More Books full of Words.....

My friend Tina is on this big kick to read 52 weeks 

of Motivational books 

this year.

I benefit because she passes the titles on to me.

I am in her Downline for CHOFFY....

she is my "Mentor" you could say.

So,

I write them down in my planner.

I hear about them through her and read some of them.

This one you have probably read yourself.

If not,

you should.

I remember I had my own copy a long time ago,

 because I had heard that,

"this is a must read book".

but for some reason I remember not being able to really get into it.

Very strange, because this book is so small.

What couldn't I "get into".

The goodness started for me immediately this go round.

I am going to give you a quick gauge on the book here,

because I would like a short wrap up myself.

I need to get my own copy (again)....Tina wrote her name in the front of hers,

which tells me she definitely wants it back.

I want one that I can highlight the dickens out of.

I won't give you the story line, or even messages from every chapter, 

only a few of my favorite nuggets....

there are WAY to many to include, this will give you a taste of more

to come when you read it.

"I will persist until I succeed.

The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal.  Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road.  Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.

I will consider each day's effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak.  The first blow may cause not a tremor in the wood, nor the second, nor the third.  Each blow, of itself, may be trifling, and seem of no consequence.  Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble.  So it will be with my efforts of today.
I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.
I will persist until I succeed.

I am nature's greatest miracle.

I am not on this earth by chance.  I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand.  Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the highest mountain of all and I will strain my potential until it cries for mercy.  I will practice, improve, and polish, to deliver with excellence.  I will concentrate my efforts on the challenge of the moment....

Today I will be master of my emotions. 

If I feel depressed I will sing.
If I feel fear I will plunge ahead.
If I feel inferior I will wear new garments.
If I feel incompetent I will remember past success.
If I feel insignificant I will remember my goals.
No longer will I judge a man on one meeting;  no longer will I fail to call again tomorrow on he who meets me with hate today.  This day he will not buy gold chariots for a penny, yet tomorrow he would exchange his home for a tree.
Today I will be master of my emotions.

I will act now.  I will act now.  I will act now."

These are just a few gems from the Greatest Salesman.

Even though as the title states, it is a story of a salesman,

it is applicable to each of us.

..........................

I also just finished listening to -

This book helped me get A LOT done.

trust me when I say my kitchen has never looked better...

(not counting the floor)

I cleaned out drawers, wiped down cabinets, painted around the 

handles, dunged out the fridge.  

Plus I ironed all of Kev's shirts and my items as well.

Reorganized our closets.....

anything I could do within hearing distance to my kitchen 

cd player was happily accomplished.....

lots of baking and cooking as well.

With 26 disks!!!

I had quite a bit of project time.

(also did not mind my drive time in the slightest.)

oh dang.....

I just remembered I never got to my mother in laws scrapbook 

pages I have promised to send out to her.

hmmmmm.....

best get onto my next book.

No time to waste.

If you are familiar with Ayn Rand's style of writing.

This is along the same lines as Atlas Shrugged.

Really enjoyed them both.

Both are aimed at celebrating individualism.....

and the human spirit.

Rather than sinking and disappearing into the mush pot of collectivism.

Her books are the perfect description of our time, written in 1943.

I will never be able to make it sound interesting, 

but I enjoy her books very much.
They definitely get you thinking, contemplating.

They are so frustrating,

yet so rewarding.

Sad, upsetting, and then fantastically triumphant.

Maddening, and then understanding arrives in a nick of time.

GOOD Stuff.

The Fountain Head is based around architecture. 

What have you been reading?

What is your favorite book of all time??

Maybe you could describe Ayn Rands writing better than me....

would love to hear your take.

Would You Rather.....

Run one mile with a cracked shinbone

 - OR - 

do 50 sit ups on a hard surface with a cracked tail bone?

I think I would take the run,

sort of experienced the sit up scenario the other day (w/out the cracked tail bone)

I rewarded myself with a huge scab on my lower back.

Would you Rather have your house hit once every 6 months by graffiti vandals

- OR - 

once every 2 weeks by toilet paper vandals?

DUH!

would totally take the toilet papering.....with thanks!

We would never waste money on t.p. again. 

Always Lose 

- OR -

Never Play

Geeze.....I hate loosing, 

really I only loose at those lame raffles and chance drawings.

I ALWAYS Lose those....

and I really hate it.

Would you rather find the perfect pair of shoes,

the brand you want,

the size you need,

the price your mom will pay and purchase for you,

but the color is not quite what you wanted.

- OR - 

Find a totally different pair,

costing twice as much,

which you will have to pay $20 of your own money towards,

but is exactly what you want?

Just wondering.....

cuz

this happened to Lawson and I the other day.

I took he and McCauley shopping.

L needed a new pair of school shoes and some 

cleats for soccer.

He was looking for a pair of specific shoes.

I sort of warned him ahead of time that I was not 

going to pay a fortune,

but that yes, we could go take a look and see what was out there.

We looked all over the mall.

No sale at Dillards

....bummer.

Went to several other shoe places.

I kept finding really similar shoes that looked 

AWESOME!!!

and that were on SALE.

But he shot down pair after pair.

I was getting so frustrated.

We finally left there and headed over to Ross.

Low and behold.....

magically 

we found the shoe brand, size, and style in one pair of shoes.

To me, 

this pair was MADE FOR HIM.

We lucked out.

right??

nah....he didn't like the color....too femmy.

Are you joking?

He finds this other pair,

 as previously mentioned,

for twice as much, 

and locks in hard on these guys.

I personally thought they were really boring looking....

I said as much.

He said he didn't care,

he liked them and he would be glad to pay the difference.

Geeeeeeeezzzzzz.

This really hurt me bad.

I was so disappointed in his money sense.

Who is this kid?

Where is he getting all this cash he is so free with?

I am sure this sounds very controlling and kind of pathetic.

On the way home, 

he didn't know it, 

but I was actually shedding tears over the whole thing.

Literally holding back sobs.

So what is the root of my problem?

I guess I was bummed I could not bend him to my will.

Even though my will was the smart way to go.

Why couldn't he see that?

Why wouldn't he listen to sense?

I was let down that he has different money strategies then me.

I am always willing to compromise and bend to get 

a better deal.

That makes me happy.

All told,

 I was proud of this kid.

He knew what he wanted and was willing to stick to his guns to get it.

Even in the face of his glaring mother.

He never waivered.....

trust me when I say I was applying pressure.

I think it scared me because I saw a glimpse into the future.

My children have minds of their own.

I can only teach and be the best example I can be.

In the end,

they will get to choose and decide for themselves.

I know this is the right way.

It felt like the beginning of letting go....

only I was being forced.

It's not fun to be forced.

He is loosening my motherly bands....

I didn't like it.

This guy is a good kid.

He is only 12 for heavens sake.

He has been enjoying his new shoes very much.

It is my hope that he will use that same stubborn determination

to withstand negative peer pressure and the 

press of temptation as it comes his way.

One more...

Would you Rather Be a woman with man's legs 

(no shaving)

- OR -

a man with a woman's arms?

Arrrrrrg!

This is Sooooo hard!!

What have I done?????

I am in deep frustration right now for two reasons.

ONE:

Last night I (innocently)

got on the computer to download a few photos from 

Saturdays family bonfire on the beach.

I plugged my brand new sparkly Christmas Iphone into 

my Mac.

I have been LOVING my new 4S Iphone.

I am in Love with Siri....

even though she tells me that is impossible.

I love the look I set up with my new home page picture.

It is a photo of the Fulton's back yard....

a beautiful picture of their pool area and the river behind it.

I aspire to a view like that someday....

I like the other picture I had for my other page that shows my 

apps.  It was also a water scene.

My new phone was fast.

It did my bidding.

I say it was fast.

It did my bidding....rather than does....

because somehow,

in my stupidity,

I accidentally RESTORED my new phone to my 

Old....hated 3G everything.

I DUMBED DOWN my phone.

To include my old welcome page photos, etc.

I can't stand the sight of it.

It makes me physically ill.

K is Totally ticked.

Well, he is not the only one.

We worked like crazy last night trying to get back what I lost.

no.

I still have my old phone in my new case.

How is this even possible?!!!

Isn't a smart company like Apple smart enough,

to save their customers from themselves?

Why would this even be an option?

Someone is inadvertently going to take it and be insanely furious!

Help me not do stuff like this!

Take away the danger.

YOU GUYS @ APPLE are the dumb ones!
and you're mean.

For Christmas K bought me IMac computer classes at our local

Apple Store.

I am excited.

I have a list of questions and ideas I want them to teach me 

how to do on my computer.

This is almost like marriage counseling.....

I am forever getting stumped on things.

Kev please help me make this four to a page invitation....

Kev please help me figure out how to open.....

Kev PLEASE!!!

HELP ME!!!

He is not a bit familiar with Mac computers.

He will work with me for decades.....

but we usually end up where we started.

I leave my idea in a heap,

choose a different strategy....

like cut and paste.

and then we both move on and never speak 

of it again.

So I am grateful to him for my thoughtful gift of knowledge.

Knowledge is Power.

Hadn't really planned on taking up my first hour class,

tomorrow, 

on the hope and dream of getting my 

new phone back to the way it was.

Will it ever really be back to the way it was?????

..........................

TWO:

For the last few nights I have heard movement up in our ceiling.

A LOT of action.

I have not woken K up on purpose.

I was being courteous.

Patient.

Respectful of his sleep because he needed to get up for work.

Today was the morning I decided would be the best choice 

to invite him to partake of the sounds,

since it is a holiday,

MLKD.

At 6:48 a.m. (waited as long as was humanly possible)

I made my move.

Kev.....

hey Kev....

.....hey hon,

do you want to hear this noise?

Can you hear all that scratching?

Do you hear that scurrying?

What do you think that is?

Do you think you and the boys can get up there today 

and take care of that?

before you head out of town?

What?

Go back to sleep!

No.....I can't...... listen.....

It is all in your head.

Excuse me?

Anyway....

in the end, he heard it.

The ripping, tearing, shredding, running, scampering, chewing....

does not seem to bother him.

It is the beginning of the end (of this house) for me though.

We have had a good long stretch of rodent free living.

(except for cockroaches)

But if this is how it is going to be......

oh boy.

Kev shot down my plan of he and the boys getting up there.

He said there is no way to get to that spot.....

(apparently not if you're a rodent) 

It is blocked off.

FAN

TAS

TIC.

Please leave me with a new pair of ear plugs.

I will just await the day for when the thing burrows through

and drops on my face in our bed.

I will just relax with the earplugs until that day.

..........

I wish things were back to when I had my 

new phone.

This little light of mine.

Tonight Kev and I had an interesting experience.

K had been gone working all day long, I thought it might be nice to 

try and sneak in a movie together.

I knew it would be tight, 

but we decided to give it a go.

He made it home,

sped through his shower. 

We made it to the theatre and through the line.

We asked the movie clerk if we were too late to make it to 

the show we wanted to see.

No, of course not, it is just starting.

Great!

Are there seats left?

oh yes, at least half the theatre.

Wonderful.

We made our way into the movie,

each holding a small popcorn and trying to be inconspicuous 

and respectful of those already seated and enjoying the show.

We waited off to the side for there to be a break in the action so we could

step across with out being too big of a pain.

It was very easy to see the entire theatre full of people as we waited and 

scoped out the place, 

scanning for two seats together.

There were none.

(That kid was waaaaaaaay off).

However we could see several seats scattered about,

and if a couple, 

or an individual moved one seat in one direction or another

we would be able to have the two seats that we required to enjoy 

the show as well.

I was a little hesitant to make the move to step over two people and ask

an older lady if she and her husband would mind sliding over one seat.

Kev said, ok, I got this.

I watched,

it was still very easy to see every thing going on.

He kindly asked if she wouldn't mind scooting over one seat.

She was instantly loud and pretty much enraged.

She said, no, she most certainly would not move down.

She picked this seat and this is where she intended to sit.

It was shocking and bizar.

ok.

We took our popcorn and moved along.

Again.....EVERYONE CAN SEE US.

We are sticking out like a puffy, red, sore thumb.

We come to another set of people,

this time with two seats right there available.

I ask if we can sit there,

no, I'm sorry these are saved.

Ok, I am sure they were.

This went on,

until the only option was to either sit on the absolute front row,

which Kevin went and did, or go up and brave the
lady actually laying on several seats.

I couldn't do the front row.

It makes me way to sick.

I decide to go back up and try the lady

laying over three

seats herself. 

Kev had me avoid her before saying she probably 

has a back issue. 

However, 

between she and her husband they 

were taking up 5 seats.

I go over, 

hi there, is there anyway you could slide either way so my

husband and I could have a seat?

I need these seats because I have an injury.

No problem,

but there are two seats on either end that are open,

would you mind?

(you had to walk to get into the theatre!!! I know you have the 

capacity to move!)

Finally she grudgingly had her husband move to her other side.

During the movie, a few times she was moving
around trying to get comfortable and
leaning toward my seat a bit,
I said she was welcome to the armrest if she
needed it.
She briskly said no with out looking my way.

After the movie we hustled out,
she had gone down a few minutes before the show ended,
and was just outside the door.
I noticed her and said goodbye,
have a good evening.
She averted her eyes and said nothing.

WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND HERE?

What is wrong with people?

We were completely flabbergasted by the cold indifference offered
up by pretty much an entire theatre of people.

At their hard fast self preservationess (my own word).....

Their complete lack of civility.

WOW.

Wow!
Did we crash a reunion?
Were all these people somehow related and we stumbled
into a private showing?
Geeeeeeeez.

It was really sad.  

I felt bad for them.  

Doesn't it feel good to be kind to others anymore?

To "help a brother out?"

To make room for everyone?

We didn't like seeing that.

We were both kind of shaken by the whole thing.

I know it was only a seat at a movie,

but it seemed to speak volumes about our current society.

I want a reminder of peoples innate goodness.

I know it is there.....surely we just got them on an off night.

please.thankyou.yourwelcome.afterme.afteryou.takemine.goodnight.

goodmorning.haveagoodday.

asmile.

"I suppose no one is as handsome or a beautiful as he or she wishes, or as brilliant in school or as witty in speech or as wealthy as we would like, but in a world of varied talents and fortunes that we can't always command, I think that makes even more attractive the qualities we can command - such qualities as thoughtfulness, patience, a kind word, and true delight in the accomplishment of another.  These cost us nothing, and they can mean everything to the one who receives them".                       

Jeffrey R. Holland 

RAGNAR Take Aways....

I wasn't going to do a write up for this Ragnar.

I wasn't feeling motivated, or inspired.

We did it.

It's done....good job team.

But today I finally got down to loading our photos onto my computer

from our run, Christmas, and so forth....

I quickly realized 

there was no way I could pass up talking about my teammates.

They are way to AWESOME!!

I was a little jealous of Tina's Welcome home sign her boys made her.

Well guess what folks??

McCauley hooked me up right!!

Booooya!

Look at this relaxing scene....an open chair waiting for me 

to flop down on and get some well deserved R&R.

(Thanks M....love you a whole bunch.  Glad to be home.)

2013 RAGNAR Florida

Miami - Key West

Last Ragnar I am ever going to do.

It was great....but I am done with these fellas.

I am graduating to Tri's or mud racing or something.

Here are a few thoughts about each of my team mates this go round.

Van mates are really what make or break a Ragnar.

I am happy to say these guys made mine.

This is Sonia, she may be on the quite side, but she is one amazing

lady.  I have known her for several years now.

I have watched her transform into the strong woman she is now.

She is an inspiring person, an example of patience and endurance for me.

Thank you Sonia!!

She was also my sleep mate throughout the trip.

We faked it for several hours in the van together while a 

zillion hippies and freaks loud mouthed it out side.

We decided laying there had to do something for us....

right? 

Lance.

Way to go buddy!

For real.

You held your own as the only guy.

You surpassed my expectations for your 

FIRST RACE IN YOUR LIFE!

It was great to have you along.

I hope you keep running, and running.

I also want to say, THANKS for all the driving.

You were a trooper.

I am sure we can all recall 

what it was like having Tina drive in the dark....

So help us.

Speaking of T.

I am very proud of this lady.

For someone that can tolerate very little contact with sweat and

things that smell, namely other humans,

and canned chicken,

you did remarkably well.

I think you were sort of spoiled by Amy a little.....

but dang it, you earned it.

I was so stoked with how amazing you did on your long 

9 miler....

I felt so proud of you.

There are very few dull moments with you around.

Vanessa was a True Hero.

She rocked every run.

She is a Hero because she did this all while also sustaining a 

severe bout of debilitating "Runner's Trots".

She spent more time in the porta potty then our 

entire team combined.

In the end though, it turned out to be a good lesson for one of us.

Tina admitted that V changed her life for the better.

 She taught her the system she used to survive her extended bouts in the ports....

involving baby wipes and holding her

breath while using them.

Tina will never forget the lesson.

Another thing about V....she is ALWAYS good for a photo.

Anytime is a good time for a shot.

I never feel like a freak when I pose for pictures if 

Vanessa is with me.

She is a mega poser and game for just about anything....

especially muscle shots,

my personal fav.

This girl is no quitter.  

 Amy!

Whooohoooo!

My little sissy baby saved the day.

First, she and Lance flew out here with very short notice.

Very big surprise to me....did not think they would be 

able to swing it in a million years...

(thank you family back in Utah!!)

Second, she was handing out massages left and right.

She brought a smile and some sweet relief to several runners.....

not me, but several others... ; ) 

She made our masks,

(which we lost in the van....until we got home)

decorated our van,

and was a fine example of Paleo eating.

She provided a constant stream of ham wrapped 

carrots and almonds.

As well as full sticks of celery packed w/ almond butter.

She offered up spoonfuls of avocado, 

and other non dairy, non grain, non legume, non processed items.

The one thing I did not expect from Aim was her 

stanche unwillingness 

to bend her Paleo ways.

This is not the sister I know.

In the past she has always been a junk food junkie...

with me!

She can take in sugar until the cows come home.

Sooooooo, for me, 

eating four doughnuts alone was really 

a let down.

Eating the tops off the 6 sweet rolls by myself was a huge downer

with no one to enjoy them with.

Sure, I still did it.

But it wasn't really that satisfying w/out someone 

i.e. my sis to share it with.

In all honesty.

She literally blew my mind with her will power of steel.

She was doing hand stands against any unmoving object,

sit ups on a whim,

jumping jacks on the fly.....

who is this masked man??

No one I am familiar with,

but 

someone I could certainly get used to in a speedy fashion!

It's just that I thought I was the healthy one.  

Geeez.

Amy was true to her eating until exactly after her last run.

Then it was 

C - YA PALEO....wouldn't wanna be ya!

She was off the wagon....

to the point of me having to pry 

a burnt cookie out of her hand when we got home 

to our place after 11:00pm Sunday night.

Aim.....no, we are not going to do this,

I will save it in a baggie for you to enjoy in the morning.

(actually I ended up enjoying it myself).

You are looking amazing!

You are the powerhouse I remember from our youth!!

The "Brick".

I enjoyed my runs.

Two were night runs, not the greatest to enjoy the city scenery.

I really enjoyed my final run, 

(when I was not lost during the last 

mile and a half or so).

Felt strong and capable....

most of us reported feeling this way.

I enjoyed being runner number 12....bringing our team home.

The best parts of the Ragnar are always the times when your

van comes to find and support you.

It is a boost,

 and makes you feel rejuvenated and special.

I loved having this person in town.

Good bye Ragnar days.

They were good times.

Look what I was eating during this post.....

wrapped carrots.

Thank you Aim!

Here is a video Tina put together for us.

Enjoy!

It is a sweet little wrap up of our time,

plus you can see the rest of our Justice League team,

Van 1 - They ROCKED THE HOUSE.

ooops...

I spoke to soon, this post was too long.

I got desperate for CHOCOLATE!

Brownies are in the oven. 

I will never be Paleo......It is good I was not born in

Caveman time.

Holiday Cash WINNER!

A week or so ago at our early morning sculpt class Vanessa 

announced that she had brought our Christmas gifts.

What?

Wow!

But it is so early in the month.....

pause.

Wow!

This is super fun and exciting,

Why not?!

So we all openend our gift bags, she had gotten each of us 

a personalized mug from 

"Antropologie" oooolaaalaaa!

I have never set foot in that store, 

but I have heard it is pretty excellent.

So that knowledge made my mug even more delightful.

I have been enjoying it everyday since.

Thanks V!

 Yesterday morning several of us met for a 

Causeway to Causeway "fun run".

As we begin, Christi pipes up and says she has our Christmas 

gifts in the car for after.....

this gives us motivation to get back to the car faster!

When we arrive we gather round,

pretty pumped to be getting a surprise.....it could be anything!

She announces that part of the gift was inspired

by ME!

Sweet....
I am assuming it is obviously workout related....

bring it on.

We open our gift sacks....we find delicious Bath and Body works

hand soap, I got Mint Bliss, Love it!

AND a Holiday Cash Lotto Ticket.

(The other day while driving, and then again while listening to the radio

at home I heard that the "Power Ball Lotto" was up to 

$500,000, 000 (is that 500 million?)

I never pay that stuff a second thought,

but this time....I thought about it just for a second.

Man, 500 mil. , 500 MIL!, wow!!!

Someone has to win it!

Why not me?

Why not one of us?

I mentioned it at a workout class the next day.

Christi is a good listener....and truth be told, 

lately we have been discussing meaningful gifts.

She nailed it IMO.)

So we are all standing around holding our lotto cards.

Thank you Christi, wow, these are great.

Now what?

Well scratch them off weirdos!

oh....ok, even cooler.

So I scratch off a $1,000 candle...what does this mean??

nothing...
you only win if you scratch off a picture of a gift box,

then you win whatever is below it.

Awwwww...... got it.

scratch, scratch....

no way!

I just won $2!

scratch, scratch, scratch.....
we are all doing it at the same time,

Oh my gosh.....I just won $4!!!

now scratching with shaky fingers.....

NO! I seriously just won 4 more dollars!

(Tina admitted that she just thought I didn't know what I was doing)

scrape, scrape......$1!!!!

No lie!  I see another gift and I just won
!!!$4!!!

I am celebrating as if I have just won a cool mil.

because that is what it felt like.

It was a fantastic thrill ride.....what a rush!

Unfortunately,

no one else had a gift on their card....

sorry guys....

but I won $15 dollars in Holiday Cash!!

Apparently you can walk into any high class gas station 

and just hand over your card.

They will hand back the cash.

I still find that hard to believe, but on Monday I will give it a go.

Sooooo much fun!!!

Thanks C.
(It was a foggy day, we were covered in mist from head to toe)

A few other tidbits:

McCauley and her two friends Iza, and Claire we over this week,

they were totally pumped because they pierced 

M's look alike American Girl "type" doll's ears.

M came in with the doll to show me,

she was so excited,

Mom! Look at what we did....for FREE!!

Some girls pay thousands $$$$$ of dollars to get their real 

American Girl doll's ears pierced!

But we did it for free,

we just took a needle and pushed it through and then put in the earrings.

Mom, now she really does look JUST LIKE ME!!

well, if it wasn't for the freckles.....but still!

Love, love, love that girl and her excitement.

The Soft soap in the kids bath has been lasting for a long time.

Finally the other day I picked it up and could 

immediately tell that water had been added.

Huh?

Who would do that?

.....do the kids think we are out of soap?

The closet is stocked with hand soap right now,

and honestly, I have decided to never buy soft soap again,

because I like getting "designer" hand soap with way cooler

bottles at Ross.

So I kinda want the kids to use this stuff up.

Anyway, I ask around, and find that Lawson has taken it upon

himself to help us stretch our dollar a bit more,

He says, oh yeah mom, I am the one adding the water,

it works just as well and it lasts way longer.

Am I rubbing off on these kids or what!!?

I love that guy for even thinking of it.

 Lastly, a few days back I noticed that the boys had a body wash 

bottle that was almost empty in the shower....

just like the hand soap one.

I guess I notice this stuff a lot because I really 

like throwing away empty bottles....

it makes me feel like I have accomplished something.

Get this trash out of here....and let us start a brand new full beautiful 

container of product.

Where I may even use a little excess to finish off an item,

the kids stuff seems to linger on FOREVER.

So I start asking around again,

Ethan, what body wash are you using every day?

The one that is in there!

What do you think!?!

What one?

The one I see has been standing upside down for

what seems like weeks with the same amount in it.

I use the Head and Shoulders!!!!

Geeeeze.

The Head and Shoulders?
That is not a body wash....it is only shampoo.

OH YEAH!?

Then why does it say Head AND Shoulders???

Wake up mom.

In my mind I am seeing those long forgotten commercials

where the people are brushing off their shoulders.

Well, he got me there.

I was silenced.

Life is so good..... what a ride.  

2 YEARS gone ... Already??

Ethan got his braces off yesterday.
Amazing.
I remember when he got them put on.
I felt so bad for him.
I knew he would never be able to eat or speak normally
over the next two years.
He was going to waste away into a waif.
Nope.
Didn't happen.
He survived, and grew like five inches or something crazy like that.
All I know is that when he got his braces on, he was a
scrawny young boy.
Now he is a towering (handsome) young man.
I have the footage to prove it at the end of my post...
Eth is back to eating and chewing whatever he wants!!
Welcome back buddy.
But now he talks funny again because he has his new retainers in.

Thanksgiving was a fun filled day.
We ran the annual Suntree Turkey Trot.
Gooooood Times!
I love that we do this together every November.
Our gang is getting stronger and more skilled.
There was no barfing along the trail at all this year,
and every ones race time improved!

We had two families over for dinner.
That was fun and interesting.
I also realized how exhausting and how much pressure that is.
It is a LOT of work, dang it.
Kev was a great partner in the kitchen.
Honey hurry,
please slice that log of butter and stuff it up
under the turkeys skin.
Yes, yes, just use your fingers.
K, now, please take this pan of stuffing and gently
pack it into every open cavity you can find in the turkey.
Yes, not too hard though because it will expand.
Good, now......
take this stick of butter and....
I need another stick of butter....
where is the butter?
More butter please!
Get in the freezer and get another Sams pack of butter out.
BUTTER!!
Good Grief.
Ryker and McCauley were also big helpers.
My pumpkin pie was superb.....made my own crust for once.
I am sure you have all been doing it for years,
I was really nervous, but it worked great.
My gravy got RAVE reviews!
Even Ethan went on about it more than once.
That made me very happy,

The day after.

Black Friday....I partook of shopping at Dillards.

I had such a wonderful, and successful shopping trip.

I was Gleeful!!

Why can't money grow on trees?

Why is it such a rush to get items at 

50 - 65% off 

+

an additional 50% off

+

an additional 10% off

+ 

$10 back on every $50 spent?

Just typing that out gets me excited all over again!!

I splurged on new curtains for McCauley's room.

I have hated her old ones since the day I made them out of some

 hodgepodge fabric I scrounged up.

I AM IN LOVE WITH THESE NEW ONES.

Sometimes I just go in her room and sit and look at them.

These are very expensive, lined, heavy fabric.

Beautiful.

The pictures DO NOT do them justice.

Plus.....shhhhhhh....I purchased her a new bedding set!

The old set has served us very well for the past 13 years.

I am pretty sure I paid top dollar at Walmart.

They still are not too bad on the eyes,

but I could not resist....

who would even try at those prices?

The dominant color of the new spread is sage green,

with dark brown accent swirls.

I can't wait to bring it out at Christmas for her.

I snatched up throw pillows for her bed as well as our couches. 

You can get a little peak at the couch pillows here.
They are yum.
I don't usually partake in black Friday...
but this was a lot of fun.
It was not jam packed and crowded at all at Dillards.
It's too classy for all that nonsense. 

Last Collage: Random Wrap up.

Vanessa and I made a recent temple trip.

There she is getting her makeup bag from her sister's vehicle....

whose alarm went off in the Target parking lot.

M got her retainer removed, her cross bite is fixed.

Doesn't that look sore?

When she opened her mouth to show me chills and 

shivers shot down my spine.

YIKES.

It looked red and raw....I tried not to show emotion.

Believe me when I tell you again....this picture is not giving the full effect.

Our new insurance cards came.....hefty new higher co-pays.

yippie.

not really even sure how that ended up in here.

The blood bath.....

V's daughter Claire was here playing the 

other day,

they were playing a game where they were walking around w/

blankets over their heads,

and what do you know?

someones head hit her nose,

which caused a MASSIVE nose bleed.

I kid you not when I say the bathroom was spattered from

sink to mirror.

It was a crime scene in there.....

this pic is just a sampling.

She was and is fine, thank goodness.

Why not take a minute and re-enjoy the hamburger shake video.

Bye - Bye..... see you next time : )

ps - guess what???

I just had to PURCHASE a photo storage plan on Picasa.

No matter what I did, it would not let me add one more photo,

not even to a new post.

Boo.

So I am finally a paying customer...

I don't like that much.