25 RandomThings About Me

1. I complain a lot about how busy I am, but I really like being busy.
2. I like to think I am handy with a power drill, but sometimes can't really finish a job without help.
3. I envy people who update their blogs regularly and edit photographs and wish I would take the time to record my family's memories better.
4. I LOVE it when John plays the guitar, except when he's playing when it's time to get kids in bed.
5. I have been to at least 14 countries and lived in Germany.
6. Although I'm a decent skier, I would probably never go skiing if my husband didn't get me a season pass to Powder Mtn. each year.
7. I want to be in a musical, but am too busy and too afraid to try out for one.
8. I remind myself of my dad in good ways and bad. One thing we both do is feel bad that we didn't spend more time with the kids.
9. I wrote a song for the piano a few years ago. Only one. Ever.
10. I wish I had a bigger kitchen every day.
11. I volunteer about 3 hours a week at the local elementary school.
12. I have a goal to someday write down my goals in life.
13. I love the opportunity serving in the Young Women program has given me...a renewed desire to work on goals because of the Personal Progress program and the occasion to spend more time with my daughter.
14. I wish I had another child.
15. I started working on my family history work (again) this year and try to do something every week. It is really fun and addicting.
16. I love to eat food, but only when I'm not the one making it.
17. I feel a loss when I lose touch with friends or when a relationship with a good friend dwindles.
18. If I could go back in time I would learn to dance and I would take an art class in school.
19. I cut my whole family's hair and sometimes my own because I don't like to pay someone else to do it.
20. I used to love making cute crafts and decorating for holidays, but the older I get the less I feel like getting all that clutter out just to put it away again a few weeks later.
21. I don't watch television
22. I don't play sports with adults because I'm self-conscious and uncoordinated at them. I like playing soccer with 8 year old kids though.
23. I graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA and graduated college Magna cum Laude, but can barely carry on an adult conversation now (especially if we're talking science or politics).
24. I always had a pet cat between the ages of 7 and 17 and spent hours playing with them. Now I rarely touch animals.
25. I loved writing poetry when I was growing up. The closest thing to poetry I've written in the last 10 years is rhyming birthday invitations.

Skateboarding...this is only the beginning

I spent 2 hours putting together a movie in windows movie maker, only to find out that blogger.com and facebook don't accept movie maker videos. bummer...there were some great bloopers too. At least John took off his tie before he skated :)

Mission Accomplished

Yay! John finished my coat rack/bench for the laundry room AND we are almost finished putting the bricks around the edge of our back yard AND John finally turned our shed 90 degrees AND he built himself a big old half pipe this week. What a busy little bee, huh?

If You Leave Me Now

I am a little ashamed that I'm not the typical mom who cries on the first day of preschool. I am LOVING having a few hours every once in a while to clean out drawers and volunteer and finally work on my family history. I have to admit, on that first day of dropping the last kid off I felt a little empty inside and almost even teary-eyed when the Chicago song, "If You Leave Me Now", came on in the car.
Tolkien was pretty excited to go to finally go to school like his sisters. On the way home he said, "School is fun!" and then 2 minutes later when we pulled into the driveway he said, "I sure am glad to be home with my mommy now."

A Room for Braunté

I promised Braunté I'd put some photos of her new room in here. It's her early Christmas present, but she has to wait until December to decorate. We finally had a new window put in and we finished painting on July 24th.

before...

and after...

Ouch

Here are some photos of Odessa over the past couple of months. Don't look if you're really squeamish. She had all 4 pins removed and stitches out on August 3rd and I'm happy to report that her second cast came off on August 17th. She started school a week later. She has been a little self-conscious about her scars, but she's doing better at dealing with it. I'm proud of her.

At 7 weeks in Lava Hot Springs
(made possible by an awesome waterproof cast cover).

Sad, sad day

Odessa was in a serious accident last Saturday. She fell from a friend's zip-line and had an open humerus fracture and several breaks in her wrist as well. She was life-flighted to the hospital and had two surgeries. We're grateful that John was there when it happened, the surgeon at Primary Children's was great, and we have narcotics. She's home now and suffering from nerve damage, pain, night terrors, and nausea. Thanks to all who have called/prayed/visited/brought food. We have had so much support.

Our computer died so call if you need to get a hold of us!

Summer Break

When did summers stop being relaxing? I feel like I've been running straight for 3 weeks. Odessa girl got baptized on June 6th...yay! What a cutie, I am so proud of her.

Then it was straight to Girls camp. It was exhausting, but incredible. I was feeling pretty happy because two different girls at camp asked me if Braunte' was my sister, ha! Then my good friend pointed out that it's probably because I'm so immature.
We got home Friday, John's birthday was Sunday, and we left for Park City Monday. We went ice skating, saw the movie "Up", took a day trip to the Hogle Zoo, watched videos, went swimming a lot, shopped the outlets, hiked up to Timpanogas cave, and went down the expensive new Alpine Coaster.Home again Sunday night (Father's Day), Tolkien's half-birthday was Monday. We celebrate his birthday in the summer-time and I somehow threw together a big rig truck party for him between 3 tumbling classes, 2 Young Women activities, and lots of laundry loads.Phew! I'm tired....thanks mom and dad for helping with the kids and letting me crash on your couch today.

This is Odessa on her birthday right before bed. I guess that having to wait until the next day to celebrate didn't dampen her mood.

Sleeping Beauty

Here are a couple of scenes from the play. You may want to click the pause button on my music playlist before you watch this video.

Bragging Rights

I know it's kind of annoying when people brag about their kids, but I just can't help it. This week has been exciting.

Odessa passed off her back walk-over series and running front limber yesterday....I was surprised to know they had official names. She was happy because she got 2 big bubble gums.

Braunté was one of the sixth grade officers at her school this year and she was trying to decide if she should run for 7th grade class office. I guess each elementary school gets to send one officer and one peer leader to the Jr. High. The kids vote and the student with the most votes is elected the class officer and the student with the second most votes becomes the peer leader. Braunté didn't know if she should run because the officers are expected to attend all the sporting events and have a lot of responsibilities (and a $200 sweater). She really wanted to be a peer leader though, so she decided to go for it. Anyway, she missed being elected class officer by just 2 votes! (I told her we could have bought their votes by passing out treats, haha). She is pretty excited that she gets to be the peer leader. Isn't she lucky she has a mom who writes her speeches and a dad who records her back-up rap music for them?

And then today some people came from PAL camp to audition the sixth graders. I guess this is a special summer camp for "talented children" where 1-2 kids in each of several different categories are selected from each school to attend. They audition kids for the performing arts area and the teachers select the others. Her teacher told me Braunté would be invited and I was kind of hoping she could go under leadership, creative writing, visual arts, or math, but she was chosen in auditions as the girl to attend in performing arts! She was pretty surprised and so was I. I guess she can sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" pretty well :)

p.s. her school play is this Friday night at 6:00, call me for more info. if you want to come.

Men vs. Women

The other night John and I were sitting in bed and I guess I made a weird face. He asked what I was thinking about and I had no idea how to respond. I had been thinking of about 15 random thoughts in the previous 30 seconds.............I forgot to make some phone calls, who drives carpool in the morning? I need to work on the school newsletter, I hope I remember to email those Young Womens notes to Stacie, I wonder where that paper went, I need to check on my mother-in-law, I should have played more with Tolkien today, I only have a few days left to get our tax information ready, I need to finish sewing Braunté's costume, when am I going to be able to make it to the grocery store? Did I lock the back door? I hope I don't forget to put those things in my bag, I didn't start the dishwasher, I signed up to work at the Book Fair tomorrow................

Mark Gungor "Tale of Two Brains"

So my dad sent me an email with this video in it and it's too true. I thought it was pretty funny. This video really explains a lot about issues John and I have had. I already knew how my brain worked and now I know what's going on in John's, but the question is, is there a solution?

Here's a typical day in the life of us, do you think John is in "the nothing box"?

Room

Finally, here are some shots of the new and improved laundry room. A special thank you goes out to Nate S. for help framing, John for wiring and and hanging walls and shelves and paying for everything :), Todd C. for help with the ceiling, Jeff C. for help with the tile and to Adam H. for the hours of countertop intallation!

Although sometimes I look at it and think it's definately not a professional remodel, it's still far better than the cement walls and cement floor we started with. It's been interesting learning new skills and I'm proud of myself for designing the layout and getting it done. Now I have room for some of my stuff!








































I also miraculously cleaned my office 2 weeks ago! I actually have a floor. I should have taken a before picture so you could truly appreciate this. Now I have room to walk!

The next projects in line? 1. get John to put the bathroom sink back together 2. get john to stay home for a day and finish the coat rack/bench for the laundry room 3. clean out the family room and move the office stuff in there 4. remodel the office for Braunte' so she can have her own room!

2 Tag

2 favorite names: Braunté & Sofia

2 favorite months: September & April (because I am so ready for Spring)

2 favorite foods (and you can't say Pizza): most anything Italian or Mexican

2 favorite nuts: cashews & almonds (mostly when in an Almond Joy)

2 favorite stores: Wal-Mart (I know it shouldn't be, but look at the prices!) & any craft store

2 favorite activities: scrapbooking & reading

2 favorite huggers: Johnnyboy & each of my kids when they were the baby

2 favorite conversationalists (besides spouse): I can't pick 2...my mom (the most unselfish person in the world) & Shaury (who thinks like me) & Jennifer (I look forward to playdates) & each of my brothers (they can make me smile no matter what mood I have been in)

2 people to tag: Laura (I'd like to know more about you) & Tara (because she'll actually do it)

Braunté-Girl

Today was Jr. High pre-registration. Tough choices....pre-algebra or algebra, Spanish or German, choir or art. I can't believe my little baby is growing up.

She's gone from this....

to this...and now to this, in such a short time... This last shot was at her Christmas dance recital 2008. Thank goodness she still only wears make-up for dance recitals. The video clip was at the Reflections Contest Awards Assembly at Roy Jr. High this month. The 6th graders had to compete against 7th and 8th graders. She earned an Award of Excellence in Literature and an Award of Merit in Visual Arts.