Scrambled Eggos

Praise God!

2011-02-23T09:08:00.000-08:00

When we started to get good news about Daddio, I took a moment on my FB page to Praise God....there are many reasons for the decision to do so, but then I decided that wasn't quite right. If I only praise Him for a moment, then what's the point? Like, praise him really quick and then go on with my non-praising ways? Nah. Can't have it. So, honestly, amid my blubbering and sobbing and grateful release of tears, on Monday I dropped to the bathroom floor and clasped my hands together and prayerfully thanked Him for every blessing He has ever bestowed upon me. Like, profuesly. Yup. Tried to leave no stone unturned. I was all, "And, (sob...sob) thank you for helping me find my favorite earring the other day, and thank you for making sure my kids have shoes, and thank you...." Well, you get my drift. Foolish, Samlike, and completely cookoo? Perhaps? I just cannot tell you the way this has made me feel! Like I can totally take on the world. You pair that with a the beauty, comfort and joy of an old friend back in my life, and yes...I'm totally obnoxiously happy. I'm like...this happy!

Free and happy, like this hippie voodoo weirdball chick! :) God is GOOD! :D

Top Ten Tuesday on Sunday - Amy Edition

2011-01-09T22:04:00.000-08:00

Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Amy.

10. She's always been my fashion icon. I wanted her hair so badly. I had a permanent permanent from grade 2 until highschool. Trying to get that perfect natural curl she had. Alas, I got friz...

9. She's stinking hilarious. She makes me laugh ALMOST every day, via Facebook. I would like to live by her so I can just go over there and laugh at her. (That really doesn't sound nice, but you dig me...right?)

8. She's real. Real moms aren't perfect...but she loves her kids more Oprah loves chicken. And she's a mama bear, I wouldn't cross her over her young! YOWIE.

7. She's extra pretty. She may get a big head about reading this, but she's just one of those timeless, classic beauties that never seems to age, and she honestly just gets prettier with age...(Who DOES that?)

6. She is handy. She can set a toilet, and when I was at her house recently, she was mowing. A HUGE lawn. She's a kick @$$ woman. Tough, and can handle her own stuff, thank you very much!

5. I love how she is quirky. The stuff that she finds funny is SOO totally off the wall at times, but I totally totally get her. (One post I always remember was about driving in "packs" with people, and being on the freeway with them, and then having them exit...she felt abandoned and upset for the betrayal. Love it.)

4. She's soooo caring. One time when we were children, she said black was her favorite color, because she felt bad for it. No one else liked it. Love that. Priceless.

3. Her faith shines though. She loves her Father with all her heart, and it shows. I feel like she is raising her children in the Way of our Father...and that makes me very proud of her. (They...I mean they are....both of those Berg parents.) :)

2. She's talented. She poo poos the work she does, but from her blog writing (Not kiddin' yall, I think she should be paid and stuff) to her fondant work and her Cricut stuff, I love seeing her creative fruits! She's really got a great eye.

1. She does not take herself too seriously. She's always first to make a joke, poke some fun, or overall just be willing to laugh, even at herself.

As you can see, for this and many more reasons, I'm a big fan. Love you, Aims! :)

Top Ten from the Hunt 2010

2010-10-12T12:37:00.000-07:00

~ Top Fourteen Things Heard during Hunting Season 2010 ~

14. Do I smell catshit?
13. I think this is a road, or it MIGHT be a creek.
12. As it were.
11. I HOPE you know what you're talking about.
10. This is blah blah springs, Dad. Yup, knew that.
9. Rhonda, grab all of your electonics, there's a waterbar!
8. What does a cashew look like?
7. Who is Don Quixote?
6. I wanted to stop talking, but everyone KEPT LISTENING!
5. You just want to be on Dancing with the Stars, don't you?
4. You just want to be on Roadhunting with the Stars, don't you?
3. You just want to be on Dancing with the Roadhunting Chocolate Eating Stars, don't you?
2. You're a candyass Pocahontas.
1. C'mon, Big Fat!

How Much Snow do YOU have on Cinco de Mayo??

2010-05-05T09:10:00.001-07:00

http://www.eou.edu/webcam/

Still snowing. 9:00 am. 5/5/10.

Send help. My mental health is at stake.

Love, Sam

JENNY!!!!

2010-04-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

For those of you not fortunate enough to know my cousin Jenny, please allow me to introduce her. Her name is Jennifer Lynn McCumber Komp. Ah, I can see from the applause that most of you already know her. Well, we have alot of material to cover, so please hold your applause to the end. Thank you. Yes, we all have known great Jennifers in the world. Some of you may be familiar with a little known film actor of Greek descent...Jennifer Aniston.

This Jennifer is pretty, talented, rich and very successful, but not quite the caliber of the Jennifer we are honoring today.

Others may know about a singer/actress named Jennifer Lopez...ya know, Jenny from the Block. She too is quite lovely, but can't hold a candle to our Jennifer.

So, just so you know...the best Jennifer of all, the best Jennifer in the history of all Jennifers is OUR VERY OWN! We get to have her in our very own family! HOW INCREDIBLY lucky are we!?!!

Yes, there she is. In her element. With her beautiful children, in a beautiful field of flowers. Beauty abounds!! Just look at her.

Ok, so you're wondering why the superfluous post about our wonderful Jennifer? A) She deserves it. B) She introduced me to our friend...The Pioneer Woman. www.thepioneerwoman.com. It's only the greatest blog ever. And so, Jenny went down there, children and husband in tow and stood in line for like HOURS AND HOURS and then...and then....let me be there in SPIRIT by taking my picture. I was moved, touched, verkelmpt and all of those things!! Thank you so much. That was awesome!!

GIMMIE A BREAK!!!

2010-03-29T15:38:00.001-07:00

What a break we had! Went to Oceanside on Monday, and stayed in the GLORIOUS beach house mom and dad graciously rented for us, and played on the beach, ate at the Sea Hag, watched them play the bottles, laughed until my face hurt, chewed gum biotch (inside joke) and had a MARVELOUS TIME! Hardest part was leaving this gorgeous gourmet kitchen, it was so lovely!!! Anyway, then hit the zoo on the way home. Such a nice week! Thanks, Grandma Red and Papa Big Truck!! We LOVE you!!!

Cave @ Oceanside - Emma wasn't a huge fan. Can you tell? Me neither, really. Saw a BUNCH of falling rocks before entering. Yikesy poo.

Nonnie looks like she thinks I am going to harm her or sumpthin. :)

Baby Annie Woo. She hearts me so.

Top Ten Tuesday - Battles Royales

2010-03-16T21:41:00.000-07:00

UG. Really? I am not going to tip my WHOLE hand. I'll just post some of the ones that won't make the readers cringe.

Top Ten Fights With Him
1. The other day, we argued loudly over the Toyota recall. He says brakes were the main cause, I say acceleration. Yep, he left for work pissed at me. Deeply important issue to him, apparently. We don't own a Toyota, mind you.

2. Once we argued for miles on a trip through Baker Co because he calls Sumpter SUMPNER. SUMPNER. I don't see an "n" in that word, do you? So freaking hard headed.

3. I assembled his hamburger bun for him one night. He comes in and says "WHY DID YOU MESS UP MY HAMBURGER!" "YOU KNOW I LIKE MY TOMATO BEFORE MY LETTUCE!!!" Wow. I hate it when things like that ruin my dinner. ;)

4. Once he had worked really hard on the weekends, like six or so months straight without a day off. He was super tired. I always offered to drive home on the way back from John Day. He never let me. Ever. Once he finally relented. I got in, pulled out onto the road and bashed a deer. He was really really happy with me. Yikes.

5. Once while traveling to CO, I needed to pee and was super uncomfy. He refused to stop. I finally said that if he did not stop, he would be minus one passenger. He finally stopped and I refused to get back in the rig. He laughed at me. LAUGHED. Wrong move, Bucko. I walked for miles and miles. Looking for the nearest payphone. To call Mom and Dad. To drive to UT to pick me up. (Good thing I finally got back in the pickup.)

Ok, five. That's about all I can think of that's share-worthy. TAG! You're all it!

Bastikball 2010

2010-03-11T16:19:00.000-08:00

Quick post to share my WNBA star with you. Another great season. Cute girls and fun. The things I allow myself to be roped into... :) She's in the purple tee, second from the right end. She did really well this season. Last season in elementary. :( Now off to big kid land next year. YIKES!

MY FAMILY

2010-03-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

Through pain and struggle, loss and desperation....happiness, joy, laughter and light

Through all the highest highs and lowest lows.

Where would we all be...

Without our amazing family?

How are YOUR index fingers?

2010-03-08T11:05:00.001-08:00

I was just over in the main office using the paper cutter. The Marie Antionette-like large 1960's contraption that every office cannot live without....that one. I really thought I was paying attention, talking to a co-worker, cut, talk, cut, talk. She left the room and BAM! Almost chopped the tip of my index finger off. Now it's throbbing, hot and turning purple. Fun stuff. As I got to thinking about it...my index fingers have truly been through the ringer. (Not a desperate attempt at a pun, I'm serious.) Anyway, this finger...the now purple and not-severed one, also had itself SMASHED barbarically in a large 8+' metal and glass door at our local jewlery store on or around August 3, 1996. How did I remember the date? I was dropping my wedding ring off to have it soldered right before my wedding. My poor little finger had to be bandaged on the big day, and you know what? It has never been the same....and boy neither have I! (Slight digression.) The nail grows improperly and funky looking...there are two layers. Ick.

As for the other index finger....got it STUCK in a KitchenAid mixer when I was 9 or 10. STUCK inbetween the beaters...those beaters in those days were welded into one unit...my finger was amongst the mangled mess. Sure you've all head this story...so glad Rhonda was there to "save the day". ;) Hee hee. My message today? Take care of your pointers. For they help you point, use the "T, G, R, F, E" keys on your keyboard along with MANY other things busy mommies need our pointers for. Don't chop, smash and mixer them. K?

Sunday Update - My life is really boring, apparently.

2010-03-07T23:16:00.000-08:00

What a busy weekend. 50 degree temps left me itching to clean out my flowerbeds....so I hit them and hit them hard. Sissy and I worked on the front beds, cleaned out the muck and rearranged the authentic John Day river rock, and cleaned out my whiskey barrels and the berm too. It always makes my wrists sore to do all that raking. Isn't that strange that I don't ache too badly anywhere else after serious yard work...just my wrists. Such a wimpo. Then today we decided to bike ride down to the park and take some batting practice. Getting these punks geared up for baseball season, baby. T's gonna be a hitter this season, and sissy just needs her confidence back. Who knows, the glasses may help too. She can really hit when she wantsta. Stinker. Wanted to make the Pioneer Woman apple fritters all weekend, and DIDN'T get that done, so that will have to roll over to tomorrow. OH TOMORROW!!! My sweet friend just graduated from beauty school, and she is like style fashionista cutie pants kinda girl, and now I am officially one of her FIRST clients! Tomorrow is hair day. Boy do I need it. Ok, that covers it. TTFN.

S

Basketball 2010

2010-02-09T09:38:00.000-08:00

So, I'm coaching the wee girl again this year...but something dramatically different has happened this year. She's no longer the 4th grade semi-timid quiet player. She's in the 5th grade, dangit...and she's got MOOOOVES!! I couldn't be prouder of her, she's an offensive rebounding, point guard playing, defense playin' fool, I tell ya! I am going to attempt to get some pictures today. With timing the quarters, keeping the lineup straight, giving my college student ref a hard time and calling him zebra, goofing off with the girlies, and chatting with the asst. coach, I forget to photograph the games. But I will. Again, just couldn't be prouder of that little chicky. :)

CRANKY PANTS

2010-02-03T11:12:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I was a big fat cranky pants most of the morning. I think I stayed up too late goofing off on facebook, but I was OUT OF SORTS. Like annoying MYSELF cranky. Then I walked in the cold crisp air with my friend and no coat at noon. Poof. Better. That, and I had a cheeseburger AND fries for dinner. Nice to OVERINDULGE from time to time.

The End.

Uno Mas - My Birthday Boy

2010-01-22T13:32:00.000-08:00

It's Jay's birthday today.
He's 39.
It's been a hard year for him.
He gave me my two most precious gifts ever.
He's got great arms.
He's an amazingly talented builder.
He's gone, so we are going to celebrate when he returns.
We're sad and we miss spending his special day with him.
He's a pill.
He is loved.

Happy Birthday, Jay!

Poetry - A new interest

2010-01-22T13:24:00.000-08:00

Never cared much for poetry. I think I'm too dense at to get it...you know...REALLY get it. They way the author intended. I still have my doubts, but I realized the other day, like any other piece of good art, it's a gift to be enjoyed individually and interpreted individually. So, I just read those stinking words and interpret them any ol' way I want to! So there! However, even before I started reading more and more, I always liked this one.

PHENOMENAL WOMAN
by Maya Angelou

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing of my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them,
They say they still can't see.
I say
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
The palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Here's one.

So was my other gram. Unbelievably so. I miss her. Incredibly glad there are many other Phenomenal Women in my life.

Friday Funny

2010-01-22T13:08:00.000-08:00

Here's a segment I like to call Friday Funny. I'm sure it's going to be the first in a long series of friday posts of things that amuse me. (Or, more likely...this will be the only post I make this month.) Hey, I'm tryin' ok?!

Two funnies for u:

This 'sheres redneck calamari. From my friend Heather. Yep, it's what's for dinner here in Eastern Oregon!

Funny. Yes, very. Why? Dunno.

HAPPY FRIDAY. Love and Sunshine...

Sam

The Reason

2009-12-14T09:20:00.001-08:00

Just a reminder. :)

Hiney Cringe

2009-11-06T09:29:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite bloggers of all time is PDub (The Pioneer Woman). Thanks to Jennifer, I read her blog almost daily. www.thepioneerwoman.com Her site is so refreshing to a fellow mommy with too much to do, and living a country-fied kinda life. Anywho, when she mentions something that is really too much, something that makes your toenails curl, something that is OUT of your comfort zone or is just entirely TOO embarassing, she says it makes her "hiney cringe". (What exactly, would that look like...?) Ick. Anyway, I have had two hiney cringe moments as of late. One, last Thursday at 7pm, and again this Thursday at 7pm. Ug.

I love to sing, but only after two or more glasses of white wine, and only with my louder than average, belt it out and drown out all others, rockstar of a brother. Then and only then do I feel comfy singing. But I have two of my dearest friends that sing in the community choir here in The Big. They have for years, and say it's really good for the soul. Well, I have been WANTING to for ages, but was soooo AFRAID! I don't read music. I don't sing. I know nothing. So, I went and let 'er rip like I knew what the hellllll I was doin'. Don't get me wrong, I'm not fooling anyone. Just last night, our conductor said I need that to be "mezzo forte". Ok, big guy, comin' right up. I can mezzo forte with the best of 'um. (Mezzo usually isn't my forte. Sorry. Couldn't resist. Bad jokes are my defense mechanism when I'm scaredy.) Anyway, the first week all of the Italian notations from the conductor and on the page of Clingon in front of me, I was getting pretty slapsticky. I was NERVOUS!!!!!!!! I asked my darling gorgeous talented operatic soprano friend standing next to me..."J, this says 'Tutti' on it....are we supposed to now start singing the theme song to the Facts of Life?" Got her good on that one. She was cracking up. Anyway, concert is first weekend in December. Only three more rehearsals left. Pray for me, k?

I'm PsychIC...not PsychO

2009-11-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

So, baby boo was feeling ill yesterday, so I stayed home with him. While I was sad he was sick, some days you can literally feel childhood slipping away, giving way to adolescence, puberty, college, marriage, his retirement...you kno? It's all too much. So, I was honored to have a chance to sit in the chair, cuddle him under the fuzzy pink throw and watch cartoons for hours. It sure helped him feel better. Daddy and Sissy went to run errands in the evening and we were having a Jenga tourney. While watching the World Serious. I said, "Oohh, honey, Chase Utley's up. He's hit like seven homers in the series so far, he's got two on, and if he knocks this one out, it would make a three run homer." Sure enough, that pitch. Schmack. Outta the park. It was funny. T got a huge kick out of it. Then he said "I was praying and praying." Powerful boy, that one.

Blogging Schmogging

2009-09-03T12:57:00.000-07:00

This other person currently living in my home read my blog. For maybe the first time ever. After the exciting tales about the summer that the kids and I had enjoyed... his beef? I commented that the "real spark plugs" of the family had done the siding removal. Not good. So, maybe I will stick to postings about nothing. How about this "Back to School" gem from my sissy, sent to me in an email.

Btw...Which aisle is patience on? I need the bulk/economy size.

Anyway, get a load of this..

How to fail a test with dignity.

Notice the memo line.

Took me just a sec on this one... :)

Summer 2009

2009-08-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

This is all I can seem to do on the blog lately is save up months and months of material and then spew it forth in one shot! Here's a rundown of summer...

House. We have been needing to side the sucker for...ahem...awhile. So, the real sparkplugs of this family got out there and started demo. That would be myself and the babies. Oooh...demo is my fav. Second shot is after siding. Right now we are typar-ed and waiting for channel. Then we foam and side. SLOW process.

The best dern crew a mommy could ask for! Get those kids a raise!

Fourth of July with Grandma and Grandpa in Dayville~so much fun! Uncle Andy hit it out of the park that night.

Camping for a week plus with the Dickens clan at Unity. Blissful. Even with the rattlers. This is the kid crew in my tent trailer. CUTE runs in this generation!

Emmy even got a little riding in with Kay.

Then camping for an extra long weekend up at Spring Creek with the McMasters and McCumbers...it's a McCampout! Little baby Holly puppy. We all heart Holly.

Dad lookin like he's a fixin to open a tall can of whoop ass on me...but actually I think he was animating his story.

Emmy and Papa riding Dave Myers four wheeler. It was a big hit.

Emmy had yet another wedding needing her flower girl services. Our cousin Ryan asked us, and we were honored to accept his invitation. SUCH a nice day on a big ranch out by Heppner. Truly a romantic day. The shot of Ryan and Eva on horseback brought real for real tears to my eyes. It was really a beautiful and special moment. My wish is that they will love each other forever. Amen.

Tristan and Isaac throwing meadow muffins at one another. We're country kids..throwing cow crap at one another is instinctual...it's like breathing. Too dang funny.

Emma and Keegan. So cute.

The sunset between Lexington and Hermiston. So beautiful. I had to stop the car and get a shot. The sun is indeed setting on summer. We have alot of fun to squeeze into the next week or so. Hope your summers were all you had hoped for!

Love and Sunshine,

Sam

Camping...

2009-07-13T23:40:00.000-07:00

is alot of work! Just got back from Unity where we spent a week with Mom's side. There were quite a few of us there, and we had a great time! Jay got to try his new Valentine's Day present/wakeboard and totally tore it up! I am not the best boat driver ever, but I am getting better and better. You'd think after ten years I would be GOOD. Anyway, the kids had fun on their little towable thingy too. Jr and Artie both killed rattlesnakes while we were there, not fun stuff. Anyway, then I ran home (love to tow over Dooley mountain..can I get an amen?) and washed all the laundry and cleaned the house and starting prepping for Spring Creek. You have to bring your A game for this campout, people. The menu? Grilled sausage and potato packet, taco salads in individual dorito bags, baked potato bar and angel hair shrimp pasta. Dessert? Scratch coconut cream pie and also an angelfood strawberry creamcheese trifle.

Y'all come!!!

Codger Butts Drive me nuts!

2009-07-06T13:55:00.000-07:00

So, recently I read about some dumb$&^# buying the wrong chemicals for his flowers. Not sure HOW a person could do that. Perhaps it's just age, creeping in. It's sad, really, that the old geezer is losing his faculties...but I guess it's time. Like the circle of life, really. Wanted to find a nice photograph to lift his spirits...to help him feel better about himself and his adult onset of dyslexia. (I mean really, aging is spelled with no e...it's tragic.) Anyway, I am also putting the finishing touches on a Solo manual that I hope to share with everyone at Spring Creek, because with this turn of events, he may not remember a heart from a diamond next time he makes a pitiful attempt to play. Anyway, this picture represents Uncle Roger to a T! It speaks to the heart of who he is.

(Gotcha, sucka.) (Hope your sense of humor is still intact.)

LOVE and big gooey kisses on your cheek,

Yer favorite wonderful talented smart and amazing niece

TRANSFORMER DAY!

2009-06-24T09:29:00.000-07:00

Oh, people. Sit. Let me tell you something. This day has BEEN A LONG TIME COMING. From the first day my son watched the first Transformer movie, he has been awaiting June 24. It's scribbled in Sharpie on the calendar in his sister's hand, its a benchmark for other dates..."is that before the Transformer movie comes out, or after?" It's like BT=BC or AT=AD. It's funny stuff I tell you what! So, today has arrived. The day that will bring my son such joy and happiness. (Especially that he is getting to watch another PG-13 movie. Usually I pre-screen the PG-13 material and then zip through the icky stuff. I'll have to use the 'hide his eyes' technique in the theatre, I guess.) Anywhoozle, I am taking him today to the matinee. Maybe. I was thinking of doing mommy and brother only, but then sissy might get bummed. However, I did just mommy and sissy at the theatre when Nemo came out, but we didn't even HAVE a T-Bone then, did we? Or, we could do family movie night tonight...usually we only go to the Drive-in as a family. So, you see my conundrum? I need your help. What would you all do?

BABY BOY BIG BOY 7!!!

2009-06-16T13:02:00.001-07:00

Some pretty IMPORTANT stuff has been taking place at our house...but I was alone for the month of May, so we were dealing with the "hair on fire" only issues. Blogging fell away from the list of important stuff.

MOST importantly, Tristan's 7th BIRTHDAY! Big fun. First real sleepover. All about Transformers. Good stuff. Here's a little hint of the fun. The BIGGEST HIT? Apple Bobbing. Who knew?

Oh how I needed humor today..

2009-06-03T10:56:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my gf Kerri for the smile.

Thought for Today

2009-05-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

I want to share this poem. I didn't write it, but I love it. Today, it spoke to me and I thought I would share.

Growth

Life washes over us in layers.
A liquid refrain.
Mysteries never solved. But evolved.
Questions melt with the snow
And run off, as life washes over us
in layers.

Just something to ponder on this rainy Wednesday.

And now for something completely different...

2009-05-05T10:07:00.000-07:00

Hello All:

This is probably illegal or sumthin, but I was forwarded this article from a colleague today which had been published on OregonLive.com. This was compelling to me because this is precisely what I do. I am an academic advisor, and it's really hard to put your finger on the essence of what this profession does. The analogy of plowing the soil really spoke to me. The other piece that was interesting to me is explaining a liberal arts education. I am forever explaining general education requiements to students, which is pretty much explaining the value of a liberal arts education. Happy Reading!

What's a liberal education?

by Celia Carlson, guest opinion
Friday May 01, 2009, 7:30 AM

Celia Carlson

Editor's note: This is the first in a weekly series of commentary pieces from faculty and staff at Mt. Hood Community college.

Out here in east Multnomah County, we have witnessed dramatic changes as horse pastures and cabbage fields have succumbed to the bulldozer. What protrudes from the soil is now not beanstalks but Jack in the Box, Regal Cinemas, Home Depot, Starbucks, Bed Bath and Beyond, and Borders Books. These are not small businesses, not locally owned enterprises. The jobs our area now grows are those of cashier, not owner.

A college cannot stop change or take away people's fear of displacement. A college is a community that offers basic skills, both theoretical and practical. That is broadly understood. What is less well understood is that it nurtures certain habits of mind.

Academics regularly speak of a "liberal education." Despite the centrality of this concept to the mission of most American colleges, its meaning is not widely understood.

Liberal means open-minded. A liberal education is rooted in the basic beliefs that all minds have potential, that education is essential to freedom, and that a free mind conveys knowledge to others.

This set of beliefs, in the potential and freedom of the human mind, entails a deep commitment to exposure to new ideas. Since language is at the heart of ideas, one goal of a liberal education is cultivating respect for the power of language and for stimulating attention to the different ways in which people understand words. This helps people recognize common purposes amid difference.

A liberal education helps people respond to change because it teaches tolerance for ambiguity. It models good citizenship because it recognizes the claims of others to share in the products of the earth we all have in common.

Ideas are the soil in which colleges cultivate minds, almost like crops. Think of a college as an orchard in which individual minds grow like cherries or peaches. A liberal education "works the soil." It doesn't just plow, pick, collect the money and run. The educational process does not happen overnight; it cultivates the whole person. That takes time. And things that require time cost money.

Words are the soil in which cultures flourish or wither. Words Americans presently dispute include such small explosives as "rights," "taxes," and "mine." Words can be toxic, poisoning our irrigation, or they can be potent fertilizer. They are powerful forces for good or ill because they invoke crucial questions: Does the community have legitimate needs and aspirations beyond the individual? Can we think of "the corporate" inclusively, not just as business, which we value, but as the body of society as a whole, all of whose members deserve consideration?

A student once asked me anxiously after writing an essay about a value she believed in: "I really do think we should care about others. Does that make me a socialist?"

As a society, how do we want to encourage this student to imagine ways in which she can integrate her deep personal commitments with concepts she is encountering and putting to the test? A liberal education challenges us all to ask these difficult questions.

Celia Carlson is an instructor of English at Mt. Hood Community College. The views expressed here do not necessarily represent the position of the college.

Good Quote

2009-04-27T10:40:00.000-07:00

Since we live in the US today, with the current trends, please consider the following quote.

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.� -Margaret Thatcher

My Sun

2009-04-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

It's not a typo. He's my son. But he's my sun. Everyone, meet sun. Sun, meet everyone. My other sun is not a son. She's a daughter. Happy Friday. This message has been brought to you by me, the one teetering on the edge of sanity. Thank you.

New Blog Series..

2009-04-21T13:54:00.001-07:00

Welcome to a new series of blog posts I will submit periodically entitled...I would like to learn how to take pictures.

Please accept my first submission.

I would like to learn to take pictures, Part I

Not bad. Blurry.
Had to capture the purple. Screeched the car to the side of the road to photograph. Gorgeous color....mediocre photo. Name that mtn. range.
See the tree reflected in the glass ball? Kinda artsy fartsy.
Crumpled up leaf. Just liked the texture and the unusual color.
Blurry. GRR. Loved the one purple blossom surrounded by icky.
Cool color, eh? Barberry.

Happy Easter at the Eggos

2009-04-16T15:40:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter! This was a fun year. All the traditional stuff. Eggs, more eggs and more eggs. Colored eggs at Grandma and Papa's and 4 doz at home. Good stuff. Plus, the Easter Bunny brought us new video games! Those will be old news as soon as the big thaw finally happens. Spring in Eastern Oregon...ah...it's such a nice two day period. Can't wait til it gets here.

Happy Happy Birthday, Annie Woo

2009-04-14T13:09:00.000-07:00

Our little big girl is having a birthday today! Drop by her blog and wish her well. She's getting so big... :( I still remember vividly the day she was born. I loved her the instant I laid eyes on her, and I still do. I'm a lucky auntie. Love you, sweet pea!!

Me today.

2009-04-13T11:55:00.000-07:00

Hello, this is me today.

Have a rotten day.

Heh heh.

Not really.

S

Happy Easter...Early

2009-04-08T09:01:00.001-07:00

I ran across these photos yesterday, and I just HAFTA share. These are my baby sweet precious angel's first Easter portraits, and the bunny added a whole new level of cute. She tried to squeeze the poor little bugger to death, and he tried to flee, to no avail, on her silky overlay of her dress. So darn sweet. I love that kid so dang much it makes my fingernails hurt. (That made no sense at all.)

So, Happy Easter All! He is RISEN!

XOXO

Happy 40th Anniversary to Mom and Dad!

2009-03-30T16:01:00.000-07:00

As you well know, from my invites and profuse emails, we had a surprise 40th Anniversary Party for Mom and Dad on March 14. It was TOTALLY a surprise. I was totally shocked, but we pulled it off. They had NO IDEA!! It was an idea I had in January, and it took until March 14 to hammer out the details. I wanted to rent the Legion Hall and cook all of the food myself and be the hostess with the mostest. Rhonda talked me down from that ledge. (Thanks, sis...you're a good 'ern.) Anyway, here are some highlights of the big event.
Mom's surprised face! Sweet cousin Lonnie in the background.

Andy pickin' and a grinnin'.

Emma playing with Roy. He is so amazing with her, he so put her at ease in front of the group.

Bad photographer. Great moment. It was sorta hectic. Sorry it's blurry.

Dad thinking "Holy Cannoli, what have we got ourselves into?" Honored Guests - Kim and Brent Smith

More honored guests. Roy and Leanna McMasters.

And even more honored guests. WE are a blessed family, indeed. :) Wish you all could have joined us. It was a great evening.

Do me a favor.

2009-03-17T22:09:00.000-07:00

I am wondering if, when you read Granny Goose's recent St. Patty's Day post, that you laughed until real tears streamed down your face and you nearly peed? Holy cannoli. That was funny. Also, check out Annie Woo's blog...she has a fun "vote on a shoe" feature. It was a GREAT GREAT idea. She's smart, that one. :)

Sam

Sus opiniones por favor...

2009-03-11T09:18:00.000-07:00

Ah kay, I need your opinion....

I am thinking facebook, but also thinking myspace. No offense to those myspacers out there, but it seems seedier, and cheesier. Facebook seems more grown up and less like....sexually charged. You dig? So, what do you guys think? Which do you use? Why or why not? Please break into small groups, discuss and report your findings. Thank you.

(I am TEACHING courses this year, don't I sound so professor-ish? No? I don't think so either.)

Sam the Sham

Want to see my world?

2009-03-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

This is where I dwell. Winter is sucking the life out of me. Help. Please.

http://www.eou.edu/webcam/

Sam

Friday Funny

2009-03-06T10:25:00.000-08:00

So, I guess I only get two winners. Stay tuned for your rockin' prizes. Does anyone read this blog? Anyone? Hello? Is this thing on? Bueller?

Ok, here's one that will help your friday attitude...

I saw a billboard sign that said:

NEED HELP, CALL JESUS 1-800-805-3787

Out of curiosity, I did.
A Mexican showed up with a lawnmower.

Mensa Invitational

2009-03-04T09:39:00.000-08:00

Mensa Invitational - Be sure to read #4 again. That one killed me off. :)

Here are the winners of this year's Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which once again asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition:

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who is both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7. Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high

8. Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidental ly walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj.. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. Olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n.. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle n.. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Juwanna Win Sumpthin?

2009-03-02T21:45:00.000-08:00

I got this very cool idea from Jenny....so.....if you want to enter these are the rules.

1. Be one of the first Three (3) bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me.
2. Winners, you must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift for the first 3 bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!
3. The gift that you send to your three Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the Spirit and the Thought That Count!
4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it, sharing appropriate Linky Love!

If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Post it on your blog; start your own 'Pay It Forward' chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!
I will leave a list of names who were the first 3 on my blog as soon as I receive them! I have no clue what it is I will make you, lets see who the winners are first.

This is so fun! Great idea, Jen and Beck!

Happy Birthday Mommy!

2009-02-21T08:28:00.000-08:00

I hope you enjoyed your birthday. And I hope you enjoy your birthday dinner and cake tonight.

We LOVE YOU!!!!

Love, J,S,E,T

Top Ten Guess Who? HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

2009-02-20T11:35:00.000-08:00

I meant to post this last week, but our mystery birthday girl was out of town, so it would have done no good at all. So, this past week a very special member of my life had a birthday. She doesn't like alot of hooplah, or attention...so the special dinner and special cake and partyish weekend events that I have planned for her will make her blush...but we just have to commemorate her big day! Happy Birthday, you rockin' chick! We love you so much. You're just such a cut up!! (Inside joke...ask her later.) Anyone want to guess who's birthday it was?????

To help, here's a top ten (mixed) list that may help you.

1. She was born on Feb 13

2. Her skin is wayyyy prettier than most people's

3. She loves the color red

4. She is really funny. She always makes me crack up.

5. Don't piss her off. Just. Don't.

6. She's EXTREMELY competetive.

7. She's really really talented. Crafty, artsy, great aesthetic eye.

8. She drives really fast, doesn't get any tickets. (Refer to #2 and #9)

9. She has the blackest, most beautiful eyes in the world.

10. She loves raccoons.

After we compile some votes, we'll do a big reveal later today or tomorrow. Stay tuned!!!

Family...Meet Chocolate Chip. Chocolate Chip, meet family.

2009-02-17T22:03:00.000-08:00

I have been threatening for awhile now to post about the hamster mania that overtook our house awhile back. My little angel girl decided for last Christmas that she wanted a hamster. She and her best friend both wanted a hamster. They wanted matching little hamsters from Santa Claus for Christmas 2007. They wanted matching hamsters that could wear little matching headbands, matching outfits with matching cages. It wasn't really like a want, it was more of a desperation. I began to talk to her about how savvy Mr. Claus was, that he would NEVER give a live animal for a child that didn't know anything about hamsters, and who was too young to care for them properly. No sirree. The fat man would NEVER let that happen. No way, no how. Let's spell it together...Give me a B. Give me an A. Give me, ok it's a long word. Backfire. She checked out every book in the school library about pets, hamsters, rodent populations in general, etc. She then talked about little else. Seriously, I was worried about her mental health if the big guy didn't come through. It was tough stuff. Well, S. Claus came through bigo timo, for both of the girls. She cried for real tears of joy when she saw him under the tree in his cute little cage. She nearly passed out from excitement. It was seriously touching to see her level of excitement. Truly. Then the unthinkable happened. He got wet tail and died. We drove to Pendleton (no pet store in our town) and bought a new one on a week night asap after it happened. He was cute and we loved him nearly as much as Hammy. His name was Peanut Butter. Peanut Butter was a freaking wimp. Little sucker only lived less than a week. Weak. SO, we took off during spring break last year and came up with this little dude, Chocolate Chip. He is really quite cute, doesn't smell, and has been a nice little addition to the fam. Really. (And for those of you who know me well, I don't do indoor animals, or stink of any kind....and he's really not bad at all.) He's cute as can be, and he's made my little sweet pea one happy hamster owner.

Ha Ha Hee Hee Ho Ho - Black Widow Kisses

2009-02-16T12:56:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9qwcIYzUjc&feature=related

(How do I post a video from youtube right here? Do I have to be a member? Fellow bloggers, please inform. Thanks.)

Cousin Larry McMasters sent this over to me this week. Killed me off. Too funny. (Consider yourself lucky, Billy Boy...you'd be licking your butt for a week to get the taste out of your mouth.)

Tummy Ache? Try an artifact!

2009-02-11T21:54:00.000-08:00

So, this Elk season when Dad and I were hunting, we ate a little bit of junk food. Just a tiny bit. And, my tummy started acting up. After searching my purse for relief, I asked Dad if he had any medicine. He told me to look in the jockey box, and sure enough in there I found some Tempo tabs. I remembered those from childhood. Good medicine, as I remembered it. I looked at the package, and there were numbers printed on it. I chuckled when I saw the sequence of letters and numbers. Nov 87. November 1987. Aaah, I remember it well. Not really, just know I was in the 8th grade. That's about all I remember from that year. Anyway, I laughed and said something like "Hey Dad, these like expired in the Regan administration." "Well", he said, "then let your damn stomach hurt then." Then we both cracked up. So, I opened the foil package with a bit of trepidation. I remembered them being mint green, soft and chewy. Upon opening I found yellow, hard and petrified. I tried to chew it, and I couldn't even bite into it. Why did I try? Let's just say morbid curiosity. Let's not misunderstand. I am not dissing Dad's medicine kit in his truck, I am glad he has one. It is much worse here at my house, inside my medicine cabinet when I found medicine awhile back that expired in 1999. Emma got a chuckle out of that since that was the year she was BORN. :) Good times, good times.

What I found in my car....

2009-02-06T16:28:00.000-08:00

So, I am suffering from pent up posting energy, so I am going to be hitting you with a few posts in a row that I have been wanting to share for awhile. This first foray into my ultra successful and so together life is what I found in my car this fall. It was full on fall sports season, so I was likely to find most anything. I didn't expect a half baked pizza crust, tho. That's one thing I found. You know....(validation please..can I get an amen??) you go with the plastic when the checker asks, you buy roundish things, and they roll out of the bag and hide their little sneaky selves under the third row seat. Add Indian summer heat, and voila! Half baked pizza crust. As for the other, we went to a garage sale and E found the Praying Mantis. She was homeless and without a loving home, and clearly in a family way. It was our civic duty to see that she had a healthy environment to give birth. So, she got to live in our peony bush. You're welcome, fellow humans and insects on the planet. Just another service we provide.

Holy Cwap!

2009-02-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

It's been awhile since I shared. Here goes.

-Coaching basketball. Emma's team. She's a star. Good stuff.

-Went to the woods on Saturday to sled and shoot new guns we got for Christmas. Got stuck. Spent 4 hours trying to get out. If it weren't for Brent and Theresa, we would live in the woods now. We'd be eating bark soup. Not good.

-Watched my little angel watch in wonder as his beloved Steelers kicked the crapola out of Phoenix. Pics with Roethlisberger jersey and face paint coming soon. (Homemade face paint. With gel food coloring. Wonder what his face looked like afterward?)

-Got sick sunday night. Been home from work until today.

-Dog is sick. She's 14. On her last legs. Was thinking she wouldn't make it through the week. Mom's leftover roast beef has maybe helped her turn a corner. Keep your fingers crossed.

-Swimming lessons start tomorrow.

-No rest for the wicked. And, no time to practice my wicked solo game. What?

Ode to my Pa - AKA Sugar Lips

2009-01-14T12:10:00.000-08:00

This was on the Pioneer Woman site today. You'll never guess who it made me think of.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was a man known ’bout town—a man named Sugar Lips.

See, Sugar Lips came to be known as Sugar Lips because, well…he had a way with words. So when Mrs. Brown’s beloved husband, Mr. Brown, was killed on the railroad tracks one day, the local authorities called on none other than Sugar Lips to break the sad news to Mrs. Brown because, well…he had a way with words. Happy to oblige, Sugar Lips walked up to Mrs. Brown’s house, knocked on her door, and waited. When Mrs. Brown answered, Sugar Lips asked, "Is you the Widow Brown?" Puzzled, Mrs. Brown responded, "Well, I’m MRS. Brown, but I’m not a WIDOW."

Sugar Lips replied, "The f**k you aint!"

Happy Wednesday, y'all!

PS - This picture always makes me think of him as a little turd...you know he wrecked his first truck when he was 3!!! :)

Holiday Rundown

2009-01-08T22:06:00.001-08:00

The holidays were wonderful here in the Eggert household. Here's the Cliff's Notes version.

1. Christmas Eve with Grandma Nancy and GG Helen. Inhale dinner because presents are directly following dinner. Don't even rememberto serve the tropical pie I made from scratch because of the present hysteria.
2. Go home and set out cookies for Santa, carrots for the reindeer. Try to sleep.
3. Wake up, see what Santa brought (E-ipod, T-Nintendo DS). Open presents. Have traditional breakfast casserole. Mommy got jewlery from Ben Bridge. Daddy got a new gun.
4. Frantically put all new toys, clothes, everything else we own into big red car. Don't clean up or put gift wrap into recycling bin. Leave strewn wildly on floor.
5. Hightail it to Grandma Red and Papa Big Truck's house. Open NEW COMPUTER from Grandma and Papa, watch Uncle Andy get custom made McMaster's Guitar. Freaking amazing.
6. Stay the night. Veg. Play games with family under careful auspices of the game Nazi. Eat. Sleep tiny.
7. Arise at 3:00 am. Drive 18 hours to Colorado. Horrible roads. Witness six accidents in Idaho. Stop in Mountain Home and have breakfast with Larry McMasters, Amy and Monique. Witness absolute blizzard, wonder if freeway to Burley would stay open long enough for us to get out of Idaho. Witness amazing children playing harmoniously in the back seat. Not kidding. They were amazing.
8. Pray hard in Utah, near Green River, hope that car doesn't keep acting strange. Look at thermometer, see reading at -8. Pray some more. Arrive in Grand Junction, CO at 10 pm. Consider drinking Drano. Reconsider.
9. Shop Kohl's and other favorite stores for after Christmas sales. Have lunch at our favorite brewery, the Rockslide. Go to Enstrom's where they make the world's finest Almond Toffee. Go to the amazing dinosaur museum.
10. Drive home. Two days this time. Stay in Brigham City. New hotel. Very nice. Allow children to swim in pool. Read Twilight novel obsessively. Watch BYU channel on New Year's Eve. Laugh hilariously (sorry, yes, I DO know my audience) and wonder why the Osmonds' career has survived. Witness Donny sing "He's My Brother". Consider drinking Drano. Don't have any.
11. Arrive home safely. Sigh. Smile. Clean whole house. De-deck halls.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, Y'all!!!

I LOVE JOOOZ GUYZ!!!!!!
Daddy and his angels, with his GG Margaret. She's such a fun lady. Always giggling. She's awesome.
Me, OPENING OUR NEW COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!! (And thank you for asking, but no, my parents aren't interested in adopting children at this point in their lives. Sorry, suckas.)
My little Annie Woo Kewwy. I asked her when she opened it what it was. She said "O.M.G." I said, wow, what is it?!!! She said "O.M.G." and then turned her little sign toward me. She's too funny.
Rhonda with her O gear. She was saying "O" alot. See the pursed lips? See Darin's amused expression? Yes, that's him amused. :)

Me and my Benny Bear...he had some very NICE earrings in him for me!!
Daddy finally finding his gun in my closet. We did a scavenger hunt. He just LOVES stuff like that. Can't you tell? This is his amused look.
My angels, after sitting out sustenance for Santa and his loyal steeds.
Andy, with his new reason for breathing air. Phew. That was a biggie. All in their McMasters tee-shirts, aren't they spiffy?
Daddy in the StormTrooper helmet. It was the most highly anticipated gift by my wee one. He prayed and prayed he would get one. :)
My wee one...opening spy gear. Now the little bugger drives that little car everywhere and it LISTENS IN ON CONVERSATIONS. Cool? Yes. Dangerous? Yes. It has a REALLY powerful mic.
My boys in their new Carhartt caps from S. Claus.
They love each other! They really love each other!
Lucky the wonder pup. WAHOO!

Big Girl Camera Shots

2008-12-22T09:05:00.000-08:00

A symbol of our freedom. Why? Eagles don't make me feel free. Wild horses do. :)
Wild horse. Yes, I am serious. I checked. Long tail. Check. No visible horse shoes. Check. Long story, but it appears I am an idiot. Took bunch of pictures of a saddle horse once while hunting. Vera funny. Ask Rhonda.
Gorgeous sunset.
Picturesque Bear Valley.
Foggy Tree.

So, I am no Jenny (I wish) or Uncle Roger (phew...dodged a bullet there)..but here are some shots I took during Elk season, because I wasn't shooting my dang shootin' iron. :( WAAAAAAHHHHHHHH. Let me know what you think. Critique, ideas, and tips and tricks welcome. XOXO

Samwella

Christmas Caroling

2008-12-21T22:53:00.000-08:00

Oh, 'tis one of the sweetest signs of the season. Little sweet peas singing Christmas carols. Tristan had a Christmas program at school, and did GREAT. There was even a portion where the audience had to get up and dance the Hamster dance. Jay rocked it. Yeah, right.

E is getting so big now. No program for the little buggers. They go sing at the hospital. Their school is close, so this year and last they walk up to sing carols. Pretty fun...and they get cookies from the cafeteria.

While we're at it...a challenge. Post your favorite Christmas carol. Mine? Sleigh Ride. I also love Little Drummer Boy. Really, I am a sucker. I like 'em all.

Uninteresting piece of Christmas trivia - I just wrapped the LAST Christmas gift this evening! YIPPEE!!!!

Merry Christmas!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow! (For a while.)

2008-12-18T16:34:00.000-08:00

This was our little snow storm we had been hearing about in the forecast since Monday. It's here. It's been snowing HARD since about 2pm. Still snowing now at 6:11 pm. Yow.

Sissy, showing the ample accumulation on the outdoor kiddie patio furniture. (Most was from last week...it had just started snowing when I took this pic.)

Tristan, stuck in a blizzard, in a snowdrift. Helpless, all alone. Needin' a mama. Sad, really.

The 2008 Eggert family Christmas tree. Sans presents. By now, you can barely see the freaking tree because my little angel pies are spoiled rotten and we have presents coming out the kazoo. Went with all gold for years, all red last year, and this year mostly red with a touch of gold. It's workin for me. We don't do the fancy nancy pantsy buy at the tree lot trees. We go with "go to the woods, play in the snow until dark, frantically try to find a tree with the aid of a battery- needing Maglite, grab one that doesn't make you cry with pity and take the sucker home" approach to Christmas tree selection. I would highly recommend it. (Although this year there wasn't enough snow, so Daddy went to the woods and got it while we were @ the Holiday Music Festival at the University.) Hee Hee.

Merry Christmas to everyone! We love you!

:)) <- That there's a dubble chin. From all the fudge I dun been eatin'. Not good.

Christmas Smiles

2008-12-17T11:39:00.000-08:00

I got a new camera for my birthday. It's kind of a big girl camera, so I have no dern clue how to use it...but thanks to PDub, I am learning some. Plus, I have asked Jenny for lessons, so we'll see. This is one of the shots from my first batch o' pics. Sweet babies, right out of the bath, decorating the tree. Tree pics coming soon.

XO

Sam

Baby It's Cold Outside

2008-12-15T11:35:00.000-08:00

Winter came Saturday. Didn't miss you, old friend. Not complaining, tho, 'cause to have the first real snow in mid December is totally dodging a bullet. However, it's hovering around 8 inches here, and it's 9 now. With the wind chill it's -5. J is working in High Valley, so it's like probably pretty cool up there too. (Any folks familiar with Union Co out there? Can I get an Amen!?...Bergman, Aunt Jan, anyone? Bueller?)

Big fun was had on Saturday when we went to Kennewick shopping. We got shut down before Mecham because of a wreck and waited a half hour. Dude behind us in a Dodge was way tooo cool to sit there and wait so went barreling down through the median to try to reach the parallel road to us that was acutally an onramp to the freeway, and got his big Dodge butt stuck in the bank. It was poetic justice, beautiful and priceless to see. Some NICE and helpful Ford owner came and hauled his big arse out of the bank. Not me, mister. He would have been on top of that mountain 'til spring, if it had been up to me. Jerk. Anyway, got kicked off the freeway again before Pendleton, and had to take the old highway into town. Pretty hairy, but the Big Red Car goes great in the snow, so we were cool. Took three hours. Shouldn't have taken over 1.75, actually.

Then we came home to these temps. Perty cool here on the East side. Heard you west siders actually had a few flakes, too. Scratch that, you have A BUNCH OF FLAKES in your city. Be careful, watch out for idiots. This has been a public service announcement.

S

Grant County Pride

2008-12-03T14:42:00.001-08:00

Guess what happened in Hillsboro over the weekend? Other than the sound of pies being devoured, look what else!!

Grant Union High School State Champs!

It's hard, to be honest with you. I spent most of my life with this school as a rival, and now my niece is there, and I have to support it. I was sooo proud! I teach a class this fall, and I did a score report on the board Monday morning. It looked like this:

GUHS - 3A State Champs
Imbler - 1A State Champs (Joseph runner up...go E. Oregon Teams!!)
OSU=not enough UO=too much

Plus, Travis McMasters' team, West Albany, plays this weekend for the state title at Hillsboro stadium as well! (That's Chris McMasters' son, who is Roy and Leanna's son.)

Pretty exciting for the Grant kids. Andria texted me and said school was a madhouse on Monday. GO PROS!! :)

Elk Season 2008

2008-12-02T13:09:00.000-08:00

Andy, Dad and I had flagtail unit cow tags. We were looking for this...

Not this.

No matter, we could not find either. Saw nothing. Shot at nothing. Very sad indeed. A good time was had by all, however, dinging around in the woods and hearing funny logging stories.

Also, Dad was able to test his amazing memory and remember what roads lead to which other roads, and stuff like that. I can't remember last Tuesday, let alone road numbers from a job I worked back in the early 70's. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.

Happy Turkey Day, All!

2008-11-26T10:48:00.000-08:00

Dancing Turkey Animation provided by MySpaceAnimations.com

May you eat so much pie...
That you let out a happy sigh...

May your Turkey induced nap...
Be on a friendly lap...

May you feel gratitude...
For all things in your latitude...(don't judge, you try rhyming gratitude!)

Happy Thanksgiving Day, y'all! Love yas. (I know, I haven't quit my day job. AND, even after going toe to toe with a VP this week, I didn't LOSE my job.)

Remember, the most important Thanksgiving message of all:

"You can't gum a radish!"

God Bless.

Halloween...At Long Last

2008-11-13T21:35:00.000-08:00

Ok, so we did celebrate Halloween over here on the East side...just haven't taken the time to post it yet. WE were batty this Halloween. Har de har har. It was sooo nice this year, we didn't even have to Trick-or-Treat in our parkas! Seriously, one year our pumpkins were frozen solid the night we tried to carve them....it always seems the weather turns unseasonably cold and nasty right before it's time for the candy dash. So, sorry it's so late....but get a look at those pumpkins...the little orange 'uns and the ones in batman/batgirl suits! :)

Shouldn't Batman look tough and intimidating, not like you want to kiss his sweet little cheeks? :)

Looks like Batgirl kicked Catwoman's arse and took her fake nails!

Na na na na..na na na na..na na na na...BATMAN!!!

E's Frankenstein. He was really cute....if I only could have gotten his picture taken a little better.

Daddio's powersaw horsey pumpkin. He always shows us up.

T-Bone's Ironman. He had eyes, but Mom stinks as a photographer, so you can't see 'em.

My raccoon pumpkin...can you see the outline of his little face? Pretty easy to carve, actually.

Happy Halloween y'all..even if it's late...XOXO

Swoopy Bang

2008-11-07T11:40:00.000-08:00

So, I have been trying to stay with the trends. My college aged students help me keep my street 'cred by keeping me up with fashion, music, etc. I still TRY to pay attention. However, this newish swoopy bang thang is something I just could NOT master. I have a very high hairline, like receding old man hairline, so my attempt at swoopy bang looked like poopy bang. Finally, my hair master Ms. Dena, suggested I part to the other side and try to avoid the cowlick that was responsible for my non-swoopy bang look. Voila. Worked pretty dern well. Plus, since Rho posted her new hair for comment, I thought I would too. Be gentle. I have a more fragile ego than she does. :) Happy Friday, yall!!!

Eggo Sports Center

2008-11-06T21:26:00.000-08:00

Fall sports are now over. Sadly. It was a rip roarin good time, but a HUGE time commitment. Dad coaching TBoney and the footballers and Mom coaching E and the volleyballers. T made two big touchdowns this season, as well as an extra point! (One touchdown was during the LAST game. Mom had forgotten the cute football cupcakes, so she ran home to pick them up and...sigh, missed the TOUCHDOWN.) He had a wonderful season and hugged his friend at the beginning of each game when they met. There should be mandatory hugging in football. Sweet. Baby girl rocked her first season of vb. Hustler, that girl. Also, she served really well. We only let them serve five at a time before rotating, and she served five in a row quite a few times! We're now entertaining some offers from rival grade schools and some endorsement offers. Hard to harness all of this talent. :) But most of all, we learned to love sports and BE GOOD sports! :)

TGIO...Thank Goodness it's Over

2008-11-06T09:08:00.001-08:00

Ok. I, too am coming out of the funk. I, too made a similar comment to what my intelligent, thoughtful, and kind cousin made. I will stand behind whatever yayhoo they put in charge, even if he refuses to salute the flag. Minor details. However, is this going a BIT too far? Mercy. Click on this link:

Obama is the New Regan

S

Happy Birthday, Granny Goose!

2008-10-31T11:45:00.000-07:00

Happy 95th Birthday, Grandma!

I love you so very very much. Thanks for always letting me wear your high heels, and you clip on earrings, and your Mary Kay lipstick. Thanks for always making chubby feel cute. Thanks for spoiling me rotten. Thanks for making wonderful ham chow mein and chiney noodles and having us over for dinner. Thanks for having a hammock. Thanks for having lots of beautiful golden leaves for us to get lost in. Thanks for having lilacs. Thanks for your little fun songs you sang like "Home again, home again, jiggety jig" and the toe thing where you would say rothel, roadwhistle, etc..when grabbing our toes. Had no idea what in tarnation you were saying, but I sure liked it. Thanks for always letting us help decorate your Christmas tree. Thanks for poor man's cake. Thanks for being a spirited, fun and loving grandmother. I have been blessed to have you in my life. Love you always!

Samboanny :)

Pie Chart - Good Idea, Amy!

2008-10-31T11:14:00.001-07:00

I thought about posting this one, but where, oh where, is my beloved Coconut Cream???
Here's my "most complex personality known to man" pie chart. Yikes. Daunting.

Am I Bluuueee?

2008-10-29T13:08:00.000-07:00

Yep, I knew already. Thanks to Dr. Verl Anderson's easy A consumer behavior business course I took in college, I knew which color group I was. He was sooo yellow. He even showed us movies of fellow yellows (I so funny), and acknowleged that blue with strong red tendencies was a scary combination. Uh oh. So I am still violet...violet, right? Blue with a hint of red...

Charactered Traits
articulate pragmatic a leader engaging of others enthusiastic persuasive self-regulated

	Healthy Traits
	detail conscious nurturing loyal intimate analytical thoughtful compassionate dependable

Unhealthy Traits
emotionally intense hard to please judgmental guilt prone self-righteous a perfectionist worry prone self-critical overly sensitive unforgiving jealous low self-esteem

Dysfunctional Traits

naive
afraid to face facts
indirect communicator

Check out this statement from my comprehensive analysis:
"As a core blue with secondary red, you have the most complex personality known to man. There will never be a dull minute in your life, although at times you would love to simply be white and let the world go by. "

And this gem. I have always felt a bit Cybil-ish. Now I know why!
"You are the ultimate paradox—emotion first, with strong logic secondary. In the end, emotion will always rule your heart, but your behavior may often tell a completely different story. Since you know your heart, you assume others know your good intentions as well. This is rarely the case, however. Others often pull away from you emotionally, which causes you emotional pain since your driving core motivate in life is Intimacy. When you see the needs and wants of the red and blue personalities, you can easily see how yours is, at best, a crapshoot as to whether people can read you accurately or not. You have a hard enough time reading yourself. You may be extremely generous on one occasion and refuse to even participate on another."

Ok, one more...BINGO! Insert my face in the dictionary under this definition.
"You face an intense internal struggle as well as often sending mixed messages to those with whom you interact. You have a strong sense of perfectionism, which comes from fear of not measuring up to your own expectations and the expectations of others—you are never acceptable to yourself simply as you are! You want things done right and can’t understand why others don’t share your same enthusiasm. You get so frustrated with others’ poor performance that you finally criticize them for not paying attention to details (red limitation) and then apologize repeatedly for being so curt."

Ha Ha Hee Hee Ho Ho. This is darn true, this last 'un. Phew. Funny and enlightening. I miss Dr. A. He was a fun yellow fellow. :)

Thanks, Aims. This was fun!

Tagged...

2008-10-25T16:29:00.000-07:00

Hey Y'all:

Do I still get partial credit if I turn my assignment in late?

Here's my sixth shot from my sixth folder. Blurry? Well, yes. You will find that 98.8873642% of my shots are blurry. Yep, that's how I roll. So freaking annoying. Anywhooze, this is Lucas, our buddy, wakeboarding behind our boat at Phillips. Not too bad of a shot. I wish it would have been the third or fourth shot in the folder, if so, it would have been these:
My babies the first day w/out training wheels! Too fun. So, what about all the rest of you who read, but did not play....??? C'mon...you know you want to!

Anyway, stay tuned later today or tomorrow for Fall sports highlight reel!

S

Heavens to Betsy...A CONTEST!

2008-10-20T09:48:00.000-07:00

I just love that PDub. The very cool blogger chicky over at www.thepioneerwoman.com is one funny lady. Jennifer started me on reading her, and now I can't get enough. I am seriously addicted to her blog. So, this is thanks to her...

Oooh. This is funny stuff. Stop what you are doing. Put down your Yoplait Light Fat Free Strawberry Orange Sunrise yogurt and go to this website.. www.yearbookyourself.com Woo Wee, this is a good thing on a Monday morning. Check me out: (I tried to put them in chronological order...you can go from 1950 to 2000) Please submit your vote for best photo in the form of a comment.

WTF? I think I look like a cross between Buckwheat and Opie Taylor. Yow.Very June Cleaverish, don't you think?

I am sooo groovy.
Didn't Aunt Char use to rock this 'do? This is my personal fav.I think I have one of those goody combs in my back pocket in this shot.

Yeah, so this is really how my hair looks most of the time. Frizzy. Big.This is SOOO like my jr. year highschool picture. Lovin' the spiral perm. (Sad part is...my hair does that naturally...even now...and it's really not in style right now.)

Happy Monday, y'all.

The Mind of TBone Eggert

2008-10-14T09:51:00.001-07:00

Remember Becky's post when Codo stole her camera and took some really meaningful and artistic shots of the doorknob, an alarm clock, etc... http://l8nfam.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2008-08-28T19%3A24%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=7

Well, this is what happens when your six year old plays with his army men and gets ahold of your camera. That boy kills me. Funny funny kid.

Chopper and watchdog on the fridge. "All clear, boys...move in!!"

"All clear out the dirty window..."
"Nothing here behind the glue...all clear"
"Holy cow, who ate all the banana runts and left the yukky mangos?" "All clear..."
"Dang, those are some big silos, they hold leaves?" "All clear..."
"Yep, from what we can see out the dirty window, all is still clear..."

"We've got the end table covered..."
"And down here, too"
"Television...all clear!"

"Yep, this side too!"
"Heater, clear!"
Thanks, guys. I feel so much safer having my house secured by little green dudes. :)

Because Aunt Jan Wanted to Know...

2008-10-10T09:54:00.000-07:00

So, this was a pretty good season. Season opened last Saturday, so I snuck out of town on my own a little early and headed to Mom and Dad's. I needed to sight in my rifle. The results?

Not too bad. From 100 yards, it looked sighted in and ready to roll. That hole on the right is NOT a shot. It's the little hole we made when we poked a stick to hang it up. Seriously. Otherwise, I would not have posted this, duh. Anyway, it's a 25.06, so I trust it has enough knockdown power for deers. So, Saturday we left at sunup (which sound sooo much better than 6:50, because it doesn't even get LIGHT until 7:00, so we didn't even get up really early...)

Saw lots of deers, but only two boy deers. Saw one forky crossing the Izee highway going onto private land. Just AFTER seeing the State game cop and a forest circus fuzz pass by. So, needless to say, any bright ideas about bending the rules that may have developed were left to fester in our little brains. (Well, mine is small...Dad's, not so much.) Saw a big group of does cross the road in front of us, and I was saying as they walked across single file, "doe, doe, doe" then we saw a pretty nice buck in the bunch. Then, because I am normally not very excitable, I yelled "horns! Dad, horns!" They were on his side, so I jumped out and decided to be his backup. I snuck around the back of the pickup while we waited for him to walk out from behind the tree. Dad was pulled down on him, ready to show him the way to the promiseland. He walked out alright, right behind a DANG doe. Too funny. Dad had a glimpse of his ear and horn as he escaped back into the brush. No shot. We gave chase, but I think he had some important business to take care of, because he appeared to be busy. Too busy to hang around and wait for us to blow him to smithereens.

We also had decided to walk out the end of this road closure. As we were walking, Dad, looking at the sky, commented..."We should head back to the truck pretty soon." And we just kept walking... After a few minutes, he said, "Well, we really should get back". Yes indeedy. A big woosh of wind blew down through the trees and it cut loose on us. Pouring the rain and hail on us. It was pretty funny. Our hats were dripping rain when we got back to the truck. We got all warm and toasty by the heater, and all was well.

So, Saturday was good. Saw lots of deer, but only the two dudes. All in all, hunted 12 hours. Had big tons of fun, just me and pa hangin around in the woods bullshitting each other. Sunday, left early and hunted 5 hours until Andy got here. Then he and Dad went out. He was out less than an hour and had his buck hanging. Little turd. He also had a whole week to hunt, so that was Murphy's Law, don't you think? I was happy for him, I guess he made a pretty good shot.

I took off Thurs and today to hunt. Came back Wed night late so I could hunt Thurs morning. Went for an unguided tour first thing. Dad sent me on a quick little hike and I went on a much longer hike becasue I apparently couldn't find the road he wanted to meet me on. It was snowy and cold, so I wasn't thinking that was a good scenario at all in my little cotton overshirt. But, we got hooked back up and I got this little guy at about 11 on Thurs, and here he is...

Made a very close shot in his little neck when I could finally get my friggin gun to load. This wasn't really my day. Anyway, ain't he cute??? Andy called him a sporky. Fork on one side, spike on the other. Good one, Andro. We aren't big trophy hunters...we're meat hunters. He will be a nice snack, I think. :) (BTW...the look on my face was because Dad wasn't sure the camera was working. I look perplexed, confused. Ok, so I usually am.)

Top Ten Tuesdeeeee! Mizundastood Song Lyrics

2008-10-07T12:22:00.000-07:00

1. Wooly Bully

Heard - Matta toe hadda...blah blah blah blah....WOOLY BULLY! WOOLY BULLY. Watch it now, watch it! Here it goes!

Actual - Matty told Hatty about a thing she saw.
Had two big horns and a wooly jaw.
Wooly bully, wooly bully.
Wooly bully, wooly bully, wooly bully.

2. Hearts are Gonna Roll - Hal Ketchum (Courtesy of Jason)
When we were first dating, he sang along to the radio and nearly killed me on this one:

Heard - Hoss is on the Road...
Actual - Hearts are Gonna Roll

3. Purple Haze - Hendrix, Man.

Heard - Scuse me, while I kiss this guy
Actual - Scuse me, while I kiss the sky (yep, it's a classic.)

4. Bad Moon Risin-CCR

Heard - There's a bathroom on the right
Actual - There's a bad moon on the rise

5. Theme of Laverne and Shirley

Heard - Shamille, Shamozle, Hossenfepper, incorporated! (Wha? Like the bunny soup?)
Actual - Hmmm...not so bad. Sclemeel, schlemazel, hasenfeffer incorporated.

6. O Little Town of Bethlehem - courtesy of my wittle bwother

Heard- O Little Tiny Bashful Man
Actual - O Little Town of Bethlehem

7. Louie Louie - I know, I am taking all of the easy ones.

Heard - Loueye Loueye, Oh baby, me gotta go now...blah blah blah...(inaudible)
Actual - Fine little girl waits for me
Catch a ship across the sea
Sail that ship about, all alone
Never know if I make it home - That's what I found on the web...hmm..who knew?

8. I am sure there are more, but how about just some dern funny lyrics that you really should hear. This is a serious, ballady song from funny man Gary Allan. Give it a listen below. Song title, What Would Willy Do? Listen for the dramatic dialogue portion in the break near the end of the song. Phew. Pertnear wrecked my cor when I heard this for the first time.

http://www.jango.com/music/Gary+Allan?l=0

Lyrics:

You know sometimes I wonder when I ain't gettin' nowhere
What would old Willie do when it all gets too much to bear
And I can see him on his lonely old tour bus
And he's got his problems just like any of us
Well he'd just take a deep breath and then he'd let it all go
And he'd take another deep breath and let it all go
And he'd take another deep breath...and he'd hold it
Ah and I bet he'd feel hungry in a way that seems strange
Yeah hungry for all the things that he just can't change
Like the time he passed out in is own bedroom
And his wife sewed him up in the sheets and beat him with a broom and he forgave her
And you think that's rough, well then the IRS came and they took away all of his stuff
They took his golf course and his recording studio, and he just went out and did another show
So when it's all coming down on you
You better ask yourself what would Willie do

9. Ray Stevens - Punk Country Love

(Talks about ways to keep life in the country from getting boring)...

So we'll go out to the barn and whoop the cow
Paint all the animals purple, safety pin the sows

Staple all them chickens together, watch 'em flop around the yard,
Handcuff the hired hand and grease 'em down with lard, yee haw!

10. That's all I got. Fun topic, Beckapoo.

Top Ten Tuesday - Lovin Thy Dern Self Edition

2008-09-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

1. I can cook most anything I want to. Except for instant rice. Seriously. I can dissect most any dish and re-create it, but that dang instant rice usually ends up runny? Hmmm.

2. I love my kids, and everyone else's. I am coaching volleyball this season, and the kids and I are having a ball...more on that later. But, kids and dogs just know I am a safe place and that I adore them. Yep, I do. Guilty as charged. I am a pretty darn good mommy, that I can always stand upon, if nothing else in the world is going my way.

3. I am a good amigo. People usually want to talk to me, and share their problems and thoughts. I have had one student call it "pastoral". I took it to mean related to Louis Pasteur, so I was like a disease? Huh? No, I kid. I kid. I guess I must put people at ease, and I like that I can be that for some people. I guess that's why I am in the profession I am in.

4. I think I am pretty fun. I like to laugh, and to make others laugh is a hobby of mine. I usually try to take a boring bunch of stiff academics and at least give them one chuckle per day. Even if it's a small, quiet, shoulders barely rising and falling sort of laugh. Academics don't do the belly laugh thang. I think it's forbidden in the first day of professor school.

5. I am tough as heck. I can lift more than most people. I can generally take a high level of pain. I just think it comes from thinking you were a boy until you turned 12. I just don't get too wrapped up in sniveling. I am a "suck it up" kinda chicky.

6. I love camping, hunting, fishing and the great outdoors. I think it's something that is part of our heritage, so I am glad to be honoring that part of our roots. I know it sounds overly dramatic to extrapolate this out of a simple desire to sleep in the woods, but seriously. I know Dad has told me that Grandpa wanted his kids and his grandkids to enjoy the woods as much as he did. I do, Papa McCumber. I so do. Dad said he sometimes would go find a tree and just sit under it with his back propped up against it and nap. I try to do this now, with some regularity. Not because I am a lazy bum that loves the whizz of the bugs in the trees and the smell of the pine and the sun on my face, but purely to honor my Grandfather. Geez, give a girl some credit...

7. I am honest. I get my arse in a sling sometimes because of this. I am honest, even if you would really rather I didn't tell the truth. So sorry, but I am a slave to the truth. I only lie when telling the kids that the almond M&Ms are all gone. Ok, that's usually a lie. Kidding! :)

8. I work hard. I am a very productive person. Most of the time. (Except for 3pm bath and literature hour...) I can get alot accomplished very quickly. Especially under pressure. I THRIVE under pressure. I think it comes from backup dispatching at the Sheriff's Department when I was a wee one...17 to be exact. I only had to dispatch if the main dispatch was swamped...so I had to be able to handle alot of pressure. I love working hard, and love accomplishing alot. Doesn't make for many "favorite colleague of the year" awards at work, but hey, whatcha gonna do?

9. I am passionate. It's a blessing and a curse, really. It leads me to say things when I am empassioned about something that I later regret. Usually when I am angry or fired up, I can be a bit "outspoken", shall we say? But, I usually have an opinion about things, and I love that I live to the extent that things excite me...and get me fired up.

10. I am adaptable. I get that from my Momma. I can be in the most bizarre situations, and still feel pretty comfortable. I was thinking that once when I was in a room full of snobby people and high priced hors'derves that I would be just as comfortable on a tailgate with a bunch of rednecks drinking beer.

See, this was a fun topic. When was the last time you had time to write ten things about you that you liked? Or, about your cousin? So sweet, Becky! You're my hero. :)

More on that chick I dig...

2008-09-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the great pictures you sent, Ma and Pa. Thought I would share them with the blogging world. Too funny. Also, check this out:

http://www.lagrandeobserver.com/News/Local-News/Youre-who

Pretty cool for my little tiny town...also this lady is from my homeland...and is my mother in law's hairdresser! :) I love small town life! :)

Top Ten Tuesday - Things a Man Should Never Say to His Wife

2008-09-23T20:09:00.000-07:00

1. You should dress like that chick, she looks hot!
2. Is your hot friend single yet?
3. How many of those are you planning on eating?
4. You STILL look pretty to ME (Yep, I have heard those words)
5. What do you expect after two kids? You think you'll look like a bikini model?
6. Go ahead. Go out with your friends. Have fun! (Trap. Don't do it. You'll never live it down as long as you live...at least in my world.)
7. How old IS that babysitter?
8. Remember when your hair used to be long and beautiful?
9. I hope you love your new cordless drill I got you for Christmas. (Yep, that's right. That's what I got for Christmas.)
10. Go ahead. Go take a nap. I'll take care of the kids and dinner while you rest. (Again, trap. You'll never live it down and the kids will not be supervised or fed when you awake.)

Ok, mine aren't funny. Don't ask me questions about males right now. I hate them all. Besides my father, brother and especially my son. They're it. The rest are pig dung.

Back to Skoo

2008-09-17T21:34:00.002-07:00

Here's the back to skoo pics for 2007-2008. E got her new hairdo on her birthday...the day before school started. She has been wanting a "boy" haircut for some time, so she was so excited. We hadn't quite perfected the 'do by day one, but we are getting better and better. Just in time for picture day...day after tomorrow. This year we're busy...imagine that. Volleyball three days a week, mom is coaching. Football two times a week...dad's coaching. Fiddle one day a week. That leaves Sunday without an activity. Phew. As one of my life's favorite professors once said "Idle hands are the devil's workshop." I am a friggin saint, then. Fo sho. Happy Back to School... A couple weeks late. :)

See that little tooth hole there. Yep, first tooth..gonzo! He pulled it himself with no tears. He's no biiiotch.. my tough little man.
Mr. Serious..

Top Ten Tuesdays - Stuff I Would Spend My $$ on if Gas Prices Weren't So High

2008-09-17T21:34:00.000-07:00

1. Gas - I have a big car with little mileage - Where would I go? The phrase "anywhere but here" fits
2. Furniture. I love furniture but don't have ANYTHING I want...yet.
3. New work clothes - A girl can only wear the same black slacks and dress shoes for so damn long
4. Shoes. Duh. Will...always...want....more....shoes
5. New water heater. New furnace. New vacuum. (How is it that crap all falls apart at once?)
6. Weight Watchers food and club thingy. I am such a tubby. I need to get skinnier.
7. Airfare to a warm place with cute cabana boys and lots of umbrella drinks
8. New computer. Mine is old and slow.
9. Kitchen remodel
10. A little St. Bernard puppy :) Or a Burmese Mountain Dog. Or a Mastif. Or another dog the size of a hereford cow.

:)

SNL...I could hardly wait

2008-09-15T12:35:00.000-07:00

So, the moment I laid eyes on the rip snortin' maverick, and my new hero, Sarah Palin...I was thinking of Tina Fey in a SNL sketch. Sad, I know, when politics for me are reduced to how funny SNL will be for the viewing public...but I swear I thought I was the only one noticing their strong resemblance to one another. Of course I wasn't...

http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/clips/palin-hillary-open/656281/

I tried to stay awake for it Saturday night, but I just couldn't. So, thank goodness for the www.

:)

Happy Birthday to My Little E

2008-09-12T08:56:00.000-07:00

Birthday Party. Luau Theme. LIMBO LIMBO! How low can you go?
Raise your Tiki glass to 9 years of fun!!
My sweet little princess flower girl. She's an old hand at this thing...this is her third wedding. And now, sigh, for a trip down memory lane.
LOVE this picture. The panic on ALK's face. Hurry up, TAKE THE SHOT!!!
The wonder in her sweet little eyes when she's looking up at the Easter Bunny.
My little pea pod. It was typical trick-or-treating in E. Oregon. Ok, kids, take off your parka and your Sorels and your scarves and hats so you can show off your costumes~! This was so sweet on her!

So proud of her new teeth. :)Oh, my little swimmy suit model. Lovin it!

Her first ride on a horse. I knew then we had an equestrian on our hands.
I think I was modeling a naptime demo for her. I am good at napping.
She loved Rock and Roll Elmo. Lovin the Eeyore ears too.
A real live bunny in a photoshoot. Brave photo studio, I'll tell you that.

I have such an amazing daughter. God was smiling on the world the day he sent her down. It's hard for a mother to express just all of the qualities they love in their children, but I'll try.

Her intelligence far surpassed her mother's years ago. She is the best big sister a boy could ask for. I have always called her the deputy mom. I don't think I could have raised T without her. She's such a help to me, and I am excited about this pre-teen stuff, because we talk hair and clothes now....but we still get to play Barbies and Pollys. Yay for me. When I close my eyes, I still see that little face the moment she was born. So incredibly beautiful yet strong. Holding her head up just moments after being born. She was 9 lbs, so she was always healthy and strong. Still is. I have yet to see her fail at something she truly wanted to learn, do or try. I know that as she grows, her beauty and strength will be traits she will continue to show the world.

So, happy 9, E. Emmster, Emma Bean, McGloskey, Sissy poo, Sissy, Sweet Pea, Emmy, Emma Saywhen, Emmer, I couldn't love another baby girl on the planet as much as I do you, sissy. You made me a mother, the thing I had waited my whole life for. I will love you forever.

:)

Top Ten Tuesday...10 Worst Songs for a Wedding or a Funeral (Isn't that redundant?)

2008-09-10T09:11:00.000-07:00

Wedding
1. I Ain't as Good as I Once Was - Toby
2. Bring on the Rain - JoDee Messina
3. White Trash Wedding - Dixie Chicks (exerpt: I shouldn't be wearin' white and you can't afford no ring. Consider the source.)
4. You Give Love a Bad Name
5. What Was I Thinkin' - Dierks

Funeral
1. Thank God and Greyhound- Roy Clark (Google it, folks. Sheesh.)
2. Life Goes On
3. Na Na Na Na...Hey Hey Hey...Goodbye
4. Celebrate - Kool and the Gang
5. Hot in Herre - Nelly :) Boy I am funny.

Ok, so you only get ten. It IS a top TEN list afterall, isn't it? Plus, ten each would be dad burned hard. :)

Toodleoo.

Farewell, Sweet Summer

2008-09-07T15:46:00.001-07:00

Are you the kind of Mom that is glad when summer is over? Are you the kind of Mom that drops the kids off and speeds away in the mini-van in a delerious stupor, or are you like me...when the end of summer fills you with a sense of dread. The feeling that the glorious fun-filled days of swimming, tanning, camping and lying in the hammock are gone... Gone, I say!

Well, this post is a quick summary of the rest of our summer. I would like to give a hearty thank you to Grandma and Grandpa for a summer to remember. We spent most of our time this summer in God' s country, and I can't thank them enough for the warm hospitatlity and the great summer memories. Love you!

The classic buried in the sand poses...from our July trip to the coast with Grandma and Papa.

E, T and I at our good friends' Billy and Caroline's wedding. Kids were the ringbearer and flowergirl. Too sweet.
The amazing location, as well as the amazing bride and groom. What a gorgeous wedding in the woods.
One of my best friends from college, Kerri, and I at her wedding one week later. So nice and relaxed. Was a great wedding and reception. She held out, and found the man of her dreams and I couldn't be happier for them.
Swimmy lessons at good 'ol Gleason pool in JD, where I took swim lessons when I was a wee one.

A fun trip to Unity reservoir where we boated and the kids got to ride in their blow up monster truck towable thingy. Pretty sweet. Such a riot for them. They SOOOO love it. I think they rode for over 3 hours one day without stopping.

Phew. That's about it. BUSY BUSY summer. Stay tuned. More news coming soon...E's bday...first day of school... good stuff.

Coast Trip post Reunion

2008-07-28T14:07:00.000-07:00

I am alive! We have been on the coast, at Champoeg Park at the family reunion, and generally goofing off with Grandma and Grandpa for weeks...so we haven't had the time to blog.

Above, you will find TBone at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, Emma walking on the beach at Gleneden beach and Grandma and Emma at the Yaquina Head Lighthouse. Really fun time! We are in swimming lessons now for two weeks, and the kids will both be in a wedding next weekend....so we have been busy little beavers. Glad to see most of you at Champoeg park, that was a hoot! XOXO

Raising Arizona

2008-06-10T11:48:00.000-07:00

Ok, so you know how people have "Anthem Movies"...movies that are just part of you after you watch them? You are forever changed by the profound messages found within them? This is the case with Raising Arizona...a Coen Brothers film we discovered back in the late 80's. ? Anyway, this masterful piece was first viewed by us just prior to a Spring Break vacation when I was a Sophomore, I believe. We were so moved by this work, that we spent the entire break reciting movie lines...we were awash with the content of this film. A few of our Holly Hunter (Ed) faves:

"I need a baby, Hi, they got more than they can handle!!"
"We're a family now, everything's channgggeeddd"
"Turn to the right!"

A few of our Nick Cage (Hi) faves:

"That's one bonehead name, but that ain't me no more"
"I'll be takin these shere huggies and any cash ya got"
"Me and the boys is gonna kick back a couplea Cocacolas."

Anyway, over Memorial Day Andy brought a copy for us to view again. Graciously given to him by one kick butt guy, Mr. Ukle Andelesrey. :)

Here's some photos of our viewing session. I voted for "surprised eyes" in the second one, a'la the Bergs, but apparently my siblings have a lesser zest for surprised eyes. I look a bit more like surprised face, neck, torso, all over the dang place surprised. They opted for a more sophisticated and subdued approach. What-ev.

Feeding Foxes

2008-06-06T20:07:00.001-07:00

Have you ever had foxes being fed right in your kitchen? This is the scene I discovered awhile back when I emerged from the bedroom after a marathon checkbook balancing session. Parenting note: Always wonder why they are playing quietly and harmoniously. Always. Too cute. Having a pet lover as a child leaves you with pets made out of brothers, insects, inanimate objects, etc. Did you KNOW foxes like oranges? Me neither. Good stuff!

Sorry for being a blogslacker. It's the last week of school, and the last week of baseball...so things will be much more current from here on. Thanks for being patient with me. I have all KINDS of things I have been wanting to blog about, so look out!

Happy Birthday Dad!

2008-06-05T15:12:00.000-07:00

So, Grandpa just had another birthday. We celebrated here at our house with a french vanilla cake, filled with coconut cream filling, frosted with a mixture of cream cheese and whipped cream. Yummy stuff. I am so grateful to have the parents I have. They have, and continue to help me with the trials of life.

Happy Birthday, Papa!

S

Don't TELL me he's not a baby...

2008-05-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday T. T-Bone, T-Bone Marone, Tistan, Twisty Bread, Twist, Tisty Doodle Little Poodle Schmakka Wakka Lacka Doodle, Baby Boo, Boo Boo, Buddy Bear, Honey Bunches of Oats, Boodley Boo. He's going to love all these names when I meet his prom date some day, dont'cha think?

So, my baby boy is 6. I remember his birth quite well. It was a quick one. About 1/2 hr between the first major bearing down type labor pain and the actual birth. Even the doctor didn't get to come and play with us. Just me, Mom, Jason, nurse and baby boy. It took me awhile to learn the changing diaper tricks of baby boys. I did alot of wash those first couple of weeks. Finally I called my friend, mother of two boys, and she gave me the lowdown. How come no one told me boys were so different? Can't believe that he is six, but he is still my baby. He used to say instead of a (the article) he would say I. So, he would say, "I want I cookie. "I want I new toy." Pretty cute. Plus, one whole summer he called me Mommatoo. "I wan Mommatoo." I spent the whole summer wondering where the heck Mommaone was, because I could have used her dang help. :)

Anyway, he is a joy to my heart. The sweetest little man God put on our planet, but yet still all boy. I am just enjoying his purity before the evils of boy/manhood corrupt him. He's a doll baby. Sweet, kind and pure. He says to me quite frequently, "Mama, you look BEAUTIFUL today." Then I hand him the traditional $20 reward. It's a good system we have worked out. Also, the other day, he made me a 'prize. He snuck out and got my favorite lawn chair, set it all up, got me my favorite diet soda and my novel and had me all fixed up. Then led me out there with my eyes shut for the big reveal. He knows how to treat ladies, I will tell you that. He's going to be such good husband/father material someday. Here are some highlights from the big birthday party. It was a fun day. Fishpond, pinata and transformers. Pretty great day.

Four gun-toting six year olds. Yee Haw!!

Yep, that's an authentic Red Ryder. He was PRETTY 'cited to see that baby. Mom's decision. What do you think? You think he'll put his eye out? :)

Love it that I got the shot at the exact moment the head of the transformer was detached from the body. Good swing you say? Yes, he's a hitter, that one. :)
The manna from Transformer heaven.
Two SWEET angels running the fish pond. Aren't they just darling?

Cupcakes and birthday crown at kindergarten. Love birthdays at school. I will miss these days when they are gone. Such excitement from a little tiny cake and some frosting. The look on his face reminds me of his favorite saying..."That's what I'm talkin' about SWEET MMMAMA!!"

Good old fashioned fish pond. This is how we dooze it. Check out the cameras capturing his every birthday move. Too cute.

This is the cake Mom and I whipped up for him. Mom was not terribly impressed with her own handiwork. I, on the other hand, was. It was Optimus Prime's face, duh. TBone even said so right when he looked at it! Mom so totally rocks at cakes. Thank goodness for her, or my whole THEMED birthday efforts would be a bust.

You see, every year we choose a theme...like every good party should have. Everything matches, and the themes run through the clothes chosen for the kids, the decor, the games we play, etc.. One of our family friends never fails to mention how everything follows the theme. He's a 20 year old man, so it is highly amusing to him. Here's a rundown of the birthday parties to date, if you are looking for ideas:

E:
1-Tweety
2-Elmo
3-Scooby Doo
4-Spirit
5-My Little Pony
6-Cars
7-Barbie
8-Ratatoullie

T:
1-Baby Bears "1" theme
2-Nemo
3-Spider Man
4-Tonka
5-Hot Wheels
6-Transformers

My Hometown....one week late.

2008-05-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

Aight...so I am behind the 8 ball on this one. Baseball. That's all I am going to say. Ok, so what DON'T I love about my hometown? I am a Grant County kid thru and thru and still have deep love for that valley. I am filled with a sense of belonging when I enter, and a sense of longing when I exit. It is very difficult to describe how I feel about it...it's just my home. I know...it's my ZION!! (Thanks Ma and Pa, for the vocabulary lesson.)

1. Homecoming. Spirit Week - students all dressed up to a theme during the week. Hippie Day, farmer day, etc. Too fun. Parade. Snake. Snake is an AWESOME Mt. Vernon phenomenon. All of the high school kids and some of the jr. highers, would all hold hands and run through all of the businesses in town...in a big long snake-like chain. Too fun. We loved the fact that we got to see the inside of the bar. Risky business. The Bonfire. We country kids KNOW how to put on a bonfire. We seriously had fire department volunteers standing by with a pumper truck to douse any problems. Holding hands with your Mr. Right Now, knowing you would be together forever...or at least until the dance was over. Dance - pretty dresses. Big hair. Sore muscles. See, us kids that we athletes, were expected to play harder than average to win the all important homecoming game...and then go glam it up for the evening of partying. Side note: Sports does limit kids getting into trouble! We were too dern tired to raise too much hell. Not to mention being student body president, homecoming court, etc...Fun fun fun.

2. Rivalries. Small towns are all about sports rivalries. Crane. Prairie City. We always had extremely high attendance for those basketball games, and it would be standing room only. Literally. Barn burners as we called them...usually really close games and so loud and amazing for me to watch growing up. We were at the games starting as little tykes...idolizing the players and NOT BEING ABLE TO WAIT for our chance in the sun. You saw EVERYONE you knew. AND, you had to pray that the fire alarm for the town didn't go off, because our fire department is volunteer based (see above). That bell rang, and there went three of your starting five hustling out the door. Love it.

3. Magone Lake - Mecca for Mt. Vernon kids. Close to home. Good times, throwing each other off the docks, swimming out to the log, scoping out the John Day boys. Loud music, ol' beater rigs. I always remember time spent as a child, too with close friends and family....Magone is still with me. A VERY special place.

4. I guess this is pretty arrogant of me, but I loved that everyone knew me. They knew I was smart, they knew I was a "good" kid, and they all had my best interest at heart. The sense of community was VERY strong. I knew all of my parent's friends and most of the community had my back. It all goes back to that old axiom..."It takes a village..."

5. Crazy redneck boys. Our town had a very high percentage of boys that didn't have properly working vehicles, loved to shoot anything that moved, believed a ride in a hay truck was romantic, and felt happy and content just to be in the woods. We were simpatico! That's me in a nutshell! Those type of boys are now hard to find. Most of the time, I was friends with said boys, as I didn't have alot of relationships in high school, but you could easily be one of the guys and you were accepted as their peer. If you could shoot straight and help carry a drive line that had fallen out on the highway.

6. Getting a pop. Mentioned in Rhonda's post. Getting a coke is a long-standing tradition in our town. In retrospect, I should have considered setting up a pop stand on the corner by the post office. Getting a coke was driving around looking for cute boys. Either in one's own town, or the neighboring town. Sometimes I think the whole GETTING of the coke was lost all together.

7. Cinnabar Mt. Rendezvous. This was our little town celebration. Started in the late 80's, I believe, and named by a contest. Laura Lemons won the contest and got to name the event. It was first held as a mountain man style festival up in the woods, with pit barbecue, muzzleloader shooting events, and great fun and hilarity. Kid centered, everyone and their chicken would turn out for it. Later on, it was moved to town....but still a great time for the town to gather and celebrate. We always did saw contests, and it was fun for us kids to cheer for our Dads and bet on who would win the wrapper throw, the sawing events, etc. As I think about it now, it seems like more fun for us....these guys worked in the woods all week, and then had to do this stuff for "fun" and our entertainment on the weekend. Anywho...dunk tanks, two legged races, parade....VERY GOOD STUFF!

8. Most of my family was in the valley when I lived there. I know now how blessed I was to live there with a massive tribe of people who loved me and wanted what was best for me. Dad's side and Mom's side...I was a lucky little girl to have aunts/uncles/cousins around every corner.

9. Damon's Store/Shorty's Gas Station - Two local businesses that we went to all the time. Damon's was the main store in town, and I loved all of the candy Lola had out for us to peruse. Going down to get the mail with Dad was a treat...sometimes he would let me go get some candy. I remember holding his finger. He wouldn't hold your hand, per se, to keep track of you, but would put his index finger down for you to hold onto...I thought that was cool. His fingers seemed SOOO BIG!!!! Shorty was always giving us kids a hard time and teasing us...Dad used to go there to get gas and oil for saws. Shorty was a character, and a long time Mt. Vernon supporter. Good man, he was.

10. Trick or treating. I loved trick or treating in our town. We only had a few unstable places that we weren't allowed to go to. Otherwise, Ma and Pa knew who lived in EVERY house. Can you imagine? Every house, save a few, were fair game, because they KNEW the occupants. Amazing. Trick or treating was cool....because Dad drove the van, left the sliding door open, and he would drive along really slow so you could exit and enter as you pleased. Since we lived out of town, and had no candy handy outy obligations, Mom could be there too, to join in the fun.

Must I stop at ten? I got more. I am sure our little town had it's fair share of problems, but we sure didn't know it. It was Eden for us. :) Loved this topic!!!!!

U sick of lookin at my favorite candy?

2008-04-28T10:57:00.001-07:00

Ok, so Becks thought I had died and went to blogger heaven...so I wanted to post to let you all know what has been up with me....why no posts from the Sham.

1. T's Birthday party - He will turn 6 this Wed, but his party was Saturday. Thank goodness Papa and Red came over for assistance. Papa - thanks for mowing the grass. Gram - thanks for everything else. Can you see gratitude in my chubby little face? (Will clarify this hilarious incident later.)

2. Baseball. Baseball. Baseball. Team pictures last week, practices four nights a week. T has Tue Thur and E has Mon Wed. We are coaching E, and this week our games start. Wish us luck. (BTW - We would like to begin negotiations to see if MoMo could be recruited to join our team. We like peepee dancing at second base, and I think her style would work well on our team. Let's talk turkey...how long is her current contract? Does she have any endorsements?) Baseball is huge right now in my life. (Also committed to coach E's volleyball team next fall...FUN!!!!!)

3. Feeding, clothing, bathing, yardwork, home repairs, work, homework, hamster care, dog care and everything else I do solo. Yee Haw!

4. Bath and Literature hour. When I could blog, I sometimes opt for my bath and literature hour instead. I will try to be more diligent from now on.

5. Needing a vacation. There are times I will type in BOI and ANY DESITNATION into the travelocity fields just to see how much it would cost just to fly away. Even for the weekend. I haven't been out of Oregon in a very long time. We should plan a McGirls trip. All McGirls invited...IF you bring your thyroid meds. I am not up for a smackdown...maybe later.

That's about it. I am going to play the baby names game...even though its like a month late, cause I have some doosies to share!

Ta Ta!

Raindrops on Roses...

2008-04-15T22:05:00.000-07:00

Top Ten Favorite Things:

1. Chewy Atomic Fireballs - Golly Wally. Love these. Like I need to love candy. Just actually discovered these. I eat in moderation. Like, try to moderate before I burn my mouth off.2. Carhartt vest - Carhartt for Women. Have you seen this line yet? LOVE this vest. Wanted it REALLY badly for Christmas, THANKS MOM!
3. Bath and Body Works Antibacterial Soap. Love the scents. Love the creaminess and moisturizing part.
4. My jet tub. My daily escape.
5. Portable DVD player. Never knew traveling could be so peaceful. (I held out a LONG time, too, because I think they already have ENOUGH TV.)
6. Dissolving Whitening Strips - Love the fact taht that I don't have to remember to time them, take them off, etc.
7. Coconut Coffee Mate - YUM. Coffee is mearly a vehicle so I can have this creamy goodness. :)

8. Jason's hammock that he has never sat in. I spend entire days in it in the summer. Not like at Grandma's where, the hammock was a carnival ride. This is read a novel in a day sort of relaxation.

9. My quesadilla maker - Gift from Mother in law. Too fun. The kids love quesadilla night. It's easy, easy, easy.
10. Frog Kisses from T-Bone and Em talking sweetsy motherly talk to her hamster. I swear, my kids make my heart want to beat. So sweet. (Frog kisses are little short breaths on your cheek that sound like Whoo Whoo. How he knows that a frog kisses like that, I have no idear.)

New Hair Day and Belated Happy Easter!

2008-04-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

So, here's how I get down. I decide upon all of these cool ideas about which to blog, but the time to blog does not materialize. So, rather, I stalk all of y'alls blogs, comment profusely, and then don't post for weeks at a time. Now, it's baseball season. Two kids in coach pitch, we are coaching E's team, and so practice four nights a week. There goes more of my time...plus, oh yeah, you have to feed and water the little critters like, every day. And, fix the hot water heater. Do you ladies know what a thermocouple is? Do you know how to install one? Do you know how to repeatedly "reset" one in hopes that the NEW hot water heater will stay lit for more than a day at a time? Do you know how to fix your pump in your washing machine? You too can learn these things if you choose to run a household and raise children solo, but I can't say I recommend it. :) I am becoming super handy, tho!! Sheesh, so anyway....
Here's a (I admit) super-cute pic of the E-ster with the really cool new 'do. She wanted a boyish haircut, like brother's, that was spikey. I vetoed immediately in my mind, but the words out of my mouth were, "Hey, chicky, it's your hair. You can totally make the call. Let's look in these really super cute books and see what they have for LITTLE GIRLS." HA! You have to get up PRETTY early in the mornin.... Ok, so anyway, we decided spikey on the sides was just as cool. Phew.

Killing the Easter eggos.

Some Easter shots...pretty cold egg hunting this year, as usual. But, hey, it keeps the eggs at a nice temperature to avoid spoilage! :)

_____________________________________
POST-BLOG: Sorta like a post script to a letter. Ok, so we were leaving practice last night...this is Emma's practice, so I am coaching this team with Jay. So, this little child on her team is a challenge, but nothing I can't handle. I am firm with her, but the season is early, so I am still trying for the "cool coach" award.

T (from the back seat) - "Mom, were you pissed at _____ tonight?"
Me - "WHAT DID YOU SAY?"!!
E - (Flipping cracking up and not hiding it all that well.)
T - "Were you pissed at _______ tonight?" "What?"
E - (Really snorking and lettin' 'er fly at this point...totally cracking up.)
Me - "Honey, we can't use those words. That is a naughty word. Try angry or frustrated."
T-"Ok, Mom, I didn't know that was a bad word." Sure, T-Bone. Sure. :)

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?

2008-04-10T19:23:00.000-07:00

My daughter, little E, loves pets. She is nutzo about them. She got a new pet today. This pet is named Drippy. He is a raindrop. He is the cutest little raindrop I ever did see. He has cute little feet, and cute little hands, and a very cute little look on his face. Not only did Drippy go to T's baseball practice with us, he dined on Tacos with us tonight. (Do you see his little taco E prepared lovingly for him?) I think I will make a miniature placemat and use a Barbie place setting for him tomorrow night. (Do you think I'm nuts yet? Perhaps you're right.) It's so fun having a new member of the family. Welcome, DRIPPY!! (Jenny: Any advice?)

Top Ten Tuesday Movies

2008-04-08T22:17:00.000-07:00

Not really big on movies with actual humans in them anymore. Much prefer talking tow trucks, cute furry monsters and talking chipmunks. I'll give it a go, tho.

1. Raising Arizona - Classic from High Skoo - Spring Break my Soph year, perhaps. Funny stuff. (REPEAT OFFENDER - Ain't a perty name, is it Hi?)

2. Legends of the Fall - Love Tristan in that movie and in real life. Can't wait to show it to him when he's bigger. (Scrrrewww the govvement!!)

3. Lake Placid - Like a very bad B grade movie. Too dern funny! Giant Crocodile, eats helicopters. Has Betty White in it and she talks like a drunken sailor. It's hysssterical!

4. Bourne Movies - All of 'em. Love the tension so much that it makes my neck muscles hurt because of the friggin stress!

5. Dances with Woofs - Saw it with Dad in the theatre in Portland. Amazing movie. Cool experience with Pop, guess it's the one and only movie I have ever watched with just he and I. It's kinda special to me.

6. We are Marshall - Kinda sappy, but I love sports and sports movies. Love the heart and sense of community.

7. Cars - Yep, it's a gem for me. (Your name's Mater too?) I think Mater is the cutest thing I have ever seen! Will you marry me, Mater?

8. Pretty Woman - You have to love it if you were a girl in the 90's, right? (I have all this money, and I don't have a dress...)

9. Tombstone - One word. Val. (I'm your huckleberry..)

10. Emperor's New Groove and Kronk's New Groove - WHY DO WE EVEN HAVE THAT LEVER??!!!

Sorry, Rho. Borrowed some of your'n. :)

You want poo stories?

2008-04-02T22:35:00.001-07:00

Holy Crap. That's the best way to describe the past couple of weeks. My poor angels have both had this gastro-intestinal bug since spring break started. First E was barfasaurus, then pooasaurus, and then it moved to TBone, and now onto Mommy. Yay! Little league practice started this week, and I am feeling like I'd rather puke than coach little girls on how to swing a bat. Anyway, on to my story. First, puke story. TBone came in my room on Sunday and said "Mom, my shirt is wet." Uh oh, I thought. Perhaps we wee weed in our sleep. Turn on light. Nope, barf with chunks all down his little front. Poor sweet boy. So, we did the midnight bath ritual to get him cleaned up and returned to beddy bye. So, as he was lounging in the jet bath (he calls it the spaceship bath..jet bath, get it?), he says mom, "I made it to the bathroom, though." "Good, good job little man!" So, I went to investigate. Three rooms, blam. So, I washed and washed and washed bedding, floors, surfaces, throw rugs, etc. well into the night. So, it was pretty smooth sailing most of the week save a few near misses with his underoos. Then last night, as I was ingesting my daily dose of blog, he came running out of his room. He was running around in circles (which is the classic peepee dance for him), and saying "I'm full, I'm full!" Ok, I say, tossing the laptop over my shoulder and running toward him. I ran him in the bathroom and yanked down his drawers. Ok, honey, go ahead and go pod pod. He concentrates and strains his little tummy....and kablammm! Poo and air came out in a big ol' shart and went flying all over the floor and wall. It was a mess to end all messes. My floors are all quite clean and disinfected at this point, isn't that a plus? Mommyhood. NOT for sissies.

The Men that Secretly Want Me (Very secretly, apparently.)

2008-04-01T15:43:00.000-07:00

Here's my top ten cute dude list of all time. I wish I could list obscure ex-boyfriends, or potential ex-boyfriends, but of course you wouldn't have a frigging clue who they were. You may not anyway..here goes. Theme? Big, bulky. Men. No metrosexual bullshit or frigging manicures or highlighting your hair. Men.

1. Toby Keith - Yeow. Haaasta be #1. Calls himself a "roughneck"...one that works in the oil fields, or on oil rigs. Loves our troops. Confident, tough. Phew. Is it hot in here?

2.Donny Deutsch - Broad shoulders, white teeth. HIGH energy. Smart. Funny. Rica. Believes in dreams and inspires folks. Snappy dresser. Ok, he may be the ONE metrosexual on the list. :)

3.Brad Paisley - Just a good ol' boy. Never meanin' no harm. Oh, no, wait. Heckuva guitar player. Funny, hilariously so. Kid named huckleberry. CUTE!!

4.LL Cool J - Eyes, lips. Ok, so he does a few crunches too. Not real wild about rappers, but he's pretty easy on the eyes. Weird pail Aussie hat, well, that can go too, but he's ok.

5.Ice Cube - I guess it's the eyes again. And, he's funny. And, he's softened his image and is in family movies. I am a sucker for guys that love kids and isn't afraid to show it. Did I mention his eyes?

6. Drew Carey - Maybe you can explain this to me. Funny. A must. Cornball, too. That gets me. Not full of himself...winner. Cute, chubby. Just my style.

7. Patrick Warburton - Arms. BIG arms. Love those bicepy and missing neck dudes. He's the voice of Kronk, and other characters from the Disney movies. Also family dude. Like him. Like him long time.
8. Matthew McConaughey - Yes, I know he's fading into obscurity a bit, and he's a bit off center, but I am tellin' you, the dude is pretty deep. And, he hates shirts. When you have a rumbly tumbly like his, I'd hate them too. And, he's a Dad now, I hear.
9. Sam Elliott - Quintessential cowboy. I think he lives in Oregon? part of the time. Hugely underrated. Amazingly sexy. Voice. Eyes. Gritty. Tough. Has the eye thing going on. GIDDYUP!!
10. John Gruden - How do I love thee? Let me count thy ways. Head Coach, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. First of all, it's a fun team to state the name of. They stink, but who cares??!! Their fans get to gaze upon the splendor of his hotness every week! I DIG intense dudes. He's an intense dude. Blonde, deep beautiful eyes. He's dreamy.

SPRING Break? E and T's Post

2008-03-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

So, we've been at Grandma and Grandpa's for a week, and it's sure been fun! Feeding our uncle's bummer calves, steelhead fishing on the John Day, going to ice cream in our jammies, and now that death defying carnival ride we call riding home 3+ hours on slick roads with Mom "the hammer" at the helm. Pray for us.

Do you like our shoes? :)

This picture was just taken out in front of the house this morning!

Top Ten Tuesday on Saturday

2008-03-29T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yep, Jen, it's been awhile, eh? I have been in a bit of in-air turbulence lately, plus I am at Mom and Dad's for the week...so here's my late assignment. (Do I lose any points?)

Top Ten Albums of All Time: (no particular order)

1. Trisha Yearwood (AKA: Me)- Songbook

2. Chronicle - CCR

3. Sugarland - Enjoy the Ride

4. Def Leppard - Vault

5. Trisha Yearwood - Trisha Yearwood (old skoo)

6. Carrie Underwood - Some Hearts

7. Montgomery Gentry - My Town

8. Alan Jackson - Precious Memories

9. Alison Krause and Union Station - Lonely Runs Both Ways

10. Beastie Boys - License to Ill

10. Wynona - Tell Me Why

Let's see...there are so many more number tens I could add to the list. Just a few of my old stand-bys. :)

Caption..Thanks 4 playing!

2008-03-22T11:51:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we had some very good guesses...and may I point out that your branch of the 'Cumbers has a strong interest in feces. I am not judging you guys, I am just sayin'. Just sayin'. Our side may find poop jokes, poop references, poop related noises and the like... funny, but we tend to keep those inner thoughts and laughter inside. It's interesting that your branch has chosen a free-er approach to feces related humor. It's an example that I both admire, and will try a bit harder to emulate. Thank you for opening my eyes.

But I digress:

That was a photo that was taken not long after Rhonda, Mom and I had decided that we needed a weekend away. We planned a trip to Tri-Cities, WA. I had called and booked facials for us, and we had planned a girly type weekend of shopping and fun. Driving down the street to our hotel, however, we saw that the Tri-Cities Americans (minor, semi-proish hockey team) were playing at home! The heck with the frigging facials, we cancelled those straight away and ran over to get our hockey tix. The event was a kick for all of us...and we were all greenies. (It was apparent we were, as we had seats right behind the goalie right against the glass. There was a little ledge that ran from the bottom of the window to the wall below, so we sat our drinks up on that ledge. Not noticing the knowing looks of our hockey neighbors...first smash up against the wall and BLAMO...those drinks looked so nice on us!! AND, ok, this is a long digression, too...but Rho kept taking photos. CUTE, hunky security guard came down and asked her not to do that. We had to take the frigging camera away so she wouldn't take more photos in an effort to summon him back again!) PHEW. AnyWHO, not long after we were playing Songburst with the fam and Andy's new bandmate/friend he had brought home for the weekend. Andy and I were teams and struggled and struggled with the lyric to a Whitney Houston tune...we haggled and corrected and finally, finally got the answer right! I leaped from my chair, threw my big 'ol arms in the air, and shouted "GOAL!!!!" As I did, I schmacked Mom's beautiful crystal chandelier with my hand, and it was swinging like mad. Andy were jubilant. Mom was not. She was piiiiisssed. I think Andy's friend thought we were all a bit off. I got the giggles, and this is the evidence. Hope I captured the essence of the funniness...it may have been one of those "you had to be there" moments, but that photo kills me. Yikes.

How about THIS???!!

2008-03-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Ok, so my amazing, supportive, loving cousins can't believe that that was my worst picture...ok, it wasn't....but without digging into old albums, I couldn't find any pictures hardly at all!! (And, c'mon, it's pretty bad. I look like those skinny investigative reporters that get into fat suits to test people's reactions to chubby girls.) Sad. Anyway, you see, I am the picture taker in the family. When you are behind the camera, there is little evidence that you exist. I am the unseen force field that makes peanut butter sandwiches and does laundry. :) So, here's a better attempt.

First, me dressed up like Pat Benetar's fat little sister (ok, not really, don't know WHAT my costume was, but here I am on Halloween. OOOOHHHH, horizontal stripes...we big girls know that's a no no....wish I would have known that then!!) And me, with my snowman filled with jelly beans that I sent to Ronnie Regan when he was shot. See my junkyard dog eye that's gone a bit squinky...it looks a bit sinister, does it not? Why am I not smiling? Had the jellybeans been implanted with a bugging device so I could learn the intricies of Reganomics? Were they laced with an unknown substance in my hopes to overthrow the government and seize power as both the first female and first child as president of the US? We may never know what was going through my patriotic little head. Strange child I was. Strange indeed. :)

What the heck is Gollum?

2008-03-21T16:22:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I think we should have called them your "ilookedlikeshitinthispicture" picture, 'cause folks like me have continuously wondered what in tarnation the 'Gollum picture" meant. (Yeah, I googled it...and I get it now.) Here's a 4th of July picture that spurred my interest in Curves. Good goly! I look like the Sam that ate Sam. Yikes. I don't mind the hair, and I have makeup on (thank goodness) or people would have been down right frightened! Ta Ta.

Sam

Scrambled Eggos

Praise God!

Top Ten Tuesday on Sunday - Amy Edition

Top Ten from the Hunt 2010

How Much Snow do YOU have on Cinco de Mayo??

JENNY!!!!

GIMMIE A BREAK!!!

Top Ten Tuesday - Battles Royales

Bastikball 2010

MY FAMILY

How are YOUR index fingers?

Sunday Update - My life is really boring, apparently.

Basketball 2010

CRANKY PANTS

Uno Mas - My Birthday Boy

Poetry - A new interest

Friday Funny

The Reason

Hiney Cringe

I'm PsychIC...not PsychO

Blogging Schmogging

Summer 2009

Camping...

Codger Butts Drive me nuts!

TRANSFORMER DAY!

BABY BOY BIG BOY 7!!!

Oh how I needed humor today..

Thought for Today

And now for something completely different...

Hello All:

What's a liberal education?

by Celia Carlson, guest opinion Friday May 01, 2009, 7:30 AM

Good Quote

My Sun

New Blog Series..

Happy Easter at the Eggos

Happy Happy Birthday, Annie Woo

Me today.

Happy Easter...Early

Happy 40th Anniversary to Mom and Dad!

Do me a favor.

Sus opiniones por favor...

Want to see my world?

Friday Funny

Mensa Invitational

Juwanna Win Sumpthin?

Happy Birthday Mommy!

Top Ten Guess Who? HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!

Family...Meet Chocolate Chip. Chocolate Chip, meet family.

Ha Ha Hee Hee Ho Ho - Black Widow Kisses

Tummy Ache? Try an artifact!

What I found in my car....

Holy Cwap!

Ode to my Pa - AKA Sugar Lips

Holiday Rundown

Big Girl Camera Shots

Christmas Caroling

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow! (For a while.)

Christmas Smiles

Baby It's Cold Outside

Grant County Pride

Elk Season 2008

Happy Turkey Day, All!

Halloween...At Long Last

Swoopy Bang

Eggo Sports Center

TGIO...Thank Goodness it's Over

Happy Birthday, Granny Goose!

Pie Chart - Good Idea, Amy!

Am I Bluuueee?

Tagged...

Heavens to Betsy...A CONTEST!

The Mind of TBone Eggert

Because Aunt Jan Wanted to Know...

Top Ten Tuesdeeeee! Mizundastood Song Lyrics

Top Ten Tuesday - Lovin Thy Dern Self Edition

Top Ten Tuesday Topic...and a Monday Funny

More on that chick I dig...

Top Ten Tuesday - Things a Man Should Never Say to His Wife

Back to Skoo

by Celia Carlson, guest opinion
Friday May 01, 2009, 7:30 AM