BABYSITTING CO OP

Brian and I were finding that we were literally never having date nights. Sometimes I would just burst saying "I have GOT to be taken out on a date -its an EMERGENCY!!" I would start to totally lose any sense of being a wife - and just got into the mom mode - where you mismatch all day, don't brush your teeth until noon, and don't really do your hair. SICKENING! I could feel things going downhill.

Then a girl in our ward suggested we do a babysitting co-op. We have 4 families - and each family has 1 week of the month to watch EVERYONE'S kids. We have 9 kids on that day. (The babies under 1 do not come - they stay with mom and dad). It is sure awful on the day you have to watch the kids, but it sure pays off to have THREE DAY NIGHTS during the month where you don't have to worry about lining up a babysitter, paying them, giving instructions, or feeling like its too much hassel to plan everything and then not doing it. We have set times 6 to 10 pm every Saturday night.

We have also found that pizzas from Aldi - the 89 cent ones - are perfect for this crowd. We go through two of them. Pretzels and popcorn are also a must.

Well, this past Saturday was our 3rd night, and it was hilarious because the kids all started dropping like flies because they were tired starting at 8:30. We had 2 kids per bunk with the bunk beds, plus a pack and play, we had kids sleeping in the living room, one on our bed, and one resting in the family room. All but 3 were asleep when the parents came! Brian and I looked at each other and agreed that this was our easiest one yet.

And then on those three weeks in a row - our goal is to do a NEW restaurant for one of the nights, a movie for one of the nights, and our "walking date" for one of the nights - where we just walk and talk and wander downtown homewood - maybe getting coldstone or some chocolates or walking to the videostore and getting something.

This CO-OP is REALLY good for me - gives me something to look forward to during the monotony of changing diapers, making food, doing dishes, and doing time outs!

THERE IS A WINNER

So for financial curiosity during 2007-2008, I have tried out the various VARIATION TYPES similar to Airborne.

I have tried Walborne, as well as one called Best Defense.

For whatever reasons, the other versions do not work on me. Everytime I do airborne, that achy feeling, and sore throat thing GO AWAY within 24 to 48 hours of initially taking the airborne (and taking it every 3 hours from the onset). When I do the alternate versions, the cold/flu things are slower to come on, but then they come on with a vengeance.

So, I guess that is that. It has been a year long experience trying different versions out – and the outcome is that AIRBORNE is the winner.

And since each container is $6.99, and I go through the whole thing in a couple of days – its like paying $6.99 NOT to be sick. AND IT IS SOOOOOOOO WORTH IT! I REALLY REALLY hate being sick. If one of us is sick in the Wayne household, we all end up passing it back and forth to each other over and over.

So, thank goodness for Airborne – YES!!!

UH OH....does this sound like.....

So Brian, for this baby, REALLY likes the name Hallie. I like it too – its growing on me.

Everyone we have mentioned the name too says they also really like the name...

Here is the KICKER…

If you say the name 3 times to yourself with the last name “WAYNE” does it sound like….well….a different word…?

Without really coming outright and SAYING what we are fearing that it sounds like…we are wondering if its really obvious to anyone else. If NOT, then we may fell good to go ahead with the name…

So say “HALLIE WAYNE” to yourself, and tell us…if it sounds like…anything IN PARTICULAR to you.... (we are trying not to influence the outcome of this semi-survery!)

enough is enough

I am getting extremely anxious for warm weather. In Chicago here it s still only in the 20s with wind chill in the single digits. We have had one of the snowiest winters on record – seriously snowing every other day for 3 months straight. I LOVE the snow, but enough it enough. The side effect is that Chicago is the most pot holeish city – they are filling 1500 pot holes (large ones that make your tires flat) per DAY vs. the normal 300 in the winter per day. I have gotten very good at maneuvering the car around these things - but I am a little tired of it, I have to say.

BRING ON THE WARM WEATHER!!!

For us pregnant people

So, since it seems all of a sudden that many of my blogging friends are pregnant, I have to post my find. Now, this may be common knowledge to many, but I guess I have not clued into the whole thing.

In part of my training, we have tons of articles we have to read and research and do summaries on. Well the cool part about it for me, is that they are all pregnancy related. And since I am 7 months pregnant - I am really interested in the contents of all the articles. So really, that part doesn't feel like work at all...

So for my preggo friends - here is the summary on Red Raspberry leaf tea and a couple of other natural approaches:

HELPFUL HERBS DURING PREGNANCY:

Red Raspberry leaf tea is the most widely used, and safest of all uterine/pregnancy tonic herbs. It contains fragrine, an alkaloid which gives tone to the muscles of the pelvic region, including the uterus itself. It also has a rich concentration of vitamin C, the presence of vitamin E, and the easily assimilated calcium and iron. IT also contains

vitamins A and B complex and many mineral, including phosphorus and potassium.

There are many benefits of drinking Red Raspberry: preventing miscarriage and hemorrhage – it tones the uterus as well.

Easing of morning sickness – many woman attest to its gentle relief of nausea and stomach distress throughout pregnancy. It reduces pain during labor and after birth – tones the muscles used during labor and delivery – it eliminates many reasons for a painful delivery and prolonged recovery. It provides a safe and speedy parturition – it works to encourage the uterus to let go and function without tension. It allows the contracting uterus to work more effectively and so may make the birth easier and faster.

It assists in production of plentiful breast milk – the high mineral content assists in milk production. One should being drinking one cup daily early in pg. Work up to two to three cups a day and then in the last 3 – 4 weeks, drink 4 cups daily.

Yellow dock root provides an excellent, fully absorbable source of iron.

Chamomile is very soothing and often sleep-inducing safe tea during pregnancy.

Comfrey tea is exceedingly helpful for healing wounds to heal up an episiotomy or other tears. Make a tea from 3 tsp of comfrey leaf and 1 cup on hot water – simmered for 20 min. After straining and cooling the tea, a soft cloth can be dipped into warm tea and applied to the wound area to promote healing.

Julie Tupler, who I am training with for the Tupler Techniqur, told me she recommends the brand Alvita to their clients. I didn't do anything with these herbal teas for my first two. Just curious if any of my veteran baby having friends had any experience with these?

up by the bootstraps

Thanks to my fellow bloggers and friends that have really called me on my relative blog death as of late. I have REALLY got to pick myself up by the bootstraps and blog again. I really do LOVE to blog -and Janet Shumway suggested taking all the blog entries and put them in a book with www.pixela.com and www.blurb.com - which I think is totally brilliant.

So - just a quick rundown (aka excuse) for why my blogging abilities have severely dwindled. I am hoping to become more regular through March and back to normal blogging in April.

I have been training FULL time with Julie Tupler's home study training program. www.maternalfitness.com
It is an "8 week program" that no one has ever completed in less than 3 or 4 months...because it is SO labor intensive. It is seriously more labor intensive than ANY BYU class I have ever taken. And she is like the professor of NO deviance. Nothing is open to interpretation - so everything MUST be done her way - the wording of each exercise, the explanation, the filming of the videos, the essay intensive homework, etc. AND since I am now like 7 months pregnant - and 6 weeks into the course - I must have everything TOTALLY done so I can be in New York to train personally with her. I have had my plan ticket and reservations since before I began the course, since I knew it was end of March or NOTHING. I will be 8 months pregnant by then, and I cannot wait until the baby is born - I laugh just THINKING about it. There is no way! So, I am lets say REALLY busting my rear end to get myself into full throttle to get everything done.

BREATHE (I remind myself)

I must say I am proud of myself. Coupled with the fact that the writer's strike has left the TV a bunch of reality shows, along with the many hours of studying, I have whittled my "must see" TV shows to essentially one - LOST. So it is really refreshing how much time that really does free up. Although - Brian and I really do miss "The Office"!

OH - and while I am thinking about it - we are having a GIRL! We were TOTALLY convinced it was a boy - but I am excited to have a girl again. These three kids will all be in ONE 10 X 9 room. We invested in some TALL furniture (no place to go but up) to be able to fit the bunk beds, and a crib, and space for all the kids clothes. Talk about a challenge - but I really like that kind of challenge (as long as we have an IKEA that is relatively close!)

Brooke has named the new baby "Blueberry Surprise" after one of the ponies on Strawberry shortcake - so lamentably that is what we refer to the baby as. AND - I will mention Brooke just turned 5 on Sunday. HOW CAN THIS BE!!! DENIAL BY MOM!!! It just seems like ages 0 - 5 were pretty slow - and now it will be like fastforward to college. I really hope it goes slower than that...but I am starting to wonder. Just like - how can I be 30!?!?! Internally I feel 22 or 23.

So yes - I know this is a random post. Darcie - your comment was hilarious - I had a good chuckle about it. AND I have really been missing reading everyone's posts - so I am putting some time aside to make that a priority. It is such a fun and MUCH NEEDED outlet!

Prank Call from "Governor Schwarzenegger"

HUGE LAUGH EVERY TIME

I don't know WHAT it is about this clip, but I have gotten SO many good laughs from just this one little practical joke. I was in the shower laughing and laughing and Brooke knocked on the door and asked, "Mommy, why are you laughing?" Well - you will just have to see it !

THIS IS TOO FUNNY!

NAIL BITER

Well, we are celebrating here with BLUEBERRY GRAPEFRUIT SORBET (it wasn’t our BEST sorbet, by the way) for the MITT ROMNEY MI victory!!!!!

We feel like we had a very small hand in it, too.

Between giving the kids dinner, getting ready to teach our Mommy Tummy Class, and changing a very FOUL diaper – leakage everywhere (thanks my man Tyler) I was able to help out a little.

I participated in the Call At Home Program for the Romney Campaign. Its pretty cool - the computer calls you ( so you don’t use any long distance) and then they call the person, and you get a weird beep to signal that they have said hello. If everything goes well, you have a person’s name in front of you, the address, and a script.

This is a rundown of how it went down:

1) A crusty sounding old lady answered the phone. I asked for Melvin. She told me he was “gone” but the way she said it, I knew she meant “dead.” So not knowing quite the proper procedure, I pressed on. In the middle of the script (which is very short) she interrupted very abrasively and said, “ I voted by absentee ballot.” “ I said, “ Great! Who did you vote for?” “NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.” She replied roughly. So I said , “….Ok Have a great day.” I marked the call as “person at home.”

2) The lady answered and let me go through the script and then politely said, “Thank you.” It was a little weird at the same time….

3) Billy answered, which is who I called to ask for. I went into the script, “I am voting for Governor Romney because of the tax…” “HE isn’t the MICHIGAN Governor?!?!” I said, “No, it is the title they call him by because he was Governor of Massachusetts.” “OH, Ok…” I went on, and when I was done, he said, “Well, What’s in it for Me?” I said, “Hopefully a better economy for MI.” “Uh huh….” Then I said, “ok, well have a great day.” Again, kinda weird to know how to exactly end after that – and they tell you to keep all the calls short.

4) Something is messed up with our wireless router, so when the next call went through, neither the script nor the person’s name showed up on my computer screen. But the person was on the line waiting for me to talk. So I tried to remember what I needed to say, but without their name or the exact script in front of my, I totally bombed. I sounded like a TERRIBLE amateur. SO, thankfully in some ways, they hung up. It was awkward.

So with those and a few more calls under my belt I sort of contributed. Even though I saw the stats on the monitor saying there were 15000 calls more to make. I made a Very VERY tiny dent J

So – Go Mitt! I am seeing a 10 pt. lead behind McCain with 40% of the precincts reporting!

http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/primaries/results/candidates/#893

Obsessed!

Well, maybe not really obsessed - but we here at the Wayne household (primarily me - Brian vicariously through me) are very obsessed with the political vibe right now. We are team Mitt people and we are finding out just how many of our friends are as well. In fact, with receiving Christmas cards alone, we have found out that one of our good friends is lawyer for the campaign, and one of our Wyview friends, Marielle and Chad Taylor, have an awesome website that they emailed me last night. They have done lots of things for the campaign and do major blogging for him.

And with NH primaries coming up, its gonna get interesting. Also, with an INDIRECT endorsement today on Rush Limbaugh, it will throw some logs onto the fire.

If you watched the debate last night on FOX NEWS - Romney blew everyone away, after a Saturday night pitt bull attack on Mitt Romney by Huckabee and McCain. They withdrew the fangs for the 2nd debate, but the damage on their part was done. It made Romney look like the only one that was a grown-up, and not a 3rd grade bully on the playground.

Its gonna be good - we find out tomorrow!!

The 12 days of Christmas mishap

So every year Brian and I do the 12 days of Christmas for each other. We start – today – Dec 13^th – and we end on Christmas Day. Brian has stated many times that he wants 180 different ties – one for each day of the school year - so doesn’t have to repeat any days.

And we are not talking Boring hum drum ties here – we are talking about a Where’s Waldo tie, or Napoleon Dynamite tie that says “Vote for Pedro” or Mona Lisa wearing a Santa Hat – you get the pictures. The students LOVE that Brian wears these ties – it s gives them the impression that he is “Cool”, or as “One of them” as he can be.

So, this year I have been planning for months now - to do the 12 ties of Christmas. I have been collecting them from the summer whenever I see a really cool tie. He gets 1 cool tie a day for the 12 days. Last night Brooke cut out all the wrapping paper by herself – pretty good for 4 – and would give me the pieces in which to wrap the ties. Tyler tried to cut some out – but he pretty much just obliterated the paper he touched – a good try for being 2. Anyway, we heard Brian coming home from his late Master’s class and we had two ties to go. “Quick Brooke, cut me out two pieces of paper so Daddy doesn’t see what these are! We can cover them up!” So we worked quickly and had them covered with wrapping paper at least as Brian walked in.

Cute Brooke greets him with, “Hi Daddy, we wrapped a whole bunch of ties for you, and I am getting a my little pony for Christmas!” Well, that let the cat out of the bag a bit. At least he won’t know WHAT ties, right?

FROM THE MOUTH OF BABES!!

ONE CRAZY NIGHT

This is going to sound really crazy, but we apparently are one of those people that stay up ALL NIGHT LONG at a store to get the really good deals for the day after Thanksgiving in 19 degree weather.

This year we got in line at 6:10 PM Thanksgiving night. Note that says PM and not AM. In line is Brian, our friend Jeremy, Bro-n-law Kevin, me, and my sister Sarah.

So why do we do it? It basically gives us a $700 dollar Christmas for free – or at least that was the sum total THIS year. Last year it only gave us a $200 dollar Christmas for free.

The key for us, is BEST BUY ANYDAY over Circuit City. But here is what we do - at #28 in line this year, #29, #30, #31 consecutively in line this year, we got the laptops that were going at ridiculously low prices and sell them on Ebay or Craigs List. This year personally I found out the hard way that Ebay really SUCKS when it comes to selling computers. The first 3 winners on the laptops we sold were all FRADULENT - they were people in Bosnia, UK, and GREECE that had taken over someone else’s account and bid it up and changed the address on the account. They would usually have specific instructions like “Please send TODAY.” Anyway, I got lucky that I wasn’t SUPER on the ball with mailing them out, because I got the alerts before even packaging them up.

So I have to say, Craigs List is definitely the way to go! Brian met a buyer at the United Center – and all went well. I still get nervous about that a little – meeting a stranger – but better in a well lit public place than at our house in my opinion.

SO, HERE IS THE CRAZY STORY:

We arrive at 6:10 PM. After a delicious meal (thanksgiving leftovers and hickory farms) on our utility table, 2 kerosene lanterns, 5 lawn chairs, several card games, a laptop, and 4 sleeping bags, we sat and talked for a good 7 + hours. At 1:30 AM while standing in line, a cop got out of the car and told us that if we had to leave the line to go to the bathroom, we had to ask him. Then he would time us for 15 minutes. If we took longer, then we were out of line.

Well, cute Brian just happened to be gone for a bathroom brake when the cop showed up. We told him we had someone who was in line and was at the bathroom. The cop said he would give him 15 minutes and then tough. So, since Brian had already been gone 30 minutes I was getting a little nervous, given his history of falling asleep in any circumstances. So my brother in law Kevin whispers quietly and urgently, “Call Him.” I knew for proximity’s sake he was either at my in laws house or our house.

So I called each place like 10 times – left 3 crazy messages on my in laws answering machine sounding something like this: “Brian, if you are asleep please wake up. The police are here and they say you need to be here right now. Brian are you there? I am going to keep saying your name in case you are asleep but hearing this message. Brian….Please wake up!!.” Yeah, my in laws just got back into town today from a 3 week vacation and they are REALLY going to wonder about those messages!?!

So, no luck. 25 minutes go by. The cop doesn’t notice…or at least he isn’t saying anything. Meanwhile, people are asking permission to use the bathroom reminiscent of the kindergarten days. I start panicking a little – what if he is asleep for the night and doesn’t wake up? That pretty much deteriorates significantly our plan. If he takes much longer, then our plan is nil! So as I have been doing the past 25 minutes, I call our house again.

“HEELLLLLOOO?” I hear the slow slurred answer. “Brian,” I whispered loudly “You need to get over here right away or you won’t have a place in line. The police are here monitoring who’s in line!” “Oh…..I keetaa summon thereta time.” “Brian, WAKE UP!” I whispered, “You need to come right now! Are you awake?” “Yeah…I’ll be there, “ He said thickly and slowly. I tried calling several times after he hung up just in case. I thought, “Well, he is either on his way, or he fell back into a deep sleep.”

Thank goodness we see him 12 minutes later, and the cop didn’t say anything. Brian says brightly, “Yeah, I thought I would just rest a minute on the couch after I went to the bathroom, and I guess I fell asleep.”

And let me tell you being 4 months pregnant at the time did not help any bladder situations – I had to literally go every hour almost. I just got annoyed with myself near the end and held it – I think the decision came fairly easily when after 3:00 am when they handed out the vouchers, they told us if anyone got out of line at this point – to the back. And, it was starting to get crazy. The policeman hid out in his car looking through the ad (Gee, thanks!) and people started putting away – in our case – our large card table, our banquet of food, our 5 lawn chairs, our 2 kerosene heaters, our 4 sleeping bags, and homework in Brian’s case. Then the line got very tight.

Well, after that long wait, we had another very long wait in the laptop line (we got 4 – 3 to sell, and one to keep) – and then we hit 2 more stores, kohls and target – all by 7:15 a.m. WE were DONE Christmas Shopping in one fell swoop. Then our drowsiness set in and we went home and crawled into bed for a full 2 hours and 45 minutes while my parents watched the kids.

Ahhh, there is nothing quite like black Friday!

the REAL hot chocolate

One lonely Friday Night with our husbands gone, Tami, my sistah, and I decided to make REAL hot chocolate while we watched Santa Claus 2. No SWISS MISS mystery powder, no ALDI brand hot chocolate - REAL STUFF.

So we take BIG CHUNKS of premium Dark Chocolate and smash it into smaller chunks and add it to the milk in the CHOCOMOTION.

THAT'S IT!!!!- the chocomotion did its thing of swirling it around and it make the FROTHIEST, CHOCOLATIEST, YUMMIEST hot chocolate EVER!!!!

Then we add a dollop of WHIP CREAM - and HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!

TOTALLY BRILLIANT

Today Mitt Romney gave an AMAZING Speech on Faith in America.

I actually cried when he started talking about Sam Adams. I thought it was brilliant and transcendant.

To those nuts out there that think he should have addressed DOCTRINAL FACETS - I say - HELLO!?!?!
Did you not hear anything the man said?!?! "No candidate should be the spokesperson for his or her religion. " Guilani doesn't have to answer if he is in "full communion" with his church, Huckabee doesn't have to answer about "wives being submissive to their husbands" creed - yet Romney has been attacked
AD NAUSEUM - RELENTLESSLY!!!!!
With that note, here is the speech:

To hear the speech,here is the link:

THIS IS HILARIOUS!!!!!!

Brian and I have a funny message for you. We just made a total elves out of ourselves!!. Check it out by clicking the link below.

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1122490285

This post is dedicated to one of our favorite movies, "Elf"

Time Management

HELP!
I need some serious time management suggestions. I am totally wearing myself out! I am like the only blogging mom who did not YET post Halloween pictures of my kids. What KIND of mom am I?

Why did Brian and I decide to rip out our family room floor tonite and put wood down Saturday when he has only been home 2 waking hours since Sunday - and I am overwhelmed with...life!?!?!

Are we insane? (We DID manage to watch the office tonite though - a very different flavor than usual...)

How do all of you "Do it all" moms do it all?

We are alive!

In response to Darcie’s comment, “Are you Alive? Update your blog!” I thought I should pick myself up from one of the craziest past 3 weeks ever. A brief synopsis:

*I decided 3 weeks ago to get my NASM Personal Trainer certification – and I have to complete the course by Dec 17 and test on it – stress!

*After a freak email I sent to Julie Tupler, author of “Lose your Mummy Tummy” (and founder of the technique I have been teaching for two years with my PT sister) we are in direct communication with her frequently and she is planning to open up a facility in Chicago with us as the lead instructors. Enter 8 week home study program and 5 day New York trip to train with her (after January please- no more at this point!)

*I was in charge of our Primary Sponsored and planned Huge Ward Halloween Party this past Saturday. It is really a quarterly activity that by tradition has been turned into this massive event. I was at the church decorating for 3 days in a row, plus making posters, cakes, ballot boxes, and putting all those lovely last minute things together. It was on Saturday – went great! (Until our Primary Secretary slipped on a potatoe peel and injured her knee badly)

*As primary President we also, in such a timely way, have the big Primary Program. I can’t complain about it because my counselor is planning it, the SAINT! But I still feel stressed about it!

*I am getting CPR certified next week at a hospital. One more thing to find a babysitter for.

*My mom is driving up for 4 hours tomorrow to watch my kids while I do a 2 day very long workshop for PT cert. You gotta love moms!!!!

*Not that this is an excuse for me, but I thought it added to the craziness - Brian's school was under heavy security because there was a shooting threat for today - Halloween. GREAT!

*I just went to the hospital from a referral from my OB GYN that something might be very wrong (unrelated to the next item)– and THANKFULLY everything is OK. Radiology tests showed nothing!!!

*OH YEAH, I am pregnant with # 3. Sorry for family members especially we haven’t told – we haven’t really told anyone. I am due in May and it was VERY MUCH planned.

So, sorry fellow bloggers for my absence in the blogger world. I am returning!! I won't neglect commenting on your blogs. AND I'll be sure to post some upbeat Halloween pictures next year - just kidding, in a couple of days.

my first experience with photoshop

Can you tell what I did to change/fix this picture?
If its not really obvious we will use it in our Christmas cards. My dad, who LOVES photography, took this pic -he takes our Christmas pics every year.

THE OFFICE

My take on THE OFFICE:

Angela and Dwight – yes I love that the two believers of office tyranny are having some relationship troubles. It does add a dose of realism to their secret relationship. The cat named GARBAGE was a GREAT replacement for Sprinkles. I would LOVE a cat that can kill a family of raccoons J

Toby the HR guy: PROPS to Toby for delivering a PDA memo – and having it be interpreted as a way to “Congratulate” Pam and Jim. That one MADE my day!

Pam and Jim: Yes they are together. Yes it was a LITTLE anticlimactic for me. Yes, I think they can do fun things with it. Yes, I felt bad for Ryan for hitting on Pam in front of Jim. Yes, I am hoping they don’t elaborate on the intimate part of their relationship. I prefer, at this point, to think of them as PURE. I don’t want my bubble burst.

Ryan: What did he mean when he told Jan, “You really let yourself go!” ?????? Was that referring to her letting her looks and poise go? Was that referring to the whole “Work life” thing? Someone clarify! And I am warming up to his beard. They had to do SOMETHING to make the kid look older. Brian and I LOVED that Andy started “ATTACKING” him and he was stopped by someone saying, “Oh, NO, he wasn’t here for that! No Attacking!” That part is particularly funny to rewind over and over again.

Kelli – PLEASE find someone else. Its getting painful. Maybe Toby - that would be the weirdest relationship ever...

Michael – I hope he gets back his turtles and learns not to turn into rivers. “DON’T YELL AT ME!” was a great line before driving into the river. And did he HAVE to beg for that basket...again...PAINFUL to watch - but hilarious of course.

I personally prefer the plot lines WORK related with personal fabric woven in, instead of reversed, which to ME are never quite a funny.

OUR FAVORITE EPISODE OF ALL TIME: Season III: Competing for Boss Games on the river bank. We died laughing for 30 minutes straight. We still cry laugh every time we joke about Andy floating down the river calling to Angela for help. And calling out in the dark, "Hello, my name is Andy, I'm with a group called Dundler Mifflin!!.....", while floating by the bank in the sumo wrestling outfit. LOL! OK, BREATHE!!!

MY HUSBAND

Thanks Andrea for this cute idea!

My husband...

What is his name? Brian McLaughlin Wayne

How long have you been together? We started going out November of 1994. I was Brian’s first kiss. We dated on and off until we got engaged 4 days after my mission in 2000. (We broke up 3 times in between)

Who eats more? When we were first married we divided everything EXACTLY down the middle – everything was 50/50. Now he generally eats more than me…although bust out those thanksgiving pies and WATCH OUT. As my father-n-law affectionately tells me, “GIRL, you can PACK IT DOWN!”

Who said I love you first? He did. We were both 17 and it was Christmas Day. AHH, that was a GREAT Christmas!

Who is taller? Brian is by nearly 1 foot. Yeah, and people wonder why I wear “tall shoes.”

Who sings better? Brian is an excellent singer - he comes from a very musical family. I love it when we do duets. Our latest, “A Way Back into Love” from the movie “Music and Lyrics.”

Who is smarter? We both are in totally different ways. Brian is in dealing with Teenagers (hence, he is regarded as a gifted teacher) and Sports – he know ALL the stats of ….everything! Me – emotionally, financially.

Whose temper is worse? A temper? I have only HEARD OF Brian yelling…to his class at school. I could hardly picture it. I guess the answer is me then.

Who does the laundry? I for sure do more loads of wash, but he helps with the folding. He does all his own ironing – what a stud!

Who pays the bills? I pay the bills with mostly HIS money :)

Who mows the lawn? We have an unspoken agreement: he does the lawn, and I do the (rather large) garden.

Who cooks dinner? If Brian cooks, we have tuna melts – pretty good ones too. If I cook, which is most the time, we have anything and everything – half are inventions.

Who is more stubborn? Hmm, that’s a hard one —me.

Who asked whom out? He asked me out first, but I had another date and shamefully told him I had to fill out college applications because I didn’t wan’t him to think I liked someone else. We decided to rain date it to two days later at my house. I did admit my lie to him later…he took it pretty well. He’s forever the understanding and forgiveable guy!

Who kissed whom first: He kissed me…but I framed him into doing it.

Who wears the pants in the family? He does, except when I do.

Who is more wonderful, good-looking, kind, generous, patient, understanding, athletic, talented and just overall amazing? BRIAN!?! AND LUCKY FOR ME, HE’S STILL THE ONE I KISS GOODNIGHT!

DEMOLITION!! we will miss you

This post will mostly be appreciated by those who have been to Nauvoo since the temple was built. The visitor centor across the street, affectionately known as the Joseph Smith Academy (JSA) was demolished as of a couple of days ago. Here are some pictures:


Our cast at the pageant was the last to dwell in its quarters. There was an AUCTION held there they auctioned off EVERYTHING you could possible imagine. A couple items of interest:

bowling alley - $2000
iron gate fence- $10000
200 folding chairs - went to Warsaw highschool, undisclosed sum
Stage curtains
furniture - $150
beds - went to boarding school
toilets and MUCH MORE

It ALL was sold.

THE RUMOR: Since the drafty former monestary JSA was very uneconomical to run and very inefficient (no air-conditioning, etc) they are tearing this down and building several small buildings on the same lot in its stead.

Including (and this is from a good source)
A new Visitor Center
OFfices for Nauvoo Restoration (NRI)
Smaller Condos or other Dwellings
An Auditorium

Enjoy these pics. To put everything into perspective - the temple is behind and to the left of the structure being torn down. Thanks to Greg for passing along these photos!