37 Things Tag

Mere has mastered the art of getting the spoon from the bowl or dish to her mouth, but still finds it fun to throw her food and splash it everywhere...



Cat relaxing-he likes to climb on the keyboard.

Mere trying to walk in daddy's flip flops-she actually did get a couple of steps in.

Playing with packing paper.

1.My uncle once: took me on a tour of Stockholm, Sweden
2.Never in my life: Have I eaten snails, though my dad and brothers like them
3.When I was five: My family moved from Seattle to Redmond (WA)
4.High School was: hated it
5.I will never forget: how grateful I am to have married Saki
6.I once met: Joseph B Wirthlin, and I couldn't think who he was!
7.There’s this girl I know who: may be seeing me in less than 2 weeks, though we haven't seen each other for almost 7 years?!
8.Once, at the store: I was about to checkout when I realized I had forgotten my wallet. I was in a hurry so I put away the cold items and had to leave the shopping cart with the rest of my groceries and come back another time :( It must have been when Mere was first born.
9.By noon, I’m usually: wanting a LONG nap
10.Last night: spent hours talking with Saki, my favorite treat
11.If I only had: a house on the beach
12.Next time I go to church: I hope all my primary kids are feeling better (lots have been sick)
13.What worries me most: If something ever happened to Saki
14.When I turn my head left, I see: our dvd/vcr and screen, Mere's slide, my yoga mat, the cat's crinkly tunnel, and a little play table from my neighbor.
15.When I turn my head right, I see: a high chair, kitchen table with my cute stuffed chicks and duck for Easter, the backyard fence.
16.You know I’m tired when: I think everything's funny and I can't stop laughing
17.What I miss most about the eighties: don't really remember them
18.If I was a character in Shakespeare, I’d be: the twin sister in 12th night
19.By this time next year: I will be happy my baby's sleeping through the night!
20.A better name for me would be: I love the name Belle-which happens to be a nickname for Elizabeth, and the name Fawn, but I do like my name Elizabeth
21.I have a hard time understanding: how people can be so mean to each other
22.If I ever go back to school, I’ll get my Masters in Social Work!
23.You know I like you if: I smile at you
24.If I ever won an award, the first person I’d thank would be: depends on the award. . .
25.Take my advice: put the Lord first, then everything else falls into place
26.My ideal breakfast is: swedish pancakes or crepes and fruit, or leftovers from a dinner I enjoyed, cold or warm.
27.A song I love, but do not have is: there's quite a few...but I never know names
28.If you visit my hometown, I suggest: you enjoy the walking paths and pick blackberries and admire the ferns-and stay with the Hoffmans
29.Why won’t people: stop obsessing over how they and others look physically?
30.If you spend the night at my house: We'd be happy to see you but sorry we don't have roomier accommodations.
31.I’d stop my wedding for: can't think of anything
32.The world could do without: selfishness
33.I’d rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: listen to a baby cry for a long time
34.My favorite blonde is: Andrea Hoffman :) and Sarah Peterson
35.Paper clips are more useful than: twist ties
36.If I do anything well, it’s: empathize
37.And by the way: I love fresh fruits in plain yogurt, occasionally with chocolate chips

Little New Things for Mere

Takes more steps, carries things by the handle, loves bracelets and necklaces (taking them on and off), climbing up the slippery side of the slide, has learned body parts, blowing her nose (copying mom who has allergies), takes interest in shoes-it's her new word (but she still doesn't wear them long), combs her hair, and just little things she didn't used to do, she's really growing :)

Can't tell too well from the photo, but we both have glittery silver sandals :)

Dad and Mere in between Stake conference-excellent talks on marriage and living the gospel. "God is behind the conditions that are happening." "Be prepared and ye shall not fear"
"Do we listen to the Lord or 'reason with' the Lord?" Include the Lord in your marriage:) I'm so happy Saki and I see eye to on the important things. We both want to do the Lord's will and in doing so we find happiness, particularly in serving others.

I curled my hair with the foam curlers overnight... I don't know how curly haired people keep their hair untangled!

Playing in dad's chair.




The cat took an immediate liking to Saki's chair.

Ultrasound!

I had a Dr visit today, and then waited for more than an hour so they could fit me in for an ultrasound-Mere was so good, until the end of the ultrasound, when she started to cry. She gets worried when I lay down at the Dr's office.

We are having a boy! We are thrilled! I picked Saki up from work and we went out to eat at a family Mexican restaurant across the street and then I splurged on ice cream from Cuchi's as we walked home. That is why this post is late :)

Grandpa's Visit & Family Photos

Here's some family photos taken in August 2007-I just got them on my computer.

Bradshaw family with spouses and my mother's parents (Peterson's) and my cousin, Sara Peterson.

Bradshaw Family with spouses Camille James and Saki Vakalala

Jeff and Kathleen Bradshaw

Robert and Camille Bradshaw


Thomas Bradshaw-attending BYU Provo

Samuel Bradshaw-preparing for his mission this June.

Samuel made the large checkerboard I sewed him some years ago into a bed quilt.

Peterson Grandparents.

Saturday Morning we were able to participate in sealings at the San Diego temple with some others in our Stake. I love to do sealings in March because that is around our wedding anniversary! (Sealings is when a man and woman are sealed-marriage-for time AND all eternity, and children are sealed to their parents. These ordinances, among others are done in temples for our ancestors who have passed on.)

Saturday evening we saw my aunt Bonnie and lots of my cousins and their children-on vacation in Anahiem, CA.

Meresiana and 2nd cousin? William Ethington. Luke in the background.

Saturday afternoon we got to meet with Kristin Hoffman and her grandma :) L to R: Jeff, Saki, Elizabeth and Meresiana, Rich Hoffman's mother, Kristin Hoffman at the La Jolla Marriott

Life just gets hectic...

Well, only one photo this week, as I forgot the camera when we went to the county fair-we have to figure out if we can transfer photos from Saki's phone to the computer. . . Mere enjoyed the animals and playing in the sand box they had-mostly she just stared at all the people and noise around her. We've just been busy with Saki's work, vet, dr, insurance, job hunting etc.... I'm just happy I married Saki and we are looking forward to my ultrasound on St Patrick's Day...

whole wheat tortilla with peanut butter-was less messy than a sandwich, but after a couple times, she figured out how to unroll it...

Parker, AZ

This Saturday we went to Parker, AZ to visit my grandparents (they stay there in the winter and go back to their home in Astoria, OR in the spring/summer). The location is a beautiful place on the Colorado River.


Grandma and Grandpa Peterson (my mom's parent's)

View from the patio, it is so nice to sit by the river!


Sunset view from their patio.

My grandparent's treated us to a buffet at a small casino near where they live.

As you can see, it was delicious!

Amazing pool near the buffet.

On the way we passed the Glamis sand dunes where people dirt bike and dune buggy-don't know if that's what they call it... the come through our town all the time and refuel their racing things. I don't know where they get the time. . . I guess movies are filmed around here too.

The dunes are quite beautiful.

RV's, sellers of supplies.

Mishaps and Mayhem

Those things you'll laugh about later, or at the time with mixed feelings. . .

1. Excited about letting Mere play in one of those fast food playgrounds on our roadtrip we walked along prompting her to go through the tunnel, watching her in the windows. To our surprise and dismay at the end one of the sections was filled with dirty rainwater. Mere splashed and played and we tried to coax her out.

2. While at Walmart Mere got her foot stuck in between the little bars on the cart and I couldn't get it out! I finally went to the dressing room and asked for help-a handful of workers came and gave her a sucker and tried sawing and prying the bars apart. When they were about to call the fire dept one more worker tried the crowbar and the bar popped apart. Her foot was a little swollen, but they tied on a little ice pack which she kicked off a couple of minutes later and there didn't seem to be any after effects.

3. Mere figured out how to climb onto the kitchen counter.