Cougar fans!

Our neighbors are the biggest Cougar fans that I know. They are the nicest people, and they are always doing fun stuff, so, Brian and I thought it would be fun if we surprised them with a little non-violent hazing. We used some lawn fertalizer and wrote BYU in their lawn. It took about 2 weeks to show up, but it finally is really looking good. We know that they appreciate all the hard work that we went to to get it there...as they are outside admiring their lawn all day and anxiously awaiting the time that we come and drive by to enjoy our handywork! We went for a walk one day and the whole family was outside waving to all the neighbors as people would drive by their house. It's fun to see when the kids even enjoy things.

WE LOVE YOU STEADMAN'S!

Tag!

Since Pam doesn't think anybody likes her...I thought i'd better comply with the tag.

3 Joys:

1. my husband and kids
2. sitting behind the wheel while driving the boat
3. resting my head on a pillow at the end of a long day

3 Fears:

1. getting in a car accident with my children in the car (a close call made me realize this!)
2. scary movies
3. rotweilers

3 Goals:

1. start reading the book of mormon (again)
2. finish all the projects that I have started
3. spend less money

3 current Collections or Obsessions:

1. Disneyland (obsession)
2. scrapbooking supplies (obsessive collection)
3. food storage items (collections)

3 random surprising facts about myself

1. before I started working out, I only washed my hair 3 times a week.
2. I love John Cusack movies (most of them)
3. my favorite music group is Depeche Mode.

P.S. I am very proud of myself for the quick comebacks I had during sacrament meeting today! My dad even laughed at my cleaverness! Yes Pam, I told my dad on you!

My Birthday!!

Today is my birthday! I'm 29! YIPPEE! We celebrated yesterday, (because Brian has football ALL day long) by going out on the boat. A tradition 6 years in the running. It was a nice day. It wasn't too hot..it actually was a little cloudy so it made you THINK you weren't getting sunburned...eeek! There was Brian, Brooklyn, Brison, Mom, Allison and me out enjoying the festivities. There was good snacks, and lots of fun. I skiied for the first time in 2 years. Got up on my first try, thank you very much! When we got home, Brett and Gretchen watched the kids for us and we went to dinner at The Garden in Salt Lake City and then went and saw IRON MAN. I'm going to pamper myself today with a pedicure. Mom is here now to watch the kids for me. Isn't it grand being 29?

My Son

He is such a stinker. He started waving on Sunday. He is just the cutest little boy I have EVER had! He loves the tub. He was dog tired on Tuesday night. Brian had given him his bottle and he was almost asleep drinking it on the floor in the living room when Brian turned on the tub for Brooklyn to take a bath. He IMMEDIATELY perked up and crawled down the hall and into the bathroom. This kid loves the water! I had wanted to put him in swimming lessons, but I was nervous about the chlorine in the pool with his really bad, dry skin. So, I think I will hold off! Here are a couple of (modest) pictures of him in the tub. I however can't guarantee that you won't see Brooklyns bum! I don't have any type of control over that girl and her bum!

A new summer accessory!

Yesterday, Brooklyn had fallen asleep (probably while watching Enchanted) on the couch downstars. She woke up, but was still really groggy and didn't know where she was and went to lay back down, and fell off the couch. She was crying and screaming as I walked in the door coming home from work. It took quite a long time to get her calmed down. She was favoring her left arm pretty bad. I was worried that something was wrong. I thought that her shoulder had come out of the socket. She could squeeze my hand and raise her arm above her head...so I didn't think that anything was broken. She was so cute, she was crying and saying that she still wanted to go to swimming lessons. She was crying as we put the swimsuit on and anytime anything would bump her arm she would cry and let out a wimper. After I put her in her car seat, we started driving down the road and I put her "Enchanted" songs on and she started singing, while still crying. Wendi, the swimming lesson teacher, had her mom who is a nurse come and look at her. She suggested that we take her to the doctor. We went and they did x-rays of her arm and shoulder and sure enough...her collar bone is broken. She gets to wear this lovely sling for 4 weeks. It will be off just in time for her birthday. She was such a trooper at the doctor. She held still for the x-ray. While the tech was developing the film, I gave Brooklyn a sucker and she said..."I'm all better now". It's really sad when your child can out quote you on movie quotes, but it was really cute, and kinda sad, when she said to me "My arm ripped"...(which is from Toy Story 2 when Woody is having a nightmare about his ripped arm and Andy throws him away!) She really is such a tough little girl. I just wish her bones were as tough!

Date Night

This last friday I was able to get out of the house (wahoo!) and go to dinner and a movie with some of my friends....my older friends that is. HEHE. They are wonderful friends and I have enjoyed getting to know them either through my calling (Renee is the Young Women's President, I the lowly 2nd counselor) and Pam is a neighbor that I have known forEVER it seems. Her daughters just graduated from high school and I taught them in sunbeams...15 YEARS ago. That makes me feel old.!) We laughed, and ATE and enjoyed each others company. It was a blast. I don't get out that often too much anymore...I just hate leaving my kids. It makes me feel guilty and for the most part Brian is always really busy and I don't too often have a babysitter. It was fun. Dinner was good. The movie was ... good (I don't think McDreamy is all that Dreamy..sorry!) and the conversation was about how we are all getting old and our bodies are falling apart. It was FUN. I too, cannot wait for the next girls night out!

Boot camp?

In an effort to get into shape and hopefully loose some weight...I decided to join a gym. Not just any gym...because that would be a waste. I decided to join Jim's Gym. Asking around, I learned that it is a "boot camp" gym where you have a personal trainer for 8 people max at a time. Stories I had heard were..."you'll puke your guts out but never be so happy in your life." "If you talk to your running partner, he'll increase your treadmill speed." etc. So, in my insaine mind...I decided this would be a good thing to do. WHY? Well, many reasons.
1. If I paid so much for this gym, I would be more inclined to go.
2. If I have someone telling me what to do, i'll do it. (sometimes)
3. If I have someone to go with, i'll be more comfortable...and more likely to go, because I don't want to let anyone down.
So, today was the first day.
I woke up at 5:35..after several nudges from my husband...because he's annoyed with the alarm clock. I got dressed in my newly purchased running shoes and work out clothes. ( I didn't have any of that...why would I?) I drove to the gym.
Then it started.
Running on the treadmill, at a speed determined by Jim.
At the point I think ... "I have to hold on to not fall off" ... the incline is increased to 5!!!!!
We do lunges for what has to be 2 miles.
More running on the treadmill.
Crunches, sit ups, push ups, up downs...all things that I haven't done since basketball tryouts in high school....I didn't make the team.
As I leave after somehow making it through...probably because I walked the 3 times we had to run around the building...I am driving home thinking...
I think i'm going to like this.
I would do a before and after picture...but I don't have an after picture yet...and I don't want to scare anyone with the before picture. So, I will wait until I have an after picture to put with it.
It is my goal to run the 5k race during Clinton Fun Days. That is at the end of my 6 weeks of workout that I have paid for.
I'm very greatful for my friend Natalie (really her husband for ALLOWING her to come) because I just am not outgoing enough to do something like this on my own.
Now it's off to bed...if I can stand up from this desk and walk up the stairs.
I have to get up at 5:35 again tomorrow.