I am going to try and write 38 things about me, since I'm 38.
Like Nettie does on her kids' birthdays.
1. I can't even think of a first thing.
2. I am sitting here next to Jim while he watches a movie. The kids are asleep.
3. Avery stayed home from school today and yesterday with a cough and messed up ears from the flight Sunday.
4. I washed my hair every day of my life for about 37 years, then a year ago I bought this great shampoo (Monat) and now I only wash about 2x a week. Combined with dry shampoo, my hair is the best it's ever been.
5. See? boring.
6. I love The Great British Baking Championship. Me and Avery watched about three episodes today.
7. I also went grocery shopping today. I bought this combination of a snack that is awesome. Jamie brought it to Fallon: thin rosemary crackers, fig jam, and goat cheese.
8. I am going to give that combination as a gift to my kids' teachers for Christmas.
9. We are playing black light dodge ball in the gym for mutual tomorrow. The deacons are in charge. I don't even know how that is supposed to work, but I'm not in charge...so shoulder shrug.
10. So...there is this family in our ward. They are very Herdman-y in that they are very poor and very dirty. They live in their RV in the campground near our neighborhood. If you walk through a forest you can get to our house from their RV. The parents are very loving, but also have some mental issues.
They have a daughter named Sarah and she is Avery's age. She is kinda crazy because she has ADD and hypothyroidism, so her medication is all over the place and she is all over the place.
Anyway, Sarah hasn't been baptized yet, and she is currently taking the missionary discussions. And since their living situation is rough, they do the discussions at our house. It has been way interesting but also....frustrating. Because Sarah rolls all over the floor during the discussions - feet in the air, roll around, run up the stairs, etc. I use my teacher voice to get her to come sit (she sits just fine at school). The lessons last about 15 minutes. She will be getting baptized pretty soon. It's been a cool experience for Avery - she has sat in on every lesson and is learning a lot as well.
11. That one was worth 2.
12. I was supposed to sub in Evan's class tomorrow, but it got cancelled. Equal parts stoked and bummed.
13. My favorite podcast currently is "Heavyweight". Go listen right now. Start at season one, episode one. I love Jonathon Goldstien.
14. I was just talking to my top neighbor, mom, friend Lindsay this morning after the kids got on the bus, and she was saying how annoying it is that Bea's textbook from school was referring to Native Americans as Indians (ps she's native). She said it's not a big deal to be called an Indian casually, but when it's in an official textbook, they should probably stick to the PC term. Especially when there are many real Indians from India living in our community.
15. Andrew loves show and tell at school. This week he took Chick Hicks to show. Last week he took his little beanie boo kangaroo "Kipper". It's cute because the kanga has a little baby in her pouch, and Andrew always says "Kipper and her little Joey".
16. I don't think I'm gonna make it to 38.
17. Today Avery told me that she and her cousins refer to "boobs" as hippopotamuses. And "bras" as the water (because it protects and hides the hippos). haha I don't even know.
18. Oh my gosh 20 more to go?!
19. It's pouring rain outside.
20. This play room is a mess: legos, Andrew's shoes, backpack and school papers etc. I am twitching.
21. While in Fallon, I got a pomegranate and seeded it - which is kind of an arduous process, as you know. Then I set the bowl out for snacking, and the big girls came in and ate the whole bowl in like 30 seconds. In the middle of the scarfing, Abbey stopped and said "I feel bad we are eating all these. Somebody worked really hard on these and we are eating them all." Isn't that so thoughtful of her? Yes I did work so hard on those! haha, but I am happy they ate them. They're good for growing teenagers.
22. Well, I hit a wall. I might go to bed and finish up tomorrow. Maybe by then I will think of something more to say.
23. Good morning! All the kids are off to school today. I just finished mopping the floor and vacuuming the stairs. Last week, the vacuum wasn't sucking properly, and I emptied and unclogged everything as best I could. Then I called in Jim to help, and we found this secret compartment in the bottom that was clogged. It was so so satisfying pulling out a clog of hair and fuzz and string. Then the vacuum commenced sucking. In a good way.
24. Yesterday I was helping Avery with her math homework, and she was writing so sloppy - I couldn't tell what numbers she was writing - so I lectured her, and she shut down, and we fought, and she said "I'm getting away from you", and I said "I'm getting away from YOU too." Then I went for a run, and she finished her homework by herself, and we met up after it all and smiled and made up.
25. Back to show and tell...The first week they had show and tell (it's only been going on for three weeks now), Andrew forgot to bring something to show. I was subbing in Music and Motion. It was the end of the day and Mrs. Thomas's class (Andrew's class) came to Music and Motion. I said "hello!" and gave him a hug, and he promptly started sobbing. "I forgot my show and tell!" I think he would have held it together, but since his mom was the teacher, he fell apart.
For the next 15 minutes he sat in a ball crying. All of his classmates were so nice in helping him feel better, "Andrew I forgot mine too!" "Andrew you can bring one next week!"
I snapped a picture of Eva patting him on the back and hugging him:
The other kids are laying like flowers. We just finished doing some yoga poses (you are a cat, you are a lion, you are a mountain, you are a tree, you are a flower...). Also the little girl next to Andrew - her name is Penelope. Isn't that an adorable name?
26. Last night before basketball practice, me and Evan went to the library and checked out a bunch of books. I got "Indian in the Cupboard" in hopes that someone will take to it. I loved that book in 5th grade. I think they should change the name to The Native American in the Cupboard. haha jk
27. I just cleaned this play room because I couldn't stand it for one second more. Now it is so zen in here.
28. I am trying to finish The Book of Mormon before the end of the year. I am accomplishing this by listening to it audio while I do chores. I just got to the book of Ether.
The end of the BOM is so dramatic and violent and poetic. Mormon has found a way to make a lovely metaphor out of the destruction of the people:
Mormon 4:18 "And from this time forth did the Nephites gain no power over the Lamanites, but began to be swept off by them even as a dew before the sun."
I think as far as actual writing goes, Mormon is my favorite section of the whole Book of Mormon. It is a beautiful and mournful part.
29. Anytime I get home from being with my family (Thanksgiving in Fallon) I miss everyone so much. Our texting threads are currently way more active than usual.
30. I have a bunion.
31. I won a gift certificate for a full body massage at my triathlon back in June and I still haven't cashed it in. Isn't that crazy? What am I waiting for?
32. We are looking for a new dining table and new couches to replace our beat up ones down stairs. I cannot find the exact furniture that I want. I can see them in my head, but I haven't found them out on the market. I like clean, strait lines in my home decor.
33. so close.
34. Next year's triathlon, I signed up Jim, Joe, and Jake to do the relay. Joe will swim, Jim will bike, Jake will run. It's gonna be fun to have some folks at the starting line with me.
35. Whenever I sub for Andrew's teacher, Andrew asks "does Mrs. Thomas need a break?"
36. I'm making pulled pork salad for dinner tonight.
37. Wednesdays are the worst.
38. Jim and I are going to go snowboarding one of these days when Baker opens up for the season. It's been a good decade since we've gone, so we will see how big of a wimp/old lady I have become.
Done! That was fun.
