Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year

'Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.'

And he replied, 'Go into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God

That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way!'

So I went forth and finding the Hand of God

Trod gladly into the night

He led me towards the hills

And the breaking of day in the lone east.

So heart be still!

What need our human life to know

If God hath comprehension?

In all the dizzy strife of things

Both high and low,

God hideth his intention."

--Minnie Louise Haskins

I found this written in one of my Grandmother's journals. I love this poem......it is my hope that I/we can go forward into this new year with trust in God's plan. As this poem says.."What need our human life to know, If God hath comprehension?"

Happy New Year!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own...(Christmas Edition)

How many observe Christ's birthday! How few, his precepts! O! 'tis easier to keep Holidays than Commandments.
--Benjamin Franklin

Merry Christmas to all!!

Eagle Scout!!

It's official.....Sam is an Eagle Scout!

We had been waiting around for his paperwork to make it's way through the red tape of the council office when we got a phone call Thursday afternoon. It was Sam's Scoutmaster saying that he had just gotten an e-mail from the council guy wanting to know if we could do the Board of Review (BOR) that evening!! So we spent a frantic afternoon putting together 3 extra copies of his project (each board member wanted their own to look at) and getting the last couple of Merit Badge patches glued on to his sash.

It was an anxious time for me as I waited for Sam. (I was not allowed in the room during the BOR.) Then more anxious as Sam and I waited together while the Board deliberated his fate. Then they called us in and congratulated Sam on earning the rank of Eagle Scout. He grinned ear to ear, I almost cried (tears of both joy and relief), they read us a nice poem about being an Eagle, signed his book and sent us on our way. Now we just need to wait for Peter to be finished and we'll schedule a Court of Honor for the two of them.

Sam's project was Bat Houses. We live in a neighborhood with several bat colonies. The bats were nesting in people's homes/attics, and other undesirable places, so Sam built and installed 10 Bat Houses around the neighborhood. They were occupied almost immedietely. It was a really fun (but l-o-n-g drawn out) process.

So, congratulations, Sam!! I can't wait to see what you accomplish next!!

Christmas Spirit........

(Yes, this is my actual Christmas tree, a little sad, I know, but lots of good memories come with those handcrafted ornaments! And I'm more about preserving memories than having a 'Martha Stewart' tree)

I'm having a really weird Christmas season this year. Lots of mood swings. One day I love Christmas, the next I'm depressed about it. Here are a few of my issues:

My Christmas tree:

I love Christmas trees. I have always loved Christmas trees. They make my happy. I love to sit in the quiet darkness of the late evening or early morning and just look at the lights. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and sometimes I get a little nostalgic thinking about Christmases past.

We always get a 'real' Christmas tree. We've talked about getting an artificial one, but the kids always protest. 'It's not the same!', 'It won't smell like Christmas!', etc. I'm sure you're familiar with the arguments against artificial trees.

Yet, as I get older, I'm leaning more and more toward an artificial tree. I mean, really, who likes vacuuming up pine needles until Easter? Because no matter how many times I vacuum I can NEVER get them all up. And while I do love the smell of a 'real' tree, I'm starting to feel guilty.....It has occurred to me that all I'm really doing is keeping the tree on life support until I'm done with it. It's been cut down! It has no chance of recovery. Yet I water it, and take care of it like there might be some hope of saving it. All I'm really doing is prolonging the agony until I'm through with it, the season is over, and I can 'pull the plug'. Then it sits in my backyard firepit until it's dryed out enough for Peter to torch it. (This is Peter's favorite thing about Christmas trees. They go up in flames in about 20 seconds. It never gets old for him, he even collects trees from our neighbors for more 'flammable fun'. We usually end up burning 3-4 trees every year.)

Christmas music:

Every year as Thanksgiving rolls around and the Christmas music starts to play on the radio I have to smile. I love those first few strains of 'White Christmas' and 'Jingle Bell Rock'. I get that warm, fuzzy feeling again, and smile to myself. I love listening to Burl Ives, Bing Crosby, Kenny Loggins and even the new Barry Manilow Christmas song. (my personal newest favorite!)

There are times when Christmas music makes me feel whole and happy, like all is right with the world. I even love, love, love the Chipmunks Christmas song because it brings me right back to my childhood Christmases when all WAS right with the world.

But then I hear Elvis's 'Blue Christmas', or 'Grandma got run over by a reindeer' or 'Santa, Baby' or Dean Martin or some Country music 'has been' or someone else who really, really has NO BUSINESS singing Christmas songs and it makes me cringe. They should have a radio station that only plays what I want to hear. (Oh, wait, maybe that's why they invented CD's.)

Christmas presents:

I love presents. I love seeing them piled up under the tree. I love the anticipation they create, the excitement, the curiousity, the pure joy of wonder. I love searching and finding 'the gift', you know, 'the gift', the one thing that you just know they will love. The elusive perfect gift. It's so fun to know that THAT gift is under the tree. You know it, and they don't. I love to see the kids look at the presents, find their name on it, and speculate. I love doing it myself. I can't wait to see what treasures my kids have picked out for me this year. Will I get the malted milk balls I love so much? The chocolate covered pretzels? What fun, fun things might be waiting for me under that tree?

But, really, I hate shopping. I have always hated shopping. I never go to the mall. When my kids were little, they thought that Santa lived at the mall because the ONLY time we ever went there was to see Santa at Christmas time. Even now, when someone needs new shoes, or clothes, or even when I need groceries, my plan is 'get in, get out'. I don't want to linger, wander, and window shop. And I really hate it when I can't find or even think of 'the perfect gift'. I hate not knowing what to get someone. This year, it's Joe. I can tell you this because I know he never reads my blog. I have NO EARTHLY IDEA what to get my husband for Christmas!! He's one of those guys who, when he wants or needs something, he goes out and buys it. He has everything he needs and I am really at a loss. My Christmas shopping is done, but for Joe. (Any ideas here would REALLY be appreciated!)

Christmas Cards:

Again, some love and some loathing. I love hearing from those people that I only hear from one time a year. I love the Christmas newsletter from my Aunt Pearl, to hear that, at age 86, she is STILL waterskiing and loving life! I love to hear from my step-mother's Aunt Helen. She is a kind, loving, gentle woman that just oozes comfort. (the woman MAKES her own caramels!! What's not to love!) I also love hearing from my friends and family far away. It reminds me of the love we share and the family that we are.

What bugs me about Christmas cards are the bogus newsletters that some people send out. 'My little Tommy got all A's on his report card!' or 'I made 5,000 cookies for the homeless' or 'We won the lottery this year and retired to a villa in the south of France!'......you get the idea. Whatever, people!! Get real! Tell me what's really going on in your life. Tell me about the lost job, or the kid who failed the 7th grade. Life is not a Christmas newsletter!! I know that we like to share the good things with each other, but if we're really friends, shouldn't we share the other things, too? I, for one, like to know that I'm not alone in my troubles. Yet, when I read some of these Christmas newsletters, that's just how I feel. I must be doing something wrong if my kid doesn't get all A's, or I neglected to donate my entire life savings to those less fortunate, or if my life isn't perfect.

Despite the fact that my Christmas spirit comes and goes, I really do love the Christmas Season. And being that there's really not much time left to revel in it, I guess I'd better quit wasting time complaining and jump in with both feet!! So, Merry Christmas to you and yours, and I hope you all have a GREAT Holiday Season!!

Another Tag......

How bad has it gotten? So bad that I'm playing tag with myself. I saw this tag somewhere and thought it looked fun. So, even though no one asked me to play, I'm playing. If anyone else would like to play (Mary, Laura, Jennie) please do. It would be fun to see your answers (and your taste in music).

1. Put your iTunes on shuffle.
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS!
4. Tag someone else (if you want)

1. IF SOMEONE SAYS "IS THIS OKAY" YOU SAY?
Golden Moments (I guess that could be a new saying: "How's it going?" "Golden Moments!" kind of like 'Good Times'!)

2. WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
It Had To Be You (of course it did!)

3. WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Why Can't the English Teach their Children How to Speak? (proper grammar is SO important)

4. HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
She's Always A Woman (always)

5. WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
Embraceable You (aren't you just adorable!)

6. WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Come Fly With Me ('cause I'm the life of the party!)

7. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
Stand By Your Man (even if he's in Macon)

8. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
Fire in the Morning (that woman is really a morning person!)

9. WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
The Best is Yet to Come (yeah, baby!)

10. WHAT IS YOUR LIFE'S STORY?
I am Woman (see #4)

11. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Daniel (traveling tonight on a plane??)

12. WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Just You and I (till the end of time)

13. WHAT DID YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Sugar, Sugar (nothing more to say here)

14. WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
You've got a Friend (I can hope)

15. WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
That's Life (in other words, I don't have any hobby/interest because 'that's life')

16. WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU REGRET?
Bye, Bye Blackbird (don't ask)

17. WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?
I'm an Ordinary Man (huh?)

18. WHAT MAKES YOU CRY?
Down with Love

19. WHAT SCARES YOU THE MOST?
Get it right the first time (I think I'm most afraid that I won't)

20. WHAT HURTS RIGHT NOW?
Little Deuce Coupe (yeah, my little deuce coupe has really been acting up lately!)

So, there you go. I have to add that I REALLY love my music player (it's not an ipod, but I love it just the same) I didn't think I wanted one, but Joe knew better and bought me one for my birthday. Thanks, baby, you know me so well. I hope someone else plays, it really is fun!

Random Ramblings.......

I cannot figure out why I tend to place so little value on things that I enjoy. I guess I think that if I enjoy something, it must be a waste of time. Instead of doing that which I enjoy, and realizing the value of it, I think I should be cleaning, vacuuming, doing laundry, etc. It's something that I really need to work on.

For instance, I spent an hour with my mother this morning. Yes, I know, she's been gone since 1978. 30 long years. Sometimes I wonder at the fact that I've survived this long without her. How did I get through college? And children? And life??

Anyways, I spent an hour this morning going over letters that she had written to her mother-in-law through the years. I was organizing them and making sure that I had them all typed and saved on the computer. There are about 25 letters covering 20 years of my family from 1952 (Waaaaay before I was born!) until 1972. I'm sure there must have been more letters, but I am grateful for the ones I have. It is a real insight into the raising of our family. I am able to read about her adventures with her husband and children. I can feel her close to me during those times.

Yet......I have a grandchild clambering for breakfast and a mountain of laundry, and other chores waiting....and I feel guilty for hoarding this time together, just me and my mom. So, reluctantly, I set it aside. I know that hungry children can't wait, but letters from so long ago can wait for another day.

Sometimes, though, I want to be selfish. I want to set aside the children instead of my projects. Not that I have a lot of projects, but maybe I would if I had more time. I feel such a pull toward family history. I want to have time to quilt and maybe refinish furniture and read a book. But maybe, for now, the children are my project. Maybe my time is better spent right now pouring cereal and reading Dr. Seuss.

And maybe this better explains my search for the empty nest.

Do I REALLY need to tell you these things????

I was reading this blog yesterday, and as I was preparing to comment on it, I realized that I could probably write my own blog about this subject. In case you decide not to read the linked blog (you really should, though) it's about the things we think we shouldn't have to tell our children to do/not do (like 'spit on the carpet'!) but it turns out we really should have told them.

Here are my top ten:

1. Don't put dimes in the car power adapter. Sparks will fly and you may set the car on fire.

2. Don't put Hot Wheels cars (or toast) in the VCR. It will severely impede the functionality of said VCR.

3. Don't try to balance pennies on top of night-lights. The penny may slip behind the night-light and get caught on the prongs, causing sparks to fly, and the penny to melt. You may have to throw a pillow at the night-light over and over again to knock it out of the wall safely.

4. Don't push the mattress off of your bed. It may lodge against the door and you and your sister may be trapped in your room for quite some time.

5. Don't prank Eleanor. You will regret it.

6. Don't test the sharpness of the knife by running it across the palm of your hand. Just trust me when I tell you that it's sharp!

7. Wear shoes when playing baseball. It hurts when the other players step on your feet, and you may just break a bone sliding into home plate.

8. Never stack a chair on top of a table in the gym at church, then leap off the chair trying to grab the rim of the basketball standard. You will spend the rest of the summer in a cast.

9. Don't play in the car with your two-year-old sister. And, especially, don't put the car in reverse. You may have to use all of your five-year-old strength to keep the car from rolling into the street.

10. Don't put beans up your nose.

If I've missed any, please let me know. I've still got a few years of parenting left and I want to be sure I cover all my bases.

Wrestling and Homework....

I may have mentioned in a previous post how much I despise wrestling. And how fond of wrestling my youngest son is. Interestingly enough, we have kind of reversed our positions.

Let me explain.....

For Peter, wrestling seems to have lost some of it's appeal. He is no longer quite so gung ho about it. It's not turning out the way he thought it would. It's a LOT more work than he anticipated, and not quite so much fun. He has NO TIME in his life for anyone or anything other than wrestling, including on the weekends. And if anything can be said about Peter, it is that he is multi-faceted. It is virtually impossible for him to be involved in just one thing. He has to be involved in lots of things in order to be happy. That said, I think he's kind of waiting for me to pull him out of wrestling as he refuses to quit. While I am impressed by his integrity for not wanting to quit, I'm not quite ready to pull him out......

Don't get me wrong...I am still not cool with having my son thrown down on the mat, and definitely still not fond of him coming home each night with new cuts and bruises (though that is happening less and less.) However......the coach has recently put a new policy into place. While practice will still run from 4-7 each night, the first hour will be devoted to studying. That's right, a coach enforced study hall!! Apparently, grades are important at school. Who knew?? It's not just about sports!! I'm so excited by this prospect I can hardly stand it!! Someone other than me helping Peter do homework!!

(I may also have mentioned in a previous post something about leading a horse to water. In that post, I suggested that perhaps if another person led a horse to water, maybe said horse would drink......maybe the wrestling coach is that person. Maybe the horse will finally learn to drink the water. Maybe the coach can MAKE the horse drink.)

So, for now, I'll wait. I may still pull him out, but first I'm going to wait a couple of weeks and see how this homework thing works out.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own......

"I know that the seeds I sow I will harvest,

because every action, good or bad,

is always followed by an equal reaction.

I will plant only good seeds this day."

—Og Mandino

Party Time!!!

Thanks so much to Scripture Mom for sending my this awesome Cheez-it Party Mix. I was the winner of her birthday giveaway and the Party Mix was my prize!! It arrived just in time for a long Thanksgiving weekend munch fest! (I do, however, feel bad that it cost her $6 to send it!)

A Birthday Wish...

Happy Birthday to my firstborn!

Eleanor turns 26 today. Hope you have an awesome day!!

I love you, my girl!

Thanksgiving Day 2008

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Here is a poem I just made up in honor of Thanksgiving....(keep in mind I've been up since 6 AM)

Thankful....

I'm thankful for friends, old and new
Yes, this means you, and you, and you.

I'm thankful for memories of days of old
Of summers hot and winters cold.

I'm thankful for family far and near
(To those who are far, I wish you were here)

I'm thankful for sons and daughters, too
for parents and brothers and a sister true.

For friends who gather to share our feast
for turkey and stuffing and three pies at least!

Thankful for all that's been given to me,
I'm thankful, yes, thankful, as I can be!


I know it's not much, but remember, I'm sleep deprived! I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!!

In memory of Robert Clayton Patch

I got word yesterday that my Uncle Bob had passed away. He was 87 years old. He was my Dad's oldest brother. You can read his obituary here.

Uncle Bob was one of my favorite uncles. Our families didn't spend much time together when I was growing up, as we lived in Minnesota and he in Utah, but the times we did spend together stand out in my memories.

I always felt welcome in his home, even when I dropped by unannounced, which I did more than once when I was attending college in Utah. One time, when I was struggling with which major to choose, and was leaning toward Philosophy (much to my father's dismay!) I went to visit Uncle Bob at his office at BYU, where he was a professor for many years. He acted as if he had all the time in the world for me. We talked about school and philosophy and I left his office loaded down with books on the subject.

Uncle Bob was one of those people who always made me feel like he was glad to see me. He never talked down to me when I was little, as some adults did. He always treated me and spoke to me as an equal. Impressive, since I could NEVER hope to measure up to him! He was one of the most intelligent men I have ever known. He was an unmatched scriptorian, an avid genealogist, and a devoted family man.

He will be greatly missed.

Sports Mom???

I am a sports mom extrordinaire. Over the years I have supported (financially and emotionally) my kids in such sports as T-Ball, Baseball, Soccer, Gymnastics, (church)Basketball, Swimming, Ultimate Frisbee and Cross-Country. I even coached one son's soccer team for a couple of years, and taught pre-school gymnastics to help pay for that same son's gymnastics team fees.


Recently, however, my youngest son has decided he wants to be on the wrestling team at his high school. As great as I think sports are for kids, I'm not too sure about wrestling. What good can come of a sport where the goal is to overpower your opponent and then slam him down on the mat??? So far, as I've picked this boy up from practice, I've been met by bruises, cuts, scratches and a bloody lip. I am NOT impressed!!



I was not impressed at the end of one practice where the boys were running from one end of the wrestling room to the other. One wall was concrete blocks, the other was a wall of mirrors. As the boys were racing from one wall to the other, you guessed it, one of them ran full on into the wall of mirrors and shattered one of the panels. The boy fell to the ground, and the glass fell onto the mat. Thankfully, the boy was okay, just one small cut and a little shaken up. You would think that this would mean the end of practice for the day, but no. The coach just moved the boys over to either side of the broken glass and contunued the drill.



I am not impressed with the amount of time wrestling takes. School gets out at 3:30. Wrestling practice goes from 4:00 until 7:00. That's the scheduled time. It's never over before 7:15, and often goes until 7:30. This is Monday through Friday. On Saturdays they go from 9:00 until Noon. On weekdays, this means that Peter has left the house at 6:00 AM to go to Seminary (a before school scripture study class) and isn't home before 7:30-7:45 PM. Then he has to shower and eat dinner. That leaves us about an hour of down time before bed at 9:30. When is he supposed to do his homework? What about family time? What about Wednesday night church youth group? What about Scouting?


But, while I'm not impressed by wrestling, Peter loves it. He loves the physical exertion. He loves the weight-lifting they do for an hour each day. He wears the bruises and bloody lips and cuts and scratches as badges of honor, earned by a hard fought battle on the mat. He loves the comaraderie of his team mates and how the coach demands the best they can give.

So, like any good mother, I bite my tongue. I try to ignore the cuts and bruises and instead focus on the light in his eye, his confidence, and how he is building not only physical strength, but strength of character as he meets and exceeds the demands of the sport as well as the demands of the coach.

I just hope I can make it through the season.

Magic 8 Ball......

On Saturday, Eleanor and her boys were playing at the park. As it got closer to dinnertime, they had this conversation...

Eleanor: "So, do you guys want to go to Burger King for dinner?"

Sirius: "It is decidedly so."

Do you think he's been playing with the Magic 8 Ball too much?

Pet Peeves......

I have a lot of 'pet peeves'. I'm sure most of us do.



One of mine is laundry. Now, I don't mind doing laundry. In fact, it's one of the mundane household chores that I almost enjoy doing. (shhhhh, don't tell anyone!)



It's very satisfying to see a pile of dirty laundry transformed into clean, folded, hanging clothes. I get a real sense of accomplishment from that (hey, I have to take what I can get around here! Sometimes a clean folded pile of clothes is the only productive thing I can do in a day.)



But the thing I hate, no, abhor, is washing CLEAN laundry. You know what I'm talking about.......the kids don't put their clothes away, then the clean ones get mixed in with the dirty ones and the next thing you know you're sorting through a basket of laundry and finding folded shirts and matched socks!! But you have to wash them again, because they've been sitting in with the work out clothes from wrestling practice or the wet, muddy clothes from the campout and everything smells like a campfire! I mean, really, I must do about a dozen loads of laundry a week, I really don't need more of it to do!



So, there you have it. My first (of probably many!) post about 'Pet Peeves'. Feel free to share some of yours!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.......

Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.
--Benjamin Franklin

I've been going to bed by 9:30 and getting up around 4:30 every morning........

It's not working...........

A Veteran's Day Thank You.......

On Veteran's Day................

Thanks, Dad......and thanks to your dad, too. And your brothers.

Thanks, Joe. And your dad. And your brother. And your sisters.

Thank you.....to all who have served. And all who currently serve.

Thanks for the time and effort and sacrifice on behalf of our country.

Thanks for keeping us safe. For giving us peace.

Thanks for giving all that you have for Flag, Family, and Freedom.

And thank you to those left here at home. Holding down the fort. Raising the kids. Paying the bills.

We may not like the war. But we love those who serve. So today, let's give thanks. Let's stand proud and fly our flags and rejoice in the freedoms that we have because of those who have given so much. Today.....let's remember.

Do you 'Twitter'?

My daughter, Mary, is a Twitter maniac. (For those of you who don't know 'twitter', get with the program and click here.) Twitter is for those of you/us who don't always have time to write an entire blog but still want to give people a quick update on what's going on in your life. You get 140 characters to write your 'twitter'.

Mary has reached a milestone on her 'twitter'. As of Monday night she has posted 1,000 twitter updates. Yes, you read that right, ONE THOUSAND twitter updates.

Now, let's say that each twitter takes 1 minute to do.........that means that Mary has 'twittered' away 1,000 minutes of her life. That translates to more than 16 hours of 'twitter'. This would be a conservative estimate as she would first have to sign on to twitter, then decide what to twitter, then make it fit into 140 characters. Some take less time, some more, but you get the idea.

So, I thought maybe I would poll my faithful followers (yes, all three of you!) as well as any lurkers that may, or may not, be out there. I will list some alternate activities for Mary, and after the polls close (maybe after the first 5 votes or so) I will present my findings to Mary and encourage her to spend some of her valuable time doing something other than twittering. Here goes:

A) Get a job

B) Do your homework

C) Make cookies

D) Take out the trash

E) Forget it, Mary, keep on Twittering, we love it!!

Remember, vote early and vote often!! Feel free to add your own suggestions. I will report the results on a future blog.

I Just Forgot........

This could SO be me. I forget everything!! (Okay, maybe not everything, but I do forget a lot of stuff!)

I was at the movie rental store the other day. I was looking over the vast selection when I came across the movie "The Bucket List". As I was looking at it, I had this conversation with myself: 'Oh, yeah, there's "The Bucket List", I wanted to see that one. Wait a minute........DID I see that one?? I think we may have rented that one already. Did I like it? Hmmmm, let me think.........'

I finally decided that we had rented it a couple of months back, but I couldn't remember if I had liked it or loathed it. I was hard pressed to even remember bits and pieces of the plot.

I'm like that with books, too. I have read all 7 Harry Potter books, yet when my friend called my a couple of weeks ago to tell me that she had just finished book 6 (she's a very busy lady!), then exclaimed, "Can you believe that ending!!". I had to pretend that I remembered the ending and exclaim along with her, "I know, I couldn't believe it either!", when in reality, I had no idea what she was talking about. I do know that I like the HP books, I just can't tell you what happens in any of them. I remember Harry, Hermoine, and Ron go to Hogwarts. Mayhem ensues. That's about it.

Usually, this isn't a problem. I try to remember the important stuff like dentist appointments and teacher meetings. I remember kids birthdays, and (the big) holidays. I tend to forget that my visiting teacher's are coming over (very important!) until they ring the doorbell and I look around at the mess in my living room. I forget that Mary has to be at school on Tuesday nights and that I agreed to make cookies for a ward activity.

The good news is that when I watch a movie with my kids that I've seen before, I can't tell them how it ended or even what part is coming up next. Case in point: Mary was watching 'Apollo 13' not too long ago. It was late and she wanted to go to bed so she came upstairs and asked me, "Mom, what happens at the end, do they all die?" My reply, "yes, Mary, they all die, just go to bed." (Okay, so maybe I remembered a little bit about that one, but it was late, and she did need to go to bed. So if she ever asks you about the really sad ending of that movie, just play along, okay?)

The bad news is that if there happens to be an inappropriate scene in a movie that I've already seen, I've forgotten that, too, and when it comes up I'm stuck saying, 'Oh, I forgot about THAT part! We really shouldn't even be watching this movie!'

I forget why I went upstairs. I forget that I have ground beef browning in the kitchen. I forget to rotate the laundry. I forget what I need at the store. I have even forgotten to pick kids up from school, (though I will deny that one should you bring it up and claim that I got stuck in traffic).

I guess with all this forgetting, I should go easier on my kid who forgets to make his bed, or do his homework, or unload the dishwasher, or take out the trash, or give me that important phone message. And when I say to them, 'How many times do I have to tell you to..........(whatever)' I should think about how many times I've been told. Told to get my food storage, or do my visiting teaching, or read my scriptures, or magnify my calling.

So if I have something important to do, it's best if I write it down. Really, if it's not written down it doesn't have a chance of getting done. Because I know this about myself, I tend to make a lot of lists. I lay in bed at night with the light going off, then on, then off again, then on again, as I think about things to write on my list for the next day. Which reminds me......I have quite a list of things 'to do' for today. So I guess I'd better stop blogging and get moving.

If only I could remember where I put that list!

Therapy for Life.....

The kid will need therapy for life........

One of my sons (he will remain nameless for his own sake) has started keeping his toothbrush in my bathroom. He says that the 'little kids' mess with it if it's in the other bathroom.

This morning as I got out of the shower and started to dry off, the bathroom door opened and he started to walk in!! He shut the door FAST as I stood there with a towel in front of me so I'm not sure how much damage was done to his poor psyche. I had locked my bedroom door, but not the bathroom door. Apparently, he knocked, but because I didn't answer (as I was in the shower!!) he assumed that I must still be out on my morning walk, so he picked the lock and walked in. I don't think he'll be doing that again anytime soon!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own....

A government that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.

--George Bernard Shaw

I think that kind of says it all........

The frog of liberty and justice.....

Today, Sirius was demonstrating how they say the Pledge of Allegiance in school. He had a small American flag that he held up in his left hand while he placed his right hand over his heart. Then he recited the pledge.....

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands: one Nation under God, indivisible, With Liberty and Justice frog."

I asked him about that last part, and he assured me that's the way they say it in school. I must have missed that memo.....

The Morning After......

Here is the carnage that we woke up to the morning after Halloween. My grandchildren and the other kids in the neighborhood were devestated by the destruction of their pumpkins that they had carved. They were proud of their creative carvings that they had worked so hard on. After seeing the mess in the street, Sabian, age 3, said: "I'm mad at somebody!!" Sirius, age 5, said: "We call those people bullies." Claire, the 5 year old from next door, just cried and cried. I would like to thank the vandals for this amazing display of thoughtlessness. You have made a huge impression on my grandchildren. They have now felt the pain of having their personal property destroyed and as such, I am fairly certain the they will NEVER feel inclined to cause that pain to others.

Here is a 'before' picture, taken Halloween night.

Pay it Forward Tag......

I've been playing 'Tag' again!! My friend Annemarie had a 'Pay It Forward' Tag and I was one of the lucky winners!! See the cute things I got in the mail from her!

Now it's your turn to play. The first three people to comment on this blog will get a treat in the mail from me!! As Annemarie said....I have no idea what it is yet, but you will love it! Remember, if you comment and get a surprise, you HAVE to play and 'pay it forward' to 3 other people!!

Happy Halloween!

A Halloween Story.......

A long time ago (think early 70's) I was involved in the youth group at my church. (Minneapolis First Ward anyone??) The youth group was for youth from 12-18 year olds and, at the time, was known as MIA. This stood for Mutual Improvement Association. Today it is simply known as 'Mutual'.

One year, as Halloween approached, it was decided that we would have a Halloween Party (or maybe it was a dance......I'm old, you know, I can't remember ALL the details...) We had decorations, games, food and fun. Some of the girls made cookies, some made pies, some made cupcakes. My friend Julie and I were in charge of carameled apples. Yummy!!

I guess we were maybe 14 or so at the time. And there were some boys that we wanted to impress. Or maybe we just wanted to get back at them for something. I don't recall which. We decided to make some 'special' carameled apples just for them. Two of the boys in question were Tommy Russell and Kenny Killebrew. We had known Tommy since we were toddlers. Kenny was fairly new to our group, but had been there long enough that he, too, deserved a 'special treat'.

When it came time to serve the treats Julie and I made sure to give the biggest and best carameled apples to Tommy and Kenny. They were thrilled that we would have saved the biggest ones for them. Until, that is, they bit into them.

You know.....you really can't tell a carameled apple from a carameled onion until you bite into it!!

Oops!! Sorry, boys.

What if the horse is an 'aquaphobic'???

Random Thoughts on:

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

What if you know that he's thirsty?

Do you suppose he's holding out for kool-aid?

Will the horse drink if someone else leads him?

Does the horse know something I don't?

After leading said horse to said water multiple times without result, I am ready to do one of three things: shoot the horse.....turn him into glue.....put him out to pasture. I really am at my wits end with this horse. Any and all advice will be appreciated as I am about ready to be fitted for a straight jacket. Be sure to come and visit me down at the funny farm!

(FYI: Horse=kid, Water=Homework)

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

I looked through my blog to see if I've used this one before and I couldn't find it. So, if I have used it before.....sorry......otherwise....enjoy!

“We can easily manage if we will only take, each day, the burden appointed to it. But the load will be too heavy for us if we carry yesterday’s burden over again today, and then add the burden of the tomorrow before we are required to bear it.”
John Newton

I'm generally pretty good about letting go of yesterday. I mean, it's over and done. Whatever happened, happened. I can't do anything about it now. But I am really bad when it comes to worrying about tomorrow.

Here's to taking life one day at a time!!

Things that used to be.....'The Post Card'

For those of you younger than, say........most of us, this is a picture of a 'Post Card'. Come on, say it with me....'post card'. Very good.

A post card was a form of communication used a long-long-long time ago.

It usually had a picture on one side (sometimes of a great vacation spot) and the other side was divided into two sections. The left hand section was used for writing a note of some kind. Something like "wish you were here", or "missing you", or some other short message. The right side was for the address of the recipient and the stamp.

People used post cards instead of letters for a number of reasons. Maybe you wanted to say 'hello' to someone, but didn't want to write an entire epistle. Maybe you only had enough money for a post card stamp, which was invariably cheaper than a stamp for a letter. Maybe you didn't really care who read your message, because, as you can see, there is NO privacy associated with a Post Card. Everyone, from the writer, to the mailman, to the nosy neighbor, to the recipient, can read whatever message is written there.

Whatever the reason, post cards used to be a very popular form of communication in the 'olden days' when I was young.

Why am I bringing this up?? Let me tell you a short story. I was at Target the other day. I was in the checkout line when this (older) man walked up and asked the (younger) cashier if they carried 'Post Cards'. She looked at him blankly before asking "What?" "Do you carry Post Cards?", he asked again. "Post...what?", was the reply. I jumped in to explain to her that a Post Card is like a card that you send somebody. You write a note on the back of it, then put it in the mail. She still looked pretty blank, but said, "Well, if we did have anything like that it would be over by the greeting cards." I saved the man the trouble of walking over there and told him that, NO, Target does not have post cards. Then I directed him to the only store in town that I know of that does carry them.

He went happily on his way. The cashier's face returned to it's previous unknowing, blank look. And I came home, wondering all the way about things that used to be.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

Sometimes.....life beats us up.

Sometimes.....we don't feel like getting out of bed to face the day.

Sometimes.....we feel like we've failed. Our children, our husbands, our friends, ourselves.

That being said, I love this quote by Mary Anne Radmacher:

“Courage doesn't always roar.

Sometimes courage is the quiet voice

at the end of the day saying,

"I will try again tomorrow.”

10 Things Tag......

I've been tagged by Annemarie to do this '10 things I can't live without' blog.....so here you go.... (please note: these are in no particular order, so I don't want to hear about what YOU think I should have listed first!))

1. My first thing is Prayer. No, really! I first saw this quote at Girl's Camp a couple of years ago, and I just love it! It is SO true!! If I don't start my day with prayer NOTHING goes right. Prayer is my prozac. It keeps me sane.

2. Blogging. It started out as just a fun little thing to do and has quickly become very therapeutic. I can tell anyone who cares (and probably some who don't!) about my kids, my worries, my joys, my sorrows, my frustrations, and anything else that comes to mind. And it's SO much cheaper than therapy! Not to mention the great advice and input I get from friends and strangers!

3. Ibuprofen. Yes, ibuprofen. I get these headaches....they render me useless. Ibuprofen makes me functional again. I love my ibuprofen.

4. NCIS. My break from reality. My 1 hour of the week when I can sit back, relax, and just be entertained.

5. My husband and my kids. (and grandkids) Yes, they make me crazy sometimes, but I don't know what I'd do without them!

6. My brother, Peter. He is my best friend. We've weathered many storms together. I would be lost without him.

7. Take 5 Candy Bar!! It has pretzels, caramel, peanuts, peanut butter, and chocolate! What more could you ask from a candy bar!! They are my most recent candy addiction.

8. My jeans. They are a staple of my vast (HA!!) wardrobe. They are the required uniform for my job of motherhood. What else can you that will take whatever the kids dish out? I love my jeans!

9. Sleep. Essential to my survival. And if I don't get enough at night I've been known to make up for it after lunch. Just call it a 'siesta' and pretend you're in Mexico!

10. My computer. It is my lifeline to the world. (I don't get out much!) I can check my e-mail, my blog, my bank account, your blog, watch General Conference, movies, and do countless other things. It really is an amazing thing.

So, there you go. More information about me than you ever cared to have. I am tagging NOBODY as they are all still mad at me for the last time I tried to play tag with them. If anyone wants to play, please do, but don't feel obligated because of me!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."
--Robert Brault





Think about it.

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid.......

Did you ever know someone and think 'how stupid can you get????'

I have this 'friend'. I will call this person 'Fred'. (Don't bother to ask, I won't tell you who it really is!) Fred has gone through some really tough times over the course of the last several years and, from my perspective, things have kind of been looking up as of late.

So, what does Fred do??? Why, complicate things again!!

Fred is one of those people. You know the kind....you see their life situation and think: 'If they would just do (fill in the blank) their life would be so much easier. They are the people who can't learn from other people's mistakes...they have to make them all, just in case it turns out differently for them. They are the ones who, if they would just slow down and relax, and THINK about what they're doing, maybe they would be able to make a decision that would NOT screw up their lives!!


I have answers for Fred, but he won't ask the questions. He won't listen to advice because he doesn't see a problem in his behavior, yet he wonders why his life is so darn hard!! He creates these situations for himself, without knowing that he is doing so. He can take the dumbest idea ever and say to himself: "Hey, what a great idea!"


I can help you, Fred. I can help you make your life easier.....pleasant, even. I love you, Fred. I wish you could see the pain that you are causing. Not just for yourself, but for those around you. I wish you would soften your heart, admit that you DON'T have all the answers, and let others help you. It's hard to sit by and watch this train wreck that you call your life. I hope that you get it together soon, and that the lessons you have to learn won't be too costly for you. I'll be here for you when it's over, though, to help you pick up the pieces. And I will always love you, no matter how many stupid choices you make. Because you are, after all, my friend.

And the Gold Medal Winner is.........

This blog was inspired by this blog. My friend's husband apparently has a thing about running in marathons. I think that's an amazing thing. It takes a special person with a special personality to run marathons. My oldest son is currently training to run a half-marathon later in the month. And my youngent son is in the middle of the Cross Country season at his high school and loves to run. Me?? Not so much.


But lest I become discouraged and think that I am 'out of the running' as a medal contender.....I've decided to do something about it.


I am NOT taking up running. What kind of fool do you think I am, anyways?? No, I've decided to create a few new medal categories just for women like me all over the globe. It will be called the Homemaker Games. Maybe it will even be more fun for us if we consider what we do every day 'competition'.



My first category is laundry. I will get a bronze medal for even thinking about doing laundry as that in itself tires me out. If I actually do any, I will qualify for the silver. I get gold for being caught up. There will very few gold medals given out in this event.






Next will be cooking. Feeding my family on a daily basis will earn a bronze (even if dinner happens to be Cheerios.) If I plan a menu and refer to it on occasion I will earn the silver. Planning a monthly menu, purchasing ahead of time and actually following said plan will be a gold medal performance. (again, these will be few and far between)



Another category could be children. If a day goes by where I don't threaten any of them with bodily harm I get a bronze. A day with everyone out the door on time, in clean clothes and jeans with no holes in the knees and their hair combed gets me a silver. If I survive the homework wars without thoughts of military school dancing in my head, homework actually gets finished, and the child is still speaking to me when we're done. I get the gold. I've NEVER gotten a gold.



The final category is ME. If I shower before 10 AM I get the bronze. If I shower, remember my prayers and do personal scripture study I get the silver. If I happen to do all of the above and still get the kids in bed early enough to have some 'me' time to relax in the evenings (and then actually spend the time on me, reading a book, bubble bath, whatever, instead of doing dishes/laundry, then I earn the gold.






You will note that in all categories the gold is hard to earn. It takes practice and patience. You will also note that there is NO competition between me and anyone else. They are all individual events. (Molly Mormon is in her own over-achiever category which I don't even qualify to enter!)


Let the games begin!!

Dare I Say It?

I am probably dooming myself to eternal misery by saying this, but.....today has been a really good day!

I'm always suspicious of good days. They are so random and sporadic. I don't really trust them. I know that it's only lunchtime, which leaves endless hours for things to go wrong, but today, I think I could handle it.

Don't tell me that it must be that good night's sleep I had. I didn't get to bed until after 11 and after a restless/worrying night the alarm went off at 4:45. Maybe it was the 20 minute walk that I did at 5 AM. Maybe it was reading my scriptures while the kids were in Seminary from 6:15 until 7. It certainly wasn't that gourmet breakfast that I had. That was Dunkin Donuts after hitting the grocery store with two 3 yr. olds at 9:15. That's the thing about good days. I can never figure out what causes them, so I can never replicate them. Does anyone else feel like that?

It's just past lunchtime. The kids have been fed and one is asleep. I have finished my grocery shopping, made a meatloaf to put in freezer and browned two pounds of gr. beef to freeze for later use. Dinner is planned (chicken roll-ups) and I've only got two loads of laundry to do to be caught up. I'm sure that later things will be hectic again. We may have some Algebra challenges to work through and I have a meeting at Sam's school that I should probably go to, but probably won't. But for now, life is good, my house is quiet and I just may make it through the day.

So, here's to a great day! Maybe those 'happy points' are working after all.

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own.....

Here is my quote for the day.......pretty much says it all. (We'll talk later.)

The world is full of women blindsided by the unceasing demands of motherhood, still flabbergasted by how a job can be terrific and torturous.

Anna Quindlen

You Really CAN'T Buy Happiness....

As I finished my grocery shopping the other day, the cashier asked me if I wanted some "Happy Points".

Do I want Happy Points!!?? Of course, I do!! Who wouldn't!!

I was sad (note: the opposite of 'happy') to find out that she wasn't peddling 'happiness' at all! Nope....instead, what she was giving out were stamps. Happy stamps, apparently. I haven't figured out how they work yet. There is no 'ON' button, no place to put batteries, no instructions. I don't feel any happier for having gotten my '3 stamps' of happiness. And when I found out that they cost me $10 worth of groceries for each stamp, I was even more disappointed. I guess it's true after all.....you really can't buy happiness. I guess I won't be shopping for THAT at the store anymore! What a rip-off.

Wanted: Advice/Opinions....

My vacuum is really not that old. But it has outlived it's usefulness and HAS TO GO!! That being said, I am now in the market for a new vacuum cleaner. And because I'm too cheap to subscribe to Consumer Reports and too lazy to go to the library to look at Consumer Reports, I am asking my vast readership to give me their (your) input on what kind of vacuum to get.
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- Keep in mind that I am cheap (see above) so I will not spend hundreds of our hard earned dollars on it, and I truly HATE shopping, so I have to be able to find a new one without too much effort on my part. It must work on carpet, hardwood floors, tile floors, stairs and anything else I might choose to vacuum. I really don't want a bagless (too messy) and it should be easy to move from floor to floor and outside when I want to vacuum the cars, but other than that, I don't have a lot of requirements.
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- Please send me any and all advice/opinions that you have on this important subject. And if you've read this far into a blog about vacuums I commend you! You are a dedicated blog addict and a good friend. Thank you for your faithfulness. I look forward to your suggestions!

Wednesday's Words of Wisdom Not My Own...

"Before I speak I always ask myself:

Is it true, is it neccessary and is it kind?

After that, of course, I keep my mouth shut."

--Fred Astaire