Putting it off

I have to do all the laundry today. It's going to be an all day event. I'm not looking forward to it.

I'm putting it off right now, and choosing to watch Special Agent Oso with my child instead. And then I'm going to walk to the Library because I have a book waiting for me. And that will put off doing the laundry even longer.

Seriously, loads and loads of laundry. I just want to curl up and go to sleep.

I guess it's not that bad, because I have stopped folding Marcelo's clothes. There is no point because he just leaves it in the basket until it's time to wash again and fill it with more clean clothes. I sort it, pre-wash, soak, wash and dry and then put it in your basket. The least you can do is put it away. When you start doing that, I'll start folding it again.

But seriously, I need to get going here. No more procrastination

What do you avoid doing at all costs?

P.S. I'm only 3 pounds away from a new pair of shoes!! Oh how I need them desperately

Sweet Merciful Heavens. . .It's only 1 block away

I found a restaurant only 1 block away.

It sells 1/4 of a 20 inch pizza pie for only $3.75.

Today I went and bought two slices because I couldn't make up my mind. I got the NM Green Chili and the Thai Chicken slice. Made fresh while I waited.

I'm in love. I haven't been in love this much with food since my first visit to Happy Sumo and tasting the RSBC. (It's actually called the BSCR but I always get it wrong. Like just now).

Did I mention it's only $3.75 for a slice the size of a soccer ball? And it's made fresh. And the thin crust? I forgot the crust! It's fire baked and super thin. right from the oven it crunches like a cracker but is still slightly chewy on the edge. And you can fold it over and pretend that you are in NY eating pizza from a street vendor.

Oh my goodness. It's amazing. And it's only 1 block away. How am I ever going to reach my weight loss goals now?

NM Chili? Seriously? Evil proprietors bent on keeping me looking like a beached whale, I curse your very existence.

And I'll see you next week

Friends in all Places

The older I get, the more I realize what I like in a person as a friend. And I also have started to notice what I don't like in a person. Due to this, I have started to see some of the same traits appearing in my friends over and over again. This is a partial list of traits that most of my friends (and all of my closest friends) have. Do you have them? Then you are probably my friend. And on the flip side of this you can ask yourself "am I her friend? Then I probably have most of these qualities"

1. Smart. I think this would have to be my #1 trait I have found in my closets friends. I don't know why? Did it start in Elementary school in the ALP program (Can I get a "WHAT WHAT!!" for ALP, my peeps?) when I was segregated from my other classes and put with other smart kids for several hours a day? Or did it happen in Junior High when I changed schools right before the 8th grade and found a new best friend with the eventual valedictorian of all North Coast schools? Or did it happen when I chose to live with other kids on the Honors Graduation track at BYU in the dorms? (Not that even half of us graduated with Honors. I think Mindy is the only on that I know of that actually did it).

I don't say these things to be like "OHHH, look at me! I was in smart people classes." I actually don't think that highly of myself. I just say it to point out that at a very young age I was surrounded by smart people. And people MUCH MUCH smarter than myself so I always felt like I had lots to reach for. I was never EVER the smartest person in the room, so PLEASE don't think that I'm tooting my "smartness" horn. There is no horn. Not even a bike ding-a-ling bell.

But I have come to notice that ignorance and low intelligence is not a trait that I desire to be around. Which is not to say that I don't love a little slapstick comedy or a good fart joke. But people who I can't look up and who don't make me try to be a better person? I have no use for you. Sorry if that makes me sound like a people user. I just want to be with smart people. People who correct my English, instead of me mentally correcting theirs. So you people out there, people who read my blog and correct my English and are my friends? You are all exceptionally smart. Except for you, Mindy. PhD candidate, Physics, math and music degrees graduated with honors? Paa-shawww. You are lame. LAAAAME. Seriously, get some initiative girl. You embarrass me. Kidding of course. Which brings me to . . .

2. Funny, or at least willing to laugh at my jokes. , I'm only funny 50% of the time. And most of that time is because I'm doing a bit that I stole from someone else. I spend excessive time laughing at myself and my ridiculousness. I really think a lot of the time that I'm the only one laughing at my jokes, so it really surprises me when someone else thinks I'm funny. And I like that person right away. Because it's no fun laughing at yourself. . . ALONE I can't tell you how many times I've said to Mar "NOW COME ON!!! THAT WAS FUNNY!!!" And he only agrees with me 17-19% of the time

3. A good conversationalist. I like someone I can talk to. This must go along with the intelligence thing, but I like a good conversation. And a fun conversation. And I realize that I talk A LOT. I really do realize it. So I like a person to be willing to let me blab on and on for a while. I'll let you have your turn too, but sometimes a girl's just got to talk.

Also, what is your conversation about? Tell me about a good book you just read, or something that you know about. Like Australia or the time your family lived in Maine for 3 years. Don't talk to me about shoes, or any other fashion/article of clothing. Please don't talk to me about getting your nails done or how you "deserve" to get something. Blecch. But other topics are fine. Your child's bowel movements? Bring it on! An awesome mission story? I'm ready and waiting. The embarrassing date you went on in high school/college? Do it up! That's the kind of stuff I can sit around and listen to for hours. Which brings me to the final item:

4. Returned Missionaries. This isn't a blanket statement. Which is to say that if you are a RM, I don't instantly like you. Nor is it true that if you aren't an RM, we have nothing to say to each other. But I have come to notice that my closest friend are RMs. And the women that I naturally relate to the most in my ward are RMs. And the sites that I blog-stalk? Those that I love the most are written by RMs.

On a side note, I just had to unsubscribe to a blog that I found especially annoying. Written by a Utah dwelling non-RM, who lauded the fact that she wasn't one and that she was so much better than everyone else because she chose education above a mission. I almost left a nasty comment on the way out, but I figured she wasn't worth my time. Blog. . . DELETED!! Why did I hang around there so long? Well, because I enjoyed reading her words and secretly judging and making fun of her. But I decided that wasn't good for me and my pride level, so I just deleted it all together.

But back to being an RM. I don't know. I think it's because missions form you in a way that marriage and school and a normal 18 months or 2 years of life could never do. Again, I don't think I'm better than you because I served and you didn't. Some of my closest friends and family members didn't serve missions. But in a friend, when you find out that someone served a mission, it turns a little switch on in my brain that says, "no wonder this person is cool! I think we are going to get along JUUUUUST FIIIINNNEE!"

Ok, so that's my rant for the day. I need to go and prepare lunch for the Bibbers.

And to answer your question, no, she still doesn't talk. Little thing is doing it now just to piss me off. I know it. Dang girl is too smart for her own good.

Have a good day. And my fellow RMs? Do you remember THIISSSSS??


Do you have a similar one? I know you you!

P.S. I don't know the person in the picture. I found it online. So don't think I sneaked into the boy's dorms to get this picture. That would just be scary. What with all the "Tree of Life" stories. Yuck.

Just in case you were wondering. . .

Despite their colorful candy shells, cute be-speckled exterior and bargain prices, Whopper Robin Eggs are not delicious.


Look at that thick candy shell. How can that be delicious? Well, it's not. It's like chewing through 3 inches of plastic coating in order to get to the soft center. It taints the whole Whopper experience.

And I bought a whole bag of them. I said to myself, "self, you are allowed on Easter candy treat" and what did I choose? Whopper Eggs, because I am a moron. And because I love regular Whoppers. Stupid false advertising. They should say "Made by the same company but in no way resembles normal Whoppers" and then in bigger letters: "tectonic plate candy shell will promise to crack your dental crown!" on the outside.

Now I have a stomach ache and 7/8 of a bag of Whopper Eggs.

Anyone want them?

Project: COMPLETED

I get on these project kicks. I get really motivated and almost obsessed to complete things. It can be good sometimes, but other times it's very tiring. like when I'm obsessed with finishing a certain book. I will stay up till 3 or 4 am to finish reading. LESS EFFECTIVE when you have to get up to go to the gym in 3 hours.

Well, the project I have been working on for the past few weeks is my "RECIPE CARDS" project. I had a whole bunch of miss-matched cards and cards that didn't fit into my recipe box. And people had made photo copies of their ward cookbooks for me But half the recipes are repeated and the other half are things that I would never make (read that: things that contain beans, mayonnaise or bananas)

So I found the right size cards and I typed them all up. 24 pages of recipes, with 3 recipes per page. It was a lot of work, but I'm so happy to be done with it! Project, ACCOMPLISHED. I feel so satisfied.

And I have lots of cute baby stuff that has been happening lately. I won't expose you to everything right now. . . well maybe just one. When I put the baby down for her nap or bedtime I always put her face down on her belly and she sticks her booty in the air. (it's her favorite position) Then I put her blanket on her back and rub her back a little. So here is her interpretation of the same thing with her playing the part of mom and the rabbit playing the part of baby.

Look how cute she is! (The video is long. Sorry. Just pay attention to the first 10 or 15 seconds or so) O


Ugh, it makes me so sad she's growing up so fast.

More videos to come. Ignore if you wish. But this is some seriously good stuff.

College Education

I'm helping my mom with some of her classes these days. She's only a few semesters away from getting her college degree. . .at the age of 60. It's something she's wanted and worked on for years. I can remember her going to school right after Julie was born and studying at our family's kitchen table. She really deserves it, and I'm very proud of her.

But that's not what I'm here for. See, for one of her classes she has to read essays of fellow classmates and then review them. I'm reading over her review because she asked me to. And this is what I came across. These were the FINAL 2 sentences of the other student's paper. This is how they chose to wrap up all their ideas. I REPEAT: THIS WAS NOT MY MOM'S PAPER. Please to enjoy it: (I have reproduced it here exactly as I found it. Punctuation grammar and spelling all original)

The femininity also causes the characters to change in order to adapt to the world around them, Dee's example, creating a world in which gender is something that one has to realize for one's self and that person must be able to break typical gender roles in order to grow as a person. This situation brought to a real world situation would create a world in which one would not have to worry about what one is doing or looking like all of the time and would caused a world of harmony.

Would caused a world of harmony. AMEN, sister.

AND THESE ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS!! I weep for the future. (NAME IT!!)

This actually reminds me of my 11th grade English class and we had to read a short story and write thesis statements for the story.Afterwards we switched them up and read them aloud to the class. (note to all you teachers out there? Reading in front of class=INSTANT SHAMING!!) Luckily they were anonymous, because when my teacher heard the one I read she almost stopped breathing because she was laughing so hard. It went something like this "When John suddenly came upon the sudden rabbits, he suddenly realized that his life was not what it was supposed to be, and he suddenly felt very different on his birthday" No joke, the person who wrote it used the word SUDDENLY 4 different times in one thesis statement.

Best part about that? The author was my best guy friend. Others had written silly statements as an obvious joke and the teacher thought it was as well. But we later asked him if he was kidding when he wrote that and he said no. Again, the shaming. Delicious delicious shaming.

AHHHHH, HIGH SCHOOL!! Don't you miss it sometimes?

But seriously, the student in my mom's class is one intellectual step up from a boiled potato.

It Has Arrived

The Terrible Twos has arrived at our house. When my child feels like she isn't getting the attention that she deserves, or when her needs aren't met immediately, there is a strong . . . .um. . .how you say. . . REACTION. The word "no" from my mouth is met with this same reaction. When she is displeased, here are a few things you might get:

* kicked
* hit
* scratched
* hair pulled
* ear pulled (if you are a furry friend named Raya)

And finally if no on is around to inflict physical pain upon, you can always hit the computer or throw something. Anything . If you can pick it up with ease, it can be thrown with ease. Telephones, remote controls, iPods, food, drink cups, water bottles. Shall I go on?

Time outs are well known around our house. Sometimes she goes from one time out to the next. I pick her up, explain why she is there, ask for an apology and get a slap in the face. Back in time out she goes. I'm sure our neighbors can hear her through the door (her time out spot is right by the front door) and they think that I either 1) beat my child or 2) like the sound of my child's screams. Or maybe a combo of both. I don't blame them for thinking this.

I realize it's a phase. The fact that she's still not talking I'm sure is adding to her frustration. I know it's adding to mine!! And to answer your questions, yes, she's still meeting with a speech therapist. No, there has not been any development in the language department. Her babbling is getting more advanced, so I have hopes that there will be a breakthrough every day. HOWEVER, we have a new development: In her babbling I've noticed that she thrusts her tongue forward. The speech therapist noticed this and said that she might have to be evaluated again because of this development. Basically, my kid is all kinds of messed up when it comes to talking.

Anyway, I'm not writing this to complain or ask for advice. Just to let you know that WWIII is happening at my house with my child. And so if I come to visit you and put my child in time out the whole time I am there you will know what is going on. At least I'm not slapping her back. . .yet.

P.S. I'm watching "Lady and the Tramp" with my daughter today. It's been years since I've seen it. Have you seen it recently? Are you as shocked as I am by the horribly offensive and overtly racist "Siamese Cats" and their song? Why not just give them buck teeth and put rice patty hats on them? Seriously!! Ahhh, the 1950's. Such innocence. Such naivete. Such blatant racism.