That’s a fancy way of saying totally unorganized and random.
Cuisine, deconstructed:
Architecture, deconstructed:
Blog post, deconstructed:
- I stained my deck yesterday. The whole thing. All by myself. Do they make trophies for that?
- Has anyone out there ever moved somewhere that was on your top 10 list of places you didn’t want to move? Please advise. I’m trying to digest a possibility.
- You know the White Witch from the Chronicles of Narnia movie? I think she and I probably use the the same foundation color. Does anyone have a recommendation for a (not orange) self-tanner that doesn’t stink? I hate the smell.
- I grew up as a dog lover. I worked for a breeder and memorized all the different kind of dog breeds. But I now have no interest in having dog. Is this a phenomenon of having children? Also, people who treat dogs like children drive me nuts. (Think kisses, silverware, and baby talk.)
- I love House Hunters International on HGTV. I think I might buy a house in Costa Rica when Matt’s not looking.
- I wonder how much I would weigh if I only ate chocolate and potatoes. Not together, of course.
- I cried at Toy Story 3. I don’t know what that says about me, but I’m pretty sure it’s not “Wow, she’s young and hip.” Does anybody even say “hip” anymore? I’m a dork.
- I studied Alma 50 this week and got some really cool insights about the importance of making my home a stronghold: intentional protection, keep the enemy out, actively fight evil, and realize that happiness can exist even in the midst of dangerous threats. It made a great FHE lesson when the kids drew pictures of what was happening step-by-step in verses 1-6, and then we talked about keeping our home safe (spiritually).
- Natalie is a great little errand buddy. I love my little girl. Who knew I could have a 3-year-old best friend?
- Friends are a wonderful thing. It’s amazing how a little kindness can make a bad day better in no time at all.
Diapers and Divinity 
I am sort of obsessed with House Hunters. Love it.
Just wait until your 3-year-old is 13, and you actually trust her fashion advice–it gets even better. I love it. (But, I’m pretty sure admitting I take fashion advice from my teenager makes me the opposite of hip.)
Um, regarding the living where you would rather not. You can do it. I mean, you live where it’s freezing, right? And you’re not dead yet. 🙂
I love House Hunters. My 8 and 7 year olds and my husband and I will all sit down and watch it together. And I just saw an episode set in Fiji. I’m so headed there.
And I’m with you on the dog thing. I think its a requirement in my town to have a dog, and they all bark all day long. I have a long haired german shepherd, and neither one of us can stand each other. This time of year is the worst because there is dog hair everywhere. I don’t even let the dog in the house, and I still vacuum dog hair out of my violin studio everyday.
And when the dog barking wakes up me, or worse- the baby- that’s when I start to question the wisdom of having an animal.
OK – so I LOVED this post! I swear this is how my mind thinks ALL THE TIME! 🙂 In response…
1. You deserve a trophy. If your hubby doesn’t get you one, I will nominate you for wife of the year. 🙂
2. Well, the place I live NOW was one of those places. I enjoy the people, but I still HATE the reasons I hated it to begin with.
3. Good luck.
Well, I’m tired so good luck with all of the rest! You are my hero!
Way to go on the deck! As for question #2, my husband and I suddenly and quite unexpectedly moved to Baltimore several years ago. NOT my idea of paradise. But the three years we lived there brought blessings beyond what I could have ever imagined. I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the most incredible (and most challenging) experience of my life so far. I tear up with gratitude every time I think of how the Lord led us there. So…good luck with your decision!
Hated Las Vegas as a kid. Hate it now. Am perfectly happy with my life here. Go figure.
I don’t tan my face, with self-tanners or anything else. Tans come and go; wrinkles live forever. However, I do use Neutrogena’s self tanning lotion on my legs every Sunday morning.
I wasn’t a dog lover til I had a dog. Come to think of it, that’s my story with kids.
I actually don’t use anything on my face (except sunscreen), even rarely makeup. I mostly meant for legs.
I’m pretty certain it is a by product of having children… I certainly don’t want to have to take care of anything other than children and husband.
We moved to a place that we weren’t really keen on. Turned out to be the best decision of our life (maybe I exaggerate a bit). But I love it. But I guess it depends on your opinion of the place – is your opinion based on hearsay or actual experience?
You ARE a dork, and a superwoman. But I think most mothers are (I know I’m a dork)
Love house hunters! We all yell at the tv…pick #2 or pick #3 etc. I cried at Toy Story also…I think that makes us cool…and hip…and young…the only other people crying were the kids 🙂
Chocolate and potatoes…=20 extra pounds….ask me how I know…because we moved to my inlaws family home about 3 years ago. I wanted to come but it has been a huge adjustment. Hope your plans go well with the new location. Just on an upnote. We have recieved many many blessings by being here and following what the Lord laid out before us. It has been a bit emotionally hard on my though.
Yep, five years ago we moved to one of the few places I never (never ever ever) wanted to move. Luckily we got to wind up here instead of the other choices the job offered (Detroit, Phoenix) which I wanted to go to even less than here. But now…I love it here. Or: I really, really like it a lot.
Yes there are those of us who still say “hip”. Coming from me, I’m pre-tty sure that doeesn’t make you feel like less of a dork.
And I’m going to steal your FHE idea, if you don’t mind. That’s awesome and something I’ve been thinking about (haven’t we all?) Thanks!
And now I’m REALLY curious to see Toy Story 3! 🙂
Ooooh a random list of things! I love those!
I hope you recovered from deck-staining.
I cried at Toy Story 3 too (the second movie I ever cried at. The first one was UP). It hit very close to home, since OJ is leaving for college in six months.
Natalie is a cutie.
I moved somewhere that was the LAST place on earth I wanted to end up. Now I don’t want to leave. I just decided when we came here, that it was my job to be upbeat and happy about it. I mean we have to go wherever the job is right, but I can be a SAHM from anywhere. No reason to make my husband’s life miserable. So I jumped in, got involved in the ward and set out ON PURPOSE to find things I loved about this town. I’m convinced this is just one of those things that are what you make of it.
And dogs……oh heavens I agree. I thought I’d always have one. Now I’ve realized I clean up enough poop in a day, and while I love my kids enough to do it with a smile, a dog is going to have to wait…..a VERY long time. 😉
Ah, Steph, I love your posts! wow! I need to get motivated and re-stain/paint our deck!
I really like the Jergen’s Natural Glow (for fair skin of course, because I AM the white witch!) If I put it on every other day… it creates a nice natural color, just don’t go too heavy on the knees (they turn orange-y) It also doesn’t smell too bad (hope that didn’t sound like a commercial, if it did, do you know how I could get paid for it? ha ha)
I used to love animals, I mean love them! now I don’t want any either…. my kids are enough!
I can’t wait to see TS3… several of my friends said they cried too…. I cry at everything!
gotta run! Beck just took off with a bag of chips… not good.
I think Jergens is the one I have, but I think it stinks. But I don’t wear perfume or anything because I think everything stinks, so maybe I need a totally odorless solution.
This was cute…enjoyed the randomness–perhaps because I can relate to it too.
I have a dog–a purebred Lab. I wish I’d remembered how much they chew any/everything…and that they aren’t normal until they’re middle-aged, or 7 in dog years.
As for a tan, take a walk outside, sit at the park, pull some weeks in the garden for a few minutes–that’ll put some color in your cheeks! As for foundation, try BareEssentuals…light and easy.
Three year olds are my favorite age next to four year olds…they rock.
And yes, you should get a trophy for staining the deck!
When we went back to school for my hubby to get his MBA, we decided we would go wherever the job took us. That being said, there were places that were at the bottom of my list…NM being right there! We ended up here and love it. It’s like everything else, you have the choice to make it a good experience or not. There are always things to love wherever you go! Good luck!
I love HH International too. Sometimes I’m amazed at the prices for such little places though. (think Paris on that one).
You’re right about good friends – I’m so glad you have one!
I found the most amazing tanning stuff! It is called Sexy Symbol Tan and here is a link to get it from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Aerotan-Instant-Temporary-Tanning-Oz/dp/B0019698P2 When my daughter got married in February I was as white as the snow outside. You can spray this stuff on and rub it in [then be sure to wash your hands] and it looks great. It doesn’t smell weird and it didn’t rub off on my clothes. I have used it once this summer and it didn’t come off when I went swimming but it does come off with soap. Hope this helps! Love your blog.
cool. Thanks Tricia. 🙂
Even your randomness is oozing with personality.
I think maybe you already had your fill of the dog life. You don’t have a need to experience it anymore. Everybody’s different.
I have a really hard time with the fact that I don’t know where we belong, location wise. I want some dramatic feeling of inspiration that I should move to _______________. I know we won’t end up in our long-term home until we’re older, but I really hate this temporary/figuring things out phase. I hope you find a really good place for your family.
When my parents married, they decided that there were really only two places they never wanted to live – Los Angeles and Utah. Guess where they ended up? it has been challenging, but also full of blessings and experiences unique to the location. When they were told they were being called as mission presidents, they figured out all of the french speaking missions that would be getting new presidents. One filled them with dread. Guess where they were called. It was life changing, in a good way. We were living in my dream location last year, when my hubby lost his job after only 8 months, so we moved somewhere I NEVER would have chosen for our family, but I’m determined to make the most of this change. I’ve given up trying to lead myself through life….I keep stubbornly trying to do it, but it seems Heavenly Father always has something better in store, if I let him lead the way.
Having said that, I just finished having a pity party for myself about this move, to which I only invited my two friends that never give me trouble when I want to sulk….Ben, and Jerry. They brought their good friend, Chubby Hubby. We cried together, and I ingested horrible amounts of saturated fat, but now I’m all better and ready to be cheerful about the move. Sometimes you just need to sulk a little.
The dog thing? I believe it is all about the poop and hair and training involved. When I was first married I swore up and down that I would be one of those moms that let her kids have pets, but my kids give me way too much pee and poop and mess to clean up after. Why would I voluntarily add another creature to the mix, unless someday that creature would be able to clean up MY poop when I get old and have to wear diapers. I’m having a hard enough time training my kids to put their poop and pee where it belongs….I don’t need to worry about doing that for a dog, as well. I’m pretty sure my kids hate me for this.
My siblings all have dogs, and they claim I don’t because I am way too anal retentive and too much of a control freak. I don’t deny it.
I’ll totally go in on a house in Costa Rica with you. I’m addicted to HH international, too.
March 2005
Me to soon-to-be-graduating hubby: Why are you driving to California for an interview when California is one of two places we definitely do not want to live?
Hubby: I don’t know. I just feel like I need to.
They offered Hubby a job on the spot. We moved away from all of our family, friends, and brand-new home 2 months later to the complete unknown. Now I love it. I can see why we were supposed to be here. It is “home.”
I grew up the daughter of the woman who ran the animal shelter in the county where we lived, and over time her work came home with her. By the time I was 17, we had 17 four-legged best friends added to our family! (she was incredibly fastidious about keeping up after them ~ we did not live in a kennel!). But now….I do think that not wanting a dog is perfectly normal with small kids running around. That said, I think having a dog is a great thing FOR the kids who are running around. My energy however is finite, and I feel like I’m tapped out taking care of the five I already take care of….though the kids having to help care for a living thing is so much a better way to learn responsibility than doing the trash or the dishes….both of those things won’t DIE if left unattended. Gosh, I guess I’m a wishy-washer on this one! Thanks for helping me process via comment. 🙂
I consciously told myself “I’m not going to cry. I’m NOT going to cry” during TS3. Friends had said they left needing a tissue, and I just wasn’t willing to need one, too. Though I could have, and convincing myself not to was really, really hard.
Congrats on the deck doings! That is an amazing accomplishment!!
I’m nearly to Alma 50 in my reading…I will be paying close(r) attention to it once I get there. Thanks for the heads up!
xoxo
I just finished up with Alma again and really loved it. It always resonates with me.
I have lived in the midwest, south east, and new england, and now the deep deep south. According to just about every ranking of states, the one I now live in the worst one. I was so unhappy about moving here, and I still am embarrassed when my kids say we are “from” here. I knew it would just be for 3 years. I kept reassuring myself that K-2 education is good anywhere and that’s all we needed. I assumed we’d have a ward to draw from for friends and schools to get us involved in the community. We have one year left, and I can say that people are good everywhere. I still hate everything else about living here. Heat, bugs, oil messes, hurricanes, and all other manner of stuff I.don’t.like. But we’ve made it. And I can’t wait to leave.
When my husband got into ASU I cried because I thought Phoenix would be the WORST place ever to live. Turned out that I loved it. And I miss it. And probably if I had every heard of the UP I wouldn’t have wanted to live here. And yet, I like it quite a lot. Winter notwithstanding.
And also, I cried a lot during Toy Story 3. So did my husband. We were ridiculous. And then I was telling my friend about it and I cried again. Sheesh.
I love this tanner, NO BAD SMELL!! and it works well between shave jobs.
I use this product on my face. http://amzn.to/bjQdsF
I am always told haw tan I look..
I live in Phoenix, We moved here from Utah. Not on our list of places we would have loved to live. But I would never spend a winter in Utah AGAIN! We have been here nearly 2 years and love it here now
Oh I forgot. About the 3 year old best friend,
She becomes your 33 year old best friend too soon so enjoy her now.. My 33 year old best friend is the light of my life. I love her so much. It was just yesterday she was 3.
Reading these comments is making me miss HGTV! We haven’t had it for a few months. DIY channel and Yard Crashers is taking the edge off, though. 🙂
I think the White Witch is pretty cool. She’s so intimidating, she makes white look good!
And I have googled more places after watching House Hunters International!
I just got back from a vacation visiting friends and family in Idaho and Utah. Our first stop was Pocatello Idaho where both my husband and I were both against living for a long time. But ISU was there and my husband needed to transfer from BYU-I. (He just didn’t like it). Anyways, we lived there for a year and loved it. And were both surprised when we visited that it felt like we were coming home. Going somewhere you don’t want to can be a great thing for you and your family. Oh and I cried in Toy Story 3 too!
I have a do not want to live list, but it is only two things long. I do have an experience with moving somewhere I never expected and not really liking it. But probably not what you want to know…
I cried for Toy Story 3, too. You do not want to be on my level on the cool and hip meter, though.
If you find a good tanner, please pass it on. I need some help looking non-albino myself.
Sally Hansen Air Brush legs, found in the nail section. It’s not a self-tanner, it’s body makeup that comes right off every time you shower. And it doesn’t stain or ruin your clothes or stink or turn orange. Use it lightly, apply lotion first. Best Sunday Pasty Leg saver ever.