I HATE IT!!!!

I HATE MOVING!

I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it (deep breath) I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I hate it!!!!!!!!! (Believe me, I've spared you, because I could go on in this vein for a LONG time!)

We have been blessed in that this will only be our second move in the almost 6 years we've been married, but still, I HATE IT!!!

The move is in 6 days Jenna, just freaking pack a box!!!

I don't know why I can't get started. I procrastinate a lot of things, especially the hard things that I know are going to take me a long time, but seriously, this is ridiculous, I really, really need to get started here.

I decided in an email to my mom yesterday that I was over this move, I am going to quit complaining and just pack up my stinking house and get it over with - well that lasted about 10 minutes and still, I did not get a box packed (but I did get the toys cleaned out.) It's just so overwhelming! Where to start? And what exactly, has to be packed for a move two buildings away? Can't we just cart it all over unpacked? (NO! Is what I've been told, by the way. :-)

So, I'm going to seriously pack some dang boxes now. I promise! The Elders Quorum will not come over on Fri afternoon and find me blogging with nary a box packed.

I promise.

Honest.

Here I go.

Oh yeah, for those not within earshot of my incessant complaining (so sorry dear friends, neighbors, ward members, family and total strangers who would listen.) We're moving two buildings down into a 3 bedroom. Glorious. An extra bedroom/office/food-craft-toy and crap storage room. I'm sure all this will be worth it. (It will right???????)

Duty Week and Dancing

My cute, wonderful friend Michelle and I are going to Dancing tonight!! I am SO EXCITED. I had so much fun when we went to the taping of Ellen, I can't wait for tonight. Huge thanks again to Morgs and Chris who got us on the list. And then, we're going out to dinner for my birthday. What an awesome evening! So look for us tonight, and let me know if you see us!!! :-)

I just finished another duty week and I think this'll have to be a tradition - that I post my favorite calls from the week. This week was S.L.O.W. (Warning: If you're an AC you might not want to read this part. :-) I most calls I got Mon-Fri was 8!!! 8 calls. Crazy. I'll take that anytime. BUT, I paid for it over the weekend - it was pretty darn busy. So, back to my favorite calls, there aren't that many this week:
- There's the guy who calls in and says that he wants to put in a work order because his fridge stinks. (seriously) and then "while he's at it" can he put in a work order for his oven too, because that thing hasn't been cleaned since way before he moved in. (again, seriously) -Sure Mr. ___ we'll send someone right out to clean out your fridge and oven. NOT! (wait, sorry, I just had a 90s flashback.)
- Then there's the guy who calls me at 12:45 am on Fri night (Sat morning) and asks how late he can call to be let into his apartment. Um, dude - how 'bout right now since you already woke me up? Nope, he decides he wants to stay at the party he's at and calls back at a little after 2 to be let in. Lame!!!

Anyway, halleluiah I'm off duty for another few months, AND I get to go to dancing and dinner tonight, my bday is Wed - I think it'll be a good week!! (Now if only I had some boxes packed, for the move that is in a week and a half! - then I'd be PERFECT!!)

Our thoughts on Prop 8

I realize that everyone in CA who does a blog has posted about Prop 8 and you're probably all sick of reading about it, but I REALLY REALLY think this is worth reading so I hope hope hope you'll stick with me here.
The election is in a few days and today about 70 of our closet friends met on the corner of Sepulveda and National and waved our Yes on Prop 8 signs for two hours this morning. It was actually a fantastic experience and I got choked up at one point, but I couldn't figure out why I should be getting emotional about it... until I came home and read something Chris wrote this morning.

"Last night I read an article in a news magazine describing how the nation is closely watching the battle over Prop 8 here in California; it seems that California, being by far the most populous state, has become something of a social and political bellwether for the country as a whole. As I lay in bed pondering the profound implications of our fight, both in California and the nation, some thoughts came to mind. I'm sure that the "higher ups" have talked about it since the beginning and that many have already realized this, but for me, it was and epiphany. So if you have already thought about this, please forgive my being intellectually and spiritually slow.

We have been taught that the U.S. Constitution was inspired of God and that one of the most fundamental and vital rights guaranteed therein is our right to freedom of religion. However, more than a right guaranteed by the Constitution, freedom to worship as one desires is our country's raison d'être - most school children can tell us that the Pilgrims came to America seeking religious freedom. Most importantly, it was a necessary condition for the Restoration of the Gospel in the latter days. I do not think it a stretch to argue that our nation was founded for the purpose of providing a place where the Gospel could be restored.

Court rulings on same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, California, and other nations, as well as voter approved alterations to the traditional definition of marriage in some places have proven to conflict with this most essential right.

Nothing new or insightful there, just setting the stage for what I realized.

We have numerous prophecies regarding the Constitution beginning in July of 1840. Joseph Smith taught (using Doctrine & Covenants 101 as a text):
“Even this nation will be on the verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground and when the Constitution is on the brink of ruin this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction.”

In a BYU devotional from 1976, Elder L. Tom Perry cited the following prophecies:

"First from Brigham Young, second president of the Church: “Will the Constitution be destroyed? No: it will be held inviolate by this people; and, as Joseph Smith said, ‘The time will come when the destiny of this nation will hang upon a single thread. At that critical juncture, this people will step forth and save it from the threatened destruction.’ It will be so.” (Journal of Discourses, 7:15.)

"Now another witness, John Taylor, third president of the Church: “When the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States, the elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of the earth, and proclaiming liberty and equal rights to all men, and extending the hand of fellowship to the oppressed of all nations.” (The Gospel Kingdom, Deseret Book Co., 1943, p. 219.) This is part of the program.

"A final witness is from George Q. Cannon, former member of the First Presidency, who said that “the day will come when the Constitution and free government under it will be sustained and preserved by this people.” (JD, 23:104.)"

Elder Perry continues: "Now, I declare to you that if we are not in the beginning stages of the fulfillment of this prophecy, we are at least in the stages where we are preparing for its fulfillment." Again, saying this in 1976!

As we work today to defend this most fundamental aspect of the Constitution under the direction of Prophets and Apostles, we cannot help but realize that we are, in fact, taking part in the fulfillment of these prophecies.

John Adams, the second president of the United States declared: “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” Furthermore, we are warned in Mosiah 29:27, "And if the time comes that the voice of the people doth choose iniquity, then is the time that the judgments of God will come upon you; yea, then is the time he will visit you with great destruction even as he has hitherto visited this land." While the vote will take place in just a few days, our fight for what is right and ordained of God, whether the family or our right to worship as guaranteed by the Constitution, will continue and we are morally obligated to participate. That it is a weighty responsibility should never detract from the joy we feel in serving the Lord and the great honor that is ours to participate in the fulfilling of prophecy."

That's what I was feeling today. I will vote YES on Prop 8 because I've been asked to by a Prophet of God. I will vote YES on Prop 8 because I feel that the law currently violates my right to freedom of religion, I will vote YES on Prop 8 because I know that God ordained marriage between and man and a woman and that children have a right to be born into a family with both a mother and a father and I will vote YES on Prop 8 because it is my privilege and right to take part in the fulfillment of the prophesies of the latter days! I hope you too will vote...

VOTE YES ON 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Halloween '08

Many of you know that Shea loves Star Wars. He watches it (the originals) as often as we'll let him, owns 5 light sabers, a dozen figurines and IS Luke Skywalker at least 4 days a week. So try as we might, we were extremely unsuccessful at steering him away from this....

Chris and I were both a bit embarrassed but Shea was pretty much in Heaven. The things we do for our kids. :-) Plus, there was Clare - how could we resist a Leia this cute??

Happy Halloween

Way too many pics of us in our costumes will be posted later. :-)
But for now...
Happy Halloween!!!

FHE this week was making our first ever Haunted Gingerbread Mansion - we sure had fun.

Recent Shea tidbits

The other day while having lunch (and I hadn't been bossing him around or anything! Promise :-) Shea looks at me and says, "Mommy, why are you always in charge? When is it my turn to be in charge?" (Chris' response to him later that night was "Never son, never. You should get used to it now.) ha ha ha.

Last week when I asked him to do something, I can't remember what, he stopped what he was doing and said, "Roger Dodger!" And ran to do it. Awesome Shea!! Where do I sign up for that reaction every time I ask you to do something?! And where on earth did Roger Dodger come from?

He has had a little cold (and a lot of snot) this week. When Chris got home from school Friday he asked him how he was feeling. Shea said he was feeling sick. Chris asked him if his tummy hurt or his head. Shea said, "No, my heart just stopped beating." I don't know where he heard that, but I'm obviously grateful it wasn't true!

Couponing Closet

I know I've posted about my couponing before. I had to do this post though -
I had to get a new shelf and totally re-do my closet (again) because I had so much food from great couponing deals!! I was storing all this stuff all over the floor of the closet, under the crib, even in our bedroom. It was a disaster!!

BEFORE:


Shea helping Daddy build my new shelf:


AFTER:

I LOVE the fact that everything in here was purchased for pennies on the dollar (pennies!) and that I have such yummy stuff to supplement the boring (but necessary)food storage: wheat, potato pearls, rice etc. I also love that when extra people come for dinner at the last minute or I need to take something to a pot luck, I can just go to my "pantry" and grab whatever I need. I have a whole mini store in here. I also love that we never run out of soap, deodorant, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors, shampoo etc. Whenever we need anything like this? Just go to the "pantry." It makes me feel so prepared and well, just happy!!
Now, I'm certainly not saying bring it on or anything but... :-)

Playing with the famous

Today I had to go up to Beverly Hills (where I'm a part time personal assistant for a woman who lives in North Beverly Estates - the most ridiculous of the ridiculous gated communities in Beverly Hills.) So I also had to pick up Chris on campus and I knew I'd only be an hour or so in BH so we just all went up there and I dropped Chris and the kids off at the little park inside the community to play while I worked.
So I did my stuff and then went to get them. I parked the car and walked to meet them. Chris is giving me the eye and says (in French) do you see who that is? Do you see who that is? I look behind him and lo and behold, none other than....

Britney! (and the kids, the nanny, the girl holding the umbrella over her, and the bodyguard.)
Apparently Shea played with "Preston" and "JJ" for almost an hour today. And (to my shame) was also apparently not too nice. He kept saying, "Get out of my way little boy." and "It's not your turn little boy." And other bossy tidbits. But at one point he did make Britney laugh, when he was pretending the sand (ugh!) was water and was "swimming" through it. And Clare made everyone smile because she's just so cute.
So WOW!!! This is way better than just walking past a famous person at Century City or being in the same Apple store. My husband hangs out with Brit and our kids play together. Can any of you say that??? :-)

(Chris' comment? (we all know he has one) - In his ratty polo, and Gap chinos, hand hemmed by his wife , he still wasn't the white trashiest person at the park today!!!!) :-)

Oh, and as we left, parked outside the gates were some paparazzi trying to get shots of them through the trees - so look for us on TMZ! :-)

It's what I do.

A few weeks ago Chris and I were standing here talking when suddenly he goes, "Shea! Did you just wipe a booger in your hair?!" Shea looks at him and totally seriously says, "Yeah Dad, it's what I do."

I promise he did not learn it from me! :-) We firmly, firmly told him that boogers get removed from noses with kleenex (not fingers) and deposited in trashcans (not hair). I, naively, I guess thought that was that.

Then this gigantic (and disgusting, sorry) specimen was discovered yesterday.
Are we out of kleenex here? I don't think so!

Engagement Pics

Chris and Jenna Flood are proud to announce the engagement of their son Shea to Elisa...




Are these not adorable?!! They did this on their own! We turned around and they're just hugging. A few months ago when I went to pick up Shea from preschool the teacher told me that he wouldn't hold the rope on the way back from the playground because he wanted to hold Elisa's hand instead. It progressed quickly from there. :-) At the field trip a couple weeks ago, they just started hugging and we got these pics.

A few days ago there was some girl w/ purple hair on Handy Manny, I wasn't watching but saw her out of the corner of my eye, so I asked who she was:

S - That's Handy Manny's girlfriend
M - Oh yeah? What's a girlfriend?
S - Just a friend mom.
M - What do you do with a girlfriend?
S - You play outside and inside!
M - Do you have a girlfriend?
S - Well yeah Mom! Elisa!!
And we got the report from Rachelle today at church that Elisa has announced that she's either going to marry Gordon or Shea. So I guess it's not in the bag... yet... :-)