So after being in this house for well over a year, we decided to hang a couple of things in the boys room. So, I just went in to put a couple of things away and this is what I saw!
I did a post a while ago asking for your favorite running tunes. Therein lies the problem. I didn't quite get the response I was looking for ( I don't run, so SORRY...blah blah blah), so I have decided to amend my request.
That was then...this is now.
In true blog fashion I am posting 100 things about me in honor of my 100Th post. I have to laugh because it took me a bit longer to get here than many of my friends who started blogs AFTER me. But, I am trying to find a good balance with REAL world, and BLOGGING world. Anyway, here it goes...
1. I cry VERY easily. Not sad cries, but during many shows, songs, commercials, and when telling someone about my kids. I even cried in the airport recently because I saw a family all crying and saying goodbye to the mother. I anticipate crying at my kids parent teacher conferences next week.
2. As of today I have NO food storage…only what is in my cupboard and in my fridge. That is going to change.
3. I’m totally okay with my barely there bra size I have become since having my kids.
4. I run into things a lot.
5. I spill things a lot.
6. I walk really fast…all the time.
7. I hate to shop unless it is with a friend, sisters, or Paul, and includes good conversation.
8. I have a really bad memory, except for numbers. I can recall people’s phone numbers from twenty years ago.
9. I hug and kiss my kids at least 1000 times a day.
10. I am a fast learner.
11. I rarely look back. (I should have, what if, if only, etc.)
12. My favorite vacation is water-skiing at Lake Powell and have not done it for over 10 years (that has GOT to change).
13. I have lived in Utah, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Israel, Kentucky, Wisconsin and Arizona.
14. My house is usually really tidy, but not always clean.
15. I actually like to clean.
16. I love school. I'll probably go back AGAIN someday.
17. I have a Master's Degree in Exercise Physiology.
18. I like most people.
19. I can’t stand “fake” people.
20. I am really hard to offend and don’t take things personally (unless intended so)
21. I talk too much.
22. I am too loud.
23. I stick my foot in my mouth a lot.
24. I read at least a couple of books a month. (Always taking suggestions)
25. I love to read a great book while taking a HOT bath.
26. I feel lonely a lot.
27. I feel very capable in most things.
28. I feel extremely inadequate as a Mother.
29. I am really patient when it comes to the “big” things.
30. I am really impatient when it comes to the “little” things.
31. If you haven’t guessed…I have very poor grammar skills. (You’d think all that reading would rub off on me. NOPE
32. I can’t sing, or play any instrument very well, but have a deep appreciation of it and those who make it.
33. I LOVE running…. truly LOVE it.
34. My whole life I have hardly ever worried/thought about my body/weight. (Maybe that’s why I didn’t really notice the 20 lbs. I put on my freshman year of college…oops!)
35. I used to watch way too much T.V.
36. I don’t watch much T.V. at all anymore. I’m still waiting for the return of Project Runway, 24, The Office, and Ugly Betty. Then I’ll watch a little more.
37. I love my olive skin.
38. I had an almost perfect childhood.
39. I truly despise planning dinner, and don’t do it often enough.
40. I am generally a very happy person.
41. I’m not much of a phone talker, but am VERY productive when I do have long phone conversations. (Cleaning, organizing, laundry, etc.)
42. I love artwork, but can hardly draw a stick figure.
43. I crave simplicity.
44. My entire wardrobe could fit into one large suitcase.
45. I should wear my glasses more, but don’t want to stand out too much.
46. I have the coolest family. My siblings are so different, yet so much the same. I love it!
47. I am a “big picture” person…not a “detail” person.
48. I am well aware that love is in the details and that I need to work on that.
49. My favorite church calling ever was teaching Gospel Doctrine.
50. I appeared in a number of print ads, commercials, and church videos as a kid. See below.
51. I don’t color my hair, and hardly wear much make-up anymore…. not necessarily a good thing.
52. I’m unable to say things the way I feel them. (See #22) I truly admire great writers!
53. I used to have a really great schedule and flow to my life. That has gotten lost somewhere.
54. I sometimes think I have a lot of untapped potential.
55. I never thought I’d yell at my kids. My Mom never yelled at me. I yell more than I want to.
56. I’m a bit of a recycle Nazi in my house.
57. I read a lot, and like most of what I read.
58. I’m easy to please.
59. I use …(the three dots) a lot…probably improperly.
60. I also use ! (Exclamation points) a lot… probably annoyingly. I have no idea if annoyingly is a word.
61. I love run-on sentences and use them often.
62. My fingertips are constantly dry, cracked, peeling and bleeding. It hurts SO BAD. If anyone has a solution to this I beg you to share.
63. I wanted two boys and two girls in the exact order I got them!
64. I love all kinds of food, and I eat too much of them.
65. I would love to live in a different country every year for the rest of my life. I know it’s not feasible, but I can dream.
66. I have a horrible memory and sometimes can’t even recall an event after someone has shown me a picture of me attending it!! I HATE THAT! (I guess I just proved my point because I re-read all of these and I talked about my bad memory in #8)
67. I am a procrastinator.
68. I laugh when people call me creative because I am really just highly capable of re-creation.
69. I always wanted to be a doctor and sometimes still wish I was.
70. I feel guilty that I don’t PLAY with my kids more.
71. I feel guilty when I play with my kids because there is so much I have to DO!
72. I love the smell of swimming pools.
73. I HATE scrapbooking.
74. I drive too fast.
75. I wish I were a better listener.
76. I am pretty tough.
77. I don’t like to take medicine unless the headache is REALLY bad for a LONG time.
78. I don’t think there are very many people that really “get” me.
79. That makes me sad.
80. I am horrible at birthday cards. I usually think of the person all day, but rarely acknowledge it to them.
81. I know I should stop, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE Coffee ice cream.
82. My favorite thing about living in Arizona is that I can wear flip flops every day of the year if I want!
83. I love hoodies.
84. I am very NOT hairy. I’ve been asked several times if I shave my arms?! What? Who does that? Okay, besides Lance Armstrong.
85. I am a non-demanding wife.
86. I should be a more demanding wife.
87. I knew I wanted to marry my husband after our first date. We got married two years later. I had to convince him how wonderful I was. 
88. I always think I’m right, but honestly don’t have a problem doing it someone else’s way.
89. I love maps and could devour a good atlas for entertainment.
90. I dream a lot. They often disturb me.
91. I was friends with all different groups in High School including the popular kids, but I myself was not necessarily popular.
92. I was probably considered a “Molly Mormon” in High School. Now that I think about it…it was for good reason.
93. I love LOUD music…when I’m alone, in the car, cleaning, running, etc. I’m often surprised by how well I know the lyrics.
94. I make friends easily.
95. I love making things and giving them away.
96. I love giving my little kids piggyback rides and feeling them all wrapped around me. I love when they put their faces over my shoulder, and we can be cheek to cheek.
97. I love throwing things out. NOT away…. out…like to Goodwill, D.I, friends, etc.
98. I have a weird fascination with surgery, blood, injuries, and the human body in general. I don’t get grossed out at all.
99. My husband doesn’t talk much, but when we are together, without distractions, we could talk all day and night. We did that a lot while we were dating.
100. I’m getting better at feeling like I don’t have to “do it all”.
I had a REALLY great day today. No big exciting events, I didn't win the lottery, I didn't get organized, and I didn't get any time to relax. I WAS really patient with my kids today and I really slowed down. 
I did a post recently called "Probably the Best Quote Ever". So click on the title if you want to read that one. But here is another one that I think of often. It is from Jenkin Lloyd Jones, but most often associated with President Gordon B. Hinckley. He is amazing. I want his perspective. I'm also going to add one more that I just came across recently from the late Elder Neal A. Maxwell. Can you tell what stage of my life I am in by these two quotes? 
"Anyone who imagines that bliss is normal is going to waste a lot of time running around shouting that he has been robbed. The fact is that most putts don’t drop, most beef is tough, most children grow up to be just like people, most successful marriages require a high degree of mutual toleration, and most jobs are more often dull than otherwise. Life is just like an old time rail journey ... delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride." 
Our lives cannot be both faith-filled and stress free...Therefore, how can you and I really expect to glide naively through life, as if to say, Lord, give me experience, but not grief, not sorrow, not pain, not opposition, not betrayal, and certainly not to be forsaken. Keep from me, Lord, all those experiences which made Thee what Thou art! Then let me come and dwell with Thee and fully share Thy joy!"
Just took this test, and wasn't surprised. Every personality test I take I'm Blue.....what's up with that?!! I've always prided myself on being a happy person! Okay, just kidding, I know it's not the same.
| BLUE |
You give your love and friendship unconditionally. You enjoy long, thoughtful conversations rich in philosophy and spirituality. You are very loyal and intuitive.
I'm totally beat and want to spend some time with my husband before bed, so I'll try to make this quick.
Nora did fabulous in Nursery today at church. I was lucky and today was the Visiting Teaching Conference during Relief Society and so all the men took over the women's jobs. This is good because Nora LOVES Dads, Grandpa's, or anyone who could be interpreted as such. It's so funny because whenever we are with friends and Paul isn't available, she will go up to the next available "Dad" and want him to hold her. Anyway, having all men in the nursery was great and she didn't even shed a tear. We'll see how it goes next week.
I was so excited to get some "spiritual upliftment". I went to Gospel Doctrine ready with my scriptures, handbook, pen and paper. It was a great lesson about repentance and the information was really great. The only problem is that now I have all this guilt about how much work I need to do spiritually. I really want to grow and come closer to the Lord, and I think sometimes the adversary picks up on what might deter us the most. For me, I feel busy, inadequate, and overwhelmed. It sometimes just seems like too much, and then you don't do ANYTHING! That has GOT TO CHANGE. I'm determined to start a new chapter in my life called "Obedience in the little things." I've never had a problem with the biggies. It's the daily tasks that I can easily incorporate if I just prioritize.
I'm sure most of you don't care at all about my spiritual growth, but I figure if I write it down and put it out there, then perhaps I will be accountable to more than just myself. I also wanted to remember some of the little lessons I learned from listening to Pres. Hinckley's remarks at the Tuesday devotional at BYU this week. (I listened via Internet) He AGAIN reiterated the importance of hard work. It was a great talk about the 13th article of faith and what it really means in our lives. I encourage anyone who has time to listen to it. You can find it at www.byub.org/devotionals/
One of my favorite quotes of his is, “Without hard work, nothing grows but weeds.”
Have a great week!!
Too Bad I won't have this cutie cheering me on! This was when I ran a half marathon in Wisconsin a couple of years ago!Congrats to Celia on noticing that my "inmate" number was the same as Jean Valjean of Les Miserables! I thought I was being so creative and was happy to see someone noticed!!
Quick story! I blogged a few weeks ago about how I am doing Joy School this year with Max. Today was my first turn to teach. It was so much fun!! The kids are adorable and the curriculum is incredible. A lot of thought, research, and effort went into it. Well, to my surprise, when my cousin (in-law) Shawni dropped off her daughter Claire, who did she happen to have with her......her Mom......Linda Eyre......who along with her husband created Joy school! They were in town for some lecture they were giving ...of course. Boy was I glad that I had prepared for the days lesson! I will admit that I was a bit intimidated, but Shawni's parents are so great I'm sure they didn't even think about it. When she picked up Claire both her parents were with her (Dad Richard had joined them) and I was so glad that we had made some cute "nature" placemats for the kids to take home. I know it is so dumb that I would want to impress them, but I did. I am really in awe of them and their family and all the books they have written. If you don't know much about them check out their website at www.valuesparenting.com
Well, now that I have a dull ache in my chest from all the nostalgia I guess I better write this thing. Marcie, Sally, be careful what you ask for. I figure this blog may have to serve as my family history some day, so this might be a long one.
This is a picture of the home where I grew up, in East Millcreek (Holiday) Utah. This is just as it was being finished (1975), the year I was born. It took several years to finish the landscaping and basement, but I love EVERYTHING about this house. Not because it was the most beautiful, or because of the "stuff" in it, but because this is where my whole childhood was spent. I lived in this house until I graduated from High School and went to BYU. (The dull ache has turned into tears streaming down my face) It will always be my home. Even now, when I drive by it, I get a tangible wave of emotion, and will never be able to call it anything but MY house. My parents sold it shortly after I graduated (I'm the youngest of six). Paul is sick of me crying every time I recount something about the house.
This is the house I built forts in with my brothers and friends. (nice shirt huh?!)
This is a view from the back yard. It was built on a gully, so our back lawn was actually lower than the basement. We had many wedding receptions back there, and it was ideal for exploring. This picture is me with one of my older brothers and sisters.
This is the home that we grew up doing the Nativity in. (I'm baby Jesus)
I included this picture because it shows the incredible view we had of Mt. Olympus from the kitchen, balcony, and dining room. There is NOTHING like it. I miss it SO MUCH!! During my Junior year in High School I lived in Washington D.C. for a semester and worked as a Senate Page. I had a picture that I took from my balcony of the mountain. Oh, and my Dad looks cute blowing out his candles!
This is me jumping off the back balcony into a pile of snow. With so many levels in the back yard there was always something to do. We often rode a sled from the balcony, to the patio, down to the grass, and then even further down to the gully. Good times!
This is our sand pile. On this occasion it seems we were trying to create a pool. We would have castle making contests often with the neighborhood kids. Once we cut the cable line while digging in it. You can't see in this photo, but there was a hammock tied to two trees in the background that I LOVED to snuggle into and take a nap. The other thing you can only see the edge of is a drinking fountain. I always thought that was SO COOL!
This is a picture of some of my family (I'm the small one on the far right!) around THE BEST KITCHEN TABLE IN THE WORLD! I'm trying to figure out how to emphasize that enough. I have actually been wanting to do a whole post on just this table. Because this picture does not do it justice, I will describe it. NO, it is not the most beautiful table in the world. It was round, with 8 seats that swiveled out and attached underneath. So, there were no legs on the seats.......nothing to move while vacuuming/mopping/sweeping etc. It also had a lazy susan where all the food and such was placed during mealtime so when you needed something, you just spun away!!! Wish I could find one for my table, but maybe when the kids are older because my brothers also liked to put me on top of it and spin away. They thought it was funny to watch me try to walk afterward. Many an item took flight on that ingenious little contraption. This table is the reason I was so adamant about wanting a round table. I LOVE the feel of everyone being together. You could really look at everyone, and we were all in on the conversation. Okay, enough of the table.
The next place I lived was in Provo, Utah at BYU!! I know Marcie will gasp, but I don't have any pictures of me other than inside my sweet dorm at Heritage Halls.
This picture is of me at my next home.....The Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies in Jerusalem, Israel. I was so lucky to be able to live and study there for six months in 1995. I can honestly say it was the best experience of my life. (other than being a wife and mother of course)
This is a picture of Paul and my basement apartment on Princeton Avenue in Salt Lake City, Utah. All you can see in this picture is the railing of the steps leading to our front door. It was a perfect little one bedroom for our first years of marriage. We moved in with my Grandma one street away on Harvard when she was needing extra help a couple of years later. We were there for only about 7 months before we moved to Kentucky.
This is our home in Kentucky. It is the first home we owned and we loved it SO MUCH! It was a 2 bed, 2 bath, and it was perfect. It is the home we lived in when both Ella and Jack were born. I could go on and on about Kentucky and the great experience we had there and the friends we made, but I will spare you.
This is our home in La Crosse, Wisconsin. I loved this house...even though it didn't have a dishwasher. We were in this home when Max and Nora were born. I LOVED the yellow. It made me happy each time I saw it. No comment on the yard sign.
This is one of the things I LOVED about La Crosse, and where we lived. The Elementary school was at the bottom of the street, and we would walk down there a lot to play on the playground, ride bikes, or fly kites. This is a picture of Ella and Jack running home from the park with the kite trailing behind them. I love this picture and I am now crying again.
I loved our backyard in Wisconsin. It would have been nice to use it more than a few months of the year. (Too freakin' cold in the LONG winter, and way too hot an humid in the dead of summer) We fenced it in and the grass would get so green. Our neighbors gave us their old swing set as their girls had long grown out of it. This is a picture of Ella sitting at her little picnic table painting. I was in the habit of sending them outside to to EVERYTHING if the weather was even a little bit reasonable.
So, now we are settled here in sunny Arizona. I don't have a good picture of the front of my house. I guess I should take one. I LOVE our back yard and there is so much to do. Yes, it is sweltering here 4 months of the year, but that's where the pool comes in handy. The other 8 months are awesome, and the kids love to play outside. I am happy here and have felt blessed to truly love everywhere I have lived for all it has offered me and my family. I guess that's why they say Home is a feeling, not a place.
Next Sunday Nora will be old enough for Nursery!!!
Last night while cuddling with Ella at bedtime I was reminded of an important lesson.
Due to mixed reviews on my blog music, I have changed it so that you HAVE TO turn it on by clicking play. It will no longer start automatically. I guess I shouldn't force my music tastes on you. Some people really liked it, so I will leave it up for you to listen if you choose!
This may sound cheesy, but by far my favorite/best teacher was/is my Mother. She was formally educated as a teacher and taught for several years, but that could never compare to the teaching that was done in our home.
I posted a few weeks ago about the cutest invitation Ella got to a Hannah Montana birthday party. Well the other day the mother of the birthday girl dropped off this little party favor!!! Click pictures to enlarge!
WOW!!!! They had taken the girls to a real recording studio and had them record "The Best of Both worlds". This is the CD. I wish I could figure out a way to upload the mp3 of it for you to listen to here, but I'm not that blogger savvy. If anyone knows how please comment! They also got "rock star" shirts and autographed them for each other. Ella had a great time. I can't believe the time and energy that must have gone into the party let alone the invitations and subsequent CD party favor!! What happened to the days of red rover, lawn games, and clowns? I'm glad they had fun and thought you might enjoy seeing what they came up with!
