snails and stuff

Remember Pretty Woman
Eating "escargot"
with utensils that looked like something a gynecologist would use?
while helping give birth?
Last week I was able to go with miss dear daughter & her teen living class to La Caille
where our appetizer consisted of creatures that roam the ground here in Utah.
It was like helping a shell give birth
however instead of a baby snail
something resembling poop came out.
gross.

then...
after eating "normal food"
with friend Chelsea & (not pictured) Jo & his mom (my friend Tiffany Price)
we roamed the AMAZING grounds

 isn't my girl beautiful!

(ps... the ducks here attack humans.  be warned.)

in other darling daughter news:

while shopping, she found a tiny unused cart.

& thought it was the most spectacular thing she'd ever seen in a grocery store.

 
 mostly because it spins in circles
and then big men look at her like she's lost her marbles.....
{no comment}

in college news

because I happen to have the bladder the size of an infants

every day before my math class I rush to the restroom

where on the other side of this stall 

an opera singer in the making belts out melodies.

on the toilet

in the other stall.

un ashame ably......(is that a word.  I think not.  it is now.)

math hw.

dealing w/ math:

 & facebooking my friend Jodi
who got an answer wrong on a test for "the miss use of the = sign.
no joke
so now it's our joke.....
that she openly shares w/ our professor.
because she's that brave.... and funny

& then we send texts - photos of our hw back and forth....

the joys of cell phones!

(even though mine takes really quite horrific photos!)

and
this is me.
doing recess duty
alone.
15 minutes every day.

 that's all for now folks.

later.
prom!

mom... trail master... truth be told.

My kids and I ventured into the American Fork Canyon for a hike.

Which means.... unless it's a paved path, the kids were too afraid to attempt --- they know their mom's sense of direction is non existing.  truth.

We drove as far as we could (google.  thanks a lot.  lie. )

and then turned back.  found a trail.

ahh... we had to pay that man giving us the evil eye as we drove past his fancy little booth.

So ---- 

we began again.

step 1:  pay the piper.

check.

step 2:  find a trail

check.

which took us to:

yup.

step 3:  another trail

which took us to:

yup....  

ok.  so this is the exact same place, but after "hiking" to about 6 picnic grounds, 

my kids thought...

PHOTO OP!!!!

aka:  mom should never ever ever be the leader of the pack.  

like... ever.

hold on...

whu?  MOM!  WHY DO I HAVE TO HAVE BROTHERS...  streamed from that sweet girls lips

Sydney Leigh --- not happy that her brothers totally photo bombed her hot self.  

did I mention the slow driver?

Our second time around... because I decided to do the honest thing and pay the $6 so that I could hike to 6 picnic grounds with my half of 6 (for those of you lacking in math skills... that's 3) children - we waited approximately 6 minutes for a man to ask the man in the fancy little booth about 6 billion questions.  Upon his completion, a small man in stature.. approximately 5 ft. 6 inches - grabbed something from mr. fancy booth guy - and sped away at a whopping 6 mph.  That is not an exaggeration.

how do I know this you ask

because approximately 6 minutes later

we were tailing mr. 5 foot 6 inches.

to ease the pain of s.l.o.w. driving..
(I do NOT have road rage... I have driving way below the speed limit rage)

we stopped and took some photos:

 the Pudge was so NOT happy when I just got his nose.
"you're too short little man"
that didn't go over well either.

proud.

and then carried on.  

back to where we looped around time 1.

where --- mr. 5 ft. 6 was getting back into his car.

"phew"  

we would not have to trail this short man 6 mph back down the canyon.

we (anxiously - because by now ms. sydney does not trust me with directions) hopped out of the 6 man car and hiked on a dirt trail where we witnessed 6 piles of deer dung.  

 Syd and I chased the boys uphill....

 where the wind grew brisk and wild.  blowing @ a whopping 6 mph.
"this is what it must feel like when mr. 5 ft 6 drives with his window down"
wait.
"nope.  this is far windier"

 Trying to fly.
or something,.
muscles.  that's right.  showing off her ridiculously amazing buff arms.
mmm  hmmm.

 Syd wanted to prove how "tan" she was, With Andrew joining in....
then he replies
(here comes a major self esteem booster for this woman)
"mom.  what are all those big brown spots doing ALL OVER your arms"
yup.  about 600 of those.  joy.

finally - after about 16 min. one way. 

less than 16 minutes back

we reach to bottom

only to find mr. 6mph 

STILL THERE!

holy freak.

ARE YOU KIDDING

so we slowly wasted time getting into the car

and...

drove off 

ONLY to find mr. 5 ft. 6 - 6mph

DRIVING

ON THE

WRONG SIDE

OF THE ROAD!

and so.

we passed him up.

while he slowed from his 16 mph to his 6 mph.  

THAT was our spring break.

self magic

The magic of photography.
By Andrew.
Andrew will text or email Mike daily from my cell phone
self portraits distorted into monsters.
wicked pudge w/ green glaring eyes.
smoldering pudge w/ hearts aglow.

on my camera....
I found photos of nostrils.  teeth.  yawning.  and plain old silliness.
which all encompass.
My Pudge.

when enough is enough - alone time - we involve big sister.....

my blue eyed babes.

(Syd:"ok.  enough of you, Pudge.  It's ME time. Hey good lookin'.  Yah you.  mmm hmmm.  You're lookin good sugah!)

and then.....

I found this special green thing.

(I look so determined!)

that would be my gigantic mess
created when I craft.  cook.  prep my face.  my hair.  etc....

I have no clue where David is while all this chaos is going on.
probably hiding.
or sleeping.
or smart enough to stay away from the chaos that is Pudge.  ;)

Thanks Pudge.
for capturing you.  syd.  and the mess I make.