Hello my pretties. It's been a while since I checked in and had a little chat with all y'all. I don't know about you, but I miss you. I find writing to be so cathartic and cleansing. There's just something about putting words to paper that soothes and cleanses my soul.

Remember how I used to dump my random thoughts into this blog and hit you with some good tunes at the end? Well, settle in, because I've been musing and I've also got some great tunes for you.

***

I read a wonderful article that has come out in response to all the hullabaloo about this blog post and the evils of Frozen. In short, it says everything I got out of the movie, only better.

 Go give it a read and see if it doesn't leave you feeling uplifted and motivated to be a little better, forgive a little more and what you can't handle, give to The Master so it can be His problem to sort out.  Because at the end of the day, that's what doing all that we can do and then handing the rest to Jesus and saying "I can't deal with it any more, this has to be your problem" is all about. That's what we were sent her to learn how to do.

That's what the Atonement is all about, my friends.

Giving away our junk to the One who willing said "I will carry it for you, you just have to let me." It takes a conscience effort to "let it go" and give it to the One who accepted the assignment to carry our burdens for us. We don't have to carry our junk around, using it to protect us from all the ways people can (and will) hurt us. It's not only unhealthy, its essentially rejecting what Christ did for each of us.

When we refuse to "let it go" we are in essence saying "what you did for me, Jesus, wasn't enough. I need something more. Something better."   

All too often, I think we forget that the Atonement is so much more than just saying you're sorry when you do something wrong. It's more than just "repenting." It's the only way to peace and freedom. It's not our job to worry and carry this stuff around, another has already paid the ultimate price for us and it is our responsibility to give Him our burdens so we don't have to be burdened.

I have heard it said that using the Atonement doesn't mean that you have to keep letting people in that will hurt you. I disagree. Every day we do things unwittingly that offends the Savior, and every day we should be going to him and seeking His forgiveness. Every time we go to Him He accepts us, embraces us and says "It's OK. I forgive you" and sends us on our way knowing full well there WILL be a "next time."

 Don't shake your head No at me, because it's true.

Of course we continually offend the Savior, it's in our nature -- its part of the natural man that we are trying to learn to "let go" of. We're not perfect and as such will always be in need of His forgiveness. Our job in this life is to become more like Him and what bigger way can you become more like Him than by learning to "let it go" and forgive, forget and move on? Doing it, knowing full well that someone will hurt you again. And, when they do, you "let it go", give it to Jesus so he can carry the burden and then you forgive, forget and move on.

The cycle will go on and on so we can learn to be more like the One who daily, sometimes hourly, forgives us, forgets and let's us move on.
Just some deep thoughts for you on this fine Friday morning.

***

Life is crazy here in Crazyland. I thought when my kids got older that it would slow down and I would find more time to do things I want, but it seems that the older my kids get the more they need me. Or my driving skills. I'm not sure which one more. Either way, I've been in high demand more since my children have become "self sufficient" and I like it.

My four kids, tallest to shortest, as Thing 2 likes to remind Thing 1.

When the kids were little they flocked to their Dad and I felt left out a lot. He spoke their language and has the patience of Job. The kids would stand by the door waiting for him to come home. When they got hurt, it wasn't me they wanted to kiss their boo-boos better, it was Daddy.  In the middle of the night, they wouldn't wake me, they'd wake Dad.

To be honest, it made me feel like a failure most of the time. What was wrong with me that my babies didn't want me, but their Dad? Wasn't I good enough for them? What was I doing wrong to make them seek out another?

Then slowly we started clicking and I could understand the language they were speaking. Slowly, ever slowly, the children have started turning to me and for the first time in a long time, I feel needed by my children. They come to me for help, answers and a listening ear. I've never been the one they seek out, and it feels good to be needed by them.

Our roles as parents shift and change with the growing and changing of the children. It's a constant wave of emotion we're riding over here, but I have to say that I am enjoying every bleeding second of it. These babies are turning into beautiful creatures, ones that I can't seem to get enough of. I want to drink up every single second I have with them while they still want me around. Because, it could change as quickly as the wind blows, and I want to make sure I have made the most of each and every moment I have with them.

***
We have a new member of our family. He joined us right after New Years and has wormed his way into our hearts quit effectively. The kids rush home from school and the first person they want to greet isn't a person at all... It's the dog. Rocky.


 He's our handsome new Boxer and has been a wonderful addition to our little family. He gets along beautifully with our children, but also with Amber,  the neighbors dog, who frequents our house daily. They run around the backyard chasing and playing and I can't even begin to tell you complete it makes our home feel.

Everyone loves Rocky, and we couldn't have found a better, more well behaved dog to be ours. The kids love him to pieces and you can often hear shrieks of joy coming from various parts of the house as they play with him.



And frankly? I think he loves us, too. Don't you? 

***
 Thing 1 has decided to serve a mission for our church. She's happily getting her papers ready to submit in April. I am absolutely thrilled for her to have this experience. It was something that I was able to do, and it totally changed my life and the way I see the world. It helps you grow and mature in ways that just going off to college cannot and frankly, it makes you a better spouse and parent. That time serving The Lord, full time, gives you depth and perspective. I am thrilled she going to have this experience.

I think about my mission almost every single day. It was the best decision I ever made, and I don't regret one single minute of it. It made me into the person that I am today, and taught me that I can do hard things.

***

I'm loving this song right now from Old Crow Medicine Show. The harmonies are tight, and every time I listen, I get lost.

That my friends is the sign of a good tune.


***
That's about all the randomness that I can vomit up at the moment. I hope everyone has a lovely weekend. Stay warm people and think happy , sunny thoughts to beckon spring on quicker.


1. Wagon Wheel - Old Crow Medicine Show
2. 1 2 3 4  - Feist
3. Ho Hey - The Lumineers
4. Ghosts That We Knew - Mumford & Sons
5. Drumming Song - Florence + The Machine
6. Life's For The Living - Passenger
7. Clocks  - Old School Freight Train
8. Young Folks - Peter Bjorn and John
9. Hell of a Season - The Black Keys
10. 4 & 20 - Jeffrey Foucault

Bonus: Barton Hallow - The Civil Wars

Have I told you lately how much I love my job? Yes? Oh good. Then you know how much I totally dig it.

And when I say Dig, I mean ADORE.

I do. Adore my job. And further, I love that I get to work from home. I can pick up extra hours here and there and my family has zero impact. They barely even know that I am gone. In fact, I picked up fourteen extra hours this past week which put me working a thirty-eight hour week and when I told Jefe about it he was actually shocked. "You did?"

Yup. I did. That's gonna be one fat check next week!

Don't get me wrong, I loved doing all the Social Media stuff that I had been doing in the past. I loved meeting with people and brainstorming ideas with them on how to market their business better. I just really dig my new job more. It's less taxing on me, but more importantly, it is less taxing on my family. The impact that they feel is nominal and the benefits they get are so much better.

I was really worried about this choice I had made to start working for this airline and to leave all my other projects and clients behind. Would I wish I hadn't bowed out from all the projects, event planning, consulting, hobnobbing? Would I miss it? Would I regret it?

It was the best decision I have made in a very long time.

I couldn't be happier. My family is better than they have ever been. We Are Good. 

***
We all went out to dinner together the other night and as I sat in the car listening to the kids tease each other, laughing like crazy fools, I looked over at Jefe, squeezed his hand and whispered "This is heaven." He smiled and nodded his head as we let that perfect moment of familial bliss simmer. We were all in the same car together, happy and actually having a good time. I think my heart nearly exploded from happiness.

Moments like those are coming more and more frequently now -- all of us being together, interacting and having a wonderful time -- and I cherish every single one. In those perfect moments is when I hear my kids reminiscing about past things we've done, teasing each other and genuinely liking each other.

It's one thing to be nice and civil with your siblings. Interacting occasionally and filling the time with small talk. I get it. You didn't get to choose them. However, its quite another thing entirely to actually like your siblings, choose to interact with them and call them your friend.

I see my children moving from just tolerating each other, interacting as sporadically as possible to actually seeking each other out for company. Watching TV shows together and teasing each other like old friends. It makes me happy to see them come to each others defense, intensely arguing their sibling's -- their friend-- case to make sure they are heard and validated. When the other children come to the defense of each other, no matter what the situation, to plead the case of their sibling, I am happy.

That tells me that they genuinely love and care about each other. 

They not only genuinely love each other, they like each other as well.

That's huge people.

Some siblings just tolerate each other, loving them but these kids? They actually like each other. They genuinely care about each other and they want each other to be happy. And, they are loyal to one another. They have each others backs in a flash and it makes me so very, very proud to see them rallying together.

If this is what heaven is like, I will die a happy, content woman.

***
We have been able to keep up our pace of doing something fun together every single day this summer. And, I totally count going to the gas station to get a treat as something "fun."

Hey. It counts!

We've got a fun little stay-cation planned for the kids mid August on my days off. We're taking them to the mountains to stay in the condo, ride bikes, hike and hang out as a family. I'm even planning on bringing Uno and Phase 10. They are all old enough now to play these games together as a family and I have visions of staying up all night playing card games, listening to music and eating food.

I'm sure it will actually be nothing like that, but a woman can dream.

My other airline benefits kick in this month, so I'm sending Jefe and the two little girls to Disneyland via Delta before school starts as well. I want my little girls to be the first ones to use those benefits. They have been so excited about "getting to fly free cause Mommy works for a airplane" that they deserve to be the first.  My older kids are begging for a Chicago trip. I'm thrilled that they want their first trip to be back to their roots. Well, let me amend that: They actually wanted their first trip to be to Paris, but they don't have passports. Yet. That trip is coming. I am saving all my PTO so I can take the whole family their this winter.

I know. Winter in Europe is cold. But, its also easier to get around and you won't get stuck there. I belong to an airline group on Facebook and I've been watching the past couple of weeks several people who have been stuck in Europe trying to get home. They've been stranded for over a week. I don't want to be stranded in Europe with 4 kids.

So winter in Europe is "Lovely."

Besides, I have to actually get myself an actual credit card with my name on it. I know, its totally weird that we don't have credit cards. We got rid of them when Jefe started Law School back in 1998. He has one for work that we've used in the past, but I don't have one. However, with the amount of traveling that we are planning on doing, I'll need one, with my pretty little name on it, so we can jet-set around the world.

**
Four o'clock in the morning on a weekend makes for a super slow work morning. The past several weeks I have gone the entire four o'clock hour without taking a single call. What does one do with that much down time when they are tethered to a desk?

Read books. Read magazines. Create silly Pinterest boards. Watch Netflix.

The latter is actually what I have been doing for the past month. My friend turned me on to a show called Drop Dead Diva. I'm always resistant to watching shows that people RAVE about because what if I think its dumb? I don't want to offend them and say "Yeah, that show you recommended to me? itstotallystoopid." But, my friend knows me well and brought the show up every single time we were together, so I finally caved one morning when I had gone sixty-five minutes without a call.

Oh my hell.

It's so funny! The main actress is fantastic! She's a big girl who has the spirit of a size 2 runway model in her and I kid you not, I watch that girl and I am convinced she IS a size two. But then when she remembers that she's not, you remember right along with her and feel her utter disappointment.

As a woman it was extremely easy to become emotionally invested in the main character because what woman can't identify with feeling super thin on the inside, but looking in the mirror and realizing you don't look the way you "remember" or envision yourself looking?

I do and I can.

In fact, one time I was shopping and glanced in the mirror and saw this woman and I thought "my hell that woman looks old, haggard and frumpy."

Then I realized I was looking at myself.

That was not a fun realization.




Anyway. Drop Dead Diva.

You should give it a looksie. Me thinks you'll like it.

***
That's all she wrote folks. Have a lovely weekend. I plan on napping in my hammock. It will be absolutely delightful!


1. Mercy (Live) - Dave Matthews Band
2. Skyfall - Adele
3. Crying Like A Church on Monday - New Radicals
4. Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
5. Glitter in the Air - Pink
6. Next to Me - Emeli Sande
7. Wanted - Hunter Hayes
8. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous
9. Arms of A Woman - Amos Lee
10. Two - Ryan Adams

Bonus: Sweetest Thing - U2

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving."  - Albert Einstein

Moxie learned how to ride her bike the fall of last year. I came home from work and she was zipping up and down the street like a she had never experienced freedom before. It was delightful to sit on my porch and watch her cruise up and down the sidewalk like a boss, wind blowing through her hair.

Then she fell.

Her bike was parked in the garage, where it stayed for the better part of nine months. I would try and get her to get back on it, but she would make all sorts of excuses "I likes my scooter more better Mom. I can go WAY faster on it" never getting back on the bike that had bucked her off like a wild bronco.

And that's the way we rolled. Moxie refusing to ride her bike. We even bought her a new one to see if that would encourage her, but the new one sat in the garage parked right next to the weathered old bike. Sad and neglected.

She likes to come with me when I go on my morning walks. You know, to keep me company so I don't get lonely.

And to scare away the bears.

Cause there's many bears in suburbia, right?

I finally told her at the beginning of this month that she couldn't come with me on our morning walks any more if she wasn't going to ride her bike. She would hum and haw, giving me all sorts of excuses as to why she shouldn't have to ride her bike.

That's when I Tiger Momed her.

I made her ride her bike. I pulled the bike out of the garage, hid her scooter and made her get on the bike and ride it.

Truthfully, it was the longest walk of my life. She whined, cried and made the walk just plain miserable. She would stop about every 25 feet and get off and start to walk and I would promptly make her get back on the bike and ride a little further. Two miles never seemed longer.

But, towards the end of the first mile something wonderful happened. She found her confidence again.

She started riding further and further way from me, to the point that she was so far ahead all I could see was a tiny speck.

She would eventually stop and wait for me to catch up, cockily yelling "Hurry up, Mom! You're walking so slow!"

And my heart swelled with joy.

Confidence meet Moxie. 

 Sometimes we fall, get scraped up, beat up and lose our confidence. And if we let that defeat conquer us it will rule us. Sometimes we just need someone to Tiger Mom us, take us by the hand and make us do that one thing that scares us most.

Sometimes we need someone to show us that in reality, we had nothing to fear and everything to lose. By getting lost in the fear, we were missing out on freedom. And the feel of the wind blowing our hair.

***
Football season has started again. Thing 2 has been at the park every evening for the past week running plays and practicing with his Dad, his buddy and his buddies Pop. The Dad's run interference while the boys run plays, fine tuning their skills, creating trust between the two players. Players have to trust each other that they each are going to do their jobs. When the players trust one another that they have each others backs is when it makes for great football.

Jefe comes home from their nightly workouts dog tired. And happy.

Thing 2? He's just happy to be back doing what he loves.

The boy will never be an NFL Player. That's me being honest, not mean, and the boy knows this. He has a healthy sense of self preservation, which is why letting him play football has been no big deal to us. If it comes right down to completely sacrificing his body or losing the play the body wins and the play loses. And, I'm OK with that.

***

I sat at the park last night watching the boys play their game. Clapping when Thing 2 would catch a difficult pass and moaning when he wouldn't.

My little girls were having races to the farthest point on the field that they dared run, having me time them to see could run faster. The sun had turned the sky a brilliant color of orange, and I felt that old familiar feeling settling into my toes. I sighed a heavy sigh, settled back into my chair and found myself thinking "This is damn near perfect. I am living the life and it's a damn good one."

***
So I got in another car wreck this week.

I know. My insurance should be orbiting outer-space what with all the car wrecks we've had. In a two month period Thing 1 had wrecked all three of our cars, Jefe wrecked his newly fixed car and I wrecked the rental car we were driving while the Jeep was getting fixed.

I know, right?

In my defense this accident wasn't my fault. I was turning left in an intersection and a dumb teenage girl ran the red light and ripped my bumper off. I actually didn't know that it was as bad as it was because it felt like I got a little bump, like maybe she had just scraped the front of my vehicle. However, after I followed her through the intersection (chased would be the more appropriate word. she was going so fast, and kept on going that I actually thought she was going to flee the scene) and got out to call 911 did I see the utter destruction of my vehicle.

I chastised myself because I was heading to Bajio's to get me a salad and then over to the park to listen to the Huey Lewis and The News concert. "Maybe if I had just turned right instead of left this wouldn't have happened." But, after thinking long and hard about it, I realized that had I turned right, coupled with the speed this silly girl was going, this minor accident could have been quite tragic. She had 3 other minors in the car -- two of whom were in the back seat, not wearing seat belts.

She had very little damage to her vehicle, but mine? Yeah. My bumper was sitting on the road. When the police got there to handle the accident, they wanted us to move out of the intersection to a nearby parking lot. I had to drive like I was a decrepit old lady because I was PUSHING my bumper along with me. It was being held onto the car by one lonely, sad bolt.

Jefe showed up to save me and all he had in the trunk of his car was his Lanyard for his volunteer job. So my sad little van was being held together with a CASA Lanyard.

Towny Much?

I couldn't drive it around because when he first tied the bumper back onto the van it was all snug like. But after driving it to run kids hither and yon, it was starting to drag on the ground again.

My only hope this time around is that it takes less than 98 days to fix my vehicle. Which is how long it took to get the Jeep fixed.

I'm not bitter about that at all.

And I shouldn't be. I mean I DID get to drive a brand, spanking new, just off the lot 2013 Mini Van for 98 days. It was a lean, mean driving machine. Why would I be bitter?

Because we're still dealing the fallout of that mess.

I freaking hate cars sometimes.

***

That's all she wrote peeps. I hope your weekend is going to be as epic as mine. I've got a lovely nap in the hammock in my near future. Keep it classy, Internet!



1. Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
2. Got It Alone - Beck
3. Horchata - Vampire Weekend
4. Love Lost - Temper Trap
5. Sad Sad City - Ghostland Observatory
6. All of Me - Tanlines
7. Bury Us Alive - STRFKR
8. Little Talks - Of Monsters and Men
9. Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones
10. Polish Girl - Neon Indian

Bonus: Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke

I love people who make me laugh. I honestly think its the thing I like most, to laugh. It cures a multitude of ills. It's probably the most important thing in a person. - Audry Hepburn

Word.

I love to laugh. There is absolutely nothing that is more cleansing than a good gut-busting laugh. One that leaves you with tears streaming down your face and a little wet spot in your panties. It's healing for the soul to just laugh. Especially when you feel like crying.

There are certain people that you turn to who make you see the funny parts of life and then they laugh at you. Which then helps you be able to laugh at yourself. Being able to do that is essential to survival. You cannot take yourself so seriously that you can't laugh at yourself.

Being able to see the humor in your life is an important tool that I have tried to teach my children.

Be able to laugh at yourself. Others will, that's for sure. And, if you can laugh at yourself, it takes away their power and makes you more desirable. Wanna know why?

Cause you can laugh at yourself.

Laughter. It's a beautiful thing.

***

It's official. I'm old peeps.

How did I finally come to this conclusion? Well, I'll tell you. When I was younger, I was a thrill seeker. Anything I could do to get an adrenalin rush, I would seek after these things. I loved that rush. I rock climbed, rock repelled, went spelunking, mountain biking, back country skiing, river rafting, anything that was exciting or even just a titch dangerous, you could count me in.
 
Now?

I get anxious riding the freaking Sky Ride at Lagoon.

I spend the whole time holding on to my babies begging them not to move a single muscle because I'm afraid they're going to slide off the ride and plummet to their death.

Roller Coasters not only make me majorly sick and give me vertigo, I worry the kids are going to fall out or the roller coaster is going to break and they'll all die.

Totally un-healthy fears? Yes. That's how I know I'm old.

I'm afraid of getting hurt and leaving my babies motherless and further, I'm afraid they will get hurt and leave me baby-less.

Which would be a fate worse than death, yo.

***
I am happy to report that I have kept up my goal of doing one fun thing a day with my children this summer. Even if that one fun thing is just going to get snow cones and the worlds best corn dogs. We're doing something adventurous every day and I am enjoying the hell out of my summer vacation.

Jefe said to me yesterday that he couldn't wait for school to start. I looked at him like he'd grown three heads. That is the first time I have ever heard him say something like that. Usually its me counting down the days until the schedule returns to normal. But not this year. I'm loving the bohemian life. It fits me like a weathered old glove.

When I asked why he wanted school to start, he responded that we're all home more when everyone is in school.

Which I understand. Jefe wants his people home, not gallivanting all over kingdom come.

***

Isn't she a beauty?

I took Thing 1 up to register for University classes this past week. It brought back so many memories. I went to this school and absolutely loved it. It was a fantastic experience and I made so many wonderful friends. I am excited for her and this new adventure that she is embarking on. And, the little girls are thrilled that she is going to live at home.

Honestly? Me too.

I would miss her entirely too much if she were to move out yet. This mama is not ready to let her fly away.

It seems like yesterday that this little critter entered my life and it was forever changed. For good. She has been the light of my life and has brought me so much joy. I have enjoyed so much watching her grow up. Don't get me wrong, she's been a pill at times, worrying this old bag of bones, but for the most part, she has been an absolutely delightful child to raise. She is obedient (except for keeping her room cleaned), hasn't been out partying it up like a banshee. She is just a good kid. A talented kid. A smart kid. And, I'm so grateful to be her mother.

It's been interesting to me the past couple of months, because I can feel the dynamics of our relationship changing. She is an adult now, and as such is more of an equal. We give her advice on what to do, and even push her to make better choices (or any choice at all cough*college*cough) but then we let her govern herself. We have rules we expect her to follow, but I feel our relationship changing and I dearly love this new friendship we have. She is such a quick witted, delightful child. I'm so glad she's mine.

***

That's about all the randomness that I can vomit up for this week. Take it easy and remember to keep your arms and legs inside the ride at all times, hold on tight and have fun!



1. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live) - U2
2. Gone Gone Gone - Phillips Phillips
3. Southern Girl - Amos Lee
4. My Town - Montgomery Gentry
5. SkyFall - Adele
6. Bluesology - The Modern Jazz Quartet
7. Life's A Happy Song - The Muppets
8. La Vie En Rose - Louis Armstrong
9. Dog Days Are Over - Florence + The Machine
10. Come On Get Higher - Matt Nathanson

Bonus: Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams

I can't believe that we are half way through with summer vacation. It seems totally impossible. This summer vacation is just flying by and I am feeling rather gypped.

I have tried my hardest to do something fun with my two little girls every day-- even if all we did was go and get a snow-cone. I want them to be able to say, when they lay down for bed at night,  that they did one fun thing that day.

Am I spoiling them?

Yes.

So what?

Life is too short to not try and make a fun memory with the people you love on a daily basis. It doesn't have to cost money to do that either. It just requires you making an effort to be present in the moment. Whatever the moment is, be present. And that my friends, is a hard thing for us to do. This generation that has been taught that multi-tasking is how you represent your level of success. And in reality when we are "multi-tasking" we are missing out on the most important moments that are happening right in front of our nose.

Be present people, and make a fun memory daily.

***
The fourth of July is my favorite holiday. And not for any other reason that its an excuse to be lazy. People expect you to take a nap on the 4th. They expect you to lay around in the sun, eating yourself into a coma and just being with the people you love. I got to do all of that. I worked the early morning shift at work which, oddly enough, makes me happy. I ate a sweet french toast breakfast cooked by Jefe and actually took a nap at 930am.

I got to hang out with my friends and family at the parade -- and I forgot to put sunscreen on my feet of all places and got a rather lovely sunburn. I watched a ridiculous amount of stupid floats cars come by in the parade throwing out tons of candy. Which apparently must have been an extremely rare form of candy judging by the amount of adults rushing around trying to get the candy.


My favorite part of this holiday is the water parade AFTER the real parade. Oh. My. Word. I love it like a fat kids loves cake. After the parade is over, they wait about 15 minutes to allow everyone time to get out of dodge that doesn't want to get wet. Then the real fun starts.

Floats designed specifically for the water parade come down the road and its a giant town water fight. I love watching my entire town play together, getting wet. It absolutely sends me over the moon. They have the construction trucks that shoot water hundreds of feet in the "water parade" and they are spraying the crowd as fast as the crowd is spraying them back.

People will take tarps and line their pickup trucks with the tarps and then fill up the entire back of the trucks with water to then be used to fill bucket after bucket to dump on people. It seriously is the happiest thing in the world for me to watch.

My town.

My town playing together, bonding.

It's seriously the best place to live. Period.

After the water fight, we ate The Worlds Best Corn dogs which, frankly ARE the worlds best corn dogs. They are so freaking good they put you in a corn dog coma.


Which is totally worth the bazillion calories those puppies have. Seriously people. These things are so damn good.  Fresh cornmeal batter on a giant dog, deep fried on the spot and then drizzled with honey and mustard (my personal favorite). I didn't think I would be able to eat the entire monstrosity, but oh my heavens, I did. And it was good.

It was an absolutely wonderful day culminated by the firework show of the century. My neighbors, apparently, were having a contest to see who could out do each other with their fireworks. It ended up being a finale type of display for over an hour. I didn't mind it at first, and had a great time sitting on my porch watching them respond to each other, trying to one each other up. But, the later the hour got, the more panicked I got because all I could see was that looming hour of 3:45am staring me in the face. I had to work this morning and staying up until 11 or so makes it rather difficult to get out of bed.

I love the 4th of July for all those reasons listed above and about seventy bazillion more. I have wonderful memories associated with this holiday. Happy memories that leave me with that happy, peaceful feeling whenever I think about them. I love where I live. I love this country. And I love that my family is together. We made it and that, in and of itself is reason enough to celebrate. Every. Single. Day.

Amen.

***
1. Wonderwall - Ryan Adams
2.  Shout Out Loud - Amos Lee
3. Somebody That I Used to Know - Gotye
4. Dirty Rain (acoustic) - Ryan Adams
5. In Need of A Miracle - New Radicals
6. This Love (Acoustic) - Maroon 5
7. Sweetest Thing - U2
8. Mercy (Live) - Dave Matthews Band
9. Wanted - Hunter Hayes
10. Colors - Amos Lee

Bonus Track: She Will Be Loved (Acoustic) - Maroon 5

Thing 2 and his Cousin - They've got swagger!

Thing 2 left us this week to go off into the mountains to play pioneer. I always get really excited for them to go have the experience. It's a great way for them to get perspective on how blessed their lives are; however once they have lift off and are off pioneering, I spend the whole time worrying. Are they too hot? Do their feet hurt? Are they getting enough to eat? Are they taking care of my baby?

They only spend a small amount of time playing pioneer and yet, if done well, it can have a profound effect on them. I am anxious to hear how he felt about the Women's Pull.

Just thinking about that makes me teary.

I tried to find a good video to link to so that my friends and family that aren't Mormon can have a glimpse of what I am talking about. If I find it, I'll post a separate post about it.

I had to get a story together for Thing 2 to take with him on his adventure and I remembered the one I found when Thing 1 was playing pioneer  and I got emotional again as I rewrote it all down for Thing2. I suppose it hit closer to home this time around. I am not totally sure why the story impacted me so deeply writing it down for Thing 2  but it did. I have thought about that story almost non-stop since sending Thing 2 off on his adventure.

My Great, Great, Great Grandfather crossed the plains with his family and his daughter was about the age of Moxie when she died somewhere near the Sweet Water River -- which was a little over a hundred miles from the Salt Lake Valley. They buried their daughter in a shallow grave out on the wild prairie and continued on with the Wagon Company.

I can't even imagine my little girl dying, let alone burying her in a grave on the prairie to be left there. Alone. Unnoticed or recognized for the remainder of ... well, forever. The thought of it breaks my heart. As I am sure it did her Father and Mother.

Seventy-five miles from their final destination, my Great, Great, Great Grandfathers wife, Caroline, died; however, before she died, she made him promise that she would not bury her on the prairie, but rather take her body to the Salt Lake Valley and bury her there. She also made him promise that he would go back and get their daughter and bring her body back to the Valley and bury their little girl next to her mother.

And so my Great, Great Great Grandfather carried the body of his dead wife all the way to the valley, not stopping for anything. When he got there, he buried her -- making her the first white woman to be buried in the Valley -- and turned immediately around and headed back out to get his daughter. He rested with his Wagon Company for one day and then continued on to where he had buried his daughter. When he got to that sacred place he found that the wolves had already gotten to her, making it impossible to carry out his dying wife's last request.

Can you imagine?

I can't.

While some people think that Pioneer Trek is super weird and dumb-- and at first glance it does seem super weird and dumb -- I think it is a wonderful way for these kids to catch a glimpse of what their ancestors sacrificed for them. It is a way to learn about your history in a tangible way and it makes you appreciate the blessings that are in your life. There really is not another way to really help young people understand just how hard it was to walk across the plains -- 1,300 miles -- pulling a hand cart and fighting off animals, Indians, hunger and even death. Telling them stories is one thing, but re-enacting it creates a whole new experience for them and I think it can strengthen their connection to not just their past, but to their ancestors.

***
That's really all I have this week. My thoughts have been centered almost entirely around Pioneers and my son. I hope you all have a lovely weekend. I will be counting down the hours until he is back safely in my home.


1. Wild Horses (Live) - Alicia Keyes, Adam Levine
2. 1979 - Smashing Pumpkins
3. I Don't Want to Die Anymore - New Radicals
4. Ants Marching (Live) - Dave Matthews Band
5. Wanted - Hunter Hayes
6. Sweetest Thing - U2
7. Mad World - Gary Jules
8. Elizabeth, You Were Born to Play That Part - Ryan Adams
9. Gone, Gone, Gone - Phillip Phillips
10. What Hurts the Most - Rascal Flatts

Bonus: Feel It All Around - Washed Out

Summer is upon us here in Crazyland and we are embracing it like an old worn coat.The children are settling nicely into the routine of sleeping in late, which is delightful for me. I'm up hours before their little bodies start stirring. I've worked my shift for work, done a couple loads of laundry, loaded the dishwasher and sat on my porch watching the sun peak her nose over my mountains, gracing me with her warmth.

I love this time of year and all the bright cheery heat that it brings with it. When people are complaining that its too hot, I'm grinning and sunning myself like a fat old cat. I love the heat. I love the late, bright nights. I love the freedom and Gypsy life that the warmth brings to my life. It fits me. It fits me well.

If I could live anywhere in the world I would choose a place where we have one season: warm. All the other seasons are nice places to visit, but I want my home to be cozy warm. Year Round.

***

My favorite guilty pleasure right now is Zupa's Pina Colada Salad and Enchilada Soup. I could seriously eat there every day.

And, I did. Last week.

It's a little rough on the pocket book and so I have been on a quest to find the perfect imitation recipe and I think I may have found her. It seriously is a wonderful little salad that is light, refreshing and yet filling as well.

Pina Colada Salad 

3 romaine lettuce hearts, chopped
2 large cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 large can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 red onion, diced
1 1/2 cups tortilla strips
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked, cooled & cubed
toasted coconut, optional

Toss all of the ingredients together in a large bowl or layer on a platter.  Serve with Pina Colada Vinaigrette dressing.

PINA COLADA VINAIGRETTE

1/2 cup plus 2 TBSP sugar
1/3 cup mr. & mrs. T's pina colada drink mix
1/3 cup rice or apple cider vinegar- rice will make it more mild or
apple cider will make it stronger tasting
1/2 tsp. ginger powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil

In a blender combine all ingredients except the oil.  Blend well until light & frothy.  With the blender still on, slowly add oil in a steady stream.  Keep blending until the dressing is emulsified & thickened.

***
My kids decided to have a bake sale yesterday. They spent all morning in the kitchen while I was working creating their perfect master piece to then go outside and sell on the corner. They brought me a sample to taste and as I examined it I asked what it was. There response? Smore's on the Go.

Right?

I asked them where they got the recipe and they told me they made it up. Everyone likes smores, so they wanted to make some that you could grab from the freezer to eat ... on the go.

They had taken marshmallows, melted them and spread them on graham crackers. Then they melted chocolate chips -- except all we had was white chocolate chips and mint chocolate chips -- and drizzled that all over the cracker mixture.

Mint Chocolate chips used as a "smore" is not good, peeps. I'm just sayin'. Don't try it.

Maybe if they had used regular chocolate chips it would have tasted better. But I seriously gagged as I choked that "treat" down. I smiled, gave them a thumbs up and sent them out to the corner to sell their magic treats while I spit them out in garbage.

My kids. The consummate entrepreneurs.  Every summer we go down this road, them brain storming various ways to make it rich.

Yesterday's earning? $1.50. From me.

Time to hit the drawing board again, girls. 

***

1.Feel It All Around - Washed Out
2. She Will Be Loved (acoustic) - Maroon 5
3. Stay (Live Wrigley Field) - Dave Matthews Band
4. Mother We Just Can't Get Enough - New Radicals
5.All Summer Long - Kid Rock
6. Ho Hey - Lumineers
7. If I Ain't Got You (Unplugged) - Alicia Keyes
8. Come Home - Ryan Adams
9. Steady As We Go (Live from Red Rocks) - Dave Matthews Band
10. I Will Follow (Live) - U2

Bonus: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live from Milan) - U2

this picture has nothing to do with this post.

I think this is the first time in a very long time that I am not dreading the onset of summer. Usually by this time of year I am a giant ball of nerves because of the impending jail sentence of being designated Cruise Director for three months.

This year? Not so much.

I find myself thinking "Is it summer already? We have stuff to do, places to see!" For the first time in years I am excited to have all my people home, driving me insane and being lazy. I plan on drinking in every last drop because all too soon, this little nest of mine is going to be feeling rather empty. I have one little chick flapping her wings, readying herself to fly away.

That thought breaks my heart.

***
Years ago I wrote a first day of school post and had pictures that depicted the various stages of life I found myself in. Looking at the photos now, make my heart sad because I didn't realize at the time how accurate they truly were. "I will only know about their day what they choose to tell me." So true. 

Thing 1 is graduating from High School today. She made it. She did it. She is entering the world of adulthood. She is more my equal than not now and while I love the idea of us transitioning into a new era of friendship and camaraderie, my heart aches for the days when she would crawl up on my lap and ask me to tickle her back so she could go to sleep. Now I only know about her what she chooses to tell me, and it is getting less and less information the older she gets -- which is as it should be -- and it makes my heart ache for the days of yore. 

***
Thing 2 brought his girlfriend and another friend home from school with him yesterday. He texted me and asked me if I would go get them some pizza and frosty's. Of course I obliged. He has me wrapped around his little finger.  

They hung out here, Thing 2, his girlfriend and his wing-man, for the most of the night. Once his wing-man left, and it was just the girlfriend and he on the couch, snuggling, watching The Hunchback of Notre Dame, I felt that familiar feeling. He felt comfortable enough with his family to bring his important people home for us to interact with. And, interact with the two little girls did. They pestered and played with him and his girlfriend most of the night.

I like this girl. She played with my little girls and treated them kindly. And, she brings out the best in my son. He was a kinder, more patient person while she was here. Granted, he was probably on his best behave (as Moxie calls it) trying to impress his girl, but to me that's a huge bonus. 
 
I laid in my bed, listening to her laugh as she teased Thing 2 and the little girls and my heart swelled with joy. All that time and money we had spent in counseling has paid off. My people are happy to be home with their important people and that makes everything we have been through worthwhile.

I love my kids to pieces and hearing them play and interact together -- happily -- are some of the best sounds on the planet. 

***
I had someone call into work the other day over the top pissed because they had booked a flight to Boston but somehow had ended up in Philadelphia. 

I know, right??! 

Truthfully, I had no idea how to respond to this person because how in the SAM HILL does one mistake the words Philadelphia for Boston? The airport codes are not similar at all. 

 I can't understand how: A) the boarding agent let them get on the wrong flight and B) how the customer did not realize they were boarding the wrong flight. 

They say over and over again where the flight that is being boarded is going. How do you confuse Philadelphia for Boston?


Crack. That's how. 
***
Jefe bought the kids and I season passes to Lagoon again this year. To say I am over the moon happy about that would be a huge understatement. I love that stupid place more than any sane adult should. There are two reasons why: 

1.  I spent half my childhood/teenage years at that place working and playing. I have so many fond memories of growing up and a large majority of them include Lagoon. In fact my Mom and I were talking the other day about how I never complained about going to work when I was a teenager, and I started working when I was fourteen years old. I loved my job(s) that I had at Lagoon. It was a wonderful place to work as a teenager. It offered me a social life along with money. 

2. One of my favorite past times is people watching. I have no idea why but I seriously love watching people, seeing how they interact and how diverse the world is. It's fascinating to me to wonder what each persons story is, and sometimes (nerd alert) I find myself writing their stories in my head. Like the lady I saw crying the ugly cry at Disneyland. Who cry's at Disneyland? I had a fantastic tale I had woven as I stole glances at her while getting my Vanilla Diet Coke refilled. For the bajillionth time. 

***
Speaking of Disneyland, I actually found myself looking at season passes for Disneyland the other day. Now that we can fly for free, I don't see any reason why we wouldn't hop on a plane and head to Disney for the day. 

That could end up being WAY cooler than Lagoon. 

***
Have I mentioned lately how much I love my job? Because peeps. I seriously don't just love it, I pink, sparkly, puffy heart LURVE it! I don't love getting up at 3:45am to be ready for calls at 4:00, but I DO love my end time of 10am. And I REALLY love working from home. 

Like a lot.

I love walking upstairs on my break and being able to check on all my sleeping people. I love that when Moxie isn't feeling well, she comes and sets up her little nest under my desk and watches a movie on my iPad while I work. 

I love being able to run up on my break and seeing if I can get the entire kitchen cleaned, which I can. My record? 12:49 seconds to load the dishwasher, wipe off all counters and sweep the floor. My kids are on crack telling me it takes an hour to clean the kitchen. 

An hour if you load a dish and then send eighty texts maybe. 

***
That's all she wrote. 

Have a delightful weekend. I'll be over here in crazyland crying buckets at the High School Graduation. Then stuffing my face with some seriously good food. 



1.  Someday We'll Know - New Radicals
2.  Set Fire to Rain - Adele
3.  Hannah - Ray LaMontagne
4.  If I Ain't Got You (Live) - Maroon 5
5.  You Might Die Trying (Live Wrigley Field) - Dave Matthews Band
6.  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Live Milan) - U2
7.  My Wish - Rascal Flatts
8.  Keep It Lose, Keep It Tight - Amos Lee
9.  She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
10. SkyFall - Adele

Bonus: Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams

It's been a while since I posted one of my lists of what I've been doing/listening to lately. So here's what's been going on in my life:

1. Got a killer new job working for an airline. I went through a month of hellacious training. When I say hellacious I mean HELLACIOUS. It was stressful beyond belief and so freaking hard. Not because the information I was learning was hard, but it was basically boot camp for the airline -- strip your identity away and then rebuild you as a new and improved crew member. I seriously wondered what in the Sam-Hill I had gotten myself into. I loved every single minute that we were in class, but it was still the most stressed I have been in a long  long time.

2. Got a killer promotion at my new job. That's right. I graduated from training and a wicked cool position came open in a support department and I decided to go for it. I went all ball busters on it and got the promotion which meant back to more training for me. Only this time the training was absolutely delightful. It was a completely different experience being trained in a support department verses the initial front-line training. I spent the day learning about destinations all over the world and which hotels are what and all the fun things there are to do in all the various destinations around the world. Basically I'm a Travel Agent for the airline and I dig it. I dig it hard.

3. Watched a ridiculous amount of indoor football. Thing 2 played on an indoor league this year and the kids on his team were all Sophomores in High School and BIG. My poor baby looked like a little midget next to these kids and I was terrified he was going to get squished. But the boy loved it. The older boys were super nice to him and pushed him harder than he has been pushed in a while. I saw some serious improvements in his confidence. Besides, it was super good for him to be exercising every day for two hours.

4. Watched a ridiculous amount of Soccer. Thing 3 was on two teams this spring - a rec team and a comp team. She has blossomed into this amazing Keeper who is willing to dive and sacrifice her body for the good of the team. She wears her keeper wounds like a trophy prize-- proudly showing all who will listen the various wounds and exactly how she got them. The comp team has been wonderful for her because its something that is just hers, and hers alone. And, she's good at it. Her self confidence has grown exponentially over this past season and its in large part because of Soccer.

5. Thing 1 is graduating from High School in one week. ONE WEEK my baby, who is not really my baby, is being set free into the big bad world. It's exciting for me see her growing up and she is terrified. As was I when I was her age. We are more alike than different, she and I and its fun to see how much further ahead in life she is than what I was at her age. She is starting her college career with over 30 college credits which is amazing to me. I started college with a buck-two-eighty-five in my pocket and not a clue in the world. She is worlds ahead of where I was her age.

She is a delightful child who has turned into a delightful young woman. I have thoroughly enjoyed these past couple of years with her-- she is smart and thoughtful and wise beyond her years. I am excited to see where the waves of life take this child of mine.

6. Moxie is giving me a run for my money. She says the funniest things on a rather regular basis and she thinks she is way older than what her small five years actually are. She graduated from Pre-school yesterday and I felt rather verklepmt. My two bookends are graduating and leaving my nest. I don't like it. Not one little bit. I have this photo of me with my kids and I'm reaching out for their hands... it's symbolic because I really feel once they head off to school I am only privy to what they choose to share with me.

I feel like the Dad in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and even though that's my favorite scene and I laugh like a crazy lunatic, my heart now breaks a little because I understand that cry on a much deeper level.

That's it peeps. That's me in a crazy nut shell. Now that my life is getting back to normal and I've got my life back I hope to be able to start squeezing out some more posts. Don't hold your breath, but there is hope.


1. Get Lucky - Daft Punk
2. Ho Hey - The Lumineers
3. Mirrors - Justin Timberlake
4. Just Give Me A Reason - Pink
5. Home  - Phillip Phillips
6. Skyfall - Adele
7. How Am I Supposed to Be - The Watson Twins
8. Free Fallin' (Live) - John Mayer
9. Young Blood - The Naked and Famous
10: Keep It Loose, Keep It Tight - Amos Lee

Bonus: She Will Be Loved (Acoustic) - Maroon 5

I was driving down the interstate with my girlfriend a while back when she came up with this hair-brained idea for a post, and dare I tell you that I nearly crashed the car I was laughing so hard? She grabbed a piece of junk mail off the floor of my van and quickly started scribbling down what we had been laughing about.

And then I forgot about that brilliant post idea because I lost the envelope in the sea of junk squatting in my van.

However.

I have since found that envelope and it made me snicker all over again. You see it was entirely based on us seeing a 65+ year old man writing REPENT with his Red Solo Cups in the overpass chain-link fence.

Totally serious.

Repent. In the chain-link fence OVER the interstate. 


My girlfriend and I raised our eyebrows, cocked our heads to the side and we both turned to each other with our mouths gaping as if to say "wha the wuh-wuh?" at the exact. same. time.

Which is what nearly caused me to wreck the car.

The dude was greyer than Gandolf the Grey and he was punching those red solo cups into the fence with such fury I thought the fence was going to fall over. He was spelling out Repent. Now, it's quite possible that his message may have included more, but I only saw the repent portion.

Which it seems was a gift from my Muse because the ideas started flowing like Niagra Falls.

*****
In the mall by my house there is a Kiosk that sells Dead Sea Facial rubs. It's run by a bunch of obnoxious kids. They see you coming and start walking towards you yelling all the reasons why your skin is in dire need of their product. I will go to great lengths to avoid the Dead Sea Kiosk because it's just awkward. They don't take no for an answer and will actually follow you along if you aren't rude.

Which I am rather adept at being, but I am trying to be a better person and not be rude.

It's hard people.

Thing 1 and I were at the mall shopping and I forgot to tell her to not look them in the eye or even acknowledge them. If you do? You get sucked into the never ending schpeel of why your face is going to be ruined for eternity without the mud from the birthplace of our Lord and Savior.

I held my head down and quickly made my way past the kiosk. I turned to say something to her and she was nowhere to be found. I assumed she had stopped in the teeny-bopper store we had passed, so I sent her a text and told her where I was heading.

She promptly sent me a text back saying the Dead Sea guy had stopped her and she needed me to come back so he could tell me about all the products she needed for her face.

My response?

"I am not coming back and turn around right now and run. They will hold you hostage. RUN! Run for your life, sweet child 'o mine. RUN AWAY!"

I know. I am so mean.

Then I did a little covert action and watched from afar as she tried to worm her way out of the clutches of the Dead Sea Kiosk hairy dudes.

It was awesomely funny. Because she could see me, but they had no clue that I was her mother so they ignored me and kept pestering her. I wish I could explain the death glares that child of mine sent me. It was the most entertaining thing I had seen all week! 

Now when we are at the mall together walking down the Dead Sea hall? We both pretend to talk on the phone. TO NO ONE. They start approaching and I mouth "I'm on a business call, sorry" and keep on walking discussing the ever increasing cost of rice from China and just keep walking. 

My tip to you? Don't make eye-contact and pretend to be on the phone. Otherwise you'll get sucked in the Dead Sea Vacuum and the only way you can escape is by paying them $34.99 for MUD.

I'll sell you mud from my backyard for that price. Sheesh.

*****
 I have a neighbor that mows his lawn three times a week.

Totally not exaggerating either.

His garage is also spotless.

I fully expect one of these days to come home and find him laying on his belly with a ruler and scissors to make sure his grass is all equally cut and symmetrical.

I wonder how I could get him to channel his OCD over his lawn into MY yard.

{the wheels are turning now peeps}

*****
I cannot wait for this movie to come out. It looks fantastic!

*****
I can't wait for this one either!

*****
That's it for me peeps. Have a good weekend and I'll catch you on the flipside!