25 Things

It has been a while since I have done a tag. Corrie shared 25 random things about herself on her blog and invited others to follow in her footsteps. How could I refuse (especially since she kindly mentioned me in hers). So, while I don't promise to be as witty as Corrie, here are 25 random things about me.

1. Right now I am eating leftover chicken cacciatore. I made the recipe up one day by just dumping things that sounded good into my crockpot. After I was done, I realized I'd come up with cacciatore. I often cook this way. It is much more a function of my laziness than it is my creativity. Well, maybe a little creativity...

2. I once killed a mouse in a bag with a hammer. You'll have to ask me if you want the details. (It was a mercy killing though.)

3. When I was young I wanted a daughter named Tiffany. I never considered the name "Eden" until I was about 6 months pregnant with my little Eden.

4. My husband once dated a girl who ended up marrying (someone else) and having a daughter whom she named Eden. (hi, Sarah) Ok, that isn't really about me, but an intersting fact, don't you think?

5. I LOVE to make snowflakes. You know, the paper/scissors kind? Above my computer desk I currently have approximately 35 snowflakes I've made (well, I forced Phil to make two of them). Snowflakes have six points guys. Just in case you didn't know. Yeah, my snowflakes are anatomically correct.

6. When I was growing up (well, getting older anyway) I loved that my mom crocheted us slippers every Christmas. I never learned how until I was in college. My cousin taught me how to do it (my mom taught her). Phil hates crocheted slippers.

7. I like red.

8. I love efficiency.

9. I have six brothers who are all high-achievers. Mark - MBA from Harvard; Michael - Master of Teaching (I don't know what the real title is) and a Vice Principal; Andrew - MBA from Duke; Paul - MBA from Duke; Jon - in Dental school (after getting an MS in biological engineering); Josh - attending USU, speaking Russian, and avoiding marriage.

10. I once wrote in my scriptures: "interesting idiom for a prophet to use prior the the birth of Christ." Yeah, that was in my intellectually snobby graduate school years.

11. I love going to youth dances. I'm the coolest, nerdiest chaperone ever! Oh yeah, I boogie (and I even get Phil to boogie with me sometimes).

12. One time a guy told me the best quality I had going for me was that I was "sly."

13. My parents are two of my biggest confidants, advisors, cheerleaders, and heros.

14. As far as I know, I still hold the record at West Gresham Grade School for hanging on the crossbar (chin above the bar) for the longest time. I think it was 2 1/2 minutes or something.

15. I love sweets and waffles and ice cream and cookies and bread and this cacciatore is gone and I'm having hankerings...

16. I had a crush on Little Joe (not Michael Landon though) from Bonanza.

17. I have three incredible sisters who are raising some amazing kids. I love that all of my sisters and SILs are awesome moms and that the men in their lives support them as stay-at-home moms. My sisters are some of my best friends.

18. I like to sing. I pretty much sing all day long. Phil didn't know this about me until after we were engaged. I was always very threatened by his skilz and so I wouldn't sing much around him. He asked me (after we were married) if I had ever thought about doing choir when I was in high school. I was like, "yeah! I was in ALL the choirs in high school! Show choir, madrigals, jazz choir, concert choir, symphony choir. I wasn't just some girl who was in a few choirs. I WAS the choir-girl."

19. I blog when I'm avoiding cleaning. Yeah, that is what I'm doing now. What I'm NOT doing is cleaning my bathrooms, cleaning the windows, and vacuuming.

20. I once came home from an elementary track meet with a 3rd place ribbon. My mother was so proud. Before I could sleep that night, I had to confess that there were only three kids in the race. I'm not much of an athlete.

21. I did play basketball for three years in Jr. High. The coach played me fairly often. I never made a point in a game. I'm not sure why she played me as often as she did.

22. At my Jr. High graduation, I was awarded some award that was something about being the outstanding physical education student of the class. Same coach. What was her deal? Did she really think I just lacked encouragement?

23. In my first job interview (to be a receptionist of a medium-sized corporation), the HR director asked me if I had any experience. My reply, "well, when the phone rings at home, I'm always the first one to answer it!" I was 18. I got the job. The HR director was not my former BB coach, I promise.

24. I love to laugh and I love hugs. Laughing with my husband and daughter is only second to hugs from my husband and daughter.

25. I am one blessed girl!

Boogie Night and stuff

Saturday night Phil and I got to represent our branch at the 5-stake dance in B'ham. At first I wasn't really too thrilled about it but it turned out to be a really fun night. None of our YW went but three YM went with us. They were so cute and funny on the drives to and fro. I had them each practice asking a girl to dance and it was cute to hear their favorite "lines." We all agreed that just being straight forward was probably the way to go. We stopped at Hardees (their choice) for dinner on the way there.

Once there, the boys went their way (but would check back with us with comments like "did you see me dancing with that girl?" or "I was so nice, I said 'yes' to a girl when she asked me to dance." or "did you see/hear me singing that Spice Girls song?" so cute). Phil and I were in charge of the refreshment table (just keeping it stocked).

When we weren't mixing punch or filling up plates with cookies, we danced! It was so much fun to dance with my hunny. We are so totally ready to hit the dance floor at USU's Homecoming Dance this Friday. Oh yeah!

It turned out to be a fun "date" with my man. The boys were just as silly - nay, sillier - on the way home. One of them said, "well, you were funny on the way so we get to be funny on the way home." Fair enough.

Charlotte (one of my counselors) watched Eden for us. She was also watching her grandson who is about the same age so they had a nice time playing together and then Charlotte brought her home to go to bed.

Sunday was good. Eden was such a chatterbox during Sacrament meeting. I couldn't get her to quit her running commentary on all that was going on. In other Eden-news, she has started saying "ahnkoo" (thank you) whenever we do anything for her. It is so adorable. We hadn't tried to teach her that and it is a little less clear than most of her words are so I hadn't realized that is what she was saying until Phil pointed it out to me. She is just so fun and funny.

I have a good life!