You Really Should Read This

Self-help is awesome. You can buy a book for twenty bucks and solve a lot of your problems. It’s so much cheaper than therapy. I have read many a book from the library shelves of self-help. I should be completely, mentally whole by now. Is it a bad sign if someone actually buys you self-help books and sends them to you? I mean, it’s not really self-help after that. It’s like assisted self-help. Or, maybe it’s an intervention. 

While putting them on top of my stack of self-help books, I see my copy of “Co-dependent No More.”  Maybe I’ll send that one back to my donor as a thank you. At least it’s not as bad as the time some co-workers anonymously gave a girl deodorant. That was definitely assisted self-help.

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To my BFF: You know I love you more than dirt, Weezer! And, thanks for being my material all of the time. You are a brilliant co-star in my life. (Or, am I your co-star. Hmmm….let’s just be Thelma and Louise.) Thanks for the books too. I really do like them and darn you for spending more money on me. P.S. Happy 25^th! Anniversary. We met in February of 1988—and after overcoming our initial disdain for each other, we’ve been best friends since. Can’t believe we’re on our way to three decades of friendship. The retirement home gets closer every day!

I Hope A Stranger Wins The Lottery

I work at a call center for a travel agency. It’s one phone call after another. We are expected to take 35 to 40 calls per day. When the phone rings, you never know who is going to be on the other end. Sometimes it’s an irate customer, someone who hardly speaks English, or someone who has no idea how to use the internet. Occasionally, you “meet” some interesting people on the phone.

Speaking to a friendly person with a personality is always welcome. Today, I had one of those calls from a man who flies often and had several bookings. He needed some itineraries double-checked and wasn’t sure if he had booked a hotel for a particular trip. I reviewed his information and while assisting him, I noticed he had rebooked a flight and not cancelled the one he was replacing. When I asked him about it he said he had been told the exchange fees were more than booking a new flight. So he just left it. I explained that although the airline penalty was steep, he could still have some credit to apply towards a future flight. He was unaware of that so I processed the credit for him.

At the end of our call, he said I just have to tell you this is the best customer service I have ever encountered. Thank you! If I were worth millions, I would see to it that you never have to work again. I laughed and said if you win the lottery you’ll have to split it with me.

I sent him a personal email while on the phone advising how to avoid the exchange costs he was unscrupulously quoted. One of the things I do not like about my job is the shady behavior we are encouraged to employ to illicit money from people. I refuse to do it, but still have to maintain my sales quota.  I told him in the email I was going to advise him of the fee avoidance even before he promised to make me rich. 

He emailed me back and said he has never bought lottery tickets in his life, but he was going to buy them. If he won, he’d let me know. Please let him win.

Too late now

This broke gig is actually getting kind of fun. I have become very creative and Savers is my salvation. My TV broke—it was a big ole bad boy. Probably could have stacked 5 flat screens in a row to equal the depth. Savers was calling my name. Found a cute little TV for $25 bucks and had a 20% off coupon. It took two guys to load it into my front seat.   

That’s the first time it occurred to me I had no idea how I was going to get this TV into my apartment. My three little kids were in the backseat. I hopped in the car and thought, somehow I’m gonna do this. That is the single mom mantra--don’t know how, don’t know when or where, but I know why and that’s enough.

We got home. I tried to get it out of the front seat. I could not even wrap my arms around it or figure out how to lower it. It was so heavy, but  I was able to roll it down my body onto the ground.  I literally could not pick it up. Cardboard is a moving girl’s best friend. I pulled a thick cardboard box out of my trunk along with a few straps that had hooks on the end of them. I managed to wiggle the cardboard under the TV and put the hooks through the cardboard. I bent over and pulled and had Porter push it from behind. (He still had his arm in a cast.) Oh what a spectacle! A forty year old woman dragging a TV across the parking lot with a six year old who has a broken arm pushing it.

I was so proud of myself. I knew I could do it somehow. But then…we came upon the curb. Out of breath, I told Porter it was time to come up with the second part of the plan. He said what’s that? I said, I don’t know yet. Bless a stranger’s heart, a young man saw my plight and ran over to me. He said, “Do you need some help?” I laughed and said, “Yeah, yeah I do.” I’m  not too proud for help anymore.

Together we carried it into apartment but had to put it on the floor. The old TV was on the table. We watched TV on the floor for a couple days until my posting on Craigslist for a Free TV was picked up. I kindly asked the two men if they wouldn’t mind lifting my other one onto the table. Don’t know how I’ll ever move this one, but I’m sure I’ll think of something. 

I love the ironies of life. You give, you take, you live, you learn. You get yourself into something and then have to try to figure out how to make it work. It takes patience sometimes. And it always takes someone else to help. But in the end, everything seems to work out.

Time must have wings, because it flies

They say time flies when you’re having fun. I think it also flies when you have too much stress and more to do than you have time or money! Seems time flew by after Christmas. The kids and I have been having a lot of fun. In December I was able to use up my saved paid time off and had most of the Saturdays off. It was so much fun to get that extra day in. I haven’t blogged about the kids in a while and just want to catch up.

(pictured left) The kids at our new ward.

Madison has been wearing glasses for almost a year now. Her stigmatism is doing much better. The newness of glasses didn’t take long to wear off. She is my best child and worst! When she’s good she is good. She can be so helpful and sweet and nice to her brothers. Refraining from negativity, I’ll leave out the dark side. She is struggling in school. Frankly, I believe a lot of her early learning problems may be attributed to her farsightedness. I don’t think she could see the papers on her desk clearly. She is having a hard time keeping up at her grade level with reading. Amazingly though, she can memorize like crazy. I told her she just needs to start memorizing words instead of reading. I actually did that. That’s why I spell so well...that and reading the dictionary.

She always wants to have girl time; but that’s hard to do when you only have all three kids for half the week. Her athletic ability has been surprising. I was afraid she was going to take after me. We were at Jaymi’s house when I saw her throw a baseball. My mom, an expert softball player in her day, was really surprised at her aim and distance. The first and second graders run together for P.E. sometimes. Madison and Porter said she was very far ahead of everyone. She can run really fast. Sometimes she just likes to have talks with me. She seems like she has a lot going on in her head.

All About My Family

She said she has a hard time making friends and didn’t know what to do. She was almost in tears because she said she tries to play with people and they always leave to do something else.  I don’t think they are doing that necessarily, I just think she is insecure. I asked her if we could talk to Porter and have him help her make friends. Porter said he would find her at recess and, “…get her some friends.” He did. She’s been really happy about it now and feels a lot better. She worries so much about feeling accepted. Even in her class, she feels left out. She is interested in taking gymnastics. She watched Toddlers and Tiaras yesterday and has now decided she wants to be in pageants.

She has a very intuitive spiritual side. She asked me if we could start reading scriptures at night again. She was so cute yesterday explaining to the boys how she felt such a strong spirit when she went into Relief Society with me. She said it was really strong, and you could really feel it! She always likes to make sure she has her CTR ring on and she always volunteers to pray. She made the book cover pictured for school. Her writing isn't very clear, but it's titled, "All About My Family." She drew a picture of four stick figures. One has "mom" above it and the others have an initial for each of the kids.

Porter and Lane at Chuck E Cheese

Porter and Madi are in a conspiracy. When Madi is sweet, Porter is moody. He’s been having a really rough time. I think the moving back and forth is starting wear. He is a brainiac with my phone and computer. The kid is a whiz. He is also excelling in school. His reading is above average and he loves math and science. He makes friends everywhere he goes. He told me he is going to be a doctor so that he can make lots of money and give it to me. I told him to be what he wants so he will love his job. He said, in that case he would like to be a fireman. He and Lane are thick as thieves. Those two boys love each other to death. When Porter cries, which he has been doing a lot lately, Lane will hug him and say, “It’s gonna be okay, Porter.” He finally got his cast off and was so excited. I think he thought it was fun at first, but not having a hand wasn’t any fun.

My favorite threesome.

Yesterday, I was at my wits end with Porter. He just had a really bad day. He spilled oatmeal all over the kitchen floor. He cried almost nonstop. He tried to pull a towel off the counter—it was under several big bowls and dishes that were drying. He broke one of my favorite bowls. It has a matching bowl, so I guess at least I still have one. Porter almost cried over that. I had to tell him I knew he didn’t do it on purpose. He said, “Mom, you always say it’s okay because you love me more than that bowl.” I usually say that when they break something I want to scream about. I said that to him last summer when he dropped my phone on the sidewalk and shattered it. I can’t remember what else he did. I want to block out that day. He wants to learn to sing and dance and play the guitar. He got to talk to my friend who is a professional singer and he was really excited about that. His advice was to learn the piano first so he could learn the notes.

Lane is my little sweetheart. He is the only one that is always happy. He helps and loves to do dishes. He is the neutral party when the twinners start fighting. Although, sometimes he gets downright mean. This morning at breakfast he told me he thought Porter was stronger than Madison. I asked why and he said because I bent Porter’s finger all the way back and he didn’t even cry. When I did it to Madi she started crying. He also punched Madison in the stomach yesterday. He said, “What? I didn’t know it was going to hurt.” I’m not sure yet if he doesn’t realize what he is doing or is playing innocent. He does not like to be wrong or do something wrong. He lies when I catch him. I’m trying to break him of that. On Mondays, we get to spend the day together while the kids are in school. He always says, “Mom, let’s have cuddle time.” Even though it’s only one day a week, I am really going to miss that when he is in school.

He is so polite. He says thank you for everything. He will say thank you for cleaning the house, mom. Or thank you for getting us food. Thanks for cuddling with me, mom. He always likes to get my door whether it’s at the house, a restaurant, or just for the car. He will get mad at me and say, “Mom! You didn’t let me get your door!” He wants to learn to play the piano just because Porter does. He unfortunately, pees the bed a lot. Sad thing is, he didn’t start until we separated. I just go easy on him, because I know it’s a residual of having to deal with the divorce.

We went to St. George for a three day weekend. It was so much fun to get out of this wretched city. We got to visit Jaymi and Kim and the kids had fun with their cousins. Lane was in love with little Emma (Jaymi’s girl.) He thought she was the cutest thing he’s ever seen. He wanted to know if we could have one. He liked Kim’s chubby little Grant, but he is a little older and didn’t sit still like Emma.  

Plus he would scream and cry in terror when he would look at me. The first time I held him he just looked at me in shock. I said, “What’s the matter? Do I look like your mom? Do you think she’s gotten old and wrinkled on you?” He started screaming. Every time after that he would start screaming when I looked at him. I wish we could live there again. I have friends, family, support, smaller town, better jobs, lower cost of living, but other than that….Vegas is just dandy.

Country roads

Being raised in the desert I love the heat. Even the too hot days of summer in Vegas are worth the mild winters. I have shied away from going to my parent’s place in Mt. Pleasant, Utah during the winters because I’m okay with never seeing another snowflake in my life again. I guess if I go to Hell, I’ll be quite comfortable.

I decided to take the kids up for Thanksgiving since they hardly remember every going there. It’s a small little farm out in the country.  My siblings that live there argue that it’s not in the country it’s in town.  They say the country is on the outer edges of the community. I say if you can see a cow from your porch, then you’re in the country.

Of course, being the story teller I am, I worked up their anticipation for the trip. Including how there would be dogs, cats, goats, horses, and chickens. They were excited—even about the cold, heartless snow that might possible greet us. The one bit of information they clung to was the possibility of being to roam around outside without any adult supervision. They were in the country! My poor little city babes cannot go anywhere without an adult and there’s not much land to wander around on anyway. Of course, we go to the park but it’s usually quite populated. 

Somehow, this idea got stretched into they could roam the neighborhood freely—“like mom used to do when she was a kid.” I’ve told them the stories of being able to go play in nature whether it was the mountains behind us in Flagstaff, the wheat fields and almond orchids in California, or the desert in Page. We could leave for the day and be home before dark. No one worried about us. We didn’t have cellphones and our imaginations ran rampant. I had no idea how stifled children are today. They can’t go anywhere. It’s not safe. It’s sad.

I thought for sure they would forget about it once they were entertained with all of the things to do on the property. They didn’t forget and came and asked me for the dog collar. I knew that would take them a bit and went downstairs to check on them. Dona had given it to them and they didn’t waste time to begin their freedom journey on the country roads.  I had intended to have their older cousin go with them—he would be the undercover chaperone and they would be none the wiser. I couldn’t go with them because that would ruin the fantasy of no adult supervision.

When I discovered they had left already, I grabbed Taylor and told him we had to go find them. We drove around and found them lollygagging a couple of blocks away. Pure heaven. They reprimanded me when they thought I was following them. “Mom! You can’t watch us. You said we could walk by ourselves.” I lied and told them Taylor was disappointed that he didn’t get to go with him. Taylor got out and down the road they continued.

I remember when our parents cringed at boys wearing long hair and having earrings. The music we listened to was disgusting, and fads were just making us all a bunch of followers. I used to tell my parents, “Oh every generation changes and the old people are always appalled. Your parents didn’t think Elvis was a good influence.” His gyrating hips were going to be the downfall of society. As a teenager, I thought how much worse could things get? In the 80s we had peaked in pop culture. I realize now that the “getting worse” is not JUST pop culture but having a talk with your two six year olds about what they should do if a gunman came to their school. Unreal.

How sad is life that kids long for a walk down a street? Things aren’t the same. It seems like loss is what triggers gratitude. I wrote this soon after I returned home from Utah. Since then, the Connecticut tragedy has occurred. It makes me even sadder. It makes this whole reflection even more sobering. What happened to childhood? I wish had an answer; even a suggestion. But, there’s nothing.  I’d like to leave my comments with a feel-good, but I’m scared, disgusted, saddened, and emotional.  I cried so much this weekend. What must those parents be going through?  I want to lock my kids up and never let them leave my sight, but I know that’s not the answer.  Elvis, and everything he represented, really has left the building.

Butter Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie

Butter Biscuit Topping:
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup Crisco shortening (regular or butter)
1-1/2 cup buttermilk (or 1-1/2 cups milk with 1 tbls white vinegar)
1/2 cup melted butter

Filling: 
1   (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 bacon cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cup cooked and shredded chicken breast
1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Mix together in a bowl all of the ingredients listed under filling. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Stir together the biscuit mix and buttermilk. The consistency of the batter should be like a cake mix--not dry or crumbly like biscuit mix.  Pour this over the casserole. Drizzle butter over the topping. Bake until the topping is golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Delicious White Bread Recipe--Easy!

I enjoy cooking and baking. I usually find a recipe I like and then play around with it to improve. I'm no Paula Deen, but I do have a few goodies that are keepers. This bread recipe is amazing. It's easy, just a lot of waiting time for cooling, rising, rising, and rising. My kids love it. It comes out of the oven like fresh homemade bread and stays fresh for days. It's also easy to slice and makes the most delicious sandwiches. You can slice it thin or thick. I still have the Frybread, Cinnamon Rolls, and Pizza Sauce to add. I just have to wait till I make it again and actually write down what I put it in it.

INGREDIENTS:
1-1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup white sugar
2 teaspoon salt
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
   (Or just 4-1/2 tsps of yeast)
1/2 cup warm water (110 degreesf/45 degrees C)
2 eggs
7 cups bread flour (flour works too)

Directions

1. Warm the milk in a small saucepan until it bubbles, then remove from heat. Mix in the shortening, sugar and salt; stir until melted. Let cool until lukewarm.
2. In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with the cooled milk mixture, 2 eggs, and two cups of flour; stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.
3. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour. Deflate dough and let rise until doubled again, about 45 minutes.
4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal pieces and form into loaves. Place the loaves into two lightly greased 9x5 inch loaf pans. Cover the loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 35 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the bottom of the loaf sounds hollow when tapped. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks.