Buble

Today I'm headed North to see a favorite singer of mine:  Michael Buble.  Tickets were a Christmas gift from my handsome hubby.  Here is a little something for you in case you are not fortunate enough to join me tonight.

Here Comes Peter Cottontail

Since Peter Cottontail is hopping down the bunny trail and Easter's on it's way. . .I'll share with you a cute note I got in the mail from my mother.

Things I've learned from the Easter Bunny:

Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
Walk softly and carry a big carrot!
Everyone needs a friend that is all ears.
There is no such thing as too much candy.
All work and no play can make you a basket case.
A cute little tail attracts a lot of attention.
Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.
Keep your paws off other people's jelly beans.
Good things come in small, sugar coated packages.
The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.
An Easter bonnet can tame even the wildest hare.
The best things in life are still sweet and gooey.
Some body parts should be floppy!

Young Women

I spent Saturday night at the General Young Women meeting with my darling daughter.  It was awesome.  If you'd like a sample of what we enjoyed - here is a clip from last years meeting. 

We also enjoyed a fabulous dinner at 25 Main after the broadcast, complete with great mother-daughter conversation and cupcakes for dessert.  What more could a mother ask for I tell ya? 

A Conversation

I spent yesterday morning at the Hershey Track Meet with my daughter Maggie.  She won her heat for the 100 meter race which meant she made it to the finals.  I was so very proud.  After the race we had the following conversation:

Maggie:  I think I could have run the 200 meter too.
Me:  You could have run ANY race, you can do anything you set your mind to.
Maggie:  Wow!  Thanks, Mom.  You can too, well, except maybe wear high heels.

NOTE TO SELF:  Do not attempt to negotiate high heels.

It's good to know your boundaries.   

I've Got Your Back

Sometimes when pondering what to post I ask myself, "What do I know that could help someone else?"  Today the answer to that question is, "RideMax."

RideMax is what you'll need if you happen to be going to Disneyland (you lucky dog you).  RideMax is a planning software that completely maps out your day at Disneyland.  It just so happens to know when rides are the busiest, which way to turn in line for the shortest wait time, which seat will give you the most optimal ride, and how to use a fast pass most efficiently. 

My dear friend and I went to Disneyland together last April.  It was the year you could get in FREE on your birthday and it just so happens that my daughter and her son have the same birthday, so we met up in So Cal and had a blast at the happiest place on earth.  We used RideMax and were blown away by how well it worked.  We were cruising on rides while others were waiting in line.  It was amazingly awesome. 

I wish I could say I get a kickback from RideMax for telling you about it, but I totally don't.  It's just a tip I wanted to share with my nearest and dearest friends.  You're welcome. 

Hold On

You may have noticed that I was tired yesterday.  I'm tired today too.  Not just physically tired, emotionally too.  I was also feeling a little self-pity yesterday.  Not enough sleep, not enough money in the bank, not enough hours in the day, not enough patience with my kids, not enough tread on the tires, yada - yada - yada.

But here's what happened. . .as the day went on I kept getting messages from heaven telling me to "buck up."  One message came from a Seagull Book catalog.  It said:  "Don't just weather the storm - learn to dance in the rain."  Another came from my Michael Buble CD I've been listening to in preparation for his concert I'm going to next week.  Track 7 - "Hold On."  Another came from the guy in stripes picking up trash along the freeway as I whizzed by.  He seemed to say, "You've got it pretty good, lady."

I sometimes have a hard time acknowledging the "haves" and ignoring the "have nots."  I may even have a hard time acknowledging I have so much, in a time when so many have so little.  What I do have for sure is love in my heart.  I've said it before, and I'll say it again. . .love can negotiate anything.  

Tired

I'm spent.

A la Peanut Butter Sandwiches

I'm tired of making the same old things for dinner.  I imagine you are too?  So here's what I've done about it.  I've created a new blog.  It's called Food-a-la-Suze.  I'd like to be able to post a new recipe each day.  Not just any recipe, but a recipe that we've tried and really enjoy.  Something we can put in the rotation.

Here's where you come in.  Email me at foodalasuze@gmail.com.  Give me a recipe that's tried and true at your house.  We'll try it, and if we agree it's as good as you say it is, I'll post it on Food a la Suze.  This way, we can share what we've got with each other.  It's a win-win don't ya think?

I've already posted the recipes I've previously posted on Life's Negotiations.  I also posted a new recipe for homemade lemonade to prove I'm not just looking for main dishes.  And desserts are my favorite if you didn't already know.  But my biggest dilemma is making nutritious dinners (that taste great) for my family with little or no time so you gotta help me out.  Oh, and one more thing, if you've taken your recipe from a cookbook or website, I'd like to give them credit.  Can't wait to hear from you!

PPI

I began blogging to share with you my tips to negotiating life, so here is a tip for you. . .have PPIs with your children and spouse. 

If you're unaware of what a PPI is, well then I'll tell you it's a Personal Progress Interview.  My husband and I like to interview our kids the first week of each month.  We invite them into our room solo.  It's them and us and it's great to put them in the middle and start asking all kinds of embarrassing questions.  Kidding.  It's great to start by telling them how proud you are of them and what a great job they're doing at negotiating life.  Then it's important to ask if there is anything bothering them or if they'd like to share concerns with you.  Often times they'll share things with you that they may not have approached you with, but since you are asking - they are telling and it's a beautiful thing. 

I believe starting this PPI habit while your kids are young is most helpful.  If you've been having talks with them regularly since kindergarten, they'll be more likely to share their high school experiences with you.  My kids actually love this PPI.  They'll think up anything just to keep talking to us and keep the next kid waiting for their turn.  They feel special when you give them individual attention.  It's definitely a win/win situation and something you and your spouse could benefit from as well.  Communication is key in negotiating successful relationships. 

Hawaiian Items

I recently had the pleasure of traveling to Hurricane.  It's pronounced Hur-i-kin.  Don't know why they pronounce it the way they do, probably has something to do with small town lingo, n stuff.  Hurricane has a population of less than 10,000 people and is only 31.5 square miles.  Anyhow, the trip from my front porch to Hurricane takes all of two minutes.  While on my way, I passed a Walgreens store.  There was a big banner hung across the front of the store.  It read:  WE NOW CARRY HAWAIIAN ITEMS. 

I'm curious.  Is there a large influx in Hawaiians migrating to Hurricane that I'm not aware of?  Are they demanding their local stores carry Hawaiian items?  If so, maybe they should have stayed in Hawaii where Hawaiian items are readily available.  If I lived in Hawaii I would stay there because I love the ocean, but Hawaiian items would probably be a bonus. 

And just what kind of Hawaiian items have they got?  Grass skirts?  Tikki necklaces like the one that brought bad luck to the Brady Bunch?  Chocolate covered macadamia nuts?  Hawaiian shirts?  Surf boards?  Leis?  Sugar cane? Or maybe I'm thinking too big for a small town and it's merely Hawaiian punch?

I'm determined to get to the bottom of this. . .stay tuned.  

The Other End of a Very Long Day

While driving home from Provo this past weekend I was reminded of another long drive home.  It was the day we found out we'd be welcoming a back brace into our life for the next six years.  It was quite a day in itself, but here is the other end of that very long day.

We had 250 miles to travel home that night.  We timed it so we'd arrive in Cedar City around 10:30 pm.  Cedar City happens to be 45 miles from where we live and is where our Dad works. He had been sleeping in his office for two weeks as it was football camp and that's what football coaches do a lot of the time.  It's very glamorous. 10:30 pm is when he would have a break in his day and we could stop to exchange love and encouragement.

The long drive home was much more quiet than usual.  No movies or video games, just silence.  We all kept our thoughts to ourselves for at least 100 miles.  It was then that I heard a voice from the back seat.  This time is wasn't a child serenading me, it was Maggie.

Maggie:  Mom?
Me:  Yes?
Maggie:  I need Dad.
Me:  Me too.

We finally arrived in Cedar City that night and had a good visit with our Dad before pushing the last 45 miles home.  We couldn't wait to hop in bed and put the day behind us.  I was completely spent, emotionally and physically.  But come to find out, we were locked out.  I'd given my house key to a neighbor so our dog could be cared for while we were gone.  It was now midnight and nothing we tried got us into our house.  With all other options exhausted, we called our Dad and requested he drive the 45 miles home to let us in.

We spread out a blanket on the front lawn and waited.  We soon fell asleep and I woke an hour later to my husband standing over me.  "You're covered in cockroaches, " he said.  And it was funny to think that at that moment, that was the very least of my concerns.

UPDATE:  Jamison wears his brace pretty darn faithfully and with very few complaints.  Our next check-up is April 23.  

Chances

Chances are I'll get a closet cleaned today in my quest for organization.

Chances are I'll drive over the speed limit.

Chances are I'll give in to the urge for caffeine.

Chances are I'll have a good laugh with my kids.

Chances are it will rain most of the day in my zip code.

Chances are I may miss some blogging this week as it is Spring Break and we're headed up north.

Chances are we'll have spaghetti for dinner.

Chances are I'll forget to pick up the dry cleaning.

Chances are my husband and I will be in bed by 9 pm.

Chances are I'll buy more at Target than what I came in for.

Chances are my life couldn't get much better than it is right now.

Chances are this could currently be my favorite song.

Happy Birthday

When I decided to blog last Fall my husband said, "Go for it, but keep me out of it."  I've believe I've complied with his request, though I did post about puckering his pants.  And today is his birthday, so I'd like to wish him a Happy Birthday by sharing with you the words of my favorite birthday song.  I learned it from Mrs. Ord, a first grade teacher, when I worked as her aide.  She sang it to each first grader on their birthday and I loved it.  I now take the liberty of singing it to anyone and everyone on their birthday, much to the chagrin of my children.  I thought about singing it for you here in a very C Jane-ish sort of way, but my courage is not as great as hers so the words will have to suffice. 

Happy Birthday, Happy, Happy Birthday!
This is your day, so have a lot of fun (boom boom boom).
We're all waitin' for your celebration, for your celebration to begin SO
Blow out the candles on your cake and make a wish.
Serve everybody's favorite dish, favorite dish (boom boom boom).
Happy Birthday, Happy, Happy Birthday!
This is your day, so Happy Birthday to you!

HELP!

We recently got a new American Girl doll catalog in the mail.  My daughter took to circling items she wanted as if it were the giant Toys R Us insert that comes with the Thanksgiving day newspaper.  When she brought it to my husband and I, my husband said, "No, no no.  And in case I didn't make myself clear, no."  I thought that was the end of it, but little did I know we had just set the wheels in her head to cranking.

She instantly sent an email to Grandma.  Subject line:  HELP!  She then proceeded to tell Grandma how she really wanted this darling soccer uniform.  Grandma that she is, she quickly put the money in an envelope and sent it priority mail.  Later on, when I phoned my mom to check in, she told me of the darling email she had received and how happy she was to help with a new soccer uniform.  I then asked, "Do you happen to know that this soccer uniform that she's dreaming of is for her American Girl doll?"

Well, needless to say, Grandma and I had a good laugh.  We also acknowledged the ability my children have to negotiate.

DOs and DONTs (In My Opinion)

I've been around the block a few times.  Sometimes the trip was long and arduous, painful even.  Sometimes the trip was fantastically beautiful, thrilling even.  Thus, I'd like to share a few DOs and DONTs that have made the negotiation of my life a little easier.

DON'T pay for school pictures.  You are much more capable of taking a cute picture of your child.
DO buy a class picture.

DON'T buy pictures of your child's soccer team either.
DO get them to kneel by the ball and take your own.

DON'T show up at the high school to surprise your child for lunch (lesson learned the hard way).
DO show up at the elementary school with a Happy Meal and surprise your child for lunch.

DON'T sign up to help out with everything.
DO volunteer when you can.

DON'T feel like a shower is imperative.
DO take naps with your babies.

DON'T let your child disrespect you.
DO teach your child to respect authority.

DON'T be afraid to trust your child.  If they say their teacher is nuts, they could be right.
DO get both sides of the story.

DON'T overschedule.
DO make time to play with your kids.

DON'T be too busy to go to your kids games and activities.
DO make your husband a priority. 

DON'T say I didn't warn you.
DO make the most of life, as it is quickly passing us by.

Self Reliance

Years ago one of my children's teachers called me a "helicopter mom."  She suggested I swooped in to save the day with forgotten homework or permission slips.  More recently a therapist called me an "enabler."  These labels are actually pretty acurate.  My husband says I would perform CPR on our kids if they ever tired of breathing.  He's probably right.  I wish I was better at teaching my children self reliance, I'm working on it.

For this reason my oldest son, who is preparing to leave for college and then serve an LDS mission, has decided he ought to be sure he is capable of negotiating life on his own.  He has set goals like cooking dinner for the family once a week and doing his own laundry. 

We decided to start off easy.  Our first recipie to conquer was chicken salad.  My sister-in-law Megan gave me this recipie.  It's to-die-for. 

2 Cups chicken
2 Cups celery (sliced thin)
1 Cup mayo
2 Tablespoons onion flakes
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 Teaspoon Accent
1 Teaspoon salt

We like it best served on Costco croissants.  Enjoy!

Confessions

I confess. . .

• I haven't spent time with my Wii little friend, a.k.a. exercised, in two weeks.
• My house is messy cluttered.
• I like my job.
• I have had several Coca-Colas in the past couple of weeks.  
• My boys need haircuts.
• I really enjoy watching Undercover Boss.
• I'm cooking a lot of microwave meals lately.
• I could do a better job of studying the scriptures.
• I can't wait to see a blossom.
• I miss my mom.
• I love being married to a football coach.
• I think my kids are awesome.

The Way I See It

Every once in a while I see a movie that merits my recommendation.  My favorite movies are true stories that encourage, uplift or share an important message.  This past weekend I was lucky enough to see such a movie.  The movie is one made for HBO called "Temple Grandin."

Now we don't have HBO so it is very fortunate that I sat waiting in our hotel room for my husband while he spoke at the Nike Coach of the Year Football Clinic in Vegas.  I was flipping through channels when suddenly I became captivated by the amazing story of Temple Grandin, a woman with autism who has been extremely successful in life.  While watching I laughed, cried, and beamed as she triumphed over challenges.

I'm of the opinion that things in life happen for a reason.  Lives are touched.  Lessons are learned.  Opportunity knocks and doors are opened, or perhaps closed.  So I found it interesting that I posted about a charming young man with autism on Friday and was then inspired by a brave woman with autism on Saturday.  I've been thinking a lot lately about returning to school to finish my degree in special education.  Maybe someone is trying to tell me something.

In the meantime, I plan to read this book.