My Body

When we first moved here, I didn't realize that the master bathroom would cause me so much anguish. There are very large mirrors on three of the four walls. Now if I had a perfect body, maybe vanity would enjoy the sight. Alas.

Instead, I have found myself horrified, with expressions of, "Oh, my!" and "Yikes!" and "When did this happen?!"

So I did two things: 1. Started working out on a regular basis, and 2. Started ignoring the mirrors as much as possible.

The results: 1. Still no obvious changes, and 2. I'm trying to be very positive about my body.

I love my body because:

• I'm healthy. I am not overweight, I do not have pain, I do not have disabling diseases, in fact I rarely get sick at all; I try to get enough sleep, I try to eat well, and I try to exercise.
• Although back in the day I would have been a beggar of alms, I can easily correct my vision with glasses or contacts. I can hear, I can taste, I can smell, I can feel.
  
• I've never broken a bone or gotten hurt severely enough to be hospitalized.
• I can sing.
• I am smart, I have a healthy mind, and I have healthy relationships
• I can take care of my kids, and I can serve others.
• Although sometimes I have to dig down deep, I have lots of energy.

Of course I must give credit where credit is due: Heavenly Father gave me this body. Although I don't have complete control over my body, it's a pretty good one.

This Past Weekend

I have a short attention span, when it comes to reading blogs. Therefore, I am not going to make this one too unbearable for you. This past weekend, Bryan and I went on an overnight date.

We got dressed up and ate at a fancy restaurant in the fancy hotel. It cost $50, and we went to McDonald's afterward to satiate our lingering hunger.

This is the Seattle skyline, on a typical Seattle day.

Apparently, humans have been feeding the seagulls too long. These obese creatures sit right next to the restaurants begging for a handout. And sometimes, I've been told, they don't even wait to be offered, they just land right on your table if you're not careful.

At the Pacific Science Center

The Space Needle Hat

After we got home, our kids started doing really cute things. Actually, I think because we missed them, everything they did was cute. This is Savanna's mad/mischievous face.

Savanna shoving her foot into her shoe, instead of shoving the shoe onto her foot.

Shhh. Buzz is taking a nap.

Sunday morning Bryan was surprised into giving a lesson in Elders' Quorum. You can't see very well, but Caleb was actually copying some of Bryan's notes.

Sunday night we went for a walk on the beach with some of our new friends.

Our family

Our new friends. They live less than half a mile away, and their two youngest are our kids' ages. And Jeanne (Juh-nay, or Zhuh-nay in French) and I get along very well. I'm so glad I have a friend here!

Bagels, and Ice Cream

26

26 Reasons This Was a Good Day

1. Someone at the nursing home paid Caleb a dollar because he was being so good.
2. I got a nap (perhaps this should be number 1).
3. Bryan made me waffles for breakfast.
4. We ate Papa Murphy's pizza for dinner (okay, maybe this should be number 1).
5. We found a "Toy Story Game" at DI (we've been searching for quite some time for any Toy Story game. Caleb was so excited that right there in the store he kissed the box, hugged it, and said, "I love this game!").
6. There's a DI here!!! If you can believe it!
7. Savanna learned how to say "cracker" today (ka-ka).
8. Caleb drew me a picture.
9. I shaved my legs (I should be embarrassed that I'm listing this, but all you stay-at-home moms know what I'm talking about).
10. We are making BTS (Better Than (fill in your own blank here)) cake with a German Chocolate Cake mix and crushed Twix (what could be better?!).
11. I get to sing in church tomorrow, and it is one of my favorite arrangements!
12. It is a beautiful sunny (non-rainy and non-cloudy) day!
13. Even though my body shape has changed (thank you, Caleb and Savanna), I still weigh what I did in high school.
14. My wispy hairs have finally turned into bangs (all you moms also know what I'm talking about here).
15. I am proud to say that I handled all tantrums with more patience than normal today.
16. My house is a mess, and I'm not cleaning it!
17. I got to read a few chapters in Jane Eyre.
18. I got to read a few chapters in the Book of Mormon without interruptions!
19. Did I mention Bryan let me sleep in today? Yep, and I got the nap.
20. We ate off paper plates for dinner (which is really a good thing for Bryan because I'm not doing the dishes tonight anyway).
21. Bryan is taking me on a super date next weekend, and I'm very excited!
22. His sister Michelle and her husband Matt will stay with the kids to make it possible.
23. I renewed my driver's license soon enough that I don't have to retest!
24. The bishop's kids made that possible.
25. I got to exercise a couple times this week, with Bryan as my personal trainer!
26. I'm old enough to realize I'm still young.

Singing

When I was at BYU, I had to take a class called Masterclass. Once a week in the evening, I went to one or another vocal professor's "Masterclass," where each of the students took turns singing in front of the class. After singing a song, I would get great feedback from both the teacher and the other students. Then usually I would be asked to sing again on the spot and try out something new. At first it was a very nerve wracking experience, but I got used to it after 5 years!

Well, one of the professors was Dr. Hopkin. Although he could be off-color sometimes, I really liked his style of teaching. I learned quite a few very valuable techniques from him that I still use today. One thing I really like to do, and often ask my students to do, is to cup my hands around my ears backwards. Let me explain: point your fingers to the ceiling, palms facing the wall behind you, cup your hands, and rest them around the front of your ears about at your jawline. When you sing, you will hear yourself more or less as others might hear you because the feedback you get is bouncing off a wall instead of bouncing around in your mouth. You get the idea. It basically helps you hear more objectively because usually you hear your voice only inside your head.

Even though I am not doing a lot of performing right now, I still like to sing around the house. I didn't realize that my baby was watching me until today:

Here, she is accompanying herself while she sings very sweetly.

Here, she is "cupping" her ears, or at least trying to mimic what she has seen me do. Should I be embarrassed about the quirkiness of practicing singing?

I am big too!

Locked Out and Locked In

When we first moved into this house, we noticed that the bedrooms had key-locks on them. But none of our keys fit the locks. We mentioned this to the house manager on the first day and were promised it would be fixed.

As each day wore on with no locksmith breaking (or entering) our house, I knew it was only a matter of time before we got locked out of one or another room.

I'm not sure who or how, but my room has been locked; luckily with no one on the other side of the door. Unfortunately, many things I need are on the other side of the door. Fortunately, not everything I need is on the other side of that door.

But I can't go anywhere either. The diaper bag is in that room, and it has my keys, so I can't lock up the house. Bryan took the car (and the other set of keys) with the garage door opener.

Although I don't have everything I need from that side of the door, I am grateful for what is on this side of the door: a bathroom with a shower stocked with shampoo and conditioner and soap, a comb, some (but not all) clean clothes from the dryer, computer, TV, food, water, phone; all the essentials really. Good thing I was prepared...