Only in Idaho!!!

I have been thinking a lot lately about things that happen in Idaho - not exactly JUST in Idaho but the things that Idahoans would say, "only in Idaho". Here is the list I came up with . . .


Only in Idaho -


1) would you be playing in the sunny 60 degree warm weather one day and the next be celebrating a snow day and making snow angels
2) is it still legal to hang someone publicly for their crimes
3) would legislators suggest that to cut budget expense they should eliminate kindergarten - apparently it's not mandatory in Idaho.
4) would you see a dead deer, coyote, badger or racoon as the majority of the road kill over squirrels and birds.
5) would you have crazy laws that state, "Residents are not permitted to fish from a giraffe's back" - what? "Residents may not cut off their friends heads with an ax" and "it is a criminal offense to ride a merry-go-round on a Sunday". (I'm really NOT kidding!)
6) can a person get a flat tire from running over a metal box in the highway, get stranded without a cell phone next to a cow pasture, have someone you know pull over and lend you the use of their cell phone and witness one of those cows get his brains blown out by the local farmer while you wait for help to arrive - all within 20 min. (personal experience)
7) have your high school friends bring their hunting rifles on school grounds because they had a rifle rack on the back of their trucks and they go hunting after school. Nobody ever got into trouble for that - ever!!!
8) will the majority of the junk cars in the impound lots are due to the unexpected arrival of a deer in the road.
9) we have 72 types of semi-precious and precious stones. Some of these stones can be found no where else in the world. And for that reason we are called the Gem state. However, we are widely known for our precious potatoes - which are not even our biggest export - awesome!
10) would you see people fishing in the canal outside the grocery store!
11) Apparently only we native Idahoans know what a jockey box is!
12) would you be within city limits and still see people on horseback, on fourwheelers and driving go-carts down main roads.
13) would you find all of the comforts of the modern world and yet be minutes away from the refreshing, uplifting air of the mountains and the beauty that is at our doorstep.
14) would you find some of the world's most amazing people! Seriously - a few years back we were in Virginia and we entered a small store on one of the main drags of Lexington and as we were visiting with the cashier she asked politely if we were from the Northwest. To this we agreed and said we come from Idaho - she said that she could tell because the friendliest people she's ever had enter her store are always from the Northwest! Who knew?
15) would you only need a jeep with no shocks to enjoy a carnival ride down one of Idaho's many public roads.


Anyone else have any "Only in Idaho" comments they would like to share? And NO - you dont' have to have lived here all your life. It's most often the people from out of state that come up with the most interesting and sometimes startling perks about our state.


Proud to live in this amazing state!!!

The language of Rhett

I have been collecting the funny things that Rhett says for awhile now. He is at that age when everything he says is just too cute and want to remember those cute things for a lifetime so I'm blogging about them. I'm sure this will be one of many blogs of the language of Rhett Douglas Franklin but for the past month this is what we've heard and snickered at. I have to admit it is a lot funnier in person but since I'm the one who saw it happen I can remember the circumstances, the voice inflections and the facial expressions of him and that makes it all the more precious to me. (My mom did add a few to the list since she spends time with him while I work - such a blessing!)

Discussion about love and my grandparents:

Rhett, who do you love? "Mommy and Daddy"

Rhett, what is love? "Jesus"

Rhett, where is grammy JoJos and Bapa Pouie? "Dancing with Jesus"

Are they having fun with Jesus? "Yes"

Are you going to see them again someday? "Yes"

Where are you going to see them? "Disneyland"

One of many discussions with his sister:

 

One day in the car Rhett nochalantly says to Addison in the car, "Addison, fairies do NOT have tails, dogs have tails."

Conversation between Addison and Mimi:

Addison was showing Mimi how she could cross her eyes. Mimi said, "do you know what is going to happen if you keep them crossed for too long?"

 Rhett pipes up and says, "You'll stink for days!"

Random:

Rhett steals away Addison's stuffed dog one day, runs down the hall saying, "I need her, Jesus loves her"

"Mom, eating a big chicken will make me strong."

"I'm strong like Jesus"

"When I'm bigger I'm going to tell Jesus that a monster is chasing me and he will make it go away."

"One time a lion growled in my tummy"

"Addie is Captain Hook and I'm Mr. Smee"

He calls Punky Brewster - Grumpy Brewster

When I told him the purpose of  firetruck was to help people and put out the fires in their houses he said, "no, people will just get their swords out and fight the fire."

Talking to his truck, "You are taking a time out right here, and you'll never get out" (don't think we've EVER said that to him - so don't get the wrong idea)

Addie was talking about wearing a fancy dress for church and Rhett says, "Yeah, I'm going to wear a fancy boy skirt too."

My mom was watching him and he was staring out the window at some ladies walking in the rain. They had were using umbrellas and Rhett said, "Hey, those ladies have a . . . . . .a . . . . . . .a . . . . . . a tent on their heads." Apparently he couldn't remember the word umbrella.

In Walmart he runs up to the stand with the pillow pets and grabs the yellow duck. He gives it a huge hug and says that he wants it. I let him know that we don't have extra money to buy one of those right now so he is going to have to wait. And Rhett says, "but he wants to go home with me." Too cute!!! I wish at that moment that I could justify spending $19.88 on the thing but it wasn't in the budget. I told him that he was going to have to put him back and Rhett says, "he is going to cry and cry because he can't come home with me." (No - we did not leave with the duck but he already knows what strings to pull with momma because I have never wanted to buy him something that bad before)

I am going to keep another ongoing post about the funny things that he says and post it again at a later date. I want to remember them forever.

March

March FLEW by on the wings of wind and rain and coldness. Idaho weather is so strange - I've lived here all my life and still am amazed that it could be 40 degrees and sunny at 7 am and then two hours later be 30 degrees and snowing. weird!! Anyways, as I had suspected in January my monthly goals are kind of taking a back seat to the normal everyday life that I have always been accustomed to. I fear that I have dug a rut of normacly so deep that crawling out is going to take some helping hands to pinch my butt (yes I just did say that) and lovingly coax me towards the light.


So - here is what I did accomplish:

Books read:

Wow - this book is intense!! While I was reading it I kept thinking how awesome it would be to put it into a movie but the rating would be R and possibly be under the category of horror film. It's about demons and angels and how the author suggests that they may opperate in the world of the unseen, for or against us. It makes me look at things a little differently. I've always been one to believe in angels - but didn't realize how real demons are as well and how much power they may have. It was a great story - well worth reading a second time!

This book is written by the President of World Vision. He definately makes his case for the poverty-stricken people of the world. They don't just need Jesus - they need a solution and hand-outs just make them dependent, not relying on their own gifts and strengths to better their lives. It's deep, it's disturbing and every time I read it I feel guilty for the way I live and how much I've been blessed with. Don't get me wrong - I don't mind feeling guilty - because then maybe I'll do something about it. I don't know what God has in store for me while I read this book. It may be to open my eyes, give me a clearer perspective on how to help the poor people of our world. My prayers is that when I'm finished with it (because I'm still reading it) that I won't just turn it back into the library and forget about it - that I will put some of it's advice to work in my own life to change this world for the better.

Ahh - the last book in the Mistmantle Chronicles. I'm saddened that my adventures on the island of Mistmantle have ended. I feel in LOVE with the creatures on this precious island and have come to have a deep appreciation for this author. I would recommend this series to ANY young reader who enjoys fantasy and talking animals. I look forward to owning them someday and reading them to my kids. And there are a lot of underlying "Christian" principles throughout this book that would create great discussion in any household.

Recipes tried:

Chicken Mushroom Merlot - didn't get around to making it!! Mostly because I would have to go out and buy wine - waste of money - even if it is only for cooking. whoops!

Chocolate Mint Cake - yumminess!!

Home Item Purchased:

This item wasn't purchased!! It was a gift given to us by my loving grandparents, and it sits in our office. It was much needed for storage of our many books. I LOVE it!! And every time I open the cupboard to get out another book I smell my grandparents home and my heart hurts with grief. I still miss them tremendously!

This item wasn't purchased either - it was a gift from Nampa Floors. Not really - but it was just going into the junk pile due to a bent frame. Jeremy easily fixed it and put it up in our bathroom. Hurray for new lighting!!

New Movie:

Set in the late 1920s! A depressing movie - dont' watch it! Child serial killer and a son that she never found. There - I ruined it for anyone who really wanted to see it! Believe me, if you are a mother - you don't want to watch it. The only good thing about it was that this mother stood up to the corrupt police force in Los Angeles and won.

craft project:

wrist warmers - they are really cute but I don't see people actually wearing them - oh well!!

Family Activity

We actually got around to a family activity this month - The Boise Zoo!!! And we had a lot of fun!

Pounds Lost:

zip, zero, zilch, nada, nothin!! I am kind of upset with myself that I let an entire month go by without any weight loss. I can blame it on the fact that it was my birthday month (lame), or the fact that we were busy (excuses), or that we spent a lot of evenings at homes other than ours (another lame excuse). My fault completely and in April my goal is to lose 6 pounds (that's right people!!!) Weight watchers and Jillian's 30 Day shred are going to be my best friends for the next few weeks. I may just have to excuse myself on Easter Sunday because, well we all know why! :) Wish me luck!

Other:

The end of Addison's Cheerleading career at Upwards. Basketball all the way from now on. She was SOOOO ready to be done and coordinated moves and her just don't get along very well. It was cute though and I'm glad she stuck with it.

 Spring Break which doesn't hold the sweetness that it once did when I was full time - however - it was a nice break and I loved hanging out with my kids. They are getting to the ages when they are just so much fun!! We spent one rather rainy afternoon walking around the fishing pond in Nampa and feeding the ducks. We were excited because we found a few secret places that we are saving to show daddy when he comes with us next time.

Jeremy constructed another fort - and it stayed up for 4 days. Our bedroom mattress was underneath as well as the TV. The kids enjoyed watching movies and playing in it and Jeremy and I enjoyed sleeping in it and watching movies as well. It was a very nice getaway from the norm.

Visits from aunt Tee-Tee are always a high light in our house! She was trying to get Rhett to come sit closer to her and Addie but he wasn't budging. The pictures prior to this one were actually quite comical.

Rhett enjoying Addie's felt board. It's time I made one for him to play with. The stories he was telling were too cute! And if you can't see it - the people are flying with the owl and the mushroom.

March was good to us. Rhett had another bout of stomach yuckies and that was NOT fun!! However, the rest of us stayed well for once and we are thankful for spring, daylight savings time and warmer weather. Excited to see what the month of April brings.