4.5 On The Volturi Scale

So, when you stay up waaaay too late finishing a certain quadiligy (4 books, like trilogy is 3) and spend the night dreaming about vampires, werewolves, and immortal children, you tend to freak out when an earthquake hits. At least I do. When the bed started shaking I gasped out of my sleep and looked wildly around to see if it was Jane or Alec who had assulted me, and wondered why Bella wasn't protecting me! Then, I gathered my senses and rode the rolling out for the rest of the 15 seconds.


I realize that this song is not on the soundtrack- but it should be.
*****This will be my only post about Twilight. Ever.*****

An Interview With A Vampire

Just checking to see if you were paying attention. There are no Cullens around....

My mom was recently interviewed and offered to interview anyone who was interested. I took the bait. Here are the questions she sent me and my answers.

1. Tell me who outside of your parents has had the greatest influence on who you are today.
Just one person? I can't. I would have to start with Pastor Ray and Trudy. They were my first look at love in action. The fact that the PASTOR and his wife were your very best friends really gave me a positive attitude toward all things "Religious". And the fact that they genuinely loved EVERYONE. And loved them with actions, not just words.
Next I would have to say my brother and sisters. I think that we are extremely close as a family. It is great, but I also think that it has it's drawbacks- no need to socialize outside of the family (Can you say cloister?)- that I see repeating in my own kids. But on the other hand, we all laugh at each other's jokes because we all think the same things are funny, and we know each other's history (mostly) so there is never any need for back story- or any privacy!
Lastly, My own family has changed me in ways I never thought possible. I truly thought I would go mad for a while there when the kids came along in such quick succession. Each one is unique with their own trials and tribulations that stretch me as a mom and as a person. Each one also has their own triumphs and makes my heart happy. And being married to the most patient and gentle man in the world assures all of us of grace and ease in our own home.

2. What was your aha moment when you understood the Truth of the Salvation message?
This is a harder question to answer, but again it has more than one part. I always say that I have lived a fairy tale life. I think a lot of that comes from the fact that you, Mom, had become a Christian by the time I came around and I never knew anything else. I can only remember deciding to make Christ my Lord at Lakeside Bible Camp when I was 12. I can't remember ever excepting Him as my Saviour. It was axiomatic.
Then again, when I was an adult, I came to a point in my life where I had to decide again. I had a real crisis of faith. I had to decide if I wanted to believe any more. It was tempting to be mad at God and tell Him to leave me alone. A friend prayed for me one night and asked God to show me that I wasn't alone. On the drive home that night I was visited by an angel, and God reaffirmed his LOVE for ME.

3. What is your favorite childhood memory?
Man, you and your not so simple questions!
Bread and Jelly day with you! The lucky kid who got both a fresh baked heel of bread AND strawberry jelly scum....
Your cinnamon rolls or pull-aparts on Sundays and Christmas morning.
Falling asleep listening to Dad stumble his way across the piano keyboard.
Sneaking out with dad to the bakery on Saturday mornings.

4. Would you rather read the book or see the movie?
I love books and I love movies. I like to read the book first, and then see the movie. Rarely the movie is equal or better than the book.

5. What is your love story, how did you and your husband meet?
The Long version? He was at a prayer meeting one night and he was asking for prayer for a job and a new place to live. His friend layed his hand on him and prayed, "Lord, I don't know about all that other stuff, but please send Sebastian a wife!" We met about 2 weeks later at a New Years Eve party I was having. When I ran into him a week later, I impetuously asked him to go to the BSU at UW with me. That was our first date. Our second date was dinner and a drive. We ended up at Big 4 late at night and as we were standing there looking at the mountain, he turned me around and he kissed me. On the forehead. He told me I was a blessing and I knew I found the one my soul loved. That was 13 years ago.

Now I would love to interview you and you and you. So here is what you do. Come on now, don't be shy. I will be nice I promise. It is a great way to get to know you.
1. Leave me a comment saying, "Interview me."
2. I will respond by emailing you five questions. (I get to pick the questions).
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.
So come on, let the good times roll!!


Mom, I don't know who wrote the question, bit I did not go skinny dipping with Trish! I ended up marrying the person I went with.

So, Facebook...

And I are pretty new friends. I really just use it to relay info to my friends and pimp my blog.
Because it's all about the blog.
Usually I just ignore all the other junk that comes my way.
And then someone sent me this:

Oh yeah.

Medusa

It started out as a really cool hairdo. See:


It ended up looking a bit like Medusa.

Or Celia.

Pray

For Princess Kat's family.  

Her husband is having surgery at the moment on an aneurysm.  Most of you know that Kat is a world class giver, and a champion of the downtrodden.  Now it's our turn to lift her up.

There Are Reasons

That I choose to live in Western Washington.

The general lack of this is on my top 10 list.

*Sigh*

For Me? You Shouldn't Have!

A New Award! For Me!


Thank you to Brenda Jean at In The Treetop

For this piece of Scrap.





I got it for having an ugly fish on my blog. And for being brave enough to have dinner in China Town with my kids. And because I'm cool.




So, I have to tell you 10 honest things about me. Here goes:




Since I am legally blind in my left eye, I have this recurring "daymare" (You know, where your mind goes to places it just shouldn't, even though you're wide awake...) that I get in a car wreck or have some freak accident and lose the vision in my right eye. I know, don't go borrowing trouble, right?




I stopped taking my depression medication, but I think I need to start again... The problem is that I don't remember to take them until bed time and then I lay in bed and panic for an hour or two... If I could just remember to take them in the morning....




I am a really picky eater. My family just doesn't realize this because I am in controll of the food out put at our house. The list of things I "will not" eat may be longer than the list of things I "will".





I am an extroverted homebody. I wasn't always such. I used to be on the go all the time. even with 1,2, or 3 kids in tow. When the 4th and 5th ones showed up I had to reevaluate a lot of stuff. I still love a good party, but could you please come over here. I just don't feel like going out tonight.






Cleaning house makes me really cranky. Actually, kids who disappear like cockroaches when a light is turned on make me cranky. It's like they smell the PineSol before I even open the bottle! The truth is, that if they stick around until the jobs are done, we can be done incredibly fast.




People assume that since I have 5 kids, I must automatically want to have 12 more. Not true. I'm done. I do everything in my power to assure that I'm done. Now, if God has other ideas, I will consider myself blessed. I just won't go there of my own accord.




I am a great cook. I had a birthday party for my husband and I served soup. Yep. I made a big old vat of Cabbage Patch Soup, and a side of Polenta- or as we call it, Mamaliga. It got rave reviews. Yep, a simple pot of soup, and it was a hit. I think it must be comfort food for a lot of people.




I could have a can of coke right now (I am typing at 10:40 pm) and go upstairs and sleep all night. Sick, isn't it? Actually, I would love one right now.




I still have my snowflakes, angels, and nativities out. I just can't bring myself to put them away yet. At least not until I can put out my pink and red hearts. Can I do that yet?




I *LOVE* to plan birthday parties. I think I get more excited than the kids do when their birthday rolls around. I am at the beginning of planing a Tinkerbell party for a nearly 8 year old. Any suggestions?

So, now I'm supposed to pick 7 people to have this award. I just hate doing that! Which 7 of you should I pick? You're all fabulous! So, if you want one, come and get it. Just let me know so I can take credit for giving it to you.

Only In America

• Can I be truly unhappy today, while you are truly happy, and we can still be friends and laugh together.
• Can a country switch directions as easily as placing your hand on a Bible.
• Can I go to sleep in peace tonight- even though I am a staunch supporter of the opposition.
• Can I rest assured that in 4 years we can choose to do this again, or we can choose to do it right. (Yes, I'm flying my right flappin' redneck flag again.)
• Can I calmly refer to the man who was not my choice as Mr. President, because he deserves my respect.
• Can a race of people who were held down and counted as less than human watch with pride as one of their own takes the highest office in the country.

Yes, I cried. Yes, I probably won't agree with much he says or does. He is, however, my president for the next 4 years. And I am still proud to be an American.

You Better Promise Me I'll Be Back In Time

We introduced our children to the genius that is Back To The Future this weekend. All three of them. Back to back. I seriously cannot remember the last time I saw any of these movies, but surprisingly, I could quote a whole bunch of the lines.

Now it's time for my disclaimer before I start getting "Bad Mother Mail"

**I did not remember so much swearing. Honest. And the second movie is the worst. But we are clear with our children about what words are acceptable, which ones are borderline-and-you-better-be-making-a-good-point, and which are forbidden-and-you-better-have-a-true-emergency-because-you-have-my-full-attention-now. And we have drilled into their heads that even if they hear a word, they are not at liberty to repeat it. Besides, they go to public school....

Anyway, we loved the movies, and the kids loved the marathon. And the fact that I learned how to make kettle corn.

Welcome To The Jungle

My friend IRL and at-school neighbor has a blog.
Check out her Jungle. She has some great pictures of the flooding that was going on around us.

Dodging The Bullet

These pictures are all in roughly the same area of our town. And it's no surprise that it has flooded there. We live in the 100 year flood plain. I think these pictures are in the 1 year flood plain. While it is no surprise that the area is under water, it is surprising just how much there is. The river crested *just* under the record. Barely.

These are on the south side of the highway. We live on the north side. While we didn't have any flood waters, we had a whole lot of ground water. With no where to go. The library and middle school parking lots were under water for a couple of days. The highway was shut down for sandbagging to save the businesses on the north side.

The thing is, pretty much all of Western Washington looked like this, or still does, or looks worse. We were fortunate.

We dodged the bullet this year. Thank you, Lord.

Eating Our Way Through Seattle

The weekend after New Year's we decided to go to Seattle on a whim.

Abigail was our official photographer, although, I took some of the pictures, too.

We started at a small bakery near here.

Where they didn't have a public potty.

So I had to walk through the public market.

Which was crowded.

And I hate crowds.

And when I did find it, it was icky.

But we got back and had some GREAT bread and yummy, delicate cookies.

Then we walked through the market.

We went to the place where they throw fish.

My kids were rather amazed.

I have no idea what that nasty looking bugger is, but it was not something we saw flying through the air.

This pig's name is Rosey.

She's a piggy bank that has a bill slot.

They use the money for general market upkeep.

Do you know how I know?

I read it in a Boxcar Children Mystery.

Book #111, The Seattle Puzzle.

Oh, yes I did.

We went to a yummy Italian gellateria.

The kids and Sebastian hed gellato.

It was 37* outside.

I just couldn't have gellato.

Besides, I don't really care for icecream.

I settled for a really good latte and a biscotti.

We went to some other places and ended up in China Town for dinner.

Basically, we ate our way through Seattle.

I'm All Blocked Up

Now, don't go hauling out the Metamucil.  It's blogger block!  Sheesh- get your mind out of the toilet!  To that end, I am borrowing this from my sister's blog.  The things I have done are in red type- since red is my favorite color.

1. Started your own blog 

2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band   I was last chair clarinet in middle school for 2 years before my parents finally admitted that this was one battle they were not going to win, and let me quit 
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity   I've never bounced a check over it- but it has made things kind of uncomfortable at times.
7. Been to Disneyland/world 
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train

21. Had a pillow fight

22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping - don't ask, Mom.
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance 
47. Had your portrait painted  Actually, I was drawn in pastel chalks.
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma  I'm phobic of needles, remember?
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check - oops!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book  I'm writing one now.  Maybe soon.
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible 
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life 
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby - or two, or five
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone 
99. Been stung by a bee  A coulpe of years ago I was pulling my kids in the wagon and a hornet stung me.  It hurt so bad that I sat down on the side walk and cried for a few minutes.  Good thing I'm not allergic!

So, now go read Trish's list and marvel how 2 people who lived together for half of thier lives could be so much the same, and yet so different.

When Mom Gets Sick

Let's not do this again for a while, shall we?

My Brother

Finally has a blog.

Actually, out of all my siblings, he's the last one I expected.

Angie, Chelle, Dad, you're getting left behind.

The rest of you, go welcome him to the neighborhood.

The Illuminati

Are courting my husband!

Seriously.  I open his mail.  I do.  I usually have to take care of it anyway, so it just saves a step.  

Yesterday I opened this official looking envelope and found a 6 page form letter with his name inserted in all the right places.  It was from some "secret society"  who had "reviewed his profile"  and wanted to include he and his "hidden potential" in said society.  The letter said that he could have limitless power over people, money, and romance. Limitless.  

We laughed as he read it and then I got real serious.  I told him that if he wanted to sell his soul to the devil I would be OK with the side perks- as long as I didn't have to go to hell with him....

Of Dirty Socks And Dead Fish.

If you've never read it, go read this to understand how Jonah and I feel about laundry.

Monday is my laundry day.  If I get nothing else done I do 6 to 8 loads in my ginormous washer and dryer set, fold and hang everything, and get it all to the proper room.  Where it becomes the sole responsibility of the owner.  Except for Seb's clothes which I gladly put away for him.

Except sometimes, people are out of socks on Sunday.  All the socks are white.  It's just easier that way.

Sunday night- at bedtime- Caleb announced to me that he had no clean socks.  So, I had to run a load of whites.  Jonah goes to bed later than the other kids because otherwise he keeps them awake.  It's easier all around if we put him to bed a half hour later.  Besides, they lay and read for about 30 minutes anyway.  And he doesn't.  But back to the laundry....

I was standing by the hamper of whites, turning the socks right side out, and then throwing them in front of the washer, and Jonah was loading them into the machine.  Every time he threw a sock into the machine he hollered, "Dead Fish!"

Weird.  Strange.  Deranged child.  I wonder if it had anything to do with having been at Pike Place Market and seeing the fish flying through the air.

Suddenly, he turned to me and said, "Mom, when I'm out of socks and I do the shirts I'm gonna' say 'Dead Whale!'"

Um, OK.

Don't Listen To Me

Because I have to tell you to go to Princess Kat's place to win a fabulous family night prize. But don't listen to me.