Thriller!

Dance Festival was a success!

6th Grade pulled a new musical number with their rendition of Michael Jackson's THRILLER!

Ethan LOVED his role as Zombie

Alex and Alinda as Michael J and his girlfriend:

Dance Festival ROCKS!

Let the Graduations BEGIN!

Tis the season for graduations . . . .

Our first one is from Preschool,

Where they let just any crazy lady come:

But where they have a super great teacher:

And where Emma practically FLEW to her seat following the receipt of her Diploma:

I have loved that Emma goes to Miss Camalee's class! 

She has come home most days telling me about what Miss Camalee was wearing,

Which boy she is going to marry,

And always wanting to go back.

I, personally, will miss the preschool years . . . . .

And by that I mean:

I will miss Miss Camalee's Cookies!

The ones you get at the beginning of each year,

And the ones you get at graduation!

The Bitter-SWEET-ness of Graduation . . . . .

Things I Think About

I've had a lot on my mind lately.

I can't seem to turn my brain off with all the stuff I think about.

Stuff like:

Why does Little Caesars Pizza have to be so NASTY when it is vomited up at 3am?!

Why is my memory so short when it comes to remembering if I've already added a dryer sheet to the laundry?  I go through 2 dryer sheets per load every time!

Why can't Target have dresses WITH sleeves in its little girls section?

How do Ethan's socks end up EVERYWHERE around the house?  One is on the counter (ick!) and one is behind the TV . . .

Just how crazy would I have to be to sign up to run a marathon?

Would it be wrong of me to go to next year's preschool graduation just so I can have the cookies?

Who wants to eat Kneader's French Toast with me next week before the kids get out of school?

Does a Summer Craft Camp sound like a good idea for Josh to make some money this summer?

Will everyone think I'm less white-trash if I get cool cement curbing for the yard tomorrow?

Why do situations get worse whenever I start monkeying with them?  Is there a law that says I can't make a bad situation better?

Oh, the list goes on!

And so does my thinking about them . . .  .

Hole in the Head

Emma has two new holes in her head.

We weren't really expecting there to be any.

So when we pulled one tooth out last night (Sunday),

We felt a little bad for the tooth fairy,

Who was going to be unprepared.

Luckily we 'remembered' the tooth fairy keeps the Sabbath Holy and doesn't work that day.

Just makes for a bigger night tonight, since we pulled out a second one this morning.

I confess this is making me sad. 

It cements the fact that she's not a toddler anymore. 

50 by 50

Caught this on the evening news and just thought it was incredible.


Mom Overcomes Obstacles With 50 Marathons By 50th Birthday


Makes you think your life is easy, eh?

Job Hunting

The job hunt has ended for Jeff!

He will start working for the Church next month.

The insurance is good,

The pension plan is good,

The wage is good,

But maybe they should rethink their lack of bonuses and stock options.

Instead of  bonuses and stock options they could something along the lines of:

• 9% tithing
• 1/2 hour shorter Sunday meetings
• 2% increase in blessings
• 1 month free pass on visiting teaching and home teaching
• Free subscription to the Friend, New Era and Ensign
• $1000 clothing allowance as we buy new shirts, ties and slacks for work

While they consider these options, I'll be considering how to handle having Jeff up in Salt Lake all day and not at my immediate beck and call.

(Don't kid yourself, I'm VERY grateful for Jeff to have a great job opportunity like this. We are already getting that 2% blessing increase!)

Mother's Day ReCap

I never look at the 2nd Sunday of May as being the mandatory day that I must celebrate Mother's Day.

I like to look at Mother's Day as a series of moments that make up a complete 24 hours.

And on the 2nd Sunday of May I like to review those moments and remember my "Mother's Days".

Here's what I reflected upon yesterday:

30 Seconds of Mother's Day as Emma brought home a card and a sucker from preschool for me.

This actually took about 3 minutes to get the card, admire the sucker, give hugs.  But I'm only crediting 30 seconds since Emma took back the sucker and ate it.  She also spent the next 5 hours telling me I didn't love her and that she hated me.

2 Hours of Mother's Day as Melanie and I went to dinner at Five Guys and then re-pierced my ears at the mall.

Okay, Emma came along too.  But I wasn't necessarily talking to her.  She was talking to me, but she clearly didn't get that I was giving her the silent treatment.  She seemed to be over the earlier 'sucker ordeal' -- I was not.

1 Hour of Mother's Day as I received a card and gift from a neighbor girl.

Okay, I'm still getting Mother's Day goodness from this as I reflect on the thoughtfulness of others.  To recognize me as a Second Mother is really an honor that I can grasp fully and appreciate more than you can know!  Why can't arranged marriages be the norm anymore?

2 Hours of Mother's Day on Saturday as Jeff helped the kids mow the lawn and weed!!

The joy of not doing the lawn and weeding myself is D-I-V-I-N-E.  Plus, we look a lot less like the scourge of the 9th Ward now that we recycled our microwave, dishwasher and other assorted junk that we've had on display in our yard, for awhile now.

1 Hour of Mother's Day as we visited my mom and Jeff's mom.

This whole visiting thing took a lot longer than an hour.  It was wonderful to catch up with my AWESOME mom!!  She is amazing and everyday I think I become more like her (even the growing of whiskers on my neck!).  And visiting with Carol was lovely too!  My Salizza lunch was FABULOUS, but I had deduct Mother's Day time because I was in the car with Josh, Ethan and Emma.  At some point, that situation just deteriorates as you drive around Salt Lake for hours. . .

45 Minutes of Mother's Day as I got ready for church yesterday.

How unusual is this to have a Mother's Day moment on the ACTUAL Mother's Day??!?  But I was able to get ready for church with help from Jeff and listen to the Tabernacle Choir put on the most beautiful broadcast for mom's.  I actually went to church feeling the spirit - WOW!

.5 Seconds of Mother's Day as Emma was sent home from church with yet another sucker to 'give' to her mom!!

Rest assured that the sucker-giving was just as horrible as it was on Friday.  Please, please stop giving Emma suckers!!

None of this has added up to my 24 hours of Mother's Day Moments.  Some of the moments just happen too quick to jot down.  Some of them are just too personal.  And some of them are just plain ridiculous. 

Regardless, it was a typical Mother's Day Weekend. 

And there's plenty of laundry and cleaning to do today . . .

Forgive Me When I Whine

Yesterday's post is clearly a sign I've been whining too much about my life.

When really, I have nothing to complain about.

I love the gentle reminder this has brought to me.

I am blessed.

We are all blessed.

Sometimes we just don't see it.

Retirement?

I know it's a little too soon to be talking about retirement,

But I just want to know, what it's going to be like for me?

Am I expected to make dinner EVERY night for the rest of my life?

Even when I'm 70?

And do the laundry,

The house cleaning,

The shopping?

Do mom's get retirement?

Is anyone else as freaked out by this as I am?!?

Jeff says he'll help me more around the house when he retires from his job,

And although he's helpful now when I ask,

I'm not sure he's going to see eye to eye with helping me when he's 'retired'.

All Alone

I'm all alone in my house right now.

That's NOT an invitation to come over,

Or a complaint.

It's been weeks since I've had Personal time,

Personal space.

It's

WONDERFUL!

It's going to be the best three hours . . . .