I WON....

I won $440 in Saunte Cookware. It's all cast iron with red enamel coating on the outside. I can't wait to get it. Thanks to all who took time to catch my 3 minutes of fame!

My Deal or No Deal Debut!

So I entered a contest a few weeks ago. Today I got a phone call letting me know that I had been selected to play Deal or No Deal on Studio 5 tomorrow at 11 am. While I realize that I won't have a shot at winning a million bucks, nor will I get to meet Howie like my good friend Spanky, who played the real game (by the way, his episode airs June 11th), I am finally realizing the blessings of being a somewhat loyal viewer of Studio 5. Ryan always thinks I am ridiculous for entering such things, which I can slightly understand because I am clearly the most unlucky person on the face of the planet. I cannot even manage to win a free 16 oz cola from a twist off cap (aren't those like 1 in 3?). However, tomorrow my luck is changing, because I am guaranteed a prize. Sadly, the one I really wanted was won today--a $1000 shopping spree to Engh Gardens. So I think I'm going for the day spa retreat. All the other really great ones were taken as well. There are only like 5 of 20 cases left. I will be playing via phone call so wish me luck!

Stairs are good for something

A Tribute to my Mothers

"A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie."--Tenneva Jordan

My mom, and Nana to Max and 15 others

"I remember my mother's prayers, and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life."--Abraham Lincoln JoAnn, the greatest mother-in-law in the world and Grandma to Max

"The future destiny of a child is always the work of its mother."--NapoleonMy adorable Gram, and Max's Great Gram

"Why did God make mothers? To teach us how to love Him. To teach us how to love."--Larissa Carrick The ultimate party thrower-Grandma J. & Max's Great Grandma J.

"The successful mother, the mother who does her part in rearing and training aright the boys and girls who are to be the men and women of the next generation, is of greater use to the community....She is more important by far than the successful statesman or businessman or artist or scientist." Theodore Roosevelt

i am a Mother

"I think my life began with waking up and loving my mother's face." --George Eliot

I Am Amazed

I've always known that my mother was amazing, not in the cliche sense of the word, but in it's truest, purest meaning. She amazed the world by bringing 8 children to it for starters. She amazed my father by the ease that she cared for them with. Meals were made, the home was kept clean, the children always looked nice when they needed to and dirty when they didn't need to--you know, just the way children should look. She amazed Dad even more that she could do all this on hand-me-downs and a farmer's budget. She amazed a West Texas community with her dedication to our minority faith. A 50 mile trip, one way, was just part of keeping that faith. She had that suburban on auto pilot. It knew how to get her to Primary and Relief Society presidency meetings, Sunday worship, mutual, and WalMart. It also knew to stop at Albertson's on Saturday nights for a dozen glazed donuts for the trip home. She amazed the little league by getting 4 to 7 kids uniformed and in pigtails, while simultaneously, running the concessions for the entire league, all while cheering for every base run, point scored, and out thrown. She amazed me by her ability to see everything I was doing, and everything I was doing wrong. I still don't know how she always knew. Were there not 7 other children to be minding to? The fact that she ran a household of 10 with only one bathroom is amazing in and of itself.

When she became a single mother at age 40, moved her family to AZ on her own, reentered the workplace, then became a full-time student again after 20+ years, my amazement of her seemed as if it had peaked; through it all she was still mothering her children through cheer, basketball, dance, fights, break-ups, breakdowns, college, marriage, and playing Nana to 16 grandchildren.

That is until I had my own son, and became a mother myself. It's one thing to watch a mother, appreciate a mother, recognize a mother for her life of selfless service. But it is when you experience being a mother that your amazement becomes awe and then quiet and reverent respect. It is now that I truly know what a mother's love is. That depth only humbles me more, for now I know just how amazing my mother really is.

Happy Mother's Day Mom. I Love You...and no, I won't remove this post, and you can't do anything about it.

Stop That or I'll Take You to the Car Wash!

There is a cry that every parent comes to know. It's different from any other cry. The cry of true and sincere fear is very distinguishable. There have only been two things that have caused our little Max to emit such a cry. Early on and now when caught off guard, the vacuum cleaner has been the suspect. The other is a new suspect; the car wash. We took the jeep through the car wash on two different occasions a few weeks ago and Max freaked out. He is not a fan of a dark enclosed space with a big machine shooting gallons of water and soap at him, followed by the deep roar of a gigantic dryer caressing the car. Today we took the 4-runner through a quick wash. It was confirmed that all the memory functions are working right on cue. The jets hadn't even started up yet and he was already shaking. I felt so bad. After a few short minutes we we're out and the horror of the $4 Express Wash was over.

We drove over to a little boutique to pick up a few mother's day presents, and as we tried to put Max back in his car seat he started throwing a fit (a common occurrence these days). In a very "I'm going to be as collected and firm as a push over Daddy can be" voice, these were the words that came out of my husband's mouth: "You had better stop that or I'm going back to the car wash."

Some people threaten their children with time-out, others with going to their room, and good parents probably don't use threats. Well, the Loveless' have the car wash, and Daddy's not afraid to use it.

Licensed to Drive

Questions:

How long do you have to signal before changing lanes?

What is the leading cause of death in America for the age group 1-24?

If you drive for two consecutive years without any traffic violations, how many points are removed from your driving record?

How long must a person under the age of 18 drive with a permit before being eligible for a license?

What are the four criteria for using a roundabout?

...just a few of the questions I was asked today...by the DMV computer...as I was testing...for a new license...since mine expired...in 2006. Thank you Mr. Macy's Department Store man for bringing it to my attention. Unlike AZ license (which is good for like 25 years), in UT your license is only good for five years. And apparently those 5 years don't start over just because you got a new license when you got married and changed your name. It's been 14 years since I took Driver's Ed. Today I am grateful that the state of Utah allows those of us who might occasionally experience a lapse in memory function the use of the driver's manual...and also for Larry, the very nice man at the DMV that humored rather than humiliated me.

BIG NEWS!

We've added to our family! (You thought we were pregnant, didn't you?)

We said goodbye to the Jeep and got this little beauty on Tuesday (after much searching). We love our new 4-Runner. And while we are not pregnant, we did think it was wise to purchase a vehicle that we could "grow" in for a while. So we opted for the 3rd row; while it is small, it will accomodate a child or two, so we shouldn't have to upgrade for a while. Ryan is feeling at home again with a Toyota. When we got rid of his baby, the black Toyota Tacoma, and got the Jeep a little part of him died I think. While it isn't a truck, I think his heart is mending with this addition to our family.

That's Mommy's Word

max has found his opinion. and it is a strong one. very strong. my mother always said that i deserved to have a "little sasser" one day as payback. well, mother...i hope you're happy because i have a feeling i am going to get mine. generally speaking, max is a happy kid. unless he wants to stand on the dishwasher door, or dig through the trash, or live outside. then my sweet, happy, little boy yells, yes yells, at me. i have no idea what he is yelling, but the message is quite clear. also, he has learned to say "no". i keep telling him that is mommy's word, but he is fighting me for it. i think we just entered real parenting.