Driver's License vs Mug Shot

Yesterday I became a Texan.

I know I've been living here for about 3 1/2 years, but because of our student status, I never bothered getting our plates changed from California (probably out of pride) or our driver's licenses changed from Utah (probably out of laziness).

It looks like we'll be hangin' out here for a little while longer so about a month ago we changed our plates and yesterday we went in to get our licenses.

Why is it when I take a picture for my license I feel like I might as well be getting a mug shot because that's about how good it's going to turn out? I only have a temporary right now, but I get the feeling that in 10-14 days when it arrives in the mail, I'll see the picture and it's likely to look like this guy's.

Then when I write out a check (luckily, thanks to electronics ans plastic that only happens about twice a year), I'll get a second take from the punk 17-year old who's chomping her bubbalicous. Luckily she won't care enough to ask for a second form of ID, which leaves me with my only other option: my old Sam's Club membership card. Too bad that photo looks like this:
Only worse because they've taken the file and made it fit in a square setting so my face is disproportianately wide and I look like I weigh an extra 100 lbs.

Do you think the DMV will ever consider hiring people like Deb from Napoleon Dynamite to take my close-up? Instead of the nasally request to "Stand on the line and look here," I'd get "turn you head on more of a slant ... Now, make a fist. Slowly ease it up underneath your chin. This is looking really good."
Then Kip would magically appear and say, "You can say that again. "
Then Deb would say, "Kay, hold still right there. Now, just imagine you're weightless, in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by tiny little seahorses. "
Click.
"That was one. I think it's gonna come out really nice."

But would that mean I'd look like this?
Wow. Can you say 'tangent'?

Who's Afraid Now?

Today I'm making an appointment with the dentist for my kids and, gulp, me.

I'm scared out of my mind.

I haven't been to the dentist in over 5 years. I know, cringe. That's just the way it goes when your a student (and/or the wife of one) and don't have dental insurance. Now I'm paying a monthly premium that I can't stand to have it going to waste. Lately my teeth have been feeling a little, um, sensitive. This is the cause of my anxiety and fear. You know that burning smell when they drill. Ick.

I've been putting this off all summer. In fact, the only reason I'm blogging about it is so there's a sense of commitment on my part. Like writing about it will make it a priority of today's responsibilities. After living in a huge medical center, I have way too many dentist friends or friends with husbands in dental school to actually be admitting this weakness of mine. Hopefully I'm not offending any of them. If it makes them feel any better, I do like getting plaque scraped off of my teeth. It's official: I'm weird.

New Creations

This is mostly for me.
I created a new blog.
I've learned that if I have time, I really enjoy cooking.

Go figure. Who has time?

These are recipes I've personally made and enjoy.
There is always room for improvement and/or additions to my repertoire,
So please comment.

Welcome to my new blog.

Joyful Day, Luckily

Bradley learned who his teacher was last Thursday. Mrs. L* stopped by our home to introduce herself to Bradley as well as Steven and me. She left our home, drove around the cul-de-sac, and stopped in front of the home across the street from us. *Trevor*, Bradley's best friend, was also in his class! All was well. Let me explain.

Before this moment happened, Bradley wasn't just apprehensive about school; he had no desire whatsoever to attend any sort of institution that gave him any sort of education and/or direction in life. Bradley was still recovering from our move and his little scars were slow to heal. We weren't winning the battle ... until Mrs. L* told Trevor he was in Bradley's class.

Friday we went to "Howdy Night" our back-to-school night (we SO live in Texas). And we learned that Bradley had yet another friend in his class. Could this get any better? This little boy had moved out of our cul-de-sac just at the end of May. Bradley was now uber-excited about school. He now wanted to ride the bus; he now wanted to begin as soon as possible (literally, he woke up Saturday morning begging to go to school and saying things like "wouldn't it be cool if we could go to school on Saturday & Sunday?" If he wasn't my own son, I'd probably be making fun of him). This scenario sounds all sorts of great except this other child's family and Trevor's family are feuding.

Not kidding.

As the weekend continued on, we learned that confrontations had happened, emails had been sent, phone calls made, and Trevor was going to be taken out of the class.

WHAT?!

I didn't even dare tell Bradley. I know, bad idea to lie to your kid. I thought his disposition would return to his sullen, mean self and he owuld no longer want to attend school. Ugh. What in the world was I going to do?

All day yesterday, I worried that Bradley was going to be confused and think that if Trevor left the class then he should, too. This was on top of all the normal mommy's-oldest-child's-first-day-of-school worries. I couldn't even blog about all of this yesterday because I was so distraught - which is saying something since writing is my form of therapy. I was near depression when the bus pulled up to drop-off Bradley.

Trevor's mom approached me and told me they were going to see a professional (we'll leave that up for interpretation) and she wasn't going to pull Luke out of the class for the very same reasons I had; she was afraid Trevor would feel misplaced and confused.


WOO-HOOO!

All we can do now is wait for a good playground brawl. Okay, I know that's not really funny. At least it's not supposed to be funny. I'm only Kidding.


*Trevor* - not so much his real name, but I thought I'd keep this one low profile.

Yogi

I don't think I would be grinning quite so big if I were in the same position.

Meyer Fan

I know everyone already knows about the books, but I have to give it my thumbs up. It's just simply a fascinating idea altogether. Very entertaining read.

Anticipation

Bradley's school has 1300 students. That's not much smaller than my high school. Each teacher goes around to his or her students' homes this evening to introduce themselves to the child. We're very excited to learn who it is. Well, excited is more the word I would use. When I reminded Bradley that his teacher was coming late this afternoon, this was his reaction.

Man, I love this kid.

Blessings & Dresses

Here are some of the great pictures my brother took of Olivia while we were in Utah for her blessing.

Thanks, Scotty!

I'm very lucky to have a great seamstress for a mother.
She makes the most amazing dresses.

The blessing Steven gave Olivia was absolutely beautiful. All but one brother and sister-in-law was able to attend. We felt lucky to have almost all of both sides of the family there. That's saying something when our kids have combined 5 uncles, 3 aunts and 16 cousins.
We wish there was some way to get all our loved ones together. We have plenty of non-blood family we wish could have come.

If I was a good mommy, I'd send this out for a birth announcement.
Is it too late? She's 3 months old.

Thanks again, Hoot. You do amazing things.

New Talents

Olivia turned 3 months old last Thursday, August 16th.

She started rolling over the next day.

Are you kidding me?

Sock Hop

My SIL gave Olivia some white fluffy/frilly socks for her blessing. I loved them and couldn't help but figure out how she did them so I could make some different colors for both of the girls to wear.

I think I have a new little hobby on my hands.

The Great Bear Lake

The family went to Bear Lake on the other side of the mountains from the Valley I grew up in. It's called Bear Lake for a reason - though we didn't spot any. Phew..... okay, I've never actually seen a bear that wasn't in captivity.
Some fun in the sun. Well, some of us are having more fun than others. Olivia actually was enjoying herself until we got the camera out. Naturally.

What began as the children's creation

was "improved upon" by the adults.

More sun.

Bradley and Carson trying their hardest to be tough guys.

That's a little better.

Macy and Emmy cruisin'.

Just because you look cute in a Jeep now
doesn't mean you're ever gonna get one.

Build-A-Bear

If you haven't had the pleasure yet, this place is soooo much fun! This was one of the many activties we did while in Utah. And you can do it for only $10 if you really want to. Though mine ended up being more like $50. Even mommies get carried away in the fun.

Bradley filling up his bear with stuffing.

Emmy filling her bear after placing a heart
(with a wish on it - so cute!) inside the bear.

Just about the cutest place EVER!

All the cousins with their new "bears".

Afterwards we went to a spray park just outside the shopping center. The kids were used to Texas heat & much warmer water and had to sit out early during the water fun. They lied on the warm cement to dry off.
That Gateway sure is fun! I need one of those here.

Goldie's Replacement

It seems
Goldilocks's
shoes aren't
so hard to fill.

She better start looking for a new cottage.

Catchup

No, I didn't spell the ever-loved condiment wrong.

I got back from Utah Wednesday night at 2 in the morning (I guess that's technically Thursday morning). We had turned our AC off while we were gone. We cranked it up as our house was 90 degrees (I can only imagine how hot it was that afternoon at 5pm) and as our luck would have it, the coils froze over. I realized this the next morning when our house wasn't getting any cooler than 84 degrees and water was beginning to leak into the light fixtures in the kitchen.

And the solution for un-freezing coils??? Yup, turn off the AC for 6-8 hours.

So, Thursday night we all laid in the living room in our unmentionables and tried sleeping through the yuck. Apparently we weren't the only ones with an outage. The AC guys didn't get to my house until 6pm yesterday to refill the freon and make my house livable again. I still haven't unpacked a thing (it didn't help that one of our bags ended up in Minnesota for a short time), done any laundry (we don't have a line outside and I wasn't about to turn my dryer on), or cooked a meal (that probably wouldn't have been done regardless of the oppressive heat). But like John so lovingly commented, my laptop doesn't run on AC. Today I'm playing catchup. But I'm playing it in 75 degrees. Now THAT I can handle.

Pics and such are coming soon.

Bon Voyage

I'm leaving for a week beginning tomorrow. I will have access to the internet, but I make no promises. I'm off to pack.