Tuesday, March 30, 2010

A.K.A. MOM

Last night, the evening news featured a story about how a very small number of the population can actually use their cell phones and safely operate a vehicle at the same time. The rest of us are advised to leave our cell phones at home, tucked safely behind bullet-proof glass. The 2% who are evolved enough to do both, were called "super-taskers."

Excuse me?

They can do two things at once? Wow.

Yesterday I did laundry, cooked dinner (which included homemade strawberry lemonade) and helped my daughter with her oral report on the state of Tennessee. Oh - and supervised my son and his "play-date." All at once.

But I'm no super-tasker.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Community, Continued

There's this awesome little store that recently opened in Midway, called simply enough, The Store. It is the first and only grocery store in Midway, despite the fact that there are two larger supermarkets in Heber. And being the only grocery store in Midway, I never go there without seeing someone I know. The Store sells your typical daily-type groceries but they also have many specialty items. My favorite part is the bakery.

They have bismarcks. Bismarcks have always been and shall forever remain my favorite doughnut. Custard on the inside, chocolate icing on the outside. What's not to love? And these bismarcks are the best I've ever tried. Yesterday I stopped in for one. But perhaps it was one too many, because Jessica, the girl behind the counter, said, "Why do I even ask you what you want? I'm just going to start calling you the bismarck lady."

I guess I could be called be worse.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Community

Excuse me, while I have a Norman Rockwell moment.

I love where I live. Have I mentioned that before? It's a small community nestled in the mountains. It's a tale of two towns: Heber City and Midway. Think Dallas/Fort Worth, only without the traffic. Or the buildings. Or all the people.

The people who do live here are exceptional. Tonight my daughter and I went to the local production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." It was presented in-the-round, which was perfect for our town, and here's why: I had a perfect view of EVERYONE. Both on the stage and in the audience, I saw: kids I taught last year, kids I teach this year; children I teach at church. People I work with, people I go to church with, and of course, friends.

There is much to be said for community. To see people and feel connected; to feel as happy about running into someone as they are to be running into you. In this age of personal devices, and i-thisses and i-thats, what a treasure it is to do some real life, face-to-face social networking.

Even better, set to music.

On our way out, my daughter was reading the back of the playbill and asked, "can I try out for the next one?" How can I say no?

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Guy Update

So today I happened to stop in on a local business owner/friend. As we chatted, guess who should pass by her window? THE GUY!!!

Naturally I had to ask if she knew who he was. And in fact, she knew a little. She told me his name, but I am going to withhold publishing it so as to protect him. It sounds like he might need a little protection. He is a former ranch hand from Montana or Minnesota - she couldn't remember which. Anyway, he has experience with big cattle drives. She's not sure how he ended up here. He had a car, but then sold it for money. Then he had a motorcycle, but he sold it for money. Then he had a bicycle, and, well, you know the rest. Now he can be seen walking all over town. She also thought he seemed to wrestle with Tourette's Syndrome. And that is the total of what she knew.

It's not as glamorous as being an Australian spy whose mind was erased, but I guess my questions are answered (mostly).

Monday, March 22, 2010

A Little Blast From the Past

So here's what's going on at my house lately. On Saturday, my kids played with some friends who had the old Muppet Show on DVD. They came home and begged me to find this particular sketch on YouTube. We've been singing it ever since. Watch it, but be warned, you will not be able to get the song out of your head. It is now my ringtone.



Friday, March 19, 2010

Good-Bye Bad Hair

So I finally got my hair cut. It finally has shape. It finally has style. And now I look just... like... this.
I swear.




Thursday, March 18, 2010

A First

Today was the first day of the NCAA mens basketball tournament. Yes, March Madness. I married a sports fanatic, so it was a definite bonus that I loved the tournament as much as he did. We've had fun betting each other for the best brackets - I've even won a few times. We watched it at the department store while trying to register for our wedding. I watched it from my hospital bed when trying to stop early labor. I've watched it for years; and for years, I've had a vested interest: the Arizona Wildcats. There's nothing like being on campus when the tournament is on. Sometimes they got knocked out early. Many times, they made it to the Final Four. 1997 was our championship year. Lute Olson was the king of Tucson. The Cats have been invited to the tournament for as long as I can remember. Every year that is, until this one.

*Sigh.* So I'm feeling a little lost today. I mean, who am I supposed to cheer for? Gonzaga? Duke? (I don't think so). My daughter is doing a report on the state of Tennessee, so that's who she's rooting for. Most people around here are rallying around BYU. I'm just not feeling the love there, either.

I think I'll just sleep in my Arizona t-shirt tonight and hope they get invited next year.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

The Guy

There's this guy. He's tall and blonde and kind of looks like a young-ish Robert Redford. He always has on earphones, sunglasses, a thick down coat, blue jeans, and tall leather boots. He's usually toting a backpack as well. And at random times throughout the week, usually in the early-afternoon hours, he is walking along the street before you get to the hill where I live.

Today, instead of the boots, he was wearing hiking shoes.

I'm obviously not the kind of gal to stop a random stranger and start an interrogation, but this guy poses some questions that I really need to have answered. For starters, who is he? Where is he from? Why is he always walking on Homestead Drive? How much did he pay for those very expensive-looking boots? What is he listening to?

Because it is highly unlikely that I will ever have a conversation with him, I've decided to fill in the holes for myself. I've chosen to leave him nameless, as it's likely he's in search of his stolen identity. He is from Australia and he woke up in an abandoned barn right here in Midway with nothing but the clothes on his back and a mysterious recording on an MP3 player. The recording is full of hidden layers, each revealing a clue to his past. The clues are hidden in the surrounding mountains and each one brings him closer to the woman he loves but doesn't remember.

It could happen.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Good-Bye Winter...

Do you know what I did today? I sat outside and watched my husband and my son play catch. I wore sunglasses and no jacket. Keeping my nose pointed at the sun, I hardly noticed the two feet of snow still blanketing the yard.

Did I mention that everyone in my town has spring fever? A co-worker of mine wore sandals to work today, but also brought "warm" shoes for recess duty. People are talking about their gardens as if they are already planted. My kids are excited because olive-drab patches of grass are peeking up through the melting snow.

It reminds me of my favorite Billy Holiday song:

The very thought of you,
and I forget to do
those little ordinary things
that everyone ought to do...

That, of course, was a love song directed towards a person. But it clearly has applications for spring. We'll take what we can get. One degree fahrenheit at a time.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Done!

Yes, I finished the book. And now I get to do my first book review for you! This is very official, of course. And I'm not saying nice things just because Becca is my friend. I'm saying nice things because My Ridiculous Romantic Obsessions is a good book!

Sarah has a thing for two things: romance novels (the kind with women pouring out of their dresses) and nice guys (the kind who are hot). A college freshman, she soon meets Ben, a really hot, really nice guy. She can't figure out why someone like him would want to hang out with someone like her. Having been burned before, Sarah has to decide if Ben is the real deal or just another villain from a romance novel.

I guess you'll have to read it for yourself if you want to find out...

By the way, Becca has written another book, entitled Bright Blue Miracle (another fabulous read). If you want to know more about her, check her out here: www.beccawilhite.com

Friday, March 12, 2010

Do You Know What This Is?

This is an image of the newest book written by my brilliant friend, Becca Wilhite. I just picked up my copy today and I am so excited to read it! If you're smart, and you enjoy really good books, I mean REALLY GOOD books, go and get your copy today. Right now! You won't be sorry.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

It's Official

Yep. I'm the world's greatest teacher. Here are two documents attesting to the truth.

Friday, March 5, 2010

My Crazy Mixed-Up Day

My day started off like this: I realized that I am married to a wookie. Not because he's big and fuzzy and cuddly. But because he sounds like one when he sleeps. Something has got to give, because:

I got it in my head somehow that everyone at school was supposed to wear green. We've been celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday all week and I thought that we were all wearing green in honor of Green Eggs and Ham. I told my kindergarteners to show up today in as much green as they possibly could because there was going to be a prize awarded to the class who had the most. So this morning, my 22 5 and 6-year-olds came decked out in their most verde-licious duds. There were green bows, beads, socks, tights, shoes, shirts, and even a green shark-tooth necklace. Much to my dismay, there was no such contest going on.

Unfortunately, they kept asking when the student council was coming to count up their green-ness. So, being a master of improv, I said, "let me count you all up and I'll turn it in to the principal." Fortunately there is a grocery store right next to the school and I quickly ducked out during recess to pick up some green peeps as their "prize."

As I was walking down the hall towards the exit, I noticed a man, who I assumed was a substitute teacher, using a snow shovel to prop open the door (yes we had a major snowstorm overnight). You have to have an activated I.D. badge to get into any door in the school, besides the main entrance. Hence, I presumed, the reason for the snow shovel. His minivan was parked in the drop-off/pick-up zone and for some unexplained reason, as I crossed the parking lot, he decided to back up at full speed. In other words, he punched it. In other words, I found myself running for my life. Across a snowy, slushy, slippery parking lot. He missed me by a few inches. When he realized what he had done, he did apologize, and proceeded to explain that he was trying to back up to his former parking spot. There were no parking spots available in the area he was reversing toward, by the way. I found out later that there were no male substitutes in the building today, so I still don't know who he was.

Needless to say, I came home and took a long nap.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Something

I've been thinking all day about what I could possibly post to the blog tonight.

Nothing.

And then.

Reading, in the bathtub of course, something beautiful (from The Book Thief):

"She was the book thief without the words. Trust me, though, the words were on their way, and when they arrived, Liesel would hold them in her hands like the clouds, and she would wring them out like the rain."

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Utah Weather in March


Doing laundry yesterday, I realized that the warmest item of clothing I own is my old U of A sweatshirt. How's that for irony?