Brandon's Talk

So, at church on Sunday, Brandon turned to me and showed me his reminder slip that he had to give a talk that day. I had actually heard about that the previous week, but I had forgotten. Oops! Well, the talk was on how Heavenly Father sent us to earth in families, etc. So, I wrote a talk for him. It included a few things, including a line about FHE that read something like, "I like it when we have family home evening because we get to play games and have dessert." So, he read what I wrote for him while we were sitting in Sacrament meeting. When he got to that part, he looked up at me and pointed to that part of the paper and said, "Daddy, I think that part (with his finger on dessert) is a little off topic."

Huh???? Since when is dessert off topic. That is a critical part of FHE.

Anyway, after primary, he told me that he also cut out the part about playing games. All kidding aside, I was impressed. He's a good kid.

Bye Bye blonde...

This is for all you non facebookers that haven't already seen my new do. I decided it was time for a change, so since I already chopped all my hair off the only thing left to do was color it. So brunette it is! So far I'm liking it.

It's almost birthday time...

...so Bella made a wish list. Allow me to translate. Pixos (something Mackenzie apparently has...no idea what that is), then something I can't understand, Make-up, tea set, playdough, and Littlest Pet Shop. Pretty good for a kindergardner, huh?

Love notes...

Jake is by far our most emotional child. Let's be honest folks...he has some anger management issues. Anyhow, he freaked out on Saturday night and was not very nice. About 10 minutes later, he came downstairs and handed me this note. He cried off and on for the rest of the night because he felt so bad...I thought I'd record it for posterity's sake and so the next time he freaks out...I'll remember to give him 20 minutes and let him cool off...

How to stop whining...

Malia likes to follow me around whining. This morning was no different. And then a light bulb went off. It's called IPOD. If I put on my ipod, she can still follow me around whining, I just don't hear it...problem solved. Why did it take me so long to figure this out?

Question...

What does it look like when a 7-year-old forges his mother's signature??? Well, it's printed in the neatest handwriting and it says "Mashell". The speech teacher called today to inform me that Carter had signed my name for me. Seriously? Did Jake teach him that? Wow...the kid is only seven. Then, when confronted, Carter told her that I told him to do it because I was too busy. Nice. At least he's creative...

Classic Malia

Today, I piled the kids in Rick's car (he had the van with him) to take them on an outing to Target. It was raining. They were all stuffed in the back seat. They were starting to fuss and argue and I was starting to get annoyed. So, I said, Guys, I'm getting ready to go back in the house and forget this whole thing. And then Malia says, "Guys, I don't want to spend the holidays dead." Ha ha. She is classic...

Friday the 13th, part II

Okay, so who knew that Friday the 13th lasted for two days. Well IT DOES ALREADY! So, yesterday, I went to work hoping I might actually get to spend some time with the kids on the weekend. The economy is in the dump. The first month of the year was abysmal with billable hours. But, it didn't stop a client from repeatedly sending something to me on a Friday and imposing a ridiculous turnaround time that meant working on the weekend. So I sit around all week not working. Then, when I would like to not be working, I get to work.

Well, last week I gave the lesson on responding positively to adversity. (Note to self: Never do that again the week of Friday the 13th.)

So, Friday we think we may have actually made it through the day without another email from that client. Just as I am getting ready to pack up, I get an email around 6:30. Oh yeah. It is from that client. It said, please review this 60 page document and provide your comments by Tuesday at noon. No big deal, right. WRONG! See Saturday is Valentine's Day. So, of course I have big plans.... Okay fine, so what. That's not the point. I shouldn't have to spend the day working. Monday is a holiday. Oh wait, lawyers don't get those holidays off. They don't have to be at work, but then again they do.

So, Saturday, I spend the day working. I was reading Indentures. For those of you that don't know, that is translated: "Extremely long heinous document drafted because people loan money and don't pay it back so to stop them from doing that or really stick it to them when we think they might get the big idea of doing that we will put together about as many complicated annoying phrases and covenants that nobody understands or much less complies with." So, I was having some fun.

Though it may be hard to believe, I managed to tear myself away from the Indentures to give the kids lunch. As I was walking back into purgatory (I mean the home office), I opened the front door to get the mail. I saw a letter from my mortgage company. I was excited because when I called to make my phone payment last month they said that I was ahead, didn't owe anything until March (and even then only part of a payment) and had finished my debt repayment plan (which I started courtesy of my disastrous job in Utah). So, I gleefully opened the envelope only to hear that I had breached my payment plan and seeing nice threatening words about what they will do if I don't pay. I'll tell them what they will do! If I am ahead, then how did I breach. Which way is it?

So, later in the evening, I finally emerge from purgatory. (By this time my eyes are spiraling like a Loony Toons cartoon character.) So, I get the kids some dinner and get in the shower. After getting dressed, I walked out to the car to put the carseats in. I picked up some of the clothes in the trunk and started to walk back in. As I did, I dropped some of the clothes I was carrying in the gutter, which had water.

So, I got over that (which is obvious by the fact that I am blogging about it), and had the kids finish dinner. Then, we went out. I stopped at the gas station. At the gas station, I was doing this thing with my left hand where I wiggle the ring finger as if I am going to smack the kids with it. Wouldn't you know it, but my ring fell off. So, I have to look under the car to find the stupid thing and put it on. Rich in irony.

Then we go grocery shopping and get back home. After we got home and I put the kids to bed, I pulled out the Panda Express I had bought for my treat for the night and heated it up. I sat down on the couch and dropped a packet of soy sauce between the couch and the toy box. So, I picked that up and then started to eat. I finished eating and eagerly opened my fortune cookie. But, as I opened it, I noticed something strange. NO FORTUNE! Are you kidding me!!! I have never in my life heard of a fortune cookie without a fortune!!!

Folks that pretty much sums up my Friday the 13th. An empty fortune cookie.

Trial Setting Conference Vs. Court Date

So apparently I don't have a court date March 13th, it's just a trial setting conference. I think that retard that works in my attorneys front office should be fired for telling me I had a court date 3/13! Apparently no decision will be made that day, unless Justin agrees to the terms of the evaluation (ha ha) which we all know he wont. So then we get to request for a court date and who knows when that will be (probably another 6-8 wks after our trial setting conference.) WTF?!?!? I am so sick of this crap I could scream... or punch someone... any volunteers??

Lisonbees....you're all invited

...to a relaxing retreat in Albuquerque, New Mexico June 13-20 this summer. Justin and I (along with our gangs) will be renting a home in Albuquerque for that week. Why Albuquerque? It's in the middle...sort of...of Cali and Texas and there is surprisingly a lot to do. There are many places to stay...hotels, vacation/condo rentals, and even camping. Eventually, we'd like to have a family reunion every year at about this time...so everybody could plan on it. Since it doesn't look like we will be able to do this over the Christmas holidays again, we're going to have to plan ahead and do it in the summer time. There is a great website...vrbo.com which has condos/homes on it for reasonable prices. There is a cool Indian Pueblo to visit, part of the old Route 66, hiking, Sandia aerial tramrail, Old Town, and lots of museums. We don't have any definite plans while we're there...just some ideas. So, everyone is welcome to join us...if you need help finding places to stay, let me know. And the weather in June is in the 80's! Yippee! Something to think about...

Seriously???

I have to teach R.S. on Sunday. This week has been full for me...Scout stuff, various obligations, meetings, work for Elise, birthday party, children, etc. So, that's my excuse why it's Saturday afternoon and I am just now working on it. So, while I have time, I am sitting here and Malia is incessantly shooting a Chinese Yo Yo right in front of the computer scream. To top it off, she has a "compass ring" that she is running up and down the keyboard. And, for a cherry on top of that, she is smacking gum in my ear...why don't I get things done in a timely matter? I have no idea...I have encouraged her to go elsewhere, but she just keeps saying, "I want to sit by you mom." Man, her cuteness saves her.

Bella's blogworthy comments...

A couple weeks ago, a conversation like this took place between my friend Kari and Bella.

Kari was holding her extremely adorable baby niece Lucy who was down for a visit. Bella was talking and playing with little Lucy so Kari says, "Isn't she just the cutest baby ever?"

Bella: "Uh....I think maybe the second cutest baby ever."
Keri: "Oh, well who's the first cutest baby then?"
Bella: "Babie Rosie (pronounced Wosie)."

Classic.

Then today, in the car...

Malia "Bella, don't you wish it was Christmas every day?"
Bella "Yeah, because then we could see our whole family every day."

So adorable. She wasn't even thinking about presents. She was thinking how much she loves seeing her aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents.

And, one from Jake.
Last night we were at scouts and the boys were all making invitations for grandparents, moms and dads, aunts and uncles, whoever, for the annual Blue and Gold dinner coming up. All the boys were feverishly working and Jake was sitting quietly staring at his finished invitation. The assistant scout mom said, "Jake, aren't you going to make any more?" Jake replied, "I don't have anyone except my mom and dad to invite," (and then he got all teary).

I was sad for the poor kid...the first part of his life, he had grandparents, a cousin, and some aunts and uncles around and now, he doesn't. I hope you are all proud of yourself, now when are you moving to Fresno?