There Comes a Time When you Have to Choose Between Turning the Page and Closing the Book

I've been reading a little bit over the last several months....to say the least!

I've had a lot of time sitting in airports, flying in planes, riding in cars, waiting in Dr. & therapist's offices, hanging around in hospitals, waiting for gymnastics class, and [some FUN ones] sitting by the pool and on the beach.

Thus, I've put away more books in the past months than I think I read in the last couple of years!

I got these book recommendations from others, out of the Deseret Book advertising mailer, from blogs, USA Today newspaper, emails that iBooks/Apple sends me, and the website, www.GoodReads.com.  There ended up being some good recommendations - and some not-so-good ones.  But, as a side note, that Good Reads website makes recommendations based off of other books you liked, so you have a better chance of finding another one that's right up your alley - I like it! 

My kids have to do book reports at school, so I thought I'd do one, too.

Actually, I'll just give you my ratings, starting with the highest.  (If it's 3 stars or lower, don't hold me to the quality of it at all  - I can't be responsible for a sub-par reading experience you may have!)

On my rating scale, less than perfect ratings had to do with things like language that turned me off, the author's writing style, or if it was just a slow book to get through.  I also didn't give it high(er) ratings if it's content didn't ring true to me; if I didn't agree with the opinions, values, parenting methods, or a myriad of other things that were being portrayed.  Or if it made me feel creepy and/or the ending sucked!  :)

But, YOU may have different feelings/interests, so you may like the ones I didn't, and vice versa - so that's why I'm putting them all out there. 

5 STARS = it was amazing

4 STARS = really liked it

 

3 STARS = liked it

2 STARS = it was OK

1 STAR = did not like it

Happy Reading!

Now, THIS is My Kind of Camping

About five years ago, there was a motor home that Matt's work repossessed and he got permission to "try it out" and he brought it home.
(I blogged about it back HERE)
The kids were ecstatic!!!

 {Li'l 7 yr. old Haylee}

And it was perfect timing because our ward campout was already scheduled for THAT weekend!

The kids played in it, and packed their stuff in it, in anticipation to go.

WELL, it turns out that the credit union's president's definition of "trying it out" ONLY MEANT to drive it home - and DID NOT mean we could actually take it anywhere for real camping (our definition of "trying it out.") 
OH.
So, Matt drove it back to work and the kids did not take this "misunderstanding" well.  We tented it that weekend.....And they have always wished for "what could've been" five years ago.
In fact, these old photos have been coming up on our computer's screen saver lately, and the kids are all like, "Ahhhhhhh!" whenever they see them.


Fast forward to the present day:  My good friend's mom bought a camping trailer with the hopes that her kids would USE IT - but they're not.  So, after two summers of non-use, she opened it up to a broader circle of contacts; her kids' friends - which is where we come in!  She let us use it - and her truck to pull it with - AND she WAS GRATEFUL it was getting USED!  ;)
(SOOO generous!)
So, our kids previous unfulfillment can now be filled!  :)  Better late, than never!

The weekend outing was a SUCCESS because MY kind of camping now includes:

1.  THIS....

{After a few recent years of Girls' Camp, I think a camper trailer is the only way I want to camp now!  If I have my choice!}

2.  Weather that is 'just right' - not too hot, not too cold

(And the turning leaves add a nice touch, too!)

 3. Nice big rocks that provide a place to sit down.

 4. Something to keep the kids busy, so they aren't creating [dangerous or annoying] "fun."

 Brookelle really took the hunting-for-a-leaf-at-least-as-big-as-your-palm to heart!!  ;)

5. Being close enough to a town that has famous shakes. 

 {Dairy Keen in Heber City}

6. Having full hook-ups/electricity so that the T.V./VCR worked

How much can we CHEAT at camping?!? ;)

7. Also, thanks to the full hook-ups, being able to cook everything in a "kitchen" and have all the food in a refrigerator - plus wash dishes in a sink!

8. A BED to sleep on.

9. Real cover/protection for when it rains. 

10. But, I won't ax "The Great Outdoors" altogether - the camp fire part, with the s'mores, 

and the fire's relaxing, hypnotizing affect, along with the great talks/stories 

that happen as we sit around it, is still a favorite of ours!

Thanks so much to the Williams' & Badham's!

We're Livin' Back in the 21st Century Again

About two months ago, our microwave just went ka put.

It was about the same time - give or take a couple of weeks - that our ice maker also quit working - AND our mini van broke, too.

It was official.  WE MUST HAVE A MISSIONARY GOING OUT! 
{Because the Adversary tries to get ya any way he can during the prospective missionaries final days/weeks before departure....it happened to me, too, 23 years ago - So, I already know the drill - I'm onto him!  My "challenges" were ALL problems with vehicles, though.}

But, back to the microwave.  I had JUST finished cooking something in it, and I simply opened the door to retrieve my food, and at that very instant, it just blitzed, and all the lights went out - never to work again.

It was very traumatic for my children because now they were "going to STARVE!"  Ya know, because the method of "cooking" ALL their life-sustaining food was gone!
All your basic staples like:
microwave popcorn
hot pockets
Easy Mac
Instant oatmeal
leftover pizza
nachos
corn dogs
edamame (OK, that was mine!)

Over the last little while, our fridge has filled up with 37 assorted sizes of tupperware containers because no one ate any dinner leftovers anymore - since no one knew how to re-heat it without a microwave!

We had to like melt butter on the stove!

We had to google, "Can a hot pocket be baked in the oven - and How?"

We had to boil water on the stove, then toss in a bouillon cube, and wait for it to boil some more to make broth -- it took like 8 1/2 minutes!  Oh my!

We had to use the oven to try to melt cheese on tortilla chips - and it didn't turn out the same - bummer.

You don't know how many times we went to use the microwave, stopped, only to remember; Oh yeah, we can't.  Now, what am I suppose to do?!?  So irritating!

Can you believe the "hardships" we've had to go through?!?  ;)
Bwa ha ha ha.....we're such wimps!  The pioneers did it!

But, today was a happy day when the repair man came to our home with all his handy dandy tools & Good News - the right parts had finally come in!  He took that microwave right outta the wall.......

 ........and he dissected it, and......uh, er, I'm not quite sure....he just did his repairman thang!  OR maybe (by the looks of this photo) it was out-of-this-galaxy messengers who came and "zapped" it back into working order with their rays of light.

WHATEVER it was - everyone is rejoicing!

But, we don't even have a chance to use it again right now - because we are literally leaving on a camping weekend this minute!
(At least the trailer we're camping in has a microwave!)  :)

If You Know Who the Pink Ladies and T-Birds Are.......

.......you're a girl/boy after my own heart!

I happened to check in at The Pioneer Woman's blog tonight for the first time since Summer started -- have I mentioned before that Summer really kicks my butt?!?  ;)  HERE and HERE and HERE for just a few reminders. Especially THIS ONE as I was getting a missionary ready to go?  And we went on back to back to back vacations/trips.  (unpack, wash, pay bills, pack, repeat!)

ANYWAY, so, although I love her blog, I've been a little preoccupied!  BUT ON THE DAY that I return to it, to my great delight, she is doing a movie quiz, which she does periodically, but today's was on the movie, GREASE!

Oh, I got giddy!  I could hardly start it fast enough!

You can check it out here:
 The GREASE quiz

I am pleased to announce that I DID NOT even use Google to help me with any of the questions (my 1st time ever on her movie quizzes).....AND......I was done lickity split (also, my 1st time ever!).....AND I scored a 100% on my own!

You see, when I was in my teens, "Grease" happened to be on T.V. one night, and my family recorded it on our VCR!!  We tried to remember to pause it for the commercials, but some still got recorded on the video tape, as well.  So, when we watched it in the future, we had to fast forward through those. But, I loved it!  (the movie, NOT the fast forwarding!)

In fact, I looked for ANY excuse to watch it.  WHENEVER any friend came over, I'd be like, "Hey, do ya wanna watch a movie?!!?"
And they were like, "Sure."
And I was like, "Cool."
And then I proceeded to get the GREASE video tape out and watch it myself AGAIN play it for them, and introduced them to the greatest movie ever!

In fact, when I threw a Surprise 40th birthday party for Matt, we had Karaoke there.  NORMALLY, I wouldn't do that, but they had, "Summer Nights" - so what d'ya know?  We ended up singing it together!

***What I didn't know THEN, was that the movie I repeatedly watched in my youth had been edited for T.V., and years later, I was given the real movie as a gift, and I watched it again, and I was like, "WHAT?!?"  OH MY!  I don't remember THIS!  Did they change it?  Because none of these naughty/improper/crude/irreverent parts/lines used to be in it!  Apparently, they had done a thorough editing job!

And because I had so much exposure to it, I can quote many, many of it's lines.

Sandy: Danny?
Danny: That's my name, don't wear it out.
Sandy: What's the matter with you?
Danny: What's the matter with me, baby, what's the matter with you?
Sandy: What happened to the Danny Zuko I met at the beach?
Danny: Well I do not know. Maybe there's two of us. Why don't you take out a missing person's ad? Or try the yellow pages, I don't know.
Sandy: You're a fake and a phony and I wish I never laid eyes on you!
As she throws down her cheerleader pom-poms and runs away to cry!  (I may or may not have acted out this scene a time or two - "just for fun.") 

BUT, even though, Danny was a "bad boy" and a jerk, and Sandy did start to date a "nice", athletic, (but kinda boring) boy, in the movie, I was still pulling for Sandy & Danny!  WHY?!?  'Cuz in REAL LIFE I don't want my own daughters - or my young women - to go after those types of boys.  It sucks ya in, I tell ya.  This movie had POWER over me!  ;)  haha.
Also, I could ramble off these:

“Men are rats, listen to me, they’re fleas on rats, worse than that, they’re amoebas on fleas on rats. I mean, they’re too low for even the dogs to bite. The only man a girl can depend on is her daddy.” – Frenchy

“She looks too pure to be pink!” -Rizzo

Marty: Do you think these glasses make me look smarter?
Rizzo: No, you can still see your face.

“Tell me about it, stud.” -Sandy

It was a fun quiz! Any other Grease lovers out there?  If you're a serious Grease fan (like ME!), I bet you could score a 100%, too!  (let me know your score!)

In the end, when Sandy changes for Danny (becomes an "edgy girl"), and Danny changes for Sandy (a letterman sweater-wearing, clean-cut guy), I KNOW I should've been disgusted that she gave up who she was for a guy (because my mom always fed me that message about the movie!), but I actually thought Sandy looked GREAT/HOT with her curled & teased hair, black leather outfit, & her RED SHOES (Let's be honest, I was probably 90% swayed by the RED SHOES!) and I was happy with the ending!!!  Even though, AGAIN, in real life, I don't want my own daughters or young women lowering their standards because of a boy!
 

But, again, the movie gets to ya - right to your heart!

I'll always have a great fondness for GREASE.
{But, for the edited version a little more than the real one!}

20 Years Down, An Eternity to Go

THEN:

{9/9/94}

NOW:

{9/9/14}

We've been married 20 years!

*And we haven't changed at all in the past 20 years, have we?!?*

We finally made it to The Anniversary Inn for the first time, after 20 years!

They spoiled us with warm cookies, bottled water, cheesecake, & sparkling cider in our room - and delivered breakfast the following morning...because let's face it, 20 years is cause to celebrate!

Do you notice I keep mentioning, "20 Years"??

20 Years is kind of a BIG DEAL!

I used to think 20 years was such a long time - but it hasn't really seemed that long!

(Or am I just in denial?.....because when someone has, in fact, been married 20 years, it means they're not exactly a "young pup" anymore!!)  ;)

It just so happened, that our missionary son, Ryan, was flying out to the mission field

THIS morning, and he was allowed to call us from the airport, 

so as we were nestled all snug in our bed in The Palace Suite,

the phone rang at 6:50 a.m.!

But, I didn't mind, it was GREAT to talk to him.

(I just couldn't fall back to sleep very easily afterwards.)

THAT was such a huge, important decision to make 20 years ago - it kind of freaks me out

when I consider how young people make that decision (only in their 20's!) - but, for me, it was a RIGHT & WONDERFUL one.  I am so blessed & glad that I did!

Happy [20th] Anniversary, Matt!

XOXOX

Who Would Want It?

Today, I couldn't find my phone ANYWHERE!

I looked in all the usual places.....THREE TIMES.

We tried calling it, but could never hear it.  Did that mean it was at home, but on silent?  OR that it was someplace else?

I tried to remember the last place I remember having it, and it was yesterday....but Brookelle had also dragged my purse around the volleyball court last night and rummaged through it looking for candy - had it fallen out then?

Matt looked at the time of the last text I had sent him, and it was yesterday, while I was at the girls' tumbling class....but I was pretty sure I brought it out of there with me.

So, I went about my day WITHOUT a phone and no one could get a hold of me if I was away.  Matt had to actually call our home land line to talk to me, and leave a message with one of our kids if I wasn't home.  Just like the good 'ol days!! 

I tried calling the tumbling gym a few times, but it always went to voice mail - and their mailbox was FULL, of course!

Matt offered to stop by there on his way home just to see - he'd had ENOUGH of me living in the "dark ages!"  ;)

So, he goes in and tells the lady at the front desk that his wife might have left her cell phone here yesterday, and did they pick it up?

She doesn't answer him either way, but asks suspiciously, "Can you describe it?" AS IF he were trying to pull one over on her, or something.

He replied, "Ya, it's got cracks all over it!"

 {Which describes it to a "T"}

After which she quickly produced my phone and handed it over.

Really?!?  ONLY the true owner would even care one bit about having THIS phone....even if it was laying out in plain sight, as thief bait, it probably wouldn't get taken!

FREEDOM!.....or Not?!!

The day has come.

ALL of my children are now in school for the full day.

It only took 18 1/2 years to get to this point!

THIS is a time that I have talked about for years...as if it was always in the [distant] future:
When all my children are in school, I won't have to work crazy [night] hours anymore.

When all my children are in school, I can volunteer at the school/go on field trips.

When all my children are in school, I can schedule a doctor/dentist appt. at any time of the day.

When all my children are in school, I can go to the grocery store alone.

When all my children are in school, I can go out to lunch with my girlfriends all I want.

When all my children are in school, I can get my hair done.

When all my children are in school, I can go visiting teaching without kids or without getting someone to watch my kids for me.

When all my children are in school, I can decorate, clean, do laundry, sew, organize, can, etc., etc.

When all my children are in school, I can.....basically do all my stuff!
 
When all my children are in school, I'll yell from the rooftops, "FREEDOM!"

Well, now I'm here....

And I just sent my oldest on his mission, so in addition to all my children being in school all day, I'm even down one extra kid!

A lot of people have been asking me what I'm going to do or what I am doing.

Is it exactly as I talked about all these years?!?

HA!

Not EVEN close.

Well, I DID change my work schedule to days, the first item on the above list - check.

With that, my goal is now to get to bed at a decent time, and get an appropriate number of hours of sleep each night for the first time in years.  Like go to bed right after the evening news at 10:40PM.  Or maybe 11:00PM.  OK, let's say, at least before midnight.  Do you think I can do it?  ;)

So, if I'm working during the day, and sleeping at night, that only means there's no room for any of the other items on the list I thought I'd be doing!  Why didn't I ever realize that before?!?  Did I somehow think the hours in a day would multiply, or something?

I find myself trying to cram as many things as I can into a couple of 13 minute breaks I have during each work shift and then planning a long list of things to do on my one weekday off work.

I need to get some lessons from others who work during the daytime on how to get everything done.

.....and on how to find that ever elusive FREE TIME!

This Weekend:

* Friday, Matt & I went to the Bountiful vs. Viewmont High School football game.

I'm a BHS alumni, and Matt's a VHS alumni (MAJOR RIVALS back in our day!!!)

....and our kids go to VHS (I know! SOOO embarrassing!)...

...so WHICH TEAM should we cheer for?  And WHICH SIDE should we sit on?

Well that's easy!  I gotta go with the BRAVES!  And I DID wear [the mighty] Red & Gray!  ;)

Actually, our nephew plays on the Bountiful team, and we don't have ANY

relatives playing for the Vikings, so it was a NO BRAINER!  (For me, at least!)

We ended up in the middle of the Braves fans - on the Bountiful side, even though it was played at Viewmont.

(AND the Braves got the victory!!!)  :)

* We went to Sonic Drive-In - a brand new one was built in our community! -  afterwards for one of their gazillion flavors of slush.

I think we lucked out and only got two [completely unnecessary] phone calls from home during our "date" - maybe three...? 

*Saturday, Matt, Katelyn, Brookelle, & I went to the Ogden temple open house.

(Everyone else in our family had already had a chance to go with others.)

It just so happens that my cousin & family were volunteering there at that time!

His daughter & wife were some of the ones putting the shoe cover slippers on the guests' feet before we entered.

All during the walk-through, the girls kept admiring all the PRETTY THINGS they saw everywhere!

 They brought up several questions - which I was thrilled with!  It created a special opportunity to talk & teach about the sacredness of temples.

See HERE for explanations.

 We went to the visitor's tent afterwards, too.  They were especially enthralled with the nail marks in Christ's hands & feet and the pierce mark from the spear in his side.

* I had to go out to my work in SLC for a quick meeting, so Matt drove me there, then we

found a restaurant that was nearby - and had a coupon in the Happenings book - to eat at.  

If you don't mind flies flying all around you, average food, and waiting a REALLY long

time to get your check, you should give it a try, also!  ;)  haha.

* We went to Temple Square in Salt Lake to the Paul Cardall concert.

{Matt REALLY likes his piano music - and I do, too.}

He played a few piano pieces, then would get up and speak, then play again.

He told interesting stories, jokes, & bore testimony - it was a good mix.

* It was Fast Sunday this week (due to our Stake Conference next week on the usual 1st Sunday) so

our Maddox turkey steak dinner (& sides) seemed REALLY yummy.

We also let them have slush AFTER they ate real food.

* I made cinnamon rolls since it'd been a while, and Brookelle was sad that

she had missed them at school on the day she was absent

when we all took Ryan to the MTC.  

I think we got like 3 dozen out of the recipe, so we started taking the excess around 

to our home teaching & visiting teaching families.  (Since it WAS the last day of the month anyway!  haha!)

* Monday was the holiday, so we went out for our traditional Labor Day breakfast 

at Sill's Cafe for their famous frisbee-sized scones and hash browns with S.O.S.  Yum!

{Unless you're a Celiac, like Haylee, and she has a plate full of bacon & eggs.}

* I had to work during the day, so Kyle convinced Matt & the other kids

to go up in the Farmington mountains for a hiking Encore.

{It's SO sad I had to work!  ;0  NOT.  haha!}

This time, they went on the "Hell Hole" trail.

* We went over to the Brenchley's for a BBQ and cousin play time.

* Late at night, I finished putting together a package for our missionary, then dropped it off
on our neighbor's porch - to be delivered tomorrow.
It's really convenient that he runs an [approved & licensed] Same-Day MTC delivery business -
AND he gives a "ward discount."