Thursday Thirteen #22

#22 Thirteen Concerts I've Been To 1. The Osmonds Back when I was a kid at the Oregon State Fair. One of the Osmonds actually came into the audience and kissed my friend. 2. David Bowie My first "real" concert. I was 16. 3. James Taylor I've seen him more than once - as the list shows. 4. The Jetts When I was at Ricks (BYU-Idaho) they came to give a concert. Students rushed the stage and they had to stop the concert for 10 minutes. No, I didn't join in - I sat and laughed. 5. Stevie Nicks Got these tickets for free because a friend at a record store had them - none of the employees wanted to go. It was a great concert. 6. Phish Actually this was a whole day concert Phish was the only band that actually became something. 7. Reba McEntire I went with my friend Becky in Salt Lake and she cried when Reba came out onstage. 8. Yes My husband is a huge Yes fan. We sat in the 3rd row. 9. Sawyer Brown My husband won 2 tickets when I put his name in the drawing box for free tickets at my work. I went with my friend Cricket. This unknown guy opened for Sawyer Brown - it was Toby Keith. 10. James Taylor I went with Cricket to see JT up at wolf mountain. I don't know who thought it would be a good idea to have concerts on a ski slope. Our sleeping bag padding kept slipping down the slope. 11. The Gin Blossoms This is cheating because they actually opened for #12 so it's just 1 concert disguised as 2. 12. Hootie and the Blowfish This is my brush with fame. We got backstage passes and ended up going over to the casino with the band and watching them play black jack. There is more to the story but we'll save that for another day. 13. Lt. Dan Band They came here with the USO so we saw them up on the base. I danced up on the stage during one of the songs and my daughter fell asleep on the floor. Guess it wasn't for everyone.

Gymnastics?

So I was asking Jordan what she did in school today. She had PE and they were doing gymnastics. She played on the trampoline, the balance beam, and the japanese.

Any guesses what the japanese is?

I Think I'm Done

I think I'm done Christmas shopping. Well, at least for the kids. Since living in England I do a lot of my Christmas shopping online. We have an American post office box so we don't pay international shipping and we make US dollars not pounds so we can't really shop on the UK economy. So, online shopping it is. Of course Jared wanted a stretchy scooby which is only available in the UK. I don't even want to say how much it costs with the exchange rate but more than I wanted to pay. He did ask for it for his birthday as well so Santa Claus guilt is kicking in.

Now if they would quit telling me all the "things" they want but that's not bound to happen. Tis the season!

Thursday Thirteen #21

#21 Thirteen Things to be Thankful For An obvious choice since today is Thanksgiving. 1. My husband. He works hard and provides for us and all that stuff. 2. My kids. They keep me on my toes. 3. Living in England. I might complain about it a lot but it is really a once in a lifetime experience. 4. My parents. They support us in all that we do. 5. My in-laws. They drive me insane but when the chips are really down you can count on them. 6. My friends. There are those few people that even when months and months pass by you know if you call them things just fall back in to place. 7. That it isn't raining today. Woke up to a beautiful morning with blue skies. 8. My washer and dryer. We brought our American washer/dryer with us and it has been a life saver. The tiny washer/dryer in the kitchen that came with the house is dead but when it was working I could do 4 loads washed and dried in my washer before it finished one. 9. Music. I can't sing but I love music. All types - I rarely get in the car without turning the radio on. 10. Listening to my kids read. This morning I didn't have the radio on I was listening to Jared read some adventure book with magical unicorns and gnomes. 11. Listening to my kids play and talk together. They all 3 get along really well for the most part and I just love listening to their conversations - for the most part until they get loud and I just can't take it anymore. 12. Jared's laugh. My kids all have great laughs but Jared's is just crazy. 13. The internet. I have made a lot of friends online and it is nice to know that whatever time zone I'm in I can still make connections through chat, blog or email.

Proof That I'm Losing My Mind

So my blog on Monday was admitting to the fact I tossed out my kid's school pictures. My blog today is admitting I am losing my mind. Jackson came home from school on Monday and handed me four picture packets - complete with pictures. I DID toss out the order forms like I had originally thought. I think I need a nap - or a brain transplant.

The girl with no teeth (and who doesn't listen to her mother and redoes her hair barrette anyway!)


The boy we hope will grow in to his teeth


The Prefect in his blazer


Here are all 3 of them - Jared must have been a bit surprised or something.

Why No Good Can Come

FROM CLEANING YOUR HOUSE!

I tidied up our computer room two weeks ago. The owners of the property were sending an appraiser over - probably to up the rent but we'll be leaving in July so more power to them. Anyway, I figured I should clean up some of the piles in the office. I went through a few stacks of magazines, catalogs, things we don't need and I tossed them all out. I then missed trash day so all that I threw out sat in our garage for an additional week.

As the hubs was going through our bills he asked what one particular charge was for and I replied - the kids school pictures. THEN I realized I didn't know where the pictures were. Wait I did know! In that one stack of magazines I remembered seeing something from the school picture place but sure it was just the old order forms - as I combined all 3 in to 1 order when I sent the payment in. I tossed it. They sat in my garage for a week after that and the DAY AFTER the trash was picked up I came to the realization that I threw out my kids school pictures. I didn't even scan them in to the computer. 30 years from now my grandchildren will be sitting down looking at scrapbooks (said as if I scrapbook) and will wonder what ever happened during the 2007-2008 school year. I suppose that can't be worse then when my husband realized how much money I paid for pictures I threw in the trash.

Friday Feast

Since I'm going to start working all day on Fridays I figured I should find something to put in my blog that day so I've picked Friday Feast - today is my first day to participate.

Appetizer
What was your first “real” job?
I worked at Souplantation as a hostess. I started the day after my 16th birthday.

Soup
Where would you go if you wanted to spark your creativity?
Creativity? I don't have much of that. Maybe I should find out where I need to spark it and go from there.

Salad
Complete this sentence: I am embarrassed when…
my kids do or say things that I thought I had taught them NOT to do.

Main Course
What values did your parents instill in you?
A very strong work ethic and to appreciate what you have.

Dessert
Name 3 fads from your teenage years.
Acid Washed Jeans
LA Gear tennis shoes with more than one pair of shoe laces
Pegging your pants and rolling up your short sleeve t-shirt sleeves.

Friday Feast here

Thursday Thirteen #20

#20 Thirteen Christmas Wishes 13 Things My Daughter Put on Her Wishlist! Jordan spent the other day writing her Christmas wish list. She then drew several pictures and made an envelope - handed it to me and said "here we need to mail my order to Santa!" We'll see how many of these Santa actually gets her. I'll translate her "order" for those of you that can't decipher 5 year old writing. 1. Disney Princess cooker 2. Gameboy 3. Gamboy Games 4. Guitar 5. Violin 6. Polly Pockets 7. Barbies 8. A new Ipod (she doesn't actually have an Ipod - she has a disney mix clip) 9. PSP - pink I think she actually means a DS 10. Radio 11. Webkinz 12. Unicorn (or maybe this was one thing a webkinz unicorn? I better ask.) 13. PSP for Jared that is blue. (Hmm maybe I should read her Tuesday's post so she will remember this is the brother that told Santa Claus she hadn't been good?? And I'm sure they mean DS on this one as well.)

Off The Hook!

Jordan was just invited to a birthday party. They will be riding horses. Actually they will sit on the horses and be lead around by someone else - but for 5 year olds this is riding horses. Jordan is really excited about being able to ride a horse. She did inform me however that I don't actually have to buy her a horse because Grace has a spare one that she is going to let Jordan borrow! Man, how can I be so lucky? Totally off the hook on that one - I mean I was going to start my horse shopping tomorrow - now maybe I'll just buy myself a sweater.

Sibling Rivalry?

I went to lunch yesterday with a friend. Not a particularly good lunch but I didn't have to make it so that's good. As we were chatting I remembered one of those priceless little stories and figured it was worth sharing in here.

A year or so ago we were at church with the kids. Jared leans over and whispers "Mom, what's the name of the guy Jordan follows?" "What guy?" "You know the guy that Jordan follows!" "What, Jared I have no idea what you're talking about." "You know, Jackson and I follow Jesus because we're good - what's the name of the guy Jordan follows?" "Jared are you talking about Satan?" To which he turns to his brother and says "hey Jackson we're good and we follow Jesus, Jordan is bad and she follows Satan!"

This is the same kid that told Santa Claus that he had been good but his sister hadn't.

Do You Know Why I'm Cute?

Jordan has this shirt that says "If you think I'm cute you should see my Aunt". My sister in law likes to ask Jordan why she is so cute and the correct answer is supposed to be "because my Aunt is cute!" This picture is a few years old but Jordan had gotten herself dressed that morning and had breakfast before I had come downstairs - this look was just too much.

Anyway - we often joke about why she is so cute and no matter what she will ALWAYS say it is because her aunt is cute. It is just not fair! Well, today I said "Jordan why are you such a brat?" I was really hoping she was going to say it was because her Aunt is a brat. Instead I got this: "I'm not a rat I'm a mouse!" WHAT??

Sunday Story

Today's lesson in Primary was about saying thank you. When asked why the children would want to say thank you we got a lot of great answers.
We say thank you so people know they are appreciated.
We say thank you because it is nice.
We say thank you because our parents teach us to (or tell us to).
We say thank you because Jesus taught us to say thank you. (Great listening as they had just all dressed up as lepers and only 1 of the 10 said thank you after being healed.)

The one that takes the Sunday Story award today is:
We say thank you so that people will give us more stuff next time.

Is It Naptime?

My friend dropped off her three girls this morning at 6:30 so they could catch a bus for Edinburgh for the day. The bus leaves at 7am and returns at 10pm. At 8:45 I had to load up 5 of the 6 kids in the house and head out to the first day of basketball. The 6th child is missing basketball to go to a lazer tag birthday party - I didn't give hubby the option of not taking him - just told him when to have him where. Should I feel guilty that 2 other families offered to have him tag along with them? No - I shouldn't. It's good for the 2 of them to spend time together. Then we spent 2 hours at basketball, had lunch at Burger King and now - yes it is naptime. However, I only have 1 that naps - the 2 year old. So it is quiet time in the house with 3 5 year olds and 1 8 year old? Should we take bets on how well quiet time is going to go?

Free Advice!

I know that is just what you came here for. But here it is: Don't take a job where the only person that actually knows what is going on is leaving the week you are hired.

Yep - that's what I did. The woman who ran the office left to pursue her dream and there are 2 other women that took over her job. I have been in the building several times in the last week and the door is closed, the office is empty. The promise of "Jane" being on hand to help me get everything done has come up empty as well. I've done all of my paperwork and then I'm told that I'm not in the system. I track down someone who might know and I'm given a phone number in Germany with the hopes they can help me. Now I'm stuck with a few more things to do but a 3 day weekend ahead of me - so no time to do it. Slowly and surely I WILL get it done.

Thursday Thirteen #19

#19 Thirteen Innappropriate Computer Uses 13 Innappropriate Uses For The Internet At My New Job! 1. Using Emoticons/Wallpaper/Screensavers. Apparantly these can give a nonprofessional look and could even be offensive to others. Okay - not everyone thinks my kids are as cute as I do so I won't turn them in to a screensaver. 2. Sending Personal E-mail. The work email is for WORK not for distributing jokes to our friends. My favorite part of this guideline is it says "sending out resumes" LOL guess finding another job is not work related. 3. Web Surfing. I wonder what I will do when the room is empty and all my paperwork is done? 4. Sending Chain Letters. Not something I normally do anyways so I think I can handle that. 5. Listening to Internet Radio. I guess this isn't very professional, could be offensive and takes up network bandwith. I don't normally listen to the radio on the computer anyways. 6. Using Instant Messengers. I guess this can open the computer up to hackers and also can reduce levels of productivity. 7. Chatting. Same as #6. 8. Playing Computer Games. This takes up too much bandwidth and once again reduces productivity. Guess I'll have to keep my Pogo at home. 9. Downloading Movies/Music. I guess this can open up the computer to viruses and all of that. Plus it uses up harddrive space and can decrease internet speed. 10. Storing Personal Data. Once again it uses storing your resume as an example. I'm wondering if there is an ongoing problem here of people looking for a new job?? 11. Generating Spam. Good thing I didn't put on my application that I once worked for a woman who did just that - she was a spammer. 12. Keeping Confidential Material Confidential. Probably why I can't send spam and all those personal emails using the things I have on the computer. 13. Destroying Equipment. Hmm so you think destroying the computer would be considered inappropriate use? Hey did anybody see anything about blogs in there? I didn't. LOL And for the record - this TT was completely composed at home.

Conversations About Cheese

This is the conversation my kids had in the car yesterday:

Jordan: I don't want the rest of this cheese anymore.
Mom: Why? Don't you like babybels anymore?
Jackson: I used to like them but I don't anymore.
Jared: You know that babybels are French cheese.
Jackson: Oh THAT explains why I don't like it.

Basketball

How is it that a basketball league that is supposed to have 1 practice during the week and the games held on Saturday has now turned in to a league with at least 4 games held on Sunday? If I thought it would make a difference I would complain but it won't - there is a scheduling problem in the gym - the school outranks any other activity - and this leaves me paying for at least 4 weeks that my kids won't play. UGH!

What Would Happen?

I really wonder what would happen if one morning I just didn't get out of bed. I wonder if hubby would even notice. Oh wait, he would. When the kids were on 1/2 term break he woke me up to tell me I was late getting the kids up and to school. I guess that is my answer. He wouldn't let me sleep - he would wake me up and still make me do it. Payback is coming though - I got that job and I will be working on Fridays from 8-4. That will put someone else in charge of the school run. I'm still pretty sure I'll be the one to get them up and dressed and get myself out the door on time. We'll see.

Sunday Story

Today part of the lesson in Primary the teacher asked if the children ever have brought anything home that their Mom was shocked by. You know, like the time Jordan brought in a GIANT earthworm and asked if she could keep it? Yep, stuff like that. The stories were crazy. Who knew that one of the children lived somewhere that they could wander around their yard and find a deer antler. Another brought in some pottery - sure she had found some ancient relic. The best was the newt. This of course prompts my son to say "She turned me in to a newt, A NEWT? well I got better."

This got a few smiles from various adults in the room and I just stared like I didn't know what he was talking about. I'm not sure church is the proper outlet for Monty Python skits - I'm sure he learned it from his dad.

Bonfire Night

Last night we went to the kid's school for "fireworks" night. This is in celebration of Guy Fawkes and the infamous Gun Powder Plot. This is the 4th year we've been in England for Guy Fawkes night (which isn't actually until Monday night but the school celebrated on Friday). The first year we had a bonfire, we had a "Guy" that we also threw on the bonfire in fact there was a contest for the children to name "the Guy". Then we also had fireworks. That was the year that we had a headmaster. After he left the school was handed over to a headmistress. I'm sure the main difference between men and women is fire. Men love building fires and throwing stuff on them. Women think it's more civilized to sell hotdogs and cupcakes and launch fireworks. Okay that's a generalization because I much preferred the bonfire. It had much more of a ceremonious feel to it - burning the "guy" and all.

Jordan wasn't enjoying the fireworks too much. At one point she said "I should have stayed home with Daddy, I didn't know it would be like this." I'm not sure what she THOUGHT was going to happen with fireworks being launched 50 yards from us but oh well. We bought our hotdog and our glowing toys, socialized with a few people, watched the fireworks and went back home.

Bean Hot Dogs?

It's dinner time at my house and as usual the hubby isn't home. We've been married for 15 years and I'm sure we've had dinner more times without him then we have with him. Before we had kids I used to fix dinner and hunt him down at the university and we would have dinner together. Well, that is when I wasn't working as well. Now he has a job that I can't really hunt him down at and I definitely couldn't go in to his office and have a meal. I've only ever been past the revolving door - who knows what is beyond that long hallway.

Anyway, back to dinner time. Because he is rarely home for dinner it seems lately I've rarely been cooking. When I do cook it is definitely child friendly - like last night. This is when I make chili dogs but the boys don't like chili and the girl doesn't like hot dogs. That doesn't sound child friendly at all now does it? So dinner ends up with the boys eating hotdogs and Jordan eating a "bean hot dog" which is just chili in a hot dog bun. I get lazy and sit at the computer and eat and eventually hubby wanders in and heats up some leftover chili dogs.

I have friends who would "never put up with this" and insist that their husbands come home for dinner. I suppose after 15 years I've just grown accustomed to the way it is. I do need to get out of the rut though and start cooking again. But with our schedule when am I going to fit it in:
Monday: Wolf Scouts every other week
Tuesday: Faith in God activity day every other week
Wednesday:
Thursday: Scouts & Ballet
Friday: Daisy's every other week and well it's Friday who wants to cook?? I won't even mention I just signed the boys up for basketball and so that will add a practice in once a week as well.

Thursday Thirteen #18

#18 Thirteen Halloween Costumes Hopefully the pictures show up - I have been having problems with blogger getting these up and then I've heard they aren't actually up. 2004 1 Black Ninja 2 Red Ninja 3 Wicked Witch 2005 4, 5, 6 Robin Hood, Cinderella & an Army man 2006 7 Snow White 8 Pirate 9 Skeleton/Death 2007 10 Return of the Red Ninja (but the 5yo girl version) 11 Roman Soldier 12 Death Warmed Over - a repeat of last years costume Well looks like the list is only 12 today that would be because I have 3 kids and 4 years and yep - 3x4=12. LOL I attempted looking in the depths of my computer for older pictures but I was at a loss as to where they were.