P.S.

I hate that-low-down-get-off-scott-free-cheating-son-of-a-Michael-Jordan-cut-out Kobe Bryant.

Sorry I have been distant

Starting to work outside the home, preparing for the holidays, not going to the gym, having shorter and shorter days and it being as cold as a witch's tit outside are not good variables to put all together and ask Kim to keep it all going.

I have to admit that there is still one other variable that is in play here. And it is a good one. The Utah Jazz still have the best record in the NBA. They are dang fun to watch. But it is a long time from the time I have to get out of bed in the morning till the game begins in the evening. Way too long.

My Thoughts

This is the only book that I do this with BUT sometimes I think about scenes from The Outlander Series books with Jamie and Claire like they are memories. Not that I am Claire, I hasten to add. But I have read the books so many times and felt so much emotion with each page that I can think back on snippets and feel like I remember them from just a time ago. Obviously I do remember them from just a time ago but I was somewhere in that time sitting on a couch nursing a baby at 3 am with a book in my hand.

I can't believe Jamie and Claire are not real people.

Moving on, Ryan and I reworked the front flower bed the other day. It had been hosting a Halloween scene complete with haybales and pumpkins, ghosts and skeletons. We cleaned the haybales that were left and dug down to plant our 80 tulip bulbs. There had been a good many weed in the bed when I put the black tarp down and most of them were now dead. But there were so many roots left. Tangled together. Twisted. A weave of plant fingers. And all I could think about was how impossible it would be for The Night of the Living Dead cast members to actually break free of their coffin and rip through all the plant roots in order to make it back up to the earth's surface. I mean, gravity is not even on their side. I think I may be able to sleep with the lights off when Bart is gone now. One less thing to be scared of.

I am afraid of not getting everything done for Christmas. I have all these plans and some parts of plans already started but I am classic for dropping the ball. I started on my homemade Christmas cards in July. And we just finished them tonight. Now I have to write the Christmas letter that goes inside them. I want to have a neighborhood party at my house this season. I haven't even gotten the paper to do the invitations yet. I did buy my tree this weekend but we have not decorated it yet and we are busy for the next three nights in a row. Plus the Jazz play two nights this week.

12-2 record, baby. And those guys, unlike Jamie and Claire, are the real thing. Or so they are saying on Sportscenter.

Today's 3 Things In No Particular Order

I am crazy glad for the Jazz having a good season this year. They have the best record in the nation. In the nation. And they look good. I would be excited to be able to paint another Jazz emblem on my front window like I did during the NBA finals in 1997. Or maybe on my roof like one of my other friends did.

I am unbelievably grateful that Cooper gets up and gladly gets his uniform on to go to school. He is such a good little kindergartener. Today I got a little misty when I was trying to explain to Bart how amazing it is that all of our kids are healthy. I shake my head in wonder when Ryan sits down and does her geometry homework at the kitchen table. And Chase's teacher tells me that he reads way above his grade level.

I am super happy that I don't have to work the day after Thanksgiving this year for the first time in 9 years. Don't think I haven't been out there in the middle of the night with people waiting in line to get into Walmart on the busiest shopping day of the year but I was out doing papers. I still don't really miss that too much.

The Secret to being a Good Home Manager

There is nothing wrong with having a pile, I keep telling myself.

While it looks horrible, "The pile" is rewarding in and of itself. Really, if I know it is in "the pile", than I know it IS in the pile. I know where it is and I can find it for you lickety split. You can't say THAT about the things that aren't in "the pile."

Second, "the pile" always provides a good place to scratch the cleaning itch. Inevitably when I finally decide to tidy up there are things in "the pile" that are no longer needed in "the pile." Maybe expired coupons. Maybe a duplicate of a reminder notice. Maybe a magazine I keep thinking I will make that recipe that one the Better Home and Gardens contest in 2001. Maybe I have finally found the perfect place to store that remnant that has sat there in "the pile" until I created a better place for it. I feel so successful when I put "the pile" back and it is considerably smaller...........for the time being.

Truly, a pile is needed in the life of a woman. One needs confidence from knowing where things are. The problem is "the pile" is now in two rooms of my house. Even after a liberating trip to the garbage last night I have to accept "the pile" is growing out of control.

Or I could just concede that my house is too small. It just might be less painful.

It's November 12 and I'm watching The Grinch on TV

Life has been a little strange these past few days. I mean, the Utah Jazz are on a winning streak. Those words have been infrequently used in this state for the past few years and it feels really good. Right now, they are 6-1. The best in the country.

Maybe we had better celebrate while we can.

Yes, I did actually agree to start working at a place of business. Bart's business to be specific. Don't think I didn't think long and hard about it. But I came up with 5 good reasons to do it and I didn't come up with any horrific feelings about committing other than my regular anxiety. Hence, the new job.

One of the most important reason is that I believe that Cooper will really benefit from being pulled out of his 27 child kindergarten class and put in this new school. There is only 20 kids, with uniforms, elongated school day, traditional track and hopefully a little more structure for our wayward child. Today was the primary program at church where all the kids under 12 performed for the adults. My mother was the first to say what we were all thinking as we watched the blonde haired boy completely disregard the program at hand and literally dance to his own tune. Cooper could use a little more discipline in his life. I hope he likes it. I will not be able to make him go somewhere that he absolutely hates. Right now he has no problem getting up and going to school. I need that to continue in order to make this work.

But it goes both ways. I have to have this job in order to pay for this school.










Do you see all that blank space above? I really have more to say but Bart is sitting right next to me and has edited me down. I suppose that is part of letting him be my boss.

Although this morning he did say something funny to me.
"I never thought I would be the one to say this but I kindof like sleeping with the secretary."

I think I will send out a memo on Monday to let everyone know my position is office manager.

A Beautiful Moment

Last night I proudly admit that I peed just a little in my pants during the first minute of "The Office." Admittedly, it was during the third time we re"tivo"ed that minute of fun but the first time we watched it I knew it was a gem. My oh my, it was the best bit of television I have seen in such a long time. Did you see it?

I have always had pretty good bladder control. My friends and family are a little different. One of my all time best peeing stories happened to me at Bob's Big Boy restaurant. (Something akin to JB's) You know, the all night diner that you go to after all teenage nocturnal activities. I don't remember where we had gone that night but Jill, my best friend and I were with a bunch of friends from church. Maybe 10 to 12 of us. Enough so that Jill and I who were at one end of the table had no idea what was going on at the end of the table. In walked two of the cutest guys from our school and headed our way. Jill and I were nonchalantly talking to them when Mike Summers, one of our group that didn't go to my high school and apparently didn't see the all time record reading of the cute-o-meter that was going off above our male visitor's head dashed from the other side of the table and sat down next to me, buried his head in my shoulder and just laughed till guffawing. All attention was absolutely on him as he continued to shake with his whole body. Jill and I cast nervous looks at each other not knowing what the explanation would be and did we really want our male guests to know what it was. But there was no getting around it. They were curious. We were curious. And Mike was a drama queen. Besides, you know how laughing is contagious. Even though you don't know what is funny you are already starting to feel that bubble of hysteria grow inside and you start to make that stupid smile. "Tell us. Come on, Mike. What is so funny?"
Finally on the point where we were ready to kill him, he spit it out. "Karis peed her pants and it is running down the booth chair."
Our male visitors suddenly were too hungry to sit with us anymore and jumped up to find their waitress. It was no suprise that Karis had peed her pants but tonight she had taken it to an all time low. She was soaked. We stayed to finish our meal and nobody would give her a coat to wrap around her waist as we walked out.

I love that kind of laughing. Mostly the side effects are good but Karis and my sister Karlee might not agree with me.

Speaking of laughing, we went to the movies last night and saw the preview for Jerry Seinfeld's new movie. It better be good because we have to wait until November 2007 for it. But I couldn't believe how happy I was to see the man on screen again. Last Sunday, our Sunday School teacher used the phrase "Yada Yada Yada" in his lesson. We have spent most of this week arguing whether or not Jerry was the one who coined this most excellent phrase or did he just make it known throughout the universe. I say he coined it. What say you?

November 1st

I have been trying to upload Halloween picture to $%&*@#$& ^%$@!*(^ blogger all day today. Inbetween other tasks that needed to be done today.

I had to get up at 6 today to clean up weeds and crap from the backyard. Can I save the "why" for another post? I don't care what the right answer is, I say yes.

I took the kids to school and then went to Cooper's class for my once a week volunteer time.

Had to listen to Cooper's teacher tell me that Cooper was very distracted when she is talking about something that he is not interested in. PLEASE tell me something I don't know.

Went to Bart's work to answer phones and talk to the boss man. IT WAS CRAZY.

Picked up Ryan from school.

Did homework, made dinner, talked on the phone, visited with the neighbor cop.

Put Cooper in the bathtub to detox from the candy. He stayed in the water for 2 hours. We read Christmas stories and sang songs.

Watching the first JAZZ game of the season. I have high hopes for this year.

I am going to try posting pictures one more time and then the list will be published. What a poor start to November.

OH YAY! It worked.