TagYou'reIt!

My sister tagged me in this little "things about you" post prompt, and I'm all about a good prompt for blogging! Also I'm way into myself so that helps... Really though, I love reading these dang things when other people write them, so if anybody out there wants to do this, let me know if you did in the comments and I'll come read yours and nod my head at each thing and be all 'oh yeah, I love that too, I forgot to put that!!'

1. If you could have your dream job, what would it be?

        Oh man, I wanted to do so many things, and still do! I can't wait til my kids are in school so I can go back for another degree. In the past I've wanted to be a storm chaser (I'm obsessed with tornados and watching live radars on my phone!), a jail warden or guard (I got close enough working at a lockdown facility for teens, and I strangely liked it, except for that time I got hit during a Dial 9 by some crazy) I always kind of wish I'd joined the armed forces too.  Now, I'd love to do something a little more hands on- I'd love to learn carpentry and create amazing furniture, or become a blacksmith, something out of the ordinary... I also want some degree to be able to help others with, probably a Masters in Family Therapy. We'll see what happens!

2. Who is your style icon?

         I have a few, but Mary-Kate & Ashley definitely top the list! Back in my skinnier college days, the highlights of my life were when somebody would say I looked like an Olsen twin. If I had the money (and let's face it, my pre-kids body), I'd love to dress like either of them at any given moment! 

 One non-celebrity style 'icon' I have lately is the girl from Ascot Friday, she's got rad style, and her 2 little boys (she has a Hudson too, and Lincoln is a name at the top of our boy list now) are divine with their long hair and skater boy style. 

3. Any beauty secrets you're loving lately? 

      Hmmm, I'm the last person to give beauty secrets, I mean I don't even wear lipstick, blush, or bronzer for crying out loud. My beauty weapon of choice is Aquaphor though, I love that stuff! It's the absolute best thing to put on chapped or dry lips, dry skin or any cuts or scrapes or rash, takes care of cradle cap and wind chapped cheeks, that stuff is heaven sent! Other than that, I wish I could bottle up ocean water to spray on my hair, no spray I've found quite works as well!

4. What goals you want to accomplish this year?

In the next year, I want to get completely in shape- gaining 50 pounds while pregnant with Hudsan, about 4 minutes after I finally lost the last of the 40 I gained with Ellis, did quite a number on my body and my psyche... I really want to work hard to finish that, I'd love to go vegan again for a longer period (I did it for 6 weeks this late winter and loved it!) and I'd love to be able to run a decent half marathon or some other kind of race or triathalon! And after that happens, I want to get knocked up again. =) addicts be addicts!

5. What is one of your guilty pleasures?

      Oh my goodness, Real Housewives of Orange County. I mean, don't you love Lydia and isn't Heather (I loved her in the beginning!) starting to bug? Also, Frederick from Million Dollar Listings New York- I want to meet that dude and also go to his wedding? I love driving around by myself with a nice big fountain Dr. Pepper, taking pictures as I please and stopping where I want- that sounds like the best day ever, I used to love doing that in Utah! Sleeping in (never happens now), Hostess cupcakes (I've eaten a whole box since they came back 2 days ago), and reading blogs. Also shopping, which is a major problem at this pont in our poor med-student lives.

6.What is one of your most embarrassing moments?

       The only thing that ever comes to mind when asked this question is the time I decided to be helpful to my mom and hang some blinds on a window above a ledge about 10 high. In the morning, before I'd gone to the bathroom, and still in just my underwear. We didn't have a tall enough ladder, but I mannaged to pull myself up with sheer upper body strength while standing at the top of it. Then I realized I didn't bring any tools to hang the blinds, I had to pee, and I couldn't get back onto the ladder. I was stuck up there for 45 minutes before I finally peed in a big tall decorative vase that was up on the tine 2 foot by 1 foot ledge. In my underwear in front of a huge window facing the street. I sat and waited more, realizing that the vase was not sealed when stream of pee suddenly was running towards me.  So I had to start stripping to sop it up. At that point I was terrified that my little sister and her boyfriend were going to come over any minute, so I finally got the nerve to jump down onto the ladder somehow. Those blinds never did get hung. 

I'm using the same questions cause I though they were pretty funny!, and I tag Kami, Jenn, and Michelle! And everyone else who wants to do it and I'd love to read them all!

The goings on and happenings

Or is it the going ons?

I don't know.

Thought I'd post a little update for the person and a half who still look at this blog every once in a while... I have been planning on posting more in Texas, but things have been so out of sorts here, it hasn't happened. I've taken lots of pictures though, so as soon as I start back up again I have lots of stuff to post about!

However, we are still not in our house, so I really don't know where my card reader is, and finding it or even sitting down to load and edit photos is so far down on the list right now, it's just not gonna happen!

But hopefully we will be in the house this week, I am so desperate to have a home again, to have all our stuff (remember how I only packed clothes and stuff for us for a week?) and to have my own kitchen again and ... just everything. It's been stressful, but we are hoping the final pieces will get done in the next few days. The boys have had a rough time with the whole thing- especially Ellis. Not having his normal schedule of naps, not having a crib, or his toys, or really being able to play outside much (too hot), or have his friends (he's been asking for them), just not having his own environment that he's used to, well, he's been acting out a lot and been a little difficult to handle. I'm definitely ready for that to settle down.

We have been busy besides trying to finish the house though, we went down to the coast last weekend for the 4th of July, with the whole big family. It was really fun and great to get away for a while.

Another exciting thing that happened to us- Damon got appendicitis this last week. He had surgery yesterday and is coming home from the hospital today. I'm so glad he finally went in (after 2 days of major pain- that I was pretty sure was gas, haha) and that nothing too bad happened with that. He feels much better and I will be glad to have him back with us- and I'll be super excited to milk him staying home from work as long as possible!

We area also starting to really get into researching residency options, there are so many fun places to consider! I'd love to move to Georgia for a few years, live in the deep south in a perfect town like Savannah or even up in Charlotte, or Charleston... Dreamy! Damon would more love to be in Idaho/Montana/Washington area- and now there's a new residency in Billings (where his brother Sean practices, awesome!) so Montana could actually be a possibility! Dallas, Austin, Scottsdale, Denver, Salt Lake.... There are so many options. We've got another 6 weeks or so before applications start going in... It's going to be a crazy 4 or 5 months of interviews and applications.

We are also hoping to be up in Spokane for the end of August through the 3rd week of September or so. Damon's parents are returning from a mission to the Phillipines and a nephew is returning from Brazil (another one did the same this month), plus our oldest niece who returned from her mission in the spring is getting married in August so we are hoping to be home for that too!

So much going on! Moving and surgeries and heat of over 100 degrees every day and everything else has made for quite an interesting summer!

Sorry for no photos and a boring long update- the next one will be better, promise!

Tara Nicole Salinas Demars,

For those of you who don't know how amazing this girl is, let me tell you. She is patient enough to let her son, Ellis always play on her iphone even after he does this.

Yep he dropped it and cracked the screen.

It's ok though because it still worked. She didn't even yell or scream at the young innocent little boy. 

Tara is the most loving person in the world and it shows by how well she treats her family. But everyone has a breaking point right? I would become furious if my little boy took my nice expensive electronic chain we call our cell phone and tested its durability in the microwave.

Yep, that's right. Ellis placed Tara's phone in the microwave. It was time to say farewell.

Tara showed her love and composer and actually more sympathy for Ellis than ever before because now he couldn't use it to play his games. She shrugged it off and showed to me how much she doesn't care for materialistic things. She loves Ellis and her family an infinite more times than a silly phone. 

Some how I was able to convince Tara to marry me forever. I love her dearly and I hope she has a great birthday. Having her as my wife is the birthday present that is given to me everyday and I do my best to remind this to her everyday.

Happy Birthday Tara. i hope you have a great day!!!

Damon

Pella Tulips

I have been wanting to go to the Pella Tulip festival the entire time we've lived here. It's a tiny little Dutch town about an hour away with all these cute little shops and tulips everywhere in May. Well of course, I finally decide we HAVE to go this time cause it's our last chance and what happens? Freak snow storm. On Cinco De Mayo weekend! Ridiculous.

So I finally got to go out there this morning, the boys and I drove out before 9- perks of them waking so early I guess, we got out before this weird heat wave came through (it's 98 degrees right now!).

It was so pretty and I want to live there! It's almost exactly like Fredericksburg, for my Texas peeps- only Dutch instead of German. I loved all the houses and wished I could have gone into all the museums and antique stores but my stroller and two boys did not allow such a thing. Sad Face.

But we got to see the flowers and get some Almond Letters from the big time bakery there, so it was all good! We topped the trip off with a couple slices of pizza from Casey's General Store (an Iowa gas station that makes pizza too, haha) and a Dr. Pepper and bright red sweaty faces. It was fun and we only had one small tantrum when Ellis didn't want to leave the water fountain (of course).

Tulips all over the town

 "Cheeeese!"

 "OWL!!!!"

 Trek across main square to "owl"

 The "Owl"

 "Here Ellis let's sit Hudson down and help him smell some flowers," says I, hoping to get him to sit for a picture

 Not what I wanted you to do. I thought for sure the police were gonna come after us.

 Hudson knows it's wrong too.

 Dirty lawbreaker.

 Next to the "owl" and the windmill, an ant was the next most exciting thing on the trip.

 He was OBSESSED with this spinning windmill

Of course he needed a windmill cookie!

 Break to play in dirt.

Hello Monday

Or goodbye, since it's almost 9 pm... We survived *barely at points* our first day of 4 weeks with Damon away in Fort Madison (about 3 hours away) and the three of us here in West Des Moines. It was rough at points. Lets just say that I'm unwinding right now with whatever is left in the costco bag of chocolate chips and Real Housewives of Orange County.

We had 4 disgusting diapers, 2 of which were blowouts, one on the carpet (oh yay, right before the landslord is coming to show the place) and one in the crib so everything had to be washed.

We had a somewhat decent library trip and I got ambitions thinking we would walk around the library pond since the weather today was amazing and things were going ok- well that lasted about 5 minutes before a major meltdown ensued. Over what, I'm not really sure, I couldn't tell. Took us a half hour to get back to the car that was 300 yards away.

2 hours of cleaning the apartment for 3 minutes of showings.

Ellis pushing, sitting on, throwing things at Hudson, lots of time out.

Oh and Ellis started climbing out of his crib AGAIN! He did this last week for the first time after his nap- the bed in there was only a foot away from his crib so he kinda just flopped onto it. So I moved the crib to the opposite wall away from everything, and today he decided to be brave. The first time he went ok and the second time he fell head first. What am I supposed to do? I am terrified that if he moves to a real bed he won't nap. Which might kill me dead. I was at least hoping to avoid it til we get to Texas next month.

But they're in bed now and that is great and they are so cute. Ellis loves to sing and sings songs a good hour after we put him to bed every night. His latest favorite is to sing peoples' names along to Twinkle Twinkle. If you are in our family we have sung your name from the rooftops!

And Hudson is seriously a doll. He is so smiley and he is into the funny shaking his head phase that Ellis went through too, I think he likes the feel of it, though it just gives me a headache. He also finally started eating real food- well, baby food and he'll chew on bagels and stuff... So it's a start.

I miss my man. We'll be seeing each other on weekends and more anyways. But nobody better come try any funny business over here, I've got a gun that I have absolutely no hesitation to use on any creep that comes around!

I hear Ellis climbing right now... dang it! TTYL!

Spring? Are you alive?

Not here in Iowa it's not. Today the high was 50, which is massively warmer than the last week and a half has been. I am soooo tired of this cold weather! My garage is full of finds I need to makeover in the sunshine! Including 2 trikes for Ellis to ride like a little biker boy! And I want to open my windows and air out my apartment for crying out loud! Strip my table not in my dining room, paint flakes all over my carpet! Come on!!!

Also, I cannot wait to move into the house in June. I know the summer is going to be miserably hot. But having a backyard to let my boys explore all day (under gobs of sunscreen) and a porch to sit on and watch the spectacular nightly thunder/lightning storms (without rain!!) with  my honey.  My mom and stepdad a mere blocks away to visit all the time... I mean, Texas in the spring is about the most beautiful place on earth, but I'll take Texas in the summer too- haven't been home for one of those since 2005! I am using so many exclamation points cause I am so excited and I can't help it!!!

Ok, so here in the Des Moines Metro (ok I am tired of capitolizing cause i have so much to say and it's taking up too much typing time!) they have this thing called 'spring cleaning' where basically you can put out big items that don't normally get trashed- furniture, shrubbery, etc... so last week was urbandale's spring cleaning- and so i drove around for HOURS (no joke) each night through the neighborhoods looking for treasures... and guys! the things people throw away baffle me! if i'd had a truck it would have been SO HISTORICALLY INCREDIBLE! but alas, i had my car stuffed so full i couldn't even roll the windows up and got amazing things!

An old wood framed chalkboard, I've been searching and searching for them on ebay but they are ridiculously expensive!  the 50's end table, obviously a winner, that yellow crate thing, will be a perfect bedside table between 2 twin beds for the boys, books on the inside, a lamp and fun stuff on top, just gotta get some cool legs for it... and the chair, i'm not sure yet, i just loved it- a little refinishing on the wood might be all it needs...

and this amazing old box, i'll probably use it as a toybox at the end of the bed for the boys' room...

i also got a really nice cooler (the ones with the cupholders on top and a spout on the bottom- why do people throw them away, they are like $50 at the store!? and 2 baby gates (for when ellis gets into a big bed and such, a spiderman tricycle and a big wheel tricycle.... treasure! i don't care how much money damon makes one day, i think i'll always love dumpster diving and trash freebies best!

and the boys are growing and getting so crazy and funny- hudson is into clicking at people, he does it to get your attention, or to just have a conversation- maybe he'll serve his mission in africa! ellis is into singing these days, and he says the funniest things sometimes. they are both so cute- here is some picture proof:

helping dad make guacamole for conference!

watching conference! we think we may name a kid Holland after Elder Holland, wasn't his talk incredible (no surprise!)???!

 we had a day that hit 70 degrees like 2 weeks ago, so we had a picnic!

of giraffes!

and damon invented this genius idea...

 now ellis looooves having picnics... too bad the weather has been too cold for one in a long time!

 hudson is finally starting to take solids! mostly in the form of bread and crackers. so maybe we are getting somewhere...

i've been trying to craft more lately, and i've been addicted to buying succulents every time i'm at home depot or lowe's... also, martha stewarts gold paint is golden! also i finally got a drill bit set for our drill and made a little pot out of a clearance bowl from target ... i love having a drill! i can't wait to have a big garage and fill it with tools... i might need to start taking some classes, i'd love to start woodworking too...

i know, those eyes and those ears are completely amazing!

brothers! they are even sharing a room now- finally! though most nights it doesn't go as well as hoped...