It's Over???

Well...sorry to have been quiet, but I don't generally get on the computer when my family is all home and things have been busy. We survived Christmas without killing any cats, although it's been close. I wanted to send them outside last night, but hubby kept them in. They had even pooped in our room yesterday...ARGH!

Christmas was wonderful, I loved Christmas eve with the snow! sigh. The day after Christmas we went to see National Treasure, Book of Secrets, and it was great fun. I would recommend it to anyone who has seen the first one -- however, I must say that it wasn't quite as good as the first one, some things were just a bit obvious. The characters were great though, and there was some good chase scenes.

Yesterday we ventured to the returning world, and found my hubbies, but not mine. sigh...so now we get to go back and figure out what I want to purchase.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Christmas and look forward to a Great New Year!

You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch...

Okay, so I feel like a grinch when it comes to our cats. I know I've talked about them before, but today they've really got me ready to throw them out into the snow.

First, they used my tree skirt as a litter box last year, so even though it's been washed, I guess they can still smell it, so one of them -- when they were let in the house during the single digit temperatures -- used it AGAIN! So, that's why you don't see the skirt in the picture, because my hubby moved it last night because they were also playing with it! You see, I made this skirt several years ago, and it has little gold bows on it that they find fun to bite and play with. sigh.

Then, yesterday I finally get the tree decorated the way I like it (trust me, it's been the third time so far this year, and it's about average for me. I'll see something I like better and come home and change it. This is MY tree after all, the kids have their own. It's kind of hard to tell from the picture, but you get the idea.) and last night they pulled some of the ribbon off and at least one ornament and broke it. We found broken ornament all over the floor. ARGH.

Okay, so I'm telling myself it's only stuff...It's no big deal, but I'm really tired of CATS. So, they may find themselves without presents this year and definitely stuck in the garage for the duration of winter.

That being said...grin.

I have written a essay of sorts at the writersblogck today -- it's not posted at this moment as of 7 am...but it will be later. You might want to check it out. Have a great snowy day!

5 Days Left!

Only 5 days left till Christmas...are you ready? Well, if the world came to a stop between now and then, I would survive. I've gotten some shopping done. None of the fun stuff the kids want, but stuff. I've been slow getting this done today, and now we have a snow storm!! You should see my kids...they are more excited than a rat in a kitchen...let me tell you. It's great fun. We aren't driving ANYWHERE for the next 12 hours, that's for sure. ;)
Have a good one! We are going to have zucchini sausage soup and watch Christmas movies.

Candy Time!

Every year during the month of December, we make candy. It's a tradition my husband's family had, that we picked up after we were married. I was more than happy to go with it, I'd never really made candy before. I mean, my mom had made it, but it wasn't a big family thing. I think she enjoyed making it while we were at school so it was less chaos. I say this from experience.

Let me tell you what I mean. We have a small kitchen -- it's the bane of our lives, but we can't afford to do anything about it yet. It's the size of a hallway with the sink on one side and the stove on the other. Barely enough room for two people, and we usually get in each other's way. Picture three cooks in the kitchen (making toffee and peanut brittle) four at the table (which is right next to the hallway kitchen area) making dipped pretzels and two little ones running through everything wanting to help but driving everyone crazy, and one lone grandpa avoiding the whole thing by reading the newspaper in the other room. Add to that, Christmas music, everyone talking, (or shouting, if you have teenagers) and you get the general idea.



One of the cooks was my youngest daughter, the other two were hubby and his mom. While hubby was preparing stuff, grandma was teaching daughter how she does candy...but she hasn't done this by herself in a few years, so I'm not sure what she was telling her...grin. I'm safe in saying this, she doesn't read my blog!

The other teenagers and oldest daughters were helping do the pretzels, which was something my one daughters 'fiance's' aunt showed them how to make -- it was a good thing we didn't care what they looked like, I'm sure they had fun. There were some stressful times...they put one batch of pretzels to cool ontop of the other batch...grin, but it was regular chaos and fun to be had by all. I was ready to take a vacation, and my hubby reminded me that soon enough it was going to be real quiet in our house and we would miss this.

I'm thinking...not if we invite them over to make candy every year...

Anyway, fun times, fun traditions, and I can't believe Christmas is a week from today and I haven't really done ANY shopping! ARGH...

If you see a frantic woman running around this afternoon with two young women in tow shouting that they've still got four more stores to go, that will be me. Grin. Have a good one!

Come Vote for ME!

Well...yet another contest, and yet another Christmas...or should I say that the other way around? Anyway, the LDSpublisher is having a contest at his site, and I've entered in the unpublished section. Come one come all to read and vote!! The most votes wins the prize, and I want to win!

So the whole two or three of you who read my site, go cast your votes if you think you can spot my writing...grin.

Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Oh the weather outside is delightful! I know that's not the way the song goes, but that's the way I feel. Right now it's just these little flakes that don't really add up to anything, but are pretty to watch.

I had heard that this was supposed to be a dry winter. I figured that meant we wouldn't have snow for Christmas. Well, so far it's wet. I'm excited. My kids are too. grin.

I hope everyone has a chance to sit with a cup of hot cocoa and watch the snow. There's nothing like it. (and it's better than driving in it!!)

Baby it's Cold Outside!

Okay...when it gets cold enough that you can't let the animals stay outside for fear of them freezing to death, then it's cold enough to bring out the mugs of hot chocolate and cuddle up in front of the fireplace, forget the cost of the fire! BRRRRR

I couldn't believe it, it was a whole 13 degrees this morning, and the wind chill made it feel like 5. I was really glad my kids ride the bus so I didn't have to venture out until later to go to work. I was still cold, and I'm freezing now. I think I'm going to have to find the hot cocoa...I've been so good, perhaps I'll make it herbal tea instead. sigh. It's just not the same, but did you know how many carbohydrates cocoa has?? I've been trying to watch my carbs, and so I don't eat as much bread as I'd like, and I try to watch all the other stuff that has carbs too. That means herbal teas instead of cocoa.

sigh.

It's just not the same. I hope my taste buds adapt soon...

Music of the Season!

wow. Last night we went to a stake music performance that my hubby and daughter were singing in. Everyone did so well!! I was totally astounded at the talent and the degree of skill. It was great fun because they had a sing along with the Hallelujah chorus, and I was able to hit all the notes! sigh. Of course I didn't have a voice after...grin. That's why I'm not in the choir anymore.

But anyway, I can't believe it's the 10th already. Christmas is just around the corner, and I am not ready! I still don't have all the decorations up, although I'm not terribly worried about that. The trees are up and decorated, so that's the biggest thing. I love the snow, I love the music, and I'm loving the season this year. I hope everyone else is too!!

November is Over...Onto Christmas

Wow...it went by really fast. Possibly because I was so involved with the NaNo, but it went fast. Now we have Christmas, and I'm worried it's going to go as quickly as the rest of the months have gone. I want to enjoy and revel in the season, and I'm afraid I won't be able to. I'm even making sugar cookies today -- I love sugar cookies. They're just difficult to make right, so I don't usually make them.

We had dinner with my daughter and her boy friend yesterday, and it turned out okay. They have brand new furniture in their little townhouse...sigh. I told them, one of these days I'm going to have new furniture. My hubby assured me that we would...in six years when our youngest is 18 -- yeah. Then we'll have grandkids...

Anyway, I took a photo of our back yard with the snow, it was so gorgeous I thought I'd share. Hope you've all had a wonderful first weekend of Christmas!

I'm A Winner!

Well, I thought about just pasting the blog I did at Writer's Blogck, but I figured you might read both places and that would be boring...grin. so, here it is! I did it! And, I did it way before the deadline, which is the most exciting part for me.

I hit 50,565 mid afternoon, and still have a way to go to finish the story, which is my hubbies definition of finished. grin.

So, anyway, we're going out tonight to celebrate. If you want to read the first chapter of this record breaking book, LOL, you can read it at my website. Have a good one!

Christmas Giveaway!

Well, I decided to take a break, since I've reached the 45,600 mark! Yeah!! lol

One of my fellow bloggers is having a giveaway on her site, so I decided I wanted in. She's giving a way a portable DVD player. Go check it out here.

Anyway, the funeral yesterday was hard, because the children were emotional and that always makes me emotional... It also made me miss my mom. It's been a hard day for everyone. So...back to writing.

Snow!

We got snow last night! It was so much fun! I was really glad I didn't have to drive in it, it didn't start snowing until after I left work. But, apparently it snowed again during the night, because our driveway has a nice light layer on it. My kids can't wait until it's deep enough to sled...I guess we'll see if that happens. I'm not holding my breath this year.

I forgot to let you know how the Nano is going! I'm at 40,600 words, so I'm really close, just lots of words yet to go. so, off to typing before work. We have a funeral today, so my hubby is off work, and I just don't much done while he's home, I'd rather be with him, you know?

Have a good one!

Time of Day??

I thought it was time for something silly. This cracked me up, because I think it's the other way around. I'm the sunset -- SET not sunrise!! Oh well, such is life.

You Are Sunrise

You enjoy living a slow, fulfilling life. You enjoy living every moment, no matter how ordinary. You are a person of reflection and meditation. You start and end every day by looking inward. Caring and giving, you enjoy making people happy. You're often cooking for friends or buying them gifts. All in all, you know how to love life for what it is - not for how it should be.

What Time Of Day Are You?

Thanksgiving Was Wonderful

Mine was wonderful, how was yours? I didn't get much writing done over the weekend though, so I'm going to be very busy this week. sigh.

We did the Friday shopping thing, but it really wasn't bad by the time we got out there, which was after 8 am...We stopped at three places, got what we wanted, and were done. That's my kind of shopping. My hubby is a sweetheart and waits in line for me while I shop. We met a lady that said her hubby agreed to be their driver as long as they kept him supplied with coffee. I thought that was cool...and a story in the making.

We dragged some of the Christmas stuff out and I got several rooms cleaned, but nothing really put up yet. My hubby hates this time of year. He feels there is too much commercialism, it reminds him that he doesn't make enough to support us (in his eyes) and he just hates it. So...I try to do as much as possible without him so he doesn't feel a drain. I'm not sure if it helps or not...

Anyway, oldest son forgot backpack at home so I get to go to work early and take it to him since his sister wouldn't get up and take it for me. At least there's only two days left with the dog issue...I still can't believe he agreed to that one.

Anyway, Less than a month till Christmas everyone -- do you know where your heart is?

Word count as of this morning, 37,200.

Dysfunctional? So ARe We - But I'm Still thankfull!

Interesting enough to me, but all the new holiday movies are about dysfunctional families. I find that somewhat sad. I mean, while it is true that most families in modern society are broken homes, meaning that one or both of the parents have been divorced once and or sometimes twice, there are still those that are solid.

My parents never divorced, my husbands parents never divorced, and we have informed our children that it's not in the forseable future that we would divorce. (we actually had them ask that question once when their friends parents were getting divorced.) We have tried to teach our children solid values, good work ethics and manners.

Unfortunately, that doesn't seem to be the norm anymore. Isn't that a sad thing? Wasn't a happy home with a mom that cares about her kids and the dad working to support them the thing we were all aiming for?

Well, I will continue to watch the good old favorites. I love The Christmas Story and It's a Wonderful Life. We love A Christmas Carol, especially the one with George C. Scott.

I guess while I know that not everyone can have a happy family, that those of us who do could possibly share that with others, and so that more people can know what to reach for. I think the holiday season is a time that we should all do more service, work in a soup kitchen perhaps, or volunteer somewhere else.

Service brings us closer to joy, and it also lets our children see that they do have it better than most, even if they don't have all the little toys their friends do.

We try to pick one or two families in our area that might be struggling to do something for during the Christmas season. Since Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and we are getting short on time, I've been asking the kids to think of who we can serve this year, and what we can do for them.

Today I ponder all the blessings I've had in my life.

That I could land on my feet with my wonderful parents to guide me the latter part of my teen years totally amazes me. Then, that I could find and marry such a wonderful man who loves me and treats me like a queen. I'm thankful that I was blessed with 7 children, despite the fact that I want to sell them to the black market most days...grin. I'm extremely thankful for the country in which I live, that gives me the freedom to worship how I may, and say what I want and do what I want. Where I have opportunities every day to grow and improve, and have a blog like this.

I'm also very thankful for friends who support me and give me kind words. Thanks to all of you, and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by family and friends. Try not to eat too much...lol

It Just Keeps Getting Better...

At least yesterday was fun -- crazy, but fun. We went bowling with my daughter and her fiance. She wanted to go bowling, so they came over and ended up buying us pizza for dinner, and then taking us bowling. It ended up being fun, but it started out stressed because we were trying to get some stuff done...like my word count! grin.

I'm up to 35,691 words! So, things are going better.

My hubby was trying to fix a leak in our chimney that has been damaging the ceiling in our garage, and then it didn't snow. So...I guess we have a small reprieve, although we really need the moisture!

I'm way excited for this weekend, we are going to do the Lights in Temple Square this year. We haven't done that since our daughters were about 4 or 5, so it's been a while. It's probably going to be cold!

Well, anyway, hopefully I'll get some writing done tomorrow to keep up with things over Thanksgiving. Catch up with you later!

Thanksgiving Week Already?

But where did November go? I tell you, October was just here, we were getting ready for Halloween, and now it's Thanksgiving week and I only have 10 days to finish 20,000 words!! ARGH! How do I manage to fall behind like this??? sigh.

I know why: I have a hard time writing on Friday's and Saturdays. It's family time! Although, my hubby was sweet and reminded me that I needed to be writing, that's why I even got in what I did. I'm now up to 30,600 words, which Thursday was only 29,000, so there has been progress. Just not enough. sigh.

So, Anyway, yesterday was a wonderful day...in the beginning (I feel like I'm writing scripture here...groan). We went and saw my nephew, only recently home from Texas. He looked really good, and his talk went well. So did the rest of the meeting. Then we had a wonderful lunch of tacos...grin. Everyone was surprised he'd still want them, thinking he might possibly be bored with Mexican food! It was good though. Then we went to our meetings, which were wonderful.

But then we had my daughter and her fiance come over for dinner. sigh. Our oldest son decided to make some teenage decisions that have gotten him in trouble, and then was gone to drill all weekend, so hubby was all stressed all day... All in all, we were ready to go to bed WAY ahead of time.

Anyone know of a good black market for teenagers? sigh. Anyway...better get back to writing. Later!

It's Friday!

And the skys are clear...Is that a song? I'm not sure, but it worked. grin. I love watching the geese fly in, all in formation and land in the fields behind our home -- much later than usual, so I guess the rumor is true that it's going to be a light winter, sigh.

I love watching the sum come up from my window, it helps remind me how grateful I am for everything -- especially living where I do. It's hard to drive past all the new developments, knowing that they are ruining the landscape that once was. What amazes me is that they have people that move into these places...I keep wondering where these people are all coming from!!:) I know, California! lol

Anyway, about got caught up with words yesterday, and finally came up with a title! It's going to be The Hibiscus Ladies. I know, it doesn't roll off your tongue, but it works with the book. grin

So, word count is 29380, and we are moving upward and onward! Isn't life great?

Hey -- Wasn't That My List?

Every time I turn around lately, I see evidence that the one can change the majority. Now, if that were true with good vs. bad, I would rejoice. Unfortunately, it's generally against the good that the one raises it's voice.

Take this latest story for example. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. I mean, hello? If a woman is offended by a Santa -- she needs to have some evaluating done. Santa's been 'Ho, Ho, HO' ing for the past how many years? Not that something is right simply because how long it has been going on, but it just kills me.

Another example is Veterans Day. I read an article that stated a law had been passed preventing a 'prayer' to be said while folding the flag at a Veteran's funeral. One person was offended. ONE! And they were not a veteran, so what were they worried about? It wasn't going to happen at their funeral!

Stuff like this really bothers me. It makes me wish there was something I could do. The only problem is, there isn't anything I can do. I'm too much of a no-body. If I had clout -- if I were famous -- I could make the world stand up and take notice. Although, sometimes that just brings ridicule and nothing gets done.

They talk about grass roots and working with the average person...well, I'm an average person, but my word doesn't count for anything. My vote doesn't even really count, though I'm certainly going to exercise my right to do it. I don't like the electoral college thing, I think the whole system should be revamped, but that's for another blog.

Anyway, if anyone has a suggestion -- other than running for office, which I wouldn't win anyway, let me know. There has got to be a way the moral right can finally have some say.

On word count...grin...I'm up to 27006 words so far. I've got to get to 40,000 before Thanksgiving, or I'll be really behind. Can you believe it's Thanksgiving next week? Crazy.

Anyone Want Some Cats???

You can have them for free. They are cuddly and friendly and will play with anything! They even sleep cute. ;)



To be honest, they also poop and pee on everything handy. The floor, carpets on the floor, love sacks, coats...need I go on? ARGH!! Just this morning I have caught three of them! I have since banned all of them from the house. We have litter boxes up stairs and down stairs! They have loads of places we WANT them to use, but do they use them? Only one of them does. sigh.

While we were gone to fish lake they decided the new little rug I had purchased to hide a hole in the installed carpet was their new litter box. My daughter couldn't believe it. It ended up in the wash and outside to dry. It got pooped on again this morning. I don't get it with them!! I've about had it with ALL cats.

Anyone have any secrets?

And, on another note -- I can't think of a title for my story I'm doing for Nano. I realize it's not a big deal, you don't have to have a title to get the 50,000 words, it's just nice to have one. I usually have one before I start writing, or at least by the time I get half way through. sigh. No dice. Everything I've come up with sounds cheesey. Adventure in Paradise. Murder in Hawaii. ugh.

I guess it will eventually come to me.

Well, got to get my sons moving -- there's no sounds coming from the shower, so I had better wake him up again. Have a good one!

Whew...it's Tuesday!

Well...I pulled a long stint at the computer -- AFTER spending most of the afternoon in the car shop with our two cars. Anyway, I was able to get everything put in that I'd written in my notebook, and then I was able to get an awesome scene down! I was so excited. It seemed like things were finally flowing, something that hasn't happened for a while.

Anyway, I'm almost halfway there! I'm at 23,307 words! (okay, I'm now doing my happy dance. lol)

I had a laugh with my daughter yesterday. We've seen the movie Ratatouille like I mentioned before, and last night I was helping her get dinner ready. I was testing the sauce and making sure things were mixed in, and basically, we were acting like a chef and a sous chef. It was strange. She thought it was cool -- she said that's basically the same thing they do... wow. I'm a chef! grin.

Hope everyone has a great day!

ARGH!

Okay, okay, breathe...I'm behind. I mean, I'm really behind. I'm supposed to be at about 25,000 words by now, because I explained my budgeted words, right? Well, Friday I didn't enough words out, and Saturday I didn't get any typed in. I did get some written, but I don't know how many they were because I haven't transcribed them yet. So I sit at 17,266. AHHHH I hate it when I get this behind -- I feel the pressure building in my chest and anxiety kicks in. I get nervous and pace around the house, doing nothing productive, but not able to sit at the computer either.

The other problem is I have work. Okay...I can survive that. But then I have to take our car in this afternoon to be checked. great. I'll just have to write as much as I can today. Good thing my daughter is making dinner...

Unfortunately, my other daughter has been planning on moving this weekend, and she might call tonight for help...ARGH!!!!

I'm Foundering

I'm still writing...but it feels like I'm not. Does that make any sense? It's like the story is foundering and I've got to find some way to pull it back together. Of course, yesterday didn't really help, things were a little crazy. So, while I still got my word count in, it doesn't feel right. I'm hoping I have more of a chance today.

We purchased Ratatouille last night -- most of my kids haven't seen it and my 17 year old was just bursting out laughing. It did my heart good to have him enjoy such a simple clean movie. Life is good.

I left my brain where?

Okay, now for most of you, thinking I didn't have a brain wouldn't be any surprise. lol But, since I've been writing nano this year, I've had writing on the brain. I've been coming up with plot outlines, character ideas, and multiple clues for my story. It's been wild. A friend of mine dubbed another friend the 'sprint writer'. This is because he writes best in a frenzied pace, not day by day like we are told to.

I've always thought I did better as a day to day, but it's never been consistent. I'm more consistent during the nanao month. And since that is a heavy writing month -- perhaps there is a correlation. What ever it is...at least I'm doing it now. So...time for breakfast!

Here we go into week 2

I can't believe it's the 7th already. I know I said week 2 the last posting, but it just seems strange to say that when it's only the 7th -- I mean, aren't there just 7 days in a week? Anyway, this month is going by so fast, and I thought October had! sigh. Already I'm dreaming of pumpkin pies with whipped topping. I even have the pie crusts defrosting in the fridge -- thinking it's time to make a pie.

But who has time to make a pie when I'm writing!!! lol I'm up to 12856 as of yesterday, so I'm right on top of things. Now it's trying to keep the plot going in my head as I'm doing other things...

Do you think something going on in the Polynesian Cultural Center would be too much of a stretch?

I'm Still In...

Well...here we are in week 2...although, I'm not sure three days constitutes a week...lol.

Anyway, I'm on track as far as word count through Saturday. Now I need to get going for this week.

Unfortunately, the kids are out of school, so that means I'm home from work, which is supposed to give me more time to write, but instead I've been caught up in going to Curves, getting laundry going and putting the Nintendo away so that they work outside in finishing up the tree trimming and leaf raking which they are supposed to be doing on this gorgeous fall day...sigh.

And, I just found out my autistic son stepped on a rake and didn't tell anyone and I don't think he washed it out, and he just has a band aid on it. Can I strangle him now? It might be a mercy killing...

NANOWRIMO is Here!

For those of you who don't know me very well, I am a writer. I have been a writer forever, it seems, and have yet to publish. Partially my fault, of course, I'm not sending out the stuff I need to -- but that's for another day.

Today is November 2nd, so I have entered the Month of the Mad, as some people call it. Or, as it is know around the world, Nanowrimo or National Novel Writing Month. This will be my fourth year, and I'm excited. I love this time of year.

My hubby hates it. He would like to know why they do it in November instead of say, January or March, when there is nothing else going on and no holidays. It doesn't bother me -- it wouldn't matter what month it were in, I would still feel this underlying sense of stress as my brain constantly counts my words for the day and wonders if I'm on track.

There is no reward, other than a nice little dodad that you can post saying you've won, and being able to print out a certificate you could hang on your wall if you wanted. Mine are filed away somewhere.

So...I will try to keep you posted on my blog. If my blogs are somewhat short for the next month, this is why. You might want to look into it...

I'm BAAAACK!

Okay...that was a fun weekend. I love long weekends with my hubby. We went down to Fish Lake and stayed in my sisters cabin. (we'll use the term 'cabin' loosely here). It was gorgeous weather and we were even able to sit out on the deck and enjoy the view. All too soon, Tuesday morning loomed and it was time to clean up after ourselves and pack up -- reality time. sigh.

Then we discovered that our youngest son had decided to flush the toilet that he'd just told us was clogged and my hubby had told him to leave alone. Sigh. Good thing they have stone floors and low water pressure. We would probably have been home a while sooner if we hadn't had to clean that up. Of course, I should say my hubby cleaned it up! I was working on the kitchen.

anyway, we actually got home before 9 pm, which is good for us. We have a hard time leaving, and have been known to wait until about 9 to leave.

Then, when we got home, we were greeted by this wonderful tree. I know I've posted photos of it before, but it's just so pretty.

So - love this time of year.  :)  Have a great one!

Did You Get the License of That Truck?

Last night I was involved in a hit and run. I think it was a huge truck, but I was laying on the ground, on my hands and knees, and wondering what in the world had happened.

In actuality, it wasn’t a truck, it was a small fuzzy yellow ball and a graphite tennis racquet. Ugh. I think I mentioned before how much I love tennis – well, my family is really big on playing tennis. We play it every week. In the winter, we rent a court for an hour and a half every Wednesday and play. The little kids get to come and hit against a ball machine my dad bought a couple of years ago, and then if there are adults, we finally play a game.

I’ve not played for quite a while. One – because I felt too out of shape. Well, that there was nothing more evident than that last night. Man oh man! My hubby came and hit balls with me before everyone else got there, and that was only 15 minutes, but we were both hot and sweaty. He couldn’t believe it. He shook his head at me and said “I’ve been swimming almost every day for the past year and this is the shape I’m in?”

We hate being in our 40's. Can I even begin to express the frustration we feel with our aging bodies? Sigh.

Anyway, we helped collect the balls as the grandkids hit against the machine, and then my brother announced we were going to play a game -- my nephew and I on one side, my hubby and he on the other. I warned my nephew, this was not going to be pretty.

That’s how I ended up on the ground. It’s kind of hard to chase after those balls when you’ve been out of shape for so long. I was determined to get that ball! I was going to show them that I could still play!

But I was going too fast for my own feet and stumbled and fell, knees and hands first. My hubby was afraid I’d hurt myself, which a year or so ago, that would have been the case. But, I was fine, I laid there for a minute and shook my head. It was pathetic.

I was just happy that most of my serves actually made it over the net. But I was still so out of shape that I was wheezing really bad and my side ached. I haven’t had a side ache in forever! I felt like I was back in junior high and running laps on Friday and not making the fourth lap...sigh.

I think Curves has done some good though...I hardly feel anything this morning. I was afraid my back was going to be out, and my arm wasn’t going to be of any use and – well, all the usual stuff when I would fall like that. Amazing. I guess at least I’m in some kind of shape.

I can hardly wait for next week.

I've Been Meme'd

Okay...I've heard this word floating around, but it's like kind of irritating. What is a Meme anyway? Well, I found a somewhat understandable answer here

Paul West is a writer friend who tagged me for this one...(a while ago, sorry Paul) so here we go.

Make a list of five strengths that you possess as a writer/artist. It's not really bragging, it's an honest assessment (forced upon you by this darn meme). Please resist the urge to enumerate your weaknesses, or even mention them in contrast to each strong point you list. Tag four other writers or artists whom you'd like to see share their strengths.

This is going to be interesting. Five strengths?

Imagination I can imagine something to go with just about anything. Anything around me can start a story line going in my head -- although I think most writers are like this. I have to admit, I wrote a short story once about a guy going to prison, describing his entrance and conditions inside. I had a comment from someone who had worked inside a prison that it was very realistic. Go figure -- I think I've watched too many movies with prisons in them...LOL

Speed While I type very fast, I am talking how fast I can get a story to paper. When the story line is going, I can get it down as fast as it comes. Typing on a keyboard is much better than writing by hand because I can pretty much keep up with my thoughts as they come. One year when I was doing Nano, I think the second year, I still needed 2000 words before midnight. I got them typed in before the deadline with time to spare, and it was after 10 pm.

Genre I used to think I was limited to a certain type of genre in writing. I wrote Romance. Now I find that I can do several different kinds. I seem to write fantasy as well as modern romance, and that surprised me. It's amazing what you can do when you give it a try.

Flexible I can change my story mid-stride. I am currently working on something that I realized needed to change how it was being written -- from third person to first. No problem! lol Not that it always happens that easily...

Teachable Well, at least I hope I am teachable. I love going to writing conferences and taking scads of notes. I come away from them thinking all sorts of things that need to be done to my stories. Unfortunately, I don't think much else happens with those notes. Where did I put the last ones?...

Words Flow Like ... Mud

There are many times when I can't go to sleep because my mind won't let me. It whirls with thoughts of the day, stories I'm working on, or want to start, music that intertwines most of my waking day, and contemplations of what needs to be done tomorrow.

And then it's time to get up. I'm in a fog, and the thoughts don't want to jiggle out of my consciousness. It feels, most of the time, like pulling an Elephant through mud. It takes me a good hour to get my mind working in the morning. Fortunately, during that time, my kids are getting ready for school and I use that time to read emails and get stuff done while they are focused on dressing and eating and running out the door.

I was reading a book by Patrick McManus today on his writing. He says he sets aside two hours every day to write. Now, strange as this seems, I've heard that a time or two. A writer should budget time every day to write. I've tried to do this, generally in the mornings, but as I've just described to you, that time isn't working.

Apparently, I need to rethink my schedule. Now that I'm working, writing after 9 am isn't going to work. I get home after 1 pm, so I'm thinking I might have to use that time to write, but I want to eat lunch and read. sigh. Do I want to read or do I want to be a writer? I guess that is the question I have to ask myself. I could write from 2 to 4 -- but that's when my kids all come home. So...it's a challenge. But, I'm going to do it. My hubby will be shocked...but I've made myself change several habits during the past year, I can do this.

I'll let you know how it goes. lol

It Was a Dream?

Have you ever gone on a trip and within a day or so of getting home feel like you never went? I've been feeling that way about Hawaii. Possibly because I was so conflicted about going, and possibly because I missed my hubby so bad -- but whatever the reason, it's strange when I think about it.

I purchased some little bracelets while I was there (among the other little souvenirs). One of them has little shells mixed with the beads. I wear them to remind me that the trip actually took place and of the folly of the human (or carnal) mind and my mistakes. I figure that they are a physical reminder of the choices we make and the consequences.

Looking back on that crazy Sunday when I left and the emotional uproar, I would now choose to stay home. Although, upon some reflection, it seemed to be something my family needed to go through. sigh.

I have been blessed with so many things. So many gifts, physically or materially and spiritually. While my life is not perfect, it is good. It is rich with color and beauty, my children are blessings and my hubby is the best. There isn't much else I could ask or wish for.

I just wish I were doing more that qualified for all the many blessings I have. My writing, for example. Is it proceeding in the way the Lord would have it go? Am I making enough of an effort?

I don't think so. It will be nice to start Nano in November -- I'll be able to focus on that talent in the way it needs to be right now. And that reminds me...my posts will probably be short during November, but they will still be made. You'll be curious about Nano, right? lol

I Can Only Imagine!

This was posted over at Tristi's blog. I love the song -- it always brings me to tears. This morning at my house was yet another example of how my savior loves me and mine. I thought it an appropriate day to post this. I owe him everything.

Friends in Cyber Space

Well...I discovered a new blog that is giving an award away for reading her blog for her 105th blog. I guess we are all making headway on cyber space. Well, go check out her blog and get to know her better. Violetlady

I think it's wonderful how people latch onto various blogs. I feel flattered that I've got at least three people who like to read my meanderings. I hope that what they read is worth their time. I know I'm enriched by other's thoughts.

I decided one of the biggest reasons I would not want to live in Hawaii...: No seasons! I love fall. I simply adore the leaves! I guess you have to really like warm humid weather...LOL

Greatest Classical Novel?

Okay, a friend was commenting that she'd heard The Great Gatsby was listed as the all around greatest novel...and she didn't like it. I don't either. She then listed a 100 classics and noted which ones she had read. Here is the list, and the asterisk indicates which ones I have read. How many have you gotten to? Although, I have to say, I don't think that just because something was written ages ago qualifies it as a classic.

Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea by Jules Verne
* The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
Gulliver's Travels by Johnathan Swift
Moby Dick, or The Whale by Herman Melville
A Farewell To Arms by Ernest Hemingway
The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
* The Jungle Books by Rudyard Kipling
The Odyssey by Homer
The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan
A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man by James Joyce
Paradise Lost by John Milton
Tales From The Arabian Nights by Richard Burton
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Candide by Voltaire
Oedipus The King by Sophocles
* The Hunchback Of Notre Dame [Notre-Dame De Paris] by Victor Hugo
The Last Of The Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Sea Wolf by Jack London
Cyrano De Bergerac by Edmund Rostand
The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Collected Poems by Robert Browning
The Essays Of Ralph Waldo Emerson by Ralph Waldo Emerson
The Portrait Of A Lady by Henry James (I've tried reading Henry James, but I don't think it was this one...ugh)
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
* Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
* Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Collected Poems by John Keats
On The Origin Of Species by Charles Darwin
Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Collected Poems by Robert Frost
* The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Other Stories by Washington Irving
* Animal Farm by George Orwell
* Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith
* Of Mice And Men by John Steinbeck
Pride And Prejudice by Jane Austen (I've read Sense and Sensibility...)
The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky
* Les Misérables by Victor Hugo
The Iliad by Homer
Lady Chatterly's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
The Count Of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (I feel like I've read this one, my kids have told me all about it.)
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
* Aesop's Fables by Aesop
Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
The Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin
The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
Politics And The Poetics by Aristotle
The Aeneid by Virgil
Madam Bovary by Gustave Flaubert
The Prince by Niccolo Machiavelli
* Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Pygmalion And Candida by George Bernard Shaw
Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
* Romeo And Juliet by William Shakespeare
The Cherry Orchard And The Three Sisters by Anton Chekhov
The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri
The Analects of Confucius by Confucius
A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare
Collected Poems by William Butler Yeats
The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray
The Decameron by Giovanni Boccaccio
Beowulf
* Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Necklace And Other Tales by Guy de Maupassant
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
Fathers And Sons by Ivan Turgenev
Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
War And Peace by Leo Tolstoy
The History of Early Rome by Livy
* Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
The Talisman by Sir Walter Scott
Tess Of The D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
* Alice's Adventure In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll
Dracula by Bram Stoker
The Rubáiyát Of Omar Khayyám by Omar Khayyám
The Red And The Black by Stendhal
A Tale Of Two Cities by Charles Dickins
The Republic by Plato
Collected Poems by Emily Dickinson
Faust by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Tom Jones by Henry Fielding
The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
Silas Marner by George Eliot
The Rights of Man by Thomas Paine
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Billy Budd by Herman Melville
The Confessions by St. Augustine
Tales of Mystery And Imagination by Edgar Allan Poe
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott
The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler
The Sound And The Fury by William Faulkner
Crime And Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
* Grimm's Fairy Tales by Jacob Ludwig and Wilhelm Grimm
* Adventures Of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley ( I feel like I've read it, my kids have had to for school and I've heard all about it)
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

I guess some would say that I'm woefully lacking in my classical reading. And, perhaps I am. My english classes in high school did not require the classics for reading, so I started after I graduated from college. However, there are books I've read that were not listed that I think should be, and so I list them now.

Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm by Kate Douglas Wiggin
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (why wasn't that listed?)
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
The Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Unfortunately, these are the only ones that come to mind and as I look at them, I realize they are probably the feminine reader. Oh well...lol
How many of the great books have you read and encourage your children to read?

Greetings from Hawaii

Well...I've got other blogs ready to go, but I decided I'd better get the photos from Hawaii out for ya'all. grin.

On looking back, it seems like it was all a strange dream. I went to these places, but they weren't in my heart because my heart was still back here. Interesting. I did get info for a book, so at least I did get some work done. I watched a lot of TV at night because I didn't want to get out among that crowd of humanity when it was dark.

I got some photos of the eastern side of the island, or as they call it, the windward side. It was the most green, and far less crowded.



I went to the Polynesian Cultural Center twice. You get a second visit for free if you go within three days...I highly recommend it. It was definitely the highlight of my visit. I went to the luau and the show afterward, all of which was great, but the different villages and learning about their cultures was the best.

They had a canoe parade during the afternoon, and as my guide was from Samoa, I took a photo of his group. He then proceeded to fall in. (he was the pusher with the pole behind everyone, the canoe wobbled with the dancers, his pole snapped and he fell in. It wasn't deep...but it was funny. Got us all wet who were sitting on the shore watching though...lol)



I also went back a couple of days later and visited the temple and the BYU Hawaii campus. It was great fun, although a little strange to be there without my hubby.


I might be willing to go back and visit some of the other islands, I'm told that Kuai is a good one, and that Hilo on the big island is nice too. It just all seems like a strange dream and I'm glad I'm home.

I also started a new job, and so that was a bit of exciting to come back to. Today was my second day, and I think I'm really going to like it.

Well...I'd better end and get some work done. Have a good one!

I'm Baack!

Well... I have loads to say, did some fun stuff and have pictures to upload, but I won't be able to do them now. I also started a new job today, and that makes my time a lot tighter.

Thanks for all your kind support and comments! You guys are the best.

What am I doing here????

Well, I'm here. What most of the world will call paradise. While last week I spent the whole time wanting to be here, the whole flight yesterday I thought...What am I doing? What is wrong with me? Wrong thing to say to my hubby when I spoke to him after getting here and getting settled in. (Ugh...taxi cost $35 just to get to my condo from the airport...memo to me, print more info before leaving home!)

I was so tired, and I wasn't happy because my family wasn't with me. I kept getting odd looks because I was by myself going to Hawaii...Hello! Doesn't anyone else in the world travel by themselves?

Anyway...it's gorgeous, really! But it just feels...empty. My family isn't here. I didn't realize how much I would miss even the kids...usually I don't. My hubby is a forgone conclusion -- that's an ache that won't go away until I get home, but I'm determined to make their gift to me worth while. I will enjoy myself if it's the last thing I do!! LOL Shopping this morning made a big difference. I knew that getting out and getting to know the location would help.

I don't have a way to hook up my camera, so photos will have to wait until I get home. It feels so much like Mexico, it makes me laugh. I haven't been in the water yet...that's coming. I'm even going to go snorkelling.

I read an article on the plane yesterday about blogging. It said that everyone should blog. Blogging was like another way for people to converse -- especially if they are far apart. People might think that it's a silly thing, and that a lot of the stuff was stupid that gets posted, but that it's an important thing. I thought that was cool. I am part of a movement that's important! And so are all of you that read them.

I had to laugh...the article pointed out that there might be some that don't get more than 10 readers a day. When have I ever had 10 readers a day??? what a hoot.

Well...I'm off for to find the bus route info. My goal is to go all the way around the island and see the whole view of the ocean. I'm hoping to get to Pearl Harbor tomorrow.

Everyone have a good one! Aloha!!

I'm Going!

Wow...what a birthday present, huh? My bday wasn't that exciting, though I did have lunch with my sister and a wonderful dinner with my hubby...sigh. Did I mention how much I love him?

Anyway, we discovered if I left on Sunday, it was way cheaper than if I'd gone today, and we decided I was going. I know it's one of those mixed feeling things -- I would definitely rather go with my hubby than go alone, but since he can't come, and reviewing the next couple of years (like ugh, we are going to have missionaries!) The chances of our going while we are young enough to appreciate it is pretty thin.

This is much like the time I went to San Diego by myself for a mommy's weekend. It's much the same, and about the same cost. (isn't that bizarre...) If anyone wants to see me, I'm going to try and find the Duke statue where they have a live camera every day to say hi to my family. I'll wave at anyone!

I'll be doing lots of writing, walking, taking pictures and painting. It's going to be amazing. I'm going to miss my family soo much I don't even want to think about it. I keep hoping I'm doing the right thing, but I'm so excited!!

On a side note...conference has been wonderful so far, especially Elder Worthlin's talk and seeing the support from the other brethren, it brought tears to my eyes.

If I have access to a computer, I'll try and write some on my blog. If I don't, then you'll know why.

Have a good one!

Happy Bday to Me...

Well...I can't believe it. The day is here already. It was really cute, my hubby got all the kids up for prayer and had them come and sing to me before I got out of bed. They weren't quite awake yet, so it sounded kind of like zombies singing, but it was cute. I was laughing pretty hard. You see, my family has this tradition of singing Happy Birthday as badly as possible. We are a family of singers, so we could make it sound like a choir, but instead, everyone sings as off key as possible. It makes a few people wince...not the least of which the person they are singing to.

I also got offered a job!! I'm kind of torn with the idea of going back to work, but it is only part time, and it should help with our finances a little. Right?? sigh.

And, how many of you when offered the chance to go to Hawaii, would go by themselves? I've mentioned before that we had a week of time in Hawaii with our time share, and now we've found I can fly there for a reasonable price. The catch is I'd have to go by myself. And I'd have to leave before dawn tomorrow. And...have any of you tried flying standby? groan. I just don't know.

Well...at least I've got a great bday!!

Just Some Fun

Well, with the marathon entries of the past couple of days, I figured some light heartedness was in order. (is that a word?)
I thought this was was a little ominous...

You Are Changing Leaves

Pretty, but soon dead.

What Part of Fall Are You?

And this one was kind of fun...

You Are Not Scary

Everyone loves you. Isn't that sweet?

How Scary Are You?

And just to keep things light...or silly LOL

Your Movie Buff Quotient: 54%

You are well on your way to becoming a movie buff. You've seen many of the great films, and you have even probably developed an expertise in a few genres.

Are You a Movie Buff?

Anyone like Hawaii?

Sigh. We have a sort of chance to go to Hawaii next weekend, but it's not going to happen. We have a time share and we picked Hawaii this year (it's a long story)but we can't afford to fly! Have you looked at the prices of airlines to there??? UGH! So, I saw this one someone else's blog, and figured it was at least a thought in the right direction. If anyone wants to go and can afford the airfare, we'll rent the week for cheap!! Honest!

76. I love my mother-in-law. She can drive me crazy sometimes, but she's a sweetie. Just today I was telling her about this week in Hawaii, and she was like, well, if you had told me earlier, we could have used it! Oh well.

77. I got to have lunch with my daughters today. It was way fun, but don't ever eat at Winger's if you're in a hurry.

78. I never thought I'd struggle to talk about myself, (just ask my hubby, I can be chatty) but this has been hard. I love to go on cruises!

79. I've been on two cruises. One to the Bahamas, and one to Alaska. I'd take the one in the Bahama's any time, just because we liked to be able to swim in warm water, and we loved Snorkeling.

80. I've never really been east of Denver. I've flown through Cincinatti, and went out from Fort Lauderdale and sat in the airport in Atlanta...but I don't think that counts -- I didn't get to see anything.

81. I've not been back to my mission since I've been home. It's really sad. My hubby hasn't either, and we might actually get to next year...it's still up for debate.

82. I hadn't seen most of Utah until our family took a trip several years ago and basically went from one end to the other.

83. I love Lake Powell. If you want to read a good book about it, read Wet Desert

84. I almost got to go to Hawaii this weekend...but it was not to be. My mother-in -law was even going to pay for it!

85. My mom is on the bird committee.

86. I'm going to join our wards volleyball team this Thursday. I'm way excited!! My hubby recommends that I wrap my wrist so that I don't get a big bruise on it again.

87. There's nothing like a sweet kiss from my 12 year old when he gets home from school.

88. There's nothing quite like forcing your 17 year old to do his homework when he doesn't want to...sigh.

89. Does anyone else celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving? I am way excited...I look at it as an opportunity to have roasted turkey twice!

90. There is simply not enough hours in the day to do all the canning you need to do before apples go bad! I'm thinking I need a bigger steamer...

91. An autistic teenager is twice as fun as a normal one...NOT! Man I was dreading these years, and now I know why.

92. ADHD is not an acronym for Actually Doing Heavy Dishes or Aaron Didn't Help David.

93. I was told that I was the perfect size at age 16. Now if I could just go back to then...

94. My kids tell me I look way younger than I am. When I was younger, I was told I looked way older. When did that happen and how do I keep it up? Maybe I'll get to 16 again after all...

95. I had a job interview today. I'm not holding my breath. I've applied for no less than 10 jobs with the school district through the past year, and haven't been offered any of them. At least I had an interview with this one...

96. I have 5 completed novels. They just haven't been published yet...

97. I have 10 more that I'm working on. My hubby says that I probably have twice that many, I just don't have them all at the same location, so who knows where they all are. My daughter says she has a whole file full of story ideas...good grief!

98. Keeping track of 4 boys and their school papers and grades is a full time job. anyone want it??

99. I wish my daughter would drop her boyfriend and find a life of her own for a while. I'm sure all of you have similar experiences, but she's driving us crazy because her whole life revolves around the guy. and, usually, nothing she does is ever good enough for him. We'd like to choke him sometimes...personally.

100. Well! I finally reached it! The goal! This feels like my nano writing moment...I finally reached 50,000! Well..I finally got to the end of this...sorry if I've bored anyone. ;-) I collect Tea pots! Really. I just started a couple of years ago because we found some at a yard sale, and I thought they were darling. Now I have almost 7, and one is brand new from China. My sister just got back from adopting her little girl, and picked one up for me. It's gorgeous.

September is gone??

I know I've said how much I love fall, and I've been very excited that summer is finally ending with it's never ending 100 degree days, but September was a blip on the screen!! sigh.

We celebrated my hubbies bday yesterday, and it was good and bad. Good in that I think he enjoyed the day and we pretty much relaxed, but bad in that the cake turned out somewhat not done...in the middle. Ugh!! I was being good and cooked it on Saturday, just before going to the Women's Conference. My son was testing it, figured it was done and took it out. It's like ...runny in the middle!! I got home and it was all concaved and I had no idea why. Now I know. sigh. My hubby still liked the edges. He's a very good sport about things. At least dinner turned out good. Today he suggested that I try microwaving the middle and see how it turns out -- frosting and all. I tried it and it was yummmy!

I think he's glad the day is over.

Well...onto the next 25 things...I'm running out of things!

51. I love my children. I think I mentioned how I never thought I'd have any -- maybe one? But I wouldn't trade any of them for anything in the world. They enrich my life in a way I never would have though possible. Just because I want to string them up sometimes...like yesterday...sigh.

52. I love where I live. I think Utah is amazing. I love the Wasatch front, and I love mountains. Does that count as three?? lol

53. I like listening to the wind blow through the trees. It makes me think of the ocean crashing against the shore. Perhaps that's one reason I love the mountains so much...the trees.

54. I love my hubby. I know I've said this before, but it bears repeating. He is the greatest. He loves me back -- and that's the most precious gift I've ever had. I'll never forget the first time I realized how much he did love me. I still tear up over it.

55. I mentioned I love my children, well, right now I love my daughters the most. They are out in our backyard right now picking our apples that have fallen off the trees. It was all their plan. They amaze me sometimes.

56. Carrot cake is my second favorite in the world. We have a recipe that makes just the best kind... (the one my hubby likes and that I talked about above) and it's supposed to be a three layer. Anyone know how to make them sit right?

57. Sunday comics make my whole week. I look forward to them. We used to get the weekly paper, and gave it up as too expensive. Now we just get the Sunday ones, and we get both papers so the kids don't fight over the comics. They do it anyway...I think it's in the genes.

58. I am a mystery shopper. I love it. It hasn't been a great money making venture, but it's been fun and cheap dates for my hubby and I. We get to see lots of movies this way, and sometimes a free meal. (of course it's all reimbursement on meals, so we have to be able to afford the wait...)

59. I wish I could afford a new living room set. We have never had new furniture. We've never been able to afford it. Our bed is the same frame my hubby had for his water bed before his mission. It's solid, it's got drawers, and it's still in one piece. sigh. We're ready for a change.

60. I'm a hopeless romantic. I like the ending of my stories to be happy, I like people to fall in love and stay that way, I like for kids to find happiness in life and make good choices. I love movies like While You Were Sleeping, Sleepless in Seatle, The Mirror Has Two Faces, Fools rush In, Nottinhill, (although we've bought it and gotten rid of it twice...just too much of a bad thing.) Lake House, Runaway Bride and Wedding Planner...sigh.


61. I love wind chimes! We finally got my hubby a larger set for Father's Day, and I love leaving the window open just a bit and getting the sound of them through the house.

62. I confess -- I'm a carnivore. I tell myself over and over that I could get by without eating meat, but I just love the taste. Sometimes I want a piece of roast so bad that I can just taste it in my mouth! I try to fix meals that don't depend on meat at least twice during the week, but that's about as good as it gets. At least I can cut down on the amounts of it most the time. Like when we have tacos, we use refried beans as well as the beef so that you don't need as much meat for filler. And a couple of large chicken breasts go a long way in pasta... But I tell ya, a thick grilled cheese burger with mushrooms, onions and pineapple is my idea of heaven.

63. I hate helping my kids with homework. Most of it I don't understand anyway, so it's like huh?? You're teacher wants you to do what?? I'm soo not helpful.

64. Sometimes I dream of moving somewhere where we generate our own electricity, have fireplaces for heat, and don't have to pay utility bills. I hate paying bills. Anyone else?

65. I love the temple. We went to the Bountiful Temple on Saturday, and it's such a wonderful feeling just to be in the Celestial room and see the beauty and feel the peace of the spirit. It was totally bizarre to come out and find it snowing...lol

66. I can't act. It doesn't matter how hard I try and fool someone, I still know deep down that I'm not what I'm saying I am, and I feel like it's lying. It's the only hard part about doing mystery shops. If I go to an apartment and pretend I'm looking for an apartment, it's soooo hard! I don't like to lie. Can you tell? lol

67. We have 11 cats. Serious! Don't call the humane society on us, we do have an acre of ground and there aren't any fences. It's also not our fault. 8 of them belong to our daughter. (her mommy cat got pregnant just after she moved back home - ugh!) She claims she's going to take two of them when she gets moved into her new house. That still leaves us with too many. One of them is probably going to the pound. Mommy cat is such a pain! She attacks everyone.

68. Our cats are not normal. Of course, my hubby says that no cats are normal anyway, but our cats like to lie on their backs and have you rub their tummies. I thought that was a dog thing! These cats just crack us up.
This one is called Paws...for the obvious reason. He is the oddest of them all. He sleeps like this most of the time. I was doing laundry and he came and plopped right in front of the washer where I'd have to be careful not to step on him. When they want attention, they want it NOW.

69. I used to wonder why some people had big monitors. What was the big deal? Well, I have to say I like my new big monitor. It's great for seeing all the stuff on a site. And...it's good for my poor eyes. sigh.

70. I don't like laundry. If I miss just two or three days it becomes a mountain that takes me forever to get to the bottom of. It's taken like forever to get to the tops of the baskets that I'm down to probably three loads total. Yeah!! I'm dreading when my sons decide to finally clean up their room...and hey, I found I have a huge drawer of dish cloths and towels! I thought I was going to have to buy some more!

71. I don't iron. Well...not if I can help it. It drives my mother-in-law crazy. I love cotton, which is a pain, because you usually need it iron cotton. Part of the problem is my dad is a lawyer, and part of the girls jobs was to iron his white shirts. I swear my dad has about 30 white shirts. Seemed like it would take hours to get all his shirts ironed. As a result...I don't iron unless it's really going to kill me to have my sons seen in church in that shirt! ugh.

72. I love the library. I can't afford to buy books, so checking them out is the next best thing. The only problem is that some of the books have stuff I'd love to keep...like the killer food series. I can't remember the authors name, but one of her books is called the Lemon Meringue Pie Murder. It has the recipes in the book, and I've mentioned how I collect recipes!!

73. I used to get big library fines. I'd forget that I hadn't gone to the library in a while, and it was so embarrassing to check out a book and have them tell you that you're over the limit to check out until you pay some of the fine. I'm so proud of myself now...I only have like 60 cents in fines!

74. I like dried apples in my oatmeal. We are drying apples in our dehydrator, and I love freezing them and then using them in the winter in my oatmeal. Sooo tasty. They are also good in muffins.

75. Well...finally the last one for today! I don't know how I'm going to come up with 25 more for tomorrow!! You'd think I would have no problem, since I'm a writer, but hello...who said my life was full of inspiration? LOL. I have 7 children, as I mentioned before, and 6 of them are ADHD. It's enough to drive any self respecting parent loony.

Have a good one!!

Life is a Highway...

Well, I love that song. We love the movie Cars and that song gets us up and dancing every time. I really cannot sit still to it. I have even danced in the car as we're driving down the road (with the car on cruise control, of course). My hubby was asleep when I did this on our trip to California this last spring. He couldn't believe it when I told him that's how I'd stayed awake when the lines started getting to me. I got a good work out, let me tell you. A large 15 passenger van has pretty good leg room for the driver, and I could get those feet moving...LOL Just picture Foot Loose where he's teaching his friend how to dance and they are sitting on the bleachers just moving their feet.

So, anyway, onto the next set of numbers. I ended on 26 yesterday, what wonders will be behold today?

27. I like music! I like almost any king except punk, hard rock, and anything that screams or has someone just talking with 'music' in the background. I have even come to appreciate country music, although I still can't take the twangy stuff...ugh.

28. I love to dance. My hubby and I purchased a DVD a while ago so we could learn how to dance better -- although I love the way he dances anyway. He likes to dance with me, and we have fun. What else is important?

29. I have attended only three concerts in my lifetime. Pablo Cruise (please tell me you've heard of them???), Yanni and Kenny Loggins. Kenny Loggins was on our honeymoon, and my hubby had no idea at the time that he'd done half the songs we liked. He was blown away. We had to leave our cooler and camera down at the gate, so we were nervous the whole time someone was going to steal it. sigh. It was one of the first concerts at the ski resort by Part City...can't even remember what it was before the Canyons...

30. I love fall. (duhh...lol)

31. I love to watch movies. I've been a movie fiend since I was a kid and you had to watch them in the theater because they didn't come out on video in a couple of months. We didn't even know what video was...

32. I love water. I guess I love the ocean the most, but I love large lakes too, and waterfalls, and swimming and watching my kids play in the water. I used to pretend I was a mermaid a LOT when I was a kid...man, what I would have done if I'd seen Little Mermaid when I was that age!

33. I love the mountains. Especially during the fall, but any time it's hot where I am and cooler there, or anytime it's got 15 feet of snow and I want to pretend I'm snowed in...sigh.

34. Clouds fascinate me. The way they are either drifting across the sky, or look as if someone took a paint brush and put them there, it's amazing. Like this morning, the view of the clouds over the mountains with the sun coming up and there is this light blue sky behind swirls of gray and white clouds...

35. I like everything green. Well...at least outside. I love it when the trees are green, and the grass is green and the bushes, etc.... I loved Oregon.

36. I never knew you were supposed to read your children to sleep. Every time I see a movie where the parent is tucking the child in and reading a story, I feel guilt. We tucked our kids in, but rarely read to them. No one ever read to me...I didn't know.

37. I used to draw on boxes in my room. I don't know if I didn't have enough paper, or it was just the craving to draw, but I used to draw all over them. I can still picture the pen on cardboard sketches of stories I made up in my mind...

38. Sometimes I feel like a misplaced movie character. In the movie You've Got Mail, Meg Ryan's character says that so much of life reminds her of something she read in a book, and she pondered that shouldn't it be the other way around? With my family, we have seen so many movies and quote them to each other that sometimes, I wonder the same thing. So much of life reminds me of a movie, and I wonder if I watch too many of them... Kind of a deep thought for first thing in the morning...ugh.

39. I feel that life is so full of joy. It amazes me how beautiful our planet is, and how wondrous our lives are. We live in a country that takes freedom as a given, where you can make what you want of yourself, and travel where ever and whenever you want. We have a country of such diversity, from mountains to deserts to oceans and glaciers. Beauty beyond compare. It takes your breath away.

40. Hmmm. I'm running out of things. I like my digital camera, I wish I could afford one of those large ones that are a combination SLR and digital and could take the picture of a butterfly from 10 yards away...now that would be a camera!


41. Helping my children with homework gives me a headache. It doesn't matter what you suggest, they don't want to do whatever it is you've suggested. Fine!!

42. What is it with Scouting? Who thought this up in the first place? I didn't grow up with scouting other than my first foster brother who was a Weeblo (sp?) and then dropped out. I guess my real father was into it, my brothers talk about going to scouts every week, but I never saw it. And now as a mother I'm supposed to be pushing this on these kids...no wonder they say the mom does most of it. Why? Sure getting an Eagle is a good thing, but the world isn't going to stop on a dime and die because my sons don't want to earn their Eagles. Despite the fact that it would help the oldest one in his enlistment in the Army...sigh.

43. My favorite medium to paint with is acrylic. I usually do watercolor, but that's only because it's cheaper. Acrylic is like when you were a kid and did finger painting...way more satisfying.

44. Homemade cheesecake. Is there anything better? When I worked at Jacob Lake lodge, they made this cheesecake that was to die for. I kept asking the girl that worked in the bakery how she made it, and she would never tell me the recipe. sigh. The search goes on.

45. I collect cook books. I've only got one full, stuffed, can't fit anything else on it shelf, but I'm going to have to rearrange the cupboard so that I can start on the second one. I especially like the ones with big glossy pictures that show me what the end result is supposed to look like. It doesn't matter if my effort never comes close, just as long as I know what it was supposed to look like!

46. I didn't get my drivers license until I was 19. I just saw no need. I didn't have a car, and I would have had to pay insurance. I went to college and discovered I needed one to cash checks, so on Christmas break, I got it. sigh. Try convincing your own teen that it's a necessary thing when she knows this little tidbit about your past...

47. I love Christmas. Well...actually, I guess I should say I used to. Now, for some reason, I look at the season with dread. Possibly because when I was working I didn't want to decorate and then have to take it all down by myself... I used to get quite involved in decorating our house when we lived in Salt Lake. I'd buy stuff at Big Lots and it was great fun. I guess part of it is I don't have the money to buy stuff frivolously anymore, so we sit with what we've got -- which is tons. I don't know. I guess we'll see how it goes.
I love doing the presents though...this is the 9 ladies dancing I did last year for my brother and his family. I painted one of each item, very small...and found little frames to put them in and hang from the tree. They turned out kind of cute, actually.

48. I've stayed up till 3am reading sometimes...not very often. It's usually when I'm having a problem sleeping.

49. I am not a morning person. I've gotten better as I've had children and a spouse that have to do mornings...but I used to never get up before 10 am. Now I can't stand it...partially because my body doesn't let me. sigh. Age is not for the faint in heart.

50. and finally, the last one for today... I love America. I am so proud to live in a country like ours. Sure we are having problems, and I don't necessarily like the politicians, but I do love our country and I'm so very proud of our military. God bless!

125 Posts!

Wow. I can remember when I could count the number of blogs on one hand from both of my blogs. Today is blog number 125! It's amazing.

So...as I've read from other blogs, and as I've been in the outer world of blogsphere...I'm doing the counting thing. That's right, the 125 things you never knew and probably didn't ever want to know about me ;-).

I'm tempted to make this into four or five blogs, because personally, that's a LONG list and I don't want to put anyone to sleep or take up their whole morning -- the whole 5 of you that read me...lol.

So...today's 1st 25 things:

1. I was born in California. (I would never move back there, but I love to go visit sometimes)
2. I have two brothers that I love dearly, and 9 other siblings that I've adopted forever that I love just as much. (that's a long story)
3. I love chocolate (although, if you read my blog, you know that's not big surprise.) and have become quite the semi-sweet fan.
4. My parents were converts to the church, but sealed before I was born. (thanks mom and dad).
5. My parents died when I was 4 (mom)and 7 (dad).
6. I've been a foster child since I was 7.
7. I love to sing, but I can't anymore -- dang throat!
8. I never thought I'd have children...well, maybe ONE. sigh
9. I went to three different high schools.
10. I love tennis.
11. I love football!
12. I've been blogging since 2003. I used to have a blog at another site that used to be free, and then started charging. I used to write about our pizza store, and the different aspects of our business. I tried to drive business to our store that way, but blogging was still too new, and our customer base was not techi.
13. I'm a terrible housekeeper -- my hubby is fortunate if I keep him in clean socks.
14. I think the San Diego temple looks like a fairy castle -- I love it!
15. I love to read - I'll be posting a blog at LDS Writers Blogck next week on it.
16. I love to paint. I usually enter the state fair, although this year, I just did the county one. It's posted at my website, g.parker.net.
17. I think I have the best hubby in the world.

18. I served a mission to Oregon - which I think is gorgeous! My first book takes place there.
19. I'm basically lazy -- I have to make myself do things.
20. (sorry, this is a little down) I'm someone's best friend waiting to be found...seriously. I am a great friend, but I never seem to make friends around where I live. I have lots of acquaintances, and no real - in depth - friends. Only you who come read my blog and comment -- I feel closer to you than anyone around here. sigh. Well..except my hubby!! Did I mention I love him loads?
21. I've been married for 21 years!
22. It's a good thing I've split this up, I'm not sure I could come up with 125 things in one day...

I love roses, especially the two tone orange and yellow ones.
23. I like to get balloons for my bday. On my 40th, my hubby filled our family room with 40 balloons! It was the best! I love that scene in Patch Adams where he's filled his room with balloons and no one can see.


24. I also love daisies. I think they are just...simple and bright.
25. I'm going to learn how to insert pictures better, just wait!! I probably just have to find the right ones.
26. Okay, I'm cheating, but one more for today...I love to cook. I rarely use a recipe, which drives my family crazy.