25 Random Things

I was "tagged" on Facebook- 25 Random things about me. I thought I would share it here as well:

1- I was supposed to be a boy when I was born, when my 3 older sisters found out that I was a girl, they wanted to send me back. My name was to be Mark. I grew up in a home with lots of estrogen ( my parents had 5 teenage daughters at one time). I decided long ago that I only want sons. So far, my husband has provided well.

2- The thing that is scariest to me about having a daughter is that she will be exactly like me, or exactly the opposite and I don't know which would be worse.

3- When I was a senior in high school, my 4 best friends were boys. They taught me to change my oil, do a tune-up on my car. Late Saturday nights were spent listening to them talk about cars, mufflers (I can still recognize the sound of a car with "glass-packs") and what their dream truck/jeep/camero would be like. Sometimes I have fond memories of these boys. Others, I think "what retards!"

4- After my junior year of high school, I decided that high school was dumb and started going to college early. I only had 2 classes at my high school my senior year and by the time I graduated from high school, I had 30 college credits, was an EMT, a CNA and I had 3 jobs. I was busy. But I liked it.

5- I got a few B+'s in my life, but mostly I was a straight A student. Except for the "C" that Mr. Billings gave me in Algebra. He said that "he was preparing me for college, and that he was a straight A student too and was shocked that he couldn't keep in up in college." He would never change it no matter how much I told him that was stupid and I should get the grade that I earned just like everyone else in the class. Maybe he is one of the reasons I thought high school was dumb. And all the high school drama.

6- My favorite class of all time was Anatomy at UVSC. It was so hard. I studied for usually 8 hours a day or more for that class. I used to remember people's names after they introduced themselves to me once. After that class, I couldn't remember anyone's name....but if you pointed to any nerve, muscle, bone or organ I could tell you the specific name of it. Now that I am a mother, my brain has deteriorated and I can't remember anatomy or your name. (And, yes, I did get an A in that class, and got a 4.0 most of my semesters in college too. Take THAT Mr. Billings!!!)

7- Dr. Shively, my anatomy teacher, had several conversations with me over the next year trying to convince me that I should go to medical school. I told him no for the simple reason of becoming someone like my husband. He is 34 and is still in school.

8- I grew up on a farm. All of our animals were animals, I didn't really know a distinction between animals and pets. Our dogs died, we got another one. We raised our cute little baby calves into big stinky cows or steers and we butchered them. I was pretty heartless when it came to animals. One day we were cleaning a hay stack area and there was a nest of baby mice. I had a pitchfork and I stabbed them with it. It made my little brother cry. Needless to say, I am NOT a pet person. ( I won't tell you about how when I was in 4th grade I asked my cousin to kill my cat because she was sick.)

9- When I think/hear/see anything that has to do with Twilight, Jane Austen or things that are really girlish or cheesy, it automatically stimulates my gag reflex. I would choose any Jack Black movie over most any Chick flick.

10- If I could have another profession, I would go to Cosmetology school. Not so I could work in a salon with other females all day, but so I could do my own hair and my family's. I really admire a great haircut and cute highlights.

11- I hate piles. You know those piles. Piles of laundry, miscellaneous papers, mail, pictures, books, toys.... whatever you haven't gotten to for the day. I wish I could stop them from forming and was more on-top of things and got rid of them sooner. I know people who whenever I have come to their house, there has never been a "pile." How is this possible? Where do you put that stuff?! Yet, at the same time, when I see a pile at someone's house, a flood of relief overcomes me and I think, "good, their normal."

12-I would choose grocery shopping over clothes shopping any day. The grocery store 99.9% of the time has exactly what I am looking for. Not so with clothes shopping. I wish that I could somehow set up a way that clothes would appear at my house every so often that I like and that fit me perfectly.

13- I gained 40 pounds when I was pregnant with Bridger and lost 60 pounds afterwards. It was similar with Carter, but I have now started working out and am actually gaining weight. This makes me very happy. I don't know many who can say that they weigh less after having 2 babies than they did in high school, and I shouldn't complain but this is not my ideal physique to look like a noodle. This also contributes to the frustration with clothes shopping.

14- I fall asleep 75% of the time that I watch a movie. I have always been this way. Yes, I fall asleep at the theatre too. It doesn't matter what movie it is, how exciting or adventurous it is, I still fall asleep.

15- I think working night shifts is the worst thing anyone can do to themselves. Yes, I have done a million night shifts and I hate the zombie feeling the next afternoon after you "sleep" during the morning when it is bright outside, your neighbors are mowing the lawn, people are calling and everyone else is living their life normally. After the first night shift I worked, I swore I would never do it again. It's hard and anyone who hasn't done it has no idea how hard it is. A big Kudos to those who do it still.

16- Potty training has been THE most frustrating experience for me as a parent. Probably the most frustrating thing I have ever done. Bridger has more than once pooped in his crib, taken off his socks, put them on his hands like gloves and "painted" his crib with his poop. I have nothing left to say except with Carter, I will probably wait until he is 10 to start.

17- I love foot rubs and pedicures. I have cute toes so I like to take care of them.

18- Several times as a child I stopped my younger sister from running away. She would pack her clothes in grocery bags and run off. I would follow her around the farm or all the way to my grandma's house (which was next door). She would be furious. I would ask her why she was running away and what she was going to do. She never had any great answer and I would finally convince her that we loved her and wanted her to stay.

19- My favorite job I have ever had was when I was an EMT for EFY and almost every week during the summer I moved to a new state. It was great. In Virginia my study partner for anatomy, David, was the other EMT working with me. When we were bored, we would quiz each other on things that we could remember from our anatomy or physiology tests. For some reason it was really fun, probably because I remembered more than he did and I was always got the answers right.

20- Right now for employment, I teach a prenatal breastfeeding class. I think this is really ironic because the least thing that I liked about being a post-partum RN was helping women breastfeed.

21- I am glad that my husband doesn't like video games and agrees that they are a mind-deteriorating waste of time. My only weakness is X-BOX Karaoke. Love that. And anytime Brent is up for another challenge, game on!

22- I mop Cinderella style. Yes. On my hands and knees with a rag and a bucket. I have yet to find a mop that I like that does a better job.

23- I helped make some igloos once. It was with Robbie, Russ and Emily, Jeremy and Kristin... maybe others. Robbie had a snow saw that we cut snow "bricks" with. We carried the bricks to the igloo site and topped them one on the other. It took a long time to complete, we slept in them afterwards. It was a long night of sleeping, but we weren't cold.

24- After reading this, you may think that I have never had any friends that were girls, but I actually have and currently do. In my apartment complex in Salt Lake City, Turnberry, I met Bonnie, Lisa, Emily and Carol. We all went to Hawaii on a girls' trip. We had a blast. We went to a magic show there that was really cool. Except I fell asleep and the magician saw and was offended and stopped the show and asked me how I could fall asleep during his show.

25- In third grade I was standing in the lunch line and the boy in front of me was spitting in my face. I told him to stop or I would slap him. He didn't, so I slapped him so hard that he cried. I felt really bad. He was going to tell our teacher, but he couldn't stop crying. Years later in high school, we were at a dance and somehow got partnered up. It was really awkward.

The Hudson Wedding

Last week, we went to Utah for Ben's sister, Katie's, wedding. Katie has been dating Hudson before Ben and I even met. We are happy that they finally tied the knot. Congrats Hudsons! In the Tippets family, we call Jonathon by his last name,"Hudson" to avoid confusion with another brother-in-law named John. So now we will probably just call this couple "Hudson and Hudson." Leaving the Mt Timpanogos Temple- married for time and all eternity

The beautiful bouquet that Cami made

So in love!

The wedding "cake"

PLAY DAY!!

This winter has been a lot better than last year's. Partially because we have stayed really busy playing with friends. Today we had 3 friends over, at the same time... five boys two years old and younger. It was a hoot to watch them play. Besides a little refereeing, they were pretty self-entertaining as long as they could run wild and play like boys. Here are a few fun shots:

WHEE!

The Yoga ball is always a hit


Group Hug/Wrestle

A Race ready to start

Team Work

Soren- King of the Castle-- for now!

Wes and Carter were great spectators and ate their own toys.

This is from another day that was just as fun.

A Snack for Carter

I was doing laundry yesterday when Bridger came in the laundry room

and excitedly told me that he had given Carter a snack.

This is what I found:

He must have liked it, he cried when I took it away.

And he had a faint smell of onion for the rest of the day.

The Cook, The Doctor and The Sock Monster

THE COOK:

Bridger loves to cook. He has an entire routine down like he is all ready a professional. He puts on his Bucky the Badger apron and says "Stool please." He stands on his stool, then clasps his hands and says, "Now, let's see. I need.... a meazmuring cup, bowl.... " etc. and will proceed to tell me everything he needs. He even likes to read recipe books. He will point to the words and list off ingredients. All of Bridger's recipes include: meazmuring cup, rice, noonlulls (noodles), salt and flour, and occasionally he will throw in something else random. He loves to help every day with dinner and even when it is not close to mealtime and I ask him what he wants to do his reply is usually, "Cook!"


THE DOCTOR:

Bridger likes all the doctor tools. Here is a picture where our neighbor, Barret is graciously being Bridger's patient. Bridger knows that his dad is a doctor, although doesn't quite understand what that all entails. There are certain traits that Bridger has picked up on that means "Doctor" to him. He likes to wear Ben's pager when he comes home at night, and whenever the pager goes off, Bridger yells, "Daddy's pager!" He knows that Daddy works at the hospital. This has made it hard to teach Bridger safety. I try to explain that we don't jump off couches, touch hot stoves or run into the street, "Why?" Bridger asks. I answer, "Because then we get hurt and have to go to the hospital. " His reply, "To see Daddy!" No. He will also say occasionally during the day, "Daddy home soon? or Daddy with patients?" The real kicker is now every time Bridger gets on his tricycle, he says, "Bye Mommy! I'm goin' to work! Love you too!"

THE SOCK MONSTER:

Carter has developed a fascination with his socks. He is always pulling off his shoes and socks and eating them. We have only one of several pairs of shoes due to this fascination. He has earned the name the Sock Monster.

It's.....Warm?

This last week Madison's temperature increased. I walked outside one morning and it was 20 degrees. I thought, "Wow...it's warm today!" (How does 20 degrees describe the word WARM?!) Today it was in the upper 30's and I felt like I didn't need a coat. Does anyone else think there is something wrong with this feeling? I am not sure getting acclimated to the frigidness is healthy or even sane. Although I guess it has the same kind of craziness as our friends back in Austin, TX experience when it is 50 degrees and they are all wearing winter down feather coats and when it is in the 90's they call it "pleasant."

Check-UPs

This past week, Bridger had his 2 year check up, and Carter had his 6 month check-up. They are both very healthy and doing great. However, they are on opposite sides of the growth curve. Carter weighs 19 pounds 8 ounces (80%) And Bridger weighs 26 pounds, 8 ounces (27%) I thought that the weight difference was about 5 pounds, I am glad that it is 7-- it gives Bridger a little more time for Carter to catch up. Although I guess that Carter could shed his pounds like Bridger has as soon as he starts moving. Carter can sit up by himself until he gets really excited and kicks his legs and falls over. Not rolling. Not anything else but getting cuter and more excited for life. His second tooth came in last week too. Bridger keeps telling us that Carter needs a toothbrush. Bridger is so on-top of things. He is doing alot better at potty training, and has a majority of good days. We love our boys!

Today we have happy boys!

Two little teethies