One Word

I got this in an e-mail and thought I would post my answers. It's fun to fill these things out! :-)

TYPE ONLY ONE WORD. IT'S HARDER THAN YOU THINK!!!

1. Where is your cell phone? none
2. Your significant other? work
3. Your hair? frizzy
4. Your mother? school
5. Your father? work
6. Your favorite thing? food
7. Your dream last night? forgot
8. Your favorite drink? water
9. Your goal? skinny
10. The room you're in? clean! :-)
11. Your fear? death
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? rich
13. Where were you last night? bed
14. What you're not? confident
15. Muffins? homemade
16. One of your wish list items? house
17. Where you grew up? military
18. The last thing you did? lunch
19. What are you wearing? frump
20. Your TV? off
21. Your pet(s)? none
22. Your computer? internet
23. Your life? boring
24. Your mood? calm
25. Missing someone? mom
26. Your car? white
27. Something you're not wearing? glasses
28. Favorite store? D.I.
29. Your summer? hot
30. Your favorite color? teal
31. When is the last time you laughed? today
32. Last time you cried? forgot
33. Four places I go over and over? church, home, D.I., Wal-mart
34. Four of my favorite foods? chocolate, pizza, nachos, bread
35. Four places I would rather be right now? Sleeping, shopping, vacation, Idaho
36. Someone you fell in love with? Jeff <3

Christmas Tag

I don't know if I've been tagged for this one or not, but I wanted to play along, so here's my answers to the Christmas tag!

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Usually wrapping paper - it comes cheaper. But I do keep gift bags when I receive gifts in them, and will use them if it fits the gift and the person receiving it doesn't mind getting a used bag!

2. Real tree or Artificial? Our tree is an artificial tree that we bought for our first Christmas together. And when I was growing up we had an artificial tree that was so fun to put together!

3. When do you put up the tree? Growing up, we would always wait until after my sister's birthday on December 8. Now, it's just kind of put up whenever - sometime after Thanksgiving but before Christmas! This year, it will be when the boxes are unpacked enough for the corner to be empty.

4. When do you take the tree down? A few days after Christmas.

5. Do you like eggnog? Oh, so very much! Jeff and I just love the stuff! I enjoy using it in recipes as well as drinking it. I found a recipe for eggnog truffles that I want to try sometime this holiday season...

6. Favorite gift received as a child? I don't remember.

7. Hardest person to buy for? It varies. I just don't think I'm all that great at coming up with good gifts, no matter who they're for.

8. Easiest person to buy for? This year it was my mom. I knew right away when I saw it that I was going to get it for her. But I won't say it, because she's reading my blog more now that I've moved away, and I'm not going to give it away! ;-)

9. Do you have a nativity scene? I think I have three - a simple, small white one we bought our first year; a little candle holder one that I got at DI last year; and a larger, though still small, really cute one that Mom got for us. My mom collects small nativities, and spreads them all over the house for the holiday season, and I think I want to start collecting them too, it's a great way to keep in mind the real reason we celebrate Christmas.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Ummm, I don't do Christmas cards. I'm too lazy.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Can't think of any.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? As a kid I loved those puppet-like specials, Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming To Town, stuff like that. Now I think I prefer the more adult ones like It's a Wonderful Life and Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version).

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? I pick stuff up throughout the year, but sometimes procrastinate until mid- to late-December.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Probably as a child. We were always passing toys back and forth for Christmas or birthdays.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? Everything!!! I have a favorite Christmas cake that I'll have to make and post on my blog at some point, and I love all the cookies and the breads and other treats that pop up this time of year.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes. Growing up it was always the colorful lights, sometimes blinking. Now we have a pre-lit tree with white lights. It looks much more elegant.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? We traveled last year, and I don't want to do it again! There were too many gifts to haul back and forth and it was just too difficult. I'd rather travel for Thanksgiving, and spend Christmas at home.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer? Yes.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? For the first couple years of our marriage, it was a bow. Now we have a little star ornament that we rig up on top of the tree. Maybe some day we'll actually fork out a little money and buy and actual tree topper.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Christmas morning. When I was growing up we opened our Christmas pajamas on Christmas Eve, but I haven't really carried that tradition over to our little family yet. I want to some day though.

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? I like classy elegance in Christmas decorating - white lights, red bows, gold accents.

24. Favorite sense of the season (sight, hearing, smell, touch, taste)? That's a toss-up between smell and taste. I like the foods of the season!

Life Experiences

Saw this on Melinda's blog and thought it looked fun.

For you to do: copy and paste this to your blog and bold the ones that you HAVE done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance - just before Jeff and I got engaged - it's a fun story
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain - Jeff and I have decided we need to do this next time it rains
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper - technically it was just my finger. And a very small newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating - does a fish count?
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

35 out of 99 - not too bad!

Flashback Tag

I was tagged by Nicia to find the sixth picture in my sixth picture file. So here it is:


It was April 26, and I guess Thomas was just being really cute at the time, because I have like ten pictures and two videos of him in that folder. I was playing around with the camera settings too, because they're all black and white or sepia. Cute stuff!

If anyone else wants to do this, you're tagged!

Seven Things Tag

I was tagged by Esther. Oh goody - I love tags!! :-)

7 things I plan to do before I die...
1. Visit Russia, Australia, Japan, and Europe
2. Vacation in Hawaii - without the kids!
3. Write a book
4. Paint a masterpiece
5. Own a house
6. Learn to play the bagpipes
7. Read the Book of Mormon many, many times

7 things I can do...
1. Cook delicious, inexpensive foods
2. Change diapers - I'm really good at that!
3. Play the piano and organ
4. Crochet
5. Draw
6. Make a good pie crust
7. Stay up all night just to finish reading a book

7 things I cannot do...
1. Leave food on my plate - I have to eat it all!
2. Visit my parents without cooking something while I'm there
3. Talk on the phone with my sister for less than an hour
4. Keep my apartment clean
5. Drive stick shift
6. Go an entire day without checking my e-mail and blogs
7. Wake up really early and not be grumpy all day

7 Things that attract me to my spouse...
1. Sense of humor
2. Willing to help with the dishes
3. Good cook
4. Lets me sleep in sometimes while he gets up with the kids
5. Looks good in a suit
6. He's as tightwad as I am!
7. He loves me

7 Things I say most often...
1. What do you think? (to Jeff, when he's trying something I just cooked)
2. You know, we eat really well! (I say this after almost every meal!)
3. Big potty or little potty? (I give Zaylee a choice so she's more motivated to go)
4. Zaylee, let's watch a movie! (I say this one a little too often...)
5. Zaylee, do not hit Thomas! (this one's self-explanatory)
6. Did you have fun at Grandma's house? (I ask this to Zaylee at least once a week)
7. I'm tired. (Yeah, I say this one too often as well)

7 Favorite foods...
1. Cookies
2. Ethnic stuff - like Asian, Mexican, Indian, etc.
3. Homemade bread, fresh from the oven
4. Chocolate
5. Anything from Southern Plate
6. Cheesecake
7. Breakfast foods - bacon, pancakes, coffee cake, sausage, yum!

7 People I think should do this...
1. Michelle
2. LaNita
3. Jeannette
4. Jackie
5. Karen
6. Kathy
7. Nicia

Tag Time!

I was tagged by Michelle. I love doing tags - they make me think, but not too hard. :-)

Answer the questions and tag two people.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, my mom said she knew my name was supposed to be Stephanie - it came to her while she was in labor with me, like that was what I wanted my name to be. Cool, huh?


2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Actually, it's been long enough that I don't remember exactly when it was. Which is strange to me, because I'm a big cryer.


3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Usually. If I write fast it gets sloppy, and then I don't like it. But it's definitely much nicer and more legible than Jeff's!


4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Honey ham.


5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Yup - Zaylee(3) and Thomas(1).


6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON, WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Probably not. I think I'd get on my nerves. I'm kinda passive-aggressive when things don't go my way. And I don't like it when other people are like that, so I don't think I'd like myself much.


7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? Depends on my mood. Like I said, I'm passive-aggressive, so when I'm upset I'm more sarcastic.


8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes.


9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I think I'd be too scared. But I'm sure if I did eventually try it, I'd probably love it.


10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I like oatmeal cooked with raisins.


11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? Not if they're just sneakers. Some other shoes I do.


13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Ice creams with all the yummy extras all through them - I like caramel and fudge swirls, peanut butter and chocolate chunks, cookie dough, nuts, all that good stuff!


14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I dunno, I guess how they look?


15. RED OR PINK? Probably pink. Though if I really had a choice, I'd choose a different color altogether, like green or blue.


16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? The fact that I can never really be satisfied with the way I look.


17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Rexburg friends. We used to do everything together, even having Family Home Evening together as a group every Monday. I miss the closeness we all had.


18. FRUITS OR VEGETABLES? Depends on my mood. Right now, I'd have to say fruits - fresh fruit with a nice, creamy, sweet-tart dip.


19. WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? None - I'm barefoot and have been all day.


20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? Foccacia with chicken salad.


21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The sounds of Jeff giving Thomas a bath.


22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Teal.


23. FAVORITE SMELLS? Vanilla, bread or pie baking, Tangerine AromaTherapy.


24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? I don't remember, let me think ... Well, I added some minutes to the phone card yesterday morning - does the automated voice count?


25. WERE YOU A BAND GEEK, A DRAMA NERD, OR A SPORTS BUFF IN SCHOOL? Mostly drama nerd, though during my senior year I dabbled in band geekery as well.


26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Olympic Figure Skating.


27. HAIR COLOR? Plain medium brown. With occasional silver highlights.


28. EYE COLOR? Plain blue.


29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes, wouldn't be caught without them - I'm far too blind and my glasses are far too old.


30. FAVORITE FOOD? Anything homemade - usually whatever I just cooked at the moment.


31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings. Scary movies are too scary and give me nightmares.


32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? Lilo and Stitch.


33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? Black, with big pink flowers. Don't worry, it's not as tacky as it sounds.

34. SUMMER OR WINTER? I guess winter. But make it winter in Hawaii.


35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs.


36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Anything homemade. Usually whatever I just cooked at the moment.


37. BURGER KING OR MCDONALDS? Actually, Wendy's. The Jr. Bacon Cheeseburger is the bomb!


38. DO YOU FOLLOW A LIST WHEN YOU SHOP OR DO YOU GO UP AND DOWN ALL THE AISLES? I follow a list, one that usually takes me through almost every aisle.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Confessions of a Happily Organized Family by Deniece Schofield - great book!


40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? The Coagulation Cascade. With pictures of red blood cells. And a gel wrist pad.


41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? We don't get TV reception. We usually just watch movies, but last night the TV was off. I was reading that organizing book, and Jeff was video gaming.


42. FAVORITE SOUND? Water sounds - bubbling creek, falling rain, ocean waves, that type of thing.


43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Neither. I prefer classical music.


44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME??? Japan - lived there for four years. So does that technically count as being away from home? If not, I went to Korea for a few days.


45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? Music. I also draw really well, when I take the time.


46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Florida. I lived there for over nine years of my life, and haven't been back since.

I tag Rachel and Esther. :-)

ABC tag

I was tagged by Jeanette of The Hen House for this cute tag.


A is for age: 25 (almost).

B is for burger of choice: I have two - junior bacon cheeseburger, and any homemade burger.

C is for the car I drive: A Dodge Neon that Jeff's parents gave us.

D is for your dog's name: Don't have a dog, never have.

E is for essential item you use every day: My contacts!

F is for favorite TV show at the moment: We don't get television reception. So mostly I just watch movies.

G is for favorite game: I like Uno, and a strange game called Ubi. It has to be played with a slightly twisted sense of humor - just the kind of humor that my siblings and I possess.

H is for home state: I spent the first many years of my life living in various places - Florida, Oklahoma, Japan, California, and now Idaho.

I is for instruments you play: Piano, organ, and pennywhistle!

J is for favorite juice: It's a toss-up between apple juice and pineapple juice. I fell in love with Juicy Juice apple juice when I was pregnant with Thomas.

K is for whose bum you'd like to kick: Usually my own - I can never keep my house as clean and nice as I want it, I lose my temper too easily, and I spend too much time on the computer.

L is for last restaurant at which you ate: Olive Garden - Jeff took me on a date a couple weeks ago. It was so yummy!

M is for your favorite Muppet: I don't think I really have a favorite. If I did, I guess it would be Miss Piggy.

N is for number of piercings: Just my ears - one piercing in each. I like to wear my real gold earrings mostly, because the lower quality ones irritate my ears.

O is for overnight hospital stays: I stayed overnight with both of my babies. Other than that, none.

P is for people you were with today: Jeff and the kids.

Q is for what you do with your quiet time: I like blogging, cooking (especially trying new recipes), watching movies, reading.

R is for biggest regret: I have several, but would rather not post them...

S is for status: Married since 2004.

T is for time you woke up today: Around 8:00. The kids usually wake me up.

U is for what you consider unique about yourself: Well, I lived in Japan for four years.

V is for vegetable you love: Pumpkin, for now. I think it changes throughout the year, but I'm so excited for the coming of autumn!

W is for worst habit: Nail biting.

X is for x-rays you've had: I've had plenty of X-rays done on my teeth, and one on my arm when I broke it at age eleven.

Y is for yummy food you ate today: Just about everything I ate! Malt-O-Meal with brown sugar for breakfast, Welsh Rarebit and fried green tomatoes for lunch, a peach for snack, homemade turkey burgers for dinner, and Jeff's homemade toffee for dessert!

Z is for zodiac: Sagittarius


I tag Michelle, Rachel, and Melinda!

Memories Tag

I saw this tag on both Rachel's blog and Michelle's blog. Here goes:

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

5 Random Things Tag

I was tagged my Melinda. Here are five random things you may or may not know about me:

1. I get migraines fairly frequently. Last month I had about 10 migraines. Because of the heat lately, since the beginning of July I've already had 6 migraines. In fact, I've got one right now.

2. Today I watered our vegetable garden for the first time ever. It's pretty much Jeff's job. But we've determined that the plants need to be watered more frequently, which means that I need to do it during the day while Jeff is at his internship.

3. We're borrowing the movie Happy Feet from my sister. Zaylee has fallen in love with it, and frequently requests that we watch "the movie about the penguins." Since we borrowed it on Thursday, we've already watched it more times than I could count on one hand (hmm, what does that say about my parenting? Never mind, I don't want to know).

4. No one ever comes to our house. The manager came over on Sunday to check and make sure the apartment was okay for the big inspection on Monday. When he rang the doorbell I about had a heart attack - it's just not a sound we ever hear. Ever.

5. I'm wearing colorful zigzag striped ankle socks right now.

You can tell I was really digging at the bottom of the barrel for that last one. I just couldn't think of anything!

I tag Michelle and Karen.

Photo Tag

I got this tag from Karen. The rules are to take pictures of the items listed below to help us get to know you better. Here we go!

A current project you are working on:


This is a couch pillow I've been "working on" for a few months now. I put that in quotations because I haven't actually been crocheting on it regularly. It's almost done, I just need to sit down and finish those last few rows, and put it all together.


The oldest thing you own:


This is the organ from Grandma and Grandpa. I don't recall exactly how old it is, but it's definitely older than anything else I've got. And I love it!


Your worst pair of shoes:


This is a big old ugly pair of military surplus boots that I bought way back in high school. I needed some sturdy shoes for working at Popeye's so that if I dropped anything, or splashed scalding oil, or dropped boiling water, or anything like that, on my feet, I wouldn't be too badly hurt. These boots are steel-toed, and very sturdy and clunky. They're scuffed and probably still have grease stuck in the creases. I never wear them anymore, but don't feel like getting rid of them, just in case I ever need a really sturdy pair of boots.


Something from your childhood:


This is my teddy bear, Bluebell. I've had her since I was just a little girl. Michelle and Janelle and I all received matching bears one Christmas - Michelle's was pink and Janelle's was yellow. Bluebell is missing an eye, but I don't remember why.


Your 3 favorite movies:


I love Nacho Libre because it's just so wacky and random - it's one of those movies that's so stupid it makes you feel a little dumber after you watch it. But it's hilarious!

Galaxy Quest is another favorite. The first time Jeff watched it, he actually fell off the couch laughing at one part.

And The Emperor's New Groove is a favorite of our entire family. Zaylee could watch it over and over, and even quote certain lines.

I have lots of other favorites, but we don't own them and I couldn't take pictures. These are my favorites of the movies we actually own.


Your key chain:


I described my key chain in another tag, the purse tag, but I'll do it again. The big metal thing is my force multiplier - a self-defense weapon thing I got in high school. It's a legal-to-carry weapon because there are no sharp points, no sharp edges, and nothing shoots out of it. But use it correctly, and it can be deadly. Centuries ago, women in Japan would carry these (made of wood) to defend themselves against Samurai warriors who otherwise would take advantage of them. Cool!

I also have my Albertson's Preferred Savings card, and a little rod that says "Hold to the Rod." And my keys. Kinda funny - the black-handled key is to the little Toyota we used to own, but sold. I forgot to give them my copy of the key, and have been too lazy to take it off my chain. Oh well.


Your favorite edible treat in the house right now:


So sad - the only treats in the house are these slightly old peanut butter cookies. They've been in the fridge, so they aren't stale, but they are definitely not fresh. I think I desperately need to get some baking done today!


Something in your home you are proud of:


This is Thomas' blankie that I crocheted for him while I was pregnant. I think that of everything I've ever crocheted, this is my favorite. It's full of cute little teddy bears with bows and faces. So cute! It took a lot of work to make this one.


Your favorite wall hanging:


I love how this wall hanging turned out. We didn't have any pictures of Christ to hang in our home, but are very poor and didn't have funds available to buy a nice one. So when our Ensign came one month, and I found a picture of Christ inside the back cover, I cut the picture out and framed it in a frame we already had. I try to keep in in a prominent place because it's so beautiful. This picture doesn't really do it justice, because of all the reflection, and it was hard to get it to focus properly.


Something in your yard that makes you smile:


This is our squash plant. Of all our vegetables we planted, this one is doing the best. You can't really see it in this picture, but we already have lots of squash blossoms, and some are turning into tiny little squash (squashes?). I'm excited for when we get to harvest and enjoy our squash!

I tag Michelle, Rachel, Esther, and Kathy. Have fun!

A Book Tag

I was blog surfing and came across this kinda fun-looking tag, and thought I'd get it started in our little group. Here goes:

1. Pick up the nearest book.
2. Open to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next three sentences.
5. Tag three people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The nearest book to me is (oh man, this is real exciting) Microsoft Office: Excel 2003. It's a textbook. Hooray.

The fifth sentence on page 123 is: " 5. Click the Modify button to open the Format Cells dialog box, and then click the Patterns tab."

The next three sentences are: "6. Click the Yellow square (fourth row, third column from the left) in the color palette, and then click the OK button to close the Format Cells dialog box and redisplay the Style dialog box. If you click the OK button in the Style dialog box, the style definition changes and is applied to the active cell and the Style dialog box closes. If you click the Add button in the dialog box, the style change is saved and applied, but the Style dialog box remains open for further style changes."

Holy cow, that was boring and un-understandable! If I ever do this again, I'll try to find a more interesting book! The blog I got this tag from did a cookbook.

I tag: Michelle, Esther, and LaNita. Have fun!

Family and Friends Tag

Rules of this Tag:

1. Answer the questions about the list of friends and/or family on your blog.

2. If you don’t have 18 names answer the question about the next name that you have not had a question for on your list.

3. Tag 5 people.


When did you first meet the first person on your list?
I guess I met Abby, my way cute cousin, when she was just a little baby. I don't remember the circumstances, but it was probably sometime when our family went to visit their family.


What do you like about the third person on your list's blog?
Calista's blog - I love the bright colors! It's a very cheerful blog. Also, Madison is about the same age as Zaylee, and it's fun to see how similar, yet different they are.


What do you like best about the fifth and sixth people on your list?
Esther has always been fun to hang out with. When I was staying with their family for a while, she would do my hair in fun, adventurous ways, and we went to the movies together and just hung out a lot. I enjoyed spending time with her.

The sixth person on my list is Grandma! I don't know how I can choose one thing I like best - there's so many! I like that Grandma is always interested in her family - she likes to know how we're doing and what's going on in our lives, and she likes to share her life with us. It's nice that she's so involved.


How long have you known the ninth person on your list?
I've known LaNita almost all my life. As my cousin, ever since she was born we've seen each other at family reunions and visits throughout the years. She's lots of fun!


What impresses you about the eleventh and twelfth people on your list?
Melinda has always had a great sense of humor. I admire humor in people. I also have always thought that Melinda is very beautiful (yes, Melinda, it's true!!)

And Michelle - what can I say about my big sister?! I admire Michelle's people skills. She is much more outgoing than I ever was. But unlike some other "talkers" Michelle is also a good listener. She's got a great balance of friendship skills.


What is a memory you have with the sixteenth person on your list?
This is a kind of funny memory I have of Rachel. When my family lived in Florida (I was only about 8 years old, maybe less), we had a family reunion there or something. I had two very favorite My Little Ponies that I loved very much. I found Rachel playing with one of them and threw a fit! I took it away and yelled at her and hid under my bed so she couldn't find me and take it back! She was pretty upset about it. What a little stinker I was!


Say something nice about the eighteenth person on your list.
I don't have eighteen people, so I'll go with Sarah, as number seventeen. Sarah is very sweet and pretty. And she makes a way cute pregnant mommy!


I TAG:

Michelle
CissaLynn
Jackie
Melinda
Esther

I Am

This is the tag from Rachel's blog. You're tagged if you want to be.

• i am: a mom. It's a good thing to be, but I think it's taken over my life. Isn't it kind of sad that it's the absolute first thing every mom thinks of? What would I put if someone told me that "wife" and "mother" were off limits? I'm not sure I know who I am anymore.
  
• i think: I am in an introspectively sad mood right now.
  
• i know: that I can do better. Whatever I do, somehow I know I could be doing it better.
  
• i want: to be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight. Yeah right.
• i have: a really smart husband.
  
• i wish: I were in Hawaii right now.
  
• i hate: my new church calling. It gives me cold chills. Does that make me a bad person?
  
• i miss: my college friends in Rexburg. I haven't been able to make good friends here, and I really miss how easy it was at BYU-I.
  
• i fear: that I may not be raising my kids right. Will they pick up all my bad habits? Am I doing enough to teach them, and to prepare them for life?
  
• i feel: incredibly inadequate.
  
• i hear: my kids. Zaylee is finishing up a cookie, and slurping appreciatively. Thomas is talking to himself while crawling around under the table.
  
• i smell: peanut butter. We just had sandwiches for lunch.
  
• i crave: sleep.
  
• i search: for Thomas' pacifier in the middle of the night when he has lost it under his crib.
  
• i wonder: why my apartment is so difficult to keep clean. It's small, it shouldn't be that hard!
  
• i regret: lots of things.
  
• i love: beautiful things, especially in nature. Flowers, trees, mountains, clouds, rivers, oceans, all those lovely things.
  
• i ache: when I have a migraine, several times a week.
  
• i care: about what other people think of me.
  
• i always: put off doing the dishes until they're about to make the kitchen explode.
  
• i am not: a good housekeeper or homemaker.
  
• i believe: that Thomas is sleepy.
  
• i dance: when I remember to put in my aerobics video. Or when I play silly songs on the stereo with Zaylee.
  
• i sing: in the ward choir. And to my children. They love it.
  
• i cry: during almost every movie I watch. Even the silly movies that shouldn't be able to make anyone cry.
  
• i don’t always: know what to say. So mostly I err on the side of too little and don't say anything at all.
  
• i fight: with Zaylee sometimes, trying to get her to stop hitting or pushing Thomas.
  
• i write: everything that I eat, and how many calories it has. Yes, it actually works.
  
• i win: when I step on the scale and realize that the numbers have once again gone down a little bit.
  
• i lose: most games I play against Jeff. He has this strange ability to win almost any game he plays.
  
• i never: have enough time to do everything I want and need to do.
  
• i confuse: myself.
  
• i listen: much more than I talk. Especially on the phone with my sister!
  
• i can usually be found: in my apartment, in front of the computer. Unless it's laundry day, then I'm at Mom's house. I never really go anywhere.
  
• i am scared: that I may never really be happy.
  
• i need: to spend less time on the computer and more time doing real-life things that are more important.
  
• i am happy about: the flowers I was given yesterday.
  

Now You Know My ABCs

So sorry to be sending out yet another tag - we've had an influx lately! But this one just looked so fun. I found it while Foodie Blog surfing. I'm not going to actually tag anyone, I'll just say that if you want to fill it out, go ahead!!

A- Attached or Single? Attached - I've been married for 3 1/2 years!
B- Best Friend? Jeff, my sweet husband.
C- Cake or Pie? Gosh, I have to choose? Whichever one I've just baked.
D- Day of Choice? Lately they all seem the same. But I guess Saturday is nice because Jeff is home all day.
E- Essential Item? Diaper bag - never leave home without it!
F- Favorite Color? Greenish blue. Or bluish green
G- Gummy Bears or Worms? Worms. The sour kind.
H- Hometown? Don't really have one, I was raised a military brat. But I was born in Florida.
I- Favorite Indulgence? Anything sweet, gooey, chocolatey...
J- January or July? July. Absolutely. January is just too cold!
K- Kids? Yes, two. And we're sure we'll have more, but not yet.
L- Life isn't complete without? Chocolate.
M- Marriage date? 10-8-2004
N- Number of brothers and sisters? 4 sisters, 3 brothers
O- Oranges or Apples? Apples. I enjoy how refreshingly citrusy oranges are, but they're too much work! I like to sit down with an apple, a jar of extra crunchy peanut butter, and a spoon. Yum!
P- Phobias and Fears? Spiders. Burning hot metal.
R- Reason to smile? Jeff owes me a foot rub once he's all better. I love foot rubs! :)
S- Season of choice? Spring - it's so full of life! And I love that it signals the end of winter. Not that winter is all that terrible, but by the time Spring rolls around, I'm definitely ready for winter to be over. But then, now that I really think about it, I may actually prefer Autumn, because of Thanksgiving and my birthday. Phooey, now I can't decide...
T- Tag five people? No.
U- Unknown fact about me? I collect boxes. I just can't throw them away - what if we need them the next time we move!?
V- Vegetable? I like fresh peas, straight from the pod.
W- Worst Habit? Biting my nails instead of clipping them.
X-ray or Ultrasound? Ultrasound. X-rays usually mean broken bones, but ultrasounds mean babies!
Y- Your favorite food? Whatever I'm eating at the time! Though I have preferences for things like pizza, dessert, fresh-baked bread, chocolate...
Z- Zodiac Sign? Sagittarius.

Family Feud Tag

Copy and paste this to your own post. Rules of the game are that you have to answer the question but you can't repeat anyone else's answer. Make sure you copy and paste the previous answers. At the end of the questions, tag 3 people. (I italicized my answers!)

Name something you use in the shower.

1. Washcloth

2. Face Wash

3. Razor
4. Shampoo

Name something people to find on their windshield.

1. Bird poop

2. Ticket

3. Advertisement
4. Broken windshield wiper

Name something a man might buy before a date.

1. Flowers

2. Chocolates

3. Cologne
4. Tickets to a show

Name another word for blemish.

1. Pimple

2. Beauty Mark

3. Blight
4. Mistake

Name something you'd cook in the microwave.

1. Bottle

2. Quesedilla

3. Frozen veggies
4. Chicken

Name a piece of furniture people need help moving.

1. Piano

2. Dresser (mine, anyway)

3. Bookshelves
4. Our old entertainment center - it was huge!

Name something a dog does that embarrasses its owner.

1. Poops in someone else's yard

2. Pees on a visitor's shoes

3. Sniffing the front of someone's pants
4. Passing gas noisily

Name a kind of test you cannot study for.

1. Parenthood (only those of you without kids question whether this is a test!)

2. Urinalysis

3. Personality
4. Blood Pressure

Name something a boy scout gets a badge for.

1. Archery?

2. Swimming

3. Shooting
4. Photography

Name a phrase with the word "home" in it.

1. Love at home

2. There's no place like Home

3. Home is Where You Hang Your Heart
4. I'll be Home for Christmas

Name a sport where players lose teeth.

1. Boxing

2. Hockey

3. Football
4. Lacrosse

Name something a teacher can do to ruin a student's day.

1. Give them a pop quiz

2. Fail someone's test

3. Telling the students that the party was cancelled because the class is behind schedule
4. Not curving a test that everyone did badly on

Name a bird you wouldn't want to eat.

1. Seagull

2. Crow

3. Vulture
4. Ostrich

Name something that gets folded.

1. Clothes

2. Origami

3. Letters
4. Rolled out pie dough, to fit it into the pie plate

Name something a person wears even if it has a hole in it.

1. Socks

2. Shirt

3. Jeans
4. Bathrobe

Name something that gets smaller the more you use it.

1. Eraser

2. Chapstick

3. Pad of paper
4. Lollipop

I tag Abby, Aunt Karen, and Sarah F.

I've Been Tagged

I was tagged by Drew of How to Cook Like Your Grandmother with this little tag.

Rules:
1. Write your own six-word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like.
3. Link to the person who tagged you in your post.
4. Tag five or six (choice is yours) more blogs with links. (Actually, I'll only tag three so everyone else can have people to tag too. I'm a rule breaker)
5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

My memoir:

Loving
Shy
Friendly
Creative
Wife
Mother

People getting tagged:

Michelle
Jackie
Rachel

Crusty Dippinfanny

MY NEW NAME IS IN THE TITLE. DON'T LAUGH UNTIL YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOUR NEW NAME IS. We all need a little stress-reliever! Sometimes when you have a stressful day or week, you need some silliness to break up the day. Here is a dose of humor...

A. Follow the instructions to find your new name.

B. Once you have your new name, post it as the title of your post. Include the instructions so everyone can play along!

The following is excerpted from a children's book, Captain Underpants And the Perilous Plot Professor Poopypants by Dave Pilkey, in which the evil Professor forces everyone to assume new names...

So:

1. Use the third letter of your first name to determine your New first name:

a = snickle
b = doombah
c = goober
d = cheesey
e = crusty
f = greasy
g = dumbo
h = farcus
i = dorky
j =doofus
k = funky
l = boobie
m = sleezy
n = sloopy
o = fluffy
p = stinky
q = slimy
r = dorfus
s = snooty
t = tootsie
u = dipsy
v = sneezy
w = liver
x = skippy
y = dinky
z = zippy

2. Use the second letter of your last name to determine the first half of your new last name:

a = dippin
b = feather
c = batty
d = burger
e = chicken
f = barffy
g = lizard
h = waffle
i = farkle
j = monkey
k = flippin
l = fricken
m = bubble
n = rhino
o = potty
p = hamster
q = buckle
r = gizzard
s = lickin
t = snickle
u = chuckle
v = pickle
w = hubble
x = dingle
y = gorilla
z = girdle


3. Use the third letter of your last name to determine the second half of your new last name:

a = butt
b = boob
c = face
d = nose
e = hump
f = breath
g = pants
h = shorts
i = lips
j = honker
k = head
l = tush
m = chunks
n = dunkin
o = brains
p = biscuits
q = toes
r = doodle
s = fanny
t = sniffer
u = sprinkles
v = frack
w = squirt
x = humperdinck
y = hiney
z = juice

Thus, for example, George W. Bush's new name is: Fluffy Chucklefanny.

Now when you POST THIS...use your new name as the title. And remember that children laugh an average of 146 times a day; adults laugh an average of 4 times a day. Put more laughter in your day.

I tag everyone!

Random Tag

I was tagged by Michelle for this random tag. The rules are to write 7 totally random facts about yourself, then tag two people. Here goes!

1. I bought short-hair accessories today - small clips, headbands - because all I had before was ponytail holders, which just don't work in my hair anymore.

2. We recently got permission from my brother Owen to use his really nice computer screen while he's on his mission (ours was burnt out and made everything look way dark). Come to find out, he wishes we had just kept his whole computer so he could have an excuse to buy a new one when he gets home - why did we spend all that money to get our own a couple months ago?

3. We just tried the limited edition (at least, I think they're limited edition) Vanilla Creme Hershey's Kisses, and Holy Cow! They are delicious!

4. I think I have a negative sense of fashion. I still have, and wear, a few articles of clothing that I wore in high school - about six years ago. They weren't exactly stylish then, but now they're dark ages.

5. I'm thirsty.

6. Most of my kitchen stuff (crock pots, food processor, silverware, serving spoons and spatulas, baking dishes, pots and pans, etc.) came from Deseret Industries. A few things (bamboo steamer, candy thermometer, pizza stone, cooling racks) I got for free with gift cards.

7. We have four phone books. I don't know why.

I tag Rachel and Calista (and I'm bending the rules here, but Jackie, you're tagged too!)

The Purse Tag

Rachel had a tag on her blog about what was in her purse, and I thought I'd do it too. I too don't carry a purse, so here are the current contents of my free, hospital-issue, uninterestingly black diaper bag.


Flap pocket - keys on key chain with my force multiplier (that mean-looking metal stick); a purple pen; stamps that we just bought that feature American Scientists.

Front pocket - small calculator, useful for comparing prices at the grocery store.

Main pocket - 3 Zaylee diapers; 3 Thomas diapers; changing pad; small container of wet wipes; small personals bag containing mirror, lotion, and two lip glosses.

Inner pocket - WIC folder; wallet; WIC appointment information sheet; 2 Wal-Mart receipts, from sometime recently (these usually end up in my wallet, but not always); granola bar; checkbook for my personal account that I never use; Thomas' shot records, because carrying them all the time is easier than remembering to put them in the bag every time we have a Dr. or WIC appointment; black pen.

Anyone else want to be tagged? Go for it!

Tag - 7 Things about Me and Food

This is a new tag that I'm starting (I saw the idea on a recipe blog somewhere). The rules: Make a list of seven things about you and food. They can be unique, gross, little-known-facts, whatever. Then tag two people. Probably after a while it will just be consider-yourself-tagged-once-you-read-one-of-these, but lets at least try to play by the rules for a while. Here I go!

Seven things you may or may not have wanted to know about me and food:

1. When I was a child, I would eat butter. From a spoon. By itself.

2. I almost never follow a recipe exactly. I use recipes all the time though. I look it over, pick and choose what I'll keep and what I'll change, and go from there. Usually it depends on what ingredients I have at the moment, or what I think will work better than what the recipe originally says.

3. I collect cookbooks and recipes. It's almost a passion with me. I love those mail offers you get - preview our annual cookbook and get a free little cookbook just for trying - I always preview the book, copy out the recipes I can't live without, send back the preview book, and keep the free little cookbook.

4. I like Brussels sprouts. And what's more, Jeff and I have succeeded in getting my whole family to accept them. Now THERE'S an accomplishment!

5. My favorite pizza topping combination is and always will be Canadian bacon with olives.

6. Oxymoron - I LOVE food and eating, and I wish I could eat as much as I want all the time, but I'm on a restricted-calorie diet, and it's actually working. Explain that one...

7. I enjoy grocery shopping. Some people don't, but I think it's a lot of fun.

There, wasn't that fun? Now I tag Michelle and Rachel.