Sunday, December 28, 2008

A Series of Unfortunate Events

It all started with the oven heating element exploding. We had to order a replacement part, so we were left without the use of our oven for a few days. Thankfully, our neighbors allowed us to use theirs when we needed to bake.

The next appliance to go on strike was the washer. We had to make a tough call--try to get it fixed or purchase a new one. We bought our highly-recommended Fisher and Paykel washing machine just a few years ago. It was a great machine until it started leaking water everywhere and stopped spinning. The poor thing had probably worked its heart out doing thousands of loads of laundry. Since the machine was made in Australia, it's tough to find an "authorized" repairman, and the parts are hard to come by and expensive. It costs around $100 just to have the repairman look at the machine. Taking all this into consideration, plus the fact that there are some great after-Christmas appliance sales, we decided to buy a new washer. I braved the slushy, icy roads and headed to the local Maytag store to check out their deals. A saleslady showed me several sale models and I bought a "scratched and dented" Whirlpool floor model for a mere $339 (before taxes and delivery). (The "scratched and dented" part of the machine is near the bottom and hardly noticeable.) It will be delivered Wednesday (weather and roads permitting) and our old one will be hauled away. I'll miss the Fisher and Paykel and feel a bit sorry that I've given up on it.

This morning while Lance was ironing church clothes our iron died. Of course, this happened before I had ironed my clothes. I quickly put my outfit in the dryer along with a damp towel. This method mostly worked and the wrinkles in my clothes were hardly noticeable as I left for church.

Lance went out into the garage to back the car out and noticed that someone (probably him as he was the last person to drive the Sienna) had left the interior lights on all night and the battery was dead. Thankfully we have a "spare" van until April, so we drove that to church.

As I sat in the church pew, I whispered to Lance: "When we get home, we may find that our heater or water heater has quit." Lance replied, "Don't say that aloud. I was just thinking that myself."

We returned home to find everything in order. If the remaining working appliances decided to conspire against us while we were at church, they haven't acted out yet!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

A "Different" Christmas

We crawled out of bed this morning at 8:00 after holding Mark off as long as possible. Mark awoke the other three kids by announcing that it was time to open presents. He'd been in our room a couple of times since 6:00 am and even climbed into bed with us twice. Last night (or should I say EARLY this morning) he claimed that he needed a "sleeping pill" to get to sleep. He didn't get one.

The kids surveyed what Santa delivered to them which didn't take long because they didn't get a lot. Then they opened their wrapped presents given to them by friends, relatives and neighbors. Every year they are admonished to record what they receive and write thank-you notes. They're pretty good at the recording and not so good at the thank-you-card writing. I keep trying; they've been taught.

It seemed like a pretty typical Christmas for our family except for a few notable differences listed here:
*We have a WHITE Christmas, and I can't remember the last time we had one here.
*We couldn't make it up Uncle David and Aunt Liz's driveway without getting momentarily stuck in the snow twice.
*Our electricity went out today for 2 hours. I eventually was able to repair my hair, do the dishes and cook dinner. I wanted to give the power repair people big hug!
*Our washing machine broke. Hopefully all it needs is a simple, fairly inexpensive repair.
*We have mounds of trash (which isn't really atypical of Christmas) because the garbage collection company can't collect the garbage due to the snow.
*Santa didn't bring the children ANY candy in their stockings. No complaints.

I love the Christmas and the reason for the season, despite the few bumps (literal and figurative) in the road!

Monday, December 22, 2008

The Businessman

Zachary's cell phone is in our possession. He downloaded several costly games and ring tones without our permission, so we're keeping the phone until he pays us what he owes us.

This morning Zachary told me he had the money he owed us, so he opened his wallet and counted out several coins and bills until the amount he paid was equal to the amount he owed. I was a bit curious about how he earned that money, but his dad was the one who called him on it. "How did you get this money?" Lance asked.

Zach's reply was, "Sometimes I sell items from my lunch that I don't want to the people I do business with. One guy is willing to pay $2 for some Mandarin oranges because he loves them so much. I usually sell things for $1 each."

Lance was momentarily speechless, but then composed himself and asked, "You mean you sell the items we bought for your lunch with our money, and you pocket the money yourself; then you pay us back with OUR money to get your cell phone back?!" He continued, "Those items are not for re-sale."

Now we have the cell phone back in our possession AND the money Zach paid to get it back.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Christmas Survey

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Bags! I'm NOT a good gift-wrapper (just ask my sister).
.2. Artificial or real tree? I prefer real for the smell but artificial for the functionality and the lack of dried pine needles. (We have an artificial one.)
3. When do you put up a tree? A few days after Thanksgiving unless we're being audited by the IRS and have to wait until mid-December.
4. When do you take it down? When I feel like it. Gosh.
5. Do you like eggnog? Yes, but mixed with ginger ale or Sprite.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Either a Chrissy doll or a stereo, but I received a handmade cedar chest from Blake when I was about 20 that I love!!! I was also excited to receive my first pair of pantyhose when I was 9.
7. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.
8. Mail or email cards? Mailed newsletter.
9. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Pikette's clothing--any and all.
10. Favorite Christmas movie? Muppet Christmas Carol.
11. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Right after Christmas for the next year.
12. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I think not, though I may have wanted to on occasion.
13. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Homemade caramels, ham and gluten-filled treats I can no longer eat.
14. Lights on the trees? Yes
15. Favorite Christmas song? O, Come All Ye Faithful; O, Holy Night; Angels We Have Heard on High; Good King Wenceslas (almost all, actually)
16. Worst Christmas song? Livin' in a Latte-wonderland (You have to live in the Great State of Coffee to understand this.)
17. Travel at Christmas or staying home? Travel 5 miles to Woodinville on Christmas Eve and stay home Christmas Day.
18. Can you name all of Santa’s reindeer? Yes, and I even remember Olive, the other reindeer.
19. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star or angel--which ever comes out of the Christmas box first.
20. Open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas day? Both
21. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Holiday stress
22. Favorite thing about the Christmas season? Sights, sounds, smells, tastes of Christmas; and getting cards and newsletters from family and friends. Plus all of the Christmas stories . . . too many things to mention.
23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Vintage, and every color.
24. Favorite food for Christmas dinner? Clam chowder (Christmas Eve) and ham for Christmas dinner.
25. What do you want for Christmas this year? Nothing that can be wrapped and put under a tree. All the things I want are intangible!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Snow Day

For several days, the folks at the National Weather Service have been predicting snow for our area and saying that we'd receive the most snow this morning. Last night Zachary's seminary teachers called to say that this morning's seminary class was cancelled. We set our alarm for an hour later than usual, and when it went off, Lance got up to check the school district's website. Sure enough, school was cancelled, too. Once it got light outside, we looked out to see just how much snow was on the ground and roads. Nothing. Not one flake of snow (except what was left over from last week's minor dusting). Yet, school was cancelled. Surely it'll snow before the morning's over, we thought. We were wrong. No snow all day. Not one flake until tonight when we received a slight dusting--a slight dusting like the dusting of powdered sugar I put on lemon bars.

I just checked the weather forecast and discovered that because the Seattle area is "shadowed" by the Olympic Mountains, we were spared the snow our neighbors to the north and south got. The threat of snow has passed for now. Hopefully, the kids will be able to go to school Thursday and Friday before going on break for the rest of the year.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

"Merry Christmas!" Love, the IRS

We received a letter last week from the Grinch (aka IRS) notifying us that we're being audited. The audacity! Especially right before Christmas! They've called into question the amount we claimed in charitable contributions. How ironic to question our gift-giving--especially when we're so close to Christmas. (It's also ironic that Lance is an auditor for our church.) So, Lance has put on hold all of our pre-planned Christmas projects to deal with this matter. (Our response must be received by the IRS before the end of the year.) He has spent many hours documenting this information and has put it into a tidy little form that even the IRS should understand. Hopefully our documentation is sufficient and we won't hear from them again until we receive a refund early next year. (I have the optimism of a Who.) Wish us luck, please!

Friday, December 12, 2008

Me, the Baseball Player

Sara announced, "Mom, you are the type of person who would never steal second base." She continued, "You might steal home, but you'd never steal second because you'd never risk so much for so little."

What do you think she meant?

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The Shape of Santa

Tonight Mark observed, "Santa always needs to get morbidly obese before Christmas."

Saturday, December 6, 2008

The Deal

Today we had a small family discussion about Christmas decorations, and Lance confessed that he "hates putting up Christmas lights." He elaborated, "I love looking at the lights, I just hate putting them up and taking them down."

Then Sara added her two cents, "I hate cleaning my room, but I love looking at it when it's clean."

Lance took advantage of the conversation and said, "Hey, Sara, let's make a deal. I will put up the Christmas lights after you clean your room."

I'll let you know whether or not we get Christmas lights on our house.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Oh, The Power of Power!

Lance is now Mark's 11-year-old Scout leader. There are 3 boys in the group. Mark is the oldest and was just made aware that he is the Patrol Leader. He loves his new position. Really loves it. After last night's troop meeting Mark explained to me that since he is Patrol Leader, he is "in charge" of every meeting and is responsible to help plan each activity. Then he said, "I am a potential threat to the Scoutmaster." Watch out, Dad!

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Question

Yesterday morning Mark asked me, "Do you consider me to be tall, dark and handsome?" Lance overheard and quipped, "I consider you to be short, skinny and annoying." Mark knew his dad was (mostly) joking.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Thankful!

I try to have a grateful heart all year long and not just on Thanksgiving. I enjoy noticing small blessings and "tender mercies" that God grants me on a daily basis. Of course, I'm grateful for the all of the "big" blessings--faith, family, friends, but I am appreciative of the "small" things, too.

Here is a small sampling of some of the "little" things that cause my heart to be happy and grateful.

*Getting a good parking space in a very crowded Costco parking lot.
*Staying healthy when others around me are ill.
*Being able to share Thanksgiving with all of my immediate family (including my married daughter and son-in-law).
*Mark's wonderful report card and positive parent-teacher conference.
*Finding a good gluten-free, dairy-free pumpkin pie recipe.
*Buying one of the last 5 pre-brined turkeys at Trader Joe's.
*Receiving notes and letters from friends.
*School teachers who understand my children's unique needs.
*Lower gas prices.
*Finding just the "right" gift.
*Knowing I am loved.

Happy Thanksgiving to one and all!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

This is 15-year-old Zachary. He is a handsome boy. He is a nice boy. He's even very polite. Before tonight, his hair was wild, curly and untamed. His parents had many discussions with him about his curly locks. Zach was fond of his tresses. Although his mother (me) loved to run her fingers through his hair, she wasn't fond of her son's scraggly looks. His father also frequently mentioned his desire that Zach's hair be shortened. Zach resisted. He resisted until he wanted a certain XBOX game. The parents agreed that they would purchase the game IF they could cut Zach's hair. Zach consented IF the parents would also sweeten the deal by buying a "cool" baseball cap for him. The baseball cap arrived in the mail this week. The mother cut the son's hair tonight.

Which look do you like best? The after (above) or before (below) picture?




Ticketed!

I received my first traffic ticket this week. (Surprising, I know, because I'm such an excellent driver. Just ask Lance.) See if you can decide how I "earned" this ticket based on the following information.

*The ticket was addressed and mailed to me.
*I was neither the driver nor a passenger in my car when I was ticketed.
*A moving violation wasn't committed.
*It will not effect my car insurance rate nor go on my driving record.
*The ticket is legitimate.
*Failure to pay the ticket will result in legal woes for me.
*The amount of the ticket is $52.

Any guesses?

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Today's Homework

Mark's Time For Kids homework assignment was on "Reading Election Results." Question 6 was:

Imagine you are a reporter. Your assignment is to tell people how the results of the 2004 compare with the results of the 2008 presidential election. List three facts that you want to be sure to include in your story.

Mark's answers:
Obama won 78 more votes than Bush.
Unlike Bush, Obama is a Democrat.
Unlike Kerry, McCain cheated on his wife.

Monday, November 17, 2008

"Everybody's Doin' It"

Facebooking. Everybody seems to be "doing" it. I joined Facebook Saturday night. Not sure how I feel about it yet. I love connecting with long-lost friends, but there's not a whole lot of privacy on the site. Some of my kids haven't wanted me to join for fear I'd embarrass them (I think), but I will try to behave. If you want me to be your "friend," just send me an invitation!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

What A Boy Wants

Mark accompanied me to the grocery store this evening and I promised to buy him a little treat. The treat he chose was a bag of "poppers"--the kind used on New Year's Eve and Independence Day. As he put the poppers in the cart, he said, "Nothing pleases a boy more than a bag full of explosives!" Now you know.

The Changing Face of Roadkill

I usually experience at least a twinge of sadness when I see a dead animal lying on the road (unless it's a rat, then there is no sadness at all). The first several years after we moved to Washington most of the roadkill was opossums. The last couple of years it has been raccoons. Now we rarely see opossums and just a few raccoons. The "newest" animal we just started seeing is coyote pups. What next? I hope it's rats.

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Question of the Night

Sara came upstairs from downloading music on our computer and asked me, "How come you haven't exposed me to more soul music?"

My response was, "Probably because I'm not too fond of it."

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Oprah Was Wrong!

Apologies to all of the Oprah worshippers, but Oprah was wrong. I'm not referring to her support of Barack Obama, but to her Oprah Book Club pick. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski is a very disappointing read. The ending totally ruined what could have been a decent story--one worthy of Oprah's praise. There were enough good parts to keep me hooked for about 556 pages, but the last 6 pages left me feeling empty, hollow and horribly disappointed. The ending was tragic, and many questions were left unanswered. Not my kind of book.

Driving my children home from school today, I told them about the book and how I wasted many of my precious hours reading it. Fifteen-year-old Zachary said, "Well, Mom, you may have wasted hours of your life reading it, but don't waste hours of your life complaining about it." Well said.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

The Award Goes to . . .

. . . Congressman Norm Dicks!!! He is running for re-election to the US House of Representatives, and his radio ad was only one of 2 completely positive ads I've heard this entire election season. He didn't ONCE bash his rival, and the ad only focused on what he would do if re-elected. There wasn't an iota of negativity in it. Good going, Norm. I can't vote for you because you don't represent my district, but I'm proud of you anyway!

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Pumpkin Problem

Today I was reminded that I've done some pretty silly, but not so unusual, things as a mom. A few days ago, parents of our school's 6th-graders were emailed and asked to send a small (less than 5 pounds) pumpkin to school today for their student to paint during the class "Harvest Party." (Incidentally, note the "political correctness" of the term "Harvest Party.") I read the email but filed it in the back of my mind.

After Mark left for school I again saw the email and realized that he didn't have a pumpkin. No problem. I went to the store to buy said pumpkin, but the smallest pumpkin there was over 12 pounds. Should I purchase the 12-pounder, go to another store hoping to find a smaller one, or come up with a different option, I asked myself. As I walked around the produce department with the not-so-smallish pumpkin in hand, I noticed that there were some perfect-sized pumpkins that were pre-painted. And expensive ($4.99 each). Realizing that I might not be able to find an unpainted, small pumpkin elsewhere, I bit the bullet and bought the pumpkin.

I was running out of time to get the pumpkin to school before the start of the party, so I bought a small scrub brush (which I rationalized I needed anyway) and some wipes and headed to my car to clean the paint off the pumpkin. I scoured and wiped and the paint disappeared. Voila! A perfect, clean pumpkin. And expensive.

I went to the school and put the pumpkin on Mark's desk while he was at recess. He won't know what a sacrifice I made for him. I may not be a perfect mom, but Mark has a perfect pumpkin. And an expensive one, too.

Post Script: When I returned to the school to catch the end of the party, I saw Mark's unpainted pumpkin on another student's desk. When I asked him about it, he said, "I didn't want it." So much for my efforts!

Monday, October 27, 2008

Another Day, Another Prayer

Before Mark prayed this morning I again encouraged him to add more substance to his prayers and to express more gratitude. He listened and sort of obeyed. After his prayer I asked, "Did you just say 'we're grateful for mosquitos?'"

Mark's answer: "Yes, Mom; it's not like it's the end of the world!"

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

A Child's Prayer

Mark's public prayers are approximately 10 seconds long. I'm not exaggerating. I've tried, with mixed and limited success, over the years to encourage him to express more gratitude and to be more thoughtful about the blessings he seeks. This morning he offered another very brief prayer. I encouraged him saying, "It might be nice for you think of some more things you can thank Heavenly Father for. You could also ask Him for things that you need--like having the Holy Ghost help you throughout the day."

His response was, "Haven't you noticed that I have changed the beginning of my prayers? I now say, 'My dear, KIND Heavenly Father!'"

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

I Vote We End This!

This election season can't end soon enough for me. I'm "sick and tired" of all the political ads, attempts at character assasination, negative campaigning, mud-slinging, bickering, lies, media analysis, rhetoric, candidate pamphlets filling up my mailbox, listening to recorded telephone messages, etc.

I voted by absentee ballot today. I can no longer be persuaded to jump on someone's bandwagon or change bandwagons. My vote is "locked in." I know my one voice won't make much of a difference, but I performed my civic duty. I'm still a believer in the "process." I'm well aware that some of my votes, including my vote for President, will be cancelled by my husband's vote. I'm right, though.

Here is a sampling of a few changes I'd make if I made the rules:
*Every candidate for public office would have to pass a background check.
*Every candidate for public office would have to pass an intelligence test.
*During public appearances (i.e. debates, campaign rallies), candidates would have to be hooked up to lie-detectors.
*Instant fact checks would flash on the screen during candidates' speeches.
*Citizens would decide who would "run" for public office, thus minimizing the potential for the "power hungry" to seek office.
*Voters would have to be knowledgeable about the candidates and their positions on important issues before they could vote.
*The electoral college would be abolished. Popular vote would determine the races.
*The "party system" would be eliminated. No more Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians, Socialists, etc. Each candidate would adopt and promote their own platform.
*I'd eliminate the swimsuit competition in "beauty" pageants.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Death on 156th Place NE

Late yesterday afternoon, one of the residents that lives in the house just north of us passed away. We think there are 4 generations living in that house, and the 70+-year-old great grandma who lives there stopped breathing and died. Just over 12 years ago, the neighbor living in the house just south of us committed suicide. So, if you think you might want to be our next-door neighbor, you may want to reconsider.

Monday, October 13, 2008

Hairy Thoughts

*I'd love to have a "hair-raising" experience--literally. I need more hair.
*When I get a haircut, the total amount of hair that ends up on the floor is about 2 tablespoons--the same amount of leg hair removed when I shave. (Too much information, I know.)
*I've NEVER liked my hair--too little, too fine, too curly, too unruly.
*I am Lance, Zachary and Mark's "barber." I've cut their hair for years and years. I don't like to do it, but it saves money.
*As of today, I'm resigining as Mark's barber before he fires me. The cut I gave him Saturday made him look like a "dork" and has caused him great humiliation. (It's the same cut he's had ever since I took over barber duties.)
*Mark is the only family member that has naturally straight hair. Straight and thick!
*Lance's hairline is in a recession.
*Zachary looks like Dishwater-Goldie Locks! I'll try to post a photo.
*Sara usually always wears her hair in a ponytail.
*Rachelle will leave her hair "au naturale" if we don't compliment her on it or try to touch it.
*We all love Harry Potter!

Friday, October 10, 2008

Good Excuse

This morning Mark was unable to find a half-finished project he needed to work on at school. He looked high and low and finally went to school without it. Later in the morning I went downstairs and saw Sadie Dog chewing the very "project" in question. Other than being covered in dog drool, the project was undamaged. I emailed Mark's teacher telling him what happened and asking if I should deliver the project to school. In addition to replying that I should take the project to schoool, he said, "This is the first time the 'dog ate my homework' excuse is truly applicable."

Living the Scout Slogan

While driving Mark to school yesterday morning, he noticed a classmate lying on the sidewalk. "Stop the car, Mom, and let me out!" Mark exclaimed. "Daegan is hurt!"

I stopped the car and backed up. Meanwhile, two other cars had stopped and the drivers were surveying the scene. Mark assessed Daegan's situation and ran back to the car to report to me. According to Daegan, as he was riding his bike to school, the chain on his bike snapped causing him to crash. He wasn't wearing a helmet and fell face first onto the sidewalk, scraping his chin, nose and hand. Mark helped him get up and walked him to our car, and he and I put Daegan's bike in the back of the car. Daegan's face was ghostly white.

I pulled into the bus lane in front of the school and instructed Daegan to go directly to the health room to get cleaned up. As he walked Daegan's bike into the school, Mark looked over his shoulder, smiled at me and said, "Do a good turn daily!" Indeed. I just wish I had assisted in Mark's good deed while dressed in something other than my pajamas!

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Tagged, But I Won't Get You!!!

My sister "tagged" me on her blog and requested that I list 7 facts about myself that others may not know. She also requested that I tag 7 of you, but I'm not going to do that and I'll tell you why:

1. I REFUSE to forward chain letters. If I'm asked to send a recipe, kitchen towel, children's book, a sample of my blood or my first-born child to the "first person on the chain letter list," I will do so and I will even send the requested item to the person who sent me the chain letter, but I will NOT, NOT, NOT forward the letter to anyone else. I certainly don't want to offend the person who sent me the letter, so please don't take offense if I haven't kept the chain going. As far as I can tell, the world hasn't come to an end because I "broke the chain!"

2. I will participate in email or blog tags, but I won't tag anyone else. (I've violated my own code of ethics once or twice on this one, perhaps, but I'm repenting anew.) See #1 above for my rationale if you're still confused.

3. I love throwing or giving things away. I love de-junking even though I don't do it as often as I would like. If you need anything, just ask me if I have what you need to save yourself the trouble of buying or finding it yourself.

4. I have a prejudice against 2 types of drivers but I won't tell you who they are. You'll just have to remain in the dark on this one. Sorry!

5. Tigers and pigs are my 2 favorite animals.

6. I "converted" to liking Mexican food and mayonnaise (not to be eaten together, though) when I married Lance.

7. I dye my hair. (That was sure hard to admit!)

Sunday, October 5, 2008

High Praise

Today, in between General Conference sessions, I made food for our dinner and for 32 homeless men our ward is feeding tonight. Mark was my kitchen helper, and he busied himself stirring, cleaning and, of course, tasting. After he tasted the spaghetti sauce and the caramalized apple chunks he exclaimed, "Mom, if they had a high-class restaurant in heaven, you would be the head chef!" I don't think it would be "heaven" for me if I had to be in the kitchen all the time.

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Marvelous Melanie is 40!

My "baby" sister Melanie is celebrating her 40th birthday today. In fact, she chose to spend her birthday 800 miles from her home--here with us. To honor Melanie's milestone, here are 40 fun facts and things I admire about her:
1. She is a very giving lady.
2. She loves my children to pieces and is an amazing aunt!
3. Creativity flows through her veins. She makes fabulous cards and scrapbooks.
4. She makes cards for me to share with my "card swap" pals.
5. She is a fashionista and even dresses up to go to the grocery store.
6. Purple is her favorite color.
7. She's engaged to a wonderful man, Greg.
8. She'll acquire the title "stepmom" soon and already loves Greg's boys.
9. Traveling is one of her loves.
10. Country/western is her music of choice.
11. I used to "do" her hair in pigtails, and she always looked cute.
12. She has one dimple.
13. I used to tease her about her "baby" toes.
14. She loves eating at restaurants.
15. Cooking is one of her talents.
16. She has a good sense of humor.
17. She is a great hostess and enjoys entertaining.
18. Family is very important to her and she keeps in touch with relatives.
19. Children love her.
20. She is helpful to our parents.
21. She gets along well with people of all ages.
22. She is sensitive to the needs of others.
23. We went on a fun trip to Sweden together a few years ago.
24. She witnessed the birth of my daughter Sara even though she was quite squeamish.
25. She loves talking and texting on her cellphone.
26. She was very loving and attentive to our grandparents.
27. At age 8, she was kissed by a chimpanzee.
28. She is terrified of birds.
29. She treated my foster daughter just as well as she treated my children.
30. The first time she attempted to put contacts in her eyes she fainted.
31. Attending plays, musicals and concerts is something she really enjoys.
32. She has more clothing in her closets than I've ever owned in my life, but she shares her wardrobe with me occasionally.
33. Her chocolate chip cookies are her specialty.
34. She is very kind and friendly to my friends, and they often end up becoming her friends.
35. She loves to watch "Dancing with the Stars."
36. Tom Selleck is her "secret" crush.
37. She was never a "mean girl."
38. She LOVES wearing jewelry and perfume.
39. She collects dolls--especially Madame Alexander dolls.
40. She is an amazingly wonderful sister, and I love her very much!!!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

No Kisses!

Preparing Mark for his aunt's imminent arrival, I asked, "Will you let Aunt Melanie kiss you while she's here?"

His response: "No! I let her kiss me when we were at her house, but this is my domain--my own little sanctuary."

Aunt Melanie, be warned!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Product Endorsement

I just ordered something I use quite often and love, and I thought I'd share my "find" with all of my blog readers. Some of you use this product already, but this may serve as a reminder to buy more if your supply is low. The product I just ordered is a box of Phiten Titanium Discs. What do I use titanium discs for, you ask? In a nutshell, I use them to ease muscle pain. They're little patches that stick to skin and can be kept on the skin for 3 days at a time. They work amazingly well--at least for me and many others I've purchased them for. If you're in pain and don't want to take oral pain medication, then Phiten Titanium Discs might just be what you've been looking for. The cost is $10 for a box of 70 discs. Try them; you might like them!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Rational Eyes

One of Mark's favorite snacks (and he has few) is Shredded Beef Taquitos made by Delimex. Our grocery store of choice no longer carries these, but sells chicken taquitos (which Mark won't eat) and steak taquitos (which Mark tolerates). This morning Mark's breakfast consisted of steak taquitos. He heated five but only ate three. I entered the kitchen just as he was disposing of the remaining two; he claimed that they tasted funny and made him sick. He quickly interrupted my, "Please don't waste . . ." sentence by saying, "Mom, the rats need food. I need to respect the creatures at the dump. I'm just showing mercy!" How could I argue with that?

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Terminated

Two weeks ago yesterday, I was in the middle of having a lovely birthday when, out of the blue, my precious 18-year-old daughter Sara was fired from her job. Mind you, this was the first job she'd had. She'd dreamed of becoming a contributing member of the labor force, and once she got this job, she was thrilled! She worked hard and received compliments from several shift managers. She even heard people complimenting her "behind her back." She was always a few minutes early to work eager to be at the store in plenty of time to start her shift. Sara's job forced her to interact with lots of people--something that has been a challenge for her all her life; but she learned to interact and reported that it wasn't as scary as she had previously thought. All that changed on Labor Day, ironically.

Sara was getting ready for work when the HR manager called our home at 10:30 to ask Sara where she was. Sara replied that she was getting ready for work and would be there at noon--the time she thought her shift started. The manager said something to the effect of, "Well, your shift started at 10:00 because today's a holiday. Since you've worked here just a few weeks, we have to terminate your employment." End of conversation. Sara was devastated and I was shocked and mad. Yes, Sara made a mistake by misreading the work schedule. She should have written her hours down or photocopied the schedule, but she didn't. I just couldn't believe that she would be "fired" and not given even a warning. Of course, the HR manager was completely within her right to terminate Sara and she wasn't even obligated to offer an explanation. However, I still think Sara's termination was "cruel and unusual."

At the urging of several others, I paid a visit to the store and spoke with the HR manager, Ria. I was accompanied by my assertive 21-year-old daughter Rachelle. I introduced myself to Ria and asked her if Sara's account of their phone conversation was accurate--that she was fired for being late to her shift. Ria said, "Yes. I really like Sara, but I had to terminate her because she didn't show up on time for her shift." I countered, "I understand Sara made a mistake and misread the schedule. She's sorry about that. She should have been more attentive to the schedule, but you're firing her without even a warning?" Ria's thin smile never disappeared as she answered, "Yes." When I asked if Sara could be given a second chance, Ria replied, "No." Again, Ria's smile stayed the same. I became a little teary-eyed to my embarrassment, but my daughter's happiness was at stake and I am her mother. I continued, "Well, I have shopped at this store for 21 years and have spent a lot of money here. I don't think I want to shop here again, and some of my friends may choose not to shop here either." (In fact, one friend said she was going to chew out the manager "right after I buy my beads.") Smile intact, Ria just nodded and said, "Yes."

I haven't been back to Ben Franklin since.

Monday, September 15, 2008

Political Aims

On the way to school this morning Mark announced, "If I were president, I would fire all of Congress one by one which would give me more power, and I would let the citizens make all the laws." I wonder who his vice president would be.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Suspension Update

After school today Mark reported on the punishments of his partners in crime. He said, "One boy's parents didn't punish him at all. The other boy's punishment was worse than mine; he doesn't get any computer or video game privileges for two weeks and his parents gave him a really bad hair cut. I think it was for public humiliation."

Suspension

During lunch recess Wednesday Mark and 3 or 4 school buddies gathered around a small area on the school playground sand to experiment with a magnifying glass and leaves. They all took turns trying to burn the leaves with the glass, and many of them succeeded in getting their leaves to produce smoke. Apparently, a recess teacher saw smoke and marched the boys into the principal's office.

According to the school handbook, the boys committed a school violation classified as "arson" (lighting a fire on school property, causing anything to be burned on school property, etc.) and were each given a 1-day school suspension. The "rules" state that any degree of arson is to be punishable by an emergency expulsion, and a police report must be filed. When Principal Livingston called me, she informed me of Mark's offense, stated the rule and the consequence for breaking it, and told me that after talking to her boss, she was "only" giving each of them a 1-day suspension. She also noted that Mark claimed something to the effect that since he is a Boy Scout, he is authorized to light fires.

Mark knew he was in trouble with his parents, but tried to explain to us that he didn't know he was breaking a rule, and that the rules should have been given to him in written form. I told him that I didn't receive a list of rules when he was born stating that I shouldn't beat my children with a metal chain. I had a point. We then chatted about "common sense." His punishment was to work for me all day long yesterday while he was home. He, of course, had to do his homework and reading; additionally, he cleaned the patio, dusted, helped with laundry and did a few other things. He wasn't allowed any computer, TV or video game time. He isn't prone to warrant another suspension any time in the near future--I hope!

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

A Lousy Day

I penned the following poem for a friend who found herself nit-picking. Maybe some of you can relate to her lousy situation.

A LOUSY DAY
By Natalie D. (with apologies to Dr. Seuss)

I am a mom; a mom am I.
Today I thought that I might die.
I found some lice in my kids’ hair.
They almost heard me curse and swear.
I do not want that nasty louse;
I do not want him in my house.
I do not want his kids or wife,
I do not need them in my life.
I do not want them in our heads,
I do not want them in our beds.
I do not want our heads to itch,
Or I might turn into a witch.
I don’t want to shampoo with Nix
Or comb through hair with metal picks.
I don’t want to turn away friends.
Oh, how I hope that this soon ends!
My kids don’t want their toys in bags.
The thought of lice just makes me gag.
Washing more laundry isn’t fun.
I don’t wish this on anyone!
Get out of here, you nasty lice!
If you return, you’ll pay the price!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Rise and Shout!

Yesterday Lance and I had the rare privilege of attending a BYU football game. It's been a few years since I last attended one, but during my 5 years at BYU, the ONLY home game I missed was the one that conflicted with my grandparents' 50th wedding anniversary celebration. (I listened to that game, though, with my Uncle Jim. He took a radio to the party.) I love BYU football and have been a big-time fan since I was a high-school student.

Yesterday's match-up was between the BYU Cougars and the University of Washington Huskies in Seattle. Our neighbors, who are season-ticket holders to the Huskies games, gave us their tickets for yesterday's game. (We love our neighbors, and not just because they were generous with their football tickets.) It was a beautiful day for football! The temperature was perfect (after the initial mugginess and cloud-cover wore off), and we were shaded by the stadium over-hang throughout the game.

We attended the BYU Alumni Association-sponsored tailgate party and pre-game barbecue and "hung out" with fellow Cougar fans. Then we headed into the stadium to find our seats. We knew we would be seated in "enemy territory." Most of the "enemies" were quite friendly except for one or two guys seated a few rows back from us that occasionally yelled insults like, "Your religion sucks!" Lance and I were as "low key" as possible, so these insults were hurled at the Cougar fans and team in general. When our seat mates arrived, we apologized that we would be rooting for the opposing team. They were nice and even chatted with us throughout the game.

Well, suffice it to say that the game was a nail-biter. The Cougars scored first followed by two Husky touchdowns. The game was tied at 21 until BYU scored in the last 3 or so minutes of the game bringing the score to 28-21. Our Husky seat mates thought they had lost the game, but I assured them that they could still score. I should have kept my mouth shut, because with less than 10 seconds in the game, the Huskies scored a touchdown. A 15-yard "unsportsmanlike conduct" penalty was then given to the Husky quarterback (who scored the touchdown) for tossing the ball "high" into the air in celebration. The crowd erupted in voicing their displeasure, but to no avail. The Huskies had to settle for kicking a PAT instead of attempting a 2-point conversion. (Notice how well-versed I am in football lingo!) The Cougar defensive line blocked the kick, and won the game by 1 point. It was a wild ending to a game that had many injuries (most of them Husky players), penalties (most called against BYU) and dropped/missed passes (by a certain Cougar wide-receiver who I will not name in the off chance he reads this blog).

We left the stadium happy our team had won, but sad for the Huskies that the game for them came down to a final "controversial" call. We didn't gloat in our victory because it just didn't seem like the right thing to do and, besides, what if the obnoxious Husky fan seated a few rows behind us (or one with his same sentiments) was walking right behind us on our way out of the stands?

GO, COUGARS!!!

Friday, September 5, 2008

Wouldn't It Be Awesome If . . .

I found a transcription of an interview I conducted with Mark 4 years ago when he was 7. I asked him to complete this sentence: "Wouldn't it be awesome if . . ." Here are his responses:

*we really did have eyes in the back of our heads?
*we had laser vision--invisible laser vision?
*we could turn invisible?
*there was God's armor and you couldn't take it off and you would be superior and could make whatever magic you wanted?
*we could form into animals?
*we had super powers?
*we could be super muscular with super strength?
*we had two heads?
*you could lift something up without using your hands?
*you could read people's minds and control what they do?
*we could just make armor appear?
*we could bring a dinosaur from before people were made?
*we could make dinosaurs on our own?

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Hitting the Wall

Last Friday morning, 3 other women and I took several young women in our church youth group on a 2+-mile bike ride (each way) through an abandoned train tunnel in the Cascade Mountains. The only light visible in the tunnel was the pinprick of light marking each entrance/exit, so all bike-riders were equipped with either a bike light, flashlight strapped to the bike or a headlamp. I had both a bike light and a light attached to my helmet, and I was ready to ride. Or so I thought.


I don't own a bike, so I borrowed my daughter Rachelle's. Mind you, I'd never ridden her bike before that morning and it had been several years since my last bike ride, but I felt confident that I would encounter no problems. I believed in the adage: once a bike rider, always a bike rider. Lance inspected the bike before I left and told me that the brakes weren't in top condition, but I wasn't worried since Rachelle and Sara both frequently ride that particular bike. I took a quick spin in front of our house and, sure enough, I could still ride a bike. I was a bit wobbly, but not enough to concern me.

Fast forward to the train tunnel. Donned with a jacket, gloves, bike helmet and lights, I entered the tunnel at the rear of our group. I started pedaling and immediately noticed that I felt a little funny. Dizzy's the word. Not to worry. In a few seconds I'll get my bearings, I thought. The trail's flat--no incline or decline--just straight riding through to the end of the tunnel. I didn't notice--yet--that the sides of the trail were gently sloped down to the tunnel walls.

My bike wobbled as I rode. Were the handle bars loose? Must be. Although I couldn't see the tunnel roof because I was focusing on the ground, I was sure that the height of the tunnel was decreasing. Two thoughts entered my mind: I'm claustrophobic and I have no depth perception (proven facts). Just focus on the beam of light your bike light is shining on the trail and all will be well, I tell myself. At this point, I veered left and experienced my first contact with the wall. Don't panic. Just get back on the bike. How hard can this be? I climb back on, a little more wobbly than before, pedal a few yards, and then come into contact with the left wall again. Good grief! At least I'm not leading the pack or we'd have a pile-up.

I reassure myself by thinking that I can do this. I really can do this. This is the little engine that could train tunnel. I'm on a flat trail, for heaven's sake! I haven't yet seen any skeletons or abandoned bikes in this tunnel, but then again, it's nearly pitch black and I can't really see anything except the patch of trail just in front of my bike.

I continued to ride constantly feeding myself positive messages. Well, it worked. I didn't contact the left wall again. This time it was the right wall I encountered--with my face. I hit the wall with my face, hand and bike. The bike fell hitting my legs. Before I could totally right myself, two of my fellow leaders were right by my side assessing my condition. They were horrified to see what looked like blood all over my face. The "blood" was actually soot. The soot covered much of my face, gloved hands, jacket and shirt. I was slightly scraped up, but reassured everyone that I was "fine." Embarrassed, but fine. Long story short, I made it through the rest of the tunnel without further wall encounters and even made it back (walking the last 1/3 of the way because my bottom hurt like the dickens--not used to narrow, hard bike seat).

I could write about how I accompanied our group to Krispy Kreme--still covered with soot--and how the soot had worked its way to my chest and stomach, and how I had to cover my face with dishwashing liquid to get the soot to come off, and how I still have small patches of soot imbedded into my right palm, chin and left knuckles, but I won't.

I think I'll wait a few weeks before I attempt my next bike ride. I won't be riding in the train tunnel.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Poem for Mom

Two days before her birthday, my mom had a little accident. She underwent surgery this morning to set the bone. Here is a little poem I wrote in her honor:

There is a small matter I'll mention:
My dear mother craved some attention,
So she tripped on the bed,
Broke her wrist, not her head.
This will surely increase her tension!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

Church Mouse

Last evening I opened our closet at the church to retrieve some Hershey Hugs for our young women. I noticed a few napkin scraps strewn about and continued to rummage through the closet when I was startled by a little grey mouse scurrying about on the middle shelf. Of course I jumped back to avoid the attack I was sure would soon ensue. I recruited some volunteers to find the creature, and we gingerly set about removing some of the debris the rodent left for us. The little devil avoided the licorice and Hugs, but shredded napkins and tissues, made a nest in the tissue box, and left droppings all over the shelf. Two gentlemen volunteered to catch the mouse, but as they tried to get him into the plastic bin, the mouse jumped to the floor and scurried inside the adjoining closet. We cleaned and sanitized the shelf, vacuumed the floor, removed the trash, scrubbed our hands and walked away hoping the mouse wouldn't return. It wasn't until after I returned home that I realized we forgot to post a "beware of rodent" sign on the adjoining closet. I suppose we won't be the only ones to be surprised by the contents of our closet.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Revised Definitions

After spending over 2 weeks vacationing in Utah and Idaho, I've revised some common word definitions. See below:

1. OVEN: What it feels like on a typical summer day in Utah. The temperature hovered between 95 and 100 degrees.
2. HIGH-FLYING: Zachary and Mark, strapped in harnesses and raised 150 feet in the air, pulled a "rip cord" and soared to new heights on the Skycoaster ride at Lagoon amusement park.
3. SERENDIPITY: Realizing that I possibly can't see all of my Utah friends and relatives, I happened upon an old roommate and friend while shopping with my mom.
4. AMUSEMENT: Watching little kids participate in the "mutton busting" event at The Famous Preston Night Rodeo.
5. HARMONY: The Mormon Tabernacle Choir in concert. Sitting right next to the men's section of the choir and listening to their harmonious, melodic voices.
6. FLASHBACK: Watching the Osmonds perform at the Conference Center took me back to my first concert (The Osmonds, of course) as a teenager.
7. FRUSTRATION/HILARLITY: Playing miniature golf with Mark.
8. ZOMBIE: Mark, when he's watching Cartoon Network at his grandparents' house. (We block Cartoon Network at our house, but it isn't blocked at the grandparents' house.)
9. PEACEFUL: Relaxing at our idyllic family lodge nestled between two hills in Mink Creek, Idaho.
10. PACKED HOUSE: The Mink Creek Ward Chapel where Zachary had to sit on the floor during Sacrament Meeting because all of the seats were taken.
11. UPLIFTING: Zachary's experience attending Especially for Youth at BYU.
12. BOLD: Zachary, as he asked for and obtained the phone numbers of many girls at EFY.
13. CATCHING UP: What I did with many friends and relatives while in Utah.
14. JOY: Being around family members and friends we haven't seen for several months or longer.
15. SATISFACTION: Seeing the bedspread I made after it was quilted in Utah. It's lovely even if I say so myself!
16. ELATION: Seeing my sister so happy because she is engaged to a wonderful man!
17. PROUD: Visiting Annica and Josh's first home they purchased and witnessing the results of all their hard work in giving the home a makeover.
18. TUG-O'-WAR: Jockeying back and forth with Mark trying to get him to spend time in his math workbook. The parents "won."
19. COMIC RELIEF: Listening to 2 John Bytheway CDs several times (at the boys' request) while motoring about.
20. DIVERSIONS: Playing Nintendo 64 and watching DVDs in the van.

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Feminine Needs

Sara left for Stake Girls Camp yesterday. Today as I picked up some of the items she left strewn about, I noticed her packing list. Next to "feminine needs" on the list she wrote: "What is that? I think it means chocolate." Sara is my kind of girl!

Monday, July 21, 2008

Too Much Information

Somewhere in Alaska lives a gentleman who has no idea who I am and that I know way too much information about him. I met his friend at the grocery store this evening; we were in adjacent check-out lines and both finished making our purchases at about the same time. The friend mistook my cart for his and started to wheel it away. I stopped him by saying, "Oh, I don't think you want my husband's colonoscopy prep." (The "prep" was in a plastic bag at the front of the cart.) He took his hands off my cart, hesitated for a moment and then said, "I have a friend in Alaska who had one of those and he feels so much better now, and he doesn't mind the bag at all." At this point, I realized that the man thought I meant a colostomy (colon removal) instead of a colonoscopy (colon examination). He proceeded, "After he got the bag, he went to a doctor to have a prostate exam, but when the doctor saw that my friend had a "bag," the surprised doctor asked, 'What is that?' My friend told him about his procedure, and the doctor said, 'We're done here,' and left the room without doing the prostate exam."

I wonder if someone some place in the world knows too much information about me.

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Wheel of Misfortune

The Wheelmobile is in town. Open auditions were held Saturday in Sequim and yesterday and today at Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma. How do I know this? My friend Beth's lifelong dream is to be a contestant on "Wheel of Fortune." She took her husband and family friend with her to Sequim to audition Saturday. (She needed help watching her 10-month-old son, Ethan.) Sadly for Beth, the husband and friend were called up to audition, but Beth struck out. That afternoon Beth called and asked if I would accompany her and baby Ethan to Tacoma for a second audition attempt. The plan was to be at all 3 audition times and keep the baby with us in the auditorium.

Yesterday we set off for Tacoma and Ethan slept most of the way there. We strapped Ethan in the stroller and attempted to gain entrance into the casino. We were told by several security personnel and the valet that there was no way anyone under 21 could enter the casino. (Never mind that the casino in Sequim let chidren into Saturday's auditions.) We pleaded and begged and I shared Beth's story with the powers that be to no avail. When we realized that Ethan would not be allowed admittance, I insisted that Beth try out and I would take Ethan for a ride around Tacoma to entertain him. Beth suggested that I take him to a place where he could crawl around. I decided to take him to Tacoma Mall--a place I'd never before visited.

Ethan and I set off to find the mall, but the little guy was upset that his mother wasn't accompanying us. He cried non-stop until we reached the mall parking lot and then fell asleep. Rather than wake him and take him out of the car, I drove around for 40 minutes--30 of those minutes were spent circling the Chuck E. Cheese's parking lot. Eventually Ethan awakened and I took him into Chuck E.'s to have some fun. What was I thinking? He again noticed that his mother wasn't present and proceeded to voice his displeasure. I got "looks" from many of the customers--looks like "you're too old to have a baby;" "that baby wouldn't cry like that if you were his real mother," etc. I took Beth's advice and put Ethan down to crawl, but he wouldn't have any of it. Finally, we left the store and only used 1 of our "tokens."

We drove back to the casino and arrived just in time to hear Beth's great news that she was given a chance to audition. Her name was the second to the last to be called. She was on cloud nine! Next it was my turn to enter the competition. I didn't have the same luck as Beth, but that was fine by me. We both left happy. Beth was happy she got to audition, and I was happy that Beth was given the chance to audition. I was happy just to help make that possible for Beth, and happy that I got to see the inner workings of a Wheel of Fortune audition. I would like to be a game show contestant some day.

Saturday, July 5, 2008

Mark's Comments of the Day

Today Mark favored us with several interesting/funny/"thoughtful" comments. Here are the 3 that I remember:

"Mom, you know how we have that rule that I have to do my chores, reading and workbooks before I can watch TV or play computer or video games? Well, if we didn't have that rule, you wouldn't have to get angry with me for breaking it."

"Mom, I sure would appreciate it if you would help us with the chores around the house."

"Mother, would you please log me onto the computer as a token of your appreciation for all the hard work I did today?" (For the record, his "hard" work consisted of lying on his bed for 2 hours reading Eragon, and vacuuming the entire house.)

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Bad News, Good News

BAD NEWS: Rachelle and I had to purchase new cellphones yesterday because our old ones got ruined.
GOOD NEWS: We didn't drown when we (along with our cellphones) fell into Lake Washington.

BAD NEWS: Our neighbors' car windows were smashed out by someone hurling a large rock from a passing car.
GOOD NEWS: At least the police officer I spoke with on our street at 3:00 am didn't see that I wasn't wearing a bra.

BAD NEWS: Sara's feet are covered with several blisters.
GOOD NEWS: She looked very lovely in the pioneer dress she made for the Stake Youth Conference Pioneer Trek.

BAD NEWS: It is 94 degrees in our kitchen.
GOOD NEWS: I'm sitting in the basement where it's 10 degrees cooler.

BAD NEWS: We still haven't discovered the cause of Rachelle's bizarre health symptoms.
GOOD NEWS: She's lost 11 pounds since she's changed her diet to eat more healthfully.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

My New Adult!

As of today, we have a new adult in our family and her name is Rachelle. She "turned" the ripe old age of 21 this morning at 7:18. She was due July 11 but couldn't wait until then to be born. She is a delightful daughter (most of the time) and her dad and I love her so very, very much. Listed here, in no particular order, are 21 fun facts about and reasons why I adore my Rachelle.


1. She has super soft skin and very large, beautiful eyes.
2. I rocked her a lot when she was a baby because, as a colicky infant, she wanted and needed to be cuddled.
3. When she was a young child, she said many funny things to others that embarrassed her parents.
4. Overnight visitors to our home would often find Rachelle cuddled up next to them in bed in the morning.
5. Her father and I love her curly hair, but Rachelle doesn't love it.
6. She has baked several made-from-scratch birthday cakes for friends over the years.
7. Rachelle is a very loyal, loving and giving friend.
8. She is an expert at remembering and quoting movie lines.
9. Green peas is her least favorite vegetable.
10. She is a dog-lover extraordinaire and has met Cesar Millan, the Dog Whisperer.
11. She is working hard to save money so she can attend a dog-training school in Texas next year.
12. She HATES having her blood drawn and often faints during the procedure.
13. Baby-sitting is not her favorite activity.
14. Her soccer team won the Washington State championship 2 years in a row.
15. She loves to travel basically anywhere.
16. Although she is a lover of sweets, she has adopted a more health-conscious diet and is now avoiding sweet treats.
17. She LOVES being the recipient of back rubs and hugs.
18. Her nickname is the name of one of the hens in the movie Chicken Run.
19. She is very artistically creative.
20. One of her least favorite activities is camping.
21. To Kill a Mockingbird is her favorite book, and she loves classical movies.


Happy birthday, Chelle Belle! You are a delight to your mother and father.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

Fifty-"One"derful!

Today is Sir Lancelot's (aka Lance) 51st birthday. It's quite difficult to believe he's "that old" because there are very few gray hairs on his handsome head. The love of my life, he is undoubtedly the only man that could ever tolerate me. He is my rock, and when I think that I almost didn't marry him, I shudder in horror!

In keeping with my recent birthday blog posting tradition, I will now list 51 fun facts about and reasons why I love Lance!

1. He will NEVER wear a dress--not even for a costume.
2. A lover of babies, it's almost impossible for him to hold a baby and not kiss it.
3. He will attempt nearly any home-repair project.
4. Mexican food is his food of choice.
5. He went on a gluten-free diet just to support me.
6. His favorite rock band is Credence Clearwater Revival.
7. He loves to dance and looks especially "cute" doing the Cha-Cha.
8. He certified as a Boy Scout lifeguard in the frigid waters of Hood Canal.
9. He earned his Wood Badge beads in Scouting.
10. Although he can't read music, he enjoys singing.
11. He always took the night shift with our babies and allowed me to sleep.
12. He is very, very tender-hearted.
13. Giving him head rubs is the way to his heart.
14. Tacos is his favorite thing to cook and, according to his children, the only item in his cooking repertoire.
15. He loves to read--even boring technical stuff.
16. He's spent much time studying the scriptures.
17. He speaks Tongan and learned the language while serving a mission in Tonga.
18. Fruit bat is his least favorite food. (Jellyfish comes in a close second.)
19. He has a very unusual way of writing the date.
20. The children in his Primary class adore him and think he's "silly."
21. He is very humble and teachable.
22. He detests horseradish and any food that contains even a hint of it.
23. He could live on avacados.
24. His children used to call him "Daddy Lance Woofie."
25. He is a great artist and most of his children have inherited his "artistic" genes.
26. He is well respected among his co-workers and associates.
27. One of his favorite movies is Johnny English.
28. He is a member of the infamous "Kidney Stones Club."
29. Soccer and swimming are his 2 favorite sports.
30. He has had several knee surgeries.
31. He has been snow-skiing only once.
32. Hiking with the Boy Scouts is a favorite activity.
33. Charlemagne is one of his ancestors.
34. He loves to take his kids on "walks and talks."
35. He'd love to be a contestant on the TV show "Treasure Hunters."
36. He is very sensitive to my needs and is always very comforting.
37. He can and does help the kids with their "foreign" math homework.
38. He has a great sense of humor and appreciates that trait in others as well.
39. Vanilla is his favorite ice cream flavor.
40. He has co-authored a book (which is sold in fine bookstores everywhere and can be found on Amazon.com).
41. Song lyrics aren't easily understood by Lance.
42. Jaclyn Smith (an original "Charlie's Angel") used to be his favorite actress.
43. He takes lots of vitamins and supplements to keep himself healthy.
44. He has great self-discipline.
45. He is an honest man through and through.
46. He honors his commitments and covenants.
47. He honors the priesthood.
48. He brings a smile to my face every time I see him.
49. He rarely, if ever, has a "down" day.
50. To save money, he "lets" me cut his hair.
51. He is a living angel!

Happy birthday, my wonderful husband!!! I love you!!!

Sunday, June 1, 2008

What Will You Leave Me?

Tonight, as we sat together reading, Mark asked me, "What will you leave me in your last will and testament? Have you thought about what I will get after you're gone?"

It didn't take long for me to formulate my response of "All of our bread, peanut butter and honey." I don't think Mark liked my answer.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

A Little Update

I realize I haven't posted any blog updates lately, so I'm adding just a quick one now.

Rachelle gave us quite a scare a couple of weeks ago. She developed some worrisome symptoms upon her return from Nashville--weakness/numbness all down her left side, blurry vision in her left eye, memory problems, fatigue, headaches, etc. Of course, we were very concerned but, because of her Uncle Cary's recent multiple sclerosis diagnosis and his similar symptoms, we were even more troubled. We feared the worst.

Over the course of the past few weeks, Rachelle has been examined by 4 doctors, had blood work done (and is continuing to undergo blood tests), 1 CT scan and 3 MRIs. The CT scan showed that she had had a possible stroke, but the MRI ruled that out. The first MRI revealed that she has 3 benign "masses" in her brain--one of which measures 4x6x9 mm and is pushing on her pituitary gland. The "masses" appear to be "non-specific" in nature; the neurologist thinks they could be a result of migraine headaches, though Rachelle doesn't have "typical" migraines. Her blood sugar levels are also low, and more blood tests are scheduled to shed more light on that. Meanwhile, Rachelle continues to be symptomatic, but she is eating more frequently and healthfully and has more energy.

The bottom line is that we still don't really know what is causing her symptoms, but we are much less concerned that we were when she first developed them. We appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers in her behalf. Through it all, Rachelle has been very optimistic.

Saturday, May 17, 2008

Tribute to Annica!

I became a mother 23 years ago with the birth of my precious daughter, Annica. This daughter has brought much joy to her parents. In keeping with my tradition of posting fun facts on my childrens' birthdays, here is a list about Annica.

1. She walked and talked at a very young age and was a very precocious child.
2. Her pediatrician accurately predicted that Annica would be a very persistent girl.
3. Annica never drew "stick" figures. She demonstrated her artistic talent very early in her life. Once she drew a picture of a girl getting a haircut--the girl had a mini pair of scissors on each hair strand.
4. Annica was very obsessive-compulsive about her clothing--especially her pants, underwear and socks. The pants and underwear had to be skin-tight, and when they'd become a little loose during the day, she would change them. The seam of her socks had to run across the top of her toes.
5. We enrolled Annica in 3 book clubs when she was a tiny baby. She would sit mesmerized for hours while we read book after book to her. She memorized many books cover-to-cover.
6. Vegetables and fruit were her foods of choice. She didn't much care for meat.
7. Eczema has plagued her much of her life. We thought she had many food allergies, and for months we eliminated corn, milk and wheat from her diet. Her skin showed no improvement, and allergy testing revealed no food allergies.
8. We nicknamed her "Annie BooBah" because she always said "boobah" when she was a baby.
9. She loved to watch the salmon swim in Issaquah Creek. We'd walk to the creek every day during spawning season.
10. Annica loved to make up lesson plans. She planned to run a summer school at our house when she was 8 years old.
11. The only team sports she played as a child were baseball and softball. She also had dance lessons.
12. She awoke every 2 hours during the night from the time she was born until she was 18 months old.
13. Annica was a master of pulling funny faces.
14. One of her favorite childhood activities was feeding ducks.
15. A goal she set for herself was to "not go through labor giving birth." So far, she hasn't given birth, so we'll see if she accomplishes that goal.
16. Disneyland is one of her favorite vacation spots.
17. She knows how to install a toilet.
18. She excelled in Physics in high school.
19. She is very employable and has been hired for almost every job she's applied for.
20. The medical field is where she works and wants to continue working.
21. She would rather make messes than clean them up.
22. She had an emergency tonsillectomy when she was 20.
23. She is married to a great guy and they have a happy marriage!

I love my Annica and am very grateful to be her mother!!!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Back-handed Compliment

Last evening as Mark was helping Lance stretch, Mark said, "Dad, you're really flexible for a 50-year-old!" Lance sputtered and Mark continued, "You're supposed to take that as a compliment."

Friday, May 9, 2008

Ugh, I've Been Tagged. . .

. . . by my sister, Melanie.

What’s my alias?
1. My rock star name (first pet and current car): Whitey Sienna
2. My gangsta name (favorite ice cream flavor and favorite cookie): Rocky Road Chocolate Chip
3. My "fly girl" name (first initial of first name and first 3 letters of last name): NDel
4. My detective name (favorite color and favorite animal): Pink Tiger
5. My soap opera name (middle name and city where you were born): Hawkes Preston
6. My Star Wars name (first 3 letters of your last name and first 2 letters of your first name): Delna
7. My superhero name (2nd favorite color and favorite drink with "the" in between): Blue the Water
8. My Nascar name (first names of your grandfathers): William Perry
9. My lounge singer name (name of your favorite perfume/cologne and your favorite candy): Citrus Lindor Balls
10. My witness-protection name (mother's and father's middle names): LaPreal Howard

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Big Boy is Almost 15!

My loving son, Zachary, turns 15 on Mother's Day. To honor my sweet son, here are 15 "fun facts" about Zach:

1. Zachary is one of the most polite boys I've ever known. He always remembers to express his gratitude to others.
2. He used to be quite naive. For example, one day I arrived a bit early to pick him up from preschool. I heard his teacher inform his classmate John's father that John had wet his pants during class. After Zach got in the car I asked, "Did John tinkle his pants at school?" Zach answered, "John didn't tinkle his pants; he just got water in his shoes."
3. Hanging out with his friends is one of his favorite activities. They love to play video games and watch movies.
4. Zachary never complains when I ask him to take out the trash.
5. He is a bottomless pit and could eat us out of house and home.
6. He has a luxurious head of curly, thick hair.
7. Zachary loves to read and is a great reader.
8. He had a fetish with his Lance's back, and loved to put his hands on Lance's bare back and say, "I love you back, Daddy!"
9. He would love to own lots of guns and be a hunter. Maybe when he leaves home and doesn't need his parents' permission, he will be able to realize his dreams.
10. He used to think he had two homes--ours and our next-door neighbor's. He'd show up at their house and announce, "I'm home!"
11. He has a silver streak "birthmark" in his hair.
12. He has never had a dental filling.
13. His feet are longer than his dad's.
14. He sleeps with a fan blowing on him all night.
15. Zach has completed all of the merit badges needed to earn his Eagle Scout award.

Happy Birthday, my big boy!

Monday, April 28, 2008

My Baby is Eleven!!!

The "Exclamation Mark" at the end of our family is eleven years old today, and what an 11 years it has been! Smiles, tears, tantrums, laughter, and I'm just referring to how I've reacted to the boy's shenanigans. In honor of our angel/devil, I've compiled a list of "fun facts" about Mark.

1. Sausages, hot dogs, spaghetti, salmon, peanut butter and honey sandwiches, pizza (cheese or pepperoni), taquitos and chicken burgers are some of his favorite foods.
2. Sadie, our dog, is his favorite "toy." He used to fear dogs but now is fearless around them thanks to Sadie.
3. He can't use the bathroom or take a shower without singing. He used to sing opera, but any old song will do now.
4. Mark loves to climb trees and collect rocks.
5. Water play is his favorite activity. Often he'll dip his head in a sink full of water and create unusual hair styles.
6. The sound of pencils and crayons snapping in two greatly amuses him. He doesn't like to write or color, but he loves breaking writing implements.
7. He is a pro at cleaning the bathroom and actually likes to clean the toilet.
8. Baseball is his least favorite sport to play. It's also my least favorite sport to watch Mark play. (Just ask Aunt Melanie.)
9. Mark is a baby lover, just like his Dad. He will hold and cuddle anyone's baby.
10. One of his dislikes is talking on the telephone. He has to be bribed to have a phone conversation most of the time.
11. When he was a baby and toddler, he couldn't be near Lance or me without putting his hand on our faces or necks or both.

I love my Mark!!!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

The General Rules

Little did I know when I gave birth to Mark that I would have to be extremely specific when it came to making rules. Rules like "be kind to others," "put away your toys," "use kind words," "keep your hands to yourself," etc., just don't cut it when you are dealing with a creative child such as Mark. I should have had more foresight and I would have saved myself a lot of trouble. Only in theory, of course. In random order, here are a FEW of the rules I should have established long before Mark came on the scene:

*Don't flush and flush the toilets at school to make them overflow just to make yourself laugh.
*Don't stop up the classroom drinking fountain and make it shoot water straight in the air.
*Don't throw your homework in the bushes.
*Don't hide your homework in the school recycling bin.
*Don't stab other people's apples with your pencil.
*Don't break new pencils in half just to hear them snap. The same goes for crayons.
*Don't cut the levelor blind slats with scissors or anything else.
*Don't call someone a "winged feathered rat."
*Don't shoot the heads off Mom's flowers with an air soft gun.
*Don't carve up potatoes or any other vegetable or fruit Mom is planning to use.
*Don't write stories on your pillowcase.
*Don't carve mean words into the wood on your bunkbed.
*Don't cut the skin off your brand new $75 remote-control dragon you received for your birthday.
*Don't inhale helium at a friend's birthday party.
*Don't throw crayons in church.
*Don't tear your pant leg off during school (or at any other time or place).
*Don't put little pieces of paper in the flame of a candle without permission.
*Don't chew holes in your clothes.
*Don't smear deodorant on the bathroom mirror. Or the countertops. Or the walls.
*Don't pour bottles of shampoo down the bathtub drain.
*Don't spray water on the computer.

One general rule could cover almost every specific rule: Resist every negative and inappropriate impulse!!!!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Princess of the Nut Tree Farm

My little "Princess of the Nut Tree Farm," aka Sara, just turned 18. She is a very unique young lady and deserves a special blog post devoted just to her. So, in honor of her 18th birthday, here is a list of 18 fun facts about Princess Sara.

1. She has several nicknames--a few we've given her and several she's given herself. The one I like best is one I named her: Ladybug. For a few years, she had a string of names she wrote between her first and last names: Nightingale Captain Rose Marie Amelia Isabelle Franklin Roosevelt Teddy Roosevelt Lance Myrna.
2. She loves sushi, cheeseburgers, pizza, quesadillas, nachos and salt.
3. She is a self-taught pianist, seamstress, reader, bike-rider.
4. She is fluent in Spanish and is teaching herself to read, write and speak Japanese.
5. She is good at taking tests, and aced both the WASL and ACT.
6. She does a very thorough job of cleaning when she decides to clean.
7. She prefers straight to curly hair.
8. She has a very flexible body.
9. She is extremely graceful.
10. She is extremely, extremely creative and artistic.
11. She's had two metatarsal osteotomies (bunion removal).
12. She likes to compose songs.
13. She likes to write poetry and plays.
14. She likes to sing, dance and act.
15. Her favorite school subject is psychology.
16. She loves to watch Disney movies and mysteries.
17. She enjoys rock climbing.
18. She is my only child that necessitated a call to Poison Control.

How I love my Princess!!!

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

My Handy Husband

As Lance prepares to tackle yet another home improvement project, I am reminded of how blessed I am to have such a "handy" husband. Lance has rarely, if ever, shied away from undertaking new endeavors. His experience comes from on-the-job (meaning in-the-home) training. Of course, Lance had experience with some types of projects before we were married (i.e. re-roofing, pool installation, etc.), and some of his experience was garnered while we were apartment managers in Mountain View, California in the early months of our marriage. However, most of his experience has been acquired over the course of the 21 years we've lived in our first (and only) home. Let's see if I can name all of the projects he has under his tool belt.

*Carpet installation (which he claims he will NEVER do again--too painful on the knees)
*Formica countertop installation
*Cabinet assemblage and installation
*Painting (interior and exterior)
*Light fixture installation
*Plumbing (garbage disposer repair and installation; numerous toilet, faucet and pipe repairs)
*Fence building
*Concrete mixing and pouring
*Concrete removal
*Brick work (sidewalk design and installation)
*Tree root and stump removal
*Sheetrock removal and installation
*Re-roofing (composite shingles)
*Patio roof design and building
*Ceramic tiling
*Baseboard installation

Some experts (i.e. civil engineer father-in-law and scientist father) and apprentices (i.e. children and willing neighbors) helped with a few of the aforementioned projects. I applaud all of Lance's efforts to make household repairs and to make our home more functional and aesthetically pleasing. He has certainly saved us LOADS of money and taught our children valuable lessons and skills.

This week Lance is gearing up to tackle a project he's never before attempted. (I make him sound like some kind of magician, but I think he really is.) He will install tile on the upstairs bathroom walls that surround our tub. Then he has a host of other projects lined up for him when he finishes the bathroom.

Hip, hip, hooray for my handsome, handy husband!!!

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

April Fool's Day

Normally April Fool's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I've been known to play some pretty wicked pranks over the years; however, I haven't been too "foolish" the past couple of years. I didn't do anything outlandish yesterday, but I told Mark that I enrolled him in a 5-hour a day summer writing workshop. He was not happy; in fact, he was quite angry with me for several hours even after I explained that I was only joking. What he doesn't realize is that he will be doing some summer writing exercises at home. The joke's on him!

Friday, March 28, 2008

Funny and True

Ogden Nash said it simply and beautifully when he penned:

Children aren't happy
with nothing to ignore,
And that's what parents
were created for.

Be Careful with What You Read to Kids!

I have a proven strategy with Mark when it comes to reading. It may even classify as a manipulation, but I prefer to call it a strategy. Mark really enjoys reading and being read to, but he always struggles to choose a book. My strategy is this: I choose I book I'm interested in reading or I want him to read and I present it to him. He usually says something like, "I don't want to read that." I reply, "That's fine; you don't have to read it, but may I read just one chapter to you?" Since he loves to be read to, he gives his permission. So, I read one chapter (or even part of a chapter) and he's "hooked." When I get to the end of the chapter I stop and he almost always begs me to go on. This is when I usually complain that I'm tired of reading so he'll take the book and read it on his own. If I'm really interested in the book, I'll continue reading and end up reading the entire book to him over the course of a few days.

We just finished reading "The Brothers Lionheart" by Astrid Lindgren (of Pippi Longstocking fame). This is one of the books that really captivated me, so I read it to him. I'll spare you the details, but will tell you that it is a great adventure story about two very heroic brothers. All went well with the plot until the very last page when the brothers commit suicide so that they can both be together in Nangilima (another level of "Heaven"). One brother became paralyzed by a dragon's fire, and the brothers didn't want to be separated. Quite the ending for a children's book, and an ending I didn't expect.

When I pick the next book for Mark to read, you can be sure I'll skip ahead and read the ending to myself before I start reading the book aloud to Mark!

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Mother, I Love You!

Throughout his nearly 11 years, Mark has expressed his love for me in some unusual and funny ways. Here is a sampling of a few of the most memorable sayings:

"You're one of the best moms in the whole world; in fact, you are probably in the top ten. You might even be number 2 or number 1!"

"Life just isn't complete without a great mother."

"Mom, you're as beautiful as you are kind, and you are very beautiful! Dad is as handsome as he is mean, and he is very, very handsome!"

"I'm really going to miss you when you die, Mom, and I'm going to visit your grave every day. I want to be buried right next to you."

"My love for you burns with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns!"

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Tagged by Annica

My darling daughter, Annica, "tagged" me. I've never been "tagged" before (unless I count playing "Tag" in elementary school). I assume that the new "tag" rule is to give 5 random facts about myself. Here goes:

1. I LOVE April Fool's Day! I taught Zachary's Sunday School class today and the lesson was on Satan's illusions and deceptions. I made my famous chocolate-covered onions to share with the class and to use as an object lesson. No one liked them.

2. I LOVE watching football. It doesn't even really matter what teams are playing, I just love watching the game.

3. I met Donny Osmond once. (He said "hi" to me as we passed in the hall on our way to the same meeting in our BYU Stake.)

4. Lance kissed me before we ever went on our first date. (That's a completely separate story.)

5. I enjoy grocery shopping!

Friday, March 14, 2008

Book Thoughts

In a previous post I mentioned the important role books play in my life and promised to share a few "gold nuggets" I discovered in my reading. In no particular order, here are a few thoughts from 3 books I've recently read.

From Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman:

"When you read silently, only the writer performs. When you read aloud, the performance is collaborative. One partner provides the words, the other the rhythm." (page 133)

From The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho:

"If you can concentrate always on the present, you'll be a happy man." (page 85)

"If you pay attention to the present, you can improve upon it. And, if you improve upon the present. what comes later will also be better." (page 103)

"People are afraid to pursue their most important dreams. because they feel that they don't deserve them, or that they'll be unable to achieve them." (page 130)

"There is only one thing that makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure." (page 141)

". . . when we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better, too." (page 150)

From Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert:

". . . each of us is a part-time resident of tomorrow." (page 16)

"Forestalling pleasure is an inventive technique for getting double the juice from half the fruit." (page 17)

". . . one of the many things that distinguishes us from rats and pigeons is that we respond to the meanings of . . . stimuli and not to the stimuli themselves." (page 156)

" . . . a psychological immune system . . . defends the mind against unhappiness in much the same way that the physical immune system defends the body against illness . . . A healthy psychological immune system strikes a balance that allows us to feel good enough to cope with our situation but bad enough to do something about it." (page 162)

"There are many good things about getting older, but no one knows what they are." (page 196)

Stay tuned for more to come . . .

Monday, March 3, 2008

Surprise Birthday Trip

Last week I took a trip to surprise my dear old dad.
It was his birthday, and I wanted to make him glad.
It was hard to keep the secret from being leaked to him,
But he didn't catch the clues since his hearing's growing "dim."
Annica and Josh were also in on the surprise.
We arrived at the same time. You should have seen Dad's eyes.
He's never at a loss for words and said something funny:
"Why did you come? You should have just sent me the money!"
We partied for days with family members and friends.
I am sure my papa thought, "I hope this never ends."
We went up in the mountains and took a horse-drawn ride.
We saw a herd of elk; a nice rancher was our guide.
We had Dad's birthday dinner; he got a new "laptop."
We dined out and played cards, but the fun soon had to stop.
I hopped back on the airplane and headed to my home.
My trip was quickly finished, and now so is my poem!




Thursday, February 28, 2008

Music "Performance"

Tonight I was torn between feeling horrified and having the giggles while I watched Mark "perform" in his 5th-grade music performance. When it was his group's turn to sing or play an instrument, he was mostly cooperative and appeared to be singing or playing. However, when the school choir sang, Mark turned into Jim Carrey, Jr. Mark was seated right next to the choir who was standing. I'll admit that the choir's first song was a little funny, but Mark's antics made it funnier. I was seated in the back of the school gym and tried without making a scene to get his attention. I wanted to stop him from gyrating, making silly hand gestures and bizzare facial expressions, and lip-synching in a most obnoxious manner. I was horrified and giggling at the same time. What's a mother to do? After the event, his classmate's mother made a beeline for me and quipped, "I know who's going to be in trouble when he gets home tonight, but at least he provided the comic relief. I love Mark. Mark is Mark." Yes, Mark is Mark, and he REALLY didn't want to attend or perform in tonight's musical. In fact, this morning as I reminded him of the evening's event, he said, "Well, we won't be going because it will cost too much to get in." Mark didn't consider that his 4 older siblings attended the same elementary, and I attended each and every one of their musical performances for the past 18 years which added up to over 40 musical performances if you count choir, band and orchestra events they've performed in. (Of course, I never had to pay an admission cost to a single one!) I am not stupid. Fortunately for both Mark and me, next year will be the last elementary school musical I'll have to attend as a mother of one of the participants.

(If you wonder where Mark's father was tonight, he was home helping 2 of Mark's siblings with their homework. He really missed out.)

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

A "Goofy" Trip

In Lance's words, Mark and I just returned from a "goofy" trip. I'll agree--it WAS goofy and somewhat spontaneous. I talked for a couple of weeks of taking the 3 youngest kids to Newport, Oregon for our 3-day mid-winter break. At one point Lance even thought he could take a couple of days off from work and accompany us. Well, most of the kids took sick and I thought we'd have to shelve the trip; however, Mark said he wanted to go "no matter what." Monday morning came and I still waffled. I did laundry and went grocery shopping, and when I returned, Mark had his bag all packed and had found a suitcase for me to use. So, against my better judgment, Mark and I set out for Oregon at 1:30 Monday afternoon.

The 5.5 hour drive turned into a 6.5 hour drive due to accident-related traffic delays in 2 spots along our route. I questioned my sanity and rationale for taking this "goofy" trip several times during the drive. Mark just sat in the back of the car and watched movie after movie, oblivoius to my internal struggle. We arrived at Days Inn in Newport at 8:00 pm and enjoyed a good night's sleep.

Yesterday we set out early. Since our "hotel" provided only a carb-and-gluten-laden continental breakfast, we found a little cafe and had a nice meal (mine consisted of a ham and cheese omelet, hashbrowns and tomato juice; Mark's consisted of root beer--not his typical breakfast drink, sausages, bacon and pancakes. He didn't even taste the pancakes). We went to the Yaquina Head Lighthouse and walked around the lighthouse and down to the water. We saw 2 bald eagles and several sea otters. It was cold, windy and rainy, but we enjoyed ourselves and took lots of pictures. Next we went to the old Newport Bayfront, explored some souvenir shops, and tried to gain admittance to the Undersea Gardens. Since it was the "off season," the Gardens were closed. Our final destination was the Oregon Coast Aquarium--the main attraction and reason for our trip. It's a nice little aquarium, and Mark enjoyed every bit of it. He especially liked seeing the wolf eels, sea otters and sharks, and enjoyed touching some of the creatures in the tide pools.

We left for home at 1:30. We stopped in Woodburn at the outlet mall and arrived home around 8:00. We enjoyed our "goofy" trip, but I doubt I'll take another one like it any time soon.

Friday, February 15, 2008

75 Reasons Why I Love My 75-year-old Dad

My dad "turns" 75 on February 25. In honor of his big day, I've compiled a list of 75 reasons why I love him.

1. He is a great husband to my mom.
2. He is a hard worker.
3. He has a good sense of humor.
4. He laughs at his own jokes.
5. He is dependable.
6. He is resourceful.
7. He is smart.
8. He is clever.
9. He is a good conversationalist.
10. He goes the "extra mile" in whatever he does.
11. He is a fabulous grandpa to my children.
12. Even though he doesn't enjoy playing games, he'll play with me if I ask him to.
13. He can fix just about anything.
14. He used to help me with my homework.
15. He is compassionate.
16. He is self-disciplined.
17. He takes pride in a job well done.
18. He helped my sons complete some Cub Scout requirements.
19. He's "as cute as Dopey."
20. He's always "been there" for me when I've needed him.
21. He's generous with his time and talents.
22. He's affectionate.
23. He saved me from making an incredibly stupid mistake.
24. He repaired our garage when our truck ran through it.
25. He helped us design and build our patio roof.
26. He moved us from Issaquah to Redmond.
27. He built a padded guard for our fireplace hearth.
28. He prays for me.
29. He accompanied me to a "professional" wrestling match.
30. He expresses gratitude.
31. He was a very kind, loving and attentive son and son-in-law.
32. He wrote his personal history so we could learn more about his life.
33. He let my maternal grandma live with us.
34. He plays the piano.
35. He never gave me a curfew.
36. He humored me, helped me make a creative Valentine for a radio contest and drove me several miles to deliver it to the radio station.
37. He is nice to my friends.
38. He gives good advice.
39. He helped me win the 7th grade science fair.
40. He lives the gospel.
41. He has a testimony of Jesus Christ.
42. He never got drunk.
43. His laughter is contagious.
44. He helps my mom around the house.
45. He videotaped my kids when they were young.
46. He is a good friend to others.
47. He makes clever greeting cards.
48. He likes to play tricks on people.
49. He has very neat handwriting.
50. He is a good provider.
51. When I lived at home, he was always available when I needed him.
52. He is honest.
53. He enjoys little children.
54. He gave me priesthood blessings.
55. He expresses his love for me.
56. He is my cheerleader and showers me with praise (even when I feel I'm undeserving).
57. He let me use his special colored pencils.
58. He let me get a dog--a French poodle.
59. He tried to save my dog's life when she was run over by a motorcycle.
60. He keeps his word.
61. He has cute bow legs.
62. He treats me like a princess.
63. With the help of a few others, he did most of the work to convert a garage/chicken coop into a family lodge for all of our Pearson relatives to enjoy.
64. Sometimes he calls me from work just to check on me.
65. He shares his testimony with others.
66. He added a "chicken room" to make his home more accommodating for entertaining and family gatherings.
67. He works hard to keep his brothers and sisters a cohesive unit.
68. He attends his grandchildren's important events and sports games.
69. He is entertaining.
70. He traveled with our family to Disneyland.
71. He has attended each one of my children's baby blessings.
72. He has attended each one of my children's baptisms and has confirmed them.
73. He taught my boys to sing "You Are My Sunshine" for me.
74. When I visit him, he tries to program the water softener so it won't wake me up at night.
75. He is always well-groomed and neatly dressed.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Well, I Never!

While chatting with a friend today who was on her way to get her "nails done," I was reminded that I have never had a manicure or even a pedicure for that matter. One thought breeds another, so I decided to make a list of some of the things I've never done. I've never . . .


*had a manicure or pedicure
*gotten my ears pierced (or any other body part pierced)
*smoked a cigarette
*drank beer, wine or any alcoholic beverage
*been to Spain (thanks for that one, Three Dog Night)
*bungee-jumped or sky-dived
*driven a motorcycle
*eaten "sweetbreads"
*failed a class
*donated blood
*fainted
*done a cartwheel
*gone on a cruise
*liked red licorice or pepperoni pizza
*had a black eye
*sleep-walked
*read Gone With the Wind
*worn a bikini
*been a pageant contestant
*gotten a tattoo
*worn braces

Maybe I'll add more to the list later.

Friday, February 8, 2008

Each Life That Touches Ours for Good

I love Karen Lynn Davidson's text in the hymn, "Each Life That Touches Ours for Good." The first verse reads:

"Each life that touches ours for good
Reflects thine own great mercy, Lord;
Thou sendest blessings from above
Thru words and deeds of those who love."

During the last week or so, I've reflected on those words many times and have thought of some of the people that have touched my life "for good." One of those people is President Gordon B. Hinckley, late president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I didn't know him personally, but I felt his love each time I heard him speak or read his words. He was the man who asked us all to "stand a little taller" and to "be a little better." His perpetual optimism, almost super-human capacity for work, his vision, and his tireless service have been great examples and sources of motivation for me.

Another person who influenced me for good was a man, Truman Carver, who passed away at age 92 just a few days after President Hinckley died. Truman and Vivian, his wife, lived in our ward (Kaysville 10th Ward) for many years. He was especially kind to me, and we shared the same birthday. Truman always made a point to thank me and compliment me each time I spoke in church. His encouraging words and kindness inspired me to give my best efforts in preparing and presenting my church "talks." Truman was well-known and admired for his hard work in raising and training horses, and for his meticulous house and yard, but to me he is best known for his kindness. I wonder if Truman ever knew how much I appreciated him.

I could fill up pages listing all of the wonderful people who have influenced my life for good. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family, great relatives and amazing friends. I try to remember to express my love and appreciation to them frequently. I can and must do better in verbalizing my gratitude.

There is another group of people who have influenced my life for good that will probably never know of their influence in my life or my appreciation for their words. These are the writers of so many books I've read. I am an avid reader and have an extensive library of all sorts of books. To many, it may seem that I spend too much money buying books, but books are my friends, and their words are treasures. Besides, I write in my books, and librarians don't appreciate extraneous marks in their books. In my next several blog "posts" I plan to share some of the words I've underlined in various books that mean so much to me. Lee Shippey captured my sentiments in the following statement: "The right book at the right time may mean more in a person's life than anything else."

Monday, February 4, 2008

Homework Trouble

For a homework assignment today, Mark was asked to write a paragraph about a "first-hand experience." He complained to me: "I can't do my homework because I haven't had any first-hand experiences!"

Monday, January 28, 2008

Jack Frost, the Poet

Mark and I ventured downtown Redmond on this snowy day to run some errands. As we drove into town, Mark commented: "You know that poet, Jack Frost, who wrote 'two roads diverged in a yellow wood. I'm sorry I could not take both of them, but I took the road less traveled, and that has made all the difference?' Well, Mom, we took the road more traveled. Do you how I know that? It's because the ice is melted."

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Excellent Persuasion

As Mark sat at the kitchen table this afternoon trying to decide between doing his homework or dismantling an old telephone, I told him that I was going outside to do some yardwork and wanted him to do his homework. I said, "If your homework isn't done by the time I come back inside, I will take away the phone and all of the stuff you're playing with that's here on the table." He nodded and replied, "Excellent persuasion!" His work was finished when I came back indoors.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Political Persuasions

My 3 youngest children and I had a political discussion today as we were out shopping and filling the van with gas (ONLY $2.99/gallon!). I explained to Mark the differences between liberals and conservatives. "Liberals believe in a big government. They think that the government is responsible to solve people's problems, and that, in turn, raises everyone's taxes. Conservatives believe in a smaller government. They feel that inviduals and private enterprises should be shouldered with many of the responsibilities that the government usually bears. They tend to not raise taxes as much as the liberals do." After I finished my explanation Mark asked, "And what does the Mafia think?"

Monday, January 14, 2008

My Least Favorite Things

I watched one of my favorite movies during the holidays--"The Sound of Music." Most everyone is familiar with the song, "My Favorite Things." Raindrops on roses . . . Well, I decided to make a list of my least favorite things. Here are a few. (Please feel free to contribute some of your own.)

LEAST favorite:

Color: Any color popular during the 70s (harvest gold, avocado green, burnt orange)

Chore: Dusting, removing dog vomit from the carpet

Book: "Pilgrims Progress," "The Scarlet Letter"

Movie: "Cats and Dogs"

Food: Fried eggs, sauerkraut, marzipan

Spectator sport: Golf

Pizza: Pepperoni

Vacation spot: Las Vegas

Vegetable: Parsnip

Song: "Sunshine On My Shoulders" by John Denver

Fashion trend: Boys wearing pants below their hips and showing their underwear (or lack of it)

Genre of music: Heavy metal (most country music is a close second)

Dog breed: Chihuaua