Friday, February 27, 2009

How to Win Friends and Influence People -- Part 2.3

"Remember that a man's name is to him the swetest and most important sound in the English language."(p. 103)

Learn people's names, remember people's names, use people's names.

How to Win Friends and Influence People -- Part 2.2

Smile.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

How to Win Friends and Influence People - where am I?

It's been a very long time since I started reviewing this book here (and here and here).

Officially, I just did the first three chapters, so I'm officially onto "Part 2 -- Six Ways to Make People Like You".

Chapter 1 -- "Become genuinely interested in other people." Learn to like people, learn from them, remember them and value them. That's it.

Monday, February 23, 2009

MaLM - How to live in St. George

Make a List Monday --How to live in St. George

Matt surprised me on Christmas with another President's Day/Valentine's Day trip to St. George. Last year I was great with child when we took the same trip. This year the baby came with us again, but outside my tummy. It was wonderful. We hiked a bit, drove a bit, looked at the Parade of Homes a bit and relaxed a lot. Here's what I learned about living in St. George.

1. Enjoy the rare snow; it'll be scorching hot again soon.



2. If you can't afford a red rock view, at least get a city one.

3. Enjoy the local attractions (these are lava tubes and Petrified Sand dunes in Snow Canyon)




4. Get yourself a fountain to at least cool off your nerves.




5. Or if you can afford it, by all means get an awesome pool.








6. Welcome the light inside
(a basement stairwell)

(master shower)

7. And speaking of showering, you should do it outside under a waterfall.


8. Build something unexpected into your home
(entry ceiling shot)

(kitchen pass through to a hidden pantry -- loved this!)




9 . If you are me, you can only live there a few days at a time, try the Seven Wives Inn (Bed and Breakfast). We've been there twice now and loved it both times. The rooms were nice with a fun history and the breakfasts were delicious!



There was a 15,000 square foot home we toured. The only picture I included on this post was the last pool picture. Stay tuned for a more comprehensive look soon.

Friday, February 20, 2009

Dreaming of Spring

I'm daydreaming of spring today, flowers, pergolas, playing outside, warm feet. Oh, spring, please come soon!




Thursday, February 19, 2009

This is Why You're Fat

This is why you're fat

Junk food pizza

Deep Fried Peanut Butter-Covered Brownie Wrapped In Cookie Dough

Via Gypsy Feet

Valentine's Day

On Valentine's Day, Matt and I were long gone in sunny St. George. So we celebrated with out kids on Friday morning.

Growing up my mom always made Valentine's Day special with a little treat at dinner time waiting on our plates. It was the only day she set the table for dinner herself, and the only day we offered and offered to help! We always had a little heart full of Valentine's candy and a little gift, a magazine or a cute pen or something like that.

I have always continued that tradition with my own family. Only we do it for breakfast because Matt and I often go out Valentine's night. I'm in charge of the candy and gift and Matt makes and writes the Valentines. We always make our own family Valentines. And though I now make mine out of "scrapbook" paper, construction paper Valentines will always be the real thing to me.

This year I decided to just get a dollar item for each of the kids. But then I had an ill-fated trip to the BYU bookstore. I found some books I just had to get, Gallop and Swing by Rufus Butler Seder. Have you seen them? They are scanimation picture books, if that means anything to you. In other words, the pictures move as you open the pages. You really ought to check them out. They went to the boys, so then I had to get some for our girls, too. Everyone was happy.

We had pink heart pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream, juice and bacon. It was delicious and so fun. As soon as we learn how to download pictures from our new camera, I'll post some.

Hope you had a great Valentine's Day, too!

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

County Music Fun



Thanks Dad.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

My Wife Rules and so much more

You may know my sweet husband is the author of My Wife Rules. But now he is the author of two other blogs as well, There are Monsters Everywhere and The Mormon Philosopher. Check them out!

MaLM - My Month of No Treats

Make a List Monday (on Tuesday)

What I got for my month of no sweets.

1. An appreciation for the sweetness of fruit
2. Realization that Cheerios are sweeter than I ever thought
3. Several new muffin recipes
4. Distraction or replacement help
5. Three less pounds
6. A conviction that date nights and Sunday afternoons are meant to include a little something sweet.

May I say that a box of See's Chocolates is about the best way I can think of to break a treat fast! Happy Valentine's Day Sweetie!

Friday, February 13, 2009

The Potty Dance

How's the potty training going? Don't ask. But enjoy this awesome commercial.

Via A Little Sussy

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Lost in the Wind

I've been anti blog lately. Why? I've been lost in a book. Don't worry, it happens regularly and I usually find myself in a few days. But this time the book was long, and consuming -- Gone with the Wind.

I read this book long ago when I was still a young whipper snapper. Then I devoured it for the story. This time I think I understood the moral dilemma, the soul rending grief, and the bitterness a little more. And so it was better, and so it was worse.

I finally had to stay up late last night to just finish it. It was ruining my days. Scarlett is so completely given over to selfishness that it was painful to read. I saw her pain and the obvious causes and I just started despairing. We can make life so difficult for ourselves. Certainly life is hard enough all by itself without us compounding things.

After my first reading of the book, I immediately picked up the sequel Scarlett(not written by Margaret Mitchell) to try and change the terrible ending. This time I told myself I wouldn't read it. But after the end of Gone with the Wind, I was so devastated that I may have to read it after all.

This was such a good book, although Matt swore he'd never read it after seeing me struggle with it. I'm interested in a great history of the civil war and especially the reconstruction. Does anyone have any good ideas?

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Our new scrapbook room - a spot of sun

From under the dark canopy of the ancient forest



out into the inspiring "Morning Sunlight" (our new paint color).

I'm so happy with our new room and especially my scrapbook nook. Matt was our in house hero, co-painter and shelver extraordinaire.


The real color is somewhere between the photo above and below.



I never cared about the lack of beauty in our exercise setup in our old room, but now that it looks so pretty everywhere else, this little corner bothers me more. Until we move our guest bed into this room, I won't be doing too much decorating.

Monday, February 2, 2009

MaLM - How to make a great Groundhog Day

Make a List Monday - How to Make a Great Groundhog Day

It just so happens that my kids all have school off today, Groundhog Day. So we are making it a party. Here's how.

1. Make a yummy breakfast of cheesy eggs, banana nut muffins and bacon (baked in the oven, works awesome!)
2. Take everyone to the store to pick out a toy from a recent grandparent gift (is Christmas still recent?)
3. Take it easy and read a lot.
4. Let the kids play, maybe squeeze a chore or two out of them.
5. Have a great FHE

**Bonus** if the Groundhog doesn't see his shadow