Yo Dad Update

To see daily "Yo Dad Vocab" see Jensen Family News!

About Yo Dad Vocab

I have a really awesome dad. He has been caring for my mother for quite a few years. She is now in the later stages of Alzheimer's disease. He has unselfishly given up his life for her.

There have been a few times when I have called his place to check up on them and there has been no answer. Then he doesn't return the call either. After a day or so I get a little worried. What to do? Send my in-laws over (who live about 3 miles from their home) to check on the happenings. So this has happened twice. Both times my in-laws have found them safe and sound.


We have a new plan--now I get an email every day from dad. Since both of us love words and word games Dad send along a vocab word and a little poem to go along with it. This has been going on for months and months. It is usually the first chuckle of the day. Enjoy!

Yo Dad Vocab

Today's word is cooee (to cry out shrilly)

There was a young mallard named Louie
Who cooeed as he swam around a buoy.
He swallowed a large fish,
For most an elegant dish,
But to Louie it was too gooey and chewy.

Define it and Use it In a Sentence!

Today's word is chimb (the rim of a casket)

This may sound grim,
But a comedian named Jim
Died with a silly grin.
So his wife on a whim
Decided to bury him
With his lower left limb
Hanging over the chimb.
Though the church was dim
All saw his nails needed a trim.

(vocab by yo dad)

Have a Very Faux Christmas?

I visited Costco today. Saw a nice set of candles in the Christmas area. I love candles, but I like fire more than candles. Luckily, you can have fire and candles at the same time. Anyway back to Costco candles. They looked like candles, all creamy and waxy and they smelled like candles, all vanilla-y. I took a closer look. A villainous light bulb had taken over the wicks place. The wax was-was, well it wasn't wax and I'm not sure what the material really was, but it definitely wasn't wax. Ack! A cord! The candle was not real!!!! It was a faux candle. WHaaah? Who wants a fake candle? Where is the fire, the burning fire to warm and flicker? Is there a faux flicker too?

OK, I'm am just sick and tired of all this plasticky stuff people use at Christmas time. The tree for instance. I know the tree can be very expensive, but I would rather have a real tree than the foil wrapped presents lying under it! Sorry!

Wait...hmm..I do have some faux holly garland, but after seeing the candle today, I am going to turn a new leaf and go totally real this Christmas. I will sell my garland on craigslist. The picture will look real nice, when the buyer comes over to get it he/she won't even care that it is plastic, for I don't believe anybody has ever seen real live (or recently living) garland.

What's up with the plastic snowman. Do you guys know it isn't real. Just go up to it. It is not real. It's actually slightly warm around the tummy area.

Along the same line here, I believe the reason people do not appreciate the fruit cake anymore is because they don't make it themselves. It's not real. You may or may not know this but the stuff you buy at the store contains faux fruits (yes, plastics and woodchips are added). That is why they are so hard. Faux fruitcake! We should create a new law mandating the disclosure of these phony ingredients on every label.

As soon as my oranges are ripe I am going to pick one and poke some cloves through their tasty skins and let the smell wreak havoc on my home! None of these fabricated smells, but really orangy and stuff!

Vote No on Faux Christmas!

Stapp Tradition of Tolerance

To any friends and neighbors who may be offended by our support of Prop 8!

Although our values can never bend, we will always try to love and not judge you! Please love us and tolerate our religious views to protect traditional marriage. We feel the demise of Prop 8 will be an attact on our right to practice our faith of marriage between a man and a women.

Last Few Hours of the Spending Freeze!

Day 9
All is well today. Not a penny spent. Didn't even drive.

Day 10
Took Julia's car into Sacramento. I have only 20 miles left on the van. No milk and everyone is hoping for a bowl of cereal tomorrow. Ate a fresh peach at my Dad's place. It was marvelous.

All in all, and each one of us agreed last night, the Stapp family is very blessed! We have been able to utilize our creativity and stored resource. But most of all we have learned gratitude for all our bounteous blessing. The 10 day spending freeze will hopefully start us on a new path to simpler living! You ought to try it.

Spending Freeze Continued

Day 7
Tuesday started off with a bit of a crisis. I sent Curtis out the door with a gourmet lunch around 6:40 am. Ten minutes later he was back in a bit of a quandary. He misplaced his bus pass. As you may or may not know, Curtis has taken the bus into the city for the past 15+ years and saves $ with the monthly pass. No pass-a-roosy! We looked here, we looked there and and then we looked everywhere. I reluctantly handed him a $20 that was on circulation vacation. He informed me that the Yolo Bus only takes exact change!!! Even better, let's use the cash in the boy's bank! Luckily, they don't read blogs.

Opened a can of fruit punch from the LDS cannery today. Samuel did not like the smell, but thought it tasted pretty good. Nutritional value; 100% vitamin C, 45% vitamin A. Hmmm...packaged in 1999. Bet I need to cut nutrient numbers in half. Possibly toxic. I'm stealing from and poisoning my children!!!! Nothing like a challenge to cloud better judgment.

Day 8
Tender Mercies!! Dug deep and located 4 Eggo waffles, a bag of frozen Rhodes dough that had defrosted, transformed into a dough glob, then refrozen, a Weight Watcher creamy rigatoni with broccoli & chicken, three Angus beef hamburger patties, and three 3 oz. salmon steaks. Curtis scouted out the calcium rich LDS cannery hot chocolate last night.

Other items in the Maytag Refidgerator/Freezer include; selection of cheeses, 14 eggs, one loaf of bread, 2 lbs butter, a few oranges, ice, a variety of meats, peas, turkey meatball makings, mixed veggies with freezer-burn, frozen plums and leftover chocolate frosting, see day 3 (I'm planning a Friday night surprise dessert).

1/8th tank of gas left in my car. See hypermiling.

Confession. I took Sarah to Costco today. I told her I I had a ton of hand-me-downs to give her. There was the food court. Maybe I could trade her for a frozen yogurt. BINGO!

Click here to see what Samuel and I made with the frozen Rhodes bread ball (without the milk)! I can smell them now!

Almost a Week

A few temptations today, but Curtis helped me get through.

Day 5 (Sunday)
We were able to survive this day quite well. We ran out of milk. The garden is manna from heaven!

Day 6
I was in Davis today. I took Julia's car since I was low on gasoline. Before I left I called Curtis to confess that I was feeling the temptation too frequent In-N-Out during my wait for the boys during their writing class. He talked me through the temptation. I sat in the car with my popcorn lunch, listened to the radio, and read the Wall Street Journal. I had a great time. By the time I made it home, I was worried about the bank failures and the rest of the economy, so I started looking over my year supply. Hmmm...maybe I should be out spending more money at Winco!! Got my bill for Rachel's wisdom teeth today. Almost $900! And that is with insurance.

Ending Day 4

Well I feel pretty good about the spending freeze, especially going into fast Sunday.

Day 3
This day went well. It was a Friday and people were getting a little uptight about the lack of ice-cream, but Curtis made a cake with homemade chocolate frosting. I also made 6 loaves of pumpkin bread to feed a mass of boys that invaded the premisis (saving two for visiting teaching).

Day 4 (today)
Curtis slipped out and purchased gasoline at Costco for Julia's car. Ten bucks doesn't go very far, even in a small town. It would be really easy to just throw in the towel, but I give him credit. He took all the kids into Costco and had lunch without buying a single item. Here is what they ate (all in sample sizes); ravioli, kielbasa, salmon with lemon pepper, ice-cream with chocolate sauce, peanut butter sandwiches, cashews, mixed nuts, cranberry juice, Hawaiian rice bowl, chicken pot pie and hoodia diet juice. They came home stuffed to the rafters.

Today Curtis moaned, "Just because I can't spend any money doesn't mean I have to start begging." I think that was after I told him to go ask the neighbors if we could siphon a bit of gasoline from their car. I have a quarter tank left in the van and a half gallon of milk.

Day 3--Spending Freeze

We're on day 3 of the Stapp Family spending freeze. No spending money (at all). This is a total buying haltation. Wondering how long the gasoline and milk will hold out.

Day 1

We survived the first day, but there was a tense moment. I told Julia about the plan the night before. She mentioned she was out of gasoline. "Better go get some now, because tomorrow nada." Next morning, no gas. For the first time ever Julia dug into her own wallet, pulled out a $10 and purchased her own gasoline!

Day 2

We survived day two! But here is the situation. I needed three glow sticks for the Arrow of Light Ceremony I was performing at the church. The scouter expects this as part of his advancement and somebody has misplaced the closet key. I guess I will have to purchase these. I know I will get reimbursed, so maybe it won't count. Just in the nick of time the assistant scoutmaster offers to send his dad to the store. Saved. On to day 3 (today)

Dethroned!

Changed the password on my computer to take control of the lives of my beautiful children here in Woodland. You know-- set some time limits, make sure responsiblities were getting done, mainly just utilizing my parental powers. Had no idea what a pain it would be. Changed the password, then spent all day trying to get the internet to work again, on the phone all night with someone (not a local) assisting me with the arduous task.

Well a few days went by. All controls were in place. Kids were mad. My plan was going beautifully. Young family members were more dutiful and I was getting loads of respect. I was the Queen of Compuland!

Not more than a week later, I am doing my duty by attending a church meeting and return home to...to...uh...what is going on here? Why are a computer and two laptops on at the same time? Are you subjects all linked to the World Wide Web? Wha...Wha...is going on here Curtis? A what? A wireless what? Access point? No password needed? How...how...how...Howard (What's up Doc).

I've lost my title, am trying to be ok with the situation, and his plan is going beautifully.

Iluvcurtis!

Mawage

"Mawage. Mawage is what brings us together today." Princess Bride

I love marriage. It is a great social organization that I feel blessed to be a part. I suppose that is why I continue to be part of this marriage. I happen to also love Curtis, so that helps me in my couplehood.

Some may not understand how important it is to keep marriage between a man and a woman to the believer. It is more than just a stubborness to hold to old traditions. I personally love change and progression. But for the majority of committed members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, marriage is considered a sacred covenant between a man, a woman, and God.

Since I believe that Adam and Eve truly lived on this earth, it might be easier to understand my views. Eve and Adam lived together at the same point in time on earth. The beginning. They were purposefully put together and became part of a union sanctioned by God Himself. They brought kids into the world. Some where a pain in the neck. Marriage and parenthood were not and are not easy, but it is part of the plan.

I don't believe "traditional marriage" began with earth's first couple. Eternal marriage between a man and a woman is an everlasting principle.

So when you see my "Vote For Prop 8" bumper sticker driving around town remember, I am fighting for eternal families. I know you and I can be together with our families forever. What a wonderful blessing!

For more information:
http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?vgnextoid=e1fa5f74db46c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=1aba862384d20110VgnVCM100000176f620a____&hideNav=true

A Great Joy!

I am most happy reading. Today I scanned the Wall Street Journal, read Jacob 5-6 (Book of Mormon), looked over the online headlines, a few stories in the Reader's Digest, the end of the book "A Man Named Dave" by Pelzer and the beginning of a Cushman (one of my all time favorite teen novelist) called "The Loud Silence of Francine Green". This does not include all the reading I did shopping at Winco, online school planning, and checking my email. I am so blessed to know how to do read!!! What a gift. I want to thank the California public school system for this wonderful skill! Some may think I did not get anything else done. But I actually spent most of my day working outdoors. Someone asked me once how I have time to read so much. My answer, "I don't enjoy watching T.V." If you read this blog, maybe you could leave a list of your reading habits for the day. I would love to hear the details. ~Happy Reading

Tom Sawyer--The Musical August 15-Sept 14

Sid Sawyer will be as annoying as every while going head-to-head with Tom. Don't ask me how difficult it was to part and place Alex's hairs just so. Thank goodness for Dippety-doo and bobby pins. Pay back for for being so annoying!

PS. Curtis will also be singing, dancing and starring as the local teacher!

Tickets are $20 Adults, $18 Seniors 60+, $10 Children 17- with discounts for Balcony ($10 and $5 for kids) and groups of 10+. Call 530-666-9617