Girls just want to have fun...

Last Friday, upon noticing that there were still tickets available for the Mindy Gledhill benefit concert for Stephanie Nielson (nie nie), I let spontaneity win over my practical, cautious, "but we're in a recession" side and decided to take Marlee and Paige on a little day trip. These two are my right hand girls. I don't know what I would do without them. So to show my appreciation we had a girls day out and what fun it was!
.
We left around 8:30 on Saturday morning and the three hour drive flew by as we discussed everything from hickeys, hairdos and fashion to politics, worldly abominations, and the fate of the world as we know it.
.
When we arrived we met up with my sister Jillene and did some fun shopping thanks to my wonderful sugar daddy who slipped me some cash as I was leaving and told me to make sure that we girls had a great time. Man I love that guy.
.
Jillene introduced us to a new store at the mall and, hypnotized by the cuteness of the items in their massive clearance section, we lost track of the time (now there's a shocker). Big problem. If we took Jillene all the way back to her house we would be late for the concert so joining in on the day's spontaneity theme, she decided to join us. Good call Jillene! Having her with us made it all the better.
.
The concert did not disappoint. Mindy Gledhill has such a beautiful voice and her band members were very talented and entertaining as well. Of course the highlight of the night was when Stephanie's daughters sang with Mindy. It was beyond precious. Such beautiful, brave little girls they were. Oh and cjane (Stephanie's sister Courtney) herself got up and sang a duet with Mindy at the end. It was hilarious and made me realize that I take myself way too seriously (in front of other people especially) and that I really need to cut loose once in awhile.
I'm thinking about posting myself singing, yes right here on this blog, just to prove that I can let go. Yep that's what I'm gonna do alright (well, then again...).

Anyway, my girls and I had an absolutely perfect day together and even though we didn't get home until 1:00 a.m. it was so worth it.

.

P.S. Yes I am wearing the same clothes as in my SPT picture because I took both pictures on the same day. You see because although I took the camera on our fun girls trip, I forgot to take pictures while we were there. We did snap a quick one when we pulled into our driveway at 1:00, but I looked very haggard and blucky in it and being that I am the editor and chief of this blog, it didn't make the cut.

So all of you people who think that I just look lovely and put together all of the time, ha-ha no sir-ree. I can look as haggard and worn as the next 39 year old having a bad day, but being the strict editor that I am you don't get to see it. So there.

(Maybe I should post myself singing while looking haggard and worn. Now that would be letting loose!)

I knew I loved them...

Tuesday October 28~ #28 on my 100 list:

***

I have always dreamed of being a mother.

....................................................

***

For as long as I can remember I have dreamed of being a mother. I adored my younger siblings and delighted in the precious foster babies that shared our home from about the time I turned 12 through about the time I was married. Running into the house after school to see what new baby had arrived or going with my mom to the hospital to bring a tiny newborn home was absolute bliss. I fell in love with those babies and couldn't wait for the day when I would have one of my very own. I would even talk to my future children in my journal entries, giving them advice as I learned things along the way. I seemed to always be aware of their presence and longed for the day that I would finally meet them.

.

I guess that's why every time I hear the song by Savage Garden, "I Knew I Loved You" I tear up. I'm reminded of how I have always felt about my children when I hear these words:

.

I knew I loved you before I met you

I think I dreamed you into life

I knew I loved you before I met you

I have been waiting all my life

***

And so worth the wait, they are even better than I ever came close to imagining!

I am so blessed to be able to share my life with six of the greatest people ever born. No wonder I was so anxious to meet them.

.

(That's Jamie under the hair. Silly girl.)

Hurts so good...

Were we watching tackle football tonight or a soccer game? I'm not sure because that match was brutal. Our guys were getting slammed by the other team and the officials were quite oblivious to all of it. They were especially hard on our defenders. While trying for a goal, one of the other teams players took Landon out. He plowed him like a freight train, knocking him silly, but even with that Landon never lost the ball. It was crazy and I am so mad that I didn't have the video camera with me because I know that my brother Lynn would love to see it (I'm going to try to find someone who taped it so I can post it later).
.
Landon briefly blacked out, gashed his lip and felt a little loopy so they took him out of the game. That was scary, but our back up goalie did a great job. They did score one on him though (not his fault, nothing he could have done) so Landon jumped up and asked to be put back in.
It ended up being a very exciting game and we won 3-1 so we're going to state. Hooray!

Our boys definitely earned this one.

And they have the battle scars to prove it.

.

Way to go guys!

We're proud of you!

Happily Ever After...

Tuesday October 21~

#21 on my 100 list:

I had already met a good man (Rick, my now hubby) at home, so while I was away I wouldn’t date the same guy more than twice and I didn’t kiss anyone.

....................................................................................

I think in order for this to make sense I need to tell you that #20 on my list said:
My parents sent me away to Rick’s college to meet a good man (in hopes of steering me away from my high school boyfriend).
.
In all fairness you need to know that my high school boyfriend's parents sent him out of the state to get him away from me as well so the feeling was mutual. We weren't exactly a match made in heaven. Two good people who were horrible for each other.
.
So with my boyfriend getting close to returning home, my mom became feverishly busy trying to ship me away so I wouldn't be around when he got back.
She registered me to attend Ricks College in Idaho hoping that I'd meet a nice boy there and forget all about you know who. What she didn't know was that I had already met a nice young man~ none other than my very own Rick. He was so refreshingly upbeat, funny and responsible, I fell for him right away.
.
Because I really wanted to get back to Rick after my semester away, I decided that I would not date the same guy more than twice and that I would not kiss anyone. My roommates bet me a dollar that I couldn't do it but I won and even received a sweet apology from one of the guys who had tried to kiss me. My roommates got a good laugh over that one, but I thought it was really nice.
.
With my dollar in hand I returned home to my fabulous Rick. Even though our love story took a little detour when I got back with my high school boyfriend for a short time (old habits die hard) we couldn't be kept apart and now 18 years later we are still living...

Happily ever after!!!

.

And when I came home from a candle party tonight and Rick told me how hot I looked and that he can't believe I am his and that he is the luckiest man in the world, I thought,

"Oh yeah, I definitely made the right choice."

How bad?

A few weeks ago my kids and I were taking a walk through the park when a very ripped young man came jogging past. When I was sure he was out of ear range I turned to my teen girls and said, "Did you see that guy?"
.
"No Mom I didn't see him at all." Marlee sarcastically replied as she wiped the drool off of her shoes.
.
Can I just pause from my story for a moment to say how fun it is to have teen-aged daughters. I love their reactions when I bring up the subject of 'hot guys'. Seriously there is nothing better. Now back to my story...I too admired this young man's physique but for a much different reason than my drooling daughters. As someone who HATES to workout I looked at those rock hard abs and thought, "What kind of drive and determination must one have to get a body like that?" How the heck do people dedicate themselves that way? I really want to know.
.
As you know I am very excited about my 40th b-day next year, but I really want to reach it in better shape than I am now. And not just because I want to be ripped and toned, but also healthy. I want to be a cute spunky eighty year old someday and I know I have to start working on my health now or that will never happen.
.
So this morning I MADE myself do a quick workout and I started on my crunches again. You may have noticed that my crunch-o-meter is empty. I decided that since my last crunches were done in May they really didn't count anymore so I erased them. But this morning I got 140 in before the phone interrupted me (couldn't make myself go back after the phone call).Then I made a sign for my bathroom mirror.
.
When I was in high school I shaved my hair short, short (those crazy 80's) and had to spend the rest of the time trying to grow it back. I often got tempted to chop it all off again so I put a picture on my mirror of the long beautiful hair that I desired and this helped me to persevere through those bad hair days. Now I have this sign on my mirror to help me through the, "but I don't want to workout" days.

It says, "How bad do you want it?" A question that I ask myself all of the time. Just how bad do I want it? Do I really want to be in shape or do I just want to dream about it? This question works for other goals that I've set as well so hopefully the sign will be a motivating force for me.
How bad do I want it?
I guess time, and my abs, will tell.

My Bookend Boys...

Last night was the last home game of the season so the senior soccer players and their parents were honored before the game. The school got some pictures of the event so hopefully they will give us one. I can't believe that my son is a senior. Seriously, how did that happen?
.
I've enjoyed watching Landon this soccer season and am proud of how hard he has played. It is so nerve racking to be the mother of the goalie. Every time the ball goes near him my ulcer flares up (that is if I had an ulcer it would). I could never handle that kind of pressure (I guess that's why I never played sports). But his sweet saves have been fun to witness let me tell you.

Here's a sweet save against Blue Ridge (the best team on the Mountain mind you). Yeah, yeah so we lost that one because Blue Ridge always wins and will probably take state (again), but we went out there and gave it our best so it's all good. We did however win last night's game and only have to win one more game to go to state so wish us luck.
.
I had to leave last night's game early to go to YW so Rick was left alone with the 3 youngins. They did fine until Rick said, "Time to go" and Jamie and Easton, who claim they didn't hear him, went up the bleachers instead of down. When he turned to tell them to come down, Waylon a.k.a. Dash, disappeared. After a long search, Dash was nowhere to be found. Panic stricken, Rick searched the dark street for our little super hero and finally found him, running ever running, down the busy road of departing spectators (I'm telling you, once Waylon gets going he doesn't stop and he is very, very fast). So when I got home from YW Jamie announced that they had lost Waylon, but because I could see his cute little self sitting on the couch before me I was fine. Now if I had been at the scene of the mishap this would be a much different story because I would have FREAKED! That little stinker. I really need to get a harness for him.
.
Well at least I have one child almost raised to adulthood and if I keep on my toes Waylon just might make it too.
I do love my bookend boys.

If Cars Could Talk...

Tuesday October 14~

#14 on my 100 list:

I drove a VW Karmann Ghia in high school and college.

........................................................................

Sadly, I don't have access to a picture of my beloved Karmann Ghia because my mom is currently serving a mission in Georgia so I can't bug her for one. But here is a picture of me getting pulled over for speeding in my beloved Karmann Ghia back in college.

Thankfully our flirtation skills were sufficient for getting me out of the ticket and I think the officer even blushed a little when my roommate asked if we could take his picture for our scrapbook. Good times.

.

Shortly before Christmas, my senior year in high school, I saw the cutest little baby blue car parked in a vacant lot with a for sale sign on it. I told my dad about it and to my great, GREAT pleasure I found it waiting for me, big red bow and all, on Christmas morning.

I found this picture online that looks very similar to my car (thanks HubcapCafe.com). Man if my car could talk, the stories it would be able to tell. I had the best times in that car.

Of course if my car could talk I'd have to get one of these to muzzle it. Unless we were alone together, then we'd visit and laugh for hours that little Karmann Ghia and I.
Do you know how to make an arrogant guy at a dance club very, very angry? Tell him that his Porsche looks just like a Karmann Ghia (that one's for you Heidi).
.
I so miss that car. Shortly after I got married I sold my Karmann Ghia to my brother (in case it started talking. Ha-ha) and one fatal afternoon his girlfriend filled it chuck full of balloons as a cute way to ask him to a dance. While driving, one of the balloons obstructed his vision and CRASH! My beloved Karmann Ghia was no more (but thankfully my brother was fine).



These days my hot ride is a Toyota Sequoia.
Can you say Sexy?
No?
Maybe that's because there is nothing sexy about driving a people mover.
But I have no choice because, although I would cram a ridiculously dangerous number of people into my Karmann Ghia from time to time, everyone in my Sequoia must wear a seat belt (hey you have to grow up sometime).
Don't feel too sorry for me though because you can take the girl out of the Karmann Ghia but you can't take the Karmann Ghia out of the girl. And when I'm driving down the road with my 80's music crankin'...

I'm still young, hot and having fun (even if it is only in my mind).

Hey this is my reality, I can believe what I want.

(Excuse the hair. I was rockin' out and it attacked my face).

.

Do you have a favorite car?

Do you wish it could talk or are you glad it can't?

Do you like to rock out when you drive?

Celebration time...

Oops, I forgot to tell you.

The Gilbert house rented!

The new family moved in

on the first of October

with a one year lease.

Hooray!

Family Fun...

Paige had her first music concert of the year last night and she did a great job. She's a member of the show choir, which is really fun to watch with their dance moves and costume changes and such.

I wish I could have gotten better pictures but my camera was acting up so I had to take what I could get.

How do you like this one of Paige playing the drums?
Awesome isn't it?

.

It also didn't help that Waylon was acting up even more than the camera. I kept having to take him out because he would not be quiet or sit still. Good times! Because I had to wrestle him so much, his pants kept riding up and he'd say, "Mom you're hurting me." And I'd say that I was sorry but if he'd quit fighting me that wouldn't happen.

.

When I took him to the bathroom he announced, "These pants are hurting my penis." (sorry we say it like it is in our house so I guess I can on my blog as well) He then proceeded to try to take his clothes off but I explained to him that he could not return to the concert naked so he agreed to keep them on.

.

Upon returning to the concert he lasted about two seconds before he began to act up again. Rick told him that if he didn't settle down, mommy would have to take him out again to which he very loudly replied, "But mommy hurts me."

.

Then "Shhh" from Rick followed by another loud declaration, "But mommy hurts me."

Lovely.

.
Rick then scooped Waylon's precious little three- year- old self up and took him home.

.

Have your kids ever slandered your good name in public?
Do you even take your kids into public?
I'm thinking that I never will again.

Roots...

For the SPT challenge this month, we have been asked to consult our 100 lists (our 100 things about ourselves. I posted mine back in May). On the 7th of the month we'll post an SPT about item #7 on our list. On the 14th of the month, we'll post about item #14. And so on. And so on. So here goes...

........................................................................

Tuesday October 7~

Item #7. I desperately need my roots done.

...........................................................................

I was born with beautiful dark hair just like my daddy so I guess it was inevitable, even though I went blonde shortly after birth and stayed that way through my 20's, that eventually my hair would darken again. And it did, little by little after the birth of each of my babies. But it never darkened enough. I was not a rich brunette, nor a blonde. I was a nothing. Dirty dishwater blah. So in desperation I turned to the bottle. I BECAME A SLAVE TO THE BOTTLE! And I hated it. I hated continuously being at the mercy of a hairdresser, being trapped in her chair for three hours at a time only to fork out over 100 dollars when I was done. But I had to keep going back because if I didn't I'd have ROOTS! Nasty, dark, oh so tacky roots.

After putting up with this annoying ritual year after year I finally became fed up enough to get brave, say goodbye to the blonde me and become...

A Brunette!

I am a slave no more. Because although my hair was very resistant to drugstore hair dye in every shade of blonde imaginable (it would turn reddish every time, hence the need to visit an expensive hairdresser) it responds quite well to drugstore brunette. So now instead spending 3 hours getting my hair done (not to mention the hassle of getting a babysitter and all of that), I'm done in less than one and instead of spending over 100 bucks every six weeks, I spend about 10. So forget what they say about blondes because I am definitely having more fun now! Oh, and I forgot the best part...NO MORE ROOTS! Light roots don't show up like dark roots did and it's fabulous!

.

So now the only roots that I have to worry about are the roots of my faith. I feel like everyday I receive more bad news. Another family splitting up, a sickness, accident or death~ loss of a job, home, and possessions~ or worst of all the loss of faith in a God whose loving arm is stretched out toward us.

.

But even with all of this, I know that if my roots are firmly planted in the faith of my Savior Jesus Christ, believing in and ACCEPTING his atoning sacrifice as a source of strength, hope and joy, I can look forward to the future with peace.

And I do,

oh how I do,

look forward with peace!

Happy Birthday to you...

I have really slacked on my blog Birthday Shout Outs.

I missed Rick,


.

.

.

***Paige***





And other family and friends. But I'm going to do better starting with a very happy birthday wish to my...

MARLEE!!!

Happy Birthday Marlee.

We love you!

15!

How did that happen?

....................................................

I guess we're not traditional cake people...

Rick had banana cream pie,

Paige brownies,

and Marlee a hot fudge cake that was to die for

(I'll post the recipe sometime)

.
Are you cake people?
If not, what kind of birthday treats do you have?

Happy Fall...

It's that time of year again...

FALL!

Glorious Fall!

(Paige wrote this Happy Halloween message on her cupcake with little sprinkles, crazy girl)

It's time for gourds under glass

(love this look, thanks bloggers)

Pumpkins, pumpkins, pumpkins

I love pumpkins!

Books wrapped in newspaper take on a whole new look for next to nothing.

And speaking of inexpensive decor, these dollar store vases and dead branches from the yard turned out to be one of my favorite things this year.

Happy, happy Fall

to one and all!

.....................................

Do you love fall?

Do you decorate for it?

What are some of your favorite decorations?

Critter Country...

I have never been afraid of snakes. I've never been reluctant to touch or hold them and when I see them in the wild I watch with fascination as they slither by. But today I learned that if I see one in my kitchen...

I SCREAM!

.

Then watch helplessly as it finds a hole beneath my cabinets and disappears. Please don't come back little snake. You are a very beautiful creature, but I really never want to see you again.

..........................................

And how the heck do you get skunk smell out of a dog's fur?

I'm telling you it's a critterpalooza around here.

She won...

She's the new Vice President!

Vice President Palin?

No...

Vice President Paige,

the new Vice President of the eighth grade class!

CONGRATULATIONS PAIGE!!!

We are so proud of you!

And thank you Landon for helping Paige with her speech. You are the best big brother in the world!