No Sunscreen Needed, for about 5 more minutes....

Sure, go ahead and stick that old tongue out,

you won't be getting a sunburn anytime soon....

until about 5 minutes from now, when the

sun will be blasting away,

because I live in

Utah....

And why might this be a significant picture on APRIL 30TH?

Because there was 8 inches of snow outside this morning.

Yes - I live in Utah,

where you can snow shovel in the morning,

or not,

because in a hour or so, (or maybe 5 minutes)

you'll put your flip flops and shorts on

to go out and get the mail,

and break out into a sweat.

Gotta love our state.

Random thoughts on this particularly strange day include...

1.  Snow?  Really?

2.  They're postponing the honeymoon?  Who do they think they are?  Royalty?

3.  I don't care if it doesn't call for bananas - they are going to be black by tomorrow, use them!

4.  Result of Del not going to work this past week - no ironing 100% cotton shirts - priceless...

5.  2 Root canals for Del this week - couldn't think of a nicer guy to have them....

6.  Can I get a lemon in my Coke?  Yes - it's a regular Coke... is the Lemon in Regular Coke Police  in there by chance?

7.  It's ok - I like pizza with only half the olives - using them as an appetizer, is ok - really....

8.  Kenny Loggins tickets for the Sandy Amphitheater are $42.00?  Who does he think he is?  Kenny Loggins?

9.  I had a nap for an hour and then actually slept for another hour, which one counts?

10.  And the reason why they have mirrors in the front of the Zumba class is why??

Time for Saturday Night Live

I needs me some Tina Fey.

... wonder if it's going to snow tonight....

Utah

Taxi.. hey Taxi.... er I mean Carriage... Carriage please....

Just a little, OK a LOT of anxiety about the Royal Day tomorrow.  I do remember well being glued to the TV for Princess Diana and that horse faced man she married - what was his name?  Wait - he later married another horse face.... and they were both banned from having any more children... Neigh I say more?  (wow - that comment was rude and mean and really out of line.....)(but you DO know what I'm talking about right?)  I wonder what Princess Diana will be doing tomorrow - I do think she would be proud of her son.  Prince William is really a great person, and she would be happy to know he's marrying a real sweetheart.  So yes I will have the recording devices rolling at 2 am to capture every single angle of the party.  I do wish them well - I'm sure they know me well enough to know that I'm cheering them on.  I was really impressed with the attention given to protecting Kate from those destructive people that took Prince William's mom.  Kate's had a lot of instruction on Royal Etiquette no doubt - and I close with proof of that.  When Prince William speaks to her - she knows that she needs to only listen to half of the conversation.... Happy Wedding Day Britts - God Save the Queen - (Heaven knows they need something to keep the old chick alive!)



One in a Million - wait - One OF a Million..

Mom:  Why are there 4 lawnmowers in the shed?
Me:  Well - during the winter months, they breed and then in the springtime, they have baby lawnmowers....
(Very seriously said after much contemplation and without cracking a single snicker...)
Mom:  These look like older lawnmowers, not baby ones...

Trips to my Mom's house.... Priceless

My Popcorn is not currently Popping

Ew - I really need to do a less Darth Vader type Blog post ... why are they sooooo gloom and doom?  Whateva....sometimes you just have to type what's in the brain...

It's dark outside - not because it's night, but because a huge storm is coming in.  Yes, another one, it's Utard remember?  My popcorn popping on my flowering pear tree is blowing back and forth and the blossoms are snowing off.  It's a Monday, and it's the end of a 10 hour day.  Ug.  But how grateful I am to have work.  Yesterday - I was able to see all of my kids that live here - and missed those that don't so very much.  Sitting around our Easter table were Del and I, Mandy, Ryan and Big J (the star of the day), Ryan (and his every so handsome smile), and Ashley.... and wait - one... more... MIKE - yes MIKE was there too!  Exhausted but handsome as ever, he's home.  Ashley didn't have to text a million times - she just reached out and touched him on the arm any time she wanted.  Ok - for those that know Ashley and Mike - it wasn't always his arm - sometimes it was his, um, leg.  Never the less - dinner was average, but the company was beautiful, and needed so much in my life yesterday.  I missed Matt, Bethany and the kiddos from WA.  I dreamed them there the best I could.  We ate the eyes out of the peeps - orange peeps.  (Orange you glad you're not an orange peep?)  I carried in my heart an unfortunate experience from church.  (yep - you read that right) Yesterday, a lady in our 'new assigned ward' lashed out about the church during Relief Society.  It was as if Satan came in and sat down.  She shocked and hurt many women in the room.  I decided to raise my hand and ask to talk to her in front of everyone.  I'm not one of great words - but I do trust that when I open my mouth - God will put something in there he needs to have said.  I did express my love for her - I reminded her that the church is not an easy thing to be involved in - but that it was worth it.  She said that she thought we were prideful - and worshiped the temple, the building, and not God.  I reminded her that the temple is the House of God - and that one day her and I would walk in there together and she could feel that.  I reminded her that being in this church required her efforts in gaining a personal testimony - not one that you can buy or borrow.  She would need to turn her thoughts to prayer - and ask the ONLY one that can answer the frustrations and questions she had.  It was pretty quiet in the room - she got up and left.  It was difficult.  I do know that God died for me, and yes - I am a sinner, as I was called - but each day I get up and thank him that he's given me yet another day to try harder, to beg for forgiveness, and to accept his love into my life.  I also told her that if she loved that son like she said she did - she might want to keep him forever, and to do that - she would have to get past the outside of the temple and find the blessings inside.  It would require her to step up and pull her bootstraps up and DO something about obtaining that testimony.  Yesterday - I went from a meeting full of hurtful feelings, and came home to a place where one by one - those children that are sealed to me, and are sealed to their spouses and children, walked into the house, and I could feel of each of their spirits.  Has life been easy for them?  No, not for a long shot. Have they trusted in the Lord? Yes, every second of every day.  As I finish my latest blog ranting... the storm has begun, the rain is turning into hail, and the blossoms are being beat to a pulp.  But never the less - after the storm, the sun will come out.  It just reminds me that during the storms, I'm going to need to hang on just a little tighter to the rod until it ends.  Or unless I can't reach those extra Orange Peeps with my toes.... Orange you glad I'm not sharing them?

I Promise...

To post
a more
spritual
Easter
Post....
when I'm in a better mood,
which is not today.

Good Everything...

Well today holds many things in it. The sun came out - that's a rare thing this year. I didn't get yelled at, at work today - yes - that's another one. It's Friday - always a good thing. Oh - and it's GOOD Friday - always a fishy celebration of sorts. (totaly pun intended my catholic buddies)(you know - you can't have meat on Good Friday but fish doesn't count, nor does chicken...) OH - AND it's Radio from Hell's 'All Day Show' - like - manna from heaven to me - again - just a pun folks... (lightening bolt for me). Above all - it's also been 28 years since I went to the Temple - that's sweet. They don't serve meat there at all, I noticed. But I always come away 'well fed spiritually'. That would mean that.... 28 years ago I married Del too! Just wondering how many of my kids I might have to remind that their parents decided to be their parents that long ago.... and made the right choice. On the subject of meat - we are not eating the Easter Bunny this Sunday, nor are we eating the Easter Chick(en)... but we are killing the fatted pig - and drenching it with brown sugar. We are having the children over - at which time I will just dump all of the Easter Candy into a large Tupperwear bowl and we shall devour it that way - getting away from that sad tradition of picking it out of that plastic grass.....and WHY do they wrap those chocolate eggs in aluminum foil? IT TAKES FOREVER TO GET TO THEM... is that to make me think about the calories I'm about to consume? Now that's just sick and wrong. Well, here's to Good...... sun, work, Friday, meat, (Radio from) Hell (fire and damnation of course), manna, big T's, Anniversaries, Bunnies, Chickens, dead pigs and some Hello Chocolate to top it off. Hope your's is Hoppy - gosh - I really hate it when people say that....

Finally..... Finally.... Finally.....

Well - the God's have smiled and have allowed these two to survive one year apart.  Ok - there was that tiny break in November but hardly  enough time.  It was hard to post things sometimes - because I was worried about Ashley's safety - and we really didn't talk or couldn't talk about where Mike was exactly.  But both of their locations are at the same place as of today.  I think a round of applause would be appropriate here for both of them.  (Yeah!!)  His family had an amazing sign up at the airport and all of them were there.  Except for his brother Brayton - who is currently still serving far away.  He'll continue to be in our prayers.  It will be nice to see Ashley with a warm hand to hold, a large (very large) pair of shoulders to hug, and as you can see here - a bright beautiful smile replacing well, hardly a smile while he was gone.  Thanks Mike for your service - thanks everyone for your prayers.  Our ward, and Mike and Ashley's ward were AMAZING - and full of faith and love and support.  Just wanted to say welcome home - it will be nice to not have to photoshop Ryan Reynolds in every family photo....next to Ashley.... (:  We love you both so much - Welcome home Mike!  Oh - and hopefully the Do Not Disturb sign is up at your house...  (Zoey - cover your eyes)  xoxox