Another Tag

Boy, it's been a busy blogging day. This is a tag that isn't quite as revealing as some of them might be.

Here are the Rules of the Tag:
1. Pick up a book you are reading (of at least 123 pages).
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the next five sentences.
5. Tag five people.

So the book I'm reading is Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult. My sentences (for your enjoyment!) are - drumroll please:

"A broad smile split the white mass of Ephram's beard. He turned to the deacon and nodded, satisfied. Samuel tightened his fingers on his knees, almost to the point of pain. "I want to marry Katie Fisher," he repeated. "And I will. But you should know something else right now - I was not the father of her baby." (Oops - I guess that's 6 sentences. But I certainly couldn't leave that last one out!! Now you want to read the book, huh?)

I am tagging: Jen, Nikki, Mischelle, Wendy, Katie and anyone else who is reading this!

Which Hat to Choose?

Well, I guess Jen challenged her blog readers to answer the question about what they want to be when they "grow up." I can honestly say that, well, I'm already doing it. I have ALWAYS wanted to be a mom, and a stay-at-home mom at that. I guess I just always assumed that it would just happen. It wasn't until Quentin and I were thinking about starting a family that I began to worry - What if it doesn't happen? What if I can never have kids? But we found out we were pregnant a month before we were even planning on it! And when it came to the staying home part, I just assumed that I would just quit my job when we had a baby. Then when I realized that my salary would go bye-bye, it was a scary thought. With a lot of preparation and a bunch of faith, I quit and things have somehow worked out ever since. I know Heavenly Father has watched over us in this important decision and my testimony of tithing has been strengthened.

So with that said, what do I think my future holds? When my kids are all in school and I'm tired of hanging out at home alone all day long, what do I think I'll be doing? Well, would you believe I wrote down my ideas just months after Kiera was born? (I AM a list maker, you know). So here's my top 6 ideas:

* PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER - I used to dream of being a professor at a big university, but now I realize that's not for me. But I still would LOVE to teach psychology at a high school level - that's when I first learned about the subject and my teacher made it fascinating. It would be great - I could have an excuse to constantly learn more about psychology and I would have the same hours and days off as my kids. I just would have to get over being shy and being afraid of talking to a bunch of people.

* CHILDREN'S BOOK AUTHOR - Another one of my dreams that I hope to fulfill before I die!

* PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER - Jen and I are pretty similar! There is just something so addictive and invigorating (it's like a "high" I guess!) about throwing things away, sorting through things and organizing things. Sometimes I just crave it and can't get enough!

* MYSTERY SHOPPER - I've actually done this a couple of times but these jobs get snatched up rather quickly. But man, how great would it be to go shopping and out to eat AND get paid for doing it?

* ERRAND SERVICE - I think of all the old ladies in my grandma's trailer home park who need someone to go shopping for them or take them to get their hair cut, etc. The only thing is, I probably wouldn't make much money - I'd want to do it for free!

* PIANO TUNER - Would you believe I actually looked into doing this for real? It's very lucrative once you get past the incredibly intensive training, $1200 training fee and $800 worth of tools!

Being Silly

I guess we have too much time on our hands today - that, or we just want to avoid everything we SHOULD be doing! Kiera and Makenna had a blast creating their own Simpson-esque characters. Enjoy!

MMMMMinestrone

Do any of you remember "Ristorante della Fontana" in Salt Lake? I went there a million years ago with a date (it was for my very first high school dance). Anyway, the minestrone soup was to die for - and now here is the recipe from the Salt Lake Tribune! Of course I was horrified that it called for both chicken and beef broth. I tweaked it and made it vegetarian and tried it the other night. Oh my yumminess!! Oh - and please be aware (or beware?) that it makes 18 cups - which is actually just one serving for me!! :o)

1/4 cup olive oil
3 cups diced onions
2 cups diced carrots
2 cups diced celery
2 cups diced tomatoes
1 cup green beans
1 cup canned kidney beans
1 cup chopped white cabbage
3 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
7 Tablespoons instant vegetable bouillon
7 cups water
1 cup tomato puree
1/2 cup barley
1 cup peas (I used diced zucchini instead)
1 cup canned garbanzo beans
1 cup ditalini or macaroni shells, cooked
1 cup spinach, cooked
Parmesan cheese for garnish, if desired

In large soup pot over medium-high heat, warm oil. Add onions, carrots and celery. Saute until onions are translucent. Add diced tomatoes, green beans, kidney beans, cabbage, herbs and spices, bouillon, water, tomato puree and barley. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes. Stir in peas (or zucchini), garbanzo beans and cooked pasta. Simmer 15 minutes. Stir in spinach. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese if desired. Yum yum!

"No no no, but . . ."

Okay. My exact words were, "Uh oh - you should never do that...but, let me grab the camera real quick!" Need I say more??

Look-alike Meter

MyHeritage: Look-alike Meter - Vintage images - Free family tree
Wow. Frankly I'm surprised. After 6 months of people telling me that Kasidee looks so much like Kiera, or so much like Makenna, or like neither one of them, it's now "official" (I guess). The Look-Alike Meter judged Kasidee looking more like Makenna by 31% (whatever that really means). I actually think she looks so much like Kiera did at 6 months, so I re-tested - and the results were even stronger! So what do you guys think?

I'm Addicted

(Again, this picture has nothing to do with what I'm about to write - but hey, who can resist looking at those cute Makenna cheeks?)

Okay. I'm ready to confess.... I think this whole blog thing is starting to become a little addictive. I find myself obsessing about which pictures to post, what I could write, just lots of ideas floating through my head throughout the day. And I spend an inordinate amount of time cruising through other blogs and feel utterly discouraged when I don't see any new posts. This new "blog world" which was so new and intimidating not too long ago is quickly becoming exciting and invigorating to me. I mean, who would have imagined just a few years ago that mere "normal people" could have their very own websites - and for free?! That's pretty dang cool if you ask me. And what an awesome way to keep in touch with people we know and love but don't see or talk to very often. Just way too cool. And here's another thing. I just found out from Jen that on www.blurb.com you can actually "slurp your blog into a real book" (their words). How cool is that? I checked it out and, sure enough, for about 12 bucks (and up, of course) you can have a cute little printed version of your blog to set on your coffee table! (Oooh, and what a perfect gift for computer-challenged great-grandparents!) Anyway, I just had to admit that I'm loving this blogging thing. I hope you readers don't get too sick of me.

Happy Birthday Great-Grandma Stephens

Yesterday was Great-Grandma Helen Stephens' (Quentin's dad's mom) 93rd birthday. She has 4 kids, 19 grandkids, at least 41 great-grandkids and at least 5 great-great grandkids. Amazing. Most of the family went out to eat last night to celebrate this wonderful woman. She truly is one of the most inpiring people I know. She is so active and positive and optomistic - just simply incredible. When she walks in the room with her high heels, dangly jewelry and ruby lips, the room lights up and feels alive. You can't help but smile and feel good when you see her. After dinner, she gathered the "greats" around and told them stories about why she loves butterflies so much, asked them to not forget their dear Great-Grandpa, and acted out a story (which we were told took 8 weeks for her to prepare) in which she sang and dressed up and showed props. At the end she mentioned that she always wanted to be a queen for a day and since it was her birthday she decided she could be the queen of the day. Then she told us we could all sing Happy Birthday to her - and she led the family in singing to her! What an inspiration she is. She is truly admired and adored!

Home Sweet Home

Happy One-Year Anniversary to our Home!! We moved in a year ago today. How are we celebrating? I'm doing my semi-annual "take apart the whole house and clean every square inch from top to bottom and go through every single thing and get rid of what I don't love or need" cleaning ritual. You know, the kind of cleaning that no one else would ever really notice but it makes you feel good and in control. You know, the kind of cleaning where you dust things like door frames and plant leaves and chandelier lightbulbs, where you touch up the scratches on the walls and baseboards with paint, where you take apart the fridge and wash the sticky shelves and sides. Whew. However, at the rate I'm going (I have 2 little girls besides my own at my house for the afternoon!), by the time I get done it may be time to start all over again!

The Top Ten Reasons Why We Love Our Home:
10. We finally have a fireplace - 2 in fact!
9. Quentin has a shop and I have a scrapbook room.
8. We have a porch with a fabulous view of the mountains.
7. The floorplan is ideal for us.
6. We have plenty of room and there's a spot for everything.
5. We don't HAVE to upgrade or change anything.
4. We live within walking distance to the best school in the world!
3. We live in the best ward and neighborhood with bunches of GREAT friends.
2. Everything about it is what we dreamed of but never thought we'd really have (even down to the aspen trees in the front and the wide, flat driveway).
1. We can raise our family here and live the rest of our lives here - we'll all grow up/old together in this house.

Tooth Fairy Continued....

(Just so you know, this picture has nothing to do with what I am writing about, but I just had to post this cute pic of my 3 girls).
Anyway, I'm sure you're probably tired of hearing about the Tooth Fairy at our house - but I can't resist telling this story. As you may recall, when Kiera's second tooth came out a couple of weeks ago, she decided she wanted to keep it and not give it to the Tooth Fairy. I couldn't argue - it certainly made my job easier. We decided to put it in her special "tooth" box and keep it safe in her drawer. Well, about a week later (WITHOUT ME KNOWING), she put it under her pillow so the Tooth Fairy could take it. When she woke up and saw her tooth still sitting there, she was "in despair." Oh boy - how to get out of this one...? I pretended like I couldn't figure out why the Tooth Fairy didn't visit her and take her tooth. Kiera said, "Hmmm. Maybe she got caught in traffic. Or wait, I know why she didn't come - it's because I never fell asleep because I was so excited for her to come." I could feel my heart breaking.... But she wasn't worried; she suggested we try again the next night. Sure enough, the next night, the Tooth Fairy came and left a 50-cent piece under her pillow. She was so excited, but what she did next totally amazed me. She put the coin under Makenna's pillow while Makenna was still asleep. When I asked her what she was doing she said, "Makenna doesn't have a coin from the Tooth Fairy - I wanted her to have this one." So sweet. Kiera's always thinking about others' feelings. (P.S. The story doesn't quite end there. In the night, I put Kiera's tooth in my cupboard until I could put it in my special hiding place. The next day, Kiera somehow saw it and couldn't believe it - she thought the Tooth Fairy left her tooth so Kiera could have it back since she knew Kiera didn't want to give it up in the first place! I guess we all won on this one!)

Birthday Countdowns

Happy 6-Month Birthday to Kasidee!

I seriously cannot believe 6 whole months have passed since our little cutie was born! It just has gone so fast - even faster than Kiera and Makenna's first 6 months went!! We just can't imagine our lives without her. From the beginning, we've all been sure that our lives wouldn't be complete without her. We're so blessed to have her in our lives!

Toothless Cousins

So as you know by my last post, Kiera lost her second tooth last Saturday. That evening, while she and her cousin Marina were playing, Marina announced that her first tooth had just come out! So now they're "toothless cousins!"

Finally...

At 6:30 this morning (Saturday is our only "real" sleep-in day), Kiera bounded into our room and announced, "Mommy, Daddy, my second tooth fell out!" I guess she woke up and it was floating around in her mouth. Then she said, "Thank goodness I didn't swallow this one!" We gave her cuddles and congratulations but were confused when tears began to well up in her eyes. She said she was worried because she already missed her tooth. (Perhaps she missed how it flapped around like dentures flicking out of an old lady's mouth??) Anyway, she was comforted by knowing that she doesn't have to give this one up to the Tooth Fairy. I guess she's sentimental like her parents....

"Godin B Hecley"

The girls were still awake when we heard the news about President Hinckley last night. We were all shocked and saddened but didn't say much. I wasn't quite sure if the girls really knew what happened, and I was trying to think of a way to explain it to them. (Kiera has been freaked out about the whole death thing for quite awhile). Anyway, a few minutes after we heard, I glanced over at Kiera and she had tears welling up in her eyes. Just then, Makenna started singing, "Follow the Prophet." Wow. When it was time to get ready for bed, I found Kiera at the table, with her head bent over a piece of paper, intently coloring. This is what she drew - a picture of her with "Godin B Heckley."

My Sweetie....

What is his name? Quentin/Q/Quaez/Q-bert/Quen-tonio

How long have you been married? 11 years in April (now I feel old…)

How long did you date? Pretty much exactly one year. We got married on the 3-year anniversary of when we met (but of course we didn’t date when he was on his mission, although we wanted to!)

How old is he? 32

Who eats more sweets? Me for sure (he’s not a big candy fan), but he eats more non-sugared junk food.

Who said I love you first? He did – followed by me a split-second later!

Who is taller? He is – by 8 inches.

Who can sing better? Quentin sings better bass/baritone than I do – I sing alto!

Who is smarter? Definitely Quentin – in basically every aspect of life. He amazes me by how wise he is.

Who does the laundry? Quentin taught me a lot about how to do laundry when we were first married, but I don’t think he’s ever done a load of laundry all by himself since his mission. In fact, I think he thinks it’s magic that he always has clean underwear to wear!

Who pays the bills? I pay the bills, but Quentin manages the “boring” financial stuff (401K, investments, IRAs, etc.) But we both enjoy seeing who can get the best deal or save more money.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I’ve always wondered how couples decide on this…. Anyway, if you’re looking at the bed, I sleep on the right side (unless we’re on vacation and the right side is by the door – then I make Quentin sleep on the “scary” side). By the way, I think it’s funny that Quentin’s parents and siblings have the wife on the right side, but my parents and grandparents have the wife on the left side…is it a problem that I notice stuff like this?

Who mows the lawn? Would you believe I have NEVER mowed a lawn? How embarrassing. I’ve asked Quentin to teach me, but he won’t because he says he’s the one who should be doing it.

Who cooks dinner? I do. If Quentin “cooks,” it’s either spaghetti or saltines with milk (so I end up cooking anyway).

Who drives? Usually Quentin when we’re together. But when his eyes start to glaze over on the freeway, I insist on being the driver.

Who is more stubborn? Quentin is more “stubborn” when it comes to games (he’s very competitive). But I am definitely generally more stubborn – if I set my mind to it, there’s nothing stopping me. He’s also much more forgiving than I am.

Who kissed who first? I patiently waited for several separate moments when I thought for sure he would kiss me – but he didn’t. He’s just so sentimental – he waited till my 17th birthday!

Who asked who out first? Quentin asked me out first. I kept asking him if he’d found anyone to take to Senior Ball (we had just met) – I found out soon enough when I found a maze of yarn that he strung throughout my backyard, which ended up at a sign asking me to go with him!

Who proposed? He did – after asking my parents for my “hand,” of course!

Who has more siblings? Quentin has 2 brothers, 1 sister, 2 half-brothers and 1 half-sister. I have 2 half-sisters and 1 half-brother.

Who wears the pants? Neither one of the adults in the house – our girls rule the roost!

Who am I tagging? Everyone who reads this – get on it, would ya?

100 Things That Make Me Smile

I've ALWAYS been a list-lover, and when I approached my 30th birthday last June, I began making a "collage" of 100 things that make me smile. The collage is framed and hanging in my scrapbook room and I look at it frequently. I've noticed quite a few fellow bloggers have posted their "100 Things" lists, so I don't want to be left out. Here's my list, in no order of preference (well, except for the first two)! And please note that this list was made before Kasidee was born - I could fill up another "100 Things" list just about her!
1. Being a mom
2. My family
3. Our home
4. Pina coladas
5. Postage stamps
6. Polka dots
7. Yoga
8. First snow of the season
9. Strawberry shortcake (the dessert AND the character)
10. Scrapbooking
11. Farmers markets
12. Making lists
13. Porch lights (turned on at night)
14. Learning
15. Book stores
16. Snapdragons
17. Makenna's expressions
18. Kurt Bestor music
19. Campfire smell
20. Rosemary
21. Rubber duckies
22. Cream soda
23. Sage (the color)
24. Robert Duncan paintings
25. Father of the Bride movies (1 and 2)
26. Hot, hot showers
27. Kiera's cute words
28. Cuddling with my girls
29. Feeling baby feet on my back
30. "For the Beauty of the Earth" hymn
31. Hummus sandwiches
32. Family get-togethers
33. Pumpkin cookies/bread
34. Craft projects
35. Design shows
36. Cinnamon bears
37. Slippers
38. Johnson's bedtime lotion
39. Karma Wilson's "Bear" books
40. Hair "tickies"
41. Personality theory (psychology)
42. Irish Spring soap
43. Nat King Cole music
44. "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" hymn
45. Newborn scent
46. Going out to eat
47. Thank you notes
48. Organizing
49. "Ed" TV show (and now I have to add "Notes from the Underbelly" and "Carpoolers")
50. Anything vegetarian/vegan
51. Soy "nog"
52. Heavy blankets
53. Smell of fresh-cut grass
54. Late-night walks in the summertime
55. Banbury Cross cinnamon donuts
56. Fresh peaches
57. Apple spice pancakes
58. Quentin coming home from work
59. Hallmark commercials
60. Hot Cocoa with soymilk and cinnamon
61. Tall aspen trees
62. Child development (psychology)
63. The Olive Garden
64. Talking to Mom on the phone - at least twice a day!
65. Fresh Spring leaves
66. 40's music
67. Camping
68. Precious Moments figurines
69. Curling up with a good book
70. Lime margaritas
71. Kiera's big, bright eyes
72. Cooking
73. Watching a good movie
74. Social psychology
75. Sweet Tomatoes restaurant
76. Hearing my girls' laughter
77. Periwinkle (color)
78. Crunchy Autumn leaves
79. Cows
80. Sitting on heater vents
81. Getting the mail
82. Hummingbird cake
83. Baby breath
84. Quiet, early mornings
85. Curling up with a good book
86. Miniature anything
87. Mike and Ike candies
88. Juicy grapes
89. Rain
90. Live theater
91. Makenna's sweet cheeks
92. Ladybugs
93. Anne of Green Gables
94. John Mayer music
95. Yellow
96. Grandma's house
97. September
98. Coffee cake from Dick's Market
99. Stickers from fruits and vegetables
100. Quentin's "Quentin-isms"

The Baking Princess

Makenna and Kiera both LOVE to pretend that they're baking cupcakes, cookies, anything. I just had to share this cute pic of Makenna - she was so proud of the "cupcakes" she "made!"

The Treasure Hunt is Over!

Yep, the "Treasure Hunt" for Kiera's tooth is over. Brave Quentin miraculously "found" it (behind a locked bathroom door), and Kiera was so excited! She can't wait to give it to the Tooth Fairy so she can add it to her tooth castle!

Hey, Tooth Fairy!

Well, after a couple of months of wiggly teeth, Kiera's very first loose tooth finally came out last night (and as you can see in the picture, the next one is barely hanging on). However, it "landed" in a place where it may be a little difficult to find. . . . She swallowed it. Yes, after months of me reassuring her that there would be no way she could possibly swallow it - she did. She took a bite of pizza and thought the crunchy piece was part of the crust so she swallowed it. Then she freaked out when she realized what happened. She kept saying, "I can't believe it. I ate my tooth." Then she became distraught when she realized she wouldn't have anything to put under her pillow. So she wrote a little note that said, "To: The Tooth Fairy. I swolod my tooth." She was so surprised to find a silver dollar under her pillow this morning (I guess the Tooth Fairy in the Centerville District isn't quite as generous as the Tooth Fairy in the Boise District!) She kept saying, "I can't believe I have a real old-fashioned dollar! Thank you Tooth Fairy! Thank you!" I just can't believe my little girl is old enough to be losing her teeth! I guess she and Kasidee will be "growing" new teeth together! (P.S. Quentin is too sentimental - he still wants to find her tooth! I guess we'd better stock up on latex gloves and tell Kiera not to flush!)

Snow Day!

Quentin's uncle's family from California has been staying with us for awhile, and they are addicted to snow! They went skiing and sledding and had a snowball fight. Yesterday we all (well, except Kasidee and Aunt Faye) went in our backyard to play in the snow. The girls had a blast and finally got to try out their new snowpants and waterproof gloves. Makenna got frozen after about 30 minutes, but Kiera didn't want to quit - I even saw her swinging in the swing with her head back and her long hair brushing the snow!

Christmas was merry....

Well, after months of shopping, wrapping, cooking, preparing, running around, etc. Christmas is finally over. I am always a little sad but mostly relieved when it is all over. This was such a fun year - our first Christmas in our new home, and the girls are all at such fun ages. Kasidee got a much-needed Bumbo seat, Makenna finally got her " 'wimmin' baby," and Mom gave them a trunk full of dress up clothes, shoes and accessories. Now for my next project - figuring out where to put all this stuff!

Countdown continued...

More festivities! Saturday night was the Johnson Christmas party at Mom's house. We had a 3-foot sandwich (yum!) along with lots of other yummy food. Good laughs, lots of fun, and presents too! What more could you ask for??

The Countdown Is On!

Just a couple days 'til Christmas and we've already had lots of fun things to get us in "the mood." On Saturday afternoon, we took an hour-long drive to Riverside, where Quentin's brother Chris and his family live. Chris dressed up as Santa and gave out presents to everyone. Then we were able to go on a little horse-drawn carriage ride. While we rode, little snow flurries began coming down - what a perfect way to get in the Christmas mood!

'Tis the Season...

'Tis the season for cute coats, shoveling in shorts, and making gingerbread houses at school. Enjoy the season!

Smile!

For our family portraits this year, we decided to skip the Walmart portrait studio and instead hired a neighbor who is trying to start her own "on site" portrait service business. The best thing was the fact that we had a "leisurely" hour to get whatever pictures we could. Those of you with kids know that, even if you take 100 pictures, you're lucky to get just one that looks half-decent. Anyway, we tried different settings, different poses, and even different clothes. But by the time the hour was up, all 3 girls were in tears (despite our french fry and ice cream cone bribes). After all the effort, I guess some of the pics turned out okay. Here's a few of the candid pics that were my faves. And stay tuned - a family pic will be sent out in our Christmas cards! (P.S. In case you can't tell, the last one is Kiera with big tears rolling down her cheeks).

Thanksgiving

Ahhh. . . Thanksgiving. My favorite holiday. To me, Thanksgiving isn't really about the food (though "harvest foods" are my favorite) - it's a time of deep reflection and rejoicing. President Hinckley said, "Gratitude is the very essence of worship." Lately, I've been reflecting a lot about the things we have been blessed with, both "big" (family, health, Quentin's job, our home...) and "small" (Kasidee's soft, sweet breath; Makenna's sweet, shy smile; Kiera's big, bright eyes). I have never been happier than I am at this point in my life. Even if I didn't have another day, I could honestly say all of my dreams have come true!

Happy Halloween!