Three Blind Mice

How did I get to be 28 years old and not know the lyrics to this song?


Three blind mice,
Three blind mice
See how they run,
See how they run!

They all ran after
The farmer's wife
She cut off their tails
With a carving knife
Did you ever see
Such a sight in your life
As three blind mice?




I find it very disturbing.

Backtracking

I messed up a little bit last week and did third grade, skipping second grade. So here is my backtrack.

Here I am at seven/eight.
Look how short my bangs were?
They aren't very straight either.
I'm wondering if they were that short on purpose...?


Significant things that happened around this time:

• I learned my multiplication tables.
• There was another Jenny in my class, so I was referred to as "Jenny L." They should find another system for those cases.
• I was baptized on 11 August 1990. I can remember my interview with Bishop Huntsman, I loved him, he was always the nicest fellow. I had to get people to give talks. I was scared to ask people. I had to be dunked twice because my feet went flying up. Apparently. I invited my Uncle, who isn't active, and he didn't come. When I asked him about it, I told him he could come next time. His response was, "You only get baptized once, Jen" I said, "I know." Even at an early age, I learned the art of guilting people.

I have always gotten motion sick so easily. I had to go home several time because I would swing on the swings and they would make me so sick! I don't know why I would even get on them. Maybe because EVERYONE waited at least part of their recess for a chance on them, and I always wanted to because it was fun. But kind of scary. I wish they would have had Dramamine for kids back then.

One recess, we were having a contest to see who could spin in a circle the longest. It was being refereed by one of the girls in my class. Looking back, I think she had ulterior motives. Everyone just stood there spinning in circles. She was egging us on to keep us going. When someone would quit, she would make fun of them, and I didn't want her to make fun of me. So I kept going. And going. And going. I was so sick! When the bell rang, I stopped and promptly tipped over onto my head! For some reason, 20 years later, I can still see the ground coming toward me. Fast! I remember hitting my head on the asphalt. I hit so hard, and got the biggest goose egg on my forehead. I'm surprised I didn't crack my skull open. It bled a lot. I sat for the rest of the afternoon with an ice pack on my head and a giant headache. They probably should have sent me home. But at least I didn't have to do math that afternoon!

I was so easily influenced by others to do stupid things. Ruh Roh!

Getting Nerdier Everyday

Post 4 of 15
PS-I just realized I skipped second grade/seven years old.
Just switch this with next weeks.

My true nerdy, dork side is starting to appear in this picture. If only there was a way we could have warned the world of what she was turning into!


For many, many years my family would go to Heise Hot Springs. This little resort is near Ririe, ID, up in the mountains, along the Snake River. In the past few years, I've heard of Bigfoot being seen around there. I'm heading back there. Right now!


Anyway, one winter evening my mom and dad packed Chris and I up and took us out on a drive. It seemed like we drove forever. We kept asking where we were going. My dad would always pretend he was lost. We ended up here at the hot tub at Heise. It's a natural spring that is always 92 degrees (according to the website). It was so cold out that night, but it felt so good!


We would go there a LOT during during the summers. We would go camping several times a summer. I can remember lots and lots of birthday cakes and hamburgers and sleeping in the trailer. Chris always got stuck with the bed that came from the unfolding table. And I always got the bed from the couch. Actually, now I can't remember which was which, but I always threw a fit to get the better one. Which ever one that was.


There were two pools, a really warm one with a hot tub, and a cooler one with a slide. We never, ever went down the slide. In fact, we never went into the bigger, not quite as warm pool. I think it cost a little bit more. But it had a lookout above the locker room so those who didn't swim could watch. We would sometimes go up there and watch the people below. I so wanted to go swimming and down the slide! We went to Heise for a High School party or for some reason. I bought an all day slide pass and it was SO fun! I kept hitting my head when it would drop a little bit, but the headache was totally worth it. All those years of slide envy!

There was a trail just down the road from Heise, called Cress Creek. Our third grade field trip was to do this hike. They warned us not to touch the fuzzy plants, to watch out for poison ivy, and how to react if you saw a Rattlesnake. Sounds like a great way for a bunch of seven year olds to spend their time, no?


They've since improved the site with a nice trail head and a little bridge over the creek. As adults, we spent a lot of time bird watching here.

When we weren't swimming and camping, we would walk around the golf course. We would collect old tees and golf balls. Our pockets would bulge, and we had to carry the rest in our shirts, or only pick the best ones to take home with us. I don't know what we ever did with them. We always seemed to have a plethora of golf balls.


They also had a pizza parlor. Once again, this was a place we never went. Okay, we went there to check the arcade games for leftover quarters. But we never ate the pizza. As I'm looking back, we were probably a lot more poor than I realized. But the pizza always smelled and looked SO good!


I went there after high school and let me tell you. It was good. Maybe the years of anticipation? When I was there eating pizza, I found an old arcade game I hadn't remembered noticing when I was young. It probably wasn't there. It was old school Mario Brothers. And you sit across from each other and play against each other. As a quick side note, when Chris and I played Mario, I was ALWAYS Luigi! Probably because he was bigger. Now when Jake and I occasionally pull of the old NES, I always want to be Luigi. Just for old times sake!

Heise has always been a big part of what happy childhood I remember. It was family time, and it always seemed like we were happy. Were we? If we weren't I didn't know it.

As an adult, this is one of my favorite places to go. I love the Snake River. I love the boat docks and throwing rocks in the water. The birding is wonderful. I love to go "fishing" there. Which always turns into me just sitting there and being.

For a few minutes, just being.

Piano Lessons

I just wanted to drop a little note to tell everyone I'm going to be starting piano lessons up soon. If anyone is interested, let me know.

• Beginner to Intermediate students
• 1/2 hour lessons once a week
• $40/month

We will hopefully be moving in a few weeks, so we'll only have a couple of weeks in this house.

And just as a side note, look at this freaky piano!

Age 6

I've had all week to come up with great memories of first grade.
And I just don't remember much.

• I remember the hand washing fountain in the restrooms that you just had to step on the lever and it was cool.
• I remember that it was NOT cool to get one of two red lunch trays. Because it was the love tray and that meant you loved whoever got the other one.
  
• I remember playing on the monkey bars till I had huge, bloody blisters on my palms.
• I remember we called Mrs. Kearsly, the crossing guard, The Bug Lady because she was really into entomology and would bring her bug collections to our classes.
• I remember first grade politics. There was one particular girl who would go back and forth between being everyone's best friend, to trash talking you, to being your best friend. I'm glad she grew out of that.
• I remember Chris and I listening to KLCE every morning on our combination radio/phone/clock waiting for a particular time before we left for school. We were always in charge of getting ourselves to school because my mom always had to work nights. We lived four or five blocks from school, and I always thought I was too big to go with the crossing guard. So sometimes I would cut across the highway up the street from the crosswalk. I got in trouble for that.
• I was reminded ever so nicely by Kira, of a silly story. We weren't in the same class, but we met one day on the playground. When we met, Kira asked my name. I said, "Jenny. What's yours?" And dear sweet Kira said, "You can just call me Jenny." So I think I did? I told Kira this story some time during high school, and am glad that she reminded me so I could share it with all of you!
  

Oh, first grade.

Kindergarten

It was 1987 and I was four/five years old and just going into Kindergarten.

Look how cute I was? Notice my pin? It's Strawberry Shortcake, my all time favorite. And I could never pull that hair off today. I always wanted to have long hair because my cousin Lorilee always had long hair and no bangs. I remember when it was long enough that I could put it in my mouth. I was so excited! I'm sure my mother was less than thrilled.


That summer was filled with playing in the sandbox, climbing trees, playing in our "forest" and playing hours and hours of hotwheels, legos, and army guys. Chris was older so did we ever get to play Barbies or house? Yeah, right! Truth be told, I remember having so much fun!

There was a pasture across the street from our house. Chris and I used to go and play in the mud to help us cool off. Like pigs. Not really, but we would turn the water to the horse trough on a trickle and as the water would over flow, we would build lakes and dams and rivers to whatever our ultimate goal was. We used to do the same thing in the garden before and after it was planted, and also in the sandbox. Watch out for the kitty logs! My mom would always get after us because we always came home so disgustingly filthy. I can remember Chris "helping" me get clean with the hose. A loving brother no doubt!

I think it was around this time when my mom bought a horse. Goldie. As young as I was, I still remember how cranky she was. She bucked Chris and my mom both off several times. We would ride her in our backyard. One time she went tearing through our garage with my mom riding her and my mom knocked into everything on the way out including the cars and camper. One time my mom was feeding our neighbor's horse carrots when he bit her finger almost off. Maybe these are the reasons I don't like horses... Anyway. My mom was not the master horseman, so instead of buying hay for Goldie to eat she bought a couple tons of straw. Horses don't eat straw. Oops. I think we only had her the one summer before my mom sold her. And we were stuck with so much straw. Chris and I made all sorts of forts in it. I remember setting up ramps when it snowed so we could slide on it.

Fond memories of playing outside from sun-up to sun-down.

I KNOW

With the death of a close family member, I have surprised even myself with how I have reacted. My first thought was that I am so glad that families can be together forever, and that we have the knowledge, as members of the church, that we do.


I'm so glad that I have been sealed to Jake for all eternity in the temple,
so we can be together forever.


I KNOW that we are husband and wife, together, forever.


I KNOW that living worthily will bring us all the blessings that we are promised.

I KNOW that our Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy.


I KNOW that the sealing power on earth is the same in heaven.
(Aren't these temples so beautiful?)

I KNOW that this is the same gospel that Christ taught in ancient times,
and has been restored to us by our modern prophets.


I KNOW we can be with our families again.

I LOVE having the gospel to help to comfort us.

My heart aches for those who do not have this knowledge and these blessings, because I know what a great comfort it is to me. I want us all to be able to be families forever, together!

Here is another video from LDS.org from President Monson.
He just says it so well.

Love you Kini and the Burt Family!!

Here is the YouTube link as well.