Kacey's creations ...

If you're into giveaways ...
or terribly cute things ...
you should visit this sweet little place!



www.owltreatcreations.blogspot.com

The Phonecalls ~

Last night, after I blogged, I crawled into bed and watched TV until about 3:00 a.m. Sleep was nowhere to be found ... I looked! I thought Keaton might be calling bright and early, so I placed my cell phone and a home phone right by my pillow so I wouldn't miss anything. It worked.

At 6:00 a.m., the home phone rang and it was him, calling from the airport to tell me that he was doing GREAT. We had a short but sweet little conversation and he was off to go serve in the snow. He seems so ready and it was great to hear his voice.

...........

Fast forward to about 8:00 a.m. The phone rings again ... this time it's Jake.

"Mom, will you please come pick me up? I didn't know that I had homework (in three of his classes!) and I'm so tired I just want to rest today."

Oh silly Jake.

The answer was, no.

.............

Now back up ... Did you grow up with the classic Mormon movie "The Phonecall"? I need to giggle & watch that flick again. But tonight I'm climbing into bed early and hoping that the phone doesn't ring until tomorrow.

Rambling at midnight ~

Labor Day, 2010. Our day started off early over here ... 4:30 a.m. to be exact. Gary and the boys went dove hunting with our little friends, the Arnett's. I didn't even know we were hunters. We weren't hunters! Until Labor Day 2010. Apparently they were almost sprayed by other humans with guns ... luckily Gary yelled for the youngins to cover their eyes! ... and they didn't hit a dove until they were on their way home where they ran into one with the truck. No wonder the state allows us to thin out the dove population a bit!

After the hunt of 2010 was over, we all headed over to the gym where the boys played racquetball with Gary and Uncle Danny, and I walked briskly on a fancy machine with it's own little television. My walk went by rather quickly as I tried to keep up with reading the subtitles while maintaining a steady yet oh-so-slight incline.

After the monumental work-outs, we headed over to Subway (because anybody who watches The Biggest Loser knows that you can literally lose 300 pounds by eating there) ... which would have been perfectly healthy had I not demanded a double scoop of Thrifty ice-cream following my oh-so-lean turkey sandwich. Oh well.

What would Labor Day be without a well deserved nap for those who regularly labor? Nothing! So we all took a little snooze as we fell asleep watching how baseball gloves are made (no wonder we dozed off)!

Around dinner time I decided that I would rest from my labors of cooking, and go shopping with my friend for some home decor that I desperately needed (toothbrush holders ... how have I lived this long without them?!) It was my first visit to Home Goods ... and it will probably not be my last.

Finally, tonight ... Matthew had a show. He's a rock star. It was his biggest show yet and even Grandpa Vince and Grandma Carol were in attendance. It was bloomin' hot ... sweat was everywhere ... but it was awesome. I love his new song, in memory of a friend we just lost.

We all came home and I remembered that I had to get our company billing done. So my work is now finished. My little ones and my big one are all in bed sound asleep. The dishwasher is humming and the evening has cooled down. I think we're done with this nonsensical heat and something new is in store.

Tomorrow, Keaton leaves for the mission field. It is possible that he will get to call home. If he does, then the day after Labor Day will be my new favorite day ... especially the one in 2012.

Happy Labor Day!

Fair Skin and Freakiness ...

Walking through Target this evening ...
I was approached by a young man.

Young Man: "Excuse me, can I compliment you on your feet? I dabble in Reflexology and I am really taken with your fair skin! Would you be interested in some sessions?"

I briskly moved forward with my cart full of socks (how ironic), and let him know that I already had a great Massage Therapist.

Ha!

Sessions?

Is THAT what they call it now?

This blond streak is clearly working for me!

HA!

Although I must have a thing for my feet as well, since I do have a phone full of feet pictures. Some people are great at taking self-portraits of their faces. I dabble in feet ...

but not Reflexology ...
and not young men ...
HA!

Mid-Life Questions ...

A couple of weeks ago, I saw a woman with two-toned hair ... and I totally made fun of her and called her Cruella Deville. Yesterday, I came home from the "salon" (can we call Fantastic Sam's a salon?) with a big blond strip right down the side of my face. Am I a hypocrite? Do I look like Cruella? Do I secretly long to be Cruella (minus the killing of Dalmations and draping myself in them). Is this what they call a mid-life crisis? Why can't I just go gray and be happy with whatever comes naturally?


The bottom line is that I don't feel old enough to be gray ... and I think I would look atrocious! I'm not ready to be atrocious yet! Does this blond strip make me look atrocious? Say it isn't so! Granted I could be a Grandma in the very near future and most of my children are now taller than me, but I'm still fighting it.

Oh dear. Cruella is a fighter.

Whatever. For now I will fight the hot flashes with my hormone patch and the gray hair with two bottles of color. I don't know if I will ever let myself go gray. My hair is one of the few things that I can control! And in case you didn't know this ... if I didn't color it, I would be completely gray. Oh the mere thought of it! It's not for me and I'm not for it. But I will probably try every other color except gray as I travel on this journey through aging. Fun!

Long lost family ~

Yesterday I received an email from Robert Brent McKinnon in West Valley City, UT.

He ran across this picture while he was doing some family history research on Google, which directed him to my blog.



It turns out that my handsome Grandpa is this man's second cousin. Long live blogging ... and people who thrive on family history!

Alas, this is not one of my talents ... but welcome to the family Brent (he says that his friends and family call him Brent ... and that's me)!

P.S. If you're wondering how I know that Brent isn't just some looney tune who is stalking my blog (like so many do) and just waiting outside of my house for a shot of me in curlers ... don't worry he proved himself. The man sent Pedigree charts and has more information on my family than I ever will have. Land sakes he is bonafide!

Like Christmas!

We got our first letter ... and he LOVES it!
Oh joy oh joy that boy!


My favorite quote from the letter
"There isn't a doubt in my mind that this is where I'm supposed to be."