IT'S NOT THAT GLAMOROUS!

Modelling is work......really!
It's not all it's cracked up to be.
And it's really NOT about being cute.
It's work!

Garrett and I left the house today at 6:45 and returned at 3:00.

I accomplished nothing!
He accomplished a lot.



He had to work and work made him miss school.
You know he was sad.

I'm exhausted.

He's exhausted.



But he should be.
His day included-
3 wardrobe changes
makeup
hanging out in an RV
doing "kung fu" kicks on a mini trampoline
sweating
kicking a soccer ball around for several hours
looking good as directed
cheering for an invisible football team
walking this way
looking that way
kicking the ball toward "me"
kicking the ball away from "me"
running at a diagonal
money.


My day included -
watching all of this.

So you can see what I am exhausted!


The RV/dressing room




Garrett and some of the crew setting up the next shot.

The crew includes 2 local stylists, the photographer and two of his assistants, and the director, the art director and two marketing guys all from Atlanta.
Oh and the RV guy - really - it's a separate guy who is in charge of keeping the RV running and cool and making sure the steamer doesn't blow a fuse!
They come every year and Garrett loves working with them!

STOP THE WORLD! WE WANT OFF!

We need help - serious help!

Back to school is ALWAYS a busy time.

We know that.

Here is what we are up against -

and something has to go.

Garrett's Life:

6 am - Seminary - Church scripture study before school

7:20-2:50 - School (This might be the thing to go! ;) )

Every other day, he gets out of school earlier - 1 pm.

So take a look at his after school options -

Every other day, he still lifeguards from 3-8pm.

Luckily this will end on Labor Day.

On the days he is not lifeguarding and/or the days he gets out early

he goes to his other job.

He manages 110 storage units.

He is responsible for signing leases with tenants,

collecting rent, paying bills, making bank deposits,

general upkeep, locking non payers out and then letting them back in when they pay.

Yes, he takes and makes business calls during passing periods and off hours.

Fall lacrosse starts after labor day.

Thank heavens the lifeguard job will be over!

I would tell him to skip the fall season

except he is the captain.

Oh and in his free time,

he needs to put in at least 40 hours (by Oct)

into the Senior class float for Homecoming.

Yes, it's for a grade in his Leadership class.

I've left out youth group once a week and violin lessons...

oh....and homework.

I think we should cut out all non-essential activities like

breathing, eating and bathing.......as well as lawn mowing and room cleaning.

But really.......I don't know what else we can do.

I'm hoping we survive another 10 days until labor day

and then we'll take a deep breath and go from there.

WE BROKE THE MOLD!

It's Writer's Workshop with Mamakat/ today.
Go on over, pick a prompt and write your heart out!

One of the prompts is "How did you break it...?"

Well, I'm cheating (a little).

I'm not talking about HOW we broke it,

but I'm talking about the fact that we BROKE THE MOLD!

Yep, 18 years ago, Garrett was born!

And there is no one else quite like him!
He is ONE OF A KIND!

We broke the mold!

HaPPY BiRTHDaY!

Here's some things we like about Garrett -

*Garrett is aDVeNTuRouS!

He loves to try new things, whether it is a new sport or a new food.
He is at the front of the line!

He's climbed 14er's. He's gone on 50 mile bike rides. He knows how to mountain climb. He is an expert snowboarder. He can fly fish. He can hit a target with a gun or with an arrow. He's played T-ball, been on the swim team, and played tennis, golf, soccer, football, and lacrosse.

* Garrett is CReaTiVe & iMaGiNaTiVe!

Garrett used to sit in his carseat and make up words and games.

We still use some of his made up words around the house today.

Once while at a family dinner at Grandma Carol's house,

all the children disappeared.

The adults didn't mind. We enjoyed visiting without interruption.

When it was time to go home,

we found the kids (about 10 of them under 8),

jumping from near the top of the staircase into a pile of pillows at the bottom.

We were horrified!

Three or four pillows wasn't much to break a jump from 12 stairs up.

Someone could have broken a leg.

We quizzed the kids and they said that Garrett made up the game.

When asked how he came up with such an idea,

he proudly responded, "Oh...I'm the family genius."

* Garrett is SMaRT!

He did almost fail preschool because during his "final"

he could not identify his ankle.

I think he thought it was a stupid question not worthy of an answer. Duh!

Things have gotten better since then!
So far, he has outperformed his older brother on every AP test that he has taken.

And hey, we have to hand it to him because he has gotten an A in English every year since elementary school (including AP Language) without reading a single book!

Impressive!

I lied. He read All Quiet on the Western Front and Twilight from cover to cover.

* Garrett is a HaRD WoRKeR!

He is currently holding down two jobs - lifeguarding and managing a mini storage.

He loves both of his jobs and takes his work very seriously.

I still laugh when I hear him on his "work phone." (Yeah, he has a separate work phone - a Blackberry.)

"Hello. Havana Self Storage, this is Garrett. Oh yes Steve, thank you for returning my call. Because you are behind on your rent, we are going to have to lock your unit. I would be happy to take your credit card number over the phone and clear up your account."

* Garrett is SeNSiTiVe!

Not sensitive in that his feelings get hurt, but sensitive in that he can relate to others and he thinks about their feelings. He is empathetic.

We're pretty sure that he will have all girls when he grows up.

He's the only boy I know who understands the importance of turning around to go back home for a matching headband or lipgloss.

* Garrett is a LeaDeR!

Garrett has been in student council since elementary school.

He has been in the high school leadership class all four years.

He's the captain of the Varsity lacrosse team and he's the 1st assistant in the Priest Quorum at church.

But more important, he's a quiet example to his brothers and younger cousins.

* Garrett HoNoRS THe PRieSTHooD!

I've heard him complain about school or other responsibilities but he has NEVER complained about performing his priesthood duties.

He willingly goes home teaching, prepares the sacrament, take his brother to collect fast offerings, takes the sacrament to the elderly or sick and attends priesthood meetings.

* Garrett is an aWeSoMe BRoTHeR!

He willingly <- key word there, takes his brother to school, lacrosse, dances, and late night runs to Taco Bell. He is a good friend to both of his brothers. He never rats them out (darn!). He sticks up for them and he looks out for them.

* Garrett is FuN!

He loves life. He's involved. He's always down for something crazy - boxing in the basement, dressing up and going to dinner downtown, TPing a girls' slumber party, going to the thrift store for wacky clothes or being a flag boy at the football games. He likes being creative and he's not afraid to put himself out there.

* Garrett is TaLeNTeD!

You wouldn't guess that he has played the violin since he was 6. He can sing. He can make up raps. He is an awesome dancer. He is athletic. He's a great public speaker. He is artistic. He has fashion sense.

* Garrett is TRue To HiMSeLF!
He does the right thing and makes good choices.

He cannot be manipulated, threatened or guilted into doing something (puts a twist in parenting!).

He knows what he wants and doesn't waver.

He has always been internally motivated.

* Garrett is FuNNY!

He'll make you laugh!

We laugh with him and at him all day long!

When I go to parent/teacher conferences, every single teacher says, "I LOVE having Garrett in class. He is soooo funny. He always entertains me. And he's the only one who gets my jokes."

I always ask, "Do you grade on funny? Is there a grade for that?"
If there was, he would be valedictorian.

He has sent me videos of him teaching his English teacher how to dance and his name spelled out in flames in Chemistry.


Garrett, we love you! We're so glad you are in our family!

We couldn't ask for a better son!

HaPPY BiRTHDaY!

G

G-Unit

Garby

Garbs

Snoop

G$ (GMuny)

G-Dizzle

Garrett!

What do the BONEHEAD BROTHERS have in common

with Neil Armstrong

1st man on the moon,

Mike Rowe

host of "Dirty Jobs"

and William Sessions

head of the FBI?

They all have their

Yea for the BONEHEAD BROTHERS!

They did it!

Sorry, I only have the goofy pre-Court of Honor picture.

I left the charged battery at home and only brought the dead battery.

Official pictures with the cool medal and neckerchiefs will have to follow.

Garrett, Tyler and their friend Daniel all received their award last night.

The Eagle Court was held with our regular Court of Honor and was kept pretty simple. It was kind of a last minute affair because Daniel leaves for college today and we also needed to work around Tyler's father's travel schedule.

So we found out last week that last night would be the night.

The boys did a great job and so did their scoutmaster!

Congrats to the BONEHEAD BROTHERS!

BACK TO SCHOOL!

Do you hear me crying?
No.

I love, LOVE, LOVE having my kids home for the summer,

and I would love to have an additional month or two with no school.

But the school district insisted that they come back to school now,

so.........off they go.

Get out. Buh-bye.

So let's get random with Keely at The Unmom.com

* Here are the "Back to School" pictures.

Okay, it was 5:20 in the morning when these were taken.
And my subjects were not very cooperative.

Garrett was the first "victim" to arrive to the kitchen ready to go."

G:"Mom, seriously.......it's dark outside. Can we do this later?"
"Really, let's do this after school."

P: "Mom.......you are NOT taking back to school pictures now. It's 5:20!"

G: "I tried that Parker. She's taking your picture."

I was ready for them when they pulled up in the driveway after school.

* Sunday, Parker came downstairs around 9:30 pm.

"Ummm....Mom? I just realized, we never did any school supply shopping."

Me: "School supplies? What school supplies?"
P: "I don't know."

Me: "Well there are 1,500 sheets of notebook paper, 120 mechanical pencils, 18 spiral notebooks and 12 packs of notecards upstairs in the school supply closet."

P: "But we need binders."

Right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'll get right on that.

* Remember last week's cupcake jaunt?

Yes, a new cupcake joint opened and we ventured down there.

First, the cupcake flavors were too weird:

Creme Brulee

Chai Tea

Purple Velvet

But worse, the cupcakes were like bricks.

All of the commercial cupcakes we have tested have been dense little bricks of baked batter.

You know what I like?
Fake cake!

Cake from a mix <- There, I admit it!

I like the light fluffliness of preservatives.

* Tonight, the Bonehead Brothers get their Eagle Scout.

I have to, oops, get to take dessert.

You know what I am going to take?

Yep, cupcakes made from a mix.

But the frosting will be real buttercream.

*Don't you love butter?

*Guess what I get to buy today?

ANOTHER TI-85.

Yeah, Parker needs it (along with the binders) for Algebra 2.

P: "Mom, can we go through Trammell's boxes and find his TI-85?"
Me: "Didn't we do that last year?"

P: "I don't think so. I used Garrett's or I used one of the school's."
Me: "I know. But I swear we got out all the boxes."

P: "Nah."

So we climbed up on top of the shelves and got out all of Trammell's boxes which he so carefully packed before leaving for Cambodia and gave a cursory glance through each one.

After falling off the shelving onto Parker, dropping two boxes from the top shelf, scanning a box of Nerf Guns, and digging through 15 pairs of shoes, we're on box five.

Me: "You know, I am positive we did this last year."

P: "Yeah, I think we did."

Pretty RaNDoM! (but still all about me!)

LET'S NOT END IN A TIE

Garrett is one of the captains of the lacrosse team.

He and the other captains are considering purchasing "team ties," as in neck ties, that everyone can wear to school on game day.

Sometimes they wear their jerseys, sometimes they wear a polo shirt but sometimes they dress up.

Most of the boys, shockingly, don't like dressing up.

They come up with all kinds of excuses as to why they can't dress up.

The captains figure that if they have a team tie, they won't have an more excuses (I'm sure there will ALWAYS be excuses).

Garrett asked if I would do a little search online to come up with some options.

Here is what I found.

What do you think?

OPTION 1 -

OPTION 2

OPTION 3

NOT an OPTION

HAPPY WEEKEND & HAPPY READING!

Brian and I were discussing what is probably my ALL time FAVORITE talk given by a General Authority. This was not a talk given at General Conference. It was originally given at a CES Fireside for Young Adults.

I loved it when I first heard it.

I have loved it every time I have read it.

Brian and I were discussing how beautiful it was on Sunday evening when he opened the September issue of The Ensign and lo and behold, it is reprinted there.

Lessons from Liberty Jail by Jeffrey Holland: http://www.lds.org/library/display/0,4945,538-1-4543-1,00.html

I won't babble on and on and wreck it for you.

Happy Reading!

I'M SO EXCITED!!!!

What do I get excited about?


If you know anything about me,
you know that I get pretty darn excited about
CuPCaKeS!

Ooooooo..........Look at these!



Special thanks to good friend Javan, for tipping me off about the new cupcake place in town.
I tried Carrot Cake, Lemon Supreme, Black Forest and Creme Brulee!
Mmmmmm........




I also get excited about anything that is cute!!!


I love cute stuff!

Did you see something cute on my page?
Look to your right ->

Yep, I might be computer illiterate, but I have a great friend who took pity on me.
She made me that cool button.
Isn't it cool??????

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Ummm........if you are computer stupid like me but you like cute things,
Margaret will make you your very own custom button!
(at a great price!)
Go see Margaret at http://factwoman.blogspot.com/and just ask her! Reallly!

Oh and, she's doing cool seasonal buttons for Fall, Halloween, Thanksgiving etc.
I am sooooo excited!!!

TEENAGERS 101

I'm playing along with Mamakatslosinit/ and Writers' Workshop.


Go there. See the prompts. Pick one. Write! Link up!


I chose prompt #2 - Things I've Learned From My Toddler.
Except that I don't have a toddler but I have something a lot like a toddler...
but bigger and smellier and sweatier!





So without further ado:
Things I Have Learned From My Teenager


- Skip dessert!

You know what a good follow up to a rack of ribs, baked potatoes, corn on the cob and salad is? ANOTHER MEAL! Always plan on two dinners: D1 served at 6ish and D2 served at 8 or 9. Oh, and D2 can’t be a repeat of D1.



- When you get cash from the bank teller, ask him to give you that $100 in $5’s. No matter what denomination you hand a teenager, you won’t be getting any change back.



- “My math teacher is so dumb. She doesn’t know how to teach,” means “She’s on to me and I can’t get away with anything.” BUT, if you hear that from the entire team, then it means the teacher really is dumb and can’t teach.



- Never say never: as in “My child would NEVER….” Because right when you are saying that, your child is probably out doing it!



- It’s NEVER a good time to clean their room.



- Anything that is lost is probably under the bed or in their car. Check the trunk!



- The best time of the day is probably 2 am. It is completely unreasonable to expect anything to get done or anyone to move before noon and nothing fun starts before 9:30 pm.



- Just because it’s 8:30 on Friday night and your teenagers don’t have plans, doesn’t mean they are “in” for the night. Anything can happen!





- You can sleep in the same sheets for a month, but if you get a clean pair of jeans out of your closet and try them on, wear them for 30 seconds and then decide to change, the jeans are now dirty. Do not put them back in the closet. Throw them in the dirty clothes.



- Speaking of closets, why have one? Nothing needs to be hung up. It is much better to throw all the clothes on the floor so you can see exactly what you have to choose from.



These are just a few things I have learned.
And it's obvious that I need some more schooling!

I Teenagers!

LOOK WHAT WE JUST PICKED OUT!










Yippee for Senior Pictures!

RANDOM, RaNDoM, Random!

It's everyone's FAVORITE day!



RANDOM THOUGHT TUESDAY with Keely at The Unmom/!

Here ya go - not that random - not that exciting.
Oh and Blogger is messin' up on the spacing!

*Did you know that LISTEN and SILENT have the exact same letters? Interesting! I learned that from the comics today.


*School starts in less than a week. Things will be pretty SILENT around here! And I’m not looking forward to it! Parker is in the family room reading All Quiet on the Western Front as I speak. Then he needs to type up his dialectic journal.



*Did you ever notice that “studying” is “student” and “dying” put together? I learned that on Facebook. Wow! I rely on such good sources for my education.

*If you can’t have chocolate cake for breakfast, may I suggest mashed potatoes and gravy? Scrumptious!

*I’m making cream puffs today- yummmmmm. I made the shells yesterday but I’m making the filling and assembling them this afternoon for a baby shower. Anyone want to guess how many I'll eat in the process?

*Tonight is email night! We get our weekly email from Trammell sometime between 10 pm and 2 am. I’m excited every Tuesday, but I am particularly excited because 12 new missionaries arrived last Wednesday and 12 missionaries left last Thursday, so Trammell was probably transferred AND probably has a new companion. Change is always exciting!

*Hmmm…….In my travels, I’ve noticed a few cars/vans that have little stickers, like Disney stickers, puppy stickers, “good job” stickers coating the inside of their back windows. Why? Do the parents figure that only the kids have too look through the stickered window? Are they thinking that it’s a good idea because it keeps the kids quiet? Are they thinking that a couple hours of scraping off Snow White and Cinderella is worth five minutes of quiet time? Just wondering.

*Oh, and lastly, my favorite Bonehead Brother got his Senior Pictures. Just when you are thinking of killing them, the photographer takes you in a dark room and plays a video of all 50 shots set to music. With Trammell, I just kept looking up at the ceiling so I wouldn't cry. With Garrett, I just let the tears roll. Yep, he saw me. Yep, I am totally sentimental about that kind of stuff. Yep, at the end of the year (or sooner, like today) I will say, "Good Riddance!" But I will cry too. I'll post some of the pics tomorrow.

THE BONEHEAD BROTHERS RUIN EVERYTHING!

Everything was going great.
Our time with Simon (the foreign exchange student) was awesome.
Remember, Simon was here for three weeks.

Everyone got along.
There was no fighting or bickering.
It was LOVE AT HOME.

Garrett and Parker were perfect gentlemen.
Everyone was polite and well mannered.
I know! It was almost boring.

AND THEN – Tyler came home.
He has been home for 24 hours and 20 of them have been here.

Parker and Simon and I were playing Farkle.
It was a perfectly cultured game.

Until the BONEHEAD BROTHERS came in.

They have never played Farkle and somehow, they thought the just repeating the word over and over was hilarious.

Sample:
Garrett: “Did you just Farkle?”
Tyler: “No I just Shiatsued.”
Aren’t they soooo clever?

So of course, Simon is not getting any of this “intelligent” dialogue.
Isn’t that a shame!

But Tyler doesn’t want to leave Simon out of the hilarity.
Tyler: “Simon, how do you say ‘Fart’ in French?”
Simon: “Fart? I don’t know that word.”
Tyler, ever helpful, does what every boy in every country mastered when they were two.
He makes a loud and realistic farting noise.

Ahhh………the fart noise………another international bond.
All the boys think it’s beyond hilarious and are out of control laughing and pounding the kitchen table like they are back in pre school.

I can see the handwriting on the wall.
I leave.
So much for our game.
So much for class and culture.
Americans are pigs!The Bonehead Brothers are pigs!

A Trip TO the ER

Not today. The trip was not today.
I playing along with Mama Kat at MamasLosinIt.com and Writers’ Workshop.


Today’s prompt is to tell about a trip to the ER.

Where to begin –
Last summer, Parker (aka Tiny Baby) played summer lacrosse with the high school team.
Last year, he was 13, 4’10”, 80 lbs and starting his Freshman year.
(As opposed to this summer – 14, 4’11 ¾”, 95 pounds and starting his Sophomore year)


Anyway, Parker usually played Junior Varsity.
The chances for death are so much slimmer there.
He plays “attack.”
His job is to score.
The opposing team uses their biggest guys as defenders.
Their job is to keep Tiny Baby from scoring.

Some games, Parker played Varsity.
You know what seniors look like.
Do you know what senior defenseman look like?
They are slightly bigger than 4’10” and they usually weigh more than 80 lbs.

Undeterred, Parker could usually be counted on for a couple of points.
We could also count on Parker taking a beating.
He usually got laid out at least once in a game.

One game, he got hit so hard that he flew into the air like a rag doll.
He landed.
He didn’t get up.
He didn’t cry.
Since I like blood, gore and death, I didn’t panic.
Everyone else did though.

A nurse ran onto the field.
Parker was in tremendous pain.
The nurse could tell that his ribs weren’t broken but couldn’t tell if there was any type of internal injury.
He recommended that we go to the ER and get checked out but then mistakenly mentioned that IF there was an internal injury, there would be an increase in symptoms.

As we got Parker situated in the car, he said,
I just want to go home. I’m fine. I don’t want to waste 2 hours at the ER for them to tell me I’ll be fine.”
Every time we approached a hospital, I asked him about the pain and if he thought wwe should stop. He insisted we drive past.
It’s good parenting to let 13 year olds determine their course of treatment.

Five hospitals later, I finally pulled into the one closest to our house.
“Mom……I’ll be fine. Do you really want to waste the money on this? This will be the biggest waste of time.”

We paced around the car.
“On a scale of 1-10, how much pain are you in?” I asked?
“Mom, really, lets go home.”
So we did.
We went TO the ER
And then we went home.

That was last year.
He’s still alive.

The BONEHEAD BROTHERS' FORMULA for SUCCESS

I'm giving it away!

Watch for it:

(This is a text conversation between the two boys)

T: Dude, Reginald (name changed to protect the only innocent person involved) is here on campus. We're going to lunch.

G: That's legit

T: Yeah he doesn't even know where the Cougareat is. He's screwed.

G: Yeah, he's pretty uptight about college. But that's cool you guys are going to lunch.

T: Yeah, all I need is 10 minutes with him and I can get like the cure for cancer out of his mouth. And since I am capable of communicating, we'll be rich.

G: That's it man. We don't have to be geniuses. We just have to be smart enough to outhustle the smart people.

Wow! That is exactly what they can't teach you at Harvard Business School!

These guys could write a book!

You know what day it is!

RANDOM THOUGHT TUESDAY with Keely at the unmom/

For me, EVERY day is RANDOM!

*You know what I like?
Real whipped cream that is not whipped into stiff peaks but light peaks with vanilla and powdered sugar.
Heavenly!

*You know what I don't like?
The fact the August is half over

and school starts in two weeks.

I hate school........and I don't even go!

*You know what I am having for breakfast?

Someone ate the rest of the angel food cake, berries and whipped cream! I guess I'll have to settle for bacon, a sugar cookie and a coke for breakfast.

*You know what my MOST PRODUCTIVE time of the day is? BEFORE 7 am.
You should see what I can accomplish if I get up around 5:30.
I am NOT a morning person!!!


*You know what is stupid?

Yesterday was Senior Registration at the high school.
You would not believe how many parents not only accompanied their seniors,
but actually insisted on carrying the pack of paperwork and doing all the talking for their 17 year old.
My job was to collect certain forms and then hand the student a small card with their information so they could get their picture taken and student ID made………nothing to do with parents.

After collecting the forms, I always handed the card to the student and addressed the student, giving them instructions.
What I wanted to do was ask the moms if they were going to go to college registration with their little baby next year. I didn’t though.

*You will not believe what tomorrow is………
I will sing you a song to give you a hint:
“Reunited and it feels so good…
Reunited and nah nah nah nah nah.”
Okay, so I don’t remember all of the Peaches and Herb song.

But anyway……..
The other ½ of the BONEHEAD BROTHERS gets home tomorrow.
Brace yourself! Tyler arrives fresh from the summer session of college.
Garrett has reminded me EVERY day!

One of Parker’s friends was staying with us while his parents were out of town and Garrett told him that he was welcome to stay, but he would have to vacate the couch on Wednesday because that was Tyler’s bed.

Well, now you know pretty much EVERYTHING!

EXHAUSTION RECOVERY

I just don’t understand why I am tired!

We’ve had Simon with us for 10ish days. I’m too tired to do the math.

Here is what we have done (or they have done and I have just been a driver)
- 3 Trips to the Driving Range
- ½ day bowling
- 2 game nights
- 1 18 hole Round of Golf
- 3 days at a cabin in the mountains (remember the panning for gold, hiking, etc)
- 1 day at the water park

- 1 party at someone else’s house
- 1 party here with firepit, s’mores, and nightgames
- 2 boxing matches (I’m just a spectator here)
- 1 day at the Museum of Science and Nature
- 1 pizza/pool party
- 1 BBQ/pool party
- 1 lacrosse game
- 20 movies in French with English subtitle or vice-versa

(Simon is fascinated by the popcorn maker!)
- Too many hours to count down in Garrett’s “lair,” also known as the basement playing pool and video games.
- Countless late night runs for slurpees: “Mom! We HAVE to show Simon 7/11,” Taco Bell and pizza.

And now, the little angels are leaving for a 3 day leadership retreat with the high school. Simon gets to go along.

I get to check myself in to a mountain top hotel and lay by the pool.

You all have a great weekend!

EAVESDROPPING ON 1/2 THE BONEHEAD BROTHERS

It's time for Writer's Workshop with Kat/

I picked Prompt #3: Tell what you found out when you spied on someone."

Except, I wasn't really spying.
I was eavesdropping.

And it doesn't count if it's your own kid!


I listened in as Amber (Tyler’s mom) and Garrett discussed the sad, sad separation of the Bonehead Brothers while Tyler has been attending summer session at BYU.

Now, remember that after THREE WEEKS of separation,
Garrett had to go out to Provo for a 5 day weekend fix.

Now, a week later and just 7 days (but who is counting) until Tyler comes home,
Amber and Garrett have a chance to chat.

So go ahead…….listen in……..I did!

Amber- “So, has it been tough this summer being without Tyler?”


Garrett – “Ummm….well kinda.”


Amber- “Yeah, cuz he’s like having a twin.”


Garrett – “Well, kinda, but it’s been like I’m missing………

not really a twin or…

not really like an appendage…….

but more like a tumor.”

Did he just call his best friend a “tumor?”
Is that like a cancerous tumor that you are relieved to get rid of or like a more pleasant kind of tumor?
Just wondering.

SOARING WITH EAGLES,

We already know that this is my favorite day!

RANDOM THOUGHT TUESDAY with Keely at the Unmom/ ROCKS!

*GOOD NEWS!

Garrett passed his Eagle Scout Board of Review.

He is officially an Eagle Scout. You should have seen Brian and I fighting over the paper and arguing who was going to drive it down to the scout office today. Garrett was going to take it down, but remember......he has two jobs. He's a business man!

*BAD NEWS!

I have soooo much to do and am totally freaking out.

None of it is major - just time consuming.

I am totally behind on correspondence - like sending an email update from Trammell in Cambodia.

But the network that he uses to send emails was down last week.

When it was working, he received permission to use the internet but he dropped us two lines telling us 1) I'm not sending my photo card home because the Cambodian mail service is as reliable as a 17 year old son. (Who is he talking about???? ;) ) and 2) I'm not writing because I would rather use this time to get out and work. i love you. I'll write next week.

So Trammell!!!!

* Parker, Simon and I went to the Museum of Nature and Science yesterday. Simon wasn't real keen on the idea. I think that when I said Museum, he thought ART Museum and thought Louvre. And really? How could Denver compete with Paris when it comes to art? Pass!!!!

I thought we'd spend an hour roaming around. FOUR hours later, the boys were ready to go. And we didn't even take in IMAX or the Planetarium. We saw mummies, took in the health expedition - way interactive (if you count riding a bike for three minutes in a short skirt while your heart rate is being measured as interactive), went on a dinosaur expedition, and perused through rooms of "stuffed" animals. Simon loved the Koalas, the lynx and trying to park the space shuttle. We were all pretty bored by the Indian stuff. So, anyone in Denver with kids between 2 and 92 - Check it out!!!!

* Oh my gosh, do NOT read the book that I just finished! It's called And Sometimes Why. And I would like to know sometimes why I insist on finishing stupid books. It was on the Booklist Top Ten First Novel List. I'm definitely not reading the other nine!

I shouldn't tell you not to read it. Maybe you like books where 15 year olds have sex with everyone they meet and then sneak out to hook up with 37 year old drunk band members who take them on motorcycle rides, crash and end up in a coma and their families fall apart and nothing redeeming happens. I hope I didn't ruin it for you!

And to think that Vogue called it "Wise and Affectingly Humane."

1) Who would ever listen to Vogue's opinion on "literature."

2) What exactly is "affectingly humane?" <- well, they DO recycle in the book and try not to use chemicals that would harm the environment. Yeah, maybe that's it.

* I think I am pretty sick of the government being involved in my life. Our country is a mess. Well, not the whole country, but certain people trying to run the country.

I am sitting here writing my $1,200 check for health insurance because even though Brian is self employeed but not making any $$$$, we're responsible and still pay for our own insurance. But it would be kind of cool if YOU GUYS paid it; cuz you make more than we do and why shouldn't you pay for me? Anyway, when I put the check in the mailbox, I'm going to look and see if my GM stock certificate has arrived since I unwittingly bought a few shares last winter.

*Don't you hate it when you are hungry and nothing sounds good to eat? This usually happens to me at breakfast. So yesterday, I had chocolate cake and coke. I don't really like chocolate, so I thought it would tast better covered with whipped cream. It kind of did. Today, for breakfast, I had cheese puffs.

* Everyone thought that Garrett and Tyler would have their Eagle Court of Honor together. They can't. We only have one scout shirt and one sash (both of them belong to Trammell). Do you think it would look bad if Tyler wore the shirt and received his honors and then whippd off the shirt and passed it to Garrett?

*Would you ever go hiking in the Middle East during a war and "accidentally" stray into enemy territory and profress shock when you were thrown in a foreign jail????

Seriously! Enough Random!

I have to go DO something!

TWENTY FIVE things I like about you –
25. We met when we were 14, started dating when we were 16, I sent you on your mission, we broke up, we got back together, we married when you got home. We grew up together. It’s been fun learning, discovering and growing together!

24. You are good at everything you do! You are smart, sensitive and knowledgeable ….except you still don’t know which group sings which 80’s songs.

23. You’re a hard worker! Whether it was for Proctor & Gamble, Black & Decker, Laundry Land or now at Cobecon International, you get up everyday and go out and “slay the dragon” for our family!

22. You’re a hard worker! Even after a long day at work, you come home and mow the lawn, clean the garage, help with dinner and then take me out to do something fun!

21. You’re a hard worker! Even after a long day of work and serving your family, you find the time to serve others whether it’s counseling young adults, running a meeting, or going to a scout activity.

20. You can fix anything – from string trimmers and vacuums to untangling necklaces and relationships. You can do it!

19. You are the master packer. No one can pack a suitcase, a car, or boxes on the basement shelves quite like you!

18. You’re organized. If someone needs a phone number for a plumber, a specialty battery, or a drill bit, not only do you have it, you know where to find it.

17. You are generous. When someone needs your time, advice, the number for a plumber, a specialty battery or a drill bit, you are always willing to give it to them….even though you may not ever see your tools again.

16. You are generous. You always look for the good in people and you see them not for what they are but what they can be. You build people up and help them reach their potential

15. You have the patience of Job!!!! You don’t freak out over little things or even big things (except when the boys complain about cleaning the garage but then, it wouldn’t be the same if they bounded out of bed all eager and happy to work and then what would you do with that lecture?) When there is a crisis, you just dive in and get to work.

14. You don’t just identify the problem, you come up with solutions. You are slow to find fault, quick to praise and you are a life line to many!

13. People are more important to you than things. You always take care of your possessions but you are even more passionate about family and friends. Everywhere you go, you know people. You always do a good job of maintaining relationships and showing that you care. 12. You always do the right thing. It might be hard. It might be painful. It might be a sacrifice. But you always take the high road and try to do what the Lord would do.

11. Family comes first. Even though there are a lot of balls to juggle, you always make US a priority. You always find time to reconnect and spend time with the ones you love.

10. You are thoughtful. Everyday is “Be nice to Lee day.” You truly look for ways to make my life easier every single day. And you encourage the boys to treat me lovingly and with respect.

9. You are thoughtful. You can tell when I need a little pick me up.

8. Our relationship comes first! I love when everyone is asleep and we sneak out for early morning runs for donuts, bagels, or breakfast. I love it when we leave the kids home to do the dishes and we “run and errand” that includes a stop at Dairy Queen or Sonic. We don’t have a date NIGHT. We have nightS and entire date weeks!

7. I love road trips, airplane trips, long weekends, and vacations with you that are just the two of us. I love the uninterrupted hours we get to spend together to laugh, cry, talk, reminisce.

6. You are patient. You listen to me when I get on a rant without pointing out that while I have a valid point, it could probably be expressed without 25 expletives. You don’t judge. You try to help.

5. You make me a better person. You never come right out and say, “You should change.” Or “You would be more loveable if……” You model Christlike behavior and set a righteous example. Maybe, in another 25 years, it will rub off on me.

4. We are united. We are passionate about the same things: God, each other, family. You know what I will say or what I think about something and vice versa.

3. We’re a team – whether we’re making the bed, doing dishes, making a career decision or solving the problems of the world. We’re in it together!

2. I come first with you. You are my protector and defender and are completely loyal.

1. YOU ARE THE BEST!

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!