Things That Must Go: Stuffed Animals in Your Car

In my mind this doesn't need any further discussion...but in case you are an offender...

Seriously, why do people feel the need to "decorate" their car with stuffed animals? LAME.

And really, if you are old enough to own or even drive a car...then aren't you too old to like stuffed animals enough to use them as decorations? YES YOU ARE.

Top 7 reasons you should not decorate your car with stuffed animals:

1. Car's don't need decorations of any kind.
2. Leaving stuffed animals in the sun fades them and thus ruining them.
3. No one will want to date you after seeing the offensive animals in your car. This is even more true if you are a male.
4. No matter how cool you look...the stuffed animals make you completely lame.
5. So, people like me don't make fun of you.
6. Stuffed animals are a breeding ground for germs and bugs.
7. If you have stuffed animals in your rear window you are more likely to get in an accident (because I may accidentally "bump" your car in sheer irritation.)

Exception: if you have a kid under the age of 10...then you get a pass...I guess.
Okay, enough said.

Sisters

This picture makes me happy! We have a family dinner/birthday party almost every month. The ones in the summer/spring/fall where it is good enough weather to be out side are the best. If you have spent time around my family you know we love each other a lot. And nothing is off limits. We like to talk, share opinions, laugh, and lecture each other all while watching the kids run around in the background. And my mom LOVES to be right in the middle of it all. I usually always leave with my spirit boosted and have a feeling of overwhelming love and acceptance.

Aren't my sister's beautiful? Seriously, looking at this picture makes me realize I am lucky to be surrounded by such amazingly beautiful sisters; they are beautiful on the outside and on the inside.

Sisters are great...but let's not forget that brothers are pretty amazing too.

My cute niece Megs took this picture...she commented that it was the crazy side and the sweet side. My question to you is which is which?

My Mom is Cooler Than Your MOM. Hi-YAA!

Ardell just finished the "Swim The English Channel" challenge at the local swimming pool. She came in 3rd place. She got a certificate and a t-shirt. She wore the t-shirt at our family party to show off. (She is such a bragger sometimes. It makes me giggle).

The day after they put up the bulletin board she called me at 8AM and told me to go take a picture of the picture of her because it was a really good one. I agree.

So, the point of this? Well, let's just say that my mom is COOLER than your mom. HI- YAA!

(((Opinion Poll)))

If you had to be a professional sports player, what would you be and why?

Father's Day

Happy Father's day! There are lots of great "father's" in my life and I love all of the very much.

I would be lying if I didn't admit I just wanted to cry today. I miss my dad. It's not fair that he isn't here...but life's not fair...which really is quite RUDE.

Truth or Dare?

Did you play "Truth or Dare?" when you were younger...or maybe still play it today?

I will be honest I really hated this game for a long time. I was to nervous to ever pick dare and to embarassed to want to pick truth.

Truth or Dare always gave me anxiety, that is until I played the Chinese version "Truce or Dare". (The Chinese have a hard time saying the "th" sound, it comes out as an "s" sound.)

My friend Jill that I met in China reminded me recently of our adventures playing "Truce or Dare". Wow, we had some really fun times! But let's just be honest...I think I like Chinese "Truce or Dare" so much was because Jill and Terusha generally always picked dare and I LOVED thinking up dares.

In case you haven't EVER met me...I have a slight mischevious side and love to get people to do things. LOVE IT. Some call it manipulation ("Terusha would do it"), I would say it is a gentle push into an adventure.

Thanks for the memories Jill. I am pretty sure you should blog about them.

Kindergarten

Can you pick me out of this picture? Look closely...

Yep, you guessed it. I am on the back row smiling at Noel Gale. If I remember correctly he was saying something funny and I was answering him. You think the photographer would have been so kind as to wait until we were done.

My friend Carrie is on the front row with her moon boots on...and I love it!

I think this picture says so much about me...What do you think?

Whew! I Dodged That Bullet

One of my dad's favorite stories to tell was about my blessing day. As usual he picked out my name but didn't really tell anyone what it was going to be, instead he joked that he was going to name me a Spanish name meaning "the ultimate end". In church he filled out two blessing cards. One with my real name and the above one.

My grandma Swasey was sitting behind him trying to get a glance at what my real name would be...but my dad had other ideas and would be holding the "fake" card. When the Bishop got up to announce the blessing's he could not pronounce my name and just said Dean & Ardell's new baby. It was then that whispering went down the row "he's really going to do it".

Lucky for me it was just a trick.

I loved hearing my dad tell the story of my blessing day, and finally finding the "faker" card made me squeal with delight!

I am pretty sure the fake name does not mean "the ultimate end" in any language.

For Good

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say id I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good...
(For Good, Wicked Soundtrack)

11:11

Do you ever make wishes? Wishes before you blow out the birthday candles, wishes on shooting stars, wishes on eyelashes?

I like to wish. Most of them are stupid wishes. I am not a great "on the spur of the moment" wisher. If I had a couple of days to think about the wish I think they would be much better. Most wishes for me are spur of the moment. I forget about the birthday wishes until right before I have to blow out the candles.

A friend of mince makes the wish when he notices the clock is at 11:11. It seems that at least every two weeks I a lucky enough to see the clock when it is at 11:11...and I can't help myself...I must make a wish.

If you are lucky enough to make an 11:11 wish...just do it.

Here are the rules (completely stolen from TRuss's blog) of the 11:11 wish:

"11:11. Now this is a particularly tricky one that I have attached a few personal rules to. It simply cannot be premeditated. You cannot wait and watch for the clock to turn 11:11 so you can get your wish in. You cannot realize it is close to the time and look at the clock every 20 seconds until it turns 11:11. The 11:11 wish, whether spoken or thought, must also be completed while the clock still reads 11:11 to be considered valid (you never know quite how much of the minute you have left because you have just caught the clock reading 11:11, so this is a rapid fire wish).

The cardinal rule: You cannot share the wish you make with anyone or it will not come true."

I have added one more rule: You can make as many wishes as you want before the clock turns 11:11. So for those of us who aren't great on the spot wishers...we can get a few extra's in to cover our bases.