Randomness Rules!!!

Here is a great e-mail Ireceived from my sister-in-law. Thanks Chris!!

To: YOU Date: TODAY From: GOD Subject: YOURSELF Reference: LIFE This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you. I do Not need your help. So, have a nice day. I love you. P.S. And, remember... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, do Not attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in My time, not yours. Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now. Should you decide to send this to a friend; Thank you. You may have touched their life in ways you will never know! Now, you have a nice day.

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Dear idiot driver,

I know I am being harsh calling a driver an idiot, but I nearly lost my life because of you last night. My children were at home helping prepare for the arrival of our friends this afternoon while hubby and I ran some errands, picked up food, gassed up the truck and had a quiet dinner date ourselves. Dinner was fabulous, but I nearly lost my dinner when you came into our lives. We walked hand in hand through the parking lot...the foggy parking lot. You seemed to believe it wasn't foggy or even dark because you didn't have your headlights on. had you turned them on it would have made it a little easier to see us walking. I apparently forgot the protocol of driving in parking lots. I simply believed you were to drive carefully as people do walk to their cars. Instead you were driving an estimated 45 miles per hour nearly sideswiping a car pulling into the parking lot and taking both my husband and I out. Our kids would not have parents coming home had we not jumped out of your way. You might want to reconsider the "no lights" policy at night as you nearly lost your life last night as well. Hubby was so irritated with you he wanted to show you how it felt only to use you for a speed bump. You owe me as I urged him to forgive your actions and turn the other cheek. So, next time as you are rushing to get your next cup of coffee from Starbuck's to help you go a little bit faster, please drive a bit slower and try turning your headlights on. I really wanted to be able to walk back in the front door to see my children again.

Sincerely,

Just Me

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Dear Mr. Trump,

How sweet of your to send me a lovely note inviting me to a nice night with you. I understand you are desperate to teach me how to live like a billionaire, but there is one minute problem. I'm not one. However, I would be willing to spend an evening discussing these matters with you if you pay me ten times what I am asking for my store so I can move out of here and then I can start thinking about living like a billionaire. For now though, I am sorry, but my children are worth more than your time in teaching me your valuable lessons. i tell you what though, since you were so kind in sending me the free attendance coupons I would be happy to send you a coupon in return!!!

Enjoy!!!

Sincerely,

Just Me

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Happy New Year All!!!

New Year's Resloution.....

I have never been one to make a New Year's Resolution, but I will tell you that last year I kept mine. I wanted to finally be rid of my slightly major addiction to Coke/Pepsi. I am telling you there was nothing better on a hot day than a bottle of ice cold Mexican Coke on a hot summer day. Wow!! I still miss those days, but in the end I have to say that even though I have a cooler of Pepsi staring at me right now I have no desire to go and pop one open. Too syrupy for me now. I am telling you it feels good to know that I have almost made it an entire year. With 2009 fast approaching I am looking at a newer resolution to carry on for the new year. I can't promise my exercise regimen because honestly I am 100% sure it will not happen now. Stress is a major factor in my life at this point and so changing a lifestyle doesn't make sense at this point. I settled to one thing that will make a major difference in my life and yet, will take perhaps a few minutes a day.

My resolution this year will help with my stress and increase my happiness. I am going to read my scriptures for at least 5 minutes a day until the end of the next year. We'll see how it goes, but I am hoping it will work out as well as my last one. Happy new Year all! Celebrate your family! Celebrate the gospel! and most importantly...celebrate safely!!!

See you next year!!!

I'm alive, I'm alive!!!

Thank you all for the well wishes. I am still alive and kicking although the phlegm factory is producing at an abnormal rate. Did anyone tell these people there is a recession and they need to lay off some of their workers?!?! I always get nervous now when I get colds because I tend to go downhill faster than a Jamaican bobsledder. Since I had that double bout of pneumonia one year my health pretty much sucks every time I get a cold. I am recooping well this time again thanks to my sleeping at an angle. It will go away, but apparently not today. Oh well! C'est La Vie!!!

In my effort to ignore the fact that I am sick we headed out with the fam for an experience they will never forget. We took them to the Winchester Mystery House over in good ol' San Jose. Though the entire family, including hubby, begged to stop at the Super Mall I kept everyone on target. Bryan was dragging his feet the entire time...up until the tours. He literally hated the idea of going to see a house a crazy woman built and houses a great many ghosts. The poor guy is not even fond of the haunted mansion ride at Disneyland. So, trudging along as the tour started he really kind of got into it. There are...and I am not kidding you

160 rooms in this house. On the first tour we were able to see 110 of those rooms.

We saw the grand ballroom...although she never had any guests.

We saw her main bedroom exquisitely decorated though none of it was original.

And our personal favorite was the staircase that was remarkably preserved...leading to the ceiling. Oh yes, I did mean to type what I did. There are doors that if you open them and walk out you will fall out into the courtyard. Another door drops 8 ft into the kitchen sink. Many well known psychics have gone there and said they have heard things. people have seen ghosts is many places in the house including the basement, oh and yes, we did do the special tour hitting the basement as well. Sorry, no ghosties joined us, but it was fairly creepy to have to wear hard hats on a tour...low pipes. All in all the kids had a fabulous time. They thought the house was kind of cool. It wasn't completely furnished. Only certain rooms here and there, but it gave you a good idea of who this woman was and why she did what she did. Still a bit creepy though...especially the seance room. EW!!!!

So, today I work and try to recover from the yucky stuff that has decided to attempt a hostile takeover in my body. Tonight it is a quick refueling and trip to the grocery store before our friends arrive from Oregon for a couple days!!! Have a great day and Happy New Year to you all!!!

Cough Cough!! Hack Hack!!

Between hubby and I we are tearing through the tissue boxes at the speed of light. Fabulous!!! Mine actually is lightening up, but the Hubster is miserable. The good news is that we have one more day at work, a small trip to the grocery store to pick up a few items for my potato soup for Sunday and then home again home again jiggity jig!! It should be a nice and peaceful night...I hope!!! Have a great weekend all!!!

White Christmas...

So I grew up spoiled! It's not my fault. We lived in South Lake Tahoe which meant we always had a white Christmas and I LOVED it. OK! So I admit it was just horrible to HAVE to go skiing every Christmas...Mom worked at a small family run ski area and so she had to work that day. no big deal. we loved to ski and I used to race. it was a blast and my childhood was something found in fairy tales...well until I moved to this agricommunity and almost got run over by a tractor on my first day of high school. believe me, I clicked my heels saying over and over "there's no place like home" but alas I was stuck here where I still live today. So, the fact that my kids were dying for a white Christmas was great. I've wanted one for years...there's nothing like it. This was the scene at my in-law's house. it was great. Every once in awhile I would see my Molly pressing her nose to the window just to watch it snow. It was cuter than cute. So, although I didn't need to shovel my car out we did have a great Christmas!!! The funny part though, is a friend of mine was spending Christmas with her family jsut about 25 miles away and her boys were praying for a white Christmas. I'll have to thank them on Sunday...their prayers really came through...of course where they were at no snow fell. Sorry boys! Maybe next year!!!

Thank You Santa!!!

We had a fun filled Christmas for which I am eternally thankful. My son gave me a beautiful pair of gloves I am looking forward to wearing when I drive. My eldest daughter gave me a fabulous funky notebook to jot down all of my ideas that come to mind on the current story. My youngest gave me a variety of Burt's Beeswax products to keep my lips nourished and happy. Hubby gave me the gift of words and bought me a beautiful Thesaurus and Dictionary set for use for my writing. I am so excited. He laughed at my giddiness, the way I poured through the thesaurus finding words I was dying to use in my stories. Of course, I include the piano and antique sheet music cabinet that he brought to the home in my list of things which he has given me along with the encouragement with my writing. My parents gave us a porcelain coated cast iron pot and announced: "This year we have given you a pot to pee in, next year, we promise to give you the window to throw it out." If that offends you then I will tell you I am not sorry. My family is all about humor.

I watched as the kids opened their gifts. They were excited enough about their new pajamas which made me smile. Corinna was thrilled to receive new sketch books and "real" drawing pens for her anime she has been working on. Of course her 2 favorite objects were the "Edward" t-shirt I gave her and the "Edward" poster. Molly squealed when she got her "Edward" poster and t-shirt as well. Bryan is always happy when anything is related to a video game or DVD. so he is thrilled that has a few movies to watch over the next few days. Hubby was excited about his new hunting gear and shirts his kids found for him. I was thrilled when my sister-in-law gave me another chick flick to watch.

The best part about Christmas is we were able to celebrate a white Christmas for the first time with our kids. We watched as the snow drifted down from the heaven's to create a wonderland for the kids. I grew up in the snow so it brought back a ton of memories. Unfortunately with the good comes the bad so I will be recovering from a chest cold that has invaded my system. I will survive, I just hope it doesn't stick around too long.

Well, friends, may you have had a beautiful Christmas and get to sleep in and recover....Remember: only 364 days until Christmas!!! get your shopping done early!!!

For unto us a Savior has been given...

Tomorrow we celebrate Jesus Christ's birth, but I can't help at

this time of year to think of him more than just the baby laying in a manger. This picture reminds me of who He truly is. He is my older brother and my best friend, the one I can turn to at any given time of the night or day. He is there to give me a hug when needed and the patience to teach me. So, to Him I say: Happy Birthday dear brother. Thank you for the gifts you have bestowed upon a most unworthy, yet thankful little sister.

Merry Christmas to all. I pray your celebrations will be filled with happiness, laughter and the spirit of Christ.

All better...

I just needed a few minutes of IPOD time with nobody whining or complaining. You see, my kids felt slighted about Christmas. No, not of the meager offerings under the tree, the small tree or even the lack of decorating. Nope! Not my brood! They complained that they didn't get a chance to go Christmas shopping for each other and us. I tried to explain to them that we really didn't need anymore, but somehow they talked us into it. Maybe it was the puppy dog eyes or the pouty lips, I couldn't tell, but they dragged us around today telling us where they wanted to go. Luckily, we did manage to keep to only two stores. I had to step into a store less than a week before Christmas...one of my biggest pet peeves in the world. Next to that, was the fact I had to go grocery shopping with everyone else in my hometown.

Beyond that I had a heated argument with hubby who insisted we had a ham in the freezer from our pig...yes we buy an entire pig and get it butchered. In the freezer it lasts us nearly 1 1/2 years....As we came home with a ham in my hands (I won the battle) hubby made a beeline to the freezer where I declared victory and won the war. Needless to say now that everyone has their items wrapped and under the tree we are all happy, except hubby...he doesn't like what I picked out for myself. It is my dictionary and thesaurus I have needed for a long time. He has declared he needs to shop tomorrow night...somebody pass the aspirin.

Good Night!!!

Mama told me if I can't say something nice then don't say it at all....so in that spirit I say this...Good Night!

What is it?!

What is it about parties, most especially holiday parties that makes me turn into that 7th grade geek that I always was? I gt so nervous the day of anyone's party that has invited me. What should I wear? What should I bring? What if there is nobody to talk to? What if they think I am a dork and I am put on the party blackball list. I know, I know...it's just my insecurities. I don't do well in large groups. Partially because of my dorkdom...a friend from high school told me I was the queen of dorks...great! Oh hey? Do I get a tiara for that?! Just checking....really!!! Mostly I think is because any large group of people I never do well with because it turns out bad...really bad. One ward Christmas a woman asked when I was due. I turned to her with a smile on my face and said: "I'm sorry, I'm not pregnant...I'm just fat." Then I gave her a hug because she was properly mortified and all was well in my world. My main problem with large gatherings is that I simply cannot hear. I don't know why my hearing is bad...insert memories of all the loud concerts and high school dances I left with my ears ringing here. I should go get it checked but it took me this long to get my eyes checked. Maybe next century!!!
Well all. I will march my insecure little self over to the party and have a fabulous time pretending I know exactly what you all are saying. I know that I will more than likely receive a ton of comments telling me how insane I am to be insecure, but I am what I am!!! Does anyone else have insecurities or am I the only one left on the planet?!

A long way off...

I am happy to report that the writing is coming along great. I'm not so sure about last night's ideas that tumbled from my head onto the laptop, but we shall see...I can always hit the delete key if I end up wanting to change it. I have adopted a thought from the dear Sister Missionary who we met at the visitor's center wednesday night. i thanked her for her time and testimony and she in turn responded: "No Worries." Smiling the entire time. She happened to be from Sydney, Australia originally...or nearby. The response has crept into my being. "No worries"...Hmmm. Sounds like a great concept and then I remembered I have the Lord in my life. I should have no worries. I live my life to the fullest and find happiness in following His commandments. I find when I am serving others I feel my happiest. I find when I pray for His help to organize my thoughts and words in my writing...He is there. When I think I cannot go on one second longer, his arm is around me supporting me and carrying me through the storm. I will do my best and let the chips fall where they may. Today, I shall have "No Worries"

The Reason...

A few of the Laurels, Priests, leaders, Bishop and I made a trek over to Oakland last night. It was a night of peace and relaxation. I listened tot he conversation the girls were completely involved in and remembered the topsy turvy world of being a teen and silently whispered a prayer of thanks in my heart that I no longer have to go through that time in my life. Now I watch it by proxy through my kids. As we drove into the temple for some reason the bright twinkling lights of Christmas seemed out of place in my heart. I couldn't tell you why. I love Christmas lights. We are heading out this evening for a night dedicated to the twinklies. I couldn't put my finger on just why they were affecting me so. We walked into the visitor's center to see the art exhibit available. I had seen the 13 pieces before and they are incredible. Truly a sight to behold.

To look, or rather study, these sculptures takes you to a complete and other world. I saw the Savior of the world walk on water, with a face so determined.

I stood watching as he raised Lazarus from the dead, with a look of love.

I watched Him standing with His father in a grove of trees restoring the gospel to this earth. And this all began in a manger thousands of years ago.

After the exhibit we stood in the parking lot drinking scorching hot chocolate and enjoying doughnuts. My eyes took in the twinkling lights again...no feeling. My eyes moved to the glowing spires of the temple. My heart was full. I had found it...my Christmas.

Bah Humbug...uh...well. Merry Christmas?!

OK!! So my friends can call of the attack. We broke down last night and instead of hauling out our tall 7 ft tree out of the garage we bought a small tree that stands a mere 4 feet tall. It had the lights on it already. We bought the kids jingle bells in various colors to decorate it with along

with a variety of small ornaments. You should have seen the girl's face when she looked at the three different colors of jingle bells and said: "On a tree? Huh? Well, I guess you could if you wanted to." Watch out!!! The Tree Police are out in full force!!! I about fell over. We kept it very simple and didn't get garland of any sort. We thought about bows but they were too cheesy. The funny part is the entire time leading up to our departure to pick up our secret Christmas surprise we tried to talk all three of the kids into coming along with us. The blatantly refused thinking we were ONLY going to the grocery store. FOOLS!!! Mwa hahahaha!!!! Oooops!! Sorry!! Anyway, It was rather humorous as my oldest said that it just didn't feel like Christmas to her because we hadn't decorated to the hilt. Normally our house looked like a decorating machine literally blew up in our house. Alas! Not this year, but they love the simple!!! We are already hatching a plan for next year to keep our Christmas more Christ centered. I'll let you know more about it when we get to that point, but it will require a little work all year long to pull it off. We shall see what happens. I found the idea from an artist over in Cornwall area of the UK. I hope he doesn't mind if I copy him a bit, but it was such a great idea!!! My kids are very excited as it takes my preparation and covert missions on their part. It will be fun!!!

Well, the Christmas spirit has finally hit us. I am heading up with the youth to look at the Christmas lights this evening and then tomorrow we will drive around looking at all of the light displays!!! I think my heart grew two sizes today!!!

Only in California....

Only in California would it be amusing to hear "Twas the Night Before Christmas", while be acted out by the kids in our ward, by a brother in our ward in our governor's thick accent. Truly it made it pretty funny.

It also seems funny that when the ward is involved small children gravitate towards my youngest and I often find her leading them as if they were a gaggle of geese. They also often approach and climb on up on her lap.

It's actually pretty funny to watch the kids just hanging out with their buddies. A nice night indeed. Thanks Ryan for the great impersonation!!!

Welcome home friends...new and old!!!

It seems that I was destined for a "me" day yesterday. I woke up and got dressed. Let the kids deal with themselves. After all...they are old enough to dress themselves. Right?! I got in my nice warm shower anjoying the steambath that accompanied it. I dropped the kids off, paid the PGE bill and ran home to pick up hubby who had barely made it into the shower. He allowed me to drive, still feeling weak from the flu he had the day before. We went out to our normal breakfast date and fuled the hubby so he could regain some strength. Then we ran off to the mall in Pleasanton to pickup the new calendar pages for my planner. We came back and ran to the grocery store to buy what I needed for dinner the next few days. Dropped that off and spent a few minutes relaxing ebfore it was time to pick up the kids from school. Afterwards we went straight to get our hair cut. My haridresser and hubby convinced me I could seriously go as short as I wanted to. In the end, I gave into my hairdresser as she has never steered me too wrong. We came home,to find a surprise on the doorstep. Our mailman had delivered my long awaited copy. I am a collector of many different things but Harry Potter books tops the list. Today my special copy of "The Tales of Beedle the Bard" arrived. Yay me!!! And if you ever get a collectible having to do with Harry Potter I guarantee you will never be disappointed. Here' s peak:

THis is the elaborately crafted box it came in. The real book was in a velvet lined pouch embroidered with JK Rowling's signature. The book was incredible in itself.

I was so happy to support her chosen charity. What a collector's piece. If only she herself signed it...I can dream can't I?!

I made dinner and then rearranged my living room for the new addition to our family. Our neighbor came over and helped us to bring the addition home. I tried to describe the piano earlier but words just don't seem to do the job.

It was crafted somewhere between 1900-1910 in London. Once we move I will have it tuned, which it so desperately needs. It has all of its original components, inculding real ivory keys. I love the wood inlay. Aside from the candleabra pieces missing. Iwill now hunt them down across the globe and hope I can find them. Don smiled after I finished polishing it. He said: "Merry Christmas! You'll have to wait for the other half of the present which is getting it tuned and ready for you to learn, but Merry Christmas anyway!" I also brough home a small antique sheet music cabinet. LOVE IT!!!!

That is where my day ended...the day devoted to Just Me.

You are all right....they do grow up way too fast. I watch my youngest turning into a woman before my eyes. I promise not to start crying until my son starts growing chest hair and his voice changes. Until then I live in glorious bliss that they are all still tiny tots... I can dream can't I? It's funny though, I don't miss the baby years, the picking out outfits, the dress up days, the diapers, the crying...oh wait, they still do, I truly do not miss them whatsoever. I do however miss Halloween and Christmas mornings. It's just not the same any longer. That's all right. I can cope with that. I love this age and watch them carefully, though from a distance. I watch first loves, ignorance of others that have crushes on them, learning who they are and what they want in their life. Watching their schooling struggles and most importantly celebrating their triumphs. Celebrating womanhood that has arrived and childhood holding on by the fingernails. Everyday seems a celebration here...Large & Small.

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As I woke this morning and jumped onto my computer I had no idea what was lurking around the corner. I read your posts, smiled laughed and had that "Sigh" moment before the masses were woken. The girls were first...they are always first. For some reason the commotion always wakes Bryan up on his own. After my duty of the waking I walked into the shower to jump into my steambath extraordinaire. I lvoe blistering hot showers in the morning. Fabulous way to wake up!!! Oh...what's that?! No water pressure!!! This so cannot be good!!! Time to wake the hubby!!! It's sort of like waking a grizzly that has been hibernating all winter and dangling a salmon in front and then not sharing, reactions are never good. Though this morning he did well rolling out of bed this morning. He jumped into his jackets and boots and I found the problem immediately when we opened the back door. Water flying up in the air and shooting everywhere. We actually ran to the backyard gritting our teeth as we had just wrapped the pipes for the winter. Hubby bravely jumped in and turned the water off while I called our neighbor who just happens to be a handyman. He was getting the items he would need to jump into the car and head on up. Luckily, hubby found the problem and was able to fix it before neighbor got there. Unfortunately, there was no time for me to jump in the shower...Luckily, I spent 30 glorious minutes last night soaking...there is a God!!! So, other than my hair being a disaster we were fine. As we looked over the backyard it was a soaked mess. I looked at hubby and said: "I know you missed going duck hunting this year, but I think you are going overboard trying to get ducks to land in the backyard." For some reason he didn't think it was funny. I jsut don't understand men sometimes. Wink Wink!!! He's out weatherproofing the pipes again to make sure I don't miss anymore of my fabulously hot water conventions in the morning.

Thanks Hubby!!!

D-Day--8 days and counting!!!

No, not 8 days left until Christmas...really! Where did you get your math skills!? Just kidding! Actually, it is 8 days until my kids track off (year round talk for letting the monkeys out of the cage). I love this time but dread it all at once. First off, it is old in the morning and I no longer have to climb out of bed at 6am!!!! However, I still have to climb out of bed. Bummer!!! We don't have to worry about homework...just boredom. Our date on Monday morning for breakfast gets trampled on for over a month. I don't mind. It's fun to go out with our batch of monsters.

Well, it happens. Whether it be 6 weeks at one time of year or 3 months of summer inevitably it will happen. Kids do it to you. I think the thing I cringe at the most when the kids are on break...my grocery bill spikes up like your energy bill during a heat wave...not mine of course with the lack of air conditioning, but you get the point anyway. Pray for me all! I may not come back. This is dangerous ground we are approaching!!!

What a fun break it will be!!!!

Dear Santa...

Dear Santa,
I've been a very good girl this year. I have smiled at my customers while they were getting their names on the "naughty" list. I held my tongue when Iw as told that I needed to go and have permanant make-up put on...it will make me look better. I have accepted all of my callings even though I had several anxiety attacks over them. I have paid my taxes, voted, and even allowed my kids to live when they irritated me to no end.
All I ask Santa...please let our property sale and can we borrow your reindeer and sleigh for moving...Oh! and can we borrow the elves? I really don't feel like actually lifting the boxes. Hmm...maybe we can even borrow them early so they can do all the packing and maybe even the cleaning.
Thanks Santa!
You're the best!!!
Love, Tammy

On your mark....get set...GO!!!!

Does anyone else ever feel life is like this sometimes? It always seems that once I get home from work I am off to the races trying to complete one task or another. it never really goes calmly any longer. Ahhh!!! Thus is the life of a mother. Yup! It has finally dawned on me!!! So, needless to say, we had to head over to buy Bryan some more school supplies as his pouch was stolen out of his desk. Molly needed supplies for her science project...with the vaguest instructions I have ever seen in my life. After that we went over to Home Depot and plunked down a good amount of money for Duraflame logs. They tend to work the best when trying to keep the girls warm at night. For those of you who have not heard before only half of the house is heated. So, when the temperature dips at night down into the 30's it gets a bit chilly at that end of the house. Normally we can put on a log and although it doesn't keep it toasty warm, it does take the chill out of the air and make it more comfortable for the girls.

So, by the time we got home from work until we were finished it was 8:30pm. Yay!!! Tonight is mutual so that should be fun. Our entire family is due at the church so we will hop on down there together. Tomorrow...I am doing NOTHING after work. Oh, except maybe bake something for the ward Christmas Party on Saturday. Then maybe do a little cleaning, and perhaps laundry following that. Ooohh! Maybe I'll have time to actually clean up and organize the boxes in the living room. That sure would be nice. AHHHH so unrelaxing!!! CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!!!!

Brrrrrr!!!!@

No, I'm really not kidding. Can you seer the temp on that thermometer? 44 degrees!!!! Seriously frigid here in Cali!!!! Oh and if you think I am being a weenie...that is inside the store. Sorry, no penguins, but they should be here soon!!!

A day long gone...

Yesterday was monumental in another rite of passage come and gone. My youngest and I stalked through the store in serch of the proper undergarments a young girl needs at a certain point in her life. We've all been through it. Let me set the scene for you...see if it sounds familiar.

First, we seperated from the rest of the family. It's not like you can pick out THAT with your father and brother present!!! Whatever!!! We made our way in the store. The hood goes up over my daughter's gorgeous curls. She tells me she doesn't want to be seen by any friends. She is beautifully modest. She hides in the corner of the store while I pick out a few different sizes to try on. We go into the dressing room where I face the wall as she tries them on. Now we have a size! Game on!

She again hides in the corner after sharing with me the fact that she wants to have lots of bright and fun colors. No problem! Anything, but the candy cane stripes...don't blame you there!!!! I've got them all and race back to the corner of the store where she is hiding to gain approval. They all passed, not necessarily because she liked them, but more to just get us out of the store quicker I think. it was the same for us wasn't it?

We approach the small sales stand standing secluded in the corner. Drat! No sales clerks here! We must head to the big sales desk by the entryway to the wall. The hood gets pulled lower. The sales clerk greets us and gets underway as sweet and yet as slow as molasses. The hood is getting stretched out at this point as she carefully removes the hangers and security tags and then spreads our items all over the desk for the world to see.

Although I couldn't see it, her bright red cheeks sent off heat that could've melted marshmellows. Finally the woman has it all rung up and I pay her quickly to end my sweet daughter's embarrassment. She finally finishes and places them all in a bag, but not before the mall Barney Fife comes by and stares at the loot scattered on the counter. Oh my poor girl!!!

Well, it could be worse...her mother could blog about it!!!

The Hunt Is On!

I woke up yesterday morning, quite unwillingly to be honest, and then shuttled the kids off to school. I'm not quite sure what they were wearing. Could've been pajamas...all I know is skin was covered I was good. I came home and hubby was sound asleep still. Sawing logs like a lumberjack. I let him rest and dove into my computer with reckless abandon...Ok! i was paying a few bills, get off my back already would you?!

Anyway, he finally woke up and stared at me as if I was covered head to toe with dog poop. Not a great visual or smell, but you get the point. He mentioned he was worried because he never heard me come in the door and needed to make sure I had made it home safely. Then he turned and jumped into the shower. FINALLY after 30 minutes...and they say us girls are bad...we jumped into the truck and headed off to breakfast. Every Monday is date morning. We go out to eat for breakfast and then head off to our day.

Hubby has declared today we will find a pair of slippers for me. I have a pair of slippers...and I hate them. They feel like they are paper thin and are ready to fall apart at any moment. He has a really neat pair of ugg slippers that look so attractive he actually wears them to parties. Nobody knows the difference. we were planning on heading one direction when hubby mentions he would love to head over to Bass Pro Shop...again. I go, lured by the fact there is a pair of shoes I want to look at...again. What's holding me back? The price. I am naturally a frugal person and hate to spend money on something like shoes for me. Oh sure, ask me to plunk it down for anyone else and we are fine and it's out of my hands, but to spend $100 on a pair of shoes for me. Pshaw!!!! It's not normally going to happen!!! I can tell you that right now...or is it?!

Yes, as soon as I entered the store I heard their siren song calling to me. I walked up the stairs by the waterfall. If you've not been to this store...yes there is a waterfall, live fish, incredible!!! I passed the men's section knowing exactly where they sat. I had seen them just days earlier. they welcomed me back begging for me to simply try them on. That's all! Nothing else! My dear friends, I must report I succumbed tot heir will and tried them on. The soft leather, the simplicity, the pure comfort. Oh why do they haunt me so?!

Hubby takes one look..."get them," he smiles.
"Huh?!"
"Get them!" He urges.
"They are $100!!!" I practically screamed through my clinched teeth.
"I like them. Get them."

Yes, the moral to the story. I bought the silly things and we now have a match made in heaven: my feet, their soft leather.

What a Weekend!!!

Saturday kept us all busy flitting from one customer to the next. We are incredibly grateful for the customers that keep coming in though we know that our sales items are getting thin. We pray often about people coming in that wear those odd sizes left and I admit gleefully I am never disappointed. As with the cold that has been creeping around the valley lately the store can get fairly chilly. There is a balance in there that is fairly difficult to make it to. You see, there is a heater in the back of the store that works lovely. My office is always toasty which makes me happy and the bathroom out of necessity. Up front we used to have a small pot belly stove taken from a caboose which we would fill with smaller pieces of a duraflame log to heat the front of the store. The nervousness happens when a small child enters the building and we must have one of us serve as protector so that little fingers don't touch hot metal. This year we have taken the stove completely out. The tricky part is that heating in the back does make its way to the front, however at a certain part of the day the sun hits the west side of the building and brings us up another 10-20 degrees. So, you can see if we don't keep the heat down at some point we are living in a broiler at the next moment.
So on saturday we kept a decent amount of heat in the building and I was clad in my favorite snow parka. Normally I am fairly toasty but Saturday it was just plain cold. I got home from work into the toasty warm house and was tempted to throw my jacket off, but I was still cold. I managed creating an incredibly boring dinner...that tasted good to me... and then snuggled under some nice warm throw blankets in bed while watching tv with hubby....still cold.
Uh oh! Now it's really dawning on me this is not a good thing. Hubby realized it too and I saw it in his eyes. Before I would even allow him to touch my forehead and cheeks I complained that I was not sick. I couldn't possibly have a fever because I am too busy to have one. his tired hands felt my forehead and cheeks and without a word spoken he walked over to my side of the bed and stripped the throw blankets off. He literally stole my warm woolen socks and then covered me with a down comforter and various other blankets with my beloved throw blankets on top. Nope still cold, but cozier...thanks Hubby, although don't touch my socks again!!!
It wasn't until the next day, after falling asleep at 7:45pm, that I realized without saying a word he was utterly and completely right. I was still exhausted and my head ached so i ditched church...and for good reason.
Now, here we are on Monday and I am feeling fairly good. On today's agenda is to find me a pair of slipper clogs that are cute enough to throw on last second if I need to run to the store, but comfy enough to wear all day if I choose. We shall see. Let the hunt begin!!!!

Where did I go?!

I can't describe what happened. I don't relaly know it myself. Perhaps it was the straw that broke the camel's back....Oh! Poor Camel!!!!

Anyway, all day I have sat their receiving condoloences as always from some very nice people, which is really a wonderful sweet thing that i do appreciate it. But, like nails on a chalkboard I am tired of hearing it. It really stinks. I am not worried about that though. It is what it is and I am not upset about any of it. Truly I am not. We are looking forward to our new life and new adventure. Even if business picked up we have already decided we don't want to go through this again.

I don't know what happened, but when a man held up a pair of Ostrich boots (normally $599.95 and on sale for 75% off...bring it down to $149.95). I have to also tell you that most of the exotic leather boots last nearly forever. I talked to one gentleman who told me his last ostrich boots lasted for 2 decades. That is 20 years people!!!! Anyway, when this man asked me if I could make him a better offer I about lost it. The Grinch snuck out and here is what I said in my cheeriest of cheerful voices: "Yes, sir. I'd love to make you a better deal. You see, being that you are really only paying 25% of what the worth of the boots really are and the fact that I am sitting here in a struggling economy trying to work my knuckles to the bone to put a roof over my head and food in my children's belly. It's not enough that I am giving you the 25% discount! Oh no! you have the nerve and audacity to ask me for a larger discount. So, yes, i will change the price for you. Instead of paying that horribly large price of $149.95 I will change it to $699.95 because I really care all about you!!!" He then informed me that the regular price was $100 less. to which I repled: "I know, I just applied an extra $100 charge for my irritation!!!"

Ooops!!! That was soooooo not Christlike.

Sigh! Life With a Teenage Girl

In an effort to get out of the house and spend some good quality time as a family we headed out into the fog, which by the way, I adore. Anyway,we headed off to the Hubs' favorite store much to the dismay of our children who are not the greatest outdoor enthusiasts. Oh they will go camping and anywhere we drag them, but it is not top of their "To Do" list and they especially hate looking at camping and outdoors items. Although I see Bryan enjoys the guns and such. Dad takes him shooting on occasion so that is their thing. During the evening as we walked around the store I caught my teen opening and closing her cell phone. I warned the dear not o be texting during family time to which she informed me, most emphatically that she was not texting. when I asked what she was doing she flipped open her phone to reveal a pic of Edward from Twilight staring at her. She would open it when Dad was not looking and sigh. I remember those days.

Prayers answered....

No, the store has not sold. This was a prayer from long ago. I thought it was forgotten. However, we should all know that our prayers are answered one way or another. you see, a few years ago I had an insane desire to learn a musical instrument. I told hubby I'd like to pick up the clarinet again. Alas, after having pneumonia two years in a row it was no longer possible for me to use sustained breaths to play my dear clarinet. I had also desired to play the flute, but again, the blowing thing does not work. When I was little I had wanted to play the piano, but when we were growing up i knew we didn't have the money for piano lessons. Instead, I kept my desire hidden away. I had mentioned it to hubby who has always kept his eyes open for the chance to find just the right piano for me. I always tell him it is too much money and I don't want to spend it. Today was the day my prayer was answered. A friend came into the store and we were chatting. She was trying to downsize her home and had a piano she was willing to trade for our large display cabinet at the store that we keep our buckles in. We are clearancing out the buckles and such so we don't have that many any longer. Needless to say my ears perked up, but not as fast as the Hubby. He was more than willing. We went by to see the piano and it was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately, it needs to be restored and restrung in a few places then tuned. Again when you are dealing with a piano that is basically being given to you it is not quite as big of a problem to have it tuned and repaired. They have done a bit of research on this piano and as it turns out it was made in London by the Danemann Company circa 1900. Yes, this piano is more than a hundred years old with beautiful inlay in the front, candelabras which were surprisingly not scavenged for the metal brackets during world war 1. The keys are actual ivory with one maybe two tiny chips. nothing major. I fell in love with it and she is giving us a music cabinet as well. My heart is full....no I didn't get any pictures of it and there are none that resemble it on the internet. I promise once the Hubs gets a few big strong men to help bring it into the house I will be happy to take a few pics for you to see the incredible detail. I think I'm in love. I can't wait to take lessons and play everything!!!!

No stress!!!

Seriously all, Thee is no stress other than trying to sell the store that is in my life. I have quite a few things I have to do altely, but that is fine too. This picture was e-mailed to me. I thought it was great. It looks like something I would do for fun!!! Carving watermelons. A pointless task, but to make people smile. Works good. Well, I am off to my writing. Have a great day all!!!

Bah Humbug!!!

I know I am going to catch a lot of flack for this one, but I am checking out of CHristmas this year. I think our lives are too much up in the air. I can only handle a certain amount mentally and I don't know if I can get there this time. Normally i am the one outside after work putting up our display and pushing Don to decorate. Right now, I don't have it in me to make it there. Life is so uncerain for everyone and I am wore out. I get like this occasionally, but I have never gone this far. I talked to the kids about it and thy laughed and said: "Mom, it's not the decorations that makes the holiday special..." I felt a very heartwarming moment until another one piped up and said: "That's right , Mom. It's all about the presents..." To which they darted out fo the room giggling hysterically as I swatted for their rear ends. Thanks heavens they were joking!!! Otherwise, my motherhood skills would have hit an all time low!!!!

I have had a few healthy doses of Christmas movies so that has been fun. Christmas Carols are on my mind and crossing my lips daily, but for now...Deck the Halls is not happening.

I deeply dislike cell phones....

Oh sure, they are helpful when you need to call the Hubby to confirm some information, but truly I am not a big fan these days. Last night, it all started out innocently. I had to be one place with one daughter for young women's last night, my younger daughter had to be somewhere else , but close by my at the same time. My son had to be several miles away at he same time. I called and asked a friend I knew would be coming my direction for a ride home. with my oldest to make things a bit easier on the Hubs. What happened after that equals complete and total chaos.

My sweet friend offered to pick up not only my oldest and I but the youngest as well to drop her off at her destination in the menatime since her younger daughter was headed to the same activity. Perfect match. The Hubs is happy he doesn't have to be in two parts of town at the same time...Note, this is where I want to shove my cell phone into Kilauea and watch the sucker burn...While we are there we devised a system where Don could pick up friend's son at church where our son was at and then drop him off home so her hubby didn't have to be at two places at once. In turn he would pick up our daughter along with his and they would exchange kids. Again! no problem here. Well, the girls were picking up canned food for Brighter Christmas here and they didn't make it on time. I get a call that he is going to the church to pick up his son and mine instead. I call Hubs, but he is already gone and unfortunately his cell phone doesn't have any energy left so it is charging at home. he picks up our daughter and not our friend's. I call back to friend who is looking to pick up our son to let him know that the call was not completed and he would have to pick up his daughter. Hubs showed up right as he was leaving so we have our kids, they have theirs. In the meantime as a service we are delivering plates of cookies to people the girl's wanted to thank for their service. So, inevitably my oldest and I are in seperate cars, my friend has my oldest and another sweet woman i serve with drops me off at home in the middle of the chaos ebcause we don't really know when my oldest will be dropped off and I was quite sure she did not bring her keys. So, in the end we all made it home after a night of chaos. remember a bazillion phone calls were being launched all to and from my little phone. I REALLY dislike cell phones!!!!

Piggly Wiggly Manor...

As most of you should know, we are selling our store and moving. If you hadn't heard then where in the world have you been?! needless to say I have scoured the universe for just the right house. It is in the perfect neighborhood near the Hubs' brother and his family. The price is better than right and we would have much more money left over. The only thing I can say bad about it is that it has "character" Nobody saw it before I did and never associated it with what I saw. hence the new name of it: "Piggly Wiggly Manor." Honestly, I love the name too!!!Upon showing everyone my one daughter is appalled that she would have to live in the "pig house", hubby rolled his eyes, but saw exactly what I saw. The other two giggled and rolled their eyes. It was pure 100% dorky Mom who figured this out. I loved the colors and simplicity in it inside. I wouldn't even have to paint right away, the colors really fit what I was hoping for!!! There is room for everything I have to fit perfectly...well almost. However Hubs and I came up with a plan The way the floor plan is laid out it looks as if we would be able to easily extend the family room out and then add on a game room. The backyard is ginormous so we would still have plenty of space leftover.

Seriously, where's the justice?!

OK!!! So, I slept for a mere 4 hours the previous night and I handled the entire day fairly well. I didn't even drift off during our Young Women's leadership meeting. Life was definitely good. I put a little song pumping through my Ipod and walked towards where hubby was sitting in the truck waiting for the kids to get out of school. It felt soooo good to take a walk by myself. I think I will keep it a new tradition once we move and I have an actually neighborhood to live in aside from the old highway being outside my front door. Anyhooo! We went home and while the kids were getting their homework done I managed to get some work done on the computer, you know surfing and trying to find something else interesting going on in someone else's life because my is just so utterly and completely boring here, and hubby sat on the couch. One by one, the kids peeled off running to their game systems after finishing their homework. The hubs slipped farther and farther down into the sofa until he was stretched out snoring up a storm. It's a good thing he was adorable, other wise I would've probably beat the tar out of him for doing that in front of me. I, of course, got no naptime. I knew if I went down I would not be getting back up at that point. So, as the kids kissed us goodnight and bounced off to bed. I hut the old laptop down and drifted off myself at 9pm.

The moral of the story: While I was turning over I opened my eyes to see that at nearly 4am the hubs was still awake because he napped to long while I was able to snore to my heart's content until i woke up refreshed at 5:45am! Yay me!!!

Love letters from the Hubs...

While Hubby and I were dating I received notes written on an extra napkin while on his lunch break from work. He would leave them on my car under the wiper blades for when I came out. A few times he didn't have napkins and instead I would find lables from Sprite bottles in their place. I saved and cherished each one of those napkins counting down the days to our wedding. Now, my love notes have changed. He is not the same type of man. He is the action speaks louder than words kind of man. I'll give you an example: Last night while saying the prayer for dinner...and it was a fairly extensively worked meal for me (Homemade wontons, stir fry, teriyaki chicken marinating overnight)...and my blood sugar dropped very quickly, to where my strength just left and it made it difficult to stand there. I told him I just needed to lie down while everyone else got their food (I am the sort that makes sure my family is fed before carrying on with feeding myself). As with most men if hubby needs to wait for his food his tummy gets rumbly and he gets grumpy. I heard him growl a bit saying he needed to be first to dish up. I was rather surprised because he had a little snack just 2 hours earlier. However, I listened to him and the kids chat it up in the kitchen for the next couple minutes. I was feeling better, just waiting for the hubs and kids to clear out before going and dishing up my plate. Hubby walked into the bedroom where I had chosen to lay down and he pushed the button on our bed, to raise me to the sitting position. He then guided my hands, because I wasn't really looking, to a plate he had prepared for me. I laughed and told him I just needed to lay down for a minute or two and he smiled and winked. He walked off humming as he made himself a plate and then brought me a drink when he returned. Later after I was finished he took my plate away before I could stand up and then proceeded to put dinner away for leftover Monday. I watched him the rest of the night, refilling drinks, bringing me my Ben & Jerry's. Each time, it was like the stroke of a pen writing a love note to me. I thought back to the rest of the day: opening doors for me and waiting for me to walk through first, listening to our son speak for the first time in sacarament meeting at church (for his first time he was so eloquent, not shaky like his Mama) and thanking me for helping him to prepare, giving me the encouragement to re-read my lesson for Young Women, asking me to write my latest novel while sitting next to him (even though I am plugged into my Ipod. i watch as every night he steals the socks that have kept my feet warm all day just because he said he loves to see my piggies. So many things he does on a daily basis remind me of those napkins tucked under my wiper blade. How does your hubby write his love letters?