"We're all mad here,"said the Cheshire Cat to Alice.

Going "Unplugged"

2008-11-30T23:41:00.000-07:00

An essay question on one of Jelly Bean's college applications asks how she would react to being "unplugged" for a year. Personally, I can't imagine what that would be like.

Could I go without Facebook and blogging for an entire year?

I don't use my cell phone constantly like some people do - but I do use it nearly every day to keep tabs on my family.

I use my computer all the time - for work, for paying bills, for word processing.

I'm constantly using Google to find answers to my questions, and I regularly check a number of websites for news and other information.

How would I survive for even a week without email and IM?!

How about you? Could you go "unplugged" for a year?

One Down, Three To Go

2008-11-30T00:01:00.004-07:00

Jelly Bean finally settled on four colleges to which to apply: Brigham Young University, University of Washington, Stanford, and Southern Utah University.

Earlier this evening she completed her application to BYU. Three more applications to finish.

I only applied to two colleges - and I don't remember it being quite so involved. I guess the whole thing is more competitive now ... Wish Jelly luck!

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T23:30:00.002-07:00

Plans for a Relaxing Day Tomorrow
That Have Nothing To Do With Black Friday
(But to those of you who enjoy shopping in mad, frenzied crowds - have a good one!)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T22:00:00.001-07:00

My Favorite Pajamas.

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T20:00:00.002-07:00

A Busy, Chaotic Life.
(Somethings it seems too crazy - but I remind myself that
I'm so busy because I have so many blessings and opportunities.
Life is good!)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T19:00:00.002-07:00

Blokus Trigon. Mexican Train. Phase 10.
(Playing games with my sisters, my older daughter, and our new friend Andrea is great fun!
We play pretty slowly because we get talking. We also enjoy a few laughs together!)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T18:00:00.004-07:00

A large extended family - all together on Thanksgiving Day.
(While a bunch of us were in the kitchen finishing dinner preparations,
Jelly Bean lamented that she and her sister and brother will have a lot of work when they're grown,
since there are only three of them.)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T17:00:00.002-07:00

Mashed potatoes. Stuffing. Broccoli. Rolls.
Green Bean Casserole. Diet Coke with Lime.
(I'm so full!)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T14:30:00.002-07:00

An uneventful drive up I-15 to my sister's house.

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T10:00:00.001-07:00

The joy in my children's voices as they saw favorite characters
on balloons or floats in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade;
e.g., Pikachu, Sponge Bob, Kermit, David Archuleta ...

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-27T08:30:00.001-07:00

Waking Up to the Sound of Raindrops on the Roof

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-26T22:00:00.000-07:00

Chocolate. Advil. Diet Coke with Lime.
Books. Stargate: SG1 on DVD.

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-26T19:00:00.000-07:00

Polite, Helpful IRS Agents
At Work on the Night Before Thanksgiving.
(Even if I'm not so thankful for the $1000 miscalculation on our taxes.)

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-26T18:00:00.001-07:00

My Kids' Grandma (aka My Mom).

I'm Thankful For ...

2008-11-26T11:00:00.003-07:00

The Internet.

I Finally Got Mine. Did You Get Yours?

2008-11-25T22:52:00.003-07:00

I stopped by the doctor's office late this afternoon for a flu shot. I'm the last of the family to get one. But now we're all protected. Here's to a healthy winter!

I'm In Love!

2008-11-24T22:08:00.003-07:00

Food for Thought

2008-11-24T13:03:00.004-07:00

Or, more precisely, thoughts of food.

My extended family is gathering on Thursday for Thanksgiving dinner and fun. By my count, there will be thirty-six of us there. My food assignments are as follows:

Mashed potatoes. (A favorite of many, so I'm planning on a lot!)

Caesar salad. (Jelly Bean makes a great Caesar salad - so this is really her food assignment.)

Steamed broccoli and cooked carrots. (These are basically the only vegies that Sugar Bear will eat.)

Taco dip with tortilla chips. (For pre-meal snacking.)

I did my grocery shopping this morning - and I vowed that I wasn't going to go into another store until at least December 1. (I am so not into Black Friday!) I did realize, however, that I forgot to buy the tortilla chips, so I'll have to go back for those. I might get some limes too.

Thinking about the holidays seems to be making me hungry, and I've got lots of possible menu plans on my mind - things for the days pre- and post-Thursday, as well as some snacks for the lazy, relaxing holiday weekend I've got planned:

White Chicken Chili (From the recipe I got from Sharie.)

Baked onion dip with crusty garlic bread. (I had this dip twice during the summer at retreats for work - Thanks, Gainell! - and I've got a craving. I've got some spinach-artichoke dip and crab dips in the freezer too.)

Simple dinner choices, like grilled cheese sandwiches, hoagies, and frozen pizza.

Something to fill my desire for Mexican food, like Tortilla Tostadas, Tortilla Skillet, quesadillas, chips with refried beans and cheese, and Potato Cheese Enchiladas.

Apples with caramel dip. Or Apple Crisp Pizza.

Some other good dinner ideas floating around in my head, like Crock-Pot Steak with Mushroom Sauce, Easy Pork Chops, clam chowder, and ham with scalloped potatoes.

Is It Time for a Change?

2008-11-20T08:28:00.006-07:00

Sugar Bear tells me that he's "change-a-phobic" - or maybe it's that he's "allergic" to change. It's odd to me to see this rigidity in a nine-year-old.

The concept of change is at the foundation of most of my heart-felt beliefs. Christianity, for example, is all about becoming a new creature through Jesus. Human rights movements are based on the notion that the "traditions of our fathers" are false and that we need to move forward with new ways of thinking. My personality abhors the argument that something is be done in a certain manner just because "we've always done it that way."

Change, of course, can be hard - even when one believes in it conceptually. Perhaps, too, as I struggle day-to-day with feelings of discouragement or futility or confusion, I'm just not yet sure what it is that needs to change.

One Down, Two to Go

2008-11-16T22:12:00.009-07:00

I am now the mother of an adult daughter.

My oldest child turned eighteen today!

Happy Birthday, Jelly Bean!

Proud To Be An American

2008-11-06T20:15:00.001-07:00

Lost and Found

2008-11-02T00:30:00.003-06:00

Last spring I lost an hour of sleep ... and tonight I get to find it!

I sure have been missing it!

Hard to Believe

2008-10-24T17:32:00.002-06:00

This morning I saw: Unleaded - $2.88 per gallon.

WhiteRabbit told me he saw: Unleaded - $2.81 per gallon.
I sent him to fill up my car.

Measuring My Health

2008-10-13T21:49:00.003-06:00

I Thought It Was Global Warming!

2008-10-12T13:32:00.008-06:00

We had snow on May 1.
We had snow this morning.
Sigh.