Well it is long past due for an update on our little family! it will have to be quick, as Audrey doesn't like it when my attention isn't fully on her and she doesn't have the use of at least one of my hands...
We are doing very well, getting along just fine. We enjoyed Christmas in sunny Arizona this past week. We had a very good Christmas, very glad to be among friends and relatives. I feel like we got to visit so few of all of you! If you didn't get to see us, don't take it personally- we still love you! We hardly had enough time for our immediate families to fawn over their new and only grandbaby! I have a few pictures of our trip down I will upload and post soon. More details to follow!
Thomas is enjoying a break off school, and is just working since our return from Arizona. Shoe business is going well, not quite as well as we thought it would be in Rexburg, but Thomas is still managing to do quite well for himself. Audrey is doing so good, she is healthy and happy and getting so big! She loves toys and her knees. And drooling... seems like it was an overnight thing- one day she was fine the next she was a drool factory! I can't believe it has been 3 months already! I am doing just fine- happy to be a wife and mother and enjoying the break from accompanying. I plan to resume when the semester starts again.
Well, the real world calls- aka the child laying on the floor being distracted from her fussing by the lamp I just turned on. Love to all- and Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath
I'm glad to see that the font changing button is back. My parents gave me this book for Christmas. I'm really excited about it- I had read my Dad's note on his Facebook about his strengths and it looked interesting. At first I thought it was just some list of questions that I would answer, read my results, say "oh, well that's very interesting" and then skulk away from it and never think about it again. However as I read the opening chapter of the book and took the quiz and read my results, I realized the creators of this book intended for this to be much more than just a fun little quiz for people to take. I realize this is intended as a growth aid for people. I only just completed my strengths a couple hours ago, but I am excited to learn more about them and how I can better myself by knowing them. Some of them were a little different than I expected. I'm going to put what my strengths are according to this quiz and what they mean.
My strengths are:
Responsibility
People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership
of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and
loyalty.
Driven by your talents, you prepare for assignments by reading extensively. Your capacity for
pulling together information from books, publications, correspondence, notes, or Internet sites
serves you well. As a result, you often avoid feelings of self-reproach -- that is, blaming
yourself for not knowing something you should have known. Instinctively, you may feel
pleased with yourself and life in general when you do certain tasks correctly or behave in
accordance with your core values. Chances are good that you sometimes work hard to do
what you said you would do. Perhaps you take pleasure from hearing people say they can
count on you. Being regarded as dependable or trustworthy might be your badge of honor. By
nature, you sometimes ponder what you could do better. You may find some new ways to
deliver on the commitments you have made to certain individuals. Perhaps keeping promises
is one way you might enhance the quality of your work. It’s very likely that you try to finish
the tasks you agreed to do. Perhaps you even overcome some unexpected problems.
Occasionally you work longer hours when it is necessary. Maybe you do whatever you can to
avoid breaking the promises you made to people.
Connectedness
People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links
between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.
By nature, you may be fascinated by news reports that promise to improve the quality of life
for the entire human family. Perhaps this information makes you feel a bit more optimistic
about the world's future. Chances are good that you enter contests simply to have fun. In the
process, you often find yourself part of something much larger such as building team spirit or
raising funds for a worthy cause. This sense of being linked to other people means a lot more
to you than finishing first or claiming an award. Because of your strengths, you might feel a
special bond with people who lived in the past as well as those living in the present.
Occasionally you examine historic records, research genealogy, visit prominent sites, or view
museum artifacts. Perhaps doing these things in the company of like-minded people delights
you. It’s very likely that you sometimes work long and hard to enhance humankind's quality
of life. Perhaps you realize any improvements you make for individuals or groups somehow
benefit you. Maybe you accept the fact that you must rely on other people to reach your
goals. Instinctively, you hold tightly to your core values. They form the foundation of your
day-to-day existence. Your internal moral compass always points in the direction of what is
right, proper, and true. You trust your strong convictions to direct you to the right path,
regardless of the obstacles you face.
Intellection
People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their
intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
By nature, you may gain the advantage by using difficult-to-understand words in your speech
or writing. To some extent, this forces certain people to ask questions. When they must
depend on you for answers, perhaps you become an authority figure. Possibly much
preparation goes into your examination of the subject prior to these interactions. Because you
realize knowledge is power, you might be inclined to delve into specific topics for the sole
purpose of making discoveries or acquiring new information. Chances are good that you
frequently collect as much information as you can by reading about the topics to be discussed
at group gatherings. This is your forte -- that is, strong point. Undoubtedly, there are
individuals who routinely rely on you to do all the homework -- that is, the preparatory
reading and research -- so they do not have to worry about it. Instinctively, you have a rich
vocabulary upon which to draw. The words you choose often expand and challenge your
listeners' or readers' thinking. Driven by your talents, you occasionally wade into the middle
of certain thought-provoking conversations. Perhaps you speak theoretically -- that is, talk
about things that have not been invented, proved, produced, or put into practice. Parts of your vocabulary may be as complicated as your thinking. This might explain why you consider at length specific insights, concepts, or philosophies. Maybe you prefer talking with individuals
who instantly grasp the meaning of your sophisticated words. Because of your strengths, you
might accept the challenge of understanding the detailed workings of complicated processes,
mechanisms, or plans. To some extent, you enjoy examining mechanisms, processes, ideas, or
regulations in detail. Perhaps you can picture in your mind how all of the pieces or steps link
together.
Developer
People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the
potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction
from these improvements.
By nature, you might be able to tune in to the mood of your group or interpret the emotions
that certain members of the team are experiencing. Instinctively, you may enjoy teamwork
because you can occasionally share your ideas or experiences with others. Sometimes you
gain fresh perspectives or refine your thinking when you process your thoughts out loud to
the group. Chances are good that you may devote yourself to helping others -- sometimes
even to your own detriment. Perhaps you expect little or nothing in return. Toiling with
friends on worthy causes might enable you to overcome certain kinds of physical or mental
exhaustion. Driven by your talents, you may sense a person's emotional state at a given
moment. Perhaps you can tune in to another's feelings, thoughts, or needs. Sometimes you
gain valuable insights. Periodically these discoveries prompt you to acknowledge what
certain individuals have done well. To some degree, you pay attention to the minor, not just
the major, progress someone makes. Now and then, you might accelerate an person's growth
as a human being or as a professional. Because of your strengths, you realize the wealth you
accumulate means little to you when you are not surrounded by a delightful and diverse mix
of people. You relish differences and would be ill at ease -- that is, feel anxious -- if forced to
remain only in the company of people who are very much like yourself.
Discipline
People who are especially talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their
world is best described by the order they create.
Instinctively, you now and then create daily rituals or repetitious patterns of behavior to make
progress. Perhaps these familiar procedures allow you to sequence the steps of certain
projects, programs, or processes. Maybe you want to do some things in an orderly or efficient
manner. Because of your strengths, you periodically savor opportunities to make your
surroundings neat, orderly, or spotless. When your home, office, classroom, or files are tidy,
perhaps you are more efficient, relaxed, or satisfied with your life. Sometimes clutter distracts
you. Sometimes chaos frustrates you. By nature, you occasionally feel comfortable with your
work, your studies, or your life in general. By establishing reliable patterns of behavior,
perhaps you can handle certain kinds of recurring tasks. Knowing how you will do something
from one day or week or month to the next may boost your sense of confidence or security.
You sometimes concentrate on eliminating surprises or increasing predictability. This might
explain why you create some systems or rules to bring structure and order to specific areas of
your personal or professional existence. Driven by your talents, you sometimes have fun
setting up routines for yourself and your students or the people you mentor. Perhaps you
provide structure for individuals who struggle to stay organized. You may feel your efforts
are rewarded when you make it easier for someone to grasp a concept or master a skill.
Chances are good that you sometimes monitor progress and adjust your plans for the coming
months, years, or decades. Perhaps you expect the unexpected. You might prepare for the
future by taking time to think about it. You may be a flexible rather than rigid organizer.
Some people might admire your ability to reach long-term objectives with apparent ease.
My strengths are:
Responsibility
People who are especially talented in the Responsibility theme take psychological ownership
of what they say they will do. They are committed to stable values such as honesty and
loyalty.
Driven by your talents, you prepare for assignments by reading extensively. Your capacity for
pulling together information from books, publications, correspondence, notes, or Internet sites
serves you well. As a result, you often avoid feelings of self-reproach -- that is, blaming
yourself for not knowing something you should have known. Instinctively, you may feel
pleased with yourself and life in general when you do certain tasks correctly or behave in
accordance with your core values. Chances are good that you sometimes work hard to do
what you said you would do. Perhaps you take pleasure from hearing people say they can
count on you. Being regarded as dependable or trustworthy might be your badge of honor. By
nature, you sometimes ponder what you could do better. You may find some new ways to
deliver on the commitments you have made to certain individuals. Perhaps keeping promises
is one way you might enhance the quality of your work. It’s very likely that you try to finish
the tasks you agreed to do. Perhaps you even overcome some unexpected problems.
Occasionally you work longer hours when it is necessary. Maybe you do whatever you can to
avoid breaking the promises you made to people.
Connectedness
People who are especially talented in the Connectedness theme have faith in the links
between all things. They believe there are few coincidences and that almost every event has a reason.
By nature, you may be fascinated by news reports that promise to improve the quality of life
for the entire human family. Perhaps this information makes you feel a bit more optimistic
about the world's future. Chances are good that you enter contests simply to have fun. In the
process, you often find yourself part of something much larger such as building team spirit or
raising funds for a worthy cause. This sense of being linked to other people means a lot more
to you than finishing first or claiming an award. Because of your strengths, you might feel a
special bond with people who lived in the past as well as those living in the present.
Occasionally you examine historic records, research genealogy, visit prominent sites, or view
museum artifacts. Perhaps doing these things in the company of like-minded people delights
you. It’s very likely that you sometimes work long and hard to enhance humankind's quality
of life. Perhaps you realize any improvements you make for individuals or groups somehow
benefit you. Maybe you accept the fact that you must rely on other people to reach your
goals. Instinctively, you hold tightly to your core values. They form the foundation of your
day-to-day existence. Your internal moral compass always points in the direction of what is
right, proper, and true. You trust your strong convictions to direct you to the right path,
regardless of the obstacles you face.
Intellection
People who are especially talented in the Intellection theme are characterized by their
intellectual activity. They are introspective and appreciate intellectual discussions.
By nature, you may gain the advantage by using difficult-to-understand words in your speech
or writing. To some extent, this forces certain people to ask questions. When they must
depend on you for answers, perhaps you become an authority figure. Possibly much
preparation goes into your examination of the subject prior to these interactions. Because you
realize knowledge is power, you might be inclined to delve into specific topics for the sole
purpose of making discoveries or acquiring new information. Chances are good that you
frequently collect as much information as you can by reading about the topics to be discussed
at group gatherings. This is your forte -- that is, strong point. Undoubtedly, there are
individuals who routinely rely on you to do all the homework -- that is, the preparatory
reading and research -- so they do not have to worry about it. Instinctively, you have a rich
vocabulary upon which to draw. The words you choose often expand and challenge your
listeners' or readers' thinking. Driven by your talents, you occasionally wade into the middle
of certain thought-provoking conversations. Perhaps you speak theoretically -- that is, talk
about things that have not been invented, proved, produced, or put into practice. Parts of your vocabulary may be as complicated as your thinking. This might explain why you consider at length specific insights, concepts, or philosophies. Maybe you prefer talking with individuals
who instantly grasp the meaning of your sophisticated words. Because of your strengths, you
might accept the challenge of understanding the detailed workings of complicated processes,
mechanisms, or plans. To some extent, you enjoy examining mechanisms, processes, ideas, or
regulations in detail. Perhaps you can picture in your mind how all of the pieces or steps link
together.
Developer
People who are especially talented in the Developer theme recognize and cultivate the
potential in others. They spot the signs of each small improvement and derive satisfaction
from these improvements.
By nature, you might be able to tune in to the mood of your group or interpret the emotions
that certain members of the team are experiencing. Instinctively, you may enjoy teamwork
because you can occasionally share your ideas or experiences with others. Sometimes you
gain fresh perspectives or refine your thinking when you process your thoughts out loud to
the group. Chances are good that you may devote yourself to helping others -- sometimes
even to your own detriment. Perhaps you expect little or nothing in return. Toiling with
friends on worthy causes might enable you to overcome certain kinds of physical or mental
exhaustion. Driven by your talents, you may sense a person's emotional state at a given
moment. Perhaps you can tune in to another's feelings, thoughts, or needs. Sometimes you
gain valuable insights. Periodically these discoveries prompt you to acknowledge what
certain individuals have done well. To some degree, you pay attention to the minor, not just
the major, progress someone makes. Now and then, you might accelerate an person's growth
as a human being or as a professional. Because of your strengths, you realize the wealth you
accumulate means little to you when you are not surrounded by a delightful and diverse mix
of people. You relish differences and would be ill at ease -- that is, feel anxious -- if forced to
remain only in the company of people who are very much like yourself.
Discipline
People who are especially talented in the Discipline theme enjoy routine and structure. Their
world is best described by the order they create.
Instinctively, you now and then create daily rituals or repetitious patterns of behavior to make
progress. Perhaps these familiar procedures allow you to sequence the steps of certain
projects, programs, or processes. Maybe you want to do some things in an orderly or efficient
manner. Because of your strengths, you periodically savor opportunities to make your
surroundings neat, orderly, or spotless. When your home, office, classroom, or files are tidy,
perhaps you are more efficient, relaxed, or satisfied with your life. Sometimes clutter distracts
you. Sometimes chaos frustrates you. By nature, you occasionally feel comfortable with your
work, your studies, or your life in general. By establishing reliable patterns of behavior,
perhaps you can handle certain kinds of recurring tasks. Knowing how you will do something
from one day or week or month to the next may boost your sense of confidence or security.
You sometimes concentrate on eliminating surprises or increasing predictability. This might
explain why you create some systems or rules to bring structure and order to specific areas of
your personal or professional existence. Driven by your talents, you sometimes have fun
setting up routines for yourself and your students or the people you mentor. Perhaps you
provide structure for individuals who struggle to stay organized. You may feel your efforts
are rewarded when you make it easier for someone to grasp a concept or master a skill.
Chances are good that you sometimes monitor progress and adjust your plans for the coming
months, years, or decades. Perhaps you expect the unexpected. You might prepare for the
future by taking time to think about it. You may be a flexible rather than rigid organizer.
Some people might admire your ability to reach long-term objectives with apparent ease.
Stolen again...
Again, I stole this from Lali's Facebook. It amused me, and I could do it one-handed. Apparently it means I have a life- however it is not specified what kind of life... At least it made me feel good about the movies I have actually seen. No seriously I love my life! However I am slightly distressed it will not let me change the font on this.
Here goes.
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own Facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.
( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 5
(x) The Princess Bride
( ) Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 9
( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 9
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 14
(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 20
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
( ) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 22
(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving x-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 25
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 26
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
( ) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 27
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremacy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
(x) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(x) Curious George
Total so far: 35
(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss's Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 38
( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
( ) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( ) The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 42
(x) x-Men
(x) x-2
( ) x-3
(x) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 51
( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 54
(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 60
( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devil's Rejects
(x) Elf
( ) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History x
( ) Three
Total so Far: 62
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 65
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
Total so far: 67
( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 67
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 72
(x) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
( ) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Grand Total: 73
Here goes.
SUPPOSEDLY if you've seen over 85 films, you have no life. Mark the ones you've seen. There are 239 films on this list. Copy this list, go to your own Facebook account, paste this as a note. Then, put x's next to the films you've seen, add them up, change the header adding your number, and click post at the bottom. Have fun.
( ) Rocky Horror Picture Show
(x) Grease
(x) Pirates of the Caribbean
( ) Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest
( ) Boondock Saints
( ) Fight Club
( ) Starsky and Hutch
(x) Neverending Story
(x) Blazing Saddles
(x) Airplane
Total: 5
(x) The Princess Bride
( ) Anchorman
(x) Napoleon Dynamite
(x) Labyrinth
( ) Saw
( ) Saw II
( ) White Noise
( ) White Oleander
( ) Anger Management
( ) 50 First Dates
(x) The Princess Diaries
( ) The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Total so far: 9
( ) Scream
( ) Scream 2
( ) Scream 3
( ) Scary Movie
( ) Scary Movie 3
( ) Scary Movie 4
( ) American Pie
( ) American Pie 2
( ) American Wedding
( ) American Pie Band Camp
Total so far: 9
(x) Harry Potter 1
(x) Harry Potter 2
(x) Harry Potter 3
( ) Harry Potter 4
( ) Resident Evil 1
( ) Resident Evil 2
( ) The Wedding Singer
( ) Little Black Book
(x) The Village
(x) Lilo & Stitch
Total so far: 14
(x) Finding Nemo
(x) Finding Neverland
(x) Signs
(x) The Grinch
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre
( ) Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
( ) White Chicks
( ) Butterfly Effect
(x) 13 Going on 30
(x) I, Robot
( ) Robots
Total so far: 20
( ) Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
( ) Universal Soldier
(x) Lemony Snicket: A Series Of Unfortunate Events
( ) Along Came Polly
( ) Deep Impact
( ) KingPin
(x) Never Been Kissed
( ) Meet The Parents
( ) Meet the Fockers
( ) Eight Crazy Nights
( ) Joe Dirt
( ) KING KONG
Total so far: 22
(x) A Cinderella Story
(x) The Terminal
( ) The Lizzie McGuire Movie
( ) Passport to Paris
( ) Dumb & Dumber
( ) Dumber & Dumberer
( ) Final Destination
( ) Final Destination 2
( ) Final Destination 3
( ) Halloween
( ) The Ring
( ) The Ring 2
( ) Surviving x-MAS
(x) Flubber
Total so far: 25
( ) Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle
( ) Practical Magic
( ) Chicago
( ) Ghost Ship
( ) From Hell
( ) Hellboy
(x) Secret Window
( ) I Am Sam
( ) The Whole Nine Yards
( ) The Whole Ten Yards
Total so far: 26
( ) The Day After Tomorrow
( ) Child's Play
( ) Seed of Chucky
( ) Bride of Chucky
( ) Ten Things I Hate About You
( ) Just Married
( ) Gothika
( ) Nightmare on Elm Street
( ) Sixteen Candles
(x) Remember the Titans
( ) Coach Carter
( ) The Grudge
( ) The Grudge 2
( ) The Mask
( ) Son Of The Mask
Total so far: 27
( ) Bad Boys
( ) Bad Boys 2
( ) Joy Ride
( ) Lucky Number Slevin
(x) Ocean's Eleven
(x) Ocean's Twelve
(x) Bourne Identity
(x) Bourne Supremacy
( ) Lone Star
( ) Bedazzled
( ) Predator I
( ) Predator II
(x) The Fog
(x) Ice Age
(x) Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
(x) Curious George
Total so far: 35
(x) Independence Day
( ) Cujo
( ) A Bronx Tale
( ) Darkness Falls
( ) Christine
(x) ET
( ) Children of the Corn
( ) My Boss's Daughter
(x) Maid in Manhattan
( ) War of the Worlds
( ) Rush Hour
( ) Rush Hour 2
Total so far: 38
( ) Best Bet
(x) How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
( ) She's All That
( ) Calendar Girls
( ) Sideways
(x) Mars Attacks
( ) Event Horizon
(x) Ever After
(x) Wizard of Oz
( ) Forrest Gump
( ) Big Trouble in Little China
( ) The Terminator
( ) The Terminator 2
( ) The Terminator 3
Total so far: 42
(x) x-Men
(x) x-2
( ) x-3
(x) Spider-Man
( ) Spider-Man 2
(x) Sky High
( ) Jeepers Creepers
( ) Jeepers Creepers 2
( ) Catch Me If You Can
(x) The Little Mermaid
(x) Freaky Friday
( ) Reign of Fire
(x) The Skulls
( ) Cruel Intentions
( ) Cruel Intentions 2
( ) The Hot Chick
(x) Shrek
(x) Shrek 2
Total so far: 51
( ) Swimfan
(x) Miracle on 34th street
( ) Old School
( ) The Notebook
( ) K-Pax
( ) Krippendorf's Tribe
(x) A Walk to Remember
(x) Ice Castles
( ) Boogeyman
( ) The 40-year-old Virgin
Total so far: 54
(x) Lord of the Rings Fellowship of the Ring
(x) Lord of the Rings The Two Towers
(x) Lord of the Rings Return Of the King
(x) Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark
(x) Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
(x) Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Total so far: 60
( ) Baseketball
( ) Hostel
( ) Waiting for Guffman
( ) House of 1000 Corpses
( ) Devil's Rejects
(x) Elf
( ) Highlander
(x) Mothman Prophecies
( ) American History x
( ) Three
Total so Far: 62
( ) The Jacket
( ) Kung Fu Hustle
( ) Shaolin Soccer
( ) Night Watch
(x) Monsters Inc.
(x) Titanic
(x) Monty Python and the Holy Grail
( ) Shaun Of the Dead
( ) Willard
Total so far: 65
( ) High Tension
( ) Club Dread
( ) Hulk
( ) Dawn Of the Dead
(x) Hook
(x) Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe
( ) 28 days later
( ) Orgazmo
( ) Phantasm
( ) Waterworld
Total so far: 67
( ) Kill Bill vol 1
( ) Kill Bill vol 2
( ) Mortal Kombat
( ) Wolf Creek
( ) Kingdom of Heaven
( ) the Hills Have Eyes
( ) I Spit on Your Grave aka the Day of the Woman
( ) Re-Animator
( ) Army of Darkness
Total so far: 67
(x) Star Wars Ep. I The Phantom Menace
(x) Star Wars Ep. II Attack of the Clones
( ) Star Wars Ep. III Revenge of the Sith
(x) Star Wars Ep. IV A New Hope
(x) Star Wars Ep. V The Empire Strikes Back
(x) Star Wars Ep. VI Return of the Jedi
( ) Ewoks Caravan Of Courage
( ) Ewoks The Battle For Endor
Total so far: 72
(x) The Matrix
( ) The Matrix Reloaded
( ) The Matrix Revolutions
( ) Animatrix
( ) Evil Dead
( ) Evil Dead 2
( ) Team America: World Police
( ) Red Dragon
( ) Silence of the Lambs
( ) Hannibal
Grand Total: 73
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Steal!
I stole this from Lali's blog. :) Because I don't have time to write a real post... apologies... but I thought it was neat and it made me realize all the wonderful things I've done in my life- and how wonderful life is.
I'm missing blogging horribly, you should all know. I don't have the patience to type an entire post one-handed while I hold a baby who won't be put down for the life of her.
This is very easy to do and pretty fun. I hope everyone who finds it interesting copies and pastes it, then highlights what they have done :)
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
I'm missing blogging horribly, you should all know. I don't have the patience to type an entire post one-handed while I hold a baby who won't be put down for the life of her.
But she sure is darn cute!
This is very easy to do and pretty fun. I hope everyone who finds it interesting copies and pastes it, then highlights what they have done :)
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Seen Mount Rushmore in person
101. Learned to play an instrument
Friday, November 21, 2008
Tag: Reminisces of Colorado
Oops... I started this forever ago... now I will finish it!
Well I was tagged by our good friends and neighbors Barrett and Andrea Gibson- here's the deal: post your 4th picture from your 4th file in your computer. The end! Here is mine.
This was taken on our summer trip to Colorado a few summers ago! My mom's family owned a ranch called Circle K when she was growing up, and she would spend summers up there riding horses and singing and all kinds of things. They have since sold the ranch, but we always grew up hearing stories and songs they would sing up at the ranch. Finally my mom decided we needed to see this wonderful place and took my sister and I and our good friend Connie who volunteered her truck up to Colorado to play for about a week. We had such a blast! This specific picture was taken when we were riding the train running from Durango to Silverton. We saw this field with a little airplane giving rides and I took a picture from the train.
Cool tag- it was neat to get to reminisce! I tag... Ashley, Lindsey, and Lynette!
Well I was tagged by our good friends and neighbors Barrett and Andrea Gibson- here's the deal: post your 4th picture from your 4th file in your computer. The end! Here is mine.
This was taken on our summer trip to Colorado a few summers ago! My mom's family owned a ranch called Circle K when she was growing up, and she would spend summers up there riding horses and singing and all kinds of things. They have since sold the ranch, but we always grew up hearing stories and songs they would sing up at the ranch. Finally my mom decided we needed to see this wonderful place and took my sister and I and our good friend Connie who volunteered her truck up to Colorado to play for about a week. We had such a blast! This specific picture was taken when we were riding the train running from Durango to Silverton. We saw this field with a little airplane giving rides and I took a picture from the train. Cool tag- it was neat to get to reminisce! I tag... Ashley, Lindsey, and Lynette!
Friday, October 31, 2008
When October Goes...
It is crazy to me how quickly time is passing, and yet it seems to stand still at 3:00 in the morning when the baby is sad... But I have so many friends who are having babies and I watch them go through their pregnancies, and it is SO amazing how much quicker time moves when you AREN'T pregnant. Ha ha.
Here I am, in Rexburg, Idaho. I never thought I'd live in Idaho. Not that I ever had anything against it, but growing up I never really pictured myself living here. I love it! I have been loving the mercifully beautiful weather we've had this week. I took Audrey out in her stroller the first time this week! She loved it. I think she really liked the bumping of the asphalt which isn't perfectly paved... because Rexburg doesn't take care of their roads like Mesa does... and she also really liked the sound of the crunching of the leaves. Another thing Mesa doesn't have- FALL! I really wish I'd taken pictures of the gorgeous colors that we've gotten over the past few weeks. It has truly amazed me. I've never experienced colors like that before! I'm excited/nervous for winter to come. I'm not sure how I will deal with the snow. But I'm nervously excited for it.
I'm completely in love with being a Mom. Ever since we've been up here I've felt so much more like a wife and mother. I LOVE having my own house to take care of. I LOVE being home all day with Audrey. It really truly is exactly what I want to be doing. I've also learned that I need a variety of things to occupy my time. If I spend all my time taking care of Audrey and trying to clean etc, and I never do anything for myself, I go nuts. I have to do something for myself every day, even if it's just a nice, hot shower. I've found that helps me stay that much more sane as I cope with less sleep and the resulting mounting stress. I also have found that I need to get out of the house at least once a day. I need to remember the rest of the world is still there and beautiful. I've loved going on walks with Audrey this week. This will be tricky once winter hits. But being on campus a few days a week has helped too. I've really enjoyed having new music to practice and work on. LOVE it. I'm also excited to get back into Mary Kay, since I've kind of had to take a break from it when I had Audrey and the whole adjustment process. I need to add friends of my list of things to do.
Life is wonderful! Totally loving it!
I do find myself missing all of those wonderful people back in Mesa... but we are WAY excited to come visit for Christmas! We will be flying down on the 19th of December late- and then we are driving back up to Rexburg probably the Tuesday after Christmas. We want to see all your smiling faces! I'm sure Thomas the social mastermind will have tons of fun things planned that he wants to do. But PLEASE tell us if you're doing something fun and want to see our gorgeous baby...
Here I am, in Rexburg, Idaho. I never thought I'd live in Idaho. Not that I ever had anything against it, but growing up I never really pictured myself living here. I love it! I have been loving the mercifully beautiful weather we've had this week. I took Audrey out in her stroller the first time this week! She loved it. I think she really liked the bumping of the asphalt which isn't perfectly paved... because Rexburg doesn't take care of their roads like Mesa does... and she also really liked the sound of the crunching of the leaves. Another thing Mesa doesn't have- FALL! I really wish I'd taken pictures of the gorgeous colors that we've gotten over the past few weeks. It has truly amazed me. I've never experienced colors like that before! I'm excited/nervous for winter to come. I'm not sure how I will deal with the snow. But I'm nervously excited for it.
I'm completely in love with being a Mom. Ever since we've been up here I've felt so much more like a wife and mother. I LOVE having my own house to take care of. I LOVE being home all day with Audrey. It really truly is exactly what I want to be doing. I've also learned that I need a variety of things to occupy my time. If I spend all my time taking care of Audrey and trying to clean etc, and I never do anything for myself, I go nuts. I have to do something for myself every day, even if it's just a nice, hot shower. I've found that helps me stay that much more sane as I cope with less sleep and the resulting mounting stress. I also have found that I need to get out of the house at least once a day. I need to remember the rest of the world is still there and beautiful. I've loved going on walks with Audrey this week. This will be tricky once winter hits. But being on campus a few days a week has helped too. I've really enjoyed having new music to practice and work on. LOVE it. I'm also excited to get back into Mary Kay, since I've kind of had to take a break from it when I had Audrey and the whole adjustment process. I need to add friends of my list of things to do.
Life is wonderful! Totally loving it!
I do find myself missing all of those wonderful people back in Mesa... but we are WAY excited to come visit for Christmas! We will be flying down on the 19th of December late- and then we are driving back up to Rexburg probably the Tuesday after Christmas. We want to see all your smiling faces! I'm sure Thomas the social mastermind will have tons of fun things planned that he wants to do. But PLEASE tell us if you're doing something fun and want to see our gorgeous baby...
Demons in the Night: The end of all foods Mexican (for Mom at least)
I am taking advantage of the time I have now while the baby decided to nap. I've been so productive! I cleaned the kitchen, ate breakfast with TWO hands, and cleaned up the house. And now I'm here!
We had an exciting... hmm, no. We had an... interesting... I suppose that word will do... adventure... last night/this morning. We puzzled. We cried. We thought. We learned something. No more Mexican food for me. Let me tell you how much I love Mexican food. I LOVE Mexican food. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. That was one of the only things that consistently sounded good throughout my 9-month bought with morning sickness. So I had a burrito for lunch yesterday about... oh 1:30pm. It was pretty amazing. Spicy refried beans, beef, cheese, sour cream... all the good stuff. Oh it was tasty. However... as a result... poor Audrey fussed... hmm, no. Poor Audrey screamed... hmm. I'm trying to find the proper word to put here. She was inconsolable until around 6:00 this morning, sleeping only when crying wore her to exhaustion and then only until she had gained enough strength to resume crying (usually about 10-15 minutes or so). But after 6-ish then she settled down and finally slept. Poor baby. And she has slept very well since then. Poor tired baby, she wore herself out!
I have taken a vow of non-Mexican food eating. Thomas has been instructed to pick up some Mylicon drops on his way home from work. Audrey continues to sleep...
We had an exciting... hmm, no. We had an... interesting... I suppose that word will do... adventure... last night/this morning. We puzzled. We cried. We thought. We learned something. No more Mexican food for me. Let me tell you how much I love Mexican food. I LOVE Mexican food. LOVE LOVE LOVE it. That was one of the only things that consistently sounded good throughout my 9-month bought with morning sickness. So I had a burrito for lunch yesterday about... oh 1:30pm. It was pretty amazing. Spicy refried beans, beef, cheese, sour cream... all the good stuff. Oh it was tasty. However... as a result... poor Audrey fussed... hmm, no. Poor Audrey screamed... hmm. I'm trying to find the proper word to put here. She was inconsolable until around 6:00 this morning, sleeping only when crying wore her to exhaustion and then only until she had gained enough strength to resume crying (usually about 10-15 minutes or so). But after 6-ish then she settled down and finally slept. Poor baby. And she has slept very well since then. Poor tired baby, she wore herself out!
I have taken a vow of non-Mexican food eating. Thomas has been instructed to pick up some Mylicon drops on his way home from work. Audrey continues to sleep...
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
At long last... update!
Ok so I'm horrible at updating lately... for some reason whenever I happen to have two hands to type with they need to be doing something else... like sleeping... or eating... But our family is doing well! I think we are coping with the lack of sleep ok- it's definitely stressful but it's completely worth it. She is so beautiful. We absolutely are loving having her in our home.
Audrey seems to be growing right before our eyes. It simultaneously brings me unparalleled joy and makes me incredibly sad to see her getting bigger. She's so amazing. She is driving us nuts currently because she's changed her once-wonderful ways of sleeping for a few hours at a time at night, and now she doesn't like sleeping more than two at a time. But we love her just the same- if not more. However that works.
Thomas had some exciting news happen to him! He is in the process of closing a deal with Missionary Clothing Company to sell them LOTS of shoes! He is way excited about it- it will really help grow the company a LOT. I don't know all the nitty-gritty details, you'd have to ask him for all those. Hurray for Thomas and his shoes! Oh- and he got his car all vinyled and logo-ed... pictures to come... as soon as I empty the memory card that I filled up with pictures of Audrey!
I have been picking up various and sundry accompanying jobs on campus this semester, which has been really awesome for us. Not only does it help a busy husband and father feel a little less stressed financially, but it gives me a chance to 1) do something other than eat, not sleep, and feed the baby, and 2) be back in the musical world! I'm LOVING being on campus for lessons a couple times a week- it really makes me miss school! There's just a feel about being on campus that I didn't realize that I had missed... so I'm having a lot of fun with that. I have a couple pieces that are gonna be crazy hard- it will give me something to work on instead of playing the same "26 Italian Songs and Arias You Love To Sing" songs.
Exciting news for Miss Audrey- she got her very own swing! She had been borrowing Ender's until hers got here. She loves it! Right now she is sleeping in it. So cute! It's amazing how much she loves to sleep... during the day...
I have resolved to be better at putting pictures on here. I normally hate it because Blogger seems to hate my computer and/or really slow internet connection and it takes forever just for one picture. If anyone has any tips- hook me up. So, without further ado, here are a few pictures I have collected... again- much more on my facebook page.
Daddy and Baby taking a nap! Well, at least one of them is!
Hellooo Blog readers...
Comfy in our swing... actually this is Ender's swing...
Mama and Baby!
Well, it appears my time limit is up... aka the baby is awake and ready to be fed! I sometimes wish I had telepathy like she does...
Audrey seems to be growing right before our eyes. It simultaneously brings me unparalleled joy and makes me incredibly sad to see her getting bigger. She's so amazing. She is driving us nuts currently because she's changed her once-wonderful ways of sleeping for a few hours at a time at night, and now she doesn't like sleeping more than two at a time. But we love her just the same- if not more. However that works.
Thomas had some exciting news happen to him! He is in the process of closing a deal with Missionary Clothing Company to sell them LOTS of shoes! He is way excited about it- it will really help grow the company a LOT. I don't know all the nitty-gritty details, you'd have to ask him for all those. Hurray for Thomas and his shoes! Oh- and he got his car all vinyled and logo-ed... pictures to come... as soon as I empty the memory card that I filled up with pictures of Audrey!
I have been picking up various and sundry accompanying jobs on campus this semester, which has been really awesome for us. Not only does it help a busy husband and father feel a little less stressed financially, but it gives me a chance to 1) do something other than eat, not sleep, and feed the baby, and 2) be back in the musical world! I'm LOVING being on campus for lessons a couple times a week- it really makes me miss school! There's just a feel about being on campus that I didn't realize that I had missed... so I'm having a lot of fun with that. I have a couple pieces that are gonna be crazy hard- it will give me something to work on instead of playing the same "26 Italian Songs and Arias You Love To Sing" songs.
Exciting news for Miss Audrey- she got her very own swing! She had been borrowing Ender's until hers got here. She loves it! Right now she is sleeping in it. So cute! It's amazing how much she loves to sleep... during the day...
I have resolved to be better at putting pictures on here. I normally hate it because Blogger seems to hate my computer and/or really slow internet connection and it takes forever just for one picture. If anyone has any tips- hook me up. So, without further ado, here are a few pictures I have collected... again- much more on my facebook page.
Daddy and Baby taking a nap! Well, at least one of them is!
Hellooo Blog readers...
Comfy in our swing... actually this is Ender's swing...
Mama and Baby!
Well, it appears my time limit is up... aka the baby is awake and ready to be fed! I sometimes wish I had telepathy like she does...
Friday, October 10, 2008
My beautiful baby girl...
Ok, crisis averted. We found the camera- hooray! So I put a bunch of pictures up on my facebook page, because facebook is easier to upload things than on blogger. But I will put one of my faborite (faborite? wow.) favorites up here...
I swear she gets more beautiful every day. *sigh*
I swear she gets more beautiful every day. *sigh*
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Comings and Goings
I would love to say that I am posting so I can put more pictures of my adorable baby girl up here. However- we can't find our camera just at the moment! I have some on there I'd love to put up but we just can't seem to find it. I'm sure it is here in the house somewhere in some pile underneath a bunch of papers or something, but it's missing. So- apologies to those hoping for more adorable pictures. :( But rest assured that she is truly more adorable than she was ever before. :)
My mom left this morning- she had been staying with us to help out with Audrey. We are SO glad she was able to come do that for us! It has been such an amazing help to us to have her here. It's been great to get a little more sleep than otherwise would have been possible! But really- she's been quite amazing and we've loved having her here. We will miss her!
Thomas' mom and sister are coming up to visit us tomorrow! Audrey gets to go from one grandma to the next! She's got a few of those to go around- and I can tell she is way excited to be spoiled by 3 grandmas. We are excited to get to see family- I know Thomas especially is really excited to get to see his family. My family has already been up here to visit- see pictures of that adventure on my sister's facebook.
I am feeling SO skinny! As much as I enjoyed being pregnant... *cough*... No really, pregnancy had it's perks and there are a few things I do miss, but mostly I'm way excited right now to have my body back! It looks different than I remember it. Which- I know- was to be expected, but I am glad to be able to do things like... sit close to my plate at the dinner table, and be able to see my toes again... and step on the scale and see a weight almost equal to that before I was pregnant! I went through the boxes of clothes I had to put away because they didn't fit me anymore- and they all fit me again! Well all the shirts do anyway. It was like going shopping in my own closet! I forgot I had a bunch of them- it was WAY exciting. I am reluctant to say that I still don't fit into my old jeans. I have hips now- weird. I mean, I had them before, but they're just... wider. But I'm ok with that, I think. For now anyway. And... *whispered: I have BOOBS now!* ;)
Audrey is doing great- she will be 17 days old today. Part of me is wondering when I will stop counting in days. She sleeps during the day and gets fussy at night- which I pretty much expected. She is still SO adorable, as I know I've said a million times before. She is getting better at tolerating diaper changes (because usually that precedes her getting food, and I think she's figured that one out already), however she still pees on me every time I give her a bath. She has learned that every time Mom is holding her, she requires feeding and so she is magically hungry if Mom happens to be holding her. She finally has a real belly button! It is so cute! The umbilical cord stump finally came off and she is a real belly-button girl! Question for the day: so is the umbilical cord made up of my DNA or her DNA? Or both? I'm not really sure- let me know what you all think.
My mom left this morning- she had been staying with us to help out with Audrey. We are SO glad she was able to come do that for us! It has been such an amazing help to us to have her here. It's been great to get a little more sleep than otherwise would have been possible! But really- she's been quite amazing and we've loved having her here. We will miss her!
Thomas' mom and sister are coming up to visit us tomorrow! Audrey gets to go from one grandma to the next! She's got a few of those to go around- and I can tell she is way excited to be spoiled by 3 grandmas. We are excited to get to see family- I know Thomas especially is really excited to get to see his family. My family has already been up here to visit- see pictures of that adventure on my sister's facebook.
I am feeling SO skinny! As much as I enjoyed being pregnant... *cough*... No really, pregnancy had it's perks and there are a few things I do miss, but mostly I'm way excited right now to have my body back! It looks different than I remember it. Which- I know- was to be expected, but I am glad to be able to do things like... sit close to my plate at the dinner table, and be able to see my toes again... and step on the scale and see a weight almost equal to that before I was pregnant! I went through the boxes of clothes I had to put away because they didn't fit me anymore- and they all fit me again! Well all the shirts do anyway. It was like going shopping in my own closet! I forgot I had a bunch of them- it was WAY exciting. I am reluctant to say that I still don't fit into my old jeans. I have hips now- weird. I mean, I had them before, but they're just... wider. But I'm ok with that, I think. For now anyway. And... *whispered: I have BOOBS now!* ;)
Audrey is doing great- she will be 17 days old today. Part of me is wondering when I will stop counting in days. She sleeps during the day and gets fussy at night- which I pretty much expected. She is still SO adorable, as I know I've said a million times before. She is getting better at tolerating diaper changes (because usually that precedes her getting food, and I think she's figured that one out already), however she still pees on me every time I give her a bath. She has learned that every time Mom is holding her, she requires feeding and so she is magically hungry if Mom happens to be holding her. She finally has a real belly button! It is so cute! The umbilical cord stump finally came off and she is a real belly-button girl! Question for the day: so is the umbilical cord made up of my DNA or her DNA? Or both? I'm not really sure- let me know what you all think.
Monday, September 29, 2008
And the Baby comes in the NIIIIIGGGHHHTTT!!!
Ok so the baby didn't come in the night. She came in the afternoon! On Saturday, September 20 at 2:22pm, Audrey Elizabeth Scott came to live with us! She weighed 7lbs7oz and was 19 inches long and she just is so adorable. Really- I'm pretty sure we have the cutest baby there ever was- but of course I am biased. :)
Us waiting for Baby to come!
Still waiting... and I was only allowed to eat those darn ice chips. But Thomas brushed my hair for me so I'd look pretty for the picture!
And here she is! Happy Mama!
And a very happy and proud Daddy!
Us waiting for Baby to come!
Still waiting... and I was only allowed to eat those darn ice chips. But Thomas brushed my hair for me so I'd look pretty for the picture!
And here she is! Happy Mama!
And a very happy and proud Daddy!Well I guess I should fill in some of the details. So Thursday night I started having contractions about 10 minutes apart, pretty regularly. This lasted all night and all day Friday (meaning no sleep for me! It's kind of like hitting the snooze button all night long.) and eventually they started getting closer together and stronger and stronger. Friday night we had planned to do a little birthday celebration and go out to some campgrounds and make a fire and have dutch oven peach cobbler! But I was having pretty bad contractions, so we decided just to do it at home instead. So Michael and Qait and Ender came over and shared in our celebration. I was not really able to enjoy the yummy cobbler- because I was quite nauseated by the pain, but I did get one bite at least. And it was a great bite! Anyway so Michael and Qait hung out with us, and somewhere around midnight that night I decided I'd had enough and I was ready to go to the hospital. I figured- hey- I've been in labor for almost 30 hours here, I'm tired and ready to get this done with!
So by this point Thomas had fallen asleep on the floor in the living room. I was very grateful that Michael and Qait were still there, as my attempts to wake him proved... fruitless. We finally persuaded Thomas that there really WAS a good reason for him to get up off the floor and go to the hospital with his pregnant wife who was in labor with his first child and that he needed to do so in a timely manner. Once we got him up, Michael and Qait helped us get our things together and Michael drove us to the hospital. We got there and got paperwork filled out (Thomas forged my name on some of them because I was in some serious pain by this point) and they took me back to check me out. Turns out I was only dilated to 1.5cm... so the nurse told me (her name was Nancy) that I'd either have to go home for a while or do laps around the building until the contractions were twice as strong. I started crying because I already felt like I'd had enough and I did NOT want to go home until they were twice as bad! So she went off to call the doctor and make sure that's really what he wanted me to do and I laid there crying and Thomas muttered something like "I told you so". I think he was still miffed about having to wake up and get up off the floor.
So Nurse Nancy came back and she had great news- the doctor (Dr. Barton was the one on call) said that I was already overdue, and to let me stay and put me on pain medication! I was so happy to hear that! So they took me back and gave me a room and started me on some pain medication... and it made me sleepy and I slept for the first time really in 2 days... that was amazing.
After a few hours' nap, they came in and checked me again and I was dilated to a 4 and they said- "we can give you an epidural now, if you want one". I said "Oh yeah that sounds great!!!" Thomas said something like- "are you sure you really want one?" since we had talked about keeping our options open, and the nurse looked at my face and said- "Ok we'll get you an epidural!" About 3:30am Saturday morning I had my epidural, and it was the greatest thing ever. I couldn't feel a thing. Initially I had been really nervous about actually GETTING the epidural. I was worried that I would have a contraction at the time they told me "DON'T MOVE" and involuntarily jerk and end up with something horrible. But everything went really smoothly and it was just fine. I loved my epidural. It was great. It was amazing. I still have a numb spot on my right kneecap from it. I treasure that numb spot- I didn't feel a thing!
So 10 hours later, around noon on Saturday they checked me and said- ok, you're ready to start pushing! And I was like- wow, ok! So we pushed for 2 hours and then the doctor came in and said, "Let's get this baby out!" First they tried using the vaccum, but that didn't work. Then they had to use the forceps, which eventually worked, but they did have to give me an episiotomy. But after 20 minutes or so, baby Audrey was born! And she was beautiful, even though she had little forcep bruises on the sides of her face and a vaccum hickey on her head. And her head was all lopsided and squished. But all I could do was cry because we did it! And she was my little baby girl and she was healthy and wonderful that was all that mattered to me.
So by this point Thomas had fallen asleep on the floor in the living room. I was very grateful that Michael and Qait were still there, as my attempts to wake him proved... fruitless. We finally persuaded Thomas that there really WAS a good reason for him to get up off the floor and go to the hospital with his pregnant wife who was in labor with his first child and that he needed to do so in a timely manner. Once we got him up, Michael and Qait helped us get our things together and Michael drove us to the hospital. We got there and got paperwork filled out (Thomas forged my name on some of them because I was in some serious pain by this point) and they took me back to check me out. Turns out I was only dilated to 1.5cm... so the nurse told me (her name was Nancy) that I'd either have to go home for a while or do laps around the building until the contractions were twice as strong. I started crying because I already felt like I'd had enough and I did NOT want to go home until they were twice as bad! So she went off to call the doctor and make sure that's really what he wanted me to do and I laid there crying and Thomas muttered something like "I told you so". I think he was still miffed about having to wake up and get up off the floor.
So Nurse Nancy came back and she had great news- the doctor (Dr. Barton was the one on call) said that I was already overdue, and to let me stay and put me on pain medication! I was so happy to hear that! So they took me back and gave me a room and started me on some pain medication... and it made me sleepy and I slept for the first time really in 2 days... that was amazing.
After a few hours' nap, they came in and checked me again and I was dilated to a 4 and they said- "we can give you an epidural now, if you want one". I said "Oh yeah that sounds great!!!" Thomas said something like- "are you sure you really want one?" since we had talked about keeping our options open, and the nurse looked at my face and said- "Ok we'll get you an epidural!" About 3:30am Saturday morning I had my epidural, and it was the greatest thing ever. I couldn't feel a thing. Initially I had been really nervous about actually GETTING the epidural. I was worried that I would have a contraction at the time they told me "DON'T MOVE" and involuntarily jerk and end up with something horrible. But everything went really smoothly and it was just fine. I loved my epidural. It was great. It was amazing. I still have a numb spot on my right kneecap from it. I treasure that numb spot- I didn't feel a thing!
So 10 hours later, around noon on Saturday they checked me and said- ok, you're ready to start pushing! And I was like- wow, ok! So we pushed for 2 hours and then the doctor came in and said, "Let's get this baby out!" First they tried using the vaccum, but that didn't work. Then they had to use the forceps, which eventually worked, but they did have to give me an episiotomy. But after 20 minutes or so, baby Audrey was born! And she was beautiful, even though she had little forcep bruises on the sides of her face and a vaccum hickey on her head. And her head was all lopsided and squished. But all I could do was cry because we did it! And she was my little baby girl and she was healthy and wonderful that was all that mattered to me.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Windex: The Dilemma
I should write about my excitement the other day. I really don't care if this story is interesting to anyone other than myself, I just think it's a fun story and I feel like telling it.
So the other day... I guess it would have been Monday, although it seems like a lot longer than that. (I guess that's how it goes when you're just waiting for something to happen!) So Monday I was sitting at the kitchen table, happily sewing some bags for MissionShoe, just minding my own business. I had to figure out how to work this sewing machine we inherited from Thomas' uncle and aunt, Stephen and Lori. It actually works really well- I really love having it! It just makes loud clackety noises when it runs and it has a few fun quirks. :)
So because I was so concentrated on making this thing work, and distracted by the loud noises, I was totally ignoring this buzzing noise that I kept hearing from the window behind me. I heard it a couple times, and I figured it was just another fly caught between the window and the blinds. We had had one stuck there just the other day, so I really didn't think anything of it. So I'm sitting, just sewing away. And I keep hearing the buzzing and finally it enters into my concious mind that- hey, that thing is still buzzing. So I turn around to look and check things out, and what do I see on the inside of the CLOSED window? A fly, a spider, and a BEE all within a few inches of my face.
I freak out appropriately, and my brain automatically through process of elimination decides that the bee is the most urgent of the three to take care of. I then run over to the sink, still freaking out appropriately, and look underneath to find something to kill it with. At first I wanted to find something to hit it with, but I was afraid I'd miss and it would fly around in my house. So I next thought to squirt it with some chemical that would incapacitate it and further kill it. Windex was my first instinct- since that is my chemical of choice when killing household pets for some reason. But then I thought- wait, bees are serious stuff- what if it doesn't work well enough? So I put the Windex back and keep looking, all the while still in a panic hearing the buzzing coming insistently from the window. Then I see some "Wasp and Hornet Killer" that we had bought to get rid of some wasp's nests we had in the outside of our house when we first moved in. (Side note: Thomas learned that this Wasp and Hornet Killer is not appropriately flammable enough to complete the manly ritual of burning insects killed around our house. They tried hairspray after that, I believe, and were still disappointed.) I figure- well, bees aren't wasps or hornets, but they are pretty close, right? Worth a shot?
By this point I had spent close to a minute trying to figure out what chemical to spray on this bee guy, and my panic finally reaches the end of its patience and I just grab the spray can of Wasp and Hornet Killer and run back over to the window, praying the bee is still there and spray-able. A quick glance at the window reveals that Mr. Spider has disappeared, which enters my mind but really doesn't concern me because Mr. Bee is foremost in my mind and thus my top priority. I give the can a good shake and pull off the top, taking aim and Mr. Bee. I'm not a very good shot, because I hit Mr. Fly first and the poor little guy crumples and starts dying instantly. So I re-aim and get Mr. Bee finally. I squirt him pretty good with this stuff, and I stand back to watch him die (heh heh).
However, to my dismay, he does not display any of the normal signs of dying when an insect is squirted with something labeled "Wasp and Hornet Killer"! He couldn't fly because his wings were soaked with this stuff, but he kept crawling around just like he had been two seconds before! I figure- ok, maybe it just needs a minute to work. So I wait for a bit to see if it starts to take effect, but he keeps running around and it's kinda making me nervous. I decide at this point to squirt Mr. Bee again, to see if he just needed a bigger dose than Mr. Fly. I again step back to admire my handiwork, and this is when Mr. Bee decides to try crawling up the window, away from the thing that is squirting him with harmful chemicals. He starts to crawl and is actually doing ok, and then I get nervous again and decide I should try squishing him since the Wasp and Hornet Killer isn't doing the trick.
I run over to the sink and grab a sufficient amount of paper towelage and run back to the window. I look at Mr. Bee and he appears to be struggling, so I watch for a minute. He indeed cannot make it up the window and falls into the cracks in the window frame. This makes the squishing idea tricky, so I decide to watch some more to see if he indeed is dying of Wasp and Hornet Killer poisoning. He squirms around some more, and I notice that there is a wooden rod on the windowsill that normally sits between the closed window and the wall. The little lady who lived in the house before us put them in all the windows. So I'm like- hey- maybe this will fit in that little crevice and squish Mr. Bee. So I roll it over the top of Mr. Bee to see if it will squash him. It actually does NOT fit in the crack where lies Mr. Bee, who is looking not so good at this point. But it does trap him down in there, so I stand there, holding the paper towels and holding the little stick so he can't get out. Every now and then I check on him to see if he has succumbed to the aforementioned Wasp and Hornet Killer poisoning. Eventually he does, and I feel ok with leaving my station. I hurriedly finish the bag I was working on and run far away from the dreaded window, all the while wondering if Windex really would have been the better chemical of choice.
Mr. Spider is still AWOL.
So the other day... I guess it would have been Monday, although it seems like a lot longer than that. (I guess that's how it goes when you're just waiting for something to happen!) So Monday I was sitting at the kitchen table, happily sewing some bags for MissionShoe, just minding my own business. I had to figure out how to work this sewing machine we inherited from Thomas' uncle and aunt, Stephen and Lori. It actually works really well- I really love having it! It just makes loud clackety noises when it runs and it has a few fun quirks. :)
So because I was so concentrated on making this thing work, and distracted by the loud noises, I was totally ignoring this buzzing noise that I kept hearing from the window behind me. I heard it a couple times, and I figured it was just another fly caught between the window and the blinds. We had had one stuck there just the other day, so I really didn't think anything of it. So I'm sitting, just sewing away. And I keep hearing the buzzing and finally it enters into my concious mind that- hey, that thing is still buzzing. So I turn around to look and check things out, and what do I see on the inside of the CLOSED window? A fly, a spider, and a BEE all within a few inches of my face.
I freak out appropriately, and my brain automatically through process of elimination decides that the bee is the most urgent of the three to take care of. I then run over to the sink, still freaking out appropriately, and look underneath to find something to kill it with. At first I wanted to find something to hit it with, but I was afraid I'd miss and it would fly around in my house. So I next thought to squirt it with some chemical that would incapacitate it and further kill it. Windex was my first instinct- since that is my chemical of choice when killing household pets for some reason. But then I thought- wait, bees are serious stuff- what if it doesn't work well enough? So I put the Windex back and keep looking, all the while still in a panic hearing the buzzing coming insistently from the window. Then I see some "Wasp and Hornet Killer" that we had bought to get rid of some wasp's nests we had in the outside of our house when we first moved in. (Side note: Thomas learned that this Wasp and Hornet Killer is not appropriately flammable enough to complete the manly ritual of burning insects killed around our house. They tried hairspray after that, I believe, and were still disappointed.) I figure- well, bees aren't wasps or hornets, but they are pretty close, right? Worth a shot?
By this point I had spent close to a minute trying to figure out what chemical to spray on this bee guy, and my panic finally reaches the end of its patience and I just grab the spray can of Wasp and Hornet Killer and run back over to the window, praying the bee is still there and spray-able. A quick glance at the window reveals that Mr. Spider has disappeared, which enters my mind but really doesn't concern me because Mr. Bee is foremost in my mind and thus my top priority. I give the can a good shake and pull off the top, taking aim and Mr. Bee. I'm not a very good shot, because I hit Mr. Fly first and the poor little guy crumples and starts dying instantly. So I re-aim and get Mr. Bee finally. I squirt him pretty good with this stuff, and I stand back to watch him die (heh heh).
However, to my dismay, he does not display any of the normal signs of dying when an insect is squirted with something labeled "Wasp and Hornet Killer"! He couldn't fly because his wings were soaked with this stuff, but he kept crawling around just like he had been two seconds before! I figure- ok, maybe it just needs a minute to work. So I wait for a bit to see if it starts to take effect, but he keeps running around and it's kinda making me nervous. I decide at this point to squirt Mr. Bee again, to see if he just needed a bigger dose than Mr. Fly. I again step back to admire my handiwork, and this is when Mr. Bee decides to try crawling up the window, away from the thing that is squirting him with harmful chemicals. He starts to crawl and is actually doing ok, and then I get nervous again and decide I should try squishing him since the Wasp and Hornet Killer isn't doing the trick.
I run over to the sink and grab a sufficient amount of paper towelage and run back to the window. I look at Mr. Bee and he appears to be struggling, so I watch for a minute. He indeed cannot make it up the window and falls into the cracks in the window frame. This makes the squishing idea tricky, so I decide to watch some more to see if he indeed is dying of Wasp and Hornet Killer poisoning. He squirms around some more, and I notice that there is a wooden rod on the windowsill that normally sits between the closed window and the wall. The little lady who lived in the house before us put them in all the windows. So I'm like- hey- maybe this will fit in that little crevice and squish Mr. Bee. So I roll it over the top of Mr. Bee to see if it will squash him. It actually does NOT fit in the crack where lies Mr. Bee, who is looking not so good at this point. But it does trap him down in there, so I stand there, holding the paper towels and holding the little stick so he can't get out. Every now and then I check on him to see if he has succumbed to the aforementioned Wasp and Hornet Killer poisoning. Eventually he does, and I feel ok with leaving my station. I hurriedly finish the bag I was working on and run far away from the dreaded window, all the while wondering if Windex really would have been the better chemical of choice.
Mr. Spider is still AWOL.
So far it's only one person's birthday at our house...
We made it! Here we are at my due date... and still no baby. Not a huge surprise to me, I admit. Thomas is getting very impatient! He is so ready and excited for her to come! It's really cute to see him so excited about it. We are definitely ready for her to come whenever she feels like it- sooner would be great, but I'm doing ok. Just hanging in there!
So... I really didn't realize until yesterday that today would be my birthday... I had been so fixated on "when will Baby come?!?" that it really didn't even cross my mind until yesterday at dinner. We didn't make any plans or anything, because we weren't sure when Baby would come. I guess there's still time left- she could still come today (HINT HINT...) In the meantime, today I am hanging out with myself, doing four loads of laundry! Wahoo! Not the most exciting way to spend one's birthday, I admit- however I'm ok with it. At first I was a little sad that I was going to be home alone all day on my birthday, but I just turned the music up loud and sang along and decided I would have a great day anyway. Besides, Thomas isn't here to complain about whatever crazy music I feel like listening to! :)
So... I really didn't realize until yesterday that today would be my birthday... I had been so fixated on "when will Baby come?!?" that it really didn't even cross my mind until yesterday at dinner. We didn't make any plans or anything, because we weren't sure when Baby would come. I guess there's still time left- she could still come today (HINT HINT...) In the meantime, today I am hanging out with myself, doing four loads of laundry! Wahoo! Not the most exciting way to spend one's birthday, I admit- however I'm ok with it. At first I was a little sad that I was going to be home alone all day on my birthday, but I just turned the music up loud and sang along and decided I would have a great day anyway. Besides, Thomas isn't here to complain about whatever crazy music I feel like listening to! :)
Monday, September 8, 2008
Endings and Beginnings
We made it!!! It feels very nice to once again be insured and know that when Baby comes, whatever happens is covered under insurance. I think it's more for my peace of mind than anything, but either way- I can now breathe a little easier. I had a doctor's appointment on Friday, and he said that Baby hasn't really grown a whole lot in the past week, and that's good because if she gets too much bigger we might have some problems! I'm not a very big person! So we're hoping she comes sooner than later, and that she doesn't do too much growing. He also said I haven't dilated at all yet, but I am thinning and softening, which is good. It's interesting to feel the changes my body is going through- I can definitely tell that we're getting things rolling so that she can come soon. We are so excited!!!
Thomas started school today! Hurray! We got everything all together last night so he would be all ready. He even got up early so he could be out the door on his bike to class. I always loved the first day of school- I think I might have been more excited for him than he was!
I just recently started as an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics-- hooray! I am really excited about it- I think it will be really awesome. Not only do I think it will be a great opportunity to do something a little different and out of my comfort zone, but I have all these wonderful ladies I'm meeting and getting to work with! I'm really excited, because I can already see how it's helped me make more new friends and get myself out of that little bubble and meet new people! I already made two new friends and I'm finding myself working to be more outgoing and caring about people beyond just "Hi, I'm Thomas' wife and mother of his firstborn". Thomas is so good at meeting people and being friendly and getting people together socially, I've always just kind of let him be the social drive and organize what we do with our weekends. I'm excited to have an avenue to develop this skill for myself in a way that is uniquely mine, not Thomas' or MissionShoe's or anything else. Plus we get to play with makeup. :)
On Saturday we went over to the Wahlquist's house and made CORN! Well, I guess they grew the corn, and we didn't really "make" it, but we got to help shuck it and cut it off the cob and "make" it. Well- I really didn't help a whole lot. I kind of just sat there and watched. One, because Baby wasn't allowed to come until today, so I was taking it easy still, and two because I'm actually really allergic to the corn silk (I get a lovely not-so-fun rash). But I was there, so I "helped". And I scooped the cooked corn into baggies. So now we have a freezer full of corn! I didn't get any pictures of it, but we were pretty covered with corn goop stuff. It was fun to get dirty! Heh heh heh...
Yesterday was also our first adventure in canning! While at the Wahlquist's house on Saturday, Thomas got it in his head that he HAD to go pick some green beans and take them home with us. Well, Thomas doesn't really like green beans. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him take more than one bite of green beans- EVER. But he DOES like Dilly Beans... which are pickled green beans. The Wahlquists make them, and so Thomas decided that he wanted to make some too! And when Thomas gets it in his head to do something, he DOES it! So he picked a sackful of green beans, and we took them home and stopped by Wal-Mart to get some canning jars- and we made Dilly Beans. Basically, you cut and wash the beans, put them in hot jars with a clove of garlic and a head of dill weed, pour boiling water/vinegar/salt over them, process them for 10 minutes and you're done. It was way fun! And I hope they will be good. We won't know until Thanksgiving. But we DID it! It was fun!
We have 8 jars of dilly beans, and then we still have a whole sackful of green beans left. We think we will cook those and then freeze them. They can make friends with the corn in our freezer. And the raspberries. Isn't it great living where things GROW?!?
Thomas also decided to use the zucchini we got from the Wahlquists. They're humongous zucchini. He made zucchini bread and muffins- they are absolutely delicious! I love having a husband who is such a good cook.
This is me, enjoying the amazing zucchini bread. And that is Baby, also enjoying the amazing zucchini bread.
Thomas started school today! Hurray! We got everything all together last night so he would be all ready. He even got up early so he could be out the door on his bike to class. I always loved the first day of school- I think I might have been more excited for him than he was!
I just recently started as an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay Cosmetics-- hooray! I am really excited about it- I think it will be really awesome. Not only do I think it will be a great opportunity to do something a little different and out of my comfort zone, but I have all these wonderful ladies I'm meeting and getting to work with! I'm really excited, because I can already see how it's helped me make more new friends and get myself out of that little bubble and meet new people! I already made two new friends and I'm finding myself working to be more outgoing and caring about people beyond just "Hi, I'm Thomas' wife and mother of his firstborn". Thomas is so good at meeting people and being friendly and getting people together socially, I've always just kind of let him be the social drive and organize what we do with our weekends. I'm excited to have an avenue to develop this skill for myself in a way that is uniquely mine, not Thomas' or MissionShoe's or anything else. Plus we get to play with makeup. :)
On Saturday we went over to the Wahlquist's house and made CORN! Well, I guess they grew the corn, and we didn't really "make" it, but we got to help shuck it and cut it off the cob and "make" it. Well- I really didn't help a whole lot. I kind of just sat there and watched. One, because Baby wasn't allowed to come until today, so I was taking it easy still, and two because I'm actually really allergic to the corn silk (I get a lovely not-so-fun rash). But I was there, so I "helped". And I scooped the cooked corn into baggies. So now we have a freezer full of corn! I didn't get any pictures of it, but we were pretty covered with corn goop stuff. It was fun to get dirty! Heh heh heh...
Yesterday was also our first adventure in canning! While at the Wahlquist's house on Saturday, Thomas got it in his head that he HAD to go pick some green beans and take them home with us. Well, Thomas doesn't really like green beans. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen him take more than one bite of green beans- EVER. But he DOES like Dilly Beans... which are pickled green beans. The Wahlquists make them, and so Thomas decided that he wanted to make some too! And when Thomas gets it in his head to do something, he DOES it! So he picked a sackful of green beans, and we took them home and stopped by Wal-Mart to get some canning jars- and we made Dilly Beans. Basically, you cut and wash the beans, put them in hot jars with a clove of garlic and a head of dill weed, pour boiling water/vinegar/salt over them, process them for 10 minutes and you're done. It was way fun! And I hope they will be good. We won't know until Thanksgiving. But we DID it! It was fun!
We have 8 jars of dilly beans, and then we still have a whole sackful of green beans left. We think we will cook those and then freeze them. They can make friends with the corn in our freezer. And the raspberries. Isn't it great living where things GROW?!?
Thomas also decided to use the zucchini we got from the Wahlquists. They're humongous zucchini. He made zucchini bread and muffins- they are absolutely delicious! I love having a husband who is such a good cook.
This is me, enjoying the amazing zucchini bread. And that is Baby, also enjoying the amazing zucchini bread.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Baby, Baby!
So here we are- it is August 25. This means there are just over 3 weeks until my due date! We are getting way excited! I can hardly believe that we are so close! I've met both the doctors I will be working with up here, Dr. Barton and Dr. Allred, and both of them are very good and I would be fine if either one delivered our baby. Dr. Allred is actually in our ward also. The bishop's wife also works at the Women's Clinic where I go- she is one of the receptionist ladies. It's really funny how people around here generally do one of 3 things: work at the hospital, work at the university, or go to school at the university.
My last appointment was on Friday, and we got to talk to Elaine, the lovely lady (whose husband teaches at the university) who is in charge of billing and such fun things at the Women's Clinic. I felt a lot better after we got to talk to her about our insurance situation and how we would work out payment and such things. We have kind of an interesting situation because my ASU student health insurance ran out on the 15th of August, and our insurance through DMBA (BYU-I Student insurance) doesn't begin until school starts on the 8th of September... so like I said, I'm taking it easy until then to make sure Baby stays where she is supposed to! Anyway, Elaine was really nice and was impressed that we had done our homework and knew all the things we were supposed to know about our insurance and so forth, and I feel very reassured that whatever happens, they will work with us and make sure everything goes ok. I feel a lot less stressed knowing that even if Baby does come early and we don't have insurance, that everything will work out and it will be ok.
We also had our birthing class that the hospital offers a week ago last Saturday. It was really good! A lot of the stuff I heard was just review- I had done a lot of reading and research so I knew a lot of it already. But Thomas hadn't heard most of it, and he actually really enjoyed it. I was really glad he liked it- I was afraid he'd be bored or wouldn't really pay attention. But he really did like it and it gave us a lot of things to talk about. We also got to take a tour of the hospital facilities, and see the labor/delivery rooms, and the recovery rooms and stuff. It was really neat to actually get to see where my baby will be delivered. All of it really helped me to 1) de-stress and 2) really visualize what the whole birthing process will be like. I've imagined it a lot of times before, but it was nice to have an actual picture of what the room will look like and such. It's starting to feel more like something I can really actually do!
The lady who taught our childbirthing class (her name is Lisa and she is a nurse at the hospital) said something I really liked. She said that our society is one that is built on fear, in many ways. She said that this is especially true when it comes to childbirth. When you see a mother giving birth on TV shows or whatever, she's always freaking out and screaming and stuff. That's pretty much the accepted image of a mother giving birth in our society. Lisa said that's not how it is in other cultures/societies. She said that that concept of fear that we automatically expect/feel because of what our society has built into us creates so much tension around the whole situation, that it actually counteracts what our bodies naturally do. That tension works against the process of labor and makes it more painful and harder and longer. Plus it stresses us out. :) That really helped me to realize that- labor isn't as scary as it's made out to be. Yeah, it will hurt, and it will be harder than anything else I've done, but there really isn't anything to be scared of. My body knows what to do, the doctors know what to do, and all is in the Lord's hands. That is such a comforting thing to know.
It's really neat having so many other friends up here that are in similar situations- it's given me a chance to really think about what it will be like to be a mom. Being such good friends with Michael and Qait also really helps- first of all they have helped us SO much since we moved up here! They've just really made things a lot easier for us. When we first got up here they brought us dish soap and paper plates and silverware- basic essentials so we could actually eat things, because everything was packed! And Qait has really been so amazing. She has given us tons of stuff for Baby and for me- from maternity clothes she doesn't need anymore, to extra diapers they had from when Ender was a newborn, and we are just so grateful to them for helping us! Qait and I have been able to talk a lot about motherhood and stresses and feeding and changing and all kinds of things that have really helped me to feel a lot less crazed about the whole thing. I'm so excited- but I've also stressed about a lot of stuff majorly and I've felt that stress level go down a lot in the past few weeks.
It's kinda strange to think that my life could change so suddenly. I mean- everything will be different once Baby comes- my whole world is going to change. And I'm excited but anxious about it, because I don't know exactly WHEN it will all happen. I'm not too nervous about any one part of the whole thing, but not knowing when is what makes me most nervous.
My last appointment was on Friday, and we got to talk to Elaine, the lovely lady (whose husband teaches at the university) who is in charge of billing and such fun things at the Women's Clinic. I felt a lot better after we got to talk to her about our insurance situation and how we would work out payment and such things. We have kind of an interesting situation because my ASU student health insurance ran out on the 15th of August, and our insurance through DMBA (BYU-I Student insurance) doesn't begin until school starts on the 8th of September... so like I said, I'm taking it easy until then to make sure Baby stays where she is supposed to! Anyway, Elaine was really nice and was impressed that we had done our homework and knew all the things we were supposed to know about our insurance and so forth, and I feel very reassured that whatever happens, they will work with us and make sure everything goes ok. I feel a lot less stressed knowing that even if Baby does come early and we don't have insurance, that everything will work out and it will be ok.
We also had our birthing class that the hospital offers a week ago last Saturday. It was really good! A lot of the stuff I heard was just review- I had done a lot of reading and research so I knew a lot of it already. But Thomas hadn't heard most of it, and he actually really enjoyed it. I was really glad he liked it- I was afraid he'd be bored or wouldn't really pay attention. But he really did like it and it gave us a lot of things to talk about. We also got to take a tour of the hospital facilities, and see the labor/delivery rooms, and the recovery rooms and stuff. It was really neat to actually get to see where my baby will be delivered. All of it really helped me to 1) de-stress and 2) really visualize what the whole birthing process will be like. I've imagined it a lot of times before, but it was nice to have an actual picture of what the room will look like and such. It's starting to feel more like something I can really actually do!
The lady who taught our childbirthing class (her name is Lisa and she is a nurse at the hospital) said something I really liked. She said that our society is one that is built on fear, in many ways. She said that this is especially true when it comes to childbirth. When you see a mother giving birth on TV shows or whatever, she's always freaking out and screaming and stuff. That's pretty much the accepted image of a mother giving birth in our society. Lisa said that's not how it is in other cultures/societies. She said that that concept of fear that we automatically expect/feel because of what our society has built into us creates so much tension around the whole situation, that it actually counteracts what our bodies naturally do. That tension works against the process of labor and makes it more painful and harder and longer. Plus it stresses us out. :) That really helped me to realize that- labor isn't as scary as it's made out to be. Yeah, it will hurt, and it will be harder than anything else I've done, but there really isn't anything to be scared of. My body knows what to do, the doctors know what to do, and all is in the Lord's hands. That is such a comforting thing to know.
It's really neat having so many other friends up here that are in similar situations- it's given me a chance to really think about what it will be like to be a mom. Being such good friends with Michael and Qait also really helps- first of all they have helped us SO much since we moved up here! They've just really made things a lot easier for us. When we first got up here they brought us dish soap and paper plates and silverware- basic essentials so we could actually eat things, because everything was packed! And Qait has really been so amazing. She has given us tons of stuff for Baby and for me- from maternity clothes she doesn't need anymore, to extra diapers they had from when Ender was a newborn, and we are just so grateful to them for helping us! Qait and I have been able to talk a lot about motherhood and stresses and feeding and changing and all kinds of things that have really helped me to feel a lot less crazed about the whole thing. I'm so excited- but I've also stressed about a lot of stuff majorly and I've felt that stress level go down a lot in the past few weeks.
It's kinda strange to think that my life could change so suddenly. I mean- everything will be different once Baby comes- my whole world is going to change. And I'm excited but anxious about it, because I don't know exactly WHEN it will all happen. I'm not too nervous about any one part of the whole thing, but not knowing when is what makes me most nervous.
Friends... are a friend's best friend
We have so many friends up here already! We have met so many great people in our ward, and we have had more social engagements up here in the last few weeks than I think we have in the past several months! there is something really neat about living in a small, college town where people's whole entire lives revolve around a radius of just a few miles. It is very different from what I'm used to- but I really like it! People up here are so nice!
Our neighbors to the left of us, John and Peggy Vernon, have two little boys, Ben and Issac who are 5 and 3. They had us over for dinner just last week, so we are still getting to know them.
We also made friends with the couple across from us, Barrett and Andrea Gibson who have a 3-month-old baby girl. They were one of the first people to come over and meet us- they brought us banana bread and asked us to dinner right after we moved here!
Yesterday we invited the couple down the street over for dinner- Ross and Triest Graham. They just moved into the ward last week. They have been married since April and have been selling security in Albuquerque (is that even how you spell it?) but now they have moved back here to Rexburg so Ross can finish school. Triest (you pronounce it tree-est) graduated in April with her BS in Music. They are both musicians/vocalists, and so we got all along very very well.
The lady who lived to the right of us, Pat Anderson, just moved out and there is another young couple moving in there that the Grahams know from selling security in New Mexico- I think their last name is Klinger? We didn't get to know Pat very well, but she worked at the nursery a few minutes down the road and she came over one time and helped us figure out what was a weed and what was a plant or flower. We were pretty clueless on most of them. It was hard to tell! We will miss her, but we are excited to have so many young couples here so close to us! We have grand schemes to have a neighborhood Labor Day party...
And then of course we have so many of Thomas' amazing friends up here to play with! There are way too many for me to name them all, plus then I'd forget someone and feel bad. Thomas is just such a friendly person. We did just go camping this past weekend with Michael and Qait Wahlquist and their adorable almost-6-month-old little boy Ender. Way fun! Thomas and Michael have been friends for practically forever, and they've decided that our little girl and their little boy will get married when they grow up.
Our ward is just wonderful however we do miss all our friends in our old one. I think we will love being in this ward. There is a really good mix of people in our ward- lots of young couples/new families, but also some older couples that have grown-up kids, and there are those families in-between. But everyone is really friendly and I'm very excited to get to know them. I went to Relief Society the last couple Sundays and it was so strange to have a fifteen-minute block of time that the sisters just talked about their lives and what they were excited about (most of which was about the new Twilight book...). I could totally tell everyone knew each other well and they were all such good friends. Everyone calls each other by their first names and there are only about 25 sisters in Relief Society right now. There's even an older lady in there named Prudence- she is such a neat lady! But it made me think of my baby sister and her little ratties! I really hope that I get a calling that allows me to attend Relief Society- I'm excited to get to know these fun ladies!
Our neighbors to the left of us, John and Peggy Vernon, have two little boys, Ben and Issac who are 5 and 3. They had us over for dinner just last week, so we are still getting to know them.
We also made friends with the couple across from us, Barrett and Andrea Gibson who have a 3-month-old baby girl. They were one of the first people to come over and meet us- they brought us banana bread and asked us to dinner right after we moved here!
Yesterday we invited the couple down the street over for dinner- Ross and Triest Graham. They just moved into the ward last week. They have been married since April and have been selling security in Albuquerque (is that even how you spell it?) but now they have moved back here to Rexburg so Ross can finish school. Triest (you pronounce it tree-est) graduated in April with her BS in Music. They are both musicians/vocalists, and so we got all along very very well.
The lady who lived to the right of us, Pat Anderson, just moved out and there is another young couple moving in there that the Grahams know from selling security in New Mexico- I think their last name is Klinger? We didn't get to know Pat very well, but she worked at the nursery a few minutes down the road and she came over one time and helped us figure out what was a weed and what was a plant or flower. We were pretty clueless on most of them. It was hard to tell! We will miss her, but we are excited to have so many young couples here so close to us! We have grand schemes to have a neighborhood Labor Day party...
And then of course we have so many of Thomas' amazing friends up here to play with! There are way too many for me to name them all, plus then I'd forget someone and feel bad. Thomas is just such a friendly person. We did just go camping this past weekend with Michael and Qait Wahlquist and their adorable almost-6-month-old little boy Ender. Way fun! Thomas and Michael have been friends for practically forever, and they've decided that our little girl and their little boy will get married when they grow up.
Our ward is just wonderful however we do miss all our friends in our old one. I think we will love being in this ward. There is a really good mix of people in our ward- lots of young couples/new families, but also some older couples that have grown-up kids, and there are those families in-between. But everyone is really friendly and I'm very excited to get to know them. I went to Relief Society the last couple Sundays and it was so strange to have a fifteen-minute block of time that the sisters just talked about their lives and what they were excited about (most of which was about the new Twilight book...). I could totally tell everyone knew each other well and they were all such good friends. Everyone calls each other by their first names and there are only about 25 sisters in Relief Society right now. There's even an older lady in there named Prudence- she is such a neat lady! But it made me think of my baby sister and her little ratties! I really hope that I get a calling that allows me to attend Relief Society- I'm excited to get to know these fun ladies!
Surprises: The Creepies and the Crawlies
We are experiencing all the joys of owning our own home instead of renting. It's been such an adventure and challenging/frustrating/exhilarating at times!
One such adventure concerned our water heater. Our water heater and furnace (and maybe the dryer, we think...?) are all gas-powered, which is something totally new for both of us. Our water heater is in the master bedroom closet, and we had been smelling gas in there so we had to call the company to come out and look at it. The guy was really nice and told us that our water heater had a couple little things to fix- which weren't that big a deal but needed fixing before we could use it again. So we had someone in the ward who knew about water heaters come help us figure out how/what to do to fix it- and eventually we had it fixed and no one had to take freezing cold showers. But we also learned that the water heater is about 22 years old... so we'll be having to replace that pretty soon! But it was an adventure and after much toil and strife and struggling with tools and so forth, now Thomas can beat his chest and say he conquered the gas water heater.
We've also encountered some interesting creatures that we don't have problems with back in AZ! First of all, we have the most amazing yard that we've been... renovating... since no one had really taken care of it in the last few years! That's been an adventure- Thomas is really excited about getting to care for it and I'm loving it too! But anyway so we had to pull (we meaning Thomas... and his buddy Michael came over and helped...) a bunch of the overgrown stuff out from under the bushes and ferns and beautiful things that grow in our lovely little yard. Actually this process has come in several installments, but over the course of doing so we found out several things...
First of all, we think that there is a black and white (kind of cow-looking, if ya know what i mean) cat who lives under/around our house, which explains the meowing we heard the first week or so. We see it skulking around every now and then.
We then discovered that the reason the cat liked our house so much was that there were mice under the house! But apparently the cat wasn't doing a good enough job, or the mice were really good at hiding, because Barrett (neighbor across the street from us) was mowing our lawn for us the first few days we were here and he chased a few out from under the house in doing so. We also found one of them stuck (dead) in a trap that Carol (the lovely little old lady who previously owned the home) had left under one of the kitchen drawers. Thomas was pretty grossed out... he made me take care of it. :)
Thomas also discovered a real live caterpillar- not the faky teensy greenish kind that we are used to in AZ. A real, fuzzy, big huge caterpillar! So exciting!!! See- look!!!
How cool is this guy?! He looks so cute and fuzzy! We found him on one of the weeds growing next to our amazing raspberry bushes. But even more exciting than that, we have finally entered the lovely world of Hobo spiders.
Disclaimer: This isn't an actual picture that we took of the hobo spider. It's just one I found online. We've found two so far, and at first we thought it was a big Wolf spider or something, but upon doing further research we learned that they were Hobo spiders! Apparently they only live in the northwestern US, and their bite is pretty poisonous (hence the scary-looking fangy things) if they actually inject any venom into you when they bite you, but that doesn't happen every time apparently. But the bite is kind of like getting bitten by one of those Recluse spiders they have back in AZ. Eew.
The first one we found was skittering across our bedroom floor one night and we caught him in a glass and looked him up online, and discovered he was indeed a Hobo spider. Then we had to figure out what to do with him. He was inside the bottom of this glass and kind of freaking out that we had caught him, and so we didn't want to go dump him outside and try and squish him (this thing moved FAST! we were scared he would get away!) so we decided to pour some rubbing alcohol into the glass and see if that killed him. And it was really crazy- at first he just kinda curled up and held still, and then every few seconds he would spaz out like crazy! After a while we decided he was pretty dead, but Thomas decided we should take him outside and light him on fire anyway, because it was the manly thing to do. So burn he did, all blue and crispy in the moonlight. We didn't take pictures- but my sister was witness to all this so just ask her if you don't believe us.
The second spider we found didn't meet such a grand end as this first one. We found the second one all up inside the packaging around a big huge picture that everyone signed for our wedding. He had gotten himself all stuck inside the bubble wrap somehow (and my mom did such a great job of packaging it, the poor guy couldn't get out). So this one just got unceremoniously squished inside the bubble wrapping stuff. Then we gave it to our neighbor who was moving. Not the spider- the bubble wrap. It's ok, he knew it was there. He was there asking Thomas to give the Elder's Quorum lesson the next day in church when we found the little guy.
So every time we are outside doing yard work and ripping out more and more grass that has overtaken the plants beside our house, we usually end the day by saying something like "well, I think we've ticked off the hobo spiders enough for one day!" and go inside and wait for another one to pop out. So for none have dared... *evil laugh* I just hope I don't wake up one morning and find one lurking in my slippers...
One such adventure concerned our water heater. Our water heater and furnace (and maybe the dryer, we think...?) are all gas-powered, which is something totally new for both of us. Our water heater is in the master bedroom closet, and we had been smelling gas in there so we had to call the company to come out and look at it. The guy was really nice and told us that our water heater had a couple little things to fix- which weren't that big a deal but needed fixing before we could use it again. So we had someone in the ward who knew about water heaters come help us figure out how/what to do to fix it- and eventually we had it fixed and no one had to take freezing cold showers. But we also learned that the water heater is about 22 years old... so we'll be having to replace that pretty soon! But it was an adventure and after much toil and strife and struggling with tools and so forth, now Thomas can beat his chest and say he conquered the gas water heater.
We've also encountered some interesting creatures that we don't have problems with back in AZ! First of all, we have the most amazing yard that we've been... renovating... since no one had really taken care of it in the last few years! That's been an adventure- Thomas is really excited about getting to care for it and I'm loving it too! But anyway so we had to pull (we meaning Thomas... and his buddy Michael came over and helped...) a bunch of the overgrown stuff out from under the bushes and ferns and beautiful things that grow in our lovely little yard. Actually this process has come in several installments, but over the course of doing so we found out several things...
First of all, we think that there is a black and white (kind of cow-looking, if ya know what i mean) cat who lives under/around our house, which explains the meowing we heard the first week or so. We see it skulking around every now and then.
We then discovered that the reason the cat liked our house so much was that there were mice under the house! But apparently the cat wasn't doing a good enough job, or the mice were really good at hiding, because Barrett (neighbor across the street from us) was mowing our lawn for us the first few days we were here and he chased a few out from under the house in doing so. We also found one of them stuck (dead) in a trap that Carol (the lovely little old lady who previously owned the home) had left under one of the kitchen drawers. Thomas was pretty grossed out... he made me take care of it. :)
Thomas also discovered a real live caterpillar- not the faky teensy greenish kind that we are used to in AZ. A real, fuzzy, big huge caterpillar! So exciting!!! See- look!!!
How cool is this guy?! He looks so cute and fuzzy! We found him on one of the weeds growing next to our amazing raspberry bushes. But even more exciting than that, we have finally entered the lovely world of Hobo spiders.
Disclaimer: This isn't an actual picture that we took of the hobo spider. It's just one I found online. We've found two so far, and at first we thought it was a big Wolf spider or something, but upon doing further research we learned that they were Hobo spiders! Apparently they only live in the northwestern US, and their bite is pretty poisonous (hence the scary-looking fangy things) if they actually inject any venom into you when they bite you, but that doesn't happen every time apparently. But the bite is kind of like getting bitten by one of those Recluse spiders they have back in AZ. Eew.
The first one we found was skittering across our bedroom floor one night and we caught him in a glass and looked him up online, and discovered he was indeed a Hobo spider. Then we had to figure out what to do with him. He was inside the bottom of this glass and kind of freaking out that we had caught him, and so we didn't want to go dump him outside and try and squish him (this thing moved FAST! we were scared he would get away!) so we decided to pour some rubbing alcohol into the glass and see if that killed him. And it was really crazy- at first he just kinda curled up and held still, and then every few seconds he would spaz out like crazy! After a while we decided he was pretty dead, but Thomas decided we should take him outside and light him on fire anyway, because it was the manly thing to do. So burn he did, all blue and crispy in the moonlight. We didn't take pictures- but my sister was witness to all this so just ask her if you don't believe us.
The second spider we found didn't meet such a grand end as this first one. We found the second one all up inside the packaging around a big huge picture that everyone signed for our wedding. He had gotten himself all stuck inside the bubble wrap somehow (and my mom did such a great job of packaging it, the poor guy couldn't get out). So this one just got unceremoniously squished inside the bubble wrapping stuff. Then we gave it to our neighbor who was moving. Not the spider- the bubble wrap. It's ok, he knew it was there. He was there asking Thomas to give the Elder's Quorum lesson the next day in church when we found the little guy.
So every time we are outside doing yard work and ripping out more and more grass that has overtaken the plants beside our house, we usually end the day by saying something like "well, I think we've ticked off the hobo spiders enough for one day!" and go inside and wait for another one to pop out. So for none have dared... *evil laugh* I just hope I don't wake up one morning and find one lurking in my slippers...
The hunt is on!
One of our big challenges up here is finding Thomas a job that will support us while he goes to school. Since we've decided that I will be staying home with Baby once she comes, we've been exploring options for how to work things out financially.
Today Thomas is working at a temporary job (just this week). I'm not exactly sure what it is he is doing at this temporary job. Something to do with carpets and cleaning and pipes...something...? I just know he heard about it from his friend Dave Kinder yesterday and that it will pay him. Hooray! Which gives me time to do things like... update this blog. :)
Thomas also has found a very good part-time job up here! Probably the best he will find, too. He had been talking with the lady who currently is an agent working at this agency, but she is purchasing it in September and starting it out on her own so she really needs help. Thomas is a really great person for her to have working for her, because he's helped agencies get set up before, and he is pretty much just amazing and she realizes that. Anyway, we didn't think that she would want to hire him for several reasons- one big one being that he was going to be going to school and wouldn't be able to give her as much time as she might have liked. However, once we got up here and he did an interview with her, she made it clear that she REALLY would LOVE Thomas to work for her, even if it is part time for only a few months. So he accepted, and he starts his new job in September! I guess that's in like... a week...
Thomas has also been looking into getting another part-time job at a restaurant here in town. He really REALLY wants to wait tables. I know- it's not something most people would jump up and down screaming about, but he really wants to do it. He thinks it would be way fun. Anyway, so he's given his resume to several places here in town and he is just waiting to hear from them. They tend to wait to do hiring until more students come up for the semester, and they get tons of resumes so we don't know if anything for sure will come of it. There is one in particular he really liked the look and feel of- it's called Amici's and it's this Italian place and they have all their waiters dress up like mafia gangster men, with the suspenders and hat and all. I think he'd be great at it. ;D
Another exciting bit of news is that Thomas also had an interview with the man at BYU-I that is in charge of seminary student teachers. He talked with him about where Thomas is at in his schooling/classwork and what openings they have and so forth. Anyway, to the point- Bro. Seadall wants Thomas to do a week of student teaching in the middle of September (hey, isn't that the same time as... oh yeah... BABY COMING!) so that he can see Thomas teaching live, and then in November he will be able to do part-time student teaching (20 hours a week) and get paid for it! You gotta know the church is true when they pay their seminary student teachers. I never got paid for student teaching! ;) We are so excited about it!
As for me, my job right now is taking it easy. I plan to do lots of sitting-type activities, like updating blogs and so forth. :)
Today Thomas is working at a temporary job (just this week). I'm not exactly sure what it is he is doing at this temporary job. Something to do with carpets and cleaning and pipes...something...? I just know he heard about it from his friend Dave Kinder yesterday and that it will pay him. Hooray! Which gives me time to do things like... update this blog. :)
Thomas also has found a very good part-time job up here! Probably the best he will find, too. He had been talking with the lady who currently is an agent working at this agency, but she is purchasing it in September and starting it out on her own so she really needs help. Thomas is a really great person for her to have working for her, because he's helped agencies get set up before, and he is pretty much just amazing and she realizes that. Anyway, we didn't think that she would want to hire him for several reasons- one big one being that he was going to be going to school and wouldn't be able to give her as much time as she might have liked. However, once we got up here and he did an interview with her, she made it clear that she REALLY would LOVE Thomas to work for her, even if it is part time for only a few months. So he accepted, and he starts his new job in September! I guess that's in like... a week...
Thomas has also been looking into getting another part-time job at a restaurant here in town. He really REALLY wants to wait tables. I know- it's not something most people would jump up and down screaming about, but he really wants to do it. He thinks it would be way fun. Anyway, so he's given his resume to several places here in town and he is just waiting to hear from them. They tend to wait to do hiring until more students come up for the semester, and they get tons of resumes so we don't know if anything for sure will come of it. There is one in particular he really liked the look and feel of- it's called Amici's and it's this Italian place and they have all their waiters dress up like mafia gangster men, with the suspenders and hat and all. I think he'd be great at it. ;D
Another exciting bit of news is that Thomas also had an interview with the man at BYU-I that is in charge of seminary student teachers. He talked with him about where Thomas is at in his schooling/classwork and what openings they have and so forth. Anyway, to the point- Bro. Seadall wants Thomas to do a week of student teaching in the middle of September (hey, isn't that the same time as... oh yeah... BABY COMING!) so that he can see Thomas teaching live, and then in November he will be able to do part-time student teaching (20 hours a week) and get paid for it! You gotta know the church is true when they pay their seminary student teachers. I never got paid for student teaching! ;) We are so excited about it!
As for me, my job right now is taking it easy. I plan to do lots of sitting-type activities, like updating blogs and so forth. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)