I love Mr. Rogers!

Do you remember this song?

It's you I like,
It's not the things you wear.
It's not the way you do your hair,
But it's you I like.
The way you are right now
The way down deep inside you
Not the things that hide you
Not your diplomas...
They're just beside you.
But it's you I like,
Every part of you,
Your skin, your eyes, your feelings,
Whether old or new.
I hope that you'll remember
Even when you're feeling blue,
That it's you I like,
It's you yourself, it's you
It's you I like!
Mr Rogers

You have got to be kidding!

"Your food stamps will be stopped effective March 1992 because we received notice that you passed away. May God bless you. You may reapply if there is a change in your circumstances."
--Department of Social Services

I've been tagged!

I have been tagged by Becky...

A- Available or married? Married

B- Best Friend? Jason Franklin

C- Cake or Pie? mmm CAKE!

D- Drink of Choice? COFFEE!

E- Essential Item? Shoes

F- Favorite Color? Black

G- Gummi Bears or Worms? Worms

H- Hometown? Ventura, CA

I- Indulgence? Long Bath!

J- January or February? February

K- Kids & names? Maggie, Abbie and Amie

L- Life is incomplete without? Love

M- Marriage Date? December 1999

N- Number of Siblings? 3 brothers and 1 sister

O- Oranges or apples? Oranges

P- Phobias/Fears? House fires, while the kids are asleep upstairs (Ditto, Becky)

Q- Favorite Quote? When in disgrace with fortune and mans eyes,
I all alone beweep my outcast state.
And trouble deaf heaven with bootless cries,
And look upon myself and curse my fate.
~Shakespere

R- Reason to Smile? Happy girls

S- Season? Spring

T- Tag three people! Jason, Jake and his new woman... Katie.

U- Unknown fact about me: I get cravings for chewing on plastic.

V- Vegetable you hate? Okra

W- Worst habit? Scratching till I break skin

Y- Your favorite food? Cheese Enchiladas

Z- Zodiac? Aquarius

Lost in Translation

Abbie was eating her pancakes when...

Me: Are those yum?

Abbie: No, they're pancakes!

Happy New Year!

I would like to try resolutions for once... but most of the things we could "resolve" to do less of... are disapearing anyway.

1.I don't want any junk food for all of January; Due to finances, all non-essential food items will not be purchased.

2.I want my kids to watch less TV; Due to finances, Cable will be discontinued until further notice. (I am canceling this friday, I must give 30 days notice... SO YES VIRGINIA there will be a SUPERBOWL!

UG SNOW!

Yesterday, it was raining. So I decided to go to Walmart. While going over the pass, 2 OLDER cars... one was probably a dodge reliant... were stuck in the snow at the top. The other side of the pass was dry and clear. After shopping, I noticed it was raining and figured CalTrans would be stopping people at the pass. When I got to the pass, it was still raining and no snow. But they told me to get my chains out. I explained that I had studded snow tires. But they insisted. I called my husband and asked for tips on our cables. (No, I have never used cables... and I haven't used chains in FOREVER!) As I was pouting about putting on chains and looking at the 2 inches of standing water by the side of the road... an 18 wheeler came down from the pass with no chains on... I went and asked one of the Cal Trans workers on break, "Why would a big truck like that come over without chains?" He said they might not be stopping people on the other side. I asked if highway patrol was on the hill and he replied, "No...." So I threw the cables in the back and went on my merry way. I figured if an 18 wheeler could make it down... I SURELY COULD!

Yeah, yeah... I am a crazy moron for trying such a "stunt". And it was quite yucky at the top. Everyone was taking it slow and it was not that bad. And the dodge reliant was still there.

But earlier in the day, The Kerr family's van was stuck on the same pass and a tow truck removed it promptly. I bet that dodge reliant is still there!

Merry Christmas!

We are having a wonderful Christmas morning... It started at 4 am with our children singing Christmas tunes. UG. We finally got up at 5! It is 6:41 and we have opened all our presents and look what Santa brought!

Computer games

Maggie was playing a computer game... and NOT winning.

Maggie screams, "I'm being manicured!"

I need a vacation!

nevermind

Introducing the class of 2019

Maggie's kindergarten Christmas

Video coming soon!

I hate the hollidays!

Sanity dwindleing...

...where is a good mental health professional when you need them?

I hate the "busy busy"!

I hate the forgetfulness of others.

I hate the fact that no one washes their hands after going to the bathroom during the flu season! I DON'T CARE IF THE WATER IS COLD!

I did better than I thought!

You paid attention during 86% of high school!

85-100% You must be an autodidact, because American high schools don't get scores that high! Good show, old chap!

Do you deserve your high school diploma?
Create a Quiz

WHAT DO YOU MEAN "CHRISTMAS IS CANCELED"?

Christmas terminology

While driving home from the Greenville church, we saw beautiful christmas lights.

Abbie: Look, SPRINKLES!

That's Weird!

Alex and Kristen Skillen are here to play today. Alex and Kristen are the youngest of 4 boys and Kristen is the only girl.

I mentioned that Abbie was upstairs and Kristen asked, "Who?"

"My other daughter" I responded.

Blank look on her face.

"I have 3 girls"

No responce.

"There are three girl children living here."

She turned and walked away... I overheard:

"That's Weird!"

Something I love...

I love my husband's footprint. His toes make the perfect prints! It is just something I find cute!

Kind snow.

I figured it would be really hard driving to Susanville on the road where my aunt died. But all the beautiful colors of fall (which were present on that hard day) are now hidden from me. The entire landscape is colorless. The sides of the road are covered with huge waves of snow from the plow. I can't even see where we pulled over to find her gone.

While I don't really like the cold wet snow... I am finding it's white blanket very merciful.

Back in westwood

UG SNOW! So I am away from home for a week and a half and the house is a mess, the kids are still sick and now I am sick and not in the mood for this mess or SNOW! I am trying to listen to Christmas music to lighten my mood... good luck with that!

Location: Ventura

Most of the people who read my blog... know that I am in my home town right now mourning the loss of my aunt.

She was not an aunt by blood but by choice. She drove my grandma to the hospital when my mom was born... and has followed my mom ever since.

On the 21st of October, my mom, aunt (Titi) and my 9 year old brother and sister, came to Westwood to meet my new baby. On tuesday the 24th, we were driving to Susanville and going over a pass when my aunt said she felt dizzy. Since she has spent the last 55 years at sea level... I didn't think much of it and told her we would be going down soon. She passed out.

I pull over as soon as possible... but she was gone. We drove as quickly as we could to the hospital but her pupils were fixed and dialated. No electrical heart activity. She left us.

What a way to go! She was surrounded by the kids she loved (Brenna, Isaac, Abbie and Amie) and was in no fear. Many times we are reminded how terrible we would feel if we had to break into her apartment where she lived alone and worry if she was scared or felt pain. But she passed out, never knew what was happening, never knew the inside of the ER or a nursing home.

We had a memorial service for her. Many people stood up and told their stories about how they knew her. There were probably 70 people there.