I have made a great mistake in raising my kids, and it has affected my girls mostly. I usually 'ban' the making of bacon during the week because it makes our clothing smell and apparently our hair. You can always tell when someone has had a certain kind of food in their home that day. And I challenge you to remember smells that you have smelt on people and their clothing as they have walked by you in the stores, schools, meetings, etc. Today I said I was going to cook some sausage and pancakes. My oldest daughter came around the corner of the kitchen wearing 'protection' on her hair. Now, I don't remember sausage smelling on people, but it was hilarious, so we all jumped in on her worry. Here we are looking at the culprit

and here, we are not worried because we are protected.

This is why my kids look forward to having General Conference. We treat ourselves to scones. Basically, fry bread with butter, honey and/or powdered sugar. But the smell of deep fry oil is very powerful, so we only get to eat them on days we won't be going out or won't be having visitors in. Then we have to have our favorite candle from Gold Canyon burning most of the day. (thanks Susie for the candles). We prefer Sugar Cookies or Birthday Cake candles. Mmmm......

Today my ride was only 4.14. A nice quiet ride. I went down into Sunland Village homes and then accross the canal into our neighborhood. Not much traffic nor people. It was great.

I did notice I was going to need these more and not so much these:

Yesterday, as you know, it was overcast! My favorite, favorite time to ride! I love it! Here is what it looked like as I rode east on Broadway:

Doesn't it just want to make up curl up with a book and blanket on a large front porch in a super soft rocking chair? And have snacks and drinks just sitting next to you all day long?

Like this one! I love it. Now for the books I'd read.........

Anything by Nicholas Sparks or some from John Grisham - maybe a funny one by Mary Ellen Edmonds and of course my annual favorite read, "The Miracle of Miss Willie", by Alma Yates.

My drinking choices would be, hot chocolate in the morning time (and then again in the evening), ice water and strawberry lemonade! Snacks would be, pretzels, chips and salsa from Ole's (out of business now) or Gecko Grill, or Rosa's. Yum. Also, chips and dips and bite size Mounds candy bars. And a midgies tootsie roll for later. Okay, back to my ride...I ended up riding 5.01 miles! I went E. on Broadway, N. on 41st, E. on Main, N. on Greenfield to University, W. on University until Val Vista, S. on Val V until I reached Dragoon, E. on Dragoon, N. on 39th, E. on Clovis and then home. It was a sweet ride. On my way I saw two things to share:

What is this? It was out in front of a home on University. I can't figure out what it really is. Could they be selling them? There was no price tags or signs anywhere that I could see. Maybe they are just decorations welcoming any visitors that be coming to their home today. Maybe it's their childs birthday and they found lanterns instead of balloons. Or they were on sale after the Chinese New Years celebration and so thats what they wanted to us. I don't know.

And then I saw this: It is in the parking lot of Albertson's located on Val Vista and University. I was confused, because this is what we see everyday outside of our dining, kitchen and living room windows:

I'm not sure which one I dislike more.

Wow. One whole week has passed? I can't believe it. Slightly embarrassing. I'm sure I've got a lot to tell you all. I know on Friday I missed my bike riding - but I did it every day! So, here's the big news.....we have a garden. Not a little 4x4 garden. Nope we've really done it up. I will have to say that ever since we built Doug's workshop in the backyard we have planned to have a garden. Um.....that shop was built while Brian was on his mission. So, about 6 years ago? Yep, it's been in the planning that long. The size is about 8x15 feet in the very back and then we have a side wall that is 2x20. We warned the kids that we were going to have them for 1 1/2 hours on Saturday and to plan (and be excited) to help out. We were slow getting started, but once we did they were great. Except for Jason. He seemed to disappear as soon as we went outside. Katie said she saw him in Sunday clothes and told him that she wasn't sure we needed to 'bless' the ground. (We found out later he went to a baptism). (and then of course he HAD to stay to the luncheon - he was invited). He, I think, will be on the first 'weed' patrol. And with all this rain going on, there will be weeds. Okay, back to the garden. Friday night Doug and Allan stayed out late and finished putting up a fence (oh, Jason did help with that earlier in the week), so Toby wouldn't be able to get back and dig up everything. A problem we've had in the past with plants. And also, so he wouldn't leave anything of his behind......

Here are some photos to tell the story.

Okay, so there was a little bit of goofing off from Allan, but he did try the grinder!!!

Finished product.

While Doug and I were at Home Depot getting more plants the girls got 'ready' for farming!!!!....Silly girls

If you see up close, Shannon has 'freckles'. (I knew my overalls would come in handy someday. Here's the actual work.

Alright, some of them might just be posing for the camera. But they actually did a huge amount of digging, raking, planting and watering, etc.

Two pictures of our finished garden.

This first one is called square foot gardening and then the back wall is the regular kind of gardening. We will see which one, if either, of them, do better growing our plants. We hear once you do the square foot gardening that you will never go back to the old way. Too much wasted space and water. We love the look of it so hopefully we can have success this year.

This is Allan's choise of garden 'stuff'. Do any of you know how long it takes to grow a grapevine? I'm nervous. Maybe he'll be on his mission before any fruit shows...

Now most of you know my obsession with hearts.

I swear I don't go out and look for these things, they just come along. Take a look at this: It is a package of rhubarb seeds that I couldn't open, so Doug stepped in and did it for me. LOOK! He ripped a heart 'hole'! And as most of you know too, Doug is not one to 'make' a heart or is even slightly happy when I find one and then we have to stop what we are doing so I can take a picture of it.....but LOOK! a heart hole. Amazing Doug! Thanks!

Oh, one more thing for today. Brimhall Junior High had their Dr. Suess Day. Not all of my kids have been 'school' 'spirited' people. I will say my #1 school spirit child is Kevin. He was awesome. I'm not sure he missed an event at Mesa High when they had a fun dress-up day. My next spirited kids, are Shannon and Allan. Maybe it's because they are right next to each other in school grades, but if one dresses up, the other one usually follows. So, back to Brimhall. Allan decided ( was coerced, dared, forced, compelled, made), to be involved in Dr. Suess day. With only minutes left to catch the school bus, Allan and Shannon were frantically 'dressing' up. They missed the bus. My loving daughter Carolyn drove them to school. I love having Carolyn live here. She so totally gets the hair done the right way. Sadly, you can't see Allans in his picture, but believe me, it was a 'Who-ville" hairdo. Parted down the middle, smashed pretty flat, except on the sides, she got it to curl up! It was hilarious! Here are their pictures: Enjoy!

A curler inside her ponytail
to hold it up! Cindy-Lou Who's older sister!

Cotton in his upper lip for the
who-ville mouth effect. The uncle of the Mayor of WhoVille!

It's late. I rode this morning 4.69 miles. My theory, as I set out to ride, was to go on major roads and if I came to a red light I would turn to my right. If I came up the the light and it was green, I would proceed right through it. Hoping I wouldn't end up in downtown Phoenix or in Apache Junction, I did limit myself to how far was too far. So I set out north on Val Vista came to a red light at Main, meaning I turned right (east) and rode, rode rode.

Oh, here is a sweet bus stop - - a clock and everything!

There is no 1/2 mile light on main between Val Vista and Greenfield, so I knew I had a full mile ride to the next 'directional' signal. I get to the light, and dang, it's green. I know my ride is still heading east. There is a half-way light between Greenfield and Higley right where Superstition Farmers Market is. I had my sights set on that and luckily, it was red, so I turned south and headed for Broadway. When I got there, I turned right to start heading back home. (There is not a 'directional' signal there either, so I knew I could turn to the west).

While I was riding down Greenfield I came to this:

I'm not sure what their hobby is,

but here is a 'loner' john out behind this shed. 4 - in one backyard.

Yeah! The light at Greenfield was green! I knew I wouldn't pass another light so I was home free. It was a nice ride, not my usual routine, so it kept me looking out for neat things......like this cactus, who looks like it has not had a very good life:

I kinda feel sorry for it. I can't really tell what went wrong, but it didn't grow up right.

Now, speaking about plants, I have to show you all what Doug did while I had my 'crazy' busy week last week:

Yep, there he is!! Doug with his pretty pots!

We're trying to get our garden planted, but this GREAT rain keeps making us push it back. So, Doug put his green thumb to use and repotted our front walkway pots. Take care everyone.

Today I did my ride too. 4.23! It seemed more downhill than usual. I don't know, it couldn't be right? I mean, I would have to incline just as much as decline down a certain altitude. But here was my new route: N.on Maple, across Broadway to 40th, N. to Main, E. to Greenfield, S. to Greenfield Park, W. on Pueblo and across the canal, N. on the canal road to Broadway and then back to my house. It rained on Sunday - just about all day long. The puddles that were next to the canal that were turning green - are now back to being full. So there was water 'scares' on both sides of my road today:

It still was a nice ride. I will tell you, today, I 'cast off' my gloves. It was a great day. I left around 8:30 and had my gloves on but I didn't need them today. The rest of my attire is still in tack. Which brings me to another story to tell: Trudy. My sister made me a super-neato-crazy-cool invention. She gave me a chapstick on a rope. (Look back in previous posts). Sadly, in my hurry to ride, I pulled the lid off (with one hand, something she had warned me NOT to do) and it came off the lid. What to do, what to do. I finished my ride. But now, here in picture form, is what happened next:

Oh no.....My lips will get chapped if I don't have my balm...

No worrys, I have a plan........ GLUE GUN.......

Will it work? Get a close up Shan...

YES!! It is back to NEW! Thanks Trudy. See how big my smile is? That's because my lips are NOT chapped!

Yeah! It's over. My crazy, busy, frantic, insane week is done. Although I loved every minute (now that it's done), I am glad I accomplished every thing that needed to be achieved. Except my laundry. My laundry was neglected. And as most of you know from previous posts: I like laundry. Okay, so now, Monday, my laundry is getting the attention it deserves. Why?, you ask, didn't you do it on Saturday after your busy week. I can't remember now, but I'm sure it involved Doug. He probably wanted me to go with him on a job or something. It doesn't matter.

Here I am, now, at home, doing laundry. If this world ever turns 'polygamist' world, I get to be the laundress of the home. (wow, did I really just say that?).

If you'll remember, Monday was my birthday, Friday was my daughters b-day, and we had 2 parties during the week for my moms 75th b-day, which actually fell on Saturday the 27th. Oh, and my good friend Vayla had her b-day on Wednesday! So I'm pretty much partied out. And I must add our ward party was on Friday night! Thanks to all of you who came. It was a fun evening with those of us that were there. Anyways, I'm pooped, popped, puffed, prized, poured, plucked, plowed, piled, pimped, performed out. And whatever other 'p' word that would fit into that sentence. That's what I'm out of.

Saturday morning I did my bike ride though. That is because I missed 2 days of riding during the week. Just 3.07 miles this day. I did change up my route a little bit so I would not be bored.

Oh, yeah, I just remembered what I did Saturday. My oldest daughter ran in a RagnaR race. I guess they are popular all over, but she was in a running group called 'The Cheeta Girls". They ran from Prescott Valley down to Tempe Town Square, over 200 miles and they did it from Friday morning until Saturday afternoon. Her husband, Jeff, my daughter KT, and I went down to see them all cross the finish line. It was a spectacular event. Over 300 teams had entered the race. Here's a couple of pictures:

Okay, I can't find the pictures I'm looking for, but check these out.....One of Carolyn's teammates crossed the finish line and do you see what I see? Yep, its a heart, a SWEAT heart!

As you can see with the first pictuce I couldn't get it very well, but later she joined us at the van to get her stuff out and she nearly posed for me! I tried to take these without her knowing, just in case it would embarrass her, but LOOK, in the 3rd picture----it's great!! What a way to end my week! SWEET - SWEAT!