A Decade

Jed and I celebrated the year of tin or aluminum last week.  

Ten years is a minor milestone to the "years of..." creators. It is my opinion they were either written in the depression or by a large group of penny pinching misers.  The sixtieth year is the year you get the diamond ladies.  Of course we'll all be dead or blind by then.  Anyway, 

Jed was good to follow through and brought me a shiny roll of Reynold's Wrap, kidding, he brought me home a tin (silver/tin-tomato/tomahhto) ring.  Tin/aluminum year could not have been done better, especially after a lovely weekend escape. 

Red Rock (the version you have to pay for)

All these years we've never been to the real Red Rock.  It's pretty, if you like trees better than sand and a million foreign tourists that you just know are going to careen to their death in such a natural environment.   However, the real moral of the story is, what better place to celebrate a solid foundation of marriage than among ROCKS.  Yes, rocks are the perfect metaphor for our marriage.  Strong.  Colorful.  Everlasting.  And can be easily buried in the  backyard, should the woman rock ever crack.  

Our one picture together before I fled the hurricane force winds and vowed not to get out of the truck again.  

Majestic.

At one point in our relationship I thought three months was a long time.  Ten married years is a lot longer than that, yet has gone by in the blink of an eye.  Jed still makes me laugh at all the right times, listens, and supports my Grand Master Plan.  (He came home one day from work and assumed I would know what GMP stands for in the construction world.)  We have our disagreements, even though he knows I am always right, and someday's I am driven to playing the piano in a very "purposeful" way but we love each other and have a rock'n marriage.  Sorry I couldn't help myself.  Also-not to be confused with rocky.  Yikes!  Here's to fifty more, I'm holding you to that sixty year rock.  

Really, I'm done now.  

Jack 'isms

Jack never ceases to amaze me with his oratory repertoire.  I never know what may be coming.  For example, last week in primary when the primary president asked, "What are rules you have at your house?" Jack was prompt to respond "No going poo on the floor."  Very matter-of-fact like.  What?  Why!?  I don't think I have changed that many shades of red in awhile.  I was laughing, crying and gulping like a fish all at the same time.  People were staring.  It is a good rule.  Maybe not a good one to share.

On his way to bed one night Jack was carrying his back-pack to his room, holding it by one finger on the loop you use to hang it up.  Examining it thoughtfully he tells me "this is a good hooker mommy."  Then, "Look at my good hooker daddy."  We need a world with good hookers in it.  

Wal-Mart parking lot...
      "Jara look at all of these old people everywhere!"  

Jack in full 5 year old splendor, blue teeth and all.

Bathroom Upgrades

Everyone needs a PADded toilet seat.  

Is your bathroom cold, could you use a little more comfort when on the loo?  Well look no further, my friends, not only is this an economical but also comfy solution to a cold, hard important necessity of life.

One day Elise had been quietly playing for quite a while.  All mothers know what that means...

Although I did figure nothing could be as scary as the nail-polish/bathtub incident.  And the day she put my lip gloss on the cat.  Anyway, After a good fifteen minutes or so she came looking for me, "Mommy come see," she pulled me into the bathroom and with a flourish of her arm proudly proclaimed- 

"HERE YOU GO MOMMY!"

My girl knows me.  She knows I like a comfy chair, wanted to do a little bathroom remodel/upgrade, and was kind enough to do something about it.  The best part, no one went near that toilet the week or two I left those things glued on.  

Another example of how her crafty mind works.  

What this is telling you is "I have my mother (and father even though I couldn't find his shoes) wrapped around my darling, mini ankle boots."

Oh my little Elise you are precious and priceless,  

even when you raise your fork above your head with two hands and stab your pizza mercilessly, evilly cackling the whole time.  

Jed's Many Worlds

The World of Work

Last month these beauties went up in Las Vegas.  I-15 had to be closed overnight (no small feat) and massive cranes lifted the bridges into place.  Jed was interviewed on the news.  I recorded it on the DVR and the next morning had the kids watch it.  Jack and Jara were impressed, but as much as Elise loves her daddy she was not happy.  

"No my daddy, me watch DIEGO!"

The final section of bridge going over the Railroad.  Which, FYI crane operators have to be specially trained to work near the Union Pacific RR.  Apparently they don't want a bridge to land on a locomotive or some other nonsense.  These are the text messages that wake me up in the middle of the night.  Anyway, these bridges are a big deal for the city of North Las Vegas.  On the news interview they highlighted an endearing father and his daughter happily talking about how they could now enjoy riding their bikes safely across town.  Cars aren't exactly what I would be worrying about...

Posing in front of the "daddy's purple beeeedges" not to be confused with daddy's purple bitches, which is what it sounds like when she tells people what her daddy has been doing.  At church.

The world of Scouts (young men church calling)

Not sure which one he is.  

The world of work sponsored/related FUN

First we are going to have a training meeting at a resort/dude ranch and then we are going to go to motorcross.  Tough meeting.  I went into the wrong career.  Back in my working days it was big time if there were doughnuts at a staff meeting!

Spending his birthday with swine.  I loveee bacon. 

Cat Antics

You might be a crazy cat lady if you...blog about your cats.  Cats get a bad rap.  People are always disgusted when you tell them you have cats.  Like you just admitted you have a disease.  How can you go wrong with a creature that buries it's own waste?  And my cats have extra interesting qualities that are beneficial to our family. For example:

They like to go for rides in the truck. 

Well at least this is what we came home to, they were practically begging to go for a ride.  Frequently Fang will regally observe the children from the top of my car as they play in the driveway.  He is not sleeping or lounging.  He is intently watching the children. I like to think of him as the cat manny.  I'm convinced he would pull a Lassie if one of the children fell in the well.  If we had a well.

Fang watching the Superbowl.  

Of course it is completely natural for a cat to sit like a man when watching football.

2014

HAPPY 2014

This celebration took place the day of New Year's, because until they can tuck themselves in, and sleep until 9:00, there is not going to be any midnight partying going on.  For anyone.

Now on to Resolutions:

Last year I think we all came through in one or more resolutions: We got a house, Jara learned all of her heart words, Jack started making his bed, and Elise learned to walk!  We might have all ended up bleeding to accomplish these goals but we did it. 

2014 Resolutions:

Jed:   Finish the yard

Joshlyn:  Use time wisely. hmm  This counts right?

Jara:  practice spelling, it's working, even if we are going to have to sell off one of the younger ones to finance her reward system

Jack:  start a journal

Elise:  keep learning to talk and stop swearing

On to a New Year...

At the Park

Elise:  PEOPLE, don't eat my hood (food)!!! As she lovingly rocks her bowl of ice cream and glares at all other fellow park goers.

Then,
she came home and promptly ate all of her dinner, including her "hot dogs" or what my pot roast carrots looked like after sitting in the slow cooker all day.  Exact words: "Mmm MORE hot dog party!"
I'm such a sneaky chef.