Where is Legally Blonde? I OBJECT! I think....

 

Watching the debate... sort of.  I believe that we need to observe the event.  I love watching the contrast between President Obama and Governor Romney.  I hear a lot of talk - I would love to just see the action behind the talk.  I love that the Founding Fathers knew that it would get tougher as the world progressed.  I wonder if back then - they cut each other off in disrespect - I hate that part of these debates.  I also tried to push the 'dislike' button on Facebook when the loose tongues take over there and good friends who usually fight over the U of U and BYU football teams - turn their claws on each other over political issues.  I get a kick out of the 'trigger words' and believe that somewhere there needs to be a drinking game (of course McDonalds Coke or Diet Coke only) when you hear the words 'trickle down' or 'play by the rules', or 'regulations'.... of course on a Bingo card - there wouldn't be a political FREE  spot in the middle... it would have to be on the far left side or the far right side.  I love the freedom of speech concept - how lucky we are to have that honor.  To blog about silly thoughts, moments in time that have changed us, serious topics, and sad things.  How wonderful it is to have differences.  How lucky we are to be able to vote - to cast that freedom also.  I don't know how many of these grandeur promises will come to actually being 'the way it is' if 'one or the other' is voted in.... but I get a kick out of having my one grain of sand on the beach vote... whether it matters or not - I love having it.  I mostly just wanted to say - that I put my "I VOTE FOR SPOCK" sign up in my front lawn.  I think he'll win.  If not - I kinda hope that SOMEONE comes along and beams up President Obama and takes him back to the mother ship.... (oh did I say that outloud?)  It's only Logical....

 

Gomer and Bob..

It's been a traveling week for my hubbie Gomer.  Traveling weeks are tough on both of us.  I am by far the biggest scaredy cat on the face of the earth.  While he travels with security -  I have all of the knives I own stacked next to the dresser by my bed.  I have no idea how I would kill someone with all of those bread knives.  He gets to eat at wonderful places (just part of the perks) and chocolate is sometimes involved.  I found something that resembled a frozen dinner, and some Halloween candy from last year.  He gets to stay in super sweet places and have someone leave clean towels every day for him.  I relished in the sound of that washing machine spin cycle.  He gets to have conversations with people that were selected to stand in the 'give them more brains than normal' line in heaven.  I tried to follow the conversation between the two macaws at our home, and even worse... I had to listen to Joe Biden.   So I decided the day he left that I would enjoy this pity party for the entire week.  I rebelled a bit, left my cereal bowl out on the counter... all day mind you.  I didn't put the lid on the toothpaste for 3 days.  I left the radio on X96 for the birds so that they were freaking out to rock music all day.  To top it off, I sang any song I wanted really really loud in the shower... (well ok - that was because I didn't want to hear the breaking and entering of the Psycho man...) I started 15 projects, all of which are still sitting here on the kitchen counter... and my Halloween decorations are half way up.  Good times.  It was nice to pick him up at the airport.  I love it when jet lag makes him a total Zombie, and he's totally slap happy funny (something to get on video one day).  I really love it when I say "I had no idea your plane came in early" even though I may have fallen asleep in the park and wait.... I love that he listens to me talk and talk and talk his ear off because I was so lonely.  It's weird when Gomer travels, well - actually it's almost as weird as when he's home.  We're just weird that way.   I was super excited for the gift he brought home for me - the cold from the man sitting next to him on the plane that was hacking up cats and dogs.  Love ya Gomer...  what's that you say?  Did I have popcorn for dinner one night?  .... maybe...

The Hungry Games

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1163&sid=22501675

 

Wouldn't it be super cool if I knew how to make this work .... super cool -  but I'm not that smart to be able to make it pop right up into the video.  So just enjoy clicking on it.... (she says.... 'Mom' in it!!)   Awesome day for Blondie - the whole family is proud of you little one.  It's amazing to me to see the strengths of my children, and their ambitions emerge.  Is anyone hungry?  I am....  Congrats Beep!  We were all cheering!  Oh - and Mike and I were happy that you didn't follow the airplanes or the mountains for directions to KSL... xoxoox

  

More goodies and an invite to follow:  Baking with Blondie - just google it.... and enjoy...
 

Awktober

I just absolutely love this picture.... after about 26 hours of no sleep - it just makes my laugh my really tired butt off.  (can I say butt?)  ok.... I just did... I LOVE OCTOBER... this year it's pre-voting violence - and they even have it on TV.  I get to gather the pumpkins grown in the Mendon garden.  I get to make applesauce... and more applesauce... and more applesauce.  I get to get my Halloween Decorations out!  I get to sluff church - and it's legal.  I get to turn the heater on.  I love to watch my chrysanthemum's bloom.  I get to till my garden (oh gosh I LOVE to run the tiller) I get to mow the lawn for the last time.  I get to see Christmas Decorations for sale at the store - ok -well I don't really love that part... I get to put a sweater on - WHEW!  I can stop shaving my legs!!! SUPER WHEEW!  (well not for Del)  I get to smell the sweetness of a fireplace.... and not a wildfire.  I get to stock up on NyQuil - my fave!  I love to look at the mountains all a blaze with color.  I get to spend more time inside on Pintrest and Blogging and Facebook (all recommended time wasters)  I get to make soup, and pretend I make good soup.  I can go to yoga with long workout pants on to hide my frightening knees.  I can park my bicycle and pretend I'll miss riding.  I can watch DWTS for FHE while eating dinner at the counter because, well why bothering setting the table.  I get to reminisce about the days before my hoarding started and my basement filled up with remnants of my children that use to live here and still have room fulls of stuff in the basement where I hope that the flood or the mice won't ruin their childhood memories (wow that was a long 'get to').  I get to start worrying about Christmas and how that's all going to go down.  And I get to drink my McDonalds Coke without the ice melting as fast as it did all summer long.  I love October - Bazinga....

Zoo-ology

When we travel with Mandy - we just tell everyone she's special needs.... she rode in the stroller all the way down the hill at the Zoo - so when they sing, "All the Monkeys Aren't In The Zoo".... they mean it.  It was a perfect day to check out the Hogle Zoo - how lucky we are to have such a fun, clean place to spend time.

 

 

 

So how lucky am I to have these beauties? Pretty lucky... we had the best time laughing and seeing everything. The new Rocky Shores was amazing and we loved sitting in the cool of the amphitheater to watch the bird show.

The rest is history...

can I really keep it?

I think I remember seeing a picture of my cousin Dbug in
front of this same big old bone!

I had no idea my mother in law lived at the zoo!

Nesting... could this be a sign?

alter ego #1

alter ego #2

will I be eaten alive?

maybe so.....

Uncle Mike came to help save me from the female animals...

 

Well - we'll be waiting for those Washington State Kiddos to

come for ZOO LIGHTS in the WINTERTIME!!

You've just gotta do it...

Growing up - my parents grew all of the vegetables you can imagine in our yard.  Trees, and gardens, and flowers oh my... it was all beautiful - always.  But like gravity, what grows up, must come down and be pressure cooked, strained, boiled, frozen, and stamped with the current year.  So that would explain the genetic make up of my brother and I.  Each year the stalks of corn are warmed in the sunshine at the bottom of these Mendon Mountains - growing tall in that rich black soil.

 

Then, when the raccoons and deer start munching on it - you know it's time to get it taken care of.  This process of picking, shucking, boiling, cutting and munching has occurred in every single one of my living years.  I can't ever remember a year that it didn't happen.  It's a beautiful thing to see the harvest tucked away for the cold Utah winters.  I always am grateful when Mother Nature allows yet another harvest.  I feel like the little ants that work all summer long so that they can secure a comfy nest in the winter months. 

 

My Golden Delicious apple tree gives me 4 bushel of apples every other year - they are huge beautiful apples and I turn them into everything under the sun... apple sauce, butter, pie filling, juice, dried apples and of course just dipping them in caramel.  The house smells amazing - and my shelves look happy.

It's getting to the end of the season and the garden is tired from making veggies - but not too tired to accelerate the beautiful flowers of fall.  This is the view from my kitchen window - and it makes me smile every time that I have a little bit of heaven 'in' earth to grow the miracles that grow in this tiny spot.  My parents knew that of all of the things that they could teach me... to teach me to grow things in the earth was the most valuable thing besides, doing something with it when it grew.  Thanks Parental Units - you are loved and live on.

 

Always remembered, written in stone

In my little town where I grew up we celebrate amazing things.  On this particular day - we celebrated our brave soldiers from our community and honored them with a memorial in our little cemetery.  I was there the day the artist and creator delivered these massive monuments and watched his tears as he talked of making them and putting the names on them.  It consists of 3 huge carved rock memorials of those that have served in the various wars over the years, some living, most have passed, too many left too soon.  The town came together for a program of music, introductions to many honored guests - and the arrival of a black hawk helicopter.  The 21 gun salute, the men in uniform and the beautiful day made for a memorable experience, one I was honored to be at, and also see my father's name (misspelled)(dang) in stone.  Here are some of the pictures of that day - some of many many taken, most make me cry.

I love this picture of Rod Sorensen and my mom - they
are total history buffs and they seem to always be in
the Mendon History books somehow together - good good man.

 

my brother, mother and I
 



not something you see everyday in Mendon
 

my dad
 

These are a picture of my Father's hands today - always a mighty Marine.  The reason he is still alive is because his heart is Marine strong!  My hands and his - together he gives me reason and strength.

Walking to the cemetery with my 83 year old mom - she followed my father where ever he needed to be in the military - she was stationed where ever he was.  She was always by his side.  Couldn't be prouder to have my family honored, and be a part of a town that takes care of those that serve.  Now - when my son in law walks into a room in uniform - it still takes my breath away.  Never could I repay that kind of bravery - never could I really find the words to thank them enough.  But I can salute the flag, I can post one at my home, I can stand every time a flag goes by -and reverently remember those that gave some, and those that gave it all.