The Moral of the Story is...

Don't Judge!

I admit it. I've scoffed and scorned and even made fun a little of a certain man. It's not his fault he wears a silly bow tie and his grin makes you feel like finger nails are scraping the chalk board. Or that his parents named him Orville and his last name is Reddenbacker. Nope, I've been unfair. But you see, his smugness about his popcorn perfection just seemed a bit to self righteous and down right irritating. Plus for a popcorn purist like me, the fact that he promoted flavored popcorn was just too much. Yep, I've shunned this poor man for YEARS. Afterall, why pay more for popcorn with a silly guy in a bow tie when the 'cheap' popcorn was just as good.

The lesson: I was desperate...out of popcorn after buying very inferior bulk popcorn that I tossed. Down the aisle at the market and wouldn't you know the ONLY brand available was Orville. Smiling, goofy, bow tiey. But you can't go without popcorn, it's a food group, so in the cart he went. And in the pan when I got home went his kernels. And wouldn't you know that those kernels produced HUGE, fluffy, yummy popcorn. At least twice the girth of my regular pop. The size of which I may never have seen. Plus I had to empty my pan 3 TIMES...when I usually only have to once. For 14 years I've blamed my less than perfect popcorn on my gas stove top when really it was marginal popcorn.

So the moral? Don't judge a book, or a person or popcorn by it's cover, for inside may await a treat you never imagined.

Things I love; Things I hate

I LOVE Sierra and her friend, each on their own side of the street with their own chess board...playing over the walkie talkies.

I HATE reading charts.

I LOVE Ethan's new found interest in Nursery Rhymes and letters.

I HATE Fundraiser assemblies and the brain washing that comes with them.

I LOVE 3-5 grade hiking field work

I HATE the bodily function noises and spitting going on with the 1-2 grade field work.

I LOVE Tim and art.

I HATE flies.

I LOVE Emily's great attitude.

I HATE seasonal allergies.

I LOVE sunflowers on the side of the road...it's like Johnny Appleseed came by but scattered flowers instead of fruit.

I HATE cars that die (and back up cars that die on the same day).

I LOVE Popcorn. (That goes without saying.)

I HATE my new alarm clock/radio. (Seriously I'm a foot away and I can't read the numbers? What's up with that--plus it's 'new' technology is awfully staticy)

I LOVE the 'Wall-o-hangers' Mike installed for me. (He's handy like that.)

I HATE the unsportsman like attitude that pervades soccer games at Sierra's age.

I LOVE FALL!

I'm not gonna lie...I cried a little

when I dropped Ethan off at school today. How did I get to the point where my baby is off to school? I'm not gonna lie and say I'm not excited for this new chapter in my life. But like all good things, emotions pop to the top.

After school the convo went something like this.

Me: Hey Buddy how did it go?
Him: It was AWESOME! On long days I get 3 recesses and on short days I get 2.

Nothing like getting the important stuff out of the way first.

Me: So how did lunch go?
Him: AWESOME! We had two choices chili or Hawaiian Haystacks. I picked Hawaiian Haystacks. I know the recipe can we make it some times?

I know the recipe too and he's usually not too fond of it. LOL

Me: So it was a good day?
Him: Yeah I didn't even have to pull a card?
Me: Oh yeah?
Him: Yep I stayed on green the whole day but two kids had to pull cards. One got to orange. But you especially don't want to get black.
Me: Black huh, what happens then.
Him: *very serious* Well then you have to have a MEETING with the teacher and the principal and your PARENTS! *shock and horror*
Me: Well you better not get black then.
Him: I'm a good kid I'm going to stay on green.
Me: :)

Made me laugh because that was Emily's favorite thing to do as well. Each day she'd give me the discipline report...which kids got to which colors and what punishments.

First day is over...time to embrace the new journey.This picture is wrong on many technical levels...but it is so right in the levels of the heart.

Unions and Reunions...

First a union...I finally met my blog cousin. :)

I think Jana's kids and husband were as excited as I was to finally meet. Jana introduced me to Dave and we both said, yeah we're facebook friends. LOL And her kids even waved at me. Good thing we were in a public park and all, as you never really know what you might find from the blogging world. Amanda...if you are reading this, it's about time we met up too. Oh Lisa...you had to go and leave early for a wedding...whatever. LOL (Sorry I missed you.)



On to the REUNION...I made it to the 20 year. I like people...so I had a good time. I've dropped the grudge. And for the record, I've been a part of the ward choir for many years now.

The Ticket

As part of a deal to bury the hatchet on an old grudge, I bought a ticket to my 20 year high school reunion.

Huh...weird.

Why am I filled with self doubt? I think it's because I really kind of like carrying around a 20 year grudge. It's kind of comfortable and makes a good story. If I let go, I"ll have to come up with a new story.

So...how bout it...can you help with some titles for my new story?

Give it your best shot. :)

Musings on birthdays and helicopter rides

You feel like it should be profound when you haven't posted for months. But too bad it's just...well...random.

I found out Betty whom I've known was a kindred spirit since I first met her is my birthday buddy. Betty is 91 this year, I hope I'm as spunky when I'm that age.

When I told Ethan yesterday that today would be his half birthday he got all excited and said, "So I'll be 5 and a half?" Yes... "Then I'll be going to school shortly".

I love how he phrases things.

And speaking of other things...

You know, $25,000 for a helicopter ride when your feet are up and your head is down is not really a good deal. It was $12, 000 for the helicopter to just be...and $140 per mile...96 miles to my destination.

And small town hospitals are quite the crack up. With only curtains to seperate us, you'd think people would think before they spoke. But no, those walls must be like iron and nothing would get through.

One guy had a piece of sheet metal in his eye. And had had it there for 3-5 days (he wasn't sure) and it came out on his own in the waiting room. He made rain gutters. The doctor now has a quote for raingutters along the backside of his house. This may be a visit well spent for this guy.

One girl, had to give back her flute to her band teacher and she was mad that her grandma would not buy another. Her grandma...apparently....is not made of money and she missed her chance when they spent $300 on her prom dress. BUT THAT IS NOT FAIR, because music is her life. That and going to Lagoon and THEN deciding to go to the ER after for a wrist that has hurt for some 6 weeks. It is related to her flute playing...by the way which IS HER LIFE. And now she has no life because Grandma won't buy her a new flute. Grandma suggests selling her prom dressES yes plural. But that is not an option...well maybe 3 or 4 of them. ?!?!? or maybe some video games. Because after all playing the flute is HER LIFE.

One had a shoulder injury from rollerblading and hitting a bump in the sidewalk. She had been in pain for a couple of weeks but was worried as she was supposed to go 4 wheeling on the weekend. She knew her injury had happened on May 16 because that was the day her kid got bitten by the dog.

I had been feeling really lame for 'going to the ER' fully conscious, smiling, in little pain and just unable to walk...but after a couple of hours I felt quite legit and mostly sane.

I still don't think a sandwich, a room (with entertainment) and several cups of water really warranted the $1600 charge though.

At least if I was going to be injured it was doing something 'cool'. I now have a cool story to tell each new Physical Therapist I meet. That is handy, because nothing is quite as humiliating as telling your PT tech that you were rollerblading backwards down the sidewalk.

It is also handy when you plan to blow both ACL's to have to legit Military guys on your team. First the shear strength to play crutches for and second a good healthy dose of macho...nothing like getting your downed buddy out alive. They are good for finding an excellent landing spot for the life flight helicopter and the scouters around will definitely have a mirror for signaling. All important aspects of getting yourself out of one of the most rugged parts of the state. All in all a very memorable day.

Worth a watch

I put this on facebook...but I want all you...my really good friends to watch this. So awesome!


Eric Whitacre: A virtual choir 2,000 voices strong | Video on TED.com

The end of an era

Today I taught my last day of Joyschool. 5 kids...10 years (not consecutively THANKFULLY!) But wow...

Yesterday I registered Ethan for Kindergarten.
WOW. Tears (if only metaphorically--pretty sure the real ones will come soon enough)

I've had anxiety over this registration, wondering if I put Ethan in the right school. But as I walked in and saw Savanna's teacher from last year and the look on her face of recognition and joy...I knew I made the right choice. (Now just pray that the secretary sees that too and grants my teacher request.)

I will soon be a Mom of 'School aged' children...and that's all. No babies, no toddlers, no preschoolers.

Where will I fit in?

Will I still get invited to go to the park?

Can you ask your friends to play dates when you don't have anyone to play with?

I may go through a little identity crisis.

I'm not sad about it, quite the opposite, I feel ready to enter this part of my life.

But wow... it actually is happening.

I didn't believe that was possible some 13 years ago when I was constantly nursing a baby while reciting Dr. Seuss with my eyes closed (1. because I was too tired to keep them open and 2. because I had them all memorized.)

WEIRD.

Conversations with Ethan

ETHAN: "Mom why are lips wet?"
ME: Hmmm (thinking) my lips go dry and start to stick together... "Well, maybe because if they get dry they stick together and we wouldn't be able to talk."
ETHAN: Hmmm
"I think I know why."
ME: "Why?"
ETHAN: "So we can kiss better."
ME: "Yes, you are absolutely right."

Very Random Thoughts Of The Day

I thought having a peanut butter sandwich bar for dinner sounded like a good idea...I guess I was wrong.

Having a non-functional dishwasher is better than having a semi-functional dishwasher.

I really truly believe my stake presidency listens to the spirit...and the spirit was talking to them for me.

Snow...I'm so over it.

TimTams...I have friends in Australia and now I've bonded with them over TimTams.

I have a new side kick, I'll introduce him soon.

I feel philosophical 'rant' coming on about kids and newspapers...please remind me if I don't get to it soon.

I love my kids....ALL of them....A LOT.

(and Mike) (A LOT)

Little Happy Dance

We got the A-Ok from the state board of education today. Approved for high school.

Give a little YEAH!

Citizen Savanna

Savanna was recently enrolled in a 'craft' club. She gets fun crafts to do on her own about once every 5 weeks. Last time was a sand art craft. She spent a LOT of time and energy carefully removing paper pieces to reveal the sticky paper underneath and then pouring the sand on. There were 5 pictures and she did 4. Then she ran out of sand. When she told me I said I didn't know where to buy more sand. This didn't bother her in the least. She promptly wrote out a very professional letter explaining to the 'craft' company that she ran out of sand and needed more in the following (...) colors. She used proper salutations, and excellent letter form. I really wish I had copied the letter but I didn't. Well, long story short. Yesterday,she came running to me yelling...THEY GOT MY LETTER! In the package was more and and a very nice letter thanking her for her letter and being a great customer. :)

I love learning moments like this, and I'm very proud of my conscientious problem solver. She'll have no trouble writing her legislator when the time comes. :)

NOW, I've seen it all...

I THOUGHT I'd seen it all when I saw commodes for sale on someone's lawn...and then when someone bought 'em, but I was wrong. Today, I saw

a coffin...for sale...on someone's front lawn...

SPEECHLESS.

No word on whether it's new or used.

13 Lucky Things about Tim

13. He's adventurous.
12. He's thoughtful.
11. He's thankful.
10. He's patient.
9. He's a facebooker.
8. He's witty.
7. He's a thinker.
6. He's happy.
5. He's playful.
4. He's mindful.
3. He's a good brother.
2. He's a good son.
1. He's 13!

Happy Birthday Tim!

It's not the end of the world...

I opened the back of the car and a big gust of wind simultaneously blew a bag out that held a glass jar and swept my shopping cart away. I grabbed the cart. The glass bottle fell and broke all over the parking lot.

I uttered some sadness about the break.

Ethan said, "Is everything alright?"

I said, "No the bottle broke."

Ethan said, "Well, it's not the end of the world."

Nothing like putting your thoughts back in perspective.

Coincidentally, he's been asking me what happens at the END of the WORLD.

Any clue how to explain that to a 5 year old?

New Glasses

Weight Lifting

Weight lifting generally means carrying extra weight.

It's felt like that as we've had some extra medical bills wallowing around in my budget for some time now. It was getting heavy.

Today I paid off all our medical bills and made the last payment on Emily's braces.

That's a new feeling.

Weight.............Lifting.


Ahhh, I think I like that. :)

Skiing

Took all 5 kids.

Anxiety.

Friend to the rescue.

Thankfully.

Anxiety.

By more than one participant.

Lessons.

For all.

Skiing fast.

Lunch.

Anxiety by different participants.

Confidence.

Gained.

Super Awesome Ninja Skiing skills displayed by Super Awesome Recycling Boy.

Beware if you ever ski near him.

He can't turn.

Very well.

Well actually, his last turn was a perfect parallel.

Sweet.

Skills increased.

Fun had.

Snow.

Falling.

Patches of blue sky.

Was o.k.

Glad we did it.

Tired.

Skiing.

Home Repairs

Rule 1: Things will NEVER go as planned.

Rule 2: Accept that

Rule 3: Make do

Translation: Missing parts + Late night failed trip to Wal-Mart + keeping the Sabbath = No Kitchen Water until Monday. (Hopefully)

As an aside as I was taking pictures and Mike was giving me the 'stink eye' while he was patiently explaining to Tim what they needed to do, he turned to me and said, 'You're not getting me at my best you know' (brow furrow) and I replied..."Actually, I am getting you at your best...your very best." So glad I have this picture.

Maybe we shouldn't

have attempted to replace the faucet the night before inviting Brooke & Andy to dinner. There is no need for water when cooking...right?

Despite that, I have a little smile on my face because I hear Tim and Mike working hard together to get that faucet changed...(of course I hope the smile will be bigger soon so I can wash the dishes no one wants to eat mashed potatoes on a paper towel.)

Soon Tim will have another checked off home repair for his merit badge and I'll have a new unleaky, will actually work faucet.

YEAH! (THANKS GUYS)

P.S. Now we have a Winco

So after reliving the bagger dilemma (see post below) I realized after reading all the LOVE left for Winco that I understand it now!

We NOW have a WINCO!

It's Ethan's favorite store. He loves to be 'store manager' and bag the groceries. BUT, he can't just bag them, he has to scan them first.

Which, translated, means he finds all the barcodes puts them up to the little metal plaque thingy at the end of the conveyor belt and says 'beep'. But like any good scanner it doesn't work EVERY time so sometimes he has to do it again. Yes it frustrates him too. (You can hear him talking to the produces sometimes)

I LOVE Winco because it makes me smile big and wide to watch Ethan's imagination in action. Gotta love that kid.

Oh yeah and I love the bulk foods section too. :) Granola anyone?

A trip down memory lane

I bought a Groupon coupon (that sounds cool) for $60 @ Blurb.com for 20 bucks. Cool eh...yeah except there is an expiration date. THAT MEANS DEADLINE. Which I guess is good since I've been meaning to make a blurb book out of my 2009 blog for...well...a year now. So here I am blurbing away (it's harder than they make it sound) and I'm laughing and giggling and smiling and stimulating my mind with all the old blog comments. So thank YOU my friends for making my blog that much more fun.

And do you remember THIS POST? Baggers gotta love em.

I challenged them

to make a snowman taller than Tim.

I think they cheated a little. :) What do you think?

Of the day...

Gratitude of the day: So appreciative of Tim, who on his own thought to take the garbage cans out last night when he got home from scouts even though it was snowing and the driveway slippery. (If you've seen my driveway, you know why it would be easy to not 'notice' something like that needed doing.)

Explanation of the day: Ethan:Mom, Do you know how they make hot dogs? Me: um... Ethan: They take corndogs, take off the outside, pull out the sticks then stick them in a plastic bag and sell them. Me: Cool!

The Finally we have enough snow for a Random Picture story of the day:
Happiness of the day: Mike is home from California.

Book of the Day: Go, Dog Go (The Nook will even read it to you.)

Kudos of the day: Sierra's teacher for agreeing to stay after school in 2 weeks so she and her friend can host a 'Venture Olympics' complete with medals and everything that Sierra and her friend cooked, up and took the initiative to pull off. Way to go to my little organizer (and those that allow her to fly)

Fun of the Day: Visiting the Supermarket for Savanna's Field Work!

You know you're...

in Provo when the restaurant you are eating in is full of expectant missionaries and their families going out for their 'Last Meal', and they leave with a little care package with 2 cookies and 2 lollipops.

(Oh yeah and the waiter entertains said customers with the 'story about when I almost got killed on my mission, but ended up teaching a discussion to the most unlikely person.)

Good News Minute

Why is it that the instant they announce the 'Good News Minute' in Relief Society my mind goes blank?

I think good things happen to me. I know good things happen to me...but nope blank.

Sometimes my blog is like a good news minute.

Enjoy...the loveliness of knowing there is good somewhere but I don't remember Who, What, Where, When or Why.

(Really I just can't stand having that picture up front and center. :) )

Oh my Heck...here's a little 'gem'

Nearly 2 years ago I wrote about Tragedy + Time = Comedy. Little did I know that the scary image connected to this scenario was hiding out in a friend's facebook album. And why not share it with more of the internet world. NOTHING is safe my friends....NOTHING!

Expressions

Focus on Expression.
Christmas Expressions 2010

Did I tell you....

why I'm not allowed in primary anymore?

I thought not.

You see sometimes I am a slacker mom. I know shocker. And it seems that nearly every week I have a little panic attack during sacrament meeting that my kid was supposed to prepare a 1 1/2 minute talk for primary. And now that the kids have to come up with their own scripture too, I get that little panic feeling twice as often.

One day Savanna had a talk. We forgot, BUT remembered at the last moment before leaving for church. We wrote it out at home. She lost her paper during sacrament meeting???? (HOW?) I forgot to bring the promised back up paper. We winged it.

THIS TIME I REMEMBERED @CHURCH. Savanna had the scripture. I had a vague recollection of what the subject should be and I scrambled to find one as I hurried her off to primary. She read it twice, did great and I promised I'd bring my Quad for her to read from. Only problem? Savanna was not sitting nicely up on at the front. Well really no one was sitting NICELY. They were kind of sprawled all over each other. What could that mean? It's was Ethan's class turn.

No problem right? I'll just have Ethan read the scripture. But he can't read, so I'll have to whisper to him. He'll mumble it out we'll be done and all will move on.

Problem? Ethan doesn't mumble. He's very good an enunciating his words and adding emphasis when needed.

The scripture had the word 'Yea' in it. And Ethan said it JUST like he should, with real feeling.

And I bust up laughing. Not the chortle in your mouth kind, but the full out I can't stop this for Mount Vesuvius kind. And the harder you try to stop volcanic laughter the more it spills and spills and spills over.

I am SOOOOOOO sorry to our primary presidency. I will never grace Primary again....If I can help it. You are welcome.

And I'm not a bit sorry that I happened to miss the time change for Savanna's scripture this week.

Of the day...

Quote of the Day: "Inside these pants it's fuzzy" Ethan

Gratitude of the Day: I am thankful for Mike for getting up at 0 Dark Stupid to go to work every morning in the much less than freezing temps. Made all the more impressive by his extreme DISLIKE (hate really) of morning and winter. Grateful for his self titled new attitude of January.

Dumb thing of the Day: After getting after my kids for forgetting their instruments and having to drive to school ANOTHER time to deliver them, I left my purse in the school library. ~Touche'

Random Picture of the Day: Santa brought Bop-Balloons


Resolve of the Day: I resolve to use my goodreads account much more this year. Last year I read books, I know I did but I can't remember more than 2 or 3. LAME.

Book of the Day: Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Political Musing of the Day: Rumors are that Ex-Utah Governor and now Diplomat to China may run for president. I would totally be on board. Mr. GQ didn't get my vote right off, but he won me over...though I would have liked to see him in action during the last few lean years.

Definition of the Day:

loo·fah

–noun

1.

Also called dishcloth gourd, rag gourd.

a.

any of several tropical vines of the genus Luffa, of the gourd family, bearing large, elongated fruit.

b.

the fruit of such a vine.

2.

Also called vegetable sponge. the dried, fibrous interior of this fruit, used as a sponge.


The Russians (the ones that lived at my house not the whole country) used loofas. They looked painful to me. And indeed in my mind Brutal Loofa cleansing is what it felt like to my soul last year.

I LOVE Laundry...

Ha Ha...made you look.

'Cause, you know me well enough to know that I. DO. NOT. LOVE Laundry.

But it's a new year, clean and fresh...just like I LIKE my laundry.

Last year was like a brutal Loofa cleansing. This year, I have the urge to do something unexpected.

Can't tell you what or you would expect it.

So happy New Year you deserve it. :) Yeah...you, you know who I'm talkin' too.