Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Where did September go?????


I think I closed my eyes and woke up and the month was gone! Sheesh. Am I the only one that feels that way?

Monday, September 21, 2009

I'm a slob....

My hubs left for Chicago this morning.

I went to the video store and rented ALL THREE of the Bourne movies!

Peanut M&Ms (slightly chilled) check
1 liter of pepsi check
microwave popcorn check
junior mints check
phone off the hook check
empty house check

See ya!

Oh, ya, miss you honey. I don't know how in the world I'll fill my time while I wait for you to come home.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Types of bloggers...

I've been blogging for over a year now. I'm not sure what kind of a blogger I am. I love to visit blogs that are all about their families, recipes, travel, food storage, organization, photography and totally off-the-wall crazy blogs. (you know who I'm talking about)
I've learned a lot and laughed a lot and even sat in front of my laptop screen and shed tears over some of the stories others have shared. I've decided that I love bloggers and have been inspired by them.
I'm not sure what category I fit under, mostly I'm random, rarely inspirational and usually quirky. I like posting pictures of my family, but have been known to post pictures of my garbage can. I have some envy issues that I'm working on.
Today was a day I was inspired.
Thank you Cherie. I loved your 45 things post, it was profound and I needed to read it....today.
I think Cherie is awesome and some day I'm gonna meet her.
Amen.
I also was inspired by this post yesterday when Farmergirls Market talked about Fall being a favorite season. How Fall allows us to slow down. Read it, you won't regret it.
So, I finally decided it was time to put the Patriotic decorations away. Just because they are up doesn't mean that summer is still here. Summer is gone. This has been a summer that I'm glad is gone. It's been a difficult one and I'm glad to move onto another season. So with excitement I put up Fall stuff. My fall decorations are my favorite.
My favorite area is our fireplace mantel. My jack-of-all trades hub built this brick wall to surround our woodstove. He had no clue what he was doing, he just started doing. He did the mantel. I love the mantel.

This cute sign says: "If the broom fits........."
It's so me.
(PS: Do NOT under any circumstances click on the picture to enlarge the photo. I forgot to dust the fireplace)

He did the mantels in our windows too as he replaced the windows. He's really good at remodeling, if I have the patience enough to wait for the various projects to get done. (the record for a project was a totally unusable bathroom for 528 days)

These are two cute little wall hangings that I sewed many years ago. Some day I will do wall hangings for every holiday.
(PS again: You are allowed to click on the pictures to see how cute, that wall is washed of handprints)

Even though my Fall decorations are up I have this urge to burn my favorite candle in the world.

Christmas Wreath is the BEST smelling candle on the planet.
Am I conflicted?
So what kind of blogger am I? Uhm, probably one that needs Ritalin.
What kind of a blogger are you?
(You clicked on the pictures to see how dusty the fireplace was didn't you?)

Monday, September 14, 2009

The Mask

We left Utah Sunday night after being the "psuedo parents" for a week to four awesome grandkids. We survived and so did they. It was fun, but it was busy. I'm not sure how my DIL does it all! Soccer, scouts, dance, homework....mercy the homework!

I was able to make it out of the state without being arrested. If you're curious about that check here. I also made it out of the state without making it to IKEA. I still feel ripped off. Apparently I had just ONE MORE exit to go and I would have made it. I was sorta OK with it, until KADO let me know they had free childcare AND a place to eat! Seriously???? That is a most brilliant marketing plan ever thought of. I would have wandered there for the week! (I wonder if an IKEA person would have done soccer, scouts, dance and homework...hmmmm.)If anyone knows the number and email to the IKEA CEO please forward that onto me. Clearly, I think he/she would appreciate hearing from an almost customer.

While I was in Utah I did leave with more than I came with. Peaches, tomatoes and this little number:

This is a rhinovirus, it came home with me, completely took up residence in my rhino(aka: schnazzola)
This is now me:

I had to go to work today for a staff meeting. We were informed that ER personnel, those on the "front line" will get first access to the flu vaccine that is now available for us and also for the H1N1 vaccine the first part of October. I'm not sure I'm too interested in either. It doesn't make sense to be vaccinated against last year's virus. (yes, that is what it is) I try not to buy into the hysteria thing and get my nikkers in a twist. Don't judge....it's just my opinion.
Until I'm over this rhinocerous that is living in my sinuses right now I'm not getting one now for sure. Undecided about later. I was told if I choose NOT to be vaccinated I must wear a facemask while at work.
Hmmmm.....
Trying to come up with a downside to that one.
If I'm wearing a facemask I can....
1-avoid getting sick from being sneezed on, barfed on or coughed on. I'm OK with that.
2-I don't have to put on make up....awesome.
3-I don't have to put on a smile....ya, OK with that one too.
4-I would avoid getting wrinkles caused by the sun...oh, no natural light in our ER, nevermind.
5-Easier to hide the Vicks Vaporub that is shoved in the nostrils to mask the ever present odors, if fact I could smear the stuff all over the inside of the mask!
6-Stick my tongue out at coworkers...sounds like a blast!
Well, I'm just sayin' I can't think of a reason NOT to wear a facemask!
So which one do ya think? Which one is really making a statement?

Or....

Also, the hubby flies to Chicago next week. I think he should also consider one of these little numbers to make his flight safer and much more enjoyable. I wonder if he'd get past airport security.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Dear Utah......

I am visiting you for a few days, I'm babysitting the grandchildren whilst the parentals are on a vacay.
Today just for fun I decided to drive along I-15 to check out the IKEA store I've heard so much about.....with two children in tow.....

Anywayz, I'm driving along white-knuckling the steering wheel of the family car, because I don't love driving on these roads. It's scary and dangerous. I'm a simple little Idaho girl and I like two lanes, not 50. (maybe I exaggerate a little).
The cars in Utah drive very fast and close together. I try to leave room from the car in front of me so in case I have to come to a sudden stop, they don't get an "excursion enema" from me.

I'm confused on a few issues when I drive in Utah (ya, only a few) The billboards in Utah are fascinating. I think if I lived here I would have to sign up for Smartlipo because apparently everyone here is getting it. I also love the road sign in I-15 that said "stay in lane".........duh, I'm trying. I would like to request that Utah have the spaces between the little white lines (AKA "lanes") wider. I am from Idaho and I do resemble the Idaho Spudbutt.

I need wide lanes, they make me feel safer. I freak out a little when I have a semi truck on one side and a school bus filled with sweet little children on the other. I am driving my son's car and it's nothing to sneeze at. It's a tricked out Excursion, chrome, fancy wheels, little beepy thingy that beeps when I'm backing up, screen on the dash that shows what I'm backing into...it's a pretty big car.

I'm not used to big cars but I'm still scared of being between a semi and a school bus going a billion miles per hour (am I exaggerating again?)
And then person driving in Utah, there is this wave that has me totally confused. Unless you've had an unfortunate accident or have polydactyly you have FIVE fingers on your hand with which to wave. At first I thought there was some friendliness happenin' but then I saw the Satan eyebrow scowl and your tonsils and I knew there wasn't much love goin' on.
So I decided to do what I needed to do in Utah and show some attitude. After all the monster car I'm driving has Utah plates on it, it is a beasty set of wheels with chrome and a beepy back-up thingy. So watch out for this gramma! Once I got that mindset on, I was feeling REALLY good. "ya I fit in here" right up until I saw some red and blue flashing lights in my rearview mirror. YUP! Utah cop can spot the Idaho girl coppin' an attitude!

I promise I was not flipping waving at someone! No, I happened to be going 51 in a 30 zone! I didn't know there was such thing as a 30 MPH zone in Utah! Seriously! I was just following the examples that have been set before me! Well, bless that sweet officer. He looked at me and realized I was a dumb Idaho girl, and I was babysitting my grandkids for the week and I looked dang tired, and I couldn't find the IKEA store after driving clear to Draper and never seeing it and then turning around, and this officer knew that I was about to have a total meltdown right there and then. Bless his heart, he told me "ma'am get out of Dodge by sunset and I'll look the other way".
So now I'm safely off the roads in Utah (HEY! I heard that collective sigh of relief) and I think I won't be driving around here again....even to go try and find the IKEA store.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

What have I been doing?

I certainly haven't been blogging. I have managed to stay busy in search of huckleberries. I have loved tromping through the hills in search of the perfect patch. I love lodgepole pine trees. I love sitting on the side of a mountain watching them move in the breeze. I love huckleberries. I've made huckleberry cheesecake, huckleberry muffins, huckleberry pie, eaten frozen huckleberries, I LOVE everything about huckleberries.

We have also been a little busy with grandkids. This past Saturday we went to Utah and watched grandchild #2 be baptized and confirmed. What a great day!
Then.........
We brought the 4 grandkids home with us so their mommy and daddy could take off for a week to celebrate their 10th anniversary. We have 4 small people for a week.....ages 9,8,5,3.....what were we thinking?

We decided to take them on an adventure and go through Jackson Hole, Wyoming and drive through the park and end up in West Yellowston, Montana. We stayed the night in West Yellowstone. In fact, we are still there.....I love the internet.

I thought the kids would so totally be blown away with Jackson Hole. The town square is so cutesy.

No so much. However, they thought the little candy store in Jackson Hole was awesome. You get to pick up a basket and fill 'er up. Mercy, that wasn't so smart on our part.

We thought they would get a kick out of the geysers and hot pots in Yellowstone...not so much....

They did like Old Faithful, it was pretty spectacular.

We thought they would think the town of West Yellowstone would fascinate them....not so much. However, the pool at the condo was sooooo awesome.

So after 9 hours in the car with 4 children grandpa and I decided one thing: Kids haven't changed much have they?



We are having a blast with them. What a fun chance to spoil, bond and enjoy them.

We'll be heading back to Utah with them tomorrow and will stay there with them so they can go to school, cub scouts, soccer practice, soccer, dance lessons......it makes my tired ache to think about it.