Robin's Needs

Ok, I saw this idea on Facebook and thought it was funny. Enter into the google search bar your name and the word "needs" and then see what pops up. So, I entered "Robin needs" and these are the first ten things that popped up. Some of them really applied in my life right now while others were just silly.

1. Robin needs ... help going downhill. (True, I've always wanted to but I'm afraid I'll crash and die.)
2. Robin needs ... about 40 calories a day. (Aha moment. That's why I keep gaining weight.)
3. Robin needs ... your help. (If you are interested in cleaning my carpet or doing the ironing just let me know.)
4. Robin needs ... a hot blog goof. (What the heck? How am I even supposed to know what that is?)
5. Robin needs ... consoling. (Those 2nd graders are killing me right now.)
6. Robin needs ... you. (I always need my family and friends.)
7. Robin needs ... to get a clue. (No duh!)
8. Robin needs ... to find the meaning of ? ( I don't know. That's just what it said.)
9. Robin needs ... some sleep. (Daylight Savings is the pits.)
10. Robin needs ... a tune up. (Probably has to do with the excess calories I'm taking in - gotta stick with the 40.)

Tee Hee. Give it a try.

"What the heck?"

Seriously, how could I possibly pass up a beauty like this. This is almost exactly what mine looks like. Ya baby!

"What the heck?" That's the first thing that came out of my kids' mouths when they saw the old record player I had been given at school. I have been looking for one for awhile, but not hard enough to find one. I haven't wanted to buy one so that made the search a little more difficult. But, on Thursday, after school, I just happened to walk into the office at the exact moment that another teacher was asking our principal what to do with an old, ugly, and dusty record player that had come with her room. He said she could find someone to take it or give it to DI. I was so excited. "Pick me! Pick me!" I hollered while waving my arm in the air (a technique I've picked up from 2nd graders). Since I was the only one interested, I got it - much to my husband's dismay, I think. We didn't even know if it worked but lucky for all of us it does. It has a great sound (for a record player) and can play at four different speeds. The kids have loved that.

The girls asked some interesting questions about it. "What does it do?" "Is it a giant CD player?" "Did everyone have one of these?" "Could you carry it around with you?" "Where does the sound come from?" "Why does it sound so scratchy?" I tried to explain how it worked as best as I could. I told them about the hot pink record player my sister and I had. I told them about the Disney books on record and the many Donny and Marie albums I listened to. I wish I had been more careful and kept them. I'm sure they would have loved the Osmonds. Instead, we only had four records of E.B. White reading Charlotte's Web and one Bing Crosby singing Teddy Bear Picnic. Neither one was very exciting. We turned to Grandma, the woman who keeps everything.

Grandma had lots of records and we brought about half the pile home. The kids have had a blast listening to old Beach Boys, Herb Alpert and the Tiajuana Brass, Eddy Arnold, and even John Wayne speak-singing ten very interesting songs, and many more. (Why weren't my parents into Bread, Chicago, Crosby Stills and Nash, The Mamas and the Papas, and Creedance Clearwater Revival? All they liked was country and not the cool country of today.) But the kids have listened anyway. They've tried songs at various speeds making the same song have four very distinctive sounds - Wizard of Oz Lollipop Guild fast, normal, just-been-to-the-dentist slurred-speech slow, and Las Vegas exotic dancer slow. Tee Hee we've had fun. If it quit working today, we will have gotten a lifetime of fun from it already.

Now if I could only find an 8 Track player. That would be awesome!

Irritating Things

Okay, so I'm not feeling well. Half of my class, at school, has been sick and I think that I have caught every bug they shared. Thanks. Who said sharing was good for you? Anyway, I'm sick and thus I am quite grumpy. It got me thinking about the things that bug me. Here are ten. Normally, I couldn't think of more than three but I'm pretty ornery. Ten will be a piece of cake.

1. I hate it when people call on the phone after 10:00 pm and before 7:00 am. Don't these people sleep? And, have they forgotten that other people do sleep? Calls between those hours are reserved for emergencies. Don't cause me that kind of panic.

2. I dislike it when people park their grocery carts in the middle of the isle and don't have the common courtesy of moving it out of the way for you. Come on. Do you park your car in the middle of the road? Pull over man.

3. I don't like litter-bugs. What do you think a garbage can is for? I have actually never seen anyone throw their McDonald's bags out of a car window but it must happen often because there is so much trash along the road. Why is it so hard to keep it in your car until you get home?

4. I hate it when kids lie to me. You can always tell. Even worse, I hate it when their parents teach them how or defend their behavior. UGGHH!

5. I hate it when the snow lasts too long. Snow after April is just too much. And the snow should stay away until November. There is just no place for snow during those months.

6. I really dislike it when people say mean things to each other. Come on people. The world is a tough enough place as it is. We don't need to be tearing each other down. As Thumper's mother says, "If you can't say nothin' nice, don't say nothin' at all." Can you imagine what the world would be like if we each said one less negative thing each day?

7. I hate pop-ups on my computer. If I wanted information about those sights I would have searched for it myself. I have a pop-up thingy right now that won't go away. I've done everything to get rid of it. It is making me crazy.

8. I hate being sick. I don't like to sit around resting very often. I figure I'll have time for that when I'm older. Right now, while I have the energy, I've got to get things done. So, when I'm sick it puts a real damper in my style and a kink in my plans. And it makes me angry.

9. I hate that some people think school is a free day-care. Too often the parent says, when their child is sick at school, "Well, what will I do with them. I've got things to do today." Or they get mad when school is canceled. Hello! It's school and I'm not a babysitter. If I were babysitting the kids, I'd get paid a lot more than I am now; we'd have snack time; and we'd watch movies/tv everyday.

10. I hate being grumpy. I really dislike focusing on negative things, so when I'm feeling better I'm going to blog about the things I like.

The Best Gift

Here we find Collin - reading. He loves to read. This is on our trip to Utah last week.

Here is a picture of Trent and me - as Miis. Aren't we cute? Pretty good likenesses I think.

Some of the shrubbery on McKenna's walk home from school.

McKenna's favorite photo subjects are the pets. This is an interesting view of Cruiser.

For her birthday, McKenna received a digital camera. Who'd have ever thought that it would become her constant companion? She has taken it everywhere with her. The pictures above are just a small few of hers. Yesterday her good friend, Kodak, took a major hit and received a life threatening injury. For all practical purposes, it is dead. McKenna was so sad. Being the wise parents that we are (or thought we were) I'm sure you think that we purchased the $25 - 2 year replacement plan. Well, no. But, when we replaced that camera today, and replaced the excitement in Kenna's trigger finger, you can be sure that it came with that ever important bit of extra insurance. We have learned!!! That look of surprise and sincere smile was so worth the canned green beans and ramen that we will eat to pay for it.

The Battle Continues

Collin is a notorious teaser. He has been tormenting his poor sisters for years. Of course, they tease him too. It leads to interesting "fights" here at home. They really do love each other. Collin says that it is his duty to tease them because he is the oldest sibling. I don't remember teasing my younger sisters. And if any of them say I did, I will deny it to my death bed. Anyway, McKenna has decided to retaliate with a different kind of warfare - mental intimidation.

Collin came home Saturday night to find this clown and saying hanging above his bed. He HATES clowns and she knows it. He especially detests clowns staring at him from above his bed.

He found eyes all around the house. There are googly eyes above several door frames.

There were eyes glaring at him in the shower and above the toilets in the house.

They peered at him at the top of the stairs and many other corners and crannies around the house.

It freaked Collin out. No one would tell him who put them there. It was driving him crazy and McKenna was laughing her head off - quietly.

What was learned in the round of "Sibling Battles"?

#1 Retaliation does not have to be physical. Go for the nerves.

#2 Mom doesn't get mad at us if we use our brains to tease our siblings.

Good Times

We went sledding on Suicide Hill in Rexburg last Saturday. It was so much fun. We were there with our Erikson cousins, aunts, and uncles. The conditions couldn't have been better. The snow was fresh and powdery; the weather was "warm"ish; and the sky was crystal blue. Absolutely the most perfect sledding day ever. Can't wait to go again.

Here I am crashing after forgetting how old I am. It was a lot bigger hill than I expected. But once I said I was going to do it I couldn't back down. It had to be done. The crash was worth the fun and the giggles.

Here is Trent acting more his age as the official safety guy.

Here comes Adri zooming by. She giggled the whole way down. Hold on to that sled kiddo!

This is Katy and Erin coming to a rest at the bottom of the hill. Check out the snow on Katy's face. They snowplowed the whole way down.

GOOD TIMES! GOOD MEMORIES!!

Just Doing Some Thinking

On my Facebook page I recently answered a huge question/answer thing about my first born. It got me thinking about the past 15 years of my life. I feel really bad because I don't actually remember too much. All those times that I thought to "write it down" and didn't are now gone. I know at the time I thought to myself, "How can I ever forget this?" and now I have. I wish I could remember the smell of those little babies and their first smiles, like I thought I would. I wish I could remember the times more vividly that the kids made the kitchen a disaster as they attempted to cook lunch for their summer picnics. But, instead those memories are not so clear anymore. Part of the problem is that I don't take pictures very often. McKenna got a camera for her birthday and she takes it everywhere she goes. She probably has over a thousand pictures on there and it has only been one month. Another problem is that I don't write in a journal. In fact, I have written about six times during the last fifteen years. So, I've resolved to do better.

I've decided to take more time to listen to the kids. Their stories are so funny. High school kids are just weird. Junior high kids observe the most interesting things. And who knew their could be so much drama in 5th grade. I can't wait. And, I'm going to take more pictures. Digital pictures don't cost a thing and I can fix them when they look terrible. I'm going to write more. I've finally come to the realization that my life is just a bore. It isn't going to get any more exciting than it is now and I like it. So, why not write about it. Who knows, if all goes well I might even scrapbook. Now, that would be something to talk about.