Book Review

Okay, sorry Stephenie - but I think I found my new favorite author. I just read another one of Sarah Strohmeyer's books - The Sleeping Beauty Proposal - and I loved it!! Even more than The Cinderella Pact. The Cinderella Pact was probably funnier, and it has more of the fat humor. But I so loved the romance better in this book. There was a stronger story there. All I can say is I totally love this author's work. She is the greatest. Read it if you get the chance!! Here is my favorite quote: (DISCLAIMER - if you are offended by the word 'nipple', do not read).

"Most men, I've learned, can be easily distracted by a flash of leg, a bit of cleavage. They're like apes, really, a half a notch up the evolutionary scale when it comes to all things sexual. Show them the merest hint of a nipple and their brains instantaneously go to mush."

It is 8:41 p.m. and I am just admitting that my goal to finish my own book by the end of the year is sort of unrealized. I actually finished writing the story; but now I have a mean rewrite ahead of me. Oh well, at least I finished it. I am sitting down right now to start reading it again and decide what it is still lacking.

New Year's Eve, and Sean and the kids are asleep. Sean's parents are watching t.v., and I am blogging. It was actually a fun night - at least to me - we had fondue for dinner (cheese fondue with meatballs, french bread, and broccoli) and dessert (dark chocolate fondue with bananas, pineapple, and oranges). We were going to play games, but Sean got up at five this morning, and my MIL and I were much more interested in finishing the books we were reading.

Happy New Year to all!!

Christmas Morning

Here is the wreath I made my sister for Christmas - I used the same ribbon that was on her wedding cake (well, not the exact same ribbon - just what was left on the spools).


And here is her gift to us. I totally bawled when i saw it. She has drawn each of my kids now. She is so talented.


Here are a few pictures of our Christmas morning!

Here are the girls with their doll house. It is seriously an awesome dollhouse with sturdy wood furniture and everything. I'm sure Santa had a blast setting it up - like some childhood dream come true!


Sean & I got the girls little MP3 players (kid ones). The girls have been listening to them ALL DAY LONG. So far the favorite CD seems to be David Archuleta.



Here is the Raggedy Ann doll that I (oops....I mean the elves) slaved over. My mom actually painted the face and took care of the hair - I sewed and stuffed the body and sewed the clothes. I am proud to say that Emma hasn't put her down all day!


Spencer's favorite gift was the bag of pretzel goldfish in his stocking. He ate half the bag before breakfast and carried them around all day. Santa brought him a scooter and Sean & I got him a car garage thing.



Here is Sean with his Guitar Hero t-shirt. He also got The Dark Knight and a book he has wanted for a long time.


And last but not least.....a BOSCH!!! Can you believe it? I am psyched. But also intimidated by it like I always am with new kitchen gadgets. Thanks, mom and dad P! Sean got me a giant curling iron I've wanted forever, and the kids got me the Mummy Trilogy.


Now the ham is in the oven and I am somewhat ashamed to say that I haven't showered and I am still in my PJs from last night. Oh well!

Then and Now

Tomorrow is our ninth anniversary! I can't believe it's been that long. Anyway, I took a few pictures of some pictures - since we got married before the digital camera days. Here are some things I loved about when we were dating/married/newlyweds - and some things I love about now.

Then:

Flirting at work under everyone's noses
Being twitterpated all the time!
Listening to 'Truly, Madly, Deeply' over and over in Sean's Sentra (our song)
Picnics up Provo Canyon w/Quiznos subs and playing spades
Feeling completely safe with Sean
Realizing I had found someone who loved me more than I ever thought possible
That adorable spiky bleached hair!
Cooking our meals together and cleaning up together




Now:

Staying up talking late at night
Being able to make each other laugh all the time
Watching Sean be a father
Having a home of our own
Having a husband who encourages my talents and interests
Being able to stay home with the kids since Sean works so hard
Listening to him rave about my cooking rather than his mom's!
Hearing him tell me I'm beautiful every day
Knowing we have been through good, bad, and ugly - and he still loves and supports me
Still bringing me roses all the time - sometimes for no reason
Quality over Quantity (not going to specify - sure you can figure it out)



Thank you for working so hard every day to make me happy. I am so glad I said yes - even if I did pause.

2 for 5 Christmas

I had a funny epiphany this morning when I woke up. The last few days our wireless printer hasn't been working due to the fact that we changed our wireless modem for internet. I have been going crazy since I had a bunch of things I needed to print for my calling. I started to go into panic mode, saving my files to a USB disk to take to the library and print off. When I woke up I thought 'why don't I just bring the laptop upstairs and plug it into the printer?'. The thought seriously never occurred to me. How sad is it that because we live in a virtually wireless society, plugging a cord from one thing to another is a huge inconvenience - even if the result is the same? Anyway, it just made me laugh at myself. And also, don't laugh, but it was an answer to a prayer, too.

Can I say I love my mom? She got up with my kids this morning, made them pancakes, and had Emma dressed when I came downstairs at 7:30. Then she did her hair for school too. It was so nice to lay in bed curled up with my body pillow and ignore Spencer yelling 'mama.....mama....mama' - knowing that she was going to get him. She said she is going to do that for me like three times a week so I can sleep. Thanks, mom - you are the best!

I finally finished the girls' Christmas pajamas. These actually only cost me 2.50 a piece this year, since I already had the fabric and the patterns. The only thing I ended up paying for were the shirts - Michaels 2 for $5. I am still working on Spencer's - his are green with red Santas and reindeer. I also have Raggedy-Ann's body sewn, and my very talented mother painted her face. Now I just have to make the yarn wig (which I have absolutely NO CLUE how to do) and sew her clothes. Hopefully I can get it all done in time! Never mind the fact that Emma recently informed me it is the Indian Doll from the Raggedy Ann story she wants - not actually Raggedy Ann herself. I tried to convince her that I heard her ask Santa for Raggedy Ann - but she is positive that Santa heard different and will oblige her. Yikes.



Tomorrow is our 9-year anniversary. I will have to post some pictures on here - though I have no idea how seeing as I don't even have a disk with the pictures on them - I only have the actual copies - and no scanner either. Sean booked a room for us in Lehi this Friday night.

Lehi, because we were married in the Mount Timpanogus Temple. We are going to do a session and go to dinner, and then have a munchkin-free night. Thanks, honey!

Sasquatch Sighting

Well, it's finally looking like Christmas around here now, isn't it? We got a ton of snow yesterday and even more today - which I love in view of the approaching holiday. However, I hate the snow when it comes to our dog. The fringey fur all along his legs and belly trap the snow and he brings it all in with him. I keep stepping in puddles in my carpet left when the ice balls melt out of his fur.

Anyway, I had to tell about my fabulous day yesterday. My husband was so nice to me all day. I was in house-cleaning mode since I was supposed to have a PJ sewing party at my house last night and we have people coming for dinner today. He volunteered to do the dishes and mop without being asked. He also cleaned the stove top (which I completely loathe doing). I had a picture of him on his hands and knees scrubbing the floor, but he threatened me not to put it on the blog - so I deleted it. He also put on my Sarah Mclaughlin Christmas CD even though he hates Christmas music, just because he knew it would make me happy. Later when my sewing party fell through he said we should go and do something instead, and I suggested (jokingly) going to see Twilight again. He totally took me AND let me ride in a car with one of my best friends to the theatre while he followed behind. I may add that he didn't expect anything in return for any of this, either.

Thanks, honey!! You rock.

So I can now boast I have seen Twilight three times. I THINK I can wait until it comes out on DVD now. I hope. My sister (bless her heart) burned the soundtrack for me and I have been thinking about the movie nonstop ever since! (Actually I've been thinking about the movie nonstop since the day I first went to it, and the whole blasted concept since I first read Twilight). WHAT IS HAPPENING TO ME?

Here is a picture of the girls while Sean and I were cleaning yesterday. They decided to sit down and do their reading - without being asked. What is going on here??

Elves and Thieves

Here is a cute shot of Spencer-Elf. I was sitting in the living room this morning listening to Emma read her A.R. book, and Spencer walked in with this hat on and matter-of-factly plopped a book open on the table and began drawing on it. It was just funny to me that he put the hat on himself, and of course the binki made the whole thing funnier. It was like he had something important to do as Santa or something.

So, apparently Mackenna has decided it is a rule to kife my camera while I am in the shower. Up until now it has been cute bordering on slightly troublesome, but after this shot, I think I may have to take it to the shower with me:


WOW, HONEY - is that the strap to my $400 digital camera hanging down in the toilet? At least she picked the one clean toilet in the house to photograph.

Here are some of her other shots - I'll let them speak for themselves!