he loves his mom

ps: a few blogs in the works ... i know you're missin' me!

calling all class of '94 kangaroos!

SHUT UP ... i got an email from my good friend (Liisa) today informing me that i'm 1 step away from famous! ok, so you've played the game "six degrees of kevin bacon" ... well it doesn't even take 2 steps for me to be famous!! {wink-wink} how is this possible you ask? a guy that i went to highschool with and KNOW ... is currently on a reality television show ... and not just ANY show ... The Bachelorette!!
[disclaimer: i haven't watched the show since the 'officer and a gentleman' so it's been a while but i've been doing "research" almost all day ... since i was informed of my new status!]

Jason and i went to school together! seriously! i couldn't believe it either - i rummaged around for my yearbook and sure enough ... there he is ... right in my yearbook. he is lookin' great on the show and seems to be making a good impression. i found out from the show that he's a daddy ... and hasn't yet revealed that to DeAnna ... but it's only been the premier episode ... so i'll be watching!

all you kangs out there - check him out! i'm sure he'll love the hometown support!

in which my prayers are answered ...

isn't it great when you find yourself in a funk and/or rut that all you need to do is say a little prayer! Heavenly Father really does care about my ruts and funks and especially my happiness!! in an effort to rid myself of said funk/rut ... i decided to 'stomp it out' on the treadmill at the Y (Ymca ... not bYu). i took my zune, having already uploaded the most recent General Conference, cued up Elder Ballard (i remembered that his was a good one) and started to walk. 3.0 ... then 3.5 ... then pumped it up to 3.8 (which may or may not mean anything to you - but it's a pretty good clip in my estimation). by this time i had started to sweat (perspire/glisten/shoot who are we kidding?), and he was at the part of his talk where he's explaining that his wife was watching him from the stand because she was singing in the choir and Elder Ballard was dealing with 6 young kids - and the cheerios, crayons and finger puppets were not doing their job. i was smiling and chuckling to myself ... and then - i was bawling, well not really, more like tears were mixing in with the sweat running down my face.

it's a great talk and you should definitely read/listen to it. go ahead ... i'll wait.

the part that i want to share is this:

"As a Church, we have enormous respect and gratitude to you mothers of young children. We want you to be happy and successful in your families and to have the validation and support you need and deserve. So today, let me ask and briefly answer four questions. While my answers may seem extremely simple, if the simple things are being tended to, a mother’s life can be most rewarding.
The first question: What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?
First, recognize that the joy of motherhood comes in moments. There will be hard times and frustrating times. But amid the challenges, there are shining moments of joy and satisfaction...
Second, don’t overschedule yourselves or your children...
Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests...
Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel..."

honestly, could it be simpler? (is that a word? maybe 'more simple' is proper english? ... you know what i mean) Elder Ballard has given me a road map to avoid the ruts and funks in my life. he laid it all out ... and all i need to do is follow the directions.

now ... we all have moments (some of us longer moments than others) when we see that pot hole coming ... i see the rut and it's gonna be a doozie and i 'choose' not to avoid it. i say choose because a mile back when i caught a glimpse of it, i didn't change course ... and in so doing made a choice. that's not to say that i can't slam on my breaks and miss it by an inch ... but sometimes they are unavoidable at such short distances. i need to figure out for myself how, when i see those funky stretches of road, to act now ... be proactive ... choose to act instead of react.

so ... for the next few days, weeks, and maybe months, i'm going to be working on my course of action ... taking "defensive driving" so that i can operate my vehicle in a manner pleasing to my Heavenly Father ... and myself.

wish me luck ... keep me in your prayers ... i'll be remembering you all in mine. may we all remember that though we are 'small and simple, we are bringing great things to pass!' (alma 37:6)

frank sinatra

(his new stamp was released yesterday)

i woke this morning to the melodious voice of ichabod (and the waking crew) on KMPS ... he played a song that i sort of recognized (you can listen to it here). the contest was to see if the listeners could recognize who was singing with frank sinatra - in commemoration of his passing 10 years ago today.

i have been a fan of his christmas music since i was little, i love guys and dolls and yet i had no idea that the year i graduated he was receiving the Legend Award at the Grammy's.

so in tribute i created this playlist. gotta love Frank! enjoy!

Singing In The Rain (edited out ... my brother-in-law thinks i'm a nerd ... this one's a Gene Kelly song! oops!)

Fly Me To The Moon

Somethings Gotta Give

Young At Heart

Love And Marriage

Come Fly With Me

New York New York

L.O.V.E. (also edited out ... my sister ie: personal blog editor and wife to the abovementioned brother-in-law, informed me that this one is Nat King Cole ... how i missed that i don't know!)

Almost Like Being In Love

I Get A Kick Out Of You

You Make Me Feel So Young

Me and My Shadow -- Frank Sinatra & Sammy Davis Jr

Mistletoe And Holly -- Frank Sinatra & Bing Crosby

J-i-n-g-l-e Bells

I'll Be Home For Christmas

Silent Night

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (again ... jennalee ... this one's Bing Crosby)

Jingle Bells

The Best Is Yet To Come

2 words that illustrate my current emotional state

funk (fuhngk) -n.
1. a dejected mood
2. a strong smell; stench.

rut (rŭt) -n.
1. A sunken track or groove made by the passage of vehicles.
2. A fixed, usually boring routine.

can you guess which definitions are on my mind?

the weather is playing a factor today as well as the existing condition of my surroundings and i've been inspired to write this song ...

Townhouse, the Dreadful!

(to the tune of America, the Beautiful)

Oh, dreadful for cramped space, for sticky floors of crumbs,

for colorful Mount Washmore, caused by the diapered bums!

Townhouse! Confined Space! Sun shed it's warmth on thee,

And cleanse the floor and counter tops from all the junk I see!

it seems to me that i get in these funks every once in a while ... and like the scriptures say "it came to pass" ... it won't last long ... but for today, i'm havin' some popcorn lunch with a small handful of peanut butter m&ms. maybe it'll help me perk up!

time to share:

do you ever get in a funk ... or rut ... or both?

how do you get out?

Happy Mother's Day!!

here's what we did for my mom at dinner ... cute idea i saw at tip junkie but got it from sharing time

Hats Off to Mother

My mother’s job is sometimes hard, and I have heard her say,

“The hours are long, and if I could, I’d like to change the pay.”

Her profession has variety, and I will tell you now

About the many hats she wears—and why and when and how.

My mommy’s a nurse who fixes and patches

All of my hurts and my sores and my scratches.

My mother’s a chef who fixes each dinner

Fit for a king—a blue-ribbon winner!

My mom’s a chauffeur who drives pretty slow

But gets me to places where I need to go.

My mom’s a detective, and no one is greater

At getting the truth from me sooner or later.

My mommy’s a gardener and works really hard,

Planting and weeding and grooming our yard.

My mother’s a maid—at least that’s what she said—

‘Cause she cleans up the house and makes every bed.

My mother’s an angel—a queen in disguise—

Who teaches the gospel with tears in her eyes.

Today take these hats off, and please wear no other.

Let me do your work, to show I LOVE YOU, MOTHER!

5 things ... tag, you're it!

when i was tagged it was 4 things ... but thanks to my informative and entertaining friend ... i know that i can morph things a little if i want! enjoy!

5 JOBS I'VE HAD IN MY LIFE:
1. Babysitter Extrordinaire
2. Envelope Stuffer/Screen Printer
3. Orthodontic Office Instrument Girl
4. Administrative Assistant
5. Domestic Engineer

5 MOVIES I WOULD (OR HAVE) WATCHED OVER AND OVER:
1. Overboard
2. Dirty Dancing
3. 13 Going on 30
4. The Bourne movies
5. Footloose

5 PLACES I'VE LIVED:
1. the center of the universe (when the world revolved around me)
2. the 'other' windy city
3. Mormon Mecca
4. never alone
5. at home

5 PEOPLE WHO EMAIL ME REGULARLY:
1. blockbuster
2. blogger
3. LDS Living
4. facebook
5. walmart

5 OF MY FAVORITE FOODS/RESTAURANTS:
1. Old Reliable
2. Yummy Sitdown Mexican
3. The Party Place
4. Garlic Garden
5. The Best Teryaki Ever

5 PLACES I'D RATHER BE RIGHT NOW:
1. Not filling out this Meme
2. with my girls
3. dancing
4. on vacation
5. horseback

5 THINGS I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO IN 2008:
1. Camping
2. Sunshine
3. Jennalee staying at my house!
4. Change
5. Christmas

5 FRIENDS I WANT TO TAG:
1. Alicia (she said i could)
2. ummmm ... i'd nominate bff i,wright ... but i think we might get another one like this!
3. will anyone volunteer?
4. oh ... i know ...
5. my Pirate buddy! i'd love to hear your answers!

new hair ... styled by yours truly

so ... what do you think??

new hair ... styled by the girl

big love to nicki - she got a babysitter and spent the evening helping to beautify me!
stay tuned for hair styled by me - should be interesting!

tiptoeing is next to impossible with 5 boys

aren't they beautiful!? they are breathtaking in real life ... pictures are good ... postcard material even ... but so much better in person!

there's our crew

these 2 wouldn't pause for a good pic to save my life!

see mom, more mud

happy easton ...

we didn't get a good nap ... and it showed!

it was more like herding cats, really ...

someday we won't be that mom with those kids ... right?

we had a great time and (not to wish our lives away) next year will be better ... we hope!

easton's present to his "mama" on her birthday!