Dad's turn

I posted a funny song by a Mom last month, so here is a great one by a Dad.

Tagged by Lane

Jobs I've had: (I've listed some here before, so I'll try to list different ones)
- reception server at The Old Meeting House in SLC, UT (14 yrs old)
- salad bar stocker at Ponderosa Steakhouse in SLC, UT (15 yrs old)
- sales girl at The Limited at Fashion Place Mall (16 yrs old)
- sales girl at the Gap at Cottonwood Mall (17 yrs old)
(thank you to parents who taught me hard work early)

Jobs I'd like to have:
-news anchor
-college professor (without all the pressure of publishing...I'm about the teaching!)
-strength and conditioning coach for a professional sports team
-travel correspondent for the travel channel
-talk show host (even though I've only seen it about 5 times EVER, I think i could do Kelly Ripa's job)

Movies I have Watched Over and Over Again:
-Pirates of the Caribbean
-Tommy Boy
-Field of Dreams
-Braveheart
-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (new one - how good is Johnny Depp?)
-Pride & Prejudice

Some Favorite Books from Last Few Years/Books I Open Over and Over:
-Gift from the Sea
-Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child (a MUST READ for EVERY parent - I read it with every child, and then again before the next child is born!)
-The Good Earth
-The Giver
-The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane

Favorite Things to Do: (okay, so you know most of these, but they are TRUE!)
-Run
-Travel
-Read
-Eat
-Sleep
-Talk
-Get a massage

Places I have lived: (it's all been said before)
-SLC, UT
-D.C.
-Philly
-Jerusalem
-Provo
-Louisville, KY
-La Crosse, WI
-Arizona

Favorite Things to Eat:
-gooey carmel popcorn
-ice cream (in this case I am a snob. It's not worth the calories unless it's the GOOD stuff)
-sushi (snob with this too)
-really good burger
-Cheesecake factory salads

Places I'd rather be:
-back east in the Fall
-Jerusalem in April
-in the house I grew up in
-back in Hawaii with Paul
-water skiing in Lake Powell
-snuggled up on the floor with lots of blankets and snacks watching a movie with the kids

Words I love the sound of:
-Medial Malleolous - ankle bone
-Sternocleidomastoid - neck muscle
-Measly
-Super
-Sure
-dicker - to manage, barter, haggle, negotiate. "I don't want to dicker with it."
-Ludicrous - that one's for you Lane

Really good day

So, Wednesday turned out to be a really good day. It didn't start out that way.

Some of you may or may not know, but I have been at an all time LOW lately. I don't want to be a downer, but I have really been struggling personally for a while now, and the last month or so have been particularly hard. You know, all the typical things that I know everyone goes through (I'm a horrible mom, my home is a disaster, I'm not doing enough spiritually, I have no friends (locally), I'm not great at anything, my filing is out of control, WOE IS ME!)
That said, PLEASE NO COMMENTS ON HOW GREAT I AM!! That's really not my purpose for writing this. I'm sure everyone has these feelings in their life at one time or another, but that doesn't always make it easier to go through! ANYWAY, I have been trying to really SIMPLIFY (my word for the year) and focus on what is really important.

Now, back to why Wednesday started bad and ended GREAT!
So, one of my many errands in the morning was to head to Target. I had a long list of things I needed and Nora was NOT cooperating. I thought I had hit an all time low when I bought her a stinkin' Dora phone just to keep her happy. I NEVER DO THAT! I am a bit of an anti-toy buyer unless it is for birthday or Christmas. I am usually really good at saying "NO" (almost too good sometimes) and am fine with leaving a store if my child continues to whine/cry. Well, I was NOT going to leave without getting my list done that day and I broke down.

On my way to the next stop I called my fabulous SIL Sue to ask her a quick question. It turned into a great conversation and left me feeling SO MUCH BETTER about life. I'm not sure exactly why, but she just has a way of putting things into perspective. I truly love her so much and feel so lucky to have her as a friend and sister. She really put my day on a better track.

I then got a call from a great new friend Lena who wanted to meet at Costa Vida with the kids after we picked up the morning Kindergartners from school. I thought that sounded great, so off I went. Can I just say how much I LOVE Lena? She is SO my style of friend. Everything is casual and easy with her. She is not uptight and understands my crazy kids. I had to laugh because she is right there with me on being a non-germ-o-phobe. NO, we are not dirty disgusting people, we just don't feel the compulsion to Purel our kids hands with every public surface they touch (not that there's anything wrong with that if you do). Anyway, she is inspiring and makes me always want to be better.

Next thing that happened was that I got a surprise phone call from one of my other favorite people Sally!! I was happy to just talk to her on the phone, but then she told me that she was in town and wanted to come see me! OH HAPPY DAY! I'm not kidding I was grinning ear to ear. She and Liv (her adorable 3 yr old) came over and we just chatted for a few hours while (thankfully) my youngest two slept. She even came bearing gifts. She brought me some of her Trader Joe's favorites. HOW THOUGHTFUL? She was only in town for a couple of days, so it was short and sweet, but It did wonders for my attitude.
So, the point of the story is that I think the Lord really has been hearing my prayers and sent me some reinforcements. I realized how blessed I am to have such great people in my life. Lucky for you, all three of these wonderful people have blogs you can check if you just click on their names on my sidebar! I need to stop my pity party (although easier said than done) and get on with enjoying life. I am convinced though, that taking inventory of my little family and prioritizing whats right for US is the key. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY!!!

Behind on blogging

Well, I am totally behind on blogging, blog reading, cleaning, organizing, planning, laundry, young women's, my kids lives, calling loved ones, and pretty much everything in my life! I'm not joking either, I'm in a MAJOR rut. I just read Shawni's latest post, and she put it SO well. I feel like everything is slipping through my fingers like sand.

Anywho...if I haven't visited your blog recently I'm sorry. I am so behind that I may just have to wait a while and pick up again when I'm more on top of it. Don't give up on me. Once I get my Hawaii pictures I will post them. We had such a great time...better than I even expected. Paul and I have so much fun together and it is so comfortable just hanging out together. When we are home I seriously never feel like we EVER get a real conversation in. Of course I thought I would be refreshed and rejuvenated enough to come home and be so efficient, loving, patient, yadda yadda yadda! Pretty much the opposite has happened. I don't know what's wrong with me. So, off I go to try to get something productive done.

How can you not just love him?!!

After President Hinckley finished with the sustaining of the officers of the church during the Saturday morning session, Elder Eyring had moved to his new seat on the stand. Unfortunately, they didn't show this on TV, but when President Hinckley turned around, he stood there for a moment looking at Elder Eyring, then picked up his cane and "knighted" him on his shoulder and head.

Gift from the Sea

The title of this post is fitting in several ways. As many of you know I spent the last week in Hawaii. We were fortunate enough to attend the AAOMS (blah blah Oral blah blah Surgery) national conference in Honolulu. I felt a great gift from the sea in being able to spend time with Paul, old friends, new friends, and alone. Of course we are idiots and forgot our camera, so I am at the mercy of friends who took pictures of us to send them to me before I can post them here.

For now you will have to endure my book reviews as reading is one thing I spent a lot of my time doing!! This is one of my ALL TIME favorite books. My old paperback copy was getting pretty worn and weary, so when I was in Barnes and Noble to pick up some copies for some friends, I decided it was time to replace mine. I went for the hardcover 50th anniversary edition. This is a book I try to read every year to remind me what is most important in life.

The author Anne Morrow Lindbergh (married to Charles Lindbergh) was a very accomplished woman, author, aviator, and mother of six children including her firstborn who was very publicly kidnapped and murdered at 20 months old. This book is really just a meditation on the meaning of a woman's life. It is very applicable even 52 years after it was first published. It is a really quick read except it may be one you want to read over and over again with a highlighter. You may eventually find the whole thing highlighted! I just love the poetic way she finds similarities with life and the sea. She is very realistic, but also thoughtful and deliberate. This is one you will want to purchase and keep on your nightstand.

The Peacegiver

After I finished The Girl with the Pearl Earring, I decided to finally read this book that has been recommended to me by several people. It is called The Peacegiver. It is a MUST READ! I should say that again...it is a MUST READ!

It really goes into the atonement in a way that I had never thought of before. The irony of it is that it is probably the most important way for me to look at it. It uses a marriage relationship to illustrate the principles, but can be applied to ANY relationship and/or interaction. It was really powerful, and I am actually now reading it again with a highlighter. On this Sabbath day, I am so grateful again for the atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ and the peace and healing he can bring to our hearts.

Tuesday Tell All - What I can't live without!

Okay, so I'm usually really practical, so my first reaction to this question was, "nothing"! I am pretty easy to please and consider myself tough, so if I took this question at face value that would have to be my answer...nothing! Well, of course that would be boring, so I had to realize that this was just a fancy way of asking what are some things that you use/need every day and would be a huge sacrifice to do without. So, here it goes...

Internet!!! I think this is because I use it for so many things that would be on this list otherwise. I use it to communicate, schedule, organize, get information, shop, document, etc. ! I use the Internet 50 times a day doing so many different things that I don't think I would be nearly as efficient without it.

Running! This is my exercise, therapy, "me time", and sanity keeper. I really think I would struggle if I could no longer run.

I had an AWESOME time running the marathon on Saturday, and will probably do it again. I know I swore off doing the St. George Marathon again because of the time of year and how hard it is to train for in the Arizona Heat, but I had such a great time that I may have to do it again. The weather was ideal for the race and even though I didn't do as well as I'd have liked, it was better that my time 10 years and 4 kids ago! I finished in 4 hours and 10 min.

It was so fun to run it with Paul (hubby) and my brother Dave. I'm so lucky to have them in my life. My awesome sister Heather drove down just to cheer us on, and it was so fun to see her. She is always so supportive and excited for others. No wonder she is one of my very best friends. She took these pictures of us, and was just as excited as we were when we finished the race. It was fun to have my Dad there too. I've always felt his love and support in any goal we wanted to accomplish. He was so proud of us and I think there was more than one time I saw him get emotional. I get the "cry easily" gene from both sides, so there was no hope for me. I feel so blessed!! I have so much love an support in my life. It was also a lot of fun to see Paul's sister and one of my best friends Jenny at the marathon. She had trained and run with a group of her friends from Texas where she lives. She did awesome and it was so fun to have the two brothers and sisters there together! I just love Jenny and wish I could see her more often.
Okay, I know that was a little off the subject, but I really wanted to document the race. The knees are a little sore, but not bad. I'm just lucky to be here in Hawaii recuperating. Great timing for the National Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery conference!! Thank goodness for good babysitters and Paul's Mom and SIL Quinn for keeping the kiddos safe and happy!

Reading! This is another "me time" activity, and it makes me feel like my brain is stretching a bit. I love how reading makes me think of things, people, situations that I may have never thought of before. It gives me an appreciation for the life I live, and for all the opportunities and people that have come into my life. I feel like it really opens me up to different people, cultures, and circumstances too. I feel more compassionate of people and love to learn more. I think it has also made me less judgmental.

I just finished this book The Glass Castle. It was a really great read and made me think a lot. That's all I really require in a book is that it makes me think. I recommend it to anyone! Now I'm starting The Girl With the Pearl Earring. I'll let you know what I think!

Hugging and kissing my kids and husband! I am such a hugger!! There has got to be some physical chemical release that comes with hugging, because it just makes me feel SO MUCH BETTER!! I need a lot of hugs and LOVE to give them away. I am really missing giving those hugs to my kids right now because I haven't seen them since Friday. There is nothing like hugging/cuddling with the kiddos in the twilight of night. XOXOXOXOXO!!! Lucky for me I am getting lots of great time with my fabulous husband.

Well, I could go on and on, but those are just a few things in my life that keep me going. For now, I'm really enjoying the recharge I'm getting on this vacation. I'll post about that when I get home. Of course we forgot our camera, so we had to buy a cheap disposable. I guess it will force me to actually get them developed. We have 7 years of undeveloped pics on our computer thanks to digital cameras. Thanks to Heather for the Marathon pics! Have a great Tuesday!!!

More Good Mail

I just got my mail for the day and what do ya know...more Good Mail!!! I was so excited. This little package was from my SIL Sue. Okay, I guess I should also give credit to her husband Ryan (Paul's brother). It was such a nice card with a gift certificate for itunes, two Marathon Energy bars from Snickers (YUM!), and some pain reliever. I will definitely be needing that! Thanks so much guys for thinking about us. The butterflies are starting. Only 33 hours to go!!

Good Mail!

Got some really good mail a couple of days ago from Wendi!! She sent me a CD with some great tunes for the marathon, some "Kara" gumballs (by Kara Chocolates) and the CUTEST card! Thanks so much Wendi...you made my day!

Dilemma Update

Well, I'm sure you are all just waiting with bated breath to see which dress won...right?!

Drum roll please.....

NEITHER!

I am so bummed, but shockingly they just didn't look the same on me as they did the models! How can that be? So, I'm left with my same old. My wallet is a little fatter because of it though. I'll just have to try to find something fun there, or stick with the good ol' basic black dress that I keep on hand. Maybe some fun accessories will spice it up. Thanks for all the input. It was one of my most commented on posts!

Just an FYI...I googled "bated breath" to make sure it wasn't "baited breath", and found out that there is not a difinitive answer. J.K. Rowling uses "baited breath" in her fourth book Prizoner of Azkaban, but Shakespeare used "bated breath" well before that (1598 Merchant of Venice). I'm stickin' with William on this one. I'm still a Harry Potter Fan! Just some fun trivia for your day.

Dancing with the stars

ALL 10's FOR ELLA!!

So, somehow we were watching Dancing with the Stars last night right when it was time to put the kids down. We've never really watched it, but I love watching people dance. Well, after watching two of the dancers Ella said to Paul and I:

"Their dresses show too much of their body."

I was really glad that she noticed. It's funny, because we have never really had the modesty talk. I'm blessed with a daughter who will wear whatever I give her, and has never put up a fight about clothes. Of course, if I don't choose it out for her she ends up with some interesting combinations. Proof she is my daughter!!

Anyway, I have rarely let her wear tank tops, and never let her wear short shorts and skirts. Again, I've never said anything about it, just done it! I guess actions really do speak louder than words. Now, I don't want to sound like anyone who has other rules is bad. I don't think there is anything wrong with little girls wearing tank tops, two piece swim suits, etc. I just know that for me it would be harder to try to change the rules when they are pre-teen and older, so I choose to just have that as an "always" rule. So, if your cute kids wear some of these things, please don't think I'm judging you. This is just what works for us!!

So, we told Ella that she was right and that we were proud of her. She then finished the conversation by saying:


"I would love to be on that show if I could choose my own dress, but if not then I wouldn't." What a sweetheart!

Tuesday Tell All - Trick or Treat

These are some pics of our Halloween's past! We've got Jessie from Toy Story, Harry Potter, Sleeping Beauty, Firefighter, Eeyore, Elmo, and Dora!

What would you be thrilled to find in your trick or treat bag?

This one was WAY too easy for me. I would love to find a coupon for a lifetime of dinners, prepared and delivered to your door. Or a chef would work nicely too. As you may have read on my 100 list, I hate planning dinner. I know I should do it better, and that it would provide much family bonding, but it is one of my many flaws. SOMEDAY!!! As with anything, I am open to any and all ideas on this subject. I'd also take a housekeeper, professional organizer, and personal accountant! Oh, and a full time personal photographer....just like the JFK family had!

On another note...I figure this is a good post to talk about something else that has been on my mind. I've been having a dilemma lately and maybe you can all help me out here. Ella (my oldest - 7) probably didn't have candy until she was 3 because it was easy to keep away from her. It has gotten progressively earlier with each child. When she was little and we went trick-or-treating, I kept the candy and let her have a piece here and there. Well, as the kids have gotten older it has been harder for me to be in charge of yet another thing. I hated being the "gate keeper" of the candy and I felt like it was another way for me to be the bad guy. I also hated how it made the whole holiday linger around. I know that sounds very un-festive, but I love to be done with things and move on!

So, last year I thought I would just let them be in charge of their candy and do as they please with it. I feel it worked out quite well as the boys were done in a matter of a couple of days, and Ella kept her stash and shared it over the next couple of weeks. I told this to someone recently and they were appalled that I would let my 3 and 5 year-old boys have all that candy in one or two days. I agree it's not the healthiest thing, but at least it was gone! If they got sick, then that was the natural consequence right?!

So, now I leave the question with you. What do you do? Do you have any ideas for a lazy mother like me?

Just so you are aware...YES, my husband is a Dentist/Oral Surgeon. NO, we don't hand out toothbrushes. YES, our kids can have candy. YES, I chew ice and suck on lemons. Yes, I have been known to open things with my teeth. Why do people think that since my husband's profession revolves around people's mouths that we would be immune to the above afflictions? I'm human, and I have good teeth. I never had a cavity until college and still have only had a few and no root canals/crowns etc. Sorry that was really off the subject, but I'm still surprised how many times I hear, "your husband will let your kids have that sucker?"

ANYWAY, just some more incoherent random thoughts that are running through my head!! I've had a few friends ask me how I can post so often. First of all just look at the number of July posts there were! Second, I probably write about 20 posts a day in my head and only get a fraction down in the blog. I'm on the computer a lot everyday anyway with my real life, so I'll just sign in, type, and post. That may explain why my writing isn't very witty, and my thoughts are not always so coherent. Oh well, I figure it will serve as a journal that shows the real me!