You Tube

We've all probably heard about youtube.com...well, I couldn't sleep tonight and was surfing the web. And came across this clip from the American Idol Finale. I couldn't stop laughing at this spoof! Tell me what you think!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRwrbJu13Gs

Oh, and I think Gladys Knight is AMAZING. I wish I had the knack for singing so soulful...

Reef Sandals & Vitamins

For any of you that have Reef Sandals, you'll know they are ultra comfortable, very durable, and make you look like a cool surfer chick. Okay, maybe not that last thing, but the other two statements are true. I have had my Reef's for 3 years now and have worn them almost everyday and LOVE them. They conform to my foot shape and yada, yada, yada. Well, this morning Joelle and I went to Costco and on our way in, I stubbed my shoe on an invisible bump on the asphalt and the Reef sandal (that hugs my right foot lovingly, day in and day out) bit the dust. Let's have a moment of silence for my loss....

Has anybody ever tried to walk with one broken flip flop? Do not try this at home. So there I was taking a normal step with my left foot and shuffling my right foot behind....I looked like I had no control over my right leg and was dragging it lifelessly behind me. I only needed to get one thing- vitamins. People kept looking at me and then the vitamins in my hands seemed to get equally odd looks. It was as if people were saying, "those vitamins are not going to cure your lifeless leg." I finally took the sandal off and walked half-barefoot through the store carrying my dead sandal in one hand and a box of vitamins in the other. People seemed to look at me and sum up in their heads the situation at hand.

So, you see, my life is not perfect at all. I fall victim to the whims of fate just like everyone else.

Perfection is OVERRATED!!

Okay, I have a request for all you bloggers and scrapbookers out there. It is this: Don't forget to write/scrapbook about the crappy things going on in your lives. It seems often that I read a blog and feel depressed over how happy and hunky dory that person's life seems to be. So, in my quest to not let anybody feel depressed over my perfect family, I'll let you in on some of our imperfections!!

The Bully is Bullied...

Scottie came home from school today completely dejected, wondering aloud when we were going to move back to California. WHAT?!? On Friday, he was telling me how much he loves Arizona, and today he changes his tune. Is this a sullen pre-teen thing? Are raging hormones overtaking his body and he is feeling anger for no particular reason? No, no, he is being bullied at school by the Alpha Male 5th and 6th graders.
It was bound to happen. What goes around comes around. He is learning the Golden Rule: "Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you." He treats Tyler just like these older boys are treating him. And while I can't say that to him at the moment, since he is just too upset to actually hear anything- I, instead am venting my frustration by blogging!
This is the straw that broke the camels back. I had a great, productive day...only to feel totally irritated tonight instead of feeling proud of my accomplishments. This disappointment I feel is a tool of the adversary, who would have us feel down about ourselves, so that we start to despair. GRRRRRRRRR...Satan is good at what he does.
In the spirit of gratitude, I am grateful that it is almost my bedtime. I am soooo looking forward to going to bed.

Happy Friday

Sooo...Joelle is sleeping, the internet is FINALLY hooked up at the house, and the last service technician should be here sometime today. I feel strangely content to browse the internet...it's amazing the amount of stuff I couldn't look up because I wasn't connected to the NET!! The things we take for granted.
I went to check my email and saw that the weather in Stockton is 80 degrees. It is supposed to be 101 here, but it doesn't feel like it, because it is kind of cloudy. I thought I was going to hate the heat, but so far it hasn't bothered me. I don't go to the park at 2 pm, that's for sure! I'm sure next summer, when I am here during the hottest months and my kids are out of school, I will struggle to find indoor things to do during the immense heat. But for now, we're all good.
The kids started school on Monday and although they were nervous, by the end of the school day, they were beaming. They LOVE it! They have each made friends and look forward to walking to and from school. Scottie told me he feels free when he can walk without me. Hmmm, I'm not sure if that should worry me or not.
Joelle is dying to go to preschool, but I haven't found one as yet. Now that I am connected to the outside world, I may just be able to accomplish that task!

Our Arizona Move

Okay...so like thieves in the night, we left. Friday, August 29th, Greg suggested that we all leave together as a family. Let me back up. He was planning on leaving on Tuesday the 2nd of September, to come and acclimate himself a little, and start his new job the following Monday. So on the Friday before he was gonna leave, he suggests that we all leave together as a family. I started to balk and complain, but deep down, I knew that it was the right thing to do. A U-haul truck was available for Labor Day, and even though our house wasn't rented and we needed the income from that to be able to rent a house ourselves, we felt it was right that we move together regardless of the outcome. We had faith that everything would work out. As it happens, Labor Day, we loaded up with help from our church friends (thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!) And Tuesday, we were at the house finishing the last minute stuff that doesn't take minutes, but hours, when a couple came by to look at the house. They were moving from Phoenix to Stockton, they asked if we were LDS and where the nearest church building was, they said they would take the house. They followed through by going directly to the property management place and paid all of their fees...and the rest is history.

I feel the need to express my gratitude. We feel like we have been guided by the Lord each and every step of the way. And while moving is stressful, there has always been an underlying feeling of peace and contentment in the knowledge that we are doing the right thing and going where the Lord wants us to go.

Now the work of getting our house in order begins!!