My, What a Profile!

Last weekend Ross and I attended the year Kick-off Banquet for AFLAC. It was fun with some good food and a lot of clapping for his district (the #1 district in the region!!). The only problem was that the chairs were terribly uncomfortable for me and my bulk. After the dinner and before the award presentation, they gave us a quick bathroom break. While waiting in the line, a couple of the ladies from Ross's team were asking me how I was holding up and were commenting on how uncomfortable I looked. When I got to the front of the line, I turned sideways to lean against the wall. When I did this, the lady behind me said, "My goodness- what a profile!! I was wondering why Marcia thought you were so uncomfortable! You can't even tell from behind- but your profile is just huge, I mean, cute!" For some weird reason, I took this as a compliment.

When I told Ross, he suggested that we take some pictures from behind, and then from the side. These were taken right before we headed out to my last appointment before my C-Section on Tuesday morning (so close. . . but so far away!)

I left out the one he took of just my bum- it was surprising to see a close-up of that particular. . . assett when I was looking through the pictures he took. I can't blame him though- it is quite cute!! :)

The Love of a Kitty

My kitty proved his love to me once again on Sunday. I found out about President Hinckley's death around 8:30 when my mom called me. She knew that we rarely watch much TV on Sunday, so decided to make sure I got the news. I was really sad. Yes, I am happy that he is with his wife once more, and I know that the Church and its work will move forward- that didn't keep me from feeling an immense sense of loss for this amazing man. Ross was hugging me as I cried when we heard a familiar jingle at the door (mischief has a bell on his collar). I laughed when I heard it, and then he started meowing and scratching at the door. Ross went and cracked opened the door, and my kitty ran in and jumped up on me while I was sitting on the couch. He sensed that I needed some extra snuggles from a warm and furry feline- he was right! Just a reminder to those of you who may be wondering why this event was so amazing to me- mischief is not really our cat. He belongs to some of our neighbors who mistakenly call him Jerry. For some reason, he LOVES us. Ever since they brought him home as a kitten, he has preferred to play with us and likes to sit at our doorstep or sleep on our cars so that he wont miss any chance of getting some pets and loves from us. This has really been nice for me since Ross and I already decided to not acquire any pets until we had a backyard to keep them in. Since that looks like it could be farther in the future than we would like- it is nice to have been adopted by such a sweet kitty like Mischief.

Bittersweet Feelings

Most everyone now knows that our beloved prophet passed away on Sunday. Since then, I have been tossed back and forth between feelings of sorrow and feelings of relief. I love this man, and will miss him greatly. So much of my testimony has been crafted and strengthened through his guidance and love. President Hinckley is the prophet of my youth, and almost all of my memories of prophets are centered around him. On the other hand- it has been very apparent that the distance between he and his wife has been a hard burden for him to bear. A lot of his recent addresses in conferences have had a farewell-esque feeling to them. He is finally where he has longed to be, and I am grateful for that.

For family home evening last night, Ross and I were talking about our favorite President Hinckley moments. The one moment that sticks out greater than all the others was the same for both of us. In the fall of 2002, President Hinckley came to BYU-Idaho in company with Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyering to dedicate the newly built Hinckley Building (which is gorgeous, by the way!). He got up to give his address, which was an ineresting account of the history surrounding the settlement of Rexburg and the establishment of the University. To be honest- I hate admitting this- but it was kind of boring, and I found myself being a little dissappointed. I was sitting in the Kirkham auditorium, and I had waited all week for this moment. I had been praying for some guidance in a certain area of my life, and that morning I had a deep impression that my answer would be found in President Hinckley's talk. Anyway, after a few minutes of this talk, he started to stumble over his words. It seemed that he was struggling to read his prepared talk. After a few more minutes of this stumbling he paused, closed his book, and said that he was ready to listen to the Spirit and give us the message we needed. There was another pause as he looked down and collected his thoughts. Then he looked up into the camera and said, "I love you kids." He laughed, and so did everyone in the congregation, and then he chocked up, began to openly weep and said once more, "I love you kids!" We were all overcome with his love. I could feel it in my heart. There was not a dry eye in the room. How could there be? The prophet of the Lord had just expressed to every student on that campus that he loved us kids! He took a few more moments to overcome that emotion, and then went into one of the most beautiful talks I have ever heard. He pled with us to not enter into tawdry and demeaning acts. He begged us to avoid temptation and to stay strong amidst the currents of evil that were all around us. He expressed how amazed he was at our strength and courage and admonished us to continue forward. I could hear in his voice the pain he felt at the thought of us committing sin. I could see in his eyes how proud he was of our accomplishments. It made me want to never go astray EVER so as to avoid hurting a man who cared sooo much for ME!

It was incredible! I can't explain in any better words just how much that moment meant to me. I KNEW with every fiber of my being that this man was a prophet, and I KNEW that he loved me. Don't get me wrong- I already had a testimony of his divinity as a prophet. There was no lingering doubt or anything of that nature before this experience. That knowledge had already been received. This moment just cemented that testimony for me. From that time on, any time I heard President Hinckley speak, I felt that love in my heart.

Part of me was sad when I heard of his death because I was sad that Emma and Sara would not have that beautiful man to lead and guide them in their youth. After I realized how silly that was- he was 97!!- I found great joy in the thought that her prophet will be Thomas S. Monson. That is wonderful! I am grateful for all of those amazing men on the council. I have faith in their abilities as conduits with God. I am also grateful for the organization of this church. We don't have to worry or concern ourselves with who should take on the office next. There will be no voting or debating- it is just known. President Monson has been well groomed for his new responsibilities. I love President Hinckley, and I am grateful for what he has done for me, my testimony, and the Church in general. His example will live on as I, and all the other stalwart members out there, continue to try to stand a little taller, be a little kinder, etc.

Ross's Turn!!!

Okay, after much time to ponder and consider my responses I will let you all know the answers to these VERY important ???s.

Do you have any pets? Emma makes so many animal sounds I think I have a lot.

What color shirt are you wearing? Black, most of my t-shirts are that color.

Name three things that are close to you: Amanda, Emma, the Lord

What is the last book you read? The Greatest Salesman in the World, by Og Mandino, I highly recommend it!!!

What's your favorite sport? Football -College is about the only thing worth watching anymore

Do you enjoy sleeping late? Yes and No, I love sleep, but once I wake up I can't stay in bed I always feel like I am being lazy and there is something I could be doing, even though I know Amanda would like me to stay and cuddle with her more often.

What's the weather like right now? Freezing cold and icy, about the only thing I can't stand about Utah besides the drivers

Who tells the best jokes? Larry the Cable Guy

What was the last thing you dreamed about? Emma and Sara running and playing in the front yard of our house in their new Easter dresses. Sara is gonna be amazingly cute. Just you wait

Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? As often as I can. It really is my passion. Yes I had a really bad accident on January 28, 2003. My car hit a patch of black of black ice and I spun out of control until a telephone poll stopped me. The fireman that responded to the crash said I was lucky to be alive, and that if I had hit the poll just one foot closer it would have crushed me.

Do you believe in karma? Yes, that is why I try to do good things most of the time.

Do you believe in luck? Yes and NO, I really believe that everything happens because it is a result of your own doing, however people win the lottery all the time and that has to be just sheer dumb luck.

Do you like your eggs scrambled or sunny side up? Scrambled

Are you reliable? In the situations I absolutely need to be- yes

Have you ever given money to a bum? Yes and then I saw him walk into the liquor store and buy a box of wine with it, that pretty much ended my alms for the poor giving, now I just trust that my donations to the church will reach those truly in need.

What's your favorite food? Ice Cream and brownies - a heavenly combination

Have you ever had a secret admirer? Yes, I mean come on who wouldn't admire me;)

Do you like the smell of gasoline? Some days yes other days no

Do like to draw? No, I come to terms that I was not blessed with artistic skills with a drawing utensil

What's your favorite invention? The wheel, I have been told I have tried to reinvent it so many times that I have come to have a great admiration for this invention.

What do you like better, oranges or apples? Apples

Do you give in easily? Yes, it just seems like there isn't much point to arguing over stuff if someone feels so strongly one way I can let them have their way when they are around.

Can you read other people's expressions? Yes, I have always been good at it and I try to think that maybe I am being to quick to judge but, the problem is I am hardly ever wrong

What time did you wake up this morning? 8:00, Emma likes to hit me in the face when she wants my pillow

What did you eat for breakfast this morning? Cookies

What do you plan on doing tomorrow? Recuperate from stuffing my face at the AFLAC company year kick-off convention party. I love free buffets!

What's your favorite day of the week and why? I really like Monday, it feels like a new start every week, the day that will decide how the rest of the week usually will go. Also, Monday night football is always a great FHE activity. I just need to get Amanda to like watching it with me.

Have you ever been scuba diving? NO, but I really want to, and if all goes well this year I will get to next year in Mexico.

What's your least favorite color? Pink, but I would have to say it depends on what or who is wearing it. REAL men do not wear pink, but it is my favorite color on Emma.

Would you ever go skydiving? Yes, in fact I was hoping to train to be a Para-rescuer in the Air Force, unfortunately I will just have to do it some other way.

What's the worst injury you have had? I fell from the top of a 6 ft. gate surrounding the church that my comp. and I were jumping on my mission in Chile. I was at the top and my pant leg caught on the spike at the top so my head fell 12 ft straight down to the not so soft concrete sidewalk. I split my eyebrow open and scraped a huge chunk of skin off my hand. I then proceeded to black out 3 times while I hiked to the top of the hill to the medical center where they decided all I needed was butterfly band aids since I didn't have insurance. It was my only experience in a Chilean hospital, but I was glad it was the last. I will let you imagine all the fun things I saw in a third world hospital, and I probably saw it, I know some of you know what I am talking about.

What's the last movie you saw? The last one I saw in the theatre was I AM LEGEND, we watched MR & MRS Smith last night.

What do you want to know about the future? Tomorrow's winning numbers to the Power ball having $386 million never hurts

What does your last text message say? A reminder about my district meeting tomorrow at 9, its a few days old, but I don't get too many texts right now because I don't have free texting on my plan because texting is for people way cooler than me ;) My thumbs are not nearly dexterious enough for such a small keyboard.

What's your least favorite school subject? Math! and to think I am a Financial Advisor, THANK YOU computers!!!

What is your dream vacation? A tropical island with just me and Amanda and a host of servants to do anything we want them to. oh and Amanda and I would be NAKED :-) You can thank me later for that image in your mind right now

What is your favorite animal? I love puppies.

Do you listen to the radio? Sirius Radio

Where were you when 9/11 happened? In a bus station in Chanaral, Chile, I was eating a Chilean Hot Dog, "Completo" look it up online and you will understand the divineness of how Chileans can make a disgusting piece of ground up pig parts into something even more disgusting, but somehow very tasty

What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Kick and scream at the machine then walk away all pissy and complain to Amanda

Have you ever caught a butterfly? Yes, I would catch them while frolicking in the meadows near my home

What color are your bed sheets? off-white

What's your ringtone? Verizon defaults, it is usually on Vibrate though

Do you like things that glow in the dark? No

What's your favorite fruity scent? I don't know what fruit it comes from, but Amanda wears VS Love Spell so whatever fruits make up that heavenly aroma, I like those ones.

Have you ever sat on a roof? Yes, I slept on one for about 1 month of my mission.

Name things in the world you dislike: Ignorant people, who are prideful about all the subjects they know very little about. Gays, and the perpetual downfall of the youth in society due to the acceptance of alternative lifestyles and the demise of traditional sports which leads to the acceptance and promotion of such things as skateboarding and the trashy look and trends that follow it.

Do you believe in magic? I believe there are things that happen in this world that cannot be explained by our limited knowledge, however I do believe most things people think are magic is what they choose to believe and not some supernatural occurrence.

Do you hold grudges? Yes, so you don't want to get on my bad side.

Baby Shower of Happiness and Joy!!

My best friend Carrie is throwing me a baby shower- because she loves me!!

Time and Place
Date: Saturday, February 2, 2008
Time: 1:30pm - 4:30pm
Location: The Goodman Residence
Street: 100 east 600 south #1
City/Town: Orem, UT

It's a baby shower! There will be light refreshments, good conversation, and most likely oohs and ahs over my GIANT belly. However, if I have my way, the oohs and ahs will be over how cute little Sara Belle is. . . Because it is a baby shower, I am assuming only girls will want to come. However, if any of you testosterone enhanced individuals feel like adding attending a baby shower to your list of things you have accomplished in your lifetime- you are more than welcome to attend. There should be some hot girls there!! That would actually be a pretty cute story for how a couple got started- "We met at a baby shower. . ." I can see it all now- a movie will be made of it for sure. If you feel so inclined, I would be happy to let anyone add to the light refreshments. Also- I am having a girl, for those of you who care to bring gender appropriate gifts. I would love to see you all there- you don't have to bring anything but your smiling self.

Fiery Post of Venting Doom!!!

Yes. here I am again, composing a post in the middle of the night. However, this time Ross and Sara are not the only ones keeping me awake. While Ross is sawing off some pretty herfty logs next to me, and Sara is practicing her synchronized swimming routine, there is something else that is keeping me from getting the beauty rest I need. I can't get the frustration of something that happened today out of my head, and nothing is more cathartic to me than writing out my vents. Hopefully no one is offended by this- it doesn't look like anyone has even been reading this page in a while though, so I should be fairly safe.

My friend Michelle is an amazing photographer and artist. She is currently getting her degree in fashion photography, and she does some amazing work. For a recent assignment in one of her classes, she was to take some head shots. Well, she and her roommates thought that it would be fun to have an America's Next Top Model night in their apartment, and they would all pose for her. Now, it is a common practice in the fashion world to take head shots where the model wears a tube top. The photo is then taken from the shoulders up- so it includes only the face and the bare shoulders. This is NOT to imitate nudity or to promote sexual images, but rather to draw the attention to the face and not to any distracting clothing. This allows the eye to better take in the style of hair and make-up. That is why another popular name for this kind of pose is a beauty shot. You are to focus on the bone structure and beauty of the face. Michelle and her roommates all took some amazing pictures in this fashion. Michelle orchestrated the make-up, hair, and lighting- and some of the pictures are quite fantastic. She really got some great shots that will significantly benefit her portfolio. On top of that- it looks like the girls all had a really great time together.

Well, not everyone found the pictures as good as I did. As I was looking through the pictures that Michelle placed on her facebook page, I saw that a girl we went to high school with had left some scathing remarks about them. She left a comment- a very publicly viewed comment- that called all the girls in those pictures to repentance. (I would put all the actual comments here so you could share in my abhorance, but they have all been deleted- so you will have to deal with my summaries.) She scolded them for promoting pornography by having the appearance of nudity. She said that they should all think about how they were destroying the sanctity of women, and breaking their sacramental covenants. It was pretty ridiculous and totally inappropriate. One of Michelle's roommates was quite taken aback by this- with good reason- and replied that they were doing nothing wrong. She then made the very good point that the art departments at both UVSC and BYU use models in swim-wear to pose for them. The crazy judgemental girl said that BYU would never promote wearing swimsuits because that was against LDS standards, and said that if the girls couldn't feel comfortable showing those pictures to President Hinckley, then they shouldn't have been taken at all.

That is where I came in. I hated seeing Michelle getting attacked like that for something so silly. They were not going for sex-appeal or trying to evoke any kind of arrousal of that nature. I left a comment that said something like, "As a former art-model at BYU-Idaho, I just want to say that these pictures are very well done and you girls look beautiful. Also- Thomas S. Monson saw some sketches done of me wearing less than these girls, and he said nothing about the bare shoulders. He simply said that the artist showed true talent." I did not write this to start a big fight with the crazy girl- I simply wanted to stand up for my friend, and I wanted to support the statement of her roommate. Unfortunately, all I did was anger the beast. She left a comment saying, "Of course he didn't say anything- he would love the sinner and hate the sin!" I was not about to let her call those girls- and ME sinners. I was also not about to let her think that a member of the first presidency would allow something he deemed unworthy or inappropriate to go on at a Church governed university. I responded with a comment stating that the first presidency is intricately involved in the educational content at the Church run schools- especially in the departments where the gray line of morality can be so easily breached- such as the art department. She wrote back stating that there was no way that the first presidency could know everything that happened on campus- and there was no way they would let immodest material be presented if they knew about it. She then said to show her one picture like that that the prophet had seen and been OK with. I said something like, "You are right- there is no way they can control everything. Bad things happen even on church campuses. Everyone has free agency, and some people use it for the wrong things, and that is sad. What I am saying is that the educational content taught by professors is all checked off by the first presidency- or by people who are appointed to such callings by the first presidency. There were sketches of me wearing less than these beautiful girls that were given full credit and high honors by a member of the Seventy (because the professor IS a member of the Seventy), President Bednar (who is now an Apostle), Henry B. Eyering and Thomas S. Monson (who were both there for the re-dedication of the Spori building where all the art classes are held). If any one of those men in high authority had found ANYTHING inappropriate or immodest in what those pictures were portraying, I GUARANTEE they would have put a stop to it! They would not allow tithing dollars to be paid for models to pose for art that is deemed below LDS standards. These girls did nothing wrong, and they do not deserve to have such horrible comments publicly splashed around like that. If you had a PERSONAL problem with anything they did, you should have confronted them privately- not in a public forum where all of their friends can see."

I was hoping that would be the end- but it wasn't. People like that can't be satisfied until they have the last word I guess. I asked her to make the comments in a more private fashion- so we continued our little fight through more private messages that wouldn't be viewed on Michelle's page.

This whole thing was really really frustrating to me!!! First of all, I was NOT ready to see a good friend of mine attacked in that manner. Michelle had done nothing wrong! I love and care about her way too much to just stand by while some crazy radical is telling her to re-think taking the sacrament because she took some photos with bare shoulders. That is stupid and judgemental. I wanted Michelle to know that this crazy opinion was not a popular one, and that she had nothing to worry about.

Now, that was enough to make me mad- but that is not the main reason it upset me. I hate that people like that are the ones that the world sets the standard of Mormons by. Why is this? It isn't because they make up a majority of our membership- it is simply because they are the loudest. They preach their ignorance and petty, judgemental opinions to anyone within shouting distance, and they do it all in the name of the Church. That is why most of the world thinks that LDS members are out of touch with societal norms and are incapable of accepting people not of their religion.

True members DO NOT judge and point fingers!! They do not preach and scold and mock at any given opportunity. They do not take joy in publicly tearing down the actions of those around them- they lift those around them and find reasons to love them. True Latter Day Saints living by the Spirit love and accept the people around them, regardless of their own personal standards. They preach their standards not by shouting them- but by living them. Christ-like members don't publicly demean people for their differing beliefs- rather, they make sure that they are educated enough about their own doctrines and principles to be able to teach them in meaningful discussions when the APPROPRIATE time presents itself.

The other reason these LOUD members annoy me so much is that they have created a stigma within our own church- they are called 'Utah Mormons.' I cannot even count how many times I have heard members from other places make fun of and demean the members in Utah- and once again, it is not because we are all stupid and judgemental- it is because the stupid and judgemental ones are so dang LOUD!!!! Members outside of Utah view the church members in Happy Valley as naieve and silly. They feel that we have not been truly challenged in our beliefs and that we are preaching things that we would not be able to follow if asked to live them somewhere not as protected as this lovely state. I had more than one person at BYU-Idaho tell me that they were surprised at some of the in-depth comments I would make, because that, "just isn't expected in someone from Utah." In truth, the majority of the members here are kind-hearted and strong. They have been tested and tried, and their testimonies are VERY deeply rooted. The trials found here in the 'fish bowl' may be of a different nature than those found elsewhere- but they are no less real or severe. It is those silly individuals who are uneducated and judgemental who are most often seen, and the rest of us are unfortunate enough to be classed right along with them.

OK- the fire of my indignation is fading, so hopefully writing this out has been therepeutic enough for me to get to sleep. Again- I don't mean to offend anybody- but I allowed myself to get offended today, and I needed an outlet for that anger. Thank you for indulging me if anyone even made it this far.

This has been burried in my inbox for a few months now. I have seen it popping up on some other blogs- so I have decided to go ahead and be a little sheep since I don't feel well enough yet to tell about my exciting and . . . explosive weekend. Stay tuned for a nice little critque of the quality of food found at the Logan Dairy Queen.

Attached or Single: Attached- and so glad that I am!!
Best Friend: Ross and Carrie. They are the two people in the world who truly know me for who I am and still like me! :) I trust them both implicitly and am grateful every day that I have them in my life. I suppose now I am going to have to get to know Nate better so that he can go on that list as well.
Cake or Pie: Pie!!!!!!!
Day of Choice: Any day when Ross is home for more than a couple hours- usually Sundays now.
Essential Item: Gum and lip gloss. I hate having bad breath, and I hate having dry and chappy lips. I think I have about ten of each so that I always have one in my purse, pocket and car. Ross makes fun of me for it- but I find that he sure does take advantage of that certain compulsion of mine- yes that includes the lip gloss at times.
Favorite Color: In general- red. To wear- green or black.
Gummy Bears or Worms: Oh, this is a tough one. I find them both quite heavenly. I guess I would have to say worms because they last longer.
Hometown: Orem, Utah.
Indulgences: I take a guilty pleasure in comedies of the dirty sort, ie: Scrubs, Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Friends, Austin Powers, etc.
January or July: Usually I would say July- but this last July found me pregnant in 110 degree weather with no air conditioning. January has been much kinder to me. If I have my baby in the next 10 days, then it will definitey rank over July.
Kids: Emma Rose- currently in the middle of her terrible two's (but almost totally potty trained!!!!) Sara Belle- lovely little fetus who needs to get on out here!!
Life is incomplete without: Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream, kittens, and blogs of the entertaining sort. OK- so I guess I should include my family in there too.
Marriage Date: August 24, 2004
Number of Siblings: 3 sisters- Heather, Caulene, and Dana. 4 sisters-in-law- Melissa, Jenny, Stephanie, and Gena. 5 Brothers-in-law- Jim, Rex, Clay, Troy, and Joe.
Oranges or Apples: Apples- golden delicious or gala are my favorite.
Phobias: The dark, Spiders, Cancer, and Divorce
Quote: President Heber J. Grant taught, “That which we persist in doing becomes easy to do, not that the nature of the thing has changed but the power to do has increased.”
Reasons to Smile: Emma being potty trained, fresh baked cookies, roses from my husband, Scrubs, popcorn with an inordinate amount of butter and salt, watching Emma do her pretty dance, having Ross rub my giant swollen pregnant feet, finding out that while my baby gained 2 pounds since the last visit- I have lost one, my family FINALLY has cell-phones, blogging, chatting with old friends, laughing so hard it hurts, steak and potatoes, date night with Ross, not emptying the contents of my bowels into the toilet, knowing that this pregnancy is almost over, kissing Ross, getting compliments on my cute toes right now, snow, heated apartment, hot cocoa, reading with Emma and seeing her point out letters to me that I didn't think she had learned yet, hearing Emma do her rooster sound (so so soooo cute!), the neighbor's cat who loves me more, lovespell lotion, really good music, singing, dancing, singing and dancing to really good music, borrowing Ross's shirts when none of the 4 of mine that still fit me are clean, having Ross tell me how cute I am in his shirts, pizza, memories, writing- even if I am no good at it, reading, finding little ways to surprise Ross, watching Carrie and Nate fall even more in love, playing games, winning games, losing games, having Christmas all put away, getting all the teeny-tiny clothes ready for Sara, feeling the Spirit, flowers, swimming, straightening my hair, knowing Ross still thinks I am beautiful even if I am a giant pregnant beast, walking through the mall with Ross, smoothies, french fries, watching my wonderful husband with my beautiful daughter- I had no idea I could love anybody this way- they are everything to me!
Season: Spring- I love the flowers!
Tag others: Anyone wo hasn't posted in a while and needs a good idea.
Unknown fact about me: I can touch my nose with my tongue.
Vegitarian or Meat eater: Vegetarian. . . That means someone who would like to eat steak and potatoes for every meal for the rest of their life right!
Worst Habit: Procrastinating- I am really good at it though. Seriously, I think the best papers I ever wrote in college were produced when I watied until the last minute to start them.
X-rays: A few.
Your Favorite Food: Steak and Pizza- but not steak on pizza.
Zodiac: Leo!!!!

Christmas!!!

I know- enough with all the old December pictures. Get over it!! I think these are the last ones though. This is our GINORMOUS pile of presents. We are well loved it seems- well, Emma is at least. Most of those are for her.

Here we are displaying our new pj's from the Jammy Elf. He comes and knocks on our door on Chirstmas Eve with new PJ's so that we know Santa is coming. It was my mom's sneaky way of getting us to bed at a reasonable hour when we were young. I think it is cute, and I like new jammies!

Ross is displaying his favorite gift of the day.

And here is Emma displaying her favorite gift of the day.

It looks like she is going to be a great help with Sara!

I love my husband! I do- he is a great guy with a warm heart and an endless capacity of strength and determination. He is my best friend and my hero. So, why, you might ask, am I writing nonsensical posts on my blog at 2:00 in the morning instead of cuddling with my beloved? Well, that is because, of all the things I love about Ross- the cacouphonous nasal serenade I get from him every night is not one of them. That is right- Ross has a dirty little secret- he snores!!! This little detail was kept hidden from me until after we were married. I suppose that could be attributed more to the fact that we were never really in a situation where something like that could be revealed before we got married than to him being sneaky. Either way though, it was a surprise of the unpleasant sort.

For most of our marriage it hasn't been a huge deal. I can usually roll him over long enough for me to fall asleep before it starts up again, or put a pillow over my ears. Unfortunately, none of my tricks have been working for the last couple of weeks. I have always been a light sleeper, but the combination of back spasms, leg cramps, and having the bladder capacity of a jelly bean have made a good night's sleep almost impossible for me. Add on to that the fact that poor Ross has been fighting a cold which has made his usually annoying snore more akin to a not-so-low rumble (could possibly be picked up on a Richter scale). Suffice it to say that sleep and I have been very distant accquaintances.

I was just telling Ross the other night how hard it has been for me with his snoring, and he insisted that it couldn't be that bad. That night I got my cell-phone with its handy dandy camcorder on it, and caught many 15 second segments of some of the loudest snoring sessions of the night. He was caught a little off guard by how loud it sounded, but then said that it was probably because the microphone was so close to him (just as close as my ears are to him when we are in bed- but whatever!) Then, tonight Emma proved her girl-solidarity to me! We were in our bed snuggling and getting ready to watch a movie (WE HEART RED-BOX) when I looked at the clock and noticed that it was Emma's bed time. When I told her this, she laid back on the pillow and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep. Then she started making this weird grunting and growling noise. Ross laughed and asked her what she was doing. She opened her eyes and said, "I sleep like Daddy." Then she closed her eyes again and continued her version of Daddy sleeping. It was fantastic- and the perfect piece of evidence!!

The moral of this post is that my husband snores, and I don't like it. I do like him though- so I guess I will just have to put up with it for a few more millenia or so.

Our Sneaky Present Peeker

These were taken some time in the beginning of December. I woke up one morning when I heard a big boom from the front room. This is what I found. . . Apparently she was much more interested in these packages than she pretended to be the night before. She was just waiting for the right time to investigate.

She was not thrilled when she had to help me put them all back.

Contractions- the New Abs of Steel Workout!!

I need some help! I have been having some pretty intense contractions every 20-40 minutes for the last 28 hours. They are not getting closer together or stronger- they are just annoyingly there. We went to the hospital last night to find out if I was in some kind of weak labor. They put me on some monitors and sure enough- I am having some really strong contractions with 25 minutes on average between them. However, since my dilation did not increase at all while I was there, they were unable to pronouce me in active labor and sent me home. If they had, then I would have gotten my C-Section, and this post would have had a much happier ring to it. Instead, I am writing feeling as though I have spent the last day doing constant sit-ups, which, in essence, I have. Maybe that will help with losing weight after- who knows. Anyway, my plea for help is to know if anybody has any sure-fire ways of pushing these dumb things into active labor, or making them stop all together. Either way is fine- but I am awfully tired and would really like this perpetual ab-workout to end for a little bit! The doctor last night said that since Sara looks great on the monitors, he was not going to give me any prescriptions or anything. He is just assuming that it will naturally go one way or the other on its own. I say that is way too easy for a man not experiencing it to say. If he wont give me a prescription, then I need some natural ways of eradicating this problem.

Temple Square

OK- so these are old. I am trying to catch up. Don't complain- I will just pull the pregnant card- and that particular excuse gets more and more valid every day!! These are from our trip to see the lights at Temple Square. It was beautiful, but brief because Emma was protesting the cold! These were taken just after we commited some inadvertant vandalism. . .

This is a picture of the branch that no longer shines all pretty and pink because Ross, not realizing how tall Emma was while on his shoulders nor how low that particular branch was hanging, rammed Emma's face into one of the lights, causing it to burst, and thus causing the whole branch to burn out, and Emma's slight moans to escalate into full-blown sobs. It was a good night! :)

This is the behavior that led to the defacing of church property- take note and be aware!!

This star was Ross's favorite feature of the entire Square. For a girl who spent her first winter in Rexburg- Emma sure is adverse to being cold.

Emma's New Digs

The ladies of the Goodman Ranch were busy with felt this year! All the grandkids and cousins got hats and coats from Grandma, and hats and scarves from Aunt Stephanie for Christmas. They are all really cute. Emma LOVES the hats and never wants to leave the house without one- even if she is wearing a coat with a hood.

No- she is not flipping off Ross- she has a piece of candy in her hand.

This is her baby hypnotism at work. How do you think she got that candy in the first place- that sneaky little bugger!!

She's a Maniac, Maniac on the Floor, and She's Dancing Like She's Never Danced Before!!!!!

This is Emma's Crazy Dance!! I am not sure why she needs the whisks, but it makes me laugh every time. This particular dance (yes, she has more than one!) was usually inspired by the Manaheim Steamroller Christmas CD. Now she just does it to whatever music is playing if it has a good enough beat. The softer music brings out the pretty dance. This is my favorite of hers because it can last up to fifteen minutes, and it ranges all over the house and is very high spirited. This means if we can get her to do it just before bedtime, then we can get rid of some of that excess energy.

Congratulations Carrie and Nate!!!! I love you guys!!!!!

My best friend just got engaged last night, and I am THRILLED for her!!!!! Her sweet boyfriend (fiancee now, but boyfriend at the time) is a photographer. He has spent this last month doing lots of couple pictures for all of his friends. Well, since one of his good married friends who also dabbles in photography was coming out for a visit, he arranged for him to take come cute couples pictures of Nate and Carrie. This was an ingenius way of making sure that Carrie would be sure to look all cute (not many girls want to get proposed to when they don't feel pretty at the time) and to ensure that the moment was captured forever on film. After taking a few pictures together, he pointed out the beautiful sunset to Carrie who turned to admire the view. While she was looking away, Nate slipped out the ring that was in his pocket and got down on one knee. When Carrie turned around to find out why Nate was on the ground, she found Nate with a ring. He said, "Carrie, I have been waiting my whole life to ask you this question. . . will you marry me?" The rest was all tears and other giddy newly engaged antics. I am very excited for them- they are a beautiful couple. I wish them all the happiness in the world, and I can't wait to have some married friends around here to hang out with :)

New Year's Resolutions

I know, I know- it is totally cliche to post about New Year's goals, but since I view this blog as one of my lame attempts of keeping a journal, I thought it would be another good place to write my goals down. I have them on 3x5 cards in my scriptures, on my closet door, and as my bookmarks. Goal setting is one of my very favorite ways of progressing- I suppose it fits fairly well with my OCD-ish tendencies. I have divided my goals for this year into different catergories, which will make it easier for me to make appropriate monthly goals to get closer to accomplishing them. Also, I think knowing that all of you (all 2 of you. . .) are seeing them will help to motivate me to keep them. I am all about peer pressure in situations like this!!

Physical- I know this is another New Years cliche- but I would like to lose weight. I never did lose all of my baby weight from Emma. I was kind of lazy about it because I knew that I wanted my first two kids to be fairly close together in age and I just didn't see the point in working that hard to lose weight that I was just going to put on again. I think that was one of the more logical reasons I have ever had for avoiding working out (some of my former roommates know some of the more ridiculous ones). I have gained 30 pounds so far this pregnancy, and am projected to gain about 5 more before Sara's due date. I will most likely lose about 20 of those shortly after the birth (that is the approximated weight of baby and fluid). This means that in additon to the 15 pounds I wanted to lose before I was pregnant, I will have about 15 to add to that. I would like to lose those thirty pounds by November so that I can put them all back on during the holidays :). In addition to following a fairly lenient diet (basically less sweets and portion control- that is all the discipline I have when it comes to my good friend food) I am planning on joining a gym and a step-aerobic class. This time working out may very well be the only me-time I get this next year, so I think that will make it easier for me to enjoy and even look forward to that time. Ross has agreed to watch the girls when I go do this. Whether this willingness stems from him being the best husband ever, or from him wanting the tiny wife he married back I am not sure. Either way, I am grateful for his support.

Spiritual- I want to attend the temple twice a month- at least one of those times with Ross. If Orem is going to get its temple, and it will- then I need to do my part in increasing the need for it. I also want to read the Old Testament again.

Mental- I am going to take a night class at BYU in the fall. I also want to read one informational book a month. Most of those will probably be financial type books because I don't like how ignorant I feel when Ross talks about his work.

Emotional- I am going to make sure that Ross and I get a date night ALONE every week. We always get a date night, but more often than not, Emma is our little tag-along. I think that especailly after the baby, we are going to need at least a couple hours a week without our little ankle biters.

Familial- I am going to hold much more formal Family Home Evenings. Ross and I usually take some time to read a conference talk and eat cookies or something- but now that Emma is getting old enough to understand routines and lessons, I think it is time for us to implement Family Home Evening more regularly. This will be greatly helped by our wonderful Christmas present from my sister-in-law, Melissa!! She gave us a really cute Home Evening chart thing with vinyl lettering and little pegs for family names to hang from. She actually does all kinds of cool signs professionally and sells them. I will put the e-mail address for it up here as soon as she gives it to me. (She keeps giving it to Ross, not realizing that most of the information of that type that enters his head is soon lost amidst a crazy swirl of thoughts about sports, work, his AMAZING wife and other tid-bits that I don't care to know about). I am also going to be more valiant in my journaling efforts. This means the blog should be updated fairly regularly, and my digital scrapbook pages will start getting printed off.

Monetary- Ross and I just set up a good budget and cut up our credit cards. Between Ross's employment instability (which is now resolved- yay!!) and his medical problems, we ran up quite a balance on a couple cards. Now that we have a nice and steady income, we are on track to be out of debt by Christmas 2008. My goal is to find some extra ways to bring in a little bit of money and to cut some fat out of our budget to put towards the debt. I am hoping that these extra efforts can move that pay-off date up to August. Brittany- I may need some tips on getting extra cash from home. . .

Motherly- I want to have Emma completely potty trained by August- her 2 1/2 birthday. She is half way there- she uses diapers when we are out of the house and for over night. Progress in those areas has pretty much come to a stop. Hopefully I can find some ways to break through that block. She is using less diapers now, and when we are home she is really good at getting to the potty in time, so I am pretty happy for now. I also want Emma to be able to write her name and know the alphabet by the end of the year. We have been learning the song together, and she is really good at recognizing the letter 'E' for Emma- so I hope that we can continue to get better in those areas. As for Sara, I want her to stay healthy and happy, and I want my two girls to love each other. I want Sara to be on a much better sleep schedule than Emma ever was. I also want to avoid having her in our bed for as long as Emma was. I was really bad at indulging her cuddling wants at night when she was first born because Ross had been gone for almost a year, and I wanted someone to cuddle with in bed too. This led to some bad habits that were hard for everyone to break. Hopefully we can avoid this from the get-go with Sara.

I think that there is enough here to keep me busy this year. I love the chance to start over this year with a fresh perspective. It is nice to look back on the past year and see all the progress I have made- and especially to see the areas where I am still highly lacking. Hopefully these goals will make those low areas higher so that I can work on other areas next year.

Exhaustion

Poor Ross didn't get much sleep on our trip, and then he had to drive home, and then he chose to help me unpack everything instead of taking a nap. He pretty much rocks! I kept asking him if he needed me to take Emma out for a walk or a drive so he could get some sleep- but he insisted that he was fine and not even that tired. Well, when he was saying our family prayer, he closed with, "please bless that all the members who couldn't be here tonight will be able to come next time, and bless that we can all travel home safely. . ." At least he didn't bless the food! Now I could be wrong in assuming that this subconscious pull from memorized benedictions came from exhaustion. Maybe he was being metaphorical. Perhaps he was referring to the other members in a way that meant he wants us all to be unified. "If ye are not one, ye are not mine." He could have meant our trip home to heaven and was praying that our trip would be absent of detours. However, knowing Ross's metaphorical abilities- I am going to doubt that. :)

Emma- Pices Extradorinaire

Don't worry- the hot tub was pretty luke-warm!

She got pretty good at the dog paddling. I probably could have let go a couple of times- but my heart was a little too nervous for that.