If it rained more often my next one might not be so distant

Today I didn’t bring a swimming suit. I had no plans of swimming but the warm water beckoned me. I did two things in one day, that I haven’t done since childhood. One of those was to remove my jeans and swim in my underwear and t-shirt. The second happened less than 5 minutes after being pushed in to the pool. I scraped my knee. When Tommy saw he laughed and asked if I had fallen off my bike! Ahaha. True I have been riding my bike a night with Estefan. But since I don’t currently have him, I haven’t gone myself. After he mentioned that I though how cool it would have been to be able to claim that. Now I just have to admit that I skinned it while swimming. Lame.

Then I got to thinking of all the things I used to do as a kid. I recently added the two listed above, yet there were tons I haven’t. Like falling off my bike. Or blowing bubble in my drink. I recently sat outside during a lightning show with a spread out blanket and kids. I haven’t caught bugs in awhile. I guess that’s one I’m kinda glad I grew out of. Unless you count the spiders I spray with hairspray until like a slow-mo movie their run turns to a jog, walk then a stop . It’s like the can I hold is the remote and once I depress the button they no longer scurry but are frozen with their two front legs raised.



I also don’t get my clothes dirty anymore. I guess you could say I care too much about them fading and lasting as long as possible. I haven’t spilled a drink or food on them in a very long time. If it rained more often my next one might not be so distant. Jumping in puddles of water. Or how about not being able to hold a good old fart, and laughing when it happens in public. Kids think it’s hilarious while parents scorn them. Since I have become the latter, I have forgotten how to do the first. What other things am I forgetting. Who can forget hair rollers! Or sleeping in them.

I used to barrow clothes from friends and sisters all the time. I would really like to find another sized me who has better taste and play the old switcha-roo with them. Or play dress up. Now that I used to play with the neighbor girls. Only they had frumpy clothes as soft as jersey and big hats, not Disney princess costumes of today. Wait they did have a hand made Belle one. It was awesome! I never owned any Disney or frumpy of my own. I also haven’t had anyone braid my hair in a long time. Tommy knows how to braid but claims my short hair prohibits him from getting a good start. Short story.



When Tommy and I first met I asked him to brush my hair. For fun, I shoved the brush in his hand and turned my back to him. When nothing happened I turned to see him staring straight back at me. He hadn’t moved. We were still in the beginning stages of dating and this was the first recollection of denial. He claimed not knowing how to brush someone’s hair. I said it’s easy, “you just start here and pull straight through.” I’ll never forget the pain of the sudden KNOCK I felt as he banged my scalp with the wooden brush and bristles. Slip straight through then another KNOCK on the scalp. I muttered that nobody was there but he didn’t get it. Before I could be KNOCKED on again I turned and snatched the brush and said thank you! No more for me and since then I haven’t had my hair brushed since early girlhood.

I haven't played with farm animals in awhie either



I never really liked chewing gum so I never really got it caught in my hair. Or ate my boogers. I recently flew a kite a couple months ago with the kids. That was fun.I recenly terorized a cat by putting tape on it's paws. Now I haven't laughed that hard in awhile. Sorry cat. I currently leave any food that drops on the floor, there. Maybe next time I will pick it up and just eat. No matter if I’m in public or at home. You know-for old time sakes.

all morning faces

It's Monday and for some reason I feel like that's when EVERYONE should blog. Apperantly when I look around-no one really is. It comes in spurts huh? Like One day your noggin is full of junk then the next day it's not.

I don't really have anything to write about. Well nothing of intrest to myself at least. My most intresting stuff in filed away in "my documents" under blog. I swear I will not care who reads this and just post them. But I'm not. Don't want to hurt anyones feelings. I must admit that I sound slighlty crazy in them too. NO MORE COKE! We had some left over from Estefan's birthday party. I've had 2 this past week.

So some odd things I've been thinking about?

The other day while waiting for my drink at a certain java chain I realized something I oddly like.

I watched the girl waiting for her coffee as she leaned far back into her chair and expand her herself in preparation of a big yawn. It's like watching an accordion of ribs on display. Yesterday while I was thinking about washing some dishes in the sink I wet a sponge. It too swelled into some balloonery capacity. Inflating like a medieval fire starter. What are those called? Bellowers? They too have an accordion looking rib cage. Only more bat like.

Anyways. There is something stimulating to watch the rise and fall of breath. The holding of breath! Whether it be the time before a big yawn or the rapid, shallow breathing of one of my babes. Estella has been sleeping with me for the past 3 days.

I don't want to give into my nightly worries that she too will follow in her brothers footsteps.

I will never forget the day(s) Estefan had his asthma attack. It was slow. Oh so slow. The ignorance I played in never partaking in an asthma attack.  I video taped his breathing. I now know the signs, at the time there was no billowing for him. In the video he is sleeping and struggling to breath. I taped on with utter clueless-ness, because in my head I knew something was wrong. I hate watching that video, not because the actual video is detailed. My memory serves me better than the grainy video itself.

Estella must have cold. It's not the same. It just so happens that it gets worse at night and it too will pass.

Lets pull weeds

Last night I could hardly sleep. I dreamt of fame and no fortune. Those two can go together when our country is in the midst of a recession.

I came to Tommy today and seriously asked him to consider this.

 A year with no purchasing.

I had it planned that I would start a separate blog and a weekly newspaper column regarding this. The plan would start the 9th of August. And things I could buy were things like gas, food, drinks, detergent, and toothpaste. Stuff you used and it literally disappeared or somewhat did. I was still having a hard time about toilet paper. Is it depleatable? I told myself that if you could throw it in a trashcan it couldn't be bought, but it's toilet paper! Other things I couldn't buy were school clothes, shoes, tape, vacuum bags (or garbage and ziploc for that matter) q-tips, cards, gifts (birthday, shower, Christmas, etc.) and new tires. I mean business here. I wanted to see just how I would do it. I figured with a website and column that I would learn to barter/trade items.

Great idea huh! I mean wouldn't you be sold if your wife told you she never wanted to spend a dime and instead barter her way for a year. I told him I was willing to wash baggies for a year. Use shampoo as soap! Heck I wanted to empty out the vacuum bag and re-use it every time it got full!

Well when I told my husband of my plan, he asked "why?"

Oh I don't know. I want to see if I could do it. I want to see the kindness in humanity, and of course the challenge. I also mentioned I was bored.

He mentioned that we were financial sound and that if this is coming from boredom that I won't be bored for a WHOLE year! Just today.

I said I know that but I wanted a change. A challenge. I am bored. Needless to say he said he wouldn't join me whatsoever! So I cried like a girl who couldn't get her way.

As I wept he rubbed my back and told me this," When ever I get bored I go and pull weeds."

                                                                    To Tommy my suggestion was as wild as the title on this book!

This just in...

Read post below first.


Okay well to prove I am being hounded, this text just came in.

INBOX

From: ***
If your babies are
going to keep
growing up i want
more babies to take
their place. Sorry
but i want them now.
-peace.lv.***

I'm not lie'n when I say I'm being hounded. Even at 9:30 at night.

Can I add more to make four?

It’s been one long week. After my run in with the knife I had much to do. Estefan’s birthday is tomorrow but we had his party Saturday. So two days after staying put I finally was able to move about for short periods of time. I cleaned on Thursday and headed to Vegas with my mom, who drove. My stitches are due to come out late next week and itches like crazy!

24 hours later

We went to the white house of grocery stores: COSTCO. Where I pushed a 100 pound cart aroundL By the end I was stiff in the leg. I also purchased a new couch. I’ve mentioned before that this year I am planning to re-decorate my home. I want to love it-really I NEED to love it. So I found something I could wipe clean and that takes up less room. Next we are down-sizing the t.v. We want one that hangs instead of our big screen. Little by little I will get it done.

Estefan’s birthday was great just like the years before. We had butchered our goat the week before in preparation. We had goat meat taco’s, asado, rice, beans, tortilla’s, salad, and macaroni salad. We had a cake made by Jessica Leavitt this year. I wanted her last year but she was unavailable. One of the down falls of summer birthdays-everyone goes on vacation. I wanted a sunset cake with the kids catching fireflies. I had a really cute jar that she used and she did a great job. I also didn’t want fondant which I think looks fantastic but tasted like…..! So she did it without and I was proud of the cake I didn’t make. I’ve never made any cakes for showers or birthdays. Not my style.

 We had an old fashion little party with Coke in glass bottle and flavored soda in glass bottles too. In all we had about 50 guests to wish Estefan a great 8th.There was a HUMUNGO slip n slide!

Caught on camera-my "GET OVER HERE!" face.

 He received very thoughtful gift from party goers and he had one spoiled one. Apparently his little sister Estella told him he was getting a Wii from his Uncle and Grandpa! Now we know to watch our mouths if we want to surprise someone. Have I mentioned that she talks A LOT. If I am to be really honest-she talks too much, I ignore her most of the time, and wish she would just stop so I could staple her lips shut! But I don’t ever say or do that.

Estefan and Tia Oly

The party stayed out late and most friends went home around 9. Family stayed much later and I went to bed around 2. Some stayed later than that, but I had work the next morning. So what if it was at 11 am. I still needed some sleep!

Estefan decided to wear this snazy outfit to hit the Pinata!

A little side note. I’m tired of being accosted about when we are going to have another baby. I’m to the point of pulling out my hair! It’s started a year ago and hasn’t let up. If anything it’s picked up! My dad, brother, sister, friends, nieces, and distant cousins(!), father in law, have asked me point blank! I’m glad when Tommy is there because I look at him, but I am NEVER happy with his answer. It’s too detailed and I always end up jumping in. Any answer I give isn’t good enough. The worst response I’ve gotten (twice) is whether it’s about money and that they would even pay for it! Or mentioning that some of their best childhood memories were in a two bedroom house. That’s not it at all. I could have 5 in a hut! But really I’m not so and so or in a competition. It’s not a race for me. People forget that I had me first baby eight years ago! I mean actually gave birth to him and have a four year old now too. I really enjoy my kids, is it selfish to want to continue that for just a little bit longer? Other people my age have 4 year olds and younger! When your first is eight let me hound you to death! I’m making a list and seriously plan to do so. I want to ask embarrassing questions and make outlandish suggestions so you can feel guilty. I do! But have no plans in giving in to those 2 dozen people. Even Tommy is feeling the pressure. It’s different for him though, of course. It’s easy to get a girl pregnant. Am I right?



In other news I’ve had a headache for almost a year now! Oh wait could those 2 be connected? Nah, but seriously I need to do something about it. I’ve been told it’s stress (what stress? I have an easy life.) or lack of water. True it could be water but I seriously doubt that. So in any case my complicated life actually consists of those 3 things: dodging baby questions, a year long headache, and newspaper work.



Working for the paper is uh…hard to explain. With out sounding like complaining. Sometimes the things I think are great are edited down to NOTHING! While other times…well actually never mind. I’ve learned people are flaky! And that can make me look flaky to my editor! My stories are so dryL I like fluff, apparently people from here don’t. What people here have no wit? We do! Needless to say I haven’t read our local paper since I started writing. I loved it when I didn’t write for it. I still do but it’s easier to hear it during our meetings that to read about it.

Oh ya can I add a number 4 to my “list of little woes” ? To send Estella to school next year or the following? I’ve pretty much decided on next year for personal reasons. I think I’ve made up my mind but I continue to hear my mom rise against it. She isn’t the only one, but really. I think I’ve made up my mind. She will be missing a good friend though.  Estella will be with Nadia Shakespear and Tandy Barlow! Watch out gals! There’s a smart one, a wild one, and a shy one. That’s a trio!

Estella and cousin Lexi

three ways to have fun

Well not much has been going on here (literally). I was ordered to stay off my feet for 2 days. And limit what I do for two weeks. Ya right!

But what I can say is that I had dinner made for me 2x's! I have to be honest. It almost brought a tear to my eye. In all my life I've never had that done. Okay well since I turned 17. Oh wait. I did have food served to me at the hospitals I stayed at the two times I had my kids. So I'm a lier.

I was prescribed pain killers and a medication for inflammation/swelling. Well let me tell you. I didn't need any of it. I didn't even get a bruise! Lame! Dr. Johnson bet me I would have one  least to my calf and that it would be as black as night. Well I can honestly say that I bruised worse when Estefan hit me with a remote, when he was 6 months old. Seriously I wanted a good shiner:(

I'm slightly sore and limp. To me a knife wound means instant cellulite! I mean my leg couldn't have had little dimples in it before. Or maybe I never looked that closely at it. Or maybe it's not dimply at all? The Dr. said that muscle can't mend it self once it's been cut through. So I guess a little sagging is to be expected?

Found a SUPER old bathing suit that was the size of my hand-then it stretched out to fit my 4T wearing little girl. Sure it had one small side effect, but I couldn't resist the shiny like material!

Before this happened I went swimming and swimming. It was fun! I had fun! We had fun! Here's some pictures to show what fun we had.

We love to meet up with family and friends at the Mesquite Rec. Center

Watching the kids play and splash

one!

two!

three!

The best 80's bathing suit

Gives the best bathing suit BUTT:)

We are divorcing!

So Tommy and I have come to the sad realization that he and I can no longer be together.

"Ay-but a scratch"-Romeo & Juliet

Yesterday in a fit of rage…he stabbed me in my thigh!

This knife was purchased & sharpened by Tommy the day before

Haha..I know it’s nothing to joke about. But how many of you believed me!? No but really, yesterday I became lazy and I think that’s one of he 7 deadly sins.



I was watching Schindlers List while finishing dinner. I brought in a plate to cut up some zucchini. I picked up the plate and brought it to the kitchen. Tommy came in and we were ready to eat. But I needed to cut the bread and since I didn’t want to dirty another knife I decided to use the same one. Well Tommy and I searched for it and searched for it but I told him I don’t think I dropped it because I would have heard it. I said screw it and lets eat. I’m hungry! So in I walked with my plate and sat in the same spot. With my hands filled with a plate of spaghetti I hadn’t braced myself.



Long story short I found the knife. It was dangling from my leg when I screamed for Tommy to pull it out.It didn't feel like a knife but a red hot poker! As he is pulling it out he says, “You’re never suppose to pull out a knife.” He applied pressure. Immense pressure I should add. Have you seen his big rugged hands. I cried hard for about 3 minutes and scared poor Estella. She ran and got a clean sock to wrap my leg in. I hardly bled (thanks to Tommy’s actions) and 15 minutes later I realized I was missing an assignment for the paper. Great.

Everything was fine and dandy. I won’t tell you that I was a baby and didn’t want to go to the ER, or that I wouldn’t let them use soap and water to clean it, that I flinched when you touched the surface of my thigh. I will tell you that contact solution was used to irrigate my wound and that butterfly tape was used. In the end they butterly’d it, placed gauze on it, and wrapped it tightly with an ace bandage. 2 hours later I walked ten step to the kitchen to chat with my in laws and blood gushed through it all and was squirting the cabinet.

The tape, gauze, and ace wrap couldn't hold

After that there was no going back and I was forced to go to the Mesquite hospital. Where I received 9 stitches. I yelped a little. Luckily nurse Tom was there to hold my hand since I was alone. I decided to let Tommy sleep since he had to work at 2 in the morning. I didn’t cry but I was pretty wussy. I mean people get hit by cars and stabbed multiple times. Mine only went in 2 inches. It went through the muscle tissue and into the muscle. The Dr. mentioned I could have used a little more fat-it wouldn't have gone in so deep:(

by the time I got there blood has started to collect under my skin

This is my first hospital stay other than when I gave birth. The Dr. and nurse was great! I am worried that I didn’t get a tetanus shot or antibiotics. I’m off my feet for the next 2 days and can expect some nice bruising down the length of my left leg. I don’t bruise so I’m excited at the thought of it! I will be sore for 2 weeks and will have the stitches removed then.

Because of something to do with the cut I had whats called a Mantra stitch

Eight years ago this month.

Eight years ago I was a fresh graduate. I was camping up in the remote hills in Ely with my family. We had just celebrated the fourth of July. I don’t recall much about the trip (why is that?) other than who was there, and small insignificant details. Like the ride in when I had to hold my belly. The rocky terrain wasn’t unusual for the area but I remember getting the okay from the Dr to travel, but to take it easy. I remember bearing down on my midsection and “holding” it. The rocks were big jagged ones that you couldn’t just fly over. We slowly rolled over them. That was the worse. The big CU-THUNKS and the rocking motion it set to the truck. It caused my insides to jiggle uncomfortable.

I was blissfully unaware that I was only weeks from giving birth to Estefan. I’m pretty sure I had his name picked out by then. I did that right after senior trip in May ‘02. I bought him his first pair of shoes when our bus broke down in front of an outlet mall parking lot. I walked into Gap and bought a pair of white tennies with navy blue trim around the sole. They were so tiny and I don’t even recall him wearing them. It was those shoes that I picked 4 names I “kinda” liked along with ones my mom REALLY liked. I put all four into the left shoe and repeated it for the right. I pulled out a name from each. I just so happened to get the same ones the first time. I then put one back and pulled out a second cookie fortune strip of a paper. Only this had no fortune for me. It was the name of my future. Estefan.



That was eight years ago. I could tell you about his birthday day(07-20-02) and every single day after that. It was what happened beforehand that I struggle to remember. I don’t remember being so bloated or why I was induced when I still had till Aug 1st( my actual due date if my memory serves me right). I look back at pictures and I look HORRIBLE. But I’m smiling like a big ‘ol idiot in each one. Like the weight of the world could be lifted and spared by what I carried inside me. Like I held a significant key to greatness. Like I had swallowed the proverbial canary. I can recall hiding in the girls bathroom one time because I hated what I thought others saw when I looked at myself in the mirror. School could be cruel without having to throw up in hallway trash cans. I must have been uncomfortable, but I don’t recall it. At all. In fact I maybe lying when I tell future mothers that “I never felt better than when I was pregnant” but as I say, I don’t remember being uncomfortable. But goodness gracious did I look it. It actually makes me cringe to see myself nearing the end stage. How did I let that happen-how did my Dr think it was okay for that to happen.*



My love celebrates his birthday this month and through out the years I find myself thinking of all the things I will want promiscuous girls to know someday. Not that being a mother at sixteen isn’t hard but all the other things I couldn‘t even fathom. It reminds me of when I read a book about near death experiences and most of them just said “it’s too much for the best imagination to imagine.” I would like them to think about these two scenarios out of hundred. Like when two people who didn’t love each other ending up falling in love with the same person and then having to share. Or when you finally find someone who loves you and your baby, gets a job in the future that has insurance that doesn’t allow that man to add his “step” son on his insurance because he is just that. How can they conceive of the thought of excluding a child from a family by simply stating to the step child‘s father (who has been there since he was 1!) the he can only include “his“ current family.** As if this child is not part of this family. I wanted to cry! Why? Why didn’t I know this? How bad others could hurt my son and him be (thank the Lord) unaware.



During this time before Estefan, I received a letter. The letter was from a women who was apologetic for the predicament that I put myself in. I still have the letter of her saying how much she enjoyed me (pre-baby). I take it the letter was meant to give her blessing and saying that I was still good and one day would be forgiven for my sin. I kept the letter and still have it. At the time it made my mom cry when she read it. I recently heard about the author’s daughter and her misfortune. Her husband had divorced her after she went crazy. All this stemmed from her loosing a baby inutero. I take it she didn’t think of her daughters pending divorce as a sin but as a tragedy stemmed from the hand of God. This has nothing to do with my son and I.



Every time I think of that women who penned her thoughts on flowered stationary, I think of what her daughter went through, I feel thankful. Through all the public stares, prom maternity dress, and hardships I entailed was shattered. Shattered by the gift I had placed in my arms months later. That in the end I came out the lucky one.



To another year with My Love on earth.



*this Dr. delivered my entire family, extended too. She had her licence stripped of her since I had Estella
** I'm currently fighting this. I WILL win it . I've done in the past.

why complain, when........

Veteran Dave fox on the 4th

Writing for the paper is SO odd. It can be frustrating when you think you have written a MASTERPIECE about the birthday of this wonderful nation that's 1600 words-only to find it shortened to less than 500! I've had a hectic week and I wanted to write all the drama on here.For example: About how I made my sister cry cause she's bringing Crusty the clown with her. Or how I got 2 pairs of (nerdy) new glasses or the best of all-how I was in charge of booking 6 plane tickets, rooms and car rentals. Then try and collect the exact change from everyone.Oh ya- and the fourth of July holiday. Oy Vey! So when this forward came from my editor I was elated! SO dang nice to get something like this from a total stranger.




To progress.com
please forward to your journalist amanda monk





Amanda,



Just wanted to write a quick note and thank you and your husband for your hospitality and kindness at the celebration on Saturday. We drove to Logandale with no real expectations and had a wonderful day. What a great community. On top of that it was a treat to spent time visiting with you and your husband. He had some great stories and to have both my teenage boys laughing out loud is a real feat. I can occasionally get them to smile with some of my best material. If you’re ever in Vegas with nothing to do we’d love to have your family for dinner or just a visit. Thanks again.


Curtis and Teri Child






PS. I've read many of your articles from the archives. Some fun stories and I read the one we talked about, the "green" LDS chapel. Great work!

Some days are like this....

I tend to write about feelings and my day to day things. I’m writing about the mundane. Or is it insane? Those two words are sound-alike‘s. What is that called in the English language?




I live a very simple life to most standards. When life gets bored-we have a baby. Life isn’t so bored anymore once you add to the brood. I’m determined to find a hobby that doesn’t involve my nether regions. Today there is a fire in Moapa. It made the news but I really could care less because it has no direct effect on me. Right now I can smell the toilet bowl cleaner from where I sit. I just hung some clothes up and now I’m going to tackle socks. Some people have dry cleaners that do this kinda stuff. I work quickly by tying the socks into loose knots. I don’t fold one inside the other. It makes them baggy at the top and sooner or later they no longer stay up.



Today I slept in because Estella did. My life is surrounded by others and dictated by them too. I wore the same clothes I wore yesterday and visited the same people I did yesterday. They don’t care if I do things like that. I thought what it would be like to have five kids, brought Estella’s cousin to that said friends house and we ooo’d and awed at her new couches. Well I did. The kids christened them each by doing one of the following: jumped on them, threw a the pillow, climbed over the backs, eat/spilled Pringles, lots of jumping off, and throwing up their juice on them.



I came home and laid down and then decided I didn’t want to nap. It’s just a habit. So I braved the heat and washed the front of my house. While I turned the hose on I noticed my flowers were ALL gone. The goat ate them. Did I mention we have 3 now. Two babies. I’ve lost those two cats we got. One for sure is dead. The day it died we replaced it with a stray cat. It was 2 weeks ago and haven’t seen it since yesterday. Today I called about another cat with 9 siblings.

We’ll see.

this was yesterday, and if you saw me today-I would look like yesterday

I had two unexpected visitors. Two men wanted to know if the fridge and freezer were garbage and if I would like them to haul it off? No thanks-their still good and we use them. Half an hour later a lady from my church stopped by to buy ten pounds of tomatoes. Did I mention that our garden has been producing for awhile. Last week we sold 30 pounds of tomatoes and lots of squash/zucchini. She bought ten pounds. We still have a little less than 30 sitting on the kitchen floor. I bought stuff to can them. Funny thing-after she left I thought how INCREDIBLY beautiful she is! Tommy should’ve married a Mexican like her. Well if he had the choice of who he could fall in love with. So it’s 3 and Tommy should be heading home.



I can’t tell you how the rest of my day is going to go but I bet it involves my sister who is coming to see me, the reservoir that is supposedly closed, and the library.