He's a good sport

Growing up Dad always got asked how he did it. As a father of 4 daughters I thought he was the luckiest man alive, but most people would just look at him, shake their heads and smile with sympathy. I still think he is pretty darn lucky, but I now chuckle to myself and wonder how he survived.

I love April Fool's day, but my favorite person to play tricks on is still dad (actually he is the only one who I play tricks on). This year I happened to be home on this most opportune day. My niece and nephew were also there, so I took it upon myself to do my auntly duties and teach them how to play tricks on grandpa.

1. Braden helped rubberband the spray nozzle in the sink and then proceeded to ask grandpa for a drink of water. "Not from the refridgerator Grandpa, but from the sink". Well, you know what happened, when he turned on the sink the sprayer sprayed water all over him. Braden laughed and laughed (we all did actually-I think Dad hadn't realized it was April Fool's day . . . yet!)

2. We were having lasgna for dinner and Kendra and Grandma had made sugar cookies earlier in the day, so we decided to make some cookies that looked like breadsticks for dinner. (Dad actually really liked this trick and said we could do it every year!)

3. Kendra helped put honey all over the backs of Dad's silverware so when he picked them up for dinner he got all sticky. (Don't worry this one kept back firing on Kendra and I and we got pleanty sticky because we kept forgetting we had done it and had to wash our hands several times :))

4. We put sticky tack under his glass and then filled it up with milk so he wouldn't see it. He had a very hard time getting his glass off the table! We were careful to only fill his glass half full-we didn't want a milk shower!

5. We made salt water ice cubes and then offered him a glass of ice water-a pretty typical trick that even though he knew it was a trick he played along nicely.

6. Dad said this was the worst one, but we didn't do anything for it-really. I was dishing up the lasgna and asked which piece did Justina wanted, indicating that there was definately some that we didn't want for whatever reason. Then after she got her piece I dished up dad's piece "this is the right one, right Justina?" she agreed and dad wanted to know what was wrong with it. "Nothing" we responded, which was true. He proceeded to eat it and then when he went back for seconds we made a big deal about the fact that he had ate the whole thing-"you didn't notice anything different dad?" "you just ate it like normal?" "are you sure?" "oh, this is not good". . . "oh well too late now" and I proceeded to dish him up another piece. "You guys" he said, "what did you do to it? Am I going to get sick?" We would have loved to play along with it, but noticed he was really turning green and had to tell him that truely we didn't do anything and that nothing was wrong with his lasgna! Oh the power of suggestion. . .

7. This one is a late entry. I forgot all about this one until I went home about a week later, but Kendra and I had blown out an egg and then decided not to use it for a trick so not knowing what else to do with it we put it back in the egg carton. Mom actually got tricked by this one thinking there were still 2 eggs left and when she went to make pancakes realized there was only one (opps sorry mom) so had to borrow one from our neighbor-thanks Sister Bird!

We had so much fun at his expense. Don't even tell me you feel sorry for him. I think there might have been a few more, but I can tell you are already feeling sorry for him. Let me tell you he holds his own and I'm sure we have a few coming our way, but in the meantime, thanks for putting up with us! I think Kendra and Braden are hooked on playing jokes on Grandpa too!

Roommate Wanted!!

Lately I've had several people ask me if I had a roommate or if I wanted one. When I first moved here people would ask me that question all the time but I haven't been asked that for a long time.

The last time I had an interview with my bishop he asked me if I was going any of the singles activities. "You mean the 30 to dead activities" I asked trying to determine if he meant the young singles or the single singles. To which he replied "well I've never thought about it like that before". Okay so think about it. A person who is in their 30's can go. Their divorced, widowed, single mother or father in their 50's-60's can also go, and their grandparent in their 70's, 80's, 90's or 100's can also go! What kind of social life experience is that.!? You could have 3-4 generations at the same mingling activity-yikes!

I know I know you never know who might be there. Well, I don't go often, but I do go when tricked or forced and let me tell you about one such experience a few months back (that time I went for the food :)). They played this game I'm sure most of you are familiar with. It's called fruit basket upset or something like that. What happens is there is circle of chairs and one person stands in the middle. The person in the middle is trying to steal a chair so they reveal some fact about themselves. If you have that in common with them then you must switch chairs with someone else in the group-yeah you know the game.

Let me tell you some of the statements:

"I have twins" (nope)

"I am a twin" (my brother-in-law is)

"I have sons and daughters" (someday I hope)

"I have grandkids" (wow, don't kids come first)

"I recently had heart surgery" (ohhh)

"I've had a hip/knee replacement" (knee surgery, does that count)

"I've been married" (marriawge)

"I'm a widow" (oh I'm sorry)

"I on a state retirement plan" (apparently I am, but didn't move because I don't think about my retirement plan very often)

"I served in the Korean War" (I think mom's dad did, didn't he.!?)

"I've been hospitalized at least overnight" (I know where the hospital is)

"I have step children" (no thanks)

"I've been a member of the church for less than 10 years" (I'm a lifer)

. . . those are just the beginning.

The saddest thing was is that for most of those statements I was one of the only 2 or 3 still sitting down! I was definately the youngest person there and there were only 5 under 45; of which 2 were divorced with several teenage children. There were several with canes, wheelchairs and walkers (don't laugh, I am not making this up). In fact after playing this game for 20 minutes or so most were so winded, holding their chests winded, that it was decided that before anyone had another heart attack we should stop the game! (It was probably a good thing we stopped when we did-the time or two that I got to move I almost pushed an old lady out of the way trying to get to a chair because, that's how I've always played the game, but then I remembered-these are old people, be nice Charity!)

Someday if you're lucky I just may tell you about some of my blind dates, almost blind dates, singles dances or other such lovely singles social. Sometimes you just have to laugh at the strange situations life brings your way.

So back to the question. No I don't have a roommate and yes I'd like one but I'm kind of particuliar. I have had a lot of female roommates and am looking forward to having a male roommate, lets see with a male roommate you go someplace, sign some papers, make it official and then you don't refer to him as a roommate, he becomes oh what's that word again-oh yeah, a husband. I am looking for one of those kind of roommates-that way I wouldn't have the wonderful opportunity of spending my weekend evenings avoiding being flirted with by someone's great-grandpa!

Achoo!

When people sneeze typical responses from others include: "God bless you", "bless you" or "gesundheit". In Brazil we would say "salude" which is wishing someone good health. Dad has never liked it when people say "bless you" when someone sneezes-who are we to bestow a blessing on some random person and why should someone be blessed for sneezing?

Maybe Dad would be proud that in my class we have created our own lingo when someone sneezes. It started out with {sneeze} "get a kleenx, blow your nose, and put some germ-x on your hands". That is a lot to say when someone sneezes but with snot running down their nose, onto their hands or the table, and them just sitting there dumbfounded, I figured I had to be pretty specific!

Do you realize how many times a day a sick student sneezes? Multiply that by 8 sick kids at the same time and all you would have time for is telling them to get a "kleenx, blow their nose. . ." I hadn't noticed that this statement had been condensed until I sneezed in class the other day. I sneezed and without looking up from his work, our new student, not knowing or having ever heard differently, affectionately yelled out "Germ-X".

And so it is. Forget the bless you, Gesundheit, or salude. Get to the point-you have germs on your hands that I don't want on mine, use some germ-x and take care of it would you.!?

Mirror Mirror on the Wall

I know, not my typical thing to post. This week was our Stake's Beehive Conference. It turned out fabulous, but that is not what I wanted to talk about. I went to one of the workshops and in it the presenter showed this picture. Sure I like Disney and I'm sure I liked Mickey Mouse as a kid, but I thought those days were long over.

Look at the picture. Mickey Mouse is looking in the mirror and not drawing himself. What he sees and what he is drawing is his creator. When you look in the mirror, do you see your creator?

Diaper Cake

I've heard of them being done before, I think I might have even seen one so I attempted to make one tonight. I actually am quite impressed with how it turned out-156 diapers later. . .ta-da!

25 Random Facts

Alright, here it goes. . .25 random facts about me-probably some you already knew and some you never wanted to know! It is the same as the one posted on Facebook but for those of you who haven't read it-read on!

1. I think I have cute feet-granted I think they look like Flintstones feet a little short and boxy, but they're cute. Last summer a girl gave me a compliment on my feet saying "you have the cutest toes! They look like little Vienna sausages!" Needless to say I have not been able to look at my feet quite the same ever since.

2. Family trumps everything. It's just a fact. It doesn't matter how cool the activity-if my family is all getting together-that's where I plan on being.

3. I don't really like change.

4. I'm looking for a training partner for the Provo Canyon 1/2 marathon in the beginning of August. It's been a couple of years since I've done one and I think I'm ready to do it again. This year I'm choosing one that is mostly downhill instead of mostly uphill.

5. I didn't watch the super bowl and don't even know who won-actually to be honest I can't even tell you who played.

6. One of my favorite past times is making small talk with random strangers in the grocery store, on the airplane, or at the bank. It makes the world seem smaller and I end up thinking although I will probably never see that person again, if I did-I know we'd be friends.

7. I love listening to talk radio. I listen to Glenn Beck in the morning, Dr. Laura or Dave Ramsey on the way home from school and Dr. Dean O'Dell on Saturday. I think it's great when Glenn Beck gets on his soap box about food storage or getting out of debt or having one night a week reserved for the family. When I listen to Dr. Laura I think-boy some people are just not smart-I'm glad I'm not them. I can't listen to Dave Ramsey on Fridays because I cry for some reason. Truly-it is embarrassing. And Dr. Dean-I love anything to do with health and medical problems-I should have been a doctor.

8. Someday I'm going to write a book. Watch for it coming to a bookstore near you. It will be in the non-fiction section.

9. I have been to 2 estate auctions this past year and keep watching for more. I have bought only one or two things at each auction but they are a few of my favorite decorations in my house.

10. I will be in the Guinness Book of World Records. Yes I there is a record in there I can beat but no I am not going to tell you what it is. My nieces and nephews think its cool and want to be just like me but you would probably be content to just read about it.

11. I prefer to eat leftovers or dinner foods for breakfast. I don't see what's wrong with it. People eat breakfast foods for dinner all the time. Some of my favorite things to eat in the morning are left over spaghetti, cold pizza, grilled cheese sandwich, chicken enchiladas, tacos, or hummus.

12. For 7 years I got my hair cut for free. Now once a year I pay $350 for a hair cut. (Actually the haircut itself is still free but my stylist has moved to New Mexico so I have to fly to see her. By the way sis-I miss you guys and I do need my hair cut. What you doing over spring break? :))

13. I've always wanted to go to Africa.

14. I have the ugliest painting hanging in my house. It has this red dirt road going off into a pinkish blue sunset. It is not at all my style and did I mention-its kind of ugly, but it is my first oil painting and it is displayed with pride!

15. I have a horrible time buying sunglasses because I have cricked eyebrows. I always wanted to wear real glasses but maybe it is best I don't.

16. I feel like a celebrity everytime I go to Walmart (or anywhere else in Othello). That's one thing I like about living in a small town-anywhere you go you always see people you know. I actually expect to see people I know when I go other places and sometimes am dissapointed when I don't.

17. I can't tell a joke to save my soul-I always mess up the punch line by saying it too early, too late, or forgetting it altogether. But even if I can't tell a joke I sometimes think I am funny and really like people who think I am funny too.

18. I am always in the middle of reading at least 5 books at any given time and always looking for more books to read. What's on your night stand?

19. Growing up we had to go to museums all the time and I started to not like them. I mean, a person can only look at old cars, motors and airplanes so long before they all look the same Dad. Well as much as I hate to admit it, one of my favorite places in NYC is Ellis Island.

20. I love frogs. I also really like looking at and occasionally holding cool bugs. I don't mind even mind snakes as long as I know where they are, but I do not care for spiders.

21. I am not a collection type person, but I must admit, I have a pretty unique rock collection. You'll have to stop by one of these days and check it out. I do recommend that if you start collecting rocks that you have a special pocket just for them because rocks and cell phones don't mix. And no, I still don't have a new cell phone.

22. I have a favorite pair of socks, don't you?

23. I always lost in the game of paper, rock, scissors. Always. Apparently I always do the same thing first. (I don't even know what I throw first-ask Justina-she knows). But lately I have been reading a book that teaches techniques and tricks to winning in the game. This is serious business. There are even rock, paper, scissor games that the winner takes home $50,000. I guess they even practice for several hours a day if you can believe that. I am proud to say that I have actually won several games in the last few months-amazingly enough. The only person who I still am unable to beat is my nephew, but then he uses more than just paper, rock, scissors and I never know what to expect from him.

24. I enjoy writing checks instead of using cash or a plastic card sometimes. You should see the looks the cashiers give you-or better yet, the people behind you in line. It is especially fun at a store that prides themselves with being all that. It makes me smile.

25. I like the smell of skunk-it reminds me of home. Well, not home-home exactly, but it seemed like the on the corner of G road and Wahluke road it always smelled like skunk. First I got used to it and then I realized when I moved away that I actually missed it. Strangely enough, I consider it one of those comfort smells.

Arranged marriages?

The other day we were orientating ourselves to the churches new Family Search website, which if you haven't checked it out you should. It is a much easier way to do genealogy. I can't wait to input some more info on it. You can go on and find your name and then there is this button that you can push beside your name. It says "add or find a spouse". I haven't heard about the church's new program sponsering arranged marriages and am kind of nervous and excited about the idea. I am anxious to click on the button, but before I do I was just wondering if you know anyone who has done it and how it has turned out for them :) I'm not sure I want to be the guiena pig for this one-you know forever is a loooooooooong time.

I don't really like Vegas, but. . .

we had a ton of fun while there! Here we are at the Hoover Dam-I am so scared I am crouched down and bracing myself with my legs and feet. Watch out below!!!!If you ever get a chance to see the Blue Man Group, go. It was the most random show I've seen, but we laughed and you never knew what to expect.

Of all the buildings in Vegas the most beautiful and peaceful was the temple. It was a nice break from the confusion of the world that you sense and feel in Vegas.