October « 2008 « Lucky Thirteen and Counting

Archive for October, 2008

31 Oct

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

RUNNING CRAZY

There is nothing quite like a holiday to unravel all my routines. Add the fact that I am leaving tomorrow for 5 days to do college tours with Bronson……. I am running around here like a chicken with it’s head cut off.

Last night we went to our churches trunk or treating Halloween party. The kids have bags and bags of candy already. So, sugar high kids, no routine, and the fact that mom is leaving and I have a hundred things to do before I leave, including all the laundry so Dad is prepared and I am reassured that the kids will match and look cute while I am gone. Another night of costumes and more candy……. I need a few more hours in this day.

I realized yesterday I didn’t have a coat and I am going to a cold part of the world. So I ran to Nordstrom to buy a $700 coat I will wear once. I did this in between picking up kids from school and taking a platter of buffalo wings to Hunter’s school Halloween party. I had zero time. I am getting in the car when the light bulb in my brain goes on, Well, now I might have a coat, but I only own flip flops. What kind of idiot will I look like walking around the college campus with my heavy coat and scarf in flip flops? SHIT! I didn’t have any time to go back in, so I have to figure out time to get some actual shoes today too. AHHH!

I lost a few years of my life last night, I will take five minutes now to tell you the story.

I ran in the door from my crazy afternoon, fed the kids pizza and instructed Brandon and Desi to keep the kids downstairs while I got everyone’s costumes. I took Pickle with me so I could do her while they did everyone else. (This doesn’t sound fair, but I promise Pickle is an equivalent to 8 kids.)

We had ordered the kids Halloween costumes weeks ago and they were in my closet in an unopened box. Hadley was upstairs in my bathroom doing her makeup with my eyeliner.

I walked around the corner of my bedroom to go in the closet and I walked into this.

For those of you that know me personally and not just in the blog world, you know how loud I scream. I am sure my dad could hear me in Mexico. This produced an amazing ripple effect because Ellie’s monitor was on. It is hooked through the intercom that runs through out the entire house. I was standing next to her monitor when I let out the worlds loudest blood curdling scream. Brandon and Desi said the kids downstairs jumped out of their skin. Hadley poked herself in the eye with my eyeliner. Pickle ripped away from my hand and bolted down the hall. And Hunter just stood there. Paralyzed in fear, but smiling like an idiot. (oh yeah it was the mask) He has apologized over and over and tells me his life flashed before his eyes too. He is damn lucky I didn’t kill him out of sheer terror and reflex. Instead, I stood there screaming and peed my pants! I was pissed!

So long friends, I will return Wednesday night. Maybe you could all remember Brandon in your prayers while I am gone? I am not worried about the kids, just about Brandon still wanting to be a part of this family after doing it alone for five days.

I will try and blog while I am traveling with my oldest baby. I am excited for this new funventure!

5 Comments »

30 Oct

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

Tylon, Colby, Hadley, Brylee, Kate, Dalin, Jasmine, Jayden, Jace

Back row-Hunter holding Parker

5 Comments »

29 Oct

standing up for what you believe in

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

WARNING: THIS POST IS NOT FOR CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 17 OR CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS

Don’t say I didn’t warn you and remember this is my blog and I can say what I want to!!!

I have tried to keep quiet about the political nonsense on my blog. OH, HOW HARD IT HAS BEEN! I am not so good about biting my tongue or watching my mouth. There are times this has been good, and times I have wished I possessed even an ounce of self control in the lip department.

We live in Orange County. The most conservative part of California. How did I end up here? Is it because this feels so much like my native Utah? Hmmm I wonder? I think we ended up here so I could ruffle the feathers of my very strange, very conservative neighbors. (not that being conservative makes you strange, this guy is just a head case!)

If you read my blog regularly you will know where I stand on most issues. I have had the joy of painting my car so everyone else in this town will know also. With that came the opportunity to teach my children that standing up for what you believe in is VERY important, Even when you are alone in your opinion, it is important to stay firm and strong if it is something you are passionate about.

My neighbor does not share my same views. This is the same guy we went to bat with over Warren G. He is clearly racist and now, he has proven to us that he is maybe a little unstable. But needless to say, he has and enjoys the same rights I do. Freedom of speech and the opportunity to vote and make his voice heard. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS….. scratch that, I forget where I live. We may not all be American, but who cares? Not me!

Oh yeah, back to the crazy next door….

Anyway, he is backing out of his driveway and yells over to Brandon. ”HEY, are you really voting NO on prop eight?”

Brandon says, ”Yeah!”

“WHY???!!!”

Brandon replies, “what does it hurt?”

Crazed neighbor YELLING FROM CAR loud enough for all neighbors to hear. “DUDE, THAT”S SODOMY MAN!!!”

Brandon yelled back, “STOP!” and crazed neighbor drove away.

This is about what happened last time we had a conversation with this guy. When we first moved in he made sure we knew that we shouldn’t allow our children to play with Warren G’s kids. ”He’s a rapper man!”

“Who cares?”

“If he works a nine to five in an office is it OK to let our kids play, or is it because he is black?”

The next day we have a TMZ report printed out and placed in our mailbox that says Warren G was arrested on possession charges in LA last week. The second page that he was acquitted of all charges is carefully omitted.

So, after I hear about this run in today. I thought I had better educate myself. I honestly didn’t know the true definition of Sodomy. I thought, it was a form of rape through the back door, if you know what I mean. (I am trying to keep it a little clean here since this warning post will only make my children want to read it even more.)

I was surprised to learn the definition from webster online dictionary- anal or oral copulation with a member of the same or opposite sex.

I am trying hard to keep it clean, but come on!!!! People this explains a lot about why this man is so angry and stressed out all the time HE IS NOT GETTING GOOD LOVIN’ AT HOME! If he feels that sodomy is a sin, then good ol’ missionary position intercourse is probably all that’s on his menu. MY POOR, POOR Neighbors. I think I may cut him a little slack from now on.

I am so sorry if I offended anyone with the crude definitions contained in this post. I hope I didn’t lose any readers.

15 Comments »

27 Oct

Numbers for the week

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

Quick facts

84 shirts and pants

84 pairs of socks

21 pairs of panties

21 pairs of boxers

21 pairs of whitey tighties

11 pairs of shoes

35 girl jammies

49 boy jammies

3 dozen eggs

6 boxes of cereal

8 and 1/2 gallons of milk

2 loafs of bread

3 12 packs of diet coke

16 phone calls from Shaylee

-1 from Bronson

70 miles to and from schools

3 soccer practices

2 games

$57 dollars for one run to McDonalds

3 large pizzas

132 diapers

2 cans of formula

12,000 time outs

about that many questions to answer

countless hugs and kisses

TWO exhausted parents

5 Comments »

27 Oct

6 quirks

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

My cute California friend, ANI has tagged me on her 6 quirks post.

I am supposed to tell you six quirks about myself and tag six other bloggers to do the same.

Here goes-

1) I am terrified of the shower scene in psycho. So terrified in fact, that I don’t shower. I take baths. I am sure that Norman Bates will come and get me sometime. The only time I really have to face my fears is when I travel. Not all Hotels have tubs. What could be worse? Not bathing, or actually showering in a hotel?

2) I love diet coke. I open about 8 cans a day. I do not however drink eight cans a day. I sip out of them until they are about 1/4 of the way gone and then I have to open another one. If they are not ICE COLD, I can’t drink em.

3) I love candy. I don’t know too many moms that eat candy like I do. I go straight for the sugar. I want skittles, smarties, peach rings, hi chews, All that good stuff. Halloween and Easter are my favorite holidays. Can you say PEEPS? Chocolate calls my name once a month. If I am looking for chocolate, the kids know mom is PMSing.

4) I love laundry. I love warm, yummy smelling clothes. I think it boils down to the fact that I love clothes. Shopping is my favorite sport. With so many bodies to dress up, I am in heaven! It also doesn’t hurt that when I am doing laundry, I am alone. The kids are not allowed in my laundry room. Peace and quiet!

5) I hate falling asleep last. If Brandon falls asleep on me, I am left alone in the dark and my anxiety goes through the roof. When it’s dark I can think of horrible things. Like my kids dying, the business falling apart, a psycho in the house……you get the picture. If I can fall asleep first and know that Brandon will deal with whatever shit happens to come my way. That is bliss.

6) I am terrified of moths. I just hate them. I don’t even like looking at the word spelled out on my blog. (Shutter) They are like little mini vampire bats. They always fly straight at my hair and my face. I just can’t stand how erratic they are. I think I can relate to their behavior and I don’t want to have to kill them. But when they come close, I start swinging!

Ok there you go! I am quirkier than I thought I was.

I am going to tag these six people. Jayme, Tracy, Carolee, Tracee, Karen and MHEA because I love the way she writes and can’t wait to read more.

4 Comments »

26 Oct

Week in pictures

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

That is my daughter for sure!

9 Comments »

25 Oct

cute faces

Posted by Sandi in Jace, Kate, My kids

6 Comments »

25 Oct

question from a reader

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

lilly’s life said…

You are AMAZING and how do you look so good given everything you have to do! Truly you are inspirational!

I am so excited to answer this very good question, I am sure many of my readers wonder the same thing. Thank you Lilly for being not only kind enough to notice my good looks, but also curious enough to ask how I get them!

I thought It would be helpful for you to see what I begin with every morning.

I have three beauty secrets- not everyone knows how faithful I am about doing them.

But since you asked, I am going to let you all in on my secrets.

1- Exercise. I exercise my arms every day with a can of diet coke. I do about 15 repetitions, or until the diet coke is gone. If it is a really bad day. I will repeat as often as needed.

2- Botox. Since I moved to SOuthern CALifornia, I’ve found this necessary. A few pokes a few times a year and my eyes stay open whether I’ve had two hours of sleep or 6 hours of sleep. Kudos to the makers of this amazing little drug!

3- photoshop- This is my greatest beauty tool of all. It would never be possible to grace the pages of this blog without that wonderful tool. “Edit photo” is the button most often clicked on. I can erase lines, remove dark circles, zits and age spots. How sad is that to be cursed with both. Anyway, the above photo is untouched so you can appreciate even more the work that goes in to creating my illusion.

So there you have it readers. I was very happy to share my secrets, because I believe everyone should have the same opportunities to be lovely.

8 Comments »

24 Oct

gut feelings

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

I should be sitting in a funeral in Utah at this very moment. I feel bad I couldn’t make it, but I am a “trust your gut kinda girl”. Yesterday afternoon driving Hunter home from school I felt that sick feeling in the pit of my inner being that screams “DON’T GO!” I tossed it out at first as the ever familiar “I hate leaving the family” feeling. But it didn’t go away and it got to the point that I was visibly irritated, and getting stressed out!

This was the dilemma.

Jayme has been a friend for 22 years. We certainly aren’t as close as we used to be. But I felt like I should be there supporting her at this horrible time. We could go back to being distant friends after the funeral. I didn’t feel like this was the time to have the “what has happened to our friendship” discussion. We have let two years slip away with very little contact, but when her dad was diagnosed with cancer in July she called and I listened.

I hate leaving the family. I am going away next week on college tours with Bronson and I will be gone for five days. That is seriously going to kill me. I am sure it factored into my stress of leaving today as well.

The bottom line of working through the “sick feeling” is trying to sort out the reason. Of course I don’t want to leave. Of course I don’t want to go to Utah. (Of all the places in the world, Utah makes me feel the sickest inside to go to. I feel better flying to Nigeria!) But this was the kind of feeling the screamed “NO!” Does that mean Delta flight 1220 is going to crash and burn? Am I going to roll my Mazda 6 that is reserved and waiting for me at the Hertz counter? Am I going to bump in to the Ex? Is something horrible going to happen to one of the kids today and I need to be here?

I may never know why I didn’t get on the plane this morning and I may regret it down the road when I can’t really remember the feeling anymore. Then I’ll just chalk myself up to being a shitty friend. But sitting here now, sipping my diet coke, knowing the babies are fast asleep and that two hours from now I will begin gathering my kids from their various schools, I feel PEACE!

9 Comments »

22 Oct

Time

Posted by Sandi in Uncategorized

I have been reflecting…. Yeah I know, I do it often. But this past week I have been especially nostalgic.

1-I have been trying to record Brandon and I’s story and that has not been easy to write. I set out to write a funny, cute, can’t stop reading, love story. Instead, I have a story filled with anguish, heartache and angst. I admit that drama and I tend to dwell in the same home, but this story hasn’t been as easy, or as fun, as I thought it would be. Go figure.

2-Through this blog, I have caught up with my five best friends from high-school. I have had a blast reconnecting and sharing old stories and laughing so hard my gut hurts. The good old days of running around Bountiful Utah, raising hell and breaking every rule we could find. It is shocking to all of us that we turned into semi-functional adults.

3- One of my dear friends lost her dad last night to cancer. Nothing stops you in your tracks more than the realization that life on earth is not forever. Nothing makes you more reflective than going over and over in your head what you will say at your parents funeral. I don’t want to bury my parents. I haven’t had to bury my grandparents yet. I am heartbroken for Jaym and the things she must do in the weeks and months ahead.

4-Bronson’s college tours are fast approaching and the boarding school interviews are beginning for Hunter. The kids are growing and leaving faster than I can replace them. Just kidding!! But this week with all of the above combined I realize just how fast time is moving.

There is a lot I have to do before my time here on earth is done. I will post my “10 things I have to do before I die” list another time. Because this week, my list includes things I probably won’t care so much about in the future. ( like maiming “the nanny”.) Time is both a blessing and a curse. Time does heal and memories do fade. (blessing and curse!)

3 Comments »