Paul and Krista

Cancun- October 2010

2010-10-25T18:26:00.013-06:00

Paul's parents surprised me on Mother's Day- with an awesome gift...A week at the beach! We dropped Paul IV off at Grandma's and headed south of the border. You can click each picture for a larger view.

This is the view from our room balcony- it was great eating breakfast each morning watching the sun rise over the Caribbean. The water was a beautiful power blue.

From our hotel door looking over the lagoon- a beautiful sunset each night!

As blue as the water looks- this doesn't quite capture it.

My first walk to the beach- it wasn't as scary as it looks :-)

The hotel offered free sailing lessons and boat usage- so we took them out in the lagoon for a while- it was fun and all- but I really don't see what's so cool about sail boats- I guess you have to be from a rich family in Martha's Vineyard to get it.

The hotel lobby had these thrones that Paul loved- he felt like a King!

Tulum

We drove down to Tulum- a Mayan fort right on the beach. The ruins were very cool and their setting on the beautiful beach was so dramatic. These dated to about 800 A.D.

The main temple at the fort- it's on a neat cliff hanging over the beach.

We had to walk through the jungle to get to most of the ruins- it was beautiful!

Stunning views from the main temple!

Ooooh- lush vegetation!

Down toward the beach from the fort

It was a lot of work!

Chichen Itza

We also went over to Chichen Itza in the middle of the Yucatan Peninsula. It was another Mayan site dating to about 450 A.D. The ruins were much more impressive and aged much better without the harsh beach conditions of Tulum. This is El Castillo- the main pyramid in the center of the city. They don't let you climb up it anymore, but it still makes for a great picture.

The steps were very narrow- scary to climb down!

Me in the middle of some civic building

El Castillo!

Historians have no idea what this was for. But considering it was next to one of the religious buildings (see below), I think it was used for baptisms

This religious building was so ornate!

The observatory- where the famed Mayan Calendars were created.

No explanation needed

Hurricane Paula decided to visit, even though our hotel denied it the whole time. They even boarded everything up and still tried to tell us nothing was coming.

We only had one day of

bad weather, then it was perfect again!

Paul really likes this picture- I wonder why?

Habitats

2010-06-12T18:58:00.003-06:00

Little Paul and I have been going to the Louisville Zoo a lot lately. I'm doing my best to make it educational for him. The last few times we've been there, we've talked about the animals' habitats. So, the other day when little Paul earned a trip to McDonalds, he asked me: "Mom, is that a french fry's habitat?" I don't know if that's even funny to other people, but it was hilarious to me.

Also, another funny thing he did this week was discover a jack-in-the-box. The video is below!

Paul IV's favorite commercial

2010-06-08T11:40:00.003-06:00

So, this is little Paul's very favorite commercial. Every time he hears it playing, he runs to the tv and sits there in a total trance until it's finished and then says, "I'm so happy!" Last night he even asked us to sing the "no pants song" as his bedtime lullaby. This has been going on for months. Should I be concerned?

Mother's Day

2010-05-10T13:54:00.005-06:00

I'm officially the worst blogger on the face of the planet. So, just in case you were wondering, yes, my family and I are still alive!

I've also realized that I probable have the worst memory ever. I swear my brain is swiss cheese. Yet there are some things that I don't want to risk losing to my "Bermuda Triangle" mind. This Mother's Day was one of those things that motivated me, the worst blogger ever, to blog. Less I forget!

So, on Saturday my sweet husband took little Paul out to get me some things for Mother's Day. (Which, by itself was a great gift- 1 1/2 hours of time to get things done!) My husband let little Paul pick out some things that he thought I would like. Upon returning, Paul IV was unable to keep one of the gifts a secret. He ran into the house yelling, "I got a flower for you with no bees in it!" Paul III said that he meticulously checked all the flowers to make sure they were "bee free."

Sunday morning, Paul III brought me my breakfast in bed; complete with Cinnabon cereal, Dora the Explorer yogurt, Odwalla juice, and sour patch kids (not pictured). Little Paul picked each one of these things out for me. He especially insisted on the Dora yogurt, telling his dad that is was mommy's favorite.

I love my sweet boys who made Mother's Day absolutely perfect (and hopefully unforgettable)!

(p.s. Notice the Jone's Soda bottle/vase- Paul special ordered me a case with a picture of us and a cute little message for our anniversary last month. How cute is that?!)

Big Bumps and Peanut Butter Spoons

2009-09-13T19:27:00.004-06:00

So, I only blog about my son, and I'm ok with that. He's what makes life interesting anyway! The other day I was feeling down for no particular reason and Paul gave me the sweetest hug and the best smile. Little Paul is my angel and is what makes difficult days tolerable. Being a mom is not always easy. There are frustrating and tiring days when I count the minutes until bedtime, but it's more that worth it. There's not a day since little Paulwas born that I have not thanked the Lord for the privilege of being his mother!

Speaking of prayers, one quick story- Paul loves "big bumps." We walk to work and on the way we go over 3 speed bumps and it makes Paul so happy. Every night when we pray, he reminds us to thank Heavenly Father for "big bumps." Just wait until I get that kid to Cedar Point. . .

Also, the other day while I was trying to get everything together for work, I made little Paul a PB&J. I went to grab his diaper bag and when I came back, Paul was hiding behind his bench with the jar of peanut butter digging in with a spoon. What can you do but laugh, take a picture, and then remember to put the peanut butter on a higher shelf next time.

Papa's home!

2009-08-26T12:49:00.004-06:00

We had such a fun time when "Papa" came to visit. It was a very short visit, but a good one. All Tuesday morning little Paul asked about papa coming to play and just couldn't wait to see his papa. When Papa finally arrived, Paul was beyond thrilled! You know how you always want your kids to interact perfectly when their grandparents are around and just have everything go right? Well, for once it happened. I was so pleased that little Paul warmed up to his papa right away and had a ton of fun showing off his firetruck knowledge and his joy about diggers, french fries, ice cream, and swimming pools. Except for a few short, but typical two year old moments, little Paul was perfect. We look forward to more happy memories with family and are always happy when we get to be with the people we love.

A goodbye hug for Papa!

3 Pauls :)

"Paul, we don't drum on people, only on the floor. . ."

Growing up way too fast!

2009-08-10T13:25:00.004-06:00

Paul turned 2 at the end of July. TWO! I can't beleive how fast he's grown and how much he's learning and how much our love for him has grown over the past two years.
Yesterday he found his old car seat and it made me think of the first time he sat in it.

Aunties is Utah!

2009-06-08T21:48:00.005-06:00

Just hangin' out. . .

Barb, Robin, and Paul IV

Airplane!

Weeeeeee!

Paul had a ton of fun with his aunties. . . too bad they live in all the way up in Wisconsin! He misses them already!

Hot Summer Days!

2009-05-18T20:46:00.003-06:00

Paul and his cousins enjoyed popsicles on a hot summer day!

(ok, Isaac isn't really sweaty. . . it was a spray bottle, but it sure looks like real sweat!)

Our Little Drummer Boy

2009-05-15T15:32:00.004-06:00

Little Paul is just like his daddy in so many ways. . . Drumming on pots is one of his favorite activities. Just ask our neighbors below us!

Cupcakes and Cousins

2009-05-15T15:27:00.002-06:00

Mmmmmm. . . .

Salt Lake City Marathon, 2009!!!! (4/18/2009)

2009-04-20T23:22:00.010-06:00

SLC Marathon 2009

(Longest post ever. . . This is mostly for my purposes- I wanted to record all my thoughts while the experience is still fresh in my mind.)

3:55:03

(8:53 average mile pace)

Training: My training was long and full of frustrating injuries! I started logging miles in July with the intent to run the SLC marathon. I also consistently lifted weights until 4 weeks before the marathon. I suffered an SI joint injury in September that put me out for 4 weeks. I suffered a second SI joint injury in December. I was only out about a week from that injury. Then, 5-6 weeks before the marathon, I injured my hip. The doctor said it was piriformis syndrome and that it was affecting my sciatic nerve. I was never sold on that diagnosis, I just know it hurt like heck when I tried to walk, run, cross my legs, etc.

The last injury was probably the most devastating because it came at a crucial point in my training. Because of the timing of the injury, I was never able to run more that 14 miles before the marathon. I got injured while I was building up to 20 miles. After the piriformis issue, I was out for almost 2 weeks before something popped back in right and I could run with some pain (not debilitating pain). However, after 2 weeks of not being able to run, my muscles decided they were done and I wrestled with muscle soreness and tiredness even on very short runs. This continued right up until the day of the marathon and I had a very real concern that I would not be able to finish the race.

Events leading up to the race: Wow! I was so nervous about the marathon that I cried when I picked up my chip, shirt, and bib the night before. We stayed the night up in Sandy (30 min from starting line). As tired as I was, I could hardly sleep the night before the big race. When I did fall asleep, I dreamed about waking up late and missing the race! I’m sure this is a common nightmare! I got out of bed at 5am, ate a powerbar, ran a mile warm up, and stretched. We left for the race at about 5:55am.
Here is where I made a few silly mistakes. I figured it would be easy to find our way from Sandy to the start of the race. We made tons of wrong turns and I totally panicked. By the time we got to the start line, I had to go to the bathroom so bad that I wanted to cry. I ran out of the car and within 30 yards, I realized I had left my race bib and my watch in the car. Paul’s cell phone was off, and I couldn’t call him, so I panicked more!
I was able to get a new race bib and chip to match. I still had to go to the bathroom, so I got in line behind 30 other people. In line I was re-lacing my shoe with the new chip, taking off my throw-a-way sweats, and drinking Gatorade. Five minutes before the gun went off, I was 15 people back in the potty line and still panicking! I could not imagine trying to start the race before I went to the bathroom! I heard the gun go off for my first marathon from the port-a-potty line. I was freaking out partially because I didn’t realize that my time started when my chip crossed the start line, not when the gun went off. If I could do it over again, I would be much calmer. To all the seasoned marathoners, I probably looked like an idiot. Finally, after going to the bathroom and checking my gear back, I sprinted to the start line (5 min after the gun).

The Race!: Wow! After training all alone for months, I can’t imagine a more electric and awesome moment than I had as I joined the pack of thousands of runners and crossed the start line! I had never seen so many runners! It was exhilarating! The pack of people at the start, even 5 min after the gun, was so thick that we could barely walk. Some space cleared out about 250 meters into the race.
There were spectators taking pictures, a choir singing, runners cheering- it was great. First-time marathoners were asking seasoned runners advice for the race. All of the experienced runners said to slow down and walk through the water stations, especially in the beginning. I think this advice was one of the things that saved me! I also overheard one lady say “Watchout for mile 21. That’s where you hit the wall!” From then-on, the rest of the race, I feared mile 21!
I tried to stay slow the first several miles, but it seemed that I was passing lots of runners whenever I could. The first 3 miles or so we were going downhill and it was easy to run. I realized immediately that my legs weren’t as tired as they had been in training and I sincerely thanked the Lord for strength!
I would have to say that the first 6 miles were probably the best because the marathoners and the half marathoners were still together and there were tons of people along the streets and it was just fun. At around mile 6 we split and went our separate ways. The port-a-potty lines were much shorter after that! I was thankful because I frequented them throughout the race!
I was surprised how fast the first 10 miles went by. I took a power gel at about mile 11. (p.s. Word to the wise- take your power gel at a water station. Those things are hard to swallow and they make your mouth dry!)
I talked to a few people as I ran. One 60-year-old man was running with 3 other friends. He was awesome. He called me “tiger.” I ran near him for much of the race. He had run 21 marathons and he said he had one the next week! How amazing is that? Another man, who was about to graduate law school, said that he had run 2 marathons a year while in school! I talked to a mother of 3 on her 5th marathon! What a crazy culture! I think my favorite part of the marathon were the people. They were just awesome.
The first half of the marathon went by quickly. I crossed halfway at about 1:55 on the clock. Crossing the 13.1 mile mark spurred many, many, many jokes about where the half marathon finish line was (as mentioned before, we split around mile 6).
By the way, random note- I thought that it was cool that there was a huge marker for every mile with a clock. Also, there were water stations at most miles. And there were lots of bands along the streets- everything from rock bands and steel drums to string quartets and barbershop quartets. There were a few mile markers with people handing out orange slices. Also, also, many of the spectators handed out their own (super, super too cold) water. One little kid had a table of Swedish fish out for the runners. How funny is that? For the next 2 miles after that I saw random discarded Swedish fish on the road. Hahahahah!
Even when there were very few spectators, there were homemade signs saying “Run hard, Greg!” and “Run like you stole something!,” etc.
At mile 14, I saw my husband and son. I wasn’t sure I’d see them at all, so it totally made my race. Little Paul was so happy to see me and was being so darn cute! There were times that the idea of him being at the finish line kept me running.

So, miles 1-14 were pretty good, fairly easy. Miles 14-19 were about what I expected. They were a little tough and I had a big blister on my toe that was bothering me. I took another power gel at about mile 18. Water and Gatorade weren’t quite as appetizing any more, but I tried to have a few sips and splash my face a bit with the water. After mile 18, I really think the miles were actually getting longer. Maybe it was a conspiracy by the organizers of the race- they get you started and you think you’re going fast, then they make the miles longer. . . not really, but it seemed that way!
Miles 20-26 were way tough; perhaps tougher than I expected. My legs hurt with every step, my feet hurt, my arms hurt, my back hurt, my knees hurt. It was tough. There was one downhill stretch that was just cracking me up- I looked at it and I could see it was downhill. However, I’ve run downhill and that did not feel like downhill, it felt like trying to hike a mountain! It was just so bizarre- I guess after 20 miles of running, nothing feels like downhill! I think you have to experience it to understand!
I found out at mile 21 that the experienced marathoner from the beginning of the race wasn’t kidding! Woooh! That was tough. I saw a lot of runners slowing down and walking a bit. Funny things creep into your head when you’re tired. I thought, “Maybe I should walk a half mile and rest. Then it will be so much easier to run the rest of the race.” Oh beware of those crazy thoughts! They are dreadful lies coming from a tired body and mind. I finally gave into the thoughts at about mile 23. For the rest of the race I was tempted to stop and walk, and, unfortunately, I gave in a few times. Knowing that I “could” walk, made running so much harder! I kept thinking that the motivation of being 3 miles or 2 miles or 1 mile from the finish line would make me run faster. It did not. In fact, about 200 meters from the finish line some one mistakenly told me that the finish line was another half mile out! I almost cried- even though half a mile was nothing- it felt impossible at the time!
Also, at around mile 22.5 some one played a funny, but mean, mean trick on the runners. A large group of people were gathered around soft, plush chairs. They were partying and relaxing and they called their yard the “Temptation Station.” There were signs like “If this were the finish line, you’d be done!” The partiers beckoned runners to sit, relax, and have a cold drink. It might seem strange that the “Temptation Station” was actually tempting with only 3.5 miles to go in my life-long goal of finishing a marathon. If you knew how my body felt, you’d understand! I’m proud to say that I did not stop there- I’m sure that if I had, those spectators would have actually cheered me to keep going instead of stopping- nevertheless, I frequently thought of the “Temptation Station” during the final miles of the race.
Back to the last part of the race- again, may I say that people who run marathons are awesome. The 60 year old marathon veteran was awesome. I’m pretty sure that he knew something of what most of us were experiencing at mile 21. He was zipping form runner to runner cheering people up. What a champ! At mile 24 I wasn’t sure how I could make the rest of the race. I had no idea how to get 2 more miles out of my legs. I stopped to walk for a few seconds and another champ of a seasoned marathon runner encouraged me. Most of the rest of the race I ran near him and he encouraged me to keep going.
The finish line was amazing. It was bit hidden- there were only a few spectators and then all of the sudden I turned the corner and hundreds of people were lining up to cheer the runners! I crossed the finish line in under 4 hours! Woo hoooo!!! Some one handed me a water bottle and the weight of it almost took me to the ground. I thought “What is this, lead water?” I had not expected my arms to be so tired!
After the finish line I had to keep walking for what seemed like forever. All I wanted to do was sit down. We walked through a parking lot “isle” full of vendors giving me bananas, cases of yogurt, chocolate milk, energy drinks, etc. I could barely carry a water bottle- let alone a 24 pack case of yogurt! The chocolate milk tasted amazing. I think it was the best chocolate milk ever!
Also, there were massages at the end of the race. There was a long line for them, but I needed one!

So, that is the story of my marathon. It was hard, but worth it. Yay! I ran a marathon! Now I am sore. . . very, very, sore! Stairs are a beast! Also, I am always hungry, but I can’t workout! I’ll probably gain all the weight I lost training within a week! Oh well, it was worth it!

Advice to 1st timers:
(Not that I’m a pro, but these are a few things I wish I knew before the race!)
1. Know how to get to the start of the race.
2. Go to the bathroom before you get to the start of the race.
3. Don’t forget your race bib in the car.
4. Don’t freak out if you don’t start with the gun.
5. Take the first several miles easier than you want to.
6. Wear comfortable clothes that you've run in before. (I saw some guy in jean shorts! Ouch!)
7. Figure out how to carry your gels, etc. prior to the night before the race and try it out on some of your longer runs.
8. Pack gels, pain killers, and icy hot on you! (I did not take icy hot and I really, really wanted it!)
9. Don’t walk at mile 23!! It’s way too hard to start running again and the temptation to walk only gets stronger after you do it once!
10. Have fun! Enjoy the experience!
11. Make sure you pack extra batteries in the camera!!

Peek-a-boo, bucket head. . .

2009-03-25T11:48:00.004-06:00

Paul loves to play "peek-a-boo" with his dad. My husband taught him to play it with a bucket. . .

Where's Paul. . .

There he is!

(Needless to say, Paul loves this game!)

Among other things Paul loves are popsicles and DVDs. I gave Paul a popsicle and set him down to watch "Eeee-i-eee-i-Oo" so I could make dinner. After 5 min of Paul being incredibly quiet, I checked on him. Apparently he wanted to watch Seinfeld instead?

San Antonio Zoo

2009-03-24T15:56:00.003-06:00

When we went to San Antonio, Paul IV *loved* the zoo. Especially the petting zoo!

Darn Good Pizza!

2009-03-24T15:48:00.002-06:00

So, I haven't posted in a long time. . .
Anyway, I made this pizza in February. It was really, really, really good. Chicago-style deep dish. . . mmmmmmmm. . . . Needless to say, Paul and I were pleased. If only it wasn't so much work!

Paul and the paper bag game!

2009-01-19T20:30:00.003-07:00

So, we were playing a game with another couple from the ward for FHE. We didn't think that Paul would even understand it- but he did. And he loved it. Here's the video:

A Very Awesome Christmas Gift

2009-01-15T12:30:00.005-07:00

For Christmas this year my awesome little sister gave me an awesome gift. She made me a "Bird Family Cookbook." It has recipes from my sisters, my parents, and, even more special to me, it has recipes from both of my grandmothers.

Grandma Bird, known to us as "Pittsburgh Grandma," passed away in 1989. I was only six years old and I have often wished that I had more time with her and that I had known her better. Almost 20 years after she passed, I still have dreams about her and, as cliche as it sounds, I often wonder if she ever looks down on me and if she would be proud of me.

Grandma O'Bryant, or "Tennessee Grandma," passed away this past summer. I suppose it doesn't matter how old you are when some one passes, you will always wish you had more time. Tennessee Grandma was a fun-loving, creative, hilarious, and beautiful woman. I love that I have some of her recipes which I enjoyed every time my family went to visit her in Knoxville.

Anyway, my sweet little sister made a cookbook of family recipes, including recipes she found in Pittsburgh Grandma's recipe ledger and recipes passed on from Tennessee Grandma. My sister even made several of the recipes and took pictures of them.

Is that not the most awesome gift ever?

Thanks 'Rah!

Future Elder Brown in Training. . .

2009-01-05T12:43:00.004-07:00

Paul got Sunday clothes for Christmas and we think he looks pretty darn cute!

(And we're not partial at all. . .)

Sunday morning happiness!

We could not get Paul to hold the tag up- he thought we were going to take it away. You'll just have to use your imagination and pretend he's wearing it. . .

Little Paul is growing up so fast! He's 17 months old and starting to talk more. He says "shoes", "no", "yes", "banana", "all done", "I got it", "touch down," "mom", "dad", "toothbrush," "hello," etc. He adds to the list daily. His new favorite is the "s" sound.

Lately little Paul has been a sweetheart when my husband and I put him down for bed. He loves to say three or four nighttime prayers and when we put him down he waves "bye bye" at us and reads books by himself in his crib. He is a little angel and I love him to pieces!

Snowing and Sledding in Utah

2008-12-28T21:29:00.003-07:00

Paul IV loves the snow and loves to sled. Here are som pictures from our adventures!

Trip to Ohio

2008-12-28T21:23:00.003-07:00

Little Paul and I went to Ohio in December and had a great time. Paul warmed up quickly to his grandparents and his uncles. We miss them and look forward to a day when we can see them more often!

Paul and Uncle Lee making faces!

Paul and Papa Bird

Paul and Uncle Bryan

Paul and Uncle Lee again

1Little Monkey Jumping on the Bed. . .

2008-12-28T21:13:00.004-07:00

My son cracks me up. In the past month he has started learning like crazy! Tonight I sung the song about monkey's jumping on the bed to him and he started acting it out- without my help! Tonight was the first time he ever heard the song. I had to video tape it- it was way cute.

I'm realizing theat Paul understands a lot more than I thought he did. When I pay attention to his sounds, I have also realized that he's saying a lot more than I thought. Anyway, enjoy the video!

a few more pictures

2008-11-30T19:22:00.005-07:00

We got the rest of the pictures. The best ones might already be up, but I wanted to add a few so my mommy can see them and choose which one(s) she might want a copy of. . .

one more

2008-11-29T21:15:00.002-07:00

What a cute kid!!

Family Pictures!

2008-11-29T20:59:00.002-07:00

The wife (Molly) of one of my husbands work friends took some family pictures for us on the day after Thanksgiving. She did a really good job, even though little Paul would not hold still for us. She even edited them for us! I just think 'lil Paul looks so cute! There a a few more pics on her blog ( http://andrewandmolly.blogspot.com/ ).

I love Paul's eyes! He is soo cute to me!

Cute family picture- I wish quatro's eyes were focussed on the camera, but hey, he's one!

He was sad because he wanted to run instead of take pictures.

I like this one of Paul 3 and I.

I really like the edit on this one. The color is really cute and it makes Paul's eyes look even bigger and more expressive!

If only I were looking too. . . oh well, it's still really cute.

Me and my boy.

Hide-N-Seek

2008-11-25T20:41:00.003-07:00

Paul loves to play hide-n-seek. It's pretty funny because he hides in the same 3 places every time -between the couch and the wall in the living room, under the kitchen table, and behind the rocking chair in his room. When I find him, he lays down on the ground and pretends he's sleeping. I love my kid!

Are you kidding me? A call for Max's head!

2008-11-22T21:58:00.004-07:00

Oh my goodness. I bleed blue, but seriously. 5 Interceptions and a lost fumble? Any other school would have pulled their quarterback. Our defense, our kicker, our receivers, our tight ends, and definitely our running backs did their job. However, the fate of the game was in one man's hands: Max Hall. Thanks, Max. . . you really came through for us there.
I suppose I've never really trusted Max. I was at the game in Salt Lake and every single time the offense lined up in a passing formation I crossed my fingers and repeated "Be smart, Maxi." Yet, he let me down. . . again and again.

I've deleted the rest of this blog entry because my mom said I was too mean. . . she's probably right. . . but I'm still mad at Max. 6 TO's is rediculous and it was the worst performance I've ever seen.

Paul's Masterpiece

2008-11-20T10:20:00.003-07:00

Paul was watching his favorite opera video (yes, opera) while coloring pictures and I thought it was cute. He likes to put the crayons up to his mouth and then say "No, no!"

My Wonderful Husband

2008-11-19T21:37:00.003-07:00

I figure that if I can blog about my my son and myself, I ought to be able to blog about my husband. So, I really don't mean to brag, but my husband is awesome! This week he asked me if I wanted to go to the temple and then planned a time that would work. While I was gone, he read books to little Paul AND folded laundry (among other things). The next day, Paul had planned to go to the temple. Instead, he told me that he could go next week so he could help me get a few projects done. I didn't even ask him to help. He worked with me for two hours getting things done. Seriously. I have the best, most sensitive and sweet husband EVER!! I love that man.

Favorite PJ's

2008-11-18T22:26:00.003-07:00

So, little Paul loves his Elmo pajamas. I didn't know that a 1 year old could have a favorite outfit- but Paul's is definitely his "Elmos." We don't watch Sesame Street and I'm certain he has no clue who Elmo is, but he loves the pajamas. He'll carry them around the house for hours. There were a few times recently that I found his Elmo pajamas in his drawer when I knew they were dirty. I thought maybe my husband put them away accidentally. I solved the mystery last week when I caught little Paul pulling the dirty pj's out of the laundry basket and sneaking them back to his pajama drawer.
Just tonight I was telling him,"Paul, it's almost time to go sleepy." So he ran into his room, opened his drawers, and came out with his "Elmos," grinning ear to ear. I had to take a picture.

My First Blog

2008-11-11T22:58:00.002-07:00

So, I've never blogged and I don't even know where to start. So, I'll just start with one of these little questionnaires I copied from my sister's blog:

4 jobs I’ve had
(boring, who really cares?)

4 TV shows (that I will admit to liking)
1. The Office
2. Seinfeld
3. Monk
4. JAG (Dress whites. Need I say more?)

4 favorite foods:
1. Frozen Yogurt (the tangy kind! Mmmm. . . nommm. . . nommm. . .)
2. Fish
3. Philly steak and cheese
4. Fresh berries (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, also pomegranate, which is not a berry)

4 Favorite restaurants
Cafe Rio
P.F. Changs (lettuce wraps, great wall of chocolate. . .)
Ottavio’s
Carl’s Jr. (sometimes you just need a good western bacon! And the have a play place.)

Places to visit:
1. Africa
2. Italy
3. New Zealand
4. Lithuania

4 Favorite Movies:
1. Tommy Boy
2. Madagascar
3. What About Bob?
4. The Cutting Edge

4 most important things (that I can think of at the moment)
1. Family
2. God
3. BYU football
4. Running

8 things that happened yesterday
1. Went to the gym
2. Went to Carl’s Jr. with Kath and her kids (and my kid)
3. Got a sewing machine from Grandma Brown
4. Chased ‘lil Paul around the house
5. Gave ‘lil Paul a bath
6. Talked to my mom on the telephone
7. Read books to ‘lil Paul
8. Mopped my floor (my least favorite chore ever!)

10 things on my wish list: (I changed it to 10, because I have a lot of wishes! In no particular order. . .)
1. That my mom would never have to worry about anything ever again.
2. That I could have babies without being pregnant
3. To always live close to my family and Paul’s family.
4. Another car with free, unlimited gas so I could drive wherever I want (especially to Kath’s)
5. To know my grandparents better before they passed away.
6. That my house was always as clean as Kath’s.
7. Perfect skin and a good singing voice (I know you’re thinking that these things should be separate, but back off –it’s my list! J )
8. The knowledge, ability, and resources to fix the heart aches of the people I love.
9. Paul IV (and future children) will make good choices and have joy.
10. That BYU would rip the Utes’ hearts out on November 22!! Go Cougs!

8 things I look forward to:
1. Paul being a dentist!
2. Owning a home with a dishwasher.
3. Going back to Ohio in a few weeks!
4. Having teenagers (I know this sounds ridiculous, but for some reason I’m excited about it!)
5. Running a marathon.
6. Paul IV starting nursery in February!
7. Having more children.
8. Seeing the Coug’s win a BCS game.

6 Quirky things about myself
1. I cannot stand for the milk to be out. When I pour milk on my cereal, I do it with the fridge door open and the milk goes immediately back. I will not drink milk that has been out for more than a minute or so.
2. I have to crack each “toe knuckle” two times before I go to sleep. I cannot sleep if I don’t do it.
3. When I run I absolutely cannot stand anyone to be on my right side. I feel super uncomfortable, even claustrophobic. When I ran cross country I could only pass people on the left and I would not let anyone pass me on the right. I need my right arm free! My husband loves to try to run on my right side- I can’t stand it. Either I speed way up or I edge him out.
4. I am so terrified of spiders that I often scream even when people (in plain view) move their fingers in a spider-like manner.
5. I never learned to tie my shoes correctly. I made up my own way and people tell me it looks ridiculous.
6. In general, I am one of the most disorganized people I know. However, I love things to be arranged in rainbow order if possible. I do this with crayons, pens, markers, and especially the clothes in my closet. I often spend a good deal of time debating where exactly to hang a striped shirt in my closet. (i.e. if it has more than one shade of pink stripes, I have to make sure that it is touching other shirts with similar colors.) I even bought one purple shirt, which I never wear, so it could complete my closet rainbow.

At the request of friends and family. . .

2008-11-11T13:51:00.000-07:00

I officially started a blog- not just half started it, but full on started a blog. Hmmm. . . if only I had something interesting to say. . .