Locks of Love

I'm sure you have heard these words before. Maybe you have even seen their website on how you can donate your hair to help others that need it. My niece Emi has donated her hair to them before. She is an amazing girl because she also is a special needs child. She has donated her hair TWICE to Locks of Love. I have really admired her for doing this. It is something that I have wanted to do before but I could never stand to have my hair be very long.

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Well with us moving to a new area and being away from my mother and sister who normally cut my hair for me and not really ready yet to have Michael cut my hair again I decided I would just let it grow out. It didn't take too long (or at least it seemed that way) before my hair was at a length that was starting to drive me crazy. But I still wasn't ready for it to get cut off yet. After a bit it did get to a point where I didn't mind the length and was actually able to do some fun hair styles. However, nothing last forever and it was starting to bug me again. I was now ready for it to be cut but once I knew how long it was I realized that this might be my only chance to donate it to Locks of Love. It was still a little short of the amount it has to be to donate it but I decided that I had gone this far why not all the way? .So I did! Here is how long it got to be.Now here is my hair after I finally got it cut and was able to donate it to Locks of Love.ITS SO FLIPPING CUTE!!!! I'm really glad that I was finally able to do this and instead of giving the minimum of ten inches I got eleven cut off. I know that doesn't seem like a big deal but it is to me. I'm really glad that I won't have people pulling my hair when they try to give me a hug or put their arm around me anymore. I'm also glad that I wont accidentally pull my own hair anymore, it hurts a lot. Oh! I also wont wake up with headaches either! I think that was the worst thing about having my hair that long. Even if I braided it at night it would still end up getting pulled somehow and I would feel terrible in the morning. It has been heaven to wake up for the last couple of days and not have a headache. But the best part of it all is knowing that someone out there is going to have their day made because of something simple that I did. Hopefully when I try to do this again it will go much smoother.

Hug Bug Game

Have you ever played car games on a long trip? Like you have to see all the letters in the alphabet or something for one and in another game you try to guess what the road kill was? How about the game were if you see a Volkswagen Bug you get to hit the person next to you because you call it a slug bug? Well I have played 'slug bug,' and hated hitting and getting hit from others. So when Michael and I started dating we would see some Volkswagen Bugs and just do nothing since neither one of us liked that game. Well one day while we were together walking around the college campus we saw a Volkswagen Bug.I was trying to be funny and said, "Look! Its a hug bug." So I gave him a big hug. Michael LOVED that idea and since then we have been playing the game that way.

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The game has evolved over time to something kind of special. How we play it today is that each Volkswagen Bug is worth one point unless it is a special bug; those bugs very from two to ten points each. Here are some examples.A convertible bug is worth two points since you don't see them very often, or at least we don't.The Geek Bug Mobil is one of the best pointers out their. It is worth five! Sadly we never see one in our area. Now their is one hug bug that is worth ten points and that is those that have been turned into a bug/camper car. We only know of one and that is in Oregon so thus it is worth the ten points. Now there are negative points too. Like if you see this.Poor little hug bug. He is a negative one point. But that is how the games goes. The one who has seen the most hug bugs gets to have a hug at the end of the ride. Its a pretty simple game and no one gets hurt. Although we are always both winners since their is only two of us.

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Now the reason that I wanted to tell you about the game was because today Michael and I were going to the mall for a simple date night and saw a couple of hug bugs. I had found two hug bugs and Michael only had one. So to be a funny guy he started to drive around the mall parking lot looking for more hug bugs instead of a place to park. He said he was looking for a place to park but I could tell what he was really doing. He just didn't want me to win! But in the end I did win that round. It was just so funny how we HAD to find all of the hug bugs in the parking lot before we could actually park. Michael has never done that before so I'm not sure if I should count it as trying to cheat or what. Anyways if you are board on a long drive and want something that is a little different go head and try out our game. You might find that you really like it.

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Before I forget here is what we call a British Hug Bug.They are worth one point too and just as cute. If you actually see one with a British flag on the car it is worth two points.

Funny Friday!

This week hasn't been so good for me so I have really looked forward to today's Funny Friday. I have been saving this one for just such an emergency. Hope it brightens up your day as well.

It is kind of funny the music with all the clips they have. I still can't figure out why I was so scared of watching Startreck with my brother when I was younger. Especially after seeing these clips. Maybe I can blame the music or something.

Activity Day Quilts

Well I finally have a moment to blog today. Things have been crazy here so when I can blog I feel like a miracle has just happened. Sorry but this will probably be the only post for today. But I wanted to let you know how the mini quilts for activity day went. First off, I was able to get everything cut out for the girls quilts and all the other materials that I need for them just in time. I also managed to barley finish my quilt two hours before the activity started. But here is a picture of my quilt for you to see what kind of things are going to be in each block.Remember the girls quilts are NOT going to be this big. Mine is only this large because I decided to do all of the Articles of Faith for the girls to see how they will look on their own quilts. So just try and picture a small 9 block size quilt. Another thing, my quilt looks a lot larger in the picture then what it is in person but it still was a lot of work to get done in a week. I also know that in my picture you can see on the bottom that it isn't sewn shut but that is because I took this picture in the morning (I finished the quilt in the afternoon).

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I guess it is kind of hard to see what is in each block with some so I'm just going to tell you what each of the nine blocks will have in them (you can skip this part if you really don't care). Also to let you know that each one of these blocks reflect something that we focus on in activity day. Like the entire quilt represents developing our talents.

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1st block: The girls pick their favorite Article of Faith, even if they haven't memorized it yet, and writes it on with a Sharpe of any color they want. So of course this block represents our focus on learning the Articles of Faith.

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2nd block: Is completely devoted to their first name and the year. I'm doing this block because it is a good way for the girls to know which quilt is theirs but it also reminds them that they are an individual too in our activity day.

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3rd block: I gave them two options which were to write, "I Will Follow Him," or, "I Will Walk In His Ways." Then in the middle of that block they put their footprint on it. I was hoping with doing this that the girls would remember that they need to follow Christ and look towards him for strength and developing their testimonies.

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4th block: Has the same kind of concept as the 3rd but is used for them to put a hand print in the middle. I have them writing, "I Can Give A Helping Hand." The reason for me doing this block is because another leader thought that since we have them doing a footprint they should do a hand print too. It was kind of a challenge for me to think how to have it represent one of the things that we do. But then it hit me, SERVICE! We use our hands to help other out and thus the block was created.

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5th block: (Which we didn't get to this last time) Is also a painting one that takes a lot of time but is one of my favorites. I have the girls write in the middle of the block, "Stand For Truth And Righteousness," which is part of what the Young Women quote each Sunday. Then I have them pick one stamp pattern. They have to paint all of the Young Women Value colors, in order, onto that block. It turns out super cute!

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6th block: Was/is the trickiest block to do. I got some stitch witchery for the girls to use. I guess doing this was kind of a selfish reason too. I have always wanted to use stitch witchery but never got the chance to test it out so I am doing that with activity day. Lucky for me it was easy enough to figure out and kind of fun too. I think the girls will like it. So for this block I have the girls write, "Let Your Light So Shine," at the top of the block. Next they take pieces of fabric, that are already prepared, which happen to be cut out in a shape of a candle burning. There are four piece total so not to hard to get the layering right. Once they have all of the pieces they place them onto the fabric and just iron them on. Simple enough but a good way for the girls to develop that skill more. I want this block to remind the girls of sharing their testimony with others. Like how in Mathew 5:15 it says, "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house."

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7th block: This was one of the very first blocks that I knew what I wanted to do. The girls will be writing, "I Am A Child Of God." But the fun part for them is that they are going to be putting a picture of themselves under those words. I took my camera to this last activity and took pictures of each of the girls. I decided that since this was their quilt and I wanted their own personalities to show that I would let them pick where (outside) they wanted their picture taken and in what pose too. Some of them got very creative but I think those photos show their personality perfectly. The whole reason that I am doing this block is to remind them of who they are.

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8th block: Is a lot like the 7th in that we will be ironing on a picture but this time it is of the Temple (our temple here). I am going to have the girls write, "I Love To See The Temple," at the top again. I also love how this block turns out.

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9th block: Finally the last block is probably the most special in my opinion. This is the only block that the girls are NOT going to be doing. Reason is because it will be a surprise for them. I went to each one of their parents or a loved one and got them to write a sweet little note about everything that they loved about their girl. Then I took that note and wrote it on the block for the girls to have later. They will only see this block when I give them their finished quilts.

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But that is the gist of the quilts. At the moment I have eleven that I will be sewing together. I might actually end up with thirteen but we will have to wait and see what happens. Not to thrilled about that but I sure hope that it will be worth it in the end. All I really want in the end is for the girls to one day look back and remember how much I cared about them and wanted them to know who they are and how special they truly are too. OH! I almost forgot to tell you that I did add to my craziness a little and let the girls pick what color of fabric they wanted for in between the blocks and the backing. It had to be the same color so I could work with it. For the most part the girls stayed pretty simple but two made it a challenge for me to find what they wanted. Thankfully Heavenly Father is looking out for me because I was able to find both EXACTLY how they wanted it. Now to just get it all cut out and everything ready again for the next activity day which is next week! AHHHHHH!!!! Hopefully we will be able to get every block done this next time but if not I guess it can't be helped. At least I know that when we do the progressive dinner for the parents the quilts will be a big hit. They are right now.

What Was I Thinking?

Yet again I think I have gotten myself way over my head. I'm very good at that if you haven't noticed. Let me tell you the story. Well to start it deals with girl’s activity day and how the primary presidency wants us to do a dinner sort of thing for the parents of the girls. She wants them to see what sort of things we do in activity day. I would think the parents would know from the girls telling them when they get home but maybe that isn't happening. Anyways, it sounded like a really fun idea. Now just to let you know the other leaders and I were told about this in January.
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Since then I have thought that we need to have the girls do a special project to show off to their parents that represent them but also what we do. So I thought, and thought, and for a change of pace I thought some more. Finally about a month ago I had the idea of have the girls make little lap quilts for themselves. My first reaction was, "NEVER!!!" I did not want to deal with all the problems that could come from doing something that big. I also have finally learned what these girls could handle and what they cannot handle but for some reason the idea would not leave me alone. That is when I knew that it was something I had to do weather I liked it or not.
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My next challenge was to convince the other leaders that we needed to do this and to actually figure out the design idea for the quilt. I made sure that I had the design before I presented to them the idea that way I could tell them just how easy this was going to be. Yes, I was trying to be optimistic. I only managed to get two blocks how I wanted them and told the others. One was positive the other……………not so much. But in the end they agreed to do this project. The only thing is I am doing all of the preparation by myself and that is hard.
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The quilts will have only nine blocks and they are going to be the size of a piece of paper once they are completely sewn up. I have been having Michael, my mother, and even one of my cousins help me come up with ideas of other things that I could have the girls put on the blocks. Only a few days ago did we finally get them all figured out and I started to make a quilt of my own (out of scraps that I have) to show the girls what theirs are going to look like. Doing a quilt of my own I hope will help them and motivate them but it has been a LOT of work. Normally I have more time than just one weekend to work on a quilt. I’m still not completely finished but when I am I’ll try to take a picture to show you all.
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As for now, the only thing that I have let to do is cute out the blocks for the girls. There is a lot of fabric and I am sure it will take me most of the day. I know stop blogging about it and get to work. I guess I should since the activity is on this Thursday and I still have quite a bit more to do before that day. Wish me luck; I’m REALLY going to need it.

Funny Friday!

LOVE this sign! I'm going to remember this every time that I get stressed out and the right way to handle that stress too.

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Funny Friday!

Someone told me once that if you are praying for something and it isn't happening then you might want to reword your prays. I think this little kitty has that concept down well.

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Funny Friday!

Any week that I have girls activity day I always leave feeling warn out and over worked plus under appreciated. But then when you add in a doctors appointment I am completely physically, emotionally and sometimes spiritually drained. I was talking to someone about it and they ended up sending me this picture and said that at least I didn't have this problem too.
.Thanks for the smile my dear friend. Hopefully all of you out there will never have this poor kittens problem too.

Funny Friday!

This video is for all those women out there that have home improvement projects that they want to do. It will give you advice on the best kind of tools to use for them all.

The Photos's Are Here!

If you remember I went to my new nephews baby blessing in Idaho. He is such a sweet and cute little baby that I couldn't help take pictures of him, especially on the day of his blessing. Here are just a few of my absolute favorites that I wanted to share with you all.Alright, that was more than a few but can you blame me? He is just so cute! I hope that his parents love the photos that I took for them. I also completely appreciate them letting me practice my photography skills with them. Now I just need to find another person to let me practice some more. Any takers?

Funny Friday!

I can not believe that it is Friday already. Where did the week go? Oh well, at least now I can do my funny that I have been saving for a really long time. This is probably one of the best funnies that I have ever seen/heard. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
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On August 19th, 2007, an oil tanker off the coast of Australia split in two, dumping 20,000 tons of crude oil. Senator Collins, a member of the Australian Parliament, appeared on a TV news program to reassure the Australian public. This actual interview is so funny, you'd swear it was a Saturday Night Live or Monty Python skit. But it's the real thing.

Obviously, we are not the only country that has political goofballs!

June Birthday Shout!

Happy Birthday this month to some very special women in my life. Namely to my niece Jossy who will be turning two, my sweet mother, and Lindsay. I hope you all have a wonderful birthday this month and get to celebrate your special day with your loved ones. Maybe even get a little spoiled on that day too.

Funny Friday!

Since it is memorial day weekend I decided that for this weeks funny it needed to include remembering people from the past and what easier way then looking at some tombstones. These tombstones are from Mexico and for those of you that don't speak/understand Spanish (like myself) they have been translated into English.Lets hope that when we are gone we are still remembered by our loved ones. But maybe not like this unless that is what you really want.

Funny Friday!

How To Lick A Bowl!!When I saw this I had to ask Michael why we never did this with Hope when she was a puppy. Don't you think she would have had fun and looked just as cute too?

Funny Friday!

Bear Attack in Canada!
These are pictures of an actual polar bear attack.
The pictures were taken while people watched and could do nothing to stop the attack!
Reports from the local newspaper say that the victim will make a full recovery.
The photos are below.
May your troubles always be smaller than you imagine!

Funny Friday!

I LOVE ABBOTT AND COSTELLO!!! I sure wish we had some good comedians like them around today because I would try so hard to go to every show. Their humor is great because they never have to pull any of those cheap shot jokes that you get now a days. So when I got this video from my dad I just had to share it. Now while watching this video think of today's economic situation and it just might make you laugh even harder (if that is at all possible).

May Birthday Shout!

Another new month mean more birthday celebrations to shout out about. Funny enough this month is just like Aprils in that it has only two great men's birthdays in it. So happy birthday this month to Mark and Aaron. I know it is going to be a wonderful month for you both.

Funny Friday!

This funny really, REALLY reminds me of a certain family member that loves to do this to my own photos. I guess it is a good thing that we can crop those parts out or use some type of photo-shop to fix it.
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There's always some idiot who spoils your special occasion snaps shot...

Funny Friday!

I have heard this funny several times before and am very grateful that I was never one of those kinds of girls growing up.

According to a news report, a certain private school in Washington was recently faced with a unique problem.

A number of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would put it on in the bathroom.

That was fine, but after they put on their lip stick, they would press their lips to the mirror leaving dozens of little lip prints.

Every night the maintenance man would remove them, and the next day the girls would put them back.

Finally the principal decided that something had to be done.

She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man.

She explained that all these lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors every night (you can just imagine the yawns from the little princesses).

To demonstrate how difficult it had been to clean the mirrors, she asked the maintenance man to show the girls how much effort was required.

He took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror with it.

Since then, there have been no lip prints on the mirror.

There are teachers ... and then there are educators!

I Must Clarify

The reason why I have not been blogging that much lately (or you could say all year) is because I have reached a point where I am completely burned out. I have been so busy with trying to get projects done, keep my house clean and deal with my callings (to name a few) that it has burned me out to the point of not having enough energy to do really anything. That means even sitting down for a few minutes to blog about what is going on in our life. I thought that I could maybe catch up by doing some past posts while I keep up with the new stuff going on but for some reason that just isn't working out. I am still going to try to do that though because there has been a lot of important things happening for these last few months. So I am just apologizing to everyone, but mostly to myself, for not being better at keeping up and doing everything no matter how tired I am. All I ask is that you please try to be patient with me and know that I am still here even though I may not say that much.

Funny Friday!

These men are installing and setting solid steel pillars in concrete to stop vehicles from parking on the pavement outside a sports bar in downtown Norman, OK. They are cleaning up at the end of the day.How long do you think it will be before they realize where their vehicle is parked?

Funny Friday!

Have you ever mowed a lawn before? In this video there are some people that came up with a new way to mow their lawns or maybe they were just avoiding doing their choirs. Either way all I can say is that some people sure can come up with pretty amazing things when they don't want to do what they real are suppose to be doing.
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Funny Friday!

Like I said in my first Funny Friday, I started these because of the stress that was build up in my life. Well I was sent this great stress test from my mother-in-law, my father, and a friend. I think they might be trying to tell me something because I failed the test completely. But maybe I am not the only one that is stressed out. Lets see how all of you do on a quick stress test. Good luck!
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(Here is what I was told about the test)
STRESS:I'm not sure exactly how this works, but this is amazingly accurate.
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The picture below has two identical dolphins in it. It was used in a case study on stress levels at the Mayo Clinic and later at Fletcher Medical Center in Burlington.
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Look at both dolphins jumping out of the water. The dolphins are identical. A closely monitored, scientific study revealed that, in spite of the fact that the dolphins are identical; a person under stress will find many differences between the two dolphins.
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The more differences a person finds, the more stress that person is experiencing.
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Look at the photograph and if you find more than one or two differences you may need to take a vacation.No Need to Reply, I'll be on Vacation. Never take life too seriously. Nobody gets out of it alive anyway.

April Birthday Shout!

Only two birthday's this month and they belong to two very great men. One being my father and the other to my adorable little nephew, Matty. Happy Birthday this month guys and I hope you have another great year.

Funny Friday!

This is one of my all time favorites. I have heard it so many times before and with a few variations but it still gets me laughing really hard. I hope you enjoy it.

A burglar broke into a house one night. He shined his flashlight around, looking for valuables when a voice in the dark said,

'Jesus knows you're here.'

He nearly jumped out of his skin, clicked his flashlight off, and froze.

When he heard nothing more, after a bit, he shook his head and continued.

Just as he pulled the stereo out so he could disconnect the wires, clear as a bell he heard

'Jesus is watching you.'

Freaked out, he shined his light around frantically, looking for the source of the voice.

Finally, in the corner of the room, his flashlight beam came to rest on parrot.'Did you say that?' he hissed at the parrot.

'Yep', the parrot confessed, then squawked, 'I'm just trying to warn you that he is watching you.'

The burglar relaxed. 'Warn me, huh? Who in the world are you?'

'Moses,' replied the bird.

'Moses?' the burglar laughed. 'What kind of people would name a bird Moses?'

'The kind of people that would name a Rottweiler Jesus.'

Funny Friday!

This is a funny that was sent to me by my father. It is a commercial for some Kiwi Bacon. Make sure you watch this video all they way to the end to get the full effect. Also a special "THANK YOU!," to my sister Koreena who helped me figure out how to put the video up here and not just a link to it.

Luck Of The Irish

Which I so don't have today.Today started out with being woken up really early because of a loud crashing noise and when I was finally ready to go back to sleep (after hours of trying to do so) the alarm clock went off. The morning wasn't that bad just long; especially when the toilet decided to over flood on me for no reason. I decided that after that gross water experience that I needed to spend some time outside. Our weather has been really lovely lately, up in the high 60's and low 70's. So what better time to do needed yard work. I swept up our little patio and it looked good or at least it did until the wind blew a bunch of crap onto it again so I had to sweep it up a second time. I also sprayed some bug killing stuff onto our plants but the wind was so strong that I had to stand in just the right spot so I wouldn't get hit with it but I still did. Then when I came back inside I did a little laundry and our washing machine started to make some whistling noise and shaking a bit (that really made me nerves). I'm not sure what else to expect for the night after today. Why couldn't it be Friday the 13th? Now that day I have the best luck in the world!

Funny Friday!

For this funny you have to be old enough (or cool enough) to remember Abbott and Costello and if you don't know who they are then you have really missed out in life. You also need to REALLY understand computers, to fully appreciate this weeks funny. This funny is for those of us who sometimes get flustered by our computers, please read on.

If Bud Abbott and Lou Costello were alive today, their infamous sketch,'Who's on First?' might have turned out something like this:

COSTELLO CALLS TO BUY A COMPUTER FROM ABBOTT

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: Thanks I'm setting up an office in my den and I'm thinking about buying a computer.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: No, the name's Lou.

ABBOTT: Your computer?

COSTELLO: I don't own a computer. I want to buy one.

ABBOTT: Mac?

COSTELLO: I told you, my name's Lou.

ABBOTT: What about Windows?

COSTELLO: Why? Will it get stuffy in here?

ABBOTT: Do you want a computer with Windows?

COSTELLO: I don't know... What will I see when I look at the windows?

ABBOTT: Wallpaper.

COSTELLO: Never mind the windows. I need a computer and software.

ABBOTT: Software for Windows?

COSTELLO: No. On the computer! I need something I can use to write proposals, track expenses
and run my business. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yeah, for my office. Can you recommend anything?

ABBOTT: I just did.

COSTELLO: You just did what?

ABBOTT: Recommend something.

COSTELLO: You recommended something?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: For my office?

ABBOTT: Yes.

COSTELLO: OK, what did you recommend for my office?

ABBOTT: Office.

COSTELLO: Yes, for my office!

ABBOTT: I recommend Office with Windows.

COSTELLO: I already have an office with windows! OK, let's just say I'm sitting at my computer and I want to type a proposal. What do I need?

ABBOTT: Word.

COSTELLO: What word?

ABBOTT: Word in Office.

COSTELLO: The only word in office is office.

ABBOTT: The Word in Office for Windows.

COSTELLO: Which word in office for windows?

ABBOTT: The Word you get when you click the blue 'W'.

COSTELLO: I'm going to click your blue 'w' if you don't start with some straight answers. What about financial bookkeeping? You have anything I can track my money with?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: That's right. What do you have?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: I need money to track my money?

ABBOTT: It comes bundled with your computer.

COSTELLO: What's bundled with my computer?

ABBOTT: Money.

COSTELLO: Money comes with my computer?

ABBOTT: Yes. No extra charge.

COSTELLO: I get a bundle of money with my computer? How much?

ABBOTT: One copy.

COSTELLO: Isn't it illegal to copy money?

ABBOTT: Microsoft gave us a license to copy Money.

COSTELLO: They can give you a license to copy money?

ABBOTT: Why not? THEY OWN IT!

(A few days later)

ABBOTT: Super Duper computer store. Can I help you?

COSTELLO: How do I turn my computer off?

ABBOTT: Click on 'START'.............

Funny Friday!

Sometimes you or someone you are talking to might say something that seems right in your head but it comes out wrong. Here are a few funnies that are like that.

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Did I read that sign right?

TOILET OUT OF ORDER. PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW

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In a Laundromat:

AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES: PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHT GOES OUT

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Notice in a farmer's field:

THE FARMER ALLOWS WALKERS TO CROSS THE FIELD FOR FREE, BUT THE BULL CHARGES.

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In a Memphis department store:

BARGAIN BASEMENT UPSTAIRS

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In an office:

WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEP LADDER YESTERDAY PLEASE BRING IT BACK OR FURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN

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In an office:

AFTER COFFEE BREAK STAFF SHOULD EMPTY THE COFFEE POT AND STAND UPSIDE DOWN ON THE DRAINING BOARD

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Outside a secondhand shop:

WE EXCHANGE ANYTHING - BICYCLES, WASHING MACHINES, ETC. WHY NOT BRING YOUR WIFE ALONG AND GET A WONDERFUL BARGAIN?

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Notice in health food shop window:

CLOSED DUE TO ILLNESS

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potted in a safari park:

ELEPHANTS - PLEASE STAY IN YOUR CAR

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Seen during a conference:

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS CHILDREN AND DOESN'T KNOW IT, THERE IS A DAY CARE ON THE 1ST FLOOR

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Message on a leaflet:

IF YOU CANNOT READ, THIS LEAFLET WILL TELL YOU HOW TO GET LESSONS

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On a repair shop door:

WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING. (PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELL DOESN'T WORK)

March Birthday Shout!

There are a lot of birthdays this month on both Michael and my side of the family. I guess that just means that this month is the best of the year to be born in. So happy birthday, in order, to Robert, Dawn, ME, Brandon, and Maren. I sure hope we all have a great one this month and make it very memorable too. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

A Dog's Purpose

This was a really sweet e-mail that I got from my Father today. He knows how much I love dogs (especially Hope) so he tries to e-mail me anything cute or fun that deals with dogs. This e-mail was just to sweet not to share with all of you dog lovers out there.

A Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives.

Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.''

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try to live.

He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?''

The Six-year-old continued, ''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.''

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
2. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
3. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy.
4. Take naps.
5. Stretch before rising.
6. Run, romp, and play daily.
7. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
8. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
9. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
10. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
11. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
12. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
13. Be loyal.
14. Never pretend to be something you're not.
15. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
16. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
17. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY!

Funny Friday!

These last couple of months have been really difficult for me lately. Things have been happening so fast that it has started to stress me out and I have noticed that I am not smiling as much as I use too. That is why I am going to start a Funny Friday. I have thought about doing this before, several times in fact, but just never did so. But now every week on Friday I am going to post something that makes you/me smile, laugh or just gives you/me a happy feeling. I hope that by doing this I can brighten up someones else day/week who might be feeling a little low. Also if any of you have a funny that you think is great just send it on to me and I'll try to post it. So without further ado here is the very first Funny Friday.His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.

The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.

Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'

'Why?' asked the pilot.

'Because I'm a photographer for CNN' , he responded, 'and I need to get some close up shots.'

The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is . . . You're NOT my flight instructor?'

Always Ask, Never Assume!

Baby Gerald Is Born!

I can't believe it but I now have a cute new nephew to spoil and he is something extra special. The reason why he is extra special is because he was actually born on the same day as his mother. Isn't that just the coolest thing? The only sad part is he is a preemie and will have to stay at the hospital for a bit. But for now Happy Birthday to the little guy and his mother on this very special day.

February Birthday Shout!

Another fun birthday shout to my family that I love. Happy birthday to Ardice, Julie, Hope (she will be turning two!), and Jordi. I also want to say a maybe happy birthday to a new family member that might be born this month. We will just have to wait and see but to all the other that do have their birthday's this month, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!

Popping Up

Today has been such a beautiful day that I decided to do some yard work. I just wanted to clean out my flower beds so they would look nice since my tulips are already coming up. YEAH!Can you believe how high they are already? I was told that normally during this time of year it is much colder but we have been having such amazing sunshine that it is hard to believe. I'm kind of hoping that winter is over since I wouldn't call the winter here winters at all. More like a lousy fall day with an occasional snow fall here and there. Obviously different than Idaho and Utah's winter weather where you get tons and tons of snow. But I really don't think I have to worry about it getting cold again, especially after seeing this.These are my SUMMER plants and they are coming up as well! I guess at this rate we will be having summer weather at the beginning of March. I suppose I should go out and get more flowering plants so my yard can look incredible, like my mothers, when the summer comes if we keep on having this wonderful weather. I hope all of you are enjoying your weather as much as I am ours.

Massive Undertaking Begins

Well I just finished having a meeting with the other leaders and I think I have already scared the newest member off. I really loaded her down with paper work. As soon as she walked through the door I handed her a bunch of things to look through that I put together last night. I wanted to make sure that she had everything she needed for this calling right up front since it took me months to get some important information. I just don't want her to come into this calling the way that I did. Once the other leader arrived we jumped right into the work before us. Overall the meeting went pretty well and we got a lot of things taken care of.
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They did like what Michael and I had done for the stake activity day last night. Which means we are in full swing for getting this large project going. The newest leader knows how to makes these so that will be a big help for when I need it. I'm going to try and get them ready myself since it was my idea. I also figure that I am really the only one with time to do it since I don't have any kids and they both have large families to deal with. The other leader has some yarn that she is going to let me use too. It will help the girls to have a little bit more creative say in what they want their dream/friendship catchers to look like. We really want the girls to feel like they have a say in what their friendship catchers look like. I know they aren't going to be doing much of the work but I still want them to feel proud of what they have done. Well I better get to wrapping the hoops, I only have a month to do 200 so I better get started.

Think Fast

Being a new leader of Girls Activity Day makes it so that I have no idea what is going on. I only know what I was told when I came into this calling and believe me it wasn't very much. So when the Primary President came to me and asked what our (the other leader and I) idea was for Stake Activity Day I was surprised. I told her I didn't even know that we had one. The Primary President then inform me that they have one every year and it happens sometime in March. I'm glad that it is only January so I can have some time to prepare. I told her that I would talk to the other leader and see what she wanted to do but the Primary President said she needed to know right now since there wasn't a lot of choices left. Of course I was completely floored by this news but what could I do. I asked her what was left for us to pick from. Their were only two choices so I picked the better of the two which was Beauty.

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Since I made the decision, so quickly and without my partner, it was my job to tell the other leader what I had done. However when I informed her of what happened I came to find out that she knew we have these stake activity day things. She was even at the one last year and just didn't tell me about it. I'm starting to get really annoyed with this calling and the people I work with because they make it almost impossible for me to do my job properly. Well after I was finished talking with my partner the Primary President called me again to tell me that the option Beauty was already taken along with the other one and we had to do something else. Basically we could just do whatever we wanted, except an activity that would require the gym or kitchen. At least now knowing that gave me a little more free range to be creative.

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The theme for this years Girls Stake Activity Day is, 'Circle of Friends.' We have to make sure that whatever we do emphasise the theme. Honestly I had no idea what we were going to do for the girls. At this point I was also getting sick of playing phone tag. I told the Primary President that I would call her back with what we were going to do in a few days so we could think about it. She ended up only giving me one night. I quickly tired to brainstorm with my partner and we decided to use one of my ideas. The idea was to have the girls make Friendship Catchers (aka: Dream Catchers).I figure they are in the shape of a circle so at least I had that part of the theme in our activity. I then found this really cute story/lesson on friendship. It talks about the book Charlotte's Web and how Wilbur felt about Charlotte the first time they meet but because of her web they became great friends. Now since the dream catcher has a web on the inside this was a perfect lesson to pull it all together. Although the tricky part with doing a Dream Catcher is that they normally take several hours to do, especially when it is your first one and I figure that was going to be the case with the majority of the girls going to the activity. I only have about a hour or less with these girls and that is not going to be enough time for them to make these without me doing a couple of steps for them. The question is which ones?

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Michael (my hidden leader) helped me figure that problem and others out. We decided that the only thing we would have the girls do was put the webbing together on the hoops and place the feather ties on too (except our feathers ended up being rose petals, its what I had). We got the hard job of wrapping yarn around the hoops. The other problem that we faced was what materials to use so that it wouldn't be to expensive of a activity. Figuring out the hoop was the hardest part since it is the main piece. Michael came up with the brilliant idea of using the top part of some large plastic cups. Doing this did add a little extra work for us because we would have to cut all of the cup tops off but we knew it was pretty much our only possible option. We then would use my yarn (instead of buying some) to wrap around the hoops and make the top hanging loop ties too.

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Now the other leader and I are going to be having a meeting tomorrow morning to discus some things that have been happening with activity day that we would like to change and also to talk about this stake activity day thing that is going to be happening. Sadly the other leader doesn't know what a dream catcher looks like which means that I have to have at least one all made and ready for her to see tomorrow. No big deal right? Normally yes, but in this household it is a dead NO! Michael and I bought the cups today that we were going to use and since he was going to cut the top off of one he thought might as well do them all since this is what we are going to be doing. Here is how my poor kitchen table looks.I don't think this table is really ever going to be for eating on. I always seem to be working on a project that requires the use of the table. Anyways, we tried to cut a few cups with scissors but that didn't work well. We always ended up with some very sharp edges. Michael, again, came up with the idea of using his hot knife to cut the cups and it has been working great. We have to cut 160 cup tops but I am going to do 200 just encase a girl brings a friend to this activity (which is what the stake leaders want to happen). The plan is to get these all done tonight so I can have it ready to show to the other leader. Lets just say that this is going to be a really long night.

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Oh one more thing and this is happy news. WE HAVE ANOTHER LEADER JOINING US!!! I am so excited. She just moved into the ward so I don't really know that much about her but I am hoping that she is going to be a very motivated and energetic person to work with. All I do know is that in her old ward she was one of the cub scout leaders. So hopefully this means she will do great with the girls since she probably had to put up with a lot of rowdy boys and our girls are very rowdy. I have invited her to the meeting we are having tomorrow and thankfully she said she will be able to make it. Maybe now we can have a little more order to the craziness we have been putting up with.

BAD DOG!!!

I can't believe I am saying those words to my dog but Hope has totally crossed the line today. I'm not sure if you know this but Michael likes to carve wood and he is really good at it. While we were dating Michael gave me this beautifully carved wooden bear. Well in our apartment there are two doors (the office and master bedroom) that cant stay open on their own. So my sweet and loving husband made me some wooden door stops. I have been using them since Michael gave them to me and they have worked wonders (especially for my sanity).

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Now Hope has been really good about leaving the door stops alone despite the fact that she loves wood. However, today while I was gone doing Girls Activity Day, Hope decided she would give me a surprise to come home too. This is what she made for me.Yes, a big mess to clean up. It took me awhile to figure out what it was that she had obviously destroyed before it clicked in my head that the door was somewhat closed. I quickly checked and sure enough she had demolished the door stop. I know that it doesn't seem like a big deal but I really love everything that Michael makes for me. He always puts so much thought into whatever he does. Thus today I have a very bad dog who isn't going to be getting any treats for awhile. I just really hope that Michael isn't to mad at her when he finds out what she did.

Fishy Activity Day

When I was little my mother had these colorful fish that she made for us to pretend we were fishing with. She even made our fishing poles which was a wood dowel with a magnet attached on the end of a string. Hence the fish had paper clips attached to the mouth area so they would connect to the fishing poles. I loved these fish so much as a kid that I wanted to make my own set for my children when they came along. I never really got a chance to do that until my last year of college when I was working in the preschool lab. My excitement was so high about finally having my own set of fish that I got a little carried away and ended up making 72 fish. I have used these fish for many different activities and age groups.
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Because of that I figured that it would be fine making them into a scriptural game for my girls that I am over with Activity Days. I first separated the fish into their color groups and gave that group a scriptural topic (example: Noah's Ark, Adam & Eve, etc.). Next I came up with several questions (eight) for each one of the scriptural topics that I had picked. I tried really hard to pick commonly know topics so that I could create easy questions for the girls. Once I had compiled my questions I then numbered each of the fish to a corresponding question in its particular topic.
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Now here is how the game would actually play out. When the girls caught a fish they would keep it only if they could answer the question right. If they couldn't do that they had to toss the fish back into the pond. My pond wasn't as fancy as my fish. The pond was just a sloppy circle that I taped onto the floor. Anyways, once all the fish were caught (or when we ran out of time), the game was declared over and I would have the girls count up the number of fish they caught to see who had won the game.
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Sounds pretty simple right? Well it was except for the points in the game when the girls got impatient waiting for their turns. First they would start running around the room, especially across the pond. Then someone would try to play the piano while another danced. When that got boring the girls realized that the fishing poles made great swords and ended up braking one. Of course I wasn't happy about that since these were my things that they were destroying so me and my helper (a parent of one of the girls) took all the poles away except for the person who's turn it was. Doing that really didn't settle them down but I didn't have to worry about anything else braking or someone getting hurt. When the game was over, I was more excited for the girls to leave then they were.
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But I did learn some important lessons for this activity. One, never bring anything from home that can be destroyed (I so don't trust these girls anymore). Two, the game was a good idea but I should have simplified it more. I should have chosen one topic and not used so many fish. The girls really didn't know any of their scripture stories which did surprise me since they have all been in primary and come from great family's. I just know now that I have to give a quick lesson before I do that sort of game. The final thing that I learned from this experience was under no circumstance should there ever be just one leader at an activity, even with parental help. Overall it was okay but I think I am ready to ask to be realised after a day like today.

Rubbery Brake Through

Something important has happened in our family today. Particularly to one family member named Hope. She has finally started to play with.......

Rubber toys!

From the very beginning of having Hope as part of our family we have tried and tried to get her to play with any kind of rubber toy. We really wanted her to play with rubber toys so she wouldn't be afraid of them (like my parents dog). But unfortunately we could never get her interested in them. I don't know if it was the feel of the toy in her mouth or the smell of it or whatever but she just didn't like them. Hope disliked the toys so much that when we would go to the pet shop she would always try to avoid the rubber toys area.
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Well today I was going through some things in an attempt to find what I needed for Girls Activity Day tomorrow when I came upon this little rubber football. I really didn't think anything of it and just tossed it behind me while I continued to look for what I really wanted. It only took a few seconds before I heard this really loud squeaking sound. I looked back and there was Hope playing with the football that I had just tossed. I was so shocked that I stopped what I was doing to go and play with her. The funny part is that Hope has played with this toy all day and she is even sleeping with it. She makes sure that she sleeps on top of it so I can't take it away from her, funny girl. I'm just so happy that she likes this football and can not wait for the day when we can branch out to more rubber toys.
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(The picture above is the type of football Hope has been playing with but hers is mainly an orange color.)