The latest tag

So, I was tagged by Cami, and here it is.

The rules: go to your pictures folder and select the 4th folder. Within that folder, you select the 4th picture and post it online.

Of course, a cake picture. This one actually has a good story though. KC, Joe Laura and I were a little foursome in our singles ward. None of us were dating (for a while) and so we'd hang out a lot, friend style. We started a tradition to have an annual picnic together after our November stake conference. And we actually did it for several years. I'd always make a huge French bread sandwich along with other picnic essentials. I'm pretty sure we ate almost the same thing every year too. The sandwich was a must. This is the cheesecake I made for the first one. The moment Joe saw it, he proposed. When I chuckled, rolled my eyes, and immediately denied him, he said, "You probably think I'm kidding, but I'm not." He sounded a little too serious so I'm pretty sure I awkwardly changed the subject. Silly Joe. At least knew that if I wanted to date him, it wouldn't take much to swing him my way.

Here are a couple pictures from that first picnic, just so you can match faces to names. I know it's not in the rules of the tag, but I don't care.

I remember putting my shoes in place of myself in the picture.

We thought we were so funny taking these dumb posed pictures. Sometimes being in a singles ward can make you do things that aren't really as cool as you think they are. (Notice I changed out of my church clothes as quickly as possible, and no one else did. One of my previously mentioned quirks.)

In this one, I think the camera had tilted slightly and the timer was already going to we tried to duck to make it into the picture. I'd say we did pretty good.

So, that was a lot more than you bargained for with a tag that only required one picture, but I couldn't resist a trip down memory lane. And since this tag has been around for a couple days, I'm not quite sure who hasn't been tagged yet, so go ahead and try it out if you haven't. It's kinda fun.

Yep.

I found them. The perfect shoes.Dansko clogs. Others might think differently but, seriously, they solve a lot of closet dilemmas. I could talk about how many great features these shoes have all day, but Cami did it very efficiently here. (Turns out I talked most of my sisters into buying them too. I am very happy for them.) I'm in love and I think they'll last me a looooong time. I am incredibly grateful to call them my own. (Sounds dumb, I know, but I'm happy.)

$2.36

The price of Costco gas today. It was less than $35.00 for the whole tank. I must be a miracle.

More webcam fun.

So they took these pictures of Mel and I at my parent's house yesterday. It warms my heart to see these, almost fooling myself into feeling like I was there with her. I saw these on Melody's blog and had to post them. I do so love my sis. And technology. (Hey I think Kip Dynamite has a song about that.)

Sigh. . .another birthday.

Yes, I turned 24 yesterday. Weird, huh? I'm in my mid-20s. I think people will stop acting so shocked when they find out I'm married, or when they here my age at all. Ever since I moved here, when I said my age it was so fascinating for some reason. Especially when I got married. People just couldn't believe I was so young and at that point in my life. My friends still think it's funny that I'm a few years (or more) younger than them, but they'll get over it soon enough now that I've joined the mid-20 group.

So, I had a great weekend. It was nothing like the past two birthdays when I got to have my twinny with me, but my friends and family made it fun all the same. It started on Friday when a few of my girlfriends and I treated ourselves to a much-needed pedicure. We were seriously giddy. And what made it even better was sharing nachos grande at Chevys afterward. They sang to me, and we shared the delicious complementary birthday ice cream. I was so happy to be with my girls. Sometimes, it's just essential that you get together and laugh, even if what you are laughing at isn't really that funny. I appreciate them taking time from their families so we could hang together. A great start to my birthday weekend.

On Saturday I was helping Jan and the kids at a wedding they were participating in. Jan was a bride's maid (matron I suppose), so she wanted me to sit with the kids during the ceremony. This wedding is a story in an of itself, so I won't go into it too much (a little 2 year old ring bearer falls while rehearsing and having to be rushed to the hospital for stitches on his head, arriving minutes before the ceremony, Iris, the flower girls, screams down the aisle because she didn't want wade to throw her flowers on the ground, the maid of honor faints during the ceremony). Let's just say it was unforgettable. Anyway, after I was relieved of my babysitting duties, KC and I barely made it to our stake temple session. I nice break from my hectic day. There was a sweet elderly lady in the session. In the dressing room I overheard her daughter-in-law introducing her to someone and saying she would be 82 tomorrow. I went and told her that it was my, and my sisters birthday tomorrow too and wished her a happy one. She was delighted and said there's no better present than coming to the temple. What a sweet thought. We saw some friends, from our ward and the singles ward, and went to get a late night milk shake and onion rings. It was a great time catching up, but I should learn that even though the onion rings look so good in the menu, and even better in the person, it's not great to eat a bunch of them at 10 pm. Especially when you had nachos the night before. I know better now. But still, a good time.

The next morning, that actual day, KC got up extra early to make me one of my favorite breakfasts, a delicious breakfast sandwich. While he was cooking and filling the house with delicious smells, I let myself relax and enjoy the morning, until we went to church. We came home and I got to open my birthday presents and packages. It was so fun to get cards, gifts emails, and even notes of my facebook wall from friends and family that are far away. I was almost in tears reading the darling cards from my nieces. I told KC that I really wanted a web cam, and guess what, he followed through. I was so great talking to my whole family, seriously all of them, via web cam. It was almost like we were all actually together. First we talked with the Turpins. Jefferson is hilarious. He always likes to send the winks and thinks they are hilarious. Earlier in the week Molly asked me what I was doing on my birthday. With the girl's night, and KC and I planning to go to dinner on Tonight, I thought we had it covered and didn't need a big thing on Sunday. She wouldn't hear of it. She was so sweet and said she'd arrange to have our friends come over and we could have a nacho bar (my friends really know what I like). I insisted that we didn't make it a birthday party and just make it a pot-luck game night like we usually do. So we did, and it was so fun. Molly made a completely delicious pumpkin bread pudding for my birthday cake. Totally my style. We got some Wakee six time in, and had a fun time laughing at the little one year old boys. I appreciate them making my birthday a little festive, even though I asked them not to. I then got on the web cam with the rest of the fam at my mom's house. It's so fun I can actually watch the the little kids grow up now. Julia is getting so big. I instructed Melody to get a web cam asap so we can chat on it occasionally instead of the phone all the time. It's just amazing to be able to see them, though it makes me miss everyone even more. Melody and I have only missed a few birthdays together in our whole life, so this took the sting off a bit, but still it's lame. We are going to have more big parties when they get here in a few weeks.

And it's not over yet (as if that wasn't enough). As I mentioned before, KC and I have dinner plans tonight to celebrate together. I'm really not that high maintenance that I need my birthday to last 4 days, we just have a gift certificate for a nice French restaurant in DC that expires soon. We thought this was a good time to use it. So the fun continues.

Birthdays are always a little weird to me. Especially the last few. This is the reason for my sigh in the title. I always just wanted to turn 21 and stay there forever, but the years continue to come. This hasn't been the easiest of years, to put it delicately, so that another year has already past makes me feel kind of unfulfilled. I just feel a little stuck. I don't want to get older, but I want things in my life to get moving along. You can't have one without the other, and I don't really have a choice anyway. Things are just a little different than I thought they would be. But this past year has also been filled with so many great times that I must remember. I was thinking while I was in the temple that I can't keep waiting for the finish line in everything I do. I need to enjoy what's happening right now. It's a bad habit of mine to always want to get to where I'm going without enjoying the ride. The years just really slip through my fingers so quickly. So since I can't help but get older, I'll try to enjoy this year even more. Thanks again to everyone who helped make it a great and carefree birthday.

A few little intruders

We have recently been graced by the presence of a few little friends around here. Some pleasant, and others, not so. The first to manifest itself was this little guy.Yes, that is a bat in out basement storage room. How is it that I cleaned that room from top to bottom a few weeks ago, and missed him hanging there on the wall? Well, I discovered him when I was getting some rarely used dishes for a gathering, and almost bumped it as I was rearranging things. I was a little freaked out, I must admit, but not so much as if I was a mouse or some other pest. I knew KC would be excited to see it. He has some fascination for bats since they are not considered pests and eat mosquitoes (giving them a special place in my heart too, but I still don't want them in my space). So he came down to survey the situation, and after a few "Whoa, cool." comments, we were starting to worry it would wake up and fly at us or something. But as we looked closer, we noticed the dust particles hanging from the poor guy, realizing he was probably dead, and had been for a while. Again, how did I miss him before? Anyway, KC made some sort of bat catching apparatus in case it was alive, and switched to a zip lock bag when there was no catching required. I'd be okay if his friends didn't pay us a visit any time soon.

Another visitor, that I quite enjoyed, but this floppy-eared friend. We think he lives in the rubble in the neighbor's yard (old tires, garbage cans, etc.). KC said he's seen a little bunny come in and out from time to time, but I first saw it when visiting relative of another neighbor knocked on my door asking if our bunny in the front yard should be put in a cage or somewhere it couldn't get hurt. I just told him that the bunny knew the territory and it was fine with us if he wanted to much on the weeds. His daughter came over to see it, and I couldn't resist a couple pictures. I like this one of his ear up because he did that when I made a little noise to get it's attention. He was so comfortable and let us go all the way up and pet it without being scared in the least. He's welcome around here anytime.

The third and final intruder I'll mention is little Iris. Okay, she was actually invited, but I wanted an excuse to write about this cute little girl. I've been babysitting Wade and IJ for over a year now, so I really feel like part of their family. I brought IJ here one day instead of staying at their house. She is starting to think about potty-training, so her mom got her these cute little undies to get her excited. She doesn't really want to wear them, but she does want to take them everywhere she goes. I love how when she came over, she was so excited about the little table I got, and went immediately to it, placing a pair of the underwear at each chair. Why?When I was making lunch, I caught her playing house (talking to herself) a few times, and popped my head in to see. Of course she smiled and got all shy, but she actually loves to get caught. When I was changing her very stinky diaper, I told her "Iris, this is so stinky! You should go in the potty so I won't have to do this anymore." To that, she pointed at the stinky diaper, and said, "I did that in you room." I loved that, but when I told her mom, we decided, that is when you know they are competent enough to understand the basics of potty-training. I also loved doing these braids in her hair. That day, she sat completely still and happy the entire time I did it. I just love how it naturally did the cute little Dorothy-esk curls at the ends. I just love her locks. And what is this wink?! That girl cracks me up. There's so much more to say about this cutie, but I'll stop here. Now, I wonder what other funny guests we'll have around here in the near future. I was just told that there will be some in mid-November. Namely, Amber and Melody! Hooray, they are welcome for sure!

Trap Shootin'

For our mutual activity last week we went to the shooting range. A few of the kids and adults were experienced and had a great shot, but there were quite a few of us that were amateurs. I, being a always-take-the-safest-route person, was pretty nervous and initially only wanted to take one or two of my allotted 25 shots, just to try it out. But with a little coaching from one of the experienced young men, my 25 shots went swiftly by and I was actually ready for more. I think it was because I was pleasantly surprised by the number of clay disks I actually hit. Okay, it was only about 7 out of 25, but for someone as new to this as I was, I was pretty proud. So, even though I consider myself quite a girly-girl, I'm glad I can break out of my hair product, and pedicure ways to enjoy a little outdoor adventure. This is my girl Asanatu, and me trying to act tough. Okay, I'm the one trying, she really is tough.

Wow...

Someone actually made it last night. A cheap version, I might add. I wanted it in Cookie Monsters actual voice. We still like the one Animal sings better. Pretty funny.

Oh, the power of Micheal Scott. We had well over 600 hits within a few hours of the airing of the show when people would google "Cookie Monster sings Chocolate Rain." I guess a new batch would arrive when the next time zone saw it. KC had a good time watching our live traffic feed scroll continually with hits from allover the world. This blog was number one on that google page for a while and apparently, that is hard to do. I only blogged about it so fast so I wouldn't forget what he actually said. And, don't worry, we saved our few minutes of google fame before the internet erupted with more people adding things of this nature, bumping us down. Who knew?

Cookie Monster sings Chocolate Rain on Youtube?

I laughed hysterically when Micheal Scott said this. Too bad it doesn't really exist.

Oh, sure. I'll do it.

I was tagged by Sarah (unless she meant another Emily, but no last name was specified and I'm lacking anything else to blog. Well, I'm sure there's something, but this was easy, and brainless, and I never have enough brain-free things to do. Ha!)

4 Random Things I Like About My Husband:
1. He'd rather look at a map, than directions.
2. He has nice hair (that I'm afraid doesn't show it's full potential when I cut it).
3. He watches the movies and shows that I like with me, and even enjoys them sometimes.
4. We have the same taste in a lot of things including music, fashion, movies, furniture, etc.

4 Movies I Can Watch More Than Once:
1. Psycho (any Alfred Hitchcock)
2. Waiting for Guffman (hahahahahaha)
3. Any M. Night Shyamalan movie. (The Sixth Sense, The Village, Lady in the Water, etc. I know, it's more than one. I couldn't choose.)
4. Return to Me (Had to throw my chick flick in there.)

4 TV Shows That I Watch: (Who really only has 4 shows)
1. Pushing Daisies
2. American Next Top Model (Hooray, Isis is gone!)
3. Project Runway
4. Law and Order SVU

4 People Who Email Me Regularly
1. Jan (giving babysitting details for the week)
2. The Bank
3. Blogger occasionally alerting me about comments
4. Christina

4 Favorite Foods:
1. Breakfast sandwich, with the egg over-easy
2. A malt, Oreo shake
3. Huge, cold pickles, like the ones in Disneyland
4. Nachos supreme

4 Places I Would Like To Visit:
1. Ireland
2. Disney World (I've been there before, but I want to go again with KC)
3. Hawaii (same as above comment)
4. France. I have to see where my French pastry training began.

4 Things I Look Forward To In The Next Year:
1. Going to NYC!
2. KC taking his PE exam.
3. Putting a nice full Christmas tree in our living room! (We finally have a real living room, for a big tree!)
4. Adopting a baby (I was really hesitant about writing this, thinking I might jinx it, but I'm tired of pretending like I'm not thinking about it all the time. We're in this for the long haul, and hopefully we at least have a lead in the next year. Is that too much to ask?!)

4 People I Tag:
1. Melody
2. Lili
3. Drew
4. Cami

Oh, whatever. Do the tag if you want.

Brunch Time

I've been wanting to have my friends over for brunch for some time, and I thought conference weekend was a good time to finally put my plans into action. Conference starts at noon around here, so we had plenty of time to eat, and chill for a while before the final sessions. I put together a makeshift long table so all 11 of us (minus the several kids who crawled around or sat at the kids table) could all sit together. I was able to put the food in the little nook in the living room and I think it worked out pretty well. I love brunches. I love the time of day, it always has my favorite kinds of food, and you have the rest of the day ahead of you. It was a nice morning. I didn't get the quality or quantity of pictures that I would've liked (you know how it gets when you are in a hurry to get food out) but the pictures and captions should fill you in on any additional information.

After everyone left, KC did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen like a madman, and we were able to relax and listen to the teachings of the prophets together. (We were probably a little too relaxed-zzzzzz.) We enjoyed watching "The Pursuit of Happyness" on Netflix between sessions. And we couldn't resist a walk during the excellent sunset. It was wonderful to spend the entire day with KC. It's so much more fun to lounge with him on the couch with him, than all by myself. And he's a better pillow to snooze on too. It was a great weekend.

Now THAT was a talk to remember

I heard some good things in the little bit of conference I saw today. I talked to my mom on the phone when the boys were headed to the priesthood session. I told her I was going to catch up on a few talks after my little babysittees were snuggled in bed. She told me to start with Elder Lawrence E. Corbridge from the afternoon session. I wonder if there was one person who didn't get an answer from that one. He was so straightforward and exact. Christ is the only way. Any other way is madness. 

What is going down here

As I was perusing my queue on Netflix, I noticed that they had changed a lot of their previously mailable DVDs, to their "watch instantly" list. And I'm not talking about a few more documentaries, or TV shows. These are new, and old shows that are big hits. Like: Dan in Real Life, Enchanted, Pirates of the Caribbean-At Worlds End, a bunch of Woody Allen films. . .I mean, I could go on. Go see for yourself. (Not that this was recently added or anything, but I can't wait for KC to watch Soylent Green with me.)

Needless to say, my watch instantly queue is h0lding 39, while my DVD queue is at a mere 14. Who would ever rent at Blockbuster again? Seriously. I thought we were getting our money's worth with a few mailed DVDs every month and the TV episodes I watch during my workout, and other show we enjoy occasionally on the play now feature. We will definitely be getting more than we bargained for. But now we have too many shows to watch and too little time. Especially with the awesome shows on right now (I've yet to watch last night's episode of Pushing Daisies, and I'm dying).

I swear, I do read and do other things. I just really happen to like watching movies.

Fall is my light

I decided to finish my latest read, Ender's Game, by taking a relaxing walk in the lovely weather. I thought that this would be the time that I take a moment to talk about how much this time of year means to me. It's almost hard to describe how the fall makes me feel. As soon as those familiar smells start to fill the air, and the chill manifests itself, it's hard for me to go outside without being uplifted, no matter what is going in my life, of what that day has been like. And the the colors start to change, and we all know how breathtaking that can be. Is there a better time of year? I know every season has it's pros and cons, but I seriously doubt that any season can top the beauty that the fall brings. For some reason, everything about this season brings so many fond memories of falls past. Especially the smells. The cool air, the spiced oil in my oil burner, the warms soups and cinnamon and nutmeg infused pastries being baked. . .all so comforting. And let's not forget fall fashion. The layering, the cozy sweaters, the boots (I'm most excited about my cowboy boots), the list could continue. I was reading in a secluded park, swinging, and couldn't help but be overjoyed with the months to come. It always comes and goes so quickly, so I'm going to take advantage of it the best I can. I plan many trips to the National Arboretum, and many more walks, either alone, or with welcomed company. I try to ask myself why I love it so much. It may be that the dreadful, sweaty summer is finally over, the AC bill will be dramatically cut, that it's my birthday season, Thanksgiving is coming up (I'm already getting excited for the menu), or Christmas is that much closer bringing it's own set of excitement and warmth. Whatever it is, I'm going to relish in this awakening calmness I feel as the season approaches. And, as odd as it seems, I love that it's only a short while that I get to enjoy it. It makes it even more glorious and makes me live in the moment, rather than take it for granted. It's almost like trials we may have to go through in life. To get to that light at the end of the tunnel, we have the make it though the grueling times first. I guess winter and summer symbolize my times of trial, and spring is the little burst of light that helps me know that I am almost there. Fall is my light. I can relax for a moment.

My Quirks

I thought I'd do this little tag about quirks. Quirks are interesting because we as individuals think we are weird because of them and feel that others will think we are too. But really they are just what set us apart from other people, so I don't expect to impress of shock anyone with these. I'm sure everyone has this weirdnesses, but I like it better that way. Who wants to be like everyone else?

I get uncomfortable during morning shows. I know they only have an allotted amount of time for each segment, and I get anxious wondering when they are going to have to cut their guest off. Why don't they just plan for less segments and take it easy? Some of the stories are a waste of time anyway. I try to relax and realize I have no responsibility in the matter and it will all work out fine, but it always comes back to me.

I can't stand going back to the house once I've already left. Even if I'm still in the driveway. I've already locked up and and ready to head out, and I don't like the waste of motions. This happens time and time again. I guess it's better than forgetting something altogether. I even remember this frustration when I was younger and someone in my family forgot something. It's probably the systematic part of my brain at work. I got that from my dad. I just makes me think, how much time will that add to our trip? When would we have gotten there without the turn-around? Do we really need whatever it is we are going all the way back home to get? So many questions! I think this is most aggravating when we have a long drive ahead of us and I have to re-order my thoughts about when we'll get there. I'm always relieved to get back to the point where we turned around and pretend it never happened. I know, it's not worth worrying about. Usually I spend more time being annoyed about it than, the time it takes to actually turn around. I'll work on it.

I misspell "just" almost every time I'm typing it. It always ends up being jsut. I've tried to fix it, but it's a lost cause. Maybe if I typed it over and over for an hour, I'd get the muscle memory going, but I'm not motivated enough for that. I think my spellcheck might start ignoring it since it happens so often.

I make awkward silences even more awkward by talking. I have to learn that a little silence is alright. Then I can actually think through what I'm going to say next, instead of saying something ungraceful and weird. I think I roll my eyes at myself as much as anyone else.

I visit IMDB.com regularly. I have always been one to recognize a face(names are another story). When I'm watching something and I see someone I recognize, I have to know what I've seen the actor in. And I need to know right then or else I'm distracted until I find out. I think when I was younger I even thought a cartoon character looked familiar that I actually thought they used her in another cartoon. With all the prime time dramas using a lot of the same extras, I'm constantly making connections of who's been on what.

One of my favorite parts of the week is changing out of my church clothes. I go straight to my room and shed everything, including jewelry, then put my hair up and put on the most comfortable clothes I can find. I think it's the most relaxed I feel all week. This is what makes firesides, or other Sunday night programs so annoying to me. There's no way I'm getting ready again. In those cases, the long comfortable skirts come out.

I think I'll need therapy when/if I ever cut my hair. It's become a little bit of a hiding place for me. Especially with the bangs. I can be completely away from the world. And it hides wardrobe malfunctions and skin imperfections. I'm not ready to do with out that security blanket quite yet. And not in the near future. It scared me to think it is only a snip away from being gone. But I do love the idea of having a new hairstyle someday. As much as I love having long hair, it annoys me quite often. But not often enough I guess. KC wouldn't mind seeing me with another look on me, but he can wait.

I'm not a fan of the overuse of punctuation. What is the use of 12 exclamation points, when one or two will suffice? Or more that three points in an ellipses? I just don't understand.

I do not procrastinate. It's actually more of a lifestyle that a choice. I can't help it. I don't like to have to think about something twice before it gets done. I just start to get disappointed in myself when things don't get done (like right now, since I'm blogging instead of more important things). I still happens occasionally, but I stay on top of things most of the time. It's all part of enjoying life. Work, and then you can play, guilt free. I think this also goes with my punctuality. I usually have to really try to be late to something. In fact, I used to have the problem of being early to everything, but KC pulled me out of that pretty quick. Now I'm just right on time, which still makes me a little anxious. I like to have time to spare. I think it's ridiculous that people can be late over and over. You'd think they would figure it out.

I crave eyebrow massages. I carry stress in my face, among other place. I'd love to have regular appointment to have my face worked on. Maybe I'll look into that. KC is always smoothing out the space between my eyebrows since it's often scrunched together and I don't notice. He'll probably save me from a few wrinkles in the future.

I don't really know how many I'm supposed to do, but that's enough for now. It's pretty much like the "1oo things" post that went around a while ago. I think I feel another one coming on.

Let's hear your quirks everybody.

More Ovaltine Please!

The other day at the store I decided to buy this.I don't drink milk much. Besides baking, our occasional bowls of cereal, smoothies, and now that it's colder, soups, I really have to try to use it up. Not that I don't like it, I just don't think to drink a glass of it during the day. We hardly ever, I dare say never, finish a gallon of milk before it goes bad. Hence this post. I would like to use it up before it goes bad though, so it's not as much as a burden to me and the fridge. My solution is this chocolaty drink. I've always thought it was kind of ghetto because of the hokey commercials. But the kids I babysit beg for chocolate milk all day long, and this is what their mom buys. So I decided I would try it and it would be a good way to use up the milk, have a healthy snack (or treat really), take in all those fortified vitamins, and get my chocolate malt fix for the moment. We love malt around here. I shake it up with my skim milk and I'm set for snack time (I probably have too many snack times during the day, so it's good for me to have many healthy options). I'll probably keep us nice and stocked with it from now on.

Pardon me for getting so excited about such an insignificant topic. Gotta enjoy life any way we can, right?

I highly recommend this film

These sweet folks really made us smile, and sniffle. I can only hope I am into something like this when I'm as old as they are.

Good times with friends and family

So, we've had quite the couple of weeks. As you see below, my parents came and left last Monday. The week went as follows:

Book group: Tuesday night was our monthly book group meeting. We had read Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. We all had a few different opinions on the book. But we agreed that all the people are just nuts. It was a little dark, but that's my style so I happened to like it. It was nice to have something to listen to as I got ready for the day, or cleaned the bathroom etc. They have the book available on librivox.org. It was Christina's pick, so we went to her house where she had a great spread of treats complete with a chocolate cream pie version of "the moors" and fun size Heath candy bars. Too bad I didn't have a camera in my possesion at the time. A rare occasion.

I got to choose the next, which is Ender's Game. KC and I have been listening to it all weekend in the car and are loving it. Can you tell I like to listen to my book whenever possible? This time I checked out the CDs and the library. The reader is really entertaining.

A visit from Mom Robinson: The next day, we were happy to have KC's mom visit us for a couple days. BYU sent her here for some business, so she came a couple days early to spend some time with us. I had some great one on one time with her while KC was at work. We took brisk walks in the mornings with the newly crisped air (I am looooooooving the weather being cooler), talked for hours, and ate at some great restaurants. One of which was downtown, and reccomended by a friend of Janice. It was called Georgia Browns, that made upscale, down-home southern food. Who wouldn't love that? It was a beautiful night in DC and we loved the great scenery. It really never gets old to walk by the huge, historical buildings and monuments.We were delighted to have her stay with is. Janice and I agreed that it was nice that we actually had time to just sit and talk, rather than be running here or there, as it can be when visitors come.

Williamsburg, VA with friends: We left Friday afternoon and returned yesterday from a great weekend with some friends. We have been planning on vacationing together for a long time, and Molly finally put in into action. Her parents graciously let us use their time share. We stayed in charming suites, and enjoyed eating, swimming, touring jamestown, and playing games together. I got tired of carrying the camera around, so they pictures stop after Jamestown, but the fun continued with Cracker Barrell, working out in the great gym, mini golf provided by the resort, outlet shopping, hot-tubbing, and pulled bork sandwiches and apple crisp. We stayed with the Calls in one unit, and the Murpys and Millers were together. It was our unit's night to make dinner. We loved the crock-pot pork, yet again. It was great gathering around a crowded table of so many people with everyone trying to talk at once. It was like I was a young kid with my family again. We played more games late into the night. We found our people get pretty punchy when we are up late together. The next morning we had to pack up and each went to our desired destinations. KC and I went straight home and both took long naps to catch up on our sleep lost from staying up late into the night.

We loved our couple weeks of fun with our family and friends. But now a normal week has begun and life is back to the same old. I think we'll enjoy a seemingly uneventful week.

Emmys

As I'm watching the Emmys, I am completely embarrassed for all five of the hosts. Especially Heidi Klum, and Howie Mandel. They're pretty pathetic. Who decided there would be five hosts? Did they really think that would work? It's uncomfortable.

I have a lot more to catch up on,I just wanted to add this.

Mom and Dad

We were delighted to have my mom and dad visit the east coast this past weekend. They came for an annual conference in DC, but we loved being with them in the short time they weren't wrapped up in that. This time we actually had enough room for them to stay with us for a couple nights (they actually had their own room), and then with the Turpins for the other couple nights. They were wonderful, effortless guests. They left yesterday and we miss them already. My mom is seriously my shopping muse. We always must have a shopping trip together, because I always have the best luck when she is around. We played games for hours on Sunday and all had a good laugh. We hope they come again sooner than later. I never like dropping them off at the airport (or in this case, the metro station that takes them to the airport). I don't like wondering when I might see them again. good thing I talk to my mom nearly everyday on the phone. And KC's mom is coming tomorrow! What timing! That takes the sting off a bit. It also helps that Melody and Amber are looking in to coming next month! (I'm actually starting to believe they are really coming.) So keep the visitors coming. We are happy to host! We miss you and love you mom and dad.

In a cottage in the woods

We had a great time this past weekend in Berkeley Springs, WV with the Turpins and Cottrells. We stayed in a charming cabin tucked away with an amazing view. It was raining most of the time, but it made it all the more fun. We enjoyed the hot tub many times in the 2 days. One time, all six adults piled in late into the night, another time I got in all alone in the early morning hours, and KC and I enjoyed a relaxing time in the evening while the others were putting the kids to bed. The hot tub faced the endless woods, and in the morning it was so foggy and gorgeous. We played games non-stop (mostly Password, and Wackee Six), enjoyed good food, and did some lounging as we either watched football, the boys play gamecube, or found something on the Dish Network that was provided. It was just right, and I think we all had a great time. The little boys thought it was great and were always keeping themselves occupied in the gameroom attatched to the house. It was wonderful and only about 1 1/2 hours away. I think my favorite part was that I never even touched my make-up or hair the entire time. I could get used to that.



Of course, in true Emily fashion, I got sick while I was trying to get away from it all (this has become a pattern on most get-aways). It happened at the very end of the trip so the fun was not interrupted, and all KC and I lost was a good nights sleep (that we made up by sleeping almost the entire day that we came home). So I won't dwell on that.

A new tradition

It seems we have started a tradition to make ice cream on Labor Day. We did it last year at a picnic with friends, and this year KC threw an ice cream social for the Elders Quorum and their families. We figured it was a good time to use up the fresh peaches I picked. We had a great turn out, and way too much ice cream and toppings to go around with what everyone else contributed. Looks like we'll be having ice cream at another church event soon. I am happy to have quite a bit of peach ice cream left over though. I'm hooked.


And it must be a miracle that I only got one misquote bite last night. I am still recovering from 19 I got on Saturday from doing yard work for an hour or less, with repellent on (two of which were through my pants). so maybe they took pity on me and want me to get a little sleep at night. Or they were actually repelled by the citronella candle I had under my legs the whole time, and the constant bug spraying.

And I just wanted to add a picture of the blanced peaches we used in the ice cream. I think they are so cool looking. Like glass or something. I think all fruits are little works of art.

The harvest

As I mentioned, I had the pleasure of picking peaches and raspberries earlier this week with some girlfriends and their kids. I was babysitting that day, but I thought the kids would like it too. They did great until it was past lunch and nap time and they hadn't had sufficient amounts of either. But we did get our fill of fruit, both while we were picking, and to take home. I'm definitely going back next week to get some of those grapefruit sized tomatoes I saw people picking, and some blackberries that are also in season.

Today, we girls are going to have a jam session-the kind you put on your toast. We decided it would be better to get one kitchen sticky instead of five. I think I'll mix the fruits and make peach-raspberry jam. I'm also going to save some for some fresh peach ice cream KC is planning on making for our Labor Day fun.

Family History on the Today Show

I'm watching the Today show right now and they just mentioned our church's website in reference to doing your genealogy. Pretty cool, eh?

Fresh fruit

I went with Cami and some friend to pick our own fruit at a great farm. We picked ripe, juicy peaches, and golden and red raspberries. I realized I left my camera in the car that KC took to work, so I'll write more about it later. Until then, you can at least see what I had for breakfast this morning (taken with my mediocre/broken camera). I could get used to having buckets of freshly-picked, great-priced fruit.

I gave in

Yes, I have joined a book group with a few of my friends. This isn't really my style, but I decided it would be a good discipline system for me, and I'm sure it will be intellectually enlightening as well. We had our first meeting last night. Molly hosted and chose the book this month, and it was held at my house. She is really the founder and we are all glad she finally got us going on a great productive way for us to get together besides the usual games, movies, toenail-painting, etc.

Molly chose The Importance of Being Earnest, a witty and comedic play by Oscar Wilde that I think we unanimously loved. Molly had a couple activities (prizes for winners included) to test our memories of the characters. She also included a variety of lovely treats that we ate while we watched the hilarious movie made with an all-star cast that had us constantly laughing. She really set the bar high for the rest of the meetings. But we must remember that she was a elementary school teacher for a couple years, so little games and activities come natually for her. We all thought it was a delightful start to what we hope lasts a long time.Christina is next and chose Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte. I know Cami will be proud. I'm actually pretty excited to get started. This is a side of me I've never seen before. I hope I don't lose my momentum.

Quick Request

My friend Hannah, you know the wonderful talented girl that designed our website, entered this darling picture into a photo contest. It's so easy to go and vote for her. Just go to her blog for the links, and instructions. Good luck Hannah!

Teddy Bear Tea Party

I was privileged to be invited to Iris's birthday party last Thursday. It was adorable with the mini tea party set up for the little girls. Jan also set our a gorgeous spread of tea food-quiche, biscuits, scones, muffins, clotted cream, a jam assortments strawberry feta spinach salad, fruit, chocolate banana bread champagne, orange juice, sparkling water, and tea among other things. It was a lovely time with some great ladies, some of which I already knew, and other I was glad to have met. It's so nice to have friends and acquaintances in the neighborhood. I told Jan I'd be happy to make a cake for Iris. The sweet 3 year old only had a couple requests: pink and flowers. So I pulled out my rusty flower skills, that I was never really good at anyway, and made a lemon cake with raspberry filling. It was fun getting all my tools out again. I've never been an exact sort of person. I like things free-form and rustic. But it's also good to have a few easy tricks to fake around with. When she was opening presents, mine happened to fall last out of the bunch. When I saw this gift, I knew it might be a huge problem (for me as a babysitter, and her parents). She opened her gumball machine and the kids went ballistic. I told Jan sorry in advance for the possibility of having gum all over the house and that they'll ask for it ever five seconds, but she loved it assured me that they are responsible with gum, and they will use it as a reward system if it gets out of hand. I said I'd be happy to brink a box of KIX cereal or something to refill it next time. Wade was especially thankful for this gift. I think he even used the the word "love" when describing his feelings about it. The party went really well and all the little ones had a great time as well as the adults. Iris was her little princess self the whole time. That includes a little whine every now and then, in true 3 year old style. I have loved babysitting this family for the past year and watching them grow. I was so grateful that she wanted me there for her special day. Happy Birthday IJ (Iris Jane)!
Yeah, she was posing for the camera. She kept saying, "Now look at this, Emily!" How could I resist.

His days are done

Yes, I am talking about my little fish (recently named Popeye, referring to a prior post, since I never really had a name for him) swam his last swim yesterday. I knew this day was coming, but it was still sad to see him go. The biggest inkling, besides the eye condition, fading of his vibrant color, and lethargy, was that yesterday morning when I was trying to feed him, I tapped the bowl loudly and shook it a little to get his attention. He swam like an crazy fish all sideways and upside down for a couple seconds and then just drifted down and landed on a leaf of one of the plastic plants. I seriously looked like he had a stroke or something. It was so crazy, and pretty dramatic. So maybe he died right then, but I didn't notice until I was giving his night feeding and couldn't find him. He blended in with the rocks on the bottom of the bowl. I know this is gross, but I didn't have time to clean out the bowl yesterday, so I was going to do it first thing this morning. I seriously had a restless night as I kept dreaming about the dead fish in my entry way. In some dreams, I was about to flush him and he was alive. I think there were several other dreams (since I kept waking up and falling back to sleep) where I finally flushed him and it was over. Then I'd wake up and it hadn't been done yet and I was disappointed because I just wanted to sleep! So finally at 5:30 I woke up and did the job. The once very rambunctious fish, was lifeless and dull in color. I'm sure he is happy where he is now. It was a little strange not feeding him on my way out this morning. I might get another fish, but it might be nice to not have to clean out the bowl for a while. I'll have to put a picture up on the wall where he was so it won't look like an empty space. Maybe I'll frame a picture of him and put it up there.

Here's to all the betas that have been good, quiet, well-behaved pets. (And probably the only kind of pet I'll ever own.)

Fondest Dream

So, we are pleased and grateful to announce that we now have a website (also linked on the sidebar) all about our adoption quest. My great friend Hannah, well the sister of one of my best friends Sarah (but we also knew each other in high school, so I know her really well), designed this beautiful website to help our cause. We couldn't be more grateful to have such thoughtful and helpful friends during this time that can be so overwhelming and confusing. Hannah is an amazing graphic designer. Her blog is always so creative, interesting, and fun. I know she does freelance projects so don't hesitate to go to her for your graphic design needs. I have loved all of her work that I've seen.On the subject of adoption, we attended a Families Supporting Adoption (FSA) conference last weekend (Fri/Sat) to help us get our feet on the ground in this world we just entered. FSA is affiliated with LDS family services. I was a little hesitant to go being a little timid about learning too many new things too fast. And although we came away from it with our heads hurting due to cramming way to much info into them, we were so glad we went. We feel a lot more confident and excited to carry-out all the processes we need to. The food was also catered and amazing, I thought I'd add. When we sat down with a table full of strangers, it was a little awkward since we knew we all had something in common, but we're quite sure how to start any conversation. Soon enough we were chatting up a storm about everything from fertility treatments (it was so weird to be able exchange conversation in the language I've been using for the past year and actually understand each other), to what part of the adoption process they were in. People were anywhere from just thinking about adopting, to working on their third successful adoption, so there were a lot of stories to tell. The strangest thing about this process is that most of us were coming from fertility problems and seemingly endless evasive treatments that are really not something that is brought up in regular conversation. It's more of a private process (though it doesn't seem that way compared to natural conception. You have to be pretty open about your body to let strangers do all the tests they have to do). But adoption is completely different. They told us that if we want our adoption to happen quickly, we have to be completely immersed in the process. To tell, and give our card, or magnet, or anything with our information on it (seriously, they said to make t-shirts and pens if we wanted to), to every person we see-stranger or friend. It took me a while to get used to this idea. We only had a handful of people in the know with our infertility, and now we are supposed to tell the world? I suppose it the sacrifice we must be willing to make. We are pacing ourselves, but feel the website is a great start here in the beginning, and we are going to work on more projects in the future. Things are really coming together and we really have faith that we will have a family soon.

By the way, the title of our new website was inspired by a hymn that has really been close to my heart during this process. This verse in particular:

I believe in Christ; He stands supreme! With him I'll gain my fondest dream;
And while I strive through grief and pain, His voice is heard: "Ye shall obtain."
I believe in Christ; so come what may, With him I'll stand in that great day
When on this earth he comes again To rule among the sons of men.

I don't think so.

Do the beach volleyball Olympic uniforms for the women really have to be that skimpy? Maybe there's a science to it that I'm not aware of.

This is the first year, however, that I have actually gotten into the Olympic hype, and I think it's pretty incredible.

Ummm...

I don't know what came over me, but in the past few days I have bought 7 cartons of ice cream. Partly because I haven't allowed it in our house for a while to halt the constant craving I had for it every night after dinner. And also because it was on a major sale. I think we have also been boycotting it lately because of all the companies thinking they can make their cartons smaller and smaller while the prices stay they same or go up. Did they think we wouldn't notice? Anyway, Turkey Hill is a brand here that we love and when all there varieties (frozen yogurt, duetto gelati, low sugar, light recipe, and regular old full-fat, etc.) are staring at me at a price of $1.99, what is a girl to do? I can't possibly limit my choices to one or two. I must say, we are pretty strict about our portion sizes (thanks to pampered chef for your perfectly sized prep bowls), but we are so used to it, we feel no deprivation eating this amount of ice cream ever night or so. And besides, most of the flavors I got are very low in calories and fat. My favorites are Mint Cookies and Cream frozen yogurt (only 1.5 grams of fat per serving) and Mango Venice Ice with Vanilla Gelati. I might be willing to share.

Pop Eye

And I'm not talking about the "I am what I am" sailor man. I am talking about a condition my poor little fishy friend has. Tonight as I was practically force feeding him (jiggling and tapping the bowl to get the little guy to notice the food since he always just lays there), I happened to notice that one of his usually black eyes, was completely clearish/white and a little bulgy. It was quite freaky and I keep feeling like if I go over there, he'll jump out of the water at me and kill me or something. I seriously might have nightmares. I googled around and found out what it is. Of course there is a whole cocktail of additives I could add to his water to help him get through it, but I'm not sure he's going to make it much longer anyway. I think his time is coming, and I don't like watching it happen. I really need to change the water, but I'm kind of afraid he won't make it through that. It is quite a ride for him to switch from bowl to bowl as I'm cleaning it. I never thought I'd really have any feelings toward a fish, but he has become quite a little part of our family, and it's that whole watching him suffer part that's disturbing. I won't include a picture, because I don't want you to get the same scare that I did. It's only a matter of time for my little friend.

I should probably mention

We participated in the ward lip-sync/talent show last weekend. It was a pleasant evening full of a variety of talents. KC signed up to do "a little ditty" on the sign up sheet. He asked Andrew Miller to play a ukulele duet with him. They lived near each other in Hawaii, so it was fitting. They sang and played one together and then Molly Miller, who also lived in Hawaii during college, joined in to do a little hula on the next song. It was very cute and Hawaiian. I also wanted to sing a little song with KC called "You Belong to Me" while he played. I also had to help the young women come up with something. We leaders had to practically beg them to think of something to support the organizers. We gave them some ideas and it came together quite well. We did a little cooking show skit named "The Iron Rod Chef." I came up with the name but I don't know if that's really something to be bragging about. I even added at the end, "Your straight and narrow path to good food." I know, pathetic. But that's what ward talent shows are for. Making a fool of yourself and not thinking another thought about it. So the girls had a cooking competition where they paired up, one of them being the arms, and the other being the face. It was hilarious watching them try to put the ingredients to no-bake cookies together with the one the could see the ingredients was trying the tell the arms where to get it. The girls that played the arms were blindfolded so they completely relied on the girls in front to tell them what to do. Needless to say, we made a huge mess, but when we pretended to take the cookies (ingredients splattered on the sheet pans) to the "fridge to cool", we brought out perfectly placed, no bake cookies on the same sheet pans. We asked Judge Bishop Stromsdorfer to come taste, and he concluded that they were both good. It was good and chaotic time had by all. I'm slightly disappointed that although I managed to get both a video and pictures of KC's event (enlisting the help of a friend), he only managed to get a video of mine. he assured me we can get still shots off the camera, though I don't think it's worth that much trouble just for the blog. One of these days you just might be graced with a lovely picture of young women donned in chef jackets covered in peanut butter and cocoa powder.

My little helper

While organizing our office/multipurpose room that has been staring at us for weeks (will the organizing ever end), I was going through a small stack of notes/letters/birthday cards that I've been keeping around. I decided it was time to sort through and read the throw-aways one last time, and find a permanent place for the keepers.

It was very nostalgic to read through notes from friends and family, but what was most delightful was finding KC's notes that he wrote to me during our friendship/courtship. Here is one that was particularly charming. I'll let you in on this since it doesn't seem too intimate to share. I found it on my windshield one morning.
I had been complaining that I was going to work a whole shift by myself. While I loved that sometimes, it seemed daunting that day with so much work to do, so luckily I had this little guy to help me out. Funny boyfriend I had. I wanted to get this documented in case it gets lost in a move or something in the future.

He was always leaving things on my car after I went to sleep. I had an early bed time since I had to wake up in the wee hours of the morning when I worked at the hotel.The note above reminded me of another funny one. He knew I had to pay a meter so once he left a note made of coins for me to use. The R is not my real middle initial. My co-workers thought I just had to have a middle name, and they chose Reese for some reason. It was just an inside joke during that year.I believe it was these little perks that helped me make it through those torturous 2:30 AM alarms.