• 08:43 Another beautiful (though hot) day. The boys have spent the last half hour watching the backhoe in the neighbors yard. Ahhh summer. #
• 08:45 Getting rid of all sippy cups today. Wish me luck. #
• 09:11 I'm singing some random song about what a beautiful day it is and suddenly I notice that EZ is yelling from the other room "Mom, Stop!" Haha #
• 20:43 The City's bakeoff top prize is a trip to NY to hang out with Food Network for several days. Guess who's hubby's job disqualifies her? #
• 20:44 ...Then the top prize for the writing contest is a Wii. Yeah, disqualified again. #

• 14:56 Headache. So much running through my head. #

Why Do I Take These Silly Tests???

I was intrigued after reading Mer's blog about the color quiz. My results seem accurate, I guess. But who knows? I wonder if these "results" are written such that they seem specific enough to be genuine, yet are ambiguous enough to be phony. Hmmmm. I wonder.

Either way, here are my results.

Free personality analysis of Deb.
Generated on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 20:42:48 -0700
www.colorquiz.com

Deb's Existing Situation

"In a very inactive and stationary condition, yet conflict and disagreements keep the wheels in the head constantly turning. Looking for fulfilling relationships which are affectionate and understanding, yet settles for less."

Deb's Stress Sources

"Needs to meet people who have the same high principals and values as herself, but finds the need unfulfilled. her need to feel dominate and superior leaves her feeling isolated and does not allow for her to give freely of herself. she would like to surrender and let go, but sees that as a weakness she must not give in to. Holding back will allow her to stand out for the crowd and earn a higher status, recognized by others as unique and important."

Deb's Restrained Characteristics

Emotionally demanding and will involve herself in close relationships but won't get too involved or give too much of herself.

Current situations force her into compromise and placing her own hopes and desires on hold for the time being.

Deb's Desired Objective

"If motivated, she will easily and quickly learn new skills. Is very intense person who seeks excitement and sexual stimulation. Wants others to see her as an exciting and interesting person, who is also charming and can easily influence others. Uses her charm to increase her chances of success and gain other people's trust."

Deb's Actual Problem

"Impressed by unique and one of a kind things, and by people with exceptional personalities. Tries to takes the characteristics she likes in other people and apply it to herself as well as coming across as a unique individual."

• 15:33 Planning out the rest of the year with Aaron. Where did April go? #
• 19:10 Dinner tonight: Grilled curry chicken, basmati with lentils, roasted veggies. Yum! So good to be home. #

Yes, but what can I make for you?

There is something deeply satisfying about feeding a good eater. I just love it. I'm not talking about someone that wantonly gorges himself on mindless, pointless, calorie-laden concoctions. I'm talking about someone that loves every bite of wonderful food for the simple flavors and goodness of them. I'm talking about juicy grilled chicken and tart summer berries and chewy, nutty brown rices, and buttery, sauteed summer squashes, and crunchy crispy peppery salads, and cold smooth lemon sherbet with bursts of zest throughout.

ASH is a good eater and I just LOVE him for it. HY was a really good eater. I had him eating acorn squash and wild rice pilaf with relish at twelve months. EZ was a (kind of) good eater--of all things savory, that is. He would rather eat spoonfuls of spinach sausage soup than applesauce and rice cereal. But who can blame the kid? Aaron is a good eater and a particularly adventurous one too, which is oodles of fun.

I just love to feed people that want to be fed.

I'v been thinking about this a lot lately--the subtle differences between a good eater and an overeater. It has been on my mind as I've been journeying through the last several months on a diet. I constantly am watching family members struggle with the temptation to overeat (and the resulting unpleasant consequences...).

In the end, I have no desire to be, raise, or encourage overeaters (eating as a vice, obsession or whatever). But I do want to raise good eaters--people that appreciate and love the varieties of flavors that God has given us to enjoy.

When I think about the fact that I have three sons (three sons!!!), it makes me want to jump up and down and spin around and laugh and laugh and laugh. One day they will all be very hungry growing teenagers. My heart practically bursts at the thought. I will get to feed this hungry brood every day! Wow! What a day that will be! And what is more, maybe, just maybe, I will be blessed with more sons by that time. Maybe we will have to have several refrigerators and several deep freezes and I will really get to use all of my mass food production skills I have be honing over the years...but I digress.

Right now my little boys are still teeny and sweet and darling and little wonders of personality and grit. And the joy of feeding them is just a small portion of how dynamic and interesting and messy my life has become over the years as a new mother. I'm sure it will only get more so as time passes.

Tonight we tried a new baby food, ASH and I. It wasn't anything spectacular, just apples with blackberries, but the flavor was so fantastic for Gerber fare that I made Aaron try it too. "Not too bad...it would be really good frozen, like a sorbet of sorts." Exactly. The best thing, however, was the look on ASH's face. Pure bliss. It probably matched mine in every particular.

• 12:55 Feeling like I'm going to throw up. #
• 13:31 Hooray! hit my lowest weight so far this morning. -57 lbs, 23 left. And all of this in spite of Richard's attempt at sabotage. #

• 11:11 Making cookies and treats for some "pay it forwards" I owe. Feeling good because I'm resisting the dough for now. #
• 11:36 Cried watching youtube. (Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent.) What is it in my genetic makeup that makes me cry at these things? #
• 21:16 Bedtime, baby! #

• 08:22 Kids still sick. Feeling blue myself. #

• 13:51 Sick, sick, sick. Thank you, Sushi, for the cold. I wonder if being sick makes you need more calories...one can only hope. #

• 13:51 Trying to avoid the cake/candy/ice cream that is all over Mom's house. #

• 11:06 Love General Conference. #
• 13:09 Stuffed. Enjoyed a classic dinner from Mom: Roast, potatoes, asparagus, carrots, jello, coleslaw, chocolate cake, ice cream. Thanks Mom! #
• 15:12 It seemed like some of the themes in Gen Conf were hope, faith, Temples, and provident living. So good to hear from the prophet. #
• 18:30 Still eating: sticky rice with mangoes. Thanks Rico, it was delish! #
• 18:30 Actually contemplating facebook. Why does that seem so junior high-ish to me...I say that as I tweet... #

• 22:49 Overate at Olive Garden with the Sis's (minus 2). Just ate a candy bar. What else can we do tonight to jump off the bandwagon??? #
• 22:49 Programming my new CELL PHONE!!!!!!!!! #

• 09:28 Gained a few pounds. I knew all those unbelievably good peanut butter cookies would catch up to me eventually. Oh yea, and the Cafe Rio... #
• 15:50 Tired. #
• 16:54 Headache. Restless kids. #

• 16:18 Home from a little road trip to Eliz's. Besides the almost constant baby screaming and bright yellow bug guts on the windshield, a good day! #

• 08:35 Watching "Mighty Machines" with the boys. The subway chapter is making me wish I were in London--the boys would love riding the tube. #
• 10:39 EZ's bday bounce house (air mattress meets blow-up pool) has quickly become a honk receptacle--brimming with bedding, clothing, and towels. #
• 21:07 Thinking of going to Mer's graduation. With $10 hotel and $39 plane ticket how could I say no? #

• 11:20 Just got home from a yard sale. Funny how you can instantly want all kinds of random things when you are perusing through neighbors junk. #
• 11:21 Out to walk the treadmill. Goal: one more pound before March ends. #
• 11:24 ...except that I hear the baby crying. Foiled again. Maybe we'll try afternoon naptime? #
• 14:50 Multi-task Sat: Laundry, cooking for the YW tonight, prepping the garden for planting... #
• 22:08 Accidentally laundered Aaron's ipod. Will be having graveside service for it tomorrow after church. #

• 18:32 Dinner tonight: Pasta Carbonara with peas...then tomorrow I am back to 1500 calories. I promise. #

• 10:26 Regretting last night's rendezvous at [Up] ChuckaRama with Sushi and Dad--not the company, the food. Did I really need four scones? #
• 13:56 Just started following Terry Moran and Orrin Hatch. Interesting. #
• 17:16 Sporting a side pony tail. #

• 11:14 Monday again and trying to get back in the swing of things. #

• 13:11 Trying to develop a beef cannelloni recipe that can be adapted for mass production as freezer meals... #

• 20:40 Wow. What a day! #

Tweets for Today

• 13:29 Beautiful day! Spent the morning with the boys on the grass outside examining ants and jumping spiders. #
• 13:30 p.s. Jumping spiders are freaky. #
• 13:32 Afternoon Mom/HY project: Whip up a batch of divinity for YW tonight. #
• 14:07 Waiting for the sugar to get to hard ball stage takes forever. #
• 14:12 HY: "did you see the brown specks in [the beaten egg whites]?" Me: (Oh no) "what'd you do?" HY: "it's ok, just a little brown sugar." #

Tweets for Today

• 08:54 Happy St. Patrick's Day! #
• 15:40 Going crazy. #
• 15:42 One two-year-old for sale. If you call today, you'll also receive a four-year-old for no additional charge. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:06 Fri: Made Aliesha bday cookies. Sat: Took cookies to find open P.O. to send them. Sun: Opened package, ate cookies on way home from church. #
• 10:06 "The way to Hell is paved with good intentions." #
• 10:56 Doing laundry. Avoiding Easter candy. #
• 14:11 Talking myself out of exercising today and into eating candy. #
• 14:12 Fell asleep nursing the baby, like usual. Those afternoon feedings are a killer. #
• 15:51 Contemplating taking the boys to a department store...at four in the afternoon. May be crazy. #
• 17:59 Dinner tonight: pancakes. Either that or leftovers. #
• 20:55 Yuck. Sometimes leftovers are so blah. I hate that I even wasted calories on them tonight. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:19 Making tamales. And sweet pork. Love me some fresh mex. #
• 13:46 Tamale dough ranks right up there with cookie dough, if you ask me. #
• 13:53 Primary Teacher "How is your mommy nurturing in your home?..." HY: "She plays guns.." #
• 14:52 Squeezing lemons to make sherbet. Fiesta at my house, four o'clock! #
• 17:40 Partying with my friends. #
• 19:49 The men cleaned up. I'd call that a successful dinner. Next time let's try it without the kids. #

Tweets for Today

• 11:35 Getting pumped for Friday family venture. Already cleaned up several messes including, baby lotion, vinegar, broken glass, and hand soap. #
• 17:10 Did not need to eat the skittles, chips, Easter candy, and cookie dough today. That's what happens when Daddy comes home early. #
• 17:11 Working on dinner. #

Tweets for Today

• 14:56 Sleepy today. #
• 15:31 Thinking of taking the pilgrimage to Costco, just for the fun of it. #
• 21:17 Doing dishes, of course. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:10 Making Honey Bee cookies for "H" day. Yesterday was "T" day, hence the Tuna for dinner. #

Tweets for Today

• 14:46 Dieting again. "I will not eat a rootbeer float. I will not eat a rootbeer float..." #
• 15:26 Updating the budget. #
• 17:16 Dinner tonight: Tuna Noodle Casserole. ...Look, I know what you're thinking. And you're wrong. It's going to be good. #
• 21:41 Tuna didn't wow the crowd too much tonight. Surprise? #

Tweets for Today

• 10:46 Back from Vegas vacation. Organizing/cleaning house. LOVE daylight savings! #
• 10:56 Putting together new vacuum that we bought in Vegas. #
• 13:08 Milling brown rice to make hot cereal. Or, more accurately, HY is milling. He would have made a great pioneer. #
• 13:52 Wasting time reading blogs. AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH! #

Tweets for Today

• 10:54 Just cancelled cable...again. I have a love/hate relationship with TV. #

Tweets for Today

• 12:39 Curse you mini marshmallows!!! I don't even like you. Why do I keep eating you? #

Tweets for Today

• 15:47 Playing Candy Land with HY. He's winning. #
• 16:18 Dinner tonight: Grilled Curried Chicken with Summer Squash and Basmati Rice. #
• 20:05 Dinner was good. Kids in bed. Tomorrow I am going to thin out the toys by at least 30% and give to DI. What a great day! #

Tweets for Today

• 08:56 Lost two more pounds! 52 down, 27 to goal. Imagine how much faster I could do this if I didn't eat cookies/dough every other day. Hmph. #
• 09:11 Came in to find HY and EZ throwing bottles of various extracts down the length of the kitchen. "It's ok. We're just vanilla bowling, mom." #
• 11:30 Organizing the junk drawer. Next project: the top of the fridge. #
• 15:20 Enjoying a good laugh. www.passiveaggressivenotes.com #

Tweets for Today

• 16:16 Dinner tonight: Manicotti. A vast improvement over last nights--hot cereal. #
• 16:16 It's been a great day! #
• 17:30 Q's I've been asked in the last 15 min: Do ducks walk under water? Is salt strong? How do babies get into your tummy? Can lightning break? #
• 22:23 Reading Dad's blog. It's a nightly ritual. #

Paying it Forward

Rules:
*Be one of the first five bloggers to leave a comment on this post, and you will be given or sent a handmade gift from me! (read: homemade treat of some type)

*Winners may choose to post this challenge on their blog, or they can just 'pay it forward' in some other way.

*Basically we are starting a chain of 'pay it forward' kindnesses.


---

I got this from my friend who had this post on her blog yesterday. (I modified it a bit) Though it is definitely not my style to do this type of thing (forwards, games, surveys, etc) I have to admit, I was totally pumped to be one of the "winners." Originally you are supposed to win a great homemade, home-crafted item. But anyone who knows me knows that I don't have that great talent. Instead, I will make you something good to eat. I promise.

Then you can go on and do something nice for someone else.

(And yes, Meridith, this includes you. And yes, Meridith, I promise this time to really send you the cookies and not just take the box to the post office where I sit in the car, open the box, then eat all of the cookies while I talk to you on the phone...)

Can sand break? and other impossible 4-year-old questions

In the car today, Hy was doing his usual--barraging me with random questions about the world around us--when suddenly the conversation turned.

Hy: "how do the babies get in your tummy?"

Me: (where in the world did that come from?) "they grow in my tummy"

Hy: "no, but how do they get in there?"

Me: (weighing my options...) "after a mommy and a daddy get married in the temple they decide to have babies come to their family"

Hy: (exasperated) "no, how does the baby get in?"

Me: (hmmm...) "the daddy helps the mommy get the baby in her tummy then the baby grows bigger and bigger until mommy goes to the hospital and the doctor helps the baby come out."

Hy: "how does the baby come out?"

Me: "the doctor helps it come out"

Hy: "but, where does it come out?"

Me: "from my tummy"

Hy: (after thinking for a minute)"but your tummy doesn't have any cracks in it...where does it come out?

Me: (after thinking for a minute) "mommy's have a special place where babies come out"

Hy: "only mommy's have it?"

Me: "yes"

Hy: (long pause) "I want to see it."

Me: "ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm"

Hy: "next time you are in the hospital I want to come and see where the baby comes out"

Me: "Hmm. That might be interesting...actually when your wife is going to have a baby and you are big like Daddy, then you can go to the hospital and see where the baby comes out."

Hy: (thinking) "alright"

Tweets for Today

• 07:08 Ironing shirts and watching Curious George. #
• 11:53 Another sunny day. If only we could go to Lagoon. Now that would be fun! #
• 11:56 Starting solid foods--ASH, not me. The beginning of the end. Once you start 'em on food, you have to do it every day...messy gooey fun. #
• 15:46 Dinner tonight: Penne with roasted vegetables, Grilled chicken and balsamic glaze. #
• 21:06 Seriously scared after Obama's speech tonight. Is anyone listening to this? #

Tweets for Today

• 12:22 Cold day. Trying to get motivated to clean the house. #
• 12:48 Opening a particularly well-sealed box. Helpful EZ: just came running around the corner with a butcher knife. Oh, thanks Dude...scary. #
• 21:02 Watching "Fiddler On the Roof". Can't help but sing the whole time. TRADITION, tradition, da da da da da da da da da da, Tradition! #

Tweets for Today

• 15:08 Eliz and fam spent the weekend with us. I Fell way off the wagon. Can I get back up and go on? #
• 15:14 At least we went on a hike today. That's exercise, right? #

Tweets for Today

• 15:36 Wanting chocolate. #
• 15:38 Just made white chocolate covered popcorn. Ate half of it with the girls. Eliz is here. Let's make cookies. #

Tweets for Today

• 11:01 Feeling good again! Got the tax return, worked out, actually showered before noon... #
• 21:53 Long weekend here we come! #

Tweets for Today

• 12:37 I just don't feel like myself lately. #

Tweets for Today

• 15:57 Bad morning. Feeling sick, tired, overwhelmed, despair, etc. Spent the morning in tears along with the kids. #
• 15:59 Just got back from Walmart--the boys enjoyed their first corn-dogs and I commiserated with every tired looking person I could find. #
• 16:37 Note to self: don't let EZ eat an entire corn-dog again. He will throw it up on the carpet. #
• 21:13 I feel like I've bullied the children all day. Now I'm going to bed with guilt and pain for the innocent children that have me as their mom. #

Tweets for Today

• 09:16 Woke up with a fever and raging headache. Kids have fevers. Going to be a long day. #
• 14:38 Bored. Long long long long long Sunday. #
• 19:33 Stayed on calories today. Just took a 600 mg Ibuprofen. Feeling good. #

Tweets for Today

• 21:20 Just bought furniture at Smiths. Yes, that would be the grocery store... It was an impulse buy. #

Tweets for Today

• 08:53 Dear EZ, please stop slamming the toilet seat down. You are driving me crazy. Love, Mom #
• 15:28 Just got home from a family walk in the rain. I love Friday Family ventures. #
• 21:28 Put all three kids to bed at 6:30 p.m. Hooray! Estimated wake up: 5:30 a.m. Not as much hooray. #

Tweets for Today

• 21:59 I am tired. There is never enough time to get it all done. Someone is always awake. (And I never seem to be asleep.) #
• 22:00 At least I'm not eating cookies...or cookie dough. That is progress. #

I saw some long ago friends hanging out together tonight.

Seeing them caused me to step back and wonder about the decisions I have made in my life. I decided to get married. I decided to have children. I decided to stay home with them.

I decide to live on a pretty strict budget, and put a little away. I decide that extracurricular activities are a distraction, to me, away from what I'm trying to do right now. Etc. Etc. Etc.

Though these decisions are extremely satisfying in the long run, some nights I look back at my day and wonder "Deborah, are you getting boring? You used to be such a blast."

And then I remember that I have lots of friends and sisters that are also, at this very moment, dedicating their lives to wifehood and motherhood--and that I am not alone in this, sometimes, lonely endeavor.

Tweets for Today

• 07:25 Re-living last night's Taco Tuesday. Not something we will be repeating. #
• 08:53 Making griddle cakes (pancakes with cream of wheat in the batter) with EZ. #
• 08:53 @suznews Yum! #
• 09:15 Instead of eating the pancakes, EZ pulls off the pats of butter and eats them alone then declares "Mo bubba." A man after my own heart. #
• 11:45 Me and the boys rockin out to Michael Bolton. Nurturing the 47 year-old woman in all of us. #
• 14:50 Just found an open box of cake flour under HY's bed. He must have thought there was a cake inside... #

Tweets for Today

• 13:01 Looking for granola bar recipes. #
• 15:36 Dinner tonight: Spaghetti Bolognese #

Tweets for Today

• 20:28 Taxes are filed. Time to play. #

Tweets for Today

• 07:21 Yet another mornings workout foiled by early rising children. I'm going to have to get creative. #
• 08:42 Tired of brushing crumbs and dirt off of my feet after walking through the kitchen. Where's the broom? In the sandbox, of course! #
• 12:20 The joys of motherhood comes in moments for me. I love these little guys. #
• 16:07 Waiting for the baby to wake up so we can go swimming for our Friday Family "venture." #
• 16:11 Dinner tonight: Kraft Mac 'n Cheese for the kids--Mom and Dad are going out! #

Tweets for Today

• 13:33 Baking banana bread. Never realized that with a little chocolate and vanilla, boring old banana bread can be irresistible. #
• 16:28 Dinner tonight: spicy red beans and rice with grilled kielbasa. #
• 19:56 Just got home from a baby shower. House is clean. Kids in bed. Thanks Aaron! #

Tweets for Today

• 13:13 Feeling good today. Another pound out the door; 47 gone, 33 to go. If I could only resist that nagging urge to eat chocolate... #
• 15:34 Updating the budget (data entry to Quicken). Maybe I should have been a CPA. I love this stuff. #
• 16:28 Dinner tonight: leftovers. #
• 17:45 EZ just spilled an entire pitcher of cherry kool-aid on the carpet--which I promptly kneeled down in, in my white pants. Breathe... #

Tweets for Today

• 17:04 Dinner tonight: Spinach orzo soup with turkey-Parmesan meatballs. #

Tweets for Today

• 21:43 Scripture study with the hubby then off to bed. FHE particularly well received tonight. (EZ loves anything involving cheese...) #

Tweets for Today

• 14:13 Avoiding housework. Same old, same old. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:05 The latest buzz is about a (proposed) ten-year high school reunion. Looks like this Valentine's is going to be sans candy for me. #
• 13:31 Ok, I just saw a Barack Obama infant car seat cover for sale on ebay. I mean, he's nice and everything...but come on! #
• 13:45 Multi-tasking: perusing food blogs, collecting socks, fending off hungry children and helping Aaron memorize D&C 13. Not doing very well. #

Tweets for Today

• 12:33 Watching "Sword in the Stone" for the first time with HY. #

Tweets for Today

• 16:54 Just finished making four pans of pork enchiladas--they will now go into the freezer. #

Tweets for Today

• 12:06 One boy down for nap. One boy fussing. One boy sneaking cookies and refusing lunch. One girl surrounded by laundry. #
• 13:41 Making granola. #
• 16:11 Suffering from the "what to make for dinner" blues. #
• 21:48 Just finished laundry, dishes are going, my day is done. #

Tweets for Today

• 17:48 Completely amazed at the "inauguration coverage." We'll see how he does... #
• 20:31 Paying bills. I love paying bills. I think I was a secretary in my past life. #
• 20:52 Getting ready to do taxes. This is when it gets really fun! #

Tweets for Today

• 08:37 Making white chili for the office. Hopefully no disasters... #
• 12:31 Chili success! But in the process I ate two cupcakes--dense, buttery, yum goodness. I guess I'm having oranges for lunch. #
• 14:54 Laughing and playing in the sunshine with the boys. Mid 60's and not a cloud in the sky. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:40 Surfing the web for YW activity ideas. (My first thoughts always involve cooking, but it's hard to fit cooking into each value.) #
• 10:54 Just rescued a pen cap from a small hole outside and returned it to its tearful 4 yr old owner. Love doing hero work. #
• 15:59 Frustrated. Will he ever nap? #
• 20:06 Wasted all day working on meaningful YW activity. Didn't even do it. Came home to messy house. Goodnight. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:26 Sometimes I look around in awe..my life is so fun. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:33 Sushi has arrived. #

Top Ten Reasons Why I Am Really Very Very Old

1. I have lately fallen in love with wheat germ.
2. There are now so many white hairs growing from my head that I cannot pull them all out without making a small bald spot.
3. Going to bed before 9:30 p.m. and waking before 6:00 a.m. sounds really, really good.
4. The only magazine gracing the back of my toilet is the Ensign.
5. My favorite "late night" shows to watch on TV are the BBC world news followed by Perry Mason.
6. During the last few weeks I have craved and sought out oatmeal raisin cookies (I know, scary!).
7. The last three books I have read have been biographies.
8. I have noticed myself thinking lately "these commercials are so loud."
9. For Christmas, all I wanted was "happy children, etc."
10. I find myself trying to come up with some type of casserole, soup, etc that contains most of the leftovers in the refrigerator.

It's time to bring sexy back. I wonder if it's too late.

Tweets for Today

• 09:08 Dancing in the kitchen to "Mexican love music" with Aaron. Best way to start the day. #

Tweets for Today

• 11:59 Van Halen is hands down the best workout music. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:41 Just finished a pilates video. Hate to say it but I do feel more connected with my body. Watch out, now I'll start going hiking for fun. #
• 21:11 Walked the treadmill. Snuggling down now with a diet caffeine free Dr. Pepper and Perry Mason. #
• 22:28 Aaron came home, started eating. Social me: I sat down, ate two bowls of cereal and then 300 calories worth of dried marshmallows. GUILT. #

Tweets for Today

• 09:35 Got on the scale--two pounds less than I've seen so far! Wahoo. #
• 09:37 Running after kids already today. Woke up to finding HY and EZ enjoying pudding in bed. And is that a diaper I smell? Hmm. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:22 Just swept the kitchen. Nothing feels better than a freshly swept floor. I hope it lasts. #

Tweets for Today

• 08:44 New ward, new time, new calling: YW 1st Counselor. #
• 13:00 Flipping little boys over my head again and again and again. Aren't you guys dizzy? Mom is. #

Tweets for Today

• 20:09 Hanging with the in-laws. Eating chocolate. Good day. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:39 Headache. Not enough sleep. #
• 13:42 One more pound down. #
• 19:30 Seven-thirty and boys are in bed. Snuggling in for the night. #

Tweets for Today

• 07:42 Santa Came! Now, for the cleanup, and breakfast. #
• 16:02 Family project to get us out of the house. Putting up the new swing set in the cold sleety rain. Haven't had this much fun in a long time. #

Tweets for Today

• 10:42 Getting on the treadmill. Two kids taking naps. Aaaah, good morning! #
• 13:46 Just ate, like, ten cookies. But I'm swearing off dinner....yeah, right. #
• 23:25 Setting up an elaborate train set and village with Aaron. Can't wait until morning. #

Tweets for Today

• 09:59 Contemplating how to WOW the girls at Aaron's office. #
• 22:22 Merry Christmas Adam! #

Tweets for Today

• 09:18 Cleaning up an entire bag of rice that was spilled on the floor. "I'll make a better choice next time, Mommy." -HY #
• 14:40 Baking soft gingersnaps with the guys. Nothin' like ginger and cloves to get you in the mood. Next project: doughnuts? #

Tweets for Today

• 10:39 Crying for Elizabeth right now. What else can we do? #
• 13:33 One of THOSE days. EZ nap, ASH up, ASH nap, EZ up. No lunch, no exercise. Cookie dough is all I can think about. HELP! #

Tweets for Today

• 14:39 Baking bread with the boys. One batch of cinnamon rolls and two garlicky buttery loaves. Dirty, messy, ooey, gooey fun. #
• 17:22 Dinner tonight: Homemade mac 'n cheese. Well, make that cellentani and cheese. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:06 No snow here, but down one more pound. That is Christmas enough for me. #
• 17:20 Just found EZ up to the sink eating day-old cottage cheese from dirty dishes. (Hey EZ, does that taste a little like Feta?) #
• 17:22 Dinner tonight: Rotini with creamy pesto, summer squash, and baked chicken. YUM! #

Tweets for Today

• 10:01 Cleaning up play dough. Play dough always sounds like a good idea..but isn't. #
• 10:02 Down two more pounds. Skinny-land here I come! #

Tweets for Today

• 13:41 I am having sciatic nerve pain all the way down my leg. Ouch. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:38 Just came into the room to find HY and EZ covered the carpet with toothepaste, then doused it all with a good portion of baby oil. #
• 13:39 Seriously rethinking my "no spanking" parenting philosophy. #

Tweets for Today

• 21:08 Trying to fix the printer. Just finished boiling pacifiers. I need a life. #
• 21:09 This weeks food fetish: toasted wheat germ. Surprisingly yummy! #

Tweets for Today

• 11:54 Wasting time, should be getting ready for church. #

Tweets for Today

• 13:33 Just got music from JMC for my ward Christmas needs. Connections!!! #
• 21:00 Talking Christmas with Aaron. Yeah, I sleep with Santa. #

Here's to Seven

I love you, Honey.

Tweets for Today

• 07:13 Just washed off crusties from the boys eyes. Gotta love motherhood! #
• 15:04 @fuchsiasushi Still good for one week after sell by date! Cultures, yum! #
• 15:05 Just ate three cookies...ok five. Starting that diet in five, four, three, two, one, GO! #

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Me 'n Ez-Dawg, Yo

The best part about being on vacation is that I don't have to worry about laundry and dishes and bills. I can just play with my sweet little guys. Life couldn't get much sweeter.

Aint it Grand?

I don't think I've ever been happier in my life than now. We are really living the dream.

The Pep-Me-Up

I am on a diet. And the children are throwing up. It's been a bad week thus far.

I keep thinking to myself "where is the cookie dough...if I could just eat some cookie dough I know that I would feel better." But NO! I will trudge on through the temptation to over-eat this diet!!! I will. I will. I can do this.

I am still a babe, it is just that the curves are a tad, well, "filled-out" you could say. The time has come to trim them down to Phenomenal Woman proportions. Phenomenal woman, that's me!

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Maya Angelou

Just When You Think You've Got it All Figured Out

Every birth story is memorable. But I don't think we will ever outdo the surprise we got at the end of this one.


Aaron performing the "push it out, squeeze it out, waaaaay out" pre-birth dance.


Deborah all prepped for vomiting, yet still smiling!


Welcome....baby boy #3, a more masculine arrival than expected, but cute nonetheless.


Welcome to the house of testosterone. I am really outnumbered now.

Woops!

Last night I was so bored that I actually sat down to watch "Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium" It is a strange film. About one hour into it I was completely asleep. This seems to be my pattern lately--boredom to sleep. What I need is a good, gripping book. But whenever I go to the library it is constant work to keep EZ from pulling down every book at his eye level, while the cranky teen-aged librarian mutters annoyances left and right. "Mess..." "Takes forever to clean up...."

Generally boredom leads, for me, to creative cooking. However, I have lately (and, hopefully, temporarily) lost the drive to make late-night goodies. Plus, I have had some interesting cooking mishaps over the last little while.

One morning, several weeks ago, Aaron called me and told me that he forgot that he was supposed to provide the "birthday treat" for a coworker that day. "No problemo," I thought. HY and I will whip up something gorgeous to showcase our excessive domestic talents and WOW the girls in the office. (Oh yeah, and EZ can help too.)

I decided to make individual chocolate tarts. But I didn't want to just fill some pie dough with chocolate pudding and call it good. Yuck. So I spent the morning tweaking a brownie/cookie recipe to fit in as tart dough. Then the boys and I scoured the local grocery haunt for decent chocolate that we could temper in heavy cream. The idea was to come up with something between ganache and chocolate whipped cream (a very light mousse, if you will) that we could pipe into our tart shells.

Well, like every single time that I cook to impress and act all "I'm such an oustanding gourmet," something went very very wrong. We had to have the tarts at Aaron's office by 3:00 p.m. At 2:35 I had the cooled chocolate cream whipping away in the mixer while I grated fine chocolate into beautiful velvety shreds. The next thing I know, HY walks out naked from the bathroom requesting some help with the Charmin portion of his toilette..and I hear EZ splashing away in the soiled toilet water. Ugh.

It turns out that while Mom was busy tempering chocolate, HY went to the bathroom then popped off the toilet to sit on the edge of the bathtub to play with a toy (effectively soiling the shower curtain that was in the way, and allowing EZ ample opportunity to splash away to his little heart's content.)

A round of disinfectant later, I returned to the kitchen to find chocolate butter in the mixer. Yes, I had over-beaten the cream, which had separated into unappealing little balls of chocolate flavored butter. I COULD HAVE DIED. It was now about 2:50 p.m. and I was supposed to be filling little tart shells, but, instead, I was staring at chocolate butter wondering what in the world I was going to do with it.

In the end, I melted some of the chocolate butter and tried to pour some of it over solid chocolate pieces in the tart shells, then cover them in whipped cream and cocoa powder.

I was so embarassed about the whole thing that I made Aaron come out into the parking lot to get them instead of bringing them in myself.

On Love

To my Dear and Loving Husband

If ever two were one, then surely we.
If ever man were loved by wife, then thee;
If ever wife was happy in a man,
Compare with me, ye woman, if you can.
I prize thy love more than whole mines of gold,
Or all the riches that the east doth hold.
My love is such that rivers cannot quench,
Nor aught but love from thee, give recompense.
Thy love is such I can no way repay,
The heavens reward thee manifold, I pray.
Then while we live, in love let's so perservere
That when we live no more, we may live ever.

Ann Bradstreet

----

In an attempt to de-clutter the garage as of late, I have been thumbing through notebooks of correspondence between Aaron and me before we got married. There are literal reams. I keep thinking that one day all of these letters and notes will be a treasure to future generations in testimony of a great love story. But to me, reading it leaves me with a wealth of conflicting emotions.

One is almost akin to embarassment--like reading entries from your junior high diary, where you felt much but understood little. Another is a surge of nostalgia for the heady days of love unrequited, few serious responsibilities, and, let's be honest, the bloom of physical youth. (Did I mention there are several pictures accompanying these letters--I was a babe!) Not that I'm not still "youthful" as far as age goes, but the bloom does seem slightly tarnished. (And being seven months pregnant probably adds to my woebegone feeling.)

In reading over it all, you can practically feel the drama. Each page literally drips with tension, kindness, hopefulness, anticipation, admiration, and humor. It leaves me wondering if the very ardent expressions of affection belied in these notes really capture the essence of genuine love, and, if so, do I still feel it to the same degree. (Or am I exploring the inevitable surge of irrational emotions that accompany the last trimester of pregnancy a tad too much...)

When I think about it...I almost think that, though it's not captured on paper for posterity, there is more genuine love in our relationship now--captured in small moments like the satisfaction of working together on the yard on Saturday and falling asleep, exhausted, but holding hands.

The Lionhearted

Alright folks, I've gained 12 pounds in 4 weeks. Oh yeah, baby!

Baby girl is now being called "Sissy" or "little sissy" by HY and Aaron. During HY's nightly prayer, I often hear him say "bless sissy, that she will get bigger and bigger." Well, let's just say that his prayers must be earnest 'cause Mommy is feeling like she is getting bigger and bigger. Sweet HY. There is so much faith in him.

Of course, I forget his innocence throughout the day and get after him. It is sometimes only after he is asleep and calm, that I remember how sweet and genuine and good he is. The fun thing (and hard thing) about HY is that he is 1. smart, 2. fiercely independent and 3. sneaky. Basically HY always does exactly what he would like to do. All I can do, as Mom, is distract (for awhile), persuade (if possible), or supervise. Supervision, I have found is the best measure with HY. Because as far as distraction and persuasion go...well it's only a matter of time. Mom will eventually be in the bathroom or be busy putting EZ to bed, then it's HY Time!

"Pour me a drink my head is spinning. I gotta celebrate...a girl"

So I have been singing Shenandoah since last Friday when we found out that we are having a baby girl. Funny thing is, though, after being positive through every previous pregnancy that we were having a girl, with this one I am not sure... The technician at one point said "Oh, wait, maybe there is something more there...well... buy girl clothes, but don't take off the tags." That didn't leave me overly confident in pink purchasing. HY, however, has been telling us about his "baby sister" from the first day. We are so excited.

This One is for Jamie

There are truly few people that I will respond to in this world. Especially when it comes to "pass it on emails" and "blog tagging." But I truly love Jamie (read: wish to be like her one day) so I will make an exception. Here it goes.

A-Z Tag

A - Attached or Single: I've been attached to this boy from the first day I saw him (September 11, 1998). He's just as cute now as then. Married almost 6 years.

B - Best Friends: Aaron, Mom and Mom-in-law, Sisters and Sisters-in-law, Jamie W. AND, though I don't see or talk to them much, Sarah and Happiness will forever be my best girls.


C - Cake or Pie: Oh honey, either. Let's get serious, though. Lemon cake layered with mascarpone cheese then soaked in cream and chilled. Wipe yourself off the floor after that one. Raspberry pie doesn't hurt either. Let's have a little of both, shall we?

D - Day of choice: (Warning: This is a cheesy answer. If you gag easily, move to question E.) I love any day when I get to spend it with Aaron,... especially if we were spending it at a theme park for the day!!!

E - Essential Item: Mascara, jet black, Clinique, any kind. Oh yeah, and a good bra.

F - Favorite Color: yellow, purple, and (this is a real shocker to all who know me) that blueey greyee color that has hints at times of turquoise.

G - Gummy Bears or Worms: neither (It's so liberating to have candy that I don't like for once.)

H - Hometown: Orem, Utah

I - Indulgence(s): Perfume, makeup, Banana Republic jeans (which I haven't worn in years...*tear), and food at really really really expensive restaurants.

J - January or July: July. No contest.

K - Kids: HY, EZ, Baby #3 due in September. 3 down 10 to go!


L - Life is incomplete without: Family, and laughing. And laughing at, I mean with, family.

M - Marriage Date: 2002

N - Number of Siblings: 3 brothers, 3 sisters, 5 brothers-in-law, 7 sisters-in-law--love them all.

O - Oranges or Apples: Oranges

P - Phobias or Fears: Everyone who knows, knows that I am a tad bit on the morbid side and am constantly positive that I am going to die, or Aaron is going to die, or whatever... I am notorious for leaving "last notes" that say "I will love you forever and ever" on a post-it-note on the fridge when I leave. Just in case.

Q - Quotes: "A waist is a terrible thing to mind."

S - Season: Fall. So romantic. Don't even get me started.

T - Tag Three Friends: Honestly it would be fun to have this info on some Sisters--Eliz, Suzanne, Aliesha, Mermer, Amber, etc (Not Susannah. I know way too much about her already. Chopped Spam!)

U- Unknown fact about me: I failed the AP English exam. Ok, I said it. It is out in the open. And everyone can know. But, who cares about high school anymore? Not me.

V - Very favorite store: Williams and Sonoma. Could you just die?

W - Worst habit: Overeating., and saying way more than I should. Discretion is a virtuous ideal. One day I will have it.


X - X-ray or Ultrasound: Ultrasounds. Only x-rays I've had are teeth ones. Joy.

Y - Your favorite food: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Let's talk about what I don't like (other than poorly prepared food): eggs, green beans, oreo cookies, some mushrooms, mussels...

Z - Zodiac: Cancer (compatibility match to the Taurus which I happen to be married to)