Why I Don't LOVE The Pool..

So we've frequented the local pool a few times this week. 3 times to be exact.. which is 3 more times then we attended last summer. (Something about the random rash-infusing virus that was plaguing pools in our general area.. turned us off.. a tad.)
But in general, I've been a fan of pools most of my life. They represent summer and tan lines, and a good virgin pina colada when there's a fancy "pool bar". We had neighborhood pools for the first 8 years of marriage and our kids have grown up with pink cheeks and pruny skinned fingertips and toes. So I'm not sure why, just recently.. when I focus on what a public pool is (a huge cesspool of bathwater, essentially..) I have a hard time not throwing up in my throat a little.
MAYBE it's because when I do think too hard about it.. I come up with a mental list of all the things I know to be somewhere IN that clear sparkling, oh-so-inviting, TUB of humans.
Namely:
Sweat. Lots of it.
Spit. Even more of that.
Boogers. Seriously.
Dandruff. Think about it.
Scabs. Soggy, soggy, disintegrating, scabs.
And hair. BOTH kinds.
I know.
There's chlorine too.
I get it.
But I don't believe in it.
Don't trust it.
And don't accept that it's capable of doing what would be necessary to kill,dissolve and destroy the items above--
without killing us all in the process.
So there.
Sorry to poop on your summer fun.
(Oh yeah.. POOP. And PEE. Add those to the list.)
But it's not all bad. I will admit, though truly disgusting.. there is an upside to turning the kids loose for hours to frolic in others mucus and secretions.

This is how you find them way before bedtime.
May all your little ones avoid various types of disease.. and get tuckered out too.
Happy tan lines to all.

You Say Television Is Having An Effect On Our Children?

Today Sophie said..
"Mom, there's an iron.. (referring to a flat iron for hair, of course..)
that's on T.V., that is better than our pink one."
(She was referring to our new 'pink dazzle' CHI. I bought it drug-deal style on the side of the road in downtown Salt Lake from a parked black car, for $35.00. I do live on the edge.)
"Oh, it's better?" I responded.. "How come?"
"Because," she continued,
"it looks like you walked out of a salon everyday."

One Lucky Mama.

It happened 13 years ago TODAY.
A tiny little sweet-faced boy, with blue eyes, and dark hair, with a tiny cowlick right at the top of his forehead..
was layed in my arms--
and I became a Mom, for the very first time ever.
I have now been proud to be his Mom, for 13 years..
(making not only myself, OBVIOUSLY very old..) but more importantly, HIM, a "teenager."
How lucky I am to have had him sent to me. How grateful I am that the Lord trusted me with such a dear little spirit. A little person who I would love beyond my ability to comprehend, and who would love me back, every single day. A little boy that would say things to melt my heart.. and at his PRECIOUS age of 3, would sing "Livin' The Vida Loca" into his stand up microphone, as many times as I asked him to.
He has always been my buddy.. my respectful, thoughtful, son.
He is now my funny, mature, loyal and responsible oldest sibling,
and smart, talented "young man".
He is his little brothers really cool hero..

and little sisters first choice of a shoulder to lean on.

He LOVES his cousins..




LOVES roller coasters..



LOVES snowboarding..


and LOVES the guitar.

I LOVE that he is mine.
Happy birthday my very first teenager. I love you forever.

Tagged By Abby..

1. What is your current obsession?
Getting "shredded". I know. Not gonna happen. But on my new "30-Day Shred" DVD, Jillian says if I do it 30 days.. I'll have a six-pack. I'm thinking all I'm really gonna end up with is an even stronger bitterness for Jillian than I already hold..

2. What do you hate the most that everyone else seems to love?
Soda.

3. What are you wearing today?
Right now.. sweaty jogging clothes that I'm pretty sure stink a little.
Today I had on a kelly green v-neck t-shirt that all day I wished I'd had bright yellow flip-flops to wear with.. but didn't.

4. What's for dinner?
It was meatball and mozzarella sandwich on that good chewy Wal-Mart loaf bread.
Mmmmm. Tasty, AND heavy.(Hence the reason I had to go jogging at 9 o'clock at night.)

5. What would you eat for your last meal?
Japanese. With a double order of fried rice. Maybe even an extra white rice to pour some ginger dressing over. And I'm dying.. so I'm not even jogging after.

6. What is the last thing you bought?
4th of July hoo-ha at Joann Fabrics cause I thought I had a 40% off coupon, that was of course, expired.

7. What are you listening to right now?
My kids playing and laughing from the basement. (Ya think they'll get to bed before midnight ONCE this summer??) Oh.. and the hum of my portable A/C. It's music to my ears.

8. What do you think of the person that tagged you?
Abby. My adorable in every sense of the word, cousin. She could easily be one of my very favorite humans ever. She is funny and stylish and humble. Like her ALOT.

9. If you could have a house--fully paid for and totally furnished--anywhere in the world, where would it be?
That is way too stressful to choose right this moment. Wherever it would be.. it would involve lots of trees.. lakes.. a shiny new Target.. and family. MORE, FAMILY.

10. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would it be?
Am I allowed to go to heaven and hang out with my cute Mom a minute?

11. What is one of your hobbies?
(Does "shredding" count? Hee-hee.) I'm gonna go with writing.

12. What is the next thing in life you are looking forward to?
Vacation at the beach with my FAMILY. It does not get any better. Seriously.
(We actually have a slight belief that the next life will just be all of us, on the boardwalk, eating Thrasher fries with vinegar, in Bethany Beach.)


13. What is your favorite color?
I like pinks. Pale ones.. and bright ones. But no mauve thank you very much.
I'm big on greens too. (Just not "hunter". In fact I'd like to add that hunter green, is my least favorite color. Not that anyone asked.)

14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your wardrobe?
My Levis are a good staple.. but I have a white blouse with a few ruffles down the front that I enjoy tremendously.

15. What is your dream job?
Writing movies. And actually getting them made. Can you imagine??

16. Describe your personal style.
How do you answer that? My husband has mentioned I may want to meander OUT of the "misses" section, and into the "grown-up" clothes.. which I will do on occasion.. but for the most part just find the prints and cuts I like somewhere between Express and the "Candies" section at Kohls. (Is that embarrassing?)
I like silver, and simple clean color combos.. along with bright flowy patterned junk.. so who KNOWS what my style would be described as. In fact.. will someone else try? I'd be interested to hear what other people think my style IS..

17. What is your favorite tree?
Bradford pear. Cute shape.


18. What are you going to do after this?
Shower my stink off, maybe?

19. What is your favorite fruit?
So depends on my mood.. but raspberries are way up there.

20. What inspires you?
Peoples abilities. Their individual strengths and talents. I get all awe-struck when people excel at unique little pieces of life. From decorating a home, to cooking really well.. artistic skill, or athletic ability.. I admire it all.

21. Who was the last person that you kissed?
My boyfriend. Jasen. Before he left for work.


22. What are you currently reading?
Do blogs, count?

23. Go to your bookshelf, take down the first book that you see with a red binding, turn to page 26 and type out the first line.
"Nickie gave Otis one more pat and hurried back downstairs."
(The Prophet of Yonwood. Jesse read it for school, and I have no idea who Nickie, or Otis are.. and why she would "pat" him.)


24. What delighted you the most today?
Jesse and Sophie playing and laughing really hard while he dangled her from his shoulders..

25. By what criteria do you judge a person?
How comfortable they are with themselves. (Not they they have to be for them to be enjoyable.. I just notice.) Their honesty.. openness. Oh.. and the way they talk to their kids.

26. If you bought a wiener dog today, what would you name it?
Oscar? (As in.. Meyer.. weiner?)

27. And for my own question.. hmmm. O.K. If you were to be someone else for a day, who would it be?
Me?? Faith Hill. Obviously. She's gorgeous, she can sing.. and oh yeah.. she's married to TIM McGRAW.

The rules:
1. Respond and rework; answer the questions on your blog, replace one question you dislike with a question of your invention, add one more question of your own. (I didn't replace any. Oops!)
2. Tag eight other people.
I tag anyone willing to do this! GO.

Bear Lake Buns...

Really loved this moment.
Thought you might too.