~Just a Date On the Calendar~

February 14th is just a date on the calendar.

Yes, the COUPLE WHO ARE ABSOLUTELY PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER don't do Valentine's Day.

Because it hasn't been kind to us in the past.

We've had migraines, kids with the flu, been in the hospital, had our car break down, etc.

So, we quit.

{And yet we are still in LOVE!!!}

Then on January 29th a package addressed to the Bear appeared at our front door.

He said I couldn't open it.

After he put the kids to bed . . .

He gave me this:

I opened it to find these:

And through the packaging I saw these:

It was a box filled with love.

And just when I thought my heart was as full as it could ever be, I realized that it understood infinity. And I fell deeper and deeper in love with the most amazing man I have ever known. And again I am reminded how we "just fit."

(And Shannon, when he asked me if I knew which font he used, I did.)

~Go Fish~

Warning: the image is rated PG-13 but included strictly as a visual aid.


Today Ratchet and I went shopping for calendars during MonaLisa's dance class.

I chose the my usual family organizer, he chose Star Wars: Clone Wars, and then we picked up a High School Musical one for MonaLisa.

I wisely AVOIDED the female model aisle.

And yet, as I'm looking at calendars of the Eiffel Tower I hear Ratchet say, "WOW!"

I turn around to discover him in the female model section ogling.

AAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!

I quickly pull him out of the aisle and say, "Those are not calendars that you should be looking at."

And he says, "But mom, did you see how BIG those FISH were?"

And I beheld the innocence of childhood.

And then I had to agree, those really are BIG FISH.

~2008 In Review~

1. What did you do in 2008 you've never done before? Went to the Oregon Coast on family vacation and went on a retreat by myself including a really nice hotel room and a spa.


2. Did you keep your New Year's resolutions and will you make more for 2009? I finished my Personal Progress and finished five projects. My only goal this year is to become a morning person (or should it be to not be a night owl).


3. Did anyone close to you give birth in 2008? My sister-in-law Brenda. And several women in my ward, I'm closer to some than others.


4. Did anyone close to you die in 2008? This is tough. I had a family member die, but I wasn't close to this person because of the choices they made inflicted MAJOR pain and suffering in so many people. So this person is close only on paper.


5. What countries did you visit this year? None.


6. What would you like to have in 2009 you lacked in 2008? Energy.


7. What day from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory and why? There was a day sometime in May or June where I received some incredible personal revelation that changed my life.


8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting my YW medallion (again) and cleaning my garage!!!


9. What was your biggest struggle in 2008? Lack of energy and being overscheduled.


10. Did you suffer any illness or injury in 2008? I have plantar fasciitis in my right foot (because of the toe I broke in 2007), hurt my back moving the fridge, really struggled with energy levels, and had my first root canal.


11. What was the best thing you bought this year? My new sewing machine.


12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Ratchet's. His way of dealing with his dyspraxia has improved so much. There are so many fewer meltdowns due to change.


13. Whose behavior disappointed you? Anyone who took a dog into a store. (The Health Department prohibits animals in any store that sells food unless it is a sevice animal. There is food at fabric stores. And in malls.)


14. Where did most of your money go? Gas (and our mortgage).


15. What did you get really excited about this year? MonaLisa getting a solo in the Nutcracker.


16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2008? Waitin' on a Woman and Should've Said No.


17. Compared to this time last year are you: much happier, much nicer, or richer? Probably richer. We paid off a bill we've been working on.


18. What do you wish you had done more of? Exercise.


19. What do you wish you had done less of? Rested body parts to heal them (I know I had to, but I wish I wouldn't have had to), which also led to watching too much tv.


20. Did you fall in love in 2008? I fall more in love with the Bear every day.


21. What was your favorite TV program in 2008? Lost. I watched all four seasons. I blame it on the writer's strike.


22. What was the best book you read this year? A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.


23. What was your greatest musical discovery this year? Taylor Swift (stop laughing).


24. What did you want and get? A new sewing machine.


25. What was the best movie you saw this year? I honestly can't think of a new standout this year. So, I'm going with some classics like Roman Holiday and While You Were Sleeping.


26. What did you do on your birthday and how old did you turn? We went to dinner as a family on my birthday, but then the Bear and I went to the Broadway production of The Phantom of the Opera a few weeks later (our birthdays are only 17 days apart). And of course I've stopped aging.


27. What one thing would have made this year more satisfying? If I had finished the Old Testament. Only 207 pages to go. Ugh.


28. How would you describe your personal fashion statement this year? Lazy. Very lazy.


29. What kept you sane this year? My husband.


30. What celebrity did you fancy the most? Who notices celebrities when you have a hot husband.


31. Who did you miss this past year? The old me.


32. Who were the best new people you met this year? Our ward boundaries changed and we had some really amazing people join us. Plus we've had some fabulous people move in.


33. What is a valuable life lesson you learned this year? There is a reason I was only allowed to have two kids. I was sent high-maintenance ones that need more individual attention. And I love them both with all my heart.

~8 Things~

My friend Amy tagged me:

8 TV shows I enjoy watching:
1. Burn Notice
2. Designed to Sell
3. House
4. Law & Order
5. Lost
6. Numb3rs
7. Project Runway
8. Psych

8 things that happened yesterday:
1. Took the Bear to the ER with a kidney stone
2. Lived with a migraine all day (couldn't take meds and drive)
3. Picked up dinner
4. Sorted laundry
5. Skipped MonaLisa's dance class
6. Didn't work on costumes
7. Went over my Christmas list
8. Finally read magazines that have been piling up.

8 things I'm looking forward to:
1. MonaLisa's performances this weekend
2. Finishing costumes
3. Receiving payment for costumes
4. Finishing Christmas shopping
5. Family Christmas Eve party at my house
6. Finishing painting the upstairs
7. Having time to clean properly
8. My migraine going away.

8 things I love about WINTER:
(This was hard. I'm a spring/fall kind of girl.)
1. I don't have guilt about not mowing my lawn regularly
2. Hot chocolate with hazelnut flavoring from Starbucks--mmmm (had to find someway to use those gift cards from the PTA)
3. Snow days
4. When it snows few people go shopping and I get great parking and no lines
5. Warm blankets
6. Sitting by the fireplace
7. Christmas lights
8. Christmas goodies.

8 things on my wish list:
1. A simpler Christmas (so with you on this one Amy)
2. To be more organized
3. A newer car
4. New kitchen cabinets
5. Self-cleaning house
6. A remodeling budget
7. To become a morning person
8. To become a better person.

8 people I tag:
Anyone who wants to!!!

~Hooked on Phonics~

My sister-in-law sent me this and it cracked me up:

My five-year-old students are learning to read.

Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said, "Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked. . . "What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"

And so it does. . .

A F R I C A N Elephant

~Free Drink~

Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise

LOS ANGELES – Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N' Roses' "Chinese Democracy" is a reality.

The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. "Chinese Democracy," infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.

"We never thought this day would come," Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper's vice president of marketing, said in a statement. "But now that it's here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper's on us."

Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m. (EST), coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper's Web site. They'll be honored until Feb. 28.

Story found here.

So, if you're interested, since it's Eastern time, it ends at 9pm PST instead of midnight. There are caffeine-free versions, too.

~Christmas Tag~

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I wrap. Mostly because I'm probably the world's most likely person to sneak a peak at a gift and therefore I assume that everyone else does it too. It also looks prettier under the tree.

2. Real tree or artificial? Artificial. Kids are allergic to real.

3. When do you put up the tree? The past few years the Bear has put it up while MonaLisa and I are at Nutcracker dress rehearsal. (Two years ago he and Ratchet put it up using flashlights during the blackout. My heroes.)

4. When do you take the tree down? When it's convenient. (Sometimes as late as February--stop laughing.)

5. Do you like egg nog? No. Even raw cookie dough grosses me out. It's just wrong to eat/drink raw eggs.

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Fashion Plates.

(Tell me that at least one of you had a set.)

7. Hardest person to buy for? The Bear. What do you get for the one who has everything and wants/needs nothing?

8. Easiest person to buy for? Ratchet.

9. Do you have a nativity scene? Yes.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. But, I prefer letters.

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Every year my grandma made us shirts and every year mine was too small.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? I'd probably go with a classic like "White Christmas" or "Holiday Inn."

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? September/October. If I'm done before Thanksgiving, I buy myself a present. Definitely not getting one this year.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas? DeeAnn's chocolate-covered jellies, especially the cherry ones.

16. Lights on the tree? Yes. But, no colored or blinking ones.

17. Favorite Christmas song? Silver Bells.

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay home. Packing gifts back and forth doesn't appeal to me.

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

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. Why? Cause angels don't have wings.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? We open the one from the Bear's side of the family at the Christmas Eve party, but all the others wait until morning.

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? Traffic gets worse as it gets darker and the weather gets wetter.


23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Red and silver.

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Chinese. The Bear's mom feels that she had worked so hard to get to Christmas day that she should get the day off. So, she has a big Christmas Eve party and then the kids would have leftovers the next day, while she lays in bed and reads. Isn't she smart? Since we aren't the hosts, we don't have enough leftovers, so we pick up Chinese food the day before and warm it up when we're hungry.

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? A clean house. Oh, wait that's my every day wish. Then tickets to the Lion King.


26. Who I tag: Alisha, Amy L, Julie, and Maria.