Weekend Adventures

We had some fun outings this weekend.

Friday evening we went to the temple grounds because Leah likes to play (reverently, of course) in the fountains. Samuel slept through the whole thing. Then we went to the creamery for some ice cream. Yum!

Saturday, Chris took the GRE. We spent the afternoon relaxing by playing a few video games. We got Lemmings for our PSP. Remember the original Lemmings game for PC? The very one! It has the same levels, but way better graphics. Talk about a trip down memory lane...

After our pizza dinner, we spent a few minutes outside flying a kite. It was very windy and turned out to be too cold after about 10 minutes. Leah enjoyed it for a few minutes, and then stood in one place crying--she was extremely ready for bed.

Once the kids were in bed, we folded several weeks worth of laundry while watching a few episodes of Lost. We're addicted (to Lost, not laundry) After getting all our laundry put away I noted that I will start all over again on Monday.

So while we had Spring on Friday, Saturday was Fall, and Sunday was definately Winter, having gotten several inches of fresh snow dumped on our wonderland. *sigh* How I long for Spring to stick around for a while!

What Chris has been up to

By popular request, this post is about Chris.

Chris has been doing really well at work and has had some great opportunities lately. A few weeks ago, he was invited to present during an EdNet training, which is streamed live over the Internet to all the Voc Rehab offices in the state. He did a great job and was subsequently invited to participate on an interview panel in Salt Lake City. That's where he is today. Tomorrow morning he will take the GRE. Despite the busyness of life working full time, studying, and preparing presentations, Chris also takes time regularly to play with his kids and read to them, make dinner more often than not, clean the house, teach Elders' Quorum once a month, work out several times a week, and still have time to play!

Every time he comes home, he is greeted by a frazzled wife who exhaustedly faints into his arms and a happy two year old who runs to greet him with a hug. The baby always has a smile ready for his Daddy, who is always extremely goofy. How we love SuperDad!

A sample of Chris' tasty cuisine for the whole family:

PSP Blogging

I'm posting this from our new PSP using a wlan connection. This thing
plays games, movies, music, stores pictures and video, and has a web
browser.
Cool, huh? Unfortunately, it doesn't change diapers. Typing is time
consuming, though. Thanks Robert and Dalia!

Project Completed!

Here are some pictures of Leah in her Easter dress that I finally finished today. I started early (like, 3 weeks ago) and then took a week and a half hiatus...then scrambled this week to finish the sleeves and the hem. Here is the final product. A little baggy, very shiny and very Disney Princess-like (not intentional). If I have time, I will finish a matching vest for Samuel that I cut out...who knows if I'll have time with only one more day until Easter.

I wanted to layer the yellow lace over the satin for the bodice because I had a dress like that when I was a little girl, and it brings me happy memories (only mine was orange, I think...)

Total time: probably about 15 hours, but I wasn't keeping track.
Total cost: $30. I could have bought one for less, but I didn't want sleeveless, and this way I could make it longer on her so she can wear it all summer.
Total lifeline calls: 3.

Obviously, she wouldn't sit still for a picture, but isn't she a beautiful little girl?

On Becoming a Star OR Uninhibited Wanderings of the 2am Mind

I wrote that blog title at 2:00 this morning because I was blogging in my head while I was up feeding the baby. Here's why:

Since I've been following this season of American Idol, I've once again become obsessed with wanting to audition just to see how far I could make it--rather, I'm curious if Simon wouldn't turn me away at the door. One day a couple years ago I started memorizing the words to and practicing a Nellie Furtado song because the auditions were coming to SLC and so I needed to learn a really hip song. (Of course, now that I'm older and wiser, I know you could sing the national anthem for all they care...) I chickened out, or rather wasn't in the least bit committed and likely forgot. But really, I'm curious if the judges would like me.

Please journey with me through the musings of a sleep-deprived hopeful...

There are several problems with my American Idol dream that filter through my mind while I'm up in the middle of the night. First, what would I sing for my audition? I used to think I would sing a Jewel song, but then last season they had Jewel as a guest judge during auditions. How mortifying would that be to sing a Jewel song in front of Jewel? There's always Dixie Chicks, but somehow I don't think that would bode well with Simon (don't get me started on what I think of Simon...)

It occurred to me at 2:00am that without question I would sing "Misty," which has become my signature song and which I even sang for my husband at our wedding reception. The best part is that I've never heard a recording of it, so how I sing it is all me, and I know the words like the back of my hand.

Second problem: I'm a huge copycat. Humor me and lets just imagine that I was really good and got to, say, the top 12. Doing popular covers week after week, the judges would catch on that I sing them all exactly like the original artist and would criticize me for my lack of individuality and personality and whatever. The real question is, what style do I sing? and I really don't know. I don't have my own style. My favorite songs to sing are very classical, operatic, or from a musical, and as I said already, anything on the radio I sing exactly how I hear it. (Of course, at 2am it doesn't occur to me that perhaps there is a more refined talent competition I could enter...)

Lets not forget to mention that I am a terrible performer, can't dance a lick, I'm awful at remembering lyrics, and I take any kind of criticism or rejection way too personally. Plus, I just don't look the part of the next American Idol.

Okay. It's out of the closet: I want to be the next American Idol. All things considered, I'm still just a little curious.