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."

My New Rank: MM

We took my son, Ryan, to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday to begin his 2 year mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

He will train there for just 12 days, then fly out into his assigned mission field of West Virginia (& parts of some surrounding states).  We will not see him again until he returns home, and only speak to him on the phone a handful of times on special occasions (Christmas, Mother's Day, & I've *heard* when he is at the airport, departing [but it's not confirmed]).  Our communication will only be through weekly emails or letters.  (SUCH A CHANGE from the instant communication we've grown accustomed to with texts, cell phones, & living in the same home over the past years!)

So many others who have already sent out missionary children have told me I am now a "Missionary Mom" (MM) - I didn't even know that I would now have a specific new title or rank!  They have been so kind to check up on me, share tips & tricks, send me texts, visit, and bring me "care packages" already!  :)

I got a bag full of assorted fun size M & M's (I was told it stands for "Missionary & Mom")

All my kids want to eat them, but I ask them, "Are you an MM?  I don't think so!  Run along now!"  ;)

I also got this cute card:

(front)

(inside)

And look at these bright & happy Gerbera daisies another friend brought to me:

A lot of people had told me that dropping him off at the MTC would be terrible, and HARD, and sad, and THE WORST, but truth be told, it was mostly happy!  To be a full-time missionary is something HE WANTS.  And it's something I WANT for him, too.  He was SO READY, he might as well just START!  Plus, I, myself, lived & trained at the MTC [for 8 weeks] 23 years ago, and when we drove into the entrance, I got this feeling of, "Ahhh, I'm coming home!"  And I think that helped a lot!  He's in a GREAT place!

Sure, my eyes filled up with tears during the final hugs and my voice was all quavering as I spoke my last words, but I was able to SMILE a lot, too.  And it's a bit quiet around home.  And I've had him on my mind almost constantly....wondering what he's doing/thinking/feeling.  And, of course, we're praying for him in every prayer.  And we've lost our 3rd driver and overnight "adult" babysitter!  boohoo.  But, it's GOOD!

I won't be writing on this blog about HIS mission.  A separate missionary blog has been set up for him to share HIS experiences on:
http://elderryanbrenchley.blogspot.com

When Your Camera is Smarter than You Are

After Ryan's missionary setting apart blessing, we wanted to take a family picture, so we set the camera up on "Auto" while we all posed together.

Here is that photo:

Then Matt proceeded to return to where we had set up the camera to take a look at how it turned out.  And while he was walking there:

SURPRISE!!!  The camera flashed & took another picture.

So, Matt was like, "What the heck?" and started examining the camera (while still on it's original picture taking perch) and....

FLASH!  The camera goes off again!

At this point, Kyle thinks Matt needs some younger generation "help" (read: mocking) and starts heading over to him, when....

It happens AGAIN!

Everyone is now confused AND amused - and half of them take off to investigate (rather than stay in the right position to get our picture taken - like ME!) and then we discover....

The camera IS NOT DONE, yet!

(Notice Haylee's jeans showing under her skirt?  I told her to dress up [her least favorite thing] for the setting apart, and I didn't notice until AFTERWARDS that she'd pulled THAT stunt!)

So, now everyone (except me, who just wanted our family to pose for a picture in front of the fireplace - dang it!) wants to run to the camera's rescue - since Matt still hasn't been able to stop the possessed thing - but Kyle can't allow his sisters to beat him there, so he.....

....gets caught on CAMERA being a bully!

By, this time everyone is going, "What the.....?" and I'm hoping they can all just get back into position for a family picture!!

 When the camera goes off for the 7th time!

 Then the 8th time!

(I'm still in position)

 And the 9th time!

(I'm still in the right place.)

And, finally, the 10th (& last) time.

APPARENTLY, our camera has a function where it will "AUTO" TAKE 10 PHOTOS IN A ROW (if you push the button for THAT option, which Matt [unknowingly] did), so you don't have to keep walking back to it!  WHO KNEW?!!?  OBVIOUSLY, NOT US!

After the camera was done with it's theatrics, I managed to get The Brood lined up again and got a "planned" family picture - to appease Mom.  ;)

(Don't ask me what Miss B is doing....?)

The First of Many More to Come and Thoughts on D-Land

I've been looking forward to and making plans for various Mother/Daughter outings that I will do with my girls [when they are old enough] for years.   Well, I think we officially started this past week.  We went on our FIRST "Girls Trip."

Matt actually had a work conference at the Grand Californian Disney Hotel - and we tagged along.  

Why not?  Hotel room paid for?  Check.  Per Diem money provided for Matt & I by his company?  Check.  Discount Disneyland tickets offered by the conference?  Check.  Private Dinner Party/Evening of Entertainment/Priority viewing of World of Color included for the entire family?  Check.  

Fly for FREE on jetBlue?  Check.

 Matt spent all day in classes - poor guy!  :)

This MAY have been a mistake to start out so BIG.  Will the girls be satisfied with "Chick Flick" night out at the movies in the future now?  ;)

Now, a list of my random thoughts:

1. If I were RICH, I would always opt to stay at a Disney property.  We were spoiled to be there by "riding on Matt's work conference coat tails."  Not only was it such a nice resort (inside & out) but it came with "privileges" like Early Entrance at 7:00 EVERY morning.  The best part, though, is that we literally walked out our hotel room door, turned two corners, and we were right IN Disney's California Adventure!  To get to Downtown Disney, we walked out the hotel the other way...with Disneyland just a bit further up the way.  SOOO convenient (but also expensive!)
2. I have to say that I have officially "graduated" from the Tea Cups ride.  No more.  I really can't handle it anymore - I lose my equilibrium.
3. I LOVE my Disney Dream Reward Dollars.  I have the Disney Visa and earned about $150 to use anywhere in the park - no need to worry about packing in food.  But, we DID use it ALL in 3 days!
4. August is NOT my favorite time to go to Disneyland.  I've been at several different times through the years, and August probably lands at the bottom of my list.  (The HEAT.  The lines.  The crowds.  Even the cast members are a bit less "on their [magical] game" having to deal with all of the above.)
5. I need to wear "hospital shoes" or some other kind of super-duper orthopedic-bionic shoes while there - my feet were KILLING ME!  Seriously, I COULD NOT WAIT to get off my feet at night.
6. Dole Whip and Frozen lemonades are like manna from heaven!  (See #3 & #4)
7. We Americans are INSANE!  The first day we were there, the line to see Elsa & Anna (from Frozen) was a three HOUR WAIT.  3 HOURS!  So, I told the girls we would come the next day for our Early Entrance.  We were lined up outside the entrance gate at 6:45 IN THE MORNING to go in - and we still weren't the first in line!  What is wrong with all of us?  Who does this?  Isn't this a vacation?  Once the gates were opened, we walked directly to the Elsa/Anna house.....and the line was already starting - we ended up waiting 1 hr. 40 min!
8. Times have CHANGED!  Now, every ride is posted with a sign stating that children under the age of 7 (Brookelle) must be accompanied with a person 14 or older (neither Haylee or Katelyn) or they couldn't ride.  And they enforced it - our girls were denied entrance once!  Which meant, if Miss B wanted to do ANYTHING & EVERYTHING, I was the ONE to go with her.  Now let's go back 34 years, when my dad took me (then age 10), my older sister (age 13) and my younger brother (age 4) to So. Cal with him once on a business trip and he just DROPPED US OFF at Disneyland for the whole day.  I'm not sure, but I think that would be grounds for getting Child Protective Services involved these days?!?  Just a hunch.  ;)  AND, on that trip, my older sister (the one in charge???) got separated from us (the 10 & 4 yr. old) for HOURS!  We spent all that time looking for her - we eventually found her later and learned that she had just kept on going on rides the whole time - after all, she didn't want to waste her day looking for us! 
9. My bum sure doesn't fit the same in some of those seats as it used to!  Dang it!
10. I think it's time Disneyland establishes a "modesty standard" of some kind.  There was WAY TOO MUCH boobage (a lot more than just cleavage), backs, bras & bum cheeks showing!  For that reason, I was glad my teenage boys were not with us to see that.  It was still a bad example for my girls, though.  If the guests don't have enough common sense to cover themselves adequately, they should be policed.  No, seriously, they could make rules.  When we were at Hershey Park last year, this "warning sign" was out in the parking lot:
    

The fact that they even have to put up a sign.....Really?!!?

In the Right Place at the Right Time

Ryan's day at the St. George Temple....

going for the first time to receive his own endowments.

 To find out more about temples, click HERE.

So GLAD for his choice to be there!

So GLAD to be there with him!

What a BLESSING the temple is!
It IS the House of the Lord - I could feel it!

Because of the temple, we can be a Forever Family = JOY.

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

*For a history enthusiast like Ryan, the St. George temple holds a special meaning since the spirits of our country's Founding Fathers visited [the then President of the Church] Wilford Woodruff requesting that their temple work be performed for them.  A great painting (an artist's rendition of Pres. Woodruff's testimony) and plaque with all the men's names on it is displayed inside this temple.  Read about this interesting fact in THIS article.