Team work

We had our second annual "Deck the Doors" contest at work and my team won!

You could get:

Best Overall Door
Best use of Humor
Best Representation of Department/Team.

We got Best Representation of Department/Team. I am so lucky to work with such a great group of people!

Big Julie

This was waiting for me when I returned from vacation. Excellent team work guys! My favorite part? The Donny necklace of course!

I bought the kit this year with the stencils and tools to do some more creative pumpkin carving; these are what Sean and I did. We also found out the hard way that you need to make sure you get "carving pumpkins" not "cooking pumpkins." Sean's was for cooking and much harder to carve!

Jew?

So Ian is telling me this story tonight about a sub in one of his classes... he says the sub "looked like a Jew." So I ask him "What does a Jew look like?" (My first thought was that he was making a judgement and I was going to set him straight if that was the case.) His response was "I don't know, but all my friends thought so too." Ah, the need to fit in!

Living in a lego house

Will we all survive?

Potter household:

One tween
One teenager
One peri-menopausal mom

Living on the edge of disaster!

Big Slip n Slide

Where does he come up with this stuff?

Last night Ian and I went school shopping, who would of thought a boy could be so indecisive? The goal was to get a couple t-shirts and a sweat shirt, we ended up with nothing. After the waste of time shopping trip we went to Finley's for dinner where I had this conversation with Ian:

Ian: "there's this guy at dad's I think you'd like."
Me: "why do you say that."
Ian: "because he's lost like you."
Me: "what do you mean?"
Ian: "you know he says these things that he thinks are funny and he laughs and nobody gets it but him."

What do you say to that? Thanks Ian I love you too!

Summer 2009 #2

The boys and I spent our traditional week up-north with my mom & dad. The boys went with my brother and his grand-daughter over to Torch lake for an afternoon and all the kids got swimmers itch-I looked up on the Internet and now that I know what it is I'm kinda creeped out!

My mom & dad buy some fireworks on clearance each year and one night we have a fire and light them. Much fun!

We went to Pirates Cove in Traverse City again this year, it's a really neat family activity place. We played a game of mini golf and drove go carts. This year they added a zip cord thing-we decided to wait until next year to try that one. They also had this rope climbing course that Ian & Sean did. They seemed to really enjoy it. Ian said this part in the picture was a bit nerve racking-but he did it!

Summer 2009

It's been a really different summer: The boy's dad has been laid off so he's had them more, there has been a lot of one on one-I've liked that part. What I haven't liked is the lack of routine, I don't really like not knowing which kid or kids will be home from day to day. None of them (Rob included) seem to understand they need to keep me in the loop and that they really should ask me if there is anything else going on. Grrrr

Rob did take the boys on a road trip; they went to Ohio, Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky. They saw a lot of military stuff; battlegrounds, tanks, ships, etc.-Robs speciality. They also saw Mammoth Caves and the Smokey Mountains-now that stuff I like. (I hear Ian's favorite was the beach with the bikinied girls :)) They got to meet their great uncle Ray and his family-that was cool. All in all it was a good trip, but they were happy to come home which made a mom really missing her boys feel happy.

Extraordinary Mothers

Sunday Paper

I fear this will be me someday...


"WHERE is my SUNDAY paper?!" The irate customer calling the newspaper office, loudly demanded to know where her Sunday edition was.

"Madam", said the newspaper employee, "today is Saturday. The Sunday paper is not delivered until tomorrow, on SUNDAY".

There was quite a long pause on the other end of the phone, followed by a ray of recognition as she was heard to mutter, "Well, ****, so that's why no one was at church today."

We'll miss you Smokey Joe Potter

It's not like my emotions weren't running high as it was, I came home after work on Wednesday to find a very dehydrated cat, I knew right away we were in trouble... We went to Ian's graduation ceremony and as soon as we got home called the vet to take him in. You could tell right away that she knew we were in trouble too. They kept him over night tried to get some fluids in him and take some blood. The blood tests confirmed her fear-kidney failure. Bottom line, not much you can do. So this afternoon we let him go. Ian and I went to the vet to be with him, then Sean, Ian and I took him out to my mom & dads and buried him in their backyard. Sean made a cross of sorts for him-it's been a very sad day in the Potter household.

Ian's Big Day

Ian graduated from middle school Wednesday-(no really he did and without summer school!) Even with all the struggles this year it was still his best middle school year. He didn't want to go to the celebration at all, and all the way there told me how unfair it was that I was forcing him to go. He may or may not appreciate me making him go in later years, but at least he won't regret not going! I wasn't able to get any good pictures because the set-up was a little different and in Ian's eyes that would be "annoying". So I will post a partial picture as well as the balloons and cake just for the record. High School for this one next year!

Sean's Big Day

Sean graduated from 5th grade on Tuesday, on to middle school! They had a nice program, the 5th graders sang about 5 songs, then the 5th grade teachers gave them an advancement certificate. Remember how your parents said they grow-up really fast, enjoy each moment? They're right!

Watching out for John

Thursday night Sean and I went to Flap Jacks for dinner-I over heard the following conversation between the old guy in the booth behind me and another couple:

Couple: Hi John, how are you?
John: I'm doing well how are you?

Some additional conversation then:
John: How do I know you again?

Some additional conversation, John seems to know who they are now and they talk about friends they have in common, some alive, some not.

Couple: We haven't seen you in here recently.
John: I come in about once a week.
Couple: You used to come every night.
John: Maybe I still do.

Poor John-I hope someones keeping track of him.

Star Trek

I went to see this movie last night (I know I'm a little behind the pack. I hate the crowds when movies first come out) I thought it was great! One of the things the original series had was good humor between the main characters, the movie had that as well. I was pretty impressed at how they picked actors the resembled the original characters too. I think I'll have to buy this one.

Sean's Band Concert

Sean has been learning to play the clarinet this year and had his band concert today. Still being technically challenged I missed the first part of the video trying to figure out how the stupid camera worked!

Remember I love you

A few years ago I got these decals that you can put on mirrors, windows etc. (wish I could remember where I found them!) Anyway, I have one in the upstairs bathroom that says "Did you think to pray?". In the downstairs bathroom I have "I am a child of God". I also got one that says "Remember I love you-mom". I put that one on the window by the computer. My hope was that as the boys are playing on the computer they would see it and remember I love them. To be honest I hadn't really thought about it for some time, and I can't remember the boys ever saying they even noticed it was there... until Sunday. Sean made a Mother's Day card in primary, the same one all the other kids made, but when he signed it he put "Remember I love you-Sean".

Joys? of a single parent

We all know being a parent can be full of frustrations and luckily full of joys and experiences that out way those frustrations. When you're a single parent you get to shoulder more of those things by yourself; you often get to answer questions that you might be tempted to say "go ask your father." Most of these question seem to come while we are driving, I like that because I don't have to look them in the eye as I answer the question. The last few weeks however have not been so kind. A couple weeks ago it was "Mom, what is an erection?", last week it was "What is genital herpes?" Darn TV.

Fridays

Ok,so I know I'm writing this on Saturday, but I LOVE FRIDAYS! I wake up Friday morning and think "last day of the work week!" Woo Hoo! Rob takes the boys most Friday nights-I can go out with a friend, see a movie, or I can buy something yummy that I want to eat, and not share! I can watch any silly thing on TV without hearing "you're going to watch that!?!?"

DANCE TRAIN STATION BELGIUM

Three Pigs

This is a true story, proving how fascinating the mind of a six year old is.
They think so logically.

A teacher was reading the story of the Three Little Pigs to her class. She Came to the part of the story where first pig was trying to gather the building Materials for his home. She read . 'and so the pig went up to the man with the Wheelbarrow full of straw and said: 'Pardon me sir, but may I have some of that Straw to build my house?'

The teacher paused then asked the class: 'And what do you think the man said?'

One little boy raised his hand and said very matter-of-factly ...'I think the Man would have said - 'Well, I'll be damned!! A talking pig!'

The teacher had to leave the room.

How could I forget??

So I made Easter baskets for the boys, they no longer believe but that's no reason to pass up candy! Somehow I managed to forget jelly beans! Jelly beans are like Easter basket 101. Geez!

I did it!

I'm sure this is no big deal to anyone but me... On Saturday I actually managed to parallel park right the first time! I have a friend that can do it with out even thinking, he pulls up and backs in as easily as I pull straight into the parking spot at Target. Me: I back up-pull forward-back up again-hit the curb-give up and look for somewhere else to park. Saturday I managed to do it text book fashion! Go ahead, say it, I need a life!

Buzzard, Bat & Bumblebee

I'm not sure if the Buzzard, Bat & Bumblebee part is accurate... but I know the people part is.


THE BUZZARD: If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

THE BAT: The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

THE BUMBLEBEE: A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

PEOPLE: In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat,and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That's the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up. Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, But faith looks up! Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly and trust in our Creator who loves us.

A little LDS humor

Choose your ward- find your niche in specialty wards
by Robert Kirby Tribune columnist - Salt Lake Tribune

Most Sunday mornings, you'll find me on a pew in the Rosecrest 1st Ward chapel. It's where I'm supposed to go to church. Lucky for me, it's also where I want to go. Technically, Mormons don't have a choice. For church, we're bound by the geography of the ward boundary. We worship where we live.

The only time Mormons can switch wards without also contacting a Realtor is when we attend specialty wards. For example, I went to a Spanish-speaking ward in West Jordan for a while. Specialty wards allow members with specific common needs to worship together and support each other in their exclusive part of the Lord's vineyard. There are (or have been) lots of LDS specialty wards, including singles wards, college wards, deaf wards, ethnic wards and nudist wards.

OK, I made up that last one. There are even seasonal "snowbird wards" in places where Mormon RV owners congregate.

I talked it over with my friend (despite a restraining order) Ken Wallentine. We think the specialty-ward idea needs to be improved on in our ever-changing and increasingly divided culture.

For example, there needs to be a late ward, a ward Mormons who are perpetually late for church could attend and not feel bad about dragging their herd in 15 minutes late. The only problem with a late ward would be showing up late for a meeting that was supposed to start late in the first place. Eventually, you would end up with a ward that ran out of time before it started. "Welcome to the Tardy 3rd Ward, brothers and sisters. We will close now by singing hymn No.145."

Given the high birthrate among Mormons, I thought about the need for maternity wards. Except that we already have those. They're called married student wards.

A Star Trek ward might do well. The bishop would preside from "the bridge" instead of the stand. High-council Sunday would be referred to as a "Klingon Sunday."

Harley riders congregate to the exclusion of just about everyone else. Why not an LDS biker ward? White shirts and neckties go well with black leather.

Ken really wants to attend a concealed-weapons ward. He says church would be a lot more interesting if real personal risks were involved in disagreeing with a lesson.

There could be a texting ward for teenagers. Bear your testimony with your thumb. In 25 years, they'll all belong to carpal-tunnel wards.

At the less-active ward, maybe there'll be a meeting and maybe there won't.

Testimony meeting in an anger-management ward might be interesting. Nobody's going to sleep through, "HEY! I KNOW THE CHURCH IS TRUE, STUPID!"

A big hit would be the Multi Level Marketing ward, also known as a "Gadianton robber ward." With all the financial scamming that goes on in this culture, it would be nice to have them all in one place for a three-hour block weekly.

I think a Democrat ward is a good idea, although in Utah the best we could probably hope for is a Democrat branch.

McElway Basketball Story

I'm a sucker for a feel good story.

The Deer and the Kitty

Beth Israel workers agree to go without to save jobs - The Boston Globe

Thinking outside the box... click on the sentence below.

Beth Israel workers agree to go without to save jobs - The Boston Globe

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David Letterman at Taco Bell

This is hilarious!

What is a grandparent?

(Taken from papers written by a class of 8-year-olds)

Grandparents are a lady and a man who have no little children of their own. They like other people's.

Grandparents don't have to do anything except be there when we come to see them. They are so old they shouldn't play hard or run. It is good if they drive us to the shops and give us money.

When they take us for walks, they slow down past things like pretty leaves and caterpillars.

They show us and talk to us about the colors of the flowers and also why we shouldn't step on 'cracks.'

They don't say, 'Hurry up.'

Usually grandmothers are fat but not too fat to tie your shoes.

They wear glasses and funny underwear.

They can take their teeth and gums out.

Grandparents don't have to be smart.

They have to answer questions like 'Why isn't God married?' and 'How come dogs chase cats?'

When they read to us, they don't skip. They don't mind if we ask for the same story over again.

Everybody should try to have a Grandmother, especially i f you don't have television because they are the only grownups who like to spend time with us.

They know we should have snack time before bed time and they say prayers with us and kiss us even when we've acted bad.

It's funny when they bend over you hear gas leaks and they blame their dog.

The Law of the Garbage Truck

I like this message:

One day I hopped into a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by inches. The driver of the other car whipped his head around immediately and started yelling at us. My taxi driver simply smiled and waved at the guy in a friendly manner.
"Why did you do that? That guy almost ruined your car and could have sent us both to the hospital?"
He winked at me and said "This is called the law of the garbage truck".
He explained that people are like garbage trucks. They run around loaded with garbage, full of frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, the need a place to dump it. If you aren't careful, they dump it right on you. Don't take it personally, just smile, wave, and move on. Don't take their garbage and then spread it on at work, school, church, or on the streets. Successful people don't let garbage trucks take over their lives. Life it too short to wake up with regrets.
Love the people who treat you right, & pray for the ones who don't.
As I got out of the taxi, he called after me "have a blessed garbage free day."

Michigan trivia

Alpena is the home of the world's largest cement plant.

Rogers City boasts the world's largest limestone quarry.

Elsie is the home of the world's largest registered Holstein dairy herd.

Colon is home to the world's largest manufacture of magic supplies.

The Upper Michigan Copper Country is the largest commercial deposit of native copper in the world.

The Kellogg Company has made Battle Creek the Cereal Capital of the World. The Kellogg brothers accidentally discovered the process for producing flaked cereal products and sparked the beginning of the dry cereal industry.

The city of Novi was named from its designation as Stagecoach Stop #6 or No.VI.

I can't go...

Sean and a few of his friends are planning a trip to the movies, I tell him he can go but I want to know what parent is going to be there with them. He says he's not sure but it won't be me. I ask him why and he says because his friends think I'm weird. Weird I say, they don't even know me! I told them about you he says. So of course I have to ask "what did you tell them to make them think I'm weird?" "I told them you watch Hannah Montana and you're racist with your M&M's." GEEZ!

Ian's first dance

This was such a positive experience for Ian and for me I just have to share. I've been trying to get Ian to go to a stake dance (with church) for almost a year now, he always says no and I can't dance. The other young men at church have tried to tell him how much fun it is, but he just didn't want anything to do with it. Last Wednesday after scouts the young men and young women (you know what a smile from a girl can do) convinced him he should go.

Saturday afternoon came around and I think nerves got the best of him and once again I'm hearing "I don't want to go". We had a mom to son talk, I told him I understood he was nervous and how everything is scary until you give it a try. I suggested he watch others fast dance and just copy what they did until he figures out his own style. I showed him how beginners slow danced-this was particularly funny because he had to look out the window first to make sure no one would see. I also through out the option of not dancing just "hanging out".

Still not clearly convinced he wanted to be there I took him over to the stake center. I asked him if he wanted me to go in with him, he said "no I can do it". I was so proud of him, I knew he was nervous and neither of us knew if anyone he knew was there yet. At 10:00 I went to pick him up. He was so happy! He talked all the way home (the endless talking he did get from me). He had such a good time, he danced with three girls, he couldn't wait until the next dance. I thought my heart would burst. I am so thankful that he had such a good time and that I was the one to pick him up AND that he shared his feelings with me.

Sean on cooking

Sean has really taken an interested in cooking lately, a fact that makes me pretty happy, it would be nice to have someone in this house that can cook. :-) This afternoon on the way home from church Sean explained to me why he liked cooking:

1. It's like science; you get to experiment
2. It has math; you have to figure out how much to make.
3. You get a reward at the end because you have something good to eat.

Who do you think of?

(Click on picture to enlarge)

The Paradoxical Commandments by Dr. Kent M. Keith

1. People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered (including me). Love them anyway.

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Do good anyway.

3. If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.

4. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

5. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.

6. The biggest people with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the littlest people with the littlest ideas. Think big anyway.

7. People favor underdogs, but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.

9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help them. Help them anyway.

10. Give the world the best you have and you will get kicked in the teeth. Give the best you have anyway.

Christ lives in you

Music

Have you ever been driving and a song comes on the radio that suddenly transports you to a different time and place? This afternoon on the way to an appointment I heard a Bob Seger song, suddenly I'm a teenager on a warm summers night, the nostalgia is so strong you'd swear you could touch that time again.
When I hear certain Jackson Brown songs, anything by Dan Fogelberg, and "Desperado" by the Eagles, it reminds me of someone I love but can't be with.
When I hear the song "Footloose", I must dance. When I hear "We will rock you", I must clap and sign along.
When I hear Lee Greenwood sing "I'm proud to be an American", I AM proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free...
"Christmas Shoes" will make me cry no matter how many times I hear it.
In Church when we sing "I stand all Amazed", or when the primary and the teachers do "A child's prayer" I think my heart will explode with this feeling of truth, understanding, and gratefulness.
And when I hear "Jesus take the Wheel", I'm reminded where to look for guidance when I just can't do it all myself.

This is so sweet...

Snow can be fun

Sean enjoying a windy snowy day on a tiny hill outside our house.

Makes me laugh

I got this silly thing for Ian-Sean got a similar one-I have no idea what it's saying, but for some reason it makes me laugh!

What I REALLY got for Christmas

The boys got me this throw, its warm and cozy! It has a pocket on the front (not sure what you put in it) with my name on it, and a pocket for your feet at the bottom. I tried to find a tag to see where it was made... couldn't find one. I don't think it was Pakistan though!

Our Christmas tree

The star on top Ian and I made together when he was about three or four- card board and aluminum foil. We had a little trouble with the star shape, but made good memories none the less. Ian suggested he and Sean and I make a new one next year, I think we just might do that.

Invisible Mother

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweepingthe floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.' In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, ’Because God sees.' I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become.

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our life time because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree. When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, ’You’re gonna love it there.' As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.