Desperates Marathon

This weekend we tried to play "catch up" on all the Desperate Housewives episodes we have missed since......like OCTOBER! Some of them were so old that we couldn't even access them on abc.com anymore, we had to search the Internet for them.

I lost track of how many episodes we watched after about the 8th one.....I KNOW! Why can't we STOP watching?!? So, needless to say, DH is on my brain.

And this is a synopsis of what happened: dishonesty. deception. lying. manipulating. con artist. ulterior motives. cunning. cheating. stealing. vandalism. intimidation. stalking. fraud. misleading. untrustworthy. shady character. corruption. crafty. half-truths. crooked. devious. cover ups. hidden agendas. sneaky. swindling. two-faced. mean.......

WHY do we watch this?

I also learned the real ages of the actors: "Bree" [Marcia Cross] - 49 (turns 50 in 2 weeks), "Lynette" [Felicity Huffman] - 49, "Renee" [Vanessa Williams] - 48 (turns 49 in 1 week), "Susan" [Teri Hatcher] - 47, "Gaby" [Eva Longoria] - 37. AND THEY ALL LOOK GREAT! Beautiful skin and eyes. Awesome figures - flat stomachs, lean legs, toned arms, firm buns...! Gorgeous hair. They can RUN in 6" heels...WHY do we watch this?!?

Sometime ago, I took one of those fun little quizzes on the abc T.V. website that lets you know which Desperate Housewife you are. As far as the one you were most like. Well, I tested part "Susan" and part "Lynette." I think I mostly got the "Susan" points because of all the spastic things I do and the ridiculous situations I find myself in. But, as far as the way I act (and having 5 children) I'm a "Lynette." While watching, Matt will chuckle to himself about "Lynette" because the similarities between us are sometimes uncanny, and he will say, "That's you!"
WELL, one of the [159] episodes we watched this weekend had a scene where the "girlfriends" pretty much tell "Lynette" that they didn't want to "couldn't think of anybody" to set her up on a date with because she is........(they fished around for the right words, throwing things out like "unique" and "feisty") but it came out that what they really meant was that they thought she is a B _ _ _ _! (Nice friends, huh?) And if I'm "Lynette"......WHY do we watch this????

After that scene, Matt tried to tell me that I'm not really exactly like her.....that much..... (nice backpedaling!)

But, STILL, I watch, and this is what I think should happen on the show next:
Susan should let her daughter give her baby up for adoption because that is what SHE has decided - it will be BEST for the BABY - and just stay out of it!
Bree needs to get a restraining order against [insane] Orson.
Tom & Lynette need to get back together! (If she can just be less bossy & critical and he can be more proactive, dependable, and engaged.)
Carlos needs to cut/do his hair back to the way it used to be.
Mike needs to go to the police about the "Loan Shark."
Ben needs to learn how to run/build up his construction business and start making a profit/paying his employees.
Gaby needs to get rid of that bottle of wine hidden in the toilet tank.

Because ALL OF THIS is just so gosh darn important, eh?!? :)

Matt's comment last night after we'd watch every last available episode, was this: "WHY CAN'T EVERYONE JUST HAVE A NORMAL LIFE?"

And just WHAT is normal? (Is there a "normal" family out there? If so, I don't know one!) I had to inform him that "normal" doesn't mean "perfect".

We have to ask ourselves: Is the show ALLURING to us because it's so bizarre and far-fetched that it allows us to [momentarily] lose touch with reality? OR is that we are drawn to it because we really CAN relate to the madness and ironies in our own lives?

Well, I guess we have to come up with the answer soon (or not) because this [8th] season is THE LAST SEASON of Desperate Housewives and then [sadly?] it is ending it's run.

Things I've Heard on the Job: #7

It's been a while since I've reported about my life, "On the phones @ JetBlue."

* Me: "Thank you for calling JetBlue. My name is Suzanne, how may I help you?"
Customer: "You SURE HAVE a SEXY VOICE!"
Me: "And...how may I help you?"
{blah, blah, blah, help customer, talk about flights, explain air travel details, blah, blah, blah}
Me: "Thank you for calling for JetBlue - Good Night."
Customer: "It's a shame we couldn't talk longer!"


* Occasionally, the customers do not disconnect their phone after we have said "Good Bye" and that is when I hear some of the good stuff, too... This particular phone call had consisted of the wife being on the phone with me, and after everything she heard from me, she kept telling her husband, who was apparently in the background, what I'd just said. Then he would ask a question (which I could hear from the background) and then she would ask me that same question, I'd give her an answer, and then she'd tell him. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. He was asking a lot of the same things we'd already discussed - so much so that it got to the point that the wife would just answer his questions, without asking me since I'd already told her (them) before. Soooo....after the call "ended" (but she did not disconnect)
Wife to Husband: (in a scolding tone) "You just DON'T PAY ATTENTION to when people talk!!"
{silence}
Wife: "I said you don't pay attention."


* Me: "You can check in 24 hours before your flight on our website at www.jetblue.com"
Customer: "W W what?"
Me: "www.jetblue.com"
Customer: "Kon? K-O-N?"
Me: "COM. C-O-M.....Or you can also check in at the airport ticket counter...."


* Me: "What date would you like to travel?"
Customer: "Let's see....What comes after September?....October, right? No....wait, I'm so confused!"* Me: "What is your date of birth, please?" (This info is required by TSA, I'm not trying to be stalker-ish!)
Customer: "September 14th......I mean May 4th."

(These questions we ask are just too darn hard, aren't they?"


* Usually at the end of a call, we both just say, "Good Bye" but in this incidence, I got a "pep talk" of sorts...
Me: "Is there anything else I can assist you with?"
Customer: "You should've been an attorney. You're a smart lady! You sound Filipino, you have a voice from the opera. I LIKE you, Lady!"

(Wow! All that from me quoting him his round trip airfare, including all taxes and fees, would be $169.70)


* A LOT of customers want to know where I am, what's the weather like here, etc....
Customer: "So, where are you?"
Me: "Our Call Center is located in Salt Lake City, Utah."
Customer: "Ooohh...MORMON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, huh?!?"
Me: (trying not to get off track and keep control of the call time) "It is true there are many Mormons in Utah, but not all are. But, Mormons can be found practically all over the world."
Customer: "NOT where I live! We don't have ANY Mormons in Boston."

I let it go, but in my mind I was thinking, What about THIS:

{The Boston, Massachusetts [Mormon] Temple}
They wouldn't build one if there was NO ONE to attend! :)

Back to the call...
Customer: "Let me try not to swear - I know you don't swear out there....WHY? I DON'T KNOW!"
(later)
"Well, let me give you my confirmation number....O as in OSMOND (she starts cracking herself up) Osmond. Ya get it? You should be familiar with that name out there!"
(later)
"Isn't it great working from home? It's so quiet now, all the kids are in bed....ALL 16 OF THEM!"
(later)
Customer: "What do you do for fun out there?"
Me: "Well, my son is in the thick of his football season, so lately football has been our life."
Customer: (voice laced with sarcasm) "Clean, Mormon fun, huh?"
(I do realize to her, a high society Boston businesswoman, it did probably sound dull, but I was also trying to stay on the subject of AIR TRAVEL and avoid these tangents the best I could.)
(at the end of the call)
Customer: "If you want to come to Boston and have a WILD time, let me know!"

(Oh Yea! But, I think I might be too busy going to football games with my "friends!")

Lent Update

I'M STILL ON THE WAGON!!!

I've made it without candy for two weeks!
OH MY WORD - has it ONLY been 2 [lousy, slow] weeks?!?

Let's see... February 22nd to March 7th...
Yes, it has.

Now I'm eating SALAD for lunch [since Starburst isn't an option anymore]. Imagine that!

This morning, Haylee rubbed it in my face informed me that she STILL has candy from Valentine's Day.

And from Christmas. AND from Halloween!

Now wasn't that cruel of her?

But, I guess the "bright side" to that fact is:
with the current tornado-aftermath-like conditions of her bedroom,
I'd never be able to find it!

Don't Worry About It

This is what Miss B. tries to teach me A LOT lately.

And she says it in her completely sweet and innocent 3 yr. old voice.

I've learned to interpret her "foreign language."
Translated: I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT OR DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT!

When I'm getting her out of her car seat, about to go into a public place:
Me: "Woops. You still have ketchup on your face from lunch."
Brookelle: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "Oh dear, look at your bedroom. It needs to be cleaned up!"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

As she's trying to sneak by me out the front door:
Me: "It's SNOWY outside, don't go out there in your flip flops."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

While out on errands:
Me: "Ya better go potty here because there's no potty where we're going next and it will be a long, LONG time before you can go again."
Her: "Nah....don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "Please don't 'paint' the bathroom mirror with your toothpaste."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "Oh, look at the clock - it's your bedtime."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

When I'm putting on my make up, she comes and sits next to me and "helps herself" too:
Me: "That's enough lipstick."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."
(Oh boy, is this a foreshadowing of her teens?)

Me: "Uh Oh, you spilled on your shirt."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "We're going to be late for (fill in the blank)"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "How did this book get ripped?"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "I just broke my fingernail."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "Where's Lily [the hamster]? She's not in her cage...and the door is open...and you've got hamster bedding in your hair!"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "This Toy Room is a DISASTER!"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "Let's pull your hair back in a ponytail, so I can see your pretty face."
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

Me: "My pants 'shrunk in the wash'!"
Her: "Don't worry about it, Mom."

When she has dressed herself in her sister's dance leotard tank over pajama pants when we're about to go out to Ryan's basketball game:
Me: "Get some real clothes on to go."
Her: "STOP worrying about it, Mom."

Apparently, I "WORRY" too much!!!

Kids Say the Darndest Things - Feb. '12 Edition

 Taken from the sidebar....

While Miss B was eating cereal with her right hand...Me: "Try eating it with this hand" (tapping her left hand) "How does it feel?"
(she tries -- spastically)Me: "Oh, that hand doesn't work as well?"
Brookelle: "Nope. It's because this hand (holding up left) is a baby, and this hand (wiggling her right) is a big girl!" 2/12

Joe (a fellow 4th grader at our school): "Hi Haylee!"
Haylee: "Hi."
Joe: "Will you be my Valentine?"
Haylee: "No." 2/12
(thata girl - we don't need THAT yet!) :)

It's the Day Before Ash Wednesday

Do you know what that means?

It means I better enjoy THESE today while I can! Tomorrow it's SAYONARA!!!

It all started a couple of days ago when Kyle was looking at a calendar and stumped me with a question.
"Mom, what's 'Ash Wednesday?'"
"It's...uhh....uhh...something that means...uhh...something." (Don't let my intelligence make you too jealous!) :)
"The calendar says 'Ash Wednesday' is on February 22nd, same as Washington's birthday, what's it for?"
"I...uhh...think it has a relation to...uhh...Palm Sunday...maybe? But, Ash Wednesday comes before that day. I'm pretty sure it's got something to do with...uhh...a religion? Like...uhh...the Catholics observe 'Ash Wednesday' for...uhh....something?
{silence}
(This is most likely the moments when my son was pondering [and marveling] on the remarkable wealth of information his Mom has!)
[In an effort to redeem myself] "Here. Let's Google it!"

Enter Wikipedia.

Ash Wednesday, in the calendar of Western Christianity, is the first day of Lent and occurs 46 days before Easter. It is a moveable fast, falling on a different date each year because it is dependent on the date of Easter. It can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.

According to the canonical gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus spent forty days fasting in the desert before the beginning of his public ministry, during which he endured temptation by Satan. Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of this forty day liturgical period of prayer and fasting.

Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of placing ashes on the foreheads of adherents as a sign of mourning and repentance to God. The ashes used are typically gathered after the palms from the previous year's Palm Sunday are burned.

This practice is celebrated by Catholics, Anglicans, Lutherans, Methodists, Presbyterians, and some Baptist denominations.

-------

OK - so I DID have some pieces of info correct - in those random ideas floating around in this head of mine. And for the record, people of a different religion than myself probably don't know what Fast Sunday or Dry Council Sunday or Tithing Settlement meeting is either! :)

Then I started telling Kyle about what I've heard about Lent - and all the things that I've heard people give up during that time. I told him people try to give up one of their "vices" because it has to be kind of a challenge. If it were easy, then it wouldn't be hard. For example: wine, cigarettes, cheese, T.V., swearing, porn, fast cars, bread, loose women, meat, texting, coffee, tea, desserts, salt, sugar, drugs, Barbies, American Idol, blue eye shadow, etc., etc.

Then I started thinking of some people I know who don't even belong to one of the religions that practice Lent, but they still try to give up something. (I told Kyle about someone we both know who gave of making baked goods during Lent.) They figure it's a good time to jump start better habits. It simply gives them a start date to actually DO what they've been saying they NEED to do for so long. PLUS, if it's too miserable, it just lasts 40 days. :)

Then my brother walked into the room, and upon hearing what we were talking about, he added to our riveting conversation by saying he thought 'Ash Wednesday' was also related to Mardi Gras - that it happened either after of before the 40 days. (We're all real fuzzy on our facts around here!)

So, we referenced Wikipedia again.

Sure enough - a nickname for Mardi Gras is "Fat Tuesday." (Which would be TODAY!) It's your LAST CHANCE to indulge in your vices before the fast!

Just look at this education I'm getting off the www!

{Kyle sat there taking it all in. Thinking, I just wanted a simple answer!}

And then I started thinking some more....

What would be difficult for me to give up?

It wasn't difficult at all for me to come up with my answer.

C.A.N.D.Y.

It's all about the candy!

And that's how I got to where I'm at right now. There's no time like the present! Right?!?

I'm giving up candy for Lent.

***Now, not to be confused with giving up sugar - I didn't say that. I said candy.***

Giving up sugar completely would be suicide! I gotta have such things as my Teriyaki Chicken, Honey Nut Cheerios, & Pimento spread.....(because those are the only other types of things I eat that have sugar in them. Yep. Uh huh!!) wink ;) wink ;)

But still......It's 40 whole days.

AAAUUUUUGH!

It's gonna be ugly.

{I'll understand if you don't want to even come near me!}

But, what's my mantra again? "I CAN DO HARD THINGS."

{dang!}

Happy Fat Tuesday, Y'all!!

Knock On Wood

Just about 2 weeks ago, I had included on my "This Week's Gratitude List" sidebar feature this blessing:

"Grocery Shopping with Brookelle is NOT BAD!"

Seriously. I was feeling quite grateful for this because that is very rare for my toddlers!
But, Brookelle will ask me, "Can we go to the store today?"
And then while we're there, she amuses and amazes me with things she says in her little, sweet sounding voice.
She either sits in the cart seat or pushes her own mini cart, if available - and stays right by me.
Most always she "earns" a treat for her good behavior.
Recently, when seeing/hearing another child having a tantrum in the store, I actually thought, "I'm so glad we're past THAT!"

{Big Mistake. BIG. HUGE!} (Name that movie)

Because THEN....

Then enter yesterday.

I don't know what was wrong with her. (Even talking about it later with her, she can't identify/express it.)
She started crying when I didn't turn down certain aisles/paths.
She wasn't staying by me (because she would stop and refuse to proceed if I didn't come back and take "her" path.)
She sat down on the floor by her mini cart and pouted, and wouldn't move.
She was screaming, "BUT MM-AAHHH-MM!" when I told her to stand up and kept walking myself.
Then she was crying, and crying, and crying -- out loud.
I told her she would have to sit in my cart and ditch the mini cart if she didn't stop.
Which made her cry more. And protest. And stay put where she was 20 feet away from me.
I told her she wasn't earning her treat.
Which made her cry/whine, "But, I WAAAANT it!"
This ridiculousness was taking way to long to shop.
So, I walked back to where she was to pick her up and put her in my cart.
She pulled the "slippery snake" manuever and I couldn't get a hold of her.
So, I grabbed her hand and pulled her over. Well, she tried to wrangle her hand free of me, too, so I was left with just the tip of her two longest fingers -- which she screamed I was holding "too tight!"
Do you think she let me put her in the cart all nice and neat? OH NO!
There was much flailing of arms and legs, weeping and wailing & gnashing of teeth.
I could not get her feet/legs to go through those darn openings - for the first three tries - in the midst of which her bum hit another part of the cart and then she started to CRY louder about that.
I then had to start emptying out the groceries from her mini cart into my main cart.
I came across the the package of cherry nibs that she was planning on for her treat, and so I took it out of the mini cart and put it on a grocery shelf and stated, "We're not getting this."
To which she cried/screamed, "Yes, Yes!"
I replied, "NO WAY."
All the while she is crying.
{Can you picture this whole [familiar] scene? It IS familiar, right? Right?!? Hello? tap, tap. Is this thing on?}

And THEN....

And then I heard a male voice come from behind me, "Stop being mean." It was without emotion, not angry, not excited - just FLAT, "Stop being mean."
I almost started to smile as I turned around to see who it was because I thought it humorous that someone was talking to Miss B about her misbehavior.
I was expecting to see either:
1) Someone I knew
or
2) One of those good-intentioned, chatty adults, who frequently make comments to my little ones or myself when we're out and about, stopped and ready to try their "tricks" to make her happy.
Instead I saw no one stopped behind me.
I only saw a man with white hair and a white beard walking right by with his own cart, looking straight forward the whole time, ignoring us - like purposely trying NOT to look at us.
I was pretty sure it was him!
And then I realized, it had not been a sarcastic/joking statement made to Miss B. He had directed his comment AT ME!

So, now I've got strangers telling me I'm mean.
But, not to my face, just behind my back.
Because I don't give candy rewards to little girls who act like a rascal. (I don't know how much of the series of events he saw, but I'm assuming he just saw the last taking-away-candy episode.)
And also because that stranger is mistaken on the point at which his business stops and someone else's business begins!
If he wants to grow a long white beard - and keep it white, even though HE DOESN'T ACT LIKE Santa Claus = HIS BUSINESS
If I want to take away privileges from my child who didn't earn them = MY BUSINESS
If he wants to shop at a store in an area that is heavily populated with children - who could be prone to crying = HIS BUSINESS
If I want to go straight home after that and completely bag the other four errands I had intended to do that day because I felt like crap after his comment, and just put my cranky daughter to bed [amidst more fighting/objections from her] instead = MY BUSINESS

May I retract my previous statement from my "Gratitude List" now?

My Husband Must Be on Pinterest OR Why My Husband is Awesome - Reason #368

...Because I woke up to this in my bedroom this morning! :)

A note on my bathroom mirror explained,
"25 balloons that describe what I Love about You!"
(and there were a few of my favorite candy bars attached to some - BONUS!)

I tried to get him to admit he had gotten the idea off of Pinterest - but he vehemently denied it! I was teasing him about this since, when I first signed up for Pinterest, I had to do it under HIS facebook account because I don't have one (and don't want one!) so his name and photo were showing up every time I "pinned" something. He was worried that "all these people" would think it was really him! I tried to assure him that "all those people" would probably figure it was ME! (right?!?) (I have recently been able to change the name, but haven't figured out how to change the photo.)

So, if he hasn't been wasting time gleaning inspiration on Pinterest, then this means he REALLY put TIME, THOUGHT, and PREPARATION into this Valentine's Day surprise!

Which I totally LOVE! :)

2012 snapshot

I used to write in my journal every day. Seriously, every evening in Jr. High, High School, and on my mission, I wrote in my journal. I can't really say the same for my college years....all those late nights...and "hangin' out"...and boys kind of got in the way! But, I still managed to do it weekly - or so. However, NOW? It's not happening.

Since my journaling days, I have switched over to scrapbooking and then to blogging. Well, I should more accurately say, I used to scrapbook. NOW? A couple of times a year. (Does that even qualify me as a "scrapbooker" anymore?) I'm so far behind that all of my children aren't even born yet, and the ones I am scrapbooking are hardly recognizable! I keep telling myself that if I can just "catch up" with my scrapbooking at least to the time I started this blog (Aug. 2008) the GAP will be bridged and I will feel a lot better about the record of my life.

BUT, I still believe there's much that is lost if I don't journal the "every day" stuff. (Especially since the journal I am using now has entries that date back to 1995 - that's how infrequently I have been filling up it's pages.) I was looking at some photos the other day that are from 10 years ago, and they were of Ryan performing in this special concert to celebrate when the Winter Olympics came to Salt Lake City in 2002.

I hadn't even remembered that there had been such an event!
....until I saw the snapshot.

That's what I'm talking about the things that are lost.

SOOOO.....
I wanted to document a "verbal snapshot" of what is going on with my [our] life right now, so even when my brain doesn't remember, the written word will [hopefully] help me to remember.

Ryan is in driver's training. When in the car with him, I am using my "imaginary brake" and clinching the door handle all. the. time.

While driving in the car, I'm amazed that my kids know so many words to the songs - sometimes even Miss B (at least one catchy phrase).

We rotate Kitchen Duty every week between Matt & I and the three oldest kids: set, clear, garbage, dishwasher, sweep. The question has been raised as to WHEN child #4 is gonna get in on this "fun."

The dishwasher gets left undone in the mornings pretty often and I [most of the time] refuse to do it during the day for the person who was responsible. (It drives me crazy sometimes, trying to teach my kids a lesson!)

Our Favorite Family dinners: Teriyaki or Stir Fry something-or-other on rice and London Broil

Haylee only willingly eats the [plain, white] rice and is forced to eat one teeny, tiny morsel of meat.

Even a "little" trip to the grocery store is running $60.00, and my Costco totals make me SICK! ($193.00 last week) I've got to stay away!

We took our home off the market while we get our "wind storm" casualties repaired - and everyone's room has turned into a DISASTER AREA as a result! We need help!

We have had a "puzzle table" up since the Holidays. Different puzzles one after another.

We read scriptures as a family @ 6:30AM every morning except Tuesdays - then it's 7:30AM - followed by Family prayer before Ryan catches the bus to High School.

Haylee takes her purse of money everywhere we go, "just in case" there is a doughnut (or something similar) she just can't resist.

Ryan, Kyle, & Haylee are taking piano lessons. They have to practice at least 4/week to earn any "screen time" at all on the weekend.

Ryan has been told he can "quit" piano when he turns 16 OR when he can play 10 church hymns proficiently - whichever comes LAST! (Hint: his 16th birthday is in 16 days, and it's NOT going to be then.)

We take one child out on a date with us once a month. We rotate through the kids, oldest to youngest (Miss B isn't doing this yet), and they get to pick within reason what we do. They really look forward to this.

Matt & I try to go out every week - even if it is just for a drink at the convenience store and to fill up the car with gas. (Most of the time we try to make it better than THAT, but life happens!) We have Ryan &/or Kyle babysit. THAT is soooo nice, having a "built-in" babysitter - we waited 11 years without one, too!

Matt has a grueling work schedule in January/February with wrapping up Year End and two different Auditors coming. He goes in early/stays late - and is wiped out!

We let someone pick dinner 1X/week. The trade off? They help make it!

Ryan is involved in rehearsals every day for his part of The Bishop of Lax in the School Play, "See How They Run." Which also means he needs me to come pick him up after it is done. We live soooo far away from Viewmont, it takes like 30 minutes for the round trip -- another reason for me to grumble about that school! :)

Ryan has whittled his sports he's serious about down to basketball and baseball - and any sport the Young Men play at church: flag football, volleyball, & soccer.

Ryan works as a referee/umpire for Farmington little league sports (he couldn't be having more fun at "work"). The City pays him minimum wage, but the volunteer-run baseball league pays $15-25/game.

Ryan will get his Driver's License AFTER he gets his Eagle Scout award. He's got an idea, but hasn't ACTED upon it yet. This is HIS Eagle Scout, so HE will EARN it. I'm a firm believer that kids be responsible for their own things, so I'm not going to do it for him, which means that, unfortunately, he won't have a Driver's License by the end of the month.

Kyle still plays basketball, football, and baseball. His scout leader is good about taking them on about one scout camp out a month.

Speaking of Kyle and his camp outs. All I can say is that it is a good thing we live so close to the church because after we have dropped him off, he has to run home 3-4 times to get things he "forgot" like: sleeping bag, tin foil dinner, foam pad, boots.

Haylee is doing Karate 2X/week (I paid for the whole year in advance - OUCH! I don't know if we'll do it anymore after this year) and Activity Days.

Katelyn is taking dance and sings with the school choir. She does both with such animation, enthusiasm, volume, & grandiose movements!

As for homework....they all have A LOT of it. Ryan takes all day and night to do his. Kyle comes home and cranks his out immediately. Haylee resists like HECK. Katelyn "forgets" she has homework and is distracted.

Matt & I both stay up late - even though I keep trying to make "goals" for us to have an earlier bedtime. It's the time we clean up, fold laundry, play on electronics, work, etc. I KNOW IT'S NOT HEALTHY!

I have been in my Young Women calling at church for 5 1/2 months. Even though I have had a YW calling in 3 different wards now, I find myself thinking about my own YW days more than ever lately. What did we do? What did I learn? What made a difference? Do today's YW think & feel the same as I did back then? Did my YW leaders of my past worry about me as much I am worrying now?

Matt is the 11 yr. old Scout Leader - when they have enough boys show up for scouts.

Ryan does his own laundry - usually 1 hour before we're trying to leave out of town. I've been telling Kyle "his days are numbered" of having his laundry done for him.

Brookelle PRETENDS really well while playing with her "guys." Overheard just today; "Hi, I'm Brookelle. You remember me?"

Kyle can get the girls "settled down" when they are upset or irrational. They love to have him play "make believe" with them, also.

Ryan & Haylee = night owls, can't wake up in the morning. Kyle & Katelyn = 1st to fall asleep in the evening on the couch, wakes up early on their own.

Ryan never has to be reminded about basketball - or calling the young men in his quorum about getting to their games - or has problems waking up to play basketball at 6:00AM on mornings he doesn't have school.

Ryan enjoys reading and can go through books fast. It takes me forever, sometimes only opening it 1X/week.

We don't have cable, but we do have Netflix streaming. Matt is into Criminal Minds. I quite enjoy White Collar. The "older" kids are into Psych. The girls are into iCarly and Good Luck Charlie.

I {heart} children's storybooks. I am a regular customer at our city library. I love how I can reserve books from my home computer, and then just go pick it up. They all know me there. I read to my little ones before their nap and [if we're on schedule] before bed. Even Kyle stopped what he was doing the other day to come listen to me read, "How I Became a Pirate" ~ I loved it!

I have our big Family Vacation planned for the next three years! :)

With our flight benefits, "secret shopper" gig to hotels, and my parents living in St. George, we like to go out of town often. My friend teases me that we go on a trip once a month.

We have "closet snackers" in our home. I find empty granola bar/cracker boxes/drink bottles and scissors in our storage room and wrappers in the garbage (they don't even try to hide the evidence?)

We recently suggested we STOP buying all that snacky stuff in an effort to save more $ - and everyone protested that idea.

I slipped into Kyle's shoes because they were right by the door and I needed to go outside. I thought I'd just stick my toes in them and my heels would be hanging over the back -- I was so surprised when my foot went all the way in! They fit! My son has the same size feet as me?!!

A Young Woman in our ward is doing a reading lesson with Haylee once a week and it's like MAGIC! She doesn't cry/scream/hit/kick/whine, "I need HEELLP!" with her. AND I hear her reading just fine from the other room! (hmmm, I need more volunteers! :))

Brookelle scratches her arms (inside of elbows) until they bleed, and get all scabby. We can't get a handle on this. (Band aids, ointments, fingernail clipping, creams, etc. aren't solving it. Straight Jacket???)

My goal is to write a WEEKLY gratitude list on my blog sidebar - most recently I let it go 7 weeks - woops! gotta do better.)

Brookelle either puts on flip flops (in 30 degree temps) or her new cowgirl boots with no socks if she's in a hurry to go outside or if she senses we're going somewhere and doesn't want to be left.

Brookelle does this little shaking thing while pursing her lips when she's excited...or content...or angry. Everyone laughs at it.

We have Family Council/planning on Sunday nights and Family Home Evening on Monday nights. Most Family Nights wouldn't be complete without our rendition of, "Wheels on the Bus" when the kids urge [beg] Matt to jump up and touch the ceiling during "the people on the bus go up and down" verse.

The kids take turns conducting for Family Night - they love it! They stand up on the fireplace hearth all official-like...."Welcome to Family Night...We'll open with a prayer by Dad...Thank you Mom & Kyle for that great song, now we'll have a lesson by Ryan..."

I love it when a day on my calendar has NOTHING written on it - I didn't see even ONE of those in January.

I'm still working nights - as I have been for the last 15 1/2 yrs. THIS may be my last year of nights!

We have cereal for breakfast (my mom cringes at this). I'm open to having hot breakfast IF someone else wants to be in charge of making it -- NO TAKERS!

I haven't been exercising much, but still consuming sugar....this leads to my girls telling me it looks like I have a baby in my tummy! They're right - I need to change that.

Katelyn squeals in delight when she hears "good news" (there's no school tomorrow, there IS school tomorrow, we're having orange chicken for dinner, we rented a movie, here's a new toy, Papa's coming, Miss B got new panties, etc.) - then her sisters copy her.

Matt is afflicted with weak knees, ankle, and back. He braces himself all up to play his weekly indoor soccer game and Elder's Quorum basketball, then comes home and wears hot pads and/or ice packs.

Ryan sports his few facial hairs proudly. He's convinced he'll have a full grown beard by next summer.

Haylee like to help in the Kitchen. Her favorite jobs are cracking the eggs and cutting the mushrooms. (I buy whole mushrooms just for her.)

Kyle gets cavities. He must be his mother's son.

Miss B wants hair as long as Tangled - and loves to pretend it is in the tub by getting her hair all wet and leaning her head back 'til it touches her bum.

The kids pack their own lunches for school.

Haylee is skin and bones - she is freaked out by eating most food. She won't even try it (she doesn't even know if she likes it!) She sits there as the last one at the table every night.

7 yr. old Katelyn has bigger feet than 9 1/2 yr. old Haylee. We're trying not to dwell on the fact that Katelyn has past her in height, also (so I'll just put it on my blog!) They get asked if they're twins all the time. It bugs Haylee.

Ryan rarely makes it to bed on time, and when I walk out into the Living Room to get on him about it and see him reading his scriptures, it melts my heart and I hold my tongue.

OK, so there it is. Does this clear up my journal problem? Hopefully, this will kind of help me remember what life was like day-to-day when I was young and carefree (ha ha).

One More Merit Badge - CHECK!

Thank You Scout Leaders!

I always ENJOYED the Mormon commercials growing up - so much! The one where Mom and Son "kidnap" always-too-busy-working Dad one night and take him camping was my all time favorite -- LOVED IT.

For a few weeks at mutual, The Davis Creek 3rd Ward Teacher's Quorum (of which Ryan is a member of for 20 more days) made their own version of an LDS "Homefront" Ad to complete their Cinematography Merit Badge for Boy Scouts.

{Ryan gets his 15 seconds of fame}
What a crack up!



*Did you see a boy flying out the door during the explosion? Watch again - don't blink - it happens fast!*

{I think I need to re-watch all those commercial from the 70's and 80's and take the messages to heart - they're GOOD!}