I'm it!...you'd better run, or you're next...

I actually like being tagged because it gives me focus, purpose, and something to do. So here we go.
8 Random Things
The Rules
-We have to post these rules before we give you the facts.
-Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
-People who are tagged write their own blog post about their eight things and include these rules.
-At the end of your blog, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged and they should read your blog.

1. I love to read. I have been reading the same book for over a month. This move has kept me way too busy so I read about a page at a time. The book is nearly 500 pages and it is just taking me forever, but its good so I'll finish it...I've only got about 40 pages left to go...its a book about Vincent Van Gogh.

2. I absolutely love art history but as mentioned in a previous "all about me", I have a horrid memory. I once knew a lot of artists and sculptors but now, no, not much. I feel passion for art and can appreciate a variety of styles, time periods and movements. It makes me feel and think and I love it.

3. I know American Sign Language. I started learning as a teenager and continued into college. I had the opportunity to interpret for a couple of young men in my student ward at BYU and had a temporary job interpreting for a girl going through training at Foley's one summer. (I secretly liked interpreting at church because it meant I got to go to priesthood meeting and sat in the front of the room on the side...it's hard to get that kind of attention when you attend a college full of talented, beautiful, eligible girls...so sue me.)
I still love signing but don't have a lot of opportunity to use it...I would like to interpret professionally someday.

4. I went to an Iridologist once who told me that I was acutely in tune with my body...I believe it...I believe that I have a heightened awareness of feelings, I've got a lot going on in my body and I feel all of it...sometimes it makes me feel like a hypochondriac, but I'm not.

5. There are a lot of places around the world that I really want to see. I love to travel but it takes me several days to feel comfortable in a new place...and I'm afraid of food poisoning.

6. Despite my fear of food poisoning, I love food. I love to eat out...I think it goes back to my "princess" roots of being served. You go in, sit down, they show you a list of choices, you tell them what you want, they bring it to you and then you get to leave and they clean it up. I love Mexican, Italian, a delicious hamburger, chips and dip, Mo's Russian Chicken and potato casserole, but not sweets so much (don't get me wrong, I appreciate a delicious Apple Pie or specialty ice cream but I would choose an appetizer over a dessert at night).

7. I'm sad that I cut my hair even though I know that if it were still long I would still be wanting to cut it.

8. I am good at creating things. I love to play the piano but I am mediocre. I would love to be able to sing or dance really well. I have a good "choir voice" and I am horribly uncoordinated and ungraceful. But, I can sew, paint, embroider, draw, illustrate, and I'm good on the computer. I like to take pictures and I'm getting better, I hope. I would love to go back to school and take classes in photography and gardening. And I'm a really good organizer.

I tag anyone who reads my blog and everyone that I read...that means, if I leave a comment, you are tagged!...now go, prepare to entertain me.

Just one of those days.

It's actually just been "one of those weeks". I am exhausted. I'm still sick and have finally given up on three of the four medications. I actually feel a little better.
Don't you wish that the feeling of exhaustion could come from a fun filled day with your family, romping at the beach or on some wild adventure or excursion? I welcome those days packed with special family time that I love and adore. Is there any better feeling than to have a full day of pleasant quality time to then come home and feed, bathe and put to rest tired children?
Instead I am falling into bed tired and worn out with tears in the corners of my eyes...days full of bored, antagonistic kids who talk back and disobey, nagging and reminding and repeating myself again and again. Do you know the feeling of saying "no" all day with backlash? Some days it beats me down til I feel tiny and almost non existent.
Aren't women the more fragile of the sexes? Then why must we be submitted to so much emotional upheaval, on the part of the giver and receiver. Give me a day of rest.
And then I get one.
Today Clark took the older girls to the pool so I could sit quietly and finish a talk for church tomorrow. And wouldn't you know it? Quiet time for study and reflection, prayer and listening is just the cure for a life that gets too caught up in the chaos, too affected by the emotion and too rattled by the prospect of things undone. I feel much better but why can't I keep the perspective all the time? Is that just one of the challenges of life? When will consistency be more "consistent" in my own life? When will I grow up?
Sometimes all I really really need is that quiet moment...a day to sit in calm solitude...but why is it that I can't be without those "causers of worry" for 12 hours without missing them horribly? It is the great debate in my soul, where I want to be the most can be the most exhausting to my unconquerable spirit. Too heavy for my blog?
Try this question for the day then:
If a bar of soap falls in the toilet, is it still clean?
Just things to think about.

All doped up and I don't mean Miss Lohan...

I contracted the "black lung" from my daughter while in Utah a couple of weeks ago and its still hanging around. Actually, the doctor said today that my lungs were whistling...I don't think he meant that in a nice way. However, "said" Dr. happens to be one of those that dances "on the safe side" and goes overkill with the prescriptions. For the next week I am on four different drugs, one is once a day, one is twice a day, one is three times a day and one is four times a day...can someone draw me up a schedule?..and then get me something for how dizzy I am thinking about it? I got uncomfortable at the little window today while the pharmacist was talking about my mucus, it just feels so personal, and disgusting. Here's to a good night sleep.

On a happier note, you will all be pleased to know that the Navy shows great concern and compassion for their people. The marquee coming into the base last week read, and I quote, no joke:

"HOW TO AVOID MARRYING A JERK SEMINAR"

I really wish that I had gotten a picture.

Isn't it nice to know that someone's got our back? Actually it's sad that such a workshop would be so useful. We actually know people who have left on deployment and come home to an empty house, empty bank accounts and maxed credit cards. The part that I found funniest is that this is a Submarine Base, that means no women. That means they were talking about marrying "jerky" women...am I a jerk? Hm, something to think about. Unfortunately if I took all of Clark's money and left he would know exactly where to find me...just follow the debit purchases of Sonic across the country and find me snuggled deep in the down comforter of a Hampton Inn somewhere. Don't worry, I'm not a jerk and I'm not leaving, I like him, a lot.

And now for something completely different...

I just need to move my entries along...I feel attacked every time I come to my page and see that word...I suppose I could change it but this is so much more interesting.

We took these on a family walk we went on yesterday through the woods, and then in our "backyard" (common area that has a playground and big, climbing tree.)

Oh Crap!

I don't know how many of you are up to speed on your Utah local news but a few weeks ago an 11 year old boy was dragged from his tent by a bear, up in American Fork Canyon. That, coupled with some other close to home bear stories had my brain hopped up on "bear scare" during our very recent trip to Utah. So, when this appeared in my Mom's back yard, I grew concerned...

...concerned because it looked like bear poop, not because my hand is very close to it (that was to show its relative size).
Why bear poop speculation, you ask? This was my thought process.


1) There is a drought in Utah right now so bears, among many other species, are traveling farther and farther down the mountains in search of food and water...and it just so happens that my Mom and Dad have some delicious looking berry bushes along their house.
2) It's too big to be domestic and the wrong shape I might add. Dogs and cats are out. So are deer or any member of the deer family because I happen to know that they poop in pellets...so obvious.
3) My parents house is perched right along the "something canyon" (I can't remember the name) It crosses one street but otherwise comes straight down from the mountains.
4) Bears!
That really sums up what I know about animal poop.

So the kids stayed inside for a day or two until we got a hold of the Utah Animal Wildlife Association, or something like that. They sent a tech out right away. Imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang and I answered to a dashing young man in khaki. I threw on the pair of flip flops by the door that best matched my sweatpants and grungy t shirt (I was on vacation, remember?) and led him around back where I was sure he was going to thank me profusely for saving thousands of innocent lives from this wild animal unleashed on Suburban Utah.
The first words out of his mouth were, "It's not bear poop"...I tried my best to sound "educated" in the ways of fecal matter (I do have three kids, mind you) and called it "bear skat" instead of poop. He couldn't tell me what it was though he assured me it was not bear or mountain lion. I then stood there and tried to remain composed and look interested as he slipped on his pair of rubber gloves and began breaking the "skat" up in his hands. You see, bear skat comes out twisty, usually full of berries or hair and is typically tapered at the ends. Do you see my dilemma? Handsome young man, rubber gloves, touching poop and talking about it in great detail? I was confused but tried my best to look interested and engaged.
"I see", I said.
And then he sealed it up in a baggie and took the poop away...he never did make a guess at what it was.
Perhaps it was a moose...

Yes, Dear...

I made Clark sit and watch Stepford Wives last night, the newer one with Matthew Broderick and Nicole Kidman. I don't know if I was just giddy or what but I laughed, many times. However, the funniest irony came in the end when our deranged friend Glen Close was revealing her evil plot. She said, and I quote:
"And then I asked myself, where would people never notice a town full of robots? Connecticut."
It was a lovely movie...actually its really dumb but entertaining and I have to say a better ending than the original...what can I say, I need resolution...and who knew Connecticut could be the butt of such a silly joke?
Oh wait, perhaps its because our state song is "Yankee Doodle", yeah, the one about the feather and the noodle. Could anyone really take us seriously knowing that? I suppose the fact that it is beautiful and historical makes up for some of that.
The girls and I went out in the rain today to visit the Niantic Children's Museum. I think the most exciting thing on display was the breeding ground of germs. I figure it probably started out really cute and then 5 million dirty little kids came and played. I stretched out the entertainment for almost 1 1/2 hours and then we split to Target...a rival playground. I think the girls had fun but we ran out of things to do very quickly and the whole house that it was in kind of smelled like old urine. So our report for the day was soggy, Niantic has a cute downtown, reputable used book store, nice boardwalk but a lame children's museum. We'll be back for their beach on a sunny day.
To make up for our sour outing, Clark was home fairly early, I laid on the couch for 30 minutes with my eyes closed while the girls played together, we had a delightful family dinner, the girls in bed early, and now we're watching the season finale of Traveler and eating yummy ice cream. I love when the day gets better, instead of worse.

Cousins, BYU and orange cream soda

The trip has come to an end. We left on the afternoon of July 4th and flew straight into the night. Two layovers later we landed in SLC at around midnight, relatively unscathed...the girls were near angels and I felt great relief to have that part of the trip behind us. We didn't fully miss out on the 4th's festivities, we saw several little puffs of lights during our initial ascent out of Houston....I know Houston, right? I just left there a few weeks ago with a heavy heart and have endured a couple of truly difficult weeks adjusting, and there I was, back again, just like that...20 minutes from our beautiful, empty home, sitting in the airport watching a special on Anna Nicole Smith's love child and eating Papa John's pizza in terminal C.
The girls spent the first 15 minutes of each flight reviewing the safety information found in the seat back pocket in front of them. I then, spent 10 minutes answering questions about the pictures, very gently and diplomatically: "Momma, what's that a picture of?" "Well sweetie, that's if the plane crashes into water, then we get to float around on big rafts...if we survive the impact (that is if we assume the correct "crash posture" as seen in diagram 4 up there...")
We spent a day recuperating at Mo and Papa's and then headed off to Clark's family reunion, minus Clark. We met back up with all the family we just said goodbye to and were happy to be together again. The cabin was gorgeous and we had fun fishing, hiking and four-wheeling. Haley was the only one who caught a fish while we were there (she did a really good job reeling in the 12 inch trout that Uncle Randy baited and cast...she was really excited.)
After the weekend with our Texas and Utah cousins we headed back to my folks' for a week with my fam. Actually I spent one more day with Clark's family who returned to Grandma's house in Idaho. Monday was a long day that we took driving up to Idaho Falls for a short visit at Grandma's eating hamburgers and hanging out in the lush grass of her front yard while we played in the climbing tree. Then I drove up for an even shorter visit in Rexburg with our good friends Mandee and Dallan who we haven't seen in years. It was so fun to see them and play with their adorable kids in their gorgeous new house. Unfortunately my camera battery was dead at that point so Mandee will have to post pictures of that visit. We got back home around 10pm after a much needed visit to our dear old stompin ground, Sonic...have you noticed a significant drop in Sonic's stock since our move from Texas? (did I mention that there is no Sonic or Chick Fil A in Connecticut?...I guess we'll just have to give up fast food and lose a few pounds.)
[I want to take a moment at this point in time to sing the woes of the Connecticut Restaurant conundrum...there is no place to eat out. In Utah or Houston we had our pick of any flavor or cuisine within a ten minute drive. Now, our family who likes a bite out on occasion (or on lots of occasions) sits in a stupor of thought before deciding on one of the three decent places we have found thus far. We know there are more places out there, we just haven't found many yet.]
So we spent the week playing at the pool, bringing chaos to BYU campus, playing with cousins, sliding the Alpine slide and enjoying good company.
Not to forget that my kids got to visit with four great grandparents still living, do you know how lucky that is?
(Did I mention how beautiful all of my family is? It's because of these people, are they not the most handsome and beautiful 80 something year olds you've ever seen? I mean, look at her skin!!)
Our trip was fantastic fun but coming home was even better. Mind you I spent enough time commiserating about my red eye flight with three kids but we made it home...and when we arrived we were met by one handsome Dad who came bearing flowers for all of his girls. We even came home to a box free house, cleaned and air-deodorized, new potted plants on the front porch and more flowers, cards and a new movie for each of us waiting on the table inside...I think he missed us. We slept much of yesterday to catch up then enjoyed a family dinner and Sunday outing to Groton Long Point to climb on rocks and watch the boats.
Trips are good but home is best.

*For a trip addendum please go look at Ab's blog...she puts it all so nicely and mentions all the things that I want to say.
Things that I didn't even mention:
-the isolated throw up incident that I didn't even gag at
-the bear skat scare of 2007 and my visit about poop with the handsome Wildlife man
-orange cream soda for breakfast
-my adorable and fashion conscious mother who does her homework faithfully
-the glorious food
-the girls' hours of laborious efforts to create a chipmunk habitat
-sunburns and chapped lips
-chickens with cute names and an amazing chicken coop built by my sister, her first ever
-slumber parties with Aunts
-and the fact that it's 2:15 in the afternoon and I have sat at the computer all day instead of unpacking.

HALLELUJAH!!

I feel alive again! My cell phone has been a trusty companion but frankly, the pictures just didn't cut it. We figured that with the trip to Utah and continuing goings-on this summer we simply didn't want to do without a real camera...however, the fact that we just replaced our lost one means that we should be finding it anytime now. If that be the case, we vow to sell it on Craig's List or some like-venue right away.
I think that I should let my ability to keep up on blogs dictate how much activity we engage in...I feel an urgency to get out of the house nearly every day but I can't keep up with the journaling...whoa is me, too much fun...or just too much.
On Saturday we went to Old Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts. I remember visiting there when my family lived in MA during middle school. It's a recreated village from the year 1830 complete with working shops and farms and goofy history nuts in costume. I absolutely love history from this time period so I was excited to go back and take the girls. We've been learning more and more about the Colonial period and history of the American Revolution...we figure its a fitting time since moving here and the impending 4th of July (one of my very favorite holidays...too bad we'll be celebrating from the air...) I am constantly amazed at the weather here...the day was mid 70's and breezy in the shade, absolutely pleasant. The girls had fun and it was a perfect activity to tour houses, barns and shops with plenty of dirt roads, grassy town greens and old-timey games to expend all that little girl energy. This is Haley and Clark fishing with an "ole-timey pole" and stale bread.
Tonight was a special Family Home Evening treat. In preparing for our move here the girls decided that they wanted their own Razor scooters. And to sweeten the incentive and keep their eye on the prize, we gave Clark his own Razor for Father's Day. So as a "relocation bonus" and good behavior incentive we instated the "Scooter Scoreboard". They had to earn 100 points before getting their scooter. They were awarded points for lots of different things, though not always for the same thing...you know, to keep it unpredictable and fresh; things like obeying the first time, being out of their way kind to their sisters, getting their barf IN the bucket, doing extra chores, staying in their own bed all night, and so on and so forth...Today, they both reached 100 points!...(what a coincidence that they would reach it the same day...now thats team work) So after some other "family errand running" we went to Toys R Us and they picked out their rewards! We are now the totally geeky family. A family that scoots together, stays together.
(don't feel too bad for Mia...she likes to stand on the very front of ours while we ride and lean back on our legs while saying, "whoa, whoa, whoa"...its a good things she has little feet.)
We even appropriately labeled them and added cute ribbons...you know, so we could tell them on the playground at a glance...and they're cute ribbons, so, you know...don't worry, Clark's has a masculine "knot" instead of a bow. (and I earned my own scooter too, by not divorcing my husband or disowning my children through this move...)
Scoot on little family, scoot on.