Hair Troubles

My hair has a hard time behaving. It all started when I was about 12 years old and in one day went from having stick straight hair to coarse, frizzy hair. A lot of people gave me advice on how to better manage my hair; "try hot rollers" (not so good in the 8th grade, a little better now), "if you would just put gel in your hair it would look like mine and then maybe you could have a boyfriend, too" (I'm not kidding--someone really said this).
I finally learned some tricks to manage my unruly locks and make the natural curl look somewhat presentable, when wouldn't you know it, I have a baby and went from unruly curly hair to straight-in-some-sections-and-curly-in-others. I have to say that this has been a little easier to manage, but more hair troubles ensued.
We moved to Nevada, and as I have mentioned in previous posts, I did not love it. I blame Nevada almost completely for the grey hairs that popped out when I was merely 25. To cover up these grey hairs, my sister-in-laws and I decided to try a box of hair color with "just a little red" (requested by Ben). That little bit of red turned my hair completely BURGUNDY. It took 7 treatments within a month to get it back to semi-normal. Needless to say, my hair was fried. In our new ward I met a lady who told me that she would love to do my hair. I looked at her own frizzy mullet, and since I am a firm believer that your hair will in some way resemble your hairdresser's, Bambii did not get the job.
I have kind of trucked along over the years and have discovered some real tricks that help. I can't live without: a) good shampoo and conditioner, b) my S-Factor smoothing lusterizer, and c) my round brush and blowdryer. I have also learned that it is good to give my hair off days, but my exercise schedule and the sweat that comes with it, make this part of my regimine a little tricky.
One of the only pleasures that comes with my hair is that it LOVES to be played with. I am putty in the hands of whoever runs their fingers through my hair. I will let my kids stay up as late as they want as long as they are playing with my hair. So, on Christmas night, we were watching Wall-E and I was in my hair-being-played-with catatonic state, when all of a sudden something was terribly wrong. My usually tough scalp was being pulled at in a very strange and uncomfortable way. There were strange clicking sounds..."What are you doing to me, Maya?!?" I reach up and grab the cuticle scissors that came in my manicure set from Santa out of her little hand.

Will there ever be peace in my hair's life?

Quick Updates and Birthday Adventures

I AM A BLOG SLACKER. I don't know if you noticed, but it has been about a month since my last late post. I don't know what to say, other than things are busy here...nothing earth shattering, just life in general.

Here's the skinny--

*Thanksgiving was fabulous, Utah was beautiful. I LOVE my inlaws. They are all so much fun to be around.

* I ran my 6K, I use ran loosely. I finished and did pretty well for my age group, which was 98 for some reason.

Um, that about does it for updates worth writing about. So, onto more current things.

Jessica Turned 12!

Time has really flown by. It seems like just yesterday we brought this beautiful little lady home from the hospital. I thought that growing up in a large family would prepare me for life as a mother, but I learned REALLY fast that I had no idea what I was doing. Here was this beautiful baby, with a perfect little round head and big gorgeous eyes, depending on me for everything she needed. She has been such a joy in our lives since she was born. She is beautiful and talented. She is sensitive and kind. She is my right hand gal. I LOVE HER TO PIECES!!! She wanted to go to San Fransisco for her birthday so off we went! We had a great time together as a family and then enjoyed some present opening over breakfast and delicious Penne Rigate for dinner. She got some great gifts, including the first Twilight book which she finished within 2 days. But....the most exciting news is that she got her ears pierced!!!!! She has been looking forward to this day her whole life (believe me). She had to call a few people and interview them about their ear piercing experience so that she could make an educated decision and use her agency wisely. She is so big, and I am so old. Happy Birthday, Jessica!

Ben turns 35 (that's halfway to 70, you know)!

It's true. He is even getting the grey hairs to prove it. He is such a good daddy, he wanted to spend the day with his family so we went to Jamestown and rode the steam engine. It was lots of fun for everyone. Santa, a very talented fiddler, and a band of raucous casino patrons were also on the train. We have missed cold weather and snow so we drove a little farther and were able to play in the snow...for a few minutes before we got too cold and decided that being warm is also very nice. Then it was off to the Bass Pro Shop for a little manly shopping. Happy Birthday, Ben!

Better Late than Never

With everything else going on in our home, back to school, elections, Ben gone, etc., I have been a neglectful blogger and have failed to post our halloween pictures. Exciting as they are, I am sure you have all been eagerly anticipating them, so here they are!

Halloween Morning, we began with our pumpkin carving. Ideally, this would have been done by now, but this isn't an ideal world, plus, they get rotten very quickly around here, and who wants rotten pumpkins sitting on their porch? Not me! (We have a couple extra helper friends.)

The finished products.
So, after a few more election reminder calls, we are off to the trunk-or-treat.

Oh, here is a fun game...Bobbing for Apples...

...Until you fall into the tank. Don't worry. Being the good mother that I am , I got a picture before I offered comfort. Poor Minnie/Bella. She was soaked from head to toe.
I forgot to get a good picture of all the kids in their costumes before we left, so I'm afraid this is as good as it gets. Here we have Minnie (Bella), Spider (Jeff), Cinderella (Maya), Geisha (Anna), Kangaroo (Reese). I was feeling a little lazy as far as costumes go this year, so we just raided the dress up box. I think we did pretty good, everyone seemed to be pleased, except Reese. His Kangaroo wasn't quite as ferocious as last years Great White Shark, but when he added vampire fangs and became a blood sucking Kangaroo, it was a little more do-able for him. I don't know why nobody likes the Kangaroo. When I bought it for Jessica years ago, she hated it too. I would love to be the Kangaroo. I think it is stinking cute. It even has a little Joey for the pouch. Oh well, you can't win them all.
Jessica is a big girl now and wanted to go off with her friends. Doesn't she make a lovely Vampire?
There you go! Happy Belated Halloween!

November 5, 2008

Proposition 8 Passed!!! It was a close one, but we did it. We worked really hard, literally until the polls closed, and got the job done. Thank you everyone for your help, prayers etc.

That is the good news... the other good news is:

For at least four more years, I will not have to worry about:

* Gas for my evil suburban--BOs all over it.
* My mortgage payment--oh wait, we rent---somewhere out there, there must be some sort of program in the works to get me into my very own home, I do have a right, you know. I have my eye on one for sale. It is only about $600,000. I think now is the time, and if I can't afford it later, BOs got my back on that one too. YESSSSS!
* We've got two sets of braces looking us in the face next year, I was going to use our flex account, but I think I heard something about a universal healthcare program...the senators kids get braces, why shouldn't mine?
* All that talk radio, I am really sick of the biased hosts of talk radio. If only they were more open minded and fair, like network TV, everyone would REALLY see how stinking good things are going to be now that BO is in charge, good thing for the fairness doctrine. That is going to RULE. No more of this dang brain washing that has been going on.
* Bush's shrill, "unedumacated" talk. Yup, for at least 4 more years, its only the tobacco induced, dulcet tones of the great orator for all of us, lulling us all into a much deserved hypnotic break from all of the problems going on in the world. Who really wants to know anyway? We'll just let the smarter, more educated people do the thinking for us. We have much more important things to worry about, like our guns and our religion.
* Phew! I was afraid that I was going to have to teach my children that you have to work hard and get good grades to get into college, and that once you get there, it is still not a free ride! What have I been thinking? Not only do my children have a BO given right to go to college, he is also going to see to it that it is paid for, I don't know by who, but what do I care? Count them friends, that is 1,2,3,4,5,6 educations PAID FOR (somehow)! HOT DOG!

You know, I really must have been smoking something to think that McCain would have been a better choice. These next few years are going to be SOOOOOO AWESOME!!!

Maybe, you are sensing a little sarcasm. In all fairness, this is a historic year, and I am really hoping that it is not going to be as crappy as I think it is. If it isn't, I will take away the paragraph about my sarcasm.

How I Spent the Afternoon

To show our support for and to help raise awareness for Prop 8, several people from our ward and stake stood out on the street today. Once again, this was WAY out of my comfort zone so I was very nervous, but all in all, it was rewarding AND educational.
Quick list of things:

* I was given "the finger" more today than I think I have ever been in my life.

* I heard the F-bomb directed at me more times than I ever have in my life.

* I was called a racist (I am not sure where that came from, or where that "lady" went to draw that conclusion).

* The 2 girls making out on the same corner helping to illustrate a point, (I am not sure who's they were hoping to make, but I am pretty sure they made it either way).

These things were all pretty negative, but balanced with the many, many supporters with their honks, waves, thumbs-ups and "thank you's", and also with the knowledge that we were serving a righteous cause made it all worth it. I believe that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God, and that it must be kept sacred. I am not trying to take away the rights of anyone, but I also do not wish to have someone else's morals or lack thereof shoved down my or my children's throats.

VOTE YES ON PROP 8!!!

It Was A Good, Long Run.....

I went to the dentist today, by I, I mean all six kids and I. That was a real treat...no really! They took a few kids at a time, then took me back for my turn and the receptionist held the baby! I just sat and relaxed as my teeth were x-rayed, probed and cleaned. It was great--mostly. I have been a lucky gal for 32 years now, and have escaped the dreaded dentist's drill, until today, well, actually until November 18 when I have all SIX of my cavities filled. YIKES! I have never had a cavity in my life and now SIX! I will give myself a break because the dentist said that they are just the beginnings of little tiny ones on the ridges of my teeth and that it was good to catch them this early, but still! I am a little bummed. Also, my "classic european bite" (my teeth are somewhat inverted and are becoming more so every year) is causing wear on my lower teeth and so it was recommended that I get Invisiline to correct it. I am okay with that.
Jessica is also about to get braces. I gave her a little teasy scare when I told her we couldn't afford a certain appliance she needs and that she would just have to get headgear. We even looked up some headgear pictures online. I really had her going. It is going to be a fun year for our wallets and our mouths.

6 years old!

My big boy is six!

On September 26, Reese turned six years old. We had a weekend full of birthday including shark cupcakes with his class, Johns Incredible Pizza, and Reese's favorite-Seafood Linguine- for dinner! It was fun for all of us! Reese has grown to be such a sweet little guy. He is always very thoughtful, especially of me. He loves to give away hugs and kisses and loves to learn! I am so proud of him!
Here's a shot of his birthday loot. We got him a fun halloween shirt at Target with a skull on the front. When I picked him up from school on Monday I asked him how his day went.

Mom: How was your day?

Reese: Good, except the kids thought I was a bully.

Mom: Why?

Reese: Because I have a (th)skull on my shirt! HELLO!

Mom: Shall we not have you wear it anymore?

Reese: No, I will still wear it, I'll just tell the kids that I am a nice boy.

...And he is! Happy Birthday Reese, We love you!!!

In addition to being another year older, Reese has grown taller and has eight permanent teeth. But that is not all. Reese is also growing into quite the creative little boy. He loves scissors and tape, and can work miracles with them. He is also getting to be quite a good little artist. This is his latest masterpiece. It is called "Me, Tooting Underwater." What a funny little boy.