My Dad

Yesterday was Father's Day and I meant to write this post then but never made it to the computer. I've been thinking about my dad and his influence in my life. As a kid, you never really appreciate your parents and what they do for you. You kind of take your parents for granted. At least that was true for me. But now, I am an adult and a parent myself and can look upon all that my parents have done with a better understanding. So, it is with this improved perspective that I see my parents as amazing people who willingly and literally sacrificed all that they had for their children's benefit.

I can't talk about my dad and exclude my mom because they did it together. They both did their best to provide the basic necessities and more for me and my sisters. The first thing they did was to give us life. Which is not necessarily something for which one usually thank his parents but I specifically want to mention it because I am grateful to be here and to be alive. Being born is the most basic thing about life and it is not a small thing, especially if you're Chinese. In China, you're only allowed to have one child but my parents somehow got away with having three. My mom told me it was because they were in a rural area - I don't know if that meant they weren't watched as closely as those in more urban areas.

Living in rural China, neither of my parents had much schooling. To go to any kind of school, you had to pay tuition and most people ended up just going to school for a few years if they're lucky. My dad got through high school and my mom only attended elementary school. Despite the lack of educational opportunities, being educated was important to my parents. When my sisters and I were born, that was their hope and dream for us.

My dad actually came from a pretty well-to-do family. One of his uncles was a doctor. His father was a computer programmer and his mother was a congresswoman in Taiwan. Unfortunately, he was born in a time of civil war. This was when the Nationalists and the Communists were fighting for control in China. His parents were involved with the Nationalists who fled to Taiwan in defeat. He was just a baby then and ended up being left behind with a relative. Eventually, he was adopted by a couple from the countryside of Guangdong Province. His adopted father had been a teacher. I think he was one of those people who got sent to live in a village as part of the Cultural Revolution. The idea was that to make everyone equal, those who were more middle class had to be retrained to live like the common person. The Cultural Revolution was a social disaster to say the least.

So, my dad was raised by this couple. He and my mom had an arranged marriage, which was very common in rural China. They had three girls - I was the eldest. The other thing about the Chinese is that having a son is more highly desired than having a girl. One of the reasons is that traditionally it is the eldest son's duty to take care of the parents in their old age. If you had a daughter, you had to pay dowry to marry her off and she became a member of someone else's family and took care of her husband's parents. Also, it was considered more important to educate the males. But, my parents only had girls and they thought it was important that we get educated.

When I was about 6 years old, we left the village and moved to a city the the north. My grandfather, my dad's biological father, had found him after years of searching. By then, my grandparents had been divorced, my grandfather had remarried and he and his family had moved to the United States. My grandfather wanted to bring us to the US so we would have better opportunities. This was literally a dream come true for people in my parents' situation. So, we moved to the city while we waited for all the paperwork to be processed. It took two years - that's bureaucracy!

After arriving in the US, the only line of work my dad could do was to work in the kitchen of a Chinese restaurant. Today, nearly 24 years later, he still works 12-hour days at a Chinese restaurant six days a week. He had to work to provide for our family. My sisters and I lived in one of the best school districts in the country. We all did well in school and graduated from college. One of my sisters just got a master's degree from Columbia University.

Our lives are immeasurably better because my parents were willing to leave all behind in China. I am profoundly grateful for my dad's example of hard work and sacrifice so that my sisters and I could live the American dream.

First Haircut!

I finally had enough of Ellie's hair hanging over her eyes. She wouldn't let me put hair clips or ties in her hair. So, yesterday, I gave her her first haircut. It wasn't easy!! She kept moving and trying to grab the scissors. I had to get behind her and grab the portion of hair that needed to be trimmed. At first I thought it looked okay but now I feel bad. Luckily, hair grows so in a few weeks it'll look a lot better!

Catching Up

The past two weeks have been a whirlwind. As it turned out, Charlie was sick on the day of the rescheduled birthday party so I ended up canceling it. It was questionable whether he was contagious at that point but my conscience told me I'd feel bad if anyone else's child caught the cold from him. We did have some fun decorations and many guests were kind enough to drop off the gifts. I was glad to be able to hand out the party favor bags and give away all the cupcakes we had. Charlie took the whole situation in stride and enjoyed seeing guests at the door. He loved his presents and had a great time making little pompom worms with me.

The next day was spent doing laundry and getting ready to leave for our trip to visit Dan's family in Michigan.

We had a blast during our vacation! Charlie loved being with his cousins and seeing Grandma & Grandpa Schmidt along with Uncle Dale, Aunt Julie, Uncle Andrew, and Aunt Cindy. The first few days, we were all able to get away to the coast of Lake Michigan. The whole crew, except the grandparents, got to stay in a beautiful house in the woods. It was just a joy to spend time together doing simple things like cooking, chatting, playing, and going on walks.


One funny story we'll be able to remember years from now is how Ellie got scared of one of her cousins. They're both about a year old and he's very loving so he was always coming up to her trying to give her hugs. She wasn't used to that kind of attention from someone her size so she would cry every time he got close or if she saw him. Near the end I think she kind of decided it wasn't that bad.

Later in the week, we were able to visit a children's museum I'd heard rave reviews about. The kids loved it so much, it was hard to tear them away after a couple of hours.

We also got to visit our favorite gardens in Midland. It's always on our list of places to see when we're there. It is beautifully landscaped with flowers, bushes, and trees. There are many hills, paths, ponds, and streams to explore and a children's garden where the kids love to play.

Before we knew it, we were on our way home to Wyoming. It was sad to leave but we're looking forward to seeing everyone again on our next trip. I'm so glad we were able to make more fun memories and strengthening bonds with our extended family.

Crazy Week

It seems like Murphy's Law has been hard at work this week. I feel like things undesired/unexpected have just been piling on...

~ Dan's been sick and have been home everyday but Monday. I don't know about the rest of you but it really throws me off my game when my husband is hanging around the house. Not that it's bad to have him around but it's not fun when he's sick as a dog and can't do much.

~ I finally got a haircut on Saturday but it didn't turn out like I'd hoped. I have such a hard time finding a good hairdresser for my type of hair here.

~ I lost my wallet. Really this time. I went grocery shopping and realized as I was checking out my big ol' cart of groceries that my wallet was not in my purse. Searching all over did not recover it and so I ended up staying up til close to midnight Saturday night cancelling our credit cards. Then, I had the "fun" experience of taking two active little kids to the DOT to get a new license.

~ Ellie's been especially fussy at night and wouldn't go to sleep very well. We discovered she had a fever of 102. Charlie also had a slight fever. I ended up taking the kids to the doctor this morning and had to reschedule Charlie's birthday party we'd planned for tomorrow.

~ So, I'm looking at an incredibly busy week next week as I prepare for a birthday party, Enrichment, and packing for a trip next week!! I'm exhausted...

Thanks for letting me throw myself a big pity party!

Eighth Anniversary

Yesterday was our eight-year anniversary. I'd been thinking about it in the week before but for some reason didn't think of it again until yesterday. That's when I realized we'd scheduled to have the elders over for dinner last night. I must be getting old, I can't remember things like I used to.

My Addiction

Yesterday afternoon, I was able to spend 15 minutes at the library, alone without kids. A rare treat! Of course, I quickly got lost browsing in the new adult books section. I found several books that looked interesting and checked them out. Since then, I've been enjoying reading and feasting on my new finds.

For me, books are like food. I eat them up. I can't remember a time when I didn't like to read. One of the things I remember enjoying as a kid was our regular trips to the local library. I'd check out a stack of about a dozen books and devour them over the next two-to-three weeks. Then, I'd return them and get another stack.

This afternoon, I was able to spend a delicious hour with a book about creating spaces in our homes. The author is self-taught artist and designer but not an interior designer. She shared her experience with buying a house and making it her own. It wasn't your typical interior design book and gave me some great ideas on the process of creating spaces that are livable and enjoyable and not just for show.

I love all kinds of books: fiction, non-fiction, history, business, finance, self-help, mystery, young adult,... Usually, I'm reading at least two or three books at a time. Right now, I'm reading Jean Chatsky's The Difference, Jason F. Wright's Recovering Charles, a book about ETF's, and a couple others.

Why do I read? To learn new things or new skills, to understand the world better, to be entertained, to get away (take a mind vacation), and to see someone else's point of view.

I also love to read to my kids. There are some amazing illustrated children's books. I think the love of reading is a gift a parent can give a child. Charlie loves it when I read to him and he loves to "read" to himself. We always read a story before naps and bedtime. Ellie's still young and won't sit still to be read to but she loves looking at the books we have around the house. I often find her sitting on the floor turning the pages of a book she's found.

The only downside to my love for reading is that it's akin to an addiction. If I'm really involved with a book, I have a hard time putting it down. Sometimes, I feel the urge to keep reading even though housework or other things are calling for my attention. I tend to get lost in the story. I find myself intending to read just 15 minutes and the next thing I know, it's been an hour. So, I have to watch myself. Despite their addictive nature, books bring me joy!

Progress

Ellie is teething. She has had two bottom teeth for the longest time but recently more teeth have been coming in. A few days ago, it looked funny because she had another bottom tooth coming in and one on top also coming in on the right side. But since then, the second tooth on top appeared suddenly and another one sprouted to the left of her bottom ones so it's more balanced now. Her appetite has been terrible and she's been very fussy. I've basically stopped buying baby food because she won't eat any of it. It's like she's decided she's not a baby anymore and refuses to eat anything mushy - except for the applesauce. I don't know why I've been buying baby apple and pear sauce when I could've started feeding her apple sauce months ago! Unfortunately, there's not too many things she can eat with just a few teeth. I'm looking forward to her getting more teeth so she can expand her menu.

I've learned something new about Charlie. He definitely has a hard time with being in new situations. I caught a glimpse of it when he freaked out the first Sunday he went to Sunbeams. It took him a few weeks but he did finally get over it and now he tells us all about how he got to go to "primary school." He loves singing the primary songs they're learning this year. The other night, he sang "My Eternal Family" and got all the words and the tune right! I'm hoping he inherited the Schmidt genes for music.

Last week, Charlie had to be in another new situation and reacted the same way as he did with going to Sunbeams initially. I signed him up for a once a week gymnastics class through the city's rec department. Last Monday was his first time going and he just bawled. One of the instructors had to hold him and he wouldn't stop crying for at least 25 minutes. He kept saying he didn't want to do gymnastics. I kept reassuring him that he didn't have to do it and that if he wanted to go back to class, I'd go with him. I also told him we could just sit and watch with him. By the end of class, we made it to sitting at the doorway.

So, Sunday night, I made sure to remind him we were going to gymnastics on the next day but that he wouldn't have to do anything and that I would sit and watch with him. Monday morning, I reminded him about class again and told him that he could just watch with me. He seemed to be okay with the idea but said over and over that he didn't want to go. I almost decided not to take him then because I didn't want to make him do anything he was uncomfortable doing. However, I'd already paid for the class and I wanted to give him a chance to realize it could be fun. I told him that if he behaved, I'd let him have a piece of gum after class. Well, he did great! He watched with me but I kept encouraging him to try doing all the things the other kids were doing. He did try a couple of times but kept running away or sitting by me. Finally, when the instructor was showing the kids how to jump on the trampoline and letting the kids take turns on it, Charlie just joined right in! I was really proud of him for overcoming his fears and felt good about giving him a chance to do it on his own terms.

On Being Older and Other Things

I'm 32 years old. Just saying it makes it official, right? Ever since my late twenties, I've been too busy and too caught up in my life to really think about my age. Now, if someone asks me - no, no one usually asks me because most people think it's rude to ask about someone's age, especially if it's a woman - I meant, if a form asks for my age, I usually have to do the math and then confirm. Although, I think a friend did ask once but I wasn't offended, I'm not offended if anyone asks my age. Anyway, before I turned 30, I'd always thought it was SO old, so grown up. Even now, I still think it's old and have a hard time thinking of myself as someone who's over 30. I still feel like I'm 25, young and invincible, sometimes. Until I look in the mirror or try to go for a jog and realize I don't look or feel so young anymore. I'm not trying to be depressing because there are some great things about being in my stage of life.

For example, I'm still young enough that even though my retirement portfolio took a huge hit, like minus 40%, during this economic downturn, I still have what financial experts call a long time horizon so my risk tolerance is pretty high (i.e. I have time to recover my losses...I hope).

Also, if we were to have another child, I'm still under that threshold of 35 when they say you're at higher risk for having complications and you have to take all these tests for genetic problems.

On a different note, my computer area in our basement is a disaster area. It really looks like a tornado has gone through it because I have jumbles of papers and receipts on my desk and my table AND the floor. Cleaning it up has been on my to do list everyday for the past two weeks but for some reason, it's still here. Every time I come down here to do it, I end up checking my email or getting on Facebook, or doing anything else BUT what I intended to do. I really thought I'd have it cleaned up by the the time the appraiser came yesterday morning but it still didn't happen. I was mortified when I saw him taking pictures! I don't know why I'm having trouble cleaning it up.

Why I'm Angry

With so much going on in the economy, it's easy to be scared and confused. How did this terrible thing happen? How is this going to affect me and my money? What's going to happen next? How long will the recession last?

I don't know the answer to the last three questions but I'm angry about how it all happened. It all happened because in 1999 Congress deregulated the banking industry, allowing commercial banks and investment banks to "consolidate into a single institution which had essentially free reign to offer everything from passbook savings accounts to speculative financial investments such as commodities trading and credit default swaps. It is the credit default swaps that got us in trouble when the housing mortgage market collapsed. Suddenly, banks lost billions of dollars on their books and people couldn't get the credit they needed for their day-to-day activities. So, then the government bails out these banks because they are "too big to fail." The very people who got us into this mess is getting help from us, the American people. Many ask, "Well, who's going to bail us out if we lost our jobs and our retirement savings and now we can't pay our bills?" The same banks who are getting bailed out by us are now increasing our credit card interest rates.

And now, the big banks are saying, "We are big and strong, we don't need the bailout money. We were forced to take it but now we're returning it because we don't like the restrictions that come with the money we took. We want to pay our executives unreal sums of money and bonuses and to h--- with everyone else!" Except, what the big banks didn't say was that they screwed up big time and that the very people they're paying huge salaries and bonuses to are the same people who created this crisis in the first place. The banks are trying to tell the government that they don't want to be told what to do. Well, the president, the treasury secretary, and the Fed Chairman need to stand firm and not back down. The government runs this country, not the banks.

And another thing: In a situation like this, it's natural to just want to blame somebody. Well, it's not just one somebody that's culpable. There are many people who bear responsibility:

• the investors who want big returns, not caring how it got there,
  
• the banks who thought they were so smart to come up with such risky and complicated investments,
  
• the people who couldn't afford the huge homes they bought,
  
• the lenders who sold the subprime mortgages,
  
• the Congress who decided to relax laws regulating banks, and
  
• the regulators who were supposed to be the watchmen.

Maybe we all just got a little too greedy and too complacent during the good times.

That's my two cents!

Easter Fun

Easter is my favorite holiday after Christmas. I love, love Christmas but I love Easter just as much because there's no presents involved and it's so fun for little children. Also, my finding the gospel makes Easter that much more meaningful to me. I mentioned in a previous blog post that my conversion began with making that phone call to get a free video on Easter Sunday. (See Time Out for Women.)

Two of my favorite things to do with my kids on Easter are hunting for eggs and decorating eggs. Last week, we held an Easter Egg hunt for our little playgroup at church. After the hunt, we had a brunch with fruit pizza, cut up apples, muffins, and a bunny cake. I was the one that made the bunny cake and I had such fun making it! I saw the idea in a magazine and decided to make it because it looked so cute. Now, I'm not a baker - I can do it but it's not my favorite thing to do. My husband's the one that usually makes the cakes so this was kind of a big deal for me. For some reason, I loved the whole process of baking and decorating the cake. I even enjoyed getting all the ingredients from the store! Here's what it looked like.
Decorating eggs is a tradition we've had even before Charlie was born. Last year, I found a neat idea for making unique designs on the eggs using reverse-stenciling. If you want to try it out, go to the Family Fun website.

We haven't dyed our eggs yet for this year but here's how they turned out last year.
I also look forward to having a special Easter dinner with my family on Easter Sunday. We will have ham because it's not something we normally eat and it's on sale. I've been craving my mother-in-law's yummy rolls so we'll probably have that along with a couple other side dishes. Mmm, just thinking about it is making me hungry. I can't wait for dinner!

Movie Review: The Freedom Writers

This was the most interesting, thought-provoking, and inspiring movie I have seen in a long time. This is based on a true story. Hillary Swank was the executive producer and also the lead role as Erin Gruell, an idealistic new English teacher at a Long Beach high school. She is given a class of inner-city ninth-graders who face unbelievable racial/ethnic problems and the school administrators have already written them off as failures. Despite a rough start, she is able to engage her students and helps them see themselves and each other in a different light.

I love this movie because it shows how a great teacher can influence her students. It's also a lesson to the audience about the importance of seeing each person as a human being and that when we do so, we are able to bridge the divide between ourselves and those we percieve as antagonists.

I highly recommend this movie but just to warn you, it does contain some rough scenes and language.

Grateful for the Cold!

I never thought I'd say this, but I'm so grateful for the cold weather that has suddenly swept through Wyoming. Last week, we had spring-like weather with sunshine and above 60 degree temperatures. My tulips were coming up and the grass even started looking a bit green. When I heard that it was supposed to snow yesterday and that it would be freezing cold for a while, I was so sad!! I had hoped that, just for once, spring might come early here. Spring in Wyoming usually comes near the end of April or beginning of May. I guess I got fooled!

Well, now I'm actually glad it's cold! Our fridge broke down over the weekend and we weren't able to get a repairman out until this morning. The freezer still worked so we were making as much ice as we could to put in the fridge and keep the food from spoiling. I wish we had realized it was broken before I went grocery shopping on Saturday! It turns out that the controller for the defroster is broken and the airway from the freezer to the fridge is blocked up. The repairman replaced the controller and said that we had to defrost the freezer for 24 hours in order to clear the blockage. So, all our food is outside the backdoor, which is nice and cold. Isn't this a lovely picture of the contents of our fridge? Most of the blue plastic food containers have ice in them, for keeping the food cool inside the fridge when I bring them back inside tonight.

Time Out for Women

Besides losing my wallet, Time Out for Women was awesome! I had fun just being with women who were all trying to do the best they can in life. I felt uplifted and reassured by the speakers and the music. There was a lot of laughter and moments of spiritual reflection. I wish I could've recorded the whole thing but here are some of the things I remember most.

Sister Okazaki's talk was based on these words by the prophet, Joseph Smith, Jr., "I teach them correct principles and they govern themselves" as applied to dealing with others, particularly our children. Well, let me tell you I wish she could've spoken for much longer so I could get how to do this. I for one could use some help getting my 3-year-old to govern himself. She talked about the principles of agency and love and the importance of respecting our children's agency and showing love to them. This is definitely much easier said than done for me. Sister Okazaki should write a book and share in more detail how she was able to get her second graders to solve conflicts with each other without her involvement and to behave when she had to leave them without supervision in the classroom for periods of time. I personally think she just has that magic touch... and is a genius for figuring out how to teach correct principles.

A really cool realization dawned on me on Friday night as we were listening to Michael McLean talk and sing. It's a connection I've never made before because I've only heard his music a few times. I have to start with the story of how I became a member of the LDS Church.

It was Easter Sunday and I was flipping through the channels. For some reason, I stopped on the PBS channel which was showing what I later found out was "The Easter Dream." I didn't know what it was and I only caught the last few minutes. At the time, I was 15-years old and had been trying to figure out what was the purpose of life, why I was here, and where I was going. Life's big mysteries. So, at the end of the show, there was an ad for a free video, "Our Heavenly Father's Plan". I thought, "Cool, a free video!" and I called the 800-number. Three weeks later, a couple of elders knocked on the door with the video. That led to me taking the discussions and being baptized.

So, basically, this video changed my life! And I realized on Friday night that Michael McLean directed the video! After the event had ended for the night, a bunch of friends and I went up to talk and get pictures taken with him. I had to tell him the story so he could know that at least one person's life was influenced for the better by his work. When I told him the story, he said that he was involved in every single aspect of the video from writing script, directing, and writing the music. How cool was that?

Another speaker I loved was DeAnne Flynn, the author of The Time Starved Family. Besides the fact that she told the most hilarious story about how she didn't want to die naked in her kitchen, I loved her message about being prepared to meet God. It really struck me how we go along with our lives every single day and not really be any closer to being ready for the time when we will have to meet our maker. I know what it's like to sit down at the end of the day and ask myself, "Where did the day go?" It seems like there's always something to be done: laundry, diapers, meals, dishes, phone calls, playgroup, bills, work, and on and on... I'm grateful to be reminded that while there are many worthwhile things out there, I need to not let them take place of the things that are most important to me like strengthening my relationships with my family and loved ones and being ready to go when it's time.

I'm really glad I took a "time out" for myself. It's given me a chance to reflect and to refuel so that I'm ready to tackle the everyday routine again.

How I Lost My Wallet

I've always thought what a nightmare it would be to lose my wallet. If someone unscrupulous happens to find it, he/she could do a lot of damage. I've heard horror stories of identity theft and how devastating it could be on your life. At the very least, it is a pain to try to replace the driver's license and the credit and debit cards.

Well, today it happened. I was down in Denver and we went to Subway for lunch. I was in line and as I got closer to the counter, I decided to get my money out to be ready to pay for my food. I opened up my tote bag and realized my wallet was gone!! I thought maybe I'd left it in the convention center where we were sitting. After lunch, we went back to the convention center and I checked at the courtesy desk as well as the lost and found to see if anyone had turned in a wallet. Nope. I then checked the bathroom stall where I could've left it because I remembered bringing it to the bathroom with me.

As the time passed by, and there was still no wallet to be found I became worried that maybe some strange person from off the street had walked into the building, used the restroom, found the wallet and taken it. In my mind, I pictured the person taking all the cash. (I usually don't keep cash on me but had just gone to the ATM this week in anticipation of needing it for this weekend.) I didn't care too much about the cash since that was a small loss compared to the damage that could be done if thousands were charged on my two credit cards and one debit card. The thief could max out the cards and wipe out my bank accounts. The more I thought about it the more anxious I was for my wallet's safe return.

I checked lost and found a couple more times and even talked to the events center facilities staff. No luck. I thought maybe I was going out of my mind. I double-checked with my friend who drove and asked her if she didn't remember me asking her to hold a notebook and my wallet for me so I could have my hands free to put on a necklace when we were in the parking lot. She thought she did remember doing that.

During my search, I said many silent prayers that I would be able to find my wallet. Finally, just to be sure, I decided to check the one place I knew for sure it couldn't be. I got the car keys and walked out to the parking lot. It was a long shot but I've got to check everywhere. I opened the trunk, got into my bag and rifled through the contents. It wasn't in the side pocket. I dug into the main compartment and there it was, hidden between the pajamas and toiletry bag, my beloved missing wallet, safe and sound. I breathed a huge sigh of relief and realized what an idiot I'd been.

This has to be THE worst case of mommy brain I've ever had. I'm glad I didn't lose my wallet but I'm afraid today will always be etched in my memory as the day I lost my brain.

Something to Look Forward To

I have never been away from my kids for more than a couple of hours, unless you count the few days I was gone to look for a place to rent when Dan got a job offer in Wyoming. Not that I'm complaining because Dan and I are great partners in caring for our kids and doing household chores. Dan does a lot around the house and works very hard at his job all the while dealing with pain resulting from a car accident many years ago. Still, I do dream about taking a break once in a while.

That's why I'm so excited about this weekend: I'm attending Time Out for Women in Denver with a bunch of women from our ward! For those who are not familiar with TOFW, it's sponsored by Deseret Book. There are presentations/talks by prominent LDS people. This weekend features Chieko Okazaki, Kenneth Cope, Michael McLean, and others. This is my first time going so I don't know what to expect but a friend has told me it's amazing. So, I'm ready to be amazed! I'm also looking forward to hanging out with my friends and eating at one of my favorite restaurants. And I heard there's a hot tub at our hotel. Mmm!

I've been looking forward to this since I signed up last month. I'll be gone from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. I've gotten Ellie to nurse only once a day so she won't be too upset while I'm gone. Dan knows what to make for dinner. All I need to do now is pack by bag!

Relief!

My little boy is growing up! My last blog about him was full of frustration over potty-training. Well, he has decided to be a big boy and has been wearing his Thomas the Train underwear proudly this past week. With only a few exceptions the first few days, he has remained clean and dry even overnight! I'm so proud of him!

Tonight, we celebrated his accomplishment by taking him out to eat at our favorite family restaurant.

I want to thank all my friends who have shared experiences and tips with me. That support has definitely helped me not get too stressed out about this whole process.

Everybody Dance!

Movie Review: The Family Man

Here's something we don't get to do often - Dan and I watched a movie on TV this weekend: "The Family Man". It stars Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni and was made in 2000. I'd never heard of it before so it must not have been popular or I was too out of it when it came out. The year 2000 was a busy year for me.

We both thought it was a great movie. Nicolas Cage plays a Wall Street whiz who had left his college girlfriend to pursue success 13 years earlier. One day, he wakes up married to her. I won't give the rest of the movie away but suffice it to say that he learns a big lesson. It reminded me of how grateful I am for a wonderful husband and family. I wouldn't trade what I have for a million dollars (or more). If you haven't seen this movie before, it's worth checking out.

http://www.family-man.com/intro.html

Birthday Girl

Ellie's birthday was last Saturday. I can't believe she's one!! She's definitely a big girl now. Just within the past couple of weeks, she started eating crackers, bread, and bananas.
She loves to play peek-a-boo and show us that she's "so big!"

Ellie also signs "more" when she wants more of something and waves "hello". She mainly says Da-da and cries Ma-ma when she's sad.

We had yummy chocolate cake with ice cream to celebrate Ellie's birthday. Here are pictures of the cake and of Ellie enjoying it.


After eating cake, we opened presents. She loves her new toys.

Bugged

I've been bug tagged by a friend. You're supposed to list 10 things that bug you and then tag 10 friends. I don't know if I have 10 friends I could bug about this that haven't already been bug-tagged so I'm just going to pick on Holly C., Jody Z., Steph Q., Mandy A., and Janie L. I'd love to find out what bugs you!

My friends who wrote their lists said that they don't really get bugged. Well, I, unfortunately, am not as laid back and I do get bugged by a lot of things. I guess I just have to be more patient, which is really hard to do. (Ironically, I had a hard time thinking of 10 things that bug me.)

1. I go to the store to get one thing I really needed for dinner and end up buying a bunch of stuff but forget to buy that one thing. My kids must have really sucked away a lot of my brain cells!

2. Interrupting people. I hate being interrupted so when I realize I'm the one doing it, I feel terrible!

3. Being tail-gated. Ooh, I get mad and I try extra hard to hover on the speed limit. I guess this is considered passive aggressive so I've been working on it. Fortunately, I don't spend that much time driving around and Cheyenne is a little town. I used to live in the DC area and you really do have to be aggressive there. Though I wouldn't get in the way of tail-gaters (there are a lot of them out in that area) because I'd probably get shot!

4. When people smoke in parks. I know it's a free country and people can do what they want. But it still bugs me because usually I have my kids with me and I don't want them to be inhaling second-hand smoke.

5. Commercials. I'm so glad I have TiVo so I can skip them!

6. When I realize I just wasted 2 hours on the computer and got nothing accomplished. The internet and email are great but it's easy to get sucked in!

7. When I get insomnia and my kids are sleeping fine.

8. When my son says, "Mommy, mommy, mommy, mommy,..." and doesn't really have anything to say. Obviously he's just trying to get my attention. Now, why doesn't he do that to Dan?

9. Exercising 6 days a week for two months straight and not really seeing any results.

10. When it's dinner time and I'm still in my pj's! Some days are better than others.

This whole list makes me depressed. I'm going to make a list of things that I love so I'm not depressed anymore:
1. My hubby. :-) I love having someone to share everything with.
2. My two beautiful children. I don't think I knew true joy before they came along.
3. The restored gospel - can't imagine life without it.
4. Dark chocolate. Mmm!!
5. Exercising. Even if I don't see results right away, sweating makes me feel good. I especially enjoy running - all those endorphins are great!
6. Taking a nap.
7. Food. You should check out my blog on food.
8. Reading. I can just eat those books up. Give me a book and I'll be happy for hours.
9. Traveling. My favorite show is "House Hunters International" because I get to see what life is like in other countries.
10. Living in America.