Day Trip

On Tuesday I was able to get away for the day to Phoenix (we had flight credit that was going to expire and I couldn't let it get wasted).
One of the best things about getting away on my own is the chance to read. I finished two books while waiting at the airport and on the flight.
I met my good friends at Cheesecake Factory, one of my favorite places. We had a great time visiting and catching up.
After lunch I did a little shopping and it was so nice to be in and out of stores quickly and not have to chase down little ones.
I did some more visiting and then it was time to head back to the airport. It was a great day and probably the last one for a long time.
Thanks friends.

It's been a bad day

It's been a bad day -
*first of all I was insane enough to tell my exercise buddy that I would still be going this morning even though I knew I'd be getting to bed late after arriving at the SL airport at midnight (more on that later). So I got about 3 1/2 hours of sleep but I still got up and went walking this morning and I'm glad I did.
**second, I had to go to the dentist again. I don't think I've written about my woes of going to the dentist but long story short - I didn't go to the dentist for 2 1/2 yrs and know I need 2 root canals, and about 6 cavaties filled. I've been meeting with the dentist weekly for all of September and I don't think I can take much more. Today he filled two cavaties and the whole right side of my face was numb, including my nose! I've never had that happen before. The only good thing about going to the dentist was the I was able to listen to the whole Wicked soundtrack while there.
***third, my best pair of pants got ruined in the dryer today. It was the first load of the day and I noticed when I was getting clothes out of the washer that there was a big black spot on the inside of the washer. It was INK!!!! Now, I'm not the best at checking pockets but this load I thought was innocent enough - some towels and my pants and my favorite new white T-shirt and 2 of Paul's dress shirts. It was his fault (he owned up to it when I showed him the pen). I thought it was going to be okay because I noticed this before stuff went in the dryer and I checked everything before I put it the dryer. But my nicest pair of pants (that will probably be impossible to replace) came out of the dryer with ink stains on them! So frustrating!!
****fourth, all of my kids were in trouble for something today. Justin left after school and didn't tell me where he was going or leave me a note. Taylor has his big county report due at school tomorrow and he asks me if he can watch a movie when he has not even practiced his oral report once. Brooke didn't do her dishes job this morning so we're behind all day.
*****fifth, I've had a headache all day due to the lack of sleep and the visit to the dentist. So I'm going to bed and hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Potty training for the 4th and 5th times

I can't believe I've actually begun one of the most awful tasks of motherhood - potty training. And this time it's with 2 toddlers at the same time - talk about insanity.
I guess we officially got into it today. We've been talking about it a lot but we actually got out the potties (notice the plural use, 2 of them sure take up a lot of room in a somewhat smallish bathroom) today. Jared and Kamryn love sitting on them and trade potties every 3 seconds. I'm not sure how that is really go to work when we really get serious.
My plan is to have them sit on the potty in the morning and at night for now, and before bath time. So tonight after I stripped them down they both went in the bathroom and sat on their potty - one looks more boyish with primary colors and one looks more girlish with purple and green coloring. Ready for the shocker - Jared actually produced! I couldn't believe it! We did some real celebrating and hi-5 ing.
Maybe it won't be so bad.

Favorite Movie

We watched one of my favorite movies last night, The Fugitive. Justin and Brooke had never seen it and we thought they would like it. And indeed they did. Justin liked it but said it wasn't as good as "Bourne" and Brooke liked it better than "Bourne." I still really like it even though I've seen it several times. I vividly remember going to the theater to see it with my friend Charri and being exhausted and physically ill after it was over. I went again with Paul and the same thing happened to him - physically ill when it was over. All these years later (it was released in 1993) and it's still a great suspense/thriller.

Nice Night

I've had a very nice night.
It started out with going to YW volleyball, which I quite enjoy. One of my friends is the new coach and she's great, perfect for the girls. And the girls are getting better every week. They won their first match in 2 games and just barely lost their 2nd match in 3 games. They are great sports and play to have fun. Luckily Justin was very nice to tend last week and this week so that I don't have to take Jared and Kamryn and I can concentrate on the girls.
Then I got to go to book club. Something I look forward to all month. We had a great discussion tonight about a book written by a woman who grew up in a polygamist family. It was a very interesting read. And of course I love our tradition of everyone going around and sharing something about what is going on with them and then the yummy dessert and chatting afterwards is always enjoyable.

Famous people

There are several "famous people" in the muscle up class I go to (which is at 5:30 am on Tues and Thur, you can clap now!)
They aren't really famous but they look like famous people.
We have Jenna Elfman (if you check out the link you'll notice she's just had a baby and named him STORY! who names their kid story??)
and Stephanie Zimbalist (does anyone out there know who that is)
and not Hollywood famous, but Brighton high school famous, Stephanie Capener (not actually her but someone who looks a lot like her).
It's a strange thing I've always done is think people look like other people. I can't help it.

Happy Birthday Taylor

Taylor turned 10 today!

Taylor is my one child who lives for his birthday. He usually starts planning for it months in advance. This year he didn't really start until just this last Sunday when he told me we need to get his cards out. I wasn't sure what he meant by cards and finally figured out he meant invitations for a party. I explained that we don't have friend parties every year (even though he has managed to do that) and that they cost a lot of money. He was pretty depressed about the thought of not having a party and suggested that he could just have his friends come over to our house and they could just play tag and hide and seek. I still said no but formed an idea in my head to give him a surprise party. So he still thinks his birthday is going to be the most boring day ever! And then tomorrow - SURPRISE! Hopefully it will work out.
Taylor is a great kid and full of life. He loves to have fun and thinks everything should be fun. ( I wonder where he gets that from). I can't believe how fast his first 10 years have gone by.
He is becoming a very good soccer player and basketball player. He just finished reading the first Harry Potter book - his first long "real" book. He loves to help out with Jared and Kamryn (when they'll let him).
Happy Birthday Taylor and I love you!

Biology

Do you remember having 9th grade biology? I do - not a lot of details but I do remember dissecting a worm and a frog. I didn't really get into the worm but thought the frog was fascinating.
Well, my oldest son is in 9th grade biology and his science teacher is the same teacher I had in 7th grade.
His first big project for biology is to make a collection of different insects - 15 I think is what is required. Being the very nice and supportive mother that I am I have actually been helping him on this project.
Just the other day I was outside cleaning up after the big storm and I noticed a katydid (leafbug, but not official term) just sitting there on the patio waiting for me to catch him. So I got a ziploc bag and scooped him into it. The worst part was putting him alive into the freezer to preserve him. I also caught a bee for him, for which Justin was most grateful because he readily admits that he is scared of bees. This was also very big of me since I had just gotten stung the week before.
Yesterday we made a trek up to Silver Lake near Brighton Ski Resort. His friend and one of my YW, Mackenzie came with us, since she is also in the same biology class. They were supposed to collect some water species and get some larvae. It was a crack up watching them walk around the lake with their home made bug catching nets, backpacks filled with gear to catch these insects.
The most exciting thing was watching those two catch dragonflies. Dragonflies are worth 5 pts of extra credit since they are so difficult to catch. At first it seemed impossible and it was so funny watching them run all over trying to catch one. But when we got closer to the lake there were a lot more of the DF and Kenzie caught one. They were both so excited. Then she caught another. And another. And another. And another. AND ANOTHER ONE! In all she caught 6. She split them with Justin since she caught them in her net but he got them into the containers. What freaked me out were the dragonflies buzzing around frantically in the containers.
All in all, it's been quite an experience. Now for the yucky part of sticking pins through the insects onto styrofoam and labeling them. YUCK!

Happy Anniversary

Paul and I celebrated our 16th anniversary on Saturday (the real thing was on Friday, the 31st).
We went golfing at the U, which is "our course" - it's where we always go and it's where he proposed. I was really quite nervous to go because I haven't been golfing in about 3 years. It started out pretty rough but I got the hang of it and had a great time. It's a great date for us. It's beautiful up there on the hill overlooking the city and watching the sunset.
Then we went to one of our favorite places to eat - Bajio! Yum-yum!
Then we went to see Oceans 13. Paul didn't like it and I thought it was kind of dumb but still worth going to considering who's in it.
It was a wonderful evening with a wonderful husband.