The Seventh Sense

There are six senses.
Sight.
Touch.
Sound.
Taste.
Smell.
Mother's Intuition.

Well, my precious Thor (coming up on 4 years old now) has another sense.  It is the sense of sweets.  That boy can be anywhere and know when someone is secretively delving into her secret stash of sanity savers.
Case in point:
This past Thursday I went to my relief society self-reliance class.  We were shooting guns all night (I did well considering the last time I shot a gun was mine and Popeye's second date).  I had hired a sitter to come be with the kids and before relieving her of her duties, swung by Safeway to pick up some Haagen Dazs ice cream. (Mmmmmm.)
When all was said and done - sitter gone & kids in bed (presumably sleeping), I got out my ice cream and put in "Return to Me".  Not 3 minutes later that boy was at my side wanting to know if I had ice cream.  He was supposed to be sleeping!!!! I checked!
Oh, it gets better.
I lovingly told him to get into bed and that it was my treat (he had a fudgcicle earlier) and he obeyed. (Shocker.)
I didn't eat all of my ice cream.  I wanted to save some for the next morning's breakfast. So I put it in the freezer all snuggled behind the frozen veggies and ice trays.

The next morning I went to get milk for cereal and what would happen to be there on the shelf next to last night's pizza?  Yeah, my ice cream.
When asking the kids, they all denied having snuck any of it.  Even Popeye adamantly proclaimed he wasn't the culprit.  And I checked for lie dots.  Princess Monkey Eyes was telling the truth - she looked me straight in the eye, no blinking.  I got to Thor. 
Me: "Thor, did you eat some of my ice cream last night?"
Thor: "No. It wasn't me."
Me: "Thor, I'm going to look in your eyes for lie dots.  Did you take some of my ice cream?"
Thor: (Covering his eyes with his chubby little fingers) "No."

I laughed so hard.  That little imp had woken up IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, snuck to the kitchen and ate some ice cream!!!  I would've never known it if he had put it back where he got it.

And the good parent that I am - I hugged him.  Asked him if he thought it was yummy like I did.  Kissed him and told him to ask next time.

Obviously my sixth sense of mother's intuition needs some fine tuning.  I should ask him for pointers on how to fine tune senses like that.  He's the master!

Mooooove over 10 virgins, we've got a new parable in town.

Yesterday Popeye was at work.  He sent me several texts getting more and more perplexed because there was a cow on the interstate.  (Yes, I know how that sounds.  Where else would you hear of a cow on the interstate than in the middle of nowhere, USA?)
Anyway.  He texted me a little while later telling me that the cow became smart and got back into the pasture.

Evidently, the cow got out of the pasture, which runs parallel to the interstate.  Popeye drove up and down that area, trying to find the hole in the fence.  Nothin'. He looked at the gate - it seemed pretty solid.  So he couldn't figure out where that cow belonged.  He would chase it down off the interstate back towards the fence and the cow wouldn't go back in the way it got out.
So Popeye thought to himself, "I've prayed for stranger things."  So he prayed that Heavenly Father would make the cow smart and remember how it got back in.  Then he got the distinct impression to "Go".  So Popeye left.  He came upon a couple of houses, thinking that they were the ranchers, but they weren't.  Then he thought, "Heavenly Father is going to pick up that cow and put it over the fence.  I'm missing it!"  So he turned around to see God's hand in action.
When he got back, the cow was still there, on the wrong side of the fence.  Popeye looked up the hill and saw a small herd come down over the ridge to this cow.  They conversed with each other over the fence.  The lone cow seemed perplexed because he knew he wanted to be with his buddies but couldn't find his way back.  He'd go up towards the interstate, Popeye would chase him back, the cows would talk and it repeated.
The group of cows finally gave up and walked away.
Popeye prayed again, "Heavenly Father, please make this cow smart.  It needs to get back to where it can be safe.  If he doesn't go over there, I'll have to shoot it." 
So what happens?  The cow runs down the hill, puts his nose under the fence post and pops up the gate and walks back in.

So how can we liken this parable to us today?

Sometimes we get on the wrong side of the fence.  We get into danger's way and can't seem to find our way back to the right side.  No matter how much coaxing we get from our loved ones and leaders of the church on the right side, it takes Divine intervention to let us in.  (Divine intervention meaning, the atonement and repentance.)  Only then, can we return to safety and security.

Good story, huh? Yeah, I thought so too.  So now when you see a cow, you'll remember the parable of the cow.  :)

School starts this week.
Tonight I took Mr. Fantastic to his school to attend the "open house" and got all the papers that I needed - yada yada yada.  We all know how open houses go.  You all get shuffled like cattle into the gym so the principal can give her shpeel and then you get herded to the classrooms (like cattle again) just to fill out the necessary paperwork.  And then you have to get herded through the lines of "don't for get to buy this" and "booster club" and "lunch money account" etc...

Can I just say, "MOOOOO".

Gee whiz.

So we came home, and I threw all the kids into the van (thanks New Friend for holding down the fort so I wouldn't have to MOOO with 5 kids in tow) and headed out to the Cowgirl's place for a campfire w/ others from our ward.

It was a fine night.  Good food.  Plenty of conversation.  Lots of room for the kids to run.  (I had no idea where mine were half the time - I'm just glad no one was hurt.)  Mr. Fantastic had it rough.  I'm still trying to figure him out.  I'd love to be a fly on the wall while he interacts with his friends so that I can see where the problem really lies.  See, Mr. Fantastic seems, to me, to be able to interact with his friends just fine.  He laughs and plays and runs, etc...  But then he comes to me later saying his friends were ignoring him and saying mean things.
Hmmm.  While some of it may be true - a lot of the time he leaves out the part where he has done something to instigate such behavior. For example: Mr. Fantastic tells me that his sister is saying mean things.  He forgets to tell me that he told her she isn't as cute as Grand Duchess (he's right, by the way) and has hurt her feelings.  So I'm wondering if tonight's scenario isn't just a little bit different than what he has eluded to.
He asked me to call the mothers and talk with them about it.
I'm more than willing to do it, too, I want to help him be a better friend and individual.  But something inside of me is a little anxious.
Perhaps because this is all too familiar ground for me.  My subconscious is telling me that whatever those mothers say to me about him, it is reflecting on me.  Am I ready for that kind of criticism?  I'm not sure.
So I'll have to sleep on it.
However, on the way home we had a nice little chat about our actions and attitudes and how sometimes we say things in jest but others see it as snottiness.  He and I are both going to be working on that.

Anyhow.  So all in all, Mr. Fantastic struggles.

Popeye is in WA for the week.  We miss him terribly.
Open House for Optimus Prime and Thor tomorrow night.
Wednesday starts school for the 2 older and Princess Monkey Eyes starts her kindergarten assessment on Thursday.
Friday she gets to meet her teacher - she is so excited!
Wednesday afternoon some girlies and I are heading south to take the little ones swimming while the older ones are in school.  It's an indoor swimming pool with an outdoor mini waterpark.  Tres Fun!
And Friday night I'll head back to my parents' house because Popeye flies in Saturday morning.
Which also happens to be Optimus Prime's 8th birthday!!!
Sunday brings family to our little town for his baptism.

Oy vay.  What a busy week.

Oh yeah.  And there's a for sale sign in our yard.  Wanna buy a house? 

I'm really tired and missing Popeye.  This single parent thing sucks.  New Friend, I don't know how you do it!

Peace Out!

mm-mmm good

Grand Duchess has always been vocal.
But now the fun is REALLY starting with her actually trying to pronounce words.
Some of my (understandable) favorites are:
"Eeer Gow" = Here you go.
"Eee A Poo" - Peek a boo.
"Uppppp" = Up.  (That multiple 'P' is pronouced as a spitting thing.)
"Peese" = Please.
"A too" = Thank you.
and my favorite
"Mm-mmm" = used to say no.  "Do you love daddy?" "Mm-mmm."  "Ready for bed?" "Mm-mmm."

Obviously in order to understand her one has to be looking at her and trying to figure out her circumstances.
Still.
I love it!

Conversation between HRH and Thor just after his dead toenail fell off.

Thor: Owieeee. Owieeee.
HRH: (In an attempt to lighten the mood) Thor, it's looking good now, nice and clean.  Almost good enough to eat.
Thor: I don't want to eat my toenail.

Okay.

Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor too

What do David Burnett, Arie Van De Graff, and Jeremy Lamb have in common? They are all Mormon Authors or better yet, cartoonists. Some of you may have even read their stuff. I know I have. All 3 authors (cartoonists) write and illustrate the silly side of being mormon. Yes, they make fun of and laugh at the silly things that go on in wards and stakes throught the world. For we are "Peculiar people". Has anybody read any of the works by these authors? David Burnett is best known for his work , " And it came to Laughs" and "Laughter day Saints". Arie Van De Graff is best known for his work "Mormon Life" and Jeremy Lamb is best known for his work, "The Missionary Chronicles". What is your reactions when you have read one of these books? "ha ha ha, Hoo hoo hoo, hee hee hee, that is so true". "I knew a bishop like that" "I had a home teacher like that once". We are engaged in these books because we can relate. We have all been in a ward where something was just plain and simply funny! I believe a modern day Prophet once said, "life should be enjoyed, not endured" . Aww, such fine words of counsel. Why do we laugh at cartoons or movies that make fun of or better yet identify the funny things that go on in the church? Why are we not offended by these movies or books? Because they are Fiction? or are they? Most of what a cartoonist or writer writes, they have often experienced at one point in their life.  Do these movies or books degrade the Priesthood or the Church etc? No. They simply illustrate that God has a sense of humor too. Then why would he allow such books to be published and sold in Desseret Book? We, after all, have all been created in his image. That doesnt mean just physically that means the whole 9 yards. Looks, spirit, and sense of humor.  It was by the power of the Priesthood that the world was created and everything on and in it. Ah ha ! Proof Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor. If it was by the power of the Priesthood that all things were created, then that proves Heavenly Father has a sense of humor. You can not help look at a Platypus and wonder "what in the world was going on there" Left over animal parts? All things on earth were created for our enjoyment. The platypus was obviously created for us to laugh at. So that proves that Heavenly Father has a sense of humor as well as everything we are taught that He is.

My point to this post is, why do we take everything so serious? A loving God wants us to enjoy life and laugh. I can't help but think that during the grand council in Heaven that there wasn't a little bit of joking and laughing etc. I just can't see my Heavenly Father as having a dry sense of humor or no humor at all. All that being said. Why can't we find humor in the events of our own ward? Why does it offend others when we want to share those silly moments with others? Are the Authors of the books I have mentioned earlier shunned from their ward or stake because they have drawn a cartoon illustrating a funny event that most likely had taken place in their ward, stake, or mission? Why does a funny event that happened in a local ward draw so much contention?  The Author of the original post " The Mormon Campaign trail" was going through a trial where her faith and testimony was shaken and found humor in a certain event for which she nor I have ever been apart of. We never knew how a future bishop was called or selected. Being a trained observer (police officer) I have observed a situation or incident that seemed out of the ordinary and brought that to the attention of my companion to cheer her up. She thought the situation was humorous and decided to post that incident on her Blog (this one) yet it has caused so much greif and rumors and tempers to flair. We, by no way, were "Mocking God" . We were trying to get through a difficult time where our testimony was shaken due to what we saw at the time was unanswered prayers or blessings. We were by no way meaning to make fun of or belittle the brethren who we thought were acting out of their normal characteristics. From a trained observer's point of view, it looked like a Campaign for a presidential race.  The original post was not meant to bring anybody down , but was suppose to lift other up with a little sense of humor to illustrate that Church is a fun place to be. There is so much excitement and humor. In a world full of evil, violence, pornography,where else are we going to find joy and humor? In our own Ward. We have all done something funny or embarassing. I know I have. Why cant we laugh at those things?  Heavenly Father has a sense of Humor Too. Nobody was being put down or mocked. It was the situation that was funny and by no means were we looking to make fun of or belittle or offend. Elder Bednar in a talk has said, We can only offend ourselves. I love and value the priesthood. I will sustain any of the brethren in the ward who might be called to bishop or any other calling for that matter. Again as Gordon B Hinkley has said, Life should be enjoyed not just endured. I feel sorry for those that found offense in the "Mormon Campaign trail" . We should all look for the funny things in life. Some of God's greatest blessings come from the silly things that we do. So why is it ok for producers or writers to make a movie or books poking fun of being an RM or a Singles Ward, but so offensive when we look for the same silliness in our own wards. We need to lighten up.

This Post was written by Popeye.

I have 4 drafts in my "edit posts" section of my blog. (after deleting 5 other ones.)

FOUR.

And no, I won't publish them.

I just thought you should know.

And by the way.  I LOVED my trip out west and can't wait to move! 
It was a long drive made even longer by the lovely construction between Cheyenne and Laramie (which took over an hour longer than usual to get from one city to the other).  But my sister's house is lovely.  Well done, Sis!  They built it themselves - it took a long time.  Sister even told me that her husband got chewed up one side and down the other by their neighbor for allowing Sister to get on the roof to help with roofing.  She was 9 months pregnant.  Anyhow.  I'm impressed and it was a wonderful time with her and her cute little family.
We visited a ward out that way.  We drove around and saw the prettiness of the area.  We found some land.  Lots of land, in fact, and are keeping our eyes on it.  We talked a lot - Popeye and I.  Something that doesn't happen a lot with 5 kids running around.  But there were a few times on the trip when kids actually fell asleep or were just so bored off their rockers that they had nothing else to say.  I like talking with Popeye.  He's a smart man.
He taught me something over the weekend.  I posed a question to him - it was pretty serious.  And while I was afraid of what the answer might be, he was pretty gentle with what he had to say.  I love him for that.  He knew what needed to be said but also knew that I'm at a very fragile state in my life right now.  he handled it beautifully.
And now we're home.
The hardwood floors are finished.  And the realtors get called tomorrow.  I'm anxious.

And I want to give a HUGE shout out to my New Friend!  Without her, my house would not have gotten finished.  I would be in an insane asylum, for sure!  Thank you New Friend.  If you haven't met her yet, you should!  She's an amazingly insightful young lady with lots of love and friendship to give!  Oh how I will miss her when I'm gone.  (You know, you're always welcome to visit any time!)

Anyway.  That's it.  That's all I'm writing.  Here's the last of the pics of the floors.  Before they were  a raw, light colored wood.  Now they're not.  :)