Oh how I love when people surprise me. My Jacob eye candy is back on the sidebar thanks to a reader that admitted oogling him from time to time.

No, it wasn't Bill.

Enjoy!

WW: A Reason To Keep The Sink Empty

At Lunch This Afternoon I Was Thinking That...

The inside of the bottom of your shirt can be used like a tissue, in a pinch, when your son has a snotty nose. This saves the shoulders of your shirt, your face, and various other parts of your body from getting said boogies on them. Kyra said, "no way" when I suggested it, but then once I reasoned with her she decided it wasn't such a bad idea.

Flylady has some good ideas, especially for the organizationally-challenged-trying-to-keep-it-together moms like me. It's been years since I've been to her site (and I'm not even going to go look it up so I can link it to this post), but I found some of the stuff I used when I started to get it together after Tasha was born. Apparently that's my cycle: fly OK, get pregnant, lose all ability to function properly, have baby, live in disorganized chaos but new baby bliss for a few months, then decide to get it back together. I'm at the trying to get it back together stage right now.

I have a very organized, yet out of date, folder than I need to start using again. I'm resisting because Flylady calls it a "control journal". I don't like the word control. I need to rename that dang thing. It holds all those forms I need to fill out, phone lists, agendas from meetings, etc. Any ideas?

I've become a scampi expert. I cook it all the time for lunch. Sometimes I'll use chicken, other times I'll use shrimp or talapia. Basically, whatever I happen to have in the fridge. And by "happen to have" I actually mean, whatever I saved from the previous nights dinner (chicken), bought at Costco to devour myself (shrimp), or received in a box-o-meat from Treasure Box (talapia). Anyway, it's yummy. I'm eating a talapia verson right now. It's my least favorite.

Julie and Julia was right, "everything tastes better with butter". I think it was Julie quoting Julia, but it doesn't really matter. Seriously, butter is yum.

People swear up and down that you must rinse your quinoa before cooking it. I'd agree, because it does feel better to rinse it, but I don't know that it really affects the taste. I'm eating some right now that I didn't rinse and it doesn't really taste bitter like people say it should. You should also know that Costco sells quinoa now. It's over by the rest of the 20-50 pound bags of grains, only the quinoa is in a nice little portable package. I'd go look up how big it is, but I'm too lazy. It's about 2 times the size of a regular Bob's Red Mill package, and, it is Bob's.

Even after all this focus on food I'm losing weight. I'm 5 pounds from my pre-pregnancy weight. Yeah me. The only drawback is that when I stop nursing I typically gain at least 10 back. I guess I'm at least aware of it this time around. You've heard the term "yoyo dieting"? I wonder what it's called when you gain all your pregnancy weight, lose it all, then gain some of it back. And, I wonder if that takes it's toll on your body, mind, and spirit just like the yoyo dieting critics claim it does. If so, what kind of chaotic state am I in if I've gained and lost over a hundred pounds in the last year? No wonder I'm a mess.

I don't think I believe in "teething". We're on round four of cranky baby with snotty nose, drooling mouth, upset tummy, nursing all night and sleepless days, and, still no teeth. I just happen to be in the crowd that up sells the teething theory so now I've fallen for it. The girls just got their teeth and all was well. So, either teething is for crap, or boys are a big pain in the bee-hind.

I enjoy hanging freshly laundered diapers on the line to dry. I put them up with yellow stains all over the place, then, like magic, I come back in an hour and the stain is gone. The sun is amazing and we have so much of it here in Arizona! I wonder if we could use it for something really constructive like creating energy...

While cleaning off our kitchen desk top (which I have decided to reclaim as my own since the girls have a gillion other places to keep their things) I found a box of note cards. Then I found a bag of note cards from Ikea. Then there were a few "green" cards I bought from Target wrapped in a nice hemp cord. Finally I discovered a set that must have been given to us from either DMS or DVLC, possibly made by one of the girls. Oh, and on the island is a box of thank you cards I purchased after PT was born so I could thank people for their gifts and service. This moring, in my sling-baby-wearing organizational moment, I cleared off the desktop, dusted it, gathered all of these cards together, and placed them all neatly on top. Do you think I'll start sending thank you's? Probably not. But consider yourself lucky if you get one. It really is a goal of mine since I appreciate ever note anyone has sent me. I should probably be doing that now instead of blogging.

I bet Bill has stopped reading by now :) That's cool. I love him anyway.

I still have to say in my mind "i before e, except after c" EVERY TIME I write the word receive. That's the 3rd time I've done it this post. The really stupid thing about that saying is that you say it and then you have to think the opposite. Because you've written a 'c', you have to put the 'e' before the 'i'. Did I ever write the post about this rule and the lame commentary I found from the editor of the online dictionary I use? Dumb, dumb, dumb.

On the same note (spelling, that is), I still don't know when to use 'affect' and 'effect'. Someone explained it the last time I asked but I didn't understand it. I know I've used it wrong several times and I don't even know if I got it right above or not. I'm not sure I really care because I don't think most people even notice. It's not like their, they're and there or your and you're. Write?! (a-ha!)

I also think I need to review my comma and quotation rules. I think I use commas too often and I don't know when to use the double quotations marks (" ") or the single version (' '), except when I'm putting a quote inside a quote. That one I understand. The rest I just kind of make up as I go along or use what "looks" right. Really, I think that blogging and texting has brought generations of seemingly literate people down to a new all time low level of writing.

Talapia scampi over quinoa isn't very good. I won't make it again.

I'm still trying to figure out why Bill says it's exhausting trying to follow my brain...

I Can't Decide

...if texting should be allowed during media-free week. Clearly I have to use my cell phone, it's the only phone we have. I guess it's a matter of what I'm trying to accomplish here this upcoming week. It's about getting the rest of the world out of our life so we can focus on what's important. The only people that have my number are people that are important so I should be good to text, right?

I'm sure Bill will disagree, 'cuz he wants me to suffer like he will without the television.

"Ya Know, It's Exhausting Following Your Brain Sometimes"

Bill said that to me tonight. It isn't the first time he's said something like this. I believe the other time it was "do you ever think you over think things?" He said that as we were driving home one day and I was contemplating the placement of all the Walgreens in my life. They all seem to be on the southwest corners and that just doesn't suit me. It generally means a left hand turn out of the parking lot which is right by a corner. This is no easy task, especially in rush hour which is when I inevitably end up there. This doesn't make sense to me. Do the owners of Walgreens have something against other corners? The one Walgreens on the way to school is in the same location and if I went there on my way home then it would be a right hand turn out. The problem is, I don't usually need to go there on my way home from school and if I did I only have Payton with me and I'm lazy. I'm too lazy to get him out of the van and take him in for what will be a 2 minute shopping excursion. I like to leave the girls in the van with him, jump out, get my pharmacy needs, and hop back in the van. The weird thing is, now that I think about it, I don't even know what I go there for. Last year, if I couldn't find it at Walgreens, you didn't get it. The girls got a lot of fun notepads, pens, nail polish, etc. for their birthdays because that's all I could muster up. I literally shopped for Tasha's birthday present at 11pm the night before because I was sick prego. Now I'm over that, prescriptions can be picked up a the drive through, so I don't know what I would need from the inside. Maybe it's just that left hand turn picking up prescriptions that's getting me. Since the doctor is east of us, I would need to make a left to get into the parking lot, then a left to continue on home. When I go back I make a right into the drive thru, but then a left to get back home. See that, 3 lefts do make a right. Or something like that.

"Ya know, it's exhausting following your brain sometimes."

I don't know what he's talking about...

I'm trying...

To get to 20 post, but I don't think I'm gonna make it.

I have a headache and a stomach ache and Payton is not happy.

I'll probably fall asleep with him as soon as we lay down here in a minute or so.

Sorry to disappoint, Jen. I do know you were only kidding.

"Know Who You Are"

We had a lesson in YW today about marrying in the temple. Among the many things discussed, was how you find your eternal mate. I liked that we weren't writing a list of qualities to look for in a husband or date, but more of how you get to the point that you are ready to go to the temple and be sealed to someone for eternity. I was so impressed by a comment by one of our young women. She said, "you have to know who you are" before you can find out who you want to be with the rest of your life. WOW! She admitted that her mom told her that, but how important it was for her to understand. That, my friends, is individual worth. How, on earth, will you be good for your companion if you don't first know who you are?

No Pressure

I think most people have heard the saying, "behind every great man is a better woman." I think, put that way, I can deal with that statement. It says we support our husbands and they couldn't accomplish the things they do without our help, or at least they couldn't if we told them they couldn't. Right?

But I heard someone say it this way today (by a man): "women make us who we are." Ugh, I don't like it that way. That implies that it's our job to form, shape, and lead them in the right direction. No thank you. I didn't sign up for that job. Their mother should have done that.

I know, it's just a matter of semantics, right? Yeah, but no.

If We Don't Answer Our Phones...

We may have died.

Both Bill and I have headaches this evening. I took a bunch of drugs then he randomly says, "you know the gas to the stove has been on since dinner." What? I know I had it on warm to keep the soup warm, but when you take the soup off, you turn the burner off as well. "Didn't you turn it off when you put the soup up?" I ask. He says that he didn't know it was on because the burner wasn't lit, the gas was just running. Nice. Natural gas headaches, and for me, a stomach ache ta-boot.

So, we won't be on the internet tomorrow so you can't email to check on me. You might want to call to see if I died from gas inhalation in the night. Just a thought. If you care...

Ya, it Does.

Bill is still whining about no TV. Blah, blah, Suns. It's the first round of the playoffs. Those don't really count. I said, "one of 2 things are going to happen: 1) they win and they will continue to play and you can see it next week; 2) they lose and that's because they suck and you would be yelling at the TV anway. Either way, you don't need to watch it."

He responded with, "Just because you make sense doesn't mean you're right."

Ya, it does.

NTS: It's Still Too Cold to Go Swimming

Ai, yie-yie! We took the girls to my brother's house yesterday to go swimming and yikes (!) was it cold. What was I thinking? Um, I was thinking that Kyra joined a swim club at school and didn't know how to do a somersault under water. She was pretty sad that day so I figured we could learn this weekend before she was faced with the problem again next week. Nobody at all questioned me on water temperature. Not Bill, not my brother, not my mom. It's hot out so it's time to go swimming. Nope. We pulled in and Loreen said, "Did you guys come to use the pool? It's still going to be pretty cold." Where was she with the voice of reason when I needed her?

Oh well. We came, we swam, we froze. Mission accomplished, somersault completed.

NTS: I Don't Like Garbonzo Beans, Even if They're called Chickpeas

Chickpeas sound cute and soft and round. Garbonzo beans are not. Garbonzo beans and chikpeas are the same thing. I know this. The can states it. You buy garbonzo beans and they say underneath the big letters that they are chickpeas. You can't buy one without buying the other because they are the one in the same. I don't like either one. Not even in soup. Especially not in a soup where the bean/pea is the main ingredient. Even if the soup has roasted red peppers in it. The only hope was to mash those babies up and hope they taste a little better. It worked, in the texture department, but they were still garbonzo beans.

From the Mouths of Babes (?)

Typical Sunday lesson time going down. The teacher is up teaching, because that's what they do. The students were busy pondering their scriptures, commenting and learning. Then, out of the blue...

Student: OUCH!
Teacher: What?
Student: That hurts.
Teacher: What? Are you going to be OK?
Student: Yeah, yeah, I'll be fine. I have a wedgie.

Media Free Week Starts TOMORROW

Yep. National media free week begins Monday April 19th and lasts through the following Sunday April 25th. I announced this to my family this afternoon over lunch. Here were their individual responses...

Tasha: FINALLY!!! I've been waiting and waiting to spend some time with my family. (I think her school has done some prompting on this)

Kyra: Cool. (I don't think she really thinks it's going to be cool)

Bill: Kyra, quick, go turn on the TV, radio, and log onto something on the computer. If we're going to be without then we better load up right now. (Always supportive)

I thought they took the news fairly well and I'm glad I didn't give them any warning. They probably would have spent all day yesterday plopped in front of the TV looking like zombies. Personally, I figure I have a few blog posts to get in before I give it up tomorrow. (more like 20 if I go by what someone at church recommended) Anyway, as I sat down to type and the girls left the room Bill fessed up...

Bill: (questioning) This media free business is null and void after 8pm, right?
Me: Nope.
Bill: (stating) OK, this media free business is null and void after 8pm.

About 5 minutes later...

Bill: Ya know this is the playoffs right? The Suns are in the playoffs.

Hmm. I guess you'll hear in a week how it went. But for now I have several more posts a brewin'...

Not Such A Wordless Wednesday

I've been meaning to take a camera to school so I could take a picture of a hand painted yet correctly spelled sign that I see everyday by this dive of a shopping center on 48th street and Southern but it doesn't really matter if I took the camera because the lame rechargeable batteries keep dying to the point that the camera doesn't even recognize that there are batteries in the dang thing and even if I did get the picture I wouldn't be able to post it because although I can download some of the pictures to my laptop I can't download them all because the dang thing won't work properly on account of the fact that it's been running on 0% power for too long because I bought a knock off charger instead of investing in the Dell one that costs at least 3 times as much but would have at least charged it and now I realize I should have listened to a friend who spent a boat load fixing her laptop because she let the battery run dead one too many times.

Anyway, here's what the sign says:

Special Flowers

$9.99 -->

Notary

Pinatas

I don't know, it just seems like an odd combination of items and services to be offered in one location. But who am I to say? I'm just some lame blogger that probably should have used some punctuation in that first sentence.

Proposition 100, I'm for it!

Ya know, as much as Bill complains about me following politics and as much as he dismisses anything I have to say when I get heated and uptight about all this stuff, you'd think he wouldn't send me links to articles about propositions. But he did. He sent this one on 1% Temporary Sales-Tax Increase.

This comment really made me think...

I’m a high school student here in Arizona. Just this past Monday, 45 of our teachers were told they may not have jobs next year. In addition, clubs will cease to exist, art classes may be cut, music programs may get cut, and athletics will become so costly that they too may not even exist. This has devastated all of us, and it’s completely unfair to all that are involved.

As a 17 year-old informed citizen, I wish I had the power to go out and vote yes on Proposition 100, but I can’t. I’m too young to have an opinion according to law (even though I’m far more informed than those who have the ability to vote.) However, i’m not letting this become an obstacle. As students, we’re banning together to get this Proposition passed. We’re raising awareness in our community and influencing everyone 18 years and older to go out and VOTE. As of now, the state is taking money away from children. Defenseless kids without a say in how they believe their educational system should be run. It’s a civil right to get an education, and without prop 100 passing, we’re inching closer to having that right denied.

Important points:

• This tax is temporary. It would require a 2/3 vote in the legislature to raise it permanently. The sales tax would automatically repeal on May 31, 2013.
• There are 25 states that have a higher sales tax than Arizona.
• Arizona per-pupil funding is currently among the lowest in the nation.

I don't understand what economists have to say about this. I don't care what the business climate of AZ is. Bottom line for me is this: We're talking about our kids here and we're talking about their education. All the rest is irrelevant to me. That may make me short sited, but I don't really care. The kids are our future and it seems like they are the last ones to get our money. This sales tax increase isn't the answer, but it's a start. Schools need more money period and we need to start somewhere.

If this doesn't pass, I think I'll find out how to write a proposition for the November ballot. I'm going to propose a tax increase on fast-food restaurants to fund education. Does it make sense? Probably not, but neither does politics.

Monday, Monday...

...how I hate Mondays...



It's not all psychological, is it?


But then, somehow, Tuesday is a whole 'nother ballgame. Even when it's a crazier day, with more going on and more to do.

What's up with that?

So, Is It Gambling If...

...your school has a raffle ticket sale for a Toyota Prius and then decides that you can just take the cash if you want?

I'm just wondering how far we push or pull on the gambling issue? If you tell me that you can put 20 bucks in a slot machine in the hopes of winning $15,000 I recognize that this is a gamble. It would probably only happen in Vegas or Atlantic City or at one of our many fine casinos here on the reservations. But what happens when that slot machine shows it's face on our school campus and disguises itself as a fund raiser and a raffle sale? Hmm. If I buy a $20 ticket from the parent council in hopes to win a Prius, is that a gamble? What if I don't want the Prius and just buy the ticket to support the school? Is that no longer a gamble because I don't expect or want to win? Now, what if that Prius isn't the only prize? What if I have a choice between the Prius and the $15,000 that it is going to cost the council to buy the car? Now it's a cash transaction and it sounds a bit more enticing and a bit more like gambling, doesn't it? I might not expect to win, but who wouldn't want to win that cash, right? And, if I do feel like this new cash incentive is gambling, but the other was not, am I guilty by association by purchasing the first ticket?

Ah, the questions I could pose. I feel like Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde trying to discount a man's paternity suit on a baby conceived by sperm he sold to a sperm bank: "Why this one sperm? ... any masturbatory emissions, where the sperm is clearly not seeking an egg, could be termed reckless abandonment." Alright, it's not really the same thing, but it feels like I'm grasping at straws in reverse here, trying to justify a raffle that is really an expensive slot machine. Ya know?

I know, it's the spirit of the law, not the letter of the law, right?

Anyway, this is my way of saying that... if you want to support DMS and buy a $20 raffle ticket you can now have $15,000 in cash if you don't want the car. Good luck to all, and call my bishop if you think I'm encouraging gambling :) A-ha!

Seriously, a Wordless Wednesday...

He Lives!

"If a man die, shall he live again?"

-Job questioned (14:14)

"Yes."

-answered the empty tomb