As promised..... a picture

I love freaked out first lost tooth photos, don't you?

This photo taken last night by my brother-in-law in Boise

of my youngest born going through that milestone event

without his parents in even the same state.

I was told,

"It's a little tooth. It's small, like a fruit fly, no like a house fly. It's small."

by little mr. j.

He told me that again today when I spoke with him on the telephone.

He also told me something else.

Apparently the tooth fairy that covers

the territory that includes my parent's home

(where the boys were sleeping last night)

is really on the ball.

He told me that the tooth fairy brought two $1 coins

that grandpa told him are collector's items.

Great.

Not only do we miss the first tooth lost,

but now grandpa's tooth fairy

is setting very high expectations.

First night service & "collector's items"

Sheesh.

Are you reading this tooth fairy?

Your counterpart up in the Northwestern USA

is excelling in his/her position.

It's time for you to get your act together.

Please.

Thank you.

Home Safe

Hi.
I am home safe.
Arrived home about 8:30pm, Saturday night, fully in caffeinated mode.
miss s enjoyed mocking me.
No more doctor for me until my next road trip.
(And I am fully confident that I can do road trips on my own after this past ten or so days. Yay me.
Ok, maybe not fully on my own-the doctor will come along, but I only will use him for his caffeine.)

And there are only two heads under this roof tonight.
(Well, three if you count the dog, who is under the patio roof, which technically is part of the house roof, but she dug another hole today-a very neat hole this time, yay, I was very impressed by her pawdiwork {handiwork-in dog terms}. Rectangular, about a foot and a half long, five inches wide and six inches deep. I think she's lonely.)

my mr. is off at a meeting.
We had a lunch date/family reunion planning meeting today at the Shartel Cafe.
And,
He flew with his friend in a plane this evening and had dinner at the same restaurant as miss s and I did tonight, only in a different city.
What are the odds of that happening?
(hmmm, does she mean eating out two meals in one day or going to the same venue in two different cities?)
(hmmm, I don't know. You can decide to think what you want.)
I drank water.

I think miss s is enjoying the one on one time she's getting with us.
I think miss h is enjoying the none time with us she's getting in Utah.
I think the boys are enjoying the time they've been sharing with my parents and cousins and aunt and uncle in Boise the past week and a half. (They head to my in-laws' home tomorrow.)
I think my mr. will not sleep well tonight because he misses me.
I think I will be glad when July is half over and we can get to the lazy days of summer.

I'm sleeping in tomorrow.
And
have a picture to show you (finally).
It's a cute one! You're not going to believe it, I'm showing someone's face!
See ya!

Rocky Mountain High

miss h and miss s make fun of me when I drink something that has caffeine in it.
They tell me I am a spazz and make fun of the cool thing I can do with my arms.
"Look what I can do."
They're just jealous because they can't do the arm thing.

I drove through the Rocky Mountains today.
I thought my brain was going to explode when I got to the top.
That and my bladder.
There were construction delays all the way up the mountain to Vail, Colorado.
Does it irk you when driver's ignore the "left lane closing ahead" signs and just power past you?
Does me.
A nice red semi let me in right when the first sign of that nature appeared.
We were an awesome team of honery drivers and didn't let any of those pushy people in until I caved at the very end of that left lane ending and let a stupid smelly oil burning jeep in front of me.
I probably disappointed that semi driver.

There was a beautiful rest top at the top, so I stopped but there was a sign on the stairs that led to the restrooms that said, "Restrooms Closed-Use the porta potties on the other side of the parking lot."
That should count as a Colorado mountain experience, don't you think?

I'm posting again from this awesome iPad that my very kind mr. shared with me for the trip. (That I don't know how to use with blogger.) I got a hotel room for really cheap on an online discount site that doesn't let you know which hotel you are staying at until after you buy it. It's maybe one step above miss h's new dorm room, but I'm not going barefoot in here.

Apparently when you buy the cheap rooms, you automatically get sent to a smoking room. At least at this hotel. There weren't any nonsmoking rooms available-the nice young man told me he could get some air fresheners for me. I asked if the window would open (it does-no screen). Got to the room and it doesn't smell. Yay. But I'm not brining my suitcase in here. Look for the crazy lady living out of her car at a hotel in Colorado Springs for the next couple of days. That will be me.

Hey, I am rambling.
"Look what I can do!"

I only drank one Dr. Pepper.
It wasn't eve a big one.
And it was finished by 6pm.

Little Travel Update

I'll give you a full report when I'm back at a full keyboard, but just wanted to check in.

miss h is officially at 'college.'
She's not on Facebook much or texting her family much, so I'm thinking she's not lonely.
But wait, my phone just buzzed-
She just texted me goodnight and did not reply to my 'I am driving past Provo tomorrow morning, do you need anything' question.
I think she's going to be alright.

We had a blog celebrity sighting yesterday when we walked into the Target in Orem, UT to get the rest of h's supplies. I had eye contact with one of her children and smiled.

(This next sentence is the lesson for me- Hey, listen to yourself when you know something's going to happen. Quit saying 'yeah, yeah, you're silly.' You are usually right.)

I go to Colorado tomorrow.
The drive won't be as fun as the last ones with the kids, but I've got books on tape (well, CDs really) and I've got some chocolate. I get to drive through some mountains.
It'll be good.

Good Night.

Sunday School - Happy Father's Day

It's 101 degrees in Oklahoma City.
It's 55 degrees in the Salt Lake Valley.
I am not in OKC right now.
I'm in that other place and I did not check the weather before I packed,
But that's another lesson for another post.

(That and how I thought I put a time delayed post up for the past week, but it went to drafts instead. Sorry.)

Happy Father's Day to my mr.

And to other mr.s and to my little mr.s and to all other little mr.s out there.

I went to church with my aunt and uncle today and in the Relief Society lesson, the importance of fathers was a little bit of the discussion. The teacher talked about how our society disparages fathers so prevently and about how sad and wrong that is. I agree.

If everyone could have a father like my childen's father, the world would be such a better place. While we have our not so good moments like every other family, he's really taught them so much about how to be good people.

So, for a Father's Day treat, I am going to share a story with you-as told to me by my mom on the phone this morning. (Here's the backstory-I am in Utah right now. The boys and I drove miss h to college. my mr. And miss s are at home. We had a family reunion in Rupert, Idaho yesterday. My parents took our two boys back home with them while I will stay in Utah for a couple more days and then go to Colorado for a few days and then drive home-I am in a very weird-no-child-around week, but we'll not go ther right now. Let's get back to the story.)

This is what my mom told me that my sweet little mr. b did, that I know he did because of the loving example of his father: when they got home last night, little mr. b helped get his little brother in the tub. Then when he took his own shower, he wiped down the surround. When they went back in to brush their teeth, he noticed a spot he'd missed. His grandma told him it was ok to take care of it later. This morning he made both his and his brother's beds (Ihope little mr.j helped.) Helped get him dressed and helped with breakfast. While I was talking to my mom, they were playing upstairs nicely with some of my old (very old) toys.

Thanks for being a great dad, my mr.!
I love you.

PS-Thank you also for sharing your iPad with me. Thank you for telling me this afternoon when we talked that it didn't need a wireless connection and that I could use it right where I was.
I'm not much good at using this thing and there are probably a lot of typos and my hands are cramping up from typing on this little screen, but I am very grateful for your kindness. Hope those enchiladas were good for dinner!

PPS-We did celebrate Father's Day as a family last Sunday and the steak did not taste like lighter fluid. It was awesome.

Shari- This is for you.

Shari wants the recipe for the scones.

I tried one from a blog yesterday because I couldn't remember where I put the recipe that my at-one-time-a friend gave me in Texas. I didn't want to go digging all that up again & the wonderful blogger at Make It Do posted a link to a recipe on her blog &

I said, "Oh, Happy Day!"

miss h rolled her eyes and gave a beautiful disgruntled grunt when I told her that I was going to be using a new recipe.

classic miss h.

This is the link to the recipe to the scones. Beware. They are very good and wayyyyyy better than my at-one-time-a friend's recipe.

In fact, after I made one recipe's worth, I began to worry that my piggy hungry family would not have enough, so I made another batch of dough.

Lesson: one batch of this scone recipe is enough for 6 people to feel sufficiently stuffed and nutella

(not an ad- although there is one young lady-who is leaving for college this week-who almost got busted eating it and decided to hide it in the toaster/plastic wrap cupboard for me to find a week later-so wrong-hiding an open nutella container and wasting all that goodness-that would make a good ad) on scones is yummy although I am a purist and stick to butter and honey.

miss h ate a bunch and approved. Although I do not recall her recinding the eye rolling grunt.

 What I did with the second batch:

OH MY GOODNESS! This is the very best part!!!!

This is where (at my ripe old age) I decided

that there is something way better than scones that comes from scone dough.

I rolled up some cinnamon rolls.

I never, ever have had any luck with cinnamon rolls.

Until last night.

I mixed up some white sugar and some brown sugar and some cinnamon until it really made me want to barf because it smelled so bad.

(I think it may have been the residual greasy smell that was lingering in my poor home and on my body mixed with other stuff. my mr. said it smelled good, but it just made me feel nauseated.)

I buttered a 9x11 pan and hoped they'd fit.

I rolled out the dough into the best rectangle I could.

I buttered the heck out of that rectangle-trying my best not to mangle it.

Then I spread the sugar mixture on thick.

Rolled it up.

Marked the halfway point of the roll and marked the half half

and then marked the quarters of  the half half half

Used minty dental floss to cut those halves.

Put them in the pan.

Let them rise.

Cooked them at 350 degrees for a while

(until they were light light light brown - like cream on the sides, little brown on top).

Then they got to sit on the counter (and they made the smells in my house much yummier) to wait until Monday morning when I was finished at the gym where I watched the last half hour of Tron while I ran intervals after which I stretched and didn't throw up and then went to purchace cream cheese because it would be wrong to not have cream cheese frosting on those babies because even if they didn't taste good, at least the frosting would.

And, Oh Baby!

I scored!

And it was the first time I made cream cheese frosting.

I love cream cheese frosting.

My wedding cake was carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

My Grandma Thelma made it.

I made a half recipe of the frosting from the old better homes and gardens red checked cookbook that my mom gave me a million years ago and has a great banana bread recipe in it.

Let's see if I can remember it:

(this is the half recipe)

one package cream cheese

one stick of butter

(both softened)

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix.

Yum.

I questioned the wisdom of not adding some kind of liquid, but I was wrong.

I am so glad I didn't add any liquid.

So we got a cinnamon roll out of the pan.

Put it on a plate.

Spread a bunch of frosting on it

and microwaved it for 15 seconds on high.

Yum.

I'd post a picture, but they're pretty much gone.

See above comment about our hungry family.

(Actually, we did give a few away.)

So, Shari, there you are-the scone recipe.

And I hope all you all will never ever be an at-one-time-a friend of mine.

I'm hoping to hang onto you forever.

The end.

Sunday School

miss s sang in sacrament meeting with a young man in our ward.
Their voices blended beautifully.
I wish it could have been recorded and played back for you to hear.

I hope they sing again.
I'm glad they shared their talent.

Matthew 25:14-30

The kids chose to watch 'Toy Story 3' today. 
I couldn't stand to watch it.

I spied miss h's little madeline doll packed in one of miss h's suitcases.
I wonder if madeline is ready for college?

We had scones for dinner,
per her last Sunday dinner at home meal request.

That girl and I begin our drive west in two days.
Life will never be the same at our house.
Ever.

___________________________________________________________

PS - little mr b stayed home from church because he came home from scout camp with a wicked cold. He drank a gallon of blue gatorade.

little mr j couldn't remember what scones were and asked if he needed a spoon to eat them with.
Then, after eating a few, he told us that actually he did remember scones and he liked them and then he said, "These SCONCES are like my favorite food ever. I could eat them all day. No, I could eat them for two days."  Later he decided he felt like he was going to throw up. He didn't.
You know, the things he says really light up my days.

I took a nap and couldn't wake up.
I had a dream that I was driving, but was daydreaming a bit & all the sudden needed to stop.
I pushed on the brakes and they worked, but my vehicle barely bumped the vehicle in front of me and caused a horrible chain reaction rear end fest.  I got out and looked around and tried to help people, but it was bad. But, nobody knew it was me that did it. My car wasn't damaged and it was apparent that I could just leave and no one would know.  Then I woke up.  I wonder what I did?

Black Frosting

Sometimes I get these really brilliant ideas

like when I walked into the dreaded WM

(by the way- I heard a friend use that exact term yesterday-woo hoo me to start a word fad)

and found a cookie cutter on clearance

and big ideas began to float in my non crafty head.

The idea involved black frosting.

Do you know how much food coloring you have to add to make black frosting?

More.

Got it.

Finally.

(My finger stayed purple for about a week.)

(Apparently there is a lot of purple in black.)

First attempt at flooding.

Ever.

Where I began to question my brilliant idea (again).

There are no pictures of the process after this point

because our lovely photographer

had to take over the piping reigns

because her mother was about to have

a royal frosting meltdown.

I eventually figured out that I made the white too thick.

But only after miss h

saved the day.

Note: You probably wouldn't want to eat these cookies.

They will turn your tongue black.

And your lips.

And the frosting tastes like straight up food coloring.

Nasty.

But they sure turned out cute.

I Survived

Just wanted to let you know that I survived and had a great time!

32 Young Women and 5 awesome leaders-we were probably 1/3 of the entire group.

Lessons of mine from the "week"

and I type "week" because really it was only three days

(but wooee baby, it took a lot out of me).

-asking teenagers to give up their cell phones and other electronics for camp is L-A-M-E

(in said teenager's opinion-but not in mine)

-we all just want to feel included

(I felt like I was back in my junior high days-for a little while, then I got over it.)

-food is always better when someone else cooks

(our cook has a sneaky secret recipe for french toast)

-I need to remember to pack earplugs next year

(there's a dreaded WM a few miles down the road where you can pick some up)

-pack extra feminine hygiene products

(the girls will not-see above parentheses)

-spending uninterrupted time with these beautiful young women and other leaders is an incredible way to get to know their souls.

(that was the best part)

______________________________________________________________________________________

Girls' Camp is an annual tradition in the Young Women program at my church.

It's a fun time where the girls learn some outdoorsy things, play, and have opportunities for spiritual experiences. This year was especially spiritual.

I'm very grateful for that.

Memorial Day Update, One YAY, & Why I'll be incommunicato this week

My dad tipped over my great, great grandfather's headstone last Saturday.
Wished I had enough time to tell you the story that my mom told me.
I guess he did an "egg roll" because he didn't want it to hit him.
If you knew my dad, you would find this very comical.

And, because of of time constraints, they could only get to my grandmother's cemetary after it was dark.
That's not good.

Lesson: Don't lean on old headstones & get to the cemetary on time.
(My mom just told me that there are laws against the both. If you knew my dad, you would also find this very comical.)

They did get to go to one funeral, decorate many of our folks' gravesites, and see lots of relatives. Even one of my cousins in a restaurant-that was a surprise.

My mr. and the three older kids went to Chickasa and helped with tornado cleanup.
He's a good man. And -----I have had his last name longer than I've had my maiden name.
Happy Anniversary to us!!!!! And yay us, for all the years!!!

I will be incommunicato (spelling probably horribly mutilated) this week because I am going to girls's camp with my lovely young women. There are air conditioned cabins. Yay.

I need to leave in ten minutes.
Bye.