Easter is my favorite!

It's nearly two weeks away, but I'm excited. I love Easter. It's Spring; there's lots of candy deliciousness; fun crafts; decorations; and of course the remembrance of the resurrection of our Savior.

The big Primary get-together is the day before Easter at our Primary president's house. She has a nice big yard out in the country, perfect for kids to run around and hunt eggs. I suggested that she have the big kids and little kids hunt in separate areas, and she actually took my suggestion! I noticed there was a problem last year with the older ones being too rough and the little ones not getting many eggs. By golly, my little boys and the other little ones are going to get to hunt eggs too.

I also get to make whatever goodie I want. I'm going to make adorable Easter cupcakes...so excited that I have somewhere to take cupcakes, so I'm not just making them at home for nothing but to add weight to my hips. Than got put in charge of grilling burgers and hot dogs. Yay for Than being married to a primary teacher! He doesn't mind. He loves grilling.

Than and I made paper machet (sp?) eggs yesterday. Xander and I are going to paint them tomorrow, and I found an egg dye that I think Hylan can actually use. I'm excited.

Hopefully the weather will cooperate for a Happy Easter. Cross your fingers.

Oh, I forgot something

It may seem silly to call the police because of food being stolen, but I did it anyway. I felt like our home was invaded. They moved stuff around and went in the garage and laundry room. I don't feel safe anymore. I'm buying new locks. I am locking up everything I can. I'm afraid for my children. I think I've moved from the angry phase to the genuinely scared phase. They could easily come in our house next or one of our neighbors' houses.

I'm angry today, and I don't care what you think.

I have had a couple angry days, angry at the world in general. Well, to tell you the truth, I'm angry at the world alot. I have a really hard time with constant injustice and stupidity, but the past couple of days have been extra angry. I'm working on it.

1. My mother is working for the 2010 census right now. She got hired as a crew leader which pays more than a regular worker. When she got to the workshop they told her along with the whole room that they had hired too many people and that some of them would be assistants. Later they said some of them wouldn't have jobs at all. The boss was a black woman who didn't even understand how to do the job. She said, out loud, who she had picked to be her crew leaders (BEFORE THEY TOOK THE TEST THAT IS SUPPOSED TO, BY SCORE, DETERMINE THAT). She picked the five black people in the room, one of whom was late every day and slept the entire time; the other of whom didn't even come to the last two days of the workshop...when the test was given. Luckily my mother did get an assistant job but a couple of the competetent hard workers did not, just because they weren't dark enough.

2. Our dog who never gets in the road was hit by a car and died yesterday. The speed limit is 30, plenty of time to see a dog or cat. I have never hit one and I've been driving down this road for ten years. I watch for them. People go up and down our child-filled street at 60mph. I've almost been hit getting the mail. I know I shouldn't, but I look to see who the speeders are. They are not the old white people who have been made out to be the villains in our current world.

3. This is silly, but I had a dream about that stupid little kid who stold Than's scriptures and my cd's out of our car while we were giving him a ride home. I have continued to be nice to him, but we refuse to give rides anymore. I don't really like driving in the ghetto anyway.

4. Than has customers who always buy food from him with EBT (food stamp) cards. Now, if you need to use them, that's fine. I really don't have a problem with that, but when you use four different ones with four different names on them, and you are the only one living in the house, I have a problem with that. It's fraud. It's stealing from the government, and you are what's wrong with this country. These are the people who voted for Obama in Mississippi...just had to throw that in there. This has happened to Than along with his coworkers on more than one occasion.

5. We have had bikes stolen out of our back yard and a skilsaw stolen off of our porch (yeah, I know we shouldn't have left it there, but that doesn't give anyone the right to steal from us. ). We saw an African American child riding one of our bikes.

6. Last night, in the middle of a really bad thunderstorm, like really bad, over $200 worth of food was stolen out of our garage freezer. We had just bought it and put it in there the day before, so we are not mistaken. We don't have the money to replace that food. That was our food for the next two weeks. They probably have a food stamp card and make more money than us. Thanks alot jerks. Oh yeah, they didn't just steal "real" food. They also stole quite a bit of ice cream and other sweet products Than had gotten for free, so don't play the hungry card. It won't work.

I like you

Growing up, my parents almost never or possibly never said I love you to us. We never really noticed because we knew they loved us. They didn't have to say it. Than and I use the phrase more often but maybe we've been slacking off lately. Xander tells us that he likes us but in a very loving tone of voice. It just sounds so sweet. Several times throughout the day I hear, "I like you, Mommy." He also likes Daddy and Baby (he still won't call Hylan by his name) and Mimi and Pawpaw. We're pretty sure he means love although he also "likes" Tina and Sally, our two dogs, and Wal-Mart and Taco Bell. He says likes in a different tone though. I really love my little fella.

A New One

Okay, so I've decided I have a new pet peeve. Televisions in grocery stores. I don't get it. They make me nervous. Why have a television screen right in front of the Pringles advertising flowers? Does that make sense? It was also a terribly formatted ad. It's just distracting. There was a four foot tall screen right above the meat section. The bottom of the screen was lower than eye level. I felt like I was in some futuristic dumb grocery story movie.....like a big head was about to start talking to all the robot shoppers.

S.L.U.T.T.Y.

I spent four hours today trying on dresses. I hate shopping. At least it was without children for the most part. Than was wonderful enough to drop me off at a few stores and take the boys to petco and best buy and wherever else they went. I could not find a single modest dress...four hours, five stores, nothing. All the hemlines were two inches higher than last year. All the sleeves were gone, the necks were too wide, and the backs were out. I finally settled on a knit dress from old navy under which I have to wear a tank top and over which I have to wear a cardigan. It's one crazy looking outfit, but I'm twenty pounds lighter than I was this time last year, and I needed something new. I want the modesty trend back.

Mama times

"I like squirrels. I like their fluffy tails. Squirrels eat acorns." "I play with my hair like Daddy." "Let me eat first!" "I want blue cupcakes." Xander has become quite the talker...finally. We love it, and it just adds to his hilarity. Life really is just one big improv show for him. He has a hard time making a mean face without smiling. Hylan is following in his footsteps and now makes the mean smiley face. He still has trouble sleeping. It got better for a while, but he got sick a couple weeks ago and has gone all the way backwards. Sometimes he wakes up about every half hour. Otherwise, he is a very pleasant child. Hylan could play in the sandbox all day if I let him. Well, he could stay outside playing with grass, leaves, acorns, and rocks all day. I'm so grateful for my boys.

Oh, and I gladly made the blue cupcakes.