When did Native Minnow Buy a Mini-Van???

Another strange personalized plate...

Mr. Jay Raff

So, I got this message in my box at work today. I thought it was strange that it said something about a neck evaluation as I am not an MD. I thought that it might be some type of forensic case for the courts to determine if the man was psychologically stable or possibly malingering his symptoms. I called the number and it was to the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City. I inquired if Mr. Jay Raff was available. She transferred me to another man over zoo employees. He checked the employee records and there was no Jay Raff that worked there. I started writing on the bottom of the note to let the secretaries know that there was no Jay Raff working at the Hogle Zoo so they could maybe procure the right number from the voicemail. It was then that I realized I had been tricked... :)

Beware of Check Scam

So, my daughter has her information listed on some modeling site. This morning, we received a check on the porch delivered overnight FedEx. Melissa opened it and it was a check for upwards of $1800. It was a Citibank check with a watermark. It listed some legitimate company from California (construction agency) as who the check was from. However, the phone number for the company was not correct. She also received an email from them stating that she was receiving sponsorship for her modeling career from this company. She thought it was legitimate and was upset with us that we were investigating further. Apparently, they asked her to cash the check and then forward several hundred dollars to some agent at a certain location. I am so glad we got the check instead of her, or she would have screwed herself out of $1800+ that she doesn't have. Beware...If it seems too good to be true, it probably is...

High Efficiency Pet Peeve

So we got a new energy efficient washer that uses the High Efficiency detergent. My daughter who is a bit OCD and a clean freak always loads it only halfway and then fills the detergent cup almost all the way to the top. That is 3-4X as much as is required to wash a load of laundry as you are supposed to use the lid to measure the detergent. You are supposed to fill it to level 1 for a small load, 2 for a larger load, and 3 for a heavily soiled load. I have asked her many times to start using the measuring lid, and she still doesn't. So we go through tons of laundry detergent and that stuff is expensive. Anyone else have any pet peeves they would like to get off their chest? :)

Dentist

We went to the dentist today (me, Chase, Kaila, Abby, and Miranda).  Miranda and I were the only two without cavities... but the other three just had really small ones.  I have to get 4 fillings replaced and Chase has to replace one that is cracked. :(  

I was surprised that Miranda liked the dentist.  Last time we went, she freaked out, wouldn't let them clean her teeth, and insisted on sitting on my lap as I got mine worked on.  She was very brave today and went back all by herself and seemed to have a good time.

I am still missing tooth #25 as it was pulled by Dr. Murdock because my teeth were too crowded and braces were too expensive.  I think it is funny when dentists look in my mouth and kind of freak out when it isn't there...

Why I Procrastinated the EPPP

I put off taking the EPPP because it costs $450 to take it and if you fail, I believe it costs you another $450...I don't have $500 bills just laying around the house, so wanted to make sure I passed it.  

I put off taking the Utah Psychology Law exam because you can't take it until you pass the EPPP...

The only problem I ran into was that the EPPP took nearly a month and a half to register for, get approved to take, schedule, take, and get the results. I thought all of that would only take a couple weeks. Anyway, I am glad it is all over now...

PASSED!!!

I took the Psychology Law Exam today and passed with a 90%...Yay...I am done with everything. Now I just need to attend 48 hours of continuing education every 2 year cycle to get my license renewed.  It feels good to be done.  The license should be in my possession by next week.  :)

On another note, a psychologist I work with is convinced that her house is haunted by ghosts.  I saw a disposable camera that takes pictures and superimposes ghosts over the top of your images.  I bought it to give to her.  I hope she doesn't realize what it is, and when the pictures are developed, thinks they are real ghosts...then tells me about it.  :)

Faust Utah

Took Brittany driving today...we ended up in Faust, UT.  These are about the only two things to photograph in Faust...Seriously.... :)

Sunflower from Fall...

Taxes

We went to do our taxes today with an older gentleman.  He has a run-down office in downtown Provo.  I walked in and was shocked by the pelts, lambs wool, mounted ducks, mounted raccoons, mounted badgers, mounted deer, etc. that filled the entire office.  He was an older fellow with a mustache, gray suit, and gray cowboy hat.  There was a big bowl of cashews sitting there on our side of the desk.  I hardly dared take any for fear they had dead animal dust all over them.  Well, I was hungry so I ate a few...

We are getting a pretty small tax refund this year, but I guess it is better than paying...

random thoughts...

On the way to drop of Miranda today, she reminded me that we forgot to get valentines for the other kids the babysitter tends.  I told her we didn't have any and that I was sorry.  I could tell she was crushed.  I dropped her off and she seemed fine.  However, I felt bad for her because she was looking forward to giving valentines.  I stopped by the store and got the only ones they had left--Power Rangers.  I took them back to the babysitter's house.  The babysitter felt bad that I had went and got some, but she also told me that as soon as I left, Miranda had burst into tears...Crisis averted...

Abby informed me today that reading is way too boring when there are so many other exciting things to do with your time.  Although on some level I agree with that, on another, I wish she would discover a love for reading.  I think she has kind of a short attention span...

I found out today that for the EPPP the scaled scores are like those used on the SAT or GRE...I was happy because I think my score of 719 was 2 standard deviations above the norm...That means I was over the 98th percentile... :)

Songwriting...

so, I dropped by Michael's house last night before dinner. He and Hannah were busy helping kids with homework and the peer parent was there watching and helping with things. I think I need a peer parent to get me on top of my kids' homework more...

Misty and Christopher were singing pretend lullabies to Tyler. I told them we should make up a new lullaby to sing. Here is what we came up with:

"Rock-a-bye Baby in the tree top"

When the wind blows you'll drop like a rock.

When you hit the ground you'll splat like a bug.

Oh poor little baby, we'll sure miss your mug."

Visit with Big Brother

I had my big brother come over to my hotel last night...he got on my computer to show me big mule deer trophies and elk...He also started checking out Facebook and blogs...I think he is going to start getting online more if he can figure out the computer that NM gave him...I am hoping he will be able to bring his children over tonight to swim in the pool...

Happy Birthday to Me...

Thanks to everyone for the nice blogs and the phone calls/texts...

I had a good birthday. I had to go to the Weber County Jail to help my boss interview a guy for a psych eval. Afterwards, I decided to take AmberLilies advice and go do something fun for my birthday. I ran out to Antelope Island from about 3:30 to 6:00...I got some nice pictures and had fun. Came home and met Kaila and Melissa at California Pizza Kitchen for dinner. We were too tired for a movie, so came home. Abby made me a cute bookmark for my birthday. Now if I just read more often, I might actually use it. :) Miranda came running in and jumped on my lap to give me a birthday hug...

I think this is my favorite pic I have edited so far today...

Headaches...

So, Miranda and Abby came in our room around 12:00 last night. Abby complained that Miranda wouldn't stop crying. She had a headache, but no fever. I got her some children's Tylenol and after about 30 minutes she stopped crying. However, off and on until 1:30 she would cry periodically. I have never seen a little kid get a headache, so it was a bit weird to me. I thought it might be an ear-ache, but this morning she seemed fine. Are headaches normal for young kids?