Should She Pay?

'Marie Walsh kept a low profile for 32 years, trying to escape her past life as Susan LeFevre'

If you google this you can get the full story, but this poor lady was busted at 19 in Michigan for drug charges, and apparently her staunch Catholic family pressured her into pleading guilty, telling her to save them embarassment and take probation. Well, the judge didn't give her probation, he gave her 20 years in prison. After a year of prison, she was assisted by her grandfather and a friend and broke out. (Let me just say...can you imagine that conversation between her and her grandpa? I can totally see MY grandpa scheming an escape from the big house, but picturing this old crippled man sporting a walker and his orthopedic shoes driving the getaway car makes me giggle).

In any case, she hitches a ride to California with friends, and starts a whole new life, marries a man (doesn't tell him about her past life), has 3 kids, and now 32 YEARS LATER they catch her and are extraditing her back to Michigan for her hearing.

There are quite a few things that bother me about this story, but let me just focus on a couple of them. First of all, what kind of parents tell their kid to save them embarassment and take a consequence like that? If you're not ready to have your kids bring shame to your family, don't have kids---I think it's inevtible that your children at some point in their lives are going to make you look like the worst parent in the world. I know I did it to mine and I'm sure I'll be blessed with rebelious spirited kids myself.

Secondly, why in the world are we wasting resources to track down an escaped druggie from friggin' 30 years ago that's obviously learned her lesson and contributed to society? She isn't (and wasn't) dangerous to anybody else, was clever enough to make it by this long, I say live and let die. If anybody's to blame it's the dang prison who's security was shoddy enough that she literally walked through an open field, threw her jacket over the barbed wire fence and ran off. Take her escape up with them, and go find the people out there that escaped and actually pose a threat to the public.

The sweetest thing about this story is her husband, even after being shocked with this bombshell, is standing by her, saying she is a woman of integrity.

Quote of the Day

Today Jake and I were filling out a questionnaire for our health insurance (ah, the joys of self-employed health insurance premiums...I can't graduate and become a teacher soon enough!) and there were the list of questions, and with the three following columns; Y N DK

As Jake's filling it out, he stops and asks, "What does DK stand for? Don't care?"

After seeing the look on my face and thinking about it for a second, we both busted up laughing. It immediately was added to the inside joke book.

Are You Kidding Me?

Okay. So a certain sister-in-law calls me earlier this week and is throwing a bridal shower for a friend of hers that she has kind of a love/hate relationship with. Not sure why she thought I was the best consultant she had for cute theme/game/party ideas for this, but she did and I therefore contacted my consultant for those things---my friend Erin. She gave me some fantastic stuff and after brainstorming a little on my own, I called the SIL back and we chatted at length about this. Even though said SIL is extermely busy with her own obligations, she was taking all week to plan this shower for her fairweathered friend and was not even complaining about it---let's be honest, I WOULD BE!!!

So the shower was last night, and I called her today to find out how everything went after all her preparation. Want to know what happened? Of course you do...why else would you be reading?

The shower went very well---almost everybody had a wonderful time; everybody but the bride. Understandably, anybody getting married is entitled to choose if they will be that overly psychotic bridezilla you think only exists in reality TV until you actually deal with one, but this girl was over the top. I had given her an idea to spice up the present opening (because we all know that's the worst part about showers...saying 'ooo' and 'aaawww' every time a new present is opened and then acting interested as it's passed around. Like yes, I really do need to hold those terry cloth towels MYSELF or I just won't be able to appreciate them like I need to) by writing down everything the bride says and then, after it's done, reading the list saying that's what the bride will be saying on her wedding night. I know, for the LDS bridal showers this can be a little risk-ay but come on people it's all in good fun. And what's a bridal shower if you're not making sexual innuendos every five seconds, right?

In any case, the SIL said this game was hysterical, and left everybody laughing (at one point the bride had reacted to a gift by saying "Wow...is that really what it is?" If that's not good comedy I just don't know what is). And the brides reaction? Turning to my beloved SIL and saying "Well, that was inappropriate". Not convinced that's enough to justify this post? After the food and the games, she turns to SIL and says "So...is that it?" (To which SIL replies yes) "Um...okay. Well then, if that's all you've done I guess everybody can go home."

No kidding. She needs a spanking. Or a very stern lecture. And since I am not able to do either of these things I will just vent about such horrible behavior in a post and move on with my life.

Happy Birthday, Jonathan!!

Just wanted to write a quick blurb about my big brother, Jonathan, as it is his 26th birthday today. I wish I could put up some insanely unflattering pictures of him when he was youner, but all my baby pictures are still in a box in Idaho, and this is all I could offer---and even these I had to get off of my sister-in-law's facebook! Jonathan, we definately have to break out the camera next time we're together.

But I digress. Jonathan is my closest sibling in age (2 1/2 years) and the only brother or sister I ever shared a school with. All those girls out there that were freshman in high school when their brothers were seniors can relate---it wasn't always easy! However, even with his serious over-protective nature he discovered and the many clashes it caused in my attempts to flirt with the older boys in school, we both survived this experience with all limbs still firmly attached.

There was many a time Jonathan and I would act beyond goofy and do things we would never get caught dead doing in front of anybody else---rock out to backstreet boys, make up awesome dance moves and try them out on the living room coffee table, etc, but that's what's so great about him; there is never a dull moment and he's always up for a good time. That's his trademark in the family---taking everything one step further to get a rise out of us. This is a great trait to have in a big family, and even at 26 he's takes center stage because of he's willing to do or say anything, and I mean anything, to make us laugh. I will never forgive him for sharing horrifying moments in my childhood at my wedding luncheon, but everybody (including me) was hysterical by the time he finished, so it was hard to stay mad for too long.

Thanks brother for being such a great example to me, for showing me that no matter what, you can always make good decisions and that there's always redemption for the bad ones. I was lucky to have a brother serving a faithful mission during my critical years I spend at a crossroads and didn't know what I wanted in life, and will never forget the many e-mails and letters that truly inspired me to stand up for what I believed in. Simple phrases like "Keep the Faith" and "Go Big or Swim Home" made me realize who I wanted to be and where I needed my path in life to go.

Sure love and miss you like crazy Jonathan! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Conversation the other day...

We had just woken up, and I was trying oh-so-hard to find a reason good enough to drag my lazy and ever-increasing-in-size butt out of bed, Jake decided to strike up conversation:

Jake: I have a confession to make

Me: Well, out with it then

Jake: I don't want to be an appraiser anymore.

(Completely astonished and trying to approach this as a sensitive thoughtful woman that vowed to stand by her man no matter what idiotic ideas came out of his mouth) ME: Well...okay...what is bringing this on?

Jake: I am just burned out, and I hate dealing with everybody's problems, it's a hard market out there, (I'm sure he talked for another five minutes but to me it quickly turned into something as valuable as 'yada yada yada yada')

Me: Well, you do understand that even in a tough market, you are doing so awesome, and anybody else would love to own their own business that doesn't require working nights/weekends and that sets their own schedule and that is doing well right out of the gate and and AND...



Me continuing: Well, hate to break it to you buddy, but you better suck it up. We sacrificed a lot to get you certified and you get to make it worth while. If you want to change careers in five years, be my guest. But you are GOING to support us and you NEED to fulfill your duties as the man of this house and I am finishing school while you follow through with this. If you don't like your job we'll take a mini-vacation this weekend and then when we get back it's back to the grinding stone for you mister. I mean are you kidding me? Quit everything you've worked for because it's gotten a little harder than you thought? Who are you? Seriously?! Is today April Fools or something?

And then it hits me...it WAS April Fools. And Jake is giggling hysterically in his pillow. While I slap him, a little too hard, on the back of his head and hop in the shower cursing him under my breath.

As I got ready that morning Jake kept spontaineously walking in and saying things like "Man, you are really cold-hearted. 'Suck it up?' Who says that to their discouraged husband? It's a really good thing I like what I do."

I have NEVER liked April Fools Day. And that day validated more than ever my disdane for the holiday. What a waste of a holiday. Stay away from me Ashton, I handle getting "Punk'd" about as well as Justin Timberlake did.

Charles Barkley--O' Wise One

Quote from Jay Leno tonight:

Jay (To Charles): What was your favorite subject? Like, if you had to take a test on any subject what would it be?

Charles: Rebounding

(Amidst crowd laughter)

Jay: Rebounding?? Or the history of rebounding...right"

Charles: Rebounding, because I know if I can get ten rebounds a night, I have a place in this world. That's what I tell my kids: If they can get 10 rebounds in a game, they will always have a place in this world.

Bravo Charles, I couldn't have said it better myself.

AAAGGGGGHHHH!!!!

So this morning, after buying new tires for my Honda and getting my snow tires removed, I look out the window and find this--->

What a bummer! You know, I have become quite accustomed to spring time in Alaska.

I consider it a beautiful spring day when the weather is over 40 degrees and I can manage to walk around in my flip flops (yes, I wear flip flops in 40 degree weather here...when else would I be able to wear them?) without getting my feet covered in the snow/ice/mud mix that covers the entire state of Alaska this time of year. I was packing up my winter coat, putting away my snow boots in the storage shed out back, and bringing in all my short sleeve t-shirts that don't see the light of day for eight months out of the year. I was finally getting geared up for an early spring/summer this year, and now we have more than A FOOT of new snow on the ground, and it doesn't look like it's stopping any time soon.

I need a vacation somewhere tropical.

Sign of the Times My Friend

Joey McIntyre, 35; Jonathan Knight, 39; Donnie Wahlberg, 38; Jordan Knight, 37; and Danny Wood, 38. They will be visiting the Today Show on April 4th to address rumors of a reunion.

I found this when I logged into Yahoo to check my e-mail this morning. I can only describe this as a sign of the times....

I mean, did I have the nkotb lunch box that I proudly ate out of for three consecutive years? Who didn't? Was my first CD "Hangin' Tough" that I listened to every night while blowing kisses to my poster of Joey McIntyre on the wall? You betcha. But a reunion when they are pushing 40? The jury is still out on this one.