Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday or Progression of a Tantrum

Random Things...Seven to be Exact....

Darn it! TAGGED! And I'm it!
Blackeyedsue tagged me for a 7 random things meme. Oh, how I love randomness...it's my LIFE!

1. I keep piles of things around my house. Yes, I'm a major pack-rat, and I think, "If I toss this, I'll need it tomorrow..." But I'm also SUPER lazy, so I have a pile of garbage behind my nightstand...(old candy wrappers and stuff....)
2. My second toe is longer than my big toe. Yes, in Shallow Hal when they bashed that one woman for having the long second toe, I was offended. But personally, I think my tootsies are cute!


3. I love to watch cooking shows, but I HATE cooking. Watching them just makes me feel like I'm doing something productive, when in reality, I'm not. (Rachael Ray, Giada DeLaurentis, Paula Dean and Alton Brown are some of my FAVS!)
4. I ripped my bra last night when I was getting ready for bed. NO, I'm not super woman, it was an old bra, and I was in a hurry to yank it off. (I HATE wearing bras!! If I didn't need one so badly, I'd go without!)
5. I have a highly sensitive sense of smell. My family has been known to ask me if something smells "off." I'm constantly reminded of this "gift" every day. Last night, my reminder came when I was trying to satisfy my thirst and I smelled my water...it smelled like fish! EW! I tried to drink as fast as I could so I wouldn't smell it...
6. I love to stay up late and watch Family Guy on Adult Swim. Yes, it's a crude show...filled with farts, burps and sex talk, but it's FUNNY! Last night I stayed up and watched it while eating my Halloween candy. (Yeah, I still have a HUGE bowlful!)
7. I'm all about keeping things simple. My wedding reception is a good example. It was in my parents' house, using borrowed things, a simple wedding cake, and minimal decorations. BUT, my sister's reception was OVER the TOP! My mom would comment to me about how much easier my reception was...but its because we're different creatures. (Not one better than the other, just different!) If it's simple and nice, I'm ALL for it! :)

Now to tag some lucky people (seven....just to go with the game...)

Carrie, Mattsmom, Froglegs, Rachelle, Millie, Cat, and Katherine.

Thinking Blog

Whoa...I've been nominated!? And for THINKING!? *snickering quietly* Okay, but I have to thank Suzanne from A Rose By Any Other Name for nominating me. Honestly, I didn't realize that I had so many blog friends, still. I've been SO bad at reading other's blogs lately! But, thank you anyway!

And today, I was just going to do some bullet point blogging...you're lucky...you get MORE!

• I watched the "American Experience" on PBS last night. The topic?? The Mormons. Overall, I was glad that it wasn't a total bashing event, but I was disappointed on the things that they DID choose to focus on. (Polygamy, Mountain Meadow Massacre....) I'm anxious to watch tonight...see how they paint modern Latter-day Saints.
• HEROES is back, and I'm SO happy! I'm sad that there are only 3 episodes left, and I'm FURIOUS that my hubby refuses to give this show a chance! He tells me that there is NO way this show can survive another season...I don't believe him! (And to find that a dear high school friend ALSO loves Heroes is an added bonus! MORE happiness for me!)
• As some of you know, I watch The View daily...just to watch the Rosie train-wrecks. Now to find that she's leaving...I have to admit, I'm not sad to see her go....taking her soap-box with her! *sigh* There isn't a show that I've watched lately where she hasn't mentioned one of these topics: Bush, Iraq, or Democrats. We know your stance lady, but can't you let the OTHER opinions talk too?! Now with her leaving maybe Elisabeth can get a word or complete thought out without being interrupted!
• I'm THRILLED that the trees here are FINALLY in bloom! While driving down the road, I pointed to an extremely bloomed tree and told my husband, "Look, it's FLUFFY!" Of course, he laughed!
• On an upsetting note, my LOVELY neighbors had some little kid POUNDING on their piano earlier today, I was FURIOUS...I had both boys napping, and I was pleasantly snoozing as well. The piano sounded like it was IN my living room! ARGH! After Baby J woke up, I stood up, stormed over to the wall, and began knocking...in the process, I knocked 2 of my pictures off...breaking the glass in one of the frames! :(
• AND it's MAY!! That means two things, 1. Camping for Memorial Day weekend! I'm SO excited, I can't even begin to express! 2. Steve's 30th birthday is coming up...I'm WAY excited for THOSE plans too! ;)

And now, blogs that I think are WORTHY of the Thinking Award are like little insights into people that I feel I know well, even though we haven't met in real life!

1. I know she's been nominated before, but I HAVE to nominate Mel from Gizmo-isms. Honestly, she goes through SO much, and can still be positive and inspiring.

2. Blackeyedsue from For Better or For Worse. This woman makes me feel so glad to have her a part of my little sphere of bloggy-friends. She not only talks about her struggles and frustrations, but she inspires me to do better.

3. Sketchy from Spitting Prohibited. When I DO get around to catching up on my missed blog-reads, she always cracks me up. She has my sense of humor, which in this world, is a fun surprise! :)

4. Rachelle from Teacher, Mom, Mad Woman. Honestly, other than my IRL friends, she's the first blog I read that I instantly clicked with! She's a wonderful woman who helps ME find the inner strength to go through my trials with my head held high.

5. And finally, Millie from Thoroughly Mormon Millie. She is one of the blogs that I find myself drawn to day in and day out. Her thoughts just make me LAUGH! She enjoys her life, and shares things that I love...She makes me happy!

The participation rules are simple (if you so choose to participate, that is!):

1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,

2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,

3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote.

Book Meme

The Rules of the game:

1. Find the nearest book to you.

2. Name the book and author.

3. Turn to page 123.

4. Go to the fifth sentence on the page.

5. Copy out the next 3 sentences and post to your blog.

6. Tag three other people.

Since I'm SO into Church history...my nearest book is Fire of the Covenant (I've either read or listened to this book 4 times now, and currently re-reading it for the 5th time...LOVE IT!!) by Gerald N. Lund (yeah, the guy who wrote The Work and the Glory series!)

"'Class starts in fifteen minutes. I can't even say hello to them. I don't know a word of Danish.'"

Geez, I thought I'd get more out of it than THAT!! Oh, well! I just bawl when I START this book, but if you are curious about the plight of the handcart pioneers, or more specifically the Willie and Martin handcart companies, this is a MUST read!

To be totally honest, if I could do ANY one thing in my life...I would love to just read and study about the early years of the Church. It's so interesting and just fascinating to me. My favorite year in seminary was the D&C year...when we got to study those stories in SCHOOL! It's just my favorite! Steve will tease me about knowing SO much about the W & G series...any time there was a quote from the recent movies, either on TV or on the radio, he'd look at me and ask, "So, what was happening at THAT part!?" (I've only read THAT series all the way through 7 or 8 times....but some of the individual books I've read MANY more times!) And the sad part, I could tell him...

I tag NO ONE....if you feel so inclined....go for it!

A Meme? We Got No Time for a MEME!

"Early Reading" Meme. Suzanne tagged me a few days ago, but with the whole computer drama, I got a bit side-tracked! Sorry! So, here it is...a few days later! :)

1. How old were you when you learned to read and who taught you?

I know this is going to sound like bragging, but I was a very early, very quick reader. I could read small books before I was in Kindergarten. I think that’s why when I work with Cameron on his reading it’s so hard for me. I could read and write when I was 3. My mom would give me paper and I’d demand to know how to spell things. I had some issues with my first grade teacher, so when they TAUGHT us to read in school, I was one of those kids who had to be pulled out of class to read in the halls...cuz I didn’t do the reading at home! I think the helpers loved reading with me, because I was so good! (See, I told you it would sound like I was bragging, but I’m not, I’m just brilliant!) >:)

2. What books do you remember owning as a child?

We had lots of books. We had many Dr. Seuss books and I remember reading over and over some P.D. Eastman books. I loved it when my mom would read us "All Because a Little Bug Went Ker-Choo" and I loved "The Digginist Dog." I also remember having a few Berenstein Bear books....like the one where they go to the museum and the dinosaur bone is missing...I can’t remember the name of it right now, but I loved that one too!

3. What is the first book you remember buying with your own money?
Something from the book order, but do you think I could remember it?? I know it was a Berenstein Bears book, but I couldn’t tell you whether it was the messy room one, or the junk food one.

4. Were you a re-reader as a child? If so, what did you read the most often?
I was NOT a re-reader as a child. I was a re-listener, but once I could read, and HAD to read, I’d only do it if I had to! When I had a choice of books to LISTEN to I’d usually pick "Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You?"

5. What is the first adult book that captured your interest and how old were you when you read it?
That would be "Where the Red Fern Grows." I had to read it for a book report in 4th or 5th grade (so I would have been about 10 or 11), but I can’t really remember. I just remember thinking, "Gee, if all books ended like this one, I will NEVER read again!"

6. Are there any children's books you passed by as a child and learned to love as an adult?
The whole Arthur series. I didn’t read them when I was younger, but my son and I both love to read them over and over! Such good lessons found there!

Now it’s your turn. What books did you love as a child? I won’t necessarily tag anyone for this, but if you want to do it...feel free, then let me know!

Oh, What Do You Do at Christmastime?

Saw this meme at Nikko's Place and had to play along...

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Stephens' Mint Truffle Hot Chocolate! (TO DIE FOR!)
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? One big one is unwrapped, but the little ones are wrapped and shoved in the stocking
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? Colored! (Our first year of marriage I tried doing ALL blue lights, but it looked really depressing...so we're all color now!)
4. Do you hang mistletoe? no
5. When do you put your decorations up? Thanksgiving night!
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? HAM! (I love ham at all times, but it's especially yummy on Christmas!)
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child: Going to my great-grandparents' houses on Christmas Eve! At one we'd mingle (if we could move) and eat and laugh, at the other one Santa's elves would always bring a bag o' goodies!
8. How and When did you learn the truth about Santa? I was always a doubter! I had a feeling about him when I was 4! YES! But I got over that one when he visited my house while I was still awake! How nice of him to drop in! Anyway, I asked my mom when I was 11 or 12, and her response to me was, "What do you think?" Then I knew! (But I totally believe in Santa! Don't you believe in yourself or your husband!?)
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Yes, it's pajamas. Same box and everything every year!
10. How do you decorate your Christmas Tree? It's got a little bit of EVERYTHING on it! We buy one set of ornaments every year, and then we just mix them all together.
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? Between the days of Thanksgiving and Christmas I LOVE it, any other time it's a nuisance!
12. Can you ice skate? Uh...I tried once, but hurt my feet really bad! I grip with my toes when I feel like I'm falling, so you can tell what happened to my toes...Never went back, so NO!
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Uh, I remember a few. My biggest laugh of a present happened when "Santa" bought me tires for my car. I ended up buying one of those big Cookie monster toys so I had a present next to my stocking. I put that out and my little brother kept asking my mom and dad where they got it. And they could honestly tell him, they DIDN'T get it! *hee hee*
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with my family and friends. Renewing my love of the Savior and just thinking more about Him!
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love my grandma F's homemade fruit cake! Mmmmmm! Or Divinity...either way, pass me some!
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Visiting my grandparents on Christmas Eve. I LOVE seeing all of my cousins and just talking and laughing about anything and everything! And I love driving around to see the Christmas lights on Christmas Eve! So pretty!
17. What tops your tree? A gold and glass star. We're still looking for a prettier one!
18. Which do you prefer giving or Receiving? GIVING!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Song? Actually I have TONS! I love all of the old ones that they play on Polar Express, and I love, love, LOVE the Forgotten Carols! Actually, I just love ANY Christmas music! The 12 pains of Christmas ALWAYS makes me giggle, but so does the Muppet's 12 days! Ya know, just put me down for ALL!

I'm just excited that the season is here, and I'm free to be my obnoxious Christmassy self! If you want to do this, let me know, I'll come and read it! :)

The Definition Meme

Nikko from Three Blond Boys tagged me for a post that is RIGHT up my alley! She gave me words that she just made up, and I get to define them. How fun for me! :) (The odd tidbit of the whole thing is that when I copied these words into my WordPerfect program, two of them weren't misspelled! WHOA!)

Peccavi: peck-KAH-vee -verb
What a dentist does with that pokey thingy before he fills a cavity. "Please hand me that pokey thingy...I'm going to peccavi the heck out of this tooth to make sure this cavity is big and painful enough."

Turptitude: turp-TY-tood -noun
The way you feel after being in an enclosed room with a can full of turpentine. "This time her turpitude is a bit on the giggly side!"

Coracle: kor-UH-kl -adjective
An apple-like shape; the shape an apple has after eating the edible parts. "That rock has a coracle shape to it. Look, it even looks like someone bit into the seeds!"

Lucubration: LOOS-oo-BRAY-shun -noun
An abrasion that a child gets when they pull out a tooth. "Sally's gums had a major lucubration after Bobby kicked her tooth out of her mouth."

This was fun, now I tag anyone so inclined to define:
agloobia
sympsis
boogliah
chooch

(If you do decide to define these words...let me know...I'd like to know what I've been talking about for all of these years!)

And now I'm off for Cam's doctor appointments in Salt Lake. I mentioned earlier that we were hoping he wouldn't be getting poked or anything, and then the doctor called me and asked if the could do a 5-year study on Cam regarding NF1. I agreed, and then found out he has to have all sorts of tests done...blood work, x-rays, urine tests, bone density scans... Poor boy! I guess it wasn't meant to be! :P

Prepare for Randomness at it's Finest!

Amanda at Our Lot in Life (I've never told her how much I LOVE her blog name, so Amanda, I love your blog name! :) tagged me for a meme.
The rules of the game are: The meme tagger assigns 4 words and the person being tagged talks about those words. Are you ready for randomness!? Here it comes, ready or not! :)

Hunger: My first thought with this word was: "I don't suffer from this!" It's actually part of a phrase that Cam tells me ALL the time! ("Mama, I'm hungry!") I've actually been feeling hungry a LOT lately! My doctor tells me that one of the meds I'm currently taking will make people gain weight...and I can see why! I'm SO hungry, but then again, I'm not! Aggravation!

Pumpkin: Pumpkins are some of my favorite things to see and decorate with during this time of year. I've always loved carving pumpkins into jack-o-lanterns for Halloween, but I don't like cleaning up afterward. Thinking of the mess left after carving pumpkins reminds me of an activity we did for Honor Society in high school. We had a contest in the cafeteria and we TOTALLY made a huge mess! It was so much fun though!
My favorite jack-o-lantern I've ever seen was one my younger brother made a few years ago...he took the guts from the inside of the pumpkin, put it on a cardboard box in front of the open mouth of the jack-o-lantern and made it look like it had just puked. It was one of the funniest ones I've seen in a long time!
OH! And I absolutely love pumpkin pie! But I'll only eat it during fall, any other time is sacrilegious! And we LOVE to put "plop" on top of it! Yummo! (My husband's work makes a shake that tastes like pumpkin pie with a HUGE dollop of "plop" on top! Mmmm...I want one now!)
And my secret goal is to someday grow the biggest pumpkin EVER! The big ones are my favorites!

Mermaid: Duh! The Little Mermaid! It's my absolute FAVORITE Disney movie of ALL time! I remember when it came out I was in the fifth grade, and as a special treat to all who didn't get yellow tickets (a bad thing) the whole school got to go and watch it in a local theater! My teacher was grilling one boy about whether it ended happily ever after or not before we went. So before seeing it I knew all was going to be good.
When it came out on video I was babysitting for this one family and they had it! I watched it several times whenever I'd babysit! It got to the point where the little 2 year old asked me to NOT watch it again! (But I was in charge...so we did!) It got to the point where I'd sing the songs along with the movie, and he'd just roll his eyes at me! But even after watching this movie over and over and over I STILL love it.
When it was re-released on video I bought it, and then when they re-released it on DVD I bought it. Anyone want a well-loved copy of The Little Mermaid on VHS? I'll only give it to a good home! :)
The last time my family went to Disneyland we heard a story about how much Walt Disney loved the story of the Little Mermaid and wanted to make it into a movie, but didn't live to see it in his lifetime. Then they showed us his favorite little statue of the little mermaid...perched on the rock with her hair being blown in the wind. I think of that statue everytime I watch the movie now! (Since buying the movie this last Tuesday I've started watching it 6 or 7 times, but haven't watched it ALL the way through yet, but I will!)

Carpet: I have a love hate relationship with carpet. I LOVE it on cold days when it's softness is there to keep my tootsies warm, but I hate having it in my bathroom. Whoever designed my apartment building never had a little boy! Our bathrooms SMELL awful! And if we ever have a leak, it gets ALL over the carpet! ICK!
The carpet in our current apartment is the correct color for apartment dwellers: marbled brown. We have every shade of brown in our carpeting that you can think of! (Along with a few Kool-Aid stains that were there BEFORE we moved in!) It's a LOT better than the carpet we had in our last place...beige! Try teaching a toddler NOT to mess up the carpet! Not a fun job!
And of course there are the other random thoughts that popped into my head: When Millie renamed herself the blissful play-doh picker! LOVED that thought! (Hate picking the play-doh though!) And of the time Cam bounced his way down our carpeted stairs when I was potty training the boy! What fun memories! :)

Now it's my turn to tag people! I'm going to tag Mama D, Frog Legs and Nikkie. Their words? Trucks, flip, chair, and clock.

Meme about ME!

Shelley from Spitting Prohibited tagged me for a meme. Now, I could say, "I'll do it later," but knowing me...I wouldn't! So here goes!

What do you like most about where you live?

I love that I can drive for just an hour (or less) in pretty much ANY direction and find wilderness! I love the mountains and there are many around here. (I've actually had this argument with a friend, and she disagrees with me that the mountains I see are actually considered "mountains." It's my blog...so I WIN!!) This area has many nice people too. It's kind of fun to just drive down the road, see someone you know, honk and wave...and receive a wave back! And I absolutely LOVE the fact that I live just mere minutes from a temple. It's so nice to just decide one day to do a session and not have to plan days, weeks, months, or years in advance! I love it! Oh, and I love the river that runs through town...it makes it more fun!!

Is there anything strange about where you live?

There's really nothing to do here. There is cow-tipping, but it's not THAT fun....uh...

I can't really think of anything strange about this place...the roads are pretty straight...the people are fairly decent (we do have our token weirdos...) Uh....lemme think for a minute....

We do have a big celebration (actually this weekend) celebrating potato harvest. They call it Spud Days...I don't normally go to this, but there are lots of people that I know who plan and schedule their days for this time of year. Yes, I'm from Idaho....but do we have to have a big do-dah about potatoes? Oh, well!
What's one of your all time favorite music albums, and why?

The Tarzan soundtrack....simply because that was what my husband and I were listening to when we first discovered the FUN way to kiss! :) (I'm not weird...I just can't think of any other album that makes me smile like that music!)
Did you have a passion for something as a kid that you still have now? (If not - what is one of your passions now?)

I was a bossy-butt growing up...that hasn't really changed....but does it count as a passion? I've always loved to read and I still do...when it's a decent book. I also have a passion for being the best I can...and sometimes it turns into an OCD moment, but I still strive to be the best I can!
What do you like most about having a blog?

Venting and getting some support for my serious short-comings. I seem to CONSTANTLY be whining and belly-aching on here, but for some reason, people just keep coming back! I actually just started my blog so I could keep in touch with friends and family who don't live near me...but now, I just vent, record what I'm thinking, and let it all out!
Who to tag??? Uh....I think I'll tag Stephanie and Froggie. If they don't do this, then it's okay...I seriously have this phobia about tagging people for memes...AH!

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And just as a fun update...For our singing time Olympics today the Senior primary widened their lead over the Junior primary by 2 points! So now the score stands at: Junior-321, Senior-326.5! I'm seriously going to find less strict judges for Junior and more strict ones for the Senior! :)

Oh, and one more quickie: I will take a picture of my husband's new wedding band when I find a camera that works. (Ours is busted...dead...and my mom's is packed away in her trailer...)

Dawnyel Wants...

For a while now I've been reading other people playing this fun game. I tried it with my given name, but got NONE of the same sayings. So I tweaked the game a bit....and got better results.
The rules are simple: you Google your first name followed by the word "needs"... the results are pretty funny. Here's the enlightening information I found. (Like I mentioned before...I had to tweak the rules a bit, but the results are still silly!)

Dawnyel wants to start a family on 43 Things. (WHAT!? Does this mean there's more WORK involved in starting a family?!)

Dawnyel wants to do 14 things. (What they are, I don't know!)

Dawnyel wants to know. (Yes!)

Dawnyel wants one for Maya. (Why not!?)

Dawnyel wants to see NSGC continue to excel. (okay...)

Dawnyel wants justice and wants all the footage of when she was in the house so she can prove she was not a cheat or smelly. (I think the adding of the word "smelly" at the end there really just summarizes my thoughts perfectly!)

Dawnyel wants More Poker Content. (Uh....)

Dawnyel wants to maintain a casual atmosphere. (Wow, one that works!)

Dawnyel wants solid surfaces. (Yes, because floating on Jello is just not what I want to do with my days!)

Dawnyel wants to be a pirate. (Argh, me maties!)

Dawnyel wants to help the trees. (Grow, baby, grow!)

Dawnyel wants to buy a nice dress for the graduation, she also wants to take everyone out to dinner afterwards as a thank you. (But you are going to have to pay for your own food...I'll just get you there!)

Dawnyel wants to pay to go on a vacation to a 3rd world country and work twelve hours. (Any more than that and I turn into a pumpkin!)

Dawnyel wants to go to school during the day. (So I can escape the kids!)

Dawnyel wants to be a catalyst for the planting of congregational as well as cell churches, house churches and New Generation churches. (I'm just a churchy lady!)

Dawnyel wants Cal to take an active role in the child's upbringing -- just on her own terms. (Who is Cal? And WHY would I want HIM to take an active roll in my child's upbringing!?)

Dawnyel just wants people to stop having sex when they get too old to want more kids but are still fertile. (*snickering* I DO NOT want this one...what you do in your own home is YOUR business! Old foggies have the right to do what they want too....they've earned it....)

Dawnyel wants to move over the email and website services. (Seriously considering this one!)

Dawnyel wants to move from her parents' house to a home of her own. (Uh...)

Dawnyel wants luxury surroundings. (Definately, but they need to be taken care of WITHOUT my help!)

Dawnyel wants to work for the FBI or CIA. (If I told you that, then I'd have to kill you...)

Dawnyel wants to be loved by everyone she meets and will put her front legs on you to be picked. (As opposed to my BACK legs!!)

And Now a Word from Cam

Boo tagged Cameron to do a 3 things Meme. This should be interesting...I'm going to ask him for his answers, so be forewarned! :)


3 Things That Scare Me:
a movie (me: what movie?) Uh...Pirates
cars
dark

3 people who make me laugh:
teachers
Mama
Daddy

3 things I love:
mama and daddy
my trike
my truck...I too big for it

3 Things I hate:
being alone
being lectured to
sitting still (at this point of the questioning process, Cam has abandoned his mama!)

3 Things I don't understand:
The meaning of the word "no"
How to be gentle
The difference between some pronouns (he'll say things like, "Her's hitting me!")

3 things on my desk and table :
Cars
Cars
Cars

3 things I'm doing right now :
Destroying grandma's basement
Dragging toys up the stairs
Whining

3 things I want to do before I die:
Be a good boy! (please, please!!)
Go to school and make friends
Stay outside for as long as possible

3 things I can do :
Pop-a wheelie on my tricycle
Hit a wiffle ball with a bat (he's really good too!)
Write my name (HUGE!)

3 ways to describe my personality:
Bossy
Stubborn
Spoiled (Can you tell it's been one of those days?)

3 things I think you should listen to:
Voice Male's version of "Popcorn Popping" (it's his FAVORITE!)
Me; at all times!!!
The television in the background no matter WHAT you're doing

3 things I think you should never listen to :
My mom's lectures
Screaming cries of L as she's trying to escape my death grip on her arm
Scary sounds coming from outside

3 absolute favorite foods:
Yogurt
Chocolate Milk
M&M's

3 things I'd like to learn :
How to drive a REAL truck
Why my mom is so crazy all of the time
How to be a good big boy

3 things I drink regularly:
Milk
Water
Capri Suns

3 shows I watch as a kid :
Looney Tunes
Spongebob Squarepants
Dora the Explorer

Other kids and babies I tag:
Jazz or Tyler, Roz and Matthew

Elementary Memories

Before I start my tag for the day, I have a quick story:
My son came back from the Learning Center where he's apparently learned a new song: I'm Bringing Home A Baby Bumblebee. Now, I've learned a different version than he's picked up, but his is hilarious, and at times...quite gross! It starts with taking the baby bumblebee home to mommy, then after it stings you, the squooshing commences. After squishing the baby bumblebee, it's a mess, so you wipe it on your pants. After trying that, it's still a mess, so you (here's the part that made me gag a bit) lick up the baby bumblebee. That causes you to not feel so good, so you (more grossness to follow) puke up the baby bumblebee. Then you feel much better. I was laughing so hard at the kid, he thought I was in a playful mood, and he started belly-bumping my typing arms. Not a good choice, kiddo!! Now he's sulking in his bedroom. Oh, well...Anywho...
Stephanie from For Better or For Worse tagged me with a new meme. You get to tell some of your elementary school memories. I've shared some of them before, but I guess I'll share them in order now! :)

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Kindergarten: My teacher was Miss Richardson. She was so cool. She taught us how to play jokes on people. She involved us in her April Fool's trick on her family...it was a good one. Kindergarten was the year I learned about boys chasing girls. We had a game we'd play where the boys would catch the girls and take them behind the side of the gym where they were held until the boys kissed them, allowing them to leave. I prided myself on never being captured...until one day....the boy who caught me was Brandon Killian. At the time I just thought of him as a good friend. He finally kissed me (on the cheek!) and I was free to return to the jungle-gym for the rest of recess. A big kid (3rd grader) asked me if I was a kindergartner and I said I was, then he told me that all of the teachers had rung their bells and recess was over. I hurried over to the other kids at the side of the gym and told them what I had found out. We all rushed into class, VERY embarrassed and very humiliated at being late! The end of kindergarten I got chicken pox from a boy in my class and I missed the last few weeks of school. Not a very fun time!
First Grade: My teacher was Mrs. Knibbs. I HATED this lady! She and I did NOT get along. For most of that school year she was pregnant and very moody. I was an early reader and felt that the reading sheets they sent home with us were BORING. So I didn't read them with my parents like I was supposed to. I ended up being taken out of class to catch up on my reading. I also had a few accidents that year. Mrs. Knibbs did not like the fact that she had to call my mom those few times to tell her that I needed clean clothes. She and I butted heads so much that she helped to put a mental block on my math skills (which until then had been very good.) This was also the year I got glasses. And Mrs. Knibbs didn't like having to accommodate for me to see the chalk board...It messed up her perfectly organized rows. Ack!!
Second Grade: My teacher was Mrs. Welker. She was so cool. Our theme for the year was circuses. So we had small reading groups and I was in the trapeeze artists. (I can't believe I remember that!) This was also the year I made a really good friend named Maryeah. She and I hung out during recess and played all kinds of things. We had some girls in our class who told the teacher that they didn't have any friends, so she had a thing where the girl feeling left out would pick a friend to play with at recess. As I thought about it, I felt like I didn't have friends either. I told the teacher and she started letting me pick who I wanted to play with...unfortunately that thought was wrong and I ended up hurting Maryeah's feelings. Our friendship was never the same after that!

This year was also the year "the net" happened. I was playing at the back of the field with my best friend, Carrie. We were doing something weird I'm sure, although I can't remember the exact thing, it's okay...that's not the important part. Anyway, while we were back there some boys came up to us and somehow they managed to wrap me up in the broken fence. It resembled a net...hence "the net." Anyway, while I was wrapped up in the net one of the boys, Chris Baldwin, leaned over and began kissing me. I was mortified, but my "friend" Carrie just sat back and laughed at me. She DIDN'T save me!! She just laughed and kept that memory stuffed in her endless supply to bring out, remind me of, and laugh again!

Also that year I was bit by a girl who got mad at me. I was standing up for my rights and she leaned over my shoulder and laid her teeth into it. My mom wondered for years why, and I still haven't told her the whole story. Maybe someday...

Third Grade: My teacher was Mrs. Budge. She lived in my ward growing up, so she knew me fairly well. She was very stiff and not very pleasant (to a third grader anyway...she's a sweet lady...now that I'm older!) She favored me because she knew me, and because of that she brought me back to school on a Saturday to finish my Iowa basics skills test. I didn't get my math section finished in the time they had given us, and she wanted me to do better. I don't think it was really very fair, but she did it anyway. This year we got the chance to go to another classroom for reading. I was in Mrs. Swenson's reading class. She was kind of stiff and uppity too. I guess I just saw them that way because I was young and they were OLD!! At this school we were the top dogs. It was a small school and after 3rd grade we went to another school. We thought we were so cool!

Fourth Grade: My teacher was Mrs. Lind. This was the year that my friend Carrie was FINALLY in the class with me. She and I caused a lot of trouble. (Just thinking about the things we did makes me giggle!) She and a guy who sat beside me would start "Fart You" wars. (Where they'd write "fart you" on one another's desks...just to make the other person mad.)

We played WEIRD things at recess. We confiscated the monkey bars nearly every time, climb up on top of them and sit. We would imagine that we were astronauts and we even had invisible diplomas that we stored in our hands. If we weren't playing on the monkey bars, we were making nests in the field; picking grass and shaping it into a circle where our toys could play house.

We also split off into reading classes this year, and my reading teacher was Mrs. Balgeny. (Man, I can't remember how to spell her name!!) Mrs. B went to school with my mom, so she was ANCIENT!! I remember her husband sending black balloons and a coffin to school for her 30th birthday.

Fifth Grade: My teacher was Mrs. McMurtury. She was so cool. She reminded me of a beatnik. She wore loose clothing and berkinstalks. She was so neat. (Carrie was ALSO in this class...which she had to remind me of....because I forgot! Another friend was in this class, but I didn't remember it either...until she reminded me!) We had white tickets that we'd earn each week and they'd be drawn out of a bucket for prizes. I won something EVERY week! I was always picking free time on the computer where I'd play Wheel of Fortune.

I was very much the teacher's pet, and one time when Mrs. McMurtury was gone some kids thought it'd be cool to switch seats and mess with the sub's head. I immediately told the sub what was going on and one girl, Meagan, remembered it. Years later we were working at the same place and she told me that she HATED me after that because I was such a goodie-goodie! By that time, she had gotten over it and we were friends again. I just remember being terrified of her because she knew Karate!

Sixth Grade: My teacher was Mrs. Woodhouse (aka Mrs. Woodhead.) No one in this class liked her. One of my good friends, Ellen, didn't even like her. Mrs. Woodhead was rude and just miserable to be around. If we got all of our homework done for the week we were allowed to go to German class on Fridays (taught by my friend, Ellen's, mom.) One week we had all had it with Mrs. Woodhead's attitude and we whined to Ellen's mom and she told the teacher about our complaints. After that the teacher had a "pow wow" with us where she bawled about how we were her worst class ever and how last year's class was AWESOME! I just remember her crying and crying. We all felt bad after that, but didn't stop with our behind the back complaints about her.

That year was also the year that I broke my tailbone...for the first time! I had to carry around a pink crocheted pillow to sit on. It was NOT fun!

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Well, now you all know that I was a major brat, but I'm hoping that I've changed for the better. I learned a lot in those short 7 years...somethings I love to remember, and some I wish to forget. But they will always be a part of who I have become!

Now it's my turn for tagging! *mwahahahahaha!!* I'm going to tag carebearmommy (see her side of the same events), Mama D, and Nikkie. Have fun ladies!!

A...B...C...

Nikkie tagged me for this fun meme, so here I go!

ABC Meme

ACCENT: Idahoan (I’ve been told that we have them, but I can’t hear them!) There are the exceptions to not being able to hear the accent...like when a local sees a creek and calls it a "crick!"
BIBLE BOOK THAT I LIKE: John
CHORE I DON'T CARE FOR: Cleaning the bathroom...toilets?? Don’t even ask!
DOG OR CAT: neither...although, if I had one I’d LIKE a cat
ESSENTIAL ELECTRONICS: Computer, Digital Camcorder, DVD player (portable and the regular one at home)
FAVORITE COLOGNE: Dreamlife Bouquet (Avon....so I get the good discount!)
GOLD OR SILVER: My wedding ring is yellow gold, but I’m starting to love the silvery colors...
HANDBAG I CARRY MOST OFTEN: My pretty pink Wal-Mart purse
INSOMNIA: When I worry about things the I have to do for the next day, then I can’t sleep. I used to be a TERRIBLE insomniac, but then I realized that sleeping during the day makes it so you can’t sleep at night. What a brilliant lesson to learn!
JOB TITLE: Mom, wife, homemaker, Avon lady, and babysitter
KIDS: a 5 and a half year old boy
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS: 2 bedroom townhouse-style apartment with my sweetie and son
MOST ADMIRABLE TRAIT: Helpfulness, if I have a friend in need, I’m there for them!
NAUGHTIEST CHILDHOOD BEHAVIOR: Lying all of the time about everything (I share this one with Nikkie....our poor parents!) This naughty behavior even got me grounded for 1 and a half years!! Okay, I’m going to have to stop here and elaborate...I was a rotten kid. I lied about everything and one time my dad got fed up with my lies and told me that I was grounded until my 16th birthday...I was a couple of months away from my 15th birthday. My mom didn’t want to undermine his authority in front of me, so she didn’t say anything to him until the next week...He thought that my next birthday was going to be my 16th, so he only really wanted to ground me until then...so what had started out as a year and a half turned into a few months!
OVERNIGHT HOSPITAL STAYS: I only ever stayed there when Cam was born...and then while he was in the NICU for the next 6 days...my total stay was a week. (UGH!)
PHOBIAS: talking on the phone, mice, snakes, EXTREME heights
QUOTE: "There are going to be times when you and I disagree, but disagreement leads to thinking. And when you think about it, you’ll realize I’m right!" –Unknown
RELIGION: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
SIBLINGS: I’m the oldest of 6 kids...1 sister and 4 brothers
TIME I WAKE UP: Is this question for before or during school?? When I have to get Cam off to school it’s about 6:45...when I have the chance to sleep in it’s more like 9:00!
UNUSUAL TALENT OR SKILL: Elvis Lips, whistling through my hole in the roof of my mouth, and I can do this thing where I sound like a cooing baby singing a song...cracks up my primary kids constantly!
VEGETABLE I REFUSE TO EAT: squash (and if you consider them vegetables...mushrooms)
WORST HABIT: talking without thinking
X-RAYS: Every time I sprained my ankle I got one, but it was never broken....thankfully!
YUMMY STUFF I COOK: Better than Sex cake, Pretzel salad, and "Aunt Sherry" salads
ZOO ANIMAL I LIKE MOST: tigers and lions

So, there you go....more information about me than you probably wanted!! :) If you want to do this, then feel free....but I won't tag anyone. Those who I've tagged before just DON'T do it...so I'm gun shy when it comes to tagging!

Seven meme

Nikkie (Snickers) tagged me to do a list of Sevens!

7 things I want to do before I die:
Buy a house that I LOVE
Travel outside of the US with my dh
Have grandbabies
Lose the weight I know I should (I figure if I give myself until before I die, it may happen!)
Become the crazy old lady in the neighborhood (everyone has one...I want to be that one!)
Run a marathon (again, with "death" as my deadline, it may happen!)
Finish college and become a sign language interpreter

7 Things I can't do:
NOT worry
Math
Run very far, or very well
Pass up the chance to hold a baby (crying or otherwise)
Give up on myself
Sing a solo (give me a choir...)
Play piano WITHOUT sufficient warning (like 2 or 3 weeks)

7 things that attracted me to my spouse:
His smile
His laugh
His eyes
His singing voice
His positive attitude
His desire to have the better life
His bod (yes, dear, I said your bod!)

7 Things I say often:
Dang it!
Holy Cow!!
Come here....come here....come here....
Sit down!
I'm going to sell you for a million dollars! (to Cam when he's ornery!)
No hitting!
I love you! (to my dh and Cam!)

7 Books I love:
The Work and The Glory Series by Gerald Lund (there are 9 books...does that count??)
Fire and the Covenant by Gerald Lund
Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling (6 books there...do they count??)
ANY Dr. Seuss book
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
Any book by Anita Stansfield
The Book of Mormon

7 Movies I could watch over and over again:
Ella Enchanted
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The Princess Bride
The Little Mermaid
Miss Congeniality
Head over Heels
A Walk to Remember

After this there was one called "7 people I'd like to tag." But since most of the people she tagged are the same ones I'd tag, I figured I'd leave this part off! As I've said before, if you feel the need...then consider yourself tagged! :)

My Letter is "V" or "Did I Really Know What I was Asking For??"

Mama D just did a post where she had been given a letter and was asked to put up 10 words that start with that letter and explain why she chose those words. I liked the idea and asked her for a letter...she gave me "V!" (Do I actually have 10 "V" words that I know??! I may need a dictionary for this post!) This might take a while, but here goes nothing!!

Van: We just bought our "dream" car...and it's not a car, it's a van. I don't know what it is about vans that I love, but they're so much fun.

Valentine: My hubby, who sometimes drives me crazy, can also drive me crazy in other ways! I love him sooooooooo much...sometimes I just need the reminder that he is my best friend and soul mate.

Vision: I have very rotten eyesight. I've had to wear glasses since I was in the first grade. Any "four-eyed" comments that have ever been said, I'm SURE I've already heard it! I someday WISH for lasik eye surgery. It seems I've even passed my lousy vision on to my son...he has astigmatism (like me!)

Value: I believe in looking for something in stores that has a great value.(a.k.a. INEXPENSIVE but not CHEAP) I'm not big into shopping for things, but I do love finding things that have a great price and is just what I've never known that I've always needed!

Vent: I'm not one of those people who holds in all of their emotions. I believe whole-heartedly in venting...in proper places, of course. I have a few tried and true places, or people to vent to and, so as not to overwhelm those people or places, I have many venting venues. (This blog being one of the many places I can go and feel complete acceptance of my rants and vents!) I vent most often to my mom, who over the years no longer feels like my mom, but like a really good friend. I love how I can start complaining about something and she picks up on it and helps me get the feelings out, or sometimes, makes me angrier than I was before. Most times after venting I feel better, but sometimes my venting can lead to more vents about venting. (How many times can I use that word in one sentence??)

Voila: A word I learned many, many, many years ago in French class that I NEVER knew actually started with a "v," I always thought it was "wallah!" Silly me!!

Victory: Someday I hope to claim this word in every aspect of my life. From victory over my weight to victory over my infertility problems. This word gives me hope!

Virginia: Actually, when I think of this word I think of two different things. One: this was the state where one of my brothers served his mission. He really grew up while he was there and thanks to him I now know that Virginia is a part of the South! Two: an exchange student that I knew in high school. She was VERY nice and sweet, but she and another exchange student friend would often laugh at my weaknesses and shortcomings. Fun memories.

Virgin: Okay....uh....what can I say about this one?? I have a 5 and a half year old....so......

"VERY": I love using this word (in case you couldn't tell!) It reminds me of a time when I was in school and we had to write in our journals every day. I did NOT like to write, but one day a friend challenged me to write more than her. So in order to fill up the page I wrote about "very" about a hundred times. Looking back at that journal makes me laugh, but to this day I have yet to find a word that I can use in place of "very!"

That's it! Gee, it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. If you want to play our little alphabet game, let me know in comments...and I'll give you a letter. Don't worry...I won't give you "v!"

2....4....Tags

Stephanie tagged me for one of two tags, and she gave me the option of which to do....I can't decide...so I'll do both!!

The 4 Tag

Four jobs I've had:
1. babysitter
2. short order cook
3. clothes sorter in a large discount store
4. secretary for a carpet cleaning company

Four movies I watch over and over:
1. Head Over Heels
2. Monster-In-Law
3. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory
4. Moulin Rouge (for my Ewan McGregor fix!!)

Four places I have lived:
1. Idaho Falls
2. Ammon
3. Pocatello
4. My old 1971 Pontiac Bonneville (when I was going to college in Rexburg)

Four TV shows I love to watch:
1. Desperate Housewives
2. A Baby Story (torturing myself most times)
3. Deal or No Deal
4. Family Guy

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. Canada
2. California
3. Nauvoo, Illinois
4. Montana

Four places I would like to go on vacation:
1. Hawaii
2. Australia
3. Italy
4. New York

Four websites I visit often:
1. My Blog
2. Other Blogs
3. Homestarrunner.com
4. mail2world.com

Four favorite foods :
1. Sandwiches from a local place here in town
2. Tacos (homemade)
3. Chocolate
4. Chicken Critters, baked sweet potato, and house salad from Texas Roadhouse

Where I would like to be right now: (not all at once, but one would do!)
1. sleeping in bed with my sweetie
2. talking with my mom
3. In the Temple
4. camping

Two for Togetherness Tag

2 things you compliment your husband on while in his presence:
1. His cuteness
2. His daddy skills

2 compliments you make about your spouse to your friends about your spouse:
1. He is such a good poet
2. He has a beautiful singing voice

2 traits you married him/her for:
1. His personality
2. His desire to want the best for me and him

2 Days you cherished the most with your husband being together:
1. Our wedding day
2. Our first camping trip together

2 Material things you could give your husband if you just inherited a fortune
1. Several more children either through adoption or invitro
2. A house of his own

2 things you would miss the most if she/he left for two weeks:
1. Cuddle time while I sleep
2. Someone telling me that I need to lighten up (he says I lie when I say this, but sometimes I really NEED someone to tell me to lighten up!)

2 thoughts that crossed your mind when you first met/saw your spouse:
1. He is cute
2. He is the man I'm going to marry! (maybe I'll say more about that later!)

2 favorite dates:
1. Staying home with him...without the boy!
2. Getting together with a group of friends(ususally my cousins) and playing games...then he's on my team and I'm not the bad guy if I win!

2 funny odd things you love.
1. His whiskers
2. The way he knows when I need a good squeeze!

2 two places you have lived with your spouse:
1. Idaho Falls
2. Idaho Falls (I guess we haven't been married long enough to have moved around a lot!)

2 favorite Vacations
1. camping
2. Our trip to his grandparents' farm in Northern Idaho

Well, that's it....I guess I'm just a boring person....but who knows!! I should tag people...but I don't know who hasn't been tagged yet. So if you feel the need...then you are tagged! :D

6 WEIRD Things You May NOT Want to Know

I've been tagged along with the rest of the blogging community...so without further ado....

Six Weird Things About Me:

1. As I mentioned in my previous blog....I'm my mother's daughter. And as such we both have a unique laugh that is easily recognizable in any large group setting. If I'm ever in a movie theater with my mom and we are not sitting together, I can easily find her if I hear her laugh! My laugh is a lot like hers and I'm okay with that!
2. I have several oddities about my appearance. My ears are flat on top...they don't curl like most people's ears do. My second toe on my foot is about a half inch longer than my "big" toe. (That part in Shallow Hal where they talk about how disgusted they are by the girl with the long second toe made me feel a bit sad...I have the same affliction!) And I have a small pin-sized hole in the roof of my mouth that every once in a while will open and I can whistle through it! While I was talking with my mom tonight she reminded me of my most unusual physical feature...I have a branchial cyst on my neck. It looks like a bone sticking out of my neck. People would ask me about it all the time growing up and I'd take the comment from my younger brother..."I swallowed a chicken bone and it turned sideways and got stuck!" It gets them every time!
3. As mentioned in one of my good friend's blogs, I have a tendency to dream instantly after falling asleep (or on my way to sleep!) I can almost just close my eyes and the dreams are there ready to go! (She found it VERY entertaining one night to see what I was dreaming about....it's there in her blog!)
4. When I was in college my friends and I had a strange night where we showed off our "untalents." "Untalents" are those strange stupid-human tricks that you might not want to show off and I discovered one of my "untalents" is I can do Elvis Lips. My mother can do them both ways (to the right and the left) but I can only do them to the left.
5. I have a strange love of anything with pigs in or on them. I think pigs are such cute animals and I have a small piggy collection. I will mention more about piggy things later when I have the pics to go with it! :)
6. I am a Neptunian. Okay...there it is....out there for the world to read! While in high school my group of friends and I decided that we would claim Neptune as our "home" world. We had a leader and a hierarchy that made certain events fun! We each came up with our own Neptunian names and we had a wonderful mascot in the Super Wonder Whooper. Whenever we were bored or in need of entertainment we would make movies. After we graduated we made copies of them and each person in our group has one. As soon as one of the members of our group gets famous the videos will be out for the world to see our true colors! :) I WON'T be the one doing this...it's another friend who has claimed this right! I'm not upset over it...because I don't care, but there are others who might!

Well, that's it....6 strange things about me. I'm sure there's more, I mean, if you are a regular reader of my blog you already know this, but it was fun to share other strange things I probably wouldn't have admitted to!

Now I'm gonna tag a few more people...

CareBearMommy....TAG!!

Mattsmom......TAG!!