Missing Boys

This morning I was cleaning up around the kitchen and noticed it was suddenly very quiet. Enjoyable, yes. Good sign, no. Tory had just left and I was worried that maybe Dallin and Coen had followed him out to the car and were running wild down the sidewalks. I called for them outside, in the backyard, in their rooms. Nothing. I didn't think these two little guys could stay quiet that long so now I was really worried. I started dialing Tory's number in case he knew if they had been outside with him. As soon as I started punching in the numbers I heard Dallin say, "Got you!" He had been hiding in his room. Good hiding Dallin! I asked him where Coen was and he didn't know. Now I KNOW Coen can't "hide" quietly that long so I continued calling Tory. I kept calling Coen's name and pretty soon I hear a "Right here!" from his little mouth. (Only it sounds more like "Ah he-ah" when he says it. LOL) I tracked him down to my bathroom. The door was open only a crack and when I opened it he jumped a mile. Can we say...guilty! He had black lips and was holding a tube of my mascara. He must have used some serious muscles because the brush was broken off inside of the tube! By this point I had Tory on the phone and told him never mind...I had found the missing children. Had to snap a few pictures though. Yes, even little boys get into their Mama's makeup. All of mine have anyway. There's a reason we have a child doorknob lock on our bedroom door!

My Very Own Porch Swing!

In other news...Tory is officially finished with school and all of his student clinic requirements!! He went before the board for clinic, got the required signatures, and is now free to go! Yeah! Except that he can't do anything until he gets his diploma which the school ONLY gives out one day per trimester. May 8th is the lucky day. But you can officially call him Doctor now! In some of his spare time he has been able to catch up with some of the projects around the house. One of the most exciting things he's done is make my swing! I'm so excited about it! It's really my birthday present. I've been wanting one for sooooo long. And check it out! It's so comfy! See how it follows the curve of the spine? Must have been made by a chiropractor woodworker! He actually held up the wood to me and figured out where to put the curves. Talk about a custom made swing! Wow! Of course it still needs to be stained. It will get its treatment when the pergola gets its coat of stain. Good news...we have the stain! So it should be done shortly! He's also been working on some serious landscaping in the backyard! More to come on that later! We're making ourselves a little oasis! Well...gotta go swing!

Austin's Lock-In Party

Last Friday Austin's class had their very own lock-in party in the school gym. His school has been doing "Jump Rope For Heart" and the class that raised the most money won the big prize of the party! Well, Austin's class won! The party started at 8 pm and went until 8 am! Since the winning class was Kindergartners, they made some exceptions. Parents could pick their child up early or come and stay themselves for as long as they'd like. Since we don't know the PE teacher at all and since Austin's never stayed overnight anywhere without us, we decided to send Tory along for the fun. They had tons of "junk food" as Austin called it, played lots of games, danced, and watched a movie. At around midnight the kids who were staying were zonking out and the teachers were making them go to bed so Austin and Tory came home. He was very excited that he got to stay up until the MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! He was a little sad to leave when some of the kids got to stay but we told him that all they were going to do was sleep and then their moms and dads would pick them up when they woke up. He was OK with that. What a fun night for him!

His favorite thing was the scooters.


Here he is practicing his jump roping at home. He got a jump rope in his Easter basket and practices every single day! The pictures are a little blurry but you can see that he really gets up there! You can't see in the pictures but he is SWEATY! What a workout!

Only 15 Weeks to Go!

Wow! Only 15 weeks to go! I'm feeling great and am not too big yet so I can still do most things-bend over, tie shoes, shave legs by sight and not just by feel, etc. Too bad I can't just stay this size until the end! But I know that's not going to happen! Big changes in the next 3 months. BIG.

One of the strangest things has happened this last week though. My palms itch like nobody's business! I've heard of this "pregnancy symptom" happening to others...but I've never experienced it. I think I'm going to go insane sometimes! It's worse at night and in the mornings but during the day I hardly notice it. It's even woken me up in the night! The bottoms of my feet itch, too, only not as bad as my palms. I just think this is the most bizarre symptom I've ever heard of. Wonder what causes it?

Other than that...baby is doing good and moving lots. At my last doctor appointment my doctor was listening to the baby's heartbeat and said to me, "So how does this baby's movements and activity level compare with your other babies?" I told him it was pretty much the same, maybe slightly less active than the boys but pretty much the same. His eyebrows raised up and he said, "Really!? Well, if this is normal for you then OK!" Guess I've got another strong little energetic child coming! But I wouldn't know what to do otherwise! Ha! I have noticed she gets the hiccups a lot just like Austin did. Dallin and Coen not so much. Now that makes for some interesting movements...let me tell you! I find myself holding MY breath to try to make them stop! LOL

I am so thankful to reach this phase of my pregnancy. We have some good friends whose baby was born at 25 weeks and she is doing so great today at 3 years old! What a miracle! And my own brother was born at 27 weeks and you'd never guess he started out as such a tiny little fella. I think it's just amazing that these tiny little babies can survive and thrive even if they're born early. Of course I hope I can cook this little baby for much longer but it is reassuring to know we're in a "safer" zone now. So on we go!

Happy One Year!

Well it's been one year ago today that I started my blog! Wow! It's been so fun! I have documented things I never would have otherwise and have learned to look a little closer at our lives and find the joy in the simple things. To celebrate, I am going to do a "100 Things about Me" post. I've been wanting to do one for awhile. I see them all the time on other people's blogs. I think my 1 year mark is a good time to put in a long lengthy post. I realize it is VERY long but they are all things I want to record anyway. So if you have time...go grab a snack if you’re hungry, go to the bathroom if you need to, sit back in your comfy computer desk chair and enjoy! Here we go:

100 Things about Me

1. I am the second oldest of seven children in my family. There are 4 girls and 3 boys. It goes: Heather, Brooke, Amy, Jimmie, Ben, Kirsten, and Levi.

2. I love Reese's Fast Break candy bars. Definitely my first choice in the candy bar department but not many stores sell them. Good thing. Any other candy bars are all rated about the same with each other in my book but the Fast Break is number 1 for sure!

3. I was the Valedictorian of my graduating class in high school. I thought I worked pretty hard for that achievement but I wasn't allowed to wear the special Valedictorian ropes because my class (or someone) decided they didn't want me and the two Salutatorians to look "different" from the rest of the class (we were the only class to make that decision as far as I know). I think we deserved to look "different". Still a little bitter about that. LOL Those of us on the National Honor Society still got to look "different" and wear our NHS collars. Can't quite figure it out.

4. I love to paint with acrylics and have done several paintings. I learned from Grangran (my grandma on my mom's side) when I was 10 years old. I would paint with Grangran every time I could. Those were the best times and some of my favorite memories. I later took art in High School and some art classes at BYU. My most recent painting was for Tory for his birthday. Unfortunately I haven't been doing as much as I used to since I've had kids. I think if I had a room where I could set up and leave it out it would be easier. Maybe someday...

5. I love to be outside. I always have. One of my favorite things to do is to go on long walks in a pretty place. If you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area and know of some good trails...please let us know!

6. I love camping, hiking, and backpacking. I always have. This is a good thing for a couple of reasons. A) That's what we did every single family vacation growing up (except one) and B) I have three boys so I'm sure we'll be doing it in the future! I don't think I'd enjoy "camping" in a camper (what's the point? You can sleep in a bed at home with your windows open and get the same effect) and I don't like campgrounds at all (too dirty and trampled). It's all about nature and no people for me!

7. I think Steve Carell is THE funniest guy around. I've never really watched The Office because Tory can't get into it and let's face it...the good old rabbit ears just won't quite pick up that channel...but I know I would really like it. I love all the movies I've seen with him. (Obviously I haven't seen ALL of his movies.) I just LOVE his sense of humor. The way I describe it to Tory is he's just naturally funny. He doesn't have to be goofy or Jim Carrey-ish. I don't think I've ever had a favorite actor before but he's definitely on my list now! LOVE him!

8. I love sunshine. I NEED sunshine. I've decided I can't live in a place that's cloudy ever again. It really gets me down. I can get so much more accomplished with my daily dose of sunshine. Now my pasty white skin doesn't love it but I know how to use sunscreen...

9. We lived out in the country growing up. We had chickens, rabbits, a couple calves (Spencer and Betsy) that we bottle/bucket fed, a little lamb (Rosie) that we raised from a baby and bottle fed, several dogs (not all at once), lots of cats, and a pot-bellied pig named Dexter. We even had a little orphan baby deer that we bottle fed until some wildlife people came to get it. My sisters and I had to feed them all before we went to school and in the evenings every single day. Winter was the hardest. We had to break all the ice on their water dishes and make sure they were all OK. My least favorite animals were the chickens. I'm not a bird person. Creepy. Amy, aka: the animal girl, didn't mind them and I think I switched chores with her several times when it was my turn to do chickens. My favorite animal was our dog Griz. I won't get a dog until I can have a dog like Grizzy Boy. He was a Chesapeake Bay Retriever with curly brown hair.

10. My husband, Tory, is almost a year and a half younger than me!

11. I played basketball, track, and cross-country in High School and basketball, volleyball, and track in Junior High. My favorite of all was cross-country. I'm not a very aggressive person so it just worked out better for me. I liked track, too, but let's face it, running around in circles isn't nearly as fun as running on a scenic golf course.

12. I played the clarinet in band. I almost chose trumpet but my friends were all doing clarinet and there weren't any other girl trumpet players. I really liked the clarinet and am glad I chose it but I still think it would be fun to play the trumpet.

13. I always thought it would be fun to be in choir but someone once told me I didn't sing very well and it stuck with me probably until I was 21 on my mission! What a lot of wasted time on a silly comment! I'm not the best singer by any means but at least I'm not afraid to sing now! I know I've heard a lot worse and if THEY can sing then I can, too! I would never tell someone they couldn't sing. Most people already know (deep down) and if they want to sing...then I say let them!

14. I've only been to Disneyland once in my life. It was when I was 13. I went with Heather and Amy and my Grandma Mac. It was sooo fun! Can't wait to take my kids someday.

15. One of my dreams growing up was to graduate from BYU and I did it! I have a Bachelors degree in Health Science with an emphasis in Community Health. I graduated in Aug. 2001, 4 months pregnant with Austin.

16. If I could choose the degree I'd REALLY like it would be in Dietetics. That was my major for awhile. I also did Dental Hygiene as my major for awhile. Luckily they were all "health" related and many of the classes overlapped. And the ones that didn't...I still am glad I took!

17. My most favorite job I ever had was working as a chiropractic assistant (before Tory even decided to be a chiropractor!) I loved working with the patients and helping them feel better. I was in charge of the Rehab patients and it was so fun!

18. I love to dance! I took a dance class every single semester except for my very last at BYU. My most favorite is country dancing. Someday Tory and I want to take classes and learn. He loves to dance, too. I'm so lucky!

19. I have lived in Colorado, Utah, and when we lived in Kansas we were only about 4 hours away from some good skiing but I have never been skiing. Ever. The closest I've come is riding on my Dad's back while he cross-country skied. To be honest it doesn't interest me very much. I'm not good on roller skates, ice skates, or roller blades. Why would I want to put myself in harm's way? I do think cross country skiing would be fun. A little more level and in control.

20. I have been to Mexico but I've never been to Canada.

21. I speak fluent French but since it's been 8 years since I've had the chance to actually speak I'm sure my accent is s-c-a-r-y!

22. I served a mission for my church when I was 21. I served in the Belgium Brussels Mission. Our mission included the southern part of Belgium, the northern part of France, and all of Luxembourg. I never got to serve in Luxembourg. I lived for 5 months in Calais, France, 1 month in Nancy, France, 1 month in Lille, France, 9 months in the lovely city of Charleroi, Belgium and 2 months in Provo, UT at the Missionary Training Center (MTC) learning French.

23. I want a Thomas Kincaid yard. Lots of pretty trees and flowers everywhere with some water flowing through. Of course I'd need a good swinging chair or hammock, too.

24. I always thought I'd meet my husband at BYU (doesn't everyone?!) I didn't. I met him at home (Colorado Springs) in our church after our missions. He got home a couple months before I did. I think my parents and my sister knew him better than I did! They definitely knew his family better!

25. The first time Tory and I ever had any debt was when he started getting student loans for chiropractic school. We've never done credit cards and are looking forward to being debt-free again someday!

26. One of my pet peeves is when you're talking to someone and you can just tell they're not listening. That bothers me so much! Whether in person or on the phone. You can just tell!

27. I like to have friends. I can't say that I make friends easily but the ones I do have are really good friends and I consider them friends forever. I am the kind of person who would keep in touch forever but unfortunately not all of my friends are like that. It makes me really sad to lose contact with people.

28. I am really good at remembering details. I know who gave me every single towel I still have from HS graduation gifts (towels were big I guess!), every wedding gift, every baby outfit that was ever given to me, etc. I also can tell you right now without even looking every single birthday for each of my brothers, sisters, in-laws, parents, nieces, and nephews on BOTH sides of the family.

29. I have always loved the month of May. I'm not sure why but maybe it's because the weather is always perfect, leaves are all out, lots of flowers, etc. I've always secretly wanted to get married in that month, have a child born in that month, or something. My favorite DAY in the month of May happens to be the 19th. I can't say why exactly on that one either. It does happen to be Grangran's birthday...and more recently my niece Heather's birthday. Lucky ducks!

30. I really like to bake and cook and most of the time I don't use recipes. I just wish I had someone to follow me around and clean up after me. That's my least favorite part of the job.

31. I like to do crafts and projects and used to do a lot more. I need to get into it again and make more time for things I like to do.

32. I don't really like celery. I'll eat it cooked and have to admit that in some things, like chicken soup, you just have to have it. But I'm not one to munch on it. Such a STRONG taste to me! Everyone else seems to like it so I try not to deprive them. Same thing goes with cooked carrots. I love raw carrots but cooked are not my favorite thing. Of course I'm not so picky that I'll never eat them. Just don't prefer them.

33. I've never gotten a ticket. I have been pulled over once (recently) because my license plate light was out and many years ago in small town Tribune, KS, a policeman leaned out his window and pointed to my lights. It was getting dark (OK it was pretty much already dark) and the two of us were at a 4-way stop sign and I didn't have my lights on yet. Oops!

34. I got my driver’s license when I was 14!

35. I love taking the kids trick-or-treating and look forward to the day when they can keep up with me! They always run out of steam WAY before I'm ready to quit! It’s not really the candy…it’s more like seeing how many houses you can get in one night! One of these years we'll hit that other street that they just never seem to make it to...

36. I have had 3 c-sections. It's been a really hard thing for me and I've really struggled with it feeling like my body wasn't doing what it's supposed to do and that I've missed out on the "fresh" baby experience. After Coen I've come to terms with it a little more. I've tried to do VBACs on Dallin and Coen and with Coen I got to 9cm and stayed that way for 7 long hours. Transition for 7 hours! No epidural. I feel like I finally got to experience it and feel like my body does know how to work after all and I know I could do it if I ever had the chance. It really wasn't that bad. I'd give anything not to have to have another c-section and the long healing process it takes. Each one seems to be worse for me because I know what's going on and I get more scared each time. Crazy! I'm still trying to decide what I want to do with baby #4.

37. I have very natural curly hair. Some people say they lose or gain curl with each baby. Not me. Just as curly as ever. I used to not like it but I really like it now. It's really nice to have the option of wearing my hair straight or curly. I really hope our little girl has curly hair. Each of our kids has gotten curlier so if we stay on track we should have a curly haired little girl! We shall see!

38. I never speed. EVER. Well, the most I go over is 5 mph but that’s not really speeding is it? I figure in the end it's just not worth it. I see all the speeders at the same exact stoplights as me. Why risk it? And it just makes me tenser. Something a police officer in remote Colorado or Utah told us once (when he had pulled Tory over on one of our trips) has always stuck with me. I can't remember his exact words but it was pretty much at 70 mph you have a chance of surviving a crash but anything over pretty much guarantees your death. Why would I want to put myself or my dear husband and children at risk like that?

39. The only times I've been away from my kids overnight have been when I'm in the hospital having a baby. One other time, 18 months ago, I took just Coen to Utah for a few days. That's it! I'm not saying I wouldn't enjoy a little time off but it's just too hard to do without any family around.

40. I was the Student Body President my senior year in High School. It was quite the campaign and I think it was a very close race. I had a guy from my class, Scot, as my Vice Pres. and my sister Amy was my Secretary

41. When I was in the MTC we had a certain amount of time to go to the gym, etc. I loved to just shoot baskets. I earned the name "Soeur Jordan" because...ahem...not to brag...but I'm a pretty good shot! If I didn't have to be so aggressive while actually playing basketball and could just stand there and shoot, I'd do pretty well! My coaches in HS were always telling me to get aggressive. LOL I probably could have played a lot more if I was. But I do remember a few times when the score was close and we needed to score and they'd set up a play where I was to get the ball to score. Every time that happened I never missed. Whew! Pressure!

42. I never had a boyfriend all through High School. There was a guy who would have liked to be my boyfriend...ahem...but that never happened. It didn't bother me too much because I was blessed with really great "girl" friends and I always had my sisters (Heather is 2 years older and Amy is 1 year younger so we were all in HS together) who were my best friends of all. (However they both always had boyfriends so sometimes I felt like the third wheel.)

43. I really don't mind being alone and enjoy time to myself occasionally. I've always been like that. I don't even mind going to a movie alone. Being on my mission with a companion with me 24/7 was one of the most difficult challenges ever!

44. I once had to go to the bathroom so bad that it actually hurt to walk. It was on my mission in Belgium. There aren't a lot of public restrooms in the first place but we were in a residential area anyway. My companion also had to go really bad! We decided we could make it to the church which was only a few blocks away. Seriously! I didn't think we'd make it. We had to walk so slowly and with such effort. We couldn't even talk. We finally got there and decided to time it. (Nice...I know...Thank goodness there were two stalls!) We both peed for over 90 seconds! Almost 2 min. solid! That's a long time folks! I didn't know a bladder could hold that much. I have never before or since had to pee that bad! And how weird that it hit us both at the same time!

45. I had braces when I was younger. Not to straighten my teeth but to correct my overbite.

46. I love burritos. Just plain old burritos. I could eat them every day. I just love Mexican food in general.

47. My favorite "raw" vegetable is cauliflower. I also love carrots, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and sweet snap peas. My favorite "cooked" vegetable is broccoli. I buy GIANT bags of it.

48. I got my first pair of glasses in second grade. My glasses were a lot bigger back then when I was a kid than they are now! I'm glad they're getting smaller. If I was brave and there were no risks I would get lasik surgery for sure. Oh...and if I had the money. I hope I don't pass my bad eyes to too many of my kids but it's highly likely. My eyes are BAD!

49. If you haven't had a real éclair from France then you haven't had an éclair. Even Belgium can't make them like France.

50. If you haven't had real frites from Belgium then you haven't had real French fries. Yep, they're better in Belgium.

51. If you ever go to Belgium you have to get gauffres. A real Belgian waffle. Don't get them in France. You might as well just make them at home for a lot cheaper. Only Belgium is the place to get them! My most favorite thing on my entire mission!

52. I am a pretty darn good shot with a gun! I dare you to challenge me!

53. I really don't like cats. They creep me out. Not as bad as birds but still. The only way I'd have a cat would be if I lived out in the country and needed a good "mouser".

54. I love to work in my yard. Pulling weeds, watering, pruning, shaping, and planting my plants is very relaxing and soothing to me. I'd rather water my entire lawn by hand than with a sprinkler just because it's so relaxing to me. (We don't have a very large yard by the way.)

55. I will never have animals in my house unless they're in a cage. Some people may like their furry friends living with them but not me. I think I finally have Tory in agreement. I'm not against having furry friends and look forward to the day when we can have a dog (one like Griz-see #9). They just have to stay outside.

56. I would love to have a lazy river in my backyard. You know...the kind they have at water parks with a nice current that just keeps going round and round with some sunny spots and plenty of nice shady spots. I think I'd much rather have that than a pool!

57. I never had a prom date in HS but still went every year. I was chosen as a "server" for the Junior class (we served their dinner to them) when I was a Sophomore so I got to go. I just went with friends. Didn't get asked my Junior year but still went with friends and then my senior year I finally got asked and was so excited but the "other" guy (see # 42) who liked me got in a fight with my "date" which resulted in my "date" calling to say he wouldn't go with me because it would hurt his friend's feelings. I was pretty darn bummed and extremely upset with the "other" guy. Oh well. I still went. Thank goodness for good "girl" friends!

58. Most people would call me shy. I really don't like that word and would never call someone that because I know how it feels. It's bothered me ever since I was little. While I'm not the most out-going or loud person I wouldn't call myself shy. I am reserved and quiet but if I have something to say I don't have a problem saying it. I don't get nervous giving a talk or speaking in public.

59. I am very proud of my Scottish heritage. I just LOVE that I'm Scottish! Our family name has its own tartan and everything. I love the sound of bagpipes. Tory served his mission in Scotland and loves it but I always have to remind him that I am the one who is actually Scottish. LOL I am actually really glad he served there because someday I for sure want to go visit! No holding us back now! And how convenient that my mission is just across the English Channel.

60. Tory was my first real kiss! I know...shocking! But when you don't have boyfriends and you only go on random dates, you just don't end up kissing a lot of people!

61. I like to be in water, like swimming pools, but I don't really like to swim. I think it comes from not being able to see under the water. Makes it scary. With my bad eyes, even if I opened them up under the water I still couldn't see anything. The only time I am at ease and truly enjoy myself swimming is when I have my contacts in and a big old mask on. Not just goggles. I've got to have the ones that cover my nose, too. Then I could spend hours in the water!

62. I took piano lessons from third grade until my senior year in HS. You'd think I would be really good. Maybe if I would have practiced more. I can play if I practice a song over and over but the one thing I just can't play is hymns. I call it "hymn-phobia". I don't know what it is but I just can't play them!

63. I wish I could play the guitar really well. I took a guitar class at BYU and it was a blast! Like going to a giant campfire sing-a-long every day! But I was borrowing my sister's guitar and since I've never had access to one since...I would have to learn all over again.

64. I love to sew. My mom taught all of us when we were younger. She was our 4-H sewing teacher. I think I'd sew a lot more if I wasn't so intimidated by zippers and button holes. You can't put elastic on everything!

65. My sisters and I belonged to the "Straight Ahead Strivers" 4-H club for several years. It was pretty fun to go to the meetings and participate in all of the events. Fair time was even more exciting because we always had several projects entered. Cooking, sewing, different art classes, and botany/horticulture are just a few I can think of offhand that I was in. I got to auction off my grand champion baked goods for money several times and ride in convertibles in the parade for sewing. How fun can you get?!

66. It took me a very loonnng time to get up enough courage to ride our "big roller coaster" at the county fair in Tribune. That thing had THE biggest hill and curves and...OK it was smaller than any roller coaster I've ever seen. But I was terrified of it! We have a picture of my first ride. I was sitting next to Dad and Mom was calling me to look and wave at the camera. No way! I was not taking my eyes or my hands off that bar. What if it took off at breakneck speed when I wasn't ready? I guess I got used to it. I LOVE a good roller coaster now! Six Flags is my PLACE!

67. And speaking of chicken. My first year in swimming lessons I made the front page of the newspaper. It was time to jump off the diving board. I didn't know a person could choose that many poses to attempt to jump from. And the newspaper caught them all. It was pretty much a full-page spread. And how did it all end? Not with a jump! The very last picture was the teacher dropping me off the board into the water. Guess they ran out of patience. Oh, and that was the low dive.

68. I always loved pink and girlie things and fixing hair growing up. My sisters would always tease me and say, "Just watch! You're probably going to have all boys since you love girl stuff so much!" With three boys in a row I was beginning to wonder! But I have to say, I never knew having boys could be so fun and it turns out they do have cool toys, too.

69. The only time I've ever had my own room was for a few months when I got home from my mission. I shared a room with Heather and Amy (my two sisters closest in age) from the day we were born until Heather graduated from HS and went off to BYU. It was very sad and lonely for me and Amy when that happened!

70. There was a time growing up when our family had three sets of bunk beds in use! Heather was the only one with a regular twin bed. I have also had to sleep on bunk beds in college and on my mission. In all that time I have never had the top bunk except for a couple months on my mission. I didn't like it.

71. Growing up I could easily count the times we ate out at a restaurant as a family. Most of those were at McDonald's on vacation. We didn't have any fast food places in our small town. Only a few cafe type places and we just never ate out there. We would occasionally have pizza at Pizza Hut in Scott City and Grangran and Grandad would take us out to Charlie's or the Burger Bar in Leoti for a special treat. But that's it! Guess we were healthier for it!

72. My favorite thing to do outside while growing up was bike riding. My brothers and sisters and I would ride for hours! We had a huge pasture with lots of cow trails we'd ride on. We could get lost in our own little towns.

73. I really like to play Guitar Hero. But since my belly has gotten bigger it's a little more challenging to hold the guitar. I have to balance it out on my leg so it doesn't bounce around and then my leg gets all cramped up. I just can't play for as long as I used to. Ahh! The sacrifices!

74. The first apartment Tory and I lived in after we were married was a studio apartment in Provo, UT. Our bed folded out of the wall in the living room! We did have a fairly decent sized kitchen with lots of cupboards and drawers (good thing since that was the ONLY storage!). There was one window in the living room, a “hall” which consisted of a built in dresser on one side and a closet (you know the kind with sliding doors...NOT a walk-in!) on the other, and at the end of the “hall” a bathroom with a shower head that hit me at about shoulder level (had to scrunch down to rinse off.) The bathroom door was the only door besides the front door in the entire apartment! I was going to school full-time and Tory was working full-time but had the graveyard shift. So he would have to sleep during the day. If I wanted to talk on the phone I'd have to go sit in the bathroom to be quiet. I found that the dirty clothes hamper was a nice soft place to sit.

75. I LOVED the New Kids on the Block! Did you hear? They’re comin’ back! I’ll take tickets to that please!

76. I have never been to a concert in my entire life! I did get to see and hear Tiffany at BYU once though. It was one of my last semesters and I was just walking through campus and noticed a crowd outside. She was doing a little outdoor concert there. It was awesome! And the grand finale...I Think We're Alone. Oh yeah!

77. I'd love to go to a Celine Dion, Josh Groban, or several different country singers concert.

78. The ocean scares me...a lot. Not knowing how deep it is or what's swimming with me just gives me the creeps. That said, the best beach I've ever swam at was Kiawah Island, South Carolina. So warm!

79. I collect souvenir spoons. I’ve been collecting since I was little. I still get one when we go to new places. Granted, it's been awhile, but I do have one for Fort Worth!

80. One of the places Tory and I went on our honeymoon was Las Vegas! It was so much fun! We rode lots of rides, made about $100 off of our $5, and then lost it all, and just had tons of fun. The sad part is that our camera died so we don't have a single picture. (Don't know why we didn't think to buy a disposable? Hello?! Earth to the lovebirds!) And unfortunately we were there on New Year's Eve so there was no room in the inn(s). We had to drive over 50 miles and pay triple the price for the most mismatched room you've ever seen! We also got to see the Grand Canyon which I had never seen before.

81. I have a crack on the surface of one of my top front teeth. You'd have to be looking very close to see it. It happened when I was in grade school and was walking outside with my hands in my pockets because it was cold. A boy in my class, Mitch, came up behind me and pushed me. I couldn't catch myself and landed hard. I think my nose and lips caught the worst of it. I don't think he meant to push me that hard or to make me fall. He felt really bad. We were in the "older" years of grade school. But man that hurt! I had to go to a huge 4-H awards banquet the next day and had the biggest fat lip and huge scabs everywhere. So embarrassing!

82. I've never broken a bone and the only stitches I ever had (before having children) were on my front lip when I was 3. I fell down on some loose rocks and cut my upper lip right open. Dad was still in dental school and he took me to his school to sew me up. He wanted to do it himself to make sure it was done well and that my lip line didn't get messed up. I wasn't a very good patient. He says they almost kicked him out of there because I was so loud. He did a very good job though and you'd have to look very hard to see my scar.

83. I had eye surgery when I was 3 to correct "lazy eye". The main thing I remember about it was refusing to wear the white hospital gowns because they only tied at the neck and everyone could see my underwear! They finally relented and gave me a red robe style gown that had a belt around the waist. When I woke up from the surgery I remember looking down and noticed I had one of those white gowns on again! I was so upset! Who knew a little girl could be so modest? On the upside, I do remember getting to eat as many popsicles as I wanted! What a treat!

84. One of my favorite toys when I was little was my paper dolls. I LOVED them-especially my Gingham Girls ones. Every once-in-awhile I'd get Heather and Amy to play with me but by the time I had all the clothes sorted in the correct piles they usually had given up. I think they didn't like them as much as me because it was hard to keep the clothes on the dolls. Sometimes Mom would play with me and that was the BEST!

85. I love to read. It's always been one of my most favorite pastimes ever since I was little. When we'd go to Utah on our family vacations we'd always go to Deseret Book and Mom and Dad would let us each pick out a book or two. I was always in heaven! The hard part was narrowing it down.

86. I love to be with my family. We always have such a great time and can laugh and talk about anything. It's so nice to be around people who "get" you. We can get awfully loud! I am so glad I come from a family that can laugh together and love each other. I really have the best family ever! I can't imagine not getting along with one of my siblings! That would just be the worst!

87. I also come from a very affectionate family. When I was still living at home I could not go to bed without saying goodnight to any siblings that were awake and always Mom and Dad no matter what the hour. Sometimes I'd get all the way downstairs and have to come back up to say goodnight. Hugs, kisses, and "I love you" went around a lot in our home and I'm so glad!

88. Some of the weirdest things I've gotten in my eyes are: pepper and toothpaste. They both hurt...a lot.

89. Tory and I have lived in 5 different apartments/houses and in 3 different states since we've been married. Not bad.

90. I am the shortest person in my family. I am 5'7" so it's not like I'm really SHORT. I just have really tall parents, brothers, and sisters!

91. I wouldn't consider myself to be in a "group" in school. I could hang out with the popular kids just as well as the unpopular kids and liked people in both "groups".

92. Growing up in a small town and being the only Mormon besides my sisters in school, I know we were watched by a lot of people. Kids were always trying to catch us saying a "bad" word and knew we never went to the parties. But at the same time it was kind of nice that people expected us to do or be a certain way. Positive peer pressure I guess. I remember one time in band class the teacher had to leave and there was quite the ruckus going on in his absence. When he returned there were several stories, of course, but he specifically asked me what happened because he said he knew I'd tell the truth. That's always stuck with me. I never knew he thought that about me and I've always wondered what kind of impression I'm giving to other people. I try to be a good honest person!

93. I still get a flutter of excitement every time I go to Provo and see the "Y" on the mountain! For so many years it was where I wanted to go someday, and then for several years it was where I was just dropped off for months at a time to live and go to school! Such a great and unique place-especially for a small-town girl from Kansas. Lots of great memories there.

94. I can't stand it when kids are mean to kids. I was never really picked on as a child (besides the usual comments about my freckles) but I've seen it and it's something I just can't tolerate. Why do kids have to be so mean? Why do they always have to find something wrong with someone else? I admire those kids who stand up for others and hope my boys will be like that one day.

95. I would love to learn how to do "real" digital scrapbooking using the correct software and everything. Along with that I would need a really nice SLR camera. And if I had a nice camera like that then I'd need to take some photography classes and learn how to do all the cool effects. "If you give a mouse a cookie..."

96. I would like to get back into running again. I was doing good when Dallin was a tiny man but it seems like things (or me I should say) have gone downhill after my pregnancy with Coen when I was ordered on rest. I will get into it again. I promise. I'd also like to have a real jogging stroller. I have to use our double stroller and yes, it's gone where no double stroller has gone before and has been well-loved and well-used, but my dream would be to have a nice double jogging stroller. It would make life so beautiful!

97. I have come to appreciate a good car stereo and surround sound system in the house after being married to Tory. One of his many talents is stereo/audio systems and wow! what a difference it makes! Someday I'd like to have a nice big flat screen TV to go with that sound. I'll bet I'd like that, too!

98. I like to listen to music. We're a music lovin' family. We like it loud enough to jam out to you know! I do like it when I can drive alone in the car because I can crank it up a little more. We've got to get at least one good dance session in every single day. And when it's time to clean up...music just makes it so much better!

99. I love homemade things. I'd rather get something that was made by someone than anything else! I think it's so personal and shows that a lot of thought and time went into it. No matter what it is! From cookies to crochet. I like to give handmade things, too, because I love thinking of something special just for that person I'm making it for. Now I just need to get better at actually getting things done!

100. And finally...I love blogging! Even though I have a maximum commenting audience of 8 (and that's for the REALLY big posts like "It's a Girl" and "I Got My Hair Cut" LOL)...I still enjoy checking in with everyone I "know" and thinking people might be checking in with me. I've reconnected with friends, made new friends, and have been able to keep in touch with current friends and family and it's been so great! I find I look for the little experiences in everyday life more and want to document them.

I Love This Idea

I just found this on a random blog, Joys of Home, while blog-hopping today and I LOVE it! It's a map of the world with clocks above representing the time zone for each missionary who is serving or has served in the family as well as a "home" time clock. Since Tory and I have both served missions and with at least three sons who we hope will serve one day, I think it would be so fun to do a map like this when the first child heads out to serve. Since that is still...let's see...about 13 years away I wanted to post a picture of it so I will be able to remember this great idea! What a fun reminder for those who have served and a great way to motivate those who haven't served yet.

What in the World?!

I forgot to post about Spring Break! What?! Let's see that was...oh, exactly a month ago today! Wow! Better late than never though, right? It actually started out as just a regular week. Tory had clinic everyday, etc. But we did throw in a few fun things to spice it up. And it was so fun to have Austin home. I love it when he's home. He's such a good helper but I did learn that I need to be careful not to take advantage of his helpfulness. One evening he was a little sad and told me he felt like a House Elf (Harry Potter fans will know what this is). I asked him why he felt like that and he said he felt like he had to do way more stuff than the other boys. Man! I felt so bad! I am not the oldest child in my family. I am the second oldest. And let me tell you...there were sooooo many times I was thankful I wasn't the oldest and that Heather had that job! (Thanks Heather!) But as soon as she left for BYU I got a little taste of it! I've got to remember that even though Austin CAN do a lot of things, I've got to divide it up better. After all, how will Dallin and Coen ever learn if Austin does it all, right? Thanks for the lesson and reminder Austin! We will do better and hope you don't feel like a House Elf anymore!

Tory told the boys he'd have a slumber party with them during Spring Break so one night he pulled out all the blankets, put on a fun show, and he and Austin and Dallin had a great time. Coen and I opted for our own beds.

Tory and Austin (OK...and me) put in some good Guitar Hero time. Austin is getting GOOD! Wow! He can do some songs on Medium level now!

We had some fun at the park.

And for our "touristy" thing we decided to go the the Fort Worth Stockyards. They had a special Spring Break event going on with a petting zoo and some other fun things. We had never seen the "big" Texas Longhorn Cattle Drive and have always wanted to.

Those are some big longhorns!

Petting the goats, lambs, rabbits, and...a camel? There was some sort of strange cow with a big huge hump on its back. It was just a small animal. Not like a full size cow. The boys saw it and yelled, "Camel!" Oh boy! We've got to get these kids to a zoo more often or something! Coen did not like the goats. But who would when they are as tall as you and keep poking you in the face with their horns! Not a safe place for a tiny person.

The infamous Cattle Drive. I quickly snapped this picture right before it got to us. I had to hurry because "we were not supposed to get off the curb!" and I'm a law abiding citizen! So in my hurry I didn't notice that this WAS the herd! I snapped a couple pictures really quick as they were passing us and then switched the camera to video mode thinking I'd get a good movie of them walking so close to us and then sit back and enjoy the show...sans camera. Well, it's a good thing I started filming when I did! 9 seconds. That's how long the parade was! A little disappointing I must admit! Maybe they get a larger herd in the summer?

After the big cattle drive we walked around and looked at the shops, checked out the museums, watched the tractor making his rounds in the indoor rodeo arena (fascinating to three little boys), and had a little snack outside. It was such a beautiful day!

I think it's safe to say we all had a very fun time!

Tory's True Color

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Black

Your color is black. The color of night. Serene and mysterious, black conjures up images of elegant evening gowns, dashing tuxedos, and gleaming limousines. Traditionally a symbol of success, black also represents power and an uncompromising demand for perfection. Not surprisingly, you tend to set challenging goals for yourself and do whatever it takes to achieve them — your strength of character is second to none. This unfaltering determination, along with your natural elegance, impresses people. But keep in mind that your personality might be intimidating to some. Try to temper your demanding side with a little softness — trust us, it won't kill you. Overall, though, black is the color of professionalism and achievement, which means it's clearly the color for you.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

Vote for My Design

I just entered a shopping bag design contest for fun. Click on the box above and you can vote for mine! You are allowed one vote per bag, per day. Or design your own (after you vote for mine *he,he*). It's pretty fun! And you can win $500 shopping spree at Kroger. Cool!

My True Color

What's Your True Color?

My Result: Blue

You're blue — the most soothing shade of the spectrum. The color of a clear summer sky or a deep, reflective ocean, blue has traditionally symbolized trust, solitude, and loyalty. Most likely a thoughtful person who values spending some time on your own, you'd rather connect deeply with a few people than have a bunch of slight acquaintances. Luckily, making close friends isn't that hard, since people are naturally attracted to you — they're soothed by your calming presence. Cool and collected, you rarely overreact. Instead, you think things through before coming to a decision. That level-headed, thoughtful approach to life is patently blue — and patently you!

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=colorogt&c=50652

Random Movie Night

Since we actually had Tory home with us tonight (he is normally working at the school clinic or lately been helping make handcarts for the youth in our church preparing to go on the Trek adventure) we snuck out for some very spur-of-the-moment family fun. We decided to hit up the dollar theater (which is actually the TWO dollar theater on weekend nights but with the number of tickets we have to buy...we're OK with that!) We watched "Spiderwick Chronicles". We've heard a lot about it and decided to check it out. It was really pretty good. It was a little scary for the boys though. They're not used to seeing scary monster type creatures in movies. We don't let them watch PG-13 even (we figure if the child needs to be 13 to see it then they probably don't need to be watching it yet) so they were hiding their faces for a lot of it. Also, not quite enough animation to hold Dallin's attention. And as for Coen...well you just shouldn't take an almost 2 year old to any movie and if you do...make sure you have a diaper in tow. Wipes would be good, too, but in an emergency wet paper towels can work. Since our excursion was so spur-of-the-moment I didn't have ANY gear with me! And of course within the first few minutes of the movie a certain aroma was coming from the little man. GREAT. There weren't too many people directly around us so we held out for awhile (hey! you get used to it after awhile!) But the little fella without an attention span to last through a movie had to be taken to the back. Nice Dada took him and held him for awhile. Suddenly Tory was feeling quite wet. Guess the diaper had reached maximum capacity. He took him to the bathroom, changed him and wiped him up and left a naked little bum under his clothes. Guess we'll have to rent it when it comes to Redbox so Tory can see the end. It was a really fun night though!

Note to self: Gotta get back into the habit of carrying a diaper bag...or at least a diaper.

Bigger In Texas

Everything seems bigger in Texas, including the storms! We've had some whoppers the last couple nights! I do LOVE a good storm! I'd probably love them a little bit more if my cars could fit in our garage but I try not to let that keep me down. The night before last we had the house-shaking kind of thunder and it was soooo LOUD! It hit at about 1:00 am and I had to jump out of bed to check it out. I could hear hail so I wanted to see how big it was. (And I just had to get in on the action even if I was fast asleep!) I went to the back porch and tried to turn on the light and there was nothing. At first I thought maybe the light had been broken but then realized our electricity was out. Doesn't that just make a good storm all the better? It stayed out for over an hour. How do I know? Because about the time I went back to bed Dallin started screaming. Poor little guy. Ever since he was tiny he's been so afraid of thunder. Tory went to check on him and he was just shaking and tears were pouring down his cheeks. Tory stayed with him for almost an hour and it took that long for him to stop shaking! He finally let him just come to bed with us. (That's when the electricity came back on.) The other boys never moved a muscle. Well, I guess Coen did. But I think he woke up from Dallin screaming. I just put him right back down and never heard another peep from him.


Then last night another storm hit at about 3:00 am. I've never been in a storm where the lightning and thunder were so constant! Seriously for at least half an hour it was like a strobe light. It never ever got dark! And the thunder was like a constant roar the entire time. It was so cool! This time the storm had some major wind with it so we had to actually close our window. That's too bad because that cuts down on some major storm effects for me. LOL Even Tory got up in the middle of the night to check out this storm! When he took Austin to school this morning he said there were several people trying to put their trees back in the ground. Quite a few were uprooted. We live in a new area so the trees are pretty small...but still! Wow! Ours seemed to weather the storm just fine.


Good storms! Today it's nice and sunny. Yeah! I do love a good storm but I'm always happy to see the sun again! While my boys are saying their prayers every night to "keep us safe from tornadoes" their mama is saying "bring it on!" But at least I'm just "thinking" that so it's not too conflicting with their prayers! I don't really want to be hit by a tornado either, but one in the distance would be alright. Ha!

One Small Step

We have a lot of "spring cleaning" projects we need to do. I like to try to do one room at a time. Last week we did the boys room (Austin and Dallin's). Tory turned their beds back into bunk beds and we went through their toys and threw out the ones that had missing pieces, broken, or just too random to ever play with. Their bunk beds are interesting to say the least. They were obviously handmade by someone. We originally picked them up at a garage sale. They have the strangest pieces and really enough parts to make almost three beds if you do it just right. But at the same time there are some parts that don't seem very safe (that's why I didn't want them in bunk beds) so Tory has had to "remake" a lot of the pieces. The guard rail up on the top bunk is one of those. But hey! For $10 as the original price, we can do a lot of fixing up! The boys have a cowboy theme room so I think we'll paint a cowboy picture of some sort on the big guard rail since it doesn't match the bed now. Feels good to have at least one room cleaned up!

This last weekend it's been so nice. I told Tory I wanted to go to the park and go on a walk together. He decided to get the rockets out for another launch since it's been awhile. BIG mistake. BIG. The rockets were in the game closet/coat closet. And that closet was a disaster! I wish I had before photos but then again, you might question what the rest of my house looks like if you saw it. We pretty much had a big old cabinet in it that was stuffed full of games. The floor was pretty much covered in random puzzle pieces and coats. Coats?! Yes, we had about 8 inches on each side of the cabinet to squeeze hang coats and it was really high (as most closets are) so the boys NEVER hang up their coats. Mixed in with this were all of the random toys and things the boys picked up and "put away". Well on top of the hanging rack was the one shelf in the closet. And stacked about 20 high in about 3 stacks were all of our games ready to fall at any moment. And...coincidently...under this stack of games were the rockets. A little on the smooshed side. It needed serious help and Tory started taking everything out at that very moment. So much for the walk! But about an hour later he had moved the hanging rack down, built three shelves on top of the original shelf, and organized all the games. Wow! I didn't even know we had that many games! So nice to be able to see them all! (And you can't even see the very top shelf in the picture. It has all the puzzles on it. Thanks Tory! Now...what's next?

What the Boys Have Been Up To

A couple days ago Austin brought me the canister of raisins and asked if they were OK to use. I figured he just wanted to snack on them. As the day went on I kept noticing him running to the freezer. Apparently he was making "bug" ice cubes for us. He had filled up the ice cube tray with water and then dropped one raisin in each one to look like a bug. So for lunch we all had our water with a few buggy ice cubes. We had this for our Halloween dinner but we usually don't make it a habit to have bugs very often!

We've been enjoying some very nice weather. In fact it was up in the 80s for several days. Then all of a sudden it dropped down to a freezing, bone shaking 64 (maybe higher). Dallin thought he was going to die! He couldn't even ride his bike until he had his thick winter coat on. Oh boy...I think they're climatized to our Texas weather. (For the record, the rest of us, Coen included, didn't have a problem with the "cooler" weather and managed to stay out all day without a coat.)

Coen has been in a cleaning streak. Of course he still makes a lot more messes than he cleans up but at least he's learning. Apparently the best way to sweep is with one glove on. Must help to get a better grip on the handle. As soon as he was finished he dropped the glove and moved on to his next chore. So funny. He's at such a fun age. Every day he says things that I can't believe he even KNOWS! Smart little people!

New Do

This morning I toted all three boys to Home Depot for their craft day. I've had to take them for the last four months at least. Tory used to take them but he always has patients on Saturday mornings now. I think I'm finally getting it down. Austin's helpful because he can do most of the project all by himself. I just have to get him started with the first nail and then he goes to town! Then I can help Dallin and Coen. (Yes, Coen gets to do one if I can see there are plenty to go around. He gets pretty sad if he doesn't have a treasure to hold as we leave the store.) Today we made little planter boxes. Nice and easy. And we were finished in plenty of time for Conference at 11:00.

Today was the first part of General Conference for our church. It was great listening to the speakers and sustaining the new leaders. Since Tory had clinic this morning he missed the first session. But as soon as he got home I took advantage of actually having him home and the break in between sessions and...GOT...MY...HAIR...CUT! While this may not be an amazing thing to most of you, it is to me. It's been awhile and my last experience was a disaster. I can count on maybe two fingers the major disasters I've had with my hair. I usually can make whatever I come out with work. But not last time.

(Note to self: If you ever go to a salon as a walk-in and they give you to a little old lady, go with your gut instinct and ask for someone else. You won't hurt the cute little old lady with the tight little curls and the cantaloupe colored hair's feelings because you will ask very politely and nicely. But...you learned your lesson last time.)

As soon as I walked in this time I saw the same little old lady at the front waiting patiently for the next victim customer. What were the chances?! And I had already signed in! We all just stood there waiting. Then a young lady with blond hair, short and blond on one side and to her shoulder and purple on the other side, came and called my name. I was saved! She might not have the exact style I was looking for but hey...she had style! It was a great haircut. Unfortunately on about the third snip of her scissors she cut her own finger. It was a gusher. So she had to go bandage up and then put a latex glove on. Even with glove she did a good job. I ended up with over 4 inches cut off and I have some shape again. Yeah!

What Has Been Keeping Me Busy?

Well first of all I read three books in two weeks. They were the series by Nancy Turner about Sarah Agnes Prine living in Arizona Territory back in the very early 1900s. Very good books! I enjoyed all three of them. The first one is "These Is My Words" then "Sarah's Quilt" and finally "The Star Garden". They reminded me a lot of the books by one of my other most favorite authors, Bess Streeter Aldrich. Only hers take place in Nebraska instead of Arizona. Tory says he's glad I've finished the series so he can see me again. I have to say I'm kind of glad I'm done, too, because I've noticed my back hasn't been hurting hardly at all since I've stopped! For a couple weeks there I was having some major low back pain and was wondering how I'd ever finish my last 4 months of pregnancy at that rate! Turns out I'll be just fine if I read in moderation and pay attention to how I'm sitting and holding my book. Who would have thought?

Then on Wednesday I went to a huge consignment event with my cousin Ashley. I haven't seen her in years! We live pretty close to each other but with all of our crazy schedules and life in general we just haven't managed to get together yet. They hold these big sales twice a year and I've been so excited to go this year just in case I was having a girl! I found out just in time! It was lots of fun! First of all it was so fun to just chat away for three hours with Ashley (where did the time go?!) and secondly it was so fun to shop for girl things! It was a little overwhelming at first! I didn't even know where to start! It's almost like having my first baby all over again. I don't have anything and need everything! Ha! How many onsies do we need? Sleepers? Size? All these things I haven't had to think about in over 6 years! Ashley and I both had HUGE piles of cute baby girl stuff (she is also having a baby girl. Her first baby! And she is due only a couple weeks before me!) so at the end we sat down and weeded through our piles. I think I put half of mine back. We both came away with some good finds I think. My favorite thing was this cute little pink dress. I just fell in love with it! I don't know what it is about it...the lace, the cute little square neck, the tiny buttons and bows, the cute little pleat in the front, the pink velvet...but I just HAD to get it! I told Tory I think I want to hang it up! LOL It's just so pretty! And so my style! After I got home and checked out what I got I realized I haven't even made a dent in what we need. Maybe I shouldn't have put so much back after all! It was a really fun night!