They may have voted, but they were wrong.

WHATEVER!!

I did not see that coming. What's wrong with you, voters of America? Why are you choosing people that may be able to sing well, but have no sustainability or entertainment value? Have we not learned our lesson from the dying flame of Diana Degarmo, Mathew Roberts, Jessica Sierra etc. etc. I could go on. All made it in to the top 12 and all completely forgettable. Degarmo even came in second place! Where is she? who cares.

Okay, I'm over it.

Now on a truly sad musical note, Steven Page has left the BARENAKED LADIES

I've got what I want,and that's rid of you

Goodbye

And it's not 'cause I'll be missing you

That makes me fall apart

It's just that I didn't mean to break

No I didn't mean to break

No I didn't mean to break

Your heart

Well, too late. Heart broken. Okay a little dramatic, but BUMMER!!

Most fun concert ever, Hangin' out with my two cool sisters, dancing and singing along to my favorite songs. Buying T-shirts.

All over.

"Barenaked Ladies" may as well be the "Half Dressed Middle-Aged Men" without him. Oh well.

By the way, do you see the resemblance? (Steven Page, Drew Carey, Kevin James)

I love these guys! Jereme asked if he should get some blond highlights. hmm. Maybe just glasses :)

Aunt min's Valentine Spectacular!

We did a lot of stuff this weekend. Uncle Jerm allowed us all to defy gravity.

Zander went first to demonstrate.

Belle went the highest.

Vinny Screamed the loudest.

Gigi laughed the hardest.

Lincoln was the bravest.

(most of them were caught)

We also went ice skating.

Gigi was initially excited to wear the "fancy ice dancer" shoes. That enthusiasm immediately vanished when she tried to stand up.

Zander attempted some tricks and landed right on his face after this one.

Belle had bragging rights being the ONLY one, including the adults, that didn't fall down.

Vinny impressed us all with his coordination. This is him prepping for a double axle.

Unfortunately, I don't have any great pics of Linc. He did make it around the rink twice with me right by his side. He told me to check my watch, I did- "7:34 why Linky?" "So I can tell my parents when I learned to skate by myself!" However, I didn't trust my abilities enough to take my camera out onto the ice. :(

He & Gigi enjoyed the rest of the time watching the big kids and playing with our phones.

We baked cookies too. 

They went quick.

I made "Romantic Chicken Pillows" with "Romeo & Juliet" beans.

Not a hit.

Jerm and Zan were the only 2 that even tried it. The rest of the gang opted for cold cereal or quesadillas over my lovely love-themed culinary creation. Whatever.

Jerm thought they were scrumptious. Thanks babe.

We even had time for games.

Almost everyone slept in the basement after watching some fun flicks.

We had a great time.

Happy Birthday Jerm!

So I'm totally copying my sisters' creativity but here are 35 reasons Jereme is so cool.

1. He loves everything I cook 

2. He could beat up a burglar if he had to 

3. He wouldn't beat anyone up even though he could 

4. He tells me I'm beautiful no matter what I look like 

5. He makes up funny names for me like "Myhotness Ghandi" 

6. He let's me paint our house any color I want 

7. He builds the coolest snow forts

http://clips.ksl.com/_One-of-the-Coolest-Snow-Forts-Ever/VIDEO/135299/5124.html?widgetld=5366 

8. He's a good scout 

9. He tucks his boys in every night 

10. He kisses the boys every morning before work 

11. He kisses me before he leaves the house, every time 

12. For a big guy he doesn't sweat too much 

13. He never has b.o. 

14. He doesn't gamble 

15. He never swears 

16. He watches TV with me 

17. He likes to go to movies 

18. He thinks I'm really talented 

19. He's not picky, about ANYTHING 

20. He's competitive 

21. He plays a mean Guitar Hero 

22. He is our hero 

23. He's freakishly strong 

24. He'll move your piano single-handedly 

25. He's always willing to help 

26. He does his home teaching 

27. He usually has something to say in Sunday School 

28. He ALWAYS has something to say to someone he runs into 

29. He has an extensive history of old "girlfriends" that he's friendly with 

30. He still has every friend he's ever made 

31. Everybody's mom likes him 

32. He's not shy 

33. He let's me put my cold feet on him in bed 

34. He can sleep anywhere, anytime but doesn't so he can go to school full-time and work 2 jobs starting at 3am to better our family 

35. He loves me as much as I love him.

I Love TV

It's true. I don't drink, do drugs, wear tube tops, swear, smoke or spit. But I do watch tv and plenty of it. Say what you will, I don't care. I watch all kinds- comedies, dramas, cops & robbers, reality, romance, cartoons, news and game shows- love 'em all. I've been in between semesters for about a month so, I've had fair opportunity to catch up on my programs. One lovely winter morning I flipped on the tube for my morning routine (Matt Lauer then Drew Carey "come on down!") No TV. There was however, a message from the cable company flashing across the screen telling me to pay my bill if I want to continue service. hmm. I know Jerm and I were discussing ways in which we could save a few bucks, and I sort of remember cable TV coming in to the conversation. Nothing was clear in my head, I panicked. I called Jerm on his cell (thankfully we still had service), he confirmed the cable being shut off. Bummer. He didn't have the same urgency to remedy the problem as I did.  After subtle hinting and a little nagging he built me an antenna. He made this thing out of tinfoil, cardboard and a spare 2x4; stuck it in the attic and tada! mama has her stories.

Now, I'm still adjusting to my lack of cable. Some of my favorite shows are no longer available to me. The list is too long for this already lengthy blog but here are a few:

I'll see you soon Mr. Monk. I'm not willing to give you up completely so I will be downloading you on to my iPod.

There's nothing like the soothing sound of Lennie Briscoe in the middle of the afternoon when your folding laundry. I may miss you the most. Buh buh. 

I've been filling Lennie's void with a combination of Ben and Judge Judy. eh.

Oh how I love reality marathons. America's Next Top Model, Top Chef & Project Runway.

I was just getting into reruns of 6 feet under and Leverage. They had better put Dexter back on NBC, and I feel ill when I think of all the old movies I don't know I'm missing.* Done ranting*

There is a glimmer of hope. I've heard there's a local channel that airs my friend Tom at 10. 

I haven't found him yet but I haven't given up. Jerm might have to crawl up in to the attic and add some more sawdust to his magic contraption.

The worst part? No DVR. I've been a DVR advocate since day 1. I should get a commission from TiVo for all the people I talked into it! Simply the best invention since cable itself. The joy of coming home after a long day, putting the kids to bed and watching all the stuff I missed. Ahh. 

Those days are GONE sista! If I want to watch something later I'm going to have to figure out how to work the VCR again! And will someone please tell me what in the heck I'm supposed to do on Thursday nights when The Office, Ugly Betty and Survivor are all on at once?!

I'm living in the dark ages here folks.

Tag I'm it!

Thanks for bringing me back Ang.

5 things I was doing 10 years ago:
1. wishing I had my own house
2. making a flower costume for halloween to go with Jerm the giant bee
3. getting excited to party like it's 1999
4. staying up late watching "Rudy" in the hospital with Ashley
5. loving coming home to an immaculate apartment everyday thanks to Jerm (those days are gone)

5 things on my to-do list today:
1. volunteer in Zander's class
2. have a fun den meeting for 11 cub scouts
3. plan Nate's engagement party menu
4. paint my fingernails in front of the TV
5. update my blog (check!)

5 favorite snacks:
1. Jell-o sugar free milk chocolate pudding
2. potato chips with clam dip
3. boiled raisin cake
4. Jerm's inventive no-sugar smoothies
5. room temperature watermelon with salt

5 jobs I've had:
1. Sears paint & hardware dept.
2. ZCMI display and candy window maker
3. Furniture peddler at San Fran Design
4. gal Friday for Robert McArthur
5. sandwich maker at Schmidt's pastry cottage

5 things I would do with a million bucks:
1. pay off the mortgages of my house, my folks house, and the Santini's house plus a condo for Ash.
2. build a home studio and buy some fancy photo equipment to start a biz.
3. buy Jerm a pick-up truck then fly to Paris and go to the top of the Eiffel Tower with him, stay in a fancy hotel and eat delicious food
4. take Vinny to Egypt to see the pyramids
5. take Zan to "Camp Rock" so he could be in a band

5 things that made me laugh this week:
1. my photo vision teacher telling us that laughing during a "brainstorm" was inappropriate.
2. my drawing teacher using Hung Vu as an example of work ethic
3. looking at pictures of linc make his pancake puffs
4. listening to my boys sing the words to songs they shouldn't know
5. watching my boys play little league flag football

5 people I tag to answer these questions:
1. Ashley
2. Natalie
3. Adam
4. Jordan
5. Kelly

First Day of School

Me Freshman- Salt Lake Community College

 The fears of starting a new school when you're 34 years old are not very different than when you're 13. I tried to dress as neutrally as possible so I wouldn't standout right away, didn't work. My first teacher of the day called unneeded attention to my shoes giving a lecture, no less than 6 full minutes long, about the overpricing of canvas-top converse  athletic shoes. Whatever. One very different thing that happened to me this time around was: I got hit on! Even asked out to lunch. Okay, it was by my old high school math teacher but I'm still counting it.

Jerm Undergrad- Weber State University

He didn't say much about it except he stayed awake. That's a plus. He was a little miffed when he had to pay full price for a parking pass when he goes to school at night and the parking lot is empty.

Vinny & Zan 3rd and 1st grade- Providence Hall Elementary

As we approached the school the streets were crowded with parked cars and mothers walking their kids in for their first day. Zander spoke up quickly, "Oh those poor poor kids that need their moms to show them where to go." Vinny agreed and that was my hint not to park and walk them to their classes. I felt a little odd when I pulled up to the drop-off and was the only car there. My boys didn't seem to care. They hopped right out of the car like they'd been going there for years, blew me a kiss and took off into the school. When I picked them up that afternoon they told me about their "great" days and delicious lunches and the fun games they played at recess, pizza tag and wall-ball. They didn't even know that I was 35 minutes late picking them up! I seem to have dozed off after I got home from class and woke up at 4:00 in a frenzied panic. I flew down the stairs forgetting to put my still-sleeping feet in front of me and landed in a crumpled mess at the bottom. I picked myself up, jumped in the car and sped all the way there, sure I was going to be met by crying kids and disapproving teachers. But no, the doting mothers that had to walk their kids to their classes that morning were still in a line 2 blocks long trying to pick their kids up! (they probably couldn't find their own way out.) Hallelujah. By the time I got to the front of the line they were apologizing to me for making it such a hassle. I forgave them but told them not to let it happen again. :)

It sounded like a good idea. Four days of fun and games without the kids for our 11th anniversary. We even flew down and had a pretty nice hotel room.
Things don't always turn out as planned. Jerm doesn't gamble but I did talk him into a Bingo game or two. Then things took a bad turn and we spent an entire day in the emergency room. Jerm had an acute attack of Diverticulitis. weird. We ended up postponing our flight home and paying for another night in the hotel and another day with the rental car. bummer. Jerm spent our extra day drugged up and in bed. I spent the day walking around the fancy malls and eating out alone. It was definitely a memorable trip. The boys had a GREAT time hanging out with cousins and having 4 slumber parties.
We've been home now for weeks but man I guess it took longer to recover than usual. I think I'm still working on vacation laundry! whatever.
My boys think this blogging thing is pretty cool so they asked me to set one up for them. Look for their links coming soon. They write down exactly what they want and I'll post for them. They take all their own pictures and are in charge of content (with some motherly editing by yours truly).