The Nicole Show

Name that Movie Monday-sort of

2009-08-03T10:09:00.002-06:00

Hello.....hello? Is this thing on? Anybody there? Hello?

I'm headed out the door with the kids, trying to eek as much fun out of summer as we can since my oldest starts kindergarten in a few weeks. We are going to the Utah version of a beach. Laughable to you from California and Florida, but we make due. And my kids have lead a sheltered life and don't know any better.

But-on my way out the door my phone did it's little "you have a new text message" ring and I was pleasantly surprised to open my inbox and find a free movie code! I had nearly forgotten that those existed. So I had to pause and post it for you all. Because that's how much I love you!

And the best part is that you don't even have to endure one of my movie quotes to get to the free rental code. You get it for free today, just for stopping by. :)

Redbox free movie code: 27HZ4KT

Use it wisely.

Quintessential Quilting

2009-07-16T14:52:00.003-06:00

Yes-I had to use spell check to spell quintessential correctly. Thanks for asking.

Finally getting around to posting pictures of my quilt blocks. These are the two I finished just this week around midnight the night before my class. Yea, I like to do things at the last minute. Actually, I don't-that's just how it worked out.

I don't think I ever mentioned that this is a Civl war quilt so all the blocks are named for States on either side of the Mason Dixon line. In fact, the pattern name is North and South. Clever, eh?

This block is called the Oklahoma Ladder

This block is called Baton Rouge, LA

Now, add these to the first two I finished-Indiana Puzzle

and Philadelphia Pavement

and I've done a grand total of four! I should have 8 done by now! And they technically aren't supposed to give me the new blocks until I've finished the ones from the previous month....so hopefully nobody reading this blog will squeal on me. I'll eventually catch up.

Someday

Hopefully

Maybe

Quilt blocks and appologies

2009-07-13T13:18:00.003-06:00

Well, maybe not apologies. I have sworn never to apologize for not blogging because it feels trite and frankly, a bit overdone in the blogging world. So not an apology. Or an excuse. Maybe just an explanation.

See, my loyal follower will tell you that I'm starting to slip up. Yes. Me. Getting behind. First there was no Flashback Friday last week.

And today you will not be seeing a new Name that Movie Monday.

Life has dictated that I take a summer vacation. Not from blogging altogether, just from set deadlines on my blog. Because due to my life feeling a tad bit like a soap opera lately my time and energies are currently being spent elsewhere.

I am happy to report that my immediate family is fine. We are happy and healthy. Unfortunately close friends and extended family have experienced things in the past few months that have made it necessary for me to focus my attentions outside my blog.

Death
Divorce
Cancer
Miscarriage
Surgery
Suicide threats
Layoffs
Foreclosure

And that's just the beginning of the list.

Add that to family reunions, weddings, quilt block classes, book group, birthdays, baptisms, and projects in the yard and in the house and well, you get the picture.

I figure summer is a great time to take a little vacation anyway since most of you are off having fun and enjoying the fine weather anyway.

That's not to say I'm disappearing completely. I finished 2 new quilt blocks last night that I have to show off. And it's been brought to my attention that I still haven't shown pictures of my new floor in my family room. So I'll be here, posting when I find a spare moment or two.

And I promise that I'll bring back the weekly features you have come to love and count on, I just need a few months to catch my breath.

Lovin' it

2009-07-06T23:28:00.002-06:00

I am seriously loving my new camera. I still have a TON to learn about using it. But I'm having fun with it just the same.

This past weekend my niece was baptized and my sister-in-law asked me to take a few pictures to remember the occasion. And, if I can say so in a humble manner, I even surprised myself at how good some of them turned out.

The Dress

Daddy's little girl

Contemplative

Okay, she was actually squinting because the sun was so stinking bright-not a single cloud in the sky! But I like to pretend she in contemplating the covenants she'll make when she is baptized.

Nothing I can say but super beautiful girl!

My first storyboard

My second storyboard: More than just cousins

Like I said, I still have a lot to learn and much to improve on. But not bad for a beginner, right?

Name that Movie Monday-WIth a free movie code!

2009-07-06T15:00:00.002-06:00

Today is a special edition of Name that Movie Monday! Since it's the first Monday of the month there is a free movie code!!!!

And I'm going easy on you, too. A quote I think all of you will get.

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming......"

Do you know it?

You do!

Well, for being so smart here is a code for a free movie from Redbox: 4J7LF6

ENJOY!

Flashback Friday

2009-07-03T22:10:00.002-06:00

In my time zone I still have 2 hours left until Saturday, so technically it's still Friday so I'm right on time with my Flashback this week.

I thought I'd bring you a 4th of July memory this week. How original, I know. But it's a good one so I don't think you'll blame me for my lack of originality.

The summer before my Sr. year in high school I actually attended a semester of college. I was accepted into a program at the former Ricks College (now known as BYU-Idaho) that gave high school students a real college experience and college credit to boot. For summer semester I lived in the dorms, attended classes, went on field trips, wrote essays, and got to know a lot of really cool people.

Since we happened to be in school for the 4th of July the college sent all of us that were in the Summer Honors Institue program (as it was called) to the Rexburg Rodeo. But the really thrilling part was the fireworks. As the arena lights went out and the fireworks began so did a scratchy recording of Stars and Stripes forever. The song got over but the fireworks display wasn't yet and apparently that was the only song on the tape (yes, I do believe it was a tape) because it was silent for a few minutes, time I can only assume they were rewinding the tape, and then Stars and Stripes Forever started again. And once again the song ended before the fireworks display. So, you guessed it, there was a few blessed moments of silence (well, fireworks were exploding just a few feet away so not really silence....but you know what I mean) and then we were once again honored to hear that scratchy recording of Stars and Stripes forever.

I like a good Sousa march as much as the next guy but I for one was thankful when the fireworks were finally over only because it meant we didn't have to rewind the poor tape yet again.

I hope that for tomorrow's rodeo that the city of Rexburg has invested in CD player, and a CD with a larger variety of patriotic music.

Name that Movie Monday

2009-06-29T17:31:00.003-06:00

Uncle! I cry Uncle! I haven't gotten around the posting today's movie quote. You may not realize the amount of effort I put into each Monday post. I don't simply rely on my own memory, or even the internet, which is often wrong. (I know, you're shocked) Oh no. I actually put in each movie I use a quote from and make sure I am quoting it exactly right, word for word. And well, I just haven't gotten around to that part yet. Sigh.

And since I still have miles to go before I sleep I don't plan on getting around to it today.

So instead of putting it off and doing a Tuesday Edition again this week I decided that I am going to let YOU, my faithful reader, quote YOUR favorite movie and see if I can guess it.

Go ahead. See if you can stump me. Could be fun. :) I won't even cheat and try to look it up. If I don't know it I'll admit so. How's that for a fair deal? Will you play along?

25 words

2009-06-28T22:01:00.003-06:00

Tonight our lesson for FHE was given by my Sister-in-Law Emily. She took her lesson from President Monson's talk, Finding Joy in the Journey

A portion of the talk read as follows:

In the 1960s, during the Vietnam War, Church member Jay Hess, an airman, was shot down over North Vietnam. For two years his family had no idea whether he was dead or alive. His captors in Hanoi eventually allowed him to write home but limited his message to less than 25 words. What would you and I say to our families if we were in the same situation—not having seen them for over two years and not knowing if we would ever see them again? Wanting to provide something his family could recognize as having come from him and also wanting to give them valuable counsel, Brother Hess wrote—and I quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”

She then handed out paper and pens and challenged us to imagine we were in the same situation-having only 25 words to communicate to our family whom we haven't seen for 2 years and who we don't know if we will see again. What would we say?

So this is what I came up with.

Jesus is Savior. Atonement is real. Be generous. Serve others. Pray always. Be believing. Be responsible for choices. Eat your dinner because I LOVE YOU.

What are your 25 words?

Flashback Friday

2009-06-26T07:41:00.001-06:00

Flashback Friday is over at other blog today. Enjoy!

Name that Movie Monday-Tuesday edition

2009-06-23T10:57:00.003-06:00

I set for myself only 2 "deadlines" when it comes to my blog. Monday and Friday. Only two. That should be completely achievable! Right?

Yea, well, about that. Let's just say this is why I don't get paid to blog. I think you have to actually meet your deadlines when somebody is paying you to write. Good thing the only person I disappoint when I miss mine is my 1 faithful reader.

So, since I missed yesterday's edition of Name that Movie Monday I thought that today instead of making you guess the movie I'd just give it to you. Because it's kind of obscure anyway.

Raise your hand if you've seen the movie Stealth. Anybody? Anybody?

I hadn't either until this weekend. I had, however, seen the preview for it about half a dozen times. So when I saw it on the cheap rack at Walmart I thought what the heck.

And since I'm always on the lookout for memorable movie quotes here is my favorite line from Stealth

Ben: You and me we're....we're 2. 2 is a prime number, which makes it a lucky number. And i think we're very very lucky.

Kara: Just tell me you love me you pussy.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T21:28:00.001-06:00

Or, as they say in blog land, Happy Falker Satherhood Day!

Flashback Friday

2009-06-19T08:02:00.004-06:00

Your patience has paid off! As promised today I have for you a Flashback Friday that will make your day! But do not take a sip of that chocolate milk before watching the video below or you will be sorry. I promise.

For your viewing pleasure I have put together the most memorable bloopers from my college days and my time spent doing the campus newscast: ATV News.

Maybe it's only funny to me because I was there and know the entire back story to each and every blooper. But I'm hoping that even if you weren't there you can find the humor of the situation. (wait, isn't that a BNL song?) Because I find it HILARIOUS!

So without further adieu, enjoy!

ATV3 from Nicole Miller on Vimeo.

Swine Flu and Faith

2009-06-16T11:35:00.003-06:00

The news is reporting the 5th known death from Swine Flu in the state of Utah. Which hits a little too close to home for me knowing that there are been confirmed cases of it in my neighborhood. In fact not just in my neighborhood but right in my ward. (church congregation)

Which means, of course, that for the past 2 or 3 weeks I couldn't help but keep an wary eye as the sacrament was passed to the congregation during services. I'd cringe each time somebody sneezed and then reached forth with that same hand to take a piece of broken bread, knowing that soon that same tray was going to be passed to me.

So you can imagine the giddy delight I felt when reading the following passage in the book I've been reading. It's from a book called The Longest Trip Home a memoir by John Grogan. (the author of Marley and Me) He was raised in a predominantly Catholic neighborhood and here he is recounting one of his many experiences serving as an Alter Boy.

"Some priests were so skilled they could deftly pop a host on the tongue without making any flesh-to-flesh contact and almost never fumbling. But most of them, in their caution not to drop Christ's body and risk sacrilege, ended up touching the recipient's lip or tongue, then doing it again for the next person in line, and the next. Standing beside him, I could actually see Father's thub and fingertips wet with saliva. The number of germs spread in communion lines should have triggered a four-alarm public heath alert, but no one seemed to mind. What was a little shared spit among true believers who were all going to heaven anyway? Besides, it was hard to imagine the Son of God would come into your body and then let you catch a disease simply because Father's host-dispensing skills weren't up to par. If Jesus could multiply fishes and loaves and raise the dead, he could certainly make sure no one contracted strep throat from the communion line." The Longest Trip Home, pg 69-70

I can't help but think that if the Lord, who is no respecter of persons, will keep the Catholics safe from strep in the communion line that He'll also keep the Mormons safe from Swine Flu during the sacrament.

Name that Movie Monday

2009-06-15T13:50:00.002-06:00

Now that it's going on 2:00 some of you thought I forgot Name that Movie Monday, didn't you.

But I didn't. I just took my kids to the park this morning instead of blogging. So sue me. (please don't really sue me. It was just a figure of speech. Plus I've got nothing worth taking.)

But first a question and a confession. What is your weakness? The one thing that is going to be the absolute death of you? Mine? It's the $5 movie rack at every store I walk into. There are so many great movies that I can't quite bring myself to pay $20 for but when I walk into the grocery store and there it sits with a $5 price tag on it I just can't help myself. It somehow finds it's way into my shopping cart before I even know what has happened. And once it's in my cart I don't have the heart to put it back on the shelf. I can't stand those sad puppy dog eyes looking back at me, feeling all dejected and rejected. So of course I have to take it home with me. I tell ya, I'm going to go dirt broke over those stinkin' $5 movies! That and buy one get one half off shoe sales.

Why do I tell you this? Because today's movie is from the $5 bargain rack. So are you ready for it? Here it is.

Good morning, and in case I don't see ya, good afternoon, good evening, and good night!

Sorry, no movie code today. But I saw Valkyrie over the weekend and it was fab so if you are looking for a movie to rent that is worth the buck you pay to rent it then I suggest it. In fact, I'll likely buy it on from the discount rack someday.

How rude!

2009-06-14T17:16:00.000-06:00

Does summer time make people more rude? Are we all so hot and crabby that we forget to think about others.

Not that it's been hot here yet. It's rained pretty much non-stop for 2 weeks now, nearly making me forget that we supposedly live in a desert!

Maybe that's the issue. Maybe the rain and lack of sun makes people all mopey and sad which leads to rudeness.

At any rate, last week I had my share of rude.

A sampling if you will.

Wednesday I was at Ikea with all 3 of my small children. Luckily 2 of them were able to go to smalland and play for an hour.

Which means I had the baby with me. And 3 very large items to get. So try, if you will, to picture the following. I have the baby in the stroller which I am pulling behind me with one hand. And a flatbed cart in front of me with a 100 lb dresser on it along with two very large paintings which I am also trying to manoeuvre one-handed. Quite a site, right? And yet not once did somebody who was completely empty handed offer to help me.

Mind you I made it just fine in the end. But still. Not a single offer of help. Although I did receive many judging looks from others as I pushed/pulled my load.

Thursday I took my children to This is the Place Heritage Park park. Before the day was over it started to downpour. We, of course, were still waiting for the train to arrive to take us back to our car when the rain came. One train came and was quite full, meaning we were going to have to wait for the next train to arrive.

No biggie, there was only a handful of us left waiting so I felt we'd surely get on the next train easy. Of course as we waiting several more groups of people arrived to wait for the train. I remained unworried because we were there first so they would let us get on first, or so I thought.

When the next train arrived me and my 3 small children were quite literally trampled as people crowded past us to get on the train before us. My 3 small children who were wet and cold and had already been waiting for 25 minutes to get on a train. And it's not like it was a bunch of inconsiderate teenagers who are notorious for thinking of only themselves. It was tweeners WITH their parents. Yes, the parents where not only accepting this behavior they were actually encouraging it.

I finally got desperate and walked up to the front of the train and asked the tour guide if we could sit in the front with the train driver were it was covered and warm. I thought she'd take one look at my poor wet children and say yes. Instead she said "Let me see if there is anybody else who needs to get on." HELLO!!!!! I NEED TO GET ON! I'M WET AND COLD AND IT'S PAST NAPTIME AND I JUST WANT TO TAKE MY KIDS HOME!

I didn't take no for an answer and soon we were sitting in the cab with the driver where all 4 of us were crowded onto the passenger seat but at least we were dry and warm. AND the driver was a very sweet old man who was the bright spot in the rain for me.

On the way to the car the kids wanted to take a stop at the Brigham Young house. Despite the fact that I just wanted to get in the car and go home I obliged them. On the way back down the very steep old pioneer home stairs I'm walking behind my two older kids, holding the baby when a bunch of older kids come careening around the corner and attempt to run down the stairs. I start seeing images of my small children tumbling down the steep stairs because they were bumped by these older kids so I start blocking the stairs the best I can and try to politely explain to them that my small kids are trying to go down the steep stairs (did I mention they were STEEP) and could they please slow down and wait for them to get to the bottom.

All this time the mother is standing at the top of the stairs watching me try to balance my baby in one arm while trying to keep my other two kids on their own two feet and she does NOTHING. Doesn't call her children back. Doesn't implore them to be careful or polite or considerate of other visitors. Just stands there. I wanted to cry. It was SOOOOO time to go home!

So of course the next day I'm at Lowes and I see a man in the parking lot struggling to load some plywood onto his truck. The issue was not really loading the plywood but rather the fact that each time he turned to put another piece on his truck his flatbed would start to roll away and then he would have to run after it. So guess what I did-I offered to hold the flatbed in place for him while he finished unloading it. And guess what-it only took me about 20 seconds to be polite. And hopefully it made his day. And hopefully it will create a little good karma for me and this week will be filled with a less rude people.

And hopefully more sunshine.

Flashback Friday

2009-06-12T09:03:00.004-06:00

I come before you today groveling for forgiveness and it's not even 10:00 am yet.

See, I promised you a laugh-out-loud, pee your pants, spit milk through your nose funny Flashback Friday today.

It's ALMOST ready. The original bloopers reel was over 20 minutes long so I've been hand picking the funniest moments and re-editing it with some titles so help explain the maddness. And well, it's done but not perfected yet. And I don't want to show it to you until it's perfect.

So can I have one more week to get it ready for you? PLEASE? I know I can't keep making promises that I can't keep or I'll lose the 2 faithful readers I have. I just want it to be just right.

Instead I came up with something for today's Flashback Friday that I hope you find equally funny.

I know that what happens in Vegas is supposed to stay in Vegas.....so I'll change the names to protect the innocent. :)

So I begin with a question. Why do we insist in taking embarrassing pictures of ourselves and our closest friends? Pictures that can be used against us at some later date? Why do we do this? Why?

See the weekend before I left on my mission I went to Vegas with my mom and her sisters. (My aunts, for those of you who are family tree challenged) For reasons that I still will never understand I allowed my mother to take this picture of me.

Frightening, I know. But that's not the worst part.

While on my mission my, er, not cousin whose name I shall not mention.....went on a similar trip with the same crazy chaperons. And she let them take this picture of her.

So, of course, when Mike and I were dating we passed through Vegas on our way to California and I coerced him into this picture.

Oh wait, I'm changing names to protect the innocent. That picture is not of Mike. It's some guy I may or may not have dated at some point in my past.

To his credit he was mortified by the prospect of this picture. It took a LOT of begging! And even after all my heartfelt pleas and arguments about how it's tradition he HAD to do it he utterly refused to stand with his head between them.

You're right, maybe I should've let these pictures stay in Vegas after all.

world's nicest theif

2009-06-10T20:36:00.003-06:00

I'm always slightly amused when I'm somewhere super exotic, like Dollar Tree, spending the impressive amount of $5 and the cashier asks for ID when I swipe my card. I always comply because, hey, she's just doing her job. But secretly I'm thinking "What kind of moronic identity thief would steal a credit card and then hit the dollar store for ant traps and gum?" Personally, if i had a stolen credit card I'd be buying big screen tvs online faster than you can say Amazon.com.

So you can imagine my surprise today at the library when whipping out my debit card to pay my library fine and the librarian asks for my ID. I'm thinking to myself, "you have my library card and have pulled up my account then I hand you a debit card bearing the same name as the library card and you still ask for ID?" Because how many people do you know who would steal a wallet and then immediately dig out the library card and go pay any outstanding fines. I mean really.

And note to librarians everywhere-if somebody else is trying to pay my fines please just let them. It would save me the time and hassle.

Name that Movie Monday

2009-06-08T08:22:00.002-06:00

I know you all want to know how the weekend went.

So here's the reader's digest condensed version.

Flooring-finished in family room and one set of stairs. One more set of stairs left to do still.
Baseboards-painted but waiting to be installed
Primary newsletter-finished!
Sharing Time-a colossal failure despite, what I thought, was a well thought out idea. Sometimes kids just don't respond to what you think they are going to respond to.
Quilt blocks-Not done. Not even started if you want the absolute truth. Hoping that if I plead funeral excuse and promise to have them done next month they will still give me my new ones.

On that note let's move into today's movie quote. Are you ready?

You know, somehow, "I told you so" just doesn't quite say it.

I have now fulfilled my Monday obligation to you so now it's your turn-make a guess.

I suppose I should also tell you the answer to last week's quote since nobody guessed it. The Movie is My Best Friend's Wedding.

Have a great Monday! I'm off to my quilting class. You know, the one where I'm the only one under age 50. Good Times I tell ya!

Flashback Friday

2009-06-05T00:52:00.003-06:00

I'm in over my head. But I just repented of my non-Flashback Friday ways. So I didn't want to blow it off completely. AND while looking for the clipart CD that I use for my newsletter I came across a DVD that I have been trying to find for months now. A DVD that is going to make a hysterical Flashback Friday.

But, as mentioned before, due to the craziness that is my life this weekend I don't have time to rip it and upload it and give it the proper presentation. In fact I don't even have time to be blogging, and yet and I am. I was working on my Primary newletter and I actually have all of the content written, But due to the untimely demise of laptop my template that I created for the newsletter has been lost. So my kind husband is working on the layout for me and I'm sneaking in a little blogging while he's not looking.

Thus today is the teaser for next week's edition of Flashback Friday. (I can use words like teaser because I was a broadcast journalism major.)

And speaking of my college days that is what next week's Flashback Friday is all about. And you now know that it also includes a video. And yes, I'm in it. But so are many other USU broadcast journalism students. So believe me when I say it's laugh out loud, pee your pants, spit milk through your nose funny!

And I can tell it is way past my bedtime because I have started every sentence with and, but, or so. My high school English teacher would be so proud!

I must now return to the insanity. Do NOT miss next week though. I PROMISE I will make it worth your time!

Happy Weekend ya'll. (I'm not even southern. It MUST be past my bedtime.)

Because I THRIVE on insanity

2009-06-03T23:23:00.004-06:00

I have sharing time this upcoming Sunday. (In layman's terms I have to entertain 50 kids ages 3-11 for 2 hours Sunday afternoon plus somehow actually manage to teach them something about Faith as well.)

On top of that I also am in charge of our monthly Primary newsletter that goes out on the first Sunday of every month. Which means I need to get that written and printed before Sunday as well.

Then, I have my Quilt Block of the Month class on Monday which I have FOUR quilt blocks that are supposed to be finished. It's normally only 2 but I missed last month's class for the funeral in Nevada. And, of course, I haven't even cut them out yet, let alone started sewing them.

So why, I ask you, did I think that tonight at 9:30 pm it would be a good idea to rip out the carpet in the family room? Why I ask you? why?

Well, I did get tired of Zoey peeing on it. (Which she did yet again today.)

And I have been dying to put in laminate because I hate doing my aerobics on the carpet.

And I noticed that the neighboorhood clean-up dumpsters were up the street tonight. And they are typically only there for 24 hours.

So,Ｉused that small detail as leverage, somehow convincing my husband that if we pulled out the carpet tonight we could throw it in the dumpsters and then lay laminate this weekend.

Doesn't that sound like a grand idea?

So at 12:02 in the morning my family room looks like this:

This one complete with a Ryan sitting on the couch eating his Sonic bacon toaster that he bought when he went to get us all free root beer floats.

And as I sit here staring at the large cracks in my foundation concrete the reality of what we just did is starting to sink in and I'm thinking I must suffer just for fun.

In other words, I may come up for air Monday night. See you then.

Excited with a side of skepticism

2009-06-02T16:12:00.002-06:00

About a month ago I got an email that basically said hey you have a great blog and we would like you to tell your readers all about our blog. At first I was like wow! Somebody likes my blog. And then reality set in and I realized my blog likely met some keyword search critera and that nobody actually READ my blog before sending me that email. Because well, as loyal my followers are (thanks for that, by the way) there are barely a handful of you. In other words, I'm hardly what you could call and influential blogger.

A few days later I got yet another email requesting that I promote a website and this time I didn't let it go quite so much to my head.

So you can imagine the skepticism I felt when I received the following comment on my blog.

Congratulations!

Your blog has been nominated for the 2009 Utah Baby Guide Blog Contest. The blog that gets the most votes wins! Voting ends June 30th, 2009.

Congratulations! You have a great blog!

Kindly,
Jessica Taufer
Editorial Director
Utah Baby Guide
j.taufer@utahbabyguide.com
http://www.utahbabyguide.com

Especially since I've had spam comments in the past. (before turning on word verification) Comments that served no other purpose than to get you to click over to somebody's insurance site.

My suspicion was furthered by the fact that my other blog also got the same comment. And when I've been spammed in the past both blogs got hit.

But finally my big head telling me "this one might actually be for real" got the best of me and I clicked to it.

It does look like a legitimate site. I think. And my Sister-in-law's two blogs are nominated in different categories which leads me to believe that maybe she nominated me (Thanks if you did!!!!) Or maybe she didn't. Who knows.

Her blog Orange World is nominated in the Discount/Giveaway Blog category. And her blog Orange You Special is nominated in the Product Blog category.

And so this is the part where I shamelessly beg for your vote. Because hey, it would be cool to win something! Plus you don't even have to register. Simply email contest@utahbabyguide.com and tell us the web address of your favorite blog for each category before June 30, 2009.

This blog is nominated in the Personal Blog category, right beneath Dooce. Yea right, like I'll win. But hey, it's a nice thought, right?

My other blog is nominated in the Funny Blogs category.

And I guess it would be nice if I told you their website. Because that's what a courteous blogger does, right?

So you can visit the Utah Baby Guide at, surprisingly enough, http://www.utahbabyguide.com/

I'll stop begging now. Since it's likely all really a hoax anyway. Thanks.

Name that Movie Monday

2009-06-01T10:48:00.003-06:00

Today is a special day here on Name that Movie Monday because, being the first Monday of the month, there is actually a free Redbox code today. HOORAY!!! So you BETTER use it because by the end of the summer there will be no more free movie goodness.

So-here is your quote.

It's amazing the clarity that comes with psychotic jealousy

Mwahahahaha. That's funny stuff, if I do say so myself.

I also thought it would be fun to give you a little movie star trivia so maybe those of you who NEVER GUESS would still stop by on Mondays, even though there aren't as many free movie codes anymore.

So-today I thought I'd tell you which prominent stars have a birthday today, June 1st.

Morgan Freeman turns a young 72 today.
Andy Griffith turns an even younger 83. Think little Opie is coming over for some birthday cake?
And, Marilyn Monroe was born this day back in 1926.

So, there you go. And here for reading this far down I shall not reward you with a free movie code: FM63H7

AND for those of you who complain that you never know the movie if you think you are better at guessing songs you can hop on over to Shades of Blond for Name That Tune Monday which I happen to terrible at! How is that for poetic justice?

Flashback Friday

2009-05-28T23:53:00.006-06:00

Somewhere pigs must be flying, because I'm finally posting another Flashback Friday!

As always, I had something much more elaborate in mind. Something that required scanning LOTS of pictures. And just thinking about it made my head hurt.

So I settled on something a little less elaborate but I think you will enjoy it.

Back when I was a wee lass of just 5 years old (I may have even started when I was 4) I was a member of a children's singing/performing group called The Rainbow Connection.

Wasn't I adorable?

The group picture is fun as well.

Yes, I still am THAT short.

AAAAAAND, for extra credit, only available to those who aren't actually related to me, can you pick out my older brother in the picture? (answer at the end)

It was a grand time, really. I once even had a solo. I got to sing the first line of Tomorrow, from Annie. "The sun'll come out, tomorrow. Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow there'll be sun" Yes, that was my 3 seconds of fame, with no fortune. Plus I'm pretty sure I only got the solo because I had red hair.

My brother also had a solo-"Eyes that look like heaven, lips like sherry wine. Elvira!" Or something like that. I'm sure he could tell you.

I also remember wearing a single white glove and singing Beat It

We have many miles of old home movies, on 8mm, of The Rainbow Connection performing. Which is ironic, since it's a SINGING group, and 8mm is silent. Nevertheless, judging from all the reels of Rainbow Connection my parents have my dad recorded every single performance ever. I'm not sure this would've been the case had it not been silent film. Because, let's face it, you didn't have to audition to be in the group and we were, after all, just kids.

And, for those of you still playing at home, THIS one is my older brother.

just keep swimming, just keep swimming.....

2009-05-26T21:30:00.003-06:00

I like to think of myself as an "on the ball" type of person.

I am on time. (most of the time)

I do what I promise to do. (When my kids don't cause me to do otherwise)

I return my library books on time (except for the 2 that were due today)

But all, in all I can be depended upon. Or at least I like to believe that I can be.

But the past couple of weeks life has just gotten totally away from me, and I'm not entirely sure how it got loose, or where it went!

I feel like I'm trying to move through molasses while everybody and everything around me is set on fast forward. I keep trying to catch up but only get further and further behind.

And I keep having that recurring nightmare of mine where I'm back in school and behind in all my classes. But the teacher won't accept any of my new homework until I've turned in all the old homework.

Sometimes I set my standards intentionally low so that I can live up to them. For example-I have only two days that I try to blog FOR SURE. Mondays, and Fridays. Any other day I blog is just extra credit.

And I can't even keep up with twice a week lately!

But as far behind as I feel, I am making baby steps.

If you recall, my husband's grandfather passed away a few weeks ago. I took lots of pictures at the funeral and had many family members ask if they could get copies, too.

Of course I told them yes, and then promised to have them up for view in a timely manner.

Well, I'm not sure you can exactly call it timely but I finally have a set on flickr of photos from the funeral ready to share.

And now a favor for family who may be reading this. My laptop took with it to it's grave many of my email addresses. And so while I will do my best to get the word out to family please help me spread the word.

Which means that Kaylene-you can tell everybody on your facebook page where to go to see pictures. Tell them they are welcome to download pictures directly from flickr. Tell them also that I am happy to send CD's or prints as well if they will contact me. And no, it doesn't mean I'll join facebook any sooner.

Still waiting

2009-05-24T22:38:00.003-06:00

Remember when I said that I was going to do a Saturday edition of Flashback Friday? Well, yea. About that. Well. I didn't so much do that. Perhaps you noticed.

Instead I left Adam home with Mike to work out a construction project together (details and pictures to follow....someday....hopefully) and I took Zoey and Harrison to Ikea to get bedding. See, we assembled bunk beds in the boy's room and moved Zoey out of the toddler bed and so everbody needed new sheets and comforters and such.

And well-that was great and all.

Until bedtime.

See, I spent literally 30 minutes making Adam's bed-the top bunk. Making the top bed is the WORST part of bunk beds. And we had decided to let Adam keep the nice (translation: expensive) mattress he's been sleeping on because, as I said to Mike, "He hasn't peed the bed for a really long time."

Which of course means I am awakened in the dark hours of the night to Adam crying out to me that he peed the bed.

Not sure if he was just afraid to climb down from the top bunk in the dark, or if he was tucked in a little too tight....either way I spent half the morning unmaking his bed, washing the sheets, and remaking the top bunk.

To make matters worse he peed on his teddy bear and in his drunken/sleepy/peed on self state he was furious at me for not letting him sleep with his teddy bear the remainder of the night. I kept offering him other stuffed animals, which he kept throwing back at me.

Oh so much fun.

And just because I KNOW you all want to be kept up-to-date on all the pee at our house Zoey did great all day....until just before bed time. Then it was a river all over the floor in front of her bed.

Seriously-if somebody knows how to make the hurting stop please do share.

And as for that Saturday Flashback Friday....it may have to wait until next Saturday. But I promise it will be worth the wait.