Happy Leap Day (Friday)

My posts have been pretty few and far-between these days- especially my Happy Friday segment. One week I was too busy, and the next week was a blah week, and by Friday I couldn't think of anything to be happy about (there, I said it!) ridiculous I know, but hey, don't we all have weeks like that sometimes? But in the meantime I have easily thought of a few things I have to be happy about.

1) My babies. No shocker that these two are first on my list. I seriously feel like the luckiest mom on the earth, and I know sometimes I am totally ungrateful for the precious gifts that I have been given in these little people. Luckily, there are many kind strangers in the world who frequently notice and comment on my "beautiful," "well-behaved," "good," "adorable," "happy" children, strangers to whom I am extremely grateful because sometimes it is hard to see things from the right perspective. More often than I like to admit, I get so wrapped up in my own agenda that I tend to get really impatient and I forget to just enjoy them. I am very thankful to those people out there for noticing what I often fail to, inadvertently reminding me how blessed I am. I tease that the reason I have such good kids is because the Lord knows I can't handle anything less...I tease, but deep down, I'm pretty sure it's true! No matter, though- I am just happy to have them- they teach me more than I will ever be able to teach them.

2)My mom- For always teaching me to love myself, and for the way she lives such a happy life, and doesn't let things get her "down." I love how positive and optimistic she has always been, and the way she really lives her life. She is never afraid of making mistakes, or messing up- she just jumps in and has fun with everything. And with her, everything is fun! She has always told me "this too shall pass," and "don't sweat the small stuff." I am so grateful to her for this because I tend to dwell on insignificant details and TOTALLY sweat EVERYTHING! I hope I can become more like her when I grow up. And I pray that I can show Allie how to live the way she has shown me. I can recieve no better compliment than that I remind someone of my mom.

3) Easter M&M's. (Ok, so I know this is totally switching gears, but I never promised Happy Friday wouldn't be random...!) Why do the pastel colors make them taste so much better? I could eat the whole bag. I look forward to Easter candy all year. By far the best holiday candy of out there. (Need I bring up Cadbury mini-eggs? He-llo, people!)

4)"Hangubbers 'n fries" (As is so eloquently stated by my favorite 3 year-old) EZ Take Out Burger- Finally...something in Orem akin to In-n-Out Burger, (one of my most FAVORITE places on earth to eat, which I only get if we go to Vegas or Cali (read-once every 2 years or so!) So I must admit, it isn't quite as good as the real thing, but there are definitely some great trade-offs. Location, obviously, is the first one. Second, their fries are better than In-n-Out's, AND they have fry sauce (this is Utah, people! Of course there's fry sauce...) Surprisingly, the prices were actually higher than the real thing, but I didn't care! They serve the food to you in a cardboard box, and the burger is wrapped halfway up in paper, just like the real deal. Overall I would give it a 7/10 (with In-n-Out being a 10, obviously) And even though the prices were surprisingly higher than the real thing, I will definitely be going back for more. Again, this is trivial and random, but it made me happy so I'm putting it in here!

5)Spring Flowers: I know I won't be seeing any action for at least another 6 weeks, but I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of my red and yellow tulips, with a border of grape hyacinth. I planted the bulbs back in the fall, and I can't wait to see what pops up here in the next month or two. I am a very inexperienced gardener -I still have a LOT to learn. Luckily for me, planting the bulbs wasn't rocket science. It was, however, a lesson in delayed gratification- an entire afternoon of digging that won't be rewarded for 6 more months. Something to look forward to and be happy about.

Tagged

*What is his full name?

Marshall David Chamberlain (This full name was a very interesting revelation to many of our friends and family when they saw our wedding announcement- the daughter of Marsha and David marries Marshall David. It was a fun coincidence.)

*How long have you been married?

This coming May 2 it will be 5 years.

*How long did you date?

We were engaged after dating about 3 months, then married about 4 months later. I still think that was way too fast. What is up with all the Utah pressure to get married so quick? (That was a rhetorical question; we all know what the rush is all about here in Mormon-ville..!)

*Who eats more sweets?

Hmm... We usually eat dessert most every night, and our pantry is always stocked with a plethora of goodies, (I attribute this to the fact that neither of us grew up with any treats in the house.) but I would say quantity-wise, Marshall could out-eat just about anyone, any thing, any time. This is not to say that I don't eat my fair share of sweets; I just don't have the stomach capacity that he does. Definitely him.

*Who said I love you first?

Marshall did. I think we realized we loved each other about the same time, but I was and always will be a 'hard-to-getter', so I was just waiting for him to muster up the courage to say it first. We were standing in the kitchen of the apartment I was living in at the time, and he held me in his arms and pretty much blurted it out. This was for sure one of the best moments of my life- saying I love you was a first for both of us.

*How old is he?

28. He is almost exactly 2 weeks older than me- I tease him that this is the first and probably the last time he will ever get somewhere before I do.

*Who is taller?

Definitely him. He is 6'5 and I am 5'10. I absolutely LOVE the fact that I can wear the tallest heels in the world, and he still towers over me. Especially considering the fact that the only guys that ever seemed to like me or ask me out before I met him were always my height or even shorter. (Can I just tell you how much that bugged me?) I love never having to worry about that ever again.

*Who is smarter?

Depends on your definition of smarter. If we go by A.C.T. scores and stuff like that, for sure him. He knows a ton about history and is a math whiz (hello, he's an accountant, so that's a no-brainer...) and I can barely do long division. Ok, ok, I will have to admit that when it comes to book smarts, he is definitely the smarter one. (But if your definition of smarter happens to include pop culture trivia, and medical terms, then I am the smarter one.)

*Who can sing better?

This one is a tie. We both sing average, I mean we can carry a tune and don't draw much attention to ourselves either way, but people aren't bangin down our door asking us to sing in church or anything like that. He does insist on always singing to the kids when we put them to bed. Even when dead tired. This is one of the things I love about him.

*Who does the laundry?

Definitely me. If I am folding clothes and he is home, he usually helps out, but I would say I take care of 95% of the laundry washing/folding/putting away. I don't mind doing laundry, especially since he is so good about cleaning up after himself, and never leaves dirty clothes and towels on the floor for me to pick up. I really appreciate this.

*Who pays the bills?

We have everything set up to pay automatically each month. I haven't put a stamp on an envelope in years. As far as getting everything set up, such as arranging financing, setting up accounts, deciding on investments, etc. etc. all totally his department- I trust him completely. If you ask me, the way our finances are set up is WAY too complicated, but playing with money is his passion, so I let him do whatever. I just take care of the spending part- that is my passion. :)

*Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

Does anyone really care??

*Who mows the lawn?

This last summer I think I did it about 75% of the time. He is a master procrastinator, and if I waited for him to do it every time, it would get like a foot tall, so I just started doing it every week. This is another chore I don't mind that much.

*Who cooks dinner?

Always me. ALWAYS. For one thing, I am super controlling when it comes to cooking, and for another, M can barely boil water (sorry, babe- you know it's true.) Not to mention the fact that the last time I let him cook (I think I was sick or something) it took him an hour to make tomato soup and grilled cheese. And it was burnt. And cold.

*Who is more stubborn?

100% me...! Marshall is pretty soft when it comes to giving me my way. Unless it is something that is really against his values, he usually gives in most of the time. Except when it comes to matters involving large financial decisions. He is pretty tight with money, and doesn't get nearly as mad at me as I think he is entitled to when it comes to my spending habits. (Don't tell him I admitted that!)

*Who kissed who first?

Refer to the previous comment about me playing hard to get- he totally made the first move. I was actually his first kiss (true story- unbelievable, I know!) and he did it at a moment that I was TOTALLY not expecting- (I was at work, and it was like 1 a.m... honestly, it kinda freaked me out, because it was so unexpected.)

*Who asked who out?

Neither. What we consider to be our "first date" actually was intended to be me, him and two other guys riding go-karts at Trafalga. Neither of the other two showed, and being ever the gentleman, Marshall paid, so that is what we consider our first date. Neither of us had to ask.

*Who has more siblings?

Him. he has 2 sisters and 2 brothers, and I just have 2 brothers.

*Who wears the pants?

He would be the first to tell you it is me- all the way. Not to say that he doesn't totally preside over our family, cause I do let him do that (kidding!) but I make many of the decisions, mostly because he is so darn easygoing, if I didn't make the decisions and carry them out, nothing would ever get done around here. I would daresay many households are the same way?? I mean, we all know who the boss usually is, don't we?

I now tag Melanie, Melissa, and Nachelle.

"A Balanced Diet is a Cookie in Each Hand!"

Their first chocolate chip cookie- a ceremonious "rite of passage" of my children, momentous enough to be celebrated in pictures...

Andrew- 10 months old

Allie- 8 months old

(And yes, I know you're not supposed to give babies chocolate, but I don't CARE- some things are too good to wait!)

Orange You Glad...?

You Tell Me: Sad or Not??

Okay, so our fifth anniversary is coming up, and I am considering upgrading my wedding ring/band set to something I really love. When we were doing our initial ring shopping, I let the salesman talk me out of the ring setting I had always dreamed of, and I have regretted it ever since. On the other hand, I also feel that the ring I have is certainly special too, since we picked it out together, and it has been with me 5 years...but I don't love it. Part of me wants to get a new one that I really love, and the other part of me wants to stick with the original set to be able to hand down as an heirloom (and by the way- keeping the old one and buying a whole new set isn't an option here.) What do YOU think? Please be totally honest here; I would like as many opinions as I can get, so everyone please answer! So tell me- Sad, or Not Sad?

little friend

This morning I was talking a few things over with my husband, among which things the topic of friends came up. I was feeling sorry for myself (once again) because I find myself feeling lonesome quite a bit- in need of some adult interaction (anyone relate?) And when Drew overheard me saying I had no friends, he says "but you do have friends!" We laughed, because we thought it was funny that he was even listening to us. "Okay then, who?" I teased him. He sits quietly for a few seconds, then looks up at me. "Me!" he says. I broke into tears. I am so grateful for my little ones; they teach me so much.

Happy Friday 3

1) Good jeans- I went to the mall and was lured into The Buckle, which has the best jeans in the world, in my opinion (well, at least, the best jeans in my area.) Anyways, I found the perfect pair, and then looked at the price tag (gulp-$98! A lot, especially for someone who shops at DI- lol.) I figure, I have a whole closetful of cheap jeans that I don't love that I never wear; I wear the same pair nearly every day cause they are the only ones that are super comfy and look good. I wanted to get these new jeans so bad, but felt so guilty spending a weeks worth of grocery money on a pair of pants! That is so ridiculous! Nonetheless, I was so tempted. I knew that a call to Mr. Tightwad (aka my husband) would bring me back to my senses. I was shocked when he thinks for a minute, and says "go for it- you haven't bought yourself anything in quite a while." (If quite a while means since last week, when I shopped online, and then before that, Christmas when I bought myself a bunch of clothes, then yes, it has been a while...I do deserve it! lol) Not the answer I was expecting from him, but thanks honey-love my new Big Star jeans!

2) Momma and Bubba date night- (aka- every Tuesday night.) This is a tradition I started a year ago because Marshall is gone until very late every Tuesday night doing mutual and b-ball and stuff. At first, I hated Tuesdays, but then I decided to turn it around and make the best of it. We get a movie (or watch American Idol, now that it has started up again- not Drew's favorite, but too bad) and eat popcorn and treats (for dinner, am I mom of the year, or what?) and sit and snuggle all night. I now look forward to Tuesdays all week.

3) LOST- So excited this has started up again- such a clever show. Still haven't seen last nights episode (don't tell me!) but hopefully our VCR was programmed right to record it (Yes, I realize we are the last people in the USA with no DVR-not that I haven't begged-note previous reference about Mr. Cheapskate.) This show makes me crazy, but it is so addicting. I drive my husband crazy when we watch it together because of all my questions. I can't stand the suspense! But it is so much fun.

4)Kickboxing- My semi-weekly endorphin rush. So much fun, and an awesome workout. I have a membership at 24 Hour Fitness and they have really fun classes, kickboxing is for sure my all-time fave. Although even after doing it for a year I know I still totally punch like a girl- and if I had to actually make contact with something more substantial than the air I am used to punching, my wrist would probably snap like a twig-but I don't care-when I am in class kicking the crap out of the air, I know I am the toughest chick alive!

5)Ballers and bawlers- A girl in my ward told me about a group of ladies that get together to play basketball every Thursday morning, and apparently everyone just brings their kids along and lets them run around. I pictured this in my head and it was not a pretty sight, but I have been itching to play ball, but don't have any athletic friends up here (or any friends, for that matter- how pathetic.) So I decide to show up and give it a try, even though I felt kinda dumb, since I didn't know a single person there. Apparently women from all over Utah county have been showing up at our Stake Center every Thursday morning for the past 20 years or so to play. Who knew? But I was relieved that everyone was so welcoming to me, but still quite intimidated since I was one of the shortest people there (and I am 5'10, so you can imagine the Amazonia I am describing here.) Most of these women were former college players, and I literally hadn't picked up a ball in 5 years...scary. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find myself keeping up pretty well with them, even scoring myself a few baskets-awesome! I miss feeling tough-I have become such a wuss since I got married. The best part of this story, was what happened between games. It was one of the most surreal (I hate that term, but it is the only fitting word here) experiences of my life. I played in high school for 4 years, and it was my life- I loved every minute of it. Flash forward 10 years, my life is my two kids now- and, again, I love (most) every minute if it, too. I guess what I am trying to explain here is that I had never pictured these two worlds colliding. It was just funny to see the car seats lined up in the gym, with babies in varying states of contentment, older kids running around the stage playing, and the moms on the court playing hard just like the good old days. Let me put it this way- never thought I would be nursing a baby courtside between games. I had such a good time revisiting an old friend- me.

6) Nana 911- Last night my mom came into town to stay with the kids so we could get away for a little super-date overnighter. It was such a great getaway, everything was so perfect, and we got to go do all the things we love to do, but never get to being parents. We are so grateful to my mom for coming up the extra day to help us out, so we can get away and relax knowing our kids are in the best care possible. Thank you, Nana!!! We had so much fun, I am going to have to break them down separately.

7) Food- Our first stop was one of my favorite restaurants, Maddox. It is in kind of in an random location, but we go there whenever we get the chance. This place has a special place in my heart, since my mom used to go there as a little girl, and I remember going there once as a little girl, too- I never forgot those corn pones! (If you've ever been there, you know what I am talking about!) Nice, juicy steak, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, hot, crispy steak fries, and let us not forget the salad doused in ranch and fresh rolls with raspberry butter! The service was impeccable, and best of all- no one threw food, cried, whined that they were tired, threw sugar packets, spilled water, etc. etc. (You know what I am getting at here.) A nice, peaceful meal where we actually got to talk- with no interruptions.

8) Movie- Next stop was the movie theater right next to the restaurant. (Did I mention we were in Perry, Utah otherwise known as Po-dunk-ville, USA?) We decided to see a movie at the last minute, and I was laughing because the parking lot was the size of a convenience stores' and there was only 4-5 other cars in the lot, plus-it was blizzarding outside. Can't remember the last time we got to see a movie impromptu- we loved that!! We finally got to see I am Legend, and let me just summarize this movie by saying I am sooooo glad we were the only two people in the entire theater because I am sure my bloodcurdling screams of horror could be heard in neighboring cities. We loved it though! Haven't seen a good scary flick in a long time. We had such a great time- we got to talk as loud as we wanted to, and best of all- no babies to hurry home to or babysitter to pay.

9) Hotel- Got upgraded to the jacuzzi suite for free-apparently all you have to do is ask...nice! (lol It was at the Crystal Inn, but still- I assume it is one of the nicer places in Brigham City.) Top it off with a complimentary breakfast bar the next morning- we ate our weight in waffles!!

10)And finally...The Pièce de résistance- We spent the day Friday at the Crystal Hot Springs, in Honeyville, Utah. We have been here a few times before, but not since we had kids. Nothing feels better than sitting in a boiling pot of water while your head and shoulders turn into icicles above the water. Good times. Lots to be happy about this week!