Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy...

This is always such a dangerous topic. One that is risky in any setting, but I'll give a stab at it anyway. Afterall, you ALL know that I am far from perfect...

Yesterday, Steve and I were finishing up taking down the Christmas stuff. And yes, it was Sunday. We pretty much had it all taken down on Saturday, all except the plant shelf above the fireplace, but you need a ladder for that, and we ran out of time for that. So, Steve was nice enough to go get the ladder out and took down the stuff for me. While he was up there, he ended up dusting the shelf and cleaning the windows. Now, I don't know about your houses, but our house collects dust like mad. As in so much dust it looks like dirt. And the cobwebs (I already told you about the spiders - they are busy little buggers)... So, after dusting the plant shelf, cleaning the windows and knocking down cobwebs, it had to be vacuumed off the floor. So, I vacuumed.

Then, we decided (since we put the kids to bed at 7:30 - they had late nights all week!) we would hook up some electronics, especially since Jayden was in bed. That required moving out the entertainment center a bit, which revealed some more "dust" (read - dirt) behind the entertainment center, mostly on the baseboards, so more vacuuming and cleaning, etc. Then about half-way through Steve says that we are going to have to finish it tomorrow. "What! Why? The kids' are in bed..."

His reply? "It's Sunday and to finish I need to get my drill out..."

"But we just did all that cleaning and it was still Sunday..."

"Yeah, but the drill is a power tool..."

"So is the vacuum, but that didn't stop us."

And we finished. A little side note here, Steve then said, "This isn't going to end up on your blog now is it? You know, I'm just sayin'." I said no, but upon further inspection it IS an interesting subject.

So, truth be told, none of it was probably much of a "Sunday activity". However, Steve and I had a great time doing it, there wasn't any fighting, lots of laughter, and it's done, making my week this next week looking a whole lot more like I may actually get all the cleaning done I wanted before the kids go back to school. So, what's the verdict? Is it justification or what? I'm just sayin'.

Update

OK, so I didn't get as much cleaning in yesturday as I wanted. I did everything but my room. Bummer because it stinks to spend so much time cleaning only to have a MOUND of laundry left on my bed. AND yes, it is still a mound I just shoved it on the floor and went to sleep. At least when the kids asked me what they could wear this morning I told them to look through the pile on my floor.

For the record on my post before this one, I may have said that Brad Pitt was yummy to look at, but George Clooney is more my type. At least the George Clooney from the old ER days.

I'm feelin' good today. I had a much needed break last night. I enjoyed spending some time with some of my probably best friends from around here. Sher left me some chocolates that she made, and I had them for breakfast. (The chocolate centers were my favorite BTW). Then when I went walking this morning, Kathy gave me some really good ideas for my kids for Christmas shopping, so I think I could actually be motivated to finish. Wouldn't that be nice.

I think I am even motivated enough to do my Christmas card and get it sent out soon. I am not however motivated enough to do that pile of laundry on the floor, I think that would ruin my mood.

Melissa's even doing good with her friends. In fact she even has a playdate scheduled with one for Thursday or Friday. So I am happy about that. I almost don't want to gush too much over this mood I am in right now because it seems like everytime I feel the world is right, something happens to ruin that, but for now I am just going to relish the fact that life is good, the kids are healthy, my house is mostly clean and I am happy. So here's me sending good vibes your way, I hope you are all great too! I'm just sayin'.

I'm not blogging tomorrow...

I have decided right now that I am dedicating myself to cleaning my house so I am NOT going to blog on Tuesday. So, to make up for that I am going to do a quick post tonight.

Why do people pay to see LeAnn Rhimes sing? Is it just me or does her singing suck? Actually it isn't her singing so much as her enunciation of words. For example, there's that song "How Do I Live (Without you)" that she sings. It ends up sounding like...

HowdoI Lee wi ou ou?
I wannoo know?
HowdoI Bree wi ou ou if ou ever go?
HowdoI eer eer survie?
Howdahi, howdahi, O howdahi lee?

Trisha Yearwood sings that song much better than her hands down.

And what's with Nicolas Cage? I can't stand the guy. I have been told I have missed seeing some good movies like the National Treasure ones because I can't stand to watch the guy. He always looks like he is in pain to me. Like life just hurts him to look at anyone.

Some people I think, just make a bunch of money because they look good, not for much else. There is some pretty poor acting around. Take Brad Pitt for example, there are some roles that he has flat out nailed and then others that just leave you scratching your head. But his movies always make a ton of money because well, let's face it, he's yummy to look at.

I also don' know why some actors/actresses stoop. There are some people who really are great at acting on TV and they have made some poor movies just to be in a movie. I say hold out and do something respectable, or just stick to TV. I'm just sayin'.

My Christmas Pet Peeves

There are so many great and wonderful things about Christmas that I really enjoy. However, there are some things about Christmas that absolutely drive me crazy! And here are just a few, I don't want to be too grinchy...

Steve and I went to the mall on Saturday. I don't consider myself racist or anything, but hearing Feliz Navidad a hundred times can just about drive ANYONE insane! It is probably the most repetitive song in the world to begin with, and not to mention one that just seems to get stuck in your head forever. So this is my first pet peeve. Stupid Christmas songs. Joining Feliz Navidad would have to be that song about the Christmas Shoes. You know, the song that the kid goes to buy Christmas shoes for his Mom because he wants her to have pretty shoes when she goes to heaven. It is the song that we all cried over the first time we heard it, but now, it is just plain annoying. Not to mention way over played. As equally obnoxious is great Christmas songs that are ruined by whoever is singing it. If it aint broke, why fix it?

Pet Peeve number 2 would have to be stupid Christmas candy. Non-mint candy canes for example. Spencer went through this phase where he didn't like mint, so that year I obliged him and got some other flavor Candy Canes. And you know what? They never got eaten. No one wanted them. Not even Spencer. I ended up keeping them for a year for Gingerbread making house decorating this year. Again, if it ain't broke? Other stupid candy would include Chocolate covered cinnamon Santa's, Spice drops, and those Chocolate Oranges I have previously mentioned.

Now this one will probably get me in trouble, but it bugs me that much it's worth mentioning. Christmas gifts for the parents. For some reason it always brings out the worst in siblings. For example, some years, someone doesn't pay. And someone gets stuck paying extra. Or we fight over what to get. It always starts with someone sending out an email with a suggestion that goes something like this, "I think we should get started now on Mom and Dad's gift, I had the thought of this *insert cool gift thought here* what do you think? Or do you guys have some other suggestions?" And then if someone suggests something else, that first person gets all mad because "Wasn't my first suggestion good enough?" Uh, you are the one that asked...

Then there is the coming up with a dollar amount to spend. Which always is WAY TOO MUCH! It is almost rediculous. That's right, I said rediculous. There are some couples who are just down right determined to have to spend the exact same amount for both their parents. So if one family is contributing 50 bucks towards Mom and Dad's gift, they feel they HAVE to spend 50 bucks on the other Mom and Dad as well even though in that family they decided that $25 would be sufficient. SO then they cause a stink about needing to up the second family price amount just to be fair. Fair for who?

Then, there is always the fight about who is in charge. And when that is decided, some people just can not let it go. They have it preset in their mind that the person in charge is going to do a bad job and just seem to not agree with anything that person in charge does. SO they even go so far as to call other family members and try to get people on their side and it turns into a huge mess full of hurt feelings and misunderstandings.

My solution? Rotate who is in charge. Starting with the oldest and moving down. Then you mail the "in charge" person with what amount you are comfortable with contributing and a list of suggestions. Then the "in charge" person takes whatever funds were contributed and the suggestions and they decide. They are fully in charge and do it all. They shop for the gift, wrap it and bring it to the party. And all are surprised! Mom and Dad and the other siblings. And then if they are disappointed, they just shut up about it. Keep it to themselves because if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. And just remember, your turn will be coming up and others just might not like what you do either, but that's OK you thought it was a good idea and it was your turn to decide.

My final Christmas Pet Peeve is doing the annual Christmas card. I love to get them in the mail and I love sending mine out, but actually putting it together THAT I don't like. I'm just sayin'.

Did you know?

Did you know that a grape will explode if you put it in the microwave?

I didn't know that but I do know that a fork will spark, a twisty tie will start a small fire, and a potatoe will explode if not poked all while cooking in a microwave. I've done all of those in the last little while...

All were done innocently enough, I put Jenna's food back in the microwave to warm it up again after she had to take a quick potty break during lunch. Only I forgot to take her fork off.

Then, I put some brown sugar in the microwave to soften it. It says so on the bag to do that if it becomes hard. However, it failed to mention that I might want to remove the twisty tie I had been using to hold the bag closed.

The potato was already peeled when I put the potato in the microwave and I thought that it would be OK. I guess I was mistaken...

So, apparently all of those stupid little "informative" bits on packaging isn't really stupid. You know, the bit on grocery sacks that says "This is not a toy..." Or the bit on Viagra or Cialis commercials where the announcer says, "This medication does not prevent Sexually Transmitted Diseases..." Yeah, those should all be no brainers, but sometimes you just can't forsee the stupidity of people... I'm just sayin'.

One thing I would not want to live without

I am grateful for heated seats in my car...

We call it 'toasty bum'. Just knowing that when I get in the car I can flip the switch and have a nice toasty bum in a matter of minutes makes me think that I can make it through winter. I HATE being cold. It makes me miserable. It is the one and only thing that I don't like about living in Utah.

When it is so cold outside that your pants are cold enough against your skin that it actually hurts is maddening. Yet I am claustrophobic enough to not want to wear leggings under my pants. I do in the morning when I go walking and if I know I am going to be outside in the cold for a long period of time, but when I am just running from the car to the store, I can't bring myself to do it. However, coming back from the store to the car, there is always the promise of 'toasty bum' and that makes me happy.

Sometimes I will get in the car after putting the groceries in the trunk and Melissa will have flipped the switch for me and that makes me even more happy. It's a sign of love because as much as I don't like being cold, she doesn't either. However, she will sacrifice being cold for fashion. She doesn't like to wear her big heavy coat if noone else has started wearing their big heavy coats for school yet. Also if her coat doesn't match her outfit she will wear two smaller jackets so she looks better.

And kids and cold... drives me nuts! First of all, you have to bundle them all up in their snow clothes to go outside and play. Then they come in all wet and drippy and cold! Their nose is cold, their face is cold and even their covered up parts are cold! Not to mention the whole time they are playing outside, I worry about them getting cold, or freezing their little fingers (even with gloves on). Even just to go out to the store is a pain, they wear their puffy coats and you got to buckle them in the car... Argh! Summer better hurry! I'm just sayin'.

I couldn't just leave it at that...

I didn't want to have my dying wishes be the top post on my blog, so on a lighter note...

Whatinthehellisgoingon? (It's not swearing if you run it into one word right?)

In the stores that is... Have you been out shopping lately? I am finding nothing! NOTHING I tell you! I can't come up with good gifts for my kids. Spencer's first list was full of things like a Nintendo Wii, a TV, an XBox 360, the video game Kameo, a Lego set (that costs like $150). Melissa's list is a Portable DVD player, a cell phone, an IPod... Then Jenna wants a Kitten and a Horse (real ones of course). That's not much help since we aren't getting them any of those things. Melissa hands me her list and says, "I can always ask right?"

So I go out shopping hoping the stores have some good ideas, and they really don't. You hear that prices are supposed to be pretty good this year considering the fact that they are trying to lure shoppers, but I am not seeing it. And I am starting to panic. There are what? 2 weeks until Christmas? What do I do? I don't really know how to find good deals on the Internet either. I bought something for Melissa last year, but that was through a store's site and I felt like there was at least something I could do about it if things didn't work out great.

I know, I am rambling, but I feel aimless in my attempt at Christmas shopping this year. SO, any ideas would be greatly appreciated. What are you doing for your kids, and what should I do for mine? I'm just askin'...

On a side note, I have put Christmas lights on the trees outside of our house, but need some more red mini lights because some of the trees are bigger this year than they were last year (duh, I know) and I need more strands. But I can't find Red ones anywhere! ANY thoughts of good places to look? I've tried Walmart, Target and Shopko...

This is disturbing, but oh well!

My sister is having heart surgery in just a little bit, so she has had some posts lately on her blog about dying... I know, your first reaction is that's morbid. However, I have had this conversation with some of you before, and you have even told me requests for your funerals. Not to mention, a while ago my sister-in-laws sister died at a young age, and my sister-in-law found it very comforting that her sister had shared some of her wishes with her before she died. (Not knowing she would actually die at a young age - her death was completely unexpected).

SO, here are some of my dying wishes (And no I do not plan on dying any time soon, but just in case...)

• Steve is allowed to remarry, but she's got to be a good mom and a lousy wife...
• Someone's got to teach Steve how to do the girl's hair because I can't stand messy hair.
• I want fun music at my funeral, not depressing songs. There is to be NO singing of the song "Each Life that Touches Ours for Good." Because that is downright depressing. (I would even love it if my current VT's wouldn't mind playing the piano and singing something, but I won't cry if you don't want to, I wouldn't either...)
• My brothers and sisters can fight over who talks at my funeral (or they all can), but they get to do it - I would hope Jim would be HAPPY to.
• I get burried next to my baby. Then Steve next to me and if he ever got married again, she could go on the other side.

I think that is about it. I don't really care much about the rest. It's all depressing to think about, but this way, there is no confusion, no fighting and no questions. I'm just sayin' - and hope to never bring it up agiain.

Monday's madness...

I took Jayden in for Dr. appt. (Turning a year older you gotta do that)...



The doctor appointment went great, but driving there, in the snow, not so great. Why doesn't everyone slow down? IF everyone did, I bet there would be less slide offs. Simple thought, but noone seems to care. You almost want to roll your window down at the people on the side of the road and say, "What a bummer! Should have slowed down!"



The Queen Bee is back. For the longest time, Melissa's queen bee has sort of left her alone, but for some reason, she is back and just like they say in the movie, "Tombstone", hell came with her. What's ironic is someone asked me about Melissa's queen bee just a little while ago and I told her that it was actually going great, she was leaving Melissa alone. I should have knocked on wood. What is so vicious this time is she is making a posse out of Melissa's closest friends. So, if they join the posse, does that mean that they weren't really friends to begin with?

Spencer's had his own to deal with, but I don't think boys are Queen Bee's. He had a basketball game on Saturday and played against some kids from our neighborhood. One of the kids from his primary class just happened to get the same colored wristband as Spencer for both quarters that he was in. To give Steve credit, he tried to get them to change Spencer's wristband color before the 3rd quarter, but by the time he got the coach's attention, it was too late.

The kid was all over Spencer, grabbing his arms and putting his hands in Spencer's face and even pushing. At that age, the rule is that their arms have to be strait up to block shots. They aren't aloud to "reach" in front of the person. Well this kid wasn't following the rules and noone was doing anything about it. Then to make things worse, the kid goes to Spencer on Sunday and says, "YOU weren't playing very nice at the game yesturday..." Spencer was so mad. I was too because not only was the kid not being nice, but neither were his parents or Spencer's own Asst. Coach who happens to be friends with the other kid's parents. Spencer's (assistant) coach was cheering for the other kid instead of helping Spencer out either with advice, encouragement or even alerting the ref that the kid wasn't playing fair. Spencer left the game in tears, me too...

This is the one thing that I think will be hardest as a parent. Watching your kids interact with other kids. I think that it is the one thing that is hardest on them too. I'm just sayin'.

FYI

Did you know that there is an average of 50,000 spiders per acre in green areas.

My house may not be a green area, but it feels like there are 50,000 spiders roaming around. I am killing AT LEAST 5 each day. No Joke. I have never had a bug killer here either. I can't get my hubby to agree to the money spent. Nor do I want to actually spend the money because let's face it, I'd rather buy something fun, not for bugs to die. And so far every year since we've been here I get ants in my bathroom in the spring. IN MY BATHROOM! There's no food in there, only ... well ... you know. I keep telling myself that eventually I will kill them all, but I think all my neighbors are fumigating and there must be an underground tunnel system of bug rescue. We must be the bug safe house around. Plus I think they reproduce worse than bunnies, so maybe I should give up. I'm just sayin'.

Nothing's on...

Last night was pretty pathetic. There was absolutely NOTHING on TV. My kids watched the "Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer" thing on TV, but then when they went to bed, I channel flipped for probably an hour or two. Steve was working late (I don't complain though because at least it is a job) so I had nothing better to do. Even the news was pathetic. You know when they lead the new off with a story about how to spot a phony real estate agent that it is a slow new night. That followed by some guy using trees and such to block a road by his property... And I couldn't even go to sleep either...

It makes me wish for the better days of old where there was something on EVERY night. And I had my scheduled shows EVERY night. I even had a little list that I kept by the TV in my room so that I wouldn't forget what show was on when. I would get on to TV Guide online and go through the week. I would plan what show I would watch and what show I would tape (if there was a conflict). But now... bang my head on the nightstand, there is nothing! At least on Wednesday nights. Or last night to be specific. Tonight of course there is "Grey's Anatomy". I will be taping it of course since Melissa and Jenna have their dance recital tonight. I'm just sayin'.

My Christmas Wishlist...

You know what? I cannot justify spending any money on myself, but if I could, this is what I would get:

That's right, cushy slippers. Big rediculous-looking cushy slippers. And they would be as comfortable as I would imagine them. And why is it that things are never as we imagine them? I see people wearing things and think, "Man, I think I could look good in something like that." And then I go try an outfit just like it on and uh, nope, I don't. Or I think of something witty to say and think, "That would be so funny for me to say it." Then I say it and wish that I could just grab those words and stick them back in my mouth and swallow. Cause I got a lot of blank stares the minute I said my witty bit. Or, I schedule my day out just so, and imagine that it will all run smoothly and everything can get done just like I think it will and nope, that doesn't happen either.

So, I have gone to taking the "safe road". I don't have slippers (cause come on it isn't like they are expensive or anything) because I am afraid if I do they won't be what I imagine them to be. And I haven't decorated my house yet because I am afraid I can't do my imagination justice. Yet, the one thing I am hoping that I am right about is my kids. Cause I imagine them doing some amazing things. I'm just sayin'.

I took a little break...

I had to take a little vacation from blogging. I have been trying to get a bunch of stuff gone through before I get all the Christmas stuff out. I made myself a rule (do you ever do that?) that I couldn't get the Christmas stuff out until I had gone through each of the kid's closets, the kid's toys and the storage room. So, this is the first year ever that my Christmas is not up the day after Thanksgiving. The biggest problem is not that I have gotten into throwing crap away, I look at some of my Christmas decorations and it's crap and I want to throw it away. But I can't replace it, so that's the dilema...

I was just on a blog and Josh Groban was singing on their playlist and it made me think of the first time I heard him sing. It was on the show Ally McBeal (did you ever watch that?). I was one of the skeptical ones who thought that it was just some nerd lip-syncing to someone else. Then, the next morning I was watching one of the morning shows and they had him on, and I was blown away that he was for real! I've been a fan ever since!

So, that got me thinking about Ally McBeal, one of the things that was so fun about the show was the music. And she had this theme song (which I am totally sad to say I can't remember what it is at the moment) and she would walk around with it playing in her head, then if something happened to get her "off her groove" the music would scratch to a halt. SO, a little confession here, I still like to pretend I have a theme song playing in my head and I like to sing it in my head when I am a little off of my groove... to get it back.

So, if you had a theme song what would it be? I can't really do a poll because it is just open, but leave a comment. My theme songs have ranged from "I'm so excited!" by the Pointer Sisters {I'm so excited, and I just can't hide it} to "So what" by Pink {I've got a brand new attitude and I'm gonna wear it tonight}. So if you don't have one, go get one, and tell me what it is - I'm just sayin'.

What were they thinking?

My poor kids, I think they inherited from me... And truth be told, I think I inherited it from my mom.

We run into things...

Like the wall, or the door, or the post that is standing there and has been standing there for the last century. Yea, it isn't moving so you have to. Or not, you can run into it, it just hurts.... A LOT!

For example, there was the time that I took the kids to the tree house museum and when I was walking around with the kids, ran into a post. I was thinking, "Uh, when did that post get there?" Because it was not there a minute ago when I looked. But I ran into it HARD and people looked up... and ... laughed. I would too, in fact I had to, laugh at myself that is because if I didn't I would have cried.

Something else that happens regularly is running into the door jamb. Like I just misjudge how wide the opening is and WHAM! Either that or I misjudge how wide I am.

So yesturday, Jenna went to the bathroom and when she came out, had a HUGE knot on her forehead. I asked her what was up with that and she replied, "I hit the doorknob coming out."

Spencer is notorious for this as well. He's always hitting the column that separates the dining room from the Family Room. A lot of times I will find myself saying, "Spencer, watch..." But never finish because he hits it and it's too late.

So now, it is confirmed that Jayden suffers from this as well. After we said prayers last night in our bedroom, he ran out to go to his room like the other kids did only in the process, he tripped over Daddy's foot, then hit the corner of the desk and the door jamb. UH, Sorry Jayden... you got that from me. I'm just sayin'.

The Poll of all Polls...

So, to answer the chocolate bit from two weeks ago, yeah, Chocolate is chocolate and it is all good. However, my favorite is dark. A really good combo is about a 66% cocoa with a Diet Coke. There is just something about the combo that makes me smile and puts me in my happy place in seconds. That said, one BIG NO NO in my mind is mixing chocolate and fruit. That is a major taboo. Seriously, those chocolate oranges (Blah!) or those orange or raspberry sticks (Double Blah!) who ever "invented" those ought to be shot. I will say that occasionally white chocolate and fruit can be mixed, but not the brown stuff, no way, don't mess with a good thing. Our ward gets the women Chocolate covered strawberries for Mother's day and it is always a disappointment. It is the one time I am happy to share it with the fam. Mint, caramel and toffee, are good chocolate additives. My favorite additive to chocolate though hands down would be peanut butter. Do you remember those commercials way back when about how a guy would be eating some chocolate and it happened to drop into some peanut butter? I don't know how it really came about, but I bless the day that it did. I'm just sayin'.

So, what does this new week bring? What is your favorite thing to eat at Thanksgiving?

Oh, and a side note about the picture below. Yes, that is a dead fish, and those are tears in Melissa's eyes. We have several pictures of her with things she's had to get rid of. For example, when we got a new car, we have a picture of her hugging the old one. Or a picture of her with some artwork from school that I was making her throw out. Or the time she cried forever because she was going to put her tooth under her pillow, but just couldn't bring herself to do it because the tooth fairy takes them. Do you know that she has only ever done it once. That's right, she sacrificed getting money so that she wouldn't have to give up her tooth. She's probably got ten teeth in her jewelry box. Oh, and for you who say that she could just write the tooth fairy a note and ask for her tooth to be left, forget it. The tooth fairy does not condone saving teeth! If she wants the tooth, then no money. I'm just sayin'.

Monday's junk...

OK, so here are my thoughts this past week...

Am I the only one who is disturbed about the new Brad Pitt movie? The whole aging backwards thing? They did the same thing on the Mork and Mindy show, but that was comedy and this seems like it isn't. I mean if you think this thing through... At least from what I gather from the trailer that is out, this baby that looks like a Grandpa (disgusting) gets dropped off for someone, and they start raising it. And somewhere along the line, the baby starts getting younger. Then he falls in love when he looks like a normal adult, but keep going... What happens when he ages and starts to look like a kid? Gives new meaning to cougar woman... I think I'll skip it.

What in the heck are you guys getting your kids for Christmas? No matter how many times my kids ask, we are not getting a pet. If I thought that I could handle it, I would have another baby... Just kidding. We had fish once and boy, it about took all my patience to deal with those. They can't talk to you and tell you what they need, and I was always paranoid with how much I was feeding them. Goldfish will eat whether they are hungry or not, so they tell you not to overfeed them, and then one of the fish ate another fish and Melissa couldn't handle the whole fish diying thing. So, pets are out but they still ask for them.

More driving woes: I can't stand slow drivers who make you hit ALL THE RED LIGHTS because they are going WAY UNDER the speed limit. Usually lights are timed so that you hit a group green, but when someone is going SO SLOW, ARGH!!!!! It is especially maddening when they hit the yellow and continue through, leaving you to wait at the red light.

Spencer's teacher keeps sending him home from school. He tells her he doesn't feel good, and she goes have him call home. Spencer tells me his stomach hurts when he needs to go to the bathroom... Which is like everyday, he is NOT SICK! I know, I gotta do something about it, but there's more to it than just that and I am not sure I want to go into the full story.

Why do they make kids clothes so fat and women's clothes so skinny? My kids all walk around with saggy pants because the size they need for their height (except Melissa- cause she' short) don't fit around the waist. I mean not to get TMI on you or anything, but I finally went out and bought Jenna some bigger undies because she was always sitting there with bum crack showing. They are exactly snug around her legs, but it keeps her from being teased about being a plumber. And she can't stand belts. And we have to cinch up the adjustable wastebands so much, that they are uncomfy (and we are all about comfort).

I know there was one other thing that I was going to mention, but I can't think of it, and my list is MIA, so that's all I'm sayin'.

A new FYI...

FYI, I get my useless trivia from the Internet! There are things like that EVERYWHERE! People who donate their time to researching that kind of stuff and people like me who like to look it up, keep them going.

Just for the record, I don't watch the Discovery channel, because WE DON'T HAVE IT! I am probably one of the last in my neighborhood that doesn't have any sort of Cable or Satelite or TIVO. And you know what, we are surviving just fine. It is probably a good thing we don't because sometimes it is nice to be able to tell my kids that there really is nothing on.

Oh, and how do I watch the shows I miss you ask? With an old-fashioned VCR. I hand set it everytime I want to watch something, but can't right at the moment. Then I watch it and fast-forward the commercials. Sometimes I even just watch the commercials too. There are some disturbing ones out there.

For example, there is this commercial out right now of a guy and a girl unbuttoning their pants and talking about how they aren't sure if they are ready for this or not, and the girl is like, come on, sometimes you just have to go for it. And then you see them in their undies jumping in a lake. Uh, yeah, I don't really want my kids watching that crap... While I'm on that subject, why is it that FOX has to have the SCARIEST commercials on during American Idol. Don't they know that little kids like watching the show? The sad thing is, they probably do know it and don't care. Money is money no matter how they get it or who they get it from... I'm just sayin'.

Um, where do I start?

This past week has been crazy busy and I think (fingers crossed) it might end after tonight. I haven't even had the time to do a quick blog while I am trying to make my bed. I turn on the computer, (throw my pillows off) hit the user button, (pull up the sheet), hit the OK button eight time because Steve did something to it, like deleted a user and it sends off eight warnings that it can't find something, (put the two pillows we actually sleep on on the bed), hit the internet button and log on (with this long pause I can usually put the comforter on and the four "pillows for decoration" - that would be 10 pillows if I had my way)... You get the picture. I can usually get my room clean during a blog. But not this week.

So, why am I blogging right now? Because I am trying to go to my "happy place" and I am having a hard time. I think this will help me to clear my mind and move on... Here's to hoping!

I am conceited, I know that, you all probably know that too, but I have plenty of times in my life that I am "made low" as the scriptures say, so I don't need any more help in that area...

The "times they are a changin' " and I don't want them too, how do you stop it?

I am losing my mind. I am not really a hypochondriac, but sometimes, the idea of a brain tumor would really explain a lot...

I KNOW exactly what I should be doing, so don't tell me anyway... I could give you a list of things YOU should be doing too, so there!

I get the feeling that some people are a little bothered with me right now, and I can't for the life of me figure it out, I don't think that I did anything, but then again, we've already established the fact that I am conceited...

So, now I am going to go get in the shower and chill, right after I get the door... I'm just sayin'.

Last weeks Madness...

And honestly there is no other way to put it. That is why I missed blogging yesturday. It hasn't ended. It is amazing how things all seem to come up at once. You know it wouldn't be so bad if we had one thing right after the other, but it is like one thing on top of the other.

So, what has this week brought in the way of a good rant?

We have been trying really hard to get back into the kids doing their chores. It worked really well during the summer when the kids were home to have them do some chores. And they couldn't play with friends until they were done. However, now, it is just work. More work than me just doing them myself. I feel like I am having to get on them all the time and remind them that they have to be done. There are some chores that they are supposed to do before they go to school, and I tell you, that Spencer is a slow-poke in the morning. I am constantly getting on him and asking, "Spencer what should you be doing right now?" I can't tell you how many times I ask him that. I know that I shouldn't, and I should just make him get on the bus just once with his Jammies on because he didn't get ready in time, but I just can't do it because I don't think he could handle it.

________

Jayden has been so clingy. And then way too independent. When I am at home trying to get stuff done, he can't seem to leave me alone. Yet, when we are in public and I need him to stay close, he won't stay by me. He doesn't want a thing to do with me. And sitting in the shopping carts? They don't make those belts good enough to keep him in.

________

Speaking of shopping, why isn't everything at the store properly labeled with their price? If it were me, everything would have a price tag stuck on it in an easy to peel of sticker. You know what I am talking about because I know that you have all peeled a price tag off of something that just came off so nicely. I would not put the price printed on the tag because then that makes the whole gifting thing a little awkward. Do you just black out the price with a marker? But then what if they want to exchange it? And like Macy's does with theirs where the price is on a little tab you can just rip off, then when someone returns it, the tag is gone, and noone knows it's price. And if the tag is missing you have that delemma of do I want to buy this shirt that someone had and returned? But then, odds are that someone already tried that shirt on before anyway, and who knows if they are the kind of person that doesn't wash their hands if they go to the bathroom? I'm really not a germophobe, but it can be kind of disgusting if you think about it.

________

Spencer doesn't know where his Nintendo DS is and Jenna doesn't know where her leapster is... Both of which are probably Jenna's fault. She sometimes plays the other kids' toys when they are at school. So, she probably misplaced both of them. Spencer got a DS game for his birthday and hasn't been able to play it yet because we don't know where it is. And of course I am having to find it. Because Spencer isn't the one that lost it, and I have to help Jenna look for it.

________

Our Relief Society craft night was last week and I didn't go. Because everything seemed SO EXPENSIVE! I have to say that the people doing the projects do a really good job coming up with the stuff, I would make them and actually put them up in my house. However, I don't think they do as good of a job making it as cheap as possible. Now, I haven't ever had to do that, so I can't really talk, but it seems like I have seen projects done in my mom's and sister's ward that were a lot less money for similar projects.

________

I'm going to say this next thing and then when you are done reading it, forget that I said it mmm K? I hate visiting teaching... I was really excited at first that I got the partner I did, but then now, not so much. In fact I don't know if we could really ever be good friends. And we were kind of friends before. I can not get a word in edge-wise. During chit-chat that is. It seems like before we go she makes this list of things she wants to talk about, and if the conversation even strays from that list, she yanks it back. For example, last time we went, she was in charge of the lesson (just remember that for later). We go in to the first ladies house, and my partner starts in with her list of questions.... The lady we visit gives her answers and I made a little side comment that got the lady we visit off on a little tangent, and my partner goes, "Back to the subject.... (on with her next question)." So then, at the next house, same thing, she starts into her little list of question and when I start to make a comment, I GET SHUSHED! Then, we get to the lesson portion, she hands me the magazine and says, "Here, you give the lesson this time..." I only wish I was kidding. So, now forget I said what I just said.... I'm just sayin' (only you didn't hear me say it right?)

So, now I'll just go get a new attitude...

Did you know?

Did you know that Carnivorous animals will not eat another animal that has been hit by a lightning strike?

Aparently they don't like burnt food either... I'm just sayin'.

Gilead

I have been reading the book Gilead this week. I have been getting all kinds of quotes that I really like. I think the reason I am finding so many is because the guy kind of talks like me. He just sort of rambles around and starts to get to a point, then goes off on another point and then comes back to the point, gets off another tangent and then finally comes back to what the point was. I have heard a lot of people say that it is a hard read. I have to say I have been LOVING IT! And it is just for the reason that I TOTALLY simpathize with the speaker of the book.

One of the things he says is, "I do try to write the way I think. But of course that all changes as soon as I put it into words." Amen to that only I would change it to "I do try to speak the way I think. But of course that all changes as soon as I put it into words." For some reason (more often than not) I formulate words in my mind, and then I speak them and it comes out.. totally... and completely... not the way I intended it. I really love it when I think I say something pretty brilliant (I AM conceited that way) and I just get a blank stare back in response. One person was kind enough to just say, "That did not make sense..."

Thanks, because it totally made sense in my head...

Kind of goes with another quote from the book... "You can know a thing to death and be for all purposes completely ignorant of it..." Yea, my kids remind me of that all the time. I think that I know them to death and then they do something that throws that completely out the window. Mostly Spencer. His teacher (we had parent/teacher conferences on Tuesday) said that he is such a higher thinker. And my thought was yeah, but sometimes at the expense of common sence. {I am trying to come up with a good example of this, but for the life of me can't - you'll just have to take my word for it, or ask Michelle, I think I have complained about this to her on the phone PLENTY of times}

One last quote to leave with... "I hope you will understnad that when I speak of the long night that preceded these days of my happiness, I do not remember grief and loneliness so much as I do peace and comfort - ggrief, but never without comfort; loneliness, but never without peace..." Words I think we all can relate to... I'm just sayin'.

Stupid people

So, I don't have much time... LOTS going on. So, for today, just a quote I picked up on my Brother-In-Law's blog, that is my new favorite!

He said that he found it on one of those websites for "ultra-geeks" you know, one of those websites where people know WAY TOO MUCH about Star Wars? And know how to speak Klingon?

Here it goes...

Never aregue with a stupid person. They bring you down to their level, then beat you with experience.

Really gives you some food for thought huh? I'm just sayin'.

Thanks...

So, it looks like a simple thank-you or a phone is just fine.. So why then am I taking around some candles that say, "You are "scent"sational, thanks for all you do" ? I'm just sayin'...

I am kind of at a lack of words today... I know, that is the sound of pigs flying. I didn't know that could happen! So, for today, Milk or Dark Chocolate?

More Madness...

Okay, what is the deal with Legos?

I can't tell you how many times I have stepped on them in the last week, and so then you can imagine when I see them on the floor and am vacuuming... That's right, I try and run those suckers over! One less Lego to step on is what I say! And for those that know me, that is sayin' something because I HATE to lose pieces! In fact I have been know to dig through the vacuum bag if I know I have run over something. But not those Legos! Only I can't seem to vacuum them up. For the life of me... It is like they have some "magical" property that keeps them from getting sucked up. I run over them and hear them tick around and then, out the fling. I guess it is just one more thing to add to the list of unexplained phenomenon!

________

What was with the hype of early voting? I could not believe how long the lines people were talking about were. Wasn't the whole point of early voting to reduce lines on election day? As is, I voted on election day and there was NO LINE. Thanks to all you early voters!

________

Steve got a new calling at church. He is the assistant Executive Secretary. When he was talking to the Exec. Secretary about what his job would entail, the Exec. Secretary was mentioning that they used to have a really hard time scheduling the Young Women to meet with the Bishop. That is until one of the YW mom's suggested sending her daughter a text. And VOILA! Problem solved, they schedule them rather easy. COME ON! Seriously? Those girls need to PICK UP THE DANG PHONE AND TALK! How is it going to be when they get to a job interview at some time and the bossman says, "So, how are your phone skills?"

Her reply? "Uh, I do a mean text!"

Yea, whatever, you can't even text "Do you want fries with that?"

Just learn some phone skills alright. This coming from someone who hates the phone! Can you imagine what it would be like if I could have texted when I was little. I would be an even bigger reject on the phone than I am now!

And while I'm on that subject, don't bring your phones to church! Noone is that important that they need to be available for the three hours during church!

________

Can you tell I have made a list this week?

________

My drain in the bathtub is slow. VERY SLOW! It takes a good half hour or more to drain it! In fact I was considering taking a bath yesturday morning, but then didn't. And why I don't just walk downstairs and get a screwdriver to fix the problem instead of blog about it? Not as fun!

So, have a good week yourself! And lay off the textin'. Mmm K? I'm just sayin'!

FYI - Tasmanian Devil Babies...

Did you know that a Tasmanian Devil gives birth to 20 to 30 babies? AND when they are born, they travel independently to the mom's pouch where feed for 100 days. However, the mother only has four places for the babies to feed, so only four babies survive. To make matters worse, those who do not feed, get eaten by the mother...

I know, pretty gruesome, but this leeds into my rant today.

Are we giving our kids what they need?

I have been thinking on this ubject a lot lately. I have been reading a book called "Queen Bees and Wannabees" and let me tell you it is an EYE OPENER! The book is the basis for the movie Mean Girls. I would highly recommend it to anyone, and am glad that I am reading it now. The book says that the height of all the social crud our girls deal with is in sixth through eighth grade. We haven't quite reached sixth yet, but it is coming faster than I can imagine, and I think that it will take me this next year to mold into the kind of parent that my child will need.

For example, the book says that the best kind of parent our kids need is a "Loving HardA Parent". One who will "own up" to their own mistakes and MODEL that once you make a mistake, you can learn from it and be better from it. You love your child unconditionally, but hold them accountable for decisions and behavior that go against the family's values. They don't BLAME OTHERS for their daughter's misbehavior, and at the same time, never make their daughter feel ashamed of who she is.

OK, so I don't know that we have necessarily ever discussed what our "Family Values" are to our kids. I know, I should be taken out back and shot. But you can bet, this next FHE we will do just that! And I know I need to own up to the mistakes I make more in front of my kids and let them see that there are ways of fixing them and show that I learned from them.

One thing that gets me though is the fact that parents do BLAME OTHERS or give other excuses for their child's misbehavior. It kills me when I hear parents excuse their childs behavior saying "They have ADD (or whatever)." I realize that ADD is a REAL problem, but it is not an excuse. Just because your child has a problem with something doesn't mean that you can just let them misbehave. You have a responsibility as a parent to teach them to overcome all. Right? ADD doesn't just go away, adults deal with it to, so do you see adults in a business meeting acting out and saying "Oh, it's OK I have ADD..." No, they would get there sorry self fired, somewhere you learn to deal with it and behave properly, so why not teach them when they are young?

When I was a teacher, I had the opportunity to deal with two totally different types of parents. The first was one day when a girl in class gave me this note that was supposedly from her parents saying that she needed to be in the office at a certain time because her mom was checking her out for a dentist appointment. So, I let her go at that time. Only to have her be escorted back to class later by the VP saying she was roaming the halls. After class, I talked to the VP and he said that her behavior warrented a Truancy and told me to fill it out. As a teacher I liked to have contact with the parents, so after school, I called her mom and explained what went on and why her daughter was getting a Truancy. The mom's reaction was, "I don't know why you guys have to do that, I'm sure she had good reason for leaving class, maybe your class was boring ever think of that? Maybe I should call the principal and complain about you!" Yeah, whatever, she still gets the Truancy and just deal OK?

The second experience was when a girl came to the school and at the time I was the Junior Class advisor and it was election time. The people running for office were supposed to come up with a skit to make people want to vote for them. The girls skit ended up being inappropriate, so we told her that she was going to have to come up with something else. Her mom happened to be there and her mom's response was, "OK, that's the cards we've been dealt, how are we going to play?" And then her daughter came up with a new skit and things were just fine.

So, what kind of parent are you? Are you making up excuses for your child, or are you teaching them how to deal? Are we letting all of our kids "feed" off of our example in a good way, or are we just letting them fend for themselves? Because just like those Tasmanian Devil moms, if we don't, that is just as good as eating them for lunch. Doncha think? I'm just sayin'.

Things...

I have been suffering from alergies as of late...

Makes me feel somewhat yucky... And when you feel yucky... you feel like you look yucky... and well, sort of blah...

Anyway, I went to the bank yesturday to deposit some checks and whenever I go to the bank, I do the drive through on the side. If I don't have to take Jayden into a place, well, let's just say I'm all over that. So I pull up along the side of the bank, and I notice that there are no deposit slips in the little deposit slip container, so I push the little call button to ask for some.

So, I am looking into the little "monitor" they have there where right now the person isn't responding so I see myself and I think, "Hey! I don't look as bad as I feel. That little pixelated screen makes me look kind of ... (dare I say?) good, no lipstick, congested face and all!"

"What can I help you with?"

"Do you have any of those deposit slips?"

"Uh, yeah..." He was totally thinking... "This is a bank you idiot."

"Can you send some out?"

Yeah, it totally burst my bubble.... I'm just sayin'.

What was I thinking?

OK, today I thought I would do a post at my own personal expense. We all need a good laugh after the "Heaviness" of everything else going on right now right?

Right after (I mean within months) of us moving into our new home, Albertson's was having this sale... You could buy A&W Rootbeer 10 for $10 AND there was this mail in rebate that you could get $10 back. So, I did it - free Rootbeer right? The catch (there's always a catch, nothing in this world is free - remember that mmm K?) was that you had to cut out the UPC codes and send them in to get the rebate AND it had to be sent in within 10 days of purchase. So who here drinks 10 2 liters of soda (not Pop) in 10 days? Diet Coke, I'm sure you'd have no problem, but Rootbeer...

So, I have this "bright" idea that I will just cut the codes out with an exacto knife and send them in. So, I get out my scrapbooking knife (because it is new and pretty pointy and will be just great for getting in this somewhat tight space) and start cutting out the UPC's. You know how on the label there is this warning that contents are under pressure? Well let me tell you, that is no exageration! I pierced the 2 liter bottle with the exacto knife ever so slightly, and originally I thought (before I started) that if I did puncture it, it would just bubble and fizz out the hole, and then that would be the one we drink for dinner. NO, I punctured the bottle and it literally EXPLODED! The bottle burst open (almost completely in half). And there was root beer EVERYWHERE! Luckily I was in the kitchen so it didn't quite make it to the carpet (but it got close let me tell you). It was behind the fridge, in cabinets, in drawers, you name it and we found rootbeer in every little nook and crany of that kitchen. Thank goodness Steve was kind enough to help me clean it up. It took us about 3 hours.

So, why do I tell you this now? Because a couple of Saturdays ago, Steve found some more spots of Root Beer under the kitchen counter. Almost FOUR YEARS later! If I was a blogger back then, there would be pictures of it, but for now, you'll just have to use your imagination, I was covered in it and so was the kitchen. I was just lucky no one else was in the room. So here's to people doing stupid things...

Oh, and for those who are wondering how I got the UPC's off, I used the exacto... Aparently stupid people never learn... I'm just sayin'.

So Laundry Really?

I thought I would hear some more Dishes in the mix. If I had to choose just one, I would vote for the Dishes and here's why:

1. They have to be done ALL THE TIME! Every day at least three times.
2. There is never enough room in the dishwasher when you REALLY need it.
3. You can't hide it when it needs to be done. Your laundry can pile up in the laundry room or behind a CLOSED closet door. Where do you hide DISHES?
4. All of the clothes can go in the Washing Machine, or you take them to the dry cleaners. The "Dry Clean Only" dishes have to be done BY HAND.

Now I have to admit, Melany has it the worst. If you don't believe me, go check out her comment. SO, she can vote for both, I'll let you!

Today's poll has to do with Thank-yous. What is the best way to say thank-you? With a Treat? With a simple note? A phone call? Or a gift?

This past week...

I need to start writing down the stuff I think of during the week. I know that there were plenty of things that I thought I should blog about today, but can't think of ALL of them. And you know how I get when I can't think of something. It drives me crazy. Maybe I can't think of them though because I am still trying to figure out my plan of attack today. I am going to try and go through as much crap today as possible. And no mom, I couldn't think of any other word for it, because it is all just meaningless crap. Somehow, my house while I keep it pretty clean, just tends to build up "stuff" in these obscure, out of the way places. So then one day you just wake up and wonder where did all this "stuff" come from?

________

Bad drivers....

Seriously, do you have to weave in and out of traffic? And just to get one car ahead of yourself? Does that make you feel good? Do you actually think you are getting there faster? A couple of weeks ago when I went down to visit some family down South, I dropped Steve off at work and then on the way back home, picked him up. When I was on my way to pick him up, I got off the freeway, and this FREAK, comes zooming up right on my tail while I was sitting at a red light. And then, as we all drove IN A PACK from one light to the next (because we were hitting all red lights) I watched him weave in and out behind me, only to get one car in front of me by the time we were both turning left. Then as we were driving down the next street, I watched him zoom in and out of cars to try and get ahead. I watched him for awhile, and then dropped it because he was well enough ahead of me and then a couple of blocks later, someone came zipping in behind me! Unbelieveable! Then, I realized, IT WAS THE SAME GUY! He got absolutely NO WHERE! He started behind me and ended behind me. And stayed there until I turned off that street.

Sometimes I wish I was like KIT (you know, from Knight Rider - have you seen it lately? It is actually a good copy of the original... bad acting and everything). The one feature I would have on my car is the ability to have messages appear in my back windshield. They would say things like "Get off my Back!" or for those impatient drivers who honk at you when you are turning left and they think that you could have totally made it a couple of times, it would say "I will go when I am ready... Chill". I would also do friendly reminders like "Your blinker is STILL on" or "I like your make-up".

________

Lastly, (because I can't remember anymore) Halloween. Parents, no, Mom's who dress up well... how do you put it nicely? Oh wait, I don't put it nicely... like a Prostitute. You may call yourself a (wait let me think I what I saw this weekend) peacock or a nurse or a wonderwoman or a cleopatra... But anyway you look at it, you are not... what you are, is dressing up in a costume to make yourself slutty. And 90% of the time, you are not a supermodel, (I'll just leave it at that). And they say, just because you dress up like something, doesn't make you that something, but maybe in this case, they are. I'm just sayin'.

Silly Snippet

For some reason I have been having some pretty interesting word verification things to type in during some comments I was makin'. For example, the first one that caught my eye and I am not sure if I remember it 100% correct, it was ahshove, and I was commenting about a "meanie". Then, I was commenting on Halloween being a time that brings out people's "inner-slut" and the word thing was "sidslut" (Read - Side slut). Then, another one I had was ocries. Not funny, just interesting. My favorite though, was "outap" I won't get graphic, but you get the gist right? Come on, RIGHT? I am not the only immature person around here! I'm just sayin'.

FYI

Did you know that candy corn is made with "Real Honey"? That's right, says so on the bag. Did you also know that licorice is "fat free"? Seriously! Let's call it what it is, it's candy. No other way to put it. So it's got some sort of healthyness to it, but it still is a treat. So don't ruin it for me Mmm K? I take full responsibility for my "junk" eating. Sometimes there is some satisfaction in being naughty that way. And while I'm on it, what is the deal with Tic Tacs? Have you seen how many flavors there are lately of them? These "breath mints" have become more than mints. There are citrus mix, cinnamon (which I DO NOT think qualifies for a mint), orange, and strawberry. So, are they breath mints or not? This whole hiding the fact that candy is candy is a little beyond me. So, Happy Halloween, eat candy (for what it is) and enjoy! I'm just sayin'.

That guy over there...

Today's post was going to be about Prop 8, but then I saw the thing on TV last night with this guy...

Have I ever told you that I don't like this guy? I have to say that after the whole shinanigan that McCain and Huckabee did against Mitt Romney, I told Steve that I was going to vote for Obama. Now I am taking that back. (The shinanigan I'm talking about is I REALLY think that Huckabee stayed in the Republican Primary too long just to increase McCain's chances of getting the nomination. I know that McCain was asked about it and denies it, but who would admit to it? That isn't something you can prove.)

Our home teacher once told us a story about a guy who was working in the FBI or something like that who was going into an apartment of a hostile. When they knock on the door, a guy answered and at first impression, the FBI guy (or maybe he was DEA and this was a drug bust - like I said I can't remember) didn't think that he was the bad guy because he had such a nice smile. Then, as he brushed past the guy to bust into the apartment, he had the prompting to beware of the evil behind the "smiling eyes." When the FBI guy turned back, the guy had a gun.

That's the vibe I get with this guy. I just think that there is something not right with him. And last night, his 30 minute info-mercial proved it. I think we are in serious trouble if he wins.

I still think that McCain isn't a great choice either, but I have to admit that I really like Sarah Palin. I don't mind that she isn't the best public speaker or interviewer and that she can babble. I babble like the best of them and I don't think that makes me stupid. I just think that makes me a bad public speaker.

So, Heaven help us if he wins... I'm just sayin'.

What were you thinking?

The other day on the news I heard a story about a guy who was trying to rob a gas station. In his attempt, he just took the whole cash register and ran. Apparently, in his excape, he had to drop the register when he couldn't get it and himself over a fence fast enough to evade capture. I would just like to know what was he thinking? Did he actually plan this out, or was it a fly by the seat of his pants kind of thing? One of those, "I'm a little low on cash, and the car needs gas, maybe I'll pick up some cash and some gas at the same time" kind of things. He obviously failed to plan. Did he even take into account that those cash registers are heavy? It would have been a sight to see though, this guy trying to run away with a register. Can you picture it?

So, this leads me to my thought for today. How carefully do we plan things out? Are we fly by the seat of our pants kind of people, or do we thoughtfully consider everything? I know that there are some situations you can't plan for, but you have to have some plan in mind for life right?

Monday I had a conversation with someone, we'll call her X. We were talking about this other someone we know (call her Y), whose husband is being deployed. Y was saying that she is going crazy. What happens if something happens to Mr. Y? Would she be able to support her family? Does she have the skills required to be hireable, or would someone even hire her since she's not exactly young anymore? X told her she shouldn't even be worried about that, just concentrate on her day to day stuff. Okay, I can see x's point, but I am so not that way. My response would have been, "Yea, that is a really great point, what would you do?" Then I would say to get planning. Because to me, the comfort would come in the the knowing that if anything did happen, you would be OK. You have a plan, and could make it if something went wrong. I don't plan on my hubby dying, but I totally have a plan if he does. It's that whole "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear thing."

But what about the saying to replace your fears with Faith? What then. Am I not showing faith by being prepared? Or does it take both? Something to think about and all because of a stupid criminal. Who, by the way, got exactly what he deserved... nothing. I'm just sayin'.

This week's poll...

I have been thinking that it is time to be a little more "structured" with this blog. I have seen other people do similar things, and I have found that I look forward to reading their blogs on certain days. Monday's feature was the madness! of the past week. And today is the weekly poll.

The question of the week? What is worse, laundry or dishes? I know that MANY of you have an opinion on this subject. My honest opinion is whatever I have to do. But, if you HAD to choose, what would you choose? Make sure you take the poll on the side, and then leave your opinion. I'll let you know what I'm sayin' next Tuesday (so that I don't sway your vote)...

It's Madness!

If you ask me to do something, by all means, let me do it... Don't second guess me and do your own version "just in case I forget", and don't flat out do it because you'll probably do a better job. Face it, you probably could do a better job, but at least give me the chance to try and do as good a job as you would. And on the flip side, if I ask you to do something, just do it! Mmm K? For those of you SouthPark junkies :)

________

Why must the police put up those electronic Speed limit signs? You know, the ones that FLASH IN YOUR FACE when you are going over the speed limit? Umm, don't you think I know that? I am in a hurry, and honestly, there are no cop cars around, and it is a pretty deserted road right now, so I am going to speed...deal.

________

Why is it that your kids will leave you alone when you are sitting there doing nothing except staring at them, but the minute you decide to read while you are sitting there, they have to come up and bug you? Or, why is it that they could be off playing having a grand old time, so you think "Hey, they are all occupied how about I go try and blog..." So, you sneak in your room, turn off the sound of the computer so they don't hear it start up, get all signed in and start reading and Argh! they are right there, "Mom, can I check my webkinz?"

"Um, no, go play you were playing just fine before and I am on the computer right now."

"Well, I'll just wait here until you are done..."

Talk about a killjoy!

________

It is only 11:30 in the morning and I am on my fourth poopy and fortieth nose wipe. When Jayden is cutting teeth, that's what happens. ALL the time.

________

So, that's what's bugged me this week. How about you?

I'm just sayin'.

Wait! Can I take that back?

I have been reminded way to much lately about a guy I used to date. I will call him "Darnell" (I have to protect the innocent afterall, but my code-name should be enough for those who know him to know EXACTLY who I am talking about). Anyway, he's a nightmare. No way else to put it.

First reminder: Saturday I went to make my kids some pancakes for breakfast, and my griddle broke. It's this waffle iron below that is supposed to be a waffle iron, but it has the plates you can flip over and use as a griddle. I have NEVER used it to make waffles, we got a belgian waffle iron as a wedding gift and just use that for waffles and this for pancakes. Anyway, Darnell's parents got us this as a wedding gift. Funny huh? Did any of your ex-boyfriends parents come to your wedding reception? So, I had to make pancakes in a pan, and this is totally OFF the subject, but pancakes are REALLY yummy in a pan. How do you make them?
Reminder number 2: Steve and I were invited over to a neighbor's house to watch the BYU football game. They are kind of new neighbors and so we were doing the whole "Where did you grow up?" kind of thing. And wouldn't you know it, but he grew up RIGHT BY the guy I used to date. Didn't really know him, but still for that split second when my neighbor says, "Oh, I grew up in {gasp} C-O-V-I-N-A {now I'm hyperventilating!}". And I am trying to decide if I actually admit I dated the guy or not. But then I totally blurb out with a "Blah" and then have to explain myself so I don't look like a complete idiot to my new neighbors.

*sid note* - For those psycho internet stockers (and I know they exist-finish the story and you will too!), I didn't grow up in Covina, just around there. We just met in a round about way.

That is one of those moments when you seriously wish that you can take it back. That you can just zip back in time like Hermione in Harry Potter and just change it all! He just wasn't one of those great boyfriends, know what I mean? I am sure all of YOU have guys like that you dated.

For example, guys that show up at your new singles ward and tell all the guys in your Family Home Evening group that that's your girl, and pass around the word that she's taken. You know, "keep and eye out for me and I'll beat up anyone who doesn't get the message."

Or guys that come and see you ALL THE TIME unexpectedly just to "check up on you" when they live in an entirely DIFFERENT STATE.

Or guys that one day after you have "broken up" just show up at your sacrament meeting, and sit in the back row and glare at you through out. Then do the same in Sunday School. And then when you come out of Relief Society and feel relief that they aren't there in the lobby after church only to walk home and hear a BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! on your front door and when your roommate answers, you hear a "Where's Andrea? We need to talk..." So, you go talk to him out in the lobby and find out that he is ticked because last night he FOLLOWED YOU while you were on a date with someone else and he's bugged because you just don't seem very sad that you've broken up. Yep, that's right I am not sad at all, so go home.

Or, the guy that buys you the Work and the Glory Series (It was popular at the time - and only a couple of books were out at the time) and tells you that he is trying to buy you back.

Or the guy that goes and visits your Dad in CALIFORNIA just because.

Or the guy that finds out where you live AFTER YOU ARE MARRIED and just drives by your house!

That's right, I only wish I was just kidding. And I REALLY wish that I could take it back. Which brings me somewhat to my point (I know that this is long enough). Why are girls in such a hurry to date? It is not all fun and games. And you need some maturity to be able to handle some of these kinds of situations. Don't be in such a rush to grow up, know what I'm sayin'?

I think I need to clarify...

So, about those IUD's...

I am a little bugged. I usually type up these blogs and save them in my drafts and then come back and read them again before I post them. Just to make sure that there isn't anything in them that would offend anyone, etc. When I went back and read the IUD one, I must have deleted more than I intended to because I left out the best parts.

For example, I left out the part about "I Am Legend". You know, that movie with Will Smith where some vacination that is supposed to save people from all sorts of illness ends up turning everyone into monsters. (See where I am going with this?) Maybe these IUD's is like that. Maybe this great device that is supposed to save us all from periods is actually going to turn us all into monsters.

And the most important part of all. Even with the emotions and moodiness, (which may not even be related to IUD's at all - maybe it is just the fact that I am getting older and kids in primary are just so stinking cute!) I LOVE the IUD. And I would HIGHLY recommend it to anyone.

The post was just me trying to be funny, but aparently I missed the mark. Sorry... I'm just sayin'.

Check out "Bad Service" below...

I started the post last Friday and forgot to post it, so now when I posted it, it moved down to before the one I did yesturday. So, don't miss it!

IUD's

That's right, IUD, can't quite think about what the I, U and D stand for at the moment, but it's the pill's alternative. On Saturday, Lisa asked me if my IUD did anything weird to me. Um, no...I don't think so. I love it, it takes the period away, and who wouldn't love that right?

* I just realized men probably don't want to read this one, but oh well!

I asked her what she meant, and she asked about moodiness, hormone imbalance, bloating...

* I just realized maybe Lisa doesn't want to read this either, or doesn't want other's reading it...can I say sorry in advance?

Anyway, I told her that I noticed bloating, but I would rather be bloated than bleeding, so it was a fair trade. Besides, take a midol and that pretty much goes away. She said that she notices that she is more emotional and edgy, not to mention bloated, etc. So keep that in mind as I go on, that is what has been on MY MIND, am I more emotional and edgy too? And is it related to the IUD or not?

So, Sunday comes, one of the little girls in Primary gives the CUTEST PRAYER EVER! All by herself, and it makes me cry. But then, it made one other lady cry too, so maybe it was just a cute prayer, (or maybe she has an IUD too?) Then, the kids sing really cute, and I cry. Then, the sharing time, I cried again. Keep in mind, it isn't my turn for sharing time. I cried at someone else's sharing time presentation. Oh yeah, I forgot about Sacrament meeting when the young women sang. Sher starts playing the piano, and I feel a knot in my throat.

So, you get the picture I cried A LOT on Sunday.

Then, today, trying to get Spencer to go to school. I wanted to cry because he doesn't like it, I wanted to wring his neck for not being cooperative, and I wanted to laugh because who knows why? (Or, why not? Every other emotion is going on). So, I go through the empathy stage where I was saying things like, "I'm coming in an hour and a half, if you still have a tummy ache, you can come home." Or, "I know you will have some work to make up, but I'll sit with you after school while you get it done." Or "I already have your clothes on your bed for you, you don't even have to decide what to wear." To, "Ok, stay home, but you have to stay in bed all day... You can't play video games... After school when your friends call you to play, you won't be able to..." To, "Spencer you have ten minutes to get out the door. You can either hurry and get dressed in your clothes, or I am sending you out the door with your jammies on (I wish I would have stopped there because that would have been so love and logic of me, but I didn't, I went on to add) and that would be embarrassing because then everyone at school would know that you wear a pull-up to bed." Of course, I am (kind of) yelling at this point because I can't get a grip on myself.

* He did make it out in time for the bus - in clothes! Good choice him!

Then when I got to his school, I got there a few minutes early and his class was still out to recess, so I dropped by Melissa's class to take a book that I saw she had left at home, and she was at the library, so I took a minute to talk to her teacher. Just talking to her teacher made me tear up. Then, I go to Spencer's class and he says, "Mom, I'm so glad you made me come to school today." Again, tears! And no, it doesn't end there!

Oh, and I forgot that I bumped my head dropping Jenna off for preschool, and I seriously wanted to cry about that too! Come on!

Back to the school, I was in the office checking out, and two kids who had bumped into each other were in the office and that made me tear up. Then Jayden was so excited to see me, then I saw Levier's scrapbook he's doing for Amanda... WHAT IS THE DEAL! And no, I am not pregnant! This has happened before, yeah, like once a month! Which brings me back to my original thought... it's the IUD. And maybe this happens once a month. Not in conjunction with the bloating because that is not right now, but maybe when it is like a different time of the month, but monthly, maybe it is part of my new IUD cycle? What do you think? I'm just sayin'.

Bad Service

I went out to lunch on Thursday with some of my friends for one of their birthdays. Occasionally I will splurge and get a soda to drink. This time I did. I asked for a Diet Coke (and so did one other lady at the table). When she brought our drinks back, it was DIET PEPSI! Which is disgusting when you are expecting Coke. My friend was very nice about it and said that she wasn't sure if she misunderstood or what, but if she knew that they sold Pepsi products instead of Coke Products, she would have gotten a Dr. Pepper instead. Then she very nicely asked if she could have a Dr. Pepper. The server goes, "I said it was Pepsi, not Coke." Um, no, you didn't I was there and there was no mention of Pepsi. SO, needless to say, I drank my Pepsi (because we all know I am a whimp) and then on refill asked for a Dr. Pepper. I'm not as brave as my friend. The sucky service didn't stop there. The girl was hard to get ahold of to even ask a question. She was not very nice, hardly spoke other than "what do you want?" Then to top it all off, gratuity is added anyway, because our party was too big. So, how do you punish the server for being a dip? I'm just sayin'.



*Funny side note* I ordered "a nooner." That's right, that is what my lunch was called. I did fine ordering it strait faced until my friend sitting across from me started to snicker and then it was all over from there. I could hardly get the rest out.

To comment or not to comment...

That IS the question. What is the protocol with comments? Should you ALWAYS leave a comment just to let them know you read their blog? Or do you only leave a comment if you have something interesting to say? Can you comment on old posts, or should you only leave a comment on the most recent?

Regardless of the protocol, I think the old addage "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all" fits. I was just looking at Red Tulip Photography blog. She is AMAZING when it comes to picture-taking. And there is a post called "A note from the photographer" and I am flabberghasted! Do people really need to be so mean? Look at her work! It is FABULOUS (did you see the pictures of the candy bars on her fam blog? Can you say YUMMY?)! Why do you have to say anything at all? Didn't anyone ever teach you manners? What is that saying - "It's better to keep your mouth shut and let people think you are a fool then to open your mouth and remove all doubt"?

And what about hate emails? What purpose do they serve? Does it really make you feel better? I enjoy a good rant as much as the next person, but come on! Keep people's feelings in mind! Grow up! That said, I love commments, just be nice...Just sayin'.

How should I put this?

If you are going to wear pants where we can see your unmentionables, make sure your undies are on strait. We already know that you dress trashy, but do you have to be so sloppy about it? I'm just sayin'.

Dreams...

I thought it was interesting that today when I logged in to MSN, there was a "tease" for an article about how smells and dreams are related. The article said that bad smells equal bad dreams.

Maybe those nights that I have bad dreams are related to me stinking. Maybe I have bad breath, or I need to shower, or Steve has gas... I'm just sayin'.

Random Sampler...

Just thought I would give you a sample as to just how my mind works...

I have something I have been wanting to rant about, but then I can't. Because I don't want to hurt the person's feelings. I think she might read my blog, but then I am not so sure. She has in the past, but I don't know anymore because she isn't a regular commenter. So it will sit and stew. When I rant it out, I feel better and I don't think about it anymore.

The last time I had a lump in my stew pot, I wrote it in a letter and threw it away. It felt good to just write it down and get it out. But seeing as how the art of letter writing has died with me. I like to type it out and send it into cyberspace.

Speaking of which, on the kids show Cyberspace (PBS) there was an episode where all of the static from cyberspace that usually got stored somewhere, was deprogramed by "The Hacker" and instead got re-routed to different sites in cyberspace. The different sites in cyberspace were getting inundated with this cyberspace static. What if that happened to me? What if all of a sudden all of the static that I send out into "cyberspace" came back to me?

Maybe it does! Maybe all of those crazy random dreams that I have is all of that static coming back! I am a crazy dreamer. There are some nights where I go from one crazy dream to another. I wake up in the morning feeling like I have run a marathon all night. Like I have actually gone from chasing a burglar, to trying to save my drowning kid, to driving down the freeway and it is all falling apart, to being partnered with Remington Steele (Pearce Brosnan) and trying to solve a case, to being a guard in a prison. (For real that was in one night).

So, would you call that static or not? Do other people have crazy dreams like that? And will I have crazy dreams tonight because I have something sitting in my stew pot? Will I be able to find something else to rant about? Because right now, the other thing is blocking all other thoughts. I'm just sayin'!

What are you sayin? Do you have crazy dreams? What do you do when there is something in your stew pot?

Why throw up?

Most of you know, my Spencer has a pretty good smeller. A while back, I bought some Western Family brand Parmesan cheese. I don't usually because it doesn't taste the best. I like the real thing. Spencer, who usually loves Parmesan cheese, wouldn't eat what I made with it because he said it smelled like throw up. I don't have the best smeller, and couldn't really tell, and made him eat some anyway, and he threw up. I know, I get what I deserve.


Anywho, the next time I pulled it out (at lunch when Spencer wasn't around). I got a whiff of it and it did smell like, well, throw up. So, I look at the bottle a little closer...

I know, you can't see, but if you could, you would see that it has expired. Not only has it expired now, but it expired before I got it! And that is what ticks me off! I know, I should look at the dates, and I do when it comes to dairy and meat, but come on! Why should the consumers have to watch that so carefully. It is THEIR job! I am paying them by purchasing their stuff to make sure that it is OK. It seriously makes me never want to go back there. It is the same with milk that hasn't expired and is rancid when you open it the first time, or cheese that is so sharp your eyes water just opening the package, or bread that is moldy the next day after buying it. And I am too nice, I can't take it back. It is embarassing for some reason. So, just do your job, don't sell me stuff that is bad. You won't take a bad check, so don't give me bad food, ...I'm just sayin'.

Dad Does Not Equal Babysitter!

Just to get it off my chest, I would rather have the title actually have a "not equal to" symbol, and it is driving me crazy that I don't know how to put that in!

That aside, on to this post!

A while back I was making plans with a friend of mine; we were going to go "hang" (seeing as how we have already established that high school never ends). Her comment was, "Well, let me check with *name* because he will already have been baby sitting the kids the night before." You know, I am all about being considerate of your spouse in regards to the kid duty, but come on! Watching your own children is not babysitting! It is called being a dad and a good husband. Do you pay him when he is done? I don't think so! Be thoughtful of his need for free time as well, but don't degrade his being a dad...I'm just sayin'!

Does High School ever end?

Why is it that we are "adults" and can't get past high school? We still have our little group of friends (hard to join and hard to quit), there is definately an "in-crowd", some people are still considered nerds, there's the smart people, the athletic ones, and the music people (HFACers we called them in College - you know, the people at BYU who were music majors and ALWAYS singing in public) and to top it all off we still have the economic status issue to deal with.

I look at our kids, and it is totally rubbing off on them. In fact the other day my four year old and her friend were making a "club" and on their entrance sign, they wanted it to say that no "weird" people were allowed. And she said, (and I am quoting) "You know, witches, ogres and fat people!" Yep, just like that she already thinks that fat people are weird.

We have "clubs" of our own, book groups, play groups for our kids, people we exercise with, bowling leagues, and PTA stuff. Our kids see us "grouping" and they follow suit. Of course we make ourselves feel better by saying anyone is welcome, but are they? Do people feel like they can just join if they want? Maybe you are actually a very inviting person, but do your kids know that? Do they see you invite someone who may not seem to fit in as much?

I am ranting to myself just as much because that's me I just described, I know that I am so excited to "belong" somewhere and be included, but do I make others feel that way? I don't know. At the same time, I prefer the smaller groups where you can actually carry on a conversation and feel like you can get a word in edge-wise.

So, we have these groups and we have our "clubs" that we fit in, and honestly I don't find any problem with that, but does it affect our kids? Do they feel like they can be friends with kids whose parents aren't friends of their parents?

I know that there are some people that I would like to be friends with, but don't think that they would want to be friends with me. I hear of them doing things together and wish I could too. I look at some of the "athletic people" and wish that I were considered "athletic" too. I don't dress as well as the "in-crowd" and I am certainly not an interior decorator, and my house isn't as cute. But why do I care? Why am I bothered? This isn't High School anymore, or is it? Does it ever end? And am I affecting the way my kids' "high school" experience will be? I don't know, I'm just sayin'.

School and Homework

Now that school is here, I am once again reminded of a pet peeve of mine - Homework. There is something seriously wrong with it. Why is it that my fifth grader has very little homework and my first grader has a boat load of it?

My fifth grader's homework is basically read, practice typing and spelling words. As it should be those are all things that they really can't do in school. They should be reading all the time, it is good for you. They can't really learn how to spell a word without practicing it often. And they can't really learn to type without practicing it as well.

However, why the boat load for a first grader? And stupid stuff for that matter? Why is it that he has to practice writing his numbers over and over again at school and then over and over again at home? Why is it that he has to practice writing his alphabet over and over again at school and then over and over again at home?

His teacher has them learning phonics, which don't get me wrong is a good way to teach a kid to read, but why does he need to know that that the little mark over an A means that it is a short vowel sound and not a long vowel sound? When you are reading a book, is it there? Then there are these touch points! The idea of them is that each number has a touch points, these imaginery little dots on the numbers that correspond to the number. Zero has zero, one has one, two has two, (get the idea? me either). She has them learn it so that when they are adding and subtracting, they can actually add up the touch points on the first number and then add the second ones touch points if they are adding or subtract the second ones touch points if you are subtracting. This absolutely (!) drives me crazy. Kids should just KNOW their addition of all the basic numbers 0 to 9. They should just KNOW their multiplication of all the numbers 0 to 9. It should be drilled and drilled and drilled into them. The big numbers they can figure out if they know the basics. (The big problem with the touch points too is that when you get to ten which is one and zero combined, their touch points don't add up, so they have a whole other set of touch points themselves - which is so mathematically wrong in and of itself. Mathematical principles hold up ALWAYS in ANY situation - I know TMI, but I'm ranting).

Just to clarify - every Wednesday, my first grader comes home with a packet of homework, due the next Wednesday. A page of writing numbers, a page of phonics, a page of writing letters, a page of writing some words, and a page of touch points. Then there is the phonics book he needs to do a couple of pages out of and he has to read for ten minutes each day. It all adds up especially given the fact that he's a perfectionist and you better believe that he is being careful with everything that he is writing.

You know, if there are things they can't do in school, by all means, send it home and let them work on those things at home, but don't just send homework home to send homework. And if you do send homework, make it time appropriate.

I haven't even gotten started on school itself. I will keep it short and sweet. I am so not a fan of all of the extra fluffies. I think that school has gotten into too much fluff and not enough of the core good stuff that actually means something. My sister's husband made a good point. Their school was trying to get a grant so that each kid would get their own laptop computer. His thought was why spend all this time and energy teaching a kid about a computer that will just become obsolete in a few years? Instead, focus on teaching them the principles that are going to help them someday create a computer ten times better? Amen, why are teachers so worried about so much other stuff that math, science and english, the basics are suffering? I'm just sayin...