Calling the Marriage Refs....

A very small part of Mr. Neat and Tidy's music collection.

Oh, where to start....

My husband, Byron, LOVES movies, music and books. We have literally thousands of these forms of entertainment. He is a methodical, neat, ultra organized guy. He alphabetizes his possessions and puts them in height order. Our books are very neatly put away, all the same distance from the edge. His movies are alphabetized. His CD's are organized by genre and then alphabetized. He likes to clean, which elevates him to a god-like level to most women. (He also loves to shop...I know, you're jealous.) Our house is neat and tidy and the dishes always done. He vacums, he puts away things When he had to retire from one career - he joyfully went to school to embark on a new career. He takes care of us, doesn't mind how many pairs of shoes I own, buys me purses for gifts, doesn't complain about my width, how much my hair costs and my monthly pedis....what? you ask...what could I need a marriage ref for when, obviously I am married to the perfect man?

THIS......






Yep, this hangs in my bedroom directly across from my bed. It's the first thing I see in the morning (after I put on my glasses) and the last thing I see at night. THIS is why I need a referee.

So, how did it get there...the focal point of the part of my bedroom, the room that is supposed to be a sanctuary? He says I'm lucky, he really wanted to hang it in the living room! Oh yeah, lucky me.

The story of how this came to be...

For years there hung a picture in my room of Byron and his friends on a white water rafting trip. The picture was taken at a class 5 rapids, you could see the terror and joy on all their faces. This was the pinnacle adventure, man vs. the wild! It was a little bizarre having Barry, Jeff, Kent, Brad and Howard all staring at me while I was dressing, but I got over it and just lived with it.

Then, that picture was replaced with this one:


The Avengers, ah....Byrons' favorite TV show as a youth. He had a mad crush on Diana Rigg and her alter ego, Emma Peel. I even bought him the collection for Christmas one year, feeding the fire as it were. Obviously I am as good of a wife as he is a husband. He then found this little mini poster and stuck it up in our room. Whatever. It wasn't worth the effort of fighting over.

Then he tried to hang this vintage poster of his favorite 60's horror movie. It hung for about a month and I threw a fit. Um, no.

I'm a loving patient wife, actually, no, not so much when it comes to this. There's a limit.



About a month ago Byron discovered this book:





He LOVED it. The best book he had EVER read,which really is saying quite a bit. He was engrossed, mesmerized...read it during his prep period, read it in the bathroom, late at night, in the car while I drove. The guy LOVED this book. He drove right over to B&N's the night he finished to buy book #2 which picks up exactly where #1 ends. Same drill, read and read and read. Byron was bummed out when he read it all and the #3 doesn't come out for a month. Sad, sad Byron.

ANYHOW...Byron found out this was a movie made in Sweden. He looked until he found it playing in a little art house theatre. He and his sister went to see it and loved it, truly loved it. So, Then he ordered the movie, in Swedish, (because we speak so much swedish around here...)

AND THEN...he found the movie poster. AND ORDERED IT. AND HUNG IT UP IN MY ROOM....WITH THUMBTACKS.

Just in case you missed it the first time....

Seriously, it's the first thing you see when you walk in. The girl lurks over your head if you are sitting watching tv. When I wake up and put my eyes in....there she is, menacing, daring me to have a good day. Some chick with piercings and tattoos bidding me farewell every morning. Jeesch.

So marriage refs....what say you?



PS. He says it's staying. We'll see.

Hail to the Chief!

Thanks to $21 worth of smarties and dum-dums...



And Primo posters by big sister (and the veteran of many campaigns...) Lauren


And big ole' banners painted on sheets....



95 YUMMY Chocolate Chips cookies decorated with Liberty Cardinal and Gold M & M's .....
(thank you Marty!! ) that I forgot to take a picture of, but I guarantee you...they were SAH-WEEEEET!!!!

And fancy "Vote for Jeff T-shirts" worn all over campus....

A post-poned- for- the- weekend election, (just to rattle the nerves!)

Introducing the Junior Class President at Liberty High School 2010-11!!
Woot-wooot!!!

I'm so proud of Jeff for working hard and putting himself out there, for having school spirit, for being so friendly and kind to everyone, for setting a good example that IS really noticed, for wanting to make changes and work hard so that his classmates can have a great Junior year.
Way to go Jeff!!!

So the really pressing question is:

If Jeff is the President...what does that make me? The first lady? The Queen Mother?
Busy? Yep, that's what I'm gonna be....busy.

Just call me Susan...

Today is a sad, sad day for me.

But I scraped myself up off the floor to share my sadness.

I have worked at Liberty High School for six lovely, action packed, busy, enlightening years.
I have given my heart and soul (not to mention TONS of $$ on fundraisers, financing my childrens campaigns, dances, yearbooks, cute clothes to wear while working...okay, those were totally for me, but STILL....) to this school.

I have worked LOOOOONG hours, I have worn many hats, I have been the "Mikey" of Liberty...got a project? "Give it to Jeni...Jeni will do it!!!"

Testing? Give it to Jeni!
Honor Roll? Give it to Jeni!
SIP Chair? Give it to Jeni!!
Every 15 Minutes? Give it to Jeni!!
Class Advisor? Jeni will do it!!
Chaperone at dances? Jeni will do it!!
Sit on a rooter bus for 26 hours with 46 teenagers? Jeni will do it!!
Decorate? Jeni will do it!
Achievement Night and Breakfast of Champions? Give it to Jeni!!
WASC Committee? Give it to Jeni!!

I could go on and on and on..... (I know, I already did...I tell you, it's a sad day...)

So for my service and dedication, I have nominated for Employee of the Year.
Every year, for the past six years.
Including this year....

And EVERY year, including this year,

I lose.

Me...at the end of a long day, no makeup, sad and with a cold sore. Lovely. I obviously have no pride.

Six years in a row. I lose.

It's a popularity contest, and I will never win one of those.
I am not a good suck-up or a phony.
I'm me, for the good and/or the bad...
I'm me.
So I lost AGAIN.
I don't really care about the honor, I have been in a parade before and I wouldn't get a raise. But DANG-IT!!! , I really wanted that parking place for the next year. It's all about the parking place.

Susan Lucci lost 18 times, so I have a ways to go.
In 12 years I probably will retire, that's when I'll win.
When I won't need the parking place anymore.

Console me.

Well...well...would you look at this!

A gratuitous picture of Carter with Uncle Jeffy!

April is shaping up to be a great month for Jeff.

Jeff is playing Varsity Volleyball, his second love after baseball. He is having a blast and even though they haven’t won even one game, he is happy, happy, happy.

He found out he passed totally aced his CA High School Exit Exam. Perfect score on the English and only missed two on the Math! Way to go Jefe!

He’s going to finish his Driver’s Ed this month; then it’s off to get a permit.

He’s put his hat in the ring to run for Junior Class President….wish him luck!!

And then there’s the Soph Hop. The Soph Hop is a 75 year tradition at Liberty HS. All the grades are invited, but it is sponsored by the sophomores. At the dance the Soph Court is announced and a Prince and Princess are crowned.

The night of the big dance we went to pick up Hayley, Jeff’s best friend. She is darling and I love her. Sadly, her mother went and fell in love and married some guy from Washington…now Hayley is moving. I’m heartbroken.

So, on the way to pick up Hayley, Jeff told me to just honk on the horn. Um….NO! You will go up and knock on the door like a gentleman. “UGH…” was the sigh from my manners-deficient son.

Hayley and her bff, Becca came out of the house.

Then, and this just tickles me…Hayley’s dad came running out with a camera... “WAIT!! I want pictures!”

Jeff wanted to die on the spot, he was horrified.

I, however, was thrilled. I don’t what thrilled me more, how cute they were or that another parent started the embarrassment this time, not me.

So, I of course, whipped out MY camera, rubbing salt in his wounds, and snapped a couple of pictures.

“Mother, “ he hissed, “this is no big deal…why are you embarrassing me?”

Because I can. That’s why. It’s my right.

So off to the dance we go!!! I was chaperoning.

(A side note to all mothers, unless you have a stomach of steel and/or are completely blind, DON’T chaperone a dance. It is THE most hideous experience EVER. Why? Because of the way kids dance now. What happened to the hustle or the jerk or good old square dancing? And the dresses….oh my. All night girls were tugging at the top or the hem or both. And FYI…under those teenie-tiny dresses? They’re wearing thongs and not the kind you put on your feet! Poke your sons’ eyes out with hot pokers before they go…you don’t have to thank me for the advice, my pleasure.)

We’re at the dance! Everyone looks beautiful, a little “under dressed” (if you know what I mean…) but very sparkly and pretty.

For some reason, and I still can’t figure why; I am given the responsibility of announcing the Prince and Princess!

"Liberty High School …your Sophomore Court for 2010 is….. for the girls:"

Cute girl #1

Cute girl #2

Cute twin girls #’s 3 & 4

Really nice cute girl #5

And for the boys:

Jeff Groseclose! Jeff Groseclose!! Jeff Groseclose!!!

Blah-blah #2

Blah-Blah #3

Blah- Blah #4

Blah-Blah #5

Jeff and Ana Silvia

It was so fun to see how happy he was. He’s not the typical “Joe-Popular Jock Stud”. He’s a very nice, very fun, very happy,very moral, very friendly boy who's a good student and involved in school.

And his classmates realized that he is a really nice guy and gave him quite an honor.

Some wisdom...too bad I didn't think of it....

This is me.

As you can tell, I am not thin. Not by any stretch of the imagination.

I could say I'm not fat, I am just under-tall.
Well, that could be a couple of inches (feet) of the problem, if I was 7'3" I'd probably look just fine.
5'2" isn't cutting it.

I could say that it is all a metabolism problem.
It's not, it's a chocolate and second helpings problem.




I could blame it all on my children.
I could and would probably get away with it, if my youngest was one.
He's not, he's 13.

Maybe it's all the stress in my life.
I really could get away with that, I'm sure.
Why can't I be one of those who don't eat when stressed?
I feel ripped off on that one.

I have read two ultra fabulous blogs on this very subject in the past two days.
I share them with you, wish I was this grown-up and mature.
I will try to adopt the vision of these two, very wise women.
Read their wisdom HERE and HERE.

I need to rethink how I look at myself.
I need to appreciate myself and be able to poke fun if need be,
in an unapologetic way.
I need to be comfortable in the skin that I have created for myself.
I need to be proud of all I have accomplished
and it has NOTHING to do with my size, or lack of size.

I need to celebrate that I have a wonderful bunch of kids,
I do good things every day for people.
I am compassionate, I love to give service.
I am a good and loyal friend.
I am pretty wonderful.... darn it.
And it has nothing to do with my size.

Now, this isn't to say I shouldn't try a little harder,
eat healthier, just say no to calories
Get my ample end out walking every day...
I'd probably feel better.
But I don't want my life to be defined by my size.
I want to be defined by how I live my life each day.
Happy and content, no matter what the scale says.

At least I have good hair and a cute grandson.

Sweet Sixteen!

Today my Jeff is 16...how in the world did that happen?

Really, its seems like last week this energetic, happy go lucky, everyone loves him child entered our lives. He came into the world a whopping 5 lbs 4 oz and now is our tallest and biggest child. In every way. His personality is big, his voice is big, his love for life is HUGE!

I've posted this before, but it's so cute, I had to re-post it...

For Jeff's birthday we took him to Mecca.....

Most people call it AT & T park, home of the San Francisco Giants," THE best team in all sports" (guess he forgets their record for the past few years...) Jeff told me that other than the Oakland Temple, this is the most sacred place in the whole bay area. Here, in the Dugout store Jeff added to his already rather large Giants T-shirt collection. His goal? To have a shirt for every day of the month. We already have 2+ weeks covered. Makes shopping for him easy!! Opening day is only 18 days away. Lucky us. They play 162 games a year and EVERY one of them will be broadcast in our home. You wish you were me don't you?

We had a surprise party for Jeff this year. Lauren went and picked him up from Volleyball practice and brought him to the bowling alley. He came in and saw a bunch of his friends there and got sad because they were all having fun and didn't invite him. :( I told him to just ignore them and have fun. Go get your shoes and go to lane #7...he walked up and they yelled surprise! He was thrilled, didn't have a clue. (score one for mom!)

Look who came to the party!!!!

The kids bowled, (Jeff got 5 strikes in a row!! wowza) came back to the house and got "glow" stick necklaces and bracelets and went to our local park and played night games. The kids that came are all amazing kids, love them all. They are so nice, polite, funny, can't say enough good about them! It's 12:30 am and now they are hysterically watching "Mean Girls". I'm tired, they need to go home. :)

Oh, at Youth Conference this weekend he was in a dating workshop with 149 other kids, at the end of the activity the speaker told them to reach under their seats, one had a flag. Jeff got the flag and the prize!! 2 movie tickets to take someone on a date...

He's 16.

That means dating, school dances, driving (a mixed bag of emotions there...), wonder who he is going to use those two tickets on?

Oh Lord help me...here we go again.

Happy Birthday Jeff! We love you and can't wait to see what the next few years have in store for you!

Oh, and go Giants!

Gathering Feathers

Very often in my life, too often in fact, I am reminded of this story that our mother used to tell us:

FEATHERS IN THE WIND

There is a 19th century folktale about a man who went about town slandering the town's wise man. One day, he went to the wise man's home and asked for forgiveness. The wise man, realizing that this man had not internalized the gravity of his transgressions, told him that he would forgive him on one condition: that he go home, take a feather pillow from his house, cut it up, and scatter the feathers to the wind. After he had done so, he should then return to the wise man's house.

Though puzzled by this strange request, the man was happy to be let off with so easy a penance. He quickly cut up the pillow, scattered the feathers, and returned to the house.

"Am I now forgiven?" he asked.

"Just one more thing," the wise man said. "Go now and gather up all the feathers."

"But that's impossible. The wind has already scattered them."

"Precisely," he answered. "And though you may truly wish to correct the evil you have done, it is as impossible to repair the damage done by your words as it is to recover the feathers. Your words are out there in the marketplace, spreading hate, even as we speak."

How interesting it is that we, as human beings, are so quick to believe the bad that others say about someone; and so ready to assume the worst regarding another's actions. Why is it that oft times we don't look to our own words and actions but are so ready to point at another?. We've all been told that "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never harm me." We also know that is totally untrue. While a body will typically recover from a physical injury, the harm caused by direct insults can sometimes last a lifetime, and tear the self-esteem right out of a person.

On the other hand, kind, encouraging words can build a person's self-esteem, help him or her to grow and give them the impetus they need to do great, significant things with their lives. The choice regarding how we speak about or to someone is ours.

I am not the perfect mother by any stretch, but if I can point out one thing I have done right, it's to teach my children to be kind. All of them stick up for the underdog, all of them befriend the one that is lonely, all of them are completely non-judgemental. I wish I could say the same of their mother. I have taught by my words, but not always by my example. I am proud of them for this quality they have all nurtured so well.

I'm not much of a "New Year's Resolution" type of gal, but this principle of kindness and watching what I say is at the top of my list this year. Even ahead of losing weight. Hopefully I'll be more successful at both.

Just some thoughts I had.