There's a Learning Curve to This

Thanksgiving Week Nov.18-24

So this whole picture a day is harder than it sounds. The dang camera is in my purse, but I'm finding it hard to remember to get it out and use it. Like taking pictures of the project I did with the kids at preschool, and the soup they made for our feast on Wednesday, and my turkey dinner I got from the school cafeteria (it was actually good!) and when Carley got her ears pierced, or Cassie's family's amazing Filipino Thanksgiving spread, or better yet, Cassie's amazing homemade Lumpia...Yep, I gotta get my game on if I'm gonna make this work!

So here are my pics of the week. No there are not 7. And most were taken over the course of 3 days not 7. Like I said, I gotta work a little harder.

During my visit to my Dad's for Thanksgiving, my sister and I went through all my mom's Christmas stuff. That was no small undertaking to be sure! It was nice to get it done. We've been meaning to do it for 10 years now. Anyway, we divvied up the special ornaments and I took the rest to the thrift store.

These pictured below are some very special ones. The four at the bottom of this photo are my Dad's ornaments from when he was a child. They are German ornaments (his dad was an immigrant), and my dad says that when he was growing up, a big part of their Christmas was waking up to the decorated Christmas tree on Christmas morning. They didn't get much in the way of gifts, so this was really special.

 

My Dad especially liked the Santa in the picture below. It was always on the tree when I was growing up. We always knew it was Dad's special Santa, and there was always some reminiscing on his part when it was brought out and hung on the tree.

 

The next photo is of Cam and Cassie's dog, Wesley and my Bindi Sue. Wesley has finally accepted that Bindi Sue only tolerates him and is never going to play with him. Bindi Sue has finally accepted Wesley as a member of the family, but enjoys ignoring and frustrating him with her indifference towards him.

Here is my 2nd ever turkey I've ever cooked. It was a little overdone, but barely. I had help with the rest of the dinner and it was all a success. (Except maybe the gravy. I think we'll just go back to the canned stuff next year.) My mom always did 90% of Thanksgiving herself, and boy do I have new appreciation for her talent, energy, and cooking skills! She was amazing!

The traditional sitting down to dinner group photo was a success. The little girls are missing. They had Thanksgiving with their Dad's family and we sure missed them! However, my Uncle Steve showed up and we had the best time with him. It was so nice to reconnect with him and share laughs again. I'm SO thankful to have him in our lives again (and my Aunt Cathy too--who was out of town so she couldn't be there.)

I got to spend some one-on-one time with Carley on Saturday. It was nice just hanging out and going to the mall. Dad gave us $20 to have lunch. One of our splurges was buying some Godiva truffles. Then we went to the sandwich shop. And ya know what? We spent exactly $19.99 of that twenty bucks! We couldn't believe it! Here is my French Vanilla truffle shortly before it was consumed. It looks like it has an L on it just for me! Oh my, I don't think there is anything better than Godiva truffles.

So that ends my so-called "picture a day" week. It may not have been a good week as far as me taking pictures, but it was a very good week of reconnecting, reminiscing, laughter and family togetherness.

I'm Trying Something New--A Picture A Day

I was inspired by my son and his girlfriend's blog 365,000 Words, to do a picture-a-day blog style. But I'm kinda doing it lazy style and posting 7 pictures at the end of the week. I figure this might be the most do-able for me.

So here goes my first post:

This is what happens when there's boredom and paint. A lethal combination.

 

 

How many times have these pie tins been packed and moved? These were my mom's, but they have been packed up and moved by me alone at least 11 times. I'm moving yet again. Should be a good move...out of the snow, to a cute little town I love, within walking distance of work. Can't wait!

 

"Rules for Teachers" at work. We love to do stuff around the classroom to make each other laugh. This was my contribution. The icons say "no swearing", "no crying" and "poop in toilet".

 

Also my contribution at work, doing this cute project with my preschool babies:

 

Natalie celebrated cousin Emma's birthday with this fabulous sugar bomb:

 

and Natalie brought home a new member of the family, Winter:

 

and out with the old, in with the new:

 

a new computer chair, found on clearance at Staples for $9.99! Probably the Barbie pink/Pepto Bismol color had something to do with it. As you can see my old one in the background is duct-taped together, so I needed it, even if it's not my favorite color.

Summer is Sweet!

Tonight we took a little walk up to a blackberry patch that I discovered. We skipped dinner and went straight to dessert:

We've enjoyed this treat a few times in the last couple weeks. Oh yum!

I think half the fun of blackberries is the challenge of picking them. Maybe they taste even sweeter for the effort!

Three Words

Saw this posted on Facebook today:

The first three words I saw were:Experience, Freedom and Happiness.

Now, mind you I don't believe in any of this Facebook hokey stuff, but it did make me stop and think.

Experience. Yep, that I've had a plenty. Should I start with all the various jobs I've had, or lessons learned the hard way, or children I've raised? What about amazing sights, sounds, and memories. Life is full of experience and experiences. I cherish each one for what it has taught me.

Freedom. Check. I love being on my own. I recently got a second job (again), and for that I'm not whining or feeling put-upon, instead I am elated, and thankful. There is so much pride I get for doing things myself and providing for myself and my girls. I like working hard and earning my money. I think those that rely on others (or the government) to provide for them are truly missing out on one of life's great experiences (see above), and are robbing themselves of their dignity. (Don't get me wrong, I know some folks need help through hard times, I'm not talking about that, I'm referring to people I actually know who are able-bodied but don't put out an effort to support themselves and instead look for ways to get a free ride.)

Happiness. For sure. I'm happy because of my experience and my freedom and my kids and all the blessings in my life, and that I have self-worth and am self-reliant.

Experience, Freedom, Happiness...interesting how they all kind of work together and compliment each other.

Thanks Facebook for the perspective today!

What are your 3 words?

Picky Much?

So my daughter had a friend over today that has never been to our house before.

I told them we were having sandwiches for dinner (it's hot, and I'm broke, what can I say?), and this little girl says, "I only like one kind of sandwich. I only like peanut butter and jelly with extra jelly, and I only like certain kinds of jelly so I'll have to look at your jelly first, and I only like Cheetos not any other chips."

The response from me: "Well, you're probably going to be hungry then."

I guess in my younger-mothering days I would've been more sensitive, but unfortunately this girl got the I've-been-there-done-that mom that I am now.

That was not the end of her pickiness either. Probably won't be back for another playdate. Just sayin'.

I've had a lot of kids at my house, but that was a bit much.

Loving My Second Language Skills

Over the last year I've taken two semesters of American Sign Language. I've always wanted to learn it, and loved my classes.

My girls were interested in learning at first, but then as with everything, their interest waned. Just to keep my skills up a bit I make them use it at church when they want to ask something. They go to whisper to me, and I sign to them, "No, sign it". Much eye rolling is followed by simple ASL signs. Love it!

So it was so cool when I subbed at a different special ed preschool for a week and actually got to use my skills! There is a deaf girl there. I signed with her a little on Mon. and Tues. but on Wed. the teacher (and main signer) was gone and this little girl was acting very sassy. It was as if she knew no one could really communicate with her so she was pushing her limits. That was until I went over and signed to her to knock it off, among other things. After we straightened things out we had a lot of fun playing and signing with each other. It seemed that she was almost craving someone to sign to. How fun!

Then a few weeks ago I was out with my girls and we made a stop where I was talking to someone, and I noticed the restroom nearby, so I signed to them real quickly asking if they needed to use it. The lady I was talking to, asked, "Are they hearing impaired?"  I kind of had to laugh, and told her, "Um...no they're not, but their hearing is selective to be sure!"

ASL is a challenging language, but so rewarding to learn. Imagine being deaf. It would be almost like being in a foreign country all the time. Yes, deaf people can read and write, but usually very minimally. Think about trying to learn English if you couldn't hear it! I never thought about that either until I started learning about Deaf culture. So even if you only learn a few signs, it's worthwhile. A deaf person is so appreciative of your efforts to communicate with them.

Muddah uv Da Year, Fo Sho

I need a mother of the year award. I ran over my own child's foot. Jeez!

We were leaving the church 4th of July party and I thought Natalie was already in the car. I was distracted and tired and in the habit of starting the car as the girls are shutting their doors. Dumb.

I hear her scream and I think that she and Shelby are fighting. Again. But then she yells, "You're on my foot!" And it takes me a minute (not literally) to think that I need to back up the car and get off of her foot. Holy Crap.

I immediately scoop her up into the back seat and look at her foot, it's torn up a bit on one side and bruising on the other. Shelby is freaking out. Panicking. She runs up to get her church-uncle to help us.

I am not panicking, although I feel like crap about the whole thing. I take off her sandal thinking that if her foot starts swelling it will have to be cut off. I hold her foot in a towel. There's not much blood and I give it the once-over and it doesn't look broken.

Dan comes and carries her to his truck and shuttles her back to his house, then carries her to a chair in the backyard and begins icing her foot. He is wonderful, calm, reassuring. He has her push with her toes against his hand and says that he thinks she'll be fine. That if it were broken she couldn't do that. We give her Tylenol and I have to deal with the fact that the rest of the party goers know that I'm a horrible mom. Who drives over their own child's foot? Seriously?

I take her home and we continue to ice it. I'm surprised by how good it looks, considering. We got really lucky. The blessing is that Shelby is falling all over herself to take care of her sister. She's bringing her stuff, helping her walk and get dressed, wrapping her foot in an Ace bandage. It's very sweet.

The next day, Nat is able to walk on it. It's all good. Except for the guilt.

...and PS, yes I did try to take her to the immediate care clinic, but it was closed. Go figure, that's our small town for ya.

Back to "NoRMal"

Well, my second semester is over! Whew! Now I have time for such activities like....writing blog posts! And other things like kayaking (and blogging about kayaking), and just having a whole day off to spend with the girls, or even cleaning the house. Nice.

I love school, but I love having a break from the pressure of it too.

I was hoping to take 3 classes during the summer session which would allow me to complete my degree in 2 years, but I couldn't get into 2 of the classes at all, and the third I was wait-listed on, so it may be God's way of telling me I need the summer off. Everything works out for a reason, right?

So now I have to debate: read a book (that is NOT a text!) or continue to goof off on the computer and catch up on things like I Can Has Cheezburger. So awesome!

Look Who's Talking!

This is why I love my job so much: one of our little preschoolers started saying his first words, and I got to witness it!

This boy is a severely autistic four-year-old and has just recently started being a part of the world at large. He is noticing people in his space, he is tolerating other kids being near him and has been expressing his wants using PECS (picture exchange communication system) and a few signs. All of this has been exciting compared to how he was last year.

However, last Wednesday he actually said, "popcorn" at snack time! Since then he has also said candy, bye-bye, do this, and bubbles! What a huge step! It touched us all to hear those first words. I have the best job in the world!

Hibernation

Finally we are recieving a decent snowfall in my neck of the woods. This time last year we were digging out on a daily basis and cursing the white stuff, but after this unusual winter it's kind of a novelty to see it.

Because of the weather, we decided just to hibernate. I took a shower and got dressed yesterday, but didn't even bother today. It has been an unprecedented 2 days since I even stepped outside.

Here Shel-bell hibernates on the couch bed with Suey and Nat is on her perch that she made of couch cushions in front of the computer. The picture is all blurry, but so are our brains after so much inactivity so I guess it's appropriate!

I have made tremendous progress on my school assignments, however, and that has relieved some of my stress.

Today I had finally had enough of sitting by the fire and got up and did some laundry and cleaned the bathrooms.

I feel refreshed after being lazy and cooped up for the weekend. It was a nice diversion from the manic pace I usually set for myself, but I'm looking forward to going to work and school tomorrow!

Homework Nook

This is my homework station. Not too bad, huh?

I have everything I need:

a comfy leather chair
a nice, warm fire
my laptop
my books
the phone
a tall glass of water
and the tv remote

It's so cozy that I really don't mind the amount of hours I have to spend here.



Today was a snowy day, and I have spent most of the day in homework mode. I'm glad the weather is bad, because if it was nice and sunny I'd want to be outside.

I'm thankful that I get to go to school and that I have a nice little place to come home to. Life is good!

Back on the Radar

What I love about my church is that there are no ministers. There are no paid clergy. We all volunteer to take on a calling (not of our choosing, mind you) and the members at large run our church.

As part of this, the speakers on Sundays are members who get the old tap on the shoulder from the bishopric and are assigned a topic to speak on.

I have been back active at church 9 years now, and guess what? I have somehow flown under the radar and never been asked to do a talk! That's pretty amazing considering our small congregation. Of course that all came to an end this last week when I got "the call" and was asked to do a 15 minute talk at today's meeting.

If this call had come within the first year of me becoming active it probably would've sent me packing and I wouldn't have come back. If this call had come 4 years ago, I would've panicked and somehow gotten myself excused or faked sick or something, but the great thing about HAVING to be involved in church, is that when the call came, I said ok, and today I stood up and delivered my message without nerves, and felt confident.

The church has helped me grow. From being asked to teach to the very youngest members, to giving prayers at meetings, to teaching my peers, each step of the way it has helped me grow into a confident person who not only knows the teachings of the gospel, but can express it to an entire congregation with composure.

For that I am very thankful!

Prioritize This!

How does one prioritize things in life when one is stretched in so many directions at once?

That is what I'm truly trying to figure out! I'm doing another 9 unit semester, working 30 hours, studying, doing my church calling, attending church, trying to spend time with my kids, cooking dinners, household chores, taking walks with my dog, and there's always something that pops up that adds more.

My driving time alone is about 10 hours a week. Right now it's kind of like my checkbook. I get a chunk of money at the beginning of the month (gotta love that once-a-month paycheck when you're a school employee *eye roll* ) then I pay all the have-to's and kind of try to not think about how I will make it to the end of the month (somehow it always stretches juuuuuuuussssstttttt far enough).

It's kind of like the hours in a week. I get my allotment at the beginning and hope I can get everything I need to get done in that amount of time and somehow, at least so far, I've stretched my time and I make it to Sunday evening again with my assignments done, my kids cared for, a little me-time had, and a little sanity still intact.

It's some juggling act, let me tell you! At least with college work there's a light at the end of the tunnel/semester. I know there's a break in sight if I just hang in there.

Which brings me to why the heck am I blogging when I should be: reading, studying, typing a paper, responding on a discussion board, cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry or even sleeping? Believe me, I wish I knew!

Where There's a Will...

You know that old saw, right?

Anyway, this summer when I decided to jump into this crazy idea of going back to school that little saying went through my head..."I'll figure out a way. I've got to to make my life better". I'm telling you, going to college at 47 is daunting. I seriously didn't know if I could make it through my first semester because I knew it would mean quitting my 2nd job and scraping by, and I do mean SCRAPING. Scary stuff when you not only have yourself to support, but your kiddos too.

I applied for a scholarship through our local Soroptomist group that involved a lengthy application, 2 letters of reference and a panel interview. But what do ya know? I got a $1000 scholarship out of it! Wow! I can still hardly believe it!

The scholarship awards banquet will be in April where I will be asked to get in front of the group and explain to them the reason I needed a scholarship and if I am inspiring enough, it will advance me to the regional level where I would be up for a $5000 scholarship! I can't even imagine!

I have been mulling about what is so compelling about my situation that might get me to that level and truthfully I don't have some heartbreaking, touching story the likes you may see on a American Idol hopeful's interview. It's just that I decided that it's never too late to start over and improve your life.

After being laid off from my aide position I faced waitressing and clerking at the grocery store as my options. I ran the numbers and realized that to get by, at least up here in my rural county, I would always have to work two jobs. Two jobs for the rest of my life, and two jobs that I wouldn't be particularly passionate about. My other option? Jump in with both feet and get a degree so that I can continue to work in a field that I love and get paid well for it. Easy math.

So, if you're reading this and feel stuck in your life, jump in and go for it. Whatever "it" is that you've been contemplating and that will bring you happiness and success in life. Life is a journey, but you have to be brave enough to start the adventure if you want to go places!

Sporks are Flimsy! They are NOT Tools!

I went for a walk and locked my front door as I always do. My girls were with friends cavorting around the neighborhood. I had my cell phone (and dog) with me as always.

When I arrived back from a fantastic walk through the woods on a beautifully warm and sunny January day, I noticed that some of Miss Moo's belongings were on the doorstep. I quickly came to the correct conclusion that she had come home, found the door locked, dropped off a couple things and went back to hanging out with her friend.

Then I tried to unlock my door...and the key wouldn't go all the way in. And you know when something like that happens and you're in denial at first so you try the other key on the keyring, try the right one again, turn it the other way, try a little harder...? Yep, that's what I did until I put 2 and 2 together and figured out that Miss Moo and her friend must have tried to pick the lock with something and messed it up! Ugh!

About this time here comes the culprit and her friend and they begin to tell me, in the overdramatic way that 12 year old girls are so good at, that they have to PEE and I need to open the door NOW!

So I hand my child the key. Knock yourself out, girlie. Then I asked them what the heck they tried to pick the lock with.

And they tell me they used a spork. A flippin' spork to pick a lock with, really? They are flimsy at best for use as a utensil to get food into your mouth, and you're going to move a deadbolt with it? REALLY?

Aye, carumba!

So I call the local locksmith, and it's Saturday and he's leaving town...dang!

Well, we're stuck. The only way to get into my house is through the back sliding glass door which I never keep locked. I never lock it because it's way too high off the ground for anyone to access....unless they go get a tall ladder...and strap it to the top of their Honda Civic...which is what I did.

So, arriving back with the tallest ladder I could find...a sturdy looking 8 footer from Mike's (who is out of town), I find that it falls a little short:

By a good foot and a half...and I'm not really fond of ladders to begin with and especially not standing on the very tip top of a ladder on the thing that says something to the effect of "This is not a step! Don't ever step up on this ladder this high or you will no doubt fall to your DOOM!"

At this point Nat shows up with her friends and after debating with myself, I figure with 5 kids holding the ladder steady, I could probably do it. I'm at the point where I know this is either going to work fine or be a serious regret. So I go for it.

The tricky part is getting from the "top step of doom" to the ledge of my deck with a good grip on something. As you can see I have a bit of plywood to cling to, but somehow it works out and I find myself free of the ladder and hanging onto the outside of my deck. Here is where I hope that I have the upper body strength to pull myself over, because I don't think there's any way I'm going back down the ladder without somehow hurting myself.

As it happens, I am able to pull myself over the rail and Viola! I have access to my house again!

For the next few days I enjoy making passive-aggressive comments to Miss Moo regarding the convenience of not having to worry about having a key to open the door because we can't flippin' lock it anymore! I figure I'm entitled, having put my life and limb at risk so two tween girls could empty their bladders post haste!

What the Heck Happened?

That's the big question. Everyone wants to know what happened to my blogging and if I'm still alive in the blogosphere. Ok...not really everyone, but 2 or 3 of you care.

Ok, so I decided to go back to school and get a degree as a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA, or "slippa", sounds so gangsta', always makes me chuckle when someone says it.) I took 9 units last semester, traveling 2 hours each way one night a week for my core class in Sacramento. The local community college was my home 3 other nights of the week. And I'm doing it all again this next semester which starts next week. I LOVE it. It's super hard working and going to school, but I'm so glad I finally decided to do it.

I got laid off at the end of the school year from my instructional aide position at the special needs preschool, but thankfully was hired back on (with a raise and more hours!) right before school started again. I LOVELOVELOVE that job, but being laid off was kind of the catalyst for me to go back to college. As an SLPA I can still work with special needs kiddos, but have a bit more job security and better pay. For now I'm just SO flippin' happy to be back in the classroom I love with all the kids and the awesome (crazy) women I work with!


(Here's a photo of the best kids on the planet. They're mine. Sorry they are not YOURS. Eat your heart out.)

Bindi Sue and I completed a basic obedience class this fall and she was tested for Therapy Dog certification and of course passed! She is such a sweet dog. She can now accompany me when I do my Griefbusters work (Griefbusters is a volunteer grief counseling for children program run by our local Hospice). I have been working with a young girl at the middle school, and she loves having Bindi Sue come visit her.

(Here is my amazing dog after her first therapy dog visit.)

And then...Mike and I have split up. Not something I'm proud of, and I've beat myself up over why I'm so crappy at being married. Things are good between us though, and we get along SO much better now. It's all about working together for the girls. He's a good guy, for sure.

So lots of stuff has changed for me in a few short months. My life got super busy and stressful, but I hope to begin blogging again on a regular basis (well, you know, in all that spare time I'm going to have... so "regular" will be left to interpretation). And if you are reading this, THANKS!

Summer in San Fran, day 2

I meant to do these two posts back-to-back, but ended up going camping and having too much fun (that will all be posted at my Unlikely Kayaker blog...um..soon-ish), so anyway, here is day two's highlights.

We started by taking little Wesley to the nearby park for a nice long walk. I'm always a little surprised to see a large natural area in such an urban environment, but it had a very calming and re-energizing effect on all of us.

Well, after Monday's successful drive into the city sans modern navigation devices (I do it OLD SCHOOL with a Google Maps print out, baby!) I was feeling pretty danged confident. I was trying to figure out what the girls and I should do, and thought Chinatown would be cool (despite Cass' warning that it takes advanced parking skills to go there). I had a tourist book and a map, and was feeling pretty cocky.

That confident feeling faded fast when we got down to that area and I realized I was in way over my head! I went to plan B, which was to go where I'm a bit more familiar, so we ended up touring Lombard Street, and heading back towards Crissy Field, but this time we stopped at the marina end for a change of scenery.

~Notice the Segway riders in the background, imagine signing up for a tour and having them try out your skills on that crazy street! No thanks!~


Before we got to our destination we stopped at a sandwich shop called Mr Pickles on Lombard St. It's definitely worth a stop if you need lunch in the city. The sandwiches were delicious and the staff was extremely nice. The young man who rung us up, was very friendly and after handing over our large bag of lunch items, he couldn't remember if he'd put in cookies for the kids' meals so he added 3 more (1 for me!). (And we ended up with 6 cookies to eat, yum!)

The girls entertained themselves trying to outrun the waves, and I enjoyed watching all the windsurfers and sailboats.

We then met up with Cam and Cassie for a visit to the Pirate Store and other interesting shops on Valencia St. (And yes we were mopped.)

Getting out of the city was extremely stressful what with trying to find a gas station (they really don't like people to drive, apparently), Nat's bladder at full capacity, and a scary amount of afternoon traffic.

Both girls were very tired, very cranky and in sensory overload mode. Nat kept going on and on about how the mountains were so much better than the city, so I knew she was homesick! She kept asking on our way home, "Are we in the mountains yet?" When I finally told her yes, I was surprised when she rolled her window completely down.


When asked what she was doing, she told me, "I'm getting all that yucky city air out and letting the mountain air in!"


Yep, it was tons of fun, but also nice to be back in the quiet pines!

...A Summer in San Francisco

Remember the quote from Mark Twain: "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco". Well, unlike old Samuel Clemens' visit, we were just there in summertime and barring a few foggy/windy/chilly moments, for the most part San Francisco was wonderful and quite summerish.

The girls and I took a quick overnighter trip to visit Cam and Cass. Upon entering the city via the Bay Bridge I was greeted by the toll booth attendant with a "Hello, my sistah!" and then upon looking in at the girls, "You all are beautiful!" Well, with a greeting like that, I knew it would be a good trip! (Miss Moo thought he was weird, but I corrected her and told her he was making the most of his job!)



Since Cam and Cassie were working, I took the girls to Crissy Field/Fort Point. Here were the highlights from day one:

It's FREE. Parking and everything! (and one gets bonus points for finding FREE anything in SF!

Yummy sandwiches from the Warming Hut

Beach, beach, beach and stinky crab shells

DOLPHINS!!! Yes, we spotted dolphins in the bay. They are Miss Moo's favorite animal, and everytime they surfaced she was so excited she would let out a little "squeeeeeee!" Very cute!

The Foghorn from the Golden Gate bridge

Fort Point! I didn't even know you could go in that brick building at the base of the bridge and then to find out you could walk through it (for FREE!). It was creepy, and exciting and fascinating and I LOVE old buildings. And a couple was getting their wedding portraits there. This was my personal highlight.

We then met Cam and Cass and went to see the new Winnie the Pooh movie. Cam and Cass both grew up with the original Pooh (well on VIDEO, me, I grew up with him as a tv special) so we all had high expectations. And thankfully, it was very well done, very much like the original, very charming, and lots of laughs. I wonder if any other 24-year-olds would be excited to see it? That's what I love about Cam and Cass--they're still embracing their childhood.

We then spent time with Cam and Cass and their adorable rescue dog, Wesley. It was our first time meeting him, and oh what a charmer he is. So easy going and loveable! He ditched his owners at bedtime and spent the night cuddled up with me and the girls.

The Case of the Shrunken Neck

Miss Moo got a nasty scratch on her neck playing yesterday with her friend. She was telling me how she put Neosporin on it, but it didn't make it feel better. It made it sting.

Then she brought out the tube of medicine she used to show me.

I asked her if she knew what this stuff was for.

She didn't.

I told her people used it on their BUTTS. She promptly screamed and threw it across the room.

Yep, she used Preparation H on her scratch. Maybe this will get her to read the dang label first!

Disneyland Then and Now

Yes, I'm still milkin' the Disneyland trip. I'm just as shocked as you are.

~And my computer won't go online, so that's why it's taken so long to get this post up.~

Way back in 1972, my parents took my sister and me on our first trip to Disneyland. I was 8 and my sister was 12. My mom, who, let's just say, frequently changed her hair color, was kinda blonde.

In 2011 we took our youngest two girls on their first trip to Disneyland. Nat was 8, Miss Moo was 11, and Sis was kinda blonde. (She also, changes hair color like she her changes socks.)

Back then Autopia was definitely a hit.

And it still is:

Although I have issue with the name Autopia. Cam explained to me that it's all about the Utopia, but I think it's an awkward name and needs and extra syllable. I think it should be Auto-topia. Walt just missed the boat on that one.

One of my favorite rides then:

The Mule Ride! Yep, they had a mule ride. I'm guessing it was where Toon Town is now.

This time one of my very favorites was the Finding Nemo submarine ride which used to look like this:

Getting pictures with the characters is still fun.

Just after this shot, my sister and I moved away, but the big orangutan held on to my curvy cousin and wouldn't let her go! Those hot-pants were working for her...the big ape!

However, Mickey was, and still is, the consumate gentleman and didn't try to accost my curvy daughter.

But, the more things change, the more they stay the same:

These poor suckers are still at the mercy of this rhino.

I'm Cheap, But My Kid Is Smart.

So this is how the poor folks do Disney:

We packed in a bunch of snacks and water bottles (Disney is ok with this, which is really nice considering they want $2.79 for a stinkin' bottle of water!) Then we ate one meal in the park each day.

The first night we ate at place at the fake wharf at California Adventures where we got sourdough bread bowls filled with delicious soups. Yep, definitely a hearty meal/bargain at $8.99 each.

Thursday night I splurged and bought everyone the picnic meals which also got us entrance to the preferred seating, (well really standing), area for the World of Color show. These came with a dessert, drinks and fancy World of Color reusable bags so at $15 each it wasn't too bad a deal.

Picnics:

We watched World of Color from front row center. It was AMAZING! Definitely a highlight. We were in the splash zone, so we ended up a bit "moist", but it was worth it!

For the girls, I gave them each $25 spending money before our trip. I also extended an opportunity to earn more money with the deal that I would give the $1 for every stuffed animal they were willing to get rid of.

Both of their rooms look like some sort of plushie zoo gone wild, so I figured this would be an incentive to "thin the herd".

Well, Miss Moo completely dismisses my offer. She's not gonna part with even one crittter. Nat however, decides that she'll see what she can come up with. I have to promise that when they are donated some other child will love and appreciate her animals. And I tell her I'm pretty sure they will all go to good homes.

A little while later Nat shows up with a box full of animals. A flippin' box! THEN she goes down to the basement and goes through another box that has been down there since we moved 2 years ago (and you think they forget about that stuff!)

She proudly counts the animals and declares that I owe her 34 dollars!Dang! Now why didn't I offer 25 cents per animal? Holy cats! (and cows, and bunnies, and birds...)

To say the least Nat ended up bringing home a few more souvenirs than her sister! (She even treated herself to cotton candy which I was too cheap to buy for her.)

Both the girls got a set of ears. They went to a shop where you can build your own ear hat. Each girls' hat definitely reflects their personality!

Miss Moo's are funky and sassy just like her, and Nat's are cuddly and sweet. (Shhhh....don't tell Nat, but I'm pretty sure those fuzzy ears are made from discarded stuffed animal hides.)

But the real deal at Disneyland is the build your own Mr Potato Head. You get to fill a box full of parts for $20. These aren't any old parts, they're exclusive Disney parts. Filling up the back of the potato body is ok, and then the rest is like a twisted game of Tetris. The only rule is you have to be able to shut the lid of the box.

Here is Nat's potato. There are still parts in the box too! I don't think there's any way we could get it all to fit in the box again! (I wanted her to get the pirate hat, but the Cinderella hair took up too much room, so she let me stuff in the pirate eyes as a consolation.)

So be frugal when you go to Disneyland, but don't be stupid. Especially when it comes to kids and money!

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).