What Goes Around, Comes Around

I walked out the door this morning and discovered this:


Ahhhhhggggg. It always happens at the most inopportune times. My family is camping out at the beach this weekend which means my house is going to look like this for a day or two. I refuse to clean it up. I paid my dues back in the 70's. Now it's Eden and Claire's turn.

I remember the first time I went toilet papering with my friends back in 6th grade. It was the most exciting thing I'd ever done up to that point in my life. The thrill of running around in the dark throwing rolls into the trees. Making patterns in the bushes. Watching the white streamers blow in the breeze of night while we stood back and admired our work. Hiding across the street when lights went on in the house. It was so much fun that my friends and I made this a weekly ritual during summer vacation. We slept outside almost every weekend and wandered the neighborhood with a shopping cart full of toilet paper and paid our respects to our secret loves. Well, that's not entirely true. We didn't always have access to a shopping cart. But when we did, it was 100 times more fun because we took turns giving each other rides down the middle of the street. Also thrilling. I loved having these adventures in the quiet of the night under a watchful moon. The best part was getting a call the next day from a boy who said "Did you do this????" We played dumb of course.

Teenagers now, are missing out. At least mine are missing out. I can't allow my kids to wander the streets in the middle of the night unchaperoned. It's not safe.(It probably wasn't safe back in 1970 either.) Plus, teenagers here have curfews which the police department enforces. My little friend Jenna was picked up by the police for standing outside her front door on the side walk with a group of friends after 9:30. It's true. I had no idea teenagers here had a curfew until she told me her dramatic story.

The minute I opened my door this morning I shook my fist at the sky and yelled

'Those menacing teenagers. This is vandalism. Vandalism!! I'm going to get to the bottom of this!!'

Without even realizing it, my feelings towards toilet paper have changed. I hate toilet papering. Hate. It. I think it should remain in the bathroom where it belongs. But then I remembered my nights marauding in the dark. It was such fun. I love those memories. Every teenager should have that kind of fun at least once -- wouldn't you agree? My heart softened. I closed my eyes to the big mess and got in my car. As I drove away, I looked in my rear view mirror and saw streams of toilet paper fluttering from the car roof. I had to hop out and un-decorate. I shook my fist in the air again, but this time I didn't say anything, I smiled.

When I got down to the beach my kids were sitting with a band of their friends on towels in the sand. I said 'Our house was T.P'd last night! Do you know who it was?' There was excitement on their faces. Claire and Eden smiled. When you are a teenager, and your house gets hit, you are the celebrity of the neighborhood. The group started to try and figure out who did it. Someone said: 'I heard a rumor that Devin had been pestering his parents about this very thing only two nights ago.' Someone else said: 'Yep, it has to be Devin. You know how he is when he gets something in his mind. He will not rest until he gets it done.'

The group concurred. The TP job has been blamed on Devin. But, truth be told, I'm not so sure. I know I heard a girls voice last night when my dogs started barking like manics. Maybe it was Devin's sister who drove the getaway car. Maybe the mystery will be solved tomorrow at church.

When we got home, Eden and Claire admired the work of the midnight bandits. Then they pulled out the trash cans and got busy cleaning. The excitement ended right then when Eden proclaimed

'Man, I hate this. I am going to find out who did this, and when I do...... payback is coming and it is coming big!'


Them there is fightin' words. Beware all you mystery marauders, (especially you Devin), Eden is out for revenge.

I think I just discovered the reason why the act of toilet papering continues in popularity. All it takes is one person to to declare war. Then the game continues as the party who's been attacked gets so mad, they have to pay someone back for the mess they had to clean up in their own yard. Then that person gets mad and does the same thing to someone else. It travels from neighborhood to neighborhood, city to city, and state to state. It's just one big giant payback that's been going on for over 60 years. Sort of like that 1 Christmas fruitcake that gets passed around and around until it lands back in the hands of the person who originally made it.

Last night the "fruit cake" was handed back to me. It's come full circle. I'm finally getting paid back for all that dastardly work I did in 6th grade.

New Look

Notice anything different???? Yep, I got a new look!!

I LOVE it, don't y0u??

I'm the luckiest person. I really am. My wonderful graphic designer, Lyndsay Johnson redesigned my blogs for me last night. This is Lyndsay.

We have never met in person, but I consider Lyndsay a great friend. I found her in cyberspace when I was hunting for someone to make a banner for my Etsy shop.

Sometimes, Lyndsay and I barter. Lyndsay gets jewelry and unsolicited parenting advise. In exchange, I get blog designs, business cards, and Photoshop tutoring. It's the best trade ever.

I don't know how she does it, but Lyndsay can take the ideas in my head and translate them into wonderful. I said "I want a bird with a banner in it's mouth and some flowers and clouds." This is what I got. It was better than anything I could have possibly dreamed up on my own. How does she do that???

If you think this is cute, check out my main page. This is also the look for my new business card.

Did you know that on May 31st, Lyndsay is launching a new resource website for bloggers?

What is the Blog Guidebook you ask? Well, as Lyndsay explains it, it is "...a friendly forum for all bloggers, to help you connect with your interests, as well as showcase your personal blog(s). The Guidebook offers a FREE listing on our site to all bloggers...Personal and business spotlights, as well as giveaways will be regularly featured on the Guidebook. The Blog Guidebook is the vision of a group of women who want to see the blogging community grow in friendship, creativity and beauty. That's really what blogging is all about."

I'm going to do you a favor and give you a sneak peek. You can check it out here.

And here's more! Next week, Lyndsay will be hosting some amazing giveaways. Make sure you bookmark the site so you can go back and enter to win.

You read it here first - the Blog Guidebook, it's going to be big.

What Was He Thinking?????

I picked up my carpool from the middle school today at 3:00 p.m., just like I do every Monday through Friday. Every day when Eden and Anna get into the car, I say "How was your day?" The responses vary. They usually mumble, "fine." But today was different. Today I said "How was your day?"

Anna said "Horrible, so horrible!!

What happened?" I asked.

"I had to read today in science." was her response.

I started to say "What's so bad about reading?" but then I remembered that this week is the dreaded "sex talk" for the 7th graders. Everyone fakes sick so they can get out of it.

Instead I said "Did you have to read embarrassing stuff?"

Anna said "Yes, it was horrible, so horrible. I just mumbled and skipped all the words."

I said "Was today the sex talk???"

Anna said "Yeeeeeeessssssssss. I had to read "ovaries" and "menstruate" in front of the whole class!!!!!!!!"

"Oooohhhhh that is horrible. Really horrible." I replied. "I would not want to read anything like either, not when I was 13, and not now! I think I would turn bright red."

"I did" said Anna.

I said "You are brave Anna. So brave."

Anna got out of the car and went into the house. I think she was going to lay down and put a wash cloth over her head.

Who in the world would ask a 13 year-old girl to read "ovaries" in front of the class??

A man without teenage daughters ..... who's never had to buy Tampons, that's who.

It's So Close I Can Taste It

The Millie play . . . over.

Dance tryouts . . . done as well. Claire made the varsity team.

Last breakfast for the seminary carpool . . .today. We had Lemon Ricotta Pancakes.

Final projects for Photography 125 . . .turned in this morning. (This is my final project.) I think I got a B.



The countdown to freedom has begun. It's so close I can almost taste it. (My diet soda by the pool, that is.)

Tomorrow, I'm dusting off my beach chair and buying some sun screen.

Don't Stop the Femur

One of the things I love about Eden is that he is always on a quest to learn something new. Right now he's obsessed with learning how to make and edit videos. He spends hours working on it. A few weeks ago, he got an assignment in his science class: make a music video and list at the names of at least 20 bones in your song. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that this was the most exciting assignment of the year. All of the 7th graders have been working away writing songs, filming in the park, and making up dance moves. It's the talk of the car pool these days.

Last night around 10:30 p.m., Eden and his friend Sierra put the finishing touches on their video. Mat and I had the honor of viewing the premier. I thought it was hilarious. I think you need to see it too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4xvod2v0rc

Secrets

My family loves In and Out Burger. They think it's the best burger joint in the world. In fact, most of the people I know LOVE In and Out Burger too. Me, I can live without it. I've had much better burgers elsewhere, thank you very much. I just don't find In and Out that great. Tonight everyone wanted to go to In and Out for dinner. I was hoping for Thai food, and made a pitch for Thom Kah soup. Nobody went for it, even Matt, who I can usually count on to support family restaurants over a chain burger joint. But this time, instead of saying "Yeah, lets go for Thai!" Matt said "What if I told you the secret to ordering the ultimate burger at In and Out, would you change your mind?" This intrigued me. How could I refuse? So we went to In and Out.

Matt stepped up to the counter and said:

"I'll have your #2 -- animal style, extra toast, fries well done, sauce on the side."

(Remember that phrase. )

We sat down in a booth and tried to shield our eyes from the setting sun which was blaring through the window. As we sat there, I noticed this mother wearing an In and Out paper hat just like the people flipping burgers behind the counter. Her three children were following her around like ducklings, they had on hats too. The oldest child was wearing a baseball uniform with the pants pulled up so high the waistband was level with his arm pits. The pants were cinched with a black belt. They had just come from a baseball game. As they passed, I saw that the mother was carrying a huge tray of French fries. Two birthday candles sat on top in the shape of the number 41. They all stopped a table where a man was sitting in the corner smiling. He was the birthday boy. The mother lit the candles and then I heard the ducklings sing in very soft voices "Happy birthday dear daddy ..... Happy birthday to you...."

It was the sweetest thing. I cried sitting right in the middle of In and Out. I found myself feeling so glad that I have opted for a secret burger instead of Thom Kah soup.

Just then the counter lady yelled "Number 1!" That was us. We were #1. We even yelled "We're Number 1" because how often to you get to proclaim that without sounding prideful! Matt went up and got our secret burgers and fries. I took a bite and chewed slowly so that I could discover whether or not Matt had been telling me the truth. You know .... he was right! It was a great burger. A really great burger! You have to try ordering this the next time you go to In and Out. Here's what you will get:

A cheese burger with grilled onions, extra pickles, lettuce and tomato, mustard, sauce, and a toasted bun, accompanied with fries that have been cooked to a light crisp so that they are crunchy, but not burned -- like the little remnants you find at the bottom of the fry bag. I always like those the best. And best of all, you get a packet of In and Out burger sauce for your fries! I never knew those were available!!

It pays to know someone who knows the secret ways to order stuff. Claire's the secret order person when we go to Jamba Juice. And Eden .... he's recently been reading up on the secrets at Disneyland. Did you know there's a secret basketball court at the top of the Madderhorn? I never knew that!!!

But, I'm guessing that all of you have been aware of these secrets for years now, and that I am the last one to know.

We Be Jammin'

Yesterday I spent the afternoon canning. Strawberries were calling out to me at Costco and I thought: " I need to make jam!" So I did, with my friend Maria. We decided to make strawberry rhubarb jam because you can't get that in the store. Plus the rhubarb adds a bit of tartness, which I like.

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I'm not to sure why people are so afraid of rhubarb. It's really good when you combine it with something really sweet. I guess it's one of those things people have definite opinions about, like coconut. You either like it, or you don't. And beets, same thing. I don't, in case you are wondering. Like them I mean. Beets, or coconut.

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I know, you coconut lovers out there are just dying. "What!!!!! She doesn't like coconut!!! Not even German chocolate cake??????"

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And you Beet Diggers, same thing. "How could she not like beets!!!!!

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My husband almost divorced me over this very thing. He's still angry that I won't put beets in his salad. And my friend Stacy . . . she just about dumped me as a friend when she found out that I was on the wrong side of the coconut line. We had to work through it, but we got over it.

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I sympathize with Coconutters and Beet Diggers, I really do. I feel the same way about you rhubarb haters, shocked that you would hate something so good. It means I can't serve you strawberry-rhubarb jam if you come to visit me. I guess we just have to agree to disagree, for the sake of our friendship. Like Stacy and me.

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What was I talking about again.... oh yeah, canning. I guess I better get off my coconut tangent and get back to that.

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It was a fun afternoon canning, except for the part when one of the glass jars exploded in the water bath. Intense moments ensued after that. We went in to emergency mode. I think I even flipped hot boiling water onto Maria's neck. I was mortified to cause a canning injury. Defective jar?? We don't know. It's a mystery. We are canning novices who need to seek out expert advise. I think it's time to place a call to Nina, my mother-in-law (A Beet Digger).

Super Stars

Have you ever seen the movie "Thoroughly Modern Millie?" It's one of my favorites. When I was 8, my cousin Brooke saw it at the Villa Theatre -- the ulitmate movie theatre in Salt Lake. She came over one night and told me the entire story from beginning to end. She acted out all the parts for me there in my room. I was riveted to my bed. Brooke could tell a story like nobody else. It made me want to see Millie in thee worst way. I thought about it all the time -- Millie DuMont tap dancing in the elevator and Mrs. Meers yelling "shoo-show, shoo-show" in her horrible Chinese accent. I begged my mom to take me to the Villa so I could see it in person. But it just wasn't in the cards. I think my mom would have changed her mind if could have watched Brooke's performance in my room. I had to wait 5 years to get my wish. It came on TV and I watched it with my best friend Shauna in her basement. We laughed our heads off. I've loved it ever since. I now own the DVD so I can watch it whenever I want.

Well tonight, Eden was in the production of Thoroughly Modern Millie put on by the middle school. You haven't lived until you see 13-year-olds perform this play. It was a delight. My love for Millie just increased tenfold.

Our friend Gillian played Millie. She sang like she has been performing for years. Eden was in the chorus. He danced his way to fame along with several other boys. It takes guts for boys this age to get on stage and tap dance. Frankly, I was amazed that all of these kids were willing to put themselves out there and risk embarrassment, being teased, or getting beat up. I know some of them worried about that, especially the ones who had to kiss each other and pretend they were in love (like Gillian.)
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Look at the faces on these boys, they are into it .... except for the one on the far right. He wears the look of someone who is seriously concentrating, like he's just trying to remember all the dance moves. That would be the look I would have on my face if this were me.


The thing is, they were all so good, even the boy in black! (My cousin Brooke would have been impressed, and so would Shauna.) They performed with such confidence and seemed to be having a lot of fun. I was genuinely entertained. So much so, that I would go see it again, even if I didn't have to. And I have to, because my son is in the play.
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At the end, the audience stood up and cheered. It was the most enthusiastic cheer I've ever heard at a middle school play. Believe me, I should know, I seen many of them. And in this audience, the loudest voices .... were those of the peers.
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That Eden, he never ceases to amaze me. I think he even amazed Claire.

Top Chef

Last night was oh so fun. We had a Top Chef competition with the youth at church -- a pancake cook-off. I wasn't sure if anyone would get into this activity, but the kids brought their "A" games. The adults couldn't help with the cooking, they could only advise. Look what they came up with!

Yeah, I know, that folding table looks a little nasty. We should have used a table cloth, but look at the food! Fried pancake, crepes, ebelskivers, banana pancakes, pina colada syrup, lemon ricotta pancakes, potato pancakes. I'm craving breakfast, aren't you?

Want to know who won???

Yep, that's Claire. Her group made a trio of pancakes: Lemon ricotta with blackberry syrup and lemon curd, French crepes with strawberries, whipped cream and honey syrup, and potato pancakes with sour cream and bacon. How can you go wrong with that combo! If you want the recipes, click here. Seriously, they were really, really good. Don't let the presentation fool you.

If you are interested in doing this activity with your own youth group, click here.

These boys, we not happy about losing. I think they want a rematch.

Conversations in the Car Pool

Eden: Hey, look there's a dead opossum in the road. Gross!

Johnathan: I don't think it's really dead, I think it's faking dead. They do that you know.

Paige: Then how do you explain those tire tracks going across it's stomach? It's not faking.

Eden: I hope she doesn't have any babies in the sewers waiting for her to come home.

Anna: Me too. That would be sad.

Popeye Would Love This

Last week I paid a visit to my doctor for a routine checkup, which included a blood test. I knew within a few days I would get a call and hear the same thing I've heard for about 15 years. You are anemic!!!

Eat more spinach!!!!!!!

(Please note that "eat more spinach" is in a large font, because the nurse who calls with my results usually yells that sentence to make her point. )

I'm usually annoyed by this statement because I eat lots of greens, but admittedly not a lot of spinach. I love it in salads doused with a lot of dressing, but the calories!!! And cooked, not my favorite. Too slimy for me.

Can you believe, the very next day, my friend Dandee blogged about green smoothies. The green doesn't come from food coloring, it comes from SPINACH!!!! The solution to my problem, right there!! I went to the store and purchased the supplies. Sunday, after church, I made the smoothies. I was expecting a taste similar to grass, but these are actually good! They taste like fruit and who doesn't like that taste??

I would venture to guess that almost any kid would rather drink this, than eat a big bowl of spinach . . . unless they have been raised Vegan and don't know any better.

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My kids know better. But, they are always game for a taste test, so I told them we were going to try spinach smoothies. They grimaced, but they drank with only minor complaints like: "These are kind of thick, and they don't have ice! (That's pretty minor if you ask me. Plus, no one gagged.) And teenagers complain even if you give them a big bowl of homemade ice cream, so I was feeling pretty good about the fact that they even finished the smoothies while simultaneously getting a big serving of vegetables and fruit.

I'm making these a part of my daily routine.

Click here for the recipe. You need to try these! You do! But if you have little kids, who have a fear of vegetables, I would change the name to Shrek Smoothies and not mention that the green comes from Spinach until they ask you for more.

Somehow, a cool name makes all the difference.

Automatic Pilot

This is embarrassing. It really is.

Last Friday I had to go to a meeting at a friend's house who lives about 2 miles away from me. It was noon. I got into the car and started to drive. Suddenly I realized I was pulling up to the curb at the middle school ..... IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY .... 3 hours before school lets out!!!! That was not in my plan! I was on my way to a meeting!!

When I get lost in my thoughts, my car automatically drives there. I find myself doing that often. Off to the grocery store .... end up at the middle school. Driving to the post office .... end up at the middle school. It used to be that my car automatically drove to the dance studio -- 6 miles away. So I guess I've got that goin' for me -- I'm saving on gas now that my automatic pilot mishaps are closer to home.

Project Runway

Did I tell you I work with the youth at church? I do. For the past 2 years I've been in charge of the 14/15 year-old girls. I love them, they keep me on my toes, that's for sure. Every Wednesday night we have an activity, which for a leader can be a little hard -- because you have to come up with something to do every single week. Got any ideas???? Send them my way..... PLEASE! (That was a plea for help, in case you didn't notice. And yes, I've been to Sugardoodle -- which is a great site.)

Last night we had a Project Runway competition. The girls had to make prom dresses out of paper. It's amazing what you can do in 1 1/2 hours with a bunch of newspaper, coffee filters, crepe paper, doilies and butcher paper.




By the way, this is a fun thing to do with little girls who get bored over the summer. They love having a fashion show at the end, especially if you take lots of pictures.

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If you think this looks daunting, it isn't. Here are a few tips to make it run smooth:

• Bring some fashion magazines to use as inspiration.
• Purchase a basic dress pattern that you can use as a template. You can buy an inexpensive one at Walmart (if your Walmart has a fabric section.) Size isn't a real big issue since you aren't trying to get a perfect fit. You just need basic shapes to cut out of the paper -- sleeves, a bodice, and a skirt.
• Tape your newspaper together to make big pieces of paper fabric. (We used wide masking tape).
• Note: If you want to have pleats or folds in your skirt, you need to fold the newspaper fabric before you cut out a skirt shape. Same thing goes for your sleeves or bodice.
• Lay your dress pattern pieces on top of the newspaper and trace around them. Then cut out the shapes you just traced.
• Once you have cut out your skirt, bodice and sleeve pieces, embellish them any way that you like. We used the coffee filters, doilies, and crepe paper. You can also twist newspaper paper, roll it, etc. Add sashes, paper buttons, etc. Get creative. Looking at the magazines can help you get ideas.
• Use a glue gun to attach the embellishments to the pattern pieces.
• Before you begin assembling the dress, reinforce the waistband, and armholes with masking tape.
• Grab your model and tape the dress to her body.
• You will be amazed at how creative the girls get. Once they have a basic pattern to work from, they figure everything else out.
• If your paper rips, don't worry. Patch it with more paper, or tape over it.

Manly Man

There are a lot of things I love about Matt, but one of the things I love most is that he can cook. I mean really cook. He sharpens knives, makes his own pasta, and the best Fillet Mignon I've ever eaten. Ever.

I think he mastered the skills when he spent a stint working as a waiter at the Tree Room in Sundance, Utah. He hung out in the kitchen and learned culinary secrets he won't even share with me, which is fine because I get to reap the rewards of not knowing.

On special occasions, he always pulls through with a delectable meal. This year I was treated to grilled steak with a raspberry chipotle glaze, garlic mashed potatoes, and a vegetable medley. For dessert, mango & berries with angel food cake.

Matt, I'm so grateful that I don't have to choke down a Happy Meal on Mother's Day.

You'd make a mighty fine wife .... if you weren't such a manly man.

When the Roses Bloom

I just can't get enough of Spring. My yard smells like a perfumery. The air is cool. There are blossoms everywhere. The flies haven't descended. My dogs even want to spend the day outside.

It doesn't get much better than this.

In Celebration of a Birthday

My dear friend Chanin is celebrating a birthday this week -- and it's a biggy. To commemorate, I made her a special gift. (I think special gifts soften the blow -- don't you?) Chanin reminds me of gardens, maybe because we spend so much talking about them. She brings me Sweet Peas every Spring, and once she gave me Lillies of the Valley, a flower I adore. I have no idea where she found them, but that gift meant so much. Chanin always knows what will bring a smile to my face. I'm lucky to have her as a friend.

My Best Ideas Never Leave My Office.

Yesterday I came up with this idea for my Etsy shop. Of course the light bulb went off when I was in the middle of doing something else -- cleaning off my desk. I spied some fabric out of the corner of my eye, and DING, I knew exactly what I needed to do with it. So, I dropped what I was doing and went to work. This was my idea.

I LOVE it! But..... it took over 1 1/2 hours to make, which in my world is much too long. I would have to charge and arm and a leg for one of these babies, and few people would pay that much for a headband -- unless it had an Anthropologie tag tucked in there somewhere.

Another good idea, down the drain.

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I had to post of picture of it though so you could see what you are missing.

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Post Script: I bartered away my beautiful headband. The oh so talented, Lyndsay J is going to hook me up with some new blog designs. I love trades, especially when I get the good end of the bargain!

Happy Mother's Day

I'm not even going to attempt passing on any words of wisdom here. I'm still trying to figure it all out as I go along, just like you. Motherhood is humbling.

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Twenty years ago, if you would have told me that my future would include chasing a totally nude toddler through the food court at the mall (because he flushed his cloths down the toilet trying to go to the bathroom by himself), or debating with a daughter who can can argue like a lawyer, I wouldn't have believed it. It's harder than I realized, but oh so worth it -- even the gray hairs that arrive daily. Do you have them too??? I never imagined that I could love two people as much as I love Eden and Claire. It is a priviledge to be their mother.

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I am thankful for all that my mother did for me. It wasn't easy for her, but she did it the best that she knew how. I know that now.

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I'm thankful too for the women in my life with "mother hearts." There have been many, young and old, who have taken me under their wing, and loved me with a motherly type of love -- even though some of them never had children of their own. Thank you. You know who you are.

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If you have a few minutes, watch this video. It's about a mother. It reminds me that we all have heavenly help as we fulfill this role. Grab a tissue first, you will need it.

Hello, My Name is Doug

Last week, Claire had an orthodontist appointment. I was excited because it meant I would have an hour to do something decadent, something that I love .... reading magazines. Waiting rooms and hair salons are the only time I get to partake in this little luxury, so I look forward to appointments and cross my fingers the doctors and my hair stylist are behind.

I walked into Mr. Mitchell's office and headed straight for the magazine rack, which I have to say is one of the best in town -- he meets the needs of a vast majority of people with his magazines, which I appreciate because there are places that don't, like Jiffy Lube and Ramona Tire just to name a few. The only magazine you get in those venues is "Popular Mechanic." They need women working at their establishments who will subscribe to something that does not involve car parts, and motor oil (two things I hate.)

Anyway, I grabbed a stack of magazines and sat down on an uncomfortable bench covered in naugahyde and got to work. I opened Martha Stewart first, because I'm always on the hunt for a good idea and came across an article that enraptured me the minute I looked at the page. It was about a couple who quit their jobs, moved to Maine and became choclatiers. You just can't imagine the electricity that vibrated through my body as I read about these people. Words like farmers market, lavender buds, vanilla sugar, and ganache filled my mind with all sorts of ideas like.... "How can I get Matt to quit his job.... Will my kids be willing to move??? I wonder where I can order Peruvian chocolate (it's rare you know.) I was half way to Maine when I was stopped in my tracks.


Claire appeared and said "I'm done, let's go."

It's been 48 hours and I'm still thinking about Maine. ... and chocolate!!! I'm busy! I have homework to do, and jewelry to make, I don't have time for these thoughts invading my head! What am I going to do?

I guess I better admit something here to those of you who don't know me very well. I suffer from a serious problem. I am unable to stay focused. I really am, and it drives me crazy.

I was lamenting about this fact with my friend Julie the other day, and right in the middle of our conversation she yelled:

"Squirrel!!"

I just about fell on the floor laughing. If you've seen the movie "Up" you will understand what she was so eloquently trying to tell me ....

Doug the Dog. That's me.