That's my girl!!!

So, on Thanksgiving, my 8 year old A*** and my brother in law, Native Minnow (or NM from now on) had the following conversations:

NM: Hey (puts hand on middle of her back) how are you, A***?
A: Don't touch me..... and walks off. (Don't know where she gets the attitude from!!)

About an hour later.....

NM: A****, come check this out. (touches her arm)
A: Don't touch me.......

About another hour later.....

NM: A**** (touches her head)
A: I have told you 3 times now, don't touch me. It makes me uncomfortable.

LMAO, at least I taught her how to stand up for herself. But, that was supposed to be used on perverts and strangers, not poor Uncle NM!!!!!

Christmas spunk?

I am soooo finished shopping for Christmas, AND it is ALL wrapped. I can now sit back and ENJOY the spirit of the season!!! I love this time of year. My BIL wanted to go to Temple Square, so we went last night. Besides being mugged after walking 7 blocks the wrong direction, it was fun. The lights are so beautiful and the spirit of Christmas abides. It was pretty crowded, and with a Jazz game that night parking was a nightmare... hence my walking blocks and blocks. I let everyone out and went to go find a parking spot. It only took me over an hour to park, get mugged, and then find the right way to walk and get there. It wasn't even that cold. And don't worry, by "mugged" I meant some guy tried to grab my purse, but he didn't get it. :) All in all, this was a great 4 days off.... and I got up all my decorations today except for the tree that we put the Hallmark ornaments on. That takes a long time because they are all in separate boxes.

Not to brag....

Well, I don't want to brag... but my Christmas shopping is DONE!!!! Woo Hoo!! And, to make it even more marvelous.... I am nearly done wrapping EVERYTHING too!! I am feel a tad bit elated at my status!! I even got Ryan nice things this year, though this year I spent a LOT less than usual.... mostly because I HAVE a LOT less than usual!! Whew... now I just have to work on paying it all off!! I started early to spread it around because I could not afford to be hit all at once.

I did participate in a little bit of Black Friday, but not early enough to get the really great deals. It's OK, I didn't really want anything from them. I did try to find one for my brother-in-law and all I saw were the remnants. It was ridiculous, it looked like feeding Tigers with their fresh kill. The box they brought out with the "deal" was torn and thrashed about, and emptied within a few minutes. It was not worth the assaults I would have endured so I watched and laughed. How ridiculous.... NO DEAL is worth that. Who would have thought that the "Molly Mormon stay-at-home moms" could be so vicious? LOL... it is nice to be done. Now I get to decorate for Christmas tomorrow......

Christmas preparations.....

So, I was trying to pace myself for Christmas this year. I LOVE Christmas. I love searching for the perfect gift for a love one, and their face when they open it up. (I even appreciate if the face is disappointment, or even better.... .HORROR.) LOL... anyway, I am half way done with Christmas shopping AND wrapping!! (Can I tell you how much I LOATHE wrapping those d*&% Littlest Pet Shop toys?)

Anyway, I am excited to get out the decorations this year... and to feel the atmosphere of the mall and stores. This year is a bad one, financially, for everyone. I feel bad, even the food banks are suffering. I hope people remember the less fortunate this year, even though that list of "unfortunate" is longer than usual.

As a side note, I saw Twilight last night. I will take a James for Christmas!! I am still disappointed that Edward is not more handsome, but he did a good job. He needs to do something with his eyebrows, though. He needs a spa eyebrow wax for Christmas!!!

My weekend

So, I had Super Saturday at church the other day, and I was in a rush to get my projects done so I could scoot out of there and visit with my husband's sisters in Salt Lake. We met them at the Sundance Catalog Outlet store, and we all had a good time. After I joined in on the annual ring shopping spree, we all ate dinner at Olive Garden. It was a good time. I worked on Sunday, and so did the hubby.

I am still trying to decide what to do for Thankgiving. I might just stay home alone. :)

8 things list

So I was tagged by Sally to do this list, so I thought that I would do it since I am sitting at my desk waiting for a warrant to serve... :)

8 TV shows I watch

1. Jay Leno
2. Conan O'Brien
3. There aren't any more!!! Who has time to watch TV?

8 favorite restaurants

1. Cafe Rio
2. Bajio
3. Red Robin
4. Applebees
5. Ruth's Chris
6. Hot Dog King
7. Carrabbas
8. Gloria's Little Italy

8 things that happened yesterday

1. I finished the book I was reading (Double Cross by James Patterson)
2. I made dinner after I got home from work
3. I worked all day.... busy day!!
4. I helped Abby with homework
5. I talked to my brother on the phone
6. I went to bed early!!!!
7. sorry... nothing else happened... it was busy but boring today

8 things I look forward to

1. the economy stabilizing
2. my older kids moving out so they stop bickering and realize how the "real world" is rather than just telling me how they think it is
3. grandchildren... in about 10 years
4. my youngest child starting school
5. retirement... only 8 more years!!!
6. my husband finishing his national test and being DONE with the last 8 years of heck!!
7. my children going to college and being successful
8. having time to read a book or visit with family

8 things on my wish list

1. a cruise with my husband
2. catching up on my scrapbooks
3. a scrapbook room!!!
4. a clean house... or a housekeeper that comes every so often!!
5. weight loss around my middle area..... (belly and thighs)
6. enough bills paid off so I don't have to worry about money
7. a holiday spent with my family.. (I am thinking next year to be with my family back East for Thanksgiving)
8. a trip abroad with my husband... and with my kids would be even better... if I could afford it!!

8 things I love

1. spending time with family
2. decorating my house for seasons and holidays
3. smell of freshly baked bread, apple crisp, etc.
4. babies (specifically the smell of newborns and the laughter of babies and children)
5. warm, sunny days
6. the beach
7. days out with friends
8. vacations with the kids

8 things I cannot stand

1. liars
2. people who think that they deserve to be given everything in live without having to work for it
3. people who hurt children
4. teenagers bickering and acting like they know everything
5. mean people
6. cooked vegetables, asian food, and gamey tasting meat
7. being cold
8. wet bathroom floors and clutter in my house!!!

i hate snow....

I have had training in Salt Lake for the past few days, and today I woke up to snow!! Where it took us 20 minutes to get there the past 2 days, it took an hour and a half today. And when traffic is like that, there are always those entitled people that feel that their time is more valuable than everyone else's time, so they drive like a complete and utter asshole.. endangering everyone else on the road. It irks me, and they MAYBE get there 3 seconds before everyone that they passed so inconsiderately. I hate those driver!!

Weekend funnies....

I am having technical difficulties getting some Halloween photos out of the internal memory!! We had 3 floods this year, and the first one was the worst one. The carpet had to be replaced, and tomorrow is the day. Finally!! That one happened on July 3 and we are just now getting the carpet back in. How frustrating!!

We had to move the piano and a bunch of other heavy things, so Ryan was moving the piano with someone. He had to move his legs to the side to keep from hitting things, and Miranda yells, "look at Dad, he looks like a Penguin!!" Ryan had to walk with his legs to the side to get it moved. LOL .... It was cute.

Today, I was cleaning my closet and Abby came over and asked me what the word gay meant. I told her it meant happy and it was a not nice word to describe it when boys like other boys and girls like other girls and that they kiss each other. * (Even though it isn't a nice word, that doesn't keep me from using it sometimes.) :) Anyway, she asked me if I was sure it didn't mean that someone was HOT and TEMPTING?** I told her that I was sure it didn't. She replied, "well, then I have to tell some of the girls at my school that they are mistaken.... because they think that is what it means."

* I had to be a little more descriptive since she is so young and I didn't want her to think that she is gay because she has "girl friends."

** Disturbing that 7-8 year old girls would want to use a term that would describe someone as hot and tempting!!

The earring photos!!

So, when Abby saw Miranda crying, she cried.

But when it was all over, they LOVED them and the crying subsided. This is overexposed because I grabbed the wrong camera... Miranda's photo was worse. I will post better ones tomorrow!!

Ear piercings....

So, the two small girls have been asking and asking to get their ears pierced. We finally let them do it last night. By tonight, the tears have dried up and they are proudly wearing around their earrings... but it was a trip to get to this point.

Miranda went first, and she cried so Abby had to cry. She finally stopped crying until Abby got her first ear pierced and then it started all over again. Then, before bedtime it was a struggle to get them to allow me to touch them so that I could clean them. I gave them both a chance to back out, even while they were sitting there getting the dots drawn on, but neither wanted to get down and forget it.

The PED EGG

A Ped Egg is a great foot exfoliator. It looks like a cheese grater, and it removes dead skin from your feet. Of course, they have commercials on TV, hence my 8 year old knows all about it.

She came down to me today and informed me that my husband needs one and she made the following declaration:

"Mom, dad needs to use your Ped Egg. You know that gross, dead skin on the bottom of his feet? Well, he ripped a hole in your sheets."

The sad thing is, what she said is true... he did rip a hole in my sheets with his feet. And they were kinda expensive sheets. :)

LMAO

So.... I am doing laundry today after I got home from work. I have the twins' dirty clothes basket and I find a pair of Ryan's "normal" underwear in there that he wears while he is playing basketball. :) Sorry, Ryan, it is imperative information. Anyway, I hold them up and ask the twins, "why are your dad's underwear in here?"

The look on Br***'s face was priceless. She informed me that she has been wearing them and that they are comfy because they are not "restrictive on her legs," but she wondered "why there was so much room in the crotch area." A*** and I laughed so hard that our abs hurt.

Facebook virgin.....

So, I just opened a Facebook account. I have never used it before, and I really don't have time to be looking at yet another website.... but I did it anyway. And, as I was looking through my daughters' profiles I see a kid that we caught sending pictures of his um..."member" to kids. That makes a mom feel proud!! I just about had a coronary.

As a side note, I HATE cold weather... and I was NOT ready for it... :(

Injustice.....

So, Hepatitis shots (both A and B) come in a series of shots. You have to get one, wait about a month and get the second one, then get the third one six months later. So, I get one for her, and return in the next month to get her the second one.

I show up and the nurse tells me that they are out of them. I return 2 weeks later, and am told again that they are out of them. The doctor stops me in the hall to ask about my son's surgery earlier this year, and he asks why I am there. I explain, and he tells me that he was sure that he saw some of the shots in the refrigerator.

The nurse shakes her head and says there aren't any. The doctor insists that he just saw a bunch of them in the refrigerator, and the nurse shakes her head and says that they are only for Medicaid patients. The doctor tells her to give me one, anyway.

How is it that it has come to this? How is it that I am paying for my medical services and I am refused them, but someone that gets them for free is allowed to have them? It makes me sick... I am not the only one this has happened to, I heard about it happening to someone else before it happened to me, too. So injust.....

another day, another dollar

So, I have had a tough case at work this week.... and my house let it show. To add to the tension of the case, the worst child abuse and neglect case we have EVER seen..... we are having to cut our budget so badly that it is rumored that we have to lay off or move to the jail about 14 employees. They are demoting Lt's, and not replacing some that have just quit. It is sad, we barely have enough staff to deal with issues.

Our commissioners have mishandled our money. They also say they cannot justify a force as large as our for a mere 17,000 homes that are in the areas we patrol. What they are not considering, is the MILLIONS that come from Salt Lake and spend time in our canyons, driving through on their way to the sand dunes, etc. MOST of our enforcement comes from that. I, alone, arrested 48 DUI's, over 500 alcohol offenses, 397 drug arrests, etc. last year .... all by myself. Our department gets money from every ticket we write, a percentage. The average drug ticket is a thousand dollars, $500 each for the possession and paraphernalia. You usually cannot have one without the other, because the packaging is considered paraphernalia. The county stands to lose even more money.

Our commissioners suck.... and they need to be held accountable for their mismanagement. They even laughed and said, "Oh, and I guess we missed the deadline to raise property taxes. Oh well.... " and started laughing about it. We pay taxes on the level of Sanpete County, but we are nearly as large as Salt Lake County.... we don't have enough money to continue operating. Sad that they are getting away with it. I hope the newpaper finds out and reams them for it.

please help

Will someone please tell my husband that it is very rude and inconsiderate to people you live with if you just take off and don't tell anyone you are leaving. Not to mention that he rarely answers his cell because he cannot hear it. Two days in a row he has taken off and I am searching the house but cannot find him. About an hour later he comes walking in like everything is normal and I am furious. I needed to ask him something and the younger girls and I were searching all over the house. GRRRR.. maybe I am wrong, but I think it isn't very nice.

Gotta love it!!

I have to say (especially to Native Minnow as he shares my love of Banana Cream Pie) that the Banana Cream Pie milkshake from Carl's Junior is incredible!!! Also, I am proud of myself. I have been collecting scrapbook packets and paper for forever. I have done HALF of the packets and try to do one every night since they have sat there for over a year!! I plan to have the packets and paper used up by the time it takes me to save enough money to buy new stuff!! I might actually have somewhere to put all the photos I have printed out!! Native Minnow, if you come down this weekend we will try to bring you a caramel apple... just let us know.

Amber, I cannot look at your blog!! Can you send me access? PLEASE? Thanks!!!

Halloween

I got all excited putting up my Halloween decorations!! I love Halloween. What is there NOT to love about binging on unlimited amounts of candy, candy corn, CARAMEL APPLES, and getting all dressed up. Scaring people is fun, too.... :) Caramel apples are my favorite. I had Ryan take me to Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for one about a month ago. They were out and I have still been craving one!! I need to go get me one!!

Weekend plans ruined?

So, for conference weekend, especiallly since I have EARLY church, I enjoy hanging around the house in my pajamas and listen to conference on the TV while I scrapbook. I have done it for years, so long as I did not work a night shift the night before and was sleeping during the conference.

This year, I have a bunch of packets to do and was looking forward to it. I also have a demolition derby to attend on Saturday in Tooele. So.... I get to enjoy the weekend. My dad called last week to tell me that he and his wife will be visiting from Friday until past the next weekend, basically 10 days. I am glad to have them, but I cannot scrapbook and spend the time ignoring them.

Of course, my step mother enjoys Rod Works, Tai Pan, and the places like that. I usually delight in taking her, but I have been avoiding those places like the plague so I am not tempted to spend money I do not have. I will take her, but I WILL BE GOOD. I still might scrap a little this weekend, but not much since I cannot do it and interact with others at the same time. Wish me luck at my two favorite stores and not spending any money!! :) I am sure I will need it.

photo of the wreck

She claims it wasn't a wreck because she was "run off the road." You cannot see the drop off, but it is a steep one!!!