A Young Man

My little boy-- my first born-- turned twelve yesterday. Today, I walked him into priesthood opening exercises for his first time. Kyle was a little nervous, and a little unsure, but trying to be brave nonetheless. I watched him go join the group of young men and sit right next to his leader, and I almost started to cry! Well, okay. I did cry a little bit, but I worked hard to keep it mostly in check.

It called back memories of dropping him off for the first day of Kindergarten. They grow up so fast!! Sniff, sniff.

Short Story Link

I've told a few people that I would post Ancient Chinese Secret-- my short story about fortune cookies. It's on my writing blog, and the link is over there on the left, right below the keyboard picture.

Enjoy!

I Can Breathe!!

I officially finished finals. Whew! In the past seven days, I have turned in assignments totaling 56 typed pages! I've never had a homework load this huge before, and I nearly thought it would kill me. I can't believe what a relief it is to be done with this semester! And, oddly enough, I only decided to be done moments ago.

You see, the last day of class in my crazy teacher class (as I like to call it) was last Thursday. My final for that class was this Tuesday. Wednesday I sold back all the crazy books. So, I get home from selling back all books I needed to do any assignments, and I have an email waiting from crazy teacher (yes, the one that literally brought me to tears (and not in a good way) a full month before the semester even started). She was giving us another assignment. A HARD assignment! What's up with that? Class is OVER!

So, moments ago, I decided I'm just not going to do it. It completely goes against my nature, but I figure I gotta nip this thing in the bud, you know? If I do the assignment, then come Spring, I'm going to still be getting emails from her with new assignments! If I do the assignment, I'm just encouraging the wrongness. Right?

So, for the moment, I'm going to lay my head down on my way too flat pillow, imagine it's a fluffy cloud, and revel in the lack of homework.

Until morning. Then I'll face the fact that I now I have ONE day left of my kids being in school to do all of my Christmas shopping. NEVER in my life have I been this far behind. Aargh!

What in the World?!!

Halloween was 46 days ago. So imagine my surprise when I was putting something away in the nether regions of my son's room and saw that his Halloween candy can still contained all of this!

I mean, there are SNICKERS in there! MULTIPLE Snickers! Not to mention all the other good stuff. How does something like this happen?

Have Yourself a Mild Little Winter

Want to know just how mild this winter has been? I looked out the windows in my kitchen doors, and saw a flash of color on my patio plants. I went to check it out, and this is what I found.

See it?
Look closer.

My flowers are blooming again! I think that they think it is spring. I took these pictures TODAY. December 12th! How crazy is that?

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And speaking of crazy weather, here are a couple of pictures I took of last night's hugely bright moon with the freakishly amazing clouds that sort of remind me of dried cottage cheese mud. You really should click on one to see it bigger. Those clouds really were cool!

My First Open Letter

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To The Person Who Wrote the Code to the Virus My Computer Contracted:

I'm not very in-the-know about the ins and outs of the hacking business. So, I could be wrong, but I imagine you don't get paid for creating viruses. What could this person's motivation be for spending so long creating this, I wondered. I could only come up with one thing. You must get a thrill-- a little tickle of excitement inside knowing that someone you will never meet spent a lot of time working on their computer while thinking thoughts of you. I can't say I quite understand that line of thinking, but hey. To each his own.

So, I'm really really hoping that my part in this contributed more than just a little tickle of excitement for you. I'm hoping that it caused you copious amounts of overflowing joy and happiness that will last you all month long! 'Cuz otherwise, it just wasn't worth it to me.

Have a fabulous month, and be comforted by the fact that I will be thinking thoughts of you while my sweet hubby reformats my drive.

Peggy

Well, THAT's a Sobering Thought

I was driving down the street today, when I suddenly realized...
Alecia is 6 3/4 years old.

This might be the last Christmas that I have a child
who believes in Santa Claus!

How sad is that? Sniff, sniff.

A Confession... And does it make me strange? Wierd? Odd? Normal, possibly?

So, I'll take a deep breath and confess.

I've never read a Jane Austen book.
I've never even held one in my hands.
Never even looked at the cover of any of them.

Nor have I read Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Little Women, or any others of that time period / genre. I've never even make it through the first Anne of Green Gables book.

Surprisingly, I've never had classes in junior high, high school, or college that have required me to read any classics other than Romeo and Juliet, and Of Mice and Men. Not that this is my excuse or anything. And by not having read any of these great literary classics, I do kind of feel that my status of a self-professed lover of literature is called into question. But they have been on my mental to-read list for quite some time.

They've just never enticed me enough to make it to the top. Or even near the top.

I have never watched the movie Sense and Sensibility. Or Emma. At the insistence of my sister (love ya, Kristine!), I watched Pride and Prejudice. I got done and thought, "Hmm. I guess you have to have read the book to enjoy that movie." I've since heard that is not true.

So maybe I just don't get it.

I don't understand the attraction to Mr. Darcy

I don't get the swoon factor of Edward Rochester

I'm oblivious to the facination to Edward Ferrars

The endearment to Gilbert Blythe is lost on me



So, then I had recommended to me a book written by a great author. The book is called Austenland, and the author is Shannon Hale. Have I mentioned that I love Shannon Hale? And have I mentioned that you should go get one of her books *right now* and read it? Shannon Hale is a funny girl. And with a more real-life book like Austenland (as opposed to her more fairy-tale books), she was really able to let her funny side show. I figured if anyone could help me understand this Regency world (or whatever it is you call it), she could.

I still don't get it.

So, I figured there are two possible reasons why I don't get it.

Reason #1. I am hopelessly unromantic. And I have to say that this is an entirely possible reason. It may just be that instead of curtsies, tea, polite conversations, and man-to-rescue-me thoughts, I need my heroine to be able to kick a little hiney. And to possibly save someone. Or a group of someones. Or the world. Or even herself. Okay, I'll give that last one to Austenland. I'm really not against love stories. Maybe I just need action, too.

Reason #2. I haven't been properly introduced to this world. And this is another entirely possible reason. If I haven't, what is the best way to be introduced? Watch a really great movie? Start with a book that is sure not to fail? If you love all this stuff, what do you suggest? I promise I will give it a good try.

Thankful

a family that is sweet

a house that is warm

a husband that is supportive

grass that is still green

Kyle, who is caring

the mountains with their changing colors

Cory who is appreciative

weather that is beautiful

Alecia who is loving

school to teach me new things

kids to teach me new things

a neighborhood full of friends

the Internet and cell phones to keep us connected

parents who are wonderful

a van with no lit check engine light

extended family, most of whom live nearby

writing to give me a high

color on walls to make me smile

books to exercise my imagination

books my kids and I can both connect through

a country where we are free

a Christmas season coming right up

a family I love to be near

a family who loves me

Math as it should be

Good friends
+ Bad movie
______________
= Great time!

Pretty cool how the math still works out the same, regardless of what that second line says. I even got the added bonus of chatting with my best friend from 2nd grade! Pretty dang cool.

An Unbiased Opinion

You know, kids love when their parents think that they are great and that they are capable of creating great things. They thrive on parental affirmation.

But that hardly makes them think that we are unbiased.

Which we usually aren't.

Occasionally we are, though! But even when we are unbiased, our opinion doesn't seem to weigh enough when kids are looking at the way people outside their family may view their abilities.

Thats when the beauty of a stranger's opinion can mean a LOT.

Kyle entered the first chapter of the book he's been writing in the reflections contest (the part he entered was actually written a year ago-- I hope that doesn't break any reflections rules!), and his story was chosen to move on to the council level. :-) He was so excited that "people I don't even know actually like my book!"

He's still glad that I like his book, of course. It's just not quite the same as a stranger liking it. It's nice to have both.

As I was going through my camera to pull of the pictures I took last night, I got a bonus of finding one that Kyle took himself. I thought it was so cute! I hope he doesn't mind that I stole it. :-)

So, here it is-- a CLOSE look at reflections:

Kyle's medal

Kyle's ribbon

Oh, and on a side note, thanks, Shauna for all your hard and plentiful work on everything reflections this year! You did an awesome job.

Is that really where the feathers go?

Alecia went to take out the garbage one day. When she didn't come right back in, I went out to check on her. I found her frozen in place, staring at an odd bird hanging out on our truck hood. Equally awed by the bird, I slowly snuck back in the house, called for the rest of the family to come see, then grabbed my camera and headed back out.

Soon, five of us slowly crept closer and closer to this bird. He looked at us, cocked his head, then nodded in approval. So, we got even closer. And closer still. Now, I'm no avian specialilst, but are birds really supposed to be okay with a bunch of people getting that close?

But far more importantly, ARE THEY REALLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE FEATHERS ON THEIR FEET?

I've been tagged!

My lovely sister Janet tagged me with The 8's tag. About a week and a half ago, actually. She's probably been wondering if I'd ever get to it! Here goes:

8 t.v show's I like to watch (online, though. We never actually watch them when they are on tv)
1. Bones
2. Heroes
3. The Sarah Connor Chronicles
4. Um... that's pretty much it. And I can't say I've been loving those three lately, either.
5.
6.
7.
8.

8 Things that happened yesterday
1. I spent the morning doing homework.
2. I went to school, then ditched early because my 2nd teacher was sick. Yipee!
3. I went to lunch with Lance and had a Chinese quesadilla.
4. I finished writing a paper for school EARLY. By a day and a half, even! Can you believe it? I didn't let the defeated perfectionist in me procrastinate. Well, at least not on that paper...
5. I took Kyle to scouts
6. I drove 15 minutes to Alecia's cheer practice, only to find out it had been canceled.
7. I was ornery. That made my kids ornery. Which made me ornery. And that made my kids ornery... not a good cycle.
8. I decided 1/3 of the way through reading my kids Fablehaven 3 that Brandon Mull has become a much better writer.

8 of my favorite places to eat
1. Olive Garden
2. P F Changs
3. Kneaders
4. Brick Oven
5. Outback
6. At any function Tammy plans the food for
7. Pizzeria 712, I'm sure (although I haven't been there yet)
8. At Kristine's, during Girls Night

8 things I am looking forward to:
1. Finishing Kyle's Halloween costume
2. Getting Christmas shopping done (hopefully) early.
3. Having a few moments to read The Hero of Ages.
4. NEVER taking two writing classes in the same semester again
5. Figuring out what to write my "creative non-fiction" paper on, then getting it written before class tomorrow.
6. November 5th, the end of campaigning!
7. Writing again. It's been so long since I've gotten a writing high, I'm starting to wonder if I still can.
8. Thanksgiving! And then basking in the Christmas season.

8 things on my wish list
1. An ipod
2. A clean fridge
3. Deep sleep until I'm no longer tired (‘cuz I hear that helps with orneryness :))
4. To have whatever is causing my check engine light to come on in my car be fixed, without me having to give up my car to have it done.
5. A new kitchen floor.
6. A sparkling clean house, organized in a way that would even put Erin in speechless awe.
7. My kids saying nothing but sweet and loveable things to one another, and being blissfully happy whenever they are in each other's presence.
8. A root beer float.

8 people I tag
Now this puts me in quite a quandary. I am torn, because I LOVE to hear these things about other people, but I know people don't always love being tagged. So, here's my compromise. I tag everyone who is willing. If you don't like to be tagged, you can walk away feeling completely un-tagged and guilt free. If you'd like to feel tagged, then I tag you!

We Adopted!

Remember how we said goodbye to poor, sick Mr. Ponderosa a few months back?

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He just left such a hole in our lives, we had to fill that hole with something! The grandparent adoption program was out, so we opted for adopting a child. I'd like to introduce you to our tyke, October Glory Red Maple. He has already become well rooted amongst our family of growing things. He seems to really be flourishing in his new digs!

He's just a kid now, but when he is older (and presumably in October), this is what he will look like:Pretty, huh? I first found him at a local nursery for $200. Yikes! And, after the passage of some time, I had resigned myself to paying that much. Then, in an uncharacteristic (for me) bout of Erinesque Shopping Prowess*, I only had to shell out a cool $4.76! Happy day!

I still miss Mr. Ponderosa, though. The very first freezing temps of the year did this to my plants:

I REALLY appreciate now how many of those first frosts that Mr. Ponderosa protected my plants from!

*Erinesque Shopping Prowess: [er-in-esk shop-ing prou-is]

-noun

1. An uncanny, innate ability to be drawn, as if by an unseen power, to incredible deals on the exact products and / or services one is in need of. Although there have been many instances of this amazing feat, a few examples of this ability can be found HERE, HERE, HERE, HERE, or HERE.

Inspiring

Remember how I said that J Scott Savage was pretty dang cool? Well, he just moved up to pretty dang AWESOME! in my book (if you and me use a different scale, that's two notches above pretty dang cool). Here's why:

Kyle gets a little more excited about going to author events than your average 11 year old boy. Mostly because he plans on being an author. And not in a when-I-grow-up kind of way; in an as-soon-as-humanly-possible kind of way. So, he waited around until the line to sign books / posters was gone, then went to talk to Mr. JSS. Kyle told him that he was writing a book, and that he had his own writing blog. JSS told him that he thought that was very cool, and asked Kyle to email him his blog address, and he would check it out.

On the way home, Kyle said that when he gets his first book published, in the acknowledgements section, he was going to thank JSS for "being inspiring." About 1.5 seconds after we walked in the front door, Kyle was on his computer, emailing JSS.

The very next day, Kyle got a comment from JSS on his blog! He was so excited to be validated / encouraged by an actual author. He is still floating around on the high from that, and probably will be for some time. If you see Kyle out and about, ask him about it-- you'll likely see his enthusiasm level immediately raise tenfold. What a great thing for that author to do! Inspiring, indeed.

You can check out Kyle's blog HERE. Just click on the comments for "What the areas are like...." and you can see the comment JSS left for him.

J Scott Savage Visit

Tonight, we got to do one of my very favorite things-- hang out with an author! Just how far did I have to drive to get this privilege, do you ask? Only to the church! How cool is that? J. Scott Savage (author of Far World, found right now in your local bookstore :-)) came to our ward's pack meeting. How cool is he? I'll answer that with a "pretty dang."

Anyway, he did some magic tricks, and Alecia got to be one of his helpers! She was pretty excited about that. It was impressive that she volunteered, given the fact that he prefaced the request for volunteers with a "but you have to be willing to be embarrassed," and she took that to mean "I'm going to do something that will make your pants all wet." Turns out she wasn't embarrassed at all, just very excited.

I'm very excited to read the book to them. There's nothing like being a kid and reading a book when you have met the author of said book. When it was all done, he signed posters for the kids, and signed our book. It was a lot of fun! We even got to be first in line to get our stuff signed. (That was WAY cooler than the 2 1/2 hours we waited on Tuesday to get Brandon Sanderson to sign our books!) I think I probably owe Amber a tasty homemade treat for lining this "treat" up for us!

May- September Romances

Don't you just love what these 4-5 months do to growing things? It's so exciting to watch it happen!!

May

September

May

September

May

September

May

September

May

September

The Having of Cake

On any given Tuesday early evening, this is what you'll find Alecia doing.

She has taken to cheerleading like a fish to water. And this is what you'll find her doing about 20 minutes later....

Ironic, I know. Next year, Alecia will be old enough to do city cheerleading, where they will actually cheer at the city football games. So, I guess next year, she'll have to make a choice. Hmmm... will I be more sad playing football and wishing I was with the cheerleaders or cheer with the cheerleaders, wishing I was playing with the football players....

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For now, we'll go ahead and let her have her cake and eat it too.

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And she's going to eat that cake with a big side of TROPHY!

Yesterday was the punt, pass, and kick competition. It came time for the punting part, and she kicked a beauty! I could hardly contain myself. It got her in second place, then in the re-kicks, she moved to third place. This is her receiving her trophy.

The winning kick.

Pretty cool, huh? She is in a league with ten teams, about 10-12 kids on each team, so somewhere between 100 & 120 kids. She's the only girl, and she is remarkably unfazed by that. It's also kinda nice-- when I'm looking for my kid on the field, it's not so hard figuring out which one is her! I LOVE watching football. I'm so happy one of my kids wanted to play!

Good thing they don't generally call penalties with this age group, cuz that's some serious holding going on! Although, with this age group, it's just as often hugging as it is holding.

I don't know if you can see the look on her face, but there is some serious fierceness going on!