Josh, Nicole, and Mara

Fresh start

2009-04-24T15:20:00.001-07:00

So I'm back again...I think. At least I'm trying to be back. I've just felt lacking on the blogging side of things...not much going on, not much to write about.

I am so excited for spring. Mara and I were outside working in the garden yesterday, and I found a few worms for her to play with. When she was talking to Josh about it later, she told him that the worms were moving around. He asked her what it looked like, and she said, "Oh, like a wormy moving," and she got on the floor and arched her back to show off her worm skills. We had fun outside, and I'm excited for a weekend outdoors!

One other quick funny Mara moment: Mara loves to hold people's earlobes when she's tired...strange, I know. The other day we were giving someone a ride, and Mara started holding her ear. After a few minutes, she told the girl, "Oh, my arm is SOOO tired. I can't hold it up...(pause)..I'm going to have to let it down ...(pause)....I'm going to have to put it down.....Is that okay?" It was so cute and funny because she really was so tired.

In other news, Mara started dance classes in January. She LOVES tapping around, and she just had her dance pictures taken this week. I'll post some pictures of her classes soon.

Merry Christmas; Happy Birthday!

2008-12-24T19:14:00.000-08:00

This time of year is such a wonderful time for us to reflect as a family upon the birth of the Savior. We are thankful for the role he plays in our lives as our brother, our friend, and our Savior. At Christmas time, we feel especially close to him as we remember his birth and strive a little harder to be like him.

This time of year also causes us to remember Mara's birth. Each year, I am able to reflect upon our own dear child, who is such a gift to us from our Heavenly Father. Because she was born on Christmas Day, I feel a special connection with the story of the first Christmas. I feel myself drawn to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who gave birth to her son, the Son of God, in such humble conditions. I learn so much from that and take so much more, as a mother. (Of course I am still in my toddler stage of motherhood...I love growing with Mara and looking back on how far we've come.)

In reminiscing on the birth of my own child, I feel an extra sense of gratitude not just to have her in our lives but to be the person chosen to be the mother of this extraordinary little girl. She is such a blessing in our lives, such a joy for each day, and such a great friend.

We love you Mara! Happy Birthday!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Happy Birthday Josh!

2008-12-24T19:06:00.000-08:00

Josh's birthday was last Saturday, the 20th. We were busy throwing a birthday party for Mara that day, so I wasn't able to write a post then. But now, too much time is passing, and I need to get this up here.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband. He's such a great daddy, and Mara would tell you that she loves him "more than the whole, wide world." He's such a terrific friend, funny, kind, and best of all, he's mine. Hope you had a great day, love!

N-aughty or N-ice?

2008-11-23T16:12:00.000-08:00

Check this out! So cute.

Ever have those days?

2008-11-15T12:12:00.001-08:00

I was having a great day today, spending time with my favorite 2 (nearly 3) year old. We went to the gym first thing and then came home to split a bowl of cereal and scrub the tub. Oooo. Yes, it was actually fun. Because in the process of me scrubbing, Mara gave me a free sales pitch and demonstration of how make-up should be properly applied. Luckily for me, the caps remained on---probably not luckily for you because those would have been some pretty awesome pictures. Then I took a shower in the clean tub while Mara sat outside and expained how she had broken the shower door the other day in a fit (which is true) and how the elves probably thought that was "very not nice" but that it's okay now because she's trying harder. (please excuse the run-on's in this post....just trying to really convey the realness of the conversation) We finished up the shower with a few rounds of "Jingle Bells" and "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer."

After that, we hit Super Target, which became Super-duper Target, and Mara decided that she wanted to meet everyone we passed in every aisle. She later serenaded an elderly lady in the bread aisle with her "Jingle Bells", and let me just tell you that if she's ever looking for a job, Mara has it made in field of entertainment for the elderly.....seriously, Mara was so loud and enthusiastic, the lady wanted to hear it again.

When we got home, we had a little emotional meltdown about not wanting to "wait just a second" for some more chips, but we decided to watch the rest of the Polar Express, which made everything better.

It has been a fun day so far, just the two of us. Now we're off to meet dad and get an oil change. I'll let you ooo and ahh over our plans and leave you with a few older pictures.....

Mara started at a little preschool that some of th moms at church have put together. She loves it. This was on her first day. She's the youngest, but she really interacts well with the others.

This was when we were preparing to host preschool. Mara thought it would be a good idea to line everything up to be sure it was all there. She loves to put things in lines. It's pretty hilarious.
We made cookies while daddy was at the Priesthood session of conference. I normally don't do things like that, but I felt like I should try to do something "womanly" like a lot of other mom's do. I'm not sure we'll make it a tradition; however, I do like the tradition of eating the dough!

We went out on the lake a couple of times this summer. Mara loved to go on the tube and go knee-boarding. She has tons of fun on the boat! Although this picture is pretty fuzzy.

Mara just being cute.

And silly, as usual.

Well, we're off, and in Mara's words, "peace out!"

We're back

2008-10-28T18:17:00.000-07:00

Is it really fall? I can't believe that we're here already, and it's not even just the beginning--we're half-way through already. I haven't even blogged this season yet....isn't that sad? I really need to get back on track with my blogging. I especially need to get back to posting pictures, and now that we've found our plug for the camera, I can actually upload pictures. So be expecting updates soon in an attempt to play a little catch-up.

We've been sick for the last month or so. Mara had croup, and then Josh and I got it. Right when we thought we were all getting better, we all had relapses. This virus is difficult to shake. Still, we've been able to do a few fun things, and we made it to the apple orchard/ pumpkin patch twice this year.

Mara felt it was absolutely necessary to inspect each apple for bugs and worms. She learned that the apples on the ground were squished and brown; thus, rendering them "nasty."

After we found that they were good and clean, some apples just needed a taste-test.

At the orchard during a trip with daddy to pick out our pumpkin.

I know this is just a short taste, but right now I'm being summoned downstairs. A little voice is calling for mommy to come read. This will have to wait. See you soon with some more pictures and updates.

Looky! I have a LUMP!

2008-08-05T09:49:00.000-07:00

Now, before you start thinking that something terrible has happened or that there is some medical issue I’m about to tell you about, please relax. That’s not what this post is about. Although, I happen to love supporting non-profit organizations and things if I can, and breast cancer is something that has affected family members and friends. So if you want to help fund free mammograms with just the click of your mouse (no credit card needed this time), click here.

If you haven’t heard, my sister (in-law), Rachel, has started living with us. We went to my Zumba class, came home and showered (because MAN did we stink), and then made “dinner”. Mara isn’t the greatest of eaters, so her dinners generally consist of pieces of something substantial and fatty and then a LOT of fruit or vegetable because that’s what she likes. I know, I can’t complain, right? So for dinner, she had 3 bites of leftover turkey brat/sausage, a slice of cheese, a pear, and a plum.

In addition to a late night, last night was a study night at our house. Josh was taking some practice tests downstairs, which was why dinner was a rush. We rushed to make it and rushed upstairs to eat it. As we began eating, Mara grabbed the plum – the first she’s had—and took a few bites as Rachel was coming up the stairs. Mara then ran to the stairs, still holding her plum, and said, “Look Rach. I have lump…..a puh?....It’s a Lump!” We loved it, and although I corrected her once, I thought it was too cute to really stop her from saying it.

The rest of the night consisted of her talking about how much she loves lumps and that pears were good too. She didn’t like the sausage, and I had to nearly force feed her the 3 bites she did take. I am seriously in need of some good and EASY recipes, especially some that Mara would enjoy. Any suggestions? Until then, we may be eating lots of lumps around here.

The one about what you’ve all been wanting to ask, but haven’t….

2008-07-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

“Have you guys thought about having more kids?”
I know, simple question, right? But whenever I hear it, I feel like minutes go by without anything coming out of my mouth. Sometimes, I even feel like at that moment, I should turn, run away, and hide behind the nearest big thing. Sometimes it’s because I just don’t feel like talking about it again; sometimes it’s because I just don’t know what to say. Sometimes I handle it with no problems, and others, I can’t seem to even open my mouth without the tears starting.

So in answer to your question, here goes…… OF COURSE we’ve thought about it. We probably started thinking about it even before Mara was born. As you may know, when I was pregnant with Mara, I had a “little” case of morning sickness that landed me in the ER with iv’s and medication for the rest of my pregnancy. I made best friends with the toilet bowl, pulled over more times than I can count on my way to work, and carried bags and gum with me everywhere I went. This didn’t end…until Mara was born. I was running 3 miles a day before we found out we were pregnant; two weeks later, I could barely walk up the stairs with Josh holding me up. I was that weak. So when we started talking seriously about getting pregnant again (last summer), it was a scary time for both of us. Of course we wanted another baby, but the 9 months of pure awfulness?

We decided to try around the holidays, and on January 15, I started throwing up. I was about 3 weeks pregnant. I remember having customers in town soon after finding out and being out to dinner with them, sick the entire time. I threw up the next week, and then the rest of the week seemed okay to me…not better or worse. Just blech! I had called to set up my first few appointments, and since I obviously find out early on when I’m pregnant, I had to wait about a month before being seen (at the normal 8 week visit). And then, I started feeling better. I was still tired, but the vomiting stopped. This was not normal, and I knew it. I called the doctor and went in for blood work, which showed that I was definitely pregnant. Something still didn’t feel right, so the doctor put me on Progesterone just to be safe.

The weeks passed, and I spoke to a few close friends about my feelings. I was beginning to question what was going on in my body. I tried my hardest to have faith and be at peace, and I honestly felt that I was prepared for whatever would happen at the time. The day of the first ultrasound came, and as I lay on the table with Josh in the room, I knew what they were about to tell us. Our little one did not develop passed 6-7 weeks, and I was supposed to be 10 weeks pregnant. It had stopped progressing, and there was nothing we could do.

In the months since February, I have really struggled with this miscarriage. I haven’t wanted to talk about it, but at the same time, I have. I have debated innumerable times whether or not to post about it, and then, I decided that this is something that I write for me. It’s my blog, and I’ll post about my feelings. So let me tell you that miscarriage totally sucks. Yes, I have learned spiritually from this experience. Yes, I think that Josh and I have another connection that has made us stronger in our marriage. And Yes, I know that I just cherish every moment with Mara even more. But miscarriage really does totally suck.

So in answer to the question that you may have been wanting to ask but haven’t- or in the case of some, the question you may have already asked and haven’t received an answer- of course we want more children. And we’ll be so excited when the time comes that we can have another. It’s just kind of a hard subject to deal with right now.

Now, on another note—that’s not nearly as depressing—our lives have been filled with so much GOODNESS right now. Yes, we’re stressed. Yes, Josh is studying his brains out with chemistry this and biology that. Yes, applications are a nightmare…and SOO exciting at the same time. And yes, application fees are enough to have caused us to have a conversation about organ harvesting, but it’s a good time.

Mara is getting to be such a big girl. She’s been potty trained for about 8 months now, and she is so fabulous at going potty. The girl LOVES to swim, and she does a great job. She loves to jump in All.By.Her.Self! She floats and kicks and blows bubbles, and you know I beam every time I see her do it. She’s also developed a little sassy streak. The other day, she was in the car with my mom when she had to go potty. Mara told her, and my mom said, “Oh, man!” because they had just left the house. Mara quickly responded with, “Don’t you ‘Oh, Man’ me!” I thought it was so funny!

And finally, my sister (in-law) has moved in with us for a while. We love having her, and Mara has loved having Aunt Rachie at home…..plus the fact that we have a puppy now!

Ants in my pants

2008-05-29T19:58:00.000-07:00

Man, can I just say how excited and nervous I am at the same time? I have looked forward to and dreaded this moment for a long time, and now it's here! I feel like I did right before a piano recital, or dance recital, or huge showchoir competition, or big test. You'd think that we were approaching a really big event in our lives or something.......

MCAT.
Josh.
8:00 AM.
Saturday.

It feels like some hugely anticipated ESPN fight, and I'm the girl outside the ring in the skirt who goes running up whenever something bad happens to my man. Okay, so actually I think that's a scene from one of the Karate Kid movies. Still....It's huge. And my guy's totally going to kick it's butt.

May 6th is right around the corner...

2008-05-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, I'm pretty passionate about politics...especially this year. WOW! So fun! I love this exciting time we're in, with everything still being so close. It's pretty exciting that our state can actually be an important part of the process this year!

Without divulging too much, I'd like to stress the importance of voting. While I have been very involved with volunteering for my candidate of choice this year and have discussed this in-depth with my family, I haven't really shared my passion about my candidate with many others....especially at church. Although my moral and religious beliefs make up a large part of who I am, my political beliefs tend to differ from a lot of my peers at church. So when someone from church asked me the other day about why I supported my candidate, I was a bit surprised. I figured Josh must have discussed my involvement with the campaign and volunteering. He hadn't.

So I'm brought to my thought for the day. While it's important to vote, it's more important to make an informed decision. When I was asked about my candidate, I felt so grateful that I had been able to research the beliefs, the plans, and the background of that person...and volunteer to spread the word about that person. While, sure, there are plenty of people I would have rather selected for president, of the choices we have been given, I'm glad I have been able to do my research and pick who I like.

I work with a lady who has picked a different candidate, and from the conversations I have overheard (I haven't participated in discussing this at work either), she's chosen this person because of commercials and because her friends chose this person. (insert cyber eye roll here)

So for today, let's make informed decisions. I don't care who you vote for, but please, be informed. For all you Hoosiers, May 6th is the day. And if you need any help with researching any of the candidates, I can send you some links of websites for any of them...because I care about politics, but I care about my friends more. :)

Blog about whatever you want week

2008-05-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

I've decided that I'm going to start a mini-blog-revolution over here in our little piece of blogland. A friend recently put into words something I've been feeling for quite a while. The bottom line of her comments was that Blogland really isn't real. It's really just what we choose to share with others, and generally it's only the positive, happy, good things of our lives that we choose to share......leading us to her point that it's not really real. Our lives are filled with ups and downs. The great moments when our kids sing songs and pick flowers, and the terrible times when we're sick with sick kids and husbands are going through finals and the roof is leaking and writers' strike has kept your favorite shows from appear for Months!

So, in honor of my friend, who shall remain nameless--unless she decides to out herself in the comments section--I'm starting a 'blog about whatever you want week'. It's a moment to share what's on your mind...from stinky diapers to potty training woes. From leaky rooves to dirty laundry; from broken dishwashers to distructive pets. I want to hear it all this week. Because, let's face it, in the spirit of 'keepin it real', a month is just pretty unrealistic!

Feel free to post about it on your blogs, or just share something in the comments. I want to hear what your thoughts are.

Making a comeback

2008-04-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Sorry for those who check frequently, or checked frequently; I have been down for a while. But I talked to a good friend today who suggested I make a comeback. I've been thinking about it, but honestly, I'm at the point where I'm just trying to get up the courage to tackle the last Two.Whole.Months of no blogging. Where in the world has the time gone? And where in the world to I start? Do I actually try to cover everything that took place like I normally try to do and just keeping shoving and shoving and shoving it all into a neverending post that no one with a life will ever finish in one sitting? Or, do I just pick up where I left off and just cover the basics? Or do I just not cover anything and start now? Decisions, decisions. So while I'm still deciding, enjoy a picture or two of the lovely girl who actually just fell asleep on her own. Maybe I should just make this a 'blog every day for a month' month.

She loved her new swimming suit and rain boots and rain coat (on the floor) from her Abuelita. She danced around all night in these when they came in the mail just for her.

This big girl went down the hill all by herself. Daddy was at the bottom to catch her. She LOVES sledding and asked me the other day if Daddy would pull her on her sled behind his bike. But she loves her bike trailer too...and it's safer, which is a good thing.

She call this her "favorite Book of War-men". I think it's so cute! You can tell her excitement.

And finally...Josh took this picture, and I didn't really want to take one at the time because I was doing dishes....but I chopped my hair. 10 Inches for Locks of Love.

Kuroiwa Look-alike Meter

2008-04-05T10:59:00.001-07:00

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

A new favorite

2008-02-06T15:39:00.001-08:00

So let me officially introduce you to "the works" product line:

My new personal favorite? "Limeosol"!!!!!! Wow, oh Wow!!! It made my shower seem like a whole new room in the house. This puppy has received it's own permanent spot in our cleaning cabinet.

Do any of you have any favorites you can't live without?

Recent Events

2008-01-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

Sunday night, we were all recuperating from being sick (or in my case, a migraine) and getting ready for the week, when we found out that the President of our church had passed away. Gordon B. Hinckley was the prophet for the church when I was baptized, at 18. So he's been the only prophet I've ever known in my life. My testimony of the gospel was really able to grow, in part, because of the wonderful example he set for us all. I remember once, when I was going to school in Utah, I went to a conference with Amanda, and when he came into the Conference Center (which seats tens of thousands), it went completely silent. Everyone had so much reverence. We all knew what an amazing example he was to all of us. He was the mouthpiece of the Lord on the Earth.

Just as prophets of old, he was a prophet, seer, and revelator. He gave us direction from our Father in Heaven, and he always encouraged us to be a little better...to be the best "us" we could be. As my testimony of the church grew, my testimony that he was a true prophet of God continued to swell. I know that we will continue on, and the next president of the church will continue giving us guidance and direction.

Today, a coworker came up to me to tell me she was sorry to have heard about our church leader who had passed away. How nice that those around me can know that side of me also, and what a sweet thing for her to do!

Catching up

2008-01-18T17:27:00.001-08:00

I'm back blogger world! Sorry for my absence. I have been so busy lately. Christmas was a blur. We travelled so much. We had 6 Christmas celebrations, which is always stressful...fun, but stressful. We went to Aunt Sussy's a few days before. We had Wayne and my mom over to our house for our traditional clam chowder Christmas....Home made...YUMMY! We spent Christmas Eve dinner with Josh's mom's family. Then Christmas day, we had our own morning celebration and also sang Happy Birthday to Mara. We then drove to Bloomington for Christmas at my mom's parents' house. In the afternoon, we headed back to Indy for dinner at Josh's dad's parents' house. Did you catch all that? A few days later, we headed to Northern Illinois for my grandma's burial. Did I mention we were busy?

Lately I have been so busy at work, too. We had customers in all week long, so I spent a lot of time preparing for them and trying to catch up on urgent email when I wasn't doing something with them. I'm so glad it's the weekend!

Anyway, I thought I'd post a couple of pictures since we finally got a new camera!!!

The day of my grandma's funeral (right before), I got to go with our friends Amanda (my best friend from high school) and Jamison to their ultrasound. They're having a girl!!!! It was such a great thing for me to witness. It was a beautiful thing for me to see that little life on the screen!

Mara loves a good piggy back ride. This was Christmas Day. It's ridiculous to see the disaster that was my house!

Mara enjoying Daddy's back!

Christmas was a good time to get together with family. This is Mara with Josh's brother, Danny, and sister, Rachel.

This was Mara's birthday cake that we had at our friends' house on New Years Eve. She was excited to see more Dora, as she had received a Dora kitchen set for Christmas from Grandma and Grandpa Brunk.

This was the whole layout. Each setting had its own maracas, too. Too cute!

She especially loved singing Happy Birthday to herself. In fact, on Christmas night, she fell asleep in my arms singing, "Happy Birthday dear Mara."

Amanda and Jamison have a little Beagle named Porthos. For Mara's birthday, they gave her a stuffed beagle-like puppy. When she opened it, she yelled, "Porthos!" and put him on the ground, pushed his behind and said, "Run! Run!" It was cute that she thought he was real! Here is Mara with both fake and real Porthos.

The Kuroiwas either right before or right after midnight. Happy New Year!

This is Mara the other day. She was so tired, she fell asleep standing up against the ottoman.

My sweet little girl.

One last one of Mara snuggling her Porthos.

No Words Today

2007-12-20T20:01:00.001-08:00

First, Happy Birthday to Josh. The big 26! Mara woke him up this morning with a, "Happy Birthday Dad! Old Man!" That was cute.

That's it for today. My grandma just passed away, and I'm not really feeling super bloggy tonight. So....I'll be back tomorrow, hopefully a little brighter.

Healing Nicely

2007-12-19T17:02:00.000-08:00

So the computer is back and healing quite nicely. There was a rough patch there for a while, but Josh restored it...we're good to go.

I thought I'd take a quick minute to discuss something I find interesting. I have noticed that a lot of people call their children by odd, nonsensical names that have nothing to do with their actual name. I read a post recently about how one child got her "additional" name, and I thought I'd explain my child's. Although I normally refer to her as Mara here, we actually rarely call her that. Generally the only time we use her actual name is if she's in trouble or if we're referring to her in conversation to someone.

When she was a couple weeks old, I loved how her little legs were finally starting to get some chub. She had lost weight for 3 weeks, so it took her a little while to work her way back up to the nearly 9 pounder she was when she was born. I thought her new little chunky legs were so cute. In fact, they were chunky and cutesie. Chunky + Cutesie= Chuky (pronounced chew-key). Of course, there are many nicknames the girl has: "Chuky" "Chuks" "The Chukster" "Lovey" "The Snuggler". But she even refers to herself as Chuky. She'll look in the mirror and say, "There's Chuky. Right there." Or say that Nicole is Chuky's mommy. Of course, she knows her name is Mara, and she also refers to herself as Mara. But she's cooperated with us nicely by adapting to the many names we call her.

So does anyone else call their kids something different, nonsensical, or strange? Chuky's mommy wants to know.

Having major issues

2007-12-18T20:36:00.000-08:00

I think my computer is about to explode. That, or I'm about to explode at my computer. One of the two. It won't let me attach anything to an email; it won't let me copy or paste anything, and it won't let me delete. So....I'm going to go to bed before I put this computer to bed for good. Sorry, but I'll be back tomorrow. Promise.

My Kid is Quick...

2007-12-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

So Mara is a kid who knows everyone, and if she doesn't know you yet, she'll meet you.....and remember you! Mara is one of those people who only needs to learn a person's name once, and she remember you months later. (Months for a nearly two year old can seriously mean about 1/4 of her life, you know?) She knows all the kids in her class at school (day care)....and in the 2 classes across the hall and the one next door. That's like 40 kids.

Anyway, today she came running into our room with one of her books that had a picture of a Mini-Cooper in it. She pointed to it and here's what happened:

Mara: "Dad, look, a mini-cooper!"
Dad: "Yes, that's a mini-cooper."
Mara: "It's a Lloyd car!"
Dad: "A Lloyd car?"
Mara: "Yeah!!"

Of course it's a Lloyd car. Her cousin Lloyd (who she last saw in early October--and before that last Christmas) has a younger brother named Cooper. So, of course that makes sense. My kid is Quick!

O, the Weather Outside is Frightful

2007-12-16T06:20:00.000-08:00

Well, we don't have a fireplace in our home, but today would be a good day for one. We got so much snow yesterday and last night! In fact, we had so much snow, that they cancelled church yesterday morning for this afternoon! It's so great. While the snow started yesterday morning, I made a quick run to Meijer with Mara (I loathe that store, by the way, but that's another story) because I was in need of groceries and a couple of non-grocery items. I definitely was not going to 2 different stores with a nearly 2 year old in snow storm. So we were off to Meijer.

In the short hour that we were there, I was nearly hit by a tractor (Yes, they had an actual tractor doing their snow removal), got bonked on the head by a shovel, and walked out with three bruises up and down my shins from hitting the shovel we were buying that didn't fit below our cart very well. It was an adventure....a terrible adventure.

Today should be fun, though. We're planning on building a snow man. On another note, though, Big Don passed away on Thursday afternoon. His viewing is today, and the funeral is tomorrow. I'm not sure how that will go over today with all the snow. We'll see if we are even able to make it out of our neighborhood.

So Busy

2007-12-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

So have you ever been so busy, you don't really know where you're supposed to begin because no matter where you begin, anything will seem like you're wasting time because there's so much to do? Okay, did that make any sense? Well, that's how I'm feeling right now. Remember that whole, "feeling all on top of things" stuff? Well, yeah, it's a good thing I got ahead early because, man, I'm feeling behind now.

This weekend will be so busy. I need to wrap gifts, get the last 2 gifts on the list of things to get, set up binders for the ward Christmas program at church (for next Sunday), put together the programs, teach Zumba, clean the house, etc..... I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed right now.

On another note, I'm reading a really good book right now. It's called A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Housseini, the author of Kite Runner, which I actually haven't read yet. Maybe that should be my next. Anyway, it's really good, so of course I have to finish that this weekend, too. It's really good, and is about the lives of 2 Afghan women over the course of the last 45 years. It draws on actual political movements, the differences in their lives and childhoods. It's actually really informative; although it is fiction.

Well, I should probably go do something productive now, since I've been complaining and all....

She fell on my head

2007-12-13T21:42:00.000-08:00

So I just fell asleep trying to put Mara to bed when suddenly, out of nowhere, she rolled off the bed and literally fell on my head. 'Nuff said.

Good morning, Nicole!

2007-12-12T19:23:00.000-08:00

So this morning, I woke up to an odd buzzing feeling. My hands went numb. It was strange. Oh, it was my phone. What was that thing doing on my lap, in my hands? Why was it buzzing? What time is it? It's.....Oh, it's 7:50......IT'S 7:50???!!!!??? In case you didn't know, I have to be at work at 8:00. I woke up this morning to my phone ringing, and my mom calling me. Thankfully, she called when she did. I got to work by 8:30....not bad.

Last night was Horrible. Yes, I capitalized the "H" on purpose. Mara was awful. She literally screamed off and on until 2:30 this morning. She decided she didn't want to sleep in her bed....Too bad for her, we had already decided that she was going to. Thus, we were butting heads until she finally fell asleep at 2:30. Thus, I overslept this morning, and thus... I'm off to bed. Good night!

Pictures and Fun Stuff

2007-12-11T20:01:00.000-08:00

I know that I haven't posted pictures in a while, so I decided that tonight would be a good night for a few pictures and fewer words. Our good friend Jennifer came over a couple of weeks ago, and Mara and I went out with her while Josh studied for a bit. We helped translate for her while she met with the parents of one of her kindergarten students. Since she had her camera, when we came back, she took a couple pictures of the family.

I look like I was trying to smile in the middle of swallowing here or something.

This next one pretty much sums up Mara's attitude most of the time. She's always very active and in charge...and for the most part happy and cute!

I love this one.

Mara put her coat on as Jennifer was headed out the door.

On another note, Josh just finished final #1 for this semester. He thinks it went okay, so we have 2 left. He already had a presentation last week, so we're hoping the rest of the week goes by quickly. I can't wait for Christmas---and for finals to be over! In addition, Mara is beginning to recognize that her birthday is coming up. She sang Happy Birthday to herself the other day, along with an additional round for Daddy, since his is next week. We're excited!

Oh Dear!

2007-12-10T21:13:00.000-08:00

So I just barely made it. (For this one, we're especially thanking our computer for somehow being set to the wrong time.) I just fell asleep on the couch, and so, although I'd love to stay and chat, I can barely hold my neck up because of the way I was sleeping and can hardly see through my swollen eyes......So I'm headed to bed. We'll be back tomorrow.

Calling all "Blog-stalkers"

2007-12-09T18:17:00.001-08:00

Yes, you know who you are....The one who wakes up in the morning, gets ready for the day (or maybe not), heads out to the computer-or goes to the work computer, and takes a little 'cyber-stroll' to all the favorite spots. You live to see what your "friends" are up to....people you've actually never met but feel like you've known forever. Yes, I'm talking to you. But don't worry, if I were reading this post instead of writing it, I'd be talking to me too. I'm completely with you. I feel the pull of this addiction, too, it's okay. Let's band together.

I was at church today when a 'sister in stalking' outed herself to me. What? You stalk MY blog? Someone actually cares to hear what I have to say? Wow! I was stunned to say the least. I'm the one who adores other people's blogs, who loves to hear about other people's woes and toddler terrors. But wow! I told her my blog confidence just went up a notch. I also told her that since she's been outed now, though, that she needs to comment. A girl needs a little support in the month-long effort.

So what do you all think? Do you guys stalk too? Is it more normal than I thought it was? So don't be afraid. Leave a comment, or keep on stalking, but I do know you're there. :)

Daddy does a great job

2007-12-08T17:48:00.000-08:00

Just a little tribute to the dad today. He's fab. I was finishing up getting ready today, and he was finishing with Mara. Mara and I were going to go out shopping this afternoon to leave the dad alone at home to get some studying done. I can't until finals are over. It will be nice to spend a little bit of time with the family with less stress!

Anyway, he was sitting down, holding Mara, and he was doing her hair. Not only does he know how to do her hair, he's pretty observant of special little details. For example, he uses the spray bottle to be sure all her hair goes back into the ponytail, and he is extra precise in her part. She even sits better when he does than when I do it. He's just a great dad, and we're so happy to have him!

Thanks Jessica!

2007-12-07T17:53:00.000-08:00

I just want to recognize the complete awesomeness that is my visiting teaching companion. (Visiting Teaching is a program at church where the women go out in partnerships to visit a handful of other women each month. It's a great support system for one another.) Jessica is great, and I'm so glad that I've been able to get to know her better. She's such a great example to me of a positive, happy, supportive friend. Thanks for being the great gal you are! Have a good weekend!

A little weepy right now

2007-12-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

I'm wondering if I should even type this post right now, but I think part of the reason that I'm doing this 'post every day' thing is to really be better at journaling and getting out my real thoughts....my 'right now' thoughts. My concern is, I don't want people reading too much into this post. I'm not writing to get all mushy and receive sympathy. It's just what's on my mind. So here goes...

As I've been preparing for the Christmas season and "feeling all on top of things" and doing a fabulous job at getting ready for the big day, there's a lot going on in our family(ies) right now. All I have to say is that Cancer and Alzheimer's absolutely suck. Separate, together, whatever. They suck. And it's worse when they affect people you know. People you love. People who have been instrumental in your life.

In my family, I'm the oldest grandchild--by a handful of years. I spent a lot of time with my grandparents when I was young. My grandma used to take me to do crafts in the summer. She'd shop with me for hours- literally an entire day if I wanted- during my vacations. We'd go out to breakfast on weekends and then go to the farmer's market to pick out something special to prepare for dinner. We'd pick berries and go on walks. She'd always let me count the money when we went to the bank for a withdrawal, and even though she'd only chew half, she'd always give me a whole piece of gum if I wanted it. I remember that every time I'd go over, she'd wax her kitchen floors because I really liked the way the linolium had sparklies in it, and the very clean floors would shine even more. We'd have little lunch parties under the dining room table and tell secrets. When I graduated from high school, she seemed fine. She wrote in my senior book, and I read it the other day. It was a sweet message from the grandma I always knew. But my freshman year in college, things started to change. She seemed different, moody, distant. She's progressed quickly, all the while, my grandpa taking care of her at home. He's so brave, such an example of what dedication in a marriage is. They have such an admirable relationship. In fact, we named our daughter after him--her middle name. This year, we're hoping to have Christmas with grandma. (ah, see, I'm crying now.)

In addition, one of Josh's grandpa's--we call him "Big Don"-- has cancer. He was one of the first from Josh's family who I really felt comfortable with. I'd go over for Family Home Evening--a night we set aside in our church once a week for family time and a lesson--while Josh was still on his mission. Although Big Don and I are polar opposites politically, we had fun with each other. I got to know him as well, as I visited with Josh's mom and sister. Big Don absolutely adores Mara, and she has fun with him too. Having never had grandkids of his "own", Mara was the first baby grandchild he's experienced. He loves her as his own, and she does too! Big Don had cancer a few years ago and went into remission, but he's sick again. This time, he's just waiting. Our time with him seems to be limited, as well.

For us this year, Thanksgiving was a time we were especially thankful to be able to see Big Don and Grandma. Christmas/Mara's b-day will be difficult. Although I have a testimony- a knowledge- that we are put on this earth for a purpose and a short time and that we will live again, I have always had issues with death. Maybe it's because I have been lucky enough to not have had to deal with it in life. Until this summer, I still had all my grandparents. (The one that passed away this summer was 104 years old.)

And so, it's with a heavy heart that I am trying to come to terms with it. I'm trying to find a way to have my emotions follow what I know to be true and be comforted by it-- that in the next life, we will all be able to be together again. Families can be eternal. That knowledge truly does help me as I deal with this; however, it doesn't change the fact that cancer and Alzheimer's really do suck, and it doesn't keep me from crying about it. And so far, it hasn't really helped me work out any of my 'issues' with death.

Step Off!!!

2007-12-05T15:40:00.001-08:00

So I am going to make a confession. My child has developed a love for a particular movie. I kind of expected something like this to happen eventually. When I was little, I had an obsession first for The King and I. It lasted a while. I remember my mom telling me that I loved to watch it over and over.Soon after that craze, I fell in love with Mary Poppins. I love Julie Andrews to this day, and I used watch that religiously also.

But my daughter? She's a little different than mom. She still loves the music....but maybe not so much the music-als. She's a great fan of School of Rock. It's her favorite movie of all time. She demands to watch it everyday....sometimes twice, and I wouldn't be suprised that if Josh really had to study, she'd catch some pieces of it three times in a day. YIKES!

Even right now, she's screaming, "School of Rock!" and looking at this picture. Of course, what should I expect from the girl who had a love for rock since nearly birth. Her first car ride with me--alone--she started wailing. I had no idea what to do while driving, so I turned on the radio, put on some soothing music. That will help. Nope. She was only comforted when I finally turned to....Van Halen. She quieted down right away. So why would I be shocked to know that this is her favorite movie? Who wouldn't be entertained by this guy?

She has so many lines memorized, it's amazing. In fact, I just quizzed her on some math. Here's our conversation:

Mom- Three minus four is.....

Little- negative one!

Mom- And six times a Billion is.....

Little- Six Billion

Mom- And fifty-four is forty-five more than what?

Little- Nine!

Thank you Jack Black for helping me pretend my child is a math genius at 23 months. And thanks for the hours of entertainment you provide for her. Because, let's be honest, her favorite movie could be much worse, and at least there's a good message.

off to bed

2007-12-04T19:56:00.001-08:00

So I'm exhausted, and I'm off to bed. I had a killer day at work, and I have to be there early tomorrow. But, hey, I posted. See you tomorrow, blogland.

Sweet dreams,
me

Love myself some Zumba

2007-12-03T13:48:00.001-08:00

So since I began teaching Zumba, I'll tell ya that I've seen quite a variety of people trying to get fit, meet friends, and have fun! If you haven't checked it out yet, it's absolutely fabulous. As a teacher, I have to honestly admit that nothing makes me happier in class than to see people smile and really enjoy themselves. But on top of that, to later see them come back -- almost religiously-- because of their passion for the activity.....it's like a mini-rush right there for me. Which apparently isn't even comparable to some people's gym experiences.

While teaching is actually something that is super fun for me, a great work out, and an extra source of income, I have found a couple pet peaves from my participants. At work, I like to refer to her as, "Crazy Zumba Lady." While I do love all my participants, I have to say that my evenings are much better when CZL does not show up.

Let's paint a little picture here....I walk up to my room, and she's already there, waiting outside the door with bright red lipstick on and gossiping up a storm with anyone within a 10 foot radius. During the 7 minutes that I generally have to wait before my class begins, I probably hear 2 comments about other teachers at the gym, 1 compliment toward the other Zumba teacher (no biggie, I really don't care that much), and about 3 minutes worth of explanation to another participant about how CZL herself used to teach aerobics and really wants to get into it again. By the time the class is ready to start, I'm thinking about how I should have brought trashbags to cover the mirror over the spot where I generally see her. (Yikes, I'm sounding really mean now) To top everything off, throughout the ENTIRE class, I see her purposely changing moves ahead of time to make it look like I'm following HER. Blah!

Well the other day, she actually kept me after class for 25 minutes trying to explain to me that she'd be a fabulous teacher, grabbing my arm and talking about 3 inches away from my face in the process. "Go for it!" I don't need convincing! Let me go home and feed my kid....and shower! Thus, she received the permanent title of Crazy Zumba Lady, and the workplace hears updates every week. If only they could have the image I do because, oh yes, her wardrobe just tops it all off. Picture this....

Deciding....

2007-12-02T20:07:00.000-08:00

A new blog idol of mine (mooshinindy) blogged every single day last month, and to top it off, she's decided to do it again this month. I think I'm going to try to follow in her footsteps and blog every day in December. I know, big YIKES! With the holidays, etc, I know I'll be super busy, but I think I can get a little something up here every day. With all of our SIX (yes, that's 6 at a minimum) Christmas celebrations, I'm sure I'll have plenty of time to blog, right? Gotta thank both our divorced families for that one! We're lucky with more people to love; that and Mara has somewhere upwards of 15 people she can call Grandma or Grandpa (or the equivalent in another language)! So here we go.....(eeek!) Wish me luck.

Feeling all on top of everything (at least at the moment)

2007-12-01T20:44:00.000-08:00

I know it's been a while since I've posted, but I've been so busy trying to get caught up. Now I'm happy to say that I'm feeling like I'm actually a little above water right now. I still have the stresses of being insanely busy at work, struggling to get the church choir ready for our Christmas program (without a lot of time to practice), and...you know...living with a nearly 2 year old, but aside from that, I'm feeling pretty good about where I am right now.

For example, I must admit that I have had MAD SKILLS at getting my Christmas presents done early this year. I mean, I only have a few more things to get, and I'll have my lists complete. But I know what I'm getting everyone. I even bought stocking stuffers today! I know what you're saying. "Nicole, are you kidding me? I mean, it's just December 1!" All I can say is that, well, I amaze even myself right now. This is seriously a first for me.

I was at Target today, taking another quick swing by the dollar bin, and I decided to even get some Christmas cookie decorations and cookie cutters. I'm also planning on making chocolate covered Oreos. I'm killing myself right now with all these crazy plans of a perfect Christmas/birthday for Mara. But for once, I'm not really feeling all that overwhelmed. As I decorated the tree today with Mara, we listened to Christmas music and just had fun together. I'm so glad that- at least for now- the holidays are going smoothly and are so much fun!

On another note, here's a little shout-out to my lovely husband. Lovey, here is some of my Christmas list...I know I haven't been that organized this year in what I want, so here's a little help....

1) A deep, heavy skillet. Silly, I know, but you wouldn't believe all the stuff I want to cook that calls for this tool....one that I don't have.

2) Photoshop (Always a little dream for me to be a great photographer)

3) The Grey's Anatomy Season 3 Soundtrack

4) A new pair of black shoes (these are an example by my most favoritest shoe designer--Kenneth Cole Reactions)....size 9 please. By the way, these are called "Hil-laree". How fitting that I would pick these...5) a nice surprise

Gotta run....have to stay on top of things. What are your Christmas lists? Happy holidays!

Sicky, Mommy?

2007-10-05T16:16:00.000-07:00

Yes, Mommy is sicky. No, not the normal migraine sicky. No, not that sicky, either; don't even think it! But Mommy has strep throat. Oh, poor Mommy.

The chica is at grandma's house because we don't want her to get sick; although, I'm pretty sure that she's the one who brought this home to me. We'll pick her up tomorrow when the fever is gone and the medicine has kicked in a little. Until then, I'll get a full night's sleep, and Josh will actually get some uninterrupted studying done!

OOOO!! Apple!!! Ushy??!!?! OOOO!!!

2007-10-04T19:19:00.000-07:00

So tonight after work, I ran home and changed my clothes quickly, and I booked it over to pick up Mara from school. I knew it was going to be a good night when I heard it-- no biting, no pinching, no hitting. Wow! I have to stress that the biting ended a few weeks ago, but the pinching and hitting comes and goes when she's tired--- or when other kids don't seem to understand that she's the queen and rules the room. Anyway, so I picked her up, and we headed over to Anderson Orchard. Yummy and super fun!

Josh had class late tonight, so it was a girls' night. I had a snack packed for the car ride, and Mara was excited for our little adventure. Our camera is broken (suggestions of cameras you love and recommend (and that cost less than my mortgage) would be appreciated), so no pics of tonight. These from the orchard website will have to do.

When we pulled up to the orchard, Mara looked around, and then suddenly it hit her. "OO! Apples? Ushy!?!!!" She struggled to get out of her car seat and was so excited. What she really wanted was the apple cider slushy she'd had before. I have to admit that they're really great! In fact, on our way out, we bought another small one, and the lady behind the register thought that Mara was just too irresistible. She refilled our first and gave us a second one for free.

When we went to pick the apples, Mara was excited to hold the bag. We had to walk pretty far down the path to find some that were low enough for picking, but we had fun. In fact, there was a moment when Mara was eating an apple (don't worry, it was one I had given her, not one from the ground) and looking around, so I took the opportunity to quickly 'boost' myself up onto a limb to grab one of these puppies.

But she looked up when she heard me grab the apple and caught me. She quickly said, "Mommy! GIT DOWN! Gitdown MOMMY!" I had been scolded, and now if I catch her climbing on things, I know that I can only blame myself.....great.

love.......

2007-09-26T18:52:00.000-07:00

Some times it's just important for us to remember this word. Wow! Things that I love in life....so many.

There are too many times when our lives cause us to focus on other things. We get stressed out--too much homework, too little sleep, too many things to do, too little time. There are too many tantrums, too little patience, too little focusing on what we have, too much wanting. The thing is, there are too many times when just need to step back and recognize that our lives are what they are and what we make them. There are so many times that we need to just remember the things that we love, and the things we couldn't live without.

So here's my list for today. Things that I love and couldn't live without (the little things)......

-Josh. He's the love of my life; my best friend.
-Mara. Beautiful, lovely, sweet, spunky, independent Mara.
-Watching my husband and daughter sleep in the mornings
-Waking up in the middle of the night to a nice storm and a snuggle
-Sweet bed-head toddler hair to tie into cute little pigtails
-Essays to proof-read
-Dreaming of the future with my husband (school, vacation, career, kids, house)
-Singing to/with my little girl
-Getting her dressed
-Listening to Josh's stories about crazy people at school
-Being tickled
-Talking with friends
-Having a car that runs
-Cooking dinner for my family (I could live without the dishes)
-Having a front door
-My garden (even though it's super tiny)
-Music
-Conversations with my family
-Memories

More to come....

Tagging myself?

2007-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Well, this is a first. My friend Danielle got tagged to answer a lot of questions about her husband. I thought it was so cute, and so I decided to tag myself. So here's all about me and my handsome husband...

1. What is his name? Joshua Kenji Kuroiwa
2. How long have you been together? We've been married for almost 3 1/2 years.
3. When and where did you first meet? We met at IU our freshman year...7 years ago.
4. How long did you date? Well, we dated before he went on his mission, and we were engaged for 3 months after he came home.
5. How old is he? 25
6. Who eats more? Well, I think it depends on the food, but overall, it's probably Josh.
7. Who said I love you first? I did.
8. Who is taller? Josh is about 6 inches taller than I am.
9. Who sings better? He'd probably say that I do. I think he has a good voice, but I'm probably just more comforatble singing than he is.
10. Who is smarter? That's definitely a strange question. We both have done really well in school, but Josh is getting ready for medical school....I think that's probably all I have to say for you to get the picture.
11. Whose temper is worse? Ummm...hello. If you guys know me at all, you'd know the answer to that. I'm definitely the oldest child-- very impatient, kind of bossy, and I have a short(er) temper. Josh is so patient and understanding and calm. He really puts up with me. :)
12. Who does the laundry? Well, right now Mara's chore is to do the laundry. :) She loves to sit and sort clothes and push the buttons. Of course we both supervise the process.
13. Who does the dishes? We both do, but I probably do them more often. Dishes sitting in the sink is probably one of my biggest pet peaves.
14. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? If you're standing at the foot of the bed, Josh is on the right. I get up earlier in the morning, and I need to be closer to the bedroom door and bathroom.
15. Who pays the bills? I do!!
16. Who mows the lawn? Josh
17. Who cooks dinner? I do. I love to cook and try new recipes. Of course, time is short for cooking when you have a toddler running around. We do like to eat out, too. :)
18. Who drives when you're together? Well, generally Josh, but if it's a long distance, we'll split it up.
19. Who is more stubborn? um....This question is probably related to #11. Definitely me.
20. Who is the first to admit when they're wrong? That would actually be me.....surprised???
21. Whose parents do you see the most? Well, if you're to count how frequently we go over to their house for dinner/get-togethers, then definitely Josh's mom. We see my mom a lot because she's close, but usually it's only for shorter periods of time.
22. Who kissed who first? I kissed him :)
23. Who asked whom out? I don't think anyone did. I think it was a kind of mutual thing. But if it was one person, it was probably me. Josh is more reserved when it comes to things like that, and I'm just too impatient to wait. :)
24. Who proposed? Josh
25. Who is more sensitive? Seriously??? Definitely me. I mean, I cried when I burnt a grilled cheese sandwich, and that was PRE-pregnancy. Wow....
26. Who has more friends? I think we're pretty even.
27. Who has more siblings? Josh has an older brother and younger sister. I have one younger brother.
28. Who wears the pants in the family? I think we both have our own pairs of pants for different things. We're equals.

Now, I tag Tashina, Lindsay, Tiff, Amanda, Erika, and Mindy.

(Thanks Danielle!)

Wish we all could be California girls (...and boy)

2007-08-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

Just to inform everyone, we've officially moved to California. We picked a nice little suburb of San Jose called Los Gatos. It's cute; it's quaint. It has awesome weather and a spectacular view. There are amazing parks, great shopping, good food....AHHHHH.....just relax as you picture it with me. Perfect summer weather (and DRY at that....ahhh, no humidity) All.Year.Long!, a quick drive to the Pacific (although it's a bit chilly), and so many things to do!

Well, to be honest, we've moved there in our hearts.....some day!!!! For now we're still in Indiana with the humidity, the HEAT, the same old same old....

Here's an update on our vacation to California.....We went to San Jose to visit my Uncle Paul and Aunt Linda. While Josh spent days volunteering at a dental clinic, Mara and I saw the sights, hung out, and...shopped!

Our first full day there, Saturday, we headed to San Francisco. It was cold and windy, though, so we didn't take many pictures there.

The Golden Gate Bridge... Thankfully, we didn't drive over it! I HATE bridges!

Alcatraz....You can tell it was cold by what the crazy surfers were wearing!

Fisherman's Wharf was fun...if you look at the dock, you can see all the sealions piled up soaking up the sun! They were HUGE!

This is one of the many parks we went to. This play area was in the shape of a ship, and it was surrounded by sand. Mara had fun playing and trying to share sand toys with other kids.

This is the three of us (it's a little dark) on a perfect day! We had tons of fun just hanging out at parks!

I took this picture from the top of one hill. It was on one morning while Josh was working, and I was searching for a park to take Mara to. I just found one on the GPS in the car, and it was way out there...tons of scenery along the way!

I had to stop and take some pictures of us with these cows! As you may know, Mara loves cows (and many other animals). She loves to say that cows say, "mOOO!" It was hard juggling the camera, making sure she didn't get cut on the barbed wire, and watching that she didn't put her little fingers in the cows' mouths!

One afternoon, we drove down to Monterrey. It was even chillier, but it was a nice drive. It was a quaint little town. Next time we'd like to see the aquarium. We didn't have time that day, but we've heard it's great!

Needless to say, we LOVED California! This is just a picture back at home for some people catching up on Mara.

One of her cute funny faces that she likes to do to make us laugh.

Just a quick, funny story before I go back to work (I'm at lunch right now). On Sunday in church, Mara started saying, "Potty, potty, potty, potty," so I grabbed her and booked it out of there. She made it, and I was so proud that she was able to hold it that long! When she got back to our seat, she picked up a crayon right away and said, "Daddy, wanna color?" It was so funny because that's been one of her first full sentences. She's done phrases and tons of words, but that one just came out so clearly and easily. It's like she just decided to finally ask.

Have a great day!

NOT IT!!!

2007-05-25T14:32:00.000-07:00

So my friend Erika "tagged" me to share 8 unusual things about myself that you may not know. Wow...I've actually been thinking about doing this for a while, but it's been hard to think of things. My friend Andrea got me thinking about it when she wrote 100 unknown things about herself. So when Erika tagged me to share 8, I decided to go ahead with it. I mean, sharing 8 is a lot better than 100! So for what it's worth (and for all the 5 people who will read this), here you go....

1. I LOVE to pick things (and from reading some other people's lists, I guess I'm not the only one!)!!! Zits, splinters, skin, anything. My husband hates this crazy, disgusting fetish, but I've had it all my life. He said it's probably because women are picky and like to seek out imperfections. :) Ouch! I remember when I was little running around outside barefoot almost hoping to come back in with splinters that I could pick out. Oooo! I'm getting giddy just thinking about splinters!

2. I am a grammar fanatic! I have always had a thing for grammar. Over the years I've become a little more silent about this passion. I just think about correcting the poor grammar I hear at work and don't really vocalize said corrections. Although mispronounciation of words really kills me. My thought is that if you can't say "specific", use another word. "For example" could work nicely. I don't judge people about it; it's just more of a pet peave for me....nails on a chalkboard.

3. I have one leg that's longer than the other. When I was younger, my mom used to get upset when I'd be walking and suddenly run into her. She thought I was just a 'lazy walker'. If you listen carefully, you can even hear it in my footsteps.

4. When I was younger, I could get whatever I wanted if I just waited to ask my mom after a certain time at night. The magic time was generally between 8:30-9:00 when she'd just be tired and not really pay attention to what I was asking. I feel guilty for that one now.

5. It was always a secret dream of mine to be a Rockette when I grew up. You know the group. They're the awesome tap dancers who are always beautiful, tall, and thin. Yeah, not me. That's why it was a dream.

6. I wanted to be an actress. I was pretty good in high school, too. My best friend and I had a plan to move to California, become the next big stars in a movie together, and go on Letterman. Of course, I think we dreamed this up while watching movies and eating Ben & Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk one night. In retrospect, Ben & Jerry probably weren't helping us on our way to stardom.

7. Which brings me to my next one..... I LOVE ice cream! I could eat it as a meal. Anything chocolate would be my favorite; however, it can't have anything hard in. Big huge pieces of chocolate, like in the aforementioned New York Super Fudge Chunk, don't quite work for me. That's probably why my favorite would have to be "Half Baked" by B&J. YUM! In fact my first job was at an ice cream shop. Hey, they say to do what you like, right? I was definitely working in my field of interest!
8. Now this is one that not many of you will know. I'm becoming a Zumba instructor! I LOVE it! It's a funky, hip-hop, Latin, aerobic class, and it's awesome! I'll be certified in June, and I will be teaching soon after. I love it!

Now it's time to hear back from you. I don't think I can "tag" people back, but I would like to hear your 8 if anyone gets the chance. Some people I'd like to hear from?

Amanda
Tiffany
Rachel
Lindsay

Anyone else who would like to share!

Some Pictures

2007-05-20T05:38:00.000-07:00

Well, we're still missing Mexico pics....I guess I only downloaded them to a cd instead of the computer, too--strange. But here are a few since I'm behind anway.

From the HUGE snow storm we had around Valentine's Day. Notice the child that is actually under all of those clothes and coats who LOVED the cold weather. Seriously, she loves cold things. Mara gets such a thrill form cold air!

Mare loves apples. She calls anything that remotely looks like one, an apple.

Probably one of her favorite things is the phone. She loves to say , "HELLO!!!!" while reaching for our phones. One of these pictures shows how Josh's cell phone probably bit the dust. The guy at the Sprint store said that it was probably because the phone came in contact with water. Josh said, "Could baby slobber have done this??" hmmm.... we wonder.

The long awaited Potty pictures, too. Yes, she's wearing an ACDC shirt. Thanks Uncle Paul. I'm the little hard rocker!

Last one-- We had some of Mara's friends over one morning. Here are Nea, Kai, and Mara eating granola bars and watching Leap Frog ABC's. As a side note, Mara LOVES these kids! in fact, she'll be sitting in the car and start saying, "Kai? Kai. Kai!" She'll say it when she sees him (or any member of his family, for that matter) come through the door. It's pretty cute! (As a side note, she's screaming Kai right now because she saw him on the computer) We'll be sad when they move this summer to Boston. :(

Well, hopefully I'll be able to post again soon. Mexico pictures next time!

Crying baby as I type

2007-04-12T18:32:00.000-07:00

I always feel so guilty just leaving her in her crib as she tries to fall asleep...probably because it takes her so long to cry herself to sleep. I'd rather be tricky and have her fall asleep lying in my arms--all cute and cuddly-- and sneak her into her crib without her realizing it until about 3am. But, unluckily for me, that rarely happens. Have I mentioned that she has never slept through the night, not to mention that she's a restless sleeper? Last night, for example, she came into bed with us, and about an hour later, I woke up to a nice head-butt. She literally picked her head off the pillow and slammed it down on my face. It was a pleasant experience.

She's quieting down a little--wait, a whimper. Is she falling asleep? That puts us at 20 minutes tonight. Not bad. We're progressing, I guess.

Pictures of our vacation and recent happenings to come soon.

Poopy???

2007-04-05T16:48:00.000-07:00

Poopy???

This has been the most recent term used in our house. Mara has started to potty train. Let's say the last two weeks have been off and on interesting. She'll be really into the whole potty thing for a while with the books piled up in the bathroom, and then she'll be really turned off to it, refusing to go. But we're progressing, and her cute little potty chair has stickers starting to cover the lid.

It's a long weekend for us, and we're excited to spend the time together and celebrate Easter with our family. I'm excited to have an extra day off of work and hope to get a lot accomplished tomorrow. Mara is having some friends over tomorrow for a play date, so she should have a fun morning playing with Kai and Nea. We'll update you later!

All aboard!

2007-04-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our new website! After a long absence from our previous site- and after a lot of thought, we've created a new website. Hopefully we'll be able to make more frequent updates here and inform you all of our busy lives! We have been super busy, so I'll update soon with some of the things we've been up to.