because I was chosen

on facebook... I was tagged a few times, so since I bothered to type it... Here it is.

1. My hair is typically long, it’s been that way all my life, but every 4 years or so I chop it all off, donate it and try it short for a while. Yes, my hair was long when I got married.
2. I hate calling people on the phone, even people I love dearly. The only three people I have no problem calling are my mom, one of my sisters and my husband. Everyone else I have to work myself up to get on the phone and call.
3. I had cats growing up (outside) but recently decided, I rather don’t like them. Pretty much most animals I don’t like.
4. I have milked a cow. Frequently. Grew up doing so, gathering eggs from chickens and skimming milk and making butter.
5. I am afraid of heights.
6. I love photo editing and sometimes do it just for fun.
7. Most of the things hanging in my house/ or used as decor I have made or contributed to in some fashion.
8. I like scissors. A lot. Don’t laugh, they are sharp.
9. I don’t like sea food, crustacean or steak. So Gary was really excited when he got an elk and I LOVE the elk steak. Too bad there isn’t more on the animal.
10. I can tat, crochet, knit and sew, and love to do it all. Can’t say I’m a pro at most of it, but I can figure out a project.
11. I have an associate’s degree and a bachelor’s degree. I still suck at Scrabble.
12. I like to write poetry.
13. I love Reese’s. Pieces are my favorite, but I love all the varieties.
14. Gary is my favorite contradiction.
15. I ran track in high school and was on the varsity team since my freshman year. I also went to state every year and placed my senior year, all the while with what I thought was my asthma getting worse. After high school I plain couldn’t run, barely walk without having problems. After being married for two years or so I finally told a doctor to shove it and refer me because I was sure it was my thyroid. I had a total thyroidectomy which included a large tumor that was blocking my airway. I can now run again, and breathe, and swallow and stuff. It’s good.
16. I don’t see myself as an outgoing person.
17. I always have a project, or seven going.
18. I like to do pottery and just got an outlet wired up for my kiln.
19. I want to be able to do wedding invitations for a paying client.
20. I love having a library so near by. People complain about how small it is etc, but I just love that it’s there.
21. A week after meeting Gary I knew I was going to marry him.
22. I really like the computer.
23. I prefer mechanical pencils when writing, and real pencils when drawing.
24. I don’t like digital clocks. I prefer analog, I understand time better visually.
25. I love wheat bread. I would say it is my favorite food. People tell me, “that’s not a food.” It’s not? I’ve been eating it for years! I make my bread, and RARELY buy it.

favoritism

do I show favoritism to my kids?

yup. I do.
I let Olea use the remotes and don't let Zurich even see them.
I call Zurich to my room to give him some of my Reeses pieces,
and only give Olea them when she happens to be there too.
(Zurich says "treat" when he sees me open the drawer.... it's too cute)
I let Olea sit at the big table every meal. Zurich only gets to when
Daddy lets him, or I'm in a good mood to clean up everything.
I let Zurich play in the mud, and reprimand Olea for venturing off the sidewalk.
I spend time with Olea and do projects with her in my studio. I only let
Zurich touch Olea's chalkboard when he is lucky enough to be in the studio.
I make Olea share her toys, but i don't make Zurich share his.
I let Zurich sit on my lap sometimes when I work at the computer...
and never let Olea do that anymore.
etc.
Why?
Because we're all at different levels.
Being 4.5 and being 1 is so different.

FINALLY...

...Is how Olea felt about being able to make a "elliscope" (telescope). Remember when I posted
about ZuZu's Wishing Cake and the fun crafties Olea made because of it. Well she has been
collecting toilet paper rolls and paper towel rolls to the point where it was driving Gary crazy as
he kept finding "trash" about the house. So finally I took her and all her "trash" downstairs to
make a telescope. TaDA! (we only needed one paper towel roll, some saran wrap, and paper and tape. Put the
saran wrap over one end of the paper towel roll and secure with tape. Cover the sides in
decorated paper. Olea used a paper she water colored on her easel and taped it on. A little longer
paper is nice to tuck the ends into the roll so it feels nicer against your eye (rather than giving
your eye a paper cut) and tape down the paper on the inside of the roll so you can see through
your "ellescope." Now, seriously go explore.

At our last Enrichment a Reading Specialist said that a parent should read at home with their
child at least 3 times their age in minutes. So that would mean I need to read to Olea 13.5 mins
and Zurich 3.75 mins. Numbering it down for me like that has been quite insightful.
Besides, Olea and Zurich really like books so it's pretty easy.
Usually if I start reading to Zurich I gather Olea up too (pause whatever she is doing) and read.
When he is done... about 3-5 mins he'll slither off my lap and Olea and I will read a little more. I
have tried to be more consistent about this before his afternoon nap. He's getting used to it.
Today he brought me a book as an indication that he was ready for a story and a nap. We keep
the library books in a bag at the top of the stairs so they are easily accessible during the day.
Plus it keeps them easier to find because 1. There isn't a garbage can near 2. The kids know that
the books go in the bag, (even Zurich gets this) 3. It keeps them on our mind and we read more
often. 4. Which means we go to the Library and rotate them more often.

And for your viewing pleasure: Olea gives Zurich a "shoulder ride" (Gary assists) An Olea drawing of Olea going to Grandma's house.

Vals and the letter H

For Valentine's Day

Olea and I made rice crispy treat Kisses
I cannot claim the Genius I do claim the fun though.
First Olea decided what each Valentine should say
She chose to write what she liked to do with each person.
I wrote it for her and she copied the letters as best she could She got pretty tired near the end so I wrote the non essentials for her.
It was good letter practice and we had fun. Then we made the Rice Crispy treats. We used our smallest funnel to shape them and then she got to
slip the paper in and wrap them up.
We made ones for Daddy and Grandma and Grandpa too
since they visited shortly this weekend (it was a REALLY short visit and she had some
serious trauma recovering from how short it was).

The letter H
Yesterday Olea's preschool teacher was sick.
So we had some fun of our own.
I put Z down for a nap and we went to the studio.
On the chalkboard we drew
H and h
Horses, Humming birds and Hats
(I regret not taking a pic of her drawings before we erased them
off the chalkboard and moved on, I was thrilled that she came
up with things that actually started with H, usually she just throws
out random things) Her drawings really surprised me, she is learning
to dissect more what she sees and draw it better.... though we still
have chats about how our arms don't grow out of our heads.
Thanks to my sister for the "ends" from the newspaper
company she used to work for: we made a
HatThen we poked, stamped, punched,
Holesand cut outHearts
and cut them in
Half
we signed
Hot
and figured out how to remember that the
H sounds Hot

loose your dignity

I find one of the fastest ways to loose your human dignity is to own a pet.
Particularly a dog.
This morning over breakfast I watched a neighbor scramble for
20 minutes to catch their little mini dog who escaped from their
car while they stopped at the mail box.
I admit. I laughed, enough my children turned to watch.
and need I even mention the whole pooper scooper routine?
Bless the people who actually take responsibility
for their animals in an area such as I live
who actually clean up their pet's waste.
There are plenty of those who don't.

High school tag...

I read Amber's and considered myself tagged since she said, "everyone." I enjoyed the fact that she went to the trouble to post our "friends picture."

Senior Year vs. Now

IN YOUR SENIOR YEAR DID YOU...
1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes
2. Did you marry someone from your high school? NO, thank goodness no
3. Did you car pool to school? does a bus count? I also walked a lot too
4. What kind of car did you have? I don't claim a car. I borrowed my parent's so rarely... and can't remember if it was the Volvo or the Saab or which one of them, the silver, or the tan or the red or the blue... so I don't claim, because it wasn't constant enough to remember.
5. What kind of car do you have now? Mazda Protege and a Mazda MPV (2006)
6. Its Saturday night...where are you now? hanging out with hubby and the kids, playing games with friends while our kids play together
7. It is Saturday night...where were you then? hanging out with then boyfriend probably watching Iron Chef with his fam
8. What kind of job did you have in high school? I worked in a Screen Print and Embroidery Shop I did screen printing and quality control, shipping and receiving
9. What kind of job do you do now? I am a professional Mom. eheheh I play games,
make crafts and treats, cook and clean, teach and build block towers for the kids
to knock down. I also do Graphic Design and Photo Editing.
10. Were you a party animal? No
11. Were you considered a flirt? I doubt it.
12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? nope
13. Were you a nerd? I prefer artist
14. Did you get suspended or expelled? no
15. Can you sing the fight song? don't even know where to begin
16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? Mrs. Burningham, Mrs. Johnson, Mr. Cottle, Mrs. Millecam... come to mind
17. Where did you sit during lunch? lunch room I imagine I can't honestly remember
18. What was your school's full name? Sky View High School
19. When did you graduate? 2001
20. What was your school mascot? Bobcat
21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? no
22. Did you have fun at Prom? whatever
23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? no, don't even know what they are up to...
24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? maybe, my hubby enjoyed his...
25. Do you still talk to people from school? Yes
26. School Colors? blue and white, or gold
27. What celebrities came from your high school? ?

No point recreating

This pregnancy seems to be going pretty fast.
There are lots of reasons it seems that way.
But at the same time these last months are dragging...
and it's funny because today I was feeling a familiar feeling
that strangely enough I wrote a poem about at two months before having Zurich...
Which is where I am at now... (two months before due date)
and since I think it says it so well (since I said it)
and since I've already said it
there is no point recreating a poem
that already exists...

Pregnancy

Bloom, radiance, pregnancy
Warm bile rises in my throat
Yet, I smile at the pressure
Rolls, kicks in my blowfish belly

Ache, stiff, effort
My activity cut short
Yet, I warm as I feel
Personality, life growing within

Crazy, forgetful, sacrifice
Personal desires delayed
Yet, I find a balance of joy as I
Grow, work, prepare to bring life

Better

I thought not having to pay 50 for a Prevacid prescription was awesome. But even better... I got it for free today. What with the "Trial card" from Tap Pharmaceuticals and better insurance. I am happy to be heartburn free for 0$.

So my dear friend just had her little baby girl a week ago. I saw my friend the Wed before she delivered (Sat) and gave her a little knitted hat to take her home in. She was like, "I'm not due for 2 or three more weeks." "Still I want to make sure you have it since we're going out of town this weekend." And poof she has the baby. Glad I finished the hat in time.:)We were both pregnant with our boys at the same time as well. Except I delivered 2 months before her... now here she is delivering her sweet Karrynn two months before me. Suddenly these last months seem like I am totally getting ripped off. :) This was her first early baby too. Go figure. I'm excited for the two little ones to meet again. This time it will be her big baby next to my fresh one. Here is Zurich two months older than fresh little McCord. Saturday I decided to make my favorite cookies. (peanut butter) The kids helped. Zurich really likes having his shoes on and will bring them to me after trying unsuccessfully for a while to put them on himself. Zurich just stood against the counter the whole time eating chocolate chips while Olea and I balled the cookies and baked.This week we put hardware on the kitchen cabinets. (ignore the messes we were in the middle of the project...)

Before

After (subtle, but I love it) I took the chance to have Gary finally switch the direction one of the cupboards opened... a year and a half wait for 2 screws!!! Ah but it's done now and it is lovely... and in the mean time he did finish our basement so I'm not REALLY complaining. :)

When we try to surprise each other...

Gary and I have a problem when we try to surprise each other...
he already knew what he was getting for his birthday, and Christmas... etc.
So the other night when Gary was trying to surprise me with my
favorite flowers he was getting a little frustrated. He kept trying to get me
to go upstairs so he could arrange the flowers and make the card...
but I kept getting mixed signals: "I just want to spend time with you"
so when I want to leave Olea to brush her teeth on her own and go
down to the basement with him and he sends me away I don't get it. etc. etc. :)

Anyway, I love him, but that's obvious, so I'm not going to tell you all that much more about it.

Day before his birthday and he buys me flowers...
Promped by one of our many songs: Needs by Collective Soul.

So Yesterday was Gary's birthday. Olea and I made him cards and Zurich had picked out (yes he really did help pick it) the Ironman movie out for Gary. We met him at the park and ride (he'd carpooled to work with a coworker) and then dropped the kids off at their Aunt Kendra and Uncle Eric's, (thanks so much, Olea was thrilled to be going there)and we went and ate dinner at the Bombay House. Dear friends, seriously do try it, if you have never been. Make sure you get a Rose Lassi (drink) Some Onion Naan, Raj Chicken or Chicken Tiki Masala and The Assorted Snacks appetizer. That's all Gary wanted for his birthday: Dinner with me at the Bombay House. Easy to please.

Afterward we figured we'd go walk around BYU campus... it's been four years since we graduated. We had fun, (we know how to do that) but we were also reminded, that we personally don't have really great fond memories of the place, it was just something we were trying to get done and done and done with. We were crossing a MARKED crosswalk, decently lit and a sign in the middle of the street indicating that it was a cross walk. Am I wrong or is it the law to stop when someone is on the cross walk? Don't pedestrians on a cross walk have the right of way? Anyway, we started to cross, a car down the street turns the corner, we make eye contact... it sees us and speeds up. That's right. But of course we keep walking because we have right of way... and if they hit us... sucks to be them eheheheh anyway the chick slams on her breaks, gets out of the car and calls Gary a "jerk" because "I couldn't see you, you are wearing dark clothes, it is dark." (ps I was closest to the car and have reflectors on my jacket...) Gary motions to the crosswalk and her burnt out headlight. "Might want to fix that." "I'm aware of it." ... and are you aware of what a crosswalk is? It was pretty funny, I couldn't believe that she got out of her car to argue a point where she was clearly wrong. We had a good laugh over it...

Later we were walking around in a new addition to a building and we both grabbed a double door which seemed like a very obvious door to a larger hallway... No luck. I saw students clearly in class and screeched a bit and dropped the door, Gary tried to slowly, quietly close the door, rather pointless after my reaction. Ah what a hoot.