Such Consideration!

As I was driving down Hwy. 99 today, I noticed that the mowers had been out. The grass was newly shorn and looking good. Except in the spots where the wildflowers were growing. Those had been left unmowed so we, the driving public, could continue to enjoy the beauty of the wildflowers. I appreciate such consideration from TXDOT (or whatever group it is that coordinates the mowing). Good work, guys!!

R.I.P. Clarissa (the Guinea Pig)

We have had two guinea pigs for a long time. We've had one of them, Clarissa, a few weeks shy of 7 years. When we bought the guinea pigs we didn't anticipate them living for more than 2 or 3 years. I will be the first to admit that we had grown tired of them. They were kind of smelly, and very noisy and demanding. But we kept on taking good care of them, while murmuring under our breath.

This morning, Jeffrey went to feed the girls, and discovered that Clarissa had died. I think we were both surprised at how sad we felt. Much sadder than we thought we would feel. I can't really say that we will miss her, but it was sad to find her gone.

Here's a picture of Clarissa shortly after we got her. Bailey was fascinated with her, although she never tried to hurt her. She just liked to look at her.

I'm a little worried about our remaining guinea pig, Charley. She is actually Clarissa's daughter, having been born in November of 2003 (which is another story in and of itself), and has never been without her Mom. I'm not sure how she is going to do by herself.

R.I.P. Clarissa. As guinea pigs go, you were a good one.

Another Sign It's Closer!

Tonight I got a phone call. The caller ID said "Out of Area", so I didn't know who it was. When I answered, the woman on the line asked if this was Sister Clutter. I replied that it was. She then said, "This is Sister Hansen, from the Veracruz Mission". I realized then that I was talking to the Mission President's wife! She was calling to let me know how excited they were about Jeffrey coming to serve as a missionary there. She also asked me if I had any questions, which I did, and which she answered. She seems very nice and accessible. She said they expect obedience from their missionaries, which I'm glad to hear. I don't worry about Jeffrey - I know he wants to do what's right. It's nice to know it's expected of him.

After speaking to me for a little while, she asked to speak to Jeffrey, and they spoke for a few minutes. I'm so glad she called. It's not something that all Mission President's wives do, and it made me feel good about sending Jeffrey to serve under their care.

Minutes after our phone call ended, she sent me an e-mail, letting me know I was free to ask her questions any time I wanted. She seems like a wonderful woman!

And as if all that weren't enough, I loved reading this sentence in her e-mail, "We look forward to meeting your son in person…we love him already!" There's nothing that can make a Mom feel better than reading words like that!

17 days, and counting down!

People Like This are Leading Our Country

In order to build up our military presence in the Pacific, it has been proposed that 8000 members of the military and their families be posted to the island of Guam, which is a U.S. territory. Guam is a small island, about 30 miles long and nine miles wide. The smallness of the island apparently concerns Representative Hank Johnson, a Democrat Congressman from Georgia. It concerns him so much that during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Thursday, he said the following to Admiral Robert Willard, commander of the Navy's Pacific Fleet:

"My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize."

Really. He really said that. I saw the video.

On the one hand, I find this one of the funniest things I've seen on TV in a long time.

On the other hand, I find this one of the saddest things I've seen on TV in a long time.

I liked Admiral Willard's response:

"We don't anticipate that."

What they really need to do is just make sure that the military is spread out all over the island. No big clumps on one side or the other. Then there really won't be a problem.

Capris!!

Last summer I was forced to wear the same two pairs of capris over and over. I could not find any others that looked even passable on me. I was so tired of my one pair of khaki capris and my one pair of blue jean capris that I was ready for cold weather - just so I could wear my jeans again! (I know I could have worn my jeans during the summer, but I'm not a fan of sweltering.)

This year, I struck gold! I found a style of capris that I like! I just may have bought them in black, navy, brown, green, and khaki. Overkill? I don't think so! I am ready for warm weather now!

Oh, and I may have picked up a few new shirts to go with my new capris. A girl's got to have "outfits", right?

One Month to Go!

Jeffrey leaves on his mission one month from today! Or 31 days, as he likes to say.

We have been busy spending, spending, spending. It is expensive to send a kid on a mission. In addition to socks, pants, shirts, etc. (all bought in quantities of 6 or 12 it seems), we have to buy sheets, towels, luggage, toiletries, a shoeshine kit, a first aid kit, plus lots of other stuff too. Every time I go to Target or Kohls, the cash register in my head goes "cha-ching"!

But it's worth it. Every penny. I'm so happy Jeffrey has chosen to serve a mission. I know he's going to make a great missionary, and come home with an even stronger testimony than he already has.

31 days, and counting down!

Pills...Bleh

I hate taking pills. I have two prescription drugs I take, plus a vitamin, a calcium pill, and 2 fish oil gelcaps. All of my pills, but one, are big. I have to take them one at a time, and even then I'm likely to make myself gag. I've been wanting to add some fiber (because I don't eat enough fiber), but the drink stuff is gross, as are the chewable fiber tablets. And I'm afraid to take the capsules because there's a warning on the bottle that says if you don't swallow the capsule completely, it could swell in your throat. I have enough trouble with pills without having to worry about that too!

I had just about given up on the whole fiber thing, when I discovered these little gems:

FIBER GUMMIES!!

Tasty little sugar free gummy chews!

Two tasty chews provide 5 grams of fiber!

Did I mention they are tasty?

I'm very excited to have discovered these! I've finally discovered something I don't mind taking!

Did I mention they are tasty?

A Fond Farewell

On Thursday we bid a fond farewell to Jeffrey's car. We donated it to charity, since we didn't really know what else to do with it.

Here's a picture of her being loaded onto the tow truck.

Here she is, loaded on the tow truck. Such a sad sight.
Good bye, old girl. You will be missed. Well, by the boys, not me.

San Antonio Fun!

We took a whirlwind family trip to San Antonio. Brian was home for Spring Break, and Kimberly and Jeffrey were both able to rearrange their work schedules, so the whole family was able to go. I don't know how long it's been since our entire family went on vacation together.

As I said, it was whirlwind. We drove to San Antonio Monday night, arriving at about 11:00. We checked into our nice 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom, full kitchen Residence Inn, unpacked, settled in, and pretty much went to bed. But we had a nice drive to San Antonio - talking and laughing together. Stopping at Buc-ees - woo hoo!!

Monday morning we watched the History Channel while we waited for the rain to stop, leaving our hotel at about 10:00. Our first stop was the Alamo. The boys didn't really "remember the Alamo", since they haven't been there since they were little, so we thought we should go. Here's a picture of the crew waiting in line. Scott was actually enjoying himself - he just doesn't look like it!

After the Alamo, it was on to Sea World. The weather was chilly and overcast, but that actually worked in our favor, since the crowds were much smaller. The kids wouldn't ride the water rides though - the wimps!

My favorite show was the Cannery Row Caper - starring the sea lions, otter, and walrus. Seriously, is there anything funnier than watching a giant walrus do sit ups?

We went to see the flamingos and were amused by these ducks. Apparently they have been hanging out with the flamingos way too long - notice they are standing on one leg also!
Last picture of the day - my kids cowering in front of the Shamu statue. I think the picture about says it all.
We left the park at about 8:00, went to dinner at a so-so Mexican restaurant, and then went back to our hotel.

We got up early Wednesday morning and drove to the San Antonio Temple Distribution Center for some shopping for Jeffrey. Then we headed home - in time for Kimberly and Jeffrey to both go to work at 3:00.

It was a quick trip, but it was a lot of fun. I really enjoy spending time with my kids, and it was pretty apparent that they enjoy spending time with each other too. It was a nice memory to create - one that I can look back on when Jeffrey is gone, and family vacations with all of us aren't possible.

Jeffrey's Nineteen!

Actually, Jeffrey turned 19 on Monday. What can I say? I'm a slacker! I didn't even take any pictures on his birthday. Bad Mom! But, in an effort to move the demise of his car further down the page, I'm posting a couple of pictures of Jeffrey when he was younger.

Here he is at age 3. Look at those eyes! Wasn't he a cutie? Even if he did have a bowl haircut!

Here he is at age 10. Still awfully darn cute, if I do say so myself.

Soon I will be posting pictures of him at the MTC. Where does the time go?

The Demise of Jeffrey's Car

On Monday, Jeffrey was in a car accident. He was on 99 driving behind three other cars when the driver of the first car slammed on his brakes because he saw a tiny pool of water in the middle of the road. Everyone else slammed on their brakes, but since Jeffrey's car is old, and his brakes aren't the greatest, he ran into the back of the car in front of him. Fortunately, those were the only two cars involved in the accident. Also fortunately, both he and the other driver were fine. And fortunately again, the other driver's car was not seriously damaged - it looks like just the back bumper will need to be replaced.

Unfortunately, Jeffrey's car did not fare so well. See for yourself:

Sad

So, so sad.

Seeing as how we only have liability on that car, I do believe it is headed for the car graveyard. It would cost way more to fix then it is worth.

This causes a problem. We really need two cars. But we only need two cars until the end of April. It takes Jeffrey 35 to 40 minutes to drive to work. I don't have the time (or the inclination) to drive him to and from work every day. And I need my van. I can't let him take my van to work every day. We thought about buying a cheap car, but then we would have to worry about it breaking down and all the hassles that would entail.

So what's the solution? A rental car for me! Until the end of April I will be driving this 2010 Hyundai Sante Fe:

I decided to rent a small SUV because when I do get rid of the van someday, I think I would like a small SUV. This gives me the chance to try one out for a while and see what I really think of it. So far, it seems pretty nice. The fact that it has satellite radio doesn't hurt either! I think I'm going to enjoy this next 7 weeks. And I know Jeffrey is going to enjoy driving my van!

1994 Chrylser New Yorker, we bid you a fond farewell. I always thought you were hideous, but for some strange reason the boys loved you. You served us well. R.I.P.

A Little Overboard

Last night I went to Long John Silver's and bought 12 pieces of chicken. That's all, just the chicken. What can I say? We like their chicken!

As the lady at the drive-thru handed me my bag, she said, "I gave you a bunch of Sweet and Sour Sauce".

What? Why? I didn't ask for any sauce. And, yes, while I know Sweet and Sour Chicken is a popular dish, it doesn't seem like a sauce that goes with LJS chicken. It just doesn't.

But that's not the overboard part. When I got home, I counted how many little containers (not packets, but little containers) of Sweet and Sour Sauce she gave us.

Thirteen.

Seriously? Did she really think we needed one container for each piece of chicken? Plus one extra for something else?

That seems a little overboard. And may be part of the reason fast food is so expensive. Too many wasted condiment packets!!

It's Really Happening!

This morning I bought plane tickets to Salt Lake City. Two months from tomorrow we will be leaving to take Jeffrey to the Provo MTC so he can begin his two year mission.

Buying the tickets makes it seem so real. My second son is getting ready to leave on his mission. My second son is getting ready to leave on his mission!!!

How does that make me feel? Excited for him, a little sad for me, a little nervous about how he'll do, and a little anxious about how safe he'll be on his mission (that's what happens when the Mission President writes on his blog that the missionaries in some areas can't leave their apartments at night). Mainly I'm proud of him for making this choice to serve the Lord.

He got his mission call 4-1/2 months ago. Suddenly there is only 2 months left. I guess it's time to get shopping!!

The Horror!

I drove Scott to the church so he could go on a hike with the other Scouts. As we drove up, Riley T., Matthew D., and Bryant C. were all in the middle of the parking lot running around. They were the only three in the middle of the parking lot.

All I can say is that what I saw was horrible beyond description! All three of them were wearing hideous orange UT hoodies! Three of them! Together!!

The horror!!

I figured it wouldn't have been good for my friendships with their moms if I had run down their children. So I averted my eyes and drove past them.

But it was hard...

Now I Know

So, my post about my genealogy discovery brought me 3 comments.

My post about toilet paper brought me 10 comments.

Now I know my readers. You want, crave, desire, and will comment on mindless questions!

All right. Here are some more:

1. Milk or Dark Chocolate?

2. Dogs or Cats? (Be nice.)

3. Sausage or Pepperoni Pizza?

4. Mac or PC? (Again, be nice.)

5. Starsky or Hutch?

6. Cubs or White Sox? (Hey, if you were from Illinois, like me, this would mean something.)

7. Minivan or SUV?

8. Black or Blue Pens?

9. Cake or Pie?

10. Country or Rock and Roll? (Feel free to sing the Donny and Marie song if it helps.)

There you go. 10 mindless questions. Knock yourselves out!

If this goes well, I may try to get a grant to study the results. I'm sure there will be some fascinating psychological discovery hidden in your answers!

A Mindless Question

Toilet paper. Over or Under. What's your preference?

I used to not care. Over, under, made no difference to me.

But in the last few years, I've become a definite over kind of gal. Don't ask me why, but I want the toilet paper going over the top.

What about you? What's your preference?

(I said it was a mindless question.)

Genealogy Surprise

For years my sister and I, who are both converts, have teased each other about who needed to do our family history. We managed to compile the information on our parents and grandparents, and we have done that temple work. That's a start, but we have a lot more to do.

A couple of months ago, I looked at the new Family Search website and updated what information I had. A few weeks ago, my sister told me that her daughter had found more information on the website. I didn't think much of it, until a commercial for ancestry.com got me thinking about genealogy, and I decided to look at the Family Search website again.

I pulled up my family tree, and what did I find? Not just my mother's parents, which was what I had seen a few months ago. I also found my mother's grandparents AND my mother's great-grandparents AND one great-great-grandmother and -grandfather! Two more whole generations plus part of a third generation!! What an incredible sight to see!

I am grateful to my uncle (who was married to my mom's sister) for submitting the names. Now that I know those names are there, I will be making plans to have their temple work done. And there is nothing sweeter than doing temple work for your own family.

I Need

I am planning on having my kitchen, family room, and front entryway painted. So I just have to decide on colors. Which for me is a NIGHTMARE!! I know I want blue in the kitchen, a yellow/gold in the family room, and a lighter version of that in the entryway. So I now have two samples of blue on my kitchen walls, three (or possibly four) samples of yellow/gold on my family room walls, and three samples of light yellow/gold on my entryway walls. Yes, for those of you who were at my house after GNO last week, I have added more samples.

BUT I CAN'T DECIDE WHICH ONES I LIKE!!!!

I need some people to come over and look at my samples and tell me what you think. Seriously. Drop by anytime. Please. Day, evening, middle of the night - I don't care. Actually, it would be good if you came during the day and during the evening, because the paint colors look very different during the day than they do in the evening.

I am totally serious, people. Please come to my aid!!

Thanks, Kroger!

Today I got mail from Kroger. Mail containing 14 coupons. Exclusive Kroger coupons picked especially for me. 14 coupons - all items I use and buy on a regular basis. Including coupons for a free bag of Nestle chocolate chips and a free bay of Lays chips!

Thanks, Kroger!

I know some people don't like shoppers cards - they don't like the idea of a store tracking what they purchase. Hey, I say if they are going to send me coupons I want to use, they can track all of my spending habits at their store!

Oh, and the coupons total $10.50 (not including the free ones). Not too shabby.

This Drives Me CRAZY!!

A couple of months ago I bought two Scentsy Plug-In Warmers. I wasn't sure where to use the 2nd one so I put it away somewhere. Did you catch that? I put it away somewhere. Now that I have figured out where to use it, I CAN'T FIND IT!! I have looked everywhere I think it could possibly be, and I STILL CAN'T FIND IT!!

I am very frustrated (in case you couldn't tell).