April What?

How in the world could it possibly be April 24th?!

I'm pooped!

It has been a whirlwind of a month. With the move, California visitors, and. And... Okay, it's just been the move and the California visitors that have turned April upside-down.

Last week is now just a blurrrr. We packed so much in to our few days together that we were always on the go. So much that I STILL HAVEN'T WATCHED Juno!

But on this April 24, let's stop for a moment of silence to mourn JP's twenties as today is their last. And tomorrow brings in her (gasp) thirties.

Because I Have to Keep Up WIth My Sister

She posted, now I have to...it's really not sibling rivalry.

FINE! You dragged it out of me.

David has a new position at work.

We are moving around the corner to a brand new house that we will probably buy next year.

I have had more desserts/sweets in the last five days than I have in the last year.

I am contemplating retirement.

I am getting over another cold.

But new today (because I am overwhelmed by the move and because I am hormonal): I am homesick. All day long I've been wondering why I want to move in to this possibly short-term but wonderful new house when I should be working my way west.

Give me five minutes and a bowl of ice cream, my mood will swing.

Bert Doesn't Live Here

We're going to have a lot of Firsts this year. Starting with last night.

Isaac, Maddie and I got to spent last night with Melissa, dragging her from one end of Orem to the other.

While we were out, and because she's tired of being teased at school about her 'unibrow', we did it.

Maddie had her first eyebrow wax.

Just down the middle, we'll shape 'em some other time.

She handled it like a pro. For Pete's sake, she's watched me go under the knife, er strip, dozens of times.

So we're off. Off to the adolescent races.

We've already agreed that she gets to start shaving her legs this summer.

It seems that EVERY time her and I are alone she asks me more about the inevitable arrival of Aunt Flow. I'm expecting that first visit any day.

Makeup? She begs, but I'm not ready to schedule that catastrophe. Yet.

Like I said, we're off to the races. And I'm taking you with me.

Out of a Ben Stiller Movie

You think I'm nuts.

Let me fuel your fire.

I think my cat wants to be toilet trained.

I really do.

He is so fascinated with the toilet, especially the flushing. He usually follows me around, and if he thinks I'm headed to the bathroom, he will sprint from whatever corner of the house to, well, join me.

I'm telling you, he's really fascinated with the flushing.

After I saw his 'stance' on the toilet this morning, I'm even more convinced that he's ready to trade the litter box for the commode. Or, as I heard on Fairly Odd Parents the other night, he wants to "file a report with the big white round guy".

Did You Cast a Vote?

We have been big American Idol fans for many years.

With the exception of the first season (the Kelly Clarkson season), we have rarely missed an episode.

Last night was the first time we had ever voted.

I guess because this kid is too adorable, but also because he's a local boy, we voted for David A.

Have you seen him? He's got cheeks begging to be pinched (or kissed if you're under 20). Not to jump on Simon's bandwagon, but this kid has got it going on.

I predict that our little Murray, UT boy will go far.

Kitchen For Dummies

I'm telling you I get more and more air-headed as the years pass by.

As I've probably mentioned before, my calling in the ward is to visit/deliver goodies to each sister on their birthday. It's almost a daily task. As a matter of fact, in the first 15 days of February there were 13 birthdays.

One of Monday's birthdays was a sister on my VT route, so I made her a plate of cookies.

As I finished gathering everything together (the cards, the Hershey kisses, addresses) I asked David to finish the last pan of cookies and to put them in the oven. He did. What a nice boy.

Sigh...

We jumped in the car to go make my drop-offs, leaving the pan of cookies in the oven, and leaving Maddie (too sick to get off the couch) at home.

Fate would I have it that the sisters would be extra chatty, I was gone longer than usual and when I got home the first smell that greated me was the yumminess of the carmel from the Snickers that melted on top of the cookies. The next smell was charcoal.

Yup. The cookies, still in the oven, were burnt to a crisp. Black.

I never used to do stuff like this.

Okay, fine. I did. But it's easier to blame it on my old age.

Cooking 101

I'll give you this 'tip' before I tell you about my big blunder.

Like most people, I buy the big bag of frozen boneless chicken breasts.

Last week I tried a little experiment. As if having them ready to go in the freezer wasn't convenient enough, I cooked the entire bag and kept them in the fridge.

As I went through the week I'd grab (ahem) a couple here and a couple there, cube them up and put them in whatever (chicken noodle soup, chili, stir fry). It made dinner preparation a lot easier and helped me to choose chicken over hamburger.

I'll tell you about my cooking blunder um, some other time.