My, What Big Lapels You Have!

I was going to make this entry all about the sneaky way I prevented the torture of listening to my husband's choice of radio station on our 7 hour journey (both ways) to Disneyland. (It involved taking the girls to the library to choose some books on tape...Hello, Harry Potter! Oh and yes, I have an old timey thing in my car called a cassette player, so the kids got to finally find out what that hole in my dash is used for.)

Well, I changed my mind when overhearing Nat telling Miss Moo how scandalous it was that her Sunday school teacher at church said the word "lapel" in class today. Shocking, right? He was pointing out a boy's lapels right there in class! So I thought the lapel story might be more fun to tell.

On our first day at Disney, we went right to the town hall and each got a button. Sis got a button saying "Happy Birthday" since her birthday was just a couple weeks prior, and her present from me was her ticket to Disneyland.

Everywhere we went the Disney "cast members" were wishing her a happy birthday. I mentioned to her that it seemed an inordinate amount of male attention was directed her way, and I teasingly told her that maybe it was because of the location of her button.

She told me no, her button was located right where it should be: on her lapel. And of course, I couldn't leave that alone and made some crack like, "Oh is that what you're calling it!" And then for the rest of our time at Disney, Sis and I made inappropriate comments about her lapels.

Well as they say, little pitchers have big ears, and the girls now thought that "lapel" was a rather racy slang word for boob. Which leads us to my Nat in church today, having to hold back her laughter when *smirk* her teacher said LAPEL! (I have so messed up my kids. I'm ashamed!)

The Grim Reaper and The Mad Hatter

Finally. FINALLY, we were able to make it to Disneyland!

This has been a trip years in the making, and with a little careful budgeting of our tax refund, I was able to make it work this year.

I may blog about this trip for the next month, who knows. I want to remember every nuance and savor it. (like those Godiva truffles my son used to bring me...)

The plan was to work on Monday, and take Tuesday and Wednesday off. With Thursday and Friday being county-wide school holidays for the county fair, we wouldn't miss too much work or school.

Well, Monday at work, I got pulled out of class to meet with the personnel director from the county office of education. She came to notify me I was being laid off. Dang! Due to lower enrollment there isn't a position for me next year. Normally that kind of news would've ruined my day...but not on a day when I was soon leaving for Disneyland!

The personnel director continued to pull aides aside, (I thought it would've been more appropriate had she been dressed in a black cloak and carrying a sickle myself), and most were given news of hours cut or that they could be bumped from their postiton. Not the best day for any of us.

Comparing notes at our staff meeting at the end of the day, I told my co-workers my bad news followed by, "but I'm going to Disneyland!!!"

I decided not to think about the lay off until my return to the real world. (Which is now.)

At any rate, here is a picture of the first person we met as we entered the Happiest Place on Earth on Wednesday.


It just got better from here on out.

I'm a Hillarious and Talitive Mom

...and no, I didn't forget to hit spell check on that title.

Also, for the record, I'm adventureous, extaordenary, and nice smelling. This according to one of the coolest Mother's Day gifts ever made by my little Nat:

Isn't this great? And I love that the spelling wasn't corrected. Ordinarily that would make me crazy, but in this instance it is charming and sweet.

Some of the other traits I am famous for according to my 8 year old: awesome kayaker, likes reptiles, entertaining, loves family, good example, hard worker and joyous.

Oh, and by the way talitive = talkative. I don't think she noticed she'd misspelled it even after I asked what the word was.

I really, really love this gift.

Go Here

Go here to find out Why I Hate The Swedes, and you'll be treated to the newest semi-clean swear word now used in my household.

I'll Give This Post A Solid 7, and The Weekend a 10

As per the challenge from Momza's post I will rate the events of my weekend on a scale of 1-10.

It started Saturday morning waking bright and early to participate in Mormon Helping Hands which is a Church-wide day set aside to do service work. Our ward went to our local fairgrounds and helped spruce it up for our upcoming county fair.

The girls were excited to participate, but I was NOT, having waitressed the night before and wanting to sleep in...but because they were enthusiastic, it made me motivated to get my rear in gear and go. And I was glad I did. (rated: 9)

My friend and I and 6 girls were put in charge of painting frogs on the pavement (our fair's theme is frogs...). It was a lot of fun despite kneeling on the pavement for hours. (rated:9) I wish I had thought to bring my camera!

We then packed up and drove to Sacramento to stay with Grandpa and attend the Walk MS event on Sunday at the state capitol.

This is my 3rd year walking and raising money to find a cure for MS. I previously spent 4 years doing American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in memory of my mom, but switched my efforts to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society to honor my sister. It is nice to raise money for a cause when the person affected is right there to appreciate it. It feels good to do something, anything, because it's hard to see someone you love fighting a disease like this. (rated: 10+)

Here we are at the end of the walk. My dog is done for the day!

My brother-in-law and I always walk together while my sister and my girls hang out and wait for us to complete the 5K. This was my first time walking at this venue, and I loved seeing the old historic houses. (rated: 8)

Bro and I had looked at the map ahead of time, and when we came to a certain crossroads, we kind of thought, "Hmmm...thought we were supposed to turn here. How come everyone's going straight?" So we stopped amidst the throng and consulted the map, and sure enough the route turned. So we made the right. Everyone else kept going straight. We're talking about 1000 people! We were the only ones following the ORANGE signs flagging the route.

(Notice lack of crowds of walkers)

Weird. But funny! (rated: a SOLID 10 for map-readers and non-lemmings). Later a couple more people caught up with us who had walked the right way. The majority of the folks screwed up though. Mind boggling, I tell ya!

How cute is my dog looking proud wearing her medal that all of us walkers recieved at the finish line. (She's a 10 for sure!)

The girls and I hung out afterwards and enjoyed the capitol grounds which are always gorgeous, but might I say, spectacular at this time of year. The rose garden especially.

Just wow. (rated: another 10, of course!).

Oh, and Sis (whom we now refer to as Sissy Montana after her recent move) also did the Walk MS up in Billings the day before. I was really proud of her. And then she celebrated her TWENTIETH birthday on Sunday. (20! That means I don't have any teenagers anymore~at least for the next year and a half, anyway!) (rated: 10 for her walking, 10 for her birthday, but a 5 for her being 20 which makes me feel old, which is a 1, but that's offset by no teenagers which is a 9!)

So there's my weekend which also marked the end of our spring break (rated: definitely a 10).