Tagged by Maren

This is my first time being "tagged" by a friend, so please comment if I mess it up.

Here are the instructions I received: "Share seven facts about yourself... some random, some weird, whatever you are brave enough to share." Then I must tag seven people at the end of my post by leaving their names. I am to let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. I'll try to be as interesting as possible.

1. I usually tend toward making the "responsible" choice in any situation, however this can lead to a life that is sometimes too predictable. I did step out of character during my freshman year at BYU when I suddenly decided one day to go skydiving with a few friends. We did it, had a blast, and lived to tell. It was incredible to be able to see the curvature of the earth as my cheeks flapped uncontrollably during the free fall. I'm not sure I've ever been so spontaneous since then; I think our upcoming Caribbean cruise is close (although it did require extensive planning). At least having 3 children offers daily moments of spontaneity.

2. There are several foods that are somehow extremely comforting and delicious to me.. probably my number one indulgence is banana with peanut butter (natural pb of course). I eat this for breakfast, mid-morning snack, sometimes lunch, and often for afternoon or late night snack. I find such pleasure in the combination of texture and flavor! A close second would be toasted sesame bagels; simple I know, but I LOVE the flavor of toasted sesame seeds. I also used to work at a bagel shop and know exactly how to slice and prepare a bagel with expertise. Other top choices: nutella, avocado & sharp cheddar sandwiches, cilantro on anything, nutella, red peppers, black beans (even straight from a can I love 'em - much to my husband's dismay), lobster of course, and did I mention nutella?

3. I have traveled a bit - probably many of you have traveled more - but here are the places I've been in case you're interested... US states include Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, Maine, Pennsylvania, Virginia, DC, North & South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, Illinios, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Texas. Foreign visits include Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, Australia, New Zealand.

4. I chipped my front tooth while laughing when I was about 9 and have had a fake front tooth piece ever since (just got it replaced).

5. My husband and I were in the TV Disney movie Luck of the Irish . We played Irish dancers and can only be seen for about 20 seconds of the film, and only if you look very closely. Our names are in the film credits though, and we received royalty checks for several years after its debut.

6. I talk to my sister almost every day on the phone. She's my only adult sibling and I look forward to refreshing adult conversation each day, even if for only a minute. She is such an inspiration and strength to me.

7. After a long and dramatic labor with my first child, I turned to natural childbirth and LOVE it! I look forward to another natural delivery this December. We are so excited to meet baby #4. :)

Wow! This took days to write. It's much more difficult than I thought to talk about myself seven times. I really had to dig deep to figure this out. Now for the fun... I'm tagging Shannon C., Shannon E., Seal Circus, Melanie A., Alicia D., Carynn, Morgan.

Whole wheat bread

For several years I've attempted to find the perfect recipe for basic whole wheat bread. I want something soft and smooth but hearty enough to be sliced for sandwiches. I tried again yesterday, was pleased with the recipe at first, but the final loaf was a bit too dense and the crust not soft enough (although this was due to my oven - always too hot so I have to turn down the temperature for everything).

I love grinding the wheat and feeling the fresh flour with my fingertips. I also love kneading and shaping. Of course I love eating a hot thick slice. Where is my elusive perfect loaf??? Please send your best recipes so I can continue my quest with your added wisdom and tips.

Background inspirations

I appreciate music in my life; it's capacity to uplift and touch my soul like nothing else. Lately I've been playing background music throughout the day to accompany our school work, eating, playtime, laundry, etc. I have focused on Mozart most recently, but like to change it up each day or week. I've especially enjoyed Music for The Mozart Effect because it makes me think I'm giving everyone an extra brain boost! I also enjoy the company of Tommy Emmanuel, George Winston, Corelli, Jesse Cook (thanks Melanie), Bach, Jon Schmidt, Bill Whelan, and Altan. Please comment if you have any great suggestions! What a wonderful way to bring the Spirit into our daily routine.

Who stole the cookie?

After no more than 20 seconds out of our sight yesterday, Madeline pushed a chair over to the counter by the cookie bowl, climbed up, removed the tupperware lid, and quickly took a bite out of every single cookie. She's into that fun phase of pushing a chair up to something out of reach (meaning basically nothing is out of reach). We have never put child locks on the cabinets but I'm thinking this child may require it. She's quite the spunky one! At least she appreciates the chopped pecans I added to the cookie recipe.

Pet snail for a day

Although we are not pet people, we found a little snail shell lying helpless on a friend's doormat the other day. Brendan was the actual discoverer and he let Audrey hold the tiny shell for the car ride home.

About a mile away from the house, Audrey's bloodcurdling scream blocked out the "Tunes for Toddlers" CD playing in the van, when the snail's slimy head poked out and we realized that there was actually a creature inside. As soon as we were home, B. built a little habitat with a rock, some greenery and water, and a branch for crawling. He watched the snail all evening, named it Sam the Snail, and was surprised to see that little Sam was able to crawl completely over the edge of the habitat container and leave a trail of slime on the counter. As I put Brendan to bed that evening, he began to cry, realizing that he had taken the snail from its home and how lonely little Sam must be. We also had no idea what snails eat, so B. was worried about Sam feeling hungry. "Can you please bring Sam back to where we found him?" he asked. Luckily, our friend, whose doormat was Sam's, happened to be coming for a visit that evening. We placed the little snail in a bag and he was returned to his place of discovery. Li'l B was so happy that Sam was back where he belonged. He came downstairs three times after I tucked him into bed to say goodbye and make sure Sam was comfortable before being taken back to his doormat home.

It was precious to see Brendan put such care and thought into little Sam's comfort. I confess that while I'm not a pet person per say, I don't mind a cute snail around the house every once in a while (as long as he remains in a walled habitat with no chance of slime secretions on the furniture and/or countertops).

Learn the Nations of the World

Found this on my sister's blog: check out this great way to keep up on every country in the world! Teach your kids, memorize the song, sing it at dinner... :)