I Want To Be....

I found this on another blog and LOVED it! I've often felt like a momma bear, but this brings on a whole new meaning. This is awesome!

In this life I'm a woman. In my next life, I'd like to come back as a bear.

When you're a bear, you get to hibernate. You do nothing but sleep for six months. I could deal with that.
Before you hibernate, you're supposed to eat yourself stupid. I could deal with that too.
When you're a girl bear, you birth your children (who are the size of walnuts) while you're sleeping and wake to partially grown, cute, cuddly cubs. I could definitely deal with that.
If you're a mama bear, everyone knows you mean business. You swat anyone who bothers your cubs. If your cubs get out of line, you swat them too. I could deal with that.
If you're a bear, your mate EXPECTS you to wake up growling. He EXPECTS that you will have hairy legs and excess body fat.
Yup - wanna be a bear!

Silly Pictures

Big Glasses + 3 Monkeys + A Little Imagination = FUN

We have had some fun. Just.... being..... SILLY.

AHHHHHHHHH! I'm falling!

Some of us may have had a little too much fun.

Sorry. I've gotta figure out how to turn some of these.

Quirks

So I've been tagged. These things are usually silly and fun. So let's see what I can come up with. 7 quirks I have (In no particular order):
1. I don't like it when people watch me eat. As a youth I wouldn't eat the refreshments at dances and things for fear of someone watching me eat. Even if I was starving. I once had a guy stare at me while I ate and he saw fit to point out how I take such tiny bites. That didn't help my phobia any. lol. Then I had a date who refused to eat until he had watched me take the first bite! No pressure there! I have gotten better though. I do eat in restaurants and at Bar-b-ques etc. But it still bothers me some.
2. I have to check and recheck to make sure the doors are locked every night. I check 3 or more times. And the windows.
3. Most people don't like snakes, or mice or even spiders. I'm not a huge fan of those either, but nothing makes my skin crawl like a cock roach! We were at a youth conference at UNC Wilmington once and I found 3 roaches in our room. My roommate was in hysterics. I couldn't stay in there until they were gone and then I would just cringe every few minutes thinking about how many more I hadn't found yet. Maybe it all started from that horrible nightmare they called 'literature' that they made me read in 6th grade. The one where a guy turns into a giant cock roach. It's very graphic in the sounds and imagery and..... yuck! I can't even go there.
4. I'm funny about my hair. I'm usually not very happy with it. It seems like most every day is a bad hair day. Maybe I'm just too hard on myself. But there aren't many hairstyles that I think look good on me. So I'm one of those that gets stuck in a hairstyle for years before I get up enough nerve to try something different.
5. I've become a little bit of a germ aphobe over the past few years. I'm not extreme like Howie on Deal or No Deal. I don't have any problem shaking peoples hands or anything like that! But I do wash my hands a lot durring the winter and I can almost see the germs on door knobs and things sometimes. Maybe it's from work and reminding kids alllllll day long to not pick there nose and to cover their mouth when they cough. Or maybe it's because my youngest is asthmatic and what seems like a simple cold to everyone else becomes something very serious for us. When you spend all fall, winter and spring just trying to keep your child relatively healthy and breathing. And you rarely get a full nights sleep, you gain a new perspective. I totally don't understand people who don't wash there hands in the bathroom.
6. I guess I have to use a strong word like 'addicted' to express my feelings on sweets. A sweet tooth just doesn't quite cut it. I have something sweet most every day. Chocolate, cakes, candies, brownies, cheese cakes, you name it. There's hardly a dessert that I don't like. Remind me again.... Why can't we eat just desserts at every meal? Oh yeah. Something about vitamins and minerals.
7. Sometimes I get a good kick out of people's reaction when then find out that I love hard rock and heavy metal. I like most all kinds of music but heavy is what I like to listen to most. I don't know if it's because I don't have any tatoos and don't headbang in the church parking lot anymore or what. But people are just blown away that I like heavy music. Even my neighbor. He was blown away when he asked what kind of music I like and could even tell him names of songs! lol. No I'm lying ______. lol. So he gave me his hour speech on the history of a few of his favorite bands, sent me home with a CD and invited me to his next mosh pit. lol. I'm there!

So there you are! So am I weird or what?!
I tag Umeka, Rachel, Melody and Jennifer.

What Color Crayon Are You?

So I saw this on someone else's blog and thought it was neat. I LOVE the color purple so I was excited when they chose that color for me. But I'm not so sure about all of their description. And the comment about yellow sounds snobish. But anyway.....

So what color crayon are you?

You Are a Purple Crayon

Your world is colored in dreamy, divine, and classy colors. You hold yourself to a sky high standard, and you are always graceful. People envy, idolize, and copy you without realizing it. You are an icon for those who know you. And while it is hard to be a perfectionist, rest assured it's paying off! Your color wheel opposite is yellow. While yellow people may be wise, they lack the manners and class needed to impress you.

What Color Crayon Are You?

Until Next June

This is one of the 6 Ruby Throated hummingbirds that I have fed this summer. They have soo much personality and are soo fun! They've gotten quite brave and I love how curious they are. I'll stand real still and talk to them as they talk back to me and check me out, but I have to admit, when I have the long beak of a hummingbird 4 inches from my face I get kind of nervous if I don't have my sunglasses on! The kids and I will spend hours watching them. Well, as happens every Sept. to Oct. the first cold snap sends them migrating back to Mexico. Farewell my friends! Until next year, Travel safe!

Can you see him sitting in the tree? He's watching the front yard guarding the front feeder. (Look in the middle)

One of the females in flight checking out the yard.

"Would you please share?"

Even though the feeder will feed 6 at a time, they won't allow each other to do that. Hence two feeders. lol. Two of the females will allow another female to drink at the same time for a bit, but the males won't have a thing to do with it. One male sits in the tree in the front yard guarding that feeder. You can see his head going back and forth keeping a close eye out. And the other male sits on the hook in the back yard, guarding that feeder. And if I have to go out and refill the feeder they chirp at me and tell me to hurry back. Sometimes they won't wait for me to hang the newly filled feeder on the hook, before taking a drink.

Just Say "NO"

I've been trying to learn this slogan for a while now and let me tell you..... It's not easy! I don't mean say "no" to drugs, I mean saying "no" to soo many good things that take you away from your biggest priorities. This is one of those points that you keep hearing over and over again in conference, etc. I know I need to say "no" to more things and I'm trying to do that. Especially lately. I've had a LOT thrown at me lately. Satan hasn't just been throwing pot holes in my road.... he's PULLED UP the road. I'm having to go back to basics. Drop all my activities, (And I mean everything! work, callings, eating, everything.) and start back one at a time with only the things that don't take away from my top priorities. My family and the Lord. I'm not the type of person to say "no" very much anyway. So when I have to and people STILL give me a hard time about it.....ouch! I beat myself up enough people, please don't help me any.
Why is it a man can say, "I'm sorry, I can't do that. I have a prior engagement." And everything is good and all parties move on without issue. But when a woman says "I'm sorry, I can't do that. I have a prior engagement." We get: "Well, what is it?" "Can't you reschedule it?" "This is really important and I need you to ..................." Women get bombarded with questions and then they proceed to tell you how you CAN do this for them and here's how. They proceed to make you feel like your prior engagement wasn't important and how dare you say "no" to them. No matter that your prior engagement was your family. After all, they know your families needs better than you do right?
Anyway, this was basically a vent. Just please bare with me as I learn to stick up for myself and say "No" without letting it bother me. As I learn that middle ground between saying "no. Sorry." and not letting it bother me versus saying "I SAID NO BUCKO! NOW SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF MY WAY!"

Women's Dessert Fellowship

The local church holds a lot of fellowshipping activities. (I really miss the monthly couple activities from our old ward.) Anyway, the latest fellowshipping activity for this church is a "Women's Dessert Fellowship." Doesn't that sound just heavenly?! A bunch of your best girl friends hanging out and sharing their favorite desserts. What could be better than that?!?! Stimulating adult conversation mixed with a large helping of chocolate and other sweet tooth concoctions. Let's start that on a monthly basis! We may have to start a workout group the following morning, but hey! I can live with that. Anyone in?

Tamz!!!!!! Help!!! I need a women's dessert fellowship!

Passing The Torch

Ronnie has been dreaming of this day since A- was born! (I don't understand it, but that's probably because I'm of the opposite sex.) It's a male right of passage that he's been waaaaaaayyyyy to excited to pass on. As soon as A- was toddling, Ronnie put him behind a toy lawn mower. A- would push it loving the popping noise of the colored balls inside. This summer A- has been mastering the technique behind a well manicured lawn. A- doesn't get that same satisfaction of the lawn looking just so like dad does. A- loves that this is one sweet ride that he can ask for the keys and get a big fat YEEEEEESSSS in reply!

Count Down To The First Day of School

Only two more days until the first day of school.

What happened to the summer?! It just flew by! I'm not sure if I'm ready to go back yet? Still, it's going to be an exciting year, full of lots of new adventures!

A- starts middle school this year. He's excited!

They've done away with the writing test but instead are requiring a writing portfolio that will be graded. K-has a wonderful imagination and her conventions are great to. So I'm sure it'll be just fine.

I was hoping to get a teacher that would pay close attention to B. this year and see about trying out TAG. But, she got a new teacher with little experience.

I'm trying out the middle school this year. I'm kind of nervous about that. I'm not sure how I'll like it. But, I'm hoping! I'm pretty sure I'd be bored to death at the high school. The elementary schools are fun but exhausting. So maybe the middle school will be right in the middle and I'll love it! Who knows?! It makes me feel good to have soo many teachers asking if I'll be back this year and some already telling me they want me for the days they already know about. This will be my 3rd year, so I'm still learning. And to have soo many asking me back reassures me that I'm on the right track.

Have a great year everyone!!!!

What's Your Favorite Sandwich?

So apparently August is National Sandwich month. Who knew? So what's your favorite kind of sandwich? Is it the old stand by of PB&J? The mystery sandwich of whatever you can find in the fridge? Or something more fancy and sophisticated? What does your sandwich say about you? OK, it's late and I'm being crazy. lol. But, seriously..... We eat more sandwiches during the summer. It's a fast meal im-between activities. We're more focused on having fun during the summer than spending hours in the kitchen cooking when it's too hot to be over a hot stove anyway. So I guess it's fitting that August be the month that gets the honor of the sandwich. So what is your favorite kind of sandwich? Mine is hands down, the Hickory Melt from Honey Baked Ham. The honey mustard, the melted cheddar, the lettuce and tomato. It's just awesome! But if we're talking homemade sandwich: I just like a nice wheat bread with mayo, spinach, tomato, cheese, and turkey.

So inquiring minds want to know? What's your favorite sandwich???

A Day At The Beach

We finally got a much needed and well deserved day at the beach! It was awesome! I love the beach. Wish we could have spent 2 weeks or so, but it was great!

The kids always have big plans for sand castles mapped out in their heads. They can't wait to duplicate them on the beach.
We just love the aquarium and can't miss an opportunity to go. They added a few things this year. Like a cute hermit crab photo opp., and an awesome frog family sand sculpture. This year is the year of the frog, so there were some cool frog and newt exhibits that were new.

We always love the loggerheads and the stingray touch pool.

Splashing in the waves!

We can't wait to go back!

Get Payed To Read Your Email

No, it's not too good to be true! I get paid to read email and you can to!

Does that sound enough like an infomercial?! lol. Seriously though. I'm a member of mypoints.com. And You sign up and fill out a short survey about yourself and then they send you emails. You get 5 points for opening each email and hitting the get points button at the bottom. Should you purchase anything from the millions of sites that advertise through mypoints you get even more points, but I just save up the free points. Then when you are ready you cash in your points for gift cards.They have gift cards for most anything you could want: Walmart, Target, Barnes and Nobel, Applebee's, Blockbuster, the list goes on and on. They ship you the gift card really fast. They say 4 to 6 wks but It's never taken more than 2wks for me. You don't even pay for the stamp! I love it! So I thought I'd just pass a good deal along to my friends. If your interested email me and I'll send you an invitation or go to mypoints.com and sign up. Just make sure you put me down as your referral, I'll get a few points for referring you. Enjoy the great rewards!

Ok! I'm gonna give this a try, but I'm really considering deleting this blog. Nobody is posting! I know that 2 people are reading but never posting because they mention it to me once in a while. So, if your lurking..... POST ALREADY! lol. If I don't get any posts, I'm strongly considering deleting this blog.

Here's a fun game...

1. As a comment, leave on my blog a memory of you and me (and even if you don't know me that well, you can tell how you know me).

2. If you do, I'll assume you are playing the game and go to your blog and leave a memory


...Ready, Set, Blog!!!!!!

Re:Gamers Anonymous

I forgot to put in a warning about the youtube video. There are two words in it, so don't watch it with the little ones around.

Gamers Anonymous

I was seriously looking a support group and this came up in my google search. It is sooooooo true! I laughed and laughed! No lie! The kids were all staring at me trying to figure out if I had lost my mind or what, because I was laughing soo hard I was crying. Of course, then the phone rings, and I'm in no shape to answer it. I haven't laughed that hard in a looooong time. Whew! Exhausting but exhilerating at the same time. I could relate to so many aspects of it........ it was crazy. For those of you who don't own an xbox360, ps3 or Wii, or all of the above, it'll be lost on you so just skip this post and it won't hurt my feelings. But anyone with a gamer in the family will totally feel my pain. I hope you find as much pleasure in it as I did! Enjoy!

Internet Discoveries

So, I was looking for something online and stumbled upon something else, which led me to something else, which unearthed something else, etc. etc. etc. You know how that goes. So I found some things that were interesting, amusing, different...... and just thought I'd share some of them.

• I found some amusing things today. Like this guy in Perth, Australia who was crushed by his wife and they divorced. Everything he owns reminds him of her and so he's tired of his life. So he's auctioning his life off to the highest bidder. Yes you read that right. He's auctioning his life on ebay! Now there's an idea I'm sure everyone might entertain once in a while. http://www.alife4sale.com/list_Job.htm His job comes with the package. His employers are offering a 2 week trial job to whomever buys his life! There's an adventuresome pair! And I find it totally amusing that when he had his house built, he had the hot tub put in just the right spot so he can look through the sliding glass doors and watch a movie on his projection screen tv while in the hot tub! Anyway, I wish this guy lots of luck and happiness in his new life. Anyone have any idea how much 399,300.00 AU is in American Dollars?
• Everyone has heard of YouTube but did you know there is a GodTube? I didn't until today. And a website called ApostlesThatRock.com (There's a visual.) These are just NOT the way I look at things. But they are both sites on Christian Rock Bands. A nonmember friend and I were talking about some the other day. I'm all for some "clean" rock and roll. I kindof like the 2 songs I heard by FireFlight.

Friendship

I'm soo thankful for good friends and neighbors. Tamz! I'm saving the lot next door for you! And the one across from that for Melinda! It's an ingenious plan. Just picture the crazy fun and adventures we could have! You know you want to.

Husbands Say The Darndest Things

Ok, that title could open up a whole can of things, but here is what I'm thinking:
I was going to put up this cute little post about how KIDS say cute/funny little things. Like a few days ago B. comes home with this little string of beads. It's not a bracelet just a string of beads. I asked her where she got it and she said, "Meagan gave it to me." She clutches it close and says, "She said so when I die, I'll have something to remember her by." What?! Say that again?! lol Kindergartners can have some deeeeeep thoughts. Like the time, 6 months or more ago, when B. again asks me "Mommy, Who was pregnant with me first? You or Jesus?" I'm sorry but the whole visual of Jesus being pregnant tickles me. So, I explain that even though Jesus helped Heavenly Father create the earth and man, he wasn't actually pregnant. He created us from the dust of the earth, etc. It reminds me of how carefully we have to choose our words, because little ones take things soo literally. Like the time when K. was fresh out of Sunbeams and she said the prayer for lunch soo fast that we could barely understand her. So I thanked her for offering the prayer but gently reminded her to slow down next time so we all know what she's saying. And she says, "But my teacher told me to pray really fast to feel closer to Heavenly Father!" She kept insisting that that is what she said. It took me a while to figure out that her teacher MEANT Prayer and Fasting help us feel closer to Heavenly Father.

So this is what I was going to post about when low and behold Hubby gets in on the act! We're sitting in church today, listening closely. It's one of those really quiet moments. And hubby starts falling asleep. Yes I'm telling it all! lol. So I gently give him a nudge in the leg with my foot in an effort to discreetly wake him up. It works but shortly he's nodding again. So I repeat the gentle nudge. He leans over and in his "he" thinks he's whispering voice, says "You shouldn't play footsie during church." He thinks this is hilarious. I just shake my head at him. (Sorry to the family sitting behind us.Hope the little ones were too busy coloring to hear that.) So if you ever hear a foot being stomped during church.... just smile and know he's getting his just desserts.

The Dance

The dance was lots of fun. We had a lot of fun with the decorations. Hawaiian is a fun theme to work with. Have I said fun enough? As you can tell, eloquence is not a gift I was blessed with. I think the noodle people were my absolute favorite! I was a little surprised by a few things.

1. 90% of the kids danced 3/4's of the time. Much more than I expected.

2. "Hammer Time" is still cool to dance to. As well as "Vanilla Ice" and "Life Is A Highway." The last I can see because they redid that in a country style not too long ago. But the others blew me away! And they knew how to do "Hammer Time" too!

3. All of the "Soulja Boy" skills that I've seen on the playground, etc. Look much better to music.

4. I have quite the little stud muffin! I saw 4 different girls ask him to dance. He said he was asked 7 times! Now he was too shy to accept their offers, but that's ok. When I asked him why he didn't dance with any of them, he said he didn't want to and then proceeded to use some of my lines back on me. "Mom! I'm too young! I shouldn't have to worry about all that just yet." Well played!
His real issue was nerves and not having much dancing experience. But the mom in me couldn't help but take the opportunity to take some past conversations to a deeper level. A little something like, "You can dance with a girl without having to be boyfriend and girlfriend." "We should get to know/date lots of people to find out what we like/don't like, before getting into a boyfriend/girlfriend relationship, etc." I did finally get him to dance once though, and one of those pretty girls saw and took advantage and came over and danced with him.

5. We are all painfully aware of the style of dancing that is "IN" nowadays. I was pleased as punch to see how clean the majority of the dancing was. There was one group of girls that experimented with that style of dancing a couple of times. I wasn't the only one who noticed of course and I was tickled when Kristen came over and almost whispered, "Mrs. Smith, I'm scared to dance like those girls." I wanted to give her a huge high five and then go give her mom a huge high five for teaching her so well. I have to tell her dad when I see him at graduation. He'll be soo happy! lol. He's like Ronnie and threatens to lock her in her room until she's 30! BUT.... I just said something like, "Me too!" and "You don't need to dance like those girls." "You'll be happy for just being you." "Good for you!"

6. This wasn't a surprise as much as another flash back to middle/high school. I know the cliques really start to develop about 3rd grade, but you can really look around and label them easily by 5th. I look left and there's the good 'ol country boys! Look right and there's the Hip Hop group. Across the way are the Preps. There's a stray Goth here and there. You get the picture. Still felt kindof wierd though. So which group were you in growing up? I was lucky or cursed depending on how you look at it, in that I had friends in most all of the groups. So I hung out with different groups throughout the day, but never really "belonging" to any one. I hated the school environment. But had soooooooo much fun dating and activities outside of school.

So I made it through the night without embarassing either of us. We had fun and now I have some cool pictures to scrapbook! We both stretched and grew a little. Cool Beans!

My First Post

Well, I finally decided to try my hand at this blogging thing. I'd love to be able to keep better track of family and friends that live far away, but the safety on the internet thing really worries me. However, after the class on internet safety Tues.... I feel a little safer. So bare with me as I learn and figure things out. I'm sure my page will change a LOT as I work out the bugs.

We are in the tornado of activities that the end of the school year brings. We are just soo swamped! It's crazy! But at the same time, I enjoy most of it. Like this morning...I made finger sandwiches for 90 plus to take to the 5th grade dance tonight. (Not much fun, but it did go faster than I had expected.) We start setting up at 3 and then I rush home to get us ready and head back to chaperone. This is my first time chaperoning a dance. Not that I expect there to be much dancing going on mind you. We're talking about 5th grade. The boys will be at the refreshment tables eating and the girls will be in giggly groups scattered around the room. A girl or two may eventually dance in a group, but that will most likely be the extent of things. I think it'll be fun! Though this chaperone thing has been consuming my thoughts, in another parenting adventure kind of way. lol. This is only the first of many dances to come. I hope I can figure out that middle ground of being the COOL chaperone we all remember... that doesn't embarass her own son OR his friends, but yet still keeps the letter of the law. Know what I mean? Not that I expect anything to happen, I trust my kids, but the world is changing my friends. And 5th graders today are not like we were in 5th grade. We all remember those mean, stickler for every tiny rule chaperones. As well as the parent that goes looking for your best friend and her boyfriend because they left the gym for more than 5 mintues. I keep having flash backs to the school and church dances I went to..... The times when my parents were the chaperones.... etc. We felt like we had this responsibility to make sure our parents were cool when they chaperoned. You know?! This growing up thing can be for the birds sometimes. lol. I'm sure I'm over thinking it and just need to relax and have fun. Keep your fingers crossed.