Looking for Sympathy!!!

I'm posting pictures of the current state of my house-- three bedrooms, my office, the hall, family room and two bathrooms--plastic covers everything, so does drywall mud. I'm being so patient. I have never lived in my master bedroom in this house and we've lived here for 3.8 years so I am not complaining. Instead I am finding my zen place. I am enjoying being 6 months pregnant and stepping on nails in my bare feet. Zen! Zen!

FACEBOOK :) :) :)

For years I have been the quintessential YW leader-- paying close attention to all the issues that social networking brings to young girls ages 12-18. Let's just say that I have not been an advocate. I must amend my former views. I still think it brings up a lot of social aggression and in immature hands might be abused. That being said, for a 30-something ex-Alaskan like myself with extended family everywhere, Facebook has allowed me to reconnect with some of these cherished friends and family for the first time in years. Cool!

SPRING BREAK!@#$%^&*!!!!!

We get spring break a little early here in our neck of the woods. Having all 5 kids home generally is not a problem. Unless, of course there happens to be a drywall guy in every room, sheetrock dust in every room, and your living space limited to three bedrooms, one bathroom, one family room, and one family room filled to the brim with all of the furniture from the rest of the house.
There's just something so irritating about having someone in your house all dang day. And starting tomorrow, for two weeks, we have to have all doorways covered in plastic. I will not complain. I will not complain.
As we sit here, I am writing this post, listening to "A Happy Working Song" while the kids are bickering, bickering, bickering about cleaning the kitchen that they destroyed with their desire for a break-worthy breakfast. Meanwhile to the drywall guy I look like a lazy bum, sitting on the couch while the kids slave away (yeah right) but you know what I mean. I need to end this post and restore some semblence of harmony to my home. Talk TO you later. Can't wait for school to start again.

Gail's Top Broadway Songs-- 1980+

These are just MY favorite songs. If I liked the entire Musical it has an accompanying asterisk.

1. LES MISERABLES*-- -- I Have seen a Broadway Touring Company and at Tuacahn Ampitheater (Amazing Regional Theater). Love it every time
Do You Hear the People Sing

One day More

On My Own

Finale

2. ANNIE*: As Always. A classic. Probably not pre-1980's, but so what.

Tomorrow

You're Never Fully Dressed

You Won't Be an Orphan for Long

3. CHESS-- I just can't get over the infidelity and egocentrism

I Know Him So Well

One Night in Bangkok

Someone Else's Story

4. MISS SAIGON-- Too much drama, no happy ending

Bui Doi

I Still Believe

5. SECRET GARDEN*: Love it, love it, love it. Even more after seeing it for the first time this summer.

I Heard Someone Crying

If I Had a fine White Horse

Wick

6. LITTLE WOMEN*-- It was just OK, but Some Things Are Meant to Be may well be my favorite song of all time-- and that's saying something.

Some Things Are Meant to be

Small Umbrella In the Rain

7. PHANTOM OF THE OPERA: Don't like it. Sacrilege, I know. I just don't. It's the Thelma & Louise issue-- don't try to make me sympathetic to reprehensibility.

Think of Me

All I Ask of You

Phantom of the Opera

8. RAGTIME: Haven't seen it, but would like to.

Sarah Brown Eyes

9. INTO THE WOODS*- Love it, love it.

I know Things Now

Children Will Listen

Finale

10. JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT* Love it, love it.

Prologue

Any Dream Will Do

Jacob's Sons/Joseph's Coat

Finale-- Remix

11. AIDA*-- Pretty good. Not stellar.

How I Know You

Enchantment Passing Through

Written in the Stars

12. SEUSSICAL* Way too much unexpected fun.

The One Feathered Tail Of Gertrude McFuzz

Here on Who

Notice Me Horton

IMPULSE PURCHASE

Broadway calls to me. Since I was a little girl fascinated with Annie (what little girl isn't) Since Ursula S. did her book report on Phantom of the Opera my junior year of HS and played music from the broadway production. Since working in a music store and discovered Les Mis, Jekyll and Hyde and so many others. And since my freshman year of college when pianos in the great room and so many talented pianists and singers who enjoyed sing alongs allowed me to put in my puny voice. (Thanks Tyler, Chris, Kristie). For years I have collected songs from so many different productions and find so few that share my love. Thankfully, I have raised a righteous posterity who understand the value of a broadway musical. Amy and Maggie are Afficiandos. Anyway. Wicked is coming to Salt Lake. Hold your ponies. Unless you pay exhorbitant rates to purchase season tickets to Broadway Across America--- You cannot purchase tickets to see this great show. Cry! Cry! Curse! Curse!
But wait:
Craigslist. I only have to say the word and you know what I mean. I found two tickets in Salt Lake to see Wicked for $200 each. I told Rob and asked if I could buy them and, True to form he said--"If we're going to pay that much shouldn't we go somewhere fun." So I found tickets to Wicked in San Francisco, flights and a 4.5-star hotel for about $600-- Okay, maybe a little more with taxes, etc. But you get the picture. A little bit more money, lot more fun. Happy Happy Joy Joy!!!!!! The only snag in this really cool picture is that when I go I will be in week 29 of this pregnancy. waddle! waddle! Oh Well.!

REAL LIVE RACE CAR!!!

Cheerios and Hamburger Helper have a real race car and Wal Mart shoppers got to see it. Nate got a special trip over to see the race car

Shrine and Door Removal

Those of you who have been to my house may remember the "Shrine." Originally built to house a John Wayne Statue, we have never had any art worthy of such a venerable resting place. Instead, it became a dust and clutter collector. To this end, and because Drywall comes tomorrow (for sure) it was REMOVED. It's pretty cool. Also, we cut out the wall to provide for double doors in our office. A gamble, yes, but one that we feel paid off.

Hair Today!

I am so intrigued by all these Hair sites-- you know the ones , where sweet little girls sit quietly while mommy combs and plaits and rats and curls, the end result being works of ART. That is not me. In mormondom, especially, being able to do cute girl hair is almost a prerequisite for being a mommy. I am a failure in this department. I have neither the time nor the desire to do such things with my children's hair-- except on Sunday which brings us to this morning's events.

Every Sunday I decide that it's extremely important to be coiffed at church. My children wait patiently while I do all that jazz-- curl, rat, etc. Usually, I'm fairly restrained (mostly because I have no skills in this area) But today my focus fell on Poor M. She has the most beautiful long straight hair the color of milk chocolate. I personally know minnions who would kill for it. But today I put it in dog tails (two little pony tails up front). Little did I know this would cause such distress. It upset her. She's growing up and doesn't want to look like a little girl.

So we girls had a hair discussion. I explained that the hair issues in this house were not theirs. Clearly they were mine. Most of you who knew me before the age of 15 remembered that my hair was always short. Since then I have always preferred Long hair. And I want it pretty (although, again, only on Sundays). Hopefully they'll forgive me for making them look 2 when they're 12.