2007, it was a very good year.

I liked Liz's year recap. Here's ours:

JanuaryMilo turned 1.

FebruaryMilo told everyone he was to be a bro and a blogging addiction was born.

MarchAbby turned 23 and felt rather old.

AprilJamie graduated with his Bachelors in History and promptly decided he wanted to be a doctor.

MayAbby’s hair turned orange.

JuneWe holidayed in Rocky Point, Mexico.

JulyWe fell in love with Pearl Grace.

AugustAbby was sick as a dog and lost her gall bladder, an organ she had never thought about before.

SeptemberWe adjusted to life living with the in-laws.

OctoberJamie got an 8-5 job and Abby missed him terribly.

NovemberMilo became obsessed with candy and Pearl laughed.

DecemberWe moved back to Orem, to our turquoise palace.

The Sharps on the last day of 2007. The last day of the year always stresses me out. I feel like I've got to do something HUGE because it will NEVER be that year again. So silly. We are excited to begin a fresh year and totally break some resolutions. Here's to 2008!

Dear Mom,

Instead of tackling the boxes and suitcases that fill our apartment, I pulled out the wreath and doormat you bought me, cleaned our door, hung the wreath, and slapped the mat down. Perhaps there were more pressing things to accomplish, but

a) there is something unsanitary about using the previous tenant's doormat
b) everyone loves a good wreath

Thank you (and Target) for making this moment possible.

Love,
your daughter

we got jukes

I feel dumb, because the phone was really just for Jamie, but they had a two for one deal so.... Merry Christmas to me too. The Juke has great switchblade action when you open it. We'll see about the rest of the phone.

I got spoiled rotten with Christmas presents, including a spa day. Meaning: body wrap, mani/pedi, facial, etc. So excited for that one. Lots of clothes, too. Jamie kept telling me that after Christmas I was going to be a "new woman." Can't say he was wrong. There's nothing like a couple pairs of hole-free jeans to make you want to conquer the world. Or at least the laundry.

Santa brought us facial hair.

What Milo has accomplished today:

I hesitated taking a picture of this because then he thought it was funny instead of naughty. But what do I have a blog for except to post about the rascally things my kids do?

The ugliest gingerbread house that ever was!

But still drool-worthy. It was fun. Thanks, Em.

Something I will miss when we move.

Deer appear on the porch multiple times a day. They are so beautiful and gentle.

(But is it ethical that all of the food scraps in this house get thrown out for the deer? I really wonder, but then I throw out mine too because it is so cold outside and I really worry about these creatures. I am not an animal person at all, but ever since I've had children I see baby animals and am reminded of my sweet babies. Please someone else tell me I'm not crazy and you do this too. We will be driving down the road and see a baby goat and I tell Jamie, "Awwww, it's Pearl!" Then he smiles because he knows he married someone special. Also, Jamie tells me not to worry about the deer because they "bed down" in the winter. I finally confessed to him that bedding down makes me think they are wrapped up in blankets under the trees. Seriously, though, can I start a foundation that spreads blankets out for wild animals? I think PETA would help. They are kind of crazy, though. Come to think of it, I am really crazy. Disregard this post except for the beautiful deer pictures.)

Martha is crazy

Is Blueprint really calling it quits? I am so sad.

waxing poetic

Life has been pretty stressful lately (mostly for Jamie with school and work) and I have been feeling grumpy. We often talk about how easy life was for us with no kids and how we didn't even realize it at the time. Tonight Milo threw up in his crib and pooped in the tub and refused to go to sleep until nigh on ten o'clock. Jamie and I were sitting in our room and finally thought he was asleep, then we heard, "Jamie! Nighttime. Jamie!" It made us laugh and then we started talking about the day Milo was born and what an amazing day it was and how Milo cried and cried upon entry into the world and how Jamie slept in a chair with our new son tucked in his arm all night. Then we talked about Pearl's birth and how she barely made a peep and was so beautiful and how great it was when Milo came to see his sister and we had two healthy, wonderful kids on the planet.

Bottom line: I adore being a mom.

Baby, it really is cold outside.

And all of our good winter coats are in storage.

let me explain

I added some songs to the playlist.

I added "Starlight" by Muse. I am kind of embarrassed I like this song, but I have fought it in vain. Every time this song comes on the radio, I am mesmerized. I think it has something to do with the Twilight series. These books have been discussed ad nauseum, so I am not going to even enter that realm or discuss if I love vampires or werewolves (Go Team Jacob), but the author is apparently obsessed with the band Muse and thanks them in her acknowledgments in every book. I think she has said something about their music being the perfect soundtrack for a Twilight motion picture. I think she's right. I think I could make a killer movie trailer for the movie with their hit from a few years ago. Can't remember the name. I kind of wish that was my job- to add music to movies and TV in all the right places. Actually, I really really really wish that was my job.

Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmas Time: This one's for you Liza Jane!

A year or two ago around the holidays, Jamie called me on his way home and exclaimed, "Abby, I just heard the best Christmas song on the radio. You have to hear it!" I finally figured out it was Baby It's Cold Outside. We'll forgive him that it's actually quite an oldie. It was cute he got so excited about it. This one's for you, babe!

thoughts and happenings that really aren't that interesting

Blogging has given me journal syndrome. Meaning, I write something and days or weeks later I read it and think WHAT was I thinking? When I read my old journals I think I am the biggest nerd on the planet. This is why I don't currently keep a journal.

We bought new reading lamps at Ikea and Jamie waited until we were in the parking lot, receipt in hand, to tell me that he hated them. I wanted to scream and throw up my non-fat frozen yogurt cone all over the asphalt. Yesterday he said they are "growing on him," so no more wanting to retch on my part. I actually like them. They remind me of hotel lamps, which may be tacky, but hey, who doesn't like hotels?

I think a spider bit Pearl today. She suddenly started screaming hysterically in her crib, like I've never heard her cry before, and I couldn't calm her down. I tried feeding her and she finally stopped. When she was done, I looked at her face and half of it was blotchy red. She was acting fine, though, so I gave her some Benadryl and hoped for the best. It was so sad to see my sweet girl smiling at me with a big red ring around her eye. As if I didn't hate bugs enough... (Box elder bugs, you know who you are.)

We are moving soon. Like, in two weeks. It is back to our old complex, but a newer apartment. We are anticipating a little awkwardness, but our new place has a dishwasher and garbage disposal and, heavens, that is incentive enough for me to trudge into church on Sunday and explain to forty people why we moved back.

All of my jeans have holes in them. This leaves me very little incentive to get dressed in the morning. (And I really didn't have any to begin with. Why put on nice clothes when your kids are going to stain them ten minutes later?) I am boycotting Seven for all Mankind jeans because I really don't think my knees are THAT bony.

The kids and I hung out at my sister Emily's tonight while Jamie was at school. This was the conversation on the way home.

Milo: Jamie. Jamie. Jamie. Jamie!

Jamie: What, Milo?

Milo: Cousins! (giggle)

(Repeated about ten times.)

Milo loves his cousins and we are so grateful to live close to so many of them. (I am not very grateful, however, that Milo has for all intents and purposes reached The Terrible Twos and is the hardest child lately! I love you Milo, but I don't have to like you right now.)

Ummmmmmm, The End.