March 08 Movie

I want to CRY!!

Maybe its the farmer gene showing through, but I love plants, trees, flowers, anything that grows. So, when I planted my bulbs last spring I couldn't wait for them to come up. I waited all winter, and as soon as February arrived, checked nearly every day for a sign of them popping through the soil. When they did finally show face, I took pictures and blogged about it. Last week my sweet little flowers began to bloom. I took pictures of that too.



Each day more and more flowers blossomed and I was thrilled! In fact, yesterday Samuel and I spent from 9am to 7pm weeding, tilling, mulching, planting, weedwacking, edging, sweeping, and getting our yard in pristine shape. It looked amazing, especially with all my colorful little flowers.

And then I woke up this morning. This is what I saw ...


By the time the snow stopped, my flowers looked like this ...


DEAD. They are all going to be DEAD. I'm trying really hard not to cry. I am so upset!!

BYU Baseball

Since I have pictures of us attending football and basketball games, I figured we'd keep the trend and add a picture of us at a baseball game too! We went last Saturday, March 22nd. The weather was beautiful and our seats were awesome. This was by far the best type of game to take the kids to, as well. We had such a great time!

ps. wow, my hair looks short. I still don't recognize myself. I want to say that it looks lopsided because the wind was blowing, but I don't know if that's true. I may just have a lopsided head!

oh, YEAH!!

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. I really couldn't. If you were around me during my getting pregnant, giving up my Master's, post-graduation stress, you'll understand.

See, during my last semester of college, my Children's Development professor shared a study put out by _________ (fill in big school name here ... Harvard, Stanford, I don't remember) that showed that stay-at-home moms actually decreased in intelligence during the time they stayed home. Now, you'd think that since we're at BYU she'd be sharing that to refute its claims. No. She said it was true - and then pulled out one of those IQ studies that show that while your IQ is stable over your life time, it actually fluctuates depending on the life circumstances, and that the lowest point for mothers is during the time that they are staying at home with their children. (Her point was that while motherhood is wonderful and divine, we need to continue to develop our minds while we are at home. But I think I missed the point at that time.)

Okay, so I was already worried about becoming stupid, but this just made it worse. Now I was petrified. So there I am, a university graduate, nursing my little two week old, and reading Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens, Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, and every news outlet I could possibly access (this is when my love of the news began). All in an attempt to stay somewhat intelligent. But, I kept getting pregnant (heck, come July I will have a 2 year-old, 1 year-old, and a newborn!) and we all know how forgetful and dopey pregnant women are. So, now I've pretty much reached the point where I try not to think about this stuff.

But then I saw this on someone's blog ... and I couldn't resist. Its supposed to tell you 'what level of education is required to understand your blog'. I kept telling myself, "If you're at a middle school level, you're okay. If you're at a high school level, you are smart. You're fine, Janae. You're fine." So I did it and up pop the results:

YES!!! I am a freaking GENIUS!! I mean, post-graduate?! Dang. You guys are becoming more intelligent just by reading this thing! :)


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Well, if you're worried about me being proud, worry no more. I was just deflated a bit. Demoted to Cloud 7. I don't know why, but I decided randomly to check my older sister's blog to see what level she is at. I guess I'm not a genius. I didn't realize there was a genius level, but now I know there is. Maybe I should put bigger words in my post. How about this one: pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis. It's a lung disease that you get from inhaling the small particles of dust found in volcanoes. I knew that off the top of my head (and I can pronounce it too, thanks to hours of practice as a 14 year-old). Take that, Cara! :)

ps. Adding the word didn't work. Blast!

And you thought my hair was a doozy ...

This just might be our new home:


Two Thursdays ago Samuel read about this innovative Master's program that combines a degree in English & Communications with a degree in Design. The next day (Friday) we researched a ton into the program. On Saturday we filled out and sent his application on line. On Sunday we got an email from the program director requesting an interview (luckily he can do it over the phone). On Monday we got his transcripts send from BYU. And last Tuesday we sent the rest of the application materials (resume, letter of intent, etc.) Now we're just waiting for his interview - it is in one week. If we don't get it, no big deal, but if we do, it looks like we're moving to Baltimore this fall!!

Prepare to be SHOCKED ...

I can't help but just stare at myself. For hours. I really can't help it. And I feel like my head is floating off my body, it is so light. Because guess what I did for St. Patrick's Day ...


Yup, I chopped it. All of it. Okay, not really ALL. Just most. Like nearly two feet. I actually sold it. For $1075. Here is one of my ad pictures:



And here I am now ...


See! Can you blame me for staring?! I think I am still in denial. This is NUTS!

Teenagers are Weird

This is my friend Krishele and I (and our girls):

We look pretty normal, right? I have been friends with her probably longer than anyone else in the world except my family. We met when I was about 10 -- when my family finally settled in Sandy after years of living internationally. We were pretty much on and off best friends (best friends in 5th, 7th, and 11th grades; friends in 9th, 10th, and 12th; hardly talking in 6th and 8th). We went our separate ways for college, but when Samuel and I got married we happened to move in to the same complex that Krishele lived with her husband Jason. We've been dear friends ever since (no more off times now that we are past puberty! :)

The reason I am posting all this is because I recently ran across two pictures of us. The first one is in 7th grade. We are in the hallway of our middle school. Yes, we went to school all day looking like that. No, I do not know why. Maybe she does. (BTW, let me interject that she looks a lot dumber than you realize.)



Unfortunately, we didn't change too much. This picture is of us during our Senior year. We are at the Smith's grocery store. With the boys we were dating at the time. (I don't know where the pictures of them are, but they look dumb too. Although I think they only looked dumb because the girls they liked told them to.)



Can I just say that I am relieved that there are no current pictures to follow suit?! Okay, so the question is, what dumb things did you do as a teenager?

I know, I know, but I LOVE Austen!!

"You are Emma Woodhouse of Emma! You like being the queen of your social circle (small and provincial as it may be), and feel it's your duty to help those less influential than you. You often meddle in the affairs of others, though you do it with a pure heart. You are often deluded in your flights of fancy, but your good intentions and creative spirit make you someone anyone could like."

Well, I could have told them that! A handsome, down to earth suitor; in love with relationships; nosey but well-meaning; a busy body who loves people and parties. Yup, that's me.

Samuel is SOOO pleased

The last two and a half years have been frustrating for Samuel. He tried again and again to get Seara to take up drawing, but Seara was always more interested in lining up and organizing the crayons than she was in actually coloring anything. Well, in the last month Seara has finally discovered a fascination with drawing. And Samuel is elated. Hopefully at least one of his kids will inherit his artistic talent! (And hopefully they don't get my artistic dopiness. I once drew a picture for Samuel to prove I can't draw. I tried really, really hard to make it look good, only to have Samuel comment, "You drew it badly on purpose." Sadly, I did not. That's how bad really I am.)


Anyway, until now Seara has just scribbled. But today we had a break through! She drew the above picture and then told me, "Snowman!" Can you see it?

Its nearly Spring ...

See? Those are my tulips (or maybe they are daffodils. I don't remember which I planted where.) Yay, yay, yay!! From now until Tuesday the daily high in my area of Spanish Fork is right around 50* - some days up to 55*. Hallelujah!!

Return & Report: Part 2

1) Run six races - I have run one time - and I only went one mile. Bad news since I am running the 5K at the Rex Lee Run on March 15th. Ooops. I really need to stop procrastinating!

2) Stretch six minutes before bed - Still doing it every night - although a did miss a few times when I had the flu. Folding my stomach in half just didn't seem like a great idea at the time.

3) Read the BOM six times - Oooh, now THIS one I am proud of! Not only did I finish in time (see my first Return & Report), but I actually finished my first read a day early. Now I'm in to the Portuguese BOM. Its really messing with my Spanish!

4) Read six church books - I finally started ... I'm just a couple chapters in, but at least I started!

5) Go to the temple each month - Check!

6) Read a book each month - Another check. I read The Five Love Languages and I'm on to The Screwtape Letters.