More Random Details

I have been pressured by Sara to share with the blogosphere 25 random facts about myself. I imagine most will be short and sweet, but here it goes.

1-I have flown over the Atlantic Ocean (NY to Milan) and the Pacific (LA to New Zealand) and still have never been inside an airplane restroom.

2-While doing my undergrad work I earned credit from SLCC, Weber State, UVSC, BYU (language test), CEU, and I took a non-credit MCAT course at the U of U. Needless to say I hate it when work or school requires me to gather up my transcripts.

3-I fear any and all animals or insects. Last year I thought I saw a possum along the walk way to our apartment and I waited for about 3 minutes after he/she crossed until I knew the coast was clear. This fear has been around since childhood but was cemented when my little bro and I watched a national geographic about snake-eating spiders that could jump like 15 feet.

4-My mom tells me that growing up I could entertain myself for hours. She says that I used to stare at myself in the mirror pretending that I was He-Man. I remember being able to throw a ball against the wall or on the roof or shoot a basketball around for hours on end. While I enjoy the company of people I am usually very happy being by myself as well.

5-I can't believe that I am growing up. I am approaching 29 and have 2 kids. I can remember being the age of some of my nieces and nephews, and going to visit our grandparents. It didn't seem all that long ago.

6-I never thought that I would marry a girl from Kaysville, Utah and live in a bilingual home. Although I tease Sara all the time about the "experiment" she is performing on our kids, I am grateful for her determination in teaching them.

7-I have a single hair that grows on my arm that is almost 4 inches long. I made Sara measure it for me last week.

8-Growing up I used to dig out my own ingrown toenails, but never thought that it was the budding of a career to be.

9-I am trying to convince Sara to let me work for the Army and move to Germany after graduation. I haven't made much headway yet.

10-Before school got too crazy I was an MSNBC junkie. My interest in world affairs has surpassed my interest in sports. It was a big step for me. They are both distant interests compared to my wife and kids.

11-I once got in trouble for sitting in our front yard and throwing rocks at cars. Since then I have been a pretty good kid.

12-The only thing I knew about Des Moines, Iowa before we moved here was----nothing.

13-Even though I am one of the most cautious drivers I know, I have been in 2 accidents with other cars and have had about 4 incidents with stationary objects (One resulting in a totaled car).

14-I have not thrown up since the 8th grade.

15-I am a little worried that this post will be completely uninteresting on what has become more or less Sara's blog.

16-There was a stretch of time that Sara and I attended way too many untimely funerals. It makes me appreciate life and my family's good health.

17-Sometimes I get a little preoccupied with thinking about the future. I have read about many different cities in the US because I know that we will be moving fairly soon, but I don't have any idea where we will be.

18-I never thought I would find somebody that is as great as Sara. Most of you know how amazing she is, but really you don't know the half of it.

19-The best job I have had yet is being a Dad. I love my kids. Worse job--sorting dvds according to the alphabet in a warehouse (5 of the best years of my life).

20-Many people think that I have a receding hairline, but it receded in Jr. high and has held it's ground ever since.

21-I have a hard time spending money, which is a good thing because we don't really have any to spend.

22-I would rather eat grass than dance in public.

23-About twice a week I wonder if I made the right career choice. Anyone who knows me knows that I would have those same thoughts no matter the choice I made.

24-I like to play racquetball and am disappointed in the opportunities available here in Des Moines.

25-If I had to do everything over again, I would go out of my way to be nicer to others and try to be a little more outgoing. That being said I am glad I don't have to do anything over again and I am extremely happy with my life.

I would apologize, but if you were bored and kept reading until here then the fault probably lies with you. I tag absolutely nobody, because I am against all this tagging business.

Thanks to Sara for pressuring me into this, it was interesting for me to do.

Happy Birthday Grandma!

This video is for you, Grandma Mary-Ann. He wouldn't perform for you on the phone but we got him on video later tonight. At the end he's not sure whether to call you "Grandma" or "Abuela," so he went for "Abuegamma."

Even after we put him to bed tonight he was still singing to you in his crib.

We hope you had a great day!

25 Random Facts

My friend Amy tagged me on Facebook, but since I don't exactly know how to work Facebook very well (I just check out other peoples profiles and pictures now and then), I thought I would respond here on the blog. I love reading these kinds of things about other people but am slightly hesitant to do one myself.

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write 25 random things, facts, habits or goals about you.

I don't know if I can think of 25 interesting things to write about myself but I'm willing to try.

Plus, Ryan is studying late tonight and the kids are in bed so here goes...

1. I have always wanted a really big family with a lot of children...at least six. I don't think I will reach that goal, but I figure two is a good place to start and any others would just be a wonderful bonus.
2. Ryan almost didn't ask me out for a fourth date because on our third date I pressured him into singing kareoke. He hates kareoke. To think I almost altered my fate over a Sarah McLaughlin song.
3. I got married the same day as my sister, Brooke, who is 18 months younger than I am. We had back to back marriage ceremonies in the Salt Lake Temple and then a double reception afterward. My dad called it the social event of the season. And it was, people, it really was.
4. I love how Maddie gets so excited when anyone gives her even a little bit of attention. Today a friend came to our door and smiled and said hello to Maddie and she just started squealing uncontrollably and bouncing up and down in my arms. It is hard to imagine a more easy-going, happy baby than Maddie (though I realize I'm biased). I don't know what we ever did without her. Ryan and I often talk about how we feel sorry for any future children we might have because it is hard to think about them being easier to take care of than she is and it will be hard not to compare them to her. We feel a little sorry for ourselves as well because we have really gotten used to how easy she is. Number three will certainly be a shock.
5. I had the chance to do a study abroad for a month in Ecuador. I stood with one leg in the northern hemisphere and one leg in the southern hemisphere as I straddled the equator, so I guess you could say I've been in two places at once (name that movie).
6. I worry too much what others think of me. I am working on getting over that and worrying more about what they think of themselves when they are with me.
7. I have come to the conclusion that regular exercise has saved me thousands of dollars in psychiatric bills. It is total therapy for me and keeps me (somewhat) sane.
8. I love to listen to Isaac sing, especially in Spanish. Today I took him to the doctor and he was singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" while the nurse was examining his ears. It was adorable.
9. When the time comes I think I will be ready and willing to move anywhere with Ryan and our family for his residency and beyond. I'm sure that wherever we go will be a fun adventure.
10. I love living in Iowa. I think it's been really good for our family and for my own personal growth as well. The winters are long and harsh, but I still think the fall and spring are so spectacular that they make up for it. Plus, I have met some of the greatest people in the world here--truly lifelong friends.
11. I check on my kids every night before I go to bed just to make sure they are still breathing.
12. I see more of my mother in myself and my actions every day and I am proud of that.
13. Choosing to serve a mission for the LDS Church was the second-best life decision I have ever made.
14. Marrying Ryan was the first.
15. I love Indian food, especially naan. There is no such thing as too much naan.
16. I am slightly obsessed with reading parenting books. Two of my favorites are Love and Logic for Early Childhood and On Becoming Babywise.
17. I have wanted to grow up and be a school teacher since I was 5 years old. After getting my degree in Elementary education, I interviewed countless times throughout the summer and worried that I wouldn't get hired anywhere before school started. I was finally offered my dream job as a bilingual Spanish teacher in a second grade classroom just a few days before school started. I ended up teaching for 5 years before Isaac was born. I loved it and I want to go back some day. The only job I love more is staying at home with Isaac and Madelyn.
18. I was almost 27 when I married Ryan. There were many days where I thought I would never meet the right person and get married. It was really hard at times, but looking back, I wouldn't change a thing. My life worked out much better than it could have had I planned it myself.
19. I am married to one of the wittiest men alive. He may seem shy and reserved, but once you get to know him, he can pull out some zingers. No one makes me laugh as much as he does.
20. I got my head stuck between a desk and the desk chair once. I'm still not quite sure how it happened, but it was really traumatic and ultimately very embarrassing. My family still teases me about it to this day.
21. I love to cook with Isaac because he samples every ingredient. That boy knows what baking soda, flour, and lemon juice taste like. I am trying to teach him proper cooking etiquette. It's not working very well.
22. I am either a conservative liberal or a liberal conservative, but I don't claim either party as my own and probably never will, much to my father's disappointment.
23. I think "Everybody Loves Raymond" is one of the funniest t.v. shows ever written.
24. I played in a community soccer league for 3 years and only ever scored one goal. One lousy goal! That's when I decided I should stick to sports that required less coordination, like running.
25. A long time ago my dad gave me some advice. He told me this: "The most important thing in life, the only thing that really matters in the end, is how you treat others." While I fail often, I really try to live by this advice. And he's right. In the end, it is the only thing that really matters.

I tag YOU---(yes, YOU, person reading this blog). I dare you to do it, it's harder than you think but kind of fun.

Obsessions and Insights

This Padre fan loves her pears and peas

I have a new obsession: making homemade baby food. I can't believe I didn't start sooner! My sister and several friends tried to convince me, and I finally gave into peer pressure. I'm so glad I did.

Not only does it save money and cuts down on the amount of baby food wasted, but it takes my domesticity (is that a word?) to a whole new level. I get this strange sense of satisfaction out of pureeing the food myself. Weird but true.

Seriously, if you are currently buying baby food, you should consider making it. All you need is a blender and some ice cube trays---and all the fruits and veggies you plan on pureeing, of course. This website has a lot of good recipes and ideas.

I also like that there is so much more variety than with the store-bought food. So far, Maddie has eaten homemade carrots, peas, green beans, broccoli, avocado, peaches, and pears. And there are bananas and black beans in the freezer waiting to be eaten. She has loved almost all of it (she's not a fan of avocados--where did this girl come from? I could live off them). Pears are her current favorite--I can't shovel them in her mouth fast enough.

So there's my plug for making your own food and saving a few bucks while you're at it.

In other news, I have had a couple of insights lately:

First, story time at the library is a great way to survive winter and get the kids to the library and out of the house. It has recently become a weekly activity in our home and I'm trying to solidify it as a habit. Today we had a couple of friends come with us and Isaac is finally starting participating during the songs (he just needed a little help from his friends). It was great.

My second insight pertains to cleaning up the toys. Isaac is old enough to help clean up his own toys, but let's face it, I can get the job done in half the time and half the effort. I realize, though, that me cleaning up after him doesn't exactly teach him how to "clean up, clean up, everybody everywhere..."

Last night, I said to him, "First, let's clean up the toys; after, we'll eat chocolate."

Those magic words lit a fire in him (my boy loves him some chocolate) and he cleaned the entire living room almost as fast as he messed it up earlier that day. I then rewarded him with 3 (yes, three) chocolate chips.

Ryan calls it borderline child abuse.

I call it sheer genius.

Tonight, all I had to say was, "First, let's clean up the toys," and he immediately yelled "After---CHOCOLATE!!!"

Just call me Pavlov.

While it looks like he's strangling Chase, he's actually trying to bear hug him from behind...not that Chase understands that...

This little girl is obsessed with her new table. Every time she sees it she starts grunting and leaning toward it. I can put her in front of it and it occupies her forever (or until her brother accidentally knocks her down).

The Shoulder Shimmy?

We're not sure what to call this: the worm? an army crawl? or my personal favorite, the shoulder shimmy.

Looks like there are now 4 of us in the house vying for control of the t.v.

Worth It

Lately Isaac has been struggling with screaming--as in, he screams all the time.

When he's happy, when he's sad, when he wants the toy you're playing with...all the time.

While I have been reassured by friends and family alike that this is a phase many children go through--and that he will, in fact, grow out of it---it can still be frustrating.

The other day (after a full morning of screaming) I wanted to scream back at him "STOP SCREAMING!" but the logical part of my brain told me that it wouldn't be very effective.

I had a moment a couple of days ago that made all my trials of motherhood thus far (including the screaming) totally worth it, and I wanted to document it before I forget.

Maddie and Isaac had been sleeping for just over an hour when I heard Maddie crying. I thought I would sneak in and get her before she woke up her older brother.

I opened the door as quietly as possible and peaked inside.

I was too late.

Isaac, who hadn't noticed me, was standing up in his crib right next to Maddie's (the cribs are set up end to end).

He kept saying to her, over and over, "What's wrong Maddie, huh? What's wrong?"

She stopped crying and started smiling and cooing at him. He then proceeded to play peek-a-boo with her. They were both smiling and giggling and still had no idea that I was there.

I rushed to find the camera in hopes of getting a little video clip of the situation. Instead of pushing the record button, I accidentally hit the "snap a picture" button.

The flash went off and I was caught.

Isaac looked up at me and smiled and said "CHEESE!"

Nap time ended then and there, but it was totally worth it.

Tag You're It

I was tagged by my sister...Question and Answer: Answer the following questions with ONE word answers and one word only!Then pass it on..

Sorry I just couldn't do some of them in only one word. I did the best I could...

1. Where is your cell phone? unknown

2. Where is your significant other? school

3. Your hair color? brown

4. Your mother? charitable

5. Your father? Mr.Lucky

6. Your favorite thing? Family

7. Your dream last night? none

8. Your dream/goal? doctorate

9. The room you’re in? bedroom

10. Your hobby? sewing

11. Your fear? Losing

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? casita

13. Where were you last night? Home

14. What you’re not? sweating

15. One of your wish-list items? boots

16. Where you grew up? Kaysville/SanDiego

17. The last thing you did? phone

18. What are you wearing? jeans

19. Your TV? off

20. Your pet? Ryan :)

21. Your computer? Dinosaur

22. Your mood? Feliz

23. Missing someone? many

24. Your car? minivan

25. Something you’re not wearing? earrings

26. Favorite store? Costco

27. Your summer? tooshort

28. Love someone? muchisimo

29. Your favorite color? pink/brown/green

30. When is the last time you laughed? Today

31. Last time you cried? Utah

I tag YOU.

Surviving Subzero Temperatures

It is currently -10 degrees outside with a windchill factor of -35.

Last night it got as cold as -17 degrees with a windchill of who-knows-how-low.

According to the news, it's the coldest it's been in Iowa since 1999.

Anyone want to come for a visit?

Needless to say, I decided to keep the kids inside today, afraid to even venture out to the library. It's not even noon yet and I am already out of ideas to keep us sane! We've already:

• made pancakes
• played beauty salon
• ran around the apartment playing tag
• and crawled all over the floor playing "horsey."

We even attempted to break out the puppet show we received for Christmas (note to self--Wait for Ryan before breaking out the puppet show by yourself again).

Thank goodness for Baby Einstein.

Maddie wasn't as thrilled as I was to play "Beauty Salon." But Isaac was. He wanted this clip... and this one... The finished product that lasted all of 5 minutes before he took them out. A less-than-decent picture of the doorway puppet show stage. Maddie, much happier to be playing with her monkey puppet than getting her hair done.

Our Christmas in Pictures

This post is well overdue for a couple of reasons: First, I have felt super-busy this week, just trying to catch up and get back into the swing of things (can anyone relate?); second, I had to wait for all of my sisters to post their pictures about Christmas so I could swipe as many of them as possible from their blogs(I never seemed to have my camera out during any Kodak moments). So here you have it, in no particular order (since I'm too lazy to organize the photos):

Olivia, Maggie, and Madelyn--the 3 granddaughters on the Mike and Mad side of the family (soon to be 4--my sister is preggers with her first girl!)

Ellie and Isaac learning to make Jello salad (a staple in any Mormon home) with Grandma.

Me with my favorite 10 year-old girl, Natalee.

Isaac and Ellie entertaining themselves at the annual Christmas party.

Isaac and Ryan at Temple Square.

Isaac and I at Temple Square.

Beck and Isaac sledding in Grandpa Mike's backyard. You know your Grandma loves you when she willingly pulls you in a sled around her yard like a horse.

Maddie enjoying the swing, despite the winter chill.

Jer and Maddie quickly became bffs---word has it that no one has melted his heart like this since he first met his pet turtle, Homer.

Maddie and I on Christmas Eve--she's definitely my little angel.

Fischer loading up on the endless sugar available at Grandma's house.

The Great Grandparents with Maddie.

Maddie and Brooke met for the first time--a Christmas miracle for sure.

My bro and his fam at the bowling alley.

Isaac enjoyed bowling with Ryan.

While Maddie had a ball sitting in her carseat (she's easily entertained).

He also liked bowling with me...

and especially liked bowling all by himself (with some help from the ramp and a little adult supervision, of course).

Livy and a crazy-haired Maddie.

Isaac at the bi-annual Grandkids' sleepover. Here he is participating in the money grab. Any guesses as to how much loot he snagged from Grandpa? A penny. My boy dropped all the coins he had in his hand except one lone penny. We'll definitely be practicing before next year's money grab. Luckily Gramps took pity on him and lobbed him (me) $12. Not bad.

Playing games at the sleepover.

Addie thought she was the Belle of the Ball parading around on her new toy car--it was pretty cute.

Maddie had to give it a spin as well.

I love this picture--isn't she adorable?

These two are 6 weeks apart--it will be crazy to see what they are like a year from now.

Christmas dinner, South African style.

We took a trip up to the Hill Air Force Base Museum. Isaac was in heaven with all the "helicocters."

It was a great trip. It's nice to have two places where we feel at home--Utah and Iowa. Happy New Year everybody!