False Alarm

So this morning at 12:50 am we had a test of our fire alarm. The battery was apparently dying in the alarm in our bedroom and so it sounded off to let us know. I don't think I have ever moved so fast!! Evie and I were up and out of bed in a flash, what about the kids you ask... still dead asleep! Lucy has an excuse, she is mostly deaf, but the kids have NO excuse for not at least sitting up and asking what all the racket was about. I thoroughly check the house, just in case the alarm was going off for a valid reason. I turned off the candle warmer in the kitchen (I was half asleep, it seemed like a threat at the time!) So I called Brad to make sure I didn't need to check anything else, but he said to just take the detector down and he would replace the battery when he got home from work. So it was a false alarm and we now have fresh batteries in the smoke detectors. But I think I need to add strobe lights and fog horns so that that kids will know if the alarm ever goes off!

Do you remember back when you were young and carefree and could go to sleep with no worries. Now we go to bed and listen for the children's breathing, intruders, the dogs, the cell phone... Then once you crawl into bed you lay there and second guess if you did everything on the way too bed like; Did I close the garage door, turn off the fish tank light, turn off the computer, set the alarm clock, lock up the house.... I tell you, it is a wonder we get any real rest as a adult!!!! I am exhausted just thinking about it!

"I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three." -- Elayne Boosler

7 Peaks

The weather cooperated and we were able to go to Seven Peaks for the day. So now we are all covered in aloe vera and trying not to move too much :) We had great fun on the tube slides. The kids think we adults are a bit wimpy for not going on the Free-Fall type slides, but I am ok with them thinking that! While trying to climb aboard my tube in the lazy river I exhibited my grace for everyone. I managed to flip completely over, missing a cement corner with my head by a hair. But no worries, nothing was hurt but my pride (ok, lets be honest I was laughing at myself more then anyone else)!

The kids loved rocking their tube until they flipped. At least they were smart enough to flip clear of large cement corners!

We were all ravenously hungry after a day in the sun, so we grabbed dinner at Los Hermonos. It was delectable, as usual. We went thru chips and salsa like we hadn't eaten in weeks!!

"Brother, you would not believe what you can see from your knees" sung by Randy Travis written by Leslie Satcher

Picnics, Pancakes & Pets

Picnic, Pancakes and Pets... that's what our last few days have consisted of. Friday evening we had our annual work BBQ. A HUGE thanks to everyone who helped out. We had yummy food (thanks Brad), fun games, great prizes and perfect weather. I am sooo glad it is over and done with now. I love planning these types of things, but when crunch time hits I wonder "what the hell I was thinking".

Here is Myles showing us his tremendous Hula Hoop skills. Seriously, I had no idea he could hula hoop so well :)

Teri and Rebecca were life-savers and helped me pull off this shindig without a glitch!! And it was Rebecca's B-day, so Happy Birthday Rebecca!!

The kids played water games. And what better an activity in 107 degree weather!?!?

Saturday the kid-o's and I went to the Cub Scout pancake breakfast at the park. Poor Brad had just fallen asleep when it was time to leave, so no pancakes for him. The rest of the day we spent running weekend errands such as grocery shopping, the library, and laundry. I got the movie Cujo at the library because Brad had never seen it!! So we watched that last night. I could hardly remember the movie myself, but watching it this time around I felt so bad for Cujo. He was such a nice pooch before that pesky Bat had to go bite him and screw up every ones life!!

This afternoon Myles taught his first Family Home Evening lesson. He did great and was actually upset that he couldn't teach again next week. After dinner Brad and Evie and I took my car to the local car-wash (Brad had just finished getting off all the tar that some truck splattered me with, dumb old truck, ggrrr!) We weren't planning on taking Evie to the car wash with us, but she ran out the door so Brad just threw her in the back for a little ride. Well we have discovered Evie's greatest fear, yep the poor thing hated the car wash!! She jumped over both the back rows of seats and sat between us shaking like a leave the entire time!

We were planning on going to Seven Peaks Water Park tomorrow, but with the weather, it is looking highly unlikely. We are still keeping our fingers crossed, but I think the movie theater would be better suited for a family activity during Thunder/Lightening storms.

"Tough times never last, but tough people do!" -- Robert Schuller

Holiday Shmoliday!

Ok, I am totally grateful to our Pioneers for all that they endured so that we can call ourselves Westerners, but do we really need a holiday for it?!?! Heavens to Betsy! Oh well I guess I am just bitter because I am working on this "special day". We are doing major updates on the servers today (how I ever ended up over IT is one of the universes great mysteries). So I am at work, unable to really work.. puzzling isn't it! I drug the kids along with me (kicking and screaming I might add, but that was at each other so not sure if it really counts). I have since gotten entirely tired of them and dropped them off at the dollar theater with enough money to keep them occupied through the long weekend :) So that is my freakin holiday so far, aren't ya jealous?!?!

Well I will just go ahead and entertain you with pictures from my work computer that you wouldn't normally see on the blog. (oh lucky you!!)

Here I am as one of The Village People. We sang YMCA for our company Halloween Karaoke contest.

Here we have Scott, my carpool buddy. Yes, working at AFA does seem to make one go a bit coocoo!

Here is my office decorated for my 30th B-day. I have always wanted a Princess B-day! :)

"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important." -- Bertrand Russell

Educational Post

I have been asked to explain the meaning of LMAO. So sorry to confuse those of you unfamiliar with IM lingo :) LMAO = Laugh My Ass Off. And just in case you want to know a few other commonly used acronyms here ya go
LOL = Laugh Out Loud
LML = Let Me Look
BRB = Be Right Back
TY = Thank You
WTF = never mind I wont go there (hehehe)

So there you have it Mom, oops did I type that, I meant those who might be wondering ;) that is supposed to be a winking smiley face in case you are wondering Mom LOL

"As you think so you are - As you Imagine so you become!" -- Unknown

Gus the Third

It was definitely a Monday at our house. We suffered a few casualties in the pet department. Brad cleaned our fish tank this morning and it turned into a bigger ordeal then anticipated. Read the IM conversation I have inserted below. I was busting a gut at work while Brad was IM'ing me. Seriously I was laughing so hard I was snorting!!!

Brad: I have some bad news
April Jolley: whats that
Brad: are u sitting
April Jolley: yes
Brad: gus the II died in an industrial accident
April Jolley: lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
April Jolley: an industrial accident huh, poor guy
April Jolley: i hope he had workers comp
Brad: and freddie the yellow fish escaped
April Jolley: What!
Brad: and was attacked bye a golden retriever
April Jolley: wow, sounds like this cleaning was a bit tense
Brad: yeah
April Jolley: lmao!
Brad: sorry to say neither died peacefully
April Jolley: lmao, oh my what a morning you have had
Brad: a rescue team could only find remnents of gus the II
Brad: no idea how long he was in there for
Brad: a rush biopsy has been sent out
April Jolley: you have rebecca and i rolling!
Brad: this is no laughing matter
Brad: your lack of respect haunts me
April Jolley: rebecca said we can still do their temple work lol
Brad: gus the II could use that
Brad: drinking is what got him in trouble in the first place

Brad went this afternoon and bought a new Gus (our Crab). We are now on our third crab, and yes they have all been named Gus :) Brad also got a sucker type fish and another colorful one to replace Freddie. So all is well again. I am just thankful he only has to clean the tank about every 2 months!!

Every now and then Brad gets so stinking funny while IM'ing me. A few months ago I was IM'ing with him and he offered to go to Kohl's shopping that night. So I asked "who are you and what have you done with my husband?" He quickly relied "I ATE THAT PLUMP LITTLE MAN!!" We still use that line at work. I was laughing so hard at the time that Rebecca (one of my accounting clerks) came in to see what was the matter. I let her read the message and now it is one of our favorite one liners :) Just out of the blue we will bust out with "I ATE THAT PLUMP LITTLE MAN!!"

"I am ready to meet my Maker. Whether my Maker is prepared for the ordeal of meeting me is another matter." -- Winston Churchill

LMAO