Today I Realized I Really, REALLY Like the Name Pippa.

I had no idea about Kate Middleton having a younger sister.  To be honest, I haven't been paying any attention to Prince William and Kate at all.  But this morning I decided to check out the rebroadcast of the royal wedding.  My honest to goodness thoughts about the ceremony?  Snoooooore.  I didn't even finish watching it.  Apologies in advance to those of you who love this couple (Amy).  :)  But when I saw the video and pictures of the bride's maid of honor my jaw dropped.  She's such a cute girl and her dress (though way too low cut) was beautiful. 

Pippa Middleton

Do the rest of you fall in love with names because of people you know (or book/movie characters) making their names desirable?  Sometimes it works in the other direction.  I've mentioned names to Tony only to find out he abhors them because of people he once knew. Haha! 

So - dibs on Pippa.  But first I'm going to have an Alice.  Then a Pippa.  :)  I've also got my first two boys named as well.  Do you have a list of names all ready to use?  My mom always spent the whole nine months of pregnancy weighing and measuring and thinking and comparing to come up with the perfect name.  Hubster and I had our girls' names totally picked out before they were born.  It nice and simple. 

Today I Worked On the Drop 10 Challenge.

When I was younger, I always started the yearly Self Challenge which Self Magazine has to gear everyone up for swimsuit season.  Like how I said started?

Yeah.

I never finished.  Hehe.  Fast forward 5 years and here I am now.  Two babies earned and a body to prove it.  My belly and upper arms have definitely seen more toned days!  I decided earlier this week to do The Challenge again.  I'm hoping to actually see it to the end this time.  **fingers crossed*

I will confess, I am not doing the diet part.  I do NOT counting calories.  I've tried that time and time again and just get bogged down by the whole thing.  I'm working on writing down what I eat and using the Challenge's meal ideas for more healthy eating.  I could probably do better at drinking more water too.

Today I did the Interval Workout and boy! did it kick mah boot-tay.  It was HARD work!  But even though each of my limbs feels like wiggly, jiggly, boneless Jello, I am just so happy I did it.  Hopefully I can make a habit out of working out every day.  The workout part of the program requires doing 3 of their workouts (like today) and then burning 700 calories however I like the rest of the week.  They have a huge list of activities, that I don't really think of as exercise, which I can use to help make those 700 cals add up quick.  Things like eating, sleeping, vacuuming, shopping, and folding laundry (WOOHOO!!!!).

It only takes 27 days of doing something for it to become habit, right?  

Today I Drowned.

In an unbelievably huge pile of laundry.

(source)

The End.

Today I Felt Stupid, Yet Proud.

This afternoon I was in my house, minding my own business, reading and snacking.  Ash was outside running around with aunties and uncles.  Britt was in her room playing with her toys.  Then I heard the sound of approaching footsteps at my door, followed by a little knock. 

Whomever it was, they were short.  I opened up the door to see Ash.  She said, "bella kai-ee."  I just nodded my head sagely and invited her in to have some carrot sticks with me.  She, of course, stepped in to happily devour said vegetables - completely forgetting about her reason for coming to the door. 

Then I heard it.  The sound of a small person, gut-crying.  All of a sudden I realized what Ash said - "Bella's crying."  **smacks forehead**  Obviously I ran out the door to see what the matter was.  Molly beat me to it.  Bella was fine physically.  Just got her feelings hurt by another short individual.  Such dramatic sobs for no torn skin, broken bones, or poked eyeballs!

After that I felt stupid.  This is what happened.  Ash came to the door to get help for her sad auntie (this is why I am proud - such a sweet girl!!).  "Bella's crying," she says.  Me: "Uh-huh.  Here, have a carrot."  In other words, "No biggie. Doesn't matter."  Not exactly the super mommy follow-up to her good deed that I would have wanted.  Fail.

**sigh**

Today I Finished the Hunger Games Trilogy.

I am so happy this series ended well.  My thoughts on the first book still stand.  These books are deeply disturbing.  They touch on the fralities of government and leadership as well as man's inhumanity to man.  But they also speak of hope, faith, and the will to live freely and fight for that freedom.  I think I liked them.  I do like the way Suzanne Collins wrote her books.  Fast-paced, alive, and descriptive.  It's amazing I even wrote that last word.  I am not one for details.  I usual skim over them to get to the good parts.  But the details and descriptions are actually interesting in the Hunger Games trilogy!  **semi-shocked**  I think I hung on just about every word.  I also liked how there were many twists and turns that I didn't see coming.  Except for one.  That last arrow she shot?  Totally saw it coming.  That being said, these books are nowhere near my favorite.  Too gladiator, too gory, and too disturbing. 

Now.  On to the giveaway winner.  **drum roll**  And the winner is......

Jenny!  She said, "Ooo pick me! I love fabric shavers, I learned about their wonders when I worked at the dry cleaner...I have yet to buy one though :)" 

Hi Jenny!  How are you?  Sorry I don't have a cute little pic of Ash holding up the little winning paper with your name on it.  I didn't think about it until after she went to bed.  :)

For those of you who don't know, Jenny and I know each other in real life.  We both served missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Houston, Texas several years ago.  So did my husband.  Jenny knows my husband better than she knows me because both she and Tony were in the Spanish speaking program (lucky ducks).  If I hunt around in my picture boxes I could probably find a picture that the both of us are in.  But, I'm too lazy.  Haha.

So, yay!  Congrats!  And thanks to everyone else for playing.  Wish I could afford to send a fabric shaver to all 16 of you.  They are seriously that good.  :D

Today I Shaved My Sofa.

What a weird thing to say, huh?  **laugh** 

Remember the fabric shaver I wrote about earlier?  Well, our sofa is from Ikea and the cover was looking quite fuzzy and pilly - yuck.  Not anymore!  **big, cheesy grin**  I shaved it and it looks great! 

I orded two more shavers because the blades had worn off my old one.  Since so many of you (my dear bloggy friends) do not own a fabric shaver, or **gasp** had not even heard of such thing (really???), I'm giving my extra away.  If you want a brand new Remington Fuzzaway Fabric Shaver, read on!

(the prize sitting on my freshly shaved sofa)

How to enter this giveaway just do two things:

Step 1.  This is for my follower friends only - so if you haven't already, click that button on the right-hand side to be a Google Friend Follower!  :)

Step 2.  Leave a comment.  Make sure your comment links me to your blog or leave your e-mail.

That's it!  Easy-peasy!  Winner will be chosen by Ash - in other words, your names will be put on pieces of paper, thrown in a bowl, and the first one she picks will be the winner.  :P  Winner will be announced on the 25th (Monday).

Today I Ate Unleavened Bread.

Last year I bought A Christ-Centered Easter by Janet & Jow Hales, because I want to have less eggs and bunnies and more about the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus Christ in our Easter holiday. 

(source)

Today is the day we assume the Savior and His disciples had the Last Supper, which mostly likely would have been the Passover (which Christ turned into the Sacrament). 

(source)

So my family and I sampled the foods of the Passover.  We talked about the original story of how the Passover came into being and the symbolism behind each of the foods (from a Christian standpoint). 

(In Remembrance of Me, by Walter Rane)

I made the unleavened bread, which is soooo simple and plain.  I also roasted some lamb with seasoning.  Like I said, it was just a sampling not a feast. We used romaine lettuce for the bitter herbs and grape juice for wine. 

And if you feel like reading more about it, Terry W. Treseder wrote a great article called, Passover Promises Fulfilled in the Last Supper.