new year, new post

Wow, has it been this long? My friend Rachel says yes!!! Holy smokes, this blogging vacation has gotten totally out of control. People that go on this long of a break usually come back with "I haven't been blogging because I'm PREGNANT!!!" (in a sing songy voice, mind you)

I have no such announcement. I will announce, however, that I am on my period! WAHOO! Isn't that the best news you've heard in a while? I was laying in bed thinking about how absolutely awful cramps are and thought (WARNING: A peak into my brain), "I wish I had a girl I could complain to about this... too bad I'm not in high school and could chit chat random thoughts with friends during the 5 minute locker break in between classes... actually, what a great thing it is to not be in high school anymore... maybe I'll post about how awful it is to be a 'woman' because only females read my blog and then I'll get some sympathy... do I really want my first post back to be about my monthly 'visitor'? Maybe I should just complain to Joe. On second thought, I'm pretty sure he would want me to keep that to myself..." So I got myself out of bed and here I am! I seriously feel like I need to throw up and poop at the same time (I'm sure Joe is positively THRILLED that I put that info on our blog). Luckily, none of that is going to happen -- but un-luckily (great word), because I actually think I would feel better after the fact. It reminds me of my friend in college that once told me she had a major case of the runs. As she was hurrying to the bathroom, she realized she was about to throw up. There is only one toilet and only one direction you can be in... Oh man, I laughed so hard when she told me about this happening to her -- true story too!! For the life of me I can't remember what she decided to do, but it makes me laugh just thinking about the panic you would be experiencing at that very moment -- "sit or kneel? sit or kneel!?!" The situation also reminds me of my favorite game, "Would You Rather...?" but I think I shall move on...

Life seriously has been flying by at the speed of light for us. I have not posted our Halloween (when we actually went Trick or Treating), Thanksgiving, our trip to Hawaii, Christmas, and all the other random pictures in between the celebrations. I feel totally behind and have been putting off uploading all those pictures because for some reason it takes so long (or am I just retarded?). I have been putting "post to blog" on my to-do list for about 2 weeks now too! How lame am I for including that on my list, right next to "put away laundry" and "go to grocery store" -- seriously. Lame. I figured that by at least letting everyone know that we are all alive and relatively well (Reese has a cold) that it would make the task of uploading pictures and writing about all the events less daunting. Hopefully I'll be posting again more frequently :)

Some things that have been going on, in no particular order:

~ I was the teacher for our preschool this week (have I mentioned that I organized this mom-taught school since preschool out here is ridiculously expensive? I'll have to post about this too). The letter I chose was 'N' and I decided to do the theme around the new year (get it?) since it is all fresh on their minds and to introduce the new date to them. Amongst other things, we made noise makers (lame I keep bolding that letter!) and then these super cute 2010 glasses and held a little parade for the kids. It really was so funny to see them marching around, tooting their noise makers, shouting "2010 -- Happy New Year!!" By the time I realized that I should take some video, or at least some pictures, of the event, Boston started throwing a fit saying he was hungry. And then he was starving. And then he was crying. I really did feed him a mere HOUR before this little meltdown happened. Maybe he's going through a growth spurt... silly boy. Then they all ate craisins. Notice that I didn't bold any letters in that snack? Probably because craisins and the starting with the letter 'n' don't have a ton in common. We were going to make homemade pasta noodles (yes!) with the new pasta maker/roller that I got for Christmas (super cool present and super fun for the kids to use, by the way). But someone had dropped off a starving kid at my school and thereby ruining that plan. What a neglectful mother (who shall remain nameless).

~ Boston is officially a Sunbeam. I truly cannot believe it. Today was his second week of going to sharing time instead of nursery, and when I dropped him off I actually almost cried. I mean, seriously, his feet don't even touch the floor when he's sitting on his chair, and it's one of those mini chairs too. This was his second week; the first week he was in Primary I was actually subbing for one of the classes and so I got to stay in the room with him the whole time he was there. I did not feel weepy that week. Maybe it's the whole period thing coming to ruin my life by making everyone think I'm a crazy mom for crying on my child's second week of Primary. I need to get it together! The first Sunday was so cute because they all sang the "Hello, Hello" song to the new Sunbeams and Boston was standing up front, looking at everyone with the biggest smile on his face, waving. The whole song. The other kids were either staring in shock or bawling their eyes out from all the attention. My little guy was proudly waving hello to every soul in that room. I actually have a video of it, so I'll have to post it later. So cute :)  That same day, he raised his hand when the Primary president asked, "What do you and your Dad do together?" She called on him, not knowing that he would say "um... um... um..." for the next 10 seconds. Right before she gave up to call on someone else, he blurted out, "We say prayers." Have I mentioned that he was wearing his little suit? Oh dear, he was so cute answering questions, all while looking so handsome in his suit. Heaven help me. So naturally I almost tear up when I drop him off on the second week, right? Maybe it was because I wasn't going to be in the room with him where he could turn and find me, smile and wave while saying "Hi mommy!" This little boy is getting too old too quick.
He drew a picture in his class today of our family. I think I'm going to have to scan it and post it on here -- Joe wants to save it, but I'd rather just have it on the computer seeing as though he didn't really draw the whole thing. You'll see what I mean later when I post it. Anyway, I think it's funny whenever you ask him about what he did in class he says, "I colored _____" Last week it was his crown and this week it was the picture of our family. So I say back, "No, what did your teacher talk to you about. Did she tell you about choosing the right?" "No mom. She told me to color my crown. These are the sparkly gems and these are not sparkly." Well, at least he's following directions if he's not learning anything else. I'm sure it's not from a lack of trying on the teacher's part, though!

~ Reese has gone from the sweetest of the sweet children to crazy drama mama. I think in like 10 seconds flat, too. I swear, it was like one morning she woke up and decided, "I shall be the screamiest squawker this world has ever seen!" I had been fooled into thinking that girls are easier than boys when they are younger, but are harder when they are older (like teenagers). Either that statement is just a load of quackery or my girl does not like to follow the rules. Seeing as though she is my daughter, I'm beginning to believe that it is the latter of the two. Let's hope she grows out of that soon!! As for now, she is like our little tornado -- leaving little (and big) disasters in her wake. And unfortunately, whenever she doesn't get her way (ie: pick her up and say 'no'), she literally tries to gouge out your eyes. Or rip out your earrings. Or pull your hair (she loves to do this to Boston). All while emitting multiple, short ear piercing screams. Isn't that a lovely scene? She seriously has drawn blood. Gotta keep those nails clipped!! Too bad she hates that. And having her diaper changed. Joe and I argue about who gets to do that chore over the weekends -- you would think we were cutting her with knives. Yet, God knew what he was doing with her and put her in the cutest little package imaginable. She is so incredibly darn cute that it's hard to stay annoyed. She has even perfected the sad, protruding lip all while being able to squeeze out the biggest, fattest tears you've ever seen. Just thinking about it makes me want to hold her. Oh dear, oh my.
All that craziness aside, it has been so fun watching her personality emerge (not the diva one mentioned above). I have thought that Boston is the weirdest little kid -- in a funny, silly way -- but she is definitely vying for that title. She loves to make faces at us and loves to make us laugh even more. She stood up on a truck tonight, stuck her rear end out, turned and looked at me and started to bounce up and down. What made it so funny is that it is Boston's 'signature move.' He does it all the time to try and make us laugh, and here this cute little girl is doing this lame dance from memory -- all in an effort to get me to laugh! Sadly, it totally worked. I wish I didn't laugh at stuff like that, but then again I am the product of my mother :)

~ As for me, I have been trying to go to the gym ever since I went on a non-stop eating binge. Oh, did I mention that it started at Thanksgiving?? Holy living smokes/cow. No lie. It sounds more out of control than it was (apparently I tend to exaggerate), but I really was not caring about what, when, or how much I ate. Pretty sure it's catching up to me, and I didn't need anymore weight catching me. So I've gone back to the dreaded treadmill. Seriously, I hate that machine. I did at one point have a love/hate sort of thing going on with it because I was losing weight. You can't hate something that makes you skinny! This time around, the weight is slower than SLOW to come off. I'm beginning to think that my body is in some sort of 'caveman' mode and is maybe thinking I'm about to hibernate -- it's the only explanation that is making sense (sad because it is an illogical theory!). I am really going to try and be diligent about working out this time. I haven't stuck to it in 5 years, so I figure it's about time. My good friend from BYU started a blog about weight loss, and I am actually finding myself motivated to eat better after reading her posts. Plus, she totally makes me laugh and she is amazingly lazy like me -- I love that about her :), yet hate about me. Anyway, you can follow her if you want here. Aside from trying to stop being obese (according to that terribly depressing BMI chart), nothing really new is going on with me. At least, nothing I can think of at 1:30 in the morning!

~ Joe is still my red headed lover :) He's entering his 4th 'busy season,' but his 1st as an official CPA! I think that's cool, but he probably thinks it's lame I just wrote that because it's "not relevant," as he likes to say. It's hard to believe that he will actually be busier during the next 4 months because it seems like he is always busy and hard at work. It was this time last year that he really started raking in the Marriott points for all his traveling, which in turn allowed us to go to Hawaii for free (with some exceptions, of course). As much as I absolutely LOVED Hawaii, I'd actually rather have that husband of mine around more often. He recently applied for a scholarship to go back to school and get his PhD in Accounting (and be a professor). Out of the hundreds that applied, they narrowed their choices down to 30 people and they chose him!! (which did not come as that much of a surprise to me. He was more surprised, however :)) He has applied to a handful of PhD programs and will find out sometime in March where he was accepted. School would then start this September, therefore making this his last busy season -- hooray!! Ultimately, I would still say that his career is up in the air because there are several decisions yet to be made. I guess we will see where 2010 takes us :)
Joe has made a goal for himself to do a sprint triathlon this year and has been going to the gym to get ready for that. Seeing him make time for working out has been a good motivation for me to do the same :) Joe has asked me in the past if I would want to do a race with him (meaning do the same race. I can't keep up with his speed. Him and his darn skinny legs), and I've always said absolutely not -- I hate running. I think he has given up on pestering me about doing races, but my friend, Rachel, posted some stuff about running on her blog and recently ran her first marathon. I still think she is a little crazy for doing that -- but man, I envy the fact that she did it!! It's really pretty cool. So now I'm starting to think that maybe I will do some sort of race 'with' Joe. I don't know about the sprint triathlon though... maybe just a 5K!! hahaha, there's that reliable Laziness rearing it's face again. Race or no race, it's good thing we are both moving again, eh??
So, small tangent aside, Joe is doing great :)

Okay. I have decided that this post TOTALLY sounded like a Christmas card towards the end. What the heck is wrong with me? I think reading all the Christmas cards my mom got over the holidays permeated my brain more than I thought... still, aren't you all glad that I posted something?!?! First goal of the new year COMPLETE!! Now with that small self-esteem boost and the fact that the cramps are finally gone, I am off to bed. But to sign off in true Christmas card style fashion (yet in all seriousness), "I hope the new year finds you all well!!"