To My Dad

This post was started on Father's Day, but I fell asleep at the computer. It was a LONG day, after an exhausting Friday and Saturday. SO when it has been up a few days, I will change the date back to 6.15.2008.

I would normally post for Jody, but I figure it is my dad's turn. And really, he deserves it. I had the BEST picture in mind, to put on here. I will get it on here, it just might take a while to get someone to find it for me (I am sure he could figure it out, but I will keep it under wraps, for now)!
So here is to my dad. Father to 5 girls. FIVE. I did not ever have the appreciation for what that all means until the last few years. He really has done so much to help us all out. I am sure he helps Joel, too, but he is still young (13) and living at home. So before I go into all of that, I think this photo was taken when he was 19 or 20. Sometime around when I was born. Him and his band members, thinking they were all that.
That is him, right there..................... Sorry, I can not name anyone else (maybe guess?).

He was so skinny! So just out of high school! I know that if he could, he would so try out to be the next American Idol! He loves to sing (lead singer?), and since he was in a band (or bands), I am sure he must be okay with performing. Plus, he has always played the guitar too. He even taught himself how to play the piano.
Okay anyway. So back to this. He was taught to be a hard worker, and he tried to pass this on to me. Many days when I was growing up, my dad would wake up at 5:30 am and go to work and come home between 5:30-6. He did construction so he was not just sitting at a desk all day (which would suck, too), he was doing hard labor. His back and knees are a witness to that! He worked long hours to keep our family afloat. He taught us to never cut corners and always do it right the first time. He taught us to take care of our things, and others' as well.
He is patient. Very patient. He is always so willing to help all of his kids. He spent many nights trying to get me to care about my math homework. When I was in high school, there were many late nights he would have to come help me cause my dumb car was giving me trouble. Back then, Hogi Yogi closed at 10:30 and 11:30 (plus closing time duties, at least an hour?). He would have to come and help me and then wake up early. That was just me. He has helped all my siblings out for many things, especially cars. In fact, my poor dad continues to help with all my car troubles. Just a few weeks ago he towed Jody to Orem. That same car was towed again, by my dad (this time an employee did it, but he had to leave work and come get my keys because I was car-less), back to Orem.
He is always available for a blessing, or a consultation of some sort, from what kind of fertilizer to put on our lawn, to what to do when the obnoxious 3 year old flooded the house with the toilet to what cut of meat I should buy. He is strong in his faith and knows the meaning of repentance and the power of the Priesthood. He is an excellent example to me of these things. I am sure there are many other things I could say, but lastly, I will say, and this means so very much to me, he is great with my kids. You can tell that he genuinely loves them and enjoys their company.
So thank you, dad, for all the things you have done, and continually do for me-- big and small. You are great and I love you a lot!

Tags Tags Tags

I got tagged AGAIN! And Again! This is now finished, and more than what was here before.

{courtesy of my friend, Wendy Wells}

Four jobs I've had:
1. Mom
2. Nanny
3. Receptionist
4. Hogi Yogi

Four movies I can watch over and over:
1. Cars... oh wait, I have...
2. Pride and Prejudice (w/ Kiera Knightly)
3. Episodes of Alias
4. The Saint
(and for Holly, Clue! hahahahahhahahaha)

Four places I have lived:
1. St. George, UT
2. Magnolia, TX
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Lenexa, KS

Four favorite TV shows:
1. Alias (over) & Moonlight (just cancelled)
2. Lost (PS JJ Abrahms really should do a Twilight show, and help us get to know each character, like he does Lost)
3. Desperate Housewives
4. CSI
I record WAY more shows than this, so I can have a nice mix of Drama and Action, all year long. I can't wait for Dirty Sexy Money to come back, though I think the name is stupid) and Private Practice too (Grey's used to be a favorite, but I am not sure how much I will watch after the last couple epi's)

Four places I've been:
1. The side of Maui you are not supposed to take your rental car ;)
2. Tijuana, on a crazy van ride through the ghetto
3. Caribbean
4. Various places in New York state and within a 500 mile radius (incl the fabulous Niagara Falls, Canada side... I don't think you are supposed to take your rental car out of the country, either....)

Four favorite foods:
1. Fresh Raspberries and Fresh Peaches
2. Swiss Chocolate
3. Artisan bread... or just that darn white granny bread (either way I can eat it all in 5 minutes)
4. I C E C R E A M


Four websites I visit daily:
1. Blogs
2. Yahoo/gmail
3. Quilted Bear, just to see how crappy we did that day (every day)


Four places I'd rather be:
1. Hawaii
2. My bed (sleeping, in evening when it is cool)
3. reading a book
4. On another Cruise

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Cute Husband Info
1. What is your husband's name? Jody Scott Genessy
2. How long have you been together as a couple? 7 years-- March 2001. Longer than with anyone else :)
3. How long did you date? HMMM well, we met March 2nd and were married in October. We actually talked about getting married 3 weeks after we met, but did not get engaged until August, and we had a 10 week engagement. What can I say? When I know, I know. I did not need to date forever to figure it out. That is just how I am!
4. How old is he? OLD! He is 36
5. Who eats more? Well, it used to be Jody. I hope it is still him, but since I am gaining and he is losing... haha. NO really, I am sure it is still him, though it seems like me sometimes!
6. Who said I love you first? To be honest, I have NO IDEA! I asked Jody and he said "probably me, because I am more romantic" haha WHATEVER! He did say goofy things like "I love YOUuuutah" (as in Utah). Always trying to funny in those could-be awkward moments!
7. Who is taller? Without shoes, he is by like 1/8 of an inch.
8. Who sings better? Definitely Jody (or so he thinks!!! hahahaha I am so kidding)
9. Who is smarter? Well, he is older than me and has had more schooling. So those two combined, I would say him. Unless it is in taking care of kids, then it is def me.
10. Who does the laundry? I do. Since we have lived here, he has not learned how to use the washer or dryer. I will teach him one of these days, but even then, he will not touch mine, Syd's or Ethan's clothes. I like things the way I do it. BUT he will fold all the time (I exchanged my folding OCD for the help a while back!)
11. Who does the dishes? Unfortunately, most of the time, me. (I HATE the dishes)
12. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Jody. It was for strategic purposes in our condo (he is MESSY), but I like my side, so he is closer to the door here.
13. Who pays the bills? Both. Actually, its an even split between me, him, and all the auto-pays.
14. Who mows the lawn? Him. I spent my whole life mowing the lawn and doing all the other stuff too. Besides, I just do not have the time to take on one more thing when he can do it!
15. Who cooks dinner? Both. Some days I love to cook, and others it is whatever. Which means he does it. He was single for 30 years, he knows how to fend for himself!
16. Who drives when you are together? Well, usually Jody. But, every once in a while, I will take over when we are in a hurry. My nerves can't take driving slow sometimes (on the freeway).
17. Who is more stubborn? He would say me, I stubbornly disagree. Actually though, I think its about tied.
18. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Well, since I am not wrong most the time, I do not say I am. When I am, I will say it. Like I said though, it is not often! I do hate fighting, though, so even if I am right, I will urge a truce just to end it (without saying I was wrong).
19. Whose parents do you see more? Mine. But some of the time, its just me and the kids (you know, cause they go everywhere I do).
20. Who proposed? Jody, in front of a bunch of people.
21. Who is more sensitive? HAHAHAHAHA this is a great one. I would say I am a pretty sensitive individual. Well, ask my parents and my dad would say me without a question (this is in no way a compliment, ps). Then I met Jody. It is so him. You take the good with the bad, so I get the dramatics, and then I get a great, sensitive husband too. He would be mad for me saying this :) ( I am sure he would disagree as well!)
22. Who has more friends? Wow, that is hard. I have more people that I am really close to, connected to. He has SO MANY friends!
23. Who has more siblings? Me. By one. I have 4 younger sisters and a brother. He has a bro and sister older, bro and sister younger.
24. Where did you meet? A mutual friend gathered her friends to eat, so we met at Cafe Pierpont
25. Where was your first kiss? Jen Mooneyhan's couch. We even bought the couch and had it for a while, until we were sick of moving it and sawed it in half in that {expletive} Bluffdale basement.
26. What was the first thing you said to him? I am not sure exactly, but I was ordering coconut shrimp and wanted to share. Just not with him. hahaha. So it was something about that. (he just said he told me he said that I would be cute if I had longer hair... So nice of him. I had really short hair at the time.)
27. Where was your first date? Carver's. We met on Friday, hung out on Saturday at his condo with others, and went on a real date on Monday. I felt terrible about ordering a $22 steak, so I was going to order an appetizer. He would not let me and then we ended up getting dessert too. Turned out to be the most expensive first date ever!
28. Where did you get engaged? At such a great place! The Gallivan Center. I love that place! (summer movie in the park, in case you were wondering. I think it was State Fair that we watched).
29. Where did you go on your honeymoon? UofU Marriott then 5 am the next morning, had to get to the airport for the two-hour security checks. We left one month after 9/11/2001 for a Caribbean cruise {St Thomas, St Maarten, Princess Cays (Bahamas)}.

30. If you could have changed anything about it, what would it have been? Well, I was a complete bore. I guess a 10 week engagement wears a person out? I really was not much fun. We did the first dinner option with all the "old" people. There was a fun dance club that we went and took pics, but it was too early and there was no one there yet. It would be fun to go on a cruise and go dancing at the nightclub! I miss that (except the freaky people)!

31. Who wears the pants in your marriage? I would definitely say that we both have a leg in. In some aspects it is me, but others, it is him.

TAG: Whoever has not done this yet! (Sue? Lisa? I can't remember!)

**I seriously had to listen to Hannah Montana while I just typed this (thanks a lot, Wendy!). I wish kids were still into Lizzy Maguire. I liked her!
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What I was doing ten years ago--
Dating an idiot. Living in a basement apartment in Sugarhouse. Hanging with such great friends! Thank goodness for great friends when we date stupid people (please, no comments on my experience, thanks)! Enjoying the UofU Institute and my fun LDSSA Sorority, Upsilon. I worked at The Highland Family Practice, a Dr's office in Holladay.

5 years ago--
Wow. I think I was nannying for the Behrens. I had just stopped working for a neighbor, Bryan Thayer at DreamBuilders. We lived in our Draper townhome. Jake was not in our family yet?

(NOW I am listening to Mandy Moore. I love her!)

One year ago--
Stay at home mom. I went to my 10 year high school reunion. If you want to look good at a reunion, do not have a baby a few months before going! I felt so FAT! Oh yeah, I looked it too. Oh well, I was not there to impress, but its always nice when you do, eh? Maybe the next one. It was fun to see people, though. I was getting ready to go to NYC with Jody and Sydney. That was fun, and crazy. To be honest, I was afraid I would be a pain, but New Yorkers (and surrounding) were SO nice to me with the baby. If you want to bring out the best in (most) people, just bring a sweet baby girl with you! People seriously would let me on the train or subway first and were over all, pretty courteous.

Yesterday--
Church, FINALLY met with the Stake President (who I absolutely adore, trust with my life, the most in-tune spiritual man I have ever spent time with in my life) to get the new bar code temple recommend, Ward Walk-about, the awful accident that happened down the street (read about it here)... I sat in my car, trying to decide what to do, or just stay there (which I did, then later received a ride home from a nice police officer since my car had to stay for a while-- 2 sleepy kids (one walking)+lazy legs mom+ tired dog= not walking up the hill back home). My car had to stay cause it wa part of the crme scene. What a day.

5 Favorite Snacks-
*Fresh fruit (hmm just-purchased red grapes, fresh raspberries (frozen too, but lack in quality lately), oranges in the winter, Fresh peaches in the late summer, etc, strawberries in the spring!)
*YELLOW, maybe a tad green, bananas, cut into rounds, with Addams peanut butter on it. (sometimes do Gala apples instead)
*Sunchips. This is new and a crappy little addiction. The harvest cheddar or garden salsa ones are the best.
*ICE CREAM
*Nuts. I love almonds, cashews, pistachios. I try to stay away from Macs, but I love them too.
(I am now listening to ONE, live, by U2. I love them, live!!!! Bad is my fave and its like 7 minutes long so you get more, yea!)

5 Favorite Books--
*Twilight Books
*Harry Potter Books
*The Giving Tree, by Shel Silverstein
*Peppertide, by Jack Weyland (though I have not read for YEARS)
*Mary Higgins Clark, Clive Cussler, John Grisham. I remember really liking The Pelican Brief and The Testament, but all that I have read from these authors, which is A LOT (if not almost all their books), I have liked.
*6??? Well, I really liked two Dan Brown books. I loved Davinci Code and after that, Deception Point (I have to say I was bugged by some of his language, not in Davinci or Angels, but the other two I read).
****one of my very favorite things to do is read****

5 Places I would love to run away to--
*Switzerland, Spain, France, Greece-- Mediterranean (sorry, I keep combining)
*Cruise or not to St Thomas, USVI Very Pretty (I have a pic of this HUGE bush/tree of an Absolut bottle, from there. Someday I will scan it in. I have always loved their ads, even if I do not drink alcohol)
*DisneyWorld (I had to throw one in with the kids involved)
*San Diego (well, prob La Jolla or Del Mar)
* New Zealand. I even just saw some more pics, here, from friends that went recently and I am IN LOVE! Gorgeous!
I do have to say that even the weekend in Twin Falls, Idaho was wonderful. I think anywhere with peace and quiet and the opportunity for great food is fine (kid-free). :)

5 Bad Habits--
*Talk too much? That was always on my elementary school report card...
*I bite my nails. Really, I just bite my cuticles. In fact, one is KILLING me right now cause I won't leave it alone!
*I yell a lot.
*settling for crap (like a messy house, unhealthy relationships {not with my husband, though, thank goodness!})
*Being too busy for my kids...............so many more


5 Things I would never wear--
*Tube Top
*Skinny Jeans
*Bikini (I promise, I am not copying you Wendy!!! Those three things really do terrify me)
*Thong underwear (sorry, TMI)
*Toe Rings. I am way too freaky for that. I can not stand things on my toes!!!

5 pet peeves--
*slow drivers
*little whiny-faces (my kids ALL DAY long today)
*food in the kitchen sink (THROW IT AWAY!) and wash cloths in there too. They need to dry, not stay wet and get really stinky!
*When my closet or bedroom (what I control, anyway) gets MESSY. I hate that!
*OH I HATE it when everyone expects me to know where everything is. Including my husband. Their eyes seem to be painted on (along with their ears). This extends to when I was a nanny too. Grace would always call her mom (I am sure Liz did, too) and ask her where her soccer stuff was. HULLO! Or swimsuit. That drove me crazy cause I was like, leave your mom alone, she is at work (and use your eyes). Then I would go find them in about ten seconds. GRRR. Same thing with my kids!

5 things I like to do--
*READ
*Hang out with friends, have sleepovers (its been a while! Remember those, Natalie? I have one with Holly soon and I am so excited!)
*Write in my journal
*Travel, see places
*Exercise. When I do it, I truly do (usually) enjoy it.

5 fave TV shows--
Here is where I put shows that I did not already list!
*CSI: New York
*Ugly Betty
*What Not to Wear and other TLC shows (though I have not seen TLC in ages)/Food Network (especially the challenges!)
*Without a Trace
*My disturbing ones-- L & O: SVU and Criminal Minds

5 Famous people I would like to meet:
Well, I am not really a "worshipper" of celebs, but here goes...
*Josh Groban. LOVE. Him. He could sing to me anytime. Now worries, Jody would be there.
*Tim McGraw! He can sing to me anytime as well. Bring Faith, while you are at it.
*Sarah McLachlan.
*Martina McBride.
*Bobby Flay. I love him too, though he will need to leave his ego at the door :) (any food network chef, though he is my fave)
I guess you can tell I am into music & food, eh?

5 people to tag... Kelli, Shelly, Dari & Crystal (haha just checking to see if you really do read my blog!), and Kristen

Okay, I am done with tags for a while :)

Boycott

Up until recently, these ice creams were my favorite! I would mix them, so the mint as not overwhelming and I still got my Cookies 'N Cream. I buy Dreyer's Slow Churned in large quantities when they are on a good sale, so I had to post that these are my last two. It is a sad moment! I was at the store the other day and noticed that some were smaller, only 1.5 instead of 1.75 (L?). The flavors were special ones, like rootbeer float and apple pie, so I thought that was why. Nope. Then I started noticing them all over the place, and now, you can only buy that stupid size at Smith's (except stuff like French Vanilla). So I am MAD. I mean, I plug them all over the place, I but this ice cream religiously, to be honest, I eat more ice cream than I drink milk (I don't drink milk). So I am now boycotting. I am not going to buy Dreyer's anymore. The Private Selection (Kroger/Smith's fancier brand) has a low fat cookies n cream, but it is not as good, but I guess I will have to do without. I just don't want everyone to think that they can just make their tubs smaller. Russells' tubs are like 1.85- bigger than the Dreyer's former size. I may be batting for a lost cause, but I just can't take everything being so expensive (umm like $4 gas), and so this is my cause I am standing up for! This is a pic of a gas station I drove by today. It really makes me sick. We went on a drive to Echo Reservoir, where Jody plans to do a triathlon in July (we almost did not go because of the picture up there). We could not find a place to picnic (without paying $10), so we ended up at an elementary school park.
One of the reasons we were late to Stake Conference today... She does smile! Who knew? Syd is now 18 months. And she wore that headband for about ten minutes. Grrr. At least she wears things for pictures (sometimes)!

It is Official

Jody is a triathlete. I meant to post on this earlier, just wasted all my time oh the background, ya know? So read about it here. Or you can always go the Deseret News website and search Jody's name. Maybe it will help with the previous post's issue. You never know...
As for my thoughts and photos, they will come later (Brian's are much better, anyway, so check his out!).

Is Anyone Hiring

Wow, folks. I am just asking that you pray for us!!! I know, I may be paranoid. But 35 THIRTY-FIVE people are being let go from the Deseret News. So it is a possibility that my husband could be among them. So I might be needing a job (umm not that we didn't already need me to work to begin with...) and along with that, some child care. Seriously, I was just thinking that life was manageable. I am an optimist. I am hopeful, have faith and high spirits, even when times are rough. I am just trying to not let this news (which I knew way before today's news) affect that outlook. But seriously, it is difficult. I guess another major struggle for me is that I hate waiting (ha, even though it means I could get more paychecks) and they are not going to be finished notifying until mid July. That is a month and a half of dread for many people. So please, pray for my family.

Blogging ~ I Need Your Help

Once again, I am asking for help. It would mean a lot to me to get some responses to this. I have been asked to teach a short blogging spot in Relief Society (women's group, at church). What I would like is for you to tell me all things blog that you like. For example, background sites, visitor tracking sites, little buttons, whatever and any helpful hints too (please leave me the links, or you can email them to me if you'd rather). I am going to make a handout with this stuff on it so that I can help those who are new at this or to improve what's already out there. Also, if you want, tell me what you like/dislike about blogging. I will just talk about this and prob not put in the handout.
Thanks so much!!!

The Smells of My Life

I really wish I had something pleasant to say about this, so this is not the post for week stomachs. I feel like the smells I get the very most are pee and poop. In fact, I sometimes have to add vinegar to the wash and RE-WASH the load of laundry because Ethan's clothes retain the stench. I ran out of pull-ups a few weeks ago and was told by a few people that they just washed sheets a bunch and then the kid was trained at night. Ummmm. Well, I tried that, and the not quitter in me (haha I am sounding like Meredith Grey) tried for longer than a week... well, he would be dry one night, then wet the next two, the dry (not that structured, but something like that). His mattress still has plastic on it, so I was I was not worried about it. BUT the kid likes to roll all over and he peed on the floor twice. SICK! So that is the reason the pull-ups went back on (how convenient I found some in our storage room!).
Then there is the poop. Oh how I hate poop. It is a dang good thing I love Sydney as much as I do. To be quite honest, she has done the poop thing on her high chair at least three times (but the first was the absolute worst, hands down), in the play yard once (that was on Jody's watch, so he had the great time cleaning that up). Just the kid without a onesie was a hazard... but now, she just reaches down and goes through the side. Beautiful. So this morning when I went to get her out of her crib (keep in mind that I was up, I did not know she was awake, so she was not just in there forever, awake and bored, to my knowledge) and she had olive pieces in her hands. I know, SICK. I did warn you... Where would olives come from, when the kid was in her crib, food-free, all night (except the 4 am cry session...)? So I noticed that she had unzipped her jammies and her onesie and leg had poo all over them. I now have to wash her crib sheet, but I am SOOOOO lucky that she did not just rub crap all over her crib. I would be so angry. There would be MUCH yelling involved- cute baby or not.
In case you are wondering, she loves the potty, but she just has not gone on it more than twice. Twice, on cue, but then just a play thing. I am thinking of looking into Potty Training in One Day. I am just skeptical she is old enough, understands enough. But all this poooooo makes me just want to (have a kid who keeps their hands out of their pants) just get it taken care of.
No pictures this time... did not think the topic was one for visuals! :)