March 19, 2010

We had such a fun family night at the Layton City Family Recreation Circus Night. Every month Layton city puts on a free fun activity for the family. We have loved them thus far, all the ones that we have been lucky to attend. Last March we went to their Luck o the Irish Party, and this year it was their Circus Night. We played carnival games, listened to stories, morphed ourselves into lions and tigers, watched clowns chase each other hysterically with library book carts and horns, and waited in the balloon line for an HOUR AND A HALF. That was so not worth it to me, but the boys were sure happy with their balloons. I survived the line waiting by browsing books and periodicals the whole time. Random comment I just heard from Cade to David, "Do you want to play the ocarina with me?" Okay now.........

March 18, 2010

After I got the boys dressed this morning, I went on a David hunt. Of course, Cade and I were loaded in the car waiting to jet to preschool. David was MIA. I finally found him. Upstairs in his boat in his bedroom. I thought the little man was so darn cute, I ran and grabbed my camera to savor the Kodak moment. He told me he was going to "The Wibrary to get Boooks!!!!" He was so excited. I let him finish out his adventure and I went camera happy. It was only just now that I realized he has on two different socks :) Ha Ha - what kind of crazy mom dresses her boy in mismatched socks?

March 17, 2010

St. Patrick's Day! Happy Green man Day! We started our day off reading several books we checked out from the library about St. Patrick's Day. Then, we went and had our breakfast - homemade Banana Bread (compliments of Chef Eric) that we doused in green sprinkles. Capping off our exquisite cousine was green Yoda Fruit Snacks - oh and lime green Crystal Light.....yum. We would've had key lime yogurt to boot, but I ate that all up much before the St. Patty's Day. We had a small "parade" around the block. We put on our crazy hats, had chattering teeth thanks to the cold spell, and we went home. We also got carnations that were white and we put them in water with green food coloring. They did eventually turn green - a few days later......We watched our free redbox movie and it was a great green day.

March 16, 2010

My U.S census came in the mail. I was excited to fill it out; there was no rhyme or reason, I just was excited. I had to laugh at the part where it says to "Count all people, including babies, who live and sleep here most of the time." Well we all live here - but my children certainly are against sleeping here most of the time. Hope I don't get caught for a falsehood - I still went ahead and counted both my boys.

March 15, 2010

So I found this great website called BookSneeze. Here is the link for them: http://booksneeze.com/ You agree to write a review on your blog and also on a site like Amazon, and then they send you a book for free that you get to keep. I thought that it sounded too good to be true, but since it only asked for my name and address I tried it out. Sure enough, they sent me a book (I got to pick from 7.) I really enjoyed the book that I recevied. All the books were non fiction, but that is right down my alley. So as promised I will post my review on my blog. Then - I get to pick another one :) Hooray for free books!

With great expectations I started reading a book from the Christian Encounter Series titled John Bunyan by Kevin Belmonte. I was not disappointed with the few pleasant hours I spent perusing this book. The book summarizes the little known life of the man who penned The Pilgrim’s Progress very eloquently and succinctly. Belmonte’s tone has the ability to effectively draw the reader into Bunyan’s life. I felt as if I were sitting next to Bunyan experiencing many of the difficult things he was called to bear. Bunyan’s life on its own is very captivating, but given the lapse of time since his birth, this book could easily have been rather dry and dull. I found myself eager to move to the next page and my only disappointment was that it ended too quickly. I gained a great appreciation for Bunyan from reading this, and I was inspired to finally tackle The Pilgrim’s Progress after reading this. I felt like I gained knowledge not only about Bunyan’s inner life, but I also got a mini history lesson of his time period. Belmonte is quick to praise Bunyan and supports his praise with the impact Bunyan had on many other important figures. I can add my praise to Bunyan and this well researched and presented book from Kevin Belmonte.

March 14, 2010

I am yet another week behind on my YIPping. Sigh. so - last Sunday.... This is my friend Susie. she is absolutley amazing. She's a single mom raising her two boys on her own after her husband was murdered. Not only is she amazing, she is very generous. She called me on Sunday and said, "I'm bringing dinner." No complaints here. She came over with her two boys and a yummy roast and potatoes and I contributed a salad. I'm very grateful for so many good friends that I have made throughout the years. My friendship pot is flooded and that makes me happy :)

March 13, 2010

Tamara from Canadia! When Eric lived in the "Yellow House" on Darwin Avenue in college, Tamara lived below him. She was our great friend all the time while we were dating. I have many a fun memory with Tamara - murder mystery dinners, and the awesome wedding shower she put together for me, just to name a few. She came down with her husband Landon and two adorable kiddos from Canada. She stopped by and Nancy Franz - another Darwinite came up to. We had Nancy's delicious homemade cookies and let the kids run crazy in the basement while we caught up on the last two years, as much as you can in a short space of time. It was so fun to see all of them. We all went to Nancy's cabin one winter in Island Park for New Year's Eve (when Eric and I were still dating.) We went snowmobiling and had such a great time. It is one of my favorite memories. There was a whole big group of us there and we had such a great time. I ran into Nancy once in San Diego, and we've seen her two or three times since we've moved back. It's so fun to see some college friends and to remember some of my favorite days ever. I abosolutely loved college and all the great people I met there....oh I could reminicse all day......

March 12, 2010

Friday was my clean out the car day :) I got the cereal, apple slices, banana slices, marshmallows, and easter eggs (a.k.a. DINNER!!!) out of the car. On the way home from the Discovery Center we just let the kids snack out and we talked in the car. So, Friday was my clean-up day. Nothing too thrilling, but there you have my fabulous Friday fun.

March 11, 2010

One of the things that we won on Halloween in one of our best costume prizes was a family pass for 6 to the Discovery Gateway Center in SLC. I've been there before and it is always a blast. Eric had no desire to attend this, and suggested I take a friend. Well, the pass was expiring this month, so I chose to go with my friend Sarah. I reconnected with Sarah on Facebook. We were really good friends in Junior High, and then she moved to Layton. Lo and behold 10 plus years later we find each other once again in each other's backyards. She has two adorable little girls that are the same age as my boys. We carpooled down and had a great time together - and we somehow managed to avoid any major meltdowns - WOW! - is all I have to say about that.

March 10, 2010

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Okay, I might be a few months off, but I don't remember what happened Wednesday, so here are some recap pictures of Halloween 2009. A few fun things we did that month? Went to the Pumpkin Patch 2 times (once with Mom's Club, once with Preschool) - went to the Hogle Zoo for their Halloween Spook or Treat -went to two preschool parties - went to the Treehouse Halloween party -went to the Syracuse Pumpkin Walk - went to the Dinosaur Park and entered their costume contest and won the grand prize - went to the Ward Trunk or Treat at our church - went to the Layton Family Carnival and won a pie and a prize for our costumes - and Cade won a gigantic bowl of candy corns for guessing how many candy corns were in it correctly. I think that covers it! We spend practically the whole month celebrating Halloween (oh and putting in a yard.) This all from a mom who dressed up twice as a little kid - and who used to hate Halloween. Now? It is one of my favorites. So enjoy the costumes - the myriad of costumes from Star Wars Themed costumes, to Robin Hood Cade, to David the "chick magnet" to Mom - who is a "Maid of Money," to Dad the Afro Man. Enjoy.

March 9, 2010

The proof is in the pudding of my pictures. He is my son. Yup- Cade can looks just like me in pictures. We are great at the goofy faces. It was supposed to be crazy hair day at Preschool for Cade. Essentially, I could have just allowed him to go as is - he has amazing cowlicks and he really really really needs a haircut, but where would have been the fun in that? I played with the idea of dying his hair, gelling it, sticking pipe cleaners in it, or wearing a clown wig. We settled on wearing his coonskin cap. In the end we were pretty glad, because he was the only person in his class who remembered it was crazy hair day. At least he wasn't tooo crazy? Or was he?

March 8, 2010

Eric has a book club group he has started on Facebook called "Don't Join This Book Club." He picks a book every other month to read and discuss. The inaugural book was The Alchemist by Paul Coelho. Neither of us had read it, and I don't think either of us were particularly fond of it. While not a big fan of the first pick, I am a big fan of my husband and his ideas to get people reading and talking together. At any rate, here is a half-hazard attempt at a review that I wrote about it:
It has now been well over a month since I've read this drivel, but I'll do my best to discuss my opinion on the book. I'll preface by saying, if you enjoyed the book that's great. Some people like horoscopes, some people like newspapers; we all have our own cups of tea. Personally, I found the book boring, simple, and lacking in literary merit (kind of like this post from me will be.) It baffles me that this book has such a huge following and has received so much praise. Follow your dreams....sure....but following your dreams also means you have to indulge in a little reality sometimes to make them happen. I love idealism and think the overarching theme of trying to fulfill your potential is great, but the undertones to this theme drove me bonkers in this book. I was totally bugged by the fact that he fell in love so fast with not much substance behind it. I was totally bugged by the fact that it implies if you don't reach your personal legend, you are just lazy or didn't try hard enough. Can't there be environmental factors that stop you? It really bugged me that the whole point was about getting there. It didn't seem to be that the journey mattered at all - only the final destination. And the reward of your final destination? Self accolades, money, happiness for you, self fullfillment.....blah blah blah. Where is the benefit to others? Why isn't the journey of equal importance, or at least significant. Before I read this I heard it compared to Jonathan Livingston Seagull. They are both ultra cheesy symbolic books, yes, but Seagull is far superior. Maybe I am biased because I read the book in Elementary School and it spoke to my little brain, but the point is that it ''spoke" to me. It actually had something of import to say. Its message that you achieve your dreams and THEN help other people reach the same destination just does a lot more for me than the find your own happy place dogma Coelho shouts at the reader ad naseum. I can remember quotes from Seagull (amazing for amnesiac me) but a month later, I don't recall anything moving from The Alchemist. So, in conclusion, if you liked this book that is just fine. I won't make fun of you. If it spoke to you - great. I won't make fun of you, but you have to promise not to make fun of me for loving Jonathan Livingston Seagull so much.

March 7, 2010

So Happy Birthday to me! I am now 30. It was a big shift. I don't know why, but it made me feel mighty old. It was just one of those milestones that I wasn't really too excited about, but I suppose I'll learn to embrace my age and wrinkles along with everything else! Fact. I am odd. So, instead of a birthday cake, I made a loaf of "homemade" bread. For me, it was ambitious, I used a breadmaker and it was delicious! Served up with real butter and jam....yummy. I much preferred it to a cake, and it didn't sit arount taunting me all week or making my kids sugarafied all week, nope instead it was scarfed down in less than an hour. I was quite happy with my cake, and my card, and giftcard from my family! Yay - shopping for me!

March 6, 2010

29 Things I "accomplished" in my 29th year: (not sure if many of these actually qualify)

1. Went to Yellowstone two times

2. Went to two family weddings (my sis Liz, Eric's sis Mel)

3. Went to two family funerals (my aunt, Eric's grandma)

4. Bought my first house

5. Helped seed my first yard

6. Ran 5 5Ks

7. Ran 2 10ks

8. Ran a haf marathon without training (not recommended)

9. Played for several shows at the Village Green (Salute, Musical Mayhem, Pirates of Penzance Sing Along, A Night of Music, A Cabaret of Love Songs, Oediups Tex, etc...)

10. cleaned out my kitchen "junk" drawers at least 3 times, and it's a mess again.

11. Survived a Paranochial Finger Lancing - OwCH!

12. Got rid of the garbage bags on my bedroom windows

13. Started watching LOST

14. Got Eric to start Facebooking

15. Got in two car wrecks - (rearended, not my fault for both of them)

16. Lost my wallet and purse at least twice

17. Got my camera smushed in the rocking chair

18. Read some books - I didn't keep track this year of what or how many though, but I was reading.

19. Got the seasonal flu

20. Got pneumonia

21. Got insomnia :)

22. Had three piano recitals for my students

23. Renewed/started several great friendships

24. Survived/enjoyed Cade another year!

25. Survived/enjoyed David another year!

26. Enjoyed Eric another year.

27. Won a trip to San Diego

28. Won a free book off a great blog (Reading for Sanity)

29.

....wow this is humbling. I think I am only 28. I've stopped accomplishing at 28, so I must have stopped getting older too! I'm not sure I will try this one again.....or maybe I should set some real goals before I do. Here's to unproductivity and procrastination! Oh that gives me an idea as to what can be my last one, I didn't really keep track too well of what I did this last year.

March 5, 2010

Okay I'm really scrimping for pics here. Here's a blurry picture of me in my free T-Shirt....okay not really free, because I paid for the gym membership and did all the required classes to earn it, but still! I go to Gold's Gym and they had a "Pedal to the Prize" promotion. If you went to 10 RPM (spinning/cycling) classes in the month of February you got a free T-shirt. Usually that wouldn't have been a big deal, because I hit 2-3 spin classes a week. Timing wise, though? I got pneumonia and didn't go for about 2 plus weeks. So when it came down to it - I had 12 days to fit in 10 RPM classes. So, crazy me - I did it. I had a very sore bottom from it, and I was incredibly BORED by the last class, but I got my T-Shirt, and I haven't been back to a Spin class since. I think I need a break.

March 4, 2010

Happy St. Patricks Day! Sometimes I wonder if when my piano students or their parents come to my door if they think...."Okay......um....weird rocks......no wreathe on the door, but some old weathered rocks." Honestly, though? I don't care too much what they think about them. My kids have loved decorating them and they get excited about it, and it has to be better than what they thought last Monday when I came to the door to discover a gallon of chocolate milk that had been delivered the day before and I had forgotten about.....oops...I guess I should open my front door more.

March 3, 2010

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! We had fun decorating our rocker selves for this season.

March 2, 2010

It was Halloween - I think we look appropriately scary.

March 1, 2010

Okay - I have not kept up on the blogsophere this week. So....I truly don't recall most of last week. As a result, a lot of my catch up posts will be generica pictures. So - here is the first picture of our "Rock People." One night for family home evening we made these rock people to represent us as a family. Rocks, glitter, and some spiffy chairs completed our project. Watch the forthcoming pictures and see how they mutate. Don't be alarmed when you see a few eyes fall off that still haven't been replaced.......