41 times around...

Today, I went to the gym with new music (thanks to my B-rad) lots of energy and a run to get done. So, instead of the treadmill I did the track. 41 times around the track...seriously!?!?! I felt like my head may explode as I looked at the same dirty white towels thrown on the side of the track or I passed the same speed walking lady in pink or tried to weave my way around the 3 ladies taking up the whole track. 41 times around. That would've been 10 miles around a regulation size track. it was only 4.5 around our track. But...it was good, Katie Perry, Kellie Clarkson, Lady Gaga, U2, and others kept my company. If I could choreograph a perfect run it would be to Sugarland "stuck on you". So, I had lots of time to think as I ticked the circles off.

Today, My Brad started a job...he got a paper route. Well, we got a paper route but he has to do the paper route:) He left at 4 am and delivered 88 papers. I'm so proud of this guy. He works so so so so hard. Like last night he was on the phone for 45 minutes trying to get us some money back for a rip off expedia charge. He's a good guy. So, as I ran I thought of crazy jobs i've had. For your enjoyment:

1.My first job was when I was 14. I was a sample girl at the grocery store. Highlights include: OJ, those waxy animal cookies with sprinkles, 7 layer dip (which I sold out of and got to leave early) and tamales. So what if I tried to serve the tamales with the corn husk on. never seen a tamale up to that point in my life.

2. Just before my 16th b-day I worked (illegally and for pennies) at the local Eat-a-burger. All the cute girls in my neighborhood worked there and it was a hang out spot so I got paid for people to come hang out there. It was a fun job and I learned the secret behind the "secret fry sauce". (it's liquid smoke in case you're wondering)

3. Next, my friends parents owned a wedding reception center and I worked there throughout highschool. Perfect job with perfect hours and since my friends parents owned the place it seemed like I could get time off easier than the other employees. That was good. We used to split a honeydew melon in half and eat our respective halves with a spoon and dine on chocolate covered strawberries. And there is a difference between turtle pie, mud pie, and grasshopper pie.

An umpire. Basically, they needed someone to start and stop the game. Cute to see the little kids mistake pitchers mound for first base. Not cute to see dads yelling.

4. A mall job. I cried the first time I had to count the till and the alarm went off and the gate locked me in. I had to call my dad to come help me.

5. In college I worked at the dorm cafeteria. i was the only one from America that worked there. I worked with S. Hussein (as in "that" hussein from the middle east and he locked me in the freezer once. I still remember the sound of his disturbing laugh as he left me out 10 minutes later. I made lots of friends and it never once occured to me that I was a "lunch lady".

6. I delivered pizzas until I put the pizza warmer box on my back like a backpack and when the people opened it the pizza had slide in half to the bottom and they yelled at me and said, "why would you put the pizza on your back like that". They weren't impressed.

7. Einstein bagels. People think it's cool to get free bagels until you actually get free bagels and then you realize it's not that cool.

8. A gym.

9. I was a baker in SunValley, Idaho. I worked from 4pm till 4am and delivered hot buns to the local cafes. We swing danced and threw dough and smelt deliciousness from those big circulating ovens.

10. A banquet server. I had to wear this ridiculous french maid type outfit and engage the guests in conversation. I learned/saw a lot sitting and serving in the background of dental conventions, business meetings, and wedding parties.

11. A paper route from 12-18.

12. Cleaned a bank and a restaurant lobby. I quit after 2 weeks because that big space vacuum that had to be on my back hurt and I decided cleaning up after people's potty messes wasn't for me.

13. I tried to get a job at a call center and everyone told me "they'll hire you if you're breathing". I didn't get hired. I think it had something to do with the fact that I didn't know how to minimize a document.

14. I was a counselor and took a group of kids to stay at Bear Lake. We told them to take this "river raft trip" down the logan canyon canal/river and they all got bruised and bloody and frozen. We all went on a hike and somehow because i was 1 year older then them and "in charge" I ended up carrying all of the food and their sweatshirts and sunscreen.

15. Server at Chuck-a-rama. If you've ever been a server you realize there are "lifers" and they don't want some young, energetic, smiler coming in and messing things up. I liked that job and made some really really good money(it was a big deal when you got a 5 dollar bill) and learned to stay away from the likes of Bridget and Tammy.

16. And then I was a teacher.

17. And now... A MOM! And I wouldn't want it any other way.

Have you had some funny jobs?

Old Maid

Last night we played Old Maid. We've played it a couple of times already and it's been funny to see Chloe learning how to play cards. So this is how it went this time.

I had the old maid (obviously Brad knows I have the old maid because Chloe didn't tell everyone she had it and so he knows he doesn't have it...so I do.) After a couple rounds of him only choosing from her and she choosing from him, he whispers to me (put your old maid on the left edge. She always chooses from the left edge. So, like a good competitive parent, i move the card. Next turn. Chloe choose from me. So she does and sure enough she chooses the left edge. But...when she grabs the old maid card this time (it's no surprise to us) She gets the tiniest, little glimmer in her eye and her mouth opens for split second to reveal that she has the old maid "it's right here dad!" but then she doesn't. She keeps it a secret! Brad and I of course marvel in this. But she puts the old maid on the left edge of her hand. Eventually, Brad takes it and again she keeps the picking of the old maid from her hand a complete secret. This time I almost didn't even notice her tiny gasp as the maid transferred from her hand to Brad's. Brad lost. Then we played Gold Fish. Brad won.

And this guy was in the kitchen the whole time throwing a ball, picking it up, throwing the ball and picking it up. For 20 minutes. This is what he looks like most of the time. Several bruises from various falls (if you could feel his head you'd feel bumps and dents all along the front) and then the other day a more serious injury. He sliced his nose open and had to go to Insta Care. They super glued it shut and bandaged it up.

One time I was at the doctor with Chloe and asked about supergluing something shut and the doctor laughed (hard) at me when I mentioned supergluing the wound. "we don't superglue things shut...that is very unsanitary, etc, etc." Well, whatever they did I'm glad he didn't have to get stiches and hopefully he won't have to big a scar on his perfect little nose.

No school today. Got to get to the gym.

11111 was yesterday

Last week we went to Cincinnati. Brad had 3 interviews so we decided to make a trip out of it. We paid for the first two nights of hotels (somehow when we checked in they were half the price of what we booked them for?? What??We scored) Then next night we moved to a different, nicer hotel and then the last night we moved to a different, even nicer hotel (i'm talkin' downtown Hilton suite type room)

we discovered this "must see" cupcake shop was actually in the lobby of the Hilton hotel so we indulged. I learned that 1. I can make cupcakes better than or equal to those cupcakes and I would charge a lot less:) and 2. That peanut butter topped anything is so so delicious and 3. I still want red velvet cake for my birthday.

We ate our Skyline chili and found that it really isn't a "cheap" restaurant and the kids don't like that type of chili. But I had a meal to remember there and hope to repeat the experience.

Chloe, Ezra, and I do pretty good at managing without a car and hanging out in the hotel till 1.

When they say they have a pool you hope that the pool doesn't mysteriously break on the day you check in. One sad sad sad 3 year old was the result but we replaced the pool with the big bouncy balls in the hotel gym.

Brad is good at getting dressed in the dark. Brad is also good at driving EZ around at 230 in the morning because he thinks dark hotel rooms means playtime.

Those big waffle makers in the hotel breakfasts call my name.

We lost a shoe and one "scratchy"monkey but two sweet hotel workers at two different hotels found them and they are being shipped to us as we speak.

We had one interview free day so we traveled to the temple in Columbus, Ohio. Brad and I were able to go together because of one sweet friend who made it possible.

While we were in Ohio the "homeless man with the golden voice" gained fame.

We love being together as a family and if for some reason we don't end up in Cincinnati for the next 5 years we sure have had fun exploring what the city has to offer.

It's a new year. Full of potential. Full of forward motion. Full of more books to read. More projects to start and finish. I'm gonna paint and draw. We're gonna watch chopped and then cook some of our own recognizable delicious food. Read scriptures. Go to the temple (we want to see 50 before we're 50!) Train for triathlons and half marathons. Become a doctor! Get her first bike. He'll start running and growing out of his 6 months clothes for goodness sake! Less wishing and more doing. More photography. Learn that darn photoshop! Keep in touch even though I can't text and that's what most people do. Leave today even better than we found it. Love. and Laugh.

Christmas all wrapped up.

So this was Christmas.

The Cookie Plate. I missed baking cookies with my mom this year and I missed taste testing one of each of her cookies, so I had to just make batches and batches so I could get my fill. Plus, baking Christmas cookies is just a happy tradition I have and want to let Chloe have. Oh the butter. Lots and lots of butter.

The lineup: candy canes. Snowballs. Gingersnaps. Chocolate Crinkle (a new addition) fudge. Pretzel-Pecans (a new addition that Chloe and B-rad made). I also made several loaves of this amazing cranberry almond bread. So baking was a hit.

We only delivered cookies to our friends in the ward with small or no families. We wanted them to feel loved. Plus, this lady here is one of a kind. She is so sweet to our little family. I forgot my camera at the other houses.

Christmas Eve we did the Nelson tradition and went bowling. I was so happy and surprised when B-rad pulled out coins and gave us money for stikes and spares and wearing christmas colors. That's what my dad does.

She earned money so she bought some candy. My score was Uh-mazing. 153. 3 strikes in a row followed by 4 spares and another strike.

Always twirling.
Never meets a thing he is afraid of.

Christmas Eve dinner by candlelight then into Jammies to watch Christmas movies then hear the Luke 2.

Christmas morning. She ran downstairs as fast as could be and squeeled with delight. Santa came!
This little man was interested in the 3 oranges and nothing else.

We were SOOO spoiled. We have the best families in the world and SANTA really loved our family, too. Thank you , thank you, thank you. The Nelson's did a homemade christmas. Here are the gifts B-rad and I received. So cute.

Christmas day we played in our beautiful "white christmas". We sledded and just sat in the snow.

We loved Christmas. We hoped you loved Christmas, too.

Merry Christmas

Christmas is coming

We attended a little program at Chloe's preschool and then we stayed the morning while she made crafts and had a story.

We made gingerbread houses. Chloe sporting her candy cane jams from "our elf" Kennedy.
We drove to Peoria to see this awesome Christmas light display. For sure the whale was the coolest.
And here she is singing Rudolph. The school had us make them their own "winter wonderland" shirt. I think they all look so cute.

Say what?

We just finished watching Polar Express and she stands up and turns to me and says right to my face, "mom, I believe."

Today we're watching Frosty the Snowman and she says to me, "see, that little girl is wearing shortsleeves in the winter."

I told her the story of Goldilocks after we finished Little Red

I say, "Once upon a time there was a little girl who's nickname was Goldilocks." Chloe turns to me and says, "no, her REAL name is Goldilocks."

"When I get older I am going to marry my dad in the temple."

The hospital will always be "the hostipal".

"Princesses don't wear brown."

"Princesses don't wear boots."

"I'm thinking we should go to Steak and Shake."

We got to open a Christmas present early and she was shreiking with delight as she ran into the kitchen where I was standing, "dad, we don't want mom to miss out."

And the reason I wrote this post, dedicated to her, was because she is just saying and doing the cutest things lately. We just love our little Bluebird so much.