BBQ Rules

We have entered the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ, the following chain of events are put into motion:

Routine....

(1) The woman buys the food.

(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables and makes dessert.

(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces, and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill.

(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three feet exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.

Here comes the important part:

(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine....

(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.

(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring him an ice cold beverage while he flips the meat.

Important again:

(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS IT TO THE WOMAN.

More routine...

(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauce and brings them to the table.

(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all:

(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANKS HIM for his cooking efforts.

(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed her "night off ", and, upon seeing her annoyed reaction, concludes that there's just no pleasing some women.

The Gall Bladder's connected to the.....

Well, no longer is mine connected to anything. It's gone and I couldn't be happier...or maybe it's because I'm on percocet. (Okay, I'm not anymore.)

My mom came and took care of the girls while I slept and slept and slept....did I mention that I slept. She'd put them to sleep for naps and bed times and even got up with them in the middle of the night... HEAVEN!

The girls went on walks, had hundreds of books read to them, got some new movies, and spent almost the entire 9 days with my mom. Well, there were a few occasions when my mom and I would have to go to "meetings"(we got another toe ring, sushi, shave ice, etc.... some really important "meetings") so we did spend a little time together.

Julius was the chef and made us some wonderful dinners ( Thai panang...so good). Don't know what I would have done without my mom and Julius. It was wonderful to not have to worry about anything. I haven't cooked, cleaned or put kids to bed in 9 days. Good things must come to an end. I must go and do my duties, my mom's gone and I can't act like I'm in pain any longer.

(Just a cute pic of the girls at the beach. I was going to put a pic of a gall bladder or gall bladder surgery, but thought the pic of the girls would be more appreciated and prettier.)

Being a Mom

I had no idea what being a mom would be like, though I'd spent most of my life preparing.  I remember the day I brought Lucy home; Julius left for work and I was alone with this little person.  I was tired, sore, freaked out and still had laundry to do.  I had made goals my entire life:  Get good grades, graduate from high school, seminary, college, travel, mission, marry, and the last but not least have kids.  Well, I did all of that, what they heck do I do NOW?  I have no more goals. They didn't talk about this part in young women's.

I remember calling my mom and asking her that very question, "what do I do now?".   I now am raising 2 beautiful girls who make my life so happy, sad, crazy, fun, etc.  I have had the mommy bear come out to a few people (let's hope they never show up at my church and see me), I have felt helpless when they are sick, I have felt like I was going to go crazy when they don' listen, I have lost it a few times when they cry, and on and on.  I tried to start a garden and was really disappointed when I couldn't get anything to grow.  I called my mom and asked her what I should do.  She told me to focus on growing my children and worry about the garden later.

I am growing my children and loving it (most days).

Happy Mother's Day! 

Stay sane and do something for yourself!  

HMMM........

My Photo Shoot

I am not a photographer, that it for sure, but I do enjoy seeing if I can get one good shot of the girls....don't worry this is not it. I decided to do another of my horrible photo shoots one rainy morning, the girls seemed happy, which always is good, and I seemed more patient than normal, which is really good, so we tried it!

I had to bribe them with 4 bags of SpongeBob fruit snacks and be their personal clown. I did end up getting a couple good shots in the half an hour I spent, but I'm not doing that again for a while.

I guess it's better than going and spending a bunch of money to have their pictures taken and then have them cry the whole time, which I'm sure the girls would do. This photo, I think, is of Ellie asking for the fruit snacks in Lucy's hand.

We are in Kauai and having a great time. It has turned out to be a wonderful vacation even though Julius has been working. There are a ton of roosters that crow at all times of the day and night, but surprisingly it hasn't really bothered me (I think having children that get up at all times of the night has really numbed me to things).

It has been really cold here and I have been wearing socks everyday. I know some of you will make fun of my (and some of you already have) but it has been like 60 degrees at night.....that's cold. Even if you live in cold places you don't let your house get that cold....there is nothing we can do about it, there are no heaters here. I am enjoying it though trying to soak it up as much as possible because I know in a bit I will be whining because it's too hot!

We've seen wet caves, dry caves, amazing views from Kokee, Waimea Canyon, went quading at an old sugar cane reservoir, and of course went to the beach. It has been great! Here is a picture of a waterfall on the way up to the Kokee State Park. The picture does not do it justice, but you get the jist of it.....it was amazing!

Happy New Year!

Goals for this year, in no particular order:

• Spend more time with children. All the cleaning will be there when I'm finshed, unfortunately they don't get done without me.

• Be more Patient.
  

• Don't overreact. I'm so drama queen sometimes.

• Spend less time doing things that don't really matter. I love to do things that are of no worth, when I really should be doing other things. (i.e. sometimes I spend too much time on the computer, doing nothing....way too much time.) It's okay sometimes, but I go a little overboard....I know, me go overboard? NEVER!

• Family History with my mom.
  

• Spend less money. I love to buy crap, things I don't really need...I get a little carried away at the local thrift store or Wal Mart....Hey it's only a dollar, right?!

• EXERCISE more.
  

• Do my visiting teaching.

• NOT BE EASILY PROVOKED. (This is a big one for me!)
  
  
  

There you go...I'd better get started. What are some of yours?