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Tuesday, May 09, 2006

headed for syndication

This is my 100th blog post. I had actually written something on Sunday afternoon when I was very, very sad. It was another rant about my struggle in this neighborhood, as I had realized that we've lived here almost three years and I still have fewer neighbor friends than fingers on one hand. But I'm glad I didn't publish that. On Monday, I was blessed to get together with six other fantastic women who I adore, and as I went home, I counted my blessings, those six high among them.

So, here, I'll just share some random thoughts that have been floating around.

~I'm very proud that it's nearly mid-May and I've yet to turn on my air conditioner.

~I've learned you don't have to suffer through a funeral to enjoy funeral potatoes.

~My oldest daughter is REALLY GOOD at softball. It's as though Darin's baseball genes were directly transmitted to her.

~Mom, please stop asking James if I'm pregnant.

~Today, Seven Peaks passes were available at citydeals.com for only $49 each, which is the lowest price I've seen them. Also, that website offers $25 Seven Peaks gift certificates for only $20, which is another way to save since parking passes cost $25.

~Can anyone please tell me where I can buy a girl's dress? One that's not a sundress, or is sleeveless, or halter-top, or even tank top? And nothing that's going to make her look like a hobo or that I just sewed a bunch of scraps together in the shape of a skirt? I'm just looking for a normal, pretty, traditional, girl's summer dress - something that looks like it belongs on a little girl.

~Sonic has really good cheeseburgers, and I love their strawberry limeade; it's the perfect summer meal.

~I am very excited for a family reunion this summer.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

J,
This blog made me very happy because I was waiting for the rant.
I wish there was a way we could connect our ward better. I have 13 years here, so I am probably totally insensitive to this issue. But I know that I feel completely disconnected from all of the newer members (for one thing - I feel extremely old!)

Just know that you have a friend here who cares greatly for you, and we are totally getting our families together for summer BBQ's this year!

cabesh said...

I was having problems with dresses too. I managed to find 4 or 5 decent and modest ones (cute too) at Kohl's (there's one in AF now I think), Costco, and Babies -R- US.

Good luck!

La Yen said...

So, Tio, what is up with your sister? Is she pregnant?

Carina said...

JC Penney's, Dillards....is Jolene's still around anyplace? Did I just betray how old I am?

I just saw ~J today and she isn't pregnant.

Mmmm funeral potatoes.

waldo said...

Sonic does have really good cheeseburgers, but I would give an appendage of your choice for a Double Double with cheese and an onion but no tomatoes with fries and a strawberry shake right now.

Those of you who know what I'm talking about, salivate. Those of you who don't, my condolences

Anonymous said...

The Childrens Place

dalene said...

Don't know the rest--but Lorien is great, isn't she? I'm so sorry we stole (stold?...stoled?) her away from your hood to ours. I will watch for houses for sale because we would love for you to come play in our little coin. (Of course it took me a few years to really get my foot in the door here, but I sort of force my way in eventually--I guess much like I did into your bloggerhood.)

I hear you with the A/C thing. My allergist thinks I'm an idiot. But if you open the windows at night you can just about make it till June.

We have funeral potatoes at Christmas and Easter sometimes. My mother tries to euphemistically call them something else, but they are, in fact, funeral potatoes. I had some recently that someone had put bacon in--never thought of that--as well as extra cheese. They were divine.

I'm not in love with Seven Peaks (I'll keep the horror stories to myself), my darling daughter wears boys shorts all the time now so I'm not much help with the dress thing except to say it gets even worse when they get older, but I too love strawberry limeade at Sonic.

Anonymous said...

Are we (i.e. those under my roof) one of your fingers? I hope so, because you know that my oldest is semi-betrothed to your middle child. :)

~j. said...

Sue - thanks. I don't know what can be done, either. The assigned parties don't work...other parties seem to be high school reunions, kind of. I don't consider you to be old. (I've been thinking a lot lately about 'old'...perhaps that's fodder for another blog.) And I can't wait to have some fun this summer. :)

cabesh - I've only heard good things about Kohl's (and with Hilary Duff in their commercials, well...), but I've never been there. I'll give it a shot. Thanks for the recommendation. The recent dresses at our Costco are without sleeves, and I don't think Rae's size is available at Babies backwards-R Us, but I LOVE their dresses. And, for the record, The Children's Place is where I concocted my description of what I don't want in a dress. (PS - come ON, Lorelai!!! What?!)

yen - pfffbbbbt.

carina - Jolene's? I think there is (or was) one in Orem...I'll try the department stores. Mmmm...birthday funeral potatoes.

waldo - strawberry shake? Funny thing about that...call me Jerry Seinfeld if you must, but I recently made an observation that I don't think that strawberry flavored things taste all that much like actual strawberries. Is it just me? I mean, I like both the strawberry flavor AND strawberries. (Who ARE these people??)

compulsive - awwww...to be technical, Lorien was in the neighborhood I lived in before this one. But, I still see her, so it's good. You and I need to meet, though...maybe have a yard sale and get rid of our stuff...

I cringe at Seven Peaks horror stories. I have one of my own, actually, but I'm working to get over it. One of the best things my parents ever did was to ensure that we kids learned how to swim at an early age - it's such an important skill!! But it's also so stressful, for me at least, to wait for when they truly know how to handle themselves in the water. My oldest two began lessons in January, and we have a few other lessons coming up when school gets out (including a mother/toddler class), so hopefully that will aid in moving things along. It will be a huge relief for me when I know I can trust their skills...because I know I can't trust the lifeguards there!

coward - duh. Of course you are. Even though your oldest tends to break off the wedding at his whim... ;)

La Yen said...

I am emailing you some dress links as we speak. Also, when you come to visit, you can get them Mexican MuuMuus. (Which I recently saw advertised as "patio dresses." Call a MuuMuu a MuuMuu, I say.)
Also, Del Taco has strawberry shakes with strawberry flavor and real straberry chunks.
PS I have a great aunt that I only know of as Aunt MuuMuu. Seriously, I have no idea what her real name is.

~j. said...

jake - thanks. I usually don't go into department stores, but I'll give it a shot.

yen - can my girls start calling you tia muu-muu? I seriously can't wait to see what great things I can find when we go to Mexico.

coward - I have told a couple of people that I was initially going to respond to you like this, and they said I should have: "Yes, you are one of my fingers, I just won't tell you which one." But then I didn't write that. But now I just did. And luckily for me, you have a sense of humor...do I still get to have a temple recommend??

Tori :) said...

I got Isabel 3 dresses at Sams and a couple for Kelsea and Karlea. They are sleeveless, but look really cute with a white tee under them. They're also less than $12. I have a hard time finding the kind of dress you described also. Good luck!
Random thoughts- good idea for a post. :)

Bek said...

Great blog!!
Go to www.naartjie.com for dresses. Their summer stuff is not quite as good as their spring stuff, but it is the only place I have found that have cute dresses that aren't slutty. There is a store in SLC.

ALSO, Lands End Kids has REALLY cute dresses (that are kind of Hanna Anderson-ey). They have stripes and flowers and tie day. They are great, only 15-20$$ You can wash them one million times too.

Sorry you struggle w/ your neighborhood. It is tough. It has been a year and I have no social interaction w/ any of my neighbors. Granted, they are all 103 years old, but still. It is hard not to have those "drop in" friends.

:-)

Bek said...

Oh, the Naartjie stuff gets a little layer-y. Your kids end up looking like polygamyst kids. They don't photograph as well as they actually look on the kids. Also, I have Lu wear pants under all her dresses b/c she likes the monkey bars and to do cartwheels. :-)

If you don't find anything this year, try spring next year (April). I buy all of Lulu's dresses there in the Spring and we wear them forever. The summer stuff does tend to be sleeveless. The little tops and bottems are really fun too (2 for 20$).

:-)

Geo said...

~j., I tried to comment earlier but your comment box kept refusing to show itself to me.

I have the same problem in the Franklin 'hood, and the friendlies I can honestly count are all male, now that my next-door girlfriend has moved to Idaho and the across-the-street one got remarried and moved to Wymount. Maybe I've got too many fingers.

Oh, and may I say in tandem with you: Gram, please stop asking me if Rob and I are really trying to get pregnant.

I had to turn on our furnace today; my house is downright chilly!

Geo said...

~j., I tried to comment earlier but your comment box kept refusing to show itself to me.

I have the same problem in the Franklin 'hood, and the friendlies I can honestly count are all male, now that my next-door girlfriend has moved to Idaho and the across-the-street one got remarried and moved to Wymount. Maybe I've got too many fingers.

Oh, and may I say in tandem with you: Gram, please stop asking me if Rob and I are really trying to get pregnant.

I had to turn on our furnace today; my house is downright chilly!

Anonymous said...

*GASP!!!* you've never been to kohl's??? what are you, pregnant?

and those sleeveless dresses of which you speak... they're called jumpers :) just do as tori says and put tee shirts under them.

it's frustrating that i can't find clothes for your girls anymore because everything is so "trashy".

and you know how i feel about your neighborhood. don't get me started.

~j. said...

No, I'm not talking about jumpers. I'm talking about sleeveless dresses. And I know about the shirts under them...but my girls have had it with that. I had them put shirts on under their new dresses a few weeks ago and there was weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth.

Carina said...

There were some dresses with sleeves on sale at KMart today.

Anonymous said...

what are the recent sizes of your girls??? rae's the only one i'm concerned about ... emma 4T? clara 2T? right?

kiki said...

I love onion rings and ocean water from Sonic. SOOO GOOD! But I'm not drinking carbonation any more, so...lemon-lime slush, it is.

kacy faulconer said...

I have a feeling you live in MY neighborhood. Give me a hint. If you do we can shun others and form a clique.

~j. said...

A clique with you?! Sign me up! Here's a hint: Sunsetview.

(PS - I think we almost met once...were you at the Clark Christmas party? CC told me you were supposed to be there, but I don't think we met. Hm.)

kacy faulconer said...

We are close (Amelia Earhart). I'll see you at Walkers getting a diet coke maybe. (Was there twice today.)