MISS GRUMPY PANTS SAYS SORRY

Source: jimaiemarie.tumblr.com via Rachel on Pinterest

.
SOOOO...I was just reading over a post I wrote this weekend about my pet peeves. 
.
Afterward, I was, like:
.

YIKES. 

.

I sound like a really. angry. person.

.
I had Andrew read it and give me his opinion. He said he didn't like it and it didn't sound anything like me. "Usually, your posts are all upbeat and laughy."
.
(That was a direct quote.)

Well, I'm glad he doesn't think it sounds like me, because I sure don't think I'm a total downer all the time.

Looking back, It must have had something to do with the fact that: I wrote the post while I was miserably sick with a high temperature, irritated that it was keeping me from my long to-do list, home alone all day, and really, really grumpy. 
.
And I guess that leaked out in my writing. 

So anyway, if you read that post with all my most negative, loathsome thoughts smeared around in a whiny hissy fit, I hope you won't hold it against me.
.
I promise to try and keep my future posts as upbeat and laughy as possible.


Most sincerely,
Rachel

PET PEEVES

My list:
1.) Talking/laughing during a concert, movie, play, performance, speech, Sunday school lesson, etc. Others are trying to listen! Are you not aware that it is distracting and rude? Did your mother not teach you this when you were, like five? It drives me absolutely crazy.

2.) Bad Parenting: Now, I don't go around critiquing everyone's parenting skills. Heck, it's not like I've had a whole lot of experience yet. But there is one thing that always makes me cringe.
.
For instance, we've all seen that child at the grocery store who asks their parents for something, are told no, and then proceed to throw a tantrum. But isn't it common sense, that a parent giving in at this point, is training the child to throw a tantrum every time they want something?

If I scream loud enough, mom'll give me anything I want. That's what they are conditioned to think.

However, I see parents give in just because they want the screaming to stop. LAME. Then I get them in my third grade class, and have to deal with these whiny outbursts myself. That is, until they learn it will get them NOWHERE with me.

3.) Poor Grammar. I realize that I am not perfect. I hate catching myself screw up "your" and "you're" or "they're", "their", and "there." But there are a few grammar rules my mom drilled so thoroughly into my head that there is no escaping my battiness when people mess them up:
.
You may be good at golf, but you play golf very well.
.
You are NOT, "doing good," you are, "doing well."

.
You don't, "got to," you, "have to."
.

You don't, "got something," you, "have something."

.

You are not "done." The bread is "done." You are "finished."

.

When you answer the phone:

It's not: "This is her." It is: "This is she."

And as I often hear in Idaho:

"I says to my brother..." should be, "I said to my brother..."

.
And it's not "we was," it's "we were."


.

.

4.) Gossip. "...I love her to pieces, but..." "...She's super nice, but..." What a guilty pleasure gossiping is! I hate how easy I succumb to it, and how uneasy I suddenly become around anyone else doing it. If they talk like that about Betty, couldn't they easily talk like that about ME?
.
.
.

5.) Packing up early. Let me expain: It's the very end of Sunday school, and the teacher is wrapping up the lesson with the most important part: their testimony.

And yet, I often seem to miss it.

Why does everyone around me choose this moment to noisily snap shut their books, zip up their scripture cases, and gather up their bags? Just wait another second!

6.) Twisty ties. I throw them away immediately upon opening a bag of bread. Talk about a pointless waste of my time!

7.) Cruelty. I don’t understand it. Have a heart, you bullies, you!

8.) Worms after rain. In Idaho, it is especially bad. After a spring rainstorm, I can't even walk on the sidewalk without squishing something. YUCK.

9.) Phone etiquette. I hate it when I am on the phone and the person I'm on the line with keeps having conversations with people around them. Half the time I don't know if they are talking to me, or to someone else, or even if they're listening to a thing I'm saying.

10.) Drama. You know those people who always seem to be in a crisis? The melodramatic is what they thrive on...what makes them feel alive. If they don't happen to have any real turmoil going on, they'll stir it up in those around them. I even had a friend who would simply fabricate it from her imagination. As adults, this got old real quick.
.
We're not in high school anymore.




11.) Insincerity. Don't say it if you don't mean it, please.

12.) Slow drivers. I don't speed. I will set my cruise control to the exact speed limit (even in town) every chance I get. Sure, I get those who like to go a few miles over, whipping around me with a glare every so often, but wasting money on expensive tickets just doesn't appeal to me.
.
So, if there is someone driving slow enough that even I am frustrated, there's something wrong with that. Going thirty-five in a forty-five zone will make me irritated with you.

A LESSON LEARNED

Andrew learned an important lesson today.

The success of our marriage and family is based on *principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, wholesome recreational activities, and...NOT EATING RACHEL'S ONLY LITTLE DEBBIE CHRISTMAS CUPCAKE.

It's good that he learned this early in our marriage, I guess. But he still has to learn not to laugh when I get angry. 
.
I don't care how cute he thinks I am. 

*Refer to THIS.

IN OTHER RANDOM NEWS

.
.
.
Good evening, and welcome to another post of random, insignificant news in the life Rexburg, Idaho.
.
.
.
.
1. Well, this is all that is left of my tulip bouquet.

.

.

Obviously, even these guys aren't gonna last much longer. Hopefully the ones outside will be blooming before the end of the month.

.

.

2. I love the view of this tree from our kitchen window. I have an entire collection of random pictures on my computer that I've taken after stopping in the window to admire its splendor. Sadly, the camera fails to capture its wild beauty. Every single photo seems to look like a regular 'ol tree.
.
.
.
.
3. I laughed out loud today when I realized my pile of dirty laundry is currently as tall as I am. Literally.

I did not include a picture of this for several reasons: a.) It's embarrassing and b.) It is too difficult for me to look upon without feeling very, very tired.
.
.
.
.

4. These are the neighbors dogs...the neighbor's dogs who are allowed to roam free and poop when never and where ever they happen to feel the urge. Unfortunately, that urge seems to arise too often, on our lawn.

I hate their stinkin', discourteous guts.
.
.
.
.

We've discovered that yelling, screaming, throwing things, and making loud noises doesn't work. They simply return the moment we leave. So, our strategy has changed. We will now earn the dog's trust, lull them into a false sense of security, and then...
EAT THEM FOR DINNER!!!
.
WAHAHAHAH!
.
.
Okay, fine. We're still working on the details of our diabolical plan. All suggestions are welcome. And don't automatically rule out anything that includes a paintball gun, a bazooka, and/or shovels.
.
.
P.S. It's best that you don't mention anything about how cute they are. This situation has rendered us unstable, and at this point, eating YOU for dinner has not been entirely ruled out either.
.
.
.
.

5. Oh, and in other random news...the other day, we were given a car. For free. As in with no payments. As in a '98 Miata convertible.
.
.
.
.

Here's Andrew having just driven it home from work that first day. He doesn't look all that pleased now does he? I think he's in love.

.

.

I'm not sure what to do with it. I mean, we can't drive it. It deserves to be in commercials and Hollywood movies...not transporting us to buy bread and milk from the local, small-town grocery store.

.

.

But I'm sure we can find some use for it. How about a country drive in the spring? How about a summer star-watching date with my sweetheart? And why do I have this sudden, passionate desire to take a drive down the Oregon Coast when school gets out? Cow-a-bunga, baby!

.

.

.

.

Anyway. Until next time, this has been another post of Other Random News.

.

.

.

BUMMER.

.
.
.

.

.
.

GROSS.

.
.

The Wal-Mart in town?

Totally Ghetto.

.

But there is no excuse for the

mind behind this arrangement:

.

.
The donut shelf touching

the live, goldfish tank?!

.

.

I never thought the sight of Ho-Ho's could make me gag.

.

.

.

QUESTION.

You are sitting in a restaurant with your spouse enjoying a night out. Suddenly, you both become aware of a table of young, single college girls sitting across the aisle from you. They are talking and laughing loudly about...let's just say...topics of a pornographic nature. It's becoming very distracting. Do you say something?

.

.

HOLIDAY PREP and CHRISTMAS CARD

Christmas break has started! (Let me hear you say YEe-ahh!)

Preparing for the 25th has kept life just as busy...but in a good way. I'm beginning to get really excited! I have holiday music playing all day (Jewel's Christmas CD is my all-time fav), the guest bed all made up with clean sheets and new pillows, and I've even had self control enough to obey Andrew's order not to go in the garage (he's storing my Christmas present in there). When I was a kid, I remember being so excited for Christmas morning, I would stress that the world would end before it ever came around. My anticipation isn't quite as extreme anymore...but pretty close. An example of what I'm up against: check out that monster of a present that can't even fit under our tree! Are you just a little bit curious as to what it is? =)

Can't tell you yet!

We built gingerbread houses over the weekend (more pics to come). The remains of Andrew's have been sitting on a cookie sheet in the kitchen. Andrew was simmering some dinner last night. He didn't have a lid big enough to cover the pan...so Andrew got innovative and plopped the entire cookie sheet, gingerbread house and all, over top of the pan of stroganoff. I had a good laugh when I walked in on such a silly image. Whatever works I suppose.

I spent every moment yesterday, between cleaning, errands, and gift wrapping, chipping away at the mountain of dirty laundry that had taken over one side of our bedroom. At the end of the day, I was rather pleased with all that I had accomplished...until I realized it was time to start chipping away at the mountain of clean clothes that now needed to be folded! Tell me. Does laundry EVER end?? Hmmm...I wonder if Andrew's hiding a housekeeper for me in that garage.


But anyway, here's a copy of this year's Christmas card! (click picture for bigger view)

(Yes, we are on a giant potato.)

Merry Christmas and a

Happy New Year to all our

friends and fellow bloggers!

May we all survive the preparation and anticipation!

Lots of Love,

Andrew & Rachel Ashmore

.

.

A FRIENDLY LETTER

Dear 24-Hour Flu Bug,

I hate your stinkin' guts. You make me vomit. You're scum between my toes!

Love,
Rachel