Okay...uh...

So - my mom...she's got this new habit of falling asleep whilst surfing the Interwebs. Funny.

Who I miss today....

Oh, Mother's Day...

Transcript of today's phone call with my mother, Trixie:

Miss Five: "...and what do you want with the steaks?"

Trixie: "Baked potato."

Miss Five: "Oh, why do you hate me?" (because Miss Five is not a fan of baked potatoes)

Trixie: "Because I'm the Mom."

So - that's why she hates you, folks. She's the mom and she can hate you if she wants to.

Uh...

Sometimes I think I should just keep my opinions to myself, but someone has got to be the voice of reason

Buy some new bed pillows. Why are you holding on to that bag of your own sweat and dead skin? Gross.

Don't walk into a room where people are watching their stories and no one is eating, and start eating. Unless you have some for them to eat - and they want to eat it.

Send more fun mail. Don't assume that people just "know" you think of them and love them.

Post-Its are more structurally sound when the sticky part is at the top. Why do people think it's the other way around?

Plan trips - with itineraries and everything. Even if you can't go today, you are ready to go when you can.

Go out of your way - and make a big deal of things. So much of each day is a hassle - we need to make a big deal about every happiness and success. Going out of your way shows people that you are willing to do more than just say "Hooray!" for them.

Looking good...

I went to the eye doctor today, and despite my scare of eye cancer - got a clean bill of eye health. And I ordered new contacts and glasses...

All set...

I've ordered all my graduation regalia...oh...and these shoes...
A SAD UPDATE: The shoes arrived - as did the regalia. And despite being great shoes, they do not match. So back they go...Sad.

Oh no!!

I'm fully home now from Layton, Utah. The newest Malley babies wrapped their tiny fingers around my heart and are still pulling on them. I miss being there with Reyna and Seth and Bennett. I miss Penny and Potter...and Seamus wasn't really around enough for me to form an opinion. The Malleys really impressed me while I was there. They really are doing a magnificent job with their son and their new additions. Don't let them fool you - it's really hard work. They just make it look like they've been doing it forever.

I spent today getting back into my world. Cleaning, sorting, responding, watching. I did all those things today. I ran errands and did some initatories at the temple. I feel like I got a lot done and have a good handle on what the next six weeks will be like.

...and then I found that Neil Gaiman has a crazy awesome website. And there he keeps an amazing journal...which I am now fully addicted to reading. This is horrible!! I've got a pile of papers laying next to me on the bed - correcting pen waiting! I have never procrastinated judging people and yet here I am, reading further and further back in Neil Gaiman's archives.

If you're not familiar with the name, Gaiman is an author. Usually when I say the name, people say "Neil Diamond? I didn't know he wrote books." No, it's NOT Neil Diamond, whom I also love. Gaiman has written several books that are sort of modern fantasy morality tales. I'm glad I don't have to figure out where to file his books... One of my favorite books is one that he co-wrote with Terry Pratchett called Good Omens. FUNNY.

One day...

I hope that one day I'll be able to make use of the services of Hidden Passageway. I wonder if I'd have a secret office, or that's where the "real" parties would be...hmm...

What kind of passageway would you have and where would it lead?

Bake one for me...

You haven't been there? You should go there...

Miss Five says that you need to visit: StoryPeople.


I must say that my mother sent me the link to this website...and I love it. The "stories" are usually a sentence or two long, and almost always bring a smile to my face. So far, some of my favorites have been:

" One of those rare bumblebees who agreed with the engineers about not being able to fly so he mainly sits around & watches the other bees work themselves to death."

"Likes doing Wayne Newton impressions mainly because he lives in the Midwest where you can get shiny polyester stuff really cheap."

" I'd like to think that things are getting better, he said, but my eyes are getting worse, so maybe I miss a lot."

So take a moment and scope it out - I know you're like it!

News!

Babies have been delivered!! More details will be available at the Malley Family website just as soon as the proud papa gets a few minutes to upload pictures and details...

But I will say this: I've seen a picture of the amazing mama - and she looks spectacular. Great hair, perfect eye makeup, a smile on her face...and her babies look super great too!

Fun with Dick and Jane

Tonight was a Stake dance thing where my folks and the Garretts were asked to give an etiquette presentation. After much thought and little rehearsal the magic happened. It was awesome. You should have been there. But now, thanks to the Interwebs you can see what it would have been like if you had been there...almost.

The cutest kids in class...

How to mind your manners, Dick and Jane!

Sharing...or...whatever...

It's not polite to point, Dick...don't point, Dick!

This is just too familiar...and Dick's in the dog house again...move over, Spot.

Feeling too dumb to breathe?

I know I am! Today had bit of a panic...I discovered that I hadn't filled out some crucial paperwork that would allow me to graduate on time (or frankly, ever). Oh the tizzy I was in! I beat feet down to the Office of Graduate Studies and threw myself on their mercy. And no, I did not break their mercy, thank goodness!

Brenda, of the Grad office, was so nice and helpful and patient and assured me that things weren't as bad as they seemed. But really - if I want a Master's degree, don't you think I should be able to read!??! Embarrassing.

But I'm filling out some paperwork now - and should be all good. And turns out that the worst case scenario here is that I walk in June (as planned) and get my degree in August. I can totally deal with that.

What shoes go with a black gown and pink hood? Yes, turns out that my hood will be pink...AWESOME!!!

Not an Easter bonnet...

Easter Morning - Bennett and me just before church.
We went to church - with a packed house due to two baby blessings and it being Easter. It must have been 9000 degrees in the chapel - so we bailed about halfway through. I'm sure most of the folks in the congregation thought we we're headed to the hospital to deliver babies. But no.

Miss Reyna is still pregnant, with contractions aplenty. Strong but irregular - so just annoying. Mister Seth has been doing well since he had a change in meds and has been able to rest a little. There are still no answers for his "seizure disorder" and that's got to be the most frustrating of all.

I'm headed home to Portland tomorrow morning, and will get back into the swing of school and stuff.

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!!

Currently...

I'm writing from the Malley house in Layton, Utah. I was just here last week on vacation - and had a great time. But the day after I left, Captain Malley had a passing out/seizure episode. Scary. So I came back on Wednesday to help out around the house and try to prevent more seizures and his wife from delivering her twins. It's much easier than it sounds, actually. I just try to keep everyone hydrated and play with their son, Bennett. Done and done.

Wheat Grass...

I read on DesignMom that growing wheat grass would be a great way to bring Spring into the house. So I set about to find wheat grass seed. Which, by the way, was very difficult to find. After several frustrated trips, we figured out that wheat berries are the SAME THING! I felt like a dope. But we got a big ol' bag of berries and planted them - hoping that it would work. And did it ever! Mom even used the grass I'd planted in a fluted milk glass bowl as her centerpiece for her Relief Society lesson. Why is growing things so AWESOME?

We've planted some more and will be giving them as Easter gifts to local friends. I'm sorry if you live more than 5 miles from our house...if you lived closer - I would bring you some springy wheat grass and wish you a very Happy Easter.

For the record: wheat grass tastes like regular grass.

Club

Over fifty years ago, several women that were NOT in the 3rd Ward in Idaho Falls started a monthly meeting. They were able to get away for a little while and talk about what was going on in their lives, with their kids and husbands, their homes and friends. They meet on the last Monday of the month. They take turns hosting each month - signing up a year in advance. Originally they would meet and have dinner. On special occasions the husbands would join them. They pay dues and have a president, which changes from time to time. The president manages the money, sending flowers and books for folks who are sick or grieving or have a new baby or other reason to celebrate. The president also keeps the other members updated on what's going on with fellow Club members and other friends. Now they visit and catch up and have a dessert - and have started taking the winter months off.

But here's what you must know: Club is a BIG deal. These women have been friends forEVER and my being invited to Club is still a huge honor, even after the fact. My MOM hasn't even been to Club. The ladies arrived and were very gracious to me, the young pup and let me sit and listen. I'm sure when I was four years old, my mother would have died laughing to think of my sitting quietly and listening to other people talk. But I did. They caught up on all the news - never once gossiping or passing judgement. I hope that one day I can have that kind of friendship and association with the same caliber of ladies as I met at Club. Here we all are - they even let me take their picture.

My Birthday Philosophy...

My personal birthday philosophy is that a big deal should be made. Really, a big deal should be made about most things - except water fights, which I hate. But seriously - "Make a BIG Deal!" This becomes troublesome for everyone else in the world who doesn't need a big hoopla for their birthday. This then causes the philosophy to change and become: "It's your birthday, too bad for you*!" I'll force you to go somewhere you may not like for dinner, give you presents that I think you should have and then I'll heap unwanted attention on you for your special day. Really it's for your own good, you know. Most recently my uncle Crockpot had to endure "It's your birthday, too bad for you*!" And he endured it very well.




*this is not the actual wording of the philosophy, but I thought I'd clean it up for general consumption. If you don't know what it really is...you don't want to know.

A man with a talent...

My uncle Crockpot lives in Boise, Idaho. And while at his house this past week I spread the joy that is blogging and helped him set up his own. You should check it out - because this guy and his Missus can find some of the best "Stuff." You never know you wanted it until he shows it to you and you NEED it...like air and water...NOW.


He sent me home with a new (to me) laser printer after this last trip. Thank you, CROCKPOT!