Is it just me?

Is it just me, or do you think of cancer when you see this picture?



No? Weird. Because I do. And I am going to let you know how:

I see this tree.
I think "pretty!"
"look at all the colors!"

Then my thoughts get sad because that the tree will only look this perfect for a week, maybe two.
Then I start to think of the Robert Frost poem (the first poem I ever fell in love with as a cheesy little 12 year old).
I recite it in my head:
Nature's first green is gold;
Her Hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf's a flower,
but only so an hour...

Then I have a sudden and very urgent desire to watch really cheesy 80's movies like the Outsiders because that is where I first heard the poem.
Then I think about how terrible, but how gloriously terrible that movie and many from the 80's, are.

Then I think about Patrick Swayze (who co starred in the flick among other big names who were not big names then like: Tom Cruise, Matt Damon, Rob Lowe, and Emilio Estevez...) and I think about how Patrick was the 80's. [And yes, I do believe we are on a first name basis.]

And then I get sad that Patrick had to get cancer and die.

Then I start thinking about how lame cancer is.



And that my friends, is how this mind works.

Don't be jealous. I am sure your mind is a wonderful place to be too.

Tounge, Anyone?

While looking through the years pictures I noticed a slight theme:















Or should I say problem?

Why am I here?

This is a post about nothing. Be warned.

Ever since I started my picture a day blog, (which I am amazed to say I have made it 76 days straight!) I have slacked a little on this one. Why?

Because its hard to have multiple blogs to post on, multiple children to care for, multiple church callings, multiple craft-ish projects going, and multiple personalities.

It's just a lot of work, really. But I do what I can when I can. Why do I keep it up?

Because I like to think and write. No editing, no filtering. I just write what I think. And it's usually random. And strange. And yes, sarcastic.
But it's also
Honest and real and full of all the little things about my life right now at this moment, and I love that I can sort of write it in stone. Because all those little things don't last. And neither will my memory. So these little meaningless blog posts will be priceless to me one day.

And to you all who read my random thoughts,
I am both sorry and thankful. I am well aware my life isn't glamorous, or exciting, or even all that interesting. When I read my posts, I wonder why people read this blog at all.

Then I remember that watching people make an idiot out of themselves on reality tv shows always makes me feel better about myself, and then I realize what's happening here, and I don't wonder anymore.

Tired

I have slacked a little on the blog this week. It's all this Christmas merriment and activities that just seem to have me running all different directions. But today I told myself, I am staying home, letting myself sit on the couch, feel sick, and finish some blankets I am making for the kids. Why? Because I am plain tired.

I am tired of shopping.
I know I shopped mostly online this year, but there are some things I still have to brave the crowds for, and I am not a fan of crowds. Or shopping that can't be done in 30 minutes or less.

I am tired of strawberry shortcake.
Surprisingly, my overload isn't coming from Hailey, but from Caleb. The child wants to watch her every day and shake his little booty to the music, and I AM NOT KIDDING. It was funny, until I went to bed singing strawberry shortcake songs and found myself telling the kids as they brushed their teeth that they did a "berry good job!" and that they are "berry special!" and on and on...

I am tired of showering with company.
Seriously, I am looking forward to next week when Brian's Saturday class is done and I can shower alone at least once in the week. With the door shut. The ENTIRE time. Sounds like Heaven...

I am tired of being a referee.
A lot of preparation takes place around this house for December. There is something for my kids to look forward to every day. Being the naive person I am, I think every year, if I am creative enough, happy enough, and organized enough, we will just have a merry little home all month long. Not perfect, just like, scream free. Or fist fight free. Or whine free. Or all of the above. Alas, it is never the case. And I find myself sending someone to their room and someone is inevitably pouting or tattling. Welcome to motherhood.

I am tired of being pregnant.
I know it is like, in the rule book that you are not allowed to complain until you are at least in your seventh month, but being that this go around was unexpected, I am calling in an exception. I don't know how people enjoy pregnancy. I truly believe it is here to make me miserable, but also to make me fully appreciate my children. You have to walk in the depths of despair to fully appreciate the light, or something like that. Anyway, I am anxiously awaiting May.

SIGH. Thanks for the vent session. Now's your chance: what are you tired of? Come on, let it out... you'll feel much better, I promise.

disturbing...

I was feeling very sick this afternoon. Shocking, yes. Oh, and I swear this is the last post I will complain, but honestly it's all I am about as of late. But anyway, I decided I just needed to take a nap and see if I could sleep it off. Hailey was watching some Nick Jr. while I dozed.
As her show ended, something very loud and obnoxious roused me from sleep.



This was disturbing to me on many levels. It also made me ponder a few things...

First, who is the guy in orange and what is on his head? Does he realize his head looks more cone like than my babies after they spend entirely too much time in the birth canal?

Remember the day when Barney was the weirdest thing around? What are they trying to do to our children?

Why doesn't the monster chew his food? Or swallow things like bones?

Isn't it a little creepy that his food is talking to him and he is more than happy to devour it?

And did it, or did it not make your stomach queasy?

Pregnant and sick, or not....
that was not what I wanted to wake up to.

Job Satisfaction

Wow, that picture is a little freaky looking isn't it? I mean, I know my toes are a bit freakish, but really when you zoom in on any toes aren't they all a bit freakish?
A few years ago we started a tradition in the Swanson family. Whenever someone is having a major life event (marriage, baby, etc) we all go out for pedicures. My SIL Laurie is like due to have a large baby come out of her small body any minute, so yesterday we all went and had pedicures. (minus one very missed red head). And, had one of the six people actually brought a camera I would have posted a picture of all seven girls lined up in chairs, but apparently none of us have proper functioning brains. (I know, Sarah, if you had been there, you would have totally had your camera).
Let me tell you that my feet badly needed this. I know people always say that, but trust me when I say you have not seen feet like mine. It is this thought that always makes me extremely self conscious as I settle into that massage chair. Then the lady starts working on my feet, and she starts talking to the other ladies about something I cannot understand because I am not Korean or Vietnamese. But I am sure that lady was probably discussing how nasty my feet were and complaining to her co workers that she always gets the gross ones. They all chuckle after a bit, so I know I am right. But I wish I could tell them that my feet aren't anything once you have seen my husbands. Them are some nasty feet. He needs a pedicure so badly, but I just don't feel I could subject anyone to that torture. And if I did, I wouldn't be able to afford the tip.
Back to the point, she cleans my feet and begins the massage. I am looking around at all the other girls and they all look like they are relaxed and enjoying the pampering. I was not enjoying my massage, because it was more of a beating. Seriously, it was so rough! There was punching going on. I am sure she was taking out her frustrations of always getting the nasty footed people on my calves, and that's ok, because if I had her job I would probably be pretty dang sick of nasty feet too.
But the result was one that I am happy with; even if I end up covered in bruises.

Calling any and all readers of Le Blog

OK... so I haven't blogged in a bit. Don't know that any of you have noticed, but it's been a few days. I have a problem. And it's very serious. I am suffering from blogger block. I cannot for the life of me think of anything remotely interesting to blog about. So the way I see it, there are 2 options. I can just not post until I think of something interesting (and by interesting I really mean mildly, border line interesting like the rest of this here blog), or y'all can help me. What can you do to save me from this desperate state? It's Easy. It's simple. A child could do it. Just give me ideas people. What do you want to hear about? Any burning questions you have had? Are you interested in where I stand on something? Because I am really very shy and rather unopinionated so you may not know where I stand on certain things. So, is there anything you want to read? Anybody? Anybody? Anybody? (if you don't know that movie reference you are either Jenn or Amish. Either is fine.)

On my Mind Today

1. I have to go to Costco for one thing. I hate going to Costco for one thing.
2. So you think You can dance was so good last night. Mia Michael's routine was my favorite.
3. I need to go exercise, but I really don't feel like it.
4. Pizza
5. My ipod's exercise playlist is the best. Really, I have outdone myself on that one.
6. polka dots.
7. I need a good, light-reading book to read. I need suggestions.
8. I hate Walmart's parking; how many Handicap people really go there at one time?
9. I really want a camera.
10. My bathroom desperately needs cleaning.
11. What was this photographer thinking?:



What's on your mind today?

My kitten poster must have been lost in the mail

Confession: I am not a pet lover. I love animals. They are all cute and cuddly and whatever... But I am not a fan of having an animal reside in my home.
I apologize to those friends that love their pets. I love your pets too, I just don't want them to live with me.
And by the way, not all pets are created equal. Their are some animals that I don't see me ever loving. Take the cat for example. Most of you know this about me. I don't get cats. I am very sorry to those of you who have your little kitten calenders next to your computers, but they are quite repulsive to me. They don't bathe, and generally, I stick with those living creatures that are on the opposite side of the clean spectrum. I am fairly solid on my rule of not associating with any sort of creature that considers licking itself an adequate cleansing.
Dogs. I do love dogs. But they stink. Quite regularly. And they chew things I would like to leave unchewed. They eat things like expensive pound cake from costco that you wanted to eat yourself. They lick you too much, and I like to limit my lickings. I had a dog, I loved him. He died and their will be no replacing him if I have any say in the matter.
So the point I am trying to reach is that my kids are deprived. They suffer from pet deprivation and are starving for animal interaction. But they are healing thanks to our current living situation. Due to circumstances beyond my control, we have chicks in our home. My kids see them as little furry balls of love given to them from Heaven. I find them loud, annoying, and extremely poopy. My kids have managed to love about half of them to death. Literally. They are no longer aloud to touch them, but rather watch them grow and later they will be aloud to go out to the chicken coop and gather their eggs. I am hoping this will be enough pet interaction for them, because it most assuredly is for me. And maybe this chicken business will solve their desires for a cat, because I don't think Hell ever really will freeze over.

My Saturday in a Nutshell

One of the nice things about Mother's Day for me, is that it always tends to be Mother's Weekend. I got breakfast made for me and a whole day of getting stuff done almost entirely uninterrupted. (thanks to my husband who was here and put off all his work and homework for my "craft time.") I was able to get all the above done in about 3 hours when it would normally take 8. Go me! So I had a little time left over to bowl on the Wii. Man, if only I could bowl that good in real life, I could actually say I had a talent.

Back By Popular Demand

Ok so, as some of you may know, I have a slight phone issue. There is almost always something wrong with my phones. I have a monster, sorry, 2 year old that LOVES phones. All kids like phones, but he LOVES them. It started with my cell phone. First he lost one. No idea where it is to this day. So I got a new one and he threw it in the washer. Yes, he did. Then I got another one had it for 2 months or so when the sweet child bit it, which cracked the LCD, which eventually caused it to stop working. Period. So I have had one now for 4 months and it is going strong. So that is the cell phone. The home is a different story. We have one phone jack. That means one phone. Before I had several phones in my home, so I could go grab one if the other was dead. But now, if it is dead, I don't hear it. And this home has major wiring issues. If the doorbell stops working, the phone does. Or if the computer gets fixed, out goes the phone. It is strange, but true. Also, we live in a HUGE house (not bragging, it ain't mine). And the phone can only be heard when I am in my little upstairs apartment. Also I have a monster, I mean 2 year old who likes phones. And he takes it. And it gets lost for WEEKS. Then it turns up in some small nook in this HUGE house, and we start all over again. So the phone has been missing the entire month of April and I haven't missed it so I dumped it. Then I looked into upping my minutes on my cell phone and fell over and died. Then I got up, and called Qwest and luckily got my number back! So here I am a two phone girl once again. For now. But don't blame me if I don't answer... Oprah's almost on. (FYI, this last sentence would be a joke aimed towards my husband's comment on my "Learning to Bite my Tounge" post.)

Twilight Poll

Okay I know everyone has probably seen this picture.... and honestly I am curious what everyone thinks of this cast. First off, is there any one female over the age of 12 on the planet that has not read the books? (Briana is off the hook for now). If there is someone that hasn't read them, I am wondering why? Because I am sure they have been shoved in your face enough. It is kind of like American Idol. You have to have watched at least one season. Unless you are my brother and sister in law who don't have a TV. They are off the hook too.
If you have read them on a scale of 1-10... how well did you like them? And were you hesitant to read a vampire book or was this your genre of choice? Honestly I am not expecting anyone to say this is there genre of choice, and frankly I would be a little worried about them if it was, but go on ahead and answer truthfully.
Back to the point, my personal opinion of the cast in this picture is.... huh? This is why it is soo much better to read the books first people. I would not like the books as much if the Edward in my head looked like that. Because honestly? That guy is not that good looking. To me. Personal opinion. I am interested to see if it is just me. Cause it very well could be. I never really caught on to the Tom Cruise is a hunk thing either. So it very well could be. And as for everyone else, I am honestly not sure who everyone else is. Obviously Bella is the short dark headed gal, and she looks right to me. But after that, I am not sure.
Some of you may know, so go on and share. And tell me your opinion. Have you or have you not read the books? Do you or do you not like them? Do you or don't you think this is a good cast? Do you or don't you have a clue who is who in this pic? And finally how many questions can one person fit into a short post? The answer to the last is more than you could ever want.