Running - Post Mordem

Not, really-I'm not going to do that to you :).
What a crazy day. I'm glad they only happen once in a while.
All I can say is thank heavens for vehicles that run & teenagers that I trust who have driver's licenses.
(Which reminds me-I still need to tell you that story of "two weeks ago Monday" that is now half a year old.)
I will tell you that at 11:15am ish, I tipped over on the couch and fell asleep.
little mr. j woke me up a few times.

I regained consciousness, made him a peanut butter & honey sandwich, gave him a cup of milk and a banana as well. He is a very patient child. He was on time for school.

Thank you to Shari, Becky, Susie, & my kind mother-in-law (via email) - who all sent kind messages.
Being a mom is a wonderful job.
It's especially honed my patience and endurance.

Now, a change in subject:
Someone sent something oh-so-kind.

And I get to share.

Thank you MdmDragonfly!

She kindly awarded me (drumroll & great big woo hoo):

So-there are a few rules that go with this wonderful award:

1. Thank the person who awarded you.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.
3. Award 15 discovered bloggers.

But, I am a loser having to creatively handle my time of late, so I'm going to make a choice to bend those rules and cut myself a little slack, because-well, you read that last post & even though all my days aren't like that, there's always too many other things waiting for me to get to.

So, if I pass this on to you, you can do what you will with it-but know that in my becoming versed life, I have learned that you have to take care of the real life you before you can take care of the online you, so just know I think you're great & I enjoy your work.  (I have chosen to only do a few smaller blogs that I have ties to.)

Ok.
1 . "Check"-but thanks again!!! (I need to get on your fly routine!!)
2. *The steroids I was on to help a badly bruised muscle and the sugar I've been consuming and the sleep I've been missing have all contributed to a regain of 5 pounds and I'm not happy about it. *I think those little solid chocolate Cadbury eggs are the devil. *If I don't exercise for a day during the week, I turn into a very unhappy woman. *I am not that into watching movies, but when I do want to watch one, I like the unusual ones. The latest one I liked (and I watched it twice-which says something, because I never do that-ever) was "The Tourist" with Johnny Depp & Angleina (sp?) Jolie.
"Check."
3. Here are the folks I would like share this award with (in alphabetical order):
A Christian Mormon's Mission - Elder-you're awesome & the fact that you are spreading the news in the cyberworld is great. I know you don't have time to pass the love on with the little award-so don't do it! But know that I think you're awesome.
I Sing I Dream I Love, Anyway - A friend with a beautiful smile (I've got lots of those-lucky me) .
Messy Mind - A very brave woman, living with MS .
Mother Flippin - Compassion, roller derby, & children that make me laugh.
Pintucks and Ruffles - One of these cute sisters, I had the privilege of getting to know through
the Young Women program at church years ago. They have an incredibly talented family.
Simply Fit With Webly - Please see the first 'personal' item I "wrote" for you ;).
Strawberry Pearl Studios - one of miss h & s's very first babysitters and an awesome 'vinyl' crafter and the only website where I won a giveaway-woohoo.

"Check" (kind of).
I know it's not as many as I am supposed to have, but the kids just got back from school & we've got a graduation party to prepare for and someone wants the computer.

(Winners, I'm going to be late in letting you know I've 'tagged' you. But I think it's good that I am stopping typing right now, because I am noticing a severe overuse of parentheses.)
"Bye."

Running

my mr. and little mr. j

out for a run

Remember that last post where I was maybe going to fish for sympathy?

Well today I really am going to do it.

Even though I will be doing something moms everywhere do,

even though I will be enjoying the time with my kids,

in a little car that the older ones think is theirs but it isn't-

that I can commandeer and say,

"Who really owns this car? Driving it is a privilege. Don't give me that look.",

even though I know I am truly blessed to have these kids around

and the good fortune of a vehicle to drive

while mine's in the shop & my mr.'s is at the airport parking lot-waiting for him to come home,

(Oh, yeah, I so totally did not go fishing there yesterday.)

I am going to feel sorry for my self for a few moments.

Along with killing many, many rules of punctuation.

Here is my morning from 6:00am to probably about 10:00am:

6:00am family prayer

make lunches

make breakfasts

6:15am take miss s to seminary

wait in car because it's the last day

and she really wants to go to say bye to everybody

even though she can't stay long because she needs to get

to the school to join an AP World study group

7:00am get her to the high school

7:01am go home

7:15am hopefully arrive home

make sure little mr. b is ready for school

and little mr. j is up

and has used the toilet

because we are going to be in the car a while

7:30am take miss h, along with the boys to the high school

because she just now (11:15pm-Monday night)

remembered that her AP US History test is tomorrow morning at 8:00am

7:45am drop miss h off at the high school

remember to call the "welcome center" to get a pass for miss s

drive toward home

if we get home in time,

8:06am ish send little mr. b out to the bus

if not

take him to school

8:15am drive to the high school

8:30am pick up miss s for a doctor's appointment

drive to the appointment

9:00am (or earlier) arrive at appointment

?am take miss s back to school

drive home

Phew

Some time after that, little mr. j and I will

play and have some learning time.

He will have a peanut butter and honey sandwich, a banana and a cup of milk for lunch.

And I will take him to school.

Here is the rest of my afternoon.

It is not so crazy.

3:20pm ish pick up girls from school

miss h will be mad because she's had to wait during

miss s's 7th hour and miss h doesn't have a class that hour

She didn't believe me when I told her that choosing a schedule like

that would have consequences.

Dash back home and try to beat the bus

because I really like to be home when the boys get here.

4:45pm take miss s back up to the school for a practice for auditions

go home

6:30pm take miss h up to the school & join her for an awards banquet of sorts

that I just found out about today right after school when she needed $20 to cover the catering

?:00pm pick miss s up

because she still has piano lessons

You know, I really don't feel sorry for myself.

I just think it's funny.

Just about as funny as when I talked to my mechanic today and he told me

that the battery cable was loose.

That was all.

So I had him check the old car out and see if he could find anything wrong with it

because, if I am going to all this effort for that vehicle to be spending time

at his place, that vehicle better make my time and effort worth it.

And it has to carpool someone to school in Utah next month.

And it needs to be on its best behavior.

He found some things.

(I promise I jiggled those cables.)

(I am off to wash my face and go to bed and maybe try to plan a more efficient way to do tomorrow.)

(Goodnight.)

Happy Mother's Day

May I list for you my weekend?

(Maybe I shouldn't. Once in junior high a girl told me to "quit acting like that, you are fishing for compliments." What a hardened 9th grader. Sheesh. Ever since, I've tried not to fish or phish or whatever, but sometimes it just happens & besides this post won't be about fishing for compliments, it'll be about fishing for sympathy or empathy or a few "you poor thing"s. But don't fall for it, because really it's ok. I got a nap and we had ice cream and my favorite little video of all time -and the one I predicted would win- won the grand prize on America's Funniest Home Videos, so life is good. I am sorry there is no link to it, but I couldn't find one and I am too lazy to look anymore, but it was the one where the little kid had a video camera and was sledding and dropped the camera and thought he lost it and was saying all the things I would have said if I had been him and it recorded a conversation between him and his sister and she eventually found the camera and it was precious.)

You know what?
I just decided to delete my list.

Here's the new one:
I attended a funeral. A beautiful funeral full of hope and love and a celebration of a wonderful young man.
I rode a roller coaster with little mr. b.
I recieved great news.
I did not stress when my car died in the Sonic parking lot after a very long day and would not start.
I got the groceries.
I prayed for health and strength in putting into words all the thoughts that were swimming in my head about the talk was to give in church on Sunday. And He gave it to me. (I know. I now have one point.)
I encouraged a child to solve a major problem on her own. (And she did.)
I hugged my kids.

It's all good and life is a blessing.
Happy Mother's Day!


(Ok, that link to "life is a blessing"- they are friends of ours, they don't know I just linked to them, but when I wrote those words-I thought about them and wanted to share.)

Blur

miss h's Senior year has turned into a blur.

Actually, her whole life has.

The little toddler who tore up all the catalogs

turned into the preschooler who

took the mattress off my bed

and wore my high heels.

Then she began writing in second grade

and turned into a poet.

We'll just skip middle school and high school

things here, because I am thankful

some of those memories

are now a blur.

And we'll show you some real

(not blurry)

pictures from

Senior Prom

And gossip.

(Even though gossip is bad, bad, bad and never has a good outcome- I must share this lesson.)

Because this blog is about lessons.

(Sorry.)

See the purple dress?

The purple dress dumped miss h's date

a couple weeks before the prom.

Two years in a row.

That was a bad decision.

Because she had to come to do the pictures

and go with the group to dinner

without a date.

And miss h had a great time with a good friend.

See what I mean,

lots of lessons.

And I have to share one last lesson.

When he was looking at the pictures of the kids

that I took at the park

before the prom,

he asked me why I took a picture of the

people jogging.

I said look closer,

that's why.

I guess that's what the blur of growing up will do.

It'll give you

Lots of lessons.

Lots.

Somebody Really Loves Cars

This boy loves cars.

He would like to change his name to Red Ferrari.

Seeing a corvette is like having a cupcake.

So after his last soccer game this Saturday,

while we were walking back to our car,

I had to take a picture because he said,

"Oh man, look at that car. It is totally AWESOME."

Yes, mr. j,
it is awesome.

Totally awesome.

Honored

Sometimes my photography skills amaze me.

Not.

But as this is the only picture I have of

lovely miss s receiving her

National Honor Society Certificate,

I must share.

I must share

how proud I am of her.

Because who would have thought,

after a very rough start

in first grade

and the subsequent years,

that this little girl

would work so hard

and push through

the first big life challenge

she was faced with

to make it

here.

Congratulations to you, miss s.

You did it.

Sunday School