Janette Rallison

With Dustin out of town this week, I spent a lot of time reading. One of the books I read was by an author named Janette Rallison. I've read a couple of her books before, and I always find them to be just OK. But for some reason I keep reading them because I am so drawn to her main characters. Each of her books I've read (3 so far) has 1 main character who is a high school girl. She is always:
1. Somewhat selfish and ego0centric (though not aware of it)
2. Making big mistakes ( due to aforementioned characteristics)
3. Getting in trouble
4. Paying for her mistakes, and learning from them (and I LOVE that there are consequences for her choices. Always a good principle.)
5. Having a happy ending, even if it's not the one she thought she wanted.

Janette does such a great job depicting the high school scene. And I think her portrayal of a teenage girl is pretty accurate as well. Her books are a little less than 200 pages, and a very easy quick read. I usually finish them in 1 day of dedicated reading. So if you're looking for a book to change things up, give one of hers a try.

Top 10

So... I've been thinking this over, and I've decided to make my own top 10 list. Just like David Letterman. Here goes.

The top 10 ways you know you watch too much American Idol
10. You hear Paula make a normal sounding comment, and you wonder what's wrong.
9. You dream that you're auditioning for Idol, and Simon says you were "very cabaret"
8. You notice half way through the season when they changed the opening credits
7. You actually know who Nigel Lythgoe is
6. You start to think that Simon is right on with all his comments.
5. Idol is a priority on your DVR
4. The morning after Idol, you dance around the house singing all the contestant's songs wishing you were them. Ok maybe that's just me.
3. You've downloaded Idol songs, backgrounds, screen savers etc... (Just admit it!)
2. Rain, hail, sleet and snow will not keep you from the season finale.
1. You dream that Ryan Seacrest loves you.

This, of course, does NOT describe me in any way, shape, or form. I just happen to know these things.

There's No Place Like Home

It seems like I am never home any more! I am so glad to be back in my personal Eden for the next... who knows. We just got back from a week long trip to Utah. I got to see my niece be blessed and as a special bonus stayed a few extra days to play with family. I'd like to give a special thanks to Steven & April, Mark & Shelley for letting us stay at your houses. Also, thanks to Keri for taking so much time out of your busy schedule to play with us. Lastly, I'd like to thank Taya, Bryson, Taylor and Katelyn for all your patience, and also for being such good cousins to Michael. I feel like I'm accepting an Emmy. I can hear the music now......
Enjoy the pics!

One of my favorite pictures of Dustin and Michael to date. I think this is the first time ever Michael has smiled in a pool. He really hates swimming.

I couldn't resist posting this one! This is my wonderful mother in law and for those of you who don't know that hazards of newborn baby diaper changing, that's not mustard.

This is Micahel and my sister Keri chasing the ducks back into the Botany pond at BYU. He cried when we had to leave the ducks. And Keri.

This is Micahel and his cousin Bryson dancing around. I really don't think the picture needs any further explanation--who doesn't like dancing in the diapers?

Michael and Bryson are only 3 months apart and even have matching car seats. They're like 2 peas in a pod. Whenever we went somewhere there was a lot of fruit snacks and singing involved ( as pictured here).

Micahel and Bryson at the Children's aquarium. Have I ever mentioned the fact that Michael LOVES fish, sharks, etc.--he thought he had died and gone to heaven.

Torture

I can't help that my teeth are made of sugar.
Every time I go to the dentist I have a cavity. Even if it's just a little one that requires no anesthesia, it's still there to mock me and my ever tarnished record.
My poor husband, who NEVER gets cavities, thinks that teeth composition should be part of a premarital survey so you know whether or not to start a savings account for all the future work to be done.
So there I am. In the chair. Bright lights on my face. An 8 month pregnant hygienist poking me with her belly in my ear every time she leans in to get some work done. And she was a talker. You know what I mean. The kind that asks questions while you're sitting there and expects you to answer while she holds a mirror, a sucking tube and a strange poking torture device in your mouth simultaneously.
She started scraping around and complimenting me on how nice my teeth look, how I have no tarter, etc. etc. I'm thinking " I know, I know. When your teeth are made of sugar you have to brush, floss, and fluoride religiously. " And then the inevitable. "Uh oh," she says. "Looks like someone has a cavity." As though I didn't see that coming. And like she needed to refer to me as 'someone' as though there was another patient beside myself currently sitting in that cubicle of death.
And so the torture continued for a full half hour. She continued to TRY to draw blood by poking each and every inch of my gums ( a supposed test for my gum health), and then ratted me out to the dentist about that little soft spot in the lingual of tooth 2. Whatever that means.
I hate the dentist.