January 2011

~Happy New Year!~

Yes, yes it is true!  Can you believe it?? I'm finally blogging about the current year: WOO-HOO!! Let's see if I can pick up the pace and get caught up before another new year rolls around.

So, just how did we kick off 2011?  Well, not quite how we usually do.  Not with friends.  Not with friends near or far as we have in the past.  Not with family either.  J-rod didn't even have to work but we still didn't do much.  Why?  I had the flu.  The full-on, "hit me like a Mac-truck, completely wipe me out, fever and chills with an achy body, no-way should I be around anybody" kind of flu.  No fun.  No fun for me. No fun for J-rod. Especially no fun for the kids. Yup, I was a party-pooper and went to bed super early (C-sta did too) while J-rod and the boys roasted marshmallows and had fun with sparklers.  

******

~Taken with my phone in the dimly lit theater.~

The second weekend of January Li'l J and I went on a date to see Shrek the Musical.  J-rod and I were supposed to go see it together but since M woke up that morning throwing up, Li'l J got to go with me instead.  While the play wasn't among my favorite musicals, it had its good spots (the dragon was pretty amazing!) and Li'l J and I enjoyed our time together.

~Also taken with my phone, after the show.~

As we left the theater that evening, J-rod called to ask if I had yet heard the horrific news about the shooting rampage in Tucson, AZ earlier that day.  I hadn't heard about it until he called to tell me.  I listened to the local radio reports for a bit on the ride home.  What a very sad and terrible day for all those directly affected.

******

~Our suspicions confirmed!~

We've had an ongoing family joke now for a while that there must be a "black hole" the sits directly over our house and causes our belongings to vanish from time to time.  There is no rhyme nor reason as to what vanishes, the black hole simply taketh away and re-turneth at will.  When lost items do reappear, they are found in the MOST random of places!  The only consistent thing is that the length of time before a lost or misplaced item reappears is directly proportional to its importance or value.  For instance, J-rod's wedding band: gone now for almost 3 years.  We are almost certain we know where it is, we just cannot access it.  We believe it has fallen away into a nook or cranny in J-rod's comfy recliner.  One year M's new glasses were misplaced for months; this year mine have been gone for over three months.  Sets of keys or the TV remote seem to reappear within the day though.  In most homes a sock will go missing from a pair, no, not at our house.  This black hole must wear flip-flops year round like we do because all of our socks are present and accounted for!

Anyway, one morning prior to a family outing we noticed the above pictured card (which was sitting on the street behind our car) pointing directly at our house.  We'd suspected as much, but apparently the universe wanted to make sure that we knew.  Oh we laughed so hard when we saw this, we just had to document it.  Maybe now that we've publicly acknowledged its existence, a few more things will reappear?  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.

******

The day before M's first double-digit birthday--he's 10 now!!--was Martin Luther King Jr. Day and a holiday from school.  Since J-rod also happened to have the day off, we took the kids to do some birthday shopping for M who was in dire need of new shoes and a suit for church.  After shopping we met up with our friends the H family for dinner.  Whenever anyone in either their family or ours has a birthday, we meet at Red Robin for dinner. I think it's RR's amazing fries and ranch that keeps us coming back  Well that and...we always have such a fun time with the H family!

~The first of M's 10th B-day celebrations~

~All together now: "Red Robin...YUM!"

M got a two extra special treats for his 10th birthday.  M became a Webelo on his birthday and was especially happy about going to his den meeting that night.

~Happy, Happy 10th Birthday to our M!~

The day after his birthday: SURPRISE! J-rod took M on his very first ski trip up north for the day…just he and J-rod.

~What a great birthday surprise!~

M spent the first half of the day up in a ski lesson with a few other kids while J-rod discovered that he wasn’t as rusty at skiing as he had anticipated (it had been ages since J-rod last skied!).  M spent the rest of the day testing out his newly learned skills skiing with J-rod. It was a fun day for both father and son and they were left looking forward to another ski day, hopefully sooner than later!

******

~M and his science partner K testing our their hypothesis~

Later in January when given an assignment to apply the scientific method with an experiment,  M was teamed up with classmate K.  Together they tested out the hypothesis they came up with together: "If you drop a Fruity MENTOS into a bottle of 1L Sprite, it will cause a big chemical reaction."  K and M discovered that though a chemical reaction did occur, their hypothesis was flawed.  When researching what could be done to create a bigger chemical reaction, M and K learned that a BIG chemical reaction comes from dropping a Mint MENTOS into 2L of DIET COKE.  So even though what they thought would happen did not, it was still a successful science project since they learned what they would need to do to cause a bigger reaction.  I love the learning that is happening with our kids!!

******

~PWD 2011~

We finished out the month of January by attending M's last Pinewood Derby race.  M built his PWD car to look like a green LEGO brick. He named it “The Brickyard Racer”. On race day, even though it looked a bit bulky compared to the other sleek cars that raced in our pack PWD, "The Brickyard Racer" held its own rather well and M took second place (just as he did his first year in the PWD). What a great way for M to finish out his racing days!

A Preface

The last week of April, M had Spring Break from school...probably the latest Spring Break E-V-E-R!! So guess where we spent it? Vacationing in beautiful Oceanside, CA in a condo just steps from the pier and the beach--it was oh-SO-very nice!

The view from our balcony (looking south).

We all enjoyed the staying at the roomy condo.  M and Li'l J especially enjoyed that they got to stay in their own room!  Our first morning there, they all had to test out the beds to make sure they were sufficiently comfy:

Judging by the looks on their faces, I'd say the beds definitely passed the kids "comfy test"! 

The kids also enjoyed standing on our balcony, waiting...

and watching for...

The view from our balcony, (looking north).

...the trains to go by!

Up next:  Spring Break, Day 1

Prom 2010

In the middle of April J-rod and I went to Prom...as chaperone's.  Every year our stake and several others in the area put on a very well decorated Prom weekend.  Friday is Prom Night for the Adults (30+ yrs.), then later that same night a Prom for the Young Single Adults (18-30 yrs.) and from what we've heard, this is when the DJ really 'pumps up the volume!', and then Saturday night a Prom for the Youth (16-18 yrs).  This was our first time attending any of them because in the three years we've lived here, J-rod has had to work during each Prom weekend.  I had heard a lot about this Prom and just how much fun it is every year, but even though J-rod didn't have to work this year we originally hadn't planned on going (J-rod isn't a big fan of dancing!), but then he was asked to chaperon the youth on Saturday night.  So, lucky me...I got to go to Prom with my sweetheart!!

We got a babysitter for the night, got all dressed up--J-rod even got me a corsage to go with my dress!-- went out to dinner at Flemings, and then danced the night away with our amazing youth.  The theme this year was a Middle Eastern Bazaar.  The decorations were nothing short of AMAZING!!  From the moment you walked through the front doors, the stake center where it was held was completely transformed so that except for the wooden floor where we danced, you almost forgot you were in a church building!  There was even a flying carpet above the dance floor!  We had such fun, I can't believe we almost didn't go! I am already looking forward to going again next year!

Thanks for a great date night J-rod!

Our Li'l Gardener

Early in March, Li'l J's preschool class had a week where they learned about plants and at the end of the end of the week each class member got to go home with some seeds to plant.  Li'l J came home with some corn and bean seeds.

While C-sta napped, Li'l J and I headed outside so he could try his hands at gardening.  As is evident in the pictures, though Li'l J was very excited to plant the seeds, he took his job very seriously.  Sadly, the little plants that came up didn't survive to be planted in the garden.  Oh well, come fall we'll try again.

Friday Fill-in

1. In 1992, I was a sophomore...in high school!

2. I love laughter and smiles.

3. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are at right now.

4.  On vacation is where I'd like to be.

5. The trees and flowers are telling me "NOW is the time to plant, plant, plant!"

6.  Chatterboxes, we just keep going on and on, and on!

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow my plans include being productive and Sunday, I want to make it to church on time!

Our Fun Li'l C-sta!

Until recently, bath time for our li'l C-sta (and therefore anyone bathing her) was NO fun!  For much of her young life, the only non-torturous way to bathe C-sta was in the shower with mom or dad.  So while we don't know if it was spending almost everyday this summer in the pool that helped C-sta be comfortable in the water or simply because she is growing up, whatever the reason, we're just glad C-sta finally has taken a liking to taking an actual bath in a the bathtub--yay!  Here are some pictures we took clear back in December on a night when C-sta was clearly enjoying her bath.  Be sure to check out her long locks as they begin to curl!

Bathtime fun...finally!

One Sunday morning in December while getting ready for our Stake Conference, C-sta was acting exceptionally cute so J-rod and I couldn't resist breaking out the camera to take some fun pictures of our sweet little lady.

"I'm ready for my close-up!"

It was for this Stake Conference that Elder Cook of the Quorum of the Twelve and Elder Gibson, an area authority, came to reorganize our Stake Presidency. Not only did J-rod have the opportunity to meet with both of them on Saturday, but after our Sunday meeting J-rod took M and Li'l J to meet Elder Cook and Elder Gibson and shake their hands--the boys were pretty excited about that!

A Serving of Cupcake

One of my all-time favorite blogs, V & Co. is hosting a kati cupcake giveaway from the ever-so-talented Amy.  Here is what the winner will receive:

 7 patterns from kati cupcake!!!

Zippy wants to win!!

And the winners are...

How fun to have such a nice group of ladies respond to the first-ever give-away at Life...our daily adventure--this was fun!  I may just do another in the future. : )

Yes, the correct response I was looking for ladies was, "Mountain is misspelled."  I took the pictures and didn't even notice until J-rod came home and said, "Um, why did you take pictures of the misspelling on the box?"  Once he pointed it out I couldn't help but see it and then of course I had to ask my friend J if it was on her boxes as well, and sure enough, it was!  So to all that caught it, good job!

After reviewing the comments, and realizing that I wasn't very clear in my instructions, this is what I decided:  All who participated will receive something from Zippy--yay!

First Place Winner:

To my favorite Georgia Peach, Cocoa from Chocolate On My Cranium, for being the first to respond to the question correctly: the Fall Care Package.  Cocoa, I will let you know once it's on it's way.

To all the "Runners-up":

Jenny, Jaime, Lallie, Marie, Brenda, and Amy...I will let you all know once your surprises are on their way. : )

Thanks for playing ladies!  My love to you all!

100 Life Experiences

I think I've this referred to as a "bucket list" in some places and I'm sure there are variations of this all over, but since this is the one I saw on a cousin's blog...I thought I'd use it here.

I put a star next to the life experiences I've had thus far. While my list is almost at 50% completion, there are some items on it I wouldn't be unhappy about not checking off...ever. Please feel free to copy and pass it on! Leave me a comment letting me know you've posted your own list so I can go check it out. Have fun checking things off your list!

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 a 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 on overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight *
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you weren't 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 a sunset *
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise *
33. Seen Niagra Falls in person *
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors *
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new langauge
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 in a restaurant *
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight *
46. Been transported by ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing *
49. Seen the Cistine Chapel in person
50. Been on television *
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 * (does your "tail-bone" count?)
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. Been to the Alamo
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a lawsuit
98. Owned a cell phone *
99. Been stung by a bee *
100. Totally copied a post from someone's blog to your own * (uh, ALL the time!)

On the fifteenth day of December...

Baby A got to try out something new...playtime in the "exer-saucer" passed down to her by big brother Li'l J.

As you can see, she really enjoys playing in it!

Having ensured that saucer was in good hands, Li'l J decided to pursue other adventures--nice huh?

On the fourteenth day of December...

With keeping as busy as we'd been, nap time was in order! Between the hours of 5am and 7pm busy serving others and home for two short hours, J-rod was more than happy to snuggle with Baby A for a short nap.

What a sweet moment!

Crazy 8's

8 Shows I enjoy watching--

1. CSI: NY

2. Without a Trace

3. George Lopez (re-runs)

4. Grey's Anatomy

5. E.R.

6. Scrubs

7. Design on a Dime

8. Design Remix


8 Things that happened yesterday--

1. Took Baby A in for her 4 month check-up--seriously, 4 months already???

2. Listened to wonderful Christmas music as I drove all over town.

3. Checked our Christmas lists twice.

4. Mama Clause finished up last minute Christmas shopping.

5. Enjoyed the rain!

6. Our little elves kept busy working with Papa Clause on finishing Christmas cards.

7. Papa and Mama Clause made LOTS of caramel popcorn to deliver to neighbors and friends.

8. Enjoyed some YUMMY Costco pizza and Chocolate Chunk Cookies.


8 Things I'm looking forward to--

1. Wrapping presents tonight.

2. Watching more fun Christmas movies with my boys.

3. Spending Christmas at home.

4. Seeing the look on my boys faces Christmas morning.

5. Cousin D's wedding and all the family we'll get to see.

6. Our New Year's family get-away!

7. Getting organized after the New Year.

8. Matthew's baptism.


8 Things I love about winter--

1. Stepping onto my cold tile floor in the morning.

2. Wearing soft, warm, comfy jammies.

3. Cool, crisp winter nights.

4. Eating warm and yummy soups.

5. Birthday time (for me, Li'l J, and M.)

6. Christmas time!

7. Playing in the snow with my kids (not living in it!)

8. Eating Marie Calendar's Chocolate Satin Pie on Christmas-my absolute favorite!


8 Things on my wish list--

1. A landscaped backyard.

2. Professionally steam cleaned carpets and tile.

3. A pedicure.

4. Crown molding in the living room and family room.

5. A Willow Tree Nativity.

6. A flag pole on the front porch.

7. DVD: The Nativity.

8. Movie soundtrack cd's.

Tag you're it: Jen M.

"Two in one" Tag

Part 1: Photo Files

Go to your picture folder and take the 4th picture from the 4th file and post it. How easy can that be?

Thanksgiving week 2003; M was 2 1/2 yrs. old. While visiting with some friends, we took M and their son A for hair cuts at a local barbershop.

Part 2: Bookworm Tag
Open the nearest book to page 56 and write out the fifth sentence on that page, as well as the next two to five sentences. Remember, The CLOSEST BOOK--not your favorite or most intellectual book you own.

As I'm currently in the kitchen, the closest book is my trusty Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book. You know, the classic and popular one with the checkered red and white cover? Well, in my edition (1996), page 56 is the divider for the section Beans, Rice, & Grains. The fifth word listed is: Bean and Cheese Burritos, 65. Nothing fancy or terribly exciting--in fact it's super fast and easy--but it's given me a great idea as to what to make for lunch today!

I tag: Coco, Marie J. and Patty B.

Through the Years

Cool cousin Kassi tagged me with this:

20 Years Ago:

1. I had just survived my first year of middle school.

2. I was getting ready to go to my first year of YW Girls Camp--yes, I really am that old!

3. I wanted to take French as my foreign language elective the coming school year, but that was vetoed by my mom who said I needed to feel comfortable with my first language (Spanish) first.

10 Years Ago:

1. I had just taken the LSAT.

2. I was getting ready for my last year at BYU.

3. I had no idea I would meet my Mr. Right in a couple months!

5 Years Ago:

1. We had just moved from S.C. to N.Y.

2. We lived in a hotel for a month while waiting for our first house to be completed.

3. Three days after attending our N.Y. ward for the first time, I was called into the Primary Presidency--yikes!

3 Years Ago:

1. We had just returned from taking our first trip in three years from the East back West.

2. While on our trip we saw family and friends in Northern and Southern California, as well as Nevada.

3. Also on this trip, we took the boys to Disneyland for the first time--they LOVED it!

1 Year Ago:

1. We were settling into our new life in AZ.

2. As part of settling in, we began the process of having a pool built in the backyard--yay!

3. We had just returned from taking road trip #6 of 10 for 2007.

So Far This Year:

1. We've painted and redecorated two rooms: the boys room, and the nursery.

2. We bought a new car...that we LOVE!

3. We've only taken 3 road trips--what? Oh yeah, the price of gas.

Yesterday:

1. The boys and I ran a few errands then...

2. spent the afternoon at a Mom's Club Pool Party.

3. Helped provide dinner for a couple families in our ward whose patriarch just passed away.

Today I...

1. ...will take M to the eye doctor.

2. ...will visit my OB.

3. ...will do some back-to-school shopping with M. I wish I could delay the start of school for a few more weeks, but I'm not in charge so..."Ce la vie!"

Tomorrow I...

1. ...will attend the funeral of a wonderful gentleman from our ward.

2. ...will hopefully make some headway on a few projects that have been on hold for quite some time.

3. ...will take our boys to the ward swim party.

Scattegories

My friend Ashley tagged me for a post similar to one that I've already done here. So I thought I'd respond with this instead, it came from Amy's blog.

Think of something that falls into each of the following categories that starts with the first letter of your name. You can't copy anyone's answers who did this before you and you can't use the same word twice! (Given that my name starts with a Z...this was rather tricky for me!)

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: Zippy

4 LETTER WORD: Zany

VEHICLE: Zamboni

CITY: Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe, NV

BOY Name: Zorro

GIRL NAME: Zoe

OCCUPATION: Zoo Keeper

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Zapatos (Spanish for shoes)

FOOD: Zucchini

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Zinc Oxide

REASON FOR BEING LATE: A zillion reasons...I'm ALWAYS late!

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: "Zip the lips!"

SOMETHING YOU LOVE: My zoom lens!

I know tag Kary, Marie J., and Nathan. Have fun!

____________________

WHAT IS YOUR NAME: M

4 LETTER WORD: Mane

VEHICLE: Mini Van

CITY: Manhattan (my FAVORITE!!!)

BOY Name: Mike

GIRL NAME: Miranda

OCCUPATION: Marine Biologist

SOMETHING YOU WEAR: Mittens

FOOD: Macaroni (also my FAVORITE!!!)

SOMETHING FOUND IN A BATHROOM: Magazine

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Missed the bus!

SOMETHING YOU SHOUT: More!

SOMETHING YOU LOVE: My mom

46 different questions answered

So this tag is similar to the last one in that it's a bunch of questions, but they are a bit different. : ) It came from Cocoa.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

I was named for my father's mother (first name) and my mother's sister (middle name).

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Due to pregnancy hormones, just the other day.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?

Yes I like my writing, I always print instead of cursive.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?

Honey-smoked Turkey Breast

5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

2 boys, and a girl on the way...due end of August.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?

I would hope so!

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Me? Never! Well, actually it just depends on the day, my mood, the peers I'm hanging with.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?

Sure do.

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?

Not a chance!

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL?

Right now it's Cracklin' Oat Bran.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?

I usually wear flip-flops or sandals, so...no.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?

No, I'm an all-around wimp!

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM?

Chocolate, lots of chocolate--Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie--YUM-O!

14. WHAT DO YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Usually their sincerity and authenticity.

15. RED OR PINK?

Red, though expecting a girl has made it so that Pink is starting to grow on me a bit. To those who I promised to in the past that I would never let this happen, I know, I know, I'm SUCH a traitor! I can hear your gasps--sorry!

16.WHAT DON'T YOU LIKE ABOUT YOURSELF?

Oh, there's too much to choose from...my temper; my inability to say "no" to others and therefore not take on too much--I get overwhelmed easily; my inability to just let things go and not get wrapped up in the details. I could go on.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?

J-rod has been working nights, sleeping days...we've not seen much of him lately. Sigh. But since his work life makes my non-work life possible, I can't complain too much.

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?

Nah, just post your stuff on your blog & drop me a comment. Comments make me happy.

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?

Khaki shorts and bare feet.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?

I shared a large yummy peach with M.

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?

M filling a cup with water and ice for Li'l J.

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE?

Cobalt blue

23. FAVORITE SMELLS?

They all come from my childhood: cilantro, freshly made tortillas, freshly fallen rain, freshly cut grass, and...though no one in my family drinks coffee (there were in the past)...coffee beans and coffee brewing. J-rod makes fun of me because when I'm out grocery shopping I usually take a walk down the coffee aisle just to catch a quick whiff!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?

J-rod.

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?

Definitely!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH?

For as long as I can remember: BYU Cougar Football!! I have some fun memories of watching and going to games with my dad. Ever since I was a kid...in person or on TV--LOVE it!

27. HAIR COLOR?

Dark brown

28. EYE COLOR?

Brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?

Yes

30. FAVORITE FOOD?

My mom's cooking.

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Happy endings hands down!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?

Bits and pieces of what my boys watched earlier today: Toy Story.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?

White.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER?

Summer

35. HUGS OR KISSES?

Both!

36. FAVORITE DESSERT?

Anything chocolaty--ice cream; brownies; cookies/Oreos dipped in milk; mousse, chocolate mousse cheesecake from Jr's in NYC (mmm, my mouth is watering just thinking about it!), etc.

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

Haven't decided who I'll tag yet.

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

See #37

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?

The Book of Mormon...working on a family challenge. I expect to start #4 in the Twilight series soon! : )

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?

support.dell.com

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?

The news.

42. FAVORITE SOUND?

The sound of my children's laughter is my absolute favorite!!

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?

I grew up with a good exposure to the Beatles--LOVE their music!

44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?

Coming to the United States from Guatemala, and them going back to visit. As an adult: I haven't verified the mileage to figure out which one was furthest from where I was living at the time of my trips...Alaska; Mexico; Hawaii.

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?

Hmm...I'm pretty good at practicing the art of procrastination, does that count? : )

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Guatemala City, Guatemala

I think I'll tag: Annalise, Schmath, Brittany

24 questions answered

This tag came from Missy. I pass the tag on to...Tina, Amber, and Bonster.

1.Typically, what time do you wake up?
I'm so-o NOT a morning person, have always been a night-owl so...I LOVE to sleep in! Summer wake-up calls usually come in around 8am. School year wake-up calls are between 6:30 and 7am. The only exception--Sundays. With our ward beginning at 8am, Sundays I try to be up by 6am.

2. On a good night, what time are your kids in bed?
School year: 7:30/8:00pm
Summertime: 9:00/9:30 pm

3. How long have you been a mommy?
7 1/2 years

4. How old were you when you became a mom?
25 years old

5. What is your favorite kids T.V. show?
When M was little we'd watch PBS kids, now with Li'l J it's been the Disney Channel. I get my enjoyment from watching my kids watch, it's fun to listen to what makes them laugh their BIG belly laughs.

6. What is your least favorite kids T.V. show?
Sponge Bob Square Pants, Rug Rats, or anything obnoxious like that.

7. What is your favorite chore?
I would have to say making the beds and doing laundry.

8. What is your favorite meal to cook?
Those who know me well, know that I don't enjoy cooking. So my answer would have to be: meals made by someone other than myself. However since cooking for my family and eating for myself is a necessary evil...I do have a couple favorite recipes: Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo and Enchiladas.

9. What meal do you cook most often?
I make all lunch (usually sandwiches) and dinner meals around here (dinners usually involve in one form or another: chicken or beef, pasta or rice, salad, a green veggie, or a generous serving of fruit). I'm not a big breakfast person, that's J-rod's area of expertise.

10. What is your kids favorite meal?
Li'l J's is Macaroni and Cheese with hot dogs--I know, not the most nutritious, but I know you have those days too! M loves drumsticks and frozen peas.

11. What is your favorite thing your husband does with your kids?
There are lots of favorites here:
I LOVE that J-rod is giving M piano lessons! It's also nice when he reads bedtime stories to the boys. It's fun to watch him get down on the floor with the boys and rough house with them or give them "horsey-rides." Li'l J loves to tackle his dad. M really likes it when J-rod will play a board game with him.

12. What are 5 things that make you smile about being a mom?
In no particular order--

A. Listening to my boys play happily together.

B. Hearing my boys laughter.

C. Getting unsolicited hugs and kisses from my boys.

D. The days when the boys have gone to bed without a fight, fallen asleep quickly, and I can look back on the day without any regrets as to the job I've done as their mother...it's not too often that this happens. : )

E. Watching my boys when they are in that angelic state of...sleep!

13. If you could take your kids anywhere, where would it be?
I know many will say that I'm CRAZY, as some already have, but my most recent wish has been to take them on a Disney Cruise and then to Disney World.

14. When was the last time you went out without your kids?
"Went out" as in left the house for any given purpose without my kids? Last week when I had an appointment with my OB. "Went out" as on a date with my husband? That would have been during our S Family Reunion in Tahoe when Gpa & Gma S took all the grandkids so all the married kids could go out for a date night together on a dinner cruise.

15. What is your favorite pastime/activity to do with your kids?
Swim with them; play board games with them; read to them.

16. Name one thing you said you would never say as a mother?
"When you're the [dad] you can be in charge and make the rules!"

17. Name something you do, that your own mom did?
Get frustrated when it's past bedtime and the boys, who've already gone to bed, get up for one reason or another...multiple times!

18. What is your favorite quality your mom has?
She is an amazing cook!

19. What is your favorite kids book?
Oooo, I just LOVE kids books so it's hard to narrow it down to just one! As a kid my favorite was Goodnight Moon...it was a favorite for each of my boys too so I liked sharing that with them. As a young adult it was I'll Love You Forever. As an adult I've enjoyed books I can read to my kids where they ask me to "do the voices Mom"--character voices that just crack the boys up! Just to name a few: The Flea's Sneeze; Bed Hogs; Bark, George!; and Hooray for Wodney Wat!

20. What is your favorite advice for new moms?
Sleep when your baby sleeps...let all the other stuff go, it will get done eventually!

21. What is your most heartbreaking moment as a mom?
A tough one. My first would have to have been when I delivered M, saw that he was blue from head to toe, realized he wasn't crying, and was told that all he had was a heartbeat. Those first three minutes, until they were able to bring him to, were the longest, most excruciating of my life! In the craziness of those first three minutes, I truly thought he wasn't going to make it! Next would have to be three years later when, after years of struggling to figure out what made M tick the way he did, we were told that there was an official diagnosis--Asperger's Syndrome. At first I didn't know whether to laugh or cry...I cried shortly after and soon realized that I would have to come up with a new picture of what our "ideal" family would be like. Once I was able to wrap my head and heart around what this diagnosis meant, I felt relief that at least now we had a name for what we were dealing with and a plan for how to deal with it.

22. What is your most joyful moment about being a mom?
Watching my kids accomplish--on their own--something that was a challenge to them.

23. When was the last time you told one of your kids, “I Love You”?
About half an hour ago.

24. When was the last time you were told, “I love you” by one of your kids?
About half an hour ago when J-rod called to give me the update (he and M are out together running all sorts of errands) and M asked to talk to me...just to say hi and tell me he loved me--aww!

Our Li'l Monkey

A while back Jenna tagged me to post some fun facts about our youngest child, who until next month when he gets promoted to the rank of "big brother", is Li'l J. With M being older and thus always involved in something fun or interesting, I feel like I post more often about M than Li'l J so sharing a bit more about 'our li'l monkey' will be fun.

1. How he got his nickname: Li'l Monkey (and how it stuck.)

Li'l J was born with lots of dark hair! He had hair on his head, down the backs of his ears, down his back, on his shoulders...yep, just about everywhere!

Check out all that hair!

It goes from his head, down his back, across his shoulders, clear down his arms!

As Li'l J began to shed the excess hair, and became mobile, the name stuck as he began to remind us of Curious George: dark, hairy, always happy and smiling, and always getting into something!

When he was 11-months, Li'l J was home with dad and big bro while I was out doing some Christmas shopping. All three had been downstairs when M needed dad's help to get something from his room upstairs. Figuring he would be fine left where he was, J-rod decided to leave Li'l J playing downstairs while he and M headed up to M's room. Well, after a few minutes J-rod and M heard a happy little giggle right behind them--Li'l J had decided he had had enough of being alone downstairs and for the first time EVER made his way up the stairs!! Fortunately he didn't decide to try and go back down the stairs before J-rod realized where Li'l J was!

Not too long after the stair climbing incident, the movie Curious George came out and we decided not only take M to see it, but to bring Li'l J along too! It was almost more fun to watch Li'l J watch the movie than to watch the movie itself--Li'l J was absolutely mesmerized! At just 14-months he sat through the entire movie watching very intently--guess he must have identified with George? Hee, hee.

One last "Curious George" incident. The night before realtor's were set to come see our house in preparation to put our NY house on the market, J-rod and I were doing some last minute cleaning and touch-ups to have the house completely ready. M and Li'l J were playing happily...or so we thought. Apparently whatever Li'l J had been playing with no longer held his attention because I heard him toddle into the kitchen where I was. In less then the minute that it took me to register that Li'l J had joined me and for me to check on him, he had gotten a hold of a BLACK Crayola marker (at least it wasn't a permanent black marker!) and had taken it to the kitchen walls, the kitchen table and chairs, the door to the 1/2 bath (behind which J-rod was working), the window moldings, the floor, and himself--yikes! Under the circumstances: the stress of getting the house ready to show to realtor's, it didn't even occur to me to do anything other than gasp and call J-rod to come help! Too bad I didn't have the presence of mind to quickly snap a picture or two!

2. Our little athlete.

As parents we try really hard not to "compare" our children especially because we recognize that every child is unique--from their interests and abilities to their physical build and personalities. However, we couldn't help but notice rather early on, that Li'l J's strengths did not lie in the same areas as those of his big bro M. At a young age it was clear that while there were things Li'l J wouldn't do until much later than M had done them--speaking, potty training, reading independently, etc.--there were other things Li'l J was definitely doing at an earlier age.

When not quite a year and a half, one day Li'l J picked up a Nerf football and threw it to J-rod...what caused us to drop our jaw as we watched it sail through the air, was not only did he throw it directly to J-rod, but the ball had a very noticeable spiral spin on it! He wasn't taught that, he just did it!

Last Spring when Li'l J tried out his t-ball set for the first time, he hit the ball right on and off it sailed...far. The same thing happened when he picked up and tossed a frisbee last summer (something I still cannot get right!)

Last fall while still two, throughout his "Soccer Time" class for two and three year-olds, Li'l J was the only child in the class who could stay with the ball and dribble it up and down the field in a continuous line. We're still trying to figure out where he gets his athletic prowess, because he certainly didn't get it from his Mom and Dad!

3. A little guy with a great BIG happy heart!

Our Li'l J is one of the HAPPIEST people we know. He always has a big smile on his face, and a big belly laugh at the ready.

Lately Li'l J has extended his expression of happiness to singing throughout the day--while he's playing, drawing, looking at books, pounding on the piano, eating, or stirring up mischief--he sings for the pure joy of singing. : ) Just watching him or listening to him puts a smile on those around him.

Li'l J LOVES his dad and his big bro M! When they've been away from home (at work, school, running errands, etc.) he always drops whatever he is in the middle of and runs to give them a BIG welcome home greeting as they come through the door.

Li'l J has a great enthusiasm for life that is simply contagious! When asked to help out with something, his response 9 out of 10 times is, "Sure!" He is such an example to me of what I should strive to be more like: happy and excited about life, all the time!

Our happiest little helper!

_____________________

We LOVE our little monkey, Li'l J, and are so grateful he is part of our family...we couldn't imagine our life without him!

I now pass the tag to: Guinevere, Brandi, and JeMM.

Memories

I'm sure you've seen this tag already in a number of places as it's going around. I've posted comments on some already so I guess that means I'm playing along.

Here are the rules:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you (or if you don't have a blog I will e-mail you my memory!)

I hope you'll play along too!

10 in 10

Recently a good friend tagged me to do a "10 in 10 minutes." The idea is you take ten pictures of the specified "items" below, write-up a post about them, and let all your friends and family get to know you a bit better. The trick is, you can't do any "clean-up" before you take the pictures...you just point and shoot. So without further ado, here you have my ten:

1. Dream Vacation: Spain

I've been dreaming about traveling to Spain ever since I was eight years old. The closest I've gotten was the summer between my junior and senior year of high school when we hosted a foreign exchange student from Madrid...we grew to love her like one of the family and still keep in touch! Someday, maybe I'll get to visit her and she can be my tour guide. : )

2. Self-Portrait:

Okay so I didn't take this picture myself! My dear darling sweetheart J-rod took this last week during a break in a family reunion portrait session on Lake Tahoe. I choose this one because it's one of the few recent photos I have of myself that I actually like. : )

3. What are my kids doing right now?

Right now? Sleeping for the night (I usually don't get to blog until they are down and out). But when I took these pictures they were recovering from a FUN-filled day of playing in the pool with a bunch of friends who came for our monthly Mom's Club Pool Party. "Recovering" = veggin' in front of a movie.

4. My Closet:

I absolutely LOVE how big and room-y my closet is and the fact that I don't have to share it...J-rod has one the same side all to himself! Notice the boxes and piles of frames and pics in view #2? Yep, after a year and a half in this house my closet still remains the "graveyard" for anything that should be hung on our walls. One of these days I'll get around to sorting and then hanging what "goes" with this house. : )

5. My Favorite Room:

Currently my favorite room is our living room. This is the room where the boys play beautiful music for me to enjoy, even Li'l J likes to tickle, er, pound on the ivories daily. This is also the room where you will find me taking daily afternoon siestas...on the long couch that sits against the window and directly under the a/c vent (an essential during this summer pregnancy!)

6. My Favorite Shoes:

Leather sandals by Aldo in black and brown. I've had them for two years, wear them almost daily as they are so-o comfortable, and though J-rod didn't understand just why I bought the same shoes in two different colors, I'm very glad I got them both!

7. My Laundry/Mud Room:

Just right, for right now. : ) It's roomy enough that it fits our washer and dryer (which I LOVE), our deep freezer, and a shoe cubby with standing room leftover. Eventually I'd like to take out the shelf that's above the washer and dryer, paint the room, and then install cupboards like we did in our NY laundry room...I miss those cupboards! And if wishes come true, someday (probably not in this house) I'll have a laundry room with a sink and counter in it! : )

8. The Guest Bathroom:

This bathroom also has a stand-in shower and is right down the hall from our guest room. Since it's the bathroom located downstairs, it gets used daily. My plan for it's future is to add a window treatment and then either paint it an antique white, almost beige, or add a simple patriotic border about 3/4 of the way down the wall.

9. The Kitchen Sink:

Not much to say here...it's your basic two basin, stainless-steel kitchen sink. Emptying and filling it is a recurring cycle...usually a couple times a day.

And last but not least...10. The Fridge:

As a kid I always dreamed of having a fridge with side-by-side doors when I owned my own home, but then when we got to buy our first fridge for our house in NY I learned about the split fridge with the freezer drawer on the bottom...oh, how I miss that! We didn't get to pick this fridge out--it came with the house--otherwise we'd have picked a fridge that has the double doors to the fridge on top, and the freezer drawer on the bottom.

Okay, so do you feel like you now know me any better than you did before you read this post? Just wondering. : )

I now tag: Amy, Cocoa, Jenna, Kassi, Lallie, Meri, and anyone else who feels up to the challenge-ha! Remember, just aim and shoot...no cleaning before hand!