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....

Remember when...

Remember when I couldn't sleep on Christmas Eve?

Remember when I was 13 and painted my nails every night?

Remember when I took a shower and then a bath in the morning? Ooooh I love hot water.

Remember when I used to listen to the radio in my room on my parent's old stereo with brown speakers?

Remember when I used to eat an apple and Hostess apple pie for lunch everyday?

Remember my bright turquoise mini skirt?

Remember when I convinced Scott B. that I was a skateboarder?

Remember when I used to have a Butter Flavor Crisco monologue?

Remember when Unsolved Mysteries was like the scariest TV show?

Remember when I picked up Meri walking home from high school and was sure that people thought she was my daughter?

Remember when Mini Mart was new?

Remember when I thought that I looked really good in the color peach?

Remember when I wanted a Trapper Keeper so badly that I had dreams about it?

Remember going to Skate City? I still love roller skating. Anyone want to go?

Remember when we always ran into someone we knew at Albertsons?

Remember the Lead Bullet and DTV?

Remember K-Mart models?

Remember when Mom and Dad had a social life that was way more active and exciting than mine?

Remember my pot belly pig?

Remember playing croquet?

Remember jumping on the trampoline for hours on end?

Remember when Mel and I limped past the construction site so the construction workers wouldn't whistle at us?

What do you remember?

Not Much to Blog About

Seriously. I can never think of anything to say. Sure, when I'm in the Gap trying on jeans standing there in my t-shirt, garment bottoms and black socks I'm thinking, "is this what it has come to? Is there anything more unflattering than this?". That is a blog idea. Or what about when I'm cleaning up poop, vomit, vomit and more vomit and I'm thinking, "for real? Isn't there anyone else to do this?" That's a blog idea. How about this, when I take Sophia and Penn to the pool at the rec center (they are my fish) and I'm thinking, "swimming suits are so weird. No other time would I consider walking around in public with so little clothing. Why is this okay?". That is a blog idea.

But alas, they are only fleeting thoughts....

Then there are more serious topics. Darfur. I watched a show on this the other night (until 2AM) and it is still so amazing that more was not done to stop the pure evil that happened and is happening there. How can human beings be so evil? What about the mom of that 5-year old girl who was killed in North Carolina who alledgedly sold her into prostitution? I cannot fathom any of that. What would I do if my face was literally ripped off by a chimpanzee? Would I have the strength to go on?

I guess the moral of this blog is that my most of my thoughts are very shallow when compared to the anguish that some people go through on a daily basis. I didn't start this to be "Debbie Downer" but maybe it helped to put things

in perspective!

Here is something to lighten the mood (don't worry I won't ever post poop or vomit pictures, or pictures of me in my garment bottoms!!). Also, you have probably seen (and maybe are sick of) this video but it cracks me up every time.

Winter Poem

Here is Sophia's Winter Poem that she wrote this afternoon.

Snow falls on the ground

No sunshine in the winter

Oh no what happened to the sunshine

Winter snow is so cold and white

So bright