Kids Say The Darnedest Things

#1
One day, while on vacation in Utah, I went to the community pool with my sister, her 6 year-old daughter and my 2-1/2 year-old nephew. For such a small town, it's actually a pretty big pool with an exciting winding slide and neat "sprinkler" area.

Anyway, while climbing the stairs to go down the slide, my niece's 5 year-old friend says to me, "You have a crack".

In my mind I think, "I have a crack???" And I just smile at her.

Then she says again, "You have a crack". And points to my chest.

I look down and realize what she's trying to tell me.
So I reply, "That's cleavage, my dear. Cleavage".


#2
I have a shirt that reads "Have a Coke and a Smile".

One night, my niece tells me, "I saw a girl today who was wearing that shirt that you have that says 'When you cook you have to smile'--except she was skinny.

If she wasn't only six, I'd take that as a hint that I was fat.


#3
My 2-1/2 year-old nephew calls it as he sees it. Or just gives what he thinks are valid reasons for doing or not doing something.

"No, I don't want Auntie--she's boring"
"No, Auntie. You're a bossy-wossy"

If he wasn't only 2-1/2 years-old, I'd have a complex about my personality.

Okay. It does make me wonder if I am really perceived as boring or bossy. Especially since I've had another adult family member call me bossy. But, hey, it could just be because I grew up as the eldest of seven children, or it could just be because I'm a Dragon (according to Chinese horoscope). Whichever it is doesn't matter. I'm more concerned about being boring.

Adventure to Monument Valley

For my vacation this year I felt I needed to "just get away". My plan had been to rent a car and just drive to anywhere after visiting my dad for Father's Day in Mesquite/Vegas. But, fortunately, that didn't pan out. Instead, I returned to Spanish Fork and after searching maps and points of interest in the Utah/Arizona/New Mexico areas, I disovered and decided on Monument Valley. And I am so glad that it all turned out this way. I was able to save a few $$ by camping instead of staying in hotels, I felt reconnected to life and my Native American-ness, and I had an awesome spiritual experience during my visit to the Kayenta 2nd ward. I can't wait to return and do more exploring of that area!

Here are some pictures from that trip (click on the dialog bubble for captions):

Food For Thought

I just stopped at the grocery store on the way home from an appointment to pick up a couple of things. And this is what I saw:

Roman Meal 100% Whole Wheat Bread: $5.79. Per loaf.
Meadow Gold or Viva Milk, 1 gallon: $8.99
Life Cereal, 15 oz. box (that's the small box, folks!): $6.79
Bananas (shipped from Latin America) on sale: $1.09/lb. (locally grown bananas are costlier than those flown in--one of those things that make you go "hmmm")
Fuji Apples, on sale: $1.99/lb.

Fortunately, I didn't need bread. And because I can't consume a whole gallon of milk by myself within two weeks, I was lucky and got the 1/2 gallon of store-brand milk on sale at 2/$7.00. Life Cereal--the only one on sale that wasn't a sugary cereal--I scored at 2/$6.00. I also lucked out and got some yogurts on sale @ 10/$7.00! Yippee. As for the fruit, I opted to skip the fresh and stick with the canned goods at home.

I think the reason these costs stood out so much is because of the conversations I had with my home teachers last night. We were talking about the current cost of groceries leading to the need to keep chickens, the approaching hurricane season and getting our 72-hour-kits together into one quickly-grabbed container, and the need to have a storage of food and other items for possibilities like a natural disaster.

One of my home teachers is convinced that the shipping strike in the '70's led most locals to become obsessed with stockpiling toilet paper with even the whisper of a possible "disaster"--i.e.: hurricane, tsunami...or shipping strike.

I guess I really should start thinking about getting those chickens pretty soon. For today, though, the canned goods, water, and toilet paper in the closet will have to do.

In the meantime, I'm going to the beach. And hoping that this craziness will level off sometime soon.