One Boy's Desperate Plea....

The other night, after a long day of intense labor (I cleaned the bathrooms. If you count the fact that I was working around heavy chemicals, and stubbed my toe against a door, it fits the definition of intense.  It does.), I found myself lying in a heap on the couch.  I was tired, and was planning to take five minutes for myself and watch Little House on the Prairie.  But it was not to be.  All of a sudden I was presented with a note from a desperate little boy.  It looked exactly like this one:

(Translation:  "Feed me, I'm Hungry Nat." Included with the words is a sad little boy, sitting at a table with a knife and a fork and nothing on his plate).  I thought, "He'll live for a minute," and tried my best to ignore him.  It was to no avail, as this letter followed almost immediately after the other one. 

(Translation: Git up, rather Get up, I'm Hungry.)

I am definitely rethinking public education.  I never used to get harassed like this, you know, back when he couldn't write.

Potatoes..

So, the Gardener of America arranged for me to come over and get some new potatoes for bottling.  (As opposed to "old potatoes," which are not to be confused with "middle-aged" potatoes - What a weird name, I wonder why they are called that).  Anyway, I went over to his house and helped him dig up the taters and then we peeled them in his nifty circa 1970's potato peeler/french fry maker.  It is quite a contraption and I am this instant regretting the fact that I did not take a picture of it.  It is something that everyone should see.  And since my mother and aunt were taking over Grandpa's kitchen, canning their own potatoes, I graciously offered to take my potatoes home and bottle them within the confines of my own lonely kitchen.  I only bottled 10 quarts of potatoes, and Grandpa regretted that he could not offer me more, but this did not matter.  What mattered was the fact that I maintained my peace of mind by adding to my food storage.  Some of you may ask "Whatever do you do with bottled potatoes?"  and the only answer I can give you is that I honestly don't know.  I guess you could do hash browns or throw them in a stew, but that is neither here nor there, as they are FOOD STORAGE.  This means I won't use them.  Otherwise I would just name them food - not storage.  I kid - I may use them, but definitely not all of them because then I wouldn't have any in storage.  I know this line of reasoning is messed up, but it is the line of reasoning I am going with at this point.  It is what works best for me.  Best of luck to you on your canning, if you do in fact can.  I must go and clean the latrine.  Did you hear that Reed?  I am cleaning the bathrooms.  I know! I am just as excited about it as you are.  See you tomorrow love.

P.S.  No grandparents were harmed during the digging or canning of these potatoes.  We are considering this a blessing.  (See this post if you are wondering what I am talking about).

P.P.S.  For more info on Food Storage go here.

HaPpY BiRtHdAy Reed!

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to Ree-eed, Happy Birthday to You!  Thirty-four years ago today, a bouncing baby boy arrived to grace the home of his parents, and subsequently the home of his wife.  Rumor has it that he was a child prodigy and a delightful young lad, which is not hard to believe because he is generally delightful.  And so I dedicate this post to Reed.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways - and it will be thirty four ways as a tribute to your new age.

1.  I loved that when we were dating you knew that I would never bring a coat, and so you always brought one for me.

2.  I love that we can never pass a broken down car without stopping - even if it might contain a psychopathic hitchhiker bent on murdering us where we stand, but standing ready to help I might add.

3.  I love that we can never walk buy a flashlight without purchasing one, or at least looking longingly at it.

4.  I loved the subtle way that you suggested that I start making the bed "once we get a new bedspread."  It was very effective and non-confrontational.  We'll see if it works - or will we?

5.  I love how you let me stick my cold feet between your legs at night.

6.  I also love how you love when I stick my finger in your belly button.  {{hee hee}}  You'll miss it when I die.  Promise.

7.  I think it's funny that when we fight you make yourself useful all of a sudden and start cleaning.

8.  I love that you have changed as many diapers as me, and cleaned up as much vomit, and that you do a full body assessment over minor injuries.

9.  I love that you get along so well with my family.

10.  I love that you can never pass a hole and not stop, and then climb in, and then kick the other person out, and then take care of the problem.  

11.  I love your laugh.

12.  I love the twinkle that you get in your eyes when....

13.  I love that you are so competitive - even over weird or non-consequential things or even consequential things for that matter (3:12).

14.  I love how you honor your priesthood, and have established a family of church goers.  I also love to hear you bear your testimony.  It is very powerful.

15.  I love how you roll up in our covers at night like a burrito, and then act all chagrined when I call you on it, or deny that it ever happened.  Oh, it happened mister.  Or should I say "happens."

16.  I love that you bleach the water in the little kiddie pool on a regular basis.

17.  I love your work ethic - but sometimes I don't.

18.  I love it when I sit by you in church and we hook our feet.

19.  I loved that when we were dating and you let me drive your car, you had to show me how to change a flat tire first.  I already knew, but I thought it was cute that you showed me.

20.  I love to watch you put on your socks in the morning.  You make it into such a process with the turning them inside out, pulling the lint off, turning them right side out, putting them on, pulling them up until the heel is at your calf, aligning the seams over your toes, and then smoothing them out.  Repeat.

21.  I love that when I am dead asleep on the couch you still wake me up to watch something funny on T.V. - and you never give up trying, even if I'm not all that interested or coherent.  

22.  I love that you are persistent.  Like that time you couldn't get a hold of me on the phone to ask me out (2nd or 3rd date) so you just drove down to my house to ask me in person.  Very bold.

23.  I love those rare occasions when you call me Nati.

24.  I love your scuffed up, scabbed, calloused, beat up, broken hands.  They just look like they have seen some action.

25.  I love your dimples.

26.  I love that you dive right into most situations without being told what to do, or waffling over what you should do, or wondering if you shouldn't - You just do.  That's a good quality.

27.  I love that you are so rich in common sense. 

28.  I love that we have finally broken your back where vacation is concerned, and that when we do vacation you approach it like you are going to kill it, but that is the case with most things.  (See #17: work ethic).

29.  I love that no matter how fast I talk, you always seem to understand what I am saying.

30.  I love that you are always willing to "put your money where your mouth is" - so to speak.

31.  I love, love, love your sense of humor.

32.  I love that you always stand up for what is right - even if it means no one is standing with you (except for me of course - I've got your back).

33.  I love your new found interest in the yard work.  Guess what though?  I already mowed the lawn.  Aha ha, aha ha, ha!  Think of it as a gift, for your birthday, because it is.

34.  And last but not least.... I LOVE YOU!  All of you - the good, the bad, and the ugly.  Though there is more good than bad, or even ugly.  I still love you.

I could go on and on and on but I think I will stop here and save the rest for another day.  Happy Birthday!

Love - Nat

It was on this day...

16 years ago that this man and this not-quite-a-woman had their very first date.  It was a date to end all dates.  It was marvelous.  It was the first day of the rest of her life.  The stars aligned, the birds sang, and right then she knew that there would never be another man for her, or another date (unless you count the dates she went on while he was on his mission - which was basically just passing time - they didn't mean anything, I promise).  Now, sixteen years later the stars are still aligned, and the birds are still singing (literally and figuratively).  The only thing that has changed is that Reed no longer wears a smokin' hot mullet, and Natilie has crows feet. Oh, and now they have three kids that keep following them around, and a house, and adult-type jobs, etc.  But what I am really getting at after all this rambling is this:  I still love him more than anything else in the whole wide world.  

Happy First Date Anniversary Baby!

*Afterthought:  In case you were wondering what we did for our date we went and got ice cream at Baskin Robbins (Quarterback Crunch) and then went four-wheel driving (is that what it is called these days?) up in Hog's Hollow.  Neither places are there anymore {{shrugs}}.

Oh, the agony...

of the first day of school.  Where did the time go?  Why did it go so fast?  I want my kids back! These thoughts all ran through my head as we began the back to school walk to school parade.  The morning went well.  The kids were up and excited to get going.  Taylor let me do her hair.  She looked beautiful (see picture).  Look at those eyes.  She spent the morning primping and looking at herself in the mirror.  What has happened to my Taylor? She is all grown up.  It is her last year in elementary school.  She is probably going to come home with a boyfriend or something, and then I will cry.

Aah, Torey.  She is a fourth grader.  She will stay in elementary for a few more years like a good little girl.  She also looked beautiful for her first day.  She wore her backpack all morning, chomping at the bit to get going so she could see all of her friends.  School is purely a social event for her.  When, in my deepest depression about the kids going back to school, I thought about home schooling, she was the reason I decided it was foolishness.  There are not enough kids in our house to make it social enough for her.  I think it was for the best that I decided on public education, but it still hurts just the same.
Here is one excited boy.  He will be enjoying first grade this year, or as Taylor put it, "Five and a half hours without Momma."  She is such a butt to rub it in like that.  Jake was thrilled to get ready for school, though we did have some trauma about itchy tags.  Thank goodness we got that all worked out.  He tried to get in some last minute reading before school, just so he was ready.  I tried to get in some last minute instruction about holding the lunch tray with both hands, and not tipping it, and maintaing the precarious balance of the milk/food ratio before the stress of the situation almost made me crack.  Then I just had to bite my lip and move on.
This is probably one of the saddest things I have ever seen.  What am I supposed to do now?

Tagged - Quirks...

1.  Link the person who tagged you...Haley

2.  Post these rules.

3.  Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.

4.  Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them.

1.  My biggest pet peeve is an unfinished project.  I cannot stand to see something just sitting there partially finished.  I am worried that I will die or something before I get it done and then someone else will be left with a stupid, unfinished project.  Besides, it is a huge waste of money if you don't finish something.  This is also the reason why I read books really fast.  Can you imagine dying before you finished a book?  You would spend the rest of eternity wondering what happened and how it ended.

2.  I alphabetize my Disney movies.  I don't do it with the others, but the Disney movies are in order.  It is a very weird quirk of which I am fully aware, but no one else probably notices. If the kids get into the movies it drives me nuts until they are back in order.

3.  I am an obsessive compulsive hand washer and I hate to touch public things like doorknobs, shopping carts, etc.  It's like I can feel the germs crawling on me.  I get totally grossed out.  I also have a hard time shaking people's hands, which is something I know I need to get over.  I can pinpoint a research paper written on pandemics for this recent OCD.

4.  I can't stand not knowing how to do things.   

5.  I lay in bed at night and instead of dreaming I will map out projects in my head and redo them until I think they will work.  It's weird and entirely subconscious, but then I am able to wake up and most of the time be successful at whatever it is I am attempting.

6.  I love the smell of the first day of school, with all the new clothes and school supplies.  Crayola crayons have the best smell, as well as new, fruity erasers.  I also love to look at office supply stores and see the fun they have to offer!

I tag Niki, Jen, Alice, Caroline, Alisa, and Dusty.

Happy Birthday Mom!

Special things about my mom:

1.  She always gave us the most wonderful birthday parties.

2.  She is very creative, and always went the extra mile to help us with school projects, costumes, prom dresses, etc.

3.  She is a party!

4.  She is very strong emotionally, and freakishly strong physically.

5.  She is a black belt in Jujistu.

6.  She is a petter when you are sick.

7.  She is there when you need her.

8.  Anything a man could do, she could do better.....

9.  She is beautiful.

10.  She is loving.

We love you and hope you have a great birthday.

Camping...

I would love to tell you that we spent our camping trip hanging out by a roaring fire...

creating tasty s'mores...

and visiting with Grandma and Grandpa.

I would also love to tell you that there was also a lot of cooking and having fun...

and making and painting crafts...

but if I didn't tell you that there was a lot of time spent inside, keeping ourselves entertained while mother nature poured out bucketfuls of rain upon us, I would be lying.  There was a lot of rain - torrential rain - and the angriest thunder I have ever heard.  It was a magnificent storm -the storm that camped out right on top of our campground. 
But when there was a lull in the action, we found the time to have a great time, except for one small crash....
but lucky for us we knew someone who had the ability to fix it.  Some serious cleaning of gravel from a wound, the resultant screaming due to an over agressive cleaner, a fancy clear bandage, and a hug from Daddy made it all better.  And when it was all taken care of we went outside and dodged the raindrops again.  And I will tell you what - we had a great time, raindrops and all!

We're Off...

to a fun filled family reunion.  Let's hope it is fun filled anyway.  It is supposed to rain while we are gone so we will probably be spending some quality family time cooped up in the trailer. Heaven help us.  I will hopefully have some fantastic pictures to post when I get back.  You know, filthy kids, aging grandparents, hopefully a fish or two - who am I kidding, probably no fish with our luck.  Anyway, I will be reading "The Last Lecture" while I am gone, so that will be nice.  Now I am rambling so I will go...

Husband of the Year goes to....

After informing Reed that I was planning on making a midnight run to Walmart to get  the much anticipated "Breaking Dawn" he said, "You'll be too tired.  I'll go get it for you."  And do you know what.  He did!  He went over to the Lindon Walmart at 12:00 a.m. expecting to run in and pick one up for me.  I don't think he had any idea of what he was getting himself into.  He called me and told me the line was about 1000 people long.  I told him to come home, that it wasn't worth the wait.  And guess what?  He didn't.  He stayed in that line consisting of 997 women and three men and bought me my book.  He returned home around 1:00 in the morning and presented it to me with a smile.  Apparently Walmart was being very efficient that night because I didn't expect him that fast.  I asked him how it went, if he met any new friends, etc., and he just shrugged.  Truth be told, I'll bet he was hoping the ground would open up and swallow him before someone he knew saw him, but I'll also bet that the other women present were wishing they had such a great husband.  Or maybe they were wondering if he had somehow gotten in the wrong line?!?!  If this doesn't earn him Husband of the Year, I don't know what will.

P.S.  If you read it let me know what you thought about the funky twist the book makes.

P.P.S.  There is just something about a backwards hat that makes me feel all squishy inside.  It reminds me of when we were teenagers and he used to turn his hat around to kiss me.  Those were the days  {{aaahh}}..... But I digress.