Friday, June 26, 2009

We don't believe in the Tooth Fairy.....

Oh No, we believe in a more rediculous lie than that. We believe that once you put your tooth under your pillow, the weight from your head after you have slept on it all night long, will turn it into money. Due to the pressure that is put on it. Also this only works for baby teeth. Part of the reason that this is the story we went with is A) we did not want our children beginning to think that they were going to get money from a mythical being, that did not exsist. B) Elyssa was so afraid of a witch being in her room when she was little, She thought that there was a witch in the closet every night and I did not want to fuel her concerns, with a flying fairy who took her teeth.



Well there have been a few times when I have forgotten to change out the tooth for money. Mostly I am able to rectify the situation when they are up having breakfast and I run down with my money neatly concealed in a basket of laundry. I then swap out said tooth for the money, kid comes down finds his tooth is a late bloomer and all is well!!!

Lets just say that the last tooth Ashton lost never turned into money, after him sleeping on it for a week he determined it was a dud. (slacker mom) I thought that he had thrown it out. But no I was wrong. Last night Ashton lost a tooth and he put it under his pillow. Great plan.... since justin was working nights I thought that if I left him a note he would be able to come in at 5 am and swap out the tooth. Justin got home at 2:30am and got my note and decided to go down with $3. When he got there he was surprised by the presence of 2 envelopes with teeth in them. AHAH, Ashton had decided to try the dud one more time. So Justin came up again to tell me the story and to get more money.

Here is how our conversation went at 2:30 am .
Justin: Can I turn on the light?
Me : mmmmmhhhhhhmmmm (I don't talk much that early in the morning)
Justin: I think Ashton would be really surprised to find a $50 bill in place of his tooth! and so would I when he shows it to me!
Me: hahahahaha, think of all the legos he could buy with that.
Justin: That would be our gas money.
Me: hahahaha
Justin: I would have to knock out his remaining teeth just so I never had to pay up again...
Me: hahahaha, it's a good thing for both of you that you turned on the light! Thanks honey!
(Justin leaves room and then returns)
Justin: Ashton is not even in his bed!
Me: what do you mean?
Justin: I thought that he was in his bed because it looks like there is a body in it. There is a perfect form of pillows and blankets there, but when I went to pat his back it was all pillows. He is in Elyssa's bed.
Me: I am not surprised. destroy my note please...

So this morning when I went into do laundry I peeked in and Ashton was in his bed he must have moved.

He came up a little bit ago and told me he had gotten money for his tooth and for the old dud he tried again. cool!!! He was totally stoked.
I know he has legos on the brain.
So I am off to go get some shopping done while justin sleeps and let ashton go bask in the glory of old teeth turned to money...

Just so you know we have had endless questions about teeth from the kids.

Like....
Q: If the dog loses a tooth can I put it under my pillow?
A: No, you know as well as anybody that it has to be the person who lost the tooth sleeping on it for anything to happen.

Q: well how does the tooth know who is sleeping on it?
A: It has lived in that head for so long, you think it does not know what head it belongs to?

Q: Why didn't my tooth turn into anything?
A: Well apparently you moved around too much in your sleep. Try to keep your head on the pillow tonight.

These are just a few and if I wasn't blogging on the sly I am sure I could remember more...

Saturday, June 20, 2009

ksl free ads

I just love to go to KSL and look through the classifids. I always get a good laugh at the free ads and occasionally I come home with some really fantastic thing.... Like the time I ended up with about 400 free books. I have only read a few and I had to sift through the pile for about 2 weeks but I eventually got all of that squared away. And I have a full library of advanced readers copies.
Here is a partial list of some of the more funny things on the free ad section, from this morning through the last 3 days

FREE

"Couch car peed on it" (well maybe you should not have left it in th garage) yes the ad said "CAR"

Box of shoe laces approximately 1000 white shoe laces

Big screen tv worked really good when it worked now it does not work come and get it

Fridge died good to a free home need to be cleaned you haul

free mulberries

working toilet 4 yrs. old has leak in tank

free 100 old scooter tires

Wood letters spelling the name Bailey

Blackcat with "gold eyes"

free tv needs power cord

console tv doesn't work but housing is in great shape you could make something out of it.

free rose petals from my bushes, great for wedding or for eating or leading to the bedroom.

brown leghorn rooster

waste vegetable oil from restaraunt

maytag dishwasher 9 yrs. old with leak

150 free white plastic bottles no lids hold 2 cups

fish tank frog tropical

******if you are in need of any one of these items you better hurry on over to ksl.com sometimes they go fast******

Friday, June 19, 2009

we got a hummer

We got a hummer ya'll! Every evening and through out most of the day we try to catch a glimpse of the hummers that come to visit. We watch through the kitchen window. and we sit out on the deck for dinner and watch them come to feed on the nectar we provide. (homemade of course) right now they are still alittle shy, however before the summer is over they will be so familiar with us that we will be able to stand with our hands near the feeder and they will land on our fingers to perch while they drink. This little guy or gal above is coming in for a snack.


They hang around for about 30-40 seconds at a time. and they make a really cute chirping, chattering, clicking noise.


They do a dance in the back yard where they swoop up and down over and over again. it looks like they are swinging on a pendulum but higher and lower instead of side to side if that makes sense.OOOPs wrong kind of hummer! Actually I was trying to photograph my hummers and Justin came out to serrenade me ( OK he was trying out a new song). Any way he became enthralled wih the hummers. He really thinks they have a funny song.



This hummer is different he has a black head an a white collar and very irridescent green. This is the territorial one. He fends off any other hummers when he is around. we were quite interested in the thought that he was so territorial and we read that they will actually attack hawks to defend their area.
And I don'tcare how big you are, you see that beak coming at you at a very high speed you are going to retreat lest you find yourself skewered. That is what scares me about our hummers you can't just step out the back door you have to stop and look both ways before you step out. They have a habit of flying at my eye level.

As a matter of fact I almost took out 2 hummers yesterday. I was coming out the back door and it was like the hummers had guardian angels because for some unknown reason I paused just before stepping out and pushing the screen door wide open. in that split second before I pushed open the door 2 little hummers buzzed me they were chasing each other. (that's what they do)
I would have knocked both of them right off of their flight path and probably killed them. And once again I know this because they were within 5 inches of my eyeballs.


one really cool thing I have gained this year in studying the hummers is a better knowledge of my camera. I really love photography and want to learn more. And now I know what ISO does, not what it means, but what it does. I just need to get my camera to take more than one shot every 10 seconds. It is frustrating to not be able to click click click. I did turn off the review option after every photo and that has helped. I am going to read through that manual if it kills me!




Have you ever....?

Have you ever been in that place between consciousness and deep sleep? I mean that place where you are exhausted and you are waiting for sleep to claim you? I have been there my friend, I have been there more times than I want to remember! The problem is when I hit that stage and I think I am asleep, an overwhelming fear grips my entire being. At this point I struggle to move and my body is paralyzed, I scream as loud as I can and no sound comes out of my mouth. This to me is what my childhood nightmares consisted of. I had them alot a few years ago, and I thought that it was a phase I was going through. I have not had one of those waking nightmares in a long time. However last night it happened again. I have to say I honestly hate them. They scare me half to death. I don't know what causes them. Last night I remember screaming to Justin for help and begging him to get me out of.....What.?. There is just darkness and fear and I can not feel my body. I was squeezing Justin's hand begging him to wake me or help me or something. Nothing, no help, no voice other than mine screaming a silent scream. Come to find out when I did finally jerk awake I was squeezing my own hand, I am always upset after with Justin for not helping me, until I realize he is sound asleep and I never made any sounds anyway. How would he know I was in danger, but from what, even I don't know what from. My mom said there is a word for it in spanish "Pesadilla" (pay-sah-thee-ah) this is the best way I know how to spell it. I don't know if there is an english word for it.... I can't imagine why there wouldn't be we have multiple words for everything else! I will take the nightmares that disturb me for days and months and years on end over these night terrors anytime. Let me tell you I have some doozies! But why and how do I stop them? What is the "clinical" name for what goes on here? After one of these episodes I alway fall asleep fairly quickly just as soon as my breathing becomes normal again.
Does anyone else out there get these things? Does it happen to you? How do I get myself out of one? And my greatest fear about this is that I will be trapped in one for ever. I want to know if this is how a person in a coma feels, is there overwhelming fear and paralyzation. No voice, no movement, no contol, just FEAR.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Need Retreat

Last weekend I was part of a leadership committee for a ladies retreat. We are home now and I have slept for 12 hours each night and I am not sure I am rested yet. We had so much fun, I am trying to catch up on my ZZZZZZZ's. Because apparently when 21 women get together we have this uncontrollable urge to talk til all hours of the morning. I think as leaders of the retreat we all survived on about 3-4 hours of sleep per night. Oh the fun we had though... It was so awesome to be able to forge new bonds and friendships with new people. I was so blessed to be able to serve my sisters. I was incharge of food. Yay! I got to thinking, I wonder when I will have to teach a workshop? And then I just thought, Lord that is not my area I don't think I can. I would probably pass out. And I realized God has given me my talent in the kitchen for a reason and hopefully I can just stay there. I really prefer to stay behind the scenes. God Knows who I am inside and out and he has a purpose for me. I am completely satisfied just being part of the leadership committee on this one and heading up the kitchen. God did some awesome things at this retreat, namely he made sure I knew what humility was. Just a brief story on that one.... As we were preparing lunch saturday afternoon I had a friend and sister in Christ keep asking for a serving utensil for the celery sticks. We had 6 women in the tiniest kitchen imaginable. I was opening drawers and looking for something suitable, six times I was asked what about a serving utensil for the celery sticks, finally I lost it and I snapped at her and said I was working on it. Not my bright shiniest moment I admit. I was overwhelemed but I did not respond in a manner I am proud of. My friend left and did not return for about an hour. Just in time to get her lunch before we cleaned up and went on to the next workshop. I wanted to appologize but I was thwarted. I was obligated to help out with the workshop set up and it had to be done discreetly so as not to give away what was coming up. I did not have a chance to appologize. So the workshop got under way, my sister I had offended was in the same workshop rotation that I was in. The workshop was on humility and exalting God as the highest power in our lives. I knew at the end of this particular workshop I was needed as a helper, and I started to struggle with God because I knew what was coming up. Here I was struggling and yet knowing everything I was learning in that exact moment was about being humble, so I let go and let God have my issues I let Him deal with me. What was planned was we were going to humble ourselves and wash our sisters feet.....I was to help set up the bins of water, and all the accoutrements. There were 4 chairs set up. I set the first bin of water infront of the first chair along with a wash cloth and a drying towel on each chair. I also set a bin of towels foot wash and foot cream for use nearby. then I went and set a second bin of water infront of the second chair. Both chair number 1 and 2 had been occupied by a washer and a washee. I then went and set bin number three in front of chair number three. went back for bin four and as I set it down chair three was occupied by a washer woman it was my sister that I had offended and she told me to sit down that she was going to wash my feet. I did not fight it. I obeyed. It was hard I... I... She was so gentle, she rolled up my pant legs and she washed my feet and then she applied foot cream and gave me a foot massage. I then was still in helper mode I remembered and I needed to get onit. so I emptied the bins and supplied fresh towels and seats were occupied and I caught my offended sister and told her that I was going to wash her feet. she told me no that it was her gift to me. I told her everyone gets a turn and made her sit so I could wash her feet. Now I am fine with washing the feet of my children, and I will massage my husbands feet clean socks or not it is a sacrifice I make for him. as I serve him. however I draw the line at immediate family only. I really thought that I was going to be grossed out. I know if God had not been in that room I would not have been able to do it. I want to tell you I was not in the least bit grossed out or disgusted. Sure it is fine to have the thought that I will be noble and I can wash feet as a servant and if Jesus gave us the example of washing each others feet who am I to shun that, but when it comes down to touching someone elses feet that is another matter entirely. I felt such a tenderness for the friend I was serving. Not disgust! And in that moment I was able to appologize but my friend said she did not remember me offending her. I still appologized. And I applied foot cream and massaged her feet.

Blind Faith

Recently, we went to Lagoon (for those of you not from Utah, Lagoon is an amusement park). At the end of the day Justin, Ashton, and Uncle John all decided that they really needed to get in one last ride. And it is the mother of all rides "The Wicked". As they waited in the long line Elyssa and I decided we were going to go and get an icee to share while we waited. On our way back to watch the long line of Passengers snake around the area, we watched as a man led a blind woman to "the WICKED" line. Before I knew it I looked up just in time to notice that this man had abandoned his blind person in the line. She struggled as the line moved forward. She struggled to keep moving with the line. But as the line was not straight it was not long before she was not in line anymore. Try as she might with her stick she was not able to find the line. Almost immediately 2 young men grabbed her and took her up to the handicapped lane.

Now about "the WICKED". It is a roller coaster and each car has stadium seating. As you strap in and get going it shoots you out at something like 50 miles per hour, and you head straight up, next you top the tower and head straight down. Throw in a couple of corkscrews alot of speed, and you have "the WICKED". Something I hope never to experience! Just give me and Icee and I am happy to people watch...

When justin came off the ride I asked him if he saw the blind woman. He replied that not only did he see her he sat next to her on the ride. We eventually came to the conclusion that she did not have a seeing-eye-person who had abandoned her in line. As we were getting ready to leave the area and head to the main gates I saw this same blind woman stuck not knowing where to go ahead of us( for being blind she sure was a speedy gonzales). I walked up to her and asked if she needed help getting somewhere specific. She informed me that she would like to get to the front of the park. So I became her Seeing-eye-person. As I led her she told me how much she had enjoyed "the WICKED". She then asked me to describe where we were and what we were passing. I told her that we were passing the carousel and the stage and to our left was the White roller coaster. So then she gets very excited and says she really wants to go on the white roller coaster. So I steered her toward the coaster line and got her on her way making sure that both hands were on both rails before I walked away. I did not want to leave her there I was afraid that she would not make it to the place she wanted to go, I was afraid people would be mean and not help her, I was afraid for her! And then I abandoned my blind person....

And yet this woman this BLIND woman had no fear she completely embraced the unknown! She boldly went where she wanted, and she was having a great time. She was so trusting, she had faith that I would take her where she wanted to go. Oh how I wished I had that kind of faith. The kind of faith that just lets go and lets God lead me. Whith out having to see what is in front what is coming my way, what is surrounding me. Just to trust and believe that he will get me where I need to go. Knowing that He will get me through the chaotic amusement park of life. The ground is uneven and there are throngs of people everywhere. There are obstacles I need to traverse, And yet I know he will not leave my side but it is I who lets go of my Lord, my Leader. So often I think I can make it on my own but that is when I find I am no longer in line and I can not find my way back I am stuck. I run into stone walls and can not find my way around them alone. I get stuck again and again. How many times will I let go of my Guide before I learn to have blind faith and let Him lead me????

post something already.....

I have neglected my blog for a couple of weeks because I have been really busy or really tired always one of the 2. So today I have decided I will try to catch up a few things and maybe get in a couple of new posts.



The first thing I really want to mention is that Moroni was struck by lightning and it most likely is not funny to the Mormon people out there, but this is my blog and I laughed when I saw the photo. And every time I open the newspaper and see that Moroni has a new look it really cracks me up, I really don't think they wanted to have a black angel up there..... Oh, I could go on and on but I really don't want to offend anyone so I will leave it at that....well maybe one more thought, the Oquirr mountain temple has not even been formally dedicated yet and already they are going to have to reguild the moroni.