You were nothing before you met me. You were playing Barbies with Betty Finn. You were a Bluebird. You were a Brownie. You were a Girl Scout Cookie.

I took a Spanish class last week and Grace's kindergarten teacher was in it also. On the last day of class we had lunch at a Mexican restaurant and I sat next to Ms. Esquerra. We were talking about Grace, the other kids in her class and how they liked to write little notes to each other. Ms. Esquerra was starting to tell me a story about Grace and the notes when she stopped and said "Well I'll just tell you. Grace was the most popular kid in class." My reaction was "Really?!" I have to admit it made me proud to know that she is doing well socially since you all know how social Ryan and I can be. When I told Kristin about it she reminded me that you want them to be popular when they're little because that usually means they are nice. You don't want them to be popular when they're in high school because that means they are horrible, horrible b*t#ch@s. Good point Krisitn.

bonus points if you tell me where the title of this blog post came from.

Yar, I'm not attractive.

See what you'd look like if you were a Simpsons character.

Karen

Amanda

Kristin (who is pregnant)

I Saw Gary Coleman!

I've been on a mission to catch a glimpse of Gary ever since he moved into our neighborhood a couple of years ago with no luck. Ryan has seen him a few times because Gary is crazy and down at the Santaquin Police Station quite a bit making wacky demands. Today I was pulling into the neighborhood and I noticed a Saturn Sky Roadster at the stop sign. Who was driving that car? None other than little Gary Coleman! I guess those commercials for check cashing/title loans pay well.

Karen, Amanda and Kristin?

Haha just kidding. This was on my friend Darin's blog and it made me laugh.

My Brain Hurts

Just a little tip. If you don't have any accounting experience DO NOT volunteer to be a PTA or PTO treasurer. It has turned into a nightmare and is actually making my brain hurt. Of course when they asked me to do it they told me it would be "easy". Yes reimbursing people and subtracting numbers is easy. Balancing a checkbook to a bank statement to a budget is not. I'm preparing for the end of year audit and I just want it over with. In the last week I've spent over 8 hours working on this problem and that is a drop in the bucket compared to the hours that I've spent over the school year. I will NEVER volunteer for a money handling position again.

Top Five Bands/Artists

Ryan asked me the other day who my top five bands/artists were. Here they are in random order:

1. The Smiths
2. Billy Bragg
3. Elvis Costello
4. The Cure
5. Joni Mitchell

So what are your top five?

This Applies to Us!

Sometimes I'm amazed that Ryan decided to become a state trooper since he isn't really your typical cop type. When I showed him this he laughed and said he had it hanging up in his office. I guess I'm not as amazed that I'm a teacher since I think our family has some sort of gene that compels us to teach. Summers off is a nice perk also. Ryan did say he really does like wearing short sleeved shirts, neckties and yelling. Maybe someday he'll reach his goal and become just like Sipowicz.

Weekly Adventure

Not really much going on here lately. It's hot so we go to the waterpark twice a week where Karen and I try to find each other's body doubles. Wednesday I met Kristin and her kids at BYU for the family art fair. Last night we went over to Karen's to play Wii games and she told me I was going with her to Payson at 8:30 to buy a pink Moto Razor she found on KSL.com. Her daughter wanted a cell phone and this was a pretty good deal since she'd talked the guy down to $75. We drive into Payson and of course the house we have to go to is this run-down shack with five cars parked outside. The guy and his wife walk out with some sort of pitbull looking dog on a leash. Karen gets her $75 in cash out and we quickly exchange money for phone. As we got back in the car Karen says "I feel kind of dirty."

Now That's a Compliment!

Ryan and I were in the mall on Friday checking out overpriced items at Hollister. We walked by this mannequin that must have been modeled after a 5'10", 90lb, 16 year old girl. "She" was wearing a tight t-shirt with string bikini bottoms. This is what Ryan said;

"It's a good thing you don't look like that because I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off you."

Now I know Ryan meant this a compliment. In his mind he was saying "I already have trouble resisting you as it is. If you looked like that I'd never get anything done." I heard it as "I wish you were 16, 9 inches taller and 20lbs thinner." So naturally I took offense. We'll I don't know what crack I was smoking but I thought it would be "interesting" to try on that t-shirt/bikini bottom combination. I know there are some 33 year olds out there who can pull that off but I'm not one of them. Let's just say it wasn't pretty. It doesn't help that the dressing rooms in Hollister are basically a box with a bare lighbulb over head. It would make Gisele (you know, Victoria Secret model) cry. I left Hollister feeling once again that I was way too old to even be in that store and that the teenagers who work there are secretly laughing at me.

My Plug For Crocs

When I first was introduced to these shoes I thought there was no way anyone in my family would ever own a pair of these. I've slowly been converted to their use as garden shoes and as great kids summer shoes. I still don't think grown adults should wear them outside the confines of their yard but for I see their use as a great kids shoe. Hanna and Grace both got a pair when we were in Canada last summer and they wore them almost all year long. They've held up so well and they don't get stinky which has been my main complaint with other summer shoes. When we were first thinking about buying them I thought $25 was a bit pricey since I can get flip-flops at Old Navy for $2.50. We couldn't find any generic Crocs in Canada so we ended up buying name brand. I bought Ryan a pair last summer so he could use them to work in the yard. He was not that excited about my "present" but now uses them all the time and admits they were a good purchase. My parents got me a pair for my birthday and I use them around the yard and have even worn them to Walmart on occasion, much to Ryan's chagrin. So relunctantly we have become a family of Croc owners.

Last week Hanna was riding her scooter down a hill and used her Croc clad foot as a brake. This caused the rivet to pop off the strap and after much looking by everyone in the family, it was never found. I decided to see if Crocs had a website that I could order a new rivet off of. I was very pleased to find out that they would give and ship me all the rivets I wanted for free. So now I'm feeling even more glad that I went with the real Crocs and not generic ones. The Crocs website also said they'd replace straps for free which is good to know. So while I still consider them pretty hideous looking I'm secretly a Croc fan.

She Was Musing On The Life She Leads

I was driving back from the gym tuesday evening when it hit me that I was a 33 year old mother of two, living in rural Utah, listening to The Pixies while driving my mini-van. I can't really describe the feeling that followed because I don't exactly know what it was. I wish I could say it was joy but it wasn't. I'm not unhappy with my situation but sometimes I wonder if I should have accomplished more in 33 years. Then I hear Oprah telling me that "motherhood is the hardest job ever" and I feel a bit validated. I'm sure in a couple of years when I'm teaching again I'll look back on this post and think I was a complete idiot for ever thinking working might somehow make me feel more appreciated.

One thing I do love about my life are the people I have chosen to go through it with. After I almost burned out house down with the egg fire, we had to wash everything in the house. This included the duvet cover and I've been super lazy about back on. It's hard! So for almost a month the duvet has been on the bed without the cover and everyday it bugs me. Plus I use it as an excuse to never make the bed which makes our room look constantly messy. Does this spur me into action and put the duvet cover back on? No. A couple of days ago I came home to find the duvet cover on and the bed made. It made me feel a surge of love toward Ryan that he would do this. It's little things like this that me glad I married him.

Look I'm a Moody Teenager!

I know it's hard for those who know me now to believe, but I was once a very moody teenager. I can't remember what pissed me off this day but I'm sure it was worth ruining a family photo.

ETA: With the help of my family I remembered what made me mad this day. It was August and their was a freak snowstorm the day we took these pictures. My parents made us stand under a tree outside the house to take a "pre-studio picture". While we were standing under the tree a clump of snow landed on my head, ruining my beautiful coiffe. Wouldn't that piss you off?

Click on the photo to see the true face of evil.

Happy Birthday Hanna!

I really can't believe it's been 8 years since I first saw you. You came out screaming and didn't really stop for the first year. Then it seemed like you got over whatever was bugging you and now you're such a happy kid. I love that you are kind and empathetic. You really are amazing and do well in everything you try. Sometimes your Dad and I look at each other after you've said something and say "It's scary when your child is smarter than you." I worry that you are going to become a stand-up comedienne instead of a doctor but I hope you do whatever makes you happy. I love you and I'm glad I get to be your mom.

Baby Hanna with her big blue eyes.



Hanna's first birthday.

Yard Sale Hell

I had a yard sale today with two other women and I pretty much feel the way I do after every yard sale I have, disappointed. Why don't people want to buy my discarded junk? I paid a lot for it and now you balk at the minimal amount I'm asking for it? I found the conversation Ryan and I had after it was over quite enlightening.

"Why didn't people buy more? I wanted to get rid of everything."

"How about we don't buy anymore crap?"

Yes, that will be our new motto "Less Crap"

Van Fleet out.