I forgot to mention all of the emails, calls, and cards I received from my friends. Thank you so much! It's nice to know that I have such good friends, both far and near. It's nice to be reminded that I'm not just Spencer and Josh's mom (not that that's bad, mind you), but also a girl with great friends, too!
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Best. Birthday. Ever.
I've had a lot of birthdays - 30, to be exact.
I've had some really great ones:
I've had some really great ones:
- 8th birthday: big kid party, treasure hunt, games, fun!
- 11th birthday: huge slumber party
- 16th birthday: the boy I was in lurve with surprised me with an ice skating trip with my friends (heart aflutter!)
- 19th birthday: fulfilling the lifelong goal of eating in the Pirates of the Carribean restaurant at Disneyland (awesome!!)
- 21st birthday: Vegas, baby. (For the BYU/Airforce conference game)
I've had some not-so-great ones:
- 5th or 6th (can't remember): going to Chuck-E-Cheese, but throwing up in the entrance and having to go home. (So traumatic!)
- 17th birthday: having to make my own birthday cake because my mom was sick. (Not that I held it against her at all; but it was pretty depressing. Hence my rule that no one should ever have to make their own birthday cake.)
But yesterday took the proverbial cake - it was undoubtedly the best birthday ever! All because of the Best. Husband. Ever. (Just a warning - after reading this you're going to agree that my husband is the best husband ever. Well, hands off. He's mine. Go get your own. Or make yours read this as a rather large hint.)
The day began at 6:45am. (He had told me he had an early meeting that day, so I thought nothing of it when he woke up an hour earlier than usual.) Lance woke me up with breakfast in bed: a McDonald's pancake breakfast, complete with burning candle in the biscuit. Why McDonald's? My dad used to take us out to McDonald's for breakfast as kids. So sweet!
While I was eating he gave me a small stack of papers stapled together. This was on top:
I tore off the first page and came to this:
Lance explained that he was taking the day off and that anything I was going to do that day, he would do for me. I couldn't believe it. I started naming all the errands I had to run and things I needed to do: take Spencer to preschool, go to the library with Josh, pick up some stuff for church, etc. etc. He smiled and said it was all taken care of. I said I with I hadn't cleaned the house on Friday and done the laundry yesterday. I tore off the next page:
Then I dug into breakfast while reading my latest book. (Eclipse - yeah, I know I'm behind the times. I have one more chapter to finish after this post!)
Lance got the kids up and started getting them ready for the day. He had me look at the next page:
Then I opened a package he gave me - the 7th season of ER. I am an ER junky - I get a season of ER for every birthday and then have ER marathons. I lurve it. Mucho.
I lounged in bed until Lance took Spencer to preschool. I had been planning lounging in bed, reading, all morning. But he had me open the next page, and said that I'd probably want to get up and showered.
I had never received blue geishas before, so it piqued my curiosity. :) I read for another hour and finally got showered. I spent the next couple hours reading and watching ER.
The boys got home, and Lance was sad that my geishas hadn't arrived. But he did come home with this:
An AWESOME chocolate orange cake made by the AWESOME Heidi Fry. She's such a great friend!! She remembered my rule about not making your own birthday cake, and offered to make one for me. So nice!!
Lance had me open the next page:
Then he presented me with this:
A gift certificate for a 30 minute massage. He said I could go out and use it today, if I wanted. (I decided not to: I hadn't shaved my legs, and I wanted to do some Christmas shopping!) Sooooo happppppy!!!
Then I opened the next page:
Then I got this:
A $30 gift card to Borders because reading is my current drug of choice. Actually, it is always my drug of choice, but just more so as of late. And sometimes I hate having to wait for books on hold at the library. Heaven!
Lance made us a yummy lunch, and then I headed out for an afternoon of shopping. I basically have all of my Christmas shopping done. Hooray! And so much easier without two little boys running around, terrorizing the store.
After several hours I got home to these:
These were my 'blue beauties' - 30 blue irises! So pretty!
(Side note: Apparently the FedEx guy was supposed to come in the morning but was late. Plus, the original vase that they came in was broken. So Lance called the company and they sent these, free of charge, today:
So now I have 60 irises now. Plus, I got to have flowers delivered to me, something I've always wanted. So happy!)
Anywho, I then got this page:
I'm not sure what it said, but it's Korean. Lance told me a sitter was coming for the kids and that we were going to the Kibu Cafe, which I have been wanting to try for a while. We were the only people in the place that spoke English as a first language: definitely a good sign. It was sooooo good! We ordered way too much food; perfect for leftovers.
We hurried home, knowing that we would be in big trouble with a certain soon-to-be-four-year-old if we didn't do the cake and candles thing before bed. We did, and then I got to open my presents from the boys.
Definitely funny. Lance had let them pick them out themselves. From Josh: a half-eaten bag of Truffle Hershey Kisses (yummo) and, more randomly, a ball of hemp twine. (I think he thought it was a regular ball.)
From Spencer: a 'sun catcher' kit. (The kind with the tube-like beads that you iron together to make them stick.) He immediately said "I want to do it! Now!" and was very offended when I told him that it was time for bed. (Such a mean, mean mom.)
We enjoyed some of the best cake I have ever had. (Thanks again, Heidi!) The boys especially enjoyed it! (Who's birthday was it again?)
Lance put the boys to bed and then presented me with this page:
Lance massaged my feet while we watched another episode of ER. HEAVEN!! Again!!!
Like I said: BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER.
I have the BEST. HUSBAND. EVER.
I think I'll turn 30 again next year.
The day began at 6:45am. (He had told me he had an early meeting that day, so I thought nothing of it when he woke up an hour earlier than usual.) Lance woke me up with breakfast in bed: a McDonald's pancake breakfast, complete with burning candle in the biscuit. Why McDonald's? My dad used to take us out to McDonald's for breakfast as kids. So sweet!
While I was eating he gave me a small stack of papers stapled together. This was on top:
I tore off the first page and came to this:
Lance explained that he was taking the day off and that anything I was going to do that day, he would do for me. I couldn't believe it. I started naming all the errands I had to run and things I needed to do: take Spencer to preschool, go to the library with Josh, pick up some stuff for church, etc. etc. He smiled and said it was all taken care of. I said I with I hadn't cleaned the house on Friday and done the laundry yesterday. I tore off the next page:
Then I dug into breakfast while reading my latest book. (Eclipse - yeah, I know I'm behind the times. I have one more chapter to finish after this post!)
Lance got the kids up and started getting them ready for the day. He had me look at the next page:
Then I opened a package he gave me - the 7th season of ER. I am an ER junky - I get a season of ER for every birthday and then have ER marathons. I lurve it. Mucho.
I lounged in bed until Lance took Spencer to preschool. I had been planning lounging in bed, reading, all morning. But he had me open the next page, and said that I'd probably want to get up and showered.
I had never received blue geishas before, so it piqued my curiosity. :) I read for another hour and finally got showered. I spent the next couple hours reading and watching ER.
The boys got home, and Lance was sad that my geishas hadn't arrived. But he did come home with this:
An AWESOME chocolate orange cake made by the AWESOME Heidi Fry. She's such a great friend!! She remembered my rule about not making your own birthday cake, and offered to make one for me. So nice!!Lance had me open the next page:
Then he presented me with this:
A gift certificate for a 30 minute massage. He said I could go out and use it today, if I wanted. (I decided not to: I hadn't shaved my legs, and I wanted to do some Christmas shopping!) Sooooo happppppy!!!Then I opened the next page:
Then I got this:
A $30 gift card to Borders because reading is my current drug of choice. Actually, it is always my drug of choice, but just more so as of late. And sometimes I hate having to wait for books on hold at the library. Heaven!
Lance made us a yummy lunch, and then I headed out for an afternoon of shopping. I basically have all of my Christmas shopping done. Hooray! And so much easier without two little boys running around, terrorizing the store.
After several hours I got home to these:
These were my 'blue beauties' - 30 blue irises! So pretty!
(Side note: Apparently the FedEx guy was supposed to come in the morning but was late. Plus, the original vase that they came in was broken. So Lance called the company and they sent these, free of charge, today:
So now I have 60 irises now. Plus, I got to have flowers delivered to me, something I've always wanted. So happy!)
Anywho, I then got this page:
I'm not sure what it said, but it's Korean. Lance told me a sitter was coming for the kids and that we were going to the Kibu Cafe, which I have been wanting to try for a while. We were the only people in the place that spoke English as a first language: definitely a good sign. It was sooooo good! We ordered way too much food; perfect for leftovers.
We hurried home, knowing that we would be in big trouble with a certain soon-to-be-four-year-old if we didn't do the cake and candles thing before bed. We did, and then I got to open my presents from the boys.
Definitely funny. Lance had let them pick them out themselves. From Josh: a half-eaten bag of Truffle Hershey Kisses (yummo) and, more randomly, a ball of hemp twine. (I think he thought it was a regular ball.)
From Spencer: a 'sun catcher' kit. (The kind with the tube-like beads that you iron together to make them stick.) He immediately said "I want to do it! Now!" and was very offended when I told him that it was time for bed. (Such a mean, mean mom.)
We enjoyed some of the best cake I have ever had. (Thanks again, Heidi!) The boys especially enjoyed it! (Who's birthday was it again?)
Lance put the boys to bed and then presented me with this page:
Lance massaged my feet while we watched another episode of ER. HEAVEN!! Again!!!
Like I said: BEST. BIRTHDAY. EVER.
I have the BEST. HUSBAND. EVER.
I think I'll turn 30 again next year.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Julie Andrews Saves Christmas
Some of my fondest childhood memories involve our family tradition of driving into the hills to see the luminaries on Christmas Eve. At first my brothers and I thought it was torture. We'd stuff ourselves into the back seat of that Buick Century and be forced to listen to Handel's Messiah. My parents would lecture us about this being good family time, and we'd whine and cry and fight. Oh, the torture! (For both parents and kids, I'm sure!)
But then one year, instead of listening to the Messiah, my mom popped in a Julie Andrews Christmas tape (yes, that's how old I am). At first we kids moaned and groaned per usual. Then we started teasing my mom about the awful tape. (Not that there's anything bad about Julie; these were just not the best versions of the songs.) Then came the song "Sleigh Ride Together", and there was a part about something like the chestnuts popping in the fire and Julie sang "pop, Pop, POP!!" It was the most obnoxious and hysterical Christmas song we had ever heard (even my mom had to admit it was terrible) - it became an instant Roper family classic.
From then on, seeing the luminaries on Christmas Eve became something we all looked forward to. Instead of whining while getting into the car, we'd run to get the best seats and fight over who Nikki, our big dumb black Labrador, would sit next to. (We had a stylin' mini-van by then.) Instead of complaining about the music, we'd insist on such Christmas classics as "Dogs Singing Jingle Bells", "Christmas At Ground Zero", "The Night Santa Went Crazy", samples from the Messiah, and, of course, the infamous Ms. Julie Andrews singing "Sleigh Ride Together". (One year the tape went missing and it was VERY traumatic!)
We'd sing along with the lyrics at the top of our lungs. We'd laugh as Nikki jumped back and forth between the seats, covering us all in her dumb doggie slobber kisses. We'd enjoy the beautiful luminaries, and make fun of the jerks who didn't turn their headlights off (like you're supposed to) while driving through. We'd make jokes and laugh and talk about the year and Christmases in the past. And then on they way home we'd drive through this one neighborhood with so many Christmas lights and decorations that it put Vegas to shame. (The total antithesis of our home, which only had candles in the windows and a few strands of white lights on the palm tree.)
And even as a teenager, I'd get into bed that night with butterflies in my stomach, unable to sleep because I was excited and eager for Christmas morning to come.
Thanks, Julie. And, pop, pop, pop!!!
But then one year, instead of listening to the Messiah, my mom popped in a Julie Andrews Christmas tape (yes, that's how old I am). At first we kids moaned and groaned per usual. Then we started teasing my mom about the awful tape. (Not that there's anything bad about Julie; these were just not the best versions of the songs.) Then came the song "Sleigh Ride Together", and there was a part about something like the chestnuts popping in the fire and Julie sang "pop, Pop, POP!!" It was the most obnoxious and hysterical Christmas song we had ever heard (even my mom had to admit it was terrible) - it became an instant Roper family classic.
From then on, seeing the luminaries on Christmas Eve became something we all looked forward to. Instead of whining while getting into the car, we'd run to get the best seats and fight over who Nikki, our big dumb black Labrador, would sit next to. (We had a stylin' mini-van by then.) Instead of complaining about the music, we'd insist on such Christmas classics as "Dogs Singing Jingle Bells", "Christmas At Ground Zero", "The Night Santa Went Crazy", samples from the Messiah, and, of course, the infamous Ms. Julie Andrews singing "Sleigh Ride Together". (One year the tape went missing and it was VERY traumatic!)
We'd sing along with the lyrics at the top of our lungs. We'd laugh as Nikki jumped back and forth between the seats, covering us all in her dumb doggie slobber kisses. We'd enjoy the beautiful luminaries, and make fun of the jerks who didn't turn their headlights off (like you're supposed to) while driving through. We'd make jokes and laugh and talk about the year and Christmases in the past. And then on they way home we'd drive through this one neighborhood with so many Christmas lights and decorations that it put Vegas to shame. (The total antithesis of our home, which only had candles in the windows and a few strands of white lights on the palm tree.)
And even as a teenager, I'd get into bed that night with butterflies in my stomach, unable to sleep because I was excited and eager for Christmas morning to come.
Thanks, Julie. And, pop, pop, pop!!!
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Primary Proverbs - Flashing the Ward
I don't really have any Primary Proverbs, but I do have an embarrassing Sacrament Meeting story to share. (Aren't you the lucky ones?!)
During Sacrament meeting today I was holding Josh, who, as usual, was turning it into an hour long wrestling match. I was wearing a dress with stretchy material and a wrap-around top. It snaps at the wrap-around part so I don't go around flashing the ward. Josh was sitting on my lap, facing me, playing with a necklace I had on. I'm not quite sure how it all happened, but in a matter of moments he had started going crazy, thrashing around, unsnapping my top, and opening it up quite a bit. For all the world to see. And, more specifically, for the bishopric right in front of us to see.
I tried to pry him from me and keep myself covered at the same time, which I failed at miserably. I practically threw him at Lance, who seemed to find this all very amusing. As Josh went sailing into Lance's lap, his foot hit the skirt of the dress in such a way that it was flung up around my waist. For all the world to see. And, more specifically, for the sister missionaries right behind us to see.
To their credit, even if the bishopric saw anything, they were gentlemanly enough to not show it. The sister missionaries weren't quite as gentlemanly and giggled a bit. (But I guess they couldn't be gentlemen if they tried!)
I was horrified at first. But I felt a little better when I noticed that a friend of mine didn't have her skirt zipped in the back. (And I warned her about it, so it's not like I was vindictive or anything.)
Well, next week I'm not taking any chances. Maybe I'll wear something like this:
Let's see you get through that, Josh!
During Sacrament meeting today I was holding Josh, who, as usual, was turning it into an hour long wrestling match. I was wearing a dress with stretchy material and a wrap-around top. It snaps at the wrap-around part so I don't go around flashing the ward. Josh was sitting on my lap, facing me, playing with a necklace I had on. I'm not quite sure how it all happened, but in a matter of moments he had started going crazy, thrashing around, unsnapping my top, and opening it up quite a bit. For all the world to see. And, more specifically, for the bishopric right in front of us to see.
I tried to pry him from me and keep myself covered at the same time, which I failed at miserably. I practically threw him at Lance, who seemed to find this all very amusing. As Josh went sailing into Lance's lap, his foot hit the skirt of the dress in such a way that it was flung up around my waist. For all the world to see. And, more specifically, for the sister missionaries right behind us to see.
To their credit, even if the bishopric saw anything, they were gentlemanly enough to not show it. The sister missionaries weren't quite as gentlemanly and giggled a bit. (But I guess they couldn't be gentlemen if they tried!)
I was horrified at first. But I felt a little better when I noticed that a friend of mine didn't have her skirt zipped in the back. (And I warned her about it, so it's not like I was vindictive or anything.)
Well, next week I'm not taking any chances. Maybe I'll wear something like this:
Let's see you get through that, Josh!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
I'll Have A Green Christmas
Lance became a real suburban man today and put Christmas lights up on the house for the first time. (And with only one mistake in the plugging that was easily fixed with an extension cord over the roof.)
We used large, multi-colored LED Christmas lights. Oh-so environmentally friendly; they use a lot less electricity than regular lights. Plus, there's the whole cool factor.
But that's not the only way we're having a green Christmas. For example, I didn't decorate the lower third of the tree this year. Sure, that's because Josh would just destroy any ornaments within his reach. But that also means I didn't have to buy any extra ornaments this year to fill in the gaps we had last year. (Reduce)
But that's not the only way we're having a green Christmas. For example, I didn't decorate the lower third of the tree this year. Sure, that's because Josh would just destroy any ornaments within his reach. But that also means I didn't have to buy any extra ornaments this year to fill in the gaps we had last year. (Reduce)
We also decorated Spencer and Josh's tree using scrap paper and some old garland from my college days. And very large rigatoni. Because Christmas isn't Christmas without some pasta in the tree. (Reuse)
For our presents this year I'm using really cheap wrapping paper, which can be balled up much smaller than that nice thick stuff. Plus, Josh LURVES to eat paper lately. It's going to be a veritable breakfast buffet for the boy Christmas morning. (Recycle)
The Madsen family is so earth-friendly this holiday season that I am fully expecting the following scenario any day now.
*Knock on the front door
Spencer (running to the door): Mommy! I'll get it!
Me (at the other end of the house): No! Don't open the door! Wait for me - it could be a stranger!
Spencer ignores me and opens the door.
Spencer: Mommy! It's former vice-president, academy award winner, and Nobel prize recipient Al Gore. And he's in a Santa suit.
Al Gore: Hi big guy! Want to talk about how planting one tree could save the lives of three baby polar bears?
Spencer: Yes... but no. (Spencer walks away with disinterest.)
Me: Oh, hello, Al Gore!
Al Gore: Hi Maren! I just came to congratulate you on what a wonderful job your family is doing this Christmas in reducing your carbon footprint. You're on my "good for the earth" list this year!
Me (trying to surreptitiously hide a few stray Styrofoam packing peanuts on the floor): Oh, uh, thank you, Al Gore. We've been, uh, trying. Uh, why the suit...?
Al Gore: Since you're giving mother earth a 'green' present this year, I thought I'd return the favor on her behalf. (He hands me a soy candy cane.) I commend your LED lights, half-decorated tree, edible kiddo decorations, and Christmas morning baby paper feast.
Me: Oh, ahh... thanks. We also have a bunch of those swirly lightbulbs. Plus, I didn't wrap any of the birthday presents I gave to myself on the 4th because, really, what was the point?
Al Gore: If only Tipper thought that way, too. Well, have a very green Christmas and an emissions-free new year! (He starts to walk away.)
Me: Wait, Al Gore! What happens to the naughty - I mean, ecologically irresponsible people on your list?
Al Gore (with a twinkle in his eye and his belly shaking slightly, like a bowl full of jelly): Oh, let's just say they get a little visit from my 'elves'. (He points to two large thugs who are standing out on the sidewalk, brass knuckles sparkling in the light of our LED's.)
Me: (Slowly closing the door, afraid that any sudden movements will startle the twisted Sant-Al.) Riiiggghhhttt...
Say Cheese!
Josh's first 'real' word! (Okay, real in the sense that it's not "uh-oh", "dada", or "mama".) I just knew it would be a food word.
This one's just funny because he punches the camera at the end - classic Josh.
This one's just funny because he punches the camera at the end - classic Josh.
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