Keeping up with the Joneses

Imparting my wisdom

2010-10-06T11:13:00.003-07:00

I have another addiction.
Shocker I know
but yes I can freely admit this one.
I love crossword puzzles.
I have always chosen to do my crossword puzzles with pen. Makes you commit to your answers whole hearted. None of this iffy pencil in the answers for this girl.
Since I no longer get a daily newspaper (they're all full of ugliness, and liberal agendas) I have another way to fulfill my daily habit.
Online gaming!
Oh the joy!

This is actually a good habit don't you think? It keeps the mind sharp which in turn will hopefully prevent the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's.
But all that has nothing what so ever to do with the reason I started this post.

While doing a crossword the other day I came across a new word (to me)
A fabulous word
One that makes me all fuzzy and warm inside every time I think of it
and especially when I say this word aloud.
I can see you sitting on the edge of your computer chair just waiting to delight in my new found wisdom.
So here it is

KERFUFFLE

Fabulous isn't it!
Did you smile on the inside when you said it?
I did
Now I suppose that if I lived on another continent this word would not be so new to me. It's mainly a British term. But it's origins are probably from Scottish Gaelic .
Oh, yes I know much about this word now.
You see I was so intrigued by the sound of KERFUFFLE (hee-hee-hee) that I simply had to google it.
My dictionary is a 1968 edition and so is lacking so many *splendiforous words. (*another word that makes you smile to say)
KERFUFFLE (hee-hee-hee): disturbance or fuss.
Example of using it in a sentence
The royal scandal caused quite a KERFUFFLE (hee-hee-hee) on Fleet Street.

How divine.
To think that I have gone so many years without this word.
How did I ever manage?
No more.
From here on out my children will cease to argue!
Now they will simply have a KERFUFFLE. (hee-hee-hee)
Isn't that wonderful?
How could a mommy ever possibly lose her cool and yell at her children when they are simply kerfuffling? (Do you like my own personal adaptation of the word?)
I am a new woman
Who knew that learning new words could produce such joy in my life?
I should search the dictionary daily for further knowledge and joy!
Then again...
Maybe not.

It may not kill me...

2010-10-01T09:45:00.006-07:00

I have an illness.

No, it is not terminal.

It is however hereditary.

At least I am pretty sure it is because my sisters seem to suffer from this same genetic mutation.

While it will never kill me, there is no cure!

I will suffer from this illness for my entire life.

It's called

movielinerecitation

I am not making this up!

Ok, maybe I made up the name of this illness.

But the symptoms are very real.

With it comes the ability to have complete conversations by using only lines from movies.
Along with the ability to verbally replay complete movie scenes inside your head.

Although I probably would not say that I Suffer from this disorder.

Sometimes it's nice while sitting and doing nothing, to enjoy a movie inside my head.

Complete strangers may wonder why I am smiling sometimes. But seeing as they are complete strangers, why should I care what they think!

There is one drawback to this disease.

It is coming to the realization that perhaps watching TV with my 6 year old should no longer be an option in my life.

The reason for this decision

While sitting at my computer the lines running through my head.....

"CHUM IS FUM"

Yep.

It's a problem.

Society's Evils

2010-10-01T08:25:00.004-07:00

Listen

Did you hear that?

Shhhhh, there it is again.

Suuuuuzeeeeeeeeee

You heard it too?

What is it? you ask.

Oh , it is pure evil calling my name!

Daily

Tempting me

Sometimes quietly whispering my name

Other days it refuses to be ignored and taunts me continually with it's call.

Does this evil entity have a name?

Yes!

It's name is

You see, this den of sin just opened right by my house.

It refuses to fade quietly into the background with the other shopping temptations that reside around it.

No, this little gem of iniquity has bright orange flag banners that continually whip and wave in the wind. It is those flags that produce the sound of my name!

At least I think that is what they are saying.

Inside there lies the most tempting seductress known to man (or perhaps it's woman) kind.

Soft

Fresh

Sweetened and fried bread coated in maple frosting goodness all warm and inviting and even more flavors and colors and delights to tempt the visual and taste senses! (that part was to be read quickly in the run on sentence way)

I shall resist you!

I will learn to avert my head when passing your gloriously tempting yumminess.

In this war between good and evil,

ahem

I mean

In this war between weight loss and continual chunkiness

I shall emerge Victorious!

You may have your way with other girls

Using them up

and spitting them out with thicker waistlines and rounder faces

But not this girl!

Mission missives

2010-09-28T15:48:00.002-07:00

Monday is a grand day!
I know, most people spend the weekend in mortal fear and trembling, dreading that ever looming day known as
MONDAY!
Back to work
Back to school
Regular workouts
Up before the sun
Yes, it is all of those things.
But it is also "P Day".
I can hear some of you asking "Suzee, what is "P Day?"
In the land of "Full Time Missionary Service" there is a lovely day of the week. It is the one day where missionaries do not need to put on their white shirt and tie. They get to dress as regular people and commence in the activities of regular people. Yes these activities are still limited. But they do have the time to clean their apartment, shop for groceries, play a little basketball if they want. Most importantly, this is the day they head off to the local library, Internet cafe, or whatever and write home!
Yes, this is a day we moms look forward to with much anticipation. (I imagine there are quite a few cute girls out there who also approach this day with same level of anticipation, albeit for only slightly different reasons.)
How I enjoy those letters. Glad to know that my son is safe, that he is working hard, that he his growing and learning from the trials he faces.
The best part is those small quips thrown in his letters.
Those little things that make me smile and sometimes even laugh out loud!
They are the little bits that remind me of his sense of humor,
his very quick wit!
Now that I have piqued your curiosity, let me share a few of them with you.

"On Thursday night we had exchanges with the ward. I ended up going with the High Priest group leader to one of his home teaching families to give a blessing. It was in a little town about 30 min from Kokomo so that was about all we got to do. We ended up back at the church 15 min before Elder _____ got back so we were talking and he told me that it was his opinion that our time would be best spent in trying to re-activate the inactives of the ward. I just said ok rather than tell him that that was his job."

"Our ward here loves the missionaries and loves to feed them and buy them anything they need but they aren't so big into missionary work. A few weeks ago the ward mission leader wanted to get splits on Thurs nights going again. He asked if anyone was available and willing to go with us during priesthood opening exercises and all of a sudden there were some really cool patterns to look at on the floor and it was dead quiet."

"I bought some arch supports last week at Walmart (Elder _____needed stuff for athletes foot, I don't think he changes his socks enough). They were only like $4 and its been a really awesome use of $4 so far."

"We met a baptist youth minister while tracting on Sat. He invited us in and basically bashed us for 10 min. They always say they want to have a discussion but they never let you explain your beliefs or how what they say or believe about us is wrong. In the next life I will find him and teach him the truth. When people let you in while tracting there are usually 2 reasons. The fist is so they can bash and tell you that you are going to Hell the second is when its an old person or couple who are lonely and let you in to talk for a little while. We got that on Sat. afternoon as well. It was funny to get both on the same day."

"Elder _____ got another flat tire on Sat. This is 2 in one week. Luckily we had to walk only a mile to the car. We met a crazy guy on they way. His religious views are kinda strange but it was funny seeing Elder _____ try and talk with him. I saw he was crazy about 2 sec after he started talking. It took Elder _____5 min to cut bait and say goodbye/get out of there."

"I don't think I told you this but 2 weeks ago we had our district meeting in Logansport. The night before I was talking to our district leader about how to get there with the least amount of miles. He asked me if I know where Big Daddy's is (topless bar). I started cracking up laughing and asked if it was wrong if I said yes. He was using the bar to reference a diagonal road that leaves town and connects to a highway to Logansport. He didn't know the name of the road but the bar is pretty big and hard to miss. It was really funny though."

"We finally bought a fly swatter last week (we have lots of gnats and baby flys). My kill count is pretty high..."

This is a pretty fair representation of the kinds of things I'm talking about.
I do believe that with 1 year and 8 months to go there will be many more, which will lead to future mission missive posts!
What joy!
I am sure you will sit in eager anticipation as you await those posts.

Mission Marriage & More

2010-09-13T11:26:00.010-07:00

Things have been pretty crazy around here! No I did not fall of the face of the earth, though at times these past few months I might have wished that I had.
For starters my second born and number one baby boy received his mission call!

Here he is preparing to open his call.

You are hereby called to serve in the....

Indianapolis, Indiana Mission

Reporting to the Provo MTC on May 26th.

We were all very excited for him. This meant lots and lots to do! Extra immunizations, multiple shopping trips, and the Temple!

Here he is with his siblings, grandma, and wait...

who is the extra guy in this picture?

Somewhere in the process of preparing for our missionary to leave my oldest daughter got ENGAGED! The two of them started with ideas for a fall wedding but somehow that date kept moving up. It became the end of Aug. Ultimately being moved for a final time and scheduled for the 23rd of July!

My wonderful hubby worried about the mission taking a back seat to wedding plans and so insisted that I NOT do ANY wedding planning until we returned from dropping our son at the MTC. I did insist on completing one task right away! We bought a wedding gown. Please! Can you imagine trying to find a dress and worry about alterations with less than 2 months to spare?

So we swapped vehicles with my mother in law (is she great or what) to insure we had plenty of leg room, piled the majority of the family in, and headed off to UT.

We had a great time, visiting Temple Square in Salt Lake, seeing family and some of our bestest friends!

Then the day arrived. I tried to be brave.

I tried to be strong.

I willed myself not to cry.

Ha! We parked across the street so we could get a picture in front of the sign. A very nice man who was directing the flow of families informed me of the number of missionaries reporting that day (it was a lot! Drawing a blank right now...) and then said to me "Mom, thank you for loaning us your son." Whew! I about lost it then.

Hang tough.

Photo op with the family, minus #1 baby girl.

My super handsome missionary!

We walked back to the car to say our goodbyes before driving through the loop.

Well, you know what they say about good intentions...

Yes,I cried.

Even now, writing about this, I want to cry all over again!

I miss him terribly!

But he is exactly where I want him to be! And more importantly he is doing our Father's work and it is where He wants him to be. So I gladly relinquish him for next 2 years, knowing the great man he will be when he returns home!

Speaking of returning home..

Can you say BUSY?

Oh yes I was!

Plan, plan, plan.

Design, and plan some more!

Some of the centerpieces I came up with.
They were all topped with lampshades and then

lights were added the night of the reception!

This is my gorgeous daughter and the beautiful wedding gown she chose!

Getting married in July in Arizona, well let me tell you it is not the best idea!

However when two people are in love I guess temperature is the last thing on your mind while planning your wedding!

We had a scheduled photo shoot with the photographer at 5 am four days before the wedding.

Why?

Because their sealing session was at 10:30am.

Pictures after at 11:30 in July? Ha!

The pics with her hair down were all done at the early photo shoot.

I love this one! Love the way he framed it!

The day arrived.

Being in the sealing room with my baby girl was an amazing experience!

Fabulous temple sealer!

Wait

What's this?

The weather?

Wow!

Clouds! Sprinkles off and on!

The cloud cover made for better temperatures and fabulous lighting for pictures!

Who would have thought that pictures at noon in July

could look this good!

Isn't she beautiful!

Oh yes! This is what my children do whenever a camera

is pointed at them!

The cake was fabulous! Her color choices made for

super great decorations!

I really do believe that we are the first people to ever roll

a keg into the Stake center! LOL

Yup, we had beer at the reception!

Ok, so it was Rootbeer!

On-Tap! It was de-lish!

We brought a flat version of our missionary to the reception

and had some fun taking pictures with him!

Just a shot where you can get an idea of what the tables looked like.

We had a "Candy Bar"

And the bride and groom chose the menu.

PIZZA!

I know this was a super long post, but now you know why I haven't blogged for so long!

I do believe I am at last rested...sort of.

However I seem to be missing my witticism...

If you find it could you please return it post-haste?

Nash Rambler

2010-02-11T09:34:00.002-07:00

While driving around his morning my mind started wandering
as it tends to do when I leave it unattended.

I started to remember my first experience with driving a manual transmission vehicle.
I think my little sister and I were about 18.
We had outgrown the normal church dances that were held every weekend for the youth at church, and quickly moved on to the dances for the young singles that were held at the ASU institute building.
This became a problem since it meant driving to other side of the valley, and we had no car!
There was only one vehicle available at our house at that time.
It was a very ugly, primer blue, 1964 (I think) Nash Rambler!
No, it did not look as nice as this lovely picture I pulled off the internet!

Besides, this one is just a model.
The largest obstacle that prevented us from driving this car was the fact that it was a stick shift.
Oh no people! This is not the kind of stick shift we all know today!
No! This was a three speed on the column!
I remember the day we finally approached our Dad about learning to drive this ugly thing.
My Dad was a truck driver.
Did I ever tell you that?
He drove big semi's, so to him this was a piece of cake.
Without blinking an eye, he reached in his pocket, pulled out the keys, and tossed them to me.
Then he said (as near as I can remember) "Knock yourselves out. Go start driving it around the block. You'll figure it out."
Do you remember the first time you learned to drive a stick shift?
Ahhh, good times!
We jerked and stalled our way around our neighborhood until we could finally drive that car well enough to get out on the highway.
I remember what it was like to have to stop at a red light.
The clutch on this old beast was HARD!
It was like holding down a huge weight!
Being a novice you didn't dare just put the car in neutral for fear you wouldn't be able to get it back into first when the light turned green.
Instead you sat there holding in the clutch until your leg would start to shake with the effort!
Then the light would turn green and you had to pray you still had enough strength left in your leg to slowly let out that clutch so as not to stall!
One day I was driving the beast so I could go and see a friend.
The light turned green.
I tried to go
There was this terrible sound as I rolled forward a few feet, and then came to a dead stop.
Laying in the road behind me was the drive shaft!

Looking at pictures of Ramblers online I realized we were so Retro, before retro was cool.
Can't decide if that makes us uncool, or just ahead of our time.

So where exactly was I going with this post?
I can hear you wondering
I was thinking about the unlimited power and control that comes with driving a manual transmission vehicle!
Driving around in my beastly SUV and I started to think maybe it's almost time.
Time to get out of the family vehicle.
Time to get something fast!
Something sporty!
Something with a manual transmission!
I am the master of my own destiny!
Speeding down the road with the top down!

Is that a cop I see in the rear view mirror?

Maybe I'd better just put this little fantasy on hold.

What's Happened to me?

2010-02-02T11:32:00.003-07:00

Once upon a time there was a blogger.
She was witty
and creative
and full of ideas
and life!
Daily I look at this poor, sad, dejected blog.
I rack my mind for an idea.
I've even tried beating my head against a wall!
Ok, not really.
Sadly, I find nothing but a black void.
A deep chasm of nothingness.
I believe if you were to yell 'Hello'
You would hear an echo.
Did you hear it?
Somewhere
buried deep inside
is the desire to
Create
To feed my soul!
Where has it gone?

I think I gave it all to
FaceBook.

At Last!

2009-11-24T19:16:00.004-07:00

I did it!

Yes I did!

Me!

The Queen of Procrastination!

Master of make do.

The lady with a 1000 unfinished projects!

I lit a fire under my butt last week and actually took this chair, that I started back March, from looking like this:

TaDa! This!

In all fairness to myself, while working on this chair, the staple gun died. I was unable to finish it. Also I had to return "Ricky's compressor"! Ooh. did that sound bitter? Because it tasted an awful lot like sour grapes to me! But that, my dear friends, is a completely different story.
Any who. One day last week, I loaded the chair in the back of my truck and hauled it my friend Pat's house. I used her compressor and staple gun to finish the remaining side and enlisted her help to sew my cushion. I was actually afraid to tackle that part by myself.
Am I patting myself on the back?
Yes!
Yes I am!
For those of you who want to know, yes my mom was with me in spirit while worked on this chair. Yes, she is proud of me. But, she also said I didn't do it right. Hey, I told her, if she wanted perfection, she should have been here to do it for me!
Oh, there is still room for you to pat my back as well!
Hee hee hee

Idle Threats

2009-11-24T11:58:00.002-07:00

I received a threatening note in my e-mail a couple of days ago.
This is not a joke!
I'm serious!
Someone, I'll shall not tell you her name, sent me a note promising to make a trip to Phoenix to kill me if I didn't update my blog.
Let us keep in mind that she is mere blog lurker.
Nary a comment does she make, and yet feels it is her duty to remind of my complete and total disregard of my blog.
Hmm....
I wondered, if I didn't write some small missive if this could actually work to entice her up for a visit. I do miss this person VERY much! I would love the chance for a short visit.
However, upon further pondering, I realized that the rest of our friends would not come to my funeral because they would be visiting HER in prison.
If I were not dead, I would be visiting her there as well.
She could always plead the defense of justifiable homicide.
After all, I have been denying her a chance to see in to my simple life, and insane mind, by not throwing out even a short entry for *gasp* 2 months!
It's a record. I think.
I promise that I shall return with another entry later tonight.
But now, I am off to do the dreaded shopping for Thanksgiving dinner.

I've got all my sisters with me!

2009-09-14T16:52:00.002-07:00

Yesterday was the birthday of my "little" sister Crissie. There was once a day when she was my little sister. A whole 14 months younger than myself, and therefore just bit smaller than I was. Being so close in age, we shared much together. Including a bedroom while growing up.

Because she was the only one smaller than me, I often would pick on her. Then, fearing her telling my parents about my abuse, I would hold the bedroom door shut, refusing to let her out. I would beg her not to tell on me! One day, she grew up. Literally! She got taller than me. She could then pin me to the floor and threaten to spit on me, while I screamed for mercy that I didn't deserve!
I must add here that my oldest sister, Bev, celebrated her birthday just a couple of weeks ago, and so I want to be sure and honor her birth as well!

Being the oldest I am sure it was her duty and right to also be the bossy one, and the meanest. While I didn't appreciate her being in my life when we were children, I can now say that I love her and actually enjoy being with her.

Note to all of you parents with young, fighting children, this to shall pass. Someday they will grow up and be great friends!

Bev was a senior my freshman year of high school, and also my bus driver. Ha! Well as you can see by this photo it was a big car, and it was also yellow! It was probably a great ride up until it blew up.

By the time Crissie and I were the last of the Lundberg girls at Glendale High, people would often ask us if we were twins.
For a time as adults we lived about 10 from each other and so would get together often to play, and let our children hang out. I miss those days the most!

Once we even ran away to Vegas for the weekend, leaving behind unhappy husbands.

Here we all are sporting our fabulous 90's permage in photo shoot we did as a gift for our parents anniversary one year.

Crissie is a wonderful mommy. This is one of my favorite pics of her with her first baby boy. She always spoke to her two boys in a much sweeter tone of voice than I ever used with my own brood.

When she remarried I got the priveledge of standing up with her as her matron of honor.

Yes, she is still taller than I am, and we can probably still pass as twins on a good day.

I love you Little Sister, and Big Sister! Happy Birthday to you both!

First days/Milestones

2009-08-24T19:19:00.004-07:00

Yes, we believe in sending our children back to school while the sun is still so hot in AZ that the tar on the roads is soft, and you can hardly breathe when you step outside because the heat sucks the breath right out of your lungs.
But, never mind all of that.
I will instead share with you some of the photos taken that mark the milestones of my life.

Ah yes. It's the first day back to high school for thing three. While I think she should look happy because it the only day this school year where she can sleep a little bit later on account of there being no early morning seminary until tomorrow... Alas, this does not appear to be the case!

She will however endure the brief photo op that I, as her mother, subjected her to.

Ah, here now is happiness and excitement! Yes this would be one of those milestones that I referred to in the title of this post. Thing 4, the surprise addition, the baby, is starting kindergarten! I drove him the first day and then he rode the bus home. He was so excited to get to ride the school bus!

This him getting off the school bus on that first day. It's a good thing I documented this, because the day is coming when his attitude about riding the bus will be much like that of his older siblings. Yes, it would be safe for you to assume that this is not a happy or pleasant attitude.

Day 2, I again drove him to school to make sure he knew where to go when he got off the bus. At last! Day 3, I walked him to the bus stop and watched him get on the school bus and head off in to the world all by himself!

FYI, this is a different black t-shirt! The one he wore on the first day was superheros, and this one has guitars on it. I promise.

Another milestone!

Thing 2, my number 1 baby boy, goes to college!

I managed to not cry for both of these events!

You may pat me on the back next time you see me.
We loaded up both trucks with all of his things and before we pulled out of the driveway I rolled down my window and took his picture.
He worked hard throughout his high school years and earned an academic scholarship for ASU. He chose to attend the Polytechnic campus because it one of the top schools for engineering.
This is his dorm, or house. He is in Falcon Hall. Also known this year as Tech House. It is occupied completely by engineering and flight students.

And here he is, all moved in to his dorm room.

I am so proud of him, and I miss him already! I figure this is my transition year. He has moved out of our house to attend college, but I can call him and still see him when I want to.

I am getting used to him being gone so that when he leaves for a mission next year, hopefully I won't fall apart!

Oh, by the way, he has the best looking room in tech house! His suite mates have come to check out his room because it's all decorated and color coordinated! What can I say? It's a talent!

Ouch

2009-08-05T12:58:00.002-07:00

It's been 2 months since my surgery.
That makes 2 entire months of not one single workout!
After a couple of weeks of intense dieting I have managed to lose all the lazy, post surgery weight. Yeah.
This week, I started working out again.
See title of post
Seriously! How in the world can your muscles atrophy so quick?
My hubby bought the P90X program. It's one I've always wanted to try. Psycho, I know.
I knew I was far to out of shape to even give it a go. However, the kit came with 2 bonus workouts, and they seemed a little more doable to me.
Can I actually do those workouts? you ask.
I'm giving it a valiant effort!
Pushing myself where I can, and backing off where I know I can't.
Dang, my inner thighs are talking to me today!
Oh, in case your wondering, they're not saying nice things.

Nostalgia

2009-07-30T16:50:00.003-07:00

Today I went to the library.
I had intended to go yesterday. However, when the sole purpose for a trip to the library is to acquire new books for a 5 year old who emphatically refuses to go....what would have been the point!
This morning I had some other errands to take care of. Yes, by myself!! So, while I was out I stopped to get books.
While walking up to the door I was hit suddenly by a wave of smell that brought on immediate nostalgia! Before you even get to the doors of the library you can smell it!
BOOKS!
There is simply no other smell in the world like that associated with a room filled with thousands and thousands of books.
The smell, combined with the heat of an AZ summer, and I was at once transported back to my childhood. Trailing after my mother, along with my three sisters, into the welcoming airconditioning of the old Velma Teague library.
Times were different then. No huge fear of child molesters lurking. And so, my mother would lead her brood into the children section and leave us there with the admonition to find some books to check out. She then would go off on a search for her own selection of reading material for the week ahead.
I remember wandering the aisles of books. Looking at many, but unable to decide what to pick. Eventually, mom would return and ask if we were ready to go. She would then lead me among the shelves of books and begin pulling some off the shelves, telling me what it was about and asking if that sounded good.
Thanks to our mother we each developed into voracious readers!
As I walked the aisles of our local branch library this morning, selecting books for my son, I couldn't stop thinking about the glorious smell.
Maybe I scared some of the people with my long slow breaths, and look of happiness.
I wondered about the ability to bottle that smell. Put it in a pretty glass jar with a stopper. To set it upon a shelf, and then be able to breathe in the smell whenever I chose by simply pulling the stopper.
Perhaps as a perfume?
Maybe I should be a librarian?
Do all librarians smell of books?

I lied!

2009-07-08T14:20:00.004-07:00

Yes, it's true.

I told a big, fat lie.

I said I would never join facebook.

I truly meant it when I said it.

So maybe it wasn't really a lie.

I just changed my mind, that's all.

Not only can I keep tabs on my children and their friends (shh...don't tell them I said that) but I have also reconnected with tons of high school friends!

What a blast!

Do you remember the drama of high school?

If you are a girl you know exactly what I am talking about. You are friends one day and then someone says something....

Suddenly you are not my friend today!

Reconnecting, none of that matters.

Oh, don't get me wrong. I still remember when there were differences between myself and some of these girls/now women. But, mostly I remember them as being a large part of my childhood. (Some go way back in to my elementary school days.)

When I attended my 20 year reunion (what? I'm old enough to have had a 20 yr reunion?) I realized that I had spent 5 days a week, 4 years total, with these people. That is a lot of time!

What a profound impact and huge part of my life they all were!

How fun to be adults and able to say goodbye to the drama and hurts of yesteryear, and hello my good, old friend.

Oh, and while you may be and old friend, you are not old!

Pucker Up!

2009-06-17T20:52:00.004-07:00

I love shopping!
Seriously, it's an illness. I think.
Tonight I took thing 3 and thing 4 to get some milk.
Ok.
Fine!
We also bought ice-cream.
But that's not the point.
Can I just tell you how much I love Target!
When you shop with a teenage girl you will often find yourself browsing through the cosmetics.
Have you seen this fabulously retro line of products they've started carrying?
No?
Let me be the first to show you!
The line is called Soap & Glory.

I had to have this one! After all, what girl could possibly resist a package that says motherpucker!

Some of the great packaging flair reads "Scientist confirm: size matters! fuller lips attract men more" and "INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE: It's easy. Just put your lips together and glow!"

Somewhere inside me is this great desire to be like Carrot Jello. Lets face it. She's clever, witty, and her blog has a flair for the 50's. So when I saw this line of products, with their retro look, I was hooked.

I really do want it all!

How about this lovely one? "DARLING, YOU DON'T NEED PLASTIC SURGERY, YOU JUST NEED THE...WIZARD OF FLAWS"

Or "SENSIBLE MEN SAID DRIVEN TO DIZZINESS BY Girligo"

Oh, and I definitely need this in my kitchen and both bathrooms! "WASH YOUR HANDS OF IT" Look ma, I'm Pontius Pilate!

Lately I find myself in need of this particular product. For some reason after falling in to blissful, percocet inspired, sleep for a week, I can no longer fall asleep on my own. This one says "YOUTHFUL LOOKING INSOMNIAC ADMITS HER BRIGHT UNDER EYE AREA ALL COMES DOWN TO TRICK AND TREATMENT"

Finally, you can "SCRUB YOU NOSE IN IT". To reduce the size of you pores. Or relax in the tub with "CALM ONE CALM ALL"

These are just a sample of some of the products in this line. Want to see more? Well, what are you waiting for? You can either click on the link I added for SOAP & GLORY, or get yourself over to Target.

If you happen to see me there, get out of my way because I saw it first! Oh, and don't tell my hubby what a sucker I am for great packaging.

Hmm... Maybe someone will want to pay me with free products for advertising their stuff on my blog! It could happen!

With Honor

2009-06-15T11:13:00.002-07:00

Home at last!
My nephew returned from serving 2 years in the Columbia, South Carolina mission. After spending his entire day Thursday in the airport with flights being cancelled and then delayed, he finally made it home after 11pm. Note, that's 12 hours later than he was originally supposed to arrive.
His poor mom.
Can you imagine what that must have been like!
You haven't seen your son in 2 years, and then waiting for him to be able to even get out of the airport! Ugh!
But, at last, he's here!
It was wonderful to get to see him!
I hugged him tight, and then hugged him again. And somehow managed to not cry.
Sunday we got to listen to him report on his mission.
What an amazing experience he had!
He saw lots of conversions, made new and eternal friends,
and most importantly, he served and returned with honor.
I am so proud of you Josh!
I love you!
I'll post a pic as soon as I get someone to send me one.
What can I say. I'm still loopy from surgery and didn't take any photos myself.

I'm Alive

2009-06-09T18:42:00.002-07:00

Yes, I survived.
These are all the super fun wrist bands I came home from the hospital wearing. I never fell, but I did drop a glass of water in the middle of the night. It was my second night home and I got up to get some water so I could take more pain meds. My poor, sweet husband must have been sleeping like a new mommy. You know what I mean. Attentive to any sound I might make. Sweet!
He jumped up.
Seriously.
He didn't just sit up in bed and ask me what was wrong. He jumped and landed on his feet. Guess he was expecting a repeat performance of the first night home. That was not good....

It's only been a week, and I am recovering so well, I don't even need to take most of this stuff anymore.
That's it for now. This balancing act of sitting on only one butt cheek is wearing me out!

Will you miss me?

2009-05-31T12:27:00.005-07:00

Just wanted to prepare you all for my upcoming absence

You have had a short taste of life without Suzee's blog while we vacationed in the beautiful, cool, Park City, UT.
I am afraid this absence may be longer :~(
I am off to surgery tomorrow
Having my 100,000 mile overhaul
You know
girl surgery
I'm not sure how long it will be before I am able to sit long enough to entertain.
Do not fret!
I shall return :~)
While you wait, please feel free to peruse my archive
And enjoy the following photos of some of our more recent adventures!

We drove the extra long way so we could stop to see the Manti temple.

Definately my favorite, and in my opinion one of the prettiest!

In the backyard at Grandma and Grandpa's house in Murray.

Riding the Heber Creeper

Love this one! Silly girls and one grumpy boy in the back

We went trap shooting, I have the bruise to prove I fired a shot gun!

Cutest kid on earth blowing dandelions

Amid this sea of purlpe stands my number one baby boy being recognized for graduating in the top 5% of his class

Here he is all decked out with his NHS collar, medal, and all the cords that represent his academic honors!

Track banquet, 3 cute girls with their throwing coach.

P.S. My little girl currently holds the school record for discus

oh, and she's the super cute one in the middle!

Hungry Monster Takes A Holiday

2009-05-30T20:46:00.008-07:00

Heading out on his very first vacation.

Oh yum! It's the Denny's in Page. What a great place to stop for dinner!

Halfway there! Stopped for the night Hungry gets to sleep with the boys.

Bryce Canyon visitors center.

Sight seeing at Bryce Canyon. Not to worry. Hungry is not the one who pooped on this post.

Be very nice to this guy. He shoots furry things

Like this mountain lion,

and this big elk!

Driving the ranger

Ice cream shakes at Dairy Keen! It's tradition!

Hungry gets to meet Grandma and Grandpa

Hot tubbing! This is the life!

Hungry playing video games.

Hungry rides the Heber Creeper.

Ahh, yes. Relaxing by the pool, working on his tan.

Pizza on Main Street, with the Jepperson's

Hangin' with his Homie

Ohh! Fast food! Donuts, in the car.

On his way home, at last! He can't wait to get back to his life in the desert. Back to the lady with whom he actually belongs!

Thanks for hanging with us Hungry.

Friday funny

2009-05-15T14:58:00.003-07:00

I'm feeling a little goofy and so decided that I would share with you my most favorite joke of all time.

A guy walks in to a psychiatrists office wearing nothing but a pair of shorts made of saran wrap.
The psychiatrist looks at him and says
"Well, I can clearly see your nuts."
Bada bing!

Fabulous Fuchsia Follicles

2009-05-12T18:17:00.002-07:00

Yes! I ACTUALLY did it!
I snapped some pictures while I was sitting in the truck waiting to pick up thing three from school. In the sun you can definitely see the pink. At the last second I remembered that I had a ring pop in my mouth, so tried to pull it out before people thought I was sucking on a binky. LOL

Personally, I LOVE my hair!

They call me MOM

2009-05-09T22:16:00.002-07:00

You might call me crazy
But I really do not like this holiday we call "Mother's Day"
Allow me to explain

Sunday morning:
Along with gathering my lesson materials, shower, make-up, hair, wardrobe decisions, all of which I have a time management planned for, I suddenly am expected to eat breakfast (something I never do on Sun. morning. I usually eat a banana on the way to church.) and sit down while the family presents me with cards and a gift.
Please don't think I am ungrateful! For I truly am.
No, I am embarrassed by the fuss.
I love this little group of people I call MINE. There is not one thing that I do for them for which I desire to be compensated in any way, shape or form.
Perhaps if I did not not care for them so much I might desire the praise and attention.
Next:
It's off to church where the talks will no doubt reflect on the role of woman and mother.
I sit in our chapel and am overwhelmed by feelings of guilt.
I am not as kind
I am not as good
I am not as perfect
loving, tender, sweet, etc. etc. etc.
I can never be what all these speakers orate about. I am just me. Wacky, free-spirited, flying by the seat of my pants more often than not. That pedestal is far too lofty for me.
And finally:
Despite all the things I've said so far, I will still end up feeling disappointed with those I love most on this day.
Somehow, I will expect that this time truly will be a break from the work.
My hubby and children will step up this time and take care of those task usually allocated just to me. Sadly, inevitably, they will still be my tasks. And I will once again feel guilty for expecting more.

Did that all just sound like gloom and doom?
Ugh!
That is not the mood with which I approached this post!
So, to brighten things up I want to share some fun pictures with you.
Years ago a friend gave me a book titled "Mother".
It's a picture book, or coffee table book.
It was created by a super talented photographer named Judy Olausen.
If any of you reuse these pictures off my site, please be sure and give her the credit she deserves! Especially since I am probably breaking all kinds of copyright laws.
The subject in the book is actually her own mother. She says of her that she discovered her mother to have a 'rubber face'. An ability to convey any and all emotion.
I have laughed at the pictures in this book more times than I can tell you. While the book is really about the role of mothers and women in the 50's, I believe that mothers now can still relate to certain pictures.
So now I share with you 3 of my favorites!

"Mother goes to Market"

Oh can I ever relate! Yes, this too is my cross to bear!

"Return to Sender"

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! Need I say more?

"Domestic Hoofer"

Yes. Yes, I am.

Happy Mother's Day anyway!

Going to brag? You better believe it!

2009-05-08T21:14:00.002-07:00

Do I have your attention?
Is everyone listening (or rather reading) closely?
I am pleased and especially thrilled to announce to all of you that the winners of the Arizona Desert West Region Track and Field for the girls is
Sunrise Mountain High School!
The winners of the Arizona Desert West Region Track and Field for the boys is
Sunrise Mountain High School!

Yes, this is the first time that both the boys and the girls teams have won together!
Congratulations all of you amazing athletes!
Congratulations all of you stupendous coaches!
And for my number on baby boy, I am so proud of you!
So that everyone will know, the boys 4x800 relay team, of which my son was a part, took first place!
Way to go Mustangs!
You rock!

Well said

2009-05-07T15:22:00.003-07:00

I recently read this.
No, seriously, you NEED to click on this and read this.
I believe that this applies not just to those odd, random comments, but also to those bloggers out there who feel the need to spew venom on their blogs.
I am not talking about the kind of venom we all occasionally throw out there regarding something we found to be crummy in life. Sometimes we need this outlet to get those things out of our head.
No, instead I refer to the venom posted by bloggers about other bloggers or so called "friends". Sad sad sad
Now read this and let me give you a hug.

Uh..talent?

2009-05-02T21:05:00.002-07:00

Tonight we had a ward talent show.

For those of you who know my husband, you'll know how much he hates to be in the limelight! I know. We're completely opposite! Unfortunately for him, the Bishop decided they needed to do something for this event. So.......

I proudly present to you, my fellow bloggers, the Lake Pleasant Ward Bishopric as The Three Amigos!

Are you serious?

2009-04-27T20:48:00.003-07:00

I am so glad my hubby spent a bunch of money so could attend nail school,what was it? Something like 13 years ago? One of the greatest perks to having and renewing my nail license every year is being able to shop in the professional beauty supply stores, and purchase everything at cost. Love my Matrix! My Big Sexy Hair!
Yes, that is actually a brand.
Then there are those times I like to browse while I'm there and see what new nail things they might have.
Saturday I went and bought this. The new color/glitter, and these other little jars with itty bitty decal type designs in them.
And I did this with them! Is this the cutest ever or what?

Some of you have asked if I went and got fuchsia highlights in my hair.

Not yet.

This is the current color. You can see we highlighted it and she put in some red violet low lights.

But while I was at the beauty supply store I also bought THISMy number 3 child just saw it. She picked it up to see what it was and said... (see title of this post).

Yes thing 3.

I am insane

But I am serious

Just wait until next week!

I love aprons! Just one more thing for me to to be OCD about. I see super cute patterns and aprons while shopping and can't help but obsess over them.

I want them all!

I want to recreate what I see in the stores. Make them my own!

I have been coveting a delightfully retro apron at Kirkland Home.

Finally broke down and used the last of a gift card I've been saving, and bought it.

So, here is your sneak peak at what I am currently creating!

Sorry. These little beauties are already destined to live with someone else. Two someone elses, actually!

Well it's about time!

2009-04-22T14:10:00.002-07:00

Finally!
A Barbie I can relate to!
I've seen the email depicting Barbie at 50. The one where her enormous ya ya's have finally succumbed to gravity, and she is a bit of hoochie. That's putting it nicely.
At last!
The truth of aging revealed!

You just hang in there Barbie!
You're flippin special!

Question

2009-04-21T21:47:00.002-07:00

If I were to go and get my hair done like this would it go against the council I was given by a member of our Stake Presidency, to avoid extremes in my appearance, when my husband was called to serve in the Bishopric?
Cuz I'm kind of thinking I'd LOVE to have some fabulous fuchsia highlights in my hair!

Bet you want some

2009-04-17T17:28:00.002-07:00

I love this time of year! Strawberries are in abundance at the grocery store, and very affordable. Out come the canning jars and Sure Jel. Once again I am stocked with freezer jam! Yummm!!

And look what we are growing! Berries! In Arizona! Who knew?

Easter Past

2009-04-13T12:49:00.008-07:00

I have been sitting here for awhile, reading through my list of blogs.

Seeing what every ones Easter was like.

One commonality

EASTER GRASS

Seriously, who invented that crap?

I am sure it's origins must be from the same people who make the tinsel for Christmas trees. Think about it! It's the exact same concept! Only shinier!

My mother banned the use of Easter grass in our home when I was still a little girl.

I can remember her talking about the vile stuff. How she would still be vacuuming pieces of it out of the carpet 3 months later.

The same thing went for Christmas tinsel. You would find nary a strand in our house, and for the same reason.

Obviously these things were made by a man who never had to clean and vacuum a room in his entire life!Sorry. This is the only pic I have of a man vacuuming! Guess it's a rare event!

There was another Easter tradition that was swiftly altered in our childhood home.

The Easter Eggs!

I was too young to remember this. I do believe there is 'mental image' residing in my mind of "THE EVENT!"

My mom worked very hard at creating beautifully colored eggs for the Easter Bunny to hide for my sisters and me. She arose from her bed one Easter morning to find that ALL of the eggs had been stomped on! Smashed to create a bright mosaic of the carpet in the family room!This picture is pretty! This picture is outside! This is not what we did! I know this destruction was not my idea. I was incapable of coming up with such a thought. The same could not be said for my oldest sister Beverly! There is no doubt that she was the instigator in this. I can almost hear her now. "Look at this! See how much fun this is! See how pretty these eggs look when we stomp them into the carpet!"
"See how ugly the 70's avocado green carpet is?"

"We will make it pretty! Stomp with me sisters! Oh, what fun we are having!"I wonder how old we were the year of THE EGGS. I wish we had thought to clarify that with our Mom before she passed away. In my mind I see us as being maybe a couple of years older than in this picture. You can easily see the the cunning and devious ideas already forming in Beverly's mind!

Oh what fun we had following in her lead!

Postscript: I sent this to Bev, and since she cannot leave a comment on my blog I thought I would share with you what she had to say.

MOOHHAAAHHHAAA!!
Let me tell you of my memories of how those eggs made the most delightful POP sound as I jumped on them. I really have no clue why I did this, if the 1st time was an accident.
Don’t forget that horrible carpet was nylon & it was LOOPED so no amount of cleaning got it out. Mom did let me know that because of this is 1 of the reasons she tore the carpet out. The smell never went away!!
Thus.. I was blessed with Kaity

I am my mother after all

2009-04-07T15:28:00.005-07:00

I know you have been wondering where I've been. What I have been doing.
I am at times overcome by the desire to create.
To bring order where there is chaos.
To bring color and beauty to an otherwise drab room.
I remember well watching my mother do this same sort of thing in our house when I was a little girl. Every year she rearranged the furniture in the living room. I think that was because she couldn't afford to make it look the way she envisioned. She did what she could to make it look fresh and new.
Later, she had the means and the skill to finally do the thing she had always wanted to do to her home. She surrounded herself in color. In beautiful fabrics. In well placed pieces of art.
I don't remember her ever teaching me to sew. More like she answered my questions when I couldn't understand what a pattern was telling me to do.
Now, I too create!
Sometimes that creative nature lends itself more to writing for my blog.
Not lately.
I have been very busy.
In between running back and forth to preschool, grocery shopping, cooking dinner, watching track meets, runs to the library, and nail clients

I sewed a valance for my laundry room

Painted my laundry room this amazing lime green!

Framed and hung some of Dan's original art.

(No, he didn't do the Steinlen. It just works there because of the black frame)

Sewed a balloon valance for my shop.

Finally finished My Art Gallery!

More of My Gallery

Pulled off the old fringe that was on this lamp and glued on this fabulous,

french, eyelash and beaded trim!

Cleaned and organized the computer table, and made a table runner

to match my valance.

Finally started on my throw pillows for my living room sofa!

And made this fabulous pillow for the dumpy Queen Ann chair in my shop.

This chair is going to be the next big project that I tackle. You can see the fabric

I chose to reupholster it in. I pinned a scrap of it to the chair so I could see what

it was going to look like.

Oh, I also finished three Dean Koontz novels!

And I wonder why my husband gets upset with me.

Poor man just didn't realize that I intended to make him a widower while I was still alive!

Time for a new post?

2009-04-06T21:10:00.003-07:00

Hmm...I got on here tonight to see what all my favorite bloggers are doing, and discovered a new comment on my very old post. Someone actually told me it was time for a new post!
Like I didn't know that!
I actually went to get the camera today so I could take a bunch of photos and show everyone why I have not been writing lately. Only to discover that my hubby had taken the camera with him to work.
Why?
What could he possibly need the camera for?
I realize that it is his camera, (mine officially bit the dust about four months ago) but come on!
Doesn't he know that I need his camera in order to document my exciting life? Or rather the lack of excitement in my life.
So, since I have no pictures, I'll share some comedy with everyone instead!
By the way, the first few jokes are exactly what I was thinking!

What's wrong with you people?

2009-03-23T20:33:00.003-07:00

Seriously! I know you all have talent, you're just hiding behind your blogs, aren't you.
I know you all really want me to share one of mine with you.
Since I am such an amazingly nice, caring, giving (not to mention modest),person I've decided to share even if you don't!
So, new rule! My very own. Leave me a comment, first three for sure (if I'm feeling really generous I just might do more). I will then send you one of my super cute tea towel aprons.

Here you can see Crissie wearing the one I gave her at Christmas. Try not to be distracted by the flash of her wedding bling!
Choose to pay it forward or not. (See post below) It's up to you.

Pay It Forward

2009-03-20T13:22:00.002-07:00

I am such a lucky girl!
I happened to catch this on a fiends blog AND be the third person to comment! So now she is going to share her amazing talent with me.
In turn, I agree to "pay it forward". This means you have the opportunity to receive something wonderful from me!

The rules

1. Be one of the first Three (3) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.
2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!
3. The gift that you send to your three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Counts!
4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love! If you are not one of the 1st Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Post it on your blog; start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!

Hmm... what am I going to make I hear you asking yourselves.
Something fun! Something useful! Something super cute! Just wait and see.

Margaret!

2009-03-13T17:17:00.011-07:00

March 14th!
Today we celebrate the birth and life and of my sister Margaret.

Will she be happy that I cared enough to post a blog entry all about her on her birthday!

Perhaps NOT!

I will do it any way and call it GIFT!

Margaret entered this world as the second little girl born to Ron and Holly.

Little did she know that she would, in rather quick succession, share her world with two more little sisters. Sixteen months would see the arrival of the first of them.

Followed fourteen months later by the second.

She had many great adventures growing up with so many sisters. Not to mention the excitement of having an insane mother!

She always marched to her own beat. While she participated in playing dolls and barbies with us, she took much more delight in cutting their hair and making them over. For example, I had a Marie Osmond barbie type doll that she buried in the garden once. When spring arrived, Dad got out the rototiller to turn the earth for that years planting. Not only dirt turned up that year. Soon arriving on the surface was a mutilated Marie. All was not lost! Margaret quickly removed her head and attached it to the body of a perfectly fine barbie. However, Marie was not a regular barbie. She was larger. So this was now a big head on a small body. Not to worry! Margaret quickly fixed that as well. She cut off all her hair and tied a homemade kerchief around her head. I think she may have wrapped her body with rags to give her a thick appearance. Next, a calico dress belonging to a small baby doll was confiscated and reassigned to the barbie now renamed "Aunt Jemimah".

Margaret also had toys that most girls don't play with. She had all kinds of Fisher Price safari toys. Jeeps, animals, hunters and the like. She would often be in the large garden (big, square area of dirt) creating roads and having adventures. Truthfully, we all enjoyed playing with her toys in that dirt.By the time we were all in high school her creativity was quite evident. Margaret became quite the writer and artist. Let me prove it to you! One time she and her friend Keli wrote their own tongue twister. How can I possibly remember this so many years later? Why, she used my name in it of course. I shall now share it with you. Please do not be offended, for I assure you, I wasn't.

"Sleazy Suzee sells herself on South Seventh Street singing songs that sometimes sound sour."

She often drew me pictures and left them in my room to find. Oh yes! I saved them! Who could possibly know that someday this public medium we know as the Internet would be available, making it possible for me to upload and share them with all of you. These things have been stored in my cedar chest for more than 20 years now. I am so excited to use this public forum to display them.

How exciting that she actually signed this one so she can never deny that it is her work. Now, let me explain this picture and tell you what is written at the top. This is me and my best friend Loraine. Perhaps you can not see the ribs sticking out. How emaciated we look, or the fact that we have IV's in our arms. Also, there is some great underarm hair on me. I guess she thought I was too thin back then. I had a thing for Neil Schon, the lead guitarist for Journey. In this picture we are at a Journey concert with a nurse. The writing across the top reads, "Look Loraine, it's Neil Schon! And he's looking right at us!" From Loraine "Oh look at that guy over there by the south exit!" And from the nurse "Ok let's get back into the ambulances!"

This next one is an artists rendition (Margaret's) of our backyard. I am sunning myself by the pool. There is the son of a family friend who spent a summer with us (drove us all crazy cuz we were not used to teenage boys in our house) floating, deceased, in the pool. And the dog known as the poopy puppy, along with all the glorious messes he made, is next to the pool.

One night I arrived home and found a lovely story, handwritten (2 pages), taped to my bedroom door.

Let me give you a brief summary of The Smell. This is a little ditty about the stink that was my room. How scientist gathered to find the source. Neighbors moved away, etc. Did my room smell, I hear you asking yourselves. No. Was my room a teenage pigsty? Probably. This was Margaret's way of lovingly letting me know that it was time to clean my room. By the way, this story is signed at the end with a paw print and a signature that reads THE WHIP. In reference to my cat's tail, I can only assume after all these years.

All these things might sound mean to you, but I assure you they were done with love and a twisted sense of humor. Right, Margaret? Unlike our oldest sister Bev, Margaret was nice most of the time. Her first car was a lovely kelly green thing. The license plate had the alphabet characters TRD, so it was lovingly called the Turd. She would happily allow her younger sisters to borrow her car to run errands and go to dances on the weekends. Bev would never allow us to drive her crappy Nova.

Happy Birthday Mugzy! Thanks for the fun memories from our childhood! I love you!

Ode to my HOA

2009-03-13T15:44:00.006-07:00

Oh HOA!

So wrongly despised by all

Judging what may be displayed

what color or how tall.

As I made a short drive

just one neighborhood over

discovering grass is not really so green

and neither is the clover.

My thanks I gave for sameness

tho' some may call it Art
If I were to say what I think of this...

No, I'm not sure where I should even start!

Yes folks, this is for real!

Today I went to see a friend. Upon parking the truck, I stopped to gather my things and when I looked up...Well Holy Cow! There is a GIANT head in that yard! I made sure to leave part of this person's truck in the photo so you could see just how large the head was.

But WAIT!

This is not all!

This is just the side of the yard!

No I was only momentarily stunned by the enormity of this piece of sculpture.

At last I turned my head to view the front of the house.

Yes, Art takes on many forms.

Does it all have to reside together in ONE yard?

Let's take a closer look, shall we?

Oh yes! Definitely!

I believe these are Siamese twins who have given birth. Oh No! Stop them! They're multiplying!

Talking with my friend who lives across the street from all this culture, I was able to get her interpretation of this this piece. Now, maybe it comes from the role of woman and mother, but she believes this is a baby emerging from the birth canal. Hmm...? Perhaps she is correct.

Ah yes! Another disturbing piece. I wonder if this isn't an interpretive version of "The Blob". Do you see it? The light gray represents The Blob. We can clearly see that it has consumed a small child and half of a black Jesus.

Oh, I am definitely going to hell now.

Next!

This represents each of us. Notice the tilt of the head. This is the same tilt you make while viewing this yard.

The puzzled expression. Also made by you, the viewer, in response to this display.

Lastly

Lest you imagine that the enormous head resides by his self, a social pariah, cast out because of his size.

Not so! He has company! Another misfit.

I believe he comes from a small tribe of warriors that resides somewhere far far away. No you have never heard of this place. From infancy they place weights on the end of their noses in order to stretch them. Thereby ensuring the ability to place the end of your nose on the top of your head. Animal tusks are later inserted into the the cheek bones to complete the look.

Although they run around naked, this guy is clearly modest. He works hard at keeping his hand carefully placed over his junk so as not to frighten small children, or offend the neighbors!

For all of you who have ever complained about the neighbors who reside around you... Remember It can always be worse!

SUPERSTAR!

2009-03-11T22:01:00.004-07:00

Yes! I am a SUPERSTAR!

Can I tell you that I am the last person in the world to finally play Rock Band?

Don't laugh.

I'm just a bit of a late bloomer is all.

Started out on guitar.

Not bad...

Then, I am THE lead singer in a rock band!

Woo Hoo!

Can I even remotely carry a tune you ask...

Not at all!

I was awesome! I was embarrassing. (Good thing my children weren't there.) I was a superstar!

I can't wait to get my hands on that mike again.

Suddenly, I will be be transformed once more. Fulfilling that tiny hidden desire that lies dormant in all grown ups. You know exactly what I'm talking about. Don't try and pretend you don't.

That little flame burning in the cellar of your soul.

I am a SUPERSTAR!

Guilty

2009-02-27T23:09:00.002-07:00

Saw this funny on my sister Crissie's blog.

Oops.

It's me.

I hear you.

I know what you have all been saying.

Suzee, where are you?

We simply adore your creativity.

Your wit, humor, and ability to entertain our hum drum lives for that brief moment when we find ourselves drawn to your blog.

Well my adoring fans/blog stalkers.

I assure you I am alive, warped, and dreaming up ways to entertain the masses.

What is your quest?

2009-02-19T21:45:00.003-07:00

I grew up in a very twisted house.

Actually, our house was quite normal. The family living inside it....Very strange!

I was number three of four girls.

We had a passion for memorizing and reciting movie lines, comedians, Monty Python, and Saturday night live, to name a few.

No seriously, there were few chat sessions where movie lines didn't make their way into the conversation.

Sunday nights (after 8) were spent in various rooms of the house listening to Dr. Demento on the radio. Do you remember The Dr. Demento show? All those great songs...Dead Puppies, Fish Heads, oh and what was the name of the kiddie lovin' clown?

Hindsight, I wonder what in the world my parents were thinking exposing their daughters to such warped things.

I think I always assumed we were like any other self respecting family on the block/in the Ward. It wasn't until I was married to Jim that we would be talking and the perfect movie and line would come to mind. I would automatically throw in a quote, and he...well he would just give me a blank look.

Perhaps they weren't really blank looks. Perhaps he was wondering just what sort of mad woman he had married.

I would tell him "My sisters would know exactly what I was talking about. In fact they would be able to say the line that comes next!"

Jim "Sure they could...." with complete doubt in his inflection.

At that time he didn't believe me.

Now? After almost 19 years of marriage and who knows how many Lundberg family get togethers...He believes!

I remember Sarah coming home from school one day and telling me that they were watching "Better off dead" in her french class. I'm sure she was the only one in her class who had been hearing half of the lines in the movie since she was very small. She told me that now she knew what my sisters and I were talking about.

John Hughes provided an astounding amount of dialogue in my house. Oh, and let us not forget the repertoire we learned from Mel Brooks!

A couple of weeks ago Kacie expressed a desire to see Monty Python's Holy Grail. She had heard a number of her friends talking about it.

A trip to the video store soon followed.

The entire family (minus Sarah, of course) gathered around the tube to view what, despite being one of the lowest budget films ever made, is a classic.

When it was over Jim couldn't believe he had sat through the stupidity.

I enjoyed reliving bits of my youth!

A few night ago, Kacie and Sam were sitting at the table after dinner. Jim was gone, and I was lingering to listen their chosen topic of conversation.

Suddenly, it was as though I had never left my childhood home. My own children were were spewing the inane frivolity of my past.

"Coconuts don't migrate!"

"Your mother was a hamster, and your father smelled of elderberries!"

And many others...

Sniff...

wiping a tear from the corner of my eye

I'm so proud!

Fuzzy Socks

2009-02-17T22:32:00.002-07:00

I have a confession to make. I am addicted to fuzzy socks. You know the kind I'm referring to. They are often sold as "socks to stay home in". Every year (winter time) I find more to add to my collection. These little black and white ones are my personal favorites. Can you guess why?

Hmm...could it be because they look an awful lot like the socks worn by the wicked witch in the Wizard of Oz?

These are just some of my socks. I have bright pink, canary yellow and many others. I will live in these socks for the duration of the cold the days left here in AZ.

Yes, I know that people living in actual states where winter is a real season are laughing at my reference to cold months here. Maybe I just have poor circulation, but my toes are always cold in the winter.

The great thing about these is I hate to wear shoes. Since I work from home I can run around all day in these. If I actually have to go somewhere I can slip on my (shh...don't tell Carrot Jello, she did whole blog entry on these) ugly crocs with my fuzzy socks and go! I have even put my tennis shoes on and gone out with these funky socks to a movie.

Hey, it was dark, okay. No one saw my goofy socks when I was sitting in the theater!

Maybe you all won't want to be seen in public with me any more now that you know I'm actually flawed.

Just helping out

2009-02-11T23:25:00.001-07:00

Did someone say to put away the toys?

Sarah

2009-01-28T14:26:00.006-07:00

Today my baby girl moved out.

Ok, so she's not really a baby any more

Still, it was a milestone in my life as well as in hers.

How do I feel about this?

Mixed emotions

I discovered that all the things I ever heard or read were true. The closer your children get to the age where they move away, the worse they seem to behave towards their family. I heard that it is their way of making it easier to cut the apron strings. You're glad for them to go away and learn to be an adult.

Then there is the mommy side of me

The mommy remembers Sarah as a little curly haired girl, who would try to "take care of" her baby brother Sam, and then baby Kacie. Once, after I had told her over, and over, not to carry Kacie, she dropped her on the floor in the kitchen. Kacie had a small flower imprinted in her forehead from the pattern in the linoleum.

Sarah also cut hers and Sam's hair once. Of course she cut a slice into the back of Sam's head at the same time. She also knocked out Sam's front tooth when he was 2 years old, playing ring around the rosies with him.

Poor Sarah was always my clutzy child. I think it was because she grew so fast. It took her mind time to catch up with her body.

Now she is all grown up and moved into an apartment with a friend. As of today she learn how tough it truly is to be a grown up. Paying rent, buying all your groceries, cleaning supplies, electricity, insurance, etc.

Gone forever is the frivolous spending of her youth. Perhaps she will start to wish she had stayed at home. She will learn that she truly had it good while here.

But she will never decide these things are true until she she learns for herself.

Kacie is probably dancing a jig over having her own room!

I wonder what Kacie will find to complain about now?

Jan 27th

2009-01-27T21:46:00.003-07:00

Today is my Mother's birthday. Although she's been gone for 5 years now, I thought I'd be like Margaret, and write just a little something about her to commemorate her birthday.

Holly loved her family. She loved to talk to her girls and loved for us to come and visit. When I would try to leave, she would often follow me to my car, still talking. I would get in anyway and roll down the window so she would know that I really needed to go.

Still talking.

I would start my car so Mom would know that I really needed to go.

Still talking.

Finally I would begin slowly backing out of the driveway.

She would walk down the driveway, beside my car, still talking!

I miss that.

I remember the way she would look at me when I was telling her about something. She would tip her head back just a bit, looking down her nose as though she had on her bifocals, and really study me.

She loved color! Every room in her house was painted. Her taste and decorating skills were impeccable.

She was a perfectionist.

She would be in my house and say "Suzee, that picture is crooked." To which I would reply, "I know." I could see it was crooked, I just didn't care to do anything about it. But mom would always see the details and be bothered if they were out of whack.

Mom loved to receive a corsage to wear on Mother's Day. This was something that my Dad never seemed to remember to do for her. When I was grown, I took it upon myself to make this part of my gift to her every year. I loved making sure she felt special that day. Like the rest of the Mom's at church.

She taught me to be a voracious reader, to love the theater. She taught me to sew, and I inherited her sense of color, and decorating skills. For that I am very thankful!

I have her hands! Seriously. They look exactly like hers.

Mom loved going to the movies! She was my movie buddy. We saw many movies together in the early afternoons, while my children were in school.

In January of 2004 I was very pregnant with Dan. She called me to tell me she had just seen a commercial for a movie and couldn't wait to go and see it! I was getting ready to take my maternity leave from all my nail clients, and told her the movie would have to wait until next week when I was no longer working.

She passed away that Friday.

We never did get to see that one last movie together.

I regret that.

Life is fragile. Never put off spending time with your family. Work can be put aside and wait. You never know when it will be the last time you see someone here in this life.

I miss you Mom.

What field trip?

2009-01-21T19:14:00.001-07:00

Today was supposed to be Dan's preschool field trip to the Wildlife World Zoo.
I guess you can tell by the photo that he didn't go.
He has had a cold for almost a week now. He ran a fever for a few days, and then just couldn't seem to get over the cough. I kept him home from preschool on Friday, and from church on Sunday. No sense in sharing his cooties. I figured with Monday being a holiday and after all that time at home he would be right as rain by now.
Then a couple of days ago he started complaining that his head hurt. When I would ask him to show me where it hurt he would either rub the top of his head or point to his forehead. He would even wake up in the middle of the night and come and tell me that his head hurt.
This morning I took him to urgent care and had them take a look at him.
The PA looks in one ear and says "Buddy, doesn't your ear hurt?" Exclamation point!
Dan "No."
PA "Are you sure this ear doesn't hurt?" Can you hear the doubt in his voice?
Dan "No."
Now looking at me he says "He's got a major infection in that ear."
I'm just sitting there looking foolish
dumbfounded
feeling guilty
saying huh?
He walks around the table, looks in the other ear
"How about this one? Does it hurt?"
Dan "No."
Tell me, how can a child have a raging double ear infection and his mother not know?
Do we not reside in the same home?
Are his ears maybe in some strange way wired to his headache sensors?
Or am I just one of the worlds worst moms?
Two prescriptions later
One for the cough
One very expensive antibiotic
$70 and yes that's the generic

Penance perhaps.

Restitution paid for lack of knowledge.

Silly kitty

2009-01-07T15:59:00.000-07:00

Indy finally discovered the fish Dan got for Christmas.

Now this is where he spends all his time (when he's awake).

He just can't understand why he can't touch the fishy.

The plastic fish tank is beginning to show very fine scratches.

I wonder how that could happen?

Resolutions?

2009-01-02T20:04:00.000-07:00

Why is it only at New Years that we think of bettering ourselves?
Should all hopes of learning new talents, trying to be thinner, having less debt, being nicer, be limited to once a year?
Aren't most resolutions broken/quietly forgotten within the first few weeks of making them?
I married Mary Poppins. "Practically perfect in every way".
Shh...don't tell him.
He can and does do everything he sets his mind to.
So I sit here, on Jan 2nd no less, doubting my own ability to make and keep resolutions.
I am exceptionally good at procrastinating!
Can I ever be as good as the man I married?
I'm still toying with the idea of making a project 365 of my year.
Thinking about all kinds of thing I could resolve to do this new year.
I think I could resolve to yell less
I however don't think I yell. I grew up with 3 sisters. Read lots of noise (talking).
You had to speak loudest to be the one whose voice was heard.
Can you imagine 4 teenage girls under one roof?
I also did theater and am very good and projecting!
Shall I resolve to
Be kinder
Blog more
Blog less
Save more/spend less
Try to enjoy cooking dinner for my family
Work on not being selfish
Use less sarcasm
Finish my growing pile of unfinished projects

Hmm....
I think I'll start tomorrow

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-25T15:58:00.000-07:00

Merry Christmas all my family, friends and fellow bloggers! Was your Christmas truly merry and bright? Mine was! I think a fun time was had by all in my house. Everything is unwrapped, mostly put away (except for all Dan's new toys, they still reside in the living room, all over the floor) and Jim and the kids are all off either reading the books they got for Christmas, playing with toys, or just relaxing. I have some time to download all the photos off the camera and post a blog entry letting you in on all the highlights.

Our holiday started on Saturday with the Lundberg family tradition of Christmas Brunch. We have of course altered the tradition in the fact that we now hold it the Saturday before Christmas instead of the morning of Christmas. Makes it so much easier on those that had to go and move so far away, across the valley. The food was fabulous, like always, and the company was even better, like always!

Dan with his Ironman toy.
This is Bev and her thing 1, Kaity.
Some of the kids, assembling their airplanes. (Jim believes that you can't just give gift cards! You must have something to play with in order for it to truly be Christmas!)
My handsome, engineer Sam. Later, he made modifications to one of the airplanes to make it more aerodynamic.
Dad and Susan holding Kaity's new baby, Holly.
The cutest "Present" under my tree!
Hmm...this next one needs some explaining. First I must warn you that I come from a very strange family. We are loud and boisterous, recite movie lines every time we're together, and have a very strange sense of humor. When my Mom passed away, we girls got together to go through all of her personal belongings decide who wanted what, or give away what wasn't wanted/needed. In my Mother's possessions was a small statue we always called David. Though in actuality he is the Greek god Hercules. (No, I really have no idea why my mother owned this.) For some reason nobody wanted poor little Hercules! Beverly finally said she would take him. That year when we got together for the above mentioned brunch, Bev "gifted" him in our exchange. Sadly, he was out of circulation for a year when I misplaced him, but since then has shown up every year with a new "addition" to his alabasterness. First addition? That was mine. I felt he really should have some sort of clothes, and so gave him a black leather loin cloth /underwear. Nicely molded to his buttocks, don't you think?

The lovely chapeau was added by Margaret. This year he came to us from Crissie's house, proudly displaying his holster and boom stick (what Jacob called his gun). He has now returned to Bev's once more, and we all eagerly await next years addition.

Later on that evening we had our Ward Christmas party at the church. Dan finally got to see Santa and tell him what he wanted for Christmas. This was the first time that he willingly sat on Santa's lap. I'm one of those mean mommies who believe in torturing the child for the photo!

And what exactly did he ask for? "A Hungry Hungry Hippo toy".

Snowflakes were the decor this year and eventually the children figured out that the pretty. sparkly, snowflakes on the tables were actually stickers. You simply had to peel off the paper backs and voila!

Dan and his friend Harley

Last night was our traditional Jones family Christmas Eve party. One of my favorite nights of the year. We eat tons of yummy food, sing carols and of course Santa comes to our party to hand out one gift to everyone there! Of course, I think he might just be one of Santa's helper Clause's, because we all know how busy the jolly old soul is on Christmas Eve!

Daniel was so excited that Santa was coming. He wouldn't even come in to sing with us because he was waiting by the front door, watching for him to arrive.

Christmas morning...

We had fun watching our Dan open his presents, especially his much requested Hungry Hippo game.

Here are Sam, Kacie, and Sarah wearing the beanie hats Jim made for them, and holding up their quilts that I haven't quite finished making for them!

Well, they are mostly done. I need to machine quilt and bind them, and then they will be all ready for use.And finally, playing Hungry Hungry Hippos! I wish you all could watch him play. His little tongue darts in and out of his mouth while he's playing. It kind of reminds me of little Ralphy in A Christmas Story. When he's concentrating using his decoder ring!

What did I get? I got tickets to 4 shows at Gammage this coming year! I am the luckiest and happiest girl today! This next year I will be attending RENT, STOMP, WICKED (did you hear me screaming?) and I am going to take Dan to see his first show, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG. Good show to introduce a 5 year old to the theater with I hope. With luck, he'll learn to love it as much as his mother. Then as he grows, Jim can make Dan go with me, thereby getting himself out of it.

Christmas miracle!

2008-12-19T21:31:00.000-07:00

Did I say Christmas miracle? Why yes, I did! I know what you're probably thinking. Jim went out and bought me the perfect gift without me telling him exactly what the perfect gift is. No, that's not it. Of course that would be a miracle too!

My miracle is much more simple than that. Are you ready for this? I know you're sitting down (unless you prefer to blog surf on the run and are standing at your desk right now).

I actually did my nails!

This sounds like such a simple thing to you. But let me just tell you that this is a classic example of the cobbler's kids needing shoes. When you are a nail tech, and work on other people's nails for a living, the last thing you want to do when you actually have time...your own nails! My family and clients will right now be gripping their chair seats to keep from falling off of them.
I feel like Tiny Tim. "God bless us. Everyone!" See how festive!
Have you ever tried to take a picture of your nails? It's not easy! Try it sometime. Jim is the only other person home right now (besides Dan, and being 4 1/2 I doubt his ability to operate a camera!) and I wasn't about to ask him to take a picture of my nails for me. He already thinks I'm whacked for taking a picture of my candied yams at Thanksgiving. (It's a blogger thing honey. You wouldn't understand.)
I didn't want to be outdone by Crissie so here is a picture of my kitty too! He is also feeling festive. He "dove" into this garland and looked so cute and Christmasy I had to document it. I just wish the photos had turned out a little clearer. Again, have you ever tried to take a picture of a cat...

Bloggled.com

2008-12-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! This is great! Some time ago I had a conversation with friends and fellow bloggers.
We discussed how great it would be if someone would come out with a service that would put your blog posts into book form and print it for you. Tah Dah! I was led to this site by another friend. Bloggled not only can print your blog, but they also backup your blog for you, so you never have to worry about accidentally deleting your blog! How cool is that! Can I just say how stoked I am! Oh, the best part about me blogging about their service? I get to put my name in a drawing for Cricut or an I-Pod touch! This is the bomb! Hope I win!!

AAAHHHH!

2008-12-12T15:33:00.000-07:00

Do you see that little tree? That one right over there on the right hand side of this page? Every day I log on to my computer, click on my favorite little short-cut button on my toolbar. You know, the one that looks like an e with a planetary ring circling it.

Narcissistic me. My home page is my blog.

Oh my favorite past time...blog surfing my friends pages and seeing what you have all been doing.

But every day that little counter under the tree gets smaller...and smaller...and smaller. This is what I feel like.

Are you ready? I'm not! So much to do. No not the shopping, that is almost done. It 's all the handmade gifts that I really would like to finish. Did I just say finish? Ha! I haven't even started some of them. And don't even ask my sisters about the scrapbooks I started for them...what was it, like 2 years ago.

I've been contemplating an old Calvin and Hobbes cartoon.

Maybe I could take a box, add a button, and recreate Calvin's duplicator! Then if there were two of me...just think what I could get done! Why, I could sit here on the computer while the other me finished (started) all my projects.

Or, I could quit wasting time and get busy....

Nah! I'm going to go find me a box.

Christmas Past! ...and somthing for Leigh

2008-12-04T14:08:00.000-07:00

It's Christmas time! Time for baking, for shopping, and especially time for Family!

In honor of this amazing holiday I thought I'd share with you some fun snapshots of my childhood. Please, feel free to laugh with me, not at me!

I can assume that this must be Suzee's first Christmas. Not a bad looking Santa, unlike this next one! Oh my gosh! Can you say unhappy? How about "I hate my Job"? Sure. I knew you could. No wonder poor Margaret is crying. The rest of just were not smart enough to realize we were sitting on the lap of the worst Santa in mall history! Oh, and you have got to love the candy cane on my nose.

This is my sister Beverly, followed by Margaret. Do you love the 70"s Christmas tree? Groovy!

And let us not forget about Dad. Keep in mind that at this point he had 3 little girls, not a boy in sight, nor was there ever to be one. Toy car? Well, I think Dad put something under the tree every year that he "claimed" was for us girls, but that he himself had purchased so he would have something to play with also. (The race car track comes to mind...)I think I always had my tongue sticking out as a little girl. Probably developing it for it's future use of lots of talking! Can't see my tongue in this next picture? I guess because I was licking the window frame of this awesome bike/wagon.Perhaps you are wondering where Crissie is? Well, finally she makes an appearance in the few family snapshots we have our childhood Christmases.Isn't she adorable? My Mom made us the pajamas. This was Christmas eve. Oh look! Did I hear Santa on the rooftop? Everyone else seems to think so. Except, of course, me. Can't decide if I was just a little slow to understand, or if I was always just a little bit off from what the rest of my sisters were doing.

Christmas morning...I don't know if this was Beverly's or Margaret's record player. If it was Margaret's, then Bev was just being Bev and taking over everything! Big sisters! And one of Mom that morning. Margaret looks exactly like Mom! I swear, if I showed you a picture you'd ask 'Is that Holly?'

Finally, something for Leigh. She thought she was an only child growing up. Technically she was. Leigh lived across the street from us our whole life! (Until my family moved in 86) She is the same age as Margaret, was one of her best friends growing up, and so was always at our house. She recently found Crissie on facebook and so has joined our little blogging world. I guess you could say it's like having her across the street again! After reading one of her older posts last night, She was on my mind this morning. I was thinking about the way we treated her as if she was one of us. You know, teased and picked on her just like she was a sister. Then I remembered that I had this picture. It proves that she was part of the family. It is Christmas morning. The gifts are still scattered through the living room, and we are playing with the bounty that Santa brought. This was a Polaroid picture and someone wrote on the photo (probably Mom) to document who was who.See...just another one of the girls! It's good to have you back in the neighborhood!

Picture perfect & Thanksgiving wrap up!

2008-12-01T19:49:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl my mom made candied yams for Thanksgiving dinner every year. They are one of the Lundberg family traditional foods. However, I think every year, my mom would end up slightly burning the marshmallows that went on top of the yams. Probably because they are one of the last things you do right before you sit down to eat. You know, when you are making gravy, setting all the food on the table, carving the turkey, etc. All while you are supposed to be keeping an eye on the marshmallows toasting! Oh the fond memories I have of mom yelling and throwing in a sh** or two, or three, as she pulled her smoking yams from the oven. I will admit that in my time I have also over toasted them a time or two.

Ahh...but this year, Perfection!

The night before is always my pie night! This year Dan pushed a chair over to the counter to help. As you can see, my other little boy had to see what we were all doing in the kitchen!

Our Thanksgiving Table

I know...I cheat by using paper plates on my table...what can I say. After cooking all day, and washing the dishes, also all day, I am done! The kids set the table this year. Personally I wouldn't have gone with the purple goblets on my rust colored tablecloth...

And finally...More goofing around brought to you by Sarah and Daniel!

The things we are Thankful for this year!

I am thankful for my family, and for my truck (wonder who said this...Sam?),For Butterfingers candy bars, And for colors! For paint and Art! I am thankful to have dinner at Jim and Suzee's, and for books, and for my Spiderman blanket. I am thankful for my education, for the scriptures ...that we can know what to look for and be glad. I am thankful for sitting by the fire at night with my family members, my job, and for pie! Lots and lots of pie! I am thankful for a bed, for my children, for the gospel and the priesthood, and for the knowledge that on Thanksgiving I can eat anything I want! I am thankful for our country, and for my iPod, my friends, and for music. I am thankful for my hubby who works so hard for our us, and for kitties who like me. I am thankful for David's strength, Jim's determination, Suzee's creative abilities, Sarah's smile, Sam's quietness, Kacie's giggle, Daniel's exuberance, and for Bonnie's kindness. I am thankful for this economy that will humble many people and turn them back to our Prophet's council. I am thankful for seminary, soft kitties that purr, and for a living prophet and apostles. I am thankful for being able to work and having work to do, for my testimony, and for school. I am thankful for my Saviors plan of happiness, our church leaders who teach us to have peace from our hope in Christ. I am thankful for makeup, and for my talents, to live in Arizona, and for good health. I am thankful for the air we breath, and rain to sustain life. I am thankful for the pretty clouds today. for my taste buds so I can enjoy Thanksgiving dinner, and finally, for Texting!

Tagged

2008-11-24T15:54:00.000-07:00

*Open your pictures file on your computer

*Grab the fourth picture in the fourth file!

*Now Post it and blog what you remember about that picture.

I took this picture in July of 2006. A super sweet, young friend of mine was having a baby girl. I found this old glider rocker that someone was getting rid of, and painted and reupholstered it in her chosen nursery colors! Is it not the BOMB or what!

Now I tag Crissie, Rachel, Erin, and Lynsee (cuz she need to post something new on her blog!)

Thud thud

2008-11-21T16:16:00.000-07:00

Thud thud...thud thud...thud thud...
Do you hear that?
That's the sound of my heart beating...
It is the background beat to the mantra repeating over and over in my head...
I'm in love with a vampire...in love with a vampire....Love...Vampire...
Now do you hear it?

Did you see Twilight yet? No...Yes... Well, I won't be the one to ruin it for you.
This is just a quick entry to express my feelings.
For all of you critics out there, IT IS NOT A VAMPIRE MOVIE!
It is a love story!
They took a novel and condensed it into a 2 hour movie, and I for one think they did fine job of it! They stayed true to the characters. As sat in that dark theater and watched the story unfold on the big screen, I felt all those same feeling I had felt while reading Twilight.
Do you remember staying awake into the wee hours of the morning, unable to close the book? Do you recall irrevocably falling, right along with Bella, madly in love with Edward?
It happened again!
I'm in love with a vampire..
Thud thud...
In love...
Thud...
Vampire!

Shh.....
Don't tell my husband!

Poor me, poor Sam?

2008-11-19T17:34:00.000-07:00

So I put my back out of whack this week. No, I don't have any idea how I did it, I'm just hobbling around to compensate for it. This morning my plan was to take Dan to preschool, call my chiropractor to get in this afternoon, and do one nail client. When I went to drop Dan off the battery in the truck was DEAD! Ughh! Of course preschool is maybe a half mile from my house, a walkable distance. At least it is if your spinal column is aligned exactly as it should be. Because preschool is so close we never leave until at least 5 minutes before it is scheduled to start. I had to get a friend to drive over here and take my son to preschool for me. Thank you Sue! This was also the first time Dan has ever told me while getting ready to gothat he doesn't want to be late. No. We're not ever late! Well, okay, maybe once or twice...

Well, after getting Sam to jump the battery when he got home from school, going to the chiropractor, getting another jump, stopping at Checker to get a new battery (all while walking like a little old lady) I finally arrived back at home. You'll remember that Sam has been without his truck for a couple of weeks now. He just got it back last night. When your vehicle sits down at the shop, in the yard, with all that dirt, it's not so pretty when you get it back! As I was hobbling up my driveway to go in the house I had to stop and laugh! Followed immediately by getting the camera to take some pictures of his truck! The kitty prints are definitely from Kacie's rotten cat, Grizzy. However, it wasn't any of my kids that wrote on the truck. I guess someone at the high school saw all the paw prints and couldn't resist!

Amazing weekend and one not so great thing

2008-11-10T12:13:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I got to go with my girls down to the Phx convention center for Deseret Books Time Out for Women & Girls. I have my mother-in-law to thank for this. She is awesome. Every year she buys ticket to the Timeout for Women events, and includes me and whomever I want to bring. This years event targeted our young women, but was just as wonderful as past years. The messages still applied to women. They brought in a lot of the popular LDS musicians, knowing that it was a sure way to reach the girls. The spirit can touch you so quickly through the power of music. Kacie picked out a new Hillary Weeks cd, and Sarah picked out a new piano book full of all the most popular EFY and other LDS songs. (So anyone needing songs for YW or Choir call me!) We then were able to get 3 of the songs autographed by their writers! Also, we got pictures of the girls with them.

This is Hillary Weeks.

Next we got Cherie Call. She is around 7 months pregnant with her 2'ND baby.

Finally, Jenny Jordan Frogley.

Abe Mills, who sings with Jericho road, was also there.

One of the presenters was John Hilton III. He has been a religious educator for 8 yrs and has taught at EFY conferences. His message was on the scriptures. Highlights were: The scriptures have the answers you need. It's easy to miss something you're not looking for. Look for applications to your life, the scriptures teach the why. The scriptures can get you through hard things. And finally, Know that when you read the scriptures God is talking to you. Of course mixed in with this were lots of great stories and video clips that related to the message!

Now let me tell you about the absolute highlight of the day.

The end of the day was supposed to be a question and answer session with the presenters. If you had a question you wanted answered you could write it on this small, pink piece of paper. When we came back from our lunch break Our wonderful MC, Laurel Christensen, was holding one of these papers in her hand. I wondered what she was doing with it. She started by saying that this person had no idea she was doing this and then asked if Molly Guber....(something) could come up on the stage with her mother. Molly was 14 and from Tuscon I believe. She was just an average looking young woman, and I wondered how difficult her life had been...not being one of the beautiful people, and with her last name. You can see it made an impression on me, at least the first part of it, because it was pronounced goober. As she was making her way up on stage, Laurel began telling a story about a group of her friends. The abbreviated version being, that they had spent a few days camping together and came up with the fact that at any time you could request a standing ovation, and the rest would get up and oblige. She then asked everyone present to give Molly the standing ovation of her life! The one we felt that she deserved. As she was saying this (before the applause even began) Molly put her hands over her mouth and began to sob. Over 1200 women/young women immediately jumped to their feet and began clapping, cheering, shouting out woo hoo's. I couldn't have possibly opened my mouth at that time because I was struggling not to sob as well. We watched her mother cry as she witnessed what this was doing for her daughter. I was so overwhelmed with the spirit bearing witness to me that this is how Father in Heaven feels about each of his daughters! Both young and old. He would have each of us receive a standing ovation. How I wished that we could make all of our young women feel the way Molly must have felt at that moment. I will never know what was written on that piece of paper that prompted Laurel to do this, but I do know that she followed the spirit and did exactly what she was supposed to do! I am so glad that I was there to witness this event for myself. It has been two days since this happened,and still I can't think about it without both my heart and my eyes over flowing! Surely this was a life changing moment for more than just Molly.

The main message of the day was this "God knows each and every one of His children by name!" He knows us, loves us, and truly wants the best for each of us. What a blessing it is to have this testimony for myself.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now, the not so great stuff. Poor Sam, he just got his truck out of the shop after having the fuel pump replaced. With his class schedule (he has one class at Liberty every morning) he has to have a vehicle. He and I did some car juggling last week. On Saturday he took his truck over to Fletcher tire and auto to get his oil changed. He drove his truck home and parked it in the driveway. Sunday night we had dinner at my in-laws. Sam didn't go because he had mission prep. He called me on my cell about 6 to say that he was pulling out of our street when all the sudden his gauges went to 0 and his dash said check gauges. He didn't know what was going on so we told him to take his truck home and drive Jim's instead. He did the long loop to get back to the house (down to Pinnacle Pk and around). When he pulled out of our street the second time he discovered his oil filter and all the oil out of his truck in the road! Holy crap!! Boy, did Fletchers screw up! This was definitely their error! To bad for them it happened to a family who not only knows about cars, but owns tow trucks, has mechanics employed, and also has a lawyer on retainer for the business. Joe, one our drivers, came and got the truck this morning (along with Sam who was supposed to be enjoying a ditch day) to take back to Fletchers and then down to the shop to start pulling it apart to find out how bad the engine is. :(

I'm telling you this so all my friends who live up here will be warned! Bishop Purtymun told Sam last night that he won't use them anymore because twice they shorted him a quart of oil. Then his seminary teacher this morning told him that they screwed up her car and they ended going to the BBB to get Fletchers to give them their money back. So beware! If you need work or your oil changed, go somewhere else!

Just a piece of cloth

2008-11-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

It's just a piece of cloth, that's all it is
Just a piece of cloth.
But when a little breeze comes along, it stirs and comes to life
And flutters and snaps in the wind, all red and white and blue...
Then you realize that no other piece of cloth could be like it.
It has your whole life wrapped up in it...
The meals you eat, the time you spend with your family,
The kind of things boys and girls learn at school,
The strange and wonderful thoughts you get in church.
Those stars on it...
They make you feel just as free as the stars
in the wide, wide, deep night.
And the stripes...
they are the bars of blood
To any dictator who would try to change this way of life.
Just a piece of cloth, that's all it is
Until you put your soul into it and give it meaning;
Then it is the symbol of liberty and decency
and fair dealing for everyone.
It is just a piece of cloth
Until we breathe life into it,
Until we make it stand for everything we believe in
And refuse to live without.

Tonight we went to an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for a friend. Sam and Jim were responsible for making sure we had a flag there and then Sam was part of the Color gaurd to present the flag. He had with him a bunch of papers printed from usscouts.org about our beautiful stars and stripes. As I read the above poem I knew immediately that I was going home and posting this on my blog. I love everything our flag represents and stands for, and I am moved every time I have the opportunity to witness the raising or retiring of it.
I took this picture on Main Street, Disneyworld, in 2003.

Halloween @ the Jones Home and other stuff

2008-11-05T19:01:00.000-07:00

It's November and I'm last blogger on the block to post their Halloween pictures! Honestly, this is not my fault. I used Jim's camera for Halloween and he hides it in his bag, then takes said bag to work with him everyday!

This year Dan decided he wanted to be a robot. I had fun making his costume. I decided that robots should have lights on them. I found some great battery powered lights and got Sam to spray paint them silver for me. I wish you could see in a picture how great they actually looked. I also got some spare electrical parts from my friendly electrician Wes, and hot glued on wires, an old circuit board and a small electronic cooling fan.

He wore his costume at the Ward Halloween party/camp out. I later discovered that the box was actually too long for him and he could barely walk! I had to cut it down for actual Trick or Treating. The funny part is his dryer vent legs. They wouldn't stay up. So he ended up looking rather goofy, like he was wearing metallic leg warmers! LOL It's a bad 80's kind of robot!

We had fun carving our pumpkin this year. Too bad Sarah wasn't there for this. See, that's what happens when your children start to grow up and have their own lives!

The finished result!

Of course it wouldn't be the Jones home without some crazy antics going on during the carving!

These are just a couple of the neighborhood dogs! I thought they looked too cute in their costumes so wanted to add them in to my blog! Aren't people just a tad psycho dressing up their dogs?

And this is my friend and neighbor Shawn. Her costume can either be described as fun or creepy.....you decide. Oh, and for those of you who are wondering what I wore this year, I covered my shirt in those "Hello my name is.." stickers. Each sticker had a different name on it. I was an Identity Crisis. ha ha ha Sorry I don't have a picture.

In other news... we passed proposition 102 yesterday! Hurray! Prop 102 creates legislation that states that a marriage will be defined as between one man and one woman. I am glad that Arizonans recognized the sanctity of marriage and the importance of protecting the family.

While that is good news, we have to deal with the peoples choice for our new President..... Ummm...I'm not even going to go there tonight. Maybe in a future blog, one talking about the general stupidity ( maybe it's more like the gullibility) of America.....

To end this lengthy post, here is something fun and super cheerful! Bonnie gave us this cute little pop up cat house. We've had it for awhile now. It sits on the floor in my family room. One day, out of the blue, Dan asked "Can I get in that?" I don't know Dan. Can you ? I guess so! At least part of him can.

Camping

2008-10-29T22:52:00.001-07:00

This past weekend we went camping with our Ward up in Prescott. It was beautiful and cold at night! Down to about 35. We took lots of blankets and sleeping bags for everybody. Dan slept great. So did Kacie. She has a super thick sleeping bag, and she pulled it over her head and was out all night. Not me! Sam misplaced (lost?) our cold weather, mummy bags. Left them with one scout leader or another, and didn't bother to remember or tell us until it was to late to track them down. Jim has a great sleeping bag also. I got Sam's. Not a cold weather bag! I think if Crissie gets a space heater to take camping I'm sleeping in her tent next time too!

This is Kacie and her friend Kylee. Kacie is being a big goofball. Go figure.

Olivia, Jared, his friend Jordan, and Dan. I think this is what the guys did the whole time. Sat in the chairs, ate halloween candy, and just hung out.

See what I mean. My nephews Jared & Jacob.

This is Piper and Annie. A couple of super cute little girls in my Ward. I just love that they're playing in the dirt. Give them 8 years and they won't want to do this again!

See! This is Crissie's step daughter Samantha, the one with the really cool face painting, and her friend, also a Jordan. Do they look like they're having fun? "Like, I am so done with this."

My favorite photo from the camp out, Dan and Olivia. She is such a cutie. She took great care of Dan and played with him most of the day on Saturday.

Finally, he fell asleep just before we got home. I wish this picture showed the chocolaty drool that was on the other side Dan's face! I snapped this as we pulled in to the driveway.

Exiting news!

2008-10-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Just had to share this bit of news with everyone. Sam received his first scholarship for college today! He was selected by Arizona State University to receive the ASU President Scholarship award for $9,000 a year. Renewable for four years the total amount is $36,000. Looks like it's enough to cover the cost of a dorm room. He already qualifies for tuition waver because of his class rank. Way to go Sam! I'm very happy for you and love you bunches!

It's State Fair Time!

2008-10-22T21:06:00.001-07:00

Today I got to go to the fair. One of Kacie's best friends is Jordan and she has great connections! Her grandparents are carnies, so we get to go for free! That's right, got to park in the special permit only area (free). Enter through the back (free). Ride the rides (free)! Oh it is so good to know people! Or maybe I should say it is so good to know Jordan! She rocks! Thanks Jo Jo, we had a great day.

This is everyone getting ready to ride G Force. Ok, everyone but me and Dan.

Kacie and Jordan on the Sky ride.

Spinning in the dragon

I love this one!

This is funny! Jordan and Chrissie getting ready to ride The Experience.

Than I actually managed to get a photo as the ride was starting to slow down.

As soon as I get the video uploaded I'll post it.

Creative

2008-10-21T17:37:00.000-07:00

Figured it was time to post something else, so here is something I did recently.

While searching the net for some cool nail art ideas I came across a new acrylic nail company called Young Nail. They have these really great c curve sticks that I used to put circle shapes in the white acrylic and then filled the circles with a purple acrylic.

And a close up shot.

Since it's finally cooling down at night Dan and I went out back to play and build a sandcastle in his sandbox. I think we did a great job!

The livestock and the truck were his idea, and the landscaping was my idea.

When Jim got home I took him out to show him what Dan and I did. Did he say good job? NOOO! Instead he said something like "You cut my bushes?" Umm....ya! I don't think I hurt anything by snipping off a couple of flowers! Men!

Strange Kids

2008-10-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

My children are so weird! Especially Sarah and Kacie. You would think that these two beautiful girls of mine would try to actually look nice in their photos. Not them! I want to show all of you what I'm talking about. Hey, they documented these things themselves! So if they are embarrassed by them being posted on my blog....too bad!

This was taken by them at Christmas when they first started this stupid thing. This great look is created by blowing a raspberry with your lips!

You'll notice that Sam has enough dignity not to look stupid.

As if it wasn't bad enough for the girls to make faces, they are now teaching Dan how to do the same.

Sarah played out back with Dan Sunday afternoon. They did take a couple of nice pictures.

They also drew a giant family picture on the back patio with sidewalk chalk. Personally I think Sarah is a mean girl with no real sense of the nice person that I am.

If you click on this picture to see it enlarged, you'll see that Jim is the grumbly faced one, and I am yelling and looking mad!

You know, this is such a dejavue picture. When my sisters and I were little girls, Margaret was the artist in the family. One day my parents had new carpet installed. We lived in this great old John F Long home. The closets actually had drawers in them. One long one across the bottom, and set of 3 stacked drawers up one side. Well, upon ripping out the carpet that covered the top of that long bottom drawer, we discovered why my parents had carpeted it in the first place. Margaret had drawn a picture with a black magic marker there. I'm sure that back then there was no such thing as Killz to cover up the permanent marker, so the picture would just bleed through the paint that they tried to cover it up with. I wish we had a photo of that picture. It was just like this one by Sarah, a stick figure family. Everyone i had a big happy face. Except my mom. She was drawn with a big frown. Hmmm............and I wonder why I sometimes I accidentally call Sarah Margaret?

Luncheon of the Homecoming Party

2008-10-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

Margaret's creativity inspired me, and Crissie showed me how to extract photos, so I had to give it a try. Lexi, Sam's date to homecoming, gave me a disk of pictures from homecoming. Because homecoming was the same night as the General Priesthood broadcast they had to figure out how to do both. They decided to have a late lunch instead of going to dinner. That way, as soon as the broadcast was over, the guys could pick up their dates to go to the dance. This is the picture of all of them eating lunch.

This is my favorite painting by Renoir, titled The Luncheon of the Boating Party.

And here is the combination of the two pictures!

My ice-cream personality

2008-10-11T12:03:00.000-07:00

Margaret says it's my turn to share this. I actually took the test the day Crissie put it in her blog, I just didn't blog my answer.
Hmmm....is this really me? Thought it was funny that mine was so different from Margaret and Crissie in the beginning.

Your Ice Cream Personality:

You are not a particularly modest person. You're proud of who you are, and you don't care who knows it.

You have a wild reputation, but you're not as wild as you seem. You take risks, but only measured risks.

You are a fairly open minded person with a wide range of tastes. You are quite accepting of unusual ideas and people.

You are a natural multitasker. You feel alive when you're doing more than one thing at a time.

You can be a big dramatic and over the top sometimes. You are bold in every way

http://www.blogthings.com/theicecreampersonalitytest/">The Ice Cream Personality Test

80,s Pop Culture

2008-10-09T21:51:00.000-07:00

Kacie is my chatty child. She loves to tell me all about the good, and especially the not so good, things of her life. I enjoy hearing her stories about her friends and teachers at her high school. Last week she came home and related to me a comment made by her English teacher. He said that the 80's were a terrible era for pop culture. Nothing good came from it. Kacie argued a some of the bands and he did relent that U2 was one good band to come out of the 80's. I was appalled! What? Nothing good? Now, I know that being a generation xer makes me biased, but I definitely disagree! Like, oh my gosh! Fer sure! That is totally bogus. I happen to look back on the 80's with much fondness. Let me share with you some of the things that I've come up with. I'll start with movies. The 1980's brought us the adolescence of the "Brat Pack". You remember that oh so popular group of youth who were featured in many of John Hughes films. What a wonderful bunch of movies they were. The Sure Thing, Better Off Dead, Uncle Buck, Weird Science, 16 Candles, Pretty in Pink, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and the most defining movie of our youth, The Breakfast Club! Let us also not forget some other classics that premiered at that time. The Blues Brothers, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders of the Lost Ark, ET, Risky Business (remember Guido the killer pimp?), Footloose, Valley Girl, Return of the Jedi, Goonies, and the Lost Boys (before we had a reality TV show about the two Coreys).

Television brought us the first ever night time soap operas. Remember Dallas, Knots Landing and Dynasty? We also watched the Cosby show, A-team (I love it when a plan comes together), and M.a.s.h. aired until 1983. One of the biggest things to hit television was the premier of MTV in 1981! Of course that was when the m stood for music, not mundane! Shall we talk music? I love the music of the 80's! My children can attest to this fact. I will gladly admit that not all the bands that came out of the 80's were great. Lets face it, the 80's brought us bands like Wham, Boy George, and the one hit wonder Dexie's midnight runners. But it also brought us Joan Jett, Billy Idol, Def Leppard, Depeche Mode, The Cure, Ozzy, Cheap Trick, Madonna, Corey Hart, and Cyndi Lauper. We also had the continued success of such bands as ACDC, Journey (released 7 albums in the 80's), Rush (9 albums), Chicago (6 albums). Prince released his first album in 1979. Also, Pink Floyd's The wall was released in 1979, but continued to be a huge seller throughout the 80's, along with 5 more albums that decade!

The 80's were a time for Big Hair! We sure did love our Aqua Net hairspray! My sisters and I called in aqua rock. We wore acid washed jeans, parachute pants, Converse high tops, and the most radical Vans. Lots of dark makeup. Almost to the point of looking clownish! If you were a preppy you dressed in Izod shirts with the collar turned up, and wore penny loafers. Remember skinny ties? Okay, so I'll admit, in hindsight, the fashion was like grody to the max!

It was the era that brought us the popularity of the video arcade, Baby On Board signs hung in car windows, and unforgettable slogans such as "Where's the beef?" and "I've fallen, and I can't get up!

What about the Rubik's Cube?

We saw the Berlin Wall come down, heard political statements such as "Read my lips. NO new taxes.", and will never forget the phrase coined by Nancy Reagan "Just say no to drugs." We will also forever have imprinted in our minds the tragedy of the Challenger Space Shuttle.

Now, what do you think? A bad era for pop culture? I for one say am JUST SAYING NO!

Oh, and Mr. Curtis, what do you say now? Do I get an A?

Me before a football game, and Crissie and me before prom in the 80's!

Here I am!

2008-10-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

So I was reading my sister Margaret's blog, Confessions of a Sim addict, and after I got back in my chair (rofl) I figured I really was way over due in updating my blog! So here are all the things I've been photo documenting over the last week or so with the intent of adding them to my blog.

Sam's high school homecoming is this weekend (Go Sunrise Mountain Mustangs!) and the teens today make it much more complicated than when we were in school. You know back when dinosaurs walked the earth. Back then the homecoming dance was just another dance immediately following the football game that night. Dressing up for the dance might mean wearing a new sweater with you jeans. Today homecoming dances are held the following night, on Saturday, and the kids dress up, and go to dinner before the dance. Also, you can't just ask a girl to go with you while your at school (face to face). Nooo....you have to come up with something clever, posters, puzzles, talking bears, pickle jars, (ask me about that one later) to ask a date to homecoming. Sam asked this cute little girl named Lexi to go with him. Oh, and she's a Jones too! But not related to us! Apparently she has a huge aversion / phobia of balloons popping. So Sam made a poster asking her to go to homecoming with him and then she had to pop the balloons to find out who asked her. Kind of cruel, huh? She got him back. The next day her friend called and we arranged to get Sam out of the house so Lexi could come leave something for him. When Sam got home this is what he found.

Yes, cute poster, but that is 2 bags of peanuts spread all over his bed. Or should I say dumped out on his bed. Along with all the salt and dust that was in those bags! I thought it was funny.

Next on my list of fun things to add to my blog is this!

Dan and I went to Joann's to get fabric and I bought him a set of paint. We went home and got out the butcher paper so he could paint, but of course not without Indy's help! Dan actually kept yelling for me to come get Indy! But I thought it was cute, so instead I grabbed the camera! Grizzy wanted to know what was going on so she came to check it out also. Well, that and the fact that she's a freak and licks plastic bags, so the temptation of the huge plastic bag that I keep the butcher paper wrapped in was to big to resist. This was taken after she finished taste testing the plastic.

I promise I have more to tell you after this weekend. I've had an idea for blog post for awhile but can't add it until after the weekend. I'm sure you will all be sitting with great anticipation waiting for Monday morning!

I've created a MONSTER!"

2008-09-18T21:49:00.001-07:00

It's all my fault! Yes I admit it. Dan was driving me crazy yesterday and I desperately needed to find him a distraction. Oh fool that I am I sat him down at the kids computer and pulled up the nickelodian games online! I'm trying to teach him that it has limits, much like TV. No, you can't sit in front of it all the time. Ok, just because your mommy does... Do as I say not as I do!

Look at him. Slack jawed, computer gaming, in the zone.

Celebrity crushes

2008-09-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Ok, so after making my mosaic (see below) I was talking with one of my clients about it. When I came to the question of whose your celebrity crush I sat here trying to think of who is hot. Lets face it, I'm in love with my husband! Well Maria and I sat and talked celebrities last night, and I have to admit, I came up with a few! I'm sure that my girls are going to look at my list and go yuck! After all, they're all OLD! Well lets face it, so am I! All of these celebrities are from my youth. I can remember in which movie it was that I saw them and said "Hubba hubba!"

Judd Nelson, The Breakfast Club.

Nicholas Cage, Valley Girl.

Robert Downey Junior, Weird Science

John Travolta, Welcome Back Cotter and of course Grease!

When I was teenager my room was covered in posters! Who was hanging on my walls you ask? Not a single movie star! Musicians!

Neil Schon from Journey.

Oh and my most favorite! (at that time) Adam Ant!

Couldn't get a good 80's pic of Neil Schon by himself, so here he is with Steve Perry.

My Mosaic

2008-09-13T19:20:00.000-07:00

I saw this on my friend Erin's blog, and thought this was too cool not to do myself!

1. susanne forestieri's "film noir", 2. Chipotle's for Lunch, 3. Glendale Cove, Knight Inlet,

4. Periwinkle, 5. Ben Bratt (California-Santa Barbara 1984), 6. coke.jpg, 7. City of lights,

8. candy pop land, 9. Persistence, 10. bless from above, 11. Yellow is tenacious, 12. Queens Garden

To make your own:a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.b. Using only the first page, pick an image.c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The questions:

1. What is your first name?

2. What is your favorite food?

3. What high school did you go to?

4. What is your favorite color?

5. Who is your celebrity crush?

6. Favorite drink?

7. Dream vacation?

8. Favorite dessert?

9. What you want to be when you grow up?

10. What do you love most in life?

11. One Word to describe you.

12. Your flickr name (or your blog name or handle or whatever)

Now it's your turn!

Random thoughts

2008-09-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

I went through a spell for awhile where every time I was on the road someone would pull out in front of me! I know, we live in a big world, lots of drivers on the the roads. But I'm telling you this wasn't just the isolated, random, bad drivers that we all run in to on occasion. We're talking not even being able to get out of my neighborhood without some bozo pulling right out in front of me. I used to get really ticked about this and would voice my opinion about said bozo out loud. I wondered if it was my black mini van that I used to drive. Maybe my van was simply invisible to them? Then one night I took Jim's truck to the store (headlights on!) and some guy pulled right out in front of me! At that moment I had an epiphany! It doesn't matter what I drive! I must be a SUPER HERO! My super power must be that I am invisible! Just like Wonder Woman when she was flying in her plane. Now when someone pulls out in front of me, even though I'm not happy, I try to remind myself of how special I am. I say "See, I'm a super hero! I'm invisible." Last night my mind was wandering...I know shouldn't let it out on it's own, and was thinking about this subject. If you could have any super hero power, what would it be? Myself, I want to be able to fly! Like Superman! Now it's your turn. What power do you secretly wish you possessed?

My latest project

2008-09-09T09:29:00.000-07:00

Linda, one of my closest friends, just became a grandma! Yes, she's my age....oh my gosh! Her daughter Brittany delivered a beautiful, baby boy last Tuesday afternoon. They held the baby shower quite some time ago, figuring that she would either end up on bed rest or delivering early. I had the best of intentions (you know what they say about those, path to hell pathed with them) of making her a quilt for the baby. They chose great colors for a nursery, red, white, and black! Slacker that I am I presented Brittany with a box of fabric at her shower, and picture of the quilt pattern that I intended to use. I knew I had plenty of time to come up with a finished quilt! Oh, did I ever tell you about what a great procrastinator I am? I believe this is also one of my many talents that I inherited from my parents. The day after the baby arrived I found myself running to the quilt store (yes there are actually stores just for quilters!) and buying the last of the fabrics I needed. Thankfully the pattern I used is actually very easy. I know it doesn't look like it, but strip quilting is a snap. The pattern comes from Eleanor Burns book, "Quick Trip Quilts". They are quilt in a day quilt tops. Yes you really can make these quilt tops in one day!

I ended up "machine tying" the quilt, and also did a pieced binding.

Here's a nice little close up of the binding!

Whenever I make a quilt I always have some sort of battle with the cat! When I layer the quilt I try to make sure the cat is sleeping. However, it never fails, the moment I lay out the bottom fabric he comes running to "hide" underneath it. I gave him the extra piece of fleece that I used to back the quilt with.

See how he "hides"!

Usually he'll leave me alone after this. Not this time. Indy (short for Indiana...get it Indiana Jones) decided I needed his help sewing as well!

Indy is a Bengal. I rescued him from the pound in January. He is a very solid cat weighing 14lbs! Believe me, it's all muscle!

Despite his help I finally managed to finish and was able to take the quilt and drop it off yesterday. See, procrastination really does pay! While they checked out the quilt, I got a chance to snuggle the new baby! So little and soft, only 6lbs.
If you look closely at this last pic you'll see Indy's paw on the top. When I layed the quilt out one last time to take a photo, there he was again! Still, It turned out quite nice! Don't you think?

No cats!

2008-09-08T13:19:00.000-07:00

Dan is a funny little boy. for some strange reason he likes to get Kacie's cat Grizzy whenever he he neeeds to use the bathroom. He will go and find her, pick her up, and take her in to be with him. (He's four....who can possibly understand the things a four year old does?) Last night after coming out of the bathroom he told Kacie that he was going to draw a picture of a cat with a line through it, and that he wanted her to hang it on the bathroom door. It means no cats allowed in the bathroom!

Ice Cream

2008-09-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

I am what you may call an ice cream connoisseur. This talent is hereditary and was lovingly passed on to myself and each of my sisters from our father. Now I know what your thinking, most men eat with a corduroy fork. No taste, am I right? Not so my father. He knows which brands of ice cream are the best ones out there. There was none of that crappy store brand ice cream in our house when we were growing up! (In all fairness I must add that today there are actually some store brands that figured out how to finally make "good" ice cream. They just couldn't do it when I was a kid.) Oh, and there was always ice cream in our freezer. My parents would come home from grocery shopping and my sisters and I would all make our way outside to help bring in the grocery bags. (Remember when all your groceries came home in big paper bags?) While making the trek into the house someone would inevitably feel that the bottom of their bag was deliciously cold. mmmm... This is the point where you would excitedly call out "I hit the jackpot!" Thereby informing everyone else that you had found the ice cream. Ah the memories... However, a family favorite was always the trips to Baskin Robbins! We loved (still love?) that place. Dad would come in and tell everyone to go get in the car. When questioned as to why or where we were going, because you know children never do what they are told without a legitimate reason or explanation, he would simply say "I'm taking you on a one way ride." You might assume that a one way ride is a trip out to the desert blindfolded, where you are dropped off and left to find your way home. Assuming this you would then think that my sisters and I were all crazy, because we would, rather enthusiastically, run to get in the car. That's because when Dad said the words "one way ride" it always meant Baskin Robbins. See, we were well trained. It was rather like Pavlov's dog drooling at the sound of a bell!
I suppose you're wondering why I've written this rather long, rambling information about my childhood. It was simply to tell you about last night. Jim (oh that's my cute hubby) and I went with our friends Garrin and Stacy to get an ice cream at Baskin Robbins. Let me tell you, getting ice cream with Garrin is an adventure in itself. It easily took him 10 minutes to figure out what he wanted. He asked all kinds of questions and in the end concocted a shake of his own creation! Over the years (and years, and years) of eating at BR I've learned what I like and have become a creature of habit. Occasionally I'll really splurge and get a sundae, or when it's on sale I like to take home a couple of prepacked quarts. However, 99% of the time I get a two scoop sugar cone, with mint chip on the bottom and pralines and cream on the top. Sadly, last night, I learned that my revered BR has changed. Oh the horror! The disappointment! The ice cream is different! Gone is the rich, creamy ice cream of the past! What I had last night was a more crumbly, ice milk type of ice cream. Those of you who are also ice cream connoisseurs out there (my family) will understand what I'm describing.
Has the economic crisis that has currently besieged the US affected Baskin Robbins? Are they cutting production costs by lowering the quality of their ingredients? Are they simply concerned for the health and weight management of it's customers, and so have switched ingredients to the more healthy, lower fat, milk instead of cream? I implore them, CHANGE IT BACK!

First day of preschool!

2008-09-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

Today Daniel started preschool! Just to give you an overview....My children's ages are 19, 17, 14, and 4! An even better perspective of this is, I have a one in college, one is a high school senior, and one is a high school freshman. Our poor little surprise addition is just a bit spoiled, to put it mildly. He got to bed late last night, so was very tired this morning and didn't want to get out of bed. After some theatrics he was finally up and watching Noggin. He carried on for awhile telling me he didn't want to go to preschool. So I did what any good mom would do to get him out the door. I LIED! I told him he was going to play with friends. That seemed like a great idea to him! We got ready, took some cute photos, and out we went. He figured out my ruse rather quickly. He may be small, but he's very smart! I had to actually carry him up the stairs, and left him with the teacher, crying and screaming! Am I a mean mom or what? Dan survived. Not only that but he actually had a great time and says he want to go back on Friday. We'll see....

Origins

2008-09-02T22:52:00.000-07:00

I've known the origins of this cliche for years, thanks to my mother presenting me with a framed image to hang in my home. Thought the rest of you might like to know where this saying originated.

Don Markstien's Toonpedia had one of the best overviews.

http://www.toonopedia.com/joneses.htm

The Joneses are perhaps the only characters in the annals of newspaper comics whose name is part of the title of a strip, but who have never actually appeared in a newspaper. The stars of the Jones strip were the McGinises (husband Aloysius, wife Clarice, daughter Julie, housemaid Belladonna). They were the ones trying to keep up.
The McGinis family's struggle was chronicled by cartoonist Arthur R. "Pop" Momand in Joseph Pulitzer's paper, The New York World. Most sources give 1916 as the year it began, but there are strips in collections dated as early as April 1, 1913 (a Tuesday, so that isn't the day it actually began). Its focus wasn't as narrow as the title implied.It's just that their neighbors, the Joneses, were referred to from time to time, usually as objects of envy, and even this became less prevalent in the strip's later days.

I'm a blogger

2008-09-02T14:25:00.002-07:00

It's a official! I've finally joined ranks with all you other "bloggers" out there. I'm not sure how exciting my life is compared to some, but I'll try and at least occasionally entertain the masses. With four children, two cats, a husband and my own business, surely there must be some entertainment value in my life. ?