ABC Tag

A. ATTACHED OR SINGLE? Totally attached. I'd have it surgically done if I could find someone to do it.
B. BEST FRIEND? Emily Campbell. We're so totally different, yet strangely similar. It's a little confusing, but makes our friendship interesting. She's always a listener (when I can tell short stories . . . doesn't always happen), and doesn't always sympathize with me which I actually really, really like about her. She'll tell me what I need to hear whether I like it or not. Honesty. That's a good friend.
C. CAKE OR PIE? Yes. But only chocolate on both.
D. DAY OF THE WEEK? Monday or Friday. Both days I get the most stuff done. Definitely NOT Sunday. It's not really a day of rest now is it?
E. ESSENTIAL ITEMS? Computer, Clorox wipes, ribbon supplies, hair dryer/roller brush/flat iron, toothbrush, chairs, comfortable lounging clothes, toilet paper (but not necessarily in that order)
F. FAVORITE COLOR? Usually Yellow, but I'm leaning more and more towards Pink these days.
G. GUMMY BEARS OR WORMS? Yuck, neither. Swedish Fish.
H. HOMETOWN? Weiser, Idaho. Born and raised.
I. INDULGENCE? Chocolate Chip Cookies . . . actually, the dough first and then the cookies.
J. JANUARY OR JULY? January. Great weather and green starts to return to the valley. However, July was when Stella was born, so I really liked that month. Also, swimming in July. Actually, my favorite is really April.
K. KIDS? Stella Rose - four years old.
L. LIFE ISN'T COMPLETE WITHOUT? Elliot and Stella (and occasionally, since I know we have another one, another child)
M. MARRIAGE DATE? October 22, 1999, right during the World Series. Um, did someone forget to tell me about this? Who planned my wedding anyway?
N. NUMBER OF BROTHERS AND SISTERS? 3 brothers (Jeffrey, Miles, Adam), 3 sisters (Marci, Natalie, Lindsay)
O. ORANGES OR APPLES? Apples (Gala or Pink Lady). Oranges are so yummy, I just really hate peeling them.
P. PHOBIAS OR FEARS? Stella getting kidnapped, someone breaking into my house, going on a hike and getting stuck in a ravine, not having anymore kids.
Q. QUOTE? "I'm really lucky that you're as normal as you are . . . because you're not . . . not even close." - said by Elliot just recently as I was telling him some of my childhood stories. :)
R. REASONS TO SMILE? A wink from Elliot, Stella's laugh, funny comments on my blog, checking something off of my TO DO list, finishing a workout, date night, flowers, weedless gardens, losing weight, playful Elliot, Stella making up songs, babies that aren't crying, kisses from Hannah, phone calls from my siblings, compliments, making out, funny childhood stories, empty kitchen sink, smell of Pinesol, foot rub, when my clothes feel loose, "I love you" from Stella, singing, spreadsheets, extra money, good hair day, pregnant bellies on happy pregnant women, a good love story, smiles, lots of things . . .
S. SUPERMAN OR WONDERWOMAN? I'd love to see some episodes of Wonder Woman again. I remember really liking it. Superman was a bad actor.
T. TAG 5 PEOPLE? Make me.
U. UNKNOWN FACT ABOUT ME? You can't trick me. What's the point of it being "unknown" if I tell you?
V. VEGETABLES? I sure like growing them.
W. WORST HABIT? Take your pick: procrastination, laziness, over-eating, not punctual, easily offended, moody, sarcastic, time-waster, etc. I'm sure everyone else can think of more.
X. X-RAY OR ULTRASOUND? Both very cool. I'd like to see what is going on in there and how things work. I'd love to have an ultrasound that showed a baby instead of cysts. Then I could add ultrasound to my list of things to smile about.
Y. YOUR FAVORITE FOOD? Chicken.
Z. ZODIAC SIGN? Scorpio. I always thought it was cool because my Mom would always watch General Hospital when we were growing up and one of the main character's names was Scorpio. Now I could really care less what my zodiac sign is.

Deer Farm & Montezuma's Castle

I don't care what it is, as long as it gets us away from the ringing telephone! We drove to Flagstaff last weekend to visit the Deer Farm. Those psycho deers tried to eat our clothes and within the first 5 feet of the gate, Elliot gave up trying to share the deer food with them and just dumped it on the ground. One of the Deer Farm workers thought we were sweet because we were talking to her, so she let us feed the camel "Gracie." It looks like she tried to eat Stella's hand in the picture. The reindeer were shedding the felt on their antlers and they were bloody! Gross!

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We ate lunch in town and then stopped at Montezuma's Castle on the way back home. Stella really wanted to climb up and be the princess of the castle. Also, take special note of the guy in the hot pink shorts. What was that about?

We had a great time together as a family and I'm so SUPER happy that Elliot made the suggestion that we get out of town for the day!

Pure Evil

I don't know if he became more creepy because I know that he is dead now, but Heath Ledger did a fantastic job as The Joker. Elliot and I saw the movie yesterday. It was awesome.

Red Day

For the next few weeks, Stella is studying colors at pre-school. Monday was red day, so we painted her fingernails and toenails and she wore her red dress! Wednesday was blue day, so we painted her nails blue. Next week: Yellow and Green!

"How Dare You!"

Any guesses as to which movie Stella is quoting . . . sort of quoting?

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Share the Road

My Sweetie has been riding his bike to work a few days a week for the last several weeks. It's his way of cutting gas costs and getting some exercise into his extremely busy schedule.

The first day he rode his bike home (20 miles round-trip), I opened the door to this ghostly-white faced sweaty mess! It happened to be a windy day and he was riding right into the wind on the way home. I thought he was going to die! I wish I would have gotten a picture for comparison sake. It was truly terrible.

He's gotten much better and a little faster and looks super hot and svelt these days! Any time you see a biker on the road, PLEASE share the road! It might just be my Sweetie!

Baptisms

Stella and I went to the baptism of my cousin's son on August 10th. Elliot didn't join us because he was at my BFF's son's baptism that was happening at the same time. Congratulations to both boys!

Doug (my cousin) and Erica with the kids, Trey, Benjamin (baptized), Chase, and Tess

Of course I didn't get a picture of Joseph, but here's one I have on file of our crazy friend and his brothers Clarkie and Sammy (not current)!

"Elbow Legs"

The danger for me, because I'm so disorganized, is to buy birthday presents too early. I tend to hide them and then forget where they are. I couldn't find them on her birthday, but we found Stella's helmet, elbow pads, and (as she said it) "elbow legs" (knee pads).

She had us chase her around the block. She almost hit 7 mailboxes. At least she had her helmet on.

Sleeping . . . sometimes

We're still having a bit of a struggle with bedtime in our house. After taking Stella for her 4-year-old check up (34 1/2 pounds, 40 inches, 50 percentile), and after ruling out a hearing problem that I was almost 100% positive about, I talked to her doctor about sleeping tips. We all know how the DOOR-KNOB APPROACH worked, so I was searching for something new.

(She usually only has one blanket, but she was hiding from the monsters with every blanket in her room.)

She didn't give me any new ideas, but just reminders about the hours leading up to bedtime. It's been a tiny bit better for the last 2 weeks with fewer checks. I used to just sing to her until she fell asleep, but that would mean that I would be in her room for up to an hour. So now we sing a couple of songs and leave, checking up on her in one minute, then two minutes, then gradually adding a few more minutes until she falls asleep. With this approach, it usually only takes 3 checks before she's asleep.

Every time I check on her she says this as fast as she can, "Mom, can you check on me in one more minute and not five more minutes like you did." That's word-for-word. Every night.

Article of Faith #2

"We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression."

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After Stella learned the first Article of Faith, we started working on the second. She didn't seem intersted, so I sort of stopped saying it. During our family scripture study a week later, we asked her to say the first one and she whipped out the SECOND and said it perfectly! That little memory . . .

Random

If our rule was to throw everything out that we hadn't used in a year, my craft room would be empty. Don't tell Elliot about that idea. So I've been trying to finish some of the crafts that I've started over the last 8 years and have found more fun projects to do.

Thanks to an idea from Aunt Mari, Stella and I made a bank for the fabulous $4 she got for her birthday from Grandma. It's a #10 can from the cannery and we modge-podged paper (Stella's pick) and stuck a ribbon around. We thought it was super cute and now I won't spend Stella's birthday money. She was obviously too distracted to pose for this picture.

Look who we got to babysit! Sweet baby Isabella! She wasn't a huge fan of Stella in her face the whole time, but we're huge fans of hers!

Stella, Clarkie and I went to the splash park that just opened in our neighborhood. They played in the water for a while and then just played in the sand the rest of the time so they could get as much sand in their cracks as possible.

Uninvited visitor at our park picnic. Some kids are so trusting of animals and they all wanted to pet the little guy. I can't stand animals. Especially ones that aren't on leashes. I now have Animal Control programmed into my speed dial.

Elliot occasionally brings home little things that his clients give him from their hospitals. Among the treasures was this pedometer. Stella thought it was the coolest thing and was running up and down the hallway so she could count more steps. Now I think it's the coolest thing because it wears her out!

Pre-School

Stella has been super excited about going to Pre-School! She's gone for almost 2 weeks and LOVES it! She's already learned a few nursery rhymes and has made several best friends (although she doesn't really know their names)! I've already been repremanded and reminded about their late policy at school, which I have quickly corrected now that I know how long it takes to get there.

Here is my baby girl on her first day of school! That backpack makes her look so tiny!

Danielson/Fly Catcher

Elliot has this amazing ability to catch flies with his hand. It's happened enough times that we've decided that it's not just a coincidence. Someday when I'm just as fast as he is I'll get it on video. I'm going to get him some chopsticks, then we'll see how good he is.

Girls Loves Money

Thanks Grandma Anderson! At least you won't ever have to worry about her not liking your gift!

Stella's Birthday - Round 2

We invited Elliot's family over to celebrate Stella's birthday with some pizza and cake. We had just picked up Merrill, Kellie, Blake, and Daniela from the airport that afternoon, so they joined us.

Stella helped decorate the cake. She got to pick out which kind of cake she wanted, so of course she chose the pink one (strawberry). She didn't eat it though. Just the frosting.

The kids were cracking each other up at the little table. I'm afraid that Blake and Stella are very similar characters.

Some the kids and Adam and Elliot played Hide-And-Seek (their new favorite game). I was cleaning up in the kitchen and kept hearing George say my name, but seriously FOR THE LIFE OF ME could NOT find him! Someone finally found him in our pull-out garbage drawer. Silly boy.

CHEERS! George stood in front of Elliot as Stella was blowing out her candles. You can still see her though.

Claire had a great time bouncing on the flesh-colored balloons (they were really pink, but light pink).

STELLA GOT A BIKE FOR HER BIRTHDAY! She's been telling everyone for the last 3 months that she was getting one!

Esquer Park

Our neighborhood park opened earlier last month. Stella rode her bike down there with us trailing behind. They have a nice bike path around the whole park. She's already wrecked. Guess I need to find her helmet and knee/elbow pads.

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Really? I don't even like Strawberries.

You're Strawberry.

Your personality is as friendly and appealing as strawberry ice cream (especially the kind with chunky bits of real fruit). You've got a slightly sarcastic sense of humor, and you rarely stress out or take things too seriously. You are cute and sweet, but with a mischievous side. You are a bit of a troublemaker, but only because you're determined to avoid a plain vanilla life.



I would have to agree with everything (especially the "cute" part) except that I wouldn't really describe Strawberry like that.

A Super Birthday Girl!

The super cake (not exactly pretty, but still semi-identifiable, right?)

The party table

The super capes! Rachel and Victoria are officially my new best friends because they wore the capes for most of the party. The rest of the kids are on my hit list because they all wore the capes for a cummulative total of less than 45 seconds.

The super duper party guests!

The super kids playing Red Light/Green Light. Victoria won every time, but they still had to take turns.

This picture is for Geniel because that is an AWESOME picture of Victoria's pose!

The super kids flying around!

Stella and her BFF from Oklahoma, Rachel!

. . . and Stella's favorite present (she took the picture herself). Stella got tons of super gifts (gee Moms, thanks for the ones that make noise, Elliot thanks you too), but as per usual, she loves the SHOES!

Rachel, Clark, Abe, Stella, Anabelle, and Victoria

COMPARISON FROM LAST YEAR (no Justin didn't turn into a girl this year, he couldn't make it to the party. Anabelle couldn't make to last years party)

Rachel, Clark, Abe, Stella, Justin, and Victoria (look how short all of their little legs are compared to this year!)

I'm It

Myra tagged me a really long time ago:

1. What was I doing 10 years ago?
I was finishing up my very last summer session at Ricks College in Rexburg, Idaho. I can't remember what classes I was taking, but I'm sure they were the hardest ones or the ones I had to retake because I did awful. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I was taking Accounting and retaking Economics. My cousin Stacy and my sister Lindsay were my roommates at Harmony House (also horrifically nicknamed "Harmony Whore-House" for reasons that DID NOT pertain to me). I was working in the Office Education department (glorified spreadsheet makers) for the best boss I've EVER had, Brother Nathan Larsen. He was about 100-years-old and retiring after that summer session. I graded his papers and was his assistant in his classes. I was also a computer lab assistant on some nights. Brother Larsen would give me his receipts from the campus bakery and with that I could get free bread. He'd also leave funny poems for me on the door of his office. I was madly in love with a guy I will call SKM and everyone in the free-world knew it but him. Unlike high school, I was dreading graduating from college because I loved my social life and knew that I was going to leave Stacy and Lindsay there to have fun without me. :( I absolutely LOVED college!

2. What are 5 things on my to-do list today.
Just 5? Humm, #1-Call and make my visiting teaching appointments, #2-Clean the bathrooms before Elliot comes home., #3-Finish ALL of the Nursery stuff (coloring/cutting/laminating singing/lesson supplies, calendars, keys, Nursery letter to parents, update food supply), #4-Laundry/Ironing (always on the list), #5-The Abyss (also, always on the list)

3. What are some snacks that I enjoy?
Cookie Dough, Ice Cream, tortilla's warmed up for 11 seconds in the microwave, applesauce, bananas, protein shakes, bread, and oranges (as long as someone else peels them for me).

4. Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
The addition to my house, finish the landscaping, college/mission/wedding funds for Stella and my nieces and nephews, pay off my brothers and sisters student loans, build a house for my parents, hire a personal trainer, buy Elliot a new truck, buy a baby or two, hire a cleaning lady for me and for Emily, hire an interior decorator, pay for family missions, invest some, travel, and save the rest.

5. Places I've lived:
Weiser, Idaho (age 0-18)
Rexburg, Idaho (age 18-20)
Kimberly, Idaho (age 20-21)
Chandler, Arizona (age 21)
Mesa, Arizona (age 21-26)
Tempe, Arizona (age 26-present)