I have a confession.
I am embarrassed to even admit it.
Once I do, then I will be mocked for forever!
I am serious!
I have mocked everyone who I have seen wearing Gaucho pants...
You remember those pants from the 1970's...
the ones that flare and only go about mid-calf?

Yup.
I have been mocking them big time...
Especially when I have seen people wearing them with boots...

Well, my sister and I decided today to try some on.
Just so that we could mock them even more.
When my sister came out, I promptly said : "Ewww! I hate them!"
She then promptly recited a line from the movie "Never Been Kissed" with Drew Barrymore. You know, Drew is called "Josie Grossy!"
Anyway... The part she starts reciting is when her brother asks her if she is wearing pants or a skirt. And she says "Their Gauchos! I got them on sale!"


I started laughing so hard, that I had tears!
But, then something strange started happening.
The longer Baby sis kept those dang things on, the cuter they got.
I am not kidding. They kept getting more and more cute.
I was dumbfounded. That made us laugh even harder.
So, I HAD to try them on.
I'm dying if I'm lying...
They looked cute on ME too! AND they made me look skinny! Bonus!!
And Holy Cow--- They were freaking comfortable!!

I know. I know. I know!!
Nerd-o-rama!
I am embarrassed to say it out loud.
I want some gauchos.
There.
I said it.
I want some gauchos.

I will trade my sweats in for the gauchos.

Gauchos.

What a retarded name.
Gauchos.

But, I want some.
Now, I need to go hide my head in shame!

I had an unexpected surprise today.
A friend of mine from Illinois called today to say she would be driving past my house, and could she stop in and say "Hi"?
Uh, YES! Of course!
She and her daughter were out here checking out Universities.
It always amazes me how quickly children grow up.
It was awesome seeing my friend.
I haven't talked with her since I moved.
She and I used to have the most amazing talks, and I have really missed her.
It was great to see her again.

I was thinking the other day...
No, it wasn't thinking, it was fantasizing...
About moving back to Illinois, and how awesome that would be to see all my friends again, and to have my old life back!
And then I had that familiar pang... The one I felt when we decided to move here...
I wouldn't be able to have my children associate with all of our family.
No more Grandparents.
No more cousins.
No more Uncles and Aunts.
That caused that familiar pang...
I had the sudden realization of what I really wanted...

I wish that I could've just packed up all my friends, and brought them along with me.
I have missed my friends terribly, yet when I was there, I missed my family.
The choice to move back home was, in essence, trading something good for something good.
Does that make sense?
I had it AWESOME in Illinois. My support system and family was my friends, neighbors and church.
Now, my support system and friends are my family.
That's not so bad.
I still miss my friends...
But thank heaven above that we have email.
How on earth did we survive without it?

Random 10.
You know the rules.
Did you play?

1. Feel Better - Santana & Steven Tyler
2. Crazy For You - Madonna
3. Love Will Always Win - Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood
4. Not Going Down - Jo Dee Messina
5. Tonight Tonight - Smashing Pumpkins
6. Your Body Is A Wonderland - John Mayer
7. Tyrone (Live) - Erykah Badu
8. In The Sun - Michael Stipe
9. Jealousy - Natalie Merchant
10. Invisible - Clay Aiken
Bonus Track Banjo Boy - Ryan Shupe & The RubberBand

How to know if you are a klutz...

You fall while walking on your front walk...
on the 1 step that you have to the front door...
in front of all your neighbors who are getting their mail...
and rip your favorite pair of jeans...
and skin your fingers? ...

That's how you know you are a klutz.

You know you are a grown up when you get excited about your 2 year old-- almost 3 year old pooping in the potty!
Yup!
Thing 3 used the potty to poop.
3 days in a row now!
I really am a grown up now, aren't I?

Oh Man!!
Those dang little poop monsters are back!!!
Oh the unjustice of it!
People sending their dogs to my yard to poop.
I watched the neighbor let the dog out, the dog promptly ran to my yard,
took a big ole crap, then the lady called her dog home.
Ugh!
I have this neighbor.
He is huge.
He is a hawaiian.
He is funny.
He hates the poop monsters too.
I heard through the magic neighborhood grapevine, that he collects the poop monsters crap, and delievers it to their owners.
Or, he leaves it on their porch.
I told Jefe I was going to do that...
But he reminded me that I am a small white girl.
Not really all that intimidating...
Dang!

I'm winning!!
What am I winning?
Well, the war with all those nasty poop monster neighborhood dogs!!
Bah-ha ha ha ha (my evil laugh!)

Yup.
T.G.I.F.
Random 10 Friday.
Another Soundtrack for my life...

1. Photo - Ryan Cabrera
2. Lips Like Sugar - Echo & The Bunnymen
3. This Years Love - David Gray
4. Clocks - Coldplay
5. Inside Out - Eve 6
6. Wal-Mart Parking Lot - Chris Cagle
7. What Hurts The Most - Rascal Flats
8. You’re Beautiful - James Blunt
9. Just Feel Better - Santana & Steven Tyler
10.What Would You Say - Dave Mathews Band
Bonus: Stealing Kisses - Faith Hill

My Brother-in-law is getting a kidney transplant.
They have been going through literal hell for the past year.
Anonymous Sister is also pregnant-- which amounts for more stress.
His transplant is scheduled for Monday -March 6th.

I find myself watching them very closely. It is amazing to see how calm they are, and what strength they have. I see others of the family sortof having mental meltdowns, and find myself in awe with "The Bean's" and their strength.
It is quite admirable.
Some people have accused me of not reacting properly, or for that matter even caring.
I find those kind of comments quite offensive-- although I would never tell them so.
Just because I am not a total freaker, doesn't mean that I don't think about them, or worry about them, or feel sorrow for them.
I just show it differently.
I do worry, and I do feel for my sister, a.k.a "Mrs. Beans".

I am amazed with her character, and her ability to forge on.
She doesn't just give up when it gets hard.
She kept doing her calling... which to me is inspiring.
I would like to think that I would be like that, but I have a feeling if the shoes were reversed-- I would be pretty pissed at the world, and feel a little abandoned by God.
I know, shallow of me.
But not Mrs. Beans... She has even more faith than before.
That is admirable.

So Mr. Beans is getting a new kidney.
His little brother is giving it to him... such an amazing gift.
The gift of life.
How blessed we are to live in this day and age where these sorts of things are possible.
Amazing.

I want something deep fried and smothered in chocolate!

Here is my Haiku poem about the weather...
I haven't done these since...
College??
Or at least the 5th grade


Yesterday was hot
Today it's totally gross
I am sick of snow

OR...

Snow, rain, wind or hail
It is all driving me nuts
Maybe this is hell


Drip Drip Drip Stop It
Blowing raining not right now
Stop It Drip Drip Drip

Yesterday it was 64 degrees.
Today it is snowing.

How does it do that?

Why does it do that?

I was so excited for spring.
Now its snowing.

That's depressing.

I've got it bad.
Spring fever.
It was 52 degrees this morning when I took the Things to school.
Fifty-two.
It is supposed to get up to 64 today.
Ahhh....
Sun.
I worship the sun!
Not really, but you know what I mean.
I am ready for spring.
I want to plant, and dig, and mow, and yes, even weed.
I really enjoy yard work.
Except right now, all my yard work consists of mowing and edging.
I want to plant some plants...
I am going to get 5 roses, and get those puppies in the ground as soon as its "safe".
Then there are the 10 or so bushes that come next...
Then the Evergreens--3 for up front, and 3-5 for the back yard.
Then I will help Anonymous Mom split her daylillies, and hopefully get a few for myself.
I can't wait until there is some shade in my yard-- I love hastas big time bad, and want to get them back in my yard.
Then I hope to get a small white fence to put up between my yard and the weed/mud yard-- It will make my yard look more put together. Rather than driving up, and wondering why in the world we have this nasty weed/mud area.

Lastly, I want to get canned lights to up under my eves, and new porch lights and garage lights. The ones that are there are too small for the house, and I think they need to be bigger. Once the lights go up on the house, and the yard lights get installed-- this house will look grand!

It's official.
I have declared war on the neighborhood dogs.
I just scooped 1/2 a walmart bag full of poop...
from my front yard.
My dog is NEVER in the front yard.

Thats it!
I'm at war!

I read somewhere that if you want a dog to leave your flower beds alone, you should sprinkle chili powder all over in the beds.

So, I just spent 45 minutes scooping poop, and sprinkling chili powder as a replacement.
I think I am going to go buy it in bulk, and then use my fertilizer dispensor to spread the chili powder all over the front yard.
I hope it works.
If not, there is always cayenne pepper!

I forgot.
Yesterday was Friday.
That means that it was Random 10 Friday.
I didn't get it posted...
So, here it is.
On Saturday.
So, I guess that means that I have to post some bonus tracks.
Just to make it up to you...
Ha!


1. You and Me - Lifehouse
2. The Reason - Hoobastank
3. Beautiful Day - U2
4. Drops of Jupiter - Train
5. That’s The Way Love Goes - Janet Jackson
6. With You Gone - Ryan Cabrera
7. Carolina Rain - Ryan Adams
8. Canned Heat - Jamiroquai (Napoleon Dynamite Soundtrack)
9. No Woman No Cry - Bob Marley & The Wailers
10. Heaven - Los Lonely Boys

Bonus Tracks:
Better Man - Pearl Jam
In Your Eyes - Peter Gabriel
Everytime I Hear Your Name - Keith Anderson
Better Days - Goo Goo Dolls
Picture - Kid Rock & Sheryl Crow
Love Will Always Win - Garth Brooks & Trisha Yearwood

How 'bout that?
Did you play?

Guess what we're doing today??
Jefe bought a swingset...
A HUGE swing set.
And I do mean HUGE!!!
It had 7-- yes count them S.E.V.E.N. boxes.
I wonder if we will get it done today??
I say WE...
When it's really HE...
It's supposed to be 50+ degrees today and tomorrow.
Thing 3's birthday is in 3 weeks, and we are having a combined birthday party here at the house. Jefe's sisters little girl has a birthday 10 days after #3's. They are the same age, and it's a total blast to watch them play together. We thought the swingset would make the party just that much more fun.
Besides that, it will entertain the kids all summer long.
I'm excited...
but not as excited as El Jefe!!

Poor little Thing.
Thing 3 that is.
She went to get her cavities filled Wednesday.
She ended up getting a crown on her very back molar.
Do I feel like a total looser mother?
Yes!
Do I feel like a failure?
Yes!
I DO brush her teeth... Everyday.
But, if you would've been with me yesterday, it wouldn't have looked like it!
I felt so bad for the little thing!
She had to get some major drugs, and then they made her really sick. She had to get another shot to help her stop throwing up.
It was horrid.
She was so drugged, and she was so funny. It was hard for me to not laugh at her, cause she literally looked and acted like a drunk person. As funny as it was, I still felt like a total shmuck!
What kindof Mommy am I that my 2 year old has 4 cavities, and one of them had to get a crown? I mean, come on! When they gave her the shot to numb her face, I started crying right along with her. It was upsetting for me to see her so out of it, and then when they were working on her, it was even more upsetting.
I was a mess.
Crying like a fool.
Is it guilt?
I hope not!
I hope its just me hating to see my baby like THAT!
YUCK!

I have informed the big Things that candy is no longer available in this house, and the pop is being phased out.
They were NOT happy with me.
"It's not fair! That's soo mean!!!" they whined to me.
Oh well.

I guess I have officially become the meanest mom on earth...
But I will do it for the sake of their teeth!!

Well.
It's done.
Did we, uh, I mean, Jefe survive?
That is still to be decided.
He slept until 10:00am today, if that says anything.
He is exhausted.
Three weeks off of work, and he says he doesn't feel like he has had a three week "vacation".
He needs another vacation.
Ain't happenin'!
Oh well.
Now we wait...
Assuming he passed, he will be sworn in on the 16th of May.
It will be awesome to get this done.
He has been being "courted" by more recruiters.
That should make him feel good.
I don't anticipate a job change, but it's always nice to know that you are wanted!
So, the test is done...
Praise Allah!

Well.
It's begun.
The dreaded test.
Jefe, or as he calls himself--"El Jefe", has left to go take the bar exam.
I feel major stress, and worry and all those other emotions too.
He told me last night that it would be worse for him if he were depending on me to pass a test to provide for the family...
That made my apprehension worse.
He will do fine, but it is that dreaded "waiting place."
I hate the waiting place.
You know the place...
It's the one that Dr Seuss talks about in his book "Oh the Places You'll Go"...
it says this:


"...Headed, I fear, toward a most useless place.
The waiting place...
...For people just waiting.
Waiting for a train to go
or a bus to come, or a plane to go
or the mail to come, or the rain to go
or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow
or waiting around for a YES or NO...
Everyone is just waiting."


I fear we have entered the dreaded waiting place...
we are the ones waiting for our YES or NO.

Jefe will be fine, and he will do fine.

It's just this dreaded, awful waiting place...
It really sucks!

Well well well.
I guess it's only fair.
I am known for giving everyone nicknames.
It's how I remember people, who they are and all that.
From the time I can remember I have given people nicknames.
So, I guess it's only fair that I get one.

"El Jefe" as he likes to be called now, informed me that Thing 1 has a nickname for me.
What prompted this was Thing 2 was telling Jefe to get # 3 out of his way.
He kept saying: "Dad, she's in my way. Make #3 leave me alone!"
He and I looked at each other and said "Who is #3"
He looked at us like we were on crack and said "She is, pointing to Thing 3". Then he pointed to Thing 1 and said "she is #1, and I'm #2, and Dad is Hombre".
I asked who I was then, if everyone else had a name?!
"Well", Jefe said, "you are of course "The Motherboard"
At least that's what Thing 1 calls you."

The Motherboard.
Huh.
I sortof like it!

Yeah!
Friday!
I love Friday's!
Here are my Random 10...
Does anyone ever play???


1. Wide Open Spaces - Dixie Chicks
2. Away From The Sun - 3 Doors Down
3. New Thing - Shawn Colvin
4. Sunrise - Norah Jones
5. Georgia Rain - Trisha Yearwood
6. Losing My Religion - R.E.M
7. She Will Be Loved - Maroon 5
8. The Lucky One - Faith Hill
9. Don’t Know Why - Norah Jones
10. Sattelite - Dave Mathews Band

My kids crack me up!
It is Hombres...uh, I mean Jefe's birthday today.
The kids were SOO excited to go and pick out his presents.
Thing 3 wanted to get him a ball...
Thing 2 picked out this pocket knife that had 2 of them in the package... one for Jefe and one for Thing 2.
Thing 1 picked out the new Harry Potter xbox game.

What is so funny about it is that they gave him the things that THEY were dying to get.
That's what is so great about watching the kids give gifts...
They give you what THEY would really like to get.

Hombre... I mean Jefe... Was a great sport about the whole thing, and got really excited about the things that the kids picked out for him.
He is a great dad!!

We had take-out from Olive Garden.
I love their salad.
I think that we decided tho, that you get better salads if you go eat there, rather than doing take-out.
Live and learn.
It's all good!
Happy Birtday Jefe, or Hombre, or Al, or Rev...
Whatever his nickname...
I hope he had a good birthday!

Wanna know how I spent my Valentines Day??
Well, it was of course, in the Dentists office...
For over 3hours of dental work.
I know.
Gross.

I broke my tooth last night.
I was eating some starbursts, when I bit into something really hard.
It was my tooth.
I broke my tooth...
Right down the middle.
It's gone.
No more tooth.
Goodbye little toothy!
Only I could do something like that.
Half of my tooth came out--- now this is gross--- root and all.
I had a root canal on that tooth a couple of years ago... but haven't gotten around to getting the crown put on it.
I guess that has now been made a priority.
I need a crown, actually I need 4 crowns.

My teeth totally suck.
I was going to take a photo of the said tooth, but decided THAT would be totally gross.
I could easily be catagorized in the "hillbilly teeth" catagory.
My teeth suck THAT bad.

I just don't get it.
I am totally anal about brushing...all the time.
And flossing.
And mouthwash that tastes like sewer cleaner.
I am religious about going to the dentist...
I HATE going to the Dentist for anything other than a checkup.
I feel like I help pay all the light bills at my Dentists office... that's how much I go.
I just don't get it.
They say having kids can also ruin your teeth.
Well, they should put that in the kid brouchure...
"Your body will sag in places it's not supposed to sag, and your teeth will all fall out of your head!"
Sheesh!

I am going to get those crowns!!
THAT will improve my teeth considerably, not to mention the look of them too.

Yup!
I had a FUN Valentine's Day...
With my Dentist.

Hombre informed me recently that he hates, and I mean HATES his nickname.
Well, that would've useful information--- 12 years ago.
I have called him Hombre for 12 years.
I don't know where the name came from, but I have always called him Hombre.
Apparently, He hates it.
I remember when we were dating, I wanted a nickname for him.
We both speak Spanish--- well, actually, I speak about as well as an eighteen month old learning to use language... At least that's what Hombre says.
Anyway, I remember these cute Spanish people that I knew when I was a missionary up in Washington. The lady called her husband Gordito... or "Little fat man. "
Which, was funny, cause he really was kindof fat.
I figured that Hombre wouldn't find that particular nickname very endearing, so I just started calling him Hombre-- or Man.
I liked it, and it just sortof stuck.
I called him that today, and Thing 1 politely informed me: "You know, Dad hates that name?!"
I told her that I knew.
I said, "Well, I could call you 'The Reverend', like one of the partners in his law firm does." The partner couldn't remember Hombres name, and called him "**** Sharpton". Hombre thought that was hilarious, and told him, "Yeah. Just call me the Rev... Cause you know, I'm Al Sharpton."
So, he does.
But, I just don't think "The Rev" fits Hombre.
I guess I could call him Al...
It would go with the "Anita" that Hombre has called ME for the past 12 years...
But that story is for another time.

I told him he had till the count of 10 to come up with a better nickname, or it would be Hombre until the end of time.

I got to 10.
I told him it was Hombre.
When he jumped up from the couch yelling "I've got it! I've got it! You can call me Jefe".
Now, for you non Spanish speaking readers... Its said like this---heff-eay.

You know, from the 3 amigos?!

Jefe.

He said, "Everyone will think it's funny"

Hummm...
I wonder if I can re-program my brain to go from Hombre to Jefe...

Hombre was sick of studying...
He decided that he needed a break, and that we should go on a roadtrip.
We thought it would be fun to go explore this weird little place in Utah--- Smith & Edwards...
We thought that it might be sortof like Farm & Fleet--- this weird little chain of Farm supply stores in Illinois.
It's not.
When we got there, it looked like a scrap metal place.
I really didn't want to go in...
and Hombre decided he didn't either.
It wasn't like Farm & Fleet...
It was gross.
So, we kept on driving.
We ended up in Logan, home of Utah State University.
Hombre's sister is going to school there.
His Dad did his under-grad work there.
My sister went to school there.
It was kind-of cool to see Logan...
There is nothing there.
We got on this road, headed up into the mountains, that all of a sudden turned into a 1 way road. They were working on the road, and there was no way to turn around.
So, we just settled in, to see where the road took us.
We ended up DEEP in the mountains.
There were snowmobilers EVERYWHERE!!!
I couldn't believe all the wide open space, there in the middle of the mountains to snowmobile on.
It was freaking awesome!!
We stopped at this "rest area"... It looked really spooky.
The snow had been plowed, and there was only 1 way in or out... I would've never known that there was a building back in there... That's how high the snow drifts were. Hombre really wanted to go in there, to "take a look around".
I didn't.
He won.
We got in there, and there was a building in there, and a parking lot where the cross country skiers were coming in and out, and also the snowmobilers.
It was soo quiet... The only thing you could hear was the wind blowing through the trees, and the occasional far away humm of a snowmobile.
It was crazy cool!


Can you believe how crazy high that snow mound is?
It's nuts! The kids immediately climbed to the top, and started frolicking in the snow... They thought it was awesome.
I stayed on the ground so that I could get the proof of how tall that snow mound really is...
Yes It is probably 3 times higher than the car.
And the ground is a SOLID sheet of ice.
Thing 2 promptly fell... About 4 times in a 5 minute period.











When we climbed to the top of the giant snow mound...
You could see this beautiful lake...



Bear Lake, to be exact.







My Dad was raised in this neck of the woods.
I had never seen Bear Lake in the winter...
It is really cool... ummm... I mean Cold.
I would totally love to have a cabin up there.
There is not only a ton of stuff for the summer, but lots of winter too.
Very relaxing, and not too far away.
Just far enough!
After we finished our tour of Bear Lake, looking diligently for Raspberry shakes (cause, that's what they are known for), which, BTW, we couldn't find...
We started for home.
The route that we thought we could go, was another pass through the mountains...
only it was closed.
Bummer.
That meant that we had to go through Evanston...
Wyoming.
Yup.
That's right folks, Wyoming.
The land of nothing.
Except trailers.
That's houses with wheels.
Everyone lives in Trailers.
ICK!
Evanston is really gross.
I haven't been to Evanston in well over 10 years...
Now I remember why.
It's yucky.
That very well could be one of the places that God will Thrust me...
If I get thrust to Hell, that is.

Actually, not ALL of Wyoming is yucky...
Just most of it.
Jackson Hole is AWESOME...
Yellowstone is AWESOME...
Jenny Lake is AWEOMSE...
The Tetons are AWESOME...

I actually want to have my ashes sprinkled all over Jackson Hole/Teton Mountain valley... but thats getting a little morbid...

So, there are some great parts... But the parts that are icky, are well, really icky.
Remember the gas station that we stopped at, somewhere in Wyoming, that we had to PAY to use??
Uh, yeah!
That's right!
Gross!

Anyway...
We decided to eat there, but didn't want fast food.
The only place we could find was a JB's Foods.
Umm, that place should be condemned.
It was gross.

At one point, Thing 2 was sick of being in the car, and started whining that he wanted to do something "fun. "
Thing 1 then told him that we weren't going to stop anywhere until he was having fun.
Smart mouth! (grin)
It was quiet for a long while, and then you hear this little voice from the back saying:
"I'm having fun now."

I hope that some day when my kids are grown, with kids of their own, they will reminisce about how their parents used to take them on these crazy roadtrips to nowhere...
"And it was soo much fun, that they want to do it with their kids..." SMILE!

When we got into Evanston... Hombre tells the kids: "Ok. Here is what we wanted to show you... The Landfill for Evanston Wyoming. And aren't you glad your Dad didn't move you HERE??!"

Anyway...
We went on a road trip today.
We had originally thought it would be a couple of hours...
But, Seven hours later, we got back home.
No worse for the wear.
With some great memories for the kids.
I hope...

It's official.
My kids have been assimilated.
Thing 1 was sitting at the table, playing her gameboy, when out of the blue she yelled
"OH MY HECK!!"
Hombre and I looked at each other, and laughed.
Yup.
She's been assimilated.
She didn't learn that from Hombre or me...
She is picking up on the "Utah slang".
That must mean she is comfortable and happy.
That makes me happy.

Where are my socks?
I would like to know this.

I have a sock basket.
For those of you who actually FOLD your socks, that means that I have a basket that all the socks go in, and you have to find the mates.
Every so often, I go through the basket to get all the mates...
I have a basket that is full of socks that have no mates.

Where do they go?

I think that they are orbiting Pluto.
Have you heard about the new planet that they have found that is beyond Pluto, and is actually bigger, in mass, than Pluto?

Well, I think that this new planet is actually all the mates to my socks, and
I want them back!!

It's here again.
Did you play?

1. Photograph - Nickelback
2. Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson (I know--eww! But he had such great songs!)
3. All I wanna Do - Sheryl Crow
4. Praise You - Fat Boy Slim
5. Collide - Howie Day
6. Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters
7. Get Down Tonight - KC & The Sunshine Band (I know! I know!)
8. Heaven - Los Lonely Boys
9. Wake Me Up When December Ends - Green Day
10. No Such Thing - John Mayer

Bonus Track- If I Ain’t Got You - Alicia Keyes ** Just because she is Freaking AWESOME!! Click HERE to hear this incredible singer!

What does your Handwriting say about You??

My poor thing 2. He is sick, yet again. He was totally bowled over Tuesday night. He came home from school, feeling fine.
He ran all over the neighborhood with all his homies-- I am sure creating a ruckus where ever they went.
He came home, and his cute little cheeks were all pink. I mistakenly thought this was from being outside, playing.
I went to kiss him, and he was burning up.
My poor little man.
He stayed home yesterday.
Today, when He woke up, he could hardly talk. You could tell that all the junk had settled in his head, and it was going NO WHERE!
It hurt me to listen to him talk.
Then, when he did talk, it smelled like something died in his mouth.
We tried everything... Brushing a million times.
Brushing his tongue...
Gargling...
Gargling with different mouth wash...
Nothing.
Still smelled like death.
Poor little man!
I decided that there must be something seriously wrong, so I took him to insta-care.
That was one of the smarter things I've done.
I hate taking the kids to the Doctor.
Bad Mommy.
Very Bad Mommy!
But, let me explain why.
Usually when I do take the kids, I pay my lovely $25.00 co-pay...
(which makes me feel like I have been violated... But that's another post for another time)
Only to have the Doctor say: "Yup! They're sick. There's nothing I can do for them."
Then they say those dreaded words: "It's a virus!"
ARGH!
I am so glad that I came to the Doctor, paid your light bill this month... All so that you could tell me that it was a virus, and keep pushing the fluids.
That really irks me.
Anyway, I decided to take him to the Doctor today--- based soley upon the fact that we couldn't get the smell of death out of his cute little mouth.
It was a good thing...
My cute little Thing 2 has a RAGING sinus infection, AND tonsillitis, AND the beginnings of Strep Throat!!!
Oh My Goodness!!!
That poor little guy!
There was good reason that he smelled like death...
He was knocking on its door!

I was looking for a local scrapbook store, and found this address of a store in the yellow pages. I drove by, several times over the past few months, but it didn't look like a store. I finally decided to go inside it yesterday, and it was amazing.
They are mostly a web-based business-- www.Scrapbooknow.com ...
they have some of the cutest stuff I have ever seen!
I loved their sticker/tag line called Herbanella and their paper line called Studio Collection.
Oh My!
They have stuff that I have never seen before, and its freaking cute! The Herbanella stickers are made out of cardstock. I am thinking that I am going to have to purchase the stuff. They told me if I wanted to just "shop" at home, I could enter my coupon code as "instore", and then I could come and pick it up at the store-- they would have it all pulled and in a bag for me. I would just have to pay!
Oh My!
Heaven!
I would probably spend less money too.
Anyway, look at what I made.


















































































































































We made these albums last night out of paper bags.
Can you believe it?
Aren't they the cutest things you have ever seen?
So easy, and I would've never thought to do that.
Its such an easy way to make an album to display some of your photos in.
I think I am hooked!
They showed me some of the other books they have made...
I want to make them too!
It was fun to be able to actually finish a project in one night!
Thing 1 wants to make some for her friends for Valentines Day and for Christmas next year.
What fun!
It is something that she can totally do, and it would be fun to do it with her!

I read an excellent book last week.
It is a super fast read. I was surprised actually at what a quick read it was. It grabbed me from the first page, and I was hooked. Its relatively short-- 305 pages.
Its called Light on Snow by Anita Shreeve.
I have read a couple of her books, and really like them... The Pilots Wife, and The Weight of Water... Good, fast reads!
I am waiting for her newest one to be available-- A Wedding in December.

I found this awesome website... www.gnook.com -- It is a literature website, that helps you find authors that are similar to ones that you like.
You can type in the name of any author and then it gives you a "map" of similar authors.
Its pretty cool.
As if I need more books to read. Currently, I have 4 books that I have checked out from the Library-- with 3 more on hold. There is one that I antsy for its availability...
It's The Widow of the South.
I really want to read that one.
It's funny how certain books I get so excited to read, and just can't wait to get them. I think that happens to me when they happen to be ones that have HUGE waits on them... Then that says "this is an awesome book, and the longer it takes you to get it, the more you are missing out!"
I know.
I'm weird.
What else is new?

Since my blog decided to take a vacation, I wasn't able to post my Random 10.
My blog is back from its vacation, all refreshed, and ready to rock!
Here is my Random 10....
It's just on a Monday!!
Let me know if you played!
Enjoy!!

1. Closing Time - Semisonic
2. Chariot - Gavin DeGraw
3. 100 Years - Five For Fighting
4. Breathe (2am) - Anna Nalick
5. Smooth - Santana
6. Speed of Sound - Coldplay
7. Your Beautiful - James Blunt
8. Come Monday - Jimmy Buffet
9. Picture - Kid Rock
10. Bad Day - Daniel Powter

If you will notice, I haven't posted in almost a week.
Why you might ask?
Well, let me tell you.
I haven't been able to pull up the blog.
I added some things to the sidebar, and then when I went to view the changes, my blog page "couldn't be found"!
WHAT??!?
I freaked out.
I kept trying to pull up my page, and every stinking time, I came up "Can not locate", or something similar.
It really had me perplexed.
I could pull up other people's blogs, just not mine.
I really started to worry that somehow I had accidentally deleted it...
Cause, you know, I haven't completely entered the 21st century...Yet.
I'm trying, I really am.
It's just taking a lot longer than I thought it would.
Oh well.
As you can see, I found my blog.
I dunno where it went.
Maybe it needed a vacation, and was cruising around internet space land.
I'm just glad it's back, and is working!
This is definitely cheaper than therapy!!

Thing 3 has discovered how to pull faces.
She does it all the time, and thinks that its hilarious when I do it.
If I want a fast laugh, I will pull a face with my hands... Her giggle is catching.

She also has learned how to take her clothes off-- all by herself. This means that we have a continual dress parade... All day long. Right now her most favorite thing in the whole world are her P.J.'s. She LOVES her pajamas. But, she can't decide on what pair to wear, so she ends up going through all of them-- every single day.
It's nice to be able to tell her "Go get dressed"... But now I have to worry about how it is that she gets herself dressed. She gets totally offended if I even suggest that she may want to change into something that matches, cause you know orange shirts and purple and yellow checked pants really don't look that great together.
But, hey, what do I know?
I just pick my battles with her.
It's easier and less traumatic on everyone involved.

I have a theory.
It is the only thing that I can come up with to explain the weird phenomenon that I am experiencing.
I spend all day, almost everyday doing laundry.
It drives me insane.
All of you that know my "dirty little secret", know that I HATE HATE HATE doing laundry.
I dunno why.
I just do.
My old house had the best laundry room. It was really big, and in the basement--easily forgotten. I had a great rec. room off the laundry room that had a lovely couch that I told everyone that its purpose was to hold the clean laundry.
I just hate doing laundry.
It used to be the source of a lot of fights between Hombre and I. He is the neat freak in our relationship. He hates the way I DON'T do laundry.
So, we came up with an agreement.
He does his own, I do everyone else's.
It works for us.

At the new house, the laundry room is at the top of the stairs-- visible to anyone who comes to the house for a visit. I don't know what I was smoking when I thought that was a good idea. I like the idea of the laundry room being upstairs... I hated carting the laundry down 4 flights of stairs! But, in this house, I have to actually keep the laundry done.
Which brings me back to my theory.
Just when I get the laundry done, and off the floor. I will come back from putting it all away, and there will be more laundry that has shown up.
I swear!
It's true.
How is this possible?
Well, here's what I think:
The only way I can explain it is that I have gnomes living in my house. When they sense that there is no more laundry on the floor, they throw more laundry up from where they have been living...Underneath the laundry room floor.

I just wish they would quit tormenting me, and give me all the matches to the socks.

I have gnomes. I wonder how you de-gnome a house.

I got a phone call this morning at 9:15am, asking if Hombre and I could meet with our Bishop at 10:00 am. I was a little frazzled, but we got there. Thank heavens for Anonymous Pappys that can come and sit with the kids so that we didn't have to drag them down to the church too.

I got a new calling.
Remember friends, in my church, we each get a calling-- or a responsibility. We have a lay church, so we each are assigned something to be incharge of. It is actually quite smart. The more people you have contributing, the more people who are involved. It helps you to feel needed. Anyway....

I'm the Secretary for the Relief Society.
For all my Non-Mormon friends that are reading this-- that means that I will be the Secretary of our women's organization at church. I will be in charge of keeping track of who is coming and who isn't. I will have to take notes at our Presidency meetings, type them up, and email them out to everyone. I am actually quite excited! It's the best calling to have, really. You get to be "in the know", but you don't have do anything about it. You just have to be an awesome note taker. I am that! It will help me to get to know everyone in the ward. I only know my cousin that lives behind me... So it will force me to be outgoing and learn everyone's names.
I know... You are saying that you thought I was outgoing.
Well, I had you fooled.
I am actually a very shy person.
I have to make myself be outgoing. It takes effort. Sometimes more than others.
Hombre teases me, cause if I am going to be in a new situtation that I find uncomfortable--I practice things that I would talk about so that it will flow naturally. I sortof come up with a list of topics that would be "o.k." To talk about...
Pathetic, I know.
So, anyway. I got a new calling.
I am excited.
It feels great to have something to keep me busy.
I hate having nothing to do...Except cleaning the house.
And lets be honest--- how clean can a person make their house before it gets to be a little ridiculous?

January 29th signifies the beginning of the Chinese New Year.
This year is the year of the dog.

I was born in 1971.
That makes it the year of the pig...

What does this mean, and is it a sign??

I read a GREAT book today, Someone Not Really Her Mother.
It was a super fast read, and with it snowing, I decided to just hunker down and enjoy it.
It was different than what I had expected. I guess I didn't really know what to expect.
I thought it would be from the child's point of view, but it was from the Mothers-- who was suffering from Alzheimers. It was interesting to read it from her point, cause it really put a voice to Alzheimers, and what it must be like for those who suffer from it.
The author was fantastic at capturing the confusion, and the woman's inability to remember who people are. She was always grasping for a memory, that she knew was there, but was just out of her reach.

It was an easy read, and it really made me think.
My Grandmothers both started loosing their minds at the end.
My one Grandmother used to call me Felicia, and my sister Trixie.
We thought it was hilarious until our Dad pointed out that those were the names of their horses...
My sister still calls me Felicia.
She was one of the most honest women around, but she took to stealing things. She tried to cart off one of my cousins makeup... I duno why she thought she needed that.

My Other Grandma kept trying to marry us off to the security guards... Or other such crazy things. She would hide food in her room, and the eat it in the middle of the night. And convienetly loose her teeth.
How does one loose their teeth?
She lived with my family for several years... Until she died.

This book was an eye opening read...
I wish I could've read it while they were alive...
Maybe I would've been nicer, and not laughed at what I thought was all the silly things they were saying...
I totally recommend this book.
Its easy.
It's short --165 pages is all.
It's a great read!

It snowed today.
A LOT!!!
They were predicting around 2-4 inches--just today.
I think it was more, but what do I know?!
It has now snowed for 2 days straight.
I forgot how pretty it is here when it snows.
In Illinois, the snow would come in sideways, with a bellowing wind.
Here, it just sort of floats down, all fluffy like.

This photo was taken up at This is the Place Park. I used to live just down the street from this park. I walked there once, and I emphasize the ONCE point.... It was a long time ago. Thing 1 thought it was great fun... She was the age that Thing 3 is now. It seems like eons ago. Time is going much much too fast!

Click HERE if you want to see what the valley looks like. It's a webcam set up in the mountains to view the SLC valley--- it's breath taking!

The Things were all mad at me this afternoon. Hombre was at the University studying for the bar, so I decided that I would take them to a movie and dinner. They wanted McDee's-- for the playland. We got all ready, and bundled up all warm, only to discover that Mountain mamma's van had a dead battery. With the way the Things were carrying on, you would've thought that I had maliciously planned to have the van's battery die-- just so that I could torture them. Sheesh.
Thing 1 had enormous crocodile tears.
She said I promised to take them to dinner, and a movie, and now I was breaking my promise.
Uh.
Ok.
I guess we can walk.
Thing 3 was trying to be helpful, and told the big Things to get their bikes, that we could ride our bikes to Happy Meal.
Never mind that Thing 3 doesn't know how to ride a bike...
Never mind the snow storm.
Or the fact that McDee's is far far away.
Or that it's cold outside.
And snowing.

Silly little things!

Hombre came to their rescue.
He rented them movies and brought them pizza.
What a good Dad!

Poor Poor James Frey.
He lied.
Now the whole world knows he's a great big fat liar!! Sucks to be him!!
I watched Oprah yesterday. She NAILED him to the wall!! I have never seen an interview quite that... How would you say it? Heated? Direct? Lacking compassion? She was one angry woman. That interview was direct, and ruthless. It actually made me uncomfortable. I had to change the channel several times... But then the rubber-necker that I am made me turn back to see the "train wreck" that was happening on national T.V.
I was squirming in my seat-- and I wasn't even the one that was getting interviewed,or should I say Crucified? At the end of the interview, I actually felt sorry for poor fellow.
He has ruined his life. Who will ever, in their right mind, publish one of his books again? And for that matter, who in their right mind would read any of his "new" books, let alone the current ones?
I will give him this: It takes a tremendous amount of courage to go on the Oprah show and admit that you lied to millions of people-- including your parents, wife, and least of all the most powerful woman on earth-- Ms. Oprah.
Wow.
He has some Kahonas!!!

Poor poor James Frey.
At least his reality is NOT my reality!!
Praise Allah!!
All of his "transgressions" are being played out in front of the entire world. That would really stink!

I am grateful that I am anonymous. That keeps my faults only visible to those who know me, and still love me anyway.

I LOVE Music! It makes me happy!
Its Friday again!
Time for My Random 10...
What I'm Listening too!
You know the rules, and how to play.
Let me know if you do.


1. Restless - Alison Krauss
2. When You Come Back Down - Nickelcreek
3. Satellite - Dave Mathews Band
4. Mayberry - Rascal Flatts
5. Wicked Game - Chris Isaak
6. Let It Fall - Sean Watkins
7. Brick - Ben Folds Five
8. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
9. Come Pick Me Up - Ryan Adams
10.I Hope That I Don't Fall In Love With You - Tom Waits

I think that everyone hits that point when they say:
"Aw Right! I've had it! I need a vacation. I want sun, ocean, peace and quiet---and no one gets hurt! "

I'm there.

I need a vacation.
I want to go here...
where ever here is...

I just want a vacation.


From this:

Thing 3 dressed herself today. Didn't she do a great job? She is wearing Thing 1's shirt and some shorts. Brrr! It's winter outside. She doesn't care, she says, cause she has a blanket.
Oh. Ok.
She is such a cutie.
She can be a handful, but she is such a sweet little girl!!
She is strong willed.
Nothing and no one can convince her to do something. It has to be entirely her idea. She had to decide that going potty in the big girl potty was the cool thing.
Then she was all over the big girl potty.

Now we have to let her decide that pooping in the big girl potty is a cool thing.
She definitely teaches me patience!

I should be glad that she is like this-- maybe it means that she will not be easily swayed by her friends and their crazy ideas. Lets hope so! Besides, When you have someone this cute smiling at you all the time, how bad could your day really be? She is fun! My cute little Thing 3!

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.