I've been tagged (thanks Geneva):)

Joys:

1. Eternal Perspective
2. the U.S. of A.- I LOVE patriotism!
3. Watching my children laugh together

Fears:

1. Earthquakes (only since I've lived here in LV--I guess I've never lived in an earthquake area or close to one since I was a little girl)
2. The inability to pay back student loans (isn't likely, but definitely something I worry about)
3. Dealing with death of a loved one

Goals:

1. To teach my children proper principles and Independence- I want them to understand and be ready for life.
2. Cook anything, but especially naturally nutritious foods
3. Write a book--possibly about my life and family's experiences--it would be a page turner!
4. Gain an advanced degree- some day I WILL have a MS or Doctoral degree! Education is something I thirst.

Obsessions:

1. Organization-- I love to have everything organized, down to each receipt (yes, I keep and file all my receipts--this may also make me a pack rat)
2. Diagnosing my children's illnesses/sicknesses-- I want to know what is wrong with my child when sick, no matter what the dr. says--I feel like I can research and find the correct diagnosis (my faith in Pediatricians depletes every year-- not b/c they don't know anything, but b/c many don't take the time to make correct diagnosis). I usually feel satisfied with my own research and home treatment, THEN I'll take my child to the dr. if necessary and voice my opinion. I'm sure they LOVE me!
3. Fiddling-- I'm always fiddling with something. I comb my fingers through my hair, pick my nails, etc . It is showing how much I do this-- whenever Cade plays like he is talking on the phone-he scratches his head (just like I do!).

Facts about self:

1. I secretly have a passion for buying "things"-- it is just very satisfying at times--but isn't often something i can actually allow myself to do:) Don't tell Shane, I'll deny it!
2. I once had my head stuck in the fence around Buckingham palace while watching the "changing of guards"--fyi, if you ever make it to Buckingham Palace in London, don't watch so close, the fence posts are really quite narrowly spaced! Oh man, I really thought I would make the papers, but fortunately, after some coaxing and calming, my blood pressure decreased enough to shrink my head and pull it out:)
3. I always thought i would make a good ballet dancer-- anyone who knows me would laugh at that statement, and yes, it is true that I'm not very graceful or poised...but it is definitely something I enjoy in the privacy of my home (my children are probably the only one's I have actually shared my "skills" with:).

Cade the Narcissist

We think Cade is adorable...apparently, he agrees with us:)

Narcissisim:

Freudian term, drawn from the Greek myth of Narcissus,

indicating an exclusive self-absorption.

A typical bad night

So we still have problems with our children sleeping in their own beds. Not every night, but Brinly is definately the worst. Almost every night she tries to climb into bed with us, always asking Shane (therefore, I don't realize she is in bed with us until I get wacked in the face a time or two). Cade is pretty good...he usually doesn't wake up in the night any more, but every now and then he does.

Seventh Time is a Charm...

Let it be known....I AM the queen of flat tires! I was involved in my 7th flat tire last night (yes, 7th in 9 years!!). Unbelievable! The kids and I were on our way home from a spontaneous day trip to visit my parents and sisters (who were all there but Tara, so I didn't want to miss out). There were many "fortunates" though- some being:
- I was just outside of Las Vegas, not in the middle of the desert
- it wasn't 110 degrees, only 90 b/c it was late (9pm)
-I had changed 6 roadside flat tires before (and taught YW on several occasions)
-it was a rear tire (at the freeway speed I was going, it could have been really bad as a front tire)
-the kids slept through the entire ordeal!
- Shane was close enough to come help

Disclaimer: I do not get flat tires due to poor tire maintenance or service--almost every time it has been in a different car (twice in my parent's van) due to some random object.

My History of Flat Tires:

1st time- in college, and I changed the tire entirely on my own before a guy came and offered help (he was very impressed BTW, and I was quite proud of myself!:)
2nd time-I was driving with my mother and we pulled up into the driveway and the front right tire flattened entirely as we parked! I changed it.
3rd time- All my sisters and I, and my mother were driving across country to somewhere (can't remember where) and a trucker flagged us to let us know our rear left tire was flat). I changed it and finished as a trucker pulled up to help behind us. He said that the cb radio's were buzzin' with "6 girls on side of road changing tire". Interesting.
4th time- In college, again--i don't remember the circumstances.
5th time- On my way home from girl's camp, in a caravan of 3 cars and 6 or 7 YW. It wasn't my car that had a flat that time, but my friend, Lindsay's. Again, I changed the tire with a screaming baby Brinly and several giddy teenage girls on the side of the road:)
6th time- Shopping in Virginia with my sister-in-law Kathy. For some reason we borrowed my father-in-law's NEW car. On the way out we realized we had a flat. I was prego with Cade and couldn't get the lug nut's loose (and we had trouble finding the tire key)--fortunately, a nice fellow helped us out that time.
7th time- last night! Notice Shane came PREPARED-- headlamp and all:) I was so grateful for his help...I was a bit nervous on the side of the freeway with two children, in the dark, feeling very vulnerable (I even emptied my wallet-- all but my license and one credit card-- into the van's garbage drawer, just in case-Ha!).

So, beware, if you're driving with me, I average a flat tire every 1.3 years! But no fear, I do know how to change a tire:) If you need a lesson, I'd be glad to teach you :)

Five Years and Goin' STRONG!

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary last weekend. This adventure has been wonderful. I couldn't have asked for a more devoted, sensitive, ambitious, loving, kind, dedicated, hard working, spiritual, thoughtful, and just plan AMAZING husband! And I know how cliche it is, but I honestly love him so much more today than at the beginning of our road together. I LOVE our life together!

This is us on our 5th anniversary date...nice nasal shot. Oh well, it's the only one we got documenting our celebration.

Cade the Cutie

I thought I'd better redeem Cade's cuteness after the "Little Boy Curse". He is just plan adorable! This video allows all to see that:)

Daddy's Little Girl

Shane made this great slideshow for Brinly's birthday next month. He made a condensed version to share with everyone. It fills me with joy to watch my little girl grow up. I often think of the talk Elder Russel M. Ballard gave in the last General Conference that was directed to young mothers. He explained that we have our children for only fleeting percentage of their lives. I need to cherish every moment with my children, no matter how bad the day ends! I'm so glad to have Brinly in our lives.

The Little Boy CURSE...

Okay, so Jay’s “little boy” curse is coming to pass! I’ll explain…my wonderful Father-in-law, Jay, has always thought we’ve had it too easy with our little Brinly and Cade, thus far---they have been too easy, so he says! Well, he has expressed that to us a few times, and now it is becoming evident that his curse is coming to pass. Yesterday, Jay called to say hello. After our conversation, I hung up the phone, went about my business…soon to hear a big THUD in the kitchen. I come running down to see what was going on. No blood, no crying…just Cade saying “Uh-oh” in is very cute little toddler way, while standing in front of the open dishwasher that is full of water and an UN-potted plant! Not just any plant, one of Shane’s bonsai trees---which has gravel for dirt!! Apparently, Cade had had the dishwasher on and running prior to opening it and placing the contents of the plant into it! AHHHH!!! I literally screamed. Here my---not even mine, my landlord’s---dishwasher is full of gravel, down into the filter and who-knows-how deep- with a good three inches of now murky, muddy water. I start scooping out the rocks and begin to salvage the remnants of the plant (which actually survived the experience). I have never known a dishwasher so intimately. After about 45 minutes of de-rocking the bottom of the dishwasher and taking apart the filter, I realize Cade is now emptying the garbage across the kitchen floor. Oh man, I was really loosing it at that point…I mean, no patience was left in me. Then I hear Brinly crying upstairs…so I decide I probably should check on her and surrender my handy-woman attempts for the moment. I go upstairs to learn she locked herself in the bathroom—not with the lock on the door, but the bathroom rug was so bunched up that she nor I could open the door (it was stuck under the door, acting as a door stopper). After a few moments of coaxing, she finally got it out and obtained her freedom…and then I saw that my almost 4 year old daughter had unraveled the roll of toilet paper across the bathroom, and decorated it in a crepe paper fashion. LOVELY.
Anyway, Shane later came home and worked on cleaning the remainder of the dishwasher for several hours. CRAZY day. I went and bought a child-proof lock for the dishwasher. It worked well the remainder of yesterday and most of today, until Cade BROKE IT. Yeah…his invincibility is shining through. If anyone has any suggestions for a garbage that is childproof and a dishwasher lock, I’d be more than thrilled to be let in on the secrets!
So, Jay, I have to say THANK YOU! Your dream of my understanding of what little boys are like has been fulfilled. And, now I will plead---PLEASE UNDO YOUR CURSE! Ha, I’m sure I’ll look back on these days and laugh…but I haven’t quite reached that point yet. But I thought I would share.

And yes, our dishwasher is working just fine, thank Heavens!