What I am loving right now.

• watching Dusty devour this book
• 
  
• finding metal cars in low places, parked by tiny hands
• 
  
• Tyson being excited about riding his "two-wheeler" so well
• 
  
• boys coming inside with dirt on their faces from playing so hard
• 
  
• cilantro/tomatillo dressing on everything I can think of
• 
  
• eating lunch at the park with good friends
• 
  
• Fresh lemon sugar body lotion
• 
  
• cool evenings in the backyard with a book and ice-water
• 
  
• Tyson learning how to read a clock (and getting letters about Kindergarten)
• 
  
• Jack finally speaking out loud to us
• 
  
• getting my mini travel albums put together
• 
  
• my boys' spontaneous hugs and their giggling at night before falling into sleep
• 
  
• Tyson's joy about his upcoming birthday
• 
  
• my Aunt's generosity with her time/ spending lots of moments with us
• 
  
• watching How the Universe Works with Dusty and having our minds blown during every episode
• 
  
• the Hunt for Red October soundtrack
• 
  
• mango jalapeno jam over cream cheese
• 
  
• my Whole Living magazines
• 
  
• movie night of Holes + caramel popcorn after Dusty and Tyson finished reading the book together

Going through "the change": Part one

and no, I'm not referring to menopause. ;) I'm talking about something completely different. Before I launch into what it is, let me give you a little backstory....

I'm a big sunscreen girl. I slather it on my face daily, slather it on my kids when we go outside, and reapply often when we are swimming. Skin cancer and age spots run rampant in my family and I'm doing my best to try to avoid them (wish I could go back and talk to my teenage self). Last year, I did some research on what were the best sunscreens and ended up choosing a higher-end one that had a high SPF and did a great job. Zero burns. One day Dusty casually mentioned that he had read a article that talked about how the chemicals that are in our sunscreens could end up causing cancer. I pretty much ignored his comment and continued to slather.

Fast forward to this March. For one of Dusty's classes, he researched how chemicals are regulated here in America. The biggest thing he discovered was the lack of regulation of toxins and chemicals. These chemicals ran the spectrum from industrial production to household cleaners to "trade secrets" in our cosmetics. This piqued my curiosity. Since I spend a considerable amount of time near a computer, I ended up doing more of my own research and finding myself horrified at what I discovered.

Instead of leading you down the doom and gloom road I took for awhile, I am going to speed up to now, what I have since learned, and how I am implementing it into my life.

For starters I would like to mention how most chemicals/products in our home are not required to list their ingredients. Don't believe me? Go look at the back of your laundry detergent. Go look at the back of your toilet bowl cleaner. Go read the label of any cosmetic. What? There's not a label? Right.

If you are starting to be a conscientious consumer, you may have some "natural" cleaners that do list what is in them. What do you know about those ingredients? Are they actually "natural"?

But I digress. For this post, I would like to focus on what started my little search. Sunscreen. I figured that if I could find sunscreens for me and my babies that actually protected from the UVB and UVA rays, but limited the chemicals in the formula I would be happy. This led me to the EWG Skindeep Database. (After doing more research, I now realize to take what's listed on this website with a grain of salt, but it's a good starting place.) They recommended many sunscreens that were stable, gave good protection, and had limited harmful chemicals. I found some that I could purchase on the Amazon subscribe and save program and after reading reviews decided to try them out. So far I have been pleased.

Obviously no sunscreen is going to be perfect because it's still created in a lab using some synthetic materials, but I'll take the compromise with these.

I use this sunscreen daily on my face under my makeup. It's light, doesn't clog my pores, has decently but not obscenely high SPF, and is free of parabens, phthalates, and other icky things.

The sunscreen I found for my little boys is this: It's a physical barrier that is more chemically friendly than what we were using previously.

But, even after finding new sunscreens, what I had discovered about ingredients in everything in our home kept nagging at me at the back of my head and I knew I had to do better.

I could no longer be the blind consumer, shopping for the best deal, taking for granted that our government is carefully regulating what goes on our shelves. It hit too close to home. Because sadly, as I learned what some of these chemicals have been linked to, I realized that I couldn't have the "it happens to other people, not me" attitude any longer.

Because it has happened to me. We have struggled with infertility. Both of my boys have been born with birth defects requiring surgery. One defect being very major. I had to stop what I could now. Because I had the knowledge and I couldn't shove it away. I had to take action.

So as I launch into this next series of posts, I do so not to scare you, or make you feel guilty, but to hope that you become a little more informed, as I have become over the past few months. This blog is my little soapbox and I hope that what I have learned helps somebody out there. Please feel free to ask me questions or share similar information that you have learned.

Thanks for not thinking I'm too kooky or crazy, in advance. Except that I am. And that's okay. I accepted it long ago. :)

A Little Wish

My past and my present

inspired by sweet Rachel at Smile and Wave

PAST

I used to be an uber perfectionist. My family would say I have mellowed out a lot over the years. Example: in order to have a perfect "curl under" in my hair, I would sit very still practicing the piano and let my hair air dry with me curling it under in a bob. I would get angry with anyone who bumped me or nudged my hair. That's just the tip of the iceburg.

My sisters and I would play pioneers by dressing up and playing in our trees. We would hang clothes from the lines between branches and wander collecting food. I'm sure our neighbors thought we were crazy.

Ballet was a major stress reliever for me from third grade until I graduated from High School. I loved stretching to piano music while delving into my own thoughts. I still do "bar work" in the kitchen against the countertops.

I was dead-set on being a surgeon when I graduated from HS. I started college pre-med, thought about med schools, and then in my sophomore year of school I felt very strongly that that wasn't what I was supposed to do. I finished my degree in Science but always wish that I had done Music or something along the lines of Graphic Design.

My first movie crushes were Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise. For awhile I thought I needed to be a fighter pilot. I was short and I had good eyesight. :) (needed essentials for pilots)

I was a complete nerd in Junior High. I hardly talked to boys and read all of the time. No. Seriously. All the time. It was when I discovered most of my favorite books.

I practiced the piano for 90 minutes everyday from eighth grade until I was a junior and life got way too busy. I feel it taught me a lot about perseverance.

I used to have nightmares that I'd show up to school and forget my locker combination.

I always shared a room with at least one other sister. Sometimes when we were little we would pretend to be talking on the phone to each other. My fake name was "Bonnie" and we would create this little world of picking up kids and doing household things.

PRESENT

My favorite candy flavors are watermelon and sour apple.

I always feel very shy and awkward around new people and doing new things. I hope people don't think I'm unfriendly and I do warm up eventually!

I don't drink coffee, but I do drink Pero every morning. I like it with sugar and this hazelnut creamer. It warms me up and makes me happy while I read my emails and facebook. My comfort food is a comfort drink.

I have a hard time maintaining friendships over distance or long periods of time, especially if I don't see someone all the time. (sorry Kimmy)

I have a thing (fetish) for bedding. No normal sheets or bedding will do. Why not spend 1/3 of your life in super soft sheets and a cozy down comforter? Thread count is important.

I would really love to take an Art class on campus. Some kind of oil painting class or design class.

I feel like I have so much under-developed potential on the piano-- and let me be clear-- I mean this is in a very regretful way, not a braggy way. I would love to continue lessons, we have lots of good teachers at the university, I just know that I could never devote enough time to practicing right now.

I love the TV show Castle. Such good writing. Not too yucky. Just enough mystery. Good characters.

I am not a super patient person. I have to work really hard not to stress out when someone is keeping me waiting for any reason. That being said, I do have enough patience to let my children go at their own pace.

My Mom and sisters are my best friends. When I start feeling bad about not having a "best friend" anymore I remember that my family is always there for me and I can tell them everything. I am just super sad that we are so spread out across the land.

I am collector of bowls and baskets. I have far too many. But I come up with new uses for my baskets almost weekly. There's always something that needs a home.

I crave quiet moments. If I don't get them in the day I feel crazy. I need silence and stillness. I am grateful that my children are mellow and allow me to have peace sometimes.

Babyhood

Dusty and I both agreed that we are enjoying Jack's "babyness" more than we did Tyson's. Probably because we aren't first time parents now, scared out of our minds, and understand what is "normal" baby behavior. Also because Jack is ten times a better sleeper than Tyson was. Much could be attributed to that. We loved Tyson's chub and having him around and celebrating milestones. Maybe because there is such an age difference between the two boys, each of Jack's milestones seem fresh and new. Maybe because there was a slight chance that he wouldn't be here with us makes us cuddle him a little more tightly.

Whatever the reason, we love to kiss and squeeze our little one. Tyson holds his hands and talks to him in sing-song voice and asks him silly questions.



I don't seem to actually "hold" Jack as much as I did Tyson, because it seemed that for the first three months of his life Tyson would only sleep in my arms. But I do cherish his laughs and accomplishments so much.

Dusty had just slicked down Jack's crazy hair, yikes.

Because Jack is such a good napper, I find myself so excited to see him whenever he does wake up.



He is so attentive and alert. Constantly watching everything in the room around him. He tries to talk to us too. If only we spoke baby.......


Good things come to those who wait, they say. Well, Jack is a good thing. We all love him. Tyson loves having a brother and gets mad when I put him down for naps. He is a precious boy. I can't wait to find out more of what he is like as he gets older. The discovery is going to be awesome.

Question:

Should we cut Jack's hair? Everyone has set up camp and we need a deciding vote. Dusty tries to flatten it down with water, which I think makes it look atrocious. However, the "rip curl" is getting a little out of control, but I think it's part of Jack's personality.

What do you think? Let it be? Or give it a good trim?

"I want to live a full life. Busy does not equal full"

Really, really loved this post by Ali Edwards.

Such a thoughtful reminder to slow down and go with the flow.

I need to be more engaged with my boys and remember that we only live this life once. Sometimes I have to remind myself of what I'll want to look back on and be glad I did. Certainly not watching a certain TV show. Or stressing over dinner. Or skipping any kind of enrichment activity because I am too busy with housework.

We teach others what is important to us by what we do. Do I want my kids to think that sitting at the computer is the most important thing in my life? Or that I can't put down my book to truly listen to a question? That texting is my main source of communication? No. I don't. :)

Her thoughts were such a good reminder and gave so many good ideas. Thanks, Ali!

What I learned when your baby is in the NICU

• Don't even bother putting mascara on in the morning. You are going to cry it off before the day is over.
• There is always a baby worse off than yours so be thankful inside and don't be quick to spout off how hard it all is.
• The nurses are generally a treasure trove of information. You might get the occasional weird idea, but most of it is good stuff.
• Get comfortable as quickly as you can with the cords/monitors/routines/equipment. You'll feel better.
• Guilt is your new best friend. You want to be everywhere at once. But try your hardest not to feel guilty. There is no way to be home as a wife, with your other children, and at the hospital with your baby at the same time.
• Let go of your expectations. Just show up and rock your little one. If you have good news that day, so much the better.
• They teach you things in the NICU that every parent should learn when they take a baby home.
• Take breaks for yourself, even if it seems cruel to leave your baby lying there without you. Don't feel guilty about it!
• When you find a nurse who really loves your baby, and who you get to know, leaving your little one becomes so much easier.
• Make friends with other NICU parents. It makes life seem semi-normal and they totally get what you are going through.
• It's okay to have mini-meltdowns. You just had a baby, your hormones are crazy, and coupled with the crisis, your stress is high.
• Don't be afraid to tell people they can't come visit today. Sometimes it only adds more stress, however well-meaning they are.
• Learn the rules as quickly as you can so you don't set someone up for failure (sorry little brother).
• The nurses really try hard to look out for you and your baby.
• Ask millions of questions. After they are answered it's easier to put the pieces together and feel like you know how your baby is really doing.

Probably the hardest lesson I learned in the NICU is that the worst thing you can go through is to be rocking your little baby, who is getting slowly better, and listen to the mom next to you racked with sobbing and grieving because her baby is dying and won't live through the night. The empty bed space the next day is haunting and lonely. It just doesn't get more real than that. It's all the more reason to be grateful that even though your are having a rough time, you should be truly grateful for the warm, breathing baby you are holding.

Still fresh from the experience, I am sure that my remembering will change over the years, and that I had an easy go of it really, since we were only there for a month. So many are there much longer and have far more touch-and-go moments. I feel oddly grateful for this trial in our lives. I feel that it has opened my heart and humbled me. When I feel frustrated with the after math we are dealing with, I try to remind myself that I got to take home a healthy baby boy when it was all said and done. So many parents don't get that chance.

July in a flash: Part three

My Grandma

This picture was probably taken sometime in 2003 or 2004. We were having our weekly Sunday dinner at Grandma's and I took this of her. It captures her so well.

Sadly, at the beginning of the third week in July, my lovely Grandma passed away. We had been expecting it. She was diagnosed with cancer in February and gave it quite the battle. It has taken me a long time to blog about it as I am really missing her.

I didn't get to know her really well until I moved for college in 2001. We became little buddies. She was always up for a shopping trip out of town or going to some sort of function in town. I began going over every Sunday for dinner and to hang out. This has since continued, adding Dusty, and two more sisters into the mix. There were so many dinners and nights of fun conversation and game playing.

One thing I will really miss is watching her relationship with Tyson. They really bonded. Tyson loved going over because he knew Grandma would be watching him every second, and what child doesn't love constant attention? I will miss the days when we needed to get out of the house and would stop by randomly to see her. Tyson still asks if we can go up and see Grandma, even though we have talked about her dying a number of times. It is going to be hard to get used to, that's for sure.

Here's a scan of a scrapbook page taken when she popped over to see us one day.

Out and about in town.

Tyson loved to get wheeled around by Grandma. These last pictures were taken in the fall of last year as she was getting sicker and sicker and we didn't know why.

I will certainly miss my sweet, charismatic Grandmother who was such a part of my daily life. She was an example to me on many levels. Life is certainly a little different now.

Her funeral was special; such a celebration of her life, as we planned it to be held on her birthday. Her passing made July a very emotional month, but I know that she is in a better place now, seeing her husband and family, and living in a body that isn't in pain.

Love you Gram.

Goals

Remember this post?

It was about the end of January and I had such high aspirations about getting things done. Well...
That was before I was stricken with the terrible sickness due to the baby growing in me. It left me exhausted and bed ridden. I didn't even feel like myself anymore. I rarely left my house unless necessary and left Tyson to his own devices much of the time.

Needless to say, I hardly accomplished anything at all that I wanted to.

But, it now feels as if I have a new fresh breath of life and I feel wonderfully motivated! I am in the mood to get things done!

I have been following this girl as she blogs about her Week in the Life project. And I am so excited to do it again as well! The last time was in October of 2008, which you can read more about here, and I say it's time to capture a week of our family again. I'm thinking of starting the week of May 9th or the 16th. It's a consuming but priceless way to document your daily routines and family obligations. I have been scouring Etsy for little tidbits that would complement my album.

I am also starting to cook again! It feels good to stand behind the stove and saute some olive oil and garlic and whip up something yummy. I tried out a new recipe, strawberry bread which was very good. Make it as soon as you can!

I actually made may down to my craft room which had been collecting dust for months - literally, there was still Christmas stuff down there- and organized and gathered my thoughts about where to go next. I want to expand the album I created when I was pregnant with Tyson with the details of this new little one's beginning. I want to add some items to Dusty's scrapbook since his life is so dynamic and busy.

We have been so busy in the yard and garden. I want to get as much planting done before it gets harder to bend over. :)

Right now I feel so good and am excited for the rest that is to come. We are starting to plan for the summer. One thing I would really love to do is go see this park , at make it to this place while we're at it.

It feels good to be myself again. :)

Random Thoughts

I can't believe that in a little over a week it will be September. I am really excited for fall time to arrive, but I am hanging on to the last little bit of summer as well. I didn't get enough swimming in, didn't get quite enough sitting out under the tree's shade, didn't get enough summer reads in either. So I think we will be playing catch-up for a few weeks before we fully embrace the harvest season.

I have spent the last two weeks glued to my computer completely absorbed with the updated Photoshop. I have been trying out new tricks and tips and doing rough edits to most of the photos. I have also been really enjoying PW's action sets. They are so much fun!

I have also had the daunting task of weeding out my photos, renaming them, burning them onto disks, and just basically deciding what my general organization system should be in the future. I have been using iphoto , which is completely wonderful, but Photoshop definitely eclipses it and I needed a new system.

All of this photo-doing has re-awakened my desire to create in the craft room so much. It had gone dormant for the summer but is back in full force! Yippie!

Dusty actually talked me into going camping. Shocker. I'm just not a camping sort of girl. It's not the dirt, or the fire, or anything like that. I just think it's pointless to drag a bunch of stuff up a mountain and back down the next day. That being said, I had a great time sitting by the fire doing some soul-talking with Dusty, eating good dutch-oven food, and enjoying the starry night. Next time we should just do that and then go home and sleep in our comfy beds.



Due to new things that are changing in Dusty's schedule, and the fact that he doesn't want to go running at 6 in the morning anymore, my sister and I moved out work-out time a little bit later. Can I just say that sleeping in a half hour longer is absolutely fabulous?

I can tell that fall must be arriving because I also have the overwhelming desire to paint. Should I start with my laundry room? My exterior doors? Or the stairwell?

I also want to start up a little preschool with other moms that have kids around Tyson's age. Something around once, maybe twice a week. Are any of you interested? Do you know of any good resources online to get ideas?

My hair is finally long enough to french braid again. I think the last time I did it was in 2002 when we were dating. I'm so excited to have longer hair ( if only I would take the time to actually fix it) and I want a new straightener to use. What do you use? I'm sure there's a straightener out there that is fabulous.

My parents and siblings are coming to visit tomorrow. I wish they didn't live so far away..... but it will be great to visit and do a few things.

Dusty and I took a spectacular little drive up our canyon and veered off the beaten path a bit. Here's what we found,

One thing I have discovered

...about myself is that I really enjoy "homemaking"/housekeeping. It's not always pleasant, and sometimes it hard work, but there's nothing better than feeling that your house is clean and well-run because of your management.
I like all aspects of it: cooking, getting a good deal at the store, finding a home for everything, keeping only things have a good use, folding towels, etc.

I remember my mom once saying that we should "find joy in the things we have to do each day". So true. I find joy in experimenting with cleansers, scrubbing the pots after dinner, arranging bouquets of flowers, stocking the pantry, and always trying to have extras of everything so that we never run out.

Then there's the even more exciting part of making a home- having a yummy smell wafting through each room of the house, putting this and that into attractive containers, making sure the lighting in each area is inviting, and that the bathroom is a place where you'd actually want to have a good soak.

I like to always keep a wreath on the door and the house tidy in case someone unexpectedly drops by. I like to fill the house with things that make me feel good inside. Things like: pictures of my family, bottles of fragrant lotion, books that remind me of days past.

I don't want my house to feel sterile, so I don't mind scattered toys that demonstrate my child's creativity, notebooks lying around to help me gather my ideas and be more efficient, lists on the fridge, in the bedroom, and everywhere else. I don't mind that Dusty leaves the newspaper on the kitchen table in the morning and some left-over breakfast on the stove.

I realized long ago that I was a "homebody". There's no where I'd rather be. I feel comfort and security. It's a place I can cry, let my hair down (or pull it up), put on my lounge pants and curl up with a blanket; most importantly, it's the place where I hear the laughter and feel the love of the most special people in my life. And that's the best of all.

What's making me happy right now

Singing my favorite Primary songs to Tyson at night and having him say "I like that one". Me too buddy.

Finally getting outside to "spring clean" the backyard.

Digging in and learning a new Sonata on the piano. It feels so good and has been way too long.

Doing some new Pilates and being sore in places I didn't know was possible. :)

Adding thoughts and pictures to my sketchbook so I don't forget what I liked during my 20's.

Waking up early every morning and feeling that I have so much more time to get things done.

Watching the Twilight Special Features with my sisters and laughing about Rob Pattinson's commentary on how he thinks no ones could take a guy seriously with "lipstick, sculpted eyebrows, and a bouffant".

It's interesting,

I blog all about what is keeping me busy, what I find fulfilling in my life, and yet, somehow, I am leaving out one of the most important things in my life. The piano.

Perhaps it's because it's as natural to me as breathing. So I don't even think about it, or mention it. But it is also as necessary to me as breathing. Piano is my stress outlet; my natural high. I play daily, as an enjoyment, to learn new pieces, to keep myself grounded.

If I'm feeling frustrated, I take it out on the keys, usually fast and furiously. Most of the time I play my favorites or makeup something new.

My favorite composer for piano is Chopin. Each melody is a treasure that seem to fit my hands so well. I'm just a sucker for the melancholy, hauntingly beautiful music pictures he paints. I never tire of any of them.

I also love the delightful pieces of Mozart. They are stimulating, whether in Major or Minor. I love to play Bach, but I know that he is not fun to listen to persay. One of my favorite contemporary composers is Eugenie Rocherolle. She has some wonderful pieces.

I think my biggest goal concerning the piano is to not let my hands become lazy and unfamiliar to the keys. I know how quickly that unfamiliarity can come. I hope to avoid it. For some reason, Heavenly Father blessed me with this talent and love, and I cannot shirk it. I feel that I must always be willing to share it somehow. It can still be scary, but it can also be invigorating.

I really have missed teaching these past couple of years. It used to be such a focus for me and it's refreshing to start back up again. Like opening up an attic window and letting the cleansing, cool breeze brush by the curtains and push out the stagnant air that has settled. All of my piano teachers were a BIG inspiration to me, and I love to pass what I learned from them on.

So, I may not mention the piano again for awhile. Maybe I will, but over the years I have come realize that it is more than just a hobby or ambition. It's my place of sanctuary.

A goal

I'm not going to call this a New Year's resolution because I have been thinking about it for some time now, but I have a goal that I am going to start focusing on more. It's hard to sum up exactly, but I suppose it can all rolled into: planning what we are going to eat so that we can be more healthy. I am the person who spearheads the cooking in our house and if we are going to eat better, it needs to be up to me.

My first step to this plan is to write out a monthly menu. Some people do weekly, but I think that monthly makes more sense for me. This way I can try new recipes, have some fall-back standards, and always know what I need to pick up in the grocery store. At the beginning of the month, I wrote a menu for everyday that included dinner for the night and left-overs for lunch the next day. I also made sure to write out vegetables/salad for each meal. If I have it written down, I don't have to think about it when 4:00 rolls around. I can just make what I had planned. So far I have only had to tweak a few times.



My second step is to eliminate all overly-processed, white, enriched foods. I have been doing this for awhile actually. That means we only have whole wheat bread, brown rice, whole grain pasta, non-sugary cereals etc. I think we are to the point that we are used to tasting all of these foods. The pasta takes a minute getting used to, but it's much more filling.

My third step is to eliminate foods that are high in salt and reduce my use of salt in cooking. I'm not going to get into it, but if you are unsure about how too much salt can affect us, I encourage you to research it. I have been using lots of "Mrs. Dash" seasonings that are salt-free. I baked some chicken awhile ago with just this on it, and Dusty couldn't tell that there was no salt in it.



My last step is to try to avoid any kind of trans fat. If you are reading a label, if it says that it has any kind of "partially hydrogenated oil" in it, you can bet it has trans fat, even if they claim it doesn't. I learned all about how these bad boys change in your body and the harm they can do in organic chemistry, and from reading.

Basically, all of this means that I have to cook most things from scratch, which doesn't bother me, because I enjoy cooking. But it does mean that I spend a good chunk of my day in the kitchen and having my meal planned in advance helps make it easier for me. I think I am going to start posting recipes that fall into these categories that we enjoyed. I also want to start eating more salmon, nuts, avocados, and keep using good olive oil. I'm hoping this journey helps me become a better cook and helps us to become more healthy.




Some fantastic resources that help me in this are:

My Mom, who has been cooking this way for years and is an expert in what is good and bad for you.

This magazine



Also this magazine


And this website, which has recipes galore and loads of reviews complete with tips and hints.

A few things

that have me excited.

* getting to spend time with Dusty for our anniversary
* scrapbooking a few pages and liking how they turned out
* picking up some CDs at the Dollar Store on a whim and loving them
* watching the snow fall and knowing I have no where to go
* listening to Tyson laugh as Dusty helps him on the pull-up bar
* some of my recent itunes purchases

that make me realize my baby is growing up.

* he can switch a DVD by himself, as we discovered yesterday
* he knows the names of all the "Thomas the Trains"
* he recognizes a few letters
* he thinks that saying "please" after everything means he will get it

Evidence to myself that I am actually living life :)

Saw this on this girl's blog, and as I was reading through I was surprised how many things on the list I had actually done. Just thought I'd share.

Everything bolded are things that I have done.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band ....at school
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland /world
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 Michelangelos 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
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
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
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
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
100. Read an entire book in one day

What I've been up to

I tend to be a cyclic person. I go through many, many cycles. Book cycles, blogging cycles, yard work cycles, etc. Turns out I am not in my blogging cycle. Sorry. But for a head's up on to what I've been up to:

*making whole wheat bread and enjoying it with homemade strawberry jam
*pushing Tyson in his swing outside
*taking drives up the mountain to see the fall leaves
*having good times with the girl friends
*housework, always housework
*trying out new recipes
*reading lots of new books
*following others' blogs
*rotating my summer/winter clothes

I'm also planning a new project. I've been checking Ali's blog everyday, following her latest photo+words idea. I'm in love and I am getting ready to do it next week. Check it out. Her pictures and scrapbooks are very down-to-earth. Just the sort of stuff we'll want to remember in 50 years.

Some soul searching

When I was a senior at SUU, I took my favorite class, Biotechnology. I loved being in the lab for hours, replicating DNA, trying to solve puzzles and do research. Loving the class was an unexpected discovery for me. I had always enjoyed the sciences, thus choosing my Biology major, but I also knew which fields of Biology I definitely wasn't interested in. I'll admit that I got kind-of creeped out when collecting insects in my entomology class, and my research on mice in Vertebrate Phys. wasn't up my alley either, and rather boring. I had already steered away from medical school and teaching in H.S., so I was just finishing my degree because it's good to have one. Because of this, I was pleasantly surprised to be enjoying my Biotech class so much. It involved precision, patience, and a little bit of an obsessive personality; hence fitting me like a glove.

The reason I bring this up, is that a few days ago I received a letter from the SUU admissions dept. announcing a new Masters of Science in Forensics. Now, I didn't contemplate heading back to school to do Forensics, since I had already ruled it out as well after taking some Criminal Justice classes, but I thought "what if they sent me a letter saying they were doing a Masters in Biotech, or something in that field?" The thought swayed me slightly. Would I do it? Would I be ready to head back after a four year break? I would have to brush up on my micro-pipetting skills, and take the GRE. It would be a major commitment. Could I balance it with being a Mom?

While I am not close to finding out that answer, I suppose what surprised me the most is that I wasn't closed to the idea of more education. I had shut that door long ago, or so I thought. I've always know that a Bachelors in Biology is rather useless unless you go on to graduate school. I have accepted this. I don't feel disappointed, or unfulfilled. All of this is just food for thought.

So, I will continue to enjoy motherhood, teaching piano, and being crafty. Those things are right up my alley too. :)

Last Night's Surprise

My sisters threw me a little birthday dinner last night, complete with my favorite dish and lots of giggles. But look at the place setting that was awaiting me there!




I'm sure I looked rather shell shocked. Isn't it absolutely fabulous? I thought so too. They even had a matching broom for me. So thanks Sara, Megan, and Lauren. I told Dusty that this could open up a whole new arena of kitchen-ware for me. I might be "caught" into buying something now because it matched the dinnerware in my cupboard. Watch out world.

It has also inspired me to get moving on painting my kitchen. I am thinking a vibrant red color. If any of you aren't doing anything on Saturday, maybe you can come help me. hee hee :)

On another note, I hit the jackpot yesterday at the Cedar Music Store. They already had their Christmas music out, but I think it was just barely shelved because it wasn't labeled or sorted yet. In case you think I am insane, I know how fast this stuff flies, so I snatched up what I found quickly. When I got home and started sight-reading through it, I realized that I had stumbled upon some entrancing arrangements. Oh my heck. I might have to break my promise to Dusty and start playing Christmas music before November this year.........

While we are at it, here is my little list of stuff on the docket for the fall:

*paint my kitchen (as previously mentioned)
*sand and paint our childs' picnic table
*sand and paint our fence around the garden
*paint my stairwell and finish the picture frame arrangement
*plant more daffodil bulbs
*polish up some piano solos
*make a few mini-albums of summer moments

Also, Cubby, Kiki, Willy, I love the new sweater. I'm wearing it today, and already have gotten quite a few compliments. Good choosing!