So Many Posts And So Little Time!

Last week flew by in a blur. We have had so much going on. We had the missionaries over, our home teachers over, a big family dinner, the Science Fair, a girls night for me and Reilly and a trip out to the lake...plus I FINALLY got my hair cut and highlighted...Thank goodness!

Kirk, Jayme and Kaiden

Aunt Kristin and Kaiden

Cousins...all except for Dane who moves so fast and leaped out of the picture!

Friday night Reilly and I went to the Church to help decorate for the Stake Activity Day Activity, which was a Modest Fashion Show. After we were done we decided to have a little night on the town. We had talked about going for ice cream at Maggie Moo's but it was FREEZING and so we decided to go to one of our favorite places, Taco Del Mar. We were starving and had our hearts set on a huge order of nachos...but we were denied. They have some crazy winter hours...who closes at 8pm on a Friday night? In the time we tried the door, found it locked, and got back in our car three other customers tried to get in as well. We decided against Ferrantes (our usual) and ended up at Wendy's for Vanilla Frosties and Fries. Ahh...health food. It was so much fun to sit, talk, and giggle with Reilly. She is growing up so fast!

Here are some pictures from the Fashion Show...Our ward wasn't modeling the clothes...we were in charge of decorations...but when Reilly heard from Andrea that all the girls would get a chance to strut their stuff on the catwalk she came all decked out!


I then spent Saturday afternoon with Armand...

Armand is my hairdresser...is that the right word nowdays?? Hair stylist...whatever. Armand was recommended to me several years ago by my friend Elisa and I have been going ever since. There are several perks to going to Armand. He is cheap, he will always fit me in, and he gives a great 10-15 minute head, neck, and shoulder massage. I have a tolerate/annoyed relationship with him (rather than a love/hate relationship)...the reason for this is that he is moody!! There is nothing worse than a moody man...especially one who holds your hair in his hands. Another reason that Armand can annoy me is he thinks we are good friends. Armand has done hair for most everyone in my book club at least once. He is friends with and does the hair for many of my non-lds friends. He knows my family and has done hair for some of them...and he very BRIEFLY...dated my sister, Kelley (the first and last fix-up by my mom). So...many of our social circles overlap. This causes him to treat me differently than other paying customers.

For instance...when I called him to set up an appointment he was pretty much yelling at me asking where all my friends were and saying if I didn't tell my friends to come in then he wouldn't be doing hair for much longer. This didn't go over so well with me. I have recommended him to numerous people. If he can't retain his clients it's not my problem. People are put off by his moodiness. He is friendly one time and distant the next. I would've cancelled but I really needed my hair cut and highlighted and I'm too cheap to go somewhere else. Luckily when I got there Amand must have realized how out of line he was because I was given the royal treatment and left with lots of free samples that he stuffed in my purse. My hair feels great. I am hesitant to post the picture of my new do. It was taken late at night out at the lake. So it looks pretty crappy but you can see that I got a good 4 inches chopped off, chunky blonde highlights, and brush-away bangs (Armand's words...not mine). I will have to have Tyler take a better picture...preferably one where I haven't been out in the snow!!

Two Book Reviews



I guess I shouldn't call these book reviews. This will be more like an extension of my book journal. I have kept a book journal for years. I like to know what I have read , what I liked, and what I didn't like. I have a rating system. It's more like a movie review rating system. The categories are Fabulous (the highest...a rare rating), Excellent, Good, OK, and Hated It. Not that eloquent but it's worked for me over the years. So onto the reviews:

The first is Chocolat by Joanne Harris. This book was given to me by Rebecca at our book club Christmas party book exchange. I was very excited to get it because I have been wanting to read it for a long time. I am a Francophile (I think that's the word) I love all things French. I took French in High School and at BYU. I have always wanted to go to France. I like French food. You get the idea. This book was a great armchair travel book. It takes place in a small village in France. It is filled with quirky, colorful, beret-wearing characters. The main character is a woman named Vianne. She and her small daughter come to a small rural village to start a new life. She opens a chocolate shop, charms the villagers, and ends up setting herself at odds with the local priest of the Catholic Church. He feels that she is decadence personified to say the least. Oh--did I mention that Vianne might have magical powers?? The plot thickens...or should I say the chocolate thickens!! Do not read this book if you are trying to lose weight. You will CRAVE chocolate!! Chocolate is truly the main character of this book. Thank goodness I read it when I was sick and nauseous. But even that didn't stop the chocolate craving. I roused myself from my sick bed and staggered into the kitchen to scarf down some Valentines candy. Did it taste good? No! Did I feel worse? Yes! But I was powerless against the subliminal--ok maybe not subliminal--very overt message to EAT CHOCOLATE NOW!! This was a book that left me warm and cozy. I felt like I had gone on a small jaunt to France and interacted with the local color.

There were just a couple of things that I didn't like. There were three different story lines that I felt would've been really interesting to explore and would've given the book a few interesting twists. These story lines were mentioned and then dropped. That was too bad. But all in all I rate it Good. Actually VERY GOOD! A twist or turn would've given it an Excellent rating. But I really liked the book and recommend it to anyone who loves France, chocolate, and cozy reads. Thanks Rebecca!

P.S. I have never seen the movie so I don't know how it compares.




The next review is for Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner. This was our latest book club read for the month of February. It is a beautifully written, eloquent, descriptive book. It has been highly, highly recommended to me by several people...readers who I respect. Most of them have said that it was the best book they have ever read. Wow! That is saying a lot. This book is a very long and epic tale of a husband and wife who move to the west in the late 1800's to settle. This was good news to me. I love long, fat, epic, historical fiction...and it was. It is told through the research of the this couple's grandson, Lyman Ward, a historian, who is now in his fifties and handicapped. He begins to research his grandmother's life for a book he is writing. A lot of the story is told through letters that were sent between his grandmother, Susan, and her best friend, Augusta. It is a story of the marriage of Susan and Oliver and the hardships, joys, and disappointments they experienced with a backdrop of the scenic west...California, Mexico, Colorado, and Idaho.

This is a Pulitzer Prize winning book. The writing is beyond beautiful. Stegner reminds me a bit of Steinbeck. I really liked this book...was it the best book I have ever read? No. But it was certainly one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read. I love the way the story unfolds...letters, documents, flipping time periods (the late 1800's and the 1970's). Stegner doesn't sugar coat the characters. They aren't larger than life. They are human and not always sympathetic. I found myself disliking Lyman, Susan, and Oliver at different times thorough out the book but I grew to care about each of them.

I rate this as Excellent for the writing alone. I was a bit disappointed with the ending. I felt like I had invested a lot and was some what let down and wanted to know more but that would've added another 500 pages to the book!!

Valentines Day, Tainted Peanut Butter and Dave Ramsey

The kids and the cute Valentines table they set!

I hope everyone had a great Valentines Day. We sure did! Tyler's birthday is the week before Valentines Day so Tyler and I usually go out for dinner and do our romantic date then and we celebrate Valentines Day with the kids. I spent the day running back and forth between both Reilly and Kameron's classes as I was helping with both parties. I had Ailey with me and she was absolutely thrilled to be at school and going to the parties. School Valentine Parties have sure changed since I was a kid. Gone are the days of just having heart-shaped sugar cookies and punch. Reilly's class had a chocolate fountain (with pineapple, strawberries, pound cake, marshmallows, graham crackers, and pretzels for dipping) and chocolate gelatto from the local Italian restaurant. Delicious! They also had crafts, games and goodie bags. Kameron's class also had quite a spread with a fruit tray, veggie tray, cheese plate, cupcakes, sugar cookies, chips, and pop. They also had crafts and games. I was explaining to the kids that back when I was a kid..."the olden days"...we only had cookies, punch, and handed out our valentines and we LIKED IT (in the voice of a grumpy old man)...we didn't have crafts, and games, and chocolate fountains!!

There is also an obscene amount of candy that is handed out. I explained to the kids that we used to only get conversation hearts with our valentines or a sucker if you were lucky. I remember dumping out my hearts and picking out the ones that said the appropriate thing for the appropriate person and sticking them in the little envelopes with the Valentines (valentines don't even come with envelopes anymore). I remember taking quite a while finding just the right valentine for each person on the list. I would find the special one that would let that special someone know just how I was feeling about him and then I would pick out conversation hearts that reiterated those feelings. I always picked out the Strawberry Shortcake ones (the kids were shocked that Strawberry Shortcake was around WAY BACK THEN). I remember picking out one for Brad Roper (my crush of 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade...he was dreamy) that said "You are berry special!" I loved getting my valentines and would scrutinize all the messages and the conversation hearts. The best valentines were the ones that said "I love you...from your Secret Admirer".






Later on when I lived in Springdell it was a tradition there to deliver your valentines to all your friends on Valentines Night. Ding-and-Ditch was the method that was used. I used to love to open the door and see a pile of valentines on the door step. We did this up through Junior High and High School. Once I got a big fabric covered heart-shaped box full of chocolates from my 6th grade boyfriend and neighbor Mike Bills. Very exciting! The boys in the dell would play pranks on me and my friends. Many a time I would open the door and see a shiny valentine and go to grab it and suddenly the valentine would jerk away from me and I would hear hysterical laughter from the bushes where the boys had it one a piece of fishing line. One year it was a valentine, the next a candy bar, and then next a dollar bill. Some how we fell for it every year. My boyfriend from 9th grade and neighbor Rex Nielson did give me the dollar bill that year and wrote on it "Rex + Kristin" which I glued into my journal!! AW...young love!! Interesting side note...after I moved away to Kansas City Rex dated Vanessa's (from book club) sister, Julie, for a few years. I was crushed! Small world though huh?






Now that I've had my little trip down memory lane...I will return to this Valentines Day. We usually do a "fancy" dinner for the kids with table cloths, cloth napkins, the good dishes, candles etc. The kids always want homemade heart-shaped pizzas for dinner along with the funky pretzel strawberry jello salad which is weird yet surprisingly good. They pick out a few other things to go on the menu but pizza and pretzel salad are must-haves. This year the kids decorated the table (See above photo)...then we put out their Valentine surprises on their plates. We had fun!






Onto the tainted peanut butter...some peanut butter was recalled last week due to salmonella contamination. Imagine my surprise when the very tainted peanut butter in question was in our pantry half-eaten. Could that have contributed to our illnesses of last week? Who knows? After totally FREAKING out and spending an incredible amount of time inquiring into the digestive habits of each member of the family I came to the conclusion that we were all ok...thank goodness. I had several phone calls from 3 different members of my family warning me about the bad peanut butter and then they were all shocked that I had actually purchased the "Great Value" peanut butter. "Why?" they all chorused "Our family only eats Jiff"!! (Isn't it funny how families even years later are still loyal to the brands they used as kids??) Well I usually always DO buy Jiff (extra crunchy) but thanks to my budget and that dang Dave Ramsey I have purchased the "Great Value" (which turned out to be not-so-great) brand for the past few months. Scary!

Also thanks to Dave Ramsey I will have to wait a lot longer for some new flooring in our Kitchen and Living Room. We got our tax return on Friday (yes...we are THOSE kind of people who do our taxes very early) and we got Tyler's bonus on the same day. So we were feeling very rich indeed. I was ready to fly off to sunny somewhere and was busy plotting all the ways to spend the cash when I was brought back to reality by good ole Dave Ramsey whose mantra is to PAY OFF DEBT!! Which of course we needed to do. So by Tuesday our wad of cash was gone but quite a bit of debt wiped out. I had been whining to Andrea about not getting my new floors at book club and she told me that paying off debt was going to feel so much better...guess what...she was right! The floors will have to wait a bit longer.

I've Been Tagged!! 6 Unusual Things About Me

I was tagged by Kelly A. so here it goes! I hope you all can take the excitement! ;) I had to dig deep for these.

1.) Robert Redford gave me a torte for my 12th birthday! (Pipe down all family and long time
friends!! You knew I had to get it in here somewhere. Hey-I left it off my 100 list!). This is truly my big claim to fame. But it really isn't that exciting. Growing up in Provo Canyon we spent a lot of time at Sundance and my parents became friendly with Robert Redford. One day my parents were up there and he invited them to something and they said they couldn't go because they had to get back home for my birthday party. He had the chef from the Tree Room (a restaurant at Sundance) box up a big fruit torte and then "Bob", as he likes to be called, gave it to my parents to give to me and told them to tell me "Happy Birthday" from him.

2.) I have a heart murmur.

3.) I was a candy striper. My mom is a nurse and has been a hospital administrator for years and I always thought I wanted to work at the hospital...until I did this gig. It started out wonderful. I was given the very "prestigious" job in the candy striper world of a "runner" this came with a walkie-talkie--very cool-- to a 13-year-old. My job was to run things here and there usually to the lab. Well I had been bragging about my prestigious job at the hospital for weeks and finally my dad asked me what exactly I did there. I went on and on about the walkie-talkie (so I could be reached anywhere in the hospital) and hierarchy of the candy striper world and my lofty position etc. Then my dad asked me what exactly I carried to the lab. "Well" I said very self-importantly "I am the one who carries the stool samples". I awaited his look of awe and respect. Only to see him on the floor laughing hysterically!!

Dad: "THAT is your job?"
Kris: "yes...what is so funny!"
Dad: "You carry @#$%???? More hysterical laughter.
Kris: (Appalled) NO I DO NOT!!!! I carry stool samples.
Dad: What do you think "stool" is??
Kris: I don't know but it isn't THAT!
Dad: OH yeah it is...ask your mother.
Kris: Mom??
Mom: hysterically laughter...yes!!
Kris: I quit!

There is my candy striping experience in a nutshell...but I wasn't allowed to quit and had the pleasure of being a stool-sample carrier for quite a while!

3.) The squeaky sound cotton balls make gives me the absolute willies. My family loves to torture me by grabbing cotton balls and then squeaking them in my ear! Oohh! I have the shivers just thinking about it.

4.) I have extremely damaged and scarred eardrums. When I was a kid I had a lot of ear infections and then I had tubes and then still had lots of ear infections afterwards. My ear drums have ruptured numerous times. Whenever I go into the doctor and they look at my ears they usually gasp and several times have grabbed other people to look at the apparent horror. I have failed every hearing test I have ever taken and probably will eventually need a hearing aid somewhere down the line. Tyler and I laugh that I will probably go deaf and he will probably go blind (due to his diabetes...but his eyes are actually perfect...don't want to scare his family) and then we will have to communicate Helen Keller style. :)

5.) My best friend from college, Tiffany, and I were hit on by Karl Malone of the Utah Jazz at Sounds Easy Video in SLC. Could never look at "The Mailman" the same way again.

6.) I once was using the restroom at a busy gas station in SLC. The door didn't lock and my "so-called" best friend Tiffany was supposed to be guarding the door. Something caught her eye and drew her away from the restroom...was it a pretty butterfly Tiff?? Something sparkly?? (I'm not still bitter) anyway some guy opened the door and there I was in all my toilet glory. I started screaming for him to shut the door. But he just stood there laughing! Finally my screams brought Tiffany back and the guy took off still laughing and then proceeded to tell it all to his friend on his way to his car...who then also started laughing!!! As a result I check, double check, triple check the locks on public restroom doors!!

Ok there are 6 unusual things about me....now I "tag" Andrea, Carolyn, and Alisa!!

Kirk and Feminine Hygiene 101

I have been sick for days and finally feel good enough to sit at the computer and I have been catching up on all my favorite blogs!! Poor Tyler he has been our nursemaid! Tyler got this virus originally...fever, cough, chest cold...and then passed it into Kameron, me, and then Ailey. Reilly has been the only hold out so far. Tyler has been keeping track of all our medication doses on a sticky note and making sure that everyone stays on schedule. I woke last night to him trying to convince me to take some medicine and drink some Gatorade which I was apparently refusing to do...and he was asking me if I wanted to "boil my brain"due to my 103 fever...his cliche-talk is too funny! Thanks mom for stopping by with lunch and lots of cold beverages! You are the best!

O.k. onto my topic...my brother Kirk. When I first started my blog I received quite a bit of mockage (is that a word?? It is in my world) from my brother and sisters. Lots of "Are you going to put this on your blog", "Careful she'll post that picture on her blog" "blog schmog...who cares about your blog!!"All in good fun of course. Then over Christmas I was blog-hopping and found a picture of a girl wearing a T-shirt that said "No one cares about your blog!" (I don't remember who that was or whose blog I was reading) anyway I found it hilarious and told Kirk about it and he dryly told me that I needed to purchase one of those... in case I forgot I could just look in the mirror! :)

Anyway a few weeks ago Kirk called me very excited...he had started a blog...and he was addicted to checking his blog and reading blogs and he wanted me to know that he was sorry for mocking me!! I would post his link... it is hysterical... but it might offend delicate sensibilities (my Nana reads my blog!! Hi Nana!) and it is on a creepy web "space". Anyway Kirk connected with lots of old friends even several from Texas that he went to elementary school with and so he wanted me to check out the pictures of his friends. It just amazes me that these obnoxious little boys have turned out to be men...nice men...productive...contributing to society men...even dads! I was laughing seeing pictures of Kirk's elementary school pals Corbin and Darren and it brought to mind the subject of my blog...

Kirk about age 10

One day Kirk and his buddies were noticed sitting on the curb examining something very intently. He was spotted by one of his sisters who thought they looked suspicious and called for more sisters to come and check it out. Kirk was holding something white and slender in his hand and was talking very animatedly. He seemed to be describing the different parts and structure of the object. His little buddies, Corbin and Darren, were quite fascinated and were leaning in close to hear every word and to get a good look. Three big sisters pressed their faces to the window to determine what it was they were holding. Suddenly Kirk handed identical objects to his friends. He then appeared to be demonstrating something. He lifted his object into the air and seemed to launch something out of the chamber into the street. This filled the boys with excitement and they too launched things out of the slender white objects into the street! Three sisters' mouths dropped open in HORROR!! Realization dawned. Three big and ANGRY sisters flew out of the house screaming, yelling and flailing their hands wildly. Three little boys stood frozen on the spot with tampons in their hands and a look of sheer terror on their faces.

"Those cost money you little freaks!!" screamed Kristin.

"WE ARE TELLING MOM!! You perverts are going to pick those up RIGHT NOW!!"yelled Stacey.

"YOU ARE DEAD!!" said Kelley in a tone of pure ice.

"RUN!!!" yelled Kirk.

Three little boys took off for the nearest bayou or pond... places filled with slimy texas creatures where big sisters refuse to follow.

But I am happy to report that they are all experts on the secret world of feminine hygiene having experienced Kirk's tampon 101 class. ;)

*************************************************

New pictures of Kaiden...isn't he adorable?

Check out the Vans!!

There is something so profound about seeing your siblings become parents!!

P.S. Kelly...I got your "tag" I will do it tomorrow and hope that my fever addled brain can think of 6 more things!! ;)

Our little Fashionista

Ailey on Sunday...a rare day that she isn't in pink

Ailey is one of those girls who comes out of the womb a girly-girly. She looked like a little pink rosebud and pink has truly been her signature color ever since. She likes everything that is fluffy and froo-froo. Reilly was not that way. She wore lots of reds and blues. She wore little high tops with jean skirts...not Ailey.

We joke that we think Ailey is either going to be a fashion designer or a jewelry designer. Even though she is only 2 1/2 years old she is very interested in clothes and jewelry. She notices what other people wear and comments on it. She will go around telling people "I like your outfit", "I like your necklace" , "I like your earrings", "I like your shirt" etc. My sister, Kelley, wears lots of great jewelry and once she was holding Ailey when Ailey was 18 months old. Ailey was playing with her necklace. Ailey kept asking Kelley "What's this?" and Kelley would answer "A necklace" This happened a few times and finally Ailey got frustrated and said "NO!!! What rock??". Kelley and I were shocked and Kelley answered "An onyx" and Ailey said "oh ok".

Ailey and Aunt Kelley

Once we were downtown and going past this expensive clothing boutique and Ailey kept saying "There's Ailey's jacket"..."There's Ailey's jacket"...I was ignoring her and told her that she didn't need a jacket because it was warm and she got mad and said "NO!! At the store! There's Ailey's jacket". I looked and there indeed was a gorgeous jacket. Ailey then said " Go get it. That's Ailey's jacket!"


She loves to help me pick out my earrings and shoes. She actually has great taste and picks out earrings and shoes that really do match what I am wearing. She can tromp all over the house in my high heeled stilettos that I can't even walk in. It is hilarious.


A couple of Sundays ago Tyler was going through his closet and pulled out an old pair of dress pants that he bought when we were dating and that had been crammed in his closet ever since. He thought there might still be some life in them (there wasn't) Tyler hates to throw something away if there might be the slimmest possibility that he would wear it again. Anyway Ailey came into our bedroom after Tyler had put them on and in a horrified voice asked him "Where did those come from??" Tyler asked her "Don't these look ok?" and Ailey replied very seriously "NO!" Ailey then called me into the bedroom to show me what Daddy was trying to wear and asked me also in a horrified voice "Where did those come from??" Needless to say Tyler didn't wear the pants and they went into the donation pile.



Then last week we were downtown after dropping Reilly off at ballet and we drove past a bridal shop. They had a bunch of wedding dresses and other dresses in the window. From the backseat Ailey pipes up with "I love those formals!" Our jaws dropped and Tyler and I asked each other "Did she just say what I think she said?" I ask her again "What did you say?" and Ailey replied with "I SAID I love those formals!" She was completely serious! She's two! How she even knows that word I have no idea!! It is crazy and just a little bit creepy. Where is all of this coming from? Not from me! I live in jeans and flip-flops and we have already established that Tyler is "fashion-challenged" ;)



Maybe I should add a side bar to my blog for "Ailey's Fashion Tips" :)

Happy Birthday Baby!!

I love this picture of Ty and Kam! They were out with John flying his hawk. (John is a falconer). Great picture taken by Jason.

Today is Tyler's 36th birthday...wow...time goes by fast. When we met I was 21 and he was 22. Now it's 14 years, three kids, a few gray hairs (his not mine), one mortgage and one suburban later.


I've decided to list 36 things I love about Tyler...this was very difficult because there are so many things I love about him...all his little quirks...and since I have so much practice from doing my own 100 (hello narcissist) I wanted to just keep going but I will leave it at 36.



1.) He's HOT!!

2.) He's my best friend

3.) He is the BEST dad ever...I am actually jealous and wish I had a dad like Tyler. I tell the

kids all the time how lucky they are to have such a great dad.

4.) He is EXTREMELY smart

5.) He's really strong...I haven't had to carry anything heavier than a jug of milk in 14 years

when he's around.

6.) He's a gentleman...he actually opens doors, pulls out chairs...this took a lot of getting used to

for this independent girl (He actually used to get mad because I would jump out of the car

too fast...but that was 3 kids and numerous baby paraphernalia ago).

7.) He carries numerous baby paraphernalia

8.) He takes good care of himself. He exercises and eats well. This Dec. he decided to lift weights

and get really buff. I am already liking what I'm seeing!! Now he frequently asks me to check

out the "gun show" (his arms).

9.) He is cheesy (see #8) He frequently speaks in cliche...if discussing someone who has a

drinking problem Tyler will say they are "on the sauce" (this causes me MUCH amusement).

His cheesy cliches go on and on.

10.) He is a hard worker

11.) He values my staying at home and will do whatever it takes to make it happen financially.

12.) He supports me in all I do...and believes in me more than I do myself.

13.) He's romantic...last year he sent a local radio station an amazing email about what a
wonderful wife and mother I am and how much I sacrifice for our family and the radio station
delivered roses to me...I had NO idea.

14.) His nicknames for me (that I dare to post) are "cutie" and "beautiful".

15.) He was apparently born without any sensation on his face because he can have food all
over it and not feel a thing. Even though the rest of the world is like "Dude! How can
you not feel that!!)

16.) He loves my family as much as I do!!

17.) He has curly hair and big blue eyes

18.) He is a computer genius and fixes everyone's computer for them. This blog would not exist
without his help. (Me: how do I post pictures on my blog again?? Tyler: Is this MY hobby
or yours!!)

19.) He eats revolting things like bread and milk all mushed up in a bowl...I think this is a "Utah"
thing. Gag!

20.) The sound of paper being folded gives him the willies...NO ORIGAMI FOR HIM! :(

21.) One of his nicknames is "10 seconds delay"...very frequently I will have just been saying
something and approximately 10 seconds later Tyler will repeat the exact same thing I just
said but as if it is a new thought!! (This does NOT amuse me!)

22.) He isn't afraid of poop or puke. He will always change the most disgusting diapers and one of
my favorite memories of him is standing buck naked on our bed ladling vomit (yes...he
was actually using a ladle) from a pool in the center of our bed (thanks Reilly!) into a large
bowl! (I'm laughing right now just thinking about it!)

23.) He asks me frequently "So...what happened on "Days" today?" (A man after my own heart)

24.) When we go to a restaurant and I don't like what I ordered but I like what HE ordered Tyler
will always trade plates with me! (This happens surprisingly often)

25.) He has gained 30 lbs of sympathy weight with all three pregnancies

26.) He thinks I'm beautiful, smart and funny and tells people!!

27.) He's a reader (thank goodness) If we run out of things to talk about in our "golden" years
we will always have books.

28.) He read the "Outlander" Series for me and loves it as much as I do and even recommended
to one of his friends!! Tyler feels he identifies in every way with James Fraser...red hair,
blue eyes, strength, cunning, intelligence, power and other "skills" :)

29.) He is a music "rainman". I have yet to EVER discover a band before he has...he collects
music, loves to talk about music, has more CD's than anyone I've ever seen. Thinks of his
Ipod as a member of the family!!

30.) He is humorous but isn't known for being funny...although he thinks he is hilarious! He feels
I don't "get" his particular sense of humor. When he does bust out with something funny the
kids all chime in for him to "test his blood". (He's been diabetic since he was 8 and oddly
enough as his blood sugar goes down his humor level rises!)

31.) His other nickname is "spoon man"...he has two of the most GIGANTIC big toes I have ever
seen!! They look like giant serving spoons! It is quite a sight. (Maybe I shall have to snap a
picture for the blog) This particular trait has been passed onto all three of our kids. Our
babies can be identified in a crowded nursery by our family members on big toes alone!

32.) When I met him he refused to eat mustard or pepper because he heard in a high school
science class that they turned your stomach red. He told me all of this and I replied with
"So...big whoop!" He has been eating them with gusto ever since!

33.) He loves me for who I am .... issues and all! This could surprise you but I DO have a few!! ;)

34.) He is secure enough in his manhood to run to the store for ONLY tampons, Ibuprofen and
chocolate!

35.) He will make all of the phone calls I don't want to!

36.) He claims to loathe Mrs. Beasley (our pug) but I think that deep deep down he
is secretly fond of her!

Happy Birthday Tyler!! I love you!!