Random Friday

I hate getting my “Friday Letter” from my university’s Alumni Association. Every now and then there is something interesting in there, but most of the time it seems like they are just informing us of more ways to donate money for student atheletes. I’m all for scholorships and alumni donations, but dang it all! Don’t’cha think other students need financial asisstance, too? Not just the atheletes? There are never that many music scholorships to go around, and the competition is tough. It seems like all you have to do is be able to throw around a ball a little, sit on the bench all season, and you’re given scholorships, free tutoring, and clothing allowances. I get a bit frustrated at that. Stepping off my soap box now (for a moment or two, anyway).

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Ches has a phone interview this afternoon and another school just called to confirm some parts of his application and touch base. There is still hope. We will be in Arizona in one week, and it would be nice to have a job when we get there!! We are nervous, but still hopeful.

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Did you know that Jack Dempsey was Mormon? Yup, it’s totally true. His name was actually William Harrison Dempsey, but he chose the name “Jack” because he said he wasn’t a very faithful Mormon (from the term Jack Mormon, I’m guessing. Or did we get that term from him??? Hmmmm.)

You can find out about all the famous Mormons, infamous Mormons, and rumored-to-be-Mormons (but aren’t) at this site. It’s really interesting, and goes far beyond Donnie and Marie Osmond.

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Dallin say “thank you” now! That’s right! I gave him a cup of milk the other day, and without any prompting he said “thank you” and walked away. It’s so cute!!

Honestly, my kids are little monsters. I can’t keep the house clean for anything and they are both climbing on everything and getting into everything. They run around and scream and yell just for the heck of it. However, I wouldn’t trade them for the world. I think they are smart and adorable and polite and a lot of fun. So there.

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We saw a bunch of movies recently (loving Blockbuster online!!), and rather than giving you full-on reviews and links to every movie (I just don’t feel like doing all that work today), I’m going to tell you what we saw and what we liked.

“Guess Who” with Bernie Mac and Ashton Kutcher. I have only wanted to see this because I loved the old “Guess Who is Coming for Dinner” with Katherine Hepburn and Sydney Poitier. I haven’t seen it in years, but I loved that movie. The remake is almost nothing like the old one, but it was very, very enjoyable! We were quite surprised at how much we liked it and just how humorous it really was.

“Eight Below” with Paul Walker (another Mormon! Well, he was raised Mormon, anyway). Really good family movie, and if you like movies with animals as the stars, you’ll love this. Aiden keeps asking to watch it more and more, and I have a feeling if we get a dog someday, it’ll be named Maya or Old Jack. We all enjoyed it, and I didn’t cry (although it was close a few times!)

“Nanny McPhee” with Colin Firth and Emma Thompson. This was really, really cute. Predictable in so many ways, but still cute. I liked it. I’m curious about the books that it comes from now. Oh, and Angela Lansbury has a part, too! (How can you not love Angela Lansbury??)

“Ice Princess” with Kim Cattrell, Joan Cusak, and Michelle Trachtenburg. I really only wanted to see this because of Michelle Trachtenburg (she played Dawn, Buffy’s little sister on “Buffy the Vampire Slayer”, my favorite TV show). It was cute, and I think it’s really good for tween girls. Aiden had no interest (other than “That sure is about ice skating!”), but it was still cute and not a total waste of my time to watch.

I’m pretty sure there were more, but I can’t think of them now. We still have “De-Lovely” and “XXX – State of the Union” sitting on top of the entertainment center, waiting to be watched. I don’t think either of those are appropriate for the kids, so we’ll get them to bed early one night and Ches and I will watch them.

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Aiden has decided that he can tell jokes now. Except that they don’t really make sense. It’s usually Aiden just telling us something, like different things he likes to eat, then he throws in something else and starts laughing hysterically. Here’s how it went last night:

“I like juice and fruit snacks and popcorn and oatmeal and milk. Hahahahahahahaha!! Get it?? Milk!!! Hahahahahahaha!!”

It’s all about the words “get it?” He thinks that is what makes the joke and he is always asking if we get it. Which we don’t.

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We went to a concert last Friday night. It was an outdoor concert by the Reno Philharmonic for the Silver Legacy’s birthday (the Silver Legacy is a big casino downtown). They had a lot of fun music on the program, including a slot machine concerto (only in Nevada!! Heh.), and fireworks afterwards. Well, Mother Nature had something else in mind. We got a huge thunder and lightening storm. The Phil didn’t even make it to the end of the first piece before the downpour started. We headed back to the van, which thankfully was parked in the Circus Circus parking garage. Just as we started driving home, we realized there was a very funny sound. One of our back wheels was completely flat. (Aiden even asked, “Is it flat as a pancake, Mom?”) So Ches learned really quickly how to change to the spare tire in the van. I’m glad we were in the parking garage, even if it was hot and humid in there. At least we didn’t get soaked because we were outside.

The wierd thing was that no one stopped to ask if we needed any help. I mean, lots of people drove or walked by and looked at us, but no one asked if there was anything they could do. I think I even saw two guys stop and stare (well, I did see them stop and stare), and they they were pointing and laughing in our direction. I’m hoping with everything I have they were pointing and laughing at something else. Two teenagers did walk by and offer help, but Ches was pretty much done by then, so he said thanks but no thanks.

Two teenagers. That’s it? I was getting a bit upset at the lack of courtesy, but Ches said he probably wouldn’t have stopped either. If it had been just me (big ol’ pregnant lady with two kids in the minivan, screaming), then he would have absolutely stopped to help. However, there was clearly a guy there who had it under control, so why offer any help?

I see his point, but I still think the polite thing is to stop and see if you can be of any assistance. Just because there is a man there doesn’t always mean that he can do it all. That’s all.

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I got this in my August issue of Parenting Magazine, and just knew I had to share:

4 Dead Giveaways You’re a Mom
1. You’re swaying.
2. The Dora the Explorer bandage on your thumb.
3. Seven of your toenails are polished.
4. You’re eating string cheese.

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I have been faithfully watching two TV shows this summer: Treasure Hunters and Last Comic Standing. At first, with Treasure Hunters, I didn’t think there was any way I could be on that show because you have to think of so many things and solve all these clues that I just don’t think would ever cross my mind. But then there are episodes like on Monday, where I think all the contestants are total idiots. For example, they find a clue that will lead them to a statue (they are in Paris, btw) of a famous Frenchman who was a friend to Washington and Americans. The clue was found in the catacombs under Paris, and is a plaque from the late 1700’s. No one knew who they were looking for. These contestants are all Americans and I’m sure have studied American history at some point. It was so obvious to me that they were looking for Lafayette! Hello?? Anyone else think otherwise? But no, not one person realized who they were looking for until they got to the statue and saw that it was a statue of Lafayette. Oh, and they have laptops with wireless internet that they can use to look anything up on Ask.com. Sheesh. There was another part of the show about Benjamin Franklin in England as a spy, and it was another really obvious answer to me. They just didn’t use their brains (or again, the laptops!!), so it took some people hours to figure out this clue.

I’m enjoying Last Coming Standing a lot. Go Josh Blue!! He just stinkin’ cracks me up. I had to call a friend of mine in Georgia who’s 4 year old son has cerebal palsey and say “You have to watch this show! Josh is amazing.” He really shows that even people with disabilities can still do so much. He is funny, has good timing, and he is a great athelete (he plays soccer for the US Paralympic team). My friend really needed to hear about this guy because sometimes I think it gets really hard to have this amazing child who has a disability and can’t do all these things that other kids his age can do. I know she gets frustrated and likes to see that yes, her son can grow up and succeed to something great, despite any disabilities he has. She was really excited to hear about Josh Blue. I hope he wins!!

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Quote of the day:
A champion is someone who gets up when he can’t.
–Jack Dempsey