Trip

I can't think about it being Halloween since I'm not "doing" Halloween this year. Mal came for the weekend and she was so sad that I didn't have any of the "stuff" up. I have been taking a few treats around and did the s'more treats for the kiddos (not all delivered) but I'm missing a Halloween parade and all the fun stuff tonight. I hope I can get my list completed so I can enjoy seeing the kiddos dressed for all the fun.


~let's just mention that when your husband agrees that you need an Ipad.....and then he freaks (not really) when you want to buy a lime green protective cover (I came home with gray. GRAY!!!!).....and then he's downloading and downloading....for ME, I thought....and when I asked him to download Angry Birds...he was an angry bird (not really but he did roll his eyes)....and did I mention I went off my hormone cream and now we have a flock of annoyed birds (well, one annoyed bird.) .....and then "someone" was starting to act territorial over MY Ipad....and finally he said, "I don't think this is going to work." Really???? Just laughing. Some birds aren't meant to share...

~my list keeps GROWING instead of shrinking. But I can do anything in a day. Well, except lose two sizes. Can't do that.

~ We fly to New York, then to Rome. We've rented a car for a couple days of touring (that should be interesting....I remember a driving escapade in Germany where all these people were agitated and pointing at us. Just because we were driving in a foot traffic only zone! And David spoke German so we could understand a few things being said.)

Then touring in Rome Thursday and Friday, the ship leaves Saturday. The Norwegian Jade.

Two days at sea, then Haifa and Jerusalem, Israel. (heart be still!) Jerusalem, Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Nazareth, Jordan River, Mt. Carmel. Day two will be the Temple Mount, Mount of Olives, Dome of the Rock, Garden of Gethsemane. Garden Tomb, Western Wall, Dome of the Rock. Two heavenly days. Our guest lecturers are Donald Parry from Ancient Script. department at BYU and Dave Hadlock. My brain will pop with happiness.

then two days in Egypt-the Great Pyramids and the great sphinx and the camel rides. We will learn to walk like an Egyptian. (old song, now you won't be able to get that tune out of your head!)

Alanya, Turkey- more ancient theaters and lots of historic places where the Apostle Paul taught. The recent earthquake was on the north eastern side, we'll be on the west.

Cyprus- castles and picturesque villages, catacombs and mosaics.

Back to Rome and more rental car adventures. We are driving to Venice and spending a few days (I'm sure D. thinks he will be watering skiing on the canals.)


Trip of a lifetime. With bestie friends. Can't wait. It is worth missing Halloween for!

Cell Coverage

The other day my cell phone was ringing. Ringing and ringing. I could hear it in the house but my ear couldn't quite put where the ring was coming from. It sounded like it was coming from everywhere. I'd walk there. I could hear it. I'd walk there. I could hear it. Twenty minutes. (some of us just aren't as quick as we used to be.) I must have called my cell phone 10 times. I was crawling around the floor. Looking under cushions. Moving my purse (where it usually is) into the other room to see if it was there but I just couldn't find it.





Back pants pockets. Can't believe I put it there...





(getting closer to 100 than one is driving me crazy!)







You know that saying (David always says...and thinks he's so funny.) "Why is it we always find something in the last place we look?" (answer: because then we stop looking...)





And speaking of phones.....





David and I went shopping the other night and got ME an IPAD. I'm truly trying to get into the 21st century and not get left behind. David says it's mine but I think he thinks it really is his but who cares. Niece Mal came for the weekend (and to take Grandma to Idaho. My MIL, not me...) and she said, "Aren't you going to hate that your computer is smarter than you are?" Not QUITE sure she was being complimentary... (she just pointed out on Facebook where I had a whole bunch of messages I never knew I had....since I didn't know where to look. So. I guess she is right. Both she and David think it is funny that now I want/need/have to have an iphone. Just so I can play Angry Birds. My kiddos ALL play Angry Birds and I don't even know why the stinkin' birds are angry!

Sweet Dreams

~today is the anniversary of one of the most wonderful days of my life. It's Brandi's birthday. She is my only daughter (although I do have WONDERFUL DILs that are my daughters and a few stray nieces that are my daughters.....) Happy Birthday! Sweet dreams. (inside joke!)

(picture taken by CameraShy in Lehi...where YOU get the copyright!)

I Hate Being Green

Life is so dang busy....each day I make up a huge to-do list....and carry most of it over until the next day. I just tell myself...hang ON for just a few more days. One week. Then....heaven!

But before I go taking off, I really do what to share some (not so good in the picture taking department) pictures from last week. This is what my husband loves more than me.




I am usually a crabby second fiddle.

I guess I'm just jealous I can't run out of a shoot anymore.

Not that I ever ran out of a shoot but David pretended I did. You know. When we were first married. I did NOT know what a heeler was. I DID learn what a tooth going through the front lip felt like.

No worries. We have grandchildren now. And then, the steers. You know those 10 steers we rent, then feed for 8 months and then give back, all fattened up.

If you look real close, you'll see David with tears in his eyes. This is his last roping with these steers. The real steer daddy wants them back. So David and his buddies roped and roped and roped. I tried taking pictures but clearer pictures meant I would have had to climb over this fence in front of the cowboys. I do have a little pride. If I can't shoot out of the shoot, I can't shinny over the fence like I used to either. So I took faraway pictures. But I could see the tear in David's eye.

What you couldn't see was me jumping up and down (which is why I kept cutting off cowboys' heads!) I was saying, "Bye steers! Have a nice trip home. We don't have to feed you anymore. Ca-chinga! We don't have to smell your....well, steery smells. Don't have to have your steery flies flying around. I know you love coming here to play but guess what! Play date is over! It's time to go home. Don't let the barn door slap you in the rear on your way out."

Just so you know, I don't LIKE being a jealous woman. I know it doesn't suit me. Green isn't really my best color. But I truly don't like playing second fiddle to a steer. Ten steers.

But they are gone. Did I mention they are gone? In case you didn't know, they are gone! Oh, happy dance. Happy. Happy. Happy. (I feel so childish....)

Jealousy is nothing more than a fear of abandonment.

Losses

I just wanted to mention here in my journal, that our sweet Susie (Ben's tru-tru luv) lost her dad in an accident this past Friday. Ben and Susie were in Idaho climbing (without cell coverage) ...and thankfully Susie had to go into town to post an online test on Saturday....and got the news. Our hearts are so heavy- for Susie, for Ben and their entire family. Susie was lucky to be raised in a great family and I know that she'll feel this loss forever. (If you live in the valley, there was a lovely obituary in today's paper for David Bone.) When these sorrows happen, it does make us all realize how vulnerable we are with those we love and reminds us to make sure we never take each other for granted. Susie, we mourn with you this great loss. With love. M.

Parker Goes to Work

There! I did it! Made the mobile pictures bigger! (truly I have half a brain...)

Old Halloween Repost

(Thought I would post this Halloween meme from two years ago. I think memes are a fun inclusion to your journals.)

What is the best prank you’ve ever pulled?
When I called my dad at his work to "announce" something. My parents always got nervous with my "announcements." Dad was at a work place and everyone heard. I didn't mean for that to happen. He said, in shock, "You aren't?" I wasn't. It was April Fool's Day. I was pretty sure he was relieved....

What’s the best prank anyone ever pulled on you? So many. I have really funny friends. One of my funniest is when a friend let me walk around town with a large Tootsie Roll plastered to the back of my pants...not in a good position! We were on a road trip and got out to stretch our legs in a quaint town. As mean as she was to let me walk the town like that, I find it really, really funny!


What’s the most “real” frightened you’ve ever been? I had an "other worldish" experience in high school that reminds me why I don't play around with Ouija boards or other black magic stuff. But truly, when I "misplaced" my children occasionally. Lost children used to send me over the edge!


What’s the most “fun” frightened you’ve ever been? The Indiana Jones or Space Mountain at Disneyland when they were new. Or that mouse one in the dark. Not really a mouse. What is that ride called? The Wild Mouse? Or the HUGE Zip Line in Costa Rica in 70 mile an hour winds.


Since Halloween costumes frequently require make-up, what’s your best beauty tip? Keep the lights out at all times. You can look really thin then.....


Share a specific memory of Trick or Treating? I loved the kids experiencing Halloween. It is just sooo exciting! I love all those knocks on our door. But we have a no-knock door now....
And I had a wonderful date in college where we went treat or treating. It was the most fun date. And this isn't trick or treating, but my very favorite thing was our school carnivals. They were magical!


What keeps you awake in the middle of the night? Worrying about those I love.


What creepy thing scares you the most…mice, spiders, bats or something us? Share an experience of one of these. Once a bat was in our house. Of course David wasn't home at the time and I was running around screaming and swinging the broom and finally went next door to get Penny's husband, Tom, who rescued us, as always. I don't like mice but I don't freak out about them anymore. Not since falling in love with Stuart Little. I plain don't like spiders. But bats I've made friends with. They used to freak me out at Lake Powell until I realized that they eat all the mosquitoes and bugs. They are our little friends.But I still don't want them in the house....


What was your favorite Halloween costume ever? When I was in my 30's and could fit in the teeny tiny Ga-linda witch costume of my friend.


What’s your favorite fall food? How do you prepare it? I love soups of all kinds. My family's favorite soup was potato cheese soup with bread sticks. I made a batch of it on Sunday.


Were you a candy hoarder or do you eat it all up on Halloween night? I have a wonderful sister-in-law that gets a box of See's chocolates for Christmas and can make them last until Easter. I'm sooo not that way. I don't hoard but I don't eat it all up on Halloween night. I actually eat it long before Halloween! (which is why I now buy Skittles or Starbursts or things I don't care about.)


How old you do you think is too old for Trick or Treating? Whatever makes you happy. No age is too old for Treating. So long as you are being nice and delightful....no mean kids or creepy old people....


Speaking of ghosts, is there an ancestor that you’ve never met but feel a connection to? My Grandpa Darley died when I was a tot but I know he's watched out for me my entire life. I've always felt a connection to him.


What scents remind you of fall? pumpkin and spices of cloves and cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. Also that nutty smell of outside. Wet leaves, dirt.


What would people be "surprised" to know about you? That as much as I love friends and people, I feel lost in a crowd. I feel very lonely in a group of people. "Who do I talk to? Who will talk to me" panic.


Do you have any phobias? What if I didn't have a full social calendar? Yeow!!! Not really. I would probably say snakes. And I especially don't like them showing up at my weddings in the yard.


Speaking of potions, what’s your favorite home remedy? My prescription for anything that ails me is to take a bath. It isn't unusual to take two a day. I have a LOT of things that ail me....And my sweet DIL Marci is getting me hooked on Essential Oils. I burned the whoopee out of my thumb with a glue gun a few weeks ago.....a huge glob of hot glue had to be ripppped off my thumb. Marci had me put pure lavender oil on it......I didn't even get a red spot and not a titch of hurt. Nothing. Like it had never happened. I'm a BIG believe in lavender oil.


On your worst day, are you more of a witch, a vampire, a ghost? I would be a ghost. I don't think I'm ever a real witch. I don't like blood at all but I guess if Edward would like me or bite me, I'd go for vampire. Just Edward in the books- not Edward on the screen. So not into Edward on the screen. But probably I would just stay in the closet where good ghosts belong. I'd rather boo-hoo alone when I'm grumpy.


If you could have a bottomless bucket of Halloween Treats, what are three things you’d have in it? Butterfingers. Banana Laffy Tafffy's. Will a caramel apple fit? I like almost all treats but Skittle-ie kinds of things. With treats, my answers would change almost daily. You know I have a short attention span. Tomorrow it would be 100000 Grand, Almond Joy's....and more caramel apples. I prefer apples with just the caramel.


What’s your favorite “scary” movie? The Birds when I was a kid. The Sixth Sense when I was a middle. As someone closer to 100 than one, I would say that movie where Jodi Foster's child disappears on a plane. I don't do scary in case you couldn't tell.


Pick a costume and tell us why:(here are your choices)Male: Michael Jackson in Thriller OR Indiana Jones OR a Mad Scientist OR Barney- totally Michael Jackson. I REALLY want to learn to moonwalk. Brandi said she'd teach me.


Female: Scarlett O’Hara OR Dolly Parton OR Amelia Earhart or A Witch
Well, I'm NOT a Scarlett fan. Dolly and I have little in common (if you know what I mean...) except we laugh. Not so Amelia either but you know me and witches! I heart nice witches. Witches with bling. Not evil witches.


If you could “wiggle your nose” and have an instant “material” wish, what would it be?
Plane tickets somewhere wonderful.


What’s your favorite thing about Halloween? everything

Your least? Anything occult. Blingie witches are not occult.


If you could cast a spell to change one thing about you, what would it be? It would be better self control. If I had self control, if I were disciplined, my whole life would be different!

Parker Goes to Work

Parker got to go to work with David this week. He slept overnight so they could hit the trail early. Parker went with David to court for a hearing. Probably got into David's candy jar his secretary keeps filled. Sat at his desk looking mighty official! Our little boy is growing up!

(the trouble with mobile uploads is that you can't get them any bigger. Is that true? Is there something else I can do?)

Auction

So, how much do you think this picture is worth? Gracie is screaming, "I can't see, Grandma! The sun is in my eyes!" And I'll telling her to buck up ...if I can climb a ladder, she can surely open her eyes IN THE SUN for one little second.

That's when I dropped the camera. You'd think from Gracie's expression it was coming at her. Not so. She could have cushioned the fall. We wonder where all the drama queens come from in our family. (I'd blame it on my husband but too many of you know him and my nose would start to grow.)

Thanks for sweet offers of loaning me your cameras. I found the name of a reputable camera place today and will take in my camera tomorrow for a lookie look. If they can fix it in a week, great! Otherwise I'm going shopping. Truly, no one should ever loan me anything. I am not to be trusted. I might drop it from the great pyramid in Egypt or from a camel somewhere (I heard that it is $10 to ride a camel and $100 to get off) or leave it in a gelatto place in Rome or it could fall in a canal in Venice. It might be confiscated in a Turkish bath (guess where) or take a dip in Galilee. I AM SO EXCITED!

(and Voila! are you home from Tibet already? Valene told me she didn't think you were back yet. lol. You really need to check in with your family. I can't wait to hear more about your adventures! Your pictures are amazing! And your commentary was pure poetry. I want some ash on my nose for bad dreams but I'm with you on the yak butter tea! Whew!)

Tonight was a fun Relief Society activity...a service auction. The tables were decorated to the hilt (western.) I would show you pictures BUT I DON'T HAVE A CAMERA. (okay, enough of the whining. We wonder where the kiddos get it!) Everything was darling. You filled out a survey when you arrived....all sorts of crazy questions with points- like, if you fixed your family grub tonight (dinner), if you've ridden a horse this year, if you've sat around the campfire and had s'mores this summer, if you wore boots tonight, if you had hairy legs, if you said your prayers today, etc. You added up your points and then used those points to bid on services that we all shared. Someone crocheted a hat and scarf, someone donated computer lessons, someone donated homemade rolls, some babysitting, some pedicure certificates, a custom floral arrangement for the holidays, a facial, a loaf of homemade banana bread. It ran the gamut. I made a large batch of corn chowder and a key lime pie that someone went home with. I was lucky to win a custom photo book.....which will be perfect for the little boys for Christmas. I just have to supply the pictures. My mind is already going on it. Fun, fun activity. The auctioneer was a riot (she really does that for a living.)

Tomorrow is our neighbor's funeral. David's speaking. I miss this sweet man already.

I had the girls overnight again last night and needed to run them to different places today. Gracie was going to a party that needed an inexpensive white elephant gift to exchange. We got a pumpkin and I drew a face on it (with Sharpies) ....and poked holes in the top and Gracie put suckers in all the holes (so the suckers were the pumpkin's hair.) It's an easy and fun little way to do pumpkins (and without guts. You know me....) I'd show you a picture of the pumpkin, but, well......

More Halloween Stuff

Just a few more pininterests of mine.

Halloween suckers from Martha. Love this display.



How clever to put a mask on pumpkins. Idea from www.goodhousekeeping.com

How cute to have little bats to pass out. But would we be doing it for the kids or for the moms?

I loved doing s'mores with Easter peeps for the kiddos and heart be still! I saw the ghost peeps today! (this picture from www.southernvogue.com)

Love these spider net nachos. The net is piped sour cream. Idea from

www.womansday.com

This Halloween treat is perfect for friend Sophia! Every time we are together, I'm trying to get her a freaky bird. I can't remember when that started but I think she needs to keep one in a jar.

Another of my favorite sites is www.bethproudfoot.blogspot.com I've mentioned her before. She has fabulous free printables. Love these witchie hats made with black wrapped Hershey kisses.




Okay, so I'm not doing Halloween this year. But I DID have a huge Boo-hoo moment. I've been watching kiddos. I had a visiting teaching lunch too so I took Chubba Wubba for his first grammie/Chubba outing. We did great but packing him AND the car seat was almost too much. Trying to maneuver into a booth, I noticed some young moms' watching me. I explained frantically, "This is my first outing." They laughed and said I was doing good! Then Brandi's three girlies and I were busy the rest of the day. I decided I wanted to do chalk drawings on the sidewalk and take their pictures underneath them. I know that probably doesn't make sense but I saw it somewhere. I was up on a ladder to REALLY do a good job....and DROPPED MY NEW CAMERA! MY NEW CAMERA THAT IS/WAS GOING ON A BIG TRIP IN A WEEK!!!!!! My camera is gone. Can I just say "Donut" REALLY,REALLY LOUD! If that isn't the biggest BOO-HOO for Halloween, I don't know what is!

Different This Year

You know how I love Halloween. I love dressing my chandelier, love decorating the black hutch, love everything about the dining Halloween table. This year? Nada. Nothing. Not going to happen. Mallory couldn't believe it when she came a few weeks ago and saw nothing done. For someone who LOVES Halloween decorating, I'm okay with it. It's easier to go to all that work if you were going to have a party or luncheon but this year, I'm not up for either of those. Brandi had her GNO party out at the cabin and that satisfied any party urges for me. Plus, we leave town the day after Halloween and I don't want to come home to cleaning up and packing away. So I will just indulge myself with "gazing" at wonderful Halloween ideas that I thoroughly intended to do this year. I'm a Pininterest junkie (thanks to Vickie Scott) and I've tried to share sources of each idea as best I can.

I love this candy jar! Just a work of art! (redcouchrecipes.blogspot.com)

And I think I could whip out these darling candy sticks - (I couldn't find the source. Nicole Hill?) LOVE THEM!

Martha stewart, of course. Life doesn't get better than pickled brains.

Martha, Martha, Martha (Stewart) I love this ice bucket. LOVE the look. However, I do have an aversion to the insides of pumpkins. I don't like cleaning them out. So, if you are going to have a party, please do this and invite me. I will jump up and down. But I don't think I'll do it myself. Although it is wonderful.

I do love these little fanged pumpkins. They really make me laugh. Martha S. is at it again.

I've heard of reindeer poop but Ghost poop is pretty funny as well. Kiddos might like it.

(cantstopmakingthis.com)

I really like this pumpkin blackboard with the Halloween countdown. No guts to handle! Dang! I forgot to write down the source but it is probably Martha. Again. That woman!

And this image from flickr.com makes me laugh. Makes me want to bite their little necks!

All I Want

Brooke

I've been remiss in family birthday tributes. Hit and miss is my middle name these days. But yesterday was DIL Brooke's birthday. She's Tanner wifie, Annee and Chubba Wubbba's mommie, a PTA (ha! PTA- I never realized that...she's a Physical Therapy Asst.), a DOG lover (they have a bloodhound, Bella that can HOWL and smell dreadful after being sprayed by a skunk at our house).......we love her! Happy B-day belated, Brooke!

Out My Front Door

Just wanted to share some pictures of the view out of our front door.

Witchies 2011

Here are just a few witchies I found floating around at Gardner Mill. We met at 10:30, then after a few pictures, had lunch at Archibalds (with some fried green tomatoes and avocados.) I haven't received Tenille and Ashlee's pictures yet. Can't wait to share.

Piece of the Moon

I posted the other day about being afraid I was going to lose a piece of my moon. Don passed away this morning. I know heaven will be brighter. My heart is happy for him, so sad for all of us.

The Costume-2011

It began last year when I ran onto this orange skirts. They were on sale and I knew I could stash them away for witchies this year.

But you know me...I get bored easily and always find something cuter and over-buy but I loved these glittery jobbies (Target) and had to have them as well.

My mind is always swirling and I knew exactly where this was going. My mind is always swirling (I know I just said that) but truly, I usually have no clue where I am going....

but on this project I did. I put the two skirts together, pulled up the hem on one to expose the other and voila! Custom witchie skirts!

I got plain black long sleeved shirts and black leggins. It is often cold at witchie days. We found these hairbows at Quilted Bear. I sewed a hairbow onto each shirt (without swearing....you know, the reason I don't sew...) and I thought they looked great.

All they needed was their witchie hat...and their clothes all bundled up for delivery.

Such a silly thing that brings me happiness. Just wait til you see how the kiddos turned out! (I'm posting this a little late since my computer has been down. Awesome son fixed it. I'm ready to edit witchie pictures now. Oh happy day!)

Need I Say More?

Chubba Wubba

When I was in McCall Idaho a couple of weeks ago, I was sitting in the car while Peggy was pumping gas and I observed a family coming out of the convenience store with goodies. Mom and Pop and two boys. One of the boys was about 9 or 10 and could NOT STOP squishing his hand under his arm making tootin' noises. He was running from person to person in the family, right in their face, doing his prank, squishing, trying to get a reaction, totally out of control and showing off his "skills." Some random kid was sitting outside the store and the squishie kid had to run up to him and do it as well. Everyone was just ignoring him. Immediately I thought of the difference of my own kids, my own kiddos. If it was/is pretty, my girls love it. They dance around and sing. If it was/is gross, the boys jump on it like a trampoline.

Enter Chubba Wubba. I love, love, love this little (ha!) boy. I thought he looked so cute playing with his toes.

But then....No! No! No!

This darling little boy that won't take a bottle or binkie....loves sucking on his toes???? That is just WRONG!

He looked at me with a surprised expression on his face.....

Get used to it, Grandma. I'm a BOY!

Peyton Max- almost 7 months- 21 plus pounds-4 teeth-already stole grandma's heart. He's all boy.