Monday, January 31, 2011

Temple trip- annoying kids

We made it in January, it was the 28th, but we finally got good enough weather to get there and back(for February, David and I we will hit the Atlanta temple and I can skip the yucky weather, sorry Amanda). We stopped for dinner at a fast food BBQ place, Bauldy's in Lakeville. It was closed for table service, so we took it to go. Eating in the car while Amanda drove was interesting, the sandwich was huge, with french fries and onion rings(onion rings soaked with BBQ...Yummy...who knew?) I have to say that it was really tasty. We stopped at Target to check out their clearance and got home after 11.

David was freaking out because Qatar wasn't home from Albert Lea and he had called over an hour ago about being on his way(20 minute drive only). I called around to his friends and found one who remembered that the competition was in Lakeville not Albert Lea. Lakeville is 2 hours away, not 20 min. Sometimes I wonder where his head is, he got home at 11:30. We all fell into bed after 12, then up for Twins Fest before 7.(Thank heaven Davids taking the boys, I can take a nap later.)

Sunday, January 30, 2011

The I want to go to school-flu

Zeke started it on Wednesday with vomiting early in the morning. Thursday he jumped out of bed ready to go to school. The school has a 24 hour no vomit rule so he had to wait until noon to go. He was excited to get back and kept telling me he'd been home for over 45 hours without going out and how the whole world looked different.(he is a bit different from the other kids, schools his favorite thing). So back to paradise for him.

JT threw up Friday morning at 2 and at about ten he wanted to go back to school. He hated the idea of being sick on only a half day. He also had a test he needed to take. You need to understand that even only in 3rd grade, JT hates everything about school and here he was begging me to take him back. I really wish Gunnar and Qatar would catch this flu.

David asked me that if Zeke obsession with school was just a virus would I cure it. Hell NO!!!!!! I think we have scholarship hope with that one and since he is so close in age to the next two, it may be the only way we can afford college for the rest of them.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Books 11,12,and 13

Funny, but a bit long(sex alert)
Interesting, I'm buying th next this weekend. On Kindle its 2.99 and I need to know what happens to Wendy and Fin.
A huge waste of time, stupid and nothing much happens.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Busy day

Thursday started with Zeke begging to go to school, even with vomiting the day before. I got him there at noon(24 hours since the last upchuck, the rule) then off to return an item and pick up a few things I needed. Then to visit a friend and run an errand for them, that ran late so then to pick up the kids and off to Younkers to return Cenny's coat and look for another(instead we found some great candles), back to the friends to drop off the things they needed. To the chiropractor with the two youngest with me talking to the poor doctor about therapy(JT didn't get the difference between physical and emotional therapy. He thought I was going to tell the dr. all about my problems). During my therapy, Qatar called Cenny and she told him were we were and he walked over and came in for me to sign a form and write a check(at this point I wanted to just go home). Then we met Gunnar outside to take him to work. Off to drop of an item for Relief Society, and then home in time to make dinner and go to a concert. Thank heaven that the kids were tired and the concert wasn't their thing(we left at intermission) to bed at 10 and then up at 2am for puking JT. I'm looking forward to my vacation in a few weeks.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Cookie dough and puppy chow

What is it about these two foods? Cenny got home from school and I said, "want to make cookie dough?" She did, but on her own (she's a cookie expert after doing her science fair project a few weeks back.) and she wanted to just eat the dough (she likes her independence and raw treats, even at 10). I agreed and went up to finish a book. She brought me up and bowl of dough and a spoon and we ate happily for awhile. I still feel good, my headache from earlier is gone and now I think we should make Puppy chow together. We have been focused on healthy eating this week and I think we both hit a wall. Veggies and fruit are great, but this stuff is what makes life fun. Yummy!!!!!

Building a train of people.

Every blanket in the house is being used and the rest of the place looks like a tornado went through. I just love kids and all the kids they seem to bring home from school with them. Our house is full most days and sometimes I wonder if my kids are even among the others scattered around.

The people and blanket train. The kids get bored in the winter.

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Writing and reading


Okay I'm back to writing and I've gotten some advice, just my first chapter. I think I may post that here and let anyone who wants to read it do so. I've been reading up on other authors and this is one David came across.
Amanda Hocking is an author from my hometown and here is a link to her site. She is self published on Kindle and has sold over 185,000 books so far. Most are Kindle downloads. Reading and publishing is changing. David bought a Kindle and I look forward to what he thinks about it in a few months.

Monday, January 24, 2011

Books 8, 9, and 10 my goal is to average 10 a month.

Excellent, heartbreaking.
Good and historical. I reviewed this on my book blog.
Funny. I reviewed this on my book blog.

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Mormon Mommy Blogs...again

January 18th, 2011 @ 6:45pm
By Sara Israelsen-Hartley

SALT LAKE CITY -- Whether they're throwing family dinner parties, making paper crafts with rambunctious children or taking time for daily reflection, Mormon mothers and their blogs have become quite an obsession, and not just for the obvious crowd.

Self-proclaimed feminist and atheist Emily Matchar recently wrote for Salon about her "addiction" to such blogs, calling them strangely uplifting and even encouraging.

"Indeed, Mormon bloggers ... make marriage and motherhood seem, well, fun. Easy. Joyful," Matchar wrote. "These women seem relaxed and untouched by cynicism. It's not that (my friend) or I want to quit our jobs to bake brownies or sew kiddie Halloween costumes. It's just that for (my friend), Mormon blogs are an escapist fantasy, a way to imagine a sweeter, simpler life."

For many within the LDS community, it's no surprise these mommy blogs are so popular. Their posts about loving and cherishing their children and husband and finding joy in the routines of family life resonate with inspiring truths often lacking in mainstream media.

Yet along with the posts on burned breakfasts, pillow fights and do-it-yourself crafts, LDS women across the country are also sharing their beliefs. Sometimes subtly, sometimes overtly.

Stephanie Nielson, of the NieNie Dialogues recently posted about coming home from church flustered. "I listened to old General Conference talks and ironed. It was calming and my mind was going a million miles a minute. I was thinking and pondering and feeling the spirit. I kept my journal close to my ironing board and wrote thoughts down as they came."

Or there's Naomi of Rockstar Diaries who has a button at the top of her page, "we believe..." which takes viewers directly to mormon.org.

The growing demand for voices of truth and encouragement, especially in the tiring but important realm of motherhood, can be measured by the massive amount of web traffic these blogs and related stories generate as well as the standing-room-only crowds when blog authors speak.

The emergence of many of these blogs can be traced back to a call to action from Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, who challenged members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to offer a "clear and correct witness of gospel truths" using the Internet as their platform.

"We cannot stand on the sidelines while others, including our critics, attempt to define what the Church teaches," Elder Ballard told a group of graduating BYU-Hawaii students in December 2007. His comments were later adapted for the Ensign in July 2008.

"Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration," he continued. "The audiences for these and other new media tools may often be small, but the cumulative effect of thousands of such stories can be great."

Saturday, January 22, 2011

Temple trips

Two weeks in a row, Amanda and I have planned a trip and both weeks it has been postponed due to weather. Last week we made it to Owatonna before turning around. Minnesota weather this year has been bad. We did get apple cider, caramel drinks at Starbucks before coming home. Yummy thanks Amanda. Friday(3rd try) the temp dropped into the below 20 range with a wind chill making it even colder and blowing around the snow, so we stayed home. Not worth dying on the way there, or back for that matter..

Friday, January 21, 2011

Bowling fun.





After Christmas we went bowling. Paige had brought us two balls from Craigs list and we had to try them out. JT's new ball says Joel P. SO I colored in the l with a black crayon and now it says Joe P. Pretty cool and it is the perfect size and in almost new condition. I picked up one of the balls and sent it down the lane along with most of one of my fingernails. Ouch!!!!.
We had lots of fun and maybe two people scored over 100 points, the rest of us should stick to Wii or Kinect bowling.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Check this out!!!

http://www.salon.com/life/internet_culture/?story=/mwt/feature/2011/01/15/feminist_obsessed_with_mormon_blogs

Why I can't stop reading Mormon housewife blogs

I'm a young, feminist atheist who can't bake a cupcake. Why am I addicted to the shiny, happy lives of these women? Click the link above for the article.


I'm not on the list she mentions, but I do love reading about my friends families. We as Mormons have got it going on...

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

JT wins and loves having his Aunt Paige home.



JT won the first Monopoly tourney. Go JT, now if he would just do his homework.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Paige turns 30!!!!!!



Paige had her 30th Birthday while she was home visiting. We had a small dinner and lots of toasting and cheering for the next 30 years. Happy Birthday and Many Many More. We love and miss you.
Cenny wanted to be a princess too.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Books read 1-7 2011


This book surprised me, it was very good.
God and romance..who knew it could be so cute.
Destiny is a choice...very eye- opening.
Better then I thought.
Funny, cute, laugh out-loud silly. It has sex, just to warn you.
Very good, a book about mothers and daughters, even lost ones.
Wow!!! This is a great book...5 stars all the way.

Saturday, January 15, 2011

Snow and more snow, where to put it all!!!


David clearing off the garage roof, lots of snow and then the melt will cause lots of ice and ice damns. I cleared off the small flat roof over the kitchen and half of the garage before my back stopped me and then my chiropractor.
Any more and we will be buried under all this snow.

Friday, January 14, 2011

The BIG leak

Not our home, but a puddle all the same. The plumber came Tuesday after I got home from work and he said that a pipe was not capped off and the pressure in the pipe had caused it to back up and pour out of the uncapped pipe into the crawl space. He asked "Who installed these lines?" Me with a grimace, "You guys." Me. "Could this cause a sewer smell in the bathroom above?" Him "Yes" Me "We replaced the toilet this fall because we thought the seal was broken because the of sewer smell." Him "Oh yeah." He capped it and then we ran the washer and no water. YEAH!!!!! Now do I have to pay for this mistake? This has been going on for months and just getting worse, now I learn it could have been going on for years? Thank heaven there is lots of dirt for the water to absorb into. I just wonder what things will happen next?

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Crazy day!

Monday started with water on the basement floor and I still had no idea where it was coming from, but it looked soapy(my first clue after two plumbers telling me they had no idea where it was coming from) We had a softener installed and that showed the soap, so 1st clue maybe now I can figure it out. I got called to work so busy morning and then an Orthodontist appt for Zeke at 3, so off to pick him up on the other side of town. I dropped him off then stopped at home to pick up Gunnar and Qatar for the dentist(already had Cenny and JT in the car). So the dentist and then back to talk to the ortho about Zeke and pick him up for the dentist. Zeke needs braces ASAP(once one more loose tooth falls out) and we need to pay monthly or 1000 down and the balance next year when we plan out flex spending. Back to the dentist and while they are working on me I check my watch and get them to speed up a bit. After my appt we need to talk about the kids teeth, but I have to run Cenny and JT to piano and then come back to get Zeke. I get back, we talk and Qatar needs fillings, JT needs filling and I need three fillings replaced. I sign the Visa slip and sigh. Then home for homemade chicken soup I put in the crock pot before the work call(thank heaven for that.) A quick stop for the piano players and then home to drop.
Later in the evening I turned on the washer and David and I camped out in the crawl space under the washer and waited for the spin. Sure enough water came spurting out of a pipe. Now I can call the plumber again and show him the problem. The puddle was in a space next to the crawl space, yet separated by tons of dirt and at lease ten feet of more dirt(that ground must be soaked through.)

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

DECA and Gunnar

Gunnar competed in DECA regionals, he competed in three events. He was not well prepared, but worked his butt off the two days before. He came home and thought he did really well. The next day he came home excited, he won first place in all his events. He is now getting ready for state competition.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Books I've won, so far, or am being sent.

A publisher is sending in February.
The author found me on Goodreads and asked if i would read it. He sent in a few days later. Its a good book.
Awful, from Goodreads.
Still waiting for. From Goodreads.
Waiting for, this one came from a publisher wanting reviews.
So funny. From Goodreads.
Interesting and educational. From Goodreads.
Not bad. From Goodreads.
Waiting for, from Librarything.
Waiting for. From Librarything.
Waiting for, from Goodreads.