WARNING: The following images may not be suitable for all audiences. Viewer discretion is advised.

After our camera's untimely death, I figured the memory card inside was also a loss. So I didn't bother removing it. Yesterday, Tony thought we should at least check it out before tossing it, so we plugged it into our new camera and took a look. We were priviledged to see the last thing our poor camera saw before falling to its death. And I decided I'd share . . .

Don't scroll down if you don't want to. . . .

Since you've come this far, you may as well see one other disturbing image. I walked into the bathroom the other day to find this:

I guess Sleeping Beauty was having a hard time dealing with her friend's tragic death (see Poor Barbie post). If we had only known she was struggling so much. Maybe there was something we could have done for her. It really didn't need to end this way . . .

T-ball JOY

My first film with the new camera. I call it T-ball JOY.

Enjoy.

Some Random Ramblings

I ordered a new camera. It's a camcorder/camera combo. Our old camera, bought soon after we were married, was still recording onto VHS tapes (What are those?!?). And then with the camera/toilet incident, we just decided to replace both with one. Nice. Now I just have to read the manual so I can use it!

Secondly, I'm TRYING to finish the Twilight series, which I started back in January or so. I'm on the last book, and it is now a month overdue at the library. I'm afraid that whoever is on the list to get it next is cussing me right now. But I'm lacking motivation. I guess I care enough to finish it. I read about 20 pages a day or so, but honestly, what's the big deal about these books? I can think of at least 20 books I've read that I like better than any of the Twilight books. Oh well.

A spin off the Twilight thread now . . . What's with the name Renesmee? I almost puke every time I read it in the book. That and every other name that somebody just made up from some other name. Enough, people!

Finally, something more upbeat. A few Mylie-isms for y'all. Mylie loves helping me do everything. We get a lot of one-on-one time every day because she loves following me around and doing whatever I'm doing. And she says some really cute things while she's helping me. For example, last week we were out working in the yard, and Mylie commented on what a good worker she is. I agreed, and then the conversation continued about Mom being a good worker and Dad being a good worker, and Connor being a good worker ("yeah, at pole vault," Mylie added.) Finally, Mylie concluded the conversation with, "And Mariah's a good TOY-ER." So cute. This afternoon, she helped me plant flowers. She must have noticed me getting information about the flowers from the little labels stuck in the dirt. She asked me how big one type of flower was going to grow. I told her I didn't know. So she pulled out the label, looked at it as if reading, and said confidently, "Seven feet, Mom." Wow, what a flower! Finally, one of my favorites: Mylie loves helping me fold clothes. She often shows off her grasp of the English language by saying, "Mom, you fold that clo (pronounce with a long O sound), and I'll fold this clo." And I guess if we each fold the singular, we will eventually have all the CLOTHES (plural) folded!

It's been a long, crazy week of volleyball camp, summer school (for Connor), T-ball, and trying to get my bazillion flowers, shrubs, and trees planted. More on that later, if I can get my new camera figured out. My bath tub is calling me. AHHHHHH!!!

State Track

I'm a track junkie. I've been to state track 13 of the last 14 years, and don't plan on quitting this practice anytime soon. In fact, I'm so crazy about the state track meet that I lost my mind this year and took three children along with me for 3 days at a track meet. And actually, they all did amazingly well.

Besides my love for track, I also have a lot of invested interest in several of the athletes that competed this year. First of all, my dad is the head track coach at Cokeville, so I enjoy watching all his kids. My brother and sister, Sullivan and Olivia, were in 4 events each. Tony is the pole vault coach at Mountain View, so I've paid a lot of attention to his kids. And finally, almost all of my volleyball players I've coached do track, and their team was there to win a state championship.

Everybody that I was there to watch did very well. The Cokeville girls and boys each took 2nd place as a team. The boys team did it with only 5 athletes, which is quite an accomplishment. Sullivan took home a 1st, 2nd, and 5th place. Olivia got a 1st, two 2nds, and a 5th. Tony had a girl vaulter take 3rd, and his boys went 3rd, 4th, and 7th. And finally, the Mountain View girls tied for the state title after an exciting 4x400 meter relay (the last event), where they did just what they needed to to be state champions. It was an exciting weekend.

Even though I was able to see all the highlights and watch the kids I really cared about, state track was a little different for me this year. Usually, I watch every single race and know everything that's going on. But with three kids this year, I didn't have that luxury. Instead, we made it into a mini-vacation. I invited my sister-in-law Angela to come. She brought her two boys, and we did a lot more than just watch track. We went to the park 3 times, visited the mall, went swimming, ate at McDonald's and Sanfords, and went miniature golfing. It was tons of fun! But even with all that fun, I struggled a little with not knowing what was happening in every single event. So now I'm short on sleep after two nights of staying up until midnight on the computer reading every time of every race, comparing times between classes, and making myself aware of state records, repeat champions, and team standings--all vital information for a track junkie like myself. And now this has become a long boring post with NO PICTURES--due to the camera/toilet incident (read below.) Sorry.

Taffy and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Like usual, I woke up to Mylie's request for a TV show, a drink, and her pink blanket. I was still WAY too tired to get up, however. But I dragged myself out of bed and mentally ran through my to-do list for the day. I had no idea what awaited me . . .

First, Connor wanted to play outside in the mud. But after a few minutes, he realized he needed a jacket. Being focused on the jacket, he forgot about the mud on his boots and ran across the family room and kitchen before I yelled at him to stop right now and take those muddy boots off. He then got mad at me for stopping him so rudely, and threw one of the boots at me, landing himself in a timeout. Even though he helped me clean up the mess, I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

With the kids outside playing and Mariah napping, I hit the treadmill. What was supposed to be a 5-mile run turned into just 3 miles after the fifth interruption. Mariah woke up early, and was crying more than normal. It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

I checked my email and learned from Tony that the school board had decided that teachers aren't allowed to take more than three consecutive days of leave. We were aware of this possibility, but now it was official. There goes our plan of a November cruise.

Connor wanted to make some chocolate milk for himself, Mylie, and Jaxon. Instead of asking for help, he scaled the cupboards, and threw the Nesquik container down to the floor where it exploded all over the carpet.

I listened to Mariah scream the entire time I folded laundry. She seemed okay when I picked her up, but then screamed impatiently as I got ready to feed her.

While feeding her, Connor came in with bad news. Mylie had "made" him drop the camera in the toilet by requesting that he take a picture of her poop! Our camera warrenty doesn't replace cameras dropped in toilets. It was DEFINITELY a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day!

I sent him away and fiddled with the camera, seeing if there was any hope of it working again. When I finished feeding Mariah and walked out the door, I found Mylie on the floor, making a road for her dump truck. Creative, yes. But she was making it out of playdough, pressing it down in the carpet! AAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

And then it was lunch time. After lunch, I think I'll move to Australia.

P.S. I guess there is something good that has happened today. I haven't cried . . . yet.

Aw, cute!

The other day, Mylie accidentally let the cat in while I was in the bathroom helping Connor brush his teeth. We came out, ready to go, and found this.

At first, Molly's head was down next to Mariah's, like she was snuggling with her. It was SO cute! Mariah's eyes were big with surprise and curiosity, but she didn't seem nervous at all. I had to pull Molly off, however, when Mariah got hold of her paw, and of course put it straight in her mouth! EWWW!

One more cute picture, just 'cause I love it! Connor was the photographer on this one.

Deceptive Housewives Part II: My Dream Home

A few more thoughts about my house and home . . .

A few months ago, somebody complimented me on my nice home. I immediately started "being humble" as we Mormon women do, starting to point out all the faults that it has--Oh, it's a very simple house, nothing special. Then that person clarified something: "I didn't say you had a nice house. I said you have a nice HOME. There's a difference." I realized that what he had complimented me on was something much bigger than the four walls we live in. He wasn't talking about my paint choices or decorations. He was talking about the feeling that exists within the four walls.

I remember being in high school and asking my mom why she never went looking at furniture or to a home show or something. Didn't she wish she had a nicer house with nicer things? I was stunned when she told me no. She didn't want any of those things. She was happy with what she had, and didn't see any point in wishing for things she'd never have. I told her I thought it was okay to want them, even if you couldn't have them. I didn't get it. I didn't understand that she really DID love her house--her home.

Then I got a house. It's a simple house, yes. Some people refer to it as a trailor. Yep. I live in a double-wide manufactured home free from any frills. But I love it. Like my mom, I don't spend any time wishing for something more. I already have the house of my dreams. Here are a few reasons why I'm living in the house of my dreams:

1. We can afford it! This is number one for me. Granite countertops, beautiful wood floors, amazing furniture, and a fireplace with a mantle would not make me any happier. In fact, the opposite would be true. My bondage to the payments would make me miserable.

2. There is room for our growing family. We have enough room for us to be comfortable upstairs and an unfinished basement to accomodate growth.

3. It has our own personal stamp on it. We have taken a lot of pride in small and large home and yard projects, and the thought of leaving what we have created through hard work makes me ill.

4. In three short years, we have already made so many memories--memories that will last much longer than our new furniture.

5. The most important people in my life live in this house.

So I'm living in the house of my dreams, and I'm working to create the home of my dreams. Not by replacing my carpets or upgrading my kitchen cabinets, but by working and praying for peace, love, and the Spirit to abide here. And as I truly focus on these things--the makings of my dream home--I realize that I have all I need and all I truly want.