100 Amanda-isms

1. I believe in being polite, (even when being impolite!) and generally am to a fault. There have been times when I have really wanted to tell someone off, but the words just couldn't cross my lips...frustrating really. Even when an exchanging of "words" are needed, I think a great deal of thought should be put into how those words are going to be phrased. I think this may be something of a Canadian habit, and I think this tendancy of mine may even annoy some Americans.

2. I am an eater, I love food, I love to cook, I love trying new and different things. I used to be embarrased of this but refuse to be any longer. Food is something we can enjoy and celebrate with in life and there is nothing wrong with that. Moderation is important, but food is a joy and should be treated as such.

3. I am addicted to The Gilmore Girls, it is the only show I really watch.

4.I love clothing and fashion, although you wouldn't be able to tell that from the way I dress most of the time.

5. I don't have a large circle of friends, but once you are my friend its for life. I still have close relationships with people I have known since infancy even though we may have very different lifestyles and live far away.

6. I am very selective of who I will open with. I can be very gaurded and this frustrates me sometimes. It takes me quite a while to really get to know people and I am working on being less anxious about letting people get to know me.

7. I can be extremely silly and giddy, usually after 10:30 p.m.

8.I struggle with the concept of patriotism and feel that I lack a national identity. Generally I feel country-less, which is an odd sensation. I am working my mind around the possibility of becoming American, but it will be a decision long in the making. Fortunately it isn't even an option yet, so I can take my sweet time.

9. I take somethings to seriously.

10. Somethings I don't take seriosuly enough.

11.I like to walk, not for exercise (although that is a positive by product) but as a social or meditative activity.

12. I am fascinated and scared by pilates.

13.I thrive on structure, there's nothing better than a good orderly schedhule is there?

14.People generally think that I am either much smarter than I am, or much dumber. One or the other.

15.I am a "conscientious worker"...every report card I ever got from kindergarten on up had this comment on it, from diferent teachers at different schools. For a long time I thought everyone got that comment, but then I asked around and everyone else said they'd never heard of it.

16. I rarely cry.

17. I always have a plan...for tommorow, next week, next month, next year, five years, ten years, twenty years...and I am looking forward to all of them. I do a pretty good job at sticking to my plans, although I do reserve the right to change my mind at any time without notification.

18. Once I really decide to do something I am on task 100%. Obcessively.

19.I worry to much about what others think.

20.I aspire to being a "neat freak", but have a long way to go.

21. I believe my children are thier own people, and came to me with thier own personalities, strengths and weaknesses. I try to avoid parenting practices that will manipulate them into something that serves my own personal agenda (ie. I have a personal weakness of wanting to be seen as a "good mother", but this is not always good for my children and I have to watch out for that in myself) . Instead I try to treat them as individuals and help them adapt to thier environment. It is mostly trial and error, but I have found that the more I give my children space to do things at thier own pace the happier and more successfull we all are, as parents and children respectively. (Even if we all look crazy).

22.I love universities as an institution. I love being on any campus, I love the way the buildings smell, I love to eat in the cafeteria/food court on campus, I love looking at text books and registering for classes.

23.I dream of going back to graduate school. But it probably won't happen for a little while just yet...sigh.

24.I would love to teach at the collegiate level...maybe part time at first (but #23 has to come first, right).

25.I AM going to learn to sew.

26.I eat an egg almost every morning for breakfast.

27.Ringing telephones make me nervous. I am also very anxious about checking messages after having been out.

28.I have long term financial goals.

29.I eat 5 to 9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day for better health.

30. I recently have become a fiber junkie, I am always looking for ways to increase my fiber intake (and no I am not 65).

31. I used to write lots of letters before email came to be, and want to start again.

32.I am useless when I haven't had enough sleep.

33. I try to stand up for people who can't stand up for themselves, and am grateful to those who have stood up for me when I couldn't do it myself.

34.I really hope to have a daughter one day, but have made peace with the possibility I may only have boys.

35.I can be a control freak.

36.I need to get out and about everyday or I will quickly get depressed.

37. I really don't like to drive if I can help it.

38. I didn't anticipate in advance that I would be teaching preschool this year, but have come to really enjoy it and have signed on again for next year.

39.I believe that talk is cheap. If my actions and choices do not reflect what I say I believe, then I don't really believe it or am that, am I? I hold others to this standard as well.

40. I can be very demanding of my immediate family and am grateful my husband is so patient with me.

41. I want to live in a neighbourhood with sidewalks one day.

42. I would love to live in an old or historic home, (again!).

43. I love Thai food...and most asian food as well.

44.I believe breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and needs to involve protein.

45. I don't own a pair of real high heal shoes, but hope to aquire a real nice pair of black pumps one day.

46.I am obcessed with Old Salem, NC and like to go there with my family whenever possible.

47.Although I am not an athletic person and don't understand the rules of any sport, I enjoy attending sporting events with my husband and sons. It is a wholesome family activity, even if I am not sure which team I am cheering for.

48. I really like getting pedicures and having pretty feet.

49.Family dinners are not optional.

50.I like to read a great deal and have a reading list I am working on, slowly but surely. (I am almost finished "The Scarlet Letter"!).

51.I always want to rent movies but rarely stay up to see the end. This drives Bevan crazy.

52.I am fascinated with BIG cities.

53.I have enjoyed living in very close proximity to large bodies of water in the past. I had a hard time living in Utah because it was to dry, not enough water around.

54. I have issues with Idaho. Generally.

55.I will never have a permanant residence away from the Eastern seaboard again.

56.I know that my children were meant to be born when they were, I recieved very strong confirmations of this and have never doubted my decisions in this area.

57.I believe a lanscape should be green. At least for me to live in it.

58.Las Vegas gave me a headache.

59.One day I will go to England.

60.I have told people that I have been to Walla Walla, Washington when I really haven't.

61.If you are going to eat chips, and you probably shouldn't...Cool Ranch Doritos are hands down the best.

62. I like Diet Pepsi better than Diet Coke...but in the end they are both rat poison.

63.I enjoy getting to know people from other cultures and believe I have a knack for it.

64.I try not to be overly dependant on external motivation.

65.I am very proud of my husband for working so much, especially at his education. His master's will be a degree hard won!! And he has achieved much.

66. I am really, really bad at math.

67.I got a degree from BYU in Marriage, Family and Human Development with an emphasis in family life education... even though I started university saying that I would never take a parenting/dating&courtship/marriage enhancement class because they were only for girls who just went to church schools to get married (that sure came back to bite me!).

68.I don't think Canada wants me back.

69.I really enjoy my church calling teaching the Gospel Principles Sunday School class.

70. I hate Walmart but keep shopping there.

71.I love a good road trip...anywhere.

72.I am grateful my children are pretty good travelor's.

73. I feel very important when in an airport.

74. I once flew on a private jet to New Hampshire on a business trip where I stayed at a Holiday
Inn and felt even more important.

75.I know the difference between a necessity and a want. It is important for me to pass this on to my children.

76. I hope that Bevan and I will go on many missions togethor in our retirement.

78.I think Fall is the best season and I am glad to live in a place where the colours "turn" so well.

79.I like Chrsitmas trees strung with real cranberries and real gingerbread men...and also real candles (I finally found some candle holders that clip onto tree branches from Germany, at half price no less!).

80. I would rather be cold than hot...but not too cold (I have become a little more wimpy in this regard since leaving Canada).

81. My mother is from Newfoundland and I am proud of my maritime heritage.

82. I am very proud of my mother for being the first person in her family to graduate from high school and university as well. I am grateful that she required the same from me.

83. I know my father is one of the most intelligent people I have ever or will ever meet.

84.I believe in supporting new mothers...baby showers, hospital visits, casseroles...all very important.

85.I love magazines.

86. The sight of blood makes me queasy. Especially if its my children's blood, I am no good if they scrape thier knee or anything.

87. I don't like spending money but generally believe you get what you pay for.

88. I have problems with holding a grudge, but when I do forgive it is completely.

89. Sometimes Oprah gets on my nerves. But not always.

90.I can't decide on a favourite colour anymore. But I have narrowed it down to blue, green, burgundy, pink, pale yellow, gold and black.

91.I don't own a cell phone and really don't have any desire to.

92.The best feeling is falling asleep quickly in clean sheets after a busy day.

93.I can swim but don't like to very often.

94. I prefer showers to baths, and take two a day...morning and night. I usually stay in for quite a while...I think its the noise of the falling water I find mesmerizing.

95.I love setting tables.

96.I am not afraid to go new places and do things by myself.

97.I love church history. I grew up very close to Palmyra, NY and enjoyed learning about its history. Bevan and I were married in the Palmyra temple which was very special to me for lots of reasons

98. I saw a bumper sticker once that I really want that says: "Historic Preservation Is The Ultimate Recycling".

99. My favourite book of all time is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.

100. I am learning to be comfortable in my own skin again, especially after getting married and having children I have had a hard time assesing who I am and where I fit in. Its taken a while but I feel I am finally getting somewhere.

Dumpster Diving

Last week was a very busy week for us, not that there was anything huge going on...just lots of little stuff. Lots of places to be and people to see. Honestly I like things better that way, I thrive on a full schedhule and tend to feel depressed or useless if I don't have SOMETHING going on...but it is still always a challenge to keep life balanced.
Anyhow, on Tuesday in the midst of this busy week I had an experience I have never had before and hope that I will never have again! Tuesday's are a preschool day and of course we were all up early getting ready to go. I am fairly organized at this routine by now and was just about ready to head out the door, children in tow, at 8:20 a.m. when I realized that I couldn't find my keys anywhere. I had looked all the usual places but nothing turned up. I really started pancking at this point and started ripping through piles of laundry and toy bins etc but still nothing. At this point I was almost late for work so I called into the program director to let her know what the situation was and she was very understanding, but I really stress out about lateness and stuff like that and was about to lose my mind.
So I started back tracking in my mind to what the last time I had seen the keys was. I realized it had been the previous afternoon when I had just come home from a walk with the boys. I had let Asher play with the keys while he was in the stroller to keep him content and when I took them away from him to open the door he got upset, because I was rushing to get dinner ready I just gave them back to him to keep him happy. And that was the last. Asher had been hovering around the trash quite a bit lately and I realized he had probably thrown them out. I also realized that Bevan had taken the garbage out that morning to the dumpster in our apartment parking lot. So I put on a brave face and out we went to the dumpster. I looked in and saw that it must have been emptied the day before because there were only three bags in there, and ours had spilled open on top. I immediately saw our copy of "Growing Up With Winnie The Pooh", so the odds were pretty high that Asher had been up to no good. I thought about climbing into the dumpster but realized I probably wouldn't be able to get out even if I got in. So I went back to the apartment and got a broom and then started poking around at the pile of trash, sure enough the key ring came skidding out. So I swept them into an open grocery bag (also full of trash) and then hooked the bag on the end of the broom and fished them out. It was the most disgusting thing I had ever done and the keys were covered on black sludge. So home we went and washed off the keys and headed out to work only and hour late.

Ethan is going to Milan

Today while Liam was listening to the primary songbook, there was a song about missions. I asked him about it and he said that his Uncle Ethan was going on a plane. I said yeah lets look up where he is going. So we hopped on Google Earth and typed in Milan, Italy. It zeroed in on a big castle (Dark Duomo). So I clicked on the picture and Liam said "whoa, castle".

Ethan good luck on your mission and thank you for being a great example to the Schmip.

Well The New Year Is Here

2007 is finally upon us and apparently in full swing. We rang in the new year on the 31st by inviting some other young families from our ward over for games and potluck treats. Including children we had 18 people in 1000 square foot apartment. We utilized space effectively however by setting up the TV for movies in Liam's room so the kids could watch shows and play with toys in there. Our bedroom was set up with port a cribs for babies and the living area/kitchen was used for grown ups to visit in...and it all turned out very well. Because we had just gotten home from Canada late the night before our house was already clean, and because I had asked everyone to bring something to eat I barely had to cook anything, so it was pretty low stress. We played the game "Pitt" which is one of my all time favourites and had just gotten a copy of my own for Christmas, and everyone else liked it as well. We also wrote down New Year's predictions anonomously and then put them in a hat, we passed the hat from person to person and took turns reading the predictions aloud, everyone then tried to guess who had made it. It was pretty funny to see what people had come up with. We all partied hard till 12:45 when everyone went home. It was Liams first time staying up till midnight for New Years. (Asher slept through the whole party untill the next morning, pretty impressive considering how loud it got in here!)
Bevan started his internship with Sharrad, McGee & Co., a public accounting firm in High Point NC. He is enjoying himself there and we are very excited for him to be joining the professional working world for his first tax season. We are also looking forward to the office party that is next weekend.

The boys and I are back into our regular routine at the preschool as classes went back into session this Wednesday. I know Liam is very glad to be back with all of his school friends. He has really taken off with talking over the holiday and his teachers are very impressed with the progess he made. I think it is probably because he was around so many extended family members who aren't well versed in his repertoire of pointing and grunting that he actually had to use his "words" so to speak. And Asher is running circles around his classroom, since he wasn't walking when he left before the break.

Anyhow, that is our New Year's update! We hope 2007 is treating everyone well so far! Best Wishes!

Mont-Tremblant

Bevan went skiing with my brothers Stephen and Truman at a resort called Mont-Tremblant. It is a ski resort about 70 minutes north of Montreal. One of the best things about this resort is that most trails are about 3-4 miles long. It also allows pedestrian passes for those who would like to ride the gandala up to the top and hike for 10 minutes up to a lookout point.