My Dad

It's amazing the things that you miss when someone is gone... things you never even knew about or thought about while they were here. It's not quite as interesting to read the newspaper anymore, because I can't comiserate/debate with my dad about it. Even though he didn't go with us on many camping trips/boating trips anymore, it was always so fun to tell him about what we were doing. He always acted interested in what food we'd be cooking up camping, or which campground we were going to.

If you ever were looking for something in stores that you couldn't find, like a CD or DVD or tool, and you mentioned it around dad, he'd find it and get it for you. I mentioned a couple of records from my childhood that I loved, and he had them burned onto disc for me so that I could still enjoy them. He always did thoughtful things like that. And he always claimed to have a "credit" at whichever store you needed to buy something. He'd say, "That guy over at the shoe store owes me, and the only way I'll ever be able to collect is if you go over there and get a pair of shoes. I'll take care of it." We caught on to him pretty quickly, especially when he claimed to have a "credit" at a store in St. Louis when Heather was shopping for something, but sometimes we'd still take him up on his credits.

I mentioned in my talk at the funeral about how he'd always have Brittney's favorite cereal stocked up for her if she was coming over. What I didn't know (my mom filled me in) is that he would go out at 11:00 pm to go shopping and get stuff he knew she'd like if he didn't have it.

One thing that I really admired about my dad is that he never complained, and he had every reason to complain. On his worst day, I'd call him and ask how he was doing and he'd say, "Fine, just fine hon. How are you? How's school going?" He always wanted to know about us, and never wanted to talk about his ailments. When I visited him in the hospital, here he was feeling totally wrecked, and he was so worried about me, how my test went that I took, me having to drive back home in a little bit of snow.




Dad was smart and funny and compassionate and brave and strong and interesting and such a great dad, and I just can't begin to contemplate all the ways I'm going to miss him.

Thanks, dad, for everything.

Deja Vu

So I was up at Weber State University taking a test on Saturday, and it was so deja vu. The test was held in the Social Sciences building, where I did a majority of my classes. It really made me want to go back to school. Then, I was up at the University of Utah in the evening, and again it got me thinking how fun it would be to do another degree. Maybe someday. It has to be soon, seeing as how my memory gets worse each year that passes.

Also on Saturday, I was driving around in Bountiful, where I went to high school, listening to some classic rock like Journey and AC/DC, and it was major deja vu all over again. Wow. I felt like I was 17 again. Amazing how the body ages so much faster than the mind.

Courtney got asked to the Prom at the school where I teach by a friend of hers, so we've got to go dress shopping. I hope it can be fun and not stressful looking for a dress. :/ He's already asked her, but he's coming over here to do something goofy to ask her officially, and if it's something that makes a mess in or out of my house, I'll kill him. She has to answer him back somehow, and I'm hoping she'll come up with something that involves me in no way, shape, or form. That's what girl friends are for.

Survivor commentary for the week: OK, so this is the only show that I really watch faithfully. Other shows I just catch when I can, if I'm making dinner or hanging out or whatever. Survivor is mindless and silly, and I like to analyze strategy and how they are playing the game. I've been sad when people got voted out or evacuated for medical reasons, but it's never brought me to tears before. But when Jonathon got pulled from the game and he teared up, so did I. Probably because I've read some of his blogs, and I know what a cool guy he is outside of the game. He's smart, funny, very self-aware... I mean, here's a guy who is already successful... he's been on several TV shows, so he isn't looking for fame, he's a writer, he's directed... He's not out there desperate to win a million dollars... He's tearing up because he loves playing the game. And I just think he's great, and was so, so sad to see him go. It won't be nearly as fun without him.

Anyway...

This weekend has been pretty busy, and I am just not ready to start a new week tomorrow. But I am grateful to have things to do... a job, kids, a house to clean, food to prepare, all of that. There are definitely worse things.

I've got to take some time to change my American Idol playlist. I'm thinking either classic rock or classic alternative next.

Think like a chicken

Ok, so how many Krispy Kreme donuts does one have to eat to officially be a pig? Just asking.

Oh, btw, the weight loss plan? Not going so hot.

Josh showed me the proper way to think. You have to tap your finger on your chin like this. He learned it from the chickens on Chicken Run, he said.



One of my favorite things about Josh is that he always says "I love you mommy" just out of the blue. He and Sean went over to dad's house last weekend to work on a woodworking project, and Josh was right there with his tape measure hooked on his pocket, pencil in hand, making drawings of what he was building and banging on pieces of scrap wood. It was really cute.

Lexi is crawling all over the place and being cute. She loves baby dolls. They make her laugh for some reason. When her daddy comes home, she gets this giant smile on her face, waves at him, and then claps her hands. That's because she's trying to stay in his good graces because he sleeps in the chair with her when she's being naughty at night and refusing to sleep on her own. Oy. Gotta work on that.




The girls are both doing really well in school. Courtney seems to stay super busy. Brittney hasn't hit that stage yet, thank goodness, but she's so excited for soccer to start back up. I am too, actually. That always means nice weather is around the corner.

I've only got about 8 or so hours left to do on this Reading project I've been working on. I have to take this stupid 2 hour test on Saturday on educational theory for my relicensure (thanks No Child Left Behind for yet one more meaningless hoop that I get to jump through!) Once I get those 2 things done, all I have to do is put together a portfolio, which shouldn't be hard. I've already got the stuff to go in it lined up; I just have to gather it together and write all the rationales and reflections and garbage that goes with it. It will be a huge relief to get those 3 things done and over with.

Survivor commentary for the week: Nooooooo!!! Not my TV boyfriend Jonathon! He can't get sent home because of a stupid injury! I loved it so much when the plates wouldn't break and he yelled "My ASS!" Awesome. That is all.

Well, I'm off to bed. I was waiting up to do laundry for tomorrow, but I'm just too tired. I'm just going to throw on whatever weird combination of something I can find in my closet and call it good.

Hmmm... I wonder why my time stamp is so screwed up, and, more importantly, how I fix it? I just noticed that it's about 5 hours behind. Weird.

Is it spring yet?

I can't believe another weekend has come and gone so quickly. It seems like it was just barely Friday afternoon. The weather yesterday was beautiful. We went for a drive in the afternoon and saw a moose just standing in someone's yard, looking for stuff to eat and relaxing. I am so ready for spring, and for Spring Break. I only have one day off this year, and I want to do something really fun. But what? That is the question.

The kids are all keeping busy with school and sports and friends and whatever else. Sean is still working the overtime, which is really a huge blessing. Nothing too interesting going on... just the usual crazy.

I didn't do the weekly Survivor commentary... so instead I'll talk about Dancing With the Stars. A show I never watched until last season. I heard Marie Osmond was going to be on so I tuned in to check it out. I thought that she and Jenny Garth were really cute, so I watched some of their dance numbers. So now, I just barely heard that Adam Corolla is going to be on this season, so I totally am going to have to watch again to see that mess! I love Adam Corolla, as much as it pains me to admit it, and I totally want to see if he can be any good at it.

Well, I'm off to have some dinner and hopefully some time to read. I'm in the middle of re-reading The Great Gatsby and To Kill A Mockingbird. Both favorites, and both novels I'm teaching this term. Fun! Or maybe I'll just go to bed. If Lexi doesn't start sleeping through the night soon I'm going to have to... I don't know. Give her to grandma? Send her to Aunt Heather? She is up twice a night, and I need more sleep than that! She started crawling the last day or so, and it's so cute! She'll get some toy hanging out of her mouth and start crawling around with it, and she's like a little puppy.