My 100

In the blogging world, you can't really have a blog without having a 100 list. So here are 100 things about me in no particular order:

1. People have told me I look like Elliot on Scrubs.

2. I am terrified of birds.

3. I have never balanced a checkbook or checked my balance online.

4. I spend way too much money on children's clothing.

5. I make a darn good carrot cake.



6. I have a terrible habit of picking the skin off my thumbs.

7. I am paranoid about my children drowning or being molested. I trust no one.

8. I honestly believe that under the right circumstances I could kill a man with my bare hands.

9.I subscribe to Real Simple magazine.

10. I make decisions with my gut more than my brain.

11. I love diet coke from the fountain--never from a can.




12. I hoard empty boxes. I will always ask for free boxes at stores and I never throw any away.

13. I prefer a bag of oreas to a restaurant dessert.



14. My last meal on earth will be Market Street Grill's clam chowder.

15. I love the color pink--it speaks to my soul.

Isn't this pink bug cute?

16. I love Target but I slum at Walmart because their prices are lower.

17. I knew I was going to have a boy first and did and knew I was going to have a girl next and did. I thought I was going to have another girl until I got pregnant and then I knew it was a boy.

18. I love my boys' dimples.

19. I love the smell of Samantha's clothes after she has worn them.



20. I don't enjoy play groups.

21. I am not a morning person--I struggle to get out of bed every day of my life.

22. I work out almost every day but don't watch what I eat, at all.

23. I collect Christmas ornaments and buy one whenever I go on a trip. (I still like them to go with my tree--usually a Santa or snowman in red and white.)

24. I have always felt bad for short men.

25. I enjoy throwing things away and detest clutter (except boxes!).

26. I value good customer service and will pay for it.

27. I think unloading the dishwasher is the worst chore ever.



28. I would never put anything I care about in the dryer.

29. I'm very competitive in games and sports.

30. I believe the only way to pay for a restaurant check in a group is the divide the total by the number of people eating and everyone pays the same amount. (even if you get soup and someone else gets steak--that's the price of doing business, baby.)

31. I prefer to shop alone.

32. I often tailgate when I drive. Sam says I look like I'm on a tow-line with the car in front of me.

33. I love to read but feel guilty doing it.

34. I am passive aggressive and inherently lazy. I hardly ever make my bed.

35. I am self-absorbed--hence the 100 list.

36. My favorite body part is my legs

37. My least favorite body part is my post-baby belly and fat arms.

38. I have been wearing tan cream on my legs since I was about 12 years old.




This is the best fake tanning product known to man. I will discuss it in another post.

39. When I'm resurrected I am going to beg for skin that tans.

40. I am claustorphobic and get uncomfortable in crowded places.

41. I am a good liar. I am not proud of this.

42. I cheated in the first grade and then lied about it.

43. I've danced my whole life. I was on Dance Company in high school.

44. I wrote for the school paper in high school, the Barb.

45. I got my drivers license the day I turned 16 and crashed the car taking it through Hardee's drive-thru that night.

I drove a '68 Chrysler Newport. We called it "the boat." It looked very similar to this baby except mine was a four-dour. This is the car that got scratched up in the accident.

46. My freshman year at BYU was a hard adjustment for me but turned out to be one of the best years of my life.

47. During college, I dated a professor. He was 39. I was 19. Even while I was doing it I knew it was so I would have good story to tell.

48.I attended BYU Jerusalem and consider it one of the best experiences of my life.

Wailing Wall in Jerusalem.

49. I backpacked thorugh Europe after Jerusalem and stayed in youth hostils.

50. I fell in love with London because it reminded me of home. I missed America almost as much as I missed my family.

Big Ben in London

51. In college,I majored in English and minored in dating non-Americans (that one was for you dad!)

52. I met my husband through a friend at BYU. He is American.

53. The quality I love most about my husband is how hard he makes me laugh.

54. I always knew I would marry a funny man. I was never attracted to men who weren't funny.

55. I have always been happy and felt blessed in my life.

56.I like to give advice and I tend to be bossy with family.

57. I think multi-level marketing is of the devil.

58.I get invited to an inordinate amount of parties where people sell stuff.

59. I hate action movies.

60. I know almost every word to Raising Arizona and Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

"I found myself driving past convenient stores that weren't on the way home." If you haven't seen this movie, go out and rent it tonight. Nicholas Cage is brilliant.

A classic.

61.I love Church history and reading about Joseph Smith.

62. When I was little, I wanted to be a newscaster.

63. Then I started watching my dad's trials and realized I had to be a prosecutor.

64. I went to law school and became a prosecutor. I was always more interested in the facts of the case and the people than the law.

65. It still gets my heart pumping to hear a great closing argument, even on tv.

I love you Jack McCoy

66. I have never regretted my decision to stay home with my kids, not once.

67. My greatest flaw is impatience.

68. I yell too much at the little people in my home.

69. The quality I despise most in others is cheapness.

70. The quality I value most in others is loyalty.

71. I love decorating for the holidays. So do my kids.

72. I love traditions and my fondest memories of childhood involve traditions.

73. I would leave the house without make-up but would never leave without my toenails painted.

74. I have a favorite podiatrist.

75. I hate going to the dentist.

76. My favorite job was delivering flowers for Mildred's the summer after I graduated from collge.



77. In high school, my good friend's parents couldn't believe I was going to college.

78. I have a binder full of ideas for a dream home I’ll probably never build.

79. I dream of a mudroom in my home. I also dream of a classic white kitchen.




80.I love ribbon.


81. I make friends easily but prefer to keep them at arms length.

82.I love to buy things on the net so I can anticipate their arrival

83. I love Mexican Food.


84. I detest violence and hate guns.

85. I like sentimental things but have very few.

86. I love Christmas lights.

87. I love surprises but am rarely truly surprised.

88. I love the Lord Jesus Christ and know that he is my Savior.

89.I’d rather be called funny than beautiful.

90 I’d rather be beautiful than smart.

91. I’m the second child of 4 and I believe I'm my parents' favorite child, even though I was not their easiest or smartest child.

92. I’d rather get daisies than roses.



93. I have a testimony of designer denim. With that said, I buy most of my tops at Target and Old Navy. I also buy the cheapest sunglasses money can buy.

94. I think that there is too much handicapped parking at most places. I'm not trying to be discriminatory in saying this. It's just a fact.

95. I would never wear flip flops to church. I get very bugged when people dress too casually for church. My husband is tired of my rants about this.

96.I love tulips in the spring because they offer the hope of good weather ahead. But I love fall more. It has become my favorite season. (think boots, sweaters, good jeans!)

97. My greatest accomplishment was obtaining a guilty verdict on my first felony jury trial.

98.My greatest hope is to have my children gain testimonies of the gospel and love the Lord.

99. My proudest moment was watching one of my "old" laurels get married in the temple and having her tell me she was there because of me.

100. I have never gone to bed without flossing or removing my make-up.

Now, I would love to read your 100!

Spring Fever

The minute January hits, I'm done with winter and I'm looking toward Spring. I know I have awhile to wait but how cute is Janie and Jack's new spring line? I have to have that outfit for Sammie. Ryan will be adorable in the coordinating boy version. Here's the dilema--is Luke too old to wear the plaid shorts and yellow shirt to church? He's 5 1/2 (going on 6 in the spring). I know my sister Ashley and my husband Sam will think he is. Please tell me he's not because I really want to buy it. Be honest.

Bling'n In the New Year

I've never been big on New Year's resolutions. I just set myself up for failure. To me, it's kind of like telling myself I'm on a diet. All of a sudden, I want to eat everything in sight. My aunt Pandy just posted my kind of resolutions. Check her list out here.

On another note, I will be bling'n in the new year. You see, every time I went shopping for someone on my Christmas list, I ended up buying something for myself. I can't help it. I'm worth it. More often than not, it was jewelry.

Here is what was under the Christmas tree from Brooke to Brooke:

Bumbles Watch with interchangeable band I actually purchased this at Curdz n whey.


Necklace purchased at Sweet Briar Hollow. I added B charm. Both gifts to me.

Black three strand necklace purchased at Gap. Bonus is that it ties with ribbon.

The upside of this is that I did purchase an identical one of each of these babies for a friend or family member. Now, what am I getting myself for Valentines?

I Got You Babe

Salt Lake Temple 1998

Sam and I got married 10 years ago today. I can hardly believe how fast those 10 years have gone. Then I realize we've been through 2 apartments, 1 home, 7 cars, 3 kids, 4 degrees (2 undergrad, 2 law) and a bunch of hairstyles, and I guess it does feel like 10 years.

I don't know how I was so smart (0r so lucky) at 21 to have found Sam and somehow convinced him to marry me, but to this day, I consider it the best decision of my life (next to growing out my bangs!)

My brother's wedding 2001

We met on a warm spring afternoon in front of the Harold B. Lee library on BYU campus. Sam had snuck out of work and was enjoying a smoothie with his friend Nate's fiance Amy Bagley. Bagley was a friend of mine since kindergarten and she introduced us. After that, Sam called and asked me out. However, I thought it was another Sam I had already been out with on a horrible date and so I made up an excuse and turned him down. Later, I ran into Sam's best friend, Nate and he asked me why I turned Sam down. I figured out it was the new Sam and told Nate to have him call me again. Luckily he did and we finally went out.

Being obnoxious at my cousin's wedding 2006

On our first date, I was in tears from laughing so hard. I knew I would marry him. He was the funniest guy I had ever met. We went out four more times that same week. Sam and I grew up in the same stake (even though we never met growing up) and we knew a lot of the same people and places. He felt like home to me. We got married 9 months later.

Our marriage somehow survived the two of us attending law school together. I was Sam's TA for his property class. He used to joke that he was sleeping with the TA and still got a 3.0 in property.

Celebrating my 30th birthday in NYC 2007 (we celebrated Sam's 30th at Chili's)

Sam is an incredible dad, which is just a bonus since I wasn't even thinking of that 10 years ago. He has a very dry sense of humor, he is very generous, handsome and smart. He is my best friend. He has never complained about going to work each day so I can stay home. Most importantly, he makes me laugh everyday. Here's to many more years together babe!

With baby Ryan at my mom's house 2008

Christmas Traditions

In spite of my earlier post, I do love the Christmas season. I love the slow race toward Christmas, the hustle and bustle to get it all done. But most of all, I love the traditions. After all, isn't that what you remember about Christmas from your childhood? I hardly remember anything I received (actually that's not true!) but I do remember our family traditions vividly.

Here are some of ours:

Christmas PJs: I know a lot of families open these on Christmas Eve. We start wearing ours the night after Thanksgiving. Luke has only missed one night in his. He loves 'em.

Mr. Peeks: This elf shows up on our doorstep right around Thanksgiving and stays until Christmas Eve when he returns home with Santa. He reports back to Santa whether the kids have been naughty or nice. The other day I heard Sammie telling Mr. Peeks about some bad stuff Luke had done. Each night, Mr. Peeks hides and the kids find him in the morning. They eat it up.



Coordinating Christmas Outfits for Church:



The Trolley at Thanksgiving Point: This is such a fun tradition, we are actually doing it twice this year. We did it once with our neighborhood friends and we are doing it again the day after Christmas with the Warner clan. A heated trolley takes you through the lights at Thanksgiving Point (for only 50 bucks for the whole crowd!) The kids sing Christmas songs on the trolley and then everyone gets ice-cream or hot chocolate afterwards in the soda shop. It was during one of these trolley nights two years ago when I found the ornaments for my tree!

Ryan enjoying the lights

My girlfriends Susan and Marcie riding the trolley--Can you tell they are sisters?

The Lights at Temple Square:

Making gingerbread houses with Grandma Linda:

The Nativity on Christmas Eve at Grandma Linda's House: This is one of my kids' favorite traditions. In about October, they start deciding what they want to be in the nativity. They think it is like choosing what you are going to be for Halloween.

Finally, the Advent Calendar: This is the bomb (are people still using that expression?) for my kids. This is the same advent calendar we used when I was a kid so it has sentimental value for me.

I hope all of you have a very Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas Baby!

All Sam wanted for Christmas was for me to clean out our pantry. Pretty pathetic that he had to ask for it as his only gift in order for me to deliver. I would show you a "before" picture but my pride (actually my dignity) does not allow it. He took the kids away for a couple hours on Saturday and I went to town. Behold our organized (organized enough for my standards) pantry:

Don't say I don't spoil you babe!

My Uniform

This is my uniform. Loungewear at its finest. I picked this set up at the Gap outlet two years ago. If I'm at home, I have it on. On bad days, I've been known to wear it to pick up the carpool at school, and maybe to the store. Alas, it has seen better days.

About a month ago I started looking for something to replace it with. Now, there is a fine line between pjs and lounewear and I'm not interested in pjs. My rules are that the loungewear top cannot under any circumstances require a cami. The material has to be soft, cozy and somewhat flattering. Oh, and I have to be able to get the top and bottoms on in under 10 seconds flat when the doorbell rings. Preferable, I should be able to leave the house in it in a pinch, or a house fire, whatever the case may be.

I knew I would wear this thing into the ground so I needed to take the time to really find something special. Behold, my next uni (it is velour and it's from Old Navy):

Do you have a uni? Are you people actually wearing real clothes at home? One friend admitted to me recently that she wears shoes at home! (the horror!) I am a slave to comfort. How about you?