Let's Be Honest

I got this from the awesome Mimi Sue.

I'm supposed to list ten things about myself and pass it others.

Now it will be painfully obvious how boring I really am and how I try to be funny to hide it. Um, and as always, expect wordiness.

1. I'm the oldest of five kids--I have one sister I fought with relentlessly (but we get along now) and three brothers I bossed around relentlessly (and still do). Now I rather unsuccessfully boss my kids.

2. I was a military brat and at least one of us was born everywhere we lived, except here, in Utah. We moved every few years, so now we've been in our house almost four years, I'm ready to go. And after 15 years in Utah, I'd like a change of scenery for awhile.

3. I like baking more than cooking, but some hippie-nerd out there says we have to eat real food from the bottom of the food pyramid for our meals, not brownies or cookies or pies. Loser. She can kiss my pie-eating bottom. Oh, and I love making candy at Christmas. Oh, the buttery goodness.

4. I'm not a huge fan of cake. It is boring. It tastes like flavored styrofoam to me. Frosting does not help it much--it's usually still always dry. Don't get me started on store-bought cakes. Give me a nice cheesy cheesecake or some good pie with nice, thick, flaky crust. But not cream pie--yeck. (Especially not banana cream Aaron--double yeck. Do I look Panamanian to you? ha ha--my poor bossed around little brother--who needs a girlfriend.)

Oh yeah--I do like angel food or pound cake if they're nice and moist.

5. I like planting flowers and vegetables but hate maintaining the garden and don't even think about making me pull weeds more than once a summer. Oh, and don't ask about the rose bush genocide in our yard last year or how many pounds of tomatoes went to waste. Oh yeah--I hate harvesting. What am I supposed to do with all that food we can't eat or give away fast enough? (Here's where my grandma makes my excellent farmer grandpa read this post so they can cringe together.)

6. My siblings and I all have names beginning with "A". I was named after the Bread song. Or at least I will say I was until my parental figures correct me--but I think I'm right. And not so very ordinary.

7. I had my first baby at 21, the same age my mom was when she had me. We also will have had another baby in the same succession at the same age.

8. I graduated college with a ten-day-old baby and a 2-year-old. Yes, you can tell if you're hauling extra post-partum weight under the graduation gown. I have a Bachelor's in English, but I did it more for the reading than the writing (and loved it! What reading-lover wouldn't love reading a book and telling their husband they're doing homework and not be lying?). The emphasis is in Arts for taking enough Spanish classes, but don't ask me to say much in Spanish, cuz you'll just get a blank look. I minored in Interior Design, but wish I could hire a designer to come inspire me.

9. I love cinnamon rolls. The big, good ones with cream-cheese frosting my mom makes. Or did. I want some now. Like, right now. Which makes me think that I would like to go on a cruise, where they feed you good stuff all day. Or just go on a vacation where we can eat out a lot. Did I mention how I'm not a big fan of cooking?

10. I'm accident-prone. I'm always falling an hurting myself and running into things. In 9th grade, we were learning how to kick a soccer ball using our peripheral vision. That resulted in me stepping on the ball, trying to still kick, rolling my foot around the ball and falling on it. Yes, it broke. At first, we thought it was just sprained, but it kept hurting and I couldn't convince my mom to take me back to see if it had indeed broken until I showed her the cool black bruises all along the side of my foot. It was a stress fracture. So, when your kids still aren't better after three days, it might be more than a sprain. I had a purple cast. I should have picked blue. Please tell me why I was trying to show school spirit with my cast. That's the most spirited I ever was.

And apparently I am accident-prone in other ways, too.

11. And a bonus, because you were dying to know: I play the piano. Pretty well, I guess. I took lessons for 10 years. It has to count for something.

I'm passing this on to...

Sherri the Kaysville Momma--we don't know where she lives.

Amy, who has a Life--we want every gory detail of your honeymoon while the memories are fresh.

Heather who loves Ava Bunches

Katey who digs Wells at her Palace.

Jennifer P, who is Public. Oh yeah she's a real designer. And is awesome and has done very cool things.

And because I like to throw caution to the wind, my sister Ashley. May she say nice things about me.

A Milestone Birthday

Perhaps before his birthday month is over, I should pay a little tribute to the best baby ever, who is now two. Yes, feel for me. A Mr Destructo and a 2-year-old. I am equally thrilled. This one hits. And bites when provoked. And is 32 pounds, putting him in the same weight range as his older brother. Watch out Mr D.

But, he's still a sweet little S-man.

Here's to the little man who decided to be born in his own overdue time, just like his mother.

And like his mother, he multitasks the very same way.

Yes, we're rudesbees and talk while we eat. Literally. If you hear a muffled, shouted "four" during mealtime hear at circus town, watch out. Bring protective goggles.

To the little S-man,

who gets to share his birthday with his uncle.

Who slept 12 hours a night at four weeks old and not only didn't stop,

but still lurches for his bed when tired.

Who likes to pretend to be a dog with big sister

and play cars and trains with big brother.

Who makes impressive sound effects when he runs into things.

Who gives spontaneous hugs and kisses--

on the lips, of course.

Even with a very runny nose.

Who says plenty of real words,

but talks in grunts

when you want to have a real conversation.

Who could "pound it" and give high fives almost before you could walk.

Who tries, pretty successfully to keep up with brother and sister.

Who has liked to jump on the tramp almost since you could walk.

Who is already a big helper

and puts things away,

and makes sure the dishwasher door

can hold 32 pounds worth of dishes.

Who calls Grandpa--and Grandma--"papa".

Who can out eat mom with chocolate.
And asks for cheeeese and hot dog and nana all day.

Oh, and bapples (which are apples...or grapes...or strawberries)(?!).

Who cannot wait until you're tall enough to get water out of grandma's refrigerator door by yourself and has tried every toy shaped like a cup to get it yourself, but none have been big enough.

Who is a Soyzilla,

and climbs onto the table during meals,

explicitly to beg food from mom

and scoot around on your bottom creating havoc.

Who tries to beg food from strangers at the park with your winsome looks.

Who likes to have your hair done--

and brings the water and got2bglued to mom

when you think it needs to be done.

Who chooses Grandpa over Grandma,

but Mom over Dad.

Who likes to rock it on the drums.

And throw any size or shape of ball, whether inside or out,

after smacking it with one hand while holding it with the other,

just like a man.

At least you warn us, by saying "ball" before you throw it.

Who likes going down the big slides by yourself at the park,

or sliding down the legs of unsuspecting couch-sitting victims.

Who likes to (try to) steal whole balls of cookie dough off the tray while mom's trying to fill it.

And lick the spoon when she's done.

Who likes to play in the mud holes Mr D makes.

Who likes to sing and dance.

And does some rockin' head banging when the beat is right.

Who likes to wear your red crocs all the time--even to bed.

And who likes to wear everyone else's shoes too--especially mom's.

Who is still a cuddlebug.

And who usually greets mom in the morning and after naps

with a big smile,

big "Mommeeee!"

and jumping up and down in your crib.

Who's always full of laughs and big smiles.

and who sucks his thumb and rubs his hair when he's tired.

And millions of other things I can't think of right now.

Happy Birthday, little prince.

(yeesh, ignore the umbilical cord--i don't know photoshop. nor have it.)

Don't be fooled.

See? Even the S-man already knew better.

I think his one day of life was flashing before his eyes.

Things That Make Me Happy

a flat full of flowers

flying kites

a flower picked for me by my sweet girl on her way home from school

roses from the grocery store (um, that i bought myself)

and cleaning the bathroom, to have Lex say,

"Something's wrong, the mirror looks clean."

Oh, the joys of spring.

Sweet and Swanky Giveaway

Since I'm beginning to have an obsession with fabric--sadly--I want to win these sweet and swanky Moda jelly rolls from V & Co.'s giveaway.

Haven't heard of Moda fabric? Don't try to--you'll be richer if you stay away. FAR away. And I'm not saying that to increase my odds--seriously.

You won't have Moda envy.

You won't dream of what to make with Moda.

Or have nightmares of Moda fabric bursting out of the closet in a massive Moda explosion with little pieces screaming "Sew me! Sew me!"

You will not calculate the value of your children to see which will fetch the bigger price on eBay to buy more Moda fabric.

You will not take out a home equity loan to buy even more Moda.

You won't wonder what brownies would taste like a la Moda.

Okay, so I really haven't done all these things (except the envy one), but consider yourself warned.