Kids Say the Darndest Things - September '10 Edition

Taken from the sidebar...

We were driving around a neighborhood and we saw a house that had just HALF a Utah UTES logo on their garage door. Many of us were commenting on it...

"Did it get stuck in the panels of their garage door?"
"Probably a BYU fan came and ripped it off!"
"It was shipped in two pieces, and they haven't got around to putting up the other half."
"It's against the HOA by-laws and their psycho neighbors got mad about it."
Etc., etc.
Haylee: "Maybe they only kind of like the UTES!" 9/10


Katelyn was going through one of my old purses and found a tampon in a pocket...

Katelyn: "What's this?"
Me: "A tampon."
Katelyn: "What's a tampon?"
Me: "Oh, it's just something for girls."
(I was planning on that being the end of the conversation. Not with Katelyn!)
Katelyn: "Why do girls need it?"
Me: "To help with the blood."
Katelyn: (holding up the tampon) "THIS...helps with blood? How?"
Me: "It's made of cotton and can soak up the blood."
Katelyn: (thinking) "Remember when Madi fell down on the way to school the other day?"
Me: "Yeah."
Katelyn: (displaying the tampon like in a commercial) "You should bring that on our walks - just in case somebody bleeds!" 9/10


On my anniversary, we got our our wedding pictures and Katelyn was looking at them...

Katelyn: "Where did you get your dress?"
Me: "I borrowed it from Aunt Kristen."
Katelyn: "Who am I going to borrow mine from?"
Me: "Oh, we'll probably go to the wedding dress store for you."
Katelyn: "Why didn't YOU go to the store and buy one?"
Me: "Cuz they cost too much money."
Katelyn: "Good thing Haylee has a lot of money!" 9/10

Why My Husband is Awesome - Reason #257

I came across a quote by Mark Twain: "Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter." Clearly, Mark is a male and didn't experience some of these "aging issues" (i.e. discoloration of face/skin, lumpy, bumpy figures, incontinence, menopause symptoms while still full-on menstruating) that females do -- because it matters to me.

And that's probably why I've taken two weeks to write about my entering into the 5th decade of my life -- The BIG 40!!

As much as I dreaded this birthday - I literally got a nauseous feeling the night before when I thought, This is my last moment [being a 30-something] - if I would've ignored it, if there would've been nothing special happen or no celebrating, then I would've been even more depressed.

Knowing this, my husband took the day off work. The only thing he told me was that he was going to take me to breakfast somewhere (the exact place was kept quiet). He said that some of the other things that were going to happen that day, he wasn't going to let me in on.

Earlier this year, I had read in the newspaper the People's Choice Awards for restaurants in our area. Back then, I shared with Matt the "winners" in the various categories and expressed my desire to try them out sometime. Ruth's Diner, a restaurant I had never patronized, won the award for "Best Breakfast Place," so that was on my "wish list" of places to go one day. Matt must've tucked that piece of info away in his "Ways-to-please-my-wife" section of his brain, because that's where he took me on my birthday for breakfast. He also arranged to have someone take care of Miss B. I've been told Ruth's Diner was also featured on Diners, Drive Ins, and Dives (not that I know anything about that show since we don't have any cable channels) so it's worth the trip.

It's patio dining in the mountains up Emigration Canyon.

Make sure to try their "Mile High biscuits." I had one with my meal and another one for "dessert" - and I'm not a "biscuit person." And, yes, a person CAN have dessert with breakfast on their birthday! :)

{This is so typical...Look at our plates - Matt's practically done with his food, where I've barely begun. This is attributed to a couple of things: 1) Matt grew up in a family of 6 boys and only a certain amount of food to go around - he learned if you wanted to get satisfied, you ate FAST and hoped to beat everyone else to the "seconds," if there were any and 2) I talk much more than he does.}


As a side note...see that couple behind us? They rode their bikes UP the Canyon to have breakfast - That'd be hard! And then they were going to ride them back down afterwards.

When we got back to the car, Matt gave me a little gift bag. He said it was the next portion of my day. It had a gift card in it to one of my favorite places to shop. He gave me strict instructions to only buy things for ME - NOT for our children! He dropped me off at Kohl's and then he took care of picking up the little kids, taking them to and fro lessons, and getting the big kids after school. Meanwhile I shopped in peace (but could hear other "frustrated" moms in the dressing room next to me pleading with their kids to "stop touching that," "don't open the door," "get off the floor," "quit crying" etc.) I spent the entire gift card amount. And I only stopped once to LOOK at a toddler girls dress rack momentarily. And then I called my "chauffeur" to come pick me up.

When the kids all got home from school, we opened my presents. Matt continued our "Junk Box" tradition and included that in my loot. My kids are very envious. Matt wants to make sure I hide it, or else "Not Me" might confiscate it all. The only problem is - I started a new "Healthy Habits" Challenge the day before my birthday which limits my "junk food" consumption. :(

The family went out to Robintino's for an early dinner. Matt told me we (just he & I) had to leave somewhere by 6:45PM, so we needed to eat early.

I started to wonder what we were going to do and came up with different scenarios in my mind about our evening out. I had come to some pretty good conclusions, I thought I had it figured out.

So, imagine my surprise when Matt turned onto his parents street. They are on a mission now, so their house is vacant. I first thought he just had to go get something there, but then he pulled into the driveway, he turned off the car and said, "We're here!" Of course, I wondered WHY IN THE HECK are we going to spend my 40th birthday at his parents' house!? I started to brainstorm. They have a theatre room downstairs, so I wondered if Matt just planned on using it to watch a movie. That is fine and all -- on a normal, regular day...but for my birthday?!? Then I thought that maybe he had remembered (and tucked away in that certain section of his brain) me complaining that I didn't even want to take a bath in our jetted tub at home anymore since it's in the boys' bathroom and I don't trust how well they clean it...was he bringing me to his parents' house to take a bath in their jetted tub which should be cleaner than ours? Again, I thought that was kind of a LAME activity for my 40th birthday. But, luckily (for both of us) neither of my assumptions were correct!

When we went in the house, it was all decorated with balloons and streamers and a "Suzanne Shrine." He had used their house so he could get it all ready in secret!

He was throwing a Surprise Party for me!

And it was a REAL surprise, too. I had NO IDEA. It wasn't even on my radar. I didn't expect it at all! I didn't know he even knew how to plan a party. Seriously - he'd never done one before in his whole life. How about that? After 16 years of marriage, I'm learning something new about my husband!

And because he knows I don't like birthday cake, he enlisted the services of Dick's Bakery to take care of that. Five dozen EACH of their mint brownies and eclairs! Yummmmm. (I took a "freebie" on my "Healthy Habits Challenge" that day.)

Since it was "Open House" style and Matt had to open the house, we were the first ones to arrive. Put that together with the fact that I still wasn't convinced that him planning a surprise party was a possibility, so at first, I wondered if this party was "private" - just for him & I - again I thought THAT was kind of weird....but imagine my delight when other guests started showing up! Including my brother & sister-in-law and nephew all the way from HAWAII!! (J/K - they came into town for something else, but happened to be able to come to this, too!)

The biggest surprise, though, was when the doorbell rang and in walked two of my old college roommates, Hillary & Shannon - all the way from Lindon and Pleasant Grove! Both of whom I haven't seen in probably 9+ years - so, not since I was a "young pup!" I didn't even know their phone numbers or emails, so I couldn't believe how Matt had found them. I kept asking him again and again. The wonders of Facebook, he told me! (Not that I know anything about that, either, since I don't have a FB account!) It was so, so fun to catch up with them.

My birthday actually fell on a Tuesday, which might not be the best day for people to attend (Fall sports and such?) but Matt wanted to do it on the REAL day, so I wouldn't feel like nothing happened. By Matt's request, some of those who couldn't attend sent emails to Matt (a private one I had no access to) with memories and/or praise and birthday wishes for me that he shared with me later. It was very nice of everyone to come or correspond!

I told Matt he had totally EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS that day. Which, of course, he was glad about. (He better watch out though, because now that I know he's capable....my expectations are going to change!! :) )

The celebrating wasn't limited to just that day, though. I milked it for the whole week! My girlfriends and I went out to breakfast one day. I went to lunch with a couple of my SILs another day. We went out with another couple for a "double celebration" (I share a b-day with the wife) on the weekend. And then we got together with my siblings/spouses for one of Rick's Smokin' Grill events, The Stuffed Salmon & Steak dinner...

It turned out to be a great week!

Now, I should just buy stock in the Depends undergarments company, I guess.

Out of the Mouth of Babes

When my children start to talk, it has sometimes been funny, sometimes impressive, most definitely difficult-to-interpret at times, often obnoxious, and very interesting to hear what their first word was (besides the standard "Mama" & "Dada") -- "Uh Oh" (Ryan), "Bye-Bye" (Kyle), "Hi" (Haylee), "Dog" (Katelyn), "Whoa" (Miss B).

But, with Miss B, her talking has also been shocking!
Shocking because she says things I don't think she should know! She's only a 2 year old for crying out loud! WHERE IS THE INNOCENCE?!!?

For example:
I see her sticking her finger up her nose, digging around, pulling it out, examining it, and if nothing was "found," she sticks it back up there hoping for greater "success" next time. This is all very normal, I've learned - they find a hole and they just can't leave it alone! Better their nose than an electrical socket or the sink disposal, I say!
But, what isn't normal is the next part.

Me: "B, Take your finger out of your nose!"
B: "Me got BOOGER!"
Me: "What?!?"
B: "BOOGER stuck up there!"

Since when did babies know what boogers are and can slip it into their conversations so casually?!?


Example #2
At any given time in a family, someone can interrupt the silence (Yeah, right, who am I kidding? What silence?) with....what's your jargon for it? Toot, break wind, pass gas, let a stinker, relieve yourself, SBD, rip a big one? You get the picture...
On occasion, that "someone" is Miss B. And she gladly fesses up to it!
B: "Me!"
Me: "What was THAT?"
She OWNS her bodily functions!
B: "FART!" (belly laughs and pats on her bum)
And she offers her listeners a description of the event...
B: "Baby FART!" "Daddy FART!" - whichever fits the bill.

Again, isn't she too young to know this? And WHY does she talk about it with glee?

I think the answer is that she is the little sister to 14, 10, 8, & 5 yr. old siblings - and she idolizes and mimics them in every way.

Which made this next episode so disturbing for me!
Her sister was bothering/tormenting Miss B one day, so a lot of screaming/protesting noise ensued. THAT PART was normal, but....
Then I heard Miss B start saying/crying, "I HATE YOU. I HATE YOU." Over and over. When I figured out that's what she was saying for sure, I was horrified!
So, after I took a double take, I gasped. I choked. I pushed my jaw back closed with my hand. I held back the tears, and then I turned to her sister, and said in not exactly the softest, gentlest voice, "How does she know how to say that?" "How does she know how to use it in the correct context?" "Who did she learn that from?" "She shouldn't know that!"
Of course, then there was plenty of accusations and finger pointing among all the siblings claiming to have witnessed everyone else saying those terrible words at one time or another.

**I will add here that if I hear those words out of anyone's mouth, everyone knows the "Tabasco treatment" is given to the offender immediately! I haven't had to do it much at all. I've sent that strong of a message. I will not tolerate it. But, apparently, behind my back and out of my ear shot - it's a different ball game. :(

After this episode, I thought, We have failed! We've ruined our innocent little girl. AND everyone hates each other? Is this a sign that our family is falling apart?

But, I also did not miss the look of panic/realization on her sister's face by witnessing a "baby" saying those words in probably the exact fashion that the others have said them in the past. It seems she now feels her responsibility of "Big Sister" even more than before. She finally believes what I said all those times about her being an example.

IMHO, babies (how long can I call her a "baby?") should only be talking about bunnies and puppies and rainbows and flowers and school buses and airplanes and cookies and dollys and Grandmas & Grandpas and bottles (she's my youngest, OK? She can have it until she goes to college -- well, maybe Jr. High) and blankies and Jesus and teddy bears and dresses and butterflies and hearts and Nursery and balls and swings!!!! Don't you agree?!?

Let's just hope for no more SHOCKERS from my baby. I just cain't take it!

Old Kid on the Block

I first noticed it on the first day of school at Kindergarten orientation.

This is my 10th year I've been at our elementary school, and during that time I've gotten to know or at least recognize a lot of the parents. If I don't know their "real name," I at least know that they are "Felicia's mom" or "Dylan's dad" or "The lady who does the silent auction baskets."

Well, as I stood there in my daughter's future Kindergarten classroom, I looked around the room and I had the thought, "

"Who are these people?" "And Where did they come from?"

Seriously. I only knew one other person in the whole room - and it's not because she's been around our school for the past 10 years like I have, it's because she lives down the street from me.
This was so weird to me. Usually on the first day of school, I see so many familiar faces, all of "OUR" school's parents. I wondered,

"Did everyone move away?" "And all new people moved in?"

It started to make more sense to me as the teacher began her presentation...
When the school website was mentioned, there were many who questioned WHAT that was.
When the teacher said we'd do the after school pick up procedure the same as always, so many people didn't know what the "usual" was.
When someone asked what they could donate to the class, the teacher told them the list was sent home with the students at the end of last year. To which many replied they had no idea what "list" was being spoken of.
When the PTA President visited and told us all their info was in the folders the school gives to each family, there were blank looks all around me, followed by some complaints that they hadn't received one. The teacher explained that the oldest child in a family is the one who receives the folder in behalf of the family and that there were some on her back table if they wanted to take a look for theirs.

I was confused why there were so many questions going around(?) (?) (?)
Of course, I already knew all this - I've been through this 10 times already. I already had possession of the folder that my 6th Grader had given me. But, all those other parents looked at the back table - and I was surprised at how many folders were there.

And then it dawned on me.

Their kindergartners are their FIRST child. They've never attended our school before - no wonder why I don't know/recognize them! And here I am with my FOURTH child going into kindergarten.

That made me feel OLD!

But, I swear, I looked just the same age as all of them! It's true - I consciously CHECKED THEM OUT!

I continued to notice the First-Child-in-Kindergarten signs when I went to pick up my daughter and her friend after school for the first time a couple of weeks later. I drove up to the school and there was NOT a close parking spot to be found. Any "seasoned" Kindergarten parent knows that even though class gets out at 11:30AM, the kids and the teacher don't manage to appear until anywhere between 11:35 - 11:38. Except for those times when they come out at 11:43. So, if you come "on time" or even early, you are W-A-I-T-I-N-G! And that's what I saw a lot of; parents waiting, and not in their cars - they were standing at the school doors. Pacing. Looking at their watches. Peering through the front windows. Sick with worry. ;)

They were the same parents that when their kids did come out, they are going through the backpacks before they ever get to the car and talking about doing their "homework" right upon arriving home. Me, I know I'm going to get the same note from the school 3X (one from each of my elementary school students) and I don't even look in my daughter's backpack until I'm saying good-bye to her the next morning at school. Oh, you had homework? Woops! You'll have to do that sometime.

But, just to confirm my earlier observations, I checked them out again at the after-school-pick-up scene. I still think we look around the same age - REALLY!

Yep, it definitely appears we've had a "student population turnover." It's so disturbing to me to think that I may be the oldest Kindergarten parent. So, really nothing happened to all the other parents of my kids' classmates I've always seen through the years - they are just parents to BIG kids now. I guess that what happens when you keep having babies until you're 38! ;)

Maybe my view of myself is distorted, maybe I have self-image problems, maybe I'm in denial, but I'm sticking to my previous statement(s) that I don't look a day (OK, maybe a month) older than those other first time Kindergartner parents! (But, don't tell THEM I said that, it will probably make that 24 yr. old quite mad!) :)

All this realization coming on the EVE of my 40th Birthday! GULP! Eeeeeck! Waaaahhhh! Baaaaarrrrfff!

Sweet Sixteen!!

Look who got married 16 years ago today....

It is Matt & I in case you couldn't tell...I realize the blonder hair, fewer chins, whiter teeth, bronzed skin, and several pounds ago might fool you! ;) I guess that's what 5 children, 5 jobs a piece, 4 places of residence, 8 vehicles, 1 Bachelor's degree, about 20 church callings, 60 trips, 1,825 sleepless nights, and 0 pets will do to you! :)
Here we are on our 1st Anniversary. We went to the Pinecrest Bed & Breakfast Inn that year. I was already pregnant with Ryan. We've gone many places for our anniversary over the years; hotel or B & B stays in Salt Lake City, Ogden, Cache Valley, Heber City, & Park City. We've also gone on anniversary trips anywhere from Lake Powell to Las Vegas, from San Diego to New York City. On years that I've had a nursing baby, and we couldn't swing an overnighter, we went out to a nice restaurant for dinner. THIS YEAR, we're going out to dinner also, BUT my baby is 2 - and she's NOT nursing! What is wrong with this picture? It's called Fall Sports and School. Matt has to coach our daughter's soccer game tonight and has team pictures, the kids (& our "nanny" - my 18 yr. old niece) have school tomorrow and then Kyle has to be at his football game at 10:45AM Saturday morning, so that ruins staying over somewhere if we'd have to get up at the crack of dawn to come home! Matt even won a getaway to a hotel in Midway, but we'll have to wait to use it, I guess! :(

Matt & I met while attending Utah State University in a Japanese class Fall Quarter. (That dates us - we used to have quarters, not semesters in College!) We were both Returned Missionaries from Japan (Just so you know - DIFFERENT mission, DIFFERENT time - people always ask!) and were taking an upper level class that was full of RM's from Japan - ALL boys except for me! :) Even though Matt had been home from his mission for OVER A YEAR, he did not take this class until '93 when I got home and I also enrolled. You see destiny working here? hahaha. He had to meet me! :)

Let me backtrack a little. That year was my Senior year in College, so I was starting to think about REAL jobs post-graduation. I was visiting the Career Center on Campus on a regular basis checking out the job opportunities and met a Career Counselor who got to know me and she started to keep her eye out for possible jobs for me. She gave me a lot of different references in my field - and they were all over the United States and even some International ones. It was exciting to think of all the different possibilities in the work force and places to live. I was free to go wherever, after all, since I was single and had no obligations anywhere. Out living on my own, earning an REAL income - one could daydream about that for hours! ;)

But, I DID want to marry one day, too. So, then I began to worry about if I would be able to meet anyone if I just took off any ol' place to work. To be specific, I needed to marry a good, LDS man and, realistically, the further away from "home" I went, the fewer LDS prospects there would be. I definitely felt less confident about being able to meet someone if I started a career out of state. But, I didn't have any prospects at that moment, either, so I didn't want to jip myself out of an awesome experience just because "something might happen." I thought it would be stupid to wait around for Mr. Right, too, who may or may not come! So, I was troubled over the subject. I went back & forth with my thinking...Should I stay or should I go now?


I did some major analyzing of my life goals and priorities. And then one day I prayed real sincerely, "Heavenly Father, I AM READY. I am now ready to meet my future husband. And after that I will make some career decisions. It is in your hands. Please show me the way."

And then I went on with my regular College Life. And you know what? I started to run into that Centerville boy in my Japanese class everywhere. Like EVERYWHERE! I'd never known or seen him before and now he was popping up all over the place! I'd be walking down the crowded corridor of the Student Center and I'd hear this, "Hey!" and I'd look and there was THAT ONE BOY smiling at me. I'd be in the Institute building and I'd feel a tap on my shoulder and I'd turn around to see HIM. I started to notice other students who were wearing a USU Soccer team shirt, and I'd think to myself, "Hey, that's the same shirt that one boy wears a lot." I saw HIM walking across "The Quad" on campus. I saw HIM studying in the Library. I was sitting in the Logan Tabernacle waiting for Stake Conference to start and I looked up into the balcony, and there HE was again! So, then, with so much exposure, one naturally starts to have THAT BOY on one's mind, "I wonder why I see him so much?" "Is he following me?" "What was his name, again?" "Too bad he's a 'Viewmont boy' though." "I give him 'bonus points' for going to S.C. on his own!" "I wonder what he's like?" "I better find out!!" "Is this Heavenly Father showing me just like I asked?" "Yes, I believe it is!"

And so I started to sit by him in Japanese class - EVERY day (it was 5 days/wk.) And we started to talk in class ("We" being used very loosely here! More like I talked, he nodded, and gave 1-3 word answers.) We did our assignments side by side. Then we started to talk after class - and walk to our next class together. On days we didn't have another class following Japanese, we'd talk out on the sidewalk, or go to the devotional over at the Institute, or get one of those yummy, big hunks of cinnamon bread at the Aggie bakery. But, he always had to "excuse himself" at lunch time, since that boy can NOT miss a meal! "I'd love to keep talking to you, but I'm hungry!" And NO gorgeous USU co-ed could stop him from eating! ;) hahaha. Eventually, we got to the point where we had lunch together sometimes - at my apartment. I lived closer to campus than he did and when his starvation started taking over his ability to think straight, he'd blurt out, "You got anything to eat at your place?" But, still no "official" dates.

Then there was that one time when my old roommate and I were out walking (for exercise) and we just happened to get super thirsty when we were right by his apartment, so, naturally, we stopped for a drink! :) He was very curious as to how I knew where he lived! I have my ways! Innovative & resourceful, I am!!

I may have also had my cousin call him one Sunday evening (my resourcefulness comes in handy at finding phone numbers, too!) since I was just curious as to what he was up to and how he'd spent his weekend. She never identified who she was, just started shootin' the breeze with him - and then after several minutes, I think it'd been too long for him to feel comfortable asking, "BTW, Who is this?" But, at least I found out he'd had a dateless weekend - YES! The next day in class though, he tells me, "I got the weirdest phone call last night...it was this girl...and we talked for a while...I have NO IDEA who it was!" And I was like, "REALLY? Yeah...that IS weird!" :)

I finally decided I'd "force" him to take me on a date. We made a little wager on a Japanese test. The deal was whoever got the higher score, took the other one out to dinner. Of course, there was NO WAY I was going to get a less-than-perfect score on this test! I studied and studied and studied. I knew the kanji forward and backwards. Test day came, I knew every answer - and I felt good about my performance. I could smell our first date!! And then we got our tests back the next day. I got 100! Yes! He asks what I got. I ask him what he got. He tells me to go first. I tell him to show me his. He does. He got a flippin' 105! He did some sort of extra credit something or other. You've got to be kidding me! With a smirk on his face, he asks where I'm taking him to dinner. I was miffed. I demanded a recount! :) He laughed and told me he'd "release" me from our deal - since I did get a perfect score, I didn't have to take him to dinner. But....wh...wha...what...what about our date?

We went about spending quite a bit of time together, but never "dating." One of the Elders from my mission happened to live right next door to me and he was my good friend, too. One day I asked him for "boy advise." He knew about Matt & my situation, and he assured me that if I wanted it to go any further, that I would have to tell Matt that I liked him - and wanted to date him. My friend said that guys don't always know these things. He was sure that Matt probably thought that he was just another one of my friends since I was very social & friendly to a lot of people and I hung out and talked to guys all the time. He promised me that it would turn out well - that any guy would be flattered to have me say that to him. (See - he was a good friend!) In his opinion, THAT is what is was going to take.

So, equipped with the confidence my guy friend had given me, I started up a I-like-you-and-want-to-date-you conversation with Matt one evening when he was at my apartment. I was totally prepared for his Oh!-I-like-you-too-how-about-a-date-tomorrow-night response that my friend had led me to believe would happen.


Not so.


Instead, he paused for WAY TOO LONG. (I know now that he ALWAYS pauses after questions because he's thinking, but back then I didn't know this!) Then he hemmed and hawed for a minute before he started to talk in real words.
Oh no.
I was so wanting to recall my previous confession statement.
He finally started by saying, "Well, let me tell you about my situation..."
And then he proceeded to tell me about no fewer than 10 girls who were from his past and he still had a "thing" for, who were in his "hopeful dating pool," who he'd gotten "rain checks" from, who were due to come home from her mission in the next 6 months, etc. etc.
I. WAS. MORTIFIED.
Can you say humiliating? Can you say ZERO social etiquette? (He now admits this and cringes at the memory!) I had NOT expected THAT! Can I please push rewind? What happened to what my guy friend had told me?

Feeling as stupid as can be, I used every last bit of pride, raised my head up, looked him in the eye and declared, "You GO AHEAD and date all those other girls, BUT LET ME TELL YOU ONE THING; once you start dating me, YOU WON'T WANT TO date ANYONE else!"
And he replied with a "Hhmmm...OK."


And you know what? From that day forward he never did date anyone else but me!

And 10 months later we were walking hand in hand out of the Logan Temple following our marriage ceremony....

I said it that day back on 9~9~94 and I still agree, "It was the Happiest Day of my Life!"

And you know what's so ironic about that statement? A ton of things went totally wrong! I could NOT find my only set of car keys for the longest time to drive up to Logan to get married (they were in my brother's pants pocket - WHY? I don't know.) I had a sleepless night the night before. My dad got a speeding ticket on the way up (the I'm-on-my-way-to-my-daughter's-wedding excuse didn't work!) They were having a super, crazy busy wedding day that day in the temple and there weren't any attendants to help me. After the ceremony, we couldn't find my dad - come to find out, he was sick and laying down in the car and throwing up. The wind was blowing so hard - my veil is either coming off or standing straight up in some pics. We left the temple without our marriage certificate and had to go back for it. My brother who was speaking at our Wedding Breakfast had to make a detour and was late. When I got to my parents' house for the reception (it was in their yard) NO ONE was there and NOTHING was set up! This was back in the day before cell phones, so we could only wonder.... Matt & I started to set up and move all this stuff and got all sweaty - and then my photographer showed up and I was in my shorts and a T-shirt and all disheveled. I did a quick change and didn't feel sufficiently "ready" at all! - NOT what a bride wants on her Wedding Day, GOODBYE to any dreams of looking like a princess that one day in your life! And then I went out to get my pictures taken in that state. My family did finally come home - their car had broken down on the way home from Logan and they'd been in the shop all afternoon! The bakery failed to deliver the cake and when we called, they didn't have a driver, so my mom's friend had to go pick it up and balance it in the car. The wedding decoraters were a "no show" and had to be called, too - they were "running behind" from another event. My dad, still sick, about dropped the T.V. when he stumbled down our stairs while carrying it outside to show our wedding video. We were missing family members for the family pictures. The guests started to come and we were still being photographed, etc. etc. (Remember how I've always said Murphy's Law rules my life?!?)

It is amazing to me that even with all the "disasters" I was happy! Really, really happy. It was like magic! I wish I could be more like that all the time!


So, back to TODAY...

Happy Anniversary, Matt! Kokoro kara ai shiteru!!!

It's Spelled Just Like it Sounds

My maiden name has always been a hard one for people to get. It is Fowers. (I can already hear all the questions. How do you say that? What is it again?) We finally came up with the helpful cue, "Flowers without the 'L'" to help all the confused people out there. Sometimes it worked, but it still got botched plenty.

I remember thinking when I was growing up, When I get married, I won't have this problem anymore. I can get a different last name that people will finally get! No more misspellings or mispronounciations.

Fast Forward to 1994 when I chose to marry Matt Brenchley and took upon his name.

So much for my "last name woes" coming to an end when I got married. Wasn't I kidding myself with those thoughts in my youth! :)

The joke's on me!

The most common mistake people make is leaving out the "e" and ending it with just "ly" (Brenchly). (My own mother included here!)
A close second has to be leaving out the "r" (Benchley).

I can't ever just say the name and have others understand - on the first attempt. I can't even just give them assistance on the first letter....It's come to this:
B as in Bravo
R as in Romeo
E as in Echo
N as in November
C as in Charlie
H as in Hotel
L as in Lima
E as in Echo, again
Y as in Yankee
(You can tell I work in the airline industry and sound off in "Pilot talk.")

After receiving so many different pieces of mail and seeing our name printed on programs, newspapers, rolls, schedules, reservation lists, etc., we've seen a lot of interesting interpretaions of the last name.

Things like:

Brenckley
Brinkley - I'm sure this stems from my uncanny resemblance to the supermodel, Christie Brinkley. hahahaha
Brendily
Brinchly
Bremghley
Benchly
Drenchley
Ditchly - good thing they don't get the "B" correct on this spelling!
Breckley
Breechley
Benchie
Brenchlee
Binchley
Brenchy
Birchley
Bentley - although the males in my family wouldn't mind having one of these vehicles! (Or being the heir of the CEO.)
Brembhley
Branchly
Brenchlew
Brenchaui

I just always have to shake my head and say, "REALLY? Is it THAT hard?"

Apparently so.

(You should've seen what happened when I did the SPELL CHECK on this post!! I think I might have crashed Blogger.)