Chocolate Phoenix

So I thought I was going into labor last night. It was not fun. I was in a lot of pain all over my body, having some really painful contractions, and feeling quite naseous. I was so scared because we aren’t at all ready to have this baby yet. I told Ches I wanted a Priesthood Blessing, and he got a hold of a member of the bishopric. I was really comforted from the blessing, and I’m feeling a lot better. The Relief Society president called later and gave me a list of names to call either during the day, in the middle of the night, or whenever (she specified which) in case I DO go into labor. She had called around and got women who all live near me. Everyone is so helpful!! It made me feel a lot better, emotionally. I still think this baby is coming extra early, but I’d like him to wait a couple more weeks, if possible. Ches and I had just started to talk about what to do “if” the baby came early. We had no phone numbers for people to take the boys for us, no phone numbers for him to call in and get a sub at school… we don’t even know what hospital we’re going to yet! I have an appointment on Monday, and we’ll see what the doctor (or rather, the nurse practioner) says then.

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I found Ovation here in the States!! Yay!! I’ve been craving those yummy dark chocolate covered mint sticks since I was pregnant with Dallin and it was Christmas time. Everytime we go to Calgary for Christmas, Ovation is one of our staples that buy right away. They taste so good, and make great logs and decorations in the family gingerbread house building competition (do you guys still do that? It’s been a while since we’ve been up. Sorry).

Anyrate, we saw them with all the candy/chocolates in Wal-Mart, so of course I picked up a box. They taste like Christmas. It made me happy.

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So, Tom Cruise has been dumped by Paramount because of his crazy off-screen antics. I’m not a huge fan of Mr. Cruise anymore (I think he has gone a bit off the rocker!!), but that is just of him personally. I still love his acting. I love most of the movies he is in. Just because he’s completely nuts isn’t going to stop me from seeing Tom Cruise movies. Why exactly do people care???

It’s kind of like the Mel Gibson thing, to me. I mean, people think he’s gone a bit nuts himself, and this latest episode of drunk driving and anti-Semetic slurs certainly haven’t helped the public views of him as a person, but he is still a great actor and movie-maker. Are people honestly going to suddenly stop seeing Mel Gibson movies because of stuff he said when he was completely smashed, and of which he has publicly apologized for on a number of occasions AND has gone into rehab? I won’t stop seeing Mel Gibson movies.

There are stars our there who have done crazier things. Or more offensive things. No one seems to care. Major awards have been given to a man who alledgedly raped a girl, then he ran away to another country so he wouldn’t have to face prosecution. He is still in “exhile”, but he still makes movies, people love to see his movies, actors love to act in his movies, and he is given awards. Spike Lee is quite controversial, yet that doesn’t stop people from going to his movies. He has made many racial remarks in anger, yet people just seem to blow it off (I personally think because he isn’t white. White people make racist commentes, but people of color “never” do. Just a generalization here, folks. Don’t jump down my throat, okay?).

When it comes down to it, what do people really care about an actor’s personal life? If you are going to see a movie, you really don’t care. You just want to see a good movie. Also, why am I even discussing this, if people don’t care? What do I care???? Obviously, for some morbid reason that I can’t explain, I do care. But I’m still gonna see Tom Cruise and Mel Gibson movies.

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When you are reading a book, do you actually read the dedications and acknowledgements? I do. It’s so often just a list of names that mean nothing to me, the casual reader, but every now and then you get to read a really interesting line. I think my favorite is one that Maeve Binchey (author of “Circle of Friends”, “Tara Road”, and so, so many others) wrote about her husband in “Nights of Rain and Stars”:

“For dear good Gordon, who has been such a supportive and kind person that nobody would believe it if I were to write him into a book! Thank you with all of my heart.”

Now, if you are a big Maeve Binchey fan (like I am… I’ve read everything she has written… most of them several times!), you’ll understand this comment. If not, well, I love this author, so I just want to encourage you to read some of her books and then you’ll get it. I recommend all of her more recent novels (“Scarlet Feather”, “Quentins”, “Tara Road”) as well as a couple of my favorite older ones (“Light a Penny Candle”, “The “Copper Birch”, “Circle of Friends”). Oh, and don’t judge “Circle of Friends” by the movie. I like the movie (hello!! Chris O’Donnell! I love him!! Oh yeah, and Minnie Driver’s pretty awesome, too), but the book is so, so much better. Has a different and much better ending, too.

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I think I’m going to spend Saturday morning pulling weeds out of our front yard. The front yard is all rocks and desert plants, but because of all the rain we have all these green patches of weeds. I hate that stigma that goes along with renters. You know it, right? You can tell who renters are by the state of their yard. Renters just don’t care for their yards as much as homeowners do. Well, we may not own this house, but I still take pride in where and how I live. So I’m going to make it look like we own the place. So there.

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Aiden is at preschool and Dallin is taking a nap. I should be taking a nap. But my bed is covered in clean clothes that I should fold. I think I’ll just go lie down on the couch and rest for a while. That would be good.

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Now I’m stretching to come up with good stuff to write. Am I turning into Karen??? Heck that wouldn’t be such a bad thing, huh?

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Quote of the day:
I learned there are troubles
Of more than one kind.
Some come from ahead
and some come from behind.

But I’ve bought a big bat.
I’m all ready, you see.
Now my troubles are going
To have troubles with me!
–Dr. Suess (from “I Had Trouble in Getting to Solla Sollew”)

That’s right folks! It’s the return of Random Friday. It’s been a busy few weeks, so I apologize for not giving you what you want. Well, I don’t know if you want it, but I’ll give it anyway. It’s my blog, dang it. I can write whatever I want. You don’t like it, leave.

Wait. Don’t leave. I like readers and comments!! Don’t leave!!! I’m sure we can find something here that you would like to read! I promise!!

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Moving to a whole new city is hard. You have to figure out new gorcery stores, where the best bargains are, which street goes in which direction, and what radio stations are best to listen to.

When we lived here five years ago, I had one station that I loved so much, I never switched the radio. Not even during commercial breaks. I don’t remember what that station was even called, and I haven’t found it yet. Mr. Universe set all the stations in our van, and there are really only a couple that I really like. It’s frustrating to me. I like one kind of music, he likes another. Of course, we have two little boys, begging for their own stuff. I’m surprised I even get to listen to the radio!!

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Last night we had an Enrichment Meeting. The theme was “Chocolate… Not just a breakfast food.” We had “Chef Tara” come in and demonstrate how to make some really yummy chocolate treats, then of course we got to eat all the treats. It was soooooo good! We made chocolate cups with chocolate mousse and a chocolate ganache, which was poured over either pound cake or chocolate cake (I had mine with the chocolate cake). In the Great Cooking Spirit (Chef Tara’s favorite phrase!!), Tara also showed us some different things you can do with the ganache, mousse, and the chocolate cups, and she showed us some “plateing” ideas. (That would be the fancy presentations that you are able to go to a fancy restaurant and have this dessert and pay an arm an a leg for.)

Chef Tara has a food blog, which you can find here. Check it out. She was really good, super nice, and a lot of fun.

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Julia’s kids seem to take after her so well. Apparantly my kids feel that they shouldn’t be outdone by the Goofy kids’ antics, so we have a few episodes that make my boys look very abused.

The other day Aiden was playing on his bed as I changed Dallin’s diaper. Aiden suck his pillow over his head and was jumping around, laughing the whole time, until he fell against the wall. His face struck the edge of the window sill, and right away I could see a long, purple line going down his cheek. After a bit of comforting, I noticed his cheek was starting to really swell, so he got to hold an ice pack on his face. The swelling went down without any problems, but he still has a huge bruise across his cheek. Each day it gets better, but Ches says that with his new buzz cut and the bruise combined, Aiden looks like a little bully.

This morning I was helping the kids out of the van. Normally Aiden grabs a hold of my arm and jumps out, but something happened and I didn’t have him like I thought. My hands were too full. So Aiden thought he was secure and jumped. He landed face down on the concrete. Poor kid! His knee is completely black and blue, and luckily he only got one little scratch, so I put an all-magical Batman Band-Aid on his knee, gave him a cup of milk, and lots of hugs, kisses, and apologies. When I took him to preschool about a half hour later, he was totally fine.

So yes, we are trying to catch up to Julia’s kids. I don’t know why they feel the need of this competition! It’s certainly not necessary, but competition happens, I guess.

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In our new ward (church congregation), the new rule is that you can’t move in unless you are a musician. We have many musicians (of all ages) in the ward already, then we moved in. The next week we got a newlywed couple, and she is here to start her doctoral program in music ed. We have another guy I heard about that is also getting his doctorate in music, and he and his wife (who I guess teaches at BYU) split what weekends they spend where. Or something like that. So, yeah. The new “rule” is that you can’t move into the ward unless you are a musician. Sounds fair to me!

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Guess what? I only have like 4 weeks or something left until this baby comes. WO-HOOOOOO!!!!

I better get the house unpacked so we have a place to put the baby.

Oh, and still no names. Sorry. Although I keep calling him Rupert (sorry Mom, but I can’t even use Xerxes as a joke. Too horrible). We’ll tell you for sure once he comes.

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Dallin’s newest favorite activity? Sweeping. He will find a broom and start sweeping the floor for us, saying in a high pitched voice, “Seep seep seep!!”

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Quote of the day:
It is never too late to give up your prejudices.
–Henry David Thoreau