Susie's Leaning Tower of Chocolate

He also came into the kitchen recently and asked “where’s the beef?” which started John and I off laughing.

This afternoon, he was thinking of an activity to do and asked to play with butter. “You know, you make food with it, and it’s really soft”. Turns out he meant flour, and spent a happy hour playing with tsum tsum toys, dominoes, and a half cup of flour.

We are going to the Lehi pool with family in the morning, before driving home.

John: You always say that, but there are never waffles on the table.

I think he means meters, which is somewhat closer to being correct. Also, Arthur is pretty fast.

Dad to Arthur (who keeps getting off his bed to sleep on the floor: is the cabin floor comfy?
Arthur: Yes! It’s made of wood!

Arthur: There are dogs bigger than me.
Sienna: There are otters bigger than you.

Me: Did you do a flip?
Arthur: No, I did a roll with jumping.

Unrelatedly, Gibson has been calling her “Sis.”

(She was watching Barbie.)

Sienna is definitely the coolest person in our family.

Sienna: Some of the kids in my class said Santa isn’t real, but I said obviously Blancer, Plancer, Dancer and Pancer are real. It’s a deer with horns. Of course it’s real.

Me: What.

Sienna, earlier that day said: Good thing shows have breaks in them.

Because apparently the last thing she saw in a theater was Aladdin, the Broadway musical.

Me: Who wants to make me waffles?
Maggie: Last time I made waffles I almost put cream cheese in them. And used baking powder instead of baking soda. And didn't know what buttermilk was.

D: the walk board is more un dangerous.

Dalton: I had the best food I ever heard of.
Maggie: they taste like real crepes (after turning her nose up because they were folded instead of rolled.

7/5/19 at the cabin
Sienna talking to herself about best way to roast marshmallows:
Oh well. Potato, po-tah-to. Or should I say, marshmallow, marshmallow roast.

Being nervous about going to Hero Camp:
It’s just that I’ve never been camping, and I’m still learning how to roast marshmallows, and I won’t remember my lines.

And: Did they have deal or no deal in the olden days? When you were a kid?

Dalton: Dalt: mm hmm. They don't have ice cream trucks in America. You just drive yourself to the store

The finger wagging. It’s so cute, I can’t even. He does it about everything. “We don’t throw things in the potty.” “We’re not buying a Christmas tree.” “We don’t eat treats.” It’s soooo cute.

And yelling “Attack!” While throwing his blankie at you. Learned that one from dad, I’m sure.

Sienna, on Leia not dying: That’s Heavenly Father helping her.

I made an Olaf!
What’s an Olaf?
Olaf!
How is that an Olaf?
Like a black food thing I put on my fingers.
Oh, an olive.

I don’t get how that’s an olive either, but whatever.

Then I also had to explain the different pronunciation of Carribean for Pirates of the Carribean.

Our kids are lazy bums.

Oh right dere!
It’s so cute!

If I’m lucky, I will get a video before he outgrows it.

Sienna: You mean like cheesy noodles, and pizza?!?

“Who’s outside at this time of day? They’re either at work or at some fancy restaurant.“

Sienna: That would be an honor!

Me with Arthur's toes: Is this my breakfast? It's so tasty!
Sienna: No! It has eyeballs!

So apparently I can't nibble on Arthur, because he has eyeballs. Haha.

Can't stop laughing.

She also says "waybe" (maybe).

Actual lyrics: spiraling in frozen fractals all around.

She went on Splash Mountain with John for the first time yesterday (yay 40 inches!). She said it was "too splash" and now she is telling me about how Judy Hopps (the rabbit character from Zootopia) was stuck. Also, she calls her "Hopps Hopps" ("Officer" Hopps).

John quoting Nick Wilde in Zootopia: "It's called a hustle, sweetheart!"
Sienna: Don't call me Hustle!

Hey this milk expires after you go back to school!
Maggie: Milk doesn't expire. Only passes expire.

And then two minutes later "I heard you the first time!"

Maggie: Just don't use it as a trampoline.

Sienna: where am I going today?
We have swim lessons later.
Sienna (wandering out of the room): I think I'm not going to cry about it today.

Acidy (actually) - she acidy uses this correctly.
Tasey tisses - Crazy Kisses is lots of kisses all over.
No pahbem - no problem, instead of "you're welcome"

She says her best "sfwends" are Preston and Aubrey, and she really likes to watch random stuff on YouTube.

Me: You're watching Caillou in Spanish.
John: She's learning! She watched Snoopy come Home in German
Me: Do you speak German?
Sienna: No! I speak Preston!

When she tries to explain stuff to me she says, "I'm talking about..." Probably because I say, "I don't know what you're talking about" a little too much.

"5 weeks ago" is how long ago anything happened.

Why are you wet?
Because I'm all wet!

Why are your pants inside out?
Because they're inside out!

Why did the bear eat all the muffins?
Because he ate all the muffins.

You get the idea.

John: But you're pregnant.
Me: Obviously it was a joke. A drunk joke.
John: I guess my sense of humor is too dry for that.

Me: That's not you! You worry too much.
John: About what?
Me: I don't know. Money.
John: Money? That's so 7 years ago!

Also: Can we look on the computer for a toy broomstick that maybe goes one inch above the ground?

Shhhh! Quiet! You made me want to take off my shoes.

Then I opened a Dove candy that said "Don't do, be." on the wrapper. That didn't make me feel much better, either. But I put it in my pocket, and when I found it in the washing machine, I put it into my pocket again and I kept thinking about it every time I put my hand in my pocket.

Ok, I still don't feel any less boring, but I've talked myself out of caring. I actually love my life and being famous probably sucks. John and I are always saying (every time someone dies of a drug overdose) that we would never wish that on our kids. What's most important is that I'm a good person and work on being a great mom and wife. I don't need to be noticed. I'm ok with a small life. I pick and choose what I do and I don't do things I don't like doing, so I really can't complain anyway!

I hate that I have taken inspiration from a candy wrapper, but there it is.

She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

I also liked the last verse on eating of her own fruit.

When is the last day?
What happens when there's no more tomorrows?
How much are we going to be dead?

Do you think he knows something we don't?

I know what a grocery store is for. It's to buy things and the money goes to people that don't have money.

I knelt down in Walmart and gave her a big hug. The world would be a different place with more Maggies in it.

This morning I told her it was Fast Sunday and that we were just going to bring snacks to church and no treats. She asked what I was fasting for, and I explained that it was a regular fast day, but also told her the purpose of my fast. Then she said, "I'm going to fast because Grandpa is in the hospital that he'll be ok. And my fast is no snacks at church."

Good girl.

Fire Indian (Fire Engine)
Candy Cot (Handicapped - as in Handicapped Ticket for a parking spot)
Fruit Bear (Root Beer - can I have a fruit bear float?)

I'm glad we moved because California is beautiful.
Me: Did you say California is beautiful?
Yes! It costs more money and it's beautiful. I love our house, I like all the trees, I like my school.

That's my girl.

I spent 5 minutes explaining to her that the Transformers Bot disappears into the TV with their new game console. Then, I went through her homework folder and discovered they'd just had a lesson on Fantasy vs. Reality. What kind of school is this?

And from me: Apparently, the toy wouldn't work because three of the four batteries were in upside down. Talk about user error. *oops*

We had dinner at Rubio's and on the way out, she noticed a ZPizza and asked, "Is that Zuppa's?" I told her it wasn't and that Zuppa's was only in Utah. A few minutes later she asked if you could make your own country. "Not a country, but a place with all the things. If you can, I'm going to make one and mine will have Zuppa's." Right on.

Then, we were playing our new favorite game of "I'm thinking of a...." I was thinking of an animal and she guess "granilla." Or a gorilla. Whichever.

We were driving by the college and I explained to her again how that's where you go learn the job you want to do. I told her about Daddy being an accountant and what taxes are. (For the record, I also explained Recreational Therapy and bill-paying to her.)

I also added that taxes pay for things like schools, parks and roads, and we pay a lot of them so we can live somewhere with nice parks and a great school.

An hour later she asked, "Does it not cost a lot of money to go to India because it's a little bit dirty there?" It took me a minute to grasp her meaning, since it had come out of nowhere. Indians must not pay as much in taxes because their streets aren't as clean. Clever connection for her to make, I thought.

Dalton: The sun! The sun! It's giving us light!

And a few moments later: It's that how much down.

If only we could all have such zest.

Also, from Rachel's Facebook page: Researching gender in the British Library. We asked my nephew if he wanted to be a flower guy. Answer: yes. My niece asked if she can be a flower GIRL. "I can help Dalton," she offered.

Dalton is super excited to "hold the green and throw the flowers at Aunt Reechel's wedding."

The lady was actually not even that old...

Garry to Dalton: Pink can be your favorite color. Just don't tell anyone about it.

Dalton (asleep): Waaaaaah! The alligator is going to bite me!

Maggie: Can I have some of those chips like Aunt Rachel likes?

Dalton, praying at Uncle Leonard's house: Thank you we could look for the kitties.

Maggie: Volcano interrupted. (I think she was telling Dalton a story about dinosaurs, but she kept saying the volcano "interrupted" instead of "erupted")

One of the funniest moments in Yosemite was when we were eating lunch and overheard a mother reacting to her teenage son throwing his retainer in a bear-proof trash can.

We saw a coyote standing by the side of the road, basically begging for food. That was pretty much the only wildlife we saw.

Dalton, hiking in 90 degree weather: I want to go back to the two cabins because I'm cold.

M: Dalton told Daddy about his Father's Day present!
Me: What did you say?
D: I said Snoopy!
M: I lied to him!
Me: What?
M: I lied to Daddy! I told him we didn't buy that for Daddy. *Giggle*

And then I high-fived my six year old for lying to her father.

John's version:

J: So, your son has a big mouth.
Me: What did he say? I heard the Maggie version.
J: We were talking about shows and I said "Snoopy" and he said, "Just like on your Father's Day present!" And Maggie said, "No, Dalton! He doesn't know what he's talking about. We didn't buy you that. We bought you something else. He doesn't know!" rushing on. I wished I had a video camera!

Me: I guess you aren't going to school.
Maggie: *gasp!* But how will I know when it's time for gymnastics??!?

While I laughed about her saying "bees", she corrected herself, and then continued to insist that it was easier to have her socks already folded into each other before being washed. That's what I get for making her sort her own laundry to put away, I guess.

M: What's your third favorite? ... What is your fourd favorite? (I could NOT stop laughing at this)

Where are the finger muppets?

5 minutes later, he interrupted a story I was telling about baby Dalton. "I were a gril baby." Sure you were, boy.

I don't know where I'm going with this. The expiration of our Disney passes is just around the corner. We looked into some things for our trip to San Diego this summer and that helped. We are also planning a trip up the coast and to Yosemite to meet John's family. But it's not quite scratching that itch. From Tom Waits' song Shiver Me Timbers: My body's at home, but my heart’s in the wind

A few travel quotes I've collected:

The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page. – St. Augustine

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by. – Robert Frost

A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step. – Lao Tzu

Not all those who wander are lost. – J. R. R. Tolkien

Travellers never think that they are the foreigners. – Mason Cooley

There is no happiness for the person who does not travel. For Indra is the friend of the traveler, therefore wander! - Brahmann

Without new experiences, something inside of us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken. - Frank Herbert

A few India specific travel quotes:

A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. –Lao Tzu

Embrace the detours. - Kevin Charbonneau

When overseas you learn more about your own country, than you do the place you're visiting. - Clint Borgen

The first condition of understanding a foreign country is to smell it. – Rudyard Kipling

Travel is glamorous only in retrospect. – Paul Theroux

If you reject the food, ignore the customs, fear the religion and avoid the people, you might better stay at home. - James A. Michener

We visited John at work for lunch one day. The next day we got on the freeway as if going to Daddy's work, but got off and headed in the opposite direction.
D: Let's play I spy. I go first. I spy something that's big and tall and it's Daddy's work. I spy a eat lunch and it's Daddy's work. I spy a drink of water and it's Daddy's work. I spy a treat and a poptart and it's Daddy's work. (He got a treat and a granola bar when we went).
Etc. So cute!

D: Are these socks clean?
Me: No, they're dirty. We need to wash them, then they'll be clean and you can wear them again.
Next thing I know, Dalton is in the bathroom washing his socks in the sink! I explained that Mommy washes clothes in the washing machine and that's what "laundry" is. Apparently, I usually just say "laundry" rather than washing clothes. He seriously thought we had to go wash his socks.

Another I Spy.
M, not wanting to play: I spy nothing.
D: Is it a bus?

Me: There ARE crackers in your seat. What are they doing there?
Dalton: They're sleeping.

Maggie and I found this hilarious and laughed and laughed. Maggie then tried to get me to laugh again.

Maggie: Besides spilling Nerds on the floor and saying, "I ate some" how can I make you laugh?
Me: Yeah, that isn't going to work twice. Tell me a joke.
Maggie: What drives a car, but isn't human?
Me: A chimpanzee?
Maggie: What's a chimpanzee?
Me: A really smart monkey.
Maggie: No, not a chimpanzee. A banana!
Me: .... *laughing hysterically*

It's funny because she has no idea how to tell a joke. I actually thought she was telling an actual joke from somewhere, but she just made something up. It worked though! But it didn't work twice.

M: What are we going to do with these instruments? (ornaments)

Dalton, helping me pick out clothes for Sienna: Here's a fit out!

Dalton became obsessed with the word "Mister". It started from Mister Grinch he also noticed Mister Hooper on Sesame Street. And every other time someone says Mister. But most adorably and hilariously, he says, "Mister. What's a Mister??" all the time.

Apparently I invented a new game when I moved rooms FOUR times trying to keep Sienna away from noisy kids. Maggie asked if we can play "Quiet Time" again tomorrow. I hope not. That night she prayed in great detail about the "game." "Then mommy went to this room and I came in this room, then Mommy went to the other room..."

Maggie: No matter. I'll do it myself

Dalton: strums piano. begins singing. Rudolph the red nosed reindeer!

Me: Dalton, look at that doggie.
Dalton: I know.

Dalton: Hey mommy. I mean, Hey Aunt Rachel.

Dalton: You're a mean one, Mrs Aunt Rachel

The kids put up some foam ABCs on the bathtub door. Dalton was pointing to them and reading, "Don't put lolli pop in blue water." I let him take his lollipop in the bathtub and told him it'd turn the water red if he put it in.

M: "Mary Poppins are a good rhymer." Well, she's right.

M: "Why are there water falling from the sky?" Oh, you mean the rain??

M: Dad, your ideas are rude.

M, in regards to the "missing links" line in The Monkey's Uncle. "What does it mean 'missing legs?'"

Dalton calls helicopter "rawrcopter". One day he insisted he saw a Fleece Rawrcopter and it took me forever to realize he was saying "Police helicopter." He uses F a lot when there are double consonants.

D: Because = "keycause" So cute.

Driving around Aunt Pat's neighborhood in the dark a couple weekends ago, Maggie said, "I thought that stop sign was Daddy!" Now they call stop signs "Daddies" everywhere we go. Look, a daddy! There's a daddy over there!

Dalton, finding himself stranded on a large rock at the park called out, "Hey dad, come here! It's me, Dalton."

As we were leaving the grocery store, Dalton asked me, "which one is grandma and grandpa's car?" What? "Your" Grandma and Grandpa?" I asked. "My friend," he replied. Aha. An old man in an electric cart was chatting him up at the grocery store, and apparently left quite an impression.

Me: What's your favorite part? (of the painful elimination round obstacle course.)
Dalton: My favorite part is not going on it.

So Maggie had a turn. "I know a testimony. I know that when you go on a ride at Disneyland and you don't like it, you need to go on it again and you'll like it."

...

I explained that a testimony usually refers to something about the Gospel, and we continued the "game." She threw in one more about Disneyland, but she had some good ones, too. My favorite: "I know the prophet is true."

Why did the Oak Creek letters keep falling off and they put new ones on and they fall off every 6 days? Because they were old.

Why did the boat go on the road and the car went on the water and the airplane went under water? Because they were mixed up.

Also, I think the kids are missing the point of Knock Knock jokes because theirs all start out with "Knot Knot".

One more Maggie funny, while trying to put on her rashguard: It doesn't fit! The neck sleeve is too small!

Kitty ride (Alice in Wonderland)
Train ride (Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, which he is too small to go on)
Us-side down ho-coaster (California Screamin')
Magic ho-coaster (Gadget's Go-coaster)
Mamarail (Monorail) Bumpy Tars (Tuck & Roll's bumper cars)
Tires Game (Luigi's Flying Tires, which had giant beach balls as part of it for the first couple weeks)
Racing (Autopia)
Yellow Car (Roger Rabbit)
Ha-pillar (Heimlich's Chew Chew Train)
And a new one: Halloween ride (Haunted Mansion Holiday)

From Maggie:
Doors ride (Monsters, Inc.)
Dumbo that flies (as opposed to the Dumbo train, Casey Jr.)
Time Tunnel (Disneyland Railroad)
Mickey's Fun Wheel (Mickey's Fun Wheel - she picked up on the actual name of the Ferris Wheel while waiting in line)

Somewhat relatedly, today we took the kids on a walk just down the path a bit and under the road to what they call the "Echo Bridge". We stood there yelling (and echoing) for 5 or 10 minutes. They love it.

She's also learned how to spell it, which means she's ahead of the game on the ch and ck letter combinations (though she can't say "CH" very well).

Yesterday we were playing with ABC stamps and she stamped out her last name. I quizzed her on her names, then asked Dalton. He knows his last name, but when I asked what his middle name was, he answered "Target!"

We never use Dalton's middle name, and we do go to Target a lot, but I realized much later that he was probably trying to say "Margaret."

Five minutes later I informed Dalton he was going to have a haircut and a bath before bed. He responded, "A haircut and a bath? That's amazing!"

Maggie: It was an accident!
Me: What happened?
Maggie: I was shaking his head-
Me: This does not sound like an accident.

Maggie: Dad, I have a really fun game for you! It's special just for you. You can clean up all the pieces back in the box.

Maggie: You're bothering me. You know what bother means? Bother means I'm going to get mad at you.

"King Maggie saves the day!" The kids say this while jumping off the bean bag chair.

"Whatasmic!" What Maggie calls the Fantasmic song.

Maggie knew that some popsicle sticks have jokes on them. She held a popsicle up to her ear to listen for the joke. Not sure where that came from.

Speaking of jokes, she also laughs before the joke punchline. Ie. "Why did the chicken cross the road?" "hahahahaha!"

"Pirates is my favorite ride now." Even though we dragged her kicking and screaming.

M: "I want to tell you something. I think I do like the farmer's market now." Then she covered her ears so she couldn't hear me laughing and praising her.

"I know exactly how to stop the car. You take your foot off the pedal."

Dalton woke up in the night talking loudly about a Ferris wheel.

Both of the kids have developed an obsession with the color of cars, stemming from John's fancy blue car. Dalton calls brown cars "chocolate" colored.

Dalton is very interested in Pirates. He loves that ride and he asked to see the movie. We watched an episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates instead. One of his favorite parts of the ride is the macaw at the front yelling "Yo ho!" Dalton says "no ho!" and he says it loudly, and he says it during Sacrament Meeting.

Here are some older quotes from the kids I found.

6/8: Maggie names her My Little Ponies "My Little Whatever's-on-the-butt" For example, My Little Birthday and My Little Worm.
6/8: I asked Maggie what she learned in Primary and she answered "A Book of Mormon story." When I asked which story she launched into an episode of someone's car breaking down and his phone didn't work and he had to climb the mountain. Finally I said, "did he pray?" "Yes!"
6/10: Maggie calls the bombs in Fruit Ninja "buns."
6/15: Inside the tunnel at Snowbird: "The echo dripped on me!" Also, about the whole day: "It was almost a good idea to go there."

6/11: Dalton, calling out in his sleep: Daddy! I wanna play. (games on the iPhone.
Dalton calls the scroll bar on the computer an "elevator." He's kind of right...

Maggie loves talking to herself. LOVES it. Every since she first admitted a couple months ago that she lies in bed talking to herself, she's started doing it more and more. She used to come home from a busy day and want to play dinosaurs or something. Now she just talks to herself. She also runs around the room. Runs to the stairs and flops on them. Runs back to the couch and flops on it. Runs between the chair in our room and the bean bag in her room, flopping and talking to herself. Sometimes Little Piggy goes with her on these trips. Maybe we need to expend a little more energy at the park?

This week she's been staying up over an hour talking to herself, telling stories or whatever in bed. So the past two nights I gave her the option of watching one Dinosaur Train episode and talking to herself for just a couple minutes, or going to bed when Dalton goes to bed and talking all she wants. Luckily, she picked Dinosaur Train, because I don't like putting the kids to bed together. They share a room and keep each other up.

Maggie's top two favorite rides at Disneyland are Star Tours and Soarin' Over California. She doesn't like the big scary rides, or Pirates, but she likes most everything else. She will even go on Peter Pan now without complaining.

Her favorite colors are pink and purple, and she calls yellow "golden." She doesn't like to wear clothes with buttons on them. She pretends to read certain books that she has memorized (One Hungry Monster, Brown Bear, Mouse Paint). We've started playing "Don't Smile!" a lot because she pretends to be grumpy when she secretly likes something.

We've been going swimming on Sundays after church. She likes to swim around in a floatie and isn't afraid of the water like she used to be. We even got her in the hot tub last week!

M: I know I can do everything by myself. I just know it!

M, after doing zipline: Dad, be brave.

Me: Do you like our new house?
Maggie: Yes. But not really. I'm afraid it might fall down because of earth creaks.

Earth creaks. And she knows all about them. And how there are little ones in Utah that you can't feel but the ones in California are bigger.

3/19: Dalton: Pizza!
Maggie: I smell pizza. Yuck.
Dalton: No, pizza yum. *microwave beeps* Pizza ready! I have some, too.

(Maggie actually does not like pizza. We thought for a long time that she didn't like Swiss cheese, but apparently she doesn't like "squished" (melted) cheese.)

3/19: Maggie: Dalton are stink and cute.

4/23: Maggie, with Rachel in the room: When is she leaving Mommy?
Me: 3 days.
Maggie: I like her!

Rachel is really good at pretending to talk on the phone. The kids thought it was hilarious and kept asking her to do it again. At one point Maggie whispered, "Aunt Rachel, do it funny!"

4/24: Me: I'm not laughing at you; I'm laughing with you!
Rachel: I wasn't laughing!
Me: You are now.

4/26: Maggie: Are we going home or to Daddy's house?

4/26: Maggie: Boys don't get married.

5/4: Maggie, to Dalton: I have an idea! Let's whine about it.

5/9: Maggie, kind of out of nowhere: I understand, but I'm not going to listen to your words.

5/9: Dalton keeps bringing me playdough food and felt food meals, then insisting we pray before we pretend to eat it. He kept snatching the playdough bites away from me and saying "prayer" over and over until I figured out what he was saying.

Dalton loves eating ice cream cones. Not ice cream, ice cream cones. The yucky cake kind. He tries to bite it before eating all the ice cream on top.

Maggie's favorite rides at Disney are Star Tours and Soarin' Over California.

5/26: Dalton, in the car: Whee!
Maggie: No, "Whee" is for going up.
Dalton: no, down whee!
Maggie: No, whee up!

5/26: Me: You need to go to sleep when you go to bed. It's late.
Maggie: But I always stay awake for a little bit. Just for a little bit to talk to myself.

Maggie's pronunciation of the word "quiet" has evolved from "piet" to "pwiet."

5/29: I've been waking Maggie up to go potty before I go to bed. One night she started whispering loudly to me.
Maggie: Mom! What are you doing?!
Me: I'm taking you potty.
Maggie: Mom! Hedo! (Hello)

The kids think the opposite of "Never!" is "Yessir!"

3/18: Wind, go make some arches and leave us alone!

Early March: Me: You're the one who was peeking when I said "no looking."
Maggie: I keep trying to do that but it's hard. I try and it keep not working!

4/20 (reading): Puh... Pop! Like "purple."

3/8: 9 kids at birthday party. One drink spilled. One Dalton sitting at the table. Two drinks spilled. This is why we still use sippy cups.

3/8: (re: chocolate cake) Milk! Want milk on it, too. (We know he's in the right family)

3/17: It's sand! It's sand! (In Moab at Sand Dune Arch)

3/17: Hiking to Delicate Arch: Edna Mode. Edna Mode. (Dalton's favorite character in The Incredibles.)

4/20: M, handing out pretend hot dogs: Do you want mustard or ketchup on yours?
D: On yours.

Is that the hotel we canceled? But they have grass! Oh wait. That's not a selling point for me anymore.

3/10: A girl's heart is pink and a boy's heart is red.

3/10: Grandma: We're going to change time tonight. Did you know that?
Maggie: No, but I know a lot of things. I know a lot about dinosaurs.

3/10: When I'm right I will be really smart.

3/10: Trying to make friends at the park: "Hi, I'm nice! Wait for me, I'm nice!"

3/11: M is trying to hide the fact that she is playing with a Cinderella doll (in her "Barbie Lego" house).

3/15: Our family's not big enough in our house.

3/16: Are you getting all the seaweeds out so the ladybugs will be safe? There won't be any scary spots?

3/1: "On my next birthday that's a Lego birthday I'm going to order (invite) James to my party cause he love Legos. After that is my Princess birthday." (Since then, she's decided on a Superhero birthday for her 7th.)

3/1: Maggie thinks she's doing me a "flavor" by getting herself and Dalton a treat...

3/2: "Dalton's birthday is Draper what?"

3/3: Maggie just threatened to clobber me.

3/5: "Your tummy look a little big."

3/6 "Mommy, after lunch I want to play chores."

3/7: (at the bank) Don't forget to tell them two lollipops for your two kids!

3/7: When I get up can I be a mommy just like you?
Yes. When you're a mommy, I'll be a grandma.
I don't think so that's a good idea. How about two mommies?

3/7 M: Oh yeah, yeah yeah, I'm on a diet!
Dad: Do you know what "diet" means?
M: It means you don't eat so much food you're on a diet!

3/9: "Good. But I wonder if there's anymore presents." (There weren't. And she was mad. Sheesh.)

2/1: When he see his shadow, Pissmas will come.

2/8: Pretending to be a superhero, she called herself "Heroman." Superheros was kind of a theme around here this month.

2/13: Eating hummus: "It tastes kind of yuck but it's good.

2/22 Mommy. When I'm big and married and there's a baby in my tummy, is it a boy or a girl and what name can we call it?

What kind of store is that?
It's a boat store.
Is it for boats that are out of stamina?
... It's to buy a boat.
Why are they out of the water? Why you laughing???

When she pretends to serve me food at a restaurant, or be a librarian, she does voices. She just makes her voice a little deeper.

"Look what's in this book! It's a duck Buddha!"

Dessert = "bessert" - I love it!
Hood = "hoof"

She invented something called a "Gradual Seahorse." It looks a lot like a regular seahorse (and you can call it that, she allows). And it does a lot of the same things a seahorse does according to the 20 minute lecture I received on the topic.

She is still obsessed with her pretend dinosaur, Whatasaurus. He's as tall as six tall, tall, buildings in the whole world each stack on each other (Burj Khalifa). He has "all the things" (spikes, toe claw, hump on his head, etc.)

Two words/concepts Maggie has learned at school are "pattern" and "collection". Except when she says "collection" it sounds like "question."

M: Can you get me more sun seeds?
Me: They're sunflower seeds.
M: Can you get me more flower seeds?

Both of the kids, but especially Maggie loves to "play parade" with Daddy. As far as I can tell, this involves swinging the kids around, turning them upside down, and generally dancing about, with crazy music playing.

2/26: During a video chat with Aunt Rachel, Maggie went to get her US map puzzle. "Where's London on this map?"

2/27: Reading That's Not My Mermaid
M: That's a India one.
Me: Why? (Thinking because she's wearing bangles.)
M: She's brown.
D: Bangles!

2/14: Bye guys! Dinosaur man! Hour! (Maggie got in the habit of saying "bye house see you in half a hour" whenever we leave. And "Dinosaur man" is "We're going to the Dinosaur Museum."

2/14: Mommy, happy face! Which was his way of asking for lip gloss.

The kids have a new game for the car where we each take turns picking a song and then we all sing it. This may or may not have been born out of hearing "Songs! Wiggles!" requested too many times. Dalton invariably chooses "Jingle Bells" or "ABCs". We sang ABCs twice on the way home from preschool today. Except once he said, "Cake." "Cake song?" "Cake." Okaaaay. So I sang "Happy Birthday."

His favorite Wiggles song is "Gulp, Gulp, Drink Some Water." He also really likes "it's a small world" and I've overheard him singing it to himself a few times.

2/21: Dalton burst into tears when he got up and found out Daddy was "on an airplane."

2/22: Every time I notice that Dalton is sitting nicely at the table I realize it's because I buckled him in.

He says "kitty" super cute still. It sounds more like "teeny" or "teengy". Video here.

I'm not even sure we have any Easter decorations.

My middle name are Margaret Susan.
My last name are Sissy.
My grandpa can't walk. (I think the boy she was talking to was there with his grandpa.)
Charlie Brown died. It was a baby in my mommy's tummy and it died. It's ok, we're going to get a new one named Charlie Brown. (To this, the boy questioned giving the baby the same name.)
My friend Grandma June died. She was 99! (Maggie talks about Grandma June dying a lot.)
When asked how old Dalton was: He's 2. He had a birthday in India and he turned 2.

Also, a cat wandered over to the playground and Maggie said that his name was "Thuck." Maggie is not allowed to name any future pets we may get.

Susie: "I wear bark, grow leaves, and shade parks." What grows leaves?
Maggie: Water!
Susie: Um... yes...

Me: Hey, who's that?
Dalton: Um. Baby... Baby... Jesus!
Me: Baby Jesus? That's you! And that was three days ago.

And, the kids were running around in circles chanting, "deep fat fry! deep fat fry!" after watching Garfield Thanksgiving. I love it!

John: Why are they singing, Maggie?
Maggie: Because there's no food and no presents and no decorations. And no table. And no Christmas tree. And no candy canes. And no bells.
John: And they're still happy?
Maggie: Yeah.
John: Why?
Maggie: Because... Mr. Grinch is coming back.

Me: If you'd asked me ten years ago where I would be when I turned 30, I think "on a houseboat in the Keralan backwaters in South India" would have been the third to last thing I would have said.
Jodi: "Third to last"?
Susie: I think Antarctica is less likely. Surely there's something else.

19 books read in August.

I heard screaming this afternoon. Dalton. Real crying, so I went to see what Maggie had done to him. He was stuck in the hiking carrier. I got him out, and realized he was holding all of his stuffed animals. Maggie was packing hers into the bag attached to the carrier. Apparently they were taking a trip!

"Mommy, do you think Heavenly Father can fix Grandma June?" Out of nowhere, in the car. By the time I was done explaining, she was telling me about the latest dinosaur place.

In the car, Jodi and I read through some of the free literature we got and questioned Sandeep about it. I asked Sandeep who his family god was, then Maggie announced, "I don't have a god." I told her that our God is Heavenly Father, which she seemed to accept for a few minutes. Then, she decided, "Sandeep is my god!"

We went to lunch at UB City, where Maggie perked up. She ate some food, watched a cat eagerly, and begged to play in the fountain. Then, I broke my rule about never going to Kids Kemp again. We didn't have time to go to Commercial Street, so even though it is expensive and full of pushy salespeople, we ended up there. I pushed back and somehow we got out of there in 20 minutes with one shirt, which Jodi loves. Maggie was happy there. There was a dwarf in a SCARY clown outfit and mask handing out popcorn and cotton candy. She lounged on the couches and played with the salespeople. Amazing what a little popcorn will do.

When we got home, we walked down to the Fancy Shop to buy some bangles for Jodi and Kyli. Maggie whined the whole time. Only one more day left with Aunt Jodi!

me: did you get me some nice hairbands? I am tired of these thin cheap Indian ones
Rachel: i got you the goody kind
the thick black ones
me: I knew I could trust you with that
Rachel: :)
i was like, to L, let me handle this

I still laugh thinking about this conversation and picturing Leonard in the hair accessories aisle at Target. The box arrived today, and I immediately redid my ponytail. Also included, in case you are wondering what "necessities" are: brown sugar poptarts, marshmallows, taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, sugar-free drink mixes, bobby pins, goldfish crackers, black beans, and two Handy Manny DVDs I got for free from Disney Movie Rewards. Leonard and Rachel also included some postcards, which Maggie and I enjoyed reading together.

"Mommy! Listen to me. How about we get a leaf off a tree when it's little and we put it in a cup and when it gets big we eat it. Alright? You understand, Mommy? And we'll use the binoculars so the water doesn't get in our eyes and we see a thing. You try to catch a fish, then you catch a fish, when you get hungry, Mommy, I will give you a fish. You understand, Mommy? And when you see any fish in the water with the binoculars you will see when you see any fish and when you see a fish you try to catch a fish. When you didn't catch it they are too fast."

Etc.

I realized later she was looking at her dinosaur rug and naming off the dinosaurs as she prayed.

"He makes a square with his beak. Then he puts a W (from his webkins mark). Then he calls, 'USA! USA!'"

I don't even think Maggie knows what USA is, but now she is chanting it. And beak? Yes, even though she's playing with Bullseye, her focus is still birds.

I counted that 11 of my last 13 blog entries (now 12/14) were just anecdotes from the kids, so I figured I'll just keep it coming.

John: Did you buy me a tie?
Maggie: Yes.
John: What color is it?
Maggie: I'm not gonna tell you!

Also, she and John and blowing bursts of air at each other.
Maggie: Daddy, you poo in my mouth.

I explained the word "birth" to her, and how it relates to "birthday" and being born.
Maggie, later: Being born is for kids and babies only.

I also saw a sign on a painted flyover that said, "Keep your city beautiful. Do not defecate the wall."

On the way out the door:
Maggie: I'm going to buy you flowers, Mommy!
...
John: Surprise!

When making the cards:
John: Let's write three reasons you love Mommy.
Maggie: I don't love Mommy. She's mean to me. She gives me time outs.

Excuse me, you just open the dirt for me? Cause I will put it in a cup and put water in it and stir it with a spoon. I will wuse this spoon to stir it. Let it tsy for a little minute to make a medium pogo stick. How you think of that you make a pogo stick, Mommy? Please open it? I need a wil bit cause I will put water and stir it and let it tsy for a minute.

Daddy: Who loves you?
Maggie: Mommy.
Daddy: Does Daddy love you?
Maggie: Yes.
Daddy: Who loves you more?
Maggie: Collette.

Jill came over on Friday and we made decorative bat pillows for Halloween.
Maggie: Aunt Jill, what are you going to be for Halloween?
Jill: I'm going to be a witch.
Me: She just called you Aunt Jill
Jill: That's ok. It's going to be a long time before I hear that again.

The example above illustrates one of Maggie's recent obsessions - asking people what they're going to be for Halloween. She has temporarily set that aside for making Aunt Erin a pretend birthday cake (chocolate, with a candle), but now that the birthday party is over, I have a feeling the Halloween costuming will resume.

Also, I watched the first 20 minutes of General Conference with her on my lap. Later in the day she suggested, "Let's watch the Prophet Show."

Me, Reading My Gospel ABCs: A is for Apostle.
Maggie: A is for a popsapicle.
Me: Hee! Tell Aunt Rachel what A is for.
Rachel: A4? It's like regular paper, but a little longer and skinnier.
Me: Are you talking to me?

Maggie: Aunt Jamie lives fara, fara way.

Maggie: Daddy take it into a part. (took it apart)

Busy week. Brynn got married, Maggie and I got sick, and we went to the zoo yesterday. Also: packing. And more packing. And laundry.

She calls me "Mommy Sue" now.

John posted this on his blog, but it bears repeating:
Maggie: Who's at the door?
John: It's nobody.
Maggie: It's yes-body.

Dad, while driving over a bridge: I'm not go-ing!
Leonard, Susanna, and Rachel from the backseat: Oh, yes you a-re!

Me: I'm not go-ing!
Maggie: I'm not go-ing!

Me: I'm not go-ing!
Maggie: You're not go-ing!

Me: I'm not go-ing!
Maggie: You are going.

Me: I'm not go-ing!
Maggie: Oh, yes you is!

Me: I'm not go-ing!
Maggie: Oh, yes you a-re!

Maggie mixes up her prepositions. I made her some chocolate milk the other day.
Maggie: I need a new straw for Aunt Rachel. ... Mommy, I spilled! I hold it to two hands.

When playing with her cousins, she tends to call her daddy "Uncle John."

Pretend = "for a tend" as in "Just eat it for a tend."

Impossible = "a pasta bowl", and she uses it whenever she doesn't want to do something.

Mommy: Why is there toilet paper all over the floor?
Maggie: It's Easter eggs.
Mommy: Oh, well let's go find them.
Maggie: *Pretends to look* There's one! Here's one!
Mommy: Hey, I found too little ones! Let's go put them in our basket (ie. the trash can).

I went out to Coldstone and to see New Moon at the dollar theatre with some girls in the ward last night. Hard to believe I stayed awake through a 9:20 movie. It was really fun to spend time with friends and take a break from the kids.

We are staying home today, except for playing outside in the SUNSHINE. Lots of snuggling and reading to ensue.

She loves going places like the bank and the post office. The other day when we went to the post office to mail a package for Rachel's and Edd's birthdays, she ran in, looked around and said, "Where's Aunt Rachel? Where's Edd?" Not only that, but apparently a "stamp" is not a cute ink mouse you get on your hand like at the library, and she got mad when I said I didn't need any. She was quite disillusioned.

Maggie: What's on yours back?
Mommy: I don't know, what is it? (thinking it's a sticker or something)
Maggie: *climbs on* It's a Maggie!

Also (yeah I fell for it twice)
Maggie: What's on yours nose?
Mommy: I don't know, what is it? (thinking it's marker or a smudge)
Maggie: Glasses!

Bummy toes! (wanting a "bummy tumble" (tummy bubble) on her toes)
I'm just standing on my bed. I'm not jumping on it. (She really was)
She wants there to be a monster under her bed, but when I told her the crocodile (in her Peter Pan coloring book) was going to eat Captain Hook, she went across the room to direct my coloring so it wouldn't eat her.

She says "adain" for again, and uses a "s" sound (more like "ts") for just about any double consonant: tr, dr, sh, etc. So truck=suck, dream=seam, treat=seat.

And best of all, in the car: Those people don't know how to drive!

The cuckoo clocks are coming! Hide on [under] my chair. They're getting out [of] the way!
Ta dum!
Look, he's little! (She says this about Dalton all the time)
I no can't reach/do it. (Standard do-it-for-me) Also, she's been quoting movies a lot lately.
"Everybody knows your name, Woody!" (Toy Story 2)
"Look, Barbie! An ugly man doll." (Toy Story 2)
"Help! P-P-Piglet. (Me)." (The Many Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh)
"Here! A Magic [invisible] Feather! Now you can fly!" (Dumbo) She calls Lightning McQueen "Lightning a Peen".

And I think I already mentioned that she now tells people her name is "Maggie Sue."

She is being a darling older sister and loves getting toys for Dalton to play with. She just said "he needs his star" and went upstairs to get it for him.

She's also started saying "in a week" to mean later.
Mommy: Do you need to go potty?
Maggie: No, not yet. In a week.

I showed Maggie how if you clap loudly Dalton's bouncer music will turn on. The next thing I knew she was trying it out by shouting "Go!" Poor Dalton thought she was yelling at him, not the bouncer, and got so sad.

She wants to "fly on Dumbo" - after seeing a banner ad for Disneyland, and playing with a Dumbo token from Disney Sorry. We finally borrowed the movie from John's parents so she can know what she's talking about.

Everytime Santa is mentioned she says, "he brings me presents!" I asked what she wants in her present and she said, "a car with guys". That's the only real answer we've gotten from her. She usually says "yellow."

She called John "Daddy Sue" in response to his "Maggie Sue."

I'm hungry for treats!

Things are "bery bery" such as "Mommy's shoes are bery bery big" and "this potty is bery bery dirty", neither of which are true.

She announces "I don't like that!" I'm pretty sure she got that from me, as that's what I say when she kicks me or something.

She says "first" and "just" all the time, and not usually correctly. "Pooh wants honey first." Her sentences make more sense without the "first" tacked onto the end of all of them.

When she doesn't know an answer, or is making something up, she says "mommy". For example, "Up on the housetop reindeer mommy", just to be silly.

Ghostie store = grocery store. She wasn't saying it wrong, she really thought I called it the ghostie store.

Just a minute, it's my turn!

Maggie: I'm bowling.
Me: Oh, are you winning?
Maggie: No, I'm bowling.

Dalton got a Winnie-the-Pooh book as a gift from the Relief Society. I made the mistake of reading it to Maggie word for word. On the Winter page, there is a picture of a sled. Piglet says "Pooh, I have a puzzle for you - a poozle." The next day Maggie was flipping through the book looking for the "poozle" - apparently that's what a sled is really called.

Maggie knows a lot of Primary songs and goes around singing them. It's awfully cute. John was a little confused one day on the way to church when she was singing "going to nursery to feel the Holy Spirit", a phrase she picked up from "I Love to See the Temple."

I've also heard her say "one two three four five six seven eight nine ten name of Jesus Christ Amen."

Also, Sumana was singing to Dalton "Go to sleep, go to sleep, or we'll sell you on eBay" when I complained, "eBay sucks. We could sell him on Etsy, he's handmade."

Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Charlie Brown
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Linus
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Peppermint Patty
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep
Lucy

Little boy wondering what to be, what to be
Little boy Halloween
Little boy wondering what to be, Linus
Little boy trick-or-treat

Maggie also loved the song - beeping and Peanuts, what's not to love?

Wherefore, do not spend money for that which is of no worth, nor your labor for that which cannot satisfy.

I don't have enough time right now for that which cannot satisfy.

Me: Where does Mickey Mouse live?
Maggie: India?

Me: Let me clean your face, you have boogers on it.
Maggie: Like Ember.
Me: Like Ember what?
Maggie: Polka dots! [Freckles]

"One, two, three, set, go!" *throws fisher-price rooster across table*

"Ai a ubble bummy please!"

I have no idea what the ma mo part is. She is so proud of herself when she says the prayer though.

She flies through the air with the greatest of ease
Susanna Banana did not eat her peas
Her kittens have ticks and her puppies have fleas
And she always comes down in the bay.

The Flying Trapeze was written about Jules Leotard, inventor of the... leotard. For the record, I like peas.

Also, trying to work on saying "please." She is horribly demanding sometimes.
Maggie: Daddy home! (wants me to sing "I'm So Glad When Daddy Comes Home")
Me: "Daddy home" what?
Maggie: Daddy home song

Speaking of demanding, Maggie occasionally wants to know things like "Where is Maggie's horsie?", "Where is Maggie's green boat?", and somewhat more normally "Where Maggie's Lightning McQueen shoes?" She doesn't try to grab or ask for stuff in the store, even when we go in the toy aisles luckily. Ok, one exception is "at ink" - chocolate milk. I'm so glad she doesn't watch TV, I can picture her falling for every commercial.

Jana changed Ethan's diaper. Maggie is a bit obsessed with belly buttons and immediately announced that Ethan had a button on his bum.

Mommy: Where do we go pee?
Maggie: Panties!

*elephant trumpet* while pointing at Daddy's PJ pants = grey. I guess I said, "grey like an elephant" a few too many times.
Singing ABC song, with no tune. I hope she isn't tone deaf. After Z she sings something that sounds like "Mama ABCs".
"Da Da Doo!": Horses say "neigh"; Ducks say "quack"; people and inanimate objects say "da da doo!" This happened a while ago while Ember was babysitting Maggie, but got excessive during the trip. The kids thought it was hilarious!
"Oh no!": Two predictable times she said this were when Justin pretended to be a raven, and when the bison were rolling on the grass. It is so cute that we bought a postcard of the bison rolling so we can recreate it.
"baby buffalo bunning": This is how Maggie describes what she saw when some baby bison were chasing each other. She often uses "b" for "r".
"Bicky Boss" = Mickey Mouse: Got really tired of listening to that CD.
"Bussy Boom" = "The Bearenstain Bears and the Messy Room": Took me a long time to figure that one out.
"Beaning" = "raining": Usually followed by "Umbrella" which sounds a lot like how she says "banana". We saw a lot of rain.
"There goes Uncle Brook"/"Where Uncle Brook go?": We caravan-ed behind Brook, and heard this at least 50 times a day. She also learned that Uncle Brook has a U on his car, and Uncle Dave has a Y.
"iking!" = "hiking": Maggie loves her hiking carrier. "Ma ai" = "Grandma's car": The one day we didn't drive in Grandma's car, Maggie asked about it all day.
"Montana: You can't afford it." On a sign when we first entered the state. It actually said "drunk driving" in the shape of the state, or something, but this is how we all interpreted it.

And some interesting interpretations during a game of Catchphrase:
Susie: stick = something you hit someone with.
Justin: fishbowl = place where aquatic life lives.

Logan: I made white trash quesadillas. We were out of shredded cheese so I had to use sliced.

John's variation of Sesame Street: Poppy Lane.

Grandma, on dying: I think I'll make it through Lawrence Welk tonight, but I definitely won't make it to dinner at Scott's tomorrow (she did, of course).

We had a good time at the cabin. We went for a muddy but fun hike. Maggie sat happily in her carrier the entire time without a single fruit snack. I sang "Give, Said the Little Stream" to her when we saw a stream, and she sang along! That is her latest favorite song. We saw a snake and a deer and cleaned the place up. Best of all, Maggie slept the whole night in her own "bed", a blanket and pillow I brought from home and set up on the floor of our room for her. This is the preferred sleeping arrangement (all night, and not in our bed) for our Yellowstone trip, so I was glad to see it work out last night.

John is out of town. Maggie and I went to see Grandma June. Me: We're going to McDonald's. Maggie: E-I-E-I-O! Even Grandma thought it was funny.

Maggie is "reading" words all over the place, words you don't notice are there until she starts saying letters out loud. Like "A-D-T" (security sticker on our windows) or "g-e-r-b-e-r" on her sippy cups. On the way into Wal-Mart today she spelled "Food Center." She's also learned several sight words; her favorite is "my".

She now has eight teeth, three of which are molars.

Without a home you have no place to compare yourself to. I have my own home, but that's new and forward-looking. There isn't any "home" to go back to.

I had two piano lessons today so Christmas Eve will be free. A 7-year-old student said, "Hmm, Maggie has the most presents. Well, don't be glum! Remember: Santa!"

We each do the best we can. My best may not be as good as your best, but it's my best. The fact is thatwe know when we are doing our best and when we are not. If we are not doing our best, it leaves us with a gnawing hunger and frustration. But when we do our level best, we experience a peace. - Marjorie Hinckley

Also: "I figure if things can't cook reliably with only a little guidance from me, they get what they deserve."

Also, Grandma gave me her garden rake (which I "borrowed" several months ago and haven't returned) and some crochet hooks I found (she never crocheted: one was still in the package). This worked out great since I lost my size F between finishing my frosting and sewing it on to the donut. She also tried to give me her knitting needles and the entire contents of her curio cabinet. And I won't deny that Maggie took Catwoman's car home with her.

So, for those not in the loop, Grandma is 90 years old and anxiously awaiting death. She also wishes she has more kids because (in retrospect) it was so easy. Ahem. Actual honest-to-goodness words coming out of her mouth:

Grandma June: Before I go out of this world, I want to hear you say you're expecting.
Susie: You're going to have to stick around a while then.
Grandma June: Well. I'm waiting.

I thought I would also record for posterity Grandma's description of a "game" people were playing over at John's cousin Sheryl's house. The room was dark. Everyone had an instrument. There was a screen with a show on it on a platform. There wasn't any furniture in the room. Um. It took me about 10 minutes to figure out it was Rockband - and another 5 minutes to explain it to her.

And finally - Grandma thinks Maggie and I are so cute because I am a stay at home mom and we spend all day together and are all attached. She figures she was like that also when she just had one litee toddler Susan. But anyway, we're cute. But Maggie still needs a friend (ie. sibling).

I brought home birthday cards for myself, Brook, and Ember. But I bet mine is the only one without any money in it. Cause I'm an "in-law". (Hmm. I can't seem to find if I posted about the time I asked Grandma to come live with us. She said "that's the nicest thing anyone's ever offered. And you're not even related to me!")

Thanks a LOT, Rachel, for getting me hooked on Twilight Parodies. Make it stop. Seriously.

and it was the best series starting with a teenage girl in love with a mysterious boy in her class that ended up with a teenage girl defending her growth-accelerated mutant hybrid baby from an ancient clan of evil vampires with her magical psychic shield that I ever read, THE END.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

ETA: I can't help myself. This is re: Midnight Sun.

Also, he still has her Snapple cap in his pocket, because Edward Cullen is a thirteen-year-old girl.

Rachel: her daughter wants to be a mermaid not human?
i guess the seaweed is always green
er

On the back of it I wrote, "5/31/06 haha."

Edited: Apparently, it's really "You can lead a herring to water, but you have to walk really fast or he'll die." My version was much funnier.

We spoke in church on Sunday, about Spiritual Gifts. Susan came to our Sacrament Meeting. Maggie crawled right over to her Grandma and sat on her lap.

Maggie has a tendency to crawl away rapidly whenever she is bare-bottomed. She gets her excited face on, her mouth in a big "O" and she can really move. Maybe it's a desire to mark her territory. Last night we were getting her PJs on and she crawled right out the door, then right back in like she'd lost her mind. John said, "Maggie you have BabyD" and I couldn't stop laughing. (Say it out loud.) Heehee.

Miss Maggie is crawling all over the place. Don't know what I'm going to do with her. I just finished getting all our utilities set up at our new house (and also turned back on at Mom's for inspections). New House! Yay! I just checked the weather which confirms it is 99° here.

Teacher: What did Nephi slay for food?
Matthew: Cantaloupe.

Chorister: What can we do if we need to hold a note out for a long time?
Meghan:Say a prayer!

Teacher:What does "murmur" mean?
KC: It's like when you kill someone...

"A guy was dancing and he fell. It was so funny!" Okay... Still not sure on the ending.

Today Maggie and I went to see Curious George with Elizabeth (from our Primary class). It was a really cute movie. We also went to the mall where the eye doctor convinced me that it's normal for my eyes to hurt when I look at Maggie up close, that he can't do anything about it and that it's not irrational to want to hit people who hold things close to my face.

Also I talked to Mom for over 1 hour. Next time I have nothing to do...

Ember: Three muffins were in an oven. The first muffin said, "It's hot in here!" The second muffin said, "Ah! a talking muffin!" The third muffin said, "We all can talk!"

Tyler's version went something like this: Two poops were sitting on a poop. The first one said, "poop!" The second one said, "poopy!" and the third one said, "poopety poop poop poop!"

Yesterday we got a giant package from John's work. They sent a gift basket of baby paraphanelia with the company logo on it, including, as John predicted, and EY onesie. It's actually kind of cute.

The other day Rachel and I were arguing over the pronunciation of a word. Susie: We have a dictionary. We could look it up. Except I don't know how to read those pronunciation marks.
Rachel: Me neither.
Susie: English teacher's daughters' shame.
Turns out it wasn't even a word - Rachel said "Meg Cabot" (an author) and I thought she said "my cabot" (meaning (I thought) her guilty pleasure).

I'm having better luck with mom's sewing machine today, so I am cranking out quilt pieces. I gave Noelle a lot of the fabric squares I had. I'm planning to make one more quilt, then get rid of the rest. Since mom's sewing machine is so much easier to use than mine, it is going quickly.

Here is an out-of-context Rachel quote for your enjoyment: "the kitty litter is fake ash. and the poo was the dust bunnies"

It was about a week after we had told the family about the baby and we had explained that we were calling her Beet. It was the day Jamie was moving so John, Jodi and I took Tyler and Justin back to our place to get them out of the way. We went to the pool where the boys hopped in, and the adults lazily put our feet in. Justin was trying to get us to come in with him and said, "I want you to come in! Aunt Jodi and Aunt Pete!"

Nowadays Roy is often away on business. Rachel requests the lullaby:

Bye baby bunting, Daddy's gone ahunting
To get a little rabbit skin
To wrap the Baby Bunting in.

She puts her lower lip out and sometimes actually sobs. When I come to the end she doesn't want me to stop.

"Sing it again" she pleads.

I can't figure out if she is unhappy because Daddy is gone or because the rabbit got skinned. But tonight she is sleeping with three toy rabbits in her bed."

Susie: 98% of all drivers are women, old, Mexican or on their cell phone.
John: Wow, I'm finally a minority.

Tonight we are babysitting three little boys from the ward while their parents attend the temple. We're excited, but going to be up late.

Richard worked for Ford Motors his entire career. When they signed up for an overseas stint, the company paid for everything they sent over - his wife sent cases of Cream of XXX so she could make casseroles. They spent three years in Holland.

Bonus Quote: Grandma June (to me): You sure have a cute sister.

Don't I, though?

"Who needs snowflakes when you have seashells!"

"You gals look like you've seen one too many ideas."

Also, a few weeks ago, when I didn't understand a comparison Hasanthi made regarding Good Friday, she said, "What, are your Mormon or something?"

New, high-level employee, visiting from home office: I'm suprised you don't have an office.

haha!

Today was another quote-filled day in Primary.

Elizabeth: I don't know what my testimony is.
Susie: It's just if you believe in Jesus.
Elizabeth: I do believe in Jesus. But my brother is nine and he doesn't believe in Jesus. Wait, I mean he doesn't believe in Santa.

4 year old visitor: I'm being shy.

Elizabeth: What is pregnant?
Susie: It's when a baby starts growing in your tummy.
Elizabeth: And then you get fat.
Susie: Yes, like Sister Faas.
Elizabeth: I wish you were my mom.

Kc: My friend is a little bit fatter, like my brother, and this dress doesn't fit her anymore.

Elizabeth: I like being in this class.

When Lorna was born, Justin was upset that his Mom was gone in the hospital for so long and he set fire to the chicken house.

He lived in a "rough neighborhood" growing up and was in a "gang" with King and Buster Green when he was 12 years old. They would pretend to hold a rope across the road when cars came by, and were caught doing that by a probation officer. Actually, he caught Buster who told on King who told on Justin. When the officer showed up at the front door, Della had no idea Justin had been out of the house - he was supposed to be in bed. They spent the night in the State St. Hospital (the Juvenile Infirmary). They were fed breakfast in the morning and Justin didn't like the eggs so he threw them out the window and they landed on someone's head.

Bonus quotes:

Justin: See, I predicted my wife would get excited about the permit -
Barbara: I don't give a rat's ass about your permit!

Barbara, re the giant dog standing across her legs: This is how wolfhounds do "lap dog."

Rachel: My virgin ears!

Man on bus, to young son: There is No Such Thing as "fake football."

I've been disoriented for two weeks now, but Leonard and Rachel are starting to catch up. Leonard is starting to catch up to me on accidents, too. He put some frozen manicotti in the oven with the plastic lid on.

Tomorrow I get to go home! The car is packed, although I couldn't fit all of my stuff. We are all exhausted.

Later...
Rachel: Too bad we're not eligible for Social Security.
Susie: I wonder how much you get if both of your parents are ... "passed away."
Leonard: Not as much as you would if they were dead.

Garry sent two of his guys to help clean up the yard and trim the bushes so the house can be seen. They are doing an awesome job, and also helping to get rid of the lemon juice in the freezer (we are on our sixth pitcher of lemonade).

Brother and Sister Stewart came by for the wheat and left with an entire pick-up load of food. We gave them all of the canned things not marked by Rachel or myself, everything in the garage etc. and made them promise to come back for the turkeys in the freezer. It's nice to have it gone and know it will be used. The Langley's bought our loveseat.

Even though there will still be a lot for poor Rachel to do, I am very excited to get home and see my husband. Our cruise is in 5 days!

Leonard's friend Peter came by yesterday and scanned things from our "scan 'n' toss" pile the entire time he was here. He also, very helpfully, took a load of my stuff down to Costa Mesa - all of the furniture we are keeping and a few boxes.

Set up for the quote: We have been using up paper plates, plasticware and cups and were eating a yummy dinner made by Aunt Pat.
Peter: Well, I'll get back to scanning.
Leonard: We'll take care of your dishes.

During a bit of a lull, I move from the piano to the couch with Leonard. After a couple minutes, I notice Leonard has his hymn book open to Master the Tempest is Raging. "Did you want to sing that?," I ask. "Do you think that would be ok?" he answers, with a little-boy look on his face. It is about 2:30 am; I go back to the piano.

After playing the last few bars as an introduction, I move back to the beginning of the song and begin. I stumble a bit over the first few measures, then, as I'm beginning to think I should just start over, Mom lifts her head and says loudly, "What in the world!"

We saved Mom the embarrasment of having her obituary printed in the Skinny Monday Paper by conveniently forgetting.

That dog is so ugly, it can't possibly be going anywhere other than an Ugly Dog Contest.

Rachel: Did I just make something up? Leonard: I think you accidentally said the most boring thing ever.

John: Always the guinea pig, never the guinea.

Susie: I'm sorry I ate your cookie; it was looking at me!

Yours Respectfully c alzirness Soprdrcoue! Justin.

Apparently Rachel and I weren't the only ones who thought Leonard was coming on Wednesday. We found this note when we went to take Uncle Justin and Aunt Barbara to dinner. I still can't figure out what the last line says, but I am posting it as a part of our family history.

But for my mother and father, oh no, it was [John] this and [John] that, they were so proud of having a [CPA] in the family.

John got another 96!

Anyway, here's the update on the weekend. Yesterday I spent a few more hours cleaning out the fish pond and the pumps. Unfortunately, the pumps don't work, so the actual water is dirtier than ever. Poor fishies. I filled up the green waste bin with water plants and roots galore.

I am feeling pretty sore now, from kneeling on the cement, and also from falling off Rachel's chair yesterday. Actually, the worse part about that fall is that I was holding a plate of rice. I didn't drop it, but it bounced. Susie: What if I fall off the bed? Rachel: That would be really funny!

Since Mom hasn't gotten out of bed much this weekend, we have spent lots of time in her room. I dug out Mom's rice bags and have been heating them up for her. For all her hemhawing before when I suggested them, she is quite enjoying the spoiled treatment. Last night we nagged Mom and had a long talk with her. Rachel: Do you think I should - Mom: I can't do your thinking for you. Rachel: Oh, I was asking Susie.

Rachel and I also took a gigantic walk around the neighborhood and down to the park. With Gretel. We attached her leash to a pole and went on the swings. It was fun, except Gretel didn't quite get that the swing goes both ways. She got her nose bonked on the return ride a few times. Susie: Are these ears? How do you tell on a dog?

Rachel and I also did pedicures. My toes are all pink-sparkly now. Rachel gave me a nice hand massage. Susie: Are you stealing my diamonds? Rachel: I don't want what comes with it. Susie: A warranty?

Kirin: Lucky for us that light was green. Susie: What light?

Susie: There was a stop sign there. Kirin: For me?!?

John: Since it's July, I think we can put the heater away.

John on eating shrimp scampi, a la Lady and the Tramp: I can push a shrimp over with my nose.

Primary.... Teacher: What city were [the sons of Helaman] in? Child: California!

Chorister: What's your favorite Primary song? Child, under her breath: God Bless America.

Noelle: And that's why it's important to moisturize.

Laure: "Have you ever seen a dead elephant?" No. "That's because they all go to Elephant Valley to die."

Susie: That's not why I've never seen a dead elephant. I've never seen a dead elephant because I don't see elephants!

All piled in the car on Christmas Day, John, Leonard and Sumana were in the backseat talking about nicknames. Very quietly I said to Rachel, “woot dawg.” We laughed for about 5 minutes before we could tell them what we were laughing at. I think we were mostly laughing because we were laughing, just the two of us, not because it was funny.

That story also reminds me of when John gave Hannah the nickname “H-bear”. She thought it was cute until James got upset over it. But once Nathan explained that John called her that because he loved her, she was pretty pleased. And once when John called her “Hannah”, she shouted, “he knows my name!”

Cute sister. Cute niece. Back to work.

Last week John and I watched The Wizard of Oz. We both cracked up laughing when the scarecrow said, "Of course, some people without brains do an awful lot of talking, don't they?"

We bought a digital camera with Target gift cards we got for Christmas. (Thanks Mom, Uncle Garry... and Rachel.) I am a terrible photographer. I shall have to practice on our cruise! Only 134 more days.

I have had a terrible time the last two weeks being the Primary Chorister. So terrible, in fact, that I wouldn't do it this Sunday and played the piano instead. Mer. Next week I get to teach 5 year olds with John instead (although I'm sure I'll still be playing the piano).

"A friend asked me just then what I was doing and I looked at the empty bowl in my hand in realization and told her, 'I'm eating ice cream for dinner, I LOVE BEING AN ADULT!!! (insert childish laughter)'"

I heard this song on RadioDisney on my way to work. I mentioned this before; they edited this song too. I went like this: Grandpa's taking this so well [cut to next verse].

John: Sunrise?

Leonard helps: We have an uncle named this.

John: Larry?

Following close behind in the memory list is the time all the Chadwicks played MadGab at the Vans. I love playing games, esp. with my family.

Also, I consistently mispronounce the word “gestures” like the game “Guesstures”, which I have never played.

Susie: Honey?

Tyler: Honey! I mean, Uncle John!

Later, Tammy (Jamie's business partner and in their ward) and her husband came over with their little boy. I was sitting at the table facing away from the door.

Andy: Hi Jamie.

I look at him.

Andy: Oh, hi Sister Crawford. What are you doing here, Sister Crawford?

I keep looking at him, and finally say, "I'm Tyler's Aunt Susie", because I haven't realized it's Tammy's son yet. He just walked off to play with Tyler.

The really funny thing is that they don't know any Crawfords. But I probably just heard him wrong.

John: Starving kids in China don't have legs.

As not funny as that ought to be, we laughed for 5 minutes.

Rachel, John and I went to Chinatown on Friday morning. We parked on Beach Blanket Babylon Blvd. John got his sweet bread and some mango soy milks. We had a nice walk around. We also drove down to Jollibee in Daly City for John. Such a spoiled boy.

I also had a lot of fun playing games with everyone. John hopes I got my game fix, and I probably did. We also watched A Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, which was pretty funny. My favorite quote, of course, was when they were shooting each other with the Point of View gun and the President turns it on the girl and she says, "It won't do anything; I'm already a woman." Mom and Leonard said the book is funnier so I will add that to my reading list.

I saw a tanker truck that said "INEDIBLE NOT FOR HUMAN FOOD".

Mom got some blood, I spent two hours with Grandma. She seems a bit better. She says she is still dizzy when she tries to walk, but she was talking more coherently, and more often. Pat and Don were there when I arrived, along with Rodney Love, Aunt Ellen's son, and Carroll, one of Grandma's brothers. We are going to dinner at Pat and Alan's with them.

Noelle: I'll give you a give to Molly.
Me: Who's Molly?
Noelle: tamale!
We had been discussing tamales for ten minutes!

Reading a sign in my rearview mirror while stopped at a red light. "Fee-mal-ay". Feemalay? I keep reading. "Exotic Dancers". Oh, female.

This afternoon I was reviewing Corrs lyrics for the occasional word I couldn't figure out. I was surprised that one song, Tell Me No, wasn't on a rather comprehensive list. Turns out, I had completely misinterpreted the title, which is said about 20 times throughout the song: Time Enough. I have listened to this song about 50 times. In my defense, I listened to the song on my way home, and it still sounds like "tell me no." But there is no excuse for the rest of my stupidity.

If I can't tell what position you are applying for, I am going to delete your resume.
If you're not applying for a specific position, I'm going to shred your resume.
If you're not applying for a position we have open, I'm going to shred your resume.
If you must be 18 to get the job you are applying for, and you are not 18, I'm going to shred 
your application.
If there is no phone number on your resume or application, we won't call you for an interview.
If you show up 15 minutes early for your interview, you will wait in the lobby for at least 
14 minutes.
Remember the name of the person interviewing you.
Spell your name right.
Learn your zipcode.
Ask questions, but don't say "which job was this again?"
You should at least know what the company does.

I don't think I mentioned that my Christmas bonus was a free pound of See's candy. Yum. I got to pick out one of everything that sounded yummy, or that John might like, then I got the rest caramels. I've almost forgotten that I was expecting a $50 check. The box says "See's Candies... A Happy Habit."

Sugar*

*May not actually be sugar.

In the first few days after I got my work pager, I was running errands and I kept hearing this shaking noise in my car which stopped when I turned the air conditioner off. Then I realized it was my pager vibrating in the cup holder beneath the air conditioner.

Lisa: What was that?

John: I didn't hear anything.

John gets out to look. Squished trombone.

The kid is standing there looking at them like he doesn't care. So Lisa and John drive off.

Our project is a Written Plan of Operations for the Therapeutic Recreation Department for a facility. Ours is called "Lake Echo Treatment Center." We tried to make it as generic as possible. Turns out there is a Lake Echo. However, it's in Nova Scotia and ours is in Colorado. (Thanks to John and Mommy for the correct lack of apostrophe).

The point is that we have to have 200 pages of assessment tools, documentation formats and policies (etc.) for a made up facility. It's the most useful assignment I've had in ages (maybe ever), I'm just bugged we weren't allowed to start until the last few weeks of school.

Quote of the Day: Susie: It's like the most useless class I've ever taken, except for maybe my entire first two years of college.

Speaking of cute... Susie: I look like trash. Nathan: Cute trash!... Now I say "cute trash" all the time.

Susie: I have rug burn on my nose.

Today we made a pineapple cheesecake. Well, it was supposed to be a pineapple unpside down cake, but the milk we used was a little old. Heh.

Today was a very long day that I rather wish hadn't happened. I didn't exactly get much done. Sitting in my room listening to The Wedding Singer soundtrack, full of Del Taco, getting ready to go to bed.

The Elms has invested in a life preserver that appears to actually have a chance at preserving life.

My finance professor, on property taxes: Mosquitoes are no respector of political boundaries.

I started my new job at Tomassito's today. I got to throw pizza dough in the air. A lot. We had a huge order today so some extra people came in. Normally, I guess I work the first two hours alone. heh. oh well.

My roommates have begun to call me "mom." Last night I listed off to Nathan all of the mom-ish things I had done. It was quite a list. I love it. I've got the cutest girls to live with. I've also got to get up and go to ward council at 800. bleh.

We went to dinner at Jacinto's today, for my birthday. It was really yummy. I am having a great day =) We're setting off a fruitfly bomb in our apartment while we're at church so who knows when I'll get to come back home. I am also going to Jon and Sharon's with Nathan and Shelley. yay! Eclair cake!

Sleep, sleep, clean, homework, clean, homework. I've only been up an hour and a half, but I've done so much!

Julie and I have been singing annoying songs for the past couple days (most recently, you are my sunshine and the sun'll come out tomorrow). Yay for belting.

Julie, on my "birthday present": We can't cancel now! We already paid!

All of my birthday cards have animals on them; do you think that means something?

I have a job interview at Provost Elementary tomorrow. I sure hope I get it. I returned one of my textbooks today because I realized that by the time I bought the book we were already supposed to have read half of it (the only half we have to read at all). Waste of $70, I thought, and then returned it.

Had a good night sitting around doing pretty much nothing. I am sooo tired from my lack of sleep last night, but hopefully I will be able to sleep better tonight. Except that I have to get up early for church- starting next week I'll have to get up even earlier to go to ward council before church. Bleh.

Today I saw a million people on-campus, including Heather Mitchell, Shelley and her sister and Tara (Cami's twin sister and another old roommate), with baby and husband in tow.

Also, KIRIN!!! yay! She came over, back from Italy and looking way hot, and we had girl talk and then made peanut butter Hershey kiss cookies with Nate. Nate: Hai la mine, kisses!

In English 315 I met a girl who just got back from Romania and worked at Section 2 (for my unique thing I said I had a broken bone in my skull and then I had to explain that). My 487 (research and evaluation) professor wouldn't sign my add card! I'm supposed to "make a case" to the department chair (a case as in I need it to graduate). Grr. I really am going to die this semester. The world religions class I went to today was better than yesterdays. The professor sounds like Sean Connery. What am I going to do!!!!!????

The other day I picked up (and read) a book called StarGirl, by Jerry Spinelli, which was sitting on our kitchen table. It was really cute, I recommend it for light reading (it took me less than two hours, and I was talking the whole time).

Random Airport Announcement: Passengers must avoid transporting items without their knowledge. I'm not sure why I thought that was so funny. VW liscense plate holder on the car in front of us on I10: "Since 1911" Mom: I didn't know cars were invented before 1915. Susie: Maybe that's why it's in quotes. Mom: *May not have actually been since 1911.

Pretty Random Susie, she says on the way home from the BC potluck, when I finish telling some random story I can't even remember now. This is why I write down everything funny as it happens, although I get laughed at often; if I don't, noone will ever remember it and life is too funny for that.

Got an email saying my ecclesiastical endorsement (the second one for this year!) is invalid. Again, jerks. Tomorrow... Well I don't know what we're doing. But it's going to be fun! I am having fun here, can't believe it's already over. Back to school soon, bleh. Well, at least I'll get some time to recover at home first, and be with my mommy some. I love you mommy!

Form one line (Texas). Nathan and his brother (Everett) decided with me that it's because people are too stupid to learn what Merge means. Don't touch power lines! (Billboards throughout New Mexico). We found it somewhat scary they felt the need to warn people. Also, once upon a time Leonard and I decided that there could be no better way to phrase Gusty winds may exist but on my drive to California on Wednesday, I saw Gusy wind area, which I felt was much better. Also: Kabuki a Japanese restaurant.

So... I'm in Texas. Kinda random. I spent last night trying to insist that I'm no longer the kind of person who randomly drives to a different state. Unfortunately, the fact that I woke up in Utah Wednesday, California Thursday, New Mexico Friday and Texas this morning hindered my disputing.

I'm having fun though. We played minature golf today at a place with little animals, kinda like a zoo except they weren't real animals and I don't know any zoos with that many elephants or giraffes. I somehow made three hole-in-ones, although I lost overall with 52 points.

Well, I don't know what else to say. I'm staying here (at Nate's house, near Dallas) until Thursday when I'm flying back to California. I'm probably going to stay home longer than I planned to have some more time with my mommy, although I was supposed to move out of my apartment today. Hehe. Yeah, dispite any arguments I may give my randomness has not gone down since my freshman year. In fact, it may have even gotten worse (better??)

John, to Susie, looking through rose-colored bat glasses (a Happy Meal toy): You look good in pink. Laurie, cheering Susie on about a 69 cent box of Rice-a-Roni: Way to splurge, way to splurge!

Tomorrow I'm supposed to go on a date in the afternoon and we have the ward basketball tournament I am supporting in the morning. Then I'll probably read and chill at the pool some.

Some guy in the hot tub: Bakersfield... Utah? Josh: Jezzebels, keeping me up late. Susie and Kyra: Hey! Josh: Adorable Jezzebels.

Today: Food. Pool. I really don't have anything else to do.

Michelle: Boxsprings? Where are they? (Taking up our entire kitchen, maybe?) Michelle: Sick, I have a carpet turd stuck to my shoe. Michelle (yeah she was on a roll today): I thought maybe it was cat pee, but after I licked it, I knew for sure it was dog pee. Michelle: Suse, do you have a gigantic gorilla butt in your way? Michelle *CRASH!*: That's all my stuff. Michelle: Oh Susie, I think the gas is getting to you (the boxsprings turned the gas on when we jumped on them). Also, from yesterday, Michelle: I dunno... they're kinda crusty.

Yes, we have pictures. We climbed over our stuff onto the couch to watch "A Knight's Tale" and read scriptures. I think that's all I've done since class.

So we're all kicked out of our house for the day (they didn't finish with our living room until 830pm. I have class from 11-3 but nothing to do in the meantime, except sleep in the Smith Fieldhouse. Susie: Carpet has feelings too!

Went to see "Mr. Deeds" with Cody last night. It was really funny, I'd say the best Adam Sandler movie I've ever seen, because his character isn't a jerk or a complete idiot.

Woke up [very late] to the smell of new carpet. Bought stamps. Finished all assignments for Summer term. Today Kyra and I are getting film developed and going shopping. Lisa called me. She is in Utah and we are going to Kristen's wedding on Thursday. I wonder if I'm supposed to bring a date.

I'm a button! (not related)

Mark (this summer): I'm a purple belt, that's 6th out of nine. Susie: Wow, that's good... I'd probably be a pink belt.

Kyra and I each did the entire Daily Universe crossword puzzle today. Susie: That was a joke? Kyra: You were laughing weren't you? Susie: I was laughing at you. On Sunday I wore the "silly" shirt and lots of people said it was cute. I was only wearing it because the two shirts I'd put on before that both got attacked by the oil pastel drawing hung above our couch. The shirt I wore today was also attacked, but the effect was less on bright pink than on the two white shirts I wore Sunday.

Things have calmed down (well everyone is trying to sleep and Laurie is out of town) so I've just been sitting in my room reading scriptures and thinking. I read my "english scriptures" today, as I call them. I've got a ton to do tomorrow, very dependent on how serious this holiday thing is going to be. Interesting.

Susie: You're like, she comes in and steals all the guys in the ward. Michelle: I am so jealous.

Wrote this entry three hours ago. Kyra and I had to make a return trip to Target, for the same reason we went this morning. We're psycho (that's my latest word). I still haven't written my paper. Now is my last chance without getting up psycho (see?) early on Monday, so here I go.

We watched part of "The X-files" and "Mulan". Michelle: She didn't go to Enrichment tonight. Kyra: That's what I was thinking. We should have invited her. Michelle: "This is my friend Mulan." We cuddled. We went to bed early.

Today I have a paper to write and a lunch party for my roommate. Happy Birthday, Angela!

Michelle and I had some dinner (we've eaten the entire cake) together. I got coerced into praying over our pizza in Romanian last night (the first prayer I ever said aloud in Romanian) so tonight Michelle prayed in Spanish. Michelle: It's so bad to laugh during a prayer. I'm surprised you didn't get smoted. Susie: What does "smoted" mean? Michelle: I don't know, but it's BAD.

I'm not sure if I was eating dinner again or still in the same spot when Cody and John came over and we hung out and then we went to the store and then to Cody's and his roommate was in the ER and we hung out in the parking lot until 130. *silly Michelle laugh to punctuate that* *hehe*

I feel like I should be more tired than I am, considering what time it is. BTW, I ran into Melanie (Cody's roommate's girlfriend) on the way home from finding Kyra (she was out late, alone, and upset) and Marshall (Cody's roommate) is still living and going to be ok. Food poisoning.

Michelle and I say everything the same. It's actually kinda scary sometimes. But most of the time it's really cute.

Quotes... Laurie:Do you want your finger to become soggy?

Michelle: Maybe he's Mormon! Maybe he goes to BYU! ROUTE Y!!!

Susie: It's kinda hard to dance in this position (unfortunately there is a picture that goes along with that quote).

A Roommate Who Prefers Not to Be Named (but we all know who it is anyway): I am totally smitten with like four guys. Another Roommate: How many??? The Aforementioned Unnamed Roommate: Two.

Susie, counting change in the drive-thru: New Hampshire. What's that? Rachel: It's a state!

Rachel and I saw a little boy in a stroller at the grocery store, sucking on a bottle of Hershey's syrup. We both laughed out loud. I had something else to say regarding buying groceries as a college student but I can't remember what it was.

Today Rachel and I went to the mall and to Target and I bought seven new shirts and a pair of earrings. I'm afraid I'm going to be one of those girls who wears striped polo shirts. When Leonard took me shopping he bought me one and said it looked like a Susie shirt and Rachel said the same about the ones I bought today.

On my flight from Amsterdam to SFO I had some gouda. I'm not very adventurous when it comes to cheese, but since I've already eaten two kinds of fish this summer, I might as well go eat some brie with Mom and Rachel.

Susie (in Romanian): Do you know the Hotel TiboTours? Stupid Lady: I don't speak English. Susie (still in Romanian): We speak Romanian. Can you tell us where the Hotel is? Stupid Lady: Sorry, I studied French and Russian.

ARGH! OK so we found the street we wanted, looked at lots of stores, took a picture of the Black Sea, ate in a bar. Kristin and I, the only people awake at the table, learned lots about a certain kind of beer from our placemats. "Our story would end here... in tears. But thankfully, in 1967..." Barf. Then we went to a beach out in Mamaia, by our hotel, a totally different town apparently. Then we went to bed.

Then we got up and went back to the first beach. The Black Sea, a brief history: it's green, toxic green. It's really cold (I think I may have poked a finger in at some point). The beach is covered in shells *crunch, crunch*. You have to climb 156 stairs covered in trash and slime to get back out. Now you know. Then we met the Brasov girls and went for a nice walk around town to see a lighthouse (it turned out to be 8m tall... quite disappointing) and walk along the waterfront. That side of the sea was lined in huge cement jacks. Does anyone know what those are for? We discussed many theories while dining at La Dulce Vita, but it was mostly us making stuff up.

We had a sweet old man draw our pictures outside the "dreary aquarium" (we got lots of hilariously honest quotes from our guidebook). We walked back. Went to the other beach (in Mamaia). Discovered it might actually be kind of cool in the summer. There was a huge boardwalk (8km) all fenced off, with empty stores and 27,000 beds (got that from the guidebook). The guidebook had nothing bad to say about Mamaia's beaches with their fine, golden sand. I'm pretty sure we weren't really in Mamaia then. We had a nice 6 inch layer of shells on our sand. I fed a beach dog outcast an entire package of Coconitos. We went to see Moulin Rouge at a theatre which turned out to be a disco that night. Well, we found the theatre it was really at eventually. Typical Romanian movie. The projector and the sound broke halfway through.

The next day we walked around the lake (there was a lake there) (two actually), the sun actually appeared. Then we went to church. Then we sat at the train station, got on the train, had to get our tickets changed, ran to the other end of the train, got on again, sat there for eight hours, came home. It's raining here now. Figures.

OK that was our vacation. It was really fun. I got to see the Black Sea.

Elder Sommerfeldt called last night and started talking to me in Romanian. (Stephanie later asked why I didn't hang up and I said "because I could understand him.") We had a whole conversation in Romanian, he said he was impressed with my speaking. His is way better, but he pointed out that he's been here for a year and a half. He was asking Kristen to speak at the baptism tonight, in case anyone was wondering why the missionaries call us all the time. We give them food and help them out of jams, that's why.

Kristen:Psst... Lacra! You have a glitter moustache!

I got a letter from Elder Tenney today. Even though you can't see it, I'm sure the look on my face says it all.

Roberta is coming to visit us at work tomorrow. We are also going up to the University (of Iasi) to talk to a psychology class about our work. Roberta wants to get students here involved in our program so there is some carry-over between semesters and because we won't always be here. She wants them to come work along side us. In the hallway. There isn't room for that, but maybe she hasn't tried to sit on the floor there for six hours a day yet.

Primavara Fericita! I got five Martisoare, from Lacra, Doina (a lady at work), the non-stop, Melanie and Nicol (a student we know). And I got some hyacinths from Stephanie and Kristen. Hai sa mergem acasa, noapta buna! Actually, o zi buna, because for most of ya'll out there, it's 1130 AM. =)

Kristin: I wish we could take the tram through the McDonald's drive-thru.

20 emails and only four of them are even worth reading. Today I read the fourth Harry Potter book, which Roberta was so kind as to give to Lacra who doesn't have time to read it this week. I have lots of complaints, but it gave me something to do while my roommates bonded.

I don't have too much to say. My head has been feeling better since I started all these medicines Lacra's friend perscribed me. It's really hot today. I wasn't wearing my coat, something that causes random old ladies to come up to us and say "Frig! I-e frig!" The lady who x-rayed me at the second hospital yesterday was pretty upset with me when Lacra told her we didn't believe in the "curant." Romanians think babies will catch their death if a door is open and there is a breeze between the doors or something. I don't really get how it works, but obviously we don't believe in it. We also sometimes get concerned looks at work when we wear sandals. Actually, we wear sandals everyday, but don't our feet get cold in socks and sandals and a stinking hot building? No.

The radio just said "Salt Lake City" and Kristen and I looked at each other. It's the first time I've heard a single thing about the Olympics here. At least I assume it was about the Olympics. Hey they just said it again! I was actually listening this time, but those are the only words I've understood at all. We went to see "A Beautiful Mind" which wasn't that great, and Jamie and I were pretty confused and scared together. We couldn't understand the English, it wasn't very loud and the accents were awful, and we didn't understand the subtitles either. And it was kinda scary and kinda weird.

My little gypsy boy can almost walk by himself! It's going to happen just anyday. After him there's just one more kid who can't walk. Well one more baby, there are three more who will probably never walk. I haven't written a thing in either of my journals today which will make tomorrow really busy. I had to dry my journal on the radiator last night. Drying my journal isn't that unusual but I've never had to do it on the radiator before.

Quotes for today: Stephanie: Inteleg putin Romaneste (I only understand a little Romanian). TakeNet guy: That was English. ... Susie: Is this supposed to be coming out my nose? Kristen: Did you inhale it?

Oh yeah, I wanted to distinguish between KristEn and KristIn. I live with KristEn. We work in the same filter at Section 2 with KristIn. Jamie and Lisa work there too, but in a different filter and they don't live with us, they live with Angela and Emily (who work at Section 1) and KristIn. KristEn and I live with Stephanie and Melanie (who also work at Section 1). Now you know.

The directoare told Lacra today how much she loves us again(that sentence sounds funny in English). She and the doctor are going to visit a special needs facility in Hungary next week, for an "expertise exchange" or something like that. We're excited that they want to be able to help the kids more. It's so cool when we see the workers randomly playing with the kids.

Today my little girl ran to me instead of the psychologist and she wouldn't talk to her either (ok she doesn't talk to anyone, but still). Even though I was happy she is attached to me (Little Miss Attachment Disorder of Section 2 even), I felt really bad for the worker.

Quote of the Day: Kristin: Top-ing is hard when you're top-ing for two. ("top" (pronounced "tsop") is the sound a frog makes when he hops.)

Kristen and I went to McDonald's again last night. Tonight maybe I'll actually make dinner. Depends on if we leave Section 2 feeling like crap again. Stinking workers. Roberta Magarrell is coming to visit us on the first of March (which is also the first day of Spring and a big holiday here). She is our internship advisor. She wants to spend individual time with all of us, which means she's coming to work, and she's going to take us all out to dinner and we're going to eat tons and tons, on BYU of course.

I'm going home in two months from tomorrow (59 days). Time is going by so fast! It's all a big blur. Every day mushes into all the other ones, except sometimes we do things out of the ordinary like buy pastries or go to movies. mmmm pastries... as a wise girl once said, we're "sacrificing ourselves to the pastry gods to make good pillows for our children." Va pup!

This is by far my most expensive emailing venture. I've just been sitting around reading old emails (really OLD) and now I'm about to fall asleep. I still have a ton of stuff to do tonight. Like write in my journals. Like write letters (that's what I was up late last night doing). Like clean my room. Like read scriptures. I could be up all night doing that stuff, but I'll probably go to bed in two hours (that's 2330 and that's really late). Pa, pe timpul viitoare! Pofta buna si distractie placute! Va iubesc tare mult! pa pa prietenii mei!

Yesterday we went to the Iasi branch for the first time. It was really great. I thought I wasn't going to understand a single thing but we all were quite surprised. Of course, it was Fast Sunday so we basically knew what everyone was saying and we know basic words like "thank" and "pray/ask" and basic church vocab. so tha! t was very helpful. The elders (there are six) translated sunday school for us, and all of the young women know english so we kind of just did that bilingually. The branch president is giving us callings this week. He is one of the elders.

Speaking of the elders... well one of them told us on the phone that "some of the branch members" were "a little too excited to meet the american girls". Our quote of yesterday was Kristen saying "yeah, the missionaries!" I guess they miss fetele americane but still. We found out that sister missionaries aren't sent here because of us. This would explain why the missionaries called us last night (they've called us every night) and had us come over to this woman's house... we weren't sure what we were supposed to do, but afterwards it seemed a lot like visiting teaching. Especially when they left us there. It was a little scary,

Today we went to Section 1 but they're on a quarant! ine (which has lasted over a month) so we can't start for at least another couple of days. Actually, I'm probably going to working at Section 2. So we went to the spital copii and played with some of the [very wet] babies. It was fun and the babies were cute. The ones in our room didn't even look sick, except that when I put mine down she went right back to rocking and sticking her tongue out. Then we went shopping again. (oh good, I didn't think there were enough people smoking in here *gack*.)

I think we're running off home before the hot water gets turned off. None of us showered this morning because we thought we were going to be working at Section 1. Well, the babies in the hospital can apparently pee all over us just as well.