Weekend of Firsts

Maiby and I took a quick, unexpected trip up to CdA to visit my mom today after we dropped James off for this Army weekend. And it was worth it; mainly because Maiby just adores my mom and can't get enough of her - she gives her the best and longest hugs ever. But she also got to experience a few new things:

Grandma finally talked Grandpa into putting in a swing in one of their trees. It was a hit.

And Maiby got to help Grandma make cookies! Chocolate chip, of course.

Mixing it up.

Having fun.

And Grandma loved seeing the many taste-tests that went on.

Casting Call

This is an open casting call.

The roll: Running Partner

Days: MWF

Time: 6 am, duration of 30-40 minutes

Location: Indian Hills area and/or Latah Trail

Experience not required - I just started Amby Burfoot's beginners program, which mixes running and walking until you are running for 30 minutes at a time

Direct inquiries to Missy, by phone or email

Pioneer Day Celebration

Last Friday night we went to the stake primary pioneer activity. Here's Maiby in her pioneer dress. I did not even have to unpick ONE STITCH of the zipper - it's a first for me. (Of course, that one stitch only applies to the zipper and not necessarily to any other part.)

James took Maiby around to the different stations, and he made her a handkerchief dolly. Did you even know that my husband is crafty, too?

Beating Jade to the Punch

I am surprised, since Jade is always so willing to share in disgusting-ish stories of family life, that a small tidbit has been left off her blog. So I will sweetly share:

Friday night, we went to the stake primary party at the church, and as it was winding down, I went to find James. He was talking to Ben, who was holding his sweet daughter in his arms. While we were talking, Tonnelle reached up and wiped something on Ben - a booger - right on the edge of his mouth!! Eeewwww. But really, really funny. We all (including Ben) had a good laugh, which James and I continued to enjoy on the car ride home.

I'm On a Roll

So I have been getting projects done this week like no other...and it feels great. Most of them are crafts, and a few have been ideas/in the works for a while, so this feels really great. Yesterday I made a pioneer dress for Maiby to celebrate the 24th; we don't party quite like the 'Days of '47', but the primary activity should be fun. Look for the picture later on. I also learned a super easy way to make a pioneer hat out of a sheet of plain white paper.

I also started a new craft blog last week, so I can have my ideas and projects in one spot. Feel free to drop by: http://www.neatosquito.blogspot.com/ - so far there are not too many posts, but if I can keep the momentum I've got going right now, it will fill up soon.

Here's a question that's totally off the subject: has anyone else been disappointed with Winco's bananas in the last month or so? They are not turning yellow at home - just an ugly green-brown and going mushy from the inside out. The one I cut up over my cereal this morning was half mush (purchased Monday), and the one I gave Maiby didn't look too good, and she didn't finish it. I think I will have to stop buying them there, since it's been the last 3-4 times that they've been bad (and since I buy them every Monday, I think that says something).

And here's a picture of my favorite girl just to round it out. She is starting to like the camera.

Pics of Maiby

Here is Maiby at Uncle Sam's birthday party at the beginning of July...learning to pick cherries off Grandma & Grandpa's tree with my cousins girls.

And having fun on the 4th with her new friend Elvin in his pool.

Boys are such a mystery!

2nd Attempt

Here I go, off to bed...again.

Still not feeling tired.

Wish me luck.

Tomorrow we will know, as long as I'm not down here in another hour, right?

No Sleep Tonight?

Well, it's an hour past my bedtime, and I cannot sleep. And apparently, neither can my daughter. Since going to bed four hours ago, she has woken up at least twice every hour. Luckily, I have only needed to go in twice, but it does not bode well for tomorrow, especially since James is out of town and it's tough to keep her happy during sacrament meeting as we wait for nursery.

Do I just have too much on my mind? It's hard to keep track of everything that zooms in and out of that place, it's hard for me to decide. Sometimes I find it interesting to trace back my thought process; you would not believe how thinking about the dishes one minute somehow leads to joining the circus two minutes later. I don't know how I get these crazy ideas, but a few will stick and not leave for a long time.

Not that it is so easy for me to fall asleep every night, but I am usually at least tired, and am generally unable to keep my eyes open after 1030; it was almost tough to get through Harry Potter on Thursday, and I didn't have a chance between 11 and 12 when James was packing for his Guard weekend. Oh, well, I will just have to grin and bear it, or frown and be grumpy (but let's all hope for the first one, since I am teaching sunbeams tomorrow and a grin would be very helpful!).

Cooling Down

I need to cool down my posting; yesterday I was over-excited about my last post and I hurt someone I love. That was not my intention, and I apologize. Nothing about your family or your experiences offends me; I hope you understand that. I am having a hard time seeing the president trying to push things through congress so fast that no one has time to figure out what is going on before it's done, and I can only think of a few ways to get my opinion out there (blogging and writing my representatives being the main ways), but that doesn't mean I necessarily think before I do.

So that's the end, for a short time, of my government posting, and I promise that the next time I post about it, I will not aim it at someone I care about.

more of the same... (last post edited)

And where do you propose the money should come from? Should hard-working millionaires foot half of the proposed cost? That is ridiculous; most people who make that much money a year worked hard to get to where they are and should not have to pay for everyone else. And do you really think that the $1 trillion estimate will stay that (dare I say it) LOW? I don't think so. Look at how the bailout money got out of hand so fast; wasn't there an initial limit on how much money we were going to give away to help the failing companies?

And do you know what kinds of things are in that bill? Sure, they say we can keep our private insurance, but as soon as they start the national healthcare, it will be illegal for private insurance companies to change their policies - they won't be able to fix any problems that they have. I am not saying that healthcare doesn't need reform, but this is not the way to do it. Do you ever listen to Glenn Beck? Sometimes he is a little too far gone, but I think he is right on the money about national healthcare, and he's not afraid to say how crazy everyone is sounding.

We pay for our healthcare every month, and I know how hard it is (even for a young and healthy family) to make those payments. We are lucky enough that James gets scholarships every year that will cover those costs - that money goes into our savings account so we can pay our monthly premiums. It's tough, but we don't want to have to go without it, just in case we end up having a problem. Don't think I couldn't put $200 a month to good use, but I won't risk it.

And I know that we (the general public) will be footing the bill in taxes or in higher premiums. But we can't make healthcare part of the bill of right's, which is being proposed. I am not saying that people don't need help, and that I have a problem taking care of the poor. I AM saying that the government should not be in charge of it. It is a big step on the way to communism. Ezra Taft Benson, as the secretary of agriculture, said (of speaking with Nikita Kruschev): "As we talked face to face, he indicated that my grandchildren would live under communism. After assuring him that I expected to do all in my power to assure that his and all other grandchildren will live under freedom, he arrogantly declared in substance, 'You Americans are so gullible. No, you won't accept communism outright, but we'll keep feeding you small doses of socialism until you'll finally wake up and find you already have communism. We won't have to fight you. We'll so weaken your economy until you fall like overripe fruit into our hands.' (My source here).

psst...Universal Healthcare is NOT the Answer - pass it on!

Obama and other proponents are trying to pass universal healthcare - please contact your government representatives to let them know how you feel. Tonight I sent an email to my senators and house rep; if you live in Idaho, here's the contact info:

Walt Minnick (house of rep): www.minnick.house.gov/contact/index.shtml

Mike Crapo (senate): www.crapo.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm

James Risch (senate): www.risch.senate.gov/webform.cfm

Look up universal healthcare and get some facts and tell them that it's not the answer to the problems with the healthcare system. If you're interested, you can read my letter HERE.

Like Father, Like Daughter

We love tv in our house. A little too much. But we do try to limit the amount that Maiby watches. There are always times when you get a little bored watching tv, no matter how much you like it. Admit it, you know what I'm talking about.

This is what happens when James gets bored:

If you don't know from experience, let me just say that it's REALLY entertaining to look over at your husband and see his belt strapped around his head like a crown or around his foot. But on the day of this photo, it was too difficult to get the belt out. So the phone became the boredom distraction.

I wasn't able to get a picture of it, but I will try next time she has it, but the other day Maiby and I were watching a movie and I looked over and she had a slinky around her neck, like a multi-colored, really wide necklace. It was so darn cute. She had put it there and then forgotten about it, much like the phone on daddy's head.

But she really likes the pirate eye patch that came with the slinky in a birthday party favor bag:

That was a smile, really; the elastic kind of makes it look like a drimace, but she was happy.

Breakdown

Poor little Maiby had a tough time this afternoon. We took her to the mall to find a new pair of shoes because I discovered last night that she has blisters on the top of her pinky toes from her old ones. And I haven't been able to find the same style in the bigger size for the past month or so that I have been looking for them; apparently everyone else in town needs girls' size 6. BUT our trip was not successful. Whether due to hunger or not a long enough nap or some unexplained change in her natural behavior, she had 3 meltdowns at the mall. So we all left empty-handed and not so happy. Better luck tomorrow...