Happy Halloween

As most of my friends know, I am not a big Halloween fan, in fact, I avoid most of the merriment associated with the holiday. But, I loved the idea of putting Carter in a costume, so here is my attempt at participating in Halloween. If you want to see more pictures, click here.

Here's Hoping...

Here's hoping I win a super cute handbag from HandbagPlanet.com. Go check them out and enter to win a free handbag - www.handbagplanet.com. Thanks to Emma for the heads up!

Like the Corners of My Mind

My SIL, Hannah, posts memories called "Flashback Friday" on her blog and she shares funny stories of what it was like for her growing up or milestones in her life. In tribute to her, and since I will probably forget to post this by Friday, I am sharing this memory of mine for those who read this blog to laugh at. I was reminded of this by reading Monica's post on food aversions and conversions and it made me remember the horror that was school lunch for me.

My mother was deeply against buying us hot lunch at school. She felt that $.85 a day was too pricey and that we could pack our lunches cheaper with food from home. Despite our protests and pleadings that all the other cool kids bought hot lunch, she insisted that we "brown bag" it or in our case "Playmate" it. For those of you who don't know what a Playmate is (other than the girl with bunny ears) it is a small personal cooler put out by the Igloo company. In the early 90s when I was forced to start Playmating it my mom bought us all matching "Little Playmates" which where even smaller versions of the Playmate cooler with fuschia and teal accents (as I said it was the early 90s). Playmate was such an ironic name for them since they were in no way a playmate and certainly did not attract them.

In our Little Playmate there was a Rubbermaid sandwich container, drink container and ice pack. There was also usually room to store an apple, pretzels or whatever other snack item we could scrounge up when we packed our lunch five minutes before the bus arrived. Since my first day of first grade my mother never packed my lunch. She claimed that she was teaching me to be self-sufficient, but really I think she wanted to sleep in a few more minutes. My first grade teacher actually brought this up at parent-teacher conference after she noticed some of my creative choices for lunches, but my mother stood by her decision and insisted that I continue Playmating it for myself.

During one school vacation over Christmas break, I forgot to empty my Playmate and the drink container stunk so much that it had to be thrown away. Instead of buying me a new drink container which were available at Wal-Mart and several other fine retailers, my mother wanted me to live with the consequence of my negligence and replaced the plastic Rubbermaid drink container with a Ball canning jar complete with metal lid. As cruel as I think this was at least my mother was consistent and made the other kids do the same when they ruined their drink container. Not only did the canning jar make the already bulky Playmate heavier it was difficult to casually drink out of a canning jar at the lunch table. I would usually drink the whole jar while the other kids were going through the hot lunch line so they wouldn't see me tipping back a 16-ounce glass jar when they were daintily sipping out of a milk carton.

The other logistical problem with the Playmate came on the bus ride to and from school. School bus seats are built to fit two sixty pound kids with normal backpacks and the aisles are only wide enough to walk single file. When you are a large kid to begin with and then are carrying a boxy cooler that weighs ten pounds getting seated on the bus becomes tricky. Most days my brother and I would suck it up and sit together with our Playmates instead of forcing another hot-lunch-child to be embarrassed with us.

Looking back on it I still laugh that my mom, being a middle school teacher herself, sent us to school with dorky Playmate coolers knowing we would be ridiculed. I guess she wanted us to get a tough skin early on to prepare us for real life. The funny thing is, as soon as I could get a job when I was fifteen, I used that money to buy hot lunch and never Playmated it again. Sorry for the really random post but when Monica asked for comments on food aversions I couldn't help but think of how much I really hate lunch food (sandwiches in particular) to this day.

Big Bang Theory

So, as some of you know, I got my hair cut into a Pageboy on Wednesday. I blame my urge to cut it mostly on Mad Men, which I have to say, if you are not watching it...you should be! If you have Comcast you can watch all the episodes for free on OnDemand. Okay, so enough of the Mad Men plug! My other beauty inspiration, as always, is Katie Holmes. I thought this cut would make me look more sophisticated, but so far I think it is just cute and vintage-y (which is always good). Mike thinks it looks like Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction...and that's not the worst thing.

Special thank you goes out to Erika at SoHo Salon & Spa in Rye. She did a great job and was very easy to chat with. For anyone that is looking for a new stylist in NH, I highly recommend her services and the salon in general.

Here are a few pics...Mike trying to be "artsy" and put me in the "golden third" of the photo

From above

I was sick of the photo shoot at this point but I wanted to show a side view

The Times They Are a Changin'

I was late getting on the Crocs bandwagon. My old roomie, Jess, bought an imitation pair from Payless and I remember wondering why she would wear garden shoes out in public like they were regular shoes. Fast forward to Jess' wedding five months later. After getting blisters on my feet from the shoes I did bring, in desperation I bought my own pair of imitation Crocs at Payless intending only to wear them for the plane ride home and then give them to Mike to wear while mowing the lawn. Once I got used to wearing them I didn't want to take them off. Still, despite them being very comfortable, they were not the most attractive shoe to wear. Last summer when I was on the hunt for a muted metallic gold ballet flat, I bought the Crocs Prima style and was quite pleased with them until my feet started getting sweaty and the shoes would make a farting sound when I walked. Now the fashion problem was solved but now I had an even more embarrassing social problem -- faux flatulence. For the last month of my pregnancy they were pretty much the only shoes I could still wedge on my fat feet, so I swallowed my vanity because the comfort benefit was worth it. Now that we live at the camp, we still three pairs by the door for running out to the maintenance building or grabbing the mail. I usually just assess which pair is the least dirty and choose that one. Okay, now we're really sounding country.
Anyway, yesterday when I went shopping with my mom she announced that she was going to buy me a new pair of Crocs and she had read an article about a new high-heel version that we should check out. Usually my mom and I have very different opinions on what we look for in shoes. She buys shoes based on style, I buy based on fashion. When we first got to Macy's I saw the Croc heels and thought they were cute, but I really wanted them in black and they only had gold and bronze. Plus, you had to ask for your size instead of just shopping on the Croc wall and I wasn't sure I was completely in love with them. We then went to Journeys and I tried on the Sassari style there, but I still didn't love the gold and I thought there was too much material on them and I thought they would just make my feet sweaty. We tried a few more stores, but all in vain. Finally on the way out, I said, well let me just try on the Cyprus style because it only has two thin straps. Much like my first experience with Crocs I wondered how I had lived so long without them. These are the perfect blend of form and function and I highly recommend them to any woman who thought heels were always uncomfortable. These give you an extra 3-4" of height and feel like you are walking on flats!! I love them!! The funniest part of the whole experience was when I looked at the receipt they rang up as "Comfort Shoes"...I guess I am turning into a full-fledged SAHM now :)

The Best Butter Cookies. Ever.

So as my friends and family know, I am a huge fan of cookies. I love making them. I love watching people eat my cookies and of course, I love eating them myself. Usually in the summer I am on hiatus from making cookies because of the heat. This past Sunday, the weather was rainy and cool and I was bored at my parents' house waiting for them to get home. I starting browsing through the pantry and my mother's cookbooks trying to find something to make. I came across this recipe in The Taste of Home Award Winning Recipes. It only had six ingredients which made it a very appealing choice and the assembly seemed easy. My mom and I made them for the fam on Sunday night and they were delicious!!! I am making them again tonight at my house and I am already putting them on the make-in-a-hurry list. Hope you like...

Swedish Butter Cookies (courtesy of Taste of Home)

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons maple syrup
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
confectioners' sugar

Directions:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add syrup; mix well. Sift together flour and baking soda in a separate bowl; gradually add to creamed mixture. Divide dough into eight portions. Roll each portion into a 9-in. log with your hands (they will look like Play-Doh snakes) Place 3 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cut into 1-inch slices with a pizza cutter. Remove to wire racks to cool. Dust with confectioners' sugar.

Where have you been all this time?

So I haven't posted pictures in a while of Carter since we can't seem to find the battery charger for our camera. Our good friends, the Camerons, were kind enough to take some photos of Carter and our friends the Sargents and post them on their blog. So that will have to do for now. I need to become better at blogging. I am an avid blog stalker. Thanks to my SIL, Hannah, I now have Google Reader checking all my blogs for me and I am very excited when someone updates. Since admitting this to Ariane who gave me a hard time for not updating in so long I realize, I need to be blogging more. Hopefully Mike and I can find our charger to post some pics too (I always think posts are more interesting with photos).

At your request Ariane, here is the recipe for the brownies I made Sunday (courtesy of Martha):

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for pan
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
5 large eggs
3 1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, optional (I used coffee flavored Postum)
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 400, with rack in the center position.
2. Generously butter a 9 x 13 pan with butter.
3. In a double boiler or Pyrex bowl over a saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together. Mix with a rubber spatula until smooth. Set aside.
4. In a bowl, beat the eggs and sugar and espresso powder (optional) together at a high speed.
5. Lower the speed and add in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla, then slowly add in the sifted flour. Mix just until incorporated--do not overmix.
6. Fold in the chocolate chips and toasted walnuts.
7. Pour into the buttered 9 x 13 pan and bake until edges are dry, but the center still soft (about 30 minutes).

Great Performances?

For those who read my blog you may wonder why I even took the time to post this. It has been a while since I have updated the blog, and it has not been for lack of interesting things happening here at the camp. However, tonight I was trying to veg out and watch something that would help me get to sleep. I turned the TV on to PBS in hopes of Part II of the Harry Truman biography I was watching yesterday (yes I know I am a dork). Instead of a fascinating look at possibly our most reluctant president, I instead had the misfortune of seeing "Great Performances" South Pacific with Reba McEntire and Alec Baldwin. Apart from neither one of them being especially skilled at singing in musical theatre style, the cast is presenting the entire show on stage at Carnegie hall ON BOOK. How is this a great performance? Even high school students are capable of performing this material by memory. Let me be clear -- I usually LOVE the Great Performances series and other stage productions performed at Carnegie hall in an "In Concert" format. Some of my favorites include Les Miserables, Sweeney Todd, Putting it Together, and Candide. Candide is probably the best I have seen in this style for talent (Kristin Chenoweth, Patti Lupone) material (Bernstein!) and originality of staging. But I have never seen "actors" perform on book and have it be recorded for distribution. Presumably, the audience payed a hefty price for a performance at Carnegie hall only to arrive and see the entire cast unprepared for their arrival. I am still watching this in disbelief. Has anyone else seen this or others like it? Do you think it is ok and/or entertaining?

Johnny Jump Up

Before I had Carter I swore I would not be one of those parents that runs out to buy every gadget and activity station for their baby. First there was the bouncy chair, then the Bumbo, then the stand up activity bouncer, then the swing and now, the Johnny Jump Up. I think what I like most about it is that is actually something that was around when I was a baby and it keeps him occupied while I make dinner and I can still see him. It also doesn't take up very much space and it is not in shockingly bright colors. Plus, look at that face...who could say no to that?
To see more pics of my little man, check out our Flickr page.

Britney Spears Ain't Got Nothin' on Me

After Britney Spears proclaimed, "We're country!" after being asked why she would ever travel in her white Mercedes with Sean Preston on her lap I thought she was crazy. Who would ride around with a baby on her lap and let it be photographed? Well, evidently I have more in common with Britney than I thought. Pictured above is Carter and me in the John Deere Gator, our main vehicle to get around the camp. It is basically a golf cart on steroids--a four wheel drive diesel golf cart. When my mom first told me about how cool it was that Dad bought her this little get around mini tractor, I wasn't that jazzed about it, but since driving it, it is really cool! It is all enclosed so it feels more like a car and you can go ANYWHERE with it- it is amazing. Carter loves to see everything around the camp. Mike and I took him to see the foxes that live in one of the cabins just behind us and he seemed very intrigued. Don't worry, I am still walking most places, especially when Mom is here because she has made it clear that it is HER vehicle when she is here at the camp. What can I say, "We're country!"

Namaste

It may surprise some people to know, but I have been wanting to try yoga for a long time, but was too scared and didn't want to embarrass myself. Well, now that I have moved to a new town, I thought, what is there to lose? I don't know anyone here and judging from those I have seen, I don't think I will feel ugly/awkward/fat. So, I signed up for classes through the Raymond Rec Center (3 a week for 6 weeks) in hopes of getting more toned and centered. I weigh the same as I did pre-pregnancy, but things are not in the same place anymore. I have never been tight and toned, but it is driving me crazy to not at least look like my old flabby self. Anyway, I went today...alone...see Mom, I will do things by myself, and I had a really good time. For starters I am the youngest person in the class, a really refreshing feeling, especially since coming from Provo. Also, the lights were off which helped me feel more confident and the teacher was really clear as to what to do and I didn't feel "left behind" like I sometimes do in a group athletic class. I took an aerobics class once where I was always two movements behind the group...not a good feeling. I kept my balance very well and was even able to try some of the intermediate techniques. I couldn't believe it but by the end of the class I was able to balance my whole body on my elbows and shoulders and do scissor kicks in the air. I haven't done that since I was little. So, while I am a long way from doing the above pose, I was very proud of myself for trying something new and doing well at it. The teacher came up to me afterward to introduce herself to me (everyone else in the class is on a first name basis) and she thought I had done yoga before. So, yea! I have found something that requires coordination that I can do. Sorry that you had to read this written "pat on the back" but I am proud of myself and I feel great (a little sore, but great).

What a Long Strange Trip It's Been

It has been a long season of American Idol full of characters, relentless ad placement and exceedingly long results shows. And even by Idol standards, this season has been strange. I guess the producers thought tonight should be no different. I didn't get the relevance of the boxing analogies they kept trying to throw into the show. Is this a new Fox acquisition? I half expected there to be another SYTYCD reference to make the night complete, but they will probably save that for tomorrow. Please, oh please, have Mario Lopez dance like he did with the cast of A Chorus Line on DWTS. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time.

Anyway, back to the finale performances. It was obvious based on the cheers and the judges reviews that Archuleta is the favorite to win. I hope this doesn't jinx him because I have wanted him to win for a long time. I just love how earnest he is about every single performance. Even though he looks a little like a leprechaun, especially when he stands next to Seacrest, he is pitch perfect and polished every time. Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me was a predictable Clive Davis pick. If memory serves he also picked that song out for Aiken at this stage in the competition. David sang it well and I got excited when it sounded like a gospel choir was coming in for the chorus, but it was subdued and focused on him. Mark my words though, I predict a random gospel choir marching on stage tomorrow night for the results finale. I can't think of a finale that hasn't featured one. In This Moment was another predictable pick because it was a very "Archuleta song" -- lots of big notes and sounds like it could be done with Up With People. What was up with the giant anchor chain blazer he had on? Did that look weird to anyone else? Finally Imagine was even better than when he sang it the first time. I just love hearing him sing. He has a gift!! I have already voted for David 10 times. And the night is young.

David Cook also had a good night. At the beginning of the season I was not his biggest fan. I mostly hated his receding hairline comb-over swoopy bangs, but since he lost those and since my friend Holly convinced me that he is great, I have been cheering for him as well. Shelby and I joke that Carter has David Cook hair because it lays perfectly flat in the front and parts to one side and sticks straight up in the back. Clive Davis's pick for him, I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For I thought was a good choice and I think he sang it well. The second song Dream Big was chee-zay. I think he sang it well, but the song was lame. Were those really the two best songs? Lastly, The World I Know was an odd choice for me. Again, he did it well, but what a Debbie Downer song for the last song you could possibly sing on the show. And I didn't like the "vampire's night out" outfit they put him in. All he was missing was a cape. In the end, I think they both did very well tonight, and I would be happy if either won. But I would be a little happier if Archuleta won :)

p.s. Someone needs to tell Archuleta's Dad-ager to loose the Newsie cap. Someone must have told him it looked good once (mistakenly) and now he is riding that look 'til the wheels fall off. Looking in to my crystal ball, you won't be delivering papers...ever. Archie is sure to get a record contract. Give Britney her hat back.

Hallelujah

She is finally gone. The long overdue day has arrived. Now it is a real competition.

D Squared...I hope!

So now that I am back to blogging, I am very anxious to share my thoughts on tonight's AI. From what I can tell, the finals are going to be David and David and here's why.

David Archuleta: For those of you who read my blog, I have never hid the fact that I love the awkward, humble, overly peppy teen from Murray, Utah. I just love his talent and how he is so earnest about every song he approaches. Tonight was no different. For his first song, Paula chose And So It Goes. I am a huge Billy Joel fan and for once, Paula was not crazy. His second song choice was Chris Brown's With You. I have to agree with the judges that David is too white to sing this song, but I like them, applaud his effort and strategy to pick a younger sounding song. It is just so funny to me that someone who sings with such soul can rob the soul out of that song and replace it with an Up With People feel. I almost think he wanted people to join him singing while they were waving their hands back and forth in the air. For his third song, Dan Fogelberg's Longer, he gets an award for doing the most he could with such a crap song choice. When I hear that song I think my eighth grade Civics teacher listening to 98.7 The Bay and grading papers with a warm Diet Coke and an ugly dog asleep at her feet. Just something really sad like that. Luckily, the judges all agreed he could sing "The Phonebook" and they would listen. I wonder what next year's praise catchphrase will be.

David Cook: I haven't always been his biggest fan, but I think he is much more of a defined artist than Syesha is. David's first song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, was an odd choice especially since I don't think it was intended to climax at the end, but it wasn't the worst thing I've ever heard. His second song, Dare You To Move, was just what I guessed he would pick but was much more "pitchy" than I expected. His third song, Don't Want To Miss A Thing, other than being a shameless tribute to the music of Diane Warren (what AI season isn't?) was ok. I still think they should just do a Diane Warren night like they did in season three and get it over with already. He sang it exactly as I thought he would and I think he will make it do the finals.

Which brings me to my least favorite contestant, Syesha. Aside for every mannerism she does annoying me, I just don't think she is a defined performer. She is like an actress doing a performance of what a performer should do, not what she actually is thinking and feeling. Her first song, If I Ain't Got You, was a Xerox of the original with a few additional flourishes. Her second song, Fever, was painful to watch. Yes, Syesha, you are attractive. Yes, dancing around a chair is sexy. No, you should not combine the two with a really old song on the semi-finals of American Idol. I know like four other people saw the movie The Fighting Temptations (and as mentioned in an earlier post, Black Cinema is one my guilty pleasures) but her performance tonight was almost a complete replica of Beyonce's performance in that movie. She even did the Beyonce signature side-lunge. Bad form, Syesha. Her last song, the Happy Feet song was lame. Be yourself, not a copy of other performers! She honestly would be my first choice if they were casting a biopic about a black female performer. She would probably be able to imitate them perfectly. For next week, they get to pick their favorite song from the season and I REALLY don't want her to sing Change is Gonna Come and I know she would choose it. Once was self-indulgent enough, twice would be unbearable.

Keep voting for either of the Davids. The lines are open for just a few more hours!!

I'm Baaaaack

So after a month of silence, I am back to blogging. I hope I don't ever need to take a break that long again. I will post pictures of our new digs in NH, but for now I am not ready. I still need to hang things on the wall so it looks more like a real home. I promise...photo documentation of our new place will be on soon.

It has been a long month away. April was jam packed with finishing school, finishing work, finals, graduation, packing, moving, leaving Carter for the first time, and unpacking at our new house. The drive was loooooong and I glad we don't have to do it again any time soon. Leaving and being away from Carter for three days was much harder than I thought it would be, and again, I am glad I don't have to do it again any time soon. Our new house is great! We love living here already. It is really nice to have a place to ourselves and still be close to family. I think it is a great blend. Our new ward as been very welcoming and we are excited to be part of a new "family".

Our life here is very different than life in Provo. I don't see pregnant women every day when I go to the store and in fact, when I do go out shopping in the middle of the day with all the other "stay-at-home-moms" it is seldom that I even see another baby for Carter to meet. Raymond is a special town. It has a very unique blend of inhabitants as do most New England towns. "In Town" which is really just one main street, I would probably feel more comfortable if I owned my own Camaro...or had feathered bangs that wreak of Aussie hair products...or a rose tattoo...or taper legged jeans...or mirrored sunglasses purchased at a gas station ...or a smile like a jack-o-lantern...am I painting a clear enough picture? Anyway, the locals are friendly and I enjoy the show when I go "downtown". Mike and I have even started working on our accents for interactions with Raymond residents. We try to remember to start each sentence with "Yeahr I was..." as in "Yeahr I was wonderin' how fah it is to the nearest Wal-Maht." Mike has been practicing his Raymond accent out on Shelby at the Routes by prank calling her first thing in the morning. She thinks it is annoying, I think it is hilarious.

In any case we are glad to be back in NH and look forward to reacquainting with all of our friends here. I am sure I will have many more interesting stories to share while we are here.

The Elite Eight

So, I am happy to learn that a few people enjoy reading my weekly posts on American Idol, so back by popular demand, I am continuing to write my review of the performances. Tonight was Idol Gives Back Night and just like every multi-million dollar enterprise that is forced by conscience and a chance for really good PR to "give back" they spent a good portion of the night congratulating themselves on a job well done. I thought there were a few performances worthy of note and others I could stand to live without.

#1: Michael Johns: He did an alright job with his song and he is definitely someone I like to watch, but I wasn't blown away by his performance. I think he deserves to be around another week.

#2: Syesha Mercado: Does the vocal coach hate her, or is she really that self-confident? Week after week she chooses huge songs that have been done by big-voiced performers and then is shocked when the judges compare her amateur version to the professional. I was never really enamored by Fantasia mostly because she cannot construct an intelligible sentence if her life depended on it, but I did think she was talented. Even though she hasn't translated well to a broad audience, she has found some success with her book and subsequent made-for-TV movie Life is Not a Fairy Tale which warns African-American young women of the hardships of poverty, lack of education and teenage pregnancy (because that topic has never been covered before). In any case, if you are going to cover a song that has made someone famous, you better "saaang it" as Randy says. I look at her with her Afro-tastic hair and keep waiting for Jennifer Hudson or Melinda Doolittle's voice to come out but instead it is a restrained, covered kitten sound when she means to be a tigress. She also provided us with the first Mariah Carey moment of season 7 with the up-in-the-rafters falsetto near the end of the song. Way to make it your own and call dogs from three blocks away. I really don't care for her attitude when the judges criticize her performance. Clearly she thought she did better. I wouldn't mind seeing her go so I wouldn't need to see that audacious self regard again.

#3: Jason Castro: How I love you so. Even though Mike and I both hate the song he did (we both think it is "the" slideshow song) he did it up well. I really appreciate how committed he is to his hippie persona (dreds, skinny jeans, awkwardly low cut v-neck shirts with vintagey looking cardigans). He really gets what his strength is and I love that he seem genuinely happy to perform each week. As a side note, each time he smiles he reminds me of Mike's cousin Sarah and so it is another pleasant memory to see him each week. I hope he makes it through.

#4: Kristy Lee Cook: I have not been shy in expressing my dislike for Kristy this entire season and tonight was no different. Once again, she partied like it was 1999. Every time I see her a flood of high school memories comes back and I wonder how she has stayed in her time capsule for so long. Glittery gold tank and bootcut white jeans with a glittery gold belt. It reminds me of some one you would see entering Inferno night club on a Thursday night. Her singing was "pitchy" although the judges didn't seem too bothered by it. Each week when she sings I find myself raising my eyebrows and tilting my head forward hoping it will somehow help her to slide up to the right note.

#5: David Cook: Even though I don't like Kristy, David's song choice for tonight was way off. I am not the biggest fan of Our Lady Peace (again reminds me of high school and not in the good way) and I couldn't understand a majority of the lyrics of his song. The whole thing just sounded muddled and growly. I have to agree with Simon that the Sgt. Pepper white peacoat was a bad wardrobe choice. And I have to disagree with Paula that the "give back" written on his sweaty palm with a ball point pen was deep important message to get out. The show is called Idol Gives Back. We get it.

#6: Carly Smithson: I have to think the vocal coach on the show hates her too. The theme for the night was inspirational music not angry/sad reflections on a world gone wrong. Don't get me wrong, I love, love, love Queen. They are one of my favorite groups and I think Freddie Mercury was one of the most brilliant rock vocalists of all time. But if you are going to pick a Queen song, a. Make sure it fits with the theme of the show and b. "Saaang" it well. The way Carly sang it made it sound angry and shouty. She is also on my could-go-home list.

#7: Sweet Sweet David Archuleta: Even as reports surface of his overbearing stage dad David continues to impress with his earnest delivery of well chosen pop standards. Who cares if his Dad-ager yells at him and shames him in front of the other contestants? The proof is in the pudding. Look how well the Simpson girls have done with Daddy Joe at the helm. Parents know how to manipulate in a way that others can't. Whatever his "home" situation, David is sailing through to the next round.

#8: Brooke "the nanny" White: Speaking of time machines, I'd like to see where Brooke found her look for the night. Completely authentic female singer-songwriter garb from the 70s with her brown daisy print dress and her long wavy fanned back hair. Not surprisingly she sang Carole King's You Got a Friend. She didn't really do anything original with the song and did not wow me with her performance skills. She seems like someone who is desperately awaiting the return of Lilith Fair when her music will once again be appreciated. I just wish she would be more creative and imaginative in preparing to sing classic songs we all know. Right now she sounds like coffee house karaoke and I don't think that will win her the competition.

Last year on Idol Gives Back night, they didn't vote anyone off but voted two people off the following week with the combined scores of both performance nights. I wonder if they will do that again this year, or if they will ax someone tomorrow on the star-studded, ad-filled "results" show. Each week it seems less and less about the contestants and results and more and more about product placement and performance opportunities for professionals. I am sure tomorrow will be no different.

La Cucaracha

On my lunch break today I went to Old Navy because I was told there was really good baby clearance there. While I was there I came across this little "Newsie" hat (the last one). It reminded me of my Papa who frequently wears this type of hat in the summer. When I got home Shelby and I excitedly changed Carter into this ultra preppy look complete with the little hat. By the time we were done dressing him he no longer was in a smiley mood but we were still determined to get some cute pictures of him (they are posted on our Flickr page). Shelby got desperate and started singing "La Cucaracha" to him to make him smile. He didn't get ecstatic, but did manage to smile a bit for our queer little video. Hope you like...

Dominique Moceanu I am not

It is not breaking news to anyone that I am not athletic. That being said, I still thought I had some basic tumbling abilities since I was a relatively active kid. My friend Katie used to humor me when we were kids by listening to my dreams of athletic prowess. I always wanted to be a figure skater or a gymnast. We used to go to her sister Kelley's meets and watch her excel at this sport. Looking back on it now, it is so comical to imagine my tubby, uncoordinated self watching Kelley and thinking I could do that someday. Luckily I was raised by parents who didn't pull any punches and told me that was something I would never be good at. I guess I didn't realize that at 27 I still didn't believe them.

When Molly, Shelbs and Elza came over tonight and explained to me that Molly and Shelbs couldn't do a somersault I laughed at them. "Even I can do a somersault!" I said confidently. I truly, passionately believed that I could do a somersault. I mean, can't everyone? When asked to demonstrate my abilities I was weighed in the balance and found wanting. It felt so weird to even attempt it. My first couple of tries were weak at best and Mike voiced his disappointment with me. So I made him do one which he did pretty easily. Well then I was determined to be able to do it. Anything he can do, I can do better, right? After two more REALLY embarrassing attempts I finally was able to do a somersault! With my new found skill I quickly turned to my more comfortable role as a Bela Karolyi-like mentor and began "spotting" Molly and Shelby. They now believed if I could do it, anyone could. Molly captured these delightful memories on video, but thankfully has not posted them. Looking in to my crystal ball I don't see Olympic gold in my future, but I should be able to teach Carter how to somersault when he is old enough. He's already rolling so that's a start.

"You just keep me hanging on..."

Why, oh why are Kristy Lee Cook and Ramiele Malubay still on Idol? Has America gone deaf? I predicted Kristy wouldn't go home since she was practically waving a flag and auditioning for the next Toby Keith video. There is, unfortunately, a large segment of America that eats that stuff up. However, who is voting for Ramiele? She wasn't even in the bottom three!!! I wasn't too sad to see Chikezie go because I have never been his biggest fan, but he didn't do that bad of a job last night. He certainly did better than Ramiele. Oh well, Kristy and Ramiele have hung on for another week...and next week is Dolly Parton week. This should be interesting.

American Idol...A Perfect 10?

So as I mentioned in my AI post two weeks ago I am sick and tired of the judges telling me that this year is the best top ten ever. From what I saw tonight, I have to disagree. Tonight's theme was "Songs from the year you were born". Each year this episode brings out a wild card element, but I think it still gives them a ton of freedom in making song selections. Here are my thoughts from tonight's episode:

#1: Ramiele Malubay - First of all she is certainly not #1 in my book, at least not for singing. Her "performance" of Heart's "Alone" was flat, shrieky and painful to watch. Also, her eighties "tribute" outfit left much to be desired. Of all the eighties trends to rock, high-wasted baggy trousers and an off-the-shoulder diagonal stripe shirt is the best you could do? It looked like an outfit from a Newport cigarette ad circa 1989.

#2: Jason Castro - His song choice of Sting's "Fragile" was a good choice for his style. I don't know why the judges don't quite get who he is yet. He reminds me of a Jack Johnson mixed with Lenny Kravitz. Let him do his thing. Although I don't think this was his best week, it was loads better than "Michelle" last week. He is who he is and I like that he does his own understated thing. I don't think he'll win it, but if all else fails he can move to Durham, NH and play at the MUB.

#3: Syesha Mercado - Shelby has never liked her and although she doesn't annoy me as much as she does Shelby, she is not my favorite. In her videos she seems like someone who knows exactly how "cute" she is and tries to play up all of her "endearing" qualities. I know she is in her mid-twenties, but everytime I see her I picture her as a little kid in a Welch's grape juice commercial. My Memere always hated Welch's kids, and I am afraid I now do as well. Her performance of "If I Was Your Woman" definitely wasn't bad and I think she deserves to be in another week. Sorry Shelbs!

#4: Chikezie - Finding out this week that his parents are from Nigeria actually made me less annoyed that his name is Chikezie Eze. Being in Utah for 2 years now I am just used to made up names (ie. Kenessa) and I assumed this was one of them. While Chikezie's performance was old-fashioned, it wasn't painful, and for that alone he deserves another shot. He is another one that falls into the "Welch's" category for me, so I don't know that I will ever love him, but I could like him for another week.

#5: Michael Johns - Finally someone that doesn't make me feel old! He was born in 1979, so he is a solid 3 years older than I am. I thought it was pretty gutsy for him to think he could pull off Queen. Freddy Mercury is usually regarded as one of the top rock tenors of all time, so if it were me I wouldn't want to give people a chance to compare the performances. He was pitchy and doesn't do well in his higher register, but he is so darn charming, I hope he makes it through for another week.

#6: Carly Smithson - "Total Eclipse of the Heart" -- if I never had to hear that song again it would be too soon. Whenever I hear it I think of sweaty, awkward boys asking me to dance at church dances and it makes me feel embarrassed for both of us all over again. She is a also a hard person to watch sing. She has weird Boris and Natasha eyebrows that make her look angry when she sings.

#7: Brooke White - I laughed out loud when she re-started her song after singing a wrong first note. She handled it well, but I don't know why the judges kept praising her for her "professionalism". She was once again trying to be very dramatic with her delivery of "Every Breath You Take" and I don't like her turning the show into Lilith Fair each week for her performance. All in all it was not the worst performance of the night, so she should stay around. Speak of the devil, that brings us to...

#8: Kristy Lee Cook - Where to start? She is playing her cards right to sing a patriotic song ("God Bless the USA") complete with cymbal flourishes and a brass section that came in at the end. Who can vote off the girl who loves her country? I don't know if the judges went momentarily deaf, but her "money notes" were flat. With all the talk they keep saying about being relevant and modern I am surprised they like her. She is dated, and not in an old school, throw-back kinda way, but in a late 90s, small town, country type of way. Even though this wasn't her worst song, I hope she gets voted off.

#9: David Archuleta - Sweet, sweet, David. Normally David can do no wrong for me, but tonight's performance seemed too Mickey Mouse Club/Kids Incorporated. He still has a great voice and deserves to be in the competition and I am glad he tried to pick a more upbeat song, but at least choose a song other people know. And perform less in the Up With People style.

#10: David Cook - I didn't feel his cover of a cover was as inspired as the judges, but it wasn't terrible. Once again, I think he takes it too seriously. "Billie Jean" is not a serious, thought-provoking song. Quit singing it like it is Shakespeare.

Well that is it. I am not exactly sure if I got the order right, but that doesn't matter as much. For those who can't watch Idol with me, those are my thoughts on tonight's show.

I Love Jimmy's Love Bug!!!

I dropped off the Audi today to get the brakes looked at Jimmy's Love Bug here in Provo. Steve, the guy who unlocked the shop to take the car in this morning, was very nice and didn't make me feel stupid. Most times when I bring the car in to a mechanic I get eye rolls and mocking from the staff. But Steve was very nice and he assured me he would find out what was wrong. After walking to work from their shop I hoped that the repair would not be too pricey or extensive. He called me at 11:25 a.m. to report that I needed new front and rear brakes and that a spring from the back had fallen into the rotor. I braced for the bad news. Then he said that with parts and labor, the bill would come to $225 and I could pick it up at 12:30 p.m.!!! After getting off the phone with Steve, the girl that sits on the other side of my cube at work made fun of me that I had said, "Really?" and "Great!!" like 15 times. I just couldn't believe what a change this was from dealing with the Ken Garff Audi dealership. They quoted me $1,200 and couldn't get me in for a week. Jimmy's took me in the day after I called and finished my vehicle in just a few hours. Also, when they saw me walking back to their shop, they got my keys and invoice ready and met me at the door. I was very impressed with their service and with the politeness of their staff. Steve must have told me five times, "Thank you for your business", "Thanks for coming in" and their office smelled and looked like my dad's glass shop back home, so it was a pleasant memory. I would definitely take our car back to Jimmy's any time and would recommend them to any other VW/Audi owners. Thanks John for the great tip!! You saved us a ton of money and hassle.

Tips for appearing on American Idol

Maybe I am overly cynical, but this year the Idol competition seems too neat and planned. The contestants look a little too "United Colors of Beneton" for me and sometimes their intro videos and post-song comments seem a bit rehearsed. So here for you are tips I've noticed the Idols have been using to their greatest advantage.

Tip #1: Make sure you look like a video game avatar. Jason Castro and Amanda Overmeyer are guiltiest on this count, but they keep making it through, so it must be working. Every time I see them all lined up, it looks the character selection screen on Karaoke Revolution.

Mike: "You got to be the skinny guy with dreds last time...it's my turn!"
Me: "Ok, but I get to be the biker chic with skunk hair"

Tip #2: Close your eyes when you sing a non-important song to make yourself seem deep and relevant. David Cook and Brooke White are this tip's culprits. David sang "Hello...it is me you're looking for" almost entirely with his eyes closed. Yes, Lionel Richie pop tunes can be very poignant. Brooke did this for "Love is a Battlefield". Who doesn't close their eyes to ponder the wisdom of "...we are young. Heartache to heartache we stand" Spoken with the depth of a 7th grade poetry assignment.

Tip #3: Mention something indisputably sad to garner sympathy and support from viewers. Now this may seem like a bad tip especially for Asia'h Eperson who mentioned several times that her father passed away days before her Idol audition and what a strong soul she was for pursuing her dream in the midst of tragedy. True, but she still got voted off before the final 12. With that exception, David Archuleta has used this tip when he received criticism for singing Phil Collins' "Another Day in Paradise" by mentioning this song brings attention to those who don't have anything. Can't really fight with that...and he made it through to the next round. Michael Johns used this tip tonight when he received pans for this performance of "A Day in the Life" (one of the worst song choices of the season...a close second behind Kristy Lee Cook's "Eight Days a Week"). He brought up the fact that he chose the song for his best friend who died last year. It will be interesting to see if that saves him. Carly Smithson also tried this technique tonight when she explained to Simon her song choice of "Blackbird" saying that she felt like she had broken wings and now she is free and flying. This was a painfully awkward moment to watch. Trying to explain feelings to Simon is like trying to explain to Paula why she doesn't need to tell the contestants she feels their color...it just won't work. In any case, we'll see if America wants to see her "fly" for another week.

Tip #4: Wear as many trends in one outfit as you can. Ramiele Malubay is guilty of this each and every week usually wearing a corset, leggings, ankle booties and her hair styled in a ridiculous swoop. She looks like young Paula Abdul. Maybe that's why she keeps getting voted through...It is certainly not because of vocal chops or fantastic song selection.

Tip #5: Cry for every loss on the results show. This tip has worked for everyone except Danny Noriega (thankfully). Each results show you can count on Ramiele and Brooke turning on the water works. The directors of the show must employ a separate camera man to capture these "endearing" moments on film.

I am sure I will notice more Idol trends as the season goes on, but that is what I have observed so far. Stay tuned tomorrow to see who gets voted off!!

Am I the new Rachael Ray?

So, one of my guilty pleasures besides watching reality TV... black cinema... and Patrick Dempsey is watching the Food Network. I especially like Paula Deen, Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray. As annoying and rambling as she can be, I enjoy the fact that she encourages you to be creative and take liberties with your favorite recipes. She also combines dishes to incorporate her favorite elements of each one. Lately, I have begun to take some risks with recipe creation. Some have been misses and I probably won't repeat. But last night I created a delicious combination that blends Mike's Norwegian heritage and my French heritage. So without further delay, I share with you Krumkake Krêpes. (I know that crêpes is spelled with a C, but it looks better spelled with a K in this instance...ok I am queer) Anyway, what I love about it is that it has the taste of the Krumkake that I really like, but the flexible consistency of a crêpe. Mike loved these so much that he asked me to make them again tonight and invited Emma and John over to try them. They weren't able to come, but that just meant more for us to enjoy! We just eat them with a little butter and powdered sugar and roll them up. I thought this weekend we would try them filled with scrambled eggs and crumbled bacon with a little maple syrup drizzled on top. Mmmmmm.... Well for those who care, here is the recipe. I hope you like.

2 c. flour
4 eggs
2 c. milk
4 T. melted unsalted butter
1/4 t. salt
1 1/2 t. cardamon
2 t. vanilla
1/4 c. sugar

Mix all ingredients with a whisk.

Spray a non-stick frying pan with cooking spray and heat on medium heat.

Pour just under 1/2 c. of batter into the pan and immediately start turning it in circles to coat the bottom of the pan.

Cook for a few minutes. You will see small bubbles form and the top of the crêpe will start to look dull.

Flip with a rubber spatula and cook for a few more minutes on the other side.

Here's my best attempt at a Rachael Ray pic...

3 Months!!!

I can hardly believe how fast the time has gone by -- Carter is 3 months old today! He is improving quickly and getting over his RSV. He still has a bit of a cough, but he is sleeping well and eating well and breathing without a struggle. What an agonizing week last week! I still can't believe how much my life has changed since Carter was born. I feel like I am not in control of my emotions any more. If he is unhappy, I am unhappy. He really is a such a good baby and hopefully all our kids will be this easy. For his "birthday" today we gave him a bath and we put him in his BYU jersey. Admittedly, that was mostly for Mike's benefit, but it was cool to see how much he's grown. When we first brought him home, we thought it would be a lot longer before we could put him in the jersey. At his doctor's appointment last week he weighed 14 lbs. We need to measure how long he is again, because he seems to be so stretched out -- just very long and lean. I wish I had that problem. Maybe he will start to look more filled out (like Mike and I) soon.

Better News

I am happy to report that Carter is doing a lot better. When I came home from work yesterday he was starting to look like himself again. He is breathing better and not coughing as much. He slept for most of yesterday and most of last night. Hopefully he will continue to improve.
Carter is such a trooper. Even at the doctor's office on Wednesday and Thursday he was smiling at the doctor and trying to be happy even though he was very uncomfortable. The doctor told me that for as sick as Carter was he was amazed that he was still smiling. We are so lucky to have such a happy little boy!

Sad News

Sad news...yesterday we found out that Carter has RSV. I am bringing him in again today to get looked at by a doctor. We are trying our best to make him comfortable and to help him get well as soon as possible. Please keep him in your prayers. More later...

The Dirty Dozen

I had been waiting all day to see the top 12 perform on American Idol tonight. I don't watch many TV shows religiously, but I can honestly say I don't think I have missed an episode of American Idol since it came on the air in 2001. I just love the idea of talented undiscovered people being given a chance to perform in front of a huge audience and I love judging each performer from the comfort of my living room. Each season I have my picks of who is good, who I can't stand, who needs a life coach...etc. Each season I listen to the judges proclaiming that the talent is unbelievable and usually I agree with most of their picks. For some reason, this year I am just not hearing it. With the exception of David Archuleta and Jason Castro, I am not hearing anyone that is truly original and/or extraordinarily talented. The judges keep talking about how so and so has a big huge voice, and I can't say I agree. I'm sure my friends at work are sick of hearing me say how underwhelmed I am each day after the Idols perform, but I am still waiting to be blown away. I would also like it if the producers took away the crazy potion in Paula's Coke glass. She has always been a little wacky, but this season she is close to incoherent.
I think part of the reason I didn't enjoy AI as much tonight is that Carter is still sick and I gave most of my attention and energy to him trying to make him feel better. My friends Monica & Jeremy came over to watch the top 12 tonight and I am glad I have converted more fans to the show. Since Hannah moved, I haven't really had people to watch the show with me. It is just more fun to discuss the performances while they are going on. For tomorrow's vote off, I think Kristy Lee Cook will go home. She is by far the weakest performer and tonight's country rendition of Eight Days A Week was terrible. Sweet David Archuleta forgot a few of the words of his song and tonight was definitely not his best, but he is so cute and has done so many other great performances that I think he'll be fine tomorrow night. We will see...

"How's the sicky?"

The day I knew would come has come at last...Carter has his first cold! I was really hoping by a miracle that he wouldn't get sick while I am still working, but alas, he has a stuffy nose and a little cough. I tried to justify it as allergies since I have been afflicted with those this past week since the weather has warmed up. Now that he is coughing I can't deny it any more. At his last check up the doctor told me it was normal for babies to get 6-10 colds a year. I nodded, but I thought, "I am sure that happens to other babies, but not my baby!" If you know me at all, you know that every time I say I am grateful for something good, something bad always happens. Usually I will comment on how clear my skin is or how I haven't had a headache in who knows how long. Inevitably, the next day I am squinting through a headache looking at breakout in the mirror. So I had to know this was coming. I told Shelby after the appointment, "Carter hasn't gotten a cold yet. I am really grateful for that." And here we are.
Even though I know it is normal for babies to get a little cold, I wasn't prepared for how sad it makes me to hear him cough or appear uncomfortable in any way. I am sure he will get better soon. He at least is sleeping and not fussy unless we are trying to clean out his nose. Mike will be home with him tomorrow, so I hope he is good for him.

First Post

I have been avoiding starting a blog because I was worried I wouldn't know what to write about or how to best share my thoughts. For those who know me, this may be a surprising admission, but this has honestly been my stumbling block. I bumped into a friend yesterday who said to me, "Oh please, you have PLENTY to say. If I can keep a blog, so can you." So, today I finally bit the bullet and started our very own blog.

I figured it would be a good idea for me to start this before we move (in 6 weeks, 5 days...can you tell I am excited?). This way I am already in the habit of blogging before we leave and my schedule changes dramatically.

For those who don't know, Mike, Carter and I are moving back to NH after Mike graduates in April. Currently, I work at a Public Relations firm here in Provo and I am eagerly awaiting being a full-time mom when we move and Mike is working full-time.

I can't believe we are so close to finishing up school. When I first got to Provo in January of 2006 it felt like we would never be done and so much of our life plans were unsure. Mike and I had dated long distance and for two firstborn, dominant personalities living together, our first year of marriage was definitely an adjustment. Once we made it to the one year mark, it felt like our life became much more even-keel. Then, last December, we had our little boy, Carter, and he has made us happier than we even thought possible. Becoming a mother has been a hard, but very fulfilling event in my life and I am grateful every day that we were blessed to welcome Carter to our family. Now that we are nearing the end of our stay in Utah, it feels like it has gone by very quickly. I am looking forward to us starting a new chapter of our lives in New Hampshire.

Well, I guess that is it for tonight. Welcome to our new blog. I feel very much like Doogie Howser, but maybe that feeling will lessen with time.