Charlie Brown's Teacher

There are just some days that I feel like Charlie Brown's teacher...You know, that "sound" (I am informed that the sound is made by a trombone with a mute in it). She responds, but Charlie, Peppermint Patty, etc. just hear vocal tones...not the words she is saying. Case in point: I had just tried a new polish on the kitchen counter. I said to Nathan, "Don't make any food on the island. I just polished it." Not even three minutes later, there is Nathan, getting bread, cheese and pepperoni out and making a sandwich, right there on the island counter top! And this is not an isolated occurance...it happens all the time. "Kate, could you dry the dishes and put them away?" Two hours later, as I am putting them away, I get a blank stare as she sits at the table on the computer. "I didn't hear you," she assures me. "Wa wa wa...wa wa"

They Made My Day

My birthdays have always been...well...interesting. I was born in Phoenix Arizona on July 4th. I never really could have parties because everyone was out of town, and I certainly do not blame them. It is doggone hot here on July 4th!! Yesterday, I woke up, exercised, and took my own annual hike at Thunderbird Park...something I just love to do. I came home all excited to invite the rest of my family to go back with me...and things just fell apart. Nathan and Dad had a disagreement last night, Dad was just angry... angry words were exchanged...he ended up going hiking, I got Nathan up and he and I went out and did yard work. Yuck! Then, later, I ended up going to a Jackie Chan movie with Dee and getting sick eating popcorn. I made dinner for whomever was not at work, and it was my typical everyone grouchy, yucky, hot day. Then, the best things happened. Cameo and Ethan came by. She was carrying a beautiful bouquet of red, white and blue flowers, complete with their own blue "fireworks" (blue flashing lights). She got me bouquets similar to this one the last two years, but with red "fireworks". Little Doran had made them so that I could add batteries each year and reuse them. So, Cameo and I set out arranging the flowers and fireworks. They came out so nice!! Then, Ethan changed into grubby clothes, and took the rats nest of wires that were my internet connection and he and Dee moved phone plugs, wires, etc. and made my family room look so much neater!!! I said that they have now completed my Christmas present as well...That made such a great difference. Thank you Dad and especially Ethan for climbing into our roasting hot attic, wading and swimming through tons of insulation to find wires that had not been located in 28 years!!

Then, I checked my email, and, to my wonderful surprise, I had been sent the very best birthday present that two grandbabies could ever, ever send a Grammy!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2VXr6Hw_90k

Sharynn, Rollin and family called later to sing to me. All in all the end of the day sure made up for the awful start! Thank you to everyone.

My Latest Project

Nathan had grown rather tired of his baseball room (it was decorated with St. Louis Cardinal stuff...and he was an avid fan, though he was not too popular when we are a Diamondback town!) Anyway, he wanted desert camo. Now, I originally planned to just paint a few scattered splotches here and there, but it turned into a total camo job. At first, the spots, I was told, resembled those of either a cow, or a giraffe. So, I had to take a total "amoeba" approach. I painted various shaped splotches, and when someone came to check on me and began to say, "Well, that one looks like..." they were immediately expelled. I finally finished, after about 20 hours of splotching. Then, we had to figure out how to hang the wake boards...thank you to my ever resourceful husband!! I finished with the bed pillows (thank you ebay for the only piece of non-digital desert camo fabric) and it is done. He even seems to kind of like it, and that is surprising, for Nathan, especially. Through all this, I have gained a special appreciation for our military, and for those whose assignment it is to make our fighting men and their vehicles, etc. disappear!!

A Sight to Behold!

You know, some of my sweet children have expressed concern that I have not blogged much lately. Now, not that nothing happens in my life...Nathan, in fact, just came in the house, expressing sincere gratitude for angels that guard and protect, since he rolled the quad in the neighbors yard a few minutes ago. Fortunately, I was engrossed in my fun for the day and listening to Ozzy's "Crazy Train", so I didn't really fathom what had truly happened until this very moment! (I guess I had better check him again!) To go on... as I grow older, smaller things take on great significance. Thus, the sight to behold...a clean and organized refrigerator. I was just going to do one shelf...and then it moved to two, then three, then the drawers, then the door. It was good timing, since I had given the items I had squirreled away for the family campout that only Danyel and Doran will enjoy, and there was empty space now! (Now, Mr. Rice, do not expound on how I now have a challenge to fill that void!) Anyway, it looks so nice. And it should stay that way for another 51 minutes....that is when Nathan will whine: "I'm hungry...What is there to eat?) I guess a clean refrigerator is just a brief sighting...perhaps like Bigfoot, or The Loch Ness Monster!

Better Luck Next Year!

Sometimes, you just have to say..."That's it...we'll try again next year." Our annual campout has fallen on difficulty after difficulty. First, we were changing to a new location to be nearer to Allison and Mike. Then, since Mike had been blessed with most every holiday off, he needed to work this weekend, so they had to bow out for the year. Then, Ethan and Cam had an opportunity to go to Hawaii, so they bowed out. That trip fell through, but Ethan has taken on a second job in the security system business and is doing so well that he is working on his week off. Then, Kate and Nate got jobs...and they are working, so they couldn't go. This was making me feel very uncomfortable...not that they couldn't handle themselves, but just the logistics of getting to and from on bike and bus were a little unnerving with us 2 hours away. Dee and I were still going to try, but loading all in the jeep was just not going to work. So, he worked on the van trying to remove the catalytic converter so that we could replace it...no luck. So, Doran and Danyel are going to keep the tradition on their own. Tonight, they will be loaded with the food: including many cereals, the traditional pop tarts, granola bars, Ragu, bread, lunch meat, chili, etc. and they will go up to Woods Canyon Lake and enjoy a few days of cool weather while we stay in the 111 degrees. Talk about bad luck!!!

My Brag Moment

Sometimes, we only hear bad news...and I want to share some good news. I am so.... well pleased with Kaity and Nathan. Wednesday, Nathan's report card came: straight A's, 4.25 GPA (he is at a college prep school and took an honors class) Not too bad for changing to a new school! Today, Kaity's diploma came, and her final, official transcripts... straight A's (even that pesky Earth Science class online/computer...she pulled an A-) all four years, 4.0 GPA, ranked 1 of 44!! What great, hard working kids we were blessed with. And a special Thank you goes to my older children, for setting such a good example for them! Kaity watched Allison read and study, and it just became part of her routine, as well. Nathan had hard working brothers: Ethan always tried to be number one in his classes, and Doran, though school was not easy for him, he always worked hard, studied, did his best on projects, and turned in his work on time. Allison, Ethan, and Doran, you made our life so much easier!!

I Am Awful!!

It took a visit with my daughter in law, sweet Danyel, to point out the error of my ways!! I get on my blog and then check others to see their news...I just love to see how my grandkids are doing, how some of the kids my kids grew up with are progressing. I even get bothered...just a little...when they don't post regularly. Then, Danyel said, "Mom, when are you going to post something?" Out of the mouths of babes!! I read, but don't report. Shame on me. So, here is the update for June, so far.

We are still working on the yard project. First, we had pool troubles. Our pool was just as green as can be. Dee works on that pool all the time...every day... so it is not a case of neglect. Turns out, our salt pool stays nice and clean, as long as we fill it with chlorine tabs...Now, go figure! So, for now, a clear pool is better than one with salt only. We will figure out that mess later.

We have a new family member...Mr. Turtle, or Senor Tortuga (we don't know if he speaks Spanish or English). Doran and Danyel found a smaller desert tortoise on their way home one evening trying to cross the street. He now lives in our back yard. We lost him for a few days, and thought he may have escaped through an open gate, but Nathan saw him this morning out by the hay bales in the garden. I went and fed him his usual lettuce, and he seemed...well when I could see his head... somewhat happy.

Our next project in the yard involves concrete. Dee wanted to extend a patio by our outdoor kitchen, so he would have a place for the smoker, etc. Well, we are putting up the forms now, and hope to pour phase 1 Saturday. I think that my sweet husband will not rest until this whole yard is under concrete!! He even showed me his calculations on the payoff for covering our dirt with concrete as opposed to the money for weed killer and the man hours for digging, etc. Such a statistician!! So, he and I are putting up forms now.

Kid info: Kate and Nate are happily out of school for a while. Kate has three piano students and she works at Party City, near our house. Nathan is now on our stake pioneer trek (I took him to church this morning to leave for the trip, and it looked like a regular ol' polygamist convention - except for the fact that there were so many men there. I never see too many men in those news reports about that polygamist group in Texas. The girls were in pioneer dresses and bonnets, the boys in shirts, pants, and suspenders, and hats. I told the girls that they would not be mistaken for polygamists. The ladies do their hair just that certain way...you have seen it, and my sister, Sharynn, pointed them out to me up where she lives in Utah. My polygamist spying was one of the highlights of our last visit there. Nathan works at Waterworld, and is training for the football team at his school.

There...out of the doghouse, at least for a day. I am going to do the cleaning I didn't get done this morning due to the fact that I got caught up painting Nathan's room. (he wants desert camo painted walls.) He is at trek this week, comes home for a few days, then off to EFY next week. We shall see how it comes out!!