I knew I shouldn't have looked at Abby D's blog today...

So here I am on Sunday night, in my big pink fuzzy jammies lazily skimming blogs and all of a sudden it hits me, Abby D (also know as Abby 1) tags me. So you must suffer through my six facts about me. Here goes:

1. I do not like to clean. I like to have a clean house, but I do not like to clean. I have to do all sorts of motivational tricks on myself: setting a timer, spending only 10 min. in each room, having a cookie after every chore. You get the idea. But I love the feeling of having a clean kitchen! So I love to check cleaning books out from the library. Crazy, but see fact-o-two-o. So if anyone has any hints, let me know.

2. I think the answer to any question can be solved by checking a book out of the library. If you can't figure why your child is crying, get a book. If you don't know anything about budgeting, get a book. If you are terrible at cooking, get 5 books. If you're feeling stressed about life, get 10, preferably either fluffy clean romances books or young adult fantasy novels! We go to the library about once a week.

3. I am a compulsive list maker. Every day during breakfast I make a list of what I want to do during the day. It's one of the ways I cope, and enjoy, being a stay at home mom. If I have a plan, and goals, then I am much less likely to become bored and feel that yucky sense of pointlessness. Plus it is an incredible feeling to check something off a list. Not only do you get something done, but you get to physically destroy it. Before every vacation I make at least one list of stuff to pack. I already have my christmas list made of who is getting what, except for Brent's, who knows about my list obsession and looks them over every chance he gets.

4. I love string quartets. They are probably my favorite form of classical music. The perfect blend of stringed instruments, ensemble harmony, and soloist melody. I am happy that I am not a professional musician, but every now and then have a little remorse that I'm not as involved adn active in my music. And let's face it, I could be if I really wanted to be, but then again, that's a lot of work! I'll stick to playing with a volunteer orchestra and teaching my 3 violin students. And someday I'll get to play in a string quartet for real.

5. Hmmm, this is getting a little harder now. Aha! We don't have TV reception at our house. I have an awful weakness, that when a TV is on, I cannot concentrate on anything else. Some of you may know this about me and agree that trying to carry on a conversation with me while any program is on is not very coherent. It doesn't matter what it is, from Blues Clues to a commercial about bosnian children, it sucks me in. And I can't get it out of my head. I have to be extra careful about the content of the movies we watch because it plays they play over and over until I can't sleep. And when I do, I have nightmares. I used to dream in Gilmore Girls. So we just don't have TV. It all started because we were newlyweds and the TV we inherited was so old it didn't get reception, and we came to really like it. Life is a lot simpler without it.

6. Even though I hate running I'm signing up for the 5k in Moab in March. Brent is going to run the half marathon so I had to at least do something! I've been biking all summer and walking with 50 pounds of girls in the double stroller, so it should be cake! No, seriously, I'm looking forward to getting into better shape. So ask me how it's going and hopefully I'll stay motivated.

So I'm now tagging Maren, Sarah, Ellen, because those are the only people I know who have blogs and haven't been tagged. So now it's your turn to blog 6 things about you and tag 6 other unsuspecting readers!

A failed Family Picture

The timing was perfect. We were all ready for church, the girls looked adorable, it was a beautiful october day complete with perfect pumpkins in the background, Rosemary was there to take the picture. Why am I the only one looking at the camera?!

STUCK!!!

Go Utes!

This last Saturday Brent and I had an awesome date- the University of Utah football game! Because Brent is awesome, he was awarded these tickets and it just so happened that Rosemary was coming down for the weekend for little cousin Brayden's blessing. So she was wonderful enough to spend some time with the girls while Brent and I took off for some fun. It was a rainy, chilly day, but we were sitting pretty high up and just happened to be under a small overhang. It was pretty funny watching the row in front of us getting soaked while we were toasty and dry under our red blanket. It was a great game, 23-7 Utes, I'd forgotten how much I enjoy watching football games, I don't think I've been to one since the last Ricks College Vikings game.
So a big thank you to Rosemary for being an awesome Grandma, and a big 'Go Utes!'
p.s. if I have offened any BYU fans, please don't stop speaking to me, I couldn't help which game we got tickets to!

Our View

We may live in the middle of the city, but out our back door is a taste of home. Directly behind our house is are brand new houses, but to the south is a small field, complete with falling down fence and small barns. I'm sure a developer already has plans to put in several homes in place of this beautiful tree, but it reminds me just a little of Burton.

Bookworm in training

So I don't have any idea where she gets it from, but Laura definitely has a love for books. There have been lots of times that I'll notice that she's being extra quiet and upon investigation find her sitting in a corner with an open book. And of course it's always wonderful to have a little friend come and sit down with me when I'm absorbed in my own novel.

Of course Laura loves to have stories read to her, for as long as any adult will continue. Today she was pulling all of my books off of our book shelves and making a pile on the end tables. I got a little frustrated, this isn't the first time she's taken them and left them in random places, but I had to stop and laugh when she looked up at me with those big green eyes and told me, "But Mommy, it's the library!" So we put mine back and redirected her efforts to her own shelf full of books.

Also the worst punishment we can think of isn't a time-out, although she spends her own fair share of time on her designated stair. No, the thing that will stop Laura in her tracks is the threat of loosing her stories at bed time! Heaven forbid.

Laura's favorite book: Cinderella

Favorite book spot: anywhere, but especially on someone else's lap.

Favorite bedtime stories: The old Man and the Afternoon Cat, But No Elephants, Princess Jess

Favorite library book: The Princess Book

Books that I keep trying to get here interested in: Kevin Henkes stories

10 girls all at the Zoo

Yesterday Maren and Sarah came down to Salt Lake and we loaded all the girls up and bravely made our way to the zoo. It actually turned out to be a great day, it was aobut 70 degrees, the animals were out, and because it was a school day afternoon we basically had the zoo to ourselves. The girls loved seeing the albino crocodile and of course the monkeys were among the favorites, especially because we have a few little chimpanzees in our group. I think it's going to become a yearly tradition to make the pilgrimage and take all the cousins to the zoo.