Savvy Birthday Robs!

This video, created last night, says most of it ... but just in case you can't feel the love via video ...

Thanks for being the older sister I never had, the voice of reason, the listening ear, the confidence I sometimes lack ... thanks for everything! I wish I were there to celebrate with you but since I'm not ... watch the kitchen table, it's not something that will stay in the box in the garage for a year!



HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROBS! LOVE YOU!

TODO List

I like being busy … I do best under pressure. I am happier when I have things to check off of my TODO List (yes, I refer to it as TOTO, like Dorothy’s dog ~ I suppose naming my list is perhaps not the best sign). But I love my lists as much as Dorothy loves her dog.

Would you like to see what my TODO List consisted of yesterday?
• Gym – 5:30
• HP JOB – 7:00
• Lunch with new State Director for the Senator’s Campaign, Suzanne – 1:00
• Hair Apt – 4:00
• Laundry
• Connect with Sorensen
• Meet with QD – 6:00
• BIG @ HALE – 6:30
• Night with Pete, Dirk, and Heather – 10:30

Here is what it actually was …
• HP JOB – 6:30
• Connect with Sorensen … connected to figure out when we could actually connect, PROVO is so far!
• Lunch with Suzanne – 1:00 … she’ll take us places
• GYM – 3:00
• Hair Apt – 4:00 … blessed Steph, if I ever strike oil or have a child star I will have her move in with me
• Mail Check / Talk to Parental Units
• BIG @ HALE – 6:30
• Meet with QD – 6:42 … we squeezed in our entire agenda in 19 minutes, we were still on time for Green Room
• Call Adam – 7:20 … Oh how I love my serenity giver
• Call Scot – 7:35 (yes, after show start time, I’m a fabulous multi-tasker) … learned more about Architecture
• Discuss with other Techies (who knew I would refer to myself as such!) Lists – 8:00 … you’d be surprised at Michaels List
• Night with Peter, Dirk, and Heather – 10:18 (I get out quickly!) … this deserves expansion
o Dinner
o Assign Jobs for Peter’s Future
 H – Lawyer, obviously
 D – Costume Design
 K – Music Director … I will be working with all of the big names we convince to come and put laser gloves on
o Discuss Audio Gift Giving
o ZANADU … The Premiere for Kasi French … HAVE YOU SEEN THIS FILM?



 That’s GENE



 Muse spoiling from Heather
 All things OLIVIA NEWTON JOHN
 Pete Dance
o Dirk sporting my favorite T-shirt
o Jim Hansen Talk and Planning
o OC Conversation … obviously
o Laughing
o Relaxing
o Questioning our abilities to break into a car ~ I’m serious, at 11:15 there was a knock and a question• Home – 12:15
• Mind wandering, contemplating, fretting, rejoicing
• SLEEP – 3:30



I know that I think I am giving the impression of this serene animal while busily completing my tasks but I know I’m probably looking to the outside world as a duck face down trying to grab something completely out of reach … I love it all though!

MAGIC KILLERS

It was a cooler night, a welcome surprise. The wind was propelling in from the south window, aided by the fan above. The clock read after one, how did that happen? I pulled out one of my two pajama drawers but as I was sorting to find the perfect pair for the four hours of sleep that was ahead of me, a process that takes five long minutes I mourn for on the other end, the cooler night suddenly became cold. A smile crossed my face as I quickly shut that drawer. I reached eight inches above, FALL/WINTER PAJAMAS!

I brushed my hand over the Christmas pile, I can listen to the music but if I put one of those on I’ll curse the Indian Summer that is likely ahead of me still. My eyes lingered on the red snowflakes from two years back but my hands moved on and suddenly stopped. My eyes caught up … the pale pink, softer than a baby’s blanket, pair. Perfect.

I crawled into bed, pulled up the sheets and there they were …



She comes to get it as we get in the bath. I have no fear of the first step of the cleansing process. However, she is carefully monitored during the critical moments of the second step. She often reaches for the dryer sheet. NO! At five, the only thing understood is that the dryer sheets are MAGIC KILLERS! She laughs and tries to explain something about cling and the slips I desperately hate on Sundays but my eyes are focused on the dryer door … if any killers past through I will lie on the ground and throw a tantrum.

I am the fastest. The Strawberry Shortcake Nightgown is my favorite. No matter the season, no matter the trip, no matter the sleeve length, it is worn. I am in my SSN before the others have even decided on their wardrobe for the next eleven hours ~ FRENCH KIDS NEED THEIR SLEEP and our parents know it. Discussion of the next day, brushing of hair and teeth, and prayer. Please ask Briggy to pray, he prays the fastest. I don’t know that other little ones hate going to bed, I run to my bed and suddenly stop … I crawl in slowly and they appear. My friends from the night before, not Fairies that Grams talks of. No, these were my Magic Jumping Beads that magically appear and disappear so fast I can never catch them. He comes and interrupts with his own nightly ritual, saying goodnight to his girls. I respond and then he’s gone. I kick, I twist, I turn, I throw my limbs in all sorts of directions. And although the beads taunt me, I fall into dreams with them night after night.

… I must have forgotten to put the MAGIC KILLERS in the last time I washed the pink softies or perhaps the dryness of UT has affected my drawer contents. But I fell asleep with a childlike contentment and awoke with more energy than I have ever awoken after three and a half hours of sleep. DOWN WITH MAGIC KILLERS!

Anyway ... Because

A little bit ago I was introduced to a newish musical, I Love You Because. The music is decent, lyrics are clever … not a complete waste of time. However, this is not a review of said musical. Rather a post regarding my thoughts on the title song.

How often does it cross our mind, “Oh, well, I love you anyway,” after our love one does something illogical or perhaps something contrary to what we would normally do. This “I love you anyway” causes, I believe, an underlying frustration in a relationship. I believe it is undermining to the one you care so much about and in the end it causes rifts between two people.

You disagree? Let’s look at an example or two. Let’s suppose your fiancée is habitually late. You kiss her on the top of her head as she finally meets you at lunch and she begins her apology. “Don’t fret, I love you anyway.” Certainly the constant tardiness in life could wear on someone. But if in your mind you understand why she is late, whether its because she is preparing for the day by packing the picnic for your lunch or making herself beautiful for you, you LOVE HER BECAUSE of it all. See the difference? Not yet?

Okay, so he loves sports. He could spend all day long in front of ESPN Classics watching football games from before he could walk. You indicate to him that you’d like to go to the library for a reading by a local man, Kurt Vonnegut. He lovingly replies, “I’ll stay here but thanks.” You blop a kiss on the top of his head and as you walk out with a bit of underlining irritation you say “Love you anyway.” But if you understand that sports to him is like that Vonnegut novel to you, that sports are his way of unwinding from the day that caused serious stress as he’s trying to make the living that funds all of those books on your bookshelf … he hasn’t asked you to memorize the ’83 Bears Roster, he knows you have no interest in that, so? You LOVE HIM BECAUSE of it all, not in spite of it all.



If I can speak of anything at all in this life it is feeling love and it is clear when someone loves me anyway or loves me because. I come with my fair share of quirks and imperfections ~ no need to share. I will be the first to acknowledge that I have much to work on but when I am loved for who I am rather than for what you can put up with … that is a love that is hard to walk away from.

Moving to Europe

Why wouldn’t I? I’ve been called a gypsy, a vagabond, a drifter, a wanderer … I’m okay with the labels and feel it is my responsibility to live up to them.

Last night as M&M and I discussed the lives that we are currently leading I stated the obvious solution, “Let’s move to Germany and live with Nays.” There was no hesitation, both responded in the affirmative.



I believe we’ll pack up this week and be driving the German country side by the closing ceremonies of the Olympics. We’ll live from paycheck to paycheck, working as little as necessary to keep us fed and clothed ~ Nays will have company on the rare occasion he’s home and we’ll be learning the rail system of Europe as we venture forth into the culture rich landscape of our ancestors.

You are more than welcome to come and visit … let me simply explain the parameters that apply to all that come.
• You mustn’t come during any period of time that might be referred to as a Honeymoon, this is a period where friends should not be visited – no matter the circumstance.
• You mustn’t come during any period of time that might be referred to as an engagement, we’ve noticed in our research that this period is full of high stress, tears, and unnecessary orneriness.
• We will allow those with fancy jewelry housed on the left ring finger to come but they must understand that it is not their duty to persuade those without said jewelry to get said jewelry.
• We believe in children, so you may bring yours and we will dote on them. We will strongly encourage you to stay at a hotel with adorable children, if only to allow us to unwind from the delight that your offspring offer and miss them a bit to increase doting the following day.
• We believe in romance but do not believe in the drama that many feel comes as its companion, so if you desire to kiss M/M/K understand that in our minds, IT IS ONLY A KISS ~ not a testament to abounding love and devotion.
o If you do desire to continue with this kissing for a long period of time, you better have some frequent flyer miles ~ it will take some awfully good kissing on MANY SEPARATE occasions to convince any of us to venture back to this America you speak of.
o We do not say three little words simply to help you fill a quota, nor do we listen to them … we believe that actions speak louder than words.
o If by chance you do convince one to travel back to the America, either K&M or M&M must give full approval.
• It is your responsibility to accept whatever accent we decide to speak in during your visit, it will likely change from day to day or perhaps even hour to hour.
• You must accept that Seth / Summer / Jim / Pam / Meredith / Derek are parts of our lives and should never be referred to as anything less
• We believe that all people have the right and responsibility to choose their own political views but if they must be vocalized through yelling and belittling of others they are not welcome.
• We encourage the cynical and sarcastic to visit often.

Once these are understood in their entirety, let us know ~ we’ll put it on the calendar.

I’m off to pack.