16 things

Hey-

I have 16 things scheduled for myself this week...

Um,

 

You may not hear from me for a while.

Kelly

Medical Assistance

I thought this story needed to be blogged about.... Here goes.

As my family boarded the airplane from DC to Utah we heard an announcement over the speaker. "If there is a physician on board will they please rapidly report to the front of the plane?"  

My heart-rate quickened as I looked in my husband's eyes across the aisle.  He raised his eyebrows at me and ran up to the entryway.  

The first few thoughts that went through my brain were the following:

1-I'm glad he has some trauma experience now after his 6 month stint in Iraq.

2-Hope this doesn't end up in a law suit...

3-If he ends up having to give someone mouth to mouth then I am waiting for a Listerine rinse before I kiss him next.

Then I busied myself with talking to the kids about what Daddy might be doing.  "Checking for a pulse, listening for breathing, doing CPR, etc..."

I worried more and more as the time passed about what might be going on.  The stewardess kept rushing back and forth getting first-aide bags and the defibrillator machine.  Stress!!  

Being the attention lover that I am I was looking forward to the scene that was coming when he arrived and I asked my MD husband for the low-down on the situation.  Actually I knew how much he would hate this moment so I was thinking about how to make us both happy.  

He modestly waved off the clapping of the thankful passengers on his walk back to row 42D.

"What happened?!"

"Nothing."

"What did you do?"

"Pretty much nothing."

"What did the passenger need"

"Air, and blood to her head.  She fainted"

Silence....

"You are going to have to make this story better and longer for me..."

The funniest part of the story for me was the fact that the woman who fainted was both half on and half off of the plane.  That and the fact that the nurses were trying to get her to stand up when she really should be on the ground with her feet elevated.  Sometimes those nurses like to brag about how the doctor gets paid too much when they do all the work.  And sometimes you nurses, just sometimes.... The doctor is paid more because he knows what he is doing.  Sorry if I offend.  But after going through all that training with him (at home/supporting him, etc), I hate when people complain around me about such things.  You're not paid for how much time you spend, you are compensated for your knowledge.  Nuff said?

The other funny/embarrassing part was how the stewardess then kept spoiling all of us.  (Well half of us got ignored until she was told the boys were also part of the good doctor's crew).  She brought us blankets then free headphones and movies.  You have to pay for movies on some flights now!  Then we got extra cookies and free Twix bars, etc.  It just went on and on.  Every time we would try to say "hey this is really more than you need to be doing for us" she would make a big to do and say extra loudly "We just couldn't have done it without him!" "He did just a great service for us!"  "Your husband is wonderful!"  

He absolutely hated it.  I thought it was awesome.  

Cake or Death

Found this on Cake Wrecks today...

Love Legos, Love cake, had to share.

You're welcome!

Kelly

Sister Act

Having just spent some quality time around some of my sisters (I have 7) I noticed some interesting things. I laugh just like M___, she says it was Mom's laugh. I sound a lot like P____ (especially when I am around her my voice just naturally goes up an octave). And not only do I share similar tastes with my sister Sh____, oddly enough, we do similar things that one would never guess. Like we both do this with our egg shells.

Someone once told me that was gross, but I can't seem to help myself and I keep doing it anyways. It seems the fastest place to get rid of the egg shells. The only problem is that when you go to recycle the egg carton sometimes getting out all the shells can prove problematic. So it's a battle for me between two things I love; efficiency and recycling. Luckily for my sister, she lives in Utah where they still don't recycle (as far as I can tell-sigh). Anyways, here are some other sisterly similarities that I found fascinating but you may find rather dull. Just remember that I haven't been around my sisters in years so I can't pick up on these things through association. I just think that genetically speaking there is something there that makes us act the way we do and choose the things we do... It's kinda spooky really!

Exhibit A: The butter dish. It's a rather common looking butter dish I know, but we bought the same one without knowing about it.  Maybe you think this is not that big, but just keep reading, you're bound to be getting goosebumps by the end of this post.

Exhibit B: Magnetic polished nickel containers on our fridge. Mine hold nails, paper clips, and nail clippers that seem to disappear quite rapidly. Hers contain plastic 'fridge bouncers' and chess pieces. She is a little crazy! I didn't say we were twins people.  Is it coincidence?  Or the supernatural?  You decide my friends... Que scary music.

Exhibit C: We have the exact same floral print. Who knows were we each bought it at. The frames are different, but the sisters are weirdly the same person I guess...

Exhibit D: I have no photo but this one is not as weird since we both shop at pottery barn but we have similar styles of linens and fabric covered items. She has this same striped print all over her house, and so do I (but not as much- guess I am a minimalist compared to her).

It's just odd that we would choose the same things as consumers when there are so many choices out there. Really odd.

So when people would see me and say "Oh you look just like your sister" I think my response should have been- "you think we look alike you should see our linen closets!"

I wonder if she had been stationed overseas in Korea if we would have both come home with this little kokeshi doll.... Who knows!?

What a Trip!

I have noting but good to report about our trip to Utah! It was so pleasant to see family again and to take in the Utah friendliness, majestic mountains, churchy bookstores, and a trampoline in every back yard! There were parties, puppies, chickens, baby bunnies, cousins, hikes, and more. The twins didn't fight. The relatives went ga ga over my children. It was awesome! Here are a lot of photos of our vacation. At least the 2nd half when we purchased a new camera after ours was stolen at Temple Square. (someone has a lot of nerve- and a new camera)...

Here in Utah

Well here we are in Zion for a few more days. It has been so nice to smell the fresh mountain air and take in the scenery. The people are so nice and it has been great to see old places and old faces (just kidding Grandma- your face is beautiful). I love the nostalgia that comes over us seeing the sites where T and I met and fell in love. Saweet!

So far we have seen a cousin's Lacross game, eaten some elk meat in our soup (don't tell the kids), been turned down at the Apline Slide in Park City,(not open until after memorial day-frowny face), went to Granny's in Heber city for awesome milkshakes that are so thick they stand up 4 inches above the cup with no problemo, went to temple square and lost our camera near the Christus- so no photos to download yet. This is probably just as well since Grandma T's computer might just take an eternity to download something. Getting on the internet just now took me about an ice age or two.

I have just one question to my Utah readers.... What the heck (and I can say heck since I am a Utah native) is that stonehedge replica doing on center street in Orem? I hate it! My sister says people have wedding photos done there all the time.... sigh! I am probably offending you here, but I just find that in very weird taste. Maybe I just need some time to acclimate.

TTFN-

Kelly T.

To BW With Love

So I heard a rumor today that I hope is true.  A long lost brother has been unearthed and may be coming to our family gathering on May 18th at 5:00pm.  It's the perfect opportunity for him to see us really.  The main reason he has stayed away is our father who will not be there.  Out of the country seeking medical attention for our stepmother's cancer.  TMI?  

I just wanted to send out a message (as I do suspect he has found me on this blog and reads about us incognito), that I would love to see him and hug him and tease him about how grey his beard is.  A word of caution, he can no longer tease me about how I have been developing.  That's not appropriate for 40 year olds- or 14 year olds for that matter.  But then tact was never a strong trait for either of us.  Possibly part of the problem... 

It's been too long to remember what separated us in the first place, but you are still missed.  Please do come.  There will be a getting to know you walk across the stage, a slide show honoring our mother, and some ultimate frisbee.  Root beer floats with home made root beer!  What person could possibly pass that up?

RSVP!   

Just Whatever Comes

Tonight I will just type whatever comes to mind.  Might be good, might be crap.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  Today was interesting.  I got the kids ready with only making one child cry.  Bonus!  I went to drive my morning shift of the carpool and the car wouldn't turn over and even did a freaky flash of the dashboard thing that brought to mind that the Odyssey may actually be haunted.  For once this year I got to call the PM driver and bail on her instead of it being the other way around.  Not that I'm keeping score or anything- but I kinda am at this point.  I am so imperfect-I know.

I spent the morning trying to get someone to jump start the van for me.  I will spare you the details on that one but tell you instead the things I learned.  #1-Don't buy a Dodge Caravan (I think that's what it was) because the battery is in a very strange unreachable place.  I am also sure that is not the only reason not to buy these vans.  #2- My neighbor who I met for the first time today has interesting tatoos, can't yet drive his stick shift car and works at the deli at Giant.  I may have made poor Ron/Rob(?) late for work today.  Also jumper cables make him (and me) skiddish.  #3 The biggest helper for me today was the Princeton Graduate with 3 small children who looked up how to do this beforehand and owned another Odyssey.  Young mothers rock!  As do Hondas.

I should have spent more time on laundry today as I have to pack for our entire clan tomorrow.  We head to the place of our birth for 6 days where I will surely weep over the sight of the mountains.  Yes it's Utah.  But we all know how patient the laundry is.  It waits for me even now as I type.  After I finish, it's gonna be me, my laundry and Adam, Chris and Danny singing the night away.  I hope the girls can stop giggling in their beds.  Big Girl is in my bed right now to separate them into sleepiness.  Have I typed long enough yet?  

Oh- I gave Big Boy an ultimatum today (totally off subject sorry).  I am taking hostage future items found on his floor and as ransom I will require some type of work from him.  Bigger the pile- bigger the job!  Follow through will actually require me going into his room to check.  I'll be getting back to you on that one.  

So I guess that is long enough of a ramble.  My husband says my posts can be too lengthy.  Hmm- quite possible.  I think he doesn't talk enough though, so there!  I probably won't be posting for some time so check back around the 20th.  I should have lots to go on and on and on about then.  Like how the family reunion without my Dad goes.  Will the adult twins fight like cats and dogs in front of the children?  Will we eat at Chuck a Rama?  Will Timp Cave be worth the hike up there?  Tune in to find out!  TTFN.

KT 

Mom Song

This is worth listening to.  I wish I knew how to do more than just link to it.  Oh well... I am still learning this stuff

PS Thanks to my Sis-in-Law Stephanie for sending it to me.

The Ol' Bamboo

We have a bamboo forest growing in our back yard.  When we purchased this house last summer, a member of our church who lives in our neighborhood said with a bit of sarcasm "Hope ya' like bamboo" Another kind neighbor had this to offer "The previous owners would have to rent a trailer each spring to hall out the extra unwanted bamboo-good luck!"  

It's basically a weed that wants to take over the yard if not kept in check.  But it provides shade and privacy and reminds us of our Asian stay 2 years ago.  We likey!  Of coarse we haven't been dealing with it for too long.  It's the season for new sprouts to start coming up.  They look like this

Tonight there was a bit of an issue at our back yard BBQ which I will show you with a photo...

Try as he might, Middle Boy couldn't seem to get ball number one out of the tree.  And so we ended up with ball number two....

.....and then ball number three out of reach.

But with a little help from the ol bamboo, we managed to retrieve all 3 balls.  Until next time.

Mother's Day

*** Update*** Had a great day and felt validated indeed when I heard that if you totaled the amount of work that you would have to pay to hire someone to do all the things Mother's do, the annual cost would be 123,000.00!  Wow!  Somehow putting a price tag on my services really makes me feel important.  Is that wrong?

I had a good day overall, but there was a low point where I actually spanked someone.  I always feel bad when I spank.  It sucks.  My mother used to tell me that it hurts her more than it hurts me when she has to spank.  That statement totally confused the heck out of me and made me wonder about the state of her hand.  Now I empathize.  I felt like a bad mother.  I probably was one.  When my 6 year old and I mended things later on, I apologized for being so cranky today and she said "that's okay, I'm used to it..."  um, ouch.  

I am going to try my best to have a good day tomorrow.  But I can't promise.  Mother's Day reminds me of all my imperfections.  I miss my own Mother on Mother's Day.  I feel sorta ripped off that breast cancer took her 20 years ago.  But I will do my best to paint on my lipstick and smile.  I'll wear my new pink blouse and pencil skirt to church.  I will listen proudly as my 15 year old gives a talk that I helped him write.  We need to edit out the smart remarks still though.  I think I should let T do that job.  Maybe, as a Mother's Day gift, Big Boy will not fight me and let me cut his hair in the morning.  Then I will feel less like a bad mother who let's her teenager grow out his long red wavy hair and then give a talk from the pulpit looking like that.

I am grateful for the good mother I had for 20 years.  Grateful for the good mother-in-law I now have.  And I hope for the progress I need to burst through that crysallis and become that mother that I aspire to be.  Hopefully I'll climb to that spot very soon.

Dragon Tales

I don't know which ride sounds scarier... You decide.

PS Thanks Busch Gardens for offering a free day each year to members of the armed forces and their families.  Even though we don't drink your beer (or any other for that matter), we appreciate your generosity.  You ROCK!

Frustration

Last night I was cranky and I will tell you why.  My house is bugging me because it's so messy.  I feel like this again.  And it's not that I haven't felt that way since December of '07, oh NO!  I feel this way quite regularly.  My Grandmother used to say "A place for everything and everything in it's place"  I really want everything to be in it's place but the other people in my life keep fighting me on this.  I mentioned to T the other day that someone I know always has a perfectly clean home and he facetiously said "Man, that must be really frustrating to her poor children who work so hard to mess it up all the time."  It's no wonder I really enjoyed having Melissa come and clean my house and take me to my happy place twice a month.  She has been out of commission for a while now and I am really really not in my happy place.  I find that the condition of things inside my 'person' (my purse-stay with me here), really reflects the way things are going for me in life.  If I am overwhelmed I stuff things in places and don't think about them until later- much later.  Lately it's been pretty bad in there and this morning it threw up on my kitchen table while I was looking for a lost cell phone.  This is what it looked like.
But there is light at the end of the tunnel because when I cleaned up the mess I found a missing 20.00 bill that I thought my husband had swiped from me (he always does that-grrr.... oh yeah, I'm just grateful to have him home alive and all that good stuff..... perspective!).  And a reminder notice that my 10 year old has a scripture to present in primary this Sunday.
So it's a good thing I lost my cell phone in time right?  Seriously, if you know where it is, please call me..... not on the cell phone though.  

That isn't all that is frustrating.  When we are in chaos mode I forget things terribly.  I forgot it was jersy day today at school.  Big Girl lives in fear of the upcoming pajama day being missed.  I still don't know when it is!  Remember when she had to dress up as a cow and did it on the wrong day?  Still traumatized.  I volunteered yesterday and realized as I walked in that despite my best efforts to have a pre-made teacher appreciation note made that it didn't make it to school on the right day-yesterday.  Big Girl made her sad face as Mrs S went through all the notes of children who's parents have their stuff together.  Mrs S assured us that a note on any day of the week is just as good.  We came home, couldn't find our note, made another and then just before bedtime, couldn't find the 2nd masterpiece.  Sigh!  Swear!  I give up!!! I am so ready for school to be over so I can stop being assigned to appreciate the teachers!  It's enough to make me want to homeschool. (But not quite.  You can see why I'd be horrible.  I'd never get any appreciation-day notes from my students).  The note could be in this horrendous pile that I need to go through.  Papers pile up like wild fire around here.  It's good thing I recycle!

So please come back Melissa so that I can gain some sanity.  

And believe me, the irony that I chose to blog about this mess instead of clean it up during my nap-time window this afternoon is not lost on me.  I think I will go take a rest myself now. 

Oh and the following video is for my sister Marie who tells me she likes to see vids of the kids.  View if you like- or don't!

Star Wars Day

I just found out it's Star Wars Day!  Who knew?!  Wikipedia that's who.  My Middle Boy went through a serious Star Wars phase.  He insisted on being Vader and we had to call him Lord Vader (at age 3 I might add). I still remember going to the first Star Wars movie back in 1977.  I would have been about 9.  I say about so as not to reveal my real age.  I recall my parents being concerned about the possible violence in the movie.  Oh how far we have come.  A little arm cutting off scene is hardly a head turner anymore.  Was it rated G or PG?  I forget (since I am so old).  I still remember my mother having some sort of mental block when it came to saying PG.  She'd repeatedly say it GP.  It was a new-fangled system back then.  

I saw it multiple times while it was in the theater.  My older brother Chris taking me each time.  It was almost a spiritual experience what with the force and the evil dark side and all.  I could swear George Lucas was inspired during the entire production.  

And now I am going to do something inspired and cut this blog entry short!  Happy Star Wars day and may the force be with you!

Feel free to share your Star Wars memories!

PS Here is a joke for you...

A heavy breathing D Vader voice says: 

"Luke, I know what you're getting for Christmas"

Luke answers: 

"How do you know?"

D Vader answers: 

"I felt your presents"

You Say Tomato...

I love the current stage some of my kids are in.  Others... well...  (another topic for another day perhaps).  One of the things that I love about 2 year olds is the way they say things.  The way they mix up the words or the pronunciation of things and soon  your entire family is speaking this way.  It's like your family inside joke, and it really helps to bond you together.  Today we were going to buy an after-baseball game Slurpee, and I realized that when my husband and I swapped cars I had left my person (purse) in the other car.  Even though it was just my 10 and 12 year olds in the car with me, they completely understood when I said "whoops- I have no person!"  

Here are some others you may find amusing (or maybe it's only funny to us)...

Remote Control=Memote Contoe or sometimes just memo

You're Welcome=Dah Yecum

It's Not Working=S'nah Wurkkin'

Umbrella=M'brudda.  Sometimes mistaken for my brother (?)

Chapstick=Yips (sounds like she is trying to say lips)

Napkin=Whipes (makes sense I guess)

There are certainly more but I am having a hard time coming up with them at the moment.  Little Girl keeps us laughing a lot of the time.  It's gonna be sad when she grows up and starts to speak like the rest of us.

When we got home later I heard my 6 year old singing something familiar, yet not.  She has been listening to my old cassette tape collection from the 1980s lately.  The Police now have a new fan.  As do Ah Ha, New Order and OMD.  I am glad to be contributing to her overall musical development.  So she was singing out the words "Sandy bottom SOS, Sandy bottom SOS...."  Hmmm.... A sandy bottom is indeed an SOS, but what I think what she meant to say were the words "Sending out and SOS"  from the song Message in a Bottle by the Police.  

I shared with my family at lunch a similar mistake made by me in the 80s when listening to the words to the song Hip to be Square by Huey Lewis and the News.  I could have sworn they were saying "Hit the Beef Square" and it was either nasty and I didn't understand it, or it meant taking a run to Wendy's where they have those square hamburgers.  

I love these mistakes we sometimes make with words.  If you have any I would love to hear from you.  

Now I think we'll all go hit the beef square for some Frosties, take them to the sandbox, and hope we don't have to report a sandy bottom SOS!