Calling All Addresses

On Saturday we went to the Dinosaur Museum at Thanksgiving Point and then drove through the canyons on the Alpine Loop to look at the beautiful fall colors.

Had my email gone through, many of you would have seen pictures like this...

and this...

and then this...

But my email did not go through. Not only did it not go through, but it wiped out all of your email addresses.

So when you have a minute, send me a note so that I can rebuild my stash of email address for my favorite people.

Bullwinkle Stops By

While living in Montana, I scouted out as much wildlife as possible. I've mentioned the antelope, the deer, the prairie dogs and the bison in previous posts. Two animals eluded me: the moose and the bear. Who would have thought that the moose would have come looking for me in Utah?

Mr. Moose stopped by our high school and then was removed by animal control after a little dart helped him relax.

What Not to Wear

I am seeking your input...

"Fashion Experts" keep saying that boot-cut jeans are out, and that the skinny jeans are in. If I wear this new skinny jean with the baggy shirt it will accentuate my pregnant-looking tummy.

My question is: if Old Navy and Gap are still selling boot-cut jeans, are they still 'in'? Can I still wear them?

PS I have some baggy-leg khakis. Yes? No?

Cemented Ghetto-ness

We live in a brand-new planned community. Our subdivision has a big park and a man-made waterfall on each side of the entering street. There are model homes from three different builders clustered together near the entrance, with lots of new homes and construction as you navigate around the neighborhood. From the main street that enters our subdivision, a left turn will take you to the nicer, more expensive, more custom-looking homes. A right turn will take you to the more affordable homes. The ghetto homes. Brand new, but ghetto. Which way do you turn to go to my house? Right. We’re right next door to the model home, so does that make us on the edge of ghetto? Tonight our ghetto-ness was cemented. On the 5 o’clock Channel 2 News was a story featuring a man whose wife had tried to run him over with the family car. Where did they live? Three houses up from mine. Flustered, we raced to the living room window. Sure enough, there was the newsman across the street at the park making his live report. Don’t know how long we’ll be here in the ghetto, but we’ll be sure to keep the doors and windows locked. (sigh)

My Big Day (Ugh)

I start my new job tomorrow.

No, no. There's no excitement in my voice. You'd think there would be, after complaining so much about being home.

For starters, I am sick. A silly little cold has taken over my body. I have had a fever off and on since Saturday, and until last night haven't slept much at all. This thing has really wiped me out.

My new job title is "Para-Educator", which is fancy-talk for teacher's aide for special ed at a high school. The pay will be much lower, my commute will be quite long, and I do not have daycare yet.

One of the (many) obstacles with moving so much is finding someone I trust enough to keep my kids. I'll need just an hour before school, and a few minutes after school. I don't know anyone within a ten-mile radius. Not sure what I'm going to do.

In my interview with the vice principal of this high school just over a week ago, he seemed to go out of his way to make the job seem difficult and unwanted. I had hoped that this job would help me to know if I want to pursue education for my career (when I grow up), but this guy really has me doubting myself and if I'm up to this, and if it's even worth it.

Maybe I do belong behind a desk. Creating reports. Making travel arrangements. Planning office events. Staring at a computer screen all...day...long. Working all summer and never having 3-day weekends and long holidays off with the kids. But there's no money to be made there.

OH! Wait! I made much more money chained to a desk!

A Little Movie Review

I've had a little more time on my hands than I'm used to. While some might be completely envious, I'm ready for more.

In this down time I've had the opportunity to watch a little TV. Or a lot. Whatever.

In the last month I have watched A Lot Like Love repeatedly. Most of the time it's been half hour here, half hour there. Maybe just a few minutes inbetween loads of laundry.

I'm not a huge fan of either Ashton or Amanda, but have thoroughly enjoyed this little romantic comedy. I give them four out of five chopsticks up the nose.

Beware of the Cheerios Commercial

I love the new Fruity Cheerios. Our family scarfed down a box last week. Quite tasy.

But the commercial! Oh, no!

It's that song. That round, you know, from Girls' Camp.

To avoid eternal internal singing of this song, don't read on.

Happiness runs in a circular motion

Life is like a little boat upon the sea....

It's a great song, but way too catchy.

You'd be better off singing:

This is the song that doesn't end.

It goes on and on my friend.

Some people started singing it

Not knowing what it was...

Just plug your ears when the commecial starts and you'll be in good shape.

Just Some Week Starting Babble

I've done two loads of laundry...I've cleaned the kids rooms...I've checked for possible employment at two school districts and the general online job-posting site...the dishwasher is running...I need a job.

I always planned to stay home. Not quite the watch soaps and eat chocolates all day, but I wanted to be a stay-at-home-mom. Turns out, not so much.

I really am surprised at this desire I have to get to work. Lazy ol' me!

However, the timing couldn't be better for my stake to issue the challenge to read the entire Book of Mormon during September.

I whizzed through 1 Nephi on Friday. No sweat. But OH 2 Nephi. It took me Saturday, Sunday and Monday to get through. Now that the house is quiet again, maybe I'll be more successful.

I guess I can't have it both ways. Excuses, excuses.

Crikey!

Our condolences this Labor Day to the Irwin Family.

Ours has been a fan of the Crocodile Hunter for a long time.

One of the disadvantages of living in a different time zone from most of my friends and family combined with me being an oft early riser is that when news breaks first thing in the morning I have no one to discuss it with. Consider yourself lucky that you didn't get a phone call from me at 4:30am.

Later in the morning, as each of my two kids woke up and I explained the tragic accident, they wondered what a stingray was, and how it could have killed this animal-loving icon. Sadly, the only example of a stringray I could think of was the beloved Mr. Ray in Finding Nemo.

So very sad that our TV friend Steve lost the battle to Nemo's normally docile school teacher.