2 Down

Our boy earned his next Reading Medal. Way to go Bud!

The Birthday Came

 I turned 34 last week.  Here are 34 things about me and my Birthday.


1. Maybe I should get to brush my teeth before the first photo of the day. 2. We opened gifts the minute I was awake. 3. Rich had to be work at 8:30 so he ran to get bagels for breakfast and I finished opening my gifts without him. 4. I love Bagels. 5. I got an egg/ bagel sandwich. LOVE it.  Even though it's made with turkey bacon.

 6. I got great gifts. 7. I bought the book myself and then Rich  wrapped it up from Dayne. 8. She said, "Do you love the book I picked out for you?" 9. I also picked out the t-shirts. 10. And the magazine. But Rich knew I wanted those things we just ran out of time. (getting back from our trip and a Monday Birthday. 11. Birthdays on Monday, kind of blow. 12. Dayne and I went to Chinese food for lunch. 13. I was sad that no one called and wanted to go to lunch. 14. I guess that what I get for always planning my own day. I'm kind of annoying like that. 15. My parents got me a great book, a Paris Notebook and French labels. My friend, Delaine also got me a Paris notebook.  And lots of other things. She rocks! 16. Three of my friends got me nail polish!

 17. My friend Trish and her husband made this cake for me. I LOVED it. 18. I had already picked up a Nothing Bundt Cake for the day. 19. Cake. Yum.  20. I love getting phone calls. I got in the shower and when I got out I had missed 3 calls and had 3 texts. I LOVE that. 21. My brother, Ethan, picked out a million Peanut Nut Rolls for me for my birthday. 22. Nat sent the heavy box and included a gift card. 23. Did I mention all the gift cards I got? The Amazon ones are burning a hole in my pockets.

 24. My day was very calm and sweet. 25. But I was happy when my family got home. Even though we still had life to carry on. 26. We went to my favorite Mexican place for dinner. 27. I planned on splurging and getting the shrimp, I forgot. 28.Kids eat free on Mondays so it felt like a birthday treat for me. 29. My kids said, Happy Birthday Mom!, a million times that day. Awesome.

 30.  I always try to say"It's my Birthday" to anyone I meet during the day. 31. I told the cake people when I picked up the cake and the people next to us at lunch. 32. I love my family and friends. 33. I got another book from Angie. Oh to be a book nerd.

34. I had no problem eating this Lemon Raspberry cake for my Birthday. It was delightful! As we were getting ready to cut the cake, a friend showed up with another Bundt Cake. That's right. Three cakes.

Thanks Everyone!

Birthday Countdown

Favorite 13- Song

I love this song. It is one of my favorites. It makes me so happy when it comes up on my ipod.  Which you know is how I read, with headphones on.

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Number 12 Favorite Shoes

I love Vans.

I currently own an orange pair. A purple pair. Green. Pink/black plaid.  I also have a black w/white polk-a-dots that are van like. Plus my kids have a black/pink pair, a black pair, a blue checked and blue tie ons.

Everyone should  own Vans.

PS When I googled "Vans images" - The mini Van kept coming up. Not on the favorite list. So I added a shot of my shoes.

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Rich and I were extremely lucky to go the de Young Museum here in San Francisco. They were showing a traveling exhibit from the de Orsay Museum in Paris. Also an amazing place that I have been. 


I fell in LOVE with this Cezanne painting. Paul Cezanne was not that famous and struggled what to do with his art. The man in this picture was an art critic. He wrote a flattering piece about Cezanne in the paper, and started the mans career. To pay him back he started this painting of the critic. He died before he could finish this piece.

I love it!


 A painting with books. By one of my favorite artists. I loved it as soon as I saw it at the de Young. Of course they weren't selling a copy of it. Rich came home, found it on the Internet and ordered it for me. So here is my new favorite painting......

Countdown to Birthday

Favorite Favorite Favorite. #10
What don't I love in this picture......

Good friends
Great Mexican food
Weird mustaches

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Favorite Helper

This book has drastically helped and changed the way that I read the Book of Mormon and the Bible. It is AMAZING. It is thoughtful and insightful. The scriptures are printed right in the book so you don't need to cross reference your books. I just want to say, check it out. 

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My iPad has to be on my favorite list. BEST EVER!  Here are a few things that I use it for:

1. Music.

2. My kids watch shows. I also took it camping and watched a show on it my tent. How I Met Your Mother is Still my favorite. 

3. E book reading. I love the ibooks. But my iPad also has a Kindle and a Nook. And both of those apps having sharing capabilities. 

4. The Weather Channel App. so delightful.

5. Want to waste time.... Cut the Rope. City of Montezuma. more games than we need. 

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Favorite 6 and 7

I am counting this as two favorites. Thai Food and College Friends. 

Seriously.

I love Thai Food. I love curries. Basil Chicken. Pepper Chicken. One of my favorite places is in downtown Oakland. One time we took Crewe with us when he was a little little. He pushed the rice bowl off the table. It broke. The owner came over and said, "that was my favorite bowl." I thought he was a moron for giving it to a one year old.

I have great friends from College Days. I've worked at keeping my relationships with them.  I still like to send birthday cards, texts and emails. Although I don't get to live by any of them, I LOVE when I do get to see them. This picture is of my best friends, Landon and his AMAZING wife, Marie. Can I just say, Coolest-People-On-the-Earth? They both are super smart, good looking, thoughtful and kind. 

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Number 5

We love this stuff. I discovered it at my brothers house this summer. His wife is a dentist. She is awesome and smart. She told me to use this stuff. And my kids like it. Even better.

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 Favorite 4- Dad and Son Projects.
+ 100 day of school

I love all the things Crewe's school does for the 100th day of school. Last year they had a party with 100 themed centers. A parade around the school to check out  the big 100 project. They have to display 100 of something. This year is even better because Crewe and Rich worked together to come up with a great 100 Day Project. 

Today Crewe will be bringing a 100 Lifesaver Lightsaber to school.

May the Force be with him!

Countdown to Birthday

Favorite Number 3


I love the Hempz lotion. 
I love the smell of it. 
I love it. 


That's right. I love hemp.






Oh and I love this picture of the army men.  Crewe was entertaining himself at my friends nail shop this summer.

Birthday Countdown

Birthday Favorite #2.

Of course I like money.

But as a gift.....uggg. Not that great or original. 

But you know what is great and original?

LOTS of money. Rolled up with cute ribbons, crisp bills and filling up an entire box.

GREAT GIFT.

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It's time to count down a few of my favorite things. It is harder to come up with 14 more things that I like. Everything I keep coming up with, I have used on past lists.... so here's to trying.

#1 City of Bones- The Mortal Instruments Trilogy
I have crossed over into total book nerd territory. This book has Shadowhunters, demons, faeries, vampires and other underworld critters. Total fantasy. And it was good. I started the first one a few days before we left for Montana. Then I read book 2 on Christmas and book 3 the following day. I loved that I was able to totally give myself up to reading and enjoying a totally weird world.