What have I been up to

Be Prepared, this may be long, will definately be random, but hopefully you will laugh along with me.

Q. How does a busy mother of four read 5 books in a week?
A. You start out with 2 really sick kids (4 ear infections, strep throat and pneumonia), then you sit on the couch with them holding them, letting them watch all the TV they want (since they can't do anything else) and you try, try to do something else, but they just whine unless you sit right next to them so you finally pull out all the books you want to read and get some reading done during the days of soothing.

Q. Do I believe in spring cleaning?
A. Absolutely, just last week I thought, "do you think if I start a spring cleaning routine it will hasten the onset?" and then I laughed and looked at the weather forecast (which by the way has predicted anywhere from 12-24 inches of snow for my area in the next 48 hours) and pushed all thoughts of spring and cleaning out of mind. However, you know the phrase, "Some people are born with greatness, others have greatness thrust upon them" Well here is my version, "Some people are born with desires to spring clean, Others have spring cleaning thrust upon them." So thank-you to the school nurse for calling and requesting I come pick up all 3 girls from school due to lice. (mind you this was within 20 minutes of being back at school after a week and a day break, and the snow day, and the sick day -- so they had already been home for a week and a half solid).

Q. How do you treat lice?
A. You cry a little (OK a lot). Then you spend a small fortune on toxic chemicals, and then a large fortune on "homeopathic" remedies, and you plan on sitting and combing hair for hours and hours and hours.

Q. What are the ideal circumstances for getting lice?
A. 1. Warm sunny weather (so you can comb for nits outside with the help of the sun to see those suckers and the knowledge that the little nits are falling on the ground outside not on your couch or chair.
2. When you only have boys living at home. (just give them a buzz and save the time and money)
3. Warm sunny weather (so each bed does not have 3 quilts on it, 2 extra blankets and a few stuffed animals)
4. Warm sunny weather (so that each child had not been wearing a long sleeved shirt, a sweater, a hoodie, a winter coat, a scarf, a hat, and gloves)
5. When your dryer is working! (mine was, but everytime I called my mom to complain about how bad I have it she would remind me that when we all got it as kids, our dad was out of town and the dryer was broken -- so I always felt like I couldn't complain too much -- oh but I wanted too!)

Q. How many of these ideal circumstances did I have?
A. Only the dryer.

Q. In the meantime, Trent had a birthday, did you celebrate?
A. Trent ended up having to travel to Cleveland on his birthday and the day after, so on the night before (when he was working late in the city) I put all the kids in the car along with some cupcakes and we drove straight to Times Square (where a dear co-worker of Trent's whom I had never met and who has no kids) greeted me at the curb and graciously took all 4 kids and the cupcakes into the lobby while I braved the NY parking scene.

Q. Is that co-worker ever going to have kids now, or did this experience teach him a thing or two about the need for prevention?
A. I haven't asked him, but I am sure the thought crossed his mind, as he ended up waiting for me in the lobby for a long time.

Q. Why so long, did you get pulled over by any NY cops?
A. Yes, but the kids were not in the car so it doesn't count because no one need ever know.

Q. Why did you get pulled over?
A. For relying too heavily on the GPS, which clearly said, "Turn left on 7th Avenue." So I turned left on 7th avenue . . . but I failed to notice the small white sign that prohibits left turns between 6 and 7 P.m. Unfortunately the cop did not fail to notice. After looking at my license, registration, and insurance (which he first asked if i chose to carry insurance . . . What???? don't you have to have insurance???? Apparantly not in NY -- silly me-- that sure explains a lot of cabs reckless driving), he did not give me a ticket-- just a very stern and loud, "Read the signs, LADY!"

Q. Did you do anything else for Trent?
A. To help his co-workers get to know him better I provided them with this 36 question True False Quiz. You may feel free to try it too.
36 True False Questions to Learn more about Trent Handy
1. Trent was born in 1974.
2. Before Ernst & Young, Trent worked for a multi-level marketing company.
3. Trent hasn’t been fly fishing in more than 10 years.
4. Trent lived in Houston for 9 years before relocating to CT.
5. Trent speaks Swedish.
6. Trent’s first Ebay purchase was a Mister Mister CD.
7. Trent is the oldest of 7 kids.
8. Trent grew up in a small suburb of Salt Lake City called Taylorsville.
9. Trent never had a microwave growing up.
10. When scheduling his wedding, the most important thing for Trent was making sure he was back from the wedding, reception, and honeymoon in time for the Pigskin Classic football game between BYU and Texas A&M.
11. Trent has 4 kids.
12. Trent loves college football (especially BYU games).
13. Trent has been married for nearly 14 years.
14. Trent hung dead fish and smeared icecream on the windows of his future wife’s apartment to get her attention.
15. Trent has built an entire house (start to finish) and not a little house either (a 4500 sq ft one).
16. Trent has been on a plane that was diverted because of a bomb threat.
17. Trent has seen the following Broadway shows – Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Shrek, and Guys & Dolls.
18. Trent knows how to change his own brake pads.
19. Trent is famous for winning contests at work.
20. Trent drives a 99 Honda Civic.
21. Trent is a Disneyland fan – he knows the park forwards and backwards.
22. Trent posed naked for a medical journal.
23. Trent’s High School Prom theme song was “Save the Best for Last” by Vanessa Williams.
24. Trent’s favorite apples are Granny Smiths.
25. Trent gave his wife a dozen red roses for Valentine’s day this year.
26. One of Trent’s favorite music groups is Ryan Shupe and the Rubber Band.
27. If Trent were to participate in any Reality TV show it would be The Amazing Race.
28. Trent took Jamie to an opera for their first date.
29. Trent let a flight attendant do a lap dance for him on a flight.
30. The last book Trent read was The Count of Monte Christo.
31. Trent has eaten turtle.
32. Trent cheers for the Yankees.
33. Trent passes out anytime he gets blood drawn.
34. Trent’s favorite game to play is called Bohnanza.
35. Trent is very supportive—he even watches the Bachelor with his wife (although he makes fun of it the whole time).
36. Trent enjoys washing cars.

Catherine's 8th Birthday

Hard to believe 8 years have come and gone! She had a great birthday with lots of friends and fun! She is really growing up!

Happy Birthday

I am 34 years old today. Here are my posts from 33 years and 32 years. As I am nearly always the one taking pictures, I always just end up cropping a photo of the whole family to get one of me. So this year, I decided to ask my friend Lilian to take my photo for me. They turned out great. (although next year I am going to go and get my hair colored right before the pictures). 

I am still 153 lbs.

Catherine's Birthday Party Invitation

This year Catherine is intrigued with mysteries. She initially wanted a "Geronimo Stilton" birthday party, but now after reading the book "From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler" and going to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the first time -- she decided a party with a mystery like the book would be fun. Wish me luck in planning the mystery part -- I'll let you know how it goes!

Happy New Year!

Another year has come and gone . . .  I always have so much I want to write and so little time to write it.

So along with all my other goals . . .  I resolve to write more. 

A Small Lack of Attention to detail

I really don't know why I can't focus on small details.  The first time I remember it being a problem was in my junior year of high school.  My English class was reading The Ox-Bow Incident.   I actually read it.  (I will freely admit that Cliff's notes got me through many a book -- but this was not one of them).  I even liked it.  In fact I had a hard time putting it down.  I was confident to take the test because I knew I had done the work.  I got a 46%.   The whole exam was quotes from the book and you had to match it to the character that said it.  There were seriously like 50 characters in the book.  They were split into 2 groups (the good guys and the bad guys) and I could easily classify them into the 2 groups -- but paying attention to each one of their little reasons for being there was a waste of my brain space.  NO, I do not have a clue which one always brings up the railroad in conversation -- I just know it was one of the good guys.

Anyway, this is a trait where Trent and I are completely opposite.  I even already wrote a post about it.  But I proved myself yet again yesterday. 

Catherine failed her eye exam at school and I took her in on Wednesday to the eye doctor.  Yep, she needed glasses.  Yep, her eyes were worse than Julianne's and she is a year younger than Julianne was when she first got glasses and I felt like a lousy mom for not noticing Julianne -- so now I felt even worse about not noticing Catherine needing glasses. 

After the appointment we headed to Lenscrafters.  Catherine was immediately drawn to this large, bulky red frame.  I did not like them.  It looked like she had an injury between her eyes.  I suggested she try on every pair they had and see if she liked them better than the red ones.  One after the other she said, "NO, I still like the red pair".  Finally with only 2 or 3 left she put on a very simple frame -- silver with a hint of blue, rimless on the bottom and she smiled so big into the mirror.  She turned and faced the technician who was helping us and he just said, "Wow, those look amazing on you.  It makes your eyes so blue.  It fits the shape of your head perfectly!" 

I was so relieved.  We got them, they had the lenses ready in an hour and I took her back to school.  Julianne went to a birthday party after school so it was nearly 6:00 pm when we picked her up and the two girls saw eachother for the first time . . .  and  . . .  they have the exact same pair of frames. 

This is something that would NEVER have happened if Trent had been in charge.  But to me . . .  glasses are glasses, most look about the same (except for the bright red ones).  So please don't feel bad if I don't notice something about you someday -- like new glasses, or a hair cut, or new tires on your car, or something else . . .  I really can't help it.  I have always been like this. 

I justify it to myself that my brain is just too full of other worthless dribble  interesting facts. 

Don't worry.  I will post pictures soon. 

My First Writing Assignment

My ward has a writer's group.  I joined.  The first time it was just me and Sally.  When we left she gave me an assignment.  (she is afterall-- a teacher).  I thought about it for a month.   I wrote it a little after midnight last night and brought it to writer's group tonight.  There were now 3 of us Sally, Deborah, and me.  I thought I would share it with all of you. 

Assignment : What do you see when you look in the mirror

I was 18 the first time it happened, just a freshman in college. And I didn’t actually say them but I heard the words nonetheless. I was enjoying some down time with one of my hobbies – making cards with rubber stamps and glitter—when I needed some scissors to cut out a design. I opened my desk drawer and quickly turned the contents over, but the scissors were not there. I asked my roommate about them; she shrugged and shook her head. So I reached up for my new sewing kit and the bright blue handled scissors that were inside. The sewing kit was a graduation present from my Mom’s best friend. But I was pretty certain I would never need it. I had tried to sew before and always gave up-- finding the task too difficult; so I knew that kit was going to sit unused for a long time. My fingers were in place and as I started to make that first cut, I heard her-- right there in my dorm room. Even though I knew she was 1500 miles away, I heard her. “If you cut paper with your sewing scissors they will get dull.” She didn’t yell at me. She didn’t even correct me. She just reminded me of the facts- the simple cause and effect that would happen. I listened. I stopped what I was doing and set the scissors back in their box – safe.


Over the next few years there were many times I heard her in my head reminding me, but at least for a little while it was my little secret.

I was 20 the first time I remember hearing her words come out of my mouth-- a young newlywed. My mom always called my dad “honey” and it always seemed a little saccharine to me. But there I was one day saying, “Honey, let’s go!” and “I love you, Honey”.

And over the years the more I started to sound like her. I sang the same songs to my babies that she sang to me. I told the same stories that she told, like Fluffy the cloud. When I visited her house and answered the phone it always took me a while to stop the person talking and let them know I was not her. “But you sound just like her” they always answered back.

And the more I sounded like her, the more I wanted to sound like her. I don’t remember her yelling as much as I do. I don’t remember any sarcasm in her voice.

But I was really unprepared for what happened next.

I remember the moment pretty clearly. It was late. I was tired. I was in the bathroom in my pajamas just finishing brushing my teeth. I was smiling and vigorously brushing my front teeth while staring at the bottom of the sink. I spit and then glanced up at the mirror to check out my teeth, when I saw her. I blinked and then looked into the mirror harder, but she was gone. I had to close my eyes to remember what I saw and it was unmistakable. I saw the mom of my youth. The smile lines starting to form around my eyes, the crystal clear blue eyes that could see right through you, the slight puffiness from too many late nights and early mornings, the premature gray hair now a half centimeter showing again, the bow shaped lips and the laugh lines around them, and I was amazed.

Not only do I sound like her, but I look like her too.

And the crazy thing-- I am OK with it.