21 questions to ask your kids

I have a "real" post cooking, and I'll write it soon-ish. In the interim, enjoy my interview with the kids! (Thanks for the idea, Christy!)



1. What is something Mommy always says to you?

Reed: I love you. 

Jaxon: I love you.

Savvy: Um...go potty.

2. What makes Mommy happy?

Reed: Be nice and not fight with Jaxon.

Jaxon: Being nice to you. And listening.
Savvy: Behave at stores!

3. What makes Mommy sad?

Reed: Saying I hate you.

Jaxon: Being mean to you and yelling at you.
Savvy: Not being nice.



4. How does Mommy make you laugh?

Reed: Tickling me.

Jaxon: Tickle me in the armpits....that was too easy.
Savvy: And saying funny things, too!



5. What was Mommy like as a child?

Jaxon: Uh....kind.

Reed: Funny, nice and kind. And a little sassy.
Savvy: Being modest. With a shirt on and pants to cover up their legs and their belly. But not their FACE! 'Cause they can't see with their eyes.

6. How old is Mommy?

Reed:24!

Jaxon: 28!
Reed: What?! 28?
Savvy: 5 and firt-teen and 16.

7. How tall is Mommy?
Reed: Uh....about five feet?
Jaxon: Uh...that's too long.
Savvy: Three-oh minutes to go to a date to marry Daddy.

8. What is Mommy's favorite thing to do?

Reed: Um....have fun with us.

Jaxon: Play teddy bears with me.

Savvy: Makeovers!



9. What does Mommy do when you're not around?

Jaxon: Go on dates.

Reed: Same thing. Go on dates.
Savvy: Go on dates!

10. If Mommy becomes famous, what will it be for?

Jaxon: Uh....uh....I....uh....you'll be famous for rat stew. Wait! A--a concert! No, cooking!

Savvy: Uh.....for....girls and boys.

Reed: Famous for taking the best photos in the world.

11. What is Mommy really good at?

Savvy: Um, cooking....

Jaxon: Sewing?

Reed: Uh, photos!

12. What is Mommy not very good at?

Savvy: Uhhhhh......uhhhhh....not cooking sometimes? But you do cook sometimes, but it feels good to you, but it doesn't sometimes.

Reed: Being mean!
Jaxon: Farting.

13. What does Mommy do for her job?

Reed: Photos! Or--I mean--a birth, and weddings. Mostly anything that you can take photos of.

Savvy: Take a bath and get a drink and put cartoons on with Daddy and put the sticks outside and be a neighbor.
Jaxon: Photography.

14. What is Mommy's favorite food?
Reed: Uh....I don't know.
Savvy: Macaroni and cheese and chicken and enchilada and tomatoes and bread and peanut butter sandwiches and Nutella sandwiches and I don't know.
Jaxon: Ravioli.

15. What makes you proud of Mommy?

Reed: When you go to weddings and take pictures. No wait--you're really nice and awesome.

Savvy: Being cool and beautiful.
Jaxon: Everyfing you do.

16. If Mommy were a cartoon character, who would she be? 
Reed: Princess Bubblegum.

Savvy: Marceline.

Jaxon: Tom.

17. What do you and Mommy do together?

Reed: Go to the mall. Have Mommy-and-Reed play-dates.

Savvy: Go at stores with each other to buy food. Go at every place that has ice cream and pizza and macaroni and cheese and that we can buy earrings and necklaces.
Jaxon: Play and be nice. And go to the mall.

18. How are you and Mommy the same?

Reed: Uh....uh....we both like photos.

Savvy: Wiff brown hair.
Jaxon: Mmm....'cause we're in the same family.



19. How are you and Mommy different?

Reed: You have long hair. Also it's a little red.

Savvy: With new long hair that has a color that is different. I don't have blue hair. Only brown hair. 'Cause my hair is brown. (That's what my hair color is).
Jaxon: 'Cause you have long hair and I don't.

20. How do you know Mommy loves you?

Reed: 'Cause she shows it every day.

Savvy: Uh....being nice and....that's all that I was going to say.

Jaxon: 'Cause you love me.

21. Where is Mommy's favorite place to go?

Reed: Mall.

Savvy: And store!
Reed: Mostly anywhere beautiful.

Jaxon: Wal-mart. Wait! The mall.

Growing Pains: the emotions

I've purposely put off writing this post, the post where I talk about how everything went, how everything's going, and what we're up to now. I'll give a fair warning and share with you the fact that I've just come off a weekend wedding shoot in Florida--which was so glorious, and so exhausting. It was a cathartic weekend, and because I'm still experiencing the catharsis of the last couple of days, I'm rather.....fragile-feeling. Bear with me!

I have a hard time feeling comfortable with unpleasant emotions. That being said, it makes sense I haven't written a more informative post until now--I am waaaay out of my comfort zone these days. I'm struggling in general: struggling to figure out what our new routines will look like. Struggling to create some semblance of order in a house that is lovely and large, but lacks storage and has some puzzling "quirks" that belie a less-than-proficient builder. Struggling to feel like myself, to laugh, to let go, to accept our new reality and just move forward. Struggling to forgive myself for feeling this way, because the blessings have been plentiful and specific.

I would rather skip this part, this part where I'm uncomfortable and, well, somewhat mourning. I desperately want to inspire (all of you) and encourage (positivity), but I'm sure digging deep to find it in me right now, and at the moment? Coming up with some paltry offerings.

My faith has changed form; where I was able to predict much of my life's goings-on before, now it's more.....blind. Which I suppose is the whole purpose of faith, isn't it? We do what we think we can't, we go where we can't imagine going, and then what? Hopefully, we become someone we couldn't dream of being. I am clinging white-knuckled to that hope. It takes all my powers of imagination to try seeing myself in the weeks to come, fully capable, efficient, providing all that is needed and smiling all the while. I know this isn't the worst thing that could happen by far, not at all. I know there is much joy to be found. I am earnestly seeking it, but I am beginning to believe that perhaps this is a time in my life when I am meant to seek it harder than I have in the past.

Meanwhile, I am grateful, so grateful, to have your listening ears (eyes?). Grateful to know that, when it comes to you loved ones of mine (that's you), support and comfort have been the generous gift I am inexplicably blessed with.

A meme: Picture This

I have been tagged by Kathy! Good thing, because as you can see, I've been a bit at a loss for things to blog about. (Actually, there's lots I could blog about....just hard to narrow my focus and decide.)

Here is how this meme goes. It is called Picture This.
Here are the instructions:
1. Go to my Pictures.
2. Open the first folder.
3. Post the tenth picture and tell the picture about it.
4. Tag 4 people.

Here's the photo:This picture represents my pseudo-June-Cleaver side! I had my dear friend over for the weekend, and we were chopping, microwaving, and pureeing vegetables for use in Deceptively Delicious recipes, and laughing at how domestic we were (for the moment).

I tag:
Qaptain Mommypants
Overstuffed
MAG GAB [whenever you have time, Marie! No rush...]
and
It's A Beautiful Life

Awarded

Well, bless my soul! (Say it with a Southern accent. It will sound better.) I have been given the Honest Scrap Award from my fellow blogger, Rae!

That's right--Rae. We share a name, as well as an interest in blogging and photography, and a willingness to serve with the Scouts when asked. (Examine the last part of that sentence closely. I am delicately phrasing my true feelings about that particular calling, which I have had no less than three times.) Rae is funny, easy to get along with, hard-working, creative, and kind. She is definitely one of my favorite bloggers!

So along with the award, I have some responsibilities.

1) I must thank the person who gave the award and list their blog and link it.
2) Share "10 Honest Things" about myself.
3) Present this award to 7 others whose blogs I find brilliant in content and/or design, or those who have encouraged me.
4) Tell those 7 people they've been awarded HONEST SCRAP and inform them of these guidelines in receiving the award.

10 Honest Things
About Me

1 - I hate when men have long nails. As in a teensy bit of white showing. Call me picky or old-fashioned--I just don't like it! I like a man's hands to look...MANLY.

2 - Last week I bought a shirt designed by Miley Cyrus (or the designer they picked to make things that Miley could put her name on).

3 - I make up random (and ridiculous) songs a lot. When I was still at home, my sisters (okay, just the younger sisters) and I made up songs on the fly quite often. My personal favorites: "Do You Like My Black Shirt? I Do" and "Do Your Armpits Smell Like..." (I will not finish the rest of that title.)

4 - I still sometimes dance like a crazy person when I'm all alone in my room. Once Phill walked in, and I almost cried with embarrassment. Sweet man that he is, he just smiled. The biggest smile I've ever seen. As in: If I don't keep smiling hugely, I will be laughing within seconds.

5 - My first job was on an Army base in the security clearance section. I got to ogle cute soldiers (and sometimes read their files), read mysteries, email friends, and listen to U2.

6 - I love shopping at D.I., but I'm telling you, there is a smell, and it is weird, and I do have to concentrate a little to forget about it when I walk in. It's worth the good deals, though.

7 - I often wish that I had an incredibly useful skill (besides photography and, well, baby-rearing), and every time I go past the crafts book section of Barnes & Noble, I am stalled for a good 30 minutes, dreaming of the new talent I will acquire. "Oooooo, beading!! I will have beaded pillows decorating the whole house!" -or- "Basket Weaving! I will have an Etsy shop and a booth at the fair and a whole BUSINESS of basket weaving! Underwater, even!" -or- "How to Become a Carpenter in 30 Days?! I WILL become a carpenter! I'll build EVERYTHING for the house!" True, I am ambitious and interested and idealistic. Most of these ideas fall flat right out of the gate, but one day, I am sure I will find a new endeavor that will latch on with ferocity.

8 - I LOVE notebooks. Paper of all kinds, really, but....notebooks. Which are a close cousin to books--just gloriously blank. I have to resist the urge to buy every moleskine notebook I see, every attractively-decorated journal, every package of pretty paper. It is bad. Very bad. I have banned myself from notebook-buying for a couple of years at a time when it was discovered (by a somewhat-shocked Phill) that I had no less than 15 unused notebooks. "Sweetheart, what do you even need these for?" "I don't KNOW! But I WILL need them! Soon! For something!" It is my only tendency towards packratism. Otherwise, I am ruthless in the amount of things I keep "just in case". *Okay. Pencils, too, and pens, and honestly, pretty much all other office supplies.

9 - Sometimes I snort when I laugh.

10 - I come from a rich family tradition of reading aloud to each other. We love to do various voices, and get into the story in an almost comical way. One of my favorite memories is a Christmas at my grandma's house (I think I was 15?) when my brother Isaac read Harry Potter aloud to my younger sisters and I. His voice for Snape was so perfect, so oily, so snake-y. It made us laugh--and him too--every time it came up. My oldest brother, Reed, used to read Roald Dahl books to us when I was little--about 7. His voices were perfect, too. The BFG is one of the first books I remember having read to me, aside from The Book of Mormon and a simple school book.

Now--you seven whom I have nominated:

My brilliant brother-in-law, Eric, over at LDS Prosperity

My beautiful friend and smashing photographer, Marie at MAG GAB

The mother to three beautiful girls and a dear friend, Cyndie at The Secret Lives of Tracys

Another photographer friend (watch out, it's contagious!) of mine who has actually known me since I was born, and is more family than friend--Christy at Life with the Schnegel-kins

My cousin, who continues to inspire me with her own personal growth and progress, Annie at The Delights of Our Lives

My sister, Abby, who manages to post just what I need, when I need it. Check out a particularly humorous post on her blog, Business As Usual.

And lastly--not leastly--Lara at Overstuffed. It's good stuff, people. And she always welcomes new readers, so hop on over and say hi.

I don't like the fact that it only let me nominate 7. There are quite a few more I would have liked to link to--so if you don't see yourself on here, count yourself nominated, anyway, please.

If you're sick and you know it (clap your hands....THEN go to the doctor)

I think I might have been delirious last night. I was freezing cold when I finally laid down for the night; I wore my pajamas and my socks and my bathrobe and I was still shivering under the covers. So I figured I was still fever-burning through this crud. And tried to ignore the state of my nose--one nostril full, the other painfully empty. I woke up almost every hour and for a few minutes was running through scenes from Twilight. With no reason, and no end in sight. Just hamster-on-a-wheel thoughts and then back to sleep. Completely random and a bit weird. But when I finally woke up for good, I knew that I just wasn't okay. I felt like I had run full-speed into a wall. I kept thinking to myself, "E.R. doctors, you were wrong. It's not just a virus!" I did start coughing up green nastiness yesterday. Which made me think that perhaps I had something bacterial. And then when I woke up this morning my eyes were crusted shut. Ew. So, so gross.

I was pretty much useless today. Got the kids dressed (oh, the pain of moving that much) and got them breakfast. But when lunch time rolled around, I cried at the thought of having to get up. Luckily.....blessedly.....Sarah the Great swooped in and brought lunch to my babies so I could continue to cry on the couch. (Oh Sarah, bless you. You angel.) And then Mary Ann came over at 1:30 and picked up the kids so that I could go see a doctor. (Who says angels aren't obvious?) And what did that doctor say? What did he do, while listening to me take painful deep breaths? He furrowed his brow and said, "Well, I think you're really sick. You don't sound good. Your lungs are snapping and crackling with each breath. I want to find out how much I need to worry about you." Oh thank you, Dr. Moore! (go to InstaCare on Sunset. Such attentive staff; it was a dream.) Another chest x-ray was done, and then they stuck a fat cu-tip up my nose. (Yum.) Not the flu. Not pneumonia.

Bronchitis. (Abby was right. She's always right about my ailments. She's basically a nurse without credentials--although we might count her four children as credentials.) Which was an odd comfort to hear, because then I was prescribed antibiotics. Oh, bless you, antibiotics! I just love being treated for the root of the problem, not just the symptoms of the problem. And for me today, a good thorough doctor is most definitely a godsend.

Breaking the dry spell

Most days it takes every ounce of energy I have to keep the kids happy, clean, and well-fed until I can finally get them in bed and read to by 7:30. At that point I usually 1) give a feeble "YAY..." that I made it through another day with all of us intact, 2) lay down and stare at nothing or cry and then 3) either read a book or watch TV. By that time, I feel as if I have no more brain cells left for blogging, and sometimes even email.

But Phill will be home this Saturday!!! Yep, that's right, only three more wake-ups (and only three more exhausting bedtime routines) until he's back. I've been really blessed to have lots of help when I've needed it, and good friends to entertain me when I'm bored. I actually feel like I grew from this experience--which certainly makes me give more than a feeble YAY!! when I realize it.

With all the energy I have been expending as the only parent physically at home, my poor blog has been somewhat empty, almost echoing with the absence of words. So I thought for an easy way to crash into the quiet, I'd answer an interview from my good friend, Lara, over at Overstuffed. (She's brilliant and funny. Go follow her; it's fun.)

Lara asks:
1. What has been your greatest accomplishment? (Having children doesn't count: I think of them as a work in progress that will someday be my greatest accomplishment...don't you?)
I am rather proud of the way I had my children. My labor experiences are (intense) beautiful memories for me. But topmost, I am really proud of marrying Phill. Permit me to sound smarmy and just say I believe I married the perfect man for me! I'm also proud of teaching myself photography, and I'm proud of having played the cello for as long as I did, even if that was a long time ago. I'm also proud of the diverse places I've lived. I don't know if any of these would really be considered "accomplishments", but they rank high on the list of things that make me feel happy about myself and who I am.

2. What is one thing people can appreciate about you?
I can find humor in most any situation, and I am loyal. And I'm generally a happy person.

3. What is your favorite comfort food, and what is your strongest memory tied to it?
-Chocolate. I remember my dad bringing me Neuhaus chocolate when we were living in Belgium and I almost cried because it was so good, and almost cried because I thought it was so sweet that my dad understood my love of chocolate. (He shares that love, not just understands it) -And....rolls. My dad makes the very best rolls I've ever had, and he always sang opera while he made them, which I think made them better. And then afterwards, we would load lots of them into little baskets and disperse them to families nearby. -And pumpkin pie! My mom makes the best pumpkin pie (and with homemade crust), and I remember whenever she was making the crust, she'd give us a little dough and talk to us about her mother and her mother's mother and it just felt like this multi-generational feast.

4. If you could meet anyone (living or dead) who would it be and why?
My maternal great-grandmother. I have heard so much good about her. She sounds amazing and I just wish I'd known her.

5. What would I find in your refrigerator right now?

Lots of spilled water (Jaxon hasn't quite honed the skill of getting himself water without spilling), stinky & empty produce drawers, probably one or two things that should be thrown away, and plenty of eggs and sour cream.

An exception to the rule:

I can be on the computer with more leeway on Saturdays. Must state that exception to the rule! But I'm also trying to exercise moderation. I've only been on for an hour! (I know. You're rolling your eyes, perhaps, and only pretending to be impressed.)

I just really hate Saturdays. Endless stretch of nothing.....but our tax return arrived and Phill called this morning to say: At 4:30 the computer man will come and install our new computer and transfer all necessary stuff from old to new. All will be taken care of.

He fixes things even from far away! Or, well, just buys things and sets appointments from far away. But I'm still impressed, nonetheless.

Goal reached!!.....Motivation lost

Remember when I had that goal of working out regularly (4 days a week at least for 25 minutes at least) for three months straight? Remember how I was super pumped-up and how a while back I mentioned that I'd lost a little bit of extra poundage through the whole process?

I forgot to mention that I MET MY GOAL! I EXERCISED REGULARLY FOR THREE MONTHS!!!!

*confetti-throwing*

*raucous shouts of triumph*

*dancing with glee*

Anyway. Enough celebrating. The point of the three months was to make a habit. I did make a habit of working out. The waking-up-early part wasn't as easy to keep, especially given the three weeks that Phill was at BNCOC and the kids were in the bed with me (mysteriously) at 6:00 each morning....and I wasn't about to ruin that with a loud treadmill!

The point is: Even though I met my goal and even dropped about ten pounds in the process (surprise!), I didn't keep the early-waking habit so well, and I took a break after my three months was up.

Don't get me wrong. I felt that a break was deserved and even advisable. But due to some events out of my control (being up in Provo for a couple of weeks off and on) and some events I could have controlled (just getting out the stupid jump-rope or going to Gold's while I was in Provo), I, how should I say, fell off the wagon? I exercised a paltry four times in two weeks. And ate shamelessly, the way I believe one should eat during the holidays....so I'm paying for it. And I've adopted a late-night schedule that isn't helpful at all.

So if I have any resolutions at all this year, it would be to strengthen my resolve in the first place, revive my motivation, and return to my focus on those big matters: getting out of bed at a decent time, reading my scriptures, and knocking that stupid workout out of the way before I can procrastinate it all day!! I refuse to go further than this in my goal-making resolution-enthused headiness that is an integral part of January. I know myself. I know my love of list-making, my tendency to be a sucker for a grand idea. I know that in the past, my downfall was always too many areas of improvement with very specific goals in each. Needless to say, I soared for two days, then plummeted, depressed that I hadn't measured up.

So instead, I'm making an effort to return to what was working before everything was temporarily upside-down. It worked before! It'll work again! And if I can keep those important things at the top of my priorities, everything else falls into place....sparing me the drama of a 12-point list with 4 subtitles per point, The Grand Idea, the Everything Now mistake. Line upon line....a little here, a little there.

So....speaking of resolve? Remember the cheesecake I made? My very first one? You'll be happy to know that it was insanely delicious. Or sad to hear that, if you can envision me polishing off three (okay, four, that last one was HUGE) slices today. And yesterday. Today while I savored the last third-and-fourth piece, I was thinking how great it was that I was doing myself a favor and finishing all the cheesecake, because then I would stop eating it. (Yes, that warped reasoning worked. It always works with a mouthful of cheesecake.) I also decided that I wasn't going to shame myself....because that cheesecake was good, and I made it to eat it! So.....hah! (This is not working. Confessing to all of you and pretending I'm unaffected by it....I'm still quietly flabbergasted at myself! Just play along.)

I haven't been eating only junk, though, rest assured. I made these delicious rolls, and I have learned that I love to make and eat soup. After the broccoli cheese soup, I couldn't help myself. Last night was My Kitchen Cafe's Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup (fantastic), and tonight was a recipe from a pasta cookbook I got 50% off at Barnes & Noble. Oh, it was soooooo good!! Here's the recipe (almost verbatim):
White Bean Soup
from Pasta: 40 Wonderful Classic Pasta Recipes
Serves 4

Beans feature widely in Tuscan cuisine. This smooth, comforting soup, in which beans are simmered for 2 hours, is very simple to make. Garlic and parsley, stirred in just before serving, complement the flavor, and a drizzle of olive oil adds the final touch.

¾ C dried cannelini beans, soaked in cold water to cover overnight (I actually used canned already-soaked beans instead)
1 ½ quarts chicken or vegetable stock
4 oz dried coralline, conchigliette piccote, or other soup pasta (and I just used elbow macaroni; the picture looks like elbow noodles, but ribbed, and lightly curly….the name of which pasta I assume is one of those tongue-twisters listed)
6 Tbsp. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
4 Tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
salt and pepper
fresh crusty bread, to serve

-Drain the soaked beans and place them in a large, heavy-bottom pan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Partially cover the pan, reduce the heat, and let simmer for 2 hours, or until tender. (OR just use canned cannelini beans and skip this step entirely.)

-Transfer about half the beans and a little of the stock to a food processor or blender and process to a smooth puree. Return the puree to the pan and stir well to mix. Return the soup to a boil.

-Add the pasta to the soup, return to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender.

-Meanwhile, heat 4 Tbsp of the olive oil in a small pan. Add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes, or until golden. Stir the garlic into the soup and add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into warmed soup bowls. Drizzle with the remaining olive oil and serve immediately with crusty bread.

Although some of you may have thought from my post yesterday that I had decided not to vote today, I did vote today, and was absolutely undecided until I was standing looking at the ballot for nearly a full minute.

I'm still not happy about my choice. But I'm happy to exercise it. I feel oddly resigned and pretty keyed up about watching the results tonight. No matter who wins, changes are coming, and instead of feeling like I'm embarking on some grand adventure, I feel like buckling my seat belt and putting my head down over my knees.

Still....*woohoo* for the right to vote!

Rock the vote? Or rock the boat?

All over the airwaves are orders to "rock the vote" to "make yourself heard", to make sure you go and vote because if you don't you have no voice.....

Today when waiting for Reed to come walking out of school, I heard a man say this on his phone: "Nah, man, I ain't gonna vote. Don't make no difference, do it? I mean, Bush got elected anyway, didn't he?"

I may have mentioned a few times how much I hate apathy. But just in case, let me drive it home. All of these sentiments are near-infuriating to me: -"My efforts don't matter. I make no difference." -"What's the point?" -"I don't know. I don't really care. I don't have much opinion on the matter." I tend to feel really awful when I find myself guilty of apathy or complacency.



Inwardly, this is what I was shouting, "What's WRONG with you?! What are you SAYING?! Way to negate your voice and your influence!! Choose, darn you! Choose!" And that's when I started to laugh. Indeed, what would I have said to him? Choose! You HAVE to voice your choice!

You see the irony here, don't you? And now it seeps out of the television and out of the radio: Vote! Do it! You MUST!

I remember my mom giving me a home-school lesson about voting, democracy, freedom, etc....she expressed her joy at having the ability to vote, the ability to contribute to the future of the country, and often in the direction she prayed for. But then she said that because we have that freedom, that right, that it is ALSO our right to choose not to vote.

*GASP!!!* My patriotic sensibilities were completely offended! I understood what she was saying, but I was disheartened by the thought of anyone giving up their chance to vote.

So when I heard this oh-so-eloquently expressed opinion today, I had to try very hard not to say something back. So much is done to protect our freedoms, but especially--specifically--our freedom of voice, our right to express and make known our deepest beliefs.

I called Phill. What else could I do?
Me, breathless: "Honey, this guy at Reed's school was talking about not voting because he doesn't think it matters at all!!....isn't that crazy?"
Phill: "Well, that's silly. Of course it matters. Actually, um, I might not vote."
"WHAT?!" (Actually clutching my throat melodramatically, breathing very fast)
"But for the opposite reason. I know my vote matters. And I'm not sure yet that I want to take responsibility for voting for either candidate. I don't know yet if I can live with the effects of either choice."
"Oh." (Pausing for a long time, feeling my heart slow down as I process this....)
"Do you know what I mean?"
"Yeah.....but vote anyway? Just write in Mickey Mouse?" (Pleading)
"We'll see!"

Which leads me to this: I'm not going to yell from the rooftops ROCK THE VOTE! (I think that was last election's slogan? Heh...maybe I'm way off the mark there....that'd be funny.) But I will say: EXERCISE YOUR FREEDOM OF CHOICE! Enjoy your agency! Whatever you choose: Be it Obama, McCain, Mickey Mouse, or even the absence of your vote. Rock the vote or rock the boat. :)

P.S.-For the record, because I know some of you are sitting with bitten fingernails about to fall off the edge of your seat, I AM voting, and I am voting for.....







.....gotcha. I knew for about 32 hours who I was voting for, and that was the longest I had remained decided. I am--once again--undecided, hardly a day between now and my turn to vote, and thinking that I will be surprised to see whatever I choose. But I'm happy I can choose.

Another Meme

I've been tagged. Memed. Whatever!

* Link to the person who tagged you (I got tagged by Emily!)
* Post the rules on your blog
* Write six random things/unspectacular quirks about yourself
* Notify each person you have tagged by leaving a comment on their blog
* Let the tagger know when your entry is posted

Six Random/Unspectacular Quirks About Me
1. When I work out on the treadmill, if my music is just not enough to get me through my minutes, I begin to alphabetize the words in front of me: Calories. Distance. Fat. Scan. Speed. Time. -OR- I watch the time for number formations I like: 25:52 (I like the symmetry of that one), 12:34 (one two three four), 33:33 (obvious), 13:24 (a difference of two between 1 and 3 and 2 and 4). Far-reaching, but my mind likes it, and it sort of soothes me.

2. I hate long nails on men. Long meaning more than a teensy bit of white showing.

3. I tend to dream almost every time I sleep, and very vividly. The downside to this is that I have lots of nightmares (four a month sometimes?), and the nightmares are 9 times out of 10 so believable and surprisingly horrible that I wake up breathless or crying until Phill wakes up and reminds me that I'm just laying in my bed in my home safe with my family, as opposed to whatever awful scenario my neurotic subconscious concocted.

4. I love walking down the coffee aisle at grocery stores, and have been known to surreptitiously pick up a bag and press it to my nose for one humongous inhale if no one is around. (And sometimes when people are around....)

5. A lot of my best memories I can envision with vivid detail, but most especially the light conditions of said memory. For instance, I remember playing Concentration/Memory with my mom when I was 4, sitting on her bedroom floor while baby Kate was napping, and the weak morning light was streaming in through the windows and illuminating all the dust in the air. I thought it was beautiful, and I thought they were teeny tiny creatures. (Somehow my mom didn't share my enthusiasm over the "creatures" and kept saying something about dusting....)

6. My friend Rachel (yes, her name was Rachel) and I used to watch old musicals and then re-enact them (we were 7 years old, I think) in her bedroom. She had this awesome bed that was in a closet without doors, and her mom had hung beautiful gauzy curtains around it (oh man, I was fiery jealous of those). We used to re-enact the musicals on that "stage". I seem to remember a saloon in one of those scenarios? Probably doing the can-can and being really sassy? Anyway, we always jumped and hid with embarrassment (and in the saloon re-enactment case, shame) when her sibs would knock on the door.

So. There you have it. I'm sure I've done this tag before, but it's always fun to come up with new facts.

I tag:
Christy
Heather
Cara
-and-
Annie

If this is vain, well, then call me vain. :)

To those who have already seen these on all the other forums of which I'm a part, I apologize. When I take what I think is a good photo of myself, I tend to feel like it's a bit of an event.....

I've been meaning to practice self-portraits. I'm proud of these. :) These are as of today, and I feel like I look healthier than I did just a couple months ago.

Much better, thanks!

All you well-wishers, thank you! Today found me feeling MUCH better already. First off, I was hoping and praying that the more painful part of my cold/flu/allergies/whatever it is would pass really soon--very fervently hoping and praying. Second, I found a medicine that does wonders (Western Family Non-Drowsy Severe Cold Multi-Symptom something something something.....and the pills are covered in something that cools your throat as it goes down.). Third, I chugged water like a champ last night, after doing what Phill suggested and doing a little 25-minute workout to "sweat it out", as he said. I drank some water before the workout, felt okay while doing the workout, then afterwards drank more water and took some more medicine before I fell asleep. And lastly--as an answer to my prayers, I'm sure--I didn't hear Savvy wake up in the night, and I only knew she was in bed with us because I felt her meaty little calf by my hand at some point in the night when I was not even close to coherent or caring. So I wasn't affected by her waking up at all....(thank you so much, sweet Phill)....and then Jax didn't get up until 8, Reed not until 8:30, and Savanna not until 9:00. (Thank you, darling babies!) So all of these things combined have made my symptoms much more bearable today! No more pain in my chest, no more sore throat (mostly), and most of all, none of that feeling of wanting to drill a little drainage hole into the front of my face!

So thanks, you well-wishers!

6 Habits/Facts Tag

I've been tagged by Crystal! It looked like a fun use of time, so here goes:

The rules: Each player lists 6 facts/habits about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 6 people.

Fact/Habit 1: I'm a champion for the underdog. Actually, let me re-phrase that: I love the underdog. If Phill and I watch a game, I always root for the team who's not expected to win, or hasn't won in ages, etc....some of my favorite neighbors are the weirdest ones, and my favorite people are the least expected ones. I find it really satisfying to get to know someone who doesn't look interesting (sort of an underdog, you might say), and find out the interesting things about them. (Because there is something interesting about everyone.)

Fact/Habit 2: I like stories. I like to read them, I like to make them. Sometimes I imagine an entire story about a stranger, just to spice up the dusty corners of my mind. (And sometimes I do it to make me feel better if someone was highly unpleasant...."Let's see....today she was making cookies for a party and they burned, and her hair wouldn't do that cute curl she likes it to do, and her dog pooped on the couch." And thus a comforting story is born. Sometimes.) I write in my mind an awful lot. I wake up and mentally write. I see something interesting and mentally write. I'm inspired and I have to make something of it.

Fact/Habit 3: I love (doing) photography. I like the way light makes ordinary things turn into art, or how something extraordinary becomes even more interesting when it's frozen into a picture. I love people, and so I love pictures of people, especially strange people. (And here we see the underdog fascination popping up again.)

Fact/Habit 4: I always sneeze once when I take my first bite of anything chocolate--ice cream and pudding, to be specific.

Fact/Habit 5: I like to challenge myself. Well, more specifically, I like the satisfaction of meeting a challenge head-on and succeeding. I would like to do the 2008 St.George Marathon. Just to finish it. Just to say I did. (Actually, Phill has agreed to do it with me. So it's a deal! St.George 2008!) And on this note, I like labor--yes, I mean labor to birth a child. I realize I've just said something really weird and possibly earth-shaking. But it's the truth. For me to explain why I like it would take up probably two pages. It certainly has a lot to do with the second sentence of this paragraph. But if you want to know more, I'll happily tell you (in an email, where I feel free to take up more space & time).

Fact/Habit 6: I love being a mother! I love the way my boys say "Mama". I really do relish this so-called domestic life, but it's not always domestic--it's wild and chaotic and unexpected and exciting and a hundred other things at any given time. It's hard and it's rewarding, it's demanding and it's fulfilling. I will never say "I'm just a mom." And I won't even say "I'm a stay-at-home mom." I may need/want to work one day, or I may not. What does it matter? I'm a MOM! And stay at home? Are you kidding? I'm at Wal-Mart or the gym or the library or the doctor's or the school 70% of the time.

Extra #7: I realized, in reading over this, that I seem to have painted myself in a rather favorable light. Which is fine, but let it be known, I have plenty of gross habits/icky facts about myself. But why would I post them here? :)

Extra #8: I talk like a man when I want my kids to pay attention to me. Believe me, there's logic to this: the kids tune out my mommy voice. They hear it so much, day in, day out, that when they hear any other voice, their little ears open up!

Christine, Abby, Anna, Heidi, Camilla, Melissa, and Jenn: Tag! You're it.

I'm really excited about three things I just ordered from Amazon:

If You Want To Write: A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit by Brenda Ueland

Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food by Jessica Seinfeld

and

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom and Lots More Learning Fun! (a DVD based on the book, with other fun added things.)

I'm excited about these three things because:
-I love to write, and I've been writing more lately. The book will just help keep the wheels turning, and probably be very motivating.
-I heard about this cookbook from Oprah, about whom I usually have mixed feelings, but this seems to be a pretty good recommendation. The idea is genius. Oh, and I saw her interview of Jerry Seinfeld for his new movie, and he had such awesome things to say about his wife (Jessica) that I was intrigued--by both of them. So I'm buying her cookbook, and I'll probably go see his movie. :)
-Abby owns this DVD, and I've been wanting it since I first saw Reed shake his little bottom to the intro music. :)

Mmm...yay for good media.

5 Things

Cute 5 Things that Christine did on her blog, then tagged me to do:

5 THINGS I WAS DOING TEN YEARS AGO
1) Snorting almost every time I laughed
2) Wearing glasses & braces (Perhaps that's why we get along so well, Chris. We suffered together.)
3) Playing the cello every day, starting with a new teacher who had a coat made of dog fur (she wanted to preserve the memory of her dog...I'm not kidding.)
4) Sleeping over at the Thadens' house and thanking heaven that they loved candy & junk food as much as I do
5) Living in Heidelberg, Germany

5 THINGS ON TODAY'S TO-DO LIST
1) Go to church (done)
2) Complete this post (doing)
3) Eat cookies (Yep. I planned specifically to do that. Done.)
4) Clean house
5) Do more pictures

5 SNACKS I ENJOY
1) Bread with peanut butter
2) Baby carrots
3) Apple juice (Chris, I LOVE Capri Suns....for whatever reason, we always had very normal "boring" juice boxes in our lunches. So I, too, love Capri Suns and have them often to make up for feeling deprived.)
4) Fritos
5) Chocolate chip cookies

5 SONGS I KNOW THE LYRICS TO
1) Wonder Pets theme song
2) Amazing Grace
3) ALMOST Hey There Delilah
4) If You Could Hie to Kolob (It's my favorite hymn--sounds amazing on cello)
5) Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star (Yes. These five were the best I could come up with. I'm actually horrible at deciphering--and remembering--lyrics of many of the songs I love.)

5 THINGS I WOULD DO IF I WERE A MILLIONAIRE
1) Pay tithing :) and then put 60% of what was left into a high-interest savings account
2) Make savings accounts for the kids
3) Buy a house
4) Go on vacation with the family; visit family everywhere
5) Buy some new clothes and perhaps two or three amazing cameras, then let Phill have at it. :)

5 BAD HABITS
1) I sleep too much and don't wake up kindly or gently(I wake up like a bear, too, Christine. There's actually a name for that....where you wake up psycho and hating the world for at least the first twenty minutes....ah! Sleep inertia! That's what it's called.)
2) I criticize myself too much
3) I bite my nails if I'm bored
4) I throw my clothes on the floor if my room's already dirty, and I leave clean loads of laundry around so long that they eventually can't be identified from the dirty laundry.
5) I yell way more than I should.

5 THINGS I WILL NEVER WEAR AGAIN
1) My black D.A.R.E. tee shirt that I wore for about 50% of sixth grade
2) Plastic shower curtain rings for earrings (Hey. I was 5.)
3) Extremely wide-legged jeans (Christine, I'm beginning to think we influenced each other horribly with our bad fashion ideas....)
4) Polyester shirts with bright flowers on them (Some pseudo-hippie phase in seventh grade.)
5) Plastic glasses frames with bits of confetti inside them. (Yes. I'm blushing furiously right now, because I actually wore them. Some time I'll find the picture. And burn it.)

5 FAVORITE TOYS
1) My sock monkey sewn for me by my brother Reed, given to me for Christmas when I was 3 or 4. I named her Frogbone. She is currently residing in Japan, after a failed relationship with one of the other stuffed animals made her desperate to leave Utah.
2) A bear I've had since age 3 or 4. His name's Jason, and he used to be in love with Frogbone. (See #1)
3) I always loved Christine's trampoline. And any other trampoline. I was one of those kids who would gladly pretend I liked someone if I could just use their trampoline. (I promise, Chris, that I loved you right from the start. I didn't use you for your trampoline.)
4) My camera
5) My books

Abby and Marie, if you're reading this, tag! Your turn!