BlahBlahBlog

So, I'm turning into an "older" woman. I'm getting some strong opinions about things. About salads. I have finally figured out why I LOVE LOVE some salads and hate others. Its okay if you stop reading here. Another thing I'm learning about myself is I'm kind of boring. Anyway, back to the KEY to salad. I need a warm ingredient to offset the cool ones. There you have it. I hate all-cold salads. I am in love with beet salad. Yeah, that's right. I had one last night and it was TDF. I love it because the beet comes out of the oven (after roasting for 80 minutes) really hot which wilts and warms the greens and goat cheese (now I know it is called Chevre and I really like it). Maybe that is why the taco salad at the Cougar Eat was so yummy. I think it had some warmth. Oh yeah, and all that ranch...MMmm good times. The picture up top is not my salad last night and was made with yellow beets which are just as yummy! If your only beet eperience is with canned beets you must give them another shot. Anyway, I better get going. Meeting Lysa at Costa Vida for what else? A mango chicken salad (warm chicken). I'll try to get a life before I post again!

Bragging Rights

I don't mean to brag but....Ok I am bragging a little bit. I had a really yummy lunch today that I made myself.

Don't you get annoyed by people who tell you about what they made they make it sound really cool and pure and yummy and inspired and then they post pictures? Well, that is not me-well maybe a little bit, did you notice the penguin plate on which my masterpiece is displayed?

I've been branching out lately making bread (two weeks in row), making freezer jam (it actually worked and is pretty yummy), and now my caprese (?) salad for lunch. So it started when I saw the mozzarella (the real kind) on sale at King Soopers, next I found the really yummy heirloom (I think) tomatoes at Whole Foods, then I just needed some basil, olive oil and presto it was done and it was yummy and I had to have it for lunch because the rest of my family is kind of lame and doesn't like this kind of stuff. The tomato was to die for. The best I've had. I forgot about balsamic vinegar which would have made it even better I'm sure. Next time....I also have another yummy lunch planned--beet salad. I had a really yummy beet salad at a restaurant last week and haven't stopped thinking about it since. I saw red and yellow beets at Whole Foods and figured, what the heck--I can figure it out. I still need to get some goat cheese and argula. Can't wait!

In other news, when I first met Brady he called me C3PO because I guess I felt the need to spout off facts or be precise, or share something I heard on NPR or something. Anyway, I realized I am totally lame and in fact kind of C3PO-like after all. During Primary last week I felt myself feeling superior singing the real lyrics to Popcorn Popping on the Apricot Tree while clearly other adults (including the chorister) were not. Do you know what I'm talking about?

"Spring has brought me such a nice surprise, blossoms (not popcorn) popping right before my eyes" and "It wasn't really so, but it seemed to be (not seemed to me)..." See what I mean? I am proficient in over 43,000 dialects, blah blah blah.

Food....

So lately I have really gotten into food. Yummy food. Brady and I have a new favorite show. It is called Diners Drive-Ins and Drives. Mmm. You should watch it. We may plan our next vacation based on fun places from this show. I also watch a lot of cooking shows because I have a little TV at my desk and not much is on during the day when I sit down to get a little work done. I definitely have some preferences.

Giada: Love her and her recipes. Have I made any? No but I have DVR'd a few episodes--just in case! She always uses lemon and I love using lemon and lime. Plus that smile--I totally wish I had her smile.

Ina--The Barefoot Contessa: She bugs a little bit although her recipes seem pretty good. I do watch the show but why does she bug? Not totally sure. Just her manner-a little superior and into herself and her garden and her husband. Why no kids? Plus, why is she called the Barefoot Contessa?

Ask Aida: She is ok. The format of her show is a little annoying with the guy at the computer throwing out emailed questions from viewers. Also, the cheesecake lollipops did not work--I tried them--Aida lied....

Rachel Ray: Sorry, can't stand her voice. It sounds like she is always on the verge of losing her voice. EVOOOOOOOOOOnoooooo.

David Rocco: I have only watched this show like once or twice. The Italian nightlife and yatch shots were a little freaky to me. It seemed like the free-wheeling 70s and 80s or something.

So, the main reason I don't make any of the cooking show recipes is because they all use tons of butter and cream and milk-filled products. It stinks. I know they aren't trying to be evil and I try not to take it personally. You can only go so far with Silk and Rice Dream and Earth Balance "butter" spread. I do have some vegan "cream cheese" to try. We'll see....

I'm trying little by little to be a better cook and make more interesting meals for my family. I for sure am a better baker than cook but I am trying. Proof? I printed out about 10 recipes from the internet today. Time will tell if I will actually make them but they sure sound yummy (Thanks Jaime for the suggestion to look at ourbestbites.com--I just kept printing and printing).

My goal this week? To make homemade bread. I read an article in the paper about how to improve your financial situation and one tip was to buy a bread machine because you get such an exponential return on your investment. Seriously, bread is like $4.00/loaf. Well, no bread machine but what the heck, I can make bread, right?

Yada Yada Yada

We started summer vacation yada yada yada and now the kids are back in school. That is how I feel about the summer. It went so fast and now we are back to the old grind. I feel like it is leftovers night for my blog. Little tidbits here and there that I need to get some use out of. Here goes...

The Bicycle Saga:

Today Penn and I took a bike ride to meet Brady for lunch. It was about 4 1/2 miles each way and so much fun. I feel like a kid who just got a bike. So for almost two years I have been working on taking family bike rides and I have run into a few road blocks (pun obviously intended) along the way.

Step 1-Get bikes--check (2 years ago).

Step 2-Teach kids to ride bikes (and enjoy it). This actually took Quinton awhile. I blamed myself for not getting bikes sooner. He eventually got the hang of it and even enjoys it now. Sophia just barely learned without training wheels earlier this summer. She is a pro now. Of course now they kind of need bigger bikes. Baby steps.

Step 3-Penn had be one year old to go in a trailer. So the spring of 2009 he was old enough and we decided on a seat on the back (like I used to ride with my Dad). It cost much less than a Burley-type trailer and I liked the fact that he could enjoy the sites right behind me. Well, we got the seat and Brady tried to install it when low and behold it was not compatible with my brakes. Ugh. So then I got discouraged. I have spent the last year or so looking for trailers on Craig's List but never got around to deciding on one (would it have all the parts, where would we store it, etc.). Plus, I felt like it was such an investment and I didn't know how long Penn would go for it (since by this time he is nearly ready for college). So, at the park last spring I saw a guy with this cool recumbant (sp?) trailer where the kid is strapped in like a car seat but can also pedal-but doesn't have to. Finally this week I got one! I just went out and did it. It is called a WeeHoo and I love it so far. It holds a passenger up to 60 pounds so I am hoping to get my money's worth here. And yes, Quinton and Sophia have both taken a ride to test it out.

Step 4-Go on an all-family bike ride. Nope, haven't done this yet. Oh, did I mention someone borrowed my bike in March and we haven't gotten it back yet? Yeah. Long story. So, I am riding Brady's bike with clip-in pedals (with normal shoes) no clipping in for me yet. We are still one step away (its like a nightmare when you just can't get everything done).

Here is Brady taking Penn for a test drive. Notice no shirt on Penn. We keep it classy.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not a "cyclist". I am totally cautious going down hills and don't like to get crazy on the mountain bike trails. Also, the trailer is great--it gives me an excuse to ride on the sidewalk/greenbelts rather than the busy streets which is scary to me. I did feel the love from some "cyclists" today. I got the friendly waves and enjoyed that. What I really love is the freedom of a bike. I like thinking about the possibilities of where I can ride to. This mostly involves food--like riding to lunch today. It also reminded me of riding to DQ and MiniMart with Lysa before we could drive. Brady and I rode to dinner a couple of times while dating. Just a fun way to do something that is otherwise normal. I'm totally addicted! I hope winter comes slowly.

In other news...

Things I Learned at Priest Lake:

1. Food always tastes better after a day at the beach. I come home each year with many meal ideas but they just don't taste the same.

2. Using leftovers is an art.

3. Away from the hub-bub of everyday life, planning and cooking meals takes on a much larger and enjoyable role.

4. Old Velveeta boxes are great storage devices.

5. Shower caps work well as plastic wrap substitutes for leftovers.

6. Coffee filters work well for covering food in the microwave.

7. Costco is a life-saver.

8. Lemonade at dinner is yummy.

9. My kids love pancakes and I should make them more often.

Last But Not Least...

To Minivan or Not to Minivan? That is the question.

We have been looking at cars. Ugh. Although the Audi seats 7 it is not very practical. The 3rd row is almost impossible to get to (especially with a car seat and booster seat in the 2nd row) and Brady is worried that it will only get more expensive to maintain the longer we have it. I can see his point there too. Also, we have been going back and forth about my part-time work for awhile now. My employer pays for my car (I'm not trying to brag, just the facts man). So, if I don't work then we will have less income AND a bigger car payment. So, a minivan is the practical answer right--and not one of those fancy souped up ones either.

So the other question is, why do I have such a hard time driving a minivan? Well, I think it goes back to my upbringing and I'm not dissing my parents I'm sure they would have loved to drive fancy cars back in the day but... Do your remember the Lead Bullet? I do. It was a silver, diesel, station wagon. Huge. Do you remember the sound a diesel car makes? Especially one circa 1985? This is what I had to drive upon getting my license. Then there was the DTV--you know, the Damn Tan Van. Fun times with that one too. Finally I got a cool car of my own. Sure, it was a 1979 Toyota Corona (not Corolla, look it up) but it was small and that was all I cared about. My BFF Melanie got to drive a cute yellow bug and occasionally her Dad's Porsche. No fair. Oh well, as I look back it taught me humility and gave me character (or so I tell myself). After the Corona was Grammie and Bompa's Mercury Marquis--gray with red interior. I was thankful for a car to drive. The car's nickname (Sex on Wheels--scandalous) acquired during my first years at BYU was definitely ironic. Did I mention it was rear wheel drive? Oh and the ceiling fabric hanging down was icing on the cake. I did have many fun times in that car though--driving back home to Colorado with various siblings listening to Red Hot Chili Peppers mix tapes on my boom box situated between the front and back seats, the music turned way up because the windows were open because the A/C didn't work...

So, after working for about six months at my first post-college, full-time job I was itching to buy my own car. Well, at least lease it. I settled on a gray (I see a color trend here) Honda Passport. It had 4-wheel drive and I loved it. I felt pretty rugged. Then came the Honda Accord, the VW Passat, Volvo 850, VW Passat Wagon, Toyota Sienna (disclaimer: I only had 2 kids back then, why did I need a minivan?) and finally the Audi Q7. Well, I think we may be back to the minivan and I think I maybe mature enough to accept it. Really, what is the big deal with cool cars anyway? (Well, I will really miss the best heated seats in the world and refrigerated glove box which is actually very handy, oh and the awesome panoramic sunroof...)

THE END. You never know when I will get to posting again so soak it all in. Just kidding. I woke up and could not get back to sleep so this maybe very funny in the morning.

Food Conundrum

So, in case you didn't know Penn is allergic to milk, peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seeds. And it totally sucks. We already knew about milk (immediate vomitting) and peanuts and tree nuts as a category. Last year when they tested him he was only tested for a few nuts (almonds, walnuts) and had a reaction so we were told to stay away from all nuts. This year I wanted to test more specific nuts in the off chance that he could tolerate any of them. I guess not. Some of the biggest welts above are from cashews, pistachios, peanuts and milk. What a rip off that he will miss out on those the health benefits and delicious yumminess of nuts. We were sent home with a prescription for an EpiPen and a referral to a nutritionist (my request). Good luck with that!

Food allergies stink big time. I'm not sure what Penn's reaction to peanuts or nuts is since we have avoided them for the last year. It could be anaphylactic or it could be throwing up (like with milk). But that is the thing. I don't know just how freaky to be with this whole thing. I think I may ask to have a test where they give small amount of the offending allergen to see what happens. As Penn gets older this will be more of an issue (he has been invited to a play group and now I am thinking "do I have to train all the Moms on the EpiPen?"). Seriously.

Penn broke his arm in June and had a cast for a month. It was totally easy compared to having allergies. Food avoidance consumes our lives. I remember the good old days when I knocked on wood (it doesn't work) and said "I'm so glad my kids aren't allergic to nuts. I don't know what I would do, I love nuts". I remember when I wasn't the lady who is always asking about specific ingredients (is there milk in that hamburger bun?), and the lady who is constantly going on and on about milk substitutes and hidden milk in french fries and chicken nuggets. I am the lady who has to explain the difference between lactose (sugar) intolerance and milk allergy which includes whey, casein, etc. I am the lady who is mad at the maker of dairy substitutes that are just lactose free but still have milk products in them.

So last night I was up looking up food allergy related information. It is scary. I know you can't believe everything you read but pretty much it sounds like bad food is making our kids sick with allergies, asthma, ADHD and autism (why do they all start with A?). So, I probably did this (inadvertently) to Penn by drinking Diet Dr. Pepper and eating GMOs--you know Genetically Modified Os (I think Organisms) because they are bad. There is a reason (I'm not totally sure of the origin) that kids have so many health issues these days compared to our day and I don't believe it is because we are better at diagnosing them. Allergies have to do with proteins and they are making artificial proteins and they are messing up the immune systems of kids. Also many websites say stay away from corn and soy. Evidently a protein in GMO soy is very similar to a protein in peanuts. Great, soy is Penn's main dairy substitute and source of food at this point. I am hoping that Silk is ok (it was on the non-GMO list). Also soy has some sort of estrogen in it and should be limited especially in boys. Why didn't anyone tell me until I asked? It is very confusing and frustrating. I hope I didn't totally screw up Penn's life in the last year.

No one has told me what to do. I don't think they know. When I was in the allergist's office I thought "they don't want to figure this out because it keeps them in business". I tried the voodoo doctor (acupuncture/frequency) and it didn't work and I really wanted it to. I had already resolved to make more of our family's food rather than buying processed and prepackaged food. Now I really feel an urgency to do this. But seriously, you could go crazy. It could be a full time job just trying to figure it all out. And I will probably need a full time job to pay for it.

Last night I went to bed (at 3:00 AM--not my most rational time of day) thinking that I had to do a total food makeover. That is not totally realistic but I will try to do baby steps. I need to stop drinking diet soda for one (after I finish the pack I just bought at Costco). I have started watering down Penn's Silk so he is not ingesting so much soy. I need to meet with a nutritionist who cares. I need to be grateful for the health that we do have. This is manageable, just overwhelming at times. I'm not going to go all Suzanne Sommers or anything like that.

By the way I was right (according to one allergy website). Last year I asked the allergy doctor if boys are more likely to have asthma and allergies because most of the people I know that have these issues are boys. He said no but one study I read says yes. Ha!

On a much lighter note (don't you love it when they say that on the Today Show?), its a new season of Project Runway---yeah!

She's Crafty...

Magnets, pins and hair clips by BETH.

This photo isn't very good because Penn was playing photog earlier in the day and got the lens all dirty.

So I went to Homemaking/Enrichment/whatever you call it last week (for the first time in a very,very, very long time. I actually talked to people too, amazing.) and learned how to make these little flower-things that you can make into hair clips, pins, etc. Don't look too closely because you will notice that they are not perfect. I got all excited with what I learned and invited Lysa over last Friday night and we had a fun time being crafty. She is not used to being crafty with me because I am not a very crafty person. I usually watch and offer lemonade. So I got it in my head that I would make some flower magnets for the kids' teachers as end-of-year gifts. Sophia and I went to Hobby Lobby (my 1st time) on Saturday and picked out some fabrics and buttons. Did I mention that the last day of school was on Tuesday and that I would be out of town from early Sunday morning through late Tuesday night? No big deal. So guess who was up at 1:30 Sunday morning sewing little flower magnets? Psycho, I know. The teachers probably would have preferred like a Starbucks gift card or something but I HAD to do it. So what that I got 3 hours of sleep-the teachers I'm sure were infinitely impressed by my homemade gifts-right?

Nanny McPhee

Have you ever seen Nanny McPhee? You should. I totally love it. Penn and Quinton have been sick for a cumulative of 6 days so I have been through many kids TV shows and movies. There are some really good ones out there. So tonight while watching Nanny McPhee I was thinking of how it compares to the Mary Poppins story. I hadn't really thought of Mary Poppins until about a month ago when I went to the play/musical with Sophia. It was her first theater experience and it was a lot of fun. I couldn't really remember the movie and she had never seen it so we DVR'd it when it came on the next weekend. Here are my thoughts...I liked the play better. It was little deeper emotionally. (Also, next time you watch the movie check out the stage make-up--skin colors are a little strange). Anyway, when compared to Nanny McPhee I definitely like Nanny McPhee better. Mary Poppins is easy to like-she is beautiful, witty, does fun things and has a great goofy friend in Burt. Nanny McPhee is grotesque when you first meet her. She is anti-charming. Both nannies help the family change for the better and leave when they are no longer needed. The Banks children seem a little mischievous but not nearly as naughty as the Brown brood who are acting out due to a distracted/inattentive father (same) and reacting to the death of their mother (different). Both movies have kite-flying scenes--coincidence? In the end Nanny McPhee reveals her true beauty. I love Emma Thompson.

Some other kids movies I totally love?

Meet the Robinson's. I didn't love it the first time I saw it but totally almost cry at the end every time now. Plus the music rocks and there are little Disneyland references.

Holes. You must see it. I probably need to read the book. I think the story is so clever!

Princess and the Frog. I love that Charlotte is not mean.

Some kids movies I totally do not love? All Shreks. Can't stand them. No offense if you are a Shrek family. We are not. I just find it gimmicky.

That's it. Time for bed...

Gag Me With a Spoon!

So I am really not obsessed with Kate Gosselin, she just really really bugs me to the point that I cannot contain myself. A little history. My kids and I would occasionally watch Jon & Kate + 8 when Brady was out playing hoops. Her anal retentive tendencies were totally annoying then (no bare feet on the hotel room floor-no matter that we probably got this hotel room for free). Jon played the hen-pecked husband well. Then they moved to the huge new house and had guest stars appearing on their show and I thought to myself, "they are getting a little too big for their britches". Then they split up. Fine. Jon is a jerk. Kate complained that the TLC show was the only way to support her family and I think that is a bunch of BS. But at least with that show she was home with her kids (the reason she is doing all of this right?). Since the break up it seems she is always off doing one project or another, getting hair extensions, appearing in People magazine, telling an interviewer that she thinks her future is as a movie star, etc. Now I hear she has a another reality show with TLC in the works. That is it. I am done with TLC. I'm sick of people exploiting their own families for profit (go exploit someone else's family!). I'm sick of seeing Kate on the Today show daily. Really, what is she talking about? Who is with the eight kids? I don't know because I refuse to watch it. Gag is a word that comes to mind. I haven't watched Dancing with the Stars but I'm sure it would throw me over the edge. Maybe I am already there.

What did you do today?

Here is my day in all of its glory. I constantly feel like I can't get anything done. I usually use work as an excuse but I hardly did any work today and still have nothing to show for the day.

Wake up and put the laundry in the dryer and a new load in (it never ends).
Husband realizes and reminds me that son needs to bring research articles to school today (we had all weekend to do this but forgot!).
Help son find and print info on the planet Saturn for 3rd grade project.
Get email from boss requesting some info. Replied that I will work on it after I get the kids to school.
Help kids get ready for school--breakfast, clothes, snacks, water bottles, luckily they both wanted to buy lunch today. I realize that they should make their own lunches, snacks, etc. but babysteps.
Get dressed and teeth brushed 5 minutes before going to the bus stop. Wake up 2-year old to go to the bus stop.
Get older kids on the bus and go home.
Get 2-year old settled watching Sesame Street.
Research info for boss and email it to him.
More laundry--new load, putting away, etc.
Get on the computer and to check personal email, FB and blogs.
Decide that I need to be a super couponer (even though I don't know how). Spend too much time looking for and printing out coupons (I did save $8 at the grocery store tonight).
Got info and filled out application for son to do a camp at the Littleton Historical Museum this summer.
Made list of stuff I need to do--didn't get any of it done.
Decided I really hate my laundry room right now. It is a disaster!
Took call from someone at work and did a little work.
Made the bed, put away more laundry.
Put makeup on and fixed hair.
Went to lunch with sisters-the hightlight of my day. On the way I see two Moms out for a run (I think they are in my ward) with their jogging strollers and I feel lame because I never do that and I don't really have a friend to do it with. I don't even have a jogging stroller.
Get another call from work requesting something. I will probably work on it tonight.
Took 2-year old to the park. Realized that I don't fit in with most of the park moms. I don't wear a baseball or castro-style cap or have designer jeans or any Ed Hardy (or whatever it is) gear on. Also realized that I want a different style of sunglasses.
Got 2-year old down for a nap which entailed a "tough love" snuggle and watching Cars.
Checked email, FB and Blogger again.
Downloaded recent photos. Thought about posting photos to FB and then thought, "does anyone really care about these? Am I annoying for posting so many pictures? Am I just doing this for myself?" So I didn't post any photos.
Paid some bills online.
More laundry.
2-year old wakes up so I snuggle him on the couch for a little bit.
Start watching Oprah (Lisa Ling interviews child molesters) for 15 minutes until big kids get home (DVR the rest).
Get kids going on homework.
I work on the dishes, make kids clean up, yell alot.
Husband gets home from work--what do I have to show for my day? Not much!
We all finish straightening up the house-more yelling, decide to go out for dinner since we have to go to the library (Saturn project) anyway.
Dinner at Scholtzky's (Penn throws up), go to the library, check out muchos libros.
Get VM from babysitter (manny) who has been out of town for two weeks. The message is that he will be back on Thursday-yeah! and that he is working with his brother this summer (ugh, what will I do?).
Get home and we all decompress which entails the kids watching Phineas and Ferb while I try to think of who can help me out with the kids this summer (stress).
Watch a recorded episode of Life with the whole family. The Bower birds were the best!
Get Husband and kids in bed (our queen sized bed for snuggles).
Go running at the rec center for 25 minutes (until it closes). Man, I am out of shape!
Come home. Big kids still awake and snuggling, husband fast asleep.
Get kids in their beds.
Go grocery shopping (with all my coupons!). Plan healthy meals my kids will like in my head-what will reality be?
Come home and think about posting to my blog and then doing a little work.
Watch Intervention while posting and contemplating work.
The End

My Special Kids

So, I probably do not blog (brag) enough about my kids. They really are quite amazing to me! Here is a poem Quinton did at school. I have to hide on the side of the fridge because if he saw it on display he would rip it up. He's just that way.

Here is a drawing Sophia did for her friend Elana. I had to hurry and scan it before she gave it away. As you can probably tell it is the Cheshire Cat. What I love are the peace sign eyes. She likes peace signs and I think that is so cute! She is very observant and vivacious.

What can I say about Penn? He entertains and amazes us daily! He is the proof to me that children come with their own personalities. I think he came with extra!

Here is a picture of me in my new glasses.

A few more Quinton items before he finds them and destroys them. I love the candid baseball picture since we can't get him to smile for posed photos. I'm glad the photographer got this shot!

Not that there's anything wrong with that

Signs that I am well on my way to becoming an old woman....

I get chilled and need to wear sweaters and jackets like never before.

The heated seat in my car is my friend.

I was telling a story the other night and saw a look in the listener's eye that I recognized. It was that look of "I have already heard this story but I am going to indulge her".

I am developing strong opinions about things that are really not that controversial (i.e. when a product says reduced sugar but they replace the sugar with artificial sweetener. Why can't they just reduce the sugar?!). See what I mean?

I am starting to hold grudges.

I check the fiber content of food I eat.

I feel the need to butt into conversations when I hear inaccurate information.

I'm sure there are more but I can't remember.

The pictures above are a couple of ladies who I love very much and skinny dip with on occasion. Here is to growing older with style!

A Little ELO?

So last night I was at the grocery store when I heard a song that took me back (way back) down memory lane. The song? All Around the World by ELO--you know Electric Light Orchestra. You don't remember it? Well it goes something like this, "Everybody all around the world I have a message have you heard the word? There's gonna be a party all over the world". When I was about 8 or so my friend Cheralyn (I don't even remember how to spell her name) and I would roller skate or simply run around in circles in her unfinished basement to the Xanadu record (and when I say record I mean the actual record with the blue label with a rainbow on it). It was awesome!

I loved roller skating. I had blue skates with red and white accents while Lysa had white skates with red and blue accents. I always wanted the white ones but the blue worked just fine. Remember when you first learned to skate down your driveway? Remember the really steep driveways on the block that were always there taunting you to try them? I remember when I got some hand me down skates that looked likes sneakers with wheels on them. Blue and gold if I remember correctly. Those were cool too. Ooooh and I had a very cool shiny roller skating jacket. Did it have an applique skate on it? I think so. Or did I just want one and now my mind has tricked me into thinking I had it? Remember when we skated to and from Burger King (did our moms know what we were doing?!) and I pulled Lysa by the balloon string wrapped around her wrist and nearly severed her hand? Sorry Lysa!

So what are some good roller skating songs you may ask? Here is my list:

Xanadu--duh

Centerfold--I didn't know what it meant

Freeze Frame

Whip It

Let's Get Physical

Another One Bites the Dust

Eye of the Tiger

Stayin' Alive

Disco roller skating at Classic Skate in Orem during my BYU days was fun as well. I lived for those Saturday nights. If you were my sister or roommate I'm sure I pressured you into going with me on more than one occasion. Where else could you wear short shorts and shiny jackets with tube socks, I mean come on!

So....even though I am pretty antisocial I think I will try to get a group of ladies (hey ladies!) together to go roller skating some night. If there are enough of us we won't be as scared of the teenaged hoodlums who probably hang out at the Skate City these days. Who's in? I promise not to wear short shorts!

What is running through my mind while watching the Olympics...

Is that guy really wearing overalls? Is that guy really wearing a top that looks like a corset with pink lacing? Does that guy really have feathers on his hands? --The black feather outfit actually looked good and was evidently designed by Vera Wang, but still. How do they spin so fast? Am I a bad person because I kind of didn't want Lindsay Vonn to win? Shaun White sure has a thing about open shirts during interviews, he also wears a lot of rings. How old is Bob Costas and when did he start coloring his hair? How do those moguls effect the knees? I can barely walk down the stairs in the morning. How do they walk after that? Are any athletes besides snow boarders allowed to listen to their ipods while competing? I know that Curling has a long tradition but is it really a "sport"? I would have to argue that pool or shuffle board are the next logical sports along these lines. These althetes are brave-there is no way you could get me on the ski jump or downhill runs or in a speed skating outfit for that matter.

Advice

So Brady's mom loves a quote on the wall at Jimmy Johns: Experience is what happens when you don't get what you want. Ain't it the truth?! So here are so other little pearls of wisdom/advice that I gleened (sp?) mostly from my TV. I know, I need to get out a little more!

**Please don't interpret this as me thinking I know everything or suggesting that these little phrases can replace the scriptures, prophets, parents, etc. as places to look for guidance. Ok?

Try? There is no try only do. Oh Yoda, wise you are. Often the anticipation of doing something is scarier than actually doing it. The hardest part of running for me is the first few steps. Quinton is terrified of going on Splash Mountain at Disneyland. He has gotten himself so worked up about it he is literally frozen with fear. Well, not literally, I guess that phrase is overused but trust me he won't budge. He has dreams about it, he watches videos of actual

riders on YouTube, has us describe it in detail, etc. He is obsessed with being scared of it. If he just did it, Splash Mountain would lose its scary mystique. What is your Splash Mountain?

Just keep swimming. This is literal advice for me these days. "Hey Beth, you want to do a triathlon?" Me: "Sure". Me trying to swim for half a mile: "Panic!". Anyway, I like Dori's advice here. What else can you do? You've got to just keep on keepin' on!

Let it go. Keep moving forward. This is from Meet the Robinson's which is actually a really cute movie. My kids love it because it has little hidden Disneyland references and we LOVE hidden references especially of the Disney sort--also known as "Hidden Mickeys". Am I overusing quotes in this blog post? Trust me, I need to "Let it go". Easier said than done. This phrase is actually what got me thinking about this post.

You can't always get what you want. No no no. No no no. No no no no. It won't even help if you keep on asking. Yo Gabba Gabba anyone? We don't watch YGG much but this is a song from the Jack Black episode which is really really funny. My favorite part is the last sentence. No matter how hard you want something, most of the time you can't force it.

Your sister should be your best friend. Feel free to insert brother, mom, dad, spouse, son, daughter, etc. This is from my Dad and is good advice. He gave it to me when I was a teenager and annoyed that my younger sister wanted to hang out with me and my friends. Your family (in most cases) can be your greatest source of comfort, camaraderie, fun, entertainment, etc. What would I do without my family?!

I made a good choice...in [choosing] my best friend(s). I don't remember Mater's exact words from Cars but it is a sweet sentiment nonetheless!

Well, as you can see my scanner is working! Here are some nostalgic pics of some of my best friends.

Looking our best! Yes, we are a near-sighted bunch.

Wow, a picture with both the Merc and the Omni!

Brady and I in our younger years. He still looks young but not this young!

So anyway....

So anyway--the universal and not so smooth transition phrase. I have a problem posting because I think I need to post something meaningful, entertaining, thought-provoking, etc. I have a hard time posting the day to day stuff. I have a fear of it turning into one of those Christmas letters that I cringe reading (my kids are perfect, we just had the best perfect vacation, my life is perfect etc.). Although my life is not perfect so I guess my blog would not turn into that but I digress.

So anyway, now there is more pressure because one of my six (I kid you not) blog followers is the fabulous Kacy of Everyday I Write the Book blog fame. I still have no idea who Jean-Jean is. Long story short--I am too lame to "follow" many blogs. I have a hard time committing to such personal things. So, instead I follow the blogs that my sister Lysa follows. Well, she started following Kacy's blog because our friend Jaime did. Yes, we Jemison's sure like to follow. Now if I were more blog saavy I would be able to put links to everyone's blog that I am mentioning but I forgot how to do that so maybe Lysa can leave some links in a comment or something. I made a comment on Kacy's blog and she in turn made a comment on mine. Lysa called me freaking out when she saw the comment. So anyway, thank you Kacy for making me a celebrity in my sister's eyes and thank you for the comment and for being one of my "followers". I hope I don't disappoint.

So anyway, it is hard being a mom. Today we are having our first "my best friend doesn't want to be my friend anymore" 3rd grade moment. It breaks my heart. My first instinct is to call the friend's mom and find out what is going on. But then I remembered that we need to let our kids find solutions to their problems. I will not be a helicopter mom although I may try like a hang glider if this rift goes on too long.

So anyway, what's another word for pirate's treasure?

Fame

I have recently decided that I don't want to be famous. It is going to be hard to hold on to my anonymous simple life-I know. It just seems that so many people want to be famous so badly. Then they become famous and get really messed up. Of course it is a chicken and egg thing-they probably have personalities that need a lot of attention in the first place and that is why they want to become famous. Of course when I was younger there always seemed to be the possibility of somehow becoming famous. Maybe I would be discovered and be a model or marry someone famous, or meet someone famous and have it rub off or something. Anyway, I am content with the prospect that I will never be famous and that is just fine with me.

People who are examples of why I don't want to be famous.

Danny Bondaducci

Lindsay Lohan

Kate (of Jon and fame)

Tiger

Heiresses in general

Father of the "Balloon Boy"

I have had a few brushes (directly and in

directly) with fame and here they are.

Donny Osmond touched my sister Lysa's hand during a concert. Oooh!

The Osmonds were customers at my parents leather shop in Provo before I was born.

In 7th grade I had an editorial cartoon printed in the Rocky Mountain News (it was an assignment, I didn't just draw and submit editorial cartoons on my own)

My husband and son were shown at an Avs game on a commercial. It was a split second but they were there!

I met Gene Simmons in NYC. He actually started talking to me because I am tall.

I saw Lenny Kravitz walking out of Nobu in NYC (I was in a car but believe me, I was freaking out). We also saw Martha Stewart eating at the same restaurant.

I was shown on the news twice (in the background) during the bus stop debacle this fall.

My sister Lysa was on the news when her husband was deployed in Iraq.

Being famous would be a lot of pressure and then I might have to be really cool and really good all the time. For example, I didn't wear any make up today. If I was famous I might show up in US Weekly in the "Celebrities without Makeup!" section. Oh, the horror. Also, today I went to return something to Aspen Grove (which if you are not familiar, is an outdoor shopping center). Penn fell asleep on the way there and I really didn't want to wake him up for a 5 minute errand. So, I drove right up to the store and put on my hazard lights (like is acceptable if you drive a Fed Ex truck and I thought my errand was pretty similar), locked the doors and ran in. I could see my car the whole time (I was maybe 25 feet away) including when the police car pulled up. I ran out and the officer notified me that it is no okay to leave your sleeping toddler in the car or to illegally park right in front of the store. If I were famous I would be definitely be labeled as a bad mother. Ugh. I guess I won't do that again since last night I had a dream that I was going to jail and then today I had a brush with the law.

Better go, I think I will go watch E! News or TMZ (I don't really watch it) or Keeping up with the Kardashians or something like that....