Friday, March 30, 2012

Meeting Sister Wixom

Last night I attended the General Auxiliary Training for primary. Even though these trainings are posted online, I feel like it's a very special opportunity to be taught in such an intimate setting by our Church leaders. I live a short distance from where the action happens, so it is a privilege to be able to attend in person.

As I was getting cozy in my seat in the Assembly Hall at Temple Square, I glanced up and saw Sister Rosemary Wixom walking down the aisle. She stopped to greet some of the women seated in front of me. I, of course, was sneaking candy, and I had the thought, I better not put candy in my mouth in front of Sister Wixom. But knowing that Sister Wixom had no reason to look at me, I stuffed my face full anyway.



Just as the Lifesaver-induced salivating began inside my mouth, Sister Wixom popped right over to me and grabbed my hand. She graciously introduced herself, then she asked me where I was from and in which position I serve in the primary - all while I tried to secretly contain my red drool. She was very kind. And friendly. And skinny.

Just the other day I had a conversation with a friend about how I never approach "famous Church people" in public (I just stare at them from a respectable distance). Now I know why: they will come to me

But only if I have candy.




Thursday, March 29, 2012

It's almost that time of year when I rant about how much I hate capris (and ten other random facts)

Fact #1: I've had a hard time blogging lately because I'm not in a very good mood. Blogging and bad moods are a dangerous combination. Every time I try to record my thoughts, I end up writing about something that makes me mad - like going to a restaurant and being served dinner in a basket lined with paper. If I want to eat on paper, I'll go to McDonald's. Give me a stinking plate!

Fact #2: The other day, there was a knock at the door, and I opened it to find this:


Neighbor kid wearing Jason mask and holding knife? Check!

He then informed me that he brought his Michael Myers mask, as well, and that he could wear that one if I wanted. Soon enough he was in my front yard like this:



He ran up and down the sidewalk singing "Party Rock Anthem" while making stabbing motions at cars.

Fact #3: I much prefer Mike Myers to Michael Myers, although it's hard to tell them apart sometimes because they have the same hair color.


Fact #4: I'm in a reading rut. I haven't read a good book for quite some time. Everything I pick up is very so-so, if not entirely disappointing. My hold list is full of potentially decent books, but I'm still at least two weeks out from getting any of them. 

Fact #5: On Monday I called Scotty at work and asked him if we could use my root canal money to go to Disneyland this weekend. He said no. What a party pooper! 

Fact #6: Daily I am grateful that I was raised in the Jonathan Taylor Thomas era instead of the Justin Bieber era.

Fact #7: For the first time since Carrie Underwood, I have somewhat been keeping track of American Idol. One of my favorite contestants is Colton Dixon.


I never recognize the songs that he sings, and overall, his genre of music isn't my favorite, but for some reason, I just really like him. I decided to cast him in the role of Adam in my personal, mental movie version of If I Stay by Gayle Forman. I'm not sure why I am casting If I Stay since I thought it was "just okay," but what's done is done.

Fact #8: I've just reached the point with Daisy where I can no longer make "surprise purchases" while she's with me at the store. Today I bought some snacks for the kids to eat during our Church's General Conference this weekend, thinking that Daisy wouldn't notice if I hid them away for two days. For the past seven hours, she has been begging for her "red drink, crackers, and candy." Sigh. It was convenient while it lasted.

Fact #9: I'm embarrassed to admit that I always fall for at least one April Fools' joke on facebook every year. Last year I totally believed that my sister-in-law was pregnant until I remembered that it was April Fools' Day, and my brother-in-law had a vasectomy a few years ago. Later in the day when my cousin announced that she was pregnant, I was the first to comment in all caps, "APRIL FOOLS!!" Turns out she really was pregnant. There should be a rule about announcing any kind of pregnancy on April 1 - real or fake. Actually, you shouldn't announce a fake pregnancy EVER. It's really not something to joke about! 

Fact #10: Now I'm off to the General Primary Training downtown, and I'm totally sneaking in food.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Ten Favorite Musical Moments

The other night, Scotty and I watched Mary Poppins with our kids, and we were both really excited for Nicky and Daisy to see "Step In Time." The next day I was still singing "Step In Time," and thinking about how it is one of my favorite musical scenes in a movie. I then started thinking about all of the other musical scenes that I love in films, and I thought I would share some of them with you. 

Here are ten of my favorites, in no particular order:

1. "Step In Time" - Mary Poppins

2. "Trashin' the Camp" - Tarzan
(Don't forget the Phil Collins and NSync version, which is even better!)

3. "Seize the Day" - Newsies
(Follwed by the chorale version)

4. "Good Morning Baltimore" - Hairspray

5. "Cabin Fever" - Muppet Treasure Island

6. "Men in Tights" - Robin Hood: Men in Tights

7. "Goin' Down the Bayou" - 
The Princess and the Frog

8. "Grow Old With You" - The Wedding Singer

9. "So Long Farewell" - The Sound of Music

10. "Johhny B. Goode" - Back to the Future

I could easily pick ten more! Do you have any favorite musical moments?

Monday, March 19, 2012

Talked Me Into It

Some of my blogging friends like Janssen and Melanie have mentioned their love for Downton Abbey. One of my best friends is incessantly talking about it. Even my mother-in-law, who shuns all things TV and technology, is hooked.

I admit, I've been curious. So when Becky said she was watching (and loving) Downton Abbey, that was the straw that broke the camels back. If Becky is watching Downton Abbey, I must watch Downton Abbey.

(How does it feel to have so much power over me, Becky?)


Over the weekend, I said to my aforementioned best friend, "I guess I have to watch Downton Abbey now." She happened to have season one on DVD from the library (for which the waiting list is 500 people deep), and she stayed up all night Saturday to finish it so I could have it.

I watched the first two episodes last night, and dang! It is good!

The story is compelling.

The characters have depth.

I'm hooked.

Friday, March 16, 2012

52:3

I'm excited for this week's challenge because I get to post a photo that I love (the last two photos haven't thrilled me - but that's the way it goes with photo challenges). I might be cheating because I didn't actually take this picture this week - I took it in October 2010 while I was in California.

{Green}

Week 3 - green

And now I'm craving a trip to Disneyland. 

It has been five months since my last offense. 

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Where in the World is Scotty?

Sometimes Scotty gets spoiled at work. He gets to go out to lunch, he gets to eat mint truffles, and, once in a great while, he gets to go on a trip.

Earlier this week, Scotty got to travel to the rocky coast.



He got to explore the redwood forest.




And he got to fly this airplane:




He did not, however, use the relief tube.


This both disappoints and relieves me (Ha! Relieves!)

Disappoints because he couldn't answer the million questions I had about the relief tube.

Relieves because he didn't bring home relief tube germs.

Disappoints because it was probably a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he didn't take it!

Relieves because he didn't pee front of his boss.

He may not be as cool as Carmen Sandiego or Matt Lauer, but I'm pretty sure he's giving them a run for their money.

Add Brookings, Oregon to the list of places Scotty has been (and I have not).

Monday, March 12, 2012

The Parenting Breakthrough: A Book Recommendation for LDS Mothers

I read a lot of parenting books. To some degree, this used to embarrass me. The thought of anyone knowing that I had to read "how-to" books to figure out how to be a mom was absolutely mortifying. Then one day I realized that I was just looking for things I hadn't thought of on my own, and there's nothing wrong with that. Reading parenting books doesn't mean I have to buy into what they say, but they often offer me new perspectives.

Several months ago I picked up a copy of The Parenting Breakthrough by Merrilee Boyack from the library. I didn't really expect much because I judged the book by its cover, and well...


The Parenting Breakthrough ended up being a refreshing read for me because it isn't about discipline or a parenting "method." Instead, Merrilee Boyack, an LDS attorney, life coach, and overall go-getter, reviews how she raises her children to be independent. The idea behind the book is that one of our primary goals as parents should be to prepare our children to leave us - not in the get-you-out-the-door-as-fast-as-I-possibly-can sort of way, but in the I-love-you-and-want-you-to-succeed-as-an-adult sort of way.

As young parents, the Boyacks sat down and wrote a list of some of the most important things they thought their children should be taught. Then they determined what ages they wanted their children to have certain forms of independence and responsibility, and they wrote out a plan for how to achieve those goals.

Some of those things include learning household chores, acquiring skills (from interviewing for jobs to making doctor appointments and even designing and decorating their own bedrooms), and developing healthy emotional and spiritual habits.

Merrilee points out that we plan so much of our lives: vacations, events, education, etc, but we usually fail to have a plan for raising our children. This is something I had never contemplated before, but now as I do things around the house, I'm always thinking about what age my children might be capable of helping with those tasks. There are so many things that Nicky and Daisy could be doing (either on their own or with supervision), but I have to have a plan to teach them.

The Boyacks highly emphasize financial independence with their children, and Merrilee offers some fantastic ideas in her book on teaching children to manage money. She teaches them how to distinguish wants from needs, and she has a great plan for encouraging children to save money to pay for their own missions.

As I read the book, I didn't feel that sense of "Oh my gosh! I'm doing everything wrong!" that comes with some parenting books (ok, maybe a little). Mostly I felt grateful that I had come across the book because I've always wanted to achieve the things Merrliee writes about, but I wasn't sure how to execute them.

Since reading the book, I've implemented a lot of Boyack's advice. For example, I now have Nicky, age 5, carry his laundry downstairs and start a load with supervision. My plan is to have him doing his own laundry from start to finish by age 8. Daisy at age 2 feeds the cat every day and unloads the silverware in the dishwasher.

I'm amazed at what my children can do at their ages - I just have to have the motivation and patience to teach them.

I highly recommend this book. It is written from a religious perspective and will mostly appeal to LDS readers, but the information is practical in all parenting settings.

If you're not familiar with Merrilee Boyack, her tone and writing style take some getting used to. She's a very sassy and humorous lady, and after hearing her speak in person, I can read her writing in her voice and enjoy it. A few years ago I read her book, Strangling Your Husband is NOT an Option, and I thought, "Who is this lady?" because she's a total fireball. Be prepared for that!

To sum it up, this book is a bunch of practical and useful advice in a quirky little package!

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Currently {March 2012}

Reading: nothing. I'm in between books at the moment (which is a strange place to be).

Watching: The Voice. 

Wondering: what it would be like to get a nose job. Not that I'm considering one or anything (all of my nose job money is going toward internet service). I just want to know what it's like to look in the mirror for the first time and see a different nose. It has to be totally weird, right?

Relieved by:.good, solid answers to prayers.

Procrastinating: calling the dentist to schedule a root canal. Ugh!

Craving: nothing at all. But only because I already ate donuts and pizza today.

Wanting: to win something. Like the Ozzy Osborne colonoscopy sweepstakes. Heck, I'll take anything! I just want to win!

Wearing: thrifted jeans that are holding on by a thread and an old hoodie that has paint all over it.

Needing: my hair trimmed and colored. Hello two-inch roots! How greasy you look today!


Addicted to:cinnamon toast.


Suffering from: zits. Stupid zits! 


Neglecting: the laundry. But seriously? Who needs pants? Psht!


Loving: Scotty (He looked over my shoulder and told me to write that. Then he walked away mooning me. That's true love right there).

Excited to: go see The Hunger Games next week. I get to leave my house without kids and go somewhere that is not church or dentist related! 


Struggling with: cleaning my house (that's what I'm supposed to be doing right now - curse you, internet!)

Splurging on: new jeans for Scotty. While we've been in the market for pants, we've gotten quite the kick out of these:


Apparently someone at Scotty's work bought a pair and has been bragging about his hidden crotch gusset. We're too cheap to spend $39.50 on fancy-crotched jeans, though, so Scotty is living it up in $16.99 Levi's from TJ Maxx.

Friday, March 9, 2012

52:2

I have to admit, when I saw the photo assignment for this week, I hesitated a little. But fortunately, Scotty and I have grandparents to save the day. I considered barging into my own grandparents' house to get a better photo of this beauty, but then I found a little gem at Scotty's grandparents' house while I was there last weekend:

{Doorknob}

Week 2: Doorknob

Thursday, March 8, 2012

52:1

One of my favorite internet peoples, Heidikins, is hosting a 52 week photo challenge. Photo challenges aren't really my thing, but recently, I was looking back at a bunch of photos I took in a previous challenge, and I thought, "Hey! I kind of like looking back at these!" So here I go, challenging it up again.

I'm a little behind - this photo was "due" last Friday, but here it is:

{Abandoned}

Week 1: Abandoned

Housewarming

Ah! You noticed I moved!

Welcome to my housewarming party!

I'm so glad you're here!

Pull up a chair and grab a cookie. You can even take your shoes off if you want.

You might be wondering what's going on with Fluent Brittish. Well, do you remember when Michael Jordan retired from the NBA to play professional baseball? And it didn't work out? So he unretired? And then really retired?

Yeah...

I'm not fake retiring.

I am in the mood for change, though, and I've been considering switching back to blogger for quite a while. With the triumphant return of my home internet service, I decided the best way to celebrate is by inconveniencing all of my readers by packing my bags and relocating.

Thank you so much for sticking with me! You make my heart all a flutter.