A Few Things

So, my last post was my "homemade" give-away. Nine people commented and wanted something homemade from me - but, as far as I can tell, no one did the "pay it forward" part. So I am just going to send everyone who commented a little something. If you live close and I can hand-deliver it then you will get something better. I love my neighbors. If you live farther away - I'm thinking of sending you a homemade Mother's Day card. Be looking out for it.

I'm pretty sure I have written about my dinner group so many times that you all wish you were in one too. I really love it - I can't imagine life without it honestly. Several times we have talked about putting together a cook book or at least writing down all of our dinner recipes each week. Then I started thinking that someday it will have to end and what if I never get Cami's recipe for Salisbury Steak that my family loves, or Sara's chicken enchiladas or Laura's spaghetti pie? My family would be so sad. Luckily - Sara got smart and ambitious and started a blog where we can all post the recipe we are making for food group each week. Now I have every one's recipes at my fingertips and you can too! Sara so cleverly named it the Saucy Apron and you can find it here. You can thank me later.

Like Homemade?

Jam? Crafts? Lemonade?

Almost everything is better homemade! So I am joining the homemade giveaway bandwagon! The first three comments/ers to this post will receive something homemade from moi. Something gooooood. BUT (don't say anything about my big but) you have to do the same thing on your blog. You have to post this "pay it forward" saying you will send out some homemade prizes and then come back and comment saying you did it. Sound good? Hop to it! I'm in the mood to make some stuff!

WHDUP G

I saw a car with that license plate this morning and I LOVE it! I wish I had it! I am coveting my neighbors license plate. Speaking of my neighbors license plates. Apparently there is a family from Wales living down the street from me - how do I know this? The man's car has a plate that says WLSHMAN and his wife's car says RAREBIT. I don't know if rarebit is a Welsh endearment but I have eaten Welsh Rarebit and it is gross. I'm okay with rabbit - we ate it a lot in France but not with cheese and eaten over toast with questionable gravy. Ewww. You can tell a lot about a person from their vanity plate.

I love personalized license plates. I have always wanted one but I think I am not clever enough to pick one that will last or define me in some way. I feel like my suburban is indeed a taxi but how many times have you seen plates like MOMSTXI or MOMOF4 or whatever. BORING! There is always the motocross mom MXMOM or IRIDE2. I could celebrate the fact that I lived in France for a while with OUI OUI or CESTMOI.

My favorite plates are the ones that you can't really figure out what they are trying to say so you make a game of thinking up all of the crazy things it could say. One of the best ever used to be on a truck owned by our good friend who lives down the street. I know this man to be a huge fan of comic book heroes - namely Bat Man. So when he got a big black truck - he got a vanity plate to go along with it. Now this man is also an IT type guy - his previous truck had a plate confessing CMPTRGK (computer geek) - so while I understood his new plate for his new truck - DRKNITE to be an homage to the masked one - my husband came home asking "why would Lee get a plate that says Dork Nite?"

I still want one. Help me think up a good one.

I Should Stop Talking About the Gym So Much

But when every muscle I have is screaming at me - it is all I can think about.

I will keep going. Quitting is not an option but the thought comes to me every. single. day. I feel good about myself when I am done with a work out. This week was particularly good - yesterday one of the teachers said I was young. Now, most of the women in his class were a good 15 or 20 years older than me but it sill felt good to be called that.

After taking a crazy "combat" class (lots of kicking, punching and running around) the teacher - who knew I was new - came up to me and told me that I did a great job and that I was very coordinated. No one has EVER called me that before - quite the opposite in fact. I regularly trip over nothing, fall UP the stairs and walk into walls and doors. It makes me smile just to think about it - maybe they get paid by the number of return visitors and they know what to say to keep me coming.

A Month Off

WARNING - VERY LONG POST

I have started so many posts in the last four weeks. I have 8 semi-finished posts in draft form. They all suck. This post will probably suck too - but too bad. Lots happened in January that kept my mind off of my blog, a new calling, sickness, taking care of my mom and recently realizing that I put apostrophes in totally inappropriate places.

January was exciting. Devon and Courtney turned 14. They have yet to attend a Saturday night dance. Probably because they are afraid I am going to follow them and embarrass them in front of their friends. I will be really tempted. I will want to see if they are keeping the only rule I gave them - that they only dance with each other. They think I'm weird.

I have a new calling as the Primary Chorister. I think I mentioned it a while ago. It is going well. I really like it. I received no instruction or materials from anyone so I am just going about it in my own way. We learned "I Lived in Heaven" in January. I am teaching "How Firm a Foundation" in February - not easy to teach to three year olds.

We have taken the motorcycles out a few times lately. The desert is so pretty and green right now. The weather is amazing - I even got a little sunburned on my nose last Saturday watching Devon and Alan ride at a new track in our area. This time of year we are all about the motorcycles and camping and being out side. Come July and August every year we discuss selling our motorcycles and trailer because they aren't getting used. We suffer from short term weather memory.

I am making plans to go to Women's Conference again this year. I can't wait. I am such a nicer, better, happier person when I get home.

I just read something very disturbing today on the internets. You know how at the beginning of the season on The Bachelor (you know you watch it) they kept showing a clip of DeAnna coming and telling Jason that she made a mistake and should have picked him? Well, it was all set up by the producers as a teaser for this season. She doesn't really come back. She has a boyfriend. They were just tricking us to make sure we watched every week. I feel duped. But I'm still watching. I choose Molly or Melissa.

I've gone back to the gym. Right now it is kicking my rear-end. Every time a teacher gives out instructions I know they are seeing my bad form and correcting me - every time they shout out an option for the elderly or disabled - I know they are really giving it to me. But - I'm going. I will keep going and hopefully get some more of this weight off.

I still haven't completely put my front room back together since moving everything for Christmas. I need a change - I just haven't figured out what yet. I wish I could afford to re-paint and buy new furniture. I'm wishing for a beachy cottage-y look. Painted wood floors, white slip covered furniture and gauzy windy coverings. Maybe I just need a vacation.

Speaking of vacations. Alan and I were this close to booking a trip to France a few weeks ago. We do this every couple of years. Deals are abounding when the weather is questionable. A wonderful family I know in France recently moved just outside of Paris... if we were just a little bit more secure in Alans job - I think we would do it.

Alans employer has had LOTS of lay-offs as of late. We feel so blessed to still have a job. This blasted recession. I hate that everyone is always talking about it.

Last week I made 16 Mothers Day cards for my card group. Number one, I can't believe I made them last week - typically I am still making them the day we meet. Number two, they are so cute I can't even believe I made them. Number three, I think I made up a technique that I used - but I probably saw it in a magazine or on a blog or something - but I like thinking to myself that I am a paper crafting genius.

I read a cute book on Saturday while at the track. It is called the Secret Journal of Bret Colton. It is Courtney's book - very LDS teenager-y but I liked it. I cried a lot. Probably because I love my brothers so much. I never get to see my brothers. Three live here in town - I rarely see them. I think that it has been over year since I have seen two brothers that live out of town.

I kind of hate facebook. It is overwhelming. But I love that I am keeping track of my nieces and nephews on it. My dad was the great connector. I always knew what was going on with my brothers and sisters and their families while he was alive. There is no one to keep us all updated. For a while we had a family blog - but everyone kind of pooped out on that. Maybe facebook can take its place.

Anyway, kids are home from school. We are heading out for a bike ride or walk to the park to enjoy this beautiful 78 degree day.