Tagged by Emilia

8 TV shows I love to watch:

1. The Office
2. Ugly Betty
3. 24
4. House
5. Law & Order - in all its varieties (Really this should be listed as number 1 because it's plays on every channel all hours of the day and whenever I can't watch anything else, I always revert to Law & Order)
6. Locked up abroad - It's on the national geographic channel and it's about people who think they are getting a free trip by being a drug mule. They always get caught and locked up in these third world countries. All the stories are true.
7. Without a Trace
8. NCIS

8 Favorite restaurants

1. CAFE RIO - Bar none this is my favorite place to eat. I could eat there everyday. In fact a few years ago, I went out to take care of my Grandma who has alzheimers. I took her there everyday because she couldn't remember that we had been there the day before and I got my fill. MMMMMMM
2. California Pizza Kitchen - I love their salads. Especially their Thai crunch and Barbecue Chicken
3. Joe's Deli - Cleveland restaurant where everything is AMAZING and it's cheap!
4. The cafeteria at Tamarack in West Virginia - This is at the West Virginia welcome center about 4 hours from Columbus. The chefs there are from the Greenbrier hotel and the food is amazing!! We stop anytime we are driving by because you have to.
5. The Pie Pizzeria - I have yet to find any type of pizza or place that even comes close. It is truly delicious.
6. Amul India - I only like this Indian restaurant because its right by my house. I order the same thing everytime but I love it.
7. Cafe at Nordstom - This is just plain yummy food that isn't a chain. Whenver we go to Easton, we make it a point to eat there.
8.Keiffers Steak house in Chicago- It's the best because it's not a chain and it has amazing steaks.

8 Things that happened yesterday
1. I awoke hammered after an all nighter with Jackson in my bed. We are staying with Eldon's sister in Augusta Georgia for Thanksgiving and Jackson was not familiar with his surroundings and therefore, not able to sleep.
2. I went to Fort Gordon for a massage. Very nice.
3. I played with my boys and two nephews.
4. I took a nap.
5. I read in my newest book Under & Alone about a California Under cover agent riding with the Mongol biker gang
6. I edited pictures I took for Natalie Clarke of little Annie B.
7. I ate taco pizza for dinner.
8. Gave my kids dranamine to make sure that we didn't have another restless night.

8 Things I'm looking forward to:
1. Having my baby
2. Buying a van
3. Quitting working
4. Being able to provide all the rides my children need myself.
5. Europe 2011 - Eldon has been saving lots of points for us to go.
6. Playing with my kids everyday.
7. Starting a business
8. Working on my body



8 Things on my wish list

1. Breast reduction surgery
2. Visiting my grandmas in Utah
3. Tan and beautiful body (beautiful is relative)
4. The ability to travel with Eldon all the time
5. A room solely dedicated to scrapbooking
6. Keeping my maid
7. Take the kids on a great vacation
8. To one day be able to drive a very fast sports car that doesn't make sense to own because no one else can drive in it.

My cute boys

They look so grown up!! I made them let me do their hair. Jack was willing, Max was not so happy about it.

Embarassing Moment(s)

One might wonder why I would post things like what I'm about to post. Well I ask, Why Not? Doesn't everyone have embarrasing things happen to them from time to time? If not, then I believe you are either boring or lying. So here goes:

Story #1.

A few weeks ago, I was going to visit a client at the Riffe Center. I had two consultants with me from another company and I needed to go to the restroom before we went into our meeting. So I quickly made my way to the only public option close by. I went in the first stall and after finishing realized there was no toilet paper. I sat there in a quandry. I had to have toilet paper. I was going into a meeting!! I was in a public restroom and I didn't know anyone else in there to ask for some. I immediately thought of the Seinfeld where Elaine asks if the lady next to her could "spare a square?" I sat there thinking maybe I could air dry, but then my meeting was going to start and there were two men waiting outside so I didn't have time to lolli-gag. So I made a bold decision. I listened for a few seconds to make sure I was alone, stood up, opened the stall door to walk into the next one where I prayed there was toiled paper. When I opened the door, there was a cleaning cart in front of me and the cleaning lady was right behind the wall (she couldn't see me) next to me. I slipped into the next stall and THANK HEAVENS there was toilet paper. But the funny thing was, I had flushed both toilets within seconds of eachother and she realized when I walked out that there was only one person coming so she then knew what I had done.

What would you have done?

Story #2
I had just gotten out of the shower and gotten partially dressed in my underwear. Jackson often likes to sneak out into the garage in the mornings for hopes that I have forgotten to lock the car and that he can get in and play without me knowing. I didn't see him and was worried because it was cold in the garage and I wanted to make sure he was inside. I quickly walked by Max's room to just peek down the stairs and I hear Max yell, "MOM put some pants on, you are embarassing me!!" I wasn't in the nude, but obviously we have come to that place where he knows and so there is only the fully clothed options now.

The scary Dementor and the really cute Thomas

Here are the kids right before Trick or Treating. Notice my adorable nephew as the Elephant.

Carving Pumpkins

I thought I would start the Halloween blogging with our Pumpkin Carving experience. I believe this is one of those obligatory things that is fun but when your kids are really little, not so fun. It was perfect for Max this year. He was so excited. Jack didn't get it, but he will next year. I was playing with my camera and found out how to take black and white pictures. I'm very excited. I know I should have shown the bright orange color of the pumpkins, but hey, I'm trying to be artistic here.

As Dad had to go home teaching, mom gets to decorate the pumpkins, but dad had to clean them out. Fair deal if you ask me. The mission, something simple for Jack and Max wanted a Dementor. HMMMMM......

Happy with the results.

Jack wanted to eat the pumpkin, so he took a bite out of the removed triangle eye. He just kept chewing util I told him he could spit it out.

Here is where everything began to fall apart. Jack is crying because I just yelled at him for slicing his brother's hand with the knife.


I think this says it all for how Max felt.

Ultimately, we had two finished pumpkins and a first aid kit.

The finished product. Later, Eldon put dry ice in the dementor so it would look like Harry Potter.

Eldon in Maui

So while I have been home with the kids, Eldon has been travelling to California and then onto Maui. He made it sound like he was going to be slaving away the entire time he was gone. Now I know that these trips are very busy. He tours locations all day, walking all over hotels, golf courses, spas and restaurants. He rarely gets to sit and has to listen to sales people all day try to sell him on their property.

Now I know that this sounds a little easier to take thinking that he really is working while he is gone. On Friday he was flying from LA to Maui with his flight leaving at 5:45 pacific time. The flight to Maui from LA is 5 1/2 hours. He called me from the airport before our ward Halloween party. He called me again right before bed and his flight was still delayed. He then called me when I woke up and he had just arrived in Maui and had been up all night. It was 2 am Maui time which is 6 hours earlier than here. He was also quite sick. I felt bad for him then. He called me a little later once he got to his hotel (The Ritz Carlton, Kapalua). He told me his ten hours in the airport and the 5 hours on the flight were worth every second because of how beautiful this hotel was. We had stayed there a few years ago and it was amazing. Apparently they have done an $80 million dollar renovation so it's ten times more amazing.

I did feel bad that he was sick and had to tour all day, UNTIL I heard about his afternoon. Apparently, these hotels don't think his tour is complete until he has had the most expensive spa treatment. So at the Ritz he started with a sugar scrub, outdoor swedish shower, and then a one hour massage. HMMMMM. Now if that was all, I would still be ok. But apparently he saw three hotels in Maui and all of them gave him spa treatments. The second one he decided for a pedicure because he didn't think it was healthy to have three massages in 36 hours. HMMMMM. The last hotel he was able to soak in the five mineral baths of joy (named by me) showered about 10 times in every shower known to man and then yes, another one hour massage.

So I try to be excited for him when he gets to go to these wonderful places, but it is hard when it's that good away from home. While he was gone, the boys and I had a great time. So I am not complaining, but just thought I should call a spade a spade.

It Finally Happened

I was finally released as RS President yesterday. I have been ready for a few months trying to hang on and not be burned out. It was really rewarding to spend the last few days thinking about everything that has happened and all that I have learned. It was also so sweet what people had to say yesterday. I do feel a huge burden removed, but I still think about people and wonder how they are doing etc. The thing I love about these callings in the church is that they are temporary. You are in the middle of it for a period of time and then just like that, you are done and doing something totally different. I remember this feeling from my mission where it was much more difficult to be released, but it was very much the same.

When Max heard I was going to be in Primary, he was SO excited. That is was what sealed it for me. They have sacrificed time with their mom over these past three years. He was so excited that I would be in Primary with him and not teaching the ladies as he put it. During dinner, Jackson said the prayer and in the middle he stopped and said, "mom do you have a meeting?" When I said no, he just grinned. The fact that a two year old even knows what a meeting is means it's time.

This has been a very challenging time for me over the past three years. When I was called, I was pregnant with Jackson, working, but from home and I thought it wouldn't get any busier. I then had some time at home and I actually felt like a real RS President. Then I had to go back to work and keep going. I think that was the lowest part for me. I now wouldn't have time for the Sisters and I was losing time with my kids. But it is amazing how it all works out over time.

Now I am looking forward at baby number three, Eldon has actually received the promotion we were hoping for three years ago and I am really going to quit. The Lord has blessed me with the abillity to prioritize, delegate, and to pray for help for those who I cannot physically be there for. I have seen amazing things happen through this time and look forward to the challenges and blessings of the future.

If I thought this was my last go at the RS President job, I would be seriously naive. But if it is, then I feel good about what I was able to accomplish, with of course a few regrets. I didn't have a newsletter, or a visiting teaching conference once in three years. But if anyone really feels deprived about it, I will pass that on to Emilia who I am sure will do a fabulous job.

Max

So for a very long time I thought that Max was exactly like his dad. It wasn't until yesterday that I realized that he does have an even share of us. He is still performing shows in the Shower and that can only be attributed to Eldon. But yesterday I was going to go get a birthday present for Ammon Washburn. For those of you who are not from around here, he is a boy who lives where they are babysat everyday. He is turning 9. Max explained to me that I needed to go to Costco and get the new Star wars video game for the play station 2. It was in the orange box, not the red one. I realized right away what he was doing. Every morning, Max and Jack are the only kids at home because all of Kristine's kids are in school. Max has free reign over the play station while they are gone. They have an older Star Wars game that he plays all the time, but he was very interested in the new one where Darth Vader has a new apprentice. He has been dreaming of becoming that role since he was 3. So the long story short, Max wanted to give a gift that would truly benefit himself. That all comes from his Mom.

Cute

Dad: Max, what do you want for Christmas?
Max: A Wii

Dad: Jack what do you want for Christmas?
Jack: A You

The water slide and my cool camera

This is using the "sport" feature on the camera where you hold the button down and it catches the scene in slow motion.

Left over summer pics

This was Max's first time ever going off the diving board. After this, he went about 1000 more times.


This is a very supportive, and hot little brother. You can see he is playing with my keys. He could care less about being in the water.

Feeling Yucky

I guess it is fate. I understand that most pregnant women feel yucky during the first tri-mester, but that has never been me. I always was a bit tired, but other than that, just fine. NOT ANYMORE!! Whew! This is insane! I am so much more tired, and I feel like I have had the flu for the last 3 weeks. Yesterday and today have been better, but OH MY GOODNESS!! So to all those who I may have not been as empathetic to in the past, my heart is with you! Let us pray that this is only a 1st trimester thing and that the 2nd is like the others!