Corn on the Cob

This week's Tueaday Tell-All is telling you all about my favorite summer treat. It took me all of 1/8th of 1 second to know exactly what I wanted to share with my friends. I think about and crave it all year long. It can only be purchased around the end of July through August. I am a fresh corn on the cob addict. And as such, I'm also very picky about my corn on the cob. I only buy fresh Utah corn from the little stands you see everywhere. In case you are unfamiliar, let me enlighten you: They pick the corn so fresh, like the morning of, and drive it up from the nearby farms by 10:00 every day. There's a nice lady or man who has the fabulous job of sitting by those stands all day waiting for people to buy their produce. I will admit, I almost always skip over the tasty peaches and watermelon. I have eyes for only one thing: my yummy Utah corn. I love the Utah corn because you don't even have to cook it. You could eat it right there at the produce stand if you wanted to. But you don't want to. You have to take it home and throw it in boiling water just long enough for it to get hot. And it has to be hot because the best part is rolling it in your butter dish. You roll it and roll it until it's coated with real butter. Then you get a napkin handy because you KNOW you're going to soon have melted butter dripping down to your elbows. Lean WAY over your plate (so as not to drip on your cute jeans) and bite in. The kernals begin popping in your mouth, squirting your tongue with sweet corn juice. And real butter. Mmmm, mleh. Now I'm drooling. Better run to the produce stand...

Tuesday Tell-All: Why I Run

Today's topic is exercise. This word used to put an instant lump of guilt in my gut every time I heard it spoken. It's like reading scripture or eating veggies or doing genealogy work: all those wonderful things in life we know we SHOULD be doing, but often have a hard time...well, finding the time. I've (mostly) enjoyed being active. But since I married Vince, I've learned to appreciate it much more. And even just in the last couple of years I've learned to CRAVE it. I can always tell when it's been a while since I've exercised. I start to get crabby and feel all bleh inside, and I just start itching to get out and pound the pavement. And as I'm sure you all know by now, my exercise of choice is running.

I love what running does for me emotionally. I'm not a morning person, but there's just something magical that happens outside in the early hours when the world is just starting to wake up. I love being a part of that and seeing it first hand. I love watching the sun come up over the Eastern mountains, and almost instantly feeling it warm my body. I love listening to the chatter of the early birds who have so very much to say to each other. I love the solitude of being left to my own thoughts--I can think about anything and everything I want. No one is pulling on my arm, needing me to tie a shoe or fix a toy. No one is competing for this time--it's just me. I love that. I need that.

I love what running does for me physically! For most of you that know me, you know I've always been a...well, chubby kid. "Pretty & plump" I think is how my Mom described me! ;0) She used to tell me I was like that female bunny on "Bambi"--definitely a girly-girl, pretty & plump. Weight has always been a struggle for me. But running has been the very best way I've found to get in a really good workout and finally get control of my weight. I eat better when I run. I look better when I run! And I feel much better when I run.

I also love what running does for me socially. Even though it's such an individual sport, it creates an instant bond between people. I get so excited when I find out someone else is a runner, because they understand all that it means to me. They understand what an accomplishment it is to run a 5k in 26 minutes, or to finish a marathon, or just to brag about a really good training run. I love that running can bring together total strangers and make them friends.

And I don't have to be fast to be a runner, or come in 1st place in a race. I just have to lace up my shoes and shut the door behind me, and I really feel I can conquer the world.

Graduation

So today's TTA is about Graduation. I've actually been thinking about Graduation a lot lately, since I'm now so old that it has been 10 years since I graduated from High School! My parents have all the old pictures from before I was married. So I stole this one from my friend, Sheri. Here I was 10 years ago this month:



From left to right: Michelle, Sheri, me, & Melissa

I will admit, I was very happy to move on after High School. And I loved High School, especially my Senior year. But I was really ready to go out and start the rest of my life.

And so I went to BYU and worked hard at getting a degree in Early Childhood Education. I was accepted into the program. And then I met Vince. And then I fell in love. And then I got married. And then I got PREGNANT. And then I knew I needed to graduate! So I switched to Marriage, Family, & Human Development (which still makes me chuckle at the degree I got). I was proud that I had worked it out just perfect. Brooke was due on July 10th, and I would finish Spring Term with my last classes 3 weeks prior to her due date. The only problem was that Brooke decided to show up 5 weeks EARLY! So she was born about 2 weeks before the end of the term. I had great professors that were very understanding (I'm sure at BYU this sort of thing happens a lot) and helped me finish what I needed to when I was recovered.

I had 2 more classes I did Indepent Study. And I walked across the stage in April of 2002.



Me & my friend Kristi. We were roommates until she got married, and we both graduated in MFHD.
Brooke was about 10 months old then. And we got her a cute little cap & gown outfit so we could match! I still love the pictures:

The Hogges are wonderful supporters! Shalon, me & Brooke, Vince, my Mother-in-law Marjorie, & Alisa

My family were big fans as well: My Dad, Mom, us, sisters Jo & Beth (and Bethy-Loo, why in the world are you hiding behind Jo?)

Here are the siblings--mine & Vince's

And the parents! Love you guys!

And I just threw in this picture because it was in the same file on my computer, and I'm a little baby-hungry and remembered how adorable Brookie was at this age. I love the tongue sticking out! *Sigh!* Isn't she a cutie?
And as fun as High School and college were, I will admit I am SO glad I'm not in school anymore!

Tueday Tell-All: One Word

So, since I saw my friend Sheri's blog a while ago, I've been wanting to do the Tuesday Tell-All thing. I think it's such a great idea to help think of stuff to blog about. I really liked today's topic, so I thought I'd give it a whirl:

Answer the following with only one word.
1. Where is your cell phone? ....................Here
2. Your significant other?.......................Hilarious
3. Your hair?....................................Natural
4. Your mother? .................................Friend
5. Your father?..................................Encouraging
6. Your favorite thing?..........................Friends
7. Your dream last night?........................Anxious
8. Your favorite drink...........................Milk
9. Your dream/goal?..............................Happiness
10. The room you're in?..........................Office
11. Your children?.....................................Good
12. Your fear?...................................Change
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years...........Here
14. Where were you last night?...................Home
15. What you're not?.............................Decisive
16. Muffins......................................Big
17. One of your wish list items?.................Baby
18. Where you grew up?...........................Utah
19. What you read last........................Scriptures
20. What are you wearing?........................Jeans
21. Your TV?.....................................Huge
22. Your pets?...................................Nope
23. Your computer? ..............................Dusty
24. Your life?...................................Happy
25. Your mood?...................................Cheerful
26. Missing someone?.............................Sisters
27. Your car?....................................Crumbly
28. Something you're not wearing?................Shoes
29. Favorite Store?..............................Target
30. Your summer?.................................Busy
31. Like someone?................................Mama
32. Your favorite color?.........................Yellow
33. Last time you laughed........................Today
34. Last time you cried?.........................Saturday