A Day Late and a Gazillion Pictures Short

I'm a teacher. I know there is no such thing as 'a gazillion'. However, when I started looking at all the pictures I haven't uploaded yet, a billion or even a trillion just didn't seem to cut it. If you check out my blog (that is, you whole two people that ever look at it)you'll notice that my posting this summer was just plain pitiful. I can't write everything we did or I would be sitting here for a week, and frankly, I've got a book to write. So... here is my spewing of the basic facts of the Jordan Summer.
Micky and AJ working on their Model poses. Actually, when AJ saw Micky wearing this towel in this cool way, he had to be a part of it.
Ty and Jerry went on a Fathers and Sons campout with my dad's ward. Basically, the campout was off the charts lame, so this one picture just summarizes all the fun. :)
Andrew loves! trains. He has a borderline obsession. Here is he and Micky waiting their turn to ride the train.
On the train ride. We paid 3 bucks a piece for this. No wonder they had the train to themselves.
At least the train looks cute.
I was a little nervous about pools this year,H1N1 and all, so we bought a cheap pool. Ty and his friends still enjoyed it though.
Haha...Micky is more about the pose than what she is doing. She loves water, but she also likes looking cute in her swimsuit.
Andy wasn't sure if swimming was for him. His swim outfit was comfortable though. :)
Nothing fun to do this summer? Just plaster yourself with stickers. I actually love this picture because Andy is finally old enough to play with the kids.
He can play with them--that doesn't mean he should play with them. :)
Oh the joys of having a big brother. Ty and Andy in mid-wrestling match
Who will be triumphant? Probably the BIG brother. But at least they are BOTH smiling.
Proof that I am the coolest mom ever. I took my two older kids to the Jonas Brothers Concert in Vegas. This picture was taken at one o' clock in the morning.
A trip to Vegas is not complete without a trip to the Cheesecake Factory.
While Ty and I took our Vegas sign picture, this was McKayla. So...am I really a good parent? Or is it child abuse when your daughter falls asleep in the middle of a concert she's supposed to be enjoying?
After the Jo Bro Concert--All the kids...that were still awake. :)
We Love The Jonas Brothers. This was before the concert and they were all decked in their Jo Bro outfits. The concert was actually really fun. I knew all the songs and could sing along to every one. SHHHH, don't tell anyone though. Anyone over the age of 16 should not know Jonas Brothers songs.
After the concert Micky just had to have some Jonas PJ's. Doesn't she look awesome?
Once again, it ain't a picture if there ain't a pose.
Moore Family Reunion here again. This is my whole crazy, loveable family. My family was actually in charge this year. We had a BLAST!
One hit of the reunion was our skit bags. This is me in my acting debut. Don't ask me what our skit was actually about.
I was in charge of the crafts for the reunion. Being the completely lazy person that I am, I went with craft that could be created with what we found around us. This was a mask we made with paper plates, leaves, and a few babbles.
Another hit was the pet rocks all the kids got to paint. They are sooo enjoying themselves.
I LOVE this picture. This is my nephew, Ethan. He just accidentally ate a bubble. Isn't that picture priceless?
Best cousins. These kids are practically brothers and sisters yet they still love being together.
This is a random pic. Andy trying on Jerry's shoes. I think I have pictures of all of my children doing this. This pic is especially special because he happened to have stitches in his lip. (check my earlier post for that detail)
Every summer we go to Payson park on Sunday nights and 'watch' the band concert. Usually the grown ups just sit around chatting the whole time and don't hear a word of the music. The kids make their own fun. This week, one of the nice people sitting by us gave them free glow sticks. They thought it was fabulous!
Another kid band concert highlight? Hitting a stick on the trees. FUN!
Fourth of Jyly is always spent in Nephi. Every year Ty tries to do the grease pole. He hasn't made it to the top yet, but he's getting closer.
This is a classic Micky pic. Love it!
Waiting for their turn to climb the grease pole. Do they look nervous?
Daddy and Andy--Making their own fun in Nephi park.
End of Summer. First day of school. It's grade 5 for Ty and grade 2 for Mick.
Hogle Zoo Carousel--We actually did this before school started, but I was just too lazy to change it.
This picture is so cute. I wanted to post the one before it though. It actually captured the essense of what it is like to take photos of kids. The extra cute add-on is my pretend niece Jazzy. She is my cousin's daughter, but I just call her my niece.
Here is Andy's turn on the carousel. He LovEd It!
Ty petting a sting ray at the Living Planet Aquarium.
The awesome part of the Aquarium, the Amazon Rain Forest section. I could stay here for hours.
Isn't this pose to die for? He sat like this throughout the entire aquarium, like he was watching a TV show or something. I loved it.
My sista Teresa graduated with a Master's Degree in the Fall. I was so proud of her. She is an awesome sister and is almost too smart for me now. :)

Well, that's it. If you are reading this, GET A LIFE! Just kidding. Hope you enjoyed the summer exhale of pictures. Don't you wish your family was as cool as we? See ya!

Happy 14th

Jerry and I celebrated our 14 year anniversary on September 15th. How can time go so quickly on some weeks and seem to have lasted an eternity on other weeks? It reminds me of one of my very favorite books; 'A Lantern in Her Hand' by: Bess Streeter Aldrich. When Abbie Deal's true love comes home from the Civil War and asks her to be his wife. The dialogue goes like this:

"I was afraid all the time, Will"
Will held her close, smoothed her red-brown hair.
Afraid of what, Abbie girl?
"I don't know. Just Afraid."
"You're not afraid with me?"
"Not with you, Will. Why is that?"
"Because I love you and you love me."
"Yes, that's it... and I'm not afraid."
"Of life with me, Abbie-girl?"
"Not of anything, Will, with you."
"And you'll always love me?"
"Always Will,...in this life and the next."

So you understand...this was my vision of what love was as a young teenage girl. Always thinking life held a fairy tale ending for any one who wanted one. Imagine my surprise, when I realized there is no ending and that sometimes you are afraid, and sometimes things go wrong. Maybe Jerry and I don't have a book-ending kind of marriage, but these are all the things I love about my husband.
-He let's me be me. Even when I'm being a bit of a Bee-otch.
-He has worked nights for nine years just so our children won't have to go to daycare.
-He is a hard worker and makes our home and yard look awesome.
-He still thinks I'm hot even though I look so much different than I did when we first got married.
-He is willing to sing really loud in car with me.
-He has given me a love of classic rock(something I didn't think I'd ever want, let alone appreciate)
-He is a wonderful dad.
-He takes me on FUN vacations.
-He still holds my hand even though I know he hates holding hands because he thinks he has sweaty palms.
-He does the laundry and the dishes, and only complains about it once in a while.
-He has a hilarious belly laugh (if you haven't heard it, you really should)
and last but most important...
-He loves me.
Thanks Jer, for fourteen great years. We've had our ups and downs, but I'm glad I've experienced those highs and lows with you.
LOVE YA!

Another Brilliant Idea

I often sit around thinking that life is good, and how lucky I really am to be alive and have my wonderful family and great friends. However, being the true American I really am, I am never satisfied. What would make having a life of safety and cleaniless (something not attainable in a third world country) better you ask? Why a soundtrack from the sky of course.

I am an avid movie watcher. I love how, when something sad happens, the depressing music crescendos at just the right moment making you cry your eyes out. It's fabulous when the two lovers finally get together and a little bit of a love song floats in from the background. Best of all, in a scary movie, they let us know something bad is going to happen when a creepy tune starts playing right before the guy jumps out of the closet. Wouldn't life be that much more wonderful if this happened for us?

Imagine for a moment you are driving along the road and suddenly, out of nowhere, the Jaws Theme starts playing in your car. Sure enough, right when the music hits fever pitch a hidden policeman pulls out behind you and gives you a ticket. Or, your jerk of a boyfriend that you've given years of your life to suddenly breaks up with you. At the perfect moment, Alannis Morriset's Jagged Little Pill soundtrack rips over an intercom. Now picture yourself having the best hair and clothes day you've had in a long time, and as you walk out of the bathroom Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back comes blasting out. Be honest, wouldn't that be awesome!

I keep hearing all these conspiracy theories, true or fake, about how the Government has devices that can track us where ever we go. Via satelite they pretty much know when you are using the bathroom or blowing your nose. They can track you through your credit cards also, which is why they are trying to make credit card usage an infection that spreads to every person in America. Well, I have to say, that if they have this kind of technology, then why can't they also create the soundtrack tracker?

How it would work is that a music system/satellite would be launched into space for every person in the U.S., because lets face it, there are not enough satellites in space. Then they could just install some type of microchip in your brain that tracks your moods (There's no way some one could use this for evil, right?). Then when your mood changed, a song would play inside your head that was perfect for whichever situation you might be in. It would be SO GREAT!

So, just in case someone ever does get smart enough to create this and not destroy all of mankind with the technology, here is my list of songs I would want in 'Margie's Life Soundtrack'.

A Bad Day- 'You Found Me' by:The Fray or 'Survivor' by:Destiny's Child
A Fat day (don't we all have these?)- 'Big and Chunky' by: will.i.am or 'Paper Bag' by: Anna Nalick
Sporting a Sexy Outfit- 'Sexy Back' by: Justin Timberlake or 'Single Ladies' by: Beyonce
Fighting with someone- 'I Don't Care' by: Fall Out Boy or 'Bad Reputation' by: Half Cocked
A Hard day at work- 'Take Me Away' by: Plain White T's
Feeling Stressed Out- '4 Minutes' by: Madonna and Justin Timberlake
Watching my kids get along- 'Makes Me Happy' by: Drake Bell
Fight with Hubby- 'So What' by: Pink
Tender Moment w/Hubby- 'Your Call' by: Secondhand Serenade, 'No Other Love' by: Chuck Prophet, and 'Crash Into Me' by: Dave Matthews Band
Finding Time to actually go running-'Let It Rock' by: Kevin Rudolf or 'Dirty Little Secret' by:The All-American Rejects
Bidding Farewell- 'Say' by: John Mayer or 'Homeward Bound' by: Mormon Tabernacle Choir

These are just a few of the songs I would request in my micro-chip, brain-implanted soundtrack. I know I would HAVE to have some U2, Pearl Jam, Jewel, Queen, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, and Bing Crosby in there somewhere. Until that day comes, I guess I'll just have to keep my IPod handy and the radio blasting in my car.

A Formal Complaint to "The World"

7 August 2009

Me
Fed Up Lane
My life

To Whom it May Concern:
I had the opportunity of visiting your "offices" this past week, and I have a few complaints to make you aware of.

First of all, you don't have to make so many cops with attitude problems. They shouldn't follow you for five miles waiting for you to make a mistake. They shouldn't pull you over for not signaling for two seconds before changing lanes. And most of all, they shouldn't treat you rudely just because you drive a ghetto car with duct tape on the bumper. Could you please look into that for me, or at least tell them they should be following the '3 second' rule instead of riding my butt while they wait for me to make a mistake.

Secondly, I would appreciate it if you could keep your winds to a slight breeze. One of your more gusty rebels picked up my tramp yesterday and flung it into a neighbors yard three houses down, completing mutilating it. Also explain to me why you would choose our brand new tramp to pick on when all the surrounding neighbors tramps that are older and dingier didn't even budge an inch. I will be expecting a check for $350.00, the cost of the trampoline.

Lastly, could you please keep your "offices" clean? Frankly, I'm tired of my kids coming in from playing at "your house", and getting their filthy, dirty feet and bodies all over my sheets and couch. I've had to wash my sheets every other day, and bath children who are grumpy because they are tired. You just seem to wear them out, and I need them awake and alert when they start school in a week and half. (Thank Goodness).

If you could just take care of those items for me, it would be greatly appreciated. Oh, and while you're at it, I would appreciate a fog-free brain, a self cleaning house, a car that doesn't require gas (or duct tape), and a reprieve from giving a talk in church on Sunday. Thank you for your prompt reply. I am eagerly awaiting your response.

Sincerely,
Me

Hawaii AND Bust...(my pants that is)

I'm a little late posting this, but between BBQs, Trampoline set-ups, stitches, classroom moving, etc., I haven't had time.
My husband and I got back about a week ago from a thoroughly relaxing trip to Hawaii. Ahhhhh, was it blissful! We stayed up late, learned to be 'slumdog millin-aires', ate, woke up early, snorkeled, ate, lounged on the beach, ate, saw sea turtles, swam with sharks, ate, watched t.v. without having to get up once to break up fighting kids, ate, read books, solved People Magazine crossword puzzles, ate, drank pina coladas by the Turtle Bay pool, went on a sunset catamarran sail,ate... Are we seeing a common theme?
I think I spent two months trying to body prep myself for this trip. I ate less, exercised more, got a pedicure and gel toes (recommended), a spray-on tan (not recommended), got my hair cut and highlighted, and waxed,well we won't go into that (ouch!) I really wanted to look fabulous. I then spent the entire week of my vacation undoing all the hard work. My spray tan washed off in splotchy blotches after about one trip to the beach. My hair was, well, humidity-driven the entire time (aka frizzy), and I ate so much food I gained five pounds. Why do I do this myself? Because looking good is hard work and work frankly, SUCKS!
Now don't get me wrong. This trip is definitely in the Top 3 BEST vacations I've ever been on. Our friends we traveled with were awesome! We've always been good friends, but it was truly fun getting to know them better. I laughed more in that week than I think I have in the rest of the year combined. I discovered snorkeling and that I love it. I even want to get a Scuba License now. I became a beach bum (which if you've known me at all-you'll know I usually shun the sun). I learned to take life one moment at a time and just breath in the moments I am given. I came home a different, more relaxed kind of person.
So, to recap...With all my work and worry,I didn't look fabulous for even one moment of the trip. I couldn't even compare to the beautiful beach babes walking around Waiemaie Beach. BUT... for the first time in my life I didn't care. This trip taught me that there is more to life than how we look. It's about embracing life and having fun whenever you can. AND... that is a lesson I will keep with me always.
THANKS HAWAII! I'll be visiting you again soon.