Crazy Daisy!

I'm pretty sure that Daisy was, in her former life before she came to our family, employed as a bomb sniffing dog. How do I know this? Well, I don't...but I can only surmise that this was her former occupation because since joining our household she has taken it upon herself to thoroughly inspect any new item that comes on the premises. Here are a few examples:

The newly purchased toilet paper from Costco could be dangerous. Here you can see how she has taken it upon herself to inspect it to ensure that it is safe for our family to use:

In fact, she is so vigilant that even after she had ascertained that the toilet paper was safe, and I was allowed to put it away, she still felt compelled to inspect the outside wrapper one more time...just to be sure:

Then, later when I was working on some new primary rolls and paperwork, Daisy became concerned that some of these primary papers may have gone rogue and may be posing a threat to the family. Daisy jumped on them like a bum on a bologna sandwich!

And let me tell you something else: there is no END to Daisy's vigilance. She never sleeps when there are potential threats lurking everywhere. Even things that have been in our house longer than Daisy has cannot be trusted. Take our entryway rug. We've had it for years. I naively assumed it was safe. But Daisy was not fooled. Thanks to Daisy crisis averted, yet again!

Also, there is apparently something dangerous and sinister about the bows that I stupidly insist on putting in her hair. Every time I, like a dummy, try to put one in her hair she stealthily removes it within thirty minutes before it can do any harm:

Phewww! That was close!!!

Summer J.O.B.

I don't do well with having nothing to do.

The first two days I got back from Utah I laid around my house and read. I didn't leave the house, I didn't clean, I didn't accomplish anything. I didn't even get dressed.

My wonderful husband was kind enough to point out that this is...not good. In his gentle way he said, "Honey, you're not going to lay around all summer are you? Because you know you get all depressed and junk when you don't have anything to do. Maybe you should get a job." He is so kind.

So, maybe I will get a summer job. There are a couple of problems with this scenario.

First: to my knowledge, there are not many jobs out there (something to do with the economy, or something...I don't know...). So that might pose a challenge.

Second: I don't know what I want to do.

I don't want to wait tables (I've never done that before, and don't want to start now).

When we were seeing Star Trek the other day I thought about working in a movie theater. Free popcorn and movies, awesome! But then Dan said that I probably would have to do ALL the theater jobs, like cleaning the theaters and getting peoples' soda and popcorn, instead of JUST taking peoples' tickets, like I wanted to do. Plus, they would probably make me wear that stupid uniform. No thanks, that's why I went to college, thankyouverymuch.

I could probably go work at a tutoring center or one of those summer programs for kids places. But, if I'm being honest, the prospect of working with kids during the SUMMER sounds like about one step down from water-boarding on the torture scale.

I could probably get a job at my nail salon. But what would I do there? Give pedicures? Touch people's feet?! Eww! I don't think so.

My friend (a fellow teacher) applied at Hobby Lobby and I thought, "Cool! We could work there together!" I HEART Hobby Lobby! But they never called her back, so I guess they're not hiring.

Another problem is that, while part of me wants a job (It would be nice to have the extra money, and something to do), the other part of me doesn't want a job. Or, at least, I want the kind of job where I can not come in if I don't feel like it, or leave early if I have plans.

To summarize, here is my list of demands for my potential summer job:
1. No food. Yuck.
2. No cleaning up other people's messes. Yuck.
3. No uniforms. I am a free spirit. I can not be fettered by The Man's chains of oppression!
4. No kids. Aggh.
5. No touching people. Eeewww.
6. Flexible schedule (i.e. I can come and go as I please, but preferably get paid for working full time...).

As of now, I am J.O.B. less for the summer. Maybe that will change, maybe not.

Any ideas?

Since You've Been Gone...

So, I came back from Utah on Tuesday, June 16th. My family wanted me to stay longer. I seriously considered staying.

I didn't really have a deadline for heading home (other than my Primary calling that I've been neglecting) and my brother-in-law Bryce is going to be in a play this weekend that my sister Sue Ann designed and made all the costumes for. So it would have been cool to get to see all that.

However, after checking with the airline I learned that it would cost a significant amount of money to switch my ticket, so that pretty much decided it for me...I wasn't staying.

Then my brother-in-law Paul (very generously) offered to pick up the difference so I could stay the extra time. I seriously considered staying.

But in the end, I decided that it was time for me to get back home. I missed my husband and my fur children, and it was time for me to get home.

While it would have been nice to stay longer, in the end I am glad I came home when I did. I REALLY missed my husband....a lot.

I think he missed me too. He gets a little...non-functioning...when I'm gone. Here's how I know:

• When he picked up the dogs from Todd and Felicia he didn't realize she had stuck the bag with their bowls in the trunk. So for two days my dogs ate their dinner off of paper towels.

• When he left Utah I reminded him that the dogs would have NO food when he came home and he would have to buy them some. He apparently forgot. As far as I can gather they lived off of Milkbones and take-out food for a couple of days. And possibly granola bars (see below).

• Our paper towel holder is missing. I haven't gotten all the details yet, but I suspect it went the way of the tongs.

• Dan is now the proud owner of some new socks...big, thick, fluffy, wool socks. It's 100 degrees outside...

• The contents of our fridge are as follows: 50 Kirkland Protein Shakes, roast beef lunch meat, pepper jack cheese.

• The contents of our pantry are as follows: 50 different kinds of granola bars.

• The contents of our garage are as follows: the empty cardboard boxes of 50 Kirkland Protein Shakes, the empty cardboard boxes of 50 different kinds of granola bars.

• Our recycle bin is full of non-recyclable trash.

• Dan forgot to go to church on Sunday. He did remember, however, to go out to lunch with his friend that day. And go shopping at Fry's Electronics(!?).

• Dan forgot to shave (or at least, he didn't shave...) for about 8 days. I'm not sure why because he went in and shaved about 10 minutes after I got home.

So, in the long run, I'm glad I'm home...for all of our sakes... :)

Our Utah Trip

I finished school on Friday, May 29th. We didn't waste any time. We left for Utah on Saturday, May 30th. Our friends Todd and Felicia were kind enough to watch our fur children for us. And Grandma and Dad came along with us.

We only went half way the first day. We stayed in Las Vegas. I found a "good deal" online for our hotel room. It was not such a good deal... Our room was a DUMP!!!

There were holes in the wall:

And this was the view out our window:

Luckily, construction workers still take Sunday off; even in Vegas.

And, luckily we only had to stay there one night. It was...interesting...

We woke up Sunday, packed up our stuff, desperately tried to avoid touching the mysterious stains on the carpet of our room, and headed for Utah.

I love doing the Utah/Phoeix trip in two days because there isn't such a rush to get there.

We got to my sister's house around 4 pm. My sister had dinner waiting for us (bless her...I was already tired of road food!).

We ate and then headed to my nephew Austin's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. It was great to get to be there for that. He (and his mom) worked really hard!

Then Tuesday was the Main Event (so to speak). It was my brother David's birthday, my great-neice Teagan's birthday, and...MY birthday!! Also, it was our late Grandma Bullock's birthday, and my nephew and neice-in-law (Teagan's parents-go figure!)'s anniversary!!
So it was a pretty important day!!

My sisters (being the wonderful sisters that they are) threw us all a big party!! It was great! Teagan got to eat her very first birthday cake, and I got some great presents (including the ones from Dan that I picked out).
The best present, however, was just being there all together with my family.

The highlight of the next couple of days would have to be the field trip Dan, Dad, and I took to the Bingham Copper Mine. Did you know it's the World's Largest Open Pit Mine? It is. Now you know.

We also got to go to a couple of my nephew Parker's baseball games. He's on a Super Team (I think that's what it's called...) and he's pretty good!It reminded me why I like summer in Utah so much. There's nothing better than a warm summer night at the ball park.

We also went to the This is the Place Monument.

I didn't realize how moving it would be. The monument tells the story of the pioneers who settled Utah. One of my direct ancestor's name is actually on the monument!

We also went to Park City. Dan had never been there. I thought this was a funny sign....probably just because I've lived in the desert for too long...

Then Dan and Parker rode the Alpine Slide. Dan wasn't sure if he was going to make it, (Not because of the slide part...but the ski lift ride up to the slide. He's afraid of heights.) But he made it.

Friday we got to go to my neice Olivia's graduation from 8th grade. I can't believe how grown-up she's getting!
She's beautiful, inside and out.

What a great family!

We also got to go up and spend some time with my sister Dana and her family. We drove up Ogden Canyon and found a great place for a little hike.
It was a magnificent day:

There was a great looking little path. I didn't hike as fast as everyone else because I was wearing flip-flops (and because I was too busy taking a billion pictures!).

I got some really great ones: There was a peaceful little stream next to the trail.

Lexie made sure to mark our path for us, so we wouldn't get lost.

Dan, Dad, and Grandma left on Sunday to go back home, but I stayed another 9 days. It was great to have some extra time with my family.

My sisters and I got to do a session in the Salt Lake Temle (first time doing a live session!). Afterwards we went out for a sisters' dinner.

We also got to have lunch with some of my aunts and girl cousins. I forgot to take any pictures, we were all so busy talking! But it was fun to see everyone again and catch up.

Also, I got to go to my grandparents' old house. My cousin and his wife live in it and have fixed it up. It is darling! (I would have taken pictures, but that probably would have seemed a little weird...)

I did some (too much!) shopping, saw a movie, and just generally had a great time!

I would have to say that all in all it was a fabulous trip. I was so happy to be able to see and spend time with my sisters and their families. They are all such great people, and I feel lucky to be able to count them as family. I am thankful that, even though we can't live as close to everyone as we would like to at the present time, we still get to see everyone on a fairly regular basis, and when we do get a chance to visit we are always welcomed into their homes and their lives with open arms. We are truly blessed. :)