"pedro is working on an adobe. can you say that with me? a-do-be."

I can't seem to figure out a blog header and layout that I really like. It's really really bothering me for some reason. At the same time, blogging is starting to feel blase (Emily's words). That's the Dennis gene kicking in. I know people are probably tired of pictures of the kids but that's all I really want to blog about lately.

The weather's been so nice lately. We had a picnic outside today with all the kids and moms in our little area. I found out that I'm for sure the only one with turquoise carpet and I wanted to cry a little bit. And then I wanted to cry some more because it is so stupid to be worried about ugly carpet when there are much greater problems in the world. And then I wanted to cry because of all the problems in the world. But now I'm happy again.

Milo's getting some 'tude. He says, "Stop, stop, stop!" when we are singing a song. It comes out, "Schtop!" Kind of German sounding.

Jamie and I spent like two hours making lists of our favorite things yesterday. He even missed a class which is so not like him. We like lists.

I'm excited to go to NY. I love traveling. I visit teach this woman in our ward who lives in these nice condos on State Street. She and her husband went on missions to London and Hawaii and they have a summer cabin outside of Yellowstone and they eat at Pizzeria 712 every night (she's sick of it). And they're so nice. So I'm thinking, "Hmmm, how can I make this my life..."

I saw these then-and-now photos via ali loves curtis. I looooove this kind of thing. When I was in Europe I was always thinking about who was in the exact same place I was standing, but centuries ago. It gives me chills. Time travel would definitely be my superpower.



Ten points if you can tell me what movie the post title is from.

day in the life of pearl

7:00 am wake up.

8:00 am take down milo.

2:00 pm get tickled.

6:00 pm take a bath.


8:00 pm go to bed.

(only the important parts of the day are listed)

What not to do with an eye pencil sharpener:

Stick your finger in it.

(Blood, lots of blood. And crying, oh the crying. He's fine now.)

(In more positive news, Milo can somehow recognize almost every letter of the alphabet! What the? Have I worked with him on it? No. How did this happen? Good job, Lo-Lo.)

lions rule

Milo and Jamie are best friends. They like to look at videos of real lions on the internet (pictured above) and go to sporting goods stores that have stuffed animals. Jamie has always wanted a son to do these kinds of things with. As they were pulling up to one of those stores today- one that has a huge stuffed lion- Milo recognized the building and got excited, saying, "Yessssss. The lions!.... Thanks Daddy."

Melts my heart.

Milo and Pearl are pretty chummy too.

in rainbows

Tim and Dusty were in town recently and Timmy C. gave us a copy of Radiohead's latest album, In Rainbows, on the condition that I blog about it. When Radiohead was giving the album away for free on their website, I was in la la land. So we're grateful for the gift. So, here's my review.

Radiohead's best album since OK Computer. I dig it.

I know that wasn't a very comprehensive review, but I don't think Tim is reading my blog. We love the album, though. Dusty, thanks for letting your husband give away CDs.

i rather feel like expressing myself

I recently watched Funny Face (thanks, Ashley) and adored every little bit of it. In my family, we all inherited a gene from my dad where if something is popular/ubiquitous/trendy, we're obligated to not like it. Well, Audrey Hepburn is every girl's favorite actress and I've tried not to like her. But I like her.

My favorite scenes were when she dances in the cafe (a la 2006 GAP commercial) and also when she's gliding down some stairs and Fred Astaire is trying to take her picture and he's saying, "Stop! Stop!" and she's saying, "I can't stop. Take the picture.... I don't want to stop. I like it. Take the picture." You need to watch the movie to get the full effect of that one. It's pretty funny.

Also, my sister-in-law reminds me of Audrey and I'm jealous.

Also, the flower bouquet she has for the wedding shoot = the flowers I wish I had chosen for my wedding. They're just little white flowers. I like em.

Dear Rachel Bilson,

I really like your style. I think that we could be friends and swap clothes. You'd have access to all my Forever 21 and Target finds, I promise. I only liked The OC for 3 episodes, but you'll be my style icon forever.

With love,
Abby

the mother of invention

Blogging is great because it is an excellent forum for stealing other people's ideas. I mean it. I'm not very creative, but I'm pretty good at copying.

I got this apple art idea from a little sussy. I just bought a cheap canvas and used a real apple cut in half as the stencil. It was easy and I like how it turned out. Pearl is still in the port-a-crib in our room because a) my children are horrible sleepers and would wake each other up in the same room and b) Milo will probably be in the real crib until puberty. So I wanted to make her little spot in our room special. The beauty of being on a budget is you have to do-it-yourself. Some things Jamie has made me instead of buying:

Our bed. The Christmas before I had Milo, Jamie was scarce for three days. I was ticked. When I finally saw the bed Christmas morning, all was forgiven. He is already tired of it and wants to make a new one, but I won't let him. It is sturdy and well-made.

He made the mirror a few months ago, and I painted it. It was a cheap project but covers one of our lovely (ugly) yellow-white walls nicely.

One of my resolutions this year is to make everything I can in my life beautiful, so I'm trying to do little projects everywhere in the house, not just where people will necessarily see. And then I'm too busy to lament the fact that we don't have a house we can hit with our do-it-yourself stick. Someday.

i don't see what anyone can see in anyone else but you

Valentine's dinner tastes that much sweeter when you know your sweetheart auctioned off his plasma to the highest bidder to pay for it. Thanks, darling. I wouldn't want to get horribly lost on the freeway, go to a restaurant we really can't afford because they only serve the $30 plates on v-day so we can only order starters, and go home early because we missed our movie, with any one else but you. (Seriously.) I love you.

Oh, and happy 3.5 years.

milo reads

So proud.

I cut my hair!!!

Just kidding. But Michelle Williams has me wanting her cute little pixie cut. I just don't have the face for it, though.

And really, I would love Gwyneth's hair too. I'm just not very good at growing my hair out. Cutting is so easy. Will someone please be my personal stylist and do something with my hair and makeup? Thanks.

too much information

I've been tagged by Ray and Tawny. I like tags. My sister doesn't. We're still friends.

10 years ago: Let's see...almost 14...awkward awkward awkward. Trying to be a skater. In the FLEX program at Cholla Middle School. Go Chargers.

On my to-do list: tickle Milo, kiss Pearl, paint some chairs, go to yoga.

What would I do if I became a billionaire: Make out a nice tithing check, buy all our family members a house, charity charity charity, buy Anthropologie, visit every country in the world. Every stinkin' country. Twice.

Places I've lived- not very many so I'm changing it to places I've been: Morocco, Spain, England, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Mexico. Hawaii, too. (Thanks, Mom + Dad. And Eliza.)

Bad habits: Horrible posture, leaving the laundry wet in the washer so it starts to stink and I have to wash it again (and sometimes again), too much blogging, rushing things like crazy even when I don't need to, eating waaaaaay too many sweets, staying up late.

Snacks I enjoy: Dove chocolate, smoothies/slushies/shaved ice, soda, anything in the carbohydrate category.

People don't know about me: I am addicted to hot baths- need one every night in the winter even if I've showered that day too.

I walk outside barefoot a lot so my feet are always dirty.

So easily scared. It's not even funny.

I went to a Catholic youth service with my friend once and a jokester priest splashed some holy water on me- so I guess I'm Catholic too...?

Okay, I'm going to make some up:

Teenage Celebrity Crushes: Matt Damon, Chris Carrabba (Dashboard Confessional), Brandon Boyd (Incubus), Steve Nash (Actually that one is kind of current. People think he's gross, but I dunno...), Milo Ventimiglia of Gilmore Girls (I didn't name my son after him)

TV show I wish I could live in: tie between Gilmore Girls and Little House on the Prarie (My husband's pick is Lost, which makes me so angry. The Others, Jamie! The Others!)

Wanting to splurge on right now: pretty high heels, fabric, Diorshow mascara, cable television (HGTV I miss you!), haircut and highlights

Everyone I know has been tagged, but I so love reading these things so anyone who wants to- do it again, please.

i miss AZ part 2

Dad riding his new Christmas bike.

i like yoga

I mean, I love it. I really look forward to Wednesday nights, when Emily and I meet up at the local (freezing cold) martial arts studio for some exercise/meditation. That little hour is the highlight of my week- ME time. Jamie is in charge of putting the kids to bed and I am in charge of...nothing. I have so few moments when I am "by myself," so I really love it. Emily is basically a yoga master, but those 60 minutes kick my behind for real, yo. I love pushing myself and then feeling sore the next day and knowing I'm doing something good for my body.

On night one of yoga, we were about halfway through our session, doing a downward dog or something when Emily turned to me and whispered, "Does it smell like dog food to you?"

I love hanging out with my sister.

(I think we're working on the above pose next week...)

domingo

Usually we have church from 2-5 (which is pretty awful), but today was stake conference and we were done with church by noon. So we had a (reverent) snowball fight. Milo was in heaven and now I feel bad we haven't played in the snow more often.

Pearl being a babe.

Emily and Steve gave us SnoBallers from Restoration Hardware for Christmas and they were AWESOME. We'd tried them before, but the snow was too dry to make a good snowball. But today they really delivered. You know that scene in Elf where Will Ferrell totally regulates some little kids in a snowball fight? That was us today. We threw a million perfect little snowballs at each other. And then I remembered I don't like snowball fights. They hurt. But there is real satisfaction in making a perfectly round little snowball.



The fun outdoors ended when Milo saw an eagle emblem on a mailbox and started screaming, "Oh! Lion! Scary! Oh, it hurts!" What a cute little weirdo.

Look out, kids!

There's a dragon running loose in our house.

Pearl and I take pictures together a lot. Because we're vain.

Jamie and Milo looking dapper before heading to President Hinckley's viewing.

Pearl blows a lot of raspberries when I try to feed her. The food gets everywhere but in her mouth.

BFF!

Wendy's life-changing fish tacos

Here's the recipe:

Fish Tacos

3-4 lbs. tilapia
1 head red cabbage sliced thin
1 lb. (or so) shredded monterey jack cheese
corn tortillas
limes
sugar

Cook sliced cabbage in about 3 tbsp. of canola oil until very limp and darkish in color.

Cook tilapia in about 1/4 cup canola oil and 1-2 tbsp. butter. Sprinkle with 1-3 tbsp. cajun seasoning (I used 2).

In a bowl mix 1 cup sugar and the juice from 4 limes until sugar is dissolved. Pour more than half of sugar/lime mixture over tilapia, and pour the remainder on the cooking cabbage. Stir both tilapia and cabbage. The tilapia will eventually break up into bits. This is fine.

Sprinkle about a teaspoon of salt on cooked cabbage and stir well.

When the tilapia and cabbage are both cooked well, serve immediately.

Grab a corn tortilla and spoon a bit of tilapia on it. Add cabbage and monterrey jack cheese on top. Squeeze lime juice on top, if desired.

She says this makes A LOT of tacos.

{I'm not sure what that picture is all about. I just thought it was funny someone had a fish taco bracelet.}

hen hao chi

I guess I want to talk about food. I've had some good meals lately. And sometime meals are the most exciting thing going on in my life, and I'm ok with that.

Our friends Nate and Ashley just got back from living in India for three months, and they slaved away in their kitchen last night to make us the best Indian food ever. It was seriously so good and authentic. They actually went to their favorite food stall back in Chavadipur, India and videotaped the guy making stuff. I can't remember all of the dish names- parothas, saag aloo, chapati, Chavadi curry... So good. If you want some, I guess you're out of luck unless you make friends with them too. Maybe you should, because they're really neat.

Wendy and Tim had us over a little while ago and Wendy made her famous fish tacos. Oy, they were good. Best fish tacos ever. She cooks up some tasty tilapia and then tops it with sweetly-sauteed cabbage and cheese on a corn tortilla. Oy. It's good. Maybe I can share the recipe on my blog. I'll ask her. Otherwise, once again, you're out of luck. Make friends with Wendy. She's the coolest.

We went to the new burger joint on State Street, EZ Take Out Burger, a week or two ago. Ignoring my disdain for the name, the burger was pretty good. It is a certified In-n-Out knock-off. Not as good, but close. Not as big. The fries are better (says Jamie). The shakes are not as good (says me). Good, though.

I really like the Chinese restaurant Shoots at Riverwoods. We were headed to the grocery store the other night and I said, Oh doesn't Shoots sound good? to Jamie and suddenly we were in the parking lot. It was sweet. This time we had the Honey something-or-other chicken and Mushu crepes. Both were really great. My favorite thing about the place, though, is the Shoots Boba- a smoothie drink with tapioca balls in it that you suck out with a huge, awesome straw. I get really excited about drinks.

Also, tonight we had really great enchiladas with mole sauce a la Jamie's mom and deeelicious German chocolate cheesecake care of his sister Amy. I really love good food. I should probably learn to cook better.