Halloween Fun

It was halloween. Costumes, candy, crazy kids! What more can I say? I hope everyone had a good one!

Prepping for Halloween

When I was a kid, I loved Halloween just like every other kid. Who wouldn't? But, once I got into my teenage and adult years, I really haven't enjoyed it all that much. But since I've had kids and they are now old enough to get really excited for all of the different Halloween activities, I have rediscovered the joy of Halloween. This year, I've been really excited to help the kids pick out costumes and decorate the house. We've made halloween cookies, read halloween books, listened to my old halloween records from when I was little, and today we went to Pack's Pumpkin Patch in Farmington to pick out some pumpkins to make Jack-o'-lanterns. It was so much fun! The kids loved picking out the pumpkins. Naturally, Mason wanted the biggest pumpkin he could find. And also very naturally for her, Mallorie wanted the smallest, cutest, little fella she could find! They were so excited to look at all the pumpkins and pick out what they thought was the best one. They also had a hay maze, which was probably more fun to the kids than even picking the pumpkins was. They spent about 20 minutes running through the maze and left it very reluctantly because I told them we wouldn't get their pumpkins if they didn't come out. Then we tooak pictures at one of those cutout wood pictures that the kids put their faces in. And, because it was just the three of us and I wanted a picture of me with each of the kids, I gave them each a turn taking a picture. They did pretty good! But of course, the funnest part was coming home and carving the pumpkins. We have some of the little carving tools that work really well and are not as sharp as knives. The kids were able to carve their pumpkins pretty much on their own and I was surprised at how well they stayed on the line. They wouldn't stick their hands in to get all the guts out of the pumpkins, so they used spoons to scoop it all out. We had so much fun with all the Halloween stuff today and I loved to see their little faces light up when they told Jeff about it when he got home. They were so proud of their jack-o'-lanterns, and I'm so proud of them. There is nothing better than being a parent! There were more than a few pictures, so I made a slide show, enjoy!

One Word Answers Tag!

The rules: Answer the following questions with one word answers and pass it on to seven others.

Here are the questions:
1. Where is your cell phone? pocket
2. Where is your significant other? work :(
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? friend
5. Your father? leader
6. Your favorite thing? family
7. Your dream last night? hmmm
8. Your dream/goal? eternity
9. The room you're in? livingroom
10. Your hobby? music
11. Your fear? dying
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? home
13. Where were you last night? couch
14. What you're not? shallow
15. One of your wish-list items? freedom
16. Where you grew up? suburbia
17. The last thing you did? work
18. What are you wearing? jeans
19. Your TV? big
20. Your pet? Mason :)
21. Your computer? desktop
22. Your mood? better
23. Missing someone? Jenny
24. Your car? white
25. Something you're not wearing? ring
26. Favorite store? undecided
27. Your summer? stressful
28. Love someone? Jeffrito!
29. Your favorite color? red
30. When is the last time you laughed? constantly
31. Last time you cried? yesterday

Tag: Lucky seven! Jenny, Katie, Missy, Meredith, Jackie, Tiff, Lis (stuck with the relatives this time!) So, as always, if you don't do this tag, I won't be offended, but I thought it was kinda fun!

Ah, the good ole days!

My recent all-nighter with the B-52's got me thinking a lot about the 90's and I've been listening to the 90's station on XM radio. It's great!! Now, I know I don't seem like it, but yes, I am almost 32 (holy crow!) and my high school years were in the early 90's. I loved high school and my young adult years just following, so I wanted to share some of the things that this music reminds me of:

Hammer Pants
"The Claw" Bangs
Boys II Men
Girbaud Jeans
90210
OJ Simpson
Ace of Base
Gulf War "Free Kuwait"
The internet (hard to believe, but I didn't use the internet until college!)
Sega
U2
Ear piercings all the way up the ear (not me, but it was a trend)
The Real World (we didn't have cable, but I remember people talking about it)
Dance music was huge! Techno was just getting big...
Mariah Carey
B.U.M.
KISN 97
Guess
Espirit
Aerosmith, our senior song was "Livin on the Edge" I think.
Saved by the Bell
NKOTB (if you don't know, you're too young to remember!)
perms
Grunge music, specifically Nirvana
Friends

I know there is much more that I haven't listed, so if this list conjures up some memories for you, leave a comment or post a list on your blog. I'd love to hear what everyone remembers!

Tin Roof! Rusted!

Sometimes when I get woken up in the middle of the night, like tonight, the little squirrels in my head start running on their wheels and I can't get my brain to go back to sleep again no matter how tired my body is. Thus, it is now 4:00am and I'm blogging. I've been up since about 12:30 with Mallorie. She is sick and throwing up, poor baby! Now don't worry, she hasn't been up this whole time. She was off and on from 12:30 to 3:00, but has been asleep for awhile now. But not me! My mind is a-racing and its useless to even try anymore. So while I'm laying on the couch next to Peanut trying to force myself to sleep, I've been thinking about all the things that need to be done, and all the bills that need to be paid, which Presidential candidate to vote for, where to live, and worrying about life in general. And while all this is running through my mind, I'm also headin' down the Atlanta highway, lookin' for the love getaway - that's right in the background of my thinking is the song "Love Shack" by the B-52's....mmm hmm. Over and over and over again. And it doesn't stop! What a funky little shack.

Stages of Grief

You know how "they" always talk about the five stages of grief? Well, in dealing with my orphanism, I think I've finally made it to the final stage, acceptance! For anyone who I haven't complained to about it yet, my parents are moving to Denver at the end of this month. And it really sucks!! My sister and her family moved there 4 or 5 years ago. They've pretty much lived out of state for the last 10 years, so I miss them but I'm used to them being gone. Then my brother and his family moved there about 2 years ago, and now my parents are moving there. What's so great about Denver anyway? Its supposedly colder in the winter, a lot more liberal politically (obviously, since the Democratic convention was there) AND, I hate the Nuggets. So, I don't know what the draw is. But, I went through the denial for about a week. Then, the anger, bargaining and depression were all kind of mixed in together and that lasted these last few months. Although I didn't realize I was depressed until now when I have started feeling better. And now I feel like I'm gonna be okay. Its only 7 hours away and I can still talk to them on the phone everyday. I've got my wonderful Jeffy and the kids to keep me busy and happy. And I couldn't ask for better in-laws and friends! So, while its not going to be the same, and I will miss them terribly, I have accepted that they are doing what's best for them and I can handle it. I know this sounds really silly, but I have really felt like I was becoming an orphan since they "announced" it to me earlier this year. But I feel like I'm finally out of the depression and can enjoy the sun again. Yeah for me! Now I can move on to the next crisis. Ha ha, jk! Maybe I can avoid any major life crises for awhile.

It's Autumntime!

Autumn is absolutely my favorite time of year! I love the little bit of chill in the air (usually!), football, the changing leaves, general conference - not necessarily in that order. Even the sunlight looks different to me, and I love it! I wish fall and spring were longer here instead of summer and winter. Oh well!
This fall, we are busy looking for a place closer to Jeff's work and closer to what's left of our family. We are busy looking at different places in Centerville, Bountiful, Woods Cross, mainly South Davis County. If I could just get Jeff to go to SL county...but, I'm not holding my breath on that one! But, never fear, we'll find something. And now, its even more complicated because the kids will be starting kindergarten next year and we want to make sure they will go to a good school. Lots to think about! I'll post pictures when we finally decide on something. Wish us luck!

"isms"

I thought I would post some of the "isms" that Mason and Mallorie have come up with. Keep in mind, this is not all of them, just the ones I can think of right now:

Mason:
gonk - an insult
sunscream - sunscreen
You're driving me nuts! - he learned that one from Mommy... :)
"I need some privacy" - when he's trying to go potty and doesn't want Mallorie in the bathroom with him.

Mallorie:
"Mom, my little legs are running out of gas" - when we're on a long walk and she is getting tired
Werewolbs - werewolves
"Cute little fella" - this refers to any living thing that she thinks is cute including all animals and most bugs, even spiders.
"Mom, you forgot me some milk" - or whatever it is that I have not gotten fast enough for her.

Both:
Jelly Bug - in Utah, its called a potato bug. I grew up calling it a roly poly.
"Watch on me!" - when they want me to go outside and watch them play or watch them in the tub. They also ask "Who's gonna watch on us?" when I have to go somewhere without them.

If I think of more, I'll edit the post later!

Preschool!

It's here already! Preschool started last week! I have been dreading and looking forward to this time all year. Dreading it because it means my kids aren't babies anymore, and looking forward to it because its 5 hours a week that I can kinda be Robyn again, not "the twins' mom". So, its been all crazy! But the kids have liked it so far. I was really worried that there would be tears and screaming, but they were actually fine with me leaving. They walked in and started coloring and when I said I was leaving, they just gave me a kiss and a hug and said bye. Aaaargh! Its wonderful because they feel secure in themselves, but scary because they don't need me as much anymore. Being a mom is confusing, isn't it?

I signed the kids up to go to Oak Hills elementary in Bountiful, which is down the street from Jeff's parents house and its where Jeff went to school when he was little. I think its pretty cool that they get to go to the same school. And, our cousin Cameron goes there and he has assured us that he will be their "bodyguard". I was worried about what kind of school it was if they needed one! But its nice to know that he'll watch out for them. The first day Mallorie said a little boy pushed her so she didn't want to go back the next time. But it turns out he just followed her too closely on the slide and probably just bumped her. Mason said that if he had seen it he would have punched the kid. OY! He's got a little aggressive streak in him-just like Dad-but I think he's more bark than bite. If it came right down to it and he got hurt, he'd run crying for mommy! Also, just like dad! :) JK! The other things they talked about from the first day were snack time (of course!), playing on the playground, and they asked me if I saw "the little chubby girl". There is a girl in their class, we've since learned her name is Allyson, and she has the cutest, chubby cheeks! We're working on calling her by her given name instead, though. I don't think they called her that to her face, but who knows?

All in all, it has been a great experience so far and I think it will be really great for me and the kids. If nothing else, they can meet new friends and experience life away from mom and dad for a little bit each week. The picture of the kids with their arms around each other is from the actual first day of school. The picture in front of the school is from the second day! They didn't change much in 4 days...

Another Birthday!

It seems like we're just having tons o' b-days to celebrate! Today is our bro-in-law Brandon's birthday. Come to think of it, I'm not sure exactly how old he is...maybe 25? After about 25, everyone seems the same to me until they get about 35. Anyhoo, some stuff I like about Brandon: He is a computer geek. You may think this sounds rude, but I'm okay with calling him that. First, because it is a title he has given himself, and second because I say that as a compliment. If you ever need to know anything about computers or need your computer fixed, he's your guy and I think its pretty darn cool. Ok, another thing I like about Brandon is that he is a perfect match for our l'il sis Katie. He is such a great guy and is so devoted to her. I mean, really, what other guy would watch the Disney channel - AND LIKE IT! - with his wife? And the last thing I wanted to say about him (but not the only other thing that I like about him, I just don't have enough time to go on and on...). He is who he is and makes no apologies for it. I really admire that. Computer geek, Disney channel watching, World of Warcraft playing Brandon is a great guy and I feel lucky to have him in our family. Love ya Brandon, Happy B-Day!

I tried to find a song that I wanted to play that would express my feelings about this anniversary, but nothing fits. So I just want to have silence. Moments of silence for all those who died on this day in 2001. It is just as horrible, scary, and sad to me today as it was the day it happened.

I hope that everyone took a few moments to remember those that were lost on September 11th, and those that have lost their lives since defending our freedoms. And please, please pray for the men and women of our military. They need all the love and support they can get and we owe them so much more.

August Rush

Did you see that movie August Rush? I didn't, but the title works great for the past month of our lives. It seems like we've been so busy, and yet I can't think of anything we did out of the ordinary. Weird, huh? Because I've been so busy and haven't posted for awhile, I missed posting two very important birthdays. My dad's birthday was on the 12th, and my brother-in-law Juan's birthday was on the 20th. They are both very important to me and I love them so much. Juan really is like an older brother to me and I look up to him very much. Some things that I admire about Juan: He's a freakin' genius! He has three Ph.D.'s. That's right, I said three! In (I hope I get this right...) Microbiology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry. It's mind boggling, I know! He is one of the most spiritual people I know. He always provides great advice and is so accepting of everyone, no matter what. So, you can tell he's pretty much fantabulous. Love you Juan!

I can't even tell you how much my dad means to me. He has always been the one that keeps me grounded and focused on what is important. Where my mom is my best friend to vent to and have fun with and cry to, my dad is the one that I can always go to for unbiased advice. Even when I don't like the advice he gives, he is usually right in some way. Don't tell him I said that! He taught me to be an inquisitive and an independent thinker, and how to figure things out for myself (look it up!)

So, sorry its late, but Happy Birthday to Dad and Juan, love you!

I've been everywhere man, I've been everywhere!

There is a great Johnny Cash song called "I've been everywhere". You may know it from the commercial that is on tv for some hotel chain. Well, that's how I have felt the past couple of weeks, we've been so busy! So I put together a slideshow (it may take a few minutes to load all the pictures, so watch it a few times) of the last couple of weeks of our lives to that song, and you can just substitute the following things we've done for all of the places Johnny says:

swimming, driving, working, playing, fishing, Bountiful parade, working, driving, Yellowstone, horseback riding (see pictures), playing, working, driving, Quake Lake, Hebgen Lake, working, driving, sand dunes, Ogden, Firehole, Grandma Denlinger's, Grandma Packer's, shopping, working, driving, playing, Dr. Doug's, wasp sting!, Pre-Halloween...

Whew!! I know there are a couple that are repeated over and over. They are the ones that seem like we did the most. I tried to get pictures of everything that I could, of course some will be missing. July has flown by! Before you know it, summer will be over. We have had so much fun though spending a lot of time this summer with the Hinds side of the family (since the Haag side has deserted us for Denver!) We're looking forward to enjoying the rest of the summer and for Preschool starting in September. I have really enjoyed blogging our adventures and reading all your blogs, keep 'em going!

Happy Birthday Jeff!

Jeff is starting to catch up to me! Today is my Jeffy's 29th birthday. I don't have much time to post, but I want to say a few things about him. He's an awesome husband and father. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't make me laugh, and that is what I love most about him. If you know him fairly well, you'll know that he is fiercely loyal to and protective of the people he loves and he would do anything for his friends and family. And he is always cheering for the underdog. He's just an all-around great guy. Happy Birthday Frito! I love you!

Happy Birthday Patty!

I'm sure all of you love your mother-in-laws, but really, I have the best one out there! Sorry. It's just the truth. I can't even begin to describe how wonderful my mother-in-law Patty really is. But I will tell you some of my favorite things about her. Here goes...

1. She has a great smile. She doesn't think so, but she really does. The best is when it really reaches her eyes and you can see the joy of whatever it is that she is smiling about.

2. She has a very mischievous side to her. She's been known to start more than a few water fights (and she's not afraid to get wet).

3. She is always ALWAYS there for you when you need her. And I'm not just talking about babysitting or doing something for us. I know that I can always talk to her and she is always there to listen. The best part is, she never judges, she just listens.

4. She always knows where to find the best deals! Let me tell you, the lady can shop...

5. Probably the most important. She has always accepted me and loved me no matter what. I have always felt welcomed and loved in her home even when I didn't really deserve it.

Obviously, the list is incomplete but I am so lucky to have the mother-in-law that I do. Happy Birthday Patty!!

Heigh Ho! and New music I found...

Heigh Ho! Heigh Ho! It's home to work I go. Ha ha. As most of you know, I recently started a new job working from home. I've had a lot of questions about it, so I thought I'd post about. Where to begin? I get up every morning with Jeff at 5am. Once he leaves at 6, I log on to the computer and sit in my jammies listening to music, and work for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours before the kids get up. Then I usually do another hour or two in the afternoon or at night after the kids go to bed. There is really nothing interesting about the actual work - I look at pictures and inspection reports on high value homes and then correct any mistakes, complete the reports and send them to the insurance company. It gets a little tedious, but I do enjoy it! The best parts are that I can be at home with my kids, work in my jammies, listen to music, eat, whatever, while I work, and I make my own hours. I can work any time during the day that I want, its fantabulous!

New Music: The other day I watched one of my favorite movies "Somethings Gotta Give". It is a really cute show with Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson, and a little eye candy called Keanu Reeves. For those of you who haven't seen it, before you take my recommendation and see it, you need to know that its rated PG-13 and does contain a couple seconds of nudity (Jack Nicholson's butt) and a few swear words. Anyway, I love the soundtrack from it and so I looked up the songs on playlist.com and made my own little playlist of just that music. While I was looking for the songs from the soundtrack, I "discovered" an artist that I really like. His name is Django Reinhardt. He was a Belgian/French jazz musician back when Jazz music was in its hayday and is considered one of the most renowned jazz guitarists of all time. So, as I was looking for his music, I realized that there is a whole other part of Jazz music that I really like. It's kind of French folk music and with jazz mixed in. Sounds weird, I know, but it is really good!! I have a very eclectic taste in music, as you can see. I changed my playlist on the blog for a couple of days so you can hear it. Its good stuff!

Oh what do you do in the summertime?

Some of my favorite times of summer are not the vacations or swimming, fireworks or the parades. Although those times are great, my favorite times are lazy summer nights like tonight. The sun was just setting and it had finally cooled down enough to be not only bearable but quite pleasant outside. Jeff and Mason had been outside playing baseball, while Mallorie ran around barking like a dog. Her favorite pastime! We did some sparklers and then just sat outside enjoying the fresh air. You could hear the dogs in the neighborhood barking, a plane flying overhead, and eventually the crickets chirping. It was as if time stopped for awhile. For awhile, there was nothing to clean, no laundry to do, no bedtimes. It was just us being together. It was so great and its one of my favorite things to do in the summertime. So, of course, I ran to get the camera. And after much begging and pleading with Jeff to smile (he hates smiling in pictures), I managed to get a couple of great ones! My life, my loves...

Another first and Moon over Miami...I mean, Layton

On Saturday, Mason and Mallorie received their first big kid bikes! Yay! They picked them out themselves and they have loved them. Mason already had a helmet from his skateboard, so we needed one for Mallorie. Dad picked out a pink Barbie helmet for her because he knows she loves her. She is definitely a girly-girl! They are still a little cautious riding them, even with training wheels and they haven't wanted to practice a lot so that they can get better. Both of them have already had a couple of "crashes". The funny thing is, Mason already instinctively knows how to bail off the bike before he falls, he's such a crazy kid!



































On a more embarrassing note: This morning while I was in the shower, the kids decided to scatter toys all over the living room. So I walked out in my towel and saw the tornado-stricken area and without even thinking, started picking up toys. With my hands already overflowing with toys and still holding up my towel, I bent over to pick something up. Well, it was one thing too many and, instead of dropping the excess toys, I let go of my towel! This wouldn't be a big problem (except possible mental scarring of my children) except that I was backed right up to the sliding glass door at the time and let's just say the neighbors, if they were looking, got a little peep show of my backside. Hope they liked it! I haven't checked for a butt-print on the glass yet. So, the lesson for today is...even if there are toys scattered and you can barely make a path through the room, always get dressed first! Or at least close the blinds!

Wazzuuuuuuuuup!

I've been pretty busy over the last few weeks, so I haven't had a chance to post much. Summer just seems to fly by, doesn't it? So here's an update:

Jeff has been working really hard at his job. He's also been playing church softball with Bill (his dad) and Ryan (our bro-in-law), which he loves!! I think its great that they have that in common. Their team tends to do really well and they always end up in the region playoffs, we'll see this year. Go Heights ward!
I have been working a lot lately. Well, a lot for me anyway. I worked for NAI for about a week training the new girl who is replacing the girl who replaced me. I know, weird. It was fun to be with all my friends at NAI though, and I loved it. After being home with the kids all day everyday for the last 5 months, it was a welcome change. Then I was being trained for the next two weeks for my new work at home job. I love it! It is so nice to be able to help with the financial support of my family, but I get to stay at home to do it. I think I'm catching on pretty quickly and its been great so far.In the meantime, the kids got to spend part of every day with Grandma Patty (as they call her) while I was at work. They love going to Grandma's house and she loves having them. I hope they didn't wear her out! They can be exhausting at times. While they were with Grandma they went to Wheeler Farm with Auntie Missy and Jackson. They got to ride ponies, feed the ducks, and go on a hayride. They loved it!! That was about 2 weeks ago and they are still talking about it. I'm so grateful to our wonderful family for being able to help us out like they do. Last Saturday, we went swimming at Grandma and Grandpa Hinds' house in our blow-up pool. It was so much fun!! Jackson came over and the three kids had a blast.
See how long Mally's hair is? Right after they went swimming, Auntie Missy cut about 4 inches off! Jinkies! Mallorie wanted it shorter, but Mommy couldn't handle it. It is still pretty long and looks A LOT better! It curls under quite nicely all by itself and I imagine it must be cooler.
We also got to visit with my Aunt Gail and my cousins: Josh and Heather, Lis and Jason, and Emily and her boyfriend Andrew. It was great to see them! Not growing up around each other, we've never had a lot of chances to hang out, but I really enjoy them and I hope we can get together more often. The day they were all here, we finally convinced Mason that it was time to release the butterflies, so we did. They flew right out and into the yard! We think we've seen them a few times since, but of course you can't be sure.
We are going to Yellowstone in a few weeks. Yippee!! Its an annual trip we make with the Hinds family and its so much fun. You would think we would get tired of seeing the same thing year after year, but we don't. I think its just fun for all of us to be together. And its even more special because Grams and Pops come up from Mesquite and Rick and Cameron go too. There's 4-wheeling, fishing, and shopping. Yahoo!! We can't wait.
The kids will be starting preschool in the fall and its a little scary for everyone. Any ideas on making it easier for mom and kids would be great!

Our superstar!

Well, we have a new star in the family. Jeff was "featured" on Channel 2 News today. They were doing a story about how West Valley City is trying to clean itself up and they talked about the five new Code Enforcement Officers that were being sworn in today, Jeff being one of them. But, they specifically interviewed him and not the other new people. He looked very handsome (I think that's why they picked him) and gave a great interview. Hollywood here we come! So, Jeff is sworn in now and has his badge and everything. Congratulations Jeff, we're so proud of you! Click on this link to get to the video on KUTV, the video will be on the right-hand side of the screen and you have to click the play button:

http://www.kutv.com/?articleID=44076

Lovin' the in-laws

We had such a good day yesterday! We went down to Bountiful for our friend Lindsay's homecoming. Yeah Lindsay!! She served in the London South Mission (I think that's right, correct me if I'm wrong) and she is such a cute, great girl. She is our sister Katie's best friend and she is like a member of the family. It was so awesome to sit in sacrament meeting with all of the Hinds family together. Then we all went to Grandma and Grandpa Hinds' house and just hung out all afternoon. I was really struck by how lucky we are to have such a wonderful family! And how lucky I am to have married into it, and how lucky I am that my sisters-in-law married who they did, they have awesome husbands-but what else do you expect for such awesome women! We all get along so well and I really feel like they are my brothers and sisters/parents. My favorite thing yesterday was watching our nephew Jackson play with our kids. In church, he wanted to sit right by "MalMal" and wanted to share Bubba's snacks. It took a little convincing, but Mason finally shared without throwing a hissy fit and everyone was happy. Then at Grandma's house, the three of them played outside with Grandpa and had such a great time!! Jackson follows the big kids around and mimics what they do, it's so cute!! And the kids are great with him (for the most part). They let him play with them pretty well and love to have him around. I didn't take any pictures of the three of them together yesterday, but I will soon and post them.
So, to the Hinds', Davis', and Barnedts' I want to say Thank You! For accepting me the way I am (all uncoordinated and non-sporty), for always being there for us, and for being great friends. I love you all so much!!

Our new pets

For his birthday, Grandma gave Mason a butterfly house and some caterpillars. He was soooo excited. He has seen the commercials on tv for them, and he couldn't wait to get those things and see them grow. When we got the cup with the caterpillars in it, he was a little confused because they didn't look like butterflies, but we explained how it all works and he was cool with that. He checked on them everyday while they were in their cup getting bigger and bigger. After about a week and a half, they had all cocooned themselves in their chrysalids and we put them in the actual house. Then yesterday, after about another week and half, the first one "hatched" and it is really cool looking. Its hard to see in the picture, but it is kind of pearly gray with blue spots. Another one "hatched" today and now they both actually have blue and orange spots. It looks like there is a third that is wiggling and trying to get out now, so we may have a whole family of them soon. There are a total of five. Right now, we are feeding them sugar water soaked paper towels, but we are going to buy some oranges at the store so that they can feed on that. If your kids want a pet, but you aren't ready or can't give them a dog or cat just now, butterflies are extremely low maintenance and fun! We are having a great time learning about butterflies and it has calmed the requests for a pet for now. If only they lived longer than 2 weeks!

Bad Day!

So, today is just one of those bad days when it feels like the whole world is plotting against you and that nothing is right. I've been really stressed out about a lot of things lately. I've been trying to solve a moral dilemma that I'm having, and today I just found out some news, out of the blue, that has hit me like a ton of bricks. Nothing serious to anyone else, but to me, it's devastating. Okay, that sounds pretty serious, and it is-to me, but I'll be okay. For those of you who know what I'm talking about...really, I'm okay and you don't need to feel bad or worry about me. I promise! For everyone, I really am going to be okay. It's just one of those days. And I wanted to share because most blogs just talk about things when they are all hunky-dorey, but this is real life and, well (cover your eyes), shit happens! And it landed on me today. We all have to have our roll in the poop wagon! In the grand scheme of things though, my family is healthy and happy, and we love each other and that's really what matters. I know that I'm being very cryptic, but it's not my place to give details. So, please just keep me in your prayers! It's just a bad day. I love you all and I'm so grateful to have such great family and friends in my life. You're the best!

"The Host", end of the Yo-Yo

I finished the new book from Stephenie Meyer (Twilight series) called "The Host". Before I read it, a couple of different people told me that they had a hard time getting into it and they weren't sure if they liked it, so I was a little worried. But let me tell you, I loved it!! I really like the way Meyer writes. She has so many little sub-plots going on, yet it isn't hard for me to follow. She gives you just enough information to keep it exciting and interesting, but not quite enough to figure everything out. While this book has its fair share of "the lomance" (romance) as Jeff calls it, that isn't the main focus of the book. It is intriguing more because of the plight of the characters in the book. I am really not a science fiction reader, but this is like "Science Fiction for Dummies". It is really good. So I encourage you to check it out when you can.

Totally different subject! If you have read my past posts, you'll know that one of my goals is to get physically fit. I'm sure that a lot of people have the same goal, but for me it's a matter of I have to do it now. And it isn't just a diet or exercise program that I am going to get on to lose weight, I am actually changing my lifestyle and I can tell this time that because I am doing that, it is going to be a long-term change. In the past I have lost weight and gained it back, but not anymore. I'm sick of the yo-yo! IT'S THE END OF THE YO-YO! I have not only changed my eating habits, but I am exercising too. For those of you who know me well, you know that this is not exactly my cup of tea. And I'm not the most coordinated, so I prefer to exercise in the privacy of my own living area so that I can have the least amount of embarrassment possible. So, for the last few months I have been trying, and succeeding for the most part, to exercise three days a week. And so far I've lost about 18 pounds (yay me! pat on the back!) Anyway, I got up this morning and DID NOT want to work out. But I sucked it up and did it and once I got into it, I actually found I was enjoying exercising. I was even enjoying sweating. Me! I know!! Crazy, but true. Miracles do happen!

Tag from Missy and Katie

How To Play This Game of Tag:Post these rules on your blog. List: 3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/collections, 3 random surprising facts about yourself. Tag 5 people at the end of your post by leaving their names. Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

3 Joys!
1. My husband and kids. I am so happy that Jeff and I are best friends. I think it can be hard to maintain that sometimes after you are married. I'm so in love with him! We have a great time together, and we work well as a team. Love you Frito! And of course, what mom doesn't love watching their kids grow and develop, they're so much fun! I can't imagine life without them.
2. Music. Playing the piano, singing, or just listening. I love music!! I think it is one of the ways that God communicates to us and it brings me a lot of joy and comfort in my life.
3. Humanity. I get so much joy from seeing people do good things for other people. And seeing people achieve their goals or make a difference in the world. It always reminds me that there is so much good in this world and gives me hope.

3 Fears
1. Drowning in the ocean. I know, I live in the middle of a desert, so there isn't much chance of this, but the ocean is SO big and SO deep that if I was ever in it (the deep part) for whatever reason, I might freak out a little. Plus, there's all sorts of creatures swimming around and pooping, yuck!
2. Dying young. I have a huge fear of not being able to see my kids grow up and also of them growing up without a mom. This is probably my worst fear ever!
3. Not having any money to retire on.

3 Goals
1. Getting into shape physically.
2. Getting completely out of debt and buying a house. Check back in 20 years, we might be a little closer to this one!
3. Flirting with my husband. It sounds corny, but with the day to day stresses of life, it's easy for me to forget this.

3 Current Obsessions
1. The Twilight series of books. I really am obsessed with it. No really. Obsessed. I can't help myself! It can't be healthy.
2. My family. My whole life is centered around Jeff, Mason, and Mallorie.
3. Organizing. I'm not very good at it, but I am constantly trying to organize different aspects of my life and maintaining the organization. Jeff would probably laugh because he doesn't think I'm organized at all, but it's true. I think about it constantly.

3 Surpising random facts about myself (I don't know how surprising these are, but...)
1. I was born in Washington D.C.
2. I am a romantic through and through. I'm such a sucker for romantic gestures, romantic movies, etc. That's one of the things that I liked about Jeff when we first met is that he was always doing cute, silly things to try to get me to go out with him, until I finally gave in. He may not have considered them romantic, but to me they were. Life moves on though, and these are not nearly as frequent now :( My secret fantasy is to have him plan a romantic night for us with romantic music, see #3, candles, and no basketball or other sports on tv. In fact, no tv whatsoever. Just us. Whew! I get goosebumps just thinking about it!

3. My favorite types of music are American Standards (think Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Michael Buble, Rosemary Clooney, etc.) Big Band, Jazz, and Swing. Along with this, the era of the 30's, 40's and 50's are my favorite. I love everything about it: music, movies, fashion, decor, cars, architecture, etc. I think I was born in the wrong time period.


I am going to tag this to Jill, Jennifer, Jenny, Meredith and Abby because I haven't seen it on theirs yet, I don't think! But I look at this as a forwarded email that tells you to forward it to five friends or whatever, if you don't, I won't be upset about it. It's just something fun!

Reality TV and the whole enchilada...

I have followed this season of American Idol semi-seriously. I haven't watched every week but I watch when I can and I look up certain performances on YouTube afterward. I kind of gave up on it a few seasons ago. It just got to be too much for me. You have to be home to watch every Tuesday, or DVR it and watch it later. It's kind of like The Bachelor, I just don't have time to make that much of an emotional investment anymore, and the result always lets me down! Anyhoo, mocklate, (Friends joke!) I have watched this season, like I said, semi-seriously. But my mom and I talk about it and, of course, one of our favorites is David Archuleta and we have recently been talking about all the hulabaloo when he came home to Utah. So tonight, I had it on and when David Archuleta came on to sing his third song, Mallorie, very seriously said, "Hey! That's David Enchilada!" I kind of laughed and said David who? And she said "Enchilada!" It was so cute!! You say Archuleta, we say Enchilada!

Birthday Cakes

For the kids' birthday I made some fun cakes. Mason wanted a pirate themed cake and Mallorie, of course, wanted a horse cake. So here are some pictures of my first attempt at a decorated cake, not just frosted. Far from professional, but they were cute and fun to make!

Birthday weekend!

We've had a great birthday weekend with our twinkles! The kids turned four on Saturday - Oh my gosh!! We can't believe that they are that old already. The time has flown by so quickly and through it all, the hugs and kisses, tantrums, beautiful smiles, and up-all-nights, we have loved every second of it. After everyone else had gone to bed on Saturday night, I stayed up and I was thinking about what a miracle these munchkins have been in our lives. I also realized how special they are and how cool it is that they are twins. They are best friends and for the last four years have rarely been apart. They are so lucky to have each other and, in the grand scheme of things, they have such a short period of time that they will have most of the same interests and their lives will be so intertwined. That is so special! I am so happy that they have had these last four years that way. As they get older, they will do their own things and make their own friends. I just hope they will always be close and always lean on each other.

Mason got a play bow and arrow set for his birthday that he absolutely loves! He picked it out himself and he was so excited to get it home and use it, he said "I can't wait to try this baby out!" It was so cute!!! Mallorie is such a sweetheart and really enjoys spending time with the people she loves. She had so much fun playing at Grandma and Grandpa's on Sunday and she especially loved playing the kids' new Candy Land game with her Auntie Katie!

Twilight

I want to say how excited I am for the next book in the Twilight series to come out! And the movie! I know, I know...it sounds so silly to be excited about a "vampire romance" novel, but hey, I can't help myself. If you haven't read any of the books by Stephenie Meyer, I highly recommend them. I didn't want to read them myself at first because I'm not really into vampire stuff, but oh my gosh!! I loved them! They are the type of books that you can't stop reading until you get to the end. You tell yourself that at the end of the next chapter you will stop and get something done around the house, or in my case, go to bed at 3 o'clock in the morning. But then, you either don't realize that the chapter is over or you are so engrossed that you just can't stop. I read all three of the first books in record time (even for me!) I put a link to the author's website here for you, check it out! Just click on the title of this post. She is also writing another series called "Host" that looks like it will be just as good. I also just found out that someone I know recently dressed up for his wife as Edward, the main vampire character in the books and the love interest. I wonder if I could get Jeff to do that?

Time to start coloring...

This morning as I was getting ready for church, I brushed through my hair and gave it a little tease. Then, as I went to pull it into my standard ponytail I noticed, as I do everyday, that I have a lot of gray coming in, especially at my hairline. Aaaargh! I've never been overly worried about it, but for some reason the last couple of weeks, it has really been bothering me. Where is all this coming from? Well, today at church I got my answer. No, it wasn't some sort of divine thought that entered my mind while I sat peacefully listening to the speakers in sacrament meeting. I wish! No, it was actually while I was wrestling with Mason, trying to keep him from kicking my mom or the seat in front of him as he very loudly said "I don't want to go to church any more, it's too long!" This isn't the first time he has expressed his feelings about church this way, a few weeks ago, he yelled "I want to go home, this is boring!" At first I was so shocked and embarrassed, I quickly tried to cover his yelling with my shooshing, but then I looked around at the faces of the people who turned to see the spectacle and saw on their faces, not scorn or reproach for my heathen child, but I could see empathy and humor and realized that not only had most of them been in this or a similar situation, but THEY WERE THINKING THE SAME THING!! So I try not to get as embarrassed by or upset with my son when he acts out now, instead I try to see it as another experience of being a parent and to teach him how to behave better. While this small ephiphany is comforting and makes life a little less stressful, I realize that the frustration comes out in the form of gray hair. So, while I appreciate that the gray hair is somehow a rite of passage in the parenting world, in the next few weeks I will get my hair colored and cut and then I can look like the serene women I see at church who seem to take it all in stride when their children are screaming, throwing goldfish, or sticking their tongue out at the people behind them. For those of you that have children, you know exactly what I'm talking about, whether at church, the grocery store, or the library, you've probably experienced these "Mommy moments". For those of you that are expecting to have children someday, good luck! And don't let this scare you, while it can be very overwhelming at times, the hugs and kisses, and unconditional devotion from your children are worth it!

Just starting out...

I guess we finally decided to jump on the blogging bandwagon! I think it will be a great way to keep our friends and family updated on our day to day adventures, and believe me we have lots of adventures!! Mason and Mallorie are keeping us busy (as usual!) with their three year old antics. We somehow had the "Terrific Twos" and are now enjoying the "Tear-our-hair-out Threes"! We keep hoping that we'll have "Fabulous Fours". We'll see what happens in the next few months after they turn four.
We just had our fifth wedding anniversary this past week, holy cow!! It has gone by so quickly, yet it feels like we've been together forever already. For me, it's hard to remember what life was like without Jeff. I feel like he's a part of me and that we have always been friends. I can't imagine loving anyone more than I do him, and I am so blessed to be married to such a wonderful husband. I also feel like I've always been part of the Hinds family. I am so lucky to have them in my life and I love them all so much!
Okay, no more mushy stuff! We spent a lot of time playing outside as a family today and it was so much fun. The kids are growing up so fast, we can barely keep up! Right now it looks like Mason got his athletic ability from Jeff, thank goodness! Unfortunately for Mallorie, she seems like she might take after Robyn in that department. Lets hope that we (and by we, I mean Jeff) can work with her and unlock some of those Hinds athletic genes!