Just pics, no time for words

Isn't a picture worth a thousand words anyway?

The wrst nitmer

I found this little gem on the computer screen today:

The wrst nitmer by Aubrey

Critch
Field
Ther livd a wicid wich

Hr nam wus hassle she spint hr
Time in a tawr casteen spels
Ovr the keengdum
Nowun evr wokt neer the path
That led to the wich

Translation:
The worst nightmare by Aubrey Critchfield
There lived a wicked witch
Her name was Hazel. She spent her
time in a tower casting spells
over the kingdom.
No one ever walked near the path
that led to the witch.

I think I have the next Goosebumps style author here...

Just when you think its bad, it can get so much worse!

A few weeks ago, my sister Erin passed on a bit of sage advice she received from an old missionary companion while on her mission in Germany. The advice is this:

Don't eat your feelings.

You know, when you're feeling blue and your first thought is some nice cold, creamy comforting ice cream. I've been there, you've been there too... (If you haven't, leave me a comment - I want to know who you are!)
Well, last week was another one of those weeks (preceeded by another one of those weeks, preceeded by another one of those weeks) when you just have to tie a knot at the end of your rope and hang on until the passing of time brings relief. Well, time wasn't working. I called Brian crying, took the kids to a friends house and headed home for a nap. On the way home (now, I forget the exact justification) I told myself it would be wise to get some takeout food so I wouldn't have to fix anything - just eat lunch and get to sleep - no wasting precious time. Now where? Where? Where? Hey, how about that Chinese food place Brian has been saying deserves a second chance (The first chance we gave them, they served some kind of chicken they said was General Tzos, but I wasn't so impressed). Sure, fast, cheap - why not?
I ordered some sweet and sour chicken (they can't mess that up), and went home to eat about half of what they gave me (which was plenty in itself). Took a nap, got the kids, cursed myself for getting Chinese and feeling the Chinese food belly. Brian came home, ate a few bites of the sweet and sour chicken, and then got to work making enchiladas for dinner. A few hours after dinner my Chinese belly took a turn for the worse. I wanted to diiiieeeeeee.... What ensued were the classic symptoms of food poisoning we are all familar with - I will spare you details. Brian suffered with me, although he was definintely much better off. The next day I spent sleeping, nursing Miss Hannah and in other activities uncontemplateable. A bad day. Well, Saturday was bad, Sunday, not good, Monday better but not good, Tuesday better, and today a week later, I am feeling like myself again. However, on the bright side, I've completely forgotten what made me so crazy in the first place last week, so I am actually doing better than before. Isn't that nice!
So next time I want to "eat my feelings", I'm going to remember this and -
NOT do that again!

Goodbye little "Sister", I'm glad you were in my life

When my parents announced to me and my sisters in a 1996 family council that we would be getting an addition to the family, I claimed the sole, "no way" vote. My little "sister" was born in June of 1996, just before I turned 16. We named her, Lasting Memories. She took up too much of my time, I wasn't too keen on tending her, and she monopolized my mom all day. I didn't like her.

She started out small and really without much personality at all. A long, empty looking narrow room with a large window to the Mervyn's parking lot and a white bookshelf with a few albums and a small white counter with a computer was all there was too it. I sat there after school many days - bored. I entered inventory into the computer system from the back room, and loathed the hours I spent under dim florescent lights counting and typing in numbers. And then my family and I would come home tired each day and continue to "talk shop" until bedtime.

I remember after a while when we finally got to hire a couple employees. Finally, I could hang out with someone other than my family. Little Sister got a little cooler.

Over the years little sister grew up. I saw many of her milestones - I remember when:

· We got our first customer (we were so excited). Mom even framed the dollar bill!

· We finally got a scanner for the register instead of just typing in the four digit code

· More customers came in and they liked what we had to sell

· I started getting a paycheck

· We got a second computer for the counter

· Lasting Memories girl sat outside the front door and greeted customers

· A customer complained about my customer service which led to me taking a good look at myself and deciding to learn to become more outgoing and excel at customer service (a major influential choice in my life)

· We had our first major event involving bunches of gummy cherries that I ate too many of. (To this day it kind of makes me sick to my stomach to think about it)

· We hired even more employees

· We did our first inventory... and the second, and third and fourth...etc. etc. (I really didn't like little Sister on those days)

· We began offering classes

· I went to CHA and other shows

· Began the the keytag program (I still actually have an original keytag)

· We moved into the 21st century and started up the LM website

· Moonlight Madness involved making cute buttons and runs to California Burger for milkshakes

· My best friend from when I was 5 and lived in Seattle came in and we were reunited as I put her name in the computer

· We moved the store to a larger spot

· We knocked out a wall to make an even larger store

· When LM got caller ID and I could no longer call pretending I was someone else and wreak havoc on my poor mom (heheh, that was so funny)

· We hired great crew of many employees and I actually started to like being there

With the years that passed, I came to know many of the regular customers and enjoy my time with my LM friends. 9 years ago I hung up the Lasting Memories apron for the last time, with my marriage and subsequent move to Utah. Yet, the store was still a part of my life because it was a part of my families' life. I experienced the rest of the years through telephone conversations and watching the website from Utah and then from Oklahoma.

When my mom announced to the family that Lasting Memories would be closing its doors permanently, I experienced a mixed reaction. First, I was sad. Then I was happy, a little relieved and excited. Sometimes kids worry about their parents as much as parents worry about their kids. I could feel that mom was ready for a change (actually, needed a change was more like it). It was just time. This is a good thing for mom and dad. And as much as I appreciate the store, I really love them more.

And yet, there is something very sad in it. (Caution: The following is sappy) As I was thinking about what LM means to me, the "Cheers" TV show theme song came unbidden to my mind.

...Sometimes you wanna go

Where everybody knows your name

And they're always glad you came.

You wanna be where you can see

The troubles are all the same

You wanna go where everybody knows your name

You wanna be where people know

People are all the same

You wanna go where everybody knows your name

For many, LM was their Cheers (minus the beverages). Wasn't the past 14 years fun? Didn't we have a blast?

I sure hate change, but isn't that what life is all about? "What!? They stopped making that cute paper with the doodads??? Oh, now hold the phone! What's this!? Ohhh, they made even better paper with better doodads - hop into my basket, we're going home to play!" Lasting Memories always had the latest and greatest. There was always something new and wonderful to OOooo and Ahhh over. That's change - bringing good and bad. But you know what is cool? Sometimes something comes along and then it's gone, but the impact it made on you stays with you. It’s yours to keep no matter what.

Lasting Memories began as a college funding idea for me and my three younger sisters. Looking back, it was so much more than that to me. It was where I made the decision to love people, to see the good in all of them. It was where I made many good friends. It was where I gained valuable business experience and a firsthand look at economics. It began as an idea, struggled into existence, and blossomed into what it has become. This idea in my Mother's head has had a greater impact on my life than funding college - it has had an impact for a lifetime.

Yes, it turned out that the store was the all of the work I had imagined in the beginning and worse, but I hadn't counted on the blessings that would come to me and many others because of it.

So, little "Sister" and everyone who was a part of her existence, thanks for the Memories - they truly were Lasting...

What do you remember about Lasting Memories? Please comment and share your memories!

My eyes hurt

Joe thinks all owies need bandaids.
The other day his eyes hurt when he got baby powder in them.


All Better.

A meal entirely of condiments

Frequently, Aubrey does not like what I make for dinner. (BTW- I am sooo tired of hearing, "Oh yuck, I'm not eating that!") She does, however, love condiments. She will accept the manditory serving of dinner and then SMOTHER it in condiments, eat the condiments and leave the mushy remenants of whatever was for dinner. She is happy with ketchup, mustard, mayonaise, BBQ sauce, soy sauce, and her latest love - vinegar. The girl loves malted vinegar and basalmic vinegar with such enthusiasm, that I watched her drink the remanants of her basalmic vinegar concoction from her bowl this evening. I love Aubrey; she is just so Aubrey.

They call it spirited

My four year old is wearing me out today. One book I consulted called her a spirited child. I call her intense. Ever since she was born, I have been aware that she is intensely happy or intensely angry or intensely everything. I am not intense. I yearn for smooth waters. This human pendulum wears me out. I sure do love her - I just don't know what to do with her!