Nose Job

I might get in trouble for this post :o). Brian had a nose job this morning...

Okay, not really. He did have to get some work done on his nose, but out of necessity not vanity. He had nasal septal repair surgery to fix his deviated septum. AKA, he had problems breathing, he was constantly congested, and he snored - A LOT! So, he hopefully (cross our fingers) got that all taken care of today. The surgery was pretty intense, more so than I thought it would be. But it all went well, he will just be pretty miserable for the next few days. He is currently high on percocet and sleeping - trying to anyway.

You can't help but laugh a little at the silliness of his get-up. Thank goodness his nose is not always this big! He kind of reminds me of a cartoon character. Here is one more picture, just for the fun of it! Hehe...

Spiral Jetty

The Spiral Jetty is an earthwork created by sculptor Robert Smithson in 1970. It is located at the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake and is constructed of basalt rocks, forming a 1500-foot long and 15-foot wide coil. Through time, the black rocks have become encrusted with salt, giving the spiral a white brilliance.

At the time of its construction, the water level of the lake was extremely low due to a drought. Water levels returned to normal within a few years and the structure remained submerged for three decades. Over the years the spiral was, from time to time visible when water levels were low. However, it was not until 2004, after several years of drought, that the Spiral Jetty was once again completely exposed.

At that time of its reemergence, I was attending the University of Utah. Brian and I went with a group of students on a field trip to visit the structure. It took forever, it seemed, to get to the site but it was worth it. It was probably a once in a lifetime trip for me and it was fun to see the Spiral Jetty up close. We even walked along the top of the salt encrusted rock coil.

Well, it seems as though I have once again come upon a spiral jetty. Although this is a much, much cuter interpretation:

Seriously, could there be a cuter belly button?! I think not.

An Excellent Idea!

This is from the February 2008 issue of Ladies Home Journal. Just so you know, I don't actually read Ladies Home Journal. This thought was passed out in our relief society and I am going to give it a go. I figure it goes right along with my 2008 word "grow"...

Quit Complaining

"Are you constantly telling friends what an oaf your husband/friend is or how poorly paid you are at work - yet seldom sharing good news? Mike Robbins, author of Focus on the Good Stuff, the Power of Appreciation says that such negativity has become pervasive in our culture, and that we are doing ourselves damage. Feeling more flawed and less satisfied as a result. But he claims there is a solution. Go on a complaint fast.

To start, Robbins recommends making a commitment not to complain about anything to anybody for a specific amount of time - say a day or two. He also suggests going on the fast with a family member or friend for accountability and support. The idea is not to achieve perfection, but to become aware of how often you complain. In time, you'll train yourself to focus on your life's more positive aspects, which has been proven to create a deeper sense of gratitude and overall happiness." -Courtney De Wet

So, I have decided to go on a "complaint fast" for two weeks. If any of you hear me complaining over the next two weeks, please call me on it. It will be interesting to see how much I catch myself wanting to complain about something. I don't consider myself to be a complainer, but maybe I am wrong. We shall see. It should be an interesting exercise.

Paid In Full

Yippee!! We paid off the last of our maternity medical bills today. Due to crapy insurance, we had a very, very large co-pay. So, $5,000.00 later, Trent is paid in full and officially ours! Not that he could have been repossessed. But it is nice to be done and not have any more bills hanging over our heads. We did not want to drag out payments for years, so we worked really hard at getting it all paid off as quickly as possible. $5,000.00...I'd say he's worth a million.

Dinedasaurs!

We went to the dinosaur museum with Heather and her kids on Monday and it was awesome! Thanks to the kids-under-two-free rule and Heather's 1/2 price member discount, it only cost me $4.50 for 3 hours of entertainment - now that is a steal! I had never been there and I wasn't sure how much Ashlyn would like it, but she had a blast! She has not stopped talking about the "dine-da-saurs" all week. Right when you enter the museum, there is a large dino skeleton and when Ashlyn saw it she exclaimed, "It's an amazing dinedasaur!" She was hooked!

This picture relays perfectly why you should not tell kids to say "cheese" when taking a photo! You never get a pretty smile, just goofy and distorted faces.

Digging for dino bones. They really have catered to a large range of ages and interests. We will definitely be going back.

The big shark was a big hit. Don't look too closely at Ashlyn in this photo, we have been working on fixing this problem!

Ashlyn loves her friends Grace and Ava. She has mentioned their names several times this week. Thanks for the fun, memorable day girls!

Two by Two & Bag It

I told Emily that I would do her tag and I was also bag tagged by a couple of friends, so here it goes...

• Two names you go by? Jame and Mommy

• Two things you are wearing now? Jeans and a Jackson Hole T-shirt

• Two things you want (or have) in a relationship? Laughter and respect

• Two of your favorite things to do? Cooking and taking long, hot showers - something that never seems to happens anymore.

• Two of your least favorite things to do? Changing a poopy diaper and getting ready for the day - I really hate doing my hair & make-up.
  

• Two things you did last night? Cleaned GSL and made Gretchen’s Tomato Vegetable Soup and Rolls – it was yummy, thanks for the recipes Gretchen!

• Two people you last talked to? Brian and Ashlyn

• Two things you are doing tomorrow? Babysitting Madi & Maya and budgeting

• Two longest car rides? Salt Lake to Montana and the California coast line - something that only needs to be done once in a person’s life

• Two favorite Holidays? Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve

• Two favorite Drinks? Water and milk

• Two things about me you may not have known? #1:I had a mole on my back removed and tested for cancer – it came back benign. #2: I once kissed a stranger on New Year's Eve.

• Two jobs I have had in my life? Dental assistant and waitress

• Two movies I would watch over and over? ???? – Here are two movies that I do watch over and over, but not by choice: “Peter Pan” and “Strawberry Shortcake – Get Well Adventure”

• Two favorite foods? My Mom’s Sunday dinners and my Dad’s omelets (They are great cooks. I get better food at their home than any restaurant I have been to.)

• Two places I'd rather be right now? In a spa getting a pedicure or kickin’ back at Ruby’s Inn - yeehaw, we will be there 3 weeks from today and I can’t wait!!

Now for the bag tag. I am suppose to show my bag and the contents therein. I am only doing this because I like the girls who tagged me. I don't consider myself a purse person and I don't think you'll find the contents too intriguing.

This is my bag, I hate it. I needed a new purse when I was nine months pregnant and I went to one store and got the first bag that was semi-decent.

I am cheating here a bit. I am not going to unload and photograph everything inside, sorry. But here is what it contains: wallet, checkbook, pocket calendar, coupons, lists of different varieties (I am a list maker), lotion, purell, about a dozen pens, nail clippers, notepads, feminine needs, carmex (I am an addict), and gum. My cell phone is usually in there, but it is being charged at the moment.

Told ya, not at all interesting. There you go Jamie and Heather :)

Go on and do either of these tags if you feel so inclined.

Peaceful...Isn't It!

"Peaceful...isn't it!" My Grandpa Lifferth coined this phrase. I heard him say it on several occasions. My dad said grandpa most often said this right before their Sunday evening meal. Sitting around the kitchen table with food right before their eyes, all the kids were anxious, hungry, and quiet (most unusual!). Well, I am babysitting Madi & Maya today and it has been a noisy day. But at this moment Madi, Ashlyn, and Trent are all asleep and I am holding sweet little Maya (and typing with one hand). And in this very rare quiet moment, I thought of my Grandpa and his words, "Peaceful...isn't it!" It takes a house full of kids to really appreciate times like these!

We did have a fun morning though. We played with play dough, danced, and made these cute, edible caterpillars. All you need is peanut butter, bananas, grapes, and chow mien noodles. They had fun making them, but were not to interested in eating the final product. Oh well, maybe next time.

P.S. Maya has fallen asleep!! Now it really is peaceful. Time for me to go check out some blogs:)