Regular Songs

I've often heard women describe their daughters as "thirteen going on twenty" or something to that effect. I don't know if I've ever heard the phrase "two going on twelve," but that definitely would apply to Allie. She knows what she wants and is not easily persuaded otherwise. We have been battling lately over her choice of clothes and her lack of interest in having her hair done. I'm usually very easy to please, because I don't particularly care what she wears or if she doesn't want to comb her hair. But when she has already chosen an outfit to wear, and suddenly decides she'd rather wear something else, that's where I draw the line. Earlier this week she was wearing a button up shirt and decided she didn't like it, but because she needed help with the buttons, she couldn't take it off herself. When I wouldn't help her, she cried for at least 15 minutes, insisting that she didn't like it and she wanted something else.

She has cried about her hair not looking nice, her chapstick not tasting good, not being able to find the right shoes...and I have begun to believe she doesn't want to be a kid anymore. That thought was confirmed the other night when I was tucking her in for a nap and she said, "I don't want to listen to children's songs. I want regular songs." She prefers Alicia Keys to Janice Kapp Perry and Fergie to Raffi. We're in for it with this one, I tell you.

What else? I am on an anti-Wal-Mart kick right now. I dislike so many things about shopping there--it's always crowded, you wait forever to check out, many of the employees there don't speak much English and therefore aren't particularly helpful (is that just here in Florida? I'm betting not, because we all know that Wal-Mart doesn't pay enough to make it worthwhile to work there). Every time I go, I ask myself, "why am I here? I don't like coming."

For the past couple of weeks I have been grocery shopping at actual grocery stores and getting everything else I need from Target. I love Target. I don't know about how they treat their employees, but the atmosphere is wonderful. It's never crowded, there are cute things everywhere I look, and the clearance sales are amazing. But, I will admit, it is pricier than its competitor. Today I only went in for a few things and $84 later left wondering what in the world I had bought (I have decided to return a couple things, making my trip more of a $60 trip and much less shocking). But I think it's worth it for my mental health and sanity. Kyla and Allie were much better behaved at Target. I think the relaxing atmosphere has rubbed off on them. And so I may never visit Wal-Mart again. At least until I sit down and figure out how much cheaper it is for me to shop there. Then, sadly, I may return. But I'm going to try to shop the ads, use coupons, and only buy things that I really need. Maybe I can do it. Who's with me?

We are going to make cookies for Damon's bus driver today. He is doing better on the bus, and doesn't come home crying anymore. He sits in the front seat (#1 he tells me) and I can tell that the bus driver, Ms Deborah, has kind been watching out for him. I appreciate that. My mom is the queen of Saying Thanks With a Treat, if there is such a place. If anyone ever does anything nice for her, the first words out of her mouth are "What kind of pie do you like?" She has delivered more than her share of pies to people who have helped her out, and even managed to get my sister a couple hundred dollars more for her pig by throwing in a pie or two (my bros and sisters raise pigs every year to sell at the 4H Livestock Show. It's awesome).

Once when I was in high school, a family let me tag along with them to SLC for the State Choir Festival so I wouldn't have to miss a softball game. I baked some cupcakes and took them over to them to say thank you. My mom was mortified. She had something much more grandiose in mind, and my cupcakes just didn't compare. I didn't care then, but in hindsight, I probably should've let her make them one of her famous Banana Cream Raspberry pies. It probably would've been much better received.

When Heather had some problems with boys in elementary, my mom's solution was to make them cookies (do tell the story, Heather!!!). And we did. I'm pretty sure the teasing stopped after that.

So, I guess in honor of my mom, we will be making peanut butter cookies for Ms Deborah tonight. I don't think it will change anything for Damon on the bus (he will probably still come home singing "We Will Rock You" or some other song that he has learned from the rowdy boys, and complain about it being too loud), but it couldn't hurt.

Oh, and did anyone hear Paul Harvey announce that Thomas Monson was the next president of the Church? I thought it was kind of interesting--after talking about how long Pres. Monson has served in the church, he said "he is a man who loves parables." What an interesting thing to say about someone. But it's true. He does love parables. And poems (pronounced "poims"). And does anyone else think Mitt Romney has a general authority voice?

Books

So, following the lead of my cyber friend, Reba, I have started a blog just dedicated to book reviews. If you're interested, the link is www.kbookreview.blogspot.com. I want to keep track of all the books I read this year, and will be doing a SHORT review of each of them there.

Home

Wouldn't it have been amazing to witness the reception President Hinckley must have received in heaven last night? After leaving this life, I think most people would be a bit trepidatious about what was to come, hoping that the life they lived was good enough to warrant a trumpet-wielding angel or to, and perhaps a face-to-face reunion with a loved one. With President Hinckley there was no doubt; I imagine he passed multiple angelic orchestras and choirs as he walked down the streets of heaven toward his wife, who was, no doubt, waiting eagerly for his arrival. I'm sure that reunion was even better than any of us can comprehend, but will hopefully enjoy ourselves one day.

At some point, he must have been welcomed home by the Savior himself, and picturing that gives me goosebumps. If angels can cry, I'm sure there were many tears of happiness shed, as the Lord's faithful servant finished his mission and returned to his heavenly home.

I will miss him greatly. I don't remember laughing much in General Conference before he was the prophet, and I will miss his wit and humor probably more than anything else. He led our church for such a long time (half my life), and it won't be the same without him. I am incredibly grateful for all that he taught us, and I hope to have the honor of thanking him in person someday. I can just imagine how the twinkle in his blue eyes looks under the immeasurably bright lights of heaven. It probably looks perfect.

Dinner Thoughts

The worst time of day has to be between 4-6 pm. Dinner prep time. If I were smart, I would cook earlier in the day, so those two hours before daddy gets home would be less chaotic, less stressful, and not spent in the kitchen. But I must not be smart enough, because I never do that. I am always getting dinner ready during the least opportune time. I'm sure you are well aware of all that interferes with the creation of a meal--whining, crying, full-on tantrums, sneaking of food, complaining of hunger, general destruction of rooms previously cleaned...



Occasionally, our neighbor comes over to play with the kids and I am free to cook in silence. It's wonderful. Today was just such a day. The nice weather coupled with the presence of our neighbor meant Damon and Allie were free to roam outside while Kyla and I took care of dinner. It was blissful. Here are some of my thoughts from dinner prep tonight (WARNING-very random):

1. I need to drink more water so my body will produce more milk.
2. Some chickens, like people, have very big breasts. Others have very small breasts.
3. I wonder if roosters are more attracted to big breasted chickens?
4. Why does salt make water boil faster?
5. (while washing my hands) Why don't they make some kind of anti-bacterial rub for raw chickens that would eliminate the salmonella danger?
6. I always hated when my mom would "dirty up" the sour cream by using a dirty spatula to scoop it out. Why do I do it too?
7. Did I sweep today, or did Kyla eat those cheerios I saw earlier on the floor?
8. Whoa, that's a lot of sour cream. Too much? Probably not.
9. I wonder if Allie has shoes on. Chances are she doesn't. I wonder if the neighbor thinks I'm a bad mom. Chances are she does.
10. Who's that coming in the door? Jeff is home early!
11. (realizing how much water I've had to drink) Man, I gotta pee.

We had a nice dinner (rice-a-roni chicken casserole) together. Damon announced that he doesn't want to get a job when he grows up. He wants his wife to work so he can stay home with his kids (his exact words were, "so I can hold the babies and kiss them"). And when his kids are old enough, he will let them do all the work while he watches them. And watches tv. I love his ambition. I love family dinner. Now if I could just get MY kids to clean up the mess so I can watch some tv...

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin'

We had a good MLK holiday, although the weather left a little to be desired. Instead of camping or hiking, we ended up bundling up in puffy coats (Allie) and going miniature golfing with some friends. We ended the evening with a stop at Koja for some yummy sushi. Damon ate six pieces himself; we're going to have to up our order next time to keep up with him!

Ever since Kyla started crawling, I have begun to see time speed up. You know that happens from time to time, like your kids are rolling along steadily, then suddenly edge over onto a hill and pick up momentum. They start rolling faster and faster and I find it's hard to keep up with how much they are growing and changing. Kyla is the perfect example. She had only been crawling for a couple of days when I found her like this:

Who knew she could do that? She had a rough couple of days after she learned to get into a sitting position, and didn't want to fall asleep. She kept sitting up, pulling at the bumper in her crib, waiting for me to come get her. After laying her down repeatedly for over an hour, she finally fell asleep, looking as though she had given up and just tipped over. Fortunately, she's not doing that anymore. Some of my favorite things about Kyla are:

• Her chubby cheeks and tiny nose.
• Her toothless smile
• 
  The way she acts like a puppy, crawling around with socks in her mouth and panting excitedly when she sees something she wants.
• Her awkward laugh. While she smiles a lot, she rarely laughs, so when I hear it, I can't seem to get enough.
• The way she will eat anything I offer her. She has become quite proficient at getting food into her mouth, and often "cleans" the floor for me by finding things I have left behind.
• The way she wants to be a part of things. She will crawl to where the action is. She also loves being carried around in the backpack, and was such a champ while we were golfing yesterday. Plus, I love any excuse to take a pic of her in that hat.
• 

Allie continues to be both the hardest and the most fun little girl around. She surprised me yesterday with her golfing "skills," opting for the field hockey method of trying to get the ball into the cup. She never got frustrated and really seemed to enjoy herself. I think she just liked wearing her puffy red coat, to be honest.

Here are some things you may or may not know about Allie:

• She has a fingernail fettish. She likes to "pick them." That is, she likes me to clip them half way so she can peel off the other half. But it goes beyond herself; she likes to "pick" everyone else's fingernails, too, and has even done my toenails for me. Silly.
• She loves to use public restrooms. Almost without fail, if we are out in public, she will need to use the bathroom. Yesterday during our mini golf, I didn't want to take her all the way back inside, so we went behind the old boat on the 10th hole and I pulled down her pants and she went in the bushes.
• She loves chapstick, lipstick and lip gloss. If you want to be her best friend, just give her one of those things and she will love you forever (or until it runs out). She always seems to know where I have stashed my flavored lip gloss and insists that I put some on for her because she "needs to look pretty!" She can be a mess, hair raggedy and still in her jammies, but if she's got some chapstick on, she feels pretty.
• She would eat all day long if I let her. She wants a taste of everything anyone else has, but rarely finishes anything (unless I keep hounding her). It's a bad habit, but since I am anti-snacking, she has learned to eat what she is served, even if she comes back to it later.
• She hates getting her hair combed and cries every time I do it, no matter how quickly and gently I get it done. I am looking forward to the day that she can do her own hair or gets less whiney about letting me do it.
• She is eternally optomistic. Whenever she has a potty training accident, her response is, "I can keep these ones dry." I know she's only two, but she so easily forgets her past failures and is ready to move on. Which brings me to...
• She was doing great with potty training for a while, but has regressed. I know this is not uncommon, but I really hate it. She was waking up dry very consistently for weeks, but hasn't been dry many mornings lately. I put her back in pull-ups for the night because I am so sick of doing all that laundry! I only have 5 or 6 more and then I'm not going to buy any more. We stopped giving her potty candies and I don't know if that's the reason, but she has had a few day accidents, too. I am trying a new thing now where I set a timer for random intervals throughout the day and if she's dry when it goes off, she can have a candy. We'll see how that works.

I miss Damon a lot while he's gone at school. But things are much quieter while he's gone. Allie is much more independent than Damon, and she will play by herself a lot more. Damon would just follow me around and I had to be sitting in the same room with him for him to play. He still is like that to a great degree--he wants to be where I am. But he and Allie are playing a lot better together. He's usually very good about letting her play with him and doesn't mind her tagging along. Here are some things about Damon that you may or may not know:

• He likes to stay on a schedule as much as (if not more than) I do. If it's not 8:00, he doesn't want to go to bed. He likes his routine and doesn't like to vary much from it.
• Unlike Allie, he does not like to use public restrooms. He would rather hold it until the point of no return than use a bathroom other than ours at home.
• He's very private and I think being seen naked is one of his biggest fears. Learning to use the urinal without exposing himself has been a challenge he has had to face.
• He has become a picky eater, which may account for how skinny he's looking these days. He tells me often (almost nightly) that he doesn't like what we're having for dinner. I give him two choices--eat it or be hungry. He has also learned that he can eat just about anything when he wants to, which I tell him will be good for when he goes on a mission.
• I have to force him to be independent. I'm quite sure he would still let me feed him, get him dressed, and clean up after him if I was willing. I'm not, though, and I am constantly reminding him that he is capable of doing a lot for himself.
• He's very easily frustrated and it keeps him from doing things. He first learned to ride a bike without training wheels almost a year ago, but hasn't wanted to ride since taking a bad fall shortly after. No amount of encouragement has broken through his defenses yet, and he refuses to try again. We're working on this, but I am yet to figure out how to get through to him.
• He loves to "collect" things. And strange things, too, like baby food jars, pencils he finds at school, gift cards without a balance...I don't know exactly what he has planned for everything he wants to keep, but I love saving something for him, knowing he will love it.
• He picks things up so quickly, and I'm amazed at how much he has learned in school this year. I think Heavenly Father blessed him with this ability because he knew how easily frustrated he becomes.
• He has, and always has had, an infectious laugh. He thoroughly enjoys many things and it's hard not to be happy when he's around.

I love my kids. I may not express it often enough, but I really really enjoy being a mom. I love spending time together as a family and trying new things together. On our way home yesterday, I looked back at the three of them and had to smile. For as much as they wear me out, I am pleased to occasionally return the favor.

Oh, and yes, I know that Kyla is still too young to be forward facing, but we just barely moved her up to Allie's old seat and we hadn't turned it around yet and the straps were too long. Ah well, at least we felt like we were being safe...

Eliminate the Negative

I have been really trying to be less negative with my children, emphasizing the positive as much as I can. Instead of telling them what they can't do, I have been trying to find ways to tell them what they can do. "You can play with friends after you finish homework," "You can eat lunch after your toys are picked up," "You can come out of your room when you are finished wailing..." I don't know if it makes a big difference, but at least it gets me focused more on the positive.

My sister recently alerted me to an awesome resource for parents, leadingfamilies.com. An amazing professor (and counselor) from BYU, Dr. Scoresby, writes articles on all sorts of topics of interest. I was reading some of the his latest articles, and found this one that I really liked. Check it out if you get a second.

Okay, so here is something I would like to work on with my kids. I want them to (consistently) eat sitting at the table. We have a small table in the kitchen for the kids, and it's so convenient for me to serve breakfast, lunch or snacks there (dinner we eat together in the dining room, and that's not a problem). Often, though, I am rushing around doing other things, and I'm not in the kitchen to monitor their eating. And while they are mostly good about staying off the carpet while eating, they are definitely prone to wandering around the tiled floor, leaving behind a mess. They start off at the table, but eventually end up somewhere else (usually when I am out of sight). Any suggestions? Do I just need to make sure I am in the kitchen at all times to remind them? Do I need to have them "practice" eating at the table every time I see them get up, instead of just ending the food session? Any thoughts?

The Grind

A while back, Elder Hinckley (Pres. Hinckley's son) came to Florida for our Stake Conference and told a story about his dad. Someone had asked if there would be food in heaven, and President Hinckley quipped, "I don't know, but if there is, I hope we don't have to do the dishes."

I know the feeling. I don't like doing the dishes either. Dishes spend their time on an endless conveyor belt that travels from the cupboard to the sink. There, a robot or a trained monkey could rinse them and load them into the dishwasher. Unfortunately, we have neither a robot or a trained monkey in this house and so I usually fill that role. The cycle is never ending, and there are so many times I find myself thinking, "couldn't we just stop eating for a while?"

So much of my day is spent just trying to keep up. It took nearly two days to get the laundry all caught up (it was mostly done Monday, but one more load was required yesterday when Allie woke up wet and I had to wash her bedding), and none of the laundry baskets in the house are empty today. Every day I am making the same beds, picking up the same toys, sweeping the same floor and wiping off the same high chair. It's the part of motherhood no one likes, but we all do because the only alternative is living in filth and that's really no alternative at all.

So, why do we do it? There must be a reason. Of course there is. I'll tell you my reason. I'm easily delighted. At least when it comes to my kids. God, in his infinite wisdom, must have known that I would need a heart brimming with love for my kids so that hours (and days) of frustration could be forgotten in an instant of tenderness. It's not only the funny things they say, but the way I can see myself in the things they do that get me. When I find Allie "cooking dinner" with her ABC's, I have to wonder how many times she has watched me, wanting nothing more than to grow up to be like me.

Or when Damon gets off the bus with three suckers from his bus driver, telling me he asked her for two more so he could share with his mom and sister, I am touched by his thoughtfulness and my heart is warmed. See? Easily delighted.

And then the hours pass. Allie's cooking experiment isn't cute anymore when she refuses to get off the oven door, despite my logical explanation of how the door isn't strong enough to hold her little body. Damon's attitude sours when I have to remind him that he still hasn't finished his homework and won't be able to play until it's done. And I spend the rest of the evening cooking dinner and doing the dishes. Why do I do it?, I start wondering again. The work is never-ending. It's tiring. I would rather do something else. And then I look out into the family room and my baby is crawling.

It's too much for my poor heart to take. I am suddenly as giddy as I have been in a long time. I don't expect you to be as impressed as I was, but I'm sure you can relate, when your own child did something small and simple that warmed your heart, too.

Here's to the grind, and to those moments of delight that make it worth it.

Seven(ish) Months

This isn't a great picture of Kyla (she wasn't in the mood for more pics), but Allie got this doll for Christmas from her grandma, and the cheeks and chin reminded me so much of Ky Ky. We call the baby Ky Ky. Original, huh?

So, Kyla's seven month photos came a bit late this month, seeing as how she will be 8 months old in 10 days. It's getting increasingly difficult to take her picture next to Bexley, but I keep trying.

She hasn't been quite the happy girl we have come to know and love lately. She had her first ear infection earlier this week and was pretty miserable. She also has grown very attached to me, and prefers me over anyone else. Part of me loves that. She beams when I walk into a room, providing me with an immediate self-confidence boost. She'll stop nursing, looking at me until I return her gaze, and reward me with a smile that seems to say "thanks for making my life so great," then quickly return to her meal. I love that.

I don't particularly care for the clinginess, though. That's hard. She will tolerate Jeff as long as she doesn't realize I am around (she will basically tolerate anyone if I am out of sight), but if she sees me, she wants me. Last night, Jeff was sitting on the couch with the kids, and I thought it might be nice to have a picture that he is in, so I grabbed the camera. While Damon and Allie were being goofy, Kyla gave me the "I-want-to-have-you-now" face she has developed, and burst into tears.

She has learned how to wave and how to clap (although she won't do either consistently), and crawled several feet across the living room floor toward the kitchen (trying to get to me). She pants like a dog when she sees something she wants (more endearing than it sounds), and gets bitterly disappointed when she isn't given things like peanut butter sandwiches and bean burritos. Her one big accomplishment this month has been learning to go from all fours to sitting up. It's been fun to watch the progression. She starts by getting on all fours, pushing up onto her toes, and leaning to the side...

She then completes the move by adjusting her weight, sitting up, and feeling very proud of herself.

Allie continues to be our most challenging child. She claims she is scared of everything, but only at convenient times, like when she has to go to timeout or bed. Most recently, she woke up with nightmares about a caterpillar. I tried to play it off, telling her that if caterpillars come we can watch them become butterflies. That only made her more upset. Now we are banning all caterpillars from the house (along with spiders, snakes and ants, which she was already scared of), and eliminating butterflies for good measure. She is trying to set a new record for whining, as it is her most frequent activity.

She does have her moments of occasional likeability, though, and I don't want to only remember the negative. She loves to sing into her play microphone, and really gets into her performance. She also is a big helper (when she wants to be), and I found her on the counter the other day, knife in hand, waiting for her toast to pop out of the toaster. If only I had wanted toast, it would've been a great story. She hates men with facial hair, but loves Santa, and is already talking about what she's going to ask for for Christmas next year. I do love that girl, but she will be the cause of my gray hair and wrinkles, I can already tell.

Damon is doing really well, except for the momentary lapses of judgment he encounters, which explains throwing mud at the neighbor's car for no reason at all. He is getting back into the routine of school and doing better on the bus. I have noticed that, for the first time, he has started to care about what other kids think of him. He has one zip-up fleece that he bulges a little at the top when it is zipped all the way up (and with Damon it is ALWAYS zipped all the way up), and some kids told him he looked like he had a baby in there. He no longer wants to wear it. I feel for him, and all the peer pressure he is just beginning to feel. I am enjoying the way he will still hug me when he sees me at his school or kiss me good-bye before getting on the bus. In some ways, I see him as such a big kid, and I expect a lot out of him. But at the same time, I still see my little boy in his eyes, and it kills me to think of anyone hurting him.

Family goals for 2008 are as follows:

• Read the Book of Mormon as a family by the end of the year. Damon is now reading with us, and Allie is looking at pictures in the front of her book. This is a big challenge for us (we have to read a lot more slowly with the kids), but we are going to do our best.
• Family prayer and scriptures every day (including Saturday).
• Individual night out for Damon/Allie every month (date night)

Personal goals for me:

• Get all caught up with scrapbooking by May 24, 2008 (Ky Ky's b-day). I got a digital scrapbooking program for Christmas and I am excited to get going.
• Visiting teaching. I have been terrible. I am going to do better.
• The usual scripture reading/exercising goal of 5 times a week.
• Read the Relief Society lesson every week (should be great, because it's Joseph Smith's teachings!).
• Do something new that I've never done before. Vague, I know. I have thought about what I want it to be, but haven't come up with anything yet. Any suggestions?

Alright, now that I have assuaged my guilt for not keeping better updated, I must get back to my book (The Thirteenth Tale). It's getting so good...

Is 2007 over?

I know we may be getting too far into January to still be thinking about 2007, but I wanted to do something to sum up the year (mostly so I could look back on it later). I found this on Cassie's blog and thought it was perfect. Thanks Cassie.



1. What did you do in 2007 that you’d never done before? Went on a cruise, saw a friend get sealed to her son and daughter in the temple, sent a child to kindergarten,



2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I did a fair job on my resolutions from last year. I met my temple goal, only did so-so on my scripture reading, did a pretty good job reading to/with the kids, and did manage to get all the pregnancy weight off. I am definitely going to be setting some new goals for this year and recommitting myself to some of the old ones.



3. Did anyone close to you give birth? I did. Heather did. Noel did. Great year for babies.



4. Did anyone close to you die? No, thankfully.



5. What countries did you visit? The Bahamas. Our next trip is going to be to the Dominican Republic (so Jeff says), but who knows when that will be.



6. What would you like to have in 2008 that you lacked in 2007? An income. Wow, that would be nice.



7. What dates from 2007 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? May 24th--KyKy's birthday. I can still recall so many things from the day she was born (and I have even more written down). The second night in the hospital I didn't get more than a few minutes of rest, and I thought I had just given birth to the world's worst baby. It must have been a test, and I must have passed, because she never did it again, and has been a little angel ever since.



8. What was your biggest personal achievement of the year? I think I am a better wife and mother than I was a year ago. I hope to be able to say the same next year.



9. What was your biggest failure? I stopped doing some of the things I loved after Kyla was born, and now she is 7 months old and I haven't started up again (writing comes to mind).



10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Nothing major, fortunately. I did have a nagging pain in my right leg while I was pregnant, which I think originally occurred when I slipped on the floor, causing me to not be able to do a lot of things I wanted to do.



11. What was the best thing you bought? Our HD TV. Close second, the Wii.



12. Whose behavior merited celebration? My sister, Heather, who got sealed to her husband in March; my brother, Eric, who is serving a mission in San Diego; all three of my kids for various things (Damon learning to read--still in the process--, Allie being potty-trained--also in the process--, Kyla for every stinking thing she does, etc) .



13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Two of my three kids, for various things (Damon crying about not being able to do things, Allie wetting her pants, etc).



14. Where did most of your money go? JU Orthodontics for tuition. And on milk.



15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? My family coming to visit during March Madness. What could possibly be better than watching hours and hours of basketball with those I love the most?



16. What song will always remind you of 2007? "Before He Cheats" by Carrie Underwood. Allie fell in love with this song shortly after I did. It was definitely the most listened to song of the year. Also, the soundtrack of "Wicked." We listened to that many, many times on the drive to Damon's preschool and back.



17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer? a) happier. And also less anxious. Adding a third child to the family has been wonderful. b) thinner, thanks to the fact that I am no longer pregnant, and the weight came off a lot easier this time. c) poorer. The debt total keeps growing...



19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Making the "mad face" (sticking my jaw out and biting on my lower teeth), getting frustrated with my kids, and worrying about things that really don't matter.



20. Did you fall in love in 2007? Yes, with my baby girl. I still cannot get enough of her. I have enjoyed (nearly) every moment with her and I am so sad to see her growing up so fast.



21. What was your favorite TV program? My new fav for the year was So You Think You Can Dance. It was the first year I really watched it, and I loved it. Close second: Pushing Daisies.



22. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No one comes to mind.



23. What was the best book you read? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (the last 200 pages or so were fantastic!).



24. What was your greatest musical discovery? That I can still play the piano. Also, spiralfrog.com has free music downloads.



26. What did you want and not get? A new set of pots and pans--the ones I want from Costco are $400 (just a tad out of our price range).



27. What was your favorite film of this year? Do they still show movies in the theater? I wouldn't know. But as for dvds I watched...I really liked Pursuit of Happyness (that was the first one that came to mind, so I guess it was the most memorable).



28. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 28 in 2007, and celebrated by buying smaller jeans for myself while Jeff played with the kids at the playground in the mall. Can't beat that.



29. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If Allie hadn't had one potty-training accident. Oh, and if the Buckeyes had been able to win just one of the three championship games they were in.



30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2007? Lots of ponytails and visors (to hide the new hair growth I have going on); cleaning out the closet and throwing away some things I have had for nearly 10 years, hoping that I don't look too outdated.



31. What kept you sane? Blogging, book club, exercising and an incredible husband who encourages me to get away from the kiddies.

32. When you think about 2007, what sticks out in your mind? Beach trips, morning walks, turtles (and snakes) in the road, Sea World, and spending time with Greg and Noel.



33. Best moment of 2007? When my family came to visit in March, we took a trip to the Orlando temple. My mom, dad, Heather, Samuel, Tara, Wayne, Eric, Jeff and I got to do a session together and there was only one other person in the session with us. It was almost like we had the temple to ourselves. It was like a mini-preview of heaven. Later that night, Eric opened his mission call in the hotel room. Definitely the best day of the year.

Holiday Checklist

What a vacation. I love Christmas. I hate flying across the country to spend it with my family (I hate the flying, not the family). Here is a rundown of some of the things we did this Christmas:

• Manage to get sick in Utah: CHECK. Damon only gets sick when we are away from home. He has been to instacare many times (ear infections, scarlet fever, etc.). My pediatrician gave me chewable ammoxacillan so we could avoid another round of instacare charges. This year he got the flu. And threw up on my MIL's couch. The one no one ever sits on. He then passed it on to me a few days later. I threw up out the window of my mom's van. On the freeway. Going 80. Love the holidays.


• Get the kids what they really want for Christmas: NOT SO MUCH. Because Damon asked for a tool workshop and Allie asked for a kitchen, Santa didn't see any way those items would fit on the airplane. Instead, Damon got a pirate ship and Allie got a LeapFrog bank. They still seemed pretty happy.


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• Go see Santa: CHECK. We saw him on Christmas Eve, and he must have been completely done with the holidays. He never smiled once, and didn't even pretend to enjoy Kyla sucking on his (fake) beard. I love how Allie is posing in this picture.


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• Enjoy spending time with both families: CHECK. Seeing our families really makes going home worth it. Although this year Allie developed a strong aversion to my brother, Jonny, and never could get over it. She couldn't stand to be in the same room with him, even after he shaved off his facial hair. She also has been asking to only listen to songs by women, and admitted that she is also afraid of Joe from Blue's Clues. Interesting character, that girl...


• Manage to break the camera that was so recently found: CHECK. Just after seeing Santa, Damon was trying to look at the pictures and I was trying to move him away from the stranger's stroller he was standing on, and the camera got dropped with the lens open. It never recovered. What a sad day for me.


• Be the center of a family drama: CHECK. When my uncle heard about our camera accident, he decided to do something amazingly nice for us and anonymously donate $300 so that we could buy a new camera. The money mysteriously disappeared during dinner (long before we knew about it), but the bow that was on top of it was found outside by the trampoline. There were 40 people in the house for dinner (including a few juvenile delinquints from my dad's work), but I don't think anyone took it maliciously. My dad gave us his old Kodak EasyShare so we wouldn't be completely without a camera, but I still didn't feel like taking many pictures after that.


• Get way too much candy: CHECK. You can see that Allie would've been happy if all she got was a huge candy bar, but we all came home with enough candy to fill a small suitcase. We'll see how long Jeff lets it stay in the house before the dentist in him prompts him to throw it all out.


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• Teach Kyla some new tricks: CHECK. She loved the Jumperoo, and I loved looking at her pig legs while she was in it. She also attempted to clap, crawl and eat Skittles.
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• Allow Damon and Allie some quality bonding time by letting them share a bed: CHECK. They are both such snugglers and I didn't hear a word of complaint from either of them. The second picture is my favorite--you can see that Allie has one hand behind Damon and the other on his chest. So sweet!
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• Get everything I asked for for Christmas: YET TO BE DETERMINED. Ask me tomorrow...and GO BUCKEYES!!