Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Gorgeous. What else can I say? It felt like come home......but it was cleaner and quieter. No wonder I liked it so much.

You Throw Like A Girl......or You Better Believe I Throw Like A Girl!!!

Baseball season is officially over at our house. I am glad not to have that chain around my neck anymore but I really miss watching Riley play. Can I just tell you how this girl rocks? She played on an all boy team and refused to sell out to an all girl team. She pitched, played second base and hit like a pro! I have no pictures of her up to bat because I was screaming like I was in a padded cell and running up and down the fence line between third and home. Opening day. Little League here is hard core. We were not rained out despite the copious amounts of rain for the desert.

Ri at second base getting ready for a grounder. She made some truly awesome plays out there.

Her cuteness cannot be denied.

Neither her tinyness.

I could just about cry my eyes out. Ri improved so much this year. She played with the sweetest cutest boys ever. They were a great team. The coaches were hard working daddies that all have pretty serious jobs. Any of them could be called away from the game and it was hard for them to work out practices but the team succeeded anyway because the kids were great and the coaches cared more about the kids than their win/loss ratio. I almost can't wait for next season.......almost.

Becoming Madderella...

Superman found this great foundation that has a wonderful charity event every year. It is called the Princess Festival.
We decided that this summer we would try to take each nugget to do something special for just them. We surprised Mads with the Princess Festival. A princess updo for the budding Madderella.

Styling in her French princess dress and glittered hair.

Pink glitter nails!

High five me fellow princess Ariel!

Mid flight on Peter Pan's trampoline.

Running to the bell tolling for the Blue Fairy!!

Seriously......she looks just like Cinderella fleeing the ball. Oh my little dolly.

The princess brigade following Prince Charming and the Blue Fairy to rescue the princesses (Snow White, Rapunzel, Cinderella, Belle, and Sleeping Beauty) from the evil witch.

The castle where Belle is saved by turning beast into prince with hugs, Rapunzel is freed with a key and Cinderella is allowed to go to the ball after dealing with the wicked stepsisters.

On our way to find Sleeping Beauty.

Dancing with Prince Charming at the ball.

Mads had a 'ball'. It was well worth the entry fee which went to charity. Loved every minute of it.

All Because Two People (young and dumb people) Fell In Love (better known as obsession on my part)

Jason likes to really goad me about the fact that I stalked him. I freely admit that I did....going as far as trying to take a picture of him without him knowing. I did not however, stalk to make contact........only to gaze upon his buck twenty smoking hot frame. He is the one that initiated contact. Psych. 1o1 he tried to convince me that he was in his sixties by showing me a black and white picture of his grandpa from his army days. Freakishly the resemblance was striking. I did not believe for a moment that it was really him (my kids do though).
I was obsessed (yes in an unhealthy manner) from that day on. I knew before I even went on the first date that he was mine. Sadly for me, but fortunately for both of us it took him over a month to screw up the courage to kiss me. I still love remembering the rain and thunderstorm. I guess if he had to wait so long he came up with the right moment.
Fourteen years later (thirteen years of wedded bliss (depending on whom you ask)) we get a kick out of looking back at how STUPID we were. Granted our IQ's were quite high.......but as far as life experience we were a big negative.
Dear Parents:
What were you thinking? We were barely legal and had no money. We were
dumb. I know you must have known this. How did you keep your lips zipped?
Dr. Laura........did you try to pray me away? Hmmm, it didn't work.
We love you for your silence and support,
AJ

We've been idiots, we've made idiot choices and we've had some tough years but we've never thought that we couldn't make it if we stuck together. I know without his calm level head and knack for letting things go........plus his keen sense of when to bring home Chinese food......I would not be the success (wink wink) that I am today. He's like the river and I am the rock. He is smooth and cool and he tumbles me around until the roughness wears away. I on the other hand mostly get in his way and spend all of his hard earned cash.
Babe,
I love you. My obsession runs just as deep, if not deeper. I cannot imagine a
moment and never eons of time without you. I love you more every day, even
the ones where you eat popcorn and chew ice and melt chocolate on the bed
sheets.
Forever and ever,
Stunned Fish
And can I just give us both props here? We are a freaking genetic gold mine!

Exhibit A



Exhibit B

Exhibit C

Exhibit D

The Servants.........?

Mama: Mads, who were you telling the other day that you needed to have gluten free pasta?

Mads: It must have been the servants. (Deadpan.....she totally means this.)

Facebook is Satan's Handtool or........High School Sucked, That's Why I Left

I'll outright admit that I am a Facebook addict. I'm not proud.....just like I probably wouldn't be proud to admit I was a meth addict. Nevertheless, the truth. FB has it's good points. It's easy to get updates on your pals........and you don't have to do it by phone (another gimmick used by the horned one to aggravate my life.) Keep up with the chicks from out of the area. Honestly.....a great spy tool. Look up those people you just want to see what's up, but you don't want to SEE.

The downside is that FB smacks of high school, better known as the worst time of ones life, whether you want to admit it or not. You probably weren't at your best in high school. If you think that you were.......I'm really sorry for the life you have lead since then. FB kills off all of the flowers of high school such as math, biology, and English and leaves the weeds; drill team, pep rallies, the hallways, the bathrooms, cone ball, classes taught by coaches, pot between class. You know what I mean.

As with any addiction, copping to the problem is the first step. But until I am only getting out of bed to check FB or cruising the streets with my air card looking for an unprotected connection....I'm still using. Pathetic. Maybe when my teeth start to fall out I'll learn my lesson.

Innie In An Outie World

Well I'm here to establish myself as an innie in a world of outies. Yes my belly button is inverted but that's not so much what I mean. I have an introverted personality. This is not news to me but it may be t0 you. I have never felt weird or different or like there is something wrong with me although I have been called stuck up, distant, quiet, shy, rude, conceited, indifferent, the list goes on.
I just picked up a book that has been recommended to me various times. It's about introverted personalities and their difference from extroversion. Extroversion is the most common personality 3 to 1. Most of the world is geared towards extroversion.
Jason always says that I hate people. In fact I have probably said the same thing. What is really hate is groups of people. I can tolerate a few very close friends (like 2) and still feel comfortable. After the group spills over about three people I get anxious and quiet and stop talking. Apparently this doesn't sit well with the extroverts.
Introversion versus extroversion has more to do with how each of us regains our energy. Extroverts like to socialize and do exciting things, go out with lots of friends, be with people most of their down time. They expend energy. Introverts need to recharge with alone time, quiet time or time spent with a select few. They conserve energy.
I laughed my way through the book because even though I feel normal and I like my personality trait, I didn't realize that there were many others that felt the same way. I took the quiz, along with Jack, Jason and Mads. I am an extreme introvert. The only extrovert tendencies that I scored were testing well, and I don't blank out too often when speaking. Jack is an extreme introvert. Jason is an extreme extrovert (he gets all of his people time teaching, traveling the state, playing ball, and at work). Mads is also an extreme extrovert. She would love to have groups of people at our house all of the time. She is unfazed by social conversation and chit chat.
Besides introversion I am also left brained, shy, and sensitive. I know many people think shy and introvert mean the same thing but they don't. There are shy extroverts (too bad for them!). Shyness has more to do with you thinking about other people thinking negatively about you. Sensitivity runs a large gamut.....sound, light, noise, movement, smell, intuition, emotion, weather, temperature.
Also sometimes my short term memory is blitzed if I am nervous when hearing something but I have great long term memory and can remember being as young as 1 year old. My testing is not too bad such as multiple choice or essay (many introverts have short term memory issues because of being overwhelmed and have problems with multiple choice testing) because I can usually recall things that I see.....somewhat photographic memory.
I am protective of my quality and quantity time with loved ones. I prefer to be with just one or two friends having meaningful time or conversation. I am Nazi about my alone time with Jason. I do not like it interrupted or sacrificed to other things. I love time spent with just my family. By the end of the day or when I feel incredibly taxed by external events I need to be alone or with just one person. I usually find myself taking a lot of baths and ripping through books when I am highly anxious. It is the way I zone out.
I think many people could probably recognize that I may have introverted tendencies. Lots of people don't believe me when I say that I am shy. And I don't think that I am seen as sensitive. I have learned fairly well in the last 13 years to live in an extrovert world. I can act like an extrovert if I have to, I just don't FEEL like one. I can teach a group, run a convention, be the boss, talk on the phone, go to large gathering. I may get grouchy after a prolonged time though because feeling anxious will eventually lead to that. I keep my sensitivity to myself because as an introvert I do not like being emotional or sharing intuition with many.
So if you find me curled up with a book, not making idle chit chat, or curled up with a book.....I still like you, but you might have to approach first.
My Innie tendencies!.........................
*When I need rest I like time alone or with one or two people. No groups!
* People think I am quiet, aloof, stuck up .......etc .
* I like to share special occasions with one person or a few close friends. No big parties!
* I notice detail.
* I can feel tension between others easily.
* If I say I will do something I will do it. (I thought more people were like this! I was surprised to find out that they aren't.)
* I feel anxious about deadlines or upcoming events. I lose sleep easily.
* I want to go away and zone out when I am overwhelmed.
* I like to watch activities before I join. I have to scope everything out and will generally stand back unless invited. I will almost NEVER invite myself or join without recognition from the group.
* I form lasting relationships.......but with only a few people. I have an easy time letting go of friends or acquaintances that don't take time to understand or like my personality. Because I am sensitive I take it pretty hard but I don 't chase down interaction......probably appears that I am aloof and don't care. In fact I've had that mentioned to me, but I just read a book and it gets all better :)
* I don't like interrupting. This has a lot to do with why I will not make idle social calls (drop by) and why I hate calling people on the telephone.
* I do not like overstimulating environments. I don't like going out on holidays where many others are out. I do not like crowded theaters where you have to sit next to others you don't know. I do not like large parties or dances. Do I go to these things? Yes. I don't like anticipating them but once I am there I'm okay for awhile....especially if I have someone to hang on to.
*I have strong reactions to smell, taste, weather, light, movement.......
* I feel drained after social situations even when I really enjoyed them.
* I prefer to be introduced instead of introducing (one of my rude behaviors.....I will almost never introduce.)
* I am grouchy in anticipation of a social event, even ones I want to attend. It drives my family......Jason, crazy.
* I like people in my home but am overwhelmed by numbers and extensive time.
* I HATE making telephone calls.......still do it, getting better, still HATE it.
* I will not show my work or ideas until fully formulated much of the time. Uber perfectionism is a huge downfall of mine.......and I expect the same thing from others.......bad, bad, bad.

I wish this post were either cute or funny, but it isn't. I have really enjoyed the book though. I wasn't surprised about what I learned.......I was surprised other people felt the same way. So do yourself if you are introvert, or someone else who is, a favor.....read The Introvert Advantage How to Thrive in an Extrovert World by Marti Olson Laney Psy.D.
If I were an extrovert parent with an introvert child I would definitely read this before another day passed........you'll be doing them a great service if you understand they can't be like you and they are not unhappy because of their introversion.

Awesome innies.......Einstein, Lincoln, Julia Roberts, Hitchcock, Edison, Piglet.

Are you an innie or an outie?