Star Wars Fanz

David's been sharing one of his personal favorites with me....

STAR WARS

I've just finished watching all 6 movies, with a bit of reminding what happened last time when we started the next one ;) haha.  

I'm not sure I could do Star Wars Trivial Pursuit yet, we totally have it though and last time I played it I didn't help David at all, hence the movie crash course...

I casually stroll the store isles - the toy isles - with David so he can see what new or better old school Star Wars toys they have out.

I can recognize a few characters - C3PO, Luke, ATAT, Han Solo, - in toy or movie format

I've played Star Wars Legos on the Wii

And I've had the pleasure of hearing many "when David & his brother Jonathan grew up" stories with Star Wars games, toys and LEGO's...

So that's why my sis-in-law and I decided to buy them a lego ATAT!!!!!!   

They've actually mentioned this to us several times, the toy they wanted 7 years ago and just never had since they grew up!  Well, we re-created childhood for an evening when they put it together and we girls did some other fun file folder projects :)  It was fun to watch them so focused and excited!

Cooking

Want to know what I've been cooking??  Just trying some new and old recipes...  Sometime last year I started cooking one new meal a week, it's been adventurous!  I'm pretty basic so even though they're new recipes, they may be 5 ingredients or less lots of the time :)  But any cooking is fun and relaxing.  Here are some less than perfect pics (disregard table/cups/dishes/etc)

FAJITAS

ENCHILADAS

...with salad

BLACK-EYED PEA SALSA

CHICKEN SALSA BURRITOS

LITTLE HOT DOGS (great for kids!)

TORTELLINI ARTICHOKE SALAD

Wow, somehow I missed most of the Italian meals that we cook so much!  Next time...

Fainting as usual

I have a great story, it's one of those "I won't forget that day" stories --- and so, here it is!

A little background - I have "vasovegalsynkopie" - totally spelled that one wrong, but not like most of you know what that is so it doesn't matter :)  It means: fainting at blood because of a chemical in the brain.  First found out when I was 11 and passed out after watching my sister bleeding from her mouth (she had fallen and her teeth went upwards)...  And I've figured this passing out thing several times through my short life so far, and probably several more to come...

So, I decided to visit the doctor for an annual check-up, cankers, and random tail bone pain.  My doc gave me some meds/cream for the cankers (which are coming all the time these days!! what the heck???!), he sent me to get an x-ray (just bruised tail bone yay, not very fun...) and then made sure I was working all okay.  I did just fine, then after he left he sent the nurses in to get a little blood to test that as part of the physical.  I quickly told them my issues with this so they had me lay down during it all.  David was there - yay!  So he was there making jokes and trying to distract me as I hear the one nurse say to the other "do you want to try it this time?"  Wow, don't ever say that while with a patient!  Man, I got the new nurse!!  She hesitated, checked the right arm for veins and asked me to pump my fist, I already was freaking out and squeamish - why do I have to pump my fist - gross!  She couldn't do that so she moved to the left arm and poked on in.  I was breathing and surviving as David said good job.  I asked if it was over, he said yes and the nurse was just putting pressure on my arm.  Well, little did I know the vein rolled and had been spraying my blood out on the seat while I thought I was done.  So, David said they were getting another nurse - why!!?!?!  Ahhh... So the nurse with more than 30 years of experience came in and quickly took my right arm, poked in and got what they needed.  She said to take it easy and slow just in case.  Well, I made it through the poking at least - so hate it!  I couldn't sit still but David just kept talking and found some water and a granola bar so I sat up.  I laid back down when I felt sick and then sat up and got ready to go.  I just couldn't stop thinking about what had happened and that's just what gets me!  We walked out, David holding me just in case... while walking I could see my vision getting black and blurry.... oh no... told David I needed to sit.... and then... sitting.... gone.

I heard muffled noises and David saying "sweetheart" over and over...  I thought, hmmm, I must have my ipod in my ears, I can't hear anything!  I opened my eyes and saw David and realized what had just happened!  "When did I go out? How long was I out??"  Only about 30 seconds but I fainted right in the lobby as I was trying to get to a chair!  There was a patient/guy just staring at me while I tried to collect myself and wake back up - dude what's the problem?? I guess I was pretty entertaining :)  There was a nurse who brought me a chocolate cookie (David totally ate it...) and a soda, which was the best.  See, I hadn't eaten since with the physical they told me to fast.  I think with no food and then walking, that just didn't work.  Actually thinking about it now, I'm pretty sure it's always when I walk around after a blood event - then I faint.  I gotta remember that one :)  Anyway, after sitting in the waiting room for awhile David took me to the car and we sat and had lunch there for a bit before I headed back to work.  Oh man!  I survived work and just sat down a lot when I started feeling faintish.  And I totally couldn't move my arms, thinking about what they did on my arms just got me - I had bandages all around both arms as they poked me all over, and it was tight to keep the rest of my blood in - gross again!  I got home and David had me relax all evening.  And he proceeded to tell me the parts I had missed from that day.  How the first blood sprayed all over, and how the next nurse pulled 2 whole viles out of my body - no wonder I was light headed the rest of the day!  I don't think I've ever lost that much blood.  And I wish I could say that I'm never doing that again!  But as all of my "mom friends" have said, a little blood drawn happens a lot plus a lot more when prego.  Ahhh... something to look forward to, or not think about quite yet!

Anyway, a story our little family won't forget.  Ain't I cute??  Thanks David, I wouldn't have made it home without you!  Oh, and I got a hair cut - yay!

D - A - T

GOOD LUCK DAVID!!!!!

Yep, this is the day David & I have been waiting for, for over a year. It's here. Wish him luck!

He's been studying daily since January, here's his desk from yesterday... you're almost done babe! By the time you read this you will be done :)

Last week I made this poster and recruited all of the Clark family to write a little somethin' somethin', I couldn't keep it a secret very long so gave it earlier last week. He loved it, and I loved doing it for him. It was fun getting everyone involved and thinking of him for this week.

And then of course he needed a good breakfast this morning so I took a day off to cook - - - okay so the cooking took like 20 min, hahah, but I needed a break and this was the perfect day since I'll be stressing and hoping for David too :) I'm very proud no matter what happens.

Yay David!!!

Mom's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of those women out there who are mom's or mother figures in my life!  You inspire me daily.  I dream of being a mother one day and being just a little of what you all are.  In our church meeting today I loved listening to a new father describe his love for his wife as a mother.  Sometimes during the night he confessed that he pretended to be asleep when their newborn son woke up and was crying.  He would then listen as he heard his wife get up and console his son.  He said it was the most precious thing to hear what a mom says to her new child.  Very proud to have a wife and mom.

I thought that was a great story about mothers.  And it only starts there as their children grow up and even when their married they're there for all of us.  It takes so much love, patience, tenderness, and so much more.  Thanks to all of you out there and HAPPY MOM'S DAY!!!

For my day I was spoiled with Fajitas cooked by my husband and homemade chocolate covered strawberries.  YUM!

No sweets

During March we decided to try a month without sweets. I've been a bit lax on my sugar and chocolate intake.... to say the least! I've been teasing David because I really don't recall being so "addicted" to sweets before we were married. He's definitely a sweets-o-holic :) I guess it's rubbed off a little on me...

So we made it through the month! We didn't eat baked sweets or candy at all! And we still had Christmas candy in the house so we boxed it all up for a month (the ones that were our favorites). I have to say that the first week without sweets was SO HARD! I've done "no sweets" before and it really didn't affect me much, especially on the mission I went months w/out or hoping that members wouldn't feed me sweets... strange me! Anyway, I guess I've been pretty addicted! David survived too and didn't even complain like I did...hahah. We had a few exceptions that got us by - Hot Chocolate was allowed every once in awhile, soda wasn't, and if someone was having a birthday we could eat the cake too - so we weren't rude. I lived for those days....

It was a good experience and helped remind us not to get so addicted on the sweets that are so available! I mean every activity with the families, there's always cake and ice cream; every church activity, cookies, etc; every day at work for me there's a plethora of snacks, candy bars, etc. These foods that aren't really good for our bodies are all over all the time! I know it 'hits the spot' and gives comfort and happiness, but there's better places and even better food that helps even more. Fruit really is the good sweet, and I ate lots of that over the weeks. I wish our society used more of the healthy food at parties and get together. I don't see much changing in our world today, but at least we'll be a bit more conscientious.

Disclaimer: We are back to eating sweets and I think I still have a little 'somethin somethin' most days, but I feel like I can control it and I only eat the sweets I enjoy the most, and I hope for it to stay that way. I probably should do the no sweets diet every few months to remember how healthy I feel with the better foods that are out there - but that doesn't mean you all have to do that :)

Eggs 2011

Easter was a busy day for us!  We hit up both families for food - Evans & Clarks and helped the kids with Easter Egg hunting at both places too.  Then that evening we came home for dying eggs :)

Here's what happened....  we're such kiddos :)