Endless Job Searching

I've completely ignored my blog for sometime, due to my job searching, which takes up most of my time. At night, I pass out in bed at 10 o'clock - what happened to the days of staying up past midnight? They are no more my friends.

So, here is a quick update of Jesse, and I will be adding a few more pics of him in the pool, enjoying this past summer, which I am so glad is at it's end. I believe next week marks the beginning of autumn/fall, and we enter my favorite time of year - October, November and December!

Catching Up!

I am so behind on this blog - between a new substitute job at a school all the way across town and trying to find a suitable daycare situation for Jesse, the last thing I feel like is keeping up this blog. So, I will probably limit myself to blogging solely about major events.

Easter came and went -

And Jesse had fun at our ward's Mommy and Tot group we have twice a month. We went to the Mirage Dolphin Exhibit and Secret Garden. He loved the dolphins, but he wasn't too interested in the big cats.

Jesse is almost impossible to photograph, because he will not keep still, so my pictures only have half his head in them. We have a nifty picture of a dolphin pooping:

You can kind of make out the little floaters - ick! Everyone eats, sleeps and poops - just the facts of life!

A Few Pictures of Antrim County, Ireland & Some Irish Sayings

"Don't make little of your dish for it may be an ignorant fellow who judges it."

"Many a time a man's mouth broke his nose."

"There are only three kinds of Irish men who don't understand women: old men, young men and men of middle age."

"Here's to eyes in your heads and none in your spuds!"

"It is easy to halve a potato where there is love."

"Men are like bagpipes - no sound comes from them until they are full."

An Ode to My Only Irish Ancestors

In celebration of St. Patrick's day tomorrow, I thought I'd make a tribute to my few Irish relations: the Wilkins. I'm not exactly sure how they are related to me, but I have their information on some Family Group Sheets in my Book of Remembrance. Archibald Wilkins was born about 1734 in County Derry, but his wife and children were born in Antrim County, Ulster in Northern Ireland, (except for one son, Robert, who was born in a neighboring county Londonderry.) It looks like at least some of his children and grandchildren ended up in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

I can't imagine what life was like back then, but then I'm sure they'd be horrified with what we face today. So, just a shout out to my pin-prick of Irish Heritage! There's a song that says "You Don't have to be Irish to be Irish," but I'm glad I have at least one tie to such a beautiful culture and country!

The Dead Battery Banana Split Conundrum

Do you ever have one of those days where everything that can go wrong does? Yesterday, my car completely died in the Costco parking lot, and I was on a mission for the church, no less! Okay, really I was supposed to get banana split ingredients for Enrichment Night Thursday, but still, I was trying to serve my fellow Sisters in Zion and this is the thanks I get. No, really, I'm not bitter, and I got out of getting the banana splits (someone else has that lovely assignment, now...)

My hubby and father-in-law came to help me out, and I got home safe and sound. We thought the battery was going to cost over $100 schmakers, but it was still under warranty, so it was much cheaper - thank goodness for blessings. I just had to vent, because there's nothing worse than having car problems, especially when you don't have the fundage.

P.S. I don't even really like banana splits; I can take 'em or leave 'em. Alright, if it's in my face, I'm gonna eat it, but I haven't had one in years.

Jesse and Mama Bakin' in the Kitchen

Jesse sure is getting to be a little helper. I bake at least once a week and he always wants to throw the ingredients in the bowl for me. Every time I pull out the flour, he knows it's time to get his step ladder and help Mommy. We make cookies and it's always, "I want some dough!" In fact, he eats more of the dough, than the baked cookies. All he does with the cookies is lick the frosting off - delightful!

Happy Valentine's Day! Tis not my favorite of holidays, but I do love ya all, and the candy for this holiday is fabulous!

Some lovey dovey quotes:

"True love is not so much a matter of romance as it is a matter of anxious concern for the well being of one's companion."

- Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley

"And wuv, true wuv, will fowow you foweva, so tweasure your wuv..." Clergyman from "The Princess Bride"

"One is very crazy when in love."

- Sigmund Freud

Childhood Memories

Nothing really exciting or new is going on in our lives, except ofcourse Jesse making us laugh. I spend so much time watching children's television, I began to reminisce about my own childhood favorites. Sesame Street was on in our house, sometimes twice a day. It's changed a little since I watched back in the early 1980's. Elmo was just being introduced when I was growing out of watching the show. Snuffy was just a supposed imaginary friend of Big Bird's, and then they had the big reveal that he was indeed real. I can't believe Luis, Maria and Gordon are still on show today. Jesse likes the Count and Cookie Monster the best, I think. I've included some of my favorites from the 70's and 80's for your viewing pleasure. Mostly the songs inbetween the muppet skits. Please scroll down for some Youtube videos, and let me know if you remember these classics!