Last night at 7 pm, President Hinckley passed away. My first reaction was shock and then sadness. President Hinckley was "my" prophet. He was the prophet through my teenage years, single adulthood, and young married life. I am so grateful for the example that he set for me in placing an importance on temple work, being a part of the communities in which we live, and having a positive outlook on life. When I paused to reflect on this beloved and amazing man, I had to smile to think how happy he is to be with Sister Hinckley and so many others with whom he's served. He will be greatly missed.
http://www.ksl.com/?nid=288&sid=2562128
To watch a very touching tribute to the Prophet, click here:
http://www.glennbeck.com/content/articles/article/200/5127/
1.28.2008
1.24.2008
Growing Up
Portia is 11 months old today. We gave her her first haircut this week while my mom was in town. Her baby fuzz was becoming a giant 'fro or a huge nest of knots. She's so close to walking, it's scary. Actually, I'm a little nervous because she is way more destructive than Palmer was. But she's got amazing hand-eye coordination and tries to talk all the time. She still only says "more" (while signing it) and "uh-oh!" But that's okay because if she's like any other girl, she'll be talking for the rest of her life. She is still a very happy child and fun to be around...except in her intense moments, like when she tries to follow Palmer in 8 inches of snow!
1.22.2008
Five Years!!!
Yes, we've been married for five years. This year, Ronell surprised me with a trip to Monterey, CA. We stayed at My grandparents' condo (thanks again, it was beautiful) and spent the whole weekend in 65 F weather. It was wonderful. We went to the Aquarium and Fisherman's Wharf. The strangest part of the trip was showing Ronell my high school and the house I spent most of my childhood in. We didn't get any pictures because it was dark there, but all the memories came flooding back. We spent Sunday evening with some friends, the Ganirs. It was nice to be with kids because I missed our's a ton! But it was a much needed break from life and from the snowy, 10* F weather. It was a great vacation. My mom was a great sport for flying in to stay with our kids for the weekend.
1.21.2008
Tagged
I don't usually write about myself in this blog (except for my resolutions) because most people, myself included, would rather hear about the kids. But I've been tagged and so here we go!
I've been Tagged!!! A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. B: Each player answers the questions about themselves. C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
10 years ago: I was a freshman at UVSC and I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I was playing, studying, dancing (as in three dance classes every semester), and reading. I also (much to the relief of my parents) started going to Institute and getting involved in that. I was also writing my high school boyfriend, Stephan, while he was on a mission in Italy. Needless to say, that didn't work out, which is cool because he's got a great wife and I have the greatest husband known to man (besides the fact that my hubby is hot!)
5 things on my to-do list today: 1. Go to Costco (my weekly trip). 2. Play with my kids in the snow (I've been in CA celebrating our five year anniversary with Ronell). 3. Get ready for my classes (I teach two high school classes in the evening). 4. Unpack. 5. Do something nice fo rmy mom because she flew out and watched our kids.
Snacks I enjoy: I love chocolate but since I'm am on a diet, my new favorite thing is fruit, especially apples, strawberries, clementines, and bananas.
I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire: I would buy a place somewhere warm to get away to. I would take my family on a sweet vacation. I would run away to Italy, or better yet buy a tuscan villa and spend summers there with my family while I teach them Italian. I would buy a minivan (a totally pimped out, fully loaded minivan that I and my children would love). I would make Ronell quit work and we'd get to spend every day together as a family, except when I went to the day spa for some R&R. And then Ronell would either save or invest the rest, after I paid someone to potty train Palmer for me.
3 of my bad habits: I'm easily frustrated by things that don't go my way. I ask questions that I know the answers to. I spend way too much time on quilting.
5 places I have lived: Provo, UT (does it count twice if I've lived here two different times?), Orem, UT (Woohoo, branching out now), Lake Oswego, OR, San Jose, CA, and Verona, Prato, and Livorno, Italy
5 jobs that I have had : Nanny, GAP sales associate (I hung up lots of clothes in high school), Williams Sonoma assistant manager, MTC teacher, Jr. High English teacher, Mom.
5 Things people don't know about me: 1.I weighed 10 lbs. at birth and my parents called me "Bertha" until they could agree on a name. 2. I hate spiders. 3. I have a secret crush on Zac Efron ( the kid in High School Musical, I think he's cute in a little brother but I wish I was his age so he could date me kind of way). 4. I hate being late for things ( it's a developed habit from Ronell). 5. I have lived in Provo for 10 years and have only left to go on a mission.
The five people I tag are: Amy, Alicia, Crystal, Heidi, Gina
I've been Tagged!!! A: The rules of the game are posted at the beginning. B: Each player answers the questions about themselves. C: At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read your blog.
10 years ago: I was a freshman at UVSC and I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I was playing, studying, dancing (as in three dance classes every semester), and reading. I also (much to the relief of my parents) started going to Institute and getting involved in that. I was also writing my high school boyfriend, Stephan, while he was on a mission in Italy. Needless to say, that didn't work out, which is cool because he's got a great wife and I have the greatest husband known to man (besides the fact that my hubby is hot!)
5 things on my to-do list today: 1. Go to Costco (my weekly trip). 2. Play with my kids in the snow (I've been in CA celebrating our five year anniversary with Ronell). 3. Get ready for my classes (I teach two high school classes in the evening). 4. Unpack. 5. Do something nice fo rmy mom because she flew out and watched our kids.
Snacks I enjoy: I love chocolate but since I'm am on a diet, my new favorite thing is fruit, especially apples, strawberries, clementines, and bananas.
I would do if I were suddenly made a billionaire: I would buy a place somewhere warm to get away to. I would take my family on a sweet vacation. I would run away to Italy, or better yet buy a tuscan villa and spend summers there with my family while I teach them Italian. I would buy a minivan (a totally pimped out, fully loaded minivan that I and my children would love). I would make Ronell quit work and we'd get to spend every day together as a family, except when I went to the day spa for some R&R. And then Ronell would either save or invest the rest, after I paid someone to potty train Palmer for me.
3 of my bad habits: I'm easily frustrated by things that don't go my way. I ask questions that I know the answers to. I spend way too much time on quilting.
5 places I have lived: Provo, UT (does it count twice if I've lived here two different times?), Orem, UT (Woohoo, branching out now), Lake Oswego, OR, San Jose, CA, and Verona, Prato, and Livorno, Italy
5 jobs that I have had : Nanny, GAP sales associate (I hung up lots of clothes in high school), Williams Sonoma assistant manager, MTC teacher, Jr. High English teacher, Mom.
5 Things people don't know about me: 1.I weighed 10 lbs. at birth and my parents called me "Bertha" until they could agree on a name. 2. I hate spiders. 3. I have a secret crush on Zac Efron ( the kid in High School Musical, I think he's cute in a little brother but I wish I was his age so he could date me kind of way). 4. I hate being late for things ( it's a developed habit from Ronell). 5. I have lived in Provo for 10 years and have only left to go on a mission.
The five people I tag are: Amy, Alicia, Crystal, Heidi, Gina
1.16.2008
Christmas
Well, I've been trying to find an excuse for my tardiness at posting Christmas pictures and then I just went through our Christmas pictures and I didn't take hardly any pictures! What a bad mom! So here are the two pictures of my kids with their presents. Portia enjoyed the bows more than the presents ( which was sad because she got tons of stuff from "Santa", Nona and Papa, not to mention all of her aunts, uncles, and cousins) and Palmer was totally into his new cars. After Christmas, my family went to Black Butte, OR and rented a cabin for three days. The boys were all adventurous and tried snowboarding--Paul (our resident expert) said that they all did well. Everyone else skiied and hung out. It was a very relaxing break. So relaxing that I forgot to take pictures to record it.
This is the cabin we stayed in. It was so fun to cuddle up by the fire at night and play games with family.
This is Palmer playing in the snow. I stayed home with the kids in the morning while the guys went boarding and then we switched at lunch. I took Palmer out while Portia slept and he loved playing in the snow. He did not like sliding down the hill with me. "I fall", he said when I tried to get him to go. 
This is Palmer admiring his new crocs with "Cars" tidbits in them. He kept trying to take the tidbits off to play with them.
Portia was more enthralled with the colorful bows on YaYa's (my aunt Sharyl) gifts.
Investigating the cars. Sadly, he could name all the cars in the pack.
This is the cabin we stayed in. It was so fun to cuddle up by the fire at night and play games with family.
This is Palmer playing in the snow. I stayed home with the kids in the morning while the guys went boarding and then we switched at lunch. I took Palmer out while Portia slept and he loved playing in the snow. He did not like sliding down the hill with me. "I fall", he said when I tried to get him to go. 
This is Palmer admiring his new crocs with "Cars" tidbits in them. He kept trying to take the tidbits off to play with them.
Portia was more enthralled with the colorful bows on YaYa's (my aunt Sharyl) gifts.
Investigating the cars. Sadly, he could name all the cars in the pack.Moving Around
Now that I've figured out how to do this blogging thing, it's time to remove the huge pictures from the bottom of our blog. For those of you who missed them, here are the highlights. I swear my children are dressed most of the time, they just happen to do the funniest things when they're, um, not clothed!
1.07.2008
My Resolutions (Yikes!)
I hesitate to even put my resolutions into words because then I'm accountable, especially sending them off into cyberspace (does anyone even use that word anymore?). But I was inspired by my friend Alicia Lindsay's resolutions and decided that if I don't write them somewhere, my resolutions will be lost forever. I'm also writing this to prove that at one point I had motivation to accomplish these things!
1. BE MORE AWARE. I've decided that I need to be better at serving without be asked to serve. I'm usually so caught up in my own little chaotic world, that I don't find much time for other people's worlds.
2. SIMPLIFY. I didn't cheat off Alicia's list, this really was on my list, too. I try to do so many things and stretch myself to the max (I have a problem declining invitations and social events, is that a surprise to anyone?), that I rarely accomplish anything to the best of my ability. Maybe if I don't do as much, I can serve better.
3. LOSE PALMER'S BABY WEIGHT. No, that's not a typo, I said Palmer. I didn't gain very much weight with Portia and I've lost almost all of it. I have not lost the spare lbs. I've been carting around for nearly three years. This is my year to lose it and really just be healthy for my family.
4. GET ORGANIZED! Last weekend I actually took the first step towards accomplishing this one. I rented a storage unit and made a list of things I know I want to put in there (i.e., baby swing that no one but Dre Ainge has ever used because my kids hated the swing).
5. STICK TO DATE NIGHT. Ronell and I set a goal last year to go out without the kids (you laugh but sometimes it's easier than a babysitter). We were horrible at it, probably because I spent the first six months pregnant, recovering from pregnancy, or up with a newborn or a toddler. But no excuses this year.
6. SPEND MORE ONE-ON-ONE TIME WITH MY KIDS. I'm great at coming up with fun things to do outside of the home but I need to be better at creating better experiences with my children individually.
7. READ ALL THE LESSONS BEFORE SUNDAY AND HAVE MEANINGFUL SCRIPTURE STUDY. My scripture study is usually accomplished while my kids watch a show and I scarf down a uick breakfast. Since there will be no scarfing because my life will be organized and stress-free (ha!) I can do this. My kids play very well together and I can leave them alone for ten minutes to study in a quiet room.
Okay, Alicia, I did it. I really do think that when we try to better ourselves, the Lord helps us. I hope you all have a great 2008!
1. BE MORE AWARE. I've decided that I need to be better at serving without be asked to serve. I'm usually so caught up in my own little chaotic world, that I don't find much time for other people's worlds.
2. SIMPLIFY. I didn't cheat off Alicia's list, this really was on my list, too. I try to do so many things and stretch myself to the max (I have a problem declining invitations and social events, is that a surprise to anyone?), that I rarely accomplish anything to the best of my ability. Maybe if I don't do as much, I can serve better.
3. LOSE PALMER'S BABY WEIGHT. No, that's not a typo, I said Palmer. I didn't gain very much weight with Portia and I've lost almost all of it. I have not lost the spare lbs. I've been carting around for nearly three years. This is my year to lose it and really just be healthy for my family.
4. GET ORGANIZED! Last weekend I actually took the first step towards accomplishing this one. I rented a storage unit and made a list of things I know I want to put in there (i.e., baby swing that no one but Dre Ainge has ever used because my kids hated the swing).
5. STICK TO DATE NIGHT. Ronell and I set a goal last year to go out without the kids (you laugh but sometimes it's easier than a babysitter). We were horrible at it, probably because I spent the first six months pregnant, recovering from pregnancy, or up with a newborn or a toddler. But no excuses this year.
6. SPEND MORE ONE-ON-ONE TIME WITH MY KIDS. I'm great at coming up with fun things to do outside of the home but I need to be better at creating better experiences with my children individually.
7. READ ALL THE LESSONS BEFORE SUNDAY AND HAVE MEANINGFUL SCRIPTURE STUDY. My scripture study is usually accomplished while my kids watch a show and I scarf down a uick breakfast. Since there will be no scarfing because my life will be organized and stress-free (ha!) I can do this. My kids play very well together and I can leave them alone for ten minutes to study in a quiet room.
Okay, Alicia, I did it. I really do think that when we try to better ourselves, the Lord helps us. I hope you all have a great 2008!
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