Tuesday, October 21, 2008

SPT


This month's challenge provides us the opportunity to spend some time with ourselves. Lelly says, "This month we will consult our 100 lists. It's quite simple, really. On the 7th of the month post an SPT about item #7 on your list. On the 14th of the month, post an SPT about #14. And so on and so on.

On my birthday 100 list, #21 reads:

I gain all of my weight in my stomach.

Oh my! If anyone thinks I would actually post a picture of my stomach, they are crazy. So instead I will post a picture (with a little help from a male model) of how I attempt to hide it.

First, I never buy tight shirts. Shirts that skim my stomach area are much more flattering. I know my limitations. Second, I am also careful of the pants I buy. The correct rise is very important. Most of you will agree that there are not many things (clothing wise) that are worse than muffin top. And lastly, and most importantly, I don't often leave home without my tummy sucking in fake Spanx from Kohl's (much cheaper and they do the job).
By the way, even when I lose weight my stomach stays the same size. This is so unfair. Without my tricks I could pass for pregnant, and believe me I have been asked more than once. One day, I may get a tummy tuck, but until then I will continue to attempt to hide it. However, I have found one benefit to gaining weight in my stomach: I don't have stretch marks. My stomach was already a bit stretched out. Look at me looking at the brighter side of things!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Eric's Birthday

After Eric got home from work we started his birthday off by opening presents. He had a lot of help from Jackson and Sadie. Megan is now at the age that she doesn't help us open our presents but is slightly annoyed that Jackson and Sadie still do.

Then we headed out of Tony Roma's, which was good as always.

Since we had dessert at Tony Roma's we weren't hungry for cake (except Jackson, of course), but Eric still blew out his candles. I hope all of his wishes come true!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Happy Birthday To.....Eric

Today is Eric's birthday. And if anyone is cool and multi-faceted enough for a 100 list, it is Eric. I also wrote it so one day our kids will know who their father is to me.

1. If you have a question, he will know the answer.
2. He has been in a Bon Jovi music video.
3. He is very athletic and good at every sport.


4. He is the best Dad. Our kids all adore him.
5. I have never heard him yell in anger.
6. He has a really nice butt.
7. You want him around in an emergency. I have seen him bandage slit wrists and perform CPR.
8. He always stops to help someone broken down on the road.
9. He has fainted twice.
10. He can get by on very little sleep.
11. He is not a complainer.
12. He has a giving spirit.
13. He has no favorite food. He is the least picky eater I have ever met.
14. He lets me control the remote.
15. Closet doors are his nemesis.

16. He is an extremely hard worker.
17. He is forgiving. He doesn't hold a grudge.
18. He always sees the best in people.
19. His shampoo of choice is Pert Plus.
20. He takes his job as a husband and father seriously.
21. He makes the kids Halloween costumes.

22. He once put baby formula in macaroni and cheese because we were out of milk.
23. He can fix anything (our heater, water pressure, vehicles), except the aforementioned closet doors.
24. He has a hard time getting rid of paperwork.
25. He always puts out the garbage.
26. He didn't get his drivers license until he was 18.
27. He baptized his brother Chad in the Mediterranean Sea.
28. He is the oldest of 7 boys.
29. He is an eagle scout.
30. He served a mission in Argentina.
31. One of the families he taught named their son after him.
32. He is fluent in Spanish, and speaks it with an accent.
33. He deals really well with pain. His back can be hurting for months and I would not hear much about it.
34. He has lived in California, Colorado, Florida, Utah, Idaho, Texas, Washington, Nevada, Argentina, and Turkey.
35. He remembers only the good about his childhood.
36. When he was 2, he stuffed his newborn bother in a suitcase and pushed him under the bed.
37. He has climbed a number of mountains.


38. He is really, really strong.
39. He is very likeable, and makes friends easily.
40. He can sleep through most everything (even a baby crying)!
41. When I have a meeting, I often come home to the house cleaner than when I left it.
42. He is a better bathtub scrubber than I am. I think it is due to his extra strength.
43. He likes to read, but doesn't have much time for it.
44. He uses a great deal of precision when completing a task.
45. He is a bit of a perfectionist when it comes to his work.
46. He is an expert in his field.
47. His golf game has gotten better the last four years. He attributes it to, "Not trying to kill the ball anymore."

48. He cannot turn down electronic equipment people are getting rid of. Consequently we have many VCR's and DVD players. However, I can't complain too much because we have gotten our last 2 T.V's for free.
49. He is always willing to help others.
50. He dislikes tattoos and body piercings.
51. He gets sucked into television shows, even shows he dislikes.
52. Football is his favorite sport to watch on T.V.
53. He team is the Seattle Seahawks.
54. He is not afraid to act silly to make me or the kids laugh.

55. He loves his kids.
56. He takes really good care of his teeth.
57. His Dad was in the Air Force, so they moved around a lot, which Eric didn't mind at all.
58. He is allergic to bee stings.
59. He has recently become allergic to salmon.
60. He has big calve muscles.
61. He used to be a personal trainer.
62. He would support me in anything I wanted to do. Except getting a body piercing.
63. He is not messy at all, but he never complains about my tendency to be messy.
64. He is not a big spender. I can't remember the last time he bought something for himself that was not work related.
65. He loves Dr. Pepper (no wonder we got married).
66. He used to be allergic to eggs.
67. He can build anything. If I have a vision he can make it happen.

(This is the bed he built for Megan)

68. He loses track of time.
69. He is not argumentative, and is open to others opinions.
70. He is quick-witted.
71. He is very patient, at work and at home.
72. He remembers song lyrics easily.
73. He is a snacker. Especially when he is driving.
74. He loves the outdoors, and I am sure would love to spend more time doing outdoorsy things.
75. He is an optimist.
76. He is allergic to cats.
77. He handles all yard work.
78. Blue is his favorite color.
79. Since we have been married he has never called in sick to work.
80. He doesn't mind dressing up.


81. He has amazing rhyming ability and can come up with hilarious poems and songs.
82. He is not confrontational.
83. Bull riding frightens him.
84. He spend a lot of time on the phone during the day, but not talking to me.
85. He could work on his time-management skills.
86. He does not like taking baths.
87. When he makes pancakes he makes them in fun shapes.
88. He has amazing stain removing ability. I also attribute this to his strength.
89. He enjoys 80's metal music.
90. Sportcenter is his favorite T.V. show.
91. He has really great taste in women.:)


92. He has me cut his hair.
93. He really wanted to be a Physical Therapist.
94. He is a great artist and can draw anything.
95. He wraps gifts expertly.
96. He has really nice handwriting.
97. He likes to do one thing at a time. He's not much of a multi-tasker.
98. He wears contact lenses.
99. He is a great game player.
100. He is the best husband and father that has ever existed!

Whew! Can everyone tell why I love him so much. Eric you are the best! Happy Birthday!!!!

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Star Student

Megan is a really hard worker, who is precise, takes her time and always tries her best. This last week at school has been very exciting for her. She started out the week by being chosen as the first "Star Student" by her teacher. The star student gets to help the teacher with many things, and also gets to fill out this big poster to present to the class.

My favorite thing about this poster is that she has given all of the kids a different skin color. Yeah for living in a multi-racial, and multi-cultural state.

Then later on in the week she was voted by her classmates to represent their class on the student council. The best part of these events for me was seeing her come home so excited to tell us the news. Her face was so lit up with happiness and pride. Her first meeting was yesterday, and she decided to run for President. Oh my! We'll see what happens. She seems fine with winning or losing. While smiling she said, "Even if I lose I still get to be on Student Council."

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

SPT


This month's challenge provides us the opportunity to spend some time with ourselves. Lelly says, "This month we will consult our 100 lists. It's quite simple, really. On the 7th of the month post an SPT about item #7 on your list. On the 14th of the month, post an SPT about #14. And so on and so on.

On my birthday 100 list, #14 reads:

Babysitting is not a service I enjoy performing.

Let's just say I will babysit if it is needed, but I would rather make someone dinner, clean someones house, or even do yard work instead. I think when I am babysitting (especially for a long time) I start to feel trapped. Not that I spend most of the day out of the house, but what if I just had to go to Target?

I notice that when I have little boys (ages 2 to 4), the favorite game is let's dump all of the toys out in the middle of the floor. It's really a good thing they are so cute!

I also have to kid proof my house. Even though I have small children, they have grown up in this house so they know how to avoid any breakables. Of course, new little kiddies are unfamiliar with my house so I move all breakables out of their reach.
All of my friends reading this, this rule does not apply to your children. I of course love them all, and will watch them whenever you need. But if you have a hitter, a yeller, or biter, I will watch them, but probably won't enjoy it very much.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Crazy Duck

All I have to say it that it is really too bad that women don't play professional football, because Megan could make us some serious money. I am amazed by her athleticism, although I shouldn't be because Eric is her father. She caught almost every pass, her footballs spiral, and she even knew that if she puts her hand out in front of her, it helps her aim the ball. I of course never taught her this, but neither did Eric. She said it is just something she picked up after seeing it done!

I was also playing, but after my first throw Jackson informed me that the football I just threw was a "crazy duck." Eric explained to me that he meant lame duck, which apparently means you throw really badly and your football wobbles in the air. I guess the family can't count on me to bring in a big athletic contract.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

We Be Jammin....

Yet another way I have changed over the last 10 years: I now make jam. And it is good too.
This is the second year Rachael and I have made freezer jam, and I am amazed by how easy it is.

It went from this:

To this, in just a couple of hours. We did raspberry first, but next week it is strawberry's turn. Maybe in another 10 years I will be canning peaches, pears and pickles. You never know.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

SPT


This month's challenge provides us the opportunity to spend some time with ourselves. Lelly says, "This month we will consult our 100 lists. It's quite simple, really. On the 7th of the month post an SPT about item #7 on your list. On the 14th of the month, post an SPT about #14. And so on and so on.

On my list, #7 reads:

"I have never had a cavity."

What can I attribute this to? I have had this discussion many times with my husband, who has not been as lucky as I have in the cavity department. As a child, I brushed my teeth, but wasn't extremely diligent about it. I didn't frequent the dentist office, nor did I ever floss. On the other hand, my husband brushed all of the time, was a diligent flosser, frequented the dentists office, yet he was plagued by cavity after cavity. Why is this? I think maybe I will attribute it to the monthly fluoride treatments I received in elementary school. Does anyone else remember these? After our parents signed the consent form, "they" (I have no memory of who they were) would wheel the pink fluoride in on carts. We were then required to swish it in our mouth for 30 seconds, then spit it back into the cup it came in. I was very jealous of those kids whose parents didn't sign the consent, because if I am remembering correctly, it was pretty darn gross. I guess I will never know the answer to my great teeth luck, but if any of you have any insight, I would love to hear it.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Weekend In Review

My Aunt and Grandma came down to St. George to visit my mom this weekend, and lucky for me they all decided to come and see me on Friday. We went out to lunch and had a nice, quick visit.

My Mom, Grandma and Aunt Deb

My Mom, Grandma, Me and Sadie

On Saturday, Rachael and I went to Great Harvest, picked up dinner, then took the kids to the temple for a picnic and to play. It was such a great night. The weather was absolutely perfect, we had a great dinner, the kids played all over the place, and Rachael and I had plenty of time to talk and hang out.

This is Jackson's hand on my leg. Jackson likes physical contact, and Eric and I have noticed that when he eats he almost always has one hand on Eric or I if we are sitting next to him.

In another year they will probably be able to scale the fence.

It got a little bit chilly (by Las Vegas standards) and I realized Sadie owns no warm clothes. Luckily Alexis shared her jacket.

Amazingly we were able to get at least one picture with all kids looking forward.

Then on Sunday we had another visitor. Eric's brother Todd was in town and stopped by to hang out with us for the afternoon.

Megan and Jackson love him, and happily he plays with them endlessly when he is here.

We were also able to get the outside of our house all decorated for Halloween. It was a busy weekend, just how I like it.