It's Spring! It's Spri...It's SPRINTER?

Seriously, folks. Saturday was gorgeous and I got sunburned. I planted tomatoes, fixed the flat bike tire (with Jeff's assistance...hee hee hee), got freon in the A/C for the Joey car (also with Jeff's help) and chatted with half the neighbors on the street who were all out planting, weeding, mowing and fixing.

That was just three days after the hailstorm came to town on a Pecos Bill wind-tunnel and blew our fence down. It snapped the fence posts at the base and left us with cement in the ground and a wide open yard...now we need to mow the back yard every week because the entire neighborhood can see it!

So, Saturday...sunburn, tomatoes, bikes...yummy day.

This week...snow, sun, snow, rain.

Today...wind that wasn't quite Pecos Bill, but very close, (what was his girlfriend's name? Slue-foot Sue?), HAIL, and sunshine.

I love the weather in Utah. You just can't be bored with it. Maybe my flowers will survive and my 'maters won't freeze.

Some spring pictures I took on Saturday to remind me that summer is just around the corner. Right?:

Dear Maddie,

I hope you will always be happy and ALWAYS have a nice, warm sweater when you need it. I have sent an order to Crystl to have her make this one for you.

Love, Mom

"Taking Chance" starring Kevin Bacon

It is very rare these days to hear or see someone showing respect for our country or our military. I came across this movie at the library and have been telling so many people about that I figured I should just mention it on here so you wouldn't forget to watch it!

Yep

"Don't take life too seriously. No one gets out alive." - Unknown

Sheesh..

When I'm scheduled more than one day in a row, I like to stay at the Dalley's. That way I don't have to make the "oh so long" commute back and forth. This weekend, I walked into Lori's room where she and the kids were watching a movie. I didn't feel like watching a movie so I asked:

Hey does someone want to play a game with me?

Lincoln's response: Can't you see we're watching a movie?

... Guess I could go play solitaire or something... Haha

The Reeds have a new baby ! ? !

(the question mark is in case you were just getting fat--love you, Mel!)

♥ Congratulations! She is beautiful! ♥

1-11-11

Today is a great day for two three many reasons.

1. The date itself!

2. It's my berthday!

3. It's my mom's bathday!

4. I can share these "well wishes" with you:



5. And, I can share this link with you:

http://cakewrecks.blogspot.com/2010/04/let-me-count-ways.html

Happy birhday birtday Um, I love you, Mom!

Merry Christmas

Everything is wrapped and I am ready for the morning. I think this is the first time in many years that we can go to bed before midnight. We unwrapped one gift each tonight and I tried to get everyone to open everything now so we can sleep in a little tomorrow. No go. Not even Hunter took to that idea! Good grief!

Things have changed a lot in the last few years for our Christmas. The Three Wise Men visit our house and they bring us three presents. The FUN Wiseman always brings the fun gift. (obviously). There is also a PRACTICAL Wiseman (usually underwear and socks) and a SPIRITUAL Wiseman. The fun wiseman is from Jamaica and he has a great accent. (Jeff always interprets his messages for us) The other two are usually from Great Britain or sometimes from South America. They get around and pick up a TON of different accents and cultural dialects.

The kids have always slept in one room on Christmas Eve. I think they decided this to keep an eye on each other so no one sees anything before the others. This year, Meg really wanted to sleep in her own bed and not camped out on the floor but tradition won out and she and Hunter are on Maddie's floor.

Christmas morning always starts early and we put breakfast quiche in the oven to cook as we open presents. Our parents and aunts come up for breakfast and to visit and then we head to their houses to meet with the cousins.

I love Christmas and the two week holiday from school. I remember the Christmas mom gave me and Melody some of her dolls. She had made them new dresses and blankets and little beds. We played with those dolls all vacation and well into the next year. I had a hard time not combing my doll's hair. It was old fashioned and glued on.

Another year we made presents for each other. I was probably in the fourth grade. I made everyone a bulletin board with fabric covering the cardboard inserts in a bolt of fabric. I cut out letters for their names in a contrasting fabric. Someone else made pen holders out of soup cans and painted them, I think, and mounted them on a little board.

I don't remember what the other presents were. Do you remember what you made that year?

Share some of your family traditions. Merry Christmas. Love to you all.

Some of my favorite singers wishing you a Merry Christmas!

Batman and the Temple

While watching "Batman Begins" with the very good looking Christian Bale:

Maddie: Mom, can I marry Batman?

Me: Only if he can marry you in the temple.

Maddie: Oh, good! Thanks, mom!

(Good luck, girl!)

I am SO thankful

that I did not get an email like this:


From: Marney
To: Family

As you all know a fabulous Thanksgiving Dinner does not make itself. I need to ask each of you to help by bringing something to complete the meal. I truly appreciate your offers to assist with the meal preparation.

Now, while I do have quite a sense of humor and joke around all the time, I COULD NOT BE MORE SERIOUS when I am providing you with your Thanksgiving instructions and orders. I am very particular, so please perform your task EXACTLY as I have requested and read your portion very carefully. If I ask you to bring your offering in a container that has a lid, bring your offering in a container WITH A LID, NOT ALUMINUM FOIL! If I ask you to bring a serving spoon for your dish, BRING A SERVING SPOON, NOT A SOUP SPOON! And please do not forget anything.

All food that is to be cooked should already be prepared, bring it hot and ready to serve, warm or room temp. These are your ONLY THREE options. Anything meant to be served cold should, of course, already be cold.

The Mike Byron Family
1. Turnips in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. Please do not fill the casserole all the way up to the top. It gets too messy. I know this may come as a bit of a surprise to you, but most of us hate turnips so don’t feel like you a have to feed an army.
2. Two half gallons of ice cream, one must be VANILLA, I don’t care what the other one is. No store brands please. I did see an ad this morning for Hagan Daz Peppermint Bark Ice Cream, yum!! (no pressure here, though).
3. Toppings for the ice cream.
4. A case of bottled water, NOT gallons, any brand is ok.

The Bob Byron Family
1. Green beans or asparagus (not both) in a casserole with a lid and a serving spoon. If you are making the green beans, please prepare FOUR pounds, if you are making asparagus please prepare FIVE pounds. It is up to you how you wish to prepare them, no soupy sauces, no cheese (you know how Mike is), a light sprinkling of toasted nuts, or pancetta, or some EVOO would be a nice way to jazz them up.
2. A case of beer of your choice (I have Coors Light and Corona) or a bottle of clos du bois chardonnay (you will have to let me know which you will bring prior to 11/22).

The Lisa Byron Chesterford Family
1. Lisa as a married woman you are now required to contribute at the adult level. You can bring hors d’ouvres. A few helpful hints/suggestions: Keep it very light, and non-filling, NO COCKTAIL SAUCE, no beans of any kind. I think your best bet would be a platter of fresh veggies and dip. Not a huge platter, mind you (i.e., not the plastic platter from the supermarket).

The Michelle Bobble Family
1. Stuffing in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please make the stuffing sans meat.
2. 2.5-3 qts. of mashed squash in a casserole with a lid and serving spoon
3. Proscuitto pin wheel – please stick to the recipe, no need to bring a plate.
4. A pie knife

The June Davis Family
1. 15 LBS of mashed potatoes in a casserole with a serving spoon. Please do not use the over-size blue serving dish you used last year. Because you are making such a large batch you can do one of two things: put half the mash in a regulation size casserole with lid and put the other half in a plastic container and we can just replenish with that or use two regulation size casserole dishes with lids. Only one serving spoon is needed.
2. A bottle of clos du bois chardonnay

The Amy Misto Family (why do I even bother she will never read this)
1. A pumpkin pie in a pie dish (please use my silver palate recipe) no knife needed.
2. An apple pie in a pie dish, you can use your own recipe, no knife needed.

Looking forward to the 28th!!
Marney

The Holidays!

I have always believed that Thanksgiving is the big kickoff for the Christmas season. We get to ponder on what we are thankful for and then go into the Season of Giving to show Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and our family and friends how truly grateful we are for them.

BUT, I try not to listen to Christmas songs before Thanksgiving. Which is hard because two of our radio stations start to play them the day of Halloween!

This year is different. One thing I am thankful for is music. It soothes the troubled soul and can change a mood in just a second.

I am starting this year's Holiday Season by sharing this music clip with you. It was in a ginormous Macy's in Philadelphia. Choir members from many different choirs were scattered throughout the store "shopping". And then someone started to play the organ...

Now that the weather is getting colder...

I thought I would share some summertime camping pix that I am actually just getting around to downloading...umm, so anyway...

My sisters are NUTS-cuckoo-loo loo-crazy-mad-WILD! And every year I seem to get caught up in their outrageous scheme. (Ok, I admit, I am just as nuts as they are!)




They go camping with ALL their children (13 this summer, plus my 3...!) The husbands appear to have some sense and they stay home to "work". hmmm




We load up our vehicles with a week's worth of food, clothes, toys, bedding and camping supplies that makes our neighbors stare and our husbands actually giggle as they wave us off for a week of relaxation "work".

We set up at least 6 tents, two canopies, and always try to get the same very shady campsite right across the trail from the river.

We have been lucky two years in a row and have the best camp spot ever. There is enough room for the little boys to have a "Bat Cave" (ask us about that when you see us); a play tent for the babies; tables for games, food and supplies; tarps for skits; a clothesline for all the swim suits and towels; trees to lean all the scooters, bikes and floaty tubes up against; and 20-something camp chairs that are constantly being moved from here to there.

The food is pretty much free-for-all. You have to get your share early in the game or you might have to share with the little children who apparently like to swish their hands in the dirt...

As crazy as all this sounds, we sisters actually have a great time. The kids run wild for a week, we eat whatever we want, read, play games, cool off with the "Mommy River Run", and VISIT!

This year Melody brought her cute dog, Gracie. Gracie loved floating down the river and she did it so many times it WORE HER OUT!


Sometimes the husbands come up to make sure their children are still alive. Sometimes they come up to play with fire. Sometimes they come up to get/bring food. Sometimes they come up just to get a hug.


This year Meg took the kids on a snipe hunt. I have to say, I was just as disappointed as the kids were when they made it back to camp WITHOUT a snipe.

Mom did not come up this year and we missed her. She was very brave, though, and offered to help watch William. Who was 2. Who loves to run. Who runs fast. Who won't stop. She was alive at the end of the week but I think we need to replenish her duct tape supply...

It was fun to be with everyone and we always hope more people will join us but I think our fanatical ways scare them off. "The more the merrier" I always say!

People?

Seriously?

This one is for Arden...

Arden and I used to stay up late on Sunday night to listen to Dr. Dimento on the radio. We died laughing when we heard this song by Weird Al Yankovic. I never knew Weird Al's percussion section was so awesome!



I always sing this version when Queen's song is played. It reminds me of riding the school bus for the 30 minute ride one-way to school from West Jordan up to the east side of town.

"When you learn somethin', you learn it!"

This reminded me of Melody, (not because she doesn't know the Preamble, but because she DOES remember it! How many years ago did you learn it?)

Gabe-The Viking!

Gabe wants to be a Viking for Halloween...all 45 lbs. of him-(if that)! So Crystl made him a Viking hat and beard. I love the braided mustache! And doesn't Gabe look like he is ready to plunder and pillage!



AWSHUM!

Hunter, the James

Next Sunday my son will be turning 13! I can hardly stand it. But, what can a mother do? Teach, pray, encourage, pray. Repeat.

Question of the Week

Hunter: What language do deaf babies think in?

We were no longer "Good Society"