The More You Know..

So I was at the elementary school yesterday and was speaking with another mom who was complaining without hesitation about the snow.  And then there's all the snow.  It's ruining her life.  After going on for a unseemly amount of time on the snow, she finally resorted to the answer.  Of why we have so much snow.  Are you ready for this??  Because I sure wasn't.  We're stupid.  We have the lowest test scores in the world and our kids are stupid so we have all this snow.  Are you following this?  So I said, "I don't think test scores determine how much snow we get", very kindly, yet rationally.  And I am so totally serious.  This was the conversation.  So she paused and relented.  But still we have stupid kids.  Umm.  I beg to differ.  My kiddos are pretty sharp.  Cute too.  They're even cute AND smart when covered with snow.  But I just happen to know it's NOT the test scores that make so much snow.  So in case you were wondering why we have been getting so much snow here in the lovely state of Utah, it's cause your kids are stupid.  Wait!! Just kidding.  Whether your kids are stupid, ugly, sharp as a tack, or the next Einstein, we still get lots of snow.  We live in Utah.  We get snow.  Can you here the jingle from those commercials?  The More You Know....

Just Sayin'.

So did ya watch the last episode of Downton Abbey???  Because I did.  I did.  I watched.  I cried.  I kept thinking Sybil will surely just "wake up" and be all Just kidding guys,  Ha ha,  Where's my baby?  And so now here I am.  Wondering if I need to watch it again.  Just to make sure.  Really?  Sybil?  And what's up with Mary?  She can't just be more than I doubt it with Edith??  C'mon.  Grow up Mary! And Lord Grantham.  Dude.  Should'a listened to your wife.  And Cora.  I would have taken her an hour ago! and then at Sybil's bedside. You are still my baby. Oh my heart. And O'Brien.  The bangs are wilting. Whatever you're planning..... can't wait.  And Bates. And Anna.  Please get that lady to give her statement officially so he can leave prison and come home and, you know, get on with it. I just don't understand the story line anymore.  Move on!  And Granny.  Dear Granny.  Your grief is palpable in just that small moment.  As you walk toward the room, we who have lost know the depth of your grief.  And Mrs Crawley..  You hired a what?  A who?  I love it.  Poor Mrs. Bird.  Ha! And Sir Philip.  Eclampsia.  Had it.  Almost died.  In modern times and with modern medicine.   Should'a been more cautious.  Now you must pay.  Just sayin'.

So glad to get that out.  Now I can move on.  I may still need to watch it one more time.  I still can't decide if Lord Grantham is so much to blame as the arrogant Sir Phillip.  Until next week...

In The Bleak Midwinter.

When I lived with my parents I sang in the ward choir.  One of the Winter arrangements we sang was In The Bleak Midwinter.  These last few months those words have been in my head. 

Everyday. 

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,
Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;
Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

It is a hymn about Christ. 

But as we see snow and ice and snow and ice, I think it perfectly describes this Winter.

I haven't seen the ground in months!

I am so looking forward to Spring.  We are still months away. But I long for it.

 Life. Color. Sky. Warmth.

May this snow and ice melt quickly and bring green grass and beautiful Spring.

Some Days...

Some days my floors have sticky spots

Some days my sink is full of stinky dishes

Some days I eat chocolate cake for breakfast

Some days I feed my kids toast for dinner

Some days the piles of laundry are monumental

Some days there are bionicles all over the house

Some days the bathroom really stinks

Some days I have to have a mom time out

Some days I should get grounded

All days are filled with Joy and laughter because of these guys...

Aren't they cute?!

Whatever the days may be filled with, these 3 fill it the best.

Just A Tad Creepy.

I've talked about the things that creep me out before... John Malkovich.  eeeeeeeekkkkk.

In October I went to Time Out For Women with some amazing gals in my ward.  On Saturday the LDS boy group Jericho Road performed.  So they can sing.  But the women in the audience were standing and screaming and crying and yelling things out to them.  Personal things like "I love you whoever!"  I don't know their names.  And I was just grossed out by the sight and sound.  And then while singing they would dance.  And then some of them shared personal things like "My wife of 15 years and I have 6 children and we just adopted a new baby" and then the cheers and screaming would ensue.  Weird!  Creepy.  Almost on the verge of bumping old John Malkovich down a notch.

So this morning I have the TV on in the background and on a show they are saying they have New Kids On The Block coming up.  Um. Aren't they old?  Yep.  They are old and wrinkled and singing together?  It's just creepy.  Old women in the audience and screaming and fainting and crying.  It's not even old Beatles, people!  New Kids On The Block.  From the 1980's.  And they are touring.  And they are like in their 50's.  Okay just kidding.  I gues they are more my age.  Which isn't OLD AT ALL.  But really, you have a wife and kids.  And screaming 40 and 50 year old menopausal ladies in the audience who want to see you with your shirt off. Creepy.  I think that trumps old John Malkovich.  Most definitely.

Who The Heck Is FICA...

And why is he taking my money??

Can you hear Washington laughing?  You thought you were free and clear of the tax hike because you don't make $400, 000?  Guess again.  EVERYONE'S taxes went up.  If you get a paycheck it will be blaringly obvious when you look at it.  FICA is the federal government and they are taking your money.  Can you hear the laughter?

 

Speaking of laughter, I can hear my basement laughing at me.  Loudly.  I'm not finished.  I'm not painted.  I'm not carpeted. And on and on.  Laughing at me. 

 

I'm ignoring the laughter from my basement. 

I can't ignore the laughter from Washington.  Big government and spending habits that won't quit. 

  Can we have another vote please?

 

Anyhoo, the crap in the sky has cleared and I can see the mountains again.  It's beautiful. At least til the winter storm comes through in the next few hours.  Bring it on.  I just hope the snow doesn't start laughing at us.

 

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.  Hee hee hee hee hee hee hee.  Ho ho ho ho ho ho ho.  Etc, etc, etc, etc.

 

 

Brrrrr....

Are you freezing???  We've been seeing single digits for so dang long.  My bones are cold and there is not enough heat anywhere to get me warm again.  Maybe Hawaii.  But I'm in Utah.  You've probably heard the news stories about pipes freezing and then homeowners using propane heaters to unfreeze them and then their house burns down.  Yikes!  Don't do that.  We have succumbed to just letting the faucet drip all night.  It keeps the pipes from freezing.  And better than exploding pipes!

Despite the freezing temps, my heart has been kept warm by my sweet kids.  Here are a few things that heat my heart.

Last week Isaac had to go to a different bus stop and at an earlier time.  I dropped him off because it was like 2 degrees outside.  After I got home I got this text from him...  It meant he was on the bus and all was well.  And seeing that one misspelled word made my day.  Success!  Isn't it what we want for our kiddos?  Even if it's just getting on the bus?

Ruthie keeps people out of her room.  I figure it's because no one can walk into her room because of all her stuff on the floor.  But she just wants her room to be hers.  So last week she put this note and picture on her door.  It says "You must be pure to enter" with an arrow pointing up to Jesus.  Being pure to her is more than inner cleanliness. You must also be shower fresh!  But the point is this... We all need to be pure to enter.  Why not be pure?

And then there's my Sam.  This one almost 11 year old young man still calls me mommy.  But more often he calls me Momma.  And when he does my heart swoons.  I don't have babies anymore but my babies they will all remain.  And to be called Momma, well, what a wonderful thing.  I love being his Momma!

And so even though my bones are cold, my heart is warm and my Joy is full.

Just In Case...

This is a just in case post.  Just in case you were wondering.  So, with that in mind, I thought I'd update us.  You know, just in case you wanted to know.  We are back to school, work, life and health.  Back on Christmas Eve we went to Abbie and Poppy's for festivities.  The kids all got jammies from Abbie and Poppy.  Here are all the cousins.  Ruthie is holding David.  He looks like an elf and Daniel and I had a ton o' fun playing with him. 

For the Nativity this year, Ruthie played Mary.  That's Zac playing Joseph, just in case you wondered.  That baby is our cousin James who was born in July but not due til October.  He wanted to get here fast!  He's so tiny and so fun to hold.

Christmas morning brought gifts from Santa, AKA mom and dad.  Yep.  They all know and they aren't ashamed.  Ruthie had a swell Christmas.  She is newly into Legos and now has a sweet collection. 

Sammy loved his Lego set and used the whole day to put it together.  He also loved his new jammy bottoms and the blanket.

Isaac got the gift of his dreams.  A Lego Technic car.  I don't have any more of a title than that.  He built it, drove it around and uses other Technic pieces to do other things with it. 

Just in case you wanted to know, this is what the Christmas day table looked like. 

See that picture in the back?  It's called "Behold He Cometh" and my dad gave that to Daniel and me.  It's for our living room.  Yep!  I'll have a real honest to goodness living room soon.  See that snake in the front?  Sam set that up and uses it as a character from one of his many monster movies.  I don't know his name, but he's out quite a bit. 

And just in case you were wondering, here is the basement bathroom.  Daniel put the floor tile in and is now working on the wall tile.  Why wall tile you ask?  If you have boys, well, you already know why.  If you don't have boys, well, your walls are safe, and you probably don't have tile on your bathroom walls.  And as for the painting, just in case you wondered, I have come to a complete stand still.  I painted with one color and then did the extra bedroom so we can clear out the storage unit.  It's not done and I just haven't gotten back down to finish it.  I'm tired.  I also lost the hurry up about it because the family party is over and done.  I suppose if I want carpet I'd better get back to painting!  But not today.

For new year's eve, we stayed up late, I threw up and everyone slept until 9:30 the next morning. 

Since Wednesday we have been back to regular life and such.  And there you have it, just in case you wanted to know.