Tagged

I got tagged. You have to go to your 4th folder and pick your 4th picture (in my case, I did it in Flickr since I don't keep old pics on my computer).

When we put our home in Houston up for sale, we decided to redo the floor in some areas. We pulled up the nasty carpet only to find an even nastier tile beneath. This picture is of the tile. I'm also including some before/after shots so you can appreciate the scope of the project. I wish we had done this while we were actually living in the house!

I tag Kelli and Sara.

Mother Goose by Mike Peters - October 25

How to Carve a Pumpkin

First, carefully lay out magazines to be ready for spills. (You may need to taste test the magazines first.)

After removing the top, taste the stem for freshness.

Remember to stay hydrated.

Show off the finished product.

High School Days

Here's a fun (or maybe not so fun) quiz to remember your high school days.

1. Did you date someone from your high school? No. I didn't date in high school.
2. I didn't have a car. Sometimes I even had to walk to school (how humiliating!).
3. What is your most embarrassing moment in high school? When Rob Morse told me he had a groin pull and I offered to rub it for him (I didn't know what a groin was).
4. Were you a party animal? No.
5. Were you considered a flirt? I don't think so.
6. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? I played in concert band one year, but it was an all-or-nothing program, so I dropped it.
7. Were you a nerd? I don't think so.
8. Were you on any varsity teams? Yes, volleyball. I also lettered in baseball and football (how many girls can say that??)
9. Did you get suspended/expelled? No. I was good in high school. It was junior high where I had my issues :).
10. Can you still sing the fight song? I never learned the fight song.
11. Who were your favorite teachers? Mrs. Perkins (junior high) and Mrs. White
12. Where did you sit for lunch? I think we usually went outside.
14. Who did you go to homecoming and with who? I never went to homecoming.
15. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No. I would want to maintain the great friendships I had, but my high school years were hard for a lot of reasons.
16. What do you remember most about graduation? I remember just before graduation we had an awards ceremony and I won a lot of different awards. It was great for a lot of reasons.
17. Where did you go senior skip day? Lagoon.
18. Have you gained weight since then? Heck, yes.
19. Who was your prom date? I didn't go to prom.
20. Are you planning on going to your 10 year reunion? I didn't go. I went to the 5th and the 20th. I liked the 20th better, even though I can't believe I'm so old.
21. Looking back, what advise would you give yourself? Just like yourself for who you are and don't worry what everyone else thinks.

I now tag everyone!! It's fun to read people's memories from high school. Do it!!!

Power Lunch

The other day as I was being covered in baby cereal, fruit and spit, I couldn't help but make another comparison between my old life and my current life. 

When I worked in a corporate office, I was often taken out to some of the best restaurants in Houston. Actually, I ate in nice restaurants around the world (personal favorite was sweet potato gnocchi in Tel Aviv - thanks, Elias). 

And while I miss the variety of cuisine, good company and conversation, I'd rather be sitting in my kitchen covered in peaches and oatmeal than eating anywhere else in the world.

Totally Tubular

So Monday was the surgery that I blogged about a while ago. I went in knowing I would have the uterine ablation, but then found out I would also have a tubal ligation - I got my tubes tied! That made the surgery a little more extensive than it would have been and I ended up with a couple of unplanned incisions. I'm glad I arranged to have the whole week off work because there's no way I could have gone back yesterday like originally planned.

I'm feeling pretty good, but I'm tired and it's hard to sit, stand and sometimes pick up Baylie. David's been a great help and my mom has also taken good care of me, even though she's got an arm injury of her own.

The most surprising thing was that my anesthesiologist was one of my best childhood friends. We met up again and were great friends in college. I hadn't seen him for about 16 years. It eased some of my fears knowing he would be there. I was just glad he was at the head end of me and not the other end.

I only work these days for health insurance, but I'm sure glad we have it. I can't imagine trying to go through life without it. I just wish it didn't take my entire paycheck.

Families are Forever

Most of you already know that I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I love so many things about my religion. But probably my favorite thing about it is our belief in eternal families. We believe that if a family is sealed by the power of the Priesthood of God in a temple, then that family unit will continue even after death. In the temples, we don't just marry until death do us part, but for time and all eternity.

When a couple is married in the temple, their biological children are automatically sealed to them. In the case of adoption, once the adoption is legally finalized, then the baby can be sealed to the parents so that they can be a family even after death.

This Saturday, David and I returned to the Manti temple where we were married over six years ago. We had Baylie sealed to us in a beautiful, but very simple ceremony. She is now our daughter forever. It was a very spiritual experience and I was so grateful to have my parents, my siblings and their spouses there. I love my family and I love the principle of eternal families. I don't think I would want to be in heaven if they weren't there and we weren't still a family.

There is a sense of relief that comes from being an eternal family. There's a security in knowing that no matter what happens, as long as we live as God would have us live, we will be together forever.

Car Seat Advice

Being a first-time mom, I didn't realize I had to get Baylie a second car seat before she could be forward facing. She has two inches left before I have to get a new car seat. So, I need some mommy advice.

Can I get another Graco seat that will fit in the same base? Can I get another Graco seat that will snap into her stroller? Or is it basically like starting completely over? Any recommendations on what kind of seat to buy and where? I think I can get a seat that I can just turn forward when she's a year old.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Pet Peeves

Things that are bugging me:

• The liberal media that has lost all sight of "objective and impartial" journalism
• Entertainment personalities who assume that anyone who doesn't think like they do is either naive or lacks intelligence
• The fact that being a conservative has become politically incorrect 
• The fact that congress passes a bailout bill with so much baggage on it, it's insulting (are they going to bail us out of our school loans??)
• Greed and self interest ruling congress rather than the voice of the people
• Apathy of the masses
• Having school teachers salaries so low that their families qualify for government aid
• Albertsons advertising for 10 bags of chocolate chips at 70 cents a bag, but never actually having the chocolate chips on the shelf (five attempts to purchase and counting)
• Citibank not lowering my interest rate when I ask them to match a new card offer, but then when I call to cancel my card all of a sudden coming up with magical offers - no thanks
• People who run red lights, especially when they're driving minivans with children in them
• Mail that doesn't get forwarded despite the fact that a forwarding order has been confirmed
• The fact that I can't eat cookies and still lose weight (David can)
• Mamaw having breast cancer
• Having to pay for Hurricane Ike damage to our house in Houston where we don't even live anymore

Things that make me happy:

• Knowing that Baylie is ours and no one can take her from us
• BYU being undefeated and playing very well
• David having the bounce back in his step now that he doesn't feel so overloaded
• Being in our own apartment, cooking meals for my family, having our own schedule
• School loans added to our bank account
• Seeing gas prices come down
• Knitting
• Going to a movie not expecting much and finding that I really liked the movie (i.e. Indiana Jones)
• Brad Paisley Fifth Gear CD - I love that he actually puts tons of great songs on one single CD
• Having David buy me flowers every month
• My nieces and nephews 
• Being surrounded by mountains
• Stride gum (it never loses its flavor)
• Tomatoes from my parent's garden
• Living in a free country that even with all its problems is still the greatest country in the world