Ummm....Hi

I have a serious problem when it comes to leaving phone messages. It all started because I have had even more of a problem when it comes to forgetting what I call people about. So, I feel like I need to tell the person why I am calling in the message. I can't just say... "Hi. This is Stephanie. Call me back." Generally, this is how a phone message to a friend who is coming over to dinner might go...

Hi, this is Stephanie. Okay, so I'm really excited that you guys are coming over tonight. Give me a call back and we'll talk about what time.

This should be enough, right? No. Now I'm thinking, well, I'm out right now and I'm not sure when I'll be back. Does she have my cell phone number?

I'm on my cell right now but I'll be back home in about...

This is where it starts to get bad. I haven't thought this through and now I'm not sure when I'll be back, so instead, I will list all of the things I need to do before I get back home so she can figure out when I will be back on her own...

Well, I need to stop at Target and then I'm going running and then I'm going to pick up Addison from school, so I'll be home after that...

Wait... Addison has karate tonight.

But Addison has karate at 4:00, so I'll be gone for a little while for that, but then I'll be home.

Ok. That's good. Oh! I forgot to give her my cell number! That was the point of this ramble right?

So, anyway, my cell number is *******.

Now I can't remember... does she usually call on my cell phone or my home phone? I better give her my home phone number too. This is getting really long, talk fast...

My home number is *******. Maybe you already know that.

Did I find out if they are allergic to any foods or have any particular aversions?

I know you don't like fish, but you're okay otherwise, right? Tom's a vegetarian so hopefully you're not against that. Just call me back and tell me about your dietary habits.

Did I just say dietary habits in a phone message?!

Oh my gosh,

I said that out loud. I have to stop this... This is where the # button can sometimes be my saving grace or it can drive the nail into the coffin. On some voicemail programs, when you push the # button, it gives you options such as "Review your message" or "Continue where you left off". Number 3 is what I'm looking for, "ERASE AND RE-RECORD". I love that option. If you've received a phone message from me that is 20 words or less, I have almost certainly used option #3.

Sometimes, though, after I push #, I hear the sweet, calm voicemail message lady say, "Thank you. Your message has been sent."

Oh no.

This is where I long for the days of answering machines and breaking into houses to steal the tapes. (Have you seen that Gilmore Girls where Lorelai steals the tape from Luke's answering machine? That's what I'm talking about. I love that episode.) No luck though. People often call me back wondering if I'm okay because my message ended so abruptly.

All I can do now is just hope that the person on the receiving end will actually call me back so that I can explain my problem with phone messages, and that they will still come to dinner.

(I'm glad you did Meridth and Edward).

Constitution Day - School House Rock Style

Addison's school had "Constitution Day" last Wednesday. I have never heard of this. We certainly did not have "Constitution Day" when I was in elementary school. His teacher told me they were required to do something for it, too. And so something they did... They learned the preamble as sung by School House Rock (another thing I was deprived of as a child - no Constitution Day, no School House Rock... How did I survive???). Anyway, all the parents came and stood on the lawn (because Addison goes to school in California where they have no public school funding and so he has no auditorium, or lunch room for that matter) and listened as the kids sang this song. Good thing the kids are so great because it made the 6.3 minutes spent celebrating "Constitution Day" all worth it.

The Lundell Family Visits Monterey

This was a while ago, but I stole the pictures from Amy and need to post them so they will be in my blog book! They are a little random, but I'm a fan of Amy's picture taking.

On the pier in San Francisco.
Trying to see Alcatraz.
Checking out the view.
View from behind.
Outside the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
At the aquarium... Looking at our favorite fish, the sun fish.
In the wave tunnel.
At Asilomar.
Pebble Beach in the fog.

Tagged... by Liz

What I was doing....

20 years ago...
1. Starting junior high.
2. Wearing banana clips and pegging my pants.
3. Trying to learn the choreography to Paula Abdul's straight up by watching the dancing cat video over and over.

10 years ago...
1. Finishing school at BYU, first wedding anniversary.
2. Being the assistant girl's camp director/primary chorister/relief society pianist in the craziest ward ever (We had the Utah State Hospital in our ward... the one that does the haunted house at Halloween... That should be an entirely separate blog post... good times).
3. Listening to as much Everything But the Girl as possible, and most anything with a female singer songwriter.

5 years ago...
1. Crazy life... I don't remember much.
2. Addison was the cutest 3 year old ever.
3. Gave up on trying to be cool in my musical taste and started listening to Justin Timberlake, my lover.

1 year ago...
1. Moved to California.
2. Addison started a new school and was so awesome and brave. I can't get enough of that kid.
3. Listening to an array of freaky music from Tom's collection.

This year so far...
1. Spent the summer in Utah.
2. Addison started 3rd grade.
3. Went back to teaching, very part time, at the preschool

Yesterday...
1. Played the piano at Molly's baptism (Congratulations Molly!)
2. Went to Addison's play practice for The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe for 4-1/2 hours.
3. Cleaned my room, 1 bathroom, and the kitchen.

Today...
1. Went to church.
2. Drove out to see a futon and mattress that were for sale on craigslist. (They are both perfect and Tom will pick them up for me tomorrow!)
3. Watched a movie with Tom and Addison.

Tomorrow...
1. Walk to the bus stop with Addison (He takes the bus... I can't believe it).
2. Work at home. Try to finish cleaning.
3. Pick Addison up from school (He's not so much into riding it home).
4. Have family home evening... planting lettuce, spinach, carrots, beets in the plot that Tom prepared.

I am supposed to tag some people... I can't remember how many, but I'm tagging, Sherry, Amy, Megan.

First Day of Third Grade

See these eyes...


And these...?
This is the first year that we've had no tears out of either set of peepers on the first day of school. I dropped Addison off at school, and while I was still the last parent to leave the classroom (much to Addison's eye-rolling and hand-shooing), I did not cry... and neither did he. He has a better track record than I do on this, but still...

He came home from school that first day saying that third grade was his favorite grade ever! I hope this year lives up to it.

Third grade was my favorite grade in elementary school, too. Mr. Judd was my teacher. This was back in the day when teachers could have parties at their house without everybody assuming they were murderers or child molesters (which I would actually assume about any teacher who did that now, I'm sorry to say). We had some serious good times at Mr. Judd's house parties. He taught us about money, times tables, and most importantly, how to be nice to each other. I think often about the Valentine's Day in third grade when I wrote a mean message to one of the not-so-cool kids in my class. Mr. Judd took me out into the hall, and didn't yell or berate, but told me how he had been like this kid when he was younger (what? Mr. Judd wasn't always cool?), and how much this kid was hurt by the note. Even now I cringe with shame when I think about it. I wrote the kid a note telling him how sorry I was and asking him if he wanted to play with me and my friends at recess. He inspired us think about more than ourselves, which was pretty hard to do when we were 8. Thanks Mr. Judd.



Good luck in third grade, buddy. I hope you learn as much as I did.