How Old Are You?!

In honor of Brooke's birthday (on the 24th), and her being sooooo old (a whopping 23 years) I thought I'd share this with you. Your childhood memories can date you. Here are some of mine...

*My family took a bicentennial trip when I was 1 year old. They went to D.C., Williamsburg, Niagara Falls, etc...

*The first movies I remember seeing are Fox and the Hound, E.T. and Return of the Jedi

*We didn't watch cartoons everyday. Saturday morning cartoons were a big thing. We would sleep downstairs in the t.v. room so we could wake up early to watch them. I loved to watch Flintstones, Jetsons & Smurfs. I also liked Super Friends when those purple clad twins with the purple monkey would say...."Wonder Twin power activate!" The sister would always turn into some sort of animal and the brother would turn into some form of water.

*My favorite night time show was The Dukes of Hazzard. I had a crush on Bo Duke.

*My family used to watch The Incredible Hulk and Wonder Woman on t.v.

*I liked to watch the Electric Company on PBS. My favorite part was when they'd have the Bloodhound Gang segments. They were kids that solved mysteries.

*When we lived in England we had to rent a Beta VCR to watch movies during the Thanksgiving break.

*We called rubber tipped tennis shoes, (like Converse) bobos. They were not cool, but I had a pair. Corduroy pants weren't cool either. Yes, I had a pair of them too.

*It was cool for guys to wear wristbands to school. Sometimes they wore their watches on top of them. My boyfriend wore them...guess he was cool.

*I wore my permed hair in a banana clip. Got my first perm in the 5th grade.

*I wore leggings and big shirts with belts over them the first time they were in style.

*We used to beg our bus drivers to play Michael Jackson tapes on the way to elementary school. We liked Michael Jackson, Madonna, Tiffany, Debbie Gibson, Janet Jackson.....

*I remember when Michael Jackson used to have a nose!

*I remember watching the Challenger space shuttle blow up on t.v. I think I had stayed home from school because I was pretending to be sick.

*We didn't always have sweetened cereal...it was a big thing when we got to have Trix, Lucky Charms, Frankenberry, Captain Crunch, Golden Grahams, etc...

*I remember watching Pres. Kimball's funeral on t.v. It was a very snowy day.

*I used to collect Garbage Pail Kids cards.

*I went to the theater to see the Little Mermaid (jr. high), Beauty & the Beast, and Aladdin (high school).

*I saw So I Married An Axe Murder in the theater about 4 times with different friends.

*I had a huge crush on Andre Agassi when he used to have his long hair. I bought a Canon Rebel camera because he did the commercials for them.

*During my first year of college my friend WROTE me a letter and said that they had a cool thing up at Utah State called email. I could go to Weber State and get an address and she could sent me letters instantly.

*I got my first cell phone when I was about 24 or 25 years old.

(I got this idea from Shannon Hale's blog...she's an author from Utah. I've only read one of her books, Austenland, but I hear that all of them are good. Austenland was a hilarious novel about a girl who is obsessed with Pride & Prejudice. She goes to England to stay at a manor where they have you live like they did during Jane Austen's time.)

Hope you had fun! I tag everyone on my list.

Fit Pitchers

Here's a small collection of my family pitching their fits. Auburn got mad on St. Patrick's Day because she didn't want me to take another picture. Lauren was being a stinker during our Easter egg hunt because she didn't want her picture taken with Auburn or Greg. Brook didn't want me to take his picture at Lagoon so he closed his eyes. Sorry guys, but I took the pictures anyway. That's the great part about being the photographer. Of course there aren't any of me since I never pitch fits! ;) These aren't as good as Troy and Evan's full out on the ground fits, but they'll do.

Jane's Blessing

Today was Jane's blessing. It was a beautiful blessing! I know Nate really tries to seek the spirit when he gives a blessing so it is coming from Heavenly Father. It was really nice to see my Uncle Jimmy and Aunt Isabel. Uncle Jimmy is my dad's brother, but we don't get to see them very often. I get to see Kathy and Summer more often, and they live out of state. Uncle Red and Aunt Pat also came for the blessing. I was surprised, and very happy to see them because Uncle Red has been dealing with some pretty bad health problems. Afterward we went to Nate's house for lunch. They weather was really nice...we actually got back into the 60's today. It was a little bit chilly in the shade so we hung out in the sun. Boy is my face paying for it now! I look like a tomato! Unfortunately Jane got a little bit of sunburn too, even though she had on her little bonnet that Mom made for her. The dress, bonnet and slip that mom made are beautiful! I'll have to add a picture if I can get one from Debbie or Dad. The kids had a lot of fun exploring the wooded area around the house. We hung out for most of the afternoon, just talking. That probably seems boring to some people, but I just love to be with my family and hang out. After we left Nate's we went down to Mom's for dinner. Jared and his family showed up and then Mel and her family showed up so we hung out some more. Mom said she told Dad she wished that the kids would come and visit. Her wish came true pretty quick! She had only planned on having my family over, but we had a little loaves and fishes miracle. Everyone was fed and we had plenty of food. It seems that the more generous you are, the more there is to go around.

Lagoon

We went to Lagoon for the 1st time this season on Saturday. The girls have been so excited to go again this year. The first ride that they wanted to go on was Lady Bug Bop. It takes you up and drops you down over and over again. Auburn loves it....it's her favorite ride. Next they wanted to go on the 'pink swings' (Turn of the Century). Just the standard swings that spin you around and around. Not too bad on the stomach until you go about 3 times in a row. I'm kind of surprised that Auburn will ride it because she has always been afraid to swing too high. Even when she was a baby she would get scared. It was a little chilly outside, but it was nice because there weren't a lot of long lines to wait in.
Last year when we had season passes, I told Lauren to enjoy the little rides because it was the last time she would get to ride them. The height limit is 54" and she was pushing it by the end of the year. When we got to Lagoon we measured her and she was 56". No more cars, little bumper cars, airplanes, helicopters, or spaceships. Auburn reached the height limit for the little whales and boats. I told Lauren that they're growing like weeds. For some reason she loves it when I say that.
Here's Auburn in one of the cars...I used to love these when I was a little girl.
This year they have a new ride called Odysea. You ride around in these little fish and there is a joystick that you can move up and down. While the ride is spinning around, there are 4 creatures that squirt water at you. Since it was chilly I didn't really want to go on it because I didn't want to get wet. Of course Lauren talked me into it, and with a little bit of manuvering...we came out 99% dry. She had a lot of fun and said it was her new favorite ride. Mine is the Wild Mouse. I'll have to see if I can get Auburn on it next time....she said she would, but we'll see. Lauren said she was going to ride Wicked next time. It's a new roller coaster that they put in last year. On the first hill it shoots you straight up really fast and then you come straight down on the other side. She's gotten to the front of the line twice, but then backed out at the last minute. We'll see if she will go on that also. Brook's hoping she will because he's tired of hanging out in Kiddie Land I think. I'm just hoping to go to Pioneer Village and have our family picture taken this year. They let you dress up in the old western clothes and they print them in sepia. I love those pictures! I hope it will be a fun year....the girls had a lot of fun going to Lagoon with their cousins last year.

Flashback Friday

I remember this day very well. My mom pulled my tooth before I went to school. I didn't want her to pull my tooth on picture day so I was kind of mad. Smiles with missing teeth make for fun memories though. My teacher's name was Miss Bingham, but she got married during the school year so her name changed to Mrs. Knight. About 10 or 11 years after I had been in her class, she came into Sew-N-Save where I worked. I wasn't sure if it was her at first, so I waited until she wrote her check and I saw the name. I told her that I thought she was my 1st grade teacher. I told her who I was and she smiled and said she remembered me. Then she said that there was a story about me that she told all of her classes. She had told me that I had red hair, and I said, "My hair's not red, it's orange!" Well, in my defense....when a 1st grader chooses a crayon to color their hair for the inevitable self portrait....my hair definately looked more like the orange crayon than the red one. I always used the orange crayon. Who knows what others stories are out their floating around? I always liked the name for red hair that the British use...they call it ginger hair. Somehow it sounds much better than red or orange or strawberry blonde. Auburn doesn't like when I say she has strawberry blonde hair. She likes when I say it's 'golden'. Lauren says that she hates her red hair. I really can't get onto her because I hated mine when I was younger too. I just wanted to be like everyone else, but now I'm glad to have something different. It keeps getting darker though, which makes me sad. Are we ever happy with what we have? When I was in high school I felt self conscious because I thought my legs were fat. I'd love to have those legs now! :)

Field Trip

It must be field trip season. Auburn had a field trip scheduled to the dairy farm on Tuesday, but she was recovering from having the flu for the second time this month. I hate to say it, but I wasn't too sad that we missed that one. She went there in Kiddie Kollege and the place just reeked. Lauren had a field trip on Wednesday to the newly refurbished State Capitol Building in Salt Lake. We did a lot of waiting around, but it was pretty interesting. I'd like to go back again when we aren't with 100 kids, parents & teachers. We went to Liberty Park to have lunch (which was really cold) and then we went up to the University of Utah to their Museum of Natural History to check out the exhibits. Another place I'd love to go back to since we only had 20 minutes to look around. They had some cool dinosaur exhibits and an area that had a bunch of animals that had been stuffed. The kids had fun looking at all the things that they have been studying in school; rocks, minerals, Indians, etc... I found a book at the gift shop for Lauren that she really loves. It's all about bugs. She loves bugs. On Sunday she tried to take a potato bug to church with her. She almost cried when I told her to take it back outside. Then, after church she had me help her find a millipede in the garden. She was ecstatic! The lady at the gift shop said they have all kinds of fun camps during the summer for kids who love science. Hopefully we can send her to one...she gets so bored and would really enjoy something like that. I don't know what it is about buses though, but my kids love the field trips for the bus ride too. With an elementary, junior high and high school so close...they'll never ride the bus to school. I have to admit that when Lauren's teacher said they didn't have enough room for the parents to ride on the bus, I wasn't upset. Our van is in the shop getting repaired since a guy backed into me at Tanner Clinic. The insurance company gave us a rental car to use, and it has a CD player and satellite radio in it. It was so nice to jump in the car and crank up the radio on the drive down to SL. Much better than a noisy bus of hyper 4th graders. I always like to go on the field trips, but I'm always really tired when we're done.

Another Tag

A. Attached or Single? attached
B. Best Friends? My family, Amy, Caron, Ann
C. Cake or Pie? Pie....oooooo I love pie!
D. Day of choice? Friday, no homework on Fridays
E. Essential item? my blanket - it's hard to sleep without it :)
F. Favorite color? Green in almost any shade
G. Greatest Accomplishment? holding my tongue or temper (guess they're the same)
H. Hometown? I was born in Florida at Tyndall AFB, but I don't consider it my hometown
I. Indulgences? Lindt truffles, McDonalds french fries (haven't had them for a long time)
J. January or July? July - fireworks, barbecques, no school
K. Kids? 2 - Lauren & Auburn
L. Life is incomplete without? my family, books, camera, good movies
M. Marriage date? May 20, 1994
N. Number of siblings? 5 - 1 sister, 4 brothers
O. Oranges or Apples? apples - I love golden delicious that are still green (I'd rather have a tangerine than an orange anyday)
P. Phobias or fears? snakes, mice, someone hurting my kids
Q. Quotes? There's no such thing as gravity, the earth just sucks. - Albert Einstein
R. Reason to smile? Chubby babies, finishing a good book, watching my kids do something they're proud of
S. Season? I love the fall...the colors, sweater weather, warm days, cool nights
T. Tag three friends? Miranda, Brooke Harrison, Kathy (you can do yours on email)
U. Unknown fact about me? when I was younger, we lived at my Grandma Ruth's house before we moved to England. My brother Jared told me to dump an icecream bucket of water onto a boy's head that was sitting on the curb out front. I did it and then hid in the closet because my Grandma was looking for me. She was really mad because she said we were related to the boy. My brothers always had a hard time getting along with them. I don't remember getting in trouble, but I was really scared.
V. Very favorite store? Kohls, Target, Roberts
W. Worst habit? I squeek my ears...It drives Brook crazy
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? ultrasounds, you don't have to wear a lead apron
Y. Your favorite food? mushrooms, lettuce wraps at PF Changs, guacamole mmmmmm
Z. Zodiac? Scorpio & Libra - Some charts say one, some say the other....haven't read a horoscope since high school

Tag

What am I doing? checking out blogs....again!
What am I proud of today? played softball with the girls out back
What am I thinking about? my mind is always moving around
Who is home? Me, Brook, Lauren & Auburn
Plans tonight? Lagoon maybe
What’s for dinner? who knows...I hate thinking of something to cook
My thoughts about love: it feels great to give it and receive it
Feelings about my life: I grateful for everything I've been blessed with
What I want: a new job for Brook, a trip to Germany
What I need: a new bra???
What I have: too much stuff
What you don’t know about me? there's a reason you don't know :)
What I can smell? my new wickless candle, coconut lemongrass...mmmmm, thanks Ann
What I can hear? Phoenix - San Antonio game....not my choice obviously
My style? plain
My hairdo: in serious need of a cut
My outfit: jeans, running shoes & plain white shirt
Weather today: Sunny, warm & windy - it's so nice to have warm weather
My mood: content
Thoughts on parenting: there isn't enough space...trust me
Thoughts on marriage: a balancing act
Thoughts on friendship: it's great to lift someone when they're low and to have them lift you when you are
Thoughts on politics: It scares me and bores me
Thoughts on beauty: she was really nice to the beast ;)
Thoughts on sleep: I'm getting a lot more since the flu has passed, thank goodness
Thoughts on writing: I love to get letters in the mailbox
My favorite appliance: washing machine!
My favorite car: I'd like to have a lime green or orange VW Beetle, they're so cute
My favorite splurge: Christmas presents
My favorite beauty-secret: washable waterproof mascara...I need some more
My favorite treat: Kookaburra red licorice
Ten years ago: 22, first time mom
Five years ago: 27, had just been to North Carolina, kids were 2 & 5
One year ago: looking forward to Women's Conference at BYU
One year from now: hopefully we can take the girls to Disneyland or Disney World
Five years from now: Lauren will have a driving permit....agggggghhhhhh
Ten years from now: Lauren will be 20, Auburn will be 17...I don't want to talk about it
I’m famous for: being forgetful.....wait, where am I?
I’ll never be famous for: having a spotless house
Who am I? wife, mother, sister, daughter, aunt, cousin, granddaughter, niece...family is important to me
Who I hope to be: a good person
What I am thankful for? family, house, food, clothes and hot water

Kathy, when are you going to start a blog? I want to know what you're up to too.

Flashback Friday

Remember Kindergarten? I had afternoon Kindergarten at Hill Field Elementary. We lived on base, and I remember walking to school. Not sure how that worked since the school isn't on the base and I don't think we had to go through security to get there. Once when Sandy, Aunt Sadie's daughter, was babysitting me, she sent me to school too early and the morning class was still there. I was so embarrassed. (I still get embarressed really easily) We used to take naps even though we were only there for part of the day. Once a lady took me out of class and I remember her noticing my apple necklace from Avon and telling me the Spanish name for apple. I don't know if she was taking me out to teach me Spanish or what. I know that I was friends with the twins on the front row. Their names are Kim & Dawn Owens...I still see them around town every once in a while. I was also friends with the girl on the second row, 3 people over...her name is Sandy. The boy on the third row, second one over was my boyfriend, or so I thought. His name is Michael Bell. He lived kitty corner (is that how you spell it?) across the street. I remember him being a big pain sometimes. Everything else seems to be a haze. Do you remember anything about your Kindergarten class?

Being a Kid Again

Lauren and I went to the park on Monday. She wanted to play tag while we were there. I was feeling pretty tired, but decided to do it anyway. We were running around the toys, screaming, laughing, and out of breath. Lauren said to me, "Don't you think it's kind of fun to see your parents acting like a kid again?" It was funny because she was saying it to me like I wasn't her mom. We weren't there a long time because it was getting dark, but it was fun. It's amazing how little it takes to make your kids happy. Auburn was happy just to help roll up the cookie dough for cookies yesterday. We played Trouble with the kids on Sunday night and the kids didn't want to stop. The little things really count. It's times like this that make me so glad to be a mom.

A Little Trivia...

One of my friends sent this to me. It was pretty fun...I like trivia a lot. Take the quiz and then leave your score on the feedback. I got 14 out of 16. http://www.guessthespot.com/ Kathy, I changed the settings, you can leave feedback now.

My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

This song has been in my head this afternoon. I love the song and the video from President Hinckley's funeral goes great with it. It makes me cry. I miss him a lot...kind of like missing a grandpa. Read the words, they're beautiful. Hope you all had a nice Sunday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wM0YaQEvrRM

My Shepherd will supply my need:
Jehovah is His Name;
In pastures fresh He makes me feed,
Beside the living stream.
He brings my wandering spirit back
When I forsake His ways,
And leads me, for His mercy’s sake,
In paths of truth and grace.

When I walk through the shades of death
Thy presence is my stay;
One word of Thy supporting breath
Drives all my fears away.
Thy hand, in sight of all my foes,
Doth still my table spread;
My cup with blessings overflows,
Thine oil anoints my head.

The sure provisions of my God
Attend me all my days;
O may Thy house be my abode,
And all my work be praise.
There would I find a settled rest,
While others go and come;
No more a stranger, nor a guest,
But like a child at home.

Flashback Friday

The other day I was showing Auburn her pictures when she was a baby. I had to show her how chubby & cute she was. You'd never know it now though. Auburn said, "I wish I was still a baby." I had to agree with her. Sometimes I wish she was still a baby too. It makes me a little sad because the girls have grown up so fast. I miss holding my big chubby babies. Today we got out the box of Lauren's baby pics. She was chubby too, but I think Auburn has her beat...look at those rolls! Give your babies a hug today. It goes way too fast!

(I finally got some pictures posted on last Friday's blog...check them out it you want)

April Pillowcases

Here are the girls with their April pillowcases. This whole thing with Easter in March threw me off so I didn't give them to the girls until after Easter. They did have them before April though. I think I won't be making anymore until the 4th of July. We'll have to see.

I'm Alive...I Think

Man, the flu stinks! I've had it for the last 5-6 days. Lauren's glad that I'm alive and so am I. The poor girl remembered me having the flu a few years ago and while I was layed out on the couch she thought I was going to die. I told her I wasn't going to die, but I felt like I was. When she found out I was sick again, she was very upset and wrote me a note before school. It said, "Please don't die while I'm gone." I kept trying to reassure her, but she wrote another note to me on a different day. The note said, "Thank you for everything you have done for me." On the other side, "Please don't leave me!" (with a crying frowny face) and "I want to hug you so badly." Auburn was a little more optimistic...she gave me get well soon cards. I'm not glad that Brook was laid off 2 weeks ago, but it was so nice to have him here. I don't know what I would have done without him. He took care of me and the girls very well. Now I just have to get rid of this lingering hacky cough.

Flashback Friday

(baby blanket down by my feet)

There's nothing like a great quilt to comfort you when your sick. I have been a part of the Linus Club since birth I guess. I remember once when I was 3 or so that I couldn't go to bed until my blanket came out of the dryer. I think all of my siblings had already gone to bed. Once when I slept over at my friends house in elementary school, I hid my blanket in my pillowcase so I could take it with me. I took it with me to Uncle Red's and while I was there Kim and Kristi helped me patch all the holes in it. There were more stitches than Frankenstein. By then my beautiful pink and blue blanket that Grandma Gregson made for me was almost white. In Junior High I made a new one out of flannel, but it just wasn't the same. After a few more blankets I went back to one of Grandma's creations and started sleeping with the large one that she made to fit my bed. Thankfully the pink and blue is still vibrant, but the underside is suffering some of the first ones problems. Brook just laughs when I keep sewing it up. I don't care, I'll never give it up or my baby one tucked away in a large plastic comforter bag. I'm not sure how long ago the newer one was made, but there's still plenty of love in it. :) It always make me think of Grandma and her generosity. I wonder how many blankets she made through the years? If you have any pictures of a blanket Grandma Gregson made will you please post them. I'm just curious. By the way....I'll

be sleeping good tonight...my blanket is in the dryer. :)

(me, Nate & Mel)

(can you see the pink & blue? how about the stitches? :)

(old versus 'new')

(one of many repairs)

April Fools

I kept trying to think of a good April Fool's joke to play, but everything I thought of seemed too mean. Last night the girls and I were waiting for Brook at the city building so I decided to try one. We've been thinking of moving because a developer wants to buy our land to put in commercial property. I calmly said to the girls that we were going to have to move tomorrow. They said, "What? Why?" I just repeated that we were going to move, and they asked where we were going to go. I told them we were moving to Texas and that we were going to have to pack up all our stuff. By this point they were freaking out so I quickly said, "April Fools!" Boy, were they relieved. Today while we were playing catch with the koosh ball in the front room, Auburn said something about the joke and then said, "You are a cruel, cruel mom. You scared me almost to death!" I guess it was not as funny as I thought. One more thing to add to my children's list of parental scars. Did you guys play any tricks?

Another Song Stuck in My Head

OK, I know I am way behind the times, but I just heard a song on the radio for the first time today that I really liked. It was 'The Way I Am' by Ingrid Michaelson. After I found it with a search on Google, (what did we do before Google?) I saw the music video on her website. At first I thought it was a little weird, but after watching it a few times I got the idea. I also realized that I had heard the song on t.v. They had it on a Gap commercial. Then with a little more research I found out that she's had 3 songs on different 'Grey's Anatomy' episodes. (I've never seen the show) I have an excuse for being out of the music loop though. Generally I have 2 girls in the back seat begging me to change the station to Radio Disney. If it's not Hannah Montana, High School Musical 1 or 2, or some other Disney Star, I haven't heard it lately. There are a few other commercials that I love the music to. HP used to have a commercial that used a song from The Cure called 'Pictures of You'. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfNmSVI2Izo The other one I loved was on the Lincoln Navigator commercial. It's called 'Get A Move On' by Mr. Scruff. It's a cool song with a jazzy techno sound. Am I the only one who didn't know about Ingrid Michaelson? She's got a really pretty voice, and the music is nice and simple. Here's a link www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJOzdLwvTHA