Name Origins

Have you ever wondered the meaning of your name?  Your family history?  Where you came from?  Or do you know? 

Let's get my first name out of the way right now.  I was named after a great-great-great-great grandmother (despite what the gentleman from back home says, my name is not masculine, albeit if it were French, perhaps my name was a unisex name like "Cody" or something, but I hereby proclaim that it is NOT masculine).  I have no idea its meaning because frankly my name doesn't exist in any name origin books.  Those stores where you can buy that cute paper with your name and its 50 definitions don't even have my name anywhere.  Basically, my name was made up.  So, go ahead and speculate away as to what my name means.

Well, I have a surname that is, well, frankly almost one-of-a-kind.  Chances are that if I meet another person with that same surname, and I haven't heard of them, somewhere we are connected in our genealogy.  I have an uncle that has spent numerous hours researching our family line because at one point, it just stops.  Since I believe that all men and women came from Adam and Eve, I know that my family wasn't spontaneously originated.  (Yes, my own term.)  My uncle has met or found just about everyone with my surname. 

My surname is most likely a Germanized Polish name.  One theory is that my surname means "mud" or "slime."  (Well, if that isn't a noble name, then I don't know what is?)  Another theory is that my surname means "duck" with a suffix added to it to make it German but can mean "cute" or "little."  Well, personally, if those are my two choices, I'll take "Cute Duck" over "Mud" any day.

The funny thing is that my youngest brother has taken to calling his daughter, "Duckie." At least he's being honest with his daughter.

Now we come to my husband's name:  Matthew.  Well, that's an easy one to look up.  It means "Gift of God."  I would have to agree with that meaning.  Matt is my gift from God (awwww).  Now, his last name is easy, too.  If you know it, look it up.  It's easy.

Now we come to Jackson.  Poor Jackson.  His name means Son of Jack.  Uh, yeah, what were we thinking?  Sadly, there is no secret story to his name.  Just poor planning on his parents.  Good thing he won't ever have to wonder who is daddy is because he looks just like his Daddy, Matt.  Perhaps we should change his name to Matteson or Mathison.  (That last suggestion is for my brother, Nate.  He's the only one that gets away with calling Matt, "Math."  I'm sure Nate would get a kick out of that.)

Anyway, what's the story behind your name? 

First Formspring - For Fun

Do you like my use of alliteration in the title?

So, I feel like a bit of a goof.  Remember how a week or two ago I posted the Formspring question box on the side of my blog?  Well, I got your questions but quickly deleted them thinking they were randomly generated questions that Formspring automatically gives you to answer.  So, yeah, I'm an idiot.  As a favor, could you PLEASE ask those questions again? This time I WILL answer them. 

Speaking of which, I remember two questions that were asked.  The first question that I remembered I figured out who asked it and asked her to ask me again so I can really answer it.  The second question was one that I seriously thought was one of those randomly generated questions because I couldn't figure out why anyone would send it to me, but it's the ONE I remember.  So, without further adieu, here's my first Formspring Question:

If you had the chance to meet George W. Bush, what would you ask him?

 First of all, I have to admit that I'm not very good at following politics, so who is George W. Bush?!  JUST KIDDING!!  Actually, it's true, I don't care for politics, but I know I should.  I loathe the finger-pointing and mudslinging that must always accompany a debate or political campaign.  Since I'm such a sucker for religious stories, I'd probably ask him if there was ever a specific incidence (and would he share it) when he felt guided by God and not by his staff.  Was there anything he did that he KNEW he was supposed to do that went against what he was being counseled by his staff?  

Then, I'd ask him to say the word "nuclear" for me.

Oh, and here's what I remember most about Pres. George W. Bush:

Spy Games

On Friday night we were invited to attend a Spy Party, so Matt and I became well-known spies:  Michael Vaughn and Sydney Bristow.  I wish I had the mad skills that Sydney has, her unique wardrobe,  or even just the waist size, but I don't.  I only could conjure up a blond wig and personal facts. Matt had gadgets, a trench coat, and even a fake, but real-looking gun.  Jackson's babysitter gave me the funniest looks by trying not to give me funny looks, and my friend and party hostess didn't recognize me at first.  With all intents of getting our picture taken, I took my camera, and then I forgot to have someone take a picture of us! So, you'll just have to imagine it.

One of the requests of attending was to bring a spy-themed food.  So, this is what I came up with.  I hope you can tell* what it is supposed to be:

I'm not a big fan of chocolate cake, but it was fun to make, and I ate more than I should anyway.  The filling is frosting with red hots and coconut. 



*If you can't tell, it's a bomb. . .

Need a Laugh or TMI?

I can say that my man is an Old Spice Man. Is yours?

Movie Making, Joke Telling, and Puppet Masters

Jackson loves the camera, too! The absolute best part of Jackson's videos is when he watches them and laughs hysterically at himself.


After several days of the same type of video (that got quite annoying to listen to over and over), I showed him how fun it could be to make puppet shows; and then I tried to teach him the art of telling Knock-Knock jokes.




I'm not a very good joke teller; my delivery stinks. I think Jackson probably needs a new teacher.
We had fun anyway.

Impromptu photos

Okay, so I love our new computer for a couple of reasons, and one of them is the built-in camera. The quality is much better, and it's much easier to video conference. Anyway, I tried to get Jackson to take some pictures with me yesterday.
After a couple of tries of being serious, I decided that it was too much work!



I sure love my kiddo!

Who?

So, my dear friend gave me permission to share this story with you. I got a good laugh out of it, and you will, too -- especially if you've followed the Twilight movies at all.

My friend was watching T.V. recently and saw an advertisement for donating money to help the orphans in Haiti. She felt very moved by the program and knew she just had to donate. (She says that George Clooney didn't have anything to do with it. . . hmmm.) Normally she donates money through the LDS Humanitarian Fund, but she felt strongly that she needed to donate to this fund.

So, she called the number and did her part. After she'd donated and was feeling that high you get from doing something good for someone else, the operator said, "Now as a thanks for donating, you get to talk to a celebrity."

"Uh, okay," replied my friend. The operator then told her that some of the celebrities that have answered the phones have included Michelle Pfeiffer and Robin Williams. She was a little intimidated, not sure what she'd say.

The phone rang and a man's voice answered, "Hi! This is Taylor Lautner. Thanks for donating to Haiti today."

"Hi! You're welcome. I think it's such a great thing that you're doing, and I wanted to help out. What did you say your name was?"

"Uh, Taylor Lautner." My friend quickly wrote his name down and decided to "Google" him later.

{This is the part of the story where I started BUSTING A GUT!}

She and Taylor Lautner then made small talk, and she could tell that he knew that she had NO IDEA who he was.

My friend closed the conversation, "Uh, well, thanks for talking to me today, that was really nice of you. Have a good day, Good-bye!"

She then "Googled" him, and for those of you who don't know who Taylor Lautner is because you've been living in a box (or you're completely anti-Twilight), this is who she talked to

(Picture taken from Wikipedia)

Or for those who haven't seen New Moon:

Taylor Lautner is only Jacob Black.

Oh, and at the time, she was just finishing reading New Moon for the first time.

1992

I usually store old photos where no one will ever be able to find them. However, this is one of my favorites.


Can't you just see the "cool" oozing out of me? The perm, the floods, the purple socks, my awesome NKOTB t-shirt, and my rad neon green wooden hoop earrings.

Face it, you wish you could have been my friend back in 1992!

Time for a good laugh

Just For Fun

Make sure you turn it up in the beginning. My favorite part is the thunder.

Police Beat

Just when life was getting boring, my husband brought home the local college campus' newspaper, which I hadn't read in aaages. Of course, almost any student will tell you that the two best parts of the newspaper are the "Police Beat" and "Letters to the Editor" sections. Honestly, in those two sections you can find all you need to know to keep up with what is happening on campus.

Well, in this issue, there was a spot called, "The best of the Police Beat: spring and summer." Oh, what a gold mine! Here are some of the gems that were deemed worthy enough to print and to inform the students of things to beware. Oh, and you get my take on them all.

First: "An adult male dressed in black was reported running through the quad and hiding behind dumpsters at [the student family housing complex]. The man ran through the quad, dropped to his belly and army-crawled, then got back to his feet and continued running. He ran past a woman and said 'Good morning' before jumping in a car and speeding off."

My take on this: Hahahahaha, sorry I missed that show! Give the guy a break -- he's just practicing his mad skillz!

Second: "A resident at [the student family housing complex] called and reported that carpet layers did not clean up after themselves and worked late into the evening on his apartment. Police referred him to Housing Administration because no crime was committed."

My take: I understand the frustration of renting and dealing with all the different campus crews. Honestly, though, wouldn't you want the crew to try and finish so that your carpet could be done? Sheesh. Thanks for warning me of these hardened men and women on the carpet crews.*

Third: "Someone thought there was a burglary when they returned to their car and a window was broken out. Nothing appeared to be missing, so officers think the window may have exploded because of the heat."

My take: Really? REALLY? I would like to take that theory and let the Mythbusters de-bunk that one for us!

Finally, my FAVE: "An owl was found in the former president's home. An officer communicated with the owl and it left."

My take: I wonder if being able to speak "Hoot" is a job requirement for our campus police. If not, thank goodness this officer knew the language anyway!


*My brother worked on the carpet crew, so I really do know.

Jon Schmidt's new arrangement

My friend Rachel posted this on her blog, and I'm going to post it here, too. I'm a sucker for great piano music and strings, so this Jon Schmidt arrangement of Taylor Swift's song (which I've never heard) and Coldplay's "Viva la Vida" (which I love) is one I've been listening to all morning.

Be Entertained for a Few

A thought and a giveaway

So, since our offer on the house fell through, I've been back to thinking more and more about adoption again. One thing I always think about is a great gift idea for the birth parents. An idea that I like is a Build-A-Bear from the Build-A-Bear workshop. I'd give one to the birth mom and a matching one to the baby.

My friend who does the Mommy-Files blog is doing a giveaway for a certificate there. Go check it out if you love Build-A-Bear!

Is my life really that boring?

I've seen this on several friends' blogs, and I like it, so I'm doing it for Matt and I. The bold words are mine, and the italicized ones are Matt's. If the items are both bold and italicized, then we've both done them.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child -- hope to very soon, anyway.
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen an eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run --does Wiffle ball count?
32. Been on a cruise -- around Boston Harbor
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason -- Matt got them for me, so we're counting it for the two of us.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House -- seen it from the outside -- does that count?
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating -- caught, gutted, and ate a fish once.
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life -- does my own count?
90. Sat on a jury -- mock juries in school
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee



**Things I've Done. To participate just copy and paste in your own blog, and bold all of the things you have done.

K-Mart has nothing on us!

Tonight while checking out of K-Mart, the young, male checker noticed that I was wearing a BYU Broadcasting jacket and asked, "Do you teach at BYU?" (I tried not to snicker at this remark.)

"No," I replied. "He (pointing to Matt) works for BYU Broadcasting."

The checker in awe asks, "Do you make a lot of money?"

Matt: "Oh, millions."

Checker: "The guy who owns K-Mart makes a lot of money. He must be a billionaire."

Us: "Yeah, maybe."

Checker: "Does he make as much as you?"

Us: blank stares

We really tried to hold in our laughter as we walked out the doors!

A Bit of Light Reading

I don't know if anyone noticed, but when I changed my blog template, I deleted the "Books I've Read This Year." I got too embarrassed to have that up when I noticed that many of my friends and family have much longer lists with books with more pages (you could probably call them more sophisticated books). I'm a light reader. I love to read when I get a book that keeps me moving through it, but it's one that I don't have to stumble across big vocabulary or concepts that are out of my league. For example, it took me two years to read Les Miserables because of all of the French history, and I won't tell you how many times I pulled out a dictionary to read that thing or how many times I had to reread a page because I got lost in it all. There are many books that I've read the beginning of but never finished.

I much prefer children's literature or young adult fiction. Even if they are skinnier books, they usually have something to think about in them, and they usually leave out all of the garbage (swearing, sex, and violence). I'm such a visual person that I can't read that stuff and get it out of my head very easily. Images seem to stay forever.

Since being a school teacher, I've collected many "chapter" books that I haven't even read, but that I had on my bookshelf in my classroom. When we moved here, I boxed them all and put them under our stairs. Well, this weekend, I realized I was bored watching TV, and I had nothing to do, so I pulled out a stack of books to read. I know I can read them quickly and get into them. The book I read first was Loser by Jerry Spinelli.

I originally started this book when I was a teacher, but I couldn't finish it. I was too depressed to read it. I found a good synopsis, better than I can write, here. I've had a hard time reading Jerry Spinelli in the past, but I've learned that he likes to write to make you think, and he usually writes about the underdog, so that you get his/her perspective. Another book of his that I like is Stargirl.
Anyway, I'm trying to broaden my mind by reading, but I think I'll stick with the easier stuff (at least in my mind).

Do you love American Idol?

Well, this post is not about American Idol, but it is about something similar to A.I. On Monday, November 12 (this Monday for those of you, who like me, forget the current date on a daily basis), visit totalpopstar.com and vote for your favorite singer. If you go there before that date, you will just see the advertisement, or you could enter the contest, perhaps. Basically, this website is going to be American Idol on the internet, but it's not affiliated with American Idol. Who knows what will turn out from this?

How and why do I know about this website since I'm not a big internet surfer? Well, my big brother owns a small share in the business, and I'm advertising it for him. I'm interested to see if this idea hits the ground running. Perhaps it will flop, who knows. But I'm always up for watching brave people (you have to be brave to sing in front of who knows how many people) try to hit a note and sing a song. I can't sing, and I can tell when somebody else can't either.

Oh, well, just try to visit the site on Monday and we'll see what happens. It can't hurt can it? (Besides your ears, I mean.)

Homemade Gym

Today Jackson and I turned on some great kids' tunes and danced. He threw the cushions off the couch, jumped on the couch, and did some tumbling routines. We had so much fun laughing, dancing, and playing together. Here pictures of his tumbling routines.

Gymboree at home

If you're like me, you really want to sign your kids up for some great community classes like music or tumbling, but it's just not in your budget. Well, Jackson has recently picked up some ideas from a friend that make up for the tumbling class that I can't enroll him in. And today, instead of getting after him, we turned on the music and just grooved along to the beat. Here is his transformation of the living room into a gym and his tumbling routines*:







Jackson LOVES music and can learn anything if it's put to a song. My mom recognizes this and has given Jackson some great music. This is what we listened to today. I highly recommend these little tikes CDs. Jackson has four of them and several other kids' songs CDs. We have fun listening, singing, and dancing to them.

*No children were hurt during the photo shoot.