Personal Space

I believe that giving people proper personal space is an important social skill. One that I value greatly. However, it is a skill that most children at the Gardner swimming pool lack. This doesn't bother me if the child is like 5 or younger, most kids this age are pretty oblivious. But when the kid is like 9 or 10, it really bothers me. They don't watch were they are going, they kick you, they practically jump in my lap sometimes. I was supper annoyed the other day by a girl who must have been 11. I was sitting on a little bench on the inside of the pool. The water depth was like 2 1/2 feet. This girl, who was bigger than me, by the way, pulled up to the wall RIGHT next to me and proceeded to do these stupid little back dives and kicks, splashing me in the face EVERY time. Little kids were playing all around her. She kicked more than one of them without so much as an acknowledgement. I so badly wanted to say to her, "For someone who is so big, you are oblivious to how your movements affect everyone around you." But I didn't. That would have been rude. But I was sure thinking it.

But, you know, I have an issue with personal space anyway. Mostly it manifests itself when people hug me. I tense up and the person hugging me can feel it, this has caused problems with my sister-in-laws. One of them accused me of thinking I was too good for her, that I didn't want to touch her. She didn't realize that this started way before I met her or my husband. It has taken me a long time to be comfortable hugging anyone, and by anyone, I really don't mean anyone. I mean my parents, my extended family, close friends. That is were my list ends. And in some cases it's still an effort to not feel weird.

My bbf's mother, Carolyn, noticed right off the bat that I had a hard time hugging. She went out of her way to give me big, huge, lingering hugs. Sometimes I would fight it, but she never let me go. After many months of this, I finally was able to accept and actually give a hug back that wasn't completely awkward. I'm sure it's not true, but Carolyn insisted that I wasn't given enough hugs and kisses when I was a baby.

But really, it not just hugging, it's just touching in general. I'm sorry, but I just don't want people to touch me. Give me some room! Is that so much to ask?

Hey! What's going on?

Well....Let me tell you!

My camera got stolen. I feel naked. I feel I have nothing to post about without it. I need to replace it but can't bring myself to charge it. What to do, what to do....

My husband applied to the community college last week. He was accepted. THEN, he told his Grandpa/employer what his plans were. Whoa! I think he's serious this time. I feel the big changes a comin.

Last week, after attending church with my parents, my husband declared he was going to church the next week. I told him that was a big declaration and that I was not going to forget if he didn't do it. Well, we made it to church yesterday. I know, two weeks in a row. Will miracles ever cease? But truth be told, I had a hard time. As we walked across the lawn, I began to feel something in my chest. Suddenly, I wanted to glare at everyone, which by the way, makes you pretty unapproachable. I didn't want to sing. I rolled my eyes at the guy who went ten minutes over in sacrament meeting. I made fun of the brother who couldn't stop crying while singing in Sunday school. I ditched Relief Society and read my book in the car. I was reminded that I have a rebellious heart. Maybe I shouldn't blame the not going to church all on my husband. Obviously, I need to work on some things too. Like my attitude!

The new Tinkerbell shoes have arrived! They are beautiful. But now I am sad because I cannot take a picture to show you. Another time maybe?

I finished the third Fablehaven book and it was the best one so far! I loved it. Now I have to wait till next spring for the next one to come out. Now I am re-reading the Twilight series in preparation for Breaking Dawn to be released soon. I missed so much the first time through. Now I am really excited for the movie two. I have the urge to watch Goblet of Fire so I can crush on Edward for a little while. I think most of you already know, but I LOVE and very much approve of the actor they picked for Edward.

Smashed Penny Kindness

My friend Emily got back from a trip a few weeks ago. She sent me two smashed pennies! What an awesome friend! She smashed the pennies in Forks, Washington. Isn't that awesome? When I was in Utah, my sister celebrated her anniversary in SLC and she returned with a smashed penny for me from the Planetarium. Very cool.

Also, an honorable mention goes to my BFF Val, who just returned from NYC a few weeks ago. She said, "I only saw one stupid penny machine and the god damn thing was broken, so sorry!" Well, you were looking and that's good enough for me.

See? It doesn't take very much to make me happy. Unless your name starts with a J and ends with an N. If that's case, you are just out of luck. Sorry.

Secret Blog?

My husband has been saying things that make me think he may know about my blog. I'm a little confused by it all. He won't come right out and say he knows, and I won't come right out and say that I have one.

The other night he started telling me what my blog would be like if I had a blog. He told me it would be a pretty intelligent blog. He said I would write about my authors and music and about anything that happened. So that freaked me out because I have blogged about both those things very recently. I told him it sounded like he had my non-existent blog all designed in his head for me.

So, if my husband knows about my blog and reads it when I am not around, maybe he could tell me by secret code. He should say "Peter Piper Picked a Peck of Pickled Peppers while she sells seashells by the seashore." Then I will know he knows without either one of us having to say so.

Sugar and Spice

Today is my daughter's birthday. She turns six today. I know I talk about my daughter on here way more than I talk about my son. She really is a special girl. Her smile and laugh is contagious. She is not one bit shy and makes friends everywhere we go. She has a pair of Tinkerbell dress up shoes. They are a size 9. Her feet are size 11, but she still prances around in those shoes. ( I found some bigger ones just this morning on eBay! Hallelujah!) She wears them to school, the store, vacation, the park. They are dirty and the fabric is starting to come off at the toe. I look at those shoes and think about how much she must love those shoes, and all the dancing, twirls, and jumping she has done while wearing these shoes. Then I think about how much I love those shoes too. I am going to keep them forever. As soon as the new shoes arrive, I will take those old Tinkerbell shoes and put them away so when I am old and miss my kids, I can pull them out and remember how sweet, precious, and full of life my little fairy was when she was little. I hope she never changes.

Happy Birthday sweet baby girl! I am so proud of you!

My Little Punk

My baby boy turns four today. He is a punk. A regular Punky Brewster.Let me tell you a little story to help you get to know my son.

Three days ago, I took my kids to Jazzercise, as I often do. Before and after class, my little boy likes to climb on the stage. He jumps around and does funny squats and lunges, and yells hi-yah! The ladies think he is hilarious. Class was about to start so I walked to the front of the class and said "Come on, class is gonna start." He said, "No!" but jumped off the stage, threw himself on the floor and began to scream, "Owie! Owie! Owie!" So by now, EVERYONE is watching us. I grabbed him up and hauled his 40lbs screaming butt back to the babysitting room. I put him down and hurriedly told the babysitter that he was faking it. I turned to leave and he let's out this huge wail. "Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!" I shut the door, turn around and everyone is looking at me. The instructor says in the microphone, "Ahhhh! Poor Aaron!" (His name is NOT Aaron, but I wasn't gonna correct her.) To this I reply, "He's fine, he's just dramatic." The whole room laughs, and class begins.

And yet another example, we went to the pool two nights ago. A man with his son began to play catch near us. The man says to my little boy, "Hey, buddy! You want to throw it?" He grabs the ball from the man, makes a move that looks like he is going to throw it, but instead, shoves the ball in his mouth and starts to chew on it.

He never has been an easy child. It started when I got pregnant and never quit throwing up. I developed major rage and couldn't sleep at night. He cried and cried for months after he was born and I dealing with post-partum depression. He wouldn't chew his food till he was 18 months. He hasn't learned to speak properly yet and this can be frustrating for both of us. And to top it off, he is STILL in diapers. But I wouldn't trade him for everything I ever wanted in the world. Because even though he is a major punk with attitude, he melts my heart every time he runs to me and says "Ahhh! Bi haaaa!! (Big Hug), sqeezes me as hard as he can and showers me with kisses.

Happy Fourth Birthday, little one. I Love You!

100 Posts

For one hundred posts, 100 things about me. (I know everyone does one, why should I be any different, right?)

1. My Grandpa called me peanut.
2. I have spoken on the phone to Summer Sanders, Olympic swimmer and former host of a game show on nickelodeon that I.can't remember the name of.
3. I have been to a Star Trek Convention.
4. I throw up a lot. (Not on purpose, and I'm not bulimic or pregnant, thank you!)
5. I can't keep my their, there, and they're strait.
6. My mom wanted to name me Lacey.
7. I never learned my timetables.
8. Every time we took a timed timetable test in third grade, I got a bloody nose.
9. One time, I gave Rick Steadman a black eye.
10. I feel bad about that now.
11. Once while giving a talk in primary, I couldn't stop laughing long enough to actually give the talk.
12. I want to see the Taj Mahal.
13. I really want to learn how to play the guitar.
14. There is a part of me that actually believes that I am a hippie.
15. That's the same part of me that only shaves my legs once or twice a month.
16. My husband really truly thought I was sexy when I was prego.
17. I've been to a tractor show.
18. My husband's drunk uncle practically sexually assaulted me at a funeral once.
19. I thought it was hilarious.
20. I full on HATE my husband's step-grandma.
21. I really want to run a 5k.
22. My husband can't always tell when I am kidding.
23. I love it when it rains.
24. I cut my own hair, very badly.
25. Spicy food is my favorite.
26. I've been asked if I was a boy or a girl.
27. I've attended over 600 jazzercise classes.
28. When I was little, I was on a clogging team called the Hot Shots.
29. I hardly went to class my senior year of high school.
30. Watching people brush their teeth freaks me out.
31. I have shared a bed with my BFF Val and her 200 pound dog, Bud-degh.
32. If that's not true Bff love, than I don't know what is.
33. I've cut the buttons off my husband's shirts once, because I was mad at him.
34. I've never had a cavity.
35. I've never been pulled over by a cop.
36. I've been hit on by a cop before.
37. But only after my friend told him I had camouflage underwear on.
38. I don't remember why she knew I had camo undies on.
39. Oh, alright, I had probably talked about my camo undies all night.
40. I know someone who has taken a drug test for an NFL player.
41. I cried when I found out Jared Allen was traded to the Vikings.
42. I went on a date with someone in high school who is now an NFL player.
43. I asked him out, but if Mitch Pack ever asks you, he asked me out.
44. I like math. Especially algebra.
45. When I was little, I pretended that I liked the New Kids on the Block because the girl next door liked them.
46. There was a period of about four years in my early twenties, that I never drove a car.
47. I have filled my own gas tank twice since I've been married.
48. My husband and I's song is She's my Cherry Pie by Warrant.
49. I did not pick our song.
50. When my husband calls, my caller ID says its Studman.
51. When I call my husband, his caller ID says Cherry Pie.
52. I have a t-shirt that says "Let's go get sconed!"
53. I have been to a Monkees concert.
54. The longest I have ever been grounded was for two weeks.
55. I came in after curfew and gave Mom a lot of lip.
56. I once doorbell ditched someone and then convinced the victim that the kid who did it ran right past me.
57. We toilet papered the Henrie's house from their neighbors backyard while we watched the Henrie's watch their TV.
58. Coffee cream packets are flammable.
59. I once ate a handful of crushed red peppers for a $1.
60. Then I bought a glass of milk for $.75.
61. That milk was warm.
62. I know every word to Copacabana.
63. My husband called me fatty when I was preggers.
64. I had major rage when I was pregnant with my youngest.
65. I really, really want a vintage Mustang from the late sixty's.
66. The majority of my teen years were spent playing card games with the neighbor kids.
67. My favorite flower is the Lilac.
68. I have a tick on a stick.
69. I was vegetarian once, for 4 months.
70. My foods teacher showed us a video of the goings on in a slaughter house. BARF.
71. I actually liked the cafeteria food.
72. I had the privilege of helping my sister while she gave birth to her first baby.
73. Deep down, I really wish I got along with my sisters in law.
74. I hate to wear shoes.
75. My car and my bedroom are hardly ever clean.
76. I eat cheerios without any sugar on them.
77. I procrastinate.
78. I've only kissed one man.
79. I went to EFY just once, and I hated it.
80. My niece was kidnapped when she was a baby.
81. My brother got her back a few hours later.
82. My eleven year old nephew is bigger than me.
83. I met my bff Val in sewing class, senior year.
84. We snuck my bff's mom into a movie theater without her realizing we didn't pay for her ticket.
85. Because I am so far away, I am never there for my bff when she really needs me.
86. That makes me cry.
87. I say "dude" way to much.
88. I think my life is boring.
89. I have a large mole in the palm of my right hand.
90. I have moles everywhere.
91. The first car I ever drove was the Egan's old, red suburban, in the church parking lot.
92. I took that same suburban through a car wash and scratched the heck out of the side.
93. Addiction is all around me.
94. It bugs me if the silverware doesn't match each other.
95. My diet when I was a teen consisted of pasta, rice, and Ho Ho Gourmet.
96. It's taken me almost three weeks to make this list, so far.
97. I don't have any living grandparents.
98. I have been to more funerals for people in my husbands family, than my own family.
99. I have never: broken a bone, gotten a ticket, or gotten a cavity.
100. I have a tube in my ear that has been there since I was 12.

Geese. That was painful. And boring.