tags-----i love doing these---just dont think anyone else likes them----so not sure who i will tag----

This is a Tag from Michelle---I love to do stuff like this---just hate sending them on because I assume that no-one else in the world likes doing these---so we'll see---anyway---the rules---answer the questions---then send it on to 5 people---posting on their blog that they were tagged...

Questions: 10 yrs ago I had 6 kids at home---3,7,7,9,10 & 13...I was doing data entry at home...we had just moved into this house....Ace was getting out of the house naked and walking around the neighborhood....in a diaper.

5 Things on my list of things to do today 1. work on my lesson 2. shop with lyric & jasmine 3. work on my lesson some more 4. ssssh---its a secret 5. re-stuff the pillows in my front room.

Things I would do if I suddenly was a Billionaire go to Walt Disney world with my whole fam....pay off everyone's bills----put a ton in the bank---a ton---buy a house with a pool--one story---cable in every room----go visit my mom and leah.

3 of my bad habits only 3? I'm a nag....I eat chocolate ALL THE TIME...I pick at my nails.

Places I have lived Freeport, IL; Provo, UT; Glendale, CA;Alhambra, CA; Yuma, AZ; Beaumont, TX; Irving, TX; Fort Worth, TX.

Jobs I have had what havent i done---daycare, job coach, data entry, secretary, teacher's aide, piano teacher, ballet class accompanist, call center, sign language interpreter, taught Catechism, diner, factory, waitress---and now an ethics workshop presenter!

Things most people don't know about me ---I'm way more nervous than people think, I worry more than I should, I totally buy trouble

you cant...

• fix things for everyone...even when you really really really want to...trust me, I've tried


• stop the clock for just a day or two to try to catch up...havent tried---but i'm pretty sure you cant.


• force a 13 yr old boy to wear nice dressy clothes---even when he is supposed to---trust me, I've tried


• force said boy to do his homework ---and turn it in---to achieve high grades he really doesnt care about---he is happy with B's---I DONT UNDERSTAND THAT MINDSET!


• wallow forever---trust me, I've tried


• eat Chik-Fil-A nuggets everyday...trust me, I've tried


• stare at a cluttered desk and not feel cluttered---trust me---I dont even have to try for that one!


• wish and

empathetic ya'lls

i find it very interesting that when my blogs start to be more upbeat----NO ONE POSTS!---apparently me wallowing in self-pity brings out the desire to reach out---

got a new ward calling----GOSPEL DOCTRINE TEACHER! I have taught relief society for 4 years---this will be very daunting---I am thinking that I will have to picture everyone in pink underwear to not be nervous---i am not a huge scriptorian---able to flit back and forth to prove a point---and we have people in our class that like to prove their point----so i'm getting out my whip and chair and preparing. I will be trading off weeks with Brother Landers

therapeutic painting

we are re-doing Sam's room to make it a guest room/den type room---cutting the bunk beds---recarpeting, new bedding to make the beds daybeds, new curtains---new ikea dresser (if I was as good as Olivia I would have a picture of it right here ............. oh well----we will put the board games up there, the PS2, a tv---it will be a guest room when needed--- When Lyric gets married, her room will become the official guest bedroom---i have such plans.....anyway----

we were painting the room last night---covering the mural that i had painted 10 years ago for the little boys....covering the holes and scratches and marks inflicted on that room by anger---Ace down on the floor doing the baseboards, David painting the blue sky ceiling and me doing the trim and doors----a new start---for the room, for all of us----oh---if only a coat of paint could give us a new start! sometimes when i am most frustrated i shop---duh---thinking that a new outfit will be that coat of paint.

well---if people are gonna actually read this----then i better muse different!

okay---so how do you add blogs you read? and that is really a rhetorical question---i'll have to figure it out.

if people are gonna actually read this---then i have to be happier---peppier! so here goes

had a lovely weekend in Houston/Beaumont---drove down to Houston on Valentine's Day afternoon---singing for one solid hour my two favorite songs---Brandi Carlisle's The Story and Flo-Rida's Low (check them both out on youtube---you'll be smitten)----i burned a cd with only

it occurs to me....

I'm not very good at this blogging stuff---I was reading in Real Simple magazine (am I supposed to have a 'tm' somewhere around here? or a link somehow?---anyway---they had a list of 30 great blogs---apparently you are supposed to have a theme---i read one (Carmel) that does restaurant reviews---love it---another does product reviews----mine is just the wanderings of my mind----that will never win an award!

a year down the road---and looking back....

a year ago---

Jasmine & David had just gotten engaged!

a year from now---

David will be within spittin distance (a good spit) of graduating---or at least seeing the end of the tunnel

year ago---

Leah was trying hard to not be trunky while finishing her mission in Pocatello, Idaho--and looking forward to not going thru a cold winter ever again.

a year from now---

Leah will be in Utah---experiencing her 4th cold winter in a row---but this time with someone to keep her warm!

a year ago---

Lyric had given up dating and had just decided to return to Texas and get on track for nursing school.

a year from now---

Lyric will be 30% thru with nursing school!

a year ago---

Molly had run away and was failing school

a year from now---

Molly will be independent and happy

a year ago---

Sam was 90 lbs and 5'0"

a year from now---

Sam will be nearing graduation and growed!

a year ago---

Ace was a nice, active kid that would drive you crazy

a year from now---

Ace will be a nice, active kid that will be anxiously waiting to learn to drive---not crazily!

a year ago---

David was wishing he could transfer to Fort Worth Office---tired of the commute.

a year from now---

David will be finding an office in a better part of Fort Worth---even closer to home!

glimmers...

ya know---time passing always allows people to make decisions---ace has brought up his grades---his vp met with him and is aware that maybe he needs a little more watch at school---being grounded from anything electric has pushed him to find other things---reading, cards, bikes---he decided to not continue the spiral.
i have decided its not always about me---and i need to get over it----i'll be dead of heartburn if i dont learn to get over it...i hope i decide to be happy.
sam has decided he is excited to move to a group home----i hope he is right----i hope he decides to be happy.
molly has decided to not move home----i hope she is right---i hope she decides to be happy.
lyric is trying to decide----she is not happy----i cant fix it for her----that drives me crazy---i hope her decision brings her peace and happiness.

can you die of....

okay---so it occurs to me that this is getting really depressing----so i need to upbeat it a bit---in case we actually survive all this junk.

can you die of heartburn? now, you may say---Meredith! that is not upbeat!----but it is a little lighter than other maladies---i love big words----i get horrendous heartburn anytime i'm under stress---so i pretty much live with it right now---and

my muse

I was inspired to blog from a couple of people----Olivia Carter---I love reading her blogs---she is my niece and writes wonderfully.... RunDMC---RevRun---he has a reality show on tv and he blogs in the bathtub every morning---i am sure he has writers that write his wonderfully clever and very uplifting thoughts---but i am uplifted nonetheless.

I need to be quiet---

It occurs to me that most of the blogs i read---and i like reading blogs---most are very uplifting and positive---i am feeling neither

i hate/like it when......

• i hate it when people i love are hurting----and i cant fix it----i want to kiss the boo-boo and make it better---give em a pill to let them sleep thru the pain (my philosophy)---
• i really like stew when its cold outside---i like the process of making the stew, the smell of stew cooking---i like MY stew.
• i hate flux---i like change---i hate flux.
• i like my house more when it is clean---but i do like to make clutter.
• i wish the skin on the back of my hands looked like it was 30----and my neck---yeah---that would make me happy.

when jasmine and david got married, we (leah, lyric and I) took them grocery shopping---up and down each aisle---looking at new stuff, imaging what they might want or need for their new home---buying them things they wouldnt be able to afford to replace---great great fun....lots of discussions about flavors and favorites and why you need corn starch or how great Hunt's Chunky Vegetable Spaghetti sauce is---so--when Leah got married I couldnt do it cause she is up in Utah and I'm not---so I sent cash to my dear niece Olivia---and she took leah aisle by aisle shopping---missed doing it---a lot.

i hate it when my babies hurt. the mother tiger comes out in me....grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.