Giggles

So of the b=many thinks I really like about the man I married, one of the top things is that we can get laughing hysterically together. We get each other's humor. Okay, maybe he just puts up with me. Anyways I love nights that we go to sleep laughing with each other.

Last night we went to sleep laughing about...

sweatbands..on the forehead and on wrists

How football players wear pads (I know I have a warped sense of humor, but I still laugh about it and tease Mike about it...I may grow up one day, but don't plan on it.)

Everything is funnier with him to tell it to.

I really could go on about what I love about my man, but I think I will go look into his ice blue eyes and make out with him instead.

Go laugh until your sides and cheeks hurt.

Saturday

I dream of the time when we can sleep in on Saturday and have a lazy day. We got up this morning and cleaned as they were showing the house at 10am. We left and worked on the house all day. It took many trips to the store today since we were having technical difficulties. Finally at 5:30 we left Jeff and Mike at the house and headed home to get dinner started. The kids lived on yogurt, pretzels and apples today. I made homemade pizza and everyone devoured it. Then we got ready for bed, had homemade chocolate malts and watched our movie....Saturday's Warrior. Mike and I thought about it the other day and we got it from the library. We both loved it growing up. And I can say, after 20 years, I still loved it. We were laughing so hard about hair styles, clothes, and songs. The kids said they liked it. I could still sing along...yes, I think the family loved me singing to it. ahem...

So until the day we can sleep in, we look forward to our pizza and movie night each week. It is the night the kids stay up late, and can eat in the living room, and have dessert after dinner. What's not to like about it?

Olympics

Can it pass without a post? The past couple of nights Mike and I have been olympic junkies staying up until 10:45 (I know we go to bed so early, just wait until we are old) watching a couple of sports. We have caught some figure skating, skiing stuff (I can't remember all the names). We have been proud of all those who have worked so hard.

Tonight as I was making yogurt I thought, all this talk about 4 years ago and the olympics in Torino, and I don't remember ever hearing about it or watching it. Then I remembered...

4 years ago Mike's dad was very sick and we were in between moves. We spent so much time at the "Funny Farm"/ "Grand Central Station". Nights after work we would go over there and visit or help out.

4 years...yet an eternity ago.

Then I thought..that is how long I have been making yogurt.

(don't laugh about my thought process)

After Ernest died a lady in the ward brought over a gallon jar of stuff. I remember the grandkids and I in the kitchen putting it in cups and drinking it, trying to figure out what it was. (It was still warm and not set up)

I am not sure if we even shared with any adults or if the kids and I consumed the whole thing...it was SO yummy! I asked her for the recipe and she gave it to me and I have been enjoying it ever since. The kids think they are starving to death if there isn't any "o-gurt" in the house. We love smoothies, or just a cup of it. 5 quarts cost me about 2.50 to make...can't beat that!

Bring on the o-gurt...and the olympics.

Neigh...bors

Okay, that was supposed to be funny, and maybe it is not. Yesterday I got a visitor at the door. I love it when the kids answer the door and tell me someone is here, and I haven't even heard a knock, so I was caught a little unawares (ie, 8:30am jammies, hair parted down the middle, sans brassier, eating a bowl of oatmeal). So he was a nice looking man who was looking in my house at the cushion/blanket fort that the kids had made right after they got up. He was wanting to info about the house next door because he could never catch them at home. And me being the honest...say too much person that I am said "Oh, I am sure they are home, they just don't answer the door" He asked about what water system we were on and sewer, and I volunteered that they had their power turned off, and he said he knew and they were working on getting it turned back on, and that the house was in foreclosure. He was the realtor the bank listed with. I gave him their phone numbers, and I think he got tired of all my wonderful information I was giving him because he said thank you , bye.

"Big G" is still going strong.

There is a trailer that has been sitting in their yard with three end tables and one mattress, it has been there for three days.

Who do you move in with to mooch off of when your unemployed boyfriend is mooching off you?

Curtains

I have tried out 4 different curtains for our living room. I finally bought a sheet set yesterday in hopes of the perfect curtains. I set them on the window sill and squinted, and imagined. I set them on the couch and squinted and imagined. I decided I loved them, and started cutting last night. I hope it turns out because you can't return a sheet set you have made into curtains.

I also bought the fabric for curtains for mine and my honey's room. More sewing today...lots of returns next time I go to Provo.

I think one of my main hold ups is that my house is going to be decorated differently than it has ever been. My homespun/Americana motiff is out..the new one is definitely different, but I am loving it! However, trying to incorporate plaid couches is a bit tricky.

Shortened Condensed

Jeffrey has announced to all of us that he is now Jeff. That is how he is writing his name in his school work, that is what he is reminding us to call him.

He will always be Jeffrey to me...that is a mother's right. Okay, sometimes he is Fred, Freddie,Freddie Fru Fru, Jeffarias, Jeffrafra..now wonder he wants to be called Jeff.

Cha Cha's Jeff wrote and told him that Jeff is "Hefe" in Spanish and it means "Boss". Maybe that is why he is shortening his name.

Speaking of short....

He has been wearing his same church pants for over a year, and they still fit fine.

But I did notice on Sunday as I was coming his hair..I think he is FINALLY growing!! He seemed taller. A lady at church commented on it too. The others have always been tall for their age,I think he is average, so that is a shortie in this family.

Generator

Okay here is the story:

It started about 6 months ago. We got our power bill in the mail. Mike opened it and said "Um Honey, will you look at this" I looked and it said that we owes $562.67 to Rocky Mountain Power. $489.07 of which was previously owed.

Okay so we have missed a payment, or have been late on a payment in our bill paying career, but this was bad. One time we got a power bill for $2,000.00 because our meter reader had big fingers and pressed a couple of extra buttons. One time a collections agency contacted us because a Michael Ray owed 200.00...and we had to prove it wasn't us and Mike had never lived in Boise.

All these thoughts ran through my head...there had to be a mistake. We even got the previous months bill out to make sure that we had paid it. We were planning on calling the power company to get it figured out and right then Mike noticed that it wasn't our bill at all..it was our neighbors, yes, we had opened their mail.

So we nicely wrote a note explaining the mistake and put it in their box. Even though we have lived here 3 years, we still get their mail. I think we should throw it out, but Mike is much nicer than I am and puts it all in their box.

So time moves on..yes we know there have been problems to the West. So the night I got home from Springville I woke up in the middle of the night to this weird sound, and went back to sleep. The next night it was going before we went to bed and Mike said "So have you heard the generator?" (Did I mention that he is really smart too?) I said "Oh, why is there a generator?" And Mister Know It All said "I think they are using it because they got their power turned off" Me being the compassionate person that I am, was laughing. "How could they use a generator if they don't have any power?" (Sometimes mechanic elude me) "Lots of Gas" The next day I looked over as I drove by and sure enough there are three HUGE gas containers right by this generator that is on a trailer. I think it would be cheaper to pay a power bill rather than buy all that gas...but what do I know about those kind of things?

Every night we get to listen to the "Big G".

The other morning it was about 3 am and I awoke to sputtering, and it wasn't human. I think they had run out of gas. Then a while later I heard a car trying to be started, it was either cold or out of gas too. Finally they got the *%$#@ started and off they went..to get more gas I am sure.

But on a positive note: The "Big G" noise drowns out any fighting they might be doing.

Look what I found!

a moment to write...

This past week was CrAzY!

I only have watched about 10 minutes of the olympics..maybe in 4 years.

We got CARPET!!

The cabinets are all put in with shelves in them.

Some curtains are up.

We turned on lights.

Door knobs, and dead bolts are on.

And a million other little things that we got done this week. It has been a very productive week, but whenever we turned around, there is more to do. It was nice today to get a break and rest.

I have heard whisperings of 3 more weeks.. I can only dream.

I went to RS on Friday night for my new ward. I was nervous, but I went because it was a getting to know you night. I am really glad I went. They were so nice and welcoming. I found out a lady used to teach a talent that I want to learn, and I talked to her about teaching me...she said she would. I met our neighbor across the street, then on Sat. she brought over cookies. It made me happy, I feel loved.

I have something to post about that is a long story in itself..so look for it this week.

I wore a dress to church

For all nursing mothers, you know what this means. I am not sure when the last time was that I wore a dress to church.

Last week I got tired of Mr. P nursing 10+ times a day and I told him I was going to read the chapter about weaning in my favorite book (yeah, like I really have one favorite). So I read it and decided to wait to work on it until we move. The next day he only nursed for nap and to go to sleep at night..then all night long like usual. And then the next day right when he woke up, then to sleep for nap and night. He is so happy, and has fallen asleep with my mom and the babysitter. The only other person he has ever fallen asleep for is Mike.

He is so much more ready than I am. He has only had two to three nursings a day for over a week. My body is finally adjusted (hooray) to the reduced nursings. Parley is eating more at the table, and is as happy as a lark.

I'll work through it.

Committee: a body of persons selected to consider and act or report on some matter

"Rodeo Committee people do EVERYTHING better"

That is a bumper sticker on the truck that we have parked behind at church two weeks in a row. It makes me laugh so hard. Honestly..who would make a sticker that said that...and who would buy one? Only Rodeo committee people. Do they have issues? Like an identity crisis? Inferiority complex? Are they under appreciated?

I hope Mr. Mike parks behind it every week so I can go into church laughing.

Winter Thaw...and Spring cleaning

We got home from a 4 day trip to Springville yesterday. We left when it was 1 degree here. We got there and there wasn't any snow...we could see grass! I think we had forgotten what it was.

I had a list of things to do, so I didn't get to visit with my sisters as much as I like to. I only saw Shana for about 10 minutes, and my attention was divided. The I later found out that she has a "like" so she will be getting a phone call this week.

Mom and I got to go on a date. I honestly can't remember the last time we did a mommy daughter date. We went and saw Dear John. We both loved it. We hurried to get there at 7 and got there at 7:01 and the movie was already playing. I thought, why are they ruining the whole thing by telling this at the begining? So after about three minutes, I leaned over to mom and said " I think we came at the wrong time" I searched my purse with the light of her phone for the tickets, and found them..7:40. So we hurried out giggling. We went and got ice cream and then reentered at the right time.

Martha took Jeffrey and Katie skiing. They had so much fun. I have never been, but they might be addicted now. They especially liked riding the lift all the way to the top and back.

Maryann Katie and I all got to go to IKEA. We spent about 2 1/2 hours there, and loved every minute of it.

I also spent a lot of time cleaning Grandma's and Grandpa's house. Here are my thoughts on that:

Clean out your crap!

I meant it!

Every time you put something away, or save it, think "Someone is going to have to sort through this when I die" (G & G haven't died, just in nursing home)

DO NOT SAVE:

25 ice cream buckets

Baggies of dried crunched plant

500 picture frames

30 saints

1,000,000 little scraps of paper with notes on it.

150 Hot Pocket cardboard things in various boxes

15 seat pillows

DO SAVE:

8 page (front and back) handwritten letter from Grandpa to his Mother in 1942 When he was in the Military

Letter from Grandma to Grandpa on 45th wedding anniversary

Random jewelery..enough for all posterity to each get some, only worth the memories.

SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED BUT CAN'T BE FOUND:

Mini silver spoons promised to Julie and Amber

Little milking stool

Cuckoo clock

Boston Rocker

How do you divide up stuff that really only has sentimental value, and you are not sure who it would be worth more to?

After all the work, we went and saw G&G and they are so happy. They don't remember or miss the stuff they have treasured for 60 years. Gone, forgotten, never missed. We will treasure our little keepsakes because of the memories they hold.

One of the most prominent things about Grandma is her saints, rosaries, statues, prayers ect. But I am not going to have saints on my dresser in memory of her. Mom and I might be burning in hell for what we did with her "Holy Box".

When Grandpa was here in October I cut his hair and I saved some of the locks (they were like 5 inches) because I will always remember his white hair. I have always loved it, and have cut it many times.

I remember Grandpa threatening once that he was going to spank us with a belt.

His very reluctant, strained hugs

His shocked reaction to the kiss on his cheek I always gave him

His VERY worn white t-shirts (they were see through, and never a stain)

I remember Grandma

making us saltine crackers and country crock,

lightly toasted english muffins with country crock

her little cough and touching her knees, then rubbing her legs

Her saying "You never say never mind to Grandma"

wet wash cloth in a baggie to wipe our hands when we went any where

The cloth diaper around her head to keep her hair flat to dry.

I love those two so much. I am so blessed to be able to call them mine. The are great examples to me of patience, and kindness. I will be sad when they are no longer on earth with us.

My outfit

Okay, not the best picture, possibly the worst. It reminds me I need to work on excersize more and trying new recipes less. But I had to share a picture of my outfit. I L.O.V.E.D it!

What is up with the curtain?

And the pillows?

And it looks like I am holding my dress tucked.

I really wanted red lipstick but couldn't pick it out by myself...oh well.

HeArTs

These are my four little pieces of my heart that are walking around, outside my body. Mr. P doesn't have any red church clothes, but we thought his hair was red enough to count.
This is the boy who stole my heart. This is us before out HOT date last night. He wore Grandpa's tie so we kinda matched. I am proud to be on his arm. They only played slow songs so we didn't get to swing, but it was still fun.

Happy Valentines Day!

What a happy day! Last night Michael and I got to go to dinner and dancing and really enjoyed ourselves. Then today we are celebrating love day. Here are some love cookies for you!

I dreamed a dream in time gone by....

Savannah is into telling me her dreams in the morning. I am not sure if they are really dreams, or a chance to sit and talk to me. So yesterday morning she said that she had a dream that she opened Jesus' casket and she saw him and he wasn't dead any more, then she opened her eyes and she was in our house.

My confession: I L.O.V.E. Staples!!

Remember my "Planner"?

Well, after two months of trying to get by without it, or a makeshift one, I became way too unorganized and realized it was time to make a visit to Staples.

(Yes, we actually do have one in Vernal!)

So my big thing on my to do list (which was written on a scrap of paper because I don't have a notebook) was to go to Staples and see if they would have anything that would work. Last time I glued pockets to the inside covers of a spiral notebook. I thought that a calendar would be a great addition, and thought maybe I could get one to glue to the back cover.

So after taking about 10 steps into Staples, but what do I see...

A Spiral type note book, you open the front cover and lo and behold, there is a pocket! Then there is a pocket page..then.....3 pages of calendars (6 months) then...there is the notebook pages. It was what I wanted and needed and came in lovely colors, so I did what I tend to do..and bought TWO. I knew if I didn't spend the extra 4.00 I would go back in 6 months and they would have discontinued making it because it was convinent and something people actually use.

But since my Staples fix had only lasted 5 minutes, I browsed and found many cool things to look at. Then I saw the Clearance table.

But this leads into another story so i need to back up. Remember how my recipes are NOT organized. Well, about 6 months ago I saw a Rolodex and thought, OoH, wouldn't that be perfect! Since the price tag was $25 I figured I could find something that worked just as well, for a lot less. Then I heard about a nifty little high tech thing that hold three thousand recipes and organizes them. It looks like an I phone sort of thing. And it could be yours for only $300! So I settled for a recipe box. I was not happy and knew it would be dumped a million times, and recipes would be taken out and not put back in ( I have a child who is being trained still). But for .50 for a stack of index cards..it is what I had to do.

So there was the CLEARANCE table ( I had to capitalize because that is how it is in my head) I didn't need this that or the other that they had.

And then..there at the end, by the hand sanitizer, all alone on Rolodex. No price tag of course. So when we were ready to go, I asked the cashier how much it was 2.50 (no! the decimal is NOT in the wrong place!!) I about fainted and told her I would take that little baby home with me. Then there were refill packages at the front counter for .50 in case I ever use the 500 it came with. So for a grand total of 11.00 I am ready to organize, and flying as high as a kite.

I told Michael "Staples makes me happy, isn't it just such a happy store." He agreed because he loves it as much as I do. But not as much as he loves me.

Inventor

Yes, I am an inventor.

I had a brilliant idea and was so excited about it. It was to make discs that snap on the end of a rolling pin. They would come in three sizes 1/4 inch 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch. That way when you were rolling out cookie, pie or whatever, it would all be the same thickness, in the thickness you want.

I thought it was brilliant!. The only draw back would be that you would have to be rolling something out that would fit in between the rolling pin.

So the other day I was watching my tread mill show and they were answering questions about how to make good sugar cookies. And the tip they gave...

Set chop sticks on the side of your dough, and the pin would rest on that, or add rubber bands to the end of the pin, and until desired thickness.

Now THAT is brilliant. THAT is inexpensive!

Maybe I'm not an inventor after all.

Save the date:

April conference 2010 Parley will be potty training.

Ahhhh Music to my ears...

After months of my Beatles CD missing...I found it! I am embarassed to say it was in my cookbooks. Don't even ask.

Triathlon

April

500yd swim

8 mi bike

3 mi run

Yes, I am toying with the idea.

I would need to learn how to swim well..how far is 500 years?

I have been doing really well on the treadmill. I am running longer everyday. I know, I can't believe it either, I still hate running.

In March I am going to be in the Volleyball tournament, and I am getting better at that..though I still struggle with Setting (another 2010 goal).

I don't know, should I commit to it? If I commit, and pay (Feb 15) then I will do it.

I think the prize to myself (besides sense of accomplishment and healthy) Would be a new little number from Shabby Apple...in a smaller size than I am now of course!

I Wish....

My sister put an "I Wish" post on her blog.

After reading it, I was depressed for a couple of days.

You see, she is really amazing.

She is one of the people I really look up to. (Even though she is younger, and maybe taller...)

She is the one who gave me a motivational talk after which I signed up for my last two classes and finished my degree after 13 years.

I am not comparing my bad points to her good, I am comparing apples to apples, I am the dirt on the bottom of her shoes.

There are only two bad things about her she doesn't get enough sleep, and she lives far away.

Oh the I wish lists I could make. That is the only thing I could think of after I read her post. The lists ran through my mind.

I could write it and make you all feel great about yourselves.

But I am going to share one....

I wish I knew how to design something, then make it and wear it. I have a swim suit in my head that I think would be wonderful. How do I get it from something in my head to something on my body? And after that was done, I would make a couple hundred perfect bras.

Sing, Sing a song

Katie asked me what my favorite song was the other day. I told her that I love too many and that I couldn't pick just one. But, then I got thinking about it. What song rand true to my soul when I heard it, and I immediately knew what song was one of my most favorite in the world.

Guess what it is.

I can't find the right one on Youtube. It is Adagio from Dvorak New World Symphony.

But how can you pick just one?

She told me that she didn't like Amazing Grace because it sounded weird. I told her that that is the song I expected her to sing at my funeral. She told me that she would have to be like 24 when I died.

She said that no one sings as loud as she does in Primary, I agreed with her, and told her that it was okay.

She said she wants to be a singer, I told her to think about what talent she wants to work on and we will get her into lessons in a few months. (A little lesson in commitment)

She likes music like I do, and always needs something playing like me. I am excited that in the new house I can have my CD player out, and my music.

I want to make another favorites CD, I really need to learn how to use itunes, or bug my sissy again.

I can't find my Beatles CD.

SLC

Mike is on his way to SLC as we speak. His new truck is waiting for him. Is is more excited than he gets for Christmas. I REALLY want to go to SLC. I tried to figure out how I could hitch a ride with him, but 6 people in a two seater truck doesn't work out.

I have a list. This time it is a long list. THE LIST consists of things I need to get or places I need to visit next time I am in the valley. (Happy valley that is) I make the lists months in advance, plan it all out, stop at Costco first, then I am out of money, and don't need to go to the other places. Next time we plan to go is in March when we are taking the oldest two to a jazz game. We think they will love it! Katie and I will watch people and Jeffrey and Mike will watch the game...and we will make a good memory. So I will try to work out away to stay a week and make my sisters go do my errands with me. I think they secretly LOVE my massive cart load trips to Costco, and La Leche League meetings.

I have a better list, yes, Costco is on it, but so is Ikea. I need to go and look at everything and at least get magazine boxes for scriptures.

We put them under the couch when we are done reading, and since one of my goals this year is better organization, I have decided that I need to do something about that.

The fabric store is also on my list. Baptism dress pattern and fabric for Miss Katie. I know, I can't believe it either. MY daughter is getting baptized!!! I need cute fabric for curtains, and a million other things I want to sew.

So, this is my conclusion...I will ask Mike to stop at Ikea for me and look at EVERYTHING and see what would help with organization and to get ideas. Then I will have him stop at JoAnn's and see if there are any patterns that Miss Katie would wear. (Miss picky is her name)

Once my dad was shocked when I had Mike go to the store for something. He was sure Mike wouldn't get the right thing. But I was sure he wouldn't come home until he had the right thing. (Okay, except for the time he went tot he store because I wouldn't, to get a pregnancy test and came home with a Urinary Tract Infection kit.)

But, since I love the looking part and running my fingers along the fabrics, and the smells of the fabric store. And I know he wouldn't look at everything at Ikea..I'll wait. I think he will be happy.

On Friday we went to Wally world so I could try to find a stencil (didn't find one, made one that didn't work, so I am free handing a million leaves). There was a man in the paint/stencil aisle in was in a Mart Cart park right in front of the paints. He was on the phone to his wife explaining that they didn't have Heather Blue...Is that like a light blue? What exactly was this color or that color. He was parked right there in front of the stencils/paints for a good 15 minutes. I kept peeking around the corner to see if he was out of my way. I was glad that there are other women in the world who have a good hubby who will go and get things for them at the store. I hope she was grateful when he got home with her paints, and if he got the wrong one, I hope she didn't tell him.

My other hope is that when Mike gets home he will show off his truck to me.

He said it is an automatic.

He said he would take me out to Timbucktoo and let me drive it.

Shh, don't tell.

PS, I can drive a stick, just not a 16 hundred gear one.