The Dirty Details

You know when you go in for a job interview and they ask if you're detail oriented and organized? I've always thought of myself as both (more or less), but recently I've come to decide I was tricking myself. I am more organized than I am detail oriented, but my when organization doesn't include details, I guess I'm left wanting.

I started thinking about my inattention to details a couple weeks ago, and I can't stop thinking about how much it permeates my life.

1. I don't like washing silverware by hand. I don't mind pots and pans, but I always throw the silverware in the dishwasher.
2. When I read books I definitely don't read every single word. I want to get to the good stuff so badly I skim some. I guess that's why I can enjoy books the second (and sometimes third and fourth) time I read them as much as the first. I asked Matt last night if he reads every word in his books or if he skims to get to the meat of the matter. He was shocked (and mildly disgusted I think) that I would do such a thing! He likes to savor books. I like to devour them.
   
3. I'm decent at keeping my house presentable overall, but don't look to closely at the details: window ledges, molding, cupboard doors, floor corners, the oven drawer, the collecting dust on tvs and computers...
   
4. Punctuation is my Achilles heal in composition. I'm also not great at proof reading.
   
5. I know I don't listen to every word that people say to me.
6. I'm better a cooking than I am at baking because baking requires more precision.
7. In piano I struggle releasing immediately on the rests.
   
8. I often drop and add "s"s to the ends of words when I sing.
   

There are more examples, but these are what come to mind. Don't get me wrong, I can force myself to do these things; they just don't come naturally.

I don't really know where I'm going with this. Just self realization I guess.

What about you? Are you a detail person or do you live for the big picture?

Under Pressure

Enter Queen: "Pressure, pushing down on me, pressing down on you no man ask for..." Ha! Now I hope you have that totally awesome song in your head the rest of the day.

We finally bought ourselves a pressure cooker. 6 quarts, stainless steal with a little nob to hold and release the pressure safely (none of the old school weight stuff). Our main motivation was the artichokes sitting in our fridge, waiting to be gobbled up. Yuuummm. A nice, soft artichoke dipped in a little mayo. Or plain is good too. You know, I don't think I'd ever eaten an artichoke before I got married. Or mangoes. Or falafel. Or hummus. I'm sure there are more things, but it's so weird to think about.

My eating has definitely shifted. I guess some of it is due to Matt, some is due to cooking at New Haven, and some is due to just growing up. I mean, I didn't like olives, onions or bell peppers until we dated and/or got married. I didn't eat meat really. The first time I made hamburgers for New Haven I brought the meat home the night before and made Matt help me for the patties. I hadn't touched raw ground beef in years. I've come so far...

Anyway, that's off the topic. Back to my pressure cooker. I'm excited for other things now that I think about it. It will make baby food making go quicker. It's good for quick dinners since you can do meats and hard beans. My downfall with slow cookers is you have to think so far in advance. This helps us "wingers" out! It may take awhile to get the hang of timing, but I'm excited to try. Anyone have good recipes for a pressure cooker?

On a somewhat related note (food), because I have a Kitchen Aid, I was able to make Alton Brown's pizza dough exactly how his directions say. I've always just kneaded it by hand. It had a very different consistency and was definitely more "toss-able" than a hand knead. However, both Matt and I agreed that hand kneaded had a better taste and much better consistency. So, the reduced salt directions, by hand knead (approx. 10 min.) and stretch (not rolled out with a pin), is my favorite homemade pizza dough yet. Also, since I learned how to use a pizza stone correctly, I now prefer it on the stone. (Heat it in a 500* oven, on the second to bottom rack. Never make a pizza bigger than a medium size so it cooks evenly and you can shake it off the pizza peel easily. Cook the pizza for about 6-7 min.)

5 years and counting

Well, today we tried to find some new living room furniture. No luck. We found two couches that worked stylistically and comfortably, but were no good in the color scheme. Boo. No oyster white for us. Or Native American brown. After dinner we watched Dan in Real Life. Probably the worst chick-flick I've ever seen in my life. I wanted to bang my head against a wall about 10 min. in, and it didn't get much better until the very end. I admit, it was my choice, but I was duped by the previews!! I thought it was a comedy with my good buddy Steve Carell. I didn't know it was going to be a horribly cliche and poorly written girly film. Oi.

Anyway, this was a little "tag" one of my friends did, and I decided to tag myself since it was appropriate for the occasion.



1. WHAT DATE IS YOUR ANNIVERSARY? May 3, 2003 Hey that's today!! Happy anniversary to us.

2. WHERE DID YOU GET MARRIED? Snowflake, AZ

3. WHO PROPOSED AND HOW? Matt did. We were hanging out in my living room after I made dinner. (Potato soup and bread bowls. It was yummy.) I had no clue he was proposing to me that night. (Oh, a funny side note: he'd almost asked me a few days earlier but didn't because we got in an argument over dinner talking about family topics relating to one of my classes.) A funny thing about that night was he had to wait and wait for one of my roommates to go upstairs since she kept coming in and out of the living room and kitchen. She also had her music blaring in there for about 1/2 hour to an hour. She obviously had no clue he was proposing to me that night either.

He had the ring in his pocket and at a random point in the evening he knelt by me and asked me to marry him. Of course I was going to say yes! I had already bought my wedding dress (unbeknownst to him!!!). We then called my parents (we had to make 2 calls since one of them was at home and one was in Mesa). They were kind of like, "glad it finally happened!" Then we called his parents (though I only remember talking to his mom) and she was totally shell shocked. Especially when we told her that we were planning on getting married in 2 months.

4. HOW LONG WERE YOU ENGAGED? 2 months (And may I just say I'm SO GLAD it wasn't any longer!)

5. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF YOUR WEDDING DAY? ( AND IT CAN'T BE YOUR HUSBAND) Sex. Can I say that? I mean, did you want me to say my bouquet or something? It was a very nice bouquet. My bouquet and dress were pretty much exactly what I wanted. Simple. Classic.

6. WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE IF YOU COULD? My photographer. And the chairs. I wish they had covers on them or something. And a few of the decorations. I left it almost completely up to anyone who was willing to help. And while it turned out really well for the most part, I must admit there were one or two decorative elements that I nearly took down and now wish I had. But I won't tell you what so no one feels bad. =)

7. WEDDING COLORS? Red and black. And gold made it's way in, though it wasn't one of my original choices. It was Asian themed because I went to China and had cool stuff. And it was different. Fortunately it was before Asian motif was so mainstream, so it wasn't yet cliche. Unfortunately it was before Asian motif became so mainstream, so the decorations I wanted (but didn't have from my trip) were a little hard to find.

8. REMEMBER ANYTHING SPECIAL ABOUT YOUR WEDDING CEREMONY? Right as we were going into the sealing room, our sealer accidentally stepped on my dress and ripped the bustle hook off. The cute little Temple worker lady hurried me into the dressing room and dodded (is that the word?) a new hook out of thread. She did an amazing job because it held through not only the wedding, but two receptions. We were a little late to our own sealing because of it though.

Oh, and the actual ceremony was pretty awesome because he related all of the endowment covenants to marriage one by one.

9. WERE YOU CLEAN OR MESSY WHEN YOU CUT YOUR CAKE? Messy-ish. Not really messy, but not really clean.

10. WHERE DID YOU GO ON YOUR HONEYMOON? We drove from AZ to northern CA over the span of a week. We spent a night in Flagstaff, Lake Havasu, Santa Clarita (went to Magic Mountain), Monterey Bay (went to the aquarium), and then at a bed in breakfast in Half Moon Bay.

April 7th: 1981-1991

1981: And so it began
From my mom this morning:
"What an exciting day it was on April 7, 1981. After a day and a half of labor the doctor told Dad that you would probably not arrive until 6 AM. Ah, the joys of a posterior baby. But Dad thought I had had enough and laid his hands on my head and gave me a blessing and wahla! you were born! At the time I thought it was weird that all the nurses and the doctor started running around like crazy acting like they were so surprised. I thought, what did you think we were here for?

After 4 dark headed babies Julie was quite blond with blond eyelashes and eyebrows. Then you were rather strawberry blond with blond eyelashes and eyebrows."

1982: Not my first introduction to sugar.

1983: How could anyone resist that smile?

1984: Not my cutest year ever. (age 3)

1985 Not pictured...but 1986: in the neighborhood

1987: The little proper princess and side kick.

1988: Couldn't find a birthday picture, but this Easter one would have been within a week or two.

1989: Baptism, two parties, and two cakes. Don't drop it now...

1990: Girls, girls, girls. This was a slumber party if I remember correctly. In my journal I wrote, "I had 14 girls at my party. Eric got mad at the girls. It was fun." HAHAHA. I believe he had a state baseball game the next day and was mad we were so loud. I also remember having a hard time falling asleep and Bryan, my oldest brother tried to teach me the "tense your body/relax your body" trick. It didn't work then for me and still doesn't work for me!

1991: Don't look so happy girl!

So there you have it. The first 10 years of my life.

17 years later I'm still in touch with quite a few of those friends pictured, I live in TX, am married, and have the cutest little baby. I couldn't be happier!

mas informacion

Rules:
1. Link to your tagger and post these rules. Erin
2. Share 5 facts about yourself that

a. explain how you got your first or middle name
My first name came from my great great (etc. 6 or 7 generations) grandma Celia Mounts (Mounce) Hunt. I"m not entirely sure where the Marie came from, but I'm sure I've heard the story more than twice. I just have a bad memory sometimes.

b. where you were born
I was born in Show Low, AZ 27 years ago on Monday. (Hint, hint. My birthday is only 2 days away. Have you gotten me anything cool yet?)

c. your favorite fruit
Almost anything that's fresh and in season. I love strawberries, grapes, all apples except red and yellow delicious, oranges, pink grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes etc.

d. something embarrassing about you
I sweat profusely, mostly when I'm around non-family members (I guess I'm just really self conscious deep down). The water works started the summer before 6th grade. I can tell you what shirt I was wearing the first time I noticed big sweat marks. It was a teal scoop neck shirt I borrowed from my sister Amanda. I was walking to the store with two other people.

The very most embarrassing sweat incident for me was in 6th grade. I was wearing a thin, solid green, dry clean only dress for a band concert. I had a flute solo where I was supposed to stand on the stage in front of the audience. I had gigantic sweat marks, so I held my arms in as close as I possibly could and still play. It was very tragic and embarrassing.

e. answer the question "Your dream wedding would have to include..."
Matt, the Temple, family, friends, and no wind. That's pretty much all it would take. As for our reception, even if someone had given me $10,000 for it, I would have done something very simple and saved the rest for something more important than a party!!! I left most of our reception decorating to our families so Matt and I could hang out after the ceremony, before the reception. There were only three things in the way of the decorations at my Snowflake reception that I regretted and wished I would have changed, but I got over it soon enough.

Oh, and I would have flown our CA photographer to AZ for our actual wedding. Our Snowflake photographer was NOT that great, as you can tell from the fuzziness of the first picture. Our CA photographer was absolutely amazing. AMAZING! (See the picture at top of the post for proof!)

3. Supply at least one funny photo that goes with one of your facts.
These photos aren't all that funny, but they show a little bit of the horrific wind we had on our wedding day. I like to say it was 70 mph, but I really don't know how hard it was blowing. It was crazy though! Made for interesting pictures.

I am now supposed to tag someone, but I never do since I'm unsure if you like divulging personal info. and/or have already done so. So, if this is an interesting one for you, by all means, do so. I would love reading it.

Tag for Erin R.

10 yrs ago (1998):
I was finishing my Jr. year of High School. My most vivid memory that year was being called in to talk about class standing. There was a group of the top 10 students. At that meeting I found out I'd been bumped to 3rd because of a new kid who moved in (Russ B.). Oh was I ticked! (He did end up beating me, along with 3 other people. Ah well. Such is life.) The year before I had been in the top 2 in our class. I really, really wanted to speak at graduation. Didn't get my wish.

Other 1998 memories include:

• All-State choir
• Ninja Fish (remember that Vanessa?)
• My last year of Cross Country
• Teaching Piano
• Switching from 2nd Alto to 1st Soprano in Honor Choir
• Madrigals (and Jazz/Mad. trip, Ice Cream Social, etc.)--Oh man that was the year I MC'd with Cam P. for the Ice Cream Social and totally got chewed out by Mr. B. because we had some "politically inappropriate material". Oops. haha. Not the first nor last time I got reamed for inappropriate behavior in choir! =) Good times.
• Getting ditched at Prom by my date and hanging out with my dad who was a chaperon.

5 Things on my list of things to do today:

1. Exercise-check
2. Teach piano to 3 kids- check...kind of. I taught one and the other 2 didn't show.
   
3. Finish my "page in a bag"- not yet
   
4. Make dinner-check
5. Research convertible car seats--somewhat. I looked at the Brittax Marathon and it looks so big. I don't know if it will even fit in our car rear facing.
   

Things I would do if I suddenly was a Billionaire:

• Pay off the debt we have (house and car)
• Help immediate family pay off debts
  
• Upgrade to a slightly bigger house, and probably move away from TX
• Upgrade our furniture to matching and new
  
• Have laser eye surgery
• Have laser hair removal
• Pay A LOT of tithing! HA!
• Oh, and I'm sure we'd invest the vast majority
  

3 of my bad habits:

1. Misplace things
2. Waste way too much time on the computer
   
3. Never wash my face at night (partially why I don't wear make up)
   

Places I have lived:
AZ
UT
VA
China
TX

Jobs I have had:
Piano teacher
McD's cashier
Waitress
Hostess
TA
Cook @ residential treatment center
Tax Clerk

Things most people don't know about me:

• I stopped playing competitive team sports in high school because of how angry I would get at my opponents. I loved Cross Country because we gave opposing teams hugs and good lucks before the races. =)
  
• I've worn the same earrings since the year 2000. Matt gave them to me right before he went into the MTC. I've changed them out less than 10 times and usually for only a day or two.
  
• I dyed my hair red for 5 years but stopped because I was sick of upkeep. I still have a thing for red heads though, and I think it's the most beautiful hair color.
  
• I've kissed 5 guys in my life, but Matt's the only one I ever kissed after I was 16. Doh.
• I went through the Temple when I was 19, but I wasn't getting married or going on a mission. It was very right for me and the time in my life, but it was very unorthodox.
  

For Jessi

My cousin Jessica tagged me, so here's a post of 10 odd or random things about me. I guess the majority of my readers found me after my posts of 100 in four installments, so if I accidentally reuse an answer you may not even know.

1. When I have oatmeal for breakfast I mix 1 packet of flavored oatmeal (cinnamon roll is my favorite) with about the same amount of regular oatmeal. I do this because one packet is not near enough food for breakfast, but 2 packets at full strength are just too sugary! I also like it a little soupy as opposed to gummy/thick.
2. I've somehow turned into a sci-fi junkie. How did it happen? I think it started with a boy named Matt (my now husband). He suggested I read Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game. I loved it. Then I read his Ender and Shadow series (Shadow is much better). He also had me watch X-Men, and I'll admit I didn't really "get it" at first, but it grew on me. After that we had Firefly (watched the whole season in 1 night!!) and Serenity, Heroes, and we've most recently arrived at Battlestar Galactica. (We're watching it from the first season on since there's nothing on TV due to the strike.) I have to add, I really only enjoy sci-fi when it's human based with a some anomalies.
3. Since we're talking about movies, I'll add that I don't care for "chick flicks" much anymore (unless they're more comedic than chick flick-ish).
   
4. I would like to run a half marathon someday. I just bought a jogging stroller today off craigslist after being inspired by my cousin Ali. She just finished her [2nd? 3rd?] marathon! I don' t know if I'm [dedicated, crazy, ambitious] enough for a full marathon, but a half seems attainable.
5. The longest continuous run I've ever done is 7 miles.
6. I just entered a contest at a local scrapbook store. I have to turn my project in by Saturday.
7. My bed time is totally dependent on Matt's. I hate to go to bed before him, and it's difficult to fall asleep after him.
8. I don't even own a tube of lipstick. My mascara is probably 3-4 years old. My eyeshadow is probably 6-7 years old.
   
9. I have a very, very bad memory when it comes to specific events. It's a good thing I was a decent journal keeper from 6th grade until 2002. I kind of fell off the bandwagon then. I have all my blogs in a word document and I really need to print them off before I lose them accidentally. Otherwise I doubt I'd remember much of the last two years.
10. I don't follow sports at all. I kind of have a hard time identifying with die-hard sports fans and "their team".
    

Owning up

Over at Hollywood Flakes, my friend Hollywood issued a challenge today to own up to our securities. Sometimes it's hard to say "I'm great!" and to embrace our own brilliance. It's much easier to say, "Oh, I'm pretty good at..." or "I'm not a bad..." or "I'm decent, but so-and-so is SO much better." Often times I think we do it for self preservation. I mean, how many people really want to be best buds with the person who's constantly blathering on about their superiority? It's also hard to say "I'm great!" when we see so many other great people and compare ourselves. But your greatness doesn't undermine my greatness! We can all be crackerjacks together.

Since I'm pretty good (okay, okay. Scratch that.) Since I'm GREAT at knowing my strengths and weaknesses, today I will break the bragging barrier and go for it. But before I lose you all because of my securities, I'll throw in some of my insecurities as well so you can feel secure that I am just a regular gal. ;)

Securities: I am so smrt. S-M-R-T

• I am a great cook. Growing up my mom taught me how to read a recipe, so I've always been a decent cook, but I have to say that I have grown leaps and bounds in this area in the last 5 years. Cooking at New Haven was probably the best thing I could have done (short of culinary school) to improve my skills. Cooking 2 meals a day, 5 days a week for 25-35 people (all by myself) for 2 1/2 years did the trick.
• I am a great teacher. The majority of my employment has had to do with teaching. I've taught piano since I was in 8th grade. Then there was my China trip where I taught English. And I was a TA most of my college years where I had to explain course concepts. My FAVORITE church calling ever was teaching Relief Society. I also love giving talks in church. As a teacher, I think I do well at assessing where my students are and then work with them at that level.
• I am a great student. I comprehend concepts quickly and I am quite studious. Oddly enough, I've had a reoccurring dream recently where I stop going to one of my classes half way through the semester and end up flunking it. Horrible.
  
• I am a great wife. Perfect wife? No. Great wife? Yes. Seriously, sometimes I think, "Man he's got it good!" haha.
  
• I have the potential to be excellent at the piano and music. I'd say I'm already a great piano player, but not nearly as good as I used to be nor as good as I could be if I were to practice more.
  
• I'm quite the harmonizer. I remember surprising people as a little child (4th grade? younger?) in church choir belting out the alto line correctly. Block and contrapuntal (sight reading in harmony) was the main thing that got me to All-State choir 3 years.
• I remember people, names, and faces quite well.
  

Insecurities: The "I am not so great at..." part

• While I love a clean house, I have a hard time putting things back or away immediately, so clutter ensues. Paper clutter is my worst because I really do hate filing. I often carry things around and leave them in random places, so I tend to misplace things a lot.
  
• I totally stink at job interviews. TOTALLY STINK! My mind goes blank. I am not quick at thinking up personal examples for their questions. I am not good at talking myself up (I know! After all those cool things I said about myself earlier you'd think I'd have no trouble! But how many employers really care that I've taught piano lessons since I was in 8th grade, graduated 5th in my HS or that I can make some tasty grub?) The absolute worst answer I ever gave to the question, "why should we hire you over the other candidates?" was "I don't know. I'm sure they're all very qualified too." Are you kidding me?!? Why would I say something so totally dumb? That was one of my first interviews and I made sure I had a better answer after that.
  
• At the moment I feel very insecure in my ability to respond with appropriate timing rather than rush in and rescue Dean when he's crying. How long is too long? How long is not long enough? Is he going to be an insecure little boy because I am inept at deciphering his cries? WILL HE EVER LEARN HOW TO GO TO SLEEP WITHOUT CRYING UP A STORM????
  
• I am NOT detail oriented unless I really make myself. Even then, I know I miss things. Matt is super detail oriented. He constantly amazes me with his observational prowess.
  
• Though I'm a terrific student, I do not retain random information well unless I find it very interesting or very important. I'll keep it in my mind as long as I need it (i.e. until a test), and then it just goes the way of the world. Luckily I pick it up again easily.
• I'm horrible at sending cards. Thank you cards, birthday cards and anniversary cards are sent out next to never. Mother's day and Father's day cards are generally sent on that particular day (therefore arrive late). Christmas cards are the only time I manage to get cards out.
• I definitely don't shave my legs often enough. ESPECIALLY in the winter. That's why one day I'll have laser hair removal. That will be awesome.

By the way, these pictures are 12 weeks postpartum. The first one I am more secure about.
I need a hair cut. Oy.

I'm it.

My friend Nanci tagged me for lists of 4's. I think it's the first time I've ever actually been tagged. But I've done a list of 4's before on my own...I'd link to it, but I truly can't remember when I wrote it and I honestly don't feel like digging through my old posts.

So, I will do a long-winded Celia special: a variation on the 4's. That's how I like it anyway.

Jobs I've had
The longest job running job I've had is piano teaching. I started teaching when I was in 8th grade for $5/lesson or $20/month. The most students I ever had at one time was my senior year of high school. I had 20 students that year, and I had to travel to their homes since my mom was teaching at our home. It worked out well, though I had to drop cross-country because of it. I don't know how much I was charging at that point. I took a little hiatus during college and I only taught 4 people (at different times) in the 5 years I was there. Though I didn't do much with it, it proved very handy as I traded out half of my month's rent in return for teaching two of my students one year. Now I have 10 students and charge $50/mo. (though I'm sure I could charge more...)

The shortest (and worst) job I've ever had was working at the Tomato Farm the summer after my freshman year of college. Man was that horrendous! I lasted only two weeks (if that!). I kept trying to tell myself "you can do anything for 3 months", but in the end I decided it was not worth $8.50/hour. I was willing to work 40 hours a week at McDonalds plus take on an evening hostess/waitress job over that. It was just looooong hours doing nothing but standing on high riser platforms, picking suckers off gigantic 3 story tomato plants in a very hot room with lots of people who didn't speak English. My feet always hurt. I felt like total white trash. They actually shut the plant down not long after I quit when they were discovered having illegal immigrants filling the majority of their jobs.

The best job I've had...well, that's tough. My cooking job at New Haven probably provided me with the best experience possible for real life. Between cooking and working with the girls, I gained valuable insight into life, relationships, and how important good food is...

But I also loved my Teacher's Assistant jobs with Dr. Lynn Scoresby and Dr. Terry Olson. They were two of my top 3 teachers at BYU. I really grew a lot from helping them. Scoresby hit it on the head during one of our staff meetings my third year working with him. He was summing each of us up with one word and he told me that I was neurotic. Interesting. I didn't take offense to it, because I knew it was true. So I've tried to work on that. I think I've become less neurotic over time. Olson is probably the most compassionate teacher I ever had. And the material for his class (Leadership and Self-deception) and class discussions were life and perspective changing . If I were to have obtained a Masters at BYU I really would have loved having him as a mentor and pursuing research and writing built around his theories.

And how could I leave out teaching in China??? It was an essential piece to my adult transition, self-realization, and real world experience. I always worried if I hadn't done that (or something like it) I would have felt jealous of my future RM husband. It was an eye opener, and I have never felt more gratitude in my life for the little things (and big things) I had been blessed with. Individual (flushing) public toilets (with toilet paper), daily showers, a good education without having to leave my parents at the age of 5, no soldiers monitoring my daily activities, drinkable tap water, etc.

Movies
The movie with the best soundtrack (and good message/ great acting) I've seen (and the only movie I purchased when I was single) was Remember the Titans. I have since gotten over my desire to pop it in and view it whenever, but the soundtrack is still amongst my most listened to albums.

The movie that got better with each successive viewing had to be Napoleon Dynamite. The first time we saw it in the theater with my in-laws, I thought, "Yeah, it's ok...but I don't know why theric is soooo jazzed about this..." But by the end there were so many quotable lines...and then that dance scene clenched it for me. The second viewing was the absolute best viewing experience for me.

I guess another classic that I would love to own one day (because of it's re-watchability) is The Princess Bride. The acting was supreme and the writing was so witty and timeless. "You rush a Miracle man you get rotten miracles."

The only movie I've ever walked out on in the theater was What Lies Beneath. The previews freaked me out and I psyched myself out before the movie even started. It felt so tense at the beginning I left about 10 min. into it. Another movie that freaked me out (but I stuck through it) was Minority Report. If I had been watching it on my own I would have left the theater...

Places I have lived
I felt really blessed to grow up in Snowflake, AZ. It was a good town. We knew everyone. It felt very safe. I was able to participate in just about everything I wanted in the way of extracurricular activities. One of my friends who attended a large Mesa High School said they pretty much had to choose one thing and stick with it since there was such stiff competition and so many students. I got to do multiple sports, multiple choirs, photography and more. The only thing I regret missing out on was a home economics course. They stopped offering it, and in reality I was so entrenched in music and academics I wouldn't have taken it anyway.

My first experience living somewhere other than Snowflake was when I lived with my sister and her husband one summer in High School. They lived in my Grandma's basement in Mesa, and they needed some nannying help. My sister was teaching and my brother-in-law was finishing up difficult pre-dentistry requirements in school. I helped take care of my niece in the day and worked at Hollywood Video at night. They were awesome. I didn't have a car and they commuted me back and forth (I think it was 1/2 hour away from their house or something).

Our first married apartment was a studio in Reno, NV for the summer as we sold Dish Network. We had a pretty sweet set up. A mattress we pulled out of an over sized dumpster. A coffee table we pulled out of the DI truck (we still have it) that we propped up on cinder blocks for Matt's computer, a lawn chair (also from the DI truck), and our 13-inch TV we got for our wedding was propped up on another gift's box. Electricity was so expensive (in our minds and for our budget--$100/mo.) we tried really hard to just use our $10 box fan. We broke down and used the AC when it hit 90 degrees in our apt.!!

And we bought our first house here in McKinney, TX. It's been a good little house and has suited our current needs well. The area is good enough, though it is too far removed from family.


More to come:

• Guilty Pleasures
• TV shows
• Places I have been on vacation
• Favorite Foods
• Books
• Things I would like to know how to do
• Things I worry about
• Happy moments
• Things I want to do this year or in the future
• Pet peeves
  

100 thing about me--on the installment plan: Part 4

This is the final installment. If you'd like to review the previous 3 parts, please see part 1, 2, and 3

76. The fist year Matt and I were married I made him handle all meat.
77. Then I got a job as a professional cook where I had to handle up to 8 lbs. of ground beef by myself at one time. Sick. But I got over it enough to do what I needed to do.
78. I hate sleeping with the top sheet tucked in tightly.
79. I often find myself complaining about systems and roads being poorly designed...a friend suggested I should have become an engineer. Maybe I should have...
80. On Hartman's color code personality test I am primarily blue with red as my secondary. I find that to be pretty accurate.
81. I bawled in Little Women but didn't shed a tear in Titanic.
82. I'll often start a baking project to find I don't have everything I need. I'm pretty decent at finding substitutes that work well.
83. I've never eaten more than 2 small bites of a steak.
84. I do believe in global warming and cooling.
85. I don't believe that humans are the primary cause (or even a true secondary cause) for that warming or cooling. I very much agree with this documentary. (It's long, but if you ever have time, it is very worth the watch in my opinion.)
86. I get annoyed when people say that anyone who believes in Christianity or a Supreme being is ignorant or stupid. Very annoyed.
87. I've always been wary of "empirical studies" and "peer reviewed material" as a definitive source of truth.
88. Mainly because I think data can be skewed to "prove" any desired result.
89. I think clowns are a little scary.
90. Maybe that's because I watched Steven King's movie IT when I was about 10. Freaked me out. I vowed to never again watch a movie of that genre.
91. I love the gingerbread from SouperSalad.
92. My hair was not curly until after I hit puberty.
93. The only movie I've ever walked out on was What Lies Beneath. The previews were enough to make me want to leave. I didn't make it through 5 minutes of the actual movie.
94. I love, love, love to be rubbed. (Shoulder rubs, head rubs, back rubs, foot rubs. You name it, I love it.)
95. I had bad migraines in high school.
96. It used to take me anywhere from 1-2 hours to fall asleep after laying down in bed. Marriage somehow cured me of that.
97. I dyed my hair red for 5 years. One time my mom forgot it wasn't my natural color.
98. I am very happy in my marriage, and I'm sad when other people are cynical about marriage.
99. My freshman roommate really disliked me and didn't talk to me the last two months we lived together.
100. I am very blessed to be a part of my family. I love my parents, siblings, cousins and grandparents. I only wish we could see each other more often.

100 things about me--on the installment plan: Part 3

If you missed them and would like to know more about me, please see part 1 and part 2.

51. It makes me uncomfortable to watch people sing up close. Especially really sappy emotional singers that do a lot of weird stuff with their facial expressions and close their eyes a lot.
52. The summer after my senior year of High School I bought a photo enlarger and developing equipment thinking I'd one day have my own dark room.
53. That equipment is still sitting at my parents' house and I never have used it. If anyone wants it and is in northern AZ, I'm looking to give it away.
54. I submitted a portfolio for the BYU photography major but wasn't accepted.
55. I'm allergic to the cold. I get hives.
56. The worst job I ever had was working at a tomato farm picking suckers 9 hours a day. That lasted only 2 weeks.
57. The closest I ever came to getting in a fight was during an 8th grade city league basketball game.
58. I quit playing basketball in 10th grade because I didn't like how angry and intense I could get.
59. If someone tells me I can't/shouldn't do something I think I should be able to do, I set out to prove them wrong.
60. I was a frequent sleep talker and walker as a child.
61. I tend to freak out (unknowingly) if Matt comes to bed after I'm asleep. I sit up, hyperventilate, and/or speak rapid gibberish. I generally don't remember much of those episodes the next morning.
62. Sometimes I flip ahead in books I'm reading and read a random page or paragraph to see who's still important at that point.
63. I easily forget plots, twists, and outcomes of movies and books. I can re-watch and re-read almost anything at least once and still be genuinely surprised.
64. I've read every Mary Higgins Clark book. Some of them more than twice. I don't know what it is about her writing...
65. I generally like my body and have a good self-image.
66. I was going to get laser hair removal this year, but I don't think I can while I'm pregnant.
67. I would be happy with 11 months of temperatures ranging 65-75* and 1 month of sweater and hot chocolate weather.
68. Matt and I call each other by our names. We have no pet names. We don't even call each other honey or sweetheart. It's weird to even think about calling him that. lol.
69. I love adrenaline pumping activities like cliff jumping, fast roller coasters, and free falling.
70. I can get very fired up if I feel I or someone else has been belittled or unjustly berated.
71. I used to chew on pens until they were so bad I had to throw them away.
72. Once as a freshman I borrowed my biology teacher's pen and unconsciously chewed on the cap. I gave him back the pen without the cap and he freaked out. I think he swore at me if I remember correctly.
73. I participated in 2 scholarship pageants. (i.e. the county level of Miss America)
74. My parents were very sad when I chose to wear a 2-piece tankini the second year for swimsuit. I figured I'd rather people look at my tiny waist than my not so tiny thighs.
75. I was a mostly vegetarian for about 10-12 years. There is a little discrepancy as to whether I started that at age 7 or 9.

one more guys...I know you can't wait...To be continued

100 things about me--on the installment plan: Part 2

Please see part 1 if you wish to start from the beginning.

26. I chug rather than sip.
27. Room temp. water is my beverage of choice unless it's a really hot day or I am overheated; then I like a little ice.
28. At one family reunion I tried to get up on a wake board so long my hands couldn't grip the bar any longer. I never did get up.
29. The most torturous location in the mall is the perfume section of any department store. Sick.
30. The vast majority of my wardrobe comes from Ross. I swear I'm a walking advertisement for them.
31. I really enjoyed taking stats for my dad's JV baseball team in High School.
32. I was so obsessed with the idea of speaking at HS graduation I dropped a graphic arts class to take a physics class half way through my senior year to move up in the class standing.
33. It didn't really move me up much; I ended up 5th in my class and didn't speak
34. My mom said I stopped taking naps at about 1 year old.
35. I think my laugh is my most distinctive characteristic
36. Rachel Ray (Food Network) is VERY annoying and I get frustrated every time I watch her show. ("De-lish!" "We're making Fun-due today. That's what I call Fondue." "We just need a little EVOO. That's what I call Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those of you who don't know.")
37. If I'm retelling a conversation I had with someone, I like trying to imitate their voice. I'm not making fun of them, I just like to convey the whole experience.
38. Sometimes I'll tell people I agree with them even if I don't. I do this to avoid unnecessary squabble over trivial things.
39. I didn't own a pair of flat shoes (other than running/exercise shoes) from 1994-2003.
40. I always have dark circles under my eyes.
41. Once when I was a teenager, a dental hygenist jokingly told me I'd not need to floss since my teeth were spaced so far apart.
42. I took her seriously and I didn't floss once until I was 23.
43. I floss every night now.
44. I've never tried rubarb though I would like to.
45. Eating beets makes me feel like I'm going to throw up. It seriuosly made me gag.
46. In Jr. High I placed 2nd in regional shot put for my weight.
47. I had athlete's induced asthma in high school. I had an inhaler.
48. I can pass up sweets pretty easily.
49. Salty and sour foods are more temptatious for me.
50. Leno over Letterman hands down; it will be a sad day when Conan O'Brien takes over for him.

To be continued...

Journal Gems

Last night I was reading through a journal I had to keep for my 5th grade class. I was cracking up at my entries since most of them were notes to my teacher. My favorites include:

Aug. 28,1991
I have a poem for you.

Camels
Camels are strange anamals. [sic]
have you ever seen a camel?
Camels have a big hump.
It's like a water pump.
It can last for two days.
Maybe even two Mays.
One strange anamal is a camel.

Aug 29, 1991
I have another poem for you. =)

Waves
As I wait I watch and see.
The great waves as I sit there quietly.
I watch the great waves
Many watch them too.
Can it be the waves are saying peek-a-boo
The great waves pave the wonderful water.

Jan 27, 92
I have a game on Sat. at 2:00 pm if you want to come you can. I'll tell you where it is tommorow [sic].

May 8 (I was busting up over this one. Julie's only 3 years older than me.)
I read from 8:30 to 10 last night. Julie said she won't sign my assignment sheet anymore because it says PARENTS signiture [sic].