I'm "IT"

I've been tagged by Jana, so here it goes:

20 years ago -- February 1988
I was attending Westridge Elementary School ("Go Wildcats!") as a 4th grader. My teacher was Miss Broadbent, who I was and still am convinced did NOT like me. Not sure why, though. I thought I was a pretty good student...maybe that was the problem!
10 years ago -- February 1998
Laren and I had been married for 6 whole months! We were living in a cute apartment above a garage in Orem. We were both going to school (me at BYU and he at U of U). He was working at La Quinta in Orem and I was working at America's Best Contacts and Eyeglasses, where I stayed until Abbie came a year and a half later. We also had just bought our first car together, a tan 1996 Mercury Mystique with leather interior and a sunroof. We were in heaven!

5 years ago -- February 2003
Christian had just turned one and Abbie was 3 1/2. We were living in Nibley, UT (just south of Logan). Laren was student teaching and going to school, and I was working at USU as a secretary and teaching violin lessons. We were getting excited to hear if Laren would be hired by CES.

3 years ago -- February 2005
We had been living at my parents' for 6 months and were finally about to move into our Salem home. It was like Christmas pulling our stuff out of storage. The kids loved it and we were happy to be on our own again. I was in the last trimester of pregnancy with BJ and in a lot of pain. I'm sure I complained to anyone who would listen. I spent the days painting walls, playing with "new" toys with the kids, and soaking in our jacuzzi tub. Laren was working at Spanish Fork Senior Seminary (where he still works) and loving it! This is also the time when we really started spending time with our friends, the Harris', who had also bought a home just down the street from us. Abbie was in kindergarten, starting the year at my alma mater, Westridge Elementary, and ending at Mt. Loafer Elementary.

1 year ago -- February 2007
The month of February seemed to go by painstakingly SLOW because I was VERY pregnant with Amelia and in even more pain than with BJ. (I think I cried every day at this point, feeling sorry for myself.) Abbie was in 2nd grade with Mrs. Findlay as teacher and I was going in to her class to be "mother helper" every other week. Other days I was home with my boys, watching more movies than we should have. This picture is with my cousin, Adri, at another cousin's wedding. Notice my bulging belly.

So far this year --
We were sick almost the entire month of January and some of February, but now are healthy and hope to keep it going. We lost our beloved pet, Meg, but gained 2 other dogs, Jax and Chester. Both are Jack Russell Terriers and adorable. I have become a "dog person" despite attempts to avoid it. We enjoyed a trip up to Rexburg, ID, to reminisce about old times and see the new temple there.

Yesterday --
I took the kids to Walmart to buy some essentials and spent way too much money, so I feel a little bit hypocritical, considering I'm the CHICK. I taught two violin lessons, went on a walk, ate dinner, read scriptures, family prayer, kids' bedtime, and then flopped onto my bed to watch Biggest Loser and American Idol (my 2 favorite shows of all time...and, yes, I do watch them both simultaneously). My sweet hubby rubbed my head and put me to sleep.

Today --
I need to go get a shower, but I decided to post this instead, so a shower will have to work its way in somewhere in the day. I am going to try to get Mia to drink more bottle, less me. I will take care of the kids, the dogs, and hopefully still have some energy to take care of the house. Wish me luck with this one!

Tomorrow --
Laren has Parent-Teacher Conferences and I am supposed to go to GNO, so I'm not sure my part of that will happen, but I'm going to try.

This year --
I look forward to a year without a pregnancy - because I have pregnancy issues. I hope to keep my goal of reading the Book of Mormon before May 10 in honor of President Hinckley. I'm excited for April (or earlier) to find out if we will be getting transferred to another area or not, so that I can move on with my life either way. I am thrilled that next school year I won't have to deal with half-day kindergarten...it always makes it hard to do anything outside of Salem and still make it to school on time. And my biggest goal this year is to start running and get my body back in a shape that somewhat resembles what it was before 4 kids. I'm going to need more luck with this one than you know!

I tag --
Vanessa, Mindy, and Jennifer