It's great to be 2

Noelle Grace (or Ellee Gwace, as she calls herself) is the heart of our family right now. She has everyone wrapped around her little fingers, each of her siblings especially. She knows how to charm them to get what she wants: they carry her around the house, make her breakfast, get her binky for her, read her books.... She's as cuddly and loving as I could ever want in a child. These are some of my favorite recent pictures of her:Trying to play the Nintendo DS like her older siblings.

That's lipstick that she found in my purse. Lovely.Major blackmail picture someday.I adore this stage. She melts me.

How well do you know your hubby?

I've posted info about me. Now let's try Mike. You tell me, babe ... did I get it right?

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
Either Utah Football or Lost (he's only just discovered the show).

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad?
Ranch

3. What's one food he doesn't like?
stuffing

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does he order?
raspberry lemonade

5. Where did he go to high school?
Olympus High

6. What size shoe does he wear?
9.5-10

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be?
signed UofU footballs or helmets

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich?
cheese and pickle -- no joke

9. What would he eat every day if he could?
roast beef and mashed potatoes

10. What is his favorite cereal?
Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs

11. What would he never wear?
BYU clothing

12. What is his favorite sports team?
He's a hardcore University of Utah fan. That was true even during his short stint at BYU.

13. Who did he vote for?
Obama -- my mother still thinks he's evil because of it.

14. Who is his best friend?
Handsome Rob

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do?
pick at him (dry skin or whatever)

16. What is his heritage?
I know they were Mormon pioneers but that's as far back as I know.

17. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake?
Chocolate cake using Grandma White's recipe

18. Did he play sports in high school?
Football & basketball -- he can still tell you scores and stats about most of those games.

19. What could he spend hours doing?
Listen to and call in to sports talk radio.

20. What is a unique talent he has?
He's a great speaker. He can pull a talk or church lesson out of his hat without any preparation.

All About Me

Between Facebook and this blog, I find I'm duplicating things. But since this blog will be printed and bound at the end of the year for posterity, bear with me ...

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Just the misty dawn that morning. aaawwww ....
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? So lame ... just a few minutes ago while watching the High School Musical 3 cast farewells. They were all crying, saying how sad that last day of shooting was ... and I teared up. I admit it.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? If I take my time, I like my writing fine. The sloppy stuff isn't so nice.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? 4 -- I'm way out numbered.
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Absolutely!
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM? No -- never, never.
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? No way. I'd consider sky diving, though. I trust the parachute more than the rubberband, I guess.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I could live on cold cereal so just about anything. I'm liking Special K Fruit & Yogurt at the moment, tho.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no
12. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? pink peppermint/candy cane
13. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? The size of their thighs (please see #7)
14. RED or PINK? Red
15. WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? As if I'd tell...
16. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Grandpa White -- the man was awesome.
17. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO COMPLETE THIS LIST? I never forward lists so I doubt anyone will reply.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? brown pants, no shoes
19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? music from my blog
20. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? red
21. FAVORITE SMELL? baking bread
22. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mike
23. FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH? Ummmm ... (My husband is rolling in the floor laughing at this question.)
24. HAIR COLOR? auburn
25. EYE COLOR? blue-green-grey
26. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Not since Lasik.
27. FAVORITE FOOD? Oh wow .. where do I start? I love seafood, potato chips, chocolate covered strawberries, pumpkin soup, candy, warm bread & rolls ...
28. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I'm still creeped out by The Sixth Sense, which in most people's book is not that scary, so I'll stick with happy endings.
29. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Australia
30. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? white
31. SUMMER OR WINTER? Spring & Fall, preferably
32. HUGS OR KISSES? Depends on who's giving them.
33. FAVORITE DESSERT? I had some awesome Bananas Foster the other night, so right now that's at the top of my list.
34. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Three cups of Tea
35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? nothing
36. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? A recorded episode of Lost
37. FAVORITE SOUND(S)? my kids laughing
38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Beatles I guess, but neither really.
39. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Paris
40. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can tie a cherry stem in a knot with my tongue.
41. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Murray, UT
42. HOW DID YOU MEET YOUR SPOUSE/SIGNIFICANT OTHER? He was dating my sister. We're a close family. :)
43. IS THE CUP HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY? Is it Diet Coke or the nasty colonoscopy prep stuff? Totally depends.
44. IF YOU COULD SIT DOWN TO DINNER WITH FIVE PEOPLE WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE? I should probably say Oprah or the Dalai Lama, but truthfully I'd rather have my 4 kids and Mike. And a personal chef who made dinner for us. That would be heaven.

Mmmmmm.....

It's all about cookie dough at our house. We make chocolate chip cookies often -- eat our fair share of dough first and then feel sick by the time the cookies are out of the oven. Good times! One of Haley's friends was over the other day when we made cookies and when I handed her a spoonful of dough, her eyes got wide and she said, "My mom never lets me eat the dough!" Well, sweetie, you know where to come for the good stuff.

Things I love about my honey:

* He makes me feel beautiful, even first thing in the morning with bedhead.

* I love that he loves to talk to me ... he tells me all about his day, how he's feeling, what he needs from me, how he appreciates me ... He admits he's kind of a girl that way :) but I love it.

* He gives me the freedom to be who I want to be, even if that changes frequently.

* The man is an incredible gift giver. I love that.

* He often says things with double (sometimes slightly naughty) meanings and then feigns innocence when I call him on it. I pretend to be annoyed but it cracks me up.

* He seeks people out and is genuinely interested in them.

* He makes me laugh daily. Life is fun because of him.

* He has a gift of speaking, which makes him a great talk-giver in church and a good attorney in the courtroom.

* He is genuinely concerned about my happiness, and frequently does what he can to make my life better.

* He works very hard so I can stay home with our babies and sees the importance in my being there.

* He has balance in his life ... he works hard but he also creates time and opportunity to be with me and our family.

Happy Valentine's, babe. Marrying you was the best decision I've ever made.

Nothing says Valentine's like ....

ROCK BAND, baby!

Reunited

I love Facebook for many reasons, but lately especially because of how it has reunited me with high school friends. I'm sorry to admit that I have kept in touch only sporadically with just a few high school people. The past few months have been so fun, though, as more and more of us are on Facebook and have gotten re-acquainted.

I met up last night with some of the girls from Murray High Class of 1990 for dinner. It was so fun to see those familiar faces walk into the restaurant and see how much and how little has changed for each of us. Some of us are moms, some are working professionals, some have travelled and lived all over the world, some have started their own businesses .... How great to see where the years have brought us.

Crissy -- we hooked back up a few months ago and have had a great time talking and hanging out some. We weren't close friends in high school but I do remember really liking her even then. And now we have the exact same highlight-aided hair color. Bonus.Kim -- I have many memories with Kim and they make me smile even now. We were in choir together, we roomed in Hawaii together, we were both on the Academic Decathalon team (major nerds, Kim and me! We didn't take the team very seriously but we had a great time on the trip.) ... I was so happy to see her. She's as funny, sarcastic and witty as I remember. And she makes killer cupcakes.Tanya & Kristy -- We were all in Madrigals together, which provided plenty of memories from senior year right there. Being in Madrigals was definitely a highlight of my high school experience.

Suzy,

Kelli & Mindie,

and Mendi ... all great girls. I loved hearing about their lives now and catching up.

Most of us went to a late movie afterward, which made for a very late night and a sluggish morning today. But so worth it. Good times, girls! And only a year until our 20 year reunion. Wow - we're old. I'm just saying ...

Mike and Rob's Victorious Voyage

By Special Guest-Blogger Mike

Throughout history, there have only been a few journeys that could truly be called “epic.” Odysseus’ ill-fated odyssey from Troy would make the list, as would Israel’s miraculous exodus from Egypt. The pilgrimage to Canterbury spawned from the mind of Geoffrey Chaucer would also have to make the list. So, too, would the phonebooth-aided adventure of Ted “Theodore” Logan and Bill S. Preston, Esquire.

If I may be so bold, I suggest that a new epic journey should be added to the list. It's the 2009 journey of two friends to the Sugar Bowl. I know it's an obscure tale, but a very important one ... to me.

Since the first week of December, full-time rocket scientist and avid Ute fan Rob Gonzalez (or as the ladies like to call him “Handsome Rob”) had been trying to convince me to go to the 2009 Sugar Bowl between Utah and Alabama. Every day for three weeks, Rob called me with the same message:

“Dude! This will be a game for the ages! When you and I are 80 years old, we will be telling our grandchildren about this game. We have to go!”

Finally, two days before the game, I gave in. Rob was right. I knew it, he knew it, and I knew that he knew that I knew it. We also knew that we would have to leave immediately to make it to the game on time. But first, I had to get permission from my darling and understanding wife, Misty. "No problem," I thought. "I'm a professional smooth talker." So I approached Misty. Our conversation went something like this:

Mike: “Honey, Rob and I just decided to drive to New Orleans to watch the Sugar Bowl. We leave in 29 minutes.”

Misty: “Great. Do you know how to get to New Orleans?”

Mike: “Uh…”

Misty: “Where are you going to stay?”

Mike: “Well…uh…we thought…”

Misty: "Do you know how long it takes to drive there?"

Mike: "Approximately....uh ..."

Misty: “Do you even have tickets to the game?”

Mike: “Uh..........well now that you put it that way...we, uh....O.C. Tanner is having a jewelry sale this month.”

Misty: “Good boy. Have fun. Don’t get into trouble.”

Yes! It had taken all of my cunning and wit, but I had permission to go. My only concern was that I was pretty sure Misty was going to be worried about me. We have known each other since I was 18 years old. One of us has grown up a lot since then. One of us is still prone to taking off on a 32 hour road trip with no planning or foresight. If I really wanted to close the deal, I would have to show her how mature I had become. I would have to say something to alleviate any of her anxiety.

"Thanks honey!" I said while giving her a big hug. "This road trip is going to be great. It’ll just be me and Handsome Rob spending New Years Eve on the Las Vegas Strip and New Years Day in New Orleans on Bourbon Street. What trouble could we possibly get into?"

Next to “Yes, as a matter of fact, those jeans do make your butt look big,” that may have been the dumbest thing a married man has ever said to his wife. But notwithstanding my strategic blunder, Misty encouraged me to go. That woman rocks!

An hour later, Handsome Rob and I jumped into my car and started driving South, which we understood was the general direction of New Orleans. Here is an hour by hour breakdown of what happened next:

*New Years Eve: 2:00 p.m. Left for New Orleans. From Bountiful to Draper we both scream "Dude! Road Trip!" every five minutes.

*2:45 p.m. I'm not sure what happened. It may have been Rob's overuse of the word "Dude." It may be been the fact that we had already gotten lost in Utah County looking for a gas station. Or, maybe it was just the general suckiness emanating from Provo to which Rob and I were acutely sensitive. In any event, our enthusiasm for making the 32 hour drive lasted approximately 45 minutes. We decided to fly at least part of the way. So, we used our cell phones to book a flight from Las Vegas to Baton Rouge. That decision saved us approximately 48 hours of driving round trip...and probably our sanity.

*4:47 p.m. Now that our transportation was handled, we turned our attention to lodging. Where could we stay in Vegas on New Years Eve with only a few hours notice? We called an accountant friend of ours whose firm owns a condo near the Strip (doesn't everyone's accountant own a condo near the Strip?). So that part was easy. Finding lodging near New Orleans, which was already bursting at the seams for New Years and the Sugar Bowl, was an entirely different story. In the best traditions of the holiday season, we were told again and again that there was no room in the Inns. At last, a generous inn-keeper at the Baton Rouge Airport Hilton agreed to let us in.

*5:07 p.m. We pass "Ute" Exit on I-15. Rob and I were pretty sure this was a sign of good things to come.

*11:59 p.m. Called Misty and told her I was safe and behaving myself. I could tell by how long it took her to wake up that she had been really worried about me.

New Years Day: 8:30 a.m. We flew from Vegas to Atlanta and (after a three hour layover) back to Baton Rouge. We landed in Baton Rouge at 11:01 p.m. on New Years Day, less than 18 hours before kickoff.

*11:15 p.m. Now that we were so close to New Orleans, we had just one last minor detail to resolve...Tickets to the game itself. I used my cell phone to go to ksl.com and, somewhere near the lovely chemical plant town of Geismar, Louisiana, we found someone who would sell us two great tickets on the donor level. Sweet!

*January 2, 2009 (game day) 10:36 a.m. With tickets in hand and decked out in our best Utah gear, we headed into New Orleans.

*12:42 p.m. Our first stop was Bourbon street which, I explained to Misty, was the cultural and educational part of our trip.

The delightful merchants of Bourbon Street still use the barter system as a means of commerce and exchange. You would be amazed what you can buy from someone if you just give them a little shiny strand of beads like the ones I have around my neck. ;)

*2:19 p.m. New Orleans was packed with seventy thousand Alabama fans. They were a proud bunch. They knew they had a big time program and most of them could barely hide their contempt for having to play a team like "little 'ole Utah."

*3:27 p.m. Rob and I pass the Bourbon Cowboy Bar and are surrounded by a gang of Bama fans. "All you alls' boys are just too small to hang with us," one Alabama fan slurred in my face. "Yup, this game is going to be just like another David and Goliath," he told me smugly. "Uh...you do realize how David and Goliath ended?" I asked him. I came to the conclusion that Alabama fans don't read the Bible much.

*3:45 p.m. Stopped in to the world famous Cafe Beignet for some yummy beignets.

Beignets might be the world's most perfect food. Hot, gooey, scones covered with powdered sugar. Rob and I decided that eating powered sugar before the Sugar Bowl is a good sign so we ordered a few more...anything to help the team.

* 1/2/09: 5:45 p.m. We headed over to the Marriott hotel, which we found out was the headquarters for Utah's team and fans. It was crazy. We were there with a few thousand Ute fans to cheer on the team as they loaded up on the buses.

Coach Whittingham and the team looked very intense...much more so than you might expect for a bowl game. It is clear the team was here on business.

*6:30 p.m. Like most Ute fans, we got to the game 90 minutes before kickoff. The Alabama fans were still on Bourbon Street. Before long, a lone Alabama player wandered out on the field. Well, he was kind of a player...he was the kicker. Kickers are really invisible in football. Unless you are Louis Sakoda, most people don't even know the kicker's name.

This kicker never knew what hit him. As he entered the field the fifteen thousand Ute fans errupted in a chorus of boo's and jeers. It may have been the first time in the history of organized football that a kicker received any attention, let alone boo's. I mean, really, who boo's a kicker? We watched his every kick during warm-ups and cheered everytime he missed. Before long, it was clear that we got into his head. He had two kicks miss off the goal-posts during warmups and missed two of his three field goals during the game.

*6:31 p.m. Uh oh. My Mom called me and asked me what I wanted her to bring to the Sugar Bowl party I was hosting at my house. I knew I had forgotten to tell someone the party was cancelled. Sorry about that, Mom.

*8:15 p.m. Somebody please pinch me (and no, not the way they do it on Bourbon Street). Utah scored touchdowns on its first three possessions of the game and went up 21-0 before Alabama knew what hit them! Seventy thousand Alabama fans sit dejectedly in their seats.

*9:32 p.m. Somewhere, sitting in the Alabama section, an overalls-wearing Bama fan was looking up the story of David and Goliath in his Bible.

*11:00 p.m. The Utes dominated Bama 31-17 to finish the season 13-0. It is the greatest game in Ute history.

This is Rob and me celebrating in front of the final scoreboard. All those empty seats you see used to be Alabama fans.*11:41 p.m. Ute fans filled the streets of New Orleans. Rob said it felt like we were marching in to take over the French Quarter. The sidewalks were littered with Alabama fans, who were bowing in submission to Ute Nation. Awesome.

*11.46 p.m. While making our assault on the French Quarter, I got a voicemail from my seven year old daughter, Haley. She chanted: "Hey you, Alabama! Hey you, Alabama! We just beat the heck out of you. Rammer, jammer, yellow hammer, you stink Alabama!" It was her version of the cheer Alabama fans typically use to taunt teams that they beat. I love that girl.

*January 3, 2009: 12:16 a.m. We made it back to the Marriott and the whole hotel was rockin'. People were shouting and laughing. Players were hugging each other and their families. We were awash in Utephoria. *2:59 a.m. After the post game celebration, Rob and I made it back to Baton Rouge at about 3:00 a.m., which was just in time for a wake-up call to catch our flight back to Vegas. At the airport, LSU fans cheered as we walked through security. An 80 year old woman hugged me and said, "I hate Alabama." The same thing happened during our layover in Memphis. All of America loved the Runnin' Utes that day.

*11:04 a.m. We arrived in Vegas and started our drive back to Bountiful.

*2:30 p.m. Having slept a total of four hours in the last three days, I started to drift asleep at the wheel somewhere around Cedar City.

*2:31 p.m. Rob introduced me to a little drink he called Red Bull. I hadn't had any soda in nearly two years. Wow. Despite the taste of crushed, liquified smartees, I have to admit that Mikey likes the Red Bull. With my new, chemically enhanced reflexes, I safely drove home at about 100 miles per hour.

*8:00 p.m Arrived at home sweet home. Safe and sound.

*8:01. I decided now is a good time to call every BYU fan I know and ask them how BYU did in the Vegas Bowl.

I have to admit that Handsome Rob was right. When I am 80, I will be telling my grandkids about this trip. Who knows? Maybe they'll even make a movie about it. If they do, I think they should get Bruce Willis to play me and Mario Lopez to play Handsome Rob.

Go Utes!

Rock off

Our church schedule just switched to the afternoon, which is the dreaded time for all parents of toddlers ... smack in the middle of naptime. No amount of books, toys or treats will keep a 2 year old happy when they are already 2 hours past their nap. Elle does just fine for the first couple of hours of church but by Sacrament meeting, she's on the verge of meltdown. So we've resorted to having one of us take her home during that last hour to put her down. Of course, there's always a bit of a disagreement as to who should be the one to take her home. Discussions usually go something like this:

"I know you really want to hear so-and-so speak, so I'll take her home."
"Wow, that's so thoughtful of you, but that's o.k. I'll let you stay since I know you really need that extra spiritual boost."
"No really, I'll let you stay."

In the end, Mike and I handle this in the most mature, grown-up way possible ... we "rock off." We play rock-paper-scissors to determine the winner (I'll let you all decide what the winner gets to do). :)

Give Elle a few more months and her nap schedule will adjust so we'll all end up staying the full 3 hours. In the meantime, though, Mike and I will continue to rock off. May the best man/woman win.

99 things .. what have you done?

Highlighted are the things I have already done...

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked23. Taken a sick day when you're not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing40. Seen Michelangelo's David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone's life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

Things I'd still love to do: 19, 28, 38, 40, 49, 65, 81, 83 (let's sum it up with travel!)
Things I never plan to do: 27 -- no desire whatsoever (a 5K will be plenty)

All in one day

Saturday was a cool day, because of fun happenings and reconnecting with cool people. Here's the play-by-play:

* My "twin," Amy, was here over the weekend for her sister's wedding, so we had her 5 kids over to play during the temple ceremony. Our kids only just met each other this past summer and were instant friends. They were all ecstatic to see their "cousins" again and played everything from computer games to hide-and-go-seek all over the house. It's been cool for me to get to know Amy's kids and see her personality in them. We haven't lived near each other since college but we keep in close contact so I've heard all about them over the years (and vice versa).

* Mike took Christian to the UofU basketball game in the afternoon, and unfortunately had to leave about 5 minutes before the game ended. They missed the Ute's last second shot, over the back of the rim, to win the game. They missed it for a good reason, though, because ...

* Our niece/cousin Sydney was baptized. What a great family! Ali said the prayer, Maddie gave an amazing talk, and big brother Spencer baptized her. Seeing him there with Syd in the font was moving. The girls sang a beautiful one-of-a-kind arrangement (if you know Erin, you'll understand) which totally made me cry. Just a great, spiritual experience. Then we joined the extended Blakes and most of the Farleys at the house to catch up with everyone. We love the Blakes.

* From there, Mike and I joined 3 other couples at Rob & Meggan's for Rob's birthday dinner. (Mike and Rob share their passion for all things UofU, which has made for some fun times over the years.) Meggan is a great cook so we had amazing food ... from baked brie and stuffed mushrooms for appetizers to melt-in-your-mouth chicken, pasta and cheesy cauliflower. And warm bread from Granato's. Heavenly, truly. We had an interesting discussion over dinner about guns (let's just say I had no idea how many people are packing heat on a daily basis) and now we're planning a trip to the shooting range. I want to shoot up a paper silhouette like an FBI agent in training, ya know? (Mike just laughs at me.) We had to leave the birthday festivities before Rock Band began, unfortunately, but we were headed for more good times at ....

* The wedding reception of Amy's sister, Lisa, and her new hubby, Lee. Very cool couple -- hip, artsy, funny, clever ... Lisa wore a t-length Audrey Hepburn-style dress and looked so great. Their reception was in a funky building downtown and had a very cool feature ... a photo booth. It was the hit of the night. Everyone had their pictures taken and 2 photo strips were printed -- one to keep and one to paste in a book where you could write a note to the couple. (I fully plan to rent that photo booth for a party or something someday - seriously!) We spent the rest of the evening talking to Amy & Brad and her family. Good times!

Great day.

A-Z

For lack of more interesting things going on in my life right now, I'm resorting to posting tags that people have sent me. Here's another:

Available?: Only to Mike
Age: 36
Annoyance: disrepectful kids
Animal: My least favorite at the moment are deer. They eat everything from our bushes to my tulips, and leave little "reminders" on my lawn that they've been there.

Beer: I've never even been tempted to try it.
Birthday: 3/26
Best Friend: Mike
Body Part on opposite sex: cut, defined arms
Best feeling in the world: being content
Blind or Deaf: deaf
Best weather: a warm'ish fall day with just a hint of a chill
Been in Love: currently
Been on stage?: Do ward road shows count?
Believe in Magic: of course (I can even recant several Harry Potter spells)
Believe in Santa: absolutely

Candy: peanut M&M's
Color: red
Chocolate/Vanilla: chocolate
Chinese/Mexican Food: Chinese
Cake or pie: Cake
Continent to visit: Europe
Cheese: Mozzarella

Day or Night: both, for different reasons
Danced in the rain: Yes, in England on my mission. We were in the rain a lot. Go figure.

Eyes: blue-green-gray'ish; they change depending on what color I'm wearing
Ever failed a class?: ...um yes....

First thoughts waking up: This morning it was, "Which child is in my bed and why are their feet in my ribs?"
Food: seafood, particularly crab & lobster
Favorite vacation: our cruise, but Europe takes a close 2nd

Greatest Fear: losing a child
Goals: run the distance in the Race for the Cure 5K in May
Gum: bubble
Get along with your parents?: yes, very well

Hair Color: auburn
Height: 5'10
Happy: yes
Holiday: Christmas, the entire season
How do you want to die: painlessly

Ice Cream: anything with chocolate in it or on it
Instrument: cello

Jewelry: lots of it, in all varieties
Job: mommy ... best job in the world

Kids: 4
Kickboxing or karate: karate (Christian's passion these days)
Keep a journal?: This blog has replaced my journal now.

Loves: music, movies, a good book, hugs from my kids
Letter: M (Mike & Misty Mayfield)
Laughed so hard you cried?: often

Milk flavor: chocolate
Movies: A Knight's Tale, Sliding Doors, Best In Show ... so many choices
Motion sickness?: Much moreso than when I was younger. I think morning sickness has changed me permanently.
McD’s or BK: McDonald's (no one does fries better)

Number: Googol, which my kids insist is the largest number. I always argue with them that infinity is the largest. (Wikipedia, by the way, says that googol=10 to the 100th degree)

One wish: To travel more
One regret: That I didn't go on study abroad in Jerusalem

Pepsi/Coke: Diet Coke from the tap
Pet: no thanks
Perfect Pizza: Costco (awesome, thick crust)
Piercings: One in each ear. But in 9th grade, I had 3 holes in one ear and 2 in the other.

Quail: As in, for dinner? O.k., whatever.

Reason to cry: a great movie
Reality T.V.: American Idol
Radio Station: 101.9, NPR
Roll your tongue in a circle: Yes, I can. I can also tie a cherry stem into a knot.
Ring size: 7.5

Song: There is no way I could choose just one. A small sampling is here on my blog.
Shoe size: 10.5
Salad Dressing: Brianna's Poppyseed
Sushi: love it
Skinny dipped?: yep
Shower or bath?: shower
Strawberries/Blueberries: strawberries, preferably dipped in chocolate

Tattoos?: nope
Time for bed: 11'ish
Thunderstorms: Love them, and we have a great view off our deck of incoming storms.

Unpredictable: my girls' mood changes

Vacation spot(s): Someplace warm but not too hot, preferably by a beach or a pool.

Weakness: potato chips and candy
Which one of your friends acts the most like you: probably Rachel
Worst feeling: Losing one of my kids. I lost Christian at Sea World for about 10 minutes when he was only 3 -- worst 10 minutes of my life. I was absolutely panicked.
Wanted to be a model: Never, but my mom did make me take a runway modeling class in jr. high so I'd learn to walk straight and poised. It actually helped.
Worst Weather?: 100+ degree heat

X-Rays: My most memorable x-ray moment was with Paige in the ER when she was 18 months old and had just fallen 8 feet off of our deck. Try explaining to an 18 month old that she needs to hold perfectly still.

Year it is now: 2009
Yellow: was my color growing up. Each of us kids was assigned a color, and various things were labeled with that color: utensils, cups, plates, toothbrushes, bows on Christmas presents, etc.

Zoo animal: Lions & tigers, especially at the San Francisco Zoo at feeding time. They're in a concrete house and their roars are deafening as they echo off the walls. I was scared and fascinated at the same time.

What's on my mind ...

1. I bought this cute, little camera so I wouldn't have to carry my big, nice one around all the time. I've been snapping lots of cute pictures ... but now I can't find the cord so I can download them onto my blog. Or do anything with them, for that matter.

2. I can't go to bed yet. My sheets are still in the dryer -- I forgot to dry them earlier at a more decent hour.

3. I just heard about a high school lunch/reunion for women from my class at a restaurant in a couple of weeks. Thank you, Facebook, for hooking us all back up!

4. Speaking of Facebook, has anyone else had any past relationships pop back up in weird ways on Facebook? I'm experiencing a bit of that ...

5. Thankfully, Elle is finally getting better after being on some serious medication this past week. I never knew that asthma could make her winter so miserable. We've been in uncharted waters the past few months.

6. Our whole family spoke in church yesterday and, even though it went fairly well, I breathed a sigh of relief when it was over. It was a good teaching moment for our kids (since one child in particular wasn't overly happy about the assignment) that when the bishop asks you to do something, you just say yes.

7. How have I lived this long and still can't always see if something is an answer to prayer or just a random happening?

8. I loved watching my kids play together tonight at the playland in McDonald's. (Daddy was away so I let the kids choose dinner.) The older ones helped the younger ones climb up to the top, which was a change for us since I was the one who normally had to rescue my screaming, scared toddler from the top of the playland. Now big brother is there to rescue, just in case.

9. We finally found affordable, reasonable plane tickets for our trip to Hawaii in a couple of months. The trip may not have happened otherwise so this was a good thing.

10. Could the snow be any prettier? I love how each tree branch is outlined with an inch of fluffy white. I'm dying to ski...

25 tag

25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about me:

1) I feel blessed to have such an amazing husband. My life is so much better because of him.
2) I shop more like a guy than a girl ... I don't search and search for the perfect item on sale. If I see something I like and it's on sale - great. If it isn't on sale but still reasonable, I'll still buy it.
3) I hate the monotony of making dinner - trying to find something the kids will eat and that tastes good to me, too.
4) I genuinely enjoy solitude.
5) My house is generally picked up but much less often deep-cleaned.
6) I'm addicted to the computer ... e-mail, facebook, blogging. My Blackberry only serves to deepen my addiction.
7) Once my kids are all in school, I will learn to play the cello. I am fascinated by it.
8) At 36, I am pushing myself harder exercise-wise than I ever have in my life.
9) My biggest fear is losing one of my kids, to death or something/someone creepier.
10) My next biggest fear is being in a major catastrophe (earthquake, flowing lava, large black funnel cloud, whatever).
11) My greatest goal is to help my kids become happy, successful adults, in whatever way that is for each of them.
12) Music changes me.
13) I'm glad I made it through high school but sometimes I wish I could go back and be a nicer person. I was far too concerned with what others thought about me to be truly as kind as I should have been.
14) I've lived in Utah all of my life and only just went to Lake Powell for the first time a couple of years ago. During my entire childhood, my understanding of Southern Utah was the stretch of I-15 to St. George.
15) While there is plenty of stuff in this house, I am not a pack rat. I have no problem throwing things out. Especially other people's stuff.
16) I've read the Twilight series more times than I care to admit.
17) I'm proud of the fact that I served a mission. That experience largely made me who I am today.
18) I can't wait to serve a mission with Mike someday. A couples' mission seems like a piece of cake compared to what I did before.
19) I like fast food and eating out more than I should.
20) While I love the U, I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the Y. Good times. :)
21) My husband will detest the fact that I wrote that.
22) Quite often, I feel like I am guessing at the right way to parent (the right way to motivate or discipline ....)
23) In the end, Mike finished more of my requirements for college graduation than I did. During that last couple of semesters, I was so sick (pregnant) that I couldn't finish many of my assignments on my own.
24) I enjoy the instant gratification of mowing the lawn.
25) Movies are my escape.

Numbers

4: number of times Elle woke up coughing last night. Also number of hours of sleep Mike got (if that) -- he took the night shift with her.
10': distance I can see through this smog
20: minutes it took me to drive to the salon to have my hair cut, only to realize I had written down the wrong day -- my hairstylist is in Hawaii.
6: loads of laundry that need to be folded and put away
8: consecutive days that I have told myself, "Today we'll get the girls' room cleaned!" This might be why my girls haven't actually followed through yet ... because mommy just doesn't feel like doing it.
3: number of children who whined at Mike and me," Is it over yet??" when we forced them to watch the inauguration the other day.
9: number of kids (my own included) playing here at our house today
2: feet of mine that need a serious pedicure
7: number of women sitting on my couch last night until 12:30am watching a chick flick
30: number of Raisinettes I ate while watching said movie

Excuse me?

I know I'm not that young anymore but I don't think of myself as being that old either. I'm totally fine with my age (36, thank you very much) and am not in the least bit upset over the big 4-0 in a few years. What I didn't realize, however, is that others don't see me as being as young as I feel.

Case in point, the receptionist at the dentist's office today. I would have guessed she's about my age. But today, as she was trying to figure out where she recognized me from, she said, "Were you ever involved in teaching? You look like a student teacher I had when I was in elementary school." Seriously?!? I suppose it's possible if she's only 22 or something ... but dang. Either I am a horrible guesser at other people's ages or I am not aging as gracefully as I thought I was.

Bring on the botox.

Utah Parade

We took the kids (and one friend) downtown to a parade to celebrate the Utes' win in the Sugar Bowl. The kids were decked out with red Mardi Gras beads & pom poms and had fun high-fiving the players who walked the parade.With Jackson, the youngest Ute fan in our group.We found Grandma Mayfield part of the way down the parade route.We even made it on the news for about a second; check us out at the 1:33 minute mark.

Video Courtesy of KSL.com

You go, Bro!

Here's my brother, Thomas, in a commercial for State Farm. He's the scruffy one getting out of bed in his boxers. I'm so proud. :)

Mom, you need this!

So I'm thinking my kids see a few too many commercials during their allotted t.v. time. This has become more evident recently as Paige has taken to quoting commercials to me in an effort to convince me to buy something. She doesn't quote toy commercials, though. She's particularly interested in mom-type items that she thinks I need to make my life easier. The other morning as I was getting breakfast ready, she said, "Mom, you need The Big City Slider Station. On a busy school morning, it makes 5 perfect egg sandwiches in an instant. Moms are going to love it! It's perfect for hamburgers. Just scoop, press and cook right on your stove. It's that easy!" I'm not kidding. Those were her exact words ... well, the exact words from the commercial perfectly quoted by my 5 year old.

She's particularly fond of the Buxton Organizer (an ugly purse/fanny pack-type thing) and tells me how much I need one every time I look through my purse for my keys, cell phone or whatever. "Mom! There's secret compartments and it can hold 2 water bottles and even an umbrella. Wow!" She knows how fond I am of purses and thinks this would be the perfect solution for me. I argued, "But Paige, those are ugly." She didn't back down. She found the one argument she thought I couldn't resist .... "But mom, it comes in red!"

Borrowed

Here's a little snippet from http://www.seriouslysoblessed.blogspot.com/. What a great spoof blog!

Tell-Tell Signs the Relationship's Croaked
* His texts dwindle. Guys, seriously: if he loves you, he will text. Harsh but true: if he doesn't have what it takes to think about you all day NOW, what the crap is he going to do in the eternities?
* He switches to a yawner car...if he ditches a hot Moabin' Jeep or big honkin hot truck for a Socialist Prius, RUUUUN. Unless of coarse you want a lifetime of wiping noses in nursery while the truck guys your friends married sit on the stand. Up to you I guess.
* He rushes your primping. If he EVER seriously even HINTS at you speeding up your hottie routine, get out while you can bc he is obviously a way selfish jerk. How the heck is he gonna shell out for augmentation later if he can't even wait patiently now? If he's so shallow he can't even wait, I bet he never even got above district leader.
* Remember, if he picks ANY jewelery without consulting you first, THAT IS NOT CUTE. IT IS DANGEROUS. Next thing you know he'll "suprise you" with some nasty ug cubic zirc and you'll spend the rest of your life feigning joy at every anniversary slash holiday pretending you don't wanna puke.

What's on my happy list?

Peppermint lotions and body scrubs: I love Bath & Body Works' line of peppermint stuff, but especially their sugar scrub and lotion. Santa brought plenty of it this year to keep my fix going through summer at least.

Diet Coke. Nectar of the gods, truly.

Movies. For as long as I can remember, movies have been a Farley family passtime. My mom used to check us out of school to catch a matinee. I've done that a couple of times with my kids and they were pleasantly shocked. I frequently go to late night movies with girlfriends. Mike and I rent a lot of DVDs. What a great escape.

My new running shoes. Good shoes do make a difference. I had no idea how much.

Elle's growing independence. She is so not a baby anymore and I love watching her figure things out and discover things for herself. It cracks me up to hear my phrases coming out of her mouth.

Christmas break in review

* Went sledding twice with different sets of cousins. One day was beautiful and warm'ish; the other day was cold and ended with 2 kids crying.
* Spent lots of time at home, playing with new toys and just chillin'.
* Saw several movies, with and without kids -- Bedtime Stories (loved it -- Mike tells the kids stories like that), Despereaux, Marley & Me (I'd give it 2 out of 4 stars), Benjamin Button (I loved, loved, loved that movie -- the acting and special effects blew me away), Wall-E (we never saw it in theaters and I really enjoyed it), Ghost Town (definitely watch it for a good laugh), and High School Musical 3 (we took Elle this time, who sat mesmerized by each musical number since she already knew the music).
* Took 3 kids to the dr. (different days for different ailments)
* Stayed up late and slept in little.
* Sent Mike to New Orleans with his buddy, Rob, to watch the Utes crush Alabama.
* Had Super Mario Bros. tournaments on the DS with my kids (and I beat them all).
* Had cousin sleepovers, one of which ended with a vomiting child.
* Trips to Toys R Us and the mall to spend Christmas money.
* Ate too much junk but loved it.
* Had a fire almost daily in the fireplace.
* Had home-spa day with my girls (even Elle sat still for purple nails).

Now the kids are back in school and I'm going to breathe ....