Tagged

7 Things...

7 Things I Plan To Do Before I Die:

1. Hike Timp (it's sad really).
2. Visit The Louvre.
3. Move out of the ghetto neighborhood that we live in...I just don't like the wannabe gang living next door.
4. Finish the Avatar: The Last Air Bender series...I know it sounds nerdy but it is so good.
5. Sky Dive
6. Have an actual career.
7. Pay off our car, then pay cash for every car purchased after that one dies.

7 Things I Can Do:

1. Completely tune out kids throwing temper tantrums (they don't even phase me now).
2. Play just about every sport decently.
3. Cook a mean grilled-cheese sandwich.
4. Decipher the cries of Asher...It might sound dumb, but it cuts down on the crying.
5. Speak ASL...actually last night I dreamed in ASL, weird.
6. Still rattle off the old missionary discussions.
7. Buy cheap books & video games on half.com; most are $.75.

7 Things I cannot Do:

1. Buy books full price.
2. Go skiing or anything else outside in the winter...I freeze, what do you expect I grew up in AZ?!
3. Read quickly
4. Watch TV for longer then an hour...unless it is a sporting event.
5. Be around clowns...they scare me pretty bad.
6. Watch Pride & Prejudice...or pretty much any Jane Austin movie.
7. Stand entitled people.

7 Things That Attract Me To Trine:

1. Her personality
2. Her eyes
3. Her smile
4. Her intelligence
5. The fact that she questions everything and wants to establish her own opinion.
6. Her mothering skills
7. Her kindness to others

7 Things I Say Most Often:

1. "What's up little man?" (Asher)
2. "Man you stink" when Ash has a dirty diaper
3. "Ash Man"
4. "Okay CUBYE"
5. "Take a chair" used at work to calm kids down
6. "Class II" used as a punishment at work
7. "We're the girls on the run, we're the girls with the diamond dolls..." from Chipmunk Adventure.

7 Celebrity Admirations:

1. Brad Pitt & Angelina Jollie
2. Bono
3. Jerry Lewis
4. Jesus Christ...although he is not technically a celeb, he is known by everyone.
5. Pretty much anyone who donates money to people who need it (Numbers 5-7).

7 Favorite Foods:

1. Chocolate
2. Veggie Burritos
3. Indian Food
4. Blizzards at DQ
5. Bean Tacos
6. Salad
7. Fruit

7 People Who Should Do This:

1. Anyone who would like to...I just like lists (Numbers 1-7).

Future Cheftestant

I really enjoy cooking. Asher and I cook together on occasion. That's us making a lasagna. My ideal home is one with a large, fully stocked kitchen. William's Sanoma is one of my happy places. Mandy, one of my best friends, is probably the best cook I know. One day I will have her skills! Seriously, the woman doesn't measure. She just pours and it turns out beautiful. Lately, I've been making an effort to add two new vegetarian meals to my rotation of meals each week. I haven't gotten brave enough to cook with tofu yet, but I'm become more skilled with beans. This weekend I made Thai Peanut Noodles from the Best Bite blog and added more veggies.

Aaron and I usually look forward to Hell's Kitchen in the summer, the contestants don't have any amazing skill, but Gordon Ramsey is semi-amusing. However, during one of my six hour bouts of false labor I discovered the greatest show...Top Chef. It's a show for people who can actually cook! Aside from the reality show aspect, it was exciting to watch the cheftestants complete all of the challenges. My favorite was how two teams had to cater a whole wedding a 24 hours. Since we don't have cable I'm happy to discover that Bravo now has episodes online. Yippee!

Happy Holidays

As the holidays are steadily approaching, I have become overcome with Christmas spirit. Now when I say this, you have to understand that normally I HATE the holiday seasons. I dislike Christmas music because every artist has to release a "new version" of the same holiday classic, and the artists put out new Christmas albums periodically with a "new Christmas classic". I dislike shopping during the holidays because of the commercialism and the rude people around me. I dislike decorating Christmas trees because it takes so long, and my hands always come away with more scratches then the whole year proceeding the decorating.

However, for some reason this holiday has been different. My attitude has some what changed this year. I still hate the commercialism that our culture has chosen to sponsor. When it comes down to it, I have done more things "Christmasy" this year than in previous years. I have secretly been listening to Christmas music in the car to and from work --not everyday but at least twice a week. I watched "White Christmas" last night by myself while Trine was at girls night. And I secretly have been counting down the number of days until I can put up the tree--secretly hoping that I won't get cut up this year.

So, today I was thinking of past Christmases that have been memorable, Christmases where Trine & I did something good. These examples have kind of helped change my attitude about Christmas.

1. Trine & I spent Christmas eve working at the "Family Support & Treatment Center" two years ago. During that holiday season, we housed two difficult children who where driving their parents crazy. Trine & I had them help us on the Gingerbread House that we were completing for a contest with my family. My family decided to do "cereal houses" because you could mold it better than Graham crackers. We did not win that year because the only other entry was my nieces & nephew's. Trine & I made "The Black Pearl" from Pirates of The Caribbean. Yes, everything was edible; seaweed for sails, coco krispies for the boat, slim Jim's for poles, blue jello for water, and fruit roll-ups for cabin windows.
2. Last year Trine & I decided instead of spending money on ourselves we were going to provide Christmas for Trine's fourteen and sixteen year old brothers. Sure he wanted a new video game system, all the Star Wars memorabilia he could get, a new IPod, and the complete series of "The Series of Unfortunate Events." But if we were providing we were going to do something that would strengthen his mind. We decided to buy him the complete book series in hardback. However, to make it special I made him a wood shelving case for his books. It was nice, but come Christmas morning he still complained that he didn't get a new Xbox 360. Oh well, we tried.

Baby Tas

So thanks for the input on Aaron's Christmas survey. I think we are going to go with the wii.

As he mentioned in his post the flu hit our home last weekend. I was already trying to get rid of a cold with Asher so in order to keep him from getting the flu too we sent him, overnight, to my parents house. While there he learned a new little trick. When he's hungry he has a cough/cry thing he does. Well, my family thought that was so cute that they would do it back to him and now my son has learned that it's funny so he does it ALL THE TIME! My hope is that now that he'll get bored with the sound in a few days. It really sounds like a puppy pant/fake cough.

Needless to say, this new development made church a little difficult. We have an afternoon, meeting schedule which rolls right through nap time. Ash is a very active baby and who will really only sleep in a quiet room. Trying to get him to sleep with a congregation full of people is just not going to happen for us. I'm resigned to this, but yesterday it was if my happy baby was replaced by a Tasmanian devil. He was so squirmy and empowered by his new noise. Our Sunday school teacher even asked at the end of the block of meetings when we were going to get our baby trained. I'm not sure if he was joking, but it hurt my feelings. We try really hard to keep him entertained and to not disrupt but there's only so much I can do especially on the weeks I'm by myself. I look at all the other mom's who have babies who play quietly in their laps or drift off to sleep and I get jealous. I love my baby and am happy he's active, but I don't know how to handle that with church. Any suggestions? He's only 4.5 months so I'm not sure he's old enough for anything.

Sick & Not So Tired

So, here it is 12:30am Friday morning and I am still not asleep. On top of that, both Trine & I are sick...we both threw up about three hours ago. I don't know about her, but my stomach is doing something fierce. I cannot sleep because of these reasons; 1) every inch of my body aches and I feel I need to see a chiropractor in order to feel human again, 2) I feel super thirsty but I don't want to drink a ton because then I will experience that slushy feeling on top of a bad stomach ache, 4) I am not tired, 5) I have a fever of 100.5 and cannot find a comfortable temperature to fall asleep in (except on the bathroom floor, which is where I am now). 

This sickness induced insomniac post is not without reason. In fact, one of the things I was planning on doing to past time was some Christmas shopping. Trine & I decided instead of buying each other things we were just going to buy one present as a "family gift." Trine & I decided it is down to two things. One, a Wii complete with a few 'mover & shaker' games. Or two, an elliptical for downstairs.

So I pose the question to those who know us pretty well. Should we go for the Wii or an elliptical? Both come out to similar prices and both allow for some exercise. Your opinions will be greatly appreciated. 

Rice, Rice Baby

Asher has been such a busy boy recently. Here are a few updates on our big little boy.Ash and his Auntie K celebrated halloween by watching Charlie Brown and coloring a pumpkin just his size.

Ash sitting on Santa's lap. Santa is his best buddy Reed. They also had their first sleepover together that weekend.

Our first attempt with cereal. My hope is that by eating solids he'll gain a little more weight. He weighs 12.6 pounds and is 24.5 inches. He loves to be where all the action is and getting better at sitting up all by himself.

8 Things...(in no particular order)

I found this one on a friend's blog...I am a sucker for stuff like this.

8 Shows I Like to Watch...

1) The Daily Show

2) The Colbert Report

3) The Office...although not my favorite season thus far.

4) Pushing Daisies...it's just a different kind of show.

5) College Football

6) How I Met Your Mother...I love Barney (aka. Doogie Howser M.D.)

7) The Wire...I can only recommend this if you don't mind profanity, for me I hear worse at work daily (usually directed to me).

8) Arrested Development...doesn't matter how many time I watch this I always feel better after it.

8 Things That Happened Yesterday...

1) I saved two stray kittens from work...they were 3 weeks old; I took them to the Animal Shelter for adoption.

2) I got my conference Ensign...I had to work that weekend.

3) I finished my college vita

4) I was a part of American History...OBAMA 08!

5) Trine & I bought Obama hoodies...for memorabilia of course.

6) I tried mixing songs using GarageBand on my mac...I couldn't figure it out though.

7) I was called a *&^$ at work.....have fun figuring that out.

8) Wiped poop off of Asher's foot...he stuck it in it when I was in the middle of wiping him down.

8 Things I am Looking Forward To...

1) My five day holiday from work.

2) The "Bang" Party Trine & I are throwing with friends on Friday.

3) Pushing Daisies tonight.

4) The "changes coming to America"

5) Asher waking up from his nap...he is one of my favorite people in the world...just so dang cute right now.

6) College football this weekend.

7) Thanksgiving...just to see how much meat people eat, I am amused easily. And seeing if people will try my vegetarian dishes.

8) To go to the gym with Trine tonight.

8 Favorite Places To Eat...

1) Bajio...they have fantastic vegetarian salads & burritos.

2) The Bombay House...an extensive veggie menu

3) Betos...cheap veggie burritos; great if they get your order right, they always struggle with mine.

4) My house

5) Costco...not just their cheese pizza, but sample day also rocks my socks off!

6) Shoots...Trine likes China Lilly better though.

7) Arctic Circle...not really for food, just cheap ice cream.

8) Chili's is good...they have a good black bean burger, but over priced.