Call me before you put it out...

Ok - the Sandy, Utah ritual has begun as of this morning! We have our bi-yearly put your junk out on the sidewalk for the big trucks to come and pick it up - that is, if they have anything LEFT to pick up. This morning at 3:30 AM on my way to work - there it was - the massive pile of goodies someone has deemed 'junk'. By the time my shift was over 8 hours later - nothing but the leftover nails and leaves remained. Totally stripped down in no time. I was furious! I wanted to browse! Who do these people think they are not calling me before they put it out? I do most of my shopping there - it's free shipping - and almost humiliation free! My mom even calls from Mendon, Utah in Cache Valley to ask when the street shopping will begin - I must remember to call her! So this request is for my friends that actually have cute things in their homes that they would really love to keep but really belong in my house - it's time to put it out on the side of the road- but for heavens sake - CALL ME FIRST! Happy shopping day! (By the way - the sale ends April 21st or whenever the trucks show up...) Rummaging Rummaging through the streets - Christmas Bells are ringing - and couches, and boxes, and strange gnomes with broken ears, and, and, and.....

My Papa

My brother Eric has posted the best blog post ever. You must see it at 'A Bunch a Bowen' listed at the right. You know - I needed to pull up the Kleenex box picture again. My mom and dad, and brother - and I - that's all we had for a long time. God just isn't finished with my dad yet - he still needs to meet Andrew. Charlie and Andrew - two great reasons to stick around. Thanks Eric and Terri for sharing your day.

Things that must go

Mean people that hurt innocent beautiful children must go.
Sorry little one - you deserved a better chance at life.
My friend Pitbull shared this video with me - of which I think is
a perfect thing to give Hser. Thanks Elaine -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk

Oh grow some chest hair...

SO glad that the weeping brothers were split up on Biggest Loser. I swear they are hormonal! They lost their 100 lbs and lasted longest as a team - but holy cow - get a grip on those tears boys! "Pride on 3" means that you are NOT sissys! Go final 2 chicks! I'm curious as to why the Biggest Loser doesn't do the same thing that American Idol does. American Idol has a show totally dedicated to 'Idol Gives Back'. Can you just see the Biggest Loser Giveback? "And to my 3rd grade friend that didn't tell me that I had boogies in my nose before I stood in front of the class for my book report - I give 100 lbs. And to the chick that stood me up at prom - I give 75 lbs, right to your hips. And finally - to those people that ordered Girl Scout Cookies and then were never home to pay for them - I give my final 200 lbs." Biggest Loser Gives back.... are YOU on someone's list? Everybody is on somebody's list, somewhere... Hope I'm on yours! (I need some chest hair!) (:

Embezzzzling your family

Ok - while we're all stuck on the Biggest Loser show - of which I'm glad that ugly Dan is gone and that the chicks prevailed after Jillians *$%#@ whipping speech on metabolism. I have to brag about my brother and sister in law. ICON is where Terri works and they are having a contest for weight loss. Eric and Terri have lost 51 lbs & 47ish respectively. I'm cheering them on to win the $1,000.oo contest and I wish them luck in doing so. I'm tellin ya though - these darn family members should have told us and we would have put them on TV! We all could have splurged on their riches! We could all learn a lesson from their efforts and I'm really proud of them! Anyway - congrats you guys and best luck in the finals - gotta go get a triple chocolate sundae....

Some things should just be kept a secret....

Escaped the purse tagging, got caught on the book taggings - but I couldn't tell my beautiful daughter in law (mother of my beautiful grandson) no on the "List of 10 things you might not know about me" so just in case you wonder why I am like I am....

1. I hate tomatoes - they were a mistake in the Garden of Eden - I think Eve ate a tomato and not an apple - because a tomato would have caused the kind of problems that no apple could.

2. I am addicted to the 'Radio from Hell' show on X96. I actually quote them more than I should. I agree with most of their fetishes.

3. I don't want Obama, Hillary, or McCain. I want Indiana Jones. Do you realize that spell check doesn't even acknowledge Obama as a word? Why would I acknowledge him as a President? MY LAST NAME IS HILLARY why would I want that kind of torture for the next 4 years? AND - the other guy is just freakin' old!! (Kind of reminds me of the old movie "Temple of Doom" and we're all in it!) Indiana - come out of Disneyland and SAVE US!

3a. I had Dan Jones the pollster as my Political Science professer at Utah State. Didn't like him then - can't stand it when he's on TV now.

4. I was ran over by a Jeep when I was a little girl and ran over by a boat propeller - yes, attached to the boat, as an adult. I avoid going under planes and trains.

4a. Because of the boating accident - I have no feeling on the right half of my jaw, or my middle, ring, and pinkie fingers on my left hand. (So if I flip you off on the freeway, it's because I cannot control that middle finger OR maybe you really did do something to annoy me.)

5. I am afraid of the dark, scary movies, and mice that jump out at you in the dark during scary movies.

5a. I love to see small mice bodies snapped in half in mousetraps - but not in the dark.

6. I absolutely loved my Kindergarden teacher - Mrs. Horgesheimer, she was only as tall as all of the Kindergardeners! I had a crush on my 4th grade teacher Mr. Peterson because he played the guitar. I admired my College Prep English teacher in High School - his name was Mr. Pate - I just knew that his first name was Consta.

7. I actually got a 4.0 in High School, was Student Body Secretary, and achieved All American Status and Athlete of the Year in 3 sports. Then during the summer I played for the Budweiser softball team and my mom wouldn't wash my uniform shirt. (I never wore it to church - I promise!)

7a. My athletic pictures were hot. My high school dance pictures would scare the flies off of a gut wagon. Let me post one after I receive permission from my poor dates that actually had to keep one of them for.... probably just for their children to laugh their butts off 30 years later....

8. I married a California boy - he had to come all the way to Utah to find me. So the Beach Boys song was a fake "I wish they all could beat California Girls...." Bla Bla Bla - bring it on sister.....I got one of your 'Best in States"!

8a. I will have been married to Del for 25 years on April 22! (22 was my favorite jersey number in sports - sorry honey - I didn't know if you thought that was just a special day or .... something else)

9. I love to laugh. I think a good - can't breath, tears streaming down your face, almost peeing your pants, ugly purple lips from no cirrculation kind of laugh is one of the most healthy things you can do every day. Then have a Coke from McDonalds and you've got it made. Good times.

9a. My mom gave me funny genes. She thought I wanted Fun Jeans - that was the 'pre-hearing aids' era.

10. I always fill up a baggie of dirt from my father's garden in Mendon and bring it to my garden and sprinkle it out over the ground every year as a ritual token. One day - I'll have all of his dirt here in my yard. I have enjoyed many a morning in church when I look down at my hands and my fingernails are dark with dirt - evidence of a great day in the garden on Saturday - and that I should probably wash my hands better next time.

10a. When I was a little girl I had to cut down and burn the weeds that grew wild along our fence line in Mendon. Our family did this for years and those pesty plants would come back bigger and taller the next year. Then the USU Agricultural Department along with the Logan City Police Department came and said that Mendon was actually a natural place for marijuana to grow wild, they had a good laugh at us and then they dug them up. I SWEAR WE HAD NO IDEA! I do recall that after we would burn them down, we did have killer hot dog roasts with marshmallows and well, practically everything we could find in the fridge to eat.....brownies, chips, peanut butter... no I'm NOT telling you my address and NO we were not charged with anything.

Ok - there are a million more mysteries about me - but most of you are not old enough to hear them so I'll save them for later. I'm tagging Eric, Erin (Masons Mom) & Mandy M. There are some secrets I need to know about you three....Thanks Bethany!

Hell has just frozen over....don't buy into this smile...

My brother Eric has now established a blog for their family! I love them all like crazy. Eric is my brother, but his wife Terri has been my sister for half of my life! No, it's not what you're thinking - I am just really crazy about this family. I am known to his children as 'Helga'. Helga calls them and leaves them messages in a German accent - a really bad one. (The messages are always colorful and embarrassing in every way.) Their family lives next to my mom - and that can be good and bad. Good because she is so funny - and fun to tease. Bad - because he has now had to drive to where ever she is and get the keys out of a locked car - for a grand total of 7 going on 8 times. When the car is gone - and mom is gone - there is reason to fear for your life! (Eric and I will never get old - and our children will never have to take care of us......) (We both have guns - well he does - we'll have a pact!) We both became Grandparents for the first time within a month of each of our grandsons arrivals (Charlie & Andrew respectively) - so I can't really tease him about his age. We certainly cannot be trusted at Thanksgiving dinner around the our own children - they didn't dare bring dates to dinner because we would always have to show them where the dog bit us. (Neither one of us have any scars but it works just the same.) Eric has been the 'chosen' son(child) my whole life - I actually cannot even believe they tried to have another child, my parents loved him so much. He did have big ears though. I only have one sibling, but Eric was every bit as wonderful as 10 brothers and sisters. (Even though I did all of the work when we were little.) (Ok - I did shoot him in the forhead with a BB gun - or was it the pen I threw at you and it stuck in your forhead?) (Other than backing into the fence with your new car I wasn't suppose to drive - I was a perfect angel) (And to really get your goat - I dated your friends!) Eric's advice to all three of my children at their Weddings was the following: "If you must fight - fight naked. When you're fighting - never answer the door." Eric has a big heart and a kind soul. You'll never meet another person as amazing as him. He is a treasure, and his family is just as priceless. Enjoy reading the adventures of his family at their blog listed in my friends and family, A Bunch A Bowens. I know I will certainly pull up a front row seat for it - enjoy! Love, Helga