Thing 3 did well in the science fair. Her arch rival - as she tells it - beat her in the contest. It's this boy that she used to have a major crush on. Now she thinks he is big time dork. I think thats the case because they are constantly competing for the highest grades on everything.
She is major competitive, so anyone who gives her a run for her money is going to bug her, I think.
Anyway, her project was really good. She learned some really interesting things, that should stay with her! I am proud of her!


She spent all day yesterday doing her Book report Art project. I asked her if she missed doing this kindof stuff--since that was all she did last year in the Arts program that she was in. She said: "Uhh, no not really. I forgot how much I hated this kindof stuff." I had to laugh. She liked the Fine Arts program, and it was great experience for her, but I am glad that we were able to move so that we could "gracefully" pull her out. She seems happier this year!
If you can't tell, her project was a book who's main characters are Owls. That's what that feathery creature is there in the right corner. I thought it was quite creative. She did a good job. We had to give the Owl a "haircut" cause it was soo feathery. We had feathers everywhere!!


She is such a great kid! She is so smart! I feel really blessed to have her in my life! She is extremely spiritual, and grounded! What a blessing she is in our family!

It's official.
I've decided to come out of the closet.

I'm a hillbilly at heart.
I'm serious.

I love hillbilly music.
I love it all.
All versions.
Full fledged hillbilly.
Rock-a-billy.
Appalacian.
Bluegrass.
Folk.
And yes, even country.
All of it!

I mean, one of my most favorite movies is
"O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
How more Hillbilly could you get? I'm sure you all could tell me just exactly HOW more hillbilly I could get...

At least I don't have the hillbilly teeth, the trailer and the man who likes to wear wife beaters!
I just like the music!

Whew! I came out of the closet... and I feel such relief!

It's here again.
What you ask?
Why, Random 10 Friday.
Here are my 10.
Let me know if you played!

1.Rodeo Clowns - Jack Johnson
2.Explode - Nelly Furtado
3. About To Make Me Leave Home - Bonnie Raitt
4. Love Soon - John Mayer
5. That's Just What You Are - Aimee Mann
6. Sweet Surrender - Sarah McLauchan
7. Folk Song - David Gray
8. Sweetest Thing (The Single Mix) - U2
9. Eden - 10,000 Maniacs
10. Ants Marching - Dave Mathews Band

Thing 3 is still sick.
That means no sleep for Mountain Mama.

Calgon...
Take Me Away!!!

Thing 3 has croop.
Need I say more?
She has learned how to milk it for all its worth.
I am sure that I will find it all humorous tomorrow...
but tonight, I am just thanking Allah that we all made it through...
ALIVE!!!

Look at all that snow!
Can you believe that all that fell in under a 3 hour period??
Insane!
I came home from the mall today, and did a donut coming around the corner to my house. I WAS in 4-wheel drive, and I was going slow! I am glad that is finally snowing. That was one of the things that I loved about Utah-- all the thick fluffy snow! How can you not find that enchanting? Especially if you don't have to go out in it! Can you see all those big, fluffy, flakes? It is perfect snowball making snow!
Thing 2 will love this!
It is snowing so hard, you can't even see the mountains from the front porch! YEAH! Finally it feels like winter!
I just feel bad for Hombre, he has to shovel all that!
And our driveway is not short, and we have the longest sidewalk ever in front of the house!
Oh well!
It's good excersize!

What a GRRRRRREAT day!!

I love where I live.
It is awesome.
There are only 4 stop lights in the whole town.
Well, 5 if you count the one that is on the boarder to the neighboring town.
It is full of people who have lived here their whole life, and never wanted to live anywhere else. There are 2 grocery stores in town. The one where Hombre and I met, and then "the other one"... the one where the locals don't shop. The locals are fiercly loyal to Bowmans. To shop elsewhere would almost be equal to a sin.
I like that.
I'm serious.
That's an awesome quality to have in a town.
Loyalty.

I went "into town"-- I can't believe that I can actually say that.
"Into town". ---this is me grining at the fact that I say I go 'into town' "---

Anyway, I went into town last night to grab some stuff to make Hombre's favorite dinner-- Ranch Chicken. I was trying to hurry. I wanted to beat the storm, and Hombre. We got all our stuff piled up high at the checkout, when I realize that last night I was the tooth fairy. I left my wallet sitting on my nightstand.
No debit card.
No I.D.
No nothing.
I started to panic. I was talking rather loudly to myself that I left my wallet home, and the cute highschool checkout boy says: "How far do you live? Just take the groceries, run home, and bring me back the money."
WHAT? Are you for real?
I polietly decline, and say that my bank is the bank in the store, and I will see if they will give me some money-- without my I.D.
I run up to the teller, and explain my plight. She says: "No I.D. No money."
NO shock there for me.
But then I got a bright idea.
My cousin works at that bank.
I say--Anonymous cousin is MY cousin. Do you think she could vouch for me?
The teller says, without even blinking an eye--"Why sure! How much money do you need?"
She promptly gives me my money, and sends me on my way.
Anonymous Cousin hollers out, and teases me a bit.

Anywhere else, I would be considered a complete and total ditz.
But here, they just smile, help me out, and love me anyway.
Aren't small towns great??
I love where I live!

Hey! It's Random 10 Friday again.
Here's my list.
Let me know if you played, and what your random 10 are!

1. Rain Please Go Away - Alison Krauss
2. Clocks - Coldplay
3. Is She Really Going Out With Him - Joe Jackson
4. Carolina Rain - Ryan Adams
5. I am Weary, Let me Rest - The Cox Family Singers
6. Mama Will Provide - Broadway Musical, Once On This Island
7. Landslide (Live in Boston) - Fleetwood Mac
8. I Don't Like Monday's - Boomtown Rats
9. Baby Now That I've Found You - Alison Krauss
10. Letting Go - Suzy Bogus

And one more, just for kicks: 19 Something - Mark Wills

Did You Play???

Ranting: A loud bombastic declamation expressed with strong emotion and having no known name, no known source or identity.

This is me, Anonymous MountainMama.
This is me ranting and raving!

I have a pet peeve.
A big one!
Let me explain.

My dog Zoe. She is a spazzy dog, who is freaky-deeky about weird things.
She is a good dog.
Spazzy, but good.

When I walk my spazzy dog, I try to be courteous to other people. If she makes a "mess" on someone else's property, then being the good citizen that I am, I clean up the mess.
Thats the politically correct thing to do.
That's the good neighbor thing to do.
I don't let my spazzy dog run the neighborhood, alone, unsupervised. She is always on a leash. I never send my dog out THE FRONT DOOR, to then go poop on other people's lawn. Thats just plain rude, crude, and socially unexceptable!

I think you can probably tell what my pet peeve is... other people's dogs pooping on my lawn. My FRONT lawn. It drives me insane!

This is me ranting, clenching my fists, jumping up and down, screaming at the top of my lungs:
I hate it! I hate it! I hate it!

I don't mind scooping MY dogs poop, in my own backyard. Its gross, but its MY DOG, so its my chore.
But I HATE scooping poop from my front lawn.
It actually makes me get a nervous tick.
I'm serious.
I'm starting to talk to myself, out there in front yard, about how much I hate scooping other people's dogs crap.
Today, I found myself yelling: "I hate this!" At the top of my lungs.
I know.
I really need therapy!
My little "tape recorder" of a 2year old was repeating me.
The whole things is infuriating!

There are some people on this street, who send their dog out the front door, watch him run to our yard, poop, then call him home.
I have become a big dork regarding this dog. Said dog likes to come and sit on MY porch, and then bark at everything that moves. Now I find myself sneaking up to the window and then pounding on the window to scare the crap out of the poop monster. He will wildly run across the street, and then turn to look at my house--all the while barking up a storm.
Dumb dog!

Do you think it would be "over the top" if I put a great big sign on my front yard that says:
"This is a no-poop zone. Poop somewhere else!"

Is that too much? Hmmm... I wonder!

Friday the 13th.
I should've know today would be jinxed.
It's Friday the 13th.
Usually, I'm not superstious.
But, when I saw the date today, AFTER THE FACT...
Well, maybe I will change my mind.
Why you ask?
Come with me, and I will take you on a wild ride.

I went to the local grocery store - Bowmans.
You know the one where Hombre and I met.
I just wanted to get a soda, and some baby food for Anonymous Baby nephew.
While I was putting Thing 3 into the firetruck shopping cart, I ran into a guy that I have known since ELEMENTARY school.
We have been friends for years and years.
I hadn't seen him in over 10 years... so of course we had a lot of catching up to do.
We started visiting.
And talking.
And laughing.
And talking some more.
Thing 3 was being so patient.
She took Anonymous Friends little boy, and showed him the candy isle.
She was so kind, and kept bringing the little boy candy.
We kept talking.
And laughing.
And talking.
An hour goes by, all the while we are talking in the entryway of the grocery store-- getting all caught up on everything.
I look for Thing 3 and Little boy, and see them in the candy isle.

I had been wondering why the cashiers had been giving me the evil eye...
I should've known.
It was Thing 3.
She and Anonymous Little Boy had gotten the little shopping carts for the little people, and COMPLETELY, and I do mean COMPLETELY emptied the candy isle. All the candy bars, gum, laffy taffys, M&M's... everything were in each of their carts.
Full to the brim.
Of candy!
I about died.
Anonymous friend started laughing at me when Thing 3 promptly threw herself on the floor, kicked her shoes off, and started screaming :"My candy! My candy!"
I pushed the 2 shopping carts over to the candy isle, apologized profusely.
Cashier lady only glared.
Then I ran for the door faster than an 7-16!!
Anonymous Friend hollers behind me: "Fun to see you again M.M. AND Good luck with THAT!" nodding to my out of control toddler.

It's my fault.
I should've been paying better attention.
I don't think I can go into Bowmans again, not for a while anyway.
At least not until the angry eyed cashier forgets what we look like!

I have moved back to the town were I was raised. I lived here from the time I was 4 until I turned 23--when I got married.
Then I left for bigger and better things. Never to return.
Or so I thought.
I can remember when there was only 1 stop light in town, and only 1 place to eat--a greasy hamburger joint called Hobo Joes.
I remember when my house, where I live now, would've been in the middle of the dairy farm. I remember when there was only 1 grocery store in town-- the one where I met Hombre.
It was a small town then, and it still has that small town feel.
Sometimes I find it a little creepy that I'm back here. So many of the people that I knew growing up are still around, having never left.
But, most of the time, I find it enchanting.
It's kindof neat to drive around and remember all the places that I used to hang out, and see the people that I used to hang out with.

My sixth grade teacher works at the grocery store that Hombre and I met in. He has worked there for as long as I can remember... probably even when I WAS in sixth grade. I haven't seen him in well over 10 years. Yet, when I went in there for the first time after moving back, he came right up to me and gave me a hug and said: "Where have you been?" I looked at him kindof funny and said "You know who I am?" and he told me "Yes! You were one of my students".
He even remembered my name. Then he made such a fuss over my kids and told them all about being their Mom's 6th grade teacher.
The Things thought that was amazing... their Mom actually went to school. AND it was the school that they are going to now.
Everytime I go into this store, he is there, and he ALWAYS makes a fuss over me and introduces me to everyone as 'one of his students.'

Small towns. They are a curse when you are young.
But when you get older, they are a comfort.

I heard this song a long time ago on the CBS morning show. I loved it then, but have never been able to remember who sang it or the name. When we got Rhapsody, I did a little searching and found it. Its all about your hometown.
I hate to admit this, but I actually find myself getting a little verklempt when I listen to this song. It's a great tune to reflect on your hometown.










This is My Home Town.
I couldn't wait to leave it when I was younger.
I saw the world. I lived in fabulous places.
Now, I will raise my kids here, in My Town.

Click here to play Me - : My Town - Montgomery Gentry

Do you know what I hate? I hate having dreams where you are fighting with people, and then abruptly wake up. That really sucks. You wanna know why? Because, then you spend the entire rest of the morning trying really hard not to be crabby with every single person you meet--especially the people you were fighting with in your dream.
UGH!
I hate that!

Have you seen the commercial for International Delights where the woman wakes up grumpy, and she sprays the paper boy with hose; the man slams the door in the girl scouts face, the woman pushes the close button on the elevator when she hears someone yell "hold the elevator" and the man knocks over all the books/files while sulking down the hall at work??
I LOVE THAT COMMERCIAL!!
It makes me laugh every time I see it.
Mornings are just not my thing... especially when the sun doesn't rise until 7:52 am. Whats up with that?

ANYWAY--
On to something less ornery, and more... whatever.

Today is Maurice Sendaks birthday. He wrote my most favorite book. When I was in 1st grade, I checked out Where The Wild Things Are every single time I went to the library. I would diligently look around for another book to get, but ALWAYS end up getting that book again.
Finally, after several months of this, the Librarian told me I couldn't check that book out again, and that I needed to find a new book.
I was devastated.
Didn't she know that THIS was the only book I loved? Was she insane to think that I could love another book as much as THIS book?

I still love that book. I got all excited when I saw in the book of the month club that the Things bring home that you could buy this book, and now they have plush stuffed animal type characters from the book.
OH MY GOODNESS!
If only they had things like that when I was a kid!

Which brings me nicely to another point. The toys kids have to play with these days are friggin' awesome! When I was a kid, all we had to play with were sticks and a few nice boulders.
Now'a days, the kids have the most amazing toys! I guess that's why I get so excited to buy the kids toys-- they are freaking amazing! I think that Hombre and I get more excited to play with the toys than the kids do.
Case in point: Whenever I would take Thing 1 to The American Girl Place in Chicago, I would get all giddy inside. She was unimpressed. I would try and convince her to buy the clothes and dolls that I liked.
I know.
Thats proof I need therapy.
Anyway, when we would get home, she would wander off, playing with her other toys. I would promptly sit down and try all the clothes on the dolls. NOW-- the weird thing is this-- I DIDN'T LIKE DOLLS WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL.
I know.
Therapy.
NO!
Proof that the toys are cooler now'a days than the sticks and boulders I got to play with!

Oh, and FYI--- the Librarian was right. I could love more than one book!

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This is the mood at my house. Big, fat, ugly, stress! So much stress, that it makes you go totally 100% certifiable crazy!! Do not pass go, and do not collect your $200.00-- you are crazy and you need to be in the looney bin!
It's nutso around here.
We had the science project due today. We got it done, by the skin of our teeth. Hombre and Thing 1 worked on it for hours and hours yesterday. It actually turned out to be a great project! Then she remembered on her way to school that she needed a written report to go along with all the data, and graphs, and giant posters. So, we spent the night writing the writen portion of the project. She better get into the fair, cause she worked her brains out on it!

That's stress # 1

Thing 3 has four-yes count them F.O.U.R. cavaties. What kindof Mom does that mean that I am? Pretty crappy. It has only been recently that I haven't had to hold her down to try and brush her teeth. Now she willingly brushes them-- several times a day. But it's a little late for that-- she has four lovely brown cavaties in her molars-- 2 on top and 2 on the bottom.

That's stress #2

My car is STILL freaking out. It can't decide if it wants to be fixed or not. It is making me want to willing sign up for the looney bin.

Thats stress #3

Hombre is studying to take the bar-- Again.
Yes.
I know.
He already took it once, in Illinois. But, what people fail to realize is that you have to take the test in every friggin' state that you want to pracitce in.
He knew this when we moved.
When he took the test in Illinois, he said that he would NEVER EVER EVER take it again. Never
He would just practice law in Illinois, so I better get used to it! Learn to love it there cause He was never doing it again!
Yes. It sucked that bad!
The bar exam.
Yuck.
Gross.
Sick.
Wrong.
STRESS.
I feel bad for Hombre. He is kindof in a fog. He is stressed beyond words. I haven't seen him this stressed in... well, since the last time he took the bar.
And that time, I just high-tailed it out of there. There was no time for pleasantries. He needed to be able to study and not have anyone bother him. It was frankly, just plain awful and ugly.

That's stress #4

The science test is do-able.
The teeth are fixable.
The bar exam...
I hope its survivable!

At one time or another, I think that all of us have experienced it...
Peer Pressure.
It's there, for everyone's "enjoyment"?!
AND, it's not just for the kids anymore.

Thing 3 came home from church today saying that the boys in her class told her that she was never going to make it into the celestial kingdom.
WHAT??
Say its not so!
She is an angel.
She'll definately be there.
Her Mom on the other hand...
Well, she is sitting by the airconditioner--in hell, saving seats for anyone else thats gonna be there.
But, I digress.

Peer Pressure. Is it good or bad?

Thing 3 said that she forgot to "Fast" today. That was Hombre's and My job to remind everyone to do that, but we forgot. We all ate a nice lovely breakfast. She was extremely disturbed that she had not fasted... So, Hombre went upstairs with her, they opened their fast, and are spending the rest of the day fasting.

That's Positive Peer Pressure.

The fact that the boys in her class had made her feel uncomfortable enough to come home and fast--after the fact... Well, that's a good thing.

POSITIVE PEER PRESSURE!

Hopefully the kids will experience more of the GOOD Peer Pressure, rather than the BAD. That was a major contributing factor in our decision to move here. We are rooting for the good kind!

So far, so good.

Now, MountainMama on the other hand.
Well, she caved.
Hell-- Here I come.

Just remember, I'm saving seats by the air conditioners!
Just RSVP me!

Everyone has their own version of heaven.
Some its wings and floating around.
Others its never ending supplies of chocolate and soda.
Not me.
My version of heaven is a never ending supply of books, food and good music.
Thats heaven.
Well, and then there is also the other version of heaven...
Summer nights.
Fireflys.
Tiki torches.
Cicadas singing.
But, I want to talk about version #1...

Hombre and I went out to dinner tonight. It was great food, and extremely fast service. We had just settled in for our long wait, eating the bread--basically filling ourselves up waiting for the food to get there-- when it arrived--ever so quick! The food was Italian--trendy, but good.

We parked at Hombre's office and walked the 4 blocks to the 1st restaurant that we had chosen. Market Street Grill. We thought that it was a steak and seafood place. It was mostly seafood, with 3 choices of steak: Expensive, Outrageous, and Unreal. We heard some people in front of us talking about the long wait here, and that they were going to walk to the other Gastronomy restaurant--Bacci's. We decided to follow suit.
Hombre didn't want to smell like fish all night. He said he had eaten a "funky lunch", (German food) and wanted to have something "normal" for dinner--what ever that is. So, we walked another 3 blocks in the other direction to Bacci's.

This is where my 1st version of heaven comes into play. After dinner, we walked 3 more blocks in another direction to this bookstore--Sam Wellers . I have heard about this bookstore for years. It's one of the last of the independent booksellers around, and also one of the largest. It's looks are deceiving. It looks like a tiny shop, until you get inside, and then its miles of books, winding up, down, and all around. It was amazing. We wandered the third floor where the extremely rare books were-- all locked up safe and sound behind a bared door, that you needed a key to get through! Then the main floor, where the cute little coffee shop was. Thing 3 would've loved that!! LOL!!
Then we just happened to stumble upon the "basement". WOW. Is all I can say. It pretty much left me speechless-- and you know thats amazing in and of its self. We spent over an hour in the place, and didn't even see a third of it. We found all sorts of treasures that we wanted-- and most of them had new and used avaliable. The new were the standard new prices, but the used-- any where from $1.50 up to $7.00. I am sure there were higher prices, I just didn't see any. I was getting all giddy inside at the thoughts of all the books I was going to buy. I was kicking myself for not having my journal that has the 4 pages of books that I want to read... I didn't know what to buy. So, I just enjoyed wandering and looking. It was amazing. We saw one rare book about Moses that was going for... ahem... $900.00!! Yes! You read right-- Nine hundred smack-a-roos! Wow! Do people really pay that much for books that AREN"T textbooks? I dunno. I was in hog heaven looking at all the books there are for one to read!

Ahhhh... (thats me exhaling!)

I suppose the good thing about the whole night was that we ended up walking all over the city, and were able to walk off all those calories that we had consumed at dinner. It was a good night, good food and great company. What more can one ask for?

Besides a million dollars, I mean!?!

What is Random 10 Friday you ask?
Well, its when you hit play on your Itunes, or Rhapsody, or whatever your music listening device is, and let it play 10 songs, at random.
It's just another way to see what your listening too. And, if need be, we can all tease you!
Ha! You'll all be teasing me for some of the tunes that came up on my Random 10 Friday
AND no fair editing.
You have to write down every song that comes up, even if its totally embarrassing.
You can only skip it if its a repeat.
What are you listening too?

Here's mine!

Random Friday 10
1. Galileo - Indigo Girls
2. Shut up & Smile - Bowling for Soup
3. My Town - Montgomery Gentry
4. Boogie Shoes - KC & The Sunshine Band
5. Theme from Jurasic Park - John Williams
6. Clocks - Coldplay
7. What Is This Feeling? - Wicked, The Broadway Musical
8. Speed of Sound - Coldplay
9. Your body Is A Wonderland - John Mayer
10. Can't Get Enough of Your Love - Barry White

Happy Tunes

Everyone has them. Those tunes that when you hear them you can feel that smile creeping up from somewhere in your belly. The ones that make you smile, even when you don't want to. These are mine, well, not all of them, but most of them. I love these songs. They make me feel happy, even when I don't want to.
These are the songs that you would sing at the top of your lungs in the kitchen when no one is around, and some of them turn you into a dancing fool! Its awesome what music can do!

Hombre downloaded this Thing that my friend, "Just Me" told me about. It is freaking awesome!! It has every song you could ever imagine, and then about 10 more.
I really am in hog heaven, cause now I will get to have that soundtrack to my life that is always buzzing around in my head.
At least it keeps the voices in my head occupied!

An awesome feature that Rhapsody has is that they will even let you create your playlists, and then post them to your blog-- they even do the html code for you! And it's cheaper than itunes!
BONUS!!!

How do you reason with a two year old? Is it even possible? I would like to learn those magic words that will keep my two year old from having melt downs in public. The melt downs aren't even over good stuff like lottery tickets, or basketball tickets. Its over stupid --opps, she says we don't say that word Mom!-- dumb stuff that doesn't matter. Like candy and cookies and coffee.
Yes you read right.
Coffee.
Today we had a melt down in the store over Coffee. Do two year olds even know what Coffee is?
Apparently, mine thinks she does!
She got it in her head that she was getting a treat at the checkout counter at the store. First she thought she wanted the Dora Cookies. But then changed her mind. Then it was the baby crackers she saw, and then the yummy candy. She just couldn't make up her mind.
I have always told my kids that they have the right to change their minds. That way they don't get sucked into doing things that they really don't want to do... they can say "I changed my mind and I have that right."
Anyway, I digress.
Where was I? Oh yes, Coffee.
At the checkout, she saw the magical thing that would make her life perfect, and she had to have it. A giant package of gourmet Coffee. It had a pretty picture on the front, and she just KNEW that this is what would make her life perfect. She grabed it, and put it on the counter. I promptly put it back. She promptly put it back on the counter. It went on like this for a while. She HAD to have the gourmet coffee. After Mommy tried to explain that she couldn't have the gourmet coffee, she decided that a meltdown was the sure fire way to get me to give her what she wanted. I mean, if she didn't get it, then surely she would die. Right?
She still has no coffee.
She's alive.
She's pissed.
Gourmet Coffee.
As if.

I saw this video on SNL and laughed my little caboose off. Its pretty funny.
So, here it is for your listening enjoyment.
They are making fun of The Beastie Boys and other white rappers.
It's satire.
It's funny.

2005 has come and gone. I feel like life has taken the fast track. When did that happen? The whole spinning out of control thing? The whole moving faster than you can white knuckle it...
The double take because we are in 2006--What The Heck??

Mr. Conductor, I would like to get off, and wait for the slow train to China PLEASE!!

As I look back on 2005, it has been quite the year. I get dizzy just thinking about it all. Lets take a quick look back onto the things that have happened this past year.

Thing 1 got into the Fine Arts program--basically its a drama/music program for kids in her school-- and finally got a speaking/singing/dancing solo in one of her performances. It was great to watch! Oh, BTW--this was in Illinois still.

Thing 2 discovered that he was good at Tae Qwon Doe, and was moving extremely fast towards his green belt. He was the teacher's pet, not to mention all the upper belts loved him too.

Thing 3 discovered that she had words, and she was not afraid to use them!!

Mountain Mama discoverd that she had leadership skills, and was learning how to use them. She found herself being more spiritual or intune with the Lord than she ever has been before. It was a great discovery for her. She also had her car in the shop a total of 5 times this past year... you know, cause her car sucks and all!

Hombre was offered 2 jobs in 2 different states. He took the job that lead him back to the place that he loves the most-- the mountains. The firm he left was a good firm, and taught him how to be not a good lawyer, but an excellent lawyer. The firm he was going to is a smaller firm, but is more family friendly. He has been able to take up hiking, and hopes to start mountain biking again. He had a great mini vacation with Mountain Mama minus the Things---all on the firms dime. It was excellent fun!

This leads us to the next part of 2005-- the Gia-normous move across country. We had 3 weeks to get all packed, the house ready to put on the market, and movers lined up to carry all our crap across country. STRESS!!! I had finally gotten my house just the way I wanted it---including new carpet! It felt like a brand spankin' new house... and it smelled like one too! :0)

It was a whirlwind of chaos, packing, tears and goodbyes. I hate goodbyes! I hate change! This was a hard move for me. It was everything Hombre had ever wanted, and frankly everything I had ever wanted too... but I had become comfortable with my life, and my routine. It was a good routine, and a great life.

The kids were excited to be so close to both sets of Grandparents. That was why we were moving... we wanted our kids to grow up knowing ALL their family. Not just the ones we were able to see when we came for our yearly visits. It was a hard choice, but the right choice.

The drive across country was a blast. We moved into Anonymous Grandma H's house for 2 months while we waited for our house to sell, and find a new one to live in. I think everyone was glad to get their own space again.

The rest of the year has been spent trying to find all our stuff and then unpacking it. We are slowly getting settled into the new house. Their have been minor setbacks with little things that have broken here and there. Which, BTW, has been a totally new experience for me. The house we left was in fairly good condition... this one has needed a little bit of work. Oh well.

The kids are getting acclaimated to their new school, and have made friends quickly. They love having so many kids to play with in the neighborhood, and love having a gigantic primary. Thing 2 has 3 classes for kids his age--each one with 10 kids in them. Same with Thing 1. There are 16 new Sunbeams in Primary---yikes!

Hombre really likes the firm he is with, and really feels like it was a great move for his career. He was told to expect to be Partner within the next 2 years. That is awesome!

So, in a nutshell---a rather LARGE nutshell--- it has been a really crazy year! There have been a ton of changes. We are all adapting! We have nothing but hope for another amazing year!

Kids! You gotta love 'em. You can't live without them, cause you would miss their cute button noses, their addicting laughs, their screams from trying to kill each other... Oh wait. That goes with the other one...
You can't live with them!
They ruin all your stuff.
They write on your leather couches with a lovely shade of orange.
They play house with your glass doll, and break her hand off.
They use your collectible glass trinket that you got in Europe to "feed" their dolls, and the "dolls" get mad and break it.
They eat food in the rooms that are off limits.

Where are my tibetan monks chanting "don't eat in the living room" when I need them?

Do you know what rotton milk smells like, after it has been spilled and no one bothers to tell you? A noxious smell! That is what my family room smells like right now.
Hazardous!
Perilous!
Unsafe!
Toxic, Atomic Waste!
Brine shrimp! (for those of you in the Salt Lake Valley-- THAT should really mean something to you. That smell IS noxious!)

Oy Vey!

I cleaned and cleaned yesterday, thinking the house just needed some fresh air--hence open windows in the middle of winter.
No help.
Then I cleaned all the furniture thinking THAT was the perpetrator.
NO such luck!
I moved all the furniture to see if the kids hid some food for later.
NOPE!
So, the pathetic person that I am, I start to sniff the floor. I methodically
sniff, sniff, sniff...
until I gag.
Yup!
I found it.
Spilled milk.
Now I am asking myself a very serious question.
Should I cry?

I hurt my back. I dunno how, I just did. It hurts to sit too long. It hurts to stand too long. It hurts to lay too long. It just plain freaking hurts. So, because of that, I found a great link right here, that you can go to translate my blog into any sort of language you want--redneck, jive (my favorite BTW), Chef from The Muppets, Dub-ya, Pirate... and so on and so forth... My blog address is wheredidiputthat.blogspot.com--you'll need that to do the translating.

It's very creative writing... howcome I'm always a day late and dollar short?

Anyway--Its pretty entertaining, and should give some "new reads" until my back quits spazzing out!

Then, if that isn't enough amazing entertainment, then go here, and play some of the word games.
They say if you play word games you wont go crazy as fast when you get old.

I guess I better get going on that, 'cause crazy is short drive for me!

Enjoy

I found this new book that I desperately want to read, "Post Secret". It just sounded so interesting. The concept is you write a secret that you have that you have never told anyone, you put it on a homemade postcard, then you mail it into the address. The author has taken the hundreds of thousands of postcards and put them into a book. He also has a traveling "art" exhibit. The whole thing was conceptulized as an art project, and it just sortof spiraled from their. While reading about the book, I stumbled across the authors blog, where he has posted more of the postcards.

I guess the reason the book sounds so intriguing is that we each have some sort of secret that we carry with us that we have never told anyone. It doesn't necessarily have to be a "bad secret", its just something that you have never told anyone else before. Perhaps its that you secretly hoped to star on broadway, or be a rodeo clown. Maybe you wanted to be a truck driver-- ok--- I mean, everyone in my family knows that about me, so its not really a secret and I was only 10. Maybe your secret guilty pleasure is watching "The Waltons" and listening to Air Supply. Maybe your afraid to ride in an airplane, or swim in water, or hold giant spiders...
Who knows?
Only you.
That's why it's YOUR secret.
I think sometimes we associate secrets with only the bad stuff. But secrets can also be just your plain, old, everyday, simple dreams that you don't dare tell anyone!

I have thought a lot about this whole art project-- what "secret" would I send in. I am realizing that I have a huge mouth, and I tell everyone EVERYTHING!! I need to keep thinking... I just may send one of my "secrets" in.

What are your secrets, and do you dare send them in?

Chess anyone? I think it's great that Hombre has taught Thing 1 & Thing 2 how to play chess. They are actually getting better each time they play!

These two sat here for almost an hour today playing chess. The Things like to play each other, and take great pride when they are able to beat their Dad. It makes me happy to see them playing all together!

You plan and plan for the big day. Lots of shopping, worrying, stressing, shopping and then just like that its done. All you have left is the mess of paper & boxes. It seems like it was all a whirlwind. It was great fun to watch everyone get so excited about their gifts. Now everyone is happily playing with all their new treasures. Thing 2 is building his very own skate board, and having a ton of fun in the progress. Thing 3 is loving the Dora Kitchen, and dumping all the new toys and old ones and mixing them together, cause you know, as she tells it, she loves to dump! Thing 1 is loving all her new clothes and the 2 new game boy games. Even the dumb Boxer dog got in on the excitement with her new toys and bones. She was prancing around like the Queen of Sheba herself!






All in all I would say it has been a great Christmas. Everyone is healthy, and happy. There is more to this whole christmas thing than just presents. We have so much to be thankful for. I am grateful for the 3 beautiful Things that The Lord has blessed us with. I am thankful for Hombre and how hard he works and the fact that he is my best friend. I am thankful for both our extended families... that's why we moved here!

All the hard work has been worth it to see how happy everyone is.

Thing 3 was having a blast riding the skate board down the ramp in the middle of the family room. We finally decided to take it outside, and let them use it out there-- can you believe that Hombre is wearing shorts? It was 55 today! Yes, that's right! Fifty-five! Can you believe it?? It is the mildest Christmas that this state has seen in over Fifty years! CRAZY!!
The kids were loving the ramp! Thing 2 jumped over and over and over again!! Thing 3 would ride ever so slowly over the ramp, usually getting stuck. She loved going down the other side! I am glad that we got this and that it was such a beautiful, warm day so they could play with it outside!

The kids posing in front of their "stashes!

Thing 2 on the famed bike ramp. He has wanted one ever since we moved here! Let the broken bones start--I fear!
Thing 1 with her new American Girl Doll Elizabeth. She was so excited when she saw it she was jumping up and down, screaming! That makes it worth it!
Thing 3 realizing that she has a Dora Kitchen! She was so excited about what the big kids got, that it took her a few to realize that it was there! Then she screamed with joy! What fun!

Thing 1 has wanted a skirt like this since school has started. It took some major convincing that they weren't the ugliest things on the planet. I have never seen her fawn over something so consistenly for so long. She freaked out when she opened it, and promptly put it on. I was speechless... she looked so grown up. She is turning into a beautiful lady. I can't believe how beautiful she looks in this "bohemian skirt"! Breath taking!

Thing 2 was so excited to give his Dad the present that he picked out for him. It's this huge model battleship. When Hombre opened it, Thing 2 was all excited yelling "Isn't it cool Dad? Isn't it cool?" I have never seen him so excited to give a present. Then he just threw himself at his Dad and said "I love you so much Dad!" Then Thing 2 proceeded to tell Hombre that the perfect place for him to put it was on his desk at work. That way if he got bored he could play with it! How sweet is that?

Thing 3 was so funny. She was going around hugging everyone telling them "I love you! Merry Christmas! It really warmed my heart. Everytime someone would open a present, she was there to hug them, tell them she loved them and wish them a Merry Christmas! How sweet!


I wish you could see the look on his face. When he realized what it was he got soo excited! When he saw this at the mall, he freaked out! Its a pair of jeans, a motorcycle shirt and a "leather jacket" with a motorcycle logo on it...He wanted it so bad. He promptly ran upstairs, put the outfit on, and came downstairs doing a "yo I'm so cool!" thing.

Well, its done. We ate our Christmas Eve dinner, read the Christmas story from the Scriptures, read our new Christmas book (The Giving Chest--which BTW is an AWESOME book!). We wrote our letter to Santa and tracked the Big Guys progress on the internet www.noradsanta.org. I think this was the Things favorite thing we did. We kept up the map, and you could see all the places that he had already been, see "Santa Sightings" and see what the projected time of arrival for the Big Guy was in your area. It is actually quite cool!

All the Things are now tucked snug in their beds, with visions of skateboards and dolls dancing in their heads! Santa arrived--right on time I might add--and we all put out their treasures. Now we are anxiously awaiting the screams of pleasure from our little Things.

I feel the same anxiety that I feel every year... Is it enough and will it be accepted?!

Today was The Anonymous Family's Christmas party. Hombre and I realized that this was the first time in our married life that we had spent the holidays with his family out here in the west. Shame on us. When we lived in the Mid-West, we always made the trek down to his Dads house on Christmas Eve. But, once his Dad died, we stopped. It was great to just hang out with everyone! Everyone was there--Granny, Anonymous Grandma J, Anonymous Grandpa E, Auntie W, Aunt H and lots and lots of cousins! The kids were in hog heaven!

Today is also Granny's birthday. Granny is such a beautiful woman. She was once a beauty queen, did you know that? She is so elegant and refined. She was so happy to have everyone there to celebrate with her. She got such a kick out of listening to us all talk about "getting old". She laughed and laughed, and then she cried. She misses Grandfather. She was soo happy to have us all there! It was such a great day!

As I sat there watching everyone interact, I was overcome with gratitude and love. It was nothing short of a miracle! I had this epiphany that I truely DID love these people. It's not such a bad thing to realize that you love your spouses family! They are so kind, loving, accepting and non judgemental. They love you just as you are! I always leave them feeling so good about myself. I love Hombres family! And, I can honestly say that they love me too.


Grandma J made the Things the most amazing dolls! I had no idea that she was so talented! She made Thing 1 a Fairey Princess--which she is enamored with! Thing 2's is this amazing Dragon, who is holding a "diamond" in his claw! It is freaking amazing! Laurens is this beautiful, cuddly doll. Anonymous Cousin P has one too--twin dolls for the twin girls!

Auntie W and I were trying to convince Anonymous Grandma J that she needed to start selling these. She should put them up on the internet and try to sell them. They are beautiful. She also has these AWESOME Harry Potter dolls! I was stunned at how totally cool they are! Someone offered her $250 for the set-- which is underpriced! They are amazing!

Anonymous AuntH is having a fit cause Anonymous Cousin P, she says, has turned into a Jesus Freak! I laughed so hard. A.H. says that all P wants to watch is Jesus movies. Jesus, Mary, Joesph, thats all she can talk about. A.H. says "I have Santa, Frosty, Rudolph movies, but I have Zero Jesus Movies." We all got a kick out of that. I am going to buy P some Jesus Movies, and give her a Nativity that she can play with. She will think that is cool!

So, I had an Epiphany! I am grateful to be here with Hombre's family. I am grateful that we are all together, and happy. I am grateful that he has so many cousins that are so kind to us. I am grateful for his Mother. She is a kind, loving woman.

Yup! I had an Epiphany, and boy did it feel good!

We opened presents with my side of the family today. It was fun to see everyone's reaction. I think that Thing 1's was the best reaction. She was given some super cute pants with a darling belt and a great jacket to go with it! She loved it, as you can clearly see from her picture. Thing 2 got some great little Star Wars action heros--he LOVES Star Wars. And, Thing 3 got some bathtub paint. I was glad about that... maybe it will help her with her uneasiness about baths.

We got Anonymous Cousins a game that they could play while they are out here. Judging from Anonymous Cousins reaction, she wasn't too impressed! LOL!

Thing 1 is at the age where she is turning into a clothes hound. The goal for me is to help her not become obsessed with labels or shopping and help her grow into a well rounded individual. I would like to help her develop her self esteem based on herself , not the labels she wears, the places she shops, or the cars she drives. I want her to be a strong woman who doesn't care what others think, or what others are wearing. Call me crazy, but I truely believe that this is a major important principal that I want to teach my kids. If I always give them everything they want now, with unlimited supplies of name brand clothes (regardless of how cheap they were), then when they are teenagers it will be a nightmare.

That is just what I have been thinking about today. I guess I feel like I have to constantly defend myself on this principal that I am trying to instill in my kids. I shouldn't have to, but I do. It's really rather tiring to always be on the defensive about these sorts of things.

My sister told me something that her daughter said, and I just LOVE it! They were driving here from Colorado, and Anonymous Uncle asks his daughter what she wants Santa Claus to bring her for Christmas. She thought about it for a moment, and then said: "I will be happy with whatever he brings me. " WOW!!! How's that for putting things in the right perspective? She is only 4.

After she told me this, Thing 3 runs up to her and says loud and all proud like "Santa's going to bring me a Dora Kitchen". Kindof ruins the mood. Anonymous Little Sister has done an amazing job with those two cute kiddies-- and apparently I have a little more work to do on ours. Thing 1 handed me a list today of ALL the things she wants for Christmas...it was extremely long. Thing 2 wont tell anyone what he REALLY wants, he says he is keeping it a secret, in his heart, for just him and Santa to know. SCAREY!

I want my kids to respond to people when asked what they want for Christmas the way Anonymous Little Sisters kids did-- "I will be happy with whatever Santa brings me."

Yesterday the Christmas parties happened at the Things school. They were soo excited. This year they were at the same school, and the parties were at the same time, so I had to choose. Thing 1 really didn't want me to come to her party-- I guess we have hit the age when its embarrassing for your Mother to be a room mother?! Anyway, I went to Thing 2's party. It was for an entire Hour and thirty minutes. Yup! That's right-- we were supposed to entertain 25 hyper active 6-7 year olds for 1hour and 30 minutes. YIKES! Or as Thing 1 says--
"Cry-key" (Did I even spell that write?)

One of the room moms that was there to help out was a girl that I went to highschool with. We hardly said 3 words to each other growing up. You know how it is-- you're in one group-- they're in the "cool" group. I was a little worried. Some people that I have run into since being home have never really left the whole high school thing behind. Like the girl that said "Oh does Anonymous Person teach at the school your kids go to? I would NEVER let my kids be in her class-- she was soo mean in highschool." Uh, that was almost 20 years ago-- let go you freak! Anyway-- I was able to visit with Anonymous Popular girl, and have a fun time catching up. We helped the kids play bingo, make reindeer, snowflakes, and read them "A Polar Express". It was turning into a nice party.

At the end of Polar Express, we had the kids jingle their bells to see if they could hear it jingle, and who walks in? Santa Claus. I got so excited! The kids gasped, and then started screaming. Thing 3 ran over to Santa and gave him a big hug, then ran to me and yelled "Mom! Its Santa!" Well, that did it! I started to cry. What a dork! I started to cry, right there in front of all those cute 1st graders, other room moms, and Anonymous Popular girl. Yup. That's me! The only mom that cries at a class christmas party! At least Anonymous Popular girl was nice-- she put her arm around me and said "You're too cute!"

I don't know about that. I felt like a Big Giant Dork!

BTW---Thing 2 said that it was "the best party EVER Mom!!!!!" Well, alright then!

About this time of year, everything sortof becomes a blur. It feels like the world is spinning out of control. I start to panic that the things that we methodically planned to get for the kids is not enough, or right. I hate this point of the holidays! It's a good thing that I don't try and get the holiday shopping done before the 15th of December-- I would be the panic shopper. You know who you are-- panic shopping is when you freak out that the stuff you already have isn't right, so you go out and buy more. More stuff that they don't need with the hopes that that stuff will make it a perfect holiday.

I ran into someone I knew at the Mall a few days ago that was panic shopping. I was panic shopping. I needed to tell myself over and over-- "step away from the checkout counter". I found myself almost purchasing that one item that I have banned from Thing 1, cause she IS only 10--a cell phone. Luckily for me, I came to my senses and ran away fast from the cell phones. Could you imagine the horror on Hombre's face when she opened THAT gift? I have talked nothing but smack about 10year olds and cell phones--what a hypocrit I would be.

Panic shopping. It's a bad, bad thing. I am the worst at it too. I tell Hombre every year that I want to be done with Christmas "this year" by the beginning of November, and every year he tells me THAT is a bad idea. I will post this once and ONLY once, so read carefully HE IS RIGHT! I would end up spending more money if I followed my brilliant plan.

Have I ever mentioned that my car sucks? Well, just for future reference, it does! I have the worlds worst luck with cars. I took mine into the shop yesterday to get fixed--cause you know it sucks! The mechanic said that all it needed was good tune up, with all new wires and spark plugs. We tell him go ahead, cause you know it sucks and all.

Our mechanic is great one. He is a friend of my cousins who manages a car lots repair shop. He does our work, and charges us for the parts. It is usually half of what the car lot would charge us. It has worked out to a good deal for us. He said it was all good-- that I may have a clogged fuel injector, but it looked fine. I didn't think anything of it.

I pick the car up, start to drive it around the corner from the lot, and what happens? The service engine light comes back on. Yup. Still not fixed. I take it back to Anonymous Mechanic, and he tells me that its probably the fuel injector. I have been putting bad gas into the car, aparently. Who knew there were good gas stations, and bad gas stations. Not me. I thought it was all the same. I am suppose to drive the car for 100 miles, and see if all the heavy duty cleaners don't clean it out. Then, if the light is still on, he will replace the fuel injectors (which BTW, cost a ridiculous amount of money). If the light is still on, then it means that it is a crack in this v-ring. He assured me that almost never happens.

It will be my luck that it will be the cracked v-ring. I have bad luck with cars.

The light turned off after I drove it for a while. It was starting to run like it's old self again. But, then after letting it sit for several hours-- when I turned it back on, the light of course came back on. I guess I just need to go for a really long drive and let the kids watch a movie and see if we can't get the bad gas out.

I hate my car, cause it sucks and all. It is making me onery and cynical.

My first "homework" assignment for the online digital scrapbook class... It's done! I am WAY WAY WAY behind. The story of my life. This was only lesson #2-- I think they are now on lesson #5. I guess I know what I will be doing this week when the big kids get out of school. I am surprised with how much I enjoy this. Time just flies when I am doing this. I can start thinking I will only spend 1 hour-- and then 5 hours have flown by. It is a lot of fun. Hopefully I will get faster. Everyone assures me that I will.

Merry Christmas everyone. I need to go and get my shopping done now. YIKES!

My friend sent me this email. It's a letter to Santa with her Christmas Wishes. Since I liked it so well, I decided to post it here for your reading pleasure!


Dear Santa,
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my three children on demand, visited the doctor's office more than my doctor, sold sixty-two cases of candy bars to raise money to plant a shade tree on the school playground and figured out how to attach nine patches onto my son's boy scout uniform with staples and a glue gun.
I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with my son's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes:
I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming child out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.

I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere in the seventh month of my last pregnancy.

If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone.

On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with three kids who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way
up without the use of power tools.

I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Take your hands off your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.

If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container.

If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season.

Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely.

It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.

Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and my son saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.

Yours Always, Mom
P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa

Hombre hates it when I play the "do you know" game with people. Inevitably I can always find someone that we both know. Six degrees of seperation?!

I have this friend that I have known for over 13 years! Can you believe it? Not me. I've known her longer than any of my other friends! I've known her longer than we've both known our spouses!

I met her when I lived in Idaho-- Yes, I DID live in Idaho. I spent 11months of my 18 month mission in this little 1 horse town--Orofino to be exact! She was one of the first people I met when I got to this town, and we just sortof became friends. I'm not sure why, really. We were both living entirely different lives, but she was a good person, and she made me laugh. When I went home, we stayed in contact. We very rarely (and I do mean rarely--like this summer was the first time in 9years I had seen her) saw each other, but we talked on the phone all the time. I went through her rough times, and she went through mine. We had our babies at the same time. I have always known that no matter how big of a screw up I am, Idaho will always be there for me-- and not judge me.

Well, I found out that her Dad is getting remarried. Good for him! Her Mom died a year or so back. Her parents were always so kind to me. I like icecream, and they would always buy me icecream to eat. Anyway-- he met this lady on the internet. They started talking, then dating and now they are getting married. I say good for them! The internet is awesome that way. It brings people together who, after a certain age are really "untouchable" in the dating world. They would normally be made to be alone for the rest of their lives, but the internet connects them to people who they can live out their senior lives with. I'm happy for them.

Now, here is the part that shows how small of a world this is. I was talking with Anonymous Baby sister, and she was telling me that she had to go meet her husbands-aunts-new internet boyfriend. (did you follow that?) I laughed, just cause that sounded funny. I told her that I knew someone who met someone on line and they were getting married. I thought it was cool, cause both their spouses had died, and had died the same way. Babysis told me that was the same deal with her hubbys aunt. We started comparing stories and-- if I'm lying, I'm dying-- they are the same people!! I was so excited! I called my friend, Idaho (who by the way now lives in New Orleans or rather Texas right now... but thats another story!), and told her all about it, and she was laughing too. She really likes the new step mom, and is super excited for her dad!

See, it really is a small world after all!

Yup. We're still sick. Tonight is Hombres work party. At the last firm he worked for, it was on company time, and no family members allowed! That really irked me, but hey! What do you do? Anyway, I told Hombre we were going no matter what! It was a catered dinner at the JSMB! Anyone who knows me well, knows that I like to eat. You know, that unhealthy relationship with food and all... Anyway... I really want to see the lights on Temple Square, but its too cold. I think that I would like to see them by helicopter!
So, seeing how I am still sick and all, I am again taking the lazy mans way out. Here is another journal entry. I must have been in really reflective moods when I wrote these. Either that, or everyone was healthy!

Recently I was driving in my car listening to my favorite radio program “A Prairie Home Companion” with my children. They introduced a singer I vaguely recognized, then started talking about how the song she was going to sing always makes him want to cry. I remember thinking “Oh great! Here comes another sappy, old love song. Yuck!” Then she started singing about her children, and how they were all grown now, and leaving for college. How she’d ‘had eighteen years to prepare for this: Letting go, there’s nothing in the way now-- Letting go." Immediately the flood gates opened as I started thinking of my three wonderful children.

Later in the song the singer talks about how now she has more time for the gardening and will be able to read all those books she had been waiting to read, but that it was all still so hard, Letting go.

Thing 1 listened to me sing (as I did actually know the song), then said “Mom, what is she singing about?” I told her “She is singing about her children growing up and leaving home”. She thought for a moment, and said “Mom, do you want me to grow up and leave home?” And before I could even get the answer out, she continued “cause I don’t ever want to grow up. I would miss you too much”.

This made my thoughts turn to my own Mother. I grew up, moved away. I too missed my Mother.

Childhood is such a wonderful thing. Things are easier to understand. I often hear my children tell me things, and find myself thinking “what a wonderful, simple way to view the world”. How lucky we are to have children around us!

It is such an interesting idea, “Letting go”. I had never thought of it in the sense that I was “letting them go”. I had thought many times, “Boy, I can’t wait until you can do this, that or the other for yourself.” I have found myself hurrying my children along to ‘grow-up’. Yet, as I listened to this song about “Letting them go”, it made me realize that all too soon, I will be an empty nester, with “nothing in the way now” to do all those things that I have been complaining I never get to do. I will be ‘just me’ again, able to come and go as I please, do all those hobbies that I enjoyed “before I had kids.” And then, all I will want is for them to come home.

Letting go. I don't think that I will do that very good. I don't even like them to go across the street, how will I ever handle them moving away?

Since I am sick, and have zero creative energies flowing from these veins, I decided to post one of my old journal entries that I found. I have been going through all my files on the computer, and have found several of my journal entries that never actually made it into my journal. I have always been a writer at heart. It has been my way of working through ideas or problems. If I can't verbally hash it out, then I write. I suppose it saves me thousands in therapy bills. :0) Anyway, I forgot about this until I read it. I liked it, so I decided to post it here... I hope you like it too.
Today was a beautiful day. The sun was bright, no wind, and my children were happy. I took my cute little Thing2 to pre-school, and while we were walking up the sidewalk to the playground, he took my hand and we started singing one of our family songs: "I love you, a bushel and a peck...” We stopped to examine all of the dead, gross worms, and then continued on to the playground. Right before he ran off to play, he reached up, and gave me a kiss. Then he turned and ran towards the playground, promptly wiping off that kiss. Watching him run to meet his friends, and run around the playground, my heart swelled. I was overcome with gratitude. I felt so grateful for all the blessings that were mine, and they were all non material. My gratitude came from my 3 gorgeous children, who incidentally do drive me crazy. My rowdy dog, which has totally ruined my backyard, and tracks her muddy feet everywhere. I felt grateful for my wonderful husband who works so hard to provide such a wonderful life for his family. I felt grateful to have been raised in such a loving, righteous environment. I was filled with gratitude.

All of this reminded me of an interview that I heard on NPR back in February. It was a Catholic priest who had started this organization called Homeboy Industries. He would employ the gang-bangers that were released back into society from prison. This was a profound interview for me to hear, and I have found myself thinking about it often. Hombre and I talked about it a lot after we listened to it, amazed with the unconditional love this man had for these “untouchables”. But the thing that was the most amazing was how he prayed.
He said that he prays so that his heart will be more like the Saviors. The interviewer quickly interrupted him, and said “You’re kidding, right?! I heard that you had Leukemia. Are you saying that you never prayed that God would cure you?” I thought that this was a fair question, and his response was that it never occurred to him to “tell” God what he should and should not do. “I simply prayed in gratitude, not for things.” He said. I contemplated on this, and found it quite amazing. How often do we pray for “things” and how often in our prayers are we thanking Him for “things”.

As I honestly answered this, I found it disturbing, and almost embarrassing. I was all about “thanking” Heavenly Father for the things that I had been given... but was that true gratitude? I know that I have “told” the Lord what I want, and not listened to what it is that He wants for me. According to this Catholic priest, his idea of prayer was trying to align yourself and your heart to be one with the Saviors. I have contemplated on this idea often, and have realized that I do have much to be grateful for, and they are not “material”.

I am grateful for the country that I live in. I am grateful for all of the freedoms associated with living in this country. I am grateful my husband has a job. I am grateful that I am able to see the world with eyes that work. I am grateful that I know how to read. I am grateful for my 3 children and my spazzy dog. I am grateful for my extended family, and the support and love they shower on my family. I am grateful for my health, and the health of those whom I love. I am grateful for the telephone. I am grateful. There are so many things that I could list here.
There lies the challenge... to ponder what it is that I am truely grateful for that isn’t “stuff”. Brigham Young has said that one of the greatest sins is the sin of ingratitude. I need to try this month to align myself and my heart to be one with the Saviors. I need to try to be more thankful for all of the blessings (not stuff) that the Lord has blessed me with, and listen more to what it is that the Lord would have me pray.

What would be the cherry on top to this hellish week that I've had? Me getting sick. Bingo! Never has the entire family been sick at the same time. This really is pathetic. We are all wandering around, moaning, hoping that someone will take pity on us... but no one is, cause we are all sick. Hopefully this will all be over soon!

See that cute little dog? Thats me. That's how I have felt the past few days. Let me give you a brief overview of my crazy life...
Thing2 is sick. He was sick on his birthday. Bummer. He had a fever of 103. That's really high... for a S.E.V.E.N. Year old! (I still can't believe it!) What a horrible way to spend your birthday--sick.

On Monday morning, bright and early, I called the Doctor-and the Doctor said: "No more monkeys jumping on the bed!" Ok! He didn't really say that-- but he should've! Just read on and you will see why! ANYWAY-- I made an appointment for Thing2 to get into the Doctor. I got them all dressed, and ready to go. I hurried them into the car only to realize: I knoweth not where my purse is! I start freaking out, looking all over the house and I couldn't find it anywhere! Then I realize that my purse is in Hombres car, which just happens to be in the city--25minutes away. Hombre is having a busy day, and there is no way he can bring it to me. I think to myself, its ok. I will just have to pay the co-pay later, Thing2 needs medicine! I get everyone re-buckled into the car, only to find out that my car battery is dead. Yup dead... D.E.A.D... dead. Not working, dead! I couldn't believe it! I had to call the Doctors office, yet again, and re-schedule the appointment. Then I had to figure out how I was going to get there, AND pay for it.

All I have to say about that is: "Thank heavens for Anonymous Moms!" What would we ever do without them? I swear, (not really. Well, ok, only sometimes when its really important, but I digress...) I think I must look like a total idiot since moving here. I have had to be "rescued" more times than I can count. I really am not that big of a Daphne-- You know, the girl in Scooby doo that is always the damsel in distress getting rescued?!? It only looks like it!

It only took all day to get poor Thing 2 to the Doctor to find out that he has a sinus infection (ick) and the starting of pneumonia (yikes), with a raging fever ( I knew that one). Poor little guy! He is one sick little dude! I got him home, and into the bath with some great medicine that Hombre brought home. Thing 2 actually slept really well.

"Is that all?" You say to make you feel like a cute, little doggie about to be squashed by a 300 lb lady? Ooohhhhh Noooo! Let me continue on with the saga.

Today, Thing2 stayed home from school. Duh! Thing3 starts in with a fever about 1pm, and I was finally able to get her to sleep by about 2pm. Thing1 calls at 3:10pm "dying, she is soo sick and just can't take school any longer." Now, mind you school gets out at 3:20pm. I get the message through Anonymous Mom, because Thing1 couldn't reach me on the phone. Thing1 wanted Anonymous Mom to come and pick her up, which, thankfully she told her to ride the bus home. For heavens sakes People! I was in the shower, sheesh. One needs to wash the stench off at some point in time! Anyway, I thought for sure that because of the way she was acting something major had gone down at school. But Noooo! She just had the flu.

Ok. 2 down, 1 more to go. I get all the Things in their P.J's, get the vaporizer on them, and we settle in to watch the flood of Christmas shows that are sprouting up on every single channel. While we are all getting settled in, Thing3 falls off the bed ( see, here comes my new mantra:
NO MORE MONKEYS JUMPING ON THE BED!!!), hits her head on the corner of the nightstand, and then lands in a pile of Rescue Heros. She is wailing up a storm, and I pick her up to console her, only to get a hand full of blood. NOW-- anyone that knows me KNOWS that I am useless in an emergency. But, I had the sense to get a wet towel and put pressure on it. Boy, who would've thought a head that little could hold that much blood. YUCK!! Anyway.. Hombre has been stuck in traffic for over 45 minutes and hadn't even left the city yet-- and by the way, he was sick too. Oh, lucky me. Now everyone but the dog was sick. I was probably going to come home to a sick dog too, the way this was starting to pan out.

I was flying solo. Thank heavens for Anonymous Mom, yet again. I think that I am going to have to write her her own theme song! You know, like the A-Teams??! She seems to be doing a whole lot of rescueing lately. All of the sick things went to Anonymous Grandmas, and I had to borrow her car, cause you know-- my car sucks and all.

Poor little Thing3 kept telling everyone at A.G's house how she had a hole in her head. She fell and cracked her head, and now there was a hole in it. Anonymous Baby sister tried to convince her that she should put salad in her hole, but she didn't think that was funny. She told Anonymous baby sister that she was going to go to the doctors and get a magic bandaide. Thank heavens she still believes everything I tell her. Bandaids can solve all your problems! Did you know that? It's true!

Poor little Thing 3-- she got 2 stitches. It was rather traumatic, especially since there was a little boy in the room next to ours who was also getting stitches-- more than 10-- and he was screaming like a banshe! Thing3 was getting more and more nervous. It was actually horrid to watch her get those blasted things. But what did I do? I sang her 'Popcorn popping on the Apricot tree" and "Do you know the muffin man?" I couldn't think of anything else to do.

So, thats my life. 3 sick kids, a dog who ate 2 diapers while I was gone (she really WILL be sick tonight! Dumb dog!), a sick Hombre and a little one with stitches in her head. All in a days work I suppose.

I got everyone into bed, and then I had to go get McDonalds and "unwind". Nothing calms my nerves faster than McDee's Diet coke and fries. I know, I know! Sick and wrong. Yes, I have seen the nasty movie "Super Size Me", But hey, what can you do? You can either freak-out, or roll with the punches. I choose to roll, and eat french fries and drink diet coke. If I have any more days like today I will literally BE rolling... from all that fat!

Happy Birthday Little Man!! My little man, Thing2, is 7 today. It is soo exciting, but it is also sad. He is growing up, and I might add, into quite a handsome little guy! I can not believe that next year he will be 8... that just blows my mind.

Now, let me explain something... in my church, the 8th birthday is a big deal. It's the age when, if one chooses, they can be baptized into full membership of the church. With Thing1 we spent the whole year leading up to her baptism going over all the teachings and beliefs with her. She was MORE than ready when the time came for her to be baptized. She was born with a HUGE testimony.

ANYWAY-- Last night we were opening Birthday presents with Grandma and Pappy. Hombre was talking to Thing2 about his birthday and asked him what was going to happen on his next birthday. Thinking that he would say something to the effect of "get baptized". Oh No! Nothing of the sort. Without missing a beat, he said "I'll get MORE presents." Oh geeze! We have a lot of work ahead of us, if he is going to be ready to get baptized. Silly boy! Or should I say "Bad Mommy & Daddy"!?!

My little man had his birthday party today. He got everything that he was DYING for. It seems that we spoiled him, yet again. But, how can one resist when he looks at you with those beautiful blue eyes?? Hombre says that Thing2 has me wrapped around his little finger. I would have to agree. I love that little boy. I love my girls too, don't get me wrong. I'm just feeling extra sappy towards Thing2 cause its his birthday. We got him the build your own lightsaber, the lego star wars xbox game, new handle bars grips for his bike, a cd player with a new cd. We decided to make the cake this year... usually we buy it from Wal-mart. (I know, gag. But I LOVE their frosting! And I usually hate frosting!) That cake was the saddest looking cake ever! Hombre kept calling it the "charlie brown birthday cake". It was rather sad looking. Now we know why Mom buys the cakes at Wal-mart! Homemade ones are better tasting, but store bought ones are prettier.

We went to my Uncle and Aunts 50th wedding anniversary tonight. It was great fun to see ALL of my cousins. Some I hadn't seen in well over 10years. I told Hombre it had been so long since I had seen some of them, I didn't know what to talk to them about. The Things couldn't believe that "all those people" were their family. They are still getting used to having so much family around. They had a blast playing with all the cousins. That is one of the things that I am so happy about. Both Thing1 and 2's best friends are their cousins... how awesome is that? Thats why we moved here. To be around the family.

Today is the first Friday of December. Usually, on the first Friday in December, all of my friends and I would be hanging out, making merry and having a grand ole time. Tonight is the first night in a very very long time that it hasn't happened. I know that they are continuing on without me, and that is as it should be.

So, in the spirit of merry making-- I made up some of my favorite treats and ate them ALL BY MYSELF!! Well, granted they were mostly leftovers from Sunday's- post-turkey- party... but that's not the point... I ate all the treats by myself and watched Bruce Almighty with Hombre. Then, ran Thing1 to her friends house, and checked out Christmas with the Kranks to continue on in the party mode! :0)

Hopefully by this time next year I will know enough people to start the annual tradition up again. It took a while when I moved into the old house to start it up there. I have nothing but time I am coming to understand, and so hopefully by next year I will know enough people that I can invite more than just my family.

On a different subject totally... 7 years ago my son was born. It was a friday morning, 12:54am. The morning of Hombre's first law school final. He had been studying through the first half of my labor for the torte final. At first, I had thought it was funny, but towards the end it made me mad and he quit. After Thing2 arrived, Hombre went and cleaned himself up, visited with Thing1 and then took his first law school exam. He did pretty well, considering.

Thing2 turns 7 on Sunday. S.E.V.E.N. !! I can't believe it. Where did all that time go. He used to love to cuddle with me... long gone are those days. He is a joy to have around. He is such a kind and thoughtful little boy. I am so grateful that he is my child. He makes everyone around him happy. He has an infectious laugh. Thing2 turns 7-- and all too soon he will be grown-up and gone.

These children have brought me so much joy. My life is much richer with them in it. I couldn't imagine going through life without them. I thank my Father in Heaven for them daily. Even when they are naughty!

TAH-DAH! Here it is... my very first digital scrapbook page ever!! After only about 4 hours of actually trying to make the page... this is what I came up with. Then, it took another hour or so along with the help of 2 of my sisters to figure out what I did wrong in saving it. It was too big to email, or post here. But with the help of Anonymous Sister in Seattle and Colorado I was able to re-save it and post. Let me know what you think. I hope that it gets faster for me to make a page. Anonymous Sister in Seattle told me she can do a page in 20 minutes or so. Hopefully someday that'll be me!