Flashback Friday - The Whole Shabangalang Gang

Kim, Kathy, Farrah, John, Kenneth, Candi, Odell, Kristy and Allyson

This is a picture taken at my grandparents house. This is me and my sisters and our grandpa (my mom's dad) and our cousins.

This Flashback Friday is a few hours early. I will be unavailable for a while and since I didn't do a Flashback last week, I thought I should do one for you now. Have a wonderful weekend!

Thinkin' Thursday - Uhhhhh, Did She Just Say What I Think She Said? Cause If She Just Said What I Think She Said......Shoot Girl We In Big Trouble

WOW! What the.....holy......WOW! Arggghhhhh. Seriously. Seriously. Oh my HECK! (you know you've lived in UT too long when you start saying things like oh my heck) Seriously. OK. Welcome to the Socialist States Of America. I have said it before, I will say it again. I am scared. I am really scared for the future of our country. She isn't the first person to suggest such a thing. In just a few months our country is going to choose a new president, and look who we have to choose from. Nice. It scares me. It really does.

So this is what I'm thinkin'. Since when did it become illegal for a company to make a profit? Oil companies are actually making less profit now than they used to. So let's just pretend here. Let's say that my dear sweet hubby, his company starts doing really well and he is in high demand. He finishes concrete floors, by the way. So lets say that he is in high demand and all of a sudden the supply of acid stain starts to run low. People still want him to come do their floors. But those same people who are demanding that he come do their floors, they have put restrictions on where he can go to look for new acid stain. So since demand is high and supply is low and the options open for him to get new stain are becoming more costly, he raises his price too. Well the governing regime sees this and decides to take over his company and his profits. Yeah, I wanna live in a country where that kind of stuff happens.

Did you know that 50 miles off the Florida Keys Cuba and China are drilling for oil? And other countries are looking at setting up rigs in the Gulf Of Mexico? Why don't we just drill for oil there ourselves? Or why don't we drill in Alaska where there is an abundance of oil? Because those are no drill zones established by congress. Here is a quote from a press conference with President Bush in April:

I've repeatedly submitted proposals to help address these problems. Yet time after time, Congress chose to block them. One of the main reasons for high gas prices is that global oil production is not keeping up with growing demand. Members of Congress have been vocal about foreign governments increasing their oil production; yet Congress has been just as vocal in opposition to efforts to expand our production here at home.

They repeatedly blocked environmentally safe exploration in ANWR. The Department of Energy estimates that ANWR could allow America to produce about a million additional barrels of oil every day, which translates to about 27 millions of gallons of gasoline and diesel every day. That would be about a 20-percent increase of oil -- crude oil production over U.S. levels, and it would likely mean lower gas prices. And yet such efforts to explore in ANWR have been consistently blocked.

Another reason for high gas prices is the lack of refining capacity. It's been more than 30 years since America built its last new refinery. Yet in this area, too, Congress has repeatedly blocked efforts to expand capacity and build more refineries.

And now, here is a pretty picture for you to look at:

So, one more thing about the little video up at the top. You know how I have said before that I think that main stream media is slanted and biased? Well, usually when you Google some newsworthy political topic the first few things to come up are for websites like The New York Times or The Washington Post or CNN or something like that. Try googling "Maxine Waters Socializing Oil" (or better yet, click on that blue googling word). It pulls up things like Youtube or various blogs. Hmmmm.......wonder why that is?

I Should Have Seen This Comin' At Me Like An Atom Bomb

Current Ditty Rollin' About In Me Noggin:

All Work And No Play

WORK! That is all we ever do around here any more. Work, work, work, work, work. And it was starting to wear us all down. Work on the old house, work on the new house, work on the yard, homework, work work. Poor Steve. I took lunch to him a few Saturday's ago and he was sitting there eating with this glazed over look on his face. I asked him what was wrong. His glazed expression didn't change. He just said, "I'm tired of building a house". My kids (and I)are really getting tired of trying to keep this house in pristine condition too.

So I decided that over the Memorial Day Weekend, there would be NO work. Only fun, fun, fun around here. Fun I say! So on Thursday I gave everyone an invitation to a "Fantastically Fun Family Weekend". The invitation stated that the weekend would start on Friday just as soon as the whole house and yard were sparkly clean (we were having an open house the next morning). The invitation also said that there would be no work going on around here, but everyone did have to clean up after themselves. Of course my dear children complained because to them cleaning up after themselves entails work. (lazy crackers)

We did have a perfectly wonderful work-free weekend. Here is our

FANTASTICALLY FUN FAMILY WEEKEND IN REVIEW:

Friday:

After all was left sparkly and new, I took the kids down to the local Wal-mart (said with a hick accent) and we bought us the new "National Treasure 2" DVD. (enough with the hick accent) I also let the kids go hog wild (dang it, it won't go away) buyin' treats and such. We got home, ate pizza and root beer floats, then got all snug in our PJ's and watched the movie. It was late. I was in my bed. I was in a horizontal position. And I stayed awake for the WHOLE movie. That is a pretty big accomplishment in these here parts.

Saturday:

After putting the finishing touches on our house, we left for breakfast at IHOP (my finger tried really hard to type "the local IHOP", but I resisted). Then we went to see "Prince Caspian" which I also stayed awake in, due to the fact that the last 1/2 of the movie was spent walking up and down the side of the theater with Addison where I could only see 1/3 of the screen. It sounded like a good movie, wish I could have seen the whole thing. Then we came home, cooked hot diggity dogs on the grill, and dined upon them to our hearts content. After dinner Zac and Steve went to the Blaze game and the girls and I played board games.

Sunday:

After church we went to my mom's house for a little cook out (wait a minute, who am I trying to fool? Little cookout. My mom does everything on a very grand scale). Let's try this again. We went to my mom's for a big ole yummy super spectacular cookout to end all cook outs. She invited some of her neighbors and we had good food and good fun. We left little Addy at my mom's house to spend the night so we could enjoy the following day.

Monday:

GRRRR...Sunday night we loaded (sorry, Steve and Zac loaded) up the ATV's so we could head out bright and early for a day of riding. Unfortunately it pretty much rained all Sunday night and all day Monday. :( No 4 wheelin' for us. After deciding that there would be no wheelin' of the fours, we went back to bed and slept in. Then we woke up, ate breakfast and went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Yes. I took my children to a PG-13 movie. Judge me if you must. It was a great movie, however I did not know it was about aliens. I might have given it a second thought if I knew that. That's all I need is to feed Zac's alien obsession some more. After the movie we were supposed to go to a BBQ at our friends house. We first went to pick Addy up from my moms house and ended up staying there and eating.

It was a fun weekend. A FANTASTICALLY fun weekend and I was sad to see it go so fast. Back to the nitty gritty, nose to the grindstone week days (I know, my life is so hard).

Anyway, I have about a million posts I have been meaning to do but have been putting off. Maybe I will get around to them soon. I did post 2 new things on my dad's blog. Click here to see.

Wednesday Morning At Five O'clock As The Day Begins.....

It's 9:00 AM. I just sent my two oldest children to school. I am completely and utterly exhausted. My day is just beginning.

We are having an open house tomorrow. Last night I told my kids if I took them to their school carnival, they had to wake up early this morning and help me clean the house. So I woke them up early. And I made them clean. And it nearly killed me.

It would be so much easier and faster if I just cleaned the darn house myself. I would definitely be more sane right now. But then I would be raising lazy kids who don't know how to work. And I don't want lazy kids who don't know how to work.

Could someone please come and teach my kids how to work? Oh, and while you're at it, I have a TON of laundry that needs to be done.

Now this song is stuck in my head:

Look No Further, I Can Waste Plenty Of Your Time Right Here

Today is Thursday. I had a Thinkin' Thursday in mind, but at the moment, I don't feel like getting all deep and stuff. Maybe later. But for now, a little mindless entertainment. Scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page. Can you beat my high score?

Monday Morning Musings - Actually Mused On Monday Morning

(I just found this picture. I guess mine could have been worse.)

I had a garage sale on Saturday. Stupidest thing I have ever done. First of all, I had way too much stuff. It took me and my whole family almost 2 hours just to carry everything outside. Second of all there are a lot of other things I would rather do (which I won't mention on this blog) to make a stinkin' $300 dollars, it was SOOOOOOO not worth the effort. Third of all, it was STUPID. I was so ready to have a nervous breakdown when it was over and I looked at all the stuff left that I had to pack up and haul away. Then I had a brilliant thought. The last hour I should have said, "$5 for anything you can fit in your car". That would have cleared a bunch out. Unfortunately that thought didn't occur to me until AFTER everyone had left. STUPID. My mom said she would slap me if I ever mentioned having a garage sale ever again. I personally don't think that will be a problem.

My dear mom and sister. What would I have done without them? My mom made the 1 hour round trip Saturday morning just to buy treats from my kids at their snack table. Then she and Lauren made it again that night when I was about to lose it all, they helped me pack up, fed the kids, bathed the kids, and then my mom went to pick up dinner for me and Steve. I might still be out in the front yard crying today if it wasn't for them.

I kept thinking to myself, I know other people have garage sales and don't fall apart. What is my problem? Then I got a little visitor that night. That explains it all. At least I'm not completely crazy all on my own.

For some reason, my husband thinks it is really funny to come home from church and leave his black church socks on, pulled all the way up, while he is wearing shorts. I don't think it is amusing, and I have to be seen with him. If we go on a walk, he goes that way. If we go to my mom's house, he goes that way. If someone comes to our house, they are blessed with that image seared into their brain.

Aubrey was very upset the other day. She didn't know what to do. She was struggling with what she wants to be when she grows up. Her choices are: Superhero, Mommy, or Doctor. I told her she could be all 3 (I mean, just look at me). She was very relieved. I could tell a lot of stress had been lifted off her shoulders.

I bought new hairspray last week. It smells so strong. It is a good smell, in small, SMALL doses. I am about to puke right now. I might have to go wash my hair for a second time this morning.

Flashback Friday - Here Comes The Bride

Back row: Kristy (my sister), Kay (my mom), Aunt Karen, Aunt Vicki, Irene (my grandmother), Aunt Cynthia; Middle row: Sherri, Chanda, Allyson (me), Tanya; Front row: Farrah (my sister), Alicia.

I remember this day so well. Maybe not this day, but the night before, I have a fond recollection of. My Aunt Vicki was getting married. Her wedding was going to be at my grandma's house. She had this little convertible car that I used to love riding around in. The night before the wedding she, my mom and I, and I think my sister Farrah came too, we loaded up in that little convertible with the top down and drove down all the alley's in our neighborhood. People had plants and flowers that grew up over their fences and hung over into the alley. We cut flowers that were hanging over into the alley and filled the entire car up with them. I remember they smelled so good. That is what we used to decorate for the wedding the next day. I remember when we were driving we were singing some song I liked, I think it was a song from a car commercial, but I can't remember. It looks like we took a picture of all the girls at the wedding. This is my dad's side of the family, so these are his sisters and his mom and my cousins.

Thinkin' Thursday - A Nobel Hero

I have been thinking all day about this very touching story of a woman who saved thousands of Jewish children during the Holocaust. Watch the video to hear her story.

Contrary to how it may appear, I have no personal vendetta with Al Gore. It's just when a person makes it so easy......anyway. Last Thursday I hadn't even planned on doing a Thinkin' Thursday (I needed a break from the week before) but I was in bed and heard that story and HAD to hop right up and run down stairs and post it. Then last night my dear hubby made sure I stayed awake to watch Glenn Beck because he had heard this story on his radio program earlier in the day. After taking Hebrew in high school for two years, I developed a love for the Jewish people and their culture. I have met Holocaust survivors and have done 2 research papers on that tragic event. Steve knew this was a story that I would appreciate. Al just happened to stick his booty in the middle of it.

So Close, But So Far Away

Last week the final 3 American Idol contestants went home. For David Archuleta, home is just around the corner from me. Well, not exactly, but close enough. He performed at his high school which just happens to be about 5 minutes away from my house. I was very tempted to load all 4 kids up and make the trek with 20,000 other people, because when do you ever have that kind of opportunity. I decided not to go. We watched the performance live on TV. When they released hundreds of balloons the girls and I ran out on our deck to see if we could see them. I am sure we could have except for a huge tree right between us and them. We did catch a glimpse of this plane with a banner flying around (if you look really hard in the picture you can see it too). And we also watched the helicopter that was carrying David from his high school to the Jazz game go by. Emily and Aubrey were screaming at the top of their lungs, "WE LOVE YOU DAVID!". Now had it of been David Cook performing 5 minutes away from my house, well......let's just say.....we would have been there front and center.