Kid magnet

Since I've been called to Primary president in my ward I've noticed a strange phenomenon.

And before I tell you what it is, I'll explain a little about my beginning in this calling.  During my setting apart, I was blessed that I would REALLY love the kids and know them.  And I really, really have. It's amazing how quickly I was able to learn and retain all of their names.  I was having a really hard time with it before when I was a counselor in the Primary. There are SO many kids in our ward.  But since the setting apart, no problem-o.

So, this strange phenomenon is that I seem to "attract" kids.  Even kids I don't know.  Kids at the park, kids at Kimball's school, even today at Silverwood.  They really seem to WANT to talk to me...and even hug me.  I help make the popcorn at Kimball's school every Thursday morning and it's like I'm famous.  I feel slightly like Scott Calvin in the movie "The Santa Claus" when he is at his son's soccer game and the kids line up to sit on his lap.

And I'm not saying this to brag or make it sound like I think I'm so freaking awesome that kids just flock to me.  I'm just sharing an interesting experience.  It's cool, but really weird.  Not bad weird...just weird.  And with the whole name-remembering thing, it's expanded.  At the school, I can tell you SOOO many names of kids that I hardly know, just because they seem to WANT to tell me.  It's amazing how many kids really NEED someone to make them feel special.  I hope I do that for some.

I might not understand the reason for this phenomenon or these feelings, but I feel incredibly blessed that I get to spend so much of my time with kids from all walks of life.  Sometimes the kids annoy me.  Other times they blow me away with their talents and their words.  And most of the time they really make me thankful for the three little ones of my very own that I get to be with each day.

thirtysomething

Does anyone remember that show? I knew of it's existence, but that's about it.  It aired from 1987-1991, when I was a mere 7-11 years old and had NO interested in watching a show about a bunch of old thirtysomethings.

Well, I've been a thirtysomething for exactly 1 year now, and I must say it's been pretty fantastic.  Today I turned a whopping 31 and I gotta say, 31 feels a lot like 26, 27, 28, etc.  I'd say the weirdest part about being a thirtysomething is that I remember when MY parents were in their thirties.  I guess my kids will remember ME at this age, so I'd better start being nicer to them. ;)

I actually got to start celebrating my birthday last week on Wednesday, when several of my friends threw me a "surprise" birthday party.  I put quotes around surprise because my dear friend Marissa, who LIVES for surprises and planned most of the party accidentally emailed me all the plans.  We went to Something Borrowed @ the theater, and then went to my friend Kim's house for a party!  The theme was "something borrowed" and I was spoiled with endless gifts from all my amazing friends.  Things that they loved or had that they thought I would love.  I got hair flowers, a beautiful scarf, books, bookmarks, and way more.  I have the most amazing, thoughtful and generous friends ever!!!!

 A classic blowing-out-the-candles shot.

And here are my party people.  Kara & Lizzy who came to the movie but had to ditch early are not pictured.  Aren't they all so cute??? :)

As for today, it started out with some pretty spectacular oozey raspberry jelly-filled donuts. Any day that starts out that way is bound to be a pretty great day. It's sunny outside, even though the forecast called for rain today. And even though I plan on spending the majority of my day doing laundry and entertaining kids, it WILL be great!  My sweet hubby is taking me to Wicked on Thursday night, so that is my present, which I am super excited about!!!  And Kimball gave me his Reece's PB-cups that he got from his Primary teacher yesterday.  Now THAT is love. :)

Thanks everyone for making my day one of the best ever!!!  I am so lucky to have so many people that love me and love to spoil me!!! :)

Here is a list of 31 of my most favorite things (in no particular order):

1. chocolate cake
2. my hubby
3. mexican food
4. playing games
5. my kids
6. reading books
7. cooking
8. donuts
9. peanut M&M's
10. my family (other than hubby & kids)
11. Sloan's kisses
12. shopping
13. dancing with my kids
14. running (I'm starting to like this one, so I'll include it)
15. interior decorating
16. British television & movies
17. Noah's tiny butt
18. fresh pineapple
19. shoes
20. Masterpiece Theater
21. crafting
22. date night
23. sleeping
24. eating out
25. cookies (any kind)
26. laughing hard enough that my stomach hurts
27. Philly cheesesteaks
28. jet skiing
29. smores
30. Kimball's endless love notes
31. taking pictures

The black toenails prove it

I did it!!!

My first half marathon is complete. And I was really happy with my time.  I've consistently kept a 10:30 pace throughout training except for the extremely sluggish 12-mile practice run I did a few weeks before the race.  That was significantly slower. So, I'm happy to announce that I finished my race in a whopping 2hrs 17ish minutes at an average pace of 10:32. Not bad.  I might not be the fastest one out there, but I finished AND I didn't stop once! Not even to grab the water cups that they hand you at the aid stations.  I grabbed those mid-run (sorry for all the sploshes of water I subsequently dosed the aid-station helpers with while grabbing for that refreshing liquid).

Thanks to Brian for running it with me (even though he could have EASILY finished a LOT sooner if he had gone at his regular pace) and supporting me, and my kids for cheering me on with their adorable posters, and to my mom for watching the kids, and to my brother & his family for rounding out the rest of my personal cheering section in the park.

Grammie took the kids and waited on ParkCenter at mile 10 for us to come along.

Almost to the finish line.  Brian's in the background clapping for me. :)  And don't you love that I'm waving and have a big smile on my face like I'm having the best time ever.  I make this look effortless, don't I?  And don't you love my knee-hi socks? They might not be fashionable, but they sure do a number on getting rid of shin splints.

After the race.

Don't you just love the dude strollin' past in the back?  I think he wanted to get in the picture for being Brian's shirt twin.

And I can officially call myself a "runner" instead of a "runner in training" since I was branded during my race with two gorgeous black (purple) toenails.  And I look forward to hitting the pavement again soon, once I stop hobbling. :)  I've got to keep my girlish figure fit for the Spokane to Sandpoint relay and the Dirty Dash later this summer.

4 amazing blessings

It's been a wonderful Mother's Day. I was given breakfast in bed and given a pretty stinking awesome gift: a salsa pot.  Every plant I need to make homemade salsa in a big garden pot.  It's a great gift since I've pretty much bagged my plan to have a big garden in the backyard.

I am so blessed as a mother and wife.  I am so thankful for my 3 remarkable children and amazing husband.

Look at this amazing crew. All mine.

I am also so thankful for my amazing mom.  She is so wonderful and I hope she's had a fantastic Mother's Day too.

And Happy Mother's Day to all the other special ladies in my life: Helen, Angie, Grammie B. and all my amazing cousins, friends and other female aquaintences. :)

Untrusting reader

I went to the library today to return the final book of Stieg Larsson's trilogy.  While they were all considerably racy and graphic, they were SOOOOOOO good!!!!  Anyway, back to the library.  I did not have a chance to check my GoodReads "to read" list before I headed out and when I got to the library I could, of course, not remember a single book on said list.  So I meandered around browsing titles.  Needless to say, after almost an hour of meandering, I left with NO BOOKS.  Noah and Sloan both found a plethora of books to check out.  They are not paralyzed by fear of the unknown like I am.  They left with titles ranging from GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE KITTEN to THE HAIR BOOK.  I wish I was so trusting. :)

Why is it when I am standing in the middle of tens of thousands of books, I can't make a decision. I think it's fear of dissappointment to pick a dud.  I don't want to have wasted a trip to the library and choose a stinker, but instead I wasted my trip by picking nothing.  I wish I could just trust that any book could be a treasure.  I am sure that someone thinks so, or else it probably wouldn't have been published.

So, I turn to you, friends in cyberworld...do any of my hundreds (pshhhh) of faithful readers have any couldn't-put-it-down book recommendations?  And, in return, I'll make a short list of my favorite books for you to try out.  We'll do a little information exchange, friend to friend.  Thanks in advance.

My top 10 or so fav's in no particular order:

THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte

THE FORGOTTEN GARDEN by Kate Morton

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO trilogy (watch out...pretty strong language and graphic scenes in these) by Stieg Larrson

GRACELING and it's prequel FIRE by Kristin Cashore (Don't you just love a good Juvie fiction? They make me feel young)

HUNGER GAMES series by Suzanne Collins

PRIDE & PREJUDICE by Jane Austen

THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant
THE SHADOW OF THE WIND by Ruiz Zafon
and THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY by Mary Ann Shaffer

That's all I can think of.  I'm quite sure I've probably left out one or two, thanks to my amazing brain and it's infinite ability to let go of information. I hope you enjoy some of these titles.  I'd hate to recommend something and it be hated.  Happy reading!