Merit Badges

Woo-hoo!  Branden earned his first two official Boy Scout Merit Badges.  We had a stake Merit Badge day, and being the experienced Boy Scout mother that I am, I signed Branden up for two Eagle merit badges.  No fun merit badges for him!  He was able to complete both Citizenship in the World and Citizenship in the Nation.   This brings me to one of my favorite new finds.  Translucent thread.  Merit badges are a PAIN to sew on.  They are so thick that if you sew them by hand you end up with huge indentations on your fingers from pushing the needle so hard (I know that's what thimbles are for, but come on, who has a thimble?)  I would rather sew them with my machine, but every merit badge and patch is a different color and I hated having to change my thread and bobbin with each badge--until I found translucent thread.  It's clear, so you can use it to sew on everything and it won't stand out.  I don't even have to sew neatly because you can't see the stitches.  I finally sewed Trevor's 20-something merit badges onto his sash and it only took me about 30 minutes.  So to all you readers with scouting boys my helpful hint of the day is translucent thread. 

I knew it was hot, but...

For those of you who don't know, the weather here has been extremely hot the last 5 days (in the 100's).  When I picked up Branden from school on Friday, we noticed a police car in the school parking lot.  He said, "Good, the cops are here."  After correcting him on his police slang, I asked why he was glad there was a policeman at school.  He said that they were looking for the man who was running naked through the field.  What???  Apparently, there was a streaker running through the playground field at his elementary school on Friday.  All I could say was...well, it was pretty hot today.  And sorry--no pictures of the event to go with this post.

Garage Band

Over the weekend we went to San Diego.   Trevor and Branden's favorite things to do when we visit San Diego is play with their cousins.  Last time we visited, Trevor and Branden and Nate spent hours in Scott's garage.  Trevor and Nate played guitar and they gave Branden some buckets which he turned upside down to use as drums with lead pipes as drumsticks.   This time, Nate borrowed some real drums for Branden to use.  They had a lot of fun and created their own song.  Nate, we think you should buy the drums.

Costumes....what???

I had just returned home from taking Kali out for a run when the phone rang.   We have caller ID and so, of course, I checked to see if I should answer it or not when I saw it was a YW President from another ward.  I figured she was calling about Stake Youth Conference so I answered it.  "Lori," she said, "Do you sew?"  Hmmm.  Trick question.  Trying to divulge as little information as possible without unknowingly volunteering for something I muttered "A little."  She then went on to tell me that she had just bought all the patterns and fabric for the girls costumes that are due tomorrow. What????  What costumes???  I had to try and figure out what she was trying to tell me.  Kelsie has a choir concert coming up in a few weeks and she told me she needed a "Western outfit."  I knew she was singing  a separate Spice Girls song with four other girls,  but for some reason I just assumed it was a Western Spice Girls song and that's why she needed the western outfit. I know Spice Girls don't exactly sing country music, but for some reason I thought maybe they once did.  Apparently, I thought wrong.  The Western outfit is for one song and she needs her Sporty Spice costume (due tomorrow) for another song.  In my state of shock, I also said I would sew the costume for one of the other girls who couldn't get it sewn.    Luckily, since I've been cleaning out the office (see previous posts) I already know where my special fabric cutting scissors are.  I usually have to hide these so no one will use them to cut hair or paper or anything in the garage, and then I never remember where I've hid them, but I already have them and am ready to go.  I just need the fabric...

Little People Big World

I thought I would watch an episode of "Little People Big World" that my kids had Tivo'd since it was a new episode where Matt and Amy are doing a major home addition.  Chris and I are trying to decide if we want to do an addition or move (like we haven't been trying to decide this for the past 10 years) so I thought I'd see how the Roloff's addition was going.  This addition was so stressful for me to even watch on TV.  Everyone was sleeping in the same room, everyone was mad at each other and totally stressed out.  Amy (the mom) kept yelling at her husband and told him she was going to leave him.  Meanwhile, Chris is watching this and laughing out loud. He thought it was hilarious.  Why would he think this was funny?  Does he not realize this could soon be our life?  Halfway through the project, they were way off  budget and they had to send all the workers home!  Yikes!  I could barely finish watching it....meanwhile the architect is currently working on plans for a tentative addition for us!  Help!

Trevor's new bedroom

Trevor and Branden have shared a room for most of their lives.  Lately the morning conversation has been "Branden keeps yelling at me for no reason in the middle of the night and he keeps waking me up," and "Trevor keeps talking to me and waking me up for no reason."  Finally, Trevor got tired (literally) of his lack of  sleep and grabbed a couple of blankets and his pillow and said "I am NEVER sleeping in that room again."  He threw his stuff in the office floor and has been sleeping on the floor ever since.   What I have learned and heard since he moved out of his room is that Trevor talks in his sleep.  I didn't realize this before.  So apparently, when they were sharing a room, Trevor would be talking in his sleep which would wake up Branden. Branden would yell at him to stop talking which would wake up Trevor. Trevor doesn't believe this, but it really is true.  Even with this new insight into Trevor's sleeping habits, he still does not want to share a room with Branden EVER again!

 

His new room is our office.  I was planning to clean it out and change it into his bedroom before school starts in the fall so he wouldn't be waking up Branden every morning when he gets ready for seminary and school.  I just wasn't expecting to start cleaning it our right now.  For 15 years  not only has that room been our office, but it's the room where you put everything when you don't know where to put anything or can't find room to put anything anywere.  My goal is still to have it cleaned out by the time school starts (end of August--who says I don't have goals!) It's just one of those things that can't be rushed.   It's a good thing he likes sleeping on the floor.

A Great Day

May 3, 2008

What a great day...  Went to the temple and was able to accomodate a persitant ancestor wanting work done.  Actually the persistance came from a member of our local ward who gave me naturalization papers for one of my relatives.   She ventured upon it while looking up her own geneology for the family line.  Car pool lane worked good all the way there or we would have been late.

On the way back we hit a local frozen yougurt establishment and while there I noticed a gentlemen who had on a vintage motorcycle jersey.  Friendly person that I am, I commented I liked his shirt and he explained he raced motorcycles back in the mid to late sixties and early seventies.  We chatted for awhile and I was amazed at how much he knew about motorcycles.  Said he raced motocross until about the mid sixties and then switched to flat-track and scrambles and raced at Ascot quite a bit.  After awhile I wondered and asked his last name which he replied was Mashburn.  Oh did I feel silly.  It was Keith Mashburn who I was conversing with all this time.  Glad I didn't brag too much on my puny motorcycle skills and history.  He's a flat-track champion and legend.  Really nice guy who didn't mind the novice motorcycle historian speaking to him..  We had a good talk and he gave me a web-site that they have and meet often on.  Can't wait to check it out...  Got home an had a motorcycle related package wating (just like a Christmas day) Worked on my son's Ht1 mx the rest of the day and we painted the frame on Saturday.  It will be fun to finish it.   That's it...  Later...  Chris