a.rose

A little poem for you. dedicated to: Mom Thoughts on Christmas white snow flake red ice skate warm cocoa in a mug burning fire by the rug carrot nosed snowman in the yard little Christ child on a card twinkle lights on the tree peace and joy for you and me "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!" - Jolly Old St. Nick

I went to visit my pals on Saturday, Kristy, Stacy, Ryan, and Craig. It was, of course, fabulous, and I am seriously aggravated with myself for not taking any pictures. I even remembered my camera this time. How like me. (To forget to take pictures after making sure to remember the camera. Oh geez.) I had to drive a new route there, because obviously I've never gone there from here before. That was a trick and a half, let me tell you. It took me on all these little roads in the middle of nowhere, roads that weren't even county roads. None were labeled. I was a mess, I can assure you. So, I had Chuck find me a better way home. The way he had me go took a little longer, but I was able to stay on actual roads with names. This helped a lot, as it was dark and snowing at this point. Oh, and it saved my life. Apparently, it was really bad on 74 just before I got to it. When I made it onto 74, traffic was crawling (people averaging 35 mph.) I saw two cars that had flip...

I found this website a long time ago, and made this little photo collage of Hallie. I made another one that I will post at some point, but Hallie has decided that it's lunch time. What should we have?

When I am not playing with Hallie in the bathroom, sometimes I spend watch episodes of Psych on the computer. When there are no new episodes to watch (which happens but once a week... sadly) sometimes I have to find other things to do that are Psych related. Here is my latest discovery. Click on the link to see what I made. You can rate it too. Then I'll be famous. Don't forget, new episodes return January 9th!

We thought we'd try the Santa thing again at the Ward Christmas Party. Why not, right? All of the other little kids loved him, even the ones Hallie's age and younger. And Hallie's never been shy. The first Santa episode was a fluke. She was tired. I think the look here is "How dare you put me on this man's lap again." I'm pretty sure this is my nomination for worst mom ever. I would say that she's young, and she'll get over it, but the following day we left her with babysitters for the first time ever while we were at the Nauvoo Temple, and it's been ugly ever since. She won't let anyone hold her but me, or Devin... and I have to be holding her at all times. That wouldn't be so bad, I know lots of moms who survived it (mine... thanks mom. you're the best) EXCEPT that I had gotten really spoiled by having an independent, carefree baby. Santa took that baby from me, and left me with myself at that age. Hmm, my mom's Chr...

I love President Bush. I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I know a lot of people feel differently about him, but I can't help it. I'm especially happy with him right now: Executive Order from President Bush You can click that link to read the actual executive order that he gave, giving Devin and all other Federal Employees the day after Christmas off, as a holiday this year! Merry Christmas!!! What this will do to our Christmas plans, however, I'm not yet sure. We'll look into it. In other news, Hallie did not take well to Santa Claus. Yikes. Well, as Hannah would say, "There's always Memorial Day!" (re: the Halloween pictures)

Hallie's favorite place to play is in the bathroom. You'll see what I mean. I apologize for it being sideways. I'm not very good at all the digital technology stuff. As you can see, she's got a lot to say. I've found that since I spend the majority of my time hanging out with an eleven month old girl, I sometimes get to the point in the day when I'm willing to do anything to keep her entertained. Including sitting on the bathroom floor while she explores, and talks to the bathtub. I've gotta go. She's eating dirt. (I'm not kidding.) It's more like potting soil. That's better, isn't it? I wonder if I'm not feeding her enough?

So, I've developed a twitch in my right eye. It began three days ago or so, and is pretty irritating. It's a bit like having the hiccups... in the top right quadrant of your eye. So, I ask you. What causes a twitch, and what can I do to make it stop? Is it like the hiccups at all, and maybe I could hold my breath, or drink a glass of water upside down? Does anyone with any sort of medical know how know how to help me? (ha ha ha...) In other Rose news, we went to Nauvoo the other day. I bought Hallie some warm shoes/boots. Here we are, on our way to Nauvoo, with Hallie wearing the new shoes. (And new pants too.) I can almost hear you now. "Oh, how sweet!" Yes, she is very sweet. Devin says her boots are "Star Wars" style. Hmm. We had our 2ARFGHMP (2nd Annual Rose Family Gingerbread House Making Party, to those who aren't familiar with it) the other day. We don't really call it that. It was lots of fun though. We invited some couples that w...

My cousin's husband shared this video with me, and I thought I'd let you all take a look at it, if you are so interested. It reminded me of how much I love people. I don't come into contact with many people these days, and when I do they always stop and adore Hallie, so how can I help myself, right? But when I go awhile without having one of those little interactions, and all I know of the people outside the four walls of my home are the tidbits I hear on the news, it's easy to forget for a minute and think that everyone has gone crazy and the world is out of control. So, I am grateful for this video. A subtle reminder within my own home of how much I truly just love PEOPLE. All of them. Here is the link, and just click on "video" to watch it. You can download it if you have Itunes, and are so inclined. To do that, click on "download". http://www.joytoeveryone.com/

There I am, in the far back... having just been lapped. On Thanksgiving Devin and I decided we would have a Rose Family Turkey Run. We went to a nearby unused track and lined up at the starting line. On Your Marks. Get Set. Go. I ran a mile, and Devin ran 4 miles. I was quite proud of myself that he only lapped me twice. However, I have to admit, that he was about to lap me a third time when I was almost done. I heard his feet pounding in the not too distant distance behind me, and I had just been congratulating myself on the only being lapped twice deal. So I put the pedal to the metal. I burned rubber. I made him eat dust. It's true. So I was only lapped twice. I won't let you know how close he came to passing me that third time before I squeaked past our "starting line". I do have some dignity. It wasn't too cold either, which was nice. I think my time was 9 min. Sadly, that's not much slower than I was in high school. (Or maybe I should be pro...

I think they should have a cooking show on the Food Network, or some channel, called "The Innovative Chef". It should star Devin Rose. The premise of this show would be that in each episode, Chef Rose would be making or baking some delicious mouth-watering treat. He would do so with some vital element missing, and be innovative enough to make it work without going to the store. This would be a great show. It is so fun to watch Chef Rose in action, and his personal philosophy truly is that one should never run to the store to get that important thing , but should try to figure out a way to make it happen anyway. An example. On Thanksgiving, if one is preparing a traditional meal, the turkey is the key. To cook a turkey in the oven, a roasting pan is usually used. Ah, but what if you forget to buy a roasting pan? Whoops. No big problem for the Innovative Chef. I'm not even sure all of the items he used to make it work, but I know it involved a casserole dish, the...

Recently, Devin has been craving some exotic food for dinner. This is not an easy task here in Midwestville. At the grocery store a few weeks ago we bought some pineapple. Delicious. Being the man he is, he uses this pineapple as a source of inspiration, in coming up with his latest recipe: Devin's Exotic Salad. 2 carrots, grated 1 can crushed pineapple, juice and all 1/4 c. chopped peanuts 1/2 c. raisins 1/3 c. mini marshmallows (optional) cinnamon Mix all ingredients together, except cinnamon. Let sit for 10 minutes. Prior to serving, lightly sprinkle cinnamon over top. Serve. It's fresh. It's sweet. It's crunchy. Call it what you will, it's exotic. And that's all we asked for. Give it a try!

As many of you know, I am married to a man who bakes bread. He usually bakes bread on Sundays, and it is always delicious. I have dabbled in banana bread, and that's about the extent of my bread baking experience. Devin decides one day that I should bake the bread. So, I get out the flour, salt, sugar, yeast and water, and I mix them all together. Oh, how delightful. I watch the mixer turn the dough around and around and around. It's too sticky. I add flour. Still too sticky. Add more flour. Ok, looks good. Dump it out, play with it a bit, put it back in the bowl, let it rise. Now it's ten feet tall and billowing out the top of the bowl. Rising is done. Dump it out of the bowl, twist and separate into two bits of dough, to make two loaves. Shape the dough into nice balls. Let sit for five minutes to relax. I can only imagine that this is all very stressful for those hardworking yeasties. Return to task at hand. Pick up one ball of dough, and begin flattenin...

I love these guys. Regis and Kelly that is. I don't know Hillary... Well, you might have guessed, and it's true. I've been reunited with my old friends, Regis and Kelly. Oh, how I missed them! It's my second morning back with them, and already I've learned so much. For example, from Regis I've learned that bangs are back, but Kelly won't wear them she says. Neither will I. I remember how it looked last time I tried it. From Kelly I learned what dim lighting can do for a woman's look, it's about the opposite of bangs, for girls like us. That was yesterday. Today I learned something very interesting. It's David Cook's fault that Hillary Clinton lost. Did you know that? Regis figured it out. Here's how it happened: David Cook was invited to play for Hillary Clinton, at Carnegie Hall I believe he (David Cook) said, and he played a song that she requested from him, because apparently she's a big fan. That's the key. She tol...

Calm down. It was not a serious trauma injury. Hallie was sick, so we called the doctor to ask what we should do, and we were told that we needed to take her to the E.R., or an Urgent Care clinic. Our insurance doesn't pay for urgent care clinics, so we went to the E.R. We were afraid that we'd have to sit in the waiting room for hours, as we were not a trauma injury, so we packed ourselves a dinner. We got there, and to our surprise led Hallie straight to a room to be examined, where she was given some Motrin, on top of the Tylenol we had given her before leaving. Then we were taken to a room upstairs to be looked at by the doctor. Four hours later, she had been seen by 5 nurses, 2 techs, 1 registration lady, 1 resident, 1 doctor, and 1 pharmacist. She had her heart rate checked via her big toe on her left foot. She had her throat swabbed, and her chest x-rayed. Devin said he could see all her teeth lined up ready to come in. They looked at her eyes, her ears, and d...

I can still remember with that awe that comes from the innocence of childhood the secretaries at the office where my dad worked. I thought they were all a grown woman could aspire to be: glamorous, beautiful, sophisticated. I believed this because I saw the evidence in the way they answered phones, the way they wrote messages, and the way they sat at their desks. It was the glory of those desks that really brought home to me the magic that must be their job as a secretary. It was not the desk itself that fascinated me, but rather the pens, the stapler, the notepads, especially the big phone with blinking lights. I think it's quite clear what my secret dream was: to be a secretary when I grew up. It had to be a secret of course, by very virtue of the fact that I wanted it so much. It couldn't possibly ever come true, like catching a falling star, or having a prince in shining armor come riding up on his white horse... And it didn't come true. I am not a secretary. But...

I love going places with Hallie. (And Devin too, of course... but this is not about him.) She is a natural friend-maker. In the mornings, when we go walking at the mall, she is admired by all the senior citizens we pass. And the ones that pass us. (Believe it or not, some of those guys really book it, they don't mess around with their morning workout.) They think she is so cute, and I mean really, she just is. I love the little random interactions that I have with people as I go about my business, running errands. The other day I was at the bank. While my transactions were being processed, I heard people murmuring behind me. "Oh, look at her." "Isn't she sweet?" "Hi, pretty girl!" And I might have felt flattered, fooling myself into thinking they might have been talking about me. But no, as I turn around to acknowledge this praise, all eyes are drawn to Hallie, and her precious five toothed grin. The same thing happened at the Driver...

I found the picture of Devin and I at the temple with Devin's mom. I've been thinking about the Netherlands again lately. I've been remembering what it was like to go to church there: It reminds me of how difficult it was just to get to church there, the trouble with buses, and the day we walked for hours without finding it... how much all the struggle to get to church made me truly appreciate how important it is in my life. The time I got lost, and was immensely cheered up by the sight of these goats, seemingly with a play area of their own: You can't see all of them in there, but there were five little goats. These guys really cheered me up when I got on the wrong bus and had to walk home for miles...the day after we had gotten there. It could have been such a bad memory, but every time I think of it, I think of these goats, and they always make me smile. Even now, when Devin and I are driving somewhere, I find myself longing to look out the window at a scene like...

I'm so proud of myself! Look what I did. There, up there. The new header thingy maboop for this blog. I did it. It took me much longer than I am comfortable admitting. But I did it! I loved the one you did Mimi, but in a fit of boredom I wanted to try and make something myself. So I fiddled and I tweaked, and I am pleased with my results. It was a lot of fun! Now I have to figure out how to make the rest of this blog look the way I want it too... Any tips?

This is one of my new favorite songs. I cry every time I listen to it. I sit there, and hug Hallie so tight that she squirms. So, go find someone you love and give them a big hug. These are the people I hug every day: Click here to watch the music video and listen to the song. I think it tells a little of his family story too, which makes the song all the more poignant, if you have time to watch/listen to that too. It is especially moving when you consider the tragedy his family recently went through, which I think must make him appreciate this song even more. I know it made me think about each moment with Hallie, even when she won't nap, and keeps biting me on the shoulder...

Ok guys, I'm ready to be a chicken. Put it on me. I guess I'm going to be so cute. I think I'll just let you see how it went from there... These are in chronological order: I'll give ten cents to whoever comes up with fun captions. Ok, ok, an ice cream cone to the best captions. Ready, go.

Tough Chick Tells the People How It's Gonna Be Unsolved Mysteries: How Does she Do That? Cute Pair Caught Having Quality Time They'll Have a Steak, and a Shake, please. How a Family Grows and Grows Preparing to Channel my Inner Nicole I've learned a few things about myself now. A.) I have no inner Nicole B.) Apparently I can channel a duck. And now the duck is angry. Well, I won't quit my day job. I guess not everybody can look sultry; some of us just keep trying though.

There are certain things in this bleak and dreary world that I am sure should not be documented. As an example, I present you with this: Yes, this is me, in eighth grade, in a swimsuit. Who took these pictures? Who thought that this ghastly image was important enough that it merited documentation? Let's move away from this unpleasantness to something a little more, pleasant. Because there are some things in this beautiful and glorious world that should be documented. Like, more of our time in the Netherlands: Let's actually travel a bit to Bruhl, Germany. I spent a beautiful day there once... Devin, Dad, Mom, Me What I wouldn't give to live here. Check out that awesome forest! Mom and Dad's new summer home This is what we came to Germany to see, this palace that belonged to some guy, at some time in history, that had some large amount of money and property. I think this was the place that had 400 bedrooms, 0 bathrooms. The tiny people clutching each other in the...