Let's Freeze Time for 24 Hours for a Big Nap and Uninterrupted Crafting

Little odds and bits today. Woke up, exercised, nagged kids to pick up the upstairs and vacuum while I showered, so I could be ready in case anyone showed up for my beading at 9am. Kudos to the kids for helping their Mom! No one showed, of course. I wound up bawling, no kidding. Gil offered to tp everyone on my sign-up sheet, but I told him that while I appreciated his support, that's not what I was bawling about. It was somewhat comforting to know someone will avenge wrongs for you, even if they are misguided. Yep, I'm the Mafia Mom now. There's a Godfather joke in there somewhere, I'm sure. At least there's one child who will do things for me without pouting and temper tantrums, notices I'm sad, and wants to fix it. Anyway, you'd think I was bawling about the beading thing, but no, all that did was make me feel useless for making stupid choices. It was a straw-that-broke-the-camel's-back sort of thing, I've got a lot more pressing things on my mind, like my credit card addiction, and how I'm so stupid, I keep getting distracted by stuff everyday when I need to be getting the sales pumping in my eBay store so I can pay off my not-so-wise purchases over the past four months. It was a I'm-such-an-idiot pity fest.

I decided I better get over myself and be useful, so I cleaned the kitchen, washing the big pots and pans, sweeping and mopping the floor, wiping the walls, and cleaning the nasty dish drainer with some Lime-Away. What is up with that? Only clean dishes get put in there, but over time, this weird mineral-deposit scum just builds up. It's just weird!

It felt good to have a clean house on a Saturday, as opposed to the usual trash-the-house action that happens around here on the weekend. Foofie sat on my back in the baby backpack and played with my hair while I cleaned, screeching at me every now and then. She's getting kind of sassy. The I'm-so-cute-'cause-I'm-a-baby thing is taking a hike, being replaced by its successor I-do-what-I-want-because-I'm-a-sassy- toddler thing. Connor ran around and did his own thing, like he usually does.

After putting Baby Deet down for a nap, I went downstairs to work on a beading project. Dani spent a lot of time mooching on my laptop in my craftroom. 'Member that epiphany I had yesterday morning that I was going to do something special for? I may still get to that, but the gist of it was that it hit me for the first time that my kids really are growing up, and that their childhood will be over all too soon, that they will outgrow me and be gone. I hear about Moms crying when their children go to kindergarden, but at that stage with my kids, I was so relieved they'd be out of my hair and not bored anymore, that it was partly a fun-nostalgia thing, taking pictures of their first day of school etc., and partly a relieved don't-let-the-door-hit-you-in-the-butt kind of feeling, too. But, I finally had my crying-Mom-the-kids-are-growing-up moment for the first time yesterday after I dropped Gil off for a field trip. I think Dani's overnight field trip, and how nonchalant and non-chatty she was about the whole thing was just kind of disturbing, too, and it all caught up with me. The two of them are not my babies anymore. And I was going to do this wonderfully syrupy photo slideshow of my four babies to the tune of "You're Gonna Miss This" by Trace Adkins, and put it on youtube for my blog, but I lost that lovin' feelin' today. Yet, even though I'm Queen I've-Had-Enough-of-People today, I still think it's a good idea. I may finish it for Mother's Day or something.

Okay, back on topic. Dani and I were in the same room together. It was just not a good idea. Because Queen-I-Want-What-I-Want started up on buying new clothes, even though she has drawers full of clothes that fit, but that don't "look good" on her, I just about wanted to kill her. She's in that lovely stage where she can buy something, and a month later refuses to wear it anymore. And I came to a conclusion today. She can just start buying her own clothes with her own money. That's it. Maybe then, she'll quit treating them like tissue, ready to throw them out and get new ones on the slightest whim. After a little more of the "You drive me crazy!" "No, you drive ME crazy!!" conversation, she went and did something else, and I was alone in my craftroom again, ready for her to move out and get her own apartment, like at least three states away. It was kind of like that all day.

Later, I was in Home Depot, trying to track down a steel bench block for a jewelry-making concept I was having, and I just meandered, drooling over cool stuff in the tool section. Something about the spring rain today sparked the urge for all kinds of projects. It was amazing being outside, suddenly the grass everywhere is green, and it smelled wonderful.

I was getting a package ready to mail for Sue around 6:30pm, when Dani ran downstairs to tell me that Emma had dumped out a bottle of Mr. Clean all over the kitchen floor. Suddenly the cabinets under the sink are fascinating to Deet-Loo, and she was hell-or-high-water determined to get into everything under there. I don't know how she managed to get the lid open, but I'm just grateful she hadn't made it to the bleach yet:

"See how I did it? I got mad skills."

"Muh-ah-ha-ha-ha-ha!!"

Needless to say, after I cleaned up Emma and the mess in the kitchen, I repaired the child-safety locks on those cabinets pronto, with Foofie crawling all over me, screaming at me to let her into the cabinets, or at least give her the screwdriver. I'd been meaning to repair the doors for a while, but it just kept getting shoved on down the to-do list. It got shoved right to the top, lightening-fast tonight.

Anyway, by 7:30 pm, I just quit with the whole "let's-do-Mother's-Day-projects-with-everyone" thing. I'm going to do some stuff for me. I've got enough to do without wasting time and energy trying to figure out what everyone else wants. I just decided I need to quit chasing people down to do craft projects with me. I'll just do my selling on eBay, send cards to family, and have fun playing beading. Just a little alone me-time. That will be my thing, and that's it. Not that I'm bitter or anything. Yes, I'm laughing as I write this. It just sounds so whiney. Sue, I know you'll get it.

Mom sent this email the other day, just some pics of funny cards, by a company called MILK. It's just simple, but funny, pics on a background of quotes, a graphic style of design. I liked the design so much, that I think I'll make a little book of quotes for myself, with my own pics to illustrate. Sounds like fun! I started looking up quotes about Mothers/Mother's Day, and I found a lot of good ones. But this one made me laugh: "Mothers are fonder than fathers of their children because they are more certain they are their own." ~Aristotle    Kind of naughty and a little bit sad.

Going to bed now. There was something else I was going to write about tonight, maybe about Emma, but now I forgot. I guess I'll put it in tomorrow.

P.S. About passing cards out in Relief Society - After Sue's comment, I think I need to post a qualifier. I guess it sounds like I was suggesting I was going to make money selling cards in R.S. That wasn't my intention AT ALL. Sure, I'd pass around the old ones for free, just to get rid of them and start fresh. But I just thought I could get a long-term thing going where I could make cards for everyone throughout the year, and just get enough dough for the supplies, so I could keep it going. If I can't get anyone to come to card class, maybe I can just do it FOR them. Kind of a service-project thing. In effect, if everyone donates the supplies, I donate my time and skills for the enjoyment of all concerned. Also, I think I'll put together a sample book of pictures of cards I've done, instead of hoarding this big stash of sample cards that never get used, and just get ratty over time. The temptation to keep them like little treasures is too great. This way, maybe I can let them go, and let them do what they were meant to do: perk up someone's day just a little.

P.P.S. Sue, thanks for more quotes "Lane, I've been going to this high school for seven and a half years. I'm no dummy." It's like Napoleon Dynamite. It gets funnier, and more quotable each time you see it.

End Post #83, 2009

Sorry We Blew Up Your Mom Ricky

I'd start putting quotes up here, but then I'd have to put up the ENTIRE script. It's a classic in every sense of the word. As Gil said at the end of the movie, it was "ÜBER"!

Yep, we watched Better Off Dead tonight as predicted. Gil invited his good buddy, Ty, over and we all watched it. It was surreal to hear my teenagers quote a movie I loved as a teenager. Dude, do I have to be that old? But it's a classic for a new generation. Rock on.

Lots to post on, gonna attempt some new computer/web skills, but I'm doing some finessing behind the scenes, and I just don't have a 1am/2am blogfest in me tonight, 'cause I need to get up early and pick up the upstairs in case anyone shows up for beading at 9am. So here's a list for tomorrow or Sunday:

1. My epiphone in the car this morning at 6am after dropping Gil off at the high school.
2. My singing. Yep, gonna do the deed here on my blog.
3. Yummy recipes & pics.

End Post #82, 2009

Oh. My. Monkeys.

Well, the ward talent show was tonight. Good grub. Some funny performances, some great performances. A lot I wish I'd taped, like Br. Weber with his guitar and banjo, Br. & Sis. Riddle's song and piano recital, Br. Allred's (yep, related back there five or six generations ago) funny skit about an American and an Englishmen in the emergency room, his teenage girls singing (fabulous voices), and a cute performance by one of the Croft's little girls who read a poem about some birthday payback from a sister to a brother. She sat on the floor of the stage with a mic and a little box of props to illustrate her poem. Very funny.

But.

Then I hauled myself up to the stage near the end. I sang "There Is No Arizona" by Jamie O'Neal, an awesome song. And I videotaped it. I was so excited about putting it on my blog tonight. But it was an illustration of many things. Sigh. Mmm. Mmm. Mmm. One should not tape onself when onself looks like a dumpling and manages to mess up the song and has to start over. But I made it through eventually. However, the sound on the recording is horrible. And I look like a dumpling. I should make myself watch it each time I think I need that extra bowl of ice cream. But I got lots of compliments on my singing, so it wasn't all bad.

I was going to sit down tonight, figure out how to get it off my camera, edit it, youtube it, and stick it on my blog. But alas, it's horrible, so no dice. Huh-uh, nope, nope, nope.

I think my mirror lies to me. A lot. I must subconsciously hold myself at just the right angle all the time. "Nope, 200+ pounds doesn't look THAT bad. I exercise everyday. I'm still cute. I'm good enough, smart enough, and doggonit, people like me!" It's a conspiracy, and my mirror is the chief conspirator. I REALLY gotta lay off the ice cream. Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie, Peanut Butter Cookie Dough, Artisean Vanilla Bean, Praline Candy Crunch, Peppermint Candy, Rocky Road, Mint Girl Scout Cookie...

I'm sorry, we were talking about laying off the ice cream?

Hmmm, maybe I should really get my bike fixed up fast, so I can haul two little kids around AFTER dinner this summer, so I wind up exercising TWICE a day. Think it will help? Oh, Sue, you were asking what the bike shop guy said. He told me I could work some lube into the gear line to loosen it up, as well as use it to get other bike parts working smoothly. I sort of understood it. He said I could also have the bike shop get it tuned up, but of course, he could tell I was cheap (true), so he sold me a can of lube, and sent me on my way. I'd love to have Dan fix up my bike, but I'm too lazy to drive to Cokeville, or something like that. Besides, it's sparking my sense of challenge. I think I want to learn how to maintain my own bike. Just something I should probably know.

I spent all day TRYING to get a bunch of stuff ready for the ward talent show, practically giving myself a stroke debating about what I could actually get done in time, and whether or not I was going to attempt singing, and what song I should pick. I did a BIG weeding of my card sample stash, putting inserts on the inside of cards that needed them, repairing some, and making a momentous decision to get rid of all cards that weren't written on the inside. I spent so much time weeding, that I never got around to making anything new as I'd planned. See, I spent time on the old stuff, because I've been thinking I might donate some cards to my Relief Society sisters, for visiting teaching purposes. Just put everything in a big basket, and pass it around on Sunday, telling them they can take some for visiting teaching. Would it be horrible to make cards, pass them around, then suggest people can make a small donation to the card fund for the cost of supplies? I can't get anybody to come to my crafting classes, which baffles me, because I do get compliments on my cards. Am I just choosing the wrong times, is everyone too busy? What's the deal? How come nobody wants to craft with me? Sorry, that was kind of whiney. I just want to hang out with a grownup in my craftroom. Is that too much to ask? I want to be a good sharer, but nobody wants to play with me. Again with the pathetic whininess.

I am kicking myself that I didn't take a pic of the display table I set up at the talent show. Sigh. I guess I was so flustered with the whole experience, I forgot. But you guys have seen my stuff, so no biggie. I had a bunch of cards set up, the few jewelry projects I've done, and my laptop with one of my blog posts showing. Because I AM an obsessive blogger now. What's up with that anyway? Like, even if it's 2AM, I will still blog something. Nuts, I am just nuts! I did have a good conversation with Rene Hale, who is part of a card exchange group (Hooray!!), and she said she'd give me a call next time they have a card exchange. Fun!

Must sleep now, got to get up at 5:30 am to take Gil up to the high school for a chorus field trip. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite!

Congrats Jenn & Josh!!! (and Connor Don't Harsh My Mellow)

If you haven't read Jenn's blog today, then DROP EVERYTHING and visit her blog!!!! That's all I'll say. And if you don't have an invitation to her blog, then send her an email and beg for one!! Let the crafting begin ladies!!

I got up this morning at a little after seven, checked my email, exercised, showered, then went upstairs to this:


Aaah, sweet cleanness!!! And I'm ready for the day before the little ones are up! Perfection!!

I fired up the computer upstairs, cooked my Malt-O-Meal, then got tired of waiting for the slug-a-beds to wake up, so I went and kissed Connor all over his face. He stirred a little, then a little later while I sat at the computer, he said, "I see you!" from the vantage point of his top bunk. Thus started our day together. I peeked in at Emma, who was sitting in her crib contemplating the universe. I kissed her sweet face, Baby Foofie! Then it was breakfast, etc. In the process of looking for the phone book, I wound up in Gil's room, and was just so appalled at the mess that I cleaned Gil's room. It's like the book, "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie." One thing led to another. Just as I finished Connor ran in and said, "I want to clean!" I just burst out laughing! Oh, sure, come help me just when I'm done!

Stinker! He played with the little vacuum off and on all day, sucking things that did not need to be sucked: his sister's hair, her medicine bottle, furniture, etc.

I did all my eBay online paperwork, cleaning out my email inbox, etc. Then, I wanted to take my bike to the bike shop to see what I needed to recondition it. The gear shifts are really stiff. I've got this idea of giving my bike a total makeover, lube everything and strip and paint the frame. Maybe some kind of glitter teal color. Anyway, feeling inspired by the season, I busted out one of Emma's summer outfits I bought last fall on clearance, then decided she needed a matching binky clip:


Totally cute!

But "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" strikes again.

Okay, so we went downtown to the bike shop. On the way, Sue and I talked on the phone. I was about to kill Connor, who was the consummate backseat driver, chattering away in the backseat "Mom, there's a stopsign" "Mom close your window" "Mom-" See, I've been off my meds for 2 or 3 days for some pharmacy card policy change that I've been too lazy to look into, and I think I'm beginning to have withdrawal. The little things are getting to me, and I had a headache pretty much all day long. So, I was driving with the window down, trying to listen to my music and just relax (driving and music are great therapy for me), but Bossy Backseat is driving me nuts and is Harshing My Mellow! Stinker!! But we went through the drive-thru at Wendy's and picked up some Frosties and a taco salad (it was so good, I should make some for dinner), then at home I fed Emma, then did some stuff in my craft room while Emma had a late nap.

I went visiting teaching tonight. My partner is expecting a baby soon, so we talked baby stuff. I was reminiscing about babies, and briefly felt the baby urge, but it passed.

I finally got home about 8:30, to find Dani safe and sound. I kept trying to get her to "dish" but she was not cooperating. She did 'fess up to only sleeping three hours last night, because she and a bunch of girls stayed up until 2am. I'll see if I can get more story out of her tomorrow.

'Night y'all! Tomorrow is the Ward Talent Show, and I'm going to get some stuff ready to display. I'll have pics!

Kudos to Sue and her MANY blog comments, as well as Mom and Jenn. Sorry for the whining/nagging, but... okay, I'm not that sorry. Because I LOVED your comments!! Hugs and kisses!

End Post #80, 2009

Sweet Summer is Comin'

Pulled myself out of bed at 8 this morning. I guess I got around 7 hours, pretty good, but I still felt exhausted after being up so late with Emma.

Dani headed off on her overnight school field trip. I ran over to the school at 8:30am, to get a few cell #'s, slip her $20, and say goodbye. Boy, it was so efficient. Dani's class filed out, loaded their stuff, jumped on the bus, and that was it. I wanted to linger over the goodbye, but the teachers and chaperones were all business. But I need hugs and kisses! Sigh. I hope she's okay.

The weather was so good today, with a high of 69°, that I got into the garage, shook the dust off the bike and trailer, pumped up the tires, and headed out to the library. We almost didn't make it. Foofie-Loo was VERY tired and cranky, after her lousy night of sleep, and I almost turned back, but she quieted down, so I kept going. It's just a short ride, only about five minutes, but it felt really good to be out and about. I'm glad we went. The kids had fun at the library.

They've got their water and they're ready to ride!

It's a great little kids' corner in the children's section of the White Mountain library. I kept asking Connor if he wanted to pick a book, but he was too distracted. No books for him, I guess, but still, it's a fun place.







For some reason, it just looked like she was standing on the bridge of a spaceship, doing her thing, being large and in charge.



After a while, it was time to go home, and get poor Deet-Deet a nap. Thank goodness! She slept for three hours, and was feeling a lot better after that.

At the library, it occured to me that outdoor-cooking season is coming, and I reserved some books on dutch oven cooking. Can't wait to kick the dust off these, and cook some yummy meals!!! Along with the planned renovations of our backyard, I'd like to add a brick fire pit, with a bricked patch where I can use dutch ovens. Oh, I am so looking forward to summer!

While baby napped, Connor and I made cookies. I actually let him work the mixer. It could have been a disaster, but he did pretty well.

Nothin' like licking the beaters!
He loves the sprinkles.

It was fun making cookies, but I might be cookied-out for a while. Time to get some outdoor cooking going!

I went visiting teaching early tonight. And it was kind of funny because Katharine and I decided to do a drive-by because Rosalba's cell# wasn't working anymore. We found her and her husband in the parking lot of their apartment complex cleaning out their truck while their kids played at the playground. So, we had a nice visit there in the parking lot. Kind of fun!

I threw together a bag of cards/stationery from my stash to give to her for a belated birthday present, and managed to make a new one really quick. I keep forgetting how much fun it is making cards! I hope I get to play some more tomorrow. We'll see.

Cleaned up the house upstairs tonight, it felt good. Hopefully, it will make tomorrow a little more productive.

'Night y'all!!!

End Post #79, 2009

P.S. You slackers and blog stalkers need to start commenting. I feel like I'm talking to myself here! Not that I don't do that way too often, but it's gonna get even weirder without some feedback!

Cowboy Joe Bus

I promised a friend in my ward, Becca Sorensen, that I would post a pic of their cool Wyoming Cowboys bus. They bought it cheap and fixed it up (it even has a loud horn that I think plays some type of UW Cowboy tune), and now drive it around for fun, going to UW football games, and other random but fun things such as delivering Christmas treats this past December. I think it's awesome! Wouldn't that be a fun traveling vehicle? Although, I think Gil would die of embarrassment. It's a teenager thing.

I took this pic at the UW Homecoming football game we went to in Laramie last fall, October 11th. It was a great surprise to be watching the parade that morning, and to see familiar faces and a big brown bus coming up the street! I think that's their little girl Anna waving her pom poms out of the window. Do you see the building in the background on the right? That's the LDS Institute and singles ward church building, where Zen and I went when were were in college there at UW, so many years ago. Our first dance, our first date, soooo many memories!!! I wish we'd been able to go inside. We'll probably be back at UW this fall for the next Cowboys game. Should be fun!

Today was a full day. I weeded through my email, filing lots of things, still have to reply to some. Then I ordered some movies on Amazon for a family movie night, maybe this Friday. We're going to watch Better Off Dead, for sure. Gil saw it at a friend's house, and we were laughing ourselves to tears quoting lines to each other. So, here comes the dvd to relive the funnies: "I want my $2!" "Can I date Beth? {postman}" "Do you know what the street value of this mountain is?!!!" "French bread {say fronch}, french dressing, and french fries" "Sorry we blew up your Mom, Rickie" and the list goes on, and on. Some other ones I did are Bedtime Stories, Madagascar, Madagascar 2, Polar Express (Connor still talks about it from watching it at Ryan and Michelle's last December), and a series of anime films by the famous Japanese filmmaker, Hayao Miyazaki, whose films have had the highest grossing sales in Japan. We'll have to make batches of homemade popcorn, guacamole dip, and have ourselves a great time.

Then, I did some other paperwork things in my craftroom, ran to Wal-Mart, literally ran around the store getting my shopping list ready, cooked shrimp linguine in record time for Zen, who had to leave at 4:15pm for a week, and got some eBay orders ready to ship. I went out to my car to run the packages to the post office, and discovered the car battery was dead. I was so panicked, that I started grabbing bikes to find one that didn't have a flat tire, so I could ride one down to the post office, maybe a five-minute ride. But they were all flat! Just when I was about to start walking, my neighbor Carma Lee drove by on her way to run errands. I flagged her down and she helped me jumpstart my car. Kids leave a door ajar all the time, which leaves the inside lights on, which runs down the car battery. I've become really good at jumpstarting that crusty old van. So, Connor and I got the packages mailed, and went back home to a panicked Dani and a hysterical Emma.

Yesterday, Emma started a runny nose. It continued today, and developed into watery eyes and a slight temperature, and by 5pm, she was screaming her guts out, completely inconsolable. I knew what that meant: ear infection. When I got back from the post office, it was about 5:10 pm. I didn't have a lot of hope that there was anyone at the doctor's office that could see her, but I called anyway. Boy, was I lucky! They were still around, and sure enough, she has a raging ear infection. I've dosed her up on her anitibiotics, antihistamine for babies, and Tylenol, but she's been fussy all night. It's 1am now, and I don't know if I'll get any sleep. At 10:50pm I was going to go to bed, and get up early, and have a wonderfully productive day tomorrow, but she woke up, and after trying to get her back to sleep, I let her play in the tv room. I put her back in bed around 12:30am. I can hear her crying again right this minute, so I better go and get her. We'll see what happens tomorrow...

Ten Months Old

Emma is getting closer and closer to her year mark. Had to take some pics of her today, as she is now ten months old. Foofie!!!!


She's making more and more forays outside, as the number of warm days increase.



Emma's nicknames, from most recent to oldest:

1. Deet-Deet (a take-off on her baby babbling), it's like Chris' baby name Uttie. Deet-Deet, or just Deet, might stick for a while
2. Foofie, Foofie-Loo-Who, Foo-Foo
3. Baby Lovie (very brief)
3. Emma-Loo-Hoo, Sassy-Loo-Hoo (although this has been reassigned to Dani for the most part), Baby-Loo-Hoo
4. Bunny, Bunny-Loo-Hoo, Baby Bunny

A ginormous amount of posting today, it's now 2am, good night.

End Post #77, 2009