Biden 4 VP....

If we're lucky, this will be the new National Anthem...



Be sure to rock your vote next Tuesday...

We need activities like this

I don't know these people (amazing what you can find on YouTube) but this has to be one of the funniest things I've seen in a long time. You know one of these guys HAS to be their bishop.




I wonder why they don't do Road Shows anymore? I'm going to have to remember this one... I'm sure I could convince a few guys in our ward to do this... he he he

UEA Weekend

How we are spending the long weekend. Yay us.

Drat

Well, today there is good news and there is bad news.

The bad news is Skins didn't get elected to student council. Only 2 spots were available and she didn't get either one.

The good news is that she is very positive about it and says she will still stay involved in school activities. She also says that she will try again for 8th grade.

At least the experience didn't sour her from trying again. That's better than how her dear old mom reacted -- crawling into a hole and vowing off of school government the rest of her life. Sigh.

I can learn a lot from my children, can't I.

Who Wouldn't Vote?

This is Skins' campaign poster for her school's student council elections. Can you tell it's a sky, complete with white, puffy clouds? She was playing off her name and tying it into her slogan, "The Sky's the Limit"... whaddyathink?

She had to videotape her campaign speech, which will be played to all the seventh graders on Thursday. Elections are on Friday.

She told me that 16 people are in the running, but only 2 spots will get filled. Those aren't huge odds, but she's not letting that get her down. She's very optimisting especially after hearing some girls she didn't know comment on her poster hanging in the hall. They said, "This is totally the best poster up here!" That gave her a boost for sure!

Win or lose I'm so proud of her for even going this far... but I hope she does win. I think it will open up a lot of doors to her and give her a more positive experience in junior high. Seventh grade is the best place to do something like this since the cliques and popularity heirarchy really haven't been established yet. Best to get in on the ground floor.

I know that come Friday I'll be waiting anxiously with baited breath....

Lookie What I Did!!

I have been a busy little bee this last week. It is definitely harvest time!

I got 12+ jars of salsa, 10 quarts of grape juice, and 21 quarts of peaches (with half a tree still to go!).

I'm exhausted. Whew!

P.S. Skins sailed through the interview process for student council and will now be campaigning for votes. She's doing great. I'm so proud!

The Past Doesn't Have to Repeat Itself

Today is a happy day for me. Let me explain why.

When I was in jr. high school I had visions of being an SBO, or Studen Body Officer. I never wanted to be a cheerleader, work on the yearbook staff, or play any sports - nope, all I wanted was to be in student government.

The time came for elections and the first thing one had to do to run was get a petition and have 30 or so signatures. Once that was completed, the administration would interview each candidate and narrow the field down. It was so simple.

I eagerly went to the office and got my petition paper and hurried off to the cafeteria to start getting my signatures. And, that's when I overheard someone say: "I saw Angel in the office getting a petition. What is she thinking? Nobody is going to vote for her!"

I'd like to say that I ignored the comment, got my signatures, turned in my paperwork, wowed the administration and won my office. But, that's not what happened. Instead I ripped up my petition paper without one single signature and threw it away. I never tried out again.

And, to this day, that is the biggest regret of my life. Hands down.

BUT, I am so proud of Skins, who after just one month in junior high decided that she was going to try out for student government. I encouraged her and she followed through. Today she turned in her petition, loaded with signatures, to the school counselor and now awaits her interview slot. Even if she doesn't make it into student government, she'll never have to go through her life wondering "What if?"

I'm so proud of her. Win or lose, she took the first step... and that's more than her dear old mom dared to do. Vote for Skins!!!

Blech

TGIF - It supposedly means Thank Goodness it's Friday, right?

Well, not for me it's not. At least not today. Let's see... perhaps:

This Gut is Frustrating, or
Tummy Gluttonous: I'm Fat! or
Thighs Grotesque - Infuriating - Fat!

These things may or may not be true... but I just got home from 3 different stores trying on jeans. If you aren't a woman, you can't appreciate the impossible task this is. A guy can just walk up to the rack, look for his approximate size, and head to the checkout -- a trip taking approximately 2.7 minutes.

Not so for the female persuasion.

We approach each rack and scan for color. Next we grab the size we wish we were, the size we might be, the size we probably are, and each size surrounding these sizes (just to be sure) then head for the dressing room. We try on each pair (sometimes squeezing and stuffing ourselves into them), then examine our reflection in the dressing room mirror from every angle, step out of the dressing room to look in the multiple-angled mirror from every angle, then head back to the dressing room, check mirror again, take them off, and proceed with the next pair. By the time we get to the checkout it has been approximately 72 minutes since entering the store.

I found two pair that were a tad tight but I bought them anyway (spending a bit more than I intended). My rationale for that is that if I live off of tomatoes and water for the next 7 months they won't be tight on my anymore. As if.

I'll put them on for Da Man when he gets home from work and let him have the final say. If he likes them, then I'll be happy. If he hates them... well... at least I saved the receipt.

Thank heavens it's not swimsuit season anymore!!

FRUSTRATION!!!

I am coming to you tonight through dial-up. Yep, you heard me correctly D-I-A-L U-P. As in 48kb/sec. Yawn. It took 2 minutes just to load this page so I could draft this post. Kill me!!

For the last 3 years I've been with a local wireless provider whose speeds were rather nice at 2100kb/sec and a price I could live with. They've been fairly reliable for me and I've been pleased with their service.

The antenna for our area is on a home in my neighborhood - Maybe that's why my speeds are good. BUT, last year the couple who own the house where the antenna is located decided to divorce. That wouldn't be a big deal if either spouse was going to stay in the house... but alas, the house is now up for sale and nobody is living in it. If there is nobody living in the house, then there is nobody there to maintain the antenna, the tower, or the powerbill that gives the juice to said tower and antenna. We've had a few outages lately because of that problem, but my local ISP has been good about getting it back up and running within a few hours.

Until today.

We went down and I called to inform them of the problem. They said they were aware and had a technician on the way out here to get us back up and running. We could expect service within 30 minutes.

Four hours later I receive a call from the technician, who, after exchanging niceties over the phone, offers me these 5 little words: "We're taking down the tower." Silence. "Ummm, you're what???"

"We've decided that there have been too many issues with this particular tower, so rather than service it, we're going to take it down. We'll contact you with our DSL pricing options tomorrow."

So, that's it. No warning. No further explanation. No internet service.

I'm livid! Were it not for my "free" dial-up backup, I'd be completely without the internet for an indeterminate period of time.

Shouldn't there be some kind of restitution from this company? Isn't there some kind of law that says they have to give me a warning before disconnecting me? Give me some time to research other providers? I know I'm not the only one in this neighborhood that depends on my internet connection for work.

What the heck!! ::insert fuming emoticon here::

I'm so angry. And, now I'm going to hit "Publish Post" and wait another 45 minutes while it posts it to my blog...

Dial up sucks. Blech.

Missing: Time

I considered putting up LOST posters around town to see if anyone has found my time, because, clearly, I've lost it and I don't know where it has gone. If anyone knows where it is, please return it to me right away. You'll know it's mine because you'll see me with fewer wrinkles and younger-looking skin, much thinner, and I'll be toting around two toddlers and a pre-schooler.

Have you seen it??

I just don't understand how time got away from me. One moment it was there, and the next it was speeding away, not leaving me a chance to catch up. It was just yesterday that I was holding the hand of my preschooler so we could cross the street to go to the playground, but today I sent her off to junior high. I didn't even have a chance to blink!!

My baby started junior high today.

I think I need to say it again while pinching myself just to be sure. "My baby started junior high today." Yep, still true.

Junior high is such a different place from elementary school and there are so many new opportunities facing kids today. I only hope that Da Man and I have given Skins all the tools she needs to succeed, to say No, to make good choices, to make and keep good friends, and to survive all of the all-important teenage moments that we all had to go through.

My baby started junior high today.

If anyone has seen my time and can return it to me ASAP, I'd really appreciate it. I think I'd rather be taking my baby Skins to Kindergarten instead.

I Heart Tivo!

Tivo has been in my life for 8 months now... I don't know how I ever functioned without him. Before Tivo I'd have to either 1) have a blank tape ready for my almost-impossible-to-program VCR, or 2) miss my show.

But, now that Tive has come into my life, I never have to go without my shows again! Not to mention that my Tivo loves me so much, that he (yes, he) actually records shows FOR me, out of the kindness of his tiny little microchip heart.

AND, I don't have to tell him what time to start and stop... he just knows what shows I like and he makes sure to gather them for me. What a sweetie.

Oh, AND, it's all high definition. Bonus when I want to pause and get a better look at my Josh Holloway (Tivo understands my love for Josh and allows me that one indulgence).

Did I mention I heart Tivo?

However, lately I've been noticing a strange phenomenon occuring. Last Sunday at church the instructor said something and I missed it... I actually reached for my Tivo remote to rewind her. I PHYSICALLY reached down. Oy vey! And, tonight, our cats did something totally funny and my husband went to rewind so that we could all watch again.

Obsessed much?

Tivo has spoiled me. Next thing you know, I'm going to try to fast forward through dinners at my inlaws. If only it were that simple. Sigh.

Life in Fast Forward

The last couple week have been a whirlwind of activities... In no particular order we:

* Celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary
* Saw our youngest daughter being baptised (I saw, hubby participated)
* Attended Da Man's 20th high school reunion
* Hosted 2 parties at our house
* Sent the kids back to school (minus the jr. higher)
* Built onto our food storage
* Numerous day-to-day items not really worthy of mention

I'm hoping that the weeks to come will ease up a bit since I haven't even had a free day where I can go get my hair done... and BOY am I in need of a 'do!!

In the middle of all the rushing around I've been doing lately, I snuck into Wal-Mart to pick up the last book in the Twilight series "Breaking Dawn." So, add REALLY late nights onto my schedule because for some reason I just can't seem to stop reading. It's not even that the book is that good (it's not) but I just can't help myself. I'll give a better review once I've finished it....

Signed,
The Girl in a Whirl

Great Book

I just read a fantastic book.

I can't remember where I heard about it, or even when I put it on hold at the library, so when I went to pick up my holds, I was surprised to see this book sitting there. I have a stack of books I need to read and this was on the top so when I found myself unable to sleep Wednesday night, I picked it up and plunged right in. At 4:00 a.m. I'd gone through 2/3rds of the book and I wanted to keep going, but sleepiness was starting to win over and I had to stop.

Thursday was a holiday (Pioneer Day here in Utah) so I had to get up fairly early to get the kids ready for the children's parade and the neighborhood breakfast that followed. Man, was I bushed - like the walking dead. But, I made my appearance and then hurried home to get in some more reading. I just couldn't wait to finish the story.

The book is called The Art of Racing in the Rain by a man named Garth Stein. It's written from the perspective of Enzo, a dog. I had a dog growing up who I swear was a human in a dog's body, limited by his canine-ness in his ability to speak, but spoke volumes nonetheless. Enzo reminded me of him. Everyone should have a dog for their best friend at least once in life.

I loved this book so much that I've already purchased it to add to my collection (I had to give the library's copy back) and I will be reading it again and again. I recommend it to anyone who has loved a pet, or been loved by a pet, or who just wants a compelling book to read in the middle of the night.

One suggestion though... if you pick up the book, make sure you have a box of tissues nearby too. You'll need them.

Happy reading!

She's Off!

Skins is on her way to Girls Camp even as we speak. She was up bright and early this morning, ate breakfast and gathered her last-minute stuff, and was out the door by 7:00. I saw other moms dropping their daughters off at the pick-up point down the street, lingering while others arrived. But, not me, I just sent her lovingly out the door to walk over on her own.

Mom of the year? Not so much. But at least I made her change into socks that didn't have holes in them. Maybe I'm good for something.

For the past few days Skins has been a bit nervous about being away from home on her own. In the past she's always had her little sisters with her, but this time she's doing it solo. She walked out of the house with much trepidation this morning -- as a first-year Beehive she really doesn't know what to expect -- but I'm sure that she's going to have a great time. There are some great leaders up there with her, and they'll look after her.

Bee is sad that her sister is gone for three days. She's been looking through our scrapbooks with teary eyes ever since Skins left. She's going to miss her big sister. Awwwwww. Squeaker could care less at this point. She'll just be happy to have command of the remote control now that Skins isn't around to horde it.

Three days and counting...

Celebrate our Independence

Friday was the Fourth of July. We had planned to go camping, but Da Man had to go help his brother move early in the morning, so we figured that by the time he got back and we packed the trailer to go it would be too late to get a camping spot. So, we bagged the whole idea.

Instead, I stayed in bed and finished a book I was reading. Then, about 10:00 I got up and made sugar cookie dough with the girls. In order to make cookies, you have to refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours, so we had two hours to kill before it was time to bake.

I'd made enough dough to get 5 large cookies with my handy-dandy Pampered Chef cookie mold that I bought several years ago to make 4th of July cookies. This is the first year I actually made them. Go me.

So, I baked the cookies. They had to cool before we could frost them... so they had to sit out. The temperature outside was in the high 90s, so the temperature inside was fairly warm as well, especially since I had the oven on to bake cookies. Our sugar hearts had to sit out for quite some time to cool down.

It is now about 3:00, approximately 5 hours since I set out to make 4th of July sugar cookies to commemorate the holiday. Time to make the frosting. I mixed up a batch and then went to get the food coloring out of the cupboard. I found blue... but where is the red?

I got a chair to get a better look, and while I was rummaging, I knocked a bowl of sugar out. I watched as it fell, hit the counter, and tumbled to the floor, where it literally exploded! Sugar and glass went EVERYWHERE. I've never seen a dish break like that. Apparently, it was tempered, causing it to obliterate into a million pieces. Man, what a mess.... and there was no red food coloring to be found. I had to use hot pink. Sorry, Founding Fathers, our great nation's colors are temporarily Hot Pink, White and Blue. Get over it.

I cleaned up the sugar and the glass and went to mix the icing, but the house was too warm and the frosting was runny. So, I had to chill it a bit before I could frost the cookies.

It is now 4:15.

But, take a look... don't they look nummy??

I wouldn't let anyone eat their cookie until we ate some real food first, so I ran to KFC for some dinner. (What? You thought I was going to cook? My kitchen was already hot enough!). We ate too much and nobody wanted a cookie after eating dinner... so we waited.

It's now 9:00; almost 12 hours from when I first started making these cookies and we are finally eating them. Not bad, if I must say so myself. When I asked the girls what they thought of these all-day cookies, Squeaker replies, "Mine is delectable!!" I looked at her and said, "they're what??"

"Mom, they are delectable - that means 'delicious' in my language."

I told her delectable means delicious in my language too. Where the heck did she get that word? Too funny.

Here she is with her DELECTABLE all-day 4th of July sugar cookie.

It will probably be a few more years before I make them again.

Happy Birthday Bee!!

The Bee officially turned 10 last week, and got her ten-year-old birthday party. Originally, she'd planned on having a "late over," but with the weather being so warm and summer-y she changed her mind to a "water party." So, the invitations went out to 8 little girls. The anticipation for the big day about did Bee in!

Saturday arrived... Party day! I was still frantically trying to get things organized and had to run to the store for some last minute items (it's difficult to have rootbeer floats with out the ice cream, or the rootbeer!). The party started at 2:00 and I got home from the store at 1:45, just as the first little girl was arriving.

By 2:30 most everyone had arrived and the party was in full-swing, set to the tunes of the Beach Boys, who really made the summer theme come to life. The girls jumped on the trampoline with the sprinkler underneath, they had a water balloon fight, played games with soaking sponges, and -- their favorite -- water hose limbo. I didn't have a lot of structure, allowing them to really just have fun. I only stepped in when I noticed someone feeling left out.

I offered melon wedges as a treat, but nobody wanted any... so I pulled out the Creamies instead. Everyone clambered for those. Duly noted.

The water ran freely for the duration of the party. It was 97 degrees. Good thing I had my bottle of sunscreen also running freely because there were lots of pink cheeks shining towards the end.

About 4:00 I sent The Man in to make the rootbeer floats. He came right back outside and asked me where I put the ice cream. I replied, "I didn't put it anywhere... where did YOU put it??" We both just stared at each other... realizing that nobody brought it in from the car after returning from the store at 1:45. Uh oh.

The girls had rootbeer soup for a treat while Bee opened her presents.

The last activity was breaking the ugliest pinata on earth, and melting their frozen water balloons with a bracelet inside (they had to get through the ice to get the bracelet out).

Everyone was gone by 5:15.

It was a fun party and I think everyone had a good time. I won't have to host another birthday party now for two more years... when Squeak turns 10. I'll start resting up.

Lookie, Mommy!!

I went to Sam's Club today to drop off some film and make some prints from our digital camera. I had The Bee and Squeaker with me since Squeaks had a dentist appointment earlier and Sam's is right next to the dentist's office (gotta try to get as many errands done in one trip as possible to help conserve gasoline).

So, while I was browsing through the prints on the nifty new-fangled print maker, Squeak announced that she desperately needed to go to the bathroom. I inquired as to where the restrooms were then sent the girls off on their own, with the instruction to hurry on back.

A few minutes later they returned. Bee was happily displaying something in her hand, to which she announced: "Lookit what I have, Mommy! It was free! What is it??" I glanced up from the kiosk to see her waving a Kotex box. I replied, "Something you don't need yet." She shrugged and passed the box along to me, slightly disappointed at not receiving some fantastic treasure... for free.

Ah, the disappointments of youth.

I did it!

The book club selection for this month is "Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell." This is the first time I've ever read it - I've never even seen the movie before now. The only thing I knew about the story is that it's about the old South and the line "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

I also knew the famous monologue featuring "With God as my witness, I'll never be hungry again." Finally, it makes sense to me!

I gave myself 2 weeks to read the novel. It is almost 750 pages in very teensy typeface. It started out sluggishly for me at first and I'd note the page number when I felt ready to stop reading and feel discouraged that I had read only 4 pages. As I got more into the story I forgot to notice the page numbers and I'd breeze through 30 pages in a session.

Margaret Mitchell spends a lot of time describing the surroundings, which I found tedious at times, but her descriptions were well-done and at times I could almost smell the damp red soil of Georgia. I also got bored with all the political talk, but since the story is about the Civil War and the politics behind it, it was necessary for the plot.

I finished the book in 16 days. I carried the book around with me everywhere I went so that I could sneak in a few minutes of reading here and there. Of all my children, The B was the most interested and often asked me, "What is Scarlett doing now, Mom?" She's anxious to read it "when she's a little bit older." The huge-ness of the book doesn't phase her at all. She's quite the reader for a 10 year old.

I got the movie from Netflix so I could compare it with the book. I was intrigued to see the film that beat out The Wizard of Oz for the Oscar that year. It's hard to believe it was almost 70 years ago!! It was primitive by todays movie-making standards, but I really enjoyed it. Even my husband watched the entire film with me, without falling asleep!!! Skins and Squeaker gave up after an hour, but Bee made it to the end as well. You gotta hand it to them... the movie is 4 hours long!

The movie was very well-done by book-to-film standards. Of course, no movie can ever be as good as the book, but it held true to the novel's main points and feelings. I felt that Vivien Leigh was EXACTLY how I envisioned Scarlett, and Clark Gable was a great Rhett. However, Ashley Wilkes was NOT how I pictured him... he was neither young, dashing, or handsome. Blech. I picuted him more like Josh Holloway... hubba hubba.

I don't know why I've never read this classic novel before. I'm glad I did.

Summer Vacation

The kids are officially out of school and on "Summer Vacation." It has been a total of 1.5 days and I'm alreadying hearing "I'm bored!"

It's going to be a LONG summer.

Angel's Tunes

You may notice that I've changed my Blog Playlist (above)...

Do you notice a theme?

I'm open to suggestions on what I can add to the list. Got some ideas? Post them in the comments and I'll see what I can do to add them in!!