My Cinderella Life...

Happy Spring, Ya'll!!!

2009-04-15T09:04:00.000-07:00

I have the day off today and so since it is springtime I am going to fill my day with lots of cleaning? Well, considering it is already past noon perhaps I will get a medium amount of cleaning done. My better half is out side cutting up 5 trees that he cut down on Saturday. We had a couple of pine trees that died the previous winter that needed to be cut down and he just kept on going. We have a little more than an acre of land here and the left side of the house (as you face the house) was bordered with several tall pine trees. I was sad that he cut the others down. He said he wants to plant fruit trees there. Those pine trees kept the unattractive view of the neighbors animal farm??some what blocked from our view. Now, thanks to Bob, we have a perfectly clear view of an unkempt farm??yard with more than 15 mini donkeys,2 llamas, sheep, 1 alpaca, and all their poo! Now ,I know what you are thinking. Mini donkeys!How cute!!How could she be so hateful. Let me tell you. They are cute to look at but to hear their braying at night is not cute. It sounds like someone is being beaten all night long. Even Bob,who is very hard of hearing, can't sleep with that noise. Also, have you ever heard a Llama or alpaca make noise? It is a very otherworldly sound that sound so scary.
Well, now that I have put my usual depressing spin on things, Happy Spring. Our tulips have started coming up and I look forward to their blooming soon.
enjoy your day. I'll be shampooing my carpet.

---I Have Gas------

2009-03-18T08:09:00.000-07:00

I am a simple person. I went to the local mini mart to fill my gas tank and get a gallon of milk. I filled my tank and went into the mart to get the milk and pay for the gas. A man was at the counter a head of me. I heard the clerk ask him if the gas was his. The man said he didn't get gas and being the honest person that I am and not wanting a person to be eyed suspiciously on my account I speak up and say a bit too loudly " I have gas". The store gets quiet. Every eye is on me. My face turns bright red and I say a bit sheepishly "a...er...not literally,I have gas and milk, sir." I hear a few giggles. I pay for the gas and milk and walk out vowing to go to a different mini mart next time I need gas and milk.

Below Zero and Other Degrees

2009-01-21T15:58:00.000-08:00

One day this week we awakened and it was 24 degrees below zero!!! Not wind chill temp but actual temp. I love it. The bad thing is that the water in the downstairs toilet was frozen. Also, the hot water wouldn't come on. Bob put a small electric heater near the water heater and voila!Hot water.

I just love cold weather. I love it as long as I am inside. I don't even mind it out side as long as the wind isn't blowing.

One day I was driving to work in the morning. I could see my breath (it was 10 degrees) in the car and perspiration was dripping down my face. It's just wrong I tell you.

Resolutions and Reminiscing

2009-01-01T08:50:00.000-08:00

Every year for forty some odd years I have been writing down my New Year's Resolutions. Why should today be any different. I learned something a few years ago that I want to share with you. If you make a list of 10 or 2o or more resolutions you are setting yourself up to fail. Change is a process and not an event. It takes time to change old habits. The New Year's Eve before Hillary, Dustin, and Nathan left on their missions (that's the event that helps me to remember how long ago I made my discovery) I decided to put only one thing down on my list. I thought about what would be the best thing I could do to improve my life. I thought long and hard and tried to make sure I was up to the task. I felt I was and so the only thing I wrote down was this:

1. READ THE SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY.

Since that day I have never missed reading the Scriptures once. That was my 2002 resolution. I tell you this not to brag but to show that making a list of 10 or more things to change is making a list of what you will fail at in the coming year. Call me a pessimist if you want but I stand by these words. How many of you (all three of you that check my blog once in awhile) have honestly succeeded at every thing on your list of New Year's Resolutions? Be honest with yourselves. Let me show you a list of things I have had on lists previous to the year 2002:

1. GET CLOSER TO CHRIST
2. BE A BETTER WIFE (HA)
3. KEEP A CLEAN HOUSE (HA HA)
4. GET MY FOOD STORAGE
5. LOSE WEIGHT
6. BE MORE PREPARED FOR MY SUNDAY LESSONS
7. BE A BETTER MOTHER
8. EXERCISE EVERY DAY (HA HA HA)
9. QUIT PROCRASTINATING
10. GET MORE ORGANIZED

I think a list like the above is overwhelming. It also needs to be more detailed. For instance : I will get my food storage by buying 5 extra items each time I grocery shop and put them away for storage. ETC . Much too complicated for me to even know how to accomplish all of the above. With one simple item I can explore many ways to accomplish my "goal". I have brought my Book of Mormon on trips with me and read on the airplane, in the car,etc. It has become such a habit now that I cannot fall asleep until I have read from the scriptures. Some times I read only a few verses but I have read and that was my goal.

I want to wish all of you a very happy, healthy, and prosperous 2009.

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

2008-11-28T12:44:00.000-08:00

I have noticed in the past several years that the "Christmas " season comes sooner and sooner each year. Does anyone remember when it was considered in bad taste to display Christmas items before Thanksgiving? I am speaking of stores. Not homes. Just wondering. In upstate New York, and most probably much of the northeast, people put up their out of doors Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. I think it must be because usually it is warmer and there is little or no snow on the ground. It makes sense to me. What doesn't make sense is that I often see Christmas wreaths and lawn decorations still out in May. It makes me smile. Not to be too harsh on people I do remember once (since moving here almost 12 yrs ago) that we didn't take down our fake Christmas tree until the last week of January or perhaps even the first week of February.
Speaking of fake Christmas trees.... I am usually a real tree kind of girl but since I am married to what (or is it who?) must have been the actual model of the "Grinch Who Stole Christmas" ,We have a fake tree. The afore mentioned "Grinch" won't let us put up a real tree until a week before Christmas and tries to take it down the second the gift opening is completed. So I have a fake tree so I can enjoy one of my favorite things about Christmas decor, the lighted tree. I do miss the scent of the real tree so I sometimes buy pine boughs or a pine wreath to enjoy that fragrance.
My other fave is the out of door lights. I find it nostalgic, festive, and get such joy out of seeing all the Christmas lights during the season. Does that mean I have out door lights to enjoy for the season. That would be a resounding yes. Do I get to enjoy them?? That would be a season deflating no. My Grinch will not put them up for me to enjoy. Last year I put them in the picture window in our living room though it looked a little tacky I enjoyed seeing them when I drove in my neighborhood on my way home from going places at night. I would put up the lights myself but we live in a two story house and have a two legged ladder. I am afraid of heights and I don't know how to use a two legged ladder. It's pathetic, I know. Also, If I start using that ladder I may as well learn how to run the lawn mower and the chainsaw.
Enjoy the upcoming Holidays!

Fall/Winter

2008-10-28T16:55:00.000-07:00

Hey Ya'll.

It is going to snow tonite!!!I love the snow. Everything looks so pure and fresh(for a while). We are towards the end of the beautiful Fall colors. Pretty soon everything will be brown and then snow. I always wanted to live where it snows.Having grown up in southern California I never got to see snow on a regular basis. Living in upstate New York for 11 plus years now...I have never yet gotten tired of the winter wonderland. When everyone up here is sick and tired of the snowy conditions and complaining I truly believe I am the only one happy as a clam!!!! I get sad when I think it's going to be the last snow of the season.

Oh Vacation , Vacation...wherefore art thou oh Vacation

2008-09-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

I am home and in a funk. I had such a wonderful vacation I just want to live in that mode forever. I loved seeing and being with my kids , grand baby, my two beautiful daughters-in-love and my sister. It just came and went "as if in a dream" to borrow a phrase from The Book of Mormon and Dustin. I forgot how much I loved California. It was much dryer than I remembered. I guess after living in Georgia and New York for 18 years any other place in the USA would seem brownish.I forgot about the abundance of Eucalyptus trees, the sandy beaches, the hilly, rocky landscapes. I forgot how much I enjoy being with Kellie,my little sister, and her sweet husband and children.

I loved every moment until we had to say good-bye. I so dearly wish we could all live closer to each other...physically as well as emotionally,spiritually.

I did miss my dear husband and Aramie,Aaron, and Kacey. The only thing that would have made the vacation better was if they and my sister, Susan could have been there. Otherwise it was a perfect vacation. One of the best I've ever had. Thank you Dustin and Jess for orchestrating the whole thing and thank you to all of my children for the sacrafices they made to be there.

I thank Aramie and Bob for taking care of my little doggy while I was away.

Haley pretty much filled you in on all the details and most of the pictures I have she has so I will try to post different ones. One thing I did that they did not do is go to the town I grew up in (Fallbrook) and look around at all the changes and see familiar land marks, our old house, and homes that my dad and Bob built together.It was nice to do that and spend the afternoon with my sister, Kellie.

Puppy

2008-07-15T13:42:00.001-07:00

See, she's ignoring me. She gave me the "Stink eye" earlier. See...she won't even look at me now.

I Love Sponge Bob

2008-07-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

I don't know if it makes me a tacky person but I've been watching Sponge Bob with Kacey for 2 yrs now and I think the show is hiliarious. So there..I have admitted my secret guilty pleasure to the 4 of you who are my blogging buddies.

I am pretty lame at blogging and I really wasn't finished with my last posting so I will try to finish it up now.

We don't have any new updates on Hillary's health problem. She had labs taken after she returned home from vacation but doesn't have the results yet. She will have more MRIs and a lumbar puncture before she is given a definitive diagnosis. So it may be a couple of more weeks before we know anything new.

I took my little doggie to the Veterinarian yesterday to have her spayed. She is 4 days shy of being 6 months old. Since I brought her home she keeps giving me looks of accusation and I think I saw a glint of "I'll get you for this!" when I looked her in the eye today. She will probably chew the legs off of my newly inherited great-grandmother's Victrola and keep me from my anticipated appearance on the "Antiques Roadshow". I took a picture of her and will try to down load it later and post it to this blog.

I am now going to try to post some more pictures of Hillary,Frank, and Darby's visit here but don't get your hopes up (you four pals, you). I am not as proficient as the rest of you with your movies, slideshows, quotes, etc.

Live...From...New York...It's The Parmenter Family!!!

2008-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:00

We had a wonderful visit with the Hillary, Franklin, and Darby Danae!!The time with them flew by in the blink of an eye! No week has ever gone faster in the history of mankind. Darby was a delight. She is fearless and came to me straight from the airplane and even entrusted her dearest possession to my care (her baby doll she named "Mama"). She then proceeded to hop down and try to take a ride on the conveyor belt with the suitcases. This 23 month old darling has no fear and is a very daring. While we sat on our boring duffs she spent the visit amazing us with all her wild carefree feats daring. She jumped,climbed,leaped,plunged,dove,flew, and raced through all sorts of scary adventures. She threw caution to the wind and had the time of her life. With water wings in place she would just run and dive into our pool not knowing or caring if any one was there to catch her. I shudder to think what she would have done without those water wings. The Parmenters are safely back home and we sit on our boring duffs awaiting the next visit of our super hero "Baby Knievel" and her beloved parents.

Darby and Kacey got along very well. Kacey was so loving and kind and shared all her toys with her little cousin and was so happy to have her here for a visit. Darby loved our puppy, Sophie. She chased her all around the house, layed on her, kissed her and just really enjoyed having a puppy to play with. Seeing Sophie turn tail and run upon spotting her was very fun to watch. I was very happy the pup never snapped at her or growled or did any thing bad to her because I would have hated to have to put her down:). Hillary was less in love with Sophie due to mini tootsie rolls and lemonade on occassion :). I don't fault Hillary. She is a wonderful mom and just wants to keep her baby from eating tootsie rolls and other uncommon things left behind by Pup Pup. Puppy was happy to share her toys with Darby (aka Baby K; for short).Hill appreciates sharing

I AM Tagged

2008-06-28T17:59:00.000-07:00

3 Joys: My granddaughters, Kacey& Darby. Singing out loud to the oldies playing on the radio while driving in my car. Observing the beauties in nature while driving places.
3 Fears: the death of any of my loved ones. Spiders and bugs. Not making it to the Celestial Kingdom.
Lose weight (my goal for 20 yrs. now), exercise daily, get out of debt.
Americana Raggedy Anns and Andys(10), Willow Tree figurines (23), DVDs (especially Masterpiece Theatre movies and programs).
3 Random Facts: In 1976 I drove to Guatemala from Salt Lake City (with Bob), When I was a senior in high school I was awarded The Bank of America "Most Promising in the Field of Home Economics" Award, and I never wanted to get a job. I would be perfectly happy staying home and fulfilling my promise in the field of home economics. :)

I am dull

2008-06-28T17:06:00.000-07:00

Hi. I know it has been ages since I blogged but I am so dull. I can't think of things that I think would be of interest to you. We are in upstate New York and having Georgia summer weather. The difference is that y'all have central air-conditioning and we don't. I am a miserable beast in hot humid weather. Just ask Bob. I cannot function in this weather. I get a headache and I just want to be prone on my bed with a fan blowing on me. Thankfully we do have a couple of window units which keep me sane.

One exciting thing is that Hillary,Frank, and Darby Danae are coming here on Tuesday for a week. We are very excited to see them again. However, if the weather doesn't cool down and dehumidify they will be coming to a very unkempt house and it will be McDonald's every night (the only fast food restaurant in our little town).

Hillary is having some very serious health issues right now. She may have MS. She had an MRI of the spine (which showed lesions on it) and an MRI of the brain (which showed 2 lesions on it). She has to have a spinal tap to get a more definitive diagnosis. She won't be able to have that test done until she returns from her trip to New York. I am just so sad and worried about it and her. Our family has had enough serious health issues and would just like for our children and their children to be completely healthy. Is that too much to ask for?

We enjoyed a fun visit with Jess,Dustin's lovely bride,on Wednesday. She is here for her youngest sister's high school graduation. She approves of Sophie and we are glad. She is very good with animals. She and Dustin have 2 labs( Lily & Bear).

Speaking of Sophie, she is still giving us trouble in the potty-training dept. The problem is that I am at work most days and so I can't be vigilant about it and so she has several different people all with different styles trying to train her. I am worried about Hillary and family coming and finding a little tootsie roll size doodie in the dining room or somewhere. I hope the training kicks in soon.

Random, Rambling Thoughts......

2008-05-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged in awhile and I noticed that nobody noticed. How sad for me. Just kidding. Though the "nobody noticed " part is true.

We have had a skunk problem at work for three weeks now. We had someone come and put out a trap but the only thing we caught was a very mad cat. The stink is not a pleasant aroma to work in. We tried candles. We tried odor absorbing dealie boppers. We tried moth balls. Today was the first time in over three weeks that I wasn't slammed in the face with the unpleasant skunky odor as I walked into the office.

Kacey turned five last week. She is such a darling girl. I am so in love with her. Bob is putty in her tiny hands. He will do anything for her.Before she was born he was moaning and groaning about how he wasn't ready to be a grandfather and blah blah blah but the minute he met her it was love at first sight.

Today Kacey asked Aaron to help her put on her new bracelet. He is a guy and probably has never tried to put a bracelet on such a tiny wrist so it was taking a long time. She looked at him and said "Aaron, I don't have all day!". I thought that was so funny.

Our family has a lot of inside jokes. I guess they aren't so much jokes as they are quotes from the movies they grew up on. I love the humor of my children and husband. I love to laugh and I love corny humor. No, nothing too off color for me. What I mean to say it that I don't like off color stuff. I won't let people tell me anything that I think is off color.

The clerks in our local stores have no personality. I will try to joke a little with them as they are ringing up my items and they just stare at me blankly and go on with their scanning.

I love my little poopie puppy. House training isn't going very well but I am sure it will kick in pretty soon. Bob is being very tolerant and I am grateful. He found a home for our beautiful German short haired Pointer several years ago and it made me so sad. I think the key is "Tiny house Dog". Sophie is four months old now and probably weighs 6 lbs. Kacey and Aaron love her too.

I can't grow decent finger nails. The second one of my finger nails gets long enough to admire, it immediately chips and breaks off. I remember being 10 and spending my allowance on fake finger nails. I would ride my bike and rest my hands palms down, fingers extended on the handle bars and just admire my fake nails. They didn't last very much longer than my real nails.

You have to get the Ped Egg. It is amazing. My heals looked like....well, suffice it to say, they were awful. I got the above mentioned Ped Egg and I now have heals as smooth as a baby's behind. Yea!!!!! Probably not for Sandy but everyone else.

I am happy because I have Monday and Tuesday of next week off. I love having days off!!!! I don't get paid for those days. That is the only downside to having them off.

I love the show "The Office". It is so funny. Have you seen it?

Old Television Shows

2008-05-15T20:26:00.000-07:00

I am watching old episodes of "That Girl" with Marlo Thomas. Do any of you remember that show? I love the old show "Dobie Gillis" I like the old shows because they remind me of simpler times. I like to see the fashions they wore in those days.

Gigi mentioned 13 things she doesn't do any more and it got me to thinking about things I used to love to do that I don't do any more and here they are:

SEWING. I USED TO SEW A LOT BUT I DON'T ANY MORE.
BAKE
WRITE LETTERS (LIKE GIGI)
TALK TO MY SISTER,SUSAN, ON THE PHONE FOR HOURS AT A TIME
GO ON DATES WITH MY HUSBAND
ROAD TRIPS
GARDEN
READ FOR PLEASURE (I READ THE SCRIPTURES EVERY DAY BUT THAT IS ALL)
WEAR KNEE LENGTH SHORTS (TOO SELF-CONSCIOUS OF MY HAM HOCK LEGS)
SIT WITH MY HUSBAND AND CHILDREN IN SACRAMENT MEETING (KIDS GREW UP AND MOVED AWAY AND BOB IS OUR BRANCH PRESIDENT)

That is all I can think of right now.

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T14:19:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day to you all.
My husband and children have always made Mother's Day very special for me and I am always a happy camper on this day. Thanks! Hillary always made breakfast in bed for me when she was home and Aramie always cooks something special even though it is her Mother's Day,too. All the kids call me if they are away and I really do feel like a "Queen For a Day". I remember my dad buying a lawn mower for my step-mom a couple of times and that is something I would really not like to get as a gift. I count myself blessed.

The house breaking is going a little better for our little Sophie and that makes for a happier husband. We all prefer a happy Bob.

I really don't have anything interesting to write about. I guess I've got blog-block.

Enjoy your special Day.

I'M LATE AGAIN

2008-04-27T19:27:00.000-07:00

I WROTE SOMETHING TO GO WITH THE PICTURE OF KACEY BELOW BUT I LOST IT.

I AM HABITUALLY LATE FOR CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY. I USED TO THINK IT WAS GETTING 5 KIDS READY FOR CHURCH BY MYSELF WAS THE CAUSE BUT ALL THESE YEARS LATER I AM STILL LATE. DOES ANY ONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS FOR ME? I NOT USUALLY LATE TO OTHER THINGS BUT I AM 15 MINUTES LATE TO CHURCH EVERY WEEK. I REALLY WANT TO CHANGE THIS BAD HABIT.

I TEACH PRIMARY AGE GROUP 4-7. I LOVE IT. I LOVE THOSE CHILDREN SO MUCH. IT IS NICE TO HAVE A SIMPLE CALLING FOR A CHANGE.

I GUESS THAT'S ALL FOR TODAY.

I'M LATE FOR A VERY IMPORTANT DATE

2008-04-27T18:53:00.001-07:00

OH The Jobs I've Had

2008-04-25T17:11:00.000-07:00

I am writing in the style of "Trebuchet". Wasn't that something used in warfare in the olden days of yore? I decided to list all of the jobs I have had in my life. I got the idea from Barney's Friend Chris. I'm talking about paying jobs and not including that street walking job I took years ago. It wasn't what I thought it was!!!!:(
1. Babysitting for .50 an hour
2. Car hop for A&W Rootbeer Hamburger Stand
3. JC PENNEYS
4. Sears
5. Colony Kitchen Restaurant
6. The Denver Department Store in... wait for it... wait for it...Denver, Colorado
7. Tupperware Sales (I bought more than I sold. I was my best customer!
8. More babysitting
9. More babysitting
10. Piece Goods
11. Atlas Pest Control Office Manager
12. Dr Lutinski's

Three Things

2008-04-25T16:04:00.000-07:00

Today driving to work I put fingernail polish on all the nails of my left hand. They turned out pretty good if I do say so myself . As I was doing it I began to think of other crazy, stupid, or foolish things I have done in the past while driving. I once brushed my teeth while driving to work. Probably the most dangerous thing I did while I was driving was nurse my baby. I was driving to San Diego with all of the kids in the VW bus and Aaron just wouldn't be satisfied with a pacifier. So I took him out of the car seat while I was driving and fed him. So dangerous and foolish. But I was young with 5 kids under 7 and I could only think of taking care of what needed taking care of. There were no car seat laws back then. Not even seat belt laws.
So now I would like to hear from you and three things you have done while driving that are unusual. You have to have been the driver.

THIS IS MY PLEA

2008-04-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

I am making a plea to Hillary to start a blog. It is down right embarrassing to have only four blogging friends. Granted..I am not the best at corresponding. I used to be fantastic at it. Ask my four friends!!! Then I started working. It took the joy out of all the things I used to love. Like correspondence. Heck...I am making a plea to all yall. It is very depressing to check my blog and find that I have 1 comment. Is it that I don't have the dramatic flair that Aramie has? I tell you she got that from me. I had flair and joy when I was her age. Then life occurred and squeezed all the joy out of me. I used to be pretty darn hilarious when I was younger. Again, ask my four friends. I do have a new friend, Sophie. Maybe you've heard about her. She is a dog. She doesn't blog yet.
All joking aside... thanks to you for leaving comments on my blog. All four of you!!!
Gigi, how do you stay so young and cool? Seriously, you keep up with all of these young mom's and I am so envious.
I got a tiny teeny splinter in my wrist at work. I was wondering if I should get a tetanus shot since I haven't had one in 15 yrs, at least. So I talked to my boss (a doctor). He insisted on removing the splinter (seriously it was about 1/4th inch long). I would have taken it out myself when I got home. He charged me $145.00 to remove it.!!!!! do you believe it?

Sunday

2008-04-20T17:37:00.000-07:00

Today it is 75 degrees outside. In New York...winter lasts a long time and then it gets warm right off the bat. Now ,I understand that warm to me and warm to you may be two different things. Warm to me is any thing from 65 degrees up. I perspired my makeup off just going from the house to my car this morning. Yikes!

Well, it is beginning to look like house training a puppy is harder than potty training a toddler. I potty trained 5 kids and this little doggie is harder than that was. She is such a cutie. We've had Sophie for a week and a half and she has only done her business outside 2 times for sure and possibly a third time. She has such short legs at some angles it is hard to tell if she is squatting or just sitting down. A writer described a Dachshund as "a dog and a half long and half dog tall". That is the perfect description of Sophie. I am going to try to down load a picture of her for y'all.

I.m Too Old to Have a Baby

2008-04-13T18:58:00.000-07:00

I have a new puppy. She is a long haired Dachshund. She is almost 3 months old and it really is almost like having a new baby in the house. She has only done her business outside once for sure and possibly twice. Yikes. Talk about a stinky house. Just kidding about the stink....I think. I guess a non family member will have to be the judge. I guess people can't usually tell if their own house stinks. Bob is none too happy about having a pet but he indulged me and I think he regrets it now.
Any who...Our new puppy is named "Sophie". Aramie wanted me to name her "Pippa". We had several suggested names. Bob said "how about Penny, as in "cost a pretty"? I even thought "Mrs. Miagi". (Karate Kid's coach' s wife).We had a lot of fun making up stupid funny names but I kept coming back to "Sophie". So there you go. Kacey and I are in love with her. I'll keep you posted.
Have a great week.

OOPS AGAIN

2008-04-07T18:26:00.000-07:00

I FORGOT TO COMMENT ON THE PICTURE IN MY NEWEST BLOG. IT WAS TAKEN IN NEW MEXICO AT DUSTIN'S GRADUATION FROM THE BP ACADEMY LAST OCTOBER.

I Feel Honored

2008-04-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

Thank you,Gigi, for the award. What exactly did you like about my blog?

Kacey polished my fingernails and toenails with her new polish. Clearish pink with sparkles will look great at the office tomorrow:). It was really really fun to see how happy it made her to polish Nanny's nails. She did a pretty good job, I might add.

What do you think about the controversy about immunizations possibly causing or contributing to the cause of autism?I haven't studied up on itenough to discuss it intelligently.

According to my computer I made up the word "Clearish". Feel free to use it in your daily conversations.

OOPS

2008-04-06T08:21:00.000-07:00

Oops, I accidently ended my blog (how I did it is a mystery to me)I didn't get to my "other Musings". For years I have been embarrassed to admit that I love my job. I am a good LDS woman and never planned to work. I would gladly have stayed home the rest of my life and been happy as a clam. At first I felt like I was breaking a commandment going to work. I truly did. I am definately "old school". Aaron would lay the guilt on too by saying things like "I feel like I am having to raise myself". He was 15 years old when I took this job. In the beginning I took a job because Bob needed a little help paying for Aramie's mission (Bob asked me to so I felt like I didn't have a choice in the matter). I earned just enough to pay tithing ,Aramie's mission, and little else. But something changed along the way and now I ,for the most part, enjoy my job. I used to walk in the door and think" I hate this place". It had nothing to do with my co-workers, they were generally speaking all very nice people. Now after working there for 8 + years I am comfortable with working and earning some extra money. Not that I have bags of it laying around...you have read Aramie's blogs, right. In fact I am usually broke. The down side is this: I have never been able to serve two masters so to speak. So now most of the things I used to love to do like cooking, baking, & sewing I now hate to do . I used to adore doing all those things and now they are drudgery. I am sad about this fact. I am or should I say used to be a really good cook and a very good baker. Now if I can get away with making hamburger helper or burritos I am happy. I haven't made my yummy (if I do say so myself) cinnamon rolls in atleast 2 years , maybe longer. I know some women can do it all (Gigi) but when i get home from work all I want to do is put my feet up and escape into a movie or a sit com. I am not worth a penny at home and I do feel very bad about it. So there you have it. The former Judd kids (now all adults) have a couch potato for a mom. I am just glad most of them aren't around to see it.

Free Gift?and Other Musings

2008-04-06T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last week I got my "Free gift" notice from Estee Lauder. They send one out twice a year, I think. I am always very excited to get these as I love their free gifts. Does anyone else feel this way or is it just me? I make plans to go to Saratoga to get my free gift. The thing is Saratoga is an hour and forty-five minute drive away from my home. Where we live, the "nicest" store is JC Penney which doesn't sell Estee Lauder products. So after I drive that far and spend the gas to get there is it really a free gift? Gas here is $3.52 per gallon. As I ponder this I recall that most of the stuff that comes in the "free gift" is usually thrown out after hanging on to it for a year or so because the colors are not right for me. I do usually like the free cases that they come with but really is it worth the drive to get those little zippered cases? I am not sure . I do like to go up that way because a few exits before Saratoga is Lake George. Lake George is the "outlets" exit. I like to go to the "Gymboree" and "Oshkosh" stores to shop for my granddaughters.:) So perhaps it would be worth my while( if not my wallet) to go after all. I'll let you know what I decide next week. My day off is Wednesday and that is when I usually go on my shopping expeditions (to avoid the weekend shopper traffic).

Kacey took this picture

2008-04-02T18:02:00.000-07:00

Kacey took this picture of me in my sanctuary.she is actually very talented in many things. it is amazing and very nostalgic to look at Kacey's hands. They look exactly like Aramie's did when she was little. Her voice reminds me of little to Aramie, too.

2008-04-02T17:26:00.000-07:00

Kacey's new glasses

2008-04-02T17:20:00.000-07:00

If Aramie won't post a picture of Kacey I certainly will!

Hello

2008-04-02T11:42:00.000-07:00

We went to Burlington yesterday to see a Doctor and afterwards we went to the Olive Garden for a late lunch. Kacey was so cute. She was very excited about what the food was like and how everything looked. She kept saying how delicious the salad was and the bread sticks. She was so innocent in her reactions. She has such a pure sweet face and is so expressive. I love to talk to her and watch her respond to my questions. She talks with her hands (no, not sign language) She uses them as punctuation marks. I wish you could see and hear her talk. you would be well entertained.
I am Kacey's playmate. We play Polly Pocket and Soda Pop Pets. The thing is she doesn't let me say or do what I want. She orchestrates the whole thing as if it were a play or a symphony and she was the director. She thinks up the plot and I am just the lowly servent doing and saying what she tells me to.When I tell her that if she had a friend from school over the friend wouldn't let her get away with being the boss of the whole thing. She doesn't like to hear that.
Today is my day off from work. I like to use this day to take care of the things I need to and can't the rest of the week. Today I am just being a lazy bum. I haven't done anything in the way of house work. I have folded one basket of laundry..woo hoo! Aramie said she was going to cook so I am at my leisure. Not really. I have tons of stuff to do but Bob isn't home and so I don't have my "in the flesh conscience"keeping me going. So here I sit. It is 40 degrees outside today. I love the cold. I always get a little sad when the snow melts away and the heat returns. I am pretty sure I am the only person in this part of the country that actually feels sad when I think winter is gone for the year.
I watch American Idol religiously. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it but there you have it. I love to see and hear these young people with such talent. At the restaurant yesterday, I heard two ladies older than me discussing the show and felt a kinship with them.:) Bob doesn't watch it. He really doesn't watch much television at all. He works swing shift most days. So the remote is all mine.
Well, I guess that's all for today.

proudtodriveaminivannanny

2008-03-29T19:21:00.000-07:00

Okay...I am new at this blogging stuff. But Aramie has convinced me to give it a try.
I am 52. I am plump. I love my dodge grand caravan. It is my dream car. I recently scraped the passenger side on a yellow pole in the Wal-Mart parking lot and felt like I had hurt one of my kids. Why does Wal-Mart need all those yellow poles any way?? I know this sounds shallow. I never had a brand new car until I got that minivan. Since we bought that car I don't want to drive any other car. I think it must be a sickness to love a car so much. Don't judge me.
My passion is my granddaughters. I love them almost as much as my minivan....just kidding. I adore those two little girls. No one can truly understand the love a grandmother has for her grandchildren until they have their own grandchildren.
Last year on April 1st my best friend died. We had been best friends since we were 16. We met through a mutual boyfriend. We decided we liked each other better than him (and not in a gay way)and we called each other weekly,sent each other birthday gifts,Christmas gifts, and etc. for 35 years. I am lost and cannot explain the depth of pain I feel at the loss of her(Robin). I feel bad because I have not had any contact with her family since her funeral. It is too painful. I need advice. what would you do if you found yourself in my place?
I am reading a book called "You on a Diet". Have you heard of it? I hope it helps because I am really tired of being fat and I don't know how to help myself. I have been on so many diets since I was in my late 20's that I am sick to death of it all. I just want to get to a point where I feel good about myself and never have to worry or care what people think.
My sweet husband has pneumonia. He won't take it easy. Doesn't know what it is to rest. He goes nonstop.
My granddaughters are Kacey and Darby and they are so precious and darling.
I am thinking of getting a longhaired miniature dachshound. What do you think?
Well, is this a totally boring blog?
Aramie, I am Anne Elliot.
It will be really embarrassing if no one comments on this. So please give me a courtesey comment.
Do I sign this "love", "sincerely yours", "all my best", I am not always down with the modern lingo.
love, Cindy (is more my style anyways)