of sweet, blessed silence, she starts screaming again. It's quite amazing really. I am surprised the windows haven't shattered as I do my Operatic vocal runs. I sing it lagato, staccato, soprano and bass. And, to be honest, it totally cracks me up. Don't you wish you could hear it?

1. Let Me Down Easy - Chris Isaak
2. Mother We Just Can't Get Enough - New Radicals
3. Bless The Broken Road - Rascal Flatts
4. Ain't That Right - G. Love & Special Sauce
5. One Fine Wire - Colbie Caillat
6. Tears of Gold - Ryan Adams
7. Smooth Operator - Sade
8. Thank U - Alanis Morisette
9. Careless - Amos Lee
10. Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse

Bonus: Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee

Before I do this tag from my good friend, Braden, I must embarrass him. Just cause I'm nice like that!

I have known Braden for like forever it seems. We were both theater/music nerds (sorry Brade, we were!) in high school and just sort of gravitated towards each other. We were in many a play together, choir and just hung out. Braden has gone on to be a big wig musical man, and it just fits... I mean he was producing/directing plays in high school!! He did the play Oliver! our Senior year in high school,( I had the lead) and, if I do say so myself, it was better than the local high schools version. And, they came and borrowed our sets. Braden has always been a musical genius!

First, high school was not my favorite thing.

(DUN DUN DUN DUN - said all dramatically)

I was weird and moody. I had a hard time interacting with girls, because there just seemed to be so!much!drama! -- and not the theater kind either. It seemed to me that I always had girls mad at me. So, I tended to gravitate towards boys. No, not in that way! (sheesh. get your mind out of the gutter!) I just tended to have lots of guy friends.

Enter Braden and his clan. My Junior year in high school was extremely difficult for me. I felt lower than whale poo and was just having a really hard time. I spent most of that year hanging out with Brade, Nate and my Debate partner-- Edward, the exchange student from Germany. Yeah. Niiicccee.

When I told my Mom that Braden had tagged me, her face lit up like I have not seen it do in years. She loved my guy friends. They used to come hang out at our home and it was a party. All the time. She reminded me about this photo here of us at Prom.

Braden took our photo and turned it into a wedding announcement. And then, he gave it to his Grandma. I laughed so hard when we remembered this-- cause we kept wondering how on earth! his Grandma fell for it. We looked like were 10.

Then my mom got a little teary, and said: "I don't know what you would have done without Brade, Nate and the rest of those guys. They sort of saved your hide in high school."
Yes, its true. They did.

So, thank you. Thank you for being my friend when it seemed like no one else would.

So, without further adieu, here is Braden's tag:

If every job paid $50,000 a year, and you had no physical or mental limitations, what would you do? Sing to my kids and travel the world
What is your current church calling and what do you like about it? Young Woman's personal progress leader. I am just grateful I get to still be in with all those girls. Oh, how I love those girls. They make me feel young-ish.

Name a person you regularly encounter (outside your family) who brightens your day: My friend Kathleen and Liese probably. We run the volunteer choir at the elementary school together, and spend the entire time laughing. The school didn't have a choir, so we organized one and are together twice a week at the bright, lovely, fun hour of 7:15am. I actually LOVE this little choir gig. (not to toot our horn, but we are pretty good too! We were invited to sing at a choir festival, and we were the best choir there!)

In twenty years, what do you think you will miss most about your life now? My kids being around. Moxie will be twenty, Thing 3 will be 25, Thing 2 will be 29 and Thing 1 will be 33. (I think I just threw up a little in my mouth...)

What’s something you appreciate about your spouse? He refuses to repeat things he hears about others... even to me. His commitment and dedication. I actually did a scrapbook for him for Father's Day that lists all the things I love/admire about him with photos to accompany the list. It's pretty slick, and must be cool because it elicited some wiping of the eyes from Jefe. And, he never has to do that!

What is your favorite routine, household chore? Weeding. I love to weed, its true. I find it deeply satisfying! My family refers to it as "Mom calming her demons".

What’s a book you return to occasionally (besides the scriptures)? The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver She is brilliant, and when I go get my masters, I want to do my thesis on
her!
Favorite small pleasure? Dove milk chocolate ice cream bars; Godiva Hot chocolate from Barnes & Noble; and Vanilla Steamers from Starbucks.

Favorite time of the day? Dusk. Everything is starting to slow down. Its my favorite time to take walks.

Name a person who performed what they thought was a small act of service, but ended up being a big deal to you: When Jefe's Dad died, we had a house full of out of town guests. Cooking for the masses was difficult because we were all grieving. My friends took turns bringing us meals to feed our entire family(this was done outside the bounds of the relief society too). They did this for days. And, I cried every time they came.

Name someone who somehow changed your life: My 11th grade English teacher, Mrs. Brown. I had an old keister for 10th grade English and he did a real number on my self esteem. I really thought I was stupid, but Mrs. Brown would have none of that. She built my self esteem and self confidence up. She saw in me what I really was-- smart. I actually wrote her a letter recently to thank her. But, I saw her before I could mail it.. So I just told her what I written, and what she had meant to me, and how she had helped me. (and I cried like a baby too. It was rather embarrassing) She was my favorite teacher!

Consider what you do each day. Think of one attribute or trait that you bring to your daily work that is a strength—what is something you do really well? I love kids. All kids. I love the kids in my choir, and in my youth group. I love my childrens friends, and my own children. I love kids.

There you have it, Braden's Tag. Anyone can play... so feel free. Let me know if you play so I can come see just how awesome you are!

Just so we don't end this post all foo-foo-fluffy... here's a photo of the back of my hair from prom. It was pretty slick. My mom had woven real roses and babies breath into my hair. I had forgotten about it, until I went looking for all these photos.

My car. Brade and his friends called it The Poo. It was a weird color, and sometimes looked red, sometimes purple and sometimes brown... hence the name. I used to get mad and tell them to quit mocking, cause at least I had a "poo" and they didn't. Besides, I happily drove them everywhere. Much to my parents horror (like the month they were in Australia and we put 1,000 miles on my moms new land cruiser... cruising all over tar nation! My mom is still mad about that!)

Today watch a movie with someone you care about.

This day always hurts my heart. I remember vividly watching, on live TV, the planes crash into The World Trade Center. My oldest children were eating their breakfast, and I was catching up on the morning news before school. I thought we were watching a movie premier... and when I realized what was happening I was horrified. Actually, horrified does not do justice with what or how I was feeling.

Do you remember?

Thing 1 spent the evening of September 11, 2001 coloring while Jefe and I watched with horror the events unfolding in New York. Every so often she would ask me "Mama, what happens in March? Mama, What happens in June?" This went on for over an hour. At the end, she brought us her finished creation, and I cried. It was a beautiful calendar, but what made me cry was what was on September. She had drawn a flag, with a man holding it and it said simply: "The war."

I lived in the heartland of America. Our countries pride ran deep there. When all the planes were grounded, there were thousands of people who landed at our airport, just outside of Chicago. They were stranded, yet it was an awesome sight to see how my community banded together.

Every where I looked there were flags. Flags on cars; flags on houses and flags on businesses. There were patriotic messages on all the church signs. The signs were pleading with us to remember... Patriotism was strong and we discovered as a nation just how much we not only loved this country, but that we could be united and strong. Suddenly, it no longer mattered what political group you affiliated with. Washington stopped fighting, and together we were united. Can you imagine the country we would be if we could have hung on to this... this what? This Unity. It was the first time in my young life I had seen a united country. I remember it well, do you?

I will never forget.

The Bishop of our ward was a former Catholic Priest. (I know!) He gave the most beautiful sermon, the Sunday after this had happened, that I have ever heard. Our church was over crowded that day with people from all over the community. We were all looking for answers, some sort of peace. I was worried about our family; Jefe's family is a military family. We had very good friends that were military people. What would this mean? It was a frightening time. However, that day--that Sunday afternoon-- the peace was there and comfort was given by my Bishop, the former Priest.

When I heard this song for the first time, I listened to it over and over. Then, when I saw that someone had made this song into a tribute video for 9-11... Well. It is the perfect tribute. The perfect prayer for those of us left behind:

"Give me your eyes for just one second; Give me your eyes so I can see; Everything that I keep missing; Give me your love for humanity; Give me your arms for the broken hearted; Wasn't it far beyond my reach? Give me your heart for the once forgotten; Give me your eyes so I can see..."



I vow to remember and to never forget what was sacrificed for me... for my freedom. Today, I pray that God will give me his eyes so that I can see as he sees. "I want a second glance So give me a second chance. To see the way you see..."


Do you remember where you were? Do you remember how you felt? What are you doing to honor those we lost?