what i did saturday and incidentally ruined my sunday.

Since we have traveled a bit in the last year or two, I have come to realize how lucky we are to live right next to such beautiful mountains. It is funny how you take for granted the things that make your "home" unique. We have friends that live close to the beach in California, and rarely go. We think they are crazy!

I think that is just how it is, that you know those things are always there, and living that close, you don't think often of how cool it really is. And maybe that whole last paragraph was just a rambling sleep-deprived mess. (We'll get to that one later.) Anyway, Saturday we took the Jeeps up to Mary Ellen Gulch, up American Fork Canyon. The trail is only accessible via off-road vehicles, and it really is beautiful.

Wild trees, wildlife, wild-flowers, wild kids....


It takes it all out of you, the whole jeeping thing. Plum tuckers you right out.


So needless to say, we were all exhausted. Sam had to work graveyards that night, so we busted home, and sent him off, and the kids and I fully planned (well, mom fully planned...) on going to bed early, at least by ten. And another half-hour would pass, and another, and another...until finally it was midnight.

All the kids haphazardly tossed around my bedroom in sleeping bags, giggling until we all fell asleep.

Just when I hit that good deep sleep, I hear Jayden asking Brendan what was wrong. And Brendan, very quietly sobbing into his pillow.

I am ashamed to admit. But I was so stinking tired that I was mad! Mad that every single night I get woken up for something. Just. One. Night. I would like to sleep!! I don't do well tired. So I get up, and check it out. Well, he has an earache. A bad one, and the poor thing has been suffering for two hours trying to sleep it off. Yes, if you are doing the math, it is about 2:30 am. So I give him some Advil, and we wait it out, all the while him writhing in pain...

Finally I can see that I have nothing to help him, so we load up, and haul over to the emergency room. After the traditional hour and a half wait, we get hooked up with antibiotics and...get this...Lortab. For my nine year old. I feel like quite the heel then, when the doctor assures me that he is in a whole lot of pain. The infection was horrible. The doctor was quacky, and I could go on and on about the emergency room doctors we have here, but that is a whole 'nother post. Brendan takes the meds and zonks on the way home. So now I have 70 pounds of dead weight to haul into the house. That was fun.

Poor kid slept until 1:30. He is feeling better. But, I, on the other hand, feel like the walking dead. I am going to bed early tonight.

Even if I have to drug the children. I will let you know how that goes.

A-HA!

Takin' you back to the 80's.

from this month's glamour magazine

And I quote: (cause I think the scan is too crappy and small to read)
*edited to add, if you click on the image, it magically enlarges to full size, but here is the text anyway...*

"FANNY PACKS. Your votes are in: Trends may come and go, but the fanny pack, like scrunchies, and exposed thongs, will always be a DON'T."


Ah. Crap.

just not cool.

This is how ridiculous I look when I am trying to be cool.

Pointing out that the sunglasses are Dolce and Gabbana. And um, yeah...we found them. I generally stock up on my glasses at the Dollar Tree. But, I thought these would spruce up the fanny pack ensemble. No?

Yeah, I don't think so either. And the worst part, is when I wear them, I have "My Humps" running through my head all day.

They treat me really nicely,
They buy me all these icees.
Dolce and Gabbana,
Fendi and then Donna
Karan, they be sharin
All their money got me wearin

Plus I look like a fly. But they are awesome for going jeeping. They keep all the dust out. Much like my mom's blue-blockers, or those disposable sunglasses they give you when you get your eyes dilated.

a new era

Here I am posting, the next day after a post...

What is up with that?

I took in the fireworks last night, which I gotta say, were AWESOME! My little one-horse town has grown, and dumped some serious cash into the pyrotechnics piggy bank. Every year they get better and better. Makes me that much more willing to ignore the pot-holes, and constant trains that rumble through allll niiight looong blowing their ear piercing whistles. Whoa, off-track, aren't I? (no pun intended)

Anyway, the fireworks. Now, as I mentioned earlier, I took some really great firework photos two years ago with my Canon 20d. And as you know, I recently purchased a little point and shoot- a Canon Power Shot, the A710is, to be precise. And it has a plethora(<---reference to Three Amigos) of automatic functions, one of which happens to be a "fireworks" mode. So, I thought I would give that bad boy a shot. (again, no pun intended)

Remembering that two years ago, when I pert-near missed the whole fireworks show, what with futzing around with my aperture and exposure, the cable release and tripod, I was a little hesitant about just lifting the camera up, and pressing a button. Granted it took some skillz to time it, I pressed the button when I hear the Boom! of the cannon, and hoped that the exposure was long enough to catch the sparkle of the firework. But really, that was it. Just pushing a button, folks.

It seemed like cheating. Especially when the photos came back, sans tripod,and dare I say...better than the 20d? These are unedited and straight from the camera. I am pretty impressed here.



And the best part, was Jayden reminding me that the camera has a video record mode. And I filmed the whole Grand Finale! Yes, I can have fireworks now, all year long. And if I am technically savvy enough, I will link it here, for you all too.

I am wondering then, when photography stops becoming an art. When any average Joe can pick up a point and shoot and produce professional looking photos? Where it doesn't matter if you have the right "eye" for the shot, cause you can just crop it later. That it is not a problem if the picture is horribly underexposed, or that there is a tree limb shooting out of your child's head, cause you can just photoshop it all better. It's a different world we live in. Bittersweet.

I remember poring through the pages of National Geographic and marveling at the photography there. Still in the days of film, when it was all a little dark-room tweaking, fabulous equipment, and raw talent. I am sad that era has passed.

But...it is secretly nice to be able to just push a button.

Happy 4th of July!

And for my Canadian friends, Happy belated Canada Day! And to the rest of my international friends, you will need to leave a comment, and educate me on your celebrations. I did not do well in whatever class was supposed to teach me those things.

But do you like my shirt?

Taking the Jeeps up the mountain for a picnic. I made potato salad, coleslaw and barbecued beef brisket. I know my kids will want nothing to do with any of that, so I am bringing a Costco sized bag of Doritos, and five multi-vitamins. Cause I am concerned about their nutrition like that.

Then later, the big fireworks show. I got some really great firework photos two years ago, and I just keep re-using those suckers, which makes it nice for me to just lay back and enjoy the show, without my camera.

Hope everyone has a safe holiday!

why.

Well, hey.

So here is how my week is starting out. I am in the middle of "project laundry room organization" and as you know, we have that new IKEA, and I bought a system that I think is really going to work for us. There is a deep bin for each of my kids, that slide into a rail system to keep it all neat.

I bought- let me see if this will link:
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/categories/rooms/laundry/11468/

Anyway, I am sure you will all be asking me to post pictures, and I will, when the thing gets done. And maybe, if you are lucky, I will also pose with my fanny pack. Won't that be a stunning visual delight? Stayed tuned for that.

So back to my crappy Monday.

All weekend long, I busted heinie getting my laundry back to a managable task. And dang! if I wasn't *almost* caught up. I mean, really caught up. Bedding and everything. Towels. All that stuff. Busted hump here. Alllll weekend long.

So Monday, I wake up to Mikayla tapping me in the forehead.
(Whispering..)"Mommy, are you waked up?"
"Mommy, I pee-pee'd in my bed."
And really, that would have been enough to make me not want to get out of bed, cause you know, the laundry WAS CAUGHT UP EIGHT HOURS AGO. But no, not only did she pee the bed (which included her bedspread, blanket, sheets, and several stuffed animals.)

BUT HER SISTER DID TOO.

Yee-haw.

This week is our hometown celebration.

There are family oriented activities the whole week long.

Thursday night is the first night of the Rodeo, which boasts itself to be the "World Famous" Lehi Round-up Rodeo. So I am sure you have heard of it, right?

Thursday night, at 6, there is a stock parade that winds through town, where pretty much anyone owning a horse, hat, and dinner-plate sized belt buckle can ride their horse downtown.

Someone a few years back thought it would make them more popular to throw tootsie rolls at the crowd as they trotted by. So now, a good majority of the horse riders throw some type of candy.

The kids love it, me, not so much.

Maybe it is because I find myself constantly scanning the road "Mikayla, DO NOT pick the laffy taffy out of that steaming turd!" Horses. Horse poop. Candy.
Brilliant!

The best part of the whole poop parade is the street sweeper, that cleans all the turds up. My kids are fascinated! And really, I think it is the only time the city is able to justify the expense of what that thing must have cost to purchase.

Then the World Famous rodeo begins. It runs for three nights. We can hear it, all three nights from our front porch.
"....Lehi, Utah, are you ready for the buuuuull riiiiides?!!"

Friday night, and Saturday morning we have a parade. There are floats, and bands, and miscellaneous sequined-clad "Royalty." Rodeo royalty in lime green wranglers and pearl button shirts to match. Our city, and adjoining city royalties in flowing gowns and hairspray crusted bouffants. All waving that elbow-elbow, wrist-wrist patented parade wave. I think I feel the worst for "Miss Onion Days." Not the best title to win.

Today is a sort-of fair in the park. The kids love it! We are heading out here in a minute to take it all in. And possibly see everyone we went to high school with toting their kids around too. We will eat cotton candy, and hot-dogs sold by local baseball teams. The Future Farmers of America from the high school will have a petting zoo for the kids, and maybe pony rides...you know, to train the next generation for the poop parade.

You gotta love small towns.

I stayed up last night until 4, finishing up my Karen Foster stuff, so I could bring it to their office today. 48 layout and projects. I kicked butt, and I am tired. I am sleeping in til noon tomorrow, and I don't even care what the neighbors think.

We had to get up early today cause we took the kids and the fanny pack to another amusement park today.

Sam and I were sitting there, people watching, while the kids took Mikayla on a bunch of kiddie rides, and yes--we were waiting for our near-vomit spewing stomachs to settle. Anyway, we were people watching, and noticing how much cooler we were than like 90 percent of the whole park. We notice it a lot, when we are out in public, how no one is cool like us, we still have "it." And we are in our mid-thirties, folks.

Then I remembered the fanny pack. That I was wearing it. By choice. Again.

Maybe not so cool.

And I appreciate the links to cooler alternatives, but you gotta know how handy this thing is. It has not one, but TWO water insulated bottle holders on the sides, and two zippered pouches.

I am like a camel. A cool, handy camel. No?

photo shoots

Sometimes I work of product lines that I have to do photo shoots for. I bribe the kids with some candy or a trip to the dollar store, and they are usually pretty willing to pose for my off-the-wall shots.

Without saying what the line is that I am working on...(betcha can't guess, wink)

I ended up with some pretty cool pics of my girls.



I did another shoot of the boys, I will have to share those another day. They were dressed more *ahem* masculine. I don't think any of my bribes would be worth them prancing around in tights and sequined tu-tu's at this stage in their pre-teen lives...

Of course they were a little younger, but it was of their own free will and choice. But really, who can resist dancing when the Fantasia soundtrack is playing?

Cannot.
Wait.
Until they start dating. Tee-hee!

face anomaly

So, it's that time of year, here in Utah when the mosquitoes are out in full force.

I woke up yesterday morning, and had a big red dot on my face. (No photos will accompany this post, you can thank me later)
Is it a pimple? Is it a bite?

I am a picker by nature, and had to restrain myself all day. "Just wait" I told myself. And I had to avoid mirrors as to not pick at it.

The day progressed, and when I talked to people, their eyes kept gradually shifting to the dot.

"Oh please...." I thought, "don't let it be festering, or oozing, or WHITE!! Please, please don't let me be walking around with a huge white zit."

But, thankfully it was just a huge red dot. It kinda hurt.

This morning I woke up, and it was gone. Weird.

In other news...I am frantically scrapping. I have 13 themes to create layouts or projects for. They ask that we create 4 projects per theme...so, if I am doing the story-problem correctly, that is 52 projects. I am starting on my fourth theme today. I will keep you posted.

A quick photo shoot

Some of my favorites of my beautiful sister who is expecting twins in a few weeks. Sick, isn't it? To look this good being pregnant?

And get this...I told her not to worry, because I can photo-shop her stretch marks out for her, and she said:
"Oh, I don't have any."

Sick.

loving my job

I got a trade show box today.

A whole box of brand new, never-before seen product for me to design projects with. A whole box that roughly translates into the next couple of weekends (at least) being holed up in the studio, with 80's music, and my 64 ounce insulated caffeine barrel. Yessssssssssss!

If you don't hear from me by the 6th of July (my deadline) send in some medics. With glue-dots.

If you are a retailer, start planning now. Karen Foster has soooo outdone themselves this time. There is not a single line this show that isn't darling. I don't think I can leak any info yet, but DANG if they aren't coming out with a certain item that is something I never knew I always wanted.

The certain thing is awesome!

Trade shows are a semi-annual reminder of how much I love my job.
See you on the 6th...

Thanks GUYS!

One of my favorite photos. Shianne (who is now 7 3/4) with her Daddy, ignoring the smell of freshly played basketball sweat, and just hanging on his every word.

Happy Fathers Day tomorrow!

To my own Dad, who never let me feel or see limits to my dreams.

To my husband, who became a Dad when I became a Mom, and provides me with humor and support while we awkwardly blunder our way along the path of parenthood.

To all the Dads and Grand-dads out there, who truly make a difference in our lives.

in honor of summer

Yeah, it's duct tape.

Weekend Trip

We got home last night from Denver, Colorado.

We were originally planning on heading back up to the cabin in Idaho, to stay with my family for a weekend. When my sister called from the cabin and said one morning they woke up to snow on the ground, I was out.

We would be sleeping in a tent there, and I am not a pioneer.

So, since we had arranged work off, we started looking online for destinations that would be quick. Sam found Elitch Gardens in Denver, and that was that. They also had a Children's museum, which was a bonus for the kids. They love those things, and I think I would have too, if they would have had them when I was a kid. For parents, however, they should have a friendly bartender, with a fully stocked bar. Lucky for me, I like to follow the children around and take pictures or I would have joined the herd of mom's and dad's on the top mezzanine contemplating throwing themselves to the cement below.


Elitch Gardens was funner than I thought it would be. I haven't been to an amusement park since embarrassingly, 1995. I distinctly remember then, that the tides had changed and no longer could I go on every stomach churning thrill ride. I wonder if as an adult your chemical balance changes somehow, so you can't tolerate fun in concentrated doses?

I expected this time to be the stroller mom, watching everyone go on all the rides, but this time, to my utter amazement, I handled them.

The park was pretty empty when we got there, so we were able to walk onto a bunch of rides. So here we were standing in front of "The Tower of Terror" and all of the kids but Shayne, my seven year old, chickened out. So I left Jayden with the stroller, and said I would try it out. Me, Shayne and Sam.

We strapped in, and they started taking us up. And up. Aaaaand Uuuuuup.

And Holy Crap. We got to the top, and THEN is when it dawned on me, that they were going to unhook us and let us free-fall to the ground....

Just before we started to fall, I said "Sam, I don't think I can do this."

And then we dropped.

And I heard this high-pitched carnal scream that sounded like what you would expect to hear when someones vital organs are clawing out of the body for survival purposes.

It was me.

So I want you all to comment and tell me how brave I was. Or how stupid. Cause that was pretty impressive for a stay-at-home Mom who gets nervous in a traffic round-a-bout.

I am not going to go on and on about our adventures, cause really, nothing is more boring than someone else's travel-log. But I will say there were some good times had by all, and there may have been some hard-core rebel hotel bed jumping contests...

Bringing function back.

I am going to buy a fanny pack.

If I can find one, I am thinking I probably need to hit a thrift store, since I am well aware that they stopped making those things, oh, say about the time WHAM! broke up.

You just can't beat the 80's out of me.

My hair is a little too poofy sometimes, and those wide-leg pants made me feel uncomfortable. Not to mention the listening to the 80's music, which is still the best.

I need a fanny pack. I have needed one for a while. When I go walking with the walking group, it could hold my cell phone, water, and heart meds. And unlike a purse or bag, my hands are free to pump weights...yeah, that's it....pumping weights....(oreatingdonutstokeepmystrengthup)

And now, we are making plans to go to an amusement park, and I am thinking that is would be perfect for my little camera, and cell phone and whatever. Maybe heart meds. And then I would have two free hands to wrangle kids with, or shove people out of line.

So, yeah, I am going to be that lady. With the fanny pack. Don't judge me. You know you want one too.

I hope they make them in XL.

Take THAT chucky.

"Mom, this doll is kinda freaky without hair, can we throw her away?"

And we did. Quickly. And in the outside garbage can where she couldn't crawl out later in the night. (((shudder)))

I never worry when I am stranded without paper on a toilet at home.

I know it is only a matter of about 43 seconds before one of the kids notices that I am absent, and might be (gasp) alone...and will come running to find me.

One of the only comforting perks of being a mom to a bunch of kids, no butt-ring from the toilet seat.

Look out Draper!

Guess where I am going today?

IKEA!!!!!!!!!! OUR BRAND SPANKIN' NEW IKEA THAT IS ABOUT 15 MINUTES FROM MY HOUSE AND YES I AM SHOUTING CAUSE IT OPENED WHILE WE WERE IN IDAHO AND MY IKEA HAS BEEN OPENED FOR OVER A WEEK AND HAS NOT MET ME YET!

So, I am hitting the bank, and loading up the suburban, and maybe a trailer, so I can fill my house with affordable snap together furniture and Swedish trinkets.