My Kind of Crazy

Dear Mom,

Jen Buchert sent me this link and I thought it might answer every question you had about me as a freaky little kid (let alone as a freaky adult).

Much Love,
Your Very Intense Child

PS: Anybody got a very smart, very dramatic, very sensitive and sometimes depressed kid on their hands? This article might explain a lot!

Other May 19ths: Final Installment

May 19, 1985: Sunday, 10pm- I am going out with Ben and it's so great. We've gotten a lot closer over the past week. Since Friday night we have talked on the phone for 11 hours. He's super nice! Gotta go to sleep, more later. Love, Jamie [Oh my heck, the end of 8th grade! When going out meant talking on the phone and holding hands in the hall! Oh, and sitting by each other on the bus to California to sing at Disneyland and Sea World with the Pioneers of Music]



May 20, 1992: ..."Jill and Dana are coming to visit me on 5/23. I still have to work at the elementary school until June 8th, but I am hoping they will still have fun with bus passes and sneaking into the Palace." [Jill was 12 and Dana had just turned 14...Jill: I can't believe you guys stayed that long and I didn't even have TV or anything for you to do!! I forgot you were with me for 2 weeks!]



May 19, 1987: "This weekend something weird happened. I think I have found a new object for my affections. My Aaron is leaving soon, and so as not to be devastated I have been on a half-hearted quest for another sensitive and loving boyfriend. At the last dance that Aaron couldn't attend, I danced with his friend Dan a lot and saw him in a whole new light. He's always been really good to me and I have always liked him, but I have always been with Aaron. Hmmm...

"Today has started out great. The past few days have been the most fun I've had in a long time. Last night I had tech rehearsal for Music Under the Stars. Tim Pollard drove me home and he's really fun to drive with. I went over to Susie's at 8pm. We watched TV and things she recorded for me and goofed around. Her mom went to feed the horse and said she would be right back to take me home, but then her truck broke down. Su's bro, Dave, had to drive me home and I got home at 12:30am on a school night. Mom was just getting home from work, and she just laughed when I told her what happened. Today was great, too. I got my paycheck but hadn't cashed it. Tim needed to borrow some lunch money so I told him if he took me to the bank I'd just buy him some lunch. We ended up having to drive over a mile with two minutes til the lunch bell and Tim shoved a whole Whopper down his throat. He also threw some tomatoes out his window and one slice landed on someone's windshield. We almost died laughing. Tonight was Music Under the Stars, but it was raining so it moved from he amphitheatre to the gym. We all dressed up 1940's. It was so fun and so energetic. Our final was the MoTab version of "Battle Hymn" and my favorite songs were "Chattanooga ChooChoo" and "Somethin's Gotta Give" (I learned it from an Ella Fitzgerald tape). I didn't have to sing formally like I usually do--I got to create a character and bounced around like a little 40's teenager (my Grandma?). This coming weekend I am going to Phoenix to visit Lisa Reed and Brent Gardner and I am flying up there by myself. I can't wait!" [All I can say is WTH? Life at 15-1/2 is pretty hilarious. I can't believe all the stuff I did...nuts. I'm still friends with Susan, and I saw the Dan I mentioned in the first paragraph in 1999 in an elevator at the U of A whenI went to pickup a transcript. He was doing the same thing --for med or dental or some kind of grad school--and had a family and stuff. He asked about Susan and said he'd always meant to date me and was bummed when he came home form his mission and I had gone away to Provo. Ya snooze, ya lose, Danny Boy...]

Here and here and here and here you can see some past blogs from the week of May 19th in 2005 & 2006 (I was too post-partum-ish in 2004 to blog, I think).

I'm checking the mailbox for postcards...

Senses Working Overtime

(if you're dying to hear the ol' XTC song, click here)

I have been thinking about this post for a long time, since I cleaned out my bathroom products and used up the last of my Bath & Body Works Apothecary Lavender-Vanilla bubble bath, which sent me right down memory lane. I, like most people, have strong scent memories. I heard on TV that this is an anatomical fact because the olfactory centers of the brain have no filters--what we smell is not processed, so it goes into our brains and creates a vivid memory right away. That's really cool, and very animal-like, no?

Some of the most surprisingly vivid and tender memories I have are from when I brought each of my three babies home from the hospital. Each time I was pregnant, as delivery grew nigh, I bought (or was given) a new set of scented soaps and lotions to help me feel pretty before and after delivering the baby.

So here is a list of some of my strongest scent memories:

• B&B Cucumber Melon Body Wash: Newborn Addie, courtesy of myself.
• B&B Apothecary Lavender-Vanilla: Newborn Heidi, courtesy of one of my dear YW, Lauren.
• Victoria's Secret Love Spell Body Spray & Scrub: Newborn James, courtesy of my mom.
• bleach/ chlorine water: mmmm, reminds me of pool water, and on a winter's day when I am sanitizing the linens of my cold-ridden family, the smell of the bleach water in the washer can send me right to a sunny, 105-degree day, playing in the pool in Arizona.
• orange peels, orange blossoms: takes me right to Arizona, too...warm sweet-smelling breezes...yum!
• Creosote, Mesquite=MONSOON RAIN in southern AZ. I'm tellin' you people, if they could bottle that smell...(if you've been in Tucson in August, you know what I am talking about!)
• fresh berries and dill also smell so good and fresh to me, and combined with lemon, can brighten and freshen any dish (berries for sweet, dill for savory, of course)
• Ralph Lauren's Safari for Men: when this scent came out, I loved it and I put the scent cards everywhere, even though I never knew a guy who wore it. I suppose it was the smell of the fantasy man of my early 20's.
• Ciara: The Scent of Grandma Lyn...I can smell it on my kids hours after she has hugged them!
• Dove Soap: Grandma Muriel...soft pink soap in her tiny pink-tiled bathroom.

Also, I had some thoughts about sounds the other night. It was a warm night and we had a fan on. The kids were in bed and the dishwasher was humming. I thought to myself that, aside from the sound of silence, the sound of the dishwasher might be my favorite. It's the sound of my woman's work being done at the end of the day. Ahhhh! I also like to drift off to sleep to the sound of the vacuum, the TV, and/or a fan going...I am a huge fan of white noise. Of course I love to hear my kids giggling, especially when they are making each other laugh.

And sometimes I worry that James will have some primal respose to the Scrubs theme...I am afraid he will suddenly get really hungry or want to suck on something, since I watched a tivo'ed Scrubs episode almost everytime I had to nurse him when he was a tiny baby. His first words will probably be, "I can't do this all on my own, no, I know I''m no Superman."

We'll talk about sight, taste, and touch another day. What are some of YOUR favorite scents & sounds?

Miscellaneous

Thing One: Last night, we had dinner with the Arakawa family in our ward. The dad, Clay, is from Hawaii and is a chef at the Marlboro Ranch just northeast of town; Megan-the-mom is super-cool, half Navajo, grew up in Provo and met Clay at the Western Culinary Institute. She now works for the PD here and they have two totally cute kids--Breana (Ad's age) and T.J. (Heidi's age). They also have a dog named Heidi, which was funny. Megan is (of course) an awesome cook. She made Kahlua Pork with Cabbage, stir fry veggies, rice, Crab Rangoon for appetizers, and for dessert and chocolate and coconut cream pie. Puh-leez, people--it was like eating at the best Hawaiian place! The food and the company were excellent! We hope to get together lots this summer. PS: Megan (who used to be Megan Mecham) knows the lovely and talented Bush sisters, one of whom is now "My Brilliant Becca" Buchert linked over on the right.

Thing Two: Hey, mom, remember when we went out to the ranch while you were here and we found this weird little corner desk (it was white and gross)? Look what I did with it (well, Rich did the work--I just had the vision). The living room is getting quite cozy these days! Thing Three: The two things I gamble on in March are NCAA basketball (gotta root for my Wildcats & Blue Devils, even when they suck) and American Idol, and both things are kind of freaking me out this year. You probably know that my b-ball teams didn't even make it to the Sweet 16. And now Idol--last year, it seemed like the only really shocking thing was Chris getting voted off (and look who's got the last laugh AND the number one rock album now!). Now every week I am pretty surprised by the results. Who the heck is voting this year? I mean, I love me some Mowgli/Sanjaya as much as the next gal, but he's not that great of a performer. On the other hand, I love Blake and Gina! Totally marketable, and Blake did an awesome version of my favorite 60's song this week (The Time of the Season--such a great song!). I might add that tivo (fast forward) is THE ONLY way to watch Idol.

Thing Four: Happy Spring to one and all! I am so glad the groundhog saw his shadow this year, because I really needed these two weeks of sunshine! I know the snow will probably come back, but this interlude has been a sweet way to usher in the season. I'm just sayin' my tulips better not freeze!

I've got more stuff, but I gotta save it for tomorrow. I'm Tard. It's almost my blog's fourth birthday...how should we celebrate??

Deep Thoughts

I've posted some deep thoughts over on Framanisco. Have a gander and leave a comment.

And just so you're not too disappointed, here are a few Jack Handey classics (my MTC teacher used to read us a "Deep Thought" each night after class...it was fun back in 1992):

I hope if dogs ever take over the world, and they chose a king, they don't just go by size, because I bet there are some Chihuahuas with some good ideas.

If you're robbing a bank and you're pants fall down, I think it's okay to laugh and to let the hostages laugh too, because, come on, life is funny.

Sometimes I think I'd be better off dead. No, wait, not me, you.

When you go in for a job interview, I think a good thing to ask is if they ever press charges.

Too bad you can't buy a voodoo globe so that you could make the earth spin real fast and freak everybody out.

And this last one is dedicated to my pal, Al Gore, in honor of this month's Outside Magazine "Green Edition..."

If trees could scream, would we be so cavalier about cutting them down? We might, if they screamed all the time, for no good reason.

Overkill

Men at Work were really popular when I was in sixth grade. My dance class did a dance to "Land Down Under," and we all loved "Who Can it Be Now." But my favorite Men at Work song was "Overkill." One night, it even made me cry.

That was the year I first noticed that I had a severe anxiety problem. The year I developed an ulcer. The year I started keeping a notebook on the nightstand to try to quiet the thoughts that raced and kept me awake at night (those of you who know me as a "list person" now know where that stems from--making a list is sometimes the only way to quiet my brain and get some sleep). It made for some award-winning poetry, but it also made for a painful adolescence (don't get me wrong--my social life in junior high and high school was almost idyllic, in a John Hughes sort of way--just the right mix of heart and humor and silliness and melodrama--it's just that there was a lot of worry, a bunch of rattly old skeletons in the closet needing attention).

So anyway, when I finally listened closely to the lyrics of "Overkill" one night (undoubtedly on KRQ), I felt what the singer felt and it became somewhat of an anthem for me. And you can imagine the joy (and twinge of pain) I felt when Colin Hay appeared on an episode of Scrubs singing said song. It was an episode about being totally overwhelmed as an intern, and I thought it was perfect. Here, you watch it see if you feel the same way:




So I was just thinking about all this stuff, and I want to articulate it better later, but I was just thinking about how everyone has their own "stuff"--their own anxieties, weaknesses, mental illnesses, addictions--even the people who always seem like they have it together. And how crazy is it that we (whose problems are obvious) always look at them (whose problems are hidden) and think it would be nice to trade loads.

I have noticed a subtle shift in my thinking over the past year (again, something I will elaborate on later), in that I have recognized that (a) everybody's got a row to hoe, so to speak, a load to bear, a trial to endure, whatever; and (b) MY load is tailor made for me. I mean, it's hard sometimes and all that, but I have learned from trying to fulfill my baptismal covenants, by trying to bear one anothers' burdens. I have learned that my load is just right. A seemingly lighter load wouldn't make me "perfect, even as [my] Father in Heaven is perfect," and a heavier one would crush me. So in many ways I have been able to put my blinders on and deal with what's on my plate, and do it a little more graciously. And at the same time, I have been able to reach outside myself a little more because I have finally recognized that all of us, even the ones who seem like they don't, need to share our load once in a while.

On Strike

This is my lonely workstation in my home office, where the Livingston Ward Liahona is created and Life in a Northern Town is maintained... This is me telling you:

"I refuse to post anymore until I get some comments."

It's like talking to a wall....and I even took off word verification, folks...come on.

(Okay...I WILL post just one more funny little thing...this photo of my girls on the carousel last Saturday, in which Addie seems to have gone mad and Heidi is saying "Heil Mommy!")

PS: Last night, we happened upon a Documentary Channel presentation of "Stoked: The Rise and Fall of Gator" which features girls I went to high school with but didn't know, one of whom was killed by Gator Rogowski, the skater probably most famous for his appearance (with his Tucson girlfriend, Brandi) in Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'"video. It was a fun little walk down memory lane (well, not the Gator-becoming-a-murderer part) to hot days on the half pipe and cool nights on the Bank banks on the west side, when Tony Hawk weighed about 101 pounds and starred in a Mountain Dew commercial with Lance Mountain, Itchy Foot Moe's, Willy's Pocatello Mall half ramps and that one poser dude in the hills who had a lighted half pipe in his back yard...what a funny little subculture....

Sunday

Today was Selection Sunday for NCAA Men's Basketball (the only sport anyone in our house is remotely interested in, besides the occasional futbol match, which we only like to watch on Spanish language television). I think it's quite telling that I slept through the selection coverage. It's a bad sign that I haven't seen even ONE Arizona game this season (I have checked scores and standings, though...sad times). I think the times they are a-changin' and My Teams are falling from grace. Dare I say Papa Lute and Coach K are gettin' old? I don't really know what I am talking about, but I will cheer on my Wildcats, my Tarheels, and my Blue Devils, even if the fun is all over next weekend. *SIGH.* Bear Down, Arizona

On another note, I have a dear friend who joined the church a few years ago and has really grown spiritually the past year or so, but sadly, her husband has not followed (even though he's been a member "technically" most of his life). She is at a real crossroads and I want her to know that I really feel for her and she's in my prayers. It's so hard, believing what we believe/know about families, to decide what to do in these situations. Of course everyone deserves a celestial marriage, especially when one is willing to pay the price, but it's a delicate situation when one finds oneself alone in such a pursuit. I've met a really amazing wife whose answer to her prayer was to wait for him because, as she put it, he was her brother before he was her husband, and he needed her love and support to help him back to where he should be. But many others have had to cut bait and move on. And then there are the kids. Do you sacrifice your family life for your own personal happiness and hope it all works out for them? These are hard questions and I don't have the answers.

Well, wait--I do have one answer. Only God knows our potential and our limitations. Only he knows if your husband is ever going to come around, or if your kids can withstand a divorce, or if there is indeed someone else to make your dreams come true. Only he can intervene and change someone's heart. Only he can tell you the right choice for you. You just have to be ready for and willing to act upon the answer with faith. Like Nephi told the angel in 1Nephi 11:17, "I know that he loveth his children, nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." I applaud you for caring enough about him and your children to work on it rather than doing what would be much more comfortable and easy for you--leaving and returning to the comfort (and SUNSHINE) of your family of origin.

We had a great Sabbath today. I am always so happy to be at church in my own ward and be able to attend all three meetings with little interruption. So thanks to my kids for giving me that today. I needed it. And thank you to Rich for letting me sleep off my ear infection and all the exhaustion from partyin' like a 20-year-old this weekend :) I had a long and much needed nap today, and I didn't actually get out of my bed (snuggling with James) until 6pm! We all worked together to get the laundry and laundry room cleaned up (we started that on Friday), and then we took some of those under-the-bed storage boxes and made a "Memory Box" for each kid. We needed those because, as you probably well know, they bring lots of treaseures home from pre-school and church nursery and we needed some place besides the fridge door and the office to keep them all. It's been a nice evening, and now I should try to pack it in. Happy Monday, everyone!

Lazy Farmers

Just a friendly reminder from your Montana friends (DISREGARD if you're lucky enough to live in Arizona where they are too cool for DST) to SPRING FORWARD tomorrow! Don't be late for church, y'all!

Quote of the Week from Stephen Colbert: "I still don't see why the whole nation has to suffer just because lazy farmers won't get up at 4 unless we tell them it's 5" (Tuesday, March 6th on the Colbert Report's "Threat Down")........ I agree 100%.

And I bid you adieu, since I gotta catch that lost hour of sleep somewhere...

PS: Happy Birthday, Jared (click)! Thanks for the fun party!

Oh The Sweetness

I hope it's okay with Penelope's parents that I am uploading this gorgeous photo of her.

I simply can't resist!

I'm TARD! (that's southern for tired)

My happy little bubble of good nights' rest was burst with gusto last night (hey, it was only 6 days old anyway), as James was awake from 11pm til 4am, and Heidi graced us with several tantrums in that time span. To top it of, my neck is severly "Out," and my entire left side, from my jaw, down to my fingers and toes, is tingling, my left ear is ringing, and my left sinuses are clogged. THANKS, KIDS!

Last night I put a counter on my blog. If you are lurking here, I cordially invite you to make yourself known and leave a comment. It's kind of freaking me out how many people tell us they read our blog and have never left a comment...so stop in and say hi. I'll even take off word verification for the day to make it easy for you.

Now I am off to ice my neck and get dressed before I go see the chiro. Hopefully my exceedingly tired and grumpy children will nap today so we all feel better this eveing. UGH!

March Forth

When I was in high school, I remember looking at the date "3/4" and thinking, "If you took the U out, it could sound like a command." That was the same year we studied Doctrine & Covenants (so it must have been March 1986) and I thought that this would be a scripture to read on March 4th:

"Brethren [and sisters, too!], shall we not go on in so great a cause? Go forward and not backward; Courage brethren[and sisters]; and on, on to the victory! Let your hearts rejoice, and be exceedingly glad. Let the earth break forth into singing; Let the dead speak forth anthems of eternal praise to the King Immanuel..." (D&C 128:22).

Imagine my surprise when my dear friend and surrogate big sister, Georgia, told me about her own March Forth celebration (I always say great minds think alike). For the past, I dunno, 12 or 15 years, we have exchanged March Forth greetings and cheers on this special homemade holiday.
(Happy March Forth, GeorgiaBee!)

As the years have passed, it seems increasingly appropriate to celebrate March Forth as a little end-of Winter jump start--to renew my resolutions for the year, to spring clean my house and my mind and my heart, and be ready to celebrate the joys of spring and Easter. I almost bore my testimony of March Forth today, but I was otherwise occupied with Rich out of town. So I bore it to myself and felt grateful that, although this "fresh-start" holiday comes round once a year, I can start fresh and rally the troops, so to speak, each week thanks to the Sacrament and all that goes in to it.

Another fun March Forth surprise THIS year was that it's not our own holiday afterall...look at THIS! From Family Fun magazine, which I love and use often (click to enlarge)...

What the heck!?! Well, now the cat's out of the bag and the whole world will be girding up their loins and taking fresh courage on the fourth day of March. So hup, two, three, four, people... spring's a-comin'!

PS: I've been home alone with my kids (hence, away from the computer) since Thursday, but Rich arrived home safe and sound from Utah tonight. He went there for a wedding--congratulations and good luck to Shaun Spalding & his new bride!

Meme Thing

I've had this Meme Thing on my blog for several months...tonight I decided to fill it out and post it...
THE FIVES
What I was doing 10 yrs ago:
I was living in Tucson, working at the AlphaGraphics corporate store while attending the U of A and nursing a heart broken by a cartoon-drawing lacrosse player.
5 yrs ago:
I had just moved into our tiny little Provo house next door to Rob & Georgia, watched the Olympics in Salt Lake City, celebrated our first anniversary and Addie’s three-month birthday.
1 yr ago:
I was just getting over pneumonia and starting morning sickness, as I was about 13 weeks pregnant with James…we had just gone to Helena Handbasket to meet Baby Sam Post and I posted THIS
Yesterday:
I was sleeping at this time yesterday, but I had been working on the dang Liahona newsletter and Cousin Bill’s wedding video, much to the chagrin of my family.
5 snacks I enjoy:
1. White chocolate raspberry Yoplait yogurt
2. Beef or Turkey Jerky
3. Nachos
4. Very Crisp (never mealy) Apples
5. Costco’s Rice Cracker mix with those yummy wasabi balls
5 songs I know all the words to:
Puh-leez, y’all—I can remember just about anything if it’s put to music whether I want to or not. For instance: The Preamble of the Consititution and The Warrior by Patti Smythe.
5 Things I would do with $100 million:
Give $100K to each of our siblings on both sides and our parents and grandparents
sell this house and buy a slightly bigger one
Buy Rich a Cooper mini and an FJ Cruiser
Send myself to fat camp and fly nana out to stay with my kids
Establish a scholarship through the perpetual education fund, send people on missions, and build a charter school here in Livingston
Become a SNOWBIRD!!
5 locations I would like to run away to:
Tucson
Hawaii
Mexico
Florence (Italy, not AZ)
Washington DC
5 bad habits I have:
drinking soda
biting fingers
scratching itches & scabs
yelling at my kids
thinking about too many things at once
5 things I like doing:
Taking baths
Reading
Writing
Getting Mail
Taking naps in the sunshine, especially through the windows in winter. I am a siesta girl!
5 things I would never wear:
Super low-rise pants
Synthetic socks
gold teeth or a grill
a tube top
anything immodest or sheer
5 TV shows I like:
Scrubs
The Office
The Daily Show
My Name Is Earl
What Not to Wear
(and almost any news/investigative/biographical special)
5 Biggest Joys of the Moment:
My Immediate Family
My newfound sense of faith that allows me to freak out much less than I used to
Spring is coming, the sun is up longer
Getting Mail
Going on Dates with Rich
5 Favorite Toys:
This computer
Jetted Tub
DVR/ TIVO
Mini-Van w/ DVD player
New Camera (Canon Powershot A710 IS)
5 next victims:
Do five people even read this blog? If YOU read it, I’m tagging you; leave a comment when you’ve responded!

Are You KIDDING Me?

Abbreviated (due to my lack of time) Oscar Thoughts:

-Helen Mirren looked stunning...LOVED the dress, and she NAILED Queen Elizabeth



-Here's an inconvenient truth: Al Gore shouldn't host or present ANYTHING, ever again! I watched "An Inconvenient Truth," because I like to hear all sides of an argument, even those I don't a gree with. And I certainly appreciate an argument that is well-supported with charismatic and passionate delivery, even when I don't agree (por ejemplo, my addiction to "All Things Considered" and "The Daily Show"). So my hatred for "An Inconvenient Truth" stems not from my conservativism and love of big business, but from Al Gore's stunning BORINGNESS!!!! I have seen the same data on a Discovery Channel show, delivered with much less bias and political posturing, and much more personality (and that was from a SCIENTIST on the DISCOVERY CHANNEL, y'all--how Gore made it in politics with the personality of a soggy sponge, I surely will never know). But good for him for finding something (besides donuts) he's passionate about and for doing us all a favor and NOT running for President in 2008. I just don't think this was the best documentary of 2006--not by a LONG shot (I was thinking maybe "Iraq in Fragments," though I have yet to see it).



-How sweet was Ennio Morricone? I felt so happy for him and his darling Maria. The soundtracks to "The Mission" and "Cinema Paradiso" contain some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard...he deserves lots of kudos for his beautiful composing.



Also, this weekend we FINALLY bought a small rocker recliner from LA-Z-BOY (so we can be lazy boys)...


...and I realized that I am too old for deep fried foods when I ate a Monte Cristo sandwich. Shucks. I'll be back soon with new pix from my cool new camera (and I will try to figure out how to post wee movies, too), AFTER I am finished creating The Liahona and a wedding video for Cousin Bill.

One Last Belated Valentine

This one is for Sam."You said that it would,

Now everything should

be all right."

Love, Maj

Weirdness

To get myself to write tonight, I am doing a meme-thingy from My Cuz Brent (whom my kids think is their uncle) and Becca. Brent did seven, Becca did 100--I am going with ten. I think.

Ten Weird Things About Me

1. I absolutely cannot get in bed without washing and moisturizing my feet. I have fallen asleep and actually woken up to go in the 'throom and wash my feet. It stems from this larger weirdness I have about dry skin (which I've had all my life) snagging or scraping against fabric. It's like nails on a chalkboard and I cannot tolerate it.

2. I have a hard time eating mixes--like mixed jelly bellies or chex mix. I usually eat the items in the mix separately, starting with my least favorite thing and saving my favorite for last (in the case of chex mix, for example, I eat the pretzels, then the breadsticks, then the bagel chips, then the corn/rice chex, and finally the wheat chex) (crazy, I know).

3. I cannot understand why using the postal service is so difficult for such a huge percentage of my acquaintances and family. I have gotten used to it, mind you, but I don't understand what is so hard about keeping a basket or drawer stocked with paper, envelopes, a pen, an address book, and stamps. For the love of all that's Holy, people...we have an exemplary postal system and I intend to share the joy of snail mail with my loved ones until it becomes cost-prohibitive, so help me Ben Franklin! (This makes ME weird because I'm the weirdo who still uses the snail mail--me, my grandma, and my friend Lisa Robbins Anderson)

4. When I was a little girl, there was almost nothing that brought me more joy than a clean sheet of white paper. Seriously--I would almost shake with happiness and anticipation of filling it up with something.

5. I can't stand to have my fingernails grow past my fingertips.

6. I am working really hard to stop judging smokers as less intelligent and people wearing heavy eyeliner as trampy. It's really hard and I don't want to be like that. Luckily, in my town I'll get lots of practice.

7. I am an ice connoisseur. I will go out of my way for soft ice because I like to eat it. Chalk it up to my Arizona upbringing. Which leads me to...

8. My beverages must be ice cold. Like bordering on slushy. The only hot drinks I like are cocoa and Postum, but still in very small quantities.

9. I have kept a journal since I was nine. It's pretty entertaining, and I keep vowing to go back into them and do more "on this date in history" entries, cuz hey, there's fodder.

10. I almost always have about five thoughts in my head at once. Sometimes people think I am forgetful or irresponsible, but it's because I have to work hard to shut my brain up and focus. This is also why I require a very clean and distraction-free work environment, and why I have to get my chores done before I can do something creative--if I don't, my brain will not shut up!!! I am sure that's an undiagnosed disorder.

Feel free to add to the list in the comments...:) And happy hump day.

Week in Review

Last time I posted, it was Family Night. That was a fun night! This week was Addie's first week of pre-school and she is loving it. She gets to eat breakfast and lunch at school and gets out at 1pm, so it's a big leap from the 2-hour pre-school she is used to. But like I said, she is enjoying it a lot, and Heidi loves having mommy and daddy to herself a bit, too (mommy while James naps, Daddy at lunchtime). This schedule also allows me to get a lot done, too, since James takes a nap right about when Addie gets home, so Addie and I have about an hour of computer time then we go feed James around 2pm and we lay down and read stories or watch a kid show before starting dinner and afternoon clean-up. So far, so good.

Also, this week I found out that I will have a new niece this spring! My sister, Sara, is having a baby girl (third child, first girl). Of course, it will be ages before I get to see her since Sara lives in Michigan, but I am still excited! So my cousin Lacy, my friend Mary, my sister Sara, and possibly my cousin Kate are all having baby girls pretty soon. Good times!

We also had our Relief Society Christmas Luncheon on Saturday for which Jenn & I decorated a table. The table turned out really cool on a really slim budget (almost everything was made from paper or ribbon, with a tower of beautifully-wrapped and tied gifts as the centerpiece), and the luncheon was so nice. We did a readers' theatre of the Women in Christ's life, and it was really nice. I sang Mary's Lullaby (the Easter Pageant version) and I totally started crying while I was singing! I choked out the words, but I was so embarrassed! I guess the emotion of having a baby son at Christmas time really got to me! But it all turned out alright. I'll have a chance to redeem myself when I sing it in sacrament meeting on Christmas Eve (which will probably be WORSE!).

We are having so much fun with the girls! They are just WIRED for Christmas. They got to see Santa again, this time at the bank during the Livingston Christmas Stroll (it was warm enough to actually stroll this year). After cruising around downtown on Friday night, we picked up Anna, our new favorite babysitter, and Rich and I went to Bozeman to finish Santa shopping. We got everything for the kids except the small Cars character cars that Addie wants. We are so bummed! We have missed three truckloads of them at both Walmart and Target. We wanted to get her Lightning McQueen, Mater, Doc, & Sally as stocking stuffers (they are small and only about $3) so she and Heidi can play Cars together (they already do, but McQueen is an old red Matchbox Corvette and Mater is a GI Joe Jeep with a tow cable on the back from a Happy Meal).

I wanted to keep track of the funny things they do to the nativity set downstairs, but this year all that has happened is Baby Jesus and the shepherd have disappeared. I am hoping to find them in the toy box when I clean it out this week (to donate and make room for new stuff, of course).

Last night we took some fun pictures of Rich's sister, Angie, and her family (they live across the street). They brought over an antique sled that belongs to Davy's mom and the pictures turned out pretty cool.

So that's about all I have to update. I gotta go finish up my Christmas stuff--my deadline is Wednesday, and then it's smooth sailin'--just hanging' out with my kids, baking, etc. Good times, y'all.