I LOOOOOOVE HIM

MyNigerian mailed me some beautiful little paintings that I received today along with an even MORE beautiful LETTER. GOSH that man can write. He. Is. WONDERFUL.

I love him. I love him. I totally love him.

We simply MUST save up enough money to go to Spain. Working. Selling the old house. Begging.

How Bazaar How Bazaar

Today I went with Megan and T-La to the Beehive Bazaar event at work at the show barn. Sort of like a bunch of Etsy shops live and in person. SUCH cute stuff!  Mostly, I collected  ideas of things *I* can make.  It was a lot of  "oooh! We can do that!"  But I did buy some awesome note pad journal things. So cool!

TOMORROW if going to be another fun day with Megan... RENAISSANCE FAIR!

Better than Meds

Today I am carding wool.  Well, not so much carding as cleaning as I am just doing it with my fingers, but my plan is to have some fresh fluffy wool to my my core wool in Needle Felted creations!  I ordered Roving (the colored wool) and am excited to MAKE something.  Honestly I have been doing so much better, Depression-wise and I don't think it is due to my Cymbalta, Welbutrin, or Abilify, though I am sure they help.

1. My Psychologist, Holly, has me doing SOMETHING creative for at least 1/2 hour a day to escape from pain and stress.
2. Ola, My Nigerian.

Quilling, needle felting, planning Steamed Cabbages, drawing... these things don't actually make me not hurt (sometimes they make me hurt more... at least my hands do) but they seem to help me feel better emotionally, even from just a little half hour session of  it all.  Helps to have a project, like I do when I can go to work.  I like my work.

And MyNigerian, well, I am amazed at how happy that guy makes me.  He makes me happier, braver, more able to cope.  He encourages me constantly and is a wonderful spiritual example.  I think I'm going to marry that boy eventually. He's amazing. AMAZING!  And look at that SMILE! *Le Sigh!*

Today has been a hard day for me.  It's beautiful and springy and I should have been at church but instead I felt crappy as can be.  Hurting, and sick... throwing up with a migraine.  I didn't go to church. Didn't do much at all.

I still feel bad, but I read MyNigerian's most recent letter, did some wool, watched Bewitched, and I am feeling at least a little better. <:O)

Happy Easter! Happy Conference! Happy in general for a change!

This has been a great week.  Wednesday through Friday was 4-H Leadermete and I learned all kinds of crafts and skills. Saturday morning was the beginning of General Conference. Saturday night we (Mom, Rinny, and BoyKid) had a little Easter party with Megs and Jake. And today, Sunday, is EASTER, the celebration of the Lord's gift to us... and General Conference, a time to sit at the feet of the Lord's own prophets!  VERY fitting.  And all week I have been writing, and falling deeper for Ola, MyNigerian. I am haoppily twitterpated for this wonderful guy.

Things I learned at Leadermete:

Garden Stepping Stones. This was fun and not too difficult and we totally plan to teach this at a day camp at some point.  Mine is a star turned sugar glider.

Basket Making. THIS is my basket! I am proud of it. I like how it turned out though I admit I will not likely do it again, nor teach it.  Well, maybe the skill in another way... paper or ribbon baskets but not real reeds. TOO much work.

Wednesday Night we went on a 2 hour mission at the Christa McAuliffe Space Center!  We had SO MUCH FUN. Oh and we succeeded too, on our mission. Saved the 15 Red Berets! GO PHOENIX!

Thursday Morning, Rinny and I went to Beginning Yoga. OH MY HELL. Yeah, that did not work out so well for me. Pain. Lots of pain.  Still feeling it. Not "ah that hurts so good" either... just OW OW OW! But ummm, Kudos to those who love it. For me? FAIL.

Project Wild Activities. Project Wild is a great program. I think I would like to certify in it.

Beginning Quilling. One class and I am HOOKED. This is one hobby I am picking up FOR SURE and continuing with as well as teaching kids eventually. Quilling, or paper filigree, is SO FUN. This was my little quilled picture.  (It is not great, and rather simple, but it is my first remember!)

Beginning Needle Felting. This is another I plan to do again and again. Finally a sewing/knitting needlework type thing that I can do! STABBING colors into it! VIOLENT yet pretty. NICE.  I made a Demon Sheep named Mortimer. He was supposed to be a pin cushion, but he is mostly just a toy. I also made a wool bookmark with a flying sugar glider on it.  I really like needle felting!  I need to get some wool from work and do some more. I want to do a gnome. It was Megs' idea. I LOVE that idea!  She is a genius at all things yarn.

Thursday night we had an awards ceremony banquet. The entertainment was Vocal Point. They were good. Rinny knew some boys in Vocal Point back in the day. The Sacketts her "2nd Family" were in it.

4-H Goat Program. Stiffened my resolve to own a goat, holy cow.  And for it to enter "Working Goat" competitions. They are the same stuff as dogs do in Agility Training!!!!

MEANT to go to Robotics to get better at our Lego Robotics program we teach at work but I got a murderous migraine and just could not stay. That was no good.

Scrapbooking Photo Cubes. I have place holders for my pictures except for one of Jack but that was fun. I have sides for Lilo, Epiphany, Heber, Jack, Bratanik, and Tortuga. (As they are my BABIES where as my fish, crabs, lizard, and frogs... well, they are my babies too but not My Babies like the gliders, turtles, and gecko.)

Self-Massage to De-Stress Your Life. With my stupid left hand still hurting in it's stupid splint this just didn't work at all. OW.

OH and get this! At the silent auction I won a CRICUT!  I still don't know how to use it right, BUT I think it is going to be invaluable to my church calling and doing my posters!

THAT was Leadermete and it was just great.  Yay for 4-H! I LOVE MY JOB!


LDS GENERAL CONFERENCE was AWESOME.  I felt like so many of the talks were truly meant for me. I LOVE the Gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.  I love my family and my friends. I am so thankful to be in this church and have a chance to learn and grow. It was just SUCH a good conference. The Atonement is such a wonderful and powerful gift.  Easter is so great.

Last night Megan and Jake came over during the priesthood session. We all talked about Conference  We also went to Noodles and Co for pasta for dinner with Rinny.  When my Dad and brother came back from priesthood we all watched The Blind Side and dyed eggs. We had so much fun.

This morning the fam got up and watched Conference together and had a special breakfast. Rinny and Mom made pancakes into eggs and bunnies. HA HA!  Conference was so good.

We also watched a special on the Touring of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.  The whole time I thought of MyNigerian and what an amazing singer and how he wants to be in MoTab.  So I PICTURED him singing and being in it and it made me smile.  I think whenever he finally CAN come to the US he should audition! I think that would be amazing and even though I know it is very hard to get in, I think he SHOULD try.


I think I may be in L-O-V-E with Ola.

I've Been Clunked... but it's not MY Cash

I recently have become much more environmentally friendly, you might say.

I am pretty conservative, but I have always been the "granola" one in my family. I recycle when I can afford it, I care for animals, I either use reusable grocery bags or take home the plastic ones to use as trash bags.

And, of course I am in education so I am CONSTANTLY collecting and using the following for art projects:

2 Liter Pop Bottles
Toilet Paper Rolls

Film Canisters

CapriSun Pouches

Vegetable Scraps

Cardboard Egg Cartons

Wire Hangers (appologies to Mommy Dearest!)

Plastic Water Bottles
By the way, we need a THOUSAND of the water bottles and hangers soon, so if you have some for me I'd love you and if you have a LOT for me, I'd BRIBE you. Like you're fam could be my half price guests at Thanksgiving Point or something.

ANYWAY, back to the point... my family just recycled something BIG. Ducky, my Jeep. Even though it truly was a "clunker" and had to be towed half way there and then fixed BY the dealer for the deal to go through, I still cried a little.

bad bad bad day

Are you SURE we Mormons aren't supposed to drink? Because today would totally be the type to come home, crash, and do so. I have a split lip. A boy threw up on the tractor. I am covered in hives for some reasons. And if Mr. Rogers had as much trouble with his trolley driver as we have with ours, he's have ripped off that inside sweater in rage and beat the thing the little red plastic shards with one of his leather, outside shoes.

Well, Color me Starstruck! (Now with Music Videos! (I'm like MTV before they were all about RealityTV Shows!))

YAY a weekend that didn't completely suck!

I was having such a hard time. Hurting a lot and crying so much. When Rinny kept reminding me of the Colors concert I admit I WANTED to go, but... I was not so excited. Last year's was emotionally hard, and the chairs weren't looking too great for my pain. Plus, I was just feeling so... alone. I had left a message for Megs to come, too, but got no answer, and figured SHE was having a week like mine and not up to going... or even answering her phone (which I REALLY understand as any of my friends no when I go into non-communication mode know.).

But then she called and Rinny persuaded us both to go! WOOHOO! With my Meggy! And Rinny, who organized this... and bankrolled this... so I really like at present. Yeah, sometimes I totally *heart* me sis.

And it was SO GOOD! (unlike the pictures!)



Even the opener. A chick named Stephanie Smith. Her song "Fragile Sometimes"? Talk about relating to lyrics. Pretty much my theme song at present. (not a fan of the puppet song though because I was in a really GIGGLY mood and it was serious and I kept thinking hand puppet. It's not. It's a string puppet. But hand puppets are FUNNY. Oh and crickets. Because we had a debate about Pinocchio verses Mulan. (Rinny was right. It WAS Pinocchio (OH! HEY! PUPPETS! I GET IT! I was on Loritab that night, just FYI. Blame drugs.) but Me and Megs were just slow. (and on drugs, in my case))) (Wow. THREE parentheses.)

Plus... and on a completely non-music related note, she had a MONA LISA ON HER SKIRT. And it made me covet it. I want her skirt. (Am I now a skirt chaser?)

But the concert? GOOD GOOD GOOD! The boys were fantastic and funny and great. The Hollywood bass dude the brought in was not so much (but I totally dug his OWN song! Can't remember it, but wish I could... something about next 15 in a row? Anyway, HILARIOUS and GOOD voice!) but I like my Colors boys the WAY THEY ARE.


But new songs is okay. Just the same pure sounds. MmmmHmmm... but enough of this ONCE A YEAR nonsense. FULL-ON COME BACK. Come on. NEW KIDS are even back. Can't you fully come back with MORE gigs? You KNOW the fans would come. The Sandy City Amphitheater was sold out, at the very least. And Rinny, Meg, and I... we will ALWAYS love you. Even though you ARE all married... and have kiddlets. And Megs is married too. Whatever. WE ARE THE SUPER GROUPIES!!!!

It was awesome. We sat with Brian's sister and a bunch of nieces and nephews and other fans so our insane cheering didn't look too out of place... we just looked like cousins or something!

In very Paparazzi fashion, this is Brian's Sister and nephew next to us. (Don't worry they actually loved us because we screamed and talked with us about football and crushing ankles and stuff (don't ask, I am a psycho.))

Also, after, I totally talked to Brian's SUPER cute barely 5 year old little boy because he wanted a hug from his daddy and the crowd of fans would not let him through and neither my Teacher mode NOR my obsessed fan mode would allow that so I MADE them move so he could hug his dad and ride on his shoulders. Pretty dang adorable. SIGH. So yeah. SUPER GROUPIES!

And I love my cousin and sister so much. This was a cute shot of Megs. Not so much of me, but I kept it anyhow, because, I liked her face. :OD

(Can you tell she married a TEXAN?! hee hee hee!)

The seats were still hard for my back, but I used an ice pack the whole time.

The only bad thing is I did not make it to even sacrament today. And that is NOT good at ALL. They have moved it earlier. This is not not not not a good thing for me having a hard time. Keep me in your prayers. I know that sounds like a lame thing to pray for, but I want to go. I really do. And it helps the week go better. Even just one hour of church.

Bleh. I am no good at Sundays.


OH OH OH! P.S. VIDEOS!!! Lookie!

Lifestyles of the Funny and Famous

This past week has been a hard one. I had to give up my Josie girl and do a week long camp. I have been sick, physically... and depressed terribly over my little goat. I miss her. She doesn't belong at that farm, in a swarm of other goats competing for what little food they get right now (stupid hay crisis), one of many, dirty and forgotten. Josie deserves to be a PET. A family pet who is pampered and adored and loved and spoiled and fed fresh hay and grains and only the best nutrition (and maybe a fruit loop or 2 as treat.). I hate that she is there, crying and alone. And I hate that I am working on the other side of the property with 11-14 year olds and stressing out and crying every night.

It was a good class. The kids were funny.

But it was a struggle. And I was hurting a lot and being very ill is not helping.

ANYWAY, finally the week was over... and with it ended the Summer Day Camp Season. Next comes the Field Trip Season. But there is a break in between. And on Friday was -TA DA-The Brian Reagan show!

Oh the perks of clout... of my SISTER. Friday,we totally got in early for Brian Reagan because of Rinny. We got recruited to "VIP services" awhile and were able to lay blankets down on the platform.

Here is the thing. I took pictures and a few videos at Brian Regan. Of where we were, of Rinny accidentally parking in front of his tour bus so we looked like stalkers blocking them in, of us driving around in golf carts, of the crowd coming in all scary like a zombie movie, of Mali and Katie (of the Chums!) chillin' and giggling, and, of course, of BRIAN REAGAN! So why aren't they posted? BECAUSE THEY ARE LOST!!! I have been using the search function and everything and the files are just... gone. So, there you go. BUT, just know this, HE WAS HILARIOUS!!!!!!

As for the fame of my sister, remember how awhile ago she did Good Things Utah and taught them ice cream and Peanut Butter Play Dough? Well, they REALLY liked her and asked her back to show some crafts. When they asked for some ideas she might do she gave them a list and rather than PICK they said "okay, maybe 5 more shows." TGP PR people are THRILLED and are calling her the "face of Thanksgiving Point." Our DEPARTMENT is happy because that makes us and our classes look cool.

But yeah, Rinny is famous again and GUESS WHAT, indirectly, SO AM I! Because she assigned me to make the examples! SO, when you watch this clip, know that *I* decorated those pots (badly... don't look much at those) but she made the flower pens, *I* made the paper chain calendar (CC, yours and my friend Ellie May's birthdays are on that thing), she made the Capri Sun bags, she sewed the lunch bags but I DECORATED them (one with Yo Gabba Gabba! Yes, Thai, I fully credit this new level of obsession to YOU.), and she made the book covers but... the books covered are mine? Yeah. We rock.

OH, ALSO, just another TGP thing, in case you didn't know Tuesdays in August are $2 Tuesdays. That is, like Cheaper than *I* can get you in! $2 for ANY VENUE even the uber expensive MUSEUM! Now, mind you there are very few Tuesdays IN August left and the lines are HORRENDOUS, but still, just letting you know.

("I want my two dollars... CASH!")

"Why can't Mormons send flowers?"

Today is the start of General Conference for the Church. And I woke up in time (ooh, long scary story though. Later.) I am not even in bed listening to it on the radio but upstairs, dressed, and watching it on TV and paying attention.

Okay, well, right NOW it is between sessions, so I am cooking crescent rolls (mmmm...) and half-watching and giggling at Benji (the Hunted!) and his sophisticated thought processes (compared to the idiocy of the majority of the few humans in the show) with The Roomie.

Crap.

I burned them.

Anyway, so this morning I was supposed to go to work... EARLY... to do this last big JMG harvest.

When I was dragging myself out of bed I texted my sister-boss a few times asking "are we still doing this thing?" because 1. it was cold 2. I was exhausted 3. I was hurting a lot
...but got no answer so assumed it was. I put on my jacket for the first time this year and drove out to Thanksgiving Point. But when I arrived, NOBODY was there.

And it was snowing... raining... sleeting... hailing... and I kept trying to call Rinny with no answer. I was going to leave, assuming it had been changed or *I* was wrong, but was waiting just a few minutes to see if she'd call back. To kill time I spun donuts (mmm... donuts...) in the parking lot behind the dinosaur museum. The lot was crazy slick with the hail on the sleet like little marbles in slime.

I thought I heard some construction equipment crunching something... but other than that, nobody I knew came by and I decided to leave.

But when I got to the other side of the museum I saw it was not construction.

There was a car laying there, upside-down in front of it. Having slipped off the slime and marble freeway and flipping onto the the little frontage road at work. The lights were still on. There were no police or ambulance. I felt so sick. A man pulled up behind them before I got across the street, then I was behind him. I asked if anyone had been called. He said yes, the guy (IN THE CAR) had run in to the museum to call an AMBULANCE (meaning there was someone else in there? I don't know.). I asked what I could do, what I should do. He said nothing, and that he would handle it. I pulled over to the side to be out of the way, but was having a major panic attack. THAT was when Rinny called back. She thought *I* had been in the accident and kept trying to say she'd come get me. I explained, but not well... I kept almost throwing up. I was very freaked out and not handling things well. But I stayed till the police and ambulance got there... and could calm down some myself... then drove VERY carefully home, grateful for 4-wheel drive.

But once home I watched Conference which was good. Elder Eyring is the new 2nd Counselor and Elder Cook(?) is the new 12.

Seeing Elder Wirthlin, I think it was? that was so shaky and so so so... old... made me want to cry though.

But still, yeah, good start to the Conference. Granted, I would have to re-watch... or read excerpts (which I will)... to tell you what the heck I learned from it (partially because my unfocused brain... partially because the dogs and birds were being hilariously distracting and kept making The Roomie and I laugh), but over all it was good.

Last night was good, too, for a change. Work was NOT so good. The field trip kids were funny, of course, but I was hurting the whole time and I am still feeling rather unhinged and unstable and... well, started crying when Grandma Betty said I miscounted cups for ice cream for one class. Yeah, THAT'S healthy. *rolls eyes* That's what this whole week has like. But LAST night was good.

I got to just chill with the girls, CC and Stewbert. We talked about dumb things, cruised the mall a little, spent a lot of money at Archiver's (I spent a ton. But I have a plan for a little, CUTE, scrapbook of the suggies. hee hee!), and finished up with Sonic.

I admit my foot, though it was wrapped (and heavily medicated) the whole night hated me today, but still glad I got to play.

Roadshows and Bird Brains

I didn't know for sure if I was in the Special Ward, like, officially. But I HAVE been going every week except, like, when I went to Sandy to do the signing thing, though only Sacrament... an hour... usually. A few times more, but not often. The thing with my head, though, I THINK I have found a temporary solution besides going home. Find a room, in the dark, lay on the floor and stretch awhile. It's not a good solution, but it relieves the pain a little. I don't know exactly what it is about the benches or something but I can't do them for that long... they pinch just that wrong nerve or something and I can't THINK it starts to hurt so bad. I am going to have to go back to Dr. YeahBaby soon, I think. That, if you remember the last time, well... it's scary.

Anyway, today BOY WAS I AN ACTIVE WARD MEMBER! I stayed All. 3. Hours. PLUS an extra [lame-o] meeting about a ROADSHOW. ROADSHOW. Whiskey Tango...

Yes. really.

I was in sacrament meeting and accidentally was sitting by the very nice Cemetery Plot Matt. (And I MEAN accidentally. I sat down by some scriptures. I didn't know he was passing the sacrament. BLAST.)

So, I am drawing in my journal (it is an awesome one from Megs. It has Wonder Woman (just the regular one, not a fat one, but I still adore Wonder Woman. She is one of my heroes. But then, so is MEGS!) decoupaged on there!) as usual. WHAT was I drawing? Well, at the time, a VERY sacrament appropriate (yeah, I have no clue) rendition of Ricky and Lucy Ricardo as stick figures. Yeah. Embarrassing.

"Do you draw?"
"No. I doodle. There is a distinction."
"Well, could you help doodle the roadshow scenery?"
NO. Doodling, by definition, is SMALL. Scenery is LARGE. And I am almost CERTAIN roadshows are BANNED by the church in... the... No More Roadshows Proclamation. And I do not like teamwork. IF I actually want to do something right I want it done well. This means selecting the best person, artistically, (at work, usually me... among my friends, obviously not) to do it ALONE. No mistakes. And I am busy with work. "Umm... probably not. It would depend on when."
"We'll just work around a time when I see you home."
Yeah. He is my neighbor and can SEE MY CAR FROM HIS HOUSE.
"Uh, Okay."

Damn nice boy. HE SABOTAGED ME!
I don't even know if I am officially IN the ward!
"And by the way, you ARE officially on the ward list. We just assigned you home teachers."
HE SABOTAGED ME AND READ MY MIND!

I come home and the birds start ticking me OF. McKenzie is being adorable and I pet and cuddle her. But BUDDY, on the other hand, tries to BITE said other hand. He throws a tantrum. He is being a but. He tries to ATTACK McKenzie and I can't FIND the perch to separate them when a neighbor comes over to chew me out for having a GEYSER out of my roof. My cooler broke... AGAIN. Grand. So the lady is telling me all this and I am trying to say I didn't know (and really why does that hurt HER? Stupid busybody.) and the birds are yelling in the background I just wanted to tell her "MA'AM, I need you to leave RIGHT NOW because since you are apparently OBLIVIOUS you do not notice I have a TANTRUM to break up!"

So, while I am congratulating myself on how GOOD I was to go to all of church, today has been just TOO MUCH.

I think my Padre/Landie was a bit confused when I called him CRYING about the cooler. He was like "I... I can fix it tomorrow?" He SHOULD... but if it weren't for the day, it wasn't worth tears, you know?

Yeah.

Long day.

Shots, pots, and Aquaba[u]ts

I have been having a rather consistent string of bad days lately. Some of it is medical. Quite a bit of it, really. My headaches are coming back. And the Diabetes, this weekend I pretty much cheated. I cheated because I was sick of trying, for one, and because my stupid numbers didn't seem to change one way or the other whether I tried or not.

I cheated. I ate pasta and bread. Heck, even contemplated Cheesecake (but didn't) and my numbers were horrible.
But earlier, I tried really hard, like I did all month... my numbers were horrible.
That's how things have been lately.
Controlling my diet and not cheating at all.
Taking Metformin...
and Actos...
and Januvia...
and cinnamon.
And still never getting under 200s...(hmmm... just like my weight. LOVERLY.)

So I cheated. Because what the hell is the point anyway?
I will tell you where the point is. The end of the needle. The doctors have been saying so every single time but I have begged and begged for reprieves and pardons and second chances. But after this next follow up, I WON'T get one. I will be going on needles not just for emergencies, but full-time.

As a pretty major trypanophobic, well, let's just say I am scared to death to even go to the doctor about it.

I know I have to, I just... ugh.

On the bright side, I have really good friends.

I recently had a good time renewing an old friendship with a high school friend, Pepper. I was sort of scared to because it is one of those awkward things, you know? I kept thinking either it would be weird and nothing like in high school... or it would be JUST LIKE in high school and therefore really weird and... ahhh... High-Maintenance. Either way, umm, yeah. However, it ended up pretty fun! We played with her rabbit and her nephew who is, essentially, her son. His mom, Pepper's little sister, is now severely disabled, both mentally and physically. It is so WEIRD to see her now. She is a little higher functioning than Roomie's J. It is the saddest thing. (This is Sparkle... not the younger sister who married TexasBoy's clone, just to keep things straight.) But, so Pepper basically raises the boy now. Caring for him... and mostly her sister as well.

Anyway, we (she, another old friend Stacy, and I) met at her home, hung out a bit and then went to the new Provo Arts Center that Pepper's dad is the manager of. It used to be the library, now it is a big theater. We saw Best of Broadway: Featuring the Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. The beginning was pretty boring, but it was fun later. And afterward we hung out and got drafted into helping which is always interesting, meeting the stars... and having to alphabetize tickets for the next show. Because when you know people... you get put to WORK! hee hee!

Then Yesterday. I gave CC a gift certificate to Color Me Mine for... either Christmas or her Birthday... either way it was way late and THEN it took forever for us to ACT on it and so we finally made plans to GO and Cupcake came too and we painted our hearts out! Not everything worked the way we WANTED exactly, but still... I think it will all look better all cooked and shiny. We also went out to eat at Macaroni Grill. VERY yummy, but very carby (and the topic of that paragraph about cheating.)

Also yesterday was Mali's BIRTHDAY!!!! I finally got over there eventually and we got to hang out and talk and give her the news that she was taller than her friends but God made her that way (hee hee hee!) and her gift... WE ARE GOING TO TOAD THE WET SPROCKET ((and NOW THEY'VE ADDED AQUABATS!) And Dashboard Confessional! and the rest of the Jamboree) September 8th people! Feel free to be jealous.

You SHOULD be.

"Ice Capades. I know a guy." Sunday Prop Fest

I have the most tremendously talented friends. Seriously.

I like to think I'm cool by association.

Case in point, Bucksome/Bethany who was cool in high school AND now one of my greatest friends from LinkUp. She is not only gorgeous... she is gonna be FAMOUS. Have you HEARD her sing? If you haven't, well, NOW YOU CAN! BUY HER SONGS!!!!

AND if you need a graphic artist... a web diva... wedding invitations... or interior design, CC is your woman. SERIOUSLY. Multi-talented.

I am feeling a little like my Padre. Like his "guy" arsenal. Like when he talks about "my car guy" or "my coin guy" or I am feeling a little like my Padre. Like his "guy" arsenal. Like when he talks about "my car guy" or "my coin guy" or "Radiology guy."

"Oh, yeah... you need someone to sing like an angel? I know a 'Guy.'" *snort*

And I could go on. Thai... not just a Baby Shower Planner extraordinaire, she is an expert Massage Therapist.

I am sure there are others, too (and at least a page of various animal rescuers. hee hee hee!) because I got CONNECTIONS, baby! Ha!

And if you are thinking "hmmm, I have some money that I don't KNOW what to do with but want to put it to good use" I got a solution for THAT, too. ;O) Prayers, too.

p.s. I still *heart* Threadless.

Prayers and Rants (a volatile combo, probably...)

I am having a hard time because I want to post the silly stuff, the family stuff. But I am more than a little preoccupied. So first off let me ask you to please keep my friend Amy and her husband Dave in your prayers. Some of you have heard me talk about Ames before. She is basically my sugar glider MENTOR. She and Meg (one of my OTHER best online friends) run my suggie home online, the Sugar Glider Alley and I love her dearly. She is truly a FRIEND, not just "some girl I know online." Amy is wonderful and an inspiration and caring and a tremendous Christian and a great human being.

Also, by the way, we have discussed a little about the church. Some of her best friends are LDS and she wrote me on my mission. And I could totally see that, well, turning into something maybe someday. But even if it never DID it wouldn't matter... she really is one of those amazing true followers of Christ, no matter the faith. Anyway, not the point...

This weekend her hubby Dave was in a really horrific accident while talking to Amy on the cell. She heard the crash, heard him scream. When she wrote she was on her way to the hospital and didn't even know for sure what happened yet. Just that they had to cut open the car and helicopter him out and that he was in a hospital in Indiana that was still over an hour away from where she was when she was writing. And that she didn't know when she's be back online to update (understandably so!), she had just left the gliders with as much dry food as she could and left.

All she has asked for is prayers. I am going to put their names in the Temple, too. But, yeah, I am sure extra prayers, even if they are from a friend of a friend, well, they would help? So, please... Pray for Dave and Amy. Because I can't think of anything else to do. <:"O(

SIGH.

So, ummm... the family thing was actually FUN. Even amid the dysfunctionality.


Let me just rant for a moment about this. I have mentioned before that both sides of my family has SERIOUS issues. Mom's side ostracizes my awesome, but lesbian, aunt Shy and her girlfriend from all events but invites evil Uncle Slime the horrible husband of Mom's spineless, battered-wife sister, Aunt Doormat. Padre's side ALL sided with the jerky brother Uncle Rude when he and Nurse Popcorn FINALLY divorced after YEARS of verbal abuse. Nurse Popcorn stayed and stayed and stayed with Uncle Rude and kept encouraging him to take his meds as he (like the MAJORITY of both sides of my fam) is mentally ill, but when he was refusing and was getting MEANER, even her BISHOP encouraged her to divorce him. They FINALLY did and the situation was SO bad you would have thought that the family would have said "it's about time, we completley understand" but NO everyone in the family, even though they all talked about how horrible Uncle Rude was suddenly blamed Nurse Popcorn for EVERYTHING and then started disowning OUR immediate fam (and one other family, the Idaho Js)... not because we hated Rude (because we were pretty NICE, really) but because we DIDN'T suddenly hate Nurse Popcorn! AND that we didn't HATE RUDE AND POPCORN'S KIDS (who are some of our best friends in the family having grown up together and spent every summer together) because THEY didn't HATE THEIR MOTHER!!!!!! FREAKING RETARDED.

HOWEVER, Mom's side is, surprisingly getting better, though. But this family thing activity proved to me that Padre's ISN'T. Because we get to the church and everyone is sitting squished together... leaving Squall, one of Rude and Popcorn's kids, and her 2 adorable kiddlets ALL alone on a bench. Sarsa (her sister) hadn't even come, but Squall HAD tried. It was like she had the PLAGUE. WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT?!

So, my cousin, just a few years older than me was sitting there all by herself (she was married to this guy, G, from Mexico. He seemed awesome. Then a couple years ago he turned totally abusive. She had to run away and was even in a shelter awhile with the kiddlets. YIKES!It has been CRAZY. (p.s. not that anyone supported her since, you know, she still didn't hate her mother)), nobody was even TALKING to her! (later the kids of the Idaho J's did, but that's it) It PISSED ME OFF. I got up during a hymn and sat with her. Which was super fun! We haven't played much since she got married to G. And her daughters were HILARIOUS. They had that Color Wonder paper and markers that just color on paper (not pews or laps) and JanBrady, age 5, was drawing me things like

"this is a mommy dog and this is her puppy. They are riding a scooter. Here are their knee-pads. They each have to have 4 because dogs have 4 knees. The baby puppy has to wear a helmet. The mommy doesn't because she is a grown up and they aren't the law and she only has one. But BOTH of them have a handle. But (she giggles) the handle for the baby doesn't even TURN the scooter, she just THINKS it does."

AWESOME!

And this is clearly a Mommy sheep and a little girl sheep and a Mommy pony and a baby girl pony (though the first she drew was the baby pony and I was thinking she was REALLY good and was drawing a warthog.) and a cow. The cow is a little creepy. Also...

"The baby pony has orange eyes because the mommy has yellow eyes and the daddy has red eyes but I am not drawing a daddy, okay?"

Me and Squall are planning to go out to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix together, we decided. And to hang out more. Because she is bored and I forgot how funny she is. Plus also, her kids crack me up.

Anyway, Uncle Bob and Aunt Maralyn have been serving missions all this time and have MOSTLY missed the drama (though they still side with Rude, mostly) and so me and Squall mostly enjoyed the talks... or at least I enjoyed playing with the kiddlets DURING the talks... and then we went back to their house and talked to their neurotic conure, Tee (he is bald since the first mission) and played with kids (who DO talk to you regardless) and ate VERY good cookies. Me, Rinny, Mom, Cynthia & Leslie (our youngest cousins), Squall and her girls, and couple other little cousin's children all sat together away and had a great time by ourselves. We talked about boys (as Squall is FROM Fresno, umm, yeah) and movies and work. It was fun! SO SUCK ON THAT, IDIOT FAMILY! And we are TOTALLY hanging out more. Yeah!

I have to say though, that I am glad I am in one of the 2 families in the extended families does NOT hate Popcorn. Because she is cool. And so are her kids. SO THERE!

Also, guess what... I LIKE my Aunt Popcorn, who is super intelligent and a nurse and cool...

AND if *I* were her I would have divorced Uncle Rude, like, 30 years earlier than she did. GEEZ.

But I have a MILLION times more respect for her and her decision than Aunt Doormat who Uncle Slime cheated on... and she forgave him. And he did it again... and she forgave him... etc. Plus I kind of believe he may be a pedophile, though that is more from a creepy feeling I get when I see him around kids AND because of other things "in his past" that our family just does not talk about because that is how they deal with things... pretend everything is, and always has been, PERFECT.

ANYWAY, sorry for the family rant. Seriously, for all the complaining I do about arguing with my Padre or my sister being such a germaphobe, sometimes I have to step back and think I am pretty dang blessed to be in as NORMAL of a family as I am, considering what we COULD be.

Of course, on both sides, the pendulum swings pretty far BOTH ways... besides the abusive husbands, closed-minded busybodies, and various other "issues" we also have quite a few Mission Presidents, heroes, and kind hearts who serve everyone they can...

So I guess our family tree has a generous mix... I just hope not to be one of the bad nuts!

OH! But JanBrady was cracking me up while we ate too. She saw one of those little white butterflies and told us all to look at it. Rinny said "Oh! Why don't you go catch it?"
JanBrady said "No. I think somebody should PHOTOGRAPH it." which I LOVED so I handed her my camera and told her to go ahead. She took pictures for about 15 minutes and said "you can delete them all. She was too fast!" There were about 10 pictures of empty grass. However a little while later she was very excited to show me a small centipede on her finger. "Don't you think we should photograph it? It's the smallest one I have ever seen!" What a sweet little naturalist! Hee hee hee!

On the way home, Fresno called and my family got to wonder what the heck I was talking about when the one side of the conversation involved the name of He-Man's cat when he was still cowardly (Cringer)... which he confirmed in PRIESTHOOD today. Because, you know, they learn important stuff there. hee hee hee hee!

p.s. back to the kid thing.... wanna hear something pretty BIG? When I got home the Roomie asked what I thought about her deciding to have a foster kid. As in a HUMAN one. She has been getting a really strong impression about it. I told her that, honestly, I think that could be pretty GREAT. And I do. I don't know why. You'd think that would sound like a HORRIBLE thing to possibly add to my life. But, I dunno, if it ends up happening I think it would be a really GOOD thing. Is that weird? I mean, it wouldn't really be ME... but... yeah, it just sounded really right when she said it. So, hey, I will let you know if I will be getting a mini-roomie anytime soon. Wacky, eh?