Day 1: A song from my childhood

This is the first of a 25 day blog challenge that 2 of my sisters and I are doing together.  We have agreed to post to our blogs at the same time and not discuss our blog post in advance.  We also agreed to make sure that their is a link to the song we are talking about so it does not become some sort of inside joke.

In 1985 one of the greatest movies of all time came out.  I was only 13 years old but even at that young age I new this was a classic to rival Citizen Kane (which was totally boring), The Wizard of Oz (completly scared me and I still refuse to watch it),  and Gone with the Wind (3 hour long temper tantrum of a really high strung chick).  The movie I am taking about is TOP GUN!  It has  been almost 30 years and it is as good now as it was when it first came out.  I had a VHS tape that I had a copy of Top Gun and Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure on.  I would get home from school and pop that thing into the VCR and watch it every day.  I would sit on the couch with it playing in the background as I did my home work.  The funny thing is my sister had her own VHS tape with the movie musical Grease on it.  If  I left the living room she would take out my movie and put hers in.  So I alway made sure to go to the bathroom first and bring snacks so I would not have to get off of the couch.

The title track to that movie is a song called Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins.  The first 6 notes on a keyboard synthesizer are so specific and recognizable anyone who has ever seen the movie or heard the song cant help but smile when they hear it.  So without further delay the song from the single greatest movie of 1985 (Hoosiers pulled a close 2nd).

This movie and song came form a time in my life that was pre digital and pre ipod.  I could only watch it or listen to it at home or at a friends house.  Whenever I hear this song or see the movie it always takes me back to that time in my life.

This is a nod to my sister Heather who had a life long dream of a bunch of cute sailers singing this song to her.  Ya this movie had a little something for everyone.

 

 

Dedras Blog

 

Ginas BLog

25 day Blog Challenge

My sisters and I were talking this week and we decided to do a blog challenge together.  Dedra found one that is the da best and we going to be starting it shortly.  Here is our plan:

We will post the same topic on our different blogs.  You can see mine here.  Dedra's at: http://cheneychattervolume2.blogspot.com/ and Gina's at: http://dreamawaysweetcharade.blogspot.com/

This should be fun.

Nice pet, please don't make me touch it.

We have a cat that came with our house.  The kids named her/him (we are not sure after 18 months) T.S. Elliot.  As she (we have come to refer to it as a her but again we are not totally sure) sits on our back porch or calls from the back door we will on occasion throw the odd scrap to her in order to keep her around.  She is a serious mouser.  She will bring whole or parts of a mouse to the back door for us.  The kids have taken videos of her eating mice and playing with her quarry.

I am not a pet person.  I have never owned a dog, or until now a cat, for more than a week or two.  I have had animals that serve a purpose like cows, chickens, goats, and turkeys.  I don't have that "man's best friend" thing going on.  In fact I go completely the other direction.  Looking at the cat sitting on the back porch it made me think "what kind of cool stuff could they do"?

For instance, can animals wink at you?  Close one eye on purpose to get your attention?  I somehow doubt it but it would be cool to see.  I have seen Stupid Pet Tricks on Late Night with David Letterman so I know they can dance, jump, skate, surf, roll over and play dead.  But what about fold the clothes, clean the bathroom, vacuum the house, wash the car, mow the lawn or something really useful to warrant having to pick up all the little gifts they leave in your yard?  Dogs like to dig.  Could they be taught to weed a garden?  I would pay for a dog like that. 

Whenever I ask these questions of dog owners they look at me like I am smoking something that belongs in Washington or Colorado.  It is then followed up by some comment like "are you kidding?! They are members of the family. I couldn't do that to them!"  I will tell you what as soon as they get a social security number and I can get a tax deduction for them I will consider them a member of the family, until then they are a simple non-contributor.  I had the chance to eat more than one dog on my mission in the Philippines (tasted like goat only greasier).  If I make any reference towards that as a purpose for a dog, I am the heartless one.  What's with that?

Something that I really don't understand are dog people who take their dogs with them everywhere.  To the store, get gas, on their lap while driving, out for a walk with the dog in a stroller, etc...  Then those non-dog loving types like myself are somehow the bad guy when I don't approve.  It has taken years but family knows the animal-friendly-zone ends at my driveway.  Don't bring your critters to leave in your car and don't even think about bringing them into my house.  It is really about boundaries. 

I just read this post and it comes across that I am a total animal hater.  I'm not.  I can appreciate their beauty and acknowledge they are a positive influence in some peoples' lives.  I just like the opportunity to say I don't want them in my life and please don't force them onto me.  If I want to look at, see, touch, or hear your critter, I will let you know.  But until then assume I am good just knowing you have one somewhere, where I am not.

First day in the new ward

Today is the first time we get to go to church after the ward split last week.  We lost over 240 members of our ward and are gaining 50 or so from another.  So our net change is going from well over 500 members to just over 300.  This means that people who have historically sat in the over flow in the Gym are now able to move into the Chapel. 

We get to church about 15-20 minutes before the meeting starts.  There are 2 reasons for this.  One to teach out kids the importants of being on time.  We all have a friend no matter what the event dinner, church, child birth or going to the movies they are going to be late.  We love these friends and we have learned how to manage them over the years.  You lie to them and tell them everything starts 30 minutes earlier than they really do.  Unfortunately, with church they will figure this out and start coming late after a few weeks.  I was in the the bishopric with a brother whose wife was late every week.  We would be on the stand getting ready to start the opening hymn and prayer and she was nowhere to be found. After several weeks of this we started to take bets, or "guesses" on when she would show up.  To his credit it took almost 3 months for him to join in.  Up until them he would always say "no.. I think she will be on time".  If money had been involved I could have totally paid for my kids' college education.

The 2nd reason is that we want a padded bench in the chapel.  One big enough to fit our family and the occational stray our kids pick up from someone else's family.  When I was released from the Bishopric my family had grown in the 6 years I did not sit with them.  We still had 5 kids, however their bodies got bigger and we could no longer all fit onto the same bench when I sat with them... cue fat joke.  My solution was to get to church early and take over the benches other families historically sat in.  A game of who could be displaced and watch the domino effect.  However the peacemaking wife said no.  Sometimes I wonder if she feels like she has 6 kids instead of only 5.  Well that is a conversation for another day.

Back to my original thought of where to sit today.  All the families we normally sit by have been moved to other wards.  I am sure it will take a few weeks for the new territories to be established.  We will likely sit where we always have if for no other reason I can see my deacons and insure they are not messing around before the sacrament. 

The ward splitting aftermath

Well the wards got split and there was more than one surprise.  Two new wards were created and now that I think about it, it was poinient that it fell on Superbowl Sunday.  The one game a year most people watch and everyone has an opinion on what should have happened.  It was a lot like church on Sunday, everyone had an opinion on what should have happened and their opinion in most cases would have directly affected themselves.  Let me give you a few examples of border line comical comments that were heard:

• "I better get my old calling back in my new ward or I am going to be really mad".  OK lets think about this.  Callings are meant to help you grow and learn.  They are given to us from inspired leaders.  Exactly who will you be mad and why?   The Bishop of course because he gets the revelation thing right for everyone except you.  He should really ask you what is the best way to run the ward too.  If he is wrong on your calling I wonder what other things he is missing?

• What does a Seattle fan do when the Superbowl is over?  Stick around and watch the 2nd half of course.

• "What they should have done is put the boundary on the other side of my street so I would  be in the same ward as the ________ family.  That would have worked better for everyone."  Did it ever cross your mind that maybe the boundary was put where it was so that you would not be in the other ward.  Its way better for everyone over there especially the _______ family.

• Someone should let Denver know the Superbowl was Sunday we don't want them to forget to show up...oh wait.

• "I am surprised the Brother_______ was not made a Bishop.  He would have been a much better choice".  The funny thing about leadership is that there are only so many spots.  It is a mathematical impossibility for every able person to be the Bishop or Relief Society President.  We can be disappointed by this or breath a sigh of relief.  The same thing holds true to nursery leader, scout master or ward mission leader.  Those are some duck and cover callings that you run when you see coming.  However they all prepare us for something different.  And frankly anybody who aspires to a stake or "high" ward calling it is my prayer they get it.  The fun should end right after the first high council or ward council meeting. 

• Did you hear they had a football game at the Bruno Mars concert last week?

• "Well I will just go to my old ward instead.  I know all the people and it is much better for me".  WOW this one is my favorite.  Lets think this through.  Our Stake presidency spent over a year on these changes, sent them to be approved by the first presidency (I heard one or two of them are prophets or something like that) then spent countless hours after that calling and planning new leaders.  During which time many of the stake members probably came up at least once or twice by name.  Not to mention your old Bishop was doing the happy dance when he saw what side of the line your house fell on.  So after all of that your going to go back?  Then claim (this part comes in a few weeks) that your changing back to your old ward is inspired.  OK because none of that went on until now I guess.

• "If they try and release me I won't let them".  OK let me know how that works out.  OH wait the Stake president did it already.  Coolest thing ever.  He stood at the pulpit and said if your ward boundary has changed you are released.  Not a lot of room to ask questions in that particular interview.  I was smiling inside when he said it because it made me think of the person who said the earlier comment.  My wife would not let me go to them and ask a follow up about how keeping their calling was going.

These may come across as cynical or a bit callous and to be honest they probably should.  Change is a huge part of life.  I still hear people talking about the old 2nd ward split that happened 8 years ago like there is something that should be done now.  Well something has been done.  The church is growing and new units have been created.  Has anyone looked at a map or a calendar and figured out if we keep growing like this in 3-5 years there is a strong possibility of 2 Middleton Stakes?  Now that will twist a lot of knickers. Nothing but good times for those of us who like change and enjoy watching others get spun up about things they have absolutely no control over.  I will just pop a batch of popcorn, sit back and enjoy the show.

Amazing things my children say

Kids say the craziest things.  Sometimes its funny and other times it wise beyond their years.  Here are a few of the nuggets of wisdom that have fallen out of my kids mouths recently:

Parent: You need to get the laundry done
Child:  Why do I have to do it?
Parent: Its all your clothes
Child: That's not fair, Harmon already did all his he should have to do my too.


Dad you need to do something about your car it smells like fart.


Parent:  Its 10:30 and you have school tomorrow
Child: But you said I could play video games for 15 minutes
Parent: You are grounded from video games
Child: You should have thought about that before you said I could play

                                  Later that night different kid  11:00

Parent: Why are you still up?
Child: I can't sleep
Parent: Have you been to bed yet?
Child: No
Parent: Do you think that might be part of the reason you cant sleep?
Child: I don't know I hadn't thought about it
Parent: GO TO BED NOW!

                               later that night different kid  11:20

Parent: Why are you still up?
Child: Mom and Dad I forgot to do my homework.
Parent: Why are you only telling us that now?
Child: I forgot, it will only take 10 minutes.


Dad if you only trimmed one eye brow people would think you are always winking at them.

If we can train the goats to not eat the good plants could they weed the garden instead of us?

Ice fishing...this is fun?

The first of the month I took 3 of my kids to a youth ice fishing event at Horse Thief  Reservoir.  The weather was windy and raining hard.  Water pooled on top of the ice so we were standing in puddles.  We had chairs so when the rain hit our water proof coats it rolled down our jackets and pooled into our chairs.  We are on the ice for about 90 minutes and caught no fish.  It is really my fault I have an anti-fish catching gene.  It has been passed on to my children and they are relegated to suffer from it all of the days of their life.  Bummer for them.  However I continue to try and catch fish.  I have caught crab, shrimp and clams.  I have even caught a few small fish in the mountains last fall.  However when I go on back packing trips and the expectation is we will eat fish for part of our food.  I either bring a highly experienced fisherman or additional food.  This plan has always seemed to work for me.   Here are a few photos from our ice fishing trip (take note no one is hold up a fish)

I always like to take a picture at the beginning of events like ice fishing, yard work, backpacking, or surgery while people are still happy and really not 100% aware of what is coming.

His bait came off of the hook and floated to the hole at this point of time he asked if we were having fun yet and if we could go home.  Approximately 30 minutes after we arrived and that is on top of the 2 hour drive.

She is having fun and actually got a strike but failed to land it.  I blame her fishing genes.  They obviously came from the shallow end of the gene pool.

Reganns chair is full of water and she was wearing a cotton shelled work jacket.  Very warm until it gets wet.  After we did get into the car she was down to a t-shirt, tights and bare feet for the ride home.

Selfy with me and the oldest kid on the ice.  Some day I hope to be there when someone shows my children how to catch a fish.