we went through 2 weeks of Homeschool. I have to admit, although I was slightly intimidated by the idea, I really, surprisingly, enjoyed it! wow!
I did give my kids the chance to decide for themselves if they would rather be homeschooled or go to school (I knew what Gabe would choose). I was hoping they would both choose homeschool since I really got used to them being such awesome help around the house and with the baby.
Gabe was obvious. He could hardly wait for an excuse not to have to endure another day in the corner at public school. He has been begging to be homeschooled for a couple of years actually, so yes, he chose to be home.
Evan, on the other hand, was frustrated with me that I could not keep up with him. he was often waiting for me to figure out how to do all that 5th grade math stuff that I had forgotten and needed to "google" before I could explain in to him. He told me he learns better with a "real teacher". Oh how I tried to talk him into staying home and explained that we could get a "real teacher" he could talk to and still be home. He said "no thanks, I need a real recess and soccer and my friends too mom."
bummer He was such a good babysitter for those days I needed to go take care of things and leave the baby at home. I will miss my 11 year old free child care. He's a cool kid though and I am glad he was clear-headed about his decision and I will respect it as long as he continues to do well in school and our home life is not too upside down. know what I mean?
If Bill takes the job where he may be gone a week at a time, I may need Evan's help again. and He may have no choice but to be homeschooled. Time will tell.
For now, Evan goes back, Gabe stays home. I think it might work. maybe I can "school" some responsibility into my 9 year old hyper kid. we'll see.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
To School or not to School, that is the question...
whether tis nobler to sacrifice the quiet sanctity when all kids are away or to keep my sanity and send them off for some other poor sap to try and corral them... and... whatever...
Our community has a Whooping cough or Pertussis (sp?) outbreak and all non-immunized kids have to go home for nearly a month until this passes. AND kids whose California pediatrician and new Utah Pediatrician back in the year 2001 lost immunization records - well, those kids have to go home too if you can't prove they were immunized and you don't want to re-do them all (such is the case with my 2 oldest boys, Evan and Gabe). SO we get to try "home-school" for 30 days and see what we think.
Today was day one of the teachers sending home work for them to do for the next 2 weeks. DUUUDE! they blasted through it! I could not believe it. in fact I handed Evan his packet of math and said go as far as you can go. He stopped after 3 pages of math work and said "Mom, I better not pass up my class. I need to stop because normally this is where I stare off into space and wait for the rest of the class to catch up."
Gabe (almost 9years old) normally sits in the corner of the class because he has a few behavior problems connected to his easily distracted way, and he refuses to work and lives in a fantasy world. I handed him his packet and said "get as much done as fast as you can in any subject you want." so he grabbed the mapping stuff and did 3 pages in 15 minutes - something the teacher at school has to pull teeth to get him to do. I told him I was proud of him and gave him a piece of Chocolate and he asked if he could get more done tomorrow and get ahead and then started talking about if he could go to college when he was 12. Hmmmm.... he does love learning, he just has a hard time learning in a crowd and Evan is ready to just blast through the grade right now. I guess the school district and this pertussis thing was what I needed to finally decide to see what I could do for these 2 boys. So even when this whooping cough thing blows over, the public school system may not see these boys for a couple of years. we'll see. I told them it was a 30 day trial. SO far so good - Day one.
I'll keep you all posted...
Our community has a Whooping cough or Pertussis (sp?) outbreak and all non-immunized kids have to go home for nearly a month until this passes. AND kids whose California pediatrician and new Utah Pediatrician back in the year 2001 lost immunization records - well, those kids have to go home too if you can't prove they were immunized and you don't want to re-do them all (such is the case with my 2 oldest boys, Evan and Gabe). SO we get to try "home-school" for 30 days and see what we think.
Today was day one of the teachers sending home work for them to do for the next 2 weeks. DUUUDE! they blasted through it! I could not believe it. in fact I handed Evan his packet of math and said go as far as you can go. He stopped after 3 pages of math work and said "Mom, I better not pass up my class. I need to stop because normally this is where I stare off into space and wait for the rest of the class to catch up."
Gabe (almost 9years old) normally sits in the corner of the class because he has a few behavior problems connected to his easily distracted way, and he refuses to work and lives in a fantasy world. I handed him his packet and said "get as much done as fast as you can in any subject you want." so he grabbed the mapping stuff and did 3 pages in 15 minutes - something the teacher at school has to pull teeth to get him to do. I told him I was proud of him and gave him a piece of Chocolate and he asked if he could get more done tomorrow and get ahead and then started talking about if he could go to college when he was 12. Hmmmm.... he does love learning, he just has a hard time learning in a crowd and Evan is ready to just blast through the grade right now. I guess the school district and this pertussis thing was what I needed to finally decide to see what I could do for these 2 boys. So even when this whooping cough thing blows over, the public school system may not see these boys for a couple of years. we'll see. I told them it was a 30 day trial. SO far so good - Day one.
I'll keep you all posted...
Monday, November 17, 2008
Twilight Page
I am participating in the movie premier party for the Twilight deal. No, I have not read the books. Yes, I know I suck that I am going to the party thing and have not read the books. But it gets better...
I get to be a vendor and have a booth. we are going to be taking people's pictures and loading them into this digital page I created. I decided I am a much better digital scrapbooker than a paper one. I was really struggling with what kind of design and what items to use when I decided to try it digitally. I love it!
so people at the party will get their pictures taken for $1.50. Then I load all the pictures into seperate pages and load them onto cmphotocenter where they can then order them to be shipped to their homes.
My cost: only the cost of setting up the booth! whoo-hoo! I am so stoked!
Friday, October 24, 2008
we are at war...
I am sad.
I have received numerous e-mails and newspaper links to what is happening in California surrounding the issue of Prop 8. This is the proposition once again trying to define marriage as only legal between a man and a woman.
To be honest, I didn't think this should be such a big deal. why would it be so important that we only allow that kind of holy union between and man and a woman and not allow others that same privilege. I have family and many friends that are in same sex relationships that I have deep respect, love and even admiration for their great human qualities. Why would I want to deny them the right to be married to the person they love? The first reason I was willing to support the defining of marriage as stated in Prop 8 was only because I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I do believe in a living prophet that communes with God. I do not know all things and I am willing to obey the prophet of God. I have a testimony in living prophets that I am so thankful for.
I am an open-minded person for the most part. I decided to read about both sides of the argument as presented by the proper parties involved. I read the oppositions point of view and I read the supporters point of view. I have watched multiple videos, read e-mails and have studied the issue.
Now why would I do this? I am not even voting in California? well... it truly matters to the world how this voting goes. and it matters that we speak now before it hits the rest of the nation.
In California "Domestic partners" have the same rights and privileges as married couples already. so to say that a couple in a same sex relationship is missing out on the rights that a married couple has is simply not true. they have the same rights to property, visitation and other considerations that are legally given to married couples. so why are they fighting for the right to be married in the public eye?
The only reason I can think of is to be able to force the world to have a legal obligation to accept it as moral behavior. we have seen the ramifications of it in Massachusetts as churches that refuse to give marriage ceremonies to gay couples have lost tax exemption status and the right to be a church when they were sued. etc... Parents have gone to jail for refusing to allow schools to just send home information for kindegartners about what constitutes a family. the Story of a king and a king getting married are shared with young children because it is now asked to be acceptable and moral to all of us regardless of our deep religious beliefs.
This is war and now I am in danger of being called a bigot by my friends an family that are fighting for the right for same sex marriage. I love you my friends. I love the good that many of you have and put out there for the world. many of my good friends are highly educated, kind-hearted, service oriented and wonderful human beings that just have a lifestyle I cannot accept as something I want to have to teach my children about as okay and moral.
I really believe this battle will reach all of us in every state and every country in the world. both sides are unwilling to give. so get ready. prepare yourself for a real battle in which friends and family will be divided. I am scared to lose friends I love dearly. But no-one can tell me that I MUST accept and teach something as okay that I know God did not intend for us.
on another side of this argument of same-sex marriage ... I have had a lot of thinking to do about same sex attraction as another dear friend of mine "came out". She and I were raised in the same faith. She served a mission, she was an example to me of faith. I looked up to her on so many levels. when I expressed my sadness about her lifestyle she was shocked that I would feel so upset. after all it was her life. she told me that she had struggled with this her whole life and had gone to counseling and had been fighting it and now was tired of the fight. That she is settled and happier.
That was hard for me to listen to. I understood how hard she must have fought it. I understood how she must be tired. But I could not accept that she came to earth with those tendencies. I refused to believe it. How could a loving God put a child of his on this earth with those struggles already in them. It just seemed wrong to me that she would claim to have struggled her whole life with this.
I prayed a lot for answers. I love and trust this individual and her judgment. she has always been of sound judgment for the most part so I was shaken more so with her statement than most of my casual college friends that are gay. I never prayed for answers when they told me about their sexual orientation. They were just a bunch of mixed up college kids. But when one of the dearest people and greatest examples in my world said she was this way - yeah - It was HARD for me to accept.
I refused to believe she was sent to earth with those tendencies. I absolutely refused to believe it.
I spent a lot of time crying and praying for answers.
One night I had a dream and it was very simple. there were just a few words that kept repeating in my mind over and over. I woke up because this dream was so intense. the words that came to me over and over were :
"I give unto men weaknesses..."
I remembered it as a portion of a scripture mastery learned in seminary and knew I needed to look up that scripture and read it more fully..
Ether 12:27
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
There were a lot of things that hit me hard as I read. I was wrong. She was right.
She was sent here to this earth with weaknesses. But her weaknesses were for a reason. The fight she gave up was one she was meant to fight. this was for her.
I have my own struggles and weaknesses that I fight. I may not understand hers. But they are hers and mine are mine. these weaknesses and tendencies are meant for us. they make us human. they give us opportunities for growth. I often kid around that the gay people I know are some of the better educated, dynamic, influential people in this world. I do not hate them. I love the ones I know (for the most part - there are always the exceptions of course). But I look at my friends and I recognize that Satan is fighting this war with some of the best of God's people that have been convinced to quit fighting such a difficult fight they've been given. They have been convinced that peace of mind comes from giving up the inner turmoil of trying to overcome something so difficult.
I believe it was Plato that said "the greatest victory is to defeat oneself. to be defeated by oneself is of all things, most shameful and vile."
back to the Prop 8 issue -
this is a long term battle of what is believed as moral behavior and rights to worship how one chooses versus the other side that sees this as a civil rights and equal opportunities to all human kind.
it is a difficult war and will be waged for many many years. I heard one gay man state that "the war for same sex marriages being legalized will be won. It is just a matter of when."
True or false - my job is to do my part for the side I believe in.
I quote
Moro. 9: 6
"6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."
In the end - Moroni did not win the battle. He died fighting it. The true victory is in ones self. The true battle is in each one of us as we choose apathy or our desire to keep on going when it seems to be lost.
so no matter which side will win - we do our part!
anyway - that is my soapbox. I love you my dear, sweet friend. But I must fight this fight against same sex marriage. it is something that may cause a rift in families and friendships but must be fought. I have tears in my eyes as I write this knowing full well that you, my dear friend, will not agree. I imagine the heartache that will come to many in the next several years and I ache.
with love...
I have received numerous e-mails and newspaper links to what is happening in California surrounding the issue of Prop 8. This is the proposition once again trying to define marriage as only legal between a man and a woman.
To be honest, I didn't think this should be such a big deal. why would it be so important that we only allow that kind of holy union between and man and a woman and not allow others that same privilege. I have family and many friends that are in same sex relationships that I have deep respect, love and even admiration for their great human qualities. Why would I want to deny them the right to be married to the person they love? The first reason I was willing to support the defining of marriage as stated in Prop 8 was only because I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and I do believe in a living prophet that communes with God. I do not know all things and I am willing to obey the prophet of God. I have a testimony in living prophets that I am so thankful for.
I am an open-minded person for the most part. I decided to read about both sides of the argument as presented by the proper parties involved. I read the oppositions point of view and I read the supporters point of view. I have watched multiple videos, read e-mails and have studied the issue.
Now why would I do this? I am not even voting in California? well... it truly matters to the world how this voting goes. and it matters that we speak now before it hits the rest of the nation.
In California "Domestic partners" have the same rights and privileges as married couples already. so to say that a couple in a same sex relationship is missing out on the rights that a married couple has is simply not true. they have the same rights to property, visitation and other considerations that are legally given to married couples. so why are they fighting for the right to be married in the public eye?
The only reason I can think of is to be able to force the world to have a legal obligation to accept it as moral behavior. we have seen the ramifications of it in Massachusetts as churches that refuse to give marriage ceremonies to gay couples have lost tax exemption status and the right to be a church when they were sued. etc... Parents have gone to jail for refusing to allow schools to just send home information for kindegartners about what constitutes a family. the Story of a king and a king getting married are shared with young children because it is now asked to be acceptable and moral to all of us regardless of our deep religious beliefs.
This is war and now I am in danger of being called a bigot by my friends an family that are fighting for the right for same sex marriage. I love you my friends. I love the good that many of you have and put out there for the world. many of my good friends are highly educated, kind-hearted, service oriented and wonderful human beings that just have a lifestyle I cannot accept as something I want to have to teach my children about as okay and moral.
I really believe this battle will reach all of us in every state and every country in the world. both sides are unwilling to give. so get ready. prepare yourself for a real battle in which friends and family will be divided. I am scared to lose friends I love dearly. But no-one can tell me that I MUST accept and teach something as okay that I know God did not intend for us.
on another side of this argument of same-sex marriage ... I have had a lot of thinking to do about same sex attraction as another dear friend of mine "came out". She and I were raised in the same faith. She served a mission, she was an example to me of faith. I looked up to her on so many levels. when I expressed my sadness about her lifestyle she was shocked that I would feel so upset. after all it was her life. she told me that she had struggled with this her whole life and had gone to counseling and had been fighting it and now was tired of the fight. That she is settled and happier.
That was hard for me to listen to. I understood how hard she must have fought it. I understood how she must be tired. But I could not accept that she came to earth with those tendencies. I refused to believe it. How could a loving God put a child of his on this earth with those struggles already in them. It just seemed wrong to me that she would claim to have struggled her whole life with this.
I prayed a lot for answers. I love and trust this individual and her judgment. she has always been of sound judgment for the most part so I was shaken more so with her statement than most of my casual college friends that are gay. I never prayed for answers when they told me about their sexual orientation. They were just a bunch of mixed up college kids. But when one of the dearest people and greatest examples in my world said she was this way - yeah - It was HARD for me to accept.
I refused to believe she was sent to earth with those tendencies. I absolutely refused to believe it.
I spent a lot of time crying and praying for answers.
One night I had a dream and it was very simple. there were just a few words that kept repeating in my mind over and over. I woke up because this dream was so intense. the words that came to me over and over were :
"I give unto men weaknesses..."
I remembered it as a portion of a scripture mastery learned in seminary and knew I needed to look up that scripture and read it more fully..
Ether 12:27
"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."
There were a lot of things that hit me hard as I read. I was wrong. She was right.
She was sent here to this earth with weaknesses. But her weaknesses were for a reason. The fight she gave up was one she was meant to fight. this was for her.
I have my own struggles and weaknesses that I fight. I may not understand hers. But they are hers and mine are mine. these weaknesses and tendencies are meant for us. they make us human. they give us opportunities for growth. I often kid around that the gay people I know are some of the better educated, dynamic, influential people in this world. I do not hate them. I love the ones I know (for the most part - there are always the exceptions of course). But I look at my friends and I recognize that Satan is fighting this war with some of the best of God's people that have been convinced to quit fighting such a difficult fight they've been given. They have been convinced that peace of mind comes from giving up the inner turmoil of trying to overcome something so difficult.
I believe it was Plato that said "the greatest victory is to defeat oneself. to be defeated by oneself is of all things, most shameful and vile."
back to the Prop 8 issue -
this is a long term battle of what is believed as moral behavior and rights to worship how one chooses versus the other side that sees this as a civil rights and equal opportunities to all human kind.
it is a difficult war and will be waged for many many years. I heard one gay man state that "the war for same sex marriages being legalized will be won. It is just a matter of when."
True or false - my job is to do my part for the side I believe in.
I quote
Moro. 9: 6
"6 And now, my beloved son, notwithstanding their hardness, let us labor diligently; for if we should cease to labor, we should be brought under condemnation; for we have a labor to perform whilst in this tabernacle of clay, that we may conquer the enemy of all righteousness, and rest our souls in the kingdom of God."
In the end - Moroni did not win the battle. He died fighting it. The true victory is in ones self. The true battle is in each one of us as we choose apathy or our desire to keep on going when it seems to be lost.
so no matter which side will win - we do our part!
anyway - that is my soapbox. I love you my dear, sweet friend. But I must fight this fight against same sex marriage. it is something that may cause a rift in families and friendships but must be fought. I have tears in my eyes as I write this knowing full well that you, my dear friend, will not agree. I imagine the heartache that will come to many in the next several years and I ache.
with love...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
UPS Saga Acts 1-4
I have always considered myself a very mellow laid back kind of person. I am truly a pacifist. I avoid all kinds of confrontation.
I was the mellow wanna be surfer chick that when I was threatened by someone I annoyed in High School, I was the one that said "dude, so sorry to be bugging you so bad." and I walk away.
Another person that wanted to beat me up because I was dating her ex-boyfriend got in my face to tell me how stupid I was for dating this guy and she told me later (after we became friends) that her purpose was to have a smack down with me that day during lunch. My response to her during that lunch break confrontation was "Dude, I know what you mean, I plan on breaking up with him soon anyway. You're right, he is a loser."
(notice those both started with "Dude"). well, that would be me normally - super mellow.
Yesterday was different
I had a bad yelling match with my UPS driver. - totally out of character for me. whatever happened to that mellow wanna be surfer chick from high school? maybe I moved too far away from the ocean? who knows?
so now you want the story right?
Okay so the other day I get this notice in the mail from UPS that says a package had been attempted to be delivered to me 3 times and now it was being returned to sender (actually it said it would be held in the office for a few days and if I responded before said date I could get it. But I didn't check my mail soon enough and missed that cut off date).
Well, there had never been a note on my door - EVER. So I was confused. I had no idea who the delivery was from since it had been sent from a UPS store in southern California and it had been sent back to them.
right, well I had no idea what to do. I though maybe the shipper would get it back and try to ship it again.
a week later my sister calls and asks why I was stupid enough to send the camera she sent me back to her. (nice $200 camera I am paying her $25 for - yeah, not wanting to send it back thank you). She thinks I am an idiot and says she is going to leave it at the UPS store and not pay for it to be shipped again and UPS needs to pay for it.
So... Now I know what it was, I know I want it and I am curious what the heck happened to those delivery notices I was supposed to get.
In mine and Bill's businesses we get deliveries at least 2 or 3 times a week. SO I had seen my UPS guy MANY times since he had claimed a delivery attempt and he never had mentioned anything to me about any problems about a delivery.
Yesterday the UPS guy shows up with a delivery at my door and I very calmly ask (in my most nicest and mellow voice)
" hey there, I was wondering if you knew anything about a package that was returned to sender that I received a notice in mail about?"
UPS guy (now referred to as "U"): (loud and irritated) I TRIED 3 TIMES TO GET THAT TO YOU, BUT YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR AND COULDN'T FIND YOU!
Me: (still mostly mellow) did you leave a note for me?
U: I DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE A NOTE WHEN I TALK TO A PERSON!
Me: (getting a little upset) Did you speak to an adult?
U: I DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK TO AN ADULT! I SPOKE TO YOUR KIDS!
ME: YOU NEED TO TALK TO AN ADULT OR LEAVE A NOTE! DID YOU DO EITHER ONE?
U: YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR AND I STOOD HERE FOREVER WAITING FOR YOU AND YOU NEVER SHOWED UP!
ME: BUT DID YOU LEAVE A NOTE? (the neighbor kids are walking me by and watching me yell at this man)
U: YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR i DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE A NOTE!
ME: AND ANOTHER THING, YOU HAVE DELIVERED MULTIPLE PACKAGES TO MY DOOR SINCE THAT DELIVERY ATTEMPT AND NEVER ONCE INFORMED ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY KIDS ANSWERING THE DOOR! i HAVE SEEN YOU FACE TO FACE, SEVERAL TIMES! YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING! MY KIDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EVEN ANSWER THE DOOR AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE A NOTE WHEN YOU ATTEMPT DELIVERY!
U: (again he insists as he heads back to his truck) I INFORMED YOUR KIDS ABOUT THE DELIVERY ATTEMPT! tHIS ISN'T EVEN MY REGULAR ROUTE! AND I EVEN CAME BACK TWICE IN ONCE DAY (yada yada yada...)
ME: (yelling at him as he get in his truck and over the nonsence he was spewing) i WILL BE FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT. I HOPE YOU STILL HAVE A JOB AFTER TODAY!
U: OH i WILL HAVE A JOB ITS.... (i CAN'T HEAR HIM BECAUSE i SHUT MY DOOR)
Oh, the story gets better. that was just the out of character yelling match. I think maybe I am just more grouchy and a momma bear now?
okay so the rest of the story - How I "love" UPS...
I called the 800 number since there is no local UPS hub number anywhere to speak to a real live person here in St. George. Oh no, you must call the 800 number and they field all complaints.
I immediately wrote down the exact conversation how it happened so i would not forget. (and now you all have it for your own enjoyment and fun reading pleasure. It's like a really mellow scene out of "Desperate Housewives". this is as exciting as it get here on Hysterical Lane. (oh besides the streaker hanging out on the Webb's trampoline and showing himself to some neighbor kids this morning, but that is another story - I digress)
alright so I called the customer service line, gave the play by play, she was typing everything down and said "I will have someone call you back tonight. I marked this matter as urgent. Sorry about the mess up."
No one called me back that night - surprise...
I call the 800 number the next day and get a guy and I forgot to get his name but I so wish I had because he was a total moron.
I started out very nice and sweet.
Me: I called yesterday about a complaint, but did not get a call back. I need to speak to a direct supervisor that knows and deals with my driver directly on a day to day basis.
Dufus: (we will call dufus "D" from now on - his name has been changed to protect his identity - simply because I did not get his name darn it!) I will handle this for you maam and rely the message on.
Me: okay let me tell you what I told the rep yesterday (then I tell my story again)
D: well, maam according to UPS policy your driver is right. as long as someone answers the door, then he can consider that a delivery attempt and does not need to leave a note.
Me:(just a little agitated about that lame policy now and feeling sorry for my driver) SO according to UPS policy a 3 year old can answer the door and it is considered good enough for them?
D: It is not up to the driver who answers the door. it is not his fault if a 3 year old answers.
M: (really really ticked) So if I have a trained monkey and it answers the door, my UPS driver can consider that as good enough?
D: well let's just hope your trained monkey can also...
M: (cutting him off) Let me speak to your supervisor that is upsurd and I cannot believe UPS would have policy like that.
D: What I can do for you is take down the tracking number and other info. and have a supervisor call you back.
I don't think clear when I am this angry and I agreed instead of pushing to get transferred to someone else.
I was still fuming and decided to call UPS again. This time I actually write down the name of the delightful woman that answered the phone: Desiree but we will call her "S" for Sweetie since we already used "D" for Dufus.
Me: Hi Desiree, I am a little upset about some UPS policy and need to get something cleared up. does UPS consider a trained monkey good enough to speak to about a delivery attempt?
"S": (very bewildered) OH, well, I think not! can I help you with a problem.
Me: yes, my problem is that I was told by a customer service rep that a trained monkey is good enough to leave a message with and so is a 3 year old child. and my driver infomed me that he does not have to leave a note when the door is answered by my kids. (and then I tell her the whole story).
S: I am soo sorry maam. The driver should have left a note. let me check. maam, it says here that he scanned a note 3 times and left notices for you.
M: He lied. I never recieved a notice and he told me he does not need to leave a notice.
(the rest of this story is no longer about me yelling. I am pretty much in control of my yelling from here on out. the rest of the story is about the lame UPS guy and his lying and his supervisor that I ...eventually... spoke to thanks to "S")
S: I am so sorry if that happened maam. Let me get all the details from you and get someone to call you back immediately.
(okay so here is what I am thinking - my UPS driver scanned 3 delivery attempt notices? what the....? and I never recieved one? So my immediate thought is "this guy was annoyed that my kids answered the door and decided to be vindictive and throw the notices away. gosh I think I can read minds)
my sister calls again and tells me that the UPS store out there cannot do anything about anything and it is all up to me getting things straightened out on my end to get that camera sent to me again without having to pay $20 shipping AGAIN.
SO....
in less than an hour after I get off the phone with "S" I get a call from the Supervisor - whom we will call "N" for Naive. She sounds nice enough but right away tells me...
N: I am sorry you did not get the package while it was waiting here at the hub. But our driver made 3 delivery attempts and you recieved a postcard in the mail stating that you could come pick up the package for a period of time. So we will not be crediting the shipment.
(she thinks she's done - ha ha ha ha - little does she know I don't roll over and take it anymore)
Me: Sandy, Thanks for calling me back so quickly, but here is the problem. I received the postcard after the package had been returned to sender (is this getting exciting yet?) AND I never once recieved a notice from the driver of attempted deivery.
N: well, it says here that he scanned 3 notices he left for you
Me: then he must have scanned them and threw them away or lied.
N: He would not do that. He would lose his job
Me: then you need to fire him because that is exactly what happened.
N: I spoke to him and reviews his records and it says here he left 3 notices and he also told me he left 3 notices.
Me: Then he lied to you. because he did not.
N: Our records show that he did and he also told me he did when I spoke with him directly.
Me; Why then would he have yelled at me that he did not have to leave a note when I asked him directly and multiple times if he left one.
N: I don't know why he would say that. it doesn't make sense with our records.
me: that's because he lied to you and to UPS. if you'd like I can come down there personally and confront him and front of you and we can figure it out. But I will tell you now, he lied and should be fired.
N: well I will talk to him again and call you back with what I find out.
Me: that sounds great, I will be pursuing this and I want a new driver.
N: well I will not replace him with a new driver, but I will talk to him and call you back.
(okay so I know you are now on the edge of your seat with this thrilling saga of a boring neighborhood story. you ready for the ending?
I am totally upset. I can't even leave the front room because I am watching the street for the UPS truck for a 2nd day air delivery I need for a big workshop tomorrow. I am worried that he will just drive by and not leave the package, or that he will knock quietly and run away with the package just to be a jerk. I seriously do not even go downstairs all day and am thinking about what to say to him should he return and actually do his job.
So I called my mom. My first thought was that I was going to get him to admit to lying and ask him why he lied to his boss. But then I had a conversation with my mom. get this...)
Mom: (we will call her mom cuz it is only 3 letters and easy to do) so what would Jesus do?
(great thanks mom! sheesh, like I need that. Jesus never used UPS)
Me: (totally clueless) who knows?
Mom: did you pray about it?
(dude, I so do NOT need this! okay maybe I do....)
Me: not yet, but I guess I should.
Mom: what is your goal? do you want him fired? or do you want to get your deliveries? remember that a man that loses his secure job in this economy is not something you want to be responsible for. he might come back and poison your dogs or worse.
Me: I guess I just want to get my deliveries safely.
Mom: watch out about accusing him of lying in any kind of language it will only set off a bomb. instead be nice and see if you can resolve things. Get on his side.
Me: okay, so I need to let go of the fact that I am right and he is wrong? and I need to apologize for losing my temper and that my kids answered the door and didn't get me. and ... (yada yada yada... more stuff I was going to say to apologize and make him feel like it's all on me)
and then I will ask him how we can better our working relationship and what I can do on my end. and then, I will say: now, about that camera how am I going to get it? (my hope is that he will just pay the $20 for shipping and then I will not pursue in calling him a liar to his supervisor and getting him fired.)
(apparentely a UPS driver is fired immediately for what he did)
So, Sandy - oops I mean "Naive" Calls back around 4pm
N: I talked to the driver again and he did admit to scanning and throwing away one of the 3 notices. so we will go ahead and credit that shipment and take care of it for you.
Me: Great! what did he do with the other 2 notices?
N: He says he left them at the house. He says he didn't know he was supposed to leave the notice there after he scanned it if he spoke to someone and your kids do count.
Me: well, Sandy, thanks for getting this shipment taken care of for me and following up. But just for the record - there were no notices left. I will not pursue this further, but you should know he is lying to you. and with that being said I hope it is on record that I do not want him as my driver, but am grateful to finally be getting my camera sent to me.
(so here is the big ending...)
UPS guy comes an hour later...
Me: Hey, I am so sorry I lost my cool yesterday (now that is typical Michelle)
U: yeah, well the office is taking care of things and giving a shipment credit so it is all good.
me: great, and we are making some changes here too. my kids are not allowed to answer the door. so please leave a note next time.
U: yeah I will just give them a note
me: uh, no. you will leave it on the door. Up high. out of reach of the 3 year old. I can't trust these kids with anything!
(I laugh very friendly like. He's nervous)
U: You know I was here for a long time at this door waiting for you and you never showed (he's at least not yelling this time)
me: I know, I can only imagine how frustrated you must have been. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have been so upset I might have thrown away delivery attempt notices. But oh well. we are hopefully making some changes here to make sure this doesn't happen with my kids doing that to you again. (I act like I don't realize that was exactly what HE did)
U: (laughs nervously heads back to his truck) thanks!
Me: no problem. (big smile)
(yeah right - huge problem dude, you should be kissing my feet glad you still have a job and it's not handed to one of my honest friends that can't find work - jerk. that's what I was thinking. but I will blog it instead of say it to his face. Cuz I am such a sweet pacifist type.)
I was the mellow wanna be surfer chick that when I was threatened by someone I annoyed in High School, I was the one that said "dude, so sorry to be bugging you so bad." and I walk away.
Another person that wanted to beat me up because I was dating her ex-boyfriend got in my face to tell me how stupid I was for dating this guy and she told me later (after we became friends) that her purpose was to have a smack down with me that day during lunch. My response to her during that lunch break confrontation was "Dude, I know what you mean, I plan on breaking up with him soon anyway. You're right, he is a loser."
(notice those both started with "Dude"). well, that would be me normally - super mellow.
Yesterday was different
I had a bad yelling match with my UPS driver. - totally out of character for me. whatever happened to that mellow wanna be surfer chick from high school? maybe I moved too far away from the ocean? who knows?
so now you want the story right?
Okay so the other day I get this notice in the mail from UPS that says a package had been attempted to be delivered to me 3 times and now it was being returned to sender (actually it said it would be held in the office for a few days and if I responded before said date I could get it. But I didn't check my mail soon enough and missed that cut off date).
Well, there had never been a note on my door - EVER. So I was confused. I had no idea who the delivery was from since it had been sent from a UPS store in southern California and it had been sent back to them.
right, well I had no idea what to do. I though maybe the shipper would get it back and try to ship it again.
a week later my sister calls and asks why I was stupid enough to send the camera she sent me back to her. (nice $200 camera I am paying her $25 for - yeah, not wanting to send it back thank you). She thinks I am an idiot and says she is going to leave it at the UPS store and not pay for it to be shipped again and UPS needs to pay for it.
So... Now I know what it was, I know I want it and I am curious what the heck happened to those delivery notices I was supposed to get.
In mine and Bill's businesses we get deliveries at least 2 or 3 times a week. SO I had seen my UPS guy MANY times since he had claimed a delivery attempt and he never had mentioned anything to me about any problems about a delivery.
Yesterday the UPS guy shows up with a delivery at my door and I very calmly ask (in my most nicest and mellow voice)
" hey there, I was wondering if you knew anything about a package that was returned to sender that I received a notice in mail about?"
UPS guy (now referred to as "U"): (loud and irritated) I TRIED 3 TIMES TO GET THAT TO YOU, BUT YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR AND COULDN'T FIND YOU!
Me: (still mostly mellow) did you leave a note for me?
U: I DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE A NOTE WHEN I TALK TO A PERSON!
Me: (getting a little upset) Did you speak to an adult?
U: I DON'T HAVE TO SPEAK TO AN ADULT! I SPOKE TO YOUR KIDS!
ME: YOU NEED TO TALK TO AN ADULT OR LEAVE A NOTE! DID YOU DO EITHER ONE?
U: YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR AND I STOOD HERE FOREVER WAITING FOR YOU AND YOU NEVER SHOWED UP!
ME: BUT DID YOU LEAVE A NOTE? (the neighbor kids are walking me by and watching me yell at this man)
U: YOUR KIDS ANSWERED THE DOOR i DON'T HAVE TO LEAVE A NOTE!
ME: AND ANOTHER THING, YOU HAVE DELIVERED MULTIPLE PACKAGES TO MY DOOR SINCE THAT DELIVERY ATTEMPT AND NEVER ONCE INFORMED ME ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH MY KIDS ANSWERING THE DOOR! i HAVE SEEN YOU FACE TO FACE, SEVERAL TIMES! YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID SOMETHING! MY KIDS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO EVEN ANSWER THE DOOR AND YOU NEED TO LEAVE A NOTE WHEN YOU ATTEMPT DELIVERY!
U: (again he insists as he heads back to his truck) I INFORMED YOUR KIDS ABOUT THE DELIVERY ATTEMPT! tHIS ISN'T EVEN MY REGULAR ROUTE! AND I EVEN CAME BACK TWICE IN ONCE DAY (yada yada yada...)
ME: (yelling at him as he get in his truck and over the nonsence he was spewing) i WILL BE FILING A FORMAL COMPLAINT. I HOPE YOU STILL HAVE A JOB AFTER TODAY!
U: OH i WILL HAVE A JOB ITS.... (i CAN'T HEAR HIM BECAUSE i SHUT MY DOOR)
Oh, the story gets better. that was just the out of character yelling match. I think maybe I am just more grouchy and a momma bear now?
okay so the rest of the story - How I "love" UPS...
I called the 800 number since there is no local UPS hub number anywhere to speak to a real live person here in St. George. Oh no, you must call the 800 number and they field all complaints.
I immediately wrote down the exact conversation how it happened so i would not forget. (and now you all have it for your own enjoyment and fun reading pleasure. It's like a really mellow scene out of "Desperate Housewives". this is as exciting as it get here on Hysterical Lane. (oh besides the streaker hanging out on the Webb's trampoline and showing himself to some neighbor kids this morning, but that is another story - I digress)
alright so I called the customer service line, gave the play by play, she was typing everything down and said "I will have someone call you back tonight. I marked this matter as urgent. Sorry about the mess up."
No one called me back that night - surprise...
I call the 800 number the next day and get a guy and I forgot to get his name but I so wish I had because he was a total moron.
I started out very nice and sweet.
Me: I called yesterday about a complaint, but did not get a call back. I need to speak to a direct supervisor that knows and deals with my driver directly on a day to day basis.
Dufus: (we will call dufus "D" from now on - his name has been changed to protect his identity - simply because I did not get his name darn it!) I will handle this for you maam and rely the message on.
Me: okay let me tell you what I told the rep yesterday (then I tell my story again)
D: well, maam according to UPS policy your driver is right. as long as someone answers the door, then he can consider that a delivery attempt and does not need to leave a note.
Me:(just a little agitated about that lame policy now and feeling sorry for my driver) SO according to UPS policy a 3 year old can answer the door and it is considered good enough for them?
D: It is not up to the driver who answers the door. it is not his fault if a 3 year old answers.
M: (really really ticked) So if I have a trained monkey and it answers the door, my UPS driver can consider that as good enough?
D: well let's just hope your trained monkey can also...
M: (cutting him off) Let me speak to your supervisor that is upsurd and I cannot believe UPS would have policy like that.
D: What I can do for you is take down the tracking number and other info. and have a supervisor call you back.
I don't think clear when I am this angry and I agreed instead of pushing to get transferred to someone else.
I was still fuming and decided to call UPS again. This time I actually write down the name of the delightful woman that answered the phone: Desiree but we will call her "S" for Sweetie since we already used "D" for Dufus.
Me: Hi Desiree, I am a little upset about some UPS policy and need to get something cleared up. does UPS consider a trained monkey good enough to speak to about a delivery attempt?
"S": (very bewildered) OH, well, I think not! can I help you with a problem.
Me: yes, my problem is that I was told by a customer service rep that a trained monkey is good enough to leave a message with and so is a 3 year old child. and my driver infomed me that he does not have to leave a note when the door is answered by my kids. (and then I tell her the whole story).
S: I am soo sorry maam. The driver should have left a note. let me check. maam, it says here that he scanned a note 3 times and left notices for you.
M: He lied. I never recieved a notice and he told me he does not need to leave a notice.
(the rest of this story is no longer about me yelling. I am pretty much in control of my yelling from here on out. the rest of the story is about the lame UPS guy and his lying and his supervisor that I ...eventually... spoke to thanks to "S")
S: I am so sorry if that happened maam. Let me get all the details from you and get someone to call you back immediately.
(okay so here is what I am thinking - my UPS driver scanned 3 delivery attempt notices? what the....? and I never recieved one? So my immediate thought is "this guy was annoyed that my kids answered the door and decided to be vindictive and throw the notices away. gosh I think I can read minds)
my sister calls again and tells me that the UPS store out there cannot do anything about anything and it is all up to me getting things straightened out on my end to get that camera sent to me again without having to pay $20 shipping AGAIN.
SO....
in less than an hour after I get off the phone with "S" I get a call from the Supervisor - whom we will call "N" for Naive. She sounds nice enough but right away tells me...
N: I am sorry you did not get the package while it was waiting here at the hub. But our driver made 3 delivery attempts and you recieved a postcard in the mail stating that you could come pick up the package for a period of time. So we will not be crediting the shipment.
(she thinks she's done - ha ha ha ha - little does she know I don't roll over and take it anymore)
Me: Sandy, Thanks for calling me back so quickly, but here is the problem. I received the postcard after the package had been returned to sender (is this getting exciting yet?) AND I never once recieved a notice from the driver of attempted deivery.
N: well, it says here that he scanned 3 notices he left for you
Me: then he must have scanned them and threw them away or lied.
N: He would not do that. He would lose his job
Me: then you need to fire him because that is exactly what happened.
N: I spoke to him and reviews his records and it says here he left 3 notices and he also told me he left 3 notices.
Me: Then he lied to you. because he did not.
N: Our records show that he did and he also told me he did when I spoke with him directly.
Me; Why then would he have yelled at me that he did not have to leave a note when I asked him directly and multiple times if he left one.
N: I don't know why he would say that. it doesn't make sense with our records.
me: that's because he lied to you and to UPS. if you'd like I can come down there personally and confront him and front of you and we can figure it out. But I will tell you now, he lied and should be fired.
N: well I will talk to him again and call you back with what I find out.
Me: that sounds great, I will be pursuing this and I want a new driver.
N: well I will not replace him with a new driver, but I will talk to him and call you back.
(okay so I know you are now on the edge of your seat with this thrilling saga of a boring neighborhood story. you ready for the ending?
I am totally upset. I can't even leave the front room because I am watching the street for the UPS truck for a 2nd day air delivery I need for a big workshop tomorrow. I am worried that he will just drive by and not leave the package, or that he will knock quietly and run away with the package just to be a jerk. I seriously do not even go downstairs all day and am thinking about what to say to him should he return and actually do his job.
So I called my mom. My first thought was that I was going to get him to admit to lying and ask him why he lied to his boss. But then I had a conversation with my mom. get this...)
Mom: (we will call her mom cuz it is only 3 letters and easy to do) so what would Jesus do?
(great thanks mom! sheesh, like I need that. Jesus never used UPS)
Me: (totally clueless) who knows?
Mom: did you pray about it?
(dude, I so do NOT need this! okay maybe I do....)
Me: not yet, but I guess I should.
Mom: what is your goal? do you want him fired? or do you want to get your deliveries? remember that a man that loses his secure job in this economy is not something you want to be responsible for. he might come back and poison your dogs or worse.
Me: I guess I just want to get my deliveries safely.
Mom: watch out about accusing him of lying in any kind of language it will only set off a bomb. instead be nice and see if you can resolve things. Get on his side.
Me: okay, so I need to let go of the fact that I am right and he is wrong? and I need to apologize for losing my temper and that my kids answered the door and didn't get me. and ... (yada yada yada... more stuff I was going to say to apologize and make him feel like it's all on me)
and then I will ask him how we can better our working relationship and what I can do on my end. and then, I will say: now, about that camera how am I going to get it? (my hope is that he will just pay the $20 for shipping and then I will not pursue in calling him a liar to his supervisor and getting him fired.)
(apparentely a UPS driver is fired immediately for what he did)
So, Sandy - oops I mean "Naive" Calls back around 4pm
N: I talked to the driver again and he did admit to scanning and throwing away one of the 3 notices. so we will go ahead and credit that shipment and take care of it for you.
Me: Great! what did he do with the other 2 notices?
N: He says he left them at the house. He says he didn't know he was supposed to leave the notice there after he scanned it if he spoke to someone and your kids do count.
Me: well, Sandy, thanks for getting this shipment taken care of for me and following up. But just for the record - there were no notices left. I will not pursue this further, but you should know he is lying to you. and with that being said I hope it is on record that I do not want him as my driver, but am grateful to finally be getting my camera sent to me.
(so here is the big ending...)
UPS guy comes an hour later...
Me: Hey, I am so sorry I lost my cool yesterday (now that is typical Michelle)
U: yeah, well the office is taking care of things and giving a shipment credit so it is all good.
me: great, and we are making some changes here too. my kids are not allowed to answer the door. so please leave a note next time.
U: yeah I will just give them a note
me: uh, no. you will leave it on the door. Up high. out of reach of the 3 year old. I can't trust these kids with anything!
(I laugh very friendly like. He's nervous)
U: You know I was here for a long time at this door waiting for you and you never showed (he's at least not yelling this time)
me: I know, I can only imagine how frustrated you must have been. If I were in your shoes, I probably would have been so upset I might have thrown away delivery attempt notices. But oh well. we are hopefully making some changes here to make sure this doesn't happen with my kids doing that to you again. (I act like I don't realize that was exactly what HE did)
U: (laughs nervously heads back to his truck) thanks!
Me: no problem. (big smile)
(yeah right - huge problem dude, you should be kissing my feet glad you still have a job and it's not handed to one of my honest friends that can't find work - jerk. that's what I was thinking. but I will blog it instead of say it to his face. Cuz I am such a sweet pacifist type.)
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
What IS UP?????
Okay Karalee - you have bugged me about telling what's going on since I have not blogged in a while.
SO...
YES, I have been crazy busy. But it is all a good kind of crazy.
1 - we had a renter move in to our downstairs. So I have been cleaning, washing walls, moving furniture and fridges, organizing, shampooing carpets, putting in lighting, writing up contracts, buying kitchen appliances, etc... (I had no idea this would be this much work). I am excited though because this lady is willing to move in while it is not top notch and pay a little less while we we fix everything up. we still need to : Build a kitchenette, put in a door to separate her area from ours, put locks on all the inside doors in the house (yup - I am paranoid) and I am sure there is more. So that has kept me busy.
2 - I am starting an incredible season with my CM business. get this...
this Saturday I have a HUGE class at the Hurricane Library that even had an article in the paper advertising it for me (for FREE). That was cool. I love that I am going to be in the small town paper tomorrow with an article on moi!!!! So that may mean tons of new business. I have been gearing up for the class though and am calling it "Mess to Memories!" Should be way fun!
3 - Croptoberfest is coming up the following Saturday. I have been making borders and sample books with pre-decorated pages and putting together prizes and planning the agenda, and all the fun that goes along with that. it really is a huge undertaking. Today I have to make sure I have the seating arranged for 50 people at the hotel and that we have a special event liscense from the city.
4 - Then the retreat is going to be a couple of weeks after that. I have been making plans for that as well. Not much to tell about it other than I am just trying to find people like me that want to scrapbook all during General Conference weekend and in wyoming and are willing to help pay a little for it.
5 - I am STILL trying to finish last years taxes and paperwork for Bill!!!! It is so flippin annoying to do his paperwork. Not my thing anyway. but if I don't do it - who will?
6 - the next couple of things are not why I am busy NOW, but why I will soon be.
Scrapbook USA Expo (HUGE Expo for Scrapbookers!!) is coming to St. George November 6th ish. and I have a booth there!!!!! I am so freakin excited! this is the first of it's kind in southern Utah. it should be HUGE. and my business has the potential to totally explode! so I am trying to gear up for that and get my life and business ready for it.
7 - St. George Magazine is also doing an article on ME in their November edition on great gifts to buy for Christmas. they are focusing on Digital Scrapbooking as well for unique ideas. cool huh? THAT is SO HUGE FOR ME! So... I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the ideas that all of this is at the same season.
I feel like my life is on the right track. we have a renter and that is our plan for paying off debts. and Bill's and my businesses are both about to explode (hopefully) if things go as we have them directed right now. So yes, I am busy. VERY busy. but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sorry if I seem distant and distracted right now. But it's how I get during busy busy times.
SO...
YES, I have been crazy busy. But it is all a good kind of crazy.
1 - we had a renter move in to our downstairs. So I have been cleaning, washing walls, moving furniture and fridges, organizing, shampooing carpets, putting in lighting, writing up contracts, buying kitchen appliances, etc... (I had no idea this would be this much work). I am excited though because this lady is willing to move in while it is not top notch and pay a little less while we we fix everything up. we still need to : Build a kitchenette, put in a door to separate her area from ours, put locks on all the inside doors in the house (yup - I am paranoid) and I am sure there is more. So that has kept me busy.
2 - I am starting an incredible season with my CM business. get this...
this Saturday I have a HUGE class at the Hurricane Library that even had an article in the paper advertising it for me (for FREE). That was cool. I love that I am going to be in the small town paper tomorrow with an article on moi!!!! So that may mean tons of new business. I have been gearing up for the class though and am calling it "Mess to Memories!" Should be way fun!
3 - Croptoberfest is coming up the following Saturday. I have been making borders and sample books with pre-decorated pages and putting together prizes and planning the agenda, and all the fun that goes along with that. it really is a huge undertaking. Today I have to make sure I have the seating arranged for 50 people at the hotel and that we have a special event liscense from the city.
4 - Then the retreat is going to be a couple of weeks after that. I have been making plans for that as well. Not much to tell about it other than I am just trying to find people like me that want to scrapbook all during General Conference weekend and in wyoming and are willing to help pay a little for it.
5 - I am STILL trying to finish last years taxes and paperwork for Bill!!!! It is so flippin annoying to do his paperwork. Not my thing anyway. but if I don't do it - who will?
6 - the next couple of things are not why I am busy NOW, but why I will soon be.
Scrapbook USA Expo (HUGE Expo for Scrapbookers!!) is coming to St. George November 6th ish. and I have a booth there!!!!! I am so freakin excited! this is the first of it's kind in southern Utah. it should be HUGE. and my business has the potential to totally explode! so I am trying to gear up for that and get my life and business ready for it.
7 - St. George Magazine is also doing an article on ME in their November edition on great gifts to buy for Christmas. they are focusing on Digital Scrapbooking as well for unique ideas. cool huh? THAT is SO HUGE FOR ME! So... I am feeling a little overwhelmed with the ideas that all of this is at the same season.
I feel like my life is on the right track. we have a renter and that is our plan for paying off debts. and Bill's and my businesses are both about to explode (hopefully) if things go as we have them directed right now. So yes, I am busy. VERY busy. but I wouldn't have it any other way.
Sorry if I seem distant and distracted right now. But it's how I get during busy busy times.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Here's to the women!
I went to our ward's enrichment night activity last night. (for those of you that aren't LDS, that is the Women's organization night out once a quarter to do "stuff").
Before I went I had learned that the topic was "back to basics" - like cooking basics and stuff. to tell you the truth, I was not thrilled about learning ANYTHING. really, I have a bad attitude when it comes to feeling like I HAVE to do something like learn how to cook bread from scratch. I used to do it when I was in 4-H as a kid, so I figure that if I absolutely HAVE to, I can figure it out okay on my own. Yeah, I am not the world's best cook or housewife and I know it.
SO I went thinking, at least I will be able to get to know some of the ladies in the ward and connect with other women - which is more of what I am about.
I was actually impressed with how much fun I had LEARNING?!?!?! who knew? Amber Overson did such a great job and Mari Tracey was such a cutie teaching us how to make corn tortillas. It was actually fascinating!
BUT, what impressed me most about the evening was the kind of women we have in our ward. I am one that really likes to watch people. it is my favorite hobby. I watch and analyze all the time.
I have such a FUN ward!!!! I mean really, I was cracking up all night! and that is what I am all about. I sometimes struggle with the fact that I have moved away from my "old" friends from high school and the single's ward. Those are the friends that were with me through those years that shaped who I am and cried with me through some of my toughest times and laughed as we watched the sunrise over the beach. I miss them almost to the point of tears at times. I have not been able to ever replace them in my life. SO, as I go forward with where I am today and seek friendships I often wonder if I will ever have friends like that again? Will I be able to let go, laugh til I hurt, stay out all night (well not as often since the kids have come), and just be me without worrying if I am too much of a dork?
last night was so much fun. who knew we could laugh so much while rolling tortillas and getting bread making lessons.
the room was full of these amazing people that I look forward to being around and possibly becoming better friends with. Okay - some of you on this blog thing were there and you are getting to be some of my "best" friends and I so appreciate you. (Brandi, Kendra).
I was just impressed with the quality of people we have in our ward. I once had a friend of mine say that Utah was just full of women that were only about big hair and trying to appear perfect. I had only been here (in Utah) for a few months and was having a REALLY hard time finding friends. I knew there was more to the people of this area. I knew it just took me getting out there to know them. It took ME seeing past hair and make-up and perfect scrapbook pages and canning stuff (which you all have to teach me still). To see that these women are the same silly, funny, crazy people that I want to surround myself with. I look forward to more mundane cooking lessons as long as people like this are there. I think I could enjoy almost anything with the women in my ward. If I could laugh like that learning to make bread, I could really get into anything these guys have to teach me. Maybe I'll even learn how to do mine and my daughter's hair one day? hmmm.... maybe not.
anyway, I think so highly of them and hope for deeper friendships with all of them. Thanks ladies - for being you and making me laugh.
Before I went I had learned that the topic was "back to basics" - like cooking basics and stuff. to tell you the truth, I was not thrilled about learning ANYTHING. really, I have a bad attitude when it comes to feeling like I HAVE to do something like learn how to cook bread from scratch. I used to do it when I was in 4-H as a kid, so I figure that if I absolutely HAVE to, I can figure it out okay on my own. Yeah, I am not the world's best cook or housewife and I know it.
SO I went thinking, at least I will be able to get to know some of the ladies in the ward and connect with other women - which is more of what I am about.
I was actually impressed with how much fun I had LEARNING?!?!?! who knew? Amber Overson did such a great job and Mari Tracey was such a cutie teaching us how to make corn tortillas. It was actually fascinating!
BUT, what impressed me most about the evening was the kind of women we have in our ward. I am one that really likes to watch people. it is my favorite hobby. I watch and analyze all the time.
I have such a FUN ward!!!! I mean really, I was cracking up all night! and that is what I am all about. I sometimes struggle with the fact that I have moved away from my "old" friends from high school and the single's ward. Those are the friends that were with me through those years that shaped who I am and cried with me through some of my toughest times and laughed as we watched the sunrise over the beach. I miss them almost to the point of tears at times. I have not been able to ever replace them in my life. SO, as I go forward with where I am today and seek friendships I often wonder if I will ever have friends like that again? Will I be able to let go, laugh til I hurt, stay out all night (well not as often since the kids have come), and just be me without worrying if I am too much of a dork?
last night was so much fun. who knew we could laugh so much while rolling tortillas and getting bread making lessons.
the room was full of these amazing people that I look forward to being around and possibly becoming better friends with. Okay - some of you on this blog thing were there and you are getting to be some of my "best" friends and I so appreciate you. (Brandi, Kendra).
I was just impressed with the quality of people we have in our ward. I once had a friend of mine say that Utah was just full of women that were only about big hair and trying to appear perfect. I had only been here (in Utah) for a few months and was having a REALLY hard time finding friends. I knew there was more to the people of this area. I knew it just took me getting out there to know them. It took ME seeing past hair and make-up and perfect scrapbook pages and canning stuff (which you all have to teach me still). To see that these women are the same silly, funny, crazy people that I want to surround myself with. I look forward to more mundane cooking lessons as long as people like this are there. I think I could enjoy almost anything with the women in my ward. If I could laugh like that learning to make bread, I could really get into anything these guys have to teach me. Maybe I'll even learn how to do mine and my daughter's hair one day? hmmm.... maybe not.
anyway, I think so highly of them and hope for deeper friendships with all of them. Thanks ladies - for being you and making me laugh.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
the Mother Load
This is not my writing, but my dear friend, Sarah Wilson's (oops I mean Clark) Sarah Clark, I will never get used to that new last name thing...
Subject: Mother Load
There are things in life a mother does for the long term good of her children, even when her children aren’t sure they agree. Vegetables. Shots. In my oldest son’s case: open heart surgery. Sometimes, it’s just a judgment call. You ignore the protests and do what’s right.
This week’s “right” action has been our return to family scripture time. To their credit, the kids are the ones who asked for us to do this, bringing it up as an issue at one of our family meetings, so you wouldn’t think they’d complain too much. The protests occurred when I announced that the only time we have available to read scriptures is early in the morning. In this case, early in the morning amounts to a full two hours earlier than they’ve been rising all summer long. After some discussion, my spiritually starved brood agreed to the new wake-up time and we set our plan into motion. This wouldn’t be so bad, would it?
The answer to that question lies somewhere in the surreal meeting place of faith and fatigue. What I’ve learned about my kids this week is that no matter how much they beg for scripture time, the act of waking them up early for scripture time will invariably lead to a passel of youth who would much rather live a rested, godless existence.
Day 1: I was chipper and excited to begin anew on our journey through a long-ago land where people said things like “behold” and “betwixt” and “yea, verily.” Being chipper was my first mistake. A word to the wiser-than-I, don’t ever try to wake your children two hours early with a chipper demeanor.
Three of the kids cried. One of them hid under a blanket. One of them volunteered to read but found her eyes too tired to focus on the words. All of them grumbled. Undaunted, I pressed on, reading the chapter myself and then bribing them…I mean, celebrating their willingness to wake up early with some grocery store donuts. Later that night, at work, my supervisor offered to let me go home an hour early, saying, “You look like you’re going to pass out.”
Day 2: Only one child cried, but all of them hid under blankets and no one volunteered to read. Less chipper, but still hopeful, I plowed through the chapter, a mere 13 verses this time. Three of the kids were sleeping by verse five. Waking them up again for family prayer time, we then moved on to the business of our day. At about 8:45, I flopped down in my favorite, fluffy front room chair and saw my oldest child sleeping strangely, though peacefully, on the couch.
I looked at my sleeping son, the picture of discomfort, his body twisted into a fastastical shape only a snake or a broken tree branch could possibly copy, and I thought, Hmmmmm…good idea. Twisting myself into an equally fantastical shape on my chair, I zonked for the next 30 minutes, dreaming of ancient prophets wagging their heads at my weakness.
Day 3: I *cough* accidentally left my cell phone, which doubles as my alarm clock, upstairs and overslept until 7:25. At this writing, it is now 11:10, and I’ve been content to let them play outside with their cousins for most of the morning, rationalizing that their cousins have surely been having family scripture time more consistently than we have and will surely share some of their vast scriptural knowledge between games of hide and seek and dodgeball. I swear I heard my niece sharing her views on repentance with my youngest daughter. (“That’s not nice! You should say sorry!”)
Day 4? Well, that’s tomorrow. I think after my slip-up today, I’ll wake up tomorrow refocused and ready to keep trying. I’ve read it only takes three weeks to make a habit, so I’m hopeful the next two and a half weeks will bring good results.
If they don’t, behold, there will be no more donuts betwixt the kids and me. Yea, verily.
Thanks for the Laugh Sarah!
I did not ask permission to post her writing, but I am telling the world to look for her "Mother Load" column in the newspapers. it's my favorite.
Tag! I'm it!
Karalee tagged me...
This is what I'm supposed to do. List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 surprising facts and then tag 5 other people. Leave a comment for the people you tag so they know they have been tagged. So here it goes:
3 joys:
- my kids - of course are my number one joy. I love just sitting on the couch and watching them play. I love watching my 10 month old learn and explore and seeing how my 3 year old deals with him taking the toys. I love listening to Gabe and Ilia play pretend and talk about what the other needs to say next in their play world. I love seeing Evan mature. He is an amazing kid. I ask so much of him. he is honest with me and tells me when he thinks I am unfair. But he handles stress and the work load I trust him with with gumption. I think my kids are amazing!
- my dogs - I also love watching their relationship with each other and my kids. I love that Tottie hides in my closet when he needs quiet and Sandy never hides, she loves being where the action is. I love seeing my dogs lick my baby's face when he pulls on their ears and tries to grab them. I love watching them run in the hills and chase rabbits. I love that they enjoy structure. and know that after the nighttime potty they come right in and lay down on their beds and wait for me to turn off the light.
- excercise - I love being able to move again!!!! this might seem silly, but I love exercise and being so huge when I was pregnant and hardly being able to walk was so depressing. So I love that my body is finally starting to take shape again and I can dance with the kids! one day... one day... I will fit back into those size 6 that are sitting on my shelf (yeah, right, my bones have spread - I will never be the same.)
3 fears:
- not being able to fit in my old clothes ever again.
- the dog catcher getting my dogs for killing more chickens since they can hop my block wall.
- the unknown world my kids are now being exposed to via friends, school, internet, movies, etc... I fear most what they may choose to do with all this "information" they innocently receive. what may they choose to obsess over. my 6 year old daughter has already informed me she can't wait until she is old enough to be allowed to kiss boys. great. what do I do with that?
3 obsessions:
- pictures!!!! I love scrapbooking - not because I am the most creative, but because I love the joy I feel when I pull out a memory and re-capture it in a book and write the words. I am trying to increase my creative skills. I am getting better. Maybe I should post some pics of a few layouts. I am self-consious about feeling like it's a competition though.
- my dogs. it drives my husband crazy. I love training and working with them. they learn faster than kids do. you teach a dog to do something and within a few days or a few tries, he's got it. you tell a kid to do something and it takes him his entire life to figure it out. okay, maybe just years. potty training was a longer process with Dane than it was for both of my dogs. I also love that they love to run! they are my running partners... which brings me to my 3rd obsession lately...
- exercise! I really want to be more than just fit! I want to feel fabulous! I also want to dance again and be strong enough to do all the moves I did when I was in my early 20's. I want to be able to extend my leg straight up. I want to do things I have never been able to do. like a back walk over. I want to prove that 30+ and 6 full-term pregnancies does NOT change the ability to do amazing things. (I'll show you "So You Think You Can Dance" with your 30 yr old age limit!)
Also Dance shows are an obsession as well.
3 facts:
- I have fat thumbs called strangler's thumbs
- I used to be early everywhere before I married Bill. He's the late one and it's rubbed off on me since I married him. it drives me crazy.
- I wasn't a scrapbooker when I started my Creative Memories Business. I LOVE scrapbooking, NOW. But more than anything - I love people. I love connections and I love getting people together to party! I love getting to know who people are and helping them tell their stories. and I LOVE planning big events - like retreats. It brings me so much joy. but people are surprised to find out I have been scrapbooking 10 years and mostly do simple layouts. to not include this here in this information about me would be to not include one of the biggest parts of my life outside church and family.
tagging 5 more people...
let's see who do I want to know more about...
Jen Larsen, Marni, Kristen Hansen, Brandi, Marsha
This is what I'm supposed to do. List 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 surprising facts and then tag 5 other people. Leave a comment for the people you tag so they know they have been tagged. So here it goes:
3 joys:
- my kids - of course are my number one joy. I love just sitting on the couch and watching them play. I love watching my 10 month old learn and explore and seeing how my 3 year old deals with him taking the toys. I love listening to Gabe and Ilia play pretend and talk about what the other needs to say next in their play world. I love seeing Evan mature. He is an amazing kid. I ask so much of him. he is honest with me and tells me when he thinks I am unfair. But he handles stress and the work load I trust him with with gumption. I think my kids are amazing!
- my dogs - I also love watching their relationship with each other and my kids. I love that Tottie hides in my closet when he needs quiet and Sandy never hides, she loves being where the action is. I love seeing my dogs lick my baby's face when he pulls on their ears and tries to grab them. I love watching them run in the hills and chase rabbits. I love that they enjoy structure. and know that after the nighttime potty they come right in and lay down on their beds and wait for me to turn off the light.
- excercise - I love being able to move again!!!! this might seem silly, but I love exercise and being so huge when I was pregnant and hardly being able to walk was so depressing. So I love that my body is finally starting to take shape again and I can dance with the kids! one day... one day... I will fit back into those size 6 that are sitting on my shelf (yeah, right, my bones have spread - I will never be the same.)
3 fears:
- not being able to fit in my old clothes ever again.
- the dog catcher getting my dogs for killing more chickens since they can hop my block wall.
- the unknown world my kids are now being exposed to via friends, school, internet, movies, etc... I fear most what they may choose to do with all this "information" they innocently receive. what may they choose to obsess over. my 6 year old daughter has already informed me she can't wait until she is old enough to be allowed to kiss boys. great. what do I do with that?
3 obsessions:
- pictures!!!! I love scrapbooking - not because I am the most creative, but because I love the joy I feel when I pull out a memory and re-capture it in a book and write the words. I am trying to increase my creative skills. I am getting better. Maybe I should post some pics of a few layouts. I am self-consious about feeling like it's a competition though.
- my dogs. it drives my husband crazy. I love training and working with them. they learn faster than kids do. you teach a dog to do something and within a few days or a few tries, he's got it. you tell a kid to do something and it takes him his entire life to figure it out. okay, maybe just years. potty training was a longer process with Dane than it was for both of my dogs. I also love that they love to run! they are my running partners... which brings me to my 3rd obsession lately...
- exercise! I really want to be more than just fit! I want to feel fabulous! I also want to dance again and be strong enough to do all the moves I did when I was in my early 20's. I want to be able to extend my leg straight up. I want to do things I have never been able to do. like a back walk over. I want to prove that 30+ and 6 full-term pregnancies does NOT change the ability to do amazing things. (I'll show you "So You Think You Can Dance" with your 30 yr old age limit!)
Also Dance shows are an obsession as well.
3 facts:
- I have fat thumbs called strangler's thumbs
- I used to be early everywhere before I married Bill. He's the late one and it's rubbed off on me since I married him. it drives me crazy.
- I wasn't a scrapbooker when I started my Creative Memories Business. I LOVE scrapbooking, NOW. But more than anything - I love people. I love connections and I love getting people together to party! I love getting to know who people are and helping them tell their stories. and I LOVE planning big events - like retreats. It brings me so much joy. but people are surprised to find out I have been scrapbooking 10 years and mostly do simple layouts. to not include this here in this information about me would be to not include one of the biggest parts of my life outside church and family.
tagging 5 more people...
let's see who do I want to know more about...
Jen Larsen, Marni, Kristen Hansen, Brandi, Marsha
watch what you say!
I just want to explain why you do not see your comments posted right away...
most of you are my good friends or family - that is all good. But once I received a comment from a woman who seemed innocent enough inviting me to her read her blog. Now, I am all about enjoying someone else's writings and have even found some fun small-time writers enjoying their writing experience - So I went for a visit.
needless to say, it was not what I had hoped. She was vulgar, nasty, pornographic and a violently bloody evil racist. I did not like that she used my comment section to advertise her crap.
So, my lovely friends. as much as I enjoy the speed of using a blog almost like a message board and fun communication - you all get to wait til I review your comments before I ok them.
Fun Fun!!!!
I love technology... but not as much as you, you see.... but I still love technology... always and forever.... (name the movie).
most of you are my good friends or family - that is all good. But once I received a comment from a woman who seemed innocent enough inviting me to her read her blog. Now, I am all about enjoying someone else's writings and have even found some fun small-time writers enjoying their writing experience - So I went for a visit.
needless to say, it was not what I had hoped. She was vulgar, nasty, pornographic and a violently bloody evil racist. I did not like that she used my comment section to advertise her crap.
So, my lovely friends. as much as I enjoy the speed of using a blog almost like a message board and fun communication - you all get to wait til I review your comments before I ok them.
Fun Fun!!!!
I love technology... but not as much as you, you see.... but I still love technology... always and forever.... (name the movie).
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
being sick
I think I now know why Gabriel, my 8 year old, likes to act like he's sick. He's is overly dramatic so I never know what is real and what is forced with him. SO when he is "sick" I make him lay down in his bed with no fun at all. no TV, no friends, no video games, no getting out of bed - unless you want to clean the house. it is NOT fun time.
This morning my 3 year old, Dane, decided to puke up a bunch right before breakfast. (what a fun way to start my morning!)
SO I gently cleaned up his face and undressed him, took him to the tub, told him how sorry I was that he wasn't feeling well. I toweled him dry and cuddled him, rubbing his warm forehead with my fingers and kissing his cheeks as I got clean clothes on him. Then I set up the couch in the front room with a fresh sheet over it, moved the pillows around just right, set up a side table with ice water and crackers. put a "fun pukey bowl" next to him (for just in case), turned on a movie and kissed his little forehead again.
Then it hit me - all me kids got this treatment when they were 1,2,3,4 and maybe 5 years of age. It was once they were in school or figuring out how to avoid chores, church or other activities by pretending to be sick that this cuddling when your sick stops.
I wonder if they are not just avoiding unpleasantness but are indeed trying to get that same kind of affection from their mommy that she laid on so thick way back when. I mean, how often to I cuddle and kiss my 8 year old boy.
I do try to remember to give him a huge hug and kiss before school and at bedtime. He smiles so big when I do that. But he never comes up to me and asks for those things. That's my job. I am supposed to remember that my kids need cuddled.
In the meantime, I have to go wash my rubber gloves and change my clothes so I don't get all pukey too.
By the way Brandi - I will not be picking peaches today. Got a pukey kid at home.
much love!
This morning my 3 year old, Dane, decided to puke up a bunch right before breakfast. (what a fun way to start my morning!)
SO I gently cleaned up his face and undressed him, took him to the tub, told him how sorry I was that he wasn't feeling well. I toweled him dry and cuddled him, rubbing his warm forehead with my fingers and kissing his cheeks as I got clean clothes on him. Then I set up the couch in the front room with a fresh sheet over it, moved the pillows around just right, set up a side table with ice water and crackers. put a "fun pukey bowl" next to him (for just in case), turned on a movie and kissed his little forehead again.
Then it hit me - all me kids got this treatment when they were 1,2,3,4 and maybe 5 years of age. It was once they were in school or figuring out how to avoid chores, church or other activities by pretending to be sick that this cuddling when your sick stops.
I wonder if they are not just avoiding unpleasantness but are indeed trying to get that same kind of affection from their mommy that she laid on so thick way back when. I mean, how often to I cuddle and kiss my 8 year old boy.
I do try to remember to give him a huge hug and kiss before school and at bedtime. He smiles so big when I do that. But he never comes up to me and asks for those things. That's my job. I am supposed to remember that my kids need cuddled.
In the meantime, I have to go wash my rubber gloves and change my clothes so I don't get all pukey too.
By the way Brandi - I will not be picking peaches today. Got a pukey kid at home.
much love!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Thanks for the reminder!
a couple posts ago I mentioned I was going crazy trying to find my camera. Kendra so gently reminded me to pray. well I did a couple of days ago after reading Kendra's comment. (I hate it when my friends have to remind me to do things like that.)
Well I searched the house again - no camera.
I deep-cleaned every room - no camera.
I finally gave up and just thought that it might turn up some day.
Today after church we were getting into our van when Bill saw that someone had dropped a Driver's liscence in the parking lot. we debated what to do with it. I finally decided to just take it into the church's library lost and found. and guess what was there? My camera! SUre it had been run over and was totally useless and I can't retrieve anything off the memory card. BUT I am not going crazy anymore trying to remember where I left it.
My guess is that it fell out of my church bag a few weeks ago. I had decided to start carrying my camera with me everywhere and that is when I lost it. Luckily I had also unloaded the memory card that same day. at most there may have been just a couple of photos. SO I didn't lose too many. I am only bummed that now I have to share Bill's camera until I can afford a new one for me.
But yeah, we found it. thanks for caring. Most of the photos posted here will be from Bill's camera for a while.
Well I searched the house again - no camera.
I deep-cleaned every room - no camera.
I finally gave up and just thought that it might turn up some day.
Today after church we were getting into our van when Bill saw that someone had dropped a Driver's liscence in the parking lot. we debated what to do with it. I finally decided to just take it into the church's library lost and found. and guess what was there? My camera! SUre it had been run over and was totally useless and I can't retrieve anything off the memory card. BUT I am not going crazy anymore trying to remember where I left it.
My guess is that it fell out of my church bag a few weeks ago. I had decided to start carrying my camera with me everywhere and that is when I lost it. Luckily I had also unloaded the memory card that same day. at most there may have been just a couple of photos. SO I didn't lose too many. I am only bummed that now I have to share Bill's camera until I can afford a new one for me.
But yeah, we found it. thanks for caring. Most of the photos posted here will be from Bill's camera for a while.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Zion Canyon
I really loved going to Zion Canyon with my Sister Lisa Proffit-Rau and her cute family. My sister in law Peggy Proffit and her kids also joined us. what a trip! we were just going to go tubing or playing in the virgin river in Springdale, So I decided to bring one of my dogs along for the fun. But the tube rental shop was closed!!! AND since we had some nasty flash flood raining going on the river was muddy and deep and a little too dangerous for what we were planning.
SO we went into the Park which meant I had to drive all the way back home and take my dog back to my house. luckily I only live 20-30 minutes away. I met up with everyone at the end of one of the trails and we took the tram to the last stop on the journey. there we played in the muddy virgin river. Yes, we got muddy!
SO we went into the Park which meant I had to drive all the way back home and take my dog back to my house. luckily I only live 20-30 minutes away. I met up with everyone at the end of one of the trails and we took the tram to the last stop on the journey. there we played in the muddy virgin river. Yes, we got muddy!
Thursday, August 7, 2008
not enough said...
I lost my camera on Monday. Bill's mom came to visit and she bought all the kids cute shirts from Cancun. then she took all the kids to see Wall-E (very cute show).
I had decided I was going to remember to take pictures every time she came to visit and to record the good times we have with her. This would have been an ideal time to do just that.
But no camera. I borrowed Bill's camera but it just isn't the same. I need my own P.O.S. camera that I have learned to love and actually get pictures from. when I use Bill's expensive peice of equipment I am then on his time-line of when HE can get me the pictures. Bill and I do not share very well.
I miss my camera. I hope it turns up soon.
I had decided I was going to remember to take pictures every time she came to visit and to record the good times we have with her. This would have been an ideal time to do just that.
But no camera. I borrowed Bill's camera but it just isn't the same. I need my own P.O.S. camera that I have learned to love and actually get pictures from. when I use Bill's expensive peice of equipment I am then on his time-line of when HE can get me the pictures. Bill and I do not share very well.
I miss my camera. I hope it turns up soon.
Friday, August 1, 2008
Laptops are a girl's best friend
A couple of years ago I received an item I believed at the time to be an item of luxury. Today, I have no idea how I would cope if it were to fall in the tub and die on me.
It means so much to me that it deserves a blog all it's own. here is some crappy prose dedicated to:
"My Laptop"
I've never given you a name. some one asked me once if I had a Dell or Gateway or...
I couldn't say. But that doesn't mean you don't mean any less to me.
I couldn't tell someone if my husband had shaved his goatee. it's me, not you.
you have given me so much. Before you were in my world I never knew the joy of filling out surveys on myspace behind locked doors of the john.
I can hide in my room and still play solitaire. You have given me the mobility and freedom that allows me to say 'technically - I do not have TV'. You have replaced that for me. I can watch crappy reality shows on the internet from the pillow of my bed with you in my lap.
I have found more friends that I had lost touch with because I am able to spend more time on the computer. I take you onto the balcony so I can "be there" for my kids while they play in the yard and I 'throw food' on facebook. I take you into the kitchen so I can eat with the family while I do some 'blog stalking'.
I have never been more popular in my life! between myspace and facebook and blogspot I have more friends than I ever did in High School. wow, even Amy Whinehouse has accepted me as her friend. would I have taken the time to find her if I was limited in the amount of time I could spend on my desktop computer?
Now with you, my laptop, I can do anything. I have no limitations in time or space. I feel invincible.
I even scrapbook in my car now.
can life get any sweeter?
Please live forever my sweet, precious, Gateway.
It means so much to me that it deserves a blog all it's own. here is some crappy prose dedicated to:
"My Laptop"
I've never given you a name. some one asked me once if I had a Dell or Gateway or...
I couldn't say. But that doesn't mean you don't mean any less to me.
I couldn't tell someone if my husband had shaved his goatee. it's me, not you.
you have given me so much. Before you were in my world I never knew the joy of filling out surveys on myspace behind locked doors of the john.
I can hide in my room and still play solitaire. You have given me the mobility and freedom that allows me to say 'technically - I do not have TV'. You have replaced that for me. I can watch crappy reality shows on the internet from the pillow of my bed with you in my lap.
I have found more friends that I had lost touch with because I am able to spend more time on the computer. I take you onto the balcony so I can "be there" for my kids while they play in the yard and I 'throw food' on facebook. I take you into the kitchen so I can eat with the family while I do some 'blog stalking'.
I have never been more popular in my life! between myspace and facebook and blogspot I have more friends than I ever did in High School. wow, even Amy Whinehouse has accepted me as her friend. would I have taken the time to find her if I was limited in the amount of time I could spend on my desktop computer?
Now with you, my laptop, I can do anything. I have no limitations in time or space. I feel invincible.
I even scrapbook in my car now.
can life get any sweeter?
Please live forever my sweet, precious, Gateway.
I am posting this just for your burning curiosity.
Here's the band-aid inside the sunburn. No, I am not wearing the band-aid any longer in this photo.
Monday, July 28, 2008
we're baaack!
Bill and I just got back from a weekend campout by Kolob Resevoir. *sigh*
What a fabulous weekend it was. A big thank you to Sarah and Richard Clark for hanging out with the kids so we could getaway.
This was Bill's birthday party. just the 2 of us, a kayak, and a tent.
I rarely ever wear anything other than t-shirt and jeans. But, since we were going to be on the lake the whole time I decided to wear my short short and a tank top. I put on sunscreen but did not re-apply. I have a nasty sunburn!!!!!!
So, after I heal from this adventure I am going to start going to the tanning booth on occasion so that when I do decide to wear that occasional tank top or swimsuit I will not be in pain for days afterward since people with a tan burn less than those without. yup - it's true. I never used to burn when I was going to the beach every day back in high school. now I can't kayak on a lake for a few hours without looking like a sunscreen ad gone bad.
oh and I had a band aid on my knee too. it looks like it's still there when I took it off.
I've decided that once i heal I am going to make this a habit (the kayaking and camping thing- not the sunburn). I felt like I belonged there rowing and swimming and having a grand adventure.
We got there Friday around 6pm and took a while finding the perfect campsite that gave us some privacy and easy access to the water. We parked our vehicle about 50 yards away from our campsite since the road became to rocky and pothole-filled for our car (or most other cars, actually) and we hiked everything into the campsite and rowed the kayak around the inlet to the campsite.
It was nearly perfect except that a neighboring ward boyscout troop was nearby and we knew them and I was hanging out in a tank top and short shorts (not an outfit my neighbor boys normally see me in).
We also found out that the site we chose was also the popular spot to hike and fish around.
Bill and I decided to go hike around to find another campsite for the next time we went. we found an awesome spot that only those who boated or hiked into could get to. It was gorgeous!
It was during this hiking around that I slipped and skinned my knee - hence the band aid shape inside my sunburn.
We cooked steak and pork chops and sauteed mushrooms in the dark since our lantern wasn't that bright and the fire wouldn't stay lit. the food was great anyway. and we had a blast.
we both got into the hammock and it slipped down the tree onto the ground. But we didn't even notice, we were just lovin' the view of the stars and the fresh air.
Saturday we took the kayak on the water and went hiking around.
The place was gorgeous BUT I really got disgusted with the litter. I will write a separate blog just on the litter thing, because I also plan on writing a letter to the editor. Litter is my biggest pet peeve of all time.
Now back to real life and getting paperwork in order and finishing taxes...
Aaahh.... my mind just can't get into it. I am still on the lake.
What a fabulous weekend it was. A big thank you to Sarah and Richard Clark for hanging out with the kids so we could getaway.
This was Bill's birthday party. just the 2 of us, a kayak, and a tent.
I rarely ever wear anything other than t-shirt and jeans. But, since we were going to be on the lake the whole time I decided to wear my short short and a tank top. I put on sunscreen but did not re-apply. I have a nasty sunburn!!!!!!
So, after I heal from this adventure I am going to start going to the tanning booth on occasion so that when I do decide to wear that occasional tank top or swimsuit I will not be in pain for days afterward since people with a tan burn less than those without. yup - it's true. I never used to burn when I was going to the beach every day back in high school. now I can't kayak on a lake for a few hours without looking like a sunscreen ad gone bad.
oh and I had a band aid on my knee too. it looks like it's still there when I took it off.
I've decided that once i heal I am going to make this a habit (the kayaking and camping thing- not the sunburn). I felt like I belonged there rowing and swimming and having a grand adventure.
We got there Friday around 6pm and took a while finding the perfect campsite that gave us some privacy and easy access to the water. We parked our vehicle about 50 yards away from our campsite since the road became to rocky and pothole-filled for our car (or most other cars, actually) and we hiked everything into the campsite and rowed the kayak around the inlet to the campsite.
It was nearly perfect except that a neighboring ward boyscout troop was nearby and we knew them and I was hanging out in a tank top and short shorts (not an outfit my neighbor boys normally see me in).
We also found out that the site we chose was also the popular spot to hike and fish around.
Bill and I decided to go hike around to find another campsite for the next time we went. we found an awesome spot that only those who boated or hiked into could get to. It was gorgeous!
It was during this hiking around that I slipped and skinned my knee - hence the band aid shape inside my sunburn.
We cooked steak and pork chops and sauteed mushrooms in the dark since our lantern wasn't that bright and the fire wouldn't stay lit. the food was great anyway. and we had a blast.
we both got into the hammock and it slipped down the tree onto the ground. But we didn't even notice, we were just lovin' the view of the stars and the fresh air.
Saturday we took the kayak on the water and went hiking around.
The place was gorgeous BUT I really got disgusted with the litter. I will write a separate blog just on the litter thing, because I also plan on writing a letter to the editor. Litter is my biggest pet peeve of all time.
Now back to real life and getting paperwork in order and finishing taxes...
Aaahh.... my mind just can't get into it. I am still on the lake.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Marsh Reunion
We just returned from our annual campout in Wyoming. Saturday morning Bill and I helped my brother Josh with the Triathalon he organized. He is going to love the picture I took of him here.
I never realized how much the swimmers needed someone in a kayak just to keep them going in the right direction. some of these guys woud have been way off course . I am just glad I didn't have to rescue anyone. Dane and his cousin Max really enjoyed hanging out. Dane was asking where Max went after Josh and Jen left early and Dane couldn't find his buddy anywhere.
I think I've got it now...
The personal and family Blog is UP!!! yeah!
after a few tries of getting things going like I want (ie: wrong e-mail/sign in name - fun story I will tell later) I think we got it going now.
Thanks Kendra for showing me how fun this could be and all the neat tricks to try out. I decided the blogging thing is a lot like like scrapbooking.
1 - couldn't see the use for it at first and wondered why the craze?
2 - saw the need for it for my business (by the way check out retreatswithmichelle.blogspot.com - that was my shameless business plug) so I decided to make it useful.
3 -got a little frustrated at being inept and not knowing if it was worth it
4 - someone showed me some ideas and tools to make it easier and actually fun
5 - I do not see myself stopping
6 - my husband tells me to put down the laptop and come to bed.
whoo hoo!!!! I am going to have fun!
after a few tries of getting things going like I want (ie: wrong e-mail/sign in name - fun story I will tell later) I think we got it going now.
Thanks Kendra for showing me how fun this could be and all the neat tricks to try out. I decided the blogging thing is a lot like like scrapbooking.
1 - couldn't see the use for it at first and wondered why the craze?
2 - saw the need for it for my business (by the way check out retreatswithmichelle.blogspot.com - that was my shameless business plug) so I decided to make it useful.
3 -got a little frustrated at being inept and not knowing if it was worth it
4 - someone showed me some ideas and tools to make it easier and actually fun
5 - I do not see myself stopping
6 - my husband tells me to put down the laptop and come to bed.
whoo hoo!!!! I am going to have fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
