Yeah, that't right, this blog isn't winning any awards. But I have to admit it is kinda nice to be able to log on, make an entry (triviality nothwithstanding) and log off. Pictures and everything. Anyway, even if nobody else visits or cares, we will have a running weBLOG of our sillyness. K?

Bolted

Watched it today. AJ wouldn't even sit in the same room with it! I liked it because it didn't get too stupid or whiney. Sorry, AJ, I'm just sayin'....

Stone and Shep and their families kept randomly quoting from this movie and they were confident that I would love it. So, yielding to peer pressure, and the fact that Stone owned a copy that I could borrow for free, I relented.

Those pigeons cracked me up the most. Man, those animators NAILED them! And the voices were hilarious! At least they were awesome in my little world.

"ring..ring...."

Temple Ninjas

Did I ever tell you about the Temple group that CC is part of? This will blow your mind because it is so amazing.


There is a group of TEENS (yeah, that's right, I said teens) that gets together once or twice a week to go to the temple. They gather each other up in cars and carpool to a different temple each time. The cool part of it is that they go in the wee hours of the morning (4 AM) so they will be at the temple doors when it opens. Then, with their individual recommends, they go to the baptistry and do the work for those who can't do it for themselves.


What strikes me about all of this is that they do this on their own, with no adult input, and they are getting up at the "crack" of dawn on their free days. Tell me that you would have done this when you were a teen. Go ahead, lie to me...


They get back around 7:30 AM and get on with their seperate lives like nothing happened. It's almost like they are temple ninjas or something!

LeTTers & JouRNals

There was one box in the shed that hasn't been looked into for a decade. It contains my bundles of letters from family, friends and penpals. Tonight I spent a few hours reading through them and letting the waves of the past wash over me. Admittedly, there were some authors that I don't remember and couldn't place them anywhere on my demented mind map. However, most were familiar and it was a kick to read them. Not only was the content innocent, but the handwritings were familiar again.

That being said, I now have two very large and very ominous cardboard boxes filled with hardbound journals to sort out. I may drown in my own drivel.

Yeah, I did write a lot back in the day. Then my ex began to read them and flogged me with the contents. I stopped writing to avoid the confrontations. It's been years since I've been able to face the blank lined pages with any confidence.

I mean, I used to love to write down EVERY COTTON-PICKIN' THOUGHT or FEELING. I saved EVERY LITTLE SCRAP OF MEMENTO. The journals were so full the covers could hardly close.

To tell the truth, I'm not comfortable going back to look at them now. Revisiting those emotions seems scary.

The important point here is that the journals were the best therapy I could get and I need to get back into that kind of therapy now. (Okay, weisen-heimer, I heard that!)

Oh, Shed!

That shed just outside our back door has been crammed with so much crapolla that we hardly can open the door. Today WE (imagine the kicking and screaming) got ambitious and emptied it completely onto our back lawn. What a load of garbage! Sorting went quickly because we were in a purging mood (and purging meant we'd have less to take back into the shed once we were ready).

The car's trunk and back seat were piled high with sleds, hockey sticks (huh?), plastic Easter eggs, cables and cords, Christmas overkill decorations we rarely notice, a large turkey platter (unopened, of course), clothes and shoes, a untensil holder from an old dishwasher (don't ask), and skads of other useless treasures.

Now we are left with a half dozen empty plastic storage bins, 50+ soda bottles with water storage in them, 35+ cans of out-of-date food storage items, holiday decorations that we realistically use, and our camping gear.

We can enter the shed, turn about freely, and exit again without anything falling on us or needing to be beaten back into the darkness as we pull the door shut.

{aahhhh...big sigh}

Next up: tackle the inside of the house.

Tomorrow is another day.....

Soda's At Work

Soda came by today on his way home from work. He brought the temple cards for the family names he has been working on. These were only ready for the baptism part of their ordinance work but he needs more that are ready for the endowments and sealings. He says he goes to the temple every Thursday and feels sad when he can't be escorting one of his own family through. All I could think to tell him was that maybe his own family members aren't quite ready to accept so it is best to go ahead and help others while he waits for our family names.

If you know Soda at all, you will know that he doesn't like to show his emotions (except for the anger side of things) so it is awesome to get to see him so attached to the work and wanting to serve these ancestors that he has never heard of before.

Time for me to get myself to the FHcenter and get some more people ready for him to take to the temple. I haven't been there for months now. [shame on me]

Zoo Rain Bye

CC went to the zoo today with her cousins from Sp Fk. She spent the day in the sun and returned worn out and wearing gorgeous hair. Her cousins curled it for her and it was absolutely fantastic. They had a super time together, as they usually do.

AJ spent the day lounging on the couch (after band). It took a while to get him up and mowing the front and back lawns. Now our grass is smooth and ready for the next rain downpour.

So, what's up with all that rain lately, huh? This is a desert for crying out loud. No, this is not complaining. Rain.....good....

Shep and his family made their trip home to AZ today. It was a good visit with them here for a week. [No, I don't care to play any games, thank-you!] They were brave to stay with us in our humble and tiny home. They bought groceries and did dishes and just were (hopefully) at home here. That is just what makes me feel comfortable with visitors. As long as they feel free to relax and be themselves and help themselves to whatever I have, that makes me feel at ease.

Werewolves

Dinner at Stone's. Strog was yummy.

Played a little Werewolves. Don't die of shock, I actually played a game. Get over it!

CC's spending the night at Stone's. AJ came home with me. He has OHSMarchingBand in the morning. (Thanks, Ri, for the invite though. He wished he could have stayed overnight too.)

Back in my own bed, in my own room. Queen-sized, baby. Yeah!

G'nite!

Fathers? Day

Church is finished for one more week. {smile}

We got through Fathers Day with little collateral damage. The kids are able to take the day in their stride. It has to be hard to say they don't have a dad and never have had one. They are such great kids. Awesome, if you must know the truth. It's still hard. We keep the day pretty low key. AJ gets to have some pie that is served to all of the men after church. Pie takes the sting out of almost anything.

AJ will be a wonderful dad because he knows what he missed and he'll make sure his kids have it! CC will marry a man who will be a terrific dad to their children because she knows what she wants and what is best.

I miss my dad. I always have...always have.

My Babies

Tifie

AJ went to Tifie camp in June. Although he has all the merit badges necessary to obtain his Eagle Scout award PLUS a couple of the Palm awards, he worked on and finished another couple of badges at this camp. (Hey, why isn't he carrying anything here????)

Boys, fire and spray cans....go figure.

Our New Blog

Here it is. Our new family blog.

{try to contain yourself...}