baby boy

It was easy to come to terms with the fact that we're having a baby boy - especially because the baby's daddy was such a cute lil' kid. If all of my boys look this cute, then I think I'll be fine. Today we went to the doctor's for a second ultrasound and we left with a really cute picture of the baby's profile. There is a distinct little Jeremy nose on our tiny guy.

The only problem for us is coming up with a boy name. Does anyone have any valid suggestions? Whenever we are discussing names in a group-setting, it doesn't take long for the names to turn from plausible to silly to utterly ridiculous options.

another tag!

I've been tagged twice in one week! This one's for you, Joanna.

A. The rules of the game are posted at the beginning.
B. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
C. At the end of the game the player tags 5 people, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment letting them know they've been tagged and asking them to read your blog.

Where were you 10 years ago:
Ten years ago I was still adjusting to my family's move to SLC. I started high school and was able to make new friends through choir, the school musical "Brigadoon", and involvement with student government. I think I liked about 5 boys at that time - including the Student Body President (who was over two years older than me). I met a lot of great friends that year which are still some of my closest friends today.

Five things on my to-do list today:
1) Write an abstract for my thesis (I'm scheduling my defense this coming week!).
2) Grade 30 art history exams. Blech.
3) Scrub the bathtub and sink.
4) Go to Curves with Kelly.
5) Grade an art history quiz on Flemish and Dutch Baroque art.

Five snacks I enjoy: (This is easy for a pregnant lady!)
1) Grapefruit
2) Welch's fruit snacks.
3) Granola bars
4) Oranges
5) Yogurt

What would I do if I were suddenly a billionaire:
Easy - I would travel around the world with Jeremy. The first places that we'd go to are Finland, Sweden, (we want to stay at the ice hotel there) and Portugal. Then I would buy a totally awesome house and fill it with really great works of art from the 15th, 17th and 19th centuries. I guess I would have to buy 20th century art too, so Jeremy wouldn't go insane. Maybe we could have separate-yet-adjoining houses like Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton. Then Jeremy could have his austere, modernist house and I could have a Victorian house. Oh, and I'd also go see Paul McCartney in concert. Maybe I would pay Paul to be my friend.

Four of my bad habits:
1) Working too much. I'm a work-aholic.
2) Forgetting to change the toilet paper roll.
3) Getting mad at other drivers while Jeremy is driving (and then reaching over to honk at other cars because Jeremy isn't annoyed enough to honk. I don't Jeremy will ever be annoyed enough to honk).
4) www.people.com - I need to stop looking at this website and wasting my time.

Five jobs that I have had:
1) Camp counselor at Brighton Girl's Camp.
2) Receptionist for Bank of America Corporate Offices (NYC - I was just a temp)
3) Corn seller at "Darn Fresh Corn" stands
4) Art history instructor for Brigham Young University
5) Stewart Fellow at the Springville Museum of Art.

Five things people don't know about me:
1) I went to softball camp while I was in high school.
2) I ran on the school track team for one day.
3) I went to a drama camp at Hale Center Theatre one summer.
4) I went to a Young Ambassador's Camp at BYU the next summer.
5) I totally screwed up one of my high school performances of "The Sound of Music." During one of the songs (I was the Baroness Schraeder) my microphone started making these buzzing noises, and I couldn't hear the orchestra very well over the din, and I got really nervous...and, well, the very high notes (I mean, really high notes) at the end of that song weren't very in-tune. I was supposed to be harmonizing with two other guys on those notes, and well, it definitely wasn't harmony. (Just so you know, this is a big confession. I never talked to the other guys about the tragic ending of our song, because I was so embarrassed).

Ok, so here is who I am tagging- Jon H. and Quatorze (I'm tagging you Jon, since you were one of the boys mentioned in the embarrassing moment above. Your response by tagging can be some kind of unspoken acknowledgment of that travesty of a performance. Then again, maybe you don't even remember it happening. That would be nice.) As for other people to tag, I think I've already tagged them on the previous post.

for quatorze

I was 'tagged' this week by my friend Quatorze, since I haven't written on my blog lately. So, Rachel, this is for you (and anyone else who may find this of interest).

A attached or single: attached
B best friend: J
C cake or pie: Pie. We wanted a wedding pie (instead of a cake), but compromised with a buffet of cake and pie.
D day of choice: Saturday
E essential item: NuSkin facial soap
F favorite color: Lime green?
G gummy bears or worms: Either.
H hometown: Salt Lake
I indulgence(s): NuSkin products, Cafe Rio, Curves
J January or July: July, fer shurr.
K kids: Little boy due 10 June 2008
L life is incomplete without: Caravaggio, Bernini, and Borromini
M marriage date: 31 December 2005
N number of siblings: 6, plus 2 brothers-in-law and 2 sisters-in-law
O oranges or apples: Both. Depends on what I'm craving.
P phobias or fears: Bad art, getting a "B" in a class.
Q quotes: "What kind of bear is best?" "Bears, beets, Battlestar Galactica"
R reason to smile: I will one day return to my normal body size
S season: Summer
T tag three friends: Joanna, Kelly, Jeremy (?)
U unknown fact about me: I was in a "New Kids on the Block" club in 2nd grade.
V very favorite store: H & M
W worst habit: www.people.com and www.msn.com
X x-ray or ultrasound: um, ultrasound?
Y your favorite food: Currently it is anything with BBQ sauce
Z zodiac: Taurus

out with the old and in with the new

Yes, friends, it's true. We have finally replaced the Pathfinder. About two weeks ago, we realized that our car (which turned 21 years old at the beginning of the year), was giving up the will to live. Our fears were confirmed when the mechanic later called to say that the car would cost $1,300 to fix. In addition, the mechanic said, the handle of the driver's door fell off when he tried to get in the car. Poor Pathfinder.

Here are just a few reasons why we decided to abandon the Pathfinder:

1) The seatbelts have rusted away from their anchor in the backseat. No baby car seat will ever be safe.
2) The floor of the car has rusted away underneath the backseat, providing riders with very cold bottoms during the winter months.
3) Carbon monoxide wafts through said rust holes, which is especially unhealthy for pregnant riders/drivers.
4) $1,300 is more than twice the value of the car.
5) We will never be able to drive the Pathfinder to our new home after graduation this year, since the car will never be able to drive out of Salt Lake or Utah Counties.

(This being said, does anyone know someone who wants a great fixer-upper for only $300? If not, we're taking the Pathfinder to the junkyard soon.)

So, we have upgraded. Really upgraded. Meet our Prius 2008. Tired of paying 15 mpg for the Pathfinder, we got a hybrid car that usually gets around 45 mpg. Plus, it's more environmentally friendly. AND we can't smell exhaust anymore while we drive. The only thing that I will slightly miss about the Pathfinder is being lurched from side to side as we drove around - I used to get a really good workout for my core muscles.

I love this photo with the two cars side-by-side in the driveway. Art historians could make all kinds of symbolic interpretations about how the New Testament (Prius) has replaced and fulfilled the Old Testament (Pathfinder). If cars existed during the medieval period or Proto-Renaissance, ancient worshipers would have totally seen the correlation.

when do you stop?

So, when do you cease writing your thesis and decide that your information is sufficient? When do you know if your thesis is being treated like a dissertation? When does one stop themselves? Until you have completely exhausted, trampled, and embraced your argument?

Help. I can't stop writing.

goodbye to fish

Well, it's official. Jeremy and I will never become ickthyologists, or even ickthyophiles. After two traumatic weeks of owning two goldfish, we have realized that we are not cut-out to join the world of pet owners. Our fish died while we were in SLC for Christmas, even though we did everything to ensure that they would be alright.

Who ever knew that owning goldfish would be so difficult? We spent quite a bit of money on fish medicine, aquarium accoutrements, water treatment, etc. In frustration, we have thrown most of the fish equipment away - we don't want to be reminded of our failure. If we can't even take care of goldfish, how are we going to manage with a baby?

savvy advice

Thanks to Quatorze for sending this along...