Never "Too Gone for too Long" I'd love for you to come back home...

(I've used this picture several times on my blog which proves the point I made in my last post about taking pictures. We gots to take pictures of ourselves people. We just gots ta)

I can't say that I like country music. I try to sometimes but it never lasts very long. But one country artist that I never tire of is Randy Travis and it has much to do with my memories of this daddy person pictured above.

Randy Travis' greatest hits was an album we listened to on our long drive to Idaho together when he dropped me off at college. Some of the songs were the perfect fit for that turbulent yet changing time in my life and my dad cheered me on as I proclaimed my own strength and conviction in the fact that my life thereafter would be different...better. Randy Travis' lyrics made me feel powerful. I imagined myself singing them to the people and situation that weren't working in my life and the thought made me smile.

And the memories that those songs bring to my mind still make me smile today. And while listening to them the other day the strangest thing happened...
Twenty years without him and I still somehow found myself starting toward the phone to call my dad to ask him if he remembered that time. The blizzard, the buffalo stew at a roadside lodge, the laughter and pep talks. I walked toward the phone and paused because...wait...I didn't have a number to call (my dad was gone before cell phones. He never had a cell phone number. Can you imagine) I didn't have a number to call and that reality pressed down on my chest, crushing the breath right out of me.

And then I cried.

And you know, I thank Randy Travis for that too.
Because those tears proved just how important that daddy person pictured above is to me and that he will forever and always be mine.

P.S. If my dad could've had a blog. If only he could have had a blog. Just think of the stories I'd have access too. I guess this little hobby 0'mine is far more important than it appears on the surface. In other words, looks like I ain't goin' nowhere any time soon.
In other words, I'll be back to blab at you some more later.

Happy weekend all...

I want a do-over...

WRITER'S WORKSHOP PROMPT:

List five things you would do different if you started blogging today.

Hmm, five things huh. I went to a pageant with my girls tonight over at the high school. It was a "beauty" pageant of sorts, only for guys this time not girls. Yes the guys were prancing around in swimsuits and showing off their talents. Funny. But now I'm tired and I don't know if I can think.

Being at the high school caused me to reminisce a bit and I wondered if maybe I should pick the writing prompt that said:

Who have you forgotten about until right now? Think hard and list five people from your past that you really should have written something about by now but haven’t. Circle the name of the person who stands out the strongest. Write a description or brief memoir of that person.

I'm thinking that prompt could be pretty fun, but then again it could also be dangerous because it can sometimes get kind of touchy when one starts blogging about the past. And this brings us to the first thing I would do differently if I started blogging today...

I would be very careful about what I did or didn't say. There have been times for instance when I've talked about how I didn't like "okra" (I actually don't like okra, but that's not what I'm really talking about here) or how "okra" didn't agree with me, gave me indigestion if you will... only to remember that, oh crap, I'm friends with or know people who are actually quite fond of "okra", who love "okra" in fact. And then I feel terrible because although "okra" may not be my vegetable of choice I know that it is indeed a very fabulous food in its own right and I wish it and all who love it nothing but the very best. And then because I feel so bad (I always get into trouble when I feel bad about something) I then write about how it's not "okra's" fault alone but mine as well that it gives me indigestion. And then I feel stupid because who cares anyway and oh man now I've misrepresented myself and yeah...
I would definitely be careful about what I did or didn't say. That's all.

And 2

I would change the names of my entire clan. Yes I would. Not made up word names, numbers or symbols but real names, cool names. All who know me know how much I love the whole thinking up names thing. Love it. So why didn't I make up names for my fam on this blog? Why? I think I'd be Scarlett because I seem to be Scarlett O'Hara like. Not that I'm a ruthless wretch like she was, I've never stolen my sister's man or relentlessly sought the affections of another woman's husband, but my motto does seem to be "I can't think about that now, I'll think about it tomorrow." So Scarlett it would be. But that's neither here nor there because it's far too late for that now. I've got hundreds of posts for goodness sake.

And 3

I wouldn't boob about things on my blog. If and when I had a bad day I'd tell it to a carton of marshmallow eggs instead (I really do love those things). Because seriously my bad days last all of a few hours and then (through the miracle of prayer) I'm back to feeling all sunshiny with pink puffy clouds and lollipops, but nobody knows that because they see a 500 word essay on my blog that says otherwise and I sound so pathetically downtrodden and miserable like when really I'm quite happy. And I don't like that. No I don't.
So no more boobing on my blog (well, I mean MOSTLY no more boobing).

And because I am so tired (and not to mention the fact that this post is quite long enough already) I think I'll make this a list of the 3 things I would do different if I started blogging today and leave it at that.
Thanks for visiting.

Love your good friend,
Scarlett

P.S. I would not/will not stop posting pictures of myself (goofy or otherwise) on my blog because after losing my dad so early in life I know how happy it would make me to have more pictures of him (goofy or otherwise) so I include the pictures for my posterity (and my husband who likes to take the pictures I post and turn them into wallpaper for his computer--the man loves me). Besides don't you just like to know who you're talking to and or reading about? I know I do.

I think I'm in love...

Last week I needed some cute flower headbands for my girls (needed them) but at 20 bucks a pop it just wasn't gonna happen. I mean with four daughters that's eighty stinkin' dollars. I'm so good at math. Actually I'm not and here's a little side story to prove it...

The other night while at an interview at my church the counselor, who is also a teacher, asked how my kids were doing in school. I said that one was struggling with Geometry, but that I couldn't blame her because it never made sense to me either. At which time he said, "You know without Geometry life would be pointless." We both smiled and if I had only left it at that all would be fine, but no, we were making small talk so I had to, well, talk and say, "Oh, I don't know. I think I've gotten along just fine without it." At which time he somewhat sheepishly explained to me that it had been a joke because Geometry deals with points and all that jazz. You know. But of course I didn't know because I DON'T GET GEOMETRY. Hadn't I just told him that? Anyway, it was funny because I'm simply not embarrassed about my lack of math skills. To each have been given gifts and math is definitely not mine, but no worries because I have other mad skills to get me by in life.

Like my new mad skill of making my own cute flower headbands (made the flowers and all) for my girls at far less than 20 bucks a pop. I know, right.
S-K-I-L-L-S!

And now I give you...

The Marlee
*

The Paige

*

The Easton

*

and

The Jamie

******

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE them (even more so in person).

Puh, Geometry schmometry. Who needs points when you gots purty flowers?

Bananas for bananas...

WRITER'S WORKSHOP PROMPT:
“I’m mad at myself. I’m embarrassed. I can’t believe after all these years, I’m still talking about my weight.” Poor Ope. What are you mad at yourself about?




"I'm sorry, have we met?" I asked as I walked past my large living room mirror and caught a glimpse of an unknown entity following closely behind me. So close in fact that it seemed to be growing out of my backside.

Oh wait...

It was my backside, which had somehow taken on a much more, shall we say, voluptuous form than I was accustomed to.

I blame it on the "freshman fifteen". No I'm not a freshman in college, but since moving to what feels to me to be a vacation town (the mountains are where you vacation when you're from the city) I think I've been eating like one.

I've gained 10 to 12 pounds (I learned this at my recent trip to the Dr.) and I'm determined to put a stop to it right now...well... that is AFTER the banana bread. Yes after the banana bread I will definitely put. a. stop. to. it. I mean what am I supposed to do when the kids don't finish the banana bread (/bars/cake or whatever you want to call it) the night before and I'm left home alone with it...all day...just the two of us... seriously, what?

EAT IT OKAY. That's what I'm supposed to do because I simply can't resist the stuff. I just can't. And now I'm mad at myself. So, so mad.

No--I'm not mad at myself for eating the banana bread. Of course I'm gonna eat it. This stuff pretty much rocks the "good food that sticks to your bum and thighs" universe (especially with the accompanying cream cheese frosting).

No--I'm mad at myself for letting the bananas get over ripe in the first place.
They're so much less fattening in their original form.

P.S. Today I received a request to make this banana bread/bars/cake (whatever you want to call it) for a couple's up coming wedding reception. Yes it's that good.
...worth having a big bum good?
Um...Obviously.

Happy (spice)...

So yesterday was kind of a dark day for awhile. It was. I felt way less than awesome yesterday and thought that I must truly give up blogging because if I had to hear myself say even one more sentence I was gonna barf. Seriously throw up people.
So I went to my Father in Heaven and told him that I was feeling way less than awesome and that I felt pretty much like a nothing loser with pretty much nothing but loser-esque things to say and that I sorta felt like I needed to stop talking altogether because who am I anyway...
.
And that's when he gave me a big bear hug like only he can and told me that he thought I was a pretty awesome girl indeed. And well...
Who am I to argue with that?
.
So thanks to all who gave me a pep talk yesterday. I didn't really mean to fish for that. I was just kinda venting to myself a bit. But I thank you anyway for being so sweet.
...hey goofball, when you vent on a blog it's not to yourself. When will you learn that?

Anyway, on to lighter and brighter things...

Last night I was visiting with Marlee when she said, "That's so lame sauce."
.
I said, "Lame sauce? Are you Lauren?" And then I said, "No wait, Lauren says lamespice and you said lame sauce."
.
She then asked, "Who's Lauren?"
.
And I said, "You know the cute newlywed (that's what I call her)."
.
"Oh, you mean busy bee Lauren?" She asked.
.
"Yes. She's so cute." I answered. "She's my favorite young person."
.
And then Marlee laughed at me because I must be old to have a "favorite young person" but whatever.
.
But Lauren is my favorite super cute young newlywed person. She is. Her blog reminds me of those oh so fun newlywed days. You must check it out. You must check it out by clicking right here because I know you will love her.
.
And right now she is having an awesome (spice) giveaway over on her blog. Just look what you can win...



Is this not the cutest headband ever (and yes I get an extra chance to win by mentioning it, but I had planned to post about BBL at some point anyway because she is my favorite young person after all). Busy Bee Lauren makes and sells super cute headbands like these, which is another reason to go visit her blog. So go. You know you want to. You could say I sent you, but she doesn't know who I am so it won't help but whatever.
Fun-diddly-dun.

My new best friend...

My husband thinks I'm too good for this world (my husband is too good to be true) because of this he doesn't like it when I get sick. No not one bit. And dang I've been sick lately. My allergies have been a SERIOUS pain in and of themselves, but on top of that my kidney is killing me. It really, really hurts right now.

Thinking that perhaps my kidney infection hadn't fully cleared up, I went to the Dr. today and he informed me that my infection was gone, but that I was very dehydrated. Apparently something about the altitude and or climate up here causes people to not realize that they're thirsty. Crazy. And because of my dehydration I am now the proud owner of dun, dun, dun...

KIDNEY STONES.

Yikes. I've never had kidney stones. I don't want them now. And judging by how bad I already feel, I'm thinking this can't be good. But at least I'm not chronic or terminal, which makes my hubby very happy.

Guess I'm not as good as he thinks.

It's a crazy small world, and that's okay with me...

Jamie invited a friend (I try not to mention the names of kids who don't belong to me on my blog) over to play today and I eavesdropped on a funny conversation they had on the ride home. Here's just a little of it...

Jamie's friend: We were almost cousins you know.

Jamie: Yeah but I wouldn't be me if we were (funny that she figured that out).

They went on to say more and as I listened to their cute conversation I decided that I love this little town...
...I'm sorry, what was that?

Okay, I admit it. I love this little town because I have family here who have become my best friends and friends here who have become my family. I love that my kids have constant access to cousins and good friends (almost cousins or not) who are really like honorary cousins because we love them so much--including our good friends the Gales who we've been following around from town to town for years--seriously, it's a crazy story. And it's a crazy wonderful life in this crazy wonderful small town 'o mine.

Yeah I said it.
But don't be expecting me to stop boobing about the loss of my Valley of the Sun anytime soon cause it ain't gonna happen.

No. It's. Not.

I'm feeling a little snotty...

Yes I am still suffering with allergies and walking around with tissue stuffed up my nose (it's a good look dontcha think) but I'm also feeling a little snotty about the fact that I am so behind on blog reading.

My husband doesn't generally read my blog, but when I directed him to it this weekend (to show him something--I don't remember what) he noticed that I occasionally post pictures of myself on it and, because he kinda likes me, this piqued his interest. So I guess he decided to do a little blog hopping (mostly to St. Johns friends--where the above picture was taken by the way) while I got Waylon to sleep last night.

When we both finally retired to our own bed he started talking about how this friend or that was doing this, that or the other and I said, "What? Where did you see that?"

"On her blog." He told me.

And so I checked my handy, dandy blog reading list this morning and realized just how far behind I am. I guess that's what happens when you take a break from the computer to "find yourself". I'm way behind on emails too (sorry Mary, I would have loved to have seen you in Payson).

So this week I am gonna try to play catch-up while still maintaining balance in my life. I need to visit old friends and check out the blogs of new friends, who so generously read and comment on my ramblings, and follow up on emails and find the perfect fabulous fun time for my fabulous friend who is the newest member of the fabulously forty club, and... well you get the picture.

And maybe, just maybe, when I get all of this done I won't feel so snotty anymore (in my heart that is. I don't think the snot in my nose will ever go away. I really don't).

P.S. I asked Rick if he is going to start blogging now and he said, Heeeck no (those of you who know him know what he really said) but when I clarified that I meant only reading blogs and not writing one he said, maybe.

And the drumroll please...

Today was an exciting day. I got a phone call from the post office this morning telling me that Landon's mission call had arrived. Woo-hoo. And after a long day of work we assembled the (very loud) family to find out where he will be spending his next two years. So fun.

P.S. There's about nine seconds of blue screen before it starts so hang in there, it's a comin'.

P.P.S. There's been many a discussion amongst my extended family members about how loud we the extended family can get when we congregate together. And after watching this video again this morning I say holy crack-a-toley people. Be still wild beasts, be still.

P.P.P.S. If you can't watch the video I'll post later about where Landon's going and also share a fun story about it.

Changin' my song...

WRITER'S WORKSHOP PROMPT:
Who is a bird-brain? Think about all the birds you’ve seen–from songbirds to hunters. Compare one or more people you know to different types of birds in a piece of writing.

*******************
I don't even have a photo to go with this post because I am the bird-brain. My sister asked me why I haven't been blogging lately and I guess I'd have to say that it's because I've been feeling like a bird-brain and wanted to put a stop to it.

I want more in my life. I want to be the best me possible. Lukewarm ain't cuttin' it. I want better. So I've taken this past week to step away from as many life distractions as I could and I've tried to really dive into those things of greater value. I even replaced smutty reality television for uplifting programming while I sorted socks (sorting socks has been an important part of my self discovery this week as well. I want peace. And for me that means sorted socks) and I have to say that I love uplifting programming. There are some awesome people in this world.

So in this bird-brain comparison I guess I'd have to say that I am the ugly duckling, fighting desperately to become the beautiful swan that I was born to be.

Less than that is not an option.
Not anymore.