Book Worm

One of my current (and possibly temporary) goals is to start reading better books. By better, I mean ones that are better for me. For you churchy-types, ones that will bring me closer to Christ, or at least not push me farther away from Him. I don't mean that I am going to start reading only church books or only those published by Deseret Book. Personally, those aren't for me. My delimma is that I love murder/mystery/autopsy/detective stuff, but those usually contain some language (not to mention violence) that makes me a little uncomfortable. I, like most, will try to gloss over it and enjoy the meat of the story, but sometimes it gets to be too much. It's times like those that I start thinking I need to make a change. But change to what? I'm totally at a loss. I've been dry eight days now and am really suffering. I was desperate enough to start reading a book that Matt had been given by someone at Franklin Covey called "Meeting Amazing Grace." It's some kind of relationship-strengthening book - not for me. After about ten pages, I couldn't take any more. Then, still being desperate, I picked up a book my mom had given me last Christmas called "I Feel Bad About My Neck" by Nora Ephron. Now, first of all, I am the type of person who, if someone recommends a book, immediately has NO desire to read it. I noticed this book on Cathy's bookshelf some time back and her opinion of it didn't inspire me to read it either. Nora Ephron is a screenplay writer for such movies as "Bewitched," "You've Got Mail," "When Harry Met Sally," and "Sleepless in Seattle." So, being desperate, I decided to give it a try. I mean, the inside of the jacket says, "Utterly courageous, wickedly funny, and unexpectedly moving..." How could I go wrong? Well, luckily, the book is only 137 pages long, so I was able to wipe it out in a day (with kids) - out of desperation I kept reading. I can honestly say that I didn't laugh once. There was not even a point where I considered that it is me reading it and that I could see where others might find it funny. There was, however, one paragraph that I at least found worth mulling over. Ms. Ephron is talking about death, not being able to avoid it, and what we can do about it - basically nothing - but brings up some interesting points:

"Do you splurge or do you hoard? Do you live every day as if it's your last, or do you save your money on the chance you'll live twenty more years? Is life too short, or is it going to be too long? Do you work as hard as you can, or do you slow down to smell the roses? And where do carbohydrates fit into all this? Are we really going to have to spend our last years avoiding bread, especially now that bread in America is so unbelievably delicious? And what about chocolate? There's a questions for you - what about chocolate?"

Based on my own feelings about people recommending books, I am not going to recommend this one. But know that if you should desire to read it, Cathy and I both have copies you can borrow and probably even have (sorry, Mom).

First Miracle of 2009

As I was changing the sheets on our bed this morning (that's the miracle!), I began this chain of random thoughts. Actually, it's the second miracle of 2009. The first, as I digress (don't people use that word a lot these days?), was yesterday when I personally cleaned the bathroom rather than doling it out as a chore to the less fortunate in our household. Anyway, I started thinking about what an odd couple Matt and I are. Not odd in comparison to each other, because I feel we're so similar in so many ways that I married myself, but to other couples. From changing the sheets, I went on to think about how I really need to start painting our bedroom (I've had the paint for months), to how cool it will be to get new furniture and bedding, and to how ads always show a bunch of big, puffy pillows on the beds. We are not big, puffy pillow people. We are not even people with pillows of normal puffiness. I sleep with three pillows, two that are semi-puffy that I can arrange in various stages of height and one that has been washed and is all soft and lumpy. This is my "cuddle" pillow. I got addicted to it while I was pregnant with Kayleigh and have been unable to break free from it's grasp. I absolutely love it! I even take it on trips. Matt uses one pillow that is now probably only about two inches thick (sincerely!) and folds it in half. This is not because we can't afford a new pillow (we've bought new ones) or because I won't share (I've offered). It works for him just like my three do for me. When we finally do get new bedding we may have to get new puffy pillows under which to hide our favorites just for appearance sake. I thought about putting pictures of them on here, but we all know what drool spots look like, don't we? ...uh, right?

Christmases Past

What is your favorite Christmas memory or tradition? One of mine is when I was a kid living in Huntsville, TX. We were dirt poor (has that changed?), living on our property out in the woods. We had no central heat in our house, so in the winter we kids would sleep in the living room by the wood-burning stove. On Christmas Eve we sat on the floor around the tree with my mom and had a Christmas dinner of hot dogs and chips. My mom may have even splurged and made them chili dogs! For whatever reason, it was a special time for us as kids. Maybe because we got to eat on the floor like we were having a picnic. I don't know. In actuality, it probably only happened once, but it sticks in my mind as if we did it every year. How about you?

Blessing

Yesterday was a special day for us. Matt and I, along with Bob and Jeana (Jenny's dad and step-mom), were able to be present while Jenny got her Patriarchal Blessing. It was a beautiful blessing full of some amazing direction and promises to Jenny. I (we) already think she's exceptional, but it was especially meaningful to me as a mom to hear what my sweet, beautiful daughter can become. She will learn and grow and be blessed with so many wonderful things if she continues to make good choices and keeps Heavenly Father foremost in her life. I know she reads this blog regularly and want her to know how much we love her and appreciate the good example she is to us all. I'd tell her in person, but I'm not just a crier, I'm a down-right blubberer and she would be mortified!

Thoughts about Judy...

I was so sad to get the news that Judy passed away last night. Knowing it's coming doesn't really make it any easier, does it? I am so thankful for the time we had with her. When she originally moved out here, we didn't think she'd be around very long...and I guess in the grand scheme of things, she wasn't. But, it was at least long enough for us to spend time with and get to know her. And, too, maybe it was for her as much as it was for us. She was given the opportunity to develop relationships with us and hopefully found comfort in having so many people around who loved her. She was so unnecessarily and genuinely kind and generous to my family and me. We will truly miss her and will keep her in our thoughts and hearts forever.

Where are you???

Well, how do you like that? Everyone thought I was dead because I hadn't updated my blog and now I'm the only one around! So, I'm on here while I've got some things going on to talk about, but I'm sure I'll hit a dry spell and disappear again.

Like I mentioned before, SNOW! On Sunday while I was at a meeting, Matt let Kayleigh make a snowman on the front porch (in her dress right before church) and thus she couldn't quit talking about it after. Being the good mom that I am (what??), I eventually and grudgingly bundled her up later that day and took her out back to make a big snowman. Well, it wasn't big as you can see, but it was bigger than her first one. She will tell you that she helped make it, but she was busy making her own snowman in the swing to her play toy. Once she was properly frozen and the pictures were taken, she was ready to come in and have some hot chocolate.

Today is Matt's birthday...the BIG 35! He said he's having a hard time with this one, because 35 is OLD. Hmmm...I'd love to be only 35. His office had a pot luck lunch and gave him a bunch of cards and a couple of books. Kayleigh and I spent part of the day making a cake and blowing up balloons. When Matt got home, he opened his gifts (another book and a thingy to plug into the cigarette lighter so that he can listen to his iPod through the car stereo). We went to dinner at Chili's then it was home with full bellies to a little cake and ice cream. Kayleigh did better than I thought she would. I wasn't sure she'd realize that it's Daddy's birthday and he's the one who gets to open presents. She did help blow out the candles...not with air so much as spit. Good thing we're all family!

M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E

Well, the kids are basking in the sun at Disney World while we've made snowmen in October! There's something wrong with this picture...namely, why aren't WE in Florida???

My Life...today

I am soooooo glad to have the internet back, though now I can't remember all of the reasons I just had to have it. I'm sure they'll come back to me though!

Now that Jenny has graduated and is making college plans...yes, decisions have been made!...we're booting her out. We only have two rooms available for the kids, so we're rearranging. She's kind of had her own room while Tara and Kayleigh have been sharing. Poor Garrett, who sort of had a room in the basement (unfinished and shared with storage and spiders), has been sleeping on her floor since we moved in. We're moving T & K into J's larger room and putting G in T's old one. When we moved in, J's room was lavender (ugh!) and white. I'm repainting it before moving the other girl's into it. T loves orange and has been trying to convince me to paint it that color. I pretty much told her, "NO WAY!!!" I did, however, decide to compromise and am painting it a pale yellow and "Melon." Needless to say, it's very bright and fruity! She's not too happy with it, but I figure she'll be getting the boot in a year herself. Once I finish (hopefully today), I can work on G's room.

Back to Jenny...she got a Regence scholarship and is going to go to Weber State in January so that she can use that. It has to be used at a Utah school and is only good for a year after she graduated. She's applying for BYU-Idaho for next fall.

Kayleigh has given us some reprieve from watching "The Lion King" all day everyday. She's now added a little variety by including "The Lion King 1-1/2," "Shrek," "Shrek 2," and "Clifford's Really Big Movie." She's also started saying, "I don't like..." "I don't like to pray." "I don't like cereal." She said, "I don't like Jenny" all the way home the other day. Luckily, Jenny wasn't in the car with us. I know she loves Jenny more than all of us put together, so it was kind of weird.

MY QUIRKS: (I'm sure Matt can tell you more)

1. I have to have things lined up "just so." Like if I'm standing at a receptionist's counter, I can't keep myself from lining up the papers, pamphlets, sign in book, etc. with the edge of the counter.

2. The dirty dishes have to be put in the side of the sink that doesn't have the disposal...not on the counter, not in the other side, not on the stove...

3. When sleeping, my sheet and blanket have to be pulled tight and smooth over my body. I can feel the weight difference if there's a wrinkle or an overlap of some kind.

4. I can't stand to have garbage left in my car. I don't like the "lived in" look.

5. When getting a Diet Coke (the best drink ever invented!) at a gas station (drive thru, of course), I have to have lots of ice...as in, fill it to the top with ice, then put in the DC. I KNOW it means less DC, but I'd rather drink really cold watery DC, than warm DC with a kick.

6. The best dinner in the world...vanilla ice cream and sour cream and onion potato chips!

These are a few. As I said, Matt can probably tell you ton's more that I haven't thought of!

Tele'what'ies?

I've recently been thrust into the bizarre and unsettling world of the Teletubbies. I managed for years to avoid them as I refused to let the other kids watch them when they were little. I never saw the show then, but didn't like the looks of the "Tubbies" and had never heard anything good about the show. Unfortunately, Kayleigh discovered them one morning while I was flipping through channels (all five that we have) looking for something "good" such as Curious George or Clifford the Big Red Dog and I decided to give in and let her watch it (because, you know, she gets everything she wants). I thought I'd give it a try, maybe it wasn't so bad, maybe there was a good message to be gotten, etc. NO. I think the most bizarre and unsettling thing about them is that they're still on TV after 20 years! Of course, Kayleigh loves them and knows their names...Tinky Winky, Dipsy, LaLa and Po. So, when it's bright and early at 7:00am, and you're wishing you had time to sit down and watch "Teletubbies," think about how you wish you were me and how cute this sweet, beautiful little girl will look as LaLa on Halloween! I can hardly wait!

Biffin' it

I hope everyone is handling the heat better than we are. We're still running ol' Swampy and not getting much relief out of it. We've developed a new nightly routine of sitting on the front steps wondering if the neighbors think we're watching them. Kayleigh loves to play in the "front side," so it works well. We eat Popsicles, run through the sprinklers, draw with sidewalk chalk, swat the mosquitoes, and sweat. The other night, Kayleigh ran down the driveway, tripped and landed on her hands and knees. Then, and this part was in slow motion, her face skidded across the cement. She has some lovely road rash that looks like her cheek and nose got seared by a hot round poker the size of a glass bottom. I've gotten many comments as we've been out and about. It took a few times of people staring at us for me to realize what the deal was. People are very vocal and comfortable asking what happened to her (much more so that I would be and think they should be). Even though the accident could only have been prevented by keeping her in a plastic bubble, I feel like people think I'm lying when I explain what happened. I'm just waiting for Social Services to come knocking. Of course, it doesn't help that her top lip had just healed from when she jumped off the counter (yes, I was right there and even had my hand on her knee to prevent her from falling) with the toothbrush in her mouth. If she survives having such bad parents, it will be a miracle.

Daddy pick a nose...

Well...here we go...following the crowd...

Everyone else is blogging, and I happen to enjoy reading what's going on with family, friends, etc., so I thought I'd take a stab at it. I may quickly lose interest since I'm already having a hard time keeping up on my journal, but I'm thinking this will be more fun, though not necessarily less boring for others. I'm well aware that you'll probably lose interest quickly as well, so no need to worry that I'll be constantly asking whether you've read my latest blog.

Just a little explanation about the title as it's probably the funniest thing to come out of Kayleigh's mouth lately...Matt, Jenny, Garrett, Kayleigh and I went camping in Huntsville last week. We took two cars as Matt had to run up to WSU on the way home. As we pulled up next to him on the highway at one point, he acted like he was unaware we were there and pretended (so he says) to be really "digging for gold." Since then, Kayleigh has been telling people, "Daddy pick a nose in the Rodeo." Someday we'll finish the roll of film and post some pictures from the trip.

After camping, we (all of us minus Kayleigh plus Tara) went to Moab for a few days to go rafting. It was a pretty fun time. Matt and I had been a few years ago, but this time the rapids were much better. Some of us got to do a little kayaking, too.

Updates on everyone:

• Matt is down to three more classes at WSU and then he'll be a college grad.
• Brandon just moved in with his cousin into an apartment in downtown SLC.
• Jenny graduated from high school as a Utah Scholar and is applying to BYU-Idaho.
• Tara is looking for a summer job and hanging out with friends.
• Garrett is heading to Michigan for the rest of the summer with his grandparents and cousin, Kyle.
• Kayleigh just finished a summer session of tumbling and is busy growing up too quickly.