Spring Break day 2

Lots of pictures. We took the kids to Godfather's Pizza Buffet, that was interesting, as apparently pepperoni and cheese pizzas were not something they thought to have for the lunch crowd and the kids filled up on dessert pizza and cheesebread until they finally emerged with a pepperoni.
Then some old guy jumed in line first and took half of the pizza. The big boys polished off the rest. No more pizza buffet, it would have been better to just buy 2 pizzas.

Then we hit the nickel arcade, the kids love that dump. With his first nickel Grey won this Spongebob stuffed toy.

Fastest air hocky game ever. Zane won 7 to 0. That's a nickel well spent, I'd say.

I have had about all I can take with Parker's stupid pants. I love the boy dearly but enough already with the baggy butt jeans.

Nothing is cooler than winning a fake mustache. Nothing.

Afterwards Matt and I went to the temple. It was my first session in the Salt Lake Temple, it looked very different from the ones I have been at before, but they are all so beautiful. There are few things that bring me more joy than attending the temple with my wonderful husband.

Spring Break day 1

It's Spring Break and the boys are here for the first time since we moved to Utah and today we did our favorite activity.....lounged around in PJ's doing jack squat all day long.

When Matt got home we all gathered in our bedroom and watched Jim Gaffigan. Greyson has mastered "have a Coke and a smile" even if that ad campaign ended 10 years before he was born. Do you think he'd like to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony if I give him a second Coke?
Wow, lame jokes tonight.
I blame the fact that I am still traumatized from watching Twilight. I'm sorry but Edward is a human disco ball in the sunlight? That's not beautiful, that's a Hannah Montana plot.

Tomorrow Matt has the day off and we're taking the kids to Nickelcade and then going to the temple together. He's super cute, isn't he?

And my last random quip for today is that Wrigley is in love with the Guinea pigs but for a very sinister reason. He knows they are food. Too bad he had a better shot at eating Boris successfully than getting to these two babies.

Family Day

To celebrate Jane's 9th birthday we took the kids bowling and to Pie for lunch.

Gabby came with us and it was he first experience with our family. I think she had a good time- Parker said she did. Our goal was to have her feel comfortable enough around our family so she'd feel comfortable hanging out at our house and I can let them spend some time together outside of school but still keep a close eye on them.

Parker told me he has been telling her I am not one of those weird Moms who needs to be up in the face of his friends and I wasn't going to try and be her buddy and show her that I'm the "coolest mom evah" and I was a mom who allowed teenagers to be teenagers.

It was nice to hear my son describe me that way.

I'm still in shock that I'm this freaking old, but at least I grasp that I'm not 15 and don't try and pretend I'm one of my child's peers.

Emma still bowls like she did when she was 11 years old. Every muscle in her body goes into trying to get that ball the heck out of her hands. Too funny.

Grey and Roe pooped out after one game so Matt and I got some extra practice while they colored. My kids have the attention span of a gnat. I can't imagine where they get that from,lol.

After lunch we came home and did cake and ice cream. Romy was able to play Happy Birthday To You on the piano as we sang, that was pretty cool. Jane got a ton of gifts from everyone, a new shirt, some Hanna Montana hair and make up kits, a hello kitty bank, 2 DS games and a silver Nintendo DS. She's the last kid who needed one, and now birthdays can become affordable again and road trips will be easy.

When we asked what she wanted to watch for Movie Night she chose Twilight.

Matt and I sat through it,barely, Parker played with his DS and we admittedly heckled the crap out of the movie.

It isn't good to be alone, it isn't good....

So if you find someone to love you really should join.....er...paws and be together, together, together.

That's a little "My Turn on Earth" walk down memory lane for all you oldies like me. Proof that there was music before "Sons of Provo."

Guinea pigs are said to be much happier if they have a companion, and Vanessa was clearly unhappy with her move to our family, she wouldn't eat or drink and before she started needing guinea pig prozac, we went to Petco and got her a sister.

Matt chose this cutie out, her tenative name (by Matt) is Agatha Christie.

On another note, have a safe ride home today, Dad, it was good to see you yesterday even if you wre hooked up to 20 diffeent tubes and wires. How was that yummy, Utah's finest jell-o?

Introducing......

Vanessa, Romy's new best friend

Fabelhaven....FAIL

So...... I THOUGHT Zane was this total Fablehaven fan. I could have sworn he had all the books, so when I found out they were having the book release party for the 4th book locally, we surprised him with the new book and a family outing to the huge event.

When we got there Zane surprised me, letting me know he hadn't read the books and didn't give a rat's butt about them. None of the kids had read them or had plans to. Zane said he was willing to read them, but it was kind of dumb to be at the release party for book 4 when nobody had even read book one, in fact we didn't even own book one.

Greyson threw a poop fit for half of it because he couldn't see every inch of the auditorium.

I plan AWESOME family activities.

We stayed for most of it though, saw a few families we knew from the ward and endured the performance of a group called "LOL." I believe LOL stands for "Leap Off a Ledge" it was so so so painful. Then a local comedy group did a few skits. Now when I say local comedy, this means no jokes that have a hint of anything inappropriate to the extent that when one guy was mimicking a Monster truck Rally announcer, instead of saying "SUNDAY sunday SUNDAY" he made sure it was "SATURDAY saturday SATURDAY." (You know, the day we get ready for Sunday.) They did do a halfway funny skit about Stephanie Meyer rewriting "Jack and Jill" in Twlight Style. The announcer was a guy Matt knew from BYU and they later reconnected on facebook. Maybe Bob will join Matt's Mafia. Then Shannon Hale told a few jokes about the Fablehaven author and he came on. That was about all we could handle, so we skipped whatever he did and did not stay to wait in line for 2+ hours for him to sign the book none of the kids had any interest in reading.

We hit IHOP when it was over and all the kids gave me a pretty hard time about planning this big secret awesome activity that was so lame. They had a special on "all you can eat ShrimpS" and I couldn't handle the bad grammar so I corrected it:

On another note though, it did prompt Matt and I to start reading the books so we bought Volume 1 & 2 today. The "LOL" cd may be next....

Pretty Things

Thank you, UPS man for bringing my shoes. A few years ago matt got me a pair of custom Chucks for Mother's day and they are shot. I loved the slip ons but wasn't willing to drop 70 bucks on a pair of sneakers for myself this time, so I ordered these from the website. I am still craving a pair in kelly green, though.

Now if only Mother Nature would provide me with some more sunny days to wear them......Spring is trying to arrive but it's just not happening.

It's pretty, but BLEAH.

Digitals

Just a few digital layouts I did last night. The second one is too busy, but I was messing around with some of my brushes and I ran out of taste before I ran out of creative energy.

Scrapbook Expo

I went to Scrapbook USA's bi- annual expo today. I have to say my husband is a SAINT. Usually I go with Emma and Kate and I had no idea how I was going to lug my spoils around and get everything to the car without help, so Matt went with me. He sat at a table and read, I ran into Sister Roper from the ward and she and her daughter were thrilled to have a "stuff sitter" to help them out as well. I owe you one, Matt.

I went to the expo today and saw first hand what my friends and I have been speculating about for awhile. The industry peaked a few years ago and is now headed for a major slump. There was nothing new. No new companies at the expo, no new product, just the same companies that always attend this expo, selling the same lines they have for some time. I did not see one new thing.

Typically the expos are a place where local companies go to hold a big warehouse clean- out sale, and you can get a good amount of stuff for a steal. The vendor booths I consistently drop a bundle at buying their great products at a discounted rate, just didn't have the product they normally do. I was bummed to see the same stuff there was last expo, only less of it at Scenic Route, Die Cuts With a View, and Cosmo Cricket. Basic Grey was there and while there was nothing new, they did have deep discounts on paper packs and kits. I stocked up on "Blackboard" at Cosmo, but was bummed that Scenic Route only had it's letters that are a staple of my designs in baby poop yellow.

The company I use to work for, Deluxe Designs has been bought by people here in Syracuse, and I saw idea books with pictures of my kids in them and product I have a ton of and that I helped make. That was weird to see.

We ran into an old friend of Matt's from the Midvale ward, I am sure she was surprised to see him at the expo, but she was grateful to us for giving her our parking spot. The lot was full and there were dozens of cars driving around following people who were leaving just to get a spot.

Anyway I'm excited to play with all my new crap, but I'm poofed so I came home and did a digital layout.

Everything Counts in Large Amounts

Presale tickets went on sale today.
Done and Done.
I may have missed Music for the Masses back when I was 15, but I'm old now and I have a CAR and I am all over the DM concert this time.

Banana Bread

Romy helped make banana bread today, we used a new recipe, one from the cookbook Grandma Olson gave us and it was some of the best banana bread we have ever had. It had cream cheese in the recipe and it was so good. As well it should be since it was called "World's Best Banana Bread" in the book, a fact Romy made sure to point out to everyone who ate it. She was able to make her own loaves with some mini loaf pans we had and even put them in the oven by herself.

She is a natural cook and when we cook together she is like having actual help in the kitchen and not a kid saying "let me do it! let me do it!!"

Scouts today was quite the nightmare for me, I am amazed how one hour can make you wonder why God gave you ears if they were only going to be used to cause you torment and pain.

I've had some pretty serious headache medicine tonight. Better stop blogging.

Sage advice from one who knows.....

Want to feel like crap?

Well, that was traumatic for both Matt and myself.

We had to put Boris down today.

Boris has been declining in heath pretty rapidly and as a new twist had become completely incontinent. His medicine did nothing to help with his skin condition and he was struggling and suffering. He was itchy and uncomfortable all of the time. We knew he was a senior citizen when we got him and that at most we'd have a few years if his health improved. It never really did in spite of our efforts. He's lost weight recently and he never recovered from the abusive puppy mill he was raised in. He was always sweet and friendly, but always terrified of everyone, never played, never interacted and spent his time sleeping, peeing and pooping and scratching himself furiously. His quality of life was about zero. As he has deteriorated more and more Matt and I realized he was just such an old dog and he had such a hard crappy life, it was time to let him go to a place where he wouldn't hurt anymore and he wasn't afraid.

It's hard, when you are doing the right thing but it feels so crappy. Both Matt and I have been crying. He said they were very kind at the shelter and understanding and gave him a paper about the rainbow bridge for animals, but boy, it feels awful.

No more dogs. That was too hard. Bleah, I can't stop crying over that blind, deaf, toothless, tattooed, poop eating dog. I'm sorry your life was so awful Boris. You were a GOOD dog. We loved you and we will miss you.

Good Boy. Rest in Peace.

Because one boring blog post a day isn't enough.....

While I think my bowsl were pretty cool, I have to say the clocks, kick butt. Check it out-- that's right it's a Jackson 5 LP. I also made clocks out of the Grease Soundtrack and Flashdance Soundtrack.
They look even better with the smudgy fingerprints cleaned off.

Some big changes went down in Roe's life today- here she is watching video of her cousin, Jessica playing with her mommy in Haiti. I'll talk about it later when I am not so upset at people who caused my child harm and allowed, no encouraged others to hurt her. She is seven years old.

In a nutshell, I pulled her out of her school today.

Don't pinch me

Yesterday Roe and Zane and I made homemade lollipops for St. Patty's Day. The recipe was pretty easy but what a mess we made! The molds melted in the process, but they turned out so cute and I made these buckets for Roe and Grey's teachers.

And the plot thickens.....

Okay, there no plot, just thickness. Thickness in the head and in the waistline. Finishing my pancake at dinner tonight is a sue sign my lap-band is too lose if all the 100 other screaming red flags had not yet alerted me. Time to make an appointment with Doctor Close Talker.



Interesting day today, I subbed in primary with a really sweet group of 6 year olds, kids I know really well and love. They were just so sweet, I love subbing in primary. I hadn't had breakfast so I grabbed a handful of Salt Water taffy and threw it in my purse and shared it with the class, and they thought that was the coolest thing- eating candy during the whole lesson.



Afterwards we met with the Bishop, and discussed the possibility of a new calling for Matt, but he had called us in to discuss some thing he came across the other day which he felt inspired to share with me. There were some thing he wanted me to read, as I read it I started to feel sad and scared and asked Matt for a blessing, and he immediately said yes. It was a really wonderful blessing that comforted me and gave me the courage to press forward and get a message from my Father in Heaven that I have struggled to hear. Those who know me, know what we deal with and I think I am understanding what I need to do in order to have peace, in order to find happiness. There may be storms that hit hard and hurt, but today, I think I understood what my job is and how to find that peace. I cannot stop bad things from happening, I cannot stop others from hurting us, but I can find a way to shelter myself and my family in the storm and recover when it passes. I think for awhile I have been trying to stand up to the storm, spit in the wind and beat it. I think I thought that was what everyone expected me to do, and with each- constant storm, I grew more and more weary and bitter.

My job is not to save the world, my job is not to hold the forts up, my job is to endure well unto the end and live my life and enjoy the times when the storms from the adversary are not raining down on our family. And mostly-- clearly-- my job is to let go.

When did I start doubting myself to such a degree that I forgot that letting go was the answer to almost everything? I use to know that- it use to be so clear.

It's clear again.

Let go.



I am thankful to have a husband who honors his priesthood and cherishes our marriage. I am thankful to have a Bishop who cares for our family and gets inspired to help us. I am thankful for the reminder to day-- not just the reminder but the waking up of who I am. I love the cliche that things are darkest before dawn and tonight-- as I feel so close to my Father in heaven and my dear, wonderful husband and children-- I see the first rays of sunlight just over the horizon. And I feel Peace.

I also feel a retarded amount of love for this silly guy, as mentioned a nauseating amount of time today already. I love you, Matthew.
Thanks for being mine.

Ouch!!!

Romy has had three bad headaches this week, and today, while waiting for her headache medicine to kick in, she drew this picture of how she felt. Poor little sweetie girl. She didn't have any frownie face stickers so she improvised:

Tonight was the Spring Fling dance at MHS, Parker went and met up with Gabby and they had a fun time. I have to say, I dreaded when Parker was going to hit this age, but it's been really pleasant.

Gabby wore a cute yellow polka dot dress and got Parker to wear a yellow tie. Gabby has never seen him dressed up and he's never worn cologne, in spite of my telling him girls REALLY like it. I jumped him and sprayed him with AXE before the dance and Gabby was pretty vocal to him about how much she liked it. Conceding that mom does, in fact, still remember what teenage girls like, Parker asked for the cologne and I suspect the morning commute with Matt to school in the morning will smell better.

Not to worry, we still have Zane who insists that all teenage boys can and should smell like gym socks.

Friday Fill in

Just when you thought my blogging could not get any MORE boring.....I whip out another gem like today's post. Today has been a thankfully dull day. I hit the Walmarts and added these to the weekly contribution to the year supply.

I live a life the rest of the world envies.
Don't try to deny it.


I'm taking a break from my Peirs Anthony marathon and going back to a Koontz. I also HAD to get his book about Wolverine. He may not be as hip with the young whippersnappers as Twilight, but Wolverine is still cool. Long after Cedric Diggory grows facial hair, Wolverine will still be able to kick his butt.



And finally, here is the much anticipated Friday Fill in. My fill in part is in red. Or RED as the cool kids say.



Totally worth the insipid blather about pasta, right?
---




1. When I look to the left, I see Hippola, my camera, and The People magazine with the FLDS kids wearing Crocs- proving that they WILL have Crocs in Hell, so I'm good to go.
2. Shoveling the neighbor's walk while the slept was my last random act of kindness.
3. Another place that serves the same wonderful raspberry shakes as JCW's is Hires. FYI.
4. Coffee, tea or BVD's....no wait that's dumb. Okay all of these are dumb, but I'm wanting this answer to rhyme so I'll have to ignore that impulse and go with crack cocaine. Or gum. Yeah, nevermind. gum. Juicy Fruit if you have it.
5. I am glad my hubby and I are rarely on separate paths. (is it me or are some of these really hard?)
6. Our cell phone bill reminds me that there is no way a kid who does chores THAT slow can text THAT fast.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to talking to my hubby who has been burning the midnight oil at work, tomorrow my plans include finishing up and possibly delivering the Etsy stuff and sending some junk to the goodwill, and Sunday, I want to read and sleep and make something yummy!

Enough already and don't mess with my dip

Enough with the snow. I'm over it. We get a nasty blizzard, freeze for an afternoon and then are teased with 2 or three gorgeous springish days. Then another blizzard. Enough with the freaking winter, I want to work in my garden. And yes, the wind chime is duct taped to the tree. The kids have a fort up there and they also taped pillows to the floor that summer. Nails were just too much work,lol. My boys hail from Lazyland and in that land, they are kings.

Now, on to more pressing issues. Don't touch my dip. I am weird about food and at any given time I eat only one or two specific things for nearly every meal for weeks. I get stuck on a food and eat it daily until I am sick of it, then I don't touch it for a good year or more. Right now it's chips and this brand of dip. Last month it was those blasted cookies. I'm VERY health conscious,lol.
Roe also LOVES chips and dip and yesterday asked for some. I said yes, as long as she made sure to put it away like she found it. I discovered it in the firdge this morning, no lid and all dried out and nasty.
The resulting conversation went like this:
"Roe, I noticed you didn't put the lid on the dip yesterday. It's all dried out and yucky now. This is why I usually don't let you have any."
"Well the lid disTappeared."
"That's because you didn't pay attention and you didn't put it back right."
"No I swear, it was there and then I couldn't find it anywhere. Someone must have stolen it!"
"That's retarded. Only you and Grey and I were home. Do you really think I went and stole the lid and hid it?"
"No"
"Do you think Grey came into the kitchen and swiped the lid and hid it?"
"No mom."
"So what really happened?"
"I wasn't paying attention and I lost the lid. Sorry Mom. I won't do it again"
"I forgive you, just don't blame other people for the things you do,okay."

Suddenly,Greyson pipes in....

"Well, actually mom, I saw the lid in the living room and thought she was done with the dip so I threw the lid away and didn't tell anyone."

And people wonder why I swear.

Wordless Wednesday

Things I am loving today

I have a new medium- Vinyl.

Matt helped cut out the centers of some old LP's and I made these mirrors. I saw similar ones at Target for 13 bucks last week and knew I could do it for less. I am also making photo frames if I can get them to look right.
So yeah, that's just my nerdball reflection in the center of that record.
As I was searching the net for more things I could do with the bajillion records I have in this house- I came across the idea of making them into funky, retro bowls. They were super easy to make and are way cute, they can be used to hold pots for planters, hair stuff and make-up, whatever.
I love them.
I have a few more ideas I'm playing with in my head, I'm feeling annoyingly crafty. Beware.

Finally, I am still grooving on Roe's new haircut. She loves to wear overalls and she just looks like she was plucked right out of a Harper Lee novel.