Even the Kitchen Sink

I think my kitchen faucet is broken. :- /

Fashionable Swimwear

I have been searching for a swimsuit. Yes, in January, in Utah. You may wonder why . . .

Because my amazing, fantastic, incredibly handsome, and awesome husband won us a trip to the Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas!!

The Atlantis Resort

Bruce closed nearly $1.2 million in loans from June to November, and won the company trip. [Before you think we are all now just rolling in money, the commission he earns on loans is 0.44%. So if he closes $1.2 million in loans over six months, we earned $5,280 over that six months. NOT that I'm complaining. :-) ]

We have never won a company contest/trip before, and didn't think we would this time. But in July, when Bruce looked up his numbers online and saw that he was number 76 on the "personal loan production" list, he decided that he would win that trip, and he worked hard at it. There are several categories he could have competed in, but Primerica is sending the top 20 loan-producers—and their spouses to the Bahamas in February. It was a very close contest, and by the end of November we weren't sure he'd made it. So when the winners' list came out in December with Bruce placing at number 13 we were pretty darn thrilled! We'll be there, in the sun, February 16-19. :-)

But now I need a swimsuit. I don't have one; and how can you spend four days in the Bahamas without swimwear?! Well, being in Utah, it's not exactly easy to find swimwear in January (that starts showing up around the middle of February—when we'll be leaving). I did find some stuff in one store already, but decided I didn't really like what I saw upon looking in the mirrors. After all, I am looking for something cute, that doesn't make me look fat, and is comfortable to play in—in the water and out.

Obviously, this is out of the question.

So I looked around online instead. This is what I found:

The Miracle Suit, claiming to trim off ten pounds in ten seconds. Sounds very appealing! But I wonder, if the suit trims all the covered areas so well, then do your thighs end up looking like toothpaste squeezed out from the leg openings? (Especially my blinding, white legs?)

The Miracle Suit

Then there's Ohana Swimwear. I favor this one. I wouldn't mind all the covering up; but I'm a little worried that it will make my short legs look even shorter.

Ohana Swimwear

If you are interested in being modest, and well-covered, you might try these bathing suits (bathing dresses?) from Modest Swimwear Solutions. While I think this is darling beach-wear, I'm not sure about going for a swim in it.

Modest Swimwear Solutions

But, best of all was this very controversial suit from Wholesome Wear. I actually found these suits through some blog—which received a surprising number of interesting comments. I don't know . . . it's pretty racy!

Wholesome Wear

So, which one do you like best?

p.s. For some curious reading, check out some of the comments on that blog I mentioned (just click the link). Wow!

The Winning Picture

Well, Ann decided me. Really, all I needed was for someone to agree with my own decision; and Ann summed it up very well (see comments). I'm going to use the temple at sunset picture.



First of all, I am looking for something that you don't usually see in every LDS home, which makes this one a good choice. But I really do like the angle and perspective of looking up at this big building, and I love the complementary colors of the blue sky and the peachy-salmony sunset reflecting off of the granite. So I'm taking it to be printed up (probably next week) and when you come to visit you can "Ooooh" and "Aaaaahh" at it. ;-)

Ooooh! Or how about this one?

Bruce took this picture for me last Saturday, when we went out on a date. What do you think? Any of these pics, or should we just try again?

Well, Maybe Not Entirely Dull . . .

Well, OK. Here's something new:

My parents tiled their diningroom and kitchen a few years ago (that's not news!). It was maybe as many as ten years ago. Anyway, Mom has lots of extra tiles and said I could have them for my fireplace! How's that for cool? So in a few weeks I'm really going to do it—I'm going to tear out my fireplace and redo it in tile. I'm waiting a few weeks because I still have to buy tile glue and grout, and probably some tile-board stuff for the wall.

I have a picture frame that I keep on the hearth. Right now it holds a picture that I drew, but I want to exchange it for a picture of the Salt Lake Temple. So I went looking for a picture, but they are all the same ones you see in every LDS house. Well, unless I want to pay a fortune for a cool painting—which I don't.

About a week (or so) ago I was looking through pictures we have stashed away on our computer and I found these temple pictures that Bruce took a few years ago. I think one of them might do nicely.

Salt Lake Temple, at night

Salt Lake Temple, at sunset

What do you think— which one do you like best? Should I use one of these in my living room?

Dull

The fact is, I can think of nothing to say. The details of my daily life are less than inspiring; not particularly humorous; nothing new. Do you really want to hear about how many times a day I wash the dishes? I haven't even had an original thought for about a year, I think.

So . . .
Silence.

A New Recipe!

At last! At last! For those of you who have been wringing your hands in breathless anticipation, your patience has finally paid off. This morning I added a new recipe to my cookbook blog. It's a good one, and super-easy to make.
Enjoy!

I take it all back

Wait, wait, wait! Did I say Abbi was a very good cat?

Today she is all black again, and now I know why: She is using the ashes in the fireplace for a litter box! Dumb cat! Now, you might say this is not so bad—after all, she's still not pooping on the floor. But it is bad, and here's why:

1. I don't want her to think she can ever, ever, ever potty in the house. Never!

2. Can you imagine lighting a fire in the fireplace with unsuspected kitty poo in the bottom of it? UGH!!!!

And, besides, now she needs another bath.

She Loves Me; She Loves Me Not . . .

Abbi, our cat, and I have kind of a love/hate relationship. We got her seven years ago as a cute, little, noisy kitten. She cried so much when the kids played with her that Bruce and I thought they must be tormenting her to death and we were always telling them to leave her alone. Actually, Abbi was just a complainer. Unfortunately, she never did get attached to the kids—but she adores Bruce. She sleeps on his side of the bed; if he's left his clothes out she sleeps on them; and if he sits down for more than 10 minutes she hops onto his lap for some affection.

Abbi loves Bruce. Here she climbed into his lap while he was on a business phone call.

She sees me, however, as another creature entirely. First of all, we got started on the wrong foot: One night, when she was still little and exploring her new home, Bruce and I heard a crash in the kitchen (or so we thought). I figured she had gotten on the counter and knocked down my cooling racks; not a big deal, so I didn't even bother to go check it out. But in the morning I discovered that she had actually climbed on the fireplace mantle and knocked off the bride and groom figurine that my brother, Wendell, had given to me as a wedding gift (it was the figure on our wedding cake). Abbi chose the very moment of this terrible discovery to rub up against my legs. I think I grabbed her by the tail, shook her and tossed her aside. Now, I am not normally cruel to animals but I was very distraught! I did eventually forgive her for the broken figurine. (After I had super-glued it together as well as I could, and cried over it for about a week. But maybe it's fitting, now that we have eight kids, for the bride to be a little cracked and the groom to have a hole in his head.)

Abbi really is a good cat. She doesn't jump on the table, she only eats cat food, she doesn't poop on the floor, she's never bitten or scratched the kids or anyone else. And, truly, I am pretty nice to her. But she's never known what to think of me since those early days. It doesn't help that I am at home more than anyone else, and so I'm always the one tripping over her—which she doesn't take kindly. Once I came in with my arms full of babies, diaper bags and groceries, didn't see the cat, and she got booted across the room. I feel bad when this kind of thing happens (although rather frustrated too), but Abbi just thinks I'm a madwoman. I can see her little kitty brain saying, "What is she going to do next?"

(after her bath)

What is she going to do next?!

Well, things have been OK between me and Abbi for months now, so I guess she was due for more wanton cruelty from me. She has had a big, black, greasy spot on her shoulder for a couple weeks; and black paws too. (I suspect she'd been hiding out under a car somewhere one cold day.) She really looked like she'd need a bath, but I waited and waited, hoping she'd get it cleaned up by herself. Today I finally gave her a bath. Poor kitty! She complained a lot, but she never tried to bite, scratch or even run away. She is such a good cat. I didn't think to take a picture of her before I dried her off—couldn't have anyway, since I didn't have an assistant. But I got a picture of her after she was towelled down. (above)

Of course, after the bath she ran straight for a heater vent, where she sat down to give herself a proper cat bath. Then she spent most of the afternoon in the sunny window, drying off. Now she's kind of avoiding me. You just never know what I'm going to do!

Especially for Bruce

Hi Bruce!

I'm leaving my wish list here in my blog, so that when those special days come up (Valentine's Day, my birthday, Mother's day, "Bruce Loves His Wife" Day, etc . . .) you'll be able to find me something that I really want. Isn't that thoughtful of me?

• Frieling Handle-It Glass-Bottom Springform Pan
• Jane Eyre (the new Masterpiece Theater DVD
• A nice necklace (or two) and some hypo-allergenic, nickel-free earrings
• Tangerine-Mango body wash (from Bath & Body Works)
• Pajamas—the soft, cotton-knit kind (another pair would be nice).
• Godiva Dark Chocolates (can't get too many). My favorites are any of the dark truffles (except coffee flavors), and the dark chocolate raspberry cordial. Mmmm!
• Deva-Curl No-Poo and One Condition
• Those serving dishes that come with those cool racks that hold more than one dish on them, so there's more space on the table for even more dishes.
• A gift card to a restaurant—or just a trip to a restaurant!
• "The Christmas Story" set of figurines by Willow Tree
• A good Frank Sinatra album, including the song, "The Way You Look Tonight"
• A good Elvis Presley album
• Rejoice and Be Merry! —the new Tabernacle Choir cd with the King's Singers
• A Baker's Field Guide to Holiday Candy & Confections by Dede Wilson
• Socks; not the thick sport kind, but not thin trouser-socks either—something in-between. The kind with no holes in the toes. ;-)
• America's Choir: The Story of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir DVD
• The New Best Recipe by (who else?) Cooks Illustrated
• A pedicure!
• A good mandolin (the kind you chop vegetables with, not the musical instrument). I'll bet Cooks Illustrated has a review of the best mandolins.
• Flowers are always good! :-)

I'm sure, Bruce, that you can't fail to appreciate this very thoughtful post. If I think of any more to add to it, I will do it—just for you!

With love, from your sweet, loving and unselfish wife,
Loralee