TSN: Weeks 14 and 15

We've been out of town for most of the last two weeks, so here are two weeks at once reporting on my "Try Something New" resolution.

April 1 -- First time in the Minneapolis airport. The boys and I had a lengthy layover there on our way to California to visit my family for spring break. Is that airport huge, or does is just take forever to walk anywhere with two tired kids and their baggage?

April 2 -- Bought a new dress and shoes at Old Navy, because that's what my family does when we get together. My mom shops like no one I've ever met. Not really my thing. I might have been adopted.

April 3 -- Watched a new movie while working out. IQ with Meg Ryan and the guy from Shawshank Redemption (Tim Robbins). It was kind of cute.

April 4 -- Bought and used butterfly bandages for the first time, because I am accident-prone and split my eyebrow open on a chair when I was bending down to pick up a pencil. It was pretty ugly. Luckily it was right exactly in my eyebrow hair so you can't really see it now. Matt was in Texas for work, and I didn't tell him for more than a day because I didn't want him to accuse me of "acting too tough for stitches". He got to Redding that day and I was healed enough to show him my war wound.

Before the butterfly bandages

April 5 -- Ate the most delicious frozen yogurt at a new place called "Cookies and Yogurt" in my hometown. People in Redding, listen to me -- there are tons of frozen yogurt places in California these days, but this one is the best. Lots of toppings, high quality yogurt, more flavors, and homemade cookies. GO there!

April 6 -- Taught my little sister Julia how to snowboard. Yes, I finally went back to the mountain! I hadn't been snowboarding in over seven years, since before I was married and my sister tore her ACL on the first run of the day. But I'm happy to say that my body remembered how to get down the mountain without wiping out. And it was aaaaawesome!!!! I miss it. I had never had the chance to teach someone before, and Julia was doing great by the end of the day, so that was fun.

My three younger sibs

Editor's Note: There are no pictures of Matt and me from skiing because he looked like Lloyd Christmas all day and wouldn't sign the photo release for this blog post.

April 7 -- Drove a tractor! My dad is a little obsessed with yard work and has his own tractor. We used it to tear up some land for his new garden. Josh will sit on his grandpa's lap all day long if he gets to help operate machinery. I felt like a pretty cool mom in this picture.

April 8 -- I wish I could say that breaking my phone was a new thing for me, but it wasn't. I've done that before a few times, and did it again on Easter when I dropped it on the concrete while trying to shoot a pellet gun. My new thing that day was actually teaching the Sunday school class that my dad is usually in charge of. Matt and I got to spend that hour with all the teenagers in the ward (one of whom was my baby sister) and it was a pretty good discussion, considering all the hormones crammed into that little room.

April 9 -- Three words: chocolate cinnamon bears. They are amazing! I love chocolate. I love cinnamon bears. Never would have thought that the combination would be a good thing, but why not? My sister brought some back from Utah (she was visiting Redding too) and shared. Thanks, Melissa, for getting me hooked on yet another kind of junk food.

April 10 -- Got a new phone! Thank goodness for insurance. It's purple and better than my old one. I love it. I also watched a new movie that night called We Bought a Zoo, which I really really liked. Worth renting.

April 11 -- Bought two new pairs of skinny jeans. What's new about this, you ask? They are bright red and electric blue. Yesssssss. I guess I'm still not ready to look like a mom yet.

April 12 -- Took Josh to his first soccer practice. Our flight from California got in at 3:30 in the afternoon, and we were at soccer by 5:45. I had to take Josh to at least one practice before his first game on Saturday. He was the cutest boy ever, and did especially well considering his 3:30 a.m. wake up call that morning to leave for the airport, followed by nine hours of travel. I will share more soccer details in another post.

April 13 -- Learned sign language for the primary song "I Feel my Savior's Love" to teach the kids on Sunday. They did great.

April 14 -- Bought a bunch of flower bulbs to plant in our yard. Josh and I have been so excited about our tulips and daffodils this spring that we want to plant everything we can get our hands on!