"Where Are You Going?"

I admit it: I'm lazy. But now I've sunk to an all new low.

When I turned 13 my parents allowed me to start wearing make-up. I loved to experiment with the colors and the textures to produce an all new colorful me. I swore up and down that when I got older I was NOT going to let my make-up habit fall away. I was going to wear make-up EVERY day. I loved the feeling of looking "pretty!"

Fast forward many years...

I HATE make-up. It's such a pain in the butt! The only times I ever wear it are when I go to church, when I have to make a good impression, or out on a date with my husband. I rarely wear the stuff. I just feel that I'm not out there to impress anyone, so why should I have to try hard to make good impressions. (Okay, that's not my ONLY excuse, but it's the one my mind rationalizes to itself...)

Today, I woke up and felt very blah. I didn't want to feel this way all day, so I decided to put on some make-up, fix my hair, and wear earrings. As I was prettying myself up, my husband walked by. He stopped to admire for a few seconds, then he asked the question, "Where are you going today?"

AAAAAAAAAH! No!! I'm not making myself pretty because I have somewhere I have to be...I'm just doing it to help me to feel pretty....I'm NOT going anywhere!!

My mom often complained that we'd ask her that dreaded question when she would put make-up on too. Now, I've also inherited that comment. Maybe I should put it on more often, then again, maybe not...

Being Family H

Last night we had a fairly big family dinner at my mom's house. Normally, our family home evenings are spent there. We usually have dinner and then someone gives us a lesson. It's fun, and keeps us on top of the goal to have family home evening once a week. Anyway, last night we got together most of my H side of the family. We had a fairly good turn out for this family dinner..considering a few live too far away, and the others who DO live around here were working. Four out of Eight isn't bad!
This is the side of the family I TRULY belong to. We're stubborn, ornery, and we often stick our feet in our mouths often. Kinda fun, kinda hard to be! In this family, even if you are second cousins twice removed...or some other far removed family member, you are just "cousins." I sometimes get into trouble if I don't say hi to these people out in regular day-to-day life.

Our part of the family is in charge of a larger family reunion this year (the JPH reunion). Usually, my mom is in charge of most things, simply because she's the one who will take charge when no one else wants to. That's just the kind of person she is...if no one else is doing it, then she'll step up. (I think I've started to take after her in this regard...) So the JPH reunion is ALWAYS held the last Saturday in July. We have set the tradition that it's the Saturday closest to JPH's birthday. It NEVER changes...and EVERYONE knows this. EVERYONE!! Well, we've been hearing complaints from other "cousins" that they haven't gotten a letter about it, so they're going to make other plans for that weekend. I guess if they do, then it's their loss. My grandpa was kinda upset over this information and decided that we needed to get that letter out. He immediately went to my mom.
My mom has gotten tired of being the "go-to-woman" in the family, so she suggested that we have a family dinner/planning meeting. Unfortunately, since she IS the only motivated person on this side of the family, a few of my aunts don't really like her that well...therefore, they don't like US, her children. If she were to call a meeting, they wouldn't come, but if grandpa would do it, they would! Because of this, he went and called this family meeting/fish fry! I think it was also a way to con them into coming...Us: "Hey!! Free food!!" Them:"Man, we're going there...they have free food!!"
So about the time we NORMALLY have family home evening, the relatives began showing up. My mom and I had been working on the food for most of the afternoon, before Cam and I had crashed for a DESPERATELY needed nap. When I got up, my mom was outside in her backyard cooking some hamburgers for those who DON'T like fish (that would include me!) And I was in the house trying to bring all of the previously prepared food outside. I never realized how far it was from my mom's back door, to her picnic shelter! (Yes, my parents have a picnic shelter in their backyard...it really comes in handy!) So while my brothers were sitting around being lazy bums...I walked back and forth from my mom's house to the shelter like 20 times.

One of my brothers, Shad, was there with his new girlfriend and her parents. He was standing around trying to introduce me to his girlfriend, all the while completely ignoring the fact that I was busy. I started thinking, 'I'm sorry, but I've got OTHER things to do, especially if you want to eat!' My brothers, Braiden and Doug, were just watching my mom cook the hamburgers. My OTHER brother Daren was helping my mom cook the burgers. He was the ONLY one with a legitimate excuse! I was getting the stuff out, when I realized that I needed the hot dog sticks from the trailer, so I asked Doug to get them. His reaction was annoying!! He asked me if I knew where they were. I told him they were in the trailer. Then, as he was walking away he said, "Then you go get them." I was so mad...but I sucked it up and went to get the hot dog sticks.

The dinner went FAST!! Very little food was left when that brood got done with it! Then, when we had all settled down after dinner the adults circled the folding chairs and began the meeting.

We actually got a LOT accomplished! We delegated everything out, and even added a NEW event to this reunion....we're going to have a dunking booth! The first person my uncle volunteered to go into the booth was my dad! They're going to charge $1 for three throws. Any money raised for this reunion goes to the next year's fund, so we have raffles, an auction (with donated items from each family), and some paying games.

Every year for this reunion I donate a tile picture. My dad has made about a hundred boards, my mom buys the stuff for them, and I make them. They usually sell pretty well...if we find the RIGHT picture to make. I need to start this project soon...it takes me a few hours to put together, but it takes at least a day to dry and set up. This family is not so much the religious type, as they are the hunting type. So normally I make an animal picture and then I make a "girly" picture. I'd better get my rear in gear! It's going to be here before I know it.

All in all it was a fun time. I got to see cousins I haven't seen for at least a year and got to laugh at an uncle who is close enough in age to me that he's almost like a big brother. We had fun. I just hope that this happiness will continue as we have this reunion!

My Life Monday....according to Dawnyel

This week's installment will be a bit different for me! Instead of doing the normal assignment, I'm going to revamp it according to my own needs. So today, will be a tribute to my husband AND all of the other fathers in my life, along with a fun update of my weekend. For those of you who aren't my frequent readers, please excuse my rambling.
This is my husband and my son. Okay, so my picture turned out VERY washed out, but it's SO cute! I couldn't resist posting it! Steve is a wonderful daddy to Cameron. He's always helping him learn new things and the proper way to behave. There are days when the two of them will be on the same wave length and they'll torture me with tickles and that sort of thing, but I try to let it go as their male bonding time.
Steve LOVES the theater and has just recently tried out for our area's fall musical, Oliver. He's anxiously awaiting the assigning of the parts. I don't really enjoy it when he does these plays. I NEVER see the guy, but it makes him happy. And as long as he limits himself to one play a year, I'm okay with him pursuing his passion!
Steve and Cameron are A LOT alike. They have the same facial features and general look to them. They pull the same faces when they're being mischievous. My first reaction to seeing Cameron for the first time was, "He looks like Steve!" So now we call Cam, Mini-me! I love both of my guys SO MUCH! And I'm glad I managed to find a good daddy for Cam!
This is my dad! He is only 20 years older than me, so people have a hard time believing that he's my dad. When I was younger we didn't get along so well. We both have a stubborn streak that is HUGE! My favorite thing to do was to see how far I could push my dad without getting into trouble...hence, I got in trouble a lot!
He's such a funny guy! His sense of humor is one that if you don't pay attention, you may miss it! A few weeks ago my younger brother asked my dad where the best place to shoot a gun was. (He and a friend were going to shoot targets.) And my dad, without missing a beat, replied, "Outside!" See, it's there, but you have to wait for it. Most people who know him, don't know he's that funny...he usually saves it for people he knows really well!
He is an avid hunter and fisherman, but he can't do those things as often as he'd like, because he owns his own carpentry shop. He works really hard to keep it going so he can support his family.
He's always teaching me things. Yesterday he was teaching me the finer points of NASCAR! He's a great teacher!
He is also THE AWESOMEST grandpa EVER! Cameron will do ANYTHING for him. If we go to an event where quiet is required, if Cam sits with grandpa, he's as quiet as anything. If grandpa tells him to do something, even if he's been told repeatedly by someone else, he'll do it. I don't know what it is about grandpa, but he is the MAN!! I love my dad, even if I'm a brat sometimes!
This is my dad's dad...MY grandpa H! He has gone through SO much in his life. He, too, is young. For as long as I've known him, he's had a full beard. I've been told that when I was younger, he shaved it off. I was so used to it, that I didn't recognize him, and ever since he's had the beard.
He's a father of 8 children, and he worries over their happiness CONSTANTLY! He cares and he shows it any time we talk to him.
My grandpa has instilled in his kids the same loves that he has. He loved to hunt and fish. He still does those things, but not like he used to!
He's showed me the power that the gospel can have in someone's life. He was an alcoholic for years and years. Then, before my grandma died, he stopped drinking and has been faithful for years. He has a form of macular degeneration called star garts, so basically, he's blind. He just celebrated his 3rd anniversary with his wife, and is a very happy man, for the most part. He's got this laugh that just makes me smile. It's huge, bubbly, and warm! He's a great man and I love him a lot!

This is my mom's dad...my grandpa F. He's starting to show his age a bit. He's the stereo-typical grandpa: round, bald/gray, and constantly forgetting what he's talking about. He'll start telling us a story, that he just finished telling. When he does this it makes us giggle! He's the father of 12 kids. He loves to tell people stories about his family, or when he was growing up. He's FULL of really interesting tidbits and stories! My grandpa F is an avid journal keeper. He's got years and years of journals piled up. I love to just sit and listen to his stories, they are so fun (and often entertaining!)

I love my grandpa F...he's a real family man. For years and years he worked TWO jobs to support all of those kids he had! Now he's retired and keeps a perfect lawn. Recently he's started to have health problems, so he's cut back his yard work. Fortunately he has grandchildren who look out for him now!

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Now for the update of MY weekend! We had so much fun with my tie-cutting idea! The kids LOVED it! The whole thing just got them more wild than usual, but they sang! YES!! One teacher commented to me that we should do that ALL the time. It's the best her class has sung ALL year long! The tie now lies at the bottom of the trash barrel in the primary room, although some kids wanted me to give it back to the teacher to save, since it was his favorite tie! I loved it! We sang Daddy's Homecoming and the Dearest Names for sacrament meeting and they sounded good, but they didn't do all of the actions...oh, well! At least they sang!
My poor hubby had to work a LOT this weekend. They've given him graveyard shifts on the weekends, so he hasn't been to church for a month! He really misses it and I wish he could get it fixed so that he could come more often.
One of my friends had a REALLY good weekend this week. She's been having a lot of problems, but FINALLY this weekend they were resolved! I'm so happy for her! Things are finally turning around to where she can handle them! I'm so happy for her. She was so happy, that she called me last night before she went to bed and told me all of the details! YAY!! I love it when my friends are happy!

Life's Lessons Learned

I’ve learned a couple of things after yesterday’s babysitting adventure: 1) I may be able to handle caring for 3 kids, but not more than that...for a while. 2) I have a very helpful son, and little L is helpful as well, but not necessarily at the same time. 3) I’m really glad I was at my mom’s house so that she could help me out! It’s nice that baby E is still so young that he doesn’t really do more than eat, sleep, poop and fuss every once in a while, but when I have to take care of him, the other two jump right in and nearly stomp on the poor kid’s head. There were a couple of near fatal collisions. Fatal, because I was gonna kill the older ones for stomping the youngest one into the ground. But they were good and I think I was fairly good too. I’m just really glad that I don’t have 3 kids 24 hours a day.
I’m having some annoying computer problems. I have tried running my anti-spyware programs, but this message keeps popping up that I have an unsafe connection. It’s getting annoying! I’m hoping that my younger brother can help me figure it out...without destroying my computer completely! (He’s been known to do that before!) Anytime I’m on the internet for more than a few minutes it kicks me off! It tells me that some other program is using my modem (okay, so I have a SLOW dial-up connection, but it’s all I’ve got!) So I went through their whole thing trying to figure out what was wrong, but I’m still getting annoying results. So for my two friends I kept attempting to IM last night, I apologize for my stoopid computer. I’m sorry. Maybe we could talk another time...if I can get this to work again!! But for now, I’m trying to do as much as I can online WITHOUT signing into my two favorite IMs! (Like right now, I’m typing up my blog in WordPerfect and completely offline....much less annoying than trying to work with blogger!)

Cameron has such an imagination sometimes. Today he begged me to make his bed and I was confused. Since I’m a LAID back mommy, I don’t enforce bed-making (I don’t even make my own bed most days...) So I was wondering what he was talking about. So I took him in his room and showed him how to do it, so that someday he’ll learn to do it on his own. After making his bed, he asked me to make his bed into a tent. When we bought his BIG bed last year, we thought it would be nice to think ahead. We were hoping that by this time we’d have another child, but we still don’t. Anyway, so when we bought the bed, we bought the kid a bunk bed. Every once in a while I’ll take some extra blankets and drape them over his bunk and make a "tent" on his bottom bunk. So I took his blankets and tucked them nicely around and made him a tent. Then as I was trying to type up this post, the boy came into my room begging for toys off of the top bunk. He’s got the hang of going UP the ladder, but he can’t quite figure out DOWN. So I helped him and came back. Needless to say, I’ve been back and forth between the two rooms about 20 times now. I just went in there to take a picture of his "tent" and he was kneeling in front of his bed with his trucks and NO BLANKETS!! What!? I did all of that work and now they’re piled up on the floor! I asked him what happened and he told me that he didn’t want a tent. I think he’s just trying to keep me moving and active. What a kid!!

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Now for my singing time tomorrow. The songs are going to be review songs: 'Dearest Children, God is Near You', 'Scripture Power', 'I Know my Father Lives', 'Follow the Prophet', 'Holding Hands Around the World', and 'Did Jesus Really Live Again?' As we sing the songs, I’ve prepped a teacher (our only male teacher) on what to do. I’m going to give him a cheap tie that he’ll wear to church. I’m going to have him come up and "judge" the kids on their singing. I’m going to give him some score cards. I’ll find a happy face or something nice for good singing, and a frowny face or something icky for not so good singing. If he gives the kids a good review, then we’re going to cut off pieces of his tie. He’s going to react to the cutting like he does NOT want it cut...it’s his favorite tie...etc... I’ve done this in the past with 2 judges and we have the room compete one side versus the other side. But then I find that I want to reward both sides, and I don’t really cut the ties evenly...plus the price of cheap ties at DI has gone up. I used to be able to buy each tie for a dollar, now the price is closer to $3-5! So I’m trying to save myself some money, and have the kids work TOGETHER with their singing. It’s going to be fun. They sing their BEST whenever I play this game. It makes me wish that I could do this during the sacrament meeting program, but I know that it’s too irreverent! It’s just something fun I try to do at least once a year, and so far, it’s been Fathers’ Day BOTH times! I’m excited for it!

Center of the Universe

What is it with men?? Why do they think the world revolves around them?

Everyday my husband asks me what I've blogged about. If I haven't done a post yet, he suggests that I talk about something that he's just recently done...such as farting. Okay, so I'm not big into potty humor. The occasional potty joke is okay, but I don't find the humor in those jokes or activities that others do. We were just having a regular day at home, playing hand and foot canasta and just being blobs. Nothing spectacular...although, we did have some good rounds. Our last full game I won the thing by 15 points...unheard of for us! Anyway, so after we had finished our last game, and had come home from visiting my parents and my grandma (it's her 72nd birthday!) we were getting ready to head to bed when he sounded the trumpets. I took that as my cue to leave the room before I suffocated from the smell. He acted like I had offended HIM and followed me upstairs to my safety and proceeded to play his song here! Now, see....he thought that this would be the ENTIRE subject of my post...but I won't let it be that. I love the man, but I do have other things going on in my life.

I've noticed it's not just my husband who thinks that things are being done just for his entertainment and his sake...my cousin's husband was doing the same thing today. They just found out that he has crones disease and the poor guy just had surgery. Well, tonight we were just laughing and talking about other things, when he walks in and immediately changes the topic to what he's been going through. (He offered to show everyone his scar from his surgery..."uh, no thank you....") Then anytime we giggled or laughed he pouted and thought that we were laughing at him. Thinking to myself, "Geez...life is more than just you!! Get over yourself!" But there were other issues with them tonight....they're constantly bickering and nit-picking at one another. They're ALWAYS insulting one another and beating up on each other...it's playfully, but still. That much negativity can't be good. I just hope they realize what they are doing to one another.

Well, I will be babysitting for most of tomorrow. After all of your good advice about what to say to my friend, L, I took another route....I said nothing about it and just went on like it wasn't bothering me. I think I was just extra sensitive that day and I blew it way out of proportion. It really wasn't that bad of a request....just bad timing. So I just let it go. Tomorrow they're going to be moving and are finding frustration in moving with little L following them everywhere and E (the baby) getting dehydrated from being cooped up in the car for the day. Hopefully it will be a good thing. I'll actually go back to a regular babysitting schedule in a few weeks...better get back into the groove now. I've just been spoiled from NOT having another child to watch besides my own. There are days when I wonder WHY I really think I should have more children. One isn't so bad....I can handle him...more than that and I become a crazy lady....I guess I'll just trust in what the Lord thinks I can handle...he knows me better than I know myself, right!? L was telling me that she thought she had a brain, until she had two kids...now she's insane. Poor lady, I tell her it will get better, and hope that I'm telling her the truth. It does get better, right?

100th Post

I haven't been on blogger that long, but this post is officially my 100th! I can't believe it...wait, I can!! I know I'm an admitted blog-aholic, but man, in just less than 5 months I've written this much! Now, taking a page from someone else's blog, here are 100 things about me: (I swear, it won't take FOREVER)

1. I was born 25 April 1979.
2. I am the oldest of 6 kids.
3. I have 4 brothers
4. and one sister.
5. My parents were VERY young when I was born. (18 and 20)
6. We lived in an apartment that was above the Japanese embassy
7. That building is now a restaurant, and the apartment is STILL there...I saw it a few years ago, talk about weird!
8. I went to joy school (mommy run preschool)
9. I was the ONLY girl in my preschool.
10. Because I was the only girl, I was VERY girly...it could have gone either way....
11. When I was almost 5, we moved into a small house in the suburbs.
12. I met my first "friend," Carrie, who influenced my life greatly! :D
13. I walked to kindergarten with a neighbor girl...we never did get along that well....
14. I got chicken pox during the last few weeks of Kindergarten and MISSED all of the cool things that happen that week.
15. I was easily influenced to like things, so for years I thought my favorite animal was a horse, just because my cousin's favorite animal was.
16. Years later I realized that my favorite animal is the pig.
17. I was quite bright at an early age...loving to read almost anything I could get my hands on.
18. In first grade I was burned by my mean teacher...I think I've repressed some bad memories of that crazy lady....I think she has finally retired....THANK GOODNESS!!
19. I was good with math, until I was in first grade...then that teacher....
20. I couldn't see the board in the classroom, so I was referred to an optometrist and I got my first pair of glasses.
21. My friend made fun of them the first time she saw them...(you know you did, Carrie, admit it!)
22. I picked purple plastic glasses....because I thought they were my favorite colors...again, someone else's...
23. My REAL favorite colors are deep green and blues.
24. I wanted to grow up to be a mommy or a bag lady, just because it sounded cool....
25. I am a mommy....one dream down....
26. I made friends fairly easily and in elementary went through many "best" friends.
27. My third grade teacher was also in my ward, it created awkward moments that year, such as:
28. I had to go to school on a Saturday to finish the math part of the Iowa Basics test.
29. I went to two different elementary schools, but it was normal for the kids in this area.
30. In fourth grade I was in a class with my real best friend, Carrie.
31. Yes, we still were friends even after she made fun of me...she still does! :)
32. I rode my bike to school and have many funny memories of that!
33. I helped the janitors work in the cafeteria after lunch, because I would rather do that than play outside.
34. If I was outside playing, I played on TOP of the monkey bars (with Carrie) pretending we were astronauts.
35. I still have my *swishing noises* astronaut diploma!! *hee hee*
36. I discovered my weird streak while at this school.
37. I wasn't discriminatory when it came to friends, until someone told me boys had cooties...then I avoided my good boy-friends....
38. I think I missed out on some good friendships that way!
39. I fell off of my bike one time into a ditch.
40. Carrie was there to laugh at me! (she's probably laughing about it now)
41. I was excited, because I was going to get my PERRRRRRRRRRM!
42. I went to Junior high for only one year
43. The next year it became a middle school, so I was there for 7th and 8th grades
44. I hated 8th grade!
45. I met some more friends in junior high/middle school...they carried over into my high school group of friends.
46. I got my first BIG crush in 8th grade...unfortunately it carried me thru to 10th grade!
47. I became a stalker! (I can still tell you his birthday and where his parents live)
48. I saw this guy just a few months ago...I'm SO glad I didn't get what I had wanted! He's so skungy now!
49. I learned to listen in middle school...something I still need to work on at times!
50. I broke my tail bone....twice.
51. Then I sprained my ankle...multiple times!
52. In high school I became a member of a HUGE group of friends.
53. We were the nerdy/weird clique!
54. I took French for 2 years in high school
55. I can only understand a FEW words of French now.
56. I can read it better than speak it!
57. I took Italian for 2 years in high school.
58. I don't remember ANY Italian!
59. I was the Italian Club president! (haha)
60. I thought I wanted to be an English teacher in high school....until I became my favorite English teacher's assistant....
61. Then I learned I have NO patience for obnoxious kids! (bravo to all you teachers out there!)
62. My friends and I made many WEIRD movies for fun.
63. I gained a testimony of the gospel while in seminary.
64. I was miserably sick during the last week of high school...
65. I learned my gall bladder misfires.
66. I still have my gall bladder!
67. I made a video tape of our "movies" for all of my friends including a picture tribute thing at the end with another friend.
68. I learned that making movies TAKES FOREVER!!
69. I was a very angry child/teen.
70. After I saw my brother doing the same thing, I changed my attitude.
71. I love camping.
72. Many of my childhood memories are of camping trips we went on...like the time we almost started a forest fire....ah, good times....
73. I used to camp in a trailer, until I was 13...then I camped out in my own tent!
74. I still like to sleep in a tent!
75. I love rain!
76. The week I graduated, one of my best friends died in a car accident.
77. I went to Ricks College for 1 semester.
78. I commuted a half hour both ways...I basically lived in my silver, 1971 Pontiac Bonneville.
79. I hated school there, so I dropped out!
80. My favorite class at Ricks College was Dating and Marriage Preparation.
81. It was the HARDEST class I've ever taken! (I learned a LOT about myself.)
82. I went to Idaho State University and lived in the dorms.
83. I learned more independence living away from home for the first time.
84. I was in the institute choir and met my hubby while I was in it.
85. I was married in October of 1999.
86. I had my son in October of 2000.
87. I spent my first anniversary in the hospital.
88. If I could be anything, I would love to be an editor for books.
89. Or I'd love to be a Church historian or a sign language interpreter.
90. I have a deep love of the early history of my church...
91. There is a series of books called the Work and the Glory...I've read the entire series start to finish 3 times...each individual book more than that!
92. I've been trying to have my second child for the past 4 years!I discovered that I'm insulin resistant and I have PCOS.
93. My middle name is Marie.
94. My favorite country singer in the world is Tim McGraw.
95. His concert is the ONLY concert I've EVER been to!
96. I love candles...especially scented ones.
97. I've moved 3 times since I got married...and only plan to move ONE more time....when we find our dream house!
98. I love slippers.
99. I have to sleep with a small pillow that I can fold periodically throughout the night.
100. I hope to continue to grow and change into someone that I am proud to be.

So that's it! I know...it's not so much 100 things about me, as 100 random thoughts I'm having, but I'm satisfied with the list. Now I think it's time for me to go and eat lunch with my son and husband before I have to babysit!

Spiritual Awakening

For the past two weeks upon coming home from an exhausting workout at church I've settled onto my comfy couch and watched KBYU. I have found a NEW way to unwind! On any normal day I'll flip through my channels and quickly pass by this untapped resource. Normally I'm just trying to keep Cam entertained so that I can go on to do other things. But on that first Sunday after they changed up my world I decided, "Why not attempt to get back what I feel I've lost this day, and see where it gets me."

My husband was sacked out on the sofa, Cam had wandered upstairs to play in his room, and I got carried away on a spiritual high. I just love those days when I can feel the Spirit so strongly that I don't want to stop learning and growing. I don't even remember exactly what the point of the speaker's talk was, all I know is that I was loving this education that I was getting in my own home!

Then this last Sunday I came home, not nearly as exhausted as before, but pretty spent, and I did the same thing. Husband in the same position, son in the same position, why not mom in the same? I had a hard time pulling myself away from the things that they were showing! The speaker that drew me in this week was talking about romantic love versus eternal love. I was in hog heaven! I learned a lot about myself and what I expect from my husband...the poor guy! Anyway, I hadn't learned that much since my favorite/hardest class I took at Ricks College. Unfortunately that feeling was fleeting, I had to take my poor hard-working husband to work and I was going to join my siblings for Sunday dinner. After a fun day with my family, I came home, got Cam settled into bed and quickly turned that channel back on. I was back to my spiritual plane. My sweetheart came home, looking like the world had run him over, and then backed up and did it again, so I invited him into my world. I rubbed his aching feet while we listened to more spiritual truths. It was so nice and "romantic." I think I will try more often to invite that Spirit into my life....it makes me so much happier...and there's nothing better than that!

My Life Monday

This week's topic is a favorite childhood toy.

This topic is hard for me. I played more with nothing than I did with something, so I'd have to say my favorite childhood toy was my imagination.

As you may know by now, I have a strange title for my personal blog. The inspiration for my title comes from using my "toy" when a friend and I would pretend we were wearing giant invisible rubber underwear. But we did more than just wear invisible underwear...

For many many years my family lived in an apartment in the very bar-ridden section of my down town hometown. Our only "neighbors" were those bars or restaurants. I only knew other kids through family activities or through church. So when my parents told me that we would be moving into a house I was excited for the adventure of playing with other kids who lived nearby. The first week we were in our new home, the neighbor lady came by to welcome us and to introduce her two daughters to me. I couldn't have been more happy or excited! The one that was closer to my own age had hidden herself behind her mother and peeked around her mother's legs. Her brown hair was cut short and she had HUGE brown eyes. That was my first memory of Carrie. Soon enough we became the best of friends.

I learned early on that Carrie had an amazing imagination. She'd come up with things that would boggle my small, untested mind. One of our favorite activities would be marking out our front lawns to make mansions for ourselves. And since we could have things any way we wanted, our mansions were AWESOME! Many times we'd change things up a bit so that we could have any room we wanted, or do anything that we wanted: our mansions had elevators and hundreds of floors. Along with these mansions we had imaginary families. I remember vividly wandering around our yards with our hands tightly fisted...we were pushing our babies in their strollers. We'd often give one another tours of our "homes," just because they would change so much during the weeks! We had SO much fun just imagining our perfect environments and lives. Those are times that will ALWAYS stay with me! I may not remember the exact details of what we did, but the feelings of happiness and contentment will be with me forever.

Now, don't think of me as a crazy lady, I did play with "real" toys as well: my Cabbage Patch doll, My Little Ponies, Strawberry Shortcake, my bean bag doll...but my imagination would have to be my FAVORITE "toy!" It's what has brought me the most fun remembering my childhood.

To see or read other MLM participants visit Rachelle's blog.

Bored Out of My Mind

I can't believe how bored I am right now! After our fun family outing, we've just been boring homebodies. With my husband's graveyard shifts it just kinda happens that way, but what's my excuse?? I could go out and do things, but I guess I'm too much of a follower! I have to have someone with me or I feel out of place. Today I thought we were all set for another evening of boredom at home, when just as Cam went to bed and Steve was getting ready for work I got a call from one of my friends. She's been calling us on and off for a few weeks inviting us to go to her house for a get together/hot dog barbecue. Last week I told her that we could go and then I promptly forgot all about it. She called me tonight and I immediately asked her if it was tonight, she told me it was and I got depressed even further. Man, I'm such a ditz! I forget things ALL of the time! I apologized to her and then I went upstairs to tell Steve what we had forgotten. I asked him if he knew what was going on tonight and he said, "The barbecue?" I was shocked...he remembered?? And he didn't tell me!! What's wrong with this picture? He told me that he remembered at 7:15 and figured that she didn't really want us there if she didn't call to remind us. I love the guy, but geez!! He's supposed to help his spazzo wife remember stuff! IT'S HIS OTHER JOB!! Oh, well. I just hope that I can remember the next big activity without forgetting. *duh*

On top of my forgetfulness I got another call from my friend L. She called during dinner, and we don't answer the phone during that time...normally. Anyway, we waited and waited for her message, but she never left one. I really hope that she isn't mad at me. Like I mentioned before...I forget things...often times forgetting to call people back! I guess I'm just the dork of the night tonight.

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Now for my primary plans for tomorrow.

The schedule is the same as last week, even the singing time songs. But now that I've finished with my extra class, I'm back to doing what I do best...Junior Primary! YAY!! I wasn't very good with the Senior primary...I got them to sing, but not enjoying it like I think they should. For singing time last week I don't think that they taught the new song, Dearest Children, God is Near You, to the young ones, so I think I'll be doing that. And then review...review....REVIEW of the Fathers' Day songs: Daddy's Homecoming and The Dearest Names. We'll sing the songs and then play "Stop and Go." I made a really cute stop and go sign that I stuck on a stir stick for painting and I've left in the primary closet. When the stop sign is facing the kids they have to stop singing the words, and when the go sign is facing them they have to pick up where the music is. Hopefully the kids will forget that they're singing the same song over and over and over and have fun. That's what makes singing time fun for everyone!

Zoo Time Fun

I'm trying something new! I'm so excited for it too...since blogger is being such a pain about any of my pictures. I want to show you my fun times with Cam from yesterday. (And show you how funny that one particular gibbon was!)
I have one more complaint (besides blogger, I swear...it's my last one....really....) I downloaded a free trial of a game that I have become hooked on. I was hoping to get to play it later on in the day, so I went downstairs to do my normal daily chores. That afternoon I went upstairs to get into my game and wouldn't you know it...my husband had found that same game and had played it soooooo much that he used up my free trial. Now I can't play it! I'm so upset about it. I just hope that he will now understand and excuse me if I'm online playing it, since I can't play it offline without putting up $20!! What a punk!
I still hope to get some help with my problem that I'm having with L. I have found that I'm avoiding her, just because I can't think of an appropriate way to tell her I feel like I'm being used. Please help me with this problem...if you can!

This gibbon really liked the people who would watch him. He came up to the glass and pressed himself into it, I think he was hoping to be pet. Cam even asked if we could take him home with us.

Cam and me with zebra butts!

And a special thanks to Stephanie...for the whole Blogger dodging trick! Now instead of 4 stinkin' posts for today...I have managed to shrink it back into ONE!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

A Jumbled Mess

Today's post is a bunch of thoughts thrown together into one...please forgive the HUGENESS of this post! I just have a lot to say, and I don't want to post more than once a day...if I don't have to! So begins my jumbled mess...

I started a book the other day...yesterday I finished it. Yes, I know...I have no life! It was one read that I HIGHLY recommend! It's called Stolen Innocence: The Jan Broberg Story by Mary Ann Broberg. Usually I'm one for fluff books and non-thinking books. I love the stuff, but I was watching KBYU the other day and the speaker recommended a book, and since my mom has her own library I decided to raid her stash to see if she had it. I was looking and looking for the book, but had no such luck (I still want to read that one too...) But while I was rummaging around I came across this book. I skimmed the back cover and noticed a picture of the author and her daughter. I had the weirdest feeling that I knew the daughter from somewhere, so I figured, "What's the harm in reading this...if I don't like it, I just won't finish it." I started and found that I couldn't put the thing down.
I learned SO much from this book. It's the true story of a mother, her daughter and the slime of a man who kidnapped the daughter twice! It talks about a pedophile who brainwashed a little girl into thinking that what she was doing was right and that he was a wonderful person. On one hand it scared me. I can't even fathom some creep coming up with these CRAZY ideas...on the other I was fascinated with how the parents handled everything. I hope that I NEVER have to go through this situation, but if I do, I'm better educated and know what is right and what is NOT!
Today we had a mini family vacation, in our own back yard! (Well, not literally, but close enough!) We had decided that for my husband's "weekend" from work we'd do some family bonding. So today we decided to go to the local zoo and have a picnic. We had a ball! It wasn't nearly as hot as it was yesterday, so the weather cooperated with us and it was so nice to just hang out as a family! One of my other friends went yesterday, and thanks to her I got the heads up on what was new. There were SEVERAL new babies in the exhibits and we had fun trying to find them. We went through the ENTIRE zoo in about an hour and a half. Cam kept dragging us around from exhibit to exhibit. His absolute FAVORITE was the monkey house. There were these gibbons (we call them monkeys) and one was just thoroughly entertained by the people watching him...I actually felt like we were the ones on display for him! Anyway, he would swing from perch to perch and he liked to rub up against the glass and scare little kids. He was hilarious. I think if I were a monkey I'd do the same thing! But we had fun.
We ended up watching an animal thing where they brought the animals to us and let us see them. We thought it would be fun, until we heard that it was a special REPTILE thing. YUCK! I despise creepy crawlies, and snakes and lizards definitely fall into that category! They brought around a gecko and that was fine, it was still in the cage, but then they brought out the snakes....yes, TWO SNAKES!! They allowed anyone to pet the snakes if they wanted to and my son, the kid who freaks out over fluffy things flying through the air...the same kid who asks if there are spiders in our house...the very same kid who wants to know if there are snakes in every body of water we come across....THAT kid pet the snake! I was grossly proud and disgusted at the same time!
On the way out of the zoo, they have you exit through their gift shop. And of course, we're suckers for cutsie shirts and toys, so we spent extra moolah to please our already happy son. He got one of those monkey toys where the hands velcro together and they can hang from things. It looked a lot like the gibbon that entertained us so well. So the whole ride home our back seat was filled with screeches and howling. Needless to say, we had fun!
Then we ended up going to a local antique mall and browsed and dreamed. There were some really cute things there. I didn't think we'd be there that long, but I was wrong. We stayed there for over an hour. Then I wanted to try a local restaurant that is a throw-back to the 50's diner days. It was SO cute, but SO expensive. All in all, our day was fun! We laughed and enjoyed our time together in our own hometown.
One more topic I wish to cover before I leave for the night....Yesterday, my friend "L," who just had her baby and who's little girl I babysit, called and asked us a favor. They wanted to go down to the temple visitor's center and watch a movie. They didn't think that their daughter would be able to handle it, so they asked us if we could watch her for a couple of hours. They were going to take the baby...hoping he'd sleep through it, but they wanted to leave little "L" with us. I don't know what it was about that request, but it just made me feel like they were taking advantage of us. I've been watching little L off and on for a while, when they have doctor appointments and such, but this time I felt like they should take little L with them. They have her in church and she does fine...why can't they take her to this?? I guess I was just upset. How can I tell her that I don't want to watch their daughter any time they want some alone time? I just felt a little like a doormat. Don't get me wrong, I love them and want to help them, but this time I felt like it was a bit too much to ask. What should I say to her??

BTS Cake and Lies

I think I must be hormonal, because I'm totally craving Better than Sex Cake now (BTS cake for those of you who don't want to say the "s" word!) After writing about it in my last blurb I started thinking about it and salivating! YUM!
My BTS cake is actually one of my good friend's from high school's recipes. It's soooooooo good...and soooooo easy (otherwise, I wouldn't make it.) It's a chocolate one. I've never heard of a BTS cake (before yesterday, that is) that was anything OTHER than chocolate. I'm going to post the recipe here for those of you craving your chocolate fix like me...then we'll all stuff our faces....ready?

Better than Sex Cake (not really, but pretty close)
Step One:
Chocolate cake mix (boxed)
and the ingredients needed to make the cake
Now, make the cake following the instructions on the back of the box. I usually make this in a 13x9 inch pan.
Step Two:
Mix together: one can of sweetened condensed milk
and one bottle of Mrs. Richardson's Butterscotch Caramel sauce (found by the ice cream condiments)
As soon as you pull the cake out of the oven take a butter knife and stab the heck out of the cake...making holes throughout the cake all the way to the bottom of the pan and getting the sides really good. (This is EXCELLENT for getting out angry feelings or frustrations you have without hurting anyone!) Pour the gooey concoction over the top and let seep through the cake for 20 minutes.
Step Three:
one container whip topping
a bag of Skor chips
Mix half the bag of Skor chips in with the whip topping. When cake has seeped enough, layer whipped topping mixture over cake. Sprinkle remainder of Skor chips over the top of whipped cream.

That's it....simple and simply evil!! :) I made this recipe one time at my parent's house and my dad heard the name and came running. He'd never had it before, but he had to see what the commotion was about! Once he ate it he sighed and said it was not quite better, but close enough! It made me laugh!

Funny story of the day:
Yesterday I refused to stay at my house with the heat and NO air conditioning, so I spent time at my mom's house. My parents are gone to Canada for their annual fishing trip and my brothers could fend for themselves, but I decided to "save" them and my own sanity and run to the cool air. We were sitting around and Cam found a toy that launches foam rockets. The parts that launch the rocket are plastic, and earlier he was using the plastic pieces as crutches, complaining that his legs were hurting.
Anyway, this time he was banging them on my mom's hardwood floors. The sound of the plastic hitting the floors reverberated and echoed really badly. It was getting on my nerves, so I told him to stop it. He kept going, so I loudly told him to stop it! The noise stopped.
From where I was sitting I could see Cam behind me holding the offending toy. I had seen him smacking the thing into the floor...I knew it was him...I saw it with my own eyes. As soon as he stopped he said,"I didn't do it."
I sarcastically said, "If it wasn't you, then who was it?"
He then proudly told me that the toy did it all by itself. My younger brother almost choked on his water. Such a blatant lie from such a young one? This isn't the first time he's lied to me, but it's the first time he was proud of it. I had to hold back my own laughter to tell him that lying is unacceptable and that I saw him and knew what was going on. He continued to deny his involvement, but I still giggle over the whole thing.
Do you think this is my punishment for lying so much to my own parents?

A...B...C...

Nikkie tagged me for this fun meme, so here I go!

ABC Meme

ACCENT: Idahoan (I’ve been told that we have them, but I can’t hear them!) There are the exceptions to not being able to hear the accent...like when a local sees a creek and calls it a "crick!"
BIBLE BOOK THAT I LIKE: John
CHORE I DON'T CARE FOR: Cleaning the bathroom...toilets?? Don’t even ask!
DOG OR CAT: neither...although, if I had one I’d LIKE a cat
ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS: Computer, Digital Camcorder, DVD player (portable and the regular one at home)
FAVORITE COLOGNE: Dreamlife Bouquet (Avon....so I get the good discount!)
GOLD OR SILVER: My wedding ring is yellow gold, but I’m starting to love the silvery colors...
HANDBAG I CARRY MOST OFTEN: My pretty pink Wal-Mart purse
INSOMNIA: When I worry about things the I have to do for the next day, then I can’t sleep. I used to be a TERRIBLE insomniac, but then I realized that sleeping during the day makes it so you can’t sleep at night. What a brilliant lesson to learn!
JOB TITLE: Mom, wife, homemaker, Avon lady, and babysitter
KIDS: a 5 and a half year old boy
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: 2 bedroom townhouse-style apartment with my sweetie and son
MOST ADMIRABLE TRAIT: Helpfulness, if I have a friend in need, I’m there for them!
NAUGHTIEST CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR: Lying all of the time about everything (I share this one with Nikkie....our poor parents!) This naughty behavior even got me grounded for 1 and a half years!! Okay, I’m going to have to stop here and elaborate...I was a rotten kid. I lied about everything and one time my dad got fed up with my lies and told me that I was grounded until my 16th birthday...I was a couple of months away from my 15th birthday. My mom didn’t want to undermine his authority in front of me, so she didn’t say anything to him until the next week...He thought that my next birthday was going to be my 16th, so he only really wanted to ground me until then...so what had started out as a year and a half turned into a few months!
OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAYS: I only ever stayed there when Cam was born...and then while he was in the NICU for the next 6 days...my total stay was a week. (UGH!)
PHOBIAS: talking on the phone, mice, snakes, EXTREME heights
QUOTE: "There are going to be times when you and I disagree, but disagreement leads to thinking. And when you think about it, you’ll realize I’m right!" –Unknown
RELIGION: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
SIBLINGS: I’m the oldest of 6 kids...1 sister and 4 brothers
TIME I WAKE UP: Is this question for before or during school?? When I have to get Cam off to school it’s about 6:45...when I have the chance to sleep in it’s more like 9:00!
UNUSUAL TALENT OR SKILL: Elvis Lips, whistling through my hole in the roof of my mouth, and I can do this thing where I sound like a cooing baby singing a song...cracks up my primary kids constantly!
VEGETABLE I REFUSE TO EAT: squash (and if you consider them vegetables...mushrooms)
WORST HABIT: talking without thinking
X-RAYS: Every time I sprained my ankle I got one, but it was never broken....thankfully!
YUMMY STUFF I COOK: Better than Sex cake, Pretzel salad, and "Aunt Sherry" salads
ZOO ANIMAL I LIKE MOST: tigers and lions

So, there you go....more information about me than you probably wanted!! :) If you want to do this, then feel free....but I won't tag anyone. Those who I've tagged before just DON'T do it...so I'm gun shy when it comes to tagging!

My Life Monday

The topic for this week was to take a picture of something (not someone) that has meaning to you and describe why it does. I feel like I'm a complicated person, so I thought and thought about something that could EASILY describe me! (See, I'm not really so complicated!) And the ONLY thing I could think of was these:And these:
And these:
And these:
I couldn't pick just ONE of these to describe me...I had to use them all! I am a very relaxed and laid back person. If I go somewhere I expect to be able to kick up my heels and relax. I try to make my home that way. I like living in a place that feels lived in and comfortable. My home should be my retreat against the world and so I try to make it that way. So for me to totally relax, I wear my slippers. I've heard that most women have shoe fetishes, I have slipper fetishes. If I could wear slippers everywhere I would! (And I often do anyway!) Some people have even come to think of me as being a slipper lady. Comfort and relaxation are my goals, so I try to make my life reflect that!

To read other My Life Mondays you could go to Rachelle's blog (I hope!)

Runaway

I feel like my brain disconnected sometime last night and left my mouth on auto-pilot! I don't know what it is about change that just kills my brain DEAD!! D-E-D....DEAD!! All during church today I would just let my mouth run and run and run. I know people were looking at me like I was insane (which, admittedly, I was!) and I think they were just thinking, "Okay. Sister _____ is just blabbing...try to ignore her...it'll stop soon....I hope!" In our ward in the last 2 weeks my simple world has been tossed completely upside-down! We got a whole NEW primary presidency, and then this week they released my partner in the chorister department and gave me a temporary AMAZINGLY talented college girl to be my new partner. As I was trying to tell her what my usual things are (my quirks, scheduling, things I've just learned...) my mouth just ran and ran and ran. Then while teaching the new song for the month, I let my mouth run and run and run while the older boys mocked me and got obnoxious. Oh, well. Day's over...for now...maybe my brain will find a way to reconnect to my mouth while I sleep! *fingers crossed*

My Brilliant Idea

I've been perusing one of my LONG links that I have on my blog and I had an epiphany...why can't I let others know what I'm doing each Sunday for my church calling! DUH! I know others have the same job I have and they're probably wondering what other people do (maybe not...I know that I wonder...) So I decided to write down my plan for each Sunday, and then if someone has any help for me, then I can get some helpful advice. YAY! I can't wait! (Plus I figured it would be a good motivator for me in order to plan my schedule in advance. If I know I HAVE to post it somewhere then I'll be more likely to do it when I should! I'm the ultimate procrastinator!)
OH, before I start, I guess I should let you all know what I do!! I am our ward's Primary Chorister. So my job, in a nutshell, is to teach the children songs that will be performed periodically. It's really a fun job. I relate much better to kids than I do to adults, so I'm LOVING it. I asked for ideas in a previous post and came up with TONS!! Anyway...I will actually do what I've been eluding to this entire post! Just for your reference, CS is my shorthand for the Children's Songbook. If it's not in the Children's Songbook I'll TRY to remember to put where I found it. If I forget, forgive me...I'm quite forgetful!

Schedule for June 4:
Opening Song: Holding Hands Around the World (Friend, Jul. 2002)
Welcome Song: Hello, Friends (CS p. 254)
Baptism Song: When I am Baptized (CS p. 103)
Birthday Song: Feliz Cumpleanos (CS p. 282)
Wiggle Song: My Hands (CS p. 273)

Singing Time: My plan is to present the new song for the month (Dearest Children, God is Near You, Hymn book 96) using the pictures for the first verse from my Primary Partners book. Since it's from the adult hymn book and not the children's song book I'm going to tell them that the new song is from the hymn book. Then I'm going to hang the pictures on the bulletin board in the room and teach them the words (first by singing it to them, then having them repeat.) After learning the words I'm going to have the kids slowly take down the helps. That way, they'll have to use their memories! Hopefully, after singing it about 3 or 4 times they'll have the gist of it and will know the first verse.

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Just as a bit of a side note to my rant....for my pictures I copied and colored them and then I glued them to the same color paper. That way, when I go to grab my pictures later on...the pictures to the songs we're working on are on the same picture. I guess it's my OCD shining through! :)

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Since Father's Day is coming up this month as well, I'm going to review our FAVORITE Daddy songs! Daddy's Homecoming (CS p. 210) and The Dearest Names (CS p. 208). The Dearest Names is one we substitute a few words and we have a song for either mother or father, so they already know the melody and the words, it's just a matter of reviewing them. I do however, have the kids use some sign language and they sign the words "I love you." It's kinda fun and it gives them SOME sort of movement!
I definitely LOVE doing actions with songs. We'll definitely be doing the actions that go with Daddy's Homecoming:
I'm so glad when daddy comes home,
Glad as I can be;
Clap my hands (clap hands)
And Shout for Joy, (raise hand in the air in fist)
Then climb up on his knee. (pat knees)
Put my arms around his neck, (hug self)
Hug him tight like this. (sway while hugging)
Pat his cheeks, (pat cheeks)
Then give him what?
A great big kiss! (cover mouth with hand and blow kiss)
I ALWAYS have to remind the kids NOT to blow the kiss until AFTER they sing the words. The kiss has to be the last thing! Some of the older kids, of course, think it's funny to disobey me, and they usually are doing what I say NOT to do, but then I get after them (nicely) and they do it right!

Closing Song: Don't Ever Forget to Pray (Friend, Apr 2006)

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One other side note: I've just discovered the short-term memories of the kids in my ward. We've decided to sing the song of the month from the previous month as the opening song EVERY week for the next month, and then I figured, why not have ALL the songs the same for the month!? Brilliance at it's finest point! So, for the WHOLE month the opening, welcome, birthday and closing songs will be the SAME!! Why did it take me so long to think of this? Who knows!

Things That Make Me Laugh

I've been trying to keep up with my small list of blogs that I check up on daily. As I was wandering through them I found some things that just tickled me and made me snicker!

• I have a VERY small list of blogs that I frequently read. Yeah, I do actually read them too! I have links that lead to other larger lists if I ever get my fill of the amazing women I've met, but I don't have too many people who I wonder, worry, and pray for on a regular basis. It just makes me laugh to see such LONG lists. Where do people get the time!? :)
• Someone else put up an article from the Salt Lake Tribune. It's a great story, but I noticed as the page was loading that on THEIR (SLT, not the person's) sidebar they have a special thing for "polygamy." Don't ask me why that made me laugh out loud, but it did!
• Some people have the same warped sense of humor that I have. I've been reading other Seven memes and I have the same answers as many of them. How could so many people be as weird as me?? I LOVE IT!
• Some people are "remodeling" their blog pages. I've come to know them as a certain color or picture and then: *POOF!!* They're brand new! It's not that I don't LOVE the new changes, I do, but HOW IN THE WORLD DID THEY GET SO CREATIVE?? I mean, I'm still stuck with my original template...nothing new...maybe a new sidebar thing here and there, but that took me forever to figure those out! I would seriously MESS up my blog if I went messing with my template....some of you are just so much more talented than I am!! Either that, or I'm just content to be boring! (hee hee)
• I noticed as I commented on someone's post that I say pretty much the SAME thing everytime I comment! Okay, so I don't have a HUGE vocabulary, but, MAN!! I could come up with some NEW words for Pete's sake!! GOSH! Someone get me a thesaurus!

So that's it. I'm just here in my bedroom giggling at myself. I thought I'd share the laughter!

My Week of Summer...

To me, Memorial Day is the START of summer. I don't care what the calendar says....Summer starts when school is officially out and I've been camping. (Granted, camping this year felt more like winter, but I was still outdoors and in a tent!)

Coming home from camping on Monday, I was worn out and I brought everything into my house and just left it on the floor. I was too tired to really care about it, so it stayed there until Wednesday.

Tuesday I had really forgotten that Cam STILL had therapy, so I almost missed it. We also had to get my wedding ring inspected to keep my warranty up to date and while we were there we decided to get Steve the wedding ring of his dreams! (We won't be getting it for a while, but hopefully before our next anniversary we'll have it paid off and on his finger!) That day I also had the little munchkin I usually babysit and kept her for most of the day while her parents did their running around.

Yesterday was the day I needed to motivate myself for. I actually put most of the stuff from camping away and began my regular cleaning routine. (Laundry, dishes, vacuuming...) So after sleeping in, I hurried and cleaned my house and was able to relax in a more comfortable environment. YAY for motivation!

Today I was able to sleep in again, like I have been all week, and I realized that I won't be able to have this luxury again until next Tuesday. Because, starting tomorrow, Cam will be going to the Learning Center, where he'll be that extra boost he needs for his school work. He'll be there for most of the day. I won't be able to drive him there, so he'll be picked up by a local transportation company (they really aren't the best, but until I get motivated for that change it'll be the same company.) The company is okay, I mean, they get him to the appointments he needs to be to, but they complain to me about the therapist and then I turn around and get complaints from the therapist about them. I'm stuck in the middle without any REAL ability to change either one. It just gets aggravating. The transportation company complains that the therapist isn't ready for them to just drop my son off and allow them to take other kids to their appointments, and the therapist complains that they are very brusk and impatient while he gets one client off before leaving Cam with him. There's nothing I can really do about it, but they both complain to me! WORK IT OUT BETWEEN YOURSELVES!! I CAN'T CONTROL EITHER ONE OF YOU! *whew* Okay, now I feel better!

At the Learning Center, Cam will be working on his therapy goals and interacting with other kids. I'm really excited for him to start, so he'll get the support he needs, but I'm not so excited about the alone time I'll have. Sure, it'll give me time to do the chores I KNOW I should do, but I won't have that little voice following me around the house saying things like, "Mama, I'm hungry." "Mama, can I watch Looney Tunes?" "Mama, can we go somewhere?" As much as I complain about Cam's whining I know when it's gone I'll miss it! I just need to remind myself that going to the Learning Center is good for him! (My mantra for the next while will be: "It's good for him...it's good for him...it's good for him...")

Sleeping in this week reminded me of summers gone by when I didn't have anyone else to worry about and could do what I wanted. Man, was I really that selfish? I guess I've just been too spoiled. So much for those lazy summer days...now we have a schedule. Cam will be starting summer school on Monday and will go again on Wednesday (his only days!) then on Tuesdays and Thursdays he'll have therapy and then his one possible day off, Friday, is now filled with days at the Learning Center. Am I making his life too busy? The poor kid is only 5 and has already been in preschool for 3 years. Now he'll be starting Kindergarten in the fall and won't be done with school until he graduates from high school. I don't want to think about that! Happy times....he's still a kid and loves to play with his cars and still needs his mama!

Seven meme

Nikkie (Snickers) tagged me to do a list of Sevens!

7 things I want to do before I die:
Buy a house that I LOVE
Travel outside of the US with my dh
Have grandbabies
Lose the weight I know I should (I figure if I give myself until before I die, it may happen!)
Become the crazy old lady in the neighborhood (everyone has one...I want to be that one!)
Run a marathon (again, with "death" as my deadline, it may happen!)
Finish college and become a sign language interpreter

7 Things I can't do:
NOT worry
Math
Run very far, or very well
Pass up the chance to hold a baby (crying or otherwise)
Give up on myself
Sing a solo (give me a choir...)
Play piano WITHOUT sufficient warning (like 2 or 3 weeks)

7 things that attracted me to my spouse:
His smile
His laugh
His eyes
His singing voice
His positive attitude
His desire to have the better life
His bod (yes, dear, I said your bod!)

7 Things I say often:
Dang it!
Holy Cow!!
Come here....come here....come here....
Sit down!
I'm going to sell you for a million dollars! (to Cam when he's ornery!)
No hitting!
I love you! (to my dh and Cam!)

7 Books I love:
The Work and The Glory Series by Gerald Lund (there are 9 books...does that count??)
Fire and the Covenant by Gerald Lund
Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling (6 books there...do they count??)
ANY Dr. Seuss book
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Any book by Anita Stansfield
The Book of Mormon

7 Movies I could watch over and over again:
Ella Enchanted
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Princess Bride
The Little Mermaid
Miss Congeniality
Head over Heels
A Walk to Remember

After this there was one called "7 people I'd like to tag." But since most of the people she tagged are the same ones I'd tag, I figured I'd leave this part off! As I've said before, if you feel the need...then consider yourself tagged! :)

Memorial Day in Idaho

Camping this weekend was WAY fun! It was just my parents, brothers, and a close family friend and her husband. My brothers, my friend and Cam and I were all camping in tents. My parents have what some people affectionately call, "Ho-Jo on Wheels." The first day there was gorgeous! It was sunny and not too hot. We quickly set up camp and enjoyed our beautiful day while it lasted. That night as we were sitting down to eat, the thunder-heads rolled in! It rained all night and all through Saturday. The rain was fine, as I mentioned before...I love rain. It's calming and comforting to me.

I'm very spoiled when I camp. Yes, I camp in a tent, but I have my mother's trailer to run to if it gets too bad, plus we have an amazing inflatable bed that isn't just any bed. It's three-tiered and is WONDERFUL! Well, since we have an inflatable bed, Cam has one too. His is one of the el cheapos from Walmart. It's been keeping him off the ground for several years now, but this year it decided to become holey and go flat. He would whine and complain to me, so I allowed him to sleep with me. (I didn't sleep well all weekend, what with little feet in my back and snoring in my ear...) So when the wind would blow hard or the rain would fall and startle Cam, he'd immediately complain to me and would wake me out of a sound sleep.

Anyway, on Saturday night the weather gave us something extra....SNOW! Yes, you read that right, I said, "SNOW!!" I woke up Sunday morning to an inch of snow on my tent. Then later on that day it snowed REALLY hard and Cam and my brothers had a snowball fight. I should have brought the mittens, dang it! It was cold, but we cuddled in my parents' trailer watching DVDs. (See, I told you I was spoiled!)

We giggled a lot, and had fun, but we had to keep warm. My way of keeping warm was to pile on the blankets and sleeping bags. I'm just glad that I discovered the joys of fleece sleeping bags. I probably would have frozen my tushy off without them. Thank goodness someone out there was smart enough to come up with those! Who ever you are, I LOVE YOU!

I've been trying for the last hour to post my pics from camping, but blogger is pitching a fit...I'll try to post those at another time! I'm too frustrated to try again!