Jimmer and the Co-ed

I downloaded pictures off my camera today. I hate doing it. I always have a million pictures to take care of before I get to the ones I want. I still had Christmas on there!

Anyway, what I was looking for was the one and only picture I took at the BYU vs. UNLV basketball game where we took our kids and met our cousins last Saturday. What a great game! We are totally Jimmered, especially Scott and Andrew. Okay, and Matt and I as well.

Did you see the awesome Facebook/Daily Universe bru ha ha about Jimmer? It is hilarious.

Let me start by saying I love the Daily Universe, BYU's student paper! More specifically I love the editorials. They are legendary. When I was going to school I remember an epic battle about girls carrying bags where the strap went across the chest (gasp!) and totally accentuated the nearby womanly parts. It was definitely causing immoral thoughts to blossom unchecked in too many male students. It was hilarious!

So this week a co-ed wrote and complained about the Jimmer-worship going on at BYU. But whereas back in the 90's we didn't have Facebook and replies only came out every Tuesday and Thursday, she got hundreds of replies overnight! And they are all so hilarious. Check out the article about it here or here.

Suggested Retail Price

Don't you love that phrase. I've kind of become accostomed to not ever paying it. Most big retailers have frequent (enough) discounts that you can usually get a brake. I almost never buy food at that high price. One item I actually do expect to pay full price is books, especially local market ones (read Mormon). But toys, no.

So guess how I felt when I sent my sweet husband to Shopko for a buy one get one half off deal on Legos and he found a not-so-sweet deal. The Lego set we were looking for was marked at 150% of suggested retail price as listed online! So the 50% off deal was ridiculous! 150% higher than suggested retail price is like robbery! Crazy. Well, that purchase is OFF.

Winner goes to the lowest (convenient) bid, which right now is online. Beware of Shopko you toy buyers. I'm sure not all items are this bad, but you never know!

P.S. Have you started Christmas shopping yet?

Procrastination

I am a much better dreamer than doer. Therefore, I procrastinate.

Here is just a sampling of things I like to procrastinate.

1. folding laundry
2. mopping the floor
3. making phone calls, especially business ones
4. Visiting Teaching, (this is double bad because it usually requires a phone call, too)
5. scrapbooking
6. deciding whether to keep clothes or return them, especially things I buy for my kids
7. getting my hair cut
8. making dinner
9. recyling my newspaper (you should see my pile)
10. downloading my digital pictures from my camera, except I did it today! So just you wait for some sweet pictures coming soon.

And many, many more things. Is this common at all? Do any of you procrastinate? or is it just pathetic old me.

Stay tuned for tomorrow and my list of things I wish I procrastinated.

Charity Loves Purses

If only she'd use a bag instead of a pair of underwear.

FYI: Dusk vs. Twilight

Note: This is NOT a post about the book, Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. Please continue on.

For Your Information

Twilight begins when the sun sets. It lasts until dusk, which is the end of twilight, or more specifically, when the sun is 6 degrees below the horizon.

So, twilight is a period of time, dusk is a certain moment.

Morning also has a twilight period, the time between dawn, the beginning of morning light, and the sunrise.

Just in case you were wondering. See here for more information.

President Obama's Speech

I am happy that two of my children will be watching President Obama's speech today.

I am sad that one of them, along with thousands of others, will not be watching it.

I am happy that our President supports education. (Of course he does.)

I am sad that our country is so politicized that we can't even let our children be inspired by a president that comes from a different party than ours.

I am happy that I live in a country where people can refuse to watch the President's address. . .

I am happy.

You can read the speech at www.whitehouse.gov.

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Last night my book group met at my house to discuss The Hunger Games, a young adult novel that is essentially about control, government and self. Throw in a little Survivor and a little love and you've got a book you can't put down. (My book group all loved it as well.) I read this book a few months ago and have been anxiously waiting for the sequel to come out. Well, September 1 was the big day.

Catching Fire, the second book of the Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, is now available. My sweet hubby brought it home for me Tuesday. I devoured it in one day (sorry kids) and loved it. Matt laughed at my exclamations and sighs, my frustrated grunts and my occasionally weepiness as I whipped through it.

As do most middle-of-the-trilogy books, it ends in turmoil. But the journey was so good. I highly recommend it.

My only question is this, why do love triangles so appeal to us? What is it about the thrill and pain of a terrible choice between two good things get us? This book continues to follow Catniss (the narrator) and her struggle to know herself (and her choice between Gale and Peeta). Also, is it my imagination or are most love triangles about one girl and two guys? Is it less appealing to have a man deciding between two women because historically we see that as normal? Is it because women are the traditional "consumers" of romance and it feeds our egos to be wanted by two men? Hmm. What do you think?

Alaskan Cruise, Tracy Arm

Our cruise took us into Tracy Arm to see the beautiful mountains,

waterfalls,

glaciers,

icebergs,

and poem-inspiring wildlife. Okay, you can't see the wild life, but our naturalist told us all about the seals that gave birth on an iceberg. The icebery was saturating in blood and afterbirth. An eagle swooped down and "devoured the afterbirth. Nothing is wasted in nature." The wonderful timing of this story (breakfast) inspired this haiku that Matt entered (not really) in the haiku contest later that day.

Ravenous eagle
Devours blood red afterbirth
You want my sausage?

His talent is aweinspiring.

Tilt Shift Video - Bathtub IV

This is 100% real photos. Isn't it great? The music was great as well.

Bathtub IV from Keith Loutit on Vimeo.

MaLM -- Why I love my nose

Recently I have gained a new fondness for my nose. Why, you ask. Well, let me tell you.

My eyes are wonderful, I love to see, but they also look at things they shouldn't occasionally.

My mouth is great, too. I love to talk and eat. But it can get me into trouble also. It eats things it shouldn't and says things I'd rather not have said.

My ears give me the sound of music and my loved ones' voices, but also listens to things it shouldn't at times.

But my nose, it smells. It smells the sweet fragrance of spring flowers, the cut grass of a hot summer day, the fresh rain, gooey chocolate chip cookies, fresh, juicy fruit, the salty wind from the ocean, new born babies and so much else. And guess what, it never gets me in trouble!

A nose is a good thing, I think.

Growing up is hard

Growing up can be really strenuous.

Bodies are difficult. Learning to get where you want to go can be frustrating. And when the mucus starts flowing, life can be downright miserable.

Then there is the emotional part. You can find yourself waking up from scary or sad dreams that leave you in tumult. It is hard to figure those emotions out.

There is the problem that everyone is out to get you. They all want to beat you, win your stuff, play with your best friend, etc. No one seems to think about what YOU want.

It never ends. Even now in my "old age" I have a hard time.

My body doesn't really like to obey me still. I am trying to learn to control my own appetites and passions.

Emotions can be tricky even now. I've mostly mastered my own, but figuring out how to understand and deal with the emotions of others is tricky.

It's hard not to be consumed with my own little family. I wonder how much more frequently I need to be thinking about the needs of others outside my own family.

Happy St. Patty's Day, President Obama is Irish!

Apparently, President Obama has a great-great-great grandfather from Ireland. Ancestry.com uncovered the fact a few months ago. You can read about it here.

And while you're at it, you can hear a great little Irish ditty,"There's No One as Irish as Barack Obama", about it here. (Don't skip that one. )

Sweet dreams

Saw this on Little Green Notebook. It's beautiful and so cool.

This is Why You're Fat

This is why you're fat

Junk food pizza

Deep Fried Peanut Butter-Covered Brownie Wrapped In Cookie Dough

Via Gypsy Feet

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 4

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 4

Otherwise known as I Have to Shop so Maybe I'll Not Eat Sweets for a Month Experiment

I realized that I really don't do much extra shopping. Sure I bought new towels to replace old ones that could still function, but they were 10 years old. Sure I occasionally buy scrapbook supplies that I could do without, but I don't have a whole store's worth of supplies. So while I try to be frugal (like with my craft/exercise/guest room redo) I'm just going to shop as normal.

So, I decided to not eat sweets for one month. I will end over Presidents Day holiday weekend. Matt did join me for this one with only a few reservations, unlike the shopping experiment which he kind of sabotaged.

He only wondered

1. if bread pudding was a dessert, how about without the streusel topping
2. if he could still have honey on his toast
3. if pancakes and waffles were okay
4. If maybe date nights we could have a treat

So we are on our way. Why don't you join us?

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 3

I went to Target to get diapers, we were out. They are a necessity. I bought a package of 75% off caramels. I love caramels. It didn't even occur to me that I wasn't supposed to be shopping. I also bought a gravy boat on clearance. It is white and cute, and so it was a necessity because my current glass one has a crack in it.

What, you don't have a gravy boat, and you are okay? Who wouldda guessed?

My experiment is really not going well. I think I'm going to postpone my experiment until the last 2 weeks of January and first two weeks of February. Wait, will that interfere with Valentine's Day? What four weeks are the least likely for me to want to shop?

Our No-Shopping Experiment -- Part 2

On New Year's Day, we were discussing resolutions. Matt's brother said that they had a FHE on resolutions and they all set some. One of his daughters set a goal to have 20 Daddy Daughter dates this year. I asked him how often they had "special times" (which is what they are at our house because we do dad and mom dates).

He said and I quote,

"That was her resolution, not mine!"

Well, this little shopping experiment is turning out like that.

I discussed it with Matt. He listened without much comment but the heaviness in the air that meant he was not wholly on board. So I asked what he thought.

In a nutshell, he thinks it's great if it doesn't affect him. He pointed out that

1. He's been purposefully waiting until after Christmas to buy new fish and a tank heater

2. He's still having dates and going out to eat.

3. We were planning on organizing our craft/exercise/future guest room and he's ready to do it now.

4. If we are just putting it off until February, what's the point.

5. If we can get stuff on sale now, why wait until February (or next Christmas season) to buy it at full price.

6. If I don't buy any house decor or scrapbook stuff, he thinks it's a great idea.

So our experiment is not going well.

Our No-Shopping Experiement -- Part 1

Have you heard of Judith Levine? She wrote the book Not Buying It. She went a whole year without buying anything that wasn't a necessity i.e. food, gas for her car, etc. I had heard of it, but not much about it. But I am thinking of doing this for a month. So, I looked her up.

There were a great many criticisms of the book and her experiment. One was her categorization of needs. For example, she deems her $55 haircut a necessity. She also, with her partner, have 3 houses and 3 cars. Of course heating and gas are necessities, even for 3 houses. Another was her rather-off topic rantings (politics).

Anyway, I'm not reading the book, I'm just thinking about not shopping for a month. I'd eat, but not fancy foods. I'd keep my house running as it is. I wouldn't cancel my high-speed Internet (like she did). But I'd not buy all those great deals on whatevers (house stuff, crafty stuff, etc).

What do you think? Would you give it a try? Why or why not?

Motherhood IX

Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life's longing for itself. They come through you but not from you, and though they are with you, yet they belong not to you.

--Kahil Gibran

They are God's.

Motherhood VII

If evolution really works, how come mothers still have only two hands?

--Ed Dussault