A Various Thursday

I made $15.70 in recycling today - that is in one week. I think it is great...free money, except for my time.

Got many things done on my list today.
Stake Primary meeting tonight!
Baked chicken and rice from the cooker and rolls for dinner. (Not chicken and rice.)
Will need to record Survivor!

Taking Batting Practice

Griffin is in T-ball - BUT now the coach pitches 4 balls to the batter. If they do not hit the ball, then they get the T. I thought I would help Griffin with some batting practice. This is it yesterday:

I think he is pretty good!

P.S. Christopher, right now Griffin is playing with "the city" that I gave to you when you turned 3. He says he LOVES it!

It's a Bear Over There

I guess the Cornwall's (of Monrovia) had a bear sleeping in their tree. They got a video. Here is the post if you are interested in seeing it:


http://cornwalls.blogspot.com/2009/04/quite-morning.html

Where'd it Go??

My this day went fast!

I did get many little things done from "my list"
grocery shopped
made dinner; fettuccine with dry chicken (oops, too long in the crockpot)
made several phone calls
enjoyed Chase's letter
watched Zak high jump
walked around the track a couple of times
watched Griffin do T-ball
Took Griffin shopping for a new shirt! He REALLY wanted to do this!
collected many plastic bottles for recycling
I didn't prepare for my art lesson tomorrow!!
I did watch some of the Dodgers...they lost!
I did watch 24
Did some dishes
Enjoyed some Twitter
Petted that cat! He begged me.
Texted with Tatia
Enjoyed a shower
Now I will enjoy a spot of reading and let's hope some sleep!

Hankering for some Chicken?

I learned this at:

thefreebieblogger.com

On Tues, April 28th you can get a FREE leg and thigh and 2 tortillas and salsa. It works upon REQUEST. The offer ends at 8:00pm

So just to recap:

Free Chicken on Tues

Ice Cream on Wed for .31 cents at Baskin Robbins - I guess I blogged about the ice cream on Paynes Far and Wide.... check here

Stand Up For What You Believe!

Have you all heard the controversy about the Miss USA pageant? Miss California, Carrie Prejean, was asked about her feelings on same-sex marriage. This was her response:

"We live in a land where you can choose same-sex marriage or opposite. And you know what, I think in my country, in my family, I think that I believe that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. No offense to anybody out there, but that's how I was raised."

I am guessing that when she spoke, she new that she was going against what the Political Correct thing to say. She spoke from her heart and gave her true feelings.

Keith Lewis, who runs the Miss California competition, tells FOXNews.com that he was "saddened" by Prejean's statement.

What?? He totally missed the BIG issue here! She had the guts to go against peer pressure and the pressure to WIN, she stood her ground even though it was not the popular, cute, or best answer. She is the perfect example for having the strength of our convictions EVEN when it is hard. If more people were like her, the world would be a better place.

A Free Bag!

I got this FREE BAG from Whole Foods today!

Just click on the link below and you will see a place to get coupons for various things, this bag included!
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090422-tows-coupon-downloads


Also going on today:

• I watched Griffin and Kylie at their school's "Broadway Show" performance. They both did very well! Griffin sang songs from Mary Poppins and Kylie did songs from Thoroughly Modern Millie.

• Then I went to recycle! Finally, no line and I got it all done.....$15.30! My best week ever!

• Next was to pick up my FREE reusable bag from Whole Foods. I like free.

• The weather....about 64 degrees! Griffin is still begging to swim. I think he is crazy!

• Zak has a track meet at PCC today at 4:00 - go see him pole vault!

• I have dishes, laundry and all sorts of sewing project swirling around in my head. My sweet friend, Holly is getting me in on a boutique in LaVerne on May 8th & 9th.

A Half Filled Pool

After two days of sweltering 100 degree heat, we have the pool clean enough that we can now fill it up. Griffin had a GREAT time playing in it today while it was being filled with water....hose water, cold, cold water. Today the temperature was a very livable 81 degrees.

Griffin played in the pool for about 1 hour!

While Griffin swam, I cleaned up leaves, leaves and more leaves. I tried to take a picture of my very sweaty self...really, I was dripping sweat. I accidentally took a 2 second video...and sadly, you can't even see the glistening of my face:

After Kylie got home from school, she and Griffin went swimming again! Sorry, no pictures of that. Kylie then went to a softball game, she did well, but the team lost - you can't win them all. At 7:45 that night, after dinner, Kylie begged to go swimming again! I had to say no as it was time to shower, then go to bed!

Here is Kylie playing catcher....taken with my cell phone. The umpire had a hard time.

Jesus Saves

You know one of my FAVORITE things to do is capture pictures of people I don't know. While "picking up and dropping off" yesterday afternoon, I passed by this man a few times. Then I realized I had my camera and took his picture.

Nice of him to pass on the message.


**Extra points to the person who can pinpoint the location where this man was walking!

3 Pictures

Here is Griffin yesterday, (Tuesday), playing T-ball in 100 degree heat!

Delicious cookies I made the other day...yes they were that good.

These clouds were so beautiful! I noticed them as I was leaving in my car, I called home and asked Kylie to please take a pictures of them. She did a great job! This was taken about about 10 days ago. Since then we have had rain, wind, freezing (I had to get another blanket on my bed) and so hot I couldn't sleep.

Should I go into photo journalism?

Heat Wave

The second day of 100 degrees.
We discovered yesterday that our air conditioner does not work.
oops.

Good thing I am using the crock pot for dinner tonight.
We are trying a new recipe...Chicken Cacciatore.

Griffin has a t-ball game at 4:30...hope he doesn't melt.

What Have I Got?

I know this sweet blog deserves a new post, but I've got nothin'!

Pictures Are Always Fun, Even If They Are A Week Old

The Annual Cole Easter Egg Hunt:

The mad dash out of the boys room and beginning of the hunt! Hidden egg
Hidden in the NesQuick!

Kylie Checking her loot

Quinn taking a break and getting some gum

Zak searching for hidden eggs

We can see 2, maybe 3, but he can't

That's it for Easter.

Saturday we have 2 basketball games, one T-ball game, one Softball game, I have to work the snack shack, Dad is moving his work office so he has to go down to Ontario to over see.

Congrates to Christopher for taking his LAST FINAL EVER! He is still working on that thesis.

Zak is watching the Godfather movies in school. I enjoy his recaps.

A Little Extra Cash

Are you looking for some extra cash?
Here are a few ways that I have used lately to make a bit:


I started to recycle all the plastic and aluminum bottles that I could find and I have found a lot. Each bottle is like picking up a nickle and I am happy to pick them up. In California when we buy a plastic or aluminum container, we have to pay 5 cents up front for the recycle value. I collect the containers and turn them in for that money. I collect them at my daughter's softball games and my son's track meets and from the containers we use at home. It's been great!

I have had several garage sales! They are a lot of work, but I have made over $100 at each sale. That's $100 more than I had before I started!

I have worked at the snack shack at my daughter's softball games. We sell a lot of sunflower seeds.


I "opened" an online store! My latest item is an apron. I love my apron. I wear it all the time, it protects my clothes and I just

don't feel right if I don't have it on while cooking or doing the dishes. You can check out the other items at my store here: handbagsandsuch.blogspot.com
(Thanks, Angie, for modeling for me!)

That's what works for me!

**UPDATE: Today I got $9.95 from my recycling!

What's a Skillet?

Chase wrote a very funny letter this week. Here is a taste. If you want more, go here:
(For those who don't know, Chase is serving a mission in Texas. He is currently in the city of Richmond. He is a fabulous person.) If you would like to know more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, go here.

From Chase:
So..last week I saw some Bratwursts (basically big hot dogs) in Wal-Mart and I decided to buy them because I remember last year before a BYU football game someone made some and they were really good. I didn't really have any idea about how to cook them, but I knew I would figure it out. Well, on the back it gave you instructions on how to cook them. You could either cook them on the BBQ or in a skillet. I didn't know how to work the Randall's BBQ so I knew I had to cook it in the skillet. The only problem is that I had no idea what a skillet was. By the way, my companion bought some too, so we were both trying to figure this out. We looked in all the cupboards for something that looked like a "skillet." Well, soon Sister Randall came home and she saw us looking around for this skillet thing and so we turned around and asked her what the heck a skillet is. She laughed and laughed and told us its a frying pan. Well, now I know what a skillet is, but I have no idea why they don't just call it a frying pan.

Never Happened Before In My 25 Years of Mothering...and it didn't even happen to me!

I was talking to Griffin this morning, then I noticed he seemed to be missing something in his mouth! I looked to be sure, and yes, he has LOST HIS TOOTH! He had NO idea! We do NOT know when he lost it....guessing in the last 18 hours. Happy boy

Steven ACTION Jackson

What is Steven Jackson's favorite band? I bet Zak doesn't know and Mom does.

Cole Family Brackets!

That is the title for the new Predict the draft bracket I made (Dont forget to put the ! there), the password is the same as our basketball brackets, it is on NFL.com so you are going to have to make a new account, Click here to get started

I personally only care about the top ten picks so I tried on those, but on the others I just randomly put people there.

Other people of the Payne Family are invited too

Is This How You Celebrate New, Knitted Slippers?

Griffin Says...

Griffin says we have done so well on all of our cleaning this week that we deserve a trophy!

3rd Day of Spring Break

Third day of spring break....we were going to clean some more in the morning.....

Instead I got a call from the dermatologist. The office does NOT leave me feeling very confident; yet I know eventually we will get the prescription we are after. I had to go out to their office to help them clear up some paper work.

Then to the grocery store. Tilapia, rice and corn for dinner. It was all gobbled up. Glad they like fish.

Out of the options I gave, they decided we should clean up the pool area. It looks pretty close to great. We got a lot done.

Then we (Kylie, Griffin and I) went on a famous car adventure. We were looking for a 15 year old pig that lives in Sierra Madre and a 2 acre Wisteria bush. We eventually found them both and felt glad at our persistence.

Zak spent 6 hours at "track" today. 4 1/2 of those were spent doing slave labor....or you could read "volunteering".

I talked to Candice about Oprah and the Biggest Loser. I enjoy discussing TV. Oh, yes, and baby Teo is doing well as is Candice and Gil and Tanner.

I must learn how to change the number of the pixels of my pictures from whatever they are to 700. Not sure how to do that. Got a clue?

Have any of you out there read the Edgar Sawtelle book?

Tweet!

Steven ACTION Jackson just spoke to ME on Twitter!

sj39@juliepc good thing I enjoy life then !

The Twitter can be fun!

Join me!
twitter.com/juliepc

Loose Teeth!

Griffin has TWO loose teeth. They are freaking him out a little.

They are the bottom ones....makes it a bit hard to eat. I told him it was normal.

Happy Birthday, Chase!

Happy 20th Birthday to a hard working missionary!

(This is Chase pointing out the waterline in a Galveston home. He has helped with the clean up there.)

We will enjoy "watching conference with you" today. We will all be doing the same thing in Arcadia, Provo and somewhere in Texas.

We love you!

It's Time!

Baby day for Candice & Teo!

I'll keep you posted.

My guess of the time of birth will be between 12:30 and 1:30pm.

This made me scream

Posted about 1 hour ago

New home Chicago: Broncos ship disgruntled QB Cutler to Bears

NFL.com Wire Reports

The Denver Broncos have agreed to trade disgruntled quarterback Jay Cutler to the Chicago Bears.

Jay Cutler, QB
Denver Broncos

2008 Statistics
Passer Rating: 86.0
Passing Yards: 4,526
TDs/INTs: 25/18

The Broncos announced the deal Thursday and said terms would be disclosed later.

NFL.com's Steve Wyche reports that the Broncos will receive first-round draft picks this year and in 2010, a third-round pick (84th overall) this year and quarterback Kyle Orton in exchange for Cutler and a 2009 fifth-round selection.

The Broncos were trading Cutler on his terms, and there was no shortage of teams lining up to take a crack at acquiring the 25-year-old Pro Bowl passer.

Cutler had asked for a trade last month after his relationship with new coach Josh McDaniels soured. Their relationship began to disintegrate when McDaniels broached a potential trade of Cutler for Matt Cassel earlier this offseason

I don't know if I should be happy or sad

Photo Essay on Pinch Pots

I have made many pinch pots over the years of teaching this lesson to Kindergarteners! I brought home 3 more today. Here are a few, and how I am using them:

My cotton Rounds

My Q-tips

Griffin's pot he just made!

I keep my big paper clips in this one:

I don't keep anything in this one.

It is lovely though.

Here are the 3 newest to the collection:

Here is the Free Gift Part:

If you feel that you could use one of these pots and will give
it a good home, then you may have it. Only the ones that I
am NOT currently using. Let me know if you want one!

Towards the End of Semester

This semester has been quite a bit more busy than I ever thought it would be. But there's about a week and a half left and I think I will pass all my classes with flying colors. I am really enjoying my masters program. I have gotten to the point now where I try to tell all my friends some of the cool stuff I'm learning in my classes, but sometimes it is just too high level to understand.

I have an encryption & compression class where I have learned a lot about making things secret and small. I had to make a movie with the Motion Picture Studio for another class. I've started my masters thesis and managed to get paid to do it. But I think my favorite class has been my computer forensics class. We basically get a computer, figure out how it has been hacked, and find any bad files that may be on there. Did you know that when you delete a file, most of the time it isn't really gone?

Because I am going to finish my thesis and graduate someday, I've tried to start getting some interviews. I have an interview with Microsoft later today (hence the picture).

And there is my update.


We all have wigs. Can you guess who Brigham Young and Joseph Smith are? You've seen Brigham Young in movies before. The other Joseph Smith was busy I guess that day.

This is Just Wrong!

I don't know who this was, but I enjoyed taking his picture so I could mock him on the blog.
You just can't wear those socks with those shoes. He must not be gay, nor does he have a wife, or she was trying to get back at him for something.

Kylie's Robot!

Kylie has been studying Robotics in School. Today her class put on a presentation of what their robots can do. Students are paired up. They were given an assignment for their robot.

Kylie is working with a friend, Anna. They had to program their robot to follow the black line. The video is only 35 seconds. You can handle that!