Blast from the Past

When I was 15 I was asked to go on a road trip with a family, for one month as a nanny. Being the shy and timid person I was back then, I had my reservations about it but also wanted to go. One night I got really nervous about something happening to me. I didn't even have my driver's license, only a driver's permit and I wasn't a really experienced driver yet. So when the mother told me I would be doing a lot of the driving, I wrote out a will. (spelling not changed)

"If I die I would like all of my money to go to Jamie in a special savings account. I leave all my jeweraly to her also. Everything else in my room I would like to stay the same, I wouldn't want anything given away (except for what I have written) and I would always want fresh flowers in my room. I will leave all of my tapes to Joe Maher and my clothes and art collection to Erin. Keri may have my jeweraly boxs because she never has a place to put her jewarly. I would like Scott to have my money also (split it with Jamie) for a mission and college and also my postcard collection. I want Barb Baer to have my books including Anne of Green Gables because I know they mean so much to her, like they do to me. I want Jodi Marccuci to help my mom do her geneology work since I wouldn't get to. I would want Jennifer Packer to have my stuffed animals because I know she would take care of them. I want my Mom and Dad to have my quilt that I made with the laurel girls. That's all I can think of. I love all of you so very much and I know that I will see you again someday. I don't know how I can bare it without you but eventually the time will come. You all had better be perfact, or else!!!! Love Shannon Leigh Mayer

WOW! So young..so silly and so bad at spelling!!

Bring it

Since mid-August we have had what seems to be a gazillion illnesses. It started with sinus infections, then croup, colds, hives, pnuemonia, possible flu and now another severe cold. We have all gotten something and the sad thing is most years we usually don't get sick until January! To say the least I am frustrated. But now that we have dealt with all of these crappy sicknesses...all I can say is BRING IT. I am ready for whatever comes next.

The Book Train

This is what Olivia and I do when Joseph is at school. We had a great day playing on the book train!

Flatophobia

Neal here.

My older brother recently moved into a newer, larger home in Texas (And yes, "everything is bigger in Texas" certainly applies in this instance). On our family website, he discussed the challenges of adjusting to a new home, including the difficulty his daughter was having with her new room. Apparently, the room has vaulted ceilings, and she is a little creeped-out by her cavernous surroundings. I offered this explanation for her unique fears.

"I have a theory about Sydney's fear of the high ceilings. When I moved from Utah to Texas, one of the toughest parts about it was never seeing mountains. I had a strange fear of flat areas, especially horizons that extended ad infinitum. What would you call that? Flatophobia? Anyway, since Sydney is a died-in-the-wool Texican whose most salient exposure to topography is a fire-ant hill, maybe she has the opposite fear: Fear of high things. Not acrophobia... just a fear of things that are taller than her. What would that be called? Maybe it's ManIWishIWasClosetotheWasatchRangeophobia."

I love Rollip!!

I had to do something with this picture.....go to www.rollip.com and have some fun!

Little Gems

These are just a few of the wonderful things my kids have said to me lately:

Joseph: "Mom, you are cruel." (this was after I had asked him to do something several times and he didn't listen so I finally yelled at him.)

Olivia: "But Mom, this is the treasure chest of the Gods." (after I told Olivia for the millionth time her treasure chest had to stay in her room.)

Olivia: "Mom, I can't wear this. It looks kind of boylish."

Joseph: "But Mom,of course you don't want us to die because we are so precious to you." (after talking about why he and Olivia needed to get a swine flu shot.)

Joseph: "Wow Mom, you are wearing NICE clothes today." (apparently I don't most of the time.)

Olivia was fussing around in bed the other night so I went to check on her. I was sitting on her bed and she said "Mom, struggling is hard work. Raising kids is hard work." Then she turned over and went back to sleep. Not sure where that came from but I thought it was profound!

Beautiful Olivia

We had these pictures taken at Target a few weeks ago. I have never been disappointed with our photo's taken there....so go ahead, try them!