THE BRIDGE

Here is a link to an amazing video entitled THE BRIDGE. It's extremely powerful and gives amazing perspective. YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS!

www.maximumreferrals.com/videos/bridge/bridge.html

TINKERBELL HAT

MACY STAYED HOME SICK TODAY WITH A FEVER. IT WAS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO MAKE HER HAT FOR HER PARADE AT SCHOOL TOMORROW. ON HALLOWEEN, KIDS ARE TO BRING A HAT OF A CHARACTER FROM A BOOK. THIS IS OUR VERSION OF TINKERBELL. HOPEFULLY SHE WON'T BE SICK TOMORROW SO SHE CAN WALK IN THE PARADE.

FEELING CRAPPY

I REALLY hate taking my kids to the dentist. I feel like I have failed as a parent when I'm told my kid has a cavity....or in our case CAVITIES! On the way home, Macy said her stomach hurt. I said, "My WALLET hurts!" Not the response or sympathy she was expecting. I'm feeling like a pretty crappy Mom today!

CARVING PUMPKINS

Hope ya'll aren't tired of looking at pumpkins! We carved pumpkins tonight with my brother Mike and his family, Kristy and her kids, and my kiddos minus Christian whose hunting with Ken.

I NEED YOUR THOUGHTS

We are breaking down and finally getting a family cell phone plan. I am at the point where I am ready for Madison to have a phone so I can call HER! Any suggestions? I have TMobile currently and have been happy with them but notice that when we go out of town and off the beaten path, I don't get coverage like some other companies. Any suggestions?

REPEAT PERFORMANCE?

So....Ken and I start biking up our monstrous "driveway." We get to the top and what do we find? Our kids STILLLLLLL waiting for their bus. Can you say deja vu? Ken offers to drive them to school and I keep on going. Inside my head, I'm thinking, is my chain going to come off this time, and, do you see any dead birds? It only lasts a second and I keep going. I get on Sagecrest to go down the big hill and there are two dogs in the road. The evil side of me is happy to see these creatures. I get out my dog spray.....yes, Mace for dogs.....and just dare them to come at me. One starts coming toward me and I get to spray him. I gave just a nice friendly little spray. I purposely missed him but got him close enough that he could smell it and leave me alone. Keep in mind that I'm going down hill and if this darn dog makes me fall off my bike, it's gonna hurt. Well, I'm happy to report, it was NOT a repeat performance of my previous post but a great ride of calm, solitude, clean hands, and kleenex the rest of the ride. I did blow a snot rocket or two for good measure....reminiscent of other GREAT rides.

TALE OF A DETERMINED CYCLIST

I am either really determined or really stupid. You be the judge....this morning I was wanting to ride. I had a kink in my neck yesterday so I couldn't go yesterday. My partner, Leslie H., couldn't go this morning so I went on my own. I put all my cold weather gear on (it was about 33 degrees outside) and started up the dreaded hill. As I'm going up, my kids are coming down. Evidently, they were standing at the bus stop for 20 minutes waiting on their bus that never came! I went back home with them, packed my bike in the car, and loaded the kids up. I drop them off at school and realize I left my gloves and glasses at home. Since I was going into town, I just figured I would go do the cable bridge river loop. I stop at Target and buy gloves and found another pair of glasses in my car. Not even a minute into my ride, my chain comes off. I take my tissues (for that wonderful cold weather runny nose) so I don't get grease all over my fingers and put my change back on. However, I get the tissues stuck between the gears and the chain. SO....I have to get my fingers all greased up anyways just to get the tissue out. So, now my chain is back on, my fingers are black, and I have no tissue for my runny nose. Sorry, you know what that means....snot rockets! You aren't a real cyclist unless you know how to blow a snot rocket!(I said that for your benefit, Tami! ha ha) About mile 4, my sacroiliac starts bugging me. This usually happens in pregnancy...which I'm not!! I pedal through it and it goes away after a few miles. I go over the Cable Bridge to make the ride longer and about wipe out on a dead bird! At this point, I'm thinking I probably shouldn't have gone riding today. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful. On my way home, I had to drop Madison's lunch of at her middle school. The campus outside was bare. I was so thankful no one was outside....I have my biking tights on, stocking cap because the hair is scary, and look like I'm wearing a diaper. Just as I cross the street from the parking lot, the bell rings and all these kids start filing out of the building. Great!!!! Oh well...I just dealt with the stares. Determined or stupid? I'm going to say stuptermined!!

RECIPE FOR WITCH FINGER COOKIES

Here is the recipe I used. Instead of using the chocolate, I used red gel frosting in a tube.

Witches Finger Cookie Recipe

Yield: 5 dozen

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 1 tsp Almond extract
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 2 2/3 cups Flour
• 1 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup whole Almonds, blanched
• 2 squares of melting chocolate, or chocolate bark

Combine the sugar, egg, butter, almond extract, and vanilla in a bowl. Mix in the flour, and salt. Cover and refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes, or until it’s firm.

When you’re ready to shape the cookies, only take out a small portion of the dough at a time. Shape the cookies into fingers by rolling and working with your hands. Score the top of the cookie with a knife or spatula to make it look like the wrinkles in your knuckle. Press an imprint into the tip of the cookie with your finger to make a spot for the almond finger nail. Press an almond into the tip of each finger to look like a fingernail.

Placed on a cooking sheet lightly coated with no-stick cooking spray and bake at 325` for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cookies are a very light golden brown. Let the cookies cool on a drying rack.

Use melting chocolate to go around the outside of the almond nail, giving a ghoulish appearance. Just melt the chocolate, put it in an icing piping bag, and cut a very small hole in the tip. Then pipe around the nail.

Witch Fingers

For FHE, we made witch finger cookies. It's amazing how realistic they look....kind of gross if you think about it. They are very easy and very fun!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHELL BELL

A BIG SHOUT OUT TO MY DEAR FRIEND SHELLY YORGY IN IDAHO FALLS FOR HER BIRTHDAY! SHELL, IT WAS SO FUN SEEING YOU LAST MONTH. AFTER SPENDING TIME WITH YOU, I THINK WE ALL GO THROUGH SOME SHELLY WITHDRAWALS!! I LOVE YOU AND I'M SO THANKFUL THE LORD ALLOWED OUR PATHS TO CROSS! HAVE A GREAT BIRTHDAY!

Vampiress

Macy is a social butterfly. She has this fun little network of friends at school and has 2 halloween parties before halloween even gets here. Today is the first party. She decided she wanted to be a vampire this year (probably hearing all the Twilight talk). I thought she was so stinkin' cute that I had to post her pictures. I'm sure by Halloween I'll be tired of dressing her up for the third time and she won't look nearly as cute. Better take pictures now!

Harvest Family Dance

The kids and I (that includes my son Chandler who is Christian's "BROTHER FROM ANOTHER MOTHER") went to a Harvest Family Dance at church tonight. Ken had to go to work (I don't think he was too heartbroken) so he wasn't there. When we first got there, hardly anyone was dancing. Certainly no children! It didn't take long for the kids to jump on board, though. They had so much fun!

GOOD FRIENDS GOOD FOOD

IN HONOR OF OUR FRIEND, STEFANI, AND HER UPCOMING SURGERY, A COUPLE OF US GOT TOGETHER TO WISH HER LUCK AND EAT DAVE'S BBQ. WE LAUGHED SO MUCH THAT MY KIDS COMPLAINED THAT WE WERE TOO LOUD (ALL THE FUN HAPPENED AFTER HOURS AFTER THE KIDS WERE IN BED). GOOD LUCK, STEF! WE LOVE YOU AND SUPPORT YOU ALL THE WAY! FYI....THE PICTURE WAS TAKEN ABOUT 11PM SO BE KIND!

REALLY EXTREME MOMS

Leslie Hi. and I took our moms on the river bike trail. They were troopers! We did the 15 mile loop and they felt like champions.

Our Last First Lost Tooth

Angel, we're following in your footsteps. You just had your last first lost tooth and now we've just had ours. Our youngest daughter Macy lost her first tooth last night. The tooth right next to it will be out in another week or so. She started crying at the first sight of a little blood but we were able to assure her that was a normal part of the process. She wrote a letter (with the help of her wise older sister) pleading for $15. The tooth fairy gave her $3. Macy realized that was far better than the $.50 that I got when I lost a tooth.

SCRAP TRIP

Thanks to Janelle, Lynnette, Rosy, Mom, and Brook for a fun day at Meacham. I went up Saturday morning and just stayed the day but was able to get 25 pages completed.

PUMPKINS ANYONE?

With no school today, Stef and I took our kids to the pumpkin patch at Country Mercantile...plus my extra 3. We played on the hay bales, went through a maze, pet the barn animals, went on a hay ride, and picked out pumpkins. My criteria was that they had to be able to pick up and carry their own pumpkin. Of course, the boys took this to the extreme. They would carry their pumpkins a few steps and then rest then start again. Fun day!

Dear Mr. Obama Commercial

I got an email from a friend with this commercial. Ok, I'm not posting this to tell you all who to vote for. Everyone has a right to their own opinion on that matter. The message of this video, however, is powerful. As most of you know, I grew up in a military family. Most of my life was spent living on military bases where The Pledge of Allegiance is as sacred as a prayer. I get very defensive when I hear negative things about our troops. Our fellow Americans are in Iraq doing what they were sent to do. It's their job. Whether you agree with why we are in Iraq or not, the simple fact that we have fellow American brothers and sisters over there means they DESERVE our respect. The media mostly gives the negative side of our troops in Iraq. A dear friend of ours spent a year deployed in Baghdad and has story after story of the good that our troops are doing for the people of Iraq and the appreciation they have. So, whether you are for the war in Iraq or not, may we all remember the price of freedom...and the faces of those who pay the price.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TG4fe9GlWS8

Phantom

Josh Groban came over the computer singing and Macy says, "Oh, Mom, is this Phantom of the Oprah?" Yes, as in Oprah on tv. I laughed and laughed.

YOU'VE BEEN MOONED!

CELEBRITY

Because I can't sleep, I got on facebook on the internet. I found something very interesting out!!! A girl I went to high school with in Okinawa (we played soccer together) won the gold medal in this past Olympics in women's cycling in the individual event. Her name is Kristin Armstrong. How cool is that!! I don't think she'd remember who I am but it's fun all the same!

INSOMNIA...HELP!

It's 1:25 am and I can't sleep. I've already been to sleep but apparently my body is only needing about one hour of sleep tonight. What's up with that? I've noticed lately that when I have an opportunity to sleep in, I sleep worse than when I have to get up on a normal day at 6 am. Well, I do have to get up at 6 am so I'd really like to sleep! So, I'm laying in bed wondering....what do people DO when they can't sleep? What do you do? Obviously, I blog and pray I don't post something stupid that I'll regret in the morning.....

Down Syndrome Buddy Walk

Today, the kids and I along with my mom, went on the Buddy Walk to support National Down Syndrome month. Mom trained a chocolate lab named Clover for her neighbor, Aiden, who is 5 and has Down Syndrome as an assistant dog. It was a special experience for us to go as members of Aiden's team.

I've Been Tagged

I'VE BEEN TAGGED BY KRISTIE

I am - a mother of 4 (and sometimes more), wife of 1 (seriously, could we handle more!), daughter of 2 , sister to 4 boys, and friend of many.

I have - a husband who loves me and works hard every day, children who mean everything to me, lots of family, and friends who are like family.

I get frustrated when - people are inconsiderate, people are constantly late, I have to stand in a long line or traffic, and people don't tell the truth.

I think - ahead.

I value - family, friendships, my time, my talents, my home, my testimony, my kids opportunities, and teaching moments.

I wish - people would just learn to get along and look at the positive in others instead of the negative; I wish I could paint beautiful pictures.

I fear - outliving any of my kids, losing my husband or a parent, coyotes getting my kitty, and my kids making poor choices when they are older.

I dislike - it when people are rude, hearing other people's bodily functions (catch my drift...maybe that's not the right phrase to use), windy days when I plan on biking, really cold days unless it's snowing, judgmentalness, being unable to sleep on the one day I can sleep in (it's 2:17 am and I can't sleep), and menstrating!!!

I love - my husband, my children, family, being a member of the church, my home, cycling, reading, scrapbooking, having girl time with my friends, laughing til I cry, chick flicks, anything with milk chocolate, apple pie and ice cream, composing and playing music, my space, dates with my husband, volleyball, playing soccer with my kids, watching my kids play soccer, and a whole lot more!

NOW I TAG: Stef, my sister-in-laws, Tami, Alesha, Shelly, and anyone else who wants to play!

My Published Dad

Dad (Lester) sent this into the Tri-City Herald Newspaper and it was published this past Thursday as a Letter to the Editor. See below:

Thursday, Sep. 25, 2008

Revenue enhancement

Easy ways to increase state revenues:

1. Start taxing "slow" food again (after all, we're still taxing "fast" food). The way to sell this: Every dime we make with every bite you take.

2. When Initiative 1000 passes, charge a $10,000 processing fee. The way to sell this: In spite of all our efforts, you only die once.

3. Require vehicle license plate replacement annually. The way to sell this: Our prisons are so crowded, the "residents" need more work opportunities.

4. While we're at it, require driver's license renewal annually. The way to sell this: Driving is a privilege; get over it.

5. Pass a voters tax. $1 to vote on referendums, $2 to vote on initiatives. Voting for increases in taxes will be free, $100 to vote for governor. The way to sell this: The majority of voters live in King County; they can afford it.

6. Increase gas taxes again. The way to sell this: With gasoline prices so high, cars are driving fewer miles and roads will need less repair.

7. Project a $1 billion windfall for the next biennium. Spend it all. Project a $3 billion shortfall and implement steps 1-6 above. The way to sell this: None needed. It works every time.

LESTER SOUSLEY, Kennewick

My dad has now been asked to write another one on another topic for the newspaper. Go Dad!

My Love Hate Relationship

Ken and I have always been very money conscious. We had to be early on and all through medical school and residency. I feel like we've been pretty smart with our money. However, we still have felt like we can do better. A couple of months ago, we decided to redo the budget and try to spend more cash and use the debit card less. I only jumped in with one foot until......a couple of weekends at my scrapbook retreat, my friend Shell showed me her wallet she bought on DaveRamsey.com. It's an envelope system wallet. I saw that and knew that was what I needed to keep me straight on my cash. I went home and ordered one. I have now been doing it for 3 days and it has already saved me money! I'm only using it for my grocery money and spending allowance. I second guess every purchase I'm making because I'm spending cash. It's a lot harder. So, I love it.....but I hate it. I found that we were nickle and diming ourselves to death with our debit cards. Now, I'm saving quarters and silver dollars because of the emotion tied with cash.