New year, new challenge...

Ok, this challenge will take some time....a year to be exact.

Take one picture every day for the next year. You can record them however you wish, I am going to buy Becky Higgin's kit of the month off of lisabearnson.com. Her kits are amazing because they include everything you need. I read the idea out of the January issue of Creating Keepsakes magazine and got excited. Just think, a picture a day.....what will your life look like after 365 of them?

Holiday snippets of joy...

1. Christmas season also means basketball season for us. Two years ago, Dale told Shay that he was going to have to step it up if he wanted to make the High School team. Shay has. He has spent hours at the rec center & hours shooting in the driveway. Long story short....hard work is paying off for him. He made the basketball team and is playing on the Sophomore, JV and Varsity teams. We are having a ball watching him. Which leads me to the next snippet....

2. We are also having a ball watching Baylee play. It is her first year. Dribbling the ball is a new concept, zone? what's a zone?, and full court press it just plain hard to grasp. Since the refs weren't calling anything, and since our girls were being too nice....I told Baylee to just get in there and take the ball away from the other team. She has taken it to a new level. All I can say is that it is a good thing that they don't call fouls, because she would be sitting on the bench.

3. A son with a creative knack. Tanner purchased the yarn & made hats & scarves for all of his cousins....

(His mom is lame & hasn't sent them yet, but they are coming)

4. Gingerbread houses with the family. Who can't be happy when surrounded with that much candy...

5. A mom that brought over a Christmas bag with gifts for the kids to open each day. The gifts had special notes & thoughts about the true meaning of Christmas....

Yep, she's pretty much an awesome Mom & Grandma!!!

6. The shopping prowess of one fabulous friend completed my willow tree nativity this year. Happy, happy....

7. Enjoying putting up the Christmas decor, the cards from friends, the yummy treats from neighbors, game nights with family, the shopping, the wrapping, the lights....

8. Being serenaded by my new Sarah McLachlan CD while putting it all away, vacuuming, organizing & finding my table in the craft room once again...

Ho, ho, ho...

"You were wrong, Grandma!! He is the real Santa!"

Saturday, we got to meet him...
he remembered the kids from last year & couldn't believe how
they had grown.
Baylee asked for a motor scooter, with a seat.
Keaton asked for an ipod!!??
Santa said he couldn't promise anything (thank you Santa)
and gave them a candy cane...they were thrilled!!

I
It snowed all day today....in St. George. I shopped, listened to Christmas music
and made potato soup for dinner.

People here say I'm crazy because I like the cold,
maybe I only like it because I know it won't last long,
or because I don't have to deal with boots & coats & muddy floors everyday,
or maybe I like it because it reminds me of trips to the cabin when I was young,
of chili & hot chocolate & going out late to ride down through the
trees on Grandpa's old skis,
with the lights reflecting off the snow....
of flying off the back of a snowmobile,
of Christmas day on the slopes of Brianhead, cheering as family
members did crazy things,
of rosy cheeks, cold feet & fun clothes to bundle up in,
of Christmas pageants (and practices),
of the house on the hill that played music from the chimney & lit up
the sky with lights, of NOEL spelled out across the front,
of stockings hung all over the fireplace,
of not being able to sleep & trying to sneak in to see what Santa
had left, & being caught by a Dad who wanted to seem fierce...but wasn't.
of Christmas morning, being so excited that I couldn't stand it
any longer & seeing the clock turn to 6 am & finally getting
to wake up Mom & Dad...
of being convinced one Christmas that I had, in fact, seen
the real Santa,
riding in his real sleigh,
with his real reindeers...
and really saying Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas!!!

Watch out...

I love Christmas, but it really does suck the life out of me.
I look at my ceiling fans collecting absurd amounts of dust,
my craft room is so out of control
and just the other day, Dale wondered, aloud, if we could tackle our closet.
(He can't get to his church clothes anymore, being that they are behind the hamper)

Happy to see it come, happy to see it go.

Basically, I am tired.

My Creating Keepsakes magazine came in the mail today. Usually, I read it, ear mark the pages I want to copy, make fun of what people spend time scrapbooking, feel inadequate for my lack thereof, and then go back to ignoring my pile of pictures that keep...piling up.

Well, not this month....I have great plans for the new year. I might even feel rejuvenated!! Of course, that could also be the Diet Coke talking, but I'm going with it.

Organizing, cleaning, scrapbooking friends beware, there are some new challenges on the horizon...

Good times...

Last night I told Keaton that we were going to GG's (Great Grandma's) for Family Home Evening to help her set up her Christmas tree.

His reply...

"Who is GG? Is she that old girl?....The one with the stick?"




I was a bit hesitant to tell my Grandma this story but realized that she was in her 90's and
must be aware that she is, in fact an old girl...with a stick.

Incidentally, she laughed, a lot, & said that she needed to put it in her history.
So, I figured that I needed to put it in mine too.

Thanksgiving...

It was bound to happen, being that Thanksgiving is just around the corner...

I am thankful for light sabers, footballs & shoes strewn about my house, because it means that I have been blessed with kids.

I am thankful for a budget, because it means that we still have an income.

I am thankful for dirty dishes, because we have been able to eat...
laundry, because we have clothes...
& toilets to clean, because...well, you get the picture.

I am thankful for a messy, unorganized craft room, because it
means that I am a creative person with little time on my hands for such menial
tasks as actually putting the stuff away once I get it out.

I am thankful for the car pool, because it means that
my children have somewhere to go & some other people to go with.

I am thankful for sore muscles, because it means that I
have a body that works & that I have worked it.

I am thankful for the movie twilight, because there haven't been any
unrealistic chic flicks out for a long time & basically, I like unrealistic chic flicks.
(yeah I read the books, liked them. so what.)

I am thankful for Dale, because he isn't Edward and because in
all reality, it would suck to be married to a vampire.

I can't help but spoil em....

When Shay was about 10 he was obsessed with Hum-V's. That was the car that he was going to drive when he got older. So being the kind parents that we are we went out & bought him the

latest version....

it's a little bit smaller...

more economical...

we are calling it, the Hum-B-L-E...
(just in case he started to think that he was the Hot Man on Campus)



Yes, that is a big dent in the back-end, we may or may not fix it...depending on his driving skills.
The best thing...it's a standard transmission, so it is harder to multi-task.
By that I mean text & talk on the phone,
and apparently drive...

This is where you are supposed to see a video recording of our
experience teaching Shay to drive stick in the church parking lot
but my computer is archaic & won't upload videos in a timely manner.
Just imagine a lot of jerking, laughing and Dale trying to be patient, oh
and Shay saying "I hope you're not going to put this on your blog!!!"

We had cut the lessons short because I was feeling a bit whip lashed
and getting a monster headache.
Pray for us, that we can get him street ready in 6 months.

Birthday time...

Yesterday, Baylee turned 10, after the friend party and then the family one...I was tired & didn't get this posted...

B is for the best.
she is the best daughter, the best sister, the best cousin.
she loves to go on dates with Mom & Dad, she reads to Keaton at bedtime and on Sundays, she organizes games of house, store or building forts.

A is for adventurous.
she loves scary rides, bungee tramps, rock climbing...
A could also stand for athletic, she is good at gymnastics & soccer.
Just last week she went head to head on the soccer field with a 12 year old boy & won.



Y is for youthful.
One thing I love about her is that she still plays with Littlest Pets & dolls.

L is for loving.
she loves her friends (she has a lot of them) & loves all 4 legged creatures.



E is for enthusiastic.
she not only lives in color, she lives in techni-color.
everything she does is heightened.

E is for energetic.
if we could figure out how to bottle it, we wouldn't have to save for college.

We love you BAYLEE!!


scenes from the parties

Baylee is lucky to have been born on Friday the 13th,
just like her Uncle Sam...



Happy Birthday
to 2 of our favorite people on earth.

The perfect weekend (almost)...

Those of you that know Dale, know this about him...
1. He loves LSU and everything Southern
and
2. He can't spend any money on himself, so he justifies it by taking along a willing child
(and since Shay loves LSU as much as Dale, he becomes the willing child)
therefore, the yearly trip to an LSU game has become a tradition.

This year they chose the Alabama game, not exactly a cheap ticket.
They went without tickets, hoping to find some on gameday.
(Dale said he would take out a 2nd mortgage to go, because he didn't want
to let Shay down, of course.)

They got into the game via a friend sharing some season tickets...


pretty sweet seats, I must say & no 2nd mortgage required

went to gameday on ESPN (you can see Dale for a few seconds)...
went to a parade, with the band, cheerleaders & players...



visited family & friends...
ate southern food, alligator, frog legs, po-boys, corn bread dressing (etc.)...
and had a perfect weekend (except for the score...but it was still an exciting game.)

The highlight of the whole weekend was meeting Dale Brown, former head basketball coach,
he coached Shaq, and currently has an office on campus.
Shay wrote him a letter saying that they were coming down & could they meet up with him?!!!
Coach Brown called the house last week and they set up an appointment.
Ask & you shall receive...



Shay is holding one of Shaq's shoes, size 24. (You'd think that they would at least smile.)

Challenge #3...

Ok, I decided to put off the Hip Hop class challenge until later, mostly because it scares me to death, but just so you know & can prepare....it is on my list, so get ready. The next challenge is this...Do something nice for someone who annoys you. Ready, set, go...you have a week.

Really?????

I am concerned.

The very first thing out of both Tanner & Shay's mouth upon coming home from school was to tell me that they heard a lot of racist comments pointed towards the White House today. I asked "like what?", they repeated a few of them and it was instantly apparent that kids were getting this stuff from home.

Political viewpoints aside, the fact that kids (especially Tanner's age) even know how to utter such words is just plain wrong.

Ok. I'm done. The rose colored glasses are going back on.

Who to vote for...

If Tanner were President, he said he would make trail mix without raisins.
Baylee said if she were President, she would make it with only M & M's.

Career choices...

The other day, Baylee announced, as if it were a requirement,

"I don't think I'll run for President when I get older, it takes too much work."

Last night, she said that she wanted to quit violin because you can't play that instrument in a rock band. ???!!!

Shay suggested Coldplay's Viva la Vida,

I said that I seem to remember Metallica using a full orchestra in some of their music,

Tanner brought up America's got Talent,

but the best came from Dale when he said, "What about Charlie Daniel's The Devil went down to Georgia?" Baylee's reply, "WHO?"

Needless to say, practicing this morning went well. And...

If I get a vote on her future career, I would have to say "Rock on Sister!!!"

Some more snippets of joy...

1. I filled up my car for $55.00. I did the happy dance all the way home.

2. I was able to spend this past weekend with some of my favorite people, working on my family history (a.k.a. scrapbooking). Dale didn't even have to lie when he said that things went well. The house was picked up when I returned. I showed him my happy dance.

3. It is no secret that Tanner is DEATHLY afraid of dogs, so walking home from school is not a simple task for him. But he does it. This week, a neighbor saw that there was a dog roaming around and kindly warned him and offered up her home as a safe haven. That was a really nice thing to do, I think she's an angel and her name is Cecilie Ott.

4. I made a jedi robe in less than 2 hours. It is much cuter than high water Iron Man.

5. I had heard of this story and check in once in awhile to get an update. The story is heartbreaking, the family is amazing. This week I found a post that altered my perspective...
http://www.nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ (Scroll down, the post is called Ticket City). Read the story too and grab some tissues.

6. Dale thought it was a good idea to just let the house go for a few days so that the kids would realize how much we do for them. I am embracing the idea.

7. Tomorrow is halloween and I am going to eat lots of candy.

self-confidence...

The youth put on a halloween carnival at the church last night.
I think he's pretty brave to show up in mixed company with such a sweet tan line.
He said he did it for the kids...

And the others...
I am especially fond of high-waters Iron man...
(there was no talking him out of it)

hApPY hAunTinG!!!

Non-wisdoms from the NEST...

In all my intelligence-ness, I made a comment to some friends this past weekend that went something like this...

"You have to let them fail, speaking of kids & school work, so that they will learn how to pick
themselves back up and do it on their own"

Oh, how soon my words have come back to humble me and quite frankly, bite me in the behind.
Last night, somehow we forgot about homework. It happens right? Well, it just so happened that the homework was a practice math test. As soon as Baylee frantically started it this morning, it became very obvious that it was a much needed practice math test. This morning was also early choir and the ride happened to come 10 minutes early. I'm sure all you mothers know where this is going and where it quickly went...

So, friends I apologize. Next time I spout off like I know what I am talking about just remember that I really know nothing. Saying it is one thing, practicing it is entirely different.

Warning...

Before you read the next post, please remember that sarcasm is a big part of my life...

Multitasking...

Just in case you didn't already know....I am amazing. Just today I ordered pictures, ran errands, wrapped gifts, finished a halloween costume, cleaned the bathrooms, organized my scrapbook stuff for the weekend, made several hundred calls to people who needed to be crossed off my list, wrapped some gifts, helped with spelling and a book report, finished a spotlight poster (of all the weeks!!), ironed a scout uniform and thought about making dinner, all without yelling once....I wonder if my husband knows how talented I am...I might need a raise. In any case, I'm probably going crazy if any of you would like to join me...

Challenge #2, complete...

Last week I spent two days messing around in Photoshop. I figured that was learning something new with my camera. Here are some results...

and this..

And the winner is...

One of the perks of Dale's job: free Disneyland tickets. With a schedule free weekend and a tank full of gas, we got out of Dodge, so to speak.

I have never been a huge fan of Disneyland, the crowds kill me, but if you must go, California Adventures is less crowded & a lot more fun. This is what it looked like when we went back over to Disneyland to watch the fireworks...

we took one look, ditched the stroller & ran back to our hotel room.

It was fun... for a Disney experience.

But, if you asked any of my kids where they prefer to go, they would all say....

Knott's Berry Farm!!

No lines, awesome rides (for everyone), a pirate treasure hunt for Keaton...

and ticket prices so low, we could not resist. If you are in the area, may I recommend the silver
bullet, or Baylee's favorite, the Supreme Scream...

Car conversations...

On the way home from extracurricular activities Tanner said this...

"Man, it is hard getting older. You have to think about school, you have to think about what
your doing after, you have to think about church, you have to think about cleaning your room."

Pause (I was thinking...yeah, I know)

Then he said: "Hey mom, did you preview that movie for me?"

To which I replied: "No, I was thinking about dinner, and picking you up, and everyone's
homework, and balancing the checkbook, and getting that load of laundry in.."

Another trip, it was a very cold day, Baylee was talking about the seasons:

"There's Spring, and Fall, and Summer, and..... What's the other one mom?"

I think we have lived in the desert too long.

Challenge #2...

This one if for you Kathy, even though I had it on the list already.
Pull your camera manual out and teach yourself a new photo technique!!
Deadline (or we wouldn't do it)....October 24th.
The sky is the limit.....Have fun!!!
p.s. don't forget to post what you've learned.

Challenge #1...

Shay looks so thrilled!

It's probably a good thing that I am doing this bucket list thing. In my mind, it was going to be so much different...

One of the biggest problems about this particular challenge was carving out enough time in everyone's schedule to sit down and eat a calm, serene, formal meal. Still, after all was said and done, Dale got unavoidably delayed and missed it.

That is the first reason I need to repeat it, here is the second...

I set the table before everyone came home from school. The kids walked in and said things like, "Wow, who's coming for dinner?" and "What's going on?"

and the third...

Shortly after sitting down, someone passed gas. (I won't mention her name) This was a wake up call for me. Maybe things have gotten too casual around here. So the meal turned into a lesson on manners. Apparently, having manners to Baylee means that you are from Great Britain...she spent the rest of it talking with an English accent.

and the fourth...

I am reluctant to share this last one because it would ruin the perfect image I am trying to paint of my family (hehe) BUT, we even had to set a timer to see if the kids could go 5 minutes without criticizing each other.

In the end, all I could do was laugh, because this is life...this is the good stuff!!

It's official, 2 teenagers....

Yesterday was Tanner's 13th birthday,
here are 13 reasons to celebrate him....

1. When he was 3 he stood before 50+ relatives at a family reunion talent show and did a perfect, word for word rendition of Britney Spears "Baby, one more time". Ok, the music choice was not that great, I admit that now, but he still brought the house down. And he continues to perform today without any fear!!

2. He is enthusiastic.

3. He has a great laugh & uses it all the time.

4. He has an uncanny ability to befriend misfits.

5. He is sensitive to things around him & feels deeply for people who suffer.

6. He is smart.

7. He loves the same things that I do.

8. When he finds something that he likes to do...he practices & practices. He can pogo stick for hours and can go up and down stairs.

9. He comes home from school and shares the details of the day with me.

10. He is not embarrassed to have me help at his school.

11. We have a little tradition here where I take him to the midnight premieres of all the Harry Potter movies, not my favorite movies but watching his excitement makes it super fun.

12. His views are either black or white, no grey in sight.

13. He is full of life.

Happy Birthday Tanner!! We all love you!!!

Are you up for a challenge?

Ok bloggers & people who don't have a blog but still read them (yeah Shanda, I'm talking to you) I am getting a bit sick of the doom & gloom that the media is perpetrating lately. I know that it is reality but I don't want to take off my rose colored glasses just yet. SO.......I am going to start to spread a little joy and wondered if you wanted to come along?

This is a very round about way to get to my idea, but here goes...
A discussion came up lately about what you would do if you knew your time was short on this earth. So I thought it would be cool to make a 'bucket list' of my own. (Not that I think my time is short or anything) As I was thinking about my list, I realized that it consisted of things that scare me. I would be more apt to do those things if I had a friend to do them with. That led me to think that maybe it would be cool to get my online friends to join me....

So I will start with a challenge and you can join in if you want. If you do, make a comment on my blog, take some pictures, post them on yours and we'll see where this goes....
*if you don't have a blog, you can email me at dalejenn27@msn.com!!

1st Challenge: (inspired by April's nightly tradition)

Hold a candlelight dinner for your immediate family, complete with tablecloth & nice dishes. (I may even send out simple invitations.)

Complete the challenge by Oct. 12th..................Have fun!!

5 reasons to smile...

1. One of the things that sealed the deal for me in choosing to marry my husband, was his hidden creativity. Long story, super short....when he asked me to marry him it involved a policeman, a drunk driving test and a superb acting job on Dale's part.
This past weekend we were asked to go undercover at a local 5 star spa resort & be secret shoppers. (It was really tough, I barely made it through the hot stone massage)
We had to pretend to be from out of state, so the whole weekend Dale played it up. My favorite was when we were in the van going to our early morning hike, he said to the guide "So, tell me about this Too-a-can.." (Tuachan-- a local, world famous summer theater) The way he pronounced it made me have to turn away, and smile. Yep, that's my husband!



2. Last night, we took our boys to a missionary fireside, where they were teaching the kids how to teach the first discussion. At one point, one of the teachers had Shay come up to the front (because he was the closest kid to age 14 in our group), being the smart person I am, I didn't get that the teacher was trying to compare a typical 14 year old to a 14 year old Joseph Smith, so when he asked me to give some characteristics of Shay, I said
"Well, he's obedient and he knows how to tell between wrong & right."
The teacher said "Pretty typical, right?" (I don't think he was paying attention either)
To which, several other mother's said things like, "No...not really"
So...that made me smile. Because, as a mother, I'm aware that he's still pretty typical, and yet pretty special too!!

3. I have been getting a lot of comments about Tanner lately. About how he is growing up & how handsome he is getting. It's true, he is starting THE stretch and will soon be taller than Dale.
Tanner is noticing the changes too and came to me the other day, disgusted by the hair under his arms. I had to smile and think to myself "This is nothing my friend, just wait till you start losing it on your head!" (He is so going to hate me that I shared this on my blog)


4. Baylee came home from school the other day very excited because she had been awarded the Star Student of the Month, for exemplifying September's theme of....

wait for it...

FRIENDSHIP.

This was a huge shock. I just had to smile and think, "WOW, the principal noticed too!!"


5. We are in soccer season here. Keaton lives to play. Everyday, I get questions like,
"Can I wear my uniform today?","Is it Saturday?"& "How many days till Saturday?"
Two Saturday mornings ago, he climbed into bed with me and said "Is it Saturday?"
When I replied that it was, he giggled from the top of his head to the bottom of his toes.
All I could do was smile.

Seventeen years...

Time flies and time stands still. When I say that we have been married for seventeen years, it feels like that is too short of a time....haven't I always known Dale? And yet, I am also amazed that we have been married seventeen years...has it really been that long?
But alas, it has.
Seventeen years ago, today, Dale picked me up in the early morning hours & we drove together to the St. George temple.
The other night, we were sharing the details about our wedding day with Tanner, when he said "Wow! One day you're single & living alone & then the next day you go home together!" Yes....Tanner, it is crazy and very nearly the most important decision you can ever make.
I look back on how young & naive I was as I made that choice & feel so grateful that I was being watched over....that I ended up with one of the good guys!!

On paper, Dale & would never work out.
We are complete opposites:

He goes to bed early, I am a night owl
He saves, I spend
He shows little emotion, I can't contain mine
He has few hobbies, I have too many
He doesn't need to be social, I do
He could care less about movies, I love them
and the list could go on....

But in reality, we are perfect for each other... he completes me (just had to throw that one in for a gag & a laugh!!) No, seriously...we balance one another out...

I have taught him the fine art of spending money, enjoying a movie, and showing some emotion. He has taught me to live on a budget, mellow out & encourages me to go to bed earlier rather than fall asleep on the sofa.

Even though we differ in so many ways, we are similar in all the right areas & I am so glad to call him my husband & friend. So happy 17th Dale.....I love you!

Dance dance EVOLUTION...

It is no surprise that I am a bit freaked out about the changes happening in my children. It seems like it was yesterday when I was in High School, the memories are still fresh & have had a far reaching effect on my psyche, self-esteem and view about the world.
However, I have made up my mind to embrace these changes & celebrate them rather than live in fear for what lies ahead. (It also dawned on me the other day that fear was not necessary because we have the knowledge & tools to correct any mistake)
I am told with teenagers you are to trust, but verify. So with renewed faith, I am now volunteering for events at the High School, my sly little way of verification.
I signed up to help with the Homecoming Dance & then somehow found myself roped into taking the pictures. How? I still can't figure it out but I think it was because I had a good camera & I was cheap....by that I mean free. My good friend, bless her heart, literally dropped everything & came to help. She had recently purchased some lights & wanted to put them to work and thought that it would be a good opportunity to learn some new things.

Here is what we learned...

1. High School students suck the life out of you!! By nights end, we were beyond exhausted.
2. Photographers should wear comfortable shoes & sweats.
3. Charge money and charge for every shot that they want you to take, because if you let them,
they will stay forever posing & posing....
4. Despite the fact that Shay looks like a gigolo in the pictures, he did behave himself.

Here are a few of the pix... (Keep in mind, we were not in charge of the backdrop)

Shay, his friends & Judy's daughter & neices

I am pretty sure that there were some kids on drugs (some couldn't hold still long enough to snap a picture), definitely some kids making out on the dance floor (Shay told me all about it), and only a few girls scantily clad, but what can you expect with Kid Rock in the house...

Yeah, they're adults, not students. That's Shays boss in the middle.

Before the dance, when Judy's girls were getting ready, Baylee followed them around watching their every move.
She came up to me later & said,
"Do you know why I was following them around? It's because I want a sister!!"
It broke my heart...like I said before, some memories are still fresh on my mind.

some things you should know, peaches & a really big spider...

Some things you should know...

1. I am going to fix my blog, I don't know when, but I am aware that the top is messed up.

2. The other night I set up a blog for Baylee. The next day I went on to see if anyone had commented and found out that a bachelor who confesses that he looks at porn had said hello. This freaked me out. Her blog is now private.


Peaches...

Last week my mom went out to the church orchard, she was there when they opened it up for free picking & she came back with a lot of peaches. Consequently, she spent her week canning. Last week was crazy for me.
As I ran in & out of her house borrowing items for my crazy life, I watched her can & thought..."I really should be doing that".
My natural born instinct (because that's what all children do) was to ask her to make me some for me while she was at it. Not unreasonable of me right?
Well, now that I am mom myself, I realized before I spoke up, that that would have been a bit 'friends of the little red hen' -ish of me.
So, imagine my joy when my mom walked in with these beauties ( she brought freezer jam & frozen peach cocktail too!!)...


Yeah, I know she is pretty great!! Thanks Mom!!
I don't know what it is about having peaches on my shelf in my pantry that makes me feel like I have a years supply of food, but those 12 jars have worked magic on my imagination.
As Dale was admiring the bounty, he asked me if I knew how to do this?
Translation: You should learn. (He feels this way about my mom's ability to make rolls as well). Little does he know that I am hiding my talents under a bushel....literally!!
It was evident tonight just exactly why I don't put my talents to better use. After dinner (did you notice I said after dinner?) Dale opened a jar of peaches......2 seconds later....he & Shay had eaten the whole jar. Before long I heard rumblings of their grand plans for the next one & tomorrow they were going to make peach cobbler & then peaches & cream...
My only reply, "Are you kidding me?" This is my year supply of food that your messing with here....at least let me look at them for one day!! Dale thinks I am crazy, he thinks that they were made to be eaten.
He has no idea about the work that goes into the making of one jar!
I think we should respect them, take pictures of them, blog about them & eat them slowly.
But who am I kidding, they will be gone in a week.


& a really big spider....

I used to say that I was not afraid of spiders, that is no longer the case.....

This one has been haunting me for days. Dale stomped on it just outside my garage...
and where there is one.....?
So now I keep thinking that if I walk around the house in the dark, like I used to, am I going to step on one? Or...Is one going to be in my sheets when I get in bed? eeeewwww, nightmares I say!!

update...

You might find it interesting to note that one week later....my ears are finally popping & I am starting to be able to hear again. Whew. Also...
Since the City & the Transportation department were so complacent about following the rules, I decided to fight fire with fire and sent Shay on the bus today....he sent me a text message that read, "I got on!". Music to my hears. Man, I am such a rebel, sometimes I shock myself.

I take it back....

Ok....there was no 'deer in the headlights' there. Wow!!! I think I am a fan. Finally.

Strange things happen in the dead of night....

I have been sick for the past few days. Down. And. Out. I am so congested that the voice in my head is getting louder, & quite frankly driving me nuts. It's not pretty. Case in point, the other night I went to bed at 8:30 (unheard of for me), this felt like a good idea at the time, however, at 1:30 am, not so good. I was awake & so was my mind, here are some things that were on it...(be kind, and remember the hour)...

*Is is just me or does Governor Palin's family look like they could be my neighbors? No fake smiles or thick skin there? Doesn't her husband look like a deer in the headlights? I don't think they are ready for this....poor souls.

*Why, why, why did they cancel Moonlight? Come on CBS, give it time. (Yes, I admit it, I have a secret crush on a vampire....and his name is not Edward)

*Did my ear just pop (please, please, please)? Nope...false alarm.

*I wish I could rewind & raise my children in the 80's. Good times. Good times.

*Are my legs getting softer? Man, I really need to get exercising again!!

*I wish that I had better health coverage so that Dale would go to the allergy doctor....he is keeping me up & I am starting to only recognize him by his cough. (And no, this does not mean that I want socialized medicine)

*Please pop ear....please pop!!

*To do list....... shop for food group, cook for food group. PTA meeting, how many do I go to this week? call about soccer practice, oh yeah....new cleats. pay bills....ugh. I probably should scrub some bathrooms. Pick up vacuum from the repair shop....maybe they will need to keep it another week, that would be nice. Laundry. Set up car pool for preschool. Drive carpool. Finish my round robin, my too cool round robin I might add. Get Baylee to practice the violin at least twice this week. Pick up Shay's tux.....

*ugh....maybe I need to call in sick one more day. GO. TO. SLEEP!!!!!

See what I mean....not pretty, not pretty at all.

Are you ready for some football?

Some husbands hunt, read, play video games, run......my husband lives for football season. Mid summer, I start to notice the changes, conversations between Shay & Dale turn to who's playing this position, who drafted whom. Statistical football magazines are purchased, hours are spent on Rivals.com and the purple & gold take over.
This year I made the comment "Wow, it's like you're dead all year & then football season hits and you come back to life." He had to agree with me.
He was even getting upset that there was a possibility that the 1st game would be postponed because of the hurricane, he had been waiting 265 days for this, after all.
I have tried to fight it, but to no avail, so this year I decided to be a supportive wife & came up with the idea to have a big neighborhood tailgate party to open the season off right.
Needless to say, it was a success, about 100 of our friends came in football attire, decorated their tailgates & we had a big BBQ.
It really is easy to make him happy....Just imagine how pleased he would be if I finally agreed to sell the house, buy an RV and follow the Tigers around the country!!!

All hail to the Virtual Pet....

We have mourned, Oh how we have mourned. Tiger is especially missed when it is convenient, like bedtime, or practice time. We gave it a few days & then gave Baylee the proceeds from the sale. Is it any wonder what she chose to spend her money on? Tiger is now virtual and for the first time in days, Baylee went to bed without crying. Whew. I have to say, I am liking our new pet, he really is perfect in every way.....he doesn't need to be let out to go to the bathroom, doesn't need to be fed (at least by me) and he can be turned off whenever we are done playing with him. Thank you Nintendo.

Taking on the world makes me tired....

Shay came home yesterday & informed me that he can no longer ride the bus to school. Apparently we are 1.99 miles away from the school & they will only bus you if you live outside of a 2 mile radius. Ok....no big deal, buy the kid a bike, right? Yes, except for the fact that most of the trip is on River Road...one of our busier St. George streets, no sidewalk, no place to cross. The school transportation department said that the city is who we talk to about cross walks or crossing guards, the city claims that it is the schools responsibility. You get the picture. It seems I spoke a little too soon....maybe the school district is a little 'over budget' & thus cannot just add a bus for those that can't possibly get across that street. I know that 1.99 miles is not that far to drive him...however, I must whine just a little because all of my children go to different schools, none of them have buses now, and none of them go at the same time or even in a time frame where I could drop 2 off in one trip. That means four trips to four locations in four different directions, over a 2 hour period. Then get home in time to get some lunch & off we go again to pick them all up. By the time Shay can drive....we will be buying him a car & celebrating!! In any case, part of me wants to fight this fight just on principle alone.

Go Thunder!!

Some call it a waste, I, on the other hand call it fabulous. If I have to pay taxes, I am at least grateful that my kids get to reap some of the benefits of those monies.
They opened a new High School this year & I went to Back to School night a few nights ago....can I just say WOW!! High School is not what it used to be. Biotechnology lab, a separate vocational building, a college level gymnasium & auditorium & a classroom marked "sewing". I almost wanted to go back to school myself. Another blessing a new school brings....a seasoned principal who handpicked his staff. Public education seems to have gotten it right here in St. George.
Shay is taking a sports marketing class (I know....it is soooooo Shay), where they are designing logos & setting up their own fantasy football league. They will also get to set up the website for the schools sporting programs.
I feel it is my duty as a mom to point out, daily, how lucky he is to have such a nice facility that provides all of these opportunities for him. His response, "I know Mom, I know."
Incidentally, Tanner is also at a new school with a great principal, staff & wonderful opportunities. So far, they both seem to be using it to their advantage by completing all of their homework without too much persuasion from me.....but alas, the year is still young.

Pain

If Baylee asked me today if I would rope the moon, I am pretty sure that I would try. Last week we made the unpopular decision that finding a new home for the dog would be in our families best interest. After many tears, Baylee decided that Tiger, if "she had to give him up, she would like him to go to Makayla". (Some friends in Pahrump)
I imagined the scene in my mind, but really nothing could have prepared me for it. Another friend was here in town & offered to take him to his new home, she later described the experience as being like she was with CPS, ripping a child from their home. Baylee's pain was so raw that you could feel it and I found myself at a loss as to how to help her through. In her mind, this was the end of the world & I thought how life sometimes just stinks...and as a parent, when you child is hurting, sometimes all you can do is put your arm around them (if they'll let you) & reassure them that it will get better....that, this too shall pass.

10 little snippets of JOY

1. Rain in St. George forcing the temperature to read 73 degrees.

2. Watching Tanner's face when I asked him if he got to the part where Edward turned Bella into a vampire yet (he's reading eclipse).

3. Showing up to pick up Shay from early morning weights & having to wait 10 minutes because he was in a deep conversation with his coach. He has some great coaches.

4. School shopping with Baylee.

5. Just about every time Keaton opens his mouth to say something.

6. Having energy enough to mop my floor.

7. Watching my body heal. AMAZING, really.

8. Coming home to a mowed lawn. I didn't even have to beg.

9. Having a 'no accident' day with the dog.

10. Watching my husband fulfill his calling.

Life lessons

I learned some new things over the weekend....

#1-I struggle with patience & Baylee was single handedly sent here to help me master it. We had kids quilt retreat on Friday, after only a few tears, Baylee completed a whole quilt. Her interpretation of 1/4 inch seam & straight line is completely opposite of mine. I had to keep saying in my head, & only occasionally out loud, that it was OK, it was HER quilt, & she is after all 9!! Anyway, the end result was wonderful, don't you think?





Thanks to all my wonderful family for their efforts, this is a great family tradition & I love them all!! Eleven girls & eleven quilts, all in one day!!


#2 a. I am blessed with the greatest family....for cousins that you can stay up late talking with (thanks April, it was so much fun), for sisters-in-laws who are a huge support, for a Mom that lets the grandkids destroy her house in their quest for the latest project, for Natalee's visit & the inspiration for all of the projects, & for the birth of new family members....congrats, Mike & Becky on baby Milo!
b. I am blessed with the greatest friends...my friend Judy & her family passed through town & we spent some time visiting. It is so nice to have people in your life that are comfortable to be around.

#3-The lids on cans are sharp, maybe even sharper than a knife. (If you are queasy, don't look at the rest of this post) Yep, you guessed it.....6 stitches!!



Note to self, and anyone else who wants to make a note, don't try to take the lid off of a can that the can opener didn't go all the way around. #3 is a lesson that was painful to both my hand & my wallet.

Marathon of fun...

and NO, I am not talking the actual marathon...I know you'll be shocked to find out that I will not be running it this year. (Notice I followed marathon with the word fun, so clearly not the same thing at all!)
This past weekend we had another spontaneous visit from my friend Shanda and her family. In keeping with every other visit they make to St. George, we filled every waking moment with activity. We saw Mama Mia...
Which has been described, very accurately, as being "cheesy fun for a girls night out", we would have completely lost the guys at the scene where the bachelor party danced around in scuba gear. However, I must say that I abba-soulutely loved it and if I were a little less inhibited, I would have been dancing through the aisles....in 70's attire no less.

The guys played golf & swam & then we all went to The Dark Knight...


not a movie that would typically interest me but turned out to be pretty darn good. Leave the little ones at home because it is dark & Heath Ledger's joker is just plain scary!!

That night, we went out to Tuachan & saw Les Miserables..


a great show & a fabulous story but we were all miserable because it was three hours long & we were so hot our feet had swollen to the size of watermelons. Shanda's son, Ryan went so far as to say that it was torture. I liked it though & once again realized that I would LOVE, love, love to be able to sing. And to sing well.
Our husbands get along, our kids love to be together & we enjoy doing the same things....you can't ask for more than that...Thanks Hammar family for a fun weekend!!