Way to go Dad!

My dad participated in an Energy Symposium that was put on by a county commissioner in the county they live in. This symposium attracted displays from all around the country. It was fun to see the people come back and back and back to his "Sid Cell" the hydrogen fuel cell that he is experimenting with getting to run in his vehicle. From listening to the people, (who know, because they are working on this also) dad has one of the most, if not the most efficient one that was displayed there. His produced the most hydrogen with the least amount of ampage. People were very interested and like I said, it was fun to watch. He had his two daughters, his two son-in-laws, and 8 of his grandchildren cheering him on. Lincoln even got into the act and after listening to dad explain the process a few times his salesmanship kicked in and he started explaining the process also. I think most importantly, dad was able to glean ideas from other people and will be able to make his even better! Oh!!! I thought it was interesting that with dad's you-tube videos, he had people coming up to him that already knew his name, I guess he is somewhat famous because of them! WAY TO GO DAD!

Sunday Mornings

I like quiet Sunday mornings. Every morning is quiet for me, but Sunday is different. Sunday is the day I don't have to go ripping through the house trying to get all my chores done. Except for the dishes, and except for home teachers coming, we just chill and let the house fall apart. It is a time for putting finishing touches on my Sunday School lesson (church starts at 11:30) reflecting on the past week, and putting plans in place for the next week, reading blogs . . . .

This week has been an awesome one for me. Halley coming home has been a complete joy. I am going to cry like a baby when she leaves, but I won't think about that now . . . . . We haven't really had any plans, we have just enjoyed visiting and being with her.

Blast from the Past

Here is the promised "Blast from the Past." This is me in 1984
and this is me in the present- 2007.

Happy Birthday to ME!!!

I am pleased that I don't have many grays, Virgin hair there . . . no dyes!!!

In person the gray shows more though :(

Mommy Tag

Okay, I know I am not going to get tagged in this cute "Mommy Tag" that is going around because I don't have any cute little munchkins to give cute little answers to the cute little questions. BUT . . . it did bring to my remembrance a poem that I found while I was digging through Justin's backpack when he was just a little tyke. He had written it, but didn't bother to show it to me. When I read it I laughed and I cried because I didn't know he knew me that well or paid as much attention to me as he must have to have written this:

Mom

Curly hair, nice, good at computers, smart.
Mother of Justin.
Lover of computers, hairspray, my dad.
Who likes scouts, scout camps, and enjoys movies.
Who finds happiness in McKay, Chancy, Halley.
Who needs time alone or to go out to eat or go to a movie.
Who gives me games, clothes, money.
Who fears to be in a car crash, or lose all her hair or for McKay to drown.
Who would like to see the Bahamas or me get good grades or not to fight.
Who enjoys having McKay around, going to candy factory, to go camping.
Who likes to wear her blue shirt she lost, her earings, her dress.

Love, Justin

I think he was around 10 or 11 when he wrote this, because I was his Webelos scout leader then (I don't really like scouts but I faked him out I guess) I had just gone on a rant about my lost blue shirt (which I found later neatly folded and placed in Justin's pile i.e., my fault it was lost), and had just spent 2 days at a hotel (by myself, in the same city we lived in) because my kids were driving me to distraction (thus the time alone). He captured my loves, my fantasies and my phobias. A regular crystal ball he was. . . .

In Self Defense . . . .

Last night I finished up my last session of a women's self defense program called RAD (rape agression defense). I've always wanted to do something like this and when it became available to me I decided, why not? The final stage was to train us how to use a kubatan, a small batan held in the hand that is considered a weapon if you know how to use it. The whole course was a confidence booster for me, but having this kubatan just boosted it one notch higher. I feel ALL women should do this for themselves. In just 10 short hours of training I am confident that if anyone tried to do bodily harm to me, they would at the very least be sorry they picked on me. This program is available nationwide . . . For every woman I know, regardless of age, this is MUST DO in todays environment. Halley, this is even offered at the U of U. (hint hint, wink wink, nod nod) Here is the address: http://www.rad-systems.com/programs.html

Do yourself a favor . . . LOOK INTO IT!!!

Rolling over or Rolling out . . . . .

I was recently reading a friend's blog about how excited she was to have been able to sleep until 7:05 a.m. without her children awaking her. She is a mother of young children . . . . ahhhhh, those were the days.

I have the opposite problem. When I wake up, I have to decide whether to let my children sleep until noon or go and get them up, I usually let them sleep. Okay, okay . . . this isn't totally true. McKay does have swim practice at 8:30 a.m, so we do need to get up somewhat early . . . . 8:00? My problem is I can't sleep-in in the morning. This morning my eyes popped open at 6:00. I looked at my watch and groaned. 6:00? This is my week to sleep-in (rolling over) instead of waking early (rolling out). McKay is at scout camp. I don't need to get up! Arghhhhhh!

On another note! Halley is will be here in two days!! I've been cleaning her room of all my stuff and getting ready for her. I am jumping for joy! McKay is bummed because he's at camp. I told him to enjoy himself, even though he has a dilemma, camp is fun, Halley is fun . . . Lincoln is out-of-town also, what a bummer for him . . . . extra nice for me though, tee hee. (I mean having Halley more to myself, not that Lincoln is gone just so no one misunderstands me. ;)

Swim Meet

Today McKay had his first swim meet of the season. Last week they had time trials to figure out which events each kid would swim. McKay swam the butterfly and got 2nd place, freestyle, 2nd place and breast stroke, 3rd place. He improved all of his times and did a great job.

Something new

We went and visited with the Bainters' and Grandma and Grandpa yesterday. While there they introduced us to a new game we haven't seen before. It is pretty impressive how fast the kids can do this. . . . here is McKay's try at it:

here is how it is suppossed to be done . . .

Anger Management?

I've been telling some of my children they need an anger management class, but you know the old saying . . . . when you point a finger, there are three pointing back at you? Well, maybe that applies to me. You be the judge.

Setting: Picking up a prescription at the pharmacy drive through window. Note: I am very crunched for time.

Me: I'm here to pick up 3 prescriptions.
After 5 minutes or so, she comes back and says:
Her: That will be 6 dollars.
Me: It shound be 9 dollars not 6, I'm picking up three prescriptions not two . . . .
Her: You only have 2.
Me: I turned in 3.
Her: You only have 2.
Me: I turned in 3.
Another 10 minutes . . . . .
Me: PUSHING BUZZER to get her attention. "I'm in a hurry, can you tell me how long this will be?"
Her: About 5 minutes.
Me: I can't wait that long . . . I'll just pay for the 2 and come back.
Her: OK
So, I give her the money through their bank-like-window-push-through-thingy-majigger. She takes the money and then proceeds to answer the phone and chat while my prescription just sits waiting on the counter, through that thick glass, waiting to be put through that bank-like-window-push-through-thingy-majigger to me.
Me: I'm making really impatient gestures at this point and I'm thinking didn't I just tell this woman I didn't have 5 MINUTES!!!!
Me: PUSHING BUZZER again . . . . .
Her: Oh!!!! and gives me my prescription.

Here is the good part . . . . . the anger management part . . . . . do I need anger mangement?

Me: PUSHING BUZZER, "I would like to hear you say, "I'm very sorry for the inconvenience I've caused you."" rolling my eyes and saying it in a really snotty tone.

I hope she isn't there tomorrow when I go pick up my other prescription . . . . . . .

Maybe someday I'll tell you of my angry list of moments I've had with my bank tellers. . . . my children think I'm nuts!

Calling Sid Jr!!!!!

Sid,

I thought I had you talked into posting a blog!!!! See how much fun we are all having without you? PLEASE join us!! PLEASE PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON TOP!!

Remember you can make it as private as you want! Click on my niece Chrissy's link . . . . she has a private blog.

Love you either way,

Your favorite big sister,

Tina

Summertime . . . .

As a lot of you know, our house backs up to the community swimming pool. When we first moved here my children were ages 3 through 13. We lived at the pool. We ate at the pool. We were pool "rats." That first summer was our best summer ever. I discovered I could get a tan. I had never before had the patience to get a tan, but it happened naturally that year. Since then the children have been growing up and becoming more dependent of me. They don't need me to go to the pool. Instead of being the ring leader, I have become the follower saying "Hey, wait for me! I want to go too." All of my children like to just smoothly glide through the pool. We can glide for hours. This year, the pool opened on Memorial Day weekend. It was 2 full weeks before I put a toe in the pool. Finally on the 3rd week I decided I needed to be proactive or the pool time was going to pass me by. I've become more independent. Do I need a child to go to the pool at the same time as I to go? Granted, I am trying to coincide my pool time with my children's, but if not, oh well. Yes, I've spent time at the pool by myself. I'm liberated! In a way it is sad, just a new chapter in my life. Am I becoming that leather-skinned old woman that we all see and feel sorry for? Not yet, and hopefully never. Yesterday was an awesome day at the pool. Justin and friend, McKay and I went over and had the pool mostly to ourselves. There were only about 10 people there. It was a blast. On a side note - - I am going to post another of McKay's swim team pictures . . . he hasn't done it on his site yet, if you snooze you lose. Here he is doing the butterfly . . . . a stroke I've never perfected, have I perfected any stroke?

Happy Birthday Hal the Gal - A big 20! Love you!

Swim Team Season

Here is a short video of McKay ending his 50 meter breast stroke race. Chancy and McKay usually do swim team together, but Chancy set his foot down and said "no" he was not doing swim team this year and then he broke his collarbone so he didn't have a choice. He can't swim. I took McKay to sign up for the team and he quit that same day. He got in the pool, did a few laps, got out and started whining, and I said "decide now whether you will do this without whining or don't do it at all." He decided not to do it. Well, a few days later he came back to me and told me he would like to swim after all. We had a talk and decided that he would do it with no whining or complaining involved. So far he has kept up to his part of the bargain. This is a hard sport. They do an amazing amount of laps in practice. I personally couldn't do it. I'm proud of him for making the decision to continue on. He'll probably post more of the very short video clips on his blog spot.

How to cut a watermelon

Today I needed to cut up a watermelon. I remembered back to my early days when I was first in the Relief Society of our church and thought. . . I'm going to try to cut it how I learned to do it in that little mini class of "how to cut a watermelon." I was able to cut up the watermelon in about 5 to 10 minutes. The old-fashioned "balling" of the watermelon is what I usually do and it takes forever and wastes a lot more of the watermelon. I searched the Internet and it didn't take long to come up with pictures of the same technic I used. I did it a little differently than the last picture, I cut the watermelon into smaller pieces to cube it up, but this is pretty much the method. Give it a try!!! OH! Watermelon is also one of my favorite things!

One of my favorite things . . . . .

My Sister and her husband Steve and their children just left from visiting my home. This is one of my favorite things in life. I teach two of her children to play the piano, and so they have a weekly visit to my house. I LOVE IT when they all come, and spend a little time before they leave. We had a nice lunch and a nice talk and a few laughs, and then they went on their merry way. How blessed I am that they moved their family here to Maryland and that they are so close to us.

LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!

Update on three lights of doom!!!!

There is an unwritten law in my home . . . . . it is, whatever is left on the floor of the family room on Monday morning (my cleaning day) gets quietly and silently bagged up and placed in an undisclosed location. This usually keeps my family room in fairly good condition. Tee Hee . . . I couldn't believe what faced me when I walked into the family room on Monday morning. The old xbox, the playstation, the dreamcast, and all the wires and hand held thingy majiggers that go with them. So I went to work, bagging and dragging that contraband out of there. I didn't hear a word yesterday about it, I know it is because it was a school night and they aren't looking to play the games. But TONIGHT, it is the official last day of school! I am going to milk this one for all its worth. The boys have been known to clean toilets to get their stuff back, they will even give up some of their money to get it back. I need to start preparing the chore list PRONTO!

Conversation

The scene: I am in Halley's old room, she has a vanity with a mirror that I have taken over, and I am doing my hair and makeup. McKay comes in to comb his hair. . . .

McKay: "I think being a boy is easier than being a girl."
Me: "Oh, you've noticed that have you?"
McKay: "yeah."
Me: "So why do you think being a boy is easier?"
McKay: "All that hair and makeup stuff."
Me: "Should I cut my hair short like yours?"
McKay: "You could . . . . . you know mom, you wouldn't have to do all that stuff if you didn't want to, but you want to don't you?"
Me: "Yep."

End of Conversation.

I love my boys, they think I look the same whether or not I do my hair, whether or not I put on my face. They love me unconditionally . . . well, at least McKay does . . . .

The Three Lights of Dooooommm!

My children are in a conundrum. (a word?) Their last day of school is next Tuesday, and they were looking forward to fun filled days of xbox, xbox, and xbox. During the school year they can only play on the weekends. Well, yesterday, Friday, the day they can start playing again, my 17-year-old turned on the xbox and saw these. . . . . the three lights of doom! My goodness, did he have a temper tantrum, a 17-year-old. Secretly, I'm quite pleased to see those fated red lights. Maybe I'll see something other than red-eyed kids until microsoft can put our xbox to rights again. The boys are pulling out all the old game systems, the atari, the playstation and even the dreamcast and the old xbox. They must not be finding any joy in those old games because a couple of hours ago, they were actually watching Hillary's speech on tv. GET THE THERMOMETER!! I think they are all ill, very ill.

I didn't think this day would ever come . . . it is almost there for me.

I heard this when I had young kids and I thought it would be really cool when this day came. It made me more appreciative of my young children. I'm not totally out of the "children at home" stage yet, but a lot of this stuff is definately in the past.

One of these Days . . . . .

One of these days you'll shout, "Why don't you kids grow up and act your age!" And they will. Or you'll say, "Kids, get outside and find yourselves something to do . . . . and don't slam the door." And they won't.

You'll straighten the boys' bedroom neat and tidy . . . bumper stickers discarded . . . quilt tucked and smooth. . . toys displayed on the shelves. Hangers in the closet with clothes attached. Animals caged. And you'll say outloud, "Now I want it to stay like this!" And it will.

You'll prepare a perfect dinner with a salad that hasn't been picked to death and a cake with no finger traces in the icing, and you'll say, "Now there's a meal for company!" And you'll eat it alone.

You'll say, "I want complete privacy on the phone. No dancing around. No pantomines. No demolition crews. Silence! Do you hear?" And you'll have it.

No more plastic placemats stained with spaghetti. No more spreads to protect sofas from damp bottoms and dusty shoes. No more gates to stumble over in the doorway of the baby's room. No more hot wheels or Barbie dolls under the couch. No more playpens to arrange a room around.

No more anxious nights under a vaporizer tent. No more cracker crumbs on the sheets. No more wall-to-wall water in the bathroom. No wet, knotted shoelaces, pants with knees out, or rubber bands for pony tails.

Imagine, a lipstick with a point on it. Not having to get a babysitter on New Year's Eve. Family washing only once a week. Seeing a steak that isn't ground. Marketing with only groceries in the basket. No PTA meetings. No more car pools. No blaring radios or Sesame Street three times a day on the television. No more washing her hair at 9 o'clock at night . . . and no more wondering where is the family car? Having your own roll of Scotch Tape.

Think about it. No more Christmas presents out of construction paper and will-hold glue. No more sloppy oatmeal kisses. No more tooth fairy. No more giggles in the dark. No knees to heal; no responsibility. Only a voice crying, "Why don't you grow up!" And the silence echoing, "I did."

Author Unknown.

Here is a comparison. . . .

Lincoln now and

below Lincoln then . . . .

Happy Birthday Lincoln!

I thought it would be fun to give you a "blast from the past" for Lincoln's birthday picture. He is exactly double the age he was in the picture . . . . any guesses????? We went to get our pictures taken right before Lincoln went off to basic training. We weren't married yet, just dating. Stay tuned for my birthday later this month, and I'll give you another blast from the past with my half of this picture session. Scary!!! I can't believe we were ever this young. He looks like a kid!

My Mickey Dee

Today, I got the privilege of watching my youngest son McKay pass the sacrament in church for the 1st time. He was soooooo cute. He was just beaming!! He also was the shortest young man in the group by quite a bit!! I was looking forward to watching him the whole time he passed, but alas!, he picked a route that was totally blocked by the gargantuan organ I sit behind. I felt like getting up and crossing over to the other side of the choir seats so that I could gaze upon him. I'm proud of you McKay! Keep making those good decisions in life!

Piano Recital

I realized recently, that I've been teaching piano now for 20 years and I have never gotten a group picture of my piano students. Granted, I've never been able to build my piano studio like this before because we haven't stayed in one place very long. We've lived here for 9 years and I have had several students for at least 5 years. Two of my students (one is in the picture, she is peeking her head around Ceci, almost dead center) I have had for 7 years!! It is very fulfilling to see the fruit of your efforts and the way in which these students grow while taking lessons through the years. These are a FANTASTIC group of kids. Side note - - two of these students are my mom's students. Also GREAT kids and my nephews, Noah and Zane!

TAGGED

My friend Stephanie tagged me to do the following: Go to the closest book. Open to page 123. Then write the fifth sentence of the page. She also said I would have 5 books within an arms reach and she was right . . . . I'm using my laptop, laying on my bed, and there are at least 15 books under my bed waiting for me to read . . . . the book that was the most visible is "The Power of a Positive Mom." Not that I AM a positive mom, it is that I NEED to be more positive is the reason I am reading it . . . . . so here goes, page 123, 5th line . . . . The king sent a reply: "Hurry, get me his shirt!" Hmmmmmm interesting. I tag . . . . my cousin-in-law Stephanie . . . Tag your it!