They keep you on your toes.

Mariana (my 8 year old sister) : "Ask me what a burrito is."


Me: "What's a burrito?"

Mariana: "I don't know. You're asking me!"

Powerful words

Do not I love Thee, O my Lord?
Behold my heart and see,
And turn each cursed idol out that dares to rival Thee.

Do not I love Thee from my soul? Then let me nothing love;
Dead me my heart to every joy which Thou dost not approve.

Out of the mouths of babes

Every so often, I have the privilege to babysit Charlie and Nora Strevel. They are two adorable little girls who I love very much.
Charlie has recently started thinking out loud in book dialog. A few weeks ago I overheard her as we were walking outside narrating this:

"Julia and Charlie were best buddies. One day while they were outside, Charlie decided to tie Julia to a tree with her rope...."

Well, she'll write interesting books.

New Generation

The children born in America during the Twenty-first century will not know about home phones, cassette tapes, boards games, or even dial up. Some of the things they will know are (but certainly not limited to) text messages, computers, and last but certainly not least......silly bands.
I did not realize that learning to "decode" silly bands was a skill until today.

"Oh, is that a teapot sill band Emma?"

"Julia, that's an eagle head."

Happy Birthday to Katie...

Eighteen years ago today, a beautiful little girl was born. She looked like a little fairy with her cute curls, and adorable smile. She also had a wild imagination,maybe that's why we were such friends. I don't remember the first time we met, but I'm sure there were fireworks and a rainbow. Or not.

Today is her birthday.

She's been a wonderful friend to me ever since I learned not to believe half of what she tells me. We've been through alot. Crazy adventures in the park, ACT stress, or just giggling in bed. Thank you for being a friend to me at all times.
May the Lord be your highest joy for the next year and many more to come. I love you very much.

By the way, the lack of a birthday card, present, phone call, or even the acknowledgement of your existence today doesn't mean I love you any less. Don't worry, I'm still getting around to all of that.

Redbox

This might come as a surprise to some, but I'm about as good with things electronic as an 80 year old woman. No joke. Someone had pity on me about a year ago and showed me how to copy and paste. What a beautiful day that was.
Now I'm sure that there is a place for computers and want not, but I like someone you can talk to. So I can say, "Excuse me Sir, this is the first time I've used one of these things, and I'm not all that smart so could you please help me out?"
Well, Mom finally allowed me to return a movie we had gotten from a Redbox this weekend. She gave me very specific instructions on how to use it, and I had forgotten them by the time I had driven to the mailbox.
When I arrive at Wal-Mart, there is an older man with a MSU cap on in front of me returning a movie. I start trying to watch how he does it without letting him see that I'm watching him. Unfortunately, he sees me.
"Do you know how to use these things?" he asks.
"Actually I'm watching you."
We both look at each other, then at the big red box. He starts trying to push his DVD into every slot visible.
Finally I say, "Oh yeah! Mom told me to touch the screen!" I poke the screen like it's going to come alive.
There was our problem. Now that box sucked that DVD in like magic. That old man was so nice, he stayed with me the whole time I was returning my movie. We were still both weary of this new electronic contraption.
We parted a little dazed and ready to be on our way.

As I was washing dishes one night, I was blessed to over-hear this lovely conversation between Emma and Dad. Emma was pointing out that most families have appearances that make it obvious who they're related to.
Emma started going down the list of families in our church to prove out point.
".....and you know, all the Greens have um, moles."
"Moles??" Dad and I both said.
"Yeah, you know. Moles on their faces and stuff."
"Emma, you might not want to go around saying that to alot of people." Dad said after a awkward silence.

After looking quite puzzled for a moment, Emma replied, "Oh wait, I meant dimples."

Beware all under-aged Spray Painters

Yesterday Mom sent me to Wal-Mart to get spray paint for my sisters' bed that needed a new color. After taking my time finding the right price, picking out the perfect shades of paint and primer, and calling home twice to re-affirm Mom's opinion (this all took about 25 minutes.) I headed to the check out line.

I was not prepared for what happened next.

The cashier said, "I'm going to need to see some ID please."
"Um, okay." I stuttered, pulling out my drivers license trying to think why she'd be wanting it. No one had slipped a pack of beer in my cart while I wasn't looking had they?
Apparently, you must be18 or older to buy spray paint.....?
Are that many kids getting high off that stuff? We have about 15 bottles laying around the house. I hope a spray paint addict never comes over.

Or maybe, grafitti? If that was the case I could have just drawn her a stick man to show her that I sure wasn't into that sort of thing. I'm very artisticly challenged.
I found this whole episode quite amusing. Here is a warning to all of those who were going to buy paint under the age of 18, you can't do it.

When I turn 18, Wal-Mart better look out, I'm going to buy every bottle of the stuff they have.

Self Service....Really?

This is very sad.
And it takes alot to admit but, I've been driving for quite some time now and I just pumped gas for the first time the other day.
Unfortunately, it gets worse.
The girls and I had gone the the library and were about to head back home, but I see that Dora ( that's the blue Ford Explorer's name that I drive) is pretty close to empty. Since running out of gas scares me more than trying to pump gas by myself, I decide it's time for me to learn.
First thing to do is find the place with the cheapest gas, which is also one of the more busy places to get gas for obvious reasons.
After I find out which side of the vehicle has the hole for the gas, I start the getting-close-enough-to-the-pump part of the process. Harder than you might imagine, it takes about ten tries of reversing and trying again, for me anyway.

Ha! I say to myself, now I've got it in the bag.

It's button pushing time. Yes for cash. Yes for regular. Yes I can remove the nozzle and start filling up. So I grab the hose and take it over to the car to un-screw the cap......the cap does not want to be un-screwed. At all.
I finally put the hose back and start using both hands. Still not working. It's time to call Mom. What is she going to do to help me? No clue. But I call her anyway. While I'm talking to her a big truck with a big trailer pulls up behind me.
If this poor fellow only knew who he was waiting on.

It does cross my mind to ask him for help, but my pride is still not ready to give in. Now I'm sweating and praying and desperately yanking on the cap. And then, Pop! It comes off.
I happily run over, push all the buttons again and bring the hose over to the hole.....

The hose won't reach.

I'm wanting to go explain to the man that I'm and idiot who has never pumped gas before and he might as well go dig and oil well because it would be about the same time, but instead I jump in my car and move up a few feet.
Take three with the buttons. Yes cash. Yes regular. Yes you're a sweaty moron.

Finally I'm pumping gas. I'm so relieved. It's almost over.....but wait.

The cap is just as hard to put on as it is to take off.

Thankfully I was able to get it back on while trying not to make eye contact with the man still waiting to gas, and drive away with the little,tiny, scrap of dignity I had left.

If anyone knows of a little gnome who lives in your car and pumps gas for you. Please send him my way.

The Lord has been so good to me

My posts will not come this quickly once I figure out what I am doing, hopefully that will be in the near future.
First off, I have a wonderful family. My Mom and Dad are two of a kind, only they could make marriage look easy for over 20 years. I have two brothers and two sisters who I love so dearly. They keep life extraordinary every moment.

I love my Savior God, only because He first loved me.


I've been blessed with some of the best pals on God's green earth, and if I tried to name them all I'd leave someone out and get in trouble. But you all know who you are, and I love you.

This blog will consist of stories and ponderings from any of the above and various times.
Also: ponderings is not a real word according to spell check (Spell Check, I love you, please never leave me) but I think it's obvious that it's the word pondering in the plural form.

And that is all she wrote.

Am I good enough for a blog?

People who have blogs and are witty with the way they write on them have always made me intimidated. Now, here I am with my very own.
Obviously I am very new at this. So y'all just love me til I get more blog-savvy.
I'm pretty excited about this.

Am I too ambitious to think I'll have my own movie about my blog in about 6-8 months?
I think not.