Embracing My Feelings

I've had this feeling coming on for quite sometime now. I began to feel the first tinglings of it the other night when I was standing outside. A cool evening breeze flipped through my hair and sent chills down my back. Again this morning I felt it more strongly. The unusual coldness of the morning stirred my awareness.

And now, I am full awakened to the reality of what this feeling is:

It's football season and my team plays tomorrow!

(Surely BYU won't prosecute me for lifting this picture off their website - I'm cheering for the team, right?)

GO BYU!

Foto Flashback

This is a flasback to the Father's N Son's Campout of 2001 - and is a celebration of having lived in our neighborhood for 11 years now. Having survived many rounds of voting neighbors out of the area we are thrilled and feel that we may now have gained some upper ground. At the very least - neighbors know what they're getting with us as opposed to the "unknown" that might move in.

Greetings and salutations!

Hi to all you blog junkies out there! This is Jeff, Wendy's hubby slash BFF slash NMH slash JJWT. I'm honored to have been asked to author the 100th blog!! I think I'm getting verklempt ... (sniff) ... talk amongst yourselves ... !

I find I'm not a natural at this. I need a topic . I'm pretty good at offering unsubstantiated opinions if asked direct questions, but to pull something out of my head all by myself is much like being asked to speak in sacrament meeting about any topic I want.

I thought about "pumping (clap) you up" by doing an entire blog using Saturday Night Live quotes and subsequently launching myself into blogger "Super Star"- dom, but it's not as fun if you can't see me sniff my armpits or talk like I'm from the Bronx. So I think the best "strategery" is to put that idea in my "lockbox".

What I will say is:

• I sure love my wife!! She is awesome, capable, funny, loving and very sagacious. She has a great perspective and a big heart. She will open her arms to help anyone in need before she gives a single thought to her own needs (what happens after that makes great material for months worth of blogs)!!
• I'm very thankful for the support all her good friends both here in the blogosphere and in person. There is a lot of crap in the world and on the internet and it's nice to know so many are helping lift each other up and maintain a great perspective of life.

So, the only thing left to say for now is "I got a fever! And the only prescription...is more cowbell!"

Sure, I'll Do What You Want

Did you know that there are people in the world giving TIPS on how to take advantage of people? Just today I found an article from the Today Show about "How To Talk Anyone Into Anything". I felt like I had a big red target plastered on my head for these people.

Their three proven tips were:

1. Speak confidently

2. Make eye contact

3. Be expressive

Immediately I've gone into Red Alert mode. How can I counteract these evil influences? I think it's something like this:

Regardless of "their" clever ways to get me to do things I don't want -- I have actually said "No" to a few things lately.

1st - I told the most darling and creative lady, Hailey, that I won't do the drama club with her this year. Of course I meant to tell her I wasn't doing the 6th grade play either - and that came out as more of a "maybe" I'll do that. Still! I did say "No" to the drama club

2nd - I told my neighbor that I wouldn't babysit her three kids for ten days. Okay, Okay - I did say I would babysit for ten days, but then went back and told her I couldn't (that wasn't awkward at all). Of course I did still say I'd do it for three days instead . . . . . . . Crap!

Nevermind -- I clearly just keep falling into their tricks and traps to get me to do what they want.

Yokwe!

This weekend we got to celebrate a Marshallese Kemem. This kemem (or 1st birthday party) was for Rosie - Emma's half sister. Here Emma is with her birthmom and her half sister, Rosie.



There is always YUMMY potato salad, chicken and rice at these parties. And usually there's Bobo Rice (yummy sweet rice rolled in fresh coconut) -- imagine my disappointment at the Bobo Rice absence. (Thankfully I had just eaten a half pound of See's chocolate on my way to the party to ease the disappointment.)

Part of the festivities is dancing. Here's a group of Marshallese girls from Logan performing:

The part about these parties that always surprises me is how late they start. I'm not always on time, but when you say a party starts at 5:30 and it doesn't get started until 7:30 -- that's just always strange to me. Maybe one day I could be as 'laid back' as the Marshallese and just let things happen when they happen. (HA HA HA - I crack myself up, I'll NEVER be 'laid back'!)

Also, a quick shout out to Lorie this morning. Thanks so much for the chat! And know that I am thinking of you and crossing my fingers that all will go well. Thanks for what you have helped us with -- as I was driving home with Emma Saturday night I felt like the luckiest lady on the planet. Life is hard - but oh, so good!

Kongratulations To Me!

My friend over at Grumpy Angel has passed along an award for ME! It's the Kreative Blogger Award!

In accepting this award I need to tell you SIX things that make me happy. So here we go!

1. I am happy knowing that if I really wanted to -- I could look like this girl:

(It's Misty May - and frankly I'd probably be more able to look like Kerri Walsh if I really put my heart into it)

2. Finding my car keys before I get desperate and call my husband to report their "missing-ness" makes me HAPPY!

3. Gates make me happy (no! not Bill Gates~) This gate:

Because it hides this:

4. It makes me happy to see my high school boyfriend on Facebook looking BALD! (Sidenote: it probably makes him happy to see me looking 20 pounds overweight ~ although I'm Kerri Walsh material!!)

5. I'm happy when I don't follow all the rules - like putting down a full six things that make me happy :-)

6. And finally, these Kreative friends of mine make me HAPPY and I'm passing this award on to them. WARNING: I have selected all private blogs this time to pass to -- I'd hate for them to be left out:

• Sherry @ The Platt Pack (hope the kidney stone thing is working out, sister!)
• Nikki @ The Reid Review (this is one Kreative gal with a talented hubby!)
• Jaime @ Well, Anyhoo (Hysterical gal -- you're all missing out not knowing her!)

(Okay, so that's cruel to taunt you all with the funny, private bloggers -- my apologies)

Which Plan Did You Sign Up For?

Ah! The joys of being back in the 'real' world~

This evening I spent a significant amount of time trying to rent a clarinet for Josh. Call me "snitty", but I didn't want to rent an instrument I had just BARELY returned. But Josh's music teacher decided to 'hold off' on having him play the Alto Clarinet for a month or two and just have him continue with the clarinet (the one I JUST returned to the music store).

Tonight I waited in the incredibly long line of frustrated parents trying to rent musical instruments for their precious children. (Precious children were NOT waiting in line - they were wandering the store texting their friends or banging on the display drum set). While waiting in line I heard about ALL the plans you can possibly sign up for when renting a musical instrument. You can rent-to-own for the next 40 years until you've paid for your instrument. You can do a 180 day same-as-cash, pay now, play later don't forget your $4 monthly fee for when your child steps on his instrument and crushes it plan.

I know, you're wondering, "What plan did Wendy sign up for?" Well. I apparently signed up for the "Screw Me" plan. It's the plan where you want your clarinet back after returning it a week ago. It's the plan where they will re-instate your previous contract for a "FEE". It's the plan where you get the same clarinet back, after only a week, and pay $56!!

I'm Back

What a week it has been! I think I am beginning to process everything that has happened this last week instead of just surviving it. Today I have a testimony that there is still humor, even in death. I think God has a sense of humor.

I won't recount all the funny things that have surround my friend's funeral but I will tell you two quick evidences that she was still around and probably was laughing out loud. (I only snickered under my breath).

1st. Kim and I have threatened my poor husband that we were going to get our HAM radio licenses for the past year. Jeff always tells us "NO!"I feel he is saying no because he knows we will mock his geek club HAM radio group. Sunday night, at Kim's viewing, in the same building it was HAM radio night. Call it cosmic coincidence or simply ironic -- but I heard Kim laughing and mocking some of the men in that meeting down the hall!



2nd. Kim has a new neighbors where she's at now. They seem to be festive neighbors. There's an abudance of these whiligigs near her in the cemetery. Her nearest neighbor has a patriotic one, he also seems to like Dr. Pepper . . . . warm, scary looking Dr. Pepper in a bottle . . . on his headstone.

I, and another close friend, are mostly responsible for her new home. The humor in location was not lost on us. And as the bishop stood formally next to this patriotic whirligig yesterday and took care of the graveside proceedings ~ I heard Kim laughing yet again.

I'm so glad there is humor "on the other side". Then again, maybe it's only "down there" where the laughter will be. Regardless, I don't think I'll be too lonely!

Break Update

Friends, the road is long - but we are all getting along. I did want to forward you all some information.

Kim's Obituary

News Article

Bryan in now home, for which we are grateful. He has a fractured hip and many bruises (both inside and out). We are happy to have found his dog from the accident and both are recovering.

Otherwise I think we all are cycling through the wonderful circle of grief, but there are many friends to find comfort in. I'll see you back on the blog Tuesday.

(Kim, the day before the accident)

A Break

Dear Friends,

I'm taking a small break from blogging. My dear friend Kim (from: Our Crazy Life) has passed away from a tragic car accident and my heart is broken. I'll be back once I've put myself back together.

Be safe dear friends!

Wendy

Boys Gone Wild?

I guess the men in the family have been a little jealous that I get to have fun weekends out with my BFF's. So Jeff and his dad have rigged up a weekend being crazy too.

They have flown to Georgia -- to meet a gal -- I hear she's "fast" -- they're bringing her here!

Here she is:

(I think they call her Shelby . . . )

(Dad's the real owner of this new sweetheart)

I think it's all pretty great ~ A man and his son traveling home from Georgia in a sweet little ride. I'm just gonna say that my weekends gone wild have NEVER cost so much!!

Enjoy boys!

You Say It's Your Birthday . . .

This is a tribute. A birthay tribute to my son, Josh. For his 13th Birthday.

Son, you started out as a wish of my heart

And arrived as a gift from another

You are mine to love for all time

I couldn't be prouder to be your mother

Happy Birthday!

(You still need to do your chores today . . . )

Foto Flashback

The past few weeks I've been taking a stroll down memory lane. It's been more like me lurking on the side of the lane while old high school buddies walk the lane. My 20 year class reunion is next year and they have begun finding old classmates. As I watch people posting old class photos I decided to post a few of my own ~

Let's just say there were good years and bad years.

Pass Me A Tissue

I don't know what the matter is today - but I'm getting 'worked up' about practically everything. I can't tell you how many mundane thoughts have passed through my mind today and made me all weepy. What the heck is this about?

And the weeping culminated with this clip from the nightly news. Apparently there was trouble on a plane headed toward Hawaii (no I didn't cry cuz I wasn't on it). It had to turn around and do an emergency landing in LA (nope, not crying over that). For the emergency landing they popped the doors open and let out the slides (not yet . . ) On the first door they show opening a lady slides down, stumbles a little and is immediately followed by two men (not crying because the let the lady go first). The first lady out then turns around and waits at the bottom of the slide to help everyone else while the two men walk off. Yup, start the tears here. How nice was it for this lady to help others when she was probably scared out of her mind that the plane was on fire. I LOVE how incredible this lady is.


You can watch the clip yourself just to see this beautiful moment that clearly in NOT that big a deal but hit me anyway.

Fav Commercial

Remember how I posted about commercials back at the beginning of the summer ~ and I showed that great Boom-De-Ah-Da commercial. We'll I think it has to move over as my fav because I think this one is hysterical! I think you'll either love it or hate it, but it's funnier than blue liquid on a pad . . . .

The Game

I fell off the wagon this weekend. I don't know what made me do it. I've kept myself busy, I have found other interests. But I caved. I thought I could visit the site just to prove I could live without it. And then I saw it . . . . . .

RANCH RUSH! A new time management game from Big Fish Games. I just HAD to have it~ So I re-signed up for game credits. A monthly deduction from my bank account allowing me to get a new game each month!

This whole addiction to the games at Big Fish reminds me of something. . . . . Oh yeah~ it's like that whole episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. When Wesley Crusher returns and he finds everyone addicted to a game. (Um, not that I watched Star Trek regularly and went to a Trek convention in Salt Lake or anything. . . )









Yes, addictions are bad . . . and the mind control ~ don't even get me started! But they package these games to stay at home moms and it's impossible to resist!

I can single-handedly run a ranch, managing my time to optimize my results. I am not running over children while trying to accomplish my tasks, I'm out NO money to start up my little ranch project, I get TROPHIES whenever I meet a major accomplishment and in the end I have like, $1,000,000. It's dream-like! And if ranching is not your thing . . they have others geared towards cooking and fashion design!

I'd include a link to this lovely game site - - -

but I don't want to become your game dealer

Swim Team Wrap Up

I'm back! I know, I know, I've been a slacker blogger the last few days~

But while I was gone I went to the final county meets for the boys. This was, for us, a two day ordeal. Ethan's meet on Friday night lasted 6 hours (Oh.My.Word!) and Josh's meet today lasted 4 hours (much better).

The boys both did GREAT! Here's Ethan swimming his IM ~ the kid shaved 8 seconds off his time . . . . someone's been holding out on me!



This is Josh taking off for one of his strokes. He did awesome on his Freestyle, Butterfly,Medley Relay and Freestyle Relay. Let's not talk about the IM -- for heaven's sake don't mention it!!

And Emma thought this was just fun and games. Here she is getting her hair done by the girls. She was in 7th heaven running around with all the little kids. I'm going to pretend like I knew where she was the WHOLE time . . . .

Final highlight was the big fire on the mountain RIGHT BEHIND us in Payson. There's some mighty cool photos of it ~ wish I would've thought to take some. Click HERE to see them. And I highly recommend Payson Days Salmon Supper ~ DELISH!!

Finally, if Lisa Harris starts lurking on my blog again, I just want to tell ya "THANKS!" I finally have a glimpse into how much time and effort you put into this sport. And I can't tell you enough how much I love that the boys swim and have such a great time at swim team. THANK YOU!!