Vote for Your Favorite Me

I've been gone from blogger so long that everything looks different.  But since I have big news to share, I'm resurrecting the old blog.

I'm having PRK eye surgery like tomorrow morning.  And so on the eve of my optical endeavor, I present an evolution of me, or at least the four-eye me.  Fortunately for me, when I started wearing contacts in high school the pics of me in glasses became few and far between.  I promise you though, that my high years glasses and my college years glasses and pretty much all the glasses I wore until about 2005 were ridiculous.  You be the judge.  Vote for your favorite me.

Kindergarten

 

First Grade

 

Second Grade

 

Third Grade

(nautical fresh and looking a bit like Monka)

 

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade 

(Matt and I had the same haircut)

 

Sixth Grade

Seventh Grade

(my hair wasn't big yet, so I made up for that with my glasses)

 

Eighth Grade

And so, I've been wearing my 2005 glasses for the past 5-6 weeks.  And because I don't have prescription sunglasses, I do a whole lot of squinting on sunny days.  I have even tried to find the plastic sunglasses that older folks, like my grandma, wear.  Today it is really sunny and really, really cold.  I decided to double up and put my sundglasses over my glasses and it worked.  Too bad I waited until the day before surgery to figure that out.  BUT, it brought back the best memory and I wish a million times that I could find a picture of this because I know one exists somewhere. 

My older brother Matt, he's my only brother, but he's older, so you know there's that whole hero worship thing, was a totally awesome teen of the 80s.  And much like the pictures of me above, he too, has some fabulous school pics sporting his too big glasses and mullet.  We were on some roadtrip one summer and he had a pair of these mirrored lens sundglasses with some kind of faux leather blinders on the sides and a sunglasses cord.  He used twist ties to clamp them to his glasses, so he could effectively wear both at once. 

I'm not supposed to drive for a week and I'm hoping that my sight or lack thereof doesn't interfere with Thanksgiving preparations for 25 next week.   I'll let you know what it's like to see the clock when I wake up and what it's like to NOT have to adjust my moving toric lenses constantly.

Out with the old, in with the new

Christmas cards are ordered, whether or not they arrive prior to our departure is another matter entirely, not to mention if and when they will make it to the mail.  I was really so, so tempted to use this picture:

But I didn’t.

 

We said good bye to The Tank this week.  Our 2004 Nissan Quest gave us 7 years and 112,000 miles and we weren’t sure how much she had left in her considering all the cross country driving we are fond of doing.  The Silver Bullet is a 2011 Sienna and we hope she will serve us well.  She has a super special feature – a handicap lift passenger seat.  Yep, we will be selling tickets for rides.  As this is a not a feature we need or wanted, it was a really great deal on a brand new Sienna.  I actually will make use of the chair as I give rides to a blind woman at church and she struggles to get in and out of the van.

 

I am also saying good bye to my beloved title of stay-at-home mom and will be an at-work-mom-while-the-kids-are-in-school-part-time.  I accepted a part time seasonal tax job with a local firm.  To add the excitement of Christmas preparations, I get to attend new hire orientation M-T-W next week.  Aaannnnd, we leave for PeeYay Thursday morning.

 

So long, farewell to my 2 year stint in our ward’s Relief Society Presidency, also too.  I am super excited to be working with a fabulous group of women as we plan the week long Girls’ Camp for our stake (~120 young women & leaders) in June 2012.  Coordinating that while working will be a challenge, but I’m hoping that I’ll be super organized and on top of everything, except maybe the laundry and meals and cleaning.

 

I have much lego leaguing, show choiring, fa-la-la-la-laing, new jobbing, packing, baking, swim teaming, cleaning, carpooling, wrapping, and perspective keeping to accomplish in the next 7 days.  Merriest of Merry Christmases to you!

 

And in the spirit of Christmas, if you haven’t seen this it’s worth a few minutes of your time.  My brother actually had a Big Trak, which met a similar fate, sort of.

 

Happy 40th Birthday Matt!

Matt you are getting old.  You're not old yet, just getting there.  Your memory never fails you, but just in case, here's 40 memories of growing up with you...

1)  Playing bombardment in the Philhaven gym and other misadventures we had on our Saturdays with dad at work.
2)  Dressing Muffet up, putting her in the shopping cart and running around the house with her.
3)  Throwing superballs in and around hotel pools/hallways on various roadtrips.
4)  Fishtailing into the cornfield in Palmyra.
5)  Blizzard of 1994 - "While you're up..."
6)  The Valley Beach snack bar and sockfuls of jingle sticks
7)  Me falling off your top bunk.
8)  Your bathroom experiences with Owen.
9)  The night you and Deb got engaged
10)  Watching you play baseball for Spring Hill Acres after I stepped on a rusty nail.
11)  Allowing me to play street hockey with all your friends, until Jason Althouse busted my head open.
12)  Proud Cloud and other exceptionally creative Ink Dinks on our Indy 500 roadtrip.
13)  Watching James Bond marathons on TBS.
14)  Tearing the hood release out of Priscilla on our CA roadtrip.
15)  1984 roadtrip with cousin Kim and cousin Steve.  What were mom and dad thinking?
16)  Basement roller hockey and our 'fans' on the water tank.
17)  Living in the cottage and the stinky bathroom.
18)  Doing a cartwheel onto your remote control Porsche and breaking the antenna.
19)  Christmas 1988 - you got skis and a leather jacket.  I was so jealous I wanted to die.
20)  You and your family flying to CA in 2001 after 9/11 to visit us.
21)  You jamming with Taylor summer 1996, I believe it was Frankie Valli.
22)  Hiding my sheet and telling me you burned it when I was like 5.
23)  Annual anniversary dinners
24)  Rock n' Bowl
25)  Watching you crew at the Frostbite Regatta.
26)  Mmmerfle
27)  Ocean City Maryland with BJ and Anne.  "It's so BODE."
28)  Making me lay on the floor of the car so you could have the whole backseat.
29)  Playing spoons and basement tag with the Kellers.
30)  Sobbing uncontrollably at your wedding - I was so happy for you.
31)  Deer whistles
32)  Drinking unhealthy amounts of Coke and using the can crusher.
33)  You never knowing what to wear to church.
34)  You spending the whole day with Taylor at SDSU - you were exhausted.
35)  Ditching church and going to McDonalds and hanging out in the parlor.
36)  Your touchdown at the Lebanon game.
37)  You becoming a dad for the first time (and the second time, too).
38)  Your bone crushing foot massages.
39)  Throwing Jell-o on the ceiling.
40) Chasing you up the stairs and kicking a hole through your door.

And a few (but not 40) pictures.  If I was a more organized/thoughtful sister, I would have planned this out in advance, but alas, I am not.  And that is why your birthday cards are still sitting on my counter and this blog post is a day late.  I love you!

You can dress us up…

…but generally it’s not a good idea to take us out.

We went to a wedding this weekend.  It was lovely.  We probably don’t belong at places that are lovely.

Taylor started a real job a few weeks ago, baggin’ groceries at the local grocery store, following in her daddy’s footsteps.  We’re so proud, really we are!  I’m having heart palpitations over sending her into the big wide world next year and it’s high time she grew up… some… a little.  Since she’s new to having a job and not really one to ask lots of questions about how things work and such, she did not successfully request the day off for my cousin’s wedding that we have been planning to go to since they got engaged last year.

Thankfully she was scheduled 8-2; wedding is in Des Moines which is a little over 2 hours away, and it’s not until 5:30.  Plenty of time.  Of course, this was not my first reaction, where I went a little crazy in the middle of Hy Vee (place of her employment) when she told me she had to work.  I later apologized for my rant and general tantrum throwing.

Plan A was to pick her up and drive to our hotel check in and have everybody change and then head to the wedding.  After some thought on how realistic that was going to be, I quickly moved on to Plan B, where everyone had to be dressed in their finery upon leaving our house.  I can tell you how thrilled Lydia was about that.  She was thrilled.

Picked up Taylor, a wedding card (because I plan ahead like that) and 4AA batteries for a dying Leapster AND got a compliment from a nice old lady who told me, “You look really pretty,” as I was running in heels out of the store.

Daniel our trusty English accented Garmin sidekick successfully got us to our hotel by 4:17pm.  We checked in, let Taylor change and visited Monka and Nana a bit.  Our hotel happened to be hosting a wedding right then and the ceremony was outside directly below M & N’s room.  As soon as the bride got down the aisle to her groom, Owen said, “Hurry up and kiss already!”  Sadly we couldn’t stick around to see ‘the kiss.’

For anyone who has been to Iowa in the summer, the weather is often hot and humid, but the day could not have been more beautiful.  Sunny skies and no humidity.  We briefly chatted with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins before making our way to our seats.  I cannot walk in heels and do anything else that requires thought, so I nearly broke my ankle twice walking down the flagstone walkway while trying to wave to family. 

Beau and Joanna have been together for 7 years which is about how long we’ve lived in Iowa.  We’ve gotten to know her pretty well through all the family gatherings.  The first time we met her was at a Fourth of July BBQ at my parents.  She played with my kids and seemed very at ease with all of us Blanchards.  Those were the things that stood out to me, and the fact that she was so pretty.  Beau reminds me a lot of my brother.  The Blanchard genes run strong among the first born Blanchard boys.  Matt, Beau and Michael are similar in many ways, from looks to mannerisms to love of sports.  I couldn’t help but think back to Matt’s wedding during this ceremony.  I was a blubbering fool at his wedding, because I was so happy for him.  He had found the perfect woman for him in Deb; and Beau has found that in Joanna.

We arrived at the reception venue without incident.  Then everyone had to go to the bathroom.  Lydia and Owen and I head to the Women’s restroom.  Jerry was supervising the grandparents (mine, not Monka and Nana) and I still don’t quite feel comfortable sending Owen into Men’s room all by himself.  I’m in a stall with Owen supervising and all of sudden there is water flowing into our stall.  My first thought was someone (I’m not related to, since we were really in a restaurant bathroom, not the reception area bathroom) really had to go and missed, then I hear Gaby start yelling.  Oh geez.  Public overflowing toilets are just gross and wrong.  I’m stuck in the stall imagining Gaby’s dress soaked with, well, you know.  Thankfully she evacuated the stall quickly without harm.  A good hand washing and warning to the next woman entering the restroom and we were out of there.

During the cocktail hour my kids discovered a love of gouda.  Gaby camped out next to the cheese and would have stuffed her pockets as we left for the dinner had she had any pockets - her cheeks and fists were bulging.

When we sat down at dinner, my kids were instantly mesmerized by the place settings.  After a quick tutorial on what fork to use when, Owen and Lydia had some game going involving stacking coffee cups.  Gaby wanted to touch each of the butter balls.  And apparently the abundance of silverware put Taylor over the edge, as well.  I think it’s time to revisit the manners section in Parenting for Dummies, I must have skipped that chapter. 

About half way through dinner at the reception, Lydia bursts into a huge smile and starts giggling.  She leans over and says, “I forgot to take my shorts off.”  Remember that whole part about her being thrilled to travel dressed up?  So, she’s looking ever so proper in her formal wear with electric blue running shorts on underneath.  Near the end of the reception my dad’s cousin got all the remaining kids going in a dance to “Takin’ Care of Business,” which involved a lot of clapping, pounding the floor, laying on the floor, and kicking the air while laying on the floor.  Lydia was grateful for the shorts.

During the toasts, my kids started playing with the champagne flutes.  I have no idea what happened, but Owen flung/dropped his on the ground and I commenced crawling around (in between toasts) to pick up shards of glass that are precariously close to the dance floor.  When I’m not under our table (or the table next to ours) collecting glass, I’m consoling Owen.  He’s crying loudly, “I’m going to be in so much trouble!”  Jerry eventually notifies the staff and a nice young fellow saves the day with a broom.  I’m still terrified that someone is going to step on a stray piece of glass, so I use a table napkin to sweep the area.  Which Owen then later uses to wipe his face.

And speaking of napkins, the beautifully decorated tables had little tea light candles set all around.  Lydia somehow managed to burn her napkin in the flame.  On purpose?  Maybe.  She was sitting closer to Jerry, so I’ll blame that one on him.  And just as cake is being served *clink* another champagne flute bites the dust. 

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Beau Blanchard,

We really enjoyed your wedding.  And even though no one at table 11 touched the champagne, things did get a little bit rowdy.  Please feel free to send a bill for 2 champagne flutes and a purple satin napkin to us.  (I’m pretty sure no one saw us in the downstairs restroom, and that really wasn’t technically our fault anyway.)  Have a wonderful time on your honeymoon.

Love,

The Kilgores

 

The dancing was fun.  At one point Gaby (who refused to dance, she would only sway), pulled on my arm and said, “Now we’re twins!”  It took me awhile to notice she had stuck a sticky pearl from a place card on her forehead.  My kids are ever reminding me of (one of) my least favorite features, a mole on my forehead.  Yep, Gaby seems to be most fascinated by it and once she started drawing people, always included my dot, which according to her drawings was more like a second head.

The night was winding down.  Owen crashed around 10:30, so Jerry took him back to the hotel.  We partied on until close to midnight, which is way past my bedtime.  My cousin’s wife and I repeatedly said, “I’m too old for this.”  There weren’t many slow songs, but I got each of the girls to dance with my cousins who are delightful.  I love them and love the fact that my kids have these pseudo-cousins of mine.  I should probably dedicate a post to Aaron-Jacob-Caleb and their awesomeness. 

                 

And, and I slow danced with my dad.  I’m 36 years old and I don’t think I ever did that before.  I thought we must have at my brother’s wedding, but he didn’t think so.  I love you, dad.

And there you have it.  Plenty of reasons why you should think twice about inviting us to your wedding.

Unpublished treasures?

I haven't been posting much of anything on my blog for the past year or so.  However, I have started many posts that never materialized into full posts.  Here is a sampling of what I found among my drafts.

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THINGS HEARD AROUND THE HOUSE

We always count down to prayers.  Tonight at dinner: "1-2-3 ... wait let me put my guns down."

Gaby lost her lumpia.

Don't eat like a pig.... Quack, quack.

Gaby's post baptism thoughts: "Well, I got the Holy Ghost, I guess I'm good to go!"

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HAPPY FATHER'S DAY
 
Today was Father's Day and it was amazing.

It started with Jerry being showered with gifts from our darling and oh so clever children.

Lydia made not one but two fully functional (and fashion forward, I might add) clip on ties. One is a tie-dyed bow tie and the other is a bright red regular tie. But it's no regular tie. She took apart his Father's Day card from last year, which was so awesome that yes we kept it for a whole year. It sings this song:

I'm super dad protector of the land
No need to pout,
I'll help you out.
Sensing that something's broken,
I will respond,
Bringing my toolbox along!
And if you need a hand,
I'll help you out,
I'm super dad (something that's not quite intelligible but presumably rhymes with out)

The card alone was epic. But now, the duct tape tie plays the song! She cut out the parts and taped them to the back. Well done, Lydia, well done. Oh yes, and her handmade card read, "Happy Father's Day! I'm adducted to you, dad!"  As a side note, we had a special Stake Conference on Father's Day and Elder Richard G. Scott (one of the twelve apostles) was visiting.  Lydia was quite sure that her tie would be suitable attire for the occasion; however we were a little concerned that the tie might burst into song at the most inappropriate moment, like when we were singing in the choir a few feet from Elder Scott.  Jerry opted for the tie-dyed bow tie and took along a regular tie for the choir number.

Gaby gave him a can of nuts, because he eats a lot of nuts. She made a cute little wrap for the can that said, "I'm nuts about you!"

Owen found a recordable Christmas card in my room several weeks ago. He stashed it in his room, saving it just for Father's Day. This card was sent to us this past Christmas by my loving grandparents. It plays "Sleigh Bells" when you open it. You can also record a message. When we received the card and opened it, it said, "Press and hold the button to record your message." My dear grandmother not only forgot to record a message, but left the tag with the instructions in the card as well. As a side note, my brother also received the same card. Same recorded (or unrecorded for that matter) message. Same instruction tag still attached. And the added bonus was that grandma forgot to sign it.

So, Owen recorded his "Happy Father's Day, I love you dad!" message which was followed by and rousing chorus of 'sleigh bells ring, are you listening'...

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TALES FROM THE SICK BED
 
"Owen why are you whispering?"   "Because my regular voice is blurry."

"Mom, did I puke or fro' up?  Is there a difference?"

"What flavor Gatorage would you like? Grape, Orange, Fruit Punch, Lemon Lime, Artic Glacier Frost, Glacier Freeze, Raspberry Melon, or X-Factor Fruit Punch-Berry?"

"Mom, I frew up. Can I have some strawberries?"

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And that concludes my draft purge.

And here I thought it was going to be an expensive weekend…

 

Taylor: “Mom, did you know that the carpet in the basement in Ashley’s room is squishy?”

Me:  “Um, no.”

I go investigate and indeed the carpet in Ashley’s room is squishy.  Ashley is our beloved basement dweller, sometimes referred to as the person who lives under the stairs (makes Taylor excited to have some connection to Harry Potter).  Just as I’m about to deliver the "yaknowyaneedtotelluswhenstufflikethishappens” lecture, she says, “Jerry saw it the other day.”

I call Jerry who is fishing and who is going to love getting this call.  I ask if he looked around when he discovered the squishy carpet, because the entire floor of the furnace room was now covered in water with much of the carpets surrounding the furnace room were squishy, also too.  Nope.

My initial guess was that something was up with the hot water heater.  Floor, water, water near water heater ergo, something’s up with the hot water heater.  But then I noticed that there was water splatters down the side of the furnace (just guessing here), and a lot of those splatters were pretty darn close to an electrical box.  Doesn’t seem to be the best design, but what do I know?

All the water seemed to be coming from this PVC pipe thing that was attached to the A/C unit (again guessing).  Hmmm.  At this point, Jerry had to get back to his fishing date with Lydia.  So, he wished me well and asked that I just get things cleaned up to buy time until he got home.

First round was towels.  When that didn’t make a dent, I brought out the shop vac.  That worked quite nicely, but the water was still coming from somewhere.  When I went behind the furnace the floor was covered in a nasty slime.  The deck drain looks like something out of a horror movie.  30 years of build up of whatever builds up in 30 years in a deck drain.  Eww.  Good thing I have a strong stomach.  I’m thinking I deserve something for this.  Anyone want to go see “The Help” with me?

The deck drain didn’t appear to be backing up, but the PVC pipe was attached to a rubber hose that drained into the drain.  That’s where the water was coming from, but why?  Do you care?  Probably not.  Upon getting a closer look, the problem was … a dead moth of all things.  Perfectly dead and perfectly covering the opening to the hose to drain the condensation from the A/C unit.

I tried to get him out with tweezers and chop sticks, but he just fell apart.  That stinking moth nearly flooded my basement.  Geesh!

        

 

Yay me #1 for not being the CAUSE of the problem which is so typically the case and #2 for fixing the problem!

Sneak Peek

Taylor will be starting her senior year of high school in less than 2 weeks.  She's 16 almost 17 and will be leaving home when she's 17 almost 18, in like a year.  That makes me sad.  It's hard to imagine what day to day life around here will be like without her in it. 

My super talented friend Alicia from Project Alicia and A2APics took Taylor's outdoor senior pictures a few weeks ago (when it was about 110).  Taylor had a lot of fun, though it wasn't suprising that she had a hard time with the being serious shots.  One of her first attempts ended like this:

I'm so happy with the photos and all the editing she's done.  This is just a sampling of some of the pictures from the shoot.  Taylor will be doing round 2 - indoor with straight hair - later this fall.  

   

So, here's to Taylor's not-a-senior Senior Year!