Highlights of the week:
1) This blog had a high of 477 hits in one week last week. Holy crap!!!
2) My husband kissed me for the first time in well over a month.
3) I was a "tower of defense" in soccer Saturday night according to the men on my team.
4) I registered my women's dodgeball team. Our team name is Whiskey Tango Foxtrot. We start 14 December. Game FREAKING on.
5) I paid off all my friend/work debts. I think I don't owe anything for lost bets or loaned money. Let me know if I missed you. (Legit debts only...)
6) I am 90% sure that I am not changing jobs and I am SOOO excited about it. At my level I don't get a say in my job. My boss just tells me where I'm going. Was told I was going to move units. Now I think the airplanes need me so I am staying. Toyota jump!!!
7) I got up before church and made breakfast for my family and we were still on time.
8) My refrigerator is making hollow ice cubes. They have no middles. It's the weirdest thing.
9) My furnace is TOTALLY not working and we have been without heat for 2 days. Luckily the house is pretty insulated and we aren't freezing too much. Repairman tomorrow hopefully.
10) We explained to Shayla that Santa brings toys to the good girls and boys and coal to the bad girls and boys. She has spent the last few days telling us who gets toys and who gets coal. According to Shayla the following people are getting coal: Andrew (neighbor), Shade and Marius (in her kindergarten class), Mike (he won't let her play his X-box 360), Madi and Grace (for not coming to play on Thanksgiving), and me (for enforcing bedtime).
Nov 29, 2009
Photo FREAKING Almost Done 28 of 30: Legalize Frostitution
Today Shayla made this: 
Breaking it down:
Breaking it down:1) She loved making the gingerbread house. Me not so much. I did very little. She did the whole thing. I kind of whined and fussed about having to even be a part of it.
2) The smell of gingerbread makes Jill nauseous so we waited for Jill to go back to school before we started. Jill has a bad history with molasses due to her Crohn's Disease. Trust me, you do not want to know why, but seriously trust me molasses and Jill DO NOT mix.
3) I love that Shayla did rocker hands. The apple did not fall far from the tree my friends...
4) This is a gingerbread ready to assemble kit, yeah RIGHT like I would make actual gingerbread and frosting from scratch. (Laughing uncontrollably at the very thought of it.)
5) I told Shayla I would give her 5 dollars if she would sit on the gingerbread house when it was completed. She wouldn't do it. Carrie volunteered to sit on it and she totally would've, but Shay was freaking out so we backed off. She wouldn't let me sit on it either. Maybe tomorrow.
6) Shayla ate about a gallon of frosting. She was all about the frosting!!!
Shut The Shell Up, Part 2
As I read back through my turtle post today I was thinking that the only reason Matt and I got together and married was due to a turtle. The very first day we met and I mentioned I had a turtle. Matt doubted that I actually had a turtle. I had to prove it so I took him to my apartment to show him. We talked, laughed, and eventually got married. It was a box turtle named Booker, not a red eared slider. I'd had it for years. When Matt and I moved to Washington I found it a good home. I think I've almost always had turtles...
Nov 28, 2009
Shut The Shell Up
DISCLAIMER: Per the 1975 U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulation under the Public Health Service Act which bans the sale of turtles with a carapace length of less than 4 inches, these specific turtles are not pets and are only used for scientific, educational, and exhibitional purposes. They were not purchased or bred by us. Turtles and turtle eggs found to be purchased or offered for sale in violation of this provision would have been destroyed by me in accordance with FDA procedures. I understand this law and the fine of up to $1,000 and/or imprisonment for up to one year is the penalty for those who refuse to comply with a valid final demand for destruction of such turtles or their eggs.
Now that the legality is out of the way (and I am COMPLETELY legal with these turtles, I've double checked and they are all 4 inches) I would like to show you my red eared slider turtles. We are down to 3 turtles. I've had turtles for YEARS. At the end of the summer we had a turtle die that I'd had longer than Chad. We have one adult and 2 teenagers. What do you call a bunch of turtles? A bale of turtles. I just Googled it. Here are my 2 teenage turtles.
Our adult female turtle is humongous and the teens are getting big. The 2 teens are from the same nest (that's what a group of babies is called) and they are the same age. The female is big and the male is smaller. They are in this turtle bucket while we were cleaning the aquariums. They've just started eating live fish. I'm so proud! I have video, but it was a little graphic for the blog. Come over sometime, we'll feed fish to the turtles. 
They are red eared slider turtles and almost completely aquatic. They go outside in a pond in the summer and come inside in the aquariums for the winter. We still have them separate so the big female doesn't get aggressive and eat the teens. Next winter they should all be able to be together. Here are the teens in the aquarium:
Photo 27 of 30: There Is A Message In Mike's Cheerios, It Says "Oooooo"
Mike and his friends are hilarious. Mike is turbo social and always travels in a swarm. He is rarely spotted alone. Here are he and his friends at the Mall with Santa. Left to Right: Dallas, Kaden (top), Santa, Mike, Jackson (laying).
Breakdown:
1. Mike ate an entire bag of bacon flavored dog treats. He didn't read the package to see that they were for the dog. He says they were good. And other than his shiny coat, he had no side effects.
2. Mike is constantly making me laugh and doing silly/funny things. His friends are hilarious too.
3. He is EXTREMELY gullible and his sisters take advantage of this.
4. He's really smart and his honor roll certificate from the term that just ended is hanging on the fridge.
5. Yes it's November, yes there is snow on the ground, yes he's in shorts. That's what teenage boys do all winter. Shorts and no coats. They are too cool for coats.
6. I love how Jackson is sitting (laying) on Mike's lap and not Santa's lap.
Breakdown:1. Mike ate an entire bag of bacon flavored dog treats. He didn't read the package to see that they were for the dog. He says they were good. And other than his shiny coat, he had no side effects.
2. Mike is constantly making me laugh and doing silly/funny things. His friends are hilarious too.
3. He is EXTREMELY gullible and his sisters take advantage of this.
4. He's really smart and his honor roll certificate from the term that just ended is hanging on the fridge.
5. Yes it's November, yes there is snow on the ground, yes he's in shorts. That's what teenage boys do all winter. Shorts and no coats. They are too cool for coats.
6. I love how Jackson is sitting (laying) on Mike's lap and not Santa's lap.
Nov 27, 2009
How We Survive Is What Makes Us Who We Are
I know everyone is sick sick sick of hearing about Peter, but I was working on my resume today and thinking about one of my master's degrees and how the ONLY reason I have it is because of Peter. Well because of Peter and my ex-fiance Mr. Garff. But Mr. Garff is a whole other story... Let's focus on the Peter part. My first masters is from Utah State (my second is from Air Command and Staff College) and I had to do a masters thesis as part of the program. If you know me, and we've become so close through blogging that I'm sure you all already know this about me, but if you don't let me fill you in on a personality quirk. More like a small, minuscule chink in my personality. It's a tiny defect. Not much at all. Ok, truthfully this defect is HUGE and more like a gaping, sucking hole that consumes my entire personality and lays on the floor of my soul twitching wildly, moaning loudly, and begging to be shot. Here's the personality problem: I would rather play then do just about anything and I am an outstanding planner/do-er but I am a terrible finisher.
So because I possess this personality defect I knew the thesis was going to KILL me. At the time I was doing my masters degree I was a single mom with 3 kids and working full time. I needed a strategy. Peter developed my strategy and implemented it. We focused on my strengths (plan, do) and overcame my weaknesses (play, finish). I had 6 months to complete my thesis and Peter helped me break it into 6 equal parts. Each month for 6 months I gave Peter $100 bucks. Remember I was a single mom and SUPER poor at the time. Peter would give me BACK the $100 bucks at the end of each month IF I obeyed the following rules:
1) Turn in a portion of the completed thesis to Peter on the 15th of each month (we broke it into parts and one part was due each month)
2) Complete peer edits and rewrites to Peter on the 25th of each month
3) Turn in the notations and citations (cite early, cite often) to Peter for the completed portion by the last day of the month
If I missed one deadline (even by one day) Peter was to take the $100 bucks and do something really fun with the money without me or throw a party with the money and not invite me. Guess what? I hit EVERY deadline and I always got my money back. I was so afraid he was going to play without me that I wrote my heart out. To Peter's credit he sat with me MANY times the night before a deadline reading, researching, typing, editing, feeding my kids, etc. so he made sure I hit the deadline. It was as much his thesis as mine. He even drove to Logan for my Professor thesis interview/review with me and quizzed me the whole way. He was as nervous as I was. I nailed it and got an A and was published.
Because Peter was smart enough to set me up like this, I didn't have to cram, I was VERY prepared, and I got my masters. I'm not kidding when I say I could not have done it without him. I just wanted to add this experience to my blog so it's recorded in my journal. I COULD NOT have survived this without my dear friend Peter. And the morale of the story is: Identify your weaknesses, admit them and own them, find someone to help you compensate, and hold yourself accountable by hitting yourself where it hurts to make sure you hit the goal.
So because I possess this personality defect I knew the thesis was going to KILL me. At the time I was doing my masters degree I was a single mom with 3 kids and working full time. I needed a strategy. Peter developed my strategy and implemented it. We focused on my strengths (plan, do) and overcame my weaknesses (play, finish). I had 6 months to complete my thesis and Peter helped me break it into 6 equal parts. Each month for 6 months I gave Peter $100 bucks. Remember I was a single mom and SUPER poor at the time. Peter would give me BACK the $100 bucks at the end of each month IF I obeyed the following rules:
1) Turn in a portion of the completed thesis to Peter on the 15th of each month (we broke it into parts and one part was due each month)
2) Complete peer edits and rewrites to Peter on the 25th of each month
3) Turn in the notations and citations (cite early, cite often) to Peter for the completed portion by the last day of the month
If I missed one deadline (even by one day) Peter was to take the $100 bucks and do something really fun with the money without me or throw a party with the money and not invite me. Guess what? I hit EVERY deadline and I always got my money back. I was so afraid he was going to play without me that I wrote my heart out. To Peter's credit he sat with me MANY times the night before a deadline reading, researching, typing, editing, feeding my kids, etc. so he made sure I hit the deadline. It was as much his thesis as mine. He even drove to Logan for my Professor thesis interview/review with me and quizzed me the whole way. He was as nervous as I was. I nailed it and got an A and was published.
Because Peter was smart enough to set me up like this, I didn't have to cram, I was VERY prepared, and I got my masters. I'm not kidding when I say I could not have done it without him. I just wanted to add this experience to my blog so it's recorded in my journal. I COULD NOT have survived this without my dear friend Peter. And the morale of the story is: Identify your weaknesses, admit them and own them, find someone to help you compensate, and hold yourself accountable by hitting yourself where it hurts to make sure you hit the goal.
Photo 26 of 30: Who Died And Made You Tsar
This is Carrie's new fur hat that looks like she bought it in Mother Russia. She wears it everywhere.
More about it:
More about it:1. I threatened to rename her Vladimir
2. I can't really blame her since I like to break into a Russian accent (like Natasha on Rocky and Bullwinkle) and pretend I'm a spy.
3. She's sitting in the backseat of Jill's car between Amber and Paige. The face is priceless.
4. These hats are IN STYLE and the Mall is chuck full of stores selling them. What the heck??? Forgive us fashion for we have sinned. Although Carrie does rock the fake fur.
5. My girls make me laugh...
Commando Shopper Black Friday Ops
You'll recall I awoke early yesterday to run/walk/whatever a 5K. Then I ate my weight in pumpkin pie. Then I intended to get a nap before the Black Friday celebration. Black Friday is a National Holiday for my sisters and I, right up there with the 4th of July. But NO such luck getting a nap. DANG! Mike, Paige, and I headed to Park City to hit the Factory Outlet Mall at 2145 (9:45 PM for those of you who don't do military time, I only use military time due to work) Any-who we got to Park City to discover that the Nike Store opened at 2300. Oh HAPPY DAY!!! If you wait until 2345 to come down the hill to the Outlet Mall you will sit in traffic for over an hour. They key to the Outlet Mall is to be in the parking lot by 2300. (I'm just here to help and give tips.) We bought 6 pairs of shoes in the Nike Store. 2 for Mike, 2 for Paige, and 2 for me. I got a pair of $140.00 Nikes for Mike for $35.00. He's jonesing to get them, but not until Christmas... We also hit the Adidas store, got a few things, and headed back down the canyon to Wal-Mart in Layton. Here is our Nike stash.
I dropped Mike off at home and Paige and I headed to Wal-Mart. We stood in line for an item from 0150 until 0500. Success! Score! Can't tell you what it was or it will ruin the surprise. The 4 of us alternated standing in 2 lines and filling carts. Did a ton of price matching at Wal-Mart. Here is Terra with her $1,157.42 receipt from Wal-Mart Black Friday. (In her defense $400.00 was for my Mom and she will pay her back.) The way Terra Black Friday shops separates the real women from the little girls. She buys all her kids Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, etc. on Black Friday.
Here are the mighty shoppers. At this point we are in Shopko. It's about 0640. It was not my idea to do rocker hands. I didn't start it...
We are worn out. SLEEPY! (Grace act surprised if the sparkly "Grace" your Mom is holding is for Christmas. Practice your surprised face and say something like "I had no idea I was getting anything like this. I love it!) 
The Black Friday deals weren't as rockin this year and the crowds were INSANE. Sooo many people were out. I was glad I was a seasoned veteran and knew all the tricks to getting what I wanted. Paige was AWESOME help. I stayed awake for 27.5 hours straight. Here is the back of my SUV at the end of the damage. 
Here is one last pic. These are the Snuggies I bought for HALF OFF. (I can hear you laughing at me...) Since you can be trusted with a secret, one is for my secretary, one is for Jill (she wants one), one is for one of Jill's friends, one is for Paige, and one is for me. My office at work has no/little heat and it's 54 degrees in there most days. The gov't prohibits the use of space heaters so I'm freezing. I'm going to wear a Snuggie in the office. Seriously. Only one question remains. Do I want to keep the zebra Snuggie or the leopard Snuggie?
I dropped Mike off at home and Paige and I headed to Wal-Mart. We stood in line for an item from 0150 until 0500. Success! Score! Can't tell you what it was or it will ruin the surprise. The 4 of us alternated standing in 2 lines and filling carts. Did a ton of price matching at Wal-Mart. Here is Terra with her $1,157.42 receipt from Wal-Mart Black Friday. (In her defense $400.00 was for my Mom and she will pay her back.) The way Terra Black Friday shops separates the real women from the little girls. She buys all her kids Christmas, Birthdays, Easter, etc. on Black Friday.
Here are the mighty shoppers. At this point we are in Shopko. It's about 0640. It was not my idea to do rocker hands. I didn't start it...
We are worn out. SLEEPY! (Grace act surprised if the sparkly "Grace" your Mom is holding is for Christmas. Practice your surprised face and say something like "I had no idea I was getting anything like this. I love it!) The Black Friday deals weren't as rockin this year and the crowds were INSANE. Sooo many people were out. I was glad I was a seasoned veteran and knew all the tricks to getting what I wanted. Paige was AWESOME help. I stayed awake for 27.5 hours straight. Here is the back of my SUV at the end of the damage. Here is one last pic. These are the Snuggies I bought for HALF OFF. (I can hear you laughing at me...) Since you can be trusted with a secret, one is for my secretary, one is for Jill (she wants one), one is for one of Jill's friends, one is for Paige, and one is for me. My office at work has no/little heat and it's 54 degrees in there most days. The gov't prohibits the use of space heaters so I'm freezing. I'm going to wear a Snuggie in the office. Seriously. Only one question remains. Do I want to keep the zebra Snuggie or the leopard Snuggie?Nov 26, 2009
Be Good. If You Can't Be Good Be Quick.
My two friends Theresa and Kim ran the Thanksgiving 2009 Turkey Trot 5K with me this morning. It's always good to get in a 5K before you go eat a 3,000 calorie Thanksgiving meal. It was FREEZING when we lined up and I was still half asleep. Theresa actually got up and showered this morning BEFORE the 5K. I laughed a lot about that. Here we are getting ready to rock the 5K. 
Check the matching zebra striped headbands I bought for us. So our foreheads and ears don't get cold while we run. I hate it when my forehead is cold when I run!!! A reporter for the Davis County Clipper took our picture in our headbands. 
Here I am doing a runners take your mark pose pre-race... You should've seen the looks I got for doing this. But it's all about what makes me laugh. 
We posed with Tom Turkey. Kim's doing a little booty-pop, no extra charge. At the end of the race we danced to the Hokey Pokey song that was playing on the loudspeakers and we were the only adults doing it. We continued to "shake it all about" until we completed all the verses of the Hokey Pokey. I LOVE my friends!!!
Kim's 14 year old son Stockton took 2nd place in the 14 and under category. We decided we should have signed up for the 40 and up category (even though we are only 39) because it would've upped our odds. 
Here's Stockton getting his 2nd place ribbon and Christmas tree ornament he won. Kim keep carrying it around so people would think she won 2nd place.
Theresa was soooo excited about her number. She wore it the whole way home and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she wears it all week.
So the truth is (because the truth will set you free or so I've heard) we were the world's slowest runners but there were still a lot of people behind us. We were faster than everyone who slept in and didn't do a 5K this AM. To be fair, we walked 80% of this 5K. The reasons are sound: Theresa has a majorly hurt knee and the doctor told her not to run, I have a minorly hurt knee and it keeps swelling up (what the crap? why does it keep swelling?), and Kim doesn't like to sweat. So we ran probably .5 miles and walked 2.7. Today I realized what a girl I am. If I were a man I would've left them in the dust at the starting line, not felt bad about it, and rubbed it in at the end that I was so much faster than them. But because I am a girl I stayed with them until the end (then I admit it I showed off and smoked them), but I waited for them on the sidewalk so we could all cross the finish line together and I only rubbed it in a little (sort of medium maybe) that I am faster. But they are cuter, so it evens out. Oh and my race shirt is too small. It's not really but I had to throw that in for Kim because she thinks I have a body image disorder. I don't have a disorder, I have a mirror. Fact!
Check the matching zebra striped headbands I bought for us. So our foreheads and ears don't get cold while we run. I hate it when my forehead is cold when I run!!! A reporter for the Davis County Clipper took our picture in our headbands. Here I am doing a runners take your mark pose pre-race... You should've seen the looks I got for doing this. But it's all about what makes me laugh. We posed with Tom Turkey. Kim's doing a little booty-pop, no extra charge. At the end of the race we danced to the Hokey Pokey song that was playing on the loudspeakers and we were the only adults doing it. We continued to "shake it all about" until we completed all the verses of the Hokey Pokey. I LOVE my friends!!!Kim's 14 year old son Stockton took 2nd place in the 14 and under category. We decided we should have signed up for the 40 and up category (even though we are only 39) because it would've upped our odds. Here's Stockton getting his 2nd place ribbon and Christmas tree ornament he won. Kim keep carrying it around so people would think she won 2nd place.Theresa was soooo excited about her number. She wore it the whole way home and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she wears it all week.So the truth is (because the truth will set you free or so I've heard) we were the world's slowest runners but there were still a lot of people behind us. We were faster than everyone who slept in and didn't do a 5K this AM. To be fair, we walked 80% of this 5K. The reasons are sound: Theresa has a majorly hurt knee and the doctor told her not to run, I have a minorly hurt knee and it keeps swelling up (what the crap? why does it keep swelling?), and Kim doesn't like to sweat. So we ran probably .5 miles and walked 2.7. Today I realized what a girl I am. If I were a man I would've left them in the dust at the starting line, not felt bad about it, and rubbed it in at the end that I was so much faster than them. But because I am a girl I stayed with them until the end (then I admit it I showed off and smoked them), but I waited for them on the sidewalk so we could all cross the finish line together and I only rubbed it in a little (sort of medium maybe) that I am faster. But they are cuter, so it evens out. Oh and my race shirt is too small. It's not really but I had to throw that in for Kim because she thinks I have a body image disorder. I don't have a disorder, I have a mirror. Fact!
Photo 25 of 30: Turkey Day, Grandma, and Tarts
On Thanksgiving the only thing better than what's on the table is what's around the table. Except I REALLY missed Madi and Grace today. Boo! I NEED some Madi and Grace time. My brother, Wade, from Seattle and my sister, Amber, from Florida were both here and they still love each other: 
I was grumpy today. Thanksgiving is a bad day to be grumpy. My teenagers were bickering and they were on my LAST NERVE. Plus my husband is done with me. Shayla was melting down. I am exhausted and overwhelmed and so far behind I've officially (seriously, for real, officially) given up instead of trying to catch up. Hell's bells people can't we just hold it together for one family meal??? But then I was cheered up when I got to go see this little piece of heaven. This is my amazingly awesome F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S Grandma. I bear hugged her, I should be gentle, I may break her. 
I love love love my Grandma. She didn't raise any weak women. I freaking *heart* my Grandma!!!
I was grumpy today. Thanksgiving is a bad day to be grumpy. My teenagers were bickering and they were on my LAST NERVE. Plus my husband is done with me. Shayla was melting down. I am exhausted and overwhelmed and so far behind I've officially (seriously, for real, officially) given up instead of trying to catch up. Hell's bells people can't we just hold it together for one family meal??? But then I was cheered up when I got to go see this little piece of heaven. This is my amazingly awesome F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S Grandma. I bear hugged her, I should be gentle, I may break her. I love love love my Grandma. She didn't raise any weak women. I freaking *heart* my Grandma!!! And my wonderful Mom made my tart. This tradition has been going since I was 3 years old. My mom makes pies and tarts for Thanksgiving. When I was little I would help her. I didn't like the crust on the tarts, and I wanted more raspberry, so my Mom would take the last little bit of pie crust and make me a less crust tons-o-raspberry tart you see in the top right. EVERY year (without fail) my Mom makes me my own little tart for Thanksgiving. Cool huh! 
Nov 25, 2009
Photo 24 of 30: We Don't Workout, We Danceout
Jill's move from Snow College to Utah State is costing me a fortune. Didn't realize how little we were paying at Snow. This move is for the best. I wholeheartedly support it. And therefore I'm happy to pay for it. College is not optional in my house. It's a requirement. This requirement is non-negotiable for all 5 of my children. No wiggle room. You go to college. The way I see it, I can either pay for it now or pay for it later. If you have kids start saving now, because Jill is on an academic scholarship and it still costs me a fortune. I don't know what I'm going to do when I have the 3 kids that are a year apart in college. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. Today's photo is not about Jill's giant college party with a $4,000 cover charge. It's about Zumba:
Breaking it down:
Breaking it down: 1. Zumba is aerobics to Latin music. (Good news Mom, there is no pole!!!) It's fast and high energy and a total workout. Don't come to Zumba looking good, because you won't when you leave. We look like crap walking outta there.
2. I cannot believe I am posting a photo of me all hot and sweaty with my mouth open yelling. We (mostly me) yell a lot during Zumba. We yell to each other. We cat call. We yell stupid things and funny things. We yell Spanish words. We are loud. No one else yells but us.
3. I have on a purple scarf with metal on it that makes a clinking noise when you move your salsa hips. Kim is wearing a green scarf. We are clinking the heck out of them.
4. I hope you can see Kim's face in the background. She's hilarious! We're good at Zumba. So good in fact that moments after this photo was taken our salsa moves were so hot that we set the hardwood floor on fire. I'm exaggerating. We actually do DLI Zumba. Dance Like an Idiot Zumba.
5. I love love love going to work out with my friends. It makes working out so much better to have my buddies along.
Nov 24, 2009
Photo 23 of 30: Warning Trespassers Will Be Violated
First, I actually said the title of this post today on accident while reading a sign. Yes, there were multiple witnesses. Yes, they laughed. Yes, I am their boss. Yes, you have reason to be concerned about important things that are in my span of control and I can't even read a sign. No, no one filed a sexual harassment grievance against me for saying that (yet). Yes, there were multiple volunteers to trespass to see what I would do. No, I did not actually violate anyone (yet). Yes, I am an idiot.
The hardest part about this 30 Photos in 30 Days challenge is that I don't live a life where things are interesting to blog about every day. Like cleaning out closets yesterday- Super Boring! No one cares. But someone must because I've had over 400 hits on this blog each week for the last 3 weeks. Seriously? Who gives a rat's bum about my silly life? So if the high-intensity, edge-of-your-seat drama of closet cleaning yesterday was popular, wait until you see today's adventure packed photos. I am a mammal of action! You'll recall I broke my nail on a cowbell a few days back in this post. Well I broke another nail as well on my thumb yesterday and today I got them fixed.
Talking it through:
And then a whole bunch of people who work for me moved one of my employees into her new Townhouse. At the storage shed is where I read the title for this post. There were a TON of people and a TON of trucks. My employees are the best. Great people!!! 
And I am pleased to report that both SUVs are back in the garage. We STILL had crap in the garage after getting carpet 100 years ago (ok a month, I exagerate) and we hadn't moved it back into the house. Thanks Chris!!! It's been a long time coming!
Pretty boring day! Posting every day is TOO much, don't you agree?
The hardest part about this 30 Photos in 30 Days challenge is that I don't live a life where things are interesting to blog about every day. Like cleaning out closets yesterday- Super Boring! No one cares. But someone must because I've had over 400 hits on this blog each week for the last 3 weeks. Seriously? Who gives a rat's bum about my silly life? So if the high-intensity, edge-of-your-seat drama of closet cleaning yesterday was popular, wait until you see today's adventure packed photos. I am a mammal of action! You'll recall I broke my nail on a cowbell a few days back in this post. Well I broke another nail as well on my thumb yesterday and today I got them fixed.
Talking it through:1. I do have three black nails and 2 white french tip nails on the same hand.
2. It hurts like a mutha to go from black nails to white nails. You have to grind the black all the way off to the bare nail and it's painful. So I took advantage of the fact that 2 were already more than halfway off and went to white on them to save myself some pain when I go white soon.
2. It hurts like a mutha to go from black nails to white nails. You have to grind the black all the way off to the bare nail and it's painful. So I took advantage of the fact that 2 were already more than halfway off and went to white on them to save myself some pain when I go white soon.
3. I am wearing black polish over the white so they all look black.
4. I'll slowly transition to all white and then I'll wear the white for a while. I will quickly tire of white and go back to the black. My nails spend about 9 months black and 3 months white in a year. I often joke about doing every other one or one hand black and one hand white.
So the other exciting thing that happened today was that my AWESOME Deputy vacuumed my office for no reason. Here he is keeping it gangster.
And then a whole bunch of people who work for me moved one of my employees into her new Townhouse. At the storage shed is where I read the title for this post. There were a TON of people and a TON of trucks. My employees are the best. Great people!!! And I am pleased to report that both SUVs are back in the garage. We STILL had crap in the garage after getting carpet 100 years ago (ok a month, I exagerate) and we hadn't moved it back into the house. Thanks Chris!!! It's been a long time coming!Nov 23, 2009
Photo 22 of 30: Space The Final Frontier, Our Closets Now Have These Frontiers
Tonight for Family Home Evening (Mormon event held on Monday night where families do activities together) we played a "game" where each child was given a sack and I set a timer for 15 minutes. Each person had 15 minutes to go to their bedroom and fill the sack with things to give to charity, and race back to the couch. This is what we ended up with-- 9 1/2 BAGS!
Here's the deal:
1. I thought my teenagers would grumble and moan about how "lame" it was to do this. But they actually got really into it and had fun racing about grabbing their too small and outgrown things. They fell for the old work can be a game trick. How Mary Freaking Poppins am I???
2. 90% of what we got rid of are clothes that are too small.
3. We give a lot away because none of my kids can do hand me downs. Jill, Paige, and Carrie are all shaped so different that they can hardly share anything (Jill and Paige can share shoes) and Mike is an only boy and Shayla is so much younger...
4. Madi and Grace don't worry there is a sack for you (and it has a lot of Hollister in it) and Keli I have a sack full of Hurley and Nike for Hudson. The rest is going to DI.
5. Chad is a hoarder (but an extremely organized hoarder so I have no room to talk) and it took all of our trying to have him get rid of 5 shirts. The good news is that Paige convinced him to give up the gray shirt with purple sleeves with the buffalo on it that he's had since high school that he still wears. (insert Hallelujah Chorus here)
6. You'll see there are 6 of us and 9 1/2 sacks. Paige filled 2 sacks, I filled 2 1/2 sacks, and Shayla filled 2 sacks.
7. I put the dress I wore when I married Chad in a sack to go to DI. It still fits *arm pump* but I'll never wear it again. I'm not one for sentimental crap and it's taking up closet space. It's outta here. I also got rid of a pair of high waisted Mom Jeans that I swear I look fierce in.
8. We have a ton of clothes and my kids all insist they have nothing to wear. Once again I'm ready to go and you don't have pants on. Typical.
Here's the deal:1. I thought my teenagers would grumble and moan about how "lame" it was to do this. But they actually got really into it and had fun racing about grabbing their too small and outgrown things. They fell for the old work can be a game trick. How Mary Freaking Poppins am I???
2. 90% of what we got rid of are clothes that are too small.
3. We give a lot away because none of my kids can do hand me downs. Jill, Paige, and Carrie are all shaped so different that they can hardly share anything (Jill and Paige can share shoes) and Mike is an only boy and Shayla is so much younger...
4. Madi and Grace don't worry there is a sack for you (and it has a lot of Hollister in it) and Keli I have a sack full of Hurley and Nike for Hudson. The rest is going to DI.
5. Chad is a hoarder (but an extremely organized hoarder so I have no room to talk) and it took all of our trying to have him get rid of 5 shirts. The good news is that Paige convinced him to give up the gray shirt with purple sleeves with the buffalo on it that he's had since high school that he still wears. (insert Hallelujah Chorus here)
6. You'll see there are 6 of us and 9 1/2 sacks. Paige filled 2 sacks, I filled 2 1/2 sacks, and Shayla filled 2 sacks.
7. I put the dress I wore when I married Chad in a sack to go to DI. It still fits *arm pump* but I'll never wear it again. I'm not one for sentimental crap and it's taking up closet space. It's outta here. I also got rid of a pair of high waisted Mom Jeans that I swear I look fierce in.
8. We have a ton of clothes and my kids all insist they have nothing to wear. Once again I'm ready to go and you don't have pants on. Typical.
Nov 22, 2009
Photo 21 of 30: Whenever I Put Dishes In The Dishwasher I Hear The Tetris Theme Song In My Head
Shayla's primary teacher at church told her that she should help her Mom. Great advice! Shayla jumped right on it. She came home and did the dishes to help me. I wasn't paying much attention as she pushed over a stool, filled the sink, and started washing. She did a great job. We just had one small problem...
Photo facts:
1. This bottle of Dawn was close to FULL before Shayla washed the dishes. It is now completely empty.
2. Seriously a full bottle of Dawn down the sink in less than 10 minutes.
3. She gets this heredity trait from her Grandma Gayla who believes if a little is good, a lot is better. :-)
4. She's so cute and was so helpful and she was doing what her teacher said. It was very funny.
5. The dishes in the sink were so slimy and bubbly from the Dawn bath they soaked in that they had to be rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed before they could go in the dishwasher.
6. I love this girl and her helpful heart!!!
Photo facts:1. This bottle of Dawn was close to FULL before Shayla washed the dishes. It is now completely empty.
2. Seriously a full bottle of Dawn down the sink in less than 10 minutes.
3. She gets this heredity trait from her Grandma Gayla who believes if a little is good, a lot is better. :-)
4. She's so cute and was so helpful and she was doing what her teacher said. It was very funny.
5. The dishes in the sink were so slimy and bubbly from the Dawn bath they soaked in that they had to be rinsed and rinsed and rinsed and rinsed before they could go in the dishwasher.
6. I love this girl and her helpful heart!!!
Fall Is The Only Time When It's Acceptable For Children To Play In Dead Vegitation
We finally got around to raking up the leaves. We don't have a lot of leaves, but what we did have needed to be picked up. We (of course) had to jump in the leaves. Look at this cutie who has just jumped in. She's 20 pounds of crazy in a 5 pound bag!
After Shayla jumped in, we raked them up again and I jumped in. I look awesome. No makeup. Go me! We are nuts. We've known we were nuts since the squirrels started looking at us funny.
Rake, rinse, repeat. Then Chad jumped in.
Then we put all the leaves in the trash and we threw Shayla in to smash them down. The highlight of her day was getting into the garbage can. She is easily amused. We will have to remember this for next time she tells us she is bored.
After Shayla jumped in, we raked them up again and I jumped in. I look awesome. No makeup. Go me! We are nuts. We've known we were nuts since the squirrels started looking at us funny.
Rake, rinse, repeat. Then Chad jumped in.
Then we put all the leaves in the trash and we threw Shayla in to smash them down. The highlight of her day was getting into the garbage can. She is easily amused. We will have to remember this for next time she tells us she is bored.
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