E-lynn

I have a friend. She might even be my best friend. I couldn't really say for sure since I haven't had one since elementary. That said-my elementary best friend hates me now.

We are the original producers of night and day

I want to tell you why she and I get along and what it is about her that makes me like her oh so very much. In essence it's kinda like a love letter.....to a girl.

She married a good man and together produced a good family

She produced 2 kids that I adore-seriously adore. She was a raven when I met her. She had some awesome tan pants that fit her smokin bod-really tight! I wanted those pants! So I had my grandma mend some old ones and WAHLA I had my own look a like pair. I still wear them too. We lost touch that year. Maybe I came on to strong. Becoming friends is like dating too! One wrong move a POOF they are outta here. I tend to like people too much and smother them. I jump up and down in their face like an eager pet begging and smiling and asking...do you like me! huh? huh? you wanna be friends! I don't know you but I like you!

Mirror images? We hardley say hi or by cause we just start talking!

I like to think we are good friends because she isn't from here. She doesn't care if I am a little of an outsider-cause she is too. Her parents must have done an AWESOME job at guiding her through the term: diversity. Some people can never truly get close to another culture...well  because of their culture. What is it called? Cultural differences. Instead she embraces mine, asks enough questions but doesn't interrogate or judge. That can be tough to accept someone who has 3 goats in their yard and walks them to your house and asks if she can tie it up while we have lunch. It takes a mellow gal to let me parade it through her house and out the back door and not even blink an eye when I do so.

We take eachother out of our comfort zones*

There isn't ANYTHING we haven't talked about: kids, cooties, love, death, life, the good stuff, waxing, religion, trouble, complaints, families, remodeling, bathroom habits, bedroom habits, triumphs, politics and failures. I've never had to lie to her. I'm not a lier but with her I've never felt the need to hide the truth. I think she is forgiving and open-minded. Not so open minded that her brains are falling out but....enough to accept me and mine. She also gets along GREAT with other girls and has introduced me to SO many of them. That in it self amazes me. A girl who gets along with girls! What a new concept.

And we used to exercise together. But we came to our sences together too!

I feel like the length of a girl friendship should be measured in dog years. They come and go so quickly and one year just isn't one year but more like seven. I'm lucky enough to have been friends with her for 14 years.



*Just say it if this picture needs to come down!

Sure I can tell you ALL the details about our 2 day camping/family reunion trip but what I really want to write is just odd sentences that run on and have too many coma's.

First off all this is Tommy's sister-husbands, mom-side of the family. So it was the SEVY REUNION. I thought it was last week be it wasn't. This is our 3rd year going and the shortest time. I started driving up around 4. Apparently in Ut people like to trick you into thinking that there is a fatal accident that keeps you stationary for over an hour! haha kidding it's only CONSTRUCTION! When traffic picked up and there was only construction signs saying keep to the left and go slow-I wished cruelly that there would have been a dead body! (please forgive me)

The kids were great we stopped in Cedar for gas and I begged Tommy to drive! He finally said yes and he got so nervous and had such an upset stomach that he had to pull over twice cause his stomach couldn't hold anymore. Did I mention he HATES driving?

We got up there at 9 and set up camp. This is what that night, Saturday, and Sunday morn contained:

Early breakfast, duck race, snack, wild kids who were NASTY, family smack talk-these people are CRAZY! Apparently the SEVY head of household was a polygamous and hid in the root cellar when authorities came a'knockin. That should explain some things. The big topic? Uncle Keith who changed his name to*gasp* TED. When it got down to the finals for horseshoes (can anyone say competitive!) Tommy was in the finals again. Well everyone was happy that Keith/Ted didn't win. Who's Ted? I asked....BIG mistake! They don't like the wife of Keith/Ted. She's the one who changed his name from Keith to Ted. Keith is a wussy name. There was even some swear words said! Oh Lordy!

For me this is what camping went like. Early to rise, late to bed, no bathrooms-went 2x's the entire time, didn't change my underwear once, washed my face twice, caught 0 fish, basked in the sun, froze in my sleeping bag, slept on a cone one night, slept in a wet bag the next, packed just right, was slightly bored at times, never showered, made out with Tommy in a mosquito infested, open, hot mid-day tent. Was the ONLY one who brought sunblock and chased my kids with it every other hour. Was asked by uncle Max: are you the one from S. America?- NO- Hmmm I wonder where I got that idea? Oh I don't could it be my brown skin?

I've only been coming here for 3 years I wanted to yell! So that was my weekend. I drove home early on Sunday and Tommy and I argued about why we didn't go to bed together. Kids quite arguing to listen to us, hung on for dear life as I sped down Cedar mt. It lasted the whole way down it! Stella got bored of the argument and fell asleep and time passed quickly as we gave each other the silent treatment. haha Sounds stupid now. But if you want time to fly by-no need for fun

A simple argument will suffice-believe me. I tried it today

I gravitate towards your inperfections

Today While at the rec center with the kids and my mom I had an interesting thing happen. I goes to show me that looks have NO appeal to me. Not in the least bit. It's the attitude.
    
A group of rambunctious people came walking by and one VERY heavyset person stopped and boldly asked, "Hey I was wondering if you hand any sunscreen. I burned the last time I was here and don't want to go through that again." Sure I said and handed him my spf 70 neutragena sunscreen. I tend not to buy anything but that. While I handed it over I must admit I thought- just about how much will it take to cover that body! After their friend helped apply the lotion they came right back to return it. First off I noticed they were now in their swimsuit and ready to jump in, that I was IMMENSELY jealous that God had blessed HIM with C-cup breasts, and not me and lastly-he better NOT jump in, he has to let the sunblock soak in! He did jump in.

The point I'm trying to make is that I found myself a little drawn to the super-sized boy. He was bold, unabashed, polite and not in the least way insecure. If he was shy about asking a total stranger for sunblock and he returned later top-less. Well than! That catches me eye. I've been told that I am "intimidating" I don't think so in the least. In fact I think it's bull.

Tommy tells me I have very bad taste in men and their looks.  For example-I tend to swoon over the one's who look like they've been hitting the crack pipe one too many times. I like Jack Sparrow-with make-up. I like the guitar player who's 60 with a pitted, acne scarred face. I like the one with sallow cheeks. Sure I like the pretty boys who are movie stars too, but it's the I don't care swagger that draws me in. Tommy just thinks their ugly. When I say this "I like boys" I am talking about famous people. People who I will never know.

After I point to the cutest guy in the band/movie/magazine- Tommy mentions that his self-esteem goes down the toilet. "Great! what does that say about me?!"

I still say he's darn handsome. All he needs to be is good enough for me.

Married with Children...and those who are'nt

I seriously need to keep up with this blog and have TONS stored up in my word document, but can't post those or you might see just what I really want to say. Today that ends.
     Yesterday I felt something that I haven't felt in a loong time. Insulted. Yes I know it's easy to get caught up in this small town. It's meant for the young and married ONLY. If your single, go to church , wait 2 years, and magically your married to a boy you used to make fun of in high school. Then you and everyone else sweeps it under the rug that you ever considered him anything but GREAT! I On the other hand come from a place where I am the ONLY one married out of four kids (gasp!) and has a fruit of my loin running around to boot. In fact I have two.
     Yesterday my lovely sis whom I treat a little more gentler than most would (cause she had it rougher growing up) asked that I get a babysitter! Okay, it went a little more something like this.

Sis: Hey amanda wanna come to Mesquite to get facials, messages, pedi's, and swim in the mineral pool with us girls? (we don't have friends so us girls refers to her boyfriend who is LOADED, my other sis, and mami)
Me: Sure that sounds great, can we do it earlier? Count me in for sure! We leave to go camping at 2:30 when Tommy gets offa work. (I silently wonder if she is going to ask if the kids are coming)
S: Great it's my treat (LOADED boyfriends treat really)....uh I mean "our" treat. Oh and can you leave the kids?
M:.......?
S:........?
M: (enters my programed banker voice that served me well with irate customers when working at BofA) Well I don't think I can make it, wish I could but.....
S: (oh s*$t I said something wrong-back pedal) Oh well if it's money you need to pay a babysitter I can pay for it?
M: !-Oh not it's not that. I will try and let you know how the day looks and will let you know for sure. (HELL NO)
S: Oh then bring the kids (desperate?) we can switch them between other sis and mami. It won't be a big deal. One of us will just have to be out casted till their turn is up and we rotate.( can you tell she doesn't have kids?)
M: (gotta get off the phone NOW) Okay well I will let you know for sure.
S: Okay and oh ya I called to see if you could do a HUGE favor for me while I'm gone for 2 months (vacationing with LOADED boyfriend) can you handle all my mail and banking?
M: Of course it's only 2 little ol months-no problem.

Don't get me wrong, she has no intentions of hurting my feelings BUT this isn't the first time this has happened. Many years ago I met a guy who tried to date me. He had been on T.V. for a show called the bachelor? or Bachelorete? or Beauty and the Beast? Some reality show that I still have NEVER seen. Anyways he knew I had a small son and asked I meet his family and make a trip to Cali with him. Then proceeded to say that I leave my boy at home cause his house had Disney memorabilia that was breakable. I like to think that I immediately dropped the guy cause he collect Disney stuff at 35, but to be honest-it was the whole leave your son at home. No can do buddy. While my sis is only trying to get me pampered and give me a treat I can't help but feel wounded.
     My priest one said- Accepting gifts is JUST as important as receiving them. Your are just as selfish by not doing so. Mothers in general have a hard time disassembling themselves from their wee ones. For some reason I think I especially have an issue with this. Although I'm still not going to go (pride is a deadly sin) I will never let my sis know just how much that hurt and the passive-aggressive in me will come out instead. She begged for me to come and back pedaled. I won't say she offended me yesterday ( I say that because today I'm over it-completely) but I won't show up Friday cause I really do have to go camping later and to show her that I was un-happy with the suggestion.
     Of course most people who read this might get the occasional "rather you leave your darlings" innuendo once in awhile-I doubt it's been from some you love dearly-especially a sis. I bet, cause the sis/people you know are having babies/married/or are jealous cause they want one of the two previous situations for themselves. But if they ever do-don't sweat it, they too just want time for just you.

F day

Happy Father's Day to my LOVE:

Reason number 1,987, that I love Tommy

He cut off my head in this picture.

Reason # 1,988:

He captures Estefan with his eyes closed in all of the above pictures! Tommy doesn't know the flash from the zoom or which button to press to take a picture. I was there to help.

Number 1 reason why I love Tommy: He married me! What a pair we are!