Jackson's 15 Minutes of Fame

Check it out:

http://overheardintheward.com/2009/09/too-much-history-channel/

Thank you!

T is now resting comfortably at home. Hopefully she will get some rest there. Heaven knows that no one gets rest in a hospital! Fantastic that they are all home together again. Fortunately, the diagnosis was much better than what it could have been.

Thank you for your prayers and kind words. What a blessing to feel the strength of loved ones during a difficult time.

Prayers, Please.

Just a quick post.

My sweet sister in law has been in the hospital over the last few days having some seizures. They are not quite sure what is causing the seizures, but prayers right now would be appreciated.

This woman simply amazes me. She has an incredible quiet grace and strength about her. She is such a great example to all around her.

My little brother is a fit mate for her. He, too, exemplifies strength and positive attitude. He truly honors and uses the Priesthood to bless others. I have watched him not leave her side. Although this situation must be trying him, he handles the challenge like a man of God.

Please keep them in your prayers. This is so much for them to handle let alone the fact that they recently lost sweet Sadie. God must be preparing them for something truly amazing.

Ethical Question

Am I a bad person for being willing to post a questionnaire on my blog in exchange for a chance to win some sweet Cricut cartridges?

Cricut Meme

This is contest entry for those crazy folks at TodaysMama and Cricut. Be sure to check out Cricut's cool new cartridges and the chance at $30,000 in travel for you and your friends at the Great Gypsy Escape site! http://bit.ly/FWcud

Great Escape Meme
1. If you could escape to anywhere in the world where would it be? Paris, London, Rome. I'd do the super European tour. I'd be sure to hang out a little extra time in Biarritz, France. One of my favorite cities in the world!
2. What song do you play when you are by yourself in the car? Defying Gravity from Wicked. And I sing it at the top of my lungs and pretend I am Elphaba! (Totally innocent to confess it here, since no one reads this blog! Except my mom. She knows I am crazy anyway.)
3. If you had a night to yourself, and money was no object, what would you do? Go hit the spa for an all nighter. And sip Diet Coke to my heart's content. Mmmmm.
4. What is your guilty pleasure? The Hoff. Hands down.
5. What is the farthest place you have traveled away from your home? Australia and New Zealand. Loved it!
6. Last book that you couldn't put down? The Lost Symbol (currently have in my other hand that is not typing.)
7. When you want to escape into another time, what movie do you watch? Zoolander.
8. What is your favorite local escape? My scrapbook room. With Derek Zoolander.
9. How do you escape on a budget? See above answer. I get my son in there with me. He plays with his Cuttlebug, while I play with all my scrabook stuff. It is like a mini vacation.
10. Best food you've ever had while on vacation. Mmmm....fresh pineapple spears at Disneyland. Defintely a must have when visiting The Mouse.

The "F" word

So I have been learning so much about 6 year old boys since Mr. Sterling has been staying with us.

Jackson and Sterling are the best at the fluctuation between best buddies/hate your guts that two 6 year olds could possibly be.

The other night, they were trying to go to sleep, but were chatting it up a little bit. I was in the office next door to Jack's room so I couldn't help but snoop.

In listening to their little voices, I made out that one of them kept referring to the "F word." I tried to listen in a little more to see what that "F word" might be. No luck. They just giggled and eventually went to sleep.

The next day, Dave was quizzing Sterling about some stuff and slid in, "What's the F-word?" Sterling responded with that "do you really need to ask me that" tone that only a 6 year old can master. "Duh, Dad. The F word is family."

I couldn't stop laughing!

Then yesterday, those two little guys were talking about how they couldn't let the girls hear them say the "t word" or else the girls would "L-O-V-E" them. (yes...they spelled the L-O-V-E right out!)

Later I asked Jackson what the "t word" was and he replied "tenders." Now, why they would be saying "tenders" in front of girls is one thing. Why they think that girls are going to go ga-ga over them if they say it is quite another. (Thank you, Jack Black, for introducing this word into my child's vocabulary via Kung Fu Panda)

Happy Birthday!!!

A HUGE Happy Birthday to my amazing husband!!! He revels in the fact that he doesn't have to share his birthday month with anyone else, and I think that is appropriate. We should have a WHOLE month to celebrate this amazing guy.

34 things that make Ian the top dude in my book (in no particular order)
1. He is an amazing father and husband.
2. One of the most selfless people I know.
3. His ridiculous knowledge of all things historical.
4. The way he honors his Priesthood
5. Do you know anyone else that can quote movies like this guy?
6. A fantastic example of what it means to love your family.
7. He is full of humility and always is trying to improve upon himself.
8. He shares my unhealthy love of Disneyland.
9. I love watching him interact with Jackson. He is the perfect mix: a dad who isn't afraid to let his inner 6 year old shine through.
10. He loves me no matter what. Seriously!!
11. He has a soft spot in his heart for his nieces and nephews; especially the nieces.
12. He is a great role model to his nephew that may not have an ideal male role model.
13. Very responsible.
14. Even though he's still responsible, he's been known to call me at work at noon and says "Should we go to Disneyland after you get off work today?"
15. Those lips. Yummy.
16. He gives the BEST hugs!! Solid and firm.
17. His geekiness when it comes to comic books and Star Wars make me smile.
18. He has a gentleness about him while still maintaining his strength.
19. He is pretty open to trying new, crazy things.
20. His patience.
21. Hs love for animals, especially for that dog of ours.
22. His commitment to his faith.
23. That smile.
24. They way his eyes crinkle up when he smiles.
25. His laughter. The kind of laugh that goes all the way through his body.
26. Late nights with him when neither of us can sleep because we are laughing to hard.
27. He'll let me sleep in...I mean REALLY sleep in...when I am sick or he feels like I need rest
28. His gratitude for his blessings.
29. Those sparkly eyes!
30. His honesty.
31. The great example he sets for me.
32. His ability to overlook faults in those he loves.
33. His sense of style.
34. That he is mine...forever!

What to do!?!?!

The Lost Symbol (Dan Brown's new book) is waiting at my house to be read.
I have a feeling I will be reading through the night!

A New Appreciation For Life

Check this out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7CEoWTa3pA

The man you see in the video (the dad) is a guy I work with. His son is an amazing kiddo. In fact, they are a pretty neat family.

I am so grateful for the Lord's blessings in my life and Gideon reminds me that the challenges we are given in life are not meant to be a curse from a meanie, but rather a demonstration of the love that God has for us. This was just the message I needed to hear when I saw this video.

Enjoy!!

Review Friday

I really should bring back Review Friday. Right?

Anyway, I just finished reading Catching Fire which is the sequel to The Hunger Games. This review will make a whole lot more sense if you have already read The Hunger Games. If you haven't read it, check it out.

Here is the lowdown:

Katniss and Peeta have settled into their new homes in the Victors' Circle after having started a bit of unrest in Panem. They are getting ready to tour the country for their victory tour when the president of Panem makes a special little visit to Katniss to let her know that by unrest, he means a bit of a revolution which he is not too happy about. He threatens her that she needs to essentially fix it or else he will "take care" of her family and friends (and by take care, he means torture and kill.)

Katniss and Peeta then spend the next while touring Panem trying to convince everyone that they were crazy in love during the Hunger Games and that is what caused them to defy the Capitol.

No one is convinced.

Katniss then learns of an underground movement that is taking place across the country. People are fed up and planning on taking back the country from the Capitol.

Then, the Capitol does something crazy to show that they are still in charge (SPOILER ALERT: They bring back Katniss and Peeta for the year's Hunger Games.)

Alrighty then, what to think of it all?

First of all, I liked the book over all. I felt like it started off slow. About half way through the book, the plot took off like a rocket. About the last third of the book discussed their second go around in the Hunger Games, which was okay, but I would have liked to read more of the underground revolution stuff and less of the "let's all kill each other" stuff. I like these books because Katniss is a more rounded female character than most of the other female characters I have read in Young Adult fiction (I am talking about you, Bella Swan!) She is not needy, but a strong young woman. Now, don't get me wrong, she has some flaws, but then don't we all? Those flaws make for a more interesting person to read about.

I found this book to be less bloody than the first book, which was welcome. I also loved the theme of the people taking back their country. This book seems to be the transition as it is showing the early signs of an uprising. I hope to see more of the revolution in the next book and not another Hunger Games. The fact that she threw in another Hunger Games in this book made it seem a bit formulaic in some parts, but not so much that it turned me off to the book. In fact, after reading Catching Fire, I went back and re-read The Hunger Games to refresh my memory about a few things in there. I was surprised at how bloody The Hunger Games was as I didn't remember it to be that violent. But it was. And so we go on. I was more attuned to all the foreshadowing in my second read of The Hunger Games which made it a more entertaining read. I hope to find the same in Catching Fire when I read it again.

So there you go. I would give it two thumbs up.

Next book: The Lost Symbol by Mr. Dan Brown. The next novel in the Robert Langdon series. It comes out on 9/15. We have been waiting too long for this one!

Too much History Channel for my son!

Hubby: Now, Jackson, who are the people from the Book of Mormon that we always talk about in Sunday School?
Jackson: The Nephites, the Lamanites, and the Germans!!!!

"The Lord's School"

Anyone who knows me even remotely knows that it drives me insane when people refer to BYU as "The Lord's School."

I now have an unphotoshopped photo that proves otherwise.

The Utah flag is actually on a crane behind the Temple.

What I am really trying to say is: Love you Cougs!! mwah!

(and please don't burn my house down, Petersons. We REALLY love you!)

Big announcement for the day...

The Utes have their first game! Against Utah State!


GO UTES!!!!!