The Thompson's

What do you mean, Ireland?

2010-08-20T05:05:00.000-07:00

So my sister had a two week vacation scheduled for the middle of May into June and she didn't want to spend it alone. We've travelled together several times and it was natural for her to call me and say, "Hey, lets do something together!" (OK, so she said it to just about anyone that would listen to her.)

We had grandiose plans about Italy and Mediterranean Cruises, but as the excitement settled into reality, it became plain that money was going to be an issue. At least for me.

At the same time, she was making future plans which were leading her toward Tennessee. So with much regret but some serious relief on my part, we decided to rent a cabin in the north-west corner of Georgia for two weeks. It would give me time to recuperate from the kids and be close enough for some serious sightseeing in GA, NC and SC and her checking out Tennessee before committing to it.

About a month before we were to leave, Shaundra called me up and said, "Look what I found! We are going to Ireland!"

Indeed, she had found an independent tour (the absolute best way to go) to Ireland for about the same price for her and only $200 more for me. The cabin was cancelled and I nervously made plans to leave the country.

Flights to NYC being as they are, instead of being gone the 2 weeks that Shaundra had off, I got to spend nearly 3 weeks, which meant that once we got back into the states after Ireland, we would also get to spend a couple of days in Washington DC and several days in NYC and upstate NY. (More about this in a later blog.)

So to keep this post manageable, I won't go into detail about Ireland itself, (I would probably have to devote an entire web-site for that) but I'll give you the 3 "Must-Sees" on my personal list should I ever go back. Don't get me wrong, if you are interested, I could spend hours and days boring you to tears with stories and pictures. Between us, Shaundra took a respectable 600+ pictures, and a millennia of video, and I took 1200+ pictures and contributed to the video.

That being said, skip the east coast of Ireland. I know that Dublin is on the east side, and if you are truly needing a Dublin experience, you can literally walk the entire city in a day. Granted a very tiring day, but it is situated to be a walking city. It's beautiful in a metropolitan way. The pedestrian streets are fun, the cathedrals (of which we were able to go to an exclusive concert in St. Patricks Cathedral that only happens once a year) are old and gorgeous but the highlight are the parks and people!

You can also skip Northern Ireland. Yes, the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge are there but the walks are long and strenuous, and the view is even better in a postcard. We loved the experience, but the need to go back is pretty slim.

Now, the west coast of Ireland is "da bomb"!!! All three of my "Must-Sees" are on the west coast. So to my list:

#1 - Stay in Westport (the cutest little tourist town) for a couple of days. You'll want to spend a day just touring the city and Westport House, which has it's own little theme park (pirate theme I believe). The entire next day, plan on spending it travelling to, touring around and returning from Kylemore Abbey. Not only is the Abbey amazing, but the traveling to and from it nearly as enjoyable!!!

"This is a deeply atmospheric place on the side of a wooded hill overlooking Kylemore Lake. The main building is a crenellated 19th century house, and a splendid example of neo-Gothic architecture. In 1920, its owner donated it to the Benedictine nuns. The sisters run a convent boarding school here, (although this past year was it's last) but have opened the grounds and part of the house to the public. The highlight is the recently restored Gothic chapel,

considered a miniature cathedral, and there's a Victorian walled garden. The complex includes a restaurant, which serves produce grown on the nuns' farm; a shop with a working pottery studio; and a visitor center. The abbey is most atmospheric when the bells are rung for midday office or for vespers at 6pm."

So above is the tour guide description, but it falls seriously short! Pay the money and do everything here!!! If you are a student, bring your id because you get discounts with it. I would love to spend a month just wandering around this peaceful bit of heaven! GLORIOUS!!!

Seriously, don't miss anything! Take the guided tour of the garden, (holy cow, it's awesome) and the tour of the main building. And certainly don't miss the walk to the Cathedral and the Mausoleum!!! You. Won't. Be. Disappointed!!!

#2 - If you have money to burn and want an experience of a lifetime, next stay at the amazing Ashford Castle. (If money is a little more precious to you, stop by as you leave Westport and plan on spending many, many hours exploring!) Those of you on the inside of the "In" crowd will be saying to yourself at this moment, "Say, I've heard of that place before!" And you would be right!!! Pierce Brosnan was married in Ashford Castle in 2001 and Ronald Reagan stayed there in 1984. It's part of the lifestyles of the Rich and Famous! (Insert British accent here.)

"Now, this is a castle. Complete with turrets, towers, drawbridge, and battlements, Ashford is a fairy-tale hotel. The structure dates to the 13th century, when it was built for the De Burgo (Burke) family. Later it became a country residence of the Guinness clan. A hotel since 1939, it has been enlarged and updated over the years. The renovated Victorian castle rents some of the finest rooms in all of Ireland. Reflected in the glassy waters of Lough Corrib, the castle sits regally amid vast forested, flowering grounds. The fairy tale continues inside with antiques, medieval armor, carved oak paneling, and museum-quality paintings."

(Unfortunately, I don't have any really good pictures of the front of the Castle so you'll have to settle for the back view. Most of this part of the trip was documented via video.) The above is again the tour guide description. What it fails to mention are the phenomenal grounds! The manicured grounds, the swan filled lough, the hidden jewels of stone architecture, and the hidden gardens. They are extensive and amazing and ... holy cow ... there just aren't words to capture it's beauty!!! The collective number of pictures we took (and believe me, there are plenty) are not enough to capture it! Being there only once is not enough to capture it! I've got to get back there!!!! : )

As you pry yourself away from the Castle, stop for a quick look at Cong Abbey, literally on the way out (the back way, that is). The monks set up a fishing pole with a bell attached to it in the little hut over the river so they wouldn't need to sit around waiting for the fish, but could come running once they heard the bell ring.

#3 - You know what, you need to go back to #1 and #2. I don't think you appreciated them to their fullest extent. Don't worry, I'll wait until you get back before I go on.

I'm serious ... go back and re-read. You're missing it!

Good grief ... you are stubborn!

Fine!

#3 - On your way to Killarney, you may want to stop for the Cliffs of Moher, but like the Giant's Causeway, a postcard is just as good. The Burren is barren and not worth stopping for unless you like getting down on your knees to look at tiny flowers that aren't that pretty anyway. The bog's, however, are worth a pull-over-on-the-side-of-the-road stop for 10 minutes. The best part of the bogs is walking out on them a ways with another person. Have one person stand about 10 to 15 feet away from the other and then take turns jumping. Yes, I said jumping. The vibration of each jump can be felt by the other person through the ground. It was enough for the video camera we brought to automatically turn off because it thought it had been dropped. : ) They use the bogs as a source of peat (or fuel) which smells DIVINE!

The Rick Steves tour guide says to skip the Killarney Coast Drive for the more beautiful and less appreciated Dingle Loop Drive. He's WRONG! We got lost on the Dingle Loop and even the GPS unit had no maps to help us out. However, the Killarney Coast is worth the drive! But this is just leading to my #3.

Killarney National Park with Muckross House, Garden and Abbey is my third "Must-See". The Abbey is a medium walk from the House but we spent several very happy hours exploring and walking up and down exposed staircases, through giant sized fireplaces, among mossy graves and generally soaking up the tranquil and otherworldly atmosphere.

The House and Garden are worth the price for the tour!!! My favorite story from the tour was about one of the previous owners who lived until she was 142. The reason she died was because she was quite fond of the gentlemen and had climbed a tree to spy on one and then fell out to her death. Can you imagine!!! And it's true!

The group we were in for the tour of the house was fun. There were three people there that we had seen on our flight into Dublin and we sort of teamed up. The wine cellar, which they just kind of say, "If you'd like to take a moment to peak in, you can, but it's just a wine cellar." would put all of your Year-Supply dreams to shame! It must have been as big as my Master Bedroom! The whole place was fabulous.

And with that word (fabulous), my wholly inadequate brain is out of adjectives and so I will end. You have my top 3 stops in Ireland. One of these days I will set up some sort of slide show/site for Ireland pictures and I'll let you know where and when. Until that time, enjoy the few I did post.

You really ought to go yourself!!!! : )

High School or Homeschool?

2010-08-18T14:30:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. It's been since April 1st that I've blogged last. And so much has gone on!!!

First, let's start with school. Because Celina is such a bad district, Colbey was given the choice of continuing his education at home or seeing if we could get him into the next town overs High School. (Can you believe he's in High School already?!?!?!) Colbey decided he would rather go to Prosper High School.

So at the beginning of May, I called the Prosper District to see what I needed to do to not only transfer from another district, but enter as a homeschooler. The gal that I spoke with (I gave her a nick name later that I think you'll enjoy) made it sound like it was going to be nearly impossible and that I would need to escalate my request up to the Superintendent of Prosper. I left a message but didn't hear back before I left the country.

Once I got back in mid June, I again picked up where I had left off. That's not quite true. Instead of dealing with people over the phone, I figured I would get a better response/help in person so I went down to the High School. The gal there, Mrs. Tate, was a dream! She made it sound like all would be well and of course there would be no problem because they had students come in from homeschooling all the time. All I needed to do was get District approval for the transfer and then it was a first-come-first-serve at registration day on July 20th.

Simple, huh? I thought so. In fact, I went straight from the High School to the district office and was directed to ... let's just call her Mrs. Grumpy-Pants. She informed me that because Colbey had been homeschooled, he would need to be tested to make sure he was going into the right grade. However, the person in charge of the testing was on vacation and wouldn't return until the district let out for two weeks due to the 4th of July.

I'm thinking, "OK, we still have a week and a half to get the testing done and then go before the district meeting to get approval before we need to be first in line to register." She said to be looking for a phone call the week of July 12th.

Monday, July 12th came and went. Tuesday slithered past and on Wednesday, after the two younger kiddos and I were leaving VBS, I drove straight to the district offices again. Mrs. Grumpy-Pants was again my source of information but you could tell she was not happy to be. Immediately, she started madly dialing someone,... anyone ... to take me off her hands. (I was being nice the whole time, I promise!!!) Then an angel came to my rescue! Mrs. Sent-From-Heaven came and spoke with me and Mrs. Grumpy-Pants. Mrs. Grumpy-Pants said that Colbey would need to be tested because he was homeschooled and that I didn't have any of his previous transcripts which of course they couldn't request because then they would HAVE to accept him into the district but without them they couldn't even attempt to accept hem. A vicious circle!!! At that moment, I looked at Mrs. Sent-From-Heaven and asked if I could request a copy of his transcripts myself to help the process along. She smiled and said that would be very helpful. So I did just that. I immediately went to the Celina Middle School, where last Colbey attended, and got a copy which I then took straight back to the Prosper Administration building. I left them in an envelope underneath Mrs. Sent-From-Heaven's office, knowing I would be lovingly taken care of.

The rest of that week went on without a call and by Friday, I was frantic! The Board of Educators only met on Monday's which meant that Colbey needed to be tested before the meeting in three days to be approved so that we could be first in line July 20th. So I headed, once again, to the District Building. When I got there, around 12:30, no one was there except two tech people. They let me in and I explained my situation and asked what I should do. As we were talking, another man walked in and paused to listen. They told me the only thing they could recommend was for me to call Monday morning, as soon as they opened, to talk with someone.

They weren't sure what time the meeting was, but maybe he could be tested in the morning and the meeting wouldn't be until the afternoon or evening. So I ask for the phone number, which brought blank expressions from the two tech people.

It's then that the man listening to us spoke up. He gave me the phone number and then asked what it was exactly that I was hoping to do. I explain once more and he asked, "But isn't (he used her real name but I can't remember it) Mrs. Grumpy-Pants here?" The techs said her car wasn't in the parking lot and they didn't think anyone was there except them. He told me to hold on a moment while he checked.

I could tell she was there by the murmured conversation I couldn't quite hear. I don't know who he was or what he said, but Mrs. Grumpy-Pants came walking down the hallway just moments later and handed me some paper work and said that Colbey had been approved.

We didn't have to do any testing, nor wait for the district to approve us. I began to cry and thanked her and told her that this meant so much to us.

Can you tell how stressed I had gotten? So starting at the beginning of May, it took until July 16th to be approved for Colbey to go to Prosper High School.

We were indeed the first in line at the High School the next Tuesday to register (we took camp chairs and sat at the door starting at 5:30am). At 8am, he officially became a Prosper Eagle.

Hair Horror

2010-04-01T08:11:00.000-07:00

So this began a week and a half ago. I had decided to change my hair color to closer to the original color. I just HATE dealing with the roots being so much lighter than the color I've been using for so long! So I went to the store and bought a color very close to the color that Colbey and Ryleigh have thinking this is probably close to my color now.

Now, I have a girlfriend who is a hair genius and of course I consulted her before I began. Thankfully, she let me know that I couldn't go from such a dark color to a medium color straight away. And also, because there was so much red in my hair, I would need to choose an "ash" color to compensate so the red wouldn't turn orange.

If only that were the worst that could have happened.

So I started with Chocolate Carmel hair a week and a half ago. I used a light ash brown to tone down the red. I knew it was probably not a smart idea to color again right away so I waited until we came home from our vacation.

Sunday, I woke up earlier than normal and realized I had 3 hours before I needed to leave for church and as I was looking at my hair in the mirror, I decided that it was just plain too dark to ever get to the color I wanted without having to lighten it first, so without speaking to anyone who would know better, I dug through my bathroom closet and found a box of highlights and went to work "lightening" my hair.

As I was waiting for the time to finish before I could rinse out my hair, Scott woke up and asked me if it wouldn't have been better to wait until after church to do this. I just laughed and said, "It's just hair. How much could go wrong?"

Let me tell you how much could go wrong! I rinsed out my hair and sure enough I had lightened it. I went from a VERY dark brown, to glowing yellow. NOT blonde, but GLOWING YELLOW.

Holy cow!!!! What do I do. I can't miss church because the choir is singing, and I'm playing for both special musical numbers and the organ for Sacrament Meeting.

So I do the only thing possible, I grabbed a hat from a costume I had used for a murder mystery night several years ago when I played a flapper. The black velvet hat came down securely over my entire head and covered the glowing part of my hair which left only the darker hair further down from my scalp showing.

I got lots of compliments on my hat, which I do love, and no one seemed to think anything was too out of the ordinary which is strange because I've NEVER worn a hat to church before. In fact, I can only recall a handful of times when I've worn a hat AT ALL!

So I lived with the glow for three days which I felt was enough time before I could color my hair again. (Shaundra, I'm sure I did this solely for your benefit!) So yesterday, I colored my hair AGAIN with a blonde ash color. It toned down the glow and instead of being a yellow, I was definitely a blonde now.

Why couldn't I be happy with it then?!?!?!? Why am I sooooo impatient?!?!?!??

This whole process was taking too long and I had at least two more steps to get to the color I really wanted and so instead of waiting another three days to color my hair again, I recolored my hair this morning to try and reduce the red again.

I've done stupid things in the past with my hair such as ... burning off the entire front of my hair using someone elses curling iron in Peru without a voltage adjuster, burning clumps of hair with a bad perm, etc. But NOTHING compares to this horror!!! I should have waited!

When you do something this bad, the only reaction that comes is a strange mixture of hysterical laughter and massive weeping AT THE SAME TIME!

My hair has been tortured more than it can handle and has given up. It's falling out in handfuls and I'm not sure how much will remain. I'm going (temporarily, I hope) bald. There's not much left on my head, and my head is not a beautiful round head you see on the movie stars that play bald women. It's got lumps and dips and strangely shaped patches of hair that haven't fallen out yet, not to mention the red irritated marks from over processing.
So this will be the ONLY picture I will post and will be wearing my hat ALOT until my hair grows in again.

On the sunny side, it will come in my natural color and I will NEVER color my hair again!!!

PS - Please don't call to comfort me, April Fools! All of the above story was true until the last coloring today. I know better and am waiting another week to do the next coloring. :)

Strike A Pose

2010-01-12T16:31:00.001-08:00

These are the most recent professional pictures of the kids. The only way to see an eye or two from Cousin It was to have them lay down. Oh, for the day when having portraits is easy again!!!!

Catch Me If You Can - Christmas

2010-01-12T09:05:00.000-08:00

Colorado was wonderful! We got there on the 23rd and didn’t get home until January 3/4. It was so fun for the kids to play in the snow and feed the deer (They would arrive each evening and let us feed and pet them. Generally they numbered in the 20's with does, baby deer and large bucks.) and have the biggest family Christmas that we have ever had. All of my siblings were able to be there. Even my sister in New York was able to manipulate her plans to spend the holiday’s with us.

We stayed twice as long as anyone else so that made the trips twice as nice. I got to spend time with everyone and then have 5 days just to ourselves. It was truly the best Christmas ever.

We started a new tradition in the family. I bought a couple hundred sheets of gold paper (they are beautiful – they look like gold dust sprinkled over leaves of gold) and everyone emailed me their testimony which I printed onto the gold paper. I assembled a book and surprised my mom with the “Family Gold Plates”. We’ll add the current testimonies each year from now on. There were a lot of tears of the good kind. We also watched the Christmas story through a powerpoint I had worked on and played the parts of the women surrounding Christ’s birth on Christmas Eve. My sister, who has just had her first baby (the cutest Trey ever!!!), played Mary and it was so touching how emotional she got.

It was GREAT!!!!

Two of my sister’s and Annedria’s husband went snowboarding/skiing. They spent the whole day out and I think had a really good time. I helped watch Trey while they were out.

The best thing about the snow I’ve decided … after the morning frost, it sparkles like diamond dust has been lavishly topped over everything! I was mesmerized! We don’t get that effect here. We loved it!!!

So we are back to normal … sort of. Life had to start again, and I am trying to instill some changes. We are going to concentrate on performing more service this year as a family.

I did my first “Children’s Book Reading” for the community this last Saturday. I’ll be doing it every second Saturday of the month. We’ve also have planned on helping at the Care Center at the north of Celina each month and two of each month’s FHE are designated for service. I want the kids to learn to love service and understand the joy that comes through service.

Well, I’ve gone on long enough…

(Grandma.)
(Grandma and Grandpa with Potter.)

(Annedria, Scott and Trey.)

(Shaundra and Ashlyn.)

(Taylor, Liz, Ashton and Peyton.)

(The fam.)

(Colbey)

(Taylor and Liz goofing off.)

(All of the kids and grandkids together.)

(Christmas morning.)

(Ryleigh dressed up as a fairy and Landon showing off his Dance Revolution Game. Colbey's pretty good at it all ready.)

(More Christmas morning. 15 people make quiet the mess!!)

(Just a few of the dear we got to pet and feed each day.)

Catch Me If You Can - November

2010-01-12T08:54:00.000-08:00

Ryleigh, Landon and myself went to the pumpkin farm in November with Ryleigh's playschool group. We went on a hay ride, got to choose a pumpkin each and feed all the animals. It was VERY cold and I was glad I had brought gloves for them. We stayed longer than the rest of the group to get in the hay ride. It was SSSSOOOO cold that most sane people wouldn't wait in the 45 minute line for the ride, but no one is surprised that we are not sane!!! : )

Catch Me If You Can - Halloween

2010-01-12T08:49:00.000-08:00

We made luminaries out of 2 liter bottles (20 of them) to decorate our car for the trunk-or-treat. Landon went at a sorcerer and Ryleigh went as a witch at school, a pink devil/dragon at the trunk-or-treat, and a green fuzzy dragon on Halloween night. Colbey went as himself.

Catch Me If You Can - Disneyland

2010-01-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

So we did EVERYTHING at Disneyland and Ryleigh was called up and involved in everything we went to. They LOVED her and treated her like a princess. Landon, after 5 days, overcame his fear of roller coasters and spent the end of the day riding Maulhaulens Drive over and over again. Sadly, this was the ONLY ride Ryleigh couldn't go on because of her height. She was tall enough to ride Space Mountain and Splash Mountain but not for the kiddie coaster.

Somehow, circumstances occurred where we paid for 3 days at Disneyland but ended up getting 6 days there. You can imagine we were in HEAVEN!!!! A trip of a lifetime for the family!!!

Anyway, there are WAY TOO MANY stories to tell about our time there ... so I won't. Just know that if it could be done, we did it. If it could be brought up on stage, Ryleigh was. If you could see it, we saw. If you could scream it, we screamed. We did it ALL and we loved it ALL.

Thanks dad for providing us the opportunity of a lifetime!!!

(Ryleigh had cut her own bangs and they were in the process of growing out.)

(Ryleigh's favorite Princess is Jasmin - because of the three rubber bands in her hair.)

(When he asked Ryleigh where she was from, she looked at him like he must be an idiot and said, "From my mommy.")

(The idiot mommy.)

(Ryleigh called up to participate at the House of the Future to play the drums.)

(They LOVED the teacups. I was getting a little sick!)

(Roving Pirate Minstrels attacking their prey.)

(It looks like she's telling Mickey a secret, but she is actually going in for a kiss. Scott wanted to know when the last time he washed was ... )

(Landon hangin' with his peeps.)

(The cutest Toucan's in the whole hut!)

(Adventuring at California Adventures.)

(People to call, places to be.)

(Taking a break on the tire pile after an exiting drive with Roger Rabbit.)

(Exploring the wonders of the sea in a submarine.)

(I think I can, I think I can ... what are the perks exactly for being the king???)

(Don't we look alike? Same goofy smile, same red tongue.)

(Oops! Got caught!)

Catch Me If You Can - Newport Beach

2010-01-12T07:46:00.000-08:00

The reason for this trip was the celebration of my dad's 60th birthday. He wanted to celebrate at Disneyland, and frankly, I think ALL celebrations should happen in the Magic Kingdom!!!! I was MORE THAN HAPPY to celebrate with him there!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!

So we rode caravan style to CA and settled into our respective places of pillows. (I say respective with tongue in cheek. Ours was a pretty sleazy establishment, but it was right across the street from Disneyland so we didn't mind.)

We decided to spend the first afternoon at the beach. Landon and Ryleigh had never been to the ocean before so I was very excited to introduce them to it.

We set up about 10 feet above the high water mark and immediately ran to jump into the FREEZING water. After getting sucked down VERY hard by the undertow and holding Ryleigh up so she could breath, Landon, Ryleigh and I decided it was probably better to play in the middle area building sandcastles. Between the high water mark and where the water was actually coming up to, there was an area of probably 30 feet that was perfect for our castles.

Suddenly, a ginormous wave crashed onto the beach, destroying our castle and continuing another 15 feet above the high water mark. I saved what I could but Colbey's texting devise was destroyed. That ended the afternoon at the beach.

I did get to chat with a couple of women there and when they found out it was the younger two's first visit to the beach, they became very dismayed and explained that it was an unusually rough day there. Oh well, at least we can say we rollicked at Newport Beach.

Catch Me If You Can - AZ

2010-01-12T07:06:00.001-08:00

So this particular blog has been sadly ignored for a VERY long time. I've come to rectify this ...

In September, we were able to travel to AZ to spend a couple of days with my sister in Gilbert. We spent one day just recouperating from the 18 hour drive. Then the next day, we went to Freestone Park so Colbey could go skating and Landon, Ryleigh and mom could feed the ducks. (I called Scott from the park asking him to kill me! It is SSSSSOOOOOO freakin' HOT there!!!! He just laughed and promised I wouldn't have to live back there again.) This is weather that people die in! Fortunately, the back of the Pilot was stockpiled with water bottles and we went through the whole Sam's Club pallet of bottles just in that day.

It was perfect. Since we homeschool, we can take our vacations whenever we want and the park was empty because everyone in AZ was back in school. Colbey got the whole park to himself.

After Freestone Park, we went to Tempe Town Lake so Landon and Ryleigh could play at the Splash Pad. (Colbey skated some more around that area.)

Colbey is not real fond of having his picture taken so they all need to be on the sly. If he knows you are taking it, you will never see a smile (which he does do!) and now that his hair is even longer than in these pictures, you tend to just see Cousin It.

Scott flew into Phoenix International the next evening and we were able to spend some time with his Mom and Dad in Mesa before heading out to CA the next morning.

New Blog

2010-01-11T11:52:00.000-08:00

I have started a new blog. I'm reading the Old Testament this year and as I read, I have LOTS of questions! The Old Testament gets a little hinky at times ... hence the new blog.

Check it out and see if you can answer some of my wandering brain's hiccups!

myoldtestament2010.blogspot.com

Christmas Music

2009-12-10T13:43:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for some truly wonderful music. I've collected a handful of some of my favorites. Of course, not all of my favorites are included and some of my preferred arrangements were unavailable, but I hope you enjoy.

I'm just leaving my blog open to listen to. : )

Merry Christmas!!!!

History Lesson

2009-08-12T07:26:00.000-07:00

Here is an installment in the history of Chrystalee.

This takes place in the most recent history …

Long, long ago, … ok, maybe not so long ago … in a kingdom filled with peace and happiness … ok, maybe in a tiny town filled with cowboys and transplants … there lived a beautiful queen … ok, maybe just a mother.

Now this mother was filled with all sorts of grand ideas. They rolled around in her head nearly all the time and on occasion, she would try to implement one.

She had recently settled on a color for her humble castle after trying out 7 or 8 different colors over the course of 5 years. It turned out, the shade didn’t matter so much as the gloss content. But regardless, she’d finally found the perfect combination; paper sack in semi-gloss. It was a color that surrounded this mother with warmth like a hug from your favorite grandmother on a crisp autumn day. It brought to mind walks in a tree lined lane as the leaves are changing color, cinnamon toast on a Sunday morning and quiet evenings reading by the glow of lamplight.

This mother loved this color like no other she had tried over the years. She’d worked hard to get it perfect. She’d essentially painted the entire public portion of the castle those 7 or 8 different times over the years and she was paint pooped! But the benefits of this perfect color were more than worth the effort.

Now, as this story is about a mother, let me tell you, it didn’t get painted overnight. No indeed, for the king … I mean husband … had told her MANY years previous that he liked white walls and was therefore unwilling to participate in any painting. (Just as a side note, the king … I mean husband … had also made it clear that as far as Christmas lights were concerned, the mother would need to take care of any that went up. The mother has given many a neighbor a gasp during the late fall months as she traverses the roof to set up the festive little twinkle lights.)

No, this mother is quite busy; so the painting was done in sections over some time. The kitchen was first, but with that completed and finely (not finally … finely) decorated with money earned watching another’s little ones, it pleased the mother to an extreme. Even when the mother could not find that perfect counter print to balance out the architectural print above the large bank of cabinets, it did not discourage her. She just decided to draw her own and no one has been the wiser. Oh the joy that those cream and black accents brought to the mother were heartwarming! So heartwarming, that she knew she was on the path of perfection.

After the kitchen came the entryway and extensive hall and nook area. These area’s were much easier as there were not so many trims and appliances to be careful of, but the ceilings were very tall so it took many hours as she would paint one small section of upper wall then climb down off the ladder, move it over a couple of feet, climb back up and start all over again. Well, it took some time to recover from these two painting expeditions and the mother had a color in the family room and dining room that she also liked; Chai Spice (a warm pumpkin color). But after many months of living with the rooms this way, the mother decided that the family room needed to be the same color as the kitchen and hallways to bring a sense of continuity to the castle. (She liked the Chai Spice enough to want to keep it in the dining room as a pop of color against the Paper Sack.)

So after working MANY hours with two young men in the field, when they offered to help with the painting of the family room, she took them up on it. They were only able to spare an hour as their work is an important one and the mother could not bear to take them from it for too long, but it was enough to get a first coat on all of the lower walls in the family room. The mother completed the room that day, knowing that if she procrastinated, it would be months before she was able to complete the project. (The mother suffers from motherhood; which means that the distractions are plentiful and the needs of others are always constant so her desires are sometimes compromised for others.)

Oh, her joy was overwhelming! The castle glowed with the color and she could be found sitting after all the little princes’ and princess … I mean sons and daughter … were in bed and the lamp glow on the walls fulfilled all her warm hug desires! The wrapped up in a cozy blanket at a glowing hearth feeling was supreme happiness!

But her joy was a greedy joy. It wanted more, which leads us to the most recent history lesson.

She had decided to take the color into her bedroom also. But motherhood got in the way just after she had reached the halfway mark. (See definition of motherhood above.) And so the room sat 60% completed for a long while. But once again, those two young men rode in to save the day. (The mother is getting older by this point and is not as spry as she once was so things just take longer now.) The mother was so happy for her knights in shining armor that she gave them the task of finishing the two partial walls in the bedroom and she began in on the master bath. Those two knights did indeed finish those two walls and after only one interruption of motherhood, the master bath was completed a week later. (A family reunion, which the mother hadn’t decided to go to until two hours before getting into the carriage for the land of Colorado, put a weeks distance between the first coat in the bathroom and the second coat in the bathroom.)

This is where the moral of the story comes in …

The mother, filled with her greedy joy, was too impatient to take care of her painting tools right away and so they sat there, in the bedroom (out of the way) for a week. It wasn’t until the most recent history that she decided to move on to another of her grand ideas that the sorrowful end of this story came about.

As the mother was organizing and cleaning the bedroom, she bent over to pick up the bucket of paint and move it out of the way so that she could move the huge mirror to another wall. …

(Badness is coming. Are you ready? You should be preparing yourself for the pure horror that is about to transpire!)

Yes, you guessed it! The bucket had been tipped upside down without the mother’s knowledge and in her eagerness with the new project, she pulled up with more force than the poor bucket could withstand and it left its lid on the floor as the mother pulled the rest up.

Paint was here, paint was there, paint was everywhere! The mother was horrified and the king … I mean husband … came running at her wails of pure misery and dismay. (To give the king … I mean husband … credit, he didn’t berate the mother for her tragic mistake. He probably thought that the mother was doing a good enough job of this on her own.)

The mother was so distraught cleaning up as much paint as possible, that when she in her frustration decided to throw not only the spilled paint but also the can, roller, ladle she had been using to scoop up the paint with and the paint pan in the garbage, she inadvertently tossed them into the recycling bin before realizing her mistake. She then had to take everything out of the recycling bin, wash it out of paint and re-bag everything to place in the ever so not environmentally friendly regular garbage bin.

All of this took place as internal tears streamed down and the race against the clock before the two young knights (one is different now) came by for another discussion.

Oh how the mighty fall
when consumed with greedy delight!
(Just in case you didn’t catch it … this is the moral!)

This is surly a true story that took place in the MOST recent history of the life of Chrystalee Thompson. (No names have been changed, because let’s face it, who else could this have happened too?)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this episode.

PS – The paint stain is disheartening, and we will be living with it for a while. But maybe in time, I’ll find an arrangement of furniture that will hide it from the eyes that know not where to look. : )

Treyton Scott Henderson

2009-06-05T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here he is ...

My Nephew

2009-06-03T14:25:00.000-07:00

So my nearest sister has just had her first baby. YEAH!!!! Treyton, aka: Trey, came 3 1/2 weeks early but he is doing well.

In Annedria's words:

Annedria labored for 9 hours after her water broke last night and this morning. Scott (hubby) was the one to catch and pull Trey out. He has dark hair, good color and came out crying. : ) They think he looks like Scott - which is a good thing as he is a boy.

She labored at home with two mid-wives. After Trey was born, they went to the hospital because he was grunting but all seems to be fine.

Trey weighs 5 lbs and 14 oz and measures 18 inches long.

WAY TO GO!!!!!!

Scrapbook Wednesday

2009-05-28T11:04:00.000-07:00

Here was last nights scrapbook attempt.

Just for your information ... anyone is welcome to join us every other Wednesday night for some scrapbooking fun. We meet from 8pm till whenever. You can come to my house and walk across the street with me, or just go straight to 425 Dartmoor.

PS - The poem reads:

Ladybug all dressed in red,
Waltzing thru the flower bed!
A speckled spectacle of spring,
A fashion statement on the wing.

The sunflowers are raised as well as all the leaves; there are rhinestones in the center of each flower; that really is a baby clothes hanger holding the date.

This layout was much less stressful than the one two weeks ago. I'm determined to do a spread on Landon next time. : )

Butterflies

2009-05-27T08:28:00.001-07:00

Ryleigh and I were walking home from the park yesterday when we came across a dead butterfly. I pointed it out to her and said, "Isn't it pretty?"

She immediately said, "Yes!" Then bent down with the obvious intention to touch it. I quickly said, "Don't touch it! It's dirty!"

At which point she said, "I must see 'im wif my finger."

I love the way little ones speak to convey their idea's!!!

All You Photo Bugs, Help Me Out! PLEASE!!!

2009-05-23T07:33:00.001-07:00

So I've been working on the ward newsletter (which I love doing even if people don't get me their info until the VERY LAST MINUTE!) and I'd like to include a few photo's of ward activities. The bishop sent me a handful and I'm using one of them for the June newsletter, but I'd like a better selection of pics for one or two more photo opportunities.

So all you out there with fantastic photos that you're keeping all to your lonesome, send me a few of your best and let me see if I can put in one or two of them for the ward newsletter.

Thanks!!!! (candsthompson@gmail.com)

(This is the picture I'm using from the bishop.)

Scrapbook Victory

2009-05-18T07:04:00.001-07:00

I'm just not patient enough to do a good job of scrapbooking, but a good friend asked me to motivate her by scrapbooking with her every other Wednesday, and I love her so I said yes.

You can stop laughing now, mom!

Anyway, after stressing for three days on a possible layout and going nearly into hysterics trying to decide which photo to use, (I'm already starting to feel the panic flutters in my heart for the next scrapbooking date) and changing my mind several times on possibilities ...

This is what I ended up with.

I LOVE my siblings!!! They are ALMOST as crazy as me! : )

PS - The quote on the top right hand is from Erma Bombeck ...

"The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together."

If my mother were dead, she'd be rolling in her grave!

2009-05-18T06:31:00.000-07:00

So Saturday was the BIG day. Landon has embraced the "Chore Incentive" plan with vigor. He earned $3.75 and received his earnings Saturday afternoon. This money combined with what's left over from his birthday sent him to the store for some hard earned, frenzied fun. (All of this took place after we deducted 10% for tithing and 15% for savings.)

The toy's in question, the ones Landon had been dreaming of all week ... were gone! No square or triangle Bakugun balls anywhere within not just one Walmart, but two different Walmart's!

SO ... MUCH ... DISAPPOINTMENT ... HARDLY ... CAN ... BELIEVE ... IT ... CAN'T ... BREATHE ... MUST ... GET ... HELP!!!!

Maybe that's just slightly an exaggeration ... MAYBE!

...

Disappointment's over. Time to figure out another way to spend the money burning a hole in his pocket.

(Here is where mom would be turning in her grave! I think an alien is living in my body and in control of my limbs and mind during moments like the following!)

He bought a Colt 1911 6" Target model Softair Spring Powered Laser Sight Airsoft Gun. The mag holds 12 BB's, it has a velocity of 210 Fps and a range of 22 Yds with an accuracy of 18/25 (whatever that means?!?!?).

Believe me, I grilled the associate about the safety (it does have a safety on the handle of the gun) and if there was ANY way for Landon to hurt anyone with it. As long as he only uses plastic BB's, (duh!!!!) and doesn't hit someones eye, he can't really hurt anyone.

So we had a VERY serious conversation on gun safety and how he is never to aim at anyone, or any animal (especially bears!). Should mom ever find out that he has, the gun will be taken away and never returned.

So the especially funny part is, ... we are all enjoying target shooting in the backyard and the wasp's trying to build a nest in the corner of the roof will probably be moving somewhere else shortly. Also, Landon isn't strong enough yet to pull the barrel back to load the BB into the barrel. He has to come to me to do that each time he wants to shoot.

Are you laughing yet, mom?

Landon is already counting down the days until his next payday to purchase more "bullets".

PS - Notice how it looks more like a water gun than a real weapon ... granted it's quite a bit heavier than a water gun and I don't know of any water gun that has a laser sight on it. : )

Family Love Scrapbook

2009-05-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

I love Janette!

2009-05-06T06:11:00.000-07:00

I love Janette for so many reason's. I thought I'd list just a few ...

1. I love her for our laughing at BIG shadows (this is going to sustain me for a really long time)

2. I love her for not making me feel like a freak even when I know I am

3. I love her for being willing to talk with me when even I get tired of hearing from me

4. I love her for her blog. I've never read anyone who writes just as she talks. I laugh every time

5. I love her because I feel like I can tell her anything and it's safe

I love Janette!

Free Car Friday, continued ...

2009-05-05T13:47:00.000-07:00

So I've been asked multiple times about the turn out for "Free Car Fridays". Of course it fluctuates each week, but in general, there is probably around 200 applicants each week.

You know what is funny, even when we don't win (which we never have yet), you still feel like you've won! Everyone is happy and chatty and it feels just like a big, happy party. It's a good way to spend an evening.

Did I mention that the food (hot dogs, soda, last week Baskin Robbins was handing out ice-cream) and the music and people are FREE?

Bragging Rights ...

2009-05-05T13:34:00.000-07:00

So I want to take just a moment and brag a little bit about one of my little bits.

Landon is in kindergarten. He doesn't get as much attention right now as his other siblings, mainly because Colbey is a teenager and we're dealing with all the angst that accompany that time of life, and Ryleigh is potty training.

Well, two weeks ago, he brought home his report card (which was stellar by the way) and a certificate informing us that he had made it on the Honor Roll. I was shocked!!! I remember sitting on the couch looking at him thinking, "Is this going to be my genius child?" I couldn't believe it and am SO proud of Landon.

Then to top it off, he brought his behavior chart home at the end of April with absolutely NO MARKS on it! He didn't have a single incident for the entire month and if you know Landon with all of his energy, that is not just a minor miracle, but a gargantuan miracle!

He is this weeks "Star Student" in his class.

GO LANDON!!! My little miracle worker!

Free Car Friday

2009-05-01T12:14:00.000-07:00

So I don't really want to list this posting, but maybe I'll be blessed by sharing this with others?!?!?

Nissan of McKinney has been doing Free Car Friday for the past 4 weeks. Scott and I make it our weekly date because, hello, it's free.

You show up between 6pm and 7:59pm to enter your name into the drawing and wait around. You get tickets for free hot dogs and soda and then chill. Every so often they draw a name out for a gift certificate and it feels just like a block party. Everyone is happy and excited. It's great people watching too.

Scott and I bring our camping chairs and play cards while we wait.

So tonight is our date, and maybe we'll see you there for your date night with your other half. Someone is going to win a free car, it might as well be me!

Money, money, money ... I want the pie in the sky ... (think 80's song)

Nissan of McKinney is on the corner of 75 and 121. : )

The Confessional

2009-04-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

There have been times in my life that I've been exposed to more information about individuals that I felt I should have been or wanted to be. I grieved when it wasn't my grief and judged when I didn't have any right to judge. That being said, I am now warning you that this will be very personal information about me and if you feel so inclined not to be burdened with my admissions, leave now ... or forever hold your peace. : )

This past weekend was orchestrated just for me. I was in a situation Saturday morning to have an unexpected counselling session that although I didn't necessarily agree with everything said (when have I ever totally agreed with anyone????), it did indeed prick my mind and heart.

Then Saturday afternoon, I was confronted with another situation that again pricked my mind and heart.

That evening, Scott and I had a very open conversation about some of my feelings that I had been covering for too long.

Then a bomb was laid in my lap Sunday morning during our Special Conference. My mind and heart that had felt the prickling of the past 24 hours finally burst and the words spoken by a general authority were spoken to enter into my heart and heal and institute change within myself.

I've been welling up all weekend and continue to well today. (What a sap! ) : )

Several truths have been finally exposed to my reluctant brain. I am not the wife I imagine I am. I am not the mother I view myself as. I am not the daughter or sister or friend that I've imagined I was for so long. I have had such a huge understanding (obviously not a perfect, but definitely a very strong understanding) of the Saviors love for me and have never doubted that one day I would be back with Him and my Heavenly Father that I got caught up in the "Big Picture" and ignored the steps to live a path that the Lord would be most pleased with.

I'm getting bogged down with trying to walk on egg shells so I'm going to stop and just say what I'm trying to say.

I've been blessed with a deep knowledge of many things spiritual. I feel that a good portion of that is a gift from God specifically for me because of the many trials He knew I would go through in this life and the rest was taught to me through my parents. I find the spiritual side in nearly everything I see, do and read. That's just how my brain works and regardless of the intent of the person or things that are happening and the expectation they have, it all boils down to spiritual knowledge to me. I am grateful for this quirk of my brain and honestly feel bad for those that don't view life the same way as I do. I can't tell you how many times people have said, "Really? I didn't see that at all!" when talking about a truth I gleaned from some random thing.

Anyway,I'm also extremely stubborn. I decide on a plan and follow through because I've already decided it's the best course of action. I generally don't bother asking Heavenly Father if this is His will because it makes sense to me. (I said I was stubborn, not smart! Don't be judging me just yet! : ))I've been content with my lot and the rough road that I've been traveling because that's just what this life is about, right? WRONG!

After this past weekend, and then beginning to read Dave Ramsey's book "The Total Money Makeover" last night (Sorry Janie it's taken me so long to get to it, but now I'm devouring it!)I see that I've been bringing a good portion of the "rough road" on myself. This is not God's plan. Yes, we are here to learn and grow, but He doesn't wish to cause us the ultimate pain for the ultimate gain. If we can learn with little pain, all the better and it's up to us to make the decision which way we are going to learn ourselves.

We've been living with debt for so long, and although the debt is less than some, it is definitely more than other's and in my mind, excruciatingly crippling. I didn't think there was a way out of it and it was just part of our life. A trial we were meant to go through. I have been SO WRONG!

I'm angry with the collective body of the population for not teaching me otherwise and even more angry with myself for not working at figuring out that this was a huge lie that I could disprove and live a life so much better than I ever imagined possible in this existence. So much time has been wasted!

Just this past month I was speaking with some church friends (people who are not saddled with my same money issues at this time) and said that I was OK being poor. What an idiot I have been. When is it ever right to be OK with mediocrity?!?!? That is by far the most gleeful moment Satan has had with me in ages and I didn't even realize it. How sneaky and insidious; that old serpent had entered my soul. How grateful I am to finally see his downward pulling fingers!

When the church has counselled that we be out of debt, I always thought that was a dream that could only come through some dead rich relative, a stroke of extreme dumb luck or some lottery jackpot (which we don't play). I couldn't see how we could do that on our own. I have been left without the knowledge of how to help myself as so many other people find themselves. But there is a way. A Christ-like way that is available to everyone regardless of their race or creed, financial situation or religious background.

I CAN NOT ADEQUATELY EXPRESS HOW MUCH THIS NEW KNOWLEDGE IS CHANGING ME IN LESS THAN 24 HOURS!!! When it comes to money matters, PLEASE, please, please, check out this man's work. DAVE RAMSEY - He's not of my religion but truth is truth, no matter where it comes from.

As far as the other truths brought to me this weekend, I have the knowledge and the change is being worked out. I will become the wife I dream of being and the mother my children deserve. I will live to my full potential for my earthly family and friends and for my heavenly family. I have a clearer picture now and that knowledge is power.

I will never be able to thank the Savior enough for the healing power of the atonement. For the ability He has provided for me to forgive when I couldn't imagine being able to forgive. For the forgiveness He offers me when I couldn't imagine being forgiven.

This has been a weekend of intense pain and growth and joy but a weekend I wouldn't want to have missed!

I Really Like Him ...

2009-04-24T07:00:00.000-07:00

So we've been receiving a lot of emails about the "End of the World" and the preparations that need to take place to be prepared. I'm taking those suggestions seriously and figure, even if it isn't the "End of the World" that's imminent, it's better to be prepared than caught with my pants down.

As such, we've been working very hard on collecting a year's supply of "every needful thing". I've taught myself how to make bread and am very happy to announce that we have not bought store bread in over two months. Not only that, but my family is now completely wheat tolerant, which if this is a foreign term to you, means that we've built up the internal systems to handle pure wheat in their diets. You must start out with small amounts of wheat and build up to greater amounts gradually. The young and old are susceptible to death if given too much wheat too quickly. The rest of us in the middle just end up on the "porcelain god" for a good while.

Anyway, I've also been getting links to video's about the words of the prophets with regards to this type of preparation. My favorites are by DavidKat99. His video's are touching and profound. The music is amazing and the artistry is amazing. Here is the most recent video I've received ...

Of course, you can always take a look at all of his amazing video's on You Tube.

Vocapeople

2009-04-22T10:07:00.000-07:00

So Ryleigh and I have listened to this three times in the last 15 minutes. We both love it!

Be sure to turn the volume down on the blog music or just pause it. ENJOY!!!

I asked and it came ...

2009-04-16T15:45:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all my family and friends who guided me through the technical waters of "blogdom"! And thank you to those who offered consolation when they couldn't help me with the "higher echelons of geekdom".

I love you all!!!

Needing Some Help ...

2009-04-16T12:51:00.000-07:00

How do I get my "Friends" blog updated titles on the right hand side of the page? It would be SO much more convenient than just clicking on EVERYONE to see who has updated their blog!!!

I'm looking for some TIME SAVERS!!!!

Been A While

2009-04-15T07:35:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know ... I've been slacking in the update arena, but that doesn't necessarily mean I've just been slacking! O.K., so it does mean I have been wanting to slack off but the world hasn't seen fit to grant me the time to do so. Oh, so cruel!

I did kidnap my sister's blog because she has been sooooo terribly boring and even more slacking than me, and strangely, I find it more fun to update hers than my own. I must lead a boring life. That's not really true, I've just been leading a crazy busy life and not really wanted to talk about the "fun things" I've been blessed to deal with recently.

In short, the boys will be staying home next year and we will home school, again. Colbey spent a good portion of 5th grade at home so this is old hat for him. Of course, having an 8th grader AND a 1st grader together is sending shivers of pure panic down my spine, but I figure if I prepare for the absolute worst, things will go well. Cross your fingers!!

Easter was wonderful! It was nice and quiet this year and we had the most beautiful eggs ever! I finally read the directions on the dye package and realized that to get the vibrant egg colors, I should be dipping them into vinegar instead of water. We dipped 24 eggs in 12 different colors and they turned out gorgeous!!! Landon found 15 of the eggs on Sunday morning, Ryleigh found 6 and Colbey dragged himself out of bed long enough to find 3. (I think he thinks he's too old for such childish revelry.) Dinner was fantastic and I even was able to get out of a good portion of the clean-up. Thank you Scott!

In more current news, I've pinched a nerve in my back while I was at the gym yesterday. Dang those twist crunches!!! Give me nice heavy weights any day, but leave the twisting to someone else! : )

Otherwise, all is the same here on the home front. Scott is still gainfully employed which is a wonderful thing (even if he hates his job) in the current economy. Of course, they can't afford to fire him as he is only one of three in the US, and does more than the other two, maybe even combined. Several companies have asked that he be "Theirs" and that makes Scott feel good. Thank you to Burger King, Glaxo-Smith-Kline (or however you spell that) and several other smaller companies for loving my guy almost as much as I love him. If you'd like to love him more, stop being idiots and hire technically advanced employee's that will cause Scott less headaches! Just a suggestion. : )

I am busy with Ryleigh during the day and the house, the boys (oh, those boys) in the afternoons, and all the activities that accompany the three, and just rarely, I get some moments in for myself. : )

Colbey has finally brought his saxophone home and I'm excited to start playing duets with him. Landon has completed his Kindergarten Musical, which believe me, I was just as happy for it to be over as he was! Amazing what parents will clap for!!!

Landon and Ryleigh have built a castle in the backyard and can be found playing in it nearly everyday! Ryleigh is now in the process of building herself a throne. She feels it's only right since she is the "Princess". It really is pretty cool. They built it out of bricks, wood and these giant blocks. Every now and then, they use the hammock as a roof or flag. I love how creative they get! (The below picture is what they are going for.)

Scott fixed my bird feeder that the wind tried to spirit away and this morning was it's maiden voyage into the backyard in over a week. YEAH! Ryleigh and I both love to see the birds and recently have been excited to see rabbits in the backyard also. Some may say they are pests, but we don't have a garden, so for us, they are just cute, cuddly bunnies that are spending some morning moments with us. We love them!

I'm off to clean the bomb site Ryleigh calls a room and then more rest for this decrepit back. Oh, how I hate aging!!! : )

PS - We love the book "Monster Mischief" from the library and my weekly bread making is at total wheat flour now. I know, totally geeky to be excited about a children's book (although it really is great) and bread, but I am. What can I say, deep down, I'm a geek! : )

We are also loving the show "Castle". But then, we've always loved anything he's been in. Of course, if I were kind and thoughtful, I'd tell you his name, but I don't know it off the top of my head. We still love him, though!!! Thank you Fox for having the episodes online!

Happy St. Patricks Day!

2009-03-11T09:50:00.001-07:00

Try JibJab Sendables® eCards today!

Pay It Forward

2009-03-05T11:42:00.001-08:00

The first 3 people to leave a comment on this post will receive a hand made gift from me during this year. When and what it will be is a surprise. There's a small catch though...You must post this same thing on your own blog and then come back and leave a comment telling me you're in. Fun, huh? Remember, only the first 3 comments receive the gift! For those who "win" my hand made gift...

1- I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!

2- What I create will be just for you.

3- It'll be done this year.

4- You have no clue what it's going to be (I don't yet either).

5- You are not allowed to judge me for my "hand made" skills ;).

From my kitchen to your screen ...

2009-03-04T10:31:00.000-08:00

I'm tired of being sick and feel like even though I don't necessarily want to die anymore, the discomfort doesn't seem to be abating. So time to kick it up and into gear and let my body know who's in charge.

So .... voila!

Made fresh this morning. Ummm, ummm good!

Mean Kitty Song

2009-03-03T16:15:00.000-08:00

So the kids are in love with this video and frankly, I like it too. Enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qit3ALTelOo

A Very Merry Unbirthday, To You!

2009-03-03T10:34:00.000-08:00

Ryleigh is in love with birthday cakes and blowing out candles. To illustrate, she insisted that we make a carrot cake last week. Thinking that I could kill two birds with one stone, I agreed thinking I would pour half the batter into one cake pan and the rest in another (that way the family would have a cake and I could take the second to the RS activity that night). Then, she insisted that we use PINK frosting. Who has pink frosting laying around?!?!? Sadly, I do. I'm such a girl! But I didn't have enough pink frosting to make a beautiful job of the cake so I ended up using both cakes with the pink frosting in between the two layers and green frosting over the whole thing. Ryleigh was so excited about the pastel confection!!! Before we could have a taste test, she needed to blow out the candle (you can't tell, but the candle is pink). So this is the picture of a very merry unbirthday cake that Ryleigh shared with her brothers and parents. She's so generous!

Call Me Martha ...

2009-02-18T04:09:00.001-08:00

I did it! I ground my own wheat flour and baked three loaves of bread yesterday. My first experience into baking bread ever. And here's the best part ... they taste great!!!

And Life Goes On ...

2009-02-14T08:13:00.001-08:00

It's been a while since my last entry and yet I find myself struggling to think of something of interest to write about. I have been busy. VERY busy, but busy in a way that most would find boring.

So I've been working on our year supply. Strangely, I am having a ball doing it.

I just ordered powdered eggs yesterday and the excitement I felt was ridiculous! My 11qt dutch oven came in the mail yesterday and my powdered cheese, butter and sour cream came the day before. The hand grain grinder is being shipped as well as ... (this just tickles my funny bone, and is a gift from mom) ... a portable toilet. Yes, you read that right.

I'm feeling a little less organized when it comes to a few other projects Scott and I are in the process of completing. Texas is a community property state and as such, it is imperative that we have a will (which we don't). So finding an affordable and state approved Last Will and Testament has become one of my searches. Why does Texas have to be so complicated?!?!?

We are also in the process of doing some serious editing of our possessions. During our last move, we had some friends helping us load up the moving truck and one of the comments was about how we had too much stuff. That is sooooo true!!! I look around the house and think about how much easier it would be to keep clean without all this superfluous stuff hanging around. So my closet has been purged this week and I will be posting a ton of stuff on ebay hopefully today.

We have two dining room sets and we only need one. We have two living room sets and we only need one. We have desks and beds and chairs and so much else that we just plain DON'T NEED! I have two piano's! Who has two pianos?!?!? That's crazy!!! Amazing how this "stuff" accumulates over time. I can't tell you how many bedding sets and blankets I have that have never even been taken out of the package. I find them for such good prices and think that I may use it someday and so buy them. Well, I've had enough!

So literally, I've been super busy ... but with what would only be considered boring, Boring, BORING activities. Hence the lack of updated posts.

But here's some fun news ... my sister found out she is having a boy (this is their first), my other one is happy living a double life in New York and I may have a temporary babysitting job starting in March and ending somewhere in the June through August months. Woohoo, more money to supplement my year supply fun! : )

I've just read another author that's lots of fun by the name of Gabriella Herkert. Her books are fun and fast in the mystery genre. Strangely, it's considered a "Cozy Mystery" which means limited language, no graphic love scenes so these can actually be on the book shelf even with kids in the house. I LOVE it!!! They were real fun to read.

I've also found the I'm-an-idiot-and-need-a-step-by-step-guide-to-year-supply-management book called Cookin' with Food Storage by Peggy Layton. I love this woman!!! The Lord put her on earth just for me and my supremely anal need to have everything set out in straight and orderly fashion. : )

And one last one. I've gotten the book by Joey Green called Amazing Kitchen Cures that is fabulous. I've been pouring over this for the last two days and find myself alternately amazed at what I have that can help in almost instance that grandma probably already knew but whose knowledge was never passed down to me and laughing at some of the trivia and historical information included about each topic. It's been a family-funny-insight-moment-provider for the last two days. We've all found something funny or interesting or even amazingly disgusting to tickle our brains in it.

Maybe something spectacular will happen soon and I'll have more to entertain you with instead of our boring busyness. Ta ta for now, as Tigger is prone to say. : )

I'm Back!

2009-01-13T08:58:00.000-08:00

So the sweet siren call of the bedroom went unanswered yesterday. What I found myself doing instead, (now you will see just HOW DESPERATE I am to stay far, far away from the whole room cleaning ordeal) was cleaning out the kitchen cabinets, cupboards and drawers. (Call me a desperate housewife!)

This entailed pulling EVERYTHING out and scrubbing the interiors. Then going through everything and eliminating the items I haven't used in I don't know how many years (one set of ice-cream glasses we got as a wedding gift and have only used once in our entire marriage). Then separating the items I will use on a daily basis (ok, weekly basis) and removing the occasionally items to a local (probably the garage) to be determined at a later date. Then, rearranging the location of all the items into a more cohesive and color-coordinated order. Frankly, I'm quite pleased with the results! Of course, Scott is completely lost in the kitchen now and I still need to get a receptacle to hold the knives so no one stabs themselves as they reach for one.

So you'd think the bedroom's beckoning call would grab me now, but - HAH! - now I've decided to move on to the pantry. Let's just see how long I can prolong the agony!!!! : )

For All My Ravenous Blog Fans

2009-01-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

It's been a while. I know.... And I wish I could say I'm finally getting back into the groove of blogging and that's the reason for this entry, but sadly, the real reason is because I desperately don't want to clean my bedroom! : ) (I'm being absolutely honest about this!!!)

So to kill some time .... Scott got his ward calling. He is the second counselor in the Elder's Quorum. I love it! In his blessing/setting apart by the Stake Presidency, it was said that this is his time to shine. You have no idea how happy that makes me!

In other news... HOA hell has reared it's nasty little head once more. To my horror, the management company never paid a bill I sent them back in mid October. I received an email this past week asking very politely that the bill be paid by the company. I was shaking mad when I forwarded the email and a very blunt message to the management company. I received on Saturday a letter from the management company blaming me for them not paying the bill. (Crazy, I know, but true.) I, again, emailed a response to the letter and have yet to hear more on this issue. (Just as a side note, this management company is in the habit of not paying bills and has even racked up penalty fines for postponing payment.)

Colbey informed me this morning that he is quitting Athletics. Apparently, the athletic department has decided to change their rules on hair and it can no longer touch the ears at all. Of course, Colbey will have none of this and has chosen his silky locks over weight lifting and showering with other males. (Can't say that I blame him!) He's a skater and the hair is an important part of his image (thankfully he isn't into the tight-as-can-be-pants-that-look-like-a-second-skin type of skater) and this isn't a battle I'm willing to fight with him! So please don't make any comments about how I should change his outlook on life/priorities/ or grooming habits, because I just plain don't want to hear it! There are other more important battles coming that I'll fight and let him feel good about this minor win.

Landon ... well, he's just Landon. You know, it must really suck being the middle child! He's the one who gets in trouble the most and I honestly think the majority of the time, it's completely based on his position in the child hierarchy! Poor shmuck! Schools going well for him and he's reading soooo well! Colbey is continually annoyed with him (as could be expected) and Ryleigh is continually playing/annoying Landon (as could be expected), so the circle remains unbroken.

Ryleigh has discovered her cartoon voice since the operation. Fortunately, her normal voice has returned (for the most part) but now she plays with the high Betty Boop voice during the day. (SIGH!!!) She has recently started saying things like, "Follow me, I've got to show you something!" which translated means, "Let's go for a walkabout!" and "I need to go to the store!" which means, "Let's go spend money on me!" She is also my motivator in the "Dancing with the Stars" workout. She loves the warm up moves and the music of the Samba. (We haven't passed the Samba yet, but I'm sure she'll love all the music as she is introduced to it.) She asks for a repeat of the warm up and dance over and over and by the third time, I'm pooped!!!

So this is a brief update and now the lovely siren call of the bedroom beckons. I think I can... I think I can... I think I can...

Callings

2008-12-11T09:55:00.000-08:00

I never updated you on new ward callings. Scott is still waiting for his although the bishop said that he hasn't been forgotten. I'm sure Scott will be THRILLED with whatever he gets! : )

I have been called as the ward organist (woo-hoo!!!) and the bulletin/newsletter person. As most of you know, that is exactly the kind of thing I love doing so I couldn't be happier. Ok, I could be happier teaching in RS - Teachings For Our Times. But this is the next best thing!!! I've already got my template ready for the newsletter and it is so pretty and yet appropriately masculine at the same time. It's all about ratio's! : ) I bet you never knew creativity was all about mathematical relationships...

The only thing that could make this calling better is if the newsletter came out on "PRETTY" paper instead of plain jane stock. : ) This totally feeds into my love of making invitations/letters/cards/etc.

So, if any of you were in church Sunday, you'll see that there is much to be desired when it comes to the organ. Apparently, there is a DVD that accompanies the organ and I will be watching it!

So mom, because I know you're curious, we couldn't figure out how to go from the preset prelude setting to a normal setting without the organ turning off after the first chord each time. And yes, I tried multiple times on the opening song with only the first chord sounding for a split second before nothing. I finally moved to the piano for the opening song. Bro. Winters then was able to restart the organ while the opening song was being sung and we figured all would be good for the sacrament song. Not so ... Because the organ is brand spanking new and I've never played on it before, I am unfamiliar with the stops. I chose a stop setting that I felt by the looks of what lit up would be appropriate for the more reverent hymn. What I didn't realize was that the third pedal (you know, the furthest to the right) added more stops until all you heard was a horrible muddy yuckiness. In panic, I switched up to the swell for the second verse hoping to have a cleaner sounds and all that came out was two measures of muted air with a hint of the notes that only the Winters on the stand with me and the bishopric could hear. I went right back to the muddy yuckiness to finish out the hymn. (Our organ at the Coit building only has two pedals so this has been a learning curve for me. Of course I didn't realize this was the issue until after the Sacrament hymn was over and I could look more closely at the offending organ.) Now come time for the closing hymn I'm terrified out of my mind with what is next going to go wrong. Amazingly, it was perfect. I was feeling pretty confident again and wasn't worried about the dismissal hymn. But that's when things fell apart again. In my playing around with the stops, I have found a bass coupler stop hidden below the keyboards and well camouflaged. I had used it and the great to pedal stop on the closing hymn and hadn't thought to check to see if the stops had remained lit for the dismissal hymn. With my tweaking of the stops, I didn't think to check those two and they were most definitely missing for the dismissal hymn which came out all mousy. Oh the frustrations of an unfamiliar organ!!!!

So the story doesn't end there, mom. The "piano" (I use this term in the loosest of contexts) in the RS room is really a player organ with a setting for a bright piano and one for a mellow grand piano. Well, I prefer a mellow sounding piano to a bright so I chose that setting to play in RS. I don't care how fancy or expensive or necessary a player organ is for the RS room, I hate it!!! It sounded like electronic garbage instead of a piano. I tried both piano settings and they sound the same. So here's my solution ... everyone needs to learn how to play one hymn. You don't need to learn any more than one, just one. That way, you can switch out each week and have a different song and not worry that there is no one that can play the piano so the need for a player organ isn't necessary. See, easy solution and a whole lot cheaper and better sounding than the monstrosity I was trying to make pretty on Sunday. Obviously this was invented by a man!

But, I do love my callings and next time you visit, mom, you can laugh at me in my antics to provide beautiful music. : )

Drinking Like A Rock Star

2008-12-11T09:14:00.000-08:00

Ryleigh has taken up drinking, and she's going for the gold. Hence, the title, drinking like a rock star! If it were alcohol she was guzzling, her liver would be pickled by now. I'm so proud of her!!!

Seriously, Ryleigh went in for surgery Wednesday morning (WWWAAAYYYY early - we started at 4:30am). She had her Tonsils and Adenoids (sp?) removed. Grandma, you'll be pleased to find out that they went down her throat and checked it and her voice box and all is normal and well, she just has a sexy voice (or at least did). Right now she sounds like she's been sucking on helium. Scott and I both hope her voice returns to normal shortly!!!

We spent the night and returned home just now. She has been a champ and really is drinking like a rock star. So the pics in this post are to describe where the tonsils and adenoids are located. The second one shows a bad tonsil area and a good (meaning cleared) tonsil area. The third is not Ryleigh, but her tonsils were described by her ENT as monstrous and these look very similar to hers. Where you would normally see a dangling thingy in the center and nice big openings leading down the throat, hers had no dangling thingy and only a circle no bigger than a #2 pencil eraser leading down the throat. They truly were monstrous!!!! There is now a "cavernous" opening going down her throat as the doctor described it and that is why her voice is changed but it should return to normal and if it doesn't (which occasionally happens) we'll get used to her new voice.

As I've said in earlier posts, 'tis the season for speed and non-stop activity, so tonight (yes, you read correct ... the very same night that we returned from the hospital) we go to Colbey's band concert, tomorrow is the Hooten farewell/graduation party and the combined ward Christmas party. Saturday I think is designated for catching up on my sleep. (I've gotten 10 hours in the last 72. I am surely not as young as I used to be because I'm hurting right now!!!) : )

PS - The tooth fairy left Pokemon cards for Landon's second tooth. He was thrilled!!

Pictures of Ryleigh's Birthday

2008-12-01T16:51:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving, Birthday's and Teeth

2008-12-01T16:20:00.000-08:00

So we celebrated Ryleigh's birthday this past Saturday with her friends. The party was great and we had a blast with everyone here. We made a Ryleigh Birthday Mix CD and I personally think the mix is fantastic. If you'd like a copy, let me know.

1. Material Girl - Madonna

2. Yakko's Universe Animaniacs
3. Lullaby - Bond
4. Meadowlark - Sarah Brightman
5. Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Faith Hill
6. In My Arms - Plumb
7. Dear Jessie - Madonna
8. Happy Working Song - Amy Adams
9. The Love Cats - The Cure
10. Jump Jive 'n' Wail - Brian Setzer
11. Cartoon Heroes - Aqua
12. There She Goes - The La's
13. Park's Place - Royal Crown Revue
14. Dreams - The Cranberries
15. A Fairy Tale - Plumb
16. Happy Boys and Girls - Aqua
17. Hey Pachuco! - Royal Crown Revue

Thanksgiving was a quiet affair, but great nonetheless. The food was fantastic and the company superb. (It was just the 5 of us.) : ) Really, the turkey was the best I've ever had!!! It was a Cajun turkey, and I'm still oohing and aahing over the leftovers. We had a ton of food.

Ryleigh is thankful for turkey.

Landon is thankful for Jesus.

Colbey asked us to come back to him, but we forgot. I'm sure he's thankful for something!

Mommy is thankful for our home and warm beds and health.

Daddy is thankful for his job, the gospel and our health.

We finally got 5 chairs for the kitchen table this weekend. YEAH!!! Matching black IKEA chairs that took forever for me to save up to buy. Even at $19.99 a piece, I still had to spend a good portion of this year saving to get them. Each time I'd get close to buying them, something would come up that I would need to use the money for instead. But I have them now.

Also, Landon lost his second tooth. Apparently, the tooth fairy doesn't make visits on Sunday, so I'll let you know what he gets after the morning. The note is in with his tooth asking her for a computer, and if she doesn't have that, then Pokemon cards. : )

For All My Twilight Sisters

2008-11-23T19:18:00.000-08:00

Scott and I went to see The Movie Friday night. It is going to become a cult classic and this is why...

It was beyond terrible. It was hold-my-breath-so-as-to-not-laugh-out-loud-and-annoy-all-the-little-teeny-boppers-who-were-screaming-in-delight bad! The acting was comically bad, the directing reminded me of a high school production by a student director. But here's the catch, the books are so long and fabulous, I don't think there is ANY way the movie could have come close, so the next best thing might be to be over the top bad. At any rate, the best part is when Bella comes into the kitchen to tell Charlie that she has a date with Edward and he wants to officially meet him. Charlie looks at Bella as he's cleaning his rifle, snaps the gun into ready position and says to bring him in. The worst part is when the Cullen's in the baseball field all lean forward to protect Bella from the bad vampires.

Carlyle looks younger than Edward and plays baseball with a 6 foot long scarf around his neck.

Rosalie is either on the chubby side or is just filmed unflatteringly.

Jasper looks like Edward Scissorhands.

There's just so much bad, it's hard to narrow it down. I can say, although we paid more than our favorite dollar movie theater, they were still discounted tickets and it was a good thing!!!

Not a movie we need to own. But good for a belly laugh!!! : )

Prosper Ward

2008-11-23T18:44:00.000-08:00

So the split has taken place. We are now members of the brand spankin new Prosper Ward. YEAH!!!! And even better, we get to keep our bishop.

I love when we get to put together a brand new ward. This will be our second one since we moved here and it's always exciting!! Everyone gets new callings and it's a new beginning all around. I just love it!

We will start meeting in December in the new (the dedication is in Jan. 2009) Frisco West building at 1pm. SSSSOOOO GREAT!!!!

I'm just a little excited. : )

I did it!

2008-11-23T04:15:00.000-08:00

We had Super Saturday with the RS yesterday. During it, the bishop spoke with us. (I adore our bishop!!!) He didn't speak at us, but interacted with us. He asked us what kept us up at night. My first thought was "what didn't?" But as I thought about it, I realized that truly, what kept me up at night was the fear of going to sleep because the morning would come so quickly and I would have to start all over again. You know, being everything to everyone. I spent the majority of the time listening to him and weeping. (I know, unbelievable that I listened and didn't talk!) : )

So, as a result of yesterday, I have decided to put my foot down and declutter my life by eliminating the unnecessary and taking care of what truly matters.

I resigned from the Advisory Committee just 10 minutes ago and I feel great! Thank you for all the kind words that you gave in response to my blog about wanting to resign. I love you all, and you were all right and I was blind to let other thoughts cloud my mind with doubt.

I'm free.

Landon's 1st Tooth

2008-11-20T13:57:00.000-08:00

Watch the video's to hear the big news in his own words (aka: ramblings)!

He just walked up to me and said, "This is a special day for me because I had my teeth fall out." He cracks me up!

He just said, "Now I can put straws between my teeth and drink."

My Dilemma - A General Whine Session

2008-11-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

Here is what's going on. I had a miserable turn out at the Chili Cook Off for the community last weekend. When I say miserable, I mean absolutely no one, not even the people who RSVP'd to bring chili, showed. Not even one person from the Advisory Committee could spare 5 minutes to make an appearance except Sharon to drop off some containers before it started and pick them up again at the end.

So here's where my head is leaning towards. I think I want to resign from the Advisory Committee. I've been unhappy with the workings (or lack of) with the management company and the general sense of turning in circles. Just when I think we should be making headway, someone decides to change the rules and we start from scratch all over again. People don't follow through with what they have committed to do and I'm tired of having to literally drag anything into fruition.

I am still waiting for reimbursement for nearly $1100.00. I've been waiting for a number of weeks. I used cash so as not to incur interest expenses which turns out to have been smart as the interest would still be accruing. Tick, tock, tick, tock. This money is from my Christmas fund and our meager savings account so until that check arrives, Christmas is on hold for our family. And if any of you know me, I like to be done by Thanksgiving.

I've been wanting to leave the committee for the last year and a half and if I hadn't felt a real sense of duty and commitment to this community, I would have walked away after my first year.

One of the committee members knows how I feel and has asked me to keep on going as this is my first flop, but I'm tired of the stress and the time it takes away from my family and home. I'm tired of the immense work it takes to get anything done. I'm tired of not being appreciated for the work that I put in, for the 100's of hours I've been donating each month to this community. I'm tired of looking at my "to do" list getting ever longer with little hope of catching up on it while my time is being dedicated to this community. And frankly, I'm tired of the other committee members questioning my decisions about my budget when they aren't willing to step up and participate in the planning process and implementation.

So what do you think I should do? Keep plugging it out until January of 2010 (that's when this session is scheduled to conclude), or resign now? And if I resign now, is that considered failure?

Leave a comment and vote on the poll!!!!

Can There Possibly Be More?!?!? Uhm...YES!

2008-11-12T17:20:00.001-08:00

Colbey is WAY too cool to look like he's enjoying the river cruise!

My two little goofs!

Born Free ... as free as the wind (something). Believe it or not, only one person in all of San Antonio that we encountered didn't like Ryleigh's squeaky shoes. I was yelling out Jennifer's website to ton's of people as they oohed and aahed over how adorable/precious/cute/where can I get some for ... (nephew,niece,grandchild,etc.) her shoes were. Just so you're aware, twosistersandacat.com!

Walk softly and carry a BIG gun! Roosevelt would be proud of these two.

The Alamo was much smaller than I imagined. The funny thing was how big it seemed once you got inside. Talk about a visual illusion. It was WAY cool!!!

And Even More Pictures - San Antonio's Riverwalk

2008-11-12T17:11:00.000-08:00

Scott and the kids in the center of the mall on the Riverwalk in San Antonio.

Ryleigh giving an unintentional peace sign while on a river cruise.

General gaiety at the Rain Forest Cafe for dinner.

More Pictures! It's Halloween

2008-11-12T16:54:00.001-08:00

Ryleigh in costume. She was the pink devil for the Trunk or Treat at church, Scooby Doo for the Fall Festival in our community and the Blue Witch for Halloween night. None of the costumes lasted longer than one wearing! Candy drool is GROSS!!!

The video's were taken just this last week. She cracks me up!!! It gets cut off, but in the pink devil video, she says, "Yeah, I'm so pretty."

BTW - Her newest funny phrase is: That's gotta hurt!

HOLY COW - 2 in one week!!!

2008-11-12T16:40:00.000-08:00

I know, it's amazing! I truly am posting a second blog in less than a week. So here is why it's such a red letter day ... I've finally uploaded pictures from my camera going all the way back to this summer. So really, this blog is just about eye candy. Enjoy!!

The first is of the bear we saw at mom's house this summer and the second is Scott in the same spot demonstrating that the bear was as big as he is.

The third is my FHE plaque that I had mentioned many blogs back. I still love it!

The fourth is of Ryleigh. She fell asleep on the chair curled up in the quilt from grandma (gorgeous!) and bunny ears, because you always feel good when you wear bunny ears!

The fifth is of Landon and Ryleigh in the firetruck at National Night Out last month.

More pics to come within just a few minutes!!!

PS - I just listed 12 items on Craig's list and as soon as I was finished, I checked my email and literally have four people wanting to buy 4 different items that I JUST posted. WOO HOO!

A Million Dollar Idea From A While Ago

2008-11-06T21:10:00.000-08:00

Scott and I like to play a game of coming up with a million dollar idea. Scott's pretty successful at figuring out one more frequently than I am, but I regress. Last year some time, we were talking about our million dollar ideas with our neighbors and one of them was a registry for any and all occasions. I was specifically thinking about birthday's and Christmas, but of course it could be used for any occasion. They thought it was a great idea and couldn't understand why it wasn't already out there in use.

So, after much mulling, (my brain works slower now that OLD age is setting in) I decided I would make my own registry. Hence, if you look in the family links column, you'll see a new link, The Thompson Wish List. Ta da!!!

As this is a new venture, only Ryleigh's birthday is listed so far, but I hope to shortly have list's for everyone with the holiday season fast approaching. So if you are just randomly looking at people's blogs and come across ours, feel free to send us something from off the list. : )

Keep in mind, this is a dream wish list and I already know that some of the listed items would require the death of some unknown extraordinarily wealthy relative. So for any of you out there doing genealogy whose rich beyond measure and find a link in family ties to us, kindly add us to your will. : ) I can wait for a natural death, no pressure!!!

Yes, We live ...

2008-10-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a long (ok, LLLLOOOONNNNGGGG) time since I last updated, but honestly, I've been crazy busy!!!

So let me tell you what's going on. I am now the committee chair over Homeowner Functions. That means, I get to plan parties for the rest of this year and all of next year. Our dates of working on the HOA board changed within the past month to run from January to December instead of September to September (which I think makes a ton more sense). So I'll have completed 3.5 years on the HOA when I'm through, and I truly plan on being through after 2009. But just to boast a little, check out our website ... carterranchactivities.blogspot.com. (I'll put a link to it on the side board with the other links.)

Right now, we've got the Fall Festival this Thursday. It's followed up with a Chili Cook-off in November and Flag Football Thanksgiving morning with a couple of Dallas Cowboys. Thank you to Sharon for having the contacts to provide our football pros! Then in December we are having a cookie exchange and Christmas party. As you can see, my plate is more than full.

I'm also volunteering at the elementary school in the Arts in Education program. I can't say I'm very impressed with it, but maybe it will get better as the year progresses. My first project with them is this Wednesday.

Colbey is still shaggy and it's driving me crazy, but apparently, that's the style right now. It doesn't get too bad because he needs to look presentable to pass the sacrament on Sunday's but why can't he yearn to be trendy with a close cut?!?!?

Landon is flourishing in kindergarten this year. He is head and shoulders above the rest of the class in comprehension. Reading is coming so much easier for him and I think he's happier that he's accomplishing so much in school. It was the best thing we could have ever done to hold him back a year! I know his teacher was terrified to tell me she felt he should be, and was more than amazed when I said, "I kind of was expecting that. I'm all for it. Let him repeat kindergarten so that he isn't struggling for the rest of his school career."

Ryleigh is the pink of perfection. Ok, maybe not perfection, but pretty darn close! I think it's a combination of her being the only girl and our last, but I enjoy her like I never did the boys. Don't get me wrong, I certainly enjoyed the boys, but she is VERY different! Even when she's being a pill, you just want to hold and love on her. Oh to have that power over people! Wouldn't we all be happier if everyone just loved you no matter what? : )

Scott is still working with ACS, which we are so grateful for in this current economy. So many of our friends are struggling with work and so we count our blessings for Scott's job. He's not real thrilled with the work itself (something to do with computers - see how knowledgeable I am about his occupation!) but it supports our family and even occasionally sends us to the dollar theater for a date! Of course, I think he should be paid for being so super sexy, but sadly, we haven't found the employer out there looking for Scott's talents in that field. : )

We are all happy and healthy right now. It's the best time of year in my opinion. Cooler weather, warm scents, food, memories and the promise of more to come. I love the fall!!!

Quickly, on a more expanded family note ... my sister and her husband closed on their first house together and on the same day found out they are expecting their first baby. My brother and his wife had their second little one. Scott's brother was married. And if I missed anything else gi-normous in the family, I'm sorry.... My brains still smoking from all the other things I'm in the middle of so remind me and I'll try to remember better in the future! : )

PS - Don't forget to vote! PLEASE PRAY ABOUT WHO TO VOTE FOR!!!

Super Cat

2008-10-27T18:44:00.001-07:00

http://www.makemesuper.com/r.php?i=5_24239-183346-f-Cat

HOA - the gory details ...

2008-09-10T12:38:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, I've been on the community Advisory Committee for two years now. To be honest, I resigned last year but in some bizarro world twist, my resignation turned into me becoming President for this year. I know, life does crazy things sometimes. Well, yesterday was the annual Homeowner Meeting and my last official duty.

It was the loudest, angriest annual meeting I've ever attended in my four years here. The homeowners are ticked, for good reason, and they let it be known last night. I got to sit there and try not to laugh out loud. Only one or two snarfs escaped my lips, I'm proud to say.

My struggle with the new management company, Essex, was herald in on everyone's lips and at one point, (I couldn't stop myself) I asked the developer why did we even keep the management company when the developer was farming out his duties to homeowners. Essex didn't have a snappy comeback for that question.

In the end, I was walking out with Scott, ready and prepared for some serious celebrating that my duty was complete, when who should walk up to me but the developer himself. He stopped me and said he wanted me to continue on another year. I told him absolutely not! He asked me why and I explained that I couldn't work with Essex and specifically the company owner, Ron. Things were promised by him and then nothing done. Questions were asked and he couldn't answer them, etc.

So I'm thinking, whew, crisis adverted .... Not so, my friend! Mehrdad, the developer, paused me again, and posed this suggestion. "What if I work with Ron and if he doesn't improve, then I'll replace him?"

WOW!!!

Tempting ....

I hate being tempted like this ...

How I'd love to be able to create some true benefit and change for the community ...

Evil man, knew exactly which button to push ...

What to do? ...

So in the end, I told him I needed 24 hours to think it over. (Can you say "wuss"?)

So I've just finished composing a masterpiece of a letter to Merhdad in which I said ... drum roll please ... Yes ... with 2 stipulations.

1. The organization of the Committee needs to be changed. I fleshed it all out on paper for him to institute.
2. I am to be the chair for Homeowner Functions. I've already lined up my vice-pres. and treasurer.

So in the end, it's a win situation for me no matter what. Either I get exactly what I want in way of the running of the committee, or I'm off with my two years served honorably.

Crisis, truly, adverted!

FHE

2008-08-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

I know this sounds silly, but I'm on a high today because my FHE vinyl lettering arrived in the mail this morning. I was so excited to finish my plaque, that I went to Walmart and got the finishing touches before lunch. (Magnets, and picture hangers) I'll post a picture in a bit, once I find the cord to the card reader.

We're back!

2008-08-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

Alot has happened over the past month. We went to Colorado for a family vacation. So much happened while we were there, but the highlights included seeing a black bear, tons of dear, rabbits, and oddly enough ... alpacas. We went to an amusement park called The North Pole and spent time on the Polaris and boat. We were able to see Taylor, Liz, Ashton, David, Sheilla, Skye, Bonnie, Kaye, Annedria and Scott during a 4th of July party. What a treat!

Since we've been back, Scott has spent a week in New Jersey for two Disaster Recovery exercises and is leaving in the morning for another in Philadelphia. I've spent the time re-decorating Landon's room, which looks fantastic, and cleaning out the garage. That was a HOT job!!!

Scott will get home just in time to leave once again for David's wedding. (His brother.)

I'm hoping to see Scott for approximately one week this month. I don't think either of us realized how much he would end up traveling with this position. Hopefully this is the worst of it, although I know there are two more trips coming up shortly.

The kids are doing well. Ryleigh just finished her session in gymnastics. We've decided to take some time off. It's getting a little crowded since they did away with her original class and combined it with another. Landon is thrilled with his bedroom and has been spending alot of time with Ryleigh, and Colbey. Colbey is the same as always. Playing games, skateboarding and spending as much time as he can with Brock, his best friend. (Brock's been unofficially adopted into the family and spends as much time with the rest of us as with Colbey.)

We were given a little surprise yesterday. Our neighbor who has been living in Florida for the past several years, came back and offered to give us her living room set. So now we have a new couch and love seat. They are beautiful and I'm thrilled to have them. I'm still working on the rearrangement of the other furniture. I still need to figure out where to put two chairs. Don't worry, I'll figure it out eventually. I feel very blessed to love all our furniture especially since very little of it was purchased together. Somehow, we've been able to find, buy and inherit pieces that all work well together and please the eye. (Well, my eye anyway.)

So this was on the bland side for a post, I know. I'm just overwhelmed with the work I've been doing and will continue to do so my mind is not up to cute quips and catchy phrases. After a little recovery time, (you know, once school starts and Scott's here for more than two days at a time) I'll get back to trying to entertain.

BTW - Breaking Dawn was wonderful. I got my happily ever after and feel good about the series ending. Looking forward to Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edwards perspective) and even the next two books in the Host series. Who would have ever guessed that I'd get into Sci-Fi?!?!?

Ketchup

2008-06-26T12:21:00.000-07:00

So I only have a few minutes to "ketchup" everyone on our lives. Colbey is at Scout camp for the first time this week. It's rained big time here so whenever the phone rings at some outlandish time, Scott and I both look at each other wondering if it's someone from the camp telling us to come pick him up as camp has been cancelled.

Landon has become a pro and antagonizing Ryleigh and visa versa. The boys never annoyed each other to the extent that the youngest two do.

Scott is working horrible hours! He pulled a 20 hour shift last week and ... worked the following day with only three hours sleep. He leaves in July for NJ for two different DR (disaster recovery). Hopefully he'll be able to have dinner with Shaundra while he's there. Wish it were me! : )

I've spent the last 3 days trying to figure out where the hideous smell in the kitchen is coming from. Found it last night. Landon had placed a cup of chocolate milk behind on of my cook books and it had rotted and congealed into a solid mass. P-U!!! I'm still missing my curtains for the kitchen which I should have sewn weeks ago and never got around to. And two days ago, when I went to mop my kitchen floor, found that the mop had become so deteriorated that I had to get down on my hands and knees to hand wash it. It took more time and effort than going to Walmart and buying a new mop. But who has money for a new mop with gas prices so high?!?!?!

We leave Sunday for CO and will spend two glorious weeks away from this muggy, hot state. My laundry is nearly completed and just needs folding, Mom I'm waiting for you to show up to fold. My kitchen look fantastic and the family rooms will only take an hour to get beautiful. My bedroom was looking pretty good until Scott decided to start a mass project in there so now it only looks so-so. (He better have it all tidy before we leave because I'm no fun if I come home from vacation to a messy house.) I'm hoping to do a thorough cleaning out of the kids bedrooms on Saturday and make one large donation run to GW. (One big trip means less money spent on gas.)

Scott and Holly and Ryan are coming to dinner on Saturday which will ensure that the house is in tip top shape for the trip. Thanks for being my motivator, guys!!!

Will blog more when I have time.

PS - I came in second place for the gyms "Biggest Loser" contest. I don't win anything, but it never was about winning for me, just feeling better about myself.

7 Quirks ...

2008-06-04T14:38:00.000-07:00

Shahna, this is for you. Thanks for the tag ... : )

1. My OCD consists of numbers. I count for no reason. Half the time I don't even realize I'm doing it until I'm around 67 or so. Then I try to remember what it was that set me off. I'm most often counting in the car as I drive. I count when I walk, when I do just about anything. I even count in my head when I'm talking to someone. Sorry if any of you have suddenly found me losing the thread of the conversation because I lost track of what number I was on.

2. I like the feel of tape as it pulls on my skin. For different gift occasions, my husband has been known to buy me a box of scotch tape. And I'm particular about the type I like. It has to be the Scotch Tape brand. It's the stickiest.

3. I have horrible stage fright! I can't control my heart, my knees shake and worst of all, my face starts to convulse. It only happens when I play the flute or sing, which is ridiculous because I've had training in these two instruments and have been performing nearly all my life in front of audiences. On the other hand, it doesn't faze me at all to play the piano. This is even crazier since I've never been trained on the piano. Maybe it's because I'm okay not knowing what I'm doing and figure the audience should be happy with whatever comes out as they're lucky to be getting anything from me in the first place. Whereas, I know what I'm doing on the flute and singing and I cringe and berate myself with every mistake. Who knows.

4. I don't like to hear noise. I don't like the radio on in the car (unless it a CD of my choosing), I don't like the TV on at all. I don't like any man-made sound ... except the tick of a clock. I know it's strange for that to be the only extra sound I like but there you go, one of my quirks.

5. I don't like to talk in the morning, or to be talked to. I used to be a morning person, and I still get up and start my day early, but now, instead of singing or chatting, I prefer silence. I need a good 30 minutes before I'm up to any kind of conversation.

6. I hate breakfast food. I'm not even partial to eating at that time, however I understand the importance of that particular meal. I force myself to eat in the morning, but you won't find typical breakfast food on my plate.

7. I can't expose myself to just anything media wise. I am too easily involved. I can be watching something I would normally never even think twice about, such as rowing, and just like that I'm screaming at the TV for one of the teams to push harder and win. I can't watch or read anything to do with kids because, although most of you know I don't even like kids so this is really weird, I empathize too much and am depressed for days afterward. There was this once when Scott and I were watching a movie with our best friend, Brandon, and suddenly Scott grabbed me and I stood up at the same time and rushed from the room because this little boy was drowning. It took a really long time for me to get over that and Scott and Brandon kept apologizing for letting me see. (Ray - the name of the movie) I can't listen to just anything, because I feel it too much. It enters my soul and changes me. Sometimes, I'm fine with the music because it's soothing but there is so much out there that changes me for the worse. I have to be VERY picky about the exposure I allow myself.

And for a bonus - because you all know that I am definitely weird and have soooo many quirks ...

8. I hate movie theaters. I don't like to think of the people in them. I don't like the volume of the sound in them. I despise the PRICE of them. I would rather watch in the comfort of my own home where I can pause to go to the bathroom, and pay pennies for a treat from the grocery store instead of the exorbitant amount at the theater.

9. I don't like crowds. I'm fine with small groups or one on one, but mass chaos just makes me angry. I don't go to the mall ever, or shopping around Christmas time. (I do my Christmas shopping months in advance.) My preferred time to shop at Walmart is at 2am because there are fewer people there.

And finally ...

10. I talk big, but I am the most un-confrontational person I know. It takes ALOT to rile me up enough for me to speak out. Usually, I do because it is affecting one of my family. DON'T MESS WITH MY FAMILY!!! I'll vent and rage in private, but when it comes right down to it, I'd rather hide in a corner because I want everyone to be happy, even if it's at my expense. Lookie there, you got two for the price of one. I am a pleaser. It's both good and bad. Please don't abuse this, eventually I'll get riled enough that you'll be sorry. (BTY - when I do speak up, watch out! I'm very good at confrontation when it finally occurs.)

Groundings, camping, sleeping ...

2008-06-01T12:51:00.000-07:00

Colbey is enduring his grounding very well. Too well!!! I'm a sucker and I think he knows it. So he's gone to a birthday party, it was scheduled early so that Colbey could be there because it would normally have been while we were in Colorado this summer, so I couldn't not let him go. He's also gone camping with a bunch of church boys, of course I didn't find out about it until a couple hours before the meeting time.

So now you're wondering what exactly he's punished with, well, I'll tell you ... NO ELECTRONICS is the big one. And no friends. You can see how well that is working out. Why, oh why am I such a pushover?!?!?!

Now don't you go telling him how easy it is for him to get what he wants! I'll deny it BIG TIME!!! He probably wouldn't believe you anyway.

He's allowed on family outings even if they involve friends so he's not missing much. I think he's bored, but all kids tend to get bored during the summer. Once we get to Colorado, he'll be in heaven. Look out Grandma and Grandpa!!! We're coming in force. : )

Paper Sack Brown

2008-06-01T12:47:00.000-07:00

That's right, the color of the entryway, hall, piano nook and kitchen is "paper sack". It is the exact color of a paper sack and I LOVE IT!!! So I finally completed the painting in the kitchen and with a little windfall, thank you Jennifer, it is nearly finished being decorated. I love my kitchen and maybe this will be incentive to keep it spic and span. I'll post pictures once I get the curtains made and up. I already have the fabric, it's just a matter of sewing them up.

Duck, Duck, ... CHICKEN!

2008-06-01T12:36:00.000-07:00

So the last time we went to the doctor's for Ryleigh's well visit, they needed to give her a few immunizations and included was the chicken pox vaccine. It was by itself and would be just one more stick for Ryleigh to endure, so I decline the vaccine. I informed them that I had had the chicken pox twice and even with the vaccine, Colbey had had the chicken pox, so ... thanks, but no thanks. She is past the too young age of concern and not nearly at the too old age of concern. If she was going to get them, then let them come.

Guess what, they came!!! : )

That's right, Thursday she had a temperature and the normal sleepiness with the fever. I assumed it was the same thing that was bothering Landon. The flu from sun poisoning. Of course, Ryleigh didn't have sun poisoning because we don't go outside that much but I figured she could have picked up the fever/flu from Landon's sun poisoning. Well, Friday afternoon, I learned differently.

All the sudden, her little body was covered in chicken pox. Scott didn't believe me until he came home from work and saw them for himself. She's doing better than I would have expected in the no scratching arena, and we lucked out that there are only four pox on her face in case of scarring (three on the tip of her nose and one on her cheek). She's very proud of her chicken pox and Landon seems to be a little jealous that he's the only one not to have had them. I don't think he understands that we are the jealous ones of him. : )

So I'm the one staying home from church with her today. Scott's been on call and out of town so I felt he should go to church with the boys this week as I haven't missed in I don't know how long and I just went to the temple yesterday, so ... this is why the update is during regular church hours.

Happy Memorial Day

2008-05-26T14:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice to provide for this precious freedom that we experience in the United States. Too often we take for granted the rights and privileges that we have but they were bought and paid for by the heroic actions of these soldiers.

Thank you to the parents and siblings and spouses and children who sacrificed their own for the benefit of this country and all those that live in it.

The Littlest Marine

The following comes from the book Swift, Silent and Surrounded, a compilation of stories about the Corps, written and collected by Andy Bufalo, a former Force Recon Marine.

On a spring day in 1983, Marine Staff Sergeant Robert Menke was waiting for a hot enlistment prospect he had talked to on the phone. Hunched over paperwork in the Corps' Huntington Beach California recruiting station, Menke heard the front door open and looked up. In came a boy in a motorized wheelchair, followed by his father. Menke noted the boy's frail body and thin arms. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes," the boy answered firmly. "My name is John Zimmerman."

It took the startled Marine a moment to realize that this was indeed his prospect. "I'm Staff Sergeant Menke," he said, shaking his visitor's small hand. "Come on in."

Menke, a shy man, uncomfortable with recruiting, quickly found himself captured by the articulate thirteen year old youth with an easy, gap-toothed grin. For more than an hour they spoke -- of training and overseas assignments and facing danger. The kid loved the Marine Corps. Not a word was exchanged about the younger Zimmerman's condition or the wheelchair.

There was one basic reason behind the visit to the Marine Corps recruiting office that day. From the moment Richard and Sandra Zimmerman learned their fourteen-month-old son had Werdnig-Hoffman syndrome, a rare neurological disease, they vowed to treat him like a normal child. Told that John probably would not live past age two, they refused to believe he would die.

Despite tremendous weakness in his legs and back and susceptibility to colds, John simply looked well. They had him fitted with a rigid body jacket to help him sit upright and took him on vacation trips all over the country. They didn't get a wheelchair for him until he was three. Even then, Richard Zimmerman often carried his son, who weighed around thirty pounds, lugging him through amusement parks, into restaurants and to movies.

Werdnig-Hoffman syndrome victims have difficulty fighting off upper of respiratory problems. Before the age of five John was hospitalized three times with pneumonia, with each bout putting him on the edge of death. Richard Zimmerman believed Chicago's cold winter climate was partly to blame, and in 1975 he arranged a job transfer so the family could move to Southern California. There, the boy suffered fewer bouts with respiratory illness.

John, then six, was enrolled in classes for orthopedically handicapped children at the Plavan School in Fountain Valley. About this time he became aware of the Marine Corps at a week-long summer camp for disabled children. Many of his counselors at the camp in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park near San Diego were Marine volunteers. Each summer John would get to know another Marine through the camp's one-to-one counseling program. This sparked an interest that evolved into a passion.

While other children worshipped athletic heroes and rock stars, John gathered every bit of material about the Marines he could find. He plastered his room with Corps recruiting posters, his wheelchair with Marine stickers. His hero was John Wayne. He even dressed like a Marine and, much to his mother's consternation, got a Corps "burr" haircut.

After his initial visit to the Huntington Beach recruiting center, John kept in contact with Menke and Menke's boss, 31-year old Gunnery Sergeant John Gorsuch. Occasionally he dropped by with his father; more often, he phoned to ask questions or just to talk. He frequently devoted his school reports to Marine tactics, campaigns or equipment.

When new recruiting posters arrived, Menke or Gorsuch would mail or personally deliver one to John. In turn John built model airplanes, trucks and tanks for his Marine buddies. Though delicate and intricate chores were difficult -- and even painful -- for him, John would work night after night on the models.

While Marines inspired John, he gave back as much as he got. One afternoon Gorsuch had scheduled seven appointments for potential recruits. Five hadn't shown up, and the other two had to be disqualified. John called to ask questions for a school report.

"What's wrong, Gunny," John asked. "You don't sound right."

Gorsuch explained.

"Ah, come on Gunny," John said. "Look, you're a smooth operator, and for every one you lose you'll get two more." Gorsuch began to laugh. "You're right Johnny," he said. "You know...you're right."

An attempt to move John into a standard fourth-grade class at Plavan failed; because he could not write quickly, he could not keep up. But he made it in the sixth grade after his teachers allowed him to dictate some of his work.

John's family also benefited from his forceful personality. When told something couldn't be done, he would respond, "But did you ask?" Although he realized he probably never could hold a regular job he had no fear of talking with strangers, and figured one day he could help his father, a commercial real estate broker, by making the "cold" call the elder Zimmerman dreaded. As close as he was to his Marine friends, he was even closer to his father. Richard Zimmerman helped his son dress in the morning, helped him with baths and put him to bed each evening.

John rarely talked about the consequences of his disease, but he understood. On a trip to Hawaii in 1982, as the family visited the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, the famed "Punchbowl," John whispered to his father, "I want to be buried here when I die. Can we do it?" Richard Zimmerman was taken aback. "I don't know if it's possible. But sure, John. Sure."

In the spring of 1984, not long before John was to graduate from the eighth grade, his condition began to worsen. His twisted spine was pressing into his internal organs, pinching nerves that sent searing pain through his back and legs. He had difficulty digesting food, and he began to lose weight. But he was determined to attend graduation.

On the night of the ceremony John was weak and nauseated, but to his surprise a Marine sergeant was there to escort him. He and the sergeant led the procession of students into the auditorium. John, thin and twisted, had to use the armrest of his wheelchair to prop himself up. His head, normal size, looked much too large for a body that was deserting an able mind. But to a rousing ovation, he flashed his biggest smile. Then another surprise: it was announced that John was a co-recipient of Plavan's Sergio Duran award, given annually to the handicapped graduate who best overcomes his limitations.

That summer John's condition improved slightly, and he entered Fountain Valley High School in the fall of 1984. During the first semester, however, his condition began to decline again, and his weight dropped to less than forty pounds. While he would have preferred to stay home and sleep, he attended school, confiding to his sister that he went "mainly because it makes Mom and Dad happy."

On New Year's Eve John went into respiratory failure and was rushed to the hospital. Gorsuch and Menke visited daily. Realizing their fifteen-year old friend's remaining days would be few, they set out to make him a Marine. Menke secured permission to name John an honorary member of the Corps. Then one of Menke's friends penned a one-of-a- kind proclamation. On January 15, in a hospital room crowded with family and Marines, Major Robert Robichaud, area-recruiting director, read the document. "By reposing special trust and confidence in the fidelity and abilities of John Zimmerman, I do hereby appoint him an Honorary Marine."

Two days later John looked at Sandra and said, "I'm a fighter, Mom. A helluva fighter." That night, he spoke to his nurses about dying, saying that his only fear was how his parents and sister would fare without him. In the early hours of January 18, John Zimmerman, U.S. Marine, passed on.

In a eulogy at John's memorial service Gorsuch, his voice cracking, said, "Marines learn never to give up, and John definitely had that quality. We have a motto in the Marines, the Latin words for always faithful. This is for Johnny Zimmerman," he concluded. "Semper Fi."

After the service the two Marines approached John's casket. Slowly, Menke and Gorsuch unpinned the Marine emblems from their coat collars and gently placed these symbols of fidelity into the casket with their friend.

During the final week of his life, no longer able to talk, John had scrawled a note to his father, reminding him of a promise made nearly three years before. "Punch bowl -- will you visit me?" His father nodded. "If that's what you want, we'll do it," he said. In reality, Richard had no idea if it would even be possible. Yet his son's favorite phrase kept coming back to him: "But Dad, did you ask?" Richard looked into the matter and discovered that such cemeteries are reserved for military personnel and their families. Even though Menke had volunteered to give up his cemetery plot, the Veterans Administration would not permit it, or grant John's wish. Richard decided to try again. This time he wrote to California Senator Pete Wilson and learned that to circumvent the rules he would need authorization from the President. The Senator, a former Marine, was willing to help.

"He never had the opportunity to serve his country in the Marine Corps as he so wished he could have," Wilson wrote to President Reagan. "However, his dedication and courage no doubt had very positive effects on many young Marines and civilians..." The President granted the request, and the Marine Corps went into action. At Camp Smith on Oahu, about thirty Marines volunteered for the funeral detail. And on a windy day in the Punch bowl, with the cemetery's flag at half-staff, John Zimmerman was put to rest with full military honors. Prior to a 21-gun salute, U.S. Navy Chaplain Jack Graham spoke. "Courage isn't limited to battlefields," he said. "The Marines have a saying: 'The Marines need a few good men.' They found one in John Zimmerman.

Amazing ... I'm here, on time!

2008-05-22T08:30:00.000-07:00

Ta-Da!!!

I'm updating on a Thursday.

Believe it or not, I don't have much to tell. Colbey is still grounded, although he told me yesterday, "I think it's a good thing that I'm grounded. I now am using my imagination to play with legos. It's fun." He has a field trip tomorrow and then only three more days left of school. Field day is next week.

Landon is full of stories, as usual and has been enjoying Colbey's grounding as much as Colbey himself. He keeps asking why Colbey is making money and he isn't. Scott told him yesterday that when he got bigger, he could do the things Colbey was doing to make money. (Colbey dog sat for a neighbor this past week.)

Ryleigh has been a real trooper with sharing me for the last several days. I've been helping a neighbor out and watching her boys while she was away and Ryleigh took it very well. I'm sure she'll appreciate me to herself for a bit but other than needing to sit on my lap any time the youngest did and wanting to be pushed on the swing any time the oldest did, she didn't complain at all. Amazingly enough, I was actually coordinated enough to push both of them at the same time without falling down, and my lap is big enough that at one point, I had all three of them on it at once.

Scott is home!! Hallelujah!!! It was a very long while before he got home. Sunday, I thought I was going to die! Ryleigh has never freaked out like she did at church before. I'm sure she was just tired of it only being me for so long. Scott has been giving her "whees" several times each days since his return. (This means holding both of her hands in one of his and swinging her back and forth. She loves it and begs for more and more.) We went on a date to Sam's Club and Walmart Tuesday afternoon and it was sooooooo nice not to have any of the kids with us. I know that makes me sound like a bad parent, but for goodness sake, I need a little "me time" every once in a while. It was fun to be able to play with Scott for the hour or so we were gone.

I've discovered that I don't listen as well as I thought I was listening. Scott asked me the other night if I had heard what Ryleigh had said. I thought I had but when he repeated it, it was so funny and I certainly hadn't heard that!

Scott: Come give me a love.

Ryleigh: No way!

Scott: Please...

Ryleigh: I'm telling mom!

It was so funny!!! How many of these little gems have I missed? I'm trying to listen better.

So in conclusion, I only got one suggestion for reading material. Thank you Amy! I read it that day. It took a bit to get into the book, (The Host by Stephanie Meyer) but I enjoyed it once I got a third of the way into it. Colbey is reading it right now as he has LOTS of time on his hands. I pulled out Orson Scott Card's "Rachel and Leah" and am reading this right now. It's not going to last much longer so I am again calling for suggestions. My stipulations, limited sex, foul language and no child death or abuse. Otherwise, hook me up with anything you think I would like that you've liked. Thanks!!!

Yesterday was Armed Forces Day

2008-05-18T08:49:00.000-07:00

The first Armed Forces Day was celebrated by parades, open houses, receptions and air shows. Armed Forces Day is celebrated annually on the third Saturday of May, and Armed Forces Week begins on the second Saturday of May and ends on the third Sunday of May. Because of their unique training schedules, National Guard and Reserve units may celebrate Armed Forces Day/Week over any period in May. The purpose of Armed Forces day is to honor Americans serving in the five services - the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, and Coast Guard.

Not Another One!

2008-05-18T07:16:00.001-07:00

What is going on!?!?!? Thursday went by and now it's Sunday again. Where did my blogging commitment go to???? Oh, the shame of being a slacker when everyone and their super intelligent reading dog can see what a sham of a commitment follower I am! : )

Well, I'll tell you, it's not only the blog that's suffering. I took Scott to the airport Wed. morning (waaaaay too early) and that just put me off my entire schedule! I completely forgot about mutual (Scouts) for Colbey that night and I've been getting to sleep at crazy times. (2am, 5am, 11pm - an early night for me, etc.) I blame it all on Scott for messing me up Wed. morning! OK, so it's hard to blame him when he's 1000 miles away, but what sane person wants to blame themselves when they've got such an accommodating husband that will bear the brunt of it?

So this past week has been a sad and lonely existence for me. My sweetheart has left me for greener pastures in the form of parents and sister. Oh the torment! The agony of the parting! So what if Sarah has rocketed to a higher echelon of existence with a degree in Pharmaceuticals, does that lower my appeal? I have skills you know. I can shave my legs in 30 seconds flat and still have most of my skin in tact. I can hug any one of our children and let them snuggle into me knowing full well that my top will be smeared with snot when they are done. I can check the caller id and decide NOT to answer my phone. That one's an especially hard skill to acquire. I'm a talented individual, don't you agree?

Speaking of talent, Colbey's band award ceremony was this past week. He came home with a gold medal for his solo performance. He's very proud of his achievements! So are we. We told him to ham it up for a picture of he and his friends. Notice how thoroughly he hams it up. Obviously, he didn't get his outgoing personality from me.

On a sadder note, he has lost most of his privileges until Scout camp in a month. He's not allowed to touch anything electronic, nor play with friends. We had a long talk about why this came to be and I asked him if he thought I was being unfair. He didn't respond. I asked him if he thought that his actions were appropriate and again met with no response. So I told him if he wanted to talk to me about it, I was always available. Boys are such a pain!!! Open your mouths and talk for heavens sake! I'm looking for an apology. I understand that he has reached a point in his life that is hailed as the teenage years and sullenness and rebellion are considered normal, but I don't think it NEEDS to be normal. We are good friends and able to talk, but I am also his mom and deserve the respect that comes with this calling. So there! Now you know.

Landon is loving the forced banishment of nearly all of Colbey's outside interests. Yesterday they made a very elaborate castle out of legos. It was pretty cool. They all went out to splash in the pool last night. We should have done it before the sun was heading down because the water was pretty chilly, but they had a really good time. All three of them in red bathing suits. I wish I had gotten a picture.

So my VERY exciting news was a phone call I received last night. As I was talking with Scott before going to bed, the other line rang. I couldn't tell who it was so asked Scott to wait for a minute while I checked to see. It was an inactive member who I've gotten close with. In the condensed version of the conversation, I was asked to pick up her daughter and take her to church today. She asked if I would mind doing that every now and then. DO I MIND?!?!?! I can't even tell you how THRILLED I am!!!!! I don't know which of her daughters, but I don't care. One soul at a time.

The family is doing well. Less than two weeks left of school. The boys are thrilled, me - not so much. I will enjoy sleeping past 6:30 every morning, but I'm dreading the inevitable ... "I'm bored!" which always comes shortly after their release from the school torture chambers.

So if I can end on a question ... I have MORE than thoroughly enjoyed Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series (although I am not happy how the third book ended and her forth is still several months out before being released - @*&!*!*%). I like the tension in the book without all the sex and foul language. So I'm looking for a new book or series that holds the same excitement with a higher moral standard than most writers are using. If you have a book or series that you think might fit this, please let me know in a comment. By the way, I empathize way too much so if there is anything about the death of a child in it or abuse of a child, I will not read it so don't suggest it. I need my heart in tact. Anything dealing with children shreds it and I'm depressed for days.

I'm a slacker!

2008-05-10T07:04:00.000-07:00

I know!!!! What happened to keeping up each Thursday? You don't have to tell me, I've been told by too many people already that I'm a slacker ... So slackerdom comes to a halt this morning, yes, a Saturday, not a Thursday.

We've been busy.

Scott watched the three kids ALONE this past weekend (Thursday through Sunday) as I went to AZ for ... keep up ... a baby shower, a retirement party, and a sealing all in two days. Mom and papa Pheel were sealed Saturday morning in the Mesa Temple which left us all on a high. Shaundra flew in from NY for the activities and Marilyn from UT also. The three of us girls put on Liz's baby shower Friday afternoon and then we all hustled over for mom's retirement party that night. We had a hilarious Saturday night playing barnyard rummy (thank you Annedria's Scott for your somewhat successful memory on how to play) at Dad and Kim's place. Sadly, I flew back to real life Sunday morning getting home in time to find out that our section of the stake has been made it's own stake. We now belong to the Frisco Stake instead of the Carollton Stake. What an exciting way to get home. The growth of the gospel here has been phenomenal!

Scott fly's to AZ next weekend for his sister Sarah's graduation from UofA in pharmaceuticals. He gets 5 days for one event and I got 3 days for 3 events ... that just doesn't seem very fair!!!!

Scott's been busy at work. 'Tis the season for Disaster Recovery and it has kept him on his toes for the last month and will continue for another one or two months. We should have him back by mid June. (By the way, if I haven't said it recently, I HATE salary. Each time he's salary, we make less money because of no overtime and we see him less, less, less!!!) Anyway, the one benefit is that with his crossover seniority, he'll be coming up on 10 years next year and we will be enjoying 4 weeks of vacation a year from here on out. Of course, just as soon as we get it, we'll invariably move to a different company and have to start from scratch again. So goes life!! : )

Colbey's end of the year concert was this past week and he and another sax were the only soloist for all the groups that played. He is truly talented on the sax! He plays in the regular band group and also in the Jazz group. His solo was in the Jazz group performance. He stood up in front of the group playing during an entire song. It was so fun to see him!!! My quiet techno is turning into a little stud!!

Landon makes me laugh everyday (there is also some internal swearing nearly every day also)! This little ball of energy keeps us all on our toes and giggling. I swear, I should be losing more weight just trying to keep up with him! He currently is enamored by volcanoes. He has made several and one even exploded (thankfully not in the house). He loves to write and make laptops. This is a departure from the skate parks he was making and "selling" prior. He runs hysterically around the house chasing or running from Ryleigh just to hear her laugh and he just told me this week when I told him I wouldn't be purchasing his spring school pictures because we had just had much better pictures taken, that he hated those pictures and liked the school pictures because he was wearing his glasses in the school pictures. To be fair, he is sooooo cute in his glasses and I prefer him wearing them. He's such a lovebug! He's the one that I want to hold (tight to keep him from Tasmanian Devilling around the world) and squeeze. I imagine that confetti, popping sparkles and silly sounds would erupt from him as he burst in my arms. What a crazy nut he is!!!

Ryleigh has allowed me to put my clips in her hair, and .... she leaves them it!!!! We make such a big deal about how pretty she is wearing them and she loves to be pretty so they stay. Look mom, no need for a haircut! Scott and I are both adamant about her not cutting her hair. (Colbey would love for us to say the same for him!) We've indoctrinated her into the world of Veggie Tales this week and now she has a hard time deciding between Scooby-Doo and Orange (that's what she calls Veggie Tales). She and Landon had their yearly physicals last week and the doctor said she was worried about Ryleigh's vocal cords because they were so raspy and low sounding. It was hard not to snort with laughter when I told the doctor that she hadn't been yelling or crying to produce that sound (I should let you know this was not our normal doctor, he was on vacation) but that she always sounded like that. She's going to have a Kathleen Turner voice. I've always said she was an alto! The doctor definitely didn't believe me but praised our household for not having and watching television. I explained that even though we don't watch television, we still watch movies and she said that was fine because it was a family thing to do together and monitored unlike "filthy" television. (Ok, so I put in the word "filthy" but that's the word that her face was saying.)

On to me! I finished the 100 miles a day early! As you can see on the left hand side of the blog. 100 miles, 15 pounds, 3 blisters and 1 pulled muscle. I feel great! Ok, a little sore in the right calf which is still tender, but otherwise great. For those of you who remember my "Grumpies" entry from last month, I want you to know that I have been angelic on my eating! In fact, it's not even hard anymore. I'm on the road to conquering my biggest challenge in my life right now. I probably shouldn't have written that because now Satan will be looking for a different chink in the armor. On the flight to AZ last week, I was reading in the BofM and the story of Ether got me thinking. Why is it that I've never asked the Lord for certain blessings? I got through something like 12 chapters and thoughts and ideas were swirling around through my little brain that I had never considered before. It was a real pleasure for me to have that time to do a large block of reading all at once! All this to say, I'm not as good as Ether YET but I'm feeling pretty good and working on perfection (surpassing Mary Poppins at nearly perfect)!

I'm grateful for the gospel and the truth that I know and the knowledge that the Lord loves me even with all my shortcomings. I know that all things are possible through God and someday, all my questions will be answered, but until then, I'm happy where I am and where I'm going.

I (Scott just ribbed me about blogging on a Saturday instead of a Thursday and shame on me for keeping our public waiting : )) so now promise to get back onto my Thursday schedule!

BTW - I just bought Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and started reading around 5pm Thursday evening. I couldn't put it down until I finished it. No sex, no swearing, and HOLY COW a good book for some fun reading!!!!!!! So let me tell you to buy it in the morning and start reading right away, otherwise you'll have a late night. (Shaundra, I still blame you for my lack of sleep!!!!)

Colbey's Growing Up

2008-04-25T15:48:00.001-07:00

These past two weeks has brought some big things for Colbey.

He gave his first talk in Sacrament Meeting! He did really well, and I can prove it. I recorded him for posterity's sake. (You can check out his talk at the bottom of the blog.) He was given the topic of becoming like a little child. He asked how to research the topic as I was heading out the door so I told him to go to LDS.org and play around to see what he could find.

When I got back, he showed me what he'd found and what he wanted to use. I organized it and put in the small sentences between what he wanted to present and he practiced saying it over and over. I was so proud of him! He took this opportunity seriously and put his all into it.

The following Saturday, he attended Solo and Ensemble for the University Interscholastic League. We walked up and were told that the people before him hadn't shown up so he could go right in. He didn't have a chance to warm up but he handled it like a pro. He asked the adjudicator to help him tune to the keyboard I was playing and after playing a couple of notes to "warm up", he played his solo fabulously. The adjudicator asked how long he had been playing and then said he had a very mature sound for his age.

He got a copy of her adjucation sheet on Monday. It said,

"Hi, Colbey -

Thank you for being here today! Good opening! Nice choice of tempo! Good control on upper notes! Good maturity of sound. I'm very impressed with your playing. You are very well-prepared! You have lots of potential on saxophone!

Congratulations!"

He received a rating of 1. (For those of you who are unfamiliar with this type of thing, a 1 is the absolute top score available.)

The Big Kids

2008-04-10T08:19:00.000-07:00

So I'll be brief about the two BIG kids in the family.

Scott is preparing to do a days worth of driving on Saturday. He's picking up a trailer full of stuff from my mom and dropping off a bunch of stuff for Liz. He's meeting mom and Papa Pheel at the halfway mark which is 8 hours away. To prepare for the journey, the truck needed new tires and a hitch installed. In the meantime, the power steering tube was split and the repair, although less than we were expecting (around $300 the last time I heard) has been dogging our every step to be ready for the journey. The tires came in but they were too small and different ones were ordered. They have arrived but the truck is at the 3rd or 4th repair shop still not repaired and so the tires are in limbo until the tube is fixed. The hitch can't be installed until after the fix also. We are hoping to take care of all this today and tommorow. Otherwise, Scott will need to rent a vehicle to do the pass-off. Can you believe that a truck that small and old has such a high tech driving system that the shop it's at now is the only one around that can handle this kind of repair?!?!? It doesn't make sense!!!! Anyway, I had better show Scott the appreciation he deserves because this is costing us an arm and leg and many headaches. I've learned that it's best to give Scott news or questions at night, let him miff and mull over them and then keep silent until the morning when he's come to a decision and is used to the idea and won't make me feel like the executioner about to take his head.

I've been on the painting war-path. I'm taking it in small chunks. One day I painted the entryway piano nook. The next day the long hall and kitchen hall walls. Today, the front entry and R's room entry. Tomorrow, the kitchen and so on. Eventually, all the public area's will be the same color as well as our bedroom. I'm on my second gallon and have three left to work with. By the way, I'm loving the color!!!!

Colbey

2008-04-10T08:07:00.000-07:00

Colbey approached me last Friday about 2 minutes before the bus arrived telling me he needed me to write him a check for $35. When I inquired as to why he needed this, he replied that it was for his accompanist for solo and ensemble. So after telling him, absolutely it was not going to happen and him expressing that I would need to take this up with his band instructor, this is the email I wrote to mom...

So Colbey just informed me that he wanted me to write a $35 check for an accompanist?!?!?!?!?!?
What the heck...
Has he not been paying attention his ENTIRE life to me playing the piano, and get this, .... FOR FREE????????
Who knows who this "accompanist" is and whether or not they are any good? I can't even begin to explain how roiled my blood is right now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So now I have to call the band director, get the music from him/her (I don't even know which director is his) and figure out where and when we have to be at Solo and Ensemble next Saturday. Yes, I'm speaking of the 12th.... that means no Scott to watch the other two, probably interferes with the birthday party we are supposed to be going to ... and even if I did lose my mind and go ahead and let someone else spend 17 minutes of work for $35, I would still need to figure out something for the other two because I still need to take him to Solo and Ensemble.

HOW COME TODAY IS THE FIRST I'VE HEARD OF ANY OF THIS?????? ONE WEEK BEFORE THE ACTUAL DATE AND 10 MINUTES BEFORE HE HAS TO LEAVE FOR THE 15 MINUTE REHEARSAL WITH THIS "ACCOMPANIST"???????????????????????
*$%&!*)$%&#)@$(^*#)!(&%!@)*#(& Yes, these are bad words!!!!!!

So, I did go to his band teacher, and after a few words with him, I now have a job for next year. I will be one of the required accompanists and get $35 per kid for 17 minutes worth of work. All's well that ends well. And yes, I am accompanying him and have already had requests from other band students to be their accompanist because they don't like who they have. Snicker, snicker!!!

Colbey also went to a private air field with his YM group last night. We have a pilot in the ward and he gave them a tour of the planes he flies. He came back having taken a bunch of pictures and said it was COOL. Hopefully, I'll have the pictures to post shortly.

Landon and Ryleigh

2008-04-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

Landon had his Kindergarten program this past Monday. It was ssooo cute!!! He came out in the second group and had this gigantic smile on his face. I made sure he saw us and we periodically waved to him to make sure he felt our support in this endeavor. When Colbey had his first program, he began crying hysterically and we had to remove him from the "stage", take him to another room and were accompanied by another teacher and counselor. To say the least, I was prepared to go through that again, but low and behold, we have a "Star Of Stage And Screen" living amongst us! He was so cute even with the massive fake smile. I handed Ryleigh off to Scott so that I could get some pics of this momentous event and it was then that I realized, the camera had no memory card in it.

I blame all of you reading this blog!!! I had taken the card out to post pictures last week and forgot to put it back in the camera. That's ok, we'll try again next year.

The best part, besides Landon's cuteness, was the program lasted only 30 minutes. Now that's the way to hold an elementary school program!!!!

He has also discovered the art of finagling. He told me yesterday, "You can make me happy by getting off the computer so that I can play, or ... make Colbey and Brock play with me." When I told him he could use the computer as soon as I was done, he replied, "I'm not happy and it's all your fault!"

Being the amazing mom that I am, I replied, "It doesn't bother ME when you say you aren't happy. Besides, you need to figure out how to be happy no matter what is going on."

He wasn't really thrilled with my answer or my suggestion that he go ride his bike or skateboard until I was finished.

The evening perked up, though at bedtime. Landon decided it was time to have all his nails trimmed. Anything to delay the dreaded sleep!! The funny part that happens every time I trim his nails, is his question, "Which one is nasty?" and then, "Is this the nastiest?" It's a contest to see which one is the grossest and it gets special love and appreciation until the next time we trim. BOYS!!! So last night was especially funny because Ryleigh was in the room at the time of the great trimming fest and she picked up a new and interesting word. NASTY. She repeated it several times just to see how it felt rolling around on her tongue. It was so great! My little girly girl going around saying, "Naaaa-shly!" The best ones were accompanied by a quick little bounce as she said it. Kind of like, Jesus Wants Me For A Sun-beam! You know what I mean...

Ryleigh has become obsessively protective of me. It's sweet ... until it becomes annoying! She needs to be right by my side and preferably in my arms at ALL TIMES! I love her, but holy cow, I'd love to be able to go to the bathroom by myself, too.

Her speech has become much more decipherable, but I still am anxious for the day when it doesn't take all my 20 remaining brain cells to smoke as they try to keep up with her babble. They are wearing out quicker than I can afford for them to. Those 20 need to last until Scott's senile and doesn't recognize that what I'm saying and doing is ridiculous. The illusion of intelligence is required until further notice!

She has also taken off in gymnastics! Man can that girl move!!! She loves the tramp, the beam, the bars and especially the rings. She RUNS through her routines like a pro and the others in her class can't keep up. (There are only two others in the class, a brother and sister.) We've started teaching her to cartwheel and she can almost push her bottom over her head for a somersault. She is saying the correct names for different tricks and I have never seen more beautiful and gymnast like thighs as hers. I love her in her leotard! She is so teachable and willing to "show off" and the teachers giggle each time she climbs up on the slide and does a boodie shake before sitting down and sliding to the next bar area. Her teachers say she has a talent and a build for a gymnast. We'll see if she continues to have a desire to be one. She's loving it for right now. That's all that matters.

2008-04-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

So here are a couple of requested pictures.

1. The chandelier in the dining room.

2. The pilot. (Her name is Zoe.)

3. The double stroller. Liz, it needs a really good cleaning and it's missing some covering for the front bar. The paddings there but the material is gone. I'll email you the rest of the pics.

4. Ryleigh's big girl bed. (The foot board and head board.) An antique french twin bed. We got it from an antique dealer in Dallas. What color do you think it should be? The bottom 5 feet of her room is a deep chocolate brown and the top 3 feet is 18" diamonds in a medium rose and lighter rose. The ceiling is the palest pink.

As you can see, I'm in the middle of painting the hall way. Notice how judiciously I painted around the head board! : ) The kitchen looks the same.

The Mama's and The Papa's

2008-04-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

So we attended a Gladys Knight concert on Saturday. WOW!!! She was fantastic, funny, inspirational, ... Her husband was there and spoke at one point, what a crack up!!! It was such a wonderful experience! She has a choir that goes from venue to venue called Saints Unified Voices. They are non-profit and boy do they have voices! They have a CD out called "One Voice" (I think that's the name). Anyway, I'm going to look for it. We had a wonderful dinner at Texas Roadhouse after. Amazing that after nearly 13 years, we still have things to talk about. We ate way too much and brought home yummy leftovers.

So here is what I'm doing right now... I am keeping a log of my eating and calories because I am not losing weight even though I work out at the gym three days a week (SERIOUS workout) and walk six days a week. My trainer says the only other reason I wouldn't be losing this weight is because of diet. By the way, even my trainer says that the weight I'm able to work with is impressive and I could definitely kick some serious @#$^%!!. So here's the rub ... I like food! On a cold, overcast day, there is nothing more comforting in the world as eating toast drizzled with honey in front of the fire. I like grilled cheese sandwiches and pickle spears for lunch. I LOVE Ceasar salads (which I have discovered are the worst salad to like because Ceasar dressing is the most calorie laden dressing around). There's nothing better than knowing your going to have a red face because you have a piled high plate of spaghetti in front of you, and you know what, I'll take the red face anytime rather than avoid spaghetti. I love the warmth of Mexican food resting in my gullet as it makes its leisurely way through my intestines. I love a honey glazed ham with a GIANT glob of applesauce and I wouldn't be a Flint (maiden name) if I didn't adore mashed potatoes (minus the gravy). I wouldn't be a Thompson if I didn't love Hawaiian Sweet Rolls.

When we have guests over, I look forward to planning the menus. I spend tons of time and enjoy every minute of it figuring out what to make and which recipes to try. Holiday meals are a splendid treat for me to organize. Although, with all our extended family out of state, the last several have been pretty standard and BORING!!!

So after seeing what I CAN eat and how long it takes to prepare, I'm inclined to think that being overweight isn't so bad after all. Don't freak out and get up on your high horse just yet, I'm not giving up ... I will try to contain my caloric intake to 1500 a day, but dang it ... This SUCKS! There is no joy in eating this way.

The Soon To Be Separted

2008-04-03T06:52:00.000-07:00

It is official. The boys are splitting up! What can I say, two years is a long run at living together and they've had it. The judge and jury have set the date and this Saturday will be the first time at sleeping in their own abode. It's true, it's sad, it's tragic when something like this happens ... sniff, sniff ... NOT. Colbey was nearly panting when we told him Landon was moving into his own room. Landon asks 12 times each day when he gets to sleep in his own room. He doesn't quite understand that Saturday is still two days away. The computer is being moved into the piano niche, the piano is being moved to where the couch is and the couch will be dealt with after all the moving is done and over with. As for guests coming and visiting, we still have the top bunk in Colbey's room, the trundle under Landon's bed, a couch and two arm chairs. Shoot, bring on the whole extended family! We even have a ten man tent we can set up in the back yard!!!

Ryleigh's Shoes

2008-04-03T06:19:00.000-07:00

Ryleigh has just found her newest favorite thing in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD! Our friend and neighbor, Jennifer, owns and operates Two Sisters And A Cat. Her inventory covers all sorts of yummy things for kids, and one of these fabulous offerings are shoes called Mooshu. Ryleigh just got a pair of hot pink high tops with leopard print on the toes and heels. The delightful thing about these shoes are the squeak pads in the heels. She has been dancing, running, jumping and anything else she can think of to revel in the gloriousness of the squeak! She even slept in them last night. I know most of you are wondering if I have gone crazy with the squeakies, but after the first hour of mental torment, I kind of stopped hearing them. What kind of mom would I be if I took away her most favorite thing just for some quiet? Anyway, she loves them!!!!

Combined Sunday Lesson

2008-04-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

The essence of the lesson was on building the kind of relationship with your children that will make an environment of trust and comfort. We want them coming to us with their questions and concerns regarding the law of chastity. If we are not the ones informing them, someone else will be and the first introduction they get to sex is the one that sticks.

We need to build our children's self esteem. The better their self esteem, the less likely they will be to try titillating or thrill seeking activities.

The thing children want most is love and attention. If they don't receive that love and attention at home, they will get it somewhere else.

Ways of protecting our children:

1. PRAYER - ask for protection, for blindness from Satan's visual attacks, for deafness against his verbal attacks. Our children are being exposed earlier and earlier to moral issues at school and their innocence is being taken without them even being in a bad situation. They hear this talk in the hallways, in the locker rooms, and even in the classrooms.

2. Attend the temple. As we attend the temple, our families are blessed with added protection.

3. Reading scriptures. Our first counselor told us that unless he has read the scriptures that day, he has the rule that he cannot turn on the television or computer. I liked this rule so much, that we've incorporated it into our family. It makes sure that we get in our morning family reading. President Benson said, "Drink from the divine fountain [the scriptures and words of the prophets] and fill your lives with positive sources of power." ("The Law of Chastity," in Brigham Young University 1987-88 Devotional and Fireside Speeches, 53-54)

4. Regular family home evening. Take the opportunity to talk with your children about the situations that may present themselves to them when you are not around to protect them. If they already have a course of actions for protection, they will be less likely to fall victim and commit a sin.

5. Family dinner. Studies have shown that a family who eats dinner together nightly have children that do better in school and stay safer from worldly temptations such as drugs and sex.

6. Talk with your children. Review "For The Strength Of Youth" with your children even before they reach the age of 12. Each child's needs will be different, but it has become increasingly apparent that the need for the "Birds and Bees" conversation be conducted at a much younger age. Talk openly about it. Use correct verbage and don't put silly names to the bodies organs and operations. If you are not embarrassed by the conversation, your children won't be embarrassed by it. Talk to them about pornography and explain how damaging to their spirit it is. The more open you are about the subjects that come up in their lives, the more open they will be with you as they face each of them.

7. Be extremely mindful of what your children and even you are watching on television. You no longer need to wait until late night for excessively violent and sex oriented programs are shown. Guard your home against them by turning these programs off.

8. Move the computer into an open area where anyone can see what is being done on it.

9. Do not allow TVs, computers or stereos inside bedrooms. This equipment is best kept where all can view and hear the content. Be aware of the games they are playing on game systems and on computers. Also, limit the cell phone use. With today's technology, Satan's message is being sent to our children from all directions. Cell phones should be for emergency use, not as a tool for one child to send notes and pictures to another. There is no reason for this.

10. Be aware of what your children are reading. The availability of violent and sexual material is in our school libraries even as young as 5th and 6th grade. The written material can be just as permanent an imprint on them as visual material.

11. Get to know the friends of your children. Talk with your children about the importance of surrounding themselves with good influences. Involve their friends in your family activities so they become aware of the standards your hold and expect. Make your home the one that their friends gravitate to. If your home isn't filled with the spirit of love, your children and their friends will gravitate towards another home and you will have little chance to protect their actions.

12. Avoid sleepovers. There are no good things that happen after dark. Shortly after Scott and I were married, our Stake President was talking during Sacrament Meeting and he said, "If you knew what I know, you wouldn't ever let your kids spend the night at anyone's home. Even members."

We need to provide the firm foundation for our children as they enter this increasingly wicked world. Build the kind of relationship with each of your children where they will feel comfortable coming and talking to you about the issues in their lives. And don't forget that what you do as their parent is what they will see and think is right. Be the kind of example that Christ would want. Set rules for the house that you follow also.

The Grumpies

2008-03-27T06:14:00.000-07:00

It's all about me!!! Do I feel this way because I'm the only one in the family blogging, or am I just in a bad mood the past two days? Maybe a bit of both...

Colbey went on the two night camping trip this weekend and did indeed take pictures but we haven't gotten them developed yet. He wasn't looking forward to the trip which I didn't realize until an hour before he needed to leave. He said it was ok and had a couple amusing stories but he's a techno junky and this being in the nature deal just didn't float his boat. I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to fry all electronic equipment!!!! My theory is that everyone would be healthier and even happier. True, there would be an adjustment period, but we'd get over it more quickly than we realize. I can go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, (you get my point) ... but my grumpiness finds this subject already boring so off to another we go.

Landon is terrified of wasps. We get quite a lot in the spring and summer but there have only been maybe 10 that I've seen so far and already, he's asking us to walk him outside so the bees and wasps don't get him. He's had neighbors walk him to the door so that they don't get him as he's coming home from school. When I sat down with him and explained that they wouldn't bother him if he left them alone, he had that look of "I see you're talking to me and I'm being polite and keeping quite as if I'm listening but in reality you seem to be talking Greek and it's easier just to nod my head at the appropriate time". So there have been several instances where he will approach me and ask, "You know that thing? ... That thing?" Of course I haven't got a clue as to what he is willing me to remember and after several large and general hand circles on his part and more "that thing", I pretend to remember and in his random speech wanderings, I glean a hint and realize he needs me to reinforce the idea that leaving them alone means safety for him.

Anyway, Landon is also frustrated that Easter came and went and his birthday still seems a millennium away. He has asked us to celebrate it early and has even questioned the accuracy of the calendar. Then in a giant mood switch, he says he doesn't want to get older because he doesn't want to be dunked in the water and not breathe. That took a little time to decipher the meaning of, but in a nutshell, I'm pretty sure he must have had a lesson on baptism recently and the thing he got out of it was death by drowning. I think that will be the subject of our next Family Home Evening.

Ryleigh has decided that nap time is ridiculous and with this stupid, non-essential time change, her schedule is all messed up (so is mine and I get just as fussy as a baby when that happens). Instead of having a 12:00 to 3:30 nap, around 1:30 I realize that the time has flown by and now I'll be lucky to get her down for an hour and a half. Here's why, ...

I put her down and wrap her in her blanket and kiss her on the head saying I love you and have a good nap. Then I hustle out the door and close it before she can get there because (I know this sounds barbaric but it works for us so back off) we keep a door handle cover on her side so she can't open it. Then she spends between 20 and 30 minutes crying and pleading and bargaining at her bottom door crack before she gives up and crawls back into bed for her nap.

Well, the boys get home between 3:30 and 4:00 and even when I greet them at the door with my finger to my lips and whispering "SSHHH", it doesn't take long before Ryleigh's sixth brother sense kicks in and she needs to be apart of whatever they are doing. So her nap has gone from a solid 3 hours to maybe 1 1/2 if I'm lucky because, again this cursed time change, I'm lucky if I realize as early as 1:30 that it's past nap time. This is also prime "lets call the Thompson house and see who all we can wake up during nap time".

So my million dollar idea that I think of each day is a phone system that you can program to NOT ring during blackout times. Those times would be from noon until 4, and from 8:30pm until 8:00am. This phone system would take messages and also give the option that if it was a life threatening emergency, press such and such a number and it would ring through. However, I reserve the right to provide a life threatening emergency to whomever abused this feature. It would also have a pass code for the selected FEW whom I choose that could call at any time because they are loved more than others. That code could be changed if I decided to change those with it and the old code would send them right into the messaging center. There would also be a message to telemarketers that would require a trivia question answer and if they got it wrong, they would be cut off without the option of leaving a message. The trivia question would be something that only those that knew us would know the answer to such as "what is the name of our dog?". We don't have one and any name would be wrong.

So now on to Scott and myself. This week has been interesting. Scott had Spring Break off, which was nice, however we didn't get as much done as I had hoped. The garage is still a disaster even though Scott got the attic grates installed. I need to go through all my holiday boxes in there and MINIMIZE! Until I get to that, they are still sitting in the middle of the garage making it difficult to walk from the car to the door. I will take the blame for that project not getting done. The house is partially painted and none of it has a second coat yet. The holiday boxes have migrated their way into the piano area and so it doesn't matter that I clean, the house just never looks clean.

Now I did do a couple of things that made me happy. The kitchen floor got a good mop. That only happens every other blue moon. The kitchen looks so good with the new paint color!!! I LOVE IT! And I finished some Sparkle projects and got them listed on a new site. I'm hoping to list them on eBay today. It should be easy as everything is already loaded, I just need to cut and paste.

So here's my gripe list:

I clean, and five minutes later no one would believe it. Why can't the kids and Scott see my frustration at the house and pick up what they have brought out? I might be guilty of that also, but I pretty much keep all my project "stuff" to my general bedroom chair area. If they would do their part, then I could see where my "stuff" (I'm using the word in parenthesis because I would really rather use not so nice words and I'm trying to keep this G-rated) is causing a problem.

I am a list person, but I can't make lists for others because then I get this "stop pushing me and I'll do whatever it is I like because I know what is best and don't care how this is affecting you" silence. Then, the list is lost and other projects get taken partway care of that were never in my "please do this so that I can breathe easier" list in the first place. My list is prioritized so that the most important to me is first on down. There is always a rhyme and reason for what I do and I am not a person that functions well in chaos.

And finally, I'm tired of not being able to finish anything before I'm being asked to do something else. The kids do this, Scott does this, people at church do this, etc. I understand that there are going to be interruptions in life, especially with the kids, but my insides are being shredded apart because nothing is complete. I'll be asked to make a sandwich, and then halfway through, the same person will need me to make some juice and as I'm juggling those to things, the SAME person will then need me to sign a paper or read a book or help with homework. I'm evidently not a multitasker, because by the third request before either of the first two are done, I'm ready to pull my hair out and scream. I am a plodder. I know that and I've worked with this my whole life. I've got a system that I follow and this system calls for extreme organization. Take my church calling for instance. As the Music Chairperson, within the first week of getting the years Sacrament topics, the music and special musical numbers for each Sunday minus Fast Sunday, were mapped out for the rest of the year. I was five musical numbers short but they aren't needed until the months of August and October so I felt fine about it. Even with this organization, things still fall apart and I am running like a mad woman nearly every month to fix what others have decided isn't important. As I've been told, I don't like change. If there is something you want different, that's fine. Just let me know in advance so that I can make those changes without feeling like it's come down to the last second. I don't work well under pressure and although you may not see the torture you've caused me, my family does and I do.

Enough of my complaining. Maybe I just needed to get it out of my system. Maybe my grumpies will dissipate now that it's out and the rest of this week will be better.

I'm off to clean the office and whatever else today. Wish me luck that something gets done so that I can go to sleep tonight and not want to cry like I do right now.

Sorry there are no pictures, I'm just drowning right now and don't feel up to finding something cheerful to post. But take a look at my link Sparkles and you'll see pictures there that I posted. And tonight, I'm making a goal of posting in my God's Hand in my Life to pick me up.

The Easter Bunny

2008-03-23T07:37:00.001-07:00

NOW, this is a real EASTER BUNNY !!

He weighs in at 22 pounds and measures a little over 3 feet . He is a breed of rabbit called German Giant (how appropriate!). This is his owner, Hans Wagner, struggling to hold him up. From the NY Post article: We don't feed him an unusual diet said Wagner. He goes through more than his brothers and sisters, but he eats the same food mix. His favorite food is actually lettuce. He can never get enough of it.
LOOK AT THOSE FEET!

The Whole Gang Again

2008-03-20T16:29:00.001-07:00

Once again I find myself in a quandary for new and exciting tidbits to impart upon my readers. As the week ran on, I found myself with very little to savor for this moment of show and tell, but I did find one or two morsels to pass along.

Last Saturday, I was walking from the office towards Ryleigh's room when I saw Landon walk outside. He stood just on the other side of the front door and then in his loudest voice yelled, "Does anybody want to be my friend?" I nearly stumbled in my journey. I walked to the door, opened it, and said, "I want to be your friend." Then, with a most serious expression, Landon looked at me, paused, and then said, "Mom, you don't count."

We are fortunate to live close to a wonderful friend for Colbey, Brock, and also for Ryleigh, Grant. Sadly, even though there are a couple of boys Landon's age, they are not the best of friends. Someday, we will be in a place where loneliness will not be an issue. As for us big kids, we have some fantastic friends just across the street, Mike and Jennifer.

Saturday morning was our community Egg Hunt. Ryleigh and Landon had fun finding eggs but my highlight was the moment a giant Easter Bunny arrived to take pictures with the kids. He looked fantastic! We have a matching pair of pictures of Ryleigh with a look of terror on her face scrambling off of both the Easter Bunny's lap and Santa's lap from the ward Christmas party this past December. What is the next furry mall creature that we can get a terrified picture of Ryleigh escaping?!?!? The pictures are of some of the bootie from the eggs - Pirate eye patches!

Scott and I have been enjoying our time together as he has taken Spring Break off from work. We had hoped to organize the house but that is going even slower than I predicted it would. It looks as though a tornado has landed directly inside our home, but come Sunday, I've promised myself I will not be living in a war zone.

Landon has become engrossed with the idea of selling skate parks to people for ten dollars. He takes a piece of paper, draws the plans for the skate park and then places the price tag of $10 on the top. He has yet to find a buyer, but he is determined to advertise loudly to anyone that passes. He has also found enjoyment in building a skate park out of paper and rocks in the vacant neighbors front yard. When I explained what Landon was doing to Colbey, Colbey responded by saying, "I wondered why there was so much paper lying around!" Landon is very proud of his park!

We have taken up the long forgotten game of Uno. Everyone except Ryleigh is able to play together. Scott says he remembers now why he gave up playing it. What can I say, it's the one game of luck I can beat him at. It's a talent I've had since I was a child.

We have seen a bunch of movies recently and there is one that stands out. August Rush is a Thompson and Thompson two thumbs up with a toe thrown in review! We highly recommend it! The story is touching and the music is fantastic!!! We have also purchased Enchanted and truly was enchanted by it. Very cute. Becoming Jane was depressing although very well produced, and Nancy Drew was highly entertaining even if some of the details were amiss. There have been other movies watched but these are the ones that come first to mind.

Colbey left this afternoon for a two day camp out, so next weeks blog will be more exciting!

The Whole Gang

2008-03-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

So this past week has been on the boring side for us. Nothing spectacular besides the two nights of snow with 70+ degree weather in between and after. Because we have little cause to write novels, we are condensing this week into one single update.

Scott worked all weekend long on a disaster recovery and managed about 3 hours sleep during the weekend. I'm just thankful he didn't have to fly to PA to do the same work like so many others did. I love technology and the freedom it provides us for Scott to work from home each week (every Tuesday and whenever necessary else wise).

I have been busy preparing for the big paint-a-thon. Yes, I am painting the entire house again. I've chosen the color "paper sack" in a semi-gloss for the public parts of the house. Each of the bedrooms will follow. For those of you counting, that will be the sixth color in the living room, third color in the hall, third coloring the in the dining room, and second color in the kitchen. I've decided that I want a more cohesive look and using only one color I'm hoping will help me achieve that look. I've also been getting ready for a major e-bay listing fest. Besides clearing out the house, I've decided to list my "business" items also. The website was going nowhere since I never felt very confident in using it, so I've closed it up and will use e-bay exclusively until I change my mind again!

Colbey is the same as always. Landon hasn't changed, and Ryleigh's only change is the lessening of pinky grotesqueness.

I am adding a few pictures. Saturday night, while Scott was working on the disaster recovery and I was noodling in my room, the kids fell asleep in the living room watching a movie. They each had their own spot with pillow and blanket. It was so sweet to walk in and see each of them that way!!! Oh the gloriousness and sweetness of sleeping children! Oh the blessed silence (with a little snore here and there).

Parent's News

2008-03-06T06:42:00.001-08:00

So Scott decided that it was finally time to hang the chandelier that has been sitting in our garage for the past two months. I'm pretty sure he thought it would be a short, simple task and would make me happy and give him some well earned Scott time. Unfortunately, nothing around here is ever a short, simple task. He needed to take down the chandelier above the dining room table, install the new chandelier, move the old chandelier to the breakfast nook after taking that chandelier down. Then take down the hideous light fixture above the sink and install the old breakfast nook chandelier above the sink. He had to play ring-around-the-rosy with six light fixtures. Poor guy! What looked initially like a 20 min. deal, didn't get finished until the early morning hours of Sunday. What a trooper!! (Of course, I still don't have any light in the breakfast nook because he took those light bulbs and put them in the dining room fixture and now we need to buy some more bulbs to put in the breakfast nook fixture.)

So do you think he's going to be thrilled this Saturday when I suggest we take the attic grates that have been sitting in the garage for the last three months and install them in the attic so we can then move everything up there that is now making it almost impossible to walk through the garage?

Kreg (Love), if you are reading this, you told us during one of our moves that we had too much "stuff". Well, YOU WERE RIGHT!!!!! I'm being drowned in "stuff" and I'm looking for a life raft. If anyone feels inclined, please refer me to "Clean Sweep"!!!!

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As most people are, we too are budget followers. I can't say that I like it, but at least it keeps food on the table. Well, trying to be a good, little : ), "Mormon-y" wife, I figured out that to keep within the $200 gas budget for our gas guzzler (I know that sounds like a lot for gas but it doesn't go very far with prices above $3 a gallon and getting only 18 miles to the gallon), I could only drive 1100 miles during the month. Again, I know this sounds like a lot of miles, but we live out in the country and to get to town is anywhere from 13 to 20 miles one way. I have a mandatory 5 round trips I make each week and that doesn't include any errands that may need to be done or any extras for the kids like playgroup or new reeds, etc. So I try to do everything on Wednesday and save my miles so they last for the whole month. Well, yesterday, I drove 89.3 miles in total. I can only afford 11 days like that a month!! What sane person drives nearly 100 miles in a day?!?!? So here is what I'm saying ... for those of you that live inside a nice, smoggy, populated, store or church or gas station on every corner, public transportation providing metroplex, LIVE IT UP because ... you could be living in a country open , family oriented, prayer speaking, clean air, small town and only be able to run errands four times a month.

Hmm, did I mention that I can learn to like a budget?

Colbey's News

2008-03-06T06:24:00.000-08:00

So Colbey informed us this past week, that he has maintained the first chair in the sax section of the band since Christmas. I had no idea he'd been able to do that. They don't have regularly scheduled seating tests, it's more of a challenge. If one player feels like challenging another, they having a seating test. It can happen as often as anyone likes. I'm thrilled that he is so interested in his instrument!!!

I received an email from his private instructor this past week. She said, "I also wanted to let you know that Colby is doing a great job. He seems very enthusiastic and willing to learn. It's a pleasure to work with him so far." He has selected his solo piece for Solo and Ensemble (which I didn't know they did so young) and has been practicing at home. Scott's reminded him that the deal was no practicing after 7pm, but that seems to be the time that Colbey likes to START practicing. I'm not complaining! As long as it ends by bedtime, I say, go for it! He sounds very good on his piece and is very excited about sharing his growing ability. I get to hear different scales go faster and faster and faster. His vocabulary is increasing and I don't have to simplify my words for him to understand. It's very fun for me to see him being musically fulfilled!

Landon's News

2008-03-06T06:11:00.000-08:00

So Landon was the most excited of the kids about the snow this week. It began snowing Monday evening and continued through the night. By morning, we had at least 6 inches of the powdery good stuff on the ground. Joy and acclamation ... school was delayed until 10am on account of the inclement weather. So what do you do, when you have 2 whole extra hours and a yard full of snow? Get out there and try to get pneumonia, of course!! Landon was the first out and the last in. They had snowball fights, tried to build a snowman (the snow was too powdery to get a good ball going), and made snow angels.

So it's been a couple of days, and no sign of dire illness in him. I guess all the fun really was just fun. This morning, as the boys were getting ready for school, Landon was thrilled with my mention that according to the news we will be getting rain which is likely to turn to snow again tonight. Oh the joy!!!

Ryleigh's News

2008-03-06T05:56:00.000-08:00

So Ryleigh went to her first gymnastics lesson. She was so cute even with her hair not pulled up. She joined a group that had been together for 5 weeks already and I was a little nervous as she started wondering about the gym that she would be a distraction to the other 5 kids. I said something to one of the other mothers watching and she just laughed. She said that even the kids that were "old hands" still got up and wondered around so the kids were pretty used to it. Words like: petite and dainty were used by the moms there to describe Ryleigh. If I had been drinking something at the time of those particular words, liquid would have squirted out of my nose!!! Can you imagine anyone thinking Ryleigh is some sweet, tiny, innocent thing?!?!? Don't worry, their perception will shortly change when they see Ryleigh bossing their kids about. My dainty, petite little girl can lead with the best of them. She's had to learn having two older brothers. OK, so maybe it's in her nature to begin with. I can't imagine where she gets it from!

So we had a traumatic experience at church this week. After the Sacrament was passed, I took her out to change her diaper. As we were leaving the mother's lounge, I looked down just in time to see that she had placed her hand on the hinge side of the door frame and the HEAVY door was just about to crush her little fingers. As fast as I moved, I wasn't able to stop the door from getting her pinky. Fortunately, we have a doctor in the ward who looked at her pinky and told us that the tendons were fine and that the best thing to do was make her comfortable and put ice on it if she'd let us. Needless to say, we went home after Sacrament meeting. It's looking better today, four days later, but it has a long way to go before looking pretty again.

Colbey's News

2008-02-28T07:32:00.000-08:00

Colbey has ventured into the world of Mutual. As I was dropping him off last night for the weekly activity, one of his leaders approached me and said, "Colbey has really made a nice addition to the group. He's blended in and made friends immediately." Now I know that he's wonderful, but it's always good to hear other people confirm your own suspicions. Of course, I also am aware of his ability to be a turd ... I'm hoping he saves that side of himself for home.

Landon's News

2008-02-28T07:28:00.000-08:00

Landon has started Speech Therapy. I can't tell you how thrilled I was when he read a sentence and said "yellow" with a "y" instead of an "l". He is also able to say his hard "k" sound now too. Goodbye Tobey and hello Colbey!!!!
We are trying to figure out something special for Landon to do. Colbey has private sax lessons and YM and Ryleigh has gymnastics. We are drawing blanks on what to get Landon involved in. If you have any ideas, let us know. We'd really appreciate the help!

Ryleigh's News

2008-02-28T07:22:00.000-08:00

The newest development for Ryleigh is her enrollment in North Star Gymnastics! She begins her tumbling career this Friday morning. I have already begun my search for the cutest leotard in the world and have no doubt that she will be the cutest little somersaulter by weeks end. My only worry is .... what do I do with her hair?!?!?! How can such a girly girl not want bows and ribbons in her curly tresses?