Cynthia T. Rickelson

We live in, what I like to call, the Bedazzled Buckle of the bible belt. That being said, when you don't have a cross around your neck or tattooed to your ankle or on the back of your jean jacket in rhinestones, people start to question if you really believe in Jesus Christ.

The other day, my neighbor informed me that if you work for the school (any government owned school for that matter) you weren't allowed to wear any religious paraphernalia. I thought of Bradley's teacher and her ginormous chain of about a dozen crosses that she wore every once in a while.

I said, "I think that's why we [LDS] stuck with the CTR ring."

She responded, "you can't even wear that."

I nicely argued that for all she knows CTR (commonly known to stand for: Choose The Right) has nothing to do with Christianity. It could be a crazy right-winged republican ring, or maybe it's reminder because I forget which hand I'm supposed to use when I draw, or it's my deceased grandmother's initials and green was her favorite color!

What do you think?

Is a CTR ring appropriate?

Pumpkin Carving

The 3rd Annual Contest took place a few weeks ago. But because we were moving and the what-nots of excuses, I didn't get around to posting pics.

But before you get all mad/relieved that you didn't get invited. We have very strict rules: we have to like you.

Just kidding! You have to live in our neighborhood (either SO or MR).

John & Hayden S* (We missed you Tiffany & Hudson!)

Brian showed Baby Megan how to carve this one by herself.
I'm sure Kevin & Heather S* were somewhere close by.

Danielle, Joe, Izzy & Madison H*
holding their well-deserved prizes...

The H* Family and their pumpkin that Jarom poured over making us end the night around 2 am (also pictured, Kristy, Cole, Shayla, Cooper & Brynn).

Crystal & TJ J* used this as their candy jar.

Showing off my great photography skills with Bryan, Nicole & Tyson V E*.
It's really not blury, it's a soft lense.

The C* Family: Keith, Loriann, Avery & Addy
Avery's the violent one that stabbed the poor pirate's head.


Mr McMonkey & myself with Olivia, Bradley and
Emmy - our daughter who auditioned for The Ring

My one action shot. Is that kid being accosted?

Can I just point out the winners?
The mummy (front right) won Scariest.
The Trick or Treat (front left) won Most Creative. (see picture below)
The JACK (middle right) "won" Most Pathetic.

Can you see the "TREAT" reflected on the back wall?

It was oooooober fun. And there was lots of food, lots of costumes & lots of boxes of stuff (as we were moving a week later). We'll see what next year brings.

A House Warming Gift

...that made my day.

Thanks, Shel!

Halloween Catch Up

Since I was without you for a few weeks, you didn't get to see my monkeys in their 'stumes.

I forewarning:
they are NOT emotionally abused.

Bradley was The Count. "Mwah ah ah!"

And, my 5-year old, Emmy,
who should want to be a princess/ballerina/fairy/angel
has, instead, chosen a different route.

If you just peed your pants, don't worry.
It's a very normal reaction.
She was playing the role well and refused to smile for the camera saying, "Zombies don't smile, Mama!"

Ahh,Olivia. The one I still have at least minimal control over.

Except that it started itching her like crazy and she ended up in...

Was it Lincoln that said, "Whatever you are, be a good one."?
Well, my kids would have made him proud.

I have INTERNET!

Holy cow! It’s not like I feel I rely heavily on the internet, it’s more like I couldn’t breathe and my heart stopped for the few days without it.

In all honesty, it was nice knowing no one could call, that I had no obligation to answer emails, that my life continued on (and is, in fact, more productive) without phone and email.

Television on the other hand…

Can someone update me on SYTYCD and PR (and if you don’t know what those stand for, you’re not worthy of updating me)? And more importantly, when can I come over because we’ve decided to [dramatic pause] NOT get cable/dish [GASP!].

Don't freak out.
It's not like I'm going to start homeschooling and put Liv in cloth diapers.
We're just experimenting. I'll just buy the Glee soundtrack this month.

Have you ever gone w/o TV?

Squatters

While this sounds like an appropriate new nickname for me and my new friends Chin 2 and the Love Handles, it’s what Steven and I called ourselves for an entire week.

For seven days we lived in an un-resided-in home. The owners had moved and were in the process of selling it (to us) but closing had yet to occur.

And we lived there.

For a week.

I feel like I can truly relate to homeless people everywhere. I know how hard it is to not call something your own – even though we still had occupation options for our rental house and we were pretty sure closing was going to go fairly smoothly, not to mention we have plenty of food and clothing – but don’t you think I am more whole now and have a certain sense of kinship with transients everywhere ‘cause it’s pretty much the exact same circumstances?

Ya, me too.

Pictures to be posted soon.

Two Turtle Loves

Wanna hear the cutest story ever? ... Mkay, I'm gonna tell you anyway.

I was coming home from my friend Nicole's house and I nearly ran over a turtle.

That's not the cute part, duh.

Let me first say that about a block from our house is a giant pond. I knew this turtle had strayed a little too far from home. While this is the second time I've almost hit a turtle, we thought we better bring him home. We tried to give him a bath in our backyard with the hose and our ghetto/yellow/plastic swimming pool with every intention of taking it back the next day. This thing had so much moss on its shell, we named it Hairry Potter (from here on out, it's now a boy for convenience's sake). Also, now that it was named, it was destined to stay with us forever, ... or at least the weekend.

Anyhoo, he liked to hide amidst our overgrown trim. Occasionally, it was hard to find him. A few days later Steven was out back grilling when Emmy complained that she couldn't find Hairry. Steven jokingly said, "maybe if you whistle, he'll come to you."

Some lady, just on the other side of our fence heard Steven's comment. She yelled through the fence, "are you guys looking for a turtle?"

This surprised us. We didn't think there was any way through the fence and we didn't think he'd be able to dig his way out because he was an aquatic turtle. Even so, Steven went out the gate and grabbed the turtle that this lady and her barely-restrained dog had found.

Funny thing, it wasn't Hairry.

This turtle was bigger.

Steven went back to where this new turtle had been found (just outside our backyard) and looked directly on the other side of our fence (in our backyard) to make sure he had, in fact, not crawled underneath the fence. Low and behold, there was Hairry hiding in our overgrown grass.

Our little turtle lovers had found each other and just didn't know how to reach each other through the fence.

[a collective "aaawww" from the crowd is now appropriate]

Meet Marge (L) and Hairry (R)


Emmy wanted in this next picture,
though she's only holding a lowly frog.
L to R: Emmy (w/ prince charming), Jason B* (holding Marge), Bradly (w/ Hairry), Zed B* ('cause he couldn't get enough of the turtles).

They were so far (relatively) away from their home. Had to be miles (or something) in human steps.

Olivia with her new playmates.

School Photog Day

My school photo from 1st grade

My kids took there school pictures last week.

As I was doing their respective hair(s), I mentioned to them how lucky they were that their mom did their hair in the privacy of their own home.

"Whaaaat?"

I explained to them that my mother found out what time our class' pictures were to be taken, showed up at the school with brushes & hairspray (just short of extensions, glitter & self tanner) so she could primp us up just before the flashes began.

And, yes, she stood behind the camera man smiling and pointing to her exhausted cheeks simultaneously.

School photo from 3rd grade

Now that I'm written out of her will, I might as well tell you that until Junior High, I was required to wear a dress every time we had school pictures. Another piece of information my kids responded to with, "WHAT?!"

While I was never in a beauty pageant, she would have made an excellent stage mom.

Olivia's Two

...and that's not a birthday announcement. It's more like a behavior announcement (but, we'll still accept gifts).

Her entourage:

(Tyson V*, Logan O*)

Her unwillingness to wear clothing (and her magnetism to dirt):

"Soooo Preeeetty, Liv!"

Even grubby, she's still kissable!

Her uncanny ability to let you know you need to go change an unflattering outfit with just a simple expression.

Love you, Liv.

"For the First Time...

.... I feel ... WICKED."