A merry little Christmas

We had a great Christmas, despite the bouts of stomach virus that made their way through the family (thankfully, it was a mild one) and the sinus headache that plagued me through the holiday. The kids all happily sat on Santa's lap (he's come to the family Christmas party since A was little)--T even decided the big man was his new best friend and talked to him nonstop. Everyone got what they wanted for Christmas and we had NO major meltdowns the whole day. Merry Christmas, everyone.

S, taking her turn on Santa's lap

H and his Star Wars transformer

After discovering the fruit snacks in his stocking, T refused to open a single present until he had eaten all three packages.

And finally, it's T the Wise Man in the family Nativity play, complete with a lovely headscarf and sword.

Rest

Today begins my Christmas break from work. For the past few years, I've taken off the days between Christmas and New Year's, and it's a delightful tradition. I got today off because we were planning on traveling down to the Las Vegas bowl, but we decided it wasn't worth the hassle. Turned out to be a good decision, because T threw up twice yesterday morning and has had lovely diarrhea ever since. This morning, he woke up super early with poop all over himself. As I cleaned him up, I realized I was getting blind spots. A migraine--what a lovely way to start the day. But A was able to stay home from work this morning so I could rest, which was quite possibly the loveliest thing I've experienced in a long time. I slept and slept and the kids only came to visit a few times. The Christmas show on TV, plus the Playdoh S got from her school party yesterday helped keep them entertained.

It's after lunch and I'm still in my pjs. I love being lazy. :)

P.S. A few pics from yesterday's Christmas programs. H was the innkeeper in his preschool program. He did a great job: "No room! But I have a really nice stable, and I can get some clean straw." And S did awesome at her clogging performance. Here she is with her friend Amy.

It takes a village...

to pull off an Enrichment Christmas dinner! Last night was ours, and as the Enrichment counselor, I was a wee bit nervous. I figured that no matter what, it would all be over in a matter of hours, but I was worried there wouldn't be enough food. And we sort of ran out of main dishes, so that one fear did come true. But all in all, it was a great evening.

Our theme was "Christmas Around the World" and women signed up to bring displays and food dishes from different countries. We also had women set individual tables with their Christmas place settings. The cultural hall really looked beautiful. And it was wonderful to see how willing people were to help. When my Enrichment leader found out she couldn't come a few days before, the YW presidency volunteered to come early and help me and the committee set up and clean up. They were all so great. We had a special program after dinner, with narration about different Christmas traditions and beautiful songs. The program was really wonderful.

Of course, my OCD kicked in last night at 10:15 when I worried that I hadn't turned the oven at the church off (I had been keeping my lasagna warm before the dinner). Unlike normal people who would have just trusted they had turned it off, I had to trudge back out into the snow (in my pj's, no less) to check. It was off, of course.

I'm so glad it's over... glad it went well... but mostly just glad it's over. :)

Where everybody knows your name

When I moved into my current ward three and a half years ago, like with any new situation, I didn't feel "a part of things" for a while. I felt kind of sad about it, wishing I had good friends in the ward and knowing it was partly my fault for not being more outgoing. But still I did nothing about it. Until that September when the ward started a book club. It wasn't a stretch for me to sign up since I'm fairly fanatical about reading. I've always loved to read, ever since I taught myself how (true story). I was a little bit nervous to go to the first book club night, but it turned out to be one of the best things I've ever done. I feel like I've truly found a wonderful group of friends there. A lot of us are moms with young kids but we do have a mix of different life circumstances, which is always nice. We've read fiction, non-fiction, children's books, and essays. We've shared a multitude of treats and probably gained a lot of weight together. And we've shared the ups and downs of life together and commiserated over the woes of raising kids.

I went to book club tonight and we discussed The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. It's about a girl living in Nazi Germany who steals books. It's all about how words shape and change our perceptions. I loved the book and I love the book club ladies. Thanks for another great evening!

Tagged again

Thanks to Mariah for the tag! Here I go with seven little known facts about me...

1. I barely move when I sleep and I am a bit obsessive when it comes to having the bedsheets smooth. Unfortunately, A is somewhat of a crazy sleeper. I have been known to get up in the middle of the night to pull the bottom of the sheet down so it's tucked under the mattress again.

2. I LOVE to bake--cookies, cakes, and pastries. However, I do not love to cook in general. I really could do without making dinner for the rest of my life.

3. I hate scary movies. Hated them when I was younger and still do. I had nightmares from watching "Young Sherlock Holmes" at my 12th birthday party that lasted for at least a year.

4. I have a freakishly good memory, especially when it comes to names, faces, and numbers. My childhood friend (and still-to-this-day friend) Melinda told me that she expects me to remember our childhood.

5. When I was a toddler, I could turn my feet almost all the way around. I had to wear special shoes that had a brace to turn my feet out at the right ankle. I still walk (and run) somewhat weird.

6. I check to make sure all the doors in the house are locked like three times every night. And when we leave to go somewhere, I check to make sure the garage door is down several times. There may have been a few road trips when I called my friend Gail to have her check as well...

7. I have quite possibly the best college friends ever. We still keep in touch with a yahoo groups site and had our first reunion this past March. They're wonderful and hilarious women and I love them with all my heart!


I won't tag anyone else, since pretty much everyone I know has already been tagged! :)

Mosquitoes for Lunch

H: Mom, can I have three mosquitoes for lunch?
Me: You mean taquitos?
H: Oh, yeah. Caticos.

Ten minutes later...

H: Is it time to have those... what are they called again?
Me: Taquitos.
T (chiming in): Yeah, taciticos.

The mosquitoes were delicious.

Full of Thanks

I think it's a natural thing this time of year (and especially this week) to do a cataloging of sorts about all the things we're thankful for. So... here's my list of "thankful fors":

1. the ability to work from home. Beyond the normal benefits of being able to be at home with my kids, I am shielded from a lot of the normal day-to-day drama of working in an office. I just work away in my little bubble. It's nice.

2. a house that's already decorated for Christmas and a gift list that's almost completed. Having my shopping already nearly done by this time always helps me relax a little and actually enjoy the season.

3. children who try to be better. Things haven't been great with the kids lately (as evidenced by the canceling of a recent holiday) but I know they are trying to be better. And when A and I try harder to be more patient, it's reflected in the kids' behavior.

4. a husband who understands me. We've been married for eight and a half years, but it's always nice to know that he still totally gets me--the silly things that make me laugh, the neuroses about a clean house that make me clean the bathrooms on a Friday night, and the little things that help me be a happier wife and mom.

5. and most importantly, the gospel and its refining influence in my life.

Pumpkin Cake Roll

Another fabulous holiday recipe to share! I have to thank my friend Gail for this one. I've always been intimidated by roll recipes. Rolling up a cake, putting in filling, and somehow have it not completely fall apart? Yeah, right! I never got over my nervousness, until this recipe came along. She made it for our family and it was SO good that I knew I had to make it. And surprisingly, not that hard!

Cake
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 tsp. lemon juice
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup nuts, if desired

Filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1 pkg cream cheese, softened (8 oz)
4 tbls. butter
1/2 tsp vanilla

Beat eggs on high speed for five minutes. Gradually beat in sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. Combine flour and remaining dry ingredients. Fold in pumpkin mixture. Spread into 15 x 10 pan lined with wax paper. Top with nuts. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 375 degrees. Cool slightly. Loosen edges with a knife, then turn onto thin towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. (I laid the towel out on the counter, took the cake out of the pan and flipped it onto the towel, and then pulled off the waxed paper.) Roll towel and cake together. Combine all filling ingredients and beat until fluffy. Unroll cake and spread filling over cake and roll. Chill.

Cover and store in refrigerator for up to three days. Keeps well in freezer for one week. Serves 14-16.

Christmas is coming...

Yes, I know the date today is November 9. And, yes, the temperature outside is a balmy 60 degrees. But that doesn't mean I'm not already in the throes of the Christmas spirit. (I also love Thanksgiving. I do. But I just really love Christmas.)

I've always loved Christmas, but it's become even more pronounced as I've gotten older. I love buying the perfect gifts for loved ones, watching my children squeal with delight on Christmas morning (and remembering staying up all night Christmas Eve with my little sister when I was young), attending parties and special programs at church, and even believing in the big man in red. I told my husband a few years ago that I believe in Santa again. It's just more fun to believe, don't you think?

I've already planned when I'll decorate my house for the holidays: Saturday, November 17. I will, however, leave my pumpkins and Autumn wreath up outside the house, so my neighbors will not think I'm crazy (or crazier than they already do). But inside, it will be Christmastime! Then, on the day after Thanksgiving, I'll do the decorations outside.

One of the cheesy radio stations here is already playing Christmas tunes around the clock. While A is not a fan of the Christmas tunes until December, the kids and I are already having a great time when it's just us in the car. I was panicked earlier this week when I thought I'd lost my Carpenters' Christmas Portrait CD, but phew, I found it today and will commence listening to it when I pick up S from school today.

More than all of the decorations, treats, presents, and fun stuff, I just love how the whole season feels. No matter what's going on the rest of the year, when Christmas rolls around, it feels like there are endless possibilities to grow, be joyful, and celebrate the blessings we have and the gift of a baby born so long ago.

Randomness

A few random photos...

We celebrated S's birthday with family yesterday and she got even more presents to add to her already huge pile.


We went on a short vacation over the weekend with friends and H went under the water for the first time. That might not seem like a big accomplishment, but since he told me recently that he didn't want to get baptized (in three and a half years) because that would mean going under the water, it was a BIG deal.

And as usual, T fell asleep in a random spot today, this time on the carpet at the top of the stairs. He refuses to let me take him to his room for a nap, but he'll frequently find his own way there. He's just a wee bit independent.

Halloween update

Since I'm sure you all were anxiously awaiting the results of our Halloween experiment, here goes...

It was an interesting week (and by interesting I mean frustrating and sob-inducing). The kids did well for about two days with their jobs, and then things started to fall apart. They were barely able to go to the ward trunk-or-treat. They were somewhat good in church on Sunday (after a huge speech from us), but H just couldn't keep it up. I kept reminding him about what we had talked about and encouraging him, but it didn't make a bit of difference. So finally on Monday afternoon, I gave up and told him he was out of chances and wouldn't get to go trick-or-treating on Halloween. I felt SO bad (and still do) but I was just so tired of giving him all the chances in the world and none of it making any difference. The only reason that S got to go (cause she hasn't exactly been a joy to be around the last week) is that she's in school all day and frankly has less time to get in trouble. And she does seem to snap out of the whining just a bit faster than H. T is sometimes the worst offender, but let's face it, he wouldn't "get it" even if we did take away the privilege.

I think I got a teeny, tiny insight this week into how Heavenly Father feels. I honestly felt like we have been doing everything we can, being patient, and trying different tactics--and it's so frustrating that it hasn't been working AT ALL. I think Heavenly Father must get so sad when we screw up again and again, after all He does to try and help us. I did wonder if I should keep giving H more chances but there comes a point as a parent when you just have to stick to the consequences you put in place. Anyway, we've decided to keep going with the jobs and having them earn the right to do things: even normal things like going to the grocery store (my kids love this) and going to Grandma's house for Sunday dinner. It could be a long holiday season...

On that note, here are a few Halloween pictures. :) T was supposed to be Darth Vader, but when he saw H in his ninja costume, he wanted to be one as well. He does have the right moves for it...

Happy Birthday!

Today, my big girl turns seven. I can't believe she's that old. It really doesn't seem that long ago that she was our only child (otherwise known as the good old days) and every second was focused on precious little S.

A few random things about the birthday girl:

• She was the happiest, silliest baby in the world. People would purposely sit behind us in church because she would entertain them with her crazy faces and constant giggling. She still gets into fits of giggles.
• She LOVES to draw. I have so many original works created by S that I'll have plenty to showcase when she becomes a famous artist.
• She enjoys reading books and playing make-believe. I've walked by her room many nights and heard her talking to herself, no doubt creating some elaborate story. Just like her mom did when she was little.
• S is a pretty great big sister. It can't be easy to have two little brothers who only want to play with light sabers, swords, and action figures, but she handles it with a wonderful amount of grace.

We love you, sweetpea! Happy Birthday!

P.S. Also, enjoy this photo of the boys first thing in the morning. :)

Halloween's cancelled

Ok, I know I don't have the authority to actually cancel a holiday, but we've decided to cancel trick-or-treating if our kids don't shape up.

Our children are very intelligent and happy people. They play well with other kids and adults love them. They're helpful around the house (for the most part). But should you happen to tell them they can't do something they'd like to do--oh boy. You could very well be in for a whine session the likes of which you've never before witnessed.

I feel like we've tried a ton of different things to get them to stop whining as much. Endless talks, family home evening lessons about manners and the meaning of respect, talking about what Jesus would want them to do, time out, taking toys away, actually throwing toys away. None of it's worked and the whining has only increased.

Take last night for example. We went to the store for a family treat and each kid picked out one thing. That part went fine. When we ventured over to the Halloween section of the store, things went downhill. We needed to get new trick-or-treating buckets for two of the kids. Since S already had a plain old pumpkin one, I wanted to just get two more pumpkin ones, so no one would have a cool one. Unfortunately, the plain old pumpkin ones are right next to the Spiderman ones. When H found out he couldn't get a cool bucket, he lost it. And I mean, LOST IT. Whining, crying, and actually falling down to the floor. We became those parents--the ones with the bratty kid throwing a tantrum in the grocery store. *Sigh*. A picked him and took him away for a talk, but H continued to talk about the bucket issue (or whine about it, I should say) the rest of our time in the store and all the way home.

Sometimes I just don't get it. It's not like we indulge our kids' every whim. I rarely get them treats at the store-- I mean, really rarely. And they know if they whine, I'll just get more upset, so the logic of the whining completely escapes me. Sometimes I forget I'm dealing with non-logical beings.

Anyway, right before bed, we told them trick-or-treating was cancelled until further notice. We told them we're making up a list of jobs they need to do every day to be able to participate in the holiday. We'll see what the week brings...

Apple Pie in a bag

Yep, you read that right. One of my favorite recipes for Fall is an apple pie that you bake in a paper bag. Our family got the recipe from another family growing up and I've made it for friends and family for years. The thing I love most about it is that there's no rolling out of dough whatsoever. I love baking, but I am not the best at making things pretty. So this recipe is perfect for me. Plus, it's the best apple pie I've ever tasted.

Crust
1 1/2 C flour
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 C vegetable oil
2 tbl. cold milk

Combine all ingredients and mix until well-blended. Pat into bottom and sides of nine-inch pie pan. Do not roll out.

Filling
4 C apples, peeled and sliced
1/3 C sugar
2 tbl. flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Combine dry ingredients and then toss lightly with apples. Pour into unbaked pie crust.

Topping
1/2 C flour
1/2 C soft butter
1/2 C sugar

Combine ingredients and mix until crumbly. (My butter is usually soft enough that it doesn't really become crumbly, usually just in pieces.) Sprinkle over top of pie. Place pie in brown paper bag and staple the bag closed.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. Be forewarned: It will smell a little funny. After all, it is a paper bag! But as long as the bag isn't touching the heat element in your oven, it should be just fine. Move the rack down a little if necessary before baking.

Enjoy!!

What I want to be

Her hands are soft and well-worn in service.
She has six children, 16 grandchildren, and 19 great-grandchildren, with more on the way.
Her house is a haven from the world. No matter what's going on outside, none of it matters there.
She served two LDS missions, served in the temple for seven years, and served as a genealogical missionary for 25 years.

When I grow up, I want to be just like Grandma. I want to serve like she has served, love others the way she loves, and be cherished just like everyone cherishes Grandma.

Happy 90th, Grandma. I love you!

That's brisk, baby!

While the air this week isn't quite as brisk as I'd like for October, we have had several really cool (bordering on cold) days already. I'm more than ready to ditch the short sleeves and bundle up in sweaters and coats, because it means my most favorite time of year is here! October is fun with pumpkins and Halloween; then November and apple pie, apple dumplings, Thanksgiving, turkey, and two days off from work; and it all culminates in December, the hands-down best month of the year.

But I shouldn't get ahead of myself. Plenty of harvest fun to be had before then...

We went to Cornbelly's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Fest last night with the kids and other assorted family members. This is our second year going and I hope it's a yearly tradition. The highlight is always the pig races. Who knew cheering for little piggies could be so fun! It was hilarious, as always, to watch T being his crazy self. Last year, we had him in the stroller and just took him out for activities. This year, we let him roam free and chased him everywhere. At one point, he sat down next to a random family, no doubt hoping they'd share some of their food.

Yeah for Fall!

I Spy

A funny conversation I heard during lunch today--the boys were playing "I Spy."

H: "I spy something brown. Guess what it is."
T: "Ok... I spy brown."
H: "No, no, I spy something brown. You guess what it is."
T: silence...
H: "See that picture frame? It's brown."
T: "Ok."
H: "Now it's your turn."

(T's turn didn't exactly go well, either. )

Do not adjust your screen. This is a pic of the boys upside down on the couch.

A Little Satisfaction

For the past several months, I've been involved with a big project at work--preparing for our company's convention. I definitely wasn't in charge of the thing (thank goodness for that!) but as a writer, I was pretty heavily involved. As in years past, I helped write new brochures, pamphlets, and magazines for all of the new products and business tools for our distributors. But this year, I decided I wanted to be more involved behind the scenes--writing scripts for the big shows and helping direct all the action. Not sure what possessed me to volunteer for that! Anyway, it's been pretty crazy the last little while, working really long hours as we scrambled to get everything done in time.

The big event was last week and A was thankfully able to watch the kids while I spent most of the week up in Salt Lake. It was full of rehearsals, blocking meetings, racing around to make teleprompter changes at the last minute, and pulling my hair out when one show ran over by 45 minutes. During the last big show, I stood watching a recap video of the whole weekend and balled like a baby. I was embarrassed at the time to be sobbing over pictures of random distributors, but I think I now know why it happened. First of all, I was so glad to be done. I haven't been this tired in a long time. Second, the convention team accomplished something really wonderful and the people in attendance loved it. And third, I was able to contribute my talents to create something entirely separate from my "mom" duties. Sure, I get to do that on a daily basis with my job, but this gave me a very real and different kind of satisfaction. One of the stage managers thought I was a natural "techie" after hearing me on the headset. I have to admit--it was quite a rush.

I am very glad, though, that the next convention isn't until May 2009. :)

Ode to the T-man

Oh, the T-man. He's 2, loud, hilarious, and the craziest kid I've ever met. He worships the ground his siblings walk on, and repeats everything they say, even though he usually has no idea what he's talking about. He's definitely more wild than our other kids. Our only trips to the ER have been for him. The first was after he got his thumb stuck in a closed door and we were worried his bones were crushed. The second resulted in this:He had decided that you really shouldn't waste any part of the apple, including the core. He succeeded in getting it stuck and having it completely block his right airway. Infection ensued and he had to have a bronchoscopy to get it out. Lovely.

He's also our first to climb out of the crib. He hasn't done it until this past week, so I guess that's good. At naptime, he started climbing out and flinging himself to the floor. He would only sleep if you laid down with him for two hours (yeah, right!) or if he happened to fall asleep on the couch, usually around 4:30 pm.
When he started every morning by clinging to the side of his crib for dear life, we decided it was time for a bed. We already have bunk beds, and had wanted to take them apart to be two beds on the floor, but we had to do a little repair work first. T and H had recently climbed up to the top bed, jumped around, and broke one of the wooden slats supporting the mattress.

Got everything situated last night and he slept in his "big boy bed" for the first time. He slept well, but woke up very early and pretty much lost his mind by the time church rolled around. He's an exasperating kid sometimes, but he sure does make us laugh. :)

Second Honeymoon

When A and I decided to go on a short vacation together, we looked high and low for the most romantic spot we could find... and settled on Salida, Colorado. Not really, but A was invited to do an ultra endurance ride (Vapor Trail 125) that started in Salida (a rather quaint little town surrounded by pretty gorgeous mountain scenery), so he convinced me to come along for the adventure. The kids spent the weekend being completely spoiled by Grandma back home and they loved every minute of it.

We had a long drive to get there and back, about eight hours each way. It's always nice to know that even after eight years and three kids, we still like each other--and we can even carry on a conversation that doesn't involve children, poopy diapers, or discipline. We had a fun little weekend, and with all of the craziness with both our jobs, and the fun that comes with raising three kids, it's good to take some time to just be us again. But we did miss the kids. :)

A, just before the midnight start


After-race BBQ

Rise and Shout

... the Cougars are out! With the first home game a few days ago, we had to dress the kids in all their Cougar finery (thanks to Grandma, of course!). A and H went to the game, and even got to go on the field! Check out that spiral!

The Crypto Diet

Lose five pounds in five days on the Crypto* Diet! Granted, you'll be puking and running to the bathroom every hour, experience dizziness and more fatigue than you ever thought possible, but you'll lose weight and you'll lose it fast! Just consent to play host to this pesky little parasite for a while and watch those pounds melt away!

Now available at a poopy pool near you!


*Cryptosporidium parasite

Update?

A told me this morning that I should update the blog. So, I took that moment to think back on what's happened this week. Both A and I have been super busy with work. S has had a great first week at school, but adjusting to the longer days has been a bit rough on all of us. H and T have held numerous light saber fights (with a few minor injuries), and H has worked his way through the Star Wars trilogy while T has slept in the afternoon. I got sick with a stomach virus on Friday and I'm still not recovered. T left the water on in the upstairs bathroom on Friday and flooded the bathroom and some of the carpet downstairs. And to top it all off, with my company's convention less than a month away, I'm working today (Saturday) to complete new literature items.

Hmm... perhaps an update was not the best idea. Here's to a better week next week! :)

First grade, here we come!

Today was the first day of first grade for S. She woke up at 7:15, too excited to sleep. Bit of a problem, since school didn't start until 9:15. So, she spent those two hours waiting, getting dressed, waiting, jumping around excitedly, waiting, and a bit of pestering about when exactly it would be time to go. On the way there, she told me she would miss me today. I told her it would be really fun and that I didn't think she'd miss me all that much. She said, "Mom, it's a long time!" Yep, the jump from Kindergarten to first grade is a big one, and we will definitely miss S while she's gone. I'm most concerned about the two little boys left at home. H's preschool doesn't start until next week, so I'm sure he'll be plenty bored today without his big sister. Although, I'll bet the choice of afternoon video is a bit different today than usual, probably something in the Star Wars genre. :)

How I do it

When people find out that I work full-time from home with three kids, they usually look at me aghast and say, "How do you manage to do that?"

Most of the time, it's not pretty. But there is a sort-of secret to how I accomplish it: efficiency.

Right before I had S almost seven years ago (yikes--is my child that old?!), I started working from home. I'm lucky in that I write and edit for the marketing department of a natural supplement company, which is easy to do with one or two trips to the office every month. As I've had more kids, I've learned to be more efficient. When I just had one or two kids, I could do more research on what I had to write, more notes, more brainstorming. Now, when I get an assignment, I research while T is sitting on my lap, brainstorm while I make lunch for the kids (and sometimes even right before I fall asleep at night!), and I just get it all out on the page much quicker than I used to. I just don't have time any more to dilly dally.

People at work tease me for how quickly I reply to e-mails. What they forget is that they can just walk down the hall and tell each other things. E-mails and phone calls are my only ways of communicating with people at work. And yes, I have a compulsive need to reply to e-mails right away. It's a sickness, but it's served me well so far.

As the kids get older, they play better together, and need less constant attention from me. Of course, this also increases the amount of fights and screaming (mostly from T) but all in all, these three get along pretty well together. I am ashamed to say that sometimes, my poor kids have to wait a bit for whatever it is they want, just so Mom can finish editing something or writing a sentence or even just a phrase. I remember the first time S said to me, "Mom what day is tomorrow?" "Tomorrow's Saturday." "Oh, good! That means you don't have to work and you can play with me." *Sigh.*

In the years since T joined our family, I've gone from being frustrated and depressed at feeling like this setup often wasn't working, to acceptance, to a kind of groove that works pretty darn well most of the time. Am I a supermom who somehow manages to sew my kids' clothes, put on puppet shows, and make gourmet homemade meals every day? No. But my work gets done, the kids are happy, healthy, and pretty brilliant, and my house is usually fairly clean.

At the end of the day, it really is a lot of help from above and plain luck that makes this crazy routine work. And knowing that, because we can make this work as a family, my husband is able to go to work every day and do something he loves.

Tagged.

I've been tagged by Shea, so here are the requisite random facts about me. Enjoy! :)

4 jobs I've had:
*One Hour Photo with weirdos
*Various temp jobs during summers off school
* Custodial in the ASB at BYU—it rocked!
*Writer at 4Life Research—it'll be 10 years in '08. Yikes!

4 movies I can watch over and over again:
* Return to Me
* The Devil Wears Prada
* Notting Hill
* Mean Girls (Don’t laugh. It cracks me up!)

4 favorite TV shows: (Yes, I know most of these are cancelled. I don’t care.)
* Veronica Mars
* Alias
* Freaks and Geeks
* The Office

4 favorite hobbies:
* Baking cookies, cakes, bread—I love it all!
* Talking and laughing at Sunday dinner with the fam
* Reading—I’m in two book clubs!
* Relaxing after my children are in bed

4 places I've lived:
*Ogden, Utah
*Chantilly, Virginia
*Provo, Utah
*Orem, Utah

That is a SAD list!

4 places I've been on holiday:
*Italy with A’s family--Bellissimo!
*Western Caribbean Cruise with the kids. I do NOT recommend it!
* Maui and Oahu to drop my sister off at school
* Australia and New Zealand when I was pregnant with S

4 favorite dishes/foods:
* pastries
* fruit
* chocolate cinnamon bears
* anything chocolate

4 websites I visit daily:
*various blogs
* www.4life.com
* www.msnbc.com
* www.eonline.com


4 places I'd rather be:
* lying on a beach
* anywhere not working
* eating gelato in Florence
* reading on my bed in a quiet house

The princess and the ball players

A bit of introduction about our kids. S is 6 1/2 and going into first grade. She's a princess in every way--loves pink, dress-up, Barbies, dress-up, playing make-believe, and dress-up. Did I mention she likes dressing up? She frequently will get dressed for the day and then an hour later, decide she's going to dress up. Leotards, ballet slippers, crowns, dress-up shoes--the works. I had a pretty vivid imagination as a child (still do, actually) so it's nice to see that my daughter got that from me. A not -so-nice trait she inherited from me is her tendency for drama. It can get out of hand some days, but all in all, she's a pretty fantastic little girl. :)

H is 4 and the consummate ball player. He loves all sports, but baseball is his true love. When he was 2, my mother-in-law took him to a baseball game, and he sat through the entire thing. There were treats involved, of course, but still pretty impressive that he was so riveted. He's a lefty and loves hitting homeruns out of our backyard. And he's already got a pretty good fastball. H will start his 2nd year of preschool this fall and can already write his name really well.

T is 2 and for a while it seemed like he was less into sports than H but recently, T proved us wrong. He wants to play baseball all day long and always asks me to pitch to him while I'm working. Mind you, he then hits the ball inches away from my husband's computer, but he hasn't hit anything valuable yet... He runs all day long and anything that H does, T wants to do. I'm not sure how T's going to handle the older kids being gone more for school this year. Last year, he relished the time because he could actually watch an entire Baby Einstein without being mauled, but this year, he's the one who usually does the mauling. I, for one, am looking forward to the quiet. :)

How about them Utah Jazz!!

I know that all parents think their children are the best, the most imaginative, yada, yada, yada. But my kids really are pretty impressive, when they want to be, of course. Case in point: After a rough morning of crying, screaming, and depression that her friend couldn't come over because she was sick, S decided to create a Utah Jazz basketball game for her brothers in the front room, complete with chairs for sitting, their own basketballs to hold, and a lovely Jazz sign (note the backwards ZZ's.) It did my heart good to see her do something cute for her brothers. It almost made the frustrations of the morning go away. Almost.

It's a...blog!

So... we have a blog. I could say that I'm just following the crowd, doing what everyone else I know is doing, but the real reason is that... ok, I am just following the crowd.

That, and my wonderful husband has wanted us to have a family blog (to match his biking blog, of course) for so long that I decided it was finally time.

I'm not sure how often I'll update. It depends on how crazy my work schedule is and how crazy the three rugrats are. I'm actually more excited than I thought I would be to get this up and running!