Why Boys Need Parents

This was actually written by Michael, but I am including it here because it is an absolutely true list about our boys (one, in particular!) Many of these things are actually amusing to look back on, while some are still quite distressing! This was inspired by an e-mail sent to us about boys and their antics - I think ours definitely top the list!




1.Playing with matches on the carpet can result in carpet burns (not on your skin)
2.Setting your younger brother's toys on fire in the Garage (where all the gasoline and paint is stored) even for school projects, isn't always the smartest thing to do, and it tends to upset your 3 year old brother when he later sees the video of his toys burning.
3.Dumping all of the items on the floor in order to use the island in our kitchen as an operating table for a WWII film reenactment for school, is not what your Mom had in mind when she said you could have a few friends over to work on your school project.
4.Using the rear window as a backdrop for shooting the pellet rifle isn't the brightest thing to do.
5.Apparently some teenage boys aren't aware that pellets easily go through plastic jugs and can still penetrate at least one layer of double paned glass.
6.Golf balls are great fun to hit with baseball bats, however the golfers usually don't like it when there are hundreds of balls on the course and they don't know which one is theirs
7.Fortunately some police officers only give warnings for hitting golf balls with a baseball bat onto local golf courses.
8.Speaking of police officers, having one show up at your door at 3:00 a.m. asking if you own a car with license plate XXXXX (that fits the description of your son's vehicle) can take years off your life when you know your son was at his friend's house spending the night
9.Ding Dong ditching at 3:00 a.m. in the morning can result in the police visiting your house when your son was foolish enough to go in your car and have the license plate taken down.
10.Not everything you see on U-tube should be tried, especially making flame throwers involving gasoline tanks that you strap on your back
11.When it's cold outside, shooting hockey pucks in the garage is better than freezing, however when you miss, a garage door makes alot of noise but is useful in stopping a puck.
12.Garage doors even though they can stop a puck, dent pretty easily. If enough pucks miss the net the door begins to resemble an inverted golf ball.
13.If enough pucks shot in the garage miss the net and hit the garage door, it will sometimes dawn on a boy that it isn't such a wise thing to do, therefore changing the direction you are shooting can be advantageous, at least until you realize that sheetrock walls will not stop a puck.
14.Locking your friend in the closet can be pretty funny. At least until he decides to brace his feet on the back side of the wall and try to push against the door. Did I mention that sheetrock will not stop a puck, well it doesn't do well at stopping a size 11 shoe either.
15.Driving your car 700 miles on a road trip at 90+ miles per hour can get you home pretty quickly. It can also get you a pretty hefty speeding ticket.
16.Driving 700 miles at 90+ miles per hour can also pretty much burn ALL of the oil in your 13 year old car (the one with worn piston rings).
17.Shooting paintball guns in the house isn't what your parents intended when they said the walls needed painting
18.Hot dogging on a jet ski can be fun, but pulling it 10 feet across the sand (back to the water) can be quite tiring.
19.When you live in the country, your mother may tell your son it is okay to pee on the side of the pool rather than going inside to the bathroom, however that same boy may not know that you shouldn't do this at the outdoor swim meet at the Country Club Pool.
20.Wrapping several packs sparklers tightly in electrical tape can cause a pretty serious explosion. When you live in the country it can be a fun thing to do (and quite dangerous). However, if you live in the city don't mention this to your sons, they may actually attempt to do this.
21.Toy cars don't always flush down a toilet, nor do toothbrushes or combs (however a 1 week old $400 retainer for braces goes down quite well).
22.VCR's don't require coins to make them operate, in fact it often causes them not to operate. Did I mention that VCR's don't like small toy figures either.
23.Computer keyboards don't work well when you spill soft drinks into them, it tends to make the keys sticky.
24.Did you know that Dry Ice when placed in a 2 Liter bottle with some water makes cool land mines on scout outings.
25.Soaking a rag in kerosene, tying it tightly in heavy string and lighting it on fire, can make for new more exciting version of the hot potato game you played as a kid (I recommend wearing leather gloves in case you hold it too long). I also recommend not doing this near dry fields or your house (having a bucket of water nearby is also recommended).

Love Story

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25 Random Things about Me

I was asked to write this for my Facebook profile, and thought I would include it here as well:

1. One of my favorite things I've done is take ballroom dance lessons with my husband. Unfortunately we have both forgotten so much we would have to start lessons from the beginning. But that would be fun!

2. I absolutely love to eat mashed potatoes. It's one of my favorite things that my mom made. I love breads too. I think I could live on starches and be happy. Maybe not that healthy, but definitely happy!

3. I am in my last semester of nursing school. It's a lot of work but I feel a sense of accomplishment.

4. I don't really feel that I have discovered any of my real talents. There are lots of things that I enjoy but I just don't think I am particularly great or talented at them. At least not in the creative sense, like art or music, cooking, sewing. But I do well in school and actually thrive somewhat on studying and doing my best. I love to learn about things I am interested in. So can school be my talent???

5. As much as I like to learn, I can't stand to watch educational stuff on TV. My husband does, but I just can't get into it.

6. But I love crime dramas and medical shows (real or fictional) and love talk radio. Oh and country music videos. This is when I have the time, which is not now!

7. I love going to concerts (country music ones, that is!). I have seen Kenny Chesney twice, Keith Urban, Tim McGraw, Toby Keith, Alabama ( I think 4 times), Randy Travis, Alan Jackson, Garth Brooks.

8. I have a quote in my profile: "Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous". I really believe that. There's no such thing as coincidence.

9. I love to burn candles. I have Spiced Pumpkin from Yankee Candle burning right now. I stock up on them and always have to stop in Yankee Candle whenever I am at the mall.

10. I am a certified elementary school teacher. I taught for about 8 years before and between pregnancies. So why am I in nursing school? Heck I don't know - see #4.

11. I have become such a night owl recently. I have been getting by with 4-5 hours of sleep on some nights. Preparing for my career in nursing. I think the night shift will certainly fit me best.

12. I really, really long to be a neonatal/postpartum nurse. I felt a clear sense that is what I am supposed to do when I was assigned to that unit in my clinical experiences.

13. I truly love babies. They make me smile. They make me cry. They are so innocent and beautiful - straight from our Father in Heaven.

14. I am quiet by nature. I often enjoy just watching people, total strangers,usually. I contemplate them and create stories in my mind about them. I wonder if I'm ever on target? I just love wondering what's going on with others.

15. Because I am quiet, I feel I'm probably considered to be snooty or aloof. I'm certainly not, but I often wonder if I give that impression.

16. Because I am quiet, I tend to surround myself with loud, crazy, busy people. That would be my family. They probably don't think I am quiet, though. My closer friends tend to be more animated and talkative.

17. A friend once told me that I was a good listener and it meant a lot to her. Even though I didn't offer much in the way of advice, I just listened and let her express herself. That made me feel good and I've tried to remember that being quiet has its strong points.

18. I like being at home. I am seldom home for long stretches of time (except when sleeping), I am usually on the go, running my kids here and there. But I am a homebody.

19. However I do love to go for drives - long drives with no particular destination in mind. I'll go the long way at times just to see if there's something different or special. Beauty can be appreciated in so many places.

20. Which reminds me of my favorite vacation ever. Mike and I and 5 children went camping out west for 2 weeks during the summer of 2001. We spent about 3 days somewhere in Colorado (near Pike's Peak and Royal Gorge), 3 days at Moab, 3 days outside of Salt Lake in the Wasatch Mountains, and about 4 days at Yellowstone. It was so peaceful and beautiful. I want to go back soon.

21. Two place I've never been that I would love to see - Hawaii and Australia!

22. It's snowing tonight! I love the snow! Not that I am really into playing in it - I just love to watch it fall. Especially big, fluffy snowflakes. Each one different - not one exactly like the other. Kind of like Heavenly Father's children. Each one pure and clean as we come to Earth. Did I mention I love babies???

23. I love all of my children very much! It is amazing how different each one is! - like my own personal snowflakes.

24. My husband and parents, and Stephanie are a huge support for me. They are so good to me! I know I am so lucky to have all of them.

25. I just got braces (again!) almost a week ago. And they still hurt so bad, it's driving me crazy! Works pretty well with the Weight Watchers plan, though, so I won't complain any more.

Let it Snow

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