The Things I Hear

Ed spent two hours with 7 Legos making all manner of shooting and Star Wars type noises during Stake Conference.

Jessie told me I am the "Best Butt Wiper Ever."

We like to play 20 questions in the car. Ed, as is his tendancy in Hide N' Seek as well, just cannot stand the suspense and will give us "hints." We knew it was a thing, it was red, and it was a circle. He says, "Okay, here is a hint. It's the red light bulb that's in the back of the car that makes the lights shine red!"

Yesterday Will started talking to me about something (I have no idea what. That boy!) But he is talking and talking and talking, with no end in sight. That's what he does when he has designed something in his head. He talks it all out, FOREVER. I needed to tell a grown up something, so I told him to hold on a minute. He kept talking. So I put my hand over his mouth, said the quick thing I needed to say (while his mouth was still moving and words were coming out), took my hand off his mouth, and viola: Will was STILL yacking about his invention and all the materials he would need, and what if this was changed or........... on........and.........on.........and...............on.

Kacy delcared yesterday that since middle schoolers are so mean, she is going to grow up and be a nice middle schooler. "Of course, I won't be riding the bus by then, but still."

Hear this:  Our bus stop is being cut. Did I mention that? Because my family is six miles from the next closest family and it costs the school district thousands (I think it's around $13,000) a year to get my kids to and from school. With the govenor's proposed budget cut for 2013 of eliinating funding for school transportion, and with the recent cut in ADA money, this is one way for the district to save money. SOOOOO.... I will be driving 40 miles a day to take my kids to and from school. It's that, or drive 20 miles a day to a bus stop out in the middle of nowhere. Literally- no houses. The closest housing is this compound/business where Ryan has arrested people. Two strikes! On the plus side, this new schedule will allow me to wake up early, work out and shower, and THEN get the kids up without having to start my day at a dark and cold 5:00am. Because I DON'T wake up that early. It's DARK! There isn't a street light for a good 30 miles from my house. So I just don't wake up. My lack of exercise is showing. (Enter Pearl, the ACD puppy who has two speeds: 90 MPH and asleep. Boo-yah! Got myself a running buddy!) Anyway, this may make our mornings a little better if I can have more endorphins and be clean and the kids don't have to wake up so early. I can also have daily contact with the teachers if needed. There are many negatives to having to do this, but I'm trying not to think about them. I will say I did again contemplate homeschooling for a few minutes. Then I remembered why I won't do it (yet- never say never!).

I heard about a shoot out. Saturday night Ryan never came home. I happened to be up with Pearl for the millionth time that night, so I called him at 5:50am. Just to see if he was planning on coming home, you know. I don't worry about him, because he has assured me that if anything were to happen to him, I would be called right away. I was thinking he arrested someone and had to take them to jail. Instead, he told me a friend of his, who is a Sherrif's officer, got into a shootout. No one was hit, so that was good. The incident took place an hour away from anyone. Ryan was first on scene as back up, and he made it in 45 minutes. It also happened on a different family friend's property- crazy. Anyway, it's a little scary, and I can only imagine what was going through Ryan's head as he was driving up and over and around the mountains to get to his friend. I know the guy, and just in that split secone between being told "Shotwell was in a shooting." and "No one got hurt." I couldn't help but think of him, his woman, and his infant. Does it make me worry about Ryan? Not a bit. It's just a nice little reminder to appreciate those really boring days.

Right now I hear the rain, and pretty soon it will stop and turn to snow, because it's 36* outside. Friday was 75, and now it's 36. What a wacky winter!