Oh nanny!

Kate, Sean, and Ellie-Jane are home for the summer. Sometimes I watch Ellie-Jane (usually just for few minutes). When Kate needs me to watch Ellie-Jane, she comes down the hall and says "Oh nanny!" all sing-songy. The problem is that Ellie-Jane has started calling me Nanny. Oh my!

Ellie-Jane seems to enjoy coming into my room. I think it's because I have new things to play with (like stamps!) and new books, which are too long for her attention span. I think she also likes the idea that she usually gets to do what she wants when she is in my room (under close supervision of course).

24 Things You Probably Didn't (or Maybe You Did) Know About Me

In honor of turning 24 this week, I've decided to list 24 things that you might not know about me:

1. I don't have a middle name. Even though it is a tradition in my dad's family, I still feel a little jipped. I've decided that one of the things I'm going to do when I get married is buy a nice terry robe and get it monogrammed with my 3 initials. My daughters will probably have 2 middle names to make up for this complex (not really, but chances are they will have middle names).

2. If I could travel anywhere in the world, I would go to Tahiti. I saw these bungalows that were over the reef in a bridal magazine when I was a teenager. Even though I have seen these bungalows elsewhere, Tahiti has always stuck.

3. I would like to take piano, voice, photography, and drawing lessons. It would be wonderful to learn how to read music so I didn't have to sing the soprano line in my alto voice and be able to draw something recognizable other than a stick figure.

4. In almost every one of my apartments there has been a quote wall. Instead of inspiring and uplifting quotes, these quote walls consisted of silly quotes usually said by myself or one of my roommates ("The thought just hits on you."). A lot of the quotes bring back so great memories. Other just don't make sense. Guess you had to be there at 12:30 A.M. in our living room.

5. Three years ago, three of my closest friends and I were suppose to take a trip to France and Italy. All three of my friends dropped out for various reasons and I didn't want to take it by myself. The funds for that trip are currently sitting in my savings account in hopes that we will all be able to travel someday.

6. My top love languages are physical touch, gifts,and acts of service. I could easily spend most of my money on other people. (If you don't know what I'm talking about click here.)

7. My earliest memory is eating the sand out of my sandbox when I was living in southern California (we moved to Northern California just before I turned 3).

8. My favorite music to listen to while working out are soundtracks from movies (usually the battle or climatic scenes).

9. If I could choose to live anywhere right now I would pick the Washington D.C. area

10. I'm more productive in the morning and wish it were easier for me to get out of bed. If I don't have anywhere to go in the morning I usually have to hit my snooze button for an hour before I really wake up.

11. The kiwi phrases/words I still use are "No worries mate," "good on you," "Sorry then," "rubbish," and "bro"

12. I bought kissing lessons at a ward service auction, but never used them.

13. I have a hope chest, except it's not really chest (although I've wanted one). It's collection of serving pieces, dinnerware, and kitchen prep accessories. I ask for these things for Christmas and my birthday.

14. My favorite type of cookie is peanut butter blossom. Chocolate + peanut butter = goodness

15. I'm usually late with birthdays, Father's Day, and Mother's Day. The problem is that I usually mean to do something big to make up for it and then never do. So if you've never heard from me on your birthday, that's most likely what happened.

16. My personal coldstone creation: dutch chocolate ice cream, caramel, brownies, and banana. I actually saw a generic brand with the same combination, except banana ice cream replaced the bananas. The banana ice cream didn't sound all that great to me.

17. My perfume scent of choice: Romance by Ralph Lauren

18. I used to iron my clothes everyday. The little bumps on my sleeves from the hanger drove me nuts.

19. Out of the 23 pairs of shoes that I own, I wear my reef flip-flops the most often.

20. I love vintage things, more specifically dresses, shoes, and music from that time. Frank Sinatra knows the way to this girl's heart.

21. I also love elegant things: evening gowns, jewelry, and fine table settings. There was a Cartier jewelry exhibit at a local museum and when I first walked into the exhibit I got giddy. If I had had the opportunity, being a débutante would have been excessively diverting. :)

22. I have never had to pull an all-nighter.

23. My favorite flowers are carousel roses, tulips, and as of late, peonies

24. I know more about weddings than a single woman really should. My wedding is also planned far more than it should be (colors, dress, etc.). However, if the saying "three times a bridesmaid never a bride" is true then I 'm not getting married in this life or the next. :)



Idea for this blog post complements of Amparo and Katie B.

ode to the padre

Today, I went to my home ward to be with my dad for father's day. As the primary kids were getting up to sing a Father's Day medley, the pianist played "Fathers." I got a bit teary-eyed as I thought about the chorus of the song:

Fathers are so special with a very special love.
They watch us and protect us.
They guide us and direct us
Back to our home above.

There are times that my dad and I don't see a situation the same way, he asks me about things I don't want to talk about ("Dad, let's talk about you."), he did things that I, his teenager daughter, found embarrassing, and our timing to get things done is different. Still, I'm grateful for his influence in my life, the encouragement to be better, and support that I need.

I'm thankful for the opportunity he gave me to obtain a higher education. I was the fifth child my dad had supported through college. When I received my degree, I walked off that stage completely debt free. His support allowed me to focus on my education and enjoy my college experience.


My dad has invited my siblings and me to go with him and my mom on trips. As I have begun looking at taking trips of my own, I have realized what a financial sacrifice he made to include us on these trips. I'm so grateful for the chance to go on these family vacations. These trips have opened my eyes to new cultures and beautiful sites; some sites so beautiful that my dad was constantly pulling our car to the side of the road to take pictures. :) Many Sunday evenings after dinner were spent reminiscing about the wonderful memories made as we followed the man in the yellow hat.


Many Sunday evenings were also spent playing cards games. My dad never lets us win easily. If we won, we earned it or luck was on our side, depending on the game. He would screech "NO!" in my ear was trying to place a die on a four level tower while playing stack. He wouldn't give up a card in phase 10 without a fight ("That was a draw"). The traveling and game playing helped me understand why in The Family: A Proclamation to the World, we learn that one of the ways successful families and marriages are maintained is through wholesome recreational activities.


While my dad's time is precious, he did find time to attend my extracurricular activities. He came to track meets, plays, senior nights, and the football game when I was nominated for Homecoming Court. He would only come for part of the time, but it meant a lot to me when he did come.

Happy Father's Day, Papu! I love you HEAPS!

Mr. Alligator, Alligator, Alligator

The title is a blog post is a song that my niece likes to sing. I flew down to Florida this week for an interview. On Thursday night, I was standing on a dock, watching an amazing sunset, eating the best flavor of ice cream I’ve ever had (Captain's Butterscotch- butterscotch topping, brownie chunks, and miniature chocolate peanut butter cups), when I heard something in the water below me. I thought it was a duck (since I was on a lake). I looked down and there is an alligator about 5 feet away from me. He stayed around just long enough for me to snap a shot of him. He must have been a member of the Florida Welcoming Committee stopping by to say hello. Since that experience I have had "Mr. Alligator" stuck in my head. :)