What's in YOUR compartment.....?

So... ok - I like to put things in my car door compartment.  It drives Del NUTS.  His cars are perfect - a fly would starve in his vehicles.  Mine?  I have enough stuff in there to support a small country.  Today - just for fun - and ok - under watchful eye of husband, I took out everything in my drivers side compartment - make sure you've read that right - JUST the drivers side... Here are the results:

2 packages of peanuts from McDonalds Sundaes, 2 Carl's Jr Strawberry Banana coupons, 3 X96 RFH Stickers, one flashlight, 2 plastic spoons, 4 plastic straws, 2 acorns, 3 suckers, 1 package crystal light (strawberry energy of course), 8 packages of Equal (why?), 1 package of salt (for McDonalds fries - duh), Lip Gloss (every Cosmo girl knows), 1 package of Kleenexes, 8 paper clips, 6 bobby pins (I think they are Mandy's), 4 toothpicks (2 used, 2 unused), 1 plastic knife, 1 random dead battery, 2 3X5 cards reminding me to clean up the car, 1 handicap placard (?) (useful at Disneyland), 2 large sharpies, 8 pens, 5 pencils, 1 large writing pad, an Articles of Faith card (in case I'm carded), and 3 unidentified items, and finally a part of a broken headstone from the cemetery. 

For some reason... it's now very very quiet on the drivers side of my car, tough luck for the passenger side

Happy Sexth Anniversary

That title is for you Mike (:

Just thinking about 6 years ago today.

My daughter had fallen in love with this amazing guy,

we had all fallen in love with him actually.

August 5th - they married in the Salt Lake Temple

forever - to be together.

She was a stunning bride,

He, a tall handsome soldier.

Both inseparable.

Today I wish for you

love, and continued devotion

to each other,

and to your

dreams.

You bring the light into our family,

you bring joy,

you give love.

Oh Happy Day.

All my love,

Bobby Shew

Everyone say 'Cheese'

I'm about to admit something just thrilling about me.  Yes - I'm about to give away one of my soul bound secrets to the world.  I love to kill mice.  A few years ago a few critters lived in our home, I know, creeeeepy.  They come in from the gully next to our home and they hit the houses along Dimple Dell.  So I lead an all out assult on them, killed every last one of them. and their little dog Toto too.  I pulled out my FAVORITE things today to get them ready for those itty bitty monsters if they show their whiskers.  I call them my death traps... I have .... a few.  They come in different styles - I have the 'snap your heads in one snap' ones... and then just for fun, the slow death ones.  I've used peanut butter, and a really stinky cheese.  Oh - I LOVE going downstairs and finding their little quivering bodies with their little teeth on their last bite.  BWaHAAAHhhahah!!!!!!!!!!  If I was in the Harry Potter movies - I would NOT be allowed to have Ron Weasleys Rat - because I would kill it.... bwahaahaa.... So - keep your doors shut - the mice will indicate how bad the winter is, and they are knocking at the door as we speak.... would you like some 'whine' with your cheese?  I heart killing mice.   (warning - this is not to scare off potential house guests)(I'd be more worried about Grandma rocking in the rocking chair up in the attic, and the guy behind the shower curtain with the sharp knife...)  Maybe I should get a cat....

Let them eat CAKE! Final installation

freaking took home the glitter ball of cake contests trophies... nuff said.

Let them eat CAKE! Part 2

.... here's how it went down after I posted last night.  My amazing 21 year old son came home from the SL Temple all adorable and spiritual and wonderful - to find his mom - standing over the stupid Bundt Pan at 11:30 PM  with half of the cake on the plate - and half still in the pan... and saying no no no no no no no no no no no no no - in an unusual unmedicated sort of rambling.  I decided to put the pan back over the cake and leave it until morning - and then just make a new cake.  When I woke up this morning early, there was my cake, pieced together, perfectly, (ok - so it needed a little extra frosting, ok a LOT of extra frosting on on side) by my son, who absolutely KNEW that I would have a melt down this morning.  I'm pretty sure - I NO DOUBT have the winning story, if not the winning cake.  Thank You Ryan - for seeing past all of the things in your life, and taking a moment to fix mine.  You are my winner.  Contest at 6 - maybe I'll post pictures!! ??  if there's any left....

Let them eat CAKE!



Well - it's finally the day before the big event.... yessereee... the big CAKE CONTEST!  I'm feeling the pressure as a Missionary in the ward - if you know me, I'm praying for divine intervention.  I had this amazing cake idea, ok - I wanted to steal Mandy's 4lbs of butter coconut cake.  She was reluctant to share it with me.... hum.... until I looked at all 4 pages of it, AND the cost to make the cake!  (HOLY MISSIONARY COW!)  She had made this cake for my birthday, and it was massively divine.  I LOVED it - I LICKED the plate several times over.  But this sweet kid had made this million dollar cake for me - and it was a freaking hard cake to make.  I WANT YOU TO KNOW MANDY THAT IT WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED.... and that I would NOT be able to EVER make it in my lifetime.  Then I thought I would steal Ashley's 4th of July cake - WHICH I HAVE NOT FIGURED OUT YET - and personally reminded me of a Rubik's cube - and I realized.... it would seriously take an Engineer to make it.  So since I'm not capable of baking like my daughters.... I had to improvise.  First of all I fasted and prayed for forgiveness, because I bought a box mix.  BUT - after I had great regrets about CHEATING..... I made up a stupid cake.  It's in the oven baking right now.... I decided that I could NOT take a cake to the contest without it being a butt, bunnt, buennnt cake - OH IT'S A CAKE!  The bottom is seriously coconut butter creme, with a layer of cherries, then grated chocolate fudge top, I saved some coconut, syrup, and cherries for the top.  I think I'll be fine - unless I can't get it out of the pan - and which at that time, I swear I WILL get the jaws of life out to cut the pan off of the cake and STILL TAKE IT!  The only thing that helped me survive my baking experience with the limited amount of bowl licking was the fact that I chose the perfect movie to have on.  I had attended the temple earlier today (part of the praying and fasting that I would win), and a shrubbery came to mind.... so I put in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" - which includes my favorite lines, "Bring out your Dead", "It's only a flesh wound" and of course, included coconuts.

Back to the cake.

When I heard about this picnic in the park for our ward, and the cake contest, I wanted so much to make the perfect cake.  But you have to remember, sometimes we have picnics because that way, we know someone has dinner at least one night this week.  There's the harsh reality of where I serve.  So - my cake - will be awesome, and much needed to cheer a few souls, to top off a few hungry tummies.  It doesn't matter what it looks or tastes like, it will be a hit.  Tonight - I'm thankful for daughters that can bake cakes that make me squeeeeeeel with delight, for the pizza that baked between mixes, for the holders of the secret words including "Ni", and for the buzzer going off right... about... now....  Hope this is what it looks like after tomorrow night!  (Just make sure my name is spelled correctly on the trophy chicks that's all I'm asking)



Bzzzzzz........

Yerp - last year we all went to the Bee's game and were

wowed beyond words, and we pinkie swore that we would all

come back and revisit the massiveness thereof. 

Our numbers were few - but exceptional...

Ashley arrived on crutches - after tearing up her ankle....

she didn't get the sympathy vote from the card game of WAR...

Just when you think your camera is safe from Mandy -

the other siblings take over..... and thus we get this....and this.....

and maybe this....

or a sweet one like this......

(YEAH!  This year we had Ryan AND Mike back!!)

Mike could NOT understand why we brought cards...

duh - what are we suppose to do until the fireworks start???

OH there's a GAME going on?  Sweet!

It was Home run Spectacular!!!

There were people hitting baseballs, and breaking bats,

and then they would run around the bases, and people would

cheer - and about 3 hours later......

the rain started...

BUT!  We cheered really loud, they won,

we ran under the cover, cheered louder,

and - they said - ok Fireworks....

(Insert Fireworks picture here....)

(WHAT?)

(NO FIREWORK PICTURES?)

whateva....

Wanna come with us next year?

(Buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks....)