Just relax

My friend, Angela, said to relax.

She wrote a great post on stress, time management and being selective in our daily activities. Her post resonated with me because of the crazy, self-imposed schedule I experienced yesterday.

Here was how my Thursday played out:

• Take Dave to church at 6am
• Drive to work
• Work, work, work
• Leave office in early afternoon
• Meet with real-estate agent
• Go to gym (almost skipped this one)
• Go to Joann’s (wander for one hour - luxurious)
• Go to Safeway
• Speed home, while eating dinner – normally I don’t do this, but I was starving by this point!
• Make dinner for friends who just had baby
• Deliver dinner (it was late, but very freeze-able)
• Shower
• Watch “The Office”
• Make YW posters for fundraising dinner
• Do load of laundry
• Mend temple dress
• (on sewing streak) Rip seams from dress that I started sewing in 2003
• Prepare to watch “Lost” and suddenly realize I sat through entire episode of “Eli Stone” – bleh
• Pack lunch for next day
• Clean kitchen
• Load & run dishwasher
• Pack work bag
• Write email to YW
• Lay out clothes
• Get ready for bed
• Make bed
• Say prayers
• Set TV to sleep mode on Bravo's “Step It Up & Dance” in hopes that it will lull me into a deep sleep because my husband is not home
• Watch “Step It Up & Dance” – why why why?
• TV turns off; wait to fall asleep while listening to weird noises
• Take deep breaths
• Pass out around midnight

I know that I try to do to much.

In Angela’s post, she wrote, “May we all take time to relax. My husband so wisely encourages me often not to stress myself out, and if it comes that I need to pick and choose, I need to pick and choose. That’s that.”

Amen.

Dave is currently riding through the beautiful landscapes of the San Juan islands. He is probably relaxed. If he were here yesterday, he would have told me to do the same.

Ta-da! New Layout

So, I've been thinking of changing my layout for ages because, frankly, the beige background was really beginning to bore me. The current, flowery theme is... ok, but... umm, not so much 'me' (sigh). As I try to find something to appease my inner "picky, web-designer" self, please feel free to let me know what you think.

And if you absolutely hate it, I'm open to suggestions.

Oh my.

I came across this list yesterday and while reading it, I laughed so hard I nearly toppled right out of my chair! However, I fear that the cheeky humor of this pre-parenting list is due to it's veracity.

Note to self - Oh my.

Thinking of Having Kids? Do this 15-Step Program first!
Lesson 1:
1. Go to the grocery store.
2. Arrange to have your salary paid directly to their head office.
3. Go home.
4. Pick up the paper.
5. Read it for the last time.

Lesson 2:
Before you finally go ahead and have children, find a couple who already are parents and criticize them about their...
1. Methods of discipline.
2. Lack of patience.
3. Appallingly low tolerance levels.
4. Allowing their children to run wild.
5. Suggest ways in which they might improve their child's breastfeeding, sleep habits, toilet training, table manners, and overall behavior.

Enjoy it, because it will be the last time in your life you will have all the answers.

Lesson 3:
A really good way to discover how the long nights with a new baby might feel....
1. Get home from work and immediately begin walking around the living room from 5PM to 10PM carrying a wet bag weighing approximately 8-12 pounds, with a radio turned to static (or some other obnoxious sound playing loudly). Eat cold food with one hand for dinner.
2. At 10PM, put the bag gently down, set the alarm for midnight, and go to sleep.
3. Get up at 12 and walk around the living room again with the bag until 1AM.
4. Set the alarm for 3AM.
5. As you can't get back to sleep, get up at 2AM, make a drink and watch an infomercial.
6. Go to bed at 2:45AM.
7. Get up at 3AM when the alarm goes off.
8. Sing songs quietly in the dark until 4AM.
9. Get up. Make breakfast. Get ready for work and go to work. (Work really hard and be productive.)
10. Repeat steps 1-9 each night. Keep this up for approximately 3-5 years. Look cheerful and well put-together.

Lesson 4:
Can you stand the mess children make? To find out:
1. Smear peanut butter onto the sofa and jam onto the curtains.
2. Hide a piece of raw chicken behind the stereo and leave it there all summer.
3. Stick your fingers in the flower bed.
4. Then rub them on the clean walls.
5. Take your favorite book, photo album, etc. and wreck it.
6. Spill milk on your new pillows. Cover the stains with crayons.

Now how does that look?

Lesson 5:
Dressing small children is not as easy as it seems.
1. Buy an octopus and a small bag made out of loose mesh.
2. Attempt to put the octopus into the bag so that none of the arms hang out. Time allowed for this - all morning.

Lesson 6:
1. Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and a jar of paint,turn it into an alligator.
2. Now take the tube from a roll of toilet paper. Using only Scotchtape and a piece of aluminum foil, turn it into an attractive Christmas candle.
3. Finally, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an emptypacket of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.

Lesson 7:
Forget the BMW and buy a mini-van. And don't think that you can leave it out in the driveway spotless and shining. Family cars don't look like that. Now:
1. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there.
2. Get a dime. Stick it in the CD player.
3. Take a family size package of chocolate cookies. Mash them into the backseat. Sprinkle cheerios all over the floor, then smash them with your foot.
4. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car.

Lesson 8:
1. Get ready to go out.
2. Sit on the floor of your bathroom reading picture books for half an hour.
3. Go out the front door.
4. Come in again. Go out.
5. Come back in.
6. Go out again.
7. Walk down the front path.
8. Walk back up it.
9. Walk down it again.
10. Walk very slowly down the sidewalk for five minutes.
11. Stop, inspect minutely, and ask at least 6 questions about every cigarette butt, piece of used chewing gum, dirty tissue, and dead insect along the way.
12. Retrace your steps.
13. Scream that you have had as much as you can stand until the neighbors come out and stare at you.
14. Give up and go back into the house. You are now just about ready to try taking a small child for a walk.

Lesson 9:
Repeat everything you have learned at least (if not more than) five times.

Lesson 10:
Go to the local grocery store. Take with you the closest thing you can find to a pre-school child. (A full-grown goat is also excellent). If you intend to have more than one child, then definitely take more than one goat. Buy your week's groceries without letting the goats out of your sight. Pay for everything the goat eats or destroys. Until you can easily accomplish this, do not even contemplate having children.

Lesson 11:
1. Hollow out a melon.
2. Make a small hole in the side.
3. Suspend it from the ceiling and swing it from side to side.
4. Now get a bowl of soggy Cheerios and attempt to spoon them into the swaying melon by pretending to be an airplane.
5. Continue until half the Cheerios are gone.
6. Tip half into your lap. The other half, just throw up in the air. You are now ready to feed a nine-month old baby.

Lesson 12:
Learn the names of every character from Sesame Street , Barney, Disney, the Teletubbies, and Pokemon. Watch nothing else on TV but PBS, the Disney channel or Noggin for at least five years. (I know. you're thinking, "What's 'Noggin?") Exactly the point.

Lesson 13:
Move to the tropics. Find or make a compost pile. Dig down about halfway and stick your nose in it. Do this 3-5 times a day for at least two years.

Lesson 14:
Make a recording of Fran Drescher saying, "Mommy" repeatedly. (Important: no more than a four-second delay between each "Mommy"; occasional crescendo to the level of a supersonic jet is required.) Play this tape in your car everywhere you go for the next four years. You are now ready to take a long trip with a toddler.

Lesson 15:
Start talking to an adult of your choice. Have someone else continually tug on your skirt hem, shirt sleeve, or elbow while playing the "Mommy" tape made from Lesson 14 above. You are now ready to have a conversation with an adult while there is a child in the room.

I know all of the parents out there are saying, "it's all worth it, really!" But, tell me - it's all true, isn't it???!

Again, I am laughing... and silently screaming - Oh my.

For Love of a Cupcake

Assorted cupcakes
Originally uploaded by jleighb

So, it's official - Martha has said let them eat cake!

She declared March 31st-April 6th as "Cupcake Week" (check out the link for some great ideas). In honor of this wonderful declaration, I challenge you to dig into your cookbooks and whip up a batch of your favorite, tasty little cakes. If you don't want to down all of those calories, deliver them to a deserving friend or neighbor. "Why?", you ask. Because we're talking cupcakes, people!

It's time to spread some cupcake love - come on... I dare you.

The Purpose of April Fool's

Instead of posting an April's Fools joke, I've opted for sharing a snippet from a New York Times article that I found interesting:

April Fool! The Purpose of Pranks
By Benedict Carey

Keep it above the belt, stop short of total humiliation and, if possible, mix in some irony, some drama, maybe even a bogus call from the person’s old flame or new boss. A good prank, of course, involves good stagecraft. But it also requires emotional intuition.

“You want to play on people’s weaknesses or dislikes, but not go too hard,” said Tommy Doran, a fireman and paramedic in Skokie, Ill., who as a rookie in Montgomery County, Md., was lured into the station’s kitchen and blasted with multiple cream pies. “For me it’s just the sort of dark humor we use to cope with the job and each other. Nothing dangerous or illegal.”

Psychologists have studied pranks for years, often in the context of harassment, bullying and all manner of malicious exclusion and prejudice.

Yet practical jokes are far more commonly an effort to bring a person into a group, anthropologists have found — an integral part of rituals around the world intended to temper success with humility. And recent research suggests that the experience of being duped can stir self-reflection in a way few other experiences can, functioning as a check on arrogance or obliviousness.

Abbie Hoffman said the good prank, which humorously satirizes human fears or failings, is found in a wide variety of initiation rites and coming-of-age rituals. The Daribi of New Guinea, for example, have children make a small box and bury it in the ground, telling them that after a while a treasure will appear inside but they must not peek...

Invariably the youngsters succumb to curiosity — only to find a sample of human feces.

In my humble opinion, this initiation rite leans toward the 'mean' side of things. If I were one of those Daribi youngsters, I'd creatively bestow my little "treasure" back on the villagers.

In the end, the purpose of this celebrated day is to give us a little perspective and a little mirth... as well as a nice dose of awareness & humble pie.

Milestones & Musings

It’s finally here! A short time ago, I started looking at my past blog posts and realized I was nearing the three digit milestone. Initially, I thought I wouldn’t make a big deal out of it, but then I thought – 100 – that is a big deal and I must celebrate!

In December 2006, I started my blog because I loved writing, journals and keeping in contact with family and friends. As I’ve scanned through various blogs who have already hit this milestone, there was an idea called “100 Things about the Blogger”. In honor of my 100th post and the fact that I love lists, I thought I’d give it a whirl. If you do choose to read on, you may be amused by little tidbits of my life that I rarely share.

1. 31 is my all-time favorite number: I was born on January 31st, worked at Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors, my golden birthday year was an all-time high, and today is the 31st. It just works as a favorite number on so many levels.


2. Typically, answers to my prayers come almost instantaneously.


3. I have a deep and abiding love for chocolate. In college, my friends and I would frequent Hogi Yogi where I always ordered an obscene chocolate yogurt creation. Tiffany called these creations "unbreathe-able" (read: super rich).


4. I was painfully shy as a child.


5. Cats make me sick – literally. In fact, the reaction can send me to the ER.


6. I read dictionaries. Not cover to cover, but I look for words I don’t know and make a list so that I can learn them.


7. I’m the second child and first girl in my family.


8. The Oregon Coast, namely the Cannon Beach/Manzanita area, is my favorite vacation spot.
9. When I was little, I spent a few weeks of my summer with my cousins in Oregon. While riding Big Wheels down a large hill, I tried to stop with my stocking feet. Fortunately, there were no lasting scars.


10. Certain colognes make me sick; some make me weak in the knees.


11. My longest phone call – 5 ½ hours.


12. I participated in a Cart-Wheel-a-Thon where I completed over 1,000 cartwheels.


13. In fourth grade, I won a school-wide coloring contest; the prize was a Walkman.


14. As a teenager, I was cast as one of the sisters from “Fiddler on the Roof” for a stake Broadway Review. In the middle of my dialogue, under bright lights and in front of hundreds of people, I forgot my lines… and started laughing out of sheer terror.


15. During the summer of my senior year at BYU, I hiked to the Y every week with my roommate, Kim.


16. My first car was a light blue, Hyundai Excel. It suffered an awful death when the transmission fell out in the middle of a busy Marysville intersection.


17. I’ve stood in the middle of Times Square… and yes, it is as amazing as you think.


18. From Times Square, I could see N’Sync performing in MTV’s TRL studios.


19. As a child, my favorite pair of shoes were red Nikes with iridescent swooshes.


20. I love watching snow fall.


21. I could (and have) spent hours in bookstores and libraries.


22. As a kid, I was something of a tomboy.


23. I can’t stand cigarette smoke.


24. Libraries are inspiring and sacred places.


25. I’ve realized I’m much harder on myself than I should be.


26. Thanks to my dad, I have an irrational fear of driving in snow.


27. I’ve seen Kevin Bacon – he was walking into the Ram’s Head in Annapolis, MD.


28. I have a minor in history, with an emphasis on World War II and the Holocaust.


29. Someday I want to travel in Europe.


30. Working with my siblings, we built a fort, complete with scrap carpet & wild flower bouquets, behind an old railroad line in Spokane.


31. I’m a very impatient driver.


32. I love my family fiercely, even if I don’t always express that well.


33. At one time, I wanted to major in International Relations and work for the Foreign Service.


34. After 4 ½ years of Spanish in high school and college, I can read and sort of speak the language.


35. I have stood on the shores and breathed the ocean air of the Pacific and Atlantic.


36. When I was 12, a friend and I planted flower seeds on the banks of a creek.


37. I was present at the February 2003 CES broadcast when a man held President Howard W. Hunter hostage and threatened to blow up the Marriott Center.


38. I’ve watched whales play in the Bay of Banderas in Puerto Vallarta.


39. Inspired by the “We Are the World” song, my fifth grade class helped collect cans to raise funds for the famine in Ethiopia.


40. I don’t enjoy conflict, but I have a bit of a stubborn streak.


41. My first crush, at the age of 10, was with a boy who shared my same initials.


42. After training for two months, I ran my first 10K last summer.


43. In 2003, I was pulled over for the first (& only) time – for a burned-out tail light.


44. Although I don’t care for seafood, I’ve eaten crab, shrimp, salmon, mahi-mahi and calamari.


45. My fourth grade teacher, Mr. Perno (retired military) threw a chalkboard eraser and hit me because I was talking with my friend, Sammie.


46. I’ve been greatly blessed with unwavering faith.


47. My taste in music is pretty varied, but I’m a closet fan of sappy love songs.


48. I try to be a good listener.


49. During my Baskin-Robbins days, I could do a one-arm pull-up.


50. At age 13, I won a blue ribbon in the Evergreen State Fair for my chocolate chip cookies (thanks to the Toll-House recipe).


51. During sports and games, my competitive nature goes into hyper drive.


52. One summer, my family camped in a tent for 30 days.


53. I’ve received compliments on my handwriting and singing voice.


54. My first concert was C&C Music Factory - it was in the Kingdome after a Mariners game.


55. I’ve never liked pop or any carbonated beverage.


56. For my final YW project, I worked as a candy striper at Everett Providence Hospital… I even wore the pink & white pinafore.


57. When I was younger, I thought life was easy. Now I know that life is good, but never easy.


58. During a short stint in newspapers, I actually had a byline.


59. My gymnastics career ended when I landed wrong on a dismount from the beam.


60. Thanks to my east coast driving experiences, I am a ‘traffic circle’ master.


61. One day, I hope to be as happy & talented as my mom and as thoughtful & kind as my dad.


62. I own many pairs of black shoes (incl. boots) – and I wear all of them frequently.


63. As the sun begins to come out in mid-April, I get bit by the gardening bug.


64. I love my black and white polka-dot umbrella… even though I rarely use it.


65. My closet is organized by type, then color.


66. On the way to a big New Year’s Eve dance, I slipped in mud and fell flat on my back… as I looked up, 30 people were staring down at me & asking if I was ok.


67. I have strolled along the Tidal Basin with a cool spring breeze diffusing the heady fragrance of cherry blossoms.


68. String cheese is my favorite snack.


69. In one week’s period of time, my hair color changed 5 times.


70. Gettysburg National Park is one of the most peaceful and reverent places I’ve ever been.


71. Someday, I hope to finish one of the many stories I have begun to write.


72. While most people do not like winter in Seattle, I love those gray days because it feels like I’m wrapped in a big blanket awaiting the coming of spring.


73. On more than one occasion, I’ve watched an entire season of “America’s Next Top Model” in one day (thanks to the VH1 marathons).


74. Often, I find myself singing along to the catchy jingles on TV.


75. I love all things blackberry – jam, crisp, pie, syrup.


76. My favorite time of the day is talking to my husband just before falling asleep.


77. Most random college memory: seeing who could stand the furthest from the dumpster while successfully chucking a bag of garbage.


78. I’m a Google-a-holic; one day Google was blocked at work and I didn’t know what to do with myself.


79. From time to time, I like to treat myself to fresh flowers.


80. I love the feeling of the salty wind in my face as I ride the ferry.


81. When I have to sleep in the house by myself, I pull the covers over my head and pray that morning will come quickly.


82. I’ve never had a manicure or pedicure, but I plan to change that very soon.


83. My dream job would be to work as a part-time children’s librarian.


84. I love the endorphin rush you get after a difficult workout or run.


85. As a child, I loved to rearrange my bedroom. On one occasion, I was pulling a mattress over me and an exposed coil sliced my leg. The wound was not deep, but I still have the 6-inch scar to prove it.


86. I love making things with Powerpoint.


87. While we were living in a rental home, the water main was turned off for routine maintenance. I tried running the bath, but nothing came out. A few hours later, after the water had been turned back on, a trickle of water started dripping from the kitchen ceiling. Running upstairs, I found that I had forgotten to turn the bath knob back to ‘off’ and the water was overflowing all over the floor. Needless to say, I was in deep trouble.


88. Reading is one of my favorite hobbies.


89. At various points in my life, I have realized that I am stronger than I ever thought possible.


90. I am always game to try new things – even though I get frustrated that I’m not good right away.


91. I’ve been told I have a contagious, fun laugh; a stranger went so far as to compliment me while we were leaving a movie theater.


92. Lately, I’ve been cooking without recipes and find it to be an fun, exciting experiment.


93. I constantly give thanks for the good people in my life.


94. My hair color leaves something to be desired, but I’m too cheap to color it often.


95. One thing I have learned – the larger the bag you have, the more things you can find to fill it up.


96. I’m painfully aware of my weaknesses.


97. I love scented lotions – my current favorite is Sephora’s Guava Passion.


98. When I’m home alone, I like to turn on some loud music and dance.


99. Playing the piano is one of the greatest stress relievers.


100. If you have made it to the end of this list, congrats – and thanks for participating in the celebration of my #100!

Basketball Fan

Because Rhees is such an avid church basketball fan, David brought him to one of Dave's tournament games. From the tension of a close game, you can see the wide range of emotions - one minute he was thrilled, the next minute - on the edge of his seat! Sadly, in the end, we lost the game, but Rhees was just happy to be in on the action.

Cam's Ordination

A few weeks ago, we had the privilege of attending my nephew's ordination to the Aaronic Priesthood. When my brother laid his strong hands on his son's head, beautiful words poured from his lips as he told him of promises, blessings and Heavenly Father's love for this young man. As he came to a close, his voice was shaky and eyes were filled with tears. I was so grateful to be in attendance to witness his ordination, surrounded by my family that day.

It's wild to think my nephew is already old enough to be given that special gift; I remember when he was born. As I held the first grandchild in our family, I thought he was the cutest thing on two little legs. Twelve years later, he has grown into an amazing kid, blessed with great talents; he is curious, loves to read, has an amazing capacity for love, helps his mom with the little kids, and excels at every sport he tries. Now, he is also developing a love for the gospel, the Priesthood and the Savior.

Congrats, Cam!

An Impromptu Family Photo Op

The Happy Family

My Fairly Tall, Fabulous Brothers

The Men in My Life

Of Cheap Carpet & Good Times

Years ago, Erma Bombeck declared that the idea, “we’ll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet” is a lame excuse for not having a party. For anyone who has seen the crime scene-esque carpet in our townhouse, I think you would eagerly beg to differ. But, in an effort not to gain hermit status, we rolled out the throw rugs and decided to embrace Ms. Bombeck’s carpe diem attitude.

On Friday, we invited a few couples over for fondue and games. I wanted to have a nice dinner, but we just don’t have the capacity to seat that many folks. Although I was feeling a bit under the weather the day of the big event, I was excited to have people over to show off our fancy throw rugs… uh, I mean, stainless steel fondue pot.

While the women congregated in the kitchen to talk & prep the food, the men gathered around the warm glow of the television. With a little help from one of my friends, we soon had a lavish spread of hulled strawberries, sliced bananas, apples, diced kiwis, marshmallows, macaroons, chunky pretzels… and a pot of bubbling, chocolate-y goodness. As I ladled a heaping mound of the chocolate over my plate of treats, I gleefully thought, “This is my kind of party!” And, apparently, chocolate appeals to the masses – everyone filled their bellies with those sweet, warm treats.

After the fondue, we moved to the living room and cracked open ‘Scene-It’. For those that don’t know, ‘Scene-It’ is a DVD-based, movie trivia game which is one-part trivia, and three-parts pure luck. Because one of the couples had not yet played the game, we broke into two teams: men vs. women. During this particular round, we had to fill in the blanks to "North by Northwest", guess an actor’s name by roles they’ve played, guess the name of a movie from a frame where the person has been removed, name an actor by a high-school picture and provide the number of mailboxes in a scene from “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”. At the end of a rather rousing, competitive game, the men proved to have better knowledge (or luck) than the female group. But, we had a hilarious group; from the amount of laughter that night, I think it’s safe to say that everyone had a fabulous time.

For those wondering, someone did ask about the unique collection of dark spots in the carpet. I just casually laughed, flipped my hair and said, “Oh, those old things – they’ve been there for years!”

Now you'll have to excuse me – I need to call Home Depot.

A Soapbox Moment

Stacey, a fellow blogger, wrote an interesting post on current news headlines, which caught my attention yesterday. It spoke about America's moral nosedive - and how people's bad behaviors are not only accepted, but even rewarded at times. As I've scanned my Google RSS reader for work this week, I think I'd have to agree: I have encountered countless articles on greed, selfishness & infidelity. A recent article announced that the pope had brought the seven deadly sins up to date by adding seven new ones for the age of globalisation. God bless America - because we need it!

Sometimes, I turn off the tv, radio or computer because the bad news becomes overwhelming. Scanning headlines, I'm struck by how indulgent our society has become; those negative indulgences wound the spirit, kill marriages and rip apart families. But, as I've been reading the stories that illustrate the unraveling of our nation's moral fiber, I realized that not all is lost! We are fortunate & blessed to have the gospel, which provides a simple recipe for happiness. We can find true joy within our families, peace in the gospel and hope through the Savior.

As a quick aside, indulgences are not necessarily a bad thing. According to Merriam Webster, an indulgence can be "something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary". Below is a list, titled "Natural Highs" which a friend sent me years ago; I'd say a couple of these indulgences are absolutely necessary (chocolate milkshakes) but most are not. I've tweaked the list a bit to apply it to my life. It reminds me that the simple things in life are truly the sweetest.

TOP 50 NATURAL HIGHS
1. Falling in love… over and over
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts
3. A hot shower on a cold morning
4. Feeling the spirit
5. No lines at the supermarket
6. A special glance
7. Getting Fun Mail
8. Taking a leisurely drive on a country road
9. Hearing your favorite song on the radio
10. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside
11. Hot towels fresh from the dryer
12. Finding the sweater you want – and it’s on sale
13. Hot fudge, chocolate milkshakes
14. Singing in the car
15. A long-distance phone call
16. A bubble bath
17. Hearing the laughter of a baby
18. A good, thought-provoking conversation
19. Going to the ocean/beach
20. Finding a $20 bill in your winter coat
21. Laughing at yourself
22. Midnight phone calls that last for hours
23. Running through sprinklers with wild abandon
24. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all
25. Having someone tell you that you’re beautiful
26. Making new friends or spending time with old ones
27. Playing with a puppy or kitten
28. Having someone play with your hair
29. Sweet dreams
30. Hot chocolate or caramel apple cider
31. Road trips with friends
32. Swinging on swings
33. Wrapping Christmas presents while eating cookies and hot chocolate
34. Song lyrics printed inside a new CD so you can sing along
35. Going to a really good concert
36. Taking the perfect picture
37. Winning a really competitive game
38. Making cookies
39. Having your friends send you homemade cookies
40. Attending the symphony
41. Seeing smiles and hearing laughter from your friends
42. Holding hands with someone you care about
43. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things never change
44. Riding roller coasters
45. Watching the expression on someone’s face as they open a much-desired present
46. Hitting all green lights when you’re running late
47. Being comfortable in your own skin
48. Watching the sunrise
49. Gazing at the stars on a clear night
50. Getting out of bed each morning and being grateful for another beautiful day

Powder Mountain

During our trip to Utah last week, we took a day to explore the snowy slopes. We went with my brother, David; my sister-in-law, Rachel; her husband, Bracan; and their 16-month-old daughter, Lucy. Initially, the plan was to have Rachel carry Lucy in a backpack. Unfortunately, Powder Mountain does not allow papooses on the hill. Someone suggested putting her on skis; while the idea may sound absolutely crazy, that's just what we did! Lucy had a great time and she lasted the entire day (with some brief naps on the chair lifts)... she even sang "She'll Be Comin' Round the Mountain" as she slid down the slopes.

For me, this was a bit of a challenge. As a novice skier, beginner hills are my usual terrain of choice. However, as we rode up the first lift, I knew I was in for some "fun" times when every run looked like black diamond central. This was NOT good - as Dave says it, "Michelle likes to be in total control, at all times, while skiing." Fortunately, I triumphantly rose to the challenge and made it down in one piece. After a few runs, I felt confident enough that I started going fast down a narrow cat track - and promptly face-planted gracefully into the icy hill.

All in all, it was a great day with gorgeous weather up in the mountains!


Here is my first run - don't I look like a pro?



Lucy tearing up the hill, with mom who is 5 months pregnant helping her navigate.

Lucy directing us where to go.

Dave showing us that "no trail is no problem."

Dave's "Ski Magazine" cover shot.

Rachel giving her 2nd daughter the feel of the snow.

Me & my bro

Lucy taking a brief siesta.

Are you from Seattle?

In honor of one of Nana's posts, here is "the list". Some may not apply, but there are many that really hit the mark! It's a bit long, but pretty funny - enjoy!

You know you are from Seattle when...
1. You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Enumclaw and Issaquah.
2. You consider swimming an indoor sport.
3. You keep snow chains in your trunk but they've never been used.
4. You see a person carrying an umbrella and know they must be a tourist.
5. Eating seafood isn't anything special.
6. Your lawn is mostly moss and you don't really care.
7. Your daily commute to work involves riding a ferry.
8. You know the difference between "showers followed by rain" and "rain followed by showers".
9. The sight of Mt. Rainier is still awe inspiring.
10. You're extremely picky about your coffee.
11. You yell at the TV if they pronounce the name of a city wrong or make an inaccurate Seattle reference on "Frasier" or "Grey's Anatomy."
12. You rarely wash your car because it's just going to get muddy again tomorrow.
13. You wouldn't dream of putting an air conditioner in your house.
14. You go to Eastern Washington to get some sun.
15. You can drive from your home to a lake, a river or the Puget Sound in 20 minutes or less.
16. You've seen or know someone who has seen Bigfoot.
17. You remember where you were on May 18th, 1980.
18. You get a terrible sunburn on the first really nice day of summer.
19. You look forward to SeaFair and all its related activities.
20. You take a heavy coat and a hat with you for a day at the beach.
21. You have learned to assume Christmas will be rainy, not white.
22. You've owned the same bathing suit for years because you never have a chance to wear it out.
23. You still can't believe the new Seahawks stadium is open air.
24. Your phone book contains a tide table.
25. You only visit the Space Needle if you need someplace to take out of town guests.
26. You or someone you know works at Boeing or Microsoft.
27. You "Do The Puyallup" every year.
28. You feel guilty throwing something away that could be recycled.
29. You use the word "sunbreak/sunburst" and know what it means.
30. You know more than 10 ways to order coffee.
31. You know more people who own boats than air conditioners.
32. You know the difference between Chinook, Coho and Sockeye salmon.
33. You never go camping without waterproof matches and a poncho.
34. You have no concept of humidity without precipitation.
35. You can point to at least 2 volcanoes even if you can't actually see them through the cloud cover.
36. You wear shorts when the temperature gets above 50 but still wear your hiking boots and parka.
37. You switch to your sandals at about 60 degrees but keep your socks on.
38. You have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain.
39. You buy new sunglasses every year because you've lost last years pair after such a long time not needing them.
40. You measure distance in hours.
41. You often switch from heat to a/c in your car in the same day.
42. You use a down comforter in the summer.
43. You carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them.
44. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit under a raincoat.
45. You choose your vacation spot according to the best latte stands.
46. You purchase a new car and the 'Northwest Package' includes a built in umbrella holder.
47. Your children don't get chicken pox; they get 'rust spots' instead.
48. When you think 'big hair', you think of Kent.
49. You can't make it two blocks without seeing a Starbucks.
50. When you hear people from Eastern WA say they're going to the coast, you assume they mean Ocean Shores.
51. You make reference to the new neighborhood going up down the street and people have to ask, "Which one?"
52. You can't believe that people in Spokane actually have yellow grass in the winter and green grass in the summer.
53. You know how to pronounce geoduck and know that it doesn't quack or have feathers.
54. You expect snow for Valentine's Day, not Christmas.
55. You get upset when a store doesn't carry your favorite brand of bottled water.
56. You can tell the difference between Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Korean and Thai food.
57. You can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best and Tully's.
58. It's not a real mountain unless it has snow and has erupted within the last 200 years.
59. You go to work in the dark and come home in the dark even though you only have an 8 hour workday.
60. You've ever stood alone on a deserted street corner in the rain.
61. You can tell its summer because the rain is warmer.
62. You know what a Frango is.
63. You think the "Middle East" is Ellensburg and the "Far East" is Spokane.
64. You realize no education is required to be a weatherman. Just predict, "Partly cloudy with a chance of rain."
65. You have an earthquake story, and so does everyone else you know.
66. You can identify seven different types of rain.
67. You can identify five different cities by smell alone.
68. You thing espresso was invented in Seattle, along with Starbucks.
69. You know what 'Sodo Mojo' is.
70. You can turn in any direction and be within a stones throw of an Indian-run casino.
71. You think summer starts in July and winter in September.
72. It's not a real windstorm until your lawn ornaments blow away.
73. You know exactly where Tom Hank's boathouse was in "Sleepless In Seattle".
74. You know who J.P. Patches is.
75. At least one of your neighbors has a hot tub they haven't used in over a year.
76. You know who really 'let the dogs out'.
77. You become frightened by the bright yellow orb in the sky until the 9-1-1 operator tells you it's just the sun.
78. You've used every setting on your intermittent wipers.
79. You know you better enjoy the snow the first day it falls before the rain washes it away.
80. You marvel when the autumn leaves stay on the trees for more than three days before the rain knocks them to the ground.
81. You can't imagine living through a tornado or hurricane but you secretly think earthquakes are kind of fun.
82. You give directions using the Puget Sound and Cascade mountains as points of reference.
83. You lose your sense of direction if you go east of the Cascade mountains.
84. You know at least 5 different ways to kill slugs.
85. You know at least 10 different recipes that call for blackberries.
86. You are not sure of the color of your house because of all of the rhododendron bushes planted in front of it.
87. You know the difference between a rhododendron and an azalea.
88. You know what a Dick's Deluxe is.
89. You or your family member live "in the woods".
90. You can endure 100 days of rain and wind but an inch of snow means school cancellations.
91. You consider an antique anything made before 1970.
92. You know someone whose house has been partially crushed by a tree.
93. You know the difference between an evergreen and a deciduous tree.
94. You don't know what a turnpike is and have never paid a toll to drive over a bridge.
95. You own a barbeque that has rusted.
96. You change your wiper blades more often than your oil.
97. Your idea of dancing is nodding your head vigorously.
98. You use your defogger and your AC at the same time.
99. You don't own anything made of wool.
100. When someone honks at you, you think they are trying to say "hi".
101. You get a least 5 e-mails a week from friends asking you to come see their band.
102. You know what a 9-inning lunch is.
103. You think you're working late if you stay past 3 pm.
104. You have more unemployed friends than friends who have jobs.
105. You prefer one mountain range to the other.

I think I can, I think I can...

I'm totally on the road to the Olympics!

Happy Birthday, Christina & Tamara!

These girls are two of my favorite people in the whole world. After a long history, including a lengthy stint as roommates, we have made great memories and shared lots of laughs. In honor of their shared birthday, I wanted to let everyone know how fabulous (and very different) they are.

Tamara is one smart girl, who actually enjoys math and faithfully balances her checkbook to the penny; I give her kudos for that love of numbers. She is also a wonderful, thoughtful friend. While living in the condo, we had many late-night conversations about the most random things. She is the crafty queen and has a flair for making cute cards, cozy pj’s and the best, soft sugar cookies ever! One of my favorite memories of Tam was when Christina & I took a road trip down to Logan, UT for the 4th of July. I didn’t know Tamara very well at that point, but after sleeping on her floor in 100+ heat, experiencing the apartment’s fog horn toilet and taking a refreshing swim at Bear Lake, we were friends for life! She is a very giving person and always makes everyone laugh – she can even laugh at herself, with delight. I won’t go into detail, but we made a hilarious video tape while hiking around Orcas Island... and Tamara suddenly disappeared from the screen while I was filming, which had us laughing for days. One word of warning: she is not fond of being called T-uh-meh-ra (phonetically-speaking). I love Tamara and I’m excited to see her become a wonderful mom in a few weeks.

Christina is an awesome woman and I have been fortunate to call her my friend for most of my adult life… even though our families go WAY back. Before we became roommates, she spent so much time at our apartment that we used to joke about putting a mattress in my walk-in closet for her. In those days, she was working in JC Penney’s Display team, where she did a great job arranging displays, dressing mannequins and making the store look amazing. During our 5th ward hey-days, she did this thing called “double dutch”, for which she will kill me for mentioning. She is super stylish, sassy and shares my love of punk music. In fact, we took a road trip to the gorge for Warped Tour; even though we were sunburned, sore and dehydrated, it was one of the best days! She is a closet H.O.R.S.E. champion… the basketball kind, at least. She enjoys the outdoors, but I think she'll agree that we've taken more than enough trips to the Ice Caves, though each time was memorable. Christina loves gummy bears more than I love chocolate – although, I don’t know how that is possible! She is always up for a fun challenge, whether it is going snowboarding when we had no clue how to do it, living in the dining room with cardboard walls or pushing our way through mosh pits at wild concerts. I love Christina - her kindness and constant support never cease to amaze me and I look forward to making many more memories with her.

Happy Birthday, Tam & Christina!

Somber

On a rainy, Saturday morning, we drove up 89 from Bountiful towards Salt Lake. As Dave’s Aunt Susan pulled into the driveway of the cemetery, I was still thinking about my aching body from a full day of skiing on Friday.

She slowly made her way around the narrow drive, winding down the hill which overlooks the temple and the rest of downtown SLC. Pointing out various headstones, she noted the sites of David O. McKay, Spencer W. Kimball, John Taylor, J. Golden Kimball and other notable church history leaders. I found myself looking for names that I recognized. I turned and looked out the rain-streaked window; the grey skies reminded me of Seattle, but the mood felt different. There was a lightness in the air and a stillness that felt very peaceful.

As she turned left and pulled alongside a large tree, she came to a stop. For a moment, I didn’t feel right about getting out of the car. But, then I eased the door open and walked up to a large, light-grey granite pillar. On the back was a small note on a black placard: “Extra granite from the Salt Lake Temple and LDS Conference Center.” Dave & I then walked around to the front of the 7-8’ monument and saw the word “HINCKLEY” etched in a simple, black Times Roman font. It was beautiful. We read the dates and looked at the flowers. As Dave pointed out a small cane that someone left in the ground, the reality of President Hinckley’s passing suddenly hit me: he is no longer here. An intense sadness washed over me, but as I looked back at Marjorie’s headstone, I began to smile… and that peaceful stillness returned.

Photo courtesy of Rich Legg

Night Intruder

On Friday, we had a young women’s slumber party where we learned different techniques for making baby quilts. Two of the Beehives & I yarn-tied a light pink, yellow & blue, alphabet-block quilt while one group tied a snowflake fleece quilt and another group worked on folding & pinning peaks. Although some were fixated on the movie, “She’s the Man”, everyone worked hard to get the six quilts finished. From what I heard, it was a wild, fun night and the leaders (and girls?) stayed up until 2:30am!

Unfortunately, because I have pretty severe allergies to cats & dogs, I could not stay the night. I left a little after 11pm; besides being exhausted from a long work day and the quilting extravaganza, the allergens were causing me to have shortness of breath, an itchy throat and general congestion.

As I parked the car in our garage and stumbled into the house, darkness welcomed me. Dave was fast asleep - he was leaving in the morning for a long day of snowshoeing and decided to get to bed early. Donned in my scrubs, I washed my face and started brushing my teeth when I heard a noise.

As a quick disclaimer, a few weeks ago we had a little scare. In the middle of the night, someone started pounding on our front door. I woke up Dave and we went to investigate. As I peered through the blinds, I saw a drunken guy that was beating on our door and turning the knob; he seemed intent to get inside. While Dave & I determined that this poor soul had probably mistaken our door for his friend’s, it was scary enough that we called the police. Three sheriff’s deputies arrived a short time later, but the man had suddenly disappeared into the night. After one of the deputies took our statement, we apologized for taking their time but they said it was good that we called.

(Fast forward to Friday night.) Standing in my pj’s with a pink toothbrush trembling in hand, those events from a few weeks ago flashed across my mind… and I freaked out. I’m usually OCD about checking the front door to make sure it’s locked. In my tired stupor, I had forgotten to check the door before coming upstairs (Alarm #1). I threw the toothbrush down and crept to our bedroom door, looked around the corner and saw a light come on downstairs (Alarm #2)! I heard some rustling downstairs and my heart started beating out of my chest (Alarm #3). Instead of waking my sweet, yet formidable husband and letting him leap to my rescue, -OR- grabbing Dave’s only weapon (a mountaineering ice-ax), -OR- ringing our friendly neighborhood policeman, I conjured up the scariest, guttural voice I could muster and yelped, “Go Away!”

Keep in mind; I was exhausted and not thinking straight. The average person would know better than call attention to oneself. Even more so, the average person would say something scarier than “Go Away!” But, I am not your average person; I think I was suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder… or general delirium.

As I paused, waiting for the intruder to run screaming from our house because of my raspy warning voice, I heard a familiar voice say something.

“Jon???”, I said.

My brother-in-law cautiously replied, “You don’t have a bat, do you?”

Suddenly, I felt very stupid. Suddenly, I remembered Dave saying that he had invited his brother to sleep over because they would be leaving early in the morning for their mountain adventure. Suddenly, I realized what had happened.

As I went down the stairs, I apologized profusely and my face turned a pretty shade of fuchsia. Taking the walk of utter embarrassment back to bed, I heard him say, “I’m really glad you guys don’t own a firearm!”

Twilight News

I just had to share this little tidbit of information. If you’ve read Twilight, you know quite well that book #4 will be rolling out soon. A couple of weeks ago the publishing house announced the official release date for the fourth installment of the Twilight series, Breaking Dawn, will be 12:01am August 2nd, 2008. From the news release, it sounds like it will be the FINAL book in that series; according to a VP at the publishing house, "Stephenie Meyer has written a dazzling grand finale to an epic love story.” Sounds like it will be another exciting read… 5 months will fly by, right?

Another piece of fun news is that “Twilight – The Movie” finally has a release date – December 12, 2008. Bella will be played by Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson (‘Cedric Diggory’ from Harry Potter films) has been cast as Edward. For more pictures and other cast information, click here… enjoy!



2008 looks to be a good year for Twilight fans!

The Evolution of Friendship

“We cannot tell the exact moment a friendship is formed; as in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one that makes the heart run over. - Unknown”

When I was a kid, we moved a lot and I had a hard time making friends. After we settled into one town for a few years, Sammy & I became friends. A beautiful, blonde and carefree girl, she was the ‘sassy & popular’ to my ‘shy & sweet’. Her mom was the coolest mom on the block, her huge German shepherd named Kong scared me to death and her huge, cabin-like house amazed me. Geared with a plastic flower basket, my yellow, banana-seated Schwinn would get me to her house in 3 minutes flat. In my book, she received the superlative designation of “best friend”.

Spending every waking moment together is the duty of a best friend (or at least it was at the age of 8). We spent hours taking rides on her dad’s snowmobile, running through the fields next to her house, curling each other’s hair and dressing alike for annual school picture day. There were other girls that I called my friends: Katy, Shawnie and JoJo would meet up with us at school to play jump rope games and chase the boys in the playground. They were fun, but Sammy & I were best friends. In my childhood naiveté, I thought that label could only be conferred to one person.

Fortunately, I have grown up a little since those days. While the term “best” is rather nebulous, it’s possible to have many close friends. In hindsight, it amazes me to see the way these powerful relationships have developed and evolved in my life. Some were the result of chance, such as my freshman roommate who was randomly assigned by some committee of dorm leaders. One was a co-worker who turned out to be my long, lost twin. Others have come from introductions by mutual friends. One was the result of a visiting teaching assignment – if not for that, I would never have known her. At times, I think, “How did I ever get along without ____?”

I guess what I’m trying to say, in a rather rambling manner, is that I am grateful for each of my friends. Although I sometimes wonder how I deserve the association of such remarkable women, I love the blessing of having a wide circle because each interaction blesses my life in distinctive ways. My only hope is that I am returning the favor.

"Pay It Forward" Challenge

A new couple in our ward, who had only been here for a few weeks, were assigned to talk in church today. As the young woman approached the podium, she announced that she would be speaking on charity. As I sat in the pew, I was expecting the usual "Charity Never Faileth" talk, interspersed with some topical scriptures and quotes. While those normal elements were present, she also brought up a movie called "Pay It Forward." I'm not sure how many have seen it; it is a bit sweet and sad, but not one of my all time favorite films. However, the overriding theme of the movie has a beautiful message about service. As I listened to the rest of the talk, I started to ponder on the various ways that I have expressed charity to those around me... and how I could do better.

Tonight, I was scanning through the various blogs of my friends and family, which I visit on a regular basis. One of my friends, Mindy, posted about a "Pay it Forward" game and I thought it sounded like a nice opportunity. The game actually reminded me of Fun Mail, and I've been meaning to get some packages together, so this is a handy way to "kill two birds with one stone".

So, here is the scoop (aka - The Rules): "The first three people to comment on this post will receive a little gift from me sometime within the next 365 days. Who knows when it will turn up, or what it will be, but rest assured, it will arrive. All you have to do is promise to make the same declaration on your blog, and send out gifts to three of your lovely readers. It's as easy as that!"

So, if you'd like to participate - please do! But even if you don't want to take part in the game, I challenge you to look for opportunities to serve each other - I'm making this my personal goal for the next few weeks. And, it can be as simple as smiling at a stranger, yielding to someone in traffic, delivering treats to a friend, or talking to someone that seems sad or lonely. While the recipient of your service will feel your love, you will benefit even more from those little moments as you grow closer to the Savior.

Now & Then

On Sunday, we had New Beginnings in our ward. As the Beehive counselor, I was asked to do a brief presentation (a humorous talk-show style), where I learned that the girls have to complete six small goals and one 10-hour project for each of the seven values; this equates to 49 goals during their time in Young Womens. I'm relatively new to the calling and still learning about the current program (the one I went through was much different).

In browsing some informational sites, I found this little gem on Sugardoodle.net and I just had to share it. Any girl that can grow a dainty privacy garden around their outhouse, knows the weak points of a hen and can destroy at least 25 flies in one day is well-deserving of some major recognition, in my humble opinion. Of the 20 listed, I'm wondering how many, if any, we could do today.

1916 Beehive Requirements

In 1916, every female over fourteen was a Beehive girl until she entered the Relief Society; there were no Mia Maids, Gleaners, or Laurels. The following are 20 out of the 373 requirements possible for a Beehive girl to earn her awards:

1. Care successfully for a hive of bees for one season and know their habits.
2. Give the distinguishing characteristics of six varieties of hen and cattle and tell the good and weak points of each.
3. Exterminate the mosquitoes over an area of 1/2 mile square by pouring a little kerosene on the surface of all standing pools of water twice each month during April, May, and June.
4. Make two articles of underwear by hand.
5. Cover 25 miles in snowshoes on any six days.
6. Learn to float in Great Salt Lake and propel yourself 50 feet.
7. During three consecutive months, abstain from candy, ice cream, commercially manufactures beverages, and chewing gum.
8. For one month, masticate your food so thoroughly that it slips down without any visible effort at swallowing it.
9. Successfully put a new washer on a faucet.
10. Care for at least two kerosene lamps daily.
11. For three months, take care of milk and cream from at least one cow and see that the pails, pans, strainer, and separator are thoroughly cleansed.
12. During two weeks, keep the house free from flies or destroy at least 25 flies daily.
13. Have your toilet moved to an isolated place in the garden. Have a frame of chicken wire built about three feet away and plant quick-growing vines such as cucumber or morning glories to screen it from observation.
14. Whitewash your toilet inside and out.
15. Know and describe three cries of a baby.
16. Without help or advice, care for and harness a team at least five times; drive them 50 miles during one season.
17. During two summer months, clean ice chest thoroughly twice a week.
18. Discover ten reasons why the Columbine should be the national flower.
19. Clear sagebrush off of one half acre of land.
20. Know six blazes used by the Indians.
-June Conference; Beehive Dept., 1969

I'll Be Two Steps Behind

Admit it – some of you are humming that familiar 90’s tune after reading the title. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you feel about metal), this post is not a nod to the popular Def Leppard song, but rather an apt description of my latest adventure in the wild world of kick-boxing (cardio-style).

While I thoroughly enjoy an intense cardiovascular workout as much as the next person, Tuesday was a challenge. I was dead tired after work and dreading the idea of exerting the last bit of my energy stores; a nap sounded like a much better option. Overcoming those thoughts of fatigue, I steered my car in the direction of the large, GloboGym-like gym structure, grabbed my bag and ran through a heavy rain towards the large, glass doors.

As fate would have it, I got to the gym a bit later than planned. As I walked out of the women’s locker room, rows of stationary bikes, elliptical trainers, stair steppers and treadmills were filled to capacity. This afternoon phenomenon is the result of heavy January sales/marketing and New Year’s Resolutions that are still on track. I strolled to the back, desperately seeking any cardio machine and – Eureka! – there was one treadmill open and… it was out of order. That little tired part of me started saying – “Go home! You can still catch Oprah and work with your 8lb weights.” But I thought, who am I kidding? If I go home, I’ll just collapse from sheer exhaustion. Besides, I was geared up with Dri-Fit, shoes & a fabulous no-slip headband; there just had to be another option.

My eyes scanned the room until stopping at the group fitness room; sure enough, a class was underway: Cardio Kick-Boxing – the class that kicks you back.

In the last few months, I have come to enjoy the wide variety of classes offered at our gym: pilates, yoga, spinning, core strengthening, etc. However, I absolutely hate going in late. Besides the fact that you’ve missed the warm-ups, you’re usually in the front room, next to the teacher and the large mirrors… and everyone is behind you. A long time ago, I was a ballet-dancing, gymnastics-flipping genius (sort of). Unfortunately, in the span of years since those days, I seem to have lost my sweet coordination skills. With some effort, I can usually figure out the sequences/moves in the various aerobics classes I’ve done – it just takes me some time and by then they’ve moved to a new set. And for that reason, I’d rather not display my unique (read: wrong) moves in front of the entire class.

Quick disclaimer: I did not go into this blind. I have done cardio kick-boxing before at another gym; the teacher was awesome, the class was a great workout and most importantly, I knew the routine. Nonetheless, with all of that being said, you probably know where I’m going.

With my blue water bottle and towel in hand, I confidently pulled open the door and mentally prepared for an hour of uncoordinated, embarrassing kicks, punches, squats and other gyrations. Although I was late, I quickly discovered two great things about this class: 1) the lights were dimmed (though disco-colored strobe lights flashed throughout the class) and, 2) there was a small corner available in the back! Even though it was a new teacher with new routines, I thoroughly enjoyed my “two-steps-behind” moves in the darkened room… and eventually I got it.

"Wedded Bliss" Tag

So, Sara just tagged me with a slew of very pressing questions about married life. I know people have mixed feelings about tagging, so I’m going to leave the tag invitation wide open. If you are reading this and feel so inclined to share your nitty-gritty details, please proceed. If not, I hope you enjoy the minutia of our life.

• How long have you been together? It seems much longer (in a good way), but it’s only been 26 months.
• How long did you date? Our first date was March 2004, but we didn’t start dating exclusively until December of that year.
• How old is he? A few days shy of 33.
• Who eats more? When we first got married, I tried to keep pace with him. However, I was not pleased with my growing waistline, so I’ve opted for smaller portions.
• Who said "I love you" first? Him. I wanted to for a while but I was chicken.
• Who is taller? He’s 6’3”… and I’m not.
• Who sings better? He would say me, but you have to see his talent show video to be the judge. He sang lead in a band with some friends, and I think he did a great job (especially considering the fact that he was playing lead guitar too)!
• Who is smarter? That’s a toss-up; he has a juris doctorate and I have a master’s. I think we are smart in different ways.
• Who does the laundry? Whoever gets to it first – though much of the time, that’s him because he can do a load before leaving for work (he goes in later than me).
• Who does the dishes? That’s his job, but I help when I’ve been a bit gourmet for the meal (use 10 different pans/dishes).
• Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does.
• Who pays the bills? We do the budget and bill-paying together at the beginning of each month; if that’s not family togetherness, I don’t know what is!
• Who mows the lawn? The company hired by the home owner’s association.
• Who cooks dinner? Me – it’s my way of de-stressing from the day.
• Who is more stubborn? We both have stubborn streaks, so depends on the day.
• Who kissed who first? He kissed me the day after we went to the Figgy Pudding Caroling Competition… kind of random, huh?
• Who asked who out? Neither!! Our friend, James, told me he needed another couple to double with, so he decided he would set us up on a blind date.
• Who proposed? He did, after a rather emotional break-up the month previous… it’s a pretty good story.
• Who is more sensitive? Hmm – that’s a toss up.
• Who has more friends? According to my brother, I keep in touch with every single person I’ve ever known. While this is a bit of exaggeration, I do stay in contact with a fair number of old (and new) friends though Dave’s has a good number too.
• Who has more siblings? I do – 5.
• Who wears the pants in the relationship? It’s a group effort.
• Who are you tagging? Anyone who feels so inclined.

What Do You Love?

I have to make a confession – I love making lists. To-do lists help me get through the day without forgetting to do the basics. Random notes on the best place to eat, see a show or get a massage are floating somewhere on my desk. Whether it’s in preparation for a trip to the grocery store or across the country, a pen comes out and the papers fly. If this makes me a bit obsessive-compulsive, so be it. I relish the process of organizing, listing, alphabetizing and categorizing, which are all vital traits for a card-carrying librarian. So, that’s that – the secret’s out.

After a day filled with annual reviews, reports and projects due, a list-making moment hit. In light of the upcoming V-Day, I started making a list in my head of random things that I absolutely adore. Feel free to read on, replicate or simply ignore - the choice is yours... oh, and can someone please tell me that I'm not the only closet list-maker out here!

• A clean home
• Blustery, overcast days
• Crazy, fun family
• Dinner train stories
• Executing a perfect back-hand, cross-court shot
• Falling asleep while reading a great book
• Granny Smith apples – tart, yet tasty
• Hugs from a loving husband
• I-pods: proof that good things come in small packages
• Jasmine – the Confederate variety smells exquisite in the summer
• Kind words and thoughtful deeds
• Laughing out loud
• Mounds of chocolate
• New nieces & nephews
• Oceans & other large bodies of water
• Peachie-O’s in all of their gummy goodness
• Quiddler because word games rock
• Red doors
• Skiing and snowshoeing
• Talking on the phone to a friend
• Umbrellas – black with white polka dots is a favorite
• Vistas of panoramic, reverent beauty
• Working out to good tunes
• XX (chromosomes) – a bit of a stretch, but makes me who I am
• Yarn, from which I can make cozy scarves
• Zoos – animals are cool

Skiing Pics & Shorts

Here is a short video clip of Dave doing "his thing" up at Stevens Pass.

And below, Jon hits the slopes too.

The Big #10

After our snowshoeing adventure last week, we quickly headed to my niece's big birthday celebration at 3,2,1 - Bounce! in Mukilteo. Similar to Jump Planet and Pump It Up, the party locale was a large room found in a inconspicuous, industrial warehouse. Once you walk in the door, you are surrounded by an array of bright red, blue, & yellow blow-up jungle gyms, slides, jousting arenas, relays, mazes and dodgeball courts. If you frequent small-town carnivals or festivals, you are probably familiar with these unique, colorful urban playlands.

My sister rented the entire place for the big party and about 30 people (kids and adults, alike) were sliding, swishing and dodging together. Because of our previous activity, we arrived a bit late so we were only able to toss a few baskets, chat and take a quick run on some of the inflated play areas.

One of the larger toys involves an Eliminator-type of contraption; you will only be able to understand this term if you have watched American Gladiators - and as you can tell, I must sheepishly admit I have tuned in! It is set up so that two people can start at the opening portal and race through various challenges throughout the maze of inflated plastic. As play time was quickly coming to a close, I helped my 2-year-old nephew navigate up a small plastic obstacle, squeeze through narrow "rolling-pin" pillars, scamper up a 12-foot, plastic climbing wall and slide down an enormous slide; he finished way before me, of course!

The next phase involved moving into the equally-colorful party room. People feasted on large slabs of Papa John's, while their cups ran over with soda from the self-service dispenser. As we sang the traditional birthday salutation, our little nephew was not swayed by the temptations of pizza, merriment or balloons - he simply wanted more bounce time! Unfortunately, another party had moved in to the play area, and he was restricted from the bouncing fun - oh, the injustice. Fortunately, when the fluffy cake finally arrived on the scene, a serious sweet tooth calmed his anxiety and he devored the luscious layers of chocolately-goodness with pure, unbridled delight.

Although very tired, we decided to stay for the last phase: The Grand "Opening of Presents" Bonanza. As the food area was being cleared, we were ushered in to the gift opening nook, which was an area slightly larger than a walk-in closet. Silly string and wrapping paper flew through the air as she tore into each colorful package. After she ripped open our gift, earrings and a personal fondue pot (cooked by votive-candle heat), we bid our goodbyes so we could speed home and utterly collapse... what a glorious, busy day!

Take Two (aka: A Happy Ending)

Much to our chagrin Thursday was a bust with skiing… so of course, we decided to try again. In an effort not to bore, I will spare the intricate details; basically, Friday was a carbon copy of the previous day’s events (with the addition of Dave’s mom, sister & nephew). However, right before we were going to turn the cars around, traffic started slogging forward around 11:30. Miraculously, we made it up to Steven’s around noon and had a good three hours of skiing before we had to take off. The snow, which fell throughout the day, was plentiful but a bit heavy.

Dave’s nephew, who just turned three, was adorable in a camouflage snowsuit and orange goggles (courtesy of some kind friends). Although well-outfitted for the snow day, I would bet skiing was not his favorite activity of the day. He was content to rid himself of the long things attached to his feet, go back to the lodge and build a “no-man”. I think it’s safe to say everyone was just happy we made it there, we were out of the car and able to breathe a little mountain air!