The Unwelcome Houseguest...

We have been in our new house for one week.

While I would like to gush and go on about 

how wonderful it has been,

I can not.

For the day our pods arrived in the driveway,

Mr. Malady

decided he would like to move in also.

Mr. Malady is a boorish and crass fellow.

He is unpleasant and pushy and rude.

Mr. Malady is your crazy Uncle (once removed)

who ruins Thanksgiving dinner.

Mr. Malady is "that guy"

who kindly gets escorted from the restaurant 

for being far too boisterous.

Mr. Malady is a ne'er do well

who likes to do the lame finger guns thing.

I do not like Mr. Malady's personality.

Mr. Malady arrived with lots of luggage in tow.

Not those pretty bags with LV's embossed about the leather,

or those savvy samsonite vintage types 

in mustard and red.

No, 

Mr. Malady came with

 tattered and torn satchels.

Totes that looked as if they had been long forgotten

 in the dank depths of baggage claim. 

Mr. Malady's bags were filled with 

fever, and aches, and pains.

Horrible things that TSA officials  

would never let through security.

I do not like Mr. Malady's parcels.

 Mr. Malady likes to be in charge.

He didn't take kindly to Mr. Nyquil, or Mrs. Tylenol.

He scoffed in their faces.

He triumphed in their inabilities. 

I do not like Mr. Malady's arrogance.

Mr. Malady pretended he didn't hear me 

when I asked him politely to leave.  

He turned a deaf ear when

I told him it was time to pack his bags.

 Mr. Malady is now trying to influence my kids, 

oh no he di'int...

 I am a lover, not a fighter

but Mr. Malady has left me no choice.

I'm taking my earrings out

pulling my hair back

and greasing up my face

cuz it's on...

Pssssst...

My door is no longer open to you 

Mr. Malady.

So guess what?

 get to steppin...

The Week in Review...

If you have an iPhone

 and you don't instagram

U KZ!

While it is indeed yet another social media time suck,

it's a fun one.

And since it's on your phone 

it's readily accessible every second of the day.

No need to go get on your computer,

just reach in your pocket or purse 

when a notification comes through 

and it's there,

in the palm of your hand.

Now,

there is where also lies the time suck aspect.

It's on your phone, in your hand, every second of the day.

(Not EVERY second, come on, I'm not that addicted...um...)

Just in case you haven't heard about it, 

The creative Chantelle from fatmumslim

came up with an instagrom challenge

for each month.

Each day there is a prompt.

You just use your creative genius to come up with a photo 

that takes the prompt literally or completely not literally. 

Here is the photoaday challenge for March.

I've been playing along since the middle of january.

I wasn't sure if I was going to start March's challenge

but I hate to be left out of a party

so here I am.

I wish I had started this "week in review" when I first started.

but alas...

Better late than never.

Here is my week in review (one day late, geesh...) 

Day 5...a smile

Day 6...5 pm.

Day 7...something you wore.

Day 8...window.

My eyes are the windows to my soul. A teary soul it was after a bout with
Marley and Me. 

Day 9...red.

Day 10...LOUD!

Day 11...someone you talked to.

It's quite entertaining and a fun way to get a little creative.

So if ya didn't know, now ya do.

I challenge you...

A Few Visits...

I cant believe that we're already looking at colleges for

 my BABY.

While you're in the daily grind,

some days, weeks and even months seem to draaag!

But looking back 

time has flown,

and it's sad for dis momma.

On Monday we took Dre up to visit Weber State.

I have never been up there 

and 

was pleasantly surprised and impressed with the campus.

We met with the defensive coordinator, 

then slowly one by one 

the entire football coaching staff came out to talk to us,

 so that was a bonus and a good sign.

They have a really good football program

 that I guess is on the rise.

Weber State is a smaller school (division 1 AA0.

Dre is a mellow, not "show-boaty" type of kid

(in stark contrast to some of our other children, whose names will be withheld)

so he felt really comfortable there.

Hmmm, 

perhaps we'll be the proud parents of a Wildcat?

While we were driving back from Ogden,

the craziest thing happened.

Will got a call from Utah State 

saying that they had just watched Dre's film

and wondered how soon we could come up there 

to meet with the coaching staff.

CRAZY!

So the very next day 

we made the hike up to Utah State in Logan.

It is in the MIDDLE OF NOWHERE!

Once you get there, 

Logan is a regular town,

but the process of getting there,

Oh My.

Utah State is a division 1 school with division 1 facilities.

It was sooo nice!

We met the coaching staff and talked for awhile with the team academic counselor.

He stays ON TOP of these student athletes

 and has the entire team at or above a 3.0!

now that's Impressive with a capital I! 

That in itself made the

 "scared to death to send my baby off to college"

fear subside a bit (a bit).

The team was about to start practice 

so they invited us to come down and watch.

We especially paid close attention to the corner backs, 

and with a little weight and muscle packed on,

Dre matched up perfect.

It's a much bigger school than Weber State, 

which Dre noticed and commented on immediately.

But we'll see...

Hmmm,

maybe we'll be the proud parents of an Aggie?

Decisions, decisions...

(and isn't my baby still like 4? oh where has the time gone?)

I'm Not a Hoarder, I'm a Collector...

Do you watch the tv show

Hoarders Buried Alive?

I do...

Not in the

 counting down the days until it comes on,

decorating in a theme having girls over for a viewing party,

setting the DVR 

kind of way.

But in the

 if when flipping through the channels I happen to see it,

oh, I am soooo watching it

kind of way.

I will never forget one episode in particular.

This poor white haired Grizzly Adams type  

was asked... 

When did your hoarding get so out of control?

He thought for a minute, 

the wheels almost visually turning in his head,

and replied...

(veeeery slooowly)

"Wellllll, I am not a hoarder...I am a collector."

This profound declaration

 has been an ongoing line between my sister Spring and I.

For we are collectors and not hoarders you see...

And to emphatically prove it,

(for going on 48 hours) 

I have been engaged in 

OPERATION CLEAN and ORGANIZE

MY

HOARDERS DELITE

CRAFT ROOM.

I have literally been going through

 EACH and EVERY thing in there.

One by one, looking and deciding if it is truly 

necessary and relevant.

For instance.

These leaning towers of crepe paper...

totally necessary and relevant.

This Hello Kitty Happy meal toy from December...

not necessary or relevant.

(but wait, I could totally use it on a "Frame of Misfit Toys...")

Enough vintage baby planters to gift to

all them shiny new babies down at 

Utah Valley Regional Medical Center 

and their mommas...

totally necessary and relevant.

This slightly odd

Charlie Chaplin looking, long tongued pig, piggy bank...

not necce...

um...NOPE

 he's a keeper.

OK, FINE,FINE,

 so maybe I kinda, sorta, in some way shape or form,

have a tendency for hoarding...

(the first step is admission)

But take a looksee at what I HAVE done...

Color coded and separated all my Shiny Brites

Finally put to use all those jam, pickle, and sauce jars

 I've been hoarding saving...

and the piece de resistance...

One WHOLE SHELVING UNIT completely organized!!!

(only 3 more to go)

So after all this I said to myself,

Self, 

I am so proud of you...
(even if you are a hoarder)

Tubing Is The New Sledding...

We sorta feel like we've been gipped out of winter this year.

Our snowfall has been (to put it mildly) lackluster.

With no snow to speak of in the valley,

we headed up to Soldier Hallow in Midway

to take the chillins tubing.

We called to make sure that they had enough of the white stuff 

up there to warrant sledding.

Indeed they did.

Now be it man made or from mother nature?

At this stage in the game 

we cared not.

 If you live locally and haven't been,

you must. 

It is one of the best family activities

because it really is soooo fun for everyone.

 My kids range in age from senior in high school to first grader

and everyone loved it.

Even Momma and Daddy

(although often momma felt like she was going 75 miles too fast for her liking
and was going to keel over the edge and break a hip)

It was a bit scary for me the first run.

You do go super fast 

but it is a silky smooth ride. 

The tube is like riding on a bouncy luxurious, 

(in a plasticky, rubber sort of way) 

pillow. 

Smith wasn't scared in the slightest.

He choose the slickest, fastest run

every time. 

He even went down a few times attached to Dre, 

who took a running diving leap to pick up speed.

The crazy little banshee has no fear!

There's even a tow to pull you up.

Which eliminates the dreaded 15 minute hike up,

15 second ride down.

And enough open space for little boys 

who have to go potty every 10 minutes...

         

                   (That little speck is Smith,  off to do his business. Boys...for goodness sakes)

Daddy got cropped :(

So all in all,

it was a good good day!

Most definitely passed the Snowden scrutiny.

And since Mother Nature decided to throw us a snowy bone

last night,

I bet the tubing is even mo betta...