Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Happy 33/11
Since his birthday and our anniversary are so close together I am doing one post dedicated to the one man who has provided the most stability in my life since the day I was born.
Hippieartist, had he lived, would be getting a dedicatory post tomorrow as his birthday so don't feel like I am slighting my father by making such a statement about my husband.
Even writing this post is challenging for me because he is like a brilliant movie that no one else quite gets. I think a few others out there might sort of understand him but overall I think he remains an enigma to most of the world.
Let me enlighten you:
- He no apparent hobbies besides his family (meaning us) and his research yet he has extensive knowledge of sports, world politics, pop culture, and history in general. When I call him and ask him trivia questions he either knows the answer right off the bat and acts like everyone know this or he says something like "I have no idea honey" as if asking him is a ridiculous idea.
- I have never heard him say an unkind thing about anyone ever. If start complaining about someone he has one of two answers every time: 1. Yeah that is kind of... anyway (as if he physically is incapable of saying something mean) or 2. Well, you can understand how... right? (as if he empathizes with the person.) This has pushed me to be a better person because I feel like I have gotten better at understanding the plight of people no matter how annoying.
- When he hangs out with the kids, they enjoy it so much but more importantly HE enjoys it. He loves to wrestle, play games, read, do "learning time" and whatever other kid activities he has a chance to partake in. For me it feels like a shift or a chore but he seems to genuinely love it. This makes me want to enjoy it more too and I appreciate his example to me.
- He refuses to go to sleep unless he has done his exercises and the dishes. This is a fairly new thing, like the last year or so. He never says "hey can you do the dishes?" he just has this routine. It has inspired me to be more on top of that particular chore because I feel like if I don't do it sometimes he will always end up staying up late. It is the perfect case of being an example to your family of cleaning rather than criticizing them for not doing it.
- He absolutely does not care what you think. It isn't personal, he just isn't motivated by impressing you. Since I am highly motivated by what others think it is key for me to be married to someone of his very focused personality in which pleasing your spouse and your God are the only things that matter.
- This is a pretty selfish one, but he never seems to tire of my nagging. If I say "can you do this?" or "turn this way" or "I don't want to do that" he never gets upset. I try to reign it in but how can I curb it when he never complains?
- He makes me laugh. After 11 years of marriage he still is the one person whose approval means the most to me, whose one-liners make me smile and whose image comes to my mind anytime I hear a cheesy song about forever happiness.
If you want to read more about how awesome he is see the index from the label cloud.
Happy Birthday and anniversary!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
House Update
Renters actually cleaned the house! Looks good though bonus room
carpets completely trashed and walls problematic. We will be painting
the whole place and looking into hiring a ne'er-do-well cuz to do the
bathroom. Pics coming soon.
carpets completely trashed and walls problematic. We will be painting
the whole place and looking into hiring a ne'er-do-well cuz to do the
bathroom. Pics coming soon.
-posted from camping out in our empty slums
Sent from mi teléfono i.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
Outings
We are suddenly leaving on Saturday at 1 pm sharp to drive up to Sacramento. We are going to camp out in our house, clean it up, and hopefully approve new renters to move in asap.
One major unknown is what kind of state the house will be in upon arrival. Hopefully it isn't trashed up because we are having our kids sleep there. Yeah.
Anyway after we go to Sac we will drive straight to Utah (forgoing Vegas--sob--and going through N. Nevada ugh) and we will stay there for a coupla weeks if anyone wants to get together. I head to Denvah (me alone with the kids methinks if the hostess is okay with that) and then a few other places (Utah-Grand Rapids-Utah-Vegas) prior to returning home in early August.
This is all last minute of course. In the meantime I had a fun hangout day with everyone's favorite freighbor.
Some pics from the day:
How many of you have playgroup on a boat off the coast? Yeeahhh that's what I thought...
Kids got to play capitán...
I was thinking it was a real party boat until I saw this sign. It struck me as funny, I don't know why. It seems implied that one cannot break the law, but maybe on boats you have to be specific. Lil Toot does not tolerate Cartel clientele.
Two friends will be heartbroken when Katie & fam pack up. So will their daughters who love to play together:
Another group shot on the boat in case you missed it:
Action shot on the anchor outside the Maritime Museum (closed Wednesdays whoops):
The little guys:
Whole group. See if you can spot the one who refused to be in the pic:
PS My cake was Moses parting the red sea which apparently Katie interpreted as Obama since she is so sure he can make miracles happen.
One major unknown is what kind of state the house will be in upon arrival. Hopefully it isn't trashed up because we are having our kids sleep there. Yeah.
Anyway after we go to Sac we will drive straight to Utah (forgoing Vegas--sob--and going through N. Nevada ugh) and we will stay there for a coupla weeks if anyone wants to get together. I head to Denvah (me alone with the kids methinks if the hostess is okay with that) and then a few other places (Utah-Grand Rapids-Utah-Vegas) prior to returning home in early August.
This is all last minute of course. In the meantime I had a fun hangout day with everyone's favorite freighbor.
Some pics from the day:
How many of you have playgroup on a boat off the coast? Yeeahhh that's what I thought...
Kids got to play capitán...
I was thinking it was a real party boat until I saw this sign. It struck me as funny, I don't know why. It seems implied that one cannot break the law, but maybe on boats you have to be specific. Lil Toot does not tolerate Cartel clientele.
Two friends will be heartbroken when Katie & fam pack up. So will their daughters who love to play together:
Another group shot on the boat in case you missed it:
Action shot on the anchor outside the Maritime Museum (closed Wednesdays whoops):
The little guys:
Whole group. See if you can spot the one who refused to be in the pic:
PS My cake was Moses parting the red sea which apparently Katie interpreted as Obama since she is so sure he can make miracles happen.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
7th place!!!
Okay I know this is such a high honor and I never really anticipated winning, but I appreciate all the voters (6?) who lent their sticker to vote for my cake. I would like to thank the following people:
1) Steve who supported me by holding the baby while I decorated
2) My three older children who hovered and requested licking frosting every ten seconds
3) Freighbor Katie for the best cupcakes I have ever eaten in my life (Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcakes)
4) The Ward Activities Committee for coming up with such a fun idea (Ace of Cakes, make a cake representing something from the scriptures. No one did New Testament, I think it was seen as sacrilege to do anything about Jesus or lepers)
5) The prize committee who awarded me with a symphony chocolate bar (with toffee!) and a pirated church humor CD. Love it!
Here are some pics of the other people who somehow placed higher than I did:
1) Steve who supported me by holding the baby while I decorated
2) My three older children who hovered and requested licking frosting every ten seconds
3) Freighbor Katie for the best cupcakes I have ever eaten in my life (Barefoot Contessa Coconut Cupcakes)
4) The Ward Activities Committee for coming up with such a fun idea (Ace of Cakes, make a cake representing something from the scriptures. No one did New Testament, I think it was seen as sacrilege to do anything about Jesus or lepers)
5) The prize committee who awarded me with a symphony chocolate bar (with toffee!) and a pirated church humor CD. Love it!
Here are some pics of the other people who somehow placed higher than I did:
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Lessons Learned from the South
I have spent the last three years working in North Carolina and am now shifting to a focus on the midwest. I didn't realize it until this last week but I have learned a lot from the time I have spent there. Since I always have a microfocus on education this reflection is through that lens:
1) You cannot judge someone by their age or by their speed of speech. When I first met the principals and teachers that I was going to be working with I made some prejudgements. An older teacher with low tech skills I wrote off immediately, a principal who spoke slowly and with a heavy accent I determined would not be a strong leader. I was wrong on both counts.
2) When people are ready to change, push them as hard as you can. I initially started out saying things like "I think it would be good to..." and didn't get much mileage. When I started using phrases like "no one has tried that successfully and I am going to coach you away from..." it was much more successful. I think people can hear confidence in your voice and tone and respond accordingly.
3) If you walk into a top-down culture you can't expect a grass roots movement to take fire. You can push from the bottom but you really have to slam-dunk with administrators if you want to get a fast revolution. The other way around is a slow train ride.
4) The most successful approaches in life are when you can make people think it was their idea. My most successful training is when people walk away empowered and say things like "I knew all that stuff already." Makes me look bad but I know that as I disappear from the horizon, the biggest compliment that I can be paid is that they just don't need me anymore.
5) Efficiency is king. If you cannot make your value known to someone in the first five minutes, they don't want you ever. I am still working on a hook but I think I have made progress in that area.
6) If people don't want or need you, then don't pine away after them or try to get them to see it your way. Offer up what you have and provide it to those who want it. If someone takes a personal day while I am on site, or has a meeting that takes precedence, so be it. Making a fuss over someone being out on the one day a quarter I am on campus is bad for them and for me. My new approach is to say "Oh you are going to be out? Have a good time!" If they feel sad about it, then they are simply facing the consequences that these choices bring. I am not going to take it personally either. This is major progress for me by the way.
7) The human ego is fragile. Massage, massage, massage. ALWAYS start with a positive even if you can't really find one at first.
8) If you have a great idea, find four other people and convince them with all your might that this is the one and only right way to do something. If you don't have four people around when the idea gets implemented, it falls apart. Maybe this is why Obama is pleading for Germany.
9) If people are excited and energized by your training and refer to it as "drinking the kool aid" then you know you are doing something great. Someone referred to it as brainwashing last week and I fully and wholeheartedly embrace it.
10) No job is without its heartache and mistakes. I made some early mistakes that have haunted me to this day and I still wonder if I could have done something greater had I done some things better the first year.
1) You cannot judge someone by their age or by their speed of speech. When I first met the principals and teachers that I was going to be working with I made some prejudgements. An older teacher with low tech skills I wrote off immediately, a principal who spoke slowly and with a heavy accent I determined would not be a strong leader. I was wrong on both counts.
2) When people are ready to change, push them as hard as you can. I initially started out saying things like "I think it would be good to..." and didn't get much mileage. When I started using phrases like "no one has tried that successfully and I am going to coach you away from..." it was much more successful. I think people can hear confidence in your voice and tone and respond accordingly.
3) If you walk into a top-down culture you can't expect a grass roots movement to take fire. You can push from the bottom but you really have to slam-dunk with administrators if you want to get a fast revolution. The other way around is a slow train ride.
4) The most successful approaches in life are when you can make people think it was their idea. My most successful training is when people walk away empowered and say things like "I knew all that stuff already." Makes me look bad but I know that as I disappear from the horizon, the biggest compliment that I can be paid is that they just don't need me anymore.
5) Efficiency is king. If you cannot make your value known to someone in the first five minutes, they don't want you ever. I am still working on a hook but I think I have made progress in that area.
6) If people don't want or need you, then don't pine away after them or try to get them to see it your way. Offer up what you have and provide it to those who want it. If someone takes a personal day while I am on site, or has a meeting that takes precedence, so be it. Making a fuss over someone being out on the one day a quarter I am on campus is bad for them and for me. My new approach is to say "Oh you are going to be out? Have a good time!" If they feel sad about it, then they are simply facing the consequences that these choices bring. I am not going to take it personally either. This is major progress for me by the way.
7) The human ego is fragile. Massage, massage, massage. ALWAYS start with a positive even if you can't really find one at first.
8) If you have a great idea, find four other people and convince them with all your might that this is the one and only right way to do something. If you don't have four people around when the idea gets implemented, it falls apart. Maybe this is why Obama is pleading for Germany.
9) If people are excited and energized by your training and refer to it as "drinking the kool aid" then you know you are doing something great. Someone referred to it as brainwashing last week and I fully and wholeheartedly embrace it.
10) No job is without its heartache and mistakes. I made some early mistakes that have haunted me to this day and I still wonder if I could have done something greater had I done some things better the first year.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Dessert Competition
I never thought it would come to this. I thought it would be great fun to have a little dessert competition but I didn't know that my own daughter would turn against me.
Bridget decided to enter her own dessert. She looked up a dessert online, then unsatisfied turned to the dessert doctor. Completely on her own she and Casey threw together a Chocolate Cake with chocolate chips in it. Pretty good really, and though she ranked fairly high, she was upset for a couple of reasons:
1) She felt that my dessert was worse than hers. According to her, the texture was horrible AND it didn't even turn out right.
2) She said that her father ranked lower than her because he made a "retarded" dessert. It was his strawberry cake which I think myself is tasty.
We told her she needed to learn to lose and that she was competing with adults but she wasn't interested in that part of it.
Anyway having said that, here are the current standings:
1. Nicole P.
2. Tie between Karen F. and Holly Y.
4. Jeannie S.
5. Cherry
6. *Vivian (is it true you are moving and going to drop out?)
7. Me
8. Billy
9. *Joceyln (too scared to face competition so she put in papers and is going on a mission instead)
10. *Freighbor Katie (moving to undetermined location since I am out of sugar)
11. John F.
12. Bridget
13. Brandy
14. Chantel
15. Kaitlyn D.
16. Danny D.
17. Jo
18. Alexis
19. Daniel T.
20. Jacqui
21. Caitlyn D. the younger
22. Steve
*Highly ranked individuals who were kicked out because they are too good for the SB water.
Here is the bracket for the fall. First we are going to move everyone into a place on the bracket, so we will do a single elimination, triple head-to-header in August. Dates coming soon...
Bridget decided to enter her own dessert. She looked up a dessert online, then unsatisfied turned to the dessert doctor. Completely on her own she and Casey threw together a Chocolate Cake with chocolate chips in it. Pretty good really, and though she ranked fairly high, she was upset for a couple of reasons:
1) She felt that my dessert was worse than hers. According to her, the texture was horrible AND it didn't even turn out right.
2) She said that her father ranked lower than her because he made a "retarded" dessert. It was his strawberry cake which I think myself is tasty.
We told her she needed to learn to lose and that she was competing with adults but she wasn't interested in that part of it.
Anyway having said that, here are the current standings:
1. Nicole P.
2. Tie between Karen F. and Holly Y.
4. Jeannie S.
5. Cherry
6. *Vivian (is it true you are moving and going to drop out?)
7. Me
8. Billy
9. *Joceyln (too scared to face competition so she put in papers and is going on a mission instead)
10. *Freighbor Katie (moving to undetermined location since I am out of sugar)
11. John F.
12. Bridget
13. Brandy
14. Chantel
15. Kaitlyn D.
16. Danny D.
17. Jo
18. Alexis
19. Daniel T.
20. Jacqui
21. Caitlyn D. the younger
22. Steve
*Highly ranked individuals who were kicked out because they are too good for the SB water.
Here is the bracket for the fall. First we are going to move everyone into a place on the bracket, so we will do a single elimination, triple head-to-header in August. Dates coming soon...
Shower Deets
Here are some quick pics I took of the shower. I did not have my own shower in the morning and I didn't have time to decorate the cupcakes nor make the rolls but this is what we ended up with on a tight schedule. The frosted cupcakes are red velvet, very very yummilicious. The brown ones are from Freighbor who busted her hiney to get me what I needed in my dire circumstances. She panicked that I wouldn't like the cupcakes because the recipe called for a whole two ounces of red dye but they were perfect. She didn't even try one because she was worried there weren't enough. We had plenty and it was beautiful.
Outside in the lovely back yard:
More food shots:
Chicken salad, caprese stacks, and fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips:
Me, unshowered, dirty smokey clothes from my trip, and baby Meg who I hadn't seen for a full week!
More salsa pics. Fruit with mint mmmm....
The caprese stacks: Fresh mozza, basil leaves, heirloom cherry tomatoes:
Prizes for games. Again, Freighbor Katie and her beautiful bow work...
The honoree--well the host of el bebé anyway. She seemed happy so I hope she enjoyed it!
Outside in the lovely back yard:
More food shots:
Chicken salad, caprese stacks, and fruit salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips:
Me, unshowered, dirty smokey clothes from my trip, and baby Meg who I hadn't seen for a full week!
More salsa pics. Fruit with mint mmmm....
The caprese stacks: Fresh mozza, basil leaves, heirloom cherry tomatoes:
Prizes for games. Again, Freighbor Katie and her beautiful bow work...
The honoree--well the host of el bebé anyway. She seemed happy so I hope she enjoyed it!
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Friday, June 19, 2009
Lameness
Flight out tonight from Grand Rapids home, excited to see family. Wrapping up the conference and week of rushing around doing bejillion things. Just as I was clicking "play" on the closing show slideshow, all emotional from an exhausting week of training and peopling, I see I have a phone message from my orbitz update.
Update? Flight cancelled.
Push button, watch slide show, cry. Perhaps participants feel that I am emotional because they are so awesome so tears not wasted.
Call husband in tears who reassures me that all is well and tells me it will be fine. Other calls throughout day are received equally. He is incredible.
40 minutes on hold with United, never make it through. Much consternation and tears.
Co-worker offers to drive me to Detroit, Lansing, Indy, or any other flight that can go around Chicago and some Tornado watch.
Realize flight reroute through Detroit will get me into LAX tonight at 11 pm. Another awesome co-worker offers for me to stay in their home and it dawns on me I have a baby shower I am putting on tomorrow at 7 pm in LA.
Much stress.
Finally decide upon leaving for LAX in the morning since I can't get out of here tonight until late anyway.
Call trusty frequent flyer airline US Airways (don't hate) books me on flight out of Indianapolis first thing in the morning into LAX.
Bestest Freighbor Katie who is getting a ladies night out on me comes to rescue by offering to put decorations in car for me (Steve and kids meeting me down at shower at 4ish) and bake cupcakes (red velvet) for shower. Also has prepared my game prizes.
(PS Freighbor, I outsourced the games to one of the generous offerers of help.)
Homewood Suites in Indy is awesome. I am going to bed.
Update? Flight cancelled.
Push button, watch slide show, cry. Perhaps participants feel that I am emotional because they are so awesome so tears not wasted.
Call husband in tears who reassures me that all is well and tells me it will be fine. Other calls throughout day are received equally. He is incredible.
40 minutes on hold with United, never make it through. Much consternation and tears.
Co-worker offers to drive me to Detroit, Lansing, Indy, or any other flight that can go around Chicago and some Tornado watch.
Realize flight reroute through Detroit will get me into LAX tonight at 11 pm. Another awesome co-worker offers for me to stay in their home and it dawns on me I have a baby shower I am putting on tomorrow at 7 pm in LA.
Much stress.
Finally decide upon leaving for LAX in the morning since I can't get out of here tonight until late anyway.
Call trusty frequent flyer airline US Airways (don't hate) books me on flight out of Indianapolis first thing in the morning into LAX.
Bestest Freighbor Katie who is getting a ladies night out on me comes to rescue by offering to put decorations in car for me (Steve and kids meeting me down at shower at 4ish) and bake cupcakes (red velvet) for shower. Also has prepared my game prizes.
(PS Freighbor, I outsourced the games to one of the generous offerers of help.)
Homewood Suites in Indy is awesome. I am going to bed.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Conferencia
I leave tomorrow AM for my big conference to train the New Schools I will be working with in the fall and I am of course way excited.
Some major things that I will get out of it:
I am planning a baby shower for a friend of mine and the only date that worked for all parties involved is next Saturday. I get back late Friday evening and then I have to plan for this big ole shower. I need ideas for food, decorations, and games. I will probably go with the "woulda rather" from Vivian (from Brandy's shower). The shower is going to start at 7 which will at least give me time during the day to do it all. I mainly need ideas for desserts. I was thinking cupcakes because they are cute and fun to decorate... But welcome whatever suggestions or links you can provide.
She is having a boy.
Some major things that I will get out of it:
- Meeting staff of one of my schools (already met the others in Indy in the spring)
- Hanging out with my way fun co-workers the majority of whom have purchased iphones since last conference)
- Dueling Piano bar in downtown Grand Rapids (they play requests and they can do just about anything--see Matt Giraud)
- Sleeping through the night several nights in a row
- Tapas (great little Moroccan/Spanish place walking distance from hotel)
- Working to train adults and watching the learning style of adults (hint: see teenagers)
- A new module I have been working on that will require them to do some kind of performance with a group of teachers they don't know. Fun!!
- Guilt from being away from my kiddos (again)
- Exhaustion from 6 am-12 am schedule. Yes the evening part is optional but you gotta participate in that stuff.
I am planning a baby shower for a friend of mine and the only date that worked for all parties involved is next Saturday. I get back late Friday evening and then I have to plan for this big ole shower. I need ideas for food, decorations, and games. I will probably go with the "woulda rather" from Vivian (from Brandy's shower). The shower is going to start at 7 which will at least give me time during the day to do it all. I mainly need ideas for desserts. I was thinking cupcakes because they are cute and fun to decorate... But welcome whatever suggestions or links you can provide.
She is having a boy.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Kids Birthday
Cake pics.
We do a combined b-day party for the three oldest kids which is kind of a family tradition we really love. After. An hour before the party I always question the sanity of it all.
I really didn't take pictures. Here are the highlights though:
1) Total chaos for two hours
2) Awesome treasure hunt for the 4th year running. Steve did three separate hunts and the kids were pretty into it. Well, those who didn't mind running a couple of miles. There was a small issue with Steve planning for little kids to run back and forth across the street but he figures that the more running the better and we had so many, who would notice one missing?
3) 49 people (I know because we had exactly one plate left)
4) Amateur cakes
5) T-shirt decorations (wish I had a pick because they were totally amazing--well, some anyway)
6) Community full of people I love to really pick up my low spirits
7) Me, snippy with a few peeps (sorry!)
8) Missionaries on the calendar a month ago. Whoops! They got the leftovers: Mini hamburgers with little mini homemade buns (100% refined flour!) and fruit cut fruit. And of course the limón chips that I heart the mostest. Oh and tons of leftover cake. I hope they didn't mind the hurricane of party that hit our apartment.
Thanks everyone for the wonderful company and generous gifts to the kids!
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Great article
This is a great article describing our organization and what we do. This is a school I will be working with in the fall.
The Grand Rapids conference they mention for next week? My next trip and last one for six whole weeks. Whoo hoo.
The Grand Rapids conference they mention for next week? My next trip and last one for six whole weeks. Whoo hoo.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
On Memzy, A Moment of my Time for you
This happens every year. June is a busy month of travel, or wrapping up the school year, or any number of events and I miss the birthday of a special friend. I am almost always late on wishing her well but I am hoping that she knows how much I love her anyway, it is just the poor timing of her birthday that prevents me from being able to wish her well in more than just word.
What can I say about her?
Ten Things I HEART about Memzy on her 30somethingth year:
1. She is always upfront. You can ask her any question and if she tries to lie, I am guessing you could see right through it. She just says "uh, well, you know..." in a very sweet voice and you know she bound to tell the truth.
2. She is very organized. I have never stopped by her house and seen it anything but in tip top organizational shape.
3. She has three amazing kids. I LOVE hanging out at her house and I don't even mind if I don't have my children with me because her kids are so cool that you could just hang with them and chit chat. Specially Brains. The routines she has in place have made them particularly easy to deal with in the kid department (where I am personally suffering these days.) Wait can I throw in here that I love her parents too? If I were a jealous person it would be of her family (and of course now I have to add that includes her husband's cousinage.)
4. She has a great sense of humor. Anyone who has read her blog or her her famous podcasts on the ilandee show knows that she can throw down.
5. She keeps it real. I get stressed about my kids or some other life experience and she is always there with me. I feel like I can be totally honest with her about my frustrations in life and she will say something to make me feel better every time.
6. Something about her home makes me feel like relaxing. It might be her big soft couch or her large screen tv, or the clean environment, or her top-notch hostess skillz but I walk into the door of her place and I feel like I am going to leave a more relaxed person.
7. She always makes fun of my eating habits. Normally you would not list this as a characteristic you like about someone BUT in this case I feel like it reaffirms my dedication to whole grain. If she didn't make fun of me I would have no reason to keep up those habits.
8. Music. No lie, my last four favorite CDs were from her. She has such exact taste--that matches mine--so that anything from her is guaranteed to be a hit. I am waiting for the technology that allows me to know what she is listening to at any given time in my day.
9. Consistency. I can't remember a time (since 1993 when we met!) in which she didn't have a refreshing beverage in front of her. Additionally, I feel like she is the single most consistent person I know in all areas--it probably explains her ability to be organized, a super mom and keep up the bejillion activities she is doing without being crazy.
10. Her laugh. There is nothing more contagious or welcoming to me than the sound of Emily laughing. When I recreate her laugh it brings a smile to my face.
I hope this year that you are treated well (as you always are) by your wonderful husband and amazing children. And, of course, by the Visors. Thanks for sticking with me and being the kind of friend worthy of my one worthwhile post in the last several months.
What can I say about her?
Ten Things I HEART about Memzy on her 30somethingth year:
1. She is always upfront. You can ask her any question and if she tries to lie, I am guessing you could see right through it. She just says "uh, well, you know..." in a very sweet voice and you know she bound to tell the truth.
2. She is very organized. I have never stopped by her house and seen it anything but in tip top organizational shape.
3. She has three amazing kids. I LOVE hanging out at her house and I don't even mind if I don't have my children with me because her kids are so cool that you could just hang with them and chit chat. Specially Brains. The routines she has in place have made them particularly easy to deal with in the kid department (where I am personally suffering these days.) Wait can I throw in here that I love her parents too? If I were a jealous person it would be of her family (and of course now I have to add that includes her husband's cousinage.)
4. She has a great sense of humor. Anyone who has read her blog or her her famous podcasts on the ilandee show knows that she can throw down.
5. She keeps it real. I get stressed about my kids or some other life experience and she is always there with me. I feel like I can be totally honest with her about my frustrations in life and she will say something to make me feel better every time.
6. Something about her home makes me feel like relaxing. It might be her big soft couch or her large screen tv, or the clean environment, or her top-notch hostess skillz but I walk into the door of her place and I feel like I am going to leave a more relaxed person.
7. She always makes fun of my eating habits. Normally you would not list this as a characteristic you like about someone BUT in this case I feel like it reaffirms my dedication to whole grain. If she didn't make fun of me I would have no reason to keep up those habits.
8. Music. No lie, my last four favorite CDs were from her. She has such exact taste--that matches mine--so that anything from her is guaranteed to be a hit. I am waiting for the technology that allows me to know what she is listening to at any given time in my day.
9. Consistency. I can't remember a time (since 1993 when we met!) in which she didn't have a refreshing beverage in front of her. Additionally, I feel like she is the single most consistent person I know in all areas--it probably explains her ability to be organized, a super mom and keep up the bejillion activities she is doing without being crazy.
10. Her laugh. There is nothing more contagious or welcoming to me than the sound of Emily laughing. When I recreate her laugh it brings a smile to my face.
I hope this year that you are treated well (as you always are) by your wonderful husband and amazing children. And, of course, by the Visors. Thanks for sticking with me and being the kind of friend worthy of my one worthwhile post in the last several months.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Dessert Contest Teaser
Thank goodness for all our fun friends who participated in heat 2 of the Dessert Comp. I was feeling really deflated about all my recent travel (in case you lost track it has been every other week for the last 10 that I have been out of town.)
So we had some WOW desserts come for round two and Steve and I are working on the bracket. The male sports mind has proclaimed, however, that the wild cards must be ranked first so we are going to do one more round prior to setting it all up.
As a teaser, however, I am posting the top 5 dessert scores from both weeks (Katie E you were numero 8 but of course we are pulling you out)
The ones to beat (prior to WC ranking which might change of course):
1) Nicole P. for her Lemon Lime Lusciousness
2) Karen F. for her Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Cake
3) Jeannie S. for her Tart
4) Cherry F. for her Crunchy Apple Pie
5) Vivian T. for her Life Fulfillment (in one bite)
Good work people! After the WC round I will post the bracket and overall results.
So we had some WOW desserts come for round two and Steve and I are working on the bracket. The male sports mind has proclaimed, however, that the wild cards must be ranked first so we are going to do one more round prior to setting it all up.
As a teaser, however, I am posting the top 5 dessert scores from both weeks (Katie E you were numero 8 but of course we are pulling you out)
The ones to beat (prior to WC ranking which might change of course):
1) Nicole P. for her Lemon Lime Lusciousness
2) Karen F. for her Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse Cake
3) Jeannie S. for her Tart
4) Cherry F. for her Crunchy Apple Pie
5) Vivian T. for her Life Fulfillment (in one bite)
Good work people! After the WC round I will post the bracket and overall results.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Now THAT is a Party
So for those who don't get my whole family situation, I lived with a family when I was a senior in high school. While I don't refer to the parents of that family as my mom and dad, they certainly fill a parental role in my life. They always took care of my mom, too, who was actually older than them, so their support and love for me goes beyond the normal "framily" kind of stuff.
The kids of this family, however, I do refer to as my brothers and sisters--there are six of them and each one is SO unique and incredibly talented. And quirky too! So even though I was raised as an only child, I have brothers and sisters in my life too. I wish they all had blogs (though a big shout out to Abby who actually comes around to comment periodically) so you could see evidence of their incredible talents. I have shown some stuff by Melissa here before but I don't have time to check my index to see where it would be...
Jenny is my oldest sister of this crew and she definitely has more talent in her lil pinky than I do in my whole bod. One of the thing she is famous for is throwing incredible birthday parties. I know that this sampling will not do her justice, but she really does up a show. Here are the pictures from her youngest daughter's fifth birthday. In no particular order, obviously. Cake homemade btw. She is a star baker.
Now I am getting ready for the kids bday party and they happen to want some kind of music/dance/rock star theme. How can I accomplish this without seeming too girly (Casey doesn't want it to seem like High School Musical) or too teenagy? Ideas?
The kids of this family, however, I do refer to as my brothers and sisters--there are six of them and each one is SO unique and incredibly talented. And quirky too! So even though I was raised as an only child, I have brothers and sisters in my life too. I wish they all had blogs (though a big shout out to Abby who actually comes around to comment periodically) so you could see evidence of their incredible talents. I have shown some stuff by Melissa here before but I don't have time to check my index to see where it would be...
Jenny is my oldest sister of this crew and she definitely has more talent in her lil pinky than I do in my whole bod. One of the thing she is famous for is throwing incredible birthday parties. I know that this sampling will not do her justice, but she really does up a show. Here are the pictures from her youngest daughter's fifth birthday. In no particular order, obviously. Cake homemade btw. She is a star baker.
Now I am getting ready for the kids bday party and they happen to want some kind of music/dance/rock star theme. How can I accomplish this without seeming too girly (Casey doesn't want it to seem like High School Musical) or too teenagy? Ideas?
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