Oorah

First: A confession.

Today I made my kids have hot lunch even though they told me they hated today's menu. Roz ate two bites of it and Carter had two Jolly Ranchers (??). After school they were hungry, so I took them out for donuts. YES. I am that mom.

Next: Some cozy lounge time.

It's a tough life

And now, a nice story.

Charlotte the minivan had been sitting in our driveway since she FAILED her emissions test at the end of February, and of course at that point our tabs were expired, so driving her anywhere was risky business.
 
Yesterday, finally, she was fixed and ready to go. We were hoping to just pay the mechanic today and then show the emissions guys the mechanic's receipt, to show we had spent the required amount fixing her, so we wouldn't have to drive her illegally again.  But no.  "You know you have to go through emissions testing again," the woman at the shop said.  I made Hubby do it.

Charlotte passed the test and Hubby, on his way to soccer, handed me the paperwork so I could go renew the tabs. Drove through the DOL drive-through. "Our debit card system isn't working."

Went inside, with ten minutes to close. Their STUPID ATM didn't work, even after I rubbed it on my jeans, and the DOL woman put a strip of Scotch tape over the magnetic strip (! - or you could just buy a new, not stupid ATM, you silly DOL people). 

I was getting a little bugged and was seriously ready to bawl and I think everyone could tell.  The thought of Charlotte being *thisclose* to being driveable again after three months (I'd be such a terrible pioneer), and then to have to leave her overnight at the stupid DOL parking lot because the stupid DOL's stupid debit card thingie and stupid ATM weren't working, no way to call Hubby, and nothing but C-Tran to get me home... not that I hate C-Tran but I would have had to walk a couple miles to get to my route...

(seriously, a terrible pioneer)

Ahead of me in line was a young man and his 50s-ish mom, I think they were doing a title transfer or something.  His card worked in the ATM (of course).  He noticed my distress.  Then he did the most amazing, tenderest, mercifulest thing.

"Can I get the money out of my account for you, and then you can pay me back?"

And desperate me, I said YES!!!  Please!!  Thank you!!! 

The DOL people were cute.  "You raised that boy right, Mom!" Indeed she did.

So he withdrew the cash, I paid my fee, and we agreed to meet at the WinCo next door to withdraw my cash there.

WinCo's ATM was also out of order.

"We'll just buy something and I'll pay with my card and ask for cash back," I said.

Not enough money in my checking account to cover it.  Savings, yes, but there's no way to transfer funds right there at the checkout counter.  It was really getting ridiculous.

This kid, who by now I had chatted up pretty well and found out he was a Marine on leave from Japan, looked at me and said, "Well, that's OK." 

He was seriously going to let me off the hook for $50.  Like that's gonna happen.

Off we went to a nearby bank, the ATM worked (the one working ATM in our county, pretty sure), I paid him back and we went on our way.

I noticed that his rear license plate holder bore the tagline of a local car dealership - "Believe in Nice." He couldn't have personified it better.

His name is Nate.  He was my angel today. 

He's a Marine.  If you're prone to praying, please pray that he'll be safe during his time in the military and come home and have an awesome happy life. 

Oorah.

Talk About... Moving.

I don't know exactly how or why today became the day, but finally the Big TV Move was accomplished. Whew!

Lounge, before - so very sad.

Lounge, after!!

Living room, AKA Parlor, after!!

While moving stuff around, I banged my left knee on the wall. I have no idea how or what I was doing, but it scraped up and swelled up and got hot and weird and everything, and hurt for the rest of the day. Poop!!

Also, while we're speaking of mishaps, I had a phone call from the school precisely two seconds after standing up from my knee incident. Miss Roz was on the other end with her sweet tiny sad voice.  She fell into a puddle at school, trying to jump over it and wildly underestimating its width, and she needed some clean dry clothes.  Poor baby.

So, a good day with a few bumps.  But still good.

Young American, Young American, I was a Young American

....once.

Happy Memorial Day to y'all.  Hope it's a happy one.

Normally we'd be out doing graves on this day - but yeah, the one car thing, the weather thing, and you haven't lived until you've tried to negotiate the Memorial Day traffic at a national cemetery.  Oh it's fuuuuunnn.

CAN THIS MEMORIAL DAY BE SAVED?  Let's hope the heck so.  Hubby and Bella are already at the store, buying food for our indoor picnic and (probably) Arrested Development-fest. 

LATER: The day was swell and filled with food and TV.  Does it get any better than that?

On that note:

Some good Halloween costume inspiration, right there.

The Great Saturday

Morning: Wondering if the local miscreants polished off all the "good" cereal. Feeling torn between a warm snuggly bed and a growling stomach. Off to walk the property later. It's a rough life

Forget all that, we're going to Farmers Market!!

The lovely face painting lady works her magic

Road trip!!

Afternoon: Awesome day to be outside. On the tree next door that overhangs our backyard, we discovered baby cherries. SWEET. I see covert harvesting in my future.

Amazing Discovery

"Dying to research a new family tree. Can I research yours? Seriously."

Fifteen genealogy requests later, I found myself creating a new notebook, in which I...

"Just found the Rejected Elmo Dolls list!! Whoop whoop!!" 
The kids and I were goofing around a few years ago and made a list of rejected Elmo dolls - Beat Me Up Elmo, Chainsaw Massacre Elmo, You Ain't Got No Legs Lt. Elmo... good stuff.  This is what happens when we declutter, people.  Pure magic.

Karmee C posted this on my wall today:
 

On With Your Clothes!!

Baby it's cooooold outside.

Church calling frustration:
"Oh what a tangled web we weave, when we leave everything to the freaking last minute." 

At this point I was reaching angst of Phil Connors-driving-off-the-quarry-cliff-with-the-groundhog proportions.  Really???

Awesome News!!

THIS!!! Thanks dear friend Acacia ;)

In other less awesome news: The mister is home with a cold. Sounds like he's trying to snorkle through pudding, poor man

The Naughty Kitty Face!

It haunts my dreams!

 

I am hers to toy with

Loving my slow-paced idyllic Saturday. Ahhhh.  Carter and I walked downtown to Farmers Market and enjoyed ourselves immensely.  Rode the bus home.  Sweetness :)

 

Also: This article made me happy, happy, happy. But they just *think* they're joking. (Or do they?)

Yay, Sweet Tomatoes

And there was veggie and carb feasting for all.  (Belated birthday dinner for Bella and Harrison)

And we did roll forth into our front door like Violet Beauregard, post-Wonka Meal gum and pre-juicing.

Sick Day Conundrum

"Trying to think of a crazy scheme to make being sick in bed more fun. Prank calls are out. Thoughts?"

(It was a very yucky gastrointestinal virus. Ahem)

Ended up doing this instead: "Mormon drinking game: Reading "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" and taking a shot of diet Dr. Pepper every time you read the word "paradigm'"

Vive Le Payday!!

Also: She blinded me with WHITE LEGS (boop boop boop)
Took my blindingly white gams outside for a sunny walk to try to get in shape for girls camp.  Sorry for the glare, drivers.

His Generosity Knows No Bounds

Watching last night's Survivor finale. THANK YOU FATHER AL

Later, Harrison posted this:
"cant wait.. ell oh ell.. smiley face"
From one of our favorite movies.  Love that boy.

Mother's Day 2013



Happy Mother's Day to all of you dear mommies, especially my mommy...
Love you forever Mom.

"Simply having a wonderful Mother's Day time." 
I was treated wonderfully all day.

 

A funny from my babies:

Bella: Let's watch a movie.
Me: Yes. What's a good Mother's Day movie?
Harrison: "The Help"

 

The Very Throwback Ward Talent Show

Talent show up-gussying with Hubby's support

If you're old enough to remember this song, awesome.
If not, just know that it was part of my childhood. Out at our house, the one radio station we could tune into was quite easy listening-prone and yes, it did shape my taste in music. And I AM NOT ASHAMED.  

Years later, married to Hubby, I don't know why but I sang it to him and said "remember this?" and he's old like me, so he did.  I found the title funny - "Feels So Good" - and wondered, "How would the lyrics go?"

Turns out, they go like this:
Feels so good
It feels so good
It feels so good
It feels so good, it feels so good
It feels so good
It feels so good
It feels so good, it feels so flippin' gooooooooood....

And even more years later (tonight), I found myself singing those very inspired lyrics with my favorite seventeen-year-old child, Miss Bella, at our ward talent night.  And we were gonged.

We planned it as a gong show.  We handed a pre-approved gong act list to the bishopric and said "These people WANT and are EXPECTING to be gonged" but they still had to check with everyone on the list before the show started, and even then, had a very, very hard time pulling the trigger on that little gong.  Too hilarious.  Love those sweet tenderhearted menfolk (Bishop P and Brother H).

What a great talent-filled night. Brother F brought his astounding artwork collection, which lined two walls of the gym. We had a display table for "non-performance" talents - I brought some cross stitch projects, Hubby brought some soccer pictures and paraphernalia, Bella her calligraphy and Brennan some leather necklaces he made - ended up selling one to Sandy P! Sweet! And there were amazing displays of woodwork, leather work, photography, quilting, crocheting, archery... we are truly a multi-faceted group.  We also had two tables laden with treats - our Sunday baker Harrison made brownies.

Our family's other two gong acts were Carter's "marksmanship" showcase, which consisted of his standing five feet away from Harrison and shooting Harrison with many, many Nerf darts, and Rosalind's dancing solo in our version of the Harlem Shake - we grabbed some of the ward kids for that one (Hubby ended up on the floor of the stage in his church clothes, doing a move that could only be described as a mock seizure - is it any wonder I love him?).

In case you need a reference (I had to watch several videos before we did this):
For the night's finale, a "Young Women's Dance Number" began onstage with our sweet ladies, and ended in a flash mob and Soul Train taking up the middle of the gym. We planted couples in the audience to stand up and dance at a certain point in the song ("Check out, the wheels are turnin'"), and by the end, other ward members had jumped up and were dancing down the line with us.

I spent a couple of weeks planning this one act and vacillated the whole time between "This is gonna be AWESOME" and "People will think I'm nuts for asking them to do this" and "What if this totally sucks?  Waaaaa!!!"

But it was better than I imagined it would be. BETTER.
 
Best night ever.  My ward is awesome!!!

Later, from dear Pam:
"Thank you again for all your hard work... it was a pretty fantastic evening"

That it was, my friend. 

10:22 PM: *still smiling*

Getting a little wigged out now

The talent show is tomorrow. *shriek*

This from Melanie:

Couldn't Have Put It Better

I never had an easier time understanding depression than I did after reading this.
Worth the time. (And the language, if you're offended by language)

Life Ain't So Bad At All...

... if you live it ON THE WALL.

I've tried, so many times, to organize my life.  Tried the Pam and Peggy 3x5 card method, and its subsequent FlyLady method. Tried the to-do list method.  Google calendar.  Cozi.com.  Outlook.  Some people like having an appointment book, which I've also tried - many trees (and Bothans) died in my numerous attempts to get comfortable using an appointment book.  Nothing ever worked.

This brilliant organization idea came to me while I was watching MegaMind with my babies. (Except MegaMind hangs everything on the ceiling... which is another Motown artist reference entirely)

Hubby came home, saw what I did and told me I had a wonderful possible future as a detective.

Here's why it works - I mean, NOTHING ELSE has worked for me this long, it's pretty amazing:

1) I can see everything all at once.
2) I can see how many days I have until a certain event.  (!!!!) 
3) A place for everything, everything in its place (which is wherever I decide).
4) It's huge.  It can't get lost and forgotten under a pile of papers on the kitchen counter.
5) It accommodates all the stuff my kids bring home from church, school, etc.  I don't forget anything anymore.  I'm not caught off guard. 
6) It's fun.  Who but MegaMind and the peeps on Law & Order: SVU live like this?
7) The sense of peace is amazing and worth every bit of office supplies, time, effort and cluttered wall space.

I keep it in our room next to my side of the bed, so I can see it every morning.  It isn't portable, but I find that I don't really need so many reminders now.  I can look at each day one at a time (impossible for me to do before), focus on it and get things done.  AND I'm better at working on long-term projects.  I'm just dumbfounded at how well it works and the funny way I discovered it.

Day 1 - April 22

Day 7 - April 28

Day 16 - Today

Yeah.  Sixteen days in and it's still working.  I've almost made it to that magical three-week "form a new habit" point.  Incredible!  This girl doesn't DO habits!!  At least, not intentionally.  :)

I cannot stress enough how much better I feel about my life since I have started this on-the-wall thing.  Time management has been a struggle for me since ... well, forever, and to find something that works - FINALLY - is life-changing.  It's like I was born with a missing gene that just now showed up and clicked into place.  Yay!

And, now that all my references are dated and require explanation...

Harrison's Birthday!!!

Sweet baby boy

Happy, happy Birthday to our sweet Harrison! We love you and love having you in our family!

Because Every Kitchen Needs One.

We're getting rid of our D1recTV idiocy as soon as we possibly can, and so, our 1994 Panasonic, our ancient Chinese secret VCR, and plethora of VHS movies had nowhere else to be... but my kitchen.

 Just WATCH me wash those dishes and fold the laundry now, ladies.  I got my Tootsie on.

"Outside... give it to me outside."

Yeah!!!

And later that evening...
Enjoying the sounds of the neighbor cat "trapped" in the tree, meowing like he's getting paid to do it, and his owner shouting at him to "get down from there". I'd stay in the tree too, dude. You're funny when you're mad :)

BUSY.

"Too busy to BLOG?"

Yes.

"What are you busy with?"

A lot of Church stuff.  Last Sunday the choir performed a song that I really, really liked, but it was kind of a rush job for the choir, so it ended up sounding... comical?  Everything that could go wrong, did, down to my music falling off the piano in the middle of the song and someone having to rescue it.  I practiced the CRAP out of that thing and look what happened!  My practicing threw the whole thing off.  I'm never practicing again.

And, the ward young women are organizing the ward talent show, which is happening this Saturday, and since it was my idea to have a Gong Show format, I was put in charge of gathering acts for it.  (And then having to explain to anyone younger than 40 what a Gong Show is.  And then having to explain that there will be two lists for our bishopric judges - acts that WANT to be gonged and acts that don't.)

And stuff for the kids, like Bella's birthday and Harrison's birthday tomorrow and Carter's disastrous zoo field trip - I now HATE the zoo - and just whatever.

"But what about the seedlings?  Won't someone think of the SEEDLINGS?"

They're big now and have spent a few days outside, preparatory to my getting off my keister and readying the garden plot.  Just one more thing demanding my attention.

Also, last week I mowed the lawn and edged and swept all the cigarette butts out of my lawn (oh the joys of city living), and then my allergies went completely nuts and I caught a small cold.

OK, see?  Any effort I make in life is promptly rewarded with stupidity.

And now I'm trying to think why I'm in this mood.  I'm sure I'm just premenstrual... and so will be going back to bed for at least two days.

I should mention that Rosalind bore her testimony for the first time yesterday.  She told the ward about the time she said a bad word at school and repented for it.  Everyone who mentioned it said it was sweet, but I was a bit worried that people would wonder what horrible epithet escaped my angel's lips... I was going to tell them it was "Obama" or "Democrat" but fortunately my adult ward members have better manners than to ask.  Whew!

Also, I taught the monthly combined Young Women lesson yesterday and was plagued by the constraints of time. And that's all I have to say about that. *sigh*

OK, seriously, sorry I'm so negative today.  Life is really not bad at all, the sun is shining and we have brownies in the cupboard.  I'd ask "What could go wrong?" but I see no need to tempt fate.

Till next time...


Found this today. Screaming with laughter.

Sunny :)

Tonight I took Bella to a Relief Society Chocolate Appreciation Night. I don't think I can look at another chocolate thing...till tomorrow.

Really, It Doesn't Get Any Better

My plant babies are now acclimating outside on the front porch. One small step for me, one giant leap for ...mekind.

We started up with Netflix and Hulu today.  Tonight we watched (and mocked) an episode of The Greatest American Hero. 

Life = made