100 Things About Me

1. I like the smell of caramelized onions. Not only do I love the smell of them, I love to eat them. Not by themselves. Whenever I make burritos or tacos, I make a large batch of caramelized onions. We can’t get enough of them.
2. Every night before I go to bed, I have to peek in on my children. Roman usually is asleep with his butt in the air. Hayden is normally in some odd position and I have to give him kisses. I’d give Roman kisses but I can’t reach him in his crib.
3. Apparently I’m a picky eater. I don’t like tomatoes, cilantro or avocadoes. I don’t like spicy things, either. I’m just barely learning to like salsa. I don’t like weird meats, like wild boar or bratwursts. I hate mustard but love honey mustard. I don’t like fruity candies.
4. I get post-partum depression after each of my children. I’m not afraid to admit it. It’s different each time but it’s there and very real. However, I have an awfully supportive husband who makes everything better.
5. I have a love-hate relationship with my work. I hate working, I’d much rather be home with my children. But if I have to work, I’d prefer the job I have now. It’s rewarding and I’m good at what I do.
6. This may sound cliché, but my favorite books are the Harry Potter books. I can read them over and over again and still laugh and cry as if it were the first time.
7. My favorite fast food place is Chik-Fil-A, although Taco Bell comes in a close second. My favorite restaurant locally is The Roof, although it’s quite expensive. My favorite national chain restaurant would have to be California Pizza Kitchen or P.F. Changs.
8. I rarely get to shower by myself. Hayden feels somehow underprivileged if he is not in the shower with me. This has been going on for two years now. It’s going to have to stop soon. It’s hard to enjoy a shower when your toddler is throwing toys at you.
9. I am a supporter of bottle-feeding. There’s a lot of support out there for breast-feeding moms, but I think bottle-feeding moms need to know that they are not “bad moms” for not breast-feeding, despite what our society will tell them.
10. I am addicted to sleeping pills, magazine subscriptions, and my children. I can’t survive without them.
11. I despised being a triplet growing up. It was hard to create an identity. Now I realize they are part of my identity and I love them dearly, miss them more than I can say, and can’t wait to see them again.
12. I love my best friend as though she was one of my sisters.
13. I love to cook. I hate to do dishes. It is an internal battle everyday for me.
14. Speaking of cooking, I would love to go to culinary school and become a private chef, cooking teacher, or caterer. We’ll see if that ever happens.
15. I have a habit of buying little girl’s dresses. Hopefully one day we have a girl. In fact, I just bought an Old Navy dress two days ago.
16. I grew up with a Lhasa Apso named Penny. She was a feisty little thing. She’s been dead almost three years and I miss her so much. Her framed picture adorns my office along with my family pictures.
17. I do not have a favorite food. If I did, I’d eat it every day and then it wouldn’t be my favorite food anymore. I do have food that I prefer over others, but that list is too long.
18. I tend to mix up my left from my right. It should be easy, right?
19. I hate wearing nylons, heels, mascara, and blush. But I wear them. I suppose you could say I sacrifice for fashion.
20. I cannot forgive those who have broken my heart. I’ve tried.
21. I took three Excedrin Migraine pills on my wedding day to counter a migraine. I took them on an empty stomach. I spent the enter marriage ceremony concentrating on not throwing up. It probably didn’t help my dress was as tight as a 1900s corset.
22. To counter my nausea, my sisters bought me Dramamine in the Less Drowsy formula. I read Non-Drowsy. I took two of them. I spent the reception wishing I could just go to sleep.
23. My wedding story won me two free tickets to the “Princess Diaries:2” premier that this radio station held. I won the grand prize in a drawing…1 free night at the Grand America Hotel and a whole-day salon treatment. See, it was worth it.
24. I love Target. If you didn’t know that, maybe we should hang out more often. Whenever I am in another store, I feel somehow unfaithful. Whenever I tell Hayden we are going to the store, he says “Target? And popcorn?”
25. It bothers me that Jeremiah waits until the very last possible moment to take the garbage out. Seriously honey, do I ask that much of you!?
26. I am religious about the tv shows I watch. I know…sad. I am a devoted follower of 24, Heroes, Prison Break, American Idol, Lost, and Grey’s Anatomy. I think my favorite so far is Grey’s.
27. I played the piano in my high school’s jazz band. I joined because my boyfriend was in the band. I wasn’t that good, but I enjoyed it, even after the boyfriend. Oh, and I think the director was a child molester. Can anyone confirm my suspicions?
28. I do not enjoy being pregnant. Nausea doesn’t agree with me. And I hate sleeping on my side. I enjoy giving birth. Maybe it’s because I’ve had great success with both of my epidurals, but I think it’s more because it is such a defining moment after nine months of waiting.
29. I have never been skiing. Or snowboarding. I’m too cowardly to try.
30. It bugs me that people do not use their blinkers while driving. Are they that lazy?! Oh, and if you tail me, chances are I will just drive slower. So don't do it.
31. My conversations are usually laced with sarcasm. My parents argue over who taught us sarcasm, but no matter what, I think my dad did.
32. Speaking of my dad, I also inherited some of his Type A behaviors. There are certain ways to load the dishwasher, make the bed, and fold the towels.
33. I also love to make lists. Grocery lists, to-do lists, lists lists and more lists!!! It keeps me organized. I can use all the help I can get. I feel a sense of relief when I cross something off my list.
34. I love chocolate covered pretzels. Christina introduced me to caramel-chocolate covered pretzels. I love those more.
35.I give my children candy, usually after dinner or if they are being extra nice. It bothers me when other people give them candy without asking me. I’m trying to teach them healthy eating habits!!!
36.I find it disgusting when my food touches each other. Spaghetti and salad cannot touch. Steak and mashed potatoes cannot touch. Neither can cake and ice cream…not even in an ice cream cake.
37. What I wouldn’t give to go to an Emeril Live show and sit at that bar near the front so I could actually meet him and dine on his glorious food.
38. Actually, I’d also be happy meeting Rachael Ray, Giada De Laurentiis, Paula Deen, Sandra Lee, Bobby Flay, or Tyler Florence. Tyler more because he’s Tyler than because he’s a good cook….he’s gorgeous.
39. I cannot use mouthwash for the recommended 30 seconds. It is too hot.
40. I balance my checkbook at least every other day.
41. I am addicted to Diet Dr. Pepper. Even if they had a support group for people like me, I wouldn’t go. I love it too much.
42. I hate wearing long-sleeved shirts. Short sleeves, half sleeves, and three-quarter sleeves are just fine.
43. I will never be a "favorite" of anyones.
44. I’ve never willingly tried alcohol. I have, however, had a boyfriend who put alcohol in juice and did not tell me. It wasn’t pleasant. It tasted like bad orange juice.
45. On a similar note, I’ve never tried drugs. I don’t even think I’ve ever been offered drugs. I can’t even handle Percoset. I hallucinate with it. Ask Jeremiah.
46. Of all the flaws on my body, I hate my thighs the most…was I a cheerleader in another life?! Now I know where Roman gets it!
47. I sing and dance in the car, especially when a great song comes on, like “Footloose” or old-school Christina Aguilera.
48. Speaking of singing, my kids laugh at me when I sing. Am I that bad?!
49. I have been in love four times in my entire life. I lost contact with one, one hates me, I hate the other, and the fourth is my eternal companion…sorry honey, you’re stuck with me.
50. I hate having hair in my brush. I will clean the brush out 2-3 times just while drying my hair.
51. I secretly wish I was a Food Network Star. Who doesn’t want to have their talent?! And to get paid to cook? That would be great.
52. I rarely go anywhere without at least one of my children. I even take one if I have to run to the grocery store for milk.
53. We went to Disneyland on our honeymoon. Even though people bugged us the entire time with phone calls, we managed to enjoy ourselves. I think I’m happiest at amusement parks!
54. I hate flossing my teeth. I do it, but I hate it.
55. I cannot even go outside to check the mail unless I have some sort of make-up on.
56. I can be a very paranoid person. I have to get up and check the house if I hear a strange noise, and if Jeremiah isn’t home from work on time I begin suspecting the worst.
57. I check my sisters’ blogs everyday.
58. My favorite clothing stores that I can afford are Old Navy and Gap. I would love to shop at Nordstrom, Banana Republic, Anthropologie, and J. Crew, but we’ll have to wait until Jage is a hot shot lawyer.
59. I try to eat healthy and set a good example of healthy eating for my children. I try to buy fruits, vegetables, and whole grain breads, but I’ll be the first to admit that I love taking them to McDonalds for “burgerfries” and to play with their friends. All things in moderation, right?
60. I would rather receive then give…at least when it comes to massages.
61. I graduated from Lakes High School (go Lancers!) in 1998. I was in the top 5% of my graduating class, which is strange because I don’t recall trying really hard in high school.
62. I graduated from Brigham Young University in 2004 with a B.S. in Marriage, Family, and Human Development and a minor in Psychology.
63. Since September 2003 I have been a social worker for Utah, working with victims of domestic violence. It isn’t as demanding as people may think, and as frustrating as it sometimes is, it is also highly rewarding.
64. My other jobs in my life have included the Lakewood Bakery, a bagger at Safeway, McDonalds, Costco, Baskin-Robbins (does it count if I was there 2 days?), cashier at Target, Wendys, Discovery Academy (a residential home for troubled youth), and a school social worker for Clover Park. I feel like I’m forgetting something…
65. I love my brother to death. He’s currently on a mission in Louisville, KY. I miss him a ton but look forward to seeing him in December. He is a very inspiring person to be around. And he’s fun to go shopping with…very metrosexual!
66. I have kissed the Blarney Stone in Ireland. Do I think I received the gift of gab? No. Do others? Probably.
67. I can’t remember the last time I went a day without wearing a Shade shirt. I love them.
68. I still cry when I drop my kids off at daycare. I miss them so much during the day.
69. I keep a journal for each of my kids. I got the idea from Christina. I don’t write in them as much as I should, but I think overall they will appreciate it one day.
70. I also keep my own journal, but as Jage has observed, I write in it more when I’m sad then when I’m happy. Later generations are going to think I had a pretty pathetic life. I better change that.
71. I hated my freshman year at college. It was hard to adjust and I was never asked out on dates. It’s sad when you’re the only one on your floor staying home during a dance because no one asked you.
72. My dream house will include an outside patio with a large grill and sitting area, a walk-in shower with dual showerheads, a reading nook, a kitchen that puts those on Food Network to shame, a large backyard for my kids, and a mud room. I’m sure there’s more… I get great ideas every Sunday on “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.”
73. My favorite recording artists are Michael Buble and Josh Groban. I can listen to their music over and over again. I’m not a huge country fan, but I don’t mind it.
74. I was in a car accident the summer after high school graduation. To this day if I have to slam on my brakes or if a car almost hits me I get a mini panic attack. The blood drains from my face and I feel faint and nauseated.
75. I did the South Beach Diet after each of my pregnancies. It was really hard for the first two weeks, but it worked. I lived off of chicken, salad, eggs, and Diet Dr. Pepper.
76. I wear contacts, but I don’t oppose glasses. Next time I go to the eye doctor I think I’ll get some glasses too. I think they can be sexy.
77. A dirty house does not bug me like it probably should, although I do get on cleaning sprees where the whole house is spotless in a matter of hours. The dishes and laundry are always caught up, though.
78. I hate taking baths. Sometimes I get in the mood for them but after 5 minutes I’m completely bored and I get out.
79. My New Year’s resolution is to be more positive in my daily life, to find the good in everything and everyone, and to be happy with what is handed to me.
80. There are days when I have a favorite child.
81. I love getting the Sunday paper. I always like to see the items on sale and cutting out the coupons. I feel very domestic while I do it.
82. I can’t wait to own my own house so I can have a garden.
83. I do not generally eat breakfast. I’m trying to make a habit of it for health purposes, but I tend to eat my breakfast around 10am, which is more of a brunch.
84. The websites I check everyday are my email, foodnetwork.com, spoilerfix.com, and my sisters’ and Stina’s blogs. I also usually check news websites.
85. I hate carrying a purse. If I’m running to the store I’ll just grab my driver’s license and debit card and put it in my pocket.
86. I’m very picky about the socks I wear. They are the boys’ Hanes socks. I find them at Target (of course) and they can’t be worn thin or have holes. I make Jage wear those ones!
87. I do not carry a whole lot of self-confidence. I often look to others for reassurance. I am still working on that.
88. Even with sleeping pills, it takes me anywhere from half-hour to an hour to fall asleep at night.
89. Although at the time it was difficult, I miss getting up with my kids in the middle of the night for a bottle. I felt as though we were the only two people in the world, and it was a great chance to bond…and catch up on infomercials.
90. I don’t care for sandwiches unless they are grilled. And at Subway I’m very simple…meat, cheese, lettuce, and honey mustard. That’s it.
91. I am not a great dancer. I think it goes back to the confidence thing. I don’t quite know how to let myself go. My sisters are great, I look stupid next to them.
92. Every night before I go to bed, I asked Jage to “tuck me in”, which really means just come give me a goodnight kiss. It’s our little ritual.
93. No matter how hard I try, someone will always be critical of me. I will never be a good enough mother, wife, or friend. I’m still trying to accept that.
94. I have a hard time saying no when asked to do something, whether it’s at work or at home. I usually take on more than I can handle but figure out how to deal with it. Maybe it has something to do with not wanting to let anyone down.
95. I don’t like white chocolate.
96. My sisters and brother are my best friends. My longest friend is Heather, she’s been my friend since fourth grade. The friend I can confide in the most is Jen. I have a few friends that are near and dear to me, and that’s all that matters. I love the friends I have.
97. We once owned gerbils (luckily our landlord never found out). They bit me so we sold them. And they kept eating their babies…yuck.
98. My favorite holiday is Christmas. It’s the whole romanticism of it. My least favorite is the 4th of July. It’s boring.
99. I sit on the counter with my feet in the sink while drying my hair, flat ironing it, and doing my make-up. Jage calls me a bird.
100. I really need to get to know myself better. This list took me far too long to write.

Who's Chunky?

So Carissa and Celeste posted these great stories of Olivia and Rix saying things only a two-year-old would say. I didn't want to feel left out, and I wanted to prove that Hayden does indeed talk (and he says more than just "dumb mouse")...

The other night at the dinner table Jeremiah said Roman was "chunky", but in a good way. He has these great cheerleader thighs and beer belly. So Jeremiah was teaching Hayden to call Roman "Chunky", which I hope Hayden doesn't remember ten years down the road and give Roman a complex or something. A few minutes later, Jeremiah said, "Hayden, where's Chunky?" and although Roman was within sight, Hayden pointed to me.

Maybe I'll be the one with the complex???

Fun in the Sun (finally!)

We took the kids to the park on Saturday afternoon. It's actually been pretty nice here (aka high 60s and low 70s) but it's hard to find a day where a) the weather is nice b) Jage is home and c) Hayden actually naps! So on Saturday all three happened all at the same time, and we took advantage of that.

Hayden loves the park. He especially loves the slides, and will go down and then climb back up really quick and go down again. He went on the swings for a little bit, but I there were so many kids at the park that he was eager to interact and make friends.

Some parts of the park were meant for bigger kids, but that did not stop Hayden from trying everything out. I had to help him climb up this ladder, but he was so excited when he made it to the top that he yelled "I did it!" and proceeded to tell all the kids around him "I did it!"

Roman and I were just fine hanging out in the shade. He, however, had his fair share of time on the little slide and the baby swings. He had a blast but I think we were both grateful for some time out of the sun.

After the park we went to Arctic Circle for ice cream cones. We are awesome parents, it was pre-dinner ice cream. You can't get any better than that!!!

My Girls

So, for the first time in years...I literally don't know how long it's been...but I bought a new bra! I mean, I didn't even get a new bra when I had Hayden and I grew out of my old ones. Instead I just permanently borrowed one of Carissa's (you can have it back now if you want!). Anyway, I went to Victoria's Secret a few weeks ago with Destiny, bought one, and returned it today for one I really love. It was $40, which I know would feed my family for a week, but hey- my girls need some TLC every once in awhile.

Accepted

I have a screaming headache, but I had to share that Jage got his first acceptance letter for law school today. The letter is from Albany Law School (and yes, that's in New York...I swear, everyone I told asked me "Albany? Like New York?"). Mom and Celeste were quick to tell me that it was too far away (as if I didn't know that) but keep in mind this is not where we are going for sure. We still waiting for twelve more schools to respond!

So anyway, if you see Jage, tell him congradulations!

Surviving Solo

It's always a sad weekend when Jage is away...

So, as most of you know, Jage left for Washington, D.C. for an AIPAC conference on Saturday morning. Hayden was very mad that "going to the airport" meant just dropping Daddy off. He was hoping to go on the airplane, too. I was sad that Jage left, and whenever we asked Hayden where Daddy was, he would say, "Daddy's at the airport, and Mommy's sad." He didn't quite understand that Daddy had actually left the airport and was no longer there.


On my way home from the airport, I almost got into a car accident. A minivan in the lane next to me was almost hit by another car, and the minivan overcorrected himself and began fishtailing. He ended up spinning in circles and landed in my lane, facing me. I had to slam on my brakes and pull into the median. I was quite shaken up and spent the rest of my ride home in the slow lane, going about 60 on cruise control.


We spent Saturday grocery shopping and I spent Saturday night being paranoid over every noise I heard. I finally fell asleep around 2am. On Sunday I had my in-laws over for dinner. I made Mega Meatball Pizza and Roasted Pears. It was nice to have them here, it broke up the day to have visitors. They even helped me bathe my two rugrats.


I took Monday off of work and spent time with my kids. We went to Christina's house so I could visit with her and see Kade (her new baby). Hayden spent time outdoors with Jordyn and Austin, and Roman enjoyed playing with their dog and swinging in their baby swing outside. However, I think the sun and the swinging were too much for him - he fell asleep in the swing! It was a lot of fun to see Christina and hold Kade, although I had a knack of putting him to sleep when I held him.


I've talked to Jage several times on the phone. He's having a great time. Nancy Pelosi is speaking to them tomorrow, and today he heard from Vice-President Cheney. He even had time to visit the "mall" - which I thought meant he was going shopping, but apparently that means seeing all the monuments and such (am I the only one who didn't know that?!). He comes home late tomorrow night and I'm so excited to see him!

Just Another Day

I took Hayden to the dentist today. This was his second time going, but his first time actually getting his teeth cleaned. The hygenist, who is actually Celeste's sister-in-law Kristin, was very good with him. She got him to take x-rays (after several attempts because he kept moving), and he even opened wide so she could clean his teeth. It was the actual dentist he was skeptical about. He started crying and when the dentist asked him to open his mouth, he said "I don't want to"...which is something I hear several times a day. Finally he told Hayden he was going to see if he had as many teeth as an alligator, which peaked Hayden's interest, and he opened up. Luckily for me Hayden's teeth are perfect.

On the way home I asked Hayden if he liked the dentist. He said, "I liked the dentist. He had pirates!" which is weird because there were no pirates in the dentist office.

For lunch I made myself a healthy salad but all the forks were in the dishwasher so I ate the rest of Hayden's macaroni and cheese. You know you're hungry when you eat lukewarm macaroni and cheese with a toddler spoon. I ate the salad after the dishwasher was done running.

After lunch Hayden grabbed an empty pizza box that is awaiting disposal and gave it a big hug. He said, "Mommy, I love pizza" and proceeded to give it a big kiss. Now why doesn't he do that with me?

Jage got a letter from Creighton University, they put him on their waiting list, which is better than a rejection but it wasn't the acceptance he was hoping to hear. We are still awaiting that bit of cheerful news.

I finally got Roman down for a nap. He's perfected the art of crying in such a way that breaks my heart and I could not put him to bed knowing he was so sad. Besides, he's had a hard day. Hayden's highchair tray accidently fell on his face and he cried about that for at least twenty minutes. I'm sure he has a killer headache from it.

I went to Target tonight and, buckling under the pressure, bought sleeping pills. I have tried, unsuccessfully, for three weeks to get a good night's rest. I just can't do it. I need my happy little blue pills...(no not those kind of pills!)

I ended the night with my best friends from "Lost". It was a great episode, I found myself laughing quite a bit. Oh, and Carissa...I think "Clench Matey" was "French Lady." We're so stupid =)