Open Mouth, Insert Foot

Have you ever said something and then a few minutes after you said it and after finding out more information, then you feel like an absolute IDIOT???

That was me a few days ago. 

Spirit Week has been this week at Brynn's school.
Tuesday was dress up like what you want to be when you grow up.
Brynn~as a side note, dressed up like a soccer girl~
One of the teachers was dressed up like a garbage man.
I was volunteering that day, so I saw a lot of the teachers.
I went up to this particular teacher, who I do somewhat know and said,
"I am laughing that you, a teacher, is dressed up like a garbage man.
I am always telling my kids that they need to do well in school so they don't have to be a garbage man or drive the honeywagon when they grow up."
She laughed and said"They actually make really good money."
I was kind of shocked, and then went on with my volunteering.
As I am sitting helping kids, it hits me.
Her boyfriend, dad, someone must work for the garbage company.

Before I leave, I ask one of Brynn's teachers if the above mentioned teacher knows someone who works for the trash company.
She kind of laughs and says, "Yes, her boyfriend is actually taking over the company."
Crap!!!
Unbelievable!!

I will say, here in MA, the towns do not take care of trash collection.  It is private companies that do it and the residents are responsible for getting a company to pick up their trash.  When I was growing up, trash was collected by the county.  I was told on more than one occasion that the workers who collected the trash for the county made minimum wage and it was not the kind of job you would want to have when you grew up.  That was what I was basing my judgement upon.

Really????

So, after school, I went in to talk to said teacher.  I apologized for my idiocy and for saying anything and she busted out laughing.  She said she hadn't thought another thing about it.
Well, now it is a big joke among the preschool teachers at school.
Today, guess who came to talk to the preschoolers about Recycling???
Thats right, above said boyfiend/garbage man!!!

So, I was invited to attend the festivities.
I originally turned them down.  There was no way I was going in there.
But, then Brynn had herkindergarten checkup today and was late for school.
It was time for the recycling fun, so I went in to listen.
The man, Tom, did a great job.  He was very patient with 40+ preschoolers and answered the question "Why do we recycle?  probably 20 times.

So, never judge the pay of a garbage man.  Now I will just tell my kids that they need to do well in school so they don't have to drive the honeywagon!!!!!


Side note, I am feeling much better today.  I actually felt a ton better after I typed everything out and vented!!!!!

1.  Spring Break is upon us!
2.  Braden doing well in his Lacrosse Game
3.  friends calling and listening to me vent!

I'm Having A Day

This is how I feel today...
I just want to stick my tongue out to the world.

Life is hard, sometimes I don't like it.
I don't like seeing people struggle.
I don't like seeing people suffer.
I don't like it even more when my kids struggle.

I am tired.
It doesn't help.
I am busy.
Doesn't help.

I will feel better.......maybe soon.

I am tired of rain.
It is supposed to rain here all weekend.
If it does, Brandon's first baseball game will be postponed.
Guess to when.....thats right, Sunday.
Crappy.
Braden's 3rd lacrosse game will be rained out too.
Crappy.
They have already had 4 games that haven't happened.
Lots of practices, no games.
Bummer.

I am tired of laundry.
It never ends.
It is always needing to be done.


I am tired.
I am ornery.

And yet, there is a small part of me today that is grateful.
Grateful for so many blessings in my life.
I just need some reminding and I need to be able to vent.
Tomorrow is a new day!!!!

1.  sunshine today
2.  an understanding baseball coach
3.  a week of spring break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lookout Rock

A couple of Saturdays ago we actually had NOTHING on the calendar!!!

So we decided to do a little touring in town.

Todd had heard about this place called Lookout Rock.  It is a 1/4 mile little hike and when you get to the top you can see the whole town.  It was fun, because there are so many trees here that you can't see much of anything but trees.

The view from the bottom of the rock looking up.

Up at the top

It was a fun time, a bit cold, so we didn't stay long, but it was fun to see something new!!

1.  new things

2.  great views

3.  nothing on a Saturday

Easter

For the last several years we have asked the Easter Bunny to come on Saturday.

He is kind to oblige.

It makes it nice come Sunday, because then we can focus more on the Sabbath and the Savior and the true meaning of Easter.

Brynn had a hard time finding her basket this year. 

The bunny hid it under mom and dad's bathroom sink.

All the kids with their loot!

Because Easter was on the same day as General Conference and we got to watch church on TV at home, we didn't need the typical Easter clothes, so the bunny brought the kids pajamas, which I thought was great because they all needed spring pajamas. 
The weekend wasgreat, but it went by way too fast!!

1.  Easter
2.  General Conference
3.  85 degree weather in April!

Where in the World??

Where in the world do I live??

While I was sitting in the car during seminary, I was listening to the radio and the news came on and the DJ's were complaining about a new tax the state is going to start. 

If you have a pet, any kind, you will now pay a yearly tax.  Based on the weight of your pet.  If you don't pay the tax, your pet could be impounded.  The only way to get around this is to not take your pet to the vet.  The state will be checking vaccination records to verify who has paid the tax. 
This includes dogs, cats, horses, hamsters, fish, etc.

People were outraged.  Do you blame them?  I don't have pets and I can't believe it.  All of these poor animals in shelters are never going to be adopted and people will get rid of the ones they have because they can't afford them.
Unreal!
BTW, if you live in MA, you have 48 hours to register your animal and get your taxes paid. 

They were also talking about taxing soda, I guess 20 other states already do that one to help fight obesity.  Whatever!

Welcome to TAXachussetts!!



















I checked out the websit the radio station said to go to to pay these taxes and it says:


April FOOLS!!!!

1.  funny jokes
2.  a few days with no rain
3.  still no water in our basement!

I learned

I learned something this morning at 5:55 a.m.

I learned that not even 3 inches of rain in a 24 hour period can cover up the smell of a dead skunk in the road!

PEEUUUU!!!

1.  sun in the forcast
2.  no flooding at our house
3.  a clean kitchen

Depressing

I read a very depressing article this morning on Google news.
It stated that women need to exercise 60 minutes a day 7 days a week to maintain a helathy weight.  MAINTAIN.  not lose.

It also stated that women gain about 1.5 lbs/year between the ages of 25-55.

To read this depressing article click here.

I am already doing an hour or more and that is to lose some weight, not maintain.  Bummer!

1.  exercise(even if I don't necessarily believe I have to do an hour a day)
2.  no school for Brynn today
3.  my neti pot(because I sure need it today, got a cold!)

Spring

Finally, the day has come!!

HAPPY SPRING!!!

1.  sunshine

2.  another day of 70 degrees

3.  light at the end of a dark tunnel

Small Town

We live in a small town.
I love it.
Let me tell you one reason why....

A couple of weeks ago, I was in charge of the Relief Society Birthday Dinner.
I wanted to do a handout that went along with our theme.
The theme was "Purse~onal Relief Society".
We talked about the different "purses" we have in our lives....backpacks, diaperbags, temple bags, etc.
Our RS President found the cutest brads in the shape of a purse at Oriental Trading.
I ordered them.
Shipping took forever.
I was scared.
Following the tracking, I found out that instead of being delivered to my house, they were delivered to the post office for delivery and they should arrive at my house in a couple of days. 
Problem..... the dinner was that night.
So I went to the post office.
Very helpful men went to look for my package.
Side note, a bit weird that FedEx was supposed to deliver the package, but they have a contract with the post office and sometimes the post office will deliver the packages.
Anyway, the nice men at the post office couldn't find the package, I am sweating.  Have no idea what else I can do as a handout.
Then, the post master general in my tiny post office says, "hang on just a second and let me call your driver".  Fabulous, I thought.
then I hear, "Len, do you have a package to be delivered to _________ address from Oriental Trading Company?"  Yes, I do, he says!!!!
Happy Day!!! 
When I was going to get Brynn from school he was on my street, I pulled up to his truck, he knew who I was(that has NEVER happened before, that the mailman knows who I am) and he hands me my package and says "heard you've been waiting for this"!
I haven't been so relieved to receive a package!
To end the story, I got the brads, they were VERY cute and we had a great birthday dinner!
THE END!!

1.  nice post man
2.  small town
3.  70 degree weather today!

Coming to Terms

I have been trying for a while to come to terms with the fact that I am not a runner.
I have tried for years to be one. 
I just can't do it. 
I want to.
I want to love it.
I want to be able to run for a consistent mile without walking.
I want to run a marathon.
I want to have a runner's body.
I want to have runner's lungs.
I don't.
I don't have any of those things.
I have run 4-5 half marathons.
I have done a 10K.
I have done a 12 person relay race from Hartford CT to Boston(200 miles).
I can't get better at running.
I have decided that I am done.
I will not run anymore(unless I can get my asthma under control and lose 20 lbs).
I am disappointed(but I will get over it).

1.  trying new things
2.  coming to terms
3.  exercise

Disney Slide Show

Disney

We spent our February vacation from school in Disney World!

The Happiest Place on Earth!!

I took over 300 pictures, so I am going to do a slide show.

We went to the 4 parks in Disney, on Sunday we didn't go into the parks and went to the

Orlando Temple. Beautiful!! This time that we went the grounds were open. 4 years ago when we were there, we got there late enough that the grounds were closed. The flowers are already blooming and it was Fantastic!

It has been hard to come home, back to life and reality, rain and snow. But home is where we are!

1. Disney

2. vacation

3. family

Its Vacation Week

What are you going to do next???

We're going to Disney World!!!!

1. vacation
2. warm weather
3. vacation

Basketball is Over

Braden had his last basketball game on Feb. 11th.

The team didn't do too well over all, but Braden had a good time.

Braden got to start this game. The first time he got to start all season. He was thrilled!!

He had kind of a rough season, he got sick and sprained his ankle, so he missed a few games and practices, but he had fun, got some exercise and made a few fouls!

What more could you ask for!?

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Happy Birthday to my Mom!!!

Isn't she cute??!!

1. my mom 2. old photos 3. orange cars