Amen

The 44th President of the United States of America. I'm 44 hmm...Michelle Obama turned 45 on Saturday. We're practically BFF. It's really weird to have a First Lady the same age as me. It's weird to have a President only three years older. I wonder if they like the BeeGees. I wonder if Michelle ever had feathered hair. I wonder if she wore leg warmers. I wonder if she went roller skating on a Friday night and could never get the hang of skating backwards. I wonder.

So here's my commentary on the Inauguration.

I think it would be blasphemous to criticize someone's prayer.

So I won't.

I'm fairly certain that the little Obama girl (Who I'm sure is more mature than me) and I were thinking the same things. She kept peeking during the prayer. She was probably thinking, "Amen". And I don't mean "Amen" as in the prayer is over and I agree with what was said. I mean "Amen" as in, "If I think it really hard, it will happen."

It reminds me of a story a friend of mine told me. She was the music director in Primary and one of the little boys (probably three or four at the time), when he would tire of the speaker or when he thought they should be finished talking already, he would say, "Amen". She would laugh everytime. To herself, of course.

Now when my attention wanders, which it often does, I think to myself, "Amen". I think the Obama girl was thinking the same thing. "Amen"

Resolutions, BAH Humbug!

You all know that I am grumpy about holidays. This comic represents how I feel abut New Year's and Resolutions. I stopped making resolutions years ago. They just seem so ridiculous to me and make me feel like a failure. Why wait until January first to decide to change your life? Not that I am against resolutions. I love them. I make resolutions all year long, as needed. How many people have made the resolution to start a diet for the New Year? Lots I tell you.

This is how it goes, at least for me. Somewhere around the day after Christmas when I have gorged myself with peanut butter chocolate Santas and Holiday M&M's, I'm sitting on the couch with the top button of my pants undone, I haven't moved much because doggonit this is my vacation. I think to myself, "Self, you are going to start a diet on New Year's." Of course, until then, I allow myself to eat anything that is slow moving. That's right, it doesn't even have to be dead. Then what happens New Year's Day? My mother says we have to have black eyed peas and pork or we will have bad luck. (Which is a lie because 2008 was overflowing with bad luck and I had my fair share the appropriate foods to ward off the evils.) After the lucky New Year's dinner, I realize the date is January first and I didn't start my diet. That's ok. I'll start tomorrow. The next day arrives and there is still Christmas candy lying around. I'll just have a little. Within minutes the idea changes to I'll start my diet on Monday when I go back to school. Do you see the insanity?

So I stopped making resolutions on New Year's Day.

It just so happens that at the end of the year I started thinking about my blog. What is my hang up? I followed the pain back to the source and realized what I was doing. I would blog and then wait for comments! That is insane. I would check as soon as I got up in the morning. (No one stayed up until 2am to comment) I would check as soon as I got to school. (Nothing) I would check on my break, I would check on my planning time, I would check on my lunch. NOTHING! What? Doesn't anyone love me and want to make a witty comment on my wonderful blog? Come on what else do you have to do? Arrgh! I finally came to my senses and realized how utterly insane this behavior was. I had to focus on the objective of my blog.

It is not to receive validation from a few friends (although it is nice, love you gals).

It is not to, when I see Brother Welling with the "J?" button on his lapel, be able to say, "Why yes I do, as a matter of fact".

My blogging objective is tri-fold: to journal and create my personal history and family history.

My resolution (not New Year's, slightly after New Year's) is to be true to the objectives of my blog.

I decided that I don't even have to have pictures for every single blog. I just need to write and allow myself to add pictures later.

See you on facebook. I check it every hour.

YW Recognition Night

Tonight we recognized the talented Young Women of the Leesburg Stake. While all of the YW are exceptional in beauty, brains and behavior, this one was my favorite. I don't remember everything that was said about her, but this is what I know about her. She loves working on her Personal Progress. She loves the gospel and going to church, especially girls camp. She is a great missionary. She excels academically and musically. She plays trombone in the Jazz Band and Advanced Band. She has also played in the Steel Drum Band for two years. She has the cutest little singing voice I have ever heard. She has sung ensembles at church and was a member of the Christmas choir. She was in the talent show at school and was quite the entertainer. She loves all animals, in particular owls. I thought she wanted to be a verterinarian but I was corrected. She wants to be a Marine Biologist. Silly me. Jensen is a great friend and she is fun size.

She Came, She Saw, She Robbed a Liquor Store

Yay! Madison is home.

She said she missed Daisy the most.

We...

carried out a family tradition...

had Christmas at Grandma's

Christmas at our house...

celebrated New Year's...

Babysat Camryn, Ethan and Melena's toe...

gazed upon her pretty face...

walked the streets of Brussels...


drank from a fountain in Monacco

contemplated life in Greece

visited the City of Tomorrow and the Mouse...



went back to her heritage in Salt Springs.

She...

spent time with her siblings...

wrastled an alligator. That's right, when it's an alligator then it is "wrastled"...

went park hopping with her sister...

made sand angels...

robbed a liquor store. I told you we were gangsta...

spent time with her friends...

and watched a sunset.

We took her to dinner where she pretended she had summer teeth.

We dropped her off at the airport and convinced a stranger take our picture.

One last picture. We miss you Madi Poo Poo Gai Pan.

Who's the Boss?

I had to remind Madison who the boss was because apparently, she has forgotten after five months. I gave her a six pack of whoopin'

Then she reminded Jensen who her boss was. Notice Jensen already has an ice pack.

O Christmas Tree Part Deux

Lew did this...

...and this
...and this ...and this I even told him I wanted a square wreath that I saw on a Lowe's magazine and he made this...( the red bow is Jensen's idea. It's not part of the wreath)
He refused to decorate the tree. Madison and I devised a plot. We would make the tree really ugly. He would get frustrated and take over then we wouldn't have to do it. We carried through with our plan but Lew wouldn't give in. He even had to go outside to avoid looking at the decorating carnage. Our sinister plot had failed. Our tree is still ugly. Oh well, everything else looks nice and festive.

O Christmas Tree! O Christmas Tree!

We waited for Madison to get home to carry out our tradition of cutting down a Christmas Tree. We loaded up and went to Santa's Tree Farm. We have been doing this for at least 12 years, if not longer. We usually make a day of it, but since we waited so long we had other errands to complete so it was a quick trip. The kids take this tradition very serious, as you can see by their expressions. We loaded up on the hay ride around the farm and got dropped off in our usual location. We decided we wanted a wee 'ittle tree this year. We are always suckers for the Charlie Brown trees. Madison and Parker worked as a team to cut it down. Jensen caught it.
Parker and Jensen carried it up to be measured, tagged and bagged.
Lew tried to kill Madison.
Then Madison tried to kill Lew.