100 Things About Me/Things I've Learned

1. I am terribly indecisive (A list of 100 things?! This could take me hours to decide what to say!).
2. I can be easily swayed (I had to start typing up my list before I read Boo’s, my friend that tagged me, so I wouldn’t be too swayed by what she wrote. LOL. Though we are a lot alike in some ways!)
3. Education is important, whether or not you will be working or just using skills in family, relationships, callings, etc.
4. I want to get back into running and am trying to find a double jogging stroller right now.
5. I am a recovering perfectionist.
6. I can be very critical, especially of my poor husband!
7. I love chick flicks!
8. I love salty food, especially popcorn, chips and nuts
9. I wouldn’t doubt it if I ended up getting my Phd. Someday. Not sure where life will take me, but if it happened, it would be pretty cool.
10. My favorite job has been as an academic advisor in the BYU Open Major Advisement Center. I honestly don’t remember ever complaining about going to work! And that is huge for me.
11. I still love “advising” people on life and their majors, so just give me a call if you want a free “session”!
12. When I unload the dishwasher, I stack all the dishes into piles (cups, bowls, plates, etc.) before putting them in the cupboard. It drives Chris crazy! I just tell him it’s easier for me to have them all together, rather than going up and down with each dish.
13. I love searching on the internet for apartments and houses.
14. I can be pretty pessimistic. It’s a good thing Chris has such a good attitude, as he keeps me in pretty good check when I am being too ornery.
15. I fall asleep in movies, even in the theater.
16. I always wanted to marry a Seminary teacher. Chris always teases me about this. But I am happily married to a lawyer to-be (who will make a lot more money!)
17. I get easily sucked into the internet and can spend hours searching for stuff (like a new jogging stroller, for example!)
18. I never wanted to have boys, but love my two boys to pieces and am not sure what I would do with a girl, though I am sure I would love her, too.
19. I have decided to buy earrings (or other jewelry) as souvenirs on trips. It’s been so much fun.
20. I have recently decided to be less frumpy in my wardrobe and am loving being more cute and accessorizing.
21. I love having my hair long. I try to convince myself to cut it, but whenever I do, I end up hated it, growing it back and out loving it!
    
22. Chris has always loved my hair curly and I’ve recently rediscovered how much I like it (and how much easier it usually is, than straightening my semi-curly, otherwise frizzy hair).
23. I love doing our budget. For some reason I love inputting receipts, paying bills and finding ways we can be smart about our finances.
24. I get distracted very easily (Chris tells me to just sit down and feed Cooper and for some reason I have to do 10 things before I focus on what I need to be doing!)
25. I am a multi-tasker.
26. I really don’t like cleaning house. I love having it straightened, but struggle to find a good method to convince myself to keep it scrubbed each week.
27. When I do clean, I am a very distracted cleaner—I go from one room to the next, carrying multiple things with me, then see something in that room and move onto that. (It’s kind of like If You Give a Mouse a Cookie.)
28. I hate doing my hair, but love when it is done.
29. In junior high it took me 45 minutes to do my make-up. I pride myself that I can do it in 5 minutes now and I look 10 times better, with far less caked on base!
30. I was 22 years old before I learned to say the word “origin” correctly.
31. I love Anne of Green Gables and Runaway Bride.
32. I learned to love country music in high school and still do.
33. I hardly ever play my piano. I am not sure why. It makes me sad that I have a piano but don’t play it. That is a hobby/talent I want to revive.
34. I miss singing in choirs. I would like to get more involved with singing again
35. I love spring and fall, not the extremes of winter and summer. (Ya think I’m gonna die in Vegas this summer?! Ahhh!)
36. I want to run a marathon someday.
37. I have never been pulled over or gotten a ticket. (Chris brings our average way up!)
38. March is the best month to have a birthday!
39. I have learned to love sushi. It really can be an acquired taste.
40. I am very wordy. I have a hard time being concise when I write.
    
41. I don’t really know how to swim; I never took swimming lessons.
42. I get too involved in other people’s lives. I like to help fix problems, but often am a little overenthusiastic about my abilities to help.
43. In the right situation I can be a talker! Before we got married I was worried Chris would talk so much I’d never get a word in….In actuality, it is the exact opposite and I am trying to get Chris to open up and talk!
44. I am not a big fan of social situations. I am getting better, but oftentimes feel pretty insecure, awkward, and am not quite sure how to act or what to say.
45. I really am a fairly shy person, even though lots of people tell me I don’t come across that way. I guess I may put on a better act than I realized.
46. I was recently nominated to be the Law Partners president for the coming year (still not sure who to blame that on!) It think it will be a good experience, but I am nervous about being in charge of something else.
47. I am a control freak.
48. I bought my jogging stroller. It’s red and should be arriving UPS today!
49. I love eating out. We try to be careful about this, but I am hoping that when we have a little more discretionary money after Chris gets a job, that this can be a fun thing we do. I just love eating good food and having good conversation.
50. I miss going out on dates with Chris. We haven’t been very good at getting out once a week, and I think it takes your toll. We love our boys, but I can tell we need time for just the two of us.
51. I haven’t been to the temple since Cooper was born; I need to go back soon! I can tell why we need to attend the temple at least once a month. I need the Spirit it brings.
52. I love squeaky cheese! If you want to tickle me to death with a treat, that might be the one to bring me!
53. I want to ride on a train someday.
54. I think Ian and Cooper are the cutest boys in the whole world! (I think I’m biased; Chris says you can’t be biased if it’s true…)
55. If a function, meeting, party has food, I am even more motivated to be there! I didn’t realize how much I love food, but it’s on this list a lot!
56. I have to have fry sauce with my fries (or at Wendy’s, dipping in a Frosty will suffice).
57. I always wanted to be a stay-at-home mom and am so grateful I can be. But some days it can be hard; it’s not that I want to be doing anything else, but being a mom all day can be trying.
58. I am okay to spend most of the day in the house. I think I do need to get out more, maybe I’d feel a little less crazy. But most days I am just fine working around the house and hanging out with my boys.
59. I love sleeping in, but haven’t done it much since Ian and Cooper were born. I am grateful for the days Chris takes the morning “boys’ shift” so I can get some extra zzz’s.
60. I love being a mom and wouldn’t trade if for anything, but I still have a lot to learn about being a good mom and giving my boys the attention, love and teaching they need.
61. I will be very well-versed in the Scouting program by the time Ian turns 8. If you haven’t seen me in my Scout shirt, you’re missing out!
62. When I was younger, I used to spell the word “we,” “whe”. I sometimes still almost spell it that way and would swear that spelling is correct.
63. I love wearing brown.
64. I don’t like making phone calls. I will write a million emails any day, but I usually put off calling on the phone. I don’t know why, I just don’t like calling people. (To my friends: maybe that’s why I never call you….I’m so lame!)
65. I always thought I was a size 8 shoe, until umm….about a year ago…come to find out I’m actually a 7.5, maybe even a 7 in some styles/brands; sometimes an 8 in others. But overall, no wonder most of my shoes don’t fit and I hate shopping for shoes—I was never looking for the right size! (Don’t ask Chris about buying me shoes, it’s been a touchy subject, which has gotten better since my new size discovery!)
66. I am not a touchy, huggy person; poor Chris!
67. As I mentioned, I don’t like cleaning my house, but I LOVE to organize and sort things. I love to take all the stuff out of a cupboard and put it back more organized.
68. I can be a pretty bad pack rat. I have such a hard time throwing away stuff even if I am not sure exactly why I need to keep it.
69. I have boxes of old cards and letters people have written me; they mean a lot to me. No matter how old they are (even ones from when I was born!) I don’t think I’ll ever be able to throw them away, even though they take up space and I have no real good reason to keep them.
70. If I could be a cartoon character, it would be Belle from Beauty and the Beast. She is my favorite.
71. I love little dogs, like Malipoos, Yorkies, Maltese.
72. I love Nauvoo. I think a part of me will always be there. I am so grateful for the time I spent there. It has prepared me for life in ways I don’t think I could have had otherwise.
73. Speaking of Nauvoo…I got to help clean the Nauvoo Temple while I lived there…amazing!
74. I have always struggled in friendships, especially being a good friend and keeping up current and past friendships. Friends are dear to me, I am just afraid I don’t know how to be a very good one. I am grateful for all the wonderful people in my life. Thank you to all my friends! I will try to be better; thanks for your patience with me.
75. I love playing card games, like Rummy, Oh Shucks!, Scum.
76. I have never been a morning or night person; I don’t really think I love any part of the day! But lately I think I am warping into a night person (except when I am pregnant, and then by 7:00 p.m. I am wiped out).
77. Chris and I have to sleep on “our” sides of the bed (mine is on the left). The one night we tried to switch, early on in our marriage, we both slept horrible and have never tried it again.
78. I love the color red (if you hadn’t noticed, just pay attention to all the red I own—red phone, wallet, umbrella, coat…the list goes on).
79. I once got my head stuck in a mailbox…if you really want to know, I guess you’ll just have to ask.
80. I am not a fan of Haunted Houses or scary movies; I seriously cannot handle them; they totally freak me out!
81. I interrupt myself a lot when I am talking—my brain is going so fast I just can’t get it out fast enough! The last little while I have been working on slowing down and completing sentences before I move on to a new thought.
82. I love fresh vegetables from the garden—especially tomatoes, peas and corn.
83. When I was little I loved getting penny candy from Verds fruit stand on State Street in Orem.
84. I make the best guacamole (my own recipe!). Even one of our friends who doesn’t like guacamole LOVES mine!
85. I am a list maker (so why am I having such a hard time finishing this list?!). I love checking stuff off and having the satisfaction of completing something.
86. I was a huge flirt when I was in elementary school living in Orem; I was such a brat and could get almost any boy to like me instead of another girl—thankfully, that legacy didn’t follow me to Pleasant Grove!
87. I have never broken a bone, but did have stitches when I was around 7 years old because I was trying to ride my bike without holding onto the handle bars and fell off (yah, just ‘cause the kids in your neighborhood do it, doesn’t mean you should try….)
88. Chris is trying to convince me to get SCUBA certified; I am a little nervous, but we are in need of a shared hobby, so am thinking about it. I’ve even started reading the dive manual!
89. I love my Sony Clie (palm pilot, essentially) and would feel lost without it. (More ability to hyper-schedule and make lists—yay!)
90. Life doesn’t necessarily turn out how you expect it to, but usually it is better than you could have planned it.
91. I look forward to serving a mission with Chris someday.
92. I would love to get involved with charities/humanitarian work across the world, maybe in orphanages or with children in Africa.
93. I never would have thought I’d say this, but maybe I will go to law school someday. One of my favorite classes in grad school was Family Law. Only problem—I’d be one of those people who goes to law school where the salary you made afterwards wouldn’t help pay back your student loans! (I guess Chris’ phat lawyer job would have to support my philanthropic efforts).
94. I am proud to be social worker/therapist. I sometimes wonder why this was the field I went into, but I know the Lord has a plan for me. I am excited to see what I am able to do with my education.
95. I would love to be a public speaker and present at conferences someday.
96. I almost always have a water bottle with me. When I was pregnant I would down it all day.
97. Matlock is one of my favorite shows. Chris thinks that’s silly. I think it’s funny that I will be married to a lawyer. Unfortunately, now that we do have TV, channel 14 doesn't come in on our TV, so I haven't watched it for years!
    
98. I love my big down comforter; it is one of the best gifts Chris has surprised me with.
99. I hate shaving my legs. Chris says someday he is going to pay to get my laser hair removal! In the meantime, the battery-powered Venus razor Chris gave for me for Christmas is a step in the right direction.
    
100. I have still have a lot of things to improve (and have been even more sensitive to this lately), but am so grateful for the changes I have made in the last few years; I am a lot different person than I used to be, more self-assured and happy. I owe a lot of this to marrying Chris—he has helped me be more of who I think I have always been, but had struggled to let out.

I tag Chris (ha ha--I gave you warning!) and Angie.

Hot off the line

I am not the biggest fan of donuts, but when Law Partners (which BTW, I have been nominated as president of Law Partners for next year..LOL!) had a Children's Hour there last week, I figured Ian would get like to watch the donuts getting made and he loves eating them! I had never seen the donut machines, so that was pretty cool. Ian's favorite part was watching the donuts "flip over." Mom's favorite thing was the "icing waterfall." Pretty nifty! Ian almost ate his entire donut; unfortunately the last bite was handed to me and accidentally dropped on the floor after Ian was out of sight. I secretly tossed it in the garbage can, hoping Ian wouldn't remember when he came back from watching the donut-making process. Upon loading Ian into the car on our way home, he asked for the rest of his donut. Note to self: 2 1/2 year olds remember EVERYTHING! No matter how hard you try, you cannot slip anything past them. :)

I'm a Pastorero!

It's not often that I get to use the words "succulent" and "budget" while simultaneously describing the same restaurant, but you're going to have to brace yourself, because it's coming.

Back in January, Jenny and I noticed a new arrival in Brigham's Landing, and the sign read "Pastorero". Being the gastronomically inclined individuals we are (Have you noticed my waistline? I'm going to have to annex some space in the next county!) we seized the opportunity to wander down there as soon as we could.

Because my parents and Granddad Infanger were with us, we got to sample a pretty wide cross-section of the menu on our first trip. I had the Alambre with Pastor meat, Jenny had the Gringa Quesadilla, my Mom had the Torta de Alambre. . . honestly, I don't remember what Dad and Grandy had because by the time I tried to remember I was on the edge of a taste bud overload coma. We tried half of the menu, including the flan, the tres leches, the melon drinks and the paletas. Bad news. It's all good. You're going to have to go back quite a few times to experience all of the tasty, melty, tangy goodness.

What am I talking about? Well, imagine this. You know all of those places that promise fresh, authentic food that doesn't taste like it came out of a can marked "Rosarita?" Yeah, this isn't one of those places. They don't bother with making claims like that because it only takes one taste to realize that there's no danger of being disappointed by the boring or bland. I'm not sure exactly why that is, but I suspect it has a lot to do with one thing. Focus.

Most of the restaurants I have been to suffer from a lack of identity. They are "south american" or "mexican" or "taco" joints. These guys have narrowed down their cuisine not just to a continent or a country, but to a little-bitty cart on a street corner of downtown Mexico City. They have modeled their menu after the offerings of the local vendors who don't care about much other than having the best tasting food around. I'm okay with that.

This focus really starts to make a difference where the cheese hits the tortilla-- literally. The head honchos at Pastorero had their little hearts set on using a cheese which is not available off the shelf here in the U.S., so rather than changing their recipe, they arranged to have a foodservice company import their cheese from a little town in Mexico where it is handcrafted from only the finest ingredients by a team of cactus pixies in sombreros. (True story. . . mostly.)

This resistance to compromise pays off-- their Queso Fundido is a candle-lit cheese fondue which is delightfully mild and creamy-- this adherence to the Pastorero ethos means quality and authenticity concerns never arise. We tried the Pastor, Chuleta and Asada meats-- each was excellent in it's own right, but I was especially impressed with the individuality of each dish-- some places seem to dump the same spices on all of the different animals and the result is a narrow and somewhat boring palate. Not so here. I love the Pastor, but I am anxious to try the Chorizo because I know that there is a flavorful new adventure waiting for me.

I'd better wrap this up soon, because I'm drooling on the keyboard and that isn't covered in my extended warranty. Try the salsas. All of the salsas. They have a wonderful selection including spicy chipotle salsas, a guacamole salsa and a tomatillo that are each unique and worth savoring. Their pico de gallo is fresh and refreshing-- an excellent complement to warm, gooey goodness of the Gringa Quesadilla, if I may say so.

Here's the kicker. Jenny and I have been back (and will be back often), but we can't figure out how to spend more than $20 at Pastorero--including a kid's quesadilla for Ian. The food is wonderful, the portions are just about perfect, the atmosphere and decor are pleasant and unobtrusive (no mariachi music, thankfully!) and the price borders on the incredibly cheap side of reasonable. Call me for lunch. I already know where we're going. Pastorero!

Flash 103, Arsenal 99

We went to another basketball game on the night of February 29th-- this makes more games in the last month than I have been to in the preceding five years combined. This time it was the Utah Flash, the Jazz/Celtics D-League team which was just started this year versus the Anaheim Arsenal (also, obviously, a brand new D-league team).

We got the tickets for free, so I was totally willing to go down to the McKay Events Center and check it out. I am generally not exactly what you would call a fanatical basketball fan (meaning that I pretty much think that the NBA is overwhelmingly populated with foul, uneducated, undisciplined, overcompensated, egotistical whiners whom I refuse to enrich with an investment of either my time or my money.) I was pretty much proven right by the wanna-bes in the Flash and Arsenal during the first half-- there was a lot of showboating, ball-hogging, and bumping/grabbing/pushing going on, and I was disappointed that I didn't have many opportunities to point out good sportsmanship to my son and my young men. However, during the second half, both teams kind of settled down and played some basketball and we had a good time watching them.


I asked Ian what he wanted to eat, and he was really excited to have a hot dog and a drink-- and once he had nibbled it down to the point that he could get his hands on it, he was having a ball feeding himself. He only wanted ketchup and little pickles (relish) on it, but I am proud of him for entering the manly fold of the Chicago Dog.

We also got these things called Cheer Stix. Basically they are a pair of long, cheap, logo-laden balloons that make a funny sound when banged together. Someone we know really got into this.

However, it didn't take long for Ian (and all the boys) to realize that the Cheer Stix were also quite useful for beating on each other. I was really proud of Ian because he had no fear-- he just waded in and started hitting kids six or seven times his size. I am really glad that all of my young men are such good kids and are so tolerant and indulgent toward him!


We had a good time together. Aunt Val just happened to be at the same game and came by to see us. She took a couple of pictures of us and, of course, Ian looked cute in all of them. This is the only one of me that I will deign to display in a public forum!

Start Your Engines!

Evidently, Home Depot does cool craft projects for kids on the first Saturday of every month-- who knew!? Last week we were down at JC Penny getting Cooper's blessing pictures taken and had just found out about the Home Depot shindig from our neighbors-- so we wandered over as soon as we were done with the pictures. We got there just as they were cleaning up, but they still had one race car kit left, which they let us have, along with a Home Depot apron for Ian (with his name written on it in genuine Sharpie black marker). We took the car home and built it after lunch. Here's how the project went:


Step 1: Look cute. Check! We laid out the tools we would need and put down some foil to protect the table from the glue. Ian calls his apron his "Big Bib."

Step 2: Read the instructions. Ian was really gung -ho about looking at the pictures. He left most of the reading up to me. Basically, we had to glue and nail the two halves of the car together, hammer in the axles with the tires on them , install the spoiler and apply the stickers. (Unlike the spoofs on the stereotypes of most guys, I am in favor of reading the directions. Sometimes I just modify them after reading.)


Step 4: Glue the top and bottom halves of the car together without gluing it to Ian, Daddy, the table, chairs or the clamps. Check.


Step 5: Play with the other parts while Daddy wipes up the excess glue. Ian likes spoilers because Lightning McQueen has one.



Step 6: Hammer the nails into the bottom of the car. Ian learned the hard way that he shouldn't try to grab one of the nails while Daddy is in mid-swing trying to tap it it. Luckily, the nail was almost all the way in and Daddy was not swinging very hard at all. Ian wanted Daddy to do most o f the pounding after that. I tried to get him excited about tapping in the plastic axles and wheels. You can see above how well that worked out.


Step 7: Put on the spoiler, the axles, wheels , et cetera and take the clamps off. When I told Ian to say, "Cheese!" for this picture , I didn't realize just how much the car actually looked like a block of cheese. I guess Home Depot can't really paint the car any color but orange, but I laughed when I looked at this picture.


Step 8: Secure sponsorship. Hey, this racing gig ain't cheap. Ian supervised the placement of the decals and helped to put the HD metal logo on top of the car. He wanted to put it on the bottom, but I'm not sure that our car had that much ground clearance!
Step 9: Track testing at the Jenny Lamb Infanger International Living Room Speedway.

Step 10: The Finished Product! I think with a few aero tweaks and some suspension work we are a legitimate contender for the cup this year.

Thanks, Home Depot!

Reader Rabbit

Ian LOVES to read! It is great to have a child so excited about reading. I am realizing how important it is to start habits and rituals now. We read stories before naps and bedtime, but Ian often is found looking through books throughout the day. He loves being read to, but is also getting really good at remembering the stories and telling them to us.

Burrito Boy

People often ask how Ian is doing with Cooper. Most of the time Ian does his own thing. Sometimes he wants to hold Cooper. And other times it is obvious that a new baby makes him feel a little displaced. We have seem some regressive behavior (like sucking a binkie--he didn't even like it when he was a baby!). Ian asked me to wrap him up the other day like we do with baby Cooper. It really made me realize how big Ian has gotten! Maybe with a child this size, it should be called a Chimichanga instead of a burrito wrap. :)

Valentine's Day

I have gotten kind of behind on blogging the past few weeks, but these were so cute I had to post them even though it's been almost a month! :) Ian and I had a fun time decorating cookies. Well, I think I had a fun time decorating; I am pretty sure Ian's favorite part was eating the sprinkles . To anyone one got our cookies--don't worry, I made sure he didn't lick the extra sprinkles until after we had finished decorating all of the cookies.

Ian wasn't too fond of the heart and flower shaped cookies, so he asked me to do a few more "manly" shapes. I am not the most artistic person in the world, so luckily the pictures on a fruit snacks box came in handy. Leave it to motherhood to teach you had to be more creative.
Ian had a fun time choosing Valentine's for each of his friends and family. He had a certain one for each person and even remembered what he had chosen later. Surprise, surprise--his Valentine's were Pixar movies--Cars, Nemo, Incredibles...

Facial Expressions

Ian is the king of storytelling. He makes sure you are listening and then he really gets into it. He often closes his eyes for emphasis; it's great to watch!

Cute Cooper

As I am sure you all already know, we completely adore Cooper. I have been kinda slow posting pictures of him the last few weeks, so here are a bunch. He is getting big so fast! But is such a doll. Ian was born with big cheeks; Cooper's are getting bigger every day! He loves smiling and laughing when we talk to him or tickle him.

I just love him in beanies!

Go Cougars!

These are such warm jammies from Grandma Lamb. I love how sweet he looks in this picture.

His eyes are so big! We took him to get blessing pictures last Saturday and that is the comment everyone at the studio made.

Love the smiles! And ya gotta love those chubby cheeks!!

Become as a Little Child

On Wednesday I gave Ian a piece of bread for a snack. He often mushes bread into pieces, sometimes eating it, sometimes leaving it to fossilize. But today was a little different. I am glad I let him play this one out, instead of giving him a hard time for breaking it all over the living room... He broke up the bread into smaller pieces, knelt down by the ottoman, closed his eyes and folded his arms. He got up and offered me some, saying he was "blessing the sacrament." After this he wanted a plate to put the bread on, so he went and got a cookie sheet from the kitchen, and replayed the "blessing" and "passing" again. He has since done this for Chris yesterday at breakfast and again for me today. Seeing that the sacrament is such a sacred ordinance, I in no way want it to seem like we are trivializing it. But this experience really made me reflect on the commandment to become as a little child. Children do truly understand things and are so close to our Heavenly Father. I think they are learning and understanding more than we often give them credit. Ian is such a sweet boy! It is so neat to see him growing up and understanding things.

Follow the Prophet

On Sunday Ian was sitting at the computer listening to the Sunday music. It was "Follow the Prophet." He looked at me and said "like President Monson." It about melted my heart. I am amazed by the depth of understanding Ian already has! We had talked about Pres. Hinckley's death and watched his funeral, as well as the announcement of the new prophet. We had told him Pres. Hinckley had died and that our new prophet was Pres. Monson, but it was so neat to hear him talk about this on his own. He really is getting things!!

Cute and Funny Ian

I am trying to do a better job recording adorable things Ian says and does. So here are a few recent ones:

• I asked Ian if I could have a hug. His reply: "Of course."
• We will be playing, talking, or eating and suddenly Ian will jump up and say, "Wait a minute! I forgot something." Then he'll run off, do or get something, and come back (3/2/08).
  
• We were trying to decide the order to get some things done one morning, so I told Chris to go jump in the shower first. Ian had a funny look on his face and said, "Dad, no jumping in the shower."
• Ian was helping me make breakfast one morning. He loves mixing the juices. I tried to give him the metal whisk, but he said, "No, Mom. I want the black one." So I gave him the black one and said I would use the silver one, pointing to the metal one. Later that morning I was folding clothes and asking Ian whose clothes were whose and what color they were. We got to one of Chris's black shirts and when I asked him the color he said, "dark silver." It was fun to see him applying a new word so quickly!
• He has added the word "mysterious" to his vocabulary recently.
• Whenever he doesn't want to eat something (like lately its has been pulp in orange juice, strawberries, and cranberry juice; all stuff he has liked before...) he will say he doesn't like it, "it's grossy" (3/2/08)
  
• When I need to get Ian to focus and listen to what I am saying (which shockingly, happens often!) I tell him to look at my eyes. The other day I was working on the computer and Ian was sitting by me. He grabbed my face, looked right at me and said, "Mom, look at my eyes. I want the shark picture." I really have to be careful what I say to him, 'cause it comes right back at me! :)
• Ian says "I need" to everything he wants.
  
• Lately he will talk about things, saying I need "this" or "that." He is still working on being able to describe to us what he actually wants or is talking about.
  
• I often tell Ian that things are my job or that I am in charge of doing something. So when he gets mad at me when I won't let them do something, his rebuttal is often, "My job!" "You in charge!" (too bad he doesn't really believe that or know what he is saying...)
  
• I made a puzzle for a Primary activity out of the picture with Christ and the fishermen. Ian and I were putting it together later and the pieces were not staying together the way he wanted. This was really upsetting him and he yelled: "Oh no! Jesus' head fell off!"
  
• Ian LOVES puzzles! He does his Elmo puzzle from Grandpa and Grandma Lamb over and over all by himself. He also got a 60-piece foam Sponge Bob puzzle for Christmas which he likes help with, but really does well putting some pieces by himself.
  
• He was eating some Tonka fruit snacks and decided to share one with me (yay! some progress in sharing!). A few minutes later, after I had already ate it, of course, he said to me, "Where's the daddy?" A little confused, I asked what he meant and he said, "Where the green one?" [meaning the fruit snack he'd just given me to eat]. I told him I already ate it and he said, "I want it back" and was really upset that I couldn't give it back to him.
  
• We were at Arctic Circle a few nights ago and I told him to tell a little girl his name. He told here, "Ian Christopher Infanger!" Quite a mouthful for a 2 1/2 year old.
• The other day he told me his name was "Woody Christopher Infanger." He is a big Toy Story fan.
  

Hug a Social Worker

March is National Social Work month and I wanted to pay tribute to my great profession. When I was in my undergraduate social work program, I still didn't really "get" what social work was about, and thought they just took kids away from families (which now I know really is a necessity sometimes! Having done play therapy with foster children whose parents really were having a hard time caring for them). Over the past few years I have learned much more about the great services social workers provide around the world--from crisis workers, to therapists, to case managers, social workers help many people in many ways. I am proud of my profession and am grateful for the skills and knowledge I have gained through my education and professional experience. This video is a good representation of the various ways social workers help people.

New Video

I was getting on to LDS.org this morning to read my scriptures and saw that there is a new website that the LDS Church has created to directly address Jesus Christ, our beliefs concerning him and his role as our Savior. In 2000, the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles each shared their testimonies of Christ in a video called Special Witnesses of Christ. This presentation first became available when I was a missionary in Japan, and I have seen it many times. I have appreciated the testimonies of these men-- all of whom I look up to as individuals who have accepted a responsibility to live and to teach about Christ and his gospel.

When the original was made, Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf had not yet been called to the Quorum of the 12. This new website features his testimony as well as those of the surviving members of the Quorum of the 12 as it existed eight years ago. I was grateful to hear his testimony of Jesus Christ and to be reminded of the blessing it is that, though the members of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles and First Presidency may change, their responsibility and commitment to bear testimony of Christ does not.

P.S. The new site also includes a new clip from Elder David A. Bednar.