Magically Delicious?

I found this picture and thought it was so cute. I love cupcakes anyway, but this is amazing. People are so talented. This makes me want to have a Harry Potter party. Do you think they look magically delicious too?

The Redheads

Redhead alert!!! Here is some really sad news about redheads I read the other day in a magazine. They said that natural-born redheads may be extinct by the year 2100. The reason is that the recessive gene for red hair is being dominated by darker shades through genetic intermingling. Apparently less than 4% of the world's population now has natural crimson coloring. So with this news, I ask that we all observe a moment of silence. How sad?!! I mean, lots of people color their hair red, but you can always tell that it's fake. I've never seen a realistic shade of red from a bottle. So, on behalf of all natural redheads, I say you're welcome. You're welcome for doing our part to make this world a more colorful (and better) place. =)

Bread and Water, kay?!

Each week at church, Emma gets really excited during Sacrament Meeting. She loves taking the bread and water. She always turns to us and says, "bread and water, kay?" I know she doesn't understand what the meaning behind the Sacrament is, but I think it's wonderful that she already senses that it's a special thing.

Music is a big part of Emma's life. She loves to sing. She'll walk around the house and just be singing - a lot of times it's something we don't even recognize, just something she made up. She wants to sing songs before her nap and before bedtime. For being so young music affects her a lot - more than I thought anyone her age would be. Some songs make her really excited and happy, and others will make her cry or become very quiet and somber. There is a lullabye that will make her cry within 5 seconds, and some primary songs during which she always wants a hug. I love music myself, and it's very important to me, so the fact that she has also developed this same love so early on makes me very happy.

Good Parenting?

If I were to be completely honest about my parenting skills, I would have to say that I think I'm alright. I am pretty good at some things, not so good at others. Emma always seems to be happy, so maybe that's a good sign. Every once in a while I start to really think about what I do with her all day every day. Sometimes it's hard to break out of a cycle once you're in it. I'm looking forward to our upcoming move - I think it will help me to start over on the daily task list and to reprioritize. I recently found this poem and I liked it. It's simple, and not unlike others that I have read, but it's a good reminder of some of the small things.

If I had my child to raise over again,
I'd finger paint more and point the finger less.
I'd do less correcting and more connecting.
I'd take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.
I would care to know less and know to care more.
I'd take more hikes and fly more kites.
I'd stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I'd run through more fields and gaze at more stars.
I'd do more hugging and less tugging.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I'd build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I'd teach less about the love of power, and more
about the power of love.
---Diane Loomans

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

Whether or not you're celebrating, I hope you have a great day. We're not really doing anything that special, mostly since we're going out of town next week and are just waiting until then to celebrate. Here are some more fun little factoids about the holiday... enjoy!

1. Wearing a wedding ring on the fourth finger of the left hand dates back to ancient Egypt, where it was believed that the vein of love ran from this finger directly to the heart.


2. In America, the pilgrims sent confections, such as sugar wafers, marzipan, sweetmeats and sugar plums, to their betrothed. Great value was placed on these gifts because they included what was then a rare commodity, sugar. After the late 1800's, beet sugar became widely used and more available, and sweet gifts continued to be valued and enjoyed.


3. Cupid, another symbol of Valentines Day, became associated with it because he was the son of Venus, the Roman god of love and beauty. Cupid often appears on Valentine cards holding a bow and arrows because he is believed to use magical arrows to inspire feelings of love.


4. In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.


5. In the United States, 64 percent of men do not make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine's Day with their sweethearts.


6. In Victorian times it was considered bad luck to sign a Valentine's Day card.


7. In Wales, wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favorite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"


8. It wasn't until 1537 that St. Valentine's Day was declared an official holiday. England's King Henry VIII declared February 14th a holiday.


9. 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine's Day.


10. 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine's Day are men, while only 27 percent are women.


11. About 1 billion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged each year. That's the largest seasonal card-sending occasion of the year, next to Christmas.


12. About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's Day gifts to their pets.


13. Teachers will receive the most Valentine's Day cards, followed by children, mothers, wives, and then, sweethearts.


14. Children ages 6 to 10 exchange more than 650 million Valentine's cards with teachers, classmates, and family members.


15. The heart is the most common symbol of romantic love. Ancient cultures believed the human soul lived in the heart. Others thought it to be the source of emotion and intelligence. Some believed the heart embodied a man's truth, strength and nobility. The heart may be associated with love because the ancient Greeks believed it was the target of Eros, known as Cupid to the Romans. Anyone shot in the heart by one of Cupid's arrows would fall hopelessly in love. Because the heart is so closely linked to love, it's red colour is thought to be the most romantic.


16. The Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare's lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.

Kissology 101

With Valentine's coming in a couple days, I thought I would post a little kissing trivia for your reading enjoyment. I found these in the newspaper today.

1. Anthropologists estimate that 90 percent of the world's people engage in kissing.


2. Half of all people have their first kiss before the age of 14.


3. Humans aren't the only species to exhibit kissing behavior. Bonobo apes kiss one another frequently, and many mammals nuzzle and lick each other's faces. Many species of birds also exhibit beak-to-beak behavior sometimes interpreted as kissing. (I defer to Melissa on the birds thing - is it really interpreted as kissing?)


4. The average woman will kiss 79 guys before she's married. (Okay, I don't know about you, but I am way way under average here. I don't think Eric minds though.)


5. A man who kisses his woman goodbye every morning averages a higher income than a guy who doesn't.


6. The average one-minute kiss burns 26 calories.


7. Kissing is a complex behavior that requires the use of 34 muscles.

Tag...I'm it

Well, I've been tagged by Lani. I think, as long as you don't get bombarded with them, that these things can be great at letting others know a little more about you. Not that there is anything too exciting about me to tell. I have fun reading little tidbits about others on their blogs, so hopefully you'll enjoy this at least a little.

ERIC & HOLLY

How long have you been together?
Our story is rather unique, but let's just say we've been together between 5 and 6 years, depending on how the reckoning is done.

How long did you date?

Again, unique situation. The term "courting" might be more accurate, but we "dated" for about a year.How old is he?He is 27, and almost exactly 14 months younger than me. And let me tell you, younger men are the best. Some of you know what I'm talkin' about. And you better believe that I play up the "old card" whenever I can. For example, "No, I can't shovel today, I'm too old."

Who eats more?

It's about the same, unless you're talking about Haribo Gummy Bears. If so, then lookout, I win big time.

Who said I love you first?

He did, but is wasn't "said," it was written in a letter (not an email, an actual physical letter).

Who sings better?

Me. But if you're talking about anything else in the field of music, he by far out performs me.

Who is smarter?

Well, knowing he reads this blog I can't be too mean (or honest), so I'll just say that it depends on the subject matter. I have done better on IQ tests though...whatever that means. =) Although he did propose to me, so that shows how smart he is (no laughing - I meant that as a good thing).

Who does the Laundry?

Well, if it ever gets done, I do it. And that's a big if. Sometimes I would rather just throw away our clothes when they get dirty and start over with new ones.

Who does the dishes?

He usually does. He's nice that way. He knows that washing dishes is my least favorite job in the house. Honest. I would rather scrub a toilet. It doesn't help that we don't have a dishwasher - not by choice, that's the horror of renting. He often has a little helper though (which actually makes the job take longer). I feel the same way about dishes as clothes, I would almost rather throw them away than wash them. Paper plates you say? I know, I could, but they lack a certain charm and sophistication don't you think?

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed?

Eric does.

Who pays the bills?

We both do. That way not just one of us is stuck with that horrible job.

Who mows the lawn?

He does. He likes doing yard work. I think it's because it means we have some kind of yard to speak of. He sometimes has a helper with this job too.

Who cooks dinner?

Cook? What? Just kidding. I usually do, but anyone who knows us know we both love to cook. Sometimes he gets after me for not letting him do it more often. For me, it's just the dishes after that are a chore. Desserts are our specialty. Come by some time and we'll show you.

Who is more stubborn?

Hello? Red hair anyone?!! I am way more stubborn than he is. I am leaps and bounds ahead of where I was when I was younger (sorry Mom and Dad...and John...and Jill... and Michael...and anyone else I've offended through the years).

Who kissed who first?

We're a little weird. Newsflash I know. But, our first kiss was right after he proposed. He initiated it, but I think we both enjoyed it. =)

Who asked who out first?

A common theme here is that our story was unique. I'll just say that it was fairly mutual. I mean, I threatened, and then he asked - all perfectly mutual. J/K. We mostly got to know each other through letters while on our missions, so by the time we had our first "date" it was definately a joint decision.

Who proposed?

He did...in German...in Las Vegas...before anyone in my family had met him...and only a month after he got home from his mission. But again, I threatened first. =)

Who is more sensitive?

Well, if you've ever seen me while watching a penguin movie shortly after giving birth while still trying to figure out the emotional roller coaster that motherhood is, you'd know it's me.

Who has more siblings?

In my family there are 4 and in his there are 6, so he does by two, but his mom was in the hospital giving birth the same number of times as my mom. Confused? It's because Eric is a triplet.

Who are you tagging?

I will tag Christy and Craig & Robin.

Name Calling

Eric has been home a lot more in the past few days than usual. No, I'm not complaining about that, just prefacing my story with it. He's actually been home sick, so it hasn't been as fun as it sounds. Anyway, yesterday I was playing with Emma and tickling her foot with some of my hair, and she was giggling really cute. Sometimes when Eric or I wrestle with Emma or gang up on her etc. as we play, she'll call out to the other one for help (help mommy or help daddy). So, as I was playing with Emma, I turned to Eric and said, "Hey Eric, look." He looked, and then Emma started saying, "Eric help, Eric help." Well, a more phoenetically correct spelling would be "airwick help, airwick help." I've never heard her call him Eric before. I know that all kids eventually learn that mom and dad have other names, and maybe most learn this before Emma did, but it was so funny. I realized that I'm not very good at refering to Eric as "daddy." I only do it when I'm talking to Emma about him. If I'm just saying something to him, whether Emma's in the room or not, I call him Eric. I've discovered that I'm not as careful around Emma with what I say as I should be anyway. Don't worry, she's not swearing or anything (and I'm not either...usually), but she'll also use words like "butt" instead of "bum"... you get the idea. I'm always impressed with the parenting skills of my friends and family, and how guarded and disciplined they are. Maybe it's not a matter of discipline, but just a matter of them really being that good (except for a couple of you... you know who you are). Wow. I guess I need to work on it some more.

Sick and Tired

I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. It seems like, if we're lucky, we have maybe 3 or 4 days each month where all of us feel ok and aren't sniffling or feeling under the weather somehow. It doesn't help either that every other day we seem to be getting more snow. I am starting to feel housebound. I remember a few years ago seeeing something in the paper about a cureall chicken soup recipe. If any of you have outstanding recipes for anything that helps you when you are sick, please share them with me via email. I just need to go the beach and just sit there and play with the sand and feel the warm sun on my skin. AHHHHHH! And for the most part we aren't so sick that we can't still function, but we just feel yucky all the time. I know you can't always keep your kids from getting sick, but I really don't want Emma to get sick. We are going out of town in a couple weeks, and she ALWAYS seems to be sick on vacation. Just for once, and especially since this trip is mostly for her, I would really love for her not to get sick just before we go. If anyone has any suggestions on how to keep her well, please pass them along. I'm talking about non obvious things you can do - we aren't completely brain dead...yet.

Funny Words and Funny Faces

This post has 2 parts to it. The first is to spotlight a rather funny column I read in the newspaper the other day. It was all about taking a new spin on familiar scripture. It's always a good idea to apply the scripures to ourselves, maybe not exactly like this guy did, but it sure was funny. Here is the link to the article. It's not long, so I hope you'll take the time to read it.
http://www.sltrib.com//ci_8143747?IADID=Search-www.sltrib.com-www.sltrib.com

The second part of this post is about Emma. Lately she has decided to make funny faces all the time. She likes making them and looking at them if we make them at her. Since good parenting is all about indulging your children (isn't it?), we tried teaching her some faces too. Here are the results.

Sledding

We took Emma sledding today. We hadn't gone earlier in the season because one of us was always sick or we just didn't have the time. We had to buy a sled, and discovered that even though there is tons of snow on the ground, and it's snowing several times a week, that still isn't reason enough to still carry sleds in stock at most stores. We finally found one, and it wasn't the best, and went to the park. Emma seemed to love it. This was her first time going. She went several times, but then was more excited to play on the slide nearby. Oh well. She was very cute while doing it. She loves the snow, so it's not surprising that she had a fun time today.

First Haircut

Yesterday we took Emma to get her first haircut. We just wanted to get it trimmed and even. I could've tried it myself, but the thought of aproaching Emma with a pair of scissors and both of us coming out unscathed didn't seem to fit. So we took her to a fabulous place. I think she enjoyed everything about the place except for the actual haircut. She didn't like getting her head wet and having someone pulling on her hair. We were wondering whether or not her curl would stay after it was cut, but it did. She couldn't take her eyes off Finding Nemo (which she was watching) to look at me very long for any pictures. But that's okay. A lot of parents (moms specifically) have a hard time emotionally when their kids get their first haircut. We had no problems with the experience. This might be because Emma is way way older than most kids are when they finally need their haircut. She's a girl whose hair grows rediculously slowly. She is cuter than ever (if that's possible), but you can judge for yourself.