Permission To Work Them Like Little Slaves? Permission Granted.

Every morning before breakfast we have a thought and family prayer. We get our thoughts from the book "Stand A Little Taller" which has a different scripture and then a quote that goes along with that scripture from Gordon B. Hinckley for each day of the year. I was so excited when I read today's quote. I made sure my children were listening and I read it twice, very slowly for emphasis. Now I'm going to type it up in bold letters and hang it in the kitchen. And every time I hear a complaint about doing chores, I'm just pointing to the sign. Here's the quote:

"Children need to work with their parents-to wash dishes with them, to mop floors with them, to mow lawns, to prune trees and shrubbery, to paint and fix up and clean up and do a hundred other things where they will learn that labor is the price of cleanliness and progress and prosperity."

Stuck In My Head - Just About A Mile From Texarkana

When we were growing up, my mother used to sing this song to us all the time. Now my sisters and I sing it to our kids, and my mom sings it to her grandchildren. I never knew it was a CCR song until today. I love CCR, how did I not know that? I guess you learn something new everyday.

I've Given Up And Have Decided To Steal The Thunder

Introducing Mr. Baron:

I said before that I didn't want to steal any one's thunder. But ya know, come on. What century do we live in? How hard can it be to send us a picture of the little cutie pie. I told my mom when she arrived yesterday that she better take a picture with her phone and send it to me immediately. She did, but it took it's own sweet time getting here. She sent it early yesterday afternoon and the picture came through to my phone at precisely 3:59 AM. This is my sister Kristy's newest addition. His name is Baron. I can't get a pin down of the middle name. I don't know if they are still undecided or what. They were trying to decide between Earl (after my dad) and Scott (after my sister's husband). I personally think they should give him a title and call him Baron of Earl, but they weren't too keen on the idea. I think they are wrong. Think about how much more distinguished he would be going through life with a title. I wish I had a title.

Anyway, he just looks cute enough to eat. I can't wait to see him in person. Cute little Baron.

WebCam Wednesday - My So Called Life 24/7

This video was taken in May, way back when the kids were still in school. They are out of school now and therefore I am blessed with this 24/7. Anyone wanna come visit for the summer?

Through The Looking Glass

Last week I did a post with a video from "The Office" on it. While looking for that particular video on You Tube, I stumbled on another little clip from The Office. Upon viewing this video, I had a startling realization. First of all, I thought the video was hilarious. So I proceeded to watch it. Over and over again. Zac was in the room with me and he was really getting annoyed. He asked why I kept watching it over and over and I told him it was because I thought it was funny. He then told me if I thought that was funny then my sense of humor was messed up. I wasn't being completely truthful with him. Yes, I did think it was funny. But there was another reason for the repeated viewing. Sigh.....I felt like I was watching myself. (anguished cry) I....think......I might be like.....Andy.....on the Office.....and he is really annoying.......soooooo.....
does that mean I am really annoying too?

Monday Morning Musings - Roly Poly Pell Mell Tumble Bumble

The title of this post really has nothing to do with the actual post. It is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite books. When I was trying to think of a title, that's all that came to me.

I don't want to steal anyone's thunder in announcing the birth of a new sweet baby boy, but I asked her if I could talk about it on my blog and she said yes. I have a new nephew as of this morning. He wasn't due until Wednesday. Kristy had placenta previa and the baby had turned again so he was breach (naughty little booger, after all those positive turning vibes your mommy was sending you). They had to do an emergency C-section early this morning. Both mommy and baby are doing well now. I hear he is very cute and weighs 7 lbs. and is 21 inches long. He is at the moment nameless. He has a maybe name, but I won't tell you what it is. I will let them do that when they have decided.

I think I might have made a mistake by letting my kids see the P-13 Indiana Jones movie. Now every time there is a PG-13 movie they want to see, they ask if they can see it. I say "NO! It's PG-13". And of course they reply, "but you let us see Indiana Jones and it was PG-13". It's really becoming irritating.

People keep dumping their junk in our dumpster at our new house. It is really beginning to tick me off. I really want to make a sign to hang on it that says:

"Please quit putting your crap in our dumpster.

I'm sick and tired of paying to haul away your stuff.

One of these days we will be your neighbors

and I hope you feel guilty every time you look at us!"

But I am afraid if we make people angry, they will do something worse than dumping junk in the dumpster. There was so much stuff in it the other day I told Steve I wanted to load it all up and drive to the main road that comes into the neighborhood and just dump it in the street. He wouldn't let me though. At least they are kind enough to put it in the dumpster now. Before we had a dumpster they just dumped their junk in the yard. What is wrong with people that makes them think that that is OK to do?

Before we got all the door and windows on the house we used to have this kid who would come in and vandalize the house. He never did anything really bad. But one day he made the mistake of writing his name really big in caulk. I think it was Carson or something like that. When that happened I really wanted to make a bunch of signs and hang them all over the neighborhood that said:

"If you have a child named Carson, he is vandalizing my new house and I would appreciate it if you would try and show some parental supervision"

But again, Steve took all the fun out it. He thought it was best not to upset sweet little Carson for fear that his harmless vandalization turn harmful. I still can't wait until the first day we go to church and meet a kid named Carson though.......

No Yolk!

Conversation with Zac tonight:

Zac: Mom, do you know that egg shells are actually really hard?

Me: Really?

Zac: Yeah. You know that carton of eggs? You could actually stand on it and not break any eggs.

Me: Really?

Zac: Yeah. I learned it on Reading Rainbow.

Me: Really?

Me, thinking to myself: .......that carton of eggs, eggs, Costco, tonight, that carton of eggs, five dozen, zac, eggs, car, refrigerator, that carton of eggs.......

Me: Zac. Did you stand on my carton of eggs?

Zac: Yeeeeeeeeees. But very lightly.

Flashback Friday - Hangin' With Grandpa

Aubrey, Emily, Zac and Roy: AKA Grandpa

Christmas 2003

Green Thumbs And Erasure

So we are having an open house tomorrow. I am bound and determined to sell my house this weekend. I have been killing myself getting ready for it. I spent the last two days doing yard work. YARD WORK. I don't do yard work. Um mmm, that is not my thang. I have had friends tell me that they think gardening and yard work is relaxing. And I'm thinkin', what in the sam heck are you doin' in your regular life that makes you think gardening and yard work is relaxing???? I have bought plants and flowers (potted-cause that way the work is already done for me) to put around the house and patio areas for past open houses. And then, when the next open house comes along, I take the dead stuff back to the store and get new ones. Just like yesterday, I took what appeared to be the remains of a palm tree back. I think it is fabulous for stores to make exceptions for people like me. You don't even have to save your receipt. If you pay with a debit or credit card, they can just look it up that way.

Anyhoo, I actually planted flowers in my flower bed. Which I am not very happy about. They look nice if you are standing just a few feet away from them. The problemo is I picked purple flowers and I didn't really think it through. I should have picked something that popped more. I looked for red but the red (cheap) flowers they had looked slightly evil and the purple ones were the only ones I liked. But you can't really see them from the street. Oh well, next open house I'll just yank them up and take them back and get new ones. Although there won't be another open house because I am selling the house tomorrow. I forgot. Anyway, I have to keep these puppies alive cause I am not doin' that again. Ever.

Current song stuck in my head:


Which inevitably makes me wish there was more of this goin' on in TV land right now:

(sorry this is the best video I could find)

Thinkin' Thursday - G'day Mate!

Global Warming Extremism At It's Best:

ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) has on their website a fun little children's section. One of their games is called "Professor Schpinkee's Greenhouse Calculator". Children can answer a series of questions about their everyday life. The computer then calculates their answers and tells them what age they should die so they don't use more than their fair share of the earth's resources. Seriously. I'm not kidding. It told me I should have died at age 16. Oops, I've now used more than double my fair share! I am a useless, worthless piggy individual. What age should you die? Click here to play the fun game and find out. And then, you can go grab your kids and let them find out when they should die too. It could be a fun family activity.