ANNOUNCING...
Remember when Avery came early? Well considering she wasn't supposed to be due until March 24, I don't consider these announcements late.
Blessing Day
We blessed Avery Claire on March 28, 2010. This was supposed to be four days after her due date, but she was almost 2 months old at the time. Greg did an awesome job...despite the fact that he had broken his nose....more on that down toward the bottom....
But here are a few pictures from that perfect day....
So my mom and I found this white Belle looking dress at Sears (HALF OFF...SCORE!). It was even more froo-froo than this before we took the scissors to it. We cut off some of the roses and made a headband instead....my mom is so crafty. The white sweater was absolutely necessary due to the frigid cold...ok it was 65 but thats still chilly for a little girl. And the tights....well they're size 0-9 months...why anyone would make tights in that wide an age range I don't know...so they ended up being more like a bodysuit and they were still huge.
So as you can see from this picture Greg broke his nose....Avery and I took good care of ourselves and didn't have any broken bones. Maybe you would like to know how Greg broke his nose...
Well...The good ole husband broke his nose in a CHURCH BASKETBALL game. He goes through years of high school sports without breaking a thing and then one "season" in Brooklyn Park and he breaks his nose. AWESOME. So it basically goes down like this:
Me: sitting at home holding the little one...
phone rings
Me:Hello?
Joe: Hey Lindsey it's Joe. So Greg broke his nose so we're going to take him to the hospital.
Me: Wait..WHAT?! Is this a joke?
Joe:Um no. He's ok really. He says it doesn't hurt and its not bleeding.
ME:WAIT WHAT?! He really broke his nose? WHO the heck thought that church basketball=NBA? Who broke his nose?!
Joe: Um I don't know.
Me: Well what ward was he in? What did he look like? How did this happen? You better tell me Joe cause I'm pissed!
Joe: Um hold on....Greg what ward were you playing? ....Um he's not sure. Here I'll let you talk to Greg...oh Greg doesn't want to talk to you. (I found out its because he knew I was pissed at the moment and thought Joe could handle it) Well we're going to take Greg to the ER now. I'll call you when I know more.
Yep...left me holding Avery Claire wondering what the heck had happened. Scott called me later and told me Faye took him to the ER and that the accident was actually Greg's fault...but he thought it was hilarious I was so pissed. But get this that night Greg came home...WITH HIS NOSE STILL BROKEN.
You know how you watch all the TV shows and people go into the ER with a broken nose and they just pop it back into place in like 4 min. Well its all LIES.Greg goes into the ER they take his blood pressure (which was surprisingly low for him) and then they tell him that Yep his nose is broken. Then the lady "DR" says..."So here's the number to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. Go see him tomorrow and he'll set your nose." Greg and Faye are all like "What?! Aren't you going to fix it" and she's all like "Oh we don't do that here. I could look up how to set it in my book but I don't think you'll want that"
YOU'RE A FREAKIN DR AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK UP HOW TO SET A NOSE!? DID YOU MISS THE DAY THEY TAUGHT MEDICINE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL?! (no...I'm not still bitter about it or anything...I mean I TOTALLY think it was worth the 100 bones we paid for a co-pay to have her be a middleman...)
Anyway so Faye and Greg decided that if she had to look it up they'd better not let her touch Greg's nose. So he had surgery the next Monday.
At least his snoring has stopped ;).And thats the end of that...
Thats what Avery Claire thought of the whole situation.
We blessed Avery Claire on March 28, 2010. This was supposed to be four days after her due date, but she was almost 2 months old at the time. Greg did an awesome job...despite the fact that he had broken his nose....more on that down toward the bottom....
But here are a few pictures from that perfect day....
So my mom and I found this white Belle looking dress at Sears (HALF OFF...SCORE!). It was even more froo-froo than this before we took the scissors to it. We cut off some of the roses and made a headband instead....my mom is so crafty. The white sweater was absolutely necessary due to the frigid cold...ok it was 65 but thats still chilly for a little girl. And the tights....well they're size 0-9 months...why anyone would make tights in that wide an age range I don't know...so they ended up being more like a bodysuit and they were still huge.
So as you can see from this picture Greg broke his nose....Avery and I took good care of ourselves and didn't have any broken bones. Maybe you would like to know how Greg broke his nose...
Well...The good ole husband broke his nose in a CHURCH BASKETBALL game. He goes through years of high school sports without breaking a thing and then one "season" in Brooklyn Park and he breaks his nose. AWESOME. So it basically goes down like this:Me: sitting at home holding the little one...
phone rings
Me:Hello?
Joe: Hey Lindsey it's Joe. So Greg broke his nose so we're going to take him to the hospital.
Me: Wait..WHAT?! Is this a joke?
Joe:Um no. He's ok really. He says it doesn't hurt and its not bleeding.
ME:WAIT WHAT?! He really broke his nose? WHO the heck thought that church basketball=NBA? Who broke his nose?!
Joe: Um I don't know.
Me: Well what ward was he in? What did he look like? How did this happen? You better tell me Joe cause I'm pissed!
Joe: Um hold on....Greg what ward were you playing? ....Um he's not sure. Here I'll let you talk to Greg...oh Greg doesn't want to talk to you. (I found out its because he knew I was pissed at the moment and thought Joe could handle it) Well we're going to take Greg to the ER now. I'll call you when I know more.
Yep...left me holding Avery Claire wondering what the heck had happened. Scott called me later and told me Faye took him to the ER and that the accident was actually Greg's fault...but he thought it was hilarious I was so pissed. But get this that night Greg came home...WITH HIS NOSE STILL BROKEN.
You know how you watch all the TV shows and people go into the ER with a broken nose and they just pop it back into place in like 4 min. Well its all LIES.Greg goes into the ER they take his blood pressure (which was surprisingly low for him) and then they tell him that Yep his nose is broken. Then the lady "DR" says..."So here's the number to an Ear Nose and Throat specialist. Go see him tomorrow and he'll set your nose." Greg and Faye are all like "What?! Aren't you going to fix it" and she's all like "Oh we don't do that here. I could look up how to set it in my book but I don't think you'll want that"
YOU'RE A FREAKIN DR AND YOU HAVE TO LOOK UP HOW TO SET A NOSE!? DID YOU MISS THE DAY THEY TAUGHT MEDICINE IN MEDICAL SCHOOL?! (no...I'm not still bitter about it or anything...I mean I TOTALLY think it was worth the 100 bones we paid for a co-pay to have her be a middleman...)
Anyway so Faye and Greg decided that if she had to look it up they'd better not let her touch Greg's nose. So he had surgery the next Monday.
At least his snoring has stopped ;).
Thats what Avery Claire thought of the whole situation.
The Rejects...
...now make a fist and slowly ease it up underneath your chin...
And this is where she decided that she was going to totally pay me back for this later...
Ahh the crazy eye...woulda been so perfect had she not been trying to look at two things at once...don't worry though Preemie eyes get in synch after a month or so...
And now in black and white...because its so cute...
We had a little photo shoot the other day and these are the rejects for the announcement photos. Just thought you'd like to see some real pictures of the Little Missy.
...now make a fist and slowly ease it up underneath your chin...
Now there's a smile...kinda
Of course this is where she just couldn't deal with the toulle...I guess she won't be a ballerina...
And this is where she decided that she was going to totally pay me back for this later...
Ahh the crazy eye...woulda been so perfect had she not been trying to look at two things at once...don't worry though Preemie eyes get in synch after a month or so...
And now in black and white...because its so cute...Going Private...
So Avery Claire has put a new perspective on life and love and the crazies that roam this great earth. So we're starting a "no crazies" campaign and going private. So if you want to see all the latest pictures of the Little Missy just leave a comment with your email address and I'll send you an invite.
Special note to lurkers: I love lurkers...seriously...mostly because I am one. If you found this blog through a friend than its more than likely that I've read your blog as well so lurkers are welcome! Don't be afraid to ask for an invite...unless you're a crazy...then well...you need to get some help and then we'll talk about an invite.
So this is going to happen pretty quickly...so respond ASAP. My mother is bugging me for pictures :)!
That One Story...
Once upon a time I was sitting in my living room...well actually lets go back a little farther...
On Sunday Jan. 24 I was asked to give a talk in church...this is important because here in Minnesota there's a curse...that if you're pregnant and give a talk on Sunday sometime during the next week you'll go into labor...I thought I was immune since 1. I was only 32 weeks along and 2. I hadn't heard of this supposed curse. I gave a pretty good talk if I do say so myself, and let me add giving a talk when you're pregnant is kind of awful, I mean being nervous on top of being uncomfortable is not that awesome.
But Sunday came and went without excitement. Monday it snowed. The day was boring and I was home all alone with nothing to do so I decided to shovel the 1/2 inch of snow on the driveway. Mostly I wanted to do it so Greg would be so proud of me...he thinks I'm lazy and I figured this would prove him wrong...I mean a 7 1/2 month pregnant woman out shoveling snow is pretty impressive, even if its only like half an inch. So I shoveled and then I went back inside. Late that night...like 2 in the morning my back started cramping up and I figured I'd done something funny to it while shoveling. Pulled a muscle or strained something...nothing exciting. I mean I had felt back contractions before and thought this pain was completely different. When I couldn't get comfortable by 5:30 I decided just to go downstairs and watch TV...seriously considered buying a NuWave oven and learned all about some Sphinx in Egypt. Greg got up and checked on me and then went in to work aroud 6:45.
So throughout the day on Tuesday I just sat around...talked to my Mom on the phone, watched TV, cleaned my room, and on the whole, didn't do a whole heck of a lot. My back was still bothering me every now and then so I took some Tylenol and felt pretty darn good. Around 8:00pm ish...Greg still wasn't home....it's busy season for Accountants...I decided to get some dinner (granola bars, yogurt, and hot chocolate). Now, maybe some of you pregnant or formerly pregnant women can relate to multi-tasking when you get up, and only get up when you have a variety of tasks to complete. This you do in a vain effort to only get up an average of 4 times a day.
So around 8pm I had a list of 4 things to complete.
1. Get phone charger because cell phone was dead.
2. Get a couple of granola bars.
3. Get a blanket.
4. Go to the bathroom.
So when I stood up to begin my list and felt a little ummm...insert PC/polite way of saying drippage...I thought to myself, "Ah crap, I should have gone to the bathroom sooner."
So I went to the bathroom...and found I was still...ummmm...leaking...NOT GOOD. At that point my heart stopped and I started mumbling things like "it's going to be ok, its going to be ok."
I grabbed my cell phone and tottered upstairs to plug in my phone. I called my Dr. (figuring I shouldn't call Greg unless I knew for sure what was happening...I mean how retarded would it be if I called him and made him rush home because I didn't pee soon enough). The Dr. told me to go to the hospital to be assessed...I figured that was a good thing and meant that it was probably just something minor and everything would be ok. So I call Greg...no answer...but I leave a message and say, "Greg I'm not sure whats going on but my water might have broken, I have to go to the hospital, you need to go to the Maternal Assessment Unit right away."Then my mom called...wanting me to check out some presentation my sister had created about my nephew Gabe. After about 4 min of her telling me all about the story my sister had written, I say "So I don't know what's happening but my water might have broken. I mean I'm sure its fine but I'm going to the hospital just in case." (You see I was still trying to convince myself that I was totally wrong and I had just peed myself...cause you know given the two choices peeing myself was actually the BETTER alternative which isn't the case most of the time).
My mother convinces me that it is indeed my water that has broken and that the baby is in fact coming...so I of course start to freak out. I mean we ARE NOT ready for our little girl yet. We were picking out bedding and paint the next day and getting the crib and furniture on Saturday.I figured 8 weeks would be plenty of time for nursery items...then little girl had to go and come early. My mom does her best to calm me from a billion miles away in tropical Georgialand and I tell her I have to call somebody to come and get me...cause remember how I'm home...ALONE. So she promptly hangs up.
I call over to my in-laws house and my Father-in-Law Tom answers the phone in a rather chipper voice. I however was not to be swayed by his cheery mentality. I immediately ask if his wife was home. No luck, she's out babysitting. "Well," I ask, "is she going to be home soon?" He responds that he doesn't really know what time she's getting back, but wants to know if he can help me. And at that point I really didn't know what to say. I mean I obviously needed somebody to give me a ride to the hospital...but...and no offense to the Father-in-Laws of the world...but I just don't think thats on the Father-in-Law resume. So I say, "Well, my water might have broken so I just need a ride to the hospital to get checked out."
silence
"Oh well I can do that!" (This was said a little loudly). "Ok great," I say, and thank him.
Then I go ahead and call my Mother-in-Law.
I tell her whats going on and she makes the correct assumption that I would prefer her to give me a ride and immediately hangs up to call Tom and let him know of the plan changes.
Meanwhile back at home, I try calling Greg again. This time he answers and says he got my message and he's on his way to the hospital and asks how I'm doing...takes all the strength in the world not to start bawling at that moment..so I say "I'm fine," and tell him his mother is picking me up and we'll meet him there.
Then I start running around my room...pretty much in circles...trying to think of things to pack just in case this was really IT (see...still thinking this might all be a HUGE mistake). I pack clothes for me and some clothes for Greg and half the toiletry items I need...and when I say half I mean half, like I packed my toothbrush but no toothpaste, and I pack my deodrant but forgot Greg's...stuff like that. And you have to know me but I am obsessive compulsive about packing so after everything was said and done, finding out I had done this DROVE ME CRAZY.
My mother-in-law Faye arrives to find me running all over the place (leaving a nice cute little trail in my wake in the process...too much information???). She calmly tells me to get in the car...I ignore her the first 3 times and try to finish packing before she finally says "Lindsey, GET in the Car."
You see at this point I still FELT fine...no pains, no contractions, no nothing, except for that pesky back pain that I got from "shoveling." It wasn't until we were halfway to the hospital that I started to feel cranky and all of a sudden my stomach hurt.
Faye took me to the Emergency Room entrance and a nice man wheeled me up to the maternal assessment unit in an old fashioned wheelchair that looked like it belonged to a 1920's mental hospital. Greg was already there and I was SO glad to see him. He was so calm.
We got to the assessment unit around 9:30 pm and that's when the McCarthyesque interrogation began. Let me tell you, I have never answered SO many questions in my entire life than that night. And frankly it is the WORST time to be asking anybody questions. I understand they need to know medical information like are you allergic to air and things of that nature, but really do you need to ask me "How do you handle pain?" (to which I responded...I DON'T TALK) My stomach hurt and my back hurt and people would NOT STOP talking to me. At some point the nurse came in and told me I was already a "5"...which meant there was no turning back, and I was really having the baby...like right then.
You know how they tell you..."you can't describe labor pain"...well...it's TRUE, but I'll try. It's kind of like being slowly killed by excruciating pain...only to be resurrected...only to be slowly murdered again. You live pain to pain. Moment to moment. My only thought was...you're going to be ok...women do this all the time...you're going to be ok. Then the nurse asked me what my pain level was...I thought about it for a minute and said "7"...why did I say "7?" Because a "10" would be like burning alive while drowning in my mind...and I didn't feel that badly yet. Then the nurse asked "So how high do you want to go before you try pain meds?" That's when I said "Uh not much higher thank you." So they ordered an epidural. I'm pretty sure the nurse kept asking me questions...but I ignored her.
Greg, however, was great! He didn't talk to me at ALL and if he did it was only to ask if I was doing ok. He would wink or smile or softly pull my hair out of my face and pat or hold my hand. He was PERFECT. Bonus points to him for actually listening to my answers.
After I was fully "assessed" they wheeled me to what I call the intermission room. Because you know how during intermission you go and get drinks and popcorn or whatever and then the really cool stuff happens...welllll...I didn't get drinks or popcorn...I got an epidural. Which is the most awesome invention in the history of the world...forget that printing press thing or that stupid wheel. And ladies let me just say, if you're thinking about doing that whole natural thing...Don't be a hero. If you can't think about anything but the pain you won't be able to focus enough on the pushing, and if you can't focus on the pushing you'll be pushing for a whole heck of a lot longer. If you're handling the pain ok and can focus on other things then I think thats amazing and more power to you for being such a trooper and good luck with the natural stuff, but Shoot I wasn't expecting to have a baby that night...I just wanted a granola bar and a bathroom break, and at the point when I realized this WAS happening I seriously pondered whether or not I could have a C-section. I mean when you can prepare yourself for labor its one thing...when it comes out of nowhere I think its another. And at that moment I was truly grateful for the drugs. The nurse told me I'd be in the intermission room until I was a "10", so I figured I had a while....wrong. After getting the epidural they checked me and I was a "9"..time check: approximately 12:00 AM ...so off we went.
After receiving the marvelous medicine they wheeled me into the super sterile and white and bright delivery room. And I pushed for 24 minutes and then there she was. Cone head and all. I couldn't believe it, still can't believe it really. It all happened SO fast. But she's here and she's beautiful and we love her.
She was 4lbs 10 oz. and 17 1/2 inches long. She's never needed oxegen and right now she's just progressing marvelously.
Baby Fat
So apparently when you're pregnant people like to see you getting fatter...any other time people deride and demand some sort of diet when you gain weight but they're all for it when you're pregnant...its a weird thing to get used to.
So in order to appease the masses I'm posting pictures of my current baby fat...26 weeks and counting!
Plague of Death
Let me preface this by saying my husband took 2 days off from work when he caught this thing! That in and of itself deserved a blog post. The fact that I lost all 4 lbs that I've gained during this pregnancy is merely a byline in this story.
So just imagine going about your day as normal...eating normal...going to church like normal. Getting all cozy and ready for bed laying down and then your husband turns to you and says...I don't feel so good. "Oh" you say "whats wrong?" "I think I'm gonna be sick" This he says as he jogs out of the room. You find this slightly humorous because 1. you think he's sick because he ate too much for dinner and 2. you've never seen him jog to the bathroom before. However, the noises coming from the bathroom (horrible wretching noises) soon wipe the smile off your face. Repeat jogging to the bathroom and horrible wretched noises every 15 minutes for the next 24 hrs.
Poor Greg couldn't keep soda crackers and ginger ale down. Finally around 5pm THE NEXT DAY there began to be a light at the end of the tunnel. I went out and bought peppermint everything to see if it would calm his stomach. Peppermint tea, peppermints, those cute little peppermints you serve at weddings...etc. Peppermint became the miracle cure. During this time his mother and father and brother had all gotten sick with this vicious plague...I was the only well one in the house.
I thanked my lucky stars for all those horse pill vitamins they make you take for prenatal health and proceeded to just take care of Greg and the rest of them.
Greg was so weak (he lost 10 lbs during his confinement) that he stayed home from work on Tuesday to regain some strength. By Tuesday night he was feeling pretty good...and he kept looking at me asking how I felt.
And at the time I felt pretty good...no more nauseated than usual. Just regular ole random bouts of sickness.
Until around midnight....oh man. One thing I've learned is this child does NOT like savory herb roasted potatoes...EVERY TIME I eat those delicious things I end up hurling....and let me tell you they DO NOT taste as good coming up as they did going down.
So I caught the plague. Thankfully my bout lasted half the time Greg's did and by 7 am I was keeping Gatorade down just fine. Greg had given me a blessing soon after the second round of upchucking (anyone know where that lovely word originated...??) because we both feared the worst for me and the baby. I know it was that blessing that saved me from hours more of sickness.
So just a random question...but has anyone else caught this lovely virus?
Symptoms include:
- vomiting continuously until your intestines show
- chills (no fever....your body temp actually goes down)
- diarrhea
Hope you enjoyed this lovely post!
Time to Guess...
So we get to find out what we're having in about 3 weeks. (I know you're all as excited as I am) So I figure its time to put it to the masses to guess what we're having.
To help you in your hypothesis I've put together a list of facts that might or might not have something to do with the outcome. Take them for what you will.
1. Greg is one of 5 boys and 1 girl.
2. I am one of 3 girls and 1 boy.
3. My mother is one of 4 girls and 6 boys. (yep do the math...thats 10 kids)
4. My dad is the only boy and he has 1 sister.
5. I am not showing yet...so I don't know if I'm carrying "high" or "low."
6. I still get nauseated every morning...yep every single one.
7. I have no acne..at all...LOVE THAT!
8. I do not crave sweets (some say craving sweets means you're having a girl...I think it means you have a sweet tooth...but whatever), I crave fruit.
9. I did that string test (where you put a ring on a piece of string hold it over your stomach and see which way it swings) and got both results so I gave up.
10. There is only one heartbeat (in case you're thinking twins or more...).
All right! Let the guessing begin!
Remember When...
Remember when I could sleep on my stomach and not get nauseous...I do...it wasn't that long ago...and it was awesome.
Remember when people kept talking about all the money they were going to get because of the bail out/recession bill...whatever happened to that?...cause I got jack.
Remember when you'd wake up excited for the day...you were totally rested and energetic...I don't think I've felt that way since I was like 13 (then early morning seminary started and it was all downhill).
Remember when you got to take naps on those blue/red mats...and they were comfortable...but you still didn't want to take a nap because you wanted to whisper to your neighbor (or maybe I was the only one who was a rebel in Kindergarten).
Remember when they let you bring cupcakes to class for your birthdays?...did you know now you have to bring "wholesome treats"...what the heck?!
Remember when you woke up at the crack of dawn on Saturday mornings for cartoons...now kids can just watch them online...LAME.
Remember when your mom did all your laundry...being a grownup sucks sometimes.
Remember when you could eat anything you wanted without caring about calories...diet coke hadn't even been INVENTED yet!
Remember when it was cool to be modest...why do clothes keep getting smaller/shorter/more see through?
Remember when boys/girls were gross and you vowed the only girl/boy in your life would be your mom/dad? (glad I grew out of that one...no offense dad)
Remember when you first figured out how to mix colors to create new colors...I believe every house I ever drew between the ages of 6-9 were blue-green and purple with a bit of pink.
Remember when losing weight was AWESOME...ok it pretty much still is...until the nice doctor man reminds you you're preggo so thats not so awesome. (I however simply remind myself that in a few months I'll just have to look at food to gain weight)
Remember when Lisa Frank and San Rio Surprise were the coolest things around...and you wrote your name,punctuated by silly dots, on everything.
Remember when you didn't know what bills were...hahahahahahaha....those were good days.
Remember when Sister Daily, the ward librarian in my home ward, would get up on testimony Sundays and read off who still had church materials out and how overdue they were...those were good days.
Remember when you went to school...and got grades...and took tests...and remember how you used to hate it and look forward to when you no longer went? Do you still feel that way?
Yeah...I remember all those things.
Little She/He Hawes
And so it begins.....
Nausea.....check
Sore Parts...check
Frequent Bathroom Breaks...check
Weird pains...check
Squealing Grandparents....check
House with room for baby....still workin on it...figure baby can live in drawer til it's at least 3 months...oh and I'm totally kidding...please don't call child welfare services already....
Little She/He Hawes will be coming to earth around March 24, 2010....start your countdowns.
The Rundown...
We Moved!
Yep it's true...no longer do we reside in that state of beehives and Mormon majority...that land called Utah...we gave it up. Well, we changed locations anyway. Greg graduated...he looked like this...
Cute huh. Yep Magna Cum Laude (top 5%) and with High Distinction (uh we still don't know what that means exactly...Greg thinks top 2% of Grad School...don't know but sounds pretty cool). His parents came into town....and Steph and Chris came to the graduation...we all looked like this...
Then we packed up the truck...ok so let me just say...we had some great guys from the Ward come and help us pack up...and they were Tetris GENIUSES! Greg and I seriously doubted that our truck would be able to hold everything...but because of them we got EVERYTHING in...simply amazing.
We left on April 28, for what my husband calls...while putting his hand over his heart mind you...the Great State of Minnesota. I figured that I would document the drive in pictures...so here is Utah...
Well not the whole thing...but a mountain in Utah....a mountain with snow at the top at the end of APRIL...And here is Wyoming...
Dear Wyoming,
You're boring.
Love~Lindsey
And here is North Dakota...
Dear North Dakota,
You smell like cow for about 30 miles...try and do something about that....
Love, Linds
For Iowa and Illinois it was either dark and I was driving...or it was dark and I was sleeping...so no pictures there....
But then around 11:00 am April 29...Greg saw this...
That says Welcome to Minnesota...in case you can't see it....Hooray!!! We finally made it. Now time to unload all our crap...Here's Greg smiling because 1. We're in Minnesota and 2. We get to store our stuff FOR FREE at Scott and Nicki's house (thank you very much Scott and Nicki).
Yep thats our stuffed truck....packed tighter than my pantyhose on Sunday. So we unloaded all that stuff...took our suitcases to Greg's parents and crashed. (Meaning we fell asleep...like coma sleep) Greg is very proud to announce that we did the whole trip with that truck (and 12 miles a gallon mind you) in 21 hours...we pulled over around 4am and slept for an hour but then just kept on truckin. Overall the trip was pretty easy but I would like to take this moment to write a short letter to Penske.
Dear Penske,
Thank you so much for the truck rental. I was surprised that the truck was actually very clean...my belongings weren't marked or scarred at all by any leftover residue. It was very easy to drive and quite roomy in the cab. One thing though, can you please make sure your windows can be tightly shut. You see we had to drive the 21 hours with what can only be described as a fighter jet taking off like sound blaring in our ears because the seal to the drivers side window was loose (we couldn't fix it and BELIEVE ME we tried). So after a few hours my dear husband's left ear literally fell off and is now somewhere in North Dakota being chewed on like cud by their stinky cows. So just a suggestion, but fix your windows...
Thanks,
Lindsey
So now that we're in Minnesota we're going to live with the in-laws until we can find a house. Greg's cramming for the CPA exam at the moment but rigorous househunting should commence next week. I've already driven (ok been driven around by someone else) and looked at a number of houses or neighborhoods...so we'll just have to wait and see what happens. All in all its a pretty exciting time!
WEIRD STATS
One of the amazing things about the internet is that keeps track of wacky things. For instance, did you know this blog is being found at least 3 times a day in the UK for my picture of Balou?! Apparently those wild foreigners love their Balou! Also my amazing collage of "The Hoff" is all the rage in Germany...I hope that some young impressionable confused teen is staring at it right now. Also, did you know...that this blog is the 3rd ranked site when you type in "bedroom smells like onions" (without the quotations) into Google. Yee Haw! Now I would say thats an accomplishment. It is also ranked 6th overall in the search "valentine verses involving tummy buttons"....don't even ask me what that means or why I'm being found for that but I am and let me tell you....I AM PROUD!
Here's to all the weird and wacky stats the internet saves and publishes for our perusal!
The 25 List
Since this tag seems to be spreading like dysentery on the Oregon Trail, I thought I might as well get it over with....So here we go. 25 amazing things about me that you probably didn't know...
25. I am a total extremist...not in that sporty go jump off a cliff kind of way...but in the its either good or its bad kind of way. Its black or its white...I like you or I don't like you. (But don't worry if I don't like you, you probably wouldn't know it because I'm really good at being polite and cordial.)
24. I get blisters on my heels at least once a week. My feet literally hate shoes. They can be old tennis shoes I've had for years or brand new loafers...seriously doesn't matter I still get them once a week.
23. I was once told I look like a blond Betty Boop....I don't even know what that means. I mean I know who Betty Boop is...but does that mean I look animated...or a little trashy??
22. Feet creep me out. I hate them...I mean think about where they've been. They are literally a playground for bacteria and odor...WHY would anyone want to touch them?
21. My pinky fingers are teeny tiny. They barely come past the first knuckles on my ring fingers. They're mini pinkys.
20. Some people are weird about textures they touch...I am weird about textures I eat or drink. Ask my husband...he says I give the stupidest reasons for not eating or drinking something. For example, it's 10pm and I'm thirsty so Greg says, "Have a glass of milk or water." Now I love milk and really cold water is ok as well. But at 10pm, in my weird brain, milk is just too thick to drink and water is too oily...so what do I do...I go thirsty usually.
19. I used to sing a lot. In choirs, in church, in the shower...etc. However, I really can't read music. I usually just listen to a song and pick up which part I'm supposed to sing...this is why I tell people I'm too dumb to sing alto...I can't hear that part as well so I can't sing it.
18. I have to make the bed before I can sleep in it. What?! you ask. Yes, that's right. If the bed is not made or messed up in anyway, I make it, straighten out all the wrinkles and tuck in the sheets before I can sleep in it. That way I climb into a very neat and tight cozy bed.
17. And now the almond story...Once upon a time I was 3 years old and over-tired. You know how kids get when they're overtired...they cry. Well, I was tired and crying but I still needed to take a bath before bed. So my mom threw me into the tub to get clean. It was close to Valentine's Day and she had just gotten a large box of chocolates from my dad and she knew that I loved the colorful Jordan Almonds that came in the chocolates so she bribed me. If I stopped crying I could have one, she said. So I somehow managed to compose myself. And stopped crying, but you know how after you've been crying for a while you get gaspy and suck in gulps of air to try and stop yourself. Well I was in that gaspy stage when I got my treat. I put the almond in my mouth and mid swallow gasped the almond into my lung. I don't really know how this works...I just tell people a magic passageway opened up and deposited the almond directly into my lung. Anyway, almonds aren't very good at dissolving so after a couple of days my 3 year old body couldn't take 3 steps without having to sit down and rest. My mother knowing something was definitely wrong took me to multiple doctors who told me I had childhood asthma. My mom, knowing this wasn't the correct diagnosis persisted until she got a doctor to take an x-ray. the x-ray revealed the almond as well as an incredibly swollen lung that if left untreated for even 2 more days would have punctured my heart. So I was rushed into surgery and had the almond removed. All I remember about the experience is that my grandparents brought me candy corn and a nurse gave me an alligator tooth brush.
16. I do not throw up. I'm just not one of those people. I haven't thrown up in 3 years, and the last time I did was only because I was having a severe reaction to some medication. Before that time I hadn't thrown up for about 5 years. Weird I know...my sister throws up whenever she's the least bit sick. Apparently I just don't have any gag reflexes.
15. I love love love starting crafts....I'm just not good at finishing them.
14. I have never gotten into a physical fight...but let me tell you if I ever were to get into one...I'd be scrappy and fight dirty.
13. I can't spit worth a darn and watching others spit makes my stomach hurt.
12. I love to read. Anybody who knows me, knows this. However, what they probably don't know is that once I start to read a book, I usually dream about it until I finish it. The characters and places all show up in my dreams...and depending on the book that can be pretty creepy...so I usually just try to finish the book the same day I start it.
11. I am an obsessive researcher. Once I hear about something I don't understand or have never heard of before I search the internet unceasingly until I find enough information on the topic that I feel comfortable explaining it to someone else.
10. I am a picture blinker. Seriously, half my wedding pictures were of me with my eyes closed.
9. I once dyed my blond hair dark brown for Halloween. I was Pocahontas and the box said that it would wash out in 7-10 washes. What I didn't know is that when you dye lighter hair a darker color...it doesn't wash out...ever. So with my dark brown hair and my pale white almost translucent skin I looked like a vampire.
8. I've done a lot of stupid things in my days. Near the top of the list is the time I registered for BYU my freshman year. I thought the numbers next to the classes (English 320) were the room numbers. So I ended up in Junior and Senior level classes...good news is I didn't get less than a B in any of them thanks to some very kind professors who probably felt very sorry for me.
7. Most days I have a very librarian look going for me.
6. I think acronyms are way fun...and can be relatively stupid. Here's a little quiz for you...what does POTUS and FLOTUS stand for. (Hint: they are related)
5. When I eat soup I eat all of the vegetables first...while maintaining equal parts broth and substance.
4. I thoroughly enjoy laying out by the pool with a good book. Its probably my favorite summer pass time.
3. Winter will be the death of me. In Minnesota my body didn't understand what was happening every time I walked outside and began coughing.
2. I'm pretty sure I'm going to be one of those women who ends up giving birth on a toilet because they didn't know they were pregnant or that it was time to go to the hospital. Not because I'm stupid or anything but because my body loves to give mixed signals.
1. I seem to wink at inappropriate times uncontrollably. Like when the sacrament bread is being passed or when I see somebody in the temple I know.
DEAR....
Instead of writing to Santa this year, I've decided to write to others who can give me simple, easy, and virtually FREE gifts for Christmas.
Dear Mystery Work Bathroom Whistler,
I appreciate a good tune just like anybody else; however, when I am going to the bathroom, I would rather not hear God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Whether you're trying to mask other bathroom noises or just trying to stay in the Christmas Spirit I don't know, but your whistling kind of creeps me out. So as your Christmas Gift to me, would you please stop whistling in the bathroom.
Thank you!
Dear angry yelling children who love playing directly under my window,
Fact:Kids love to play outside. Fact:Kids love to scream and yell. I completely understand these facts, but do you have to be so angry?! Every afternoon after school gets out you all gather underneath my living room window; sometimes you have good times trading cards or riding bikes, and HOT DOG those are good days. However, on other days you yell and scream and shout at each other, calling each other names and then the crying begins. Not the happy I have a testimony or the I just got the best surprise of my life crying, but the ear drum piercing, want to strangle a banshee, "I'm telling" crying. So please, in the Spirit of Christmas, can you please stop the yelling?!
Thanks!
Dear Newlywedded BYU Family Ward Couples who make out during the Prayers,
You know, I love new love. It's so exciting and endearing to watch. And I should probably mention that, yes,...I open my eyes during the prayers sometimes, mostly to see which child is screaming...I try to guess and then see if I'm right. (I know, I know, completely inappropriate during a prayer); however, when I look up and see the wife whose head used to just be leaning on her husband's shoulder now ferociously making out during the opening, closing, or even the GASP! sacrament prayer a little piece of my soul dies. COME ON! IT'S A PRAYER! YOU'RE IN CHURCH! GOD IS WATCHING YOU! So can you please, for my Christmas present, for my soul, for your own salvation, PLEASE stop making out during church prayers.
THANKS!
Instead of writing to Santa this year, I've decided to write to others who can give me simple, easy, and virtually FREE gifts for Christmas.
Dear Mystery Work Bathroom Whistler,
I appreciate a good tune just like anybody else; however, when I am going to the bathroom, I would rather not hear God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen. Whether you're trying to mask other bathroom noises or just trying to stay in the Christmas Spirit I don't know, but your whistling kind of creeps me out. So as your Christmas Gift to me, would you please stop whistling in the bathroom.
Thank you!
Dear angry yelling children who love playing directly under my window,
Fact:Kids love to play outside. Fact:Kids love to scream and yell. I completely understand these facts, but do you have to be so angry?! Every afternoon after school gets out you all gather underneath my living room window; sometimes you have good times trading cards or riding bikes, and HOT DOG those are good days. However, on other days you yell and scream and shout at each other, calling each other names and then the crying begins. Not the happy I have a testimony or the I just got the best surprise of my life crying, but the ear drum piercing, want to strangle a banshee, "I'm telling" crying. So please, in the Spirit of Christmas, can you please stop the yelling?!
Thanks!
Dear Newlywedded BYU Family Ward Couples who make out during the Prayers,
You know, I love new love. It's so exciting and endearing to watch. And I should probably mention that, yes,...I open my eyes during the prayers sometimes, mostly to see which child is screaming...I try to guess and then see if I'm right. (I know, I know, completely inappropriate during a prayer); however, when I look up and see the wife whose head used to just be leaning on her husband's shoulder now ferociously making out during the opening, closing, or even the GASP! sacrament prayer a little piece of my soul dies. COME ON! IT'S A PRAYER! YOU'RE IN CHURCH! GOD IS WATCHING YOU! So can you please, for my Christmas present, for my soul, for your own salvation, PLEASE stop making out during church prayers.
THANKS!
50 More Things about Me...
So last year I wrote a list of 100 things about me. This year 100 seemed a little daunting so here's a list of 50. It's quite the challenge so anybody who's up for it should try and create their own list of things people might not know about them. The lists are pretty hilarious, and its a good way to document information for future generations.
50. I like it when people scratch my head...or play with my hair in general. Greg says I'm like a dog.
49. I read the news (CNN, MSNBC, FOXNEWS) about 50 times a day...hoping for something new...or just to try and read all the articles...
48. My pinky fingers are incredibly small...they come to just above the first joint on my ring fingers...they look a little sickly in comparison.
47. I always have to pull my hair up before I can sleep. I hate the feeling of random hairs brushing against my forehead.
46. I have to sleep with a fan on...always...no matter the temperature outside...
45. I once slept an entire winter with my window partly open...because I didn't know how to close it...in my defense the window was broken...oh and I still had the fan on when I slept. I had a hairdryer under the covers that I would turn on when I was cold.
44. My bedroom clock is perpetually fast...and not just a little fast...Greg and I like it at least 30 minutes fast...because you know, its fun to do math calculations when its 3 in the morning...I mean 2:30.
43. I can pop every single joint in my hand...well I'm not sure how many joints are actually in your hand...but I pop A LOT.
42. I can wink each eye individually.
41. I can curl my tongue...though I can't do any other lofty tricks like that cool wave looking thing.
40. I once took a class where I got to be a terrorist....purely fictional of course.
39. I graduated college by taking a intermediate Spanish class...the only reason I got a B+ is because my wonderful husband spent hours teaching me the language...and I don't remember any of it.
38. My car's check engine light comes during any change in weather.
37. I get gas in $10 increments because the price keeps going down.
36. I try and spend 4 hours a week volunteering for my church.
35. I teach 5 seven year olds every Sunday in church...this involves many games with the bribes of treats if they behave.
34. My favorite movie is Remember the Titans.
33. My favorite animated movie is Mulan.
32. I rely on my husband for any math equation solutions, except at 3 in the morning when I'm trying to figure out what time it really is.
31. Greg says that when I sleep my temperature goes up to 110 degrees.
30. I have been on the 2nd place National Mock Trial Champions Team.
29. I have competed in 2 State Swimming Meets.
28. My current favorite "sport" is bocce ball.
27. I have competed on the BYU Model United Nations Team and placed in the top Ten teams in the Nation. (National MUN competitions don't actually have place teams in order of 1,2,3..they just say you were in the top ten...kind of like kid's soccer where everybody gets a trophy.)
26. I spent a summer in California as a nanny.
25. I've been to a taping of "Whose Line is It Anyways?"
24. I've only gone skiing once and it was a horrible experience involving black diamonds...falling...and the vow of never returning.
23. Its a fact...I'm clumsy.
22. I enjoy any trivial pursuit game and often have Greg just read me cards so I can guess the answers.
21. I spent 4 whole months all by myself in Utah while Greg was away in Minnesota interning for Ernst and Young.
20. I love orange flavored popcycles....my sister-in-law just gave me a whole stack of them because I'm the only one she knows that likes the orange ones.
19. My favorite show on television are Law and Order reruns...which is good because they're pretty much on at least one channel 24 hours a day.
18. My microwave clock seems to perpetually slow down so every two weeks we set it 5 minutes ahead and two weeks later its 5 minutes behind...its a vicious cycle.
17. I'm moving to Minnesota at the end of April and finally getting out of Utah after 10 years.
16. I only get my hair cut once a year.
15. I have seen the back stages of Disney World...having gotten to practice on them before performing when I was in Show Choir in High School.
14. I enjoy yoga...however the funny names for the poses don't help my meditation practices.
13. Remember how last time I said I hate running...ironically thats how I first started getting to know Greg....now I love Greg...and still hate running.
12. I go to Ice hockey games just to see the fights...I can't actually keep up with the puck...but two or more mullet headed men pounding each other is what I call good entertainment.
11. I've recently become addicted to dum dum suckers...they're quite enjoyable and come in a variety of flavors and colors.
10. I've become a fanatical budgeter...this is mostly due to my obsessive accountant husband, but I find it fiercely satisfying to be "under budget" at the end of each month.
09. I once bumped my brother while we were jumping on the bed and he ended up with a huge gash in his head...we told my mom he fell.
08. I once went to roll my sister over on her side..because she was snoring...and she rolled completely off the bed...she woke and I told her she'd rolled off all by herself.
07. We used to tell Katelyn she was a boy named Thompson...she hates that name to this day.
06. My dad used to flick me in the head when I was little and began pulling the knobs off the radio...however, instead of actually stopping the naughty act...I learned to put my hand over my head before I pulled the knobs off.
05. My first word/words were "Whatsat"...my mom would say this to me every evening when my dad would be walking up the path to the door...so I began repeating it excitedly one day.
04. I once tried to do a high kick in a long nightgown, this ended with me landing hard on my bum...and being entirely embarrassed for having forgotten my nightgown had absolutely no "give."
03. I've woken up laughing.
02. I love making and eating homemade chocolate frosting.
01. I was born with under-developed lungs...however thanks to the prayers of many family members during those first few day...I have ginormous lungs and a huge rib cage...this helped dramatically during swimming but makes for an awkward time for shirts.
So last year I wrote a list of 100 things about me. This year 100 seemed a little daunting so here's a list of 50. It's quite the challenge so anybody who's up for it should try and create their own list of things people might not know about them. The lists are pretty hilarious, and its a good way to document information for future generations.
50. I like it when people scratch my head...or play with my hair in general. Greg says I'm like a dog.
49. I read the news (CNN, MSNBC, FOXNEWS) about 50 times a day...hoping for something new...or just to try and read all the articles...
48. My pinky fingers are incredibly small...they come to just above the first joint on my ring fingers...they look a little sickly in comparison.
47. I always have to pull my hair up before I can sleep. I hate the feeling of random hairs brushing against my forehead.
46. I have to sleep with a fan on...always...no matter the temperature outside...
45. I once slept an entire winter with my window partly open...because I didn't know how to close it...in my defense the window was broken...oh and I still had the fan on when I slept. I had a hairdryer under the covers that I would turn on when I was cold.
44. My bedroom clock is perpetually fast...and not just a little fast...Greg and I like it at least 30 minutes fast...because you know, its fun to do math calculations when its 3 in the morning...I mean 2:30.
43. I can pop every single joint in my hand...well I'm not sure how many joints are actually in your hand...but I pop A LOT.
42. I can wink each eye individually.
41. I can curl my tongue...though I can't do any other lofty tricks like that cool wave looking thing.
40. I once took a class where I got to be a terrorist....purely fictional of course.
39. I graduated college by taking a intermediate Spanish class...the only reason I got a B+ is because my wonderful husband spent hours teaching me the language...and I don't remember any of it.
38. My car's check engine light comes during any change in weather.
37. I get gas in $10 increments because the price keeps going down.
36. I try and spend 4 hours a week volunteering for my church.
35. I teach 5 seven year olds every Sunday in church...this involves many games with the bribes of treats if they behave.
34. My favorite movie is Remember the Titans.
33. My favorite animated movie is Mulan.
32. I rely on my husband for any math equation solutions, except at 3 in the morning when I'm trying to figure out what time it really is.
31. Greg says that when I sleep my temperature goes up to 110 degrees.
30. I have been on the 2nd place National Mock Trial Champions Team.
29. I have competed in 2 State Swimming Meets.
28. My current favorite "sport" is bocce ball.
27. I have competed on the BYU Model United Nations Team and placed in the top Ten teams in the Nation. (National MUN competitions don't actually have place teams in order of 1,2,3..they just say you were in the top ten...kind of like kid's soccer where everybody gets a trophy.)
26. I spent a summer in California as a nanny.
25. I've been to a taping of "Whose Line is It Anyways?"
24. I've only gone skiing once and it was a horrible experience involving black diamonds...falling...and the vow of never returning.
23. Its a fact...I'm clumsy.
22. I enjoy any trivial pursuit game and often have Greg just read me cards so I can guess the answers.
21. I spent 4 whole months all by myself in Utah while Greg was away in Minnesota interning for Ernst and Young.
20. I love orange flavored popcycles....my sister-in-law just gave me a whole stack of them because I'm the only one she knows that likes the orange ones.
19. My favorite show on television are Law and Order reruns...which is good because they're pretty much on at least one channel 24 hours a day.
18. My microwave clock seems to perpetually slow down so every two weeks we set it 5 minutes ahead and two weeks later its 5 minutes behind...its a vicious cycle.
17. I'm moving to Minnesota at the end of April and finally getting out of Utah after 10 years.
16. I only get my hair cut once a year.
15. I have seen the back stages of Disney World...having gotten to practice on them before performing when I was in Show Choir in High School.
14. I enjoy yoga...however the funny names for the poses don't help my meditation practices.
13. Remember how last time I said I hate running...ironically thats how I first started getting to know Greg....now I love Greg...and still hate running.
12. I go to Ice hockey games just to see the fights...I can't actually keep up with the puck...but two or more mullet headed men pounding each other is what I call good entertainment.
11. I've recently become addicted to dum dum suckers...they're quite enjoyable and come in a variety of flavors and colors.
10. I've become a fanatical budgeter...this is mostly due to my obsessive accountant husband, but I find it fiercely satisfying to be "under budget" at the end of each month.
09. I once bumped my brother while we were jumping on the bed and he ended up with a huge gash in his head...we told my mom he fell.
08. I once went to roll my sister over on her side..because she was snoring...and she rolled completely off the bed...she woke and I told her she'd rolled off all by herself.
07. We used to tell Katelyn she was a boy named Thompson...she hates that name to this day.
06. My dad used to flick me in the head when I was little and began pulling the knobs off the radio...however, instead of actually stopping the naughty act...I learned to put my hand over my head before I pulled the knobs off.
05. My first word/words were "Whatsat"...my mom would say this to me every evening when my dad would be walking up the path to the door...so I began repeating it excitedly one day.
04. I once tried to do a high kick in a long nightgown, this ended with me landing hard on my bum...and being entirely embarrassed for having forgotten my nightgown had absolutely no "give."
03. I've woken up laughing.
02. I love making and eating homemade chocolate frosting.
01. I was born with under-developed lungs...however thanks to the prayers of many family members during those first few day...I have ginormous lungs and a huge rib cage...this helped dramatically during swimming but makes for an awkward time for shirts.
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