IT'S HOT OUT THERE (and I am cranky!)

Isn't it strange how we are really never happy about the weather. A few weeks ago we complained because it rained for 40 days and 40 nights (or so it seemed). Now the heat just won't let up. I really try to have a good attitude about the weather and that we shouldn't take it for granted and that we are blessed to live where we do, with all of the great seasons and weather changes--but--I am hot, hot, hot, and I am MELting!
Andrew was so hot the other night, I stripped him down to a diaper to help him sleep. I only wish I could have done the same.
Tonight I took the kids out at 7:00 p.m. to the pool (kiddie pool, mind you) and I was miserable. I even stuck Andrew's feet in and splashed him once in a while to keep him cooled off.
I realize I don't live in St. George, Las Vegas or even Phoenix (as one of my friends pointed out--I am wimpy about the heat and she's from Salt Lake and lives in Tucson), but have I ever mentioned how much I hate the heat!!! I am not comfortable in it, never have been and never will be. And it just gets worse with age. Anything over 75 degrees--just count me out of the energy cycle and give me a nice big cool swimming pool or set me over the air vent in the living room. It's so much easier to get warm when you are cold--no matter how hot you are, you can only take off EVERYTHING and still be HOT!!!

GEORGE STRAIT CONCERT

I love MUSIC. Music in any form, with the exception of Rap (crap is a much closer verb) and Twang, Bluegrass. My mom wrote up a blurb about me one time for the singles newsletter in my singles ward that stated--She likes anything from Classical to Country. I was raised with music in our home, but more importantly, I was raised with a lot of COUNTRY MUSIC. I like country music. I don't apologize for it, so I am going to tell you about my first real love and then my second.
I grew up in the late 60's and 70's; growing up with the likes of the Beatles, Grass Roots, Monkees, the Mama's and the Papas, Neil Diamond, Gordon Lightfoot, John Denver, The Carpenters, The Jackson 5, The Osmond Brothers, Abba, Kansas, Boston, Rod Stewart (of which I will tell you I am a bit of a closet fan) -- you name them, I probably know a few of their songs. I also love music from Show tunes, Broadway, the Forties and Fifties. But being brought up with country music, We also listened to a lot of Marty Robbins, Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Lynn Anderson, Mac Davis, Glen Cambell, just to name a few.
But the first love of my life--yes, the love of my life, was well, when I was 12--okay--brace--yourself-- was Donny Osmond (is that really a surprise from a teenage Mormon girl). Yep, I can still tell you when his birthday is. I had a few purple outfits, my own purple socks, had all of his albums (in the form of black vinyl records), taped his pictures to my wall. I went all out with this guy. I knew all the lyrics to all of his songs. And then I grew up and fell in love with George Strait.


That being said, George Strait has been around in the music business for a long time by today's standards. This man is appealing for several reasons. He has a great love of his family, he knows how to ride a horse (this wasn't the clincher, but he can so ride a horse) , his voice is very pleasant to listen to, and he looks great in a pair of Wrangler Jeans and looks wonderful in blue or pink western shirts, he is a gentleman and he isn't too showy and he isn't a glitz and glamour man like a lot of the stars, he is modest and doesn't go overboard on fame. He has a half cocked grin that would send most women into a major swoon--as he does me. I was reading the other day on a friend's facebook sight about his wife and a silent love affair she has with Matt Lauer. He said, " I love my wife and she loves Matt Lauer." Well Keith would definitely say that about me and King George. I love my wife and she loves George Strait. And he is okay with that, because face it--I have been married to Keith for nearly 13 years, I have loved George for nearly 30 years.
Here are a few of his pictures (they are a bit grainy)--the last two are pictures are the pix I took on my little rinky dink digital at the concert. It was a very nice concert once we got to the venue. But that is another story for another day! I don't want to go on for days about that, because it will just make me really mad all over again.

So now you know who my silent love affair is with. And truth be told, I wouldn't know what to do with him if he did come to my house. I would probably sit and gawk and wouldn't know what to say. I also feel that all people should have some level of privacy and I wouldn't call anyone and tell them he was here( more than likely because I would want him for myself and wouldn't remember how to use the phone).
So now the truth is out: I am just a regular type of person, with regular dreams and fantasies, just like everyone else.

TAGGED (again)

8 things I did Yesterday:

Cleaned the kitchen (oh it was BAD,)
Did the kids laundry,
Took a shower,
Cooked dinner ( it was really breakfast),
Had a manicure and pedicure (i always feel better after these, actually I really like the massage chair for my back!),
Put gas in the car,
Went to Arby's,
Went to Walgreens.

8 things I am looking forward to:

All children out of diapers (only one to go),
Children going to school at the same time,
Going back to school and getting my degree (after the kids are back in school),
Going on another cruise (hopefully Alaska next year),
Having my house finished (yeah right),
Hhaving my backyard finished (more hopeful there)
Getting a NEW car,
Losing at least 500 lbs--(o.k. that's an exaggeration, but you get the idea!)

8 Favorite shows:
This was very hard because I watch little television--now if I had to answer about kids shows I could have rattled these off in a heartbeat)

Extreme Home Makeover,
Are you Smarter Than a Fifth Grader,
Americas Funnniest Videos,
ANY Remodeling shows with easy ideas,
Reruns of: I Dream of Jeanie
Bewitched,
Gidget &
The Andy Griffith Show (I am old, what else can I say?)

8 Favorite Restaurants:

Goodwood
Lonestar,
Outback Steakhouse,
Macaroni Grill,
Rumbi's
Sam Pan,
Cafe Trang, and of course
HIRES

I tag Liz, Brenna, Kerri, KoriAnn, Shanda, and anyone who reads this post--yes that means you!

CLAUSTROPHOPIA!

If you see me with a glazed over look in my eyes --it's true, they are glazed over and with good reason.

Instead of having these cute kids 80% of the time, after this week we will have them 100% of the time. Yes, I said 100%. The house will be busting at the seams and claustrophobia will be setting in.

You heard it here first. No, we haven't gone to court to gain full custody. No, mom and dad didn't walk out and say they never want to see them again. As a matter of fact, mom and dad are coming along too. All five will be here for 3-4 months, maybe longer, who knows.
I'm really not sure who I am or what we were thinking. Oh, and just for the record, it wasn't me who gave in. I told Kassie she had to talk with Keith about it and the first words out of his mouth were, "Of course you can come here, this is YOUR HOME!!! Stay as long as you need!"

STAY AS LONG AS YOU NEED--what are you saying!!! He is definitely CRAZY! I have to get him in soon, and very soon, to see a doctor, quite possibly a psychiatrist

If you haven't seen me around in awhile, check at the little white house at the top of the hill in Provo, Utah. I am going to rename my Blog the Funny Farm, with good reason.

ACTIVITY DAYS CAMP 2009

Nestled a few short minutes East of Salt Lake City sits a small campground that was the setting for this years Activity Days Camp for Primary Girls, ages 8 through 11.
This was my thir year to attend and frankly, I have had a blast each time I have gone. The girls gain a greater appreciation for nature, one another and for the Lord.

This year's focus was on "NATURE". And nature it was. It was in a campgrownd set just yards off of the highway and just below the Olympic Ski Jump in Kimball Juction (just outside of Park City). It is covered with meadows and Aspen trees that go on forever. Wildflowers grow in abundance and thanks to Mother Nature and her bouts of crying this year, it was green, green, green.

We had 8 beautiful, talented,and lively girls in attendance this year. Emily, Sophie, Isabelle, Naomi, Emma, Maddy, Jasmine and Keara. Along with Sister's Debbie Craven, Prisca Ranck, and myself. We all did our part and thanks to Sis. Ranck for the Nature Walk portion of the activity.

Sister Craven assisted Sis. Paula Allen (of the Stake Primary Presidency) with her Vanna White Qualities in helping show the girls how to make Camp Iron Turnovers. Now if you don't know Sis. Craven, she doesn't consider herself a camper by any stretch of the imagination. She said that she has been camping twice--once when she was younger (argh) and the next time 4 years ago when she and Brian were a Ma & Pa for Youth Trek! (what a way to break yourself in!!) She acted as though she was an old pro at the camping lifestyle. Way to go Debbie!!!!

Sister Ranck is one with Nature. She is an old pro at this stuff--she taught the girls how to determine how old a tree is by counting it's rings or by measuring with a string and determining an approximate age by circumfrance. After all of the hiking and tree information, the girls went on to make tree cookie necklaces, taught by Sis Dayna Shoel, our Stake Primary President. She is another a woman who is one with Nature. Thank you Sis. Shoel and Sis Ranck for the fun the girls had.. They really did enjoy it.

Sis. Linette Masters was in charge of helping the girls make Marshmallow Shooters and this was a big hit with everyone, including Sister Ranck who felt she needed to have her own shooter. I'm not sure why she felt so inclined, but maybe she wants to have a battle out with Keara and her marshmallow shooter. Watch out Keara--mom is ready to attack.

Sis. Sheri Tesseyman was delegated to the Relay Race portion of our activities. The girls learned what they need to do in order to communicate with others and follow directions and also that those directions should be taken from one person at a time. They were to walk on "boarded skiis" with rope and four girls at a time on each ski--to their fellow skiers waiting at the finish line,only for them to return to the starting line. It was a bit difficult at first, but they finally managed to get those skiis off the ground and in this case "stepping".

After all the fun we settled down to a nice luncheon of roll sandwiches, watermelon, grapes, chips, and cold water or lemonade. As you can tell from the picture of Sophie the watermelon was "DELICIOUS" with a capital "D through S".

It was definitely hot, but none of the girls seemed to be bothered by the heat. Of course they weren't; they are younger than we are. All of the girls had a great time, at least that's what they told us. But they did it with a smile on their faces. We are looking forward to next years activity already. Way to go Wilford Stake Primary Leaders.

ANGELS (a.k.a. Young Men) IN SHORTS AND T-SHIRTS

When we moved into this ward (Grandview 2nd) nearly 9 years ago, my mom said hesitantly that she wasn't sure we would like the ward. Oh great, because we were coming from a ward that we absolutely adored and loved and we weren't wanting to leave in the first place. We actually left our Kimball Mill Ward in Bountiful kicking and screaming and we loved Bountiful and didn't want to leave in the first place.

We arrived here at the first part of November and I have to say that if I were told I had to move today, I would be leaving here kicking and screaming. I might easily move back to Bountiful--I loved it there (but I love Highland Park too). But I would have to take my entire ward with me. We have made a lot of good friends, lifetime friends and we really aren't sure why she was worried in the first place. We were made to feel welcome from the first Sunday that we went to church.

Several Sundays ago I was speaking with one of our Young Men leaders, Jeff, who happens to be the husband of my darling friend Liz, and were discussing what needed to be done to get our sidewalk taken out. Our other friends, the Cravens, were taking theirs out too, but not for the same reasons we were. Jeff talked to us about some things that need to be done and later, suggested that we go in together with having our sidewalks poured at the same time to save time and money.

Well as luck would have it, the rain has postponed a lot of working on this project for both families and frankly, Keith and I just couldn't do this physically with our backs. Jeff then suggested that they have the Young Men come over and do it as a Service Project. Great Idea Jeff!!! And I said, I would feed them--not just a drinks and a doughnut, but real food--barbecued Hamburgers and Hot Dogs.

Keith didn't get the grill put together in time, but the George Foreman came in handy for grilling up those patties and dogs.

Those boys and leaders came over and set to work straight away. When it was mentioned that food was involved there were no complaints from any of those growing boys.

These guys worked their guts out and a lot of sweat was pouring out over the flagstone that I insisted that we keep to do a patio in the back yard. So Mom, we are not getting rid of the sidewalk, it will just take on a different form in the back yard.

I also have to give huge KUDOS to the newest of the Young Men (Logan Staley, Josh Broom, Colton Atkinson, Josh Green, and Bo Midgley) who really worked harder than most--except of course the leaders (Thanks a bunch Scott and Doug a.k.a Steve.) and big thanks to Jonathon Hernandez, who worked hard enough that he worked off 3 Cheese Ham Dogs and lots of watermelon. You earned every bite. And Josh Green, don't ever let it be said that you can't do something because you are smaller than the other boys--you may be small but you are MIGHTY and deserve a lot of respect from your peers. Keep up the great work. And you can certainly handle a sledge hammer. Any of these boys can. Chandler and Jordan Midgley, thank you for all of your hard work. Did I leave out anyone?

Those boys who are still in Primary for 5 more months, they worked there 12 year old hearts out hearts out tonight. I am so proud of all of you. It really makes me happy to see all of the hard work that has gone into teaching and structuring all of you has paid off. And big KUDOS to all of their parents for teaching them the proper principles of serving others.

We certainly appreciate all that you did for us tonight and are grateful for all of your hard work and service not only in our behalf, but in others as well.

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sorry about the double photos--this just lets you know how hard they really worked on this project!! (my downloading is doing some funcky things)