So it's Halloween, and I REALLY want to be able to blog about Halloween and show you how adorable my kids look. I also really want to blog about Tyler's B-day last week (for heaven's sake!) but I can't because I'm too far behind on my "Tagged!" blog. So here's Chapters 3-7 ...CONDENSED!
3. I have a totally irrational fear of being eaten by a shark.
I think I will go ahead and blame my parents for this one - letting me watch "Jaws" at too young of an age. Yup, it's their fault for sure. I remember having nightmares about sharks all through my childhood. They'd start out harmless enough...lets say a family drive out in the country. Well the countryside would somehow turn into the oceanside, and the car would drive off a cliff and into the ocean and everyone would be able to get out but me and I would get eaten by a shark. Every time. Inevitably. I even had nightmares about killer whales being released in public swimming pools unbeknownst to all the poor pool patrons, and of course everyone made it out but me. These nightmares had lasting repurcussions on my daily life. Swimming pools were difficult. Lakes were treacherous. Oceans were out of the question. Oceans still are...hate 'em. There are sharks in there and they want ME. So I guess living in Utah is a pretty safe bet when you are terrified of sharks...phew!
4. I'm a Kindergarten teacher who never went to Kindergarten.
My students always got a kick out of me telling them that. My family moved from Utah to Alberta, Canada when I was 5 years old. It was the summer before I was to start Kindergarten. When we got to Canada, my parents were informed that because the school deadlines were different there, I would be the oldest Kindergartner in my class. My parents were given the option to send me to Kindergarten as planned or bump me up to first grade to be with the children closer to my age. I met both teachers and decided I wanted to be in Kindergarten because she was much prettier than the first grade teacher. However, my parents overruled me and sent me to first grade...I mean "grade 1" (that's how they say it in Canada, eh!) It was never a problem until we moved back to the United States a few years later and I instantly became the youngest in my grade. I kinda hated being the last in my grade to graduate from Primary, drive, date, you name it. I kinda loved starting college at 17, though, so I guess it all evens out. It occurred to me when I got my first teaching job that I was in Kindergarten for the first time...at the ripe old age of 22! I would tell my students that they would have to help teach me the fundamentals of Kindergarten like staying in the lines and cutting with scissors since I had missed that. They would laugh and laugh at silly Mrs. Seeley. 5 year-olds are so good for my ego!
5. I look at my hands when I type and play the piano.
...and I don't think it has anything to do with skipping Kindergarten, OKAY? I took many years of piano lessons as well as years of "keyboarding" in middle school and I still, for the life of me, cannot not look at my hands! I gave up on the piano thing a long time ago, but I type all the time. It's very aggravating. Because I have to always look at my hands, I am not a very fast typist either, which stinks. Somehow I made it through college just fine and I get by now, too, just not as good as the rest of y'all. I am sure it is a learning disability of some sort that has yet to be diagnosed. Until then, I will go on feeling inadequate...it's fine. (Am I completely alone in this? Is there ANYONE else out there who still looks at their hands when they type? Anyone?)
6. I am REALLY good at word games.
Well, maybe just above average, but still. I must speak out about my above average abilities in the word game department because I happen to be married to one of the smartest guys in the world (he could totally BURY you at Trivial Pursuit). This guy knows more about everything and nothing than anyone. He just knows stuff. Frankly, I love that about him. He's like the flesh and blood version of Wikipedia. I'm not kidding. He's going to make us a million dollars on Jeopardy, but that's an entirely different post! Anyway, I discovered early in our marriage that I was better at word games than Cade. What a revelation that was! I could beat him at Scrabble and Boggle like 75% of the time...and I still can. I think it sorta bugs him...or maybe he just pretends it bugs him so I can feel even prouder of my word game prowess. I love words. I love word games. Forget Trivial Pursuit, let's play Scrabble!
7. My most embarassing moment.
What tag would be complete without an embarassing moment thrown in! I was a junior in high school. I lived very close to the school...a stone's throw. The fastest way to get to and from school was by cutting through a vacant lot, hopping a chain link fence and walking across the football field and into the school. That's the way everyone in my neighborhood did it, including me. The only time I walked the long way to/from school was if I was wearing a dress or skirt so as to avoid the chain link fence climbing. Well, one autumn day I was in a hurry to get home after school. I had on a "mini-skirt" (a popular fashion in the early 1990's) that day, but decided I could handle the fence, mini-skirt and all! I had my friend Tara with me who volunteered to "shield" me should I be any less than discreet during my fence-hop. I climbed up the fence until I could swing my legs around and perched myself on the top of the fence. As I jumped off the fence, the bottom of my skirt caught on something. I landed with both feet on the ground - unfortunately my skirt was yanked all the way up, still snagged on the fence! I stood there mortified as my "friend" Tara laughed her head off. I couldn't un-snag myself without Tara hoisting me up. She made her way over the fence and lifted me up and I became free and quickly pulled my skirt down. Unfortunately the damage had been done. As I turned around to face the school and see if anyone had witnessed my horrendous little peep-show, I realized that the entire Alta High football team had witnessed my horrendous little peep-show. They even gave me a round of applause (eat your heart out Marilyn Monroe!) I must have been as red as a tomato - I would have cried but they probably would have just clapped harder so I just turned and ran home (I should have curtsied). Needless to say, I never tried hopping the fence in a skirt after that. I'm scarred for life.
The End.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Tagged! - Chapter 2
Okay, so this probably won't we an actual "chapter" like my last post (because it's almost bedtime) and yes, I realize I didn't keep my word about posting for seven days straight...sorry. On with the show.
#2 I love almost any recipe with a special ingredient, especially if that special ingredient is sour cream.
I thought my mom was INSANE when I first saw her dump sour cream in her sugar cookie dough. SICK! But when I finally got up the nerve to taste 'em, they were delicious and I knew it was all because of the special ingredient...sour cream! Special indeed. Now I specifically look for recipes with sour cream in it and I'm almost never disappointed. I don't know what it is about sour cream in stuff - I'm no food scientist, but I'm pretty sure there is some chemical reaction that occurs and transforms any recipe from ordinary to exraordinary in a single dollup! From cookies and cakes to soups and casseroles, you really can't go wrong with sour cream. It's the special-est.
Now, sour cream isn't the only special ingredient I love, although it is probably my most favorite. Another is soda pop. I've used it to slow cook meet, I've added it to cobblers and most recently in making my friend Jill's to-die-for apple dumplings that I've made twice in the past 5 days and literally close my eyes and go to heaven for a few minutes while eating. I'll never look at a can of Sprite the same way again. I'm in awe.
Now , I could go on and on but I won't. Have you any special ingredients that I need to know about. Do tell!! In the meantime, here are a couple of "special ingredient" recipes to try...if you DARE!
White Chili
1 lb. diced chicken
1 medium onion, chopped
1Tbs. oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cans white beans, drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans (4oz.) diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil. Add beans, green chilies, chicken broth & seasonings; bring to boil. Reduce heat and
simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serve with sliced olives, shredded
cheese, and tortilla chips (Hint of Lime Tostitos are my favorite!)
Apple Dumplings
#2 I love almost any recipe with a special ingredient, especially if that special ingredient is sour cream.
I thought my mom was INSANE when I first saw her dump sour cream in her sugar cookie dough. SICK! But when I finally got up the nerve to taste 'em, they were delicious and I knew it was all because of the special ingredient...sour cream! Special indeed. Now I specifically look for recipes with sour cream in it and I'm almost never disappointed. I don't know what it is about sour cream in stuff - I'm no food scientist, but I'm pretty sure there is some chemical reaction that occurs and transforms any recipe from ordinary to exraordinary in a single dollup! From cookies and cakes to soups and casseroles, you really can't go wrong with sour cream. It's the special-est.
Now, sour cream isn't the only special ingredient I love, although it is probably my most favorite. Another is soda pop. I've used it to slow cook meet, I've added it to cobblers and most recently in making my friend Jill's to-die-for apple dumplings that I've made twice in the past 5 days and literally close my eyes and go to heaven for a few minutes while eating. I'll never look at a can of Sprite the same way again. I'm in awe.
Now , I could go on and on but I won't. Have you any special ingredients that I need to know about. Do tell!! In the meantime, here are a couple of "special ingredient" recipes to try...if you DARE!
White Chili
1 lb. diced chicken 1 medium onion, chopped
1Tbs. oil
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. oregano
cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cans white beans, drained
1 can chicken broth
2 cans (4oz.) diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup whipping cream
Saute chicken, onion and garlic powder in oil. Add beans, green chilies, chicken broth & seasonings; bring to boil. Reduce heat and
simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and whipping cream. Serve with sliced olives, shredded
cheese, and tortilla chips (Hint of Lime Tostitos are my favorite!)
Apple Dumplings
4 granny smith apples peeled, cored and cut into quarters
2 cans pillsbury cresent rolls
2 sticks butter
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 t. vanilla
1/2 - 1 can moutain dew, gingerale or sprite
cinnamon
Roll up each apple quarter in a crescent roll and place side by side in a buttered 13 x 9 pan. Melt butter. BARELY (and this is the secret) BARLEY stir in the sugar and vanilla. Don't let the sugar dissolve. Just stir till combined - but BARELY :) Pour over apples. Then pour your soda around the edges of the pan. Bake for 40 min at 350 until pretty and brown on top. Cool for 15-20 min and enjoy!!!!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tagged! - Chapter 1
I've been TAGGED by two different people (Thanks Monica and Suzanne!) so I guess I'll humor the both of you and enlighten the world with t
his post wherein I will attempt to share 7 interesting/weird facts about myself. Here goes...AHEM...
I think I love to sleep more than most people. When I pull those covers back each night and climb into my bed, I'm almost giddy with anticipation and I easily slide into unconsciousness with an immense feeling of joy and satisfaction. Love it. Waking up, however, is the bane of my existence, so no, I am definitely not a morning person. Cade tells me that when I'm pregnant I whimper in my sleep like a puppy. He finally figured out that it was because I had to go to the bathroom (again, like a puppy) but truly DID NOT want to have to wake up and go so he started rolling me out of bed and making me go whenever I'd start up with the whimpering.
Every day when I wake up I feel like I am dead or dying. I convince myself that I am definitely sleep deprived and VOW that I will make time for a nap that day, which really only happens about 5% of the time. I used to nap almost every day when life wasn't so chaotic and I only had a couple of small children - they were on a strict schedule and always napped at the same time. Once they were down, I would frantically tidy the house (I can't sleep if the house isn't tidy...otherwise I feel irresponsible and lazy), take the phone off the hook...and sleep. They say you can't "make up" sleep if you lose a few hours one day, but I beg to differ!! I always make up lost sleep, it drives me crazy if I don't. I need about eight hours of sleep to feel happy and productive throughout the day - if I'm at six or seven you can "rest" assured I will find a way to make up that lost hour or two. Sundays are Hog Heaven for me. I LOVE early morning church because it means I get a longer nap. And the best part is that we as Latter-Day Saints are actually encouraged to sleep on Sundays - it's keeping the Sabbath Day perfectly holy and I'm confident that I am being blessed immeasurably for it.
Thankfully Cade's completely opposite of me. 5 hours of sleep is plenty for him so he's quite accommodating toward my borderline-psychotic need for sleep. I'm usually in bed by 11 p.m. each night and sleep as late as I possibly can and still make breakfast and get the kids ready for school. There's no early morning scripture study or early-bird workouts at the gym for me. Nope...not if it cuts into my "sleepin' time". Tyler actually listed "sleeping" as my favorite hobby during a Mother's Day Newlywed Game-type activity at church. Everyone laughed. "Silly Tyler," they all thought "kids say the darndest things!" Little did they know he was right on the money! It's okay. Other moms quilt, read, scrapbook, and paint. I sleep...and I'll keep on sleeping. It's how I roll.
Okay, so Fun Fact #1 was so long that I've decided to drag my "Tag" out into 7 separate posts. Hopefully I can do one each day for a week...between naps, of course!
his post wherein I will attempt to share 7 interesting/weird facts about myself. Here goes...AHEM...1. I am Obsessed with Sleep
(Sadly, I can find absolutely no photo documentation of me sleeping. Troubling, really. I'll have to add that to Cade's "to do" list...take pictures of me sleeping for the blog!)I think I love to sleep more than most people. When I pull those covers back each night and climb into my bed, I'm almost giddy with anticipation and I easily slide into unconsciousness with an immense feeling of joy and satisfaction. Love it. Waking up, however, is the bane of my existence, so no, I am definitely not a morning person. Cade tells me that when I'm pregnant I whimper in my sleep like a puppy. He finally figured out that it was because I had to go to the bathroom (again, like a puppy) but truly DID NOT want to have to wake up and go so he started rolling me out of bed and making me go whenever I'd start up with the whimpering.
Every day when I wake up I feel like I am dead or dying. I convince myself that I am definitely sleep deprived and VOW that I will make time for a nap that day, which really only happens about 5% of the time. I used to nap almost every day when life wasn't so chaotic and I only had a couple of small children - they were on a strict schedule and always napped at the same time. Once they were down, I would frantically tidy the house (I can't sleep if the house isn't tidy...otherwise I feel irresponsible and lazy), take the phone off the hook...and sleep. They say you can't "make up" sleep if you lose a few hours one day, but I beg to differ!! I always make up lost sleep, it drives me crazy if I don't. I need about eight hours of sleep to feel happy and productive throughout the day - if I'm at six or seven you can "rest" assured I will find a way to make up that lost hour or two. Sundays are Hog Heaven for me. I LOVE early morning church because it means I get a longer nap. And the best part is that we as Latter-Day Saints are actually encouraged to sleep on Sundays - it's keeping the Sabbath Day perfectly holy and I'm confident that I am being blessed immeasurably for it.
Thankfully Cade's completely opposite of me. 5 hours of sleep is plenty for him so he's quite accommodating toward my borderline-psychotic need for sleep. I'm usually in bed by 11 p.m. each night and sleep as late as I possibly can and still make breakfast and get the kids ready for school. There's no early morning scripture study or early-bird workouts at the gym for me. Nope...not if it cuts into my "sleepin' time". Tyler actually listed "sleeping" as my favorite hobby during a Mother's Day Newlywed Game-type activity at church. Everyone laughed. "Silly Tyler," they all thought "kids say the darndest things!" Little did they know he was right on the money! It's okay. Other moms quilt, read, scrapbook, and paint. I sleep...and I'll keep on sleeping. It's how I roll.
Okay, so Fun Fact #1 was so long that I've decided to drag my "Tag" out into 7 separate posts. Hopefully I can do one each day for a week...between naps, of course!
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