Sometimes I feel like I should be the one on the naughty spot–like the time last week that I sent Vivi to the naughty spot and then forgot about her. Needless to say, every time I look at this sweet picture, I feel a twinge of guilt. It’s hard to imagine that this sleeping angel could ever be naughty!

There goes Farmer Cottontail

Chasing down the bunny’s trail

Flippity Floppin’, the farmer’s on his way!

Running out to hunt ’em down,

In Guppy’s shoes, he is a clown!

Flippity Floppin’, makin’ those bunnies pay!

And the farmer said, “Wife, blog this as a warning to all who dare dine uninvited in my garden paradise!”

” Ye FIENDS of the infernal pit. Thou hast feasted upon my tender tomatoes, thou hast devoured my precious peppers!”

“Prepare to DIE!”

I remained composed in the doctor’s office but started to cry as I pulled out of the parking garage. Tears of joy? Sadness? Both? I’ll leave it to your imagination to decide.

This morning, I awoke to Bryan whispering sweet sentiments in my ear. Shortly thereafter, a chorus line of singing and dancing erupted around my bed. The CD player was blaring one of Ariana’s newest favorite songs: “How does she know you love her? How does she know she’s yours? . . . ” After her song and dance, she brought me breakfast in bed–a container of sugar-free jello, cold pop tarts and a glass of water . . . something “easier on the stomach” she said, because I don’t feel well in the mornings and the last time she brought me breakfast (piece of cold toast with slivered almonds sprinkled on it), I wasn’t able to eat it.

Tonight, Bryan, Ariana and I will go to a Vocal Majority concert of Broadway songs to celebrate our special day . . . the third anniversary of becoming a family.

All things considered, I truly do live an enchanted life.

I love art but AM NOT a fan of funky. So, when Bryan came up with the idea of taking pictures of some of his boss’s modern sculpture collection at Hall Office Park in an attempt to try and spell out Craig Hall’s name using various views of the many pieces on display, I was intrigued by the photographic challenge but not overly enthused by the thought of having to spend so much time around weird structures of twisted metal.

In the end, I must say that the exercise in creativity was very enjoyable, and I’m really quite pleased with the result. We hope that, once framed and matted, his wonderful employer will enjoy the final product as well and will have fun trying to guess which sculpture each letter comes from.

If it weren’t for blogging, there are so many people that I either never would have gotten to know or would have lost touch with.

Case in point:

Because of a blog entry a few weeks ago, I found out that the Joneses are big time gamers. So, our families got together on Sunday evening for dinner and games, and I don’t know about them, but Bryan and I had a lot of fun! And not only did we have FUN playing games with Dan and Deanna, but we got to know them better than we ever would have otherwise.

Many thanks to my dear friend, Marilyn, for introducing me to this ADDICTIVE, WONDERFUL pastime!

I came, I saw, I conquered . . . and I stink! (Not sure the word for ‘stink’ in Latin).

Having walked on the treadmill this morning, I can barely stand to be around myself. But although the fragrance is sour, the feeling of victory is sweet, especially when I know that I just did something HARD when all I really wanted to do was quilt.

Three years ago, I started walking on the treadmill 6 days a week. I was obsessively faithful, not missing a day for more than two years. Sometimes I’d walk during the wee hours of the morning, dragging myself out of bed when I realized that I hadn’t “done the treadmill” that day. No matter how ill, I’d walk a few minutes just so that I wouldn’t break the streak. One of the keys to my success was that I “allowed” myself to read “fun” books on the treadmill, but I could ONLY read them on the treadmill? If I wanted to know what happened in the next chapter of Harry Potter, I had walk on the treadmill. Over the two + years, I read thousands of pages and walked hundreds and hundreds of miles.

Unfortunately, somewhere during the sleepless months of postpartum hell (sorry, there’s no other way to describe it), my treadmill started gathering dust. Only recently have I started to get back into a routine, trying to be more reasonable about it this time. And so when I triumph over laziness or fatigue or procrastination, I am inordinately proud of myself. PLUS, I finished a book today and get to pick out another one to start tomorrow.

Whew! Off to the shower!

Monday is laundry day–definitely not my favorite task! So, when I found this cute little slip of paper at the bottom of the laundry bin, written by Ariana during a recent fast & testimony meeting at church, it helped brighten my day and remind me of essential truth so easily forgotten amidst the hustle and bustle of life. Ariana is with Utah Dad for a few days, and I am MISSING her! Hurry back home to us, Guppy!